foundation of truth If they slie to the Fathers for one place euill vnderstood some time falsified some time mutilated and some time wholy corrupted we produce a thousand not by patches nor mammocke as they doe but whole pages whole chapters whole bookes and the vniforme consent of all the auncient Fathers and Catholike Church If they presse vs with their passed Parliaments and Princes for one of theirs we haue an hundred and for a Child King a Woman Queene we haue for vs so many so Holy so Wise so Learned so Religious so Victorious Princes as our Histories without them would be very barren our Names obscure our Clergy miserable our Bishops beggerly our Parliaments confused our Lawes intricated our Vniuersities without Colledges our Colledges without Schollers our Schollers without maintenaunce Reason then the life of the lawe requireth to our vnderstanding more ample and authenticall euidence before we be condemned by lawe as superstitious or irreligious The faith we professe The 6. reason Rom. cap. 1. is that faith and Religion which S. Paul to the Romans so highly commendeth which therefore is called Catholike and Romane because b The Church of Rome euen vvas and is the Mother Church al the Churches in the world either did in their beginninges or doe for the present agree vniformely with the Sea of Rome in vnion and communion of faith doctrine and fellowshippe hauing recourse thereto as to the Mother Church From the Pastors and Prelates of this Church to witte from a S. Gregory the Pope S. Augustine the Monke S. Gregory the Pope and S. Augustine the Monke we receiued the benefit of our conuersion and regeneration from them we receiued the selfe same Doctrine Discipline Seruice Sacraments Feasts and laudable Cermonies which are by vs held practized professed and defended with the effusion of our bloudes at this very day and this we finde verified by the Histories of b S. Bead Cambden Stovve Hollenshed and Sauelâ— S. Bead Cambden Hollenshed Stowe and that Tripartite History set out by Master Sauell The 7. reason From this Church of Rome we receiued our Bible our Gospell our Creede our Cannons which are the same through the whole Christian world among Catholikes both for the translation sence and interpretation The 8. reason This Church is by your Maiesty and by the learned sorte of the Protestants acknowledged to be the Mother Church wee hope then we are excusable that reuerence loue our dearest Mother from whose breast our forefathers and we haue receiued the sweet milke of our soules The 9. reason There was neuer yet since the Incarnation of Christ any heresie that crept into the Church of God but we finde the names of the authours of such heresies we finde by the Church of Rome Councels called to condemne them and Doctors imployed to confute them there is not the least Ceremony or circumstance that hath beene added for the greater Majesty and solemnity in Gods deuine seruice but the yeare is knowne when and the Pope by whome it was ordayned If matters then of so smale moment passe not without recording reason would that the lawes that must condemne our Mother Church of Idolatry and superstitions should tell vs the authours that first corrupted her integrity but if the first jnuentors and jnstitutors of the Masse of Purgatory of prayer to Saintes and the like supposed errors cannot be produced doubtlesse we must attribute them as wee doe indeede to Christ and his Apostles and as deriued from such infallible authority we are bound in all equity to followe them The 10. reason But if by the fruits your Maiestie will giue judgement of the tree the fruites of our Religion are Loue Vnity Concord Piety actes of Charity and Deuotion as Fasting Prayer Almes building of Monesteries erecting of Vniuersities founding of Hospitals conuerting of Nations calling of Councels confuting of Heresies obedience to our Princes though they bee Pagans and Infidels and that for conscience sake a Calu. lib. 4. Inst cap. 4 lib. 4. cap. 10. 6. 5. whereas both practisers and professors of the Religion which we are so pressed to embrace doe farre differ from vs in those pointes teaching vnder colour of the libertie of the Gospell b Knox in his exhortation to England printed at Geneua 1559. contempt of power and authoritie c Luther in his booke de potestate seculari in his comment vpon the 1. of S. Peter cap. 2. neglect of lawes d Goodman in his booke of obedience all vvhâ—ch teach contempt of authority and neglect of lavves in the places cited and obedience The examples are to late and lamentable in your Maiesties Realme of Scotland and in the Persons of your gratious Mother and Grand-Mother Father and Grand-Father to passe with silence the tragedies by such like played in sundrie other Countries Reason then the life of the lawe will acquite vs if we preferre a Faith that hath taken so deepe roote whose goodlie fruites wee daylie see and taste before a slender sleight greene and farre lesse fruitfull plant About twentie foure yeares nowe past when a certaine conference was helde in the Tower betweene Master Campion and Master Sherwin Catholike Priestes and some of the selected learned Protestant diuines there were then in prison in the Fleete diuers Catholikes both of honorable and vvorshippefull degree for Testemony of their conscience only as the Lord Vaux Master Thomas Somerset brother to the Earle of Worcester Sir Thomas Thresham Sir William Catsby others who offered the warden of the Fleet to procure them licence of the priuy Councell to be present at