inuincible courage constancie of the Pope often brought to penance and extremitie that in fin by armes he droue the said Pope out of his sea and placed an Antipape An Antipape that is to say one so opposite to Christs vicar as Antichrist shal be against Christ which by armes and patronage of this wicked Emperour vsurped and occupied the Apostolical throne against the true Pope Gregorie the seuenth whom the Libeller after the vulgar vaine of Rebellious Heretiques voutsafeth not the name of Gregorie the seuenth but calleth him commonlie Hildebrand as the Heretiques when they were in armes in Germanie against their Emperour Heretical malice would not name him Charles the fifte nor Emperour but Charles of Gaunt And now because this good and notable Pope The coÌ„tentioÌ„ betvvene Pope Gregorie the seuenth and Henrie the third Emperor was â—ot able in fin to resist th'emperours forces the which Emperour as al the histories of that time record was a most wicked sacrilegious simoniacal and heretical person th' aduersaries of Gods Church doe triumphe as the Libeller here doth ouer the blessed man as Herode might haue done ouer Iohn Baptist whos admonition was taken in so euil gré that it cost him his life as also th'executing of the Churches sentence which is Gods hath done to manie a Prophet and Bishop in the world By which euent of thinges who so euer measureth the right of causes wil make a good religion and a good defence of th' execution of iustice For so most Tirants might be iustified for a time against al the Saints of God This Gregorie say they was in sin banished by the Emperour and so was S. Chrisostom by Archadius and Eudoxia and dyed in banishment as Gregorie the seuenth did yet they were but homelie Christians that would iustifie the Emperours and condemne S. Chrisostome And indeed this Pope whom they speciallie hate because as it may be thought he was the first man that authenticallie condemned the Berengarians heresie in open disputation refuted it though certaine of the said Emperours flatterers enimies of the sea Apostolique as the fashion of our Heretiques is at this day wrote slaunderous Libels against him Pope Hildebrand a good man yet was he a very notable good man and learned and did suffer what so euer he did suffer for mere iustice in that he did godlie honorablie and by the dutie of his Pastorship what so euer he did against the said Emperour wherof we could alleadge al the best writers of thos dayes or near that time but that we should be tedious Of whom yet this one graue testimonie of Baptista Fulgosius a noble and learned man that was Duke of Genua aboue an hundred years past we shal not let to set doune as we finde it in latine Constantissimus habitus est Gregorius septimus Pontifex Lib. 3 Cap. vlt. factoruÌ„ memorabilium qui quòd Henricum tertium Imperatorem propter aperta nimis Symoniae crimina pro pastorali officio reprehendebat grauibus ab eo iniurijs affectus est itaque iniuriarum magnitudine compulsus Henricum Gregorius vt haereticum Imperij honore priuauit Cum autem Henricus solui ecclesiastica censura non emendatione vitae sed armis quaereret alium creare Pontificem enixus capta Vrbe obsidere Gregorium coepit Quae mala cum Gregorius pateretur nunquam tamen a iusto proposito dimoueri potuit That is Gregorie the seueÌ„th was notable for his constancie who for that according to his pastoral charge he had admonished Henrie the third The testimonie of the Duke of Genua for Pope Hildebrand Emperour to leaue his knowen impietie of Simonie was by manifold intollerable iniuries vexed by the said Emperour and by the greatnes of his wickednes was compelled to depriue him as an heretique of his Imperial dignitie But Henrie seeking not by amendment of his life but by armes to be absolued from the censure he went about to set vp a new Pope and beseiged the citie of Rome and brought the Pope into great distres In al which miseries Gregorie could neuer be remoued from his iust purpose So he writeth of the parties both See Vspergen lib. 5. Annal. And of the horrible crimes for which the Emperour was most iustlie iÌ„ the sight of al good meÌ„ deposed Thus Trithemius reporteth iÌ„ breef of the wickednes of this Emperour Episcopacus CoÌ„staÌ„tiensem c. He sould the Bishoprikes of Constance Bamburgh Mentz diuers other for money thos of Ausbourg Straisburgh for a sword that of Munster for Sodomie and the abbacie of Fulde for aduoultrie Trithem in Chron. heauen and earth witnesse and crie out of thes and for the same abhominations he standeth excommunicated depriued and therfore hath no power nor iust title to reigne ouer vs Catholiques But to goe forward this same Gregorie the seuenth did the like commendable iustice vpon the king of Pole Bolislaus the second Chrom lib. hist PoloÌ„ li. 4. aswel excommunicating as depriuing him for murthering of his Bishop S. Stanislay at the verie Altar Against which sentence though he stoode by force and contempt for a time Kinges of later times excoÌ„municated yet at length he was forsaken and resisted wholie by his subiects fled and in fin slew him self For Heresie also was George K. of Boemland excommunicated and thervpon by the forces of the king of Hungarie at length actuallie depriued As also Iohn Albert had half his kingdome of Nauarre taken from him by Ferdinandus surnamed Catholicus of Aragon for that he gaue aide to Levves the twelueth beiÌ„g excommunicated by Iulius the second For great iniuries also done to holie Church for persecution of Bishops and religious was Iohn one of our kinges of England Kinges of England with his whole land interdicted and brought after long strugling against God and the Sea Apostolique to yeeld his Croune to the courtesie of the Popes Legate and to make both his Realmes of England and Ireland tributaries Lib. 1. de Repub. Cap. 9. The authentical instrument wherof Iohn Bodin saith he hath seene For like causes and namelie for that he was vehemeÌ„tlie suspected of the murther of the blessed Bishop S. Thomas of Canterburie was Henrie the second driuen by Alexander the third to order and penance A number of the like examples moe we might recite of our countrie and of the christian world wherby not onelie the practize of the Church in al ages may be seene but also Catholique men warranted that they be no traitors nor hould assertions treasonable false or vndutiful in answering or beleeuing that for Heresie or such like notorious wickednes a Prince otherwise lauful and annointed may be excommunicated deposed forsaken or resisted by the warrant of holie Churches iudgement and Censure Whervnto we wil adde onelie the sentence of Gregorie the great and first of that name whom the aduersaries confesse to haue bene both learned and holie who being as
A TRVE SINCERE AND MODEST DEFENCE OF ENGLISH CATHOLIQVES THAT SVFFER FOR THEIR Faith both at home and abrode against a false seditious and slaunderous Libel intituled THE EXECVTION OF IVSTICE IN ENGLAND VVherin is declared hovv vniustlie the Protestants doe charge Catholiques vvith treason hovv vntrulie they deny their persecution for Religion and hovv deceitfullie they seeke to abuse strangers about the cause greatnes and maner of their sufferinges vvith diuers other matters perteining to this purpose Psal 62. Vt obstruatur os loquentium iniqua That the mouth may be stopped of such as speake vniustlie Psal 49. Os tuum â—bundauit malitia lingua tua concinnabat dolos Thy mouth hath abounded in malice and thy tongue hath coninglie framed lies THE PREFACE TO THE READER ALBEIT the late pamphlet intituled The execution of Iustice put forth in diuers languages for defence or excuse of the violent proceeding against Catholiques in England and for accusation as wel of them at home as of vs their felowes in faith abrode passing forth without priuilege and name ether of writer or printer euen thence where such matter is speciallie currant and might easilie haue bene authorized mouing indiscret odious and dangerous disputes of estate replenished with manifest vntruthes open slaunders of innocent persons and namelie with immodest malediction and seditious motions against the cheefe Bishop the Prince of Gods people though I say it might rightlie haue bene reputed an infamous Libel ether to be contemned or with such freedome of speech refelled as that maner of writing doth deserue yet considering the matter meaning and phrase therof to be agreable to the humour and liking of some in authoritie The causes of ansvvere and the booke not onelie not suppressed as diuers others of that argument seeming ouer simple to the wiser Protestants of late haue bene but often printed much recommended diligentlie diuulged and sought to be priuileged in * In FraÌ„ce forreine places where for shame they durst not publiquelie allowe it at home yea and in a maner thrust into the handes of strangers and therfore like to proceed though in close sort from authoritie we are forced and in truth verie wel contented and glad it hath pleased God to giue this occasion or rather necessitie to yeeld for the answere of the said booke our more particular accompt in the behalf of our Catholique brethren dead and aliue at home and in banishment Which we wil doe sincerlie as in the sight of Christ Iesus the iust iudge of the world and al his Saints in such humble milde and temperate maner as beseemeth our profession and the audience which audience we craue with teares of the whole Church and Christian world and of al that are placed in power and sublimitie ouer vs in our owne Countrie or els where that so our cause may be discerned both by God and man and our vnspeakable calamities ether by the intercession of manie releeued or by the general compassion of al our faithful brethreÌ„ made to vs more tollerable Loth we are and odious it may be compted to speake in such matter as must needes in some sort touch our superiours but Gods truth and mans innoceÌ„cie are priuileged and may in humble seemelie wise be defended against whomsoeuer And our pen God willing shal be so tempered herein that it shal displease no reasonable reader nor surelie skarce them if it may be against whom in our inculpable defence we are forced to write We haue in this case examples inough of Christian modestie in the ancient apologies of holie Fathers in Christ his Church as of S. Iustin Examples of vvriting apologies for innocencie Tertulian Athanasius Hylarius and other writing to their Princes that persecuted ether by errour or infidelitie the faithful people Who 's stile and steppes so long as we folowe we shal be blameles in the sight of al wise and good men and offeÌ„d none to whom the plaine truth it self is not odious As on the other side we haue in our aduersaries late bookes for immodest railing The Protestants stile contemptuous phrase slaunderous speach blasphemous wordes false reprochful seditious matter and al inhonest scurrilitie what to abhorre and detest and what to auoide in thes our writings which we would haue most vnlike theirs and not onelie allowable to our frendes but if it were possible and so pleased our merciful Lord to giue vs grace in their sight not ingrateful to our persecutours whos saluation as Christ knoweth we seeke in al thes our endeuours together with the maintenance of truth more then our owne defence and purgation Wherupon otherwise for our owne onelie honour and interest we would not so formallie stand against so honorable aduersaries in this world if we thought ether their hartes which are in Gods handes were not vpon euident reason and remonstrance of our innocencie inclinable to mercie and better consideration of their owne state and ours or that their accusation of vs afflicted Catholiques were not ioined to the general reprehension of the whole Church and the principal pastours therof whom by the lawe of our Christian religion we ought to respect more then our owne liues and in causes of our soule and conscience to obey aboue anie earthlie Prince by what other obligation so euer we be bound vnto him And as we would gladlie passe in this our answere with such equabilitie and indifferencie that in defence of the spiritual power which by our aduersaries importunitie we are driuen in maner against our wils to treat of we might not iustlie offend the temporal acknowledging in diuers respects al humble dutie to them both so writing nothing that anie man shal be able to proue vntrue ether in fact or faith we trust in the readers equitie be he Catholique or Protestant that in so faultles and necessarie a defence of our selues and of our Superiours as also of the common cause of our Christian faith and conscience he wil not iudge our writing seditious slaunderous or infamous libelling as the nameles author of this inuectiue against whom we treat vnchristianlie and vncourteouslie calleth other our brethrens bookes recording onelie the heauie persecution torments and deathes of Catholiques in such simple plaine and sincere sort as indeed al thinges were done The bookes of English persecution most true and so as no man liuing can trulie ether charge the reporters of fiction or falshood or of anie euil intention of diffaming to strangers their superiours dealings in making relation of our deare Countries most doleful calamities For the thinges there done dailie in publique cannot otherwise be hidden from the world and seing they are passed by lawe and order of pretended iustice ther can be no cause why them selues should mislike the diuulging therof except they acknowledge in their conscience some iniquitie and dishonorable defect in their proceedinges against the most innocent persons whom daily they torment and make away We are not so peruerslie affected God
this man was M. Kirkman M. Kirkeman an happie Priest also martyred for that he acknowledged him-self to haue reconciled certaine persons to the Catholike church For which likewise were put to death M. Thomson M. Harte and M. Threlkeld M. ThoÌ„son M. Hart. M. Threlkeld afterward in the same citie of Yorke neuer charged nor suspected of anie other treasons then of hearing Confessions absoluing and reconciling sinners to the fauor of God and to the vnitie of the Catholique churche againe which both in the Priest that absolueth and in the partie that is absolued they haue made to be the crime of les-Maiestie vnder this false and most vniust preteÌ„ce that al parties so reconciled are assoiled of ther obedience to the Q. and doe adhere to her enimie and admit forreine iurisdiction power and authoritie which is exercised in Confession for remission of sinnes Thes be the treasons and none other for which the blood of Gods Priests is so abundantlie shed in our poore countrie thes yeares Adde to thes the two famous confessors Ao. 1583. M. Slade M. Bodie M. Iohn Slade and M. Iohn Bodie who both by certaine interrogatories being driuen to say their mindes touching the Q. chalenge of supreme regiment ecclesiastical contrarie to the asseueration of this libeller set downe before for confessing their faith of the Popes spiritual soueraigntie and for denying her to be head of the churche of England or to haue anie spiritual regiment were coÌ„demned to death in publique iudgement at two diuers sessions and that at twise a rare case in our countrie the latter sentence being to reforme the former as we may gesse in such strange proceedinges which they perceiued to be erroneous and insufficient in ther owne lawes Wherupon one of them was executed at Winchester th' other at And ouer in the same prouince being neuer charged with disloyaltie or olde treasons as not onelie by the recordes of their arraignment and condemnation we are able to prooue but also by their owne speeches and by the whole action of ther Martyrdome The booke is intituled The Seueral executions of Slade and Body c. imprinted in London by Richard Iones 1583. which is put in print by one of their owne protestantes that was present and is witnessed by thousandes of others that both heard saw their deathes and iudgement I wil for examples sake alleage some thing out of the said printed pamphlet of that which was said vnto them by the enimie at their martyrdome Confesse your fault saith one of the cheefe * Sir VV. Kingsmel gentlemeÌ„ and ministers of execution ther present for satisfaction of the vvorld in the cause of your death to which the holie confessor I. Bodie answered after protestation of his loyaltie in temporal thinges Yovv shall vnderstand quoth he good people that I suffer death for denying her Maiestie to be Supreame head of Christes churche in England in causes ecclesiastical other treasons except they make hearing the holie Masse or saying Aue Maria treason I haue coÌ„mitted none So his happie companion M. Slade condemned for the same onelie cause was thus spoken vnto in the houre of his agonie The cause vvhy M. Slade and M. Bodie vvere murdered by one doctor Bennet a great minister of ther new congregation let not the Pope saith he that vnvvorthie Priest be preferred before thine ovvne natural Princesse vvho is the lavvful supreame head of the Church next vnder Christ So said this minister by whom we may not onelie perceiue vpon what statute and treason they were executed but also which in an other parte of this libel is without shame most boldlie denied Pag. 10. that indeed the Q. is commoÌ„lie of protestantes called Supreame head of the Church So their preachers in pulpit doe sounde owt daylie as al men know and their writers in bookes dedicated to her as M. Bridges M. Bridges against doctor Saunders and D. Stapleton and others doe tearme her expreslie Wherof the wiser sorte as we may see by this libel are so ashamed that they wolde haue it giuen out to strangers speciallie who wonder at the monstruous title that ther is no such thing chalenged of her or giuen her by the new lawes of Religion in England The protestaÌ„tes ashamed of their Head of the church For which cause and for that they had an intention streight to publishe at home and in forreine partes that none were put to death for anie such matter of faith or religioÌ„ they suppressed the said printed pamphlet of thes twoo mens martyrdome and punished the Author therof though he wrote in that point the plaine truth as he hard and sawe but not discretlie inough nor aggreable to the politique practise they had then in hand which was to perswade the world that none were put to death for their conscience nor that the Q. chalenged anie such title of Supremacie or Headshippe ouer the Church Pag. 10. which later point it seemeth conuenient to the politiques of our Realme to disauowe with such vehemencie in this libel as they geue vs the manifest lye for that we reproue them of it for thus they write vvhich title of headship of the Church the aduersaries doe most falslie vvrite and affirme that the Q. Maiestie doth novv vse a manifest lie and vntruth c. Wherfore of this matter I am inforced in this place to speake a word or two by the waye The truth is that in the first yeare and Parliament of the Q. reigne when they abolished the Popes authoritie and wolde haue yeelded the same authoritie with the title of Supreame head to the Q. as it was giuen before to her Father and Brother diuers speciallie moued by Minister Caluins writing who had coÌ„demned in the same Princes that calling liked not the â—earme and therfore procured that some other equiualent but lesse offensiue might be vsed Vpon which formalitie it was enacted that she was the Cheef gouernour asvvel in causes ecclesiastical or spiritual as ciuil and temporal And an othe of the same was conceiued accordinglie to be tendred at their pleasures to al the spiritual and teÌ„poral officers in the Realme by which euerie one must sweare that in conscience he taketh and beleeueth her so to be and that no Priest or other borne owt of the realme can haue or ought to haue anie maner of power in spiritual matters ouer her subiectes Which othe is compted the verie torment of al English consciences not the protestantes themselues beleeuing it to be trew of al trew catholiques as before it was deemed in her Father a lay man and in her Brother a childe very ridiculous so now in her self being a woman is it accompted a thing most monstruous and vnnatural and the verie gappe to bring anie Realme to the thraldome of al sectes Heresie Paganisme Turcisime or Atheisme that the PriÌ„ce for the time by humane frailtie may be subiect vnto al our religion faith worship seruice
heauen as it is reported were so partiallie or rigorouslie scanned by the malice of his great and potent professed enemie that many yeares hath sought his ruine together with his zealousnes in the Catholique faith brought him to his most pittiful end to the great regret of the whole countrie But the importunitie of the aduersarie hath brought vs somewhat out of our intended cours To returne backe therfore to our famous Prelates deposed in this Queens dayes the principal wherof was Archebishop of Yorke D. Heath Archbishop of York highe Chancelour of the realme the Primate of Canterburie being deceased before which worthie man this Libeller hipocriticallie commendeth for his loyaltie though in Religion differing from them therby to make the Q. Maiesties mercie towardes him a paterne forsooth of clemencie not to be matched as he wiselie writeth in Q. MARIES time which Queene notwithstanding pardoned a number of heretiques and ranke condemned traitors both of life and landes whom we could name al the world knoweth yet aliue And further he addeth which is a notorious vntruth that the said Prelate voluntarilie left both his Chauncelorship and Archbishopricke wher al wise men wil witnes with him and for him that he was most vniustlie with the rest of his Suffraganes and brethren Bishops for refusing to take that absurd othe of the Q. Supremacie and to vse the new Caluinistical seruice in his prouince deposed by violence from his spiritual function dignitie Who 's courage and resistance for quarel of Gods religion how loial and obedient so euer the Libeller would make thos men in comparison of vs therby to insinuate that the more bloodie rigour is vsed now towardes vs then in the beginning towardes them was such in them specially in the said Archbishop that he worthelie and as became his Excellencie refused to anoint or crowne the Q. Maiestie that now is though it apperteined to his special office to doe the same the Metropolitan being dead as hath bene said before and so did al the rest of the Bishops refuse the same vntil with much a doe they obteined the Bishope of Carlisle The Bishop of Carlisle the īferior al most of al the rest to doe that function Which is here remembred by me for that the Libeller of his good discretion recordeth it for special courtesie of that man towardes his Princesse Which refusal of him specially that by office should haue done the same might in reason haue bene construed to as hainous and treasonable a purpose as most thinges that afterward haue bene done for the Catholique cause by anie of the later years if the malice of that time had bene as ripe then as now it is against Gods Church and Priestes The cause why they durst not thē nor could be adduced by anie humane feare or authoritie to inuest her was VVhy the Catholique Bishops refused to croune this Q. for that they had euident probabilities and arguments to doubt that she ment ether not to take the othe or not to keepe the same which al Christian kinges and speciallie ours in England doe make in their Coronation for maintenance of holy Churches lawes honors peace and priuileges and other duties due to euery state as in the time and graunt of K. Edward the Confessor They doubted also lest she would refuse in the verie time of her sacre the solemne diuine ceremonie of vnction accustomed in the consecration of al Christian princes through the euil aduises of certaine yōg counsellers being then in the heate prime and pride of their Heresie wherby great scandal might arise and hurt to the Realme Which they the rather doubted because they saw not lōg before her Highnes at her first entrāce to that high estate commaund a certaine Bishop euen the same of Carlisle now named stāding readie to say Masse before her a strange case in a woman towardes a Bishop not to eleuate the holy consecrated Hoste but to omit that ceremonie because she liked it not Which the said Bishop to his great honor constantlie refused to obey A thing that in one of vs poore men now perchaunce would be accompted high treason and disloialtie towardes our Soueraine And of this his courage in Gods cause it neuer repented him but for doing the other office at the Coronation when he sawe the issue of the matter and both him self and al the rest of his sacred order depriued and the Churches Holie lawes and faith against the conditions of her consecration and acceptation into that royal roome violated he sore repented him al the dayes of his life which were for that special cause both short and werisome afterward vnto him Otherwise doubtles al the Bishops and the rest of the principal of the inferior Cleargie did stoutlie and worthelie as could be wished as was possible in that sodaine assault of Heresie fearing at the same time their personal peril so litle The intention of the Clergie to Excōmunicate the Q. that they were manie of them of that mind that it should be good to vse the censure of Excommunication against her Highenes and some of her leaders into that reuolt so dangerous and shameful to the state so latelie reconciled to the sea Apostolique and by othe and promis of al estates confirmed But the wiser of the Bishops or at least the mylder sort persuaded the contrarie for manie inconueniences that might ensue and so they rather resolued the matter to be remitted to the high Pastor of Christes vniuersal Church then to be executed by them that were her subiects not without peril perhaps of some further tumult scādal and trouble to the whole Cleargie whom they would haue interpreted to haue done it of malicious and rebellions mind rather thē of loue and dutie of which al such censures indeed doe proceed how so-euer the partie affected and sicke in soule especiallie Princes except they be verie wel trained in the feare of God accept the same wel remembring that manie Kinges had killed their Pastors in like cases Al this we put doune that no man be abused by the enemie to thinke that the Reuerend Prelats at the first were lesse zealous which he calleth more loial or more obedient to the Prince in lauful thinges then we their scholars and of-spring be or we lesse loial thē they and therfore more punishable then they were though in deed their perpetual imprisonment and pining away in miserable desolation their tossing and shifting from one superintendents house to an other from one keeper to an other from one prison to an other subiect to extreme wantes and to a thowsand daylie vilanies besides wherof some of thē now haue tasted for twentie fiue years together is worse then any death in the world This then is a true Persecutiō indeed when such men for such causes against al reason and lawes be so vexed by such as owe them al reuerence dutie and obedience Such is also the miserable fortune of the Catholique Nobilitie
