e sacraments I hope yee wil iustify the whole by your owne law hee that is shorne Priest by your owne decrees first must haue a title to wit he must be entitled to some proper place cure or liuinge without ranginge Circumcellion wyse abroade I will not here stād to distinguishe of titles The councel of Calcedon hath decreede Neminem absolute iubemus ordinari presbyterum neque diaconū neque quēlibet in ecclesiastica ordinatione constitutū nisi manifeste in ecclesia siue ciuitatis siue possessionis aut in martyrio aut in monasterio hic qui ordinatur mereatur ordinationis publicae vocabulum eos autem qui absolute ordinantur decreuit Sancta Synodus vacuam habere manus impositionem nullum tale factum valere ad iniuria ipsius qui eū ordinauit vve commaund that none bee made priest absolutelye as your order is neither deacon neither anye other vvithin Ecclesiasticall orders vnlesse that manifestly in the Church eyther of citye or of patrimonye or in the martyrie or in the mōasterie he which is ordred by publickly intitled as touchig thē y t are absolutely ordred the Holy Synod hath decreed that their laing on of handes bee voyde and that no suche acte henceforth should be of force to the reproch of him that ordred such a one Agayne y e coūcyll sūmoned at Placētia by pope Vrba hath cōtrary to your order established as Gratian the Rapsodist hath alleaged saying sāctorū canonūstatutis cōsona sāctione decernimus vt sine titulo facta ordinatio irrita habeatur in qua ecclesia quilibet intitulatus est in ea perpetuo perseueret According vnto the rules of holy canons vvith like consent vve deeree that the ordering of priestes vvithout title be voyd and that euery one continually be resident in the church vvhere he is intitled Againe Vnusquisque secundū Apostolicā vocem in quo vocatus est in hoc debet manere in vna locari ecclesia Euery one according vnto the saying of the Apostle must abide vvherein he is called and be placed in one Church The reasō of this title is that euery priest should haue somwhat to sticke vnto if it pleased god to visit him with infirmity or blindnes that he became not a burthen vnto the church the which in my simple opinion you should deepely consider For if God layd blindnes vpon you who should leade you out of the land Secondly the ecclesiasticall law forbiddeth one bishop to intermedle with an others diocesse one pastor may not busy himself with an others flocke one vicar or curat may not examine an others charge and are ye come from your prouost in Rome to play the priest and the preacher here in England without orderly admission your law sayth nulli sacerdotum licet alterius parochianum ligare vel soluere It is not lavvfull for any priest to bynd or loose that is to excommunicate or absolue an others parishioner The auncient ecclesiasticall histories doe record the greate whurliburly at Constantinople betweene Chrysostome and Epiphanius and all about the breach of the breach of the canons of the Church in this behalfe not obserued when as Epiphanius bishop of Cōstantia in Cyprus encroched vpon y e iurisdiction of Chrysostome archbishop of Constantinople Epiphanius in the name of Chrysostome is thus charged Multa contra canones agis Epiphani primum quod ministros ecclesiae ordinas in ecclesijs quae sunt in mea diocesi deinde quod antequam erat tibi a me potestas permissa tua ipsius autoritate sacra mysteria celebrasti contra cum eras a me inuitatus renuisti ac rursus iam tibi ipse facis potestatē Thou doest many things o Epiphanius contrary to the canons of the church first in that thou madest Ministers in the Churches vvhich are vvithin my diocesse secondly in that before I had licensed thee of thine ovvne autority thou hast celebrated the holy misteries of the other side vvhen I offred thee curtesy thou didest refuse it and novv again of thine ovvne head thou geuest autority to thy selfe The conclusion directed vnto him I referre presently to you to consider of Vide igitur ne situmultus ob eam causam in populo oboriatur periculū inde in tuum ipsius caput redundet Take heede therefore least therof rise any tumult amonge the people and the perill or daunger there hence light vpon thine ovvne pate Take w tall the behauiour of Epiphanius for saith the story quae cum Epiphanius audiuisset perculsus metu decedit ab ecclesia VVhych thynges vvhen Epiphanius had heard he vvas stricken vvyth feare and departed oute of the church I would wish here that ye learned wit of Epiphanius The Iesuite I Neuer had minde and I am straitly forbidden by our sayd Father that sent mee to deale in any respecte with matters of state or pollicy of this realme as thinges appertayning not to my vocation and from which I doe gladly restrayne and sequester my thoughtes The aunswere IF you bee wise holde you there But yet I feare mee they are but wordes full of falsehoode and deceit where one thinge is sayde in word and the contrary founde in practise and in deede In religion I take you for a Romanist a fauorer of y e Pope a