of theire Prince and country But now that we are so farre vrged we shall God willing make it appeare that their Popish deuises are nothing but a pack of nouelties latelie brought into the Romish church that their Religion is full of heresies impieties and blasphemies and lastly that diuers of their practises are full of Salt peter and most dangerous to the state and that their importunate desires are repugnāt both to reasons of religion state and also to modest and ciuill cariage My sole request to thee shall be that thou woldest be please to compare our answer with the lay papists petition and to iudge according to proofes We seeke for trueth we defend the Kings prerogatiue and state Let no man therfore shut his eies against that light by which we may see truth nor bee carelesse in matters so nerelye touching the safety of the King and state neither let any papist bee offended with vs while we seeke his saluation Non ideo vobis displiceamus saith Saint Augustine to certein Donatists epist 204. ad Donatum quia reuocamus errātes quaerimus perditos and so wee say also to the simple and abused papists Let vs not displease you because we seek to call you from your errors and to gaine that which is lost We doe not hate you as our Countrimen but we detest your errors being humorously affected to forraine superstition In speaking also for common peace and safety we seek your peace The petitioners say they are resolued and pretend reason of their resolution But nothing is more fantastical or foolish then to resolue vpon false suppositions and to build without firme foundation neither is any thing more sottish then to seek that which being granted would turne to theire dishonoure and hurt if not destruction To confirme the weake and to recall those which goe astray wee haue done our best endeuour wee haue also defended the honor of religion his maiestie and the state as became vs. The rest wee referre to gods grace beseeching him so to enlighten all christian mens heartes with the knowledg of his eternall truth that not onelie the professors of religion may stand firm against the glozing perswasions of seducing and seditions Iebusites and Masse-Priests but also such as encline too much to error and superstition and nowe seeme malcontented maye be gathered into the true Church and shew themselues true subiects embracing truth and perseuering therein to their liues end A BRIEFE EXAMINATION OF The Lay Papistes late petition directed to his royall Maiestie Anno. 1604. Chapter 1. The resolution of the petition apologeticall of the Lay papists together with a somme of the answer made vnto it COmmonly we see by experience that excuses going before accusations doo argue a secret confession of the faultes of guiltie consciences Jf nothing els did shew it yet this and diuers other petitions and Apologies directed by diuers Masse priests and Papists vnto his royall maiestie who neither chargeth them nor proceedeth againste them for those matters which they goe about to couer and excuse do prooue it sufficiently For what reason haue they to make so many defenses and excuses if they did not knowe in their consciences that there are certaine matters wherewith they deserue to bee charged doo the defendants vse to make their answers before the accusers exhibit their bills or articles But suppose their consciences were cleare yet their wordes do argue plainly that neither for their faith towards god nor for their fidelity to his maiestie they stand vpright in the common reputation of their countrimen For if they did what should they need to publish such Apologies wherein they pretend to giue his Maiestie an accompt of their beleefe and religion and a full and ample securitie and satisfaction of their fidelities and submission againe if their cause were so cleere why doo not Massepriests come foorth and shew themselues and why should the lay Papists be so sparing in giuing the King his prerogatiue and so lauish in ascribing his right to the Pope Lastly what meant Percie and his companions to attempt so bloodie an execution and all papites to pray for the good successe of matters designed To forbeare to speake of the quality of their cause which we shall haue more occasion to do hereafter first we are to vnderstand what their intention is in this their Apologeticall Epistle and next what forme they keepe in their proceedings Their request is first that penall lawes made heretofore against Massepriestes recusantes and their abettors may be either reuersed or suspended And next that Popish religion and the teachers thereof may be tolerated vpon a certaine forme of submission And lastly that his maiesty wold be pleased to accompt Papists for his good subiects and to suspect the rest Matters all of verye hard disgestion and verie difficult to be proued or granted Yet what dare they not attempt to obtaine a toleration of their wicked abuses first they threaten the King Chapter 3 with an intimation of their numbers forces and intelligences bothe at home and abroade not forgetting to bragge of their qualities and merites Next they alleadge certaine reasons of their resolution in popishe religion Thirdly which to vs seemeth very admirable considering their manifold rebellions and treasons against their princes coūtries both in England and elsewhere and the late horrible treason then in brewing they stand vpon high termes of theire loyall carriage and fidelity Fourthly albeit the same be without the cōpasse of their apologeticall petition yet they run out into a long accusation of the professors of true religion therein inuoluing his maiesty the gouernors of the state as it were ridiculously making them to answer that must be their iudges Lastly they offer a form of submissiō pretēd to giue vs sufficient security for the Kings life for the preseruation of the state of which the first declareth their obedience to be very bare onelie voluntarie the second argueth theire pride to bee insupportable which vndertake to capitulate with the King and thinke their worde and bonde sufficiente for the securitie of such a king and state But wee must vnderstand that nowe they were conceiting theire horrible treasons and that they ment to burne their bonds and the parties to whom they stood obliged This is the substance of their pleading For the better garnishing whereof they propose reasons firste of their former silence next of the breach of their silence in this petitiō apologeticall albeit we haue iust cause to wonder how they can well speak of silence when so many of their consorts haue neuer ceased their babling and scribling about this obiect how they dare pretēd reasons of this petitiō that is so deuoid of weight reason wisedom Beside these reasōs Iohn Lecey commeth in with a prologue in commendation of the actours in this Pageant and certaine banished Masse-Prestes stād in the rereward with an epilogue to the Lords of his maiesties