Cābridge as also your confessor Iewel of Salisburie had done the like in Oxford if he had not bene in time preuēted Were not al the packe of your Protestantes confederated or acquainted wyth Wiates conspiracie and open rebellion against their Prince and Countrie This is proued by their ovvne testimonie herafter with other wicked attemptes against the state of that time as they haue bene sithe wel neare against al the states and Prouinces Christened But of this you must needes heare more anone But it is a world to see the cunning winding of this Libeller for being ashamed as it seemeth or els in doubt of that which he had boldlie affirmed before now cometh to foist in a word to salue al as he thinketh and that is Anice shift That at their death they denied not their Q. c. And in such deceipt-ful cobling in of wordes he passeth no line lightlie without fraude But for answere herof we say that what they did at their death or the day after God knoweth but it is plaine that in their life they were notorious Rebels as most of that sect be And how manie of our men I pray you Sir of whos liues deathes so great nōbers can beare witnes denied their obedience or meeklie prayed not for the Q. at the verie place and tyme of their execution Euerie one of thē as they liued exemplarlie for dutie and loyal behauiour to al their superiours both temporal and spiritual so yeelded they their happie life and blood in al Apostolical patience peace and meeknes for the faith wherin they our countrie and al conuerted nations in the world were baptized for the verie same beleefe wherin th' olde glorious Martirs of Godes Church gaue vp their liues This Faithe this Church this Cause seuereth our true Martyrs from the notorious malefactors of the contrarie side And so giueth vs iust cause to cōplaine of persecution and th'enimie no reason at al of what number name obstinacie age or qualitie so euer they be that haue suffred for their Heresie THAT OVR PRIESTS AND CATHOLIQVE BRETHREN HAVE BEHAVED them selues discretlie and nothing seditiouslie ī their ansvvers to the questions of the Bul of Pius Quintus and that they can not laufullie be pressed nor put to death as traitors by the true meaning of th' olde lavves of the Realme for the same vvith examination of the six Articles proposed about the said Bul. CAP. IIII. IN times of heretical regiment wher Politiques haue al the gouernment though Religion be sometimes pretended as a thing wherof they make their aduauntage for th' affaires speciallie entended yet indeed the first and principal care is of their temporal state so consequentlie of the Princes and their owne wel being in this life the lote wherof The differēt gouernment of Politiques and of true Christians they often preferre with Esau before the weal of the world to come the blessing of Iacob or the kingdome of Christ which is his reigne regiment spiritual in the Church the howse of his glorie our saluation in earth Contrariwise in Christian Catholique common wealthes the cheefe respect is euer was as it ought to be of the honor of God the good of holie Church the saluation of the soules of their people and so to passe through thes secular thinges as eternal ioyes be not lost and put in hasard In which difference of thinges you shal easilie perceiue that in the dayes of disorder errour the faultes done against the Prince or so said to be done are far more odious and punishable then what so euer is directlie done against God against the Common wealth then against the Church against the bodie then against the soule more adoe about Caesars tribute then about Gods due As in the time and regiment of Hieroboam when al the care was how to manage matters so The gouernmēt of Ieroboam that the kingdome of Israel might be seuered from Iuda and so established in it self that no spiritual vnion by worship in Hierusalem might reduce the deuided tribes to their former state againe and al thīgs tendīg to that reuniō were greuouslie punished but matters of faith religion wholie contemned In our countrie when God and his kingdome had the first place the terrene state the second as in truth it ought to be wher it is otherwise whatsoeuer is pretended Christ hath no place at al then were the crimes committed against God first and principallie punished as blasphemie schisme and such like and secondlie treasons and trespasses done against the Prince countrie whereof Q. Maries dayes and regiment may be an example when without the forgerie of new or false treasons the latelie named Archbishop and other principal heretiques being conuicted of cōspiracie open traiterous actions might haue iustlie suffered for the same but yet were rather burned for Heresie as for their more heinous crime and which a Christian Prince ought to regard far more then anie thing committed against his Regalitie But now and euer when the Superioritie temporal hath the preeminence the spiritual is but accessorie dependent and wholie vpholden of thother errour in Fayth is litle accompted of what so euer their pulpit men to make them selues and their patrons sport bral of such matters and al our doings endeuours and exercises of Religion are drawen to treasons and trespasses against the Queene them selues protesting in al their doings that they medle not with vs for our doctrine what-soeuer therby ether insinuating that our religion is true and in deed by the iudgement of their owne conscience not punishable or els that they care not for it nor what we beleeue no further then toucheth their Prince temporal weal wherin yet they wipe so hard as they draw blood For finding no errors heresies A nevv deuise of our Persecutors or false opinions concerning God his worship worthie to cōdemne vs of being ashamed of their statutes of new treasons as it seemeth they haue found out a new fault and a terme for the same not vsual ether in writers of our schooles and diuinitie or in their owne lawes which they cal trayterous assertions treasonable malicious opinions against the Q. as in a former like pamphlet euil affection or euil disposition towardes her Maiestie which is now the onelie and proper point they pursue against vs both in iudgement and writing For which as of late they haue put diuers to death so by the same they trie as they say whither Papistes be traytors or no and accordinglie to vse them And for better trial therof they propose vnto al men whom they list make away or otherwise indanger certaine demandes which in effect are thes that ensue Whether the Bul of Pius Quintus against the Q. Maiesty be a lauful sentence and ought to be obeyed by the subiects of England Demandes proposed to Catholikes for their intrapping Whether the Q. Maiesty be a lauful Q. and
could not answere of the sense or force therof nor be guiltie of anie crime towardes her Maiestie conteined in the same no nor should euer haue much thought or heard of it had not the other now reuiued the matter One or two answered that they were not so learned as to discusse ex tempore al thos matters conteined in their demaundes but that they esteemed of al in general as the holie Catholique Church teacheth which is said they the Romane Church Some said ther were or might be causes as if a Prince should fal to Apostasie Arrianisme or such like that deserued excommunication depriuation in which case the Pope might discharge the subiects from their obedience but of the Q. particular case they would not talke at al. To be short some being demaunded what they would doe or aduise others to doe if the matter should come to batail for Religion as it fel out in Ireland answered they would doe when that happened which they trusted would not so chaunce as good priests ought to doe that is pray for peace and that truth and iustice in warre might preuaile In al which you see on th' one side how carefullie al men eschewed to vtter their opinions in anie other wordes but such as could in truth no way giue offence to the Q. or state on th' other into what maruelous perplexitie the ministers and mainteiners of heresie ar brought that cannot but by such violent meanes be secure in their sect nor vphold their soule practizes against God the Church and their owne Countrie Let our Christian brethrē of al nations iudge of the causes meanes and measure of our calamities We neuer procured our Q. excommunication we haue sought the mitigation therof we haue done our allegeance not withstanding we haue answered when we were forced vnto it with such humilitie and respect to her Maiesty and Counsel as you see no man can charge vs of anie attempt against the Realme or the Princes person The vnreasonable dealing of our persecutors Yet not content with this they wil knowe what we wil doe hereafter if such or such a thing should chaunce they wil sound al the Catholiques hartes in the Realme which is more then Antichristian violēce they wil punish them as traitors by death most cruel for their onelie thoughtes Yea which God him self doth not for future faultes neuer committed nor perhappes euer like to come to passe Which search of mens future factes or intentions wherof them selues haue neither knowledge nor rule before hand is vnnatural intollerable and to common wealthes most pernicious were able to make al the Catholiques of the Realme to be wholie desperate not finding their loyal behauiour shewed in al kinde of office and seruice to their Prince sufficient to saue their liues but may be examined of thes captious and deadlie chapters of their inwarde opiniōs and purposes to come when the Magistrate or anie mans one powrable enimie list require it Especiallie now whē their vulgar ministers giue it out generallie that al thos whom they cal Papistes be in their hartes traitors and this Libeller sayth thos foresaid questions are most proper to trie them Into such thraldome of bodie and soule hath that barbarous heresie brought vs them also into thos hazardes of their state which they pretend to be the causes of thes their so extraordinarie proceedinges as may be thought were neuer before vsed nor lauful by nature or custome of anie Ciuil countrie in earth Some such demaundes the Scribes and Pharesies and other of the Iewes sectaries The proceeding of the Ievves vvith Christ proposed in times past to our Sauiour to intrap him ī speech to driue hī to vtter some treasonable wordes or cōceipt agaīst the Emperours regalitie ouer the people of God which they presumed to be euil thought of of diuers and speciallie of the better and more exact zelators of the lawe notwithstanding that ether for feare or other causes euerie one semed in al exterior offices to obey Of which tempting questions though Christ by his diuine wisdome easilie discharged him self neuerthelesse they ceased not stil to exclame Hunc inuenimus prohibentem tributa dare Caesari as others did afterward the like of S. Stephen and S. Paul and euen so now our English Saduces are not satisfied but by blood neuer resting til they haue pressed or suckt out something at least for mens intentions or other casual euentes to come that may sound against their duties to the Q. Such is our present menage of state in England into such termes are we brought of extremitie When al other pretences practizes forged crimes and false witnesses against Priests or Catholiques doe faile then are thes made iust quarels of their death and the highest treasons in the world viz to affirme vpon their vnreasonable and importune demaundes that if which God forbid the Q. by supposal should fal to Arrianisme Apostacie or Atheisme whervnto mans frailtie is subiect she might be depriued and her subiects discharged of obedience to her this is the onelie treason which they haue tried out of Catholiques Which for al that in truth cannot be treason how plainlie or voluntarily so euer it were spoken much lesse being wrested out by commandement and subtile drift of interrogatories The Libeller saieth nothing is punished in vs for question of Conscience or Religion The questiō of the Popes Supremacie a matter of Diuinitie and not of State but yet this is such in the sight of al resonable men in the world For it is a mere matter of Diuinitie if not defined for vs yet at least disputable in schoole as them selues wil confesse It concerneth the Popes supremacie and power Apostolical for which this Libeller affirmeth and repeateth often that none be endangered of life or limme in England This proposition I say or anie other equiualent to it viz. That the Pope hath power to excommunicate or depriue a Prince in case of Heresie or Apostacie and consequentlie to absolue his subiects from their othe and obedience to him or to stand in defence of them selues and the Catholique faith against him cannot be proued treason by the statute of Edward the third vpon which onelie he sayeth we be condemned for traitours Who so euer should auouch the same in anie Christian countrie in the world or in our owne countrie in the time of the said K. Edward had held the same opinion should not nor could not haue bene conuicted of treason treasonable assertion or euil affection to the Prince or countrie because it standeth with the honor and safetie of the whole common wealth and the rulers therof so far to be subiect and obedient to Christ and his Church that they count them selues no longer to stand or reigne rightfullie then they stand and reigne for the aduauncement of Gods truth and kingdome in earth which is his Church What treason had it bene to Q. Marie whos regiment for an exāple of their greefe
auowe before God seing we are now inforced to treate of thes affaires that whatsoeuer we haue said or shal say in this our defence or remonstrance touching the former articles and demandes about the Bul A protestation before the entraÌ„ce to the treatie of the former demandes about the Bul. nether hath bene nor shal be by vs anie wise spoken meÌ„t or applied against our natural Princesse or couÌ„trie how soeuer anie suspicious malitious or guiltie mind shal peradueÌ„ture conster or apply the same Nether shal the matter be otherwise treated of by me in this place but in such general termes as the schooles vse without touching anie particular person now liuing referring the applicatioÌ„ of al to Gods Church and to the cheefe Pastors therof and to the conscience of euerie good Christian reader to whose handes this booke may chance to come As on thother side we wil not busie our selues to defend euerie priuate mans writing or actioÌ„ concerning the matter of th'Ecommunication but wil without partialitie â—nd personal quarel for a common Apologie of vs al â—eclare and prooue thes assertioÌ„s of the Popes power â—nd superioritie ouer kinges in cases of Heresie Apoâ—tacie and other like to be agreable to Gods word â—nd not treasonable nor vndutiful to anie Prince or State in the world but beneficial to al and euery common wealth vnder Heauen whos gouernment is coÌ„teined within the prescript of Iesus Christ our Redeemers law But first before we come to the declaration of Catholique doctrine concerning Churches authoritie in censuring deposing Princes for matter of ReligioÌ„ The Protestantes opinion and practise for depositioÌ„ of Princes in case of false Religion it shal not be amisse perhappes to set doune the iudgment and practize of Protestants in the same case which though it weigh litle or nothing with vs as being altogether both done and spoken of seditious and partial affection to their Heresie and against the lauful Magistrate of God yet th' aduersarie seing his owne Masters against him shal wel perceaue that the resisting of Princes and Magistrates in cause of Religion as also the subiects taking armes for their defence in such a case is no way to be accounted treason but most lauful according to their new Ghospel And first their grand-maister Io. Caluin putteth doune his oracle In Dan. cap. 6. Ver. 22.25 as a conclusion approued of their whole sect and confraternitie in thes wordes Abdicant se potestate terreni Principes dum insurgunt coÌ„tra Deum iÌ„mo indigni sunt qui censeantur in hominum numero Potius ergo conspuere oportet in illo rum capita The doctrine of Father Caluin quà m illis parere vbi sic proteruiunt vt velint spoliare Deum suo iure c. Which in English is thus Earthlie Princes doe bereaue them selues of al authoritie when they doe erect them selues against God yea they are vnworthie to be accompted in the number of men and therfore we must rather spit vpoÌ„ their heades theÌ„ obey them when they become so proude or peruerse that they wil spoile God of his right to the same place I further referre the reader for his instruction For declaration of which text and for cutting of al cauillation about th'interpretatioÌ„ of his wordes their brother Beza shal speake next who alloweth highly commendeth in writing The doctrine of brother Beza the fighting in France for religion against the lawes and lawful K. of that Countrie saying in his epistle dedicatorie of his new testament to the Q. of England her self In editione An. 1564. That the Nobilitie of France vnder the noble Prince of Condey laid the first foundation of restoring true Christian religioÌ„ in France by consecrating most happilie their blood to God in the batail of Druze Wherof also the Ministers of the reformed FreÌ„ch Churches as their phrase is doe giue their common verdict The opinion of the Congregation Art 39. in the confession of their faith thus We affirme that subiects must obey the lawes pay tribute beare al burthens imposed and susteine the yoke euen of infidel Magistrates so for al that that the supreme dominion and due of God be not violated Zvvinglius likewise a cater-cosen to the Caluinistes in religion The senteÌ„ce of Zuinglius lib. 4. Epist Zvvinglii Oecol fol. 186. writeth thus If the Empire of Rome or what other Soueraigne so euer should oppresse the sincere religion and we necligentlie suffer the same we shal be charged with contempt no lesse then the oppressors therof theÌ„ selues wherof we haue an exaÌ„ple in the fiftenth of Ieremie wher the destruction of the people is prophecied 4. Reg. 21 for that they suffred their K. Manasses being impious and vngodly to be vnpunished And more plaine in an other place When kinges saith he rule vnfaithfullie and otherwise then the rule of the Gospel prescribeth Art 42. explanat Fol. 84. they may with God be deposed as when they punish not wicked persons but speciallie when they aduaunce the vngodlie as idle Priests c. such may be depriued of their dignitie as Saul was And what our English Protestants writ or thinke of this matter you shal wel perceiue by their opinioÌ„ high approbation of Wiats rebellion in Q. Maries dayes wherof one of their cheefe Ministers called Goodman thus speaketh in his Treatise entituled Goodmans opinion Cap. 14. a pag. 204. ad pa. 212 Hovv superior magistrats ought to be obeyed VVyat did but his dutie and it vvas the dutie of al others that professe the Gospel to haue risen vvith him for maintenance of the same His cause vvas iust and they al vvere traitors that tooke not part vvith him O Noble VVyat thovv art novv vvith God thos vvorthie men that died for that happie enterprise c. What the Scottish Ministerie defineth in this question is plaine The iudgement of the Scottishe Ministrie Io. Knokes Ibidem pag. 77. by the verdict of Iohn Knokes their mightiest Prophet the argument of a treatise of this matter being set doune by him self thus Yf the people haue either rashelie promoted anie manifest vvicked person or els ignorantlie chosen such an one as after declareth him self vnvvorthie of regiment aboue the people of God and such be al Idolators and cruel persecutors most iustlie may the same men depose and punish him So Luther also the Protestants Elias being asked his opinion of the Almans coÌ„federacie The opinioÌ„ and definition of Luther Sled Hist lib. 8. made at Smalcalde against Charles the fift their lauful noble Emperour answered That in deed he vvas in doubt for a time vvhether they might take armes against their Supreme Magistrate or no but aftervvard seing the extremitie of thinges and that Religion could not othervvise be defended nor them selues he made no conscience of the matter but ether Caesar or anie vvaging vvarres in his name might be resisted Sledan also recordeth that the Duke of Saxonie
