what they by their demands first vrged him vnto hauing both occasion and encouragement giuen him to speake yet the more cunningly to disguise his principall drift not without a preamble of manie solemne Protestations he still deferred that to the verie last end of his discourse which was indeed the first and only purposed ende of his comming Whose president Doctor Allen seeming verie rightly to haue imitated as well in the matter as in the methode of this his politike Pamphlet first because he will haue it seeme to proceede of an occasion offered and not of his owne voluntarie motion least his intent therin might be suspected and his worke thereby discredited frameth a letter to himselfe in the name of two letters of the Alphabet his supposed honourable friend whom hee faineth thereby verie instantly to demand his opinion touching the lawfulnes of S. W. Stanleys and Captaine Yorkes action in rendring vp the Towne of Deuenter and Fortes of Zutphen vnto the Duke of Parma and thereupon taketh occasion in his answere thereunto to fall as it were by the way into a further matter whereto in truth the whole purpose of his treatie was from the beginning intended A sorie shift of so cunning a Clerke in an Apes skin to couer a Foxe whom euen his verie taile may bewraie As though men were so simple or of so slender iudgement as that they could not discerne by the stile the letter and answere to bee both of one stampe And for the chiefe purpose of this Pamphlet that it tendeth to a farre further end then to the satisfying of the consciences of S. William Stanley and Capt. Yorke and other like Romain Catholikes touching the lawfulnes of the yeelding vp of Deuenter and Zutphen Fortes if this were not a sufficient argument thereof that the parties themselues neuer made conscience or question of the matter either before the yeelding of them or since and therefore needed no such resolution as D. Allen will needs intreat himselfe to offer them which were and are still as resolute as himselfe in disobedience the verie plaine dealing of D. Allen himselfe generally throughout the whole Pamphlet but particularly in the latter and greater halfe of it maketh the thing more then manifest as shalbe laide open vnto you more at large when wee come to the particular handeling of that point I am sorie that I should haue such occasion giuen mee euen in the verie first entrance to vse a comparison so odious and vnbeseeming the name profession and calling of such a man as D. Allen is or should be as to liken him to one in whom the verie Prince of Poets emploied his best witte and skill in liueliest colours to expresse the true shape and substance of a most subtil and malicious dissembler for in truth I doe naturally and inwardly hate all immodestie bitternes and violence of speech generally in all actions of life and conuersation and especially in these of controuersie and confutation where the trueth is to bee defended not our owne passions displaied the aduersarie with reason conuinced not with railing defaced his sinister and lewde dealings orderly reprooued not his person in any wise vndecētly outraged But if D. Allen haue in this Pamphlet both in manner and matter so rightlie resembled Sinon as that hee hath not left mee the choice of anie man to whom I may so rightly resemble him as to Sinon it is hee himselfe and not I that hath made himselfe comparable to Sinon Nay if it appeare further by this Pamphlet that he hath the verie minde meaning intent and counsell of Sinon by like solemne protestations and subtill persuasions vnder colour of Religion to intice you I meane such as are wholie deuoted to his Religion or haue been affected to his doctrine or can be allured by his enchantments to prostrate and laie open your Countrey by your armes and assistance to bring in the Spanish and other forreine forces to the certaine ruine destruction and ouerthrow both of your selues and your Countrey I thinke I may lawfully without iust touch of malice or immodestie bee bold to shew you his shadow in a glasse that hideth his bodie from you vnder a glosse and by the example of his doings whom this man so liuely resembleth laie before your eies the verie marke which hee so cunninglie aimeth at to the ende that beeing once warned you may bee euer armed against his pernicious practises But I know it will bee a matter of great labour and difficultie for mee to persuade you that are of D. Allens religion to see or acknowledge anie errour falshood or malicious intent in him because you are alreadie setled in persuasion of his learning sinceritie and goodnes of his cause and carrie the contrarie opinion of mee because you esteeme mee to bee of a contrarie Religion both to him and your selues Albeit my purpose is not particularly either to drawe him into discredit with you or to withdraw you from the Religion you professe though I could bee content nay most willing and desirous to hazarde mine owne life in trauelling to winne you to the true waie of eternall life but onelie to laie open his errours and abuses to the worlde indifferentlie