furthrer of his practises Hee hath set y e mother against her own sonne the sonne to take armour against his owne Father the Subiect agaynste the Prynce and the Princes together at mortall warres Hee hath deposed Kyngs Emperours hee translated Empires he treades vpō Prynces Neckes hee takes Scepters and Crownes frō Kyngs heads and trāpleth them vnder foote he taketh frō others y t which is their right geueth away y t which is none of his own the late enterprise in Ireland is a witnes of part thereof Either renounce the Pope these his wicked dealings or confesse your selfe a dissembler But you will say yee come as a priuate man to cōferre in matters of religion to preach to teach and to dispute you wish the Prynce woulde geue yee the eare you craue y e Coūsaile to be attentiue y e maisters Doctors and chosen men of both Uniuersities you cull for your auditors What woulde yee entreat of without impayring of the state what discourse will yee vse w tout preiudice to the gouernment what Religion would yee establishe without derogatiō to the Lawes of y e Realme pollicie of the Land If yee perswade her Maiesties louing Subiects to a mislikinge of y e Religion receaued you cause Schisme Tumult cōspiracy and Rebellion if yee pleade the Popes supremacie it is the Pryce of your heade if yee deface the truthe of the Gospell preached here in England you wilbe founde a blasphemer of God and an enemy of his worde Nowe I woulde heare what message yee can bringe wythout intermedling with matters of state and pollicie If yee haue found beyond the Seas a platforme for
THE GREAT bragge and challenge of M. Champion a Iesuite cōmonlye called Edmunde Campion latelye arriued in Englande contayninge nyne articles here seuerallye laide downe directed by him to the Lordes of the Counsail cōfuted aunswered by Meredith Hanmer M. of Art and Student in Diuinitie INPRINTED at London in Fletstreate nere vnto Sayncte Dunstons Church by Thomas Marsh. 1581. TO THE RIGHT HONORABL SIR THOMAS Bromley Knight lorde Chaunceler of Englande VVilliam L. Burleigh and Lord Treasorer Rob ert Earle of Leicester Edward Earle of Lyncolne with the rest of her Maiestyes most honourable Counsayle continuaunce of healthe encrease of honoure and all Heauenlye wisedome WHereas Right Honorable there came lately into my hands an insolēt bragge or challēge contayning nyne poyntes or articles and subscribed by M. Champion a Iesuite and as he calleth himselfe a Priest of the Catholike faith latelye arriued here in Englande and the same directed vnto-your Honours by waye of humble sute and petition I thought it my duety vnder your Lordships fauoure and correction to peruse the same to scanne his drift and to answeare his bragges and challenge as farre forth as it concernes my degree and the common weale of the Clergie of England His petition is to your honours for fauoure his quarell is to the Clergie for Religion and his drift as farforth as yet it may bee perceiued is to seduce her Maiestyes louing and faythfull Subiectes with showe of Catholike Priesthood and profession Vnto your honours he directed the Challenge to be receiued and vnto your honours with all humility I send it answered submitting my selfe and the whole to your wisedomes fauorable interpretations It is no new deuise but an old practice of Satan thus to send forth his wicked spirites to sow tares among the wheat who wayting all opportunity not daring in the clere light and broad day to work his feats doth it by stelth and in the night season when men sleepe in the security of Sinne wherfore the Kinge ruleth the Priest prayeth the husbandman ploweth euery one in his calling is to serue the Lord and that in watchfulnes My selfe as the simplest togeather with my bretherne of the Clergie we I say ioyntlye are greatlye bound to render vnto God harty thankes and praises for the vertuous peaceable and prosperous raigne of our soueraygne Lady the Quenes maiesty in whose blessednes we are blessed in whose peace we enioy quietnes and of whose vertue and piety we are partakers Her temperall swerd aduaunceth the swerd of the Spirite which is the worde of God and the messengers therof are shielded vnder her shadow and countenaunce As Daniell sayed of his Lorde and Mayster the Kinge so say wee dayly and hourely of our Lady and Mistres the Queene O noble Queene liue for euer Secondlye wee blesse God for your honours and instantly craue the continuance of your health with the encrease of all heauenly knowledge in your calling to countenaunce vnder her Maiesty the preaching of Gods worde to commaund the buildinge of his church and to roote out those that goe aboute to destroy the vineyarde of the Lord. And presently touching the challenge of this bragging Champion in the name of my fellow laborers and brethren of the Clergie I refer the determination therof vnto your Lordships so that if you graunt it either priuately or publiquely he shall bee disputed withall His bragge is but bumbast their religion is in showe not in substance