bee defiled by false accusers whose bodies many yeeres after their death to witnesse the innocencie of their Religion and life remained vncorrupted nor those whome so many testimonies from heauen and earth haue confirmed to be most happy Saints to be reiected as impious I am out of doubt no Protestant Lady of England will or dareth to compare her selfe with the meanest of many which for the loue and honour of our Religion forsooke all temporall pleasures and princelie honours and preferring the poore chaste and obedient religious life before all dignities became sacred and consecrated Nunnes such as Foxe is enforced to consecrated were Queene Edelburge wife and Queene to King Edwine and daughter of King Anna. Saint Etheldrede wife to King Elfride and married before and yet a perpetuall Virgine as Saint Bede Fox and others do witnesse Sexburga daughter of King Anna and wife to King Ercombert Kineburga wife to King Alfride daughter to King Penda sister to king Ofricus Elfloda daughter to King Oswy and wife to King Peda and Alfritha wife to King Edgar Hylda daughter to the nephew of King Edwine Erchengoda and Ermenilda daughters of King Ercombert Werburga daughter to King Vlferus Kinreda Kinswida his sisters Elfrida daughter to King Oswy Mildreda Milburga and Milginda daughters of King Mirwaldus Saint Editha daughter to King Edgar and others most holie religious and miraculous Princesses the glorie of our English Ladies Or if the glorie and happinesse of Catholicke Princes will not mooue yet let the fearefull examples of the principall Protestant Ladies of England chiefe Agents in this quarrell greeuously afflicted of God and made dishonourable to the worlde putte vs in minde what wee ought to doe which though Stowe and Grafton haue too bluntly sette downe my selfe for some reuerent respects will heere omit Thinke it you Protestant Dames of England no disparagement in honor to be followers of those renowned Princesses which in all Antiquities are recorded to be the glory of your kinde and the supreame womanly honour of our Kingdome That RELIGION the greatest honour which hath giuen to them such eternitie of honour in Heauen can not make you dishonourable in Earth It is the nature of your sexe to immitate and in some things you will sometimes immitate too much If you that liue in Courte didde but knowe the guise of attires which those holy Queenes and Ladies vsed before they were Religious you would follow it in the highest degree although therein you should consent with the Dames of Italy France Spaine and Rome it selfe or any other place or person to which you professe your selues most distasted And in such things though neuer vsed of Queene Sexburga Etheldreda Edelburga or any of those or other Saintes your daily and new deuises are euidence against you that you esteeme it not dishonourable to learne of the Ladies of those Nations These agreements are not so worthie praise and yet therein you will not be at variaunce Then seeing the Religion of those Countries whose Ladies you allowe in matters so little deseruing immitation is that which maketh so honorable with God and man and not for a short courting but an euer-continuing time feare not to bee French Spanish Italian and Roman in that wherein the tipe and diademe of true honour consisteth or if you haue chosen to bee wedded onelie to terrene and debased honour yet you may not thinke so basely of that Religion I defend to disallowe it For all your earthly honours titles names and ensignes of dignitie were eyther first founded or after allowed and confirmed to your auncestors and in them to you by the Popes Emperours Kings and Regents in Catholike reuerence England Protestant wanteth many degrees of chiefest place which England Catholicke enioyed England Protestant hath diminished and added none to those which were before And those Countries I named and whose Religion I commend vnto you haue many of that condition which neuer any England hadde Catholicke Religion neuer denied any thing vnto you which was truely honourable it gaue you your dignities honourable places and priuiledges it gaue you credite with our Princes and for their and your honour ordayned you estates it defendeth your marriages to be honorable and a sacrament by that Religion your matrimonie was not in the pleasure of your Lordes repudiations and deuorcements at their willes were not knowen remarrying to a second wife the former liuing was euer most vnlawfull Concubines could not possesse the maintenaunce of your honours their bastardes might not enioy the inheritaunce of your legittimate for feare of offence I will be silent in most honourable fauours which your Catholike ancestors had and you might haue by that Religion and Protestancie cannot giue and referre that cause to your more serious examination and fauourable construction which for my promise of writing nothing offensiue to our English state I must willingly in this and other places leaue naked and vnfurnished of many and greatest arguments of defence SECT X. The Authors defence to all inferiour subiects IF I shoulde entreate what benefites and preferrements so many diuerse orders and conditions of inferiour subiects enioyed by enioying our Religion and what they lost by losse thereof as I should make my cause too popular and pleasing vnto them so I feare I might be offensiue to some to whome I haue promised to giue no occasion of offence Therefore I will onely put them in minde that as all their auncestors and predecessors were of the same RELIGION with vs so an innumerable company of their kinsfolks were religious men and women and in them the care of their parents ended and they became Fathers and mothers to their parents and families others were attendant instructed and maintained by pensions corrodies farmes annuities leases and tenements of our religious houses the poore were releeued in our Hospitalles and by our almes others liuing vppon our landes without fines or enhaunced rents euery temporall man and woman enioying more for them and theirs by howe much so many hundred thousandes of religious persons claimed and needed lesse by their poore and single life No wife to prouide for ioynture no daughter to endowe and giue in marriage no elder sonne to enrich with new inheritance and spared purchases no yonger sonne to be aduaunced by emprooued rents toyles or turnings out of Farmes no tenaunt chaunged no fines no forfeitures taken no woodes destroyed no priuiledge or freedome withdrawne many new and greater graunted by Kings and Noble men to religious persons their tenaunts and tenures not so many iarres and quarrelles in lawe contentions and debates of the poore subiects comprimitted by ghostly confessors religious persons and kings themselues SECT X. His defence to the Ministerie of England LAstly to come to the Protestant Ministery of England whose anger and displeasure as I esteeme it least so I name them last I appeale to all those estates I haue recounted for iudgement whether in accusing them of ignoraunce or
An Apologicall Epistle Directed to the right honorable Lords and others of her Maiesties priuie Counsell Seruing aswell for a Praeface to a Booke entituled A Resolution of Religion as also containing the Authors most lawfull Defence to all estates for publishing the same The Argument of that Worke is set downe in the page following Printed at Antwerp with licence the fiue and twenty day of March 1601. Stilo novo The Argument of the booke intituled A Resolution of Religion promised and defended in this Epistle THe Resolution of Religion being deuided into two parts entreateth in the first of the absolute Necessitie of a Diuine worship against all Atheists Epicures Doubters or Deniers thereof proouing aswell the most infallible certainty and preeminences of this supernaturall Reuerence as the manifold grosse absurdities of that vnnaturall and prophane People Secondly it demonstrateth against Iewes Pagans Mahumetanes and all externall Enemies of Christ that onely the Religion which he taught is true and all others blasphemous and ouerwhelmed with manifest and intollerable errours In the second part it sheweth by aboue an hundred vnanswerable Arguments against all Heretikes and internall Aduersaries that among so many professions of Christ onely Catholike Romane Religion is true and deliuered by him and all others especially the Protestancie of England not onely by all those Reasons but by their owne grounds and proceedings false and damnable IHS MAR To the right honourable Lordes and others of her Maiesties priuie Counsell RIght Honorable and renowmed Regents If the first created Ruler in earth had not broken the Rule of his Creator and supreame Ruler in Heauen vnrulinesse had not entred Superiours had not found so many disorders to reforme Inferiors had wanted so greeuous causes of complaint For when by that infinite and inerrable power of God all creatures were framed in perfection man as he was made according to his similitude and to be his Viceroy ouer this inferior world so he was constituted far more perfect than the rest replenished with all kinds both of spirituall and corporall fauors and had an especiall Charter of priuiledged habilitie had hee not wilfully lost it to be enfranchized from all defects of soule or body defended from the first by the armour of originall Iustice and exempted from the second by refuge and sanctuary to the tree of life In that happy condition and estate no infirmitie had beene bewailed no errour in the vnderstanding no froward affection in the will no King Senate Councell or Ruler had beene entroubled with rules of Reformation no subiect had complained no man had beene iniured For where no offence either against God or man no disobedience of the inferiour appetite to Reason or of Reason against her Ruler had raigned nothing could be amisse to be complained of by the one or corrected by the other SECT I. The frailetie and pronenesse of man to sinne after the fall of Adam BVt after our protoparent made forfeiture of that tenure broke conditions with God our Writte of Priuiledge was reuoked and Citty of refuge taken away and humane nature left to it selfe naked and disabled among so many enemies and allurements of iniquitie came to that impotent and poore degree wherein we are insomuch that Philosophers and such as were onely conuersant in naturall affaires prouing by pittifull experience the still continuing and vncured scarres of that combat ignorance errour concupiscence sinne sickenes death and other afflictions which they found in themselues and vnacquainted what they had lost in their first ancestor deplored the state of man so much that they affirmed Nature onely in the production of him behaued her selfe like a stepmother and not as a naturall mother such were the complaints of Cicero Homer Empedocles Heraclitus Plinius and others and it was the primordiall stumbling blocke to the blockish and beastly Epicures as Lactantius witnesseth to deny the prouidence of God and all religion of man vnto him And although this complaint was vniust and proceeded of ignorance yet the wound which was then inflicted hath so festered in the whole posteritie of Adam that vntill this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortall immortalitie and death whose companions they are is swallowed vppe in victorie in the triumph of our glorious resurrection there is no hope of cure And touching sinne and iniquitie which as it was the most deadly and deepest sore so most to be bewailed the transgression of the first law-breaker was so venomous a seede to bring foorth wickednesse and disobedience in the race of man that neuer any law-maker magistrate or superior spirituall or temporall either by example in themselues as a president to subiects or any law ordinance reward or preferment for vertue penalty and punishment for vice or any other engine or instrument could roote it out no Bohemas among the Bohemians no Tuball among the Spaniardes no Belus among the Assyrians no Ceres or Rhadamanthus no Draco or Solon among the Athenians Mercurius among the Egyptians no Minos Lycurgus Charandes Phoroneus Romulus Pithagoras or Apollo among the Cretensians Lacedemonians Tyrians Grecians Romans Italians Arcadians no Mulmutius Dunwallo Alfrede Edward or any other politicke or vertuous king ruler or law-maker in England or any other Nation could weede it vp neither any spirituall law promulged and deliuered either by Adam the first which knew best the difference of the estates of innocencie and sinne hauing prooued both and preached it first to the primitiue world or Noe to those that were drowned in the deluge or Abraham Lot Iob Moses to the Cananites Sodomites posteritie of Esau or others And Christ Iesus the sonne of God wisedome of his Father and God himselfe the most prudent law-maker perfect exemplar and president without all sinne and exception although he became our Priest sacrifice and redeemer and offered so rigorous a ransome that the least drop of his immaculate and vnvaluable blood or the meanest of his so many infinitely meritorious operations had beene both able and woorthy to haue washed away and cleansed not onely the malice and venome of sinne but the whole poyson and infection of all other infirmities and defects yet it pleased that diuine wisedome to leaue them as a perpetual penitential memoriall of our former demerite to continue in this state of pilgrimage and as they were contracted in our first fall from innocencie in Paradise so perfectly to be remooued in our last resurrection to endlesse glory and happines so that all times and places more or lesse haue beene infected with infirmities all sexes and ages men women and children except some one or few excepted by a speciall writing of diuine exemption little or much originally and actually haue beene defiled The law deliuered to Angells was transgressed in heauen If we follow the common opinion that Angelles were created in that imperiall Pallace the Law giuen in the state of innocencie was broken in Paradise the vnwritten Lawe vnder the