lib. 2. c. 92. testifieth that he disabled heretiks tomake any testaments Eusebius de vita Constantini lib. 3. c. 62. 63. declareth that he prohibited the exercise of all hereticall religions and held heretikes and sectaries to be no better then traitors to himselfe and enemies to truth The Emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius l. 1. Cod de sum trinit fid Cath. commaund all their people to embrace one religion the somme whereof they do set downe in forme of a law and in the law omnēs C. de haereticis they commaund all heresies to keep silence omnes vetitae legibus diuinis imperialibus constitutionibus haereses say they perpetuò quiescant Arcadius and Honorius as appeareth by the law Cuncti C. de haeret Manich. tooke away all churches from heretiks least they shold teach or doo the exercises of their false religion in them Theodosius the yonger and Valentinian his consort made diuers lawes against heretikes as we may read in Codice Theodosiano The like course was held by Martianus and Iustinian as is euidentlye declared by their lawes yet extante in the Code and nouells Finally if at any time Christian Emperors grew cold eyther in setting forth the true faith or in punishing or suppressing errors then we find that the auncient fathers fayled not both to admonish them of their duty and to reprehend them for their slacknesse Chapter 4. That to admitte the exercise of false religions formerlie forbidden is contrary both to christian policie and reason THE gentils by the light of reason perceiued that religion was not lightly to be changed and god dooth therein taxe his people by his prophet that they were more easily induced to change the euerliuing god then the Heathen nations were to chāge their gods They cōsidered that ther was but one truth cōstantly beleeued that their religion was true This was the reason why the Romanes did so violētly persecute the primitiue christians and refused the superstitious rites of Bacchanalia which priuilie began to creepe in among the people But Christians proceede vpon better groundes of policie in prohibiting the exercise of all false religions For firste they consider that the wrath of god is reueiled from heauen against such as with-holde the truth in vnrighteousnes But who doe herein offend more greeuously then they which either grant liberty to false teachers or winke at the exercises of a wicked and false Religion doe not they manifestly giue way to errors and stop the course of truth Secondly they know well that god despiseth those which despise him as we reade 1. Samuel 2. and that hee casteth such out of his fauour as are neither hote nor colde Jf then such as regard not to see god rightly serued rest despised and luke-warme professors are reiected how will it goe with such as are colde in setting forth true Religion and care not what false doctrines are stirring abroade in the world Thirdly they vnderstand the greeuous threatnings of the law against all idolatrous false worship of god I am a iealous god saith the Lord and will visit the sinne of the Fathers vpon the Children to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me Fourthly as there is but one god so they know that there is but one true religion Christian policie therefore may teach them to admit no religion but that which is founded vpon the writings of the Apostles and Prophets and which they are resolued is most true Fiftly diuersities of religions breed distractions of mens minds and diuers seditious stirres and tumultes as the leagues of France and practises of the popes agentes in France Flanders England Scotland Germany and other countries doe declare of late the Papists seeking to replant their superstition in Englād went about to set the land on a flame and to drown true religion in blood But wise politicks are by all means to roote out these seedes of Ciuil dissension Sixtly all changes in matters of state are dangerous But admitte a false and erroneous religion where nothing but the true faith hath been professed then no doubt but the chāge will be great Finally nothing is more absurd then to change lawes with out cause and to admitte a religion condemned by lawes and to restore such as are condemned by the state For that is rather a subuersion then an alteration both of lawes and state If then we respected nothing but the danger of state in the mutation of religion yet woulde all pollitick and wise men bee well aduised howe they admitted a newe and false religion contrary to that which hath formerly beene receiued by the state Chap. 5. That toleration of diners religions is contrary to the doctrine and practise of Papists BVT where the Pope and his adherents may fit as iudges little reasoning may serue to perswade thē to dislike of toleration of diuers religions For not onelie their doctrine but also their long continued practise condemneth it in the Chapter ad abolendam de haereticis They adiudge them Hereticks that dissent frō the Romish church in the doctrine of the sacramentes and such both by ecclesiasticall and by ciuill lawes they persecute to the death Nay oftētimes without forme colour of law they massacre them empoysō thē by all means seek to root out the race memory of them out of the earth Their goods they confiscat their liuings they take away their bodyes they burne and although malice doth oftentymes end with death yet such as are of a cōtrary religion all those that fauour them they persecute both aliue and deade killing those whom they can ouercome and cursing whome they cannot kill In France they massacred many thousāds without forme of law and gladly wold they haue massacred vs in England if theire treasons had not beene discouered Bellarmine lib. de laicis C. 18. determineth that it is not lawful for any magistrate or prince to grant libertie of conscience or toleration of religion to his subiectes He saith further that hee oughte to defend one onely religion with all his force Non licet vlli magistratū vel principi saith he consciētiae libertatem seu pacē religionis subditis suis concedere sed vnam tantum religionē sum ma vi defendere tenetur Posseuin his consort lib. 1 select biblioth 2.6 doth not onely deliuer the fame doctrine but also sheweth reasons why two religions may not in one state be tolerated Firste hee saith it is a diuelish inuention 2. that it is contrary to gods ordinance 3 that it repugneth against the law of nature 4. it is contrary to the substance and property of the christian faith 5. that it taketh away the truth and certainty of christian religion 6. that it taketh away the certaintie of gods deuire worship and of the Church 7 that it taketh away christian discipline 8. that it cutteth asunder the vnit ye of the church 9. that it is contrary to the worde of god 10.