that such as haue eares to heart maie heare and such as are not wilfullie blinde maie see and satisfie themselues accordinglie yet if either by example or persuasions I maie stirre you vp to the straighter examination of your consciences and better consideration of the groundes of your religion togither with more aduised deliberation how you giue credit to mens counsailes or enter into their confederacies and consequentlie into your owne destructions I shall thinke my selfe of all thinges that euer happened or can happen to mee most happie in this that it hath pleased God to make me the meanes of so happie an effect to you Of whom I will therefore thinke it no skorne to craue euen vpon the knees of my heart onely that which you ought your selues to yeelde mee of your owne accord beeing a thing no waie possiblie hurtfull but likelie manie waies beneficiall vnto you that is that you will onelie bee content for a time to laie aside all affection partialitie and preiudicate opinion and to reade with indifferencie weigh with aduisement and with vprightnes to iudge of that litle which shall be most faithfullie deliuered vnto you I will not in truth neither can I if I would denie my selfe to bee of that religion wherein I haue been bred and brought vp euen from mine infancie that is the true ancient Catholike and Apostolike religion professed in the Church of England which the Romanists do so much impugne and so earnestlie endeuour to supplant But as I doe confesse my selfe most stedfastlie to holde that Religion and therein to stand fullie resolued so do I vnfainedlie protest that since I came to the yeares of reason and discretion to conceiue what Religion was I neuer held anie opinion obstinatelie
of as much credit authority with them as Pythagoras had with his followers that would beleue whatsoeuer he said without any reasō or further enquiry of the matter thought it a sufficient cause to alleage also vnto others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he said so If D. Allen haue brought his Catholikes so much to the bēt of his bow he may be bold to tell them that the soule which was in the Coblers cocke after many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is crept at the lēgth into his body But in matters of conscience saluation or dānation as he saith these are let such as haue a conscience looke to their consciences not hazarde their saluation or dānation vpon his word but leane vnto reason seek to informe themselues rightly of the truth For if it be true as it is most true that Christ saith If the blind lead the blind they fall both into the pit which he meaneth of those that are blind indeede of ignorance much more shall it be true being meant of them that are wilfully blinde of obstinacie and desire not to see that both the leader the follower shall fall into the bottomlesse pit of euerlasting destruction BBut let vs now come to the very point and purpose whereunto this cunning pamphlet of D. Allens appeareth wholy to tend for he were very simple of a shallow reach that woulde thinke that D. Allen had not a further meaning herein then to satisfie the consciences of Sir William Stanley and his complices touching the lawfulnes of their giuing vp of Deuenter especially when he had before as he saith himselfe deliuered his opinion by his letters to Sir W. Stanley therevpon and therefore needed the lesse to go about to resolue them againe which were neuer vnresolued in that point besides euen in this pamphlet which he pretendeth to write onely for their resolution spēdeth least part of his time labour or cunning in that argument neither iustifieth their action in any sort but onely with bare wordes voide of weight or substance as hath bene sufficiently shewed but rather by his owne reasons disalloweth reproueth it leaueth it in the midst more doubtful indefēsible then before leaping into an other argument inuectiue against her Maiestie her doings of her excōmunication deposition by the Pope from thence to a perswasion of her liege people to reuolte from their obedience and allegeance vnto her Whereby he plainely bewrayeth euen more cleere and manifest then the light of the Sunne to all men of any meane vnderstanding yea to him that hath but halfe an eie that his verie direct ende and purpose was wholy to prepare the mindes of the Romish Recusants such as are apt hearers readie followers of his doctrine for the furtherance and assistance of all seditious practises that maie bee mooued and attempted against her Maiestie by the malicious Associates of that wicked confederacie and especially of the most iniurious inuasion long since conspired and complotted and now presently prouided to bee put in execution against her Maiestie and her Realme by the K. of Spaine the Pope and their Adherents And to this purpose wholy was this Pamphlet of D. Allens intended and the other Theme touching the rendring of Deuenter enterteined onlie for an introduction therunto Wherin whether he haue had anie wrong offred him in resembling him to Sinon whom he hath so truely represented herein I