occasioned a strange alteration in the state of things for these differences did reach beyond particular quarrells euen to the subuersion of whole states whereby it came to passe that one kingdome deuoured another and one people did subiugate many As the Assyrians first who erected the first Monarchie vnder Ninus and Simeramis the Parsians vnder Cyrus the Macedonians vnder Alexander and the Romans vnder the gouernement Conquests of Iulius Caesâ—r yet all these haue had their alterations and haue indured the misery of Conquest euen by such whom they reputed for barbarous and base people Ninthly The generall care that was had of these worldly occasions was the cause that Religion was scarce knowne not regarded therfore the Church then exceeded not the number of some few families being translated from one holy Man to anotther such as were Abraham Lot and Iob vnto the time of the twelue Patriakes when it began to spread into a holy generation and after the afflictions of Egypt and the wildernesse it came to a flourishing and princely state especially in the times of Dauid and Salomon Kings of Israell but not long after in Reobohams time tenne parts of twelue fell backe from Religion and became Apostates yea and many times that little Iuda that handfull of Gods people being drunke with ease and prosperity would forget God their mighty deliuerer forget his Sabbath and his Sanctuary and giue themselues to Idolatrous pleasures with such generall appetite as if God had giuen them licence for wickednesse no apparance or marke of Religion in Iuda Tenthly The mercifull God willing to cure the infirmity of those times commeth with his Iudgements Famine Sword and Pestilence not as in the old world to destroy but to correct the disobedience of his people who no sooner relish the sweetnesse of his mercy but wantonly returne to their former remisnesse and sinne with greater appetite then before yet for all this doth not God forget to be mercifull but continueth himselfe in his owne nature a God most mercifull and most compassionate who to demonstrate the infinite degree of his loue to his seruant Man taketh from him the burthen some condition of the Law which hee could not keepe and giueth him a new couenant the couenant of Grace the Gospell of Peace And thus mercifully he altereth the tenor of our obligation and to giue this worke of Gracefull authority hee sendeth his onely begotten the Lord Christ to satisfie the old and to ratâ—fiâ— the new Couenant both by his actiue and passiue righteousnesse Eleuenthly Heere was the greatest alteration that euer was in the witnesse of time for before this we were commanded to doe and liue else to die but now to beleeue onely and liue Neuer was there a more large demonstration of Gods fauour nor a like time wherein Grace was so freely offered or the gates of heauen so wide set open as if God should reach his hand of mercy to earth to inuite vs to his eternal inheritance and with the fayrest promises of Loue to allure vs to a state of most absolute blessednesse yet notwithstanding all this Grace and all these faire inuitements so constant were the men of those times in their euills that they refuse to indent with God be the condition neuer so easie or his promise neuer so absolute but they combine themselues with all indeauour to resist the Grace of God they will not haue Grace though God giue it freely they are all Moses no Christ all Law no Gospell so powerfull were they in their owne opinions as if the Law had beene an easie performance And therfore did they despise the work of Grace crucifying the Lord of Life that brought it and that bought it with the value of his life a price inestimable killing also the Apostles his faithfull witnesses and persecuting the Saints to whom God gaue Grace to apprehend this Mistery Twelfthly Heere may a Christian man spend his holy meditations in considering the deprauednesse of Man the grosse dulnes of his Nature and how inclinable hee is to all euill Contrariwise the infinite measure of Gods mercie who notwithstanding our disobedience will not vtterly destroy vs his creatures but in a wonderfull degree of fauour yeelds himselfe to the weakenesse of our flesh knowing that our nature hath a pronenesse to euill onely And therefore hath he giuen free passage to the Gospell making it fruitfully prosper in the blood of holy Martyrs shed in the persecuting times of Tyrants and wicked-Emperors 13. And in this passage of blood did Religion march vntill the time of Constantine the Great who intertaining the Christian Faith with good affection gaue it warrant for publike exercise whereby it spred ouer all the knowne world with such admirable increase as God onely could giue to a cause so heauenly And yet in the height of this prosperity according to the Nature of our flesh the state of Christendome grew proud with good successe and wanting the opposition of heathen enemies deuided themselues into heresies and factions wherof insewed the greatest calamitie that could be in a Christian state euery faction receiuing authority and greatnesse according as they were fauoured or not by the Emperours 14. And this diuersity of fortune continued in Christendome for many yeares yet so as Christianity might be well said to flourish vntil the time that the Popes did arrogate to their seate supremacy and vniuersall power or as the History of Florence reporteth it vntill the time of Charles and Pippin Kings of France who in pollicie to secure to them and theirs the possession of the west Empire bound the Bishop of Rome whose authority might helpe that practise by fauours and friendly entertainements to their faction And therefore did the French pronounce this sentence That the Pope being the Vicar of Christ ought not to bee iudged by men but to Iudge all men and to determine euery difference This sentence whether by the Popes themselues or by their fauourites the French Kings was assuredly the Ladder for the Popes ambition and the cause whereof hath ensued so much euill to the state of the Catholike Church as that Christendome yet is full of the markes of that misery 15. Now the power of God that seeth the most secret practice on Earth whose prouidence cannot bee preuented with pollicie suffers the measure of this euill time to fill and ouerrunne with iniquity so that a true Christian might haue thought of himselfe as Elias when he thought he was onely left of Gods people yet in that height of iniquity there wanted not many Obediahs who hid the faithfull from the stroake of persecution neither wanted there some euen in this darkenesse of Time who willingly offered their faith to the tryall of fire and sealed the testimonie of their Religion with the witnes of their blood Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST from this extremitie of euill time doth this following History take beginning