that conference and to haue that question of reparing to the Protestant Church discussed and decided one hundred French Crownes for euery day that this question should remayne thus vnder examination but their request could not then be admitted albeit the said warden did vndertake the sute and confidently promised to effect it and seriously laboured it aswell by his honourable friendes in Court as by all other meanes he could possibly The same offer of conformity and desire to be satisfied in this point which we made then we in humble wise make nowe and that with so much the more greater efficacy as your Maiesty hath a most full and ample possession of our hartes and affections for manifold important respectes both for the loue your gratious Mother did beare vs and the cause for which we suffer as also for the often to vs most comfortable protestations your Maiestie hath made and that in publique and in priuate that you haue a minde free from persecution or thrawling your subiects in matters of conscience that you would not increase our burdens with Roboam to which adding your Clemency of which wee haue tasted and your Gratious promises where vvith wee liue in hope and your daylie discourses springing from your natiue bounty and benignity make vs strayne our selues to the vttermost to giue your Grace
was it heard of that in England or Scotland any Minister or Ministers euer suffred any thing for that gratious Lady or your Maiesties Title but infinite are the a In Scotland Setons Gordens Simples Maxuelles families of the Catholikes that haue suffered for them both As the Seatons the Gordens the Simples the Maxuells in Scotland the b In England Havvards Persies Pagettes Treshammes Throgmortons Salisburies Abington Winsor Hawards Persies Vauxes Pagets Treshams Throgmortons Winsors Salisburie Abington and diuers other worthy Gentlemen in this Land the shipwrackes of whose opulent abundant states and fortunes are inuincible testemonies of the Libellers falsehood and follie in this his objection and of the constant fidelity of Catholikes to your Maiesty and all your race and predecessors in all their fortunes whatsoeuer And thus your Maiesty doth see the comparison of our former times and our precedent behauiours with our present affection and future assurance If then we be not rewarded and respected as all others are of other professions that haue done their duties as we did in aduauncing your Maiesties affaires and acknowledging your rightfull Authority yet at the least we hope that it will not be thought reasonable that we should be left in the same masse of misery which your Maiestie found vs in at your entrance Make vs then SWEETE SOVERAIGNE as able as we are wiling to serue you not by newe dignities and authorities but by restoring vs to our pristine honours and honest reputations and to our birth-right freedome and liberty by your only Peerles justice clemency and benignity permitting vs to liue in peace comedere buccellam nostram sine dolore to put a bitte of meate into our mouthes without sorrowe without frights without slights and without circumuentions of our Aduersaries our woundes are so deepe and dangerous in matters of our honours states and liberties that no Phisition can cure vs but your self with the soueraigne balme of your renowned Clemency What pleasure or profit can redowne to your Maiesties person or estate if we your approued and assured seruants and subjectes rotte in prison die in banishment and liue in penurie and disgrace for no other crime or offence but for the constant profession of that Religion which in conscience we are perswaded to be the only true worshippe of God saluation of our soules Of which our faith and beliefe we haue rendred so sufficient reason that we hope it will fully satisfie and content so wise learned politique and discreete a Prince as your Maiesty hath shewed your selfe to be in all occasions presented to make triall thereof which maketh vs the more confident in our just and reasonable defence because we sue to a most wise just and learned Monarch And albeit more then this can hardly be required of men whose fidelities are so sufficiently tried and testefied as appeareth by the whole substance and tennor of this our Apologie yet pro abundantiore cautela we humbly lay downe at your Maiesties feete this forme of submission and security following in behalfe of our Priests and Pastors CHAPTER 7. The forme of the Catholikes submission IF we may be permitted to enjoy some quiet graue The lay Catholikes submission and vertuous Clergie men for the comfort of our soules we doubt not but to giue your Maiestie a farre greater security for the fewe hundreds of our Priests then was giuen for the many thousands of Queene Maries Priests and Prelates in the late Queene Elizabethes dayes against whome albeit aboue a 10000 Clergie men lefte their liuings rather then they vvould leaue their religion ten thousand of them did abandon their Ecclesiasticall Liuinges rather then they would conforme themselues to the times especially the b All Queene Mary Bishops forsooke their Prelatures rather then they vvould forsake their chiefe Pastor holy Senate of Bishops no one excepted yet in the time of the said Queene for the space of thirty yeares extreame and restlesse persecution no capitall lawes were made or executed And in the c The booke intituled execution for treason not for religion made by the late L. Burleigh booke intituled Execution for treason and not for Religion composed set forth by the late