aboue Ela a strain farr higher then the Duke Aluaes and yet tho the people denied it and murmured much yet still vvas he in Holland paeter patriae so smoothlie he could manage his busienes Barneuelt in his Apologie confessed that he fovvnd 1586. the order of the gouernment ovvt of all Frame manie preachers protestants vvould not acknovvledg the states for after the french fashion they had no command nor discipline the commons quite opposite the towns and magistrates wished for peace the expenses of the state exceaded all incoms and reuennues by tvventie six millions and that which I maik this note for west frizeland in the beginning ded contribute skarse Decies octies centena millia florenorum and now they ar charged to paye quadragies centena milua librarum duos milliones I vse his own words bycause I will not be challenged for mistaking hym Who is therfor now the tyrant and the exactor tho the peopl haue chainged ther Lord they ar not eased of ther oppression and wheare before they complayned they had one now ar they subiect to the command of manie tyrants who fleace them nay vnskin them Alua bett them with whips but the states with scorpions Examin ther excises and impositions how they ar increased vpon meat drink fewel men servants wages besides lones and beneuolences Henry Cuickius chargeth them to exact the fourth part of ther reuennues that ar Hollanders and liue owt of the contrie Si in prouincijs nostris venia eorum degunt semissem iubent soluere si secus bonis exuunt And to answer that inuectiue against the Duke of Alua his Creweltie which was so much obiected at Coolen and since haith bean aggrauated by D. Baudius in his orations call to mynd what occasions wear giuen hym by the opposition of the Nassouians by the warr at Mounts by the practise to empeach his entranc to Brabant and by contriuing his death Yet these wear venial sinnes But vvhen he fownd the nobilitie so farr ingaged in the conspiracie with the Geuses that the kings authoritie was despised the religion established was prophaned and derided that the towns in Holland and Zelland reuolted Hâ—â—leâ— Alcmar and the rest excluding the kings authoritie and power what stranger and man vnpartiall vvould not think when the blood of the bodie was so corrupted that it is not fitt both to vse cauterism and violent purgations to clense it for violenc is never necessarie but when lenitiues wil not remedie and work a cure And when Alua vvas reuoked remember how litl the peacapl nature of the Commendador preuayled vvith so rough and harsh natures who was forced to crie owt Dios libera nos de estos estados And hear I pray yow read the opinion of Syr Roger Williams a soldier of good note who had serued an both sydes and knew the natures of the peopl in his storie of these warres he condemned the reuocation of Alua as an error bycause nothing but rigor could reduce these violent spirits into order neither can anie man maik them obedient but he that can pull them vpon ther knees and carrieth the sword drawen in his hand allwaies readie vpon such inflammations to open a vayne and let them blood though I conffess a gentle hart will much ever relent vvith compassion when it seeth blood shed Concerning the breach of the kings For the kings oath oath which they obiect hauing svvorn to obserue ther priuiledges yf they will decide the matter by course of iustice it must first be mayd playne and appeare that the king haith broken his promise and not performed his oath and in what case and in ther own causes it is not agreable to common reason that the Playntifs should be bothe accusers and iudges Again yf he had broken his promise manie things may happen after his oath to excuse hym from periurie or tyrannie for by law euerie absolute pact and promise doth implie tacitam conditionem to procead rebus sic stantibus as they wear at the oath taken But what yf such difficulties followe that he can not keap his promise What yf that which was then promised for the good of that prouince can not be obserued withowt the great domage of that prouince and of all Europe As the cawse so the case must be altered But procead further yf the king had broken his oath yet wear not the states inabled and authorised therby to choose a new prince in his stead much less to inuest them selfs for in the articles of the Ioy full entrie this is a clawse vt si in omnibus aut in vno quoâ—iam articulo pacta ista Dux Brabantiae violassct denegare ei tantisper subdus possunt consueta seruitia dum id reuocetur vel corrigatur in quo controuersum For otherwise withowt that dum ill disposed subiects should continuallie haue the aduantage to pick quarrels against a good Prince And the world can witnes how oft the king haith offred to the Emperor to forrein princes and to the states generall either to reuoke or amend what could be prooued to be amisse Besides the states and courts of Brabant ar more properlie to decide that quaestion then Holland who can clayme those priuiledges but by participation Add also that the states of Brabant Flanders Artois Heynault and the rest haue conformed them selfs like dewtiefull vertuous and noble persons to obedienc of the king and to all Lawes and gouernment And yf Holland could learn by ther examples so to doe the quaestion wear then ended Furthermore the like oath all kings taik at ther coronation and it is the greatest honor to them religiouslie to performe it but yf they break it what then shall he be deposed that is a doctrine onelie sitt for the schools of Conspiracie Besides ther is a great differenc betvvean a couenant and a condition in the common lawe and yet neither of them tye a Prince so as the breach implyeth a forfeiture as hear after appeareth But to conclud who ded first create and grant these priuiledges ded not the Prince ex gratia spectali mero motu to gratifie good subiects how vnthankful subiects then ar they who will seak to depriue ther soouerain Lord yf he be forced to break a clawse or an article or a couenant vpon vrgent cawse What would they haue obiected to Philip Duke of Burgondie and of the Netherlands who resumed into his H. Berland own hands and by his own authoritie all the Priuiledges and immunities of Gandt and detayned them all his lyfe tyme teaching them to acknowledg by whose grace they held them And what remedie when his sonn Charles cam to Gand the people in a rage compelled hym to restore them But to ther cost for they weare forced to seak his pardon and to cast them selfs and ther charters at his feate and stand to his mercie And the like he ded at Machlen which he determined to haue razed and destroyed yet he restored them
Hear in dead is the voyce of Iacob but the roughnes of Esau vvords of pietie but action of Babel can yovv shovv as good a vvarrant as Elias ded ded God call yovv ded God authoritie yovv to depriue your Princes per me Reges regnant vvas Gods proposition and S. Peter 1. Epist c. 2. v. 13. be subiect to euerie humane creature for God vvhether to a king as excelling or to rulers His counsell and yours varie much for he willed them to fear God and honor the king but yow direct your auditors to degrade and depose the king S. Paul Rom. 13. v. 1. Let euerie sowl be subiect to higher powers for ther is no power but of God and he who resisteth that povver resisteth Gods ordinanc and purchaseth damnation and v. 5 not of necessitie but for conscienc sake But this matter neads no disputation grace and pietie can best decyde it TITVLVS SEXTVS AT last by a long trauel we ar retourned Touching Q. Marie and the practises against her home to England vvheare no such paradoxes ar novv holden by the Cleargie and prelates and it is no maruel for now they haue the wynd with them and liue in a calme so as ther patienc and obedienc of late dayes neuer cam to probation and no tryal could be mayd of ther spirits having no crosses nor other combate then with sinn and Martin Marprelate and in so great peace and prosperitie he wear not compos mentis that vvould not preache against disloyaltie and tumults But yf yow look back to the tymes past and call to mynd what spirit raigned in them during anie storme or tempests yow will fynd them much differing from them selfs and that they wear not allwaies so peacable and regular as now they ar since they appeared first in the