enimies of Gods Church of anie one point of fact or doctrine wherwith they be by vs charged Lastlie the said Priestes which passe into England of whos couert working disguising close keeping they so much cōplaine as though that were inough to proue them traitors would haue appeared openlie in their owne Priestlie habite Offer of opē dealing vvith disputation if it may be receaued and haue done their holie functions in the sight of al men if in any sort whatsoeuer they had bene permitted As also at this present not onelie vpon her Maiesties graunt and desire insinuated here by the Libeller for thē to vse openlie their deuotion doctrine and profession according to the maner of their schooles but vpon anie sufficiēt warrant of safetie they are further also then that most redie and willing to giue an accompt of al their doctrine publiquelie in the Vniuersities of England or before her Highnes and Councel whersoeuer A thing which by manie bookes petitions and supplications our brethren haue oftē humblie and instantlie asked and could neuer yet obteine The Libeller putteth vs in hope that if the Priestes and Seminarie men would deale openlie the persecution and blood should cease And we assure him that the persecution first ceasing and her Maiesties pleasure herin vnderstood which is the natural order and not contrariwise al Priestes religious and Catholiques wil appeare and present them selues and wil doe al such Christian exercises duties and functions as now by persecutiō they are forced to doe in secret in the face of the whole Realme no man thankes be to God being ashamed of his order faith profession or Maister though euerie one be bound otherwise by the lawe of our Religion to saue him self so long as it shal please Christ from the persecutor And it is a great signe of our Priestes and Catholiques innocencie and of our aduersaries ignorance and malice that seeking to appeach a Christian man or Priest of treason they haue no more to lay against him then that he sheweth not him self openlie but dealeth secretlie and weareth an other habite thē is belonging to his degree The holie King and Prophet Dauid in place of danger did not onelie otherwise couer his person often and fled from his enimies That men may flie and hide them selues in persecution but feined him self a plaine mad man before Achis king of Geth in al his behauiour to escape peril How often doe we reade in the Euangelistes that our Sauiour fled that he did hide him self that he walked not openlie 1. Reg 21 that he went vp to Hierusalem on the feast day not openlie but in couert Ioh. 10. Who can be ignorant that it was no offence for Nicodemus that he came to Iesus in the night for feare of the Ievves Who knoweth not that the Apostles as wel before as after the comming of the holie-Ghost kept them selues often secret in priuate parlers and chambers as the first holie Bishopes of Rome for feare of their persecutors kept their meetinges misteries and councels in caues and grots vnder the ground How can they forget what holie Athanasius did in the daies of his persecution Or not be mindful how holie Barlaam feined him self in apparel and al other behauiour a marchant Apud S. Damasc to gaine Prince Iosophat to the Christian faith Or of the notable example of the holie Martir and Bishop Eusebius Samosatenus The exāple of Euseb Samosatenus most like to the practise of Priestes in England who in the time of Constantius the Arrian Emperour seeing manie Churches occupied by the Heretiques and voide of true Pastors went like a souldiar through Syria Phenicia and Palestine making Priestes and Deacons and ministring the Sacraments to the Catholique people destitute of their holie rightes then by the Arrians as they be now in England by Caluinistes The case is ruled in al diuinitie that anie religious Priest or Christian to auoide danger of his person may in the places of Infidels leaue the habite of their profession or vsage Men may change habite and couer them selues from the enimie by anie disguise And if we knew not the arte and cunning of Heresie we might wonder to see our protestants so religious now as to require of our Priestes to goe priestlike with open and present danger of their liues when their owne Cleargie at home make scruple to vse distinct attire from the vulgar accompt it plaine superstition to weare anie religious or clarkly apparel at al. But yet I must confesse that they haue good reason to wishe euerie one of our Priestes would shew him self opēly for so they might soone make an ende of al as they thinke and atteine the victorie that they desire Math. 10. Luc. 10. But our maister admonishing his disciples that he would send thē as sheepe amongst woolues warneth them and vs in them that men should not onelie be simple as the doue but wise as the serpent speciallie among woolues that is Heretiques which are of al creatures