haue beene are entred in So seeing contraries are and must be cured by contraries and certaintie and true vnitie in religion is the onely remedy of such intollerable and prophane abuses as haue proceeded from want thereof I haue written a cōpleate confutation of all enemies to true reuerence of what condition soeuer Atheists Epicures and such as be deniers of all worship or externall infidells and aduersaries of Christ Pagans Iews Mahumetanes or internall ennemies as the heretikes of all ages eyther past present or to be heereafter which I haue named A Resolution of Religion because therein not onely all doubtes and difficulties eyther pretended by any of those misbeleeuers or by any means to be imagined or conceiued are loosed and resolued but euery article and question of that most holy and approoued Religion which I defend is solued from all errours and resolued to the most assured and infallible word and reuelation of God which by no possibilitie can either be deceiued in himselfe or be cause of errour vnto others Whereby euery point and proposition of religious duety will be prooued to be so certaine that no infidell or false beleeuer can make it doubtfull So certaine as Saint Chrysostome writeth as any naturall demonstration is or to folow saint Augustines phrase so vndoubted that a man in iudgement should sooner doubt whether himselfe doth liue than call any article of that faith into question So that as nothing can be more holy credible and woorthy to be beleeued then that doctrine which I am to teach so nothing can be more irreligious obstinacie and wilfulnesse than to deny and not embrace it and as great madnes to follow any other false profession being as resolutely proued that they are all most vaine false erroneous and resolued to the lying spirite of the Diuell and wicked deceiuers and seducers SECT V. The certaintie excellency and dignity of Catholike Religion AND lest any Reader should maruaile that in a time of so great question and vncertainty of true Religion I should so peremptorily vndertake to so great personages and with so much securitie to shew any Religion so vndoubted and certaine as I haue assumed I do not meane thereby any of those erroneous professions either affirming or denying reuerence Not the blasphemous impietie of Diagoras Lucretius Epicures and Epicurians impugning all Religion to whose sacriligious liues and sentences God and all creatures are so repugnant to which all reasons dissent to whom no Argument or authoritie of any Country Citty Towne Villadge or particular man not mad with passions or frantickly distracted by pleasures in so many thousands of yeares as the world hath beene and in so many kingdomes and countries thereof yet agreed Neither any of those Infidelities of Iewes Mahumetanes Brachmans and Pagans so often by that Religion I will defend both miraculously and otherwise confuted and condemned by their owne confessions and withall maintaining either pluralities or corporeitie mutation change and dishonourable imperfections in God to whom Religion is belonging haue in all reason spoyled him of all worship and reuerence for none can be due to such a God or Gods as they imagine besides so many irreligious errours against the light of nature it selfe which are vnpossible to be taught of God and yet be rewarded in the chiefest Rules of these Religions Neither any of so many hundreds of expleaded or nowe raigning heresies or any that shall arise hereafter not the Religion of Martine Luther so often professed and both priuately and publickly recanted altered changed doubted and redoubted by himselfe as his owne workes and all protestants doe witnesse neither of licentious Caluine and a few artificers of Geneua or of Knekes that gally slaue of Scotland or of Edward Seymer duke of Somerset or King Edward the sixt a child of nine yeares old without any assent or assembly either of parliament or other as Fox himselfe is witnes the wil and testament of K. Henry the eight being violated and his Bishops and Clergy committed to prison or depriued Neither of the Protestants of this time which without disputation or aduise of any learned or parliamentall diuine all such then depriued by the consent of some vnlearned Noble men Knights of Shires and Burgesses of the townes of England was enacted and decreed Nor any other builded vpon the deceitfull deduction of any priuate man or framed vppon any such feeble and false foundation for so I should committe my selfe and bring my Readers to the same pittifull danger whereof I complained in those professors But I defend that Religion and Worship which all most learned and vertuous men of the whole christian worlde as well priuately by themselues as twenty times gathered together in generall Councells haue euer concluded out of holy Scriptures which many thousandes of nationall and prouinciall Sinodes euerie one of far more authoritie than any Protestant assembly all vniuersities colleges schooles and places of learning the Lawes of all christian Princes spirituall and temporall haue decreed For although wee ordinarily defend the infallible definition of POPES in controuersiall questions of Religion when Councells and such Remedies cannot be called and vsed as in temporall yea spirituall causes the Queenes Maiestie by her new taken prerogatiue proceedeth without Parliament yet all doubts and difficulties betweene Protestants and vs we defend as defined in general Councels out of holy Scriptures and yet the definition of any Pope in such cases by al moral iudgement is vnpossible to be false for neuer any did or doth or will define any sentence but that that was or shal be the cōmon opinion of al schools vniuersities with the assent of the best learned of the world such examination as the difficulty to be adindged requires I defend that Religion which only is ratified by all authoritie all Scriptures Traditions Prophets Apostles Euangelists Sybils Rabbins before Christ all holy learned Fathers Historians Antiquaries and Monum al Sinodes Councels Laws Parliaments Canons and Decrees of Popes Emperors Kings and Rulers all Martires Confessors holy witnesses by al friends enemies euen Mahumetans Iewes Pagans Infidels al former Heretikes Schismatikes these Protestants themselues when they were most probable to speake the truth and al testimonies that can be deuised not only in this world but of God of Angelles and glorified soules whose euidence cannot be vntrue of Diuels and damned soules in hell condemned for their contempt or negligence therof of soules in Purgatory whatsoeuer can be cited for witnes in such cases as wil be most euident in my particular arguments not onlie of the Titles heere recited but many others I defend that Religion which hath confuted al forreine aduersaries Atheists Epicures Iewes Pagans Mahumetans Magicians Philosophers which hath conquered left without memory aboue foure hundred Sects of internall and domesticall heretikes subdued all nations and brought to subiection all that haue opposed themselues against it
of will where our good workes are necessitate where the predestination of God taketh away all election and indifferencie By which and such like positions as Protestants teach it followeth that no Article of Religion can be certaine no Religion can be nothing is to be accounted sinne nothing reckoned for vertue For who can certainely beleeue that which most certainely is vncertaine or false or who can either praise or discommend that which is doone whether the doer wil or no How can such actions be rewarded or punished How can that soule be immortall and performe religion which should want free and reasonable operations the arguments and pledges of immortality But I defend a religion so measured as before that by no possibilitie any Decree can be vntrue a Religion that so concordeth the eternall praescience and predestination of God with the temporall cooperation of man that it both leaueth the first infallible and yet prooueth the temporall action appetite delight or consent to any things to be voluntary free and in the power of man to be effected or omitted praised or discommended rewarded or punished as the nature thereof deserueth Not that Religion which hath raised such dissentions that it hath taken all vnitie and communion of Saints away diuided the millitant and triumphant Church and dishonored both depriuing Angells and glorified soules of that honor their excellencie and dignitie with God requireth men in earth the militant church of that helpe and assistance it needeth and alwayes had from them as inferiour causes from superiour all pitty and compassion of those that liue and be in state of merite from the patient Church of the faithfull departed and spoyled them of that reliefe they euer receiued of those that liue and made such hauoke and confusion euen among the liuing that no man regardeth other euery one almost of a different and diuided minde from the rest in these things and neuer at concord with himselfe but vppon euery new conceipt differing from his former assertion in continuall combate and controuersie with his owne will and vnderstanding and so no communion and participation one with an other no care of offence and iniuries no minde of satisfaction for wrongs and iniustices no cōbination of comembers no penance no restraint from sinne where the passion of Christ hath bin so long vaunted and triumphed of that except in most sacrilegious and blasphemous swearing by the instruments of our redemption no memorie at all thereof is left no signe or token to put vs in minde no image or representation no commemoratiue sacrifice or signification of so many paines miseries and mysteries as our Sauiour indured and wrought for our redemption where no order or hierarchicall subordination no consecration or distinction of callings and vocations is except the letters patents of a temporall Prince can giue that to others which is not cannot be in the giuer But that Religion which as it is vnited and one in it selfe in earth consisteth of a most perfect hierarchicall regiment of Pope Patriarkes Archbishops Bishops Priests Deacons Subdeacons Acolathists Exorcists Lectors and other Vnder-officers euery one in his roome and dignitie and the meanest of all by calling and consecration of greater honour than any ministeriall preferment among Protestants being no reall thing but an ens rationis an Idoll of the minde as the making of Pursuvants Apparators and such Officers appoynted by others where our POPE which is so odious in England is so ample in iurisdiction in all the worlde that no temporall Prince christian or infidell no ruler or professor of regiment in ecclesiasticall and spirituall causes at this time or any heeretofore either is or was ' by many degrees possessed of so large a regimēt· And our priuate Priests namely the most reuerend and learned Fathers of the Societie of IESVS so contemptible in our country are honoured of the greatest Princes of the world by their preachings paines haue added so many kingdomes both to the spirituall regiment of Christ and temporall gouernement of Catholike kings Our Catholike kings be most mightie and they which regarde vs most the most rich puissant and greatest Princes of the worlde Our religion religeth and bindeth together as the name importeth not onely kingdomes and menne in earth but God and his Catholike seruants the triumphant militant and patient Church no duety is omitted no compassion or pitty wanting where the mysterie of our redeeming is so esteemed and remembred that no festiuitie no office or parte of diuine seruice is celebrated in the yeere but representeth vnto vs one benefite or other no ceremony is vsed in the holy sacrifice of Masse no action of the Priest no ornament or attire hee weareth no benediction hee giueth no signe of the Crosse hee maketh but hath his religious signification and preacheth vnto vs his introite to the Altare his actions there his returne from thence the very vestments wherewith he is adorned the putting of them on the wearing of them in that celebration his putting them off his Amice Albe Girdle Manciple Stoale Vestiment and all hee vseth speak nothing but Christ crucified the maner of his oblation the cloth wherewith he was blindfolded the white garment putte on by Herode the cordes and whippe wherewith hee was bound and scourged the purple vestment wherwith he was deluded and that mysticall and most holy sacrifice his bloody and cruental oblation vppon the Crosse no action gesture prayer or the least ceremony either in word or deede silence or otherwise but bringeth a religious lesson and meaning and tendeth to instruction no benefite that Christ bestowed vppon man from the first instant of his conception left vnremembred but one time or other celebrated Not that Religion which denieth al things and properties of Religion as their opinions all negatiue doe witnes that hath taken away and conuerted from common and spirituall religious vses to priuate and temporall pleasures and preferments all monuments and foundations of deuotion and places of religious exercise leauing and vsing nothing necessary to mans saluation But that Religion whose opinions against these men are all affirmatiue professing deuotion and one acte of pietie or other that hath founded Churches Schooles Colledges Monasteries and places where Christian learning euer was or is exercised at this day that obserueth all things and wanteth or omitteth nothing belonging or that can be required to true Religion I defend that most holy and religious worship which I will prooue by aboue an hundred arguments and all kinde of inuincible reasons diuine and humane naturall and supernaturall to be the onely true and lawfull reuerence which we owe to God by which we were labij vnius spake one language and one Religion vntill that confused Babel was begunne in Germany from whence so many different tongs and confusions in Religion haue proceeded SECT VI. What mooued the Authour to dedicate his Worke to the Councell WHerefore right Honorable although the endes and offices