world as Antagonists to the church of Roome and with that singularitie and title of Reformers For yf maister Fox ded trewlie register his martyrs and yf the Wiclefists and Waldenses wear rightlie inserted in Catalogo testium veritatis then may yow fynd cawse enough to dovvbt of ther humors and quiet disposition and yf yow ask my reason Bycaus they ded hold as the knoxians yet doe in Scotland That the people might correct Princes yf they offend contrarie to all the Theoremes of Catholicks schooles And therfor Philip Melancton in his comment vpon Aristotels politicks saith Miras tragedias excitauit Wiclefus qui contendit eos qui non habent Spiritum sanctum amittere dominium And in his book de iure magistratus Insanijt VViclefus qui sensit impios nullum dominium habere As yf Princes should forfeit ther crownes yf they lost grace and Gods fauor And Osiander witnesseth the same Centuria 9. And yet maister Fox calleth hym stellam matutinam in me lio nebulae lunam plenam in die us illis A morning starr in the midst of a fogg and yet the full moone of that tyme. How plausible he was in those dayes no man will maik a Quere that can Remember how Syr Iohn Oldcastel Lord Cobham and Syr Roger Acton wiclefs disciples leuied 25. thowsand men intending to destroye the monasteries of westminster Powles and sainct Albons and all the howses of friars in London whearof that actiue king Henrie the fifth being aduertised in good tyme by the confession of some of ther partakers with great diligence he preuented them at S. Gyles fealds appointed to be ther Rendeuous and incountring those straglers who weare there attending the generals comming apprehended condemned and executed 37. of the principalls for exampl and terror to the rest And he aftherward hunted ovvt and fownd Oldcastel and Acton and put them to death being attainted of Treason and Haeresie as by the records appeareth All vvhich maister Fox laboureth to extenuate and falsifie and disprooueth them as calumniations and slaunders but with no success as yow may learn by Iohn Stow pag. 550. and by Doctor Hapsfealds Ecclesiasticall storie latelie published by a worthie man of our nation For it is euident that 1. Henry 5. the Wiclefists sett schedulles on powles Church door publishing that ther vvas a hundred thowsand men readie to ryse against such as wear ennemies to ther sect And in a synod holden at London for diuers poynts of doctrine touching the Sacraments Oldcastle was committed to the towre from whence he broke owt and afterward one Bennet was executed partlie for harbouring Oldcastle partlie for seditious libells against the king whearupon as also for some practises at kenelworth against the king Oldcastl was endited in the Parliement before the Duke of Bedford as an enemie to the stathe he answered them with contempt accompting it as a trifle to be iudged by them belike bycause they wear sinners and bycause he sayd he had no iudg emong them so long as king Richard liued And at his deathe he spake like a man frantick to Syr Thomas Erpingham that yf he sawe hym rise the third daye he wold procure quietnes and fauor to those of his sect And surelie yf yovv look into VViclefs ovvn lyfe tyme yovv shall fynd it no maruel yf his doctrine ded so far seduce Old-cast hauing procured therby so great patrons and frends in the court at his first rising and such applause in the vniuersitie of Oxford the place best able to iudg of his learning and illumination Iohn of Gand Duke of Lancaster ded much fauor and patronize this martyr Wiclef in so much that he being summoned to appeare before the Bushop of London the Duke ded hym so much greace to go with hym thither for his better protection assisted with Syr Henrie Petcie the Marshall of England to discountenanc the Bushop to encoorage Wiclef and to animate and encrease his fectaries and folloaeers in ther course And it was worthie the noting that Religion was euen then vsed as a fayre vestement to couer manie fowle practises for the Duke and Wiclef had seueral ends the Duke graced hym bycause he was so generallie plausible the better to ouerthrovv both the liberties of the Church and the Charters of London bot which laye as blocks in his waye to hinder the course of his aspiring desseins And this appeared playnelie by Ihon Lattimor an Irish friar who accused the Duke of manie practises speciallie of his intention to vsurp the crown which mayd hym so popular But Latimor being committed by the Dukes meanes to the custodie of Syr Iohn Holland in the night before he should come to his ansvver the poor man vvas strangled by Holland and Grean But to come nearer to the present age In Quene Maries tyme examin how obedient these Reformers wear to that magnanimous Quene and the Crown and it is worthie to be noted that in fiue yeares the too short tyme of her raigne she had defacto more open and violent opposition and rebellion by her own sudiects then Quene Elizabeth had in 45. yeares for the treasons of Preasts and religious men weare but skar crowes in dead
ther libertie Speciallie for religion for at that he aymed most the propagation of his doctrine and he knevv vvell that in popular estates he might preuayle stronglier and vvith bette hope of success for all his religion is popularitie and pleasing and as Swinglius fovvnd he could not induce FraÌ„ces the first to applaude hym So by the exampl of Henry the second Caluin ded perceaue that kings and Deigratia vvear blocks in his vvaye And therfor to remooue them that they might not empeach the course and current of his preachings and proceading C. 6. v. 22. he speaks in a tune full of sharpes and menaces Abdicant se potestate terreni principes dum insurgunt contra Deum imo indigni sunt qui consâ—anturâ—â— hominum numero Potius ergo conspuere oportet in illorum capita quam ilâ—is parere vbi sic proteruiunt vt velâ—nt spâ—liare Deum â—uo â—â—re What a learned homelie is this to teach subiects obedienc Ioyne all these good instructions together and so shall yovv best interpret and explain one by an other D. Bilson in his book of Christian subiection taketh paynes to expovvnd and vvrest Caluins vvords and to saue his credit sets the berst coolors on them he could I. Caluin saith he in this place Speaks not a vvord of depriuing princes or resisting them vvith armes but onelie shovveth that Daniel ded rightlie defeÌ„d hym self for not obeying the kings vvicked edict ioyned vvith the dishonor of god Secondly by Abdicant se he meanes not they loos ther crovvnes but that they loose ther povver to command in thes things but in lavvfull things they retain ther povver 3. For the phrase conspuerè it seams something hard yet the comparison so standing as he maiks it whether it wear better to contemn ther impious edicts or to obey them Caluin vrgeth it in vehement wordes And this is farr from Rebellion An other excuseth it that it was spoken comparatiue not rebelliouslie that is yf the king should contradict Gods lavv A poor shift but he sets not dovvn vvho should be iudg of that betwean God and the king And so it is nihil ad rem I answer to the first it is idle and impertinent what yf he vse not these words of depriuation and resistanc for then had he erred too palpablie ar therfor the other words he vseth excusable For Daniels right full defenc it is not pertinent to the quaestion D. Allen mayd Besides what was Daniels defenc what arms took he All with owt contemps of the king humilitie prayer and patienc Not after the Geneua fashion so brauelie as to spitt in Nabugodonosors face nor alledging that he was not worthie to liue emong men And for the second by abdicantse what meanes he that kings doe loose not ther Crownes but onely povver to command let vs speak plaine English withowt halting Yow confess the king looseth his authoritie and soouerain power to command and yow add obscurlie in thes things Yovv mean in matters of religion for so it is to be vnderstood tho yow cast a cloke over the words and cover the matter Then I desyre to know what is a kings crown withowt power to coÌ„mand He that teacheth they loose ther royall power dothe he not mean they forfeit it and yf they doe forfeit it who is tho challeng and taik the forfeiture of a crown but by such lectures doth not Caluin stirr vp and arme against the king his trayterous subiects