in retyring himselfe from the Popes seruice for at that time were all Christian Princes his seruants This Act of the kings was that which many Emperors and great Potentates desired might be done yet neuer durst attempt to doe or succesfully attempted it Such as was the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa who notwithstanding his greatnesse both of power and spirit yet failed he in his attempt though he neuer pursued any thing with greater stomack Also King Henry the Second of England who fayling in the fortunes of this businesse yeelded himselfe though valiant and princely to such base conditions of pennance as well may declare the greatnesse of the Pope that imposed them but with this King Henry the Eight it may seeme that God himselfe did conspire to make the worke prosperous and the king for being Gods instrument perpetually famous Secondly The first occasion of difference betweene King Henry and the Pope was the proceedings in the diuorse of Queene Katherine the kings first wife who before had bene wife to Prince Arthur his Brother wherein the Pope vsed such small regard to quiet the trouble of the kings Conscience as thereby the king and the State were very much offended and then such as did not fauour the faction of the Pope for so I may call it tooke the aduantage of time and grew bold to lay open to the king the deformities of the present time and the glory hee might purchase in restoring Religion to that purity which now in that holy profession was altogether defaced Thirdly Those occasions so moue the kings offence that hee sommons his High Court of Parlyament at Westminster laying before them his griefe which was the ouermuch power the Pope had in his kingdome and the small respect that hee and his State had from the Pope whereupon a Statute past by consent of the three estates whereby the king was made supreme Head ouer the Church of England aswell in ecclesiasticall as temporal matters cutting off al manner of Papal authority from the crowne of England And herein may appeare the greatnes of the king and the reuerence of his Subiects who framed themselues to the pleasure of the king in a matter of much difficultie and beyond all expectation And this was the benefit of Maiesty which begot in them such duty and awfull regard which to a remisse and familiar Prince had not beene granted Fourthly This grant of the kings Supremacie was the first mortall wound the Church of Rome receiued loosing at that time the best Crowne shee had in keeping whereby a president was giuen to all other Christian Princes to free themselues from the Captiuity of that Babylon with whose Fornications the whole Earth was made drunke And this Act of the State of England was so well approued in the Iudgement of Christendome as that many the best parts thereof in immitation of King Henry haue cast from them the bond of Papall authority yea doubtlesse so desired it is of all States as might it bee done with security their is no Prince or State either Religious or politique but doth so enuie the greatnesse of forraigne Supremacie as gladly they would bee cleered thereof finding many times to the great detriment of state the iniury of this power in interdictions and Papall curses as if wee reade the diuisions of Italy we may in them most cleerely iudge the inconuenience of the Popes vniuersall power the abuse whereof is so common in those states as that they are neuer obeyed but when there wanteth temporall power to withstand them And therefore did King Henry nobly performe his kingly Office and well defend the Catholike Faith in depriuing the Pope of that power wherewith the Christian Faith was offended Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST God doth what he list by what meanes he list so doth hee produce his miracles by causes naturally vnfitting and so this miraculous alteration in the state of Christendome was effected by the king his instrument who both in Nature and opinion was thought vnlike for such Religious effects being rather armed both by the Pope and Luther to oppose the enterprize So doth God snare the engine maker For the Wisedome of this World is but folly with God Secondly To obserue a iust proportion of state is good in all degrees but in a Soueraigne necessary yet hee that exceeds his state doth impaire his state and by taking more then his owne he doth loose his own CHAP. IV. Of what importance this Act for the Kings Supremacy was to the state of England in respect of Piety and Pollicy FIRST If we consider the trauells of men on earth and the continuall passage of all their actions we shall finde that euery particular man of Spirit or that hath but more then common vnderstanding directeth himselfe and his whole trauell to one of these two ends eyther to be Good or to be Great and according to his choice of these hee doth frame the practise of his life as if to goodnesse then is his care good and hee doth exercise those good meanes that may leade him to his good end For there is no way to attaine good end but by good meanes But he that aymeth at greatnesse the care of his life is much different for to him there is no direct way of lawfulnesse or honestie to runne in for he breaketh these limits and trauells in euery by passage how vnlawfullsoeuer and therefore they of this nature allow onely of this one principall that whatsoeuer may direct them to their end be it sinne or shame they giue it allowance Such was the resolution of that Tyrant who making Empire his desired end cared not to trauell thither in the steppes of his neerest blood so deepe as perhaps to damne himselfe And like vnto him are all such whose desires leade them to vnlawfull ends who resoluing to obtaine their desires resolue likewise vpon the practise of all vngodlinesse Secondly And this practise of euill men is in common construction called Pollicie whereby the name of Pollicie doth receiue much wrong by their grosse and sencelesse vnderstanding it for Pollicie may bee either good or bad according to the end whereto out of these considerations First the liberty that was recouered in the person of the Prince he resuming that absolute authority to himselfe which before was giuen to a stranger his enemy whereby the King did adde to his owne greatnesse and diminish the power of him that loued him not And how important this is to the prosperity of a State let the Iudgement of any sence iudge it Againe there is no State or Kingdome vnder the awe of Popish Supremacie that can be said truly to be a free State or the King thereof an absolute Prince because that Kingdome is subiugate and that King Subordinate to the power of another whereby the gouernement Monarchiall which of all others is most excellent cannot bee said to bee in
euen then did the King surcease from that Religious worke which with so much honorable successe he had begun Where it may seeme strange that a Prince of his greatnesse hauing the aduise of an honorable and wise councell should lay vpon his name the imputation of weakenesse not to goe forward with that whereto his honour was so much ingaged Thirdly But if we consider the time and the difference of opinions in those great men to whom the King did shew himselfe most gracious it will then appeare the businesse went forward or not according to the affection of the Kings Fauourites Fourthly As in the time of Cardinall VVolsey a man so great in the fauour of his Prince as that our English Chronicles cannot match him who in the time of his prosperity did so possesse the King as that the King may be said to saile with no winde but the Cardinalls the king being but the body to his soule he mouing it according to the pleasure of his owne appetite and therfore at this time was the king all Cardinall putting himselfe in Print to defend the Supremacie of Popes But this time did end with the Cardinals fortunes who being puft vp and high swolne with the spirit of ambition runne himselfe into strange contempts against the Maiesty of his Prince who finding him so Cardinallike in pride and vaine glory stript him of those honours which before he so lauishly had giuen him translating his fauour vpon Thomas Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterburie whom the king finding Religious honest and learned gaue his opinion good authority Fifthly And at this time the Protestants Religion began to haue the fauour of the Kings protection yet by