Professors are in the contrary case their Religion is pleasant and by professing it they liue in honours and delights which haue enticed not onely many Catholickes to followe Protestancie but Protestants to be Mahumetanes or of no Religion That by ignoraunce wee shoulde be seduced such sentence cannot proceede but from ignoraunce or malice Wee haue all authorities times and places for our defence our enemies haue none at all we were borne in the same Countrey of England bred vp in the same Vniuersities English where and whence those Protestants be wee haue trauailed all Countries studied in all christian Vniuersities we haue learned Diuinitie of the most famous Professors of the worlde we haue disputed in all Schooles and enioyed the best meanes of studie wee want wiues riches honours pleasures and all impediments of true diuinitie and studie thereof Our aduersaries are snared and entangled with all these and other lettes to hinder them That rather they than we would be more carefull to examine any authoritie or argument belonging to these questions no man can imagine it concerneth vs most and the reasons be euident before If Religion can be tried in this worlde wee haue sought and found all meanes they haue not farre sought for any and found none at all their daylie doubts changes and vncertaintie prooue it If they would stand to any triall wee knowe the order of all and will accept of any one with equall conditions If they will appeale to Scriptures as their highest Conuocation doth or to any other authoritie so many Catholike Diuines of England And the poore Author hereof because I haue taken this Woorke in hand and must iustifie my writing and not feed my Readers with vaine reportes and heare-sayes as Protestants doe haue read and studied them all and more than Protestants vse If they contend to credite the Hebrew Text in the olde Testament and the Greeke in the new as the common opinion of their Writers is I haue studied them in those languages and the auntient Glosses and Scholies Latine and Greeke for their Exposition If they will stand to the report of the most auncient Historians Eusebius Ruffinus Socrates Sozomenus Palladius Sainct Hierome Sainct Bede and others what was the practise of the Primitiue Church and beleeued in the vnspotted time of Christianitie I haue perused them If they will bee iudged by the decrees of the first POPES that were Saints and bee in Heauen as they confesse and ruled the Church in those times as their Archebishoppe of Canterbury dooth acknowledge I haue often with diligence considdered the Decrees both of all that were before the Councell of Nice and after If they will bee arbitrated by the present Schooles and scholasticall reasons I haue beene a poore Auditor both of scholasticall and controuersiall Questions where all doubtes and difficulties that witte or learning can deuise and inuent are handled and most exquisitely debated If they admit the first foure generall Councells of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Calcedon which the highest iudiciall authoritie of England hath expresly approoued by name or anie of the rest to which the same and her Maiesties consent also giueth approbation I haue seene and read them all from the first of Nice to the last of Trent as all approoued particular and prouinciall Councells which be extant or ordinarily vsed If they thinke there euer was true Religion among Christians and that it was exercised in the first sixe hundred yeeres after Christ and that those auncient Fathers which were the most famous in those dayes and ruled the Churche as Bishoppes and Doctours thereof were acquainted with it or Professours of it I haue carefully read ouer all the workes and writings which bee to be had of Dyonisius the Areopagite Scholler to Saint Paul Saint Ignatius Saint Polycarpus Saint Clement Martialis liuing in the Apostles time Saint Iustine Origen Saint Basill Saint Athanasius Saint Gregory Nazianzene Saint Gregory Nissen Saint Gregorie the Great Saint Irenaeus Saint Cyprian Fulgentius Pamphilus the Martire Palladius Theodoretus Ruffinus Socrates Sozomenus Euagrius Cassianus Lactantius Firmianus Vincentius Lyrenensis the most famous and learned Fathers of those vncorrupted ages all the workes of all these I haue read and examined and conferred them with Saint Augustine Saint Hierome Saint Ambrose Saint Leo Papias the scholler of Saint Iohn the Euangelist Theophilact Tertullian Eusebius Cesariensis Prudentius and others most excellent Diuines liuing when all Protestants agree true faith was vniuersally preached and beleeued And yet I take God and the whole Courte of Heauen to witnesse before whome I must render an accompt of this protestation my beleefe and all my actions my constant writing in defence of this Faith my selfe voluntarily in disgrace and persecution professing it will be my warrant of sinceritie That the same Faith and Religion which I defend is taught and confirmed by those holy Hebrew and Greeke Scriptures those Historians Popes Decrees Scholies and Expositions Councels Schooles and Fathers and the profession of Protestants and all other Sectes by the same condemned I haue examined and with diligent aduise read ouer many Bookes and Writings of the best learned Protestantes the Woorke to which this Epistle is a Preamble will be my witnesse and not any that euer came to my hands containeth any argument or reason in my iudgement woorthy or able to withdrawe a reasonable and indifferent minde not blinded with pleasure or seduced by affection from embracing that Catholike Faith which I defend or that can establish or prooue any other Religion to be true That I should not bee able to iudge what maketh for vs what against vs I hope no man will challenge mee of so great ignorance That I would willingly erre and persist in errour if my religion were errour to followe a profession so austere and rigorous to sensuall appetite and desire if it be compared to Protestant doctrine and obstinately heape disgrace and affliction vpon my selfe to professe it when by reforming my opinion or conscience to the contrary I might both auoide the penitentiall life of Catholike profession and the perilles and penalties which the Parliaments of Protestants haue imposed vppon vs and enioy the liberties and delights which Protestancie yeeldeth and the preferrements wherewith their Schollers are rewarded I am out of doubt no Reader can be so partiall and vnequall iudge against mee or any one of so many English Catholicke Students which are in the same case and defend the same cause SECT XII The Conclusion how dishonourable and vnreasonable it is to persist in Protestancie howe honourable to graunt a Reformation WHerefore noble Patrones seeing so many worldes of witnesses giue euidence against the profession of Protestants and euery age time place person and thing of woorthy and credible authoritie yeeld testimony to my defence I will recomfort my selfe that by your gratious and iust protection no man will be so wilfull to impugne that which God and all reasonable creatures and
reason haue alwayes and by all meanes propugned I knowe your Honours are wise and I trust no man will so much condemne himselfe in obstinacie to be of Luthers minde and if hee bee not he cannot be a Protestant which although hee euidently perceiued in his owne iudgement and manifestly confessed in his owne writings the whole christian worlde all times places persons and Authorities to bee against him yet hee obstinately proceeded in his singularitie The woordes of that gracelesse Luther are these How often hath my heart panted and reprehended me and obiected against mee What arte thou onely wise can it bee credible that all others doe erre and haue erred so long a time Haue all Generations so often euer been deceiued What if thou doost erre and bring so many into errour that shall bee damned for euer Arte thou onelie hee which hath the true pure worde of God Hath no man in the worlde the same but thou That which the Church of Christ hath hitherto defined and so many yeeres obserued as good doost thou ouerthrowe it as though it were euill and so doost dissipate by thy doctrine both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill Common-weales Thus in those and other places his owne conscience and iudgement did accuse and condemne him of singular obstinate rebellion and disobedience to the Church of God as appeareth and he further declareth in these wordes I neuer put those thoughts and cogitations foorth of my minde that is that this worke and businesse hee meaneth his Apostacie had neuer beene begunne by mee For what a greate multitude of men haue I seduced by my Doctrine I neuer had a greater and more greeuous temptation than for my preaching because I thought with my selfe thou hast stirred vp all this tumult in which temptation oftentimes I haue beene drowned euen to Hell it selfe Thus his conscience so long as hee had any condemned him thus hee repented his disobedience and saide that hee hoped the Bookes which hee had written woulde bee burnt and infect no more But when the bridle of Obedience was altogether broken his Conscience extinguished and plumes of pride and sensualitie had mounted him so high and carried him so farre hee behaued himselfe in his spirituall apostacie as by the testimonie of Suetonius Iulius Caesar did in his temporall rebellion against the Romane state which in the beginning doubted whether hee should go forwarde or no but when hee hadde cast off shame brake out into this speach Iacta est alea My chaunce is throwne the matter is gone so farre that I can not retire therefore I must goe forwarde howsoeuer it falleth out Euen so Luther as you haue heard did in the beginning but when shipwracke was made of all shamefastnesse hee vttered his desperate and vnreasonable resolution of obstinate perseueraunce in these termes Because I haue entered into this cause nowe I must looke vnto it and of necessitie say It is iust If you aske a reason Doctour Martine Luther will haue it so Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas So I will so I commaunde let my pleasure stand for a reason for wee will not be Schollers but Maisters and Iudges of Papists yea wee will once Proteruire insultare bee malaparte and insulte ouer them I Doctour Martine Luther an vnwoorthie Euangelist of our Lorde Iesus Christ do say and affirme this Article faith alone without woorkes dooth iustifie before God the Romane Emperour shall suffer it to stand and remayne the Emperour of the Turkes the Emperour of the Tartares the Emperour of the Persians the Pope of Rome the Cardinalles Bishoppes Priestes Moonkes Nunnes Princes Lordes the whole world with all Diuelles and they shall further haue hell fire ouer their heads and I will giue them no thanks for their paines let this be my instinct from the holy ghost of Doctour Luther and my true and holie Gospell This right Honourable was the spirite and ground wherevppon you see Protestancie was first founded by this it was builded by this it was and is continued As the Scripture witnesseth Pride Wine and Women are the originalles of Apostacie and so it was in Luther so it was in all these Authors of this innouation If Pride had not beene they had kept their vowe of obedience If wine delicacies and riches had not borne a sway they had continued their vowe of pouertie if women wantonnesse and carnall pleasures had not carried them away their vowe of chastity had not beene broken Protestancie founded vppon those three pillers had not bin knowne true Religion had not beene forsaken And yet experience hath prooued that all the pride and glorie of the worlde all the riches pomps pleasures and sensible delights that haue moued carnall men to oppose themselues against it cannot ouerthrowe it but Trueth is stronger than all and the Probleme which the nobles of Darius putte vnder the pillowe of their Prince to be disputed and argued when hee shoulde awake is performed Wine is strong the King is stronger Women are stronger aboue all things Trueth dooth ouercome For whatsoeuer pleasures riotous and banquetting delights honour ambition preferrement or the power potencie of King or Potentate coulde euer doe or wantonnesse and carnall solace or any thing else King or Queene man or woman coulde hitherto effect or bring to passe the verity of this Religion and onelie of this hath still preuailed My Honourable Patrons let this Schedule and Conclusion of the Persian Nobles bee putte vnder the pillowe of our Princesse if she sleepe and slumber too long shee is the oldest Prince since the Conquest awake her foorth of dreame and let this question of Religion bee nowe at last disputed in her time let equall audience bee had the whole Christian worlde twenty times in Gennerall Councelles hath giuen sentence for vs many thousands of Prouinciall Councelles haue pronounced iudgement that our cause is right al Christian Kings of England and other Nations in their Lawes and Parliaments haue ratified it to be iust all Popes Fathers Schooles Vniuersities Colledges of all ages haue pronounced their opinion on our side all Arguments humane and diuine miraculous and ordinarie yea all former Heretikes foure hundred in number all differing from Protestants in all or most matters wherein they disagree from vs haue approoued it and all these condemned Protestants Religion We haue offered them all trialles giuen them as great securitie and safe conduct as Popes Emperours and Kings coulde giue to come to disputation their owne Schooles condemned them and if clapping handes hissings and exclamations in place of disputation bee arguments of condemnation Foxe himselfe beareth mee witnes that their prime Protestantes Archebishoppe Cranmer and Bishoppe Latimer their principall Disputants were thus exploded and condemned in Oxford Wee neuer had so much as a peece of promise of our Princesse for any equalitie of Disputation what that in the time of her first Parliament was our Protestant Chronicles
that if any man desireth to see and behold any company of knaues vsurers dissolute persons and deceitfull men let him enter into any citty of Professors of the Gospel and he shall finde enow of such among Pagans Iewes and Turkes and other infidelles men can scarcely be found so disobedient or stubborne among whom all honestie and whatsoeuer doth sauour of virtue is dead and no reckoning is made of any sinne Iacobus Andreas vttereth his opinion of them in this manner among them no amendment or emendation is thought vpon they liue an Epicurean and altogether beastly life in place of fasting a custome of eating and excessiue rioting in banquetting and bawdery hath succeeded in place of almes oppression and extortion ouer the poore for prayer blasphemy against the holy name of God insteed of humilitie pride elation and most filthie exceeding superfluitie Io. Riuius saith that the wickednes of thē hath encreased to the astonishment of all men No man seeketh after God no man blusheth at the violating of his commandements euery mans life is polluted with great sinnes and wickednesse I dare affirme saieth hee that in this corrupt and wretched age of ours all manner of vices haue so encreased that hardly greater wickednesse can be for what sin or wickednesse at this day is wanting which if it raigned this age might be saide to be more vngodly for that respect and although to iudge rightly hereof in euery age there hath beene riotousnesse sumptuous feastings costly dinners and suppers surfetting drunkennesse whoredome adultery oppression iniury neglecting of well dooing and other such wickednesse which euery man in his time hath found fault withall as Seneca saith and no age that hath beene voyde of sinne yet loosenesse of life neglect of order and discipline outrageous wickednesse hath in this our age so encreased and gotten strength that it appeareth euen Atheisme and Epicurisme hath inuaded the life of man and as it were beareth dominion among Christians lawes take no force lust ruleth altogether for what thinke you they beleeue the soule is immortall who liue in maner as beastes or bee they perswaded there be either rewards for the godly in heauen or punishment in hell appoynted for sinners who in euery thing dread not to violate the commandements of God run altogether headlong into sin euen as thogh they did either thinke that God were but a vaine and fained thing or beleeue that when the body dieth the soule