yf they reuolt from ther obedienc for religion Is not that the grownd of all the combustion and ciuill warrs in France Yea but in other things lavvful yow say kings retaine ther power First these ar maister Bilsons words not Caluins for they contradict Caluin whose proposition is indefinite abdicant se potestate they loose and forfeit all ther authoritie and power absolutelie not after a sort and in all things not in some particuler and for altogether not for a tyme for when kings ar dispossessed they seldome recouer ther hold againe Besides what court or what magistrates ar fitt to heare and determin whear in kings may loose ther power and whearin not and to decide and iudg the difference betwean these vnlawful matters yow speak of and the lawfull tho Caluins words import no restriction at all The vvhich doth playnlie appear by his harsh phrase as yow tearm it of spitting in ther faces that is as yovv interpret to defye them to ther faces to contemn them and ther acts But this yow say is farr from rebellion trew and yet nothing to the purpose For rebellion is but one species of Treason and therfor tho he teach not rebellion he may teach treason And so yovv help hym litl Labor to extenuate the vvords as much as yovv can and yet vvill they be reallie heynous and seditious For he that houldâ—th a king is not vvorthie to be or liue in hominuâ— numero dothe he not as it vvear eiect and excommunicate hym from all goverment and confyne and censure hym to liue vvith beasts as Nabugodonosor ded Yf yovv teach that insurgunt contra Deum doe yovv not maik hym hatefull for his impietie But to conclude this yovv grand in effect to be his meaning That yf the king threaten Daniel except he vvorship the Idolle or yf the king of France seake to compell his subiects to obey his lavve and communicate at the alter of the church then abdicat se potestate the king ought to loose obedienc subiects ar not bovvnd to obey hym but rather to spit in his face vvhich is a conteÌ„pt in the highest degree and that vvas the cavvse vvhy Doctor Allen ded obiect that against Caluin as seditious doctrine Besides he mayd his ovvn quarrel Gods quarrel the defenc of Caluinism as the defenc of religion and so embroyled the king and the kingdome in perpetual quarrell for his doctrine But D. Bilson ded knowe or might haue knovven that seditious doctrines wear not so daintie at Geneua For in hatred of the thre Q. Maries of England and Scotland he set abroach and defended that poyson and factious doctrin of Gunocratia and by his inspiration knox and Goodman ded publish ther books against ther lawfull princes Besides look vpon the storie of Scotland printed by Wautroller p. 213. and yow shall fynd that knox for an Apologie of his practises alledged Caluins authoritie That it is lavvful for subiects to reform religion vvhen princes vvil not But Caluins opinion of that poynt may be more manifestlie prooued by the practise of his darling maister Beza who sowndlie ded vnderstand his doctrin and ded brauelie second hym in all his platts In the preface to the nevv testament dedicated to Quene Elizabeth 1564. he vsed these vvords Quo die scilicet 19 december ante biennium Galiica nobilitas illustrimo Principe Condaeo Duce tuis illustrissimorum quorundam Germantae principum subsidijs freta non procul vrbe Druidum fortissime praeliata prima restunendae in Gallijs
direct all affayres for in France and England all authoritie depeÌ„ds vpon the kings and yf they wear his consorts they wear not his inferiors What is the state but the authoritie of the Prince who onelie by his letters patents createth the pears disposeth all Offices giveth all honors receaueth all homages as the sole fountain from whenc springeth nobilitie and authoritie and he that either would restraine that sooveraintie or communicate it with others maketh no differenc of the Crovvn of a kinst and the la Beretta of the Duke of Venice Manie such like rules and positions haith he published fitt introduction for Anarchie and mutinies most of them false and all wicked vayles onelie to cover the face and name of treason that it might not appear in his proper and vglie shape I might heare trauel and wearye yow with as Good stuff owt of the book de iure Magistratus a bird of the same nest for if it wear not Bezas as manie think It vvas Ottomans his Camerado But I will leaue them bothe for they touch the string of sooveraintie with too rough a hand nay rather they straine to breack it when they teach so grosse treasons that the states ar aboue the king that the bodie is aboue the head a monstrous doctrine as yf anie man could with iudgment maik a quaestion whether the people should be directed and commanded by the maister or the man by the subiect or the soouerain by the Princ of Condie and the Admiral or by king Charles and king Philip had reason to cut of the head of the iustice of AragoÌ„ and to teach the people what was the trew meaning of nos qui podemos tanto come vos c. All which paradoxes it wear easie to refell but that I haue vndertaken onelie to discouer not to combate and encounter them and bycause they ar learnedlie and religiouslie confuted all readie by Barklaâ—e Bauricau and Blackwood Onelie by the waye I must informe yow that they deal politicklie and conninglie and professe not openlie and bluntlie to haue anie liking to chainge the state and depose or ouerrule kings But artificiallie they manage all First to bread a dislike of Monarchs then to show the inconvenienc to depend vpon the edicts of one man then may they much the better magnifie the authoritie of magistrates by whome they might reforme idolatrie and why the Creatures of a king suppresse the creator of ther power And yet be sure the Consistories and elders muh rule all and be iudges bothe of the cleargie lavves counsell and king They be the Rabbins that owt of ther Sanhedrim must govern both church and kingdome by the Oracles of Geneua I may not forget how vureuerentlie Eusebius Philadelphus Sc. Mr. T. Beza vsed king Charles in his book of Reueille matmattin whear vsuallie he calls the king Tyrant and maiks his Anagramme Chasscur desâ—oyal Read his rymes and scandalous reproches against the Q. moother-Peruse the 40. Articles recorded in that book for the better aduancing of seditious gouernment As art 25. that all cheafs and Generalls must obserue ther ecclesiastical discipline ordayned by the Synodes And art 40. they ar bownd neuer to disarme so long as religion is pursewed persecuted by the king he meaneth So much patienc haue these Saints that seaking to reforme all others can not reforme ther own affections But yf yow peruse the 14. and 15. art yow shall discern the brauerie of ther irregular passions intending therby onelie to ouerthrow the king and the familie of Valoys These wear the holie articles of Bearn 1574. coyned with his stampe and communicated at Millun to all ther Moschees that they might he more stroÌ„glie maik warr as they Sayd against ther enemies till it pleased God to turn the hart of the French tyrant Thus ad gustum populi principatus exigitur At the same tyme was framed and dispersed abroad the lyfe of Katharine de Medicis Francogallia the Toxsan of Massacreurs and the Legent of Lorraine For that honor the howse of Guise haith long had that no man professed hym self an enemie to the church but he was likewise at deadly seud with them Heare I might taik vp and stay yow no longer with the description of ther vertues and loyaltie but that I desyre to present vnto yovv vvhat opinion the graue and learned men of the church of England and others also of gread iudgment haue dad had of these Euangelists of Geneua 1. Doctor Sutclif in his ansvver to a libel supplicatorie p. 194. confesseth that the protestants of the french church taught for 30. yeares violent reformation of religion by the nobilitie people and priuate persoÌ„s 2. And in an other place Beza saith he in his book de iure Magistratus dothe arme the subiects against the Prince and he saith that book overthroweth in effect all the authoritie of Christian kings and Magistrates and for the book of Vindinciae contra tyrannos vvhich manie affirm to be Bezas or Ottomans It geues povver saith he to subiects not onelie to resist but to kill the Prince yf he impugn gods religion 3. The same is