and lewde companion according to his deserts My selfe also doe commende vnto them this whole cause and doubt not but they will maturely consider the pride of the enemie and the necessitie of iustice that all magistates good subiects wil concurre with them in this case Clemencie and debonnairetie is very coÌ„mendable but to suffer either Gods honor to be violated through idolatrie or superstition or the Christian magistrates life or person to be endangered or the commonwealth to be vndermined for want of due punishment of offenders is not to be termed clemencie but rather a remissenesse and dissolution of gouernment neither well agreeing with religion nor ciuill policie l 1. King 15. Asa king of Iudah is commended for that his hart was vpright with the Lord al his daies yet was it no smal blemish to him that he put not downe the high places where the people had established another worship then that which the Lord had appointed Manasses likewise although vpon his returne from Babylon he reformed religion and setled matters in Gods temple yet is he m 2. Chron. 33. noted for that he suffered the people to sacrifice in high places For idolatrous worship is not to be suffered in any corner nor by conniuencie to be dissembled Neither is it policie to giue too much libertie to such as giue open signes of malcontentment and either secretly vndermine the state or publikely transgresse lawes That state saith n In orat Aeschin Aeschines is good for nothing that hath no strength to represse offenders against lawe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither is there any greater maladie in a state as saith Euripides then when malcontents and offenders are suffered to flourish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tullie saith that dangerous and disobedient subiects are with mulctes imprisonment and corporall punishment to be restreined Magistratus saith o Lib. 3. de legibus he nec obedientem noxium ciuem multâ vinculis verberibusque coercento Neither can any commonwealth be maintained but where there is a correspondence of punishment to transgression of lawes Noxiae par poena esto saith a wise p Cicero lib. 3. de legib politike And so respectiue were the Romaine lawes in this point that where by sleight or want the offender could not haue the penaltie of the lawe laide vpon him they gaue power to the magistrate to lay an extraordinarie punishment vpon him that no offence might escape vnpunished Generaliter placet saith q L. quoties ff de poenis Vlpian in legibus publicorum iudiciorum vel priuatorum criminum qui extra ordinem cognoscunt praefecti vel praesides vt eis qui poenam pecuniariam egentes eludunt coercitionem extraordinariam inducant To spare rebels and traitors doth cause diuers inconueniences It discourageth loyall subiectes to aduenture in defence of the state it maketh the rebels more insolent it giueth more opportunitie to forreine enemies to practise and finally the example of sparing some doth embolden other euill disposed persons to attempt the like It is an olde saying Impunitas magna est peccandi illecebra Finally the lawe of God doth put a sword into the magistrates hand not for naught but to maintaine honest men and to punish the wicked Now as it is not safe nor profitable to let rebelles and traytors passe without due iustice so it is not religious nor pious to suffer hereticall and false teachers and spreaders of sectes and diuisions to escape vnpunished God hath r Deuter. 13. established a sharpe law against false prophets that shall entise men To go after other gods or shall go about to turne men from the Lord their God He commaundeth the magistrate to put them to death and Å¿ Ibidem forbiddeth priuate men To pity them or keepe them secret The apostle writing to the Romaines t Rom. 16. exhorteth them To marke such diligently as should cause diuision and offences among them contrary to the doctrine which they had learned and to auoide them The u L. omnes Cod. de haeret Manich. emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius put hereticall teachers to perpetuall silence and charged inferior officers not to winke at them x L. cuncti ibid. Arcadius and Honorius depriued them of all exercises of their false religion y L. Ariani ibidem Theodosius and Valentinian the younger banished Arians Manichees and all heretikes out of the Romaine empire And for this cause did saint z Lib. 1. cont epist Parmâ—n c. 6. epist 166. Augustin highly commend the emperors iustice and a Epist. 62. teach That it was necessary that hereticall teachers should be repressed and corrected Certes if lawes had beene executed against popish priests Iesuites and other friers and false teachers neither would they haue insinuated themselues into this kingdome and into Ireland with that boldenesse nor could so many simple soules haue beene seduced to the eternall destruction of their soules and of some of their lâ—ues nor should they so much haue encreased the popish faction as some where they haue done I doubt not but magistrates both see those inconueniences and will remedy them And therefore I neede not to vse many words in this behalfe But because of late a certaine presumptuous and proude Iesuite calling himselfe N.D. hath taken vpon him not onely to plead for Iesuites and priests but also for forreine enemies and notorious rebelles and traytors aduancing the cause and power of the enemie and by a strange metamorphosis of words turning traytors into true subiectes and rebellious heretikes into martyrs and by his painted glosses burnishing out heresie superstition and idolatry for true religion catholike faith Gods true worship I haue vpon zeale I beare to Gods truth and loue I owe to her Maiesty and my country and not least of all for that harty affection which I beare to all my Christian countrymen whome these false teachers apparelled in sheepes clothing with their counterfeite sheepes blayting seeke to abuse vndertaken to answere all his pleading to iustifie the honest and religious intention of that noble knight Sir Francis that first aduentured to speake against them and to shew in generall that our enemies are no such bugs as we neede to feare them nor english fugitiues such innocents as they are pretended nor the factious papists so honest men that we are far to trust them And because he shall not complaine that we refuse any indifferent triall I haue thought it not amisse to vndertake his challenge and to meete him at euery turne and in euery encounter following him pase by pase and ioyning foote to foote He would percase bring it to another triall Vbi collato pede dimicandum est or as Virgil saith Vbi haeret pede pes densúsque viro vir and we refuse not when we shall see him and his consortes come against vs in plaine field But in the meane while we are to try our cause with words and
was in the end excommunicated vexed with rebellions most shamefully murdred by a Dominican frier Don Caesare d'este duke of Ferrara was not I trow of our religion yet did the pope excommunicate him and most wrongfully take his state from him Lastly if religion now professed were the immediate cause and originall of any trouble like to ensue then should not the papistes haue béene the principall meanes to mooue warres and rebellions against the state nor the onely practisers against her Maiesties person and safetie as we haue found them to haue béene Wherefore if we will rightly estéeme we shall finde that as true religion is the cause of all those blessings we enioy so poperie and the faction that maintaineth it is the cause of all practises against her Maiestie and the state and of all rebellions and warres and mischiefes entended against vs. Againe as we were without danger as long as God was truely worshipped and idolatrie repressed and Iesuites and priests and their abettors diligently sought out and punished according to lawes and all concurred resolutely to maintaine true religion and the state so since Recusants began of some to finde fauour and masse-priests and Iesuites haue béene suffered to practise without punishment and idolatrie is begun to be priuily erected and some mens mindes grow colde in maintaining true religion and the present gouernment it is no maruell if some inconuenience be feared But remooue this there is no cause why any shoulde either doubt or feare For the pope hath businesse inough to maintaine his owne state no meanes to worke vs trouble but by English traitors In times past he was Stupor mundi the woonderment of the world now he is Fabula mundi that is a matter for idle priests and friers to prate of but not to be feared vnlesse wée liste The Spaniard hath more reason to feare vs and our associates of the low Countries