that are enimies to the Pope and by all meanes seek to perswade men to take away their liues These fellowes caused Henrie the 3. of France anno 1589. to be most cruelly murdered by a Dominican Frier and the like they attempted against king Henry the 4. now raigning Jf God had not watched for the safety of our King and state Catesbie Percie Faux had by fire gunpowder destroyed the King the Queen the Prince and all the Lords Iudges and commons assembled in parliament How many they haue lately empoysoned we refer to Gods secret iudgement That the pope dooth entend the destruction of all Christian princes whom he excommunicateth it is not to be doubted seeing he armeth their subiects against them and promiseth not onely remission of sins but also rewardes to such as lay holde vppon them Whosoeuer therfore meaneth to reigne securely and to maintaine his regall authority must diligently prouide that his subiects professe not popish religion that is so opposite both to his authority and security Chapter 13. That popish religion is greeuous both to true christians and to papists themselues THat popish religion is greeuous to al true Christians it cannot wel be denied For who is not vexed especially if his hart bee enflamed with true zeale seeing the holy scriptures abused and accused of imperfection insufficiency and flexibility and popish traditions either aequalled or preferred before them what true christian can endure to see Christs honoure and office emparted to angels and saintes and idols worshipped more fre quently and deuoutly then the true and euer liuing god What zealous Christian doth not burne with indignation to see the man of sin to dominere in Christs Church to call himselfe Christes vicar the heade and spouse of the church and to exalt himselfe aboue al that is called god Finally who wold not greeue to see gods holy name and truth blasphemed as it is by the teachers of popery Furthermore as Christ was greeued to see the house of god made a denne of theues so it cannot chuse but greeue his disciples to see the house of god possessed by Antichrist and al true teachers chased away oppressed and murdred in places where his complices can preuaile there also scriptures in tōgs vnderstood of the multitude are suppressed and the Popes hests followed more diligently then the lawes of God Thirdly what can be deuised more greeuous to a christian soule then to see gods true worship suppressed idolatry superstition publikelye mainteined and of ignorant people so grossely abused Fourthly as nothing is more pleasing to trué Christians thē fréedome of conscience and liberty of true catholike religion so can ther be no greater vexation of conscience then to see the institution of Christ in his holy sacraments and worship violated and mens consciences forced to embrace errors and true professors cruelly persecuted Finally it is no small vexation of spirit for free Christians to see princes made the Popes vassals and his exequutioners to murder such as professe the truth for free mē to endure the Popes exactions and pillages to heare the vntruth and calumniations of his agents defaming innocent christiās with notes of heresy schisme and other most greeuous crimes Nay so heauy is the yoke of the popes tyranny that thē papists themselues are forced to complaine thereof and would noe doubte cry outlouder if they durst Petrus de Alliaco in his booke de reformat ecclesiae complaineth of the principall abuses which were most greeuous and burdensome The first was the multitude of the popes lawes the second was the frequent vse of excommunications and other censures of the Churche The third was the heauines of the popish prelates exactions beside these three he shewes that the multitude of religious orders and begging friars was a heauy and intolerable burthen in the church The Germans not long sence collected a hundred matters of grecuance offred them by the pope and his Clergy and officers and presented them to the pope desiring redresse The speciall poynts are set downe in their petition entitled centum grauamina Germaniae c. So many abuses reigned in the Church of Rome some hundred yeares agone that the bishop of Chems writing thereof a speciall treatise called it onus Ecclesiae the burthen of the Church Aluarus Pelagius also that liued some time before Martin Luther began to discouer the errors and abuses of the church of Rome and doth most greeuously compleyne of them intituling his booke de planctu ecclesiae that is the lamentation of the Church And this hath been the complainte of diuers Christians as we may perceiue by some Epistles of Petrarch and other writings of Arnold de villa nona of Nicholas Orem Thomas Bradwardine and many others The papists themselues feele the greef of auriculer consessions the fraudulent practises of the friars in theire absolutions and enioyning of satisfactions The multitude of the popes lawes the burthen thereof lyeth heauy vpon their consciences for their friars teach them that they binde the conscience The vow of single life in many youngmē women doth work desperate effects When they see thē selues haltred they runne into a greate dissolution of manners and grow carelesse what sinnes they commit The massepriests liue in great subiection to theire prelates and the rules of mōkish life ar greuous to al that professe those forged religiōs And therfore few obserue the rules of their profession none long doe well content them selues to liue vnder them Jn Italy and Spaiue they mure vp their Nunnes and yet neither walles nor lawes can keepe them in order The taxes imposed both vpon the clergy and laity are many and greeuous No act of religion almost is done without paying of these payments the pope rayseth great treasures If any transgresse the popes lawes out flye suspensions excommunications and interdictions and no release is graunted with out greeuous compositions especially if matters concerne the popes prerogatiue Finallie if any spurne either against the popes authority or agaynste any poynt of his erroneous religion then hee passeth through the hands of the inquisitors and to the racke if not to the fire he goeth if a man be suspected he is a long time imprisoned if he be conuicted then is he to passe to the fire his goods are seysed and his wife and children vtterly empouerished And of these cruel exequutions kings and princes are the ministers Neither dooth the father respect the child nor the wife the husband if the pope doe accurse him nay oftentimes without form of law eyther they cause such as they suspect to be empoysonned or massacred and vnder this gouernment do papists liue Is it not then strange that free men shold endure this slauery and that Christians shold not seek remedy for so greeuous oppressions Chap. 14. That the petition of papists for a toleration of popish religion is voide of reason IOhn Lecey in his preface doth vant that the petitiō of his cōsortes for