also averred by the late Archbush D. Bancroft in his book of the Suruay of discipline a man vvho exactlie had learned examined and obserued ther courses and positions and the great dainger grovving to the state by the ministers either Scotising or Geneuating for so he tearms them And the book of daingerous positions pag. 192. dothe demonstrate also the same To these I may add the iudgment of that famous Lawyer Frances Baldwin vvho had familiarlie conuersed vvith Caluin at Geneua in his book called Responsio altera ad Iohannem Calumum Paris 1562. pag. 74. Mirabar quorsum euaderet inflammatus tuus quidam apostolus Sc. m. Theodore qui cum hic concionaretur suis auditoribus commendabat vehementer extraordinarium illud exemplum Leuitarum sirictis gladijs per casira discurrentium obuios quosque idololatras trucidantium Sed nunc audio te vix contentum esse â—alibus Leuâ—is And pag. 128. I euiora saith he sunt illa cum statuis sepulchris ossibus principum ac martyrum barbarum bellum indictum videmus cum ciuitates occupari fana spoliari audimus c. But what nead I labour to prooue that Beza and his followers haue caused all these vproars and commotions in France when he hym serf Epistola 40. Christophero Thretio confesseth that they must fight it owt Ego quidem pacem nullam nisi debellatis hostibus ausim sperare Yf yow ask who wear these enemies he answers Cacolycorum castra traÌ„s Ligerim sunt Therby he means the Catholiks and the kings armie And a litl before ab eo tempore nostri copiss foelicisâ—ime instauratis Toloâ—anum agrum infestarum Inde ad Rhodanum vsque progresâ—i occupatis aliquot passim oppidis arcibus in quibus praesidium reliquerunt So they spoyled the contrie disturbed the peace surprised the kings townes fortified and oppugned
reuennues of the crown So to conclude the king giuing and appointing all iudges who in his realme is to iudg hym or to censure his counsells of state and politike temporall actions and yf be he iudg they ar vvithowt iudgment that attribute it to the states but they err most that arme the people vvithe that authoritie For tho I know what a parliement means and what power it vvoorthilie carrieth yet as it is euer summoned by the king so ther acts must be iudged allowed and confirmed by the king before they be lawes In the senate rests consilium but in the king is the powre and Maiestie of the realme and he is iudg to allow or disallow what he liketh and by the coniunction of these Foskevv sayd trewlie no state is berter tempered nor more temperatelie gouerned nor by more excellent municipall lawes then England is So to conclude what reason can be pretended for wyats insurrection against his soouerain the bodie politick was it for matching with Spayne that was no straâ—g motion for her father had once before deâ—seigned to match her in that familie besides the conditions vvear honorable and profitable to the crovvne yf God should bless them vvith issevv the person most noble and the reasons allowed by all the counsel But the Quene ded not obserue the lawes of the realme she abrogated the statuts of 1. E. 6. which all the kingdome approoued and the vvord of God by Moyses commandeth that Princes should obserue the lavves and those Princes dishonor them selfs vvho doe not acknowledg that of Theodosius tantùm tibi licet quantum per leges licet Well aliud ex alio malum As Moyses prescribed vvhat a Prince should doe so Samuel what he may doe Moyses tould hym his dewtie Samuel his power and it is trew and a Christian profession of kings legibus se subiectos esse profiteri But yow must consider the lavv haith two properties the one to show what a man should doe the other to punish them that doe it not To the first the king is subiect but tovching the second for criminal cavvses I know no court aboue the kings bench nor no iudg aboue the king Moreouer yf Quene Marie shold be tyed to her brothers lavves vvhy vvas not Quene Elizabeth to hers vvhy vvas not king Edvvard to his fathers lavves but that religion of Quene Marie was corrupt vnpure and superstitious So still hear is philautia and presumption yow will censure your iudg and yow a lay man wil iudg of his religion that is the Quaestion yet and not decided by anie orderlie Councels or Synodes on yovvr part and S. Austen libro vbi supra Si vir nistus sub rege sacrilego militet iuste posset illo iubente bellare 1. ciuicae pacis ordinem seruans 2. cui quod iubetur vel non esse contra Dei praeceptum certum est vel vtrum sit certum non est Tho the king be sacrilegious yet he is to be obeyed and hovv 1. ciuicae pacis ordmem seruans that is the course and that is the end for indiuidua bona sunt pax libertas vvhich is to be noted for them that plead so stronglie for ther liberties secundo yf the kings commandements be not directlie against Gods vvords yf vel non esse certum est vel vtrum sit certum non est Novv tho all Catholicks knevv the certum est in ther conscienc yet the protestants for the vtrum sit vvear vncertan bycause both the lavv of the realme the general counsels the vvhole state of the Churche Militant was against them and they had onelie the testimonie of priuate spirits to oppose against publick authoritie But vvhat yf Quene Marie had erred in some superstitions what yf the present king ded err in his gouernement in his courses in his iudgment or in matching his sonn withowt the consent of the realme should either of them be censured or excommunicated by the ministers or depriued or committed and emprisoned by a vvyat Salomon ded fall into greauous sinnes ad profundum Idololatriae lapsus atque demersus saith S. Austen and ded directlie against Goods commandement to keap and marrie straing voemen of the gentiles non ingrediemini ad illas besides he worshipped Moloch and Astarthes the goddes of the Sydomans yet neither Preasts nor people ded rise against hym or depose hym they left it to the proper iudg of hings who in his wrathe ded appoynt and raise vp Hieroboam to ruine his sonn and yf wyat could haue showd such an immediat warrant he had bean excusable Iulian prooued in Apostata yet tho the Doctors of the primatiue Church as G. Nazianzen and others sharply reprooued and detested his impietie yet they never perswaded nor taught the people to depriue hym He that proclaymed the prerogatiue of kings vos estis dâ— he taught the world that as Gods haue summum imperium so the people ar to obey and therfor called subditi for ther subiection and yow neuer hard of anie but Gyants that wear fayned to fight with the Gods and they perished for all ther greatnes for that hand must neads vvither vvhich toucheth Gods anoynted for he that taiks armes against hym doth prouoke the king to the feald and when the flame rageth who can tell whear the sparks will light Some limitations ther ar and those neadfull For I ascribe not an infinite vnlimited diuinitie to kings nor a powr to tyrannize and liue as atheists he that gaue the that glorie vos estis dij ded likewise geue them this caueat that for iniquitie and impietie transferam regna de gente in gentem He is the Iudg of Princes and his audit is dreadfull and to that we must leaue them FINIS THE SECOND PART HIERVSALEM THAT OBEDIENCE AND ORDER BE THE EIRENARCHAE OF CATHOLIQVES HAVING allreadie trewlie King Henrie tho eight and liuelie Drawen and presented vnto yow the Image of the Churches called Reformed vvith a face so full of frownes and stearnnes that by the Phisiognomie yow may iudg it vnquiet and turbulent It remaineth in like sort to paynt owt vnto yow the portraicture of a Roman Catholick by the infallible characters of deuotion order obedienc and the humilitie of the professors thereof What they weare in this land in the tyme of king Lucius and the Britons I shall not nead to expresle but refer yow to the ecclesiasticall stories of that tyme which euen Fox and the Centuries doe honor labouring rather to commend them as members of ther ovvn Churche then to acknowledg them ours For the tyme of the Saxons I vvill maik no relation of ther vertues and how amiablie the Church and common welthe ded sping vp together And though the prelates wear highlie reuereÌ„ced and ded beare great swaye in the state yet how dewtiefullie they obeyed ther princes Venerable Beda and the stories of that tyme. M. Lamberts Archaionomia the old Saxon Lawes and the monuments yet vpon record can witnes
