that State where the authority of the Prince is deuided or rather translated into the person of another as in the case of Popish Supremacie is most euident Sixthly Againe to inherit by succession of blood which is of very speciall consideration is by this forraigne Supremacie much indangered because where this power is granted there is also giuen to the Pope the power to alter and dispose of Kings and Kingdomes at his pleasure and to translate the inheritance of States according as hee shall please to fauour or dis-fauour the true owners whereof many times hath ensued much misery and many calamities So that I verily thinke there is no part of Christendome that hath not had a wofull experience in this great misery That were the Prince or the cause neuer so Iust and holy or the Pope and his wicked life neuer so apparantly euill yet by this vniuersall power hee had power giuen him to alter the State and to translate Succession at his pleasure pretending a Religious good but intending eyther the aduancement of his base kindred or else some other enuious and euill end And how dangerous this may bee to a Kingdome let any Iudgement determine Lastly this inconuenience doth follow of Popish Supremacie the practise of so many Treasons wherewith the name of Christendome is much spotted For he that is resolued the sufficiencie of other mens writings to this purpose This onely Argument that whereas by the testimonie of holy Scripture wee are taught to know that man of sinne whom the spirit of God calleth Antichrist by this speciall sensible signe of pride in that he being but man shall presume to exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God Now that Kings and Princes of the Earth are by the sentence of Scripture called Gods it is most euident in that place where he saith I haue said yee are Gods that is neerest to my selfe in your dignitie of place representing my power and my Maiesty in the highest degree vpon Earth Then whosoeuer shall exalt himselfe aboue these degrees of Maiesty must of necessity be he whom the Spirit of God calleth that man of sinne that Antichrist because his sinne is like the sinne of the Diuels in the Creation for as they did so doth he contend for the highest Supremacie and Nymrod-like he buildeth himselfe aloft aboue the reach of Earth reaching his ambition beyond the limits of mortality euen aboue all that is called God Eighthly And therefore great reason had the King and so haue all the Kings of the Earth to cast off all friendly intertainement with him that would exalt himselfe aboue all flesh nay aboue all that is called God and I am verily perswaded that this one respect of pride is that marke whereby shee is best knowne to bee that Babylon with whose Fornications the whole Earth hath bene poysoned yet in these latter times hath shee got more vgly visors to maske in Blood and Treason two such deformities as would be very apparant in the face of Religion And God no doubt hath set these markes in her fore-head as he marked Cain that all his beloued in the world might know her at the first blush and auoide the filth of her Fornications For where those euills are God is not in the honour of his seruice but in his Iustice and angry Maiesty CHAP. V. Of the suppressing of Abbeyes and Religious Houses in England FIRST the worke of Gods prouidence is most worthy of consideration leading by variable turnings the passage of all transitory things to that end whereto God hath decreed them In which worke howsoeuer God doth neuer change the purpose of his will yet the euents many times seeme very admirable to our vâ—derstandings by reason of their change and varieties For all things in this world are in continuall motion being moued as shall please the hand of prouidence euery thing being like the mouing Sea sometimes flowing sometimes in their ebb againe sometimes vp sometimes downe according as shall please that power that moues them And from this mouing cause is deriued that variety in the state of Earth which men falsly call Fortune the often change whereof to a Christian Iudgement is not strange because he considereth the power that God hath ouer all his creatures and how inclinable they be to alteration Secondly And for particular instances Though Religion before these times had indured an euill change changing the truth for many superstitious Ceremonies yet so venerable was the name of Religion to the people of those times as notwithstanding their misconceiuing the truth thereof they gaue such large demonstrations of loue and zeale to that profession and the Professors as no people at any time did euer exceed them inriching the state of Religion both with honourable regard and with very ample possessions Insomuch as the Church then might rather seeme a Triumphant then a Church Militant So high was it exalted in the degrees of worldly prosperity yet for all this flourish God commeth with his rod of correction and finding euill in the greatnesse thereof he alters their present Condition that as they had forsaken the truth of his seruice So hee would bereaue them their earthly honour wherewith the true name of their false Religion was gorgeously decked Thirdly The first cause then of this alteration was God himselfe who when hee seeth the vessell of mens iniquity full he filleth his violl with wrath to reforme and correct what euill men had before deformed and being most Iealous of his honour hee commeth with more then common corrections to reforme the truth of his seruice For so did God at this time his angry hand reaching destruction beyond the liues of those euill men euen to their lands houses and possessions making King Henry vtterly extirpe these abused Monasteries as the Israelites did the Cananites for their monstrous and heathenish sinnes And therefore no doubt did God make particular choise of King Henry for his instrument fitting him with extraordinary spirit that he might the better mannage this great businesse whereto God had ordained him and wherein God did wonderfully assist him Fourthly But what might moue the King in respect of himselfe many men many waies coniecture Some by the spoyle of these houses that he might inrich himselfe and relieue the occasions of his Warres which then did much distresse him But howsoeuer this hath credit with him that writeth this Storie at large yet in that opinion I doe not beleeue him For it is not likely that any Christian Prince in the world would for any respect of spoyle destroy the estates of so many at that time reputed Religious and Godly men Others thinke the King did this out of Stomacke the Pope being then in full opposition with the King for taking Supremacie from him in the Church of England that had but lately giuen to him his Successors for euer the title of Defendor of
depend vpon the prosperity of the Church for in all true Christian Kingdomes the Church and the Common-Wealth are Children of one and the same Parent and though the Church be the older and of better inheritance yet a Christian Common-Wealth is a Childe of the same Father and hath a younger brothers portiō in the partage of Gods blessings the one inheriting felicity eternity the other felicity but not eternall And therefore whatsoeuer doth concerne the Church principally doth concerne the Common-VVealth likewise in a subordinate degree and those things which aduance a Christian State cannot derogate from the honour of the Church And this is true and onely true in holy and Religious Common-VVealths but not in such States where the Church is disinherited of Prioritie and birth-right and where the chiefe respect is had to Pollicie only and not to Piety Secondly The importance of these statutes in respect of the Church may be considered in this that the Popes quarrell with the Q. and the State was for Religion onely because the Church of England had cast off that obedience which formerly it had vnworthily giuen to the Popes wherby the Popes greatnesse and reputation in England was not only weakened but also his other priuate ends of aduantages and reuennewes were taken from him And therefore considering the quarrell was for the Religion profest in England the defence of the quarrell on the Churches behalfe must needs very much concerne it Thirdly Againe many of the particular branches of those statutes had principall respect to the benefit of the Church and to remoue all such euill meanes as might any way corrupt and abuse the consciences of men in the case of Religion the Church hauing found much inconuenience by the continuall intercourse of English Romish passengers passing from England to Rome and from Rome to England whereby the English Church lay open to all the Popes perswasions and whereby the ignorant and baser sort of people were withdrawne from their Christian beliefe from the dutie of their naturall allegiance And therefore to preuent this inconuenience was a care most considerable for the Church and which directly tended to the aduancement of true Religion Fourthly There be also many other respects which in these Statutes directly intend the benefit of the Church all which may appeare most euident to any iudgement that shall with impartiall eyes peruse them Fifthly And in truth there is nothing in a true Christian Common-Wealth that can onely direct it selfe to the benefit of State only but that Religion must withall be respected the care of State being but the bye and Religion the maine of euery Christian intendment And therefore oftentimes euen in those things which seeme most properly to concerne the State is Religion in them most regarded the care of State in respect of Religion being like the care of our bodies or which holy men care but so onely as for the houses of their soules and because of communicating those necessarie seruices which necessarily depend of each other These Statutes then were of most importance for the Church that being the most respected end whereto they were principallie directed Sixthly In respect of the Common-Wealth also were these statutes verie considerable and of speciall importance and namely in these particulars that the enemies of the State hauing made dangerous attempts to innouate and alter the State it behooued them to whose wisedomes the care of State was committed to vse the best preuentions they could to hinder the like occasions and therfore were these statutes deuised both to cut off the euill members already corrupted in the Common-wealth and also to preuent all such future occasions Seuenthly Againe there is no Protestant State in the world which hath not found the dangerous inconuenience of Iesuites and Popish Priests nursed in Seminaries beyond the Seas these men like so many euill spirits conueighing their treasonable temptations to sillie men least able to resist whereby many great and dangerous Rebellions haue bene occasioned and whereby many damned and most dangerous attempts haue bene made against the liues of Christian Princes Eighthly And for this consideration were the Iesuites banished France for thát memorable villanie of theirs attempted on the person of the French King memorable it may be for the horror of the deed and for circumstance of persons a Franciscan Frier acting and a Christian Prince suffering it and memorable for that a Pope in publike Orations did allowe the deede and commēd the doer canonizing him for holy happie whose fact without repentance was most wicked and damnable daring to do more then holy K Dauid to lay his murtherous hands vpon the Lords Anointed Ninthly And as this is a respect considerable in all States so in no place more then in the English Nation this Kingdome hauing had many like attempts and hauing many such attemptors who haue dared to enterprise such treasons as all the world nor all the time in the world is not able to produce the like And therefore to prohibite these Runnagate Traytors to returne more dangerous Traytors then they went and to infect the whole with the Leprosie of their vngodly positions and doctrines was a care which much regarded the peace the prosperous estate of this Kingdome Tenthly By these statutes the Policie of the Romish Church was preuented For it hath euer beene and yet is the Politike wisedome of that state to send out these their Intelligencers their Priests and Iesuites into all nations who by confessions other secret workings vnderstād almost the secrets of all States then like Bees to their Hiue or Spirits to their hell send or bring all the vse of their trauells to the Seate of Rome whereby the Popes haue euer had vnderstanding in the most secret affaires of State almost in all Nations And this is so behouefull for his greatnesse as with this he may be said to moue the bodie of his greatnes neither without this could he support himselfe in such estimation as he is For when the practise of any Prince is working against him he hath timely vnderstanding of it by these his carefull Intelligencers and by that meanes he is the better able to worke his owne safetie and to preuent the intendments of his aduersaries Eleuenthly And therefore was this of speciall consideration for the state to exclude them the Land who are the betrayers of our State Secrets to our greatest enemies There are these and many other respects which make it most behoouefull for the peace and prosperous estate both of the Church and state of England to banish the land of these vngodly practisers to bring them their aydors abettors and receiuers within the compasse of treason because their practise is treason and they themselues most dangerous Traytors dangerous to men dangerous to the soules of men dangerous to mens estates