reason of the peaceable Nature of this Man and because of many other important considerations of inconuenience the cause of Religion went not with that prosperity forward as otherwise it might For howsoeuer we may iustly conceiue of this learned man that he wanted neither spirit nor power to trauell in the most important affaires of State the which hee hath well declared by his resolute and learned proceedings in the Kings diuorse yet considering in what termes the State then stood and the particular condition of his State it will appeare that a necessary prouidence of his own security did inforce him to a violent patience and to silence and suppresse his zealous spirit which otherwise would haue ventured vpon much more hazard Sixthly For at this time Cranmer contrarie to the lawes then inforce was married and did liue with his wife to the great hazard of his life and this was one respect why hee suffered so much the practise of his enemies keeping good correspondence and indifferent fauour least his Mariage should be called in question whereby both his state and life had beene exposed into a danger most eminent Seuenthly And if any man obiect that these regards of Cranmer proceeded from his feare of temporall losse and that he fainted in the maine execution of his Christian Office I answer that no feare but a Christian prouidence was the cause of this warinesse For he might well know that if hee proceeded in the difference of Religion by violent and forcible meanes he should then haue had the whole power of the contrary faction bent against him and being by reason of his marriage within the danger of law it could not be auoided but the seueritie of the law should haue proceeded against him Eighthly Yet notwithstanding when the necessarie care of Religion did require him there was no respect could binde him from his earnest indeauours as may wel appeare by this most resolute opposing against the Statute of the sixe Articles So that Cranmer in true estimation hath well deserued and worthily acquitted himselfe of all imputation yet by reason of these occasions hee could not doe that which the opportunity of the Kings fauour did offer him Ninthly Vpon this aduantage Stephen Gardiner builds his strength who by obseruance and cunning insinuation shifting himselfe into the Kings fauour got great authority in the State and according to the nature of his working spirit troubles the waters of peace of fish for Romish Religion whereto in his heart he was much inclined And this man not like Cranmer but Matchiuellike grounded in the secrets of Pollicie seemes what he is not and is content to proportion himselfe to the fashions of the time with purpose to alter that fashion And this howsoeuer it were a thing very dishonest especially in the office of a Bishop yet was it a very pollitique Regard and that miste whereby he wrought all his inchantments for by his obseruance hee continued in the Kings fauour and by that fauour he erected the whole frame of his Policies Tenthly And from this cause had the sixe Articles beginning Articles so bloodie as the letters in them cannot number the blood which was shed in England for them whereby may appeare the greatnesse of Stephen Gardiners wit that could make the King sayle with a contrary winde and destroy that cause which before he had protected and this was notwithstanding Cranmer his opposite had then great fauour with the king and the highest authority and place in the kingdome Eleuenthly Another of the Kings Fauourites in those times of difference was Sir Thomas More then Lord Chancellor of England A gentleman in respect of his natural ornaments worthy of much honour for besides the beauty of his learning which in great personages is very deseruing he had so good a moderation and temper in all his actions as no aduersity could deiect him neither any prosperity make him lesse in the vse of regard and ciuill humanity And notwithstanding hee was diuers from me in that profession which I hold for truth yet because I write the truth of Historie it were very vnworthy in me to obscure the deseruings of any man into which error many others and especially such as haue recorded the passage of those times haue vnaduisedly falne traducing the persons of men for their opinions sake and making them altogether euill that in many commendable things were excellent And because that all good things are from God who giueth them according to the pleasure of his will it were therefore much iniury to obscure the goodnesse of God wheresoeuer it shall please him to place it and this I write in fauour of truth which may be well said to be the life and true mouing soule of all Historie Twelfthly This Sir Thomas Moore howsoeuer he was an enemy to the truth of the Gospell yet if we compare him with Stephen Gardiner the comparison will make Sir Thomas Moore lesse euill the other being so monstrous in his wicked practises for the one made conscience to equiuocate and dissemble himselfe of which the other made no reckoning Sir Thomas vtterly refusing the oath of Supremacie because in conscience he thought he might not take it Gardiner had the like
the Faith the King imagining he could not secure to his posterity the continuance of his Supremacie where his enemy the Pope was so strong both by the number and by the worth of these Religious houses and therefore it is thought the King did suppresse them in Pollicy making that his owne strength which he found to strength his enemy And this howsoeuer hath a likely-hood being neere the Kings disposition yet I verily thinke the King would not for any pollitique regard haue brought a generall destruction vpon that State which then was held Religious But rather vnderstanding by his Visitors the great disorder and vngodlinesse of men and women in those places professing Religion did in the care of conscience scatter their assemblies ruine their houses and iustly seaze that to his vse which they with so much impietie had abused Fifthly Vpon this consideration did the King outtrude the Rabble of Monkes Nunnes and Fryers and seaze their possessions finding that their large allowance of wealth and easie life was cause of their wanton and wicked trade of liuing and that prayer and the exercise of true Deuotion whereto they were dedicate was not that whereunto they imployed the large beneuolence of their Benefactors They vsing onely the formes of some superstitious prayers and a formality in their attire wherein they obserued a precise order being in the maine carriage of their liues of all people most disorderly To reforme which was not onely necessary for the truth of holy Religion but very conuenient for the better gouernement of the Common-Wealth the State receiuing great detriment by allowing so largely to those lazie and vnprofitable members and the Church great scandalls by their vngodly and heathenish liues To reforme this then was an Act in the King very gratious tending directly for the good of both states whereby he gaue proofe that God and not the Pope made speciall choice of him and his Successors to defend the most True Ancient and Apostolike Faith Sixthly Yet here it may be doubted whether the King did better in the vtter extirpation of these men their order and houses or if he had reformed onely the abuse and left their places and possessions to others of better life and professing the truth of holy Religion whereby the euil might haue bene taken away onely leauing their maintenance to be imployed in holy and Religious vses especially considering that the want in the Protestants Religion is the want of maintenance whereby many well deseruing