referre to the iudgement of the Romish Catholikes themselues that hold him in greatest reuerence Who how soeuer they are affected towardes him for Religions sake yet if there be anie sparke of true honor English valour or loue of their Countrie in them as I trust and assure my selfe there is I doubt not but looking into and well foreseeing the end of his purposes they will vtterly abhorre his vnnaturall practises But marke I praie you the order hee obserueth to attaine vnto his intent First to drawe her Maiestie into discredit and disliking with all men and consequently with her subiects whereby they maie bee the more easilie incited against her hee defameth all her most noble princelie and Religious actions vndertaken for the reliefe of her poore oppressed neighbours by the name of publike robberies and sacrilegious warres against God and his Church Secondly to giue them some encouragement and warrant as it were whereby they maie be the bolder to disobey and to renounce their due allegeance and seruice vnto her Maiestie hee teacheth them that since her Excommunication and Deposition by the Pope shee hath no iust title or interest vnto her Crowne and Kingdome nor anie power or authoritie ouer them to command them but that they are euer since that time freelie discharged from all duetie and allegeance vnto her Maiestie nay further that no act done by her authoritie since the publication of that Excommunication Deposition hath beene or can be lawfull by the law of God or man and therefore that no man may lawfully serue her in any action be it otherwise neuer so iust Whereupon he runneth into an earnest persuasion of reuolt to withdraw her Subiects from her seruice and exhort them to the seruice of the Romish Catholike partie and her enemies What blasphemous slanders prodigious affirmations impudent lies and deuilish persuasions are these and how farre vnbeseeming the name profession and calling of a Diuine But what is there so honest and godlie that D. Allen will not defame what so false and incredible that hee will not affirme what so wicked and abhominable that hee will not perswade It had been far fitter for D. Allen to haue dealt with his Portis and let alone the names and doings of Princes If hee had been as busie in his booke and as carefull of those thinges which belong to his vocation he might haue sought out more Diuinitie to satisfie the Consciences of his Catholike Soldiers and with more credit or probabilitie at the least defended their action then he hath done And as vnfit as it was for him to call in question the names and dooings of Princes so vnmeet were it for mee and repugnant to all good discretion to presume to enter into their defense of whose actions I am neither able nor worthie to speake sufficiently for their worthines whose sacred Maiestie and authoritie deriued from the high Gouernor of the world is as the brightnes of the Sunne shining in his greatest perfection not to bee gazed on by our dazled eies ought to be a shield of protection to all their dooings against the curious scanning and venimous detraction of malicious monsters Wherefore I wil not dare to meddle so much as with the mention of their names or actions whom God hath ordeined to represent his owne power and authoritie ouer vs here on earth without former crauing of pardon with all humilitie that I maie bee licenced onlie to examine the truth nay the detestable falshood of
to encounter their wicked proceedings and to hinder the kingdome of Antichrist did put himselfe forwarde to reprooue their errors rebuke their abuses and sincerely to teach the word of God and due administration of the Sacraments according to the true institution of Christ and the doctrine of the Apostles and the Primitiue Church endeuouring to communicate vnto all men the knowledge of the trueth they forthwith condemned him for an Authour of new doctrine a sower of sedition and to make him the more odious vnto the world proclaimed him for an Heretike thundring out their Bulles excommunications and curses against him and all to the ende that men might not incline to him nor giue anie credit or regard to his teaching whereby they might come to the knowledge of the Scriptures and to the discouering of their Popish abuses and impostures Now whē they see these policies no lōger auaile thē but that mighty Princes whole Natiōs mooued by the invvard vvorking of the holie Spirite haue caught hold of and embraced the light of the Gospel and thereby haue begun to descry their iugling and tromperie and to fall away from their obedience they flie now from policie to plaine force and ioyne the one with the other and fall to inciting not only of naturall borne subiects but of forreine Princes and nations to ioyne in armes against the defenders of the true ancient Catholike and Apostolike Faith only to the intent to reduce them to their former subiection and obedience and to establish their owne Antichristian Monarchie And what other meanes vse they to drawe them to the accomplishment of their vngodly and woorse then barbarous designements but euen