proceeding both of them apprehending euery little circumstance of hope either in the King himselfe his Nature or fortunes Fiftly But the mercie of God which had wonderfully protected the Kings Maiestie in safetie and prosperous fortune against many dangerous practises did not now leaue him vnassisted but in this businesse of most important consideration lead him to an end full of honourable merit God giuing him so much of the wisdome of his Spirit whereby he was able to iudge and determine this maine Controuersie and whereby hee was able to iudge betweene light and darknes Truth and falsehood Order and disorder Religion and Idolatrie And according to this holy iudgement did the King in his election make particular choice confirming the doctrine of true Religion and the commendable order which in the Church hee found established and confuting by the iudgement of his owne mouth both these all the other enemies of Truth and order whatsoeuer Thus nobly prepared did his Maiestie defend the Catholike Faith against these two great enemies enemies both of them for the Papist hee is enemie to the Faith and the Puritan is enenemie to the peace of the Catholike Church enemies both yet not both alike enemies yet both dangerous and of much conuenience to bee opposed by the Defendor of the Catholike Faith the which his Maiestie did to his great commendation and to the honour of Almighty God For the Puritan first the order of the Kings gratious proceeding in this businesse is well knowne to the world by what lenity and fauourable meanes hee laboured to accord their disagreements and to vnite them to the peace and concord of the Church from which they had deuided themselues For though by the power of his high place he might haue forced their obedience and haue vsed the seueritie of correction and seuere Iustice yet would hee not knowing how stiffe and wilfull they were in their opinion and therefore to gaine them his Maiestie was content to vse any meanes to put off Maiestie and the authority of Greatnesse and in his owne person to giue their cause a fauourable hearing and himselfe to moderate and iudge their disputations and therefore were they allowed to make choice of the best able men among them to defend their opinion against whom were appointed of the Reuerend Bishops of this Land to answer and to satisfie their arguments in the hearing and determining of which Controuersie his Maiestie did declare himselfe to vnderstand as much in Religious Learning as the greatest Doctor in that presence he himselfe confuting and confounding all pretended reason alledged against the conuenient orders of the Church whereby at that time hee declared how well able hee was to defend the quarrell of Faith and Religion against all the Learning in the world And thus did the King discend his Maiestie to satisfie the peeuish obstinacie of the Puritan faction And whereas it is obiected that these proceedings against the Puritans did animate and incourage the Papist an enemie of greater importance and that it was euill order to begin reformation with the Puritans and to let the Papist passe as an enemie not regarded I answer the order was good and most conuenient and answerable to the rule of God himselfe For iudgement beginneth at the house of God and it is most needfull for him that would profitably reforme others first to reforme himselfe Sixthly And the body of this kingdome hauing the disease of disobedience in the chiefe memebers thereof it was orderly and most necessarie first to respect this care at home and then to intend businesse further of neither could the Papist bee incouraged by this for they might well know that if the King fauoured not the lesse he would not fauour the greater enemie and if he corrected the Puritan with rods he would whip them with scourges And for the Papist howsoeuer the Kings Maiesty did vse them with as much fauourable regard as any Prince in the world would his enemies yet was there a watchfull eye had to their proceedings and so strict a hand was held ouer them as to distinguish them from friends the Gouernours of State being most carefull to preuent whatsoeuer might be by them attempted not doing ought against them which might any way prouoke them to any vnlawfull practise Seuenthly and this was vpon good consideration because the Recusants in England had not yet attempted ought against the Kings person and State and therefore was it his Religious wisedome not to punish before they had offended nor with strict seuerity to restraine them before they had made some treasonable attempt whereby the proceedings against them might be the more iustifiable before the whole face of Christendome But they not content with much vnlesse they might haue all conspire the most damnable treason that euer by men or diuels was inuented the report whereof for the rarenesse is spread ouer all the world For at one blow they purposed to smite off the heads of all the honourable in this Nation all the Heads because all the Gouernours both principall and subordinate and all the Honourable because almost all the wise and Reuerend in the Kingdome should at one Blow haue perished Eighthly now how this Treason might haue offended a King disposed to Reuenge let the most patient minded in the world iudge it but how it did moue the Kings impatience or how his Maiestie reuenged it let the most enuious Papist iudge it For presently vpon the discouerie of this neere effected Treason the king by his Proclamations declared that he had no purpose to lay their offence vpon their generall cause of Religion nor that his Iustice should reach further then to the offendors themselues wherein hee gaue assurance of safetie to all such Recusants as in all other respects saue Religion were dutifull Subiects And though for the better security of the king and State there were some Statutes enacted for the better preuenting of the like dangers yet were they verie mercifull and farre from the Nature of Reuenge tending onely to defend and not to offend the quiet of any peaceable Subiect Ninthly And whereas the Oath of Allegiance is by many thought verie grieuous it is strange that any Christian iudgement should so thinke and that any man should dare to condemne that which God so highly commendeth and with some of their best Learned both allow as lawfull and haue aduisedly taken the which because it is by others largely disputed I passe ouer Tenthly Now the king to adde to all these Christian merits and to declare himselfe with most direct testimonies that his Princely care was principally for the Seruice of God and the aduancement of the Catholike Religion hee the Lord annointed vndertakes the quarrell of GODS cause concluding by inuincible arguments that Truth which Antichrist the Arch-enemie of the Catholike Faith had opposed These his
multiplicity of Religions For it is al one to deny God and to denie his seruice and Idolatrie is aswell in false worship as in no worship For as God is one but one so there is one Religion and but one whereto all creatures owe their obedience And that men might not preuaricate or alter the forme of Gods seruice hath God himselfe prescribed vs a precise forme how and in what forme wee should serue him damning all diuersity to this his owne order wherewith he is onely pleased and wherewith he is alway pleased Thirdly the reason then why Religion is thus deuided in the Christian world is the many seueral constructions of Gods Word whereby it is both diuersly and doubtfully vnderstood euery man adhering to that sence of Scripture as to his iudgement doth seeme most resonable And from hence it is that these two maine diuisions of Religion the Protestant and the Papist subdeuide themselues againe into many differences especially the Religion of Poperie For proofe whereof we may remember that the Church of Rome hath deuided itselfe into so many quarrel some disputations that searce two Colledges conspire one truth after one manner Nay and the best learned among them contradict and haue damned the opinions of one another this hath bene well declared by many arguments of sufficient proofe in the Learned writings of a Reuerend Doctor of this Church and which is now very lately declared by their own disagreements concerning the lawfulnesse of taking the Oath of Allegiance in which Controuersie the Pope and his great Cardinall Bellarmine oppose against their Arch-Priest Master Blackwell Fourthly It is also worthie of memorie that diuers of them in Queene Elizabeths time being prisoners at Wisbitch were deuided with so much hatred as might seme implacable the quarrell being for superiority betweene the Iesuites and Secular Priests began at Wisbitch but sithence spread ouer all Christendome neither doe I thinke will euer peaceably be compounded a matter rare that men professing one Religion and one Faith prisoners in one place and being by the Law dead men and onely continued there by the mercie of a gratious Prince should thus bitterly contend about priority and greatnesse of place And therefore it is most euident that in that Religion of Poperie wherein they so much boast of vniformity and generall consent there are many Sects and many bitter disagreements Fifthly and for the Protestant Religion whereof I esteeme most reuerently that also is full of much diuersity the vaine glorious spirits of men disturbing the peace of that Church which hath flourished with much prosperity And these diuersities like a ciuill warre and therefore a dangerous warre haue more indammaged the cause of Religion then all the other enemies in the world euer could doe which by reason of singularity and strange doctrine with which the grosse numbers of people are wonderfully contented they haue got a false reputation in the world of holinesse and thereby draw from the vnity of the Church numbers of the basest sort of people Sixthly It were needlesse to reckon vp the seuerall names of these Scismes they are to well knowne in this Nation whose peeuish obstinacie hath bene such as that neither Law nor mercy neuer yet could reclaime And whereas it is obiected by the enemies of our Faith that because of these diuersities therefore our Religion is not good I answer the argument is sencelesse because as I haue proued this diuersity is in all Religions and in theirs most who most obiect against vs. Againe wee all know that the Church of the Iewes was the true Church of God yet in that Church also was there much diuersity for the Sadduces did denie the resurrection which is a fundamentall point of Religion whereas our greatest differences are onely for circumstance and order And therefore this their argument of diuersity doth not conclude against the truth of Religion for the corne may bee good which lyeth mingled with Chaffe and so must the Church of GOD lie vntill the day of Iudgement when as Christ shall come with his Fanne and Seauer the good bad which in the meane time must lie in one heape in one Church and in one profession or name of Religion Seuenthly in this respect of vnity did the King most noblely defende the Catholike Faith disclaiming the