they haue wordes and not truth I will not presume to craue licence for him but hartely wish with the Apostle that they were cut of which molest vs and the quiet state of the Church of England Thirdly in brotherly loue I am to desire of her Maiesties louing subiects not lightly to credite such insolēt brags not vnaduisedly to receiue such wandrers from Rome but in the feare of God to beholde what is and hath bene sayd for the truth and to cleaue fast vnto the word of God And so I ceasse further to trouble your Lordships but with remembraunce of my humble duty I pray vnto the lord long to blesse preserue your Honors From London the second of Ianuarie 1580. Your L. most humble at commaundemēt Meredith Hanmer TO M. CHAMPION THE Challenger Meredith Hanmer the Answerer sendeth greetinge YOur scroles of lesse credite in myne opinion thē sybilles leaues lately flowen abrode fell vppon an hollowe Reede and sounded the contentes and secrecy thereof Rex Midas habet aures Asininas We know you well ynough and your profession better We see by your methode how yee handle your matter we gather by your Pilgrimage your profite in studye Stultus populus quaerit Romam I woulde wish yee dealte playnlye cast of the Popes pelte discouer the sonne of Semiramis who was a naturall I would heare not a Romanist but an Englishman speake Your person in brotherly loue I am to embrace but the dregges of idolatrye you dranke at Rome I vtterlye deteste Leaue of that whiche your owne friendes wil mislyke in you put on modestye come not to confute but to be confirmed and when ye haue sayd all confesse Nihil est iam dictum quod non sit dictum prius Proceede not in wilfulnes it is hard to kicke agaynst the pricke the trueth is great and it preuayleth if yee will struggle in the limetwigge of follye you wil be the further from flying if ye swim agaynst the streame yee shal but labor in vayne if yee play the Champion and thus challenge all the Protestantes yt passeth your strength yee must nedes fall you know ne Hercules contra duos and yet Champion agaynst all if it would please ye to construe these few liues togeather with myne answeare in the better parte I shall haue the better cause to like of you if otherwyse well I may take thoughte but it shal greue me not a Iote if yee haue licence to dispute ye shalbe disputed withall if yee write yee shalbe answeared If ye recant ye shal be ioyfully receiued VALE M. Hanmer the aunswerer vnto the Christian Reader THe meanes that Satan vseth to deceaue Gods people are infinite good christian Reader his illusions are stronge his chaine hath manye linkes and runneth to greate length hee transformeth himselfe to an Angell of Light and al to delude the simple christians His power is ouer the children of vnbeliefe his kingdome wide and his subiectes many An Aegyptian Sorcerer drevv after him as Luke writeth foure thousande Iewes as Iosephus saith thirty thousand Barchochebas calling himselfe a stare had as Eusebius writeth fiftye thousand follovvers There are heathens and infidels that cannot be numbred The number of Turkes and Saracens is in finite the Arrians deceaued thousandes and the Church of Rome at this day with the goldē cup of idolatry and abhomination maketh drunk the inhabitants of the earrh And whereas these Romanistes of a long time hauinge receaued honor reuerence good opiniō because of their holy orders now
being commaunded to wayte the Lords comyng on y e Mounte as the story sayth The Lord went ouer a great mighty winde shauing the Mountaynes and renting the Rockes but the Lord was not in the Wynd after the Wynd came there an Earthquake but the Lorde was not in the Earthquake and after the Earthquake there caÌ„e a Fyre but the Lord was not in the Fyre and after the fire there came a still soft or mylde hissing and there was the Lord. My minde I doubt not but you perceaue and now to y e poyncts in order as you haue placed them The Iesuite I Confesse that I am albeit vnworthy a Priest of the Catholicke church and through the greate mercy of God vowed now this eyght yeres into the Society of Iesus and thereby haue taken vpon mee a speciall kynde of warrefare vnder the Banner of obedience and eke resigned all my interest and possibility of wealth honour and pleasure wyth other worldly Felicities The aunswere IN these words yee geue vs to vnderstande your â—yrâ—e your Order your state and condicion You begin wyth Confiteor yeelding a shewe of modesty by confessinge your vnworthines The 〈◊〉 inferre a vehement suspicion lest that your reader should long stand in suspeÌ„ce you display your banner and vncouer your nakednes Wee finde you a Priest no â—orce Of the Catholike church not amisse if it be true A Iesuite as you write Of the Society of Iesus You bewray your selfe wheÌ„ as vnder the faire name of Iesus you haue together with your complices lately found out a fond order neuer heard of the space of fifteene hundred and odde yeares after Christ. Here I am to warne my Brethren and Countrey men that