Epist 28 Au. de ciuit Dei li. 5. Cap. 26 put him to publique penance among the rest of the people cōmaunded him to put of his kinglie robes to leaue his Emperial throne in the Chauncel and to keepe his place amōg the laytie and prescribed him after eight monethes penance to make a temporal law for prouiso against the occasions of such crimes as the said Emperour had committed and for which he was excommunicated This was an other world then we now are in Our shameles age maruelous courage and zeale in Bishops for Gods cause much humilitie and obedience in Princes Then was ther no flatterer so shameful nor heretique on earth so impudent as to make the temporal kinges aboue al correction of Gods Church and their owne Pastors nothing being more common in the histories of al ages then that Princes haue receiued discipline As when Anastasius th'Emperour was excommunicated by Symmachus Diuers Princes excōmunicated by their Pastours Lotharius and Michael Emperours by Nicholas the first and particular Princes by ther prouincial Bishops as we see in the recordes of al nations Therfore we wil stand onely vpon more famous and ancient examples Innocentius the first excommunicated Archadius th'Emperour and his wife Queene Eudoxia for that they disobeyed and persecuted their Bishop S. Chrisostome Nicepho li. 13. Cap. 34 Georg. Patriarcha in vita Chris We wil reporte the iudicial sentēce breeflie because it is much to the purpose and ful of Maiestie O Emperour said Pope Innocētius wel nere 1200. yeares agoe the blood of my brother Iohn Chrisostome crieth to God against thee The sentēce of excōmunication geuen by Innocentius Bishop of Rome against the Emperour thou hast cast out of his chaire the great Doctor of the vvorld and in him by thy vviues that delicate Dalila her persuasion hast persecuted Christ Therfore I though a poore sinful soule to vvhō the throne of the great Apostle S. Peter is committed doe excommunicate the her and doe seperate you both from the holie Sacramēts commaunding that no Priest nor Bishop vnder paine of depriuation after this my sentence come to their knovvledge giue or minister the said Sacraments vnto you Thus did this blessed Father whom S. Augustine exceedinglie commended in his time deale with this Emperour and wicked Queene the cause of her husbandes fal and offences and at length brought them to penance But when in processe of time some Princes VVhen vppō vvhat occasiōs spiritual Pastours began to vse the temporal svvord through Gods iust iudgement and the peoples sinne were fallen to such contempt of religion as it lightlie happeneth by Heresie and Apostacie that excommunication being onely but a spiritual penaltie or other ordinarie Ecclesiastical discipline would not serue then as wel Bishops as other godly persons their owne subiects did craue aide and armes of other Princes for their chasticement as most holie and ancient Popes euen in thes old dayes when the Protestants confesse them to haue bene godlie Bishops did incite Catholique kinges to the same that thos whom the spiritual rodde could not fruitfullie chastise they might by externe or temporal force bring them to order and repentance or at lest defend their innocent Catholique subiects from vniust vexation Ther is no warre in the world so iust or honorable be it ciuil or forraine as that which is waged for Religion we say for the true ancient Catholique Romane religion which by the lawes of holie Church and al Christian nations VVarre for the Catholique religion both lauful honorable is adiudged to be th' onelie true worship of God and vnto the obediēce of which al Princes and people haue yeelded them selues either by othe vowe or Sacramēts or euerie of thes wayes For this it is godlie and honorable to fight in such order and time as we be warranted in conscience and lawe by our supreme Pastors and Priests and not for wilde condemned heresies against most lauful Christian Catholiques Kinges Priests as the rebellious Protestants and Caluinistes of this time doe without al order lawe or warrant of God or man As the armes taken for defence of Godlie honor and inheritance in such sort and difference from Heretical tumultes as is said are so much more commendable and glorious for that no crime in the world deserueth more sharpe and zealous pursuite of extreme reuēge whether it be in superiours or subiects then reuolting from the Faith to strange religions Who-soeuer seeketh not after the Lord God of Israel 2. Paral. Cap. 15. let him be slaine said king Asa admonished by Azaria the Prophet from the highest to the lowest without exception And al the people and manie that folowed him and fled to him out of Israel from the schisme ther did sweare and vowe them selues in the quarel of the God of their forefathers And they prospered and deposed Q. Maácha mother to Asa for Apostacie and for worshiping the venereous God called Briapus For that case also in Deutrenomie expresse charge was giuen to slea al false Prophets Cap. 13 and who so euer should auert the people from the true worship of God and induce them to receiue strange Gods and new religions and to destroy al their folowers were they neuer so near vs by nature And in the same place that if anie citie should reuoult from the receiued and prescribed worship of God and beginne to admit new religions it should be vtterlie wasted by fire and sword Nether perteineth this to poore men onelie but to the gouernours and leaders of the people most of al As we see in the booke of Numbers wher Moyses by the commaundemēt of God caused al the Princes of the people to be hanged vpon gibets against the sonne Cap. 25. Execution done vppon Princes for cōmunication in sacrifice with the Moabites and the rest of the people euerie one by the hand of his neighbour to be put to the sword for the same fault wherin Phinees the Priest of God by sleaing a cheefe captaine with his owne handes deserued eternal praise and the perpetuitie of his Priesthood By Moyses also his appointment the faithful Leuites slew 33000. of ther neighbours brethren frends for committing Idolatrie forsaking the true God Marry in al this as yow see by th'exāples alleadged the Prophet and Priests must direct them for the cause and action that they erre not of phantasie partialitie pride and pretence of religion as Heretiques Rebels doe but the quarel must be for the old faith seruice and Priesthood against innouation and directed and allowed by thos which by order and function haue charge of our soules Cap. 27 The punishment of Princes for schisme and reuolt As we read also in the booke of Numbers that the Captaine and al the people were commaunded to goe in and out that is to proceed in warres according to the order of Eleazarus the Priest Such were the warres of Abia and other kinges of
shal be said in the next chapter and others folowing The Libellers importunate insolency inforcing vs therunto like as the Ciuil Magistrats most captious and bloody conceipts coÌ„strained some of our blessed brethern before their martirdomes to speake more therof then otherwise they desired though nothing so much as by warrant of Gods word and holy writ they might haue done THAT IT IS MVCH TO THE BENEFITE AND STABILITIE OF COMMON vvealthes and speciallie of Kinges scepters that the difference betvvixt them and their people for Religion or anie other cause for vvhich they may seeme to deserue depriuation may rather be decided by the supreme Pastor of the Church as Catholiques vvould haue it then by popular mutinie and phantasie of priuate men as Heretikes desire and practize CAP. VI. THE Libeller once or twice in his discours seditiouslie calleth vpoâ— the Monarches and Princes of the world warning theÌ„ of the doubtful and seruile state they be in whiles the Popes may be suffred to make and vnmake kinges and Princes at their pleasure The seditious sleight of the Libeller and to licence their subiectes to resist them And the man perchance might haue his tale heard if he spake to the simple sort or to such Kinges as feared nether God nor man nor sought otherwise not anie longer to vphould their estates but by desperate force and practize and for their owne time without regard of their posterity But speaking to them whos wisdomes susteine the world whos Crounes are worne Swordes are borne for Christ his spouse whos glorious Auncestors partlie first rose partlie were established and them-selues yet safelie stand and happilie florish which our Lord God long coÌ„tinue by the benediction of the Sea Apostolique and good intelligence correspondece with the high Bishops of the same good audience hardly can they looke for Th' example of some other Princes Protestants about â—hem forsaking the felowship of the Catholique and Apostolique sea and speciallie of king HeÌ„rie th' eight â—â—rst his sonne and daughter after him in EnglaÌ„d 〈◊〉 man a child and a woman not onely seuering them â—elues from the same but annexing to their regalitie â—y strange lawes al Apostolical and Papal power spiâ—itual with infinite emolumentes made by confiscatioÌ„ of al religious mens landes and goods in the whole Realme which was the beginning of that new Ecclesiastical regiment thes thinges being of greater â—emptation then the Libellers bare wordes could â—et neuer moue th'Emperour nor either of the great Monarches nor anie other king of wise counsel in the world to breake with Gods Church and the cheefe Pastors therof Knowing by the recordes of al ages siâ—hence Christ that what Princes or PoteÌ„tates soeuer haue formallie opposed theÌ„ selues to Christes Vicar and refused to communicate with him in the faith and felowship of the Catholique Church were euer in them selues or their posteritie confounded and their kingdomes ouerthrowen or brought to miserable seruitude of Turke or other heathen Tirant It is not the good fortune of a few yeares felicitie that moueth the graue and sage gouernours of the world though the Libeller to make fooles faine The vvise considerations of Catholique Princes vrgeth their good lucke in England much since their breach with Gods Church but they wil looke farther about them and see the euents of thes strange attempts in vs and the iudgements of God for the same not onelie til th' end of K. Henrie th' eight his race who was Radix peccati but afterwarde if our Lord deferre his sentence so long to some new generations to come Ouer which as vpon the Prince and state present of our Countrie we humblie on our knees with continual teares desire God to haue mercie and to auert his indignation from them and vs that the Princes and people of the world may rather be edified by th' example of our conuersion and returne to Gods Church then be instructed by the sight of our punishment and confusion But now for the coÌ„ceipt that this good man would driue into mens heades that no state should be in safetie if the Pope might depriue the Prince at his pleasure it is a bugge fit onelie to feare babes Al wise men in the world that ether see the present times The Popes authoritie touching Princes regalities or looke backe into the ages past knowe that the Pope neither chalengeth nor vsurpeth nor vseth anie such authoritie at his pleasure to depose or exalt whom he list And al learned deuines confesse that he hath not anie direct or immediate iurisdictioÌ„ or superioritie ouer the temporalities Ciuil states or regalities of secular Princes or Magistrates and therfore can not dispose of their kingdomes nor actions alter nor abrogate their lawes as he daylie doth and may doe at his good pleasure of Prelates Bishops and Priests affaires vpon whom he hath direct power and iurisdiction but that he may onely intermedle indirectlie with temporal Princes as he is the Cheefe officer vnder Christ and hath charge of their soules and therbie hath to looke whether their regimentes tend anie way to the iniurie of the Church and true Religion or to their owne and their subiects damnation as in case of Schisme Heresie Apostasie Idolatrie Sacriledge and other intollerable defectes in gouernmeÌ„t for which he being their Bishop is bound to admonish them sondrie times with al lenitie if that serue not to excommunicate them and if they contemne that and the Churches discipline and authoritie then be they esteemed as heathens and vnworthie of superioritie ouer Gods people This is not to depose Kinges at his pleasure nor is cause sufficient why anie iust and Christian Prince should stand in doubt of the Popes censures onelie such as be Heretiques or intend to shake of the yoke of Christ and their faith in him VVhat Princes only feare the Pope haue cause in their conscience to doubt both the Churches discipline the plagues of God which wil not faile them how so euer by humane force and violence they protect them selues for a time from his Ministers sentence sweet corrections Al iust and Catholique Kinges are so far from doubting or misliking Gods ordinance and the practize of the sea Apostolique herein that they perceiue it most necessarie for the stabilitie of their kingdomes and the continuaunce of their posteritie in the glorie therof that for their regiment in faith and life they stand in some reuereÌ„d awe of their cheefe Pastors which is a necessarie and honorable bridle of Princes in their youth and al the dayes of their life to stay them from dangerous disorders and so to temper them in ther gouernmeÌ„t that they may raigne loÌ„g and happilie ouer their people wher otherwise they might fal into infinite calamities and be ether forsaken deposed or shamefullie destroyed by their owne subiects whether they be depriued by holie Churches censure or no. Nether doth anie godlie Christian Prince at this day as we thinke wishe their Empire ether
the same vpon matter of far different nature and qualitie from Faith and Religion THAT THE SEPERATION OF THE PRINCE AND REALME FROM THE VNITIE of the Church and Sea Apostolique and fal from Catholique religion is the onely cause of al the present feares and dāgers that the State seemeth to stand in And that they vniustly attribute the same to the Popes Holines or Catholiques and vntruly cal them enimies of the Realme CAP. VIII HIEROBOAM for the better establishing of his Soueraintie ouer the ten tribes The vvicked policie of Ieroboā thought it an high pollicie to deuide the temporal lot partage which by Gods appointemēt was fallen vnto him from al communion societie with the other remaining in Iurie and seruing their Lord in the temple at Hierusalem And therfore instituted for him self and his people strange Gods new waies of worship other vnordered base Priestes and seueral places to serue in and al vpon this humane imagination that if his people at their sondrie appointed times should goe vp to the Temple to doe their sacrifice and other rites according to the lawe as also conuerse with the Priestes and people of the other partie and be subiect to them in matters of conscience and religion as they were bound that then they might easilie be induced or much tempted to returne to Salomons successours in Hierusalem againe and that his people being subiect to him onely in temporal matters and not in religion he might seeme to be but half a king yea as at this day our Protestātes for flatterīg the person whom herby they wil ruine vse often to say of our anciēt kinges of England and of other Catholique Countries abrode that they were but half Kinges in their owne Realmes if we compare their authorities with the ample regalitie of her Maiestie now reigning whos iurisdiction extendeth aboue the old wont to al causes spiritual no lesse then temporal Wel so thought Hieroboam then and so did he and was no doubt most highly commended for the deuise by his Politiques that were about him But yet this thing which was esteemed so prudently done for preseruatiō of his state was after as wel by the mouth of Gods Prophet as by the miserable euent of thinges proued within a very few yeares to be the onely destruction of his whole house and perpetual calamitie of his people The secular prudence of the children of this world compared to the true wisdome of the godlie and resisting any way the cours of vertue and saluation The vvisdome of vvorldlinges in the end confounded is found in fin alwaies deficient and in truth follie But it neuer appeareth so weake deceitful pernicious as when it opposeth it self to the ordinance of God to the force of his spirit truth to the Spouse Kingdome and Priesthood of Christ In which case the Giantes building of Babel preuailed not the proposition of Achitophel was dashed the purpose of Herode for murdering of Christ in his cradle lest he should bereaue him of his croune and of the Ievves afterward in prosecuting his death to saue their state and Countrie from the Romanes was turned to their owne destruction Saul found how hard it was to spurne against the spurre Iulianus cried out Vicisti Galilee that is Thou hast the victorie of me mā of Galiley so that Apostata of contempt called Christ and finally true it wil euer proue that their is no counsel against God nor no long peace to anie that resist him And therfore thos Princes and people onelie to be happie both in this world and in the next and their states alone lauful durable that haue learned faithfullie to submit their Scepters to Christes sweet yoke and to ioine their terrene kingdomes with the Priesthood and Spouse of him by whom al Kinges doe raigne The calamities vvhich en sue to them that oppose them selues against the Church of whos Church it is said long sithence by the Prophet and proued by the experience of al ages that the Nation and People that serueth her not shal perish who so euer heare obey her not must be accompted as Ethniques who so euer despice her and her gouernours despice Christ him felf who so euer refuse her regiment and superiority specially for matter of Faith and Religion and would rather haue a King ouer them to lead both their body and soules doe not so much refuse to be ruled by Gods Priestes as they reiect Christ him self being not contented that he should raigne ouer them Finallie who so euer doe giue to Caesar that which is due to God preposterouslie preferring the temporal prerogatiue of worldlie Princes before the spiritual power of the Priestes of the new Testament directlie doe repine against Gods ordinance and shal at length proue with what humane prowes power or prudence so euer they susteine their factions that they haue vneauenlie and vnaduisedly matched their combat The house they impugne is founded vpon an impregnable rocke ther is no tempest of heathen The inuincible rocke of the Romane Church heretical or domestical persecution nor no stormes of wether or water that can ouerthrowe it hel it self and the powers therof can not preuaile against it And to the end that the Nemroths and other new euangelical Giantes of our Countrie mistake vs not nor beguil◠them selues in their desperate contradiction against the Citie of God S. Augustine telleth them it is the Sea and succession of the Church of Rome Psal Contra partem Donati which is so inuincibly garded Thes be his wordes Count the Priestes from the verie Sea of PETER and in that order of Fathers vvho to vvhom hath succeded that same is the rocke vvhich the proude gates of Hel doe not ouercome The chosen corner stone of this building is by the Prophetes and by Christes owne declaration such as who so euer falleth vpon it shal be broken and on whom it falleth The anciēt Popes preuailed against the anciēt Emperors it shal crush him in peeces Not onely the Faith of Peter by our Lordes promis protection being infallible but the Apostolique regimēt by the assistance of the holie-Ghost shal endure to the end of the world Which hath alredy borne doune by her patience and constancie al the heathen Emperours against whom the high throne of Christes Priesthood in earth and tribunal of Faith and religiō was placed and preserued by the mightie arme of God in the verie cheefe Citie and seat of their Empire for diuers hundreth yeares together after Christes ascensiō notwithstanding al the humane meanes of worldlie policie or tirannical crueltie that could be deuised or exercised against them Thos great Monarches in that time more doubting and fearing the Popes in their pouertie and persecution and more loth to haue them in their owne Citie of Rome so neare them if they could haue chosen then anie other powerable competitour or emulatour of their Empire as S. Ciprian saith of Decius the
iote or circumstance though neuer so much cōmoditie might ensue therof Which matter of libertie of Conscience we moue not perchāce for our owne benefite so much as for our aduersaries weale and worldlie securitie wherof they wil seeme to haue both mistrust and sollicitude And perhaps the wisdome of God wil sound otherwise and say to vs Mat. 20.22 Nescitis quid petatis iudging it to be farre more to his honour and glorie and the breefer way to saluation of our whole Nation The vvay of persecution more sure for vs. and of moe soules in particular that we should passe through this persecution and winne our owne and our brethrens saluation by our blood And indeed if the Germane Catholiques had bene so restreined persecuted put to death as the English haue bene thes years and had not gone by halfes with the Protestantes as in some places they haue done they had had perhaps farre moe Catholiques at this day and them more zealous and their whole nation perchance reduced ere this which now for the protestants standeth not so much on their religion or conscience in Heresie as vpon their mutual peace concord and concurrence with Catholiques Wel what were best for vs in this case God onelie knoweth Ro. 6.19 Nos humanum dicimus propter infirmitatem nostram as the Apostle speaketh But sure we are that the first best for our English nation as wel Prince as people were both in respect of God and the world of them selues and other men Tvvo vvaies of composition very profitable to the realme to restore the state againe to the obedience of Gods Church and to the happy felowship of al their forefathers other faithful people Princes now liuing The next best were in respect of their owne securitie and perpetuitie if the first may not take place to desist from persecuting their Catholique subiectes and brethren and to graunt some libertie for exercise of their consciences diuine offices and holie deuotions that so they may pray for her Maiesty and Councellors as their Patrones whom now they pray for onelie as their Persecutours If to none of thes conditions they can be brought but wil haue our bodies goods life and soules The Conclusion then let our Lord God the iust Arbitrer of al thinges and Iudge of Princes as wel as poore men and the onelie comforter of the afflicted discerne our cause In whos holie name word and promis we confidentlie tel them and humblie euen in Christs blood pray them to consider of it that by no humane force or wisdome they shal euer extinguish the Catholique partie ouercome the holie Church or preuaile against God Ther can no Herode kil Christ in his cradle Math. 3. Exod. 1. Hest 7. nor anie Pharao droune our male sexe and destroy Gods people nor anie Aman extirpate the stocke of Iacob Let them seeke with al desperation to diminish bridle spoile impouerish disgrace and extinguish the whole generation of Catholiques at home and in banishment let them by artificial Libels as this against which we haue written and otherwise by most impudent lies and fictions slaunder vs charge vs with treasons and other trespasses Mentientes propter Christum belying vs for Christs sake let them confederate them selues against vs with al the Protestants Turkes Sectaries and Atheistes in the world yet the Catholiques that is the seede of God wil encrease in number power and zeale the Priestes wil not leaue of to folowe their dutiful trade with more spirite diligence deuotion patience and cōstancie then euer before remembring the aduertisement of their Maister Mat. 10.22 that he shal be saued that perseuereth to the ende as also that worthie record left in scripture of Esay the great faithful Prophet qui spiritu magno vidit vltima Eccl. 48. as the holy-Ghost saieth of him for that his corage neuer failed him in Gods seruice to the end The persecutours be now no stronger then thy were of old The Church is no weaker then she had wont to be Her assistant and defender is as neere her as euer he was We are no better thē our forefathers We lesse feare death and lesse set by our liues then euer before Our countes are cast allowed it is better to die in this Apostolical fight and cōbat Quà m videre mala gentis nostrae sanctorum 1. Mach. 3.59 assuring our selues that to be vndoubted which S. Leo writeth Nullo crudelitatis genere destrui potest Sacramento Crucis fundata religio Leo. Non minuitur persecutionibus Ecclesia sed augetur That the religion founded in the sacrament of Christs Crosse can be destroied by no kind of crueltie The Church is not diminished by persecutions but encreased And that S. Augustine saith Nemo delet de Coelo constitutionem Dei Nemo delet de terra Ecclesiam Dei Laus Deo THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE THAT many Priests and other Catholiques in England haue bene persecuted condemned and executed for mere matter of religion and for transgression onely of nevv statutes vvhich doe make cases of Conscience to be treason vvithout al pretēce or surmise of any old treasons or statutes for the same Cap. 1. 1 That F. Campian and the rest of the Priests and Catholiques endited condemned and executed vpon pretence of treason and vpon statutes made of old against treasons vvere neuer yet guiltie of anie such crimes but vniustly made avvay Cap. 2. 18 That vve novv haue great cause to complaine of iniust persecution intollerable seuerity and cruelty tovvardes Catholiques in England and their Protestantes no reason to doe the like for the Iustice done to them in Queene MARIES and other Princes dayes and the cause of the difference Cap. 3. 34 That our Priests and Catholique brethren haue behaued them selues discretlie nothing seditiouslie in their ansvvers to the questions of the Bul of Pius Quintus and that they can not laufullie be pressed nor put to death as traitors by the true meaning of th' olde lavves of the Realme for the same vvith examination of the six Articles proposed about the said Bul. Cap. 4. 59 Of excommunication and depriuation of Princes for Heresie and falling from the Faith speciallie of vvarres for Religion and of the office and Zeale of Priests of th' old nevv lavv in such cases Cap. 5. 89 That it is much to the benefite and stability of Common-vvealthes and speciallie of Kinges scepters that the differences betvvixt them and their people for Religion or anie other cause for vvhich they may seeme to deserue depriuation may rather be decided by the supreme Pastor of the Church as Catholiques vvould haue it then by popular mutinie and phantasie of priuate men as Heretikes desire and practize Cap. 6. 116 Of the late vvarres in Ireland for religion hovv the Pope may vse the svvord and that the differences betvvixt temporal Princes and him or their resisting him in some cases of their vvorldlie interest can be no vvarrant to the Protestants to contemne his censures or authoritie in matter of Faith and Religion Cap. 7. 134 That the separation of the Prince and Realme from the vnitie of the Church and Sea Apostolique and fal from Catholique religion is the onely cause of al the present feares and dangers that the State seemeth to stand in And that they vniustly attribute the same to the Popes Holines or Catholiques and vntruly cal them enimies of the Realme Cap. 8. 161 The conclusion conteining a charitable motion and a ioinder vvith the Libeller touching some meanes of tolleration in Religion and ceasing or mitigating this cruel Persecution Cap. 9. 209 The faultes correct thus Pag. Lin. Read 49. 33. faith brought faith that they brought 55. 20. persecuted prosecuted 60. 17. as Blasphemy as Heresy Blasphemy Ibid. 30. spititual spiritual 64. 34. obyed obeyed 77. 1. Ecommunicatiō Excommunication 90. 15. fouerers fauorers 98. 7. Common weath Common wealth 144. 15. Bastours Pastours 182. 28. causes causers 195. 13. can much can not much