that may be lordes of the sea if we please and may take what part of the Indies we list then we to feare him Sure if his force had béene such as is pretended neuer would he haue suffred such scorne nor descended to such dishonorable courses as he hath done Both the pope and Spaniard depend vpon the aide of English fugitiues and malcontents Draw from them this hope then haue you the end of these supposed feares and a full answere to this traitors painted tales and fables Thus you see this noddy hath neither reason nor truth in his discourse And yet that is not all the fault it hath For it is also impertinēt to the purpose For what if there were some cause of feare or doubt doth it therefore follow that we haue receiued no benefits nor blessings by her Maiesties most happie gouernment the abolishment of idolatrie and restoring of true and catholike religion If then there be no iust cause of feare and onely certaine pusillanimous companions quake at the popes thundring and Spanish bragging or else pretend to do it bicause they looke backe to the fleshpots of Egypt and glory of Babylon then are we to acknowledge Gods fauour that hath not onely giuen vs many graces by her Maiesties meanes but also meanes to maintaine them and to secure our selues And for such cowards as feare forreine enimies we are to put them into the next ranke to English traitors alreadie conspired with the enimie Hée telleth vs further That by alteration of religion in England Scotland Ireland Flanders and France haue tasted of many miseries tumults calamities and desolations Hée should haue said of many blessings and friendly fauors For kindnesses and fauours all our neighbors haue receiued from vs but those calamities and desolations that he speaketh of haue procéeded from the popes furie and malice and from his adherents persecuting quiet people for the profession of true Christian religion But let vs heare the rest of his wise tale Beside battels murders destructions of countries prouinces townes cities houses and particular men saith hée three Princes two Queenes and one King haue beene all brought to their bane by this occasion He saith further That the noble houses and linages of Hamiltons Douglasses Stuardes in Scotland of Desmondes and other peeres in Ireland haue been thereby ruinated and finally That in France and Flanders there is no end of the accompt of those that haue beene destroied by this change of religion as if we had procured all these battels murders destructions or as if wée or our religion were the occasion of the destruction of princes or kings or as if the massacres of France and those bloodie executions had béene committed by vs. What a shamelesse fellow is this to impute the cause of warres and troubles to vs that euer auoided warres as much as we could and offered force to no man nor euer stirred but as defendants for sauegard of our liues Are lambes the causes of the crueltie of wolues or were Christians the authors of the bloodie persecutions of heathen Emperors all these bigge wordes therefore are nothing else but arguments of the Noddies distracted mind and furious hatred against truth that exclameth and crieth out vpon religion and imputeth al calamities vnto it whereas in truth all the cause of this wracke and destruction both of states and priuate families proceeded wholy from want of conscience and hatred of true religion For if wee will looke backe and search the histories of our times wée shall finde that all those tragicall stirres and hurly-burlies that haue brought not onely millions of christians but also a great part of Christendome to destruction haue taken their beginning from the implacable hatred of popes and papists against Christian religion Paule the third enflamed the warres against the princes of Germanie which consumed a great part of that countrey himselfe sent thither great forces both of horse and foote fearing not a little least Charles the fift should make any composition with the Germans In the low Countries the people liued in peace and obedience to their gouernours vntill such time as the popish faction fearing the ruine of their Babylon beganne not onely to make cruell edicts and decrées against the professors of true religion but also by force of armes sought to establish both the Spanish inquisition and an absolute tyrannie a Vita de Pio. quinto Pius the fift when the kings of France and Spaine grew wery of troubles sent his messengers to negotiate with king Philip and the Cardinall of Alexandria to set forward the French king against his subiects He sent also money and soldiers to aide the king to destroy his subiects In king Henrie the eightes daies Paul the third in this Quéenes daies Pius the fift and Gregorie the thirtéenth and other popes a Sanders de Schism stirred vp diuers rebellions in England and Ireland against lawfull princes By the solicitation of the popes agents many thousands of innocent people were massacred in France contrarie to faith and promise These therefore are
absurd positions and principles in their religion TO recount and declare all the absurdities and heresies of the popish faction woulde require both time and labour they are so many and so intricate In number they passe the sande they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith a I'iad 1. Homer And no maruell séeing they are builte on the pope which albeit he be b Sanders rocke reputed as a rocke yet is nothing but a banke of sande whereon the papists haue wracked their faith But of the rest I shall haue time to speake héereafter Now I will onely mention those which sir Francis Hastings doth obiect and which his aduersarie goeth about to remooue I say therefore that it is most true which he doth obiect diz That the papists hould ignorance to be the mother of deuotion D. Cole a man of no obscure note among the papists in a certaine disputation at Westminster did openly affirme it I tell you saith he ignorance is the mother of deuotion neither is he singular in this point a Aduers proleg Brent l. 2. f. 71. Hosius saith that ignorance is not onely woorthy pardon but reward also The same b Ibidem l. 3. fol. 146. man also commendeth the Coliars faith which vnderstanding nothing said he beleeued as the catholicke church and being further demaunded what the church beleeued said as he beleeued and so persisted in that circle And in another c Confess Petricou de fid symb f. 17. place he affirmeth that Nihil scire est omnia scire and that it is sufficient for a man to beleeue that which the catholicke church beleeueth albeit he be not able to shew what it beléeueth And that the synagogue of Rome holdeth this opinion albeit not in plaine termes it appeareth by their practise For they do not willingly suffer the scriptures to be translated into vulgar toongs nor permit lay men to read them without licence which is not easily obteined Further their publike praiers and liturgies are all set foorth in vnknowne toonges The people vnderstandeth neither what they pray nor what they beléeue The priests for the most part are blind and so is the people and so the blind is set to leade the blinde Paule the second did so hate knowledge that he pronounced them heretikes which should once mention the word Academie Paulus haereticos eos pronuntiauit saith d In Paulo 2. Platina qui nomen academiae vel seriò vel ioco deinceps commemorarent Likewise they hold that princes are not to meddle with the externall gouernment of the church nor to make lawes for the establishment of faith and manners e Lib. 5. de pont Rom. cap. 7. Bellarmine doth distinguish ecclesiastical gouernment from ciuill gouernment whereby it may appéere that he woulde not haue the temporall magistrate to meddle with the church And in another place he directly f Lib. 1. de pont Rom. c. 7. saith That the gouernment of the church was committed to bishops and priests and not to princes and that princes ought not to determine a cause of the church Generally they all holde that the prince is not to reforme abuses in doctrine but the councell of priests which is a position very absurd For first wée sée that vnder the law kings reformed abuses and established orders in the church as appeareth by the example of Hezekiah Iosia Dauid and others Likewise among christians Constantine Valentinian Gratianus Theodosius and other princes did not onely reform abuses and condemne heresies but a Cod. de sum Trin. fide cath titulis sequentib establish orders and promulge the articles of christian faith Nay some there are that thinke it a matter vndecent and vnnecessary either to vnderstand or to argue of matters of religion Charles the fift as Meteranus in his story testifieth commaunded that no lay man should dispute