L. Burleigh then high Treasourer of England on whome for his great wisdome and polecie the menaging of the Common wealth of this Realme vnder the Queene principally depended Anno 1583. and Anno Regni Eliz. 26. it is in expresse wordes set downe what fauour these Priests found in tearmes as followeth And though there are many subiects knowne in the Realme that disser in some opinions of Religion from the Church of England and yet doe also not forbeare to professe the same yet in that they doe all professe loyalty obedience to her Majestie and offer readely in her defence to impugne and resist any forraigne force though it should come or be procured from the Pope himselfe d None of Q Maries Priests or Prelats persecuted for region none of these sort are for their contrary opinions in Religion persecuted or charged with any crimes or paines of treason nor yet willingly searched in their consciences for their contrary opinions that sauour not of treason After which Narration he reckoneth vp great numbers as e D. Heath Arch-bishop of Yorke D. Heath Arch-bishoppe of Yorke B. Poole B. Tunstall B. White B. Oglethrop B. Thurlby B. Watson B. Turberuill none of all these were pressed with any capitall paine though they maintayned the Popes authority against the lawes of the Realme he recounteth a Abbot Feenam one Abbot diuers Deanes whome he commendeth for learning modestie knowledge concludeth that none b None of all these held or punished as traitors though they maintayned the Popes authority against the lavves of the Realme of these nor yet diuers others of the like morall and indifferent carriage were euer called to any capitall or bloudie question vpon matter of Religion nor were not depriued of any of their goodes or proper liuelihoods of the like indulgence and lenity mention is made in the same booke vsed towardes the layetie in wonderful pleasing wordes as followeth There are great numbers of others being lay men and of good possessions in Lands and men of credit in their countries that doe enjoy their estates though they holde contrarie opinions in Religion for the Popes authority and yet none of them haue beene sought hetherto to be impeached in any point or quarrell of treason or losse of life member or inheritaunce So that it may plainely appeare it is not nor hath not beene for contrary opinions in Religion or for the Popes authority alone as the Aduersaries doe boldly and falsely publish that euery person hath suffered death since her Maiesties Raigne yet some of this sorte are well knowne to hold opinion that the Pope ought by authority of Gods word to bee supreame and only head of the Catholike Church throughout the whole world and
England and Ireland consist of Catholikes Protestants Puritans and other sectaries the Catholikes and Catholikely affected in this Realme not withstanding the long persecutions in the late Queenes dayes were at the entrance of your Maiesty to this Realme esteemed to be as many as any other of the said professions of Religion and as for Ireland few there are of that nation An Irishman a Protestant is cara auisin terris that are of any account or freehold but are professed Catholikes besides those that are Catholikely affected And as for the Catholikes of this Realme it is well knowne that their Ancestors haue deserued well of this common wealth both in warre peace both at home and abroade and for their fidelities and laudable seruices haue bin aduanced by your Maiesties progenitors vnder whome they liued and serued from whome we hope that in no point we degenerate only that which in them was esteemed the polestarre of all their vertues to witte the Catholike Religion is in vs punished for wickednes and impiety This did our Catholike Parents dignified by your Maiesties Catholike progenitors leaue vs to succeede them in their Religion towards God their fidelity towards our Princes their natiue freedome in this your Realme of England which we haue lost of late yeares vnder the Raigne of our late Queene for no other crime or offence then for that we endeuoured to serue God as our Catholike Forefathers haue done before vs euer since the conuersion of our Country from Paganisme to saue our soules which are more pretious in his sight then all the Kingdomes in the world and although we were debarred from all offices and dignities and liued as it were in perpetuall banishment and confinement yet was it neuer heard that any one of our number of such suffering recusants euer lifted vp a finger to the least damage or detriment in the world of our Prince or Country And thus by these few lines your Maiesty may see the multitudes condition and disposition of your Catholike subjects who humbly prostrate at your Maiesties feete craue to be restored to their former and ancient freedome What we haue here spoken or shall hereafter speake of our hard vsage in our late Queenes dayes we are driuen thereto by necessity for mouing your Maiesty to commiseration by comparing in your wisdome the grieuousnes of our punishment with the quality of our deserts that there vpon you may temper the asperity of the former proceedings against vs which our late Soueraigne her selfe in her late dayes beganne to doe giuing the world to vnderstand by the last proclamation that euer she made in that kinde that she beganne to distinguish betweene Religion and Treason and aswell therein as in diuers other bookes proclamations tending to that purpose before published vpon any notorious execution done vpon Catholikes she diuers times and by her