their ancient and accustomed policie and practise of deceit seducing them with false doctrine and persuading them those thinges to bee most lawfull honourable and necessarie to bee done vpon paine of damnation which are expresly forbidden by the word of God And can anie man then bee so senseles as to bee mooued by their persuasions seeing how first they haue noozled them in ignorance and barred them the meanes whereby they might haue come to the knowledge to bee able to discerne of trueth and falshood only to the intent to binde them wholy to the beleeuing of their traditions and now hauing so Captiued their vnderstandings and iudgements with blindnes as either they haue not the knowledge to descry their abuses or at the least haue it wholy restrained to the credit of their doctrine forbeare not to impose vpon them anie falshood that may further their ambitious purposes There is no man but knoweth that the plaine and simple Truth which is euer able to iustifie it selfe craueth no credit nor feareth to be sifted to the vttermost but it is falshood that seeketh corners and vseth policie to creepe into credit and refuseth to come to open triall And why should then the Romish Church recommend ignorance vnto the people and leade them on in blindnesse with their own traditions restraining from them the reading and knowledge of the Scriptures which is the true touchstone of Religion if their doctrine were pure and sounde and able to abide the touch Christ biddeth all men search the Scriptures why should they then forbid or hinder anie man to reade the Scriptures but that they know the Scriptures condemne both their doctrine and dooings and therefore feare to haue their falshood and wickednes discouered Wherein they doe most of all and most euidently condemne themselues to the iudgement of all men in whom there is anie iote of iudgement or common sense bewraying themselues to bee the children of darkenes not of the light The blinde leaders of the blinde Wolues in Sheepes cloathing And what better marke seeke ye to know them by then the same verie marke whereby Christ himselfe hath notified them vnto you that is by their fruites their pride their ambition their malice their deceit their imposture their falshood their prophanesse to conclude their plaine Atheisme And can you notwithstanding all these notes of them giuen you by Christ beleeue them or suffer your selues to be seduced by them But mee thinkes I doe euen see D. Allen himselfe proceeding on with the rest of Dauus his part and saying to the Pope his Maister Deceptus sum at non defatigatus Hac non successit alia aggrediamur via I am disappointed of my purpose but not weary of my worke Since this trick hath not serued our turne let vs trie another In trueth I doubt nothing of his good will nor of his endeuour neither yet of the readines of the rest of that crue to pursue this argument for neither is this the first assault that D. Allen hath giuen to the subiects fidelitie and obedience neither is D. Allen the first and onely Champion that hath striken the first blow in so bad a quarrell though none of them euer yet answered the encounter But the best hope is let him or anie other giue the assaie againe when and as often as they lust I trust they shall bee still disappointed and in the ende weery or cleane worne out and when they haue attempted all the waies they can they shall bee as wise as they were in the beginning and in the beginning midst and ending neerer to their owne ende then to the ende of their purpose For God will neuer giue successe to so godles an enterprise As for this slender push of D. Allens Pamphlet I hope there is not the holowest hart of all her Maiesties subiects in whom there is either feare of God sense of reason or regard of his owne safetie but that hauing seene his weake forces his brittle weapons his false fiers and counterfeit engines is sufficiently armed in himselfe with his owne honestie faith and loyaltie to abide and withstand and this feeble and forcelesse batterie But what shall I now saie to M. Allen and the rest of our fugitiue Countreymen that haue left their Souereigne their Countrie and their duetie altogither especially such as haue not onelie left them but doe maliciously stirre vp all the meanes they can to ouerthrow destroy and vtterly deface them Shall I whet my selfe wholy to inueigh against them I know their deedes haue not only deserued it but doe iustly prouoke me and euerie good subiect vnto it But I will vse Charitie euen where it is not to bee shewed Shall I then in Charitie reprooue them I would they were as willing to heare reproofe and as readie to bee reformed as they haue been charitably friendly and brotherly admonished Shall I labour to exhort and perswade them to the consideration of their duetie the repentaunce of their grieuous offences committed againste their Souereigne and Countrey and restauration of their due obedience and fidelitie I feare I shall but loose my labour to cry to them Resipiscite conuertimini Be wise and turne their eares are so close stopped their hearts so