be praised as purposelie to dishonour our Prince and Countrie The true causes of publishing our miseries for whos loue in Christ so manie haue so meeklie lost their liues or to reueale their turpitude which we would rather couer if it were possible from the eyes of the world with our owne blood but we set forth the truth of al thes actions for the honour of our nation which otherwise to her infinite shame and reproche would be thought wholie and generallie to haue reuolted from the Catholique faith and consented to al the absurdities and iniquities of this new regiment and religion if none with zeale and extreme indeuour resisted such pernitious innouations Wher now as wel our owne people as al strangers in the Christian world perceauing the disorder to proceed but of the partialitie of a few powerable persons abusing her Maiesties clemencie and credulitie doe glorifie our Lord God that in so great a tentation al the Cleargie in maner and so manie of the laitie of al sortes constantlie persist in their fathers faith to the losse of goods landes liues honours and what soeuer besides and that the whole state excepting the authoritie of the Prince may yet be rather counted Catholique then heretical this is the honour of our nation in al places which otherwise for dooble reuolt and recidiuatiō into Schisme and for extreme persecution would be compted remediles hopeles and of al other places most infamous Secondlie we set forth thes thinges for the memorie and honour of such notable Martirs as haue testified the truth of the Catholique faith by their pretious death See S. Cyprian Which was an ancient Canon and custome of the primitiue Church which appointed certaine special persons or skil and learning to note the daies of euerie ones glorious confession and combat that their memories might afterward be solemlie celebrated for euer among Christians Thirdlie we doe it to communicate our calamities with our brethren in faith and the Churches of other prouinces standing free from this miserie both for their warning and our comfort and to excite in them Christian compassion towardes vs that therbie and by their councel and praiers we may find mercie and releef at Gods hand by the example of the Oriental Churches afflicted by the Arrians See S. Basile Epist 69. 70. which as we may read in S. Basile in their like distresses made their general complaints by often letters and messingers to the west Churches standing more entire and void of that Heresie and persecution Finallie we are forced to publish thes thinges so particularlie and diligentlie to defend the doings of the said holie Confessors and their felowes in faith against the manifold slaunders and calumniations of certaine Heretiques or Politiques vniustlie charging them with treason and other great trespasses against the Common-wealth to auert the eyes of the simple from the true causes of their suffering and to disapoint the holie personages if they could of the honour done to Martirs in Gods Church For that is one special cause among manie why they had rather make them away for forged treason or other feigned offences then for profession of the truth which in their hart they hate more then anie crime in the world S. Gregorie Nazianzene liuelie expresseth the condition of al Heretiques in the behauiour of Iulianus the Apostata thus writing of him Oratione in laudē Caesaris He openlie and boldlie professing impietie yet by coulor of clemencie couered his crueltie and lest vve should atteine to the honours done customablie to Martirs vvhich he disdeined to the Christians he vsed namelie this fraude and deceipt that such as he caused to be tormented for Christs cause should be thought and reported to be punished not for their faith but as malefactours For discouerie therfore of this sinful and deceiptful dealing of our aduersaries who not contented with the death and torments of Gods Saints would punish them by ignominie after their life we are driuen to this dutiful office of their and the holie Churches defence whos honour and innocencie we may not bewray for a thousand deathes Wherin we are not much terrified by the vaine and vulgar exordium of the Author of this inuectiue which we now must refute The Libellers vaine and vulgar Exordium who beginneth aboue al arte after their maner with a common sentence as meet for vs and our matter as for him and his cause telling vs that it is a common vsage of al offendours and speciallie rebels and traitors to make defence of their lend and vnlauful factes by couering their deedes with pretence of other causes Which speech as it might be vsed where anie such trespasse could be proued so is it fondlie said where no crime can be auouched as in the processe of this treatise shal be by Gods grace most clearlie conuinced And it might not onelie be applied by the olde heathen or heretical persecutors against the first Apostles and Martirs of Christ being falslie charged with the same crimes as we be now and answered for them selues as we doe but may much more be verified and found in publique persons and common-wealthes when they erre or commit iniquitie then in anie poore priuate States Princes and common-vvealthes haue more pretēces for couering their misdeedes thē priuate mē or afflicted persons be they neuer so guiltie For Princes and communities in disorder haue a thousand pretences excuses and coulors of their iniust actions they haue the name of authoritie the shadowe of lawes the pennes and tongues of infinite at their commaundement they may print or publish what they like suppresse what they list wherof priuate men be they neuer so wicked or good haue not so great commoditie For examples we need not to goe farre out of our owne Countrie and memorie For when Richard the third intending to vsurpe the Croune of England slew diuers of the Nobilitie first most cruelly Richard Duke of Glocester and afterward murthered vnnaturallie his owne innocent nephewes what solemne Libels proclamations orations were put foorth to iustifie his abhominable iniquitie When the last Duke of Northumberland for the like ambitious purpose would haue dishabled and defeated traiterouslie Iohn Dudly Duke of Northumberland both the noble daughters of his owne Soueraigne and Maister and by the title of his daughter in lawe possessed him self of the Croune what a number of pamphlets and edicts were published on the sodaine for couloring of that foule treacherie and intollerable treason When Orange Orange and his confederats reuolted not long since from their natural Prince the Scottish Heretiques from their lauful Soueraine Iamy Murton c. and other Prouinces for the same cause from the vnitie and common faith of the Church who hath not seene the infinite Libels for their excuse in wickednes That therfore that may sometimes fal in priuate mens causes for couering their sinne and shame happeneth farre oftener and much more dangerouslie in powerable
and publique persons And so it maketh no more against vs then this writer him self whether he hath published his Libel by authoritie as he wil not seeme or of his owne peculiar head and affection which rather we are content to suppose Howsoeuer it be we wil be bould to examine in the treatise folowing with such modesty and indifferency as is requisite in Gods cause his whole reprehension and in the meane time til he can proue vs or our brethren guiltie of anie crime other then the exercise and profession of the Catholique faith Ioa. 10.32 Act. 23.6 Act. 28.20 we wil say with our Sauiour De bono opere lapidamur and with the Apostle De spe resurrectione mortuorum iudicamur propter spem Israel his catenis circundati sumus THAT MANY PRIESTS AND OTHER CATHOLIQVES IN ENGLAND HAVE BENE PERSECVTED condemned and executed for mere matter of religion and for transgression onelie of nevv statutes vvhich doe make cases of Conscience to be treason vvithout al pretence or surmise of any old treasons or statutes for the same CAP. I. NOw to the principal pointes of the Libel we first affirme that the verie front or title therof importing that no Catholikes at al or none of them whom they haue executed were persecuted for their religioÌ„ is a verie notorious vntruth and contradictorie to the libellers owne wordes in his discourse following where he confesseth vnderhand A manifest falshood vvith contradiction to them selues that some be corrected othervvise for religion or yf they wil stand in the coÌ„trarie we appeale to the conscience and knowledge of al the Catholikes and protestantes within the Realme who of their equitie wil neuer denie that most prisons in England be ful at this daye and haue bene for diuers yeares of honorable and honest persons not to be touched with anie treason or other offence in the world other then their profession and faith in Christian religion Secondlie we say shal clearlie coÌ„uince that contrarie to the poursute of the same libel a number haue bene also tormented arreigned condemned and executed for mere matter of Religion and vpon the transgression of new statutes onelie without anie relation to the olde treasons so made and set doune by Parlament in Edwarde the thirdes tyme by which they vntrulie auouche al our brethren were conuicted And herein to deale particularlie and plainlie we alleage the woorthie Preest and Bachelar of diuinitie M. Cuthberte Mayne who suffred a glorious Martyrdome at Lanson in the prouince of Cornewale M. Mayne Ao. Dom. 1577. for that the case or couer onelie of an Agnus Dei and a printed copie of that Bul now expired which denounced to the christian world the last Iubilie were found about him condemned not by anie olde lawes as is deceitfullie pretended to abuse the simple of owre owne nation and straungers that knowe not our lamentable condition but by a late statute enacted the 13. yeare of the Q. reigne which maketh it highe treason to bring from Rome anie beades sacred pictures Agnus Deis Buls or as the expresse wordes of the said statute are any vvryting or instrument vvryten or printed conteining any thing matter or cause vvhatsoeuer by which wordes they may condemne a man to death as guiltie of highe treason though he bring from Rome but letters testimonial for a trauailers credit and commendation in iorney a thing vnhard of in al ages not credible to forrayners and a fable to the posteritie or rather a warning to the world to come into what miserie and barbarousnesse a kingdome that forsaketh the Churche may be brought vnto And an honorable gentleman of an ancient familie M. TrugioÌ„ for onelie receyuing the said blessed Preist into his house remaineth condemned at this daye to perpetual prison and hath lost both landes and goodes of greate importance for that fact Ao. Dom. Lykewise Thomas Sherwood a lay man indited adiudged and put to death 1578. At LondoÌ„ M. Shervvood for questions of the Q. supremacie in causes spiritual and other articles made capital by the new lawes onelie two yeares at the least before this fiction of conspiracie against the realme or person of the Princes was made or heard of The same yeare was a reuerend Preist named M. Iohn Nelson condemned and executed for affirming being driuen therunto by the coÌ„missioners captious interrogatories the Q. religion to be heretical and schismatical Ao. 1578 At LondoÌ„ M. Nelson which is made death not by the olde lawes of the realme nor by anie other of anie christiaÌ„ countrie but onelie by a statute made in the saide 13. yeare of the Q. reigne prouiding by a special clause that none shal affirme her Maiestie that novv is for it holdeth not in other Princes cases to come to be an hereâ—ique or schismatique vnder paine of incurring highe treason â—nd death After thes M. Eurarde Hanse was indited and â—o condemned to death which he constantlie suffred Ao. 1581 At LondoÌ„ onelie vpon a statute made in the last parliameÌ„t of al by which it is made a crime capital to persuade any man to the catholike religion into the compasse of which lawe they violentlie drew the blessed man by calumnious interpretation of his speeches when he â—ffirmed being vrged therunto that the Pope was â—is superiour in causes spiritual and had in such matters spiritual as good right as he euer had in England or hath at this day in Rome for which wordes though inforced from hym he was ther presently indited arrained and condemned to death and soone after most cruelâ—â—e executed whose case together with that of M. Nelson which goeth before declareth what truth is in this libeller who writeth here in one place That none are for their contrarie opinions in religion persecuted or charged vvith anie crimes or paines of treason nor yet vvillingely serched in their consciences for their contrary opinions And againe within a lease after he repeateth the same vntruth saying VVithout charging them in their consciences or othervvise by any inquisition to bring them into danger of Capital lavv so as no one vvas called into anie capitalor bloodie question vppon matters of religion but haue al inioyed their life as the cours of nature vvould M. Lacie Here may be named also M. William Lacye a worshipful gentilman who was condemned to death not long since at Yorke for that he confessed he had obteined a dispensation for Bigamie of the Popes holinesse to be made Preist and that according to the same dispensatioÌ„ he was made Preist either of which pointes by their late lawes of religioÌ„ are deadlie And the latter pointe they make treason forsooth by this strange sequele that when men take holie orders in the Catholike churche they giue their othe of obedience to the Pope who is a forreine enimie to her Maiestie and to the Realme as thes men affirme and could the world weene we were in suche thraldome of this barbarous heresie With
and prayers depending vpon his soueraine determination a thing that al nations haue to take heede of by our example for the redresse of which pernicious absurditie so manie of our said brethren so willinglie haue shed ther blood The ridiculous varietie of Heretiques about the Headship of the Church In the first Parliamēt of her Maiesties reigne it was indeed in a maner thrust vpon her against her wil because otherwise ther could haue bene no colour to make new lawes for change of Religiō and this title of Cheefe gouernesse was thought to be a qualification of the former tearme of Headship But in truth it is al one with thother or rather worse for in some kinde of improper speach the King may be called the Head or cheef of the Church of his countrie for that he is soueraigne lorde and ruler of bothe persons spiritual and temporal al sortes bound to obey his lawful ciuil lawes and commandementes and so in that sense is he Head of the cleargie and of al others But when in the new forme of our statute it is expreslie and distinctlie added that she is the onelie Supreame gouernour euen in al causes as vvel Spiritual and Ecclesiastical as temporal Ciuil and furthermore enacted that al iurisdictions priuiledges superiorities and preeminences ecclesiastical as by anie power spiritual haue bene or may be exercised are taken frō the Pope to whom Christ gaue them in most ample maner and are vnited or rather as they say restored by an old decree to the crowne of England this can haue no excuse nether trew or likelie sense in the world Absurdities that in sevv vppon making the temporal prince head of the Church making indeed a King and a Priest al one no differēce betwixt the state of the Church and a temporal common wealth giuing no lesse right to heathen Princes to be gouernours of the Church in causes spiritual then to a christian king it maketh one parte of the Church in different teritoires to be independent and seueral from an other according to the distinction of realmes and kingdomes in the world And finallie it maketh euerie man that is not borne in the kingdome to be a forreiner also in respect of the Church thes and a thowsand absurdities and impossibilities more doe ensue which for breuitie we omitt onelie this which is in most mens memories we may not ouerpasse that the verie same yeare that this new preeminence was giuen by lawe to the Q. and th'othe accordinglie ministred to many some hauing remorse of the matter for to auoide daunger pretended for their refusal that it seemed to them by the wordes of th'othe and acte that the Q. might minister also the Sacramētes wherunto they wolde not sweare by anie meanes Wherupon in her next visitation of the cleargie a special iniunction was printed and published by her commaundement declaring that in truth she had no such intent Marke this circle in declaration of the title and that no suche thing was implied in her title or claime of spiritual regimēt nor no other thing nor more then was before graunted to her father by the tearme of Supreame head requiring al her louing subiectes to receiue th'othe at least in that sense and so it should suffice her highnesse By which it is now cleare by ther owne authentical declaratiō that we speake no vntrewth as this libeller sayth nor abuse not the world when we say she is called and taken for the Supreame head of the Church of England albeit the thing it self being far more absurde and of more pernicious sequele then the makers of the law which were mere laymē and most of them vnlearned could then perceiue their folowers now would disauow the same For this article therfore as the famous bishoppe of Rochester Sir Thomas More and a great number more in king Henrie the 8. his dayes so did thos twoo last named martyrs and diuers others before them most gladlie and constantlie yeld vp their lyues and so consequentlie dyed for mere matter of religion onelie And to end this point we lastlie referre the aduersarie to the late Martyrdome of Cartar a poore innocent artisan who was made away onelie for printing a catholique booke De schismate in which no worde was found against the state the quarel onelie most vniustlie being made vpon a certaine clause which by no likelie honest construction could apperteine to the Q. person viz. that the Catholike religion should once haue the vpper hand of heresie and Iudith cutt of the head of Holophernes which they in their extreame ielousie and feare of all thinges wold needes wreast against her Maiestie And the place serueth here to saye some-what of the cause also of their racking of Catholiques which they wold haue strangers beleeue neuer to be done for anie point of religion Fol. 20. As for example say they in the addition to th' end of the libel none is asked by torture vvhat he beleeueth of the Masse or Transubstantiation or suche like Questions asked of catholiques vppon torture As though forsooth ther were no question perteining to faithe and religion but touching our inward beleefe Wheras in deed it concerneth religion no lesse to demaund and presse vs by torture wher in whos houses what dayes and tymes we say or heare Masse how manie we haue reconciled what we haue hard in confession who resorteth to our preachinges who harboreth catholiques and Priestes who susteineth aideth or comforteth them who they be that haue their children or pupilles in the Societie or Seminaries beyond the seas wher such a Iesuite or suche a Preist is to be found wher catholique bookes ar printed and by whom and to whom they be vttered in England which thinges being demaunded of euil intēt and to the annoyance of the Catholique cause Godes Priestes and innocēt men no man may by the lawe of God and nature disclose though he be expreslie commaunded by anie Prince in the world for that God must be obeyed more then man Yet thes were the Interrogatories for which the famous confessor M. Briant M. Briant was tormented with needles thrust vnder his nayles racked also otherwise in cruel sorte and speciallie punished by two whole dayes and nightes famine which they attribute to obstinacie but indeed susteined in Christes quarel it was most honorable constancie The like demaundes were put to the blessed martyrs Campion Sherwin and others vpon the torture M. Shirvvine and of this later namelie was asked where F. Persons and Campion were and whether he had said Masse in M. Roscarockes chamber and what money he had giuen him M. Thomson M. Thomson a venerable and learned Priest was put to tormentes onelie to get out of him to what end he kept certaine Superaltaries and wher he entēded to bestowe them The said yong man Cartar Cartar of whos martyrdome we last treated was examined vpon the racke vpon what Gentlemen or catholique Ladies he had bestowed or