seuerall places before but now he explayneth all and leaues no dowbt For heare he reiecteth all lawes both ciuil and canon and setts this brand of infamie vpon them nusquam turpius regimen and ioynes both the lavves sub eodem iugo to dravv after the Alchoran and come short of that and so he reiecteth and disgraceth the positiue and politick lawes of Germanie For vvho vvould obeye lavves vvorse then the Alchoran or obey magistrates vvho govern by them worse then the Bashavves Novv seing no man can defend Luthers vvords and the fruits and effects thereof the conspiracie of the Bovvers being inexcusable I may vvell conclude that Luther vvas much yf not most to blame for these the first tumults of Germanie But I will yet maik that a litl more playne by the testimonies of learned writers Hospinian in historia Sacramentaria Iutherus haith he belli Germanici causa non leuis Oâ— ander centur 16 p. 16. Rustici iuramento confoederati seditionem excitarunt contra quosdam proceres Ecclesiasticos Causam pretendebant quasi Euangelij doctrinamtueri c. and he adds this that ad â—utheri iudicium prouocauerunt For they ded altogether build vpon his grownds and writings speciallie the bull which no man can defend by law how soever they may cloke that by pretenc of the gospell How Erasmus in Hyperaspite condemnes hym for that his words declare Populus inquit iste Euangelicus quos tumultus excitat quoties quam leuibus de causis procurrit ad arma nesuis quidem Ecclesiasticis sat is obtemperans nisi dicant blandia auribus And in an other place Excussa est obedientia Episcoporum which was onely Luthers work sed ita vt ne profanis quidem magistratibus pareatur And Menno Simonius an Anabaptist libro de cruce Christi Quam sangumolentas seditiones Luther ani ad comprobandam doctrinam suam annis aliquot proximis excitarunt Which they alledged aswel for the warr of the Bowers as for the leaguers of Smalcald both which he occasioned And touching that obiection that Luther ded vvrite contra rusticos and against ther vproares and preached obedienc perswaded them to that and vehementlie condemned the Anabaptists it is trew he ded so But it was onelie a fallacian to avoyd the scandal for when he see they wear not like to stand and mantain ther quarrel he left them in the briars though they appealed to hym and bycause at that tyme he was much condemned as a medium and instrument of that sedition And ther for he reprooued Pacimontan a principal Anabaptist for diuulging that he was ther frend and fauoured ther proceadings and reprehended them all as yf they had transgressed his bull ther commission in committing owtrages against secular Princes and Magistrates though he hym self ded most seditiouslie inuaigh against them also Neither can yow think iustlie that all who ded rise with Muncer and caused the tumults after wear onelie Anabaptists for what was FraÌ„ces Sicking and his fellowers Lutherans What wear those of Frankfort Mentz and Coolen Lutherans The Bowers also vsed for ther defenc Luthers Homelies and sermons they wear all for reformation and noueltie all against the Church of Roome and ther own Bushops all for Libertie and ther watchword was viuat Euangelium as yf it had bean a feald fough for religion and the Church And this confirms me stronglie against Luthers praesumptuons intention to abrogate all lawes bycause he took vpon hym to enact new lawes in disgrace of the ouâ—d as yf he had bean the head of the Church and Christ vicegerent For after he had burned the Popes Canons and abolished the Mass he mayd a new form of the Masse hym self and ded institute new ceremonies propria authoritate which before he denied that the Pope could doe And what was his pretenc Libro de formula Missae Coactus sum saith he propter leues fastidiosos spiritus sc his own fellowers qui sola nouitate gaudent atque statim vt nouitas desijt nauseantes alios Canones aliamque missandi formulam perscribere Of which Erasmus gaue this opinion Interim constitutiones humanae constitutionibus humanis imo parum humanis mutantur Titul is modo mutatus est vocantur enim verbum Dei Luther ded chaing and maik voyd the Constitutions of men by new constitutions of his own which had litl humanitie in them The title onely was chainged for he gaue them the name of Gods word But all this quo vvarranto was it doon Is it tollerable for Luther a priuate man withowt anie euident authoritie or express commission to disanull all lawes and maik a Metamorphosis of the world at his pleasure but his vocation his ministerial power his iurisdiction was extraordinarie he was sent as an Elias to discover and confwnd Antichrist I think in dead he was sent and God permitted hym to visit his church as he permitted Satan to visit holie Iob. That so by haeresie and tyrannie he might awake the world reuiue deuotion and be a mean to punish sinn and purge ill humors which could not but a litl infect the natural bodies of the visible church after so maine hundred yeares of peace and plentie It may be that he fownd the lights in the church burning some what too dimm Yet tho he ded snuff it he had no povver either to put owt the candl or remooue the candlstick For haeresies doe oft geue fitt occasioÌ„s to stirr vp the churchment to more discipline to open and explain the senc of scripture and to exercise the patienc wisedome and pietie of the Church And so Luther may be sayd to haue preserued religion as the Romans sayd that Anseres seruabant capitolium But of Luther and Elias his vocation and Apostleship I shall haue occasion much fitter to discourse hearafter and to Canonise hym in a Calender more proper for his holienes being now desyrous to declare the Catastrophe of this miserable Tragedie he set foorth in Germanie rather to be lamented then discoursed The former attempts wear vndertaken against the cleargie and the princes but I will now relate an enterprise against both the Empyre and the Emperor hym self and by the mightiest princes of Almaine whear in Luther was causa sine qua non Old Iolm Frederick Duke of Saxonie together with the Lansgraue of Hessen and diuers others all protectors of Luther and his gospell first entred into a league at Smalcald a town in Henssia vpon the fronters of Saxonie onelie for ther own defenc and the maintenanc of ther religion and liberties for bothe of these ioyntly ar now mayd the vsual cloke of conspiracies against all men that should in vade and seak to persequute them And in this league weare comprehended the Duke of WirteÌ„berg and diuers Imperiall tovnes The which league was again renewed at Frankfort and confirmed with generall and solemn protestation vvhearupon there and at Auspurgh the name of Protestants was deriued originallie After that anno 1536. fearing
for his own honor and interest to preuent the propagation of the Martinists and other nevv sectaries latelie sprong vp in these contries And he could deuise no better remedie then to establish the Inquisition there vvhich he ded anno 1550. Wheareof Marie Quene of Hongrie then regent to her great honor procured both a mitigation and an explanation But he resigning all the gouernement to his sonne retyred hym self from the world whearin he had bean long tyred and in a most memorable manner consecrated the last act of his lyfe to God and deuotion Afterward king Philip likewise finding The Inquisition 1. how largelie the brainches of Anabaptism Libertines the familie of Loue and others ded spread abroad and grovv vp vvith Lutheranisme in Flanders and vvhat dainger might ensevv vpon it to the state yf no good order vvear taken to preuent a further ancrease of mischeafe he follovved his fathers counsell and at large renevved the commission instruction and articles for the sayd Inquisition anno 1555. vvhich vvas a thing most fearfull and discontenting to the inhabitants of the Netherlands vvho alledged that in regard thereof all straingers vvould depart the contrie and by consequence all traffick vvould decaye vvhich is the gold myne and maintenanc of these prouinces But in dead they knew best ther own disease and what affliction and scourge they should be subiect to being for the most part inclined to innouation and this they apprehended as the first cavvse of ther commotions 2. Besides an other prudent