enemies on both hands the proud Papist and the peeuish Puritan and like a most Christian Catholike King he directed himself to Iesus Christ placed as hee was crucified betweene these two Thieues who like two extremities Neighbour this most vertuous meane And let it be the prayers of euery true Christian that his Maiesties posterity for euer may thus direct themselues to the Lord Iesus only who only is the way the truth and life itself And let neuer any Caesar of this Empire incline their fauour to either of these crucified thieues for though they hang with Truth yet are they not true And that Religion which is but neere the Truth of the Catholike Faith is not that Truth for as God is so is Truth and so is the faith of holy Religion one and but one with out all duplicity or difference The Conclusion THVS I haue briefly and but sparingly reported the honourable deeds of the Defendors of the Catholike Faith wherein if I had bene iust and had related at full the number of their Princely deseruings in this kinde I should haue vndertaken a businesse of infinite paines and haue made this volume larger then the patience of these times allow to profitable writings I haue therefore extract from the number of their deeds such particulars onely as may abundantly serue to honour the memorie of their names And this trauell most Noble Prince I present to your Highnesse consideration not because I presume of any worth in my part of this businesse but because the knowledge thereof doth principally concerne the dignity of your High place wherein will appeare to your Gratious presence the view of your most Princely Predecessors and how farre they trauelled themselues for the aduancement of holy Religion defending it with resolutions constant and prosperous And wherein your Highnesse may behold what care this Christian Kingdome hath had for the Christian Faith and what care it doth expect in the hope of your Maiesty and in your posterity for euer Amen FINIS What Time is The Iudgement of Philosophy Gen. 1. 1. The Creation of Man All things giuen to Man The world diuided by Religion One God one Truth The reason of Multiplicitie of Religions The first schisme Gen. 4. 3. Gen. 4. 8. Caine the Father of Scisme The first alteration of Time Time the worse for time Gen. 6. 13. The first desire of Empire The foure Monarchies The state of the Church in the old world Gods Iudgements doe correct and not destroy God altereth the tâ—nâ—r of our Obligation The happie
An importaÌ„t aduise to all Princes A Reason Esop in morall Fables The queenes moderation Her defence of Faith before she was Queene An euill practise to disinherit the Queene Note Her trouble in her Sisters time Queene Elizaheths Teares Salomon A good woman Pollitique Morall Her first care for Religion A loue principium The queenes care to cure the diseased State The practise of bad physisitions Her restoring Religion to purity of Doctrine Poperie for euer banished from this Iland King Edward ouermatched by Queene Elizabeth Her desert visible in the face of England The returning of holy men from banishment to England Diuine Pollitique Morall Experience Nothing that is earthly is free from inconstancie God the onely supporter of mens resolution The nature of all men Queene Elizabeth most constant To auoid the miscoÌ„ceiuing The Queene neuer fainted in her resolution Yet much tempted by state considerations Religion Pollicie respect diuers ends Religion ought to order state Religion is peruerted and Scripture wrested to maintaine vnlawfulnes In Popish states Regards of state One of the chiefe of Q. Elizabeths honourable deeds The victorie she had of her selfe The first consideration of State The danger of altering Religion A Reason The Queene made choise of the weaker to assist her against the stronger Her holy trust The second State consideration was the difficulty in finishing An argumeÌ„t from the order of nature The importance of this consideration Third consideration The displeasure of forreigne princes The desires of great persons The vse of forreigne regard In respect of England A Reason The Spanyard hath now larger Dominions than the Duke of Muscouy EnglaÌ„d in the midst of many disagreeing Nations The queenes constancie God is able to worke without as well as with meanes Sampson The honour of Queene Elizabeth Diuine Pollitique Morall Mercie The reward of Mercie Mercie hath prehemineÌ„ce in the nature of God Queene Elizabeth very mercifull An admirable degree of Mercie The mercy of Popish lawes and Papists How much the Queene hath exceeded her Sister in mercie The purpose of the queens Lawes No meanes to reclaime the inueterate enuie of men Proiects deuised by the Pope Interdictions Pope Pius Quintus The euill effect of the Popes Bull. A Parliament The cause of the statutes against Recusants Exmalis moribus nascuntur bona leges The mercy of the queens Lawes The purpose of the Statutes A large demonstration of the queens mercie The slanders of euill and malitious men None haue haue suffered in England for their conscience onely The mercy of the Law The Popes Bull the occasion of more strict Lawes The purpose of the state The difference in the practise of these states Our iustice more mercifull then their mercie The pollitique regard of this seuerity in the Romish State Religion flourisheth vnder â—ppression This Pollicie not answerable to piety nor holy example Act. 5. 34. The mercy of English Lawes concerning Religion Christ the true example of Christians The principall purpose of the statutes The necessity of these Statutes Diuine Pollitique Morall In respect of the Church The prosperity of the state dependeth on the prosperity of the Church The Church and State Children of one Father Respect had to Pollicie and not to piety onely The Popes quarrell The particular branches of these Statutes Inconuenience by English Romish trauellers Nothing can respect the state lawfully that respecteth not Religion also A comparisoÌ„ Of most importance for the Church In respect of the common-Wealth The wisedome of state The dangerous inconuenience of Iesuites and Romish Priests The Iesuites banished France Franciscan Fryer King Dauid A respect most needfull for the English Nation A prouident carâ— The policie of the Romish Church preuented Iesuites Intelligencers A great means of the Popes greatnesse The vse of Seminarie Priests and Iesuites Treason Wherein Iesuits are best learned Diuine Pollitique Morall Euery mans care Charity doth approue vs good men Children of God Loue the fulfilling of Gods Law The dutie of euery Christian The care which ought to be regarded in all States The purity of Christian Religion The difference of Christian and heathenish State Queene Elizabeth most compassionate Distressed Christian Princes In respect of Scotland The wisedome of those times Note These two Kingdomes in one Isle like two wiues in one house King Iames. The Queene hath the glorie of this deede The Queene euer fauorable to Scotland The Queene defended that nation which her predecessors had much offended The French King A princely regard Obiection Answer The Queene neuer altogether ruled by the perswasion of State The queenes reason The Frenchmen owe thankes to the name of Queene Elizabeth The King and kingdome of portingall None can giue victory at his pleasure Gods iudgement The doubt of Anthonies title The queenes double respect in this voyage A reason for the Queenes excuse The States of the Low-Countries A dangerous Obiection The answer The queenes nature A second reason of the Queenes doings Note Euill men readie to traduce the Queene The offence betweene England and Spaine a sufficient reason for these proceedings Vertue the better for opposition The Queene iustifiable in this quarrell The Spaniards the States can both report the Queenes victories The queenes cares euer seruants to the necessities of Christian princes The honour of the English Nation Diuine Pollitique Morall God the best recompencer of deserts God most assured in his promises Gods reward In the queens particular Many practises against the Queene The diuers sorts of practises Gods speciall prouidence for the Queenes safetie Daunted with her Maiesty It is in vaine to resist the power of God Her trouble in her Sisters time Her enemies could not preuaile to her destruction An obiection The answer Note The queenes innocence was a cause but not the onely cause of her safetie After she was Queene The practise of the Pope against her The two Earles WestmerlaÌ„d and NorthuÌ„berland Gods defence for the queen The Spanish King The common attempts on both sides The nature of our English Warres with Spaine The Spanish preparation to inuade England The inuincible Nauie Anno. 1588. Their proud confidence God hateth pride in all Creatures His mighty deliuerance Sir Francis Drake How the Queene behaued her selfe in these weighty affaires No man certainly known before his end The glory of our life is to continue in well doing The queenes godly constaÌ„cie She was answerable to her constant mot Semper eadem Her constancie apparent In the view of her gouernement The name of Queene Elizabeth cannot perish in England A request to the learned of this Land The last defence shee made for the Catholike Faith A most Christian care A worldly care To benefit posterity The care of Christians The queenes persecution King Iames. Obiection Answer Another obiection Reasons The answer None but God can foretell the truth of future euents Gods decree His prouidence Councell When Gods secrets are knowne to men All things are iudged by their euents and not otherwise Astrâ—logie and calculating vncertaine False foreiudging The foolish impudence of men God iudgeth not as man by apparaÌ„ce The Kings Maiesty God hath exceeded our hopes Mens expectations deceiued In respect of likely-hood The practise of forreigne States our enemies A matter very considerable The discretion of State Note Gods fauour to the King The enemies of this Kingdome What the King did inherit with England The Kings forward successe The King at his entring had no vse for weapon but to giue honour The happie issue deceiued the euill ezpectation Gods blessings to our Nation Queene Elizabeth We ought to glory in nothing but in well-doing Gods instrument The Kings care for Religion The Kings reforming the state of Scotland The first Protestant King in this Kingdome Gods assistance to the Kings good cause The King defended the quarrell of Faith before he had the title A gratious beginning ending Diuine Pollitique Morall The alteration of a Prince the alteration of State Nothing but the person of the Prince was altered The euill hopes of bad men The hope of factious people Note That both the Papist the puritane could conspire on hope in one particuler Prince The successe failed Church of Scotland The Kings resolute constancie The reason Their arguments of hope How God assisted the King in this important businesse The Kings choice The Papist and the Puritane both enemies to the Catholike Church The order of the Kings proceeding against the Puritan The Kings most Christistian Care His Maiesties religious Iudgement The different nature of the King and these peeuish people Obiection Answer A most orderly proceeding An argument Papist The care of the State The reason The Papists The Gunpowder treason How this might haue wrought reuenge in the Kings desire The Kings Proclemation His most religious mercie Statutes enacted The Oath of Allegiance Blackwell the Arch-Priest The two great enemies of our Church Diuine Pollitique Morall The many daungers the King passed In Scotland England The conspiracie of the Gowries His deliueuerance At the Queenes death The Pope and Papist No disturbance to let the Kings forward entrance The treason of the blowing vp the Parliament house A destruction lesse mercifull than the Flood God wonderfully protected the King Religion deuideth the world The names of Christian and heathen odious to one another The Christians among themselues and the heathen among themselues deuided Among the Christians Christians now haue as manie Religions as the Pagans had Gods One God one Truth one Religion God hath prescribed an order for his seruice The reason why Religion is so deuided The contradictions among the learned Papists Doctor Morton Bellarmine and Blackwell Wisbitch Iesuites and Secular Priests Note In the Religion of popery much diuersity The Protestant Religion deuided The hurts of diuided Religion No meanes to reclaime these disobedient Christians Obiections of the Papists Answer Diuersity in all Religions Diuersity in the Iewish Church The doctrine of the Sadduces The Kings desert in this respect of vnity The true Religion is like Christ betweene two Thieues Christ the way the truth and the life He that is but neere truth is not true