Ambasadors to diuers Princes abroad did promise and protest that her will and intention was not to punish her subjects for their a Our late Queene euer made profession that shee meant neuer to punish for Religion Religion and conscience whereby we conceiued some hope and found some effect a litle before her Maiesties death and in this minde and disposition God did take her and your Maiesty found vs which considered we hope your Maiesty hauing no occasion to hate vs and we many old and newe occasions to loue you that you will rather imitate your predecessor in her first best and last disposition tending to mildnes mercy and moderation then in her other hard and sharpe courses sithence the fruites and effects of the one were b The fruites of a svveete milde course joy peace abundance and vniuersall vnion and combination of mindes affections both at home abroad which your Maiesty seemeth most to desire and the harbingers and handmaydes of the other haue beene c The handmaids of bloud persecution warres discensions discontentments bloud and beggery which your Grace cannot so well digest And that appeareth most euidently by the first twelue yeares of the late Queenes Raigne which as they were free from bloud and persecution so were they frawght with all kinde of worldly prosperity no Prince was for that space better beloued at home or more honoured or respected abroad no subjects euer liued with greater security or contentment neuer was the Realme more opulent or abundant neuer was both in Court and Country such a generall time of triumph joy and exultation but no sooner did she beginne to alter her course to enter into bloud but all was filled with feares and suspitions at home with warres and diuisions abroad and with continuall fright and allarames of strange attempts either against her person or state and in fine when her treasure was exhausted her subjects Kingdomes extreamely impouerished and all the Kingdomes almost about vs disgusted and in open tearmes of jelosie and hostilitie with her she beganne agayne to thinke of her former fortunate dayes and to incline to a milder course as the only meanes to settle her and her Realme in peace security and former prosperity which times compared together doe demonstrate that the seuerity of lawes made against Catholike were the forerunners of infinite mischiefes and miseries And least your Maiesty beholding such bloudy strange laws made against vs with their rigorous execution by the space of so many yeares in so long a Raigne as was that of our late Queene might thereby conjecture that such newe and neuer hard of decrees could not without vrgent or notorious occasions haue beene inuented constituted and so seuerely executed least this apprehension of these former proceedinges might make the like impression in your minde auersion from vs we humbly craue your Maiesties gratious eares and attention And when you shall reuiewe and consider deeply the lawes made against vs and compare them with the objected crimes that then some ouerture may be proposed to the present Parliament for clearing the lawes by reason which is the soule of the lawe to them that distinction may be made by justice betweene the innocent and guilty persons for howsoeuer the late a The reason that might moue the late Queene to make lavves against Catholikes Queene might haue pretention to make them both by reason of her illegittimation by her owne Father in publique Parliament notoriously diuulged and the jelousie she euer stood in of the Queene your gratious Mother both for the backe and alliaunce she had with Fraunce and the right she seemed to haue by the sentence of the Church pronounced against the diuorce of her Father and the diuers censures and excommunications promulgated against her Yet your Maiesty of whose rightfull succession most lawfull and legittimat possession of this Crowne Satan himselfe being put to his shifts can make no doubt or difficulty against whome no Cōpetitor either hath or had purpose or powre to contend b Vide D. Giffordes commission and
probation and therein not to be any way stayned The second triall of our fidelities consisteth in matter likewise of fact a Catholikes behauiour tovvardes his Maiesties Predecessors and him selfe towardes your Maiesties Predecessors your Title in them and in your selfe and the effect of our loue and affection performed in all occasions that might giue contentment to your Maiesty both before and since your entraunce into this your Kingdome of England which we will endeauour to touch as briefly as we can It cannot be denied then in the first ranke of these our comportements but that we our selues in our times and our Catholike Parents before vs at all times of opportunity offered haue declared our deuouted affections to your said Highnes b Catholikes alvvayes affected to the K. Title to England right to this Crowne the testemonies whereof are in printed bookes and publike facts so manifest to the world that we neede not long dwell on that point vouchsafe therefore patience we beseech you DEARE SOVERAIGNE to heare some instances of the c Blessinges benefittes his Maiesty hath receiued by Catholikes blessinges and the benefits your Maiesty hath receiued by Catholikes and by our seruices and fidelities King Henry the vij th and his eldest Daughter from whome your Maiesty hath receiued lineally and directly your birth right and naturall succession to this Crowne were most zealous and religious Catholikes and for that singuler affection he did beare to the d Henry