Schollers liue in the penurie of life vnsupported which by this meanes might abundantly haue bene supplied Seuenthly To this doubt many in their seuerall opinions diuersly answer some that the standing still of their houses in the former condition of a corporation was dangerous least vpon euery alteration of the Prince the dispossessed might againe reenter whereby the latter condition might proue worse then the former And this reason were good if there might not haue bene assurance to haue secured them from all danger of repossessing the which no doubt might haue bene done if the prouidence of the State had regarded it Eighthly Others thinke the King too seuere in this his manner of correction supposing it had beene enough for him to correct but not to destroy to reforme the abuse not vtterly to haue subuerted both the abusers and the places abused and that his conuerting their wealth to his owne priuate benefit was an argument that he did this not in zeale to reforme their abuses but rather to interest himselfe into that abundance of wealth they then possessed following herein the example of Cardinall VVolsey who in the yeare 1525 obtained license to suppresse certaine Religious houses to furnish him towards the building of his two Colledges at Oxford and Ipswich the which Colledges beeing founded vpon this false ground neuer had the good fortune to bee finished but perished in their Birth Ninthly And I verily beleeue that howsoeuer the King had a further respect then to inherit their wealth yet was there both that and many other by occasions strong inducements to moue him to this seuerity in punishing And herein the King may be was and is in the person of the Pope an ambitious desire of vniuersality of Empire with vniuersall neglect and hatred Thirdly Vngodly practise hath not alwaies euill successe if we respect the present but if wee respect euents further of they are euer euill and certaine in their destruction Fourthly to dissemble our intents with faire pretence is a principle in pollicie which I commend not but remember onely For though no man bee bound at all times and in euery cause to declare himselfe in direct euidence yet doth it much aduance the honour of a Prince to be square in all without difference or disproportion Fifthly In a generall cause it is necessary to be generally respectiue and not to conferre that vpon one which with satisfaction may be giuen to manie Therefore was it good Pollicie in the King to distribute the possessions of the Abbeyes he supprest to many of principall authority in the State For it is wisedome to satisfie their offence that haue authority rather then such as want it Sixthly It was the wisedome of the best morall Philosophers not to place felicity in Fortune because of vncertainties for hee is onely happie that cannot be miserable CHAP. VI. Of King Henries remisse and colde proceeding in the worke of reformation FIRST there is nothing in the Earth more certaine then the vncertainty of al earthly things For Man one of the best of Gods Creatures in respect of the excellencie of his reasonable soule doth so often times change the condition of his life as if he were not of that excellencie nor had not that power of Iudgement and vnderstanding which he hath And this is Gods worke in the depth of his wisedome to whom onely all things are certaine and with whom there is no shadow of change God reseruing to himselfe the secrets of those things whereof his will is we shall be ignorant imparting onely so much to vs his creatures as may serue for the worke of his seruice he himselfe still guiding vs by his hand of prouidence to those ends whereto his decree hath ordained vs. And by this doth God giue vs a demonstration of his power and our weakenesse of his power in being most certaine in all those things which to vs are casuall and of our weakenesse because we are like the ayre we breath carryed whithersoeuer it shall please the winde to moue vs. Secondly The truth of this may appeare in the Kings particular who notwithstanding the greatnes of his spirit and the honorable attempt he had made in the cause of Religion whereby he had runne himselfe so farre in the trauells of that businesse as that he could not well retyre without dishonorable shame the expectation of Christendome seeming to depend much vpon the Kings continuance in that course yet
that State where the authority of the Prince is deuided or rather translated into the person of another as in the case of Popish Supremacie is most euident Sixthly Againe to inherit by succession of blood which is of very speciall consideration is by this forraigne Supremacie much indangered because where this power is granted there is also giuen to the Pope the power to alter and dispose of Kings and Kingdomes at his pleasure and to translate the inheritance of States according as hee shall please to fauour or dis-fauour the true owners whereof many times hath ensued much misery and many calamities So that I verily thinke there is no part of Christendome that hath not had a wofull experience in this great misery That were the Prince or the cause neuer so Iust and holy or the Pope and his wicked life neuer so apparantly euill yet by this vniuersall power hee had power giuen him to alter the State and to translate Succession at his pleasure pretending a Religious good but intending eyther the aduancement of his base kindred or else some other enuious and euill end And how dangerous this may bee to a Kingdome let any Iudgement determine Lastly this inconuenience doth follow of Popish Supremacie the practise of so many Treasons wherewith the name of Christendome is much spotted For he that is resolued the sufficiencie of other mens writings to this purpose This onely Argument that whereas by the testimonie of holy Scripture wee are taught to know that man of sinne whom the spirit of God calleth Antichrist by this speciall sensible signe of pride in that he being but man shall presume to exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God Now that Kings and Princes of the Earth are by the sentence of Scripture called Gods it is most euident in that place where he saith I haue said yee are Gods that is neerest to my selfe in your dignitie of place representing my power and my Maiesty in the highest degree vpon Earth Then whosoeuer shall exalt himselfe aboue these degrees of Maiesty must of necessity be he whom the Spirit of God calleth that man of sinne that Antichrist because his sinne is like the sinne of the Diuels in the Creation for as they did so doth he contend for the highest Supremacie and Nymrod-like he buildeth himselfe aloft aboue the reach of Earth reaching his ambition beyond the limits of mortality euen aboue all that is called God Eighthly And therefore great reason had the King and so haue all the Kings of the Earth to cast off all friendly intertainement with him that would exalt himselfe aboue all flesh nay aboue all that is called God and I am verily perswaded that this one respect of pride is that marke whereby shee is best knowne to bee that Babylon with whose Fornications the whole Earth hath bene poysoned yet in these latter times hath shee got more vgly visors to maske in Blood and Treason two such deformities as would be very apparant in the face of Religion And God no doubt hath set these markes in her fore-head as he marked Cain that all his beloued in the world might know her at the first blush and auoide the filth of her Fornications For where those euills are God is not in the honour of his seruice but in his Iustice and angry Maiesty CHAP. V. Of the suppressing of Abbeyes and