whom we liue moue and haue our being is infinite in time and infinite in all his attributes Secondly This diuine Truth is confirmed by the sentence of the best Phylosophers who with their eyes of Nature could discerne and distinguish this Truth But because I write to a Christian Prince I will not therfore strengthen my selfe with prophane authors but much rather content mee with the testimonie of God whose words hath sufficient Maiesty to answer all opposition By this word I know that God in the beginning created the world of nothing there being no preexistent matter whereof to make it and then of the dust of the Earth made he Man a most noble Creature of a matter most base and breathed into his Nostrills the breath of Life a soule so pure and spiritual as nothing but God could be more being the sacred breath which hee himselfe inspired whereby our soules euen after our fall yet relish of that diuinity and whereby we yet reach our meditation and spirituall exercise to God who did inspire them Thirdly And to this Man thus made did God giue the heauen the earth and all the beauty of them For hee himselfe in whom was the fulnesse of all things needed not ought that was made but gaue them to his seruant Man to whom hee had made all things seruants reseruing Man to his owne seruice onely And for this end hath God giuen Man a Law which limits him with strict obedience and bindes him to the due execution of such seruices as may direct him to his end which is Gods Glory The obseruance of which Law is called Religion the not obseruing it a Rebellion against God because thereby wee oppose against that power that made vs. This obseruance of the Law of God which wee call Religon is that which hath deuided the world into so many disagreements the which like fire that deuideth the metttle and drosse doth cull out the most approued of Mankinde vpon whom Gods decree hath set the distinction of mercie and doth marke such for the inheritance of eternall life Among all which differences the maintainers of euery seuerall call it their Religion to which they chiefly adheare disclayming all diuersitie Fourthly Yet as there is but one God so of necessity there can be but one Truth and but one manner of true seruing that onely God and such for me must that seruice haue as may please the liberty of the Master and not the base condition of seruants to appoint And from hence doth arise the multiplicity of Religions that men interpose betwixt God and his seruice and so denie the most able and absolute God both power and wisedome in the ordering of his owne affaires And therefore doe men forme Religions not only diuers but aduerse to God and to his own prescriptions These wrongs doth God suffer in his creatures not by violence but at pleasure and for the finishing of such determinations as but to himselfe are most secret neither ought these differences to distresse any mans Christian beleefe or make him doubt the certainty of Religion because of many vncertaine Religions For Christ Iesus who is the truth and wisedome of his Father saith that he came not to bring peace though the Gospell of peace but the sword and difference that through the firie trial the Saints might passe to the glory of eternall happinesse Fifthly The first difference in Religion was in the first family in Adams house the first Man and that betweene two Brethren Caine and Habell Habell brought for his offering to God the first fruits of his Sheepe and the fat of them the which Sacrifice God accepted But Caine would not offer a Sacrifice of that value or nature but presents God with fruit and trash which God would not accept And this conceiued in Caine an enuious emulation against his brother Habell which wanting grace to moderate grew to the highest degree of Enuie whose nature is to feede on blood for so did enuious Caine vpon the blood of vertuous Habell This Caine this first man of blood is a Father to all them that loue difference especially in Religion and their Religion of all others is neerest Caines that staine their profession and themselues with blood especially with the blood of righteous Habells For God is the God of mercie and not of misery and his delight is in the good and not in the blood of the righteous Sixthly In this generation of Adam was the first alteration of Time For God created all things good and in purity hee formed them but Man made them euill and by sin deformed them For when sinne enâ—red our Natures then Man and the Creatures God had giuen him indured alteration and lost that name of Goodnesse God gaue them in their Creation So that nothing is now in his owne Nature Good but onely by consequence and Gods act because by sin Man hath spread corruption like Leprosie ouer all the generations of Earth and hath made an alteration of times and a difference in the Natures of things which had not beene but for the curse of sinne which hath altered their propertie and made them subiect to euil change which otherwise should haue had perpetuity of happinesse Seuenthly And as Riuers the longer they runne the larger they spread themselues so sinne and the euill thereof for the times that are are much worse then the times that were as may appeare if we compare times and descend from these beginnings to a larger processe In the beginning among three men two were good and then the greater number were the better but in the time of Noah among a world of people God found not a righteous man but onely one Noah and then the better number was by much the lesse At this time God looked downe from heauen and beheld the earth how it was deformed with sinne therefore he resolues to wash iniquity from the face of the earth and to bring a generall destruction vpon all flesh In which Iudgement his mercy saued Noah onely and his Family After the Flood when God had thus clensed the earth yet found he in Mans nature concupiscence and a pronenesse to euill the which grew vp with time to a maruellous strength for as the generation of men inlarge the generation of sinne doth much more inlarge spreading it selfe ouer all the earth and begetting in this new generation of men new and vnknowne inuentions of euill whereby they exceeded their euill progenitors both in the number and quallity of their euills For at this time popularity and greatnesse began to be affected and the desire of Empire in ambiâ—ious and proud spirits made men so audaciously proud that they durst dare heauen and giue God the challenge And at this time and not before was there vse of Pollicie to contriue this or that euill to steale murther waste vsurpe and depopulate whole Kingdomes Eighthly This alteration of manners
euen then did the King surcease from that Religious worke which with so much honorable successe he had begun Where it may seeme strange that a Prince of his greatnesse hauing the aduise of an honorable and wise councell should lay vpon his name the imputation of weakenesse not to goe forward with that whereto his honour was so much ingaged Thirdly But if we consider the time and the difference of opinions in those great men to whom the King did shew himselfe most gracious it will then appeare the businesse went forward or not according to the affection of the Kings Fauourites Fourthly As in the time of Cardinall VVolsey a man so great in the fauour of his Prince as that our English Chronicles cannot match him who in the time of his prosperity did so possesse the King as that the King may be said to saile with no winde but the Cardinalls the king being but the body to his soule he mouing it according to the pleasure of his owne appetite and therfore at this time was the king all Cardinall putting himselfe in Print to defend the Supremacie of Popes But this time did end with the Cardinals fortunes who being puft vp and high swolne with the spirit of ambition runne himselfe into strange contempts against the Maiesty of his Prince who finding him so Cardinallike in pride and vaine glory stript him of those honours which before he so lauishly had giuen him translating his fauour vpon Thomas Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterburie whom the king finding Religious honest and learned gaue his opinion good authority Fifthly And at this time the Protestants Religion began to haue the fauour of the Kings protection yet by reason of the peaceable Nature of this Man and because of many other important considerations of inconuenience the cause of Religion went not with that prosperity forward as otherwise it might For howsoeuer we may iustly conceiue of this learned man that he wanted neither spirit nor power to trauell in the most important affaires of State the which hee hath well declared by his resolute and learned proceedings in the Kings diuorse yet considering in what termes the State then stood and the particular condition of his State it will appeare that a necessary prouidence of his own security did inforce him to a violent patience and to silence and suppresse his zealous spirit which otherwise would haue ventured vpon much more hazard Sixthly For at this time Cranmer contrarie to the lawes then inforce was married and did liue with his wife to the great hazard of his life and this was one respect why hee suffered so much the practise of his enemies keeping good correspondence and indifferent fauour least his Mariage should be called in question whereby both his state and life had beene exposed into a danger most eminent Seuenthly And if any man obiect that these regards of Cranmer proceeded from his feare of temporall losse and that he fainted in the maine execution of his Christian Office I answer that no feare but a Christian prouidence was the cause of this warinesse For he might well know that if hee proceeded in the difference of Religion by violent and forcible meanes he should then haue had the whole power of the contrary faction bent against him and being by reason of his marriage within the danger of law it could not be auoided but the seueritie of the law should haue proceeded against him Eighthly Yet notwithstanding when the necessarie care of Religion did require him there was no respect could binde him from his earnest indeauours as may wel appeare by this most resolute opposing against the Statute of the sixe Articles So that Cranmer in true estimation hath well deserued and worthily acquitted himselfe of all imputation yet by reason of these occasions hee could not doe that which the opportunity of the Kings fauour did offer him Ninthly Vpon this aduantage Stephen Gardiner builds his strength who by obseruance and cunning insinuation shifting himselfe into the Kings fauour got great authority in the State and according to the nature of his working spirit troubles the waters of peace of fish for Romish Religion whereto in his heart he was much inclined And this man not like Cranmer but Matchiuellike grounded in the secrets of Pollicie seemes what he is not and is content to proportion himselfe to the fashions of the time with purpose to alter that fashion And this howsoeuer it were a thing very dishonest especially in the office of a Bishop yet was it a very pollitique Regard and that miste whereby he wrought all his inchantments for by his obseruance hee continued in the Kings fauour and by that fauour he erected the whole frame of his Policies Tenthly And from this cause had the sixe Articles beginning Articles so bloodie as the letters in them cannot number the blood which was shed in England for them whereby may appeare the greatnesse of Stephen Gardiners wit that could make the King sayle with a contrary winde and destroy that cause which before he had protected and this was notwithstanding Cranmer his opposite had then great fauour with the king and the highest authority and place in the kingdome Eleuenthly Another of the Kings Fauourites in those times of difference was Sir Thomas More then Lord Chancellor of England A gentleman in respect of his natural ornaments worthy of much honour for besides the beauty of his learning which in great personages is very deseruing he had so good a moderation and temper in all his actions as no aduersity could deiect him neither any prosperity make him lesse in the vse of regard and ciuill humanity And notwithstanding hee was diuers from me in that profession which I hold for truth yet because I write the truth of Historie it were very vnworthy in me to obscure the deseruings of any man into which error many others and especially such as haue recorded the passage of those times haue vnaduisedly falne traducing the persons of men for their opinions sake and making them altogether euill that in many commendable things were excellent And because that all good things are from God who giueth them according to the pleasure of his will it were therefore much iniury to obscure the goodnesse of God wheresoeuer it shall please him to place it and this I write in fauour of truth which may be well said to be the life and true mouing soule of all Historie Twelfthly This Sir Thomas Moore howsoeuer he was an enemy to the truth of the Gospell yet if we compare him with Stephen Gardiner the comparison will make Sir Thomas Moore lesse euill the other being so monstrous in his wicked practises for the one made conscience to equiuocate and dissemble himselfe of which the other made no reckoning Sir Thomas vtterly refusing the oath of Supremacie because in conscience he thought he might not take it Gardiner had the like