conscience to matter of treason Which being resolued vpon they went about by diuers proclamations libels and speeches first to make the people beleue that al Catholiques and speciallie Iesuistes and such Priestes and scholars as were brought vp in the Seminaries or Colledges out of the Realme were traitors And for their better persuasion gaue out one while that by the said Priestes and others in banishment Herof ther vvas a special proclamation published in Iulie 1580. ther was a maruelous confederatiō of the Pope K. of Spaine duke of Florence and others for th' inuasion of the Realme But that being shortlie proued nothing they feigned that the said Iesuistes and Priestes were confederated with the Irish quarel and to giue more colour of somewhat they sticked not to rack father Campian extremelie for search of that point But this fiction fayling they found out an other as foule that the death of the Q. and diuers of the Counsel was contriued forsoth in the Seminaries of Rome and Remes of which conspiracie in fin they resolued to endite them as they did pursued them to death for the same with such euident partialitie default of iustice and equitie as was in that court once most honorable for iustice neuer heard or read of before Vagrant discourses of such as accused mē of their liues at the barre Such as pleaded against them to make them odious in iudgment discoursed at this Libel now doth first of the nature and horrour of Rebellion in general and then of a Rebellion in the North for Religion a doosen years before when the parties ther accused were yong boies in the schooles and vniuersities of the Realme of the Popes Bul of excommunicating the Q. a good many of years before anie of them came ouer sea or euer sawe Pope Rome or Remes yea when some of them were yet protestantes in England they discoursed also of the Rebellion in Ireland by Stukeley Sanders others none of which men diuers ther arreigned euer saw or knew in their lyues Of their being made Priests by the Popes authoritie and of their obligation and obediēce to him being the Q. enimie of their authoritie to absolue reconcile in England receiued from him of their coming in at the same time when they were in armes in Ireland as though they had not entred their natiue countrie and exercised thos spiritual functious seuen years before or could not then exercise them but in fauour of such as tooke armes against the Q. And when thes generalities were vttered onelie to make them odious and amase the hearers with thos that should haue to iudge of their guiltines or innocencie the good Fathers and Priests The most iust exception and request of the martyrs arreigned made iust exceptions against such vulgar inuectiues as could not touch them that ther stood in iudgement more then anie other Priest or Catholique in the Realme and manie of the pointes such as they were sure none should haue bene arraigned of in K. Edward the thirdes tyme vpon whos statute neuertheles the enditement was pretended to be drawen humblie praying the Iudge and bench that they wold more directlie plainlie and sincerelie passe on them for their Faith and exercises of the Romane religiō for proof wherof they should not need to seeke for so impertinent and far fetcht matter which they openlie professed and desired to die for with al their heartes or yf they wold needes proceed against them as for treason in the sense of the old lawes of our Countrie that then wold please them to aggrauate no farther to their disaduantage and death ether other mens faultes or matter of pure Religion but to come to the inditement and to the particuler charge of euerie person their arreigned which was of cōspiring the Q. death Wherof if they could by any proof or sufficient testimony of credible persons conuict al or any of them then their death to be deserued yf not their innocent blood vpon al that should be accessorie to the shedding therof a crime that crieth for vēgeance at Godes hand when it is done but by priuate malice and mischeif but committed in publike place of iudgement by authoritie and pretence of lawe as in the case of Naboth and of Christ our master it is in the sight of God most horrible and neuer long eskapeth publike punishmēt from the which our Lord God of his mercie saue our poore countrie euen by the prayers of thes holie Martyrs for whos blood it is otherwise highelie deserued An euidēt conclusion vppon the principal purpose Therfore al other idle and vagrant speeches odiouslie amplifiing either the Popes Iesuites Seminaries Doctor Sanders or anie other mans peculiar actions for Religion or otherwise set apart wherupon as the Counsellers then at the barre so now the writers of this Libel voluntarie and vainly doe onelie stand and make their rest ther is nothing in the world that can proue effectuallie thes mens lawful condemnation nor auowe the iustice of that execution which the Libeller taketh vpon him to doe but in truth no whit toucheth the matter sauing onely such allegation testimonie as may conuince Father Campian and his fellowes with him arraigned to haue compassed the Q. destruction or inuasion of the Realme What other thing-soeuer they were guiltie of or what affection so euer they beare in respect of their contrarie Religion to their Prince and state or what treasonable opinions as they fondlie cal them concerning the Excommunication or depriuing the Q. were afterward discouered in them or what other reasonable cause in respect of the aduersaries feare and ielousie ouer the state or doubt of the times thē troubled the officers then or the Libellers now to satisfie the people or the world abrode doe alledge for their excuse none of al thes thinges can iustifie that execution so long as the matter for which they were onely endited can not be prooued nor the statute of K. Edward the third vpon which they pretend to haue endited them is transgressed by them Therfore as the whole treatise of our aduersaries defence is too to wide from the purpose so speciallie ar the fower reasons which for the readers ease Foure reasons for the cōdemnatiō of Fa. Campion and his fellovves as they terme it and for the pith somme of the whole discourse they haue put at th' end of their Libel in a rāke together by which the discret reader may take a tast of their deceitful dealing in the whole booke Euerie reason should conclude that the Priestes were executed vpon no charge of new religious treasons but vpon old statutes onely for matter of conspiracie in which sense no one of them in truth doth conclude And the first Reason The first reason cometh onely to this end that her Maiestie contemning the Popes Bulles for a good while at length spying them to be dangerous reuiued former lawes for prohibition of them within her dominions Which Argument
put none to death for religion you haue no lawes to put anie man to death for his faith you haue purposelie repealed by a special statute made in the first yeare and parliament of this Q. reigne The difference of proceeding in Catholiques and protestaÌ„tes al former lawes of the Realme for burning heretiques which smelleth of something that I need not here expresse you haue prouided at the same time that nothiÌ„g shal be deemed or adiudged Heresie but by your Parliament Conâ—ocatioÌ„ you haue not yet set doune by anie new lawe what is Heresie or who is an Heretique Therfore you â—an nether adiudge of our doctrine as of heresie nor of â—s as of heretiques nor haue you any lawe left wherby â—o execute vs and so to put anie of vs to death for religion is against Iustice lawe and your owne profession and doctrine But neuerthelesse you doe torment and punish vs both otherwise intollerablie and also by death most cruel and that as we haue prooued for Agnus deis for ministring the holie Sacraments for our obedience to the Sea Apostolique for persuading our frendes to the Catholique fayth for our Preisthod for studying in the Societie or Colledges beyond the seas and such like which you haue ridiculouslie made treason but after-ward being ashamed of the foule absurditie acknowledge them to be matters of religion and such as none shall die for And therfore we most iustelie make our complaint to God man that you doe vs plaine violence persecute vs wythout al equitie and order On thother side Q. Marie against the Protestants executed onely the old lawes of our countrie and of al Christendome made for punishment of heretiques by the Canons and determination of al Popes Counsels Churches Ecclesiastical tribunals of the world allowed also and authorised by the ciuil and imperial lawes and receaued by al kingdomes Christian besides and who theÌ„ hath any cause iustly to be greeued Why should any man complaine or thinke strange for executing the lawes which are as ancient as general as godly against Heretiques as they are for the punishment of traitors murderers or theeues Secondly we complaine iustly of persecution for that our cause for which we suffer is the faith of al our Forefathers the faith of our persecutors owne auncestors the faith into which our countrie was conuerted and by which we ar called Christian the faith of the Catholique Churches Kingdoms round about vs the faith that we promised in our regeneratioÌ„ and therfore can not be forced from it nor punished for it by any lawe of God Nature or Nations VVhy Heretiques may be forced to the Catholique faith though born and bredd vp in Heresie Wher contrariwise thos that in our time or otherwise haue fallen from that faith which not onely their elders religiously receaued but them selues also for most part were many years brought vp in or if not yet had they promised and vowed the same by their parentes and spiritual suerties though protestants in their Baptisme wherin solemne promise is both made and taken to folow the Catholique Church faith with abhomination of al heresies sectes whatsoeuer thes men I say though borne of pareÌ„ts ether Arrians Macedonians PelagiaÌ„s Anabaptistes Zwinglians Protestants or other sect or opinion are not permitted and much lesse charged or bound as the Libellerful ignorantly surmiseth to hold that profession of peculiar Heresie Fol. 9. wherin they were first brought vp seing they can not be deemed to haue professed that sect in their Baptisme or as idly this poore deuine addeth in their Confirmation which was first taught them by their maisters of error according to the time or place of their first education but are to be instructed how that their profession in Baptisme was of the true Catholique receaued knoweÌ„ Christian faith dispersed ouer the world in Christ his Church wherunto they afterward stand bound and consequentelie by al lawe both deuine and humane may be inforced albeit their actual baptisme or education were neuer so much amongest heretiques So that as no lawe of God or man can force vs to be protestantes no more can any reason be alledged nor iust excuse made for ether yong or old why being baptized or brought vp amongst Arrians or Caluinists they may not be forced to returne to the Catholique Church and faith againe And we may maruel in what age or world those people were borne which the Libeller noteth to haue bene burned in Q. Maries time Fol. 9. hauing neuer heard as he sayeth of any other religion then that for which they suffred For the sect which they pretended to die for was not extant in England aboue fiue or six years before in the short reigne of K. Edward the sixt or rather of his protectour for before that in K. Henries dayes the same profession was accompted heresie and the professours therof were burned for Heretiques and that by publique lawes no lesse then in the reigne of Q. Marie But the truth is that because we Catholique Christian men doe iustly ground our selues vpoÌ„ the former professioÌ„ of our faith notoriously knowen to be and to be called Catholique thes men apishlie would imitate our phrase and argument in a thing as far differing as heauen and hel Thirdlie we say that we haue iust cause to complaine of this present persecution The maner of proceediÌ„g in persecuting protestants for that the maner of it is such and the proceding so conformable to the old Pagane Heretical and Apostatical fashion and dealing against Gods Church and children that nothing can be more like They hated al Catholiques and compted them traitors so doe you They speciallie persecuted Byshops Priestes and religious so doe you They killed them indeed for their beleef but yet pretended otheâ— crymes more odious and speciallie matters of conspiracie and rebellion against the ciuil magistrate so doe you They droue the innocent by captious interrogatories into dangers of lawes that neuer offended the lawes so doe you They pressed men by torments to denie their fayth vnder colour of trying their secret intentes against the Prince so doe you They punisshed and haue put to death one Catholique for an other mans fault of the same profession and vpoâ— general supposals common to al of the same faith made away whom they lyst so doe you I referre thâ— indifferent readers to the persecution of Iulianuâ— Apostata of the Gothes and Vandals in Italie and Affrique It is not onelie the slaughter of manie and them speciallie the Priestes of God which is most proper to heretical persecution but th' other infinite spoile of Catholique mens goods honors and libertie by robbing them for receyuing Priestes hearing Masse retayning Catholique Schoolmasters keeping catholique seruantes mulcting them by twentie poundes a moneth which by their cruel accompt they make thirtene-skore a yeare for not repairing to their damnable Schismatical seruice By which a number of auncient gentlemen fal to extremitie ether
of conscience if for feare they obey or of their vndoing in the world if they refuse The taking of their deare children from them by force and placing them for their seduction with Heretiques which violence can not be done by the lawe of God to Iewes them selues the burning of our Priestes in the eares the whipping and cutting of the ears of others carying some in their sacred vestments through the streetes putting our chaste virgins into infamous places appointed for strumpets other vnspeakable vilanies â—ot inferiour to anie of the said heathnesse persecutions They haue pined and smothred in their filthie prisons aboue thirtie famous Prelates The sufferinges of Catholiques aboue fourtie excellent learned men of nobles gentlemen and maâ—â—ones a number whos Martirdome is before God as â—lorious as if they had by a speedie violent death â—ene dispatched euerie dongeon and filthie prison 〈◊〉 England ful of our Priestes brethen al Prouinâ—es and Princes christianed witnesses of our banishâ—ent In al this we yeeld them our bodies goods â—ountrie blood liues nothing wil queÌ„ch their haâ—red of our Priesthood faith and profession Thus in 〈◊〉 causes we suffer and yet they would not haue vs â—omplaine they say al is sweet clement and merciful â—n this regiment But as we said we no otherwise â—omplaine of this persecution against vs but as it is exercised for that faith and quarel which the lawes of God and man approue and iustifie in vs That it is done by the sheepe and subiectes of Godes Church against their owne Prelates and pastors to whom in causes of religioÌ„ they ar bound to obey by th'expresse word of God When the lauful magistrate bearing sword by God for punishment of offenders putteth theeues heretiques or murderers to death who accompteth it crueltie who complaineth of persecution But when contrariwise by anie violent disorder the malefactors get head and take hart in a commen wealth and kil a lauful officer iudge or superior that is a cruel and horrible fact though it be done but in one or two persons in stead of a thousand wicked men executed by iust lawes So wheÌ„ the Prince and Prelate proceed together against such as by the sentence and law of the Church of Christ ar adiudged to be heretiques and iniuries to God that is Iustice but when the temporal Prince or lay people rebel against their owne Bishops to whom in spiritual matters they ar bound by Godes word to giue eare vnder paine of damnatioÌ„ yea wheÌ„ mere lay meÌ„ most of theÌ„ wholie vnlearned disorderlie take vpon theÌ„ to prescribe vnto their owne pastors what they should beleeue how they should minister the SacrameÌ„ts force vpon them false and impious othes and articles and that in Parliament wher the Bishops by the lawes of our countrie hauing the principal suffrages and the rest of the whole Conuocation representing the Church of England honorablie and vniformelie resisted whoÌ„ thes meÌ„ afterward deposed of their honors toke their pulpits churches titles prerogatiues from them imprisoned their sacred persons and abused some of them True persecution namelie the noble Confessor and Bishop of London by al sortes of vilanie This loe is a persecutioÌ„ indeed wher the sheep subiects and inferiors violentlie oppose them selues against them whom the the Holie-ghost hath placed to be the guides gouernours and curates of their soules Yea when they depose disauthorize spoile punishe imprison their owne rulers Gods annointed Priestes giue warrant by wicked lawes to the temporal powers to visit correct iudge discerne of the doctrine of their Maisters in religion that is a persecution sedition and rebellion in the highest degree And we may trewlie say hereof to our lost Countrie with the Prophet Osee 4. Populus tuus sicut hi qui contradicunt Sacerdoti the state of the persecution being wholie agreable to the mutinie of Chore DathaÌ„ AbiroÌ„ and their confederats in the desert against their lauful Priestes and Gouernors yea properlie against the high Priesthood of Aaron as our contries reuolt now is against the sea Apostolique and al lauful spiritual regiment proceeding from the same And therfore the Libeller guilfullie iÌ„ respect of the simple but fondlie and falslie in our eyes disproueth our lauful refusal to obey men before God and our resistance in matter of conscience by th' example of Chores conspiracie which toucheth al their rebellions froÌ„ the sea Apostolique Catholique Church and confirmeth al our endeuours for maintenance of the same against what aduersaries so euer And their rebellion is the more plaine The nevv cleargie and persecution more hateful and intollerable for that they haue not onely vnnaturallie done this violeÌ„ce to their owne spiritual rulers but therupon also haue chosen at their pleasures and intruded into their places a sort of greedie wolues vnordered Apostats amarous and godlesse companions the very filth and chanel of the Realme who for hatred of the Catholique faith from which they ar Renegates and through a kind of competencie or emulatioÌ„ of the true Bishops whos roomes by secular force they vniustlie haue inuaded and doe deteine beare such vnquenshable malice to the true annointed cleargie to their obedieÌ„t folowers that they cease not to iÌ„cite the powers of the Realme against vs and exercise them selues vnder the pretensed title of their vsurped dignities and other temporal commissions the greatest tirannie and crueltie in the world standing in feare of their state so long as they see anie true Bishop or Catholique man aliue Who 's actioÌ„s are the rather intollerable for that they know and hath beene prooued in open court that they not onelie vsurpe thos places against Gods and the Churches lawes but that they were not made and inuested according to the new lawes of the Realme speciallie made for creation of them So as our true pastors being vexed spoiled tormented and slaine against lawe nature and al reason by temporal men hauing no authoritie in causes ecclesiastical and by a new forged cleargie that exerciseth no Iurisdiction but by euident vsurpation against both the Canons of the Church and the lawes of our countrie who is of so dul a wit as not to see the difference of the discipline of the Church and Realme done towardes offendors in Catholique times and states by lauful authoritie both spiritual and temporal and the iniust persecution of the Church and her children now proceeding of nether lauful authoritie temporal nor spiritual VVhat clemencie vvas vsed to them of the old Clergie at the beginning Therfore let not the Libeller here so much extol the equitie and mercie vsed in her Maiesties regiment to certaine of the old principal cleargie because they put theÌ„ not to death as they haue done others sitheÌ„ce Cicero wil not sticke to tel them what a benefit is done to an honest man when his purse is taken from him and yet his life saued and what thankes ar to be rendred in that case to the
Gentrie The persecution of Catholique Nobilitie Gētrie whom this Libeller saith They put not to death nor losse of their inheritance though they hould opinion for the Popes supremacie and defend that the Q. Maiestie ought not to be the gouernour ouer al her subiects in her Realme being persons Ecclesiastical vvhich opiniōs saith he ar neuerthelesse in some part by the lavves of the Realme punishable in some degrees yet such is their miserie we say that notwithstanding thes faire and false speeches of the enemy they be far more iniuried then the Cleargie euen themselues more vexed spoiled dishonored with fines mulctes bondes penalties imprisonmentes arreignements amongst theeues pretence of premuniries misprisions discontentments euil affections and cōtrarie religion to the state pursued by the vilest and most abiect men by Ministers spies and promotors assailed robbed in their owne howses and chased from the same into woodes yea sometimes into waters we speake of knowledge at length into banishment Which who seeth not how miserable a thing it is when their whole families must either perish of famine at home or begge in strange landes abrode in which case both their goodes are seazed on as the world knoweth and their possessiō◠fal to the Princes handes or into the fiste of some lost companion which shal vpon fauour obteine the gif◠to make spoile of the same And yet this good writer so nicelie to colour their crueltie towardes Catholique gentlemen setteth doune the matter as though cases of Cōscience Religion or of the sea Apostolique were but in some degrees in some litle part punished and not with losse of landes nor death at any time persecuted when he and al the world knoweth that they may and doe by thos wicked lawes of theirs disherite put to perpetual prison and to death diuers of the laytie We refer them to the worshipful M. Trugeons case who liueth in prison so many yeares of almes after the spoile and rapine of so goodlie possessions We refer them to the lay men put to death of late at Winchester and And ouer to so manie fled for religion of the best Nobilitie and gentrie wholie sacked and spoiled of al they possessed so many hundreds more vexed pilled spoiled at home as they haue not wherwithal to expel famine from them selues and ther families And which is yet more we tel you that ther can neuer a Catholique noble man in the realme if by anie shew of religiō or moderatiō in life he giue th'enimie the least suspicion in the world of his good affection that way be sure of his life landes and state one day For by one false pretence and calumniation or other they wil entrap him emprison him and in sin except God maruelouslie protect him they wil ouerthrow him and his whole familie and transferre al his honors sometimes to his cheefest enimies Yea al this often against the Princesse wil being led against her owne natural inclination to such thinges by the violent domination of certaine that ouerrule her and the whole Realme so as no Catholique can be sure of his landes or life longer then th' aduersarie list God knoweth we doe not amplifie in the sight of strangers the calamities of Catholiques in our countrie whos chaines dongeons spoiles flightes disgraces deathes if al the world could see with their eyes as we doe feele al the Princes Christian would take compassion and accompt our complaintes most iust and necessary Wherin our miseries are multiplied that such Libellers as thes The craftie cozonage of this Libeller doe by false reportes and misconstruction of our sentence in religiō guilefullie goe about to diffame vs with forrenners As for example when here this fellowe sayeth that ther be diuers gentlemen Catholiques in England that hold The Q. ought not to be gouernour ouer any her subiectes in her realme being persons Ecclesiastical and yet are not persecuted to death for the same c. For their prosecution and persecution I haue made it plaine before But for their holding of any such assertion I must and doe say that it is slaunderous and most vntrue For ther is a great difference to say she is not to rule the Bishops in causes Ecclesiastical or in matter of ministring the Sacraments preaching and doctrine and to say she is not Q. or gouernour ouer the Cleargie or that Priestes or Ecclesiastical persons be not her subiects For they are also bound yea euē monkes and religious as S. Chrisostome sayeth which this Libeller in an other place alleadgeth ignorātly to proue that in al matters such ought to obey their tēporal Princes they are bound I say to order and obedience of their kinges and to obserue their temporal and ciuil lawes made for peace tranquilitie and temporal gouernment of their people to doe them al honour and seruice in that behalf as the Libeller right wel knoweth that al Catholike Bishops and Prelates of the Church euer haue done and doe at this day both in our Realme and in al other Realmes abrode to their lawful Kinges yea to heathen kinges also though in matters of religion and of their spiritual charge neither Heathen nor Christian kinges be their superiours or ought to direct them but rather to take direction from them Thus then ouer and aboue al former recompted calamities by opprobrious tongues lying lippes and pennes we be persecuted for defence of our Fathers faith the Churches truth The cause wherof putteth the difference betwene our Martyrdome and the due and worthie punishmēt of Heretiques who shedding their blood obstinatelie in testimonie of falshood against the truth of Christ and his holie spouse and out of the vnitie of the same are knowē malefactors and can be no Martyrs but damnable Murtherers of them selues One onelie thing belonging to this passage is yet behind The protestant Martyrs hovv they vvere traitors which we must answere to breeflie The aduersarie telleth vs that the Martyrs of their sect in Q. Maries time denied not their lavvful Q. nor mainteined her enimies as ours doe A strange boldnesse to auouch a lye without necessitie which al the world can disproue at the first sight For how say yow Sir was not your Archbishop named here for the principal of al your Martirs cōuicted cōdemned opēlie of highe treason Cranmer euen for waging souldiars for Duke Dudley a hateful name to England since Henrie the seuēthes tyme euer aspiring but stil infortunate to it self and followers against the Princesse that was then and her Highenes that is now Was not your next Martir Superintēdent Ridley Ridley an high traytor publiquelie preaching and proclaming at Paules Crosse in London both Q. Marie and this Q. to be bastardes and to haue no right title to the Croune Sandz Did not your famous superintēdent now of Yorke yet no Martir how so euer he hath suffred of late some heauie Crosses for other causes of homelie qualitie boldlie publish the same in