they take heede they be not deceiued by meanes of you and such as you are entitliÌ„g your selfe a Priest of the Catholick faith and for the further aduauÌ„cement of your credite to father your felowship vpon Iesus Wee know that Waspes haue Honye Combes as well as Bees wicked men haue companies like to the Church of God your brethren of the societye or Family of Loue haue a Glorious title but we find them a detestable sect of Hereticks of like antiquity with your order they are not straight way the people of God which are called the people of God neyther be they all Israelites as many as are come of Israel the Father The Arrians were Heretickes yet bragged that they alone were Catholickes calling the true professors Ambrosians Athanasians IohaÌ„nits as you do nowe call the professours of the Gospel Lutherans Zuinglians Caluinists c. Nestorius y e Heretick sayith Theodoret cloked his falsehoode with the coloure of truth Ebion beyng in opinion a Samaritane yet sayth Epiphanius would hee be called a Christian. The Turkes comming by lineall discent of Agar the bondwoman yet sayth Sozomenus will they be called Saracens of Sara Abrahams true lawful wyfe The Spirit in the Reuelation reporteth of some how they call themselues Ievves yet testifyeth he they are the Synagoge of Satan The Pharisies told Christ they had Abraham to theyr father yet affyrmeth Christ they were of their father the Deuill Looke vnto your selfe that ye be not in a wrong boxe for assure your selfe vnlesse we fynd your doctrine Catholike wee will not allowe of your title You bleare the eies of y e simple with mouthing the Church the Catholicke Church our holy mother the Church Not vnlike the vayne guyse of Hipocriticall professors in the time of Ieremie who had in their mouthes The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord but in their harts thâ— idole groue of the deuill you are therein to be aduysed with them trust not in false lying vvords saying 〈◊〉 is the temple of the Lorde c. they shall not auayle you Here you tel vs of your order a fayre shew without but a foule shame when the secrecy therof is opened It is a new order new maysters newe men new lawes new leaders the deuil is an old knaue and now he hath put on a new coate we are forewarned that if an Angell from Heauen should bryng vnto vs any other Gospell any other Christ or christiaÌ„ order theÌ„ we haue already receyued we should shun him Bevvare of false Prophets saith Christ for many vvil come in my name saying I am Christ or as you say of the society of Iesus deceiue many if any say vnto you here is Christ in this order or that order beleue them not If they saye vnto you behold he is in the desert in this Cell or y t Cell in this rocke or that rocke in this vale or that vale goe not after them or if they say behold hee is in the secrete closet or inner chamber in City Towre Temple Chappel Ile Aulter Shryne c. beleue them not And now with your pacience I will blaze the armes of your order the antiquitye of your house the originall of your lyne progresse of your society whom your selues call Iesuits the Printer shal play the crier publish the same if ye please in our natiue soyle sweete country of EnglaÌ„d to the knowledge of y e posterity yet for more indifferency let an other speak for vs both Ther was saith Martinus CheÌ„nizius a certain Souldier by name Ignatius Layola as Pantaleon wryteth CaÌ„taber a spaniard of Biskay who being at y e siege of Pompeiopolis was shot throughe both shankes with a Gunne and returning into his countrey made away with that litle which he had and determined with himself theÌ„ceforth to lead a straict and austere kynd of lyfe and consideringe with himself that Learning and knowledge auayled much to further his enterprise purpose hee got him to Paris where he studied as it is reported the space of ten yeares and linked vnto him in that space ten associats or coÌ„panions of his new-founde order and deuysed trade of life At the tenth yeares end with his tenne coÌ„panioÌ„s he returned into Spayne in the yere of our Lord 1536. The yeare followinge to wit 1537. they came to Rome crauing the Popes Bul a faculty to goe a pilgrimage to Ierusalem there to visite as they signifyed y e holy places They toke their voiage to Venice and then as storyes record the Turkes warred with the Venetians and trauaylinge was so daungerous that they were disappoynted of theyr iourney Immediatlye they alter theyr mindes and determine to geue them selues to preaching Whereuppon the Popes Legate oyled after the Romish manner and shore Priestes seuen of them and gaue them licence freely and in all places to preach to heare confessioÌ„ and to minister the Sacramentes In the yere 1540. through the help of Cardinal Contarenus they made sute vnto Pope Paulus 3. that that order of theirs might by his autority be coÌ„firmed Paulus 3. grauÌ„ted theyr request ratifyed theyr order with this prouiso that the number of theyr society exceeded not 60. This Pope afterward
