should goe to preach and to baptize also What company then tooke in hand to winne and to conuert this Land With other countreyes farre and neere but Rome our Mother-Church most deere The Protestants answere OUR Bibles teach all trueth in deede which euery Christian ought to reede But Papists thereto will say nay because their deedes it dooth bewray Christ he the twelue Apostles sent But who gaue you commandement To winne and gather any where to binde by othe to vowe and sweare Newe Proselytes to Popery ' gaynst trueth our Prince Countrey The Papist proceedes SAint Paul in his Epistle sayth The Romanes had the Catholike fayth And was so farre foorth renowmed that none like it was published Throughout the world in places all to be the trueth vniuersall If yours in England had bene so then to your Churches I would goe But till you proue your faith thus cleere to yours I will no more come neere The Protestants answere WHen Rome returnes to Christ againe and be as once it did remaine I meane when Paul to them did write and when that fifteene Popes in sight Did suffer for the Gospell pure England for truth you may be sure Will ioyne and ioy with Rome againe with Italy with Fraunce and Spaine And Antichrist shall be cast downe which now doth weare y t triple crowne The Papist proceedes WE reade in Prophet Malachy there shall be offrings farre and nye A cleane oblation Sacrifice from place where now the Sun doth rise Vnto the setting of the same O what is that I pray thee name If this be not the holy Masse I le be a Protestant as I was Wherefore resolue me speedily if thou wilt haue my company The Protestants answere SAint Ierome and Tertullian or any other learned man Writing on this short Prophecy preached by Prophet Malachy Shall iudge in this for vs and you who giues best sence and meaning true We say it speakes of pure prayer not of your Masse but Christs Supper And you to make poore soules your asse doe say it 's meant of Popish Masse The Papist proceedes IN th'eighteenth Psalme there it is found that the world shall heare their sound That is to say shall vnderstand in euery Nation Realme and Land That Rome and eke the fayth of Rome is vniuersall without doome Go where you will the world throughout and Rome is famous without doubt And if this marke you doe not want then presently I will recant The Protestants answere THe Psalme for number you mistooke Eighteene for nineteene in your booke The sense thereof first literall is meant of creatures great and small And to the Romanes for the sound is meant Gods word which doth aboūd And not for Popish doctrine taught of which in that age no man thought Therefore your sound glory and fame is now nought else but open shame The Church of Romes continuance The Papist proceedes THis is another marke most sure the fayth of Christ must still endure According as our Sauiour sayd when for Saint Peter once he prayd Simon thy faith shall neuer fayle the gates of hell shall not preuayle The holy Ghost your Comforter he shall remayne with you euer And my selfe your surest friend will be with you to the worlds end The Protestants answere VVE graunt the trueth must stil endure but of this one thing let 's be sure And that is whether we or you doe hold the Fayth of Christ most true Your doctrine is a doung-hill heape of mans traditions which did creepe Into the Church by some and some vntil you had spoyled Christs Kingdome Christs words to Peter you abuse therefore your sense we doe refuse The Papist proceedes SAint Paul doeth playnly write and say There shall be in the Church alway Apostles Prophets and such like that for the flocke of Christ shall seeke And by their preaching bring them home of Iewes Gentiles where they roame Our Church haue these and many moe which labour thus and bide much woe If this be false and not at Rome then will I be conuerted soone The Protestants answere SAint Paul in places three doeth showe what men into the world should goe And after those of Pastours all that should bring men frō Sathans thrall In setled Congregation still there to be taught Gods word and will But as for Munks for Priests for Fryers for Iesuites and common lyers They haue no warrant in Gods word although they reigne with fire sword 5 The Church visible The Papist proceedes THis is another marke most cleare the Church of God must still appeare And as a City on a hill so must we see it flourish still And as a candle shining bright so must Gods Church appeare in sight Our Sauiour saith If one offend and will not by rebukes amend Esteeme him as a wicked man a Heathen or a Publican The Protestants answere HOw long will Papists blinded be in that which euery eye may see The Church is called Militant and troubles it doth neuer want So that sometimes as Sunne and Moone it is eclip'st and hath her doome In mans conceit to shine no more but God againe doth her restore To shine and shew her beautie bright to teach and censure men aright 6 Of Succession The Papist proceedes ANd is not that the Church most true wherein succeeded still in viewe Of Bishops some two hundred three as thou in Histories mayest see Saint Peter first and then the