approue her to bee most valiant in Christian patience and to haue worthily defended the profession of the Catholike Faith before shee was made Defendresse the storie of which her most vertuous suffering I haue heretofore written in verse and therefore in this place I forbeare to make particular Narration of that which formerly I haue declared And in this I receiue speciall contentment that in my knowledge of this Souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth I dare confidently report to haue found more in the trauell of my time than King Salomon withall his experience and wisedome could euer finde A good Woman 〈…〉 FIRST 〈◊〉 common with God then to helpe when the disease is highest and the expectation of good is furthest off for in this doth God shew his omnipotencie and the difference betweene the actions of himselfe and his creatures for man to produce his effects doth couet the aduantage of naturall fitting causes but it is sufficient cause in God that he is willing Secondly There is this difference in the punishments of good and euill men temporall and eternall the good mans temporall punishment must of necessity end the euill mans spirituall punishment hath an euerlasting necessity of being For God hath determined all men to taste of both cups but with different measure Thirdly It was a wisedome both Religious and Pollitique in the Queene to enter her State with generall peace for though shee had the sword of authority in her hand and found in the power of her command such as had bene very grieuous vnto her yet did she like a wise Princesse take no further reuenge then onely name them for her enemies and so distinguish them from better friends For it is most needfull for a Prince at the entring his State to gaine the opinion of mercie because there is nothing can better secure him then the hearts and faithfull seruice of his people Fourthly There is this greatnesse euen in men of inferior fortune that they either dispise the dignities they haue not or can with a modest patience hope them For seeing that all worldly things are moued with variable motions what man can haue reason to dispaire the fortune of some prosperitie CHAP. XXIV Of the first Act of Queene Elizabeths defence for the Catholike Faith after she was Queene FIRST Queene Elizabeth in her gratious disposition was like the sune which no sooner is vp but it riseth to the comfort of all Creatures so the Queene no sooner in the seate of Maiestie but she applyeth her cares to the vse of mercie and vertuous deeds casting vpon the generall face of this Nation her heauenly aspect and influence which in the blacke time of her Sisters gouernement lay in the shadow of darkenesse and blacke obscurity And as the neerest to her Religious heart she beginneth being of important consideration first with Gods cause Religion laying that for her foundation whereupon she determined to erect the whole frame of her holy life For shee well vnderstood there was nothing could support her in the true estimation of honour and vertuous liuing but Religion without the exercise whereof all other things are vitious and of euill merit And therefore did she pursue this end with a most stedfast resolution daring to doe any thing were it neuer so hazerdous that might aduantage it and remouing euery impediment which any way might hinder the prosperity of that proceeding And because she found the bodie of her State dangerously wounded by disorder and euill gouernement she therefore very carefully and skilfully applieth present remedie least otherwise the disease might proue incureable and the cause of Religion might then bee like the common cause of Patients who haue their patience tryed by deferments and lingring cures which in the trade and practise of many bad Physitions is very frequent And this disgrace hath the Queene well auoided in determining first the generall cause of the Common-Wealth before any particular end that might respect her owne priuate Secondly The euidence of this her holy and princely care is most apparant in the restoring of Religion to that Truth and Authoritie wherein in King Edwards time it was worthily established abolishing superstitious Poperie which in the time of Queene Marie her Sister had vsurped the place and dignitie of true Religion And this false worship hath Queene Elizabeth like a most victorious Empresse for euer vanquished bringing it downe to that pouertie of strength as the fauourers thereof haue little reason euer to hope a restauration of that which she and her Successor our Soueraigne King Iames haue for euer banished from the bonds of great Brittaine Thirdly And in this hath Queene Elizabeth very fortunately defended the Catholike Faith and finished that holy quarrell with as much honour as euer did any Christian Prince before her being in this worthily able to match if not to ouer match her most princely brother K. Edward who but for her may be thought for his holy care singular and without comparison Fourthly To reckon vp the particulars of Queene Elizabeths merit were a needlesse trauell both because I cannot so report them as they are worthly and also because they are yet visible in the view of the gouernement of the Church and State of England as now it standeth our Church being still in the flourish of that prosperity wherein shee left it established to the next Defendor of the Faith and wherein K. Iames her successor our Souereigne doth yet continue it and wherein we hope it will be euer continued in his hopefull posterity Fifthly This noble beginning of Queene Elizabeth was so much to the aduancement of the Catholike Faith that being by report made knowne to the world was a cause that the Children of faith who in Queene Maries time did willingly banish themselues into places of farre distance now hearing of this alteration resort againe to their Countrie and to the protection of this Noble Defendresse who did free them from the miserie of persecution and vnder whose defence they peaceably enioyed their liues and the libertie of Reformed Conscience And with this holy exordium did Queene Elizabeth begin the Storie of her vertuous life Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST It is a precept giuen vs by our best Master First seeke the Kingdome of God This lesson had the Queene learned from that Doctor who therefore did applie her first cares to this principall end for which God did succeed her in others for it is vnquestionable true that he that seeketh God shall finde all his necessarie things though he seeke them not Secondly The Queene by her direct manifesting her resolute purpose how in the case of Religion she was resolued was both in her selfe Religious and had this Pollitique respect that thereby shee tooke feare from her friends and hope from her enemies making hope and feare shift places for that did satisfie the expectation of her friends which in such
but it doth argue and conclude the vnworthinesse of the times for in such a case the Prince doth inherit happines but his people suffer miserie Thirdly It was both foolish and wicked in the two Dukes Northumberland and Suffolke to labour to erect and secure a state to their posterity with iniuries so apparant and palpable For though God many times suffer intrusions into titles he doth neuer establish them Fourthly In the discretion of State it cannot be thought otherwise but where there is vsurpation and false intrusion there is a miserable affliction with feare and Iealosie which neither the power or pollicie of any such State can auoid so long as God shall not suffer their violence to preuaile against the liues of the true inheritors Fifthly It is a Pollitique wisedome in a Prince to suspect the sincerity of al such state aduise that hath principall reference to the aduancement of such Counsellors For in this case it is often true that men will not speake their iudgements but their affections Sixthly To be ordered by lawfulnesse in all our actions is not onely the iudgement of conscience but of humanity and Morall discipline For Morall learning doth determine that there is nothing profitable that is not lawfull CHAP. XVII A Comparison betweene King Iosias of Iuda and King Edward of England FIRST to compare King Iosias of Iuda with King Edward of England is the most equall comparison of any two in the Storie of holy Kings both of them hauing with equall diligence and victory fought Gods quarrell to the glory of their God the reformation of his seruice the abolishing of Idolatrie and the confusion of the euill Ministers thereof First for their age when they began their Reignes King Iosias began his gouernement the eighth yeare of his age and King Edward the ninth of his wherein they very neerely consent and whereby God hath giuen proofe to the world that the power of his Spirit can as well preuaile in them of youth as in those of better yeares and experience he being able to make the Childe and the strong man alike victorious in a cause which hee shall please to protect as was this of these two holy Kings both of them equally conspiring one end the truth of Religion and holy worship Againe Amon Iosias his Father left the kingdome of Iuda in the exercise of Idolatry and so did King Henrie Edwards Father leaue the State of England in the practise of Popish Idolatrie hauing onely by suppressing of Abbeyes taken from those Idols their ornaments and wealth not vtterly destroying them as did Iosias and King Edward Againe Iosias when he vnderstood the will of God by hearing his Chancellor Shaphem reade the booke of the Law did accordingly frame himselfe in all obedience So King Edward when he vnderstood by the Learned men of his Realme such as Cranmer Latymer Ridley and others followed the Lords businesse with like zeale and constancie as did Iosias not onely abolishing the false but establishing the true forme of Gods seruice Againe as Iosias left the kingdome of Iuda to an euill Successor his Son Iehoahaz who againe prouoked the people to Idolatrie So likewise King Edward left the inheritance of the Church and kingdome of England to his Sister Mary who like Iehoahaz Iosias his Sonne did againe restore the euill practise of Idolatrie and superstitious Poperie vtterly defacing the godly building which her holy Brother had so carefully erected Againe as God did keepe his promise with Iosias which was to preserue Israell the time of his life in prosperity and rest So did God likewise preserue England in plenty and victory all the time of King Edward And therefore these two holy kings seeme to conspire in all saue their deaths Iosias dying in the field king Edward in his bed the one reigning thirty and one yeares the other but sixe yeares and odd moneths and yet in this hath king Edward the greater honour that he in sixe yeares did happily finish that which the other was thirty one yeares