most cruel and subtile But to returne to our purpose and to the Libellers profer of mitigation or ceasing this persecution vpon condition we would deale no more in secret but openlie We protest before God and al his Saints that we wil vpon anie reasonable securitie of our persons libertie of conscience permission to exercise Christian Catholique offices to the saluation of our owne soules and our brethren doe the same thinges publiquelie which we now doe secretlie in al peaceable and priestlie sort as hitherto we haue accustomed and that so thos things which now you suspect to be done against the state for that they be done ī couert may plainlie appeare vnto you nothing els indeed but mere matter of conscience and religion as in veritie they are Therfore if such as gouerne our state vnder her Maiesty at this day can not be induced to reuoke thē selues and the whole Realme which were absolutelie the best to the former Catholique state and cōdition wherin their auncestors left it and them selues found it in respect perhaps of some litle cheke or dishonour which they may conceiue would ensue by acknowledging their former errour though in sincere truth it must needes proue finallie more dishonorable and dāgerous to perseuer yet at the least let their wisdomes cōsider that their principal worldlie errour was that in the beginning or long since they gaue not libertie of conscience to Catholiques being farre the greater and more respectiue part of the Realme as other of their religion and profession haue done to their owne great aduantage in Germanie and other Prouinces adioining which errour no doubt might yet in great part or wholie be redressed if they would but now at length haue some pitie of their people the greater part wherof languisheth away in bodie and soule most lamentablie onlie vpon an obstinate punto formalitie as is thought of some few particular aduersaries who wil not seeme to yeeld in any one
intended to bestowe certaine bookes of prayers and spiritual exercises and meditations which he had in his custodie Which may suffice to refute th' aduersaries asseueration that none haue bene tormented for other matter then treason But the wordes of M. Thomas Cotam M. Cotam vttered in sense at the barre and thus verbatim left in writing discouereth the case more plainlie to the shame of this cruel heresie for aduauncement wherof so shameful thinges be committed Thus therfore he spake and auouched openlie in the presence of the racke masters In-deed quoth he yow ar searchers of secrettes for yow wolde needes knowe of me what penaunce I was enioined by my ghostlie father for my sinnes committed and I acknowledge my frailtie that to auoide the intollerable torment of the racke I confessed God forgiue me what they demaunded therin but when they further vrged me to vtter also what my sinnes were for which that penaunce was enioined me a lothesome and vnchristian question I then answered that I wolde not disclose my offences sauing to God and to my ghostlie father alone Wherupon they sore tormented me and stil pressed me with the same demaund and I persisted that it was a most barbarous inhumane question and that I wolde not answere though they tormented me to death Thus spake M. Cotam at his arreignmēt wherwith the enimies being ashamed the Lieutenāt of the Tower ther present begā to denie the whole wherūto M. Cotā replied againe thus And is not this trew Here is present D. Hammō with the rest of the commissioners that were at my racking to whos consciences I appeale God is my witnesse that it is most trew and you knowe that Sir George Carie Sir George Carie. did aske me thes vnnatural questions denie it if you can In truth al your torture and demaundes euerie one were of no other treasons but matter of mere conscience faith and religion or els of such folies as I haue rehearsed As for the moderation great pitie and courtisie which by your Libel you wold haue the world beleue her Maiesties ministers haue euer vsed The crueltie in racking Catholiques in giuing the torment to the persons aforesaid and other Catholiques the poore innocentes haue felt it and our Lord God knoweth the contrarie And we can put you in remembrance that you did it with extreame rigour and dispite commonlie vpon no dew presumption nor reasonable suspition of discouerie of anie important matter therby Looke in your recordes what suspicion of treasons or great matters you could haue in yong Sherwood who was the first in our memorie that was put to the rack for matters of conscience then when no man dreamed of anie thes feined new conspiracies See whether a portable Altare be a sufficient cause to giue the torture to a graue worshipful person not so much as suspected of treason or anie disobedience other then in cases of conscience Whether bookes of prayers and meditations spiritual or the printing and spreading of them be a