Religious Houses in England FIRST the worke of Gods prouidence is most worthy of consideration leading by variable turnings the passage of all transitory things to that end whereto God hath decreed them In which worke howsoeuer God doth neuer change the purpose of his will yet the euents many times seeme very admirable to our vâ—derstandings by reason of their change and varieties For all things in this world are in continuall motion being moued as shall please the hand of prouidence euery thing being like the mouing Sea sometimes flowing sometimes in their ebb againe sometimes vp sometimes downe according as shall please that power that moues them And from this mouing cause is deriued that variety in the state of Earth which men falsly call Fortune the often change whereof to a Christian Iudgement is not strange because he considereth the power that God hath ouer all his creatures and how inclinable they be to alteration Secondly And for particular instances Though Religion before these times had indured an euill change changing the truth for many superstitious Ceremonies yet so venerable was the name of Religion to the people of those times as notwithstanding their misconceiuing the truth thereof they gaue such large demonstrations of loue and zeale to that profession and the Professors as no people at any time did euer exceed them inriching the state of Religion both with honourable regard and with very ample possessions Insomuch as the Church then might rather seeme a Triumphant then a Church Militant So high was it exalted in the degrees of worldly prosperity yet for all this flourish God commeth with his rod of correction and finding euill in the greatnesse thereof he alters their present Condition that as they had forsaken the truth of his seruice So hee would bereaue them their earthly honour wherewith the true name of their false Religion was gorgeously decked Thirdly The first cause then of this alteration was God himselfe who when hee seeth the vessell of mens iniquity full he filleth his violl with wrath to reforme and correct what euill men had before deformed and being most Iealous of his honour hee commeth with more then common corrections to reforme the truth of his seruice For so did God at this time his angry hand reaching destruction beyond the liues of those euill men euen to their lands houses and possessions making King Henry vtterly extirpe these abused Monasteries as the Israelites did the Cananites for their monstrous and heathenish sinnes And therefore no doubt did God make particular choise of King Henry for his instrument fitting him with extraordinary spirit that he might the better mannage this great businesse whereto God had ordained him and wherein God did wonderfully assist him Fourthly But what might moue the King in respect of himselfe many men many waies coniecture Some by the spoyle of these houses that he might inrich himselfe and relieue the occasions of his Warres which then did much distresse him But howsoeuer this hath credit with him that writeth this Storie at large yet in that opinion I doe not beleeue him For it is not likely that any Christian Prince in the world would for any respect of spoyle destroy the estates of so many at that time reputed Religious and Godly men Others thinke the King did this out of Stomacke the Pope being then in full opposition with the King for taking Supremacie from him in the Church of England that had but lately giuen to him his Successors for euer the title of Defendor of
that God willed it the king wrought it and the Pope in despight suffered it to the Glory of God the kings honour and the confusion of Antichrist Eighthly From this ouersight of the Popes this may be obserued that authority and greatnesse in an euill person ruines it selfe with his owne weight neither can the greatnesse of power stand safe where it is not supported by the strength of iustice and honest proceeding And that as Byas saith promotions declare best what a man is So it is true that where authority is so absolute that there is liberty without checke Then doe men giue best demonstrations of their Natures and most apparently discouer their affections and to what ends they are most inclined For by the worke we may iudge the workeman by the fruit of the Tree and by the life the truth and holy faith of euerie man Ninthly Againe vpon this proud and ambitious Bishop may bee obserued how God confounds him in his owne practise he contriueth to make the King of England his fast friend his prop wherupon to support his vnspeakeable pride but God he determines otherwise of that King and leades him to a worke more holy honest and honourable The Pope in pollicie intitles him Defendor of the Catholike Faith because hee writ in defence of his vsurped Supremacie But God maketh him and his in deeds to defend the true faith and to denie that Supremacie So that what the Pope would haue God will not haue hee commandeth God countermandeth he deuiseth God disposeth and maketh the King shoote right whom the Pope made to leuell wrong But before all may bee obserued the Popes false vnderstanding iudgement in this case in respect of Piety and conscience how much he was led from the truth of Religion and from the witnesse of Truth Gods Word to maintaine his vniuersall power which his predecessors had by state practise gotten For it cannot be but in this their iudgements were exceedingly blinded they hauing no example of any Church at any time for their imitation When the Law was giuen God gaue it Moses to giue Aaron the people not Aron to giue Moses the people in euery cause both of state Religion Aron the Priest was obedient to Moses the Prince hee receiuing the dignity of his office from Moses vnto whom God gaue power to giue it Tenthly The like order was in the Iewish Church where the Prince might iudge the Priest and not the Priest the Prince and so in the practise of all times and in all places vntill that CHARLES the Great breathed the spirit of Ambition where it is and where it hath for many yeares disturbed the peace of Christendome yet with such euidence was this error laid open to the vniuersall eye of the world by the diligence of Martin Luther and others as the Pope could not but vnderstand it yet against the witnesse of his owne conscience did he still stifly defend it and this was a pollitique regard least the world vnderstanding him to faile in a matter so important might thereupon call in question the truth of that opinion which in truth is the state and strength of that Religion That in precept and doctrine the Pope cannot erre if then he had yeelded to haue erred in this he denied the truth of his foundation without which his greatnesse cannot stand Eleuenthly And therefore after the fashion of antient heretickes he would not yeeld to the perswasion of truth because he would not haue his iudgement contradicted and shamed by recantation to acknowledge himselfe to haue done amisse And this is onely the pride and Stomacke of the too much authority of these Bishops that respect greatnesse more then goodnes the world more then God falshood than truth desiring darkenesse to obscure the manie deformities wherewith they haue defaced the name of Christian Religion Twelfthly By this wee may learne to distinguish the good and euill the holy and prophane by their end whereto they principally aspire for good men make goodnesse their onely end whereto they reach but euil men make it onely their pretence and like the Lapwing flie most where there Nest is not and such hath bene the care of the Romane Church intituling their Bishops seruants of Gods seruants yet arrogate