of religion and many were executed for that cause onely The Italians say that it is matter for fryers to reason of religion E cósa da frati c. They hold and teach further that the pope determining matters of faith is to be beléeued vnder paine of damnation and this is that which Sir Francis meant and which both Bellarmine and all the popish crew writeth and beléeueth And yet we find that he approoueth many damnable heresies as that of the Angelickes Collyridians Staurolatrians Manichées in ministring the communion vnder one kinde the Pelagians in extolling the merits and force of works and diuers others Boniface the eight holdeth that none can be saued but such as be subiect to the pope And Bellarmine b Lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. c. 12. coÌ„cludeth that it is a point of faith to hold that the bishop of Rome hath succeeded Peter in the vniuersall regiment of the church So that whatsoeuer he commandeth that must bée beléeued Neither may priuate men dispute of the popes power For that they say is sacriledge and no lesse then To open a mans mouth against heauen And yet his determinations wée finde to be hereticall and his commandements wicked and vnlawfull Lastly they teach that the pope hath power to pardon all sinnes And that is so true that it cannot bée denied For they giue him all Christes power in earth And in the taxe of penances there is set downe a taxe for indulgences for all sinne yea for Iudaisme apostasie Turcisme Maranie Paricide Sodomie and whatsoeuer heinous sinne else And albeit the more learned distinguish betwéene mortall and veniall sinne betwéene culpam and poenam yet if â—he pope can forgiue all the punishment then sure can he forgiue any sinne and the rude papists vnderstand no such subtilties If then sir Francis hath auouched any such matter against the papists hée hath done them no wrong Neither hath this Noddy any sufficient skill to shift off the matter Much be braggeth and faceth but what shoulde wée respect wordes when we sée no truth in his meaning To acknowledge Gods fauour towards vs in deliuering vs both out of the spirituall thraldome of Antichrist and the temporall slauerie of strangers and accumulating vpon the people of this land diuers other both spirituall and temporall blessings hée estéemeth to bée but flatterie and faire glosing and to charge the papists with ignorance and strange opinions hée counteth no better then cogging and lying mixing a number of wordes borrowed partly of cheating companions with whom it should séeme hée hath much conuersed and partly of railing sophisters among whom hée hath long triumphed But as I haue wiped away the accusation of flatterie so I doubt not but I shall easily answer this cogging mates brabling about lying and cogging Hée taketh in great scorne that it shoulde bée saide That a darke and mistie cloud of ignorance did couer the lande in Queene Maries time and saith That it was as wise and learned as Italy or Spaine is at this day where our teachers if they shoulde appeere dare not open their mouthes
and murder Christes lambes Our aduersary he passeth this ouer without touch and onely telleth vs That the popes power hath beene acknowledged in all Christendome for many yeeres and ages But he lyeth and forgeth in this also For the easterne churches neuer acknowledged this power nor could the pope euer sell his commodities in those countries for any mony The churches of Africke likewise resisted the popes vsurpations and forbad their people to runne to Rome eyther for fauour or iustice The Frenchmen neuer would receiue the sixt booke of decretalles His prouisions the kinges of England would neuer admitte his pilling legates were odious generally to all Christendome Finally albeit his tyranny preuailed much in latter times yet haue a Petr. de Alliac de refor eccl Conciâ— Basil grauam Gâ—â—man honest men declared the discontentement which they haue receiued by his burdensome lawes iniurious excommunications and most shameful exactions and pillages He telleth vs moreouer How Christ said to his Apostles Luk. 10. He that heareth you heareth me and he that contemneth you contemneth me But first he is mistaken in the persons to whome these wordes were spoken For these wordes were deliuered to the seuentie disciples and not to the twelue Beside were these wordes to be vnderstood of the apostles and their successors yet they concerne the pope nothing For he is no apostle béeing neither called immediately of God nor sent into al the world nor ledde into all truth nor being able to make his decretals of authenticall credite Hée is not the apostles successor for hée féedeth not nor preacheth nor doth anie part of apostolicall function Nay hee doth contrary to the apostles fashion murder Gods saints trouble Christian people and resist Christes doctrine The apostles taught such things as Christ gaue theÌ„ in instructions The popes publish nothing but fond decretals and strange doctrine not onely diuers but also in manie points contrarie to Christes Gospell and holy Scriptures But saith N. D. The bishops of Rome be successors in the apostle Saint Peters seat Which I do not altogether deny if he meane the first bishops of Rome which were indéede true bishops and succéeded Peter and other apostles teaching apostolicall doctrine So all other true and godly bishops also were successors of Peter albeit they claymed not this vniuersality and fulnesse of power which the pope pretendeth to belong to him But whatsoeuer the first bishops of Rome were yet this concerneth the pope nothing for he is no bishop nor teacher nor successor in Peters chaire but rather Simon Magus his successor buing and selling not onely sacraments and benefices but also mens soules He succéedeth also the Angelicks in worshipping angels the Carpocratians in dissolutenesse and worshipping images the Collyridians in worshipping the virgin Mary the Manichées in his halfe communions and forbidding of mariage to priests the Pelagians in extolling the force of nature and merit of works and infinite other heretickes in seuerall points of leud doctrine He succéedeth also Nero in the Empire of Rome rather then Peter that was subiect to Neroes gouernement He alleadgeth also the example of the scribes and pharisées and saith That Christ commaunded his disciples to obserue and do whatsoeuer the scribes and pharisees that sate in Moses chayre said to them And to speake truth he hath more reason to compare the pope to scribes and pharisers corrupters of the law then to the successors of Christes Apostles But yet will not this serue his purpose for our Sauiors meaning was to shew that such as sate in Moses seat and taught his law were to be heard albeit otherwise bad men But the popes do not sit in Peters seat nor in Moses chaire nor teach apostolicall or true doctrine Hée telleth vs further That railers shall not inherite Christes kingdome especially such as raile against Magistrates All which wee admitte For it is a sentence condemnatorie against the pope of Rome and his faction that of late time haue taken to themselues infinite libertie in all their writings to raile against christiaÌ„ princes and others not sparing any that is contrarie to their procéedings For witnesse proofe héereof I referre my selfe to the railing buls of Paule the third against Henrie the 8. of Pius quintus and Sixtus 5. against Elizabeth his daughter of Sixtus 5. and Gregorie the 14. against Henrie the third and fourth of France and of Sixtus 5. against the prince of Condey To Sanders Ribadineiraes Rishtons Anniball Scotus the author of the commentarie of the popes late constitutions and other most slanderous and railing libels against Quéene Elizabeth The wise fellow doth also condemne his owne scurrilous railing against sir Francis Hastings Against vs it maketh nothing that onely in plaine termes declare our aduersaries leud dealings sparing all euill termes as much as we can Neither doth this concerne the pope that is neither Magistrate nor good Christian For that which this Noddy writeth How the pope is a spirituall Magistrate and hath a higher degree of authoritie then temporall magistrates and that he doth represent immediately the person of Christ Iesus is nothing but a péece of his frierlike folly and ignorance in spirituall and temporall matters For if such high authoritie had béene giuen him no doubt but wée shoulde long ere this haue séene authenticall writings of this donation and haue heard of the particulars Now wée must take these words as procéeding from a writer of antichristes marke that for Christ woulde commend vnto vs antichrist He telleth vs That all ancient diuines and doctors for aboue a thousand yeeres togither haue taught that it is blasphemie to raile at the bishop of Rome appointed by Christ to gouerne in his place and damnation not to acknowledge his authoritie And yet he is not able to shew either one sound diuine or doctor that hath so taught Nay he is not able to name many canonistes no nor schoolemen that haue so written or spoken Thomas Aquinas a 2.2 q. 13. teacheth him That blasphemie is against God Syluester Prierius b Summa in verb. blasphemia saith Blasphemy is a sinne against God properly which he prooueth by the authoritie of Saint Ambrose and improperly against saints But the pope is neither God nor saint Nay if it bée blasphemy to attribute to man that which is proper to God as the foresaide schoolemen teach then do the papists blaspheme that giue to the pope Christs power to remit sins sticke not to call him a god on earth All ancient fathers of the church had the bishop of Rome in no other estéeme then they had other godlie bishops neither did euer any one suppose that it was damnation not to acknowledge his authoritie Nay his vniuersall authoritie ouer all the church and infinite power in deposing princes not Caluin and Luther but all ancient writers doe gainsay and denie So that vnlesse the Reader haue great patience in this place hée will hardly endure to read so shamelesse and