in them selues their children or posteritie to dure anie longer then they continue in the Catholique faith and the communion of the Sea and Church Apostolique nor would suffer anie of their name or blood to reigne after them that were like to be Heretiques but rather would disinherite or execute them with their owne handes then feare or expect their deposition by the Pope Therfore though with such as feele their owne fault it soundeth euil to heare of the Authoritie and vsage of Gods Church in censuring kinges yet it troubleth not anie iust and lauful Prince especiallie when by their wisdome experience they may perceiue that Princes aboue al other both good and euil be subiect to humane casualties and may fal and loose their kingdomes by an hundreth accidents of mutinies and rebellions of their subiects or by external or domestical warres of Competitours or enimyes to al which The great cōmodities vvhich grovv to al kingdomes by the Popes high authoritie the Popes highe authoritie and interest giueth great stay and moderation in deciding the controuersies of titles and causes of ciuil or forraine warres and by his manifould endeuours of Pacification and composition wherof al the kinges and states Christian haue at sondrie times of their distresses receiued singular profit as appeareth in the histories of the warres betwixt our nation Fraunce and Scotland and in our owne Ciuil tumultes which haue bene often appeased by the mediation of the Pope both parties deferring to him as to the high Priest and general Arbiter of Christian Princes and people being to al indifferent without al partialitie the decision of thos thinges which otherwise could not by lawes nor by armes without-lamentable destruction and much blood be determined Wherebie Princes of lesse power iniuried by the greater and mightier haue euer found succour and redresse and iust kinges distressed by their rebellious subiectes haue had singular assistance As we may see in the stories both of our owne Countrie wher the Popes haue sent diuers Legates to the Barons being vp against their lauful Soueraignes to admonish them to lay doune their armes and when they would not excommunicated them by which meanes manie a king with vs hath kept his Croune which otherwise had bene depriued by tumultuous and popular sedition and no lesse in th'examples of other nations and that in our owne memories hauing experience of diuers blessed Popes diligence in aiding the two great Monarches aswel by the powers temporal which God hath giuen them as by ecclesiastical Censures against their rebels and large spiritual graces benedictions bestowed vpon al that would faithfullie adioine to the repression of the seditious subiects and the preseruation of the Soueraigne The Apostolique Bishop is not an enimie to superioritie and domination The Bishoplike authoritie no enimie to Princes which he knoweth best to be of God as his owne high estate is but a spiritual and most louing Parent and common Father of al Christians and speciallie of Princes He seeketh not their depositions nor mainteineth reuoultes from them no not thē when to his infinite greefe he is forced sometimes though meruelous seldome to giue sentence for the people subiects against the Prince but vseth needful discipline towards them for their saluation Let the graue and wise men of al nations consider with vs whether Princes be in more danger of their state by the lauful Pastors of their soules that iudge by Gods spirit by counsel deliberation order and authoritie without malice hatred or partialitie or by Heretiques seditious and rebellious persons that deale by erroneous conscience phantasie and furie The Protestantes plainlie hould in al their writings and schooles and so practize in the sight of al the world that Princes may for tirannie or Religion be resisted depriued We and al Catholiques likewise affirme that for Heresie and some other great enormities they may be excommunicated and further censured But the Protestants would haue them selues the subiects to rebel and throwe doune their superiors on their owne head and wilfulnes and them selues to be iudges of their Soueraignes desertes and Religion Now we demaund of the Libeller that giueth Princes so frendlie warning of their dangerous estates A resonable demaūd to the Libeller if Popes may vse such authoritie ouer Princes whether the Kinges of Christendome whom their owne sect-maisters confesse may be deposed stand not in far greater hazard of their dominions and persons by the brutish and seditious people armed alwaies with furie and often also as at this present with Heresie then they are of Popes It was not the Pope that gaue licēce or encouragement to the subiects of Scotlād to take armes against their natural liege and Q. to emprison her and to cause her by feare of death to resigne her Croune It is not the Pope that embouldened them barbarouslie to restraine their noble yong King and so often to rebel against him though nether they for his Religion haue anie reason to depriue him nor the Popes Holines otherwise then for the iustice of his quarel against his rebels anie cause to defend him It was not the Pope that licensed the subiects of the king Catholique to fight so long and obstinatlie against their Lord and maister nor that encouraged them to depriue him of his soueraigntie and ancient inheritance It was not the Pope that hath hazarded three mightie Kinges his most Christian Maiesty that now is and his two crouned brethrē before him of their States and bereaued them of manie great partes and cities of their kingdome or that went about to depriue them euen in the time of their innocencie and yong years Popes vse to defend innocents not to destroye them in their nonage or to abuse their minoritie And such is otherwise the manifould hazard of kinges by rebellions that in our owne Countrie The danger of Princes by rebelliō the Child hath deposed his Father the Vncle his Nephew the Wife her owne Husband most commonlie the worse and more wicked the more godlie and innocent And we maruel much this Libeller that would seeme to be such a Statesman and a Counseller to forreine kinges could find no danger to them and their countries sauing of the Popes power ouer them which in verie truth by Christs special prouidence is the greatest protection guarde and stay that innocent Princes and their people can haue the awe and reuerend respect of his holie authoritie keeping thousandes from rebellion and intrusion and a number of iust Princes in their empires which els had bene in diuers countries ouerthrowen The Protestantes cannot proue by example of al nations times since Christ that anie one hath bene deposed that was not prooued to be a notorious Heretique or euil man On th' other side Rebels and namelie Heretiques by vnlauful meanes The practise of Heretikes depriue commonlie none but innocent iust and holie Princes Vnto whos barbarous crueltie this Libeller would haue their sacred Maiesties
rather thral obnoxious then to submit thē selues to the sweet yoke of Christs kingdome and Priesthood or to concurre in happie vnitie with such as Christ and the Holie-ghost haue placed ouer the Church for the guiding of her people to saluation and that also in worldlie peace and tranquilitie as much as in them lieth which is their cheefe honor and greatest guarde that may be both to Prince people as the contrarie motion of wicked men to sowe debate betwene Prīces Pastors is surely more vnnatural thē to put discord betwixt the bodie the soule ī the regimēt of a mās persō A fit similitude wherī as the whole frame is best gouerned preserued when the flesh can be cōtented to be ruled by the spirite so no doubt the tēporal power consisteth most safelie endureth longest when it hath good correspondence and subordination to the spiritual which seeketh euer al aduauncement and safetie to the secular Powers appointed by God for the worldlie weale of their subiects Which terrene felicitie necessarie for the cleargie also in this life no lesse then for others is alwaies by the state Ecclesiastical most zealouslie mainteined against the disturbers of peace concord and due obedience to superiours And therfore as the Church of God and namelie the Sea Apostolique hath receiued in respect of the honor due to Christ his principal Apostle S. Peter infinite exaltation by the Christian kinges of al nations so on th' other side the Popes of al ages haue sought by al meanes possible to aduaunce to honor glorie and encrease Christian kinges and states not onelie spirituallie which is their first cheefe care but also temporallie wherof euerie nation Christianed hath had sufficient proofe But to say nothing of Catholique Kinges or Countries which gladlie acknowledge the benefite and wil auouch the right and iust title of anie their dominions Dominions holden by the Popes meanes receiued of the sea Apostolique or adiudged theirs by the same for though the Libeller would make them weene it were a base and perilous matter to stand at the Popes courtesie in such things yet he can persuade none of them that they hould anie peece of their states by euil conscience which is fallen vnto them that way by the Popes warrant nor is he so eloquent as to make them yeeld vp the same to their old owners againe the states and Princes Protestantes must ether acknowledge the benefite and iust possession of diuers high dignities titles and crounes receiued by the said sea of S. Peter or els they be neither kind nor wise Is not the Emperial dignitie the highest humane preeminence that can be in this world And can the German protestants denie but that they hould or had that of the Pope The Empire from the Pope For where some wrangle that it came by election of the people of Rome that is most false contrarie to al histories and reason Dare they denie the Pope to haue had lauful power to translate th' empire out of Greece or wil they say their Emperour that now is and al other his predecessors since Charles the great were vsurpers as they should be if the order or disposition of the holie Sea were not lauful No protestant nor other man in his wit wil so say and speciallie no Alman to the glorie of whos nation this thing so much perteineth This nation therfore hath no cause to complaine of the high spiritual authoritie by which it self hath bene an hundreth times more aduaunced then hindred or diminished As Likewise th' order of the Election and which al men esteeme for a title of most high dignitie the Electorship it self was giuen to certaine Princes of Germanie by Gregorie the fift who as the Magdeburge historians them selues speake being a German and desirous to adorne his natiue Countrie with some excellent honor Cent. 10. Cap. 10. deuised that the election of the king which after his coronation by the Pope should also be called Imperator and Augustus should onelie pertaine to the Germans Now let the Heretiques speake and yeeld ther reason who tooke the matter so much in dougē thes last years past that the Pope should intermedle with the displacing of the Elector of Colen The fond reasoning of Heretiques about the Popes deposing of the late Bishop of Colen What A Pope to depose an Elector said they As though a Pope might not depriue an vnworthie Apostata Bishop of his Sea and Electorship who first created and gaue vnto that nation and to that Sea both Elector and Electoral dignitie it self Let them tel vs why his authoritie is not as great in depriuing for iust cause as his power was sufficient to establish that honor in Germanie And Let the Libeller that accompteth it so vnworthie a thing that some Popes haue giuen censure vpon the Princes of the holie Empire be demaunded who established that high state in that countrie and whether he that had power to doe that can want anie warrant to depriue an euil or wicked person of the Empire And in breefe let him be asked whether that noble nation haue not receaued more dignitie and profit temporal then hurt and hinderance by that Papal power ouer kingdomes which this man in his seditious pride so much abhorreth But to come to that which we the Libeller best of al doe knowe and toucheth vs English more neare at home and may be an instruction and proofe of the cause in hand to other strangers abrode Surely if the people of our Country knew ther owne good and were grateful as they were wont to be for now this brutish Heresy hath made them without affection as S. Paul speaketh of such vnnatural Sectaries they would acknowledge that as to the Sea Apostolique England greatly indebted to the sea Apostolique they owe their first faith and Christianity not only for conuerting the Britons who were the ancient inhabitants of the Iland but also the English them selues afterward and that in very memorable sort reconciling them eftsons againe to holy Church after their relapse and endowing their Princes and Prelats with such singular prerogatiues as no particular Church or Commō welth ī the world with the good grace of al other Christian states be it spoken had greater or more honorable so would they ī like maner besides thes spiritual fauors confesse them selues indebted for the temporal aduauncement of our Princes receiued from the same Sea Apostolique seeing the regiment and Lordship of Ireland was by the Popes only gift bestowed vpon our Souerains in the time of Pope Adrian the fourth and K. Henry the second 400. years agone Irland the Popes gift vnto England they hauing no other title therunto in the world but by this graunt of the Sea Apostolique Which title notwithstanding we doubt not but that our English Protestantes wil accompt sufficient euen vnto this day and K. Henrie th' eight being fallen from the Church and making him self of
occasion but to moue sedition and rebellion and therfore are so farre from giuing him humble thankes as they ought to doe as our Nation wil once doe if euer it come to it self againe that they hate his person and office for this cause most deadle and doe publish by this Libel and otherwise that it is a worke of high hostilitie against her Maiesty But alas for pitie and woe be to our sinnes that the state of our Common-wealth is now so neerlie ioined vnto Heresie that nether Christes Vicar by charitie and discipline nor Gods Priestes by anie office of ther life and death can seeke to remedie the one but they shal be accompted enimies and traitors to the other Which fond malice yet through our infelicitie is more apparant in England then in anie other people of the world besides though in error and out of Gods Church as ours The godlie Zealous doinges of this Pope for religion It is the peculiar glorie of Gregorie the thirtenth aboue al his predecessors and other Prelates of al ages that in so sweet and Apostolique sort he prouideth for the instruction of innumerable youthes for their owne saluation and for the reduction of their natiue countries and interteining the Catholique faith in most prouinces of the world Many are the people in the world abrod especiallie in the East South and North partes therof which are in Schisme Heresie or Error no lesse thē the English and the incomparable care of this general Pastor prouideth for euerie one in the best maner that is possible as wel by corporal as spiritual releefe He hath at this day some of the fathers of the Societie of Iesus in Constantinople The Society of Iesus in Constantinople Alexandria and els wher-soeuer is anie oportunitie to gaine soules in the dominions of the Turke in Muscouia likewise and other Prouinces addicted to the errors of the Grecians He hath instituted Seminaries for the Greekes Armenians and Sclauonians he hath placed colledges of the Societie and Seminaries in Suetia Liuonia Polonia Boëmia Transiluania for Scotland also and speciallie for the noble Prouince of Germanie Yea his pastoral solicitude reacheth euen to the East Indies wher in Iapon he hath founded this last yeare past and mainteineth a goodlie colledge not without his great expenses Thus he doth in the cause of Christ from one end of the world to an other whilest his and holie Churches miserable aduersaries waste their time in wrangling and wrastling against the truth And ther is none of al thes Nations of what sect or sort so euer that can be so suspicious or malitious as to interprete his Holines meaning as th' English doe or that conceiue anie feare of treasons confederacies inuasions or destructions of their countries as our men dreame of Other natiōs in Scisme not so ingrat as England The Germanes though al be not Catholiques but manie much altered by their vnaduised folowing of Martin other as madde sectaries yet they al count it a singular honor profit to their nation that they haue so famous a college in Rome it self as our Nation did of olde when it had there a great schoole about a thousand yeares agoe builded by king Offa and afterward an hospital Wher now we of England be come by this wicked Heresie to be so careles of our publique profit and honor that we contemne and maliciouslie condemne a gift farre more excellēt thē euer was bestowed vpon our Countrie before in forreine places and most deuillishlie doe hate the giuer Wherin the Heretiques in this Libel and otherwise shew such ignorant barbarous mockerie touching the terme of Seminaries as though they were estranged from al actions of the Christian world through out al which that terme and calling is so common namelie since the godlie decree of the holie Councel of Trent The name of Seminaries giuing order for the erection of such nurceries for the clergie as it is tooto ridiculous in our English Heretiques to make them selues sport at it as they wiselie doe in this Libel also at the name of the Popes Buls The name of Buls by pretie allusion as they thinke but in deed with smal grace resembling them to the bubles of water with such scorneful companions the Church of God hath now to deale But for defence of the Societie Seminaries and the sending of Priestes into England the men of thos orders and qualitie haue age and habilitie to answer for them selues and it is done to our handes plentifullie in their Apologie The English Apologie which the aduersaries shal neuer answere with reason and credit And therfore of that matter inough OF THE LATE WARRES IN IRELAND FOR RELIGION HOW THE POPE may vse the svvord and that the differences betvvixt temporal Princes and him or their resisting him in some cases of their vvorldlie interest can be no vvarrant to the Protestantes to contemne his censures or authoritie in matter of Faith and Religion CAP. VII Hovv the Pope may vse the svvord BVT the aduersarie obiecteth that whatsoeuer the Pope doth or may doe by his Buls excommunications institution of Seminaries or other such like spiritual endeuours may either be contemned or neglected by the example of her Maiesty who regarded not his doinges against her so long as he satt stil in his Chair but when he rose vp in anger and left Verbum the word and tooke Ferrum the sword against S. Bernardes direct aduice to Eugenius saith this Libeller yea and when contrarie to the Scriptures he drew forth the sword which Christ commaunded Peter to put vp into the scabard and inuaded by his forces her Maiesties kingdome of Ireland then saith this good man she could doe no lesse but vse such resistance by armes and otherwise as was requisite for her owne defence Wherat we maruel lesse indeed for that before she had contemned the Popes spiritual rodde of excommunication and al Ecclesiastical admonition and censure Lib. 1. cōt Faustum cap. 17. which is the high Priestes and Churches most proper weapon and is more to be feared of al faithful persons as holie S. Augustine saieth Then to be hevved in peeces vvith the svvord burned vvith the fire or torne in sonder of vvilde beastes and is a punishment so dreadful that euen then when it is knowen to be executed without iust cause by some errour or wrong information it may not be contemned Therfore where that was not regarded we knowe ther could be no scruple to withstand anie other Martial attempt against Pope or whomsoeuer nether could it seme strange But at this al the world may wounder and it is maruelous in our eyes why the Popes hostilitie in Ireland The Popes doinges no cause to martyr Priestes should condemne so manie innocent Priests and Catholiques that neuer were in Ireland nor euer were acquainted with the action of that Countrie or anie other rebellion against the Queene in ether of her kingdomes Put