principallity ouer the highest of Gods Creatures They professe humility and Christian obedience but practise a tyrannie vnsupportable They call Christian Princes their beloued sonnes but make them slaues and seruants to their vngodly wills And from them hath the world learned dissimulation cunning practise for wee see that many men forme themselues very precisely in the habit of all Christian duties outwardly to gaine a reputation and the honour of high place which when they haue obtained they cast off that face of holines and discouer themselues in their true inuentions such was and still is the practise of Popes who by the formes of holinesse haue got a reputation in the world which at length came to the growth that it became like Nabuchadnezzars Tree to couer the whole earth and to spread it ouer all principality then in the height of that prosperity they cast off their vizard and discouer themselues to be but Pope and not Pastors casting from them the Word that they may with more dexterity vse the sword with which like Theeues they Rob Christian Princes of that Regality which God gaue them 13. And therefore King Henries proceedings were very considerable whereof it behoued the Pope to be verie regardfull as did threaten the ruine of that frame which the pride and pollicie of his predecessors had erected the rather because the king began at the top of his dignities to throw downe his Supremacie which had ouertopped the most soueraigne of al Christian power whatsoeuer And herein the King may seeme to vnderstand well what he had to doe for by striking the roote he was sure to perish the branches and the best way to ruine a house is to vndermine the foundation in Warre the victory is sure when the enemie hath lost that power wherein his chiefe strength consisted and so the body of Popery must 17. For these respects the Christian world stood mute at the Kings businesse no man daring to set to his helping hand so much danger their iudgements could see in attempting it as that all could bee content to be spectators but no actor like King Henry euery man hauing earnest expectation what would be the issue of so strange and hazerdous an enterprize 18. It is also very considerable that the French King had at this time aduantage offered him against the King of England The King being now in the heate of so great a businesse deuided from his confederate the Pope vnassisted by any forraigne state and in the danger of domesticke troubles whereby he was vnfurnished of a great part
affecting them more then the Lord of them nor applying them to any other end then holines for which all things were created most happie are they who for the honour of their God and for the testimonie of his truth haue forsaken the pleasures of this transitory life and haue giuen themselues a sacrifice to God for so to die is to enioy immortality and perpetuall rest CHAP. XVI Of King Edwards Death and how hee left the State to the next Successor FIRST it were foolish and vaine for any man to desire to know the secrets of Gods will because no man can vnderstand more of Gods secret than he himselfe shall please to reueale and therefore is mans knowledge limited being able onely to iudgâ— by reason and consequence whereas Gods diuine workes exceed the iudgement of sence being not contrary but aboue the reach of reason And from this cause is it that men commonly offend in their false constructions iudging of Gods worke grosly according to humane vnderstanding and not considering his wisedome and power by whose prouidence all things are directed For in Gods matters Christians must beleeue when they cannot iudge and it is sufficient argument to conclude the goodnesse of any worke when wee know that God is the Author for those things which to a naturall man seeme strange to a reformed iudgement appeare much otherwise and there is nothing be it neuer so euill in mans iudgement but God can make it serue for the worke of his glory he being able to make the euills of men respect an end beyond their expectations and in that wherein we iudge our selues most miserable can he make vs most happie Secondly And for particular instance we may consider K. Edward whom God elected from among many thousands for the work of his glory hauing defended the Catholike Faith with a resolution most zealous constant yet notwithstanding in the growth of his prosperity did God take him from the world and depriue the Children of faith of their Patron and princely Defendor whereby in common iudgement God may seeme to be offended with his owne and to leaue his Saints vndefended to the stroake of persecution from which this holy King had defended them But thus to iudge of God were wicked and false because we see the Gospell by that interruption did spread it self with much more generall acceptation the blood of holy Martyrs being a holy seed whereby the Church spread into a large generation and who knoweth but God to manifest to all the world the faith and obedience of his holy Saints in the Church of England suffered this persecution for the glory of their memorie for a demonstration to all men what numbers of true Catholike Christians had flourished vnder the protection of King Edward their Patrone and princely Defendor The Saints hereby exchanging their mortall variable life for eternity perpetuall rest their deaths begetting the liues of many holy men like them whereby the number of Gods seruants was much augmented to the glory of God and prosperity of his Church And therefore let no man condemne the worke of Gods prouidence but yeeld his obedience to the good pleasure of God and let him know that God is mercifull euen in his iudgements and that hee can make that which doth seeme to threaten vs most to be the Ladder whereby we may ascend the highest of all preferments the fauour of God and the fellowship of his holy Saints Thirdly King Edward being dead the state grew verie stormie and full of greate businesse the cause being who should succeed the King in which controuersie the kingdome was deuided the greatest part of the Counsell and the Nobility proclaiming Lady Iane Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke whose Mother was Daughter to Mary King Henries Sister first married to the French King and after to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke But the greatest part of the Commons and some of the Nobility adhering to Lady Mary eldest Daughter to King Henrie the Eighth by his first wife Queene Katherine of Spaine and this occasion was the trouble and death of many honourable and worthy personages For whether King Edward of his owne election or wrought by the perswasion of others I know not had by his last Will and Testament interested the Ladie Iane to the inheritance of his kingdomes for this cause as was pretended that the State might still continue the profession of the Protestant Religion which could not be hoped in the gouernement of Queene Mary But howsoeuer the King did thus bequeath his kingdomes it is very likely hee was drawne thereto by perswasion of his nobles especially of the two Dukes Northumberland and Suffolke because hereby the inheritance was conueyghed to their issue to whom in right it did not belong neither is it likely the King of his owne motion would haue disinherited his owne Legitimate sisters to interest one further off And if Religion was the cause why was not choise rather made of Queene Elizabeâ—h then Lady Iane Shee being by much neerer in the degrees of blood and altogether as assured in the Protestant Religion And therefore certainely the King was moued by others to offer this iniurie to his