and of which the pope doth séeme so studious and desirous But if hée were indéede desirous to winne soules to Christ and not gaine and glory to himselfe why doth hée not séeke to conuert the Grecians Asians and Mores that are hard by him and which through his ambitious quarrels about his superioritie haue beene oppressed by the Turkes and abandoned by the princes of the west empire Doth it not appéere that where Christian princes rule with their sword hée entreth there into the peoples closets with his counterfeit keies or rather picklockes and that hée neither can do any thing in countries oppressed by infidels nor is so willing to winne soules as to establish his authoritie and to séeke gaine To returne to our purpose In schoole diuinity diuers friers I confesse séeme well studied neither are the Spaniardes ignorant of other humane artes and learning Yet neither is the number of learned men great nor their learning singuler Their priests for the most part are ignorant both of tongues and of the grounds of religion Their common people know almost nothing and scarce canne say their Credo pater noster and aue maria but admitte they canne say the wordes yet are they ignorant of the sence Their morall vertues we will examine when we come to speake of particulars It should séeme they are not many when their aduocate mentioneth none Finally it is but a simple praise to dwell in a rich and fertile country For so the Indians and Cananites should deserue to be preferred before the Spaniardes For no country is richer in gold then the Indiaes And in time past the land of Canaan flowed with milke and hony and that is cléerely testyfied of it in holy scripture But were it that the Spaniardes deserued commendation for their religion and their zeale in preaching the truth and other vertues yet hath our aduersarie no reason to despise his owne nation or to preferre the Spaniards before vs. For héere true religion without mixtures of poperie is embraced and the same so generally taught that none can be ignorant but such as like the adder that stoppeth his eares refuse to heare Gods worde and to vnderstand the truth The number of learned men among vs is greater then among the Spaniards proportion for proportion neither to abridge this idle dispute shall N. D. finde that our nation either in morall vertues or naturall endowments or supernaturall graces is inferior to the Spaniard or ought to yéeld to him in any thing saue in this that hée hath better happe to encounter with English traitors to flatter the Spanish nation and we no Spaniards or fewe that will take on them to set foorth our due praises It resteth now that wée examine the particulars of our aduersaries pleading according to the course which before wée haue proposed to our selues Not that any great matter doth result of the whole summe but that wée may at the least gather a summe of our aduersaries fooleries and trecherous purposes In the beginning of this last encounter hée a P. 103. telleth vs That there remaineth yet another bickering about the Spanish king and nation Hée shoulde also haue told vs against whom this bickering made as it shoulde séeme by the shade b That is of a glasse of wine d'vn bicchier di vino is entended but that is apparent by the discourse ensuing for it is wholy against his countrey and nation So then this champion commeth out in his Spanish ierkin to fight for Spaniards and against his owne nation May we therefore thinke you safely trust him that taketh on him to speake for publike enimies against the safetie and state of his countrey and countrey people Well let vs sée what this champion hath to say for his clients First hée c Ibidem saith That a man must speake moderately of his enimie and that we must not lie nor faine reproches no not of the diuell himselfe So hee maketh a faire entrance into his matter comparing the Spaniardes to the diuell then which course nothing can be more reprochfull to his clients Hée may be glad that the Spaniards vnderstande him not Otherwise they woulde make him know that they are not to be compared to diuels But to let that passe and to grant that a man must speake moderately of his enimie yea of the diuel yet hath not hee obserued that moderation in speaking either of friendes or enimies For hée flattereth his friends grossely and raileth against his enimie most odiously and despitefully Nay hée raileth against his liege prince and such as haue shewed themselues to be her most faithfull subiectes and praiseth her greatest enimies albeit if hée were a true man hée woulde haue done neither In the libell against her Maiesties proclamation of the yéere 1591. published by him and Creswell vnder the name of Andreas Philopater vnder the title he placeth this sentence Vidi mulierem ebriam de sanguine sanctorum as if shée were drunke with the blood of saints Hée a Scelus sceler nectit p 6. saith Shee added wickednesse to wickednesse and vseth wordes not to bée vttred against so gracious a prince b P. 11. libr. Romae excus comparing her to Maxentius Iulian Costantius Decius and Nero. Hée disgraceth her in her parents and stocke and saith what his malice can deuise against her The like course hée taketh against her principall Counsellors c In praefat ac edictum accusing them of fraud crueltie rapines impietie and most hainous crimes Against the earle of Leicester and the Lord Treasurer that dead is hée hath published whole volumes of reproches in two seuerall libels entituling the first Leycesters common-wealth and setting out the second vnder the name of Causes of supposed feares c. Neither hath any railing libell of late come foorth but he hath had some finger in it Furthermore as the former bookes are full of railing and reproches so they want no prouision of lies and vntruthes Hée saith in d Andr. Philop p. 121. Philopater that King Philip did thrise deliuer the Lady Elizabeth out of trouble and cannot prooue once And that king Philip denied the rebels aide which Pius quintus the pope his grand master controlleth He repeateth diuers slanders out of Sanders and Genebrard and can write nothing without lies In this treatise which wée haue now in hand albeit hée séeme to professe Warding and fensing yet hath he no fence to kéepe his toong from lying And yet they say hée lieth verie closely yea and falsely too Such is his excellencie in both faculties that a great question may be made whether he raileth or lieth more impudently and starkely Do you not then take him to bée a fit man to giue precepts of modestie and true dealing to others that hath nor modestie nor truth nor reason in his owne dealing And may he take vpon him to censure others for rayling libelling raging lying and facing that in lying and libelling hath surmounted not onely