rest which haue the people taught and blest Shew me this marke once amongst you and I will say your faith is true If not it is the Church of Rome that I will cleaue vnto for doome The Protestants answere FOR trueth this your succession came from false Prophets euery one From Balaams time vnto this day with high Priests and such like alway And holy Scripture doth describe the Pope with his condemned pride And though you say he doth excell yet he and you may burne in hell Iohn in the Reuelation writes of Romes desolation 7 Of their Vnity The Papist proceedes THere is another marke also by which the true Church you may know And that indeede is Vnitie set out in many a Similie By Christ our Sauiour who foretold of one Shepheard and one sheepefold One Spowse one husband her to loue one darling deare and one fayre Doue One fayth one baptisme is heere and no dissention dooth appeare The Protestants answere THe name of Church I know you seeke though euery way you be vnlike By these your markes eche filth may proue themselues to be Christs Church Doue Eche sinne is spred vniuersall it 's visible to great and small Idolaters haue Unity and hypocrites Antiquity But Trueth which euery one should bring they and you want in euery thing 8 Their Holinesse The Papist proceedes YOu Protestants doe daily read in Nicen and Apostles Creed The Church of God must holy bee which we
An Answere to a Romish Rime lately printed and entituled A proper new Ballad wherein are contayned Catholike questions to the Protestant The which Ballad was put foorth without date or day name of Authour or Printer Libell-like scattered and sent abroad to withdraw the simple from the fayth of Christ vnto the doctrine of Antichrist the Pope of Rome Written by that Protestant Catholike I. R. They that sit in the gate speake against me and the drunkards make songs vpon me Psal. 69.12 Dearely beloued beleeue not euery spirit but trye the spirits whether they be of God or no for many false prophets are gone out into the world 1. Iohn 4.1 Answere a foole according to his foolishnes lest he be wise in his owne conceyte Prouerbs 26.5 Imprinted at London by Simon Stafford dwelling in Hosier lane neere Smithfield 1602. To the indifferent Readers be they Protestants Papists or neyther I. R. Catholike Protestant Professour of Iesus Christ wisheth all wisdome and all constancie to hold the trueth being found GOod Readers whosoeuer you shall vnderstand that not many moneths ago I together with others in a search found some good English bookes and some two or three English Pamphlets of another stampe and nature viz. A Popish Rosary of prayers and diuers Popish pictures in it circled about with the forme of Beads as if all were the holyer that comes within that compasse We found there amōg other things also a Toy in Rime entituled A proper new Ballad wherein are certaine Catholike questions for so he termeth them to the Protestant These two with an other note booke written of like argument I keep by me and onely of zeale to the trueth and of loue to such simple soules as might be snared with such petty bayts as this Ballad is I haue taken a little paynes in answering the same as well as I could being a man of small skill to meddle in greater matters A Minister of the Citie told me of the same Ballad before I met with this and desired me to vndertake the answering of it he would helpe me to it but could not and therefore till now by this good occasion I thought no more of it although I am perswaded there are many such Pāphlets together with other like Romish wares that are sent abroad among the common people both Protestants and Papists in London and in the countrey that by certaine women Brokers and Pedlers as of late in Staffordshire there was who with baskets on their armes shal come and offer you other wares vnder a colour and so sell you these where they see and know any likelyhood to vtter them God graunt that all Magistrates may haue the spirit of Nehemias Zorobabel to take and finde them out and finding them not to let them go but to punish them according as the quality of their offence deserueth for vnder the habit of such many young Iesuites and olde Masse-priests range abroade and drawe disciples after them But because I feare I may exceed the bounds of an Epistle I will draw towards an end onely I will shewe you how I haue dealt and ordered things in the answering hereof First I found it set to no certaine tune but because it goeth most neere to the olde tune of Labandalashot therefore I haue made that all may be sung to that tune if neede be Secondly the Authour of this Ballad his skill seemed to me to be as bad in Poetry as in Diuinity and therefore I am herein driuen sometimes to adde and abbreuiate the Authours particular words but I faile him not a iote for his owne sense and false meaning let this bee considered of therefore of all men Thirdly this Ballad-monger hath deuided his worke into 9. principall parts or heads and I obserue them in a sort as shall appeare by the figures set before euery part Fourthly whereas the conclusion of the Ballad is long I giue him leaue to goe it through and then