likewise perisheth and commeth vnto nothing such be the testimonies of Nennon Simonius Schinmideline others of the chiefest originall Protestants of their fellow professors I will cite more hereafter when I will prooue those which giue this euidence of the rest to be worst of all themselues SECT III. How all these errours and abuses proceede by dis-vnion from the Catholicke Church WHerefore that which so many priuate and publike writings affirme abroad and at home which euery man seeth and feeleth to be true and those principall Protestants recorded of their Disciples in the prime and flourishing time the very zenith and highest of their exaltation when the reformers of others should haue giuen some example and shew of reformation in themselues I trust it will not be offensiue for me a Catholike subiect of England after so many yeeres of experienced encrease of their impieties and in their withering and decaying age euery thing with them growing worse and worse to affirme to be true Then most Noble as ordinary effects proceede from ordinary causes so extraordinary and straunge things such as this kinde of iniquitie so wicked so vniuersall and erroneous is must haue some vnwonted cause more than is vsuall in christian men I will not be so seuere a Sentencer against them as their confederate Iohn Riuius is to say that they be Atheists Epicures and deniers of the soules immortalitie and thereby thinking there is no religion in the worlde no life after death no reward of vertue or penalty for vice haue giuen themselues ouer to all kinde of sinne Neither wil I enter to so bloody a iudgement in this place reseruing it to bee discussed heereafter against these men as their owne generall and common approoued doctrine especially in England that true faith and good workes are inseparable condemneth such men for infidells and misbeleeuers But to reserue these and such arguments as may be inforced by that which is spoken to their proper place and prosecute my present intent it is manifest by the Babilonical diuision which is in the vnderstanding of this people that they haue forsaken the true faith religion and rule thereof which can be but one and by the grosse impieties which haue taken so quiet possession of their liues that they are so far from al interest either of reforming errors of the mind or abuses of life in others by which in the beginning they claymed title to a new religion that they haue beene the onely cause of so many infidelities Atheismes Epicurismes Iudaismes Mahumetismes and other intollerable sinnes offences which are daily by their owne confession before practized among them for when and where the infallible rule and censure of supernaturall difficulties is denied and euery man left to his owne priuate deduction and deceiptfull iudgement farre vnable to descipher supernaturall mysteries what hope can be had of truth what probabilitie of agreement who wil be encoraged to seeke for veritie where it is impossible to be found If it were in naturall arts and sciences which be connaturall and proportionable to humane capacitie if there were so many opinions diuers and contrary as are among them in religion so that before hee could follow any hee must learne to confute all the rest what man would willingly professe that art as true though it were neuer so gainefull if it were obtained about learning whereof there is such dissention that three hundred to one hee should be deceiued By that reason in Arts Alchimie of making gold is ordinarily refused hauing brought so many to errour and beggery by the vncertaintie thereof although in it selfe it is woonderfull commodious For matters of antiquitie the diuersity of opinions about the originall of the Brittans in this land hath caused many to thinke there neuer was any Brute at all It is as manifest both by al Histories and Monuments that Saint Peter liued long and died at Rome as that William of Normandy surnamed the Conquerour came into England and subdued it or as any such antiquity can be and yet bicause as Protestants say there is difference betweene Saint Hierome Orosius and Fasciculus temporum about the time of his comming thither although they agree with the rest that hee liued and died there some Protestants are not afraide to affirme he was neuer at Rome For a like cause the whole Protestant Cleargie of England in their authorized Conuocation deny the Bookes of Machabees Iudith and Tobias to be canonicall scriptures So it chanceth in Sciences
where controuersie and multiplicity of opinions is Then how much more true is it in things so eleuated aboue naturall vnderstanding as the mysteries of religion be What a palpable prouocation and allurement of delightfull atheisme epicurisme and infidelitie is it to carnall mindes to see so many diuisions and no agreement For can any one particular voluptuous man or other in iudgement thinke himselfe wiser than so many great companies and congregations as hee is most sure are all deceiued And if hee shoulde aduenture to beleeue and be religious as others doe there is oddes three hundred to one he shall be brought into errour because he seeth so many religions erected defended against whatsoeuer he shall chuse to followe the pleasures he should forsake are certaine sensible and forcible to mooue affection that which hee should beleeue is most vncertaine ineuident and without motiue to be followed as it is proposed in these mens proceedings Or if that man bee of reading and iudgement to consider former times he shal finde foure hundred more religions contrary to any that is now professed in the Schoole of Protestants so that it will more than double the former danger and the same man shall vnderstand that the Catholike Church for whose election calling preseruing from errour and consummation the whole mysterie of Christ was wrought hath condemned and vtterly extirped all those foure hundred and by the same infallible authority and censure in diuers generall Councelles where the whole christian worlde was assembled reprooued and anathematized those that raigne in Protestants So that if a man in case of religion will deny the voyce of that spouse of Christ that piller of trueth and societie assisted by the promise of Christ from falling into error it is euident that a thousand to one he shall shal be seduced damned Who then wil wonder if many infidels atheists are entred among these men when at the worst their atheisme and that only in the end can bring but to damnatiō in the meane time brings al pleasures and delights and their professing of religion in such vncertaine maner first most certainly depriueth of those plesures 1000. to one brings to the same damnation Or who wil maruel if those that be not come to this perfection of policie nullifidianitie as I trust ther be but few one being too much in a christian nation be far more careles negligent vnduetifull in liuing well then such as doe liue in the vnitie of the whole Catholike worlde wherein there neuer was or is any disagreement or contradiction in matters of belieuing For if as I shewed before a man might would or should in reason doubt to giue assent to any religion where there was so manifest and apparant daunger of a false election if it be true in a speculatiue consent of faith onelie exacting an agreement of the vnderstanding howe much more doubt and difficultie will bee made for men of reason to aduenture so great paines and labours as holy Scriptures prescribe to be vsed for obtaining heauen when by reason it is euident before they begin that a thousand to one al their labors will be lost and their indeuours rewarded with euer-during damnation in hell Will any man now muse if the song of Epicures is so often tuned and so much impietie put in practise If it were in the execution of daily and ordinary affaires no man woulde labour much for that which so many affirme he could not get but contrariwise euery one in reason should and would contend for principall preferrement and commodity which all men graunt he might obtaine hee that by consent of all hath vndeniable title to a kingdome or meaner dignitie will refuse no aduenture to winne it he whome all or most deny to haue such interest either will not at all or faintly take it in hand hauing little or no hope to bring his attempt to passe euen so in these spirituall affaires For although the Crowne and inheritaunce of heauen proposed to Christians is incomparably more excellent than such terrene preferments yet being a spirituall and supernaturall reward and not so proportionate to the manner of humane knowledge and affection in this life depending of sence and imagination as temporall aduauncements and pleasures are and being so vncertain vnprobable or rather vnpossible to be obtained as these men make it it can be no matter of admiration that so much wickednesse doth rule and so few aduenture so certaine and painefull a worke for so vncertaine and doubtfull recompence Thus it alwayes chaunced in temporall things so it euer did and will come to passe in questions of religion whether it be true or false The Idolatrous state of the Gentiles when they were most diuided for their diuersities and placalities of gods rites and sacrifices were farre more wicked then when fewer pretended title to be worshipped The Mahumetans though euer lewd and impious yet after the Persian schisme and diuisions among them they daily fell to be more wicked than before and the Iewish people sometimes the true seruants of God and religious so long as they remained in vnitie among themselues after they were diuided into Sectes became more carelesse of seruing God as is manifest not onely in the schisme betweene the houses of Roboam and Ieroboam recorded in holy Scriptures but most euident in their last desolation For at the comming of Christ the time of the Messias being expleated they were diuided into many Sects and Religions who should be hee and what they shoulde beleeue So that besides Christians the true worshippers there were at that time in that nation Samaritanes Pharises Sadduces Essenes Baptists Herodians Galileans Ezechians Atongists Theudists Egiptists Barrownosbonists Vespasianians and other sects whereby that nation so vertuous and religious when it was vnited in true worship was come to that carelesnesse of religion and liuing well that they were drowned and ouerwhelmed in such monstrous and erroneous iniquities that their owne Historian Iosephus affirmeth their sinnes to haue beene so great that if the Romanes had not come to take such extraordinary reuengement vpon them he did thinke Authiatu terrae deuorandam fuisse ciuitatem That their Cittie Hierusalem would either haue beene swallowed vppe of the earth or drowned with some deluge and inundation or be consumed with fire and lightnings as the Sodomites were In like manner it alwaies happened in all times places and persons polluted with hereticall Sects and diuisions as all Antiquities and Historians witnesse SECT IIII. The scope and intent of the Authour to teach a most vndoubted certaintie and vnitie in religion WHerefore right Honourable as it is so euident that it can not be denied but such troupes of errours and impieties haue embatteled themselues in the camp of Protestants and by ample reasons may bee had in iust suspition that many doubters or rather deniers at least in affection of all Worship as euer in like times
not any Religion builded vppon the deceitfull and vaine coniecture or blowne abroade to be beleeued with the whirling spirite of priuate men Quot capita tot religiones so many heades so many religions as Luther saide vnlearned deniers of Scriptures and their sense at their pleasure liers deceitfull false translators corrupters and forgers of holy euidence deuisers of new Doctrines for temporall pleasures and respects to be exempted from obligation and vowe of obedience chastity pouertie to be obeyed liue in lasciuiousnesse and pompe of wealth without any other argument at all as those innouators did But a Religion founded vpon the most certaine and infallible worde and reuelation of God expounded by those vndeceiuable Rules before remembred and that holy and euer-during society and Church of Christ for which he gaue himselfe and ordained Religion where so much virtue is practised such obedience chastitie pouertie and contempt of all impediments of heauen is vowed and professed which societie if it might erre no preseruance of true Religion is to be hoped for where none shoulde truely beleeue all should be in errour I defend that religion which in all times and places hath beene witnessed and approued with such Arguments as are disabled to be vntrue by infallible and vndeceiuable signes by thousandes of supernaturall miracles and wonders which by no meanes could be counterfaite or falsely reported So many naturally vncurable blinde restored to sight deafe to hearing lame to going sicke to health dead to life by most famous and notorious knowne Catholikes or Papists as it pleaseth Protestants which all Philosophers agree no naturall cause or arte of Diuells themselues could bring to passe neither God graunt vnto man for confirming falshoode Not that Religion which as it was taught of the Diuell father of lies as the Authours themselues shall witnesse and certainely by all arguments of reprobation condemned them their fellows and followers to hell But that which by all testimonies and vndeceitfull arguments brought the professors thereof to heauen and the most earnest and zealous therein as religious Heremites Monkes Freers Nunnes Priests Bishops Popes as all Calenders Histories and approued Recordes giue euidence to the greatest happines Not that Religion which made those that before were good chaste obedient and contem ners of the world to be wicked and giuen to al impietie as their owne writings witnesse but that Religion which those it reclaymed from false worships made them so holy and such Saints that all creatures haue done homage and duety vnto them the sea and waters against nature supported them the wilde sauage and deuouring beasts adored them the rauening foules in desarts nourished them the windes tempests ayre fire earth all elements simple compounded sensible and vnsensible things the Diuelles themselues those triumphing and tyrannicall enemies against humane nature commaunded and ouer-ruled by authoritie with trembling obeyed them Not a Religion tossed and tennised vp and downe with so many boundes and reboundes choppes and changes vniuersally both in head members containing so many falsities by their owne proceedings so many contradictions in essentiall things as there bee essentiall questions Neither doe what it could hauing the temporall sword and all iurisdiction in it selfe hath hitherto condemned vs such as I will proue the Religion of English Protestants and others to be but a Religion which in this space