the 7. preferreth the Scotish King before the Frensh Scotish nation principally for their great zeale at all times to the Catholike religion preferred the same before Fraunce bestowing his said eldest Daughter on your Highnes great Grand-Father and the younger vpon the French King by which happy marriage came that lineall and rightfull descent of bloud that made your Maiesties renowned Mother Heyre apparant to this Crowne of England who also was the vndoubted e His Maiesties Mother lineall heire to King Edvvard the Confessor lineall Heire to King Edward the Confessor by his sister Margaret Queene and Saint and consequently your Maiesty from your Catholike Mother and her Catholike Predecessors hath not only receiued the hereditary succession of the Kingdome of Scotland but also a double right to the Crowne of England as f His Maiestie true heire both to the Saxon Norman Princes heire to the Saxon lineall line by a holy Saint Catholike Queene and heire to the Norman line by a most worthy Catholike Prince and a blessed Martir and all them vnited in her and nowe duly descended to your Maiesty Queene Mary It was the pious and vertuous Queene Mary and her Catholike subjects who cancelled the forged will of her Father King Henry the eight exceeding preiudiciall to your right in this Crowne that disproued it in Parliament and deposed the Protestant vsurping Queene Iane a Queene Iane set vp by Protestants deposed by Catholikes set vp then by the Protestants to the disinheriting of Henry the eight his daughters Queene Mary and Queene Elizabeth and his eldest sisters issue vvho was your Maiesties great Grand-mother and whose issue were in all right to haue beene preferred before her younger sister Grand-mother to the vsurping Protestant Queene Iane who so deposed by that renowned pious Catholike Queene Mary the Crowne by her royall prouidence was reserued to the rightfull and lawfull heires thereof consequently descended nowe to your Maiestie conformable to the lawe of God Nature and Nations The serpentine inuectiue made by Hales and other Protestants in the beginning of Queene Elizabethes raigne directly against your Maiesties Title thereby intending b Hales inuectiue against the Title of Scotland the aduauncement of a pretender potently in those daies possessed in the breastes of no meane multitudes was vpon the setting forth thereof in the time of Queene Elizabeth indelayedly vndertaken fully answered learnedly confuted by c Hales ansvvered by Iustice Brovvne M. Ployden both Catholikes Sir Anthony Browne then one of the Iustices of the common Pleas and lately before in Queene Maries raigne had beene chiefe Iustice of the same Court and M. Edmund Ployden famous Lawyers with the assent of other Catholike Diuines ciuill Lawyers and Gentlemen of good worth judgement and experience Howe many d Havvardes Persies Pagets Vaux Treshams Throghmortons Salisburies Abington families of Catholikes haue endured great damages and detrimentes in renowne and state for desire they had to maintaine the right of your most blessed Mothers Title in remainder and aduentures made to relieue her and deliuer the afflicted Princesse out of her captiuity with much abundant loue teares and affection your sacred mother testified publiquely at the end of her life Since your Mothers death we remayned euer e Catholikes behauiour after the martirdome of his Maiesties Mother constant to your Maiesties right to the succession of this Crowne not ebbing and flowing in our affections but resolute euer to liue or die with your Maiestie in that most just pretence but if any particular person in forraigne countries hath spoken or written to the contrary for his priuate and particular pretentions he is to answere for himselfe and his owne fact for therein we disclaime which party as we are credibly enformed hath both before and sithence the Queenes death done great diligence to giue your Maiesty satisfaction And your Maiesty is not ignorant we are assured what hath beene the carriage opinion and opposition of vs and our friendes euen in that particuler in the fauour and defence of your Maiesties right both within and without the Realme what a The daungers damages and disgraces vvhich M. Charles Paget Cap. Tresham M. Iohn Stonor of Stonor and diuers others suffred therefore are notorious dangers we haue passed at home and what slaunders and damages very many of our Catholike brethren haue suffered abroade for shewing themselues Scotish in faction as we were tearmed that b Scotish infaction vvhat is firmely immoueably affected to your Maiesties right of succession to this Crowne your Maiesty haue heard and we haue felt and shall feele our honours and estates thereby being extreamely diminished and eclipsed whiles we liue vnlesse your Maiesties pious royall hart vouchsafe to repaire and relieue the same Neither did your Maiesties c His Maiesties zeale in the Protestants Religion did nothing diminish the Catholikes forvvardnesse tovvardes his right and iustice zeale in the Protestant religion any way alter or diminish the just conceit and dutifull consideration we carried to that justice and right which God and nature had prepared for you from your cradell If then our carriage and affection to your Maiesty was such when your Religion was to ours so different your Person to vs vnknowne your fortune doubtfull the factions diuers the oppositions in all likelyhood very great and the euent of your affaires very vncertaine what may your Maiesty presume of vs nowe or rather what may you not