I followe him with mine answere all together And so with my Epilogue and a short song of Popery made long agoe in scorne of Papists foolery I end referring the Readers for further satisfaction in this poynt to M. Crowly his booke which is an answere in prose to the like questions printed 1588. Yours in the Lord I. R. A pretty fine Answere to a Romish Rime entituled A proper newe Ballad c. To the Tune of Labandalashot 1. THE PREFACE The Papists request I Pray thee Protestant beare with me to aske thee questions 2. or three And if an answere thou cāst make more of thy counsell I will take If not then must thou be content that I remayne as I am bent A Romane Catholike to bee which was a Protestant once with thee But now am gone away from you to those I take for Christians true The Protestants answere I Am content Sir Catholike to heare grant the thing you seek But how should I assured be that you will then be rulde by mee When in your Lawe it is set downe you may break faith with King Clown Well yet if God and learned men will giue me leaue to vse my pen I answere will though simply your questions drawne from Popery 2 The Papists complaynt MAny and sundry sects appeare now in the world both farre and neere The Protestant the Puritan the Caluanist and Zwinglian the Brownist and the family of loue and many mo that I can proue Besides the Romane faith truely which Protestants call Papistry All these are Christs true Church they say but now on which shall my soule stay The Protestants answere STrange sects there are and so will be the Church to trye in eche degree But for the most of them you name they are not worthy of that blame The Brownist he is punished the Familists from vs are fled If we were rid of Papists too both kingdomes should haue lesse to doo And you that will of sects complayne shew which by Law we doe maintayne The Papists further complaynt ALL these with Rome in very deede rehearse all Articles of the Creede And euery one of them still saith theirs is the true Catholike faith But how should I amongst all these know truth from falshood God to please This is the thing that still I seeke to know the true Church Catholike The fellowship and company of holy men in vnity The Protestants answere IF these with Rome and thousands moe receyue our Creede and yet will goe So many hundred steppes a wry as Willet dooth in you descry They are not worthy once to beare the name of Christians any where Returne agayne therefore I say to Christ and to Gods word alway Then shall you see that Unity is nothing without Uerity 3 The Church of Rome Catholike The Papist proceedes I In your Bibles thus haue read The Church must through the world be spred For Christ he his Apostles sent with power and with commandement That to all nations they
performe in each degree Most holy men and sacrifice sweet seruice and fine Ceremonies Seuen Sacraments we haue alwaies double and treble holy daies Virgins and Saints Martyrs and all be ours and you haue none at all The Protestants answere GOds Church we know is sanctifide by Christ his spirit who is their guide And holy dueties still they doe on Sabboth daies and other too But your vaine seruice we detest your May-game pastimes and the rest Your Popish Saints and votaries all your traytrous Martyrs great small Nothing in you but Holynesse when none commit more wickednesse 9 A speach touching heretikes Schismatikes c. The Papist proceedes and concludes with this speach OVr Sauiour warnes vs to haue care and of false prophets to beware Which in his name to vs will come not sent by him and yet they runne Strong theeues not entring in aright by Christ the dore but in the night They breake in at the windowe hie and deale that none may them espie Their comming is not to doe good but like to Wolues they thirst for blood Yet in sheepes clothing these doe goe because Gods people should not knowe But that they are his Pastors sure which Christ hath sēt with doctrine pure To teach to preach to set and sowe that Christ in th' end might reap mow But when their seeds are somewhat sprung they proue but tares and darnell young Thistles and thornes so are they found choking and cumbering the ground The Papist holds on his tale These liue e'ne as they list truly their God we see is their belly Like dogges and foxes so they range sects they deuise and schismes strange Heaping vpon themselues damnation for liuing after such a fashion These notes and marks we find in you more then in any Turke or Iew Who doe deny the name of Christ and doe not make them any Priest You say that your faith did appeare to be the truth sixe hundred yeare But tell me then Sir if you can when Popery at first began Where were the seruants of the Lord durst none of them then speake a word Where were the feeders of the sheep were they all dead or fast asleepe Did none of them defend the trueth but was controld in age and youth DId now S. Peters strong faith fayle and did the gates of hell preuayle Or did the salt his sauour lose did Christ some other spouse then choose Or was truths piller ouerthrowne by which all truth was to be knowne If this were so Christs word so