in compassing but aboue all hath he exceeded him in leauing to posterity that most famous Defendresse the Ladie Elizabeth his Sister who afterwards did proue the glory of her Sex and the admiration of all the world OF QVEENE MARIE AND of the alteration of the State in the beginning of her Time CHAP. XVIII FIRST I am now to change my Argument and to write not of mercy but of misery of the aduersity not of the prosperity of the Gospell and how the Catholike Faith was offended and not defended by the Successor Queene Marie who made the most miserable change in the state of England that euer that Nation indured she defacing the glorious worke of her Predecessor of K. Edward her princely brother extinguishing the lights of Truth whereby men were directed in the way of life obscuring al knowledge in the mist of Ignorāce and blacke error in which blindnesse the Christian world had for many yeares wandered This Eclipse being now againe by the interpositiō of her darke time brought vpon this Nation So that no light of Truth was in her time to be seene saue onely at the burning Stakes of Martyrs which holy fire did kindle a Religious zeale in many Spectators that beheld the mercilesse crueltie of the tormentors and the Christian patience of holy Saints tormented Secondly And therefore I am not as before to declare wherein Queene Marie hath defended the Catholike Faith because shee neuer defended it in the least particular but of the contrarie how shee did bend the powers of her endeauour both against the profession and the professors of true Christian Faith seeking by all violent and bloodie meanes to depresse the prosperity of Religion whereof by the dignity of her place she was made defendresse And in Truth it doth grieue me that I am to write the dishonor of this Queene which willingly I would auoide were the cause any other but Religion but that the declaration of these times do tie me to a necessity of Truth from which I dare not aberre for it were an euill presumption in any one to presume to write History then to obscure the truth thereof vpon what cause soeuer For thereof would issue a double inconuenience First he should wrong the vnderstandings of men in misreporting the Truth also lay an euil imputation on his name in suppressing the knowledge of Truth which is the life and true mouing soule of all Historie Thirdly And this I write in fauour of Q. Marie because of her extraordinary induments of Nature God hauing giuen her so much Maiesty and princely spirit as might serue to rule the greatest command in the world if to her other gifts God had giuen her the knowledge of his Truth she had well deserued to haue bene named most excellēt to haue exceeded all the famous Queenes
in the world saue her sister the most famous Elizabeth who hath exceeded her and al the world in the honour of true deseruing Fourthly Yet notwithstanding all these rare excellencies of nature merit little but only pittie for if the best beauty of nature haue not the benefit of grace the greatest ornaments therof are then but punishment to them that so enioy them And therefore they that haue not the gifts of grace haue nothing of worth though they haue all that nature can giue them and happie had Q. Marie bene if nature had giuen her lesse and grace more because any little breath of Gods Spirit is more worth than all other blessings whatsoeuer For nature adornes the body grace the soule of euery one that hath it commonly where the power of wit great spirit is in any one Subiect not moderated by grace they are then meanes to make the enioyers of them most dangerous instruments because nature cannot moue it self to good but naturally to euill and as the naturall motion is more easie to the mouer than the violent So the gifts of nature are more inclinable to euill than to good ends being moued to euill by their owne proper motion but to goodnesse by the motion of grace which in all naturall things is violent against nature And therfore was the Q. more dangerous hauing so much of nature because she was therby armed for euill the want of grace making her runne her natural course her great spirit other naturall induments spurring her forward in her euill passage whereby she became enemie to her self mouing her self to her own destruction Fifthly But that which made Q. Marie monstrous in her euill was the two much credit she gaue to euill counsell suffering her selfe to be transported by the violent spirits of euill and reuengefull men who conceiuing a grounded displeasure for some hard vsage they indured in K. Edwards time now take aduantage to reuenge the cause for which they had indured displeasure these men like euill spirits breathed the spirits of indignation into the Queenes heart moued her to effect most bloodie horrible deeds to the great displeasure of God and dishonour of her princely place Sixthly for it cannot be imagined that a Ladie of her spirit being in humane respects mercifull compassionate would haue entred her gouernement with such tyrannie terror bearing in both hands destruction like Reuenge her self entring the stage of her gouernement with fire blood had she not bene moued thereto by euil perswasion Neither can it be but the Q. conscience would condemne the course of her violent proceeding that she would iudge the large effusioÌ„ of christiaÌ„ blood stood not with the honour of her name nor with the Truth of Religion yet so powerfull is the authority of them we trust especially in the case of Religion and conscieÌ„ce as that many times we suffer our selus to be led against our own perswasioÌ„s by a reuerence we beare to other mens opinioÌ„s Seuenthly And this no doubt was the cause why the Queene was so resolued in in her bloodie persecutions shee giuing credit to their perswasion whom shee reputed most Reuerend and Learned and they perswading her she could not discharge the office of her Soueraigne place nor defend the Catholike Faith but by the extirping the Protestant Religion which in their opinion was Heresie in the highest degree neither could shee as they thought suppresse the generall fauour that profession had got in generall estimation but by seuerity rigorous laws wherein they were farre deceiued For it is impossible that any Pollicie of man should be able to supplant Gods Husbandrie which he hath made prosperous the Truth whereof is manifest in the experience of these persecuting times when as the death of one holy man was the life of many God raising a holy generation out of the ashes of his holy Martyrs the Church not decresing but increasing by the stroake of persecution And in this case was the Queene counselled as Rehoboams was by his young states men to make the yoake of persecution heauie whereas her Father did chastise with rodds she should correct with scourges and this was the euill counsell wherewith the Queene was ordered for shee made her yoake heauier than all her Predecessors had done and in truth insupportable for any true Christian Professor Eightly And therefore this Counsell of theirs may haue Pollicie but no Piety for if the State in King Edwards time had vsed Gardiner and Bonner with like seuerity and had taken from them their euill liues which they had iustly forfeited then had not these euill Ministers bene the cause of so much blood shed neither happily should the Queene haue had any such as they to haue prouoked her to such dishonour and vngodly practise for it is needfull Pollicie that the haughty spirits of men that haue authority and greatnesse must either not be offended or being moued to offence must bee then made sure from taking Reuenge And it had bene good for the Christian State that the ambitious spirit of Winchester had either not bene discontented by his disgrace and imprisonment or being so offended to haue made him sure from reuengefull practise and if this had thus come to passe no doubt much Christian blood had bene saued which by his meanes perished Neither had the Queene come into that ignominy of blood and cruelty shee being in her own Nature rather inclined to pittie and mercifull respect then otherwise And therefore though the time of Queene Maries gouernement was the most bloodie persecution that euer was in this Land I thinke euer since it had a Christian Prince yet was this Ladie otherwise disposed in her owne Nature neither would shee haue made her name so monstrous in blood had not her conscience perswaded a necessity shee being so resolued by their perswasion who shee thought had authority to iudge her Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST Diuinity doth admit no distinction of men but the difference of good and bad for Gods fauour doth not look as mans doth men iudge by externall but God by internall euidence God is no accepter of persons but men accept nothing but the persons of men and therfore it is often seene that thus God and the world diuide their seueralls God markes his with Grace the world hers with Nature and Fortune Secondly It is a pollicie of long practise and large proofe that Priests Iesuites and men of spirituall function are appointed for State designes as the most pregnant and conuenient mâ—n for they haue this odds that besides their helps of learning and much experience they haue alwaies the reuerence of their profession which vndoubtedly with people of their owne faith doth gaine them and their perswasions extraordinary credit Thirdly It is a prouidence worthy of
who so soone as euer he could moue was moued by the Spirit of grace to holy and good purposes The best proofe of this was his Princely care for Religion wherin at all times he approued himselfe both industrious and resolute and wherein he fortunately trauelled with much prosperity and honour The demonstration whereof is now visible in the face of Scotland that kingdome being by his Maiesties happy gouernment reduced to the first Christian Faith and to a better forme of Common-wealth than formerly it had The Church there being reformed and purged from popish Idolatrie which had profaned both that and all other Christian Kingdomes Secondly and in this the King deserued euerlasting memory and praise that he was the first Christian King in that Kingdome whose care gaue end to that miserie and by whom that Church had the truth of the Catholike Faith practised publikely and with the warrant of lawfull authority professed In which holy businesse the King was verie fortunate and for which God did make him fortunate in the passage of his Princely life assisting him in his lawfull attempts and confounding the wicked practises of bad men who banded against his Maiestie to destroy him And therefore before his Maiestie had the title of Defendor of the Catholike Faith did he faithfully defend it and aduised and enioyned his Princely Sonne Prince Henrie to defend it And thus did God prepare the Kings Maiestie and the Prince for the purpose of this holy businesse and by exercising them for the defence of Faith in the kingdome of Scotland to fit them for the like care in England wherein the King most gratiously begunne his gouernment and ended it and wherein we trust that his Sonne our gratious Souereigne that now is and his royall seed for euer shall in these kingdomes defend the most true most antient and most Catholike Faith Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST it is in vaine to indeauour things wherein God is opposite for no power can alter the purpose of his prouidence This hath instance in the Fortunes of these two kingdomes England and Scotland who haue euer laboured their seueral extremities to be vnited the which when Pollitie and the wisedome of State could not doe God without these meanes gaue it successe and in an instant bound these disagreeing nations in the bonds of vnseparable concord Secondly the King by publishing in print his opinion of Religion and his directions for Christian gouernement did thereby much confirme the hopes and hearts of the better part of our English people For it must needs be that if the contrarie faction the Papist did not withstanding this declaration of his Maiesties presume much vpon fauour at his entrance this presumption would in all likely-hood haue proued a practise and therefore was this Publike satisfaction a Religious pollicie that did both arme his friends and disarme his enemies Thirdly It is necessary many times to a mans Morrall