vs the perill of disobedience saying They verely vvhich resist purchace vnto themselues damnation Notwithstanding all the premises and the strayct iniunctions of y e holy Ghost you haue left your natiue soyle neglected your obedience vnto the truth of Gods worde and forgotten your loyalty and subiectioÌ„ vnto her Royall maiesty and her godly proceedinges Do yee not knowe that power ordinaÌ„ce and gouernment is of God the Prynce sitteth in Gods chayre the prynce beareth not the svvord in vayn As God is a Ielous God so he wil not haue y e honor loue feare and seruice due vnto him done to any other Haue you forgotten that euer yee read of the Ielousy of Prynces ouer their Subiects What is y e pope a friend to EnglaÌ„d is your Prouost a fauorer of her maiesty were your coÌ„panions her louers What are you your selfe w t your patience be it demaunded had yee licence to passe ouer now yee are comebacke what obedience do you shew Let it not grieue you y t I thus examine your estate Yee are as you say a Iesuite your Prouost and Controller is at Rome You are as it may bee gathered become his seruant and sworn subiect Sainct Paule geueth good counsaile if ye would follow it Yee are bought with price make not your selues slaues vnto men Saynct Ambrose expouÌ„deth y e same serui hominum hij sunt qui humanisse subijciunt superstitionibus They are the slaues of men that make theÌ„selues subiect to mens superstitioÌ„s This holy father geueth yet a further light vnto the Apostles wordes saying The Apostle nowe remeÌ„breth that which he rebuked in the beginning of his Epistle because they would say I holde of Paule an other I holde of Apollo and you hold of your Prouost hee of the Pope the Pope of y e deuill Alphonsus de Castro one of your own crew calleth y e like obedience Miserimam seruitutem a most vvretched slauery where some addict them selues to Thomas some to Scotus some to Occam so that thereof they are called Thomists Scotists Occamists you with y e Turkes refusing Agar chusing Sara take skorne to be called Ignatians of Ignatius your lame leader call your selues Iesuites and swere fealty to your Romish Prouost The iudgemeÌ„t of Alphonsus in this poinct is grounded vppon the Apostle where he sayth Paule hath commaunded vs saith he to submit our vnderstanding but vnto the obedience of Chryst not vnto the obedience of men Secondly as touching the opynion you haue in your generall your vvarrant as yee say from heuen and Oracle from Christ Deceaue not your selfe in trustinge to a rotten staffe Harken what Ierome sayth Si quis hominem qui sanctus non est sanctum esse crediderit dei cum iunxerit societati christum violat cuius membra sumus If any maÌ„ belieue that man to be holy that is not holy and will ioyne hym to Gods company hee doth villany to Christ whose members vvee are He is no Iuppiter Hammon Dodonaeus Heliopolitanus Nicephorius of Mesopotamia hee is no Oracle of Apollo in Delphis Branchida Larissa Lycia the Ile Delos nor Daphne y t deceaued thousands he sits not to geue answeres in the temple of Serapis in Canopus neyther in the temple of Pasiphae neither in y e teÌ„ple of Aesculapius among y e Pergamits Narbaca of the Hyrcans Aridalus of the Traezenians Apis in Aegypt All these Oracles are silent now onely doth yours geue answeres If the reader looke that philosophy should yeelde him the cause of their silence I referre him to Plutarch who discourseth thereof in his booke de Oraculis quae obmutueruÌ„t and agayne in hys booke Cur Pythia versibus non respondeat amplius But leauing him to his philosophicall conclusions chrystian Relligion directeth vs and fully resolueth that the power of Gods woorde preuayled so much that as a great light expellinge Mist and darknes the mouthes of all wicked spirites were stopped heathen Oracles ceased in steede thereof Satan now sendeth forth Romishe spirites vnder colour of Religion to carry away in ignoraunce as many as will credit their lyinge Oracles Your Prouost is no seer of Israell he is no Samuel vnder the Ephod hee is no Moses on the Mount hee is no Aaron with Vrim and Thummim hee is no Arke with the Tables of God the rod of Aaron neyther wyth the golden Pot of Manna that you shoulde put such confidence in him We perceaue welinough what hee is one sitting in the synagoge of Satan and offring sacrifice in the temple of Antichrist at Rome Moreouer you signifie vnto vs that hee is not onely your Oracle but also your warrant from heauen This you barely affirme without warrant of Gods word This dealing inferreth a vehement suspicion it hath bene Satans practise of olde for the further aduauncement of his purpose Mercurius gaue the Aegyptians lawes receaued as he sayth of the God Mena Zamolxis to y t Getae and Thracians from the Goddesse Vesta Lycurgus to the Lacedaemonians from Appollo Delphieus Solon to the Athenians Zaleucus to the Locretians Philolaus to the Thebans Minos to the Cretians from Iuppiter Numa Pompilius had conference w t the Goddesse Aegeria the Lady Pallas directed the Troians