playne and promises must be but vaine Which was that heauen and earth should quaile before his word one iote should faile Where haue you byn so long a time and vnto whom did your light shine Where did your chiefest Pastor sit who kept your keies your helme ship Shew vs some Churches you haue built as we can shew where you haue spilt What were all damn'd eternally that were not of your company How might a man haue found you out to heare and helpe in things of doubt When Luther like a lying Fryer one whom the diuell did inspire Did breake his vowe to wed a Nun euen then your heresie begun And fauoured was in Saxony by Dukes that loued liberty And in King Edwards time agayne it gan to grow and spread amayne A thousand yeeres you write and say that Papistry did beare the sway And during all that time and space we say you durst not shew your face Who kept the holy Scriptures then from hands of vilde and wicked men Who had authority to ordaine Bishops Doctors and Priests againe For he that came in without order comes as a theefe to steale and murder He is a Wolfe and not a Priest an enemy no friend to Christ. And one thing more dooth make me muse that our Priests you did not refuse To say your seruice and to sing a Psalme of Dauid Note that thing This man a Benefice might haue if he at any time did craue Like Ieroboam so dealt yee and tooke all sorts of eche degree A worthy mingle-mangle then was made of you for lacke of men How may your Church make any Priest if she be not the Church of Christ Answere these questions if you can and I will be a Protestan But while your answere you deuise I counsell all men that are wise To hold the fayth mayntayned heere the space of fifteene hundred yeere Or of one thousand at the least frō which who turnes shal proue a beast Saint Austin our Apostle was who came from Rome here said Masse He first arriued here in Kent and so to other places went His faith came from Pope Gregory which fayth was kept successiuely By many Bishops as we read from Peters time who was their head Who learn'd his fayth of Christ I say to whom be prayse nowe and alway Amen Amend Papists amend The Protestants answere to the Papists large conclusion BY this time you are out of breath such periods may breede your death But I will set out with such pace as shall and may I hope winne grace With God with Christ and all good men that euer wrote with inke and pen The goale I trust to winne at last and when I haue it hold it fast Unto the honour of his name that gaue me power to winne the same The most of these I might reuert vpon your selues which can peruert Both word and history of times to cloke your lewd and open crimes But some thing briefly I will say for that which you cast in our way As stumbling blocks for euery one to stumble at where you make mone Consider well that you therefore are euen those men whom ye abhore You are false prophets teaching lies you weare sheepes clothing to disguise You runne and range not being sent for which you ought still to repent You are those theeues that enter in to Christ his Church and neuer lyn Till you haue stor'd your selues with good fild your selues like wolues with blood You enter not by Christ the doore but by the Pope that Romish whoore You blind mēs eies with outward showes and say that you are no mans foes You fast from flesh to eat good fish with fruits and many a costly dish You pray on beades and prey on men you doe deuoure maids and women You seldome preach and that but lies the Pope and Popelings to suffice Your doctrine comes frō the Popes schoole where many a wise man proues a foole Your doctrine comes not from Gods booke but you on lyes and Legends looke On festiuals and liues of Saints which you haue made with your owne paints Gods word you count of little force and to the same haue small remorse Your people from it you disswade because that like two-edged blade It doth deuide and eke descry mans sinne and Popish trechery Your doctrine is but darnell sure vnto this graine Gods word
so pure What is the chaffe vnto the wheat what is mans wit to wisdome great Your gold is brasse your siluer tinne your teaching drosse your deeds but sinne Remember what you taught and did before that your bad tricks were spi'd Remember persons time and place and so repent and call for grace Whereas you charge our liues for bad we grieue thereat we are not glad If you did rule it would be so and ten times worse full well I knowe This Realme is very populous and you like night-birds hinder vs. Christ said you know that in each land sinne it would get the vpper hand Let all men striue therefore say I against all sinne and Popery You liue at ease and as you will like Epicures your selues you fill Your belly is your God in deed your puffed cheekes your hands doe feede The best of all things in eche land by flights you got into your hand Thus did you fast thus did you prey on men and women night and day A thousand waies your gaines came in through Antichrist that man of sinne You would no wiues for that was ill but whoores and harlots at your will No woman must come in your sight vnless it were some Nun by night Your common