princes and say that for one of ours they haue an hundred but they shew themselues shame lesse to speake vntruth without any shew of proofe For if they looke into all histories they shall not finde eyther parliament or prince within this realme that allowed the wicked decrees of the conuenticle of Trent Neither did the clergy or the vniuersityes of England euer approue thē Here againe they they tell vs of a child King and woman Queene as if they had Queens that were no women or disallowed of the succession of children to their fathers So their fift reason is very childish Their sixth reasō had been more allowable if they could haue proued theire antecedent For if their faith had been that which Saint Paule so highly commendeth and which was first taught the English by Gregorie then should wee not much contend with them about matters of fayth But helas poret soules these laypapistes read not S. Paules Epistles nor canne they tell what he taught and as for their Masters they shall proue themselues desperate fellowes if thèy take vpon them to proue their transubstantiation and massing sacrifice and other poynts of popery out of S. Paule they should also but abuse their readers if they should vndertake to proue that popery is Catholike doctrine as hath been often shewed Finally if Gregorie the firste were iudge yet should they neither proue the popish worship of images nor the vniuersall headship of the pope nor the inuisibility and impalpability of Christes body in the sacrament the contrary rather out of Gregoryes doctrine may be concluded The 7. reason is nothing els but a repetition of matters formerly denyed They say we haue receiued our Bible our gospell and the canons from the Church of Rome The truth is that all true Christians haue receiued both the Bible the Gospell from Christ and his Apostles-likewise we haue receiued auncient canons from auncient general councels from the same the Church of Rome hath receiued both lawes and canons But the doctrine of the modern churche of Rome concerning the 7. sacramentes halfe communions the carnall eating of Christes body with the mouth and such like Mysteries of the masse they are contrary both to scriptures and actes of councels and were neuer knowne to the auncient church of Rome In theire 8. reason they affirme that the Romish Church is our Mother Church But then is she a cruell mother that persecuteth and murthreth her children Of the old Roman Church diuers nations receiued the faith and therefore to them she might be reputed the Mother church and so his maiesty meant when he spoke of the old church of Rome But this later Romish church is rather a stepmother then a mother and rather the mother of fornications as Saint John calleth her or the mother of errors as Francis Petrarch calleth her then the mother of Christians nay we haueby diuers reasons demonstrated that she is neither the mother church nor Christs church but the whore of Babylon and Synagogue of Antichriste Their ninth reason is drawne from the maner of the firstē arising and condemnation of heresyes For if there neuer yet arose any heresy but both the names of the authors and of the councells that condemned them were well known then if neither the authors of the masse or of Purgatory or of prayers to saints can be named nor any councell found out that condemned them then they suppose that these poyntes came from Christ and the apostles But by the same reason hee mighte prooue that the heresie of the Angelikes Collyridians Messalians Nudipedalls Nazarites Apostolikes and diuers of that sorte came from Christ and the Apostles For neither is Coleton able to name the first authors of these heresyes nor excepte it bee the Angelikes condemned in the councell of Laodicea can hee shew that any of these hereticks were condemned by councels Further wee shew who were the first deuisers of the masse and these lay papists confesse that the author of euery little ceremony and the time thereof is known we knowalso that purgatory for satisfaction for tēporal pains after that the guilt of sin is remitted praiers to saynts was first deuised by schoolmen among christians by idolaters among Heathen men Their last reason is deriued from the fruites of true religion which as they say are loue vnity concord piety acts of charitie and deuotion as fasting praier almes building of monasteryes erecting of vniuersities founding of Hospitals conuerting of Nations and such like But first the erection of monasteries and such like dennes of superstitious persons and Sodomites is neither a worke of Charity nor deuotion Secondly these fruites of religion that are heere mentioned neuer proceeded from the modern superstition of Rome And that is most apparent not only by common experience but also by the testimony and confession of papists themselues In Jtaly other countries where popery moste reigneth there is little true loue no vnitie nor concord either among the teachers or among their followers no steppe of christian piety no acts of Christian charity nor signe of sincere and internall deuotion their prayers are directed to saynts angels for the most part and little vnderstood of the vulgar sort being in strange lāguages Their fasts ar superstitious their alms ar pharisaical for the most part euil bestowed The popes their cōplices massacre murdre true christians with deadly hatred prosequute on another Their enemies they empoysō murdre such as they cannot kill they curse and hate They make banks of vsury set vp bordell houses for maintenance of whoredom baudry they haue empouerished christians occasioned the progresse and successe of Turkes and as for new Rome it hath confuted no heresyes nor called any lawfull councels nor erected any vniuersityes nor taught any obedience to princes nay contrariwise the popes of Rome haue dissolued the bands of obedience and with preferring men vnworthy fostering Iebusites haue ouerthrowne vniuersities Finally teaching that the pope is aboue councels they haue taken away al authority frō councels teaching the idolatrous worship of saynts images and the sacrament and setting for ward their traditions they haue destroyed all religion and this in the abridgement or suruey of popery is proued both by testimonyes and examples agaynst vs certes they shall neuer be able to prooue any such matters They charge Master Caluin Knox Luther Godmā with teaching cōtēpt of power authority and neglect of laws obedience that vnder the colour of liberty of the gospel But this is a cōmō practise of papists when they are at a stoppe to father lies vpon Luther Caluin and other godly men How sincerely they deale it is apparent when they alledge such authors as lay papists vnder payne of excōmu nication may not read affirme that to bee taughte by them which those godly teachers vtterly dislike and condemne Absurdly also wher they vndertake to defend themselues they run out
A BRIEFE EXAMINATION OF A CERTAINE PEREMPTORIE MENACING AND DISLEAL PETITION PRESENTED AS IS PRETENDED TO THE Kings most excellent Maiestie By certaine Laye Papistes calling themselues The Lay Catholikes of England and now lately Printed and diuulged by a busie compagnion called JOHN LECEY Epist Iude verse 16. These are murmurers complainers walking after their owne lusts whose mouthes speak proude things hauing mens persons in admiration because of aduantage AT LONDON Printed for William Cotton and are to be sold at his shoppe adioyning to Ludgate 1606. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD TOBIE BY GODS GRACE Bishop of Duresme his speciall good Lord. THE last Session of the Parliament my good Lorde I answered a certain petition then diuulged and printed by the Masters and teachers of Popish religion and this I had well hoped would haue satisfied their disciples and folowers seeing their learned leaders so silent and vnable to replie But I perceiue that the common saying now prooueth true That many schollers a Cicer. Epist famil lib. 9. ad varronem passe their Masters For if they had not excelled their teachers in immodesty they woulde not haue rubbed ouer that rustie stuffe which their betters are ashamed to bring againe vpon the stage and if they had not passed them in boldnesse and importunitie they would haue forborne to importune his Maiestie and the state further in matters formerlie for such graue and important considerations most worthilie reiected And yet I speake not this to the intent to clear their masters For beside that this seemeth a deuise of their Masters the Massepriestes and Iebusites that make others to solicite their forelorne cause Chrysostom homil 43. op imperf in Math. telleth vs that the impiety of the schollers is to be imputed to the masters The argument of both petitions is one in effecte and therefore much more needeth not to be said now then that which is formerly aunswered to the Masse-priests Yet because all haue not seene the former petition and answer nor vnderstood their gunpowder and rebellious practises and these Lay or rather lame Romane Catholikes seeme to stand more vpon their loyaltie then the other I thought it not amisse after this late discouery of their most horrible treasons particulerly to examine this discourse also and