of almost 1600. yeeres neuer chaunged one poynt of Doctrine neuer admitted errour in faith or the least contradiction therein eyther in Decree of Pope or confirmed Councell but clearely condemned and confuted all misbeleeuers Not a Religion that contrarie to the name nature and office of true Religion separateth man from his God and Creator by so many sinnes and iniquities and yet hath no grace no Sacrament for men of reason and actuall offences no meanes or preseruatiue to preuent them no helpe or remedy to redeeme them but suffereth man to lie loaden vnder so mighty a masse of impieties and to be drowned in hell for that instrument of their iustifying faith can be no benefit to them which as before by their owne grounds haue no faith at all and as I will demonstrate heereafter haue not one property or condition of true beleeuing or matter tending to mans saluation But that Religion which as it teacheth and counselleth the way of perfection vnto all by renouncing Honours and wealth the Temptations and snares of the Diuell as the Apostle calleth them by professing Chastitie more perfect and better then the matrimoniall state as the same saint Paul witnesseth and by abnegation of a mans owne will and forsaking terrene and temporall dignities which might hinder his heauenly iourney such as our Sauiour his Apostles the Primitiue Church all reason and experience teacheth to be the path of perfection and readiest way to Heauen when and where nothing is left to hinder it That Religion which taking compassion of the frailetie of man to sin in euery state hath a stay to keepe from falling and a remedy for those that haue offended For the state of all vntil they came to such discretion and iudgement as may be cause of sinne the Sacrament of Baptisme both taking originall offence away and arming the soule against new and actual infection To confirme the former grace of that tender age and enable vs against so many temptations and persecutions as Christians haue the Sacrament of Confirmation To feede and foster all estates in the whole course and circuite of this life the foode of diuine Eucharist and Sacrament of the most holy body and blood of Christ and seeing all are subiect vnto sinne the Sacrament of Penaunce for the cure and comfort of all offenders And because the agonies and temptations at the time of death be vrgent most against vs the Sacrament of Annointing or extreame vnction to remooue the relickes of sinne and giue strength in that extremitie And for the particular helpes and assistance of particular states particular Sacraments the Sacrament of Orders to dignifie the calling of Clergy men and make them worthie and fit instruments to performe so many holy supernaturall functions as are belonging to that preeminence And lastly for the consolation and defence of married people such as encomber themselues with the cares of the world and practical life the Sacrament of Matrimony giuing grace and strength against the difficulties and cares of that condition No state no sexe no age no time no place order or degree among men is left vnprouided of spirituall comforte and protection Not a Religion whose grounds and principles ouerthrowe all christian and true Religion where God is made author of all sinnes and thereby worthy no Religion where the decision of spirituall doubtes appertaine to temporall and vnlearned Princes men women or children where such sentences although neuer so much disagreeing euen to them selues and apparantly false must be obeyed for the infallible woord of God where man hath not libertie and freedome
of a religious spirituall common wealth be distinct and diuerse from those of a temporall and ciuil gouernment wherein you are supreame Lieutenants vnder our gratious Princesse and in that respect matters handled in the one doe not so properly appertaine to the iudgement and redres of those which rule in the other but are to bee decided and reformed by the gouernours of that profession to which they are belonging yet as the glory of the first cannot commonly bee maintained without the fauour of the second so this cannot rightly bee ruled without direction from the former for where there is no greater or more forcible motiue to keepe in order but feare of temporall correction for no temporall magistrate can punish eternally or after death which is onely a bridle against publike and notorious offences which may be denounced and proued by witnes as euery ciuill magistrate must proceed secundum allegata probata as matters are and can be alledged and proued and that which cannot so be determined can neither be punished or condemned but in secret men may practise all impietie without controlement if no Religion and dread of a diuine maiestie by his infinit wisedome knowing by his immutable iustice punishing secret sinnes were to keepe in awe Therefore as this cause I haue in hand is the most honorable of all that can be entreated so I am bolde to offer this introductory Epistle and defence thereof to your honours the most honourable and noble consistory of our nation and as it is most necessary to be considered in regard of duty to God and man which it teacheth so I tender it to you the supreame Deputies of our gratious Soueraigne whose chiefe care and solicitude must be in taking order for such causes because you are Christian magistrates and take vpon you the defence of the lawe of Christ which I here maintaine because you are sworne Councellers to assist our Princesse whose chiefe stile and title is granted to hir father King Henry the eight by Pope Leo the tenth defendor of the faith for defending the Catholike Romane Religion against Luther that Archprotestant which I here defend and to preuent all suspitious censures and conceipts of such as will imagine I goe about to present a worke vnlawfull by those lawes whereof you pretend defence in that respect you are the highest wisest and most honourable patrons of the lawes of our Country I humbly pray pardon vnder your protection to publish this worke because it is confirmed and demonstrated not only by al auncient lawes of England al lawes Papall imperial princely nationall of forren countries and former times but the present forcible lawes of England established by our Qu◠Eliz. to which I wil proue onely that Religion I defend to be conformable others repugnant therby condemned Wherfore most Hh patrons for I must challenge this title at your hands be my protectors the piety of my cause and complaint enclines to mercy our vniust persecution vnder your predecessors requireth amends and I hope at least shal receiue toleration by you hereafter the lawe of nature the lawes of all nations of all Princes of England it selfe in that state it is The lawe of God calleth vpon you and bringeth euidēce of this obligation to which you are bound when you were new borne and ruled by others you vowed it in Baptisme now you are rulers of others both them which so iustly demaund it as those which should and many would so willingly yeeld it your promise to God to his Church to your Country is to bee performed many or most of you being of age and discretion in the time of Queene Marie haue practised and professed it so many of your noble company as are admitted to the honorable order of the Garter haue sworne it you are all sworne councellors to our Queene which by title of inheritance and at here coronation by the oath and fidelitie of a Christian Prince hath obliged her selfe to maintaine it of that which is her office your place professeth performance your vow to God obedience and voluntary submission to his church fidelity to Prince promise and duty to Country compassion to vniustly oppressed calleth vpon you to see it done I demaund but iustice by those lawes which my Prince her nobles and other subiects your predecessors and you haue enacted For your wisedome you were chosen to gouerne your mercy exalted you where you may and ought to exercise most compassion iustice and equitie haue aduaunced you to that high seate of equal iudgement as you are wise as you are mercifull and must be iust take pitty vppon iust complaints And by the same titles I humblie craue you condemne me not before I haue shewed worthy cause of reproofe Neuer any Catholike subiect of England hitherto hath so much abused your Honors dishonoured the cause of his religion for which wee daily vndertake so many troubles and disgraces or disgraced and discredited himselfe to make so bolde a challenge except hee were able to performe it and my confident assurance is I shall not be the first vnhappy and vnaduised man to doe it Pardon noble Patrons peremptorily without al exception I vndertake to proue directly not only by al other arguments but by the Parliament laws proceedings of Qu. Elizab. that the Religion those men profes as confirmed by thē is false euen by them that we defend to be true euen by those groundes and decrees I will prooue thereby That Christ is really present in the blessed sacrament of the Aultare that Saints and Angels are to be reuerenced and praied vnto that there is a Purgatory that prayer almes and other good deeds are auaileable for the faithful soules departed which had not perfected penance and satisfaction in this life that onely faith iustifieth not that good workes are meritorious before God that there is an externall Priesthoode and sacrifice in the church of Christ that wee are not iustified by an imputatiue iustice but grace and iustice are inherent and internal things that the Sacraments of Christ giue grace that there be seauen Sacraments in number Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penance Extreame vnction Orders and Matrimonie and all other matters of moment in controuersie betweene them and vs. Which when I haue performed no obiection can be made against the allowance of my petition And because I was sometimes demaunded of your predecessours in that place beeing conuented before them for professing this Religion I still defend what reason should mooue me then very yong in yeares borne of parents conformable to the time in and vnder the Protestant regiment of Queene Elizabeth brought vp in that Vniuersitie and other places which were alwayes least fauouring of that beliefe all which things were either knowne before or acknowledged by me to that assembly to be of a different and contrary opinion when if I would haue beene of the same profession I might haue beene regarded as others of my
condition to whome as I hope my answere then was sufficient for my owne priuate so dooing So nowe lastly for that cause I humbly intreate licence to direct these reasons which I haue gathered in that question both for the excuse of my selfe and others to your Honours their successours in that court of iudgement although farre more mercifull moderators in such causes And that I may giue full assurance I doe it not to vpbraid any of your Honourable societie but onely to make my accompt and complaint to them in whom I haue reposed most hope of reliefe Ther is not now one left aliue to my knowledge that was then of the priuie Counsell or present there except your poore suppliant such is the variable course of earthly things Wherefore my humble sute to your Honours is that you will not onely accept of this my poore present which for those reasons I haue alledged your wisedome pietie mercy and iustice will not may not cannot refuse to doe but as you are in the highest degree of credit with my Soueraign so to be a meanes to her and as you can rule the rest to giue but indifferent and deserued defence against those which vniustly shall dislike it SECT VII The Authors particular defence of his writing to all estates and first to her Maiestie THen noble Patrons be my defenders in this my so iust and godly cause excuse my attempt to my Princesse and Queene let not my doings be offensiue vnto you the rest of the Nobilitie and protect me against the inferior controllers I would be loath my endeuours should be misexpounded of any Therefore I humbly craue fauour by you to tender a particular excuse to all And beginning with my Catholikely christned anoynted and crowned Queene Elizabeth to whom I wish both as much spirituall benediction and terrene honor as any subiect may to his temporall Soueraigne or as I would if she were of my owne Religion I desire her gratious leaue in this enterprise I defend that Religion which the lawe of God whereof she and all christian Princes professe defence defendeth the Lawes of the Church of Christ defend whereto she hath vowed defence by the vowe of a christian in baptisme by the promise and trueth of a Catholike in profession and life by the promise oath and fidelitie of a christian Catholike annointed consecrated and elected Queene at her coronation for defence whereof that most renowned and princely title the glorie of her stile was first granted to her father and still vsed of her Maiestie for that intent and by the POPES donation I defend that Religion whereof shee yet retaineth in her Princely person some reuerent notes which the pietie of her Catholike education gaue her as the vsing vpon sodaine and strange accidents to signe her selfe or women with childe with the sacred signe of the Crosse the great character of our glory and as it is reported in her owne priuate opinion not preuaricating in the maine poynt of the reall presence and others of chiefest moment euident hopes and tokens of no irrecouerable laps I will teach nothing contrary to her princely dignitie and prerogatiues nothing repugnant to her owne truely interpreted proceedings I will defend the liues religion fame and memory of all her famous and noble christian progenitours Kings and Queenes of England many of them while they liued honourable in earth and now glorious in Heauen whome her wicked Protestant ministers must needes condemne all to hell and damnation if they will leaue any little hope for themselues to be saued for one heauen can not possesse them both The lawe of God commaundeth me the lawe of nature enforceth me humanitie compelleth gratitude obligeth duety and reuerence to my Queene Elizabeth their heire and successor dooth necessitate me in this extremitie and desperate danger of their eternall noble fame memory to releeue them that bee dead and without reliefe of those by whome they should be both relieued and reuerenced in that behalf and not permit them for want of iust defence to be condemned of men in earth that are so happily translated from corruptible to euer-during kingdomes They were such as the condition of honorable Kings requireth Historians write it their yet liuing lawes and other monuments doe prooue it it cannot be imputed folly to him that shall defend them Many of them were holie Saints and miraculously witnessed of God to be in heauen euen by Protestants testimony and confession Therefore it cannot be impiety in a subiect