to possesse a fertile and good countrey and which is praised in scriptures vnlesse the inhabitants bée good and vertuous Spaine I trow is not better then the land of Canaan that flowed with milke and hony yet were the people excéeding wicked What commendation is it to bée descended of a nation that hath had many religious Christians constant martyrs iust and wise princes valiant soldiers and captaines vnlesse the Spaniards continue in the steps of their ancestors But that now the Spaniards are like their auncestors this declamer durst not say Nay it may very well bée saide that the inhabitants of Spaine now are not descended of the Spaniards that were either in Traians Theodosius his time or in the daies of Isidorus and Leander Nor haue they the religion or zeale of the ancient Spaniards But saith the Ward-worder God in regard and recompence of other rare vertues will pardon other infirmities and defects Hée auoucheth also that God hath aduanced the Spaniards aboue other nations of Europe for the defence of Catholike religion So it appéereth by his owne confession that the Spaniards his clients want not sinnes and faultes hée calleth them onely infirmities Peccadillos and defects but all their enormous sinnes as hée supposeth are couered by their zeale in the popes seruice A verie excellent péece of doctrine If the Spaniard commit most heinous murders and rauage whole countries and liue most filthily and blaspheme Gods holy word neuer so execrablie yet by this mans diuinitie they neede not feare if they maintaine the popes cacolike religion and murder all that are studious of peace and Christs truth Let them go to father Parsons and hee will absolue them and set them toll frée that they shall not pay any thing to the pope But what if they oppugne catholike religion and murder Gods saints Then the case is altred and the Warder hath no fence for them nor for such offences Nay hée cannot denie but as their faith is heretical and superstitious so their sins are great and enormous The Spaniards therefore woulde be aduised not to trust this false frier too farre Zeale is commendable but then it must be ioyned with knowledge It is no Christian zeale that induceth men to kill poore christians Our Sauiour Christ sent his disciples to teach the Gentiles and not to kill them Neither did Peter kill the Gentiles and sinners that were ignorant of the truth albeit in a vision he was a Act. 10. macta manduca commaunded to kill and eate but sought by preaching to conuert them from their wicked liues to the truth of Christ Iesus But the pope and his adherents the Spaniards auert many from the truth conuert none to the truth kill the body with the sworde and destroy the soule with corrupt doctrine runne into the Indies vpon pretence of winning soules and yet neglect the Turkes Mores and Iewes that are hard at their doores And all this is commended in them by our aduersarie Nay he séemeth to teach that sinners that are out of the state of grace can merite remission of sinnes and that the Spaniards for murdring of Christians shall bée pardoned for other sinnes which they commit But be it hée shoulde onely say that a man that shoulde zealously adhere to the truth shoulde thereby purchase remission of other sinnes yet is not this iustifiable For wée being out of grace are dead in trespasses and sinnnes and Christ onely can purchase remission of sinnes which without faith cannot be applied to vs. Finally he is not ashamed to confesse That in times past our ancesters were neere linked to the Spaniard in loue leagues and allyance betwixt the princes of both the nations and that at this tyme the Spaniardes shew great kindenesse to papistes fled beyond the seas But little doth this make to the purpose and lesse for the commendation of the Spaniard For it is not here called in questiō what hath passed betwixt the natiōs but whether the Spaniard hath so rare partes in him that he is to be preferred before all other nations and before the English especially which is no way to be deduced or decided by this discourse concerning leagues and allyances Againe if we were so néere linked and conioyned together as our aduersary talketh and that to the profite and honor of both the nations what reason had the Spaniardes at the solicitation of that bald frier Pius Quintus to fall out with their ould friendes and to treate with our most malicious enimies What can they alledge why without all iust cause they should both by force and practises oppugne our nation that neuer offered them wrong Had they not thereby hazarded the losse of the low countries if her Maiesty would haue accepted them béeing offered vnto her And haue they not opened a way for the possessing some part of the Indiaes as oft as it shall please the princes of this land to establish a course for the mainteinance of the trade into those countries And albeit we haue omitted to take the aduantage of either of these two courses yet there is no time past but her Maiestie may alwaies take the one and percase haue opportunity to make benefit of the other Finally if the Spaniardes had remembred the ould friendship that hath passed betwixt both nations they would not haue abetted traytors to rebell nor receited rebelles that are fled out of the realme for feare of lawes albeit they pretend religion After the defence of the Spanish nation in generall our warder with his guard of loose wordes descendeth to speake of king Philip the second in particular A man now dead and buried and therefore the rather to be spared although while he liued he was a heauy enemy to our whole nation Yet for as much as our aduersary hired percase to pronounce a funerall discourse in his praise doth so commend him as he sticketh not to touch the honor of our nation someway entangled with his crosse dealings I thought it not amisse to consider what this exorbitant frier hath to say either for king Philip whome he rayseth out of his graue purposing percase to enshrine him for a saint or against the English nation which he hateth more deadly then doth the Spaniard First hée is offended that king Philip shoulde bée termed Proud ambitious false cruell trecherous tyrannicall and such like and saith that If any of the kings subiectes were to answere sir Francis he woulde giue him the lie and challenge him into the field As if the kings subiects were such dangerous men as none durst maintaine an honest quarrell against them or as if they were more terrible Rodomontes among the Spaniardes then otherwhere Well séeing these challengers come not forth we shall easily iustifie Sir Francis his charge against this frierlike combatants rude and vnciuill cauils and wrangling For it was no part of Sir Francis his meaning simply to charge king Philip with any matter further then concerned the cause in hand and further
by the popes demandes to the king that could not be effected without greater authority by the propositions made by king Philip to the counsell to enlarge his power and release the rigour of the conditions whereto he was tyed by the kings secret working to draw ouer Spanish soldiers and his practises to possesse himselfe of the nauy and the principall portes and fortresses of this kingdome by wordes commonly giuen out by the testimony of Sir Francis Englefeld if he were aliue and would say truth and also of diuers others of the nobility by the ambitious humors of the Spaniard and finally for that otherwise his aduancement by this mariage would haue amounted to nothing And if in the low countries where he is but duke or earle he hath sought to be an absolute king we may not doubt of his purpose in England where he had the title of king and possessed the Quéene Where the letter saith That king Philip meant to haue altered the counsell to possesse the hauens to make new fortes to furnish them with his owne men to change the common lawes to bring in the Spanish inquisition and Spanish lawes and to impose strange taxes vpon vs after the fashion of Spaine he thinketh it sufficient to answere first That no such thing was attempted by him and secondly That all this was prouided for in the conditions of his mariage with the Queene But his slender surmises are all too weake to crosse such violent purposes For albeit béeing preuented by the hand of God that tooke away the Quéene he could not put matters in execution yet doth it not follow that he neuer had any such purpose or intention Againe it is a fond thing to imagine that the king could be tyed with wordes and conditions when experience teacheth vs that neither promises nor othes nor lawes of God nor lawes of nations could bridle his ambition He was a Guicciardin de paesi bassi precisely sworne to obserue the priuiledges and lawes of the low countries Yet did he obserue none but contrary to all order change the councell of estate bring in the inquisition and enlarge the authority of the ecclesiasticall state erect citadelles place garrisons and impose strange taxes vpon the people And if the Duke of Alua did this by his direction in the low countries no doubt but he would haue doone the same himselfe in England if he had atteined his purpose and had not béene crossed by the Quéenes death And that this was his full intention we haue already shewed by diuers argumentes beside the testimony of the letter These therefore are no bugges nor imaginations but true collections