and politique act added more fevvel to the fyre and an encrease of discontentment vvhich was the erection of the nevv bushopricks 3. Thirdlie the authoritie and povver of the Bushop of Arras vvas much disdained and his Cardinals hat mayd hym more odious as a man too supereminent in a state so popular and the greater his obligation was to the Pope for his honor the more vvas the mallice of the nobilitie and the hate of the peopl encreased against hym 4. Furthermore the better to cloke and couer ther intentions vvith the vayle of bonum publicum they vrged to enioye ther ancient liberties and freedome and that no strainger might beare office and rule emōg them and that the Spanyards might be discharged from all residenc in these lands 5. Lastlie and speciallie they desyred toleration and libertie of conscienc So as in effect the names of religion and the Commonvvelth vvear mayd the standard bearers of all these commotions Novv concerning these greauances the first is a name of more terror then in dead it is Not so fearfull to good men but a rack to offendors deuised vpon necessitie against the Moors in Spayne and continued vpon experienc of the vse and benefit of it and tho I can commend no sign of crevveltie yet can I not condemn this bycaus it addeth nothing to the punishment of heresie more then the law before inflicted but exacted onelie a more strict and seuear execution and course of examination by the inquisitors it shovveth a more care of the gouernor when he fyndeth abuses and dainger in an offendor And also bycawse it was the sole Antidot whearby onelie Spayne is and haith bean so wel and so long preserued from the infection of sects and the contagion and tumults which innouation vsuallie ingendreth whearwith all the kingdomes in Europe haue bean embroyled And the Spanyards them selfs neuer complayned of it not felt it ever as a yoke or burden vpon them who ar not verrie apt to beare burdens Neither is it in se a more bloodie lavv or a more fearfull execution of iustice then the consistorie of Geneua and the seuear commissions and proceading of some other contries as shall hear after appeare by the comparison Besides as is vvas a curse zealouslie at first propunded the execution was likewise as wiselie afterward suspended So as the iealousie and fear of an act more then the action drew all this blood And for the second it was a politick and prudent inuention a suaffle to bridl sectaries and a sicle to cut dovvn the vveads growing vp in the church For setting in each prouinc graue and learned men to stand as watchment and sentinells to foresee ne quid in commodi respublica Ecclesia patiantur they might better and more prouidentlie with ther authoritie either preuent or cut of the heads of that Hydra vvhich ded then spring vp vvith much terror Neither vvas the matter and motion new for Philip the wise Duke of Burgondie had long before desyred byt could never effect it knovving it to be a thing neadfull bycause at that tyme almost all the 17. lands except Arras wear vnder the diocese of Bushops who wera straingers and the subiect of forrein princes which was a thing not conuenient for the state And vvhat good this chaing haith wrought experienc perfectlie and daylie showeth for novv euerie diocese is more carefullie visited and the Bushops being of the same nation and language as they haue a more naturall compasion so likevvise haue they more knovvledg and care to instruct ther contriement and to vvead owt the disorders and abuses grovving vp emong them then anie strainger vvould or could haue And that vvas the cavvse why it vvas alovved and ratified by the bull of PIVS IV. anno 1559. Novv touching Monsieur d'Arras albeyt his vvisedome and experienc in affayres both of the church and the state vvas sufficientlie knovven to the kings yet bycause the Prince of Oreng and the Counts of Horn and Egmont ded ioyntlie write to the king against hym his Maiestie tho to the great hinderance of his seruice was content to remooue hym for ther satisfaction and contentment and vvhen he vvas called avvaye neither vvas the contrie quieter nor they ceased from practising As for ther liberties and franchises ded not the king at the Ioyfull entrie confirm them all then hovv and when ded he after violate them vvas it for preferring the Spanyards there wear few of them left in ahe Netherlands and fevver cum imperio Was it for the offices of state the king distributed all the gouernements emong them selfs natiues of that contrie so great trust and confidence he reposed in them He mayd the Count Egmond Gouernor of Flanders and Artois the Prince of Oreng Gouernor of Holland Zelland Vtreght and Burgondie to the Count Arenbergh he gaue the gouernement of westfrizeland and over Isel to Count Barlaymont Namur to Count Mansfeld Luxemburg and Chinay to the Marques of Berghen Lile and Douay So as the nobilitie could not iustlie taik offenc nor haue expected more honor and command then was fauorablie giuen them And for the further assuranc of his good affection to them he left his sister the Dutches of Parma Gouernor general a woeman of a peacable spirit and who was like to bear the bridle with a mild and gentle hand and to be aduised by ther counsells So then what was the original of these commotions All was actuallie quiet the
manie princes in 32. yeares haue acknovvledged and vsed them as a free State Yf they hold onelie by prescription I may iustlie saye that tyme will not serue ther turne except they can therwith plead a title and bona fides for tyme may coÌ„firm a title but creates none and the opinion of forrein princes maiks not ther bad clayme better but geueth onelie a reputation to the vsurper and in so bad a quarrel brauelie defended not the cawse but the success not ther right but ther prosperitie haith doon them honor Besides it is nor trew that they haue bean so reputed of Princes to negotiate with princes vnder that title and that so princes confirm ther title be different things I grand that they offred to Quene Elizabeth the sooueraintie of these prouinces and laboured that she vvould entertain them but the counsel speciallie the L. Treasorer ded not vvelcome the offer both in regard of ther title for nemo potest plus euris transferre in alium quam ipse habet they could not geuer her that which vvas not ther owne and in respect of the safetie and honor of the Quene who could not hold and mantain such a tile withowt the censure of the world and withowt geuing forrein princes and her own people a president against her self Although for her own priuate ends afterward she was content to protect them and he who furthered most that protection was as glad so clenlie to be rid of the sonn as the Marques of Winchester was to be deliuered of the father And therfor the Quenes commissioners at Burborough as I haue hard affirmed trewlie Auersata est Regina delatam sibi saepius illarum regionum summam potestatem Neither was Syr Noel Caron in Quene Elizabeths tyme esteamed as an Embassador but as an agent But to ioyn issew with them yf they can maik good ther hold and Clayme it By lavv must be either by the Gospel and patronage of religion or it must be by lawe for yf by neither of these they leane vpon a rotten stake first the lavv is directlie against them For at the Ioyfull entrie they wear subiects absolutelie and the king was soouerain and to Oreng he committed the liuetennancie of these contries Ouem lupo Oreng and the people withdraw ther obedienc vpon surmises defended ther townes against the king depriued hym of his inheritanc and mayd them selfs sooueraines Whether wear these men guiltie by lavv of Treason or no this is the case trevvlie Dambouderius your contrieman in prax criminal cap. 132. haith drawen your proces saith he Seditiosi sunt 1. qui moluintur conspirationem 2. aduersus rectores admmistratores regionum 3. ilâ—â—citas congregationes populi cogunt â—iues commotionibus turbant c. This compared with ther dealing against Alua Don Iohn and the Duke of Parma with ther manie meatings at Breda and Osterweal with ther incensing and encooraging the Geuses with ther defenc of Harland and Alcmar is as good as a comment to explayne the law But cap. 82. Vi bâ—â—â—a sint insta requiritur 1. iusta causa 2. recta intentio 3. personarum idoneitas 4. authoritas