racke-matter in anie common wealth Christian Looke whether your ordinarie demaundes were of that weight and qualitie as were to be answered by cōstraint of the racke Let the world see what one confession of treasonable matter you haue wrested out by the so often tormenting of so many and what great secresies touching the state which you pretend so earnestlie to seeke for you haue found amongst them al No no nothing was ther in thos religious hartes but innocencie and true religion it is that which you punished tormēted and deadlie hated in them Yf they wold haue in the least pointe in the world condescended to your desires in that or but once for your pleasures presented them selues at your Schismatical prayers al racking treasons had bene cleared and past Wherbie al the world seeth you did al for religiō not as for anie conscience that way wherwith most of you ar not much troubled but because the particular state of a number dependeth on this new religion Remember whether you layd not M. Thomson on the racke against al good vse and order before you euer examined him what presumptions had you so pregnant that you must racke the famous man father Campion about the Irishe commotion or collection of monie for the maintenance of the same or of anie knowledge he had of killing the Greatest as you mistically speake in your booke Fol. 2. Haue you not ordinarilie threatned men with the rackes and dongeons and sometimes brought them to the racke-house doore yea and laid some on the racke without either cause or intent to touche thē but onely by thos terrors to driue them to denie their Faith or to confesse wher they had said masse or other like thinges which you desired to knowe How often haue you by famine and filthie dongeōs tormented the happie yong confessor M. Iohn Harte M. Harte which could not now be after his condemnation for anie thing els but for his religiō and because he wold not yeeld to one Rainoldes a minister with whom you appointed him to confere For what other cause did you threaten the torture to M. Osburne but to make him confesse that he had said Masse before the true noble confessors of Christ my L. Vaux and Sir Thomas Tressame And which is more vntollerable is not your racke vsed or threatned to force men by the feare therof to speake thinges against truthe by your appointment and speciallie for false accusation of innocent gentlemen In his epistle to D. Alane set forth in prīt Fo. 10 Iohn Nichols him self a protestant and one of your owne instrumentes hath acknowledged so muche ī publique writing affirming that Sir Owen Hopton lieutenant of the Tower enforced him to accuse diuers gentlemen by name of highe treason whom he neuer knew which he did to auoide his threatned tormentes as he writeth Thomson Borschoe Henslovve Clifton We speake nothing of the pitiful extremities you haue brought diuers vnto by horrible Fetters Stockes Dongeōs Famine Or of the deathe of welneare twenty happie Catholiques at once infected and pestered in Yorke prison wher they perished by the vnmercifulnesse of the protestantes of whom by no pitiful complaintes they could obteine libertie or freshe aire for the sauing their liues without condescending to goe to their abhominable seruice We tel you not here againe that for the more affliction of Catholiques a thing to be marked and lamented Most barbarous cruelties of al christian hartes that you haue prophanelie made choice of Sōdaies great Holidayes to practise your torments vpon them after th' olde fashion of the Pagans rather then vpon workedayes that you bring other catholique prisoners neare to the place of torment to heare their brethrens sorowful cries and eftsoons leade some newlie taken from the racke vnder their fellowe prisoners windowes and to their doores that by hearing their pitiful complaintes sighes and grones proceding of infinite paines they may relent in religion Of al which
benefactor What courtesie so euer was shewed at that time more then afterwards to such as folowed which ī good sooth was no other then in stead of a present quicke dispatch on Gibet to allow them a long and miserable life or rather a lingering and languishing death in durance desolation and disgrace a far worse kind of persecution as S. Hilarie noteth against Constance the Arrian Emperour then anie other But whatsoeuer it was that moued them not to put such to present death as they haue done some of the yonger sort afterward no difference of cause ther was the later sort being indeed no more traiterous or disloyal then the former This may perhaps be the cheefe cause that persecutors lightlie at the beginning vse of purpose and pollicie VVhy they vsed Catholiques better at the beginning the novv gentle allurements hoping that way to gaine the grace of al sortes which is the reason that Iulian the Emperour in the beginning was much noted of clemencie but in fin when he