and as Lactantius writeth Cabyrius y e Macedonians Vrana the Carthaginians Faunus y e Latines Saucus the Sabinians Iuno the Samnites Venus y e Paphites and all as they would make vs belieue proceeded from some God or Goddesse The Turke also as he saith receaued his Alcoran from heauen In like sort hath your Prouost his autority from heauen The Pope deceaued him he deceaued you and nowe you goe about to deceaue others The gift of prophecying in the iudgmeÌ„t of the learned is done away extraordinary callyng is either very rare or not at all working of miracles is ceased and in the iudgment of Chrysostome If there be any such it is rather founde amonge the false christians Wherfore if either your Prouost or you haue eny warrant from heauen for the establishing of any such order bring it forth out of Gods word or else yee are not to bee belieued Chrysostome telleth vs flatly Antea enim multis modis osteÌ„debatur quae esset Ecclesia christi quae Gentilitas nunc autem nullo modo cognoscitur volentibus cognoscere quae sit vera ecclesia christi nisi â—antummodo per scripturas In times past it was shewed by many wayes which was the church of Christe and what paganisme but now it is known no maner of way of them that will vnderstande which is the true church of Christe but only by the scriptures Your brethren of y e romish church haue fathered their orders vpon visions dreames myracles and apparitions and thereby deluded thousandes Nauclerus writeth of Pope Hildebrand called Gregory the seuenth how that lying at the poinct of death Protestatus est coraÌ„ omnibus vt cauerent ab hominibus siue
viris siue mulieribus sub specie religionis loquentibus visiones sui capitis quia per tales ipse seductus He made a solempne protestation before all that vvere preseÌ„t that they should take heede of people vvere they men or vvere they vvomen that gaue forth the dreames visioÌ„s of their ovvne brayne for by such he him selfe had bene deceaued Old father Gerson Chaunceler sometimes of Paris tryeth out agaynst the abuse of that corrupte tyme which receiued sectes and orders by dreames visions without warrant of gods word Frier Alphonsus is in a pelting chafe with such as geue credit to mens workes as if they were Oracles from aboue and geue them that honor which is due vnto the sacred scriptures Non enim iurauimus sayeth hee in verba hominis sed in verba dei VVe haue not vovved the truth of mans vvord but of gods vvord Thirdly in this vayne hope and confidence you repose in your fained order you trauel from countrey to countrey which is greatly to be lamented as ye report your selfe from Prage to Rome from Rome to England I am affraid lest the story of the wicked spyrit in the Gospell bee fulfilled in you where it is said VVhen the vncleane spyrit is gone out of a man hee vvalketh through dâ—y places seeking rest and findeth none Then saith hee I vvill turne agayne into my house from vvhence I vveÌ„t out and vvhen he commeth he findeth it empty svvepte and garnished Then goeth he his vvay and taketh vnto him seuen other spirits vvorse then himself vvheÌ„ they are entred in they dvvell there the end of that man is vvorse then the beginning Ye haue wandred farre and nigh and passed through dry places as Chrysostome expoundeth homines aridos qui nondum pluuiam euangelicae doctrinae susceperunt in se dry men vvho as yet haue not receiued into their breasts the deavv of gods vvorde in the gospell You haue visited that Romish babyloÌ„ that great citie vvhich beareth rule ouer the kings of the earth You haue beheld her seuen hils described in the reuelation I doubt not but you shaked hands with Antichrist and swore vnto hym obedyence saluo vestro ordine as the maner is vpoÌ„ the sole of his foote What neede I repeat vnto you the abhominations which you haue seene reporte them your selfe tell the truth and shame the deuil Iohannes Sarisburiensis sayth In ecclesia Romana sedent Scribae et Pharisae The scribes and pharises sit in the church of Rome It is a very dry soyle for Nicolaus Lyra aboue two hundred and fifty yeres agoe sayd of that Seea Ab ecclesia Romana iam diu est quod recessit gratia It is longe sithence the grace of god is departed from the churche of Rome Cornelius bishop of Bitonto lamented that the clergie of Rome vvas fallen from christ to Antichriste Franciscus Petrarcha calleth Rome the vvhore of Babylon the mother of all Idolatry and Fornication and sayth further that all shame and reuerence is quite departed from thence That it is become a schole of error and a temple of heresy Iohannes Episcopus ChemeÌ„sis one of your own saith Ecce Roma nunc est vorago et mammon inferni vbi diabolus totius auaritiae capitaneus residet Behold Rome is now the gulfe and Mammon of the infernall lake Where the Deuell head and general or chieftaine of all auarice is resident Agayn Sedes bestiae id est ecclesiae peruersae est in curiae Romana The seate of the beast that is of the wicked church is in the court of Rome O miserable Rome saith a