principum sine qua est laesa Maiestas Now yf the states mark that sine qua they may hold down ther heads and blush for in all ther warres they neither had good coolor nor iust cawse they wear secured for ther religion by the pacification of Gandt by the perpetual edict by the articles of the treatie at Coolen and by enioying all withovvt disturbanc and yet would they not ioyn vvith the states generall and accept the same Also ther vvas not recta intentio for it was to noorish discord they pretended euer religion and the peoples safetie but the Prince perswaded them to armes and the vnion not for the loue of them but for his own preseruation Ambition and dispayre wear his motiues and counsellors and reueng and dispossessing the king wear his ends And he was the more disloyall seing he being a person of honor betrayed the trust of so great a charg reposed in hym And touching that sine qua it was a warr on ther parts mayd against the king and not by his authoritie and not onelie his sword was shaken against the king but his penn and Apologie which was a great error bycause they wear not aequallie matched and of one degree He had in the low contries neither office nor command but vnder the wings of the Aegle or authoritie of the Lyon And he held all his Belgick lands in fee of the Duke of Burgondie as of his Leage Lord and ded homage and fealtie for the same and he knew also that a soouerain geues law to his subiects aswel as offices and haith power of lyfe and death and as a learned man noted Eoâ—in the law signifieth the power and command of hym that haith the sooueraintie Besides Claudius le Brun in his book of proces ciuil and criminal addeth this Whosoeuer surpriseth tovvnes Castles and forts vvithovvt order of his soouerain as the Prince ded cawse Count Lumay doe in HollaÌ„d and Vorst and Barland ded Flushyng VVhearby the peace of the contrie is broken or vvho attempteth against the lyfe of the soouerains liuetennant it is treason And these all Europe doe hold as iudgments decrees of reason and principles of state which ar not to be called in quaestion and yf the states in Holland doe not obserue hold and practise the same they can never expect either peace order or obedienc in ther contrie So as it is manifest that the Hollanders in the beginning ar to be charged with sedition and in the progress with rebellion and treason And then being traytors by law they haue admirable luck and art to maik them selfs also Lords by lawe and it will be a good encooragement to ther soldiers yf men may winn dignities by offences to share the novvnes of Holland emong them or to induce them to a bellum pyraticum or sociale and cantonize that prouinc by ther own example They haue yet one euasion which is rather of consequenc then of substanc to prooue ther title a playster they think to salue all sores that the Archduke haith renounced his right and the king ar knowledgeth them to be now liberas prouincias in quas ipse nihiliuris pretendat though it is no aenigma no ridl nor such an argument as will pose a lawyer to answer it yet bycause I vvill not doe hurt whear I would doe good I leaue it to the consideration of that honorable and learned Chancelor Peckins who can best in a fitt tyme satisfie the world that it is but a sharcrow and thunder withowt a bolt So then by law yow haue hard in what state they stand for procuring the effusion of so much blood and breaking the peace By diuinitie of Christendome so now I desire all both Gomarists and Armenians to heare the opinion of Doctor Bilson a great Piller of
first doe yovv talk of a vvhole state and maik the king no part of it the head no part of the bodie can ther be a monarchie vvithovvt a king yovv harp to near knoxes tune and a Scots gig The vvhol state id est the people either sollicited or disposed to aduanc Duke Charles vvithovvt the kings consent to vvear his crovvne ded elect Charles ther king and depriued Sigismond This was yow say for defenc of ther priuiledges and religion So then yow think for the se two cawses they might iustlie depose ther king and so the kings maistlie knovveth vvhat assurance he may haue of you and vvhat a sure stake yow ar for kings to leane on can yow defend this fact it is the same that Holland and Bohemia committed then against whome is rebellion against the people or the king The law is playne no warr can be mayd withowt the authoritie of the prince sine qua est laesa maiestas and that is a fundamental law in euerie monarchie which yovv turn to a Democratie by leauing the bridle in the Peopls hand Yf yovv will vouch safe to hear S. Augustin he saith l. 22. cap. 75. contra Faustum ordo naturalis mortalium paci accommodatus hoc poscit vt suscipiendi belli authoritas atque consilium penes Principem sit and he geues a reason for non est potestas nisi à Deo vel iubente vel sinente and bycause yow think they ought by force of armes to resist ther king for religion c. 76. he answereth your obiectioÌ„ by exaÌ„pl of the Apostles Isti sunt resistendo interfecti sunt vt potiorem esse docerent victoriam pro fide veritatis occidi Martyrdoome Iam sure yow like not this Occidi for few perfect Caluinists prooue perfect martyrs Valentius degreed to banish Eusebius from Samosata the people resisted but Eusebius appeaseth the sedition disswaded the people and obeyed the decree Theodoret l. 4. cap. 14. Valentinian sent Calligonus his chamberlain to threaten S. Ambrose and terrifie hym from his opinions by the name of deathe and torments he ded answer in an other tune Deus permittat tibi vt impleas quod minaris Ego patiar quod est Episcopi tu facies quod Spadonis Christ hym self resisted not but commanded Peter tu put vp his sword it vvas no proper vveapon to defend his quarrel Daniel and the Children of Israel Captiues in Babilon when the king commanded them to Idololatrize they resisted not they reuiled not they ded not offer to spit in his face as Caluin brauelie defended they might but refusing his command they layd them selfs at his feate to endure his pleasure But to touch yow a litl nearer I nead alledg no other authors then your ovvn either to condemn wyat or the subiects of Swetheland Doctor Bilson holdeth it as an articl of offaith that Princes ar not to be deposed and that the Apostles endured the magistrates pleasure but performed not his command and how much he condemned warr against Princes his opinion haith taught me that he who may fight may kill and to fight with the Princ and murder hym be of ineuitable consequenc Besides maister Beza some tymes when he was not transported vvith passion affirmed Nullum remedium proponitur hominibus tyranno subiectis preter preces lachrimas Parson whytes own argument against the fathers of the Catholick religion that they teach nothing but treason to murder Princes and to disturb states I must reflect vpon them that either defend wyats rebellion or the fact of the Svvecians What nead I alledg L. Baylie Ormerode or suke like men dij maiorum gentium all your greatest Doctors haue wiselie and neadfullie defended that position for 50. yeares And yf it wear trew iust and lawfull in the raign of Quen Elizabeth I see no reason why it should not be so taken in Quene Maries case for the differenc of Religion doth not alter the authoritie and power of Iudisdiction And yf Princes should for feit ther authoritie when they err in faith Then vvho should taik the forfeiture thereof and who should be iudg whether he haith forfeited yt I know yow ar not so gross as to think the people maye that is an opinion generallie reiected nor that officers share authoritie vvith the king that is also cast owt of the schools Xiphilin in the lyfe of M. Antonius saith Solus Deus iudex Principum Belloy in his Apologie Cathol part 2. Orationibus pugnandum armes against Princes haue no warrant Quis est iudex siâ—â— ex transgreditur conditiones regni Solus Deus § 21. and how farr we ought to obey princes and Quatenus see sainct Augustin serm de verbis Domini in Matth. And common reason will and may teach euerie man the misterie of this thesis For the king is anima corporis spiritus vitalis caput membrorum vinculum per quod cohaeret respublica sine quo nihil respublica ipsa futura nisi onus praeda si mens illa Imperij detrahatur This was Senecas opinion and a sownd proposition for yf