with marginall Glosses to poynt to the fooleries of their text which notwithstanding I would not haue all simple papists take as spoken to thēselues for my meaning was to touch only these Petitioners and such as subscribe this factious Petition Much adoe we haue about toleration of popish religion but we may say as Saluianus lib. 7. de prouidentia said sometime in another case vtinam hoc remedium malorum non diuturna toleratio I would this toleration which they desire were a remedie of their pretended euills and not rather a long continued toleration of mischiefes and that both in the Church and state For why I beseech you may we not so say seeing nothing can be granted that is either more derogatorie to Gods honor or more preiudiciall to the Kings maiesty and state as hath in part appeared by this late attempt and as God willing it shall at large with moste inuincible arguments be demonstrated This my discourse most reuerend Father I present to your Honor as a pledg of my loue and an acknowledgment of your Lordships fauours towards me and the rather that both your Lordship and al true Christians truelie zealous for the cause of true pietie and studious of the safety of their countrie may thereby vnderstand how much it importeth them all to concur in repressing such notorious insolency factious courses These men they are like the heretiks of whom Irenaeus lib. 5. aduers haeres speaketh which being blind in matters of truth did contradict their own saluation Caecutientes circa veritatem saith he suae contradicunt saluti But pious governours will neither neglect the safety of religion the state nor of these contētious gainesayers of truth if they doo not wilfully shut their eares to the truth and their eies to the light and carelesly neglecte the restraint of the vnderminers both of the Parliament house and whole State Wherefore referring these matters next to Gods prouidēce to the zealous care of our superiors I commend this worke and my selfe to your Lordship and your Lordships prosperous estate to the fauour of the almighty London this first of Ianuarie Anno. 1605. Your Lordshippes in all pious affection MATTH SVTCLIFFE To the Christian Reader I DOE not beleeue gentle reader that many lay papists will subscribe this petition albeit pretended to bee framed and exhibited by all of them to the King It were a matter too sawcy for wise and ciuill men to challenge the king of breach of promise as they do pag. 8 and too presumptuous to rayle on religion publiquelie professed and the professors thereof to the Kings face as they do in diuers places Neither do I think that all are so foolish as to make themselues pledges and hostages for their Masse-priests suffering such slippery cōpaniōs to dominere in their houses to confer with their wiues daughters to wast their estate while they haue no Counterbond from them either for the others good behauiour or theire owne securitie This I am well assured that what soeuer is pretended this petition neuer came Originally from the heades of lay papistes For neyther may such men withoute licence reade Caluines Institutions nor Luthers bookes nor other discourses written by men of our side nor may they take vpon them to discourse of Religion as the Authors of this petition doe I wold therfore pray the simpler sort of plain meaning Papists not to take what soeuer is sharpely spoken against the Masse Priestes masked vnder the name of lay papists and the sole deuisers of this petition and their abherents the Authors of many treasons and mischiefes as spoken or meant against themselues and all seduced simple soules And against such as so violently run a course against truth and seek to blow vp the King and State I doubte not but all indifferent men will esteeme my speech moderate and this kinde of dealing most fitting and conuenient What shall vncircumcized Philistims raile at the people of God and seeke our destruction and shall not true Christians be permitted liberty to represse theire insolency to countermine their vndermining treasons and freely to defend the truth When themselues do publish their petitions they may not refuse to haue them publiquelie examined and no reason haue they to complaine of wrong seeing themselues thus handled when notwithstanding their wicked intentions they put forth their Apologyes requests and discourses into other mens handes as if they were most loyall and honest men Hitherto they haue abused the worlde with a false pretence of antiquitie and falselie chalenged to themselues the name and title of Catholiques They doe also before such as are ignorant of matters of state stand vpon termes of loyalty and loue
is as they say that their cause is poore and more porely defended And therefore great simplicity haue they shewed in prating of things aboue their capacity and for this cause they stand condemned by all true Christians which wold haue liked much better their sober silence then their violent and foolish libells Thirdly their Children whom these petitioners that deuide themselues from gods church do deuide from the Christian world as being no part of it shall in time to come haue iust cause to curse such parents as bring them vp in ignorance of true religion and open idolatry And if they haue grace will wish their babbling parents had neuer medled in this desperate cause Fourthly so far are they from making any iust defence against their aduersaries that they giue both them and others iust cause to insult and tryumph seeing that the wittes of lay papists and their teachers beeing sommed and pressed togegether no drop of reasō or piety hath proceeded from them to season their vnsauory religion Finally they confesse that they obserue no decorum and yet professe that they will not examine curiously that which by their aduersaries hath beene thundred out against them nor dispute in moode and figure with them And yet they pretend to be desirous to giue his maiesty all possible contentment and an accompt of their beleefe and religion and a ful and ample security and satisfaction But if they obserue no decorum it is not like they will content his Maiesty and hardly will they giue satisraction to so learned and wise a prince without curious examination of matters obiected They must also dispute if not in moode and figure yet in some better forme then now they do if they will either proue vnto vs their disfigured and euil qualified religion or els iustifie vnto his Maiesty the reasōs of their rude request that is not only subscribed as approued by subscriptions of a thousand hands as that was of the Millenary ministers of which these lay papists talke idelly but also with the terror of many thousands of the popish faction as it were obtruded to his Maiestie So we may see that these petitioners are able to bring neither truth nor reason for the iustification of their cause keeping silence when they should haue spoken and speaking nothing to purpose when they resolued to breake silence But if we please to examine the true cause both of their former silence and this present petition we shall find that their silence proceeded partly from their great occasions beeing busied in diuers practises against the state as these horrible treasons lately discouered do declare and partly from the lewdnesse of their cause that by farre better orators then these laymen cannot be defended Contrarywise the occasion of their petition is not any wrong offered by vs but rather a wrong intended by them and that both to his maiesty and to the state while bragging of the numbers forces and correspondēce with strangers they endeuor to strike a terror into his maiesty and buzzing these foolish tales into the ears of the multitude desire to trouble the peace of the state But the state of things being well known neither shall his maiesty haue cause to feare their threats nor the people reason to beleeue their foolish tales For as they feede themselues like as all fugitiues and malcontents do with a fond conceit of their owne strength without grounds of reason so they feed their readers with words and