neerest blood Fourthly And if the question be demanded whether in this case it was lawfull for the King to translate the inheritance of his kingdomes I answer that howsoeuer the pretence is faire and good yet was the practise euill because wrong was offered and those ends are neuer good the which are compassed by euill meanes and to translate inheritance where it ought not is to contradict Gods prouidence by whose wisedome all things are ordered And therfore no doubt this offence of those Dukes and their confederates conspiring with them this vnlawfull end was the cause that God did suffer the power of their enemies to preuaile to their destruction For God is the Father of Truth and the God of Iustice neither would he that men should attempt to alter the course of his prouidence or by any violent and euill meanes pursue an end be it neuer so Religious and holy For good men must vse onely good meanes to reach good ends And therefore this practise of these Dukes in the iudgement of Religion was not good notwithstanding in state practise it hath example and may seeme allowable Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST there is no pretence how faire soeuer can giue authority and strength to vnlawfull actions For God who is all-sufficient and who hath decreed all good things hath likewise deuised all good meanes to compasse them therefore euery good worke doth consist of lawfull matter and forme for no euill thing can bee well done neither can any good thing bee done euilly Secondly When God by death doth preuent the hopes that are had of a vertuous Prince it doth not argue against the worthinesse of the Prince
Discontent CHAP. XXI OF REBELLION FIRST It is not in my purpose to reckon vp the seuerall opinions of men in this argument neither to discourse at large herein but onely to report my owne Iudgement and that which I think is answerable in this question to Religion and holy reason For if this controuersie were disputed according to the Pollitique practise of time and not by the rules of Religion and reformed iudgement it would be then verie controuersall and require large circumstance because the Matchiuells of these times diuersly disagree in their seuerall iudgements but if men desire onely to satisfie conscience to such men the testimonie of God is sufficient which ought to square the practises of all degrees of Christian men and to determine all controuersies be they neuer so important But this tryall hath not alwaies authority in gouernement meerely pollitique for Religion and Pollicie are two diuers or rather in full opposition and that many times in the practise of State is commendable which in the iudgement of Religion is most damnable because they conspire not one but disagreeing ends neither can the quarrell of these two be euer reconciled but onely by these conditions that Piety may command Pollicie and that such Pollicie may bee onely in Christian States allowable as may be seruant to the worke of holinesse and iudged lawfull by the sentence of true Religion And if these respects had regard in Christian States then should not Christendome haue had that dishonourable imputation to bee reputed of the barbarous Nations vnfaithfull and full of dishonourable practise wherein the Popes haue especially abused the Christian Faith who vnder the outward face of holinesse haue contriued and effected Conspiracies and Treasons of most horrible report and such as neuer were the like by men or diuells inuented Secondly And these euill Ministers doe arrogate to themselues authority which they would deriue from God not onely to license Rebellion in a Christian State but also to command it vpon paine of damnation a power which neuer any Christian Prince durst challenge and a pollicie whereby they haue principally inriched themselues with wealth and dignities taken at the spoyle of Christian Princes and wherewith he doth yet vnderprop the falling state of his Empire And this how vnequall it is with Gods Word may appeare to any iudgement there being no example in the Storie of the Bible for his imitation where any Priest did euer challenge any such soueraigne authority Thirdly And in respect of State practise there was neuer any thing more dishonourable then for Princes and free States to enter voluntary into a seruitude so base slauish taking their honours from their owne heads to dignifie their mortall enemy and to feed his ambition which like Hell cannot be satisfied who hath euer fed vpon the bowels of their wealth and on the blood of Saints and doth glorifie himself in the spoile of Christian Princes and thus will doe vntill God shall please to destroy him with the breath of his displeasure Fourthly The example of K. Dauid may suffice to conclude against this doctrine who notwithstanding he had Gods promise to inherit the kingdome of Israel being by the Prophet anointed by which God did crown him King and knowing moreouer that God had forsaken his master Saul hauing taken his good Spirit from him whereby he was Anathemate and interdict by the sentence of God himselfe yet did not Dauid for all this conspire against his master Saul but onely sought to secure his life by withdrawing him from the kings presence who hee assuredly knew did seeke after his life And when opportunity was offered him so fit as that he at one stroake might both haue reuenged the iniuries of his greatest Enemy and vpon such an Enemy as stood betweene him and a Kingdome yet would he not destroy him being vrged thereto by the earnest perswasion of his follower but withstood both them and opportunity induring the trouble of his Conscience for presuming to cut off not his Masters head but the lap of his garment only Fiftly Another time Saul pursuing after Dauid to destroy him was found by Dauid and Abishai sleeping with his speare at his head as if occasion should haue led Dauid to an opportunity most fit and thus haue perswaded him See here is thy enemy sleeping and here is a weapon to destroy him which aduantage when Abishai would most gladly haue imbraced he was disswaded by Dauid with this answere Destroy him not for who can lay his hand vpon the Lords Anointed and be guiltlesse whereby hee concludeth it to be impossible for any man whosoeuer to conspire the death or dammage of his soueraigne with the testimonie of good conscience And this opinion of King Dauids is aduerse to the practise of the Romane State which hath often laid their hands of blood and death vpon the Lords annointed neither haue they euer done as Dauid did denie the offer of fit occasion to reuenge wherein they are answerable to their Italian prouerbe If thy enemie be vp to his knees in water reach him thy hand to helpe him But if hee stand vp to the Chinne set thy foot vpon him to destroy him Sixthly Now if King Dauids example and authority will not serue because he was but Man I will then produce his witnesse who was both God and Man the Lord Iesus who commanded the Iewes to giue obedience to Caesar in all those duties which respect Soueraignty though Caesar did not acknowledge the Iewish Religion but rather did persecute that profession Neither did he perswade rebellion against the Romane state though in his diuine wisedome he did foresee that the Kingdome of the Iewes which he so much loued should be vtterly wasted by the power of the Romanes whereby hee would teach vs that as by God onely Kings do Reigne so by him onely are they both supported and as he shall onely please are they displanted and deposed from their dignities Seuenthly It is euident then by the testimonie of them who are most holy and absolute that no earthly man by the authority of his place hath or can giue license to conspire against any Soueraigne power whatsoeuer and the reason is because there is no power but from God and the powers that be are ordained of God and therefore to resist that power is to withstand God and his ordinance and to condemne the forme of Gods gouernement And such are all they who goe about to translate authority where God hath not giuen it and to throw downe and depose them whom God hath established and such are all they who either plot or practise Rebellion Conspiracie or Treason or that can giue allowance thereto Traitors they be to God Traitors to their Prince Traitors to their Countrie and to themselues Traitors whom God will withstand as Traitors and iudge as