saw he could not extinguish the Christian faith by art his former hypocritical lenitie was at length turned into extreme furie In our countrie at the first entrance of Heresie they had al the principal Cleargie and diuers cheefe Catholiques in prisons or places at commaundmēt wher they could not exercise their functions and being ancient men most of them they knew they could not liue long wherof diuers hauing bene in high offices hard before had shewed pleasures to some protestāts that should haue els suffred for their Heresies or treasons in Q. Maries dayes who now by sauing some of the said Bishops liues thought to requit their courtesies in part They litle thought that thes old holy Cōfessors being worne out by years and imprisonment a new generation would rise to defend their old Bishops and Fathers faith Wherin perceauing now after twentie fiue years struggling against Gods Church al their humane counsels to be frustrat and that they can haue no rest in their Heresie nor security of their state depending as they thinke therupon they ar now in greater furie and rage towards vs making chalenge for our ancestors faith then they were with the said holie Bishops though to say truth in respect of the others high calling and vnction to degrade onely and imprison one of them was greater punishment thē twentie deathes to vs being to them but punies and their pupiles and most obedient children of their pastoral dignitie But wher the Libeller pretendeth vs to be guiltie of other treasons and trespasses then they were and therfore punished by death rather then they as also pressed by thes new questions of the Bul and other capital matters as they neuer were we auouch both assertions to be vntrue nether our treasons being other then matter of our conscience and religion more then theirs were nor yet they beīg in deed so quiet obedient subiects as you cōfesse them to haue bene were alwayes free from such or other bloodie and quareling demaunds as now are put to vs for entangling of our blood Wherof aswel the honorable Confessor and Bishop of Londō may be an example before any excommunication of the Q. was heard of as other Prelates and prisoners of that time and ranke conuented afterward about nine yeares agoe and had interrogatories concerning the Bul of the verie same sense and peril as thes that quiet Catholique men ar now tempted euen to death with-al As for the high praises and special testimonie of wisdome Praises geeuen to the old Clergy by the Libeller learning and loialtie that it liked the maker of the Libel to giue in particuler and in very nice fashion and miniard tearmes to certaine of the cheefe Clergie though it be but the sweet Salue of Ioab to Amasa kissing and killing both at once for within six lines he crieth shame and reproch to them al yet it is a condemnation to him and his fellowes that presumed to dispossesse so noble wise and learned Prelates and to prefer the iudgment and verdict of men ignorant and prophane before such mens sentence euen in matter of Religiō and much more to put into their places a number of incircuncised Philistines takē of the raskalitie of the whole Realme and of such onely as could would fil my Lordes of the Courtes handes with the benediction giuen to Esau in respect of whom or of any or al the route that suffred for Heresie in Q. Maries daies the poorest and worst that be in trouble for religion at home or in banishment for the same abrod of whom this Libeller vpon ether his malicious heretical humor or artificial policie to diminish their credit with the people or their grace with the Princes and Prelates abrode vnder whos protection they liue speaketh so contemptiblie and in part so reprochfullie and slaunderouslie may be in al life and behauiour accounted Saints It is a shame to folowe the Libellers follie in the pursuite of such childish thinges The comparison of thos that suffer novv vvith thē that suffred in Q. Maries time but he compelleth vs and therfore we be forced to compare our cases persons to theirs that were burned in our countrie for Heresie and Apostacie not long before The Libel therfore maketh a glorious muster of Archbishops so he speaketh by Enalage numeri for indeed ther was but one and he a notorious periured and often relapsed Apostata recanting swearing forswearing at euerie turne Crāmer and at the verie day and houre of his death sacrilegiouslie ioyned in pretended mariage to a woman notwithstanding his vowe and order the verie first and principal cause of of th' English calamitie Other Bishops or clergie men were ther none of al the packe that was burned though two or three of them had iniustly vsurped some Prelates roomes but were of the basest for most part worst and contemptiblest of both sexes In so much that the verie saint-woman Foxes Saint-vvoman whos child as he sayth vpon lying Foxes credit burst out of her bellie into