tēporal spiritual authoritie cōfounded by the Libeller As though ther were no distinction betwixt Christes bodie mistical and a body politique or humane Common-wealth As though Christ had giuen his said bodie spouse and spiritual Common-wealth to be gouerned ether vnto Kinges and Empeperours who were then and some hundreth yeares afterward persecutours of his Church and Faith and yet had as large whole and perfect Regalitie as anie faithful Prince hath or vnto Christian Kinges afterward who are by receauing Christes sweet yoke Faith made children and members of the Church not Heades therof As though our Sauiour had not in his time appointed special officers for the regiment of his Church or the holie-Ghost afterward not placed Apostles Prelates Pastors and Doctors to gouerne the same euen to the end of the world This deuilish confusion of thinges and attributing al spiritual Soueraintie to the temporal Prince and power The vvay to Antichrist which the Scripture calleth for distinctiō sake Humanam creaturam or rather this turning al Prelacie into Regalitie 1. Pet. 2. if it be permitted wil take away the verie life and essence of the Church of God and of al religiō and wil plane the way to Antichrist who shal by the title of his only Regalitie Antichrists Regalitie destroy if it be possible al power spiritual and temporal and set him self to be adored aboue what-soeuer is named in heauen or earth Woe be to our Nation and to the sinnes of our people which God hath suffred to be the first example of this abhominable conuerting of the spiritual power and regiment of our soules into our Kings Regalitie And Fye on this godles Libeller and his prophane intention that by the defence of this special turpitude of our Kinges and Countrie so foulie slaundereth also other most godlie Princes with his shameful surmise Hovv fouly Catholique Princes are slaundered by this Shameles Libeller that they doe but permit in their dominions the Popes authoritie of policie and no further then is for their aduauntage Who 's impudent calumniation may easily be refuted by their Maiesties zealous deuotion and most sincere obedience to his Holines in al matters of Faith and Religion wherin his Superioritie speciallie and properlie consisteth by their dailie Roial offices done against Heretiques for defence of the Romane Sea and Faith and by open profession of the same both in their liues and deathes by their continual resistance of the enimies therof to their infinite charge yea and often to the hazard of their persons crounes dominions by the due obseruation of the holie decrees of the Sea Apostolique as farre as the great loosnes of this time and the manifould importunity of Heretiques and Atheists wil permit by exact iustice done in many of their kingdomes vpon the rebels of the Church holy Sea and finally by their continual intelligence with his Holines in al their affaires of Conscience Religion and the vse of al his spiritual Graces Indulgences and Benedictions with as great humilitie as the poorest Catholique man in the world But the aduersarie telleth vs for al this that diuers Princes and Countries before named Al examples are not to be stood vppon haue abbridged limited and resisted the Popes doinges and authority To which we say that in such cases we should not stand alwaies vpon examples but rather on reason and lawe For a man might say that Herode killed Iohn Baptist Philip made away Babylas Theodosius banished S. Chrisostome Constance persecuted Athanasius king Henrie of England caused to be murdered his Primat and holy Metrapolitane Thomas of Canterburie manie moe haue resisted the Bishops and Pastours of their owne soules wherof diuers haue bene sorie and sore repented their iniquitie afterwardes as our said Henrie the second amongest other Who 's exāples may not be made a rule how kinges should behaue them selues towardes their Prelates God forbid No more in this other kind we now speake of need we to allowe al the Pragmatiques Praemunires or other National decrees and prouisions which euerie particular Prince hath made or may make though in conscience Catholique by which the Popes iurisdiction and preeminences in some sort and in some cases are abbridged and limited As on the other side againe we nether need nor wil condemne the same because they be not of thinges mere spiritual Al restraintes of the Popes iurisdiction in Catholique countries nether vvholy allovved nor vvholy to be condemned but ether plane temporal or mixt such as had ether by the Princes lawes or custome of Contries bene graunted of deuotion to the Sea Apostolique before and afterward vpon farder consideration by the difference of times or of lesse deuotion reuoked vpon pretence of preseruation of the temporal state and benefiting particular Prouinces vnto which the emolumentes and large priuileges yeelded before to the cheefe Bishop and other of the cleargie might seeme some hinderāce Or els were of that nature that the supreme Bishop might indeed of reason chalenge as thinges incident to his high office and requisite for the better administration of the same but yet not such for al that as were necessarilie or by diuine lawes apperteining directlie to his spiritual regiment and iurisdiction and therfore might by his wisdome ether be tollerated as manie thinges in this case be which he alloweth not for auoiding of scandales or for other detriment of soules or by composition for the better reteining Princes and prouinces in ecclesiastical peace be condescended and agreed vnto the limitation or imminution of his accidental rightes honours and preeminences nothing esteemed so material vnto him as the saluation and preseruation of kingdomes and Contries in the vnitie of Christes faith and Church The Pope may yeeld ī his humane prerogatiues but not in his spiritual Ther is no humane prerogatiue be it houlden neuer so rightlie or giuen neuer so iustlie for the honour of Christ and his high office but he may ether him self for iust causes yeeld it vp or by violence ether of persecutours or carnal and wordlie persons be bereaued therof Onelie his preeminence Prelacie ouer our soules and ouer al Christian Countries and persons be they publique or priuate and whatsoeuer our Sauiour graunted to the Prince of the Apostles vpon whom he builded his whole Church and to whom and to his successours he gaue the keyes of Heauen with ful commission to bind loose punish pardon feede confirme in fayth decide and determine c. this he can not yeeld this can no earthlie power take frō him this doth no Catholique King or Countrie restreine him of nether euer were ther anie lawes made in Fraunce Spaine or in our owne Countrie so long as it was Catholique for abbridging his Apostolical mere spiritual authority ī the premisses Though otherwise as it falleth out in a mans owne person wherin as the Apostle writeth and as we al feele the flesh resisteth the spirit The
cōtention betvvē the spirit and the flesh hovv far tollerable and contrariwise the spirit the flesh eche one of them seeking after a sort to enlarge his owne limites and commodities by some hinderance of the other which combat conflict notwithstanding is ether tollerable or not damnable so long as the inferiour which is the flesh by ouer greedie appetite of her owne aduancement destroieth not the superiour which is the soule So doubtles in a Christian Common-wealth the spiritual and temporal state being ioined together as it were in one bodie must needes keepe some moderate strife and combat for maintenance of ether of their limites in external regiment which may be borne withal of eche side so long as nether part seeketh ouer obstinatelie the destruction of the other but doe agree and conioine in preseruation of the principal But where the bodie politique as it is now in our miserable Countrie by intollerable disorder doth striue not so much with the Sea Apostolique The intollerable proceeding of England and bodie mistical of Christ for thinges ether indifferent or not merlie necessarie to the spiritual regiment but by euident rape and violence against the lawes of God man bereaueth Christes Vicar of his whole soueraintie high Preisthood and Prelacie and the Catholique Church of al the rightes douries which our Master her spouse endowed her withal and tirānicallie draweth al to the Princes REGALITIE altering by the authoritie therof the whole faith and true worship of God into abhominable Apostacie Scisme and desolation ther the Libeller can find no example in anie Christian Lawes or Countries through out the world in any age to proue his purpose though vainlie and impertinentlie he alleage thes Concordates of Fraunce other Nations as also the compositions of England with the Pope or what orders and lawes soeuer besides ether lauful or vnlauful concerning restraint of any Papal or Ecclesiastical power which serue nothing at al for defence of the late English general and most impudent reuolt from the vnitie of Gods Catholique and Apostolique Church Manie things might the wordlinges of our Countrie euen in Catholique times attempt for their owne aduantage Some vncōscionable lavves might passe in a Catholique time against the commodities of the Church Our Kinges other in times of dissention with certaine Popes of their dayes might driue the weaker to vnequal conditions and serue their owne ambitious humours to the Churches disaduantage Some lawes might also passe by the powerablenes of Princes in their owne dominions the Sea Apostolique vtterlie reclaiming against them which though they were not directlie against anie point of Faith or Religion yet might be verie preiudicial to the state ecclesiastical and liberties of holie Church as the lawe of Premuniri was which is mentioned by the aduersarie Against which diuers Popes speciallie Gregorie the eleuenth and Martin the fift opposed them selues earnestlie The lavv of Premuniri and dealt with K. Edvvard the thrid and Henrie the sixt for abrogating the same which they both promised to doe but neuer did and cōsequētly it remaineth stil in his first vncōcionable force if the makers had any such meaning as their folowers haue found out for that it may by calumnious interpretation be vsed at the onlie pleasure of the Prince to the confiscation of al Church-mens goodes imprisonment of their persons destruction of the whole Cleargie wherof king Henrie the eight in the beginning of his Scisme gaue an horrible example Which iniquitie the Libeller him self is not ashamed to commend and to propound to other Princes for imitation Thes iniustices and the like may be by some Kinges committed and are as we haue said for peace and Charities sake borne by thē who are taught by their Maister and by the Apostolical Bishops of the primitiue Church to set more by one soule then by al the honours goods priuileges in the world otherwise So that God be honored whether causes at the first instance or by appeale onelie be differred to the Court of Rome or no whether the Pope Prince Cleargie or people appoint the Pastours or no a thing diuerslie vsed in diuers ages the Church can beare al and turne al to good so long as the true Faith and substance of Ecclesiastical iurisdiction be not destroied Wherin yet this may be comfortable to al obedient children of the Church Ecclesiastical restraintes haue not proued so profitable and worthie to be considered of discret persons that in al or surelie in most part of such limitations restraintes diminishinges or alteratiō of the Popes Churches authoritie thinges haue afterwardes so fallen out that wise men hartilie wish no change euer had bene made And for the euidence therof we refere al men to the pondering of this one point speciallie amongst manie concerning the nominations and elections of Bishopes Abbots and other Prelates whether the world wēt not as wel when such thinges passed by canonical election or the Popes prouision as it hath done since or hereafter euer is like to doe At the beginning of such alterations men pretended reasons for the particular Churches commodities of sondrie Nations which a few yeares experience and the euent of thinges haue in most matters controuled But were it wel or euil it can nether be example nor warrant to our present Contrie to destroy Abbeis kil the religious murder Gods Priestes imprison al the sacred persons of Bishops through out the Realme to hate blaspheme abolish al authoritie and iurisdiction Apostolical yea and to make a solemne publique prayer in the litanie That God vvould deliuer our Country from the Pope in stead of that which the whole Christian world deuoutlie singeth and saieth daylie Vt Dominum Apostolicum omnes ecclesiasticos ordines in sancta religione conseruare digneris Barbarous malice of English Heretiques against the Sea Apostolique Would anie man thinke that ether they should fal to such barbarousnes or to such impudencie as to defend so grosse impietie by the examples of other Catholique Kinges Contries and times in the cases aforesaid Or can it be possible they could imagine the difference betwene K. Henrie the vij and the Pope that then was The grosnes of the Libeller about a matter of Alume should warrant her Maiesty that now is or her Councellours to stand against the high Priest of God and to goe to lawe with him for his spiritual Prelacie What a Grossehead is this Libeller or rather what a deceiptful person for he can not be so rude as not to knowe the difference of thinges so farre distant that alleageth the warres sometimes fallen out betwixt certaine Popes and Princes about their temporal interests to proue that Catholique kinges care not for the Pope or that them selues may resist him by armes and contemne his authoritie in matters of Faith Religion Wherin his exāples also are very euil chosen when he goeth about to make vs beleeue that Charles the fift cared not for
the Popes Excommunication and Curse The sacking of Rome by the Duke of Burbon because his souldiars vnder the conduction of Burbon committed horrible violence and vilanie in the Citie of Rome against his Holines the Cardinals and al other whom they found ther as their pray Wher in deed the said noble Emperour though then verie yōg yet was nether cōsenting therunto nor had anie knowledge of the disorder til it was done purging him self therof afterward to the Pope verie humblie and the said Burbon author of that wicked enterprice by Gods mightie hand and iudgement and for a signe how highlie that impious fact displeased his diuine Maiestie was slaine sodenlie and as it is thought the first of al other vpon the wal of the suburbes Let al thos that take such examples take heed of the like endes As for the loialtie of the most Catholique King that now is of Spaine to the Sea Apostolique Touching the exāples of K. Philip and the Duke of Alua. notwith-standing what temporal differences soeuer haue fallen or may fal out betwene them it were to much idlenes to stand vpon against this fond wrangler And the Duke of Alua his Maiesties general behaued him self euen at that time when he had his armie before Rome as wel of his owne singular deuotiō as by his Kinges commaundement most religiouslie and honorablie without anie violence in the world or domage to the Citie other thē the waste of a few places of pleasure vines and orchardes about the wals for which this good felowe with whō we deale maketh much mone as it seemeth wher in deed he would rather haue wished the whole Citie bothe sacked and suncke for deuotion But thes Princes saith he cared not for the Popes Curses when they thus pursued their claimes both by armes and lawes The truth is that the Pope excommunicateth not euerie one that ether resisteth him in temporal quarels or matter of emolumentes of their peculiar Churches or Countries whether it be by lawes or armes and therfore ther is no cause why in such cases wher no censures are vsuallie published this Libeller should say Hovv the Pope and temporal Princes may contend in armes They regard no curses nor anathematizinges c. Nether thē also whē the iniurie done to holie Church or Apostolique sea seemeth so euident to the Pope that ther may appeare some reasonable cause of excommunicating the impugners the parties so censured in the contrarie side vpon perswasion of their right doe persist notwithstanding in the defence therof not then I say doe they contemne the censure as is vntruelie conceaued by the aduersarie but rather absteining from the holie Sacramentes and companie of such as to them by lawe are forbidden doe vse humble meanes towardes his Holines for his better information in the cause and doe seeke that the matter may be ended by good order of composition or arbitrament of other Princes and godly persons Or if in such causes of strife for worldlie commodities where the temporal Prince may sometimes ether haue the right on his side or seeme to him self in conscience or by the iudgemēt of godlie learned and indifferent men to haue it we graunt that he may without feare of Censures by armes or otherwise pursue his iust claime without impechement of his obedience in spiritual affaires may therfore sacrilegious persons as Heretiques Apostataes and open obstinate offendours contemne at their pleasures and violentlie resist the sentence of holie Church No ther is no match in thes matters What if the late Q. Marie of England staied the messinger of the Pope The example of Q. Marie ansvvered bringing a discharge of the late renouned Cardinal Poole from his authoritie Legantine and a Cardinals hat for a person though verie godlie yet knowen to be vnfit til his Holines might be better enformed of the man of the whole matter as immediatlie he was with al diligence and humilitie by the said most deuout Princesse should this be an example or encouragement to others of plaine disobedience and reuolt or wholie to abandone the Popes authoritie and to inuest a woman which is against nature in his Supremacie and spiritual charge ouer al her subiectes soules No surelie no more then of reason it should haue serued her Maiesties Councel sitting once in consultation together of the case to denie entrance to the Nuncio Apostolico The Nuncio Apostolico that came to summon to the General Counsel denied to enter Englād sent by Pius quartus about the third yeare of her Highnes raigne to require and beseech her in God to send some of her learned men to the general Councel of Trent then in hand as most other great Potentates of Christiantie did bringing with him a Safe-conduct for their peaceable passage audience and intertainment notwithstanding their contrarie religion and faction So did the English Counsel thē make their aduantage of that vnlike fact of the late noble Queene at once both to mainteine their vnlike seperation from the Christiā world and the felowship of other Catholique kinges as also and that perhaps especiallie to couer the ignorance feare and insufficiencie of their Superintendentes The English Superintēdentes afraid to goe to the Councel of Trent who though her Maiesty and others of the Nobilitie were wel īclined to send some of them for the honour of the Realme yet for feare of burning as they pretended but indeed for feare of the Catholiques learning and their owne shame the good-felowes made al the sute vnder-hand they could that none might be inforced thither And so at length it was agreed and moreouer that his Holines Ambassadour should not so much as be heard or suffred to come within the Realme vpon the warrant I say of the forsaid vnlike example of the former Queene Mary Which also serueth them further euer since not onelie to renounce al the old authoritie power and interest of the Sea Apostolique ouer our Countrie and to make the cheefe Bishop therof a mere stranger as other worldlie Princes of the Prouinces about vs that haue nothing to doe with our affaires whos messingers yet and Ambassadours for needful entercours and mutual intelligence by the lawe of natiōs they willinglie admit ether in peace or warres as occasion serueth but also to make him a Diuel an Antichrist and worse then the Turke him self whos messingers as the world seeth may haue audiēce with them and good correspondence wheras the Pope can haue none Wherby is discouered the miserie of wicked Heresie and the extreme hatred that rebellious children doe beare to their mother whom they vnhappilie haue forsaken obstinatelie resist to their owne perdition And this shal be sufficient to shew how wrongfully vnreasonably this Libeller hath sought to defend their English general reuoult from the Church of Rome and their contempt of his Holines Censures by the examples of some Catholique Princes differences wordlie debates with certaine Popes prelates of
folowing Math. 5. And thos men in such a case are onelie wise and godlie Councellours her Maiesties true subiectes and worthie members of the Common-wealth that humblie exhort her Highnes not to be beguiled by her present fortune or to thinke obstinate and forcible resistance of the Pope or Churches sentence of Excommunication True and good councel to her Maiestie to be her most securitie but to see what Theodosius the elder did whē he was excommunicated by S. Ambrose to remember how Theodosius the yōger behaued him self in the cause of S. Chrisostome for whos vniust banishment the said Emperours father and mother were excommunicated Lib. 10. trip hist cap. 18. 26. to consider wel what the end of the controuersie was betwixt King Henrie the second and the Pope and Bishop of Canturburie in his time and afterward betwene King Iohn and the Sea of Rome and Cleargie in thos dayes That al thes in fin as mightie Princes as they were yeelded and reconciled them selues to the Sea Apostolique A thing that after a litle heat or headines of yong Princes be past was and euer shal be found in fin the onelie sure and honorable way before God and the world to keepe them selues and their Realmes from perdition Which danger her Maiesties father in whom this reuolt of our daies and Countrie beganne both afore once or twice The meaning of K. Henrie 8. for reconciling him self to the Sea of Rome and speciallie towardes his death sawe and earnestlie sought to auert from his posteritie by the like reconciling him self to the Church Which yet through Gods iudgementes he had not time to accomplish in him self but was atchiued afterward most honorablie in his eldest daughter not onelie for consciēce sake otherwise but especiallie for effectuating her said fathers great desire therin as some of her cheefe Councellours to whom he had cōmunicated his mind in that matter did publiquelie testifie to the whole Realme at Paules Crosse Would God our sinnes and the Realmes could suffer her Maiesties wise Councellours to consider of the case with such sinceritie as were requisite for them selues and vs al who by their better or worse election in this one matter are like ether to be long happie or vnhappie for euer We trust the intollerable flatterie of this Libeller or other like telling her Maiesty Hovv al temporal princes haue superiours that she hath no superiour but God none aboue her but the Almightie none that she need to feare or care for but him and therfore that she hath not to regard anie sentence of Pope or others can much moue anie of their wisdomes this being a most shameful Heresie vntruth that a King hath no superiour in matters of his soule conscience When not onelie the general Pastor of the whole Church is his superiour if he be one of Christes flocke or fould al the sheepe wherof without exception by our maisters expresse sentence were committed to Peter his successours feeding and gouernment but also other Prelates of his owne kingdome that haue charge of his soule to whom likewise he oweth al Christian obedience in spiritual affaires no lesse then the poorest man in the Realme For kinges were not excepted from S. Paules rule and admonition giuen to al the faithful in thes wordes Obedite praepositis vestris subiacete eis Heb. 13. Obey your Prelates and be subiect vnto them wherof he yeeldeth immediatelie the cause For that they vvatch as being to render accompt of your soules If Princes then haue soules they must needes be vnder the accompt and charge of Prelates if they haue Prelates they must obey them and be subiect vnto them if they be bound to obey them and be subiect vnto them they must acknowledge them for their superiours How then say thes wicked flatterers that Kings Queens haue no superiors none to be subiect vnto but God That they be the cheefe eue◠in causes ecclesiastical in matters of religion soule and conscience within their Realmes That neither Pope nor Prelate can excommunicate them or vse other discipline for correction of them when they fal from their faith If Theodosius the Emperour had had such bolsterers of his pride about him or so litle grace and wisdome as to haue giuen eare to them The exāple of Theodosius he would litle haue esteemed S. Ambrose authoritie sentence and censure against him But he was more happie and Christian then to plead his superioritie in such matters aboue his Bishop or to chalenge exemption or impunitie in this world for what so euer he did or beleeued and onelie to be reserued to God And it is a singular note of irreligiositie in our dayes that thes prophane Heretiques godles persons doe prefer humane thinges before diuine the regiment temporal before spiritual the bodie before the soule earth before heauen Regalitie before Priesthood and this life before the next and al eternitie Which is an euident demonstration that al tendeth in this Heresie to plaine Paganisme and Epicurisme esteeming and admiring none but such as be in worldlie height power dignitie that can yeeld them thes transitorie honours pleasures and preferments The sayings and doings of ancient Fathers in this case But the truth of this matter may and ought to be learned partlie of the old glorious and most excellēt Doctors and Bishops of the primitiue Church and partlie by the behauiour of the first great Emperours and Kinges that were professours and defendours of the Catholique faith VVhat is more honorable saith S. Ambrose then that the Emperour be called a child of the Church Epist 33. for a good Emperour is vvithin the Church and not aboue the Church And S. Chrisostome admonishing Priestes of their dutie in keeping from the holie altar great offendours expreslie warneth them to vse their authoritie therin euen towardes Kinges or what soeuer they be VVhether saith he he be Duke Prefect or crouned Prince that vvould vnvvorthilie approche Hom. 60. ad Popul 83. in Math. forbid him thy authoritie povver is greater thē his So S. Gregorie Naziāzene speaketh to his owne Emperour The lavve of Christ hath made you subiect to my povver and to my tribunal for vve haue our soueraintie Orat. ad Ciues Nazianz. and that more excellent and perfect vnlesse the spirit should subdue it self to the flesh and heauenlie thinges yeeld to the earthlie VVhich my libertie of speech I feare not O Emperour but thou vvilt allovve seeing thou art an holie sheepe of my sacred fold and a pupil of the great Pastor and vvel instructed by the holie-Ghost from thine infancie Also S. Athanasius plainlie auoucheth and proueth the Emperour Constantius the Arrian Epist ad Solit. vit degent to be the precursor of Antichrist in that he made him self iudge superiour in causes ecclesiastical ouer Bishops and that his arrogated preeminence and exercise of iurisdiction in such matters which our gentle