grounded vpon principles of state and the kings actions Héereby also we may gather that we were happily deliuered from the thraldome of the Spaniard more grieuous then the thraldome of Egypt as their rigorous dealing with them of the low countries may plainely enforme vs. Where among strange taxes imposed by the Spaniards one is mentioned most strange That the subiect payeth for euery chimney and others are noted as not common that some pay by the poll and all pay for their victuals so that a man cannot eat but the king must be paid as if he were a common host as indéede he kéepeth a common tauerne in his court after a base fashion that a man cannot drinke but the king will gaine somewhat our aduersarie wondreth That any should publish such childish toyes But the Spaniardes and the kings subiects in other places do find that the burthens are so heauy that neither children nor yet men are able to beare them And albeit there is percase some error in the particulars yet the sum is not much mistaken For throughout the kings dominions a tribute or taxe is paid for all things bought and sould in the market Neither is any marchandise exported or brought into the country or passed from place to place but there is a custome paid Of late there is a tribute exacted not onely for euery Hanega of corne ground at the mill but also for salt Neither are the countries of Biscay Arragon Nauarre Catalonia or Valentia so frée as our aduersary pretendeth In Flanders according to the Spanish stile the duke of Alua imposed a tenth and twentieth part vpon all the kings subiectes a tribute neuer exacted in the Turkish dominions Now then if the king exact such payments vpon his owne frée subiectes in what case are they like to be that he shall vanquish with his sword Where it is declared in the letter That the king purposed to roote out the nobility of England and to bring the commons to beggery and to sell all not aboue twentie yeeres ould for slaues our aduersary doth terme this narration sottish and impudent and asketh How this beeing contriued in England could be discouered by one in Spaine But whatsoeuer termes the relation doth deserue certaine it is that this manner of procéeding is most inhumane and barbarous and not so improbable as the warder would make it For first we may not thinke that the haughty minde of the Spaniard could either be content with a simple reuenge of wrongs or conteined within the boundes of common lawes and customes Secondly we know that the popes malice is so great against such as spurne at his authority that he stirreth vp all the world against them and Giueth them for slaues to those that canne take them as a Sander de schism lib. 1. Paule the third did giue the English in Henry the eight his daies Thirdly it is most notorious that in the Indiaes they haue practised all these barbarous cruelties so that they haue almost dispeopled diuers countries that were very ful of people at their first comming thither Fourthly the example of our neighbours of the low countries that liue vnder the Spanish yoke and haue their nobility eyther extinct or debased and their liberties abolished and liue in great slauery may shew vs some part of their purposes and as it were the plot of their gouernement Lastly in their fléete that came against vs anno 1588. beside store of halters and fetters prouided to bind our poore countrymen that should be taken prisoners and were already taken in conceit there were found in Don Pedro de valdez his ship diuers engines and irons to marke such as should be taken for slaues Adde héereunto the testimony of him that wrote the letter out of Spaine mentioned by Sir Francis and did vnderstand by good intelligence the resolution of the Spaniards in this point and wée shall not néede to make question but that this was indéed intended and resolued against our nation Neither coulde hée reueale this secret vnlesse it had come to his notice which might by diuers meanes come to passe For albeit the king hatched this purpose first within his owne brest yet was the same communicated to others and so made knowne in Spain to those that shoulde concurre in the execution of it Such abominable treasons God would
consort of malicious traytors and an abbettor and nourisher of men euill affected in their malcontentment Nay albeit his colour were better cast yet were his pleading vnsufficient seeing true religion cannot stande with rebellion or disloyaltie nor may true catholikes be suffered to oppugne their prince and countrey to practise trecherie against the state and to nourish malcontent humours among subiects But if it appeere that the Romanistes are not the true church and that their religion is neither catholike nor ancient nor true then must it needes be granted that N. D. and his consorts are not onely malicious traytors but also impious heretikes It is also very plaine that all his wrangling encounters are built vpon fancies and supposals without grounde and foundation and are no better then malicious inuectiues degorged against good men and idle pretenses to colour the practises of enimies traytors and heretikes For euery traytor can pretend that he is a true patriot and Catiline and his consorts and all rebels vse to set a glosse of common good vpon their priuate wicked deseignements and treasons All societies also of heretikes will take vpon them as true Christians as saith a Lib. 4. institut cap. vlt. Lactantius and suppose themselues to be the catholike church Tertullian saith b Lib. 4. contr Marcion That as waspes make honycombes so the Marcionites pretend to make churches albeit indeed they were no true churches Nouatian like apes that counterfeit men saith c Epist 73. Cyprian woulde challenge to himselfe the authoritie and truth of the church albeit he be not of the church but a rebell and enimie set vp against the church Which fitteth our aduersary very well who if he had his yellow ierkin were a very ape or an apish Iebusite entitling himselfe and his companions with the name of the church But if he had beene a foxe as well as an ape and had but had a foxes wiles he would haue made bâ—tter proofe of his maine groundes which not being 〈◊〉 is a maine maime of his whole cause Now to the intent that thou maiest perceiue that all his building is either without foundation or vpon a marrish ground that will beare no such great worke I haue thought good for thy satisfaction to challenge him once more into the fielde and to make triall of his manhood in fiue new encounters which do much concerne his cause and credite For as before I haue shewed him and his consorts to be perfect traytors and Recusants and malcontent papists to be verie sorie and defectiue subiects so nowe God willing I purpose to shew first That papists are no true catholikes secondly That their religion as it differeth from that which we professe is a packe of nouelties thirdly That it is patched vp of many old heresies fourthly That the Romish church is not the true church and lastly that N. D. his consorts whether they were Iesuites or priests or their adhaerentes that haue beene executed to death according to the lawes of England are to be esteemed traytors and not martyrs And this in defence of her Maiesties iustice or rather clemencie For if she woulde do them iustice then woulde not she suffer them to liue as subiects that will not directly acknowledge her to be their Queene and lawfull souereigne especially where the pope saith contrarie If she did her-selfe right she woulde not tolerate a faction notoriously opposite to her gouernment If she did iustice she woulde not suffer such to enioy wealth and honors life that adhere to forreine enimies that seeke the destruction of the common-wealth the dishonour of this state the ruine and bloud of all that stande well affected to religion and the state And that Parsons and the priests that come out of Spaine and are sworne to maintaine the Infantaes title and are reconciled or adhering to the pope are all culpable of these treasons it is so cleered by the former discourse and by the last chapter of this that I thinke it may be felt of blinde men and not onelie discerned by those that haue eies to looke into the state The rest maketh for defence of our religion which no mâ—n can reprooue but such as haue drunke deepe of the cup of the purple harlot spoken of Apocalyp 17. and are sworne slaues to the pope and professed enimies not onely of religion and the state but also of their owne good in this worlde and of their eternall saluation in the worlde to come Beware therefore my good countryman for so I must account thee vntill I see thee declare thy selfe open friend to popish traytors and enimie to thy counrrey that harkening to