the fier was nought of her bodie and therfore to couer her incontinencie would not vtter to the Officer her case nor claime after the custome of our countrie the benefit of her bellie but for the honor of her holie Martirdom forsooth went to the fier with the child ī her wōbe her self onelie knowing therof wher almightie God discouered her filthe and shame wher she looked for the glorie of a Saint of a virgin Martyr of which sort ther is none in al Foxes Martirologe nor commōly amōgst protestāts saincts Now for thes we yeeld vnto the Libeller The nomber and qualitie of Catholiques that haue suffered first fourtene noble and most worthie Bishops at one time such as him self vpon euil intēt commēded euen now so highelie and indeed they were inferior in vertue learning to none in Europe who al were depriued of their honors high callinges and most of thē imprisoned spitefullie vsed
in them selues their children or posteritie to dure anie longer then they continue in the Catholique faith and the communion of the Sea and Church Apostolique nor would suffer anie of their name or blood to reigne after them that were like to be Heretiques but rather would disinherite or execute them with their owne handes then feare or expect their deposition by the Pope Therfore though with such as feele their owne fault it soundeth euil to heare of the Authoritie and vsage of Gods Church in censuring kinges yet it troubleth not anie iust and lauful Prince especiallie when by their wisdome experience they may perceiue that Princes aboue al other both good and euil be subiect to humane casualties and may fal and loose their kingdomes by an hundreth accidents of mutinies and rebellions of their subiects or by external or domestical warres of Competitours or enimyes to al which The great cōmodities vvhich grovv to al kingdomes by the Popes high authoritie the Popes highe authoritie and interest giueth great stay and moderation in deciding the controuersies of titles and causes of ciuil or forraine warres and by his manifould endeuours of Pacification and composition wherof al the kinges and states Christian haue at sondrie times of their distresses receiued singular profit as appeareth in the histories of the warres betwixt our nation Fraunce and Scotland and in our owne Ciuil tumultes which haue bene often appeased by the mediation of the Pope both parties deferring to him as to the high Priest and general Arbiter of Christian Princes and people being to al indifferent without al partialitie the decision of thos thinges which otherwise could not by lawes nor by armes without-lamentable destruction and much blood be determined Wherebie Princes of lesse power iniuried by the greater and mightier haue euer found succour and redresse and iust kinges distressed by their rebellious subiectes haue had singular assistance As we may see in the stories both of our owne Countrie wher the Popes haue sent diuers Legates to the Barons being vp against their lauful Soueraignes to admonish them to lay doune their armes and when they would not excommunicated them by which meanes manie a king with vs hath kept his Croune which otherwise had bene depriued by tumultuous and popular sedition and no lesse in th'examples of other nations and that in our owne memories hauing experience of diuers blessed Popes diligence in aiding the two great Monarches aswel by the powers temporal which God hath giuen them as by ecclesiastical Censures against their rebels and large spiritual graces benedictions bestowed vpon al that would faithfullie adioine to the repression of the seditious subiects and the preseruation of the Soueraigne The Apostolique Bishop is not an enimie to superioritie and domination The Bishoplike authoritie no enimie to Princes which he knoweth best to be of God as his owne high estate is but a spiritual and most louing Parent and common Father of al Christians and speciallie of Princes He seeketh not their depositions nor mainteineth reuoultes from them no not thē when to his infinite greefe he is forced sometimes though meruelous seldome to giue sentence for the people subiects against the Prince but vseth needful discipline towards them for their saluation Let the graue and wise men of al nations consider with vs whether Princes be in more danger of their state by the lauful Pastors of their soules that iudge by Gods spirit by counsel deliberation order and authoritie without malice hatred or partialitie or by Heretiques seditious and rebellious persons that deale by erroneous conscience phantasie and furie The Protestantes plainlie hould in al their writings and schooles and so practize in the sight of al the world that Princes may for tirannie or Religion be resisted depriued We and al Catholiques likewise affirme that for Heresie and some other great enormities they may be excommunicated and further censured But the Protestants