reputation to maintaine his integrity by Apollogies and publike protestations For if the person be eminent and of publike Note his good or euill name will be likewise generall CHAP. XXXIIII In what particulers King IAMES our Souereigne that was principally defended the Faith FIRST It is often true that the alteration of the Prince is a cause that the State is likewise altered and that those things which formerly in the gouernement had great authority become not only neglected but also punishable and in great contempt And this though it bee not true in generall instance yet in euery change of a Prince it is either hoped of the bad or feared of the better sort of people Wee had particuler witnesse of that in our happie alteration happie because nothing but the very person of the Prince was altered the gouernement remained in like degrees of happines wherein Queene Elizabeth to her honourable renowne nowne left it yet then were there many euill and discontented persons who could hopefully perswade themselues that the opportunity was then offered which they expected and that the time serued to reintegrate them into fauour and to bring their cause vnder the safetie of the kings protection And though in respect of the Kings particuler there was little or no ground for any such hope his Maiestie hauing before hand declared himselfe in print how in the case of Religion he was resolued yet was there a generall hope in that contrarie faction whereby they imagined somewhat would be done if not to their absolute content yet to their great ease and to the lightning the burthen of their afflictions which in the Queenes time they worthily indured Secondly But that which is more strange and worthie of note that not onely the Papists had this hopefull imagination but their opposites also whom men commonly call Puritans had the like conceiuing they hoping their cause should finde such large allowance of fauour with the King that they and their opinion onely should haue the countenance and warrant of the Kings protection And that both the Papist and the regular Protestant should be iudged vnusefull and of necessity to bee excluded from the Catholike Church Thirdly And howsoeuer the successe of this came short of common expectation yet was this of much more likelihood then the other both because their controuersie was not for the matter of Religion but for order and for the manner of Ceremonie and circumstance onely and also because the gouernment of the Church of Scotland had neere resemblance with that which they desired whereby the King might the better or rather be induced to giue them and their request friendly intertainment Yet notwithstanding al these likelihoods and the hopes of either partie did the King incline to neither his Maiestie finding the Church of England as it was established to be the meane and vertue betweene these two extremities and that their desires were not for the peace and aduancement of the Catholike Faith according as both of them pretended and that these oppositions were either to be reconciled and so made friends or else opposed as enemies Fourthly And this may worthily seeme strange that these two irreconcileable opinions that of the Papist and this of the Puritane should both of them at one time expect supportation from one and the same Prince and from such a Prince as had before declared himselfe not to fauour them that these who neuer consent in any little resemblance should thus conspire and hope in one particular person And the reason was the seuerall perswations they had of the truth of their cause wherein the maintainers of both opinions could receiue speciall satisfaction in themselues and hopefully belieue to worke the King to that acknowledgement of truth wherein they themselues were resolued and wherein they thought was sufficient reason to satisfie or perswade any man Besides they might peraduenture frame speciall arguments of hope to giue them incouragement in hopefull
most Christian and most Princely labours are diuulged and laid open before the generall face of the world whereby that man of sin is with euidence discouered and all his painted Pollitique Religion laid nakedly open in the true formes of his false worship and whereby Christian Emperours Kings and Potentates are induced by the authorities of reason and particuler example to combine with God and Gods Lieftenants Christian Princes against all forreigne confederacie whatsoeuer These workes of Religious Learning in the King as they were of maruellous import and strength to the Catholike Cause so also they made much for the Kings sacred honour and will vndoubtedly remaine to all posterity as ornaments of his princely worth and inducements to inflame with sacred zeale the affections of his princely Progenie to honour and inlarge the reputation of Religion and Learning And howsoeuer his malitious lying enemie Tortus or the Cardinall his Master Bellarmine would disgrace the Kings sufficiencie in this kinde of learning and would therefore father his Maiesties worke vpon his Subiect of lesse authority yet are these iniuries both knowne and iudged by many thousands both of this and of other Nations that haue had experience of his extraordinary indouments the truth whereof it is not possible his owne Subiects can report without suspition of flatterie Eleuenthly I conclude then that the Kings Maiesty most noblely defended the Catholike Faith against all the enemies and principally against these two great ones the Papist and the Puritan Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST there was neuer any time wherein God had not some Patron to giue the cause of his Church Sanctuarie for though it be often in distresse it is neuer in destruction Secondly the Kings proceeding against the Papists and the Puritans did well distinguish the quallities of their offence and declare his owne integrity for though he proceeded against both yet with some distinction of fauour For the Puritan was the lesse enemie being enemie to the peace onely but the Papist both to the peace and truth of the Catholike Faith Thirdly Men measure the dgrees of loue and hate according to the quallity of the cause that moues the passion But in particular relations the personall respect doth often preuaile aboue the cause For passion is much more strong when it is vnited in one particuler Subiect rather than when it is deuided vnto a multitude CHAP. XXXV A remembrance of some particulers wherein God wonderfully defended King IAMES FIRST there was neuer any Prince in the world who had more cause to acknowledge Gods fauour then King Iames who trauelled his Princely life from his Cradle to his age thorow many dangerous fortunes whom God still supported against the most able and the most subtill practises of his enemies For if we reduce to memorie the many dangers of his life in Scotland and how in that kingdome his enemies did conspire against his life and State there is in that time and place matter enough of admiration But if that were not and that wee remembred his fortunes in England onely in those few yeares of his gouernement here wee shall finde matter of more than admiration and such conspiracie and damned practises as would amaze and with horror affright the hearts of tyrants and bloody practisers Secondly and for Scotland first to omit many of lesse note I remember that very dangerous conspiracie of the Gowries onely a practise brought to that ripenesse as that the King might seeme to be fast in the snare his enemies had laid to betray him yet did God in a trice breake their snare free the King and destroy the Diuellish deuisers of that proiect This story is well knowne and therefore it need not my report being alreadie related by such who haue had better cause to know the truth of euery circumcumstance and yet in this place doth it merit to bee named both for the rarenesse of the practise and for the greatnesse of Gods deliuerance Thirdly at the Queenes death also did God wonderfully assist the King and fauour the prosperity of his fortunes for at that time when the enemies of our State and the enemies of our Faith did hopefully beleeue that the enmity of these two kingdomes England and Scotland would vpon this occasion haue renued their antient quarrells and thereby haue interrupted the Kings peaceable entrance into this kingdome yet was the euent otherwise no little disturbance letting his Maiesties forward entring whereby God did mocke the expectation of his enemies and assuredly exceed the expectation of all men Fourthly that neuer to be forgotten treason of blowing vp with powder a destruction ment to the King the Queene the Prince the State the house of State the Church the Monuments of the Church the bones and Sepultures of Princes a destruction lesse mercifull then the generall Flood because more sudden and yet all most generall too the very naming whereof may serue for euer to prouoke the people of this kingdom to acknowledge their dutifull thankes to God by whose hand onely this mighty deliuerance was wrought Fifthly By these particulers out of many may appeare how God did wonderfully protect the person of that King suffering him to enter so farre into danger as that he might haue bene said to haue stood in the verie gates of death the match being readily prepared to fire that powder which if it had bene fired had committed the greatest Slaughter that euer at one instant of time happened May God therefore for euer be praised who preuented so great a destruction and let his prouidence be for euer admired who hath thus defended the Defendors of the Catholike Faith CHAP. XXXVI Of the diuersity of Religions FIRST the diuersity of Religions is one maine cause that deuideth the world into so many disagreements the maintainers of euery seuerall Sect disclaiming and persecuting al diuersity iudging such for prophāe out of Gods protection that conspire not with them in their opinion of Religion And heerehēce it is that the name of Iew or Turke is odious to a Christian the name of Christian odious to them they iudging vs and we iudging thē Anathemates cursed people Secondly neither is this contention onely in these opposites of Christian and heathen but the heathen among themselues and the Christians among themselues are deuided into many bitter differences the Turke against the Persian both against the Iew and so in many other particulars of the barbarous people Among the Christians also the Papist against the Protestāt the Protestāt against the Papist the Puritan against them both besides many other subdiuisions So that the Christians in these times haue as many seuerall Religiōs as the old heathen Pagans had Gods and that Idolatrie which the people of the old world committed by hauing multiplicity of Gods did the people of these times cōmit by their