to the heire of their Scepter to defend their Religion but wickednes and heresie in those which shall deny it for false Religion can neither be approued by miracle from God neither bring the professors thereof to their felicitie Of what degree soeuer wee are all that liue in England are indebted to those Princes If we be Cleargy men for learning schooles and educations if noble for nobilitie if souldiers and men of armes for fortitude and heroicall actes if peaceable and ciuill gouernors for matters and presidents of regiment if of the comminalty for common peace and tranquillitie they were prudent potent religious magnificēt and triumphant Princes by their wisedome they ruled vs by their victorious gests in armes they subdued and conquered vnto vs mighty strange and forreine Nations Scotland wil witnesse Ireland can make report Ierusalem Iewrie Fraunce Britanny Normandy and other Countries made tributory and subiect vnto vs will beare me record the Princely stile of my Soueraigne Queene of England Fraunce and Ireland to this day auoucheth it to be true if wee bee men of armes the order of Martiall discipline munitions ordonance artilery victuals towns walls gates castles fortresses garrisons musters tributes seruices lieutenants generals captains souldiers their rewardes honors maintenance and pensions were prouided by them If we affect the quiet and peaceable life all possible meanes of procuring and preseruing thereof hath beene their study and inuention they spared no cost omitted no labour to performe it they personally sate in iudgement and heard the complaints and causes of their subiects comprimitted matters without expences diuided counties and prouinces priuiledged citties townes and borroughs to that purpose constituted courtes assigned Iudges ordained pensions prouided Magistrates gaue directions freed frō taxes so established a kingdome that neither any community or priuate person can iustlie make complaint against them touching the spirituall and religious they gaue vs schooles colledges and vniuersities for learning and instruction founded churches monasteries altares for professing Religion and deuotion There is no grace priuiledge or prerogatiue needefull or belonging to an honourable and absolute christian kingdome which either Prince or subiect from the greatest to the least enioyeth but wee receiued it by them if it be temporall and by their help and meanes or allowaunce and consent if it be spirituall as from the first conuersion of the British Saxon and Danish Nation to the faith of Christ all antiquities will witnesse
her royall Maiestie hath receiued life being hir crowne kingdome and diademe won and conuerted vnder Kings Ethelbertus Adelwaldus Kingylsus Edwine Peda or Wiferus Sygebertus and Redwalde her most noble and renowned christian catholike Predecessors Kings of England vnited by king Egbertus augmented and enlarged by so many Henries Edwards and others known Catholike Kings by whome so many immunities fauours and priuiledges were graunted to our religion So many altares churches chappels monasteries and places of professing Papistry as Protestants name it were founded and prouided in the first time of our conuersion from Idolatry and the very Primitiue dayes of christianitie in England The Churches of saint Paul in London of Canterbury Winchester Lincolne Westminster and others the common Schooles of Cambridge by king Sigebert the vniuersity of Oxford by king Alfrede the monastery of Gloucester by king Ofricus the monastery of Hetesey by king Oswye who assigned possssions for twelue more monasteries in Northumberland the monastery of Saint Martine in Douer by king Whitred the abbey of Lestingey by king Oswalde sonne to Saint Oswalde the abbey of Abington by king Cyssa the monastery of Ely by Queene Etheldred wife to king Elfride the monastery of Chertsey by king Edgar the abbey of Peterborow by king Ethelwalde the abby of Bardney by king Etheldredus Glastenbury by king Iâ—a the monastery of Winchcombe by king Kenulfus the abbey of Saint Albons by king Offa the abbey of Ethelingsey and nunnery of Shaftersbury by king Alfrede and fortie monasteries by king Edgar all which were edified and founded in the time of our Primitiue Church and within two hundred yeeres of our first conuersion as Fox himselfe acknowledgeth What donations and free giftes were graunted to the English Clergy by those first christian kings the donations of king Ethelwulfe Ethelbalde and others were to be free in their lands and territories from secular seruices and payments tributes and taxations to Kings c. that all churches and monasteries should be absolued from al publike vectigales works and burdens that they might therby more diligently serue God by how much they were more alleuiated of those seruices Such likewise were the graunts of Kings Sigebertus Cissa Edgar Etheldredus Offa Aluredus for the praying to God and Saints for the soules of them and their posteritie So that no man can doubt of what faith they were except it bee a question whether hee that prayeth to Saints prayeth for the dead offereth sacrifice of Masse graunteth church liberties honoreth the See of Rome buildeth altares monasteries and nunneries for Monks and Nunnes and foundeth these things be a Papist or a Protestant And it is so manifest that these holy and sanctified kings were popish and moonkish men as they tearme them and of our religion that presently vpon their beleeuing in Christ the greatest care and study they had was to prouide ornaments and necessary furniture for that profession And among the Saxon Kings within the space of two hundred yeeres as Foxe himselfe with others reporteth in the English Primitiue church nine Kings at the least King Kingylsus Iue Colulfus Eadbertus Ethelredus Kenredus Offa Sebbi and Sigebertus voluntarily forsooke their kingdoms professed monasticall life and liued monkes in vow of pouertie chastity and obedience and for that most religious action as our ennemies themselues acknowledge were most highly honoured and commended of all historians and still to this day for that cause are more glorious both to themselues and our nation then the other of our Kings how honorable soeuer The wordes of that history which Foxe in his Monuments citeth to that end are these Religion did most clearely shine insomuch that Kings Queenes Princes and Dukes Consuls and Barons and rulers of Churches incensed with desire of the kingdome of Heauen labouring and striuing among themselues to enter into monasticall life into voluntary exile and solitary liuing forsooke all and followed God And no man can deny it to bee true all Historians report it all Monuments Antiquities auouch it Wherefore my assurance is that my gratious Soueraigne and prudent Princesse clayming all things by their title cannot be offended for defence of the faith of all her noble christian progenitors and ancestors vntill now Besides so many christian kings of the Brittons about thirty in number from Lucius the first to Cadwall ader and of the English or Saxon Danish and Norman nation a hundred and fiftie kings from the conuersion of Ethelbertus Adelwaldus or Ethelwaldus Kingilsus Edwine Peda or Weda or Wiferus Sigebertus and Redwalde the first christian Kings of rhe Saxonish Septarchie most wise prudent vertuous and triumphant Princes which both they themselues embraced and maintained with all zeale and deuotion and promulged and deliuered by al lawes and constitutions to their posteritie Kings and subiects to be beleeued Which her Maiesties father K. Henry the eight although denying the Romane iurisdiction obserued in all his life and of denying that iurisdiction at his death repented of king Edward the sixt an infant more needing to be taught than to teach I say nothing and my Soueraigne that is in the time of her sister Qu. Mary professed with much deuotion and after her death at and after her owne coronation in the fidelitie oth and promise of a Prince according to our antient lawes and titles of Kings of England hath obliged and indebted her selfe to protect and defend And for defence whereof as appeareth by the statute of Westminster the first and other authenticall Recordes all those regall and princely prerogatiues which were graunted by the free subiects of England to their Kings her Catholike predecessours and which she still enioyeth by that title were granted and confirmed as euery one may reade in the kings prerogatiues and statutes in the titles of such principalities as were then and for that reason and intent giuen vnto them as the priuiledges of alienations auowsons citations corporations escheats fooles forfeitures franchises deodands intrusions mort dauncestries partitions pateÌ„ts primer seisins prouisions tenures wards seruices releefes wrecks and other preeminences Therefore this defence of those holy and euer most honorable kings can not be offensiue to my wise and prudent Princesse hauing clayming and pretending all tide and interest shee hath either to temporall or spirituall dignitie as heire and successor to their regall right and authoritie And to descend lower to those which haue bin benefited by those Princes you first my noble Patrons that possesse those honourable offices and dignities you enioy them by their institution they the first donors and founders of those preferments that life and beeing which you haue I meane not onely your honorable orderly and peaÌ„ceable life and liuing in gouernement of their prouision but that very naturall life it selfe wherein you communicate with all other reasonable men in some sort you possesse by them for if those Princes had not aduaunced your auncestors to honours and nobility
those parents of whom you are discended and haue receiued being had not bin matched together for so great disparitie betweene them and so you had neither enioyed honour dignitie life or any being at all So that howe much or whatsoeuer you can chalenge to haue you are indebted vnto them And the rest of the nobilitie of England though not chosen to that high credite and fauour of our Princesse yet whatsoeuer it is they haue landes castles mannors titles of dignitie they possesse it by their ordinance as euery Cittizen his priuiledge and immunitie euery countrey vplandish man his quiet and orderly gouernement and protection And that miserable people of England that vntruely challengeth the name of Cleargie among Protestants whatsoeuer honour Archbishop Bishop Deane or inferior order or degrees and titles in Schooles as Doctors Bachilors and Maisters and places of learning Vniuersities Colledges or Learning it selfe or their Bishoppricks Benefices Churches Houses Donations Priuiledges or any other thing they can name was deriued from our Catholike Kings Princes and those that were of that Religion Sigebertus Kingylsus Ethelbert Ofricus Wiferus Etheldredus Oswye Wbykred Oswalde Cissa Edgar Ethelbalde Iua Kenulfus Offa Aluredus Ethelwulfe Edwarde and others before the conquest and such as raigned after to the Protestant regiment no Protestant Prince enriched many spoyled churches Wherefore seeing all estates in England Soueraigne and subiects of euery condition and calling haue receiued and doe enioy so many and irrecompensible fauours from those Catholike Kings and by as many obligations are bound and endebted to so honourable and immortall benefactors no person can be so vnmindfull of duty or irregardfull of gratitude to be displeased with my defence of them which euery English-man is so much obliged to defend And if it appertaine to the title and iurisdiction of christian Kings such as no man can denie them to haue beene to determine matters and questions of Religion as the English Protestants maintaine then if I should bring no other argument but the decrees and constitutions of those holy and learned Kings to proue my entent it ought to be admitted especially ioyning therewith the authority and consent of the still forcible lawes of my euer honored Princesse for in so dooing I shall prooue my Religion by that ground whereby onely it is impugned by the Protestants of England assigning the temporall prince for the time being to haue supreame authoritie in that cause and of what credite soeuer the Statutes of the Protestants are in this question touching her Maiesties catholike predecessors it was in all vpright iudgement vnpossible they should be deceiued For if God giueth ordinary or extraordinary assistaunce to Kings and Princes either for their owne vertuous endeuours and sanctity or for the pietie learning and number of them by whome they are counsailed and aduised there is no comparison but rather Protestant princes should erre then they the zeale and deuotion of those Kings catholike I haue cited before and Protestant writers Pantaleon Foxe and others acknowledge many of them to be glorious Saints in heauen whither false Religion could not bring theÌ„ And to giue example it is written not onely by English both Catholike and Protestant but forraine Historians that king Aelfred builded the monastery of monkes in Ethelingsey and that of nunnes in Shaftesbury he founded the vniuersitie of Oxford hee translated the lawes into our English tongue and diuerse other profitable Bookes for the instruction of his subiects hee diuided the foure and twenty houres of the day and night into three equall partes eight houres he spent in writing reading and praying eight houres in sleepe and other bodily prouision and the other eight houres in hearing and dispatching the causes and complaintes of his subiectes Such was the exercise of Kings in those catholike times as all Historians and Registers are witnesse and their constitutions themselues contained among the Lawes of Saint Edwarde reported by Foxe and yet to be seene in Guilde Hall giue euidence wherein is contained that King which dooth not such things in his owne person is not woorthy the name of a King and that hee ought to take his solemne oathe vppon the Euangelists and blessed Relickes of Saints before the whole state of his realme to execute such things and maintaine the holy Church with all integrity and libertie according to the Constitutions of his Auncestors and Predecessors before he be crowned of the Archbishops and Bishoppes and that he ought to haue vnder him three seruants as vassails fleshly lust auarice and greedy desire This was the integritie exercise and profession of those Princes so that if these â—ters must bee referred to Princes iudgements in regarde of themselues it is not likely they were permitted by God to bee in errour which performed all things both for the aduauncing his honour and the publike peace which was the rigorous execution of their duetie If wee considder what counsaile and aduise they vsed as in matters of warre they consulted with such expert and valiant captaines as were both a securitie at home and a terrour to forraine Nations and in causes of peace and publike gouernement with the most prudent wise and sage men iudges and others of our nation as the wordes of the auntient donations of our Kings Cum consilio Episcoporum Principum by the counsaile of Bishops and Princes and as all Monuments and the teste of euery Writ in law to this day wil declare so concerning matters of practicall conscience the greatest offices as Chancellor priuie Seale and Treasurer which be the chiefest places of confidence and conscience were alwayes executed in those dayes as Maister Fox reporteth by the Claergie and Bishoppes of England And touching matters of Faith and Religion they had alwayes of their priuy Councel the most holy vertuous and learned Bishops of their time such were Saint Cedde Saint Anselme Saint Dunstane Saint Thomas of Canterbury Saint Thomas of Hereford Lanfrancus and others to their Kings and whatsoeuer any publike decree of religious causes was to be enacted or receiued in parliament the whole Cleargie of England in their Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Suffragans Abbots Priors and other chiefe ecclesiasticall persons ten to one in number to the parliament ministery of this time was alwayes present and no decree of faith euer concluded but by the generall consent of the whole christian worlde generall councells and the vniuersall Church of God which can neuer be seduced so that no possible place of errour was left for those kings except God would which he could not permitte the whole world to be deluded To which if wee adde so many supernaturall signes and miracles as are written confessed by Protestants themselues in the liues of Saint Oswable Saint Edmunds Saint Edwards Lucius Kingylsus Iua Ceoluisus Offa Sigebertus and other knowne catholike kings of England shewed by God to testifie the trueth of their Religion in earth and