bishop of your owne Which in the time of our elders hast brought forth the lightes of worthy fathers but in our daies hast brought forth monstruous darknes shamefull and slaunderous to the time to come Petrus BeÌ„bus sayth Romae est sentina pessimoruÌ„ hominuÌ„ totius orbis Rome is a sinke of most pestilent varlets and of the whole World Luther confesseth I would not for a great summe of Money but that I had seene Rome otherwise I shoulde haue stood in great feare least that I had misreported ought of them But what I saw that speake I and testify and cry out with Mantuan Viuere qui sancte cupitis discedite Romae Omnia cum liceant non licet esse bonum Fly Rome all yee that meane a life in holinesse to leade Though all yee may yet bard is this the godly way to treade Agayne Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis ara Cynaedis Seruit honorandae diuûm Ganymedibus Aedes The substaunce of these later verses is such y t with modesty they may not bee englished The shame I referre to the fauorers of the cause and the clokers of the filth What say you to these reportes The Wel of your religion is there the Pillers of your fayth are at Rome and your selfe made a Pilgrimage thither Wee are to take heede of poysoned Rayment and rotten Shepe least they infect the flocke and you also warely to tender your state least that accordinge to the Storye of the Euangelist the ende be vvorse with you then the beginninge The practise of such aduersaries and patrons of the Romishe sect is very pernicious Chrysostome wryteth Christianus si malus euaserit peior fit quam si fuisset gentilis A Christian if hee reuolt proueth vvorse then if hee vvere a Gentile or Heathen Therefore I am to warne my Brethren that they take heede of you Now I will heare you further The Iesuite MY charge is free to preach the Gospell to minister the Sacraments to instruct the simple to reforme sinners to confute errors and in briefe to trie all armoure spirituall agaynst foule vice and proude ignoraunce wherewith many of my deare Countreymen are abused The aunswere NOw ye publish your commission is your calling ordinarye or extraordinary extreame ordinary who made you a Preacher youre Prouost of Rome Are yea preacher of the Gospell I pray ye of what Gospel there haue bene many heretikes that reiected the true gospel that is of Iesus Christ and deliuered into the world the Gospels of Peter Thomas Mathias Andrevve and yet would they be counted preachers of the Gospell Helcesaitae had amonge them as they sayd a Gospell fallen from Heauen Sethiani had their Iobelaea the reuelation of Seth and Abraham ArchoÌ„tici had their Symphoniam Cayni the heretikes of Cayn the murtherer worshipped Iudas the traitor as you do the Pope and alleaged hys Gospell The Ebionits had a gospell secundum Ebraeos and yours is secundum Romanos Let as many as feare God and syncerely embrace the gospell of Iesus Christ vnder the globe mantel or cope of heauen beare witnes and iudge betwene you and vs. you preach the popes supremacy canons of CouÌ„cels decrees of fathers coÌ„stitutions of men rites and ceremonies pardons and indulgences inuocation of Sainctes merits by workes pilgrimage purgatorie masses
gouernment which you thinke expedient to bee established in this Realme in matters Ciuill and Temperall yee may attend vpon the ParliameÌ„t and exhibite it to the body of y e Realme But you tell mee yee are a Priest then it appertaynes not to your profession to intermedle w t such affaires And to conclude though yee promyse neuer so fayre not to deale in matters of state and pollicy belieue yee who list Your profession is not to be credited the practises of Rome are knowen too too well The Iesuite I Aske to the glory of God with al humility vnder your correctioÌ„ three sorts of indiffereÌ„t audience The first before your honors wherin I would discourse of Religion so farre as is the coÌ„mon wealth of your Nobilities The second whereof I make more accompt before the Doctors Maisters and chosen men of both Vniuersities wherein I vndertake to vowe the fayth of our Catholike church by proofes inuincible scriptures councells fathers hystories naturall morall reasons The thirde by the force of the lawe spirituall and temperall Wherein I will iustifie the same fayth by the common wisedome of the lawes standing in force and practised The aunswere NOwe you craue patience yee pleade humility and pretend the glory of God You craue audience and them indiffereÌ„t Wyll no meaner please you then the Lordes of the counsayle no baser then Doctors and Maisters chosen men I perceaue Aquila non capit Muscas Fly lower or else your humility wilbe taken for hypocrisy You say yee will vndertake to vowe y e fayth as you write of our Catholike church your words seeme to inferre a certaine singularity Haue yee a Catholike church of your own you are deceaued if yee take Rome for the Catholyke church In the iudgement of all the learned and godly the Catholike church is dispersed ouer the Face of y e Earth not