would haue them selues the subiects to rebel and throwe doune their superiors on their owne head and wilfulnes and them selues to be iudges of their Soueraignes desertes and Religion Now we demaund of the Libeller that giueth Princes so frendlie warning of their dangerous estates A resonable demaūd to the Libeller if Popes may vse such authoritie ouer Princes whether the Kinges of Christendome whom their owne sect-maisters confesse may be deposed stand not in far greater hazard of their dominions and persons by the brutish and seditious people armed alwaies with furie and often also as at this present with Heresie then they are of Popes It was not the Pope that gaue licēce or encouragement to the subiects of Scotlād to take armes against their natural liege and Q. to emprison her and to cause her by feare of death to resigne her Croune It is not the Pope that embouldened them barbarouslie to restraine their noble yong King and so often to rebel against him though nether they for his Religion haue anie reason to depriue him nor the Popes Holines otherwise then for the iustice of his quarel against his rebels anie cause to defend him It was not the Pope that licensed the subiects of the king Catholique to fight so long and obstinatlie against their Lord and maister nor that encouraged them to depriue him of his soueraigntie and ancient inheritance It was not the Pope that hath hazarded three mightie Kinges his most Christian Maiesty that now is and his two crouned brethrē before him of their States and bereaued them of manie great partes and cities of their kingdome or that went about to depriue them euen in the time of their innocencie and yong years Popes vse to defend innocents not to destroye them in their nonage or to abuse their minoritie And such is otherwise the manifould hazard of kinges by rebellions that in our owne Countrie The danger of Princes by rebelliō the Child hath deposed his Father the Vncle his Nephew the Wife her owne Husband most commonlie the worse and more wicked the more godlie and innocent And we maruel much this Libeller that would seeme to be such a Statesman and a Counseller to forreine kinges could find no danger to them and their countries sauing of the Popes power ouer them which in verie truth by Christs special prouidence is the greatest protection guarde and stay that innocent Princes and their people can haue the awe and reuerend respect of his holie authoritie keeping thousandes from rebellion and intrusion and a number of iust Princes in their empires which els had bene in diuers countries ouerthrowen The Protestantes cannot proue by example of al nations times since Christ that anie one hath bene deposed that was not prooued to be a notorious Heretique or euil man On th' other side Rebels and namelie Heretiques by vnlauful meanes The practise of Heretikes depriue commonlie none but innocent iust and holie Princes Vnto whos barbarous crueltie this Libeller would haue their sacred Maiesties
folowing Math. 5. And thos men in such a case are onelie wise and godlie Councellours her Maiesties true subiectes and worthie members of the Common-wealth that humblie exhort her Highnes not to be beguiled by her present fortune or to thinke obstinate and forcible resistance of the Pope or Churches sentence of Excommunication True and good councel to her Maiestie to be her most securitie but to see what Theodosius the elder did whē he was excommunicated by S. Ambrose to remember how Theodosius the yōger behaued him self in the cause of S. Chrisostome for whos vniust banishment the said Emperours father and mother were excommunicated Lib. 10. trip hist cap. 18. 26. to consider wel what the end of the controuersie was betwixt King Henrie the second and the Pope and Bishop of Canturburie in his time and afterward betwene King Iohn and the Sea of Rome and Cleargie in thos dayes That al thes in fin as mightie Princes as they were yeelded and reconciled them selues to the Sea Apostolique A thing that after a litle heat or headines of yong Princes be past was and euer shal be found in fin the onelie sure and honorable way before God and the world to keepe them selues and their Realmes from perdition Which danger her Maiesties father in whom this reuolt of our daies and Countrie beganne both afore once or twice The meaning of K. Henrie 8. for reconciling him self to the Sea of Rome and speciallie towardes his death sawe and earnestlie sought to auert from his posteritie by the like reconciling him self to the Church Which yet through Gods iudgementes he had not time to accomplish in him self but was atchiued afterward most honorablie in his eldest daughter not onelie for consciēce sake otherwise but especiallie for effectuating her said fathers great desire therin as some of her cheefe Councellours to whom he had cōmunicated his mind in that matter did publiquelie testifie