Nobilitie COncerning you my honorable Patrons that wisedome and prudence which hath exalted you to that tipe of dignitie dooth tell you that you are not wiser in these causes than thousands of so wise learned vertuous and honourable predecessors in that place councellors to those holy kings suppose you might contend in politike gouernment with many or most that went before you let it be some might be admitted fellowes in armes with so many martiall and victorious men because in such cases you haue beene experienced yet to that which is most or onely materiall in this question and controuersie of learning religion and diuinitie you are too wise to make so vnequall a comparison to ballance your selues vntrained and vnskilfull in such faculties with so many Saints most holy learned and professed Diuines Bishoppes and others famous in the whole christian world such as great numbers of the councellors of those Princes were Therefore seeing it is the same vertue of prudence which teacheth and directeth what to doe and admonisheth what we are not able to performe it must needs put you in minde of the place you possesse the charge you haue vndertaken promise and fidelitie you haue giuen and I remaine assured the pietie mercie iustice and heroical munificence which be the vndiuided companions of that virtue the naturall gratitude you owe to so many descents of your noble predecessors benefactors and most zealous professours of the religion I defend will both conquer your wittes and mooue your willes As I haue prooued of the Kings of England in all former times those that were our greatest friends still enioy the greatest honor both in heauen and earth those that frinded vs least haue the least interest therein and those which were our enemies heauen earth are still at enmitie and variance with them so it was with your predecessours in that place and the auncestors of our whole nobilitie the examples are too many to be cited if any man desireth the view he may haue it in the catalogue of our vnfortunate Nobles and for Protestant councellors let him call to minde what an Agent Thomas Lord Cromwell was in these affaires how he was aduaunced thereby what spirituall lands yea offices hee hadde what fauour with Prince howe potent ouer subiects yet by that law which he had prouided for others himselfe was first that was thereby condemned not admitted to the presence of his Prince What was the tragicall and mournfull enterlude of the two Protestant Protectors of king Edward the sixt the chiefe pillers and first originalles of English Protestancie the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland so basely disgraced put to death Who in the time of her Maiestie that is so violent an enemy against vs as Robert earle of Leicester yet the professors of that faith doe liue and he at the very time when hee hadde designed the most bloudy persecution against vs miserably died terrified with monstrous visions of diuels and now his name is not aliue Sir Francis Walsingham his deere friend was the mast cruel aduersarie for his degree which this time hath maintained against vs yet his miserable death his despairing wordes Lay me aside and let me be forgotten the illusions hee had at the same time and the filthy stinke and corruption of his body wanting all funerall pompe basely buried in the night will be an eternall infamy against him I coulde easily exemplifie in others both of the peaceable and martiall condition but I will not be offensiue to any of their families these which I haue recounted haue left few heires either of honour or their names behinde them Wherefore most honourable Patrons and you the rest of the wise and noble gentry of England Honor is the crest of your endowments Glorie is that you desire true honor and glory are onely or chiefly belonging to that honorable state which I defend this glory is truely in him that is religious hee is honoured heere of God by grace and in heauen by glory other honors be rather in men that honour than in them that be honoured And yet if your immortall appetites must needes possesse these mortall honors there is none you now enioy none you can desire which euer any of our Nation had but was deriued from the gifts donations and bounties of our Catholike Popes and Princes to your auncestors and predecessors and so to you by inheritance from the one and succession from the other It was neuer hitherto accompted dishonourable to any to be professor of that religion which made him glorious There haue beene many renowned families in England which haue brought foorth many glorious men and yet they which were most religious in our profession alwayes were and euer will be the chiefest honour of their houses Saint Guthlach the poore Eremite of Crowland was sonne to the noble Penwalde of the linage of king Ethelred and yet farre more honourable for his religion than natiuitie and nowe chiefly honoured for that cause So S. Suitbert sonne of the Earle of Nottingham and his Lady Berta whome Saxonie honoureth for the Apostle of that nation So S. Thomas Bishop of Hereford Chauncellour to King Henry the third sonne of the noble Cantilupus and Millicent Countesse of Yorke and Saint Ceadda councellor to King Alchfride Saint Dunstane and other religious councellors to our catholike Princes before named are nowe in all Histories and memories more honorable than any of that place that were not of their profession The only order of S. Benedict so renowned in our Nation hath had about twenty Kings and Emperours aboue an hundred great Princes many Popes sixteene hundred archbishops foure thousand bishops fifteen thousand famous men and fifteene thousand and sixe hundred most honourable canonized Saintes And such was the continuing and neuer fading honour that our religion gaue that our Kings Queens and greatest Princes thought it more honorable to bee religious than to seeke honour in temporall regiments It will be no easie thing for any Protestant to single foorth one auntient family of England of which there haue not beene many Bishops Abbots or religious rulers in our Countrey and yet those by all Recordes and Monuments are and euer will be more renowned than the others of their descent And to exemplifie these names and houses following either still now are or heretofore haue bene great in England Baldwine Hubert Kylwarby Peccam Stratford Offord Braidwarden Islepe Langhton Witlesey Sudbery Courtney Arundell Chichelsey Burchier Morton and yet those Archbishoppes of Canterbury which were of these names and families when they liued were the most honorable of their linage their place of dignitie highest among subiects and next vnto our Kings and now so long after their deaths they are more honoured and remembred with glory than any of their lines Thus I might alleadge of other persons and places And it is written in the life of that noble Saint Suitbert that the children of the greatest Princes and
pittifull complaints of the poore forsaken What dilatory plees non-suites vnnecessary essoines wagers of lawe false pleadings vnlawfull arrests wicked impannelling suborning and corrupting Iurors delayed false and corrupt iudgements and executions vnconscionable Writtes of errour against right such remooueings of sutes appeales and I know not how many shifts to defraude auoyde and with-holde true titles haue beene and are practised and vncontrolled by these Protestant doctrines which catholike Religion condemneth binding the wicked practisers of such iniustices to an equall amends and restitution to the parties grieued These and such abuses the lawe of Nature the lawe of Nations Canon Imperiall Prouinciall in all christian Nations doe condemne not onely in countries and kingdoms professing Christ they are disabled but exploded in al heathenish regiments of Iewes Turks Tartares Persians Indians and all antient law makers among the Romans Graecians Lacedemonians and others onely practised and not disallowed in Protestant regiments That portion of wealth which the religious Cleargy of England enioyed in Catholike times if Foxe may be beleeued amounted to the third part of the substance of our nation and was then employed concerning them to the necessaries of their poore chaste and single life the remnant was bestowed some for maintainance and defence of our Kings and country the Catholike Cleargy was then able and often did furnish maine armies to that end more then all the ministers of England and Abbey gentlemen are able or will performe the rest was in Religious vses the poore were relieued so many statutes against them and to burden the country were not knowne strangers were lodged pilgrimes entertained the sicke and maimed prouided for orphanes kept widdowes defended Was not this so offensiue parte of religious goods in Protestants iudgement better bestowed then in hunting hawking cardings courtings and such like almes to which the Protestant possessours haue disposed it Let vs speake of friends at home and abroade Catholike Religion kept and left England in friendship and amitie with the Popedome Empire Spaine and all countries in the world protestancy hath either set vs at open variance or suspitious peace withall Quarrels among countries and kings are euer grounded from behauiour of Princes publike magistrates and persons of regard in those states Protestants of England euer since their entraunce haue supplied those places priuate persecuted and reiected men such as Catholikes of England haue beene and are there esteemed cannot bee the origin of such contentions What should I speake of honours or other publike profits wherwith England was adorned by our Religion and whereof Protestancy hath dispoyled it Was it not an honourable quiet and secure preeminence to be at league with so many and mighty christian Princes Were not all communions with them and their countries as ordinary to England and al estates thereof as to themselues had not our kings their legarde and continuing ambassadors in those dominions whereby peace was preserued quarrels preuented perrils auoyded the country in security warres but seldome and neuer of such continuance What historie doth make relation of so chargeable and prolonged wars of this kingdome with other nations as our late and present Spanish Flemish and Irish be What Nobleman ot Gentleman of accompt did not then and would not now desire both for his owne and countries honour and reputation to know other nations to bee present in the Courts of forraine potent Princes to learne language to see diuersities of people and manners to know their order of Regiment to winne experience What learning nurtriture and knowledge haue our gentry and nobility lost by that seperation What a blemish it is euen in some of highest order and in the greatest affaires of common wealth England findeth and forrainers are not ignorant and the great aduantage and highly esteemed preeminence of him or them in that place which hath enioyed it will witnesse Would not a souldier for his skill and honour in armes affect to know the order and discipline of their warres especially against Infidels and misbeleeuing Princes What scholler for his instruction in learning might not couet those vniuersities wherein for an Englishman to haue beene student or consecrated Priest now so odious was euer had for high honour and reputation Would not the marchants of England esteeme it both a priuate helpe to themselues and a publike profit to our nation to haue free trade and trafficke in their dominions Should not all England Nobles gentlemen meaner people and all estates of men Catholikes Protestants and whatsoeuer be desirous that we might alwayes bee free both from forraine and domesticall warres or if by any necessitie not in time preuented we shuld by probabilitie bee infested with the one coulde or would he wish to be afflicted with both Peace is to be desired strife to be auoyded friendes esteemed many and potent enimies to be feared If any man of indifferent sentence entereth into iudgement to consider the time of Protestancie which is past the present estate wherein England is and what wee are like to taste heereafter by such proceedings I doubt not but he will be of my opinion that it were better to be in such condition as it was in the two and twentieth yeere of King Henry the eight when this reformation or soone after beganne then euer it was by Protestancie since nowe is or by probability will grow to be in time to come For auoyding offence I will voluntarily omitte particulars of comparisons as also the conformitie of our catholike Religion to the true and equall interpretation of our present lawes both in the same regarde as that it demaundeth a larger treatie then this place alloweth These may now suffice for excuse not onely to your most Honorable Company but to all inferior and subdepending Magistrates principally such as persecute vs vnder the false pretence of our repugnancie to a lawfull and ciuill regiment for whose cause I haue both beene longer in this question and must be enforced heereafter to vse more speech of our obediēce to the English laws of this time than I otherwise had intended SECT IX The Authors defence to all honourable Ladies and Gentlewomen AND as I must not bee vngratefully vnduetifull to so many Catholicke Ladies and noble Gentlewomen of England our nurses and foundresses in former times so I desire pardon of that present sexe and condition not to be offended with my writing for I defend the faith and religion of all honorable holy and vertuous English Queenes Princesses Ladies and Gentlewomen I may not permit the Foundresses of so many Churches Chappelles Aultares Monasteries Nunneries Colledges and Religious places to bee reprooued for that pietie I cannot in conscience suffer such a triumphant and victorious company of that calling so famous for miracles and renowned for sanctitie as our greatest ennemies Fox Pantaleon and others acknowledge in them an euident argument of true Religion to be condemned nor the immortall fame of the soules of such to