the Sirens songs of Iebusites and priestes enimies to gods true religion not onely to their prince countrey thou be not swallowed vp in the gulfe of their heresies and treasons They lead thee not to the rocke Christ Iesus vpon which the church is built but to the a Bellar. praefat in lib. de pontif Rom. rocke the pope and the bankes of his sandie inuentions vpon which thou must needs wracke thy selfe if thou shun them not quickly True religion is grounded vpon Christs word reuealed to vs in the holy canonicall Scriptures all which we professe according to the rule of the true catholike church And for this truth we doubt not to giue our liues so assured we are of our profession where as thou as long as thou continuest a papist hast no warrant but the popes worde which to say no woorse is ignorant of true religion and apostolike faith and subiect to many errors and infirmities Read therefore indifferently and iudge syncerely and vprightly and the God of truth guide thee into the way of iustice and truth CHAP. I. That papists are no true Catholikes FRuitelesse it is and almost endlesse to contend much about names and titles but especially in causes of religion For as a In Apolog. Iustin Martyr saith b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true religion Consisteth in good workes rather then good termes and the c Ad Tit. 3. apostle exhorteth Titus and all true teachers to auoide contentions and quarrels about words of the lawe Yet forasmuch as manie simple people are abused by false teachers taking vpon them glorious names and titles and looke onely vpon the shéepes clothing that is outward and not on the wooluish nature of priestes and friers that is inward I thought it not amisse to shew what this name Catholike importeth and to whom the same truely belongeth and how dangerous it is to trust euery one that taketh to himselfe the name of a Catholike The Iewes d Ioan. 8. called themselues The children of Abraham and bragged much of the e Hierem. 7. Temple of God and of f Rom. 2. the lawe But the apostle teacheth vs that not euerie one that in name and outward shew was a Iew deserued so to be estéemed and taken g Epist 83. Leo speaking to certaine monkes saith Ecclesiae
e Matth. 28. gaue them in charge To teach what he had commaunded them The f Gal. 1. apostle pronounceth him Accursed that should teach otherwise then the Galatians had receiued By the law of Moses the Sanedrin or chiefe tribunal in Hierusalem had soueraigne authority in iudgement yet might not those iudges pronounce sentence g Deut. 17. But according to the law of God The which doth argue that popish religion is built vpon groundes most absurd and contrarie to religion Finally some do stand much vpon ancient fathers and councelles and the first churches practise and haue not doubted to attribute much vnto them But now finding by experience that these do not much make for them and that the fathers themselues do wholy relie vpon the scriptures they flie wholie to the authority of the pope and to the late church of Rome and perceiue that vnlesse they may sit iudges in their owne cause the same cannot stand But héerein it may plainly appeare that they are no catholikes For ancient catholikes attributed most to scriptures and vsed the testimony of fathers and of the ancient church to declare the true sence and meaning of scriptures But a Sâ—ss 4. conciâ— Trâ—d these admit no sence But that of holy church as they call it which is nothing but the priuate fancy of soâ—e foolish pope Fourthly as in the foundations of Christian religion so likewise in diuers points of faith the papists do plainly declare themselues to bée no catholikes For first in the obiect of faith they mainly differ true catholikes beléeue in God onely Faith saith the b Rom. 10. apostle is by hearing and hearing by the worde of God c De diuin nomin c. 7. Dionyse saith That faith hath for his obiect the most pure and alwaies being truth that is God And euery Christian rehearsing his faith confesseth That he beleeueth in God the father the sonne and the holy ghost and in no creature But the papists beléeue in angels and in saints and call vpon them For as the d Rom. 10. apostle saith How shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued To them also they make confession of their sinnes and from them they looke for helpe and all things necessary as may bée shewed by infinite particulars Further they beléeue the determinations of the pope to be true and trust in him as in the rocke of the church e In opusc contra error Graecor Thomas Aquinas saith that it is a matter of faith to beleeue the determination of the pope Ad fidem pertinet saith he inhaerere determinationi pontificis summi in his quae sunt fidei imò in his quae spectant ad bonos more 's And this is also the opinion of f Summa Siluest in verb. fides Siluester Prierius They beléeue also whatsoeuer is taught by the church of Rome Ad fidem pertinent omnia quae sunt in doctrina ecclesiae saith g Ibidem Siluester Prierius and hée gathereth the same out of h 2.2 q. 5. art 3. Thomas Aquinas and that is their common opinion holding the traditions of the church in equal estimation with the worde of God all which can neuer bée prooued to haue béene beléeued by true catholikes For neither can it bée shewed that in publike liturgies they haue called on saints and on angels as the church of Rome teacheth or confessed their sinnes to them or beléeued in the pope or church of Rome Againe true catholikes beléeue that Christ Iesus was true man and had a body like to ours in height bredth thicknesse and that he filled the place where hée was as do our bodies We must beleeue saith a De essentia diuinitatis Augustine that the sonne of God according to his deitie is inuisible incorporeall and incircumscriptible but according to his humane nature that he is visible corporeall and locall b Contra Eutych lib. 4. c. 4. Vigilius saith That Christ is contained in a place according to his humane nature and that this is the catholike faith Illud corpus saith c Dialog 2. Theodoret habet priorem formaÌ„ figuram circumscriptioneÌ„ vt semel dicam corporis substantiam So likewise saith d Ad Thrasimund li. 2. c. 5. Fulgentius SiveruÌ„ est corpus Christi loco potest vtique contineri But the papists do assigne him a body inuisible impalpable and such a one as is incircum scriptible and without the dimensions of height bredth depth A bodie that may be conteined in infinite places at once yet not continued to it selfe as is the nature of Continua quantitas Finally a mans whole body that is without all qualities of a body may be contained in euery little part of a consecrate hoste increasing and diminishing at the priestes pleasure Further euery catholike Christian beléeueth that our Sauiour Christes true body is ascended into heauen and there remaineth e Ioan. 16. Hée tolde his disciples before his passion That he must leaue the worlde and go to the father And in another place f Iohn 12. That they should not alwaies haue him with theÌ„ In the first of the Acts we learne That hee is taken vp from vs into heauen And the apostle S. g Act. 3. Peter doth plainely declare That the heauens must conteine him vntill the time that all things be restored And this also the fathers plainely teach vs According to his diuine nature saith h In Matth. tractat 33. Origen he is not absent froÌ„ vs but he is absent according to the dispensatioÌ„ of his body which he tooke i Lib. 10. super Luc. 24. S. Ambrose saith That neither on the earth nor in the earth nor after the flesh we ought to seeke Christ if we will finde him Saint Augustine saith k Tractat. 50. in Ioan. Hee hath caried his bodie into heauen although he hath not withdawne his maiestie from the worlde l Homil. 21. in euangel Gregory the first doth plainly affirme That Christ is not heere by the presence of his flesh The flesh of Christ saith Vigilius writing against Eutyches lib. 4. c. 4. when it was in earth surely was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certainly it is not in earth Neither did euer any ancient father teach otherwise But the papists do teach that Christes true body and flesh is both in heauen and earth and vpon euery altar at one time and that hee is touched and receiued not of men onely but also of mise and dogs and other beasts which to true catholikes séemeth not onely absurd but also abominable All true catholikes firmely beléeue that thâ—â—r sinnes are forgiuen them for Christ his sake and that they shall atteine eternall life according to these two articles of the créed which euery one professeth saying Credo remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam God he Hath promised and sworne as the a Heb. 6.