tyed neyther vnited to any proper place or person The Councell of Nice comitted of olde the charge of the Catholike church to three principall Patriarkes Rome Alexandria Antioch and afterwards came in Constantinople Nilus sayth For as much as certaine countreyes are limited to the Church of Rome certeine to the Bishop of Alexandria and certeine to the Bishop of CoÌ„stantinople they are now no more vnder him then hee vnder them Athanasius sayth Roma est Metropolis Romanae Ditionis Rome is the Mother church not of y e whole worlde but of the Prouince of Rome I will not speake of England Ireland Scotland FrauÌ„ce Denmark Polonia Suecia Bohoemia the noble states CoÌ„moÌ„weales of Germany Heluetia Prussia Russia Lituania Pomerania Austria Rhetia Vallis Tellina c where y e Gospell florisheth but is your church the mother church hath your Pope gouernmeÌ„t iurisdiction ouer y e Churches in Asia and Affricke It is well knowen that there is Chrystianitie in Asia Affricke Armenia Aethiopia Cyprus Constantinople Bassa Buola wyth other places where the Pope dareth not once peepe for all hys Pontificalitye at Rome And in respect of all christian assemblies and faithfull meÌ„bers wheresoeuer the church is called Catholick that is vniuersal so y t your church and all churches are to be knowen tried not by your erring councels canoÌ„s coÌ„stitutioÌ„s decrees and glosses but by y e worde of God which is the touchstone of truth Therfore Irenaeus saith columna firmamentum ecclesiae est euangelium spiritus vitae The piller and buttresse of the church is the gospel and the spirite of life Augustine saith vnto y e Donatists Sunt certe libri dominici quoruÌ„ autoritati vtrique consentimus vtrique credimus vtrique seruimus ibi quaerâ—mus ecclesiaÌ„ ibi discutiamê° causam nostraÌ„ There are verely bookes of our lord vnto the autority vvhereof eche part agreeth ech part belieueth and ech parte regardeth there let vs seeke for the church and thereby let vs examine and try our matters This I thought good here to note lest the reader should bee caried away w t the bare name of Your catholike Church But as touching your florishe in repeating the names of scriptures Councells fathers histories naturall morall reasons lawes spirituall and temporall whome you call proufs inuincible it maketh a fayre showe to bleare the eyes of the simple contayning in it no substauÌ„ce at al So haue Piggius Eckius Staphilus Hosius Harding Saunders Dorman and Raskall bragged of heretofore and beinge examyned were found contrary Haue ye red more theÌ„ all your predecessors and Companyons haue or haue ye found new scriptures new councelles new fathers new hystories new reasons new lawes at the erection of your new order of your company they were that to face and boulster out a bad matter found out new petyte doctors Abdias Amphilochius Clemens Hyppolitus â—eontius such others It should appeare you haue some good lyking in your selfe you haue forgotten the counterbuffs whych quayled the hautie myndes of your complices your bookes are answered your fathers councells and historyes are examined y e truth apertly hath bene layed before you There passeth not a scrole from your fistes but is fully perused and retourned vnto you Leaue of bragging in wordes shewe forth substaunce in deede and know ye for certainty there shall neyther autority nor reason escape neyther passe our handes vnsatisfyed The Iesuite I VVould be loth to speake any thing that might souÌ„d of any insolent bragge or challenge specially being now as a deade man vnder this world and vvilling to caste my head vnder euery mans feete and to kysse the ground they tread vpon Yet haue I such courage in aduauncing the maiesty of Iesus my kinge and such affiaunce in his gracious fauour and such assurance in my cause and my euideÌ„ce so impugnable that because I know perfectly none of the protestantes nor all the protestantes lyuing nor any sect of our aduersaries how so euer they fray men downe in theyr pulpits and ouerrule them in their kyngedome of Gramarrians and vnlearned eares can maintayne their doctrine in disputation I am to sue most humbly and instantly for the combat vvith them and euery of them The Aunswere YEt agayne I see there is much a doe with you Yee are a lofte in bragging and bosting then sodeÌ„ly downe yee fall into a vayne of hypocrisy Agayne yee skippe and mount into the Skyes displaying your Banner of defiaunce to all the Protestants liuing and like a iolly Champion yee challeng the Combat I maruell that one being as you say yee are a dead man willing to cast his head vnder euery mans foote and to kisse the ground they trade vpon can play such pageants Nowe yee shewe your selfe a disciple of Ignatius the maymed souldier as it were one begging comming from the warres or rather mee thinkes you play Skoggan with the King or yee expresse as Sozomenus writeth the Story of the Beggers which went about to deceaue Epiphanius The one being well begged the other lay downe and fayned himselfe dead when