wilfulnesse in errour I offer them wrong or no It is more agreeing to the lawe of God of nature nations reason humane ciuilitie conscience or whatsoeuer may bee termed and taken for a lawe when it dooth so chaunce that either all learned and holy men in the christian worlde that euer were in so many hundred yeeres in all times and places should bee condemned or else a few neyther learned nor vertuous but ignorant and wicked should be reprooued and disallowed that the most and first must be freeed and the least and last condemned Then lette the Ministeriall Cleargie of England yeelde mee patience for I defend the doctrine and opinion of all godly and famous professors of Diuinitie all Popes Fathers and Doctours that euer were in the Church all Councelles particular and generall all forren domesticall Vniuersities Schooles Colledges and places of christian learning since the time of Christ to Martine Luther where so many thousandes or millions of miraculously approoued holy Saintes haue liued and died in this profession and onely impugne a new poore lewde licentious and vnlearned company of Ministers of one Kingdome or age and such as in particular reasons I will demonstrate to be euident wilfull and ignorant mis-expounders false translators and alleadgers of holy Scriptures liars deceitfull hereticall maintainers of olde condemned heresies actually erring and reerring in greatest questions and matters of Faith ensigned and marked with all tokens and badges which holy Scripture purtraiture Heretickes Seducers and Reprobate persons by that they learned their religion of the diuel himselfe that it was first deuised and after maintained for carnall libertie and wicked endes that they teach they know not what themselues contrary to holy Scriptures although we expound them by their owne rules of exposition contrary to their owne proceedings contrary to all authoritie humane and diuine contrary to all Lawes of God of nature nations particular Countries of all ciuill and politicke gouernement hauing nothing conducing to mans saluation or that can bring to heauen that by all iudgement of Christianitie those that died in that state without repentaunce except inuincible ignoraunce coulde excuse some simple Soules are condemned in hell yet seeing in this I shall dispute chiefly against the priuate Religion of one Nation in one onely time if I should leaue out the rest of the christian worlde in all ages and because England nowe hath a particular Religion to it selfe compare the sanctitie learning and authoritie of former Catholicke English Bishoppes and Diuines with our present Ministers I shall iustifie my cause to their great confusion As to giue example in our chiefest Metropolitane See Whether is it more equall and consonant to reason to giue credite for either the one or the other must be vtterly discredited to Thomas Cranmer the first Protestant Regent there Parkar and Grindal notoriously knowne not onely to haue beene of three diuerse Religions in substantiall poynts one against an other but euery one of them at diuerse times to please their Princes often in the greatest questions to haue differed from him selfe and they to haue beene of seauen or eight diuerse Religions for none of them was eyther burned for Protestancie or quartered for denying Supremacie or a Saint for life to speake the best renowned for learning for any monument or argument I coulde euer finde And to exemplifie in Cranmer their first and principle that was to condemne so many learned and holy Saints that had beene in that Archiepiscopall See and be a patterne to all his successors hee was condemned of high treason against his Prince prooued publikely periured and to haue counterfaite the handes and consents of fifty Cleargy men for the aduantage of his cause hee recanted his errour was in case of relapse and for ignoraunce was hissed and exploded in the common Schooles of Oxforde in publike disputations all which Foxe himselfe is enforced to graunt and can not deny Then whether is it more equall to giue credit to these than to Saint Augustine the Monke first archbishoppe there Saint Laurence Mellitus Iustus Honorius Deusdedit Theodorus Berctualdus Tacuinus and others three score and eight in number almost twenty to one many or most holy and learned men miraculously approoued of God and for pietie and learning admired of the whole worlde If they pretende the decrees of any Protestant Prince for exposition of holy Scriptures and proposition of Religion I haue cited almost twoo hundred to one before and in the lawes of that Prince which soeuer any Protestant will assigne eyther King Henry the eight King Edward the sixt or our Queene Elizabeth I will ouerthrowe them and prooue how euery one of them hath defined false and contradictory things to themselues which in some parte already appeareth in my last citations of Statutes If they alleadge their Vniuersities they are ouermatched in Catholike times at once Oxford hath had thirtie thousand Students all euer of the same minde with vs. For other Clergie men England Catholike had at the least if wee will coniecture by Fox his computation aboue a hundred thousand more than England Protestant is able to shew If they speak of sinods our sinods were greater in number of men tenne to one in number of assemblies two hundred to one If they speake of Parliaments and Lawes decreed there the excesse is more in both respectes If they vrge Scriptures and true sence of them by deduction by resorting to the originall tongues the Hebrew in the olde and Greeke in the new Testament comparing of places and examining circumstances which be their owne rules of exposition and the ground of their profession or howsoeuer the comparison is made the victory is ours Wee vse more Scriptures for numbers of Bookes more for diuersities of tongues than they and yet refuse none which they admit All our expositours of Scriptures haue beene continuall professed Students in diuinitie expert and acquainted with all Rules and meanes of true exposition diuerse of them most excellent Linguists and many naturall borne Greekes and Hebrewes and wee neuer receiued or beleeued any thing as a matter of Faith but that which the whole Catholicke Church which cannot erre had defined and receiued Their expositors of Scriptures were neuer to bee compared vnto these and at that time when their Religion was decreede and established out of Scriptures they must say there was not one person present which eyther vnderstoode Greeke or Hebrew or coulde vse any other of their Rules For their religion was first approoued in the first Parliament of our Queene Elizabeth where not one man learned in Diuinitie was present and had parlamentall voyce That wee Catholikes would wilfully erre is too wilfull impudencie to affirme it the profession of that Religion we defend is seuere and strict in regarde of that wee doe deny the punishmentes and penalties we vndergoe for our profession are many and greatest the temporall preferrement is none at all The contrary
will tell and many remember to their little glorie What the latter in the Tower was no man is ignorant howe much it did disgrace them No lawe of God of Nature of any Nation doth or can iudge conuict and condemne the vilest Subiect in the meanest matter if hee bee absent but where by contempt hee refuseth triall The Question whereof wee contend is the greatest the meanes wee haue made for audience bee all that can be deuiâ— those that haue sought it are not to be contemned the iudgements that haue beene pronounced for vs bee innumerable and of highest authoritie if euer any was giuen against vs you see howe vnequall and vniust it was and yet I offer to prooue that no Lawe or Parliament of England hath or can condemne vs euen by her Maiesties proceedings Then my Lordes and Patrones as you are wise you knowe what to doe as you are gracious with our Queene in whose handes the redresse of this matter lieth as you are maisters of your selues potent and beloued with the Nobles and powerable with all her people you are able to performe what is to bee doone as you are mercifull you must take compassion as iustice belongeth to your place you can not make deniall The matter it selfe all circumstaunces of persons places and time bidde mee bee secure you will heare my petition The matter is the cause of God and his highest reuerence your Honourable persons may not be vnmercifull the persons of our greatest persecutours bee impious the persons of vs your poore suppliants are your most duetifull religious and vniustly afflicted Countreymen of your flesh and blood for place of that nation whereof you bee chiefe members and wee little limmes to deny influence vnto vs is to bereaue your selues of life being of the same body If I will pleade by time as Daniell did wee haue suffered a long persecution as hee disputed with God concerning his promise of Redemption of the captiues of Israel Septuagesimus iam annus est it is or almost is the seauentieth yeere of our desolation since King Henry the eight beganne to impose this heauie burden vppon vs. The time biddeth mee goe forward for the yeere of Iubile centesimus annus is begunne when all exiles were to returne olde priuiledges to bee enioyed all fauours and graces to bee graunted This is the time when all christian Countries in the world but we and such as depend of vs are at peace among themselues Your Honours knowe better than I can enforme what a generall amitie and friendshippe Clement the eight POPE that nowe is hath concluded among them wherein are comprehended the POPE himselfe the Emperour Electors all Kings Princes Dukes Common-weales States Rulers and Regiments of the Popedome Empire Bohemia Spaine Fraunce Germany Polland Sweede Scotland Denmarke Venice Lorraine Thuscane Genoa Luca Parma Playsance Austria Mantua Vrbine Salamoneta Monaco Fynall Massa Plombin Sola Carolino Pallatine Brandenburge Wittenbergh Hessen Hamsbach East Freesland Cantons of Switzerland and many others Noble Patrones your office is to seeke for peace and maintaine it the estate of our Princes and all hir people is to wish it that fauour I intreate is the way to perfect peace to peace with heauen to peace with earth with all others with our selues All things desire peace and seeke for rest and your wisedomes are not will not cannot be against it And to knowe the way of peace there is a ground in Artes vppon which all knowledge is grounded Quae conueniunt vnitertio conueniunt inter se c. Those thinges that agree in a third thing agree among themselues and such as disagree in a third disagree among themselues For if things agree they must needes agree in something if they agree not in that wherein they shoulde agree of necessity they must be at variance and at greater difference by howe much their difference is greater in that wherein they shoulde consent this is euident in all communities and agreements That which maketh peace and vnitie with God and man is true Religion that bindeth them together That which vniteth Christians is the one certaine rule and promulgation of that faith that which concordeth man with himselfe and the inferiour appetites to reason is the grace which that Religion giueth and by howe much wee differ most in these things by so much our disagreement with God with men with our selues is greater The Kingdomes and Countries Kings and Rulers of Spaine Fraunce Italie Polonia Sueuia Transiluania Bohemia Austria Bauaria Sauoy Lorraine Brittanie Burgundy and other Countries agree in these things and they are at perfect vnitie and peace and vntill they did agree therein they were not And all other Countries and Kingdomes agree more or lesse as they agree herein there is no Religion wherein England can agree with any because the Religion thereof is different from all neither can any twoo Protestant Nations haue this peace together because no twoo of them bee of one Religion If wee will agree in this poynt with Catholicke Nations wee shall agree with God because true Religion is our vnion with him wee shall agree with Angelles for the same is approoued with them wee shall agree with all glorious soules in Heauen for this is necessarie to the communion and communication of Saints wee shall be at concorde with the happy patient Christians in Purgatorie wee shall haue peace with our selues with all Catholicke Christians in the worlde that be that euer were before vs or shall be after Wee shall agree with all with whome atonement must and ought to bee made and disagree with none but with Diuelles damned spirites and such as doe will and can agree with none and with whom no good man in conscience can agree in such things And our agreement shall be perfect indssoluble generall and for euer because the eâ—fect and vnion of Religion is not for one familiâ— countrie cittie time and place as the combinations and carnall vnions of kinred country and such temporall coniunctions are but foreuer and all and so is the greatest that can be If it bee in your powers to procure this attonement if you performe it you shall effect the most honourable and renowned thing our age hath seene and they which so much desire it and iustly deserue it will not can not bee vngratefull in their liues and words and in their writings will make you honourable to all posterities If you can performe it and neglect it although you be no formall persecutours yet because you suffer others to doe it and leaue it in their power when you may amend it you wil be in the degree of dishonor both with God and man as those enemies which I remembred before and except you recall your mindes like to taste of the same vengeance they haue done it is the cause of God which is powerable to punish that is iust and will take reuengement What is best to be done your Honors knowe and no man can be ignorant