Parsons the Iebusite their trumpet to blow out their victory throughout England as they haue alreadie done it at Rome and in other places For what victory can be pretended when as yet not one corruption or falsification coulde bée iustified against Monsieur Plessis and when wée are able to charge not onely Bellarmine Caesar Baronius Gregorie de Valentia Sanders Harding Stapleton and their consorts whose forgeries and falsifications are innumerable but also their holy fathers whose determinations they hold to bée infallible with infinite wilfull falsifications And least anie thinke wée fable of many wée haue begun to note some fewe The vanitie of their triumph may also appéere by diuers other arguments First our cause dependeth not vpon the testimonie of Scotus nor Durand nor Petrus Crinitus No nor vpon two or thrée testimonies of this or that father But vpon the euidence of Canonicall Scriptures testimony of the catholike church of all times which wée doubt not to prooue both by the scriptures themselues and also by the interpretation consent of the most ancient and sounde fathers As for the writings of other fathers wée examine them by the rule of Gods worde and receiue them as farre as they agrée with the rule and foundation of faith The testimonie of later writers and schoolemen wée produce as a confession of our aduersaries against themselues and not as a foundation or necessarie defence of the truth which they in so many pointes oppugne They are therefore put in to fill vp the rankes of our squadrons rather then to do vs any great seruice and rather because our aduersaries estéeme them then because we thinke them woorthie to bée estéemed If then these authorities had béene ouerthrowne which is not granted yet all our other squadrons standing firme the aduersaries cannot think they haue woonne the field Secondly admit one learned man of our societie and communion had mistaken some fewe places yet is not euery mistaking a falsification vnlesse it be wilfull and fraudulent nor is euery particular mans errour to be ascribed to the whole church Nay albeit Bellarmine and Baronius be now Cardinals and men of note among the papistes yet will not Parsons I trow take on him to defende whatsoeuer they haue written And albeit such a shamelesse mate shoulde not doubt to vndertake any impossibilitie yet the popes of Rome will not abide by all they haue written Why then shoulde they vrge vs to that which thēselues mislike in their owne cause Thirdly the place and forme of triall and procéeding was all in fauour of the aduersarie and disfauour of the Lorde of Plessis For neither had hée sufficient time to consider of matters obiected and to prouide himselfe of bookes to iustifie his assertions nor so indifferent iudges as was to be desired the king stil interrupting him and disputing against him and leading the iudges which way it pleased himselfe Nor was the auditorie indifferent being for the most part of contrary opinion Nor coulde he by any humble request obtaine that either his aduersarie might precisely be tied to his challenge or that his booke might be examined orderly or any thing else that is requisite in an indifferent triall Fourthly if a gentleman and no professed diuine vpon such vnequall termes was able to make head against his aduersaries much better I hope shoulde we be able to resist if professed Diuines might procure an indifferent triall allowed by both sides and more hardly woulde the aduersaries bée able to make good their challenges against vs. Certes if Eureux coulde not so well acquite himselfe before iudges determined to iudge for him he woulde neuer be able to appéere in a frée generall councell or before equall iudges Fiftly it is most ridiculous to thinke that this Thrasonicall challenger was able to make good that cause which neither with lying forging facing nor any wit or policie the greatest clerkes of that faction are able to maintaine Finally the very wordes of Eureux his challenge do plainly conuict him to haue performed nothing I do binde my selfe a In his answere and offer made to Monsieur Plessis saith hée to shewe that neither in this booke of his against the masse nor in his treatise of the church nor in his common wealth of traditions is there to be founde so much as one place among them all which is not either falsely cited or impertinent to the matter or vnprofitably alleaged Againe He protesteth and bindeth himselfe to shewe fiue hundred enormous and open falsifications without any amplification or exaggeration and all these conteined in M. Plessis his onely late booke against the masse And this hée saide hée woulde prooue by Gréeke and Latine copies But hée spoke these wordes as it shoulde seeme more of brauerie then out of iudgement for in the first part hee hath vtterly failed and I thinke meaneth neuer to performe it If hée would bée pleased we would be glad to sée his Latine and Gréeke allegations and all that performed which he promised in writing But many doubt of his abilitie and himselfe too no lesse then others For being desired To examine M. Plessis his booke leafe by leafe and in order he vtterly refused that course The second part he began to handle but hath no way accomplished his promise For promising to shew 500. enormous falsifications he onely quoted 60. places whereof onely nine were examined and yet no falsification prooued but onely in Eureux his challenge If then the defendant is to bée acquited where the plaintife prooueth nothing or not so much as hée affirmeth then is Eureux to bée condemned that in his challenge braggeth much alleageth little and prooueth nothing In the meane while our relator may do well to cease his vaine facing and vanting For vnlesse hée triumph to couer his owne shame and losse there will bée no cause of triumph for him founde in this triall It is not the vaine boasting nor the false report of this relator that can turne truth into falsehood and falshood into truth When Eureux or any other of his consorts shall go about to performe his challenge in writing which wel cannot be denied nor altered he shall finde that the Lord of Plessis will bee both able and most readie to defende himselfe against all the calumniations of his aduersaries and for the truth of his cause hée shall neuer want assistance as long as God shall enable vs to speake or write The Kinges pleasure in censuring M. Plessis we will not examine Neither do I thinke the aduersaries will allow him to be iudge in their cause The papistes therefore must deuise some better matter to grace their Romish cause then this For neither the triall of matters at Fontainebleau nor this relation can helpe them any thing CHAP. IIII. That Peter Martyr bishop Ridley bishop Iewell master Iohn Foxe master D. Fulke and other famous men of our communion are vniustly charged with falsifications and wilfull corruptions by the relator WE will not