the sowle offend the bodie the bodie can not punish it vvithovvt participating of the punishment neither is it a proper facultie of the bodie to iudg but of the sowle and vnderstanding Examin what the law meaneth by bodie politick and yow shall better discern all my growndwork It is a dignitie Royal annexed to the naturall bodie whearby he is mayd Lord Paramount and is not surnamed as others ar but stiled by the name of the bodie politick declaring his function as Iacobus Rex and to show the nature qualitie maiestie and prerogatiue of that bodie 1. It can not hold lands in ioyntennancie nor endure a partner 2. it can not be seazed to vses and so limited 3. it is not bovvnd to geue liuerie and season of lands nor tyed to the circumstances of a naturall bodie 4. it can not doe homage hauing no superior 5. and that bodie is so precious as the imagination onelie to compasse his death is treason tho ther be no attempt 6. and that bodie vested in a blood ought to discend and tho the natural bodie be attainted of fellonie or treason before yet by access of this body politick he may taik his inheritanc for that dignitie purgeth the blood as it ded H. 7. and H. 4. for this bodie was founded vvithovvt letters pattents by the Common lawes and for the defenc of the people And yf criminal cawses can not disable the discent it can less when it is discended for the crown of England is independant for his iura regalia holden of no Lord but the lord of heauen so it can not escheat to anie being holden of none What then from this fowntain is all authoritie and honor deriued Iudges at created and haue ther commission to iudg from the king for criminal and ciuil cawses the Constable and marshals court for armes and honor the Chancerie for equitie the Checkor for
mercie and peace and the laurel for wisedome gouernment and constancie the crowne of all FINIS THE III. PART THE TOVCHESTONE APOTHEOSIS LVTHERI HEAR I purposed to haue An excuse or Apologie of Luther and Caluin ended but I discouer an ambush layd to surprise me and to beat all my forces owt of the feald for I perceaue it will be obiected that the heate and vehemencie of Luther Swinglius and Caluin which I haue named Sedition was to be honored and not worthie of reproofe bycause the zeal of gods glorie and the truthe ded kindl â—hat fyre and those heauenlie sparks in them And touching Luther they obiect that he was the Elias foretould to come in the latter age illuminated by the spirit and raised vp by extraordinarie vocation for the reformation of error and corruptions renouation of vertue and good lyfe and the detection of Antichrist who had captiuated and seduced the vvhole world in manie ages and therfor such a prophet was not to be teddered within the compasse and rules of ordinarie professors Yf therupon he neglected the sway of authoritie the titles of lawes the glorie and maiestie of Princes the peace of common welths yow can not obiect and lay it more to his charg then Achab ded to Elias Tune is es qui conturbas Israel The whole world was possessed with a Litargie and Frenesie two extream diseases which could not be cured with Manna and gentl remedies a violent disease requireth strong purgations and he is the trew Hippotrates that can applie the proper cures to the world so infected gods power is not abated he can raise vp at his pleasure extraordinarie men to deliuer his people from Aegipt and Babel sinn and ignorance And yf that be granted vndowbtedlie then was Luther the Angel of the west Churche and the messinger of God to set vp the golden Candlsticks and geue light to his people Stay ther and pawse a litl how can yow maik me know and beleaue that Luther was gods purseuant and not the harrold of Antichrist They vvill hear produce the Colloquie of Altenburgh wherin pag. 80. and 587. they tearm Luther Angelus Dei Elias and tuba nonissima he that reuealed Antichrist multo illustrius quà m vnquam antea they will cite Aretius that Luther was sent immediately vocatione Dei cùm totum mundum impijs opinionibus fascinatum esse constat they produce Caluin who calls hym a singular Apostl of Christ from vvhose Church they had there gospel Cum densis tenebris suffocata esset Dei veritas they vse Ievvels authoritie in his Apollogie that he vvas a man sent from God to lighten the vvorld veritas tum inaudita cum Lutherus Svvinglius primo accessissent I pass ouer Fox in Apocal. vvho prooues hym the Elias and Iohn Amsterdam lo. de prophet Lutheri But what neads more for it is euident that at the sownd of that tromper Svvinglius a Chanon of Constanc Bucer a Dominican P. Martyr a Chanon regular Pellican a Minorite Oecolampadius a monk of S. Brigits order and infinit other like to the locusts 9. Apocal. who broke owt of all orders ded sting the verrie sovvles of men and fought the battel vnder that A bad-don ther Capitain and to them vvas powre giuen to hurt those men vvho had not the sign of God in ther fore heads So I dowbt not but Luther vvas the first that broke vnitie as a M. Wutton calls hym trewlie a scholler withovvt a maister and a sonn vvithovvt a father and so he must be either a bastard Church man or a miracle But these wear all protestants the Mirmidons of that Achilles of Saxonie and he hym self haith taught me not to beleaue anie matter of faith except Sic dicit Dominus be my warrant and therfor bycause it is a daingerous poynt and subiect to manie deceptions and troÌ„peries prooue vnto me that Luther was the Elias foretovvld and that he had his vocation extraordinarilie and immediatlie from God otherwise yow labour in vayne for I remember hovv Mahomet abused the vvorld with the name of the angel Gabriel how Theudas blinded the Ievves and hovv Barcosba drevv them to ther distruction and preuayled so powrfullie and generallie with them that Akyba one of the cheaf scribes and eldors reuerenced hym as the trew Messias and applied all the prophecies proper to Christ to the honor of that Impostor And Galatinus l. 4. c. 21. notes yt as ther error that these wise men ded not demand signes and miracles to approoue his diuinitie neither ded they till it was to late that Titus cam to beseach Hierusalem and then the peopl seing they had bean seduced and that he could not work anie miracles to geue them hope and comfort for ther deliuerie they put hym to deathe So ded Nuncer possess the Bowers of Germanie as a man to whome God had coÌ„mitted the Sword of Gedeon so abowt Luthers beginning the age for new worlds and nevv chainges Thekel persuaded Ismael of Persia that God in the top of the Anti-Taurus had appeared and reuealed to hym the reason he vsed to reforme ther religion And Bycause it is no daintie practise of Satan and that Dauid Georg Hacket H. Nichols and others haue bean of late so seduced I am induced to stand vpon my gard in a case that concerns my sowl so nearlie till I can sift owt the truthe vvhether Luther wear called in dead as an Elias and an apostl or he ded intrude hym self and yf he wear sent onelie and not called vvhether it vvas to reform the Church or to powr owt the vial of wrathe and scourg the vvorld And vvhy I maik this dowbt I learned my lesson of Beza p. 86. l. vindicia cont Tyran Bycause saith he God doth not novv speak hym self nor send his prophets extraordinarilie vve ought to keap watch of our sowles for yf anie man think he is inspyred by the holie ghost and taiks vpon hym that authoritie as called of God I desire hym to sownd hym self well and see yf he be not inspired with pryde and maik hym self an idol to hym self and conceaue such an opinion of his own head Let the vvorld taik head least thinking they warr vnder the banner of Christ they fight vnder the Deuels Flagg c. wel then how shall we know when God doth raise vp and send such men Beza answereth pag. 80. By hauing a spirit voyd of 1. all Ambition 2. 2 trevv and perfect zeal 3. right knovvledg and conscienc 4. and not vvorshypyng Idols or our selfs rather then God Then these ar the marks by which as Beza appointeth I must examin Luther and not withowt reason for they agree vvith that 2. Ep. S. Pet. c. 3. v. 3. in the last dayes shal come mockers walking after ther lusts and Bushops must be chast 1. Tim. 3. v. 3. modest not puffed vp in pride v. 6. a Christian must be no raylor fornicator c. 1. Cor 5. v. 11. patient in