shewes without any sound demonstration of any point of their erroneous religion God grant that the simple seduced papist may as well apprehend it as we shall prooue it and then will they hereafter be more wary how they venture their state and soules vpon the masse-priests warrant who vpon the hazard and losse of others doe reape no small aduantage now and seek to bring all into aduenture hereafter Chap. 18. Of the quality number and forces of English papists and of their assurance and resolution which they praetend in their religion IT were much to bee wished that thepapists of England did either well know them selues and theire owne qualities numbres and forces or else had learned for what religion they contend For then neither would they stand so much vpon theire merits qualities numbers and forces nor yet once offer to talke of the assurance of their religion for which they haue no ground and this euerie other man doth acknowledge seeing theire merites if we respect fauor to be slender their good qualityes to be fewe theire forces to be nothing in regard of his maiesties numbers of true subiects and considering that thē doctrine of popery may not be examined by lay papists and wholy resteth on the Popes pleasure Theire pleading is moste simple as the two chapters following doe declare Chapter 3. The estate and quality of your Maiesties Catholike Subiects FOR the cleare vnderstanding of which two pointes maye it please your Grace to consider first what is the state and condition of your faithfulll and Catholicke subiects for 1 They vvould terrifie his Maiesty vvith shevv of numbers reproch him as vngratefull not regarding their deserts number quality and desert next what 2 Their religion is declared to be a hochpot of heresies impieties and nouelties Their grounds are vncertain traditions and the popes decretaline fancies Religion it is they professe and vpon what grounds lastly what they are of your Maiesties subiects of their Rank that for former of future seruices and submission in all ciuill and temporall causes against all both domesticall and forraigne enemies haue and will go farther or venter more willingly their liues liuings for the honour and defence of your person greatnesse and posterity then they and their friends both haue and vvill doe In deliuery of which points we hope your Maiesty will expect no farther art or eloquence then may be required of men plunged and perplexed with the 3 The Pope belike hath giuen his clients a purgation that are thus troubled vvith fluxes and refluxes But for vexations they haue no reason to complaine here in England considering their vvealth and case at home and the cruelty of their consorts abroad and their deserts at home and abroad flux and reflux of perpetuall vexations which is truth that craueth 4 If you cry for iustice vvhat needeth mercy vve find your pleadings so absurd and destitute of truth that neither your crocodiles teares can excuse you nor iustice acquite you iustice and teares that crye for mercy It is euident Dread soueraigne that the subiects of your Maiesties Realmes of England and Ireland consist of Catholikes Protestants 5 They put themselues before his Maiesties loyall subiects and rayle at the state as bearing vvith sectaries They do also leaue the Scots out of the number of the kings subiects Iudge then vvhether it be possible to find more proud beggars or insolent malcontents or rayling hypocrites Puritanes and other sectaries the Catholikes and Catholikely
that we haue not so many books of Scriptures 6 We discanonise no book of canonicall scriptures but papists place apocriphall scriptures among the canonicall books discanonised and reiected because they be expresse Testimonies against their new and negatiue Religion If they stand vpon the sence and true interpretation we stand on that point more confidently then they they hauing no further warrant then their 7 The papists properly stand vpon the priuat iudgment of the pope vve folovv no mans priuat spirit priuate spirit and we relying on the assistance of the holy Ghost therein promised to his 8 But not to the Pope or his adhaerents Church for the instruction of all truth which is Columna firmamentum veritatis the piller and foundation of truth If they fly to the Fathers for one place euill vnderstood and somtime falsified somtime mutilated somtime wholy corrupted we produce a thousand not by patches nor mammocks as they do but whole pages whole chapters whole books the vniforme consent of all the ancient fathers and Catholike Church If they presse vs with their passed Parliaments and Princes for one of theirs we haue an hundred and for a Childe King and a 1 Better a vvoman Queen then a vvoman Pope Woman Queene wee haue for vs so many so Wise so learned so religious so Victorious Princes as our Histories without theÌ„ would be very barren our Names obscure our clergy miserable our Bishops beggarly our Parliaments confused our Lawes intricated our Vniuersities without Colledges our Colledges without Schollers our Schollers without maintenance Reason then the life of the law requireth to our vnderstanding more ample and 2 These suppose the Popes decretalls more authenticall then scriptures authenticall euidence before wee bee cendemned by lawe as superstitious or irreligious The faith we professe is that 3 It is no more like it then false doctrine to faith fayth religion which Saint Paul to the Romanes so highly commendeth The 6 reason Rom. chap. 1. which therefore is called Catholike and Romane because (a) The church of Rome euer was and is the Mother Church all the Churches in the world either did in their beginnings or doe for the present agree vniformely with the sea of Rome in vnion and communion of faith doctrine and fellowship hauing recourse thereto as to the 4 The old church of Rome vvas the Mother Church But vvhat is this to nevv Rome Mother Church From the Pastors and Prelates of this Church to witte from (b) S. Gregory the Pope S. Auhustine the Monke S. 5 That vvill hardly be proued further vvhat maketh this for such as subuert the state peruert Christians conuert none Gregory the Pope and S. Augustin the Monke we receiued the benefit of our conuersion and regeneration from them we receiued the 6 This selfe same vntruth vve haue refuted at large in our ansvver to Parsons his treatise concerning 3. supposed conuersions of England selfe same Doctrine Discipline Seruice Sacraments Feasts and laudable Ceremonies which are by vs held practised professed and defended with the 7 Note hovv they say they defend holidays greasings holivvater and such ceremonies vvith their bloud effusion of our bloudes at this very day and this we finde 8 You corrupt histories as much as you can and yet they shevv hovv much you are degenerated from true Christians verified by the Histories of (c) S. Bead Cambden Stowe Hollenshed and Sauell S. Bead Cambden Hollenshed Stovve and that Tripartite History set out by Master Sauell From this Curch of Rome we receiued our Bible our Gospell our Creed our Canons The 7 reason which are the same through the whole Christian worlde among Catholikes both for the translation sence and interpretation This Church is by your Maiesty and by the learned sorte of the Protestants 10 Not this later Rome that is figured by the vvhore of Babylon but the ancient Church of Rome that vvas praysed by S. Paul The 8. reason acknowledged to be the Mother Church we hope then we are excuseable 9 So the Gospell of Papists dependeth on the pope that reuerence and loue our dearest Mother from whose breast our forefathers and we haue receiued the sweet milk of our soules There was ueuer yet since the Incarnation of christ anie heresie that crept into the Church of God The 9. reason but we find the names of the 1 Name the authors of the Angelicks Nudipedals Colâ—yridians Messelians authors of such heresies we find by the Church of Rome Councells called to condemne them and Doctors imploied to confute them there is not the least Ceremonie or circumstance that hath been added for the greater 2 For meere