Stewes you still maintaine for why they bring the Pope much gaine When Monasteries brake vp here then did your filthynesse appeare Thousands of Infants heads were found in ponds and priuies which you drownd Like dogges and foxes therefore you did lead your liues it is your due Like swine like wolues like sathans brood that neuer did Gods people good Like hypocrites in euery place you liued and doe without Gods grace You make poore people to beleeue that you can all their sinnes forgiue It were too long to make relation how you and yours deserue damnation But where you say that we doe write of this our faith which you despite That it was found and did appeare to be the trueth sixe hundred yeare We say that from Christ his Assension for our fayth was no such contention As Papists make now at this day nor in that space of yeeres we say But this our faith it euer stood euen since that Abel lost his blood On Gods sweet word we doe depend for it shall iudge vs in the end It is our wisdome and our ioy and mans traditions are a toy Though some things hard doe there appeare the rest we read in all the yeare And find that it sufficient is to guide all men to heauenly blisse What would you more but that you stand for Popish trash in euery land Now where you aske of Popery when it began and to sit hie I answere will to your demand both readily and out of hand It bred in the Apostles time and so increaste by many a signe Great strife then grew three hundred yeres as in Church stories it appeares For many things but chiefly one who should be supreme head alone All Bishops wrote against this thing no Emperour would euer bring Any one Bishop to the same till wicked Phocas time by name But he a wicked murtherer vnto this act was furtherer That none might checke him for that deede of killing father mother and seede Thus did proud Bishop Boniface third of that name set in highest place And now the other Bishops three that made vp foure of one degree Were first made vassall vnto Rome from whence all Popish trash doth come When Boniface was thus aloft he playd his part and wonders wrought And so did all of Rome beside vntill they grew to their full pride And were of late vnhorst agayne by Christian Kings that them disdayne The true Church was eclipsed then and had in scorne of carnall men The Prophecies fulfilled were of Daniel who prayd in feare And those in Reuelation which God did giue vnto S. Iohn A thousand yeeres this held out so that Christs true flock you could not know But by their persecution sharpe which they endur'd with willing heart Yet still Christ and his Gospell stood in persecution and in blood The Popes left off to preach and teach and after wordly things to reach In time they grew so fierce and fell that no good man with them could dwell They put down Kings and Princes hie abusing them to slauery And what they said or did was lawe thus euery one was kept in awe In all your Popes true faith did faile and hell it selfe did much preuaile The salt his sauor lost in them Christ was in trueth reiected then Yea all his death and glorious passion was turn'd into another fashion Each Pope a new toy did deuise to blind and bleare the peoples eyes Fooles Apes and Asses still they made of Gods poore people by this trade The second question that you make I answere will for each mans sake That cannot answere readily your Arguments and Sophistry Where was our Church you say that time where did the beauty of it shine Where did our chiefest Pastour sit who kept our keyes who rulde our ship You did vs shew you Churches built as you can shew those we haue spilt To these in order as they lye I will in few words now reply Where is the Sun the Moone the Stars when clouds darknes make them wars Doe they not shine still where they be vnder those clowdes Euen so did we Our chiefest Pastor he is Christ and he sits in the heauens highest He hath the keyes and guides our ship and laughs to scorne our little wit For Churches first we answere you by Churches of another hiewe How many Churches hath Christ built and you the blood of them haue spilt Of other Churches that you speake God in his iudgement doth them breake Euen as he did Hierusalem for killing of his Prophets then And as he did the hill Alters and Groues of all Idolaters You aske what are become alway of all that dyed to this day We are no Iudges in this case we leaue them to the Throne of grace Idolaters may aske you so of those that haue dyed long agoe What answere can you make therein but this that God for all their sinne May iustly damne them if he will or saue where he likes not to kill When Abram was with Cera he his father deare as children be And God cald Abraham away what should he not Gods call obay Or should he answere as you doe As my friends did I will doe too But you will say you be none such when yet you vse like things too much Try by the Scriptures well and see who comes neer'st Idoles you or we You aske how you might find vs out to answere things that were in doubt I say that euen as wolues by kinde the sheepe and lambes in field can finde So you did find vs to our cost or else how were our liues so lost