approue her to bee most valiant in Christian patience and to haue worthily defended the profession of the Catholike Faith before shee was made Defendresse the storie of which her most vertuous suffering I haue heretofore written in verse and therefore in this place I forbeare to make particular Narration of that which formerly I haue declared And in this I receiue speciall contentment that in my knowledge of this Souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth I dare confidently report to haue found more in the trauell of my time than King Salomon withall his experience and wisedome could euer finde A good Woman 〈…〉 FIRST 〈◊〉 common with God then to helpe when the disease is highest and the expectation of good is furthest off for in this doth God shew his omnipotencie and the difference betweene the actions of himselfe and his creatures for man to produce his effects doth couet the aduantage of naturall fitting causes but it is sufficient cause in God that he is willing Secondly There is this difference in the punishments of good and euill men temporall and eternall the good mans temporall punishment must of necessity end the euill mans spirituall punishment hath an euerlasting necessity of being For God hath determined all men to taste of both cups but with different measure Thirdly It was a wisedome both Religious and Pollitique in the Queene to enter her State with generall peace for though shee had the sword of authority in her hand and found in the power of her command such as had bene very grieuous vnto her yet did she like a wise Princesse take no further reuenge then onely name them for her enemies and so distinguish them from better friends For it is most needfull for a Prince at the entring his State to gaine the opinion of mercie because there is nothing can better secure him then the hearts and faithfull seruice of his people Fourthly There is this greatnesse euen in men of inferior fortune that they either dispise the dignities they haue not or can with a modest patience hope them For seeing that all worldly things are moued with variable motions what man can haue reason to dispaire the fortune of some prosperitie CHAP. XXIV Of the first Act of Queene Elizabeths defence for the Catholike Faith after she was Queene FIRST Queene Elizabeth in her gratious disposition was like the sune which no sooner is vp but it riseth to the comfort of all Creatures so the Queene no sooner in the seate of Maiestie but she applyeth her cares to the vse of mercie and vertuous deeds casting vpon the generall face of this Nation her heauenly aspect and influence which in the blacke time of her Sisters gouernement lay in the shadow of darkenesse and blacke obscurity And as the neerest to her Religious heart she beginneth being of important consideration first with Gods cause Religion laying that for her foundation whereupon she determined to erect the whole frame of her holy life For shee well vnderstood there was nothing could support her in the true estimation of honour and vertuous liuing but Religion without the exercise whereof all other things are vitious and of euill merit And therefore did she pursue this end with a most stedfast resolution daring to doe any thing were it neuer so hazerdous that might aduantage it and remouing euery impediment which any way might hinder the prosperity of that proceeding And because she found the bodie of her State dangerously wounded by disorder and euill gouernement she therefore very carefully and skilfully applieth present remedie least otherwise the disease might proue incureable and the cause of Religion might then bee like the common cause of Patients who haue their patience tryed by deferments and lingring cures which in the trade and practise of many bad Physitions is very frequent And this disgrace hath the Queene well auoided in determining first the generall cause of the Common-Wealth before any particular end that might respect her owne priuate Secondly The euidence of this her holy and princely care is most apparant in the restoring of Religion to that Truth and Authoritie wherein in King Edwards time it was worthily established abolishing superstitious Poperie which in the time of Queene Marie her Sister had vsurped the place and dignitie of true Religion And this false worship hath Queene Elizabeth like a most victorious Empresse for euer vanquished bringing it downe to that pouertie of strength as the fauourers thereof haue little reason euer to hope a restauration of that which she and her Successor our Soueraigne King Iames haue for euer banished from the bonds of great Brittaine Thirdly And in this hath Queene Elizabeth very fortunately defended the Catholike Faith and finished that holy quarrell with as much honour as euer did any Christian Prince before her being in this worthily able to match if not to ouer match her most princely brother K. Edward who but for her may be thought for his holy care singular and without comparison Fourthly To reckon vp the particulars of Queene Elizabeths merit were a needlesse trauell both because I cannot so report them as they are worthly and also because they are yet visible in the view of the gouernement of the Church and State of England as now it standeth our Church being still in the flourish of that prosperity wherein shee left it established to the next Defendor of the Faith and wherein K. Iames her successor our Souereigne doth yet continue it and wherein we hope it will be euer continued in his hopefull posterity Fifthly This noble beginning of Queene Elizabeth was so much to the aduancement of the Catholike Faith that being by report made knowne to the world was a cause that the Children of faith who in Queene Maries time did willingly banish themselues into places of farre distance now hearing of this alteration resort againe to their Countrie and to the protection of this Noble Defendresse who did free them from the miserie of persecution and vnder whose defence they peaceably enioyed their liues and the libertie of Reformed Conscience And with this holy exordium did Queene Elizabeth begin the Storie of her vertuous life Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST It is a precept giuen vs by our best Master First seeke the Kingdome of God This lesson had the Queene learned from that Doctor who therefore did applie her first cares to this principall end for which God did succeed her in others for it is vnquestionable true that he that seeketh God shall finde all his necessarie things though he seeke them not Secondly The Queene by her direct manifesting her resolute purpose how in the case of Religion she was resolued was both in her selfe Religious and had this Pollitique respect that thereby shee tooke feare from her friends and hope from her enemies making hope and feare shift places for that did satisfie the expectation of her friends which in such