scorn foolery Further you haue deuised nevv doctrines and nevv vvorships of god not only nevv ceremonies Maiesty and solemnity in Gods deuine seruice but the yeare is knowne when and the Pope by whome it was ordained If matters then of so small moment passe not without recording reason would that the lawes that must condemne our Mother church of Idolatrie and superstitions should tell vs the authors that first corrupted her integritie but if the first inuentors and institutors of the Masse of Purgatory of prayer to Saints and the like supposed errors cannot be produced doubtlesse we must attribute them as we doe indeed to Christ and his Apostles and as deriued from such infallible authoritie we are bound in all equitie to follow them But if by the fruits your Maiestie will giue iudgement of the tree The 10. reasoÌ„ the fruits of our 3 Or rather seditioÌ„ vvars massacres empoysoÌ„ments stevvs ribaldry heresy Religion at Loue Vnitie Concord Pietie acts of Charitie and Deuotion as Fasting Praier Almes building of Monasteries erecting of vniuersities founding of Hospitals coÌ„uerting of NatioÌ„s calling of Councels confuting of Heresies obedience to our Princes though they be Pagans and Infidells and that for conscience sake (a) Calu. lib. 4. Inst cap. 4. lib. 4. cap. 10.6.5 Whereas both practisers and professors of the Religion which we are so pressed to embrace do far differ from vs in those points 4 These fellovvs teache their tongues to speak vntruth teaching vnder colour of the libertie of the Gospell (b) Knox in his exhortation to EnglaÌ„d printed at Geneua 1559. contempt of power and authoritie (c) Luther in his book de potestate seculari in his comment vppon the 1. of S. Peter cap. 2 neglect of lawes (d) GoodmaÌ„ in his book of obedience all which teache contempt of authority neglect of lawes in the places cited and obedience The examples are to late and lamentable in your Maiesties Realme of Scotland and in the persons of your gratious Mother and Grand-Mother Father and Grandfather to passe with silence the tragedies by such like plaied in sundry other 5 Can these meÌ„ iustly blame our brethren that
euer since our countries conuersion from paganisme and Lastly that no suffering recusant euer lifted vp a finger to the leaste dammage or detriment of his prinee or country But theire sayings are conuinced to bee most vntrue both by publike records and common experience for if wee respecte matter of religion we find that they hold diuers poynts of doctrine confirmed in the late conuenticles of Lateran Constance Florence Trent which were not known nor heard of when this land was conuerted from paganisme nor long after Likewise both their missals and breuiarics their masses and formes of gods seruice are new and not known of the ancient Britons and English If we consider matters of state we finde that popish recusants and papists haue been principall actors in moste of those rebellions and treasons that haue beene practised and intended against king Henry the 8. king Edward the sixth Queen Elizabeth and his maiesty And J hope they will not deny that Brooke Markham Watson and theire complices were popish recusants or that the attempt of the Spaniards anno 1588 was againste theire country and set forward by papists Lastly it is notorious that Percy Catesby Digby and all theire consortes were desperate recusants and that they lifted vp not onely theire fingars but also theire whole armes and bodies against the king yet should a man bee very strangely conceited if hee thought they ment no harme to their prince and country Thirdly they runne out into a large discourse of theire hard vsage in the late Queenes time as they call it and of the Queens proceeding against them and of the effectes thereof ensuing pray the king to follow her rather in her dispositiō to mildnesse then in her other hard and sharp courses But first al this discourse is from the purpose and the intent propounded in the 3. chapter for therein they shoulde declare vnto vs the estate and qualities of Papists and not the proceedings of our late Queene of blessed memory Secondly the sameis most slanderous charging that moste gratious and clement Queen with hard sharp and bloody courses But this is all that Christian princes are to looke for at these mens hands or penns Let them vse all mildnes and remissenesse in proceeding againste papists yet vnles they suffer rebells and traytors to practise the ouerthrowe of the state and saucily attempt against their persons they shall be charged with sharpenesse and cruelty she indeede distinguished betweene religion and treason and so do others also But the papists did not so cunningly distinguish but that seeking to set vp theire wicked religion and to bring into the country the popes tyranny they fel also in to diuers practises and cases of treason Thirdly they falsly cōmēd her mild courses shew that troubles ensued of the exe quution of laws against papists whereas in truth her resolute course a gaynste thē secured her her slow exequutiō or rather suspēfiō of penal lawes against papists caused troubles rebeliōs trecherous practises heaped sorrows both vpō her her true friends I feare brought her to her end Finally they cōfes their own lewd disposition that being not troubled the first 12 yeares of the Queenes raygne did not withstanding procure the Popes Bulle against her rebelled in the north anno 1569. sought to deposeher murder her now rail against her beingded let al christiā princes therfor bewar what fauors they shewto such vipers how they heap benefits on such vngratful persons Fournhly theym ention diuers excommunications censures of popes passed againste queen Elizabeth and talke of Giffords commission and Bethunes letters in fauoure of the king as it seemeth and of the pope that hath not censured the king as yet But all these matters are also from the purpose-futher they bewraye the disloyall humors of papistes that make kinges the popes vassals and blush not to signifie that the pope might in iustice censure the king if he woulde Lastly they doe therein bewray the weakenes of the pope and the fading force of antichristes kingdome For now the pope doth not hold his hands from excommunicating the king at the request of Bethune or Gifford or any such base fellowe but because he feareth his rayling and cursing wold eyther take no effect againste the king or else ouerthrowe the credit of Antichrists thunderbolts Finally they conclude if they haue been ar and will be loyal to his Maiesty that they may not by authority be driuento forsake their fathers Catholike faith vnles their faith beproued infidelity their religiō superstitiō thire seruice idolatrie their doctrin here sy they do pretend also that the faitq professed by them is cōfirmed by iudgement passed on thir side in many generall councels abroade and in connocations and parliamens at home This they conclude But theire conclusion is grounded vpon false premisses theire exceptions are disproued theire assertions notoriously false and rediculous For what theire carriage hath beene it appeareth by the practises firste of VVatson Clerke Brooke nexte of Percy and his mates thirdlye of the Lorde of Fentry and their complices againste the king the same is also made euident by there bellions treasons of papists against Henry the 8. King Edward the 6. and Queen Elizabeth of pious memory How loyall they are and will be we may imagine seeing their dependance on the pope and foreine enemies and treacherous doctrines concerning deposing of kings by the pope and the assoyling of subiects from theire obedience to princes their religion and seruice hath been shall alwais be declared to superstitions idolatrous wicked and hereticall Neither are they or theire teachers able to mainteine it or to answer our obiections against it We haue also proued that both auncient fathers councels make against popish doctrine and that the doctrine of Trent was neuer receiued either by auncient fathers or by the parliaments or conuocations in England or known to papists before the yeare 1564. themselues must needes confesse vnlesse they bee both blindly foolish desperately obstinate Wee may therfore cōclude vpon their own confession against thē that if papists neither haue been nor can be loyal to princes or louing to their coūtry desiring to bring both vnder the pope if their seruice be idolatrous their doctrine hereticall and their practise superstitiōs as is formerly demō strated howso euer idleheads prate of toleratiō of popery that neither their religiō nor their audacious boldnes sawcines is any lōger to betolerated we may also conclude that the reasons alledged by this resolution in religion are either false or not coneludent First they say they haue their vnderstanding captiuated in obsequium fidei scilicet papisticae by most euident testimony of holy writ of vnity vniuersality succession antiquity and authority of fathers saints doctors coūcels Parliamēts virgins martyrs these they say cōcurre in popish religiō in no other But of holy writ these lay papists haue little resō to make