These banning Popeâ— like Shemei and Balam The Princes agree not in their ends The Emperors bad fortunes The indignities wherewith the Pope did vse the Emperor The Popes insulting pride The Emperors end vnfortunate The King very fortunate In respect of themselues the two Princes were equalls in respect of their fortunes they disagree The Emperours praise God the fouÌ„taine of goodnesse All men naturally euill Grace the gift of God God decreeth the good and deuiseth the meanes K. Edward K. Edward fit to finish the worke of Reformation God had the greatest part in this businesse The King beloued of God The King the best of all Christian Princes then liuing The Nation happie in K. Edward to defend the Faith The praise of King Edward The miserie of manie kingdomes Alexander of Macedon Alexander leauing his Empire to his friend diuided did sooner perish The kingdomes of France Edward the Third The title of England to the crowne of France FraÌ„ce much vexed with English warres France still in the hazard of English warres English examples Yorke and Lancaster The cause of the Eâ—glish ciuill warres was the interrupting of lawfull Succession Queene Elizabeth The danger that was feared by her want of Issue The danger of the State Gods preuention The euent did exceed expectation The subuersion of great houses The Sonnes of gouernors are best fitted for gouernement King Edward did exceed and succeed his Father Diuine Pollitique Morall The Kings praise His mercy to his enemies The particular of his deserts The King did inherit his kingdome and hâ—â— care for Religion together His first care He secondeth his Fathers attempt His first act of defence to the Faith King Edward was not tempted as was King Henry by euill counsell His holy zeale for reformation The King well fitted for this businesse The King not moued by any respect Wherein K. Edward principally defended the Faith Popery vtterly extirped by the King The consent of Parliament An vniforme order of common prayer appointed by the King Verity could not stand without vnitie Iosias of Iuda The ceremonies of Poperie like the rites of the Heathen Priests Anno 1547. The repeale of statutes concerning Religion Sixe Articles Gardiner Bonner The Kings renowne The King put out the fires of persecution The King did cure the wound his Father made The Kings furtherance The orders of the Church â—stablishâ—d by the King The King most mercifull and compassionate In mercie men resemble God His care for poore Hospitalls by him erected The workes of mercie the best witnesses of holy Faith The King deserued his Stile Diuine Pollitique Morall Contraries iudge one another Note There must be faction Prouidence The reason of this opposition of good and euill Goodnesse not confounded but confirmed by the opposition of euill The way is good if the end be happy Truth Euill men and euill practise against the King Scotland The Marriage with Q. Mary of Scotland The importance of that Marriage King Iames our Soueraigne The King euer victor RebellioÌ„ moued by perswasion and not by any proper motioÌ„ The Papists The practise of rebâ—lâ—ious Iesuits and Priests The Duke of Somerset Protector His deserts The reforming of Religion diuided the kingdome into a faction The Dukes care to compound these differences The Duke slandered The variance between the Lord Protector the Barrons Honour and desert beget dangerous enuie The Dukes error in pollicie Post est occasio Calua Note This ouersight was his death The cause of this discord The Dukes improuideÌ„ce His euill gouernement of the State Ambition This opinion is all malice no truth The true cause was a practise of enuie A double enemie The nature of great and enuious spirits Vertue most subiect to enuie The tryall of law onâ—ly a colour to satisfie reports The Dukes extremitie of hard fortune The greatest are most subiect to the fall of Fortune Diuine Pollitique Morall Life is a sicknesse The contempt of life Holy men neuer feared the Image of death Holy death setteth open the gates of life The ChildreÌ„ of Grace The sonnes of nature The iudgement of sense can iudge miserie of mans life The antient Romanes and GreciaÌ„s Against the rule of Religion A notable demonstratioÌ„ Man hath more to afflict him than all other Creatures Because of sinne The cause of the many grieuances of mans life Sickenesse Sickenesse ordained to subdue the pride of our nature A double respect First the number of sicknesses Secondly the generality All men being subiect at all times to all infirmities Rich men The poore the rich are both alike â—fflicted with sicknesse Pouertie of life Pouertie hatefull to men The false opinion of the world The honourable and the vile man do oâ—cupiâ— on the others place Want dâ—iecteth the spirits of well deseruing men The griefe of noble spirits Pouertie to a good man is like the foyle to the Diamond The desperate effects of pouertie Mutability and change The continuall trouble of mans life The graue the resting place 〈…〉 Custome is another nature Men by their naturall motions moue to euill but to goodnesse by the mouing of Grace That Roman Conquerour The Duke of Somerset A custome among the antient Romanes Variable fortune maketh men miserable Discontent Minde Discontent a dangerous disease The danger in discontenting great spirits All men haue at some times their discontents Holy men haue bene discontented Griefe is a greater torment then sickenesse The greatnesse of Discontent Death Death an enemie against whom there is no resistance Death doth controule the prosperities of our life Death is not a misery to all men Death maketh holy men immortall Good men hope for death and bad men feare it Death and the graue make all things equall No man hath pleasures but with limitation To good men there is no miserie How to vse the pleasures of this life Who are happie No man can know any part of Gods secrets vnles God reueals them God not contrarie but aboue reason The cause of false constructions In diuine matters Christians must belieue when they cannot iudge The vse that God can make of all our actions K. Edward The wonderfull effects of Gods prouidence The blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Gospell The deaths of a few was the life of many God is mercifull in his iudgements The Kings death Great occasions of trouble in the kingdome The nobility commâ—ns disagree in the choice of their Prince King Edward euill counselled Northumberland Suffolke the cause of this great iniurie Reasons why the King did it not of his owne motion but by perswasion A doubtfull question resolued Good ends cannot be compassed by euill meanes God is the Father of truth What good men must do Diuine Pollitique Morall Iosias of Iuda and Edward of England Their age when they began their Reigne Both of these Kings conspiring one holy end Both their Kingdomes were corrupted with idolatrie Both of them yeeld their obedâ—ence to holy perswasion effect their purpose Both these
Kings left their States to holy ends but euill successors Both of them fortunate to their Kingdomes The honour of King Edward Q. Elizabeth Q. Marie The change shee made in the Church of England The light of Truth put out The Queene obscured the glory of this Nation The purpose of the Historie of this Queenes time The truth of History must not for any consideration be concealed The inconuenience of misreporting the truth of Historie Queene Marie her extraordinarie induments of Nature Q. Elizabeth incomparable Nature without grace doth merit nothing The least gift of grace is more worth then the whole riches of Nature The gifts of Grace The gifts of nature without grace are dangerous in him that hath them The motion of Grace is 〈◊〉 against Nature The Queene an enemie to her selfe The Q. great ouersight Gardiner Bonner the Queenes euill instruments The Q good nature much abused She entred her gouernment with great Tyranniâ— Those wee trust most may best deceiue vs. A bad perswasion These euill Counsellors much deceiued God raiseth a new generation of holy men from the ashes of Martyrdome 1 King 12. 10 Their Counsell was wicked pollicie but no pietie A respect of pollicie Gardiner the euill spirit which most tempted the Queene to her seueritie The power of conscience Diuine Pollitique Morall The Duke of Northumberland The Duke guilty of his fortunes In respect of State The Q. first offence Gardiner Bonner and others The cruelties of these times A double respect How the Q. began her gouernement D. Cranmer and others The Papists In restoring the Abbeyes The euill of a bloody life In respect of State Idle and euil vsers of wealth The Queene in her iudgement condemned her Father The Queene erecteth that Idolatrie which her Father had defaced E contrario The worst of the Queenes euills Her establishing of Poperie Her full opposition against the Catholike Faith Her forwardnes in punishing Mans nature The alteration of Religion is preiudiciall to the CommoÌ„-Wealth The Q conscience abused The Pope hath not principality proper The Q. ouersight The English nation dishonoured by the Queene The Q. persecutions of holy men No profession of Religion but the Popes that thinke to merit by blood persecution Christians must beare the Crosse not make it The example â—f Christ. Mercy the 〈…〉 gift of grace The Martyrs The vehemencie of this persecution For his booke of Acts and Monuments Strange examples of enuie The graue is euery mans Sanctuary The doome of Nature Note A reuenge like the reuenge of Diuels This persecution equall with them of the Primitiue Church King Philip of Spaine The confederacie of the Spaniâ—h King and the Pope The Iesuites supported by the Spanish King Rome and Spaine the ladders of one anothers rising 〈◊〉 respect of State The Spanish King bound to certaine conditions No obligatioÌ„ can binde the desire of the ambitious Note The inconuenience of the Queenes Marriage The greatnes of Spaine The expectation of Spaine Portingale England the supporter of Spaine The inconuenience In respect of pollicie The Queene neither pollitique nor holy The prouidence of God in this businesse Queene Elizabeth The hope of King Henrie his issue The gouernment when she was Q. Queene Elizabeth incomparable What hurt the Q. death had bene to ChristeÌ„dome Iudith and Holophernes The glorie of Queene Elizabeths deeds In respect of State The inconuenience The glory of the English Natiâ—◠〈…〉 of Q. Elizabeth King Iames our Soueraigne God onely preuented the euill purpose of euill men Queene Marie led to dishonourable ends The cause the perswasion of her conscience Winchester Gardiner Nothing can perswade like conscience Who are most powerfull to perswadevs Men seeming deuout are best able to deceiue The ground of euill pollicie Who are the chiefe plotters and actors of treasons Why Priests are most fit for treasons The office of Iesuits By whom the Queenes nature was most abused Who they be that trouble the peace of Israel Diuine Pollitique Morall No man can free himselfe from Discontent The greatest 〈…〉 seruitude The error of common iudgement The power of patience A moderation in griefe For griefe is the true physicke of the minde The euill of discontentment Queene Maries punishment The trouble of her conscience Her owne iudgement of her owne proceedings Her Nature Protestants The queenes griefe Gardiner Bonner Gen. 34. 30. The Queene veri much in her selfe offended How the power of Princes is limited The reason Faction Faction The torment of an offended conscience King Philip of Spaine Her want of issue The natures of women The Kings not regarding her Her iealousie of her own merit The queenes deseruing of King Philip. The queenes offence in respect of King Philip very causefull The third cause of her Discontent was the losse of Callis Note Prouocations to French warres Callis the key of France The reason of the Queenes griefe for the losse of Callis The rebellion of her subiects Rebellion a cause that the gouernement is suspected What is required in the person of a Prince The forward successe of the Rebells One chiefe cause why they failed in their proiect Sir Thomas Wyat of Kent God the enemie of all Conspirators Gods mercie in thus punishing the Queene The mercie of God to this Nation in the Queenes death Diuine Pollitique Morall The diuers opinions of men in this Argument This controuersie must be iudged by Religion and not by pollicie The Testimonie of God the best authority Religion and Pollicie two diuers The differeÌ„ce of their ends and practise How to reconcile piety and pollicie The Popes haue abused the Christian Faith The Pope doth challenge authority to licence Rebellion How the Pope doth inrich himselfe The Pope no follower of any holy example In respect of State practise The example of King Dauid Dauid would not conspire the death of Saul though he were a Reprobate Dauid refuseth the offer of opportunitie to reueÌ„ge 1 Sam. 24. v. 5 6 7. Arare example of a holy King Note 1 Sam. 2. 6. 9 Dauid and the Pope disagree in their opinions An Italian prouerbe Count Baltezer The example of Christ. God who only maketh Kings can onely depose them No earthly power can giue licensce for Rebellion All traytors oppose against Gods prouidence The Pope his Dispensation Queene Mary Queene Katherine Commiseration and Christian pittie The woman a weake Sexe The venemous nature of the Romish doctrine Saint Bartholmewes supper of Sâ—ulâ—â— The differeÌ„t nature of two Sisters The day and night diuide the yeare The differeÌ„ce of good and bad The differeÌ„ce of Natures Of King Henries happinesse God is double as much in mercie as in Iudgement Queene Elizabeth is helper to cure the wounds her Sister had made in the State Wherein we may behold the deserts of Queene Elizabeth The highest of her deserts In respect of greatnesse goodnesse Virgin Marie Queene Elizabeth most excellent in the respects of mercie and Maiesty Disparagement King Iames. The Queene matchlesse for Maiestie