to the whole Realme at Paules Crosse Would God our sinnes and the Realmes could suffer her Maiesties wise Councellours to consider of the case with such sinceritie as were requisite for them selues and vs al who by their better or worse election in this one matter are like ether to be long happie or vnhappie for euer We trust the intollerable flatterie of this Libeller or other like telling her Maiesty Hovv al temporal princes haue superiours that she hath no superiour but God none aboue her but the Almightie none that she need to feare or care for but him and therfore that she hath not to regard anie sentence of Pope or others can much moue anie of their wisdomes this being a most shameful Heresie vntruth that a King hath no superiour in matters of his soule conscience When not onelie the general Pastor of the whole Church is his superiour if he be one of Christes flocke or fould al the sheepe wherof without exception by our maisters expresse sentence were committed to Peter his successours feeding and gouernment but also other Prelates of his owne kingdome that haue charge of his soule to whom likewise he oweth al Christian obedience in spiritual affaires no lesse then the poorest man in the Realme For kinges were not excepted from S. Paules rule and admonition giuen to al the faithful in thes wordes Obedite praepositis vestris subiacete eis Heb. 13. Obey your Prelates and be subiect vnto them wherof he yeeldeth immediatelie the cause For that they vvatch as being to render accompt of your soules If Princes then haue soules they must needes be vnder the accompt and charge of Prelates if they haue Prelates they must obey them and be subiect vnto them if they be bound to obey them and be subiect vnto them they must acknowledge them for their superiours How then say thes wicked flatterers that Kings Queens haue no superiors none to be subiect vnto but God That they be the cheefe eue◠in causes ecclesiastical in matters of religion soule and conscience within their Realmes That neither Pope nor Prelate can excommunicate them or vse other discipline for correction of them when they fal from their faith If Theodosius the Emperour had had such bolsterers of his pride about him or so litle grace and wisdome as to haue giuen eare to them The exāple of Theodosius he would litle haue esteemed S. Ambrose authoritie sentence and censure against him But he was more happie and Christian then to plead his superioritie in such matters aboue his Bishop or to chalenge exemption or impunitie in this world for what so euer he did or beleeued and onelie to be reserued to God And it is a singular note of irreligiositie in our dayes that thes prophane Heretiques godles persons doe prefer humane thinges before diuine the regiment temporal before spiritual the bodie before the soule earth before heauen Regalitie before Priesthood and this life before the next and al eternitie Which is an euident demonstration that al tendeth in this Heresie to plaine Paganisme and Epicurisme esteeming and admiring none but such as be in worldlie height power dignitie that can yeeld them thes transitorie honours pleasures and preferments The sayings and doings of ancient Fathers in this case But the truth of this matter may and ought to be learned partlie of the old glorious and most excellēt Doctors and Bishops of the primitiue Church and partlie by the behauiour of the first great Emperours and Kinges that were professours and defendours of the Catholique faith VVhat is more honorable saith S. Ambrose then that the Emperour be called a child of the Church Epist 33. for a good Emperour is vvithin the Church and not aboue the Church And S. Chrisostome admonishing Priestes of their dutie in keeping from the holie altar great offendours expreslie warneth them to vse their authoritie therin euen towardes Kinges or what soeuer they be VVhether saith he he be Duke Prefect or crouned Prince that vvould vnvvorthilie approche Hom. 60. ad Popul 83. in Math. forbid him thy authoritie povver is greater thē his So S. Gregorie Naziāzene speaketh to his owne Emperour The lavve of Christ hath made you subiect to my povver and to my tribunal for vve haue our soueraintie Orat. ad Ciues Nazianz. and that more excellent and perfect vnlesse the spirit should subdue it self to the flesh and heauenlie thinges yeeld to the earthlie VVhich my libertie of speech I feare not O Emperour but thou vvilt allovve seeing thou art an holie sheepe of my sacred fold and a pupil of the great Pastor and vvel instructed by the holie-Ghost from thine infancie Also S. Athanasius plainlie auoucheth and proueth the Emperour Constantius the Arrian Epist ad Solit. vit degent to be the precursor of Antichrist in that he made him self iudge superiour in causes ecclesiastical ouer Bishops and that his arrogated preeminence and exercise of iurisdiction in such matters which our gentle