vāts seing lay mē are little skilled in tōgs stānd prohibited to reade them in vulgar tongs with out licēce furthermore these felowes art not so far trauelled as to know what is cōteined in scriptures fathers coūcels aūcient writers concerning matters in cōtrouersy if they resolue thēselues by relatiō of the massepreests friars thēar they most simple ideots to beleeue matters vpon heresay and to found themselues vpon the reports of such lying compagnions Lastly they seeme to haue theire braynes distempred that are made to beleeue that the popish sacrifice of the masse for quick and deade their carnall eating of Christs flesh with the mouths of men nay with the mouth of bruit beasts their transubstantiation halfe communions and idolatrous worship of the sacrament the popes vniuersall and plenary power conteined in decretales their 7. sacraments and doctrine of iustification by orders mariage and extreame vnction theyr worship of saints reliques and images and all the rest of their abhominable doctrine may be proued by authority of scriptures fathers saints doctors councels Parliamentes and that the same is confirmed dy vnitie vniuersality succession and. antiquity beside the testimony of virgins and Martyrs This we may affirme of the Apostles creed and the Catholike fayth taught and published in auncient Councels but by no meanes of the fayth of the moderne sinagogue of Rome Nay in our abridgemente or suruey of Poperie we haue plainely demonstrated that the same is contrary to scriptures fathers councels auncient writers and is deuoyde of the testimonies of martyres virgins and decrees of Parliaments and all other authenticall proofes Secondly they alledge that neuer any vniversall innouation in matters of religion hath been made but that the commission and vocation of the messengers hath beene authorised by signes and wonders But this allegation as it concearneth vs nothing so it vtterly ouerthroweth the petitioners cause For we haue made no vniuersal innonatiō Nay we do not alter or abrogate-any one article of the Christian faith but as in Spaine true teachers in former tymes caused Arianisme to cease and true religion to bee receiued and as the Christians in the land of Palestine some 400. yeares sence for a time caused the impieties of Mahomet to be suppressed Christian religion to be taught and practised so do we onely abolish the corruptions false doctrines heresies and impieties of popery and reteine euery article of the Auncient christian fayth But the massepreests friars and monkes adhering to the Pope haue made an vniuersall alteration in the worship of God bringing in the idolatrous worship of saints of images of the sacrament and receiuing many old condemned heresies and new deuised schoole doctrines and decretaline deuises and yet neither shew signes nor wonders vnlesse a man list to beleeue the wondrous lyes of their legends and breuiaries Thirdly they take it as a matter most euident and that cānot be denied that the first apostles and conuerters of Englād Scotland Ireland France and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome and deliuered vs the same fayth which the Papists now professe But they take boldly and affirme impudently that which no man either giueth them or yeeldeth to bee true Parsons hath spent much idle talke in this argument and proueth nothing Coleton is as mute as if hee were turned into a Codfish and replieth nothing to that which is answered to the petition of Masseprecstes the last session of parliament and their discourse touching this poynt As for these petitioners they shewe themselues ignorant of learning that beleeue that the doctrine of Romish traditions of the Popes authority of the masse of the 7. sacramentes of Purgatory and indulgences and such like matters was known to the anciēt Bishops of Rome but suppose old Rome had sent true preachers abroade to conuert nations to the Christian fayth what is that to new Rome that sendeth out false apostles to corrupt the true fayth and assassins Cut-throates to murder such as fauour the truth this false doctrine and cut throate practise certes was neuer confirmed with true signes and wonders Fourthlie they require vs to shew a Commission from God if we meane to conuince the papists that they haue not true scriptures or interpret them not right or that they are idolaters or hereticks a deuise likely to proceed from such idle heades For neither did those fathers that conuinced the Marcionists Arrians Manichees Angelicks and other hereticks either of corrupting or misconstruing the scriptures or any other poynt of false doctrine shew a commission immediatly from god neither doe the masse preests that dispute nowe against Turks Arrians and Anabaptists shewe forth any such commission All Christians and not onelie publike teachers haue commission sufficient to descry to take heed of false Prophets that come vnto them in sheeps clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues What needeth then this extraordinary authority Fiftly they tellvs that we had our scriptures from Rome and had been scripturelesse if we had not receiued them from thence He sayth also that the same bible which Angustine brought into England is yet reserued by gods especiall prouidence But firste it is not materiall from whence Christians receiue holy scriptures The Romaines receiued them from the Iewes and yet I trow Parsons and Coletou as they are turned Romanists will not turne Iewes Secondly that the Britous receiued the scriptures from the Romanes it is not likely they being as the common report goeth conuerted by Ioseph of Arimathaea Neither doe these petitioners shew where the Bible is to be foud that was brought in by Austen the Monk nor doe they make proofe that this which they shew is the the same Bible which Austen brought in Jf it bee the old vulgar translation it is not likely that Gregory sent it For he doth not alwayes follow that translation Heere also they tell vs that we haue reiected and discanonized diuers bookes of scripture because they be expresse testimonyes againste our religion which it pleaseth them to cal new and negatiue But neither doe we reiect any booke of canonicall scripture nor can any argument be drawne from the bookes apocryphall added in the vulgarlatin translation to the old testamēt that doeth hurt vs. Furthermore if we do onely deny the heresies of the papists then doe we not frame any new religion vnto ourselues and if the papists affirme matters not known to fathers then is theire religion new positiue if not wicked in the superlatiue For the sence of scripture they tell vs that we haue onely the warrant of our priuate spirit and they the assistance of gods holy spirit promised to his Church But absurdly they talke of the interpretation of scriptures following therein the priuate sence of a sencelesse pope and neither the interpretation consonant to the meaning of gods holy spirit speaking in scriptures nor to the iudgement of fathers vpon whome they bragge most fondly Lastly they tell vs againe of parliaments and