Libeller calleth in our Queene her Maiesties Regalitie is Abominatio desolationis fortold by Daniel What would this holie Father haue said if he had seene Cromvvel Cromvvel Vicar general made the Vicar general to K. Henrie in Spiritualibus and sit among and before al the Bishops and Archbishops of the Realme in their conuocations If he had heard tel of Sigillum Reginae ad causas ecclesiasticas of her commissioners and courts of her deposing and creating Bishops and determining of Religiō at her pleasure Kinges nether Catholiques nether Heretiques euer went thus farre being much more capable then anie womā can be Of which sexe S. Chrisostome sayeth thus Lib. 2. de Sacerd. VVhen it cometh to the gouernment of the Church and charge of soules al vvomankind must needes vvholie giue place That not onelie Athanasius the great but the ancient Osius Leontius S. Hilarie and other did so sharplie reprehend it in that heretical king Constantius might haue forewarned our Countrie and her Maiesties Councellours to haue taken heed as wel of the like absurditie as of the suspition of Heresie that in mens heades might seeme to be ingendred therbie seing that such as first attēpted it were notorious Arrians But to giue the same and farre more superioritie to a womā wherof as you see by S. Chrisostome she cannot possiblie be capable that passeth al the barbarous flatterie and follie in the world and maketh our nation a verie fable to al nations and to the posteritie Which in truth is not to make her next to God in her Realme as the Libeller saith but to make her the God of her people Hovv neer the Libeller doth make the Queene God Frō which cogitation though of her self hauing so manie meanes to put her in mind of her mortalitie we doubt not but shee is verie farre yet truelie this abhominable and blasphemous adulation of some about her Highnes may breed great tentations As we see in certaine of the old heathen Emperours who neuer rested til they were adored with diuine honour The next step vnto which is doubtles to say and beleeue that a temporal King is aboue the Priest in causes ecclesiastical or that in a Christian Common-weale the next dignitie to Christ or God is not the Priest but the Prince and so arrogate the regiment of the Church to a Queene which S. Paul expreslie testifieth to be giuen to Bishops Act. 20. saying Take heed to your selues and to the vvhole flocke vvherin the Holie-Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church of God c. Touching which our English singular absurditie it is the greatest pitie in the world to see them so manie yeares after so much holie blood protesting against that iniquitie and so manie learned mens admonitions persist in the same and to alleage stil thos scriptures so impertinentlie for the Princes vsurped spiritual soueraintie by which Claudius or Nero in whos daies and of whom the Apostle spake specially might as wel chalenge to be aboue S. Peter and Paul in the gouernment of the Church and in causes ecclesiastical as anie Christian king that now liueth Marke this reason For whē S. Peter admonished the Christians to whom he wrote and al other in them To be subiect to the king as excelling or preeminent which place our aduersarie so confidentlie alleageth first 1. Pet. 2.13 can anie man be so dul or obstinatlie blind The absurdities of Protestants in founding the Q. spiritual Supremacie vpon S. Peters vvord as to thinke that he prescribeth anie other dutie towardes the king then was common both to the Pagane Princes at that time persecuting the Church to Christiā kinges afterward protecting the Church Secondlie can anie Protestant be so peeuish to pretend herebie that the heathen Emperours by reason of this subiection to them that the Apostle prescribeth and by their Emperial dignitie should be aboue S. Peter Paul or Christ him self in the Church of God or in ecclesiastical regiment for Christ behaued him self to the Emperour in his daies as the Apostle here commaundeth Christians to doe and that the Apostolical preeminence or our Sauiours owne Preesthood among the faithful should not be esteemed so highe in truth and afore God as the regalitie of Nero or any other ether faithful or heathen tēporal power Thirdlie can they be so ignorāt as not to see the king to be called the cheefe or precellīg by the Apostle not in comparison or respect of the spiritual dignitie but in regard of his Dukes Presidentes and other lieutenants vnder him as the text it self plainlie geueth Fourthlie can not our aduersaries discerne the causes in which both Christian Priestes religious and al other men as S. Chrisostome writeth doe owe obedience to lauful kinges whether they be heathen or faithful from thos matters wherin nether Pagane nor Christian Prince may commaund the Priest nor people that is in religion and affaires of the soule Fiftlie could they not espie by the wordes of S. Peter next going before that the occasion of his writing of this obedience to Princes was to teach the faithful how they should behaue them selues in companie of the heathen without offence Who amōg other thinges slaundered and charged the Christians of treason conspiracies and disobedience to their Prince euen as our Protestants doe Catholiques because they would not leaue their Christian faith and exercises at their commaundement nor obey them before God and their holie Pastours in matter of faith and conscience For stopping of al which false slaunderous tonges S. Peter The true meaning and cause of S. Peters vvordes required thē to obey their Princes in al worldlie tēporal ciuil matters to pay their tribute keepe their ciuil lawes liue peaceablie and lowlie amongst them yea to pray for them whether they tollerate the Christian religiō or persecute the same Lastlie could our Libeller and his fellowes be in truth so grosse as not to consider that though the Apostles and holie Bishops of thos first times when the Emperours were yet heathen strangers to Christ and his Church could haue no superioritie ouer them nor vse anie discipline towardes them the other acknowledging no dutie or subiection to the Apostles or spiritual gouernours of the faithful people yet now when the Princes of the world haue submitted them selues and their people to the Ghospel of Christ and to his sweet yoke and are become members and childrē of the Church as the spiritual power oweth in worldlie thinges honour and obedience to his temporal soueraine so likewise that the secular power must of reason yeeld honor and subiection to the spiritual in affaires of faith soule and religion ether of them hauing meanes in their kind of superioritie to force by lawes penaltie discipline the other to obedience and due subiection if ether should rebel agaīst the other Wherin because the spiritual power consisteth in thinges Quae sunt ad Deum and that concerne our soules and
the conducting of them to life and peace euerlasting and the temporal perteineth principallie to the good and trāquilitie of this trāsitorie life comparing thē both together it must needes be cōfessed that the spiritual is the higher nearer and liker to the Soueraintie of God ouer his reasonable creatures thē is the terrene power or Humane creature as the Apostle here termeth the King his presidēts 2. Pet. 7. So as euerie power both spiritual and temporal being of God as S. Paul teacheth and obedience and subiection due to both in their kind though in seueral subiects causes and respectes yet is it most cleare that of the two the ecclesiastical power and regiment is more excellent In respect wherof S. Ignatius The subordination of the tvvo povvers according to S. Ignatius giueth this order in honoring and respecting our superiours Honour God the author and Lord of al and the Bishop as the Prince of Priestes being the Image of God and holding his Princedome of him and his Priesthood of Christ Epist ad Smirnē And after him you must honor also the King For none is to be preferred before God nor equal to him nor more honorable in the Church then the Bishop exercising the Priesthood of God for the saluation of the vvorld Nether is anie equal to the King in the hoste or campe procuring peace and beneuolence to the other Princes vnder him For he that honoreth the Bishop shal be honored of God and he that dishonoreth him shal of God be dishonored For if anie man rising against the king is vvorthie of damnation hovv can he escape Gods iudgementes that attempteth anie thing against or vvithout the Bishop For Priesthood is the cheef and somme of al mans good vvhich vvho so euer disgraceth dishonoreth God and our Lord IESVS CHRIST the chefe Priest of God c. And if anie man list farther to see what the olde Christian Emperours thought and acknowledged in this matter The opiniō practise of old Christian Emperours in this cause and how they behaued them selues towardes Gods priestes in al causes of religion and spiritual affaires and with what honour priuilege and prerogatiue they respected their persons and holie calling euen in temporal causes let him reade Zozomenus how Constantine the great behaued him self towardes the Bishopes in the first Councel of Nice Li. 2. ca. 2. trip and S. Augustines 162. epistle of the same Emperours contentment to aske pardon of the Bishopes for taking vpon him to deale in the Cause of Caecilian properlie perteining to them S. Ambrose epistle 32. of Valentinian the elders lawe that in ecclesiastical causes none should iuditiallie deale that were not of the same order The like he writeth of the Emperour Gratians behauiour in the Councel of Aquileia And to be breefe let him reade the Emperour Iustinianus sixt constitution wher he both putteth the true difference betwixt the Priesthood and the Empire and preferreth that before this saying thus The greatest giftes of God among men Auth. Quomodo oport Episcop c. in p. is the Priestood and the Empire of vvhich tvvo the former hauing the administration of diuine thinges the other of humane both proceeding of one beginning doe adorne mans life c. And thus it is euen in thos Countries where the Church and Ciuil state concurre in one common wealth wher like as the Prelates be in some respect and causes subiect to the temporal Prince so againe the Prince and state reciprocallie in spiritual matters are obedient to the Church Prelates ether of them deferring due honor to the other but the spiritual souerantie euer preferred among the faithful though for worldlie power force and glorie most necessarie to keepe the people in awe order kinges doe lightlie exceed the other Which exterior shew and splendour of Prince the Prelates of their seueral dominions doe most humblie by al seruice and office manteine But now for the Pope cheefe of al Bishopes and Christian people being in respect of his temporal state subiect to no Prince nor Potentat of the world and for his spiritual dignitie and iurisdiction farre passing al the Prelates of particular Churches and prouinces his principalitie being in nether kind subiect or subalternate to anie other he must needes be greater and more pearles without al exception and limitation And though his state and authoritie temporal be not holden nor chalenged by Gods expresse lawe immediatlie of him as the spiritual supremacie is The prouidēce of God for the Popes tēporal povver which he hath and holdeth immediatlie and directlie of Christ yet it is Gods great prouidence that sith the Emperours and Kinges haue bene christened and submitted them selues to the obedience of Christ and his Church that the cheefe Bishop should for the honour of Christ and his high dignitie be made free from al subiection by the Princes and Emperours owne grauntes be possessed of the capital Citie of al the world Which could neuer haue bene brought to passe nor so manie worlde 's continued in the reuolutions changes and ouerturninges of so many kingdomes states great Monarchies round about him had it not bene done by Gods special pleasure ordinance to the end that being subiect to none he might with more libertie lesse danger and greater indifferencie doe iustice to al and vse discipline without feare or respect of persons as wel towardes great as smal Which if he were subiect to some secular Princes as most other Bishopes are could hardlie be done In which case also some of our ignorant Heretiques as among other this Libeller be so vnsensible that they sticke not to alleage the saying of S. Paul Absurd allegatiō of S. Paul by the Libeller Rom. 13. That euerie soule must be subiect to superiour povver to proue therbie as it seemeth that the Pope should be obedient to our Queene or to some other particular king As though euerie person should be subiect to euerie power or to anie other then to him that hath superioritie ouer him or in anie other matters then wherin he hath superioritie may commaund Or as though God had onelie ordeined secular power and commaunded al obedience therunto and not appointed spiritual power and prelacie with charge of subiection vnto the same also With such grosse felowes the Church hath to doe that nether haue sense reason nor religion and which alleage that for obedience to earthlie powers onelie which ether in expresse wordes or by necessarie sequele much more commendeth subiection to spiritual powers As with like blindnes the man also alleageth this our Sauiours sentence The Kinges of the Gentils haue rule over them Luc. 22. but you not so to proue that Popes should arrogate no temporal authoritie but feede onelie as he saith Peter did and manie of the next Popes after him Which he would neuer haue cited if he had knowen that hereby onelie al tirannical domination vsed among the heathen Princes
her special othe and obligation she is bound more to defend and protect the Church then her subiects be And finallie vpon al the proofes reasons and authorities that haue gone before we auouch that besides God almightie euerie tēporal Prince Christened hath his pastor also and speciallie the general gouernour of the whole Church for his superiour in earth in al causes of soule conscience to whos orders in matter of religion he is bound to obey vnder paine of damnation and that Gods iust iudgements are nere the Princes and countries what soeuer that wil not obey him but violentlie resist his ordinance and by Antichristian pride doe chalenge power not lauful to be yeelded vnto them THE CONCLVSION CONTEINING A CHARITABLE MOTION AND A ioinder vvith the Libeller touching some meanes of tolleration in Religion and ceasing or mitigating this cruel Persecution CAP. IX AND now though in the deepe conceauing of this our Countries incōparable offence our hartes be wholie oppressed with feare and heauines yet ether the force of our peculiar affectiō towardes our flesh and blood driuing vs to hope for better then is deserued or the largenes of Gods immesurable mercies yeelding contrarie to mans demerits pardō vpon repentance doe cause vs often-times to expect grace mercie rather then extreme rigour and iudgement In which cogitatiō it cometh often to our mindes Causes of feares and hope tovvardes our Countrie that if anie thing auert Gods ire from our Prince and Countrie it is the abundance of holie blood shed thes late yeares euer sith the first reuolt Which though by iustice it might crie rather to God for vengeance and so it doth in respect of the impenitent and the clamor therof shal neuer be void yet we trust it sueth for mercie speciallie in respect of the infinite number of al estates that neuer consented to this iniquitie It is the heroical endeuour of a great-manie zealous Priestes and worthie gentlemen that continuallie offer not onelie their praiers and other deuout and religious offices but them selues in sacrifice for the saluation of their best beloued Countrie It is the ardent and incessant care of his Holines seeking our reconcilement with charitie vnspeakable It is the general coniunctiō of al Christiā mindes in the whole world towardes our recouerie No Church no Companie Monasterie or College of name in Christēdome that with earnest deuotiō and publique fastes and praiers laboreth not to God for mercie towardes vs. Finallie euen thos thinges and persons that the aduersaries accompt to be the cause of al their troubles feares are indeed the onely hope of Gods mercy their owne pardon and our Countries saluation In which case to deale as freelie for a farewel and as charitablie with the Libeller as he would seeme to conclude with vs we wishe no more for performance of that he proposeth and partlie promiseth The Libellers offer in the ende of his booke Fol. 18. but that he were assured of her Maiesties and the Councels mind therin or were of such credit with them that he could bring that to good effect which ī couert wordes he pretendeth towardes vs which is that he doubteth not but her Maiesty would shed no more the blood of her natural subiectes nor vse any more bodilie punishmēts at al if they would desist from their practises abrode from their writing of railīg bookes and from wandering in disguised apparel within the Realme would imploy their trauail in the workes of light and doctrine according to the vsage of their schooles and content them selues with their profession and deuotion So the man speaketh how soeuer he meaneth But Alas if anie mercie iust or tollerable treatie were meant The vrgent distresses of English Catholiques or euer had bene offred to Catholiques vpon anie reasonable conditions what so euer our aduersaries had neuer needed to haue fallen to such extreme proceedinges with their owne flesh and blood nor euer had anie such troubles fears or dāgers bene thought vpon wherof now they haue so deepe apprehension If anie pitiful eare had euer bene giuen by the superiours to the incessant grones cries teares and supplications of their Catholique subiects desiring but releefe of their infinitlie distressed consciences tormented by damnable othes articles and exercises of Caluinisme that were forced vpon them if they might haue had ether by licence or conniuēce in neuer so few places of the Realme neuer so secretlie neuer so inoffensiuelie the exercise of that faith religiō which al their forefathers since our Countrie was conuerted liued and died in and in which them selues were baptised and from which by no lawe of God nor man they can be compelled to anie sect or rite of religion which they nor their forefathers euer voluntarilie accepted or admitted if of al the noble Churches Colleges and other inestimable prouisiōs of the Realme founded and made onelie by Catholiques and for Catholiques and for no protestants nor anie their sacrilegious ministeries at al some few had bene permitted to the true owners and to that true worship of God for which they were instituted if they might haue obteined anie peece of that libertie which Catholiques enioy in Germanie Zuicherland or other places among protestāts or half the freedome that the Hugonots haue in Fraunce and other countries yea or but so much courtesie as the Christians find among the verie Turks or verie Ievves among Christians vpon anie reasonable or vnreasonable tribute which hath bene often in most humble and lamentable sort offered and vrged or to be short if anie respect care or compassiō in the world had bene had ether of Catholique mens soules bodies or goods our aduersaries should neuer haue bene troubled nor put in ielousie of so manie mens malcontentment at home nor stand in doubt of the departure absence of so great a number of Nobilitie and principal gētlemen abrode they should neuer haue had such Colleges and Seminaries in other Princes dominions erected and furnished with English youthes the issue wherof is now and perhaps wil be hereafter more more wonderful to the world they should not haue bene controlled in their Heresie so zealouslie and effectuallie by the Priestes created at home of old or latelie ordeined and sacred abrode ther should haue bene no cause of writing so manie bookes for defence of our innocencie and the Faith of our forefathers and for our iust complaint to the Christian world of the intollerable rigour or crueltie vsed against vs. In al which bookes no protestant in England is able to reproue the writers of anie vntruth or slaunder railing immodestie or misbehauiour towardes our secular Princesse or persecutours what so euer the Libeller without proof affirmeth here Wherin I auow him to be so much destitute of truth as he is not able to alleage one line or sentence or anie one example out of our writinges to the contrarie as on the other side nether he nor any els can cleare our aduersaries the
see in what sort also Hiereboam king of Israel 3. Reg. 13 14. The exāple of Ieroboā a vvicked schismatick denoūced by a Preist had a special Prophet sent to him to denounce the intended iudgements of God against him and his posteritie for his schisme and separation of his people from the old anciēt true worship of God in Hierusalem and for erectīg of a new Altar in Bethel ī which al schisme and diuisiō from the Apostolike Sea is properlie prefigured and for creating of a wicked cleargie out of Aarons order I meane new hungrie base and inordered Priestes the paterne of heretical ministers thrust vp out of the aray and orderlie succession and creation of Apostolike Priesthood a crime so highlie afterward both in him and his stocke according to Gods former denunciation reuenged that none of his house was left to pisse against a wal Yet he fondlie sought to apprehend the man of God and to kil him for bringing this newes which he accompted high treason against his regalitie Ozias also The exāple of proude Ozias that vvould take vnto him the authoritie of Priestes or Vsia king of Iuda puffed vp with intollerable pride as the Scripture sayeth and not contended with his kinglie soueraigntie but presuming to execute spiritual and Priestlie functiō was valiantlie by Azarias and fourscore Priestes with him assailed and thrust out of the Temple by force At what time for that he threatned the Priests of God and resisted them with violence he was strooken with a filthie leprosie so not onelie thrust out of the Temple but by their authoritie seuered also from al company of men a special figure of the Priests power to excommunicate for Heresie as wel Princes as others in the new law and finally the regiment of his kingdome was committed to his sonne A cleare example that Priestes may vse armes represse impietie by forceable wayes wher it may serue to the preseruation of Religion and the honor of God But the office and zeale of good Priestes is notablie 4. Reg. 11 recōmended vnto vs The exāple of depositiō and death of Queene Athalia by Ioida the highe Priest in the deposition of the wicked Q. Athalia She to obteine the croune after Ochasias killed al his children onelie one which by a certaine good womans pietie was secretlie withdrawen from the massacre saued and brought vp within the Temple for seuen years space al which time the said Q. vsurped the kingdome til at length Ioida the high Priest by opportunitie called to him forces both of the Preistes and people proclamed the right heire that was in his custodie annointed and crouned him king caused immediatlie the pretēsed Q. notwithstanding she cried Treason Treason as not onelie iust possessors but wicked vsurpers vse to doe to be slaine with her fautors at her owne court gate Thus doe Priests deale and iudge for the innocent and lauful Princes when time requireth much to their honor and agreeable to their holie calling No man can be ignorant how stoutlie Elias being sought to death by Achab and his Q. Iesabel that ouerthrew holie Altars 3. Reg. 18 19. The executiō done by Elias the Prophet vpon many vvith deposition of Princes and murthered al the true religious that could be found in their land tould them to their face that not he or other men of God whom they persecuted but they and their house were the disturbers of Israel And slew in his zeale al the said Iesabels false Prophets fostered at her table euen foure hundreth at one time and so set vp holie Altars againe How he handled the Idololatrious king Ochozias his Captaines and messingers 4. Reg. 1 wasting them and an hundreth of their traine by fire from heauen til the third Captaine was forced to humble him self vpon his knees vnto him 3. Reg. 19. 4. Reg. 9 How he had commission to annoint Hazael king of Siria Eliseus a Prophet for him self and Iehu king of Israel so to put doune the sonne and whole house of Achab which therbie lost al the title and right to the kingdome for euer This Prophet and his successor Eliseus were so famous in this seruice of God for the chastisement of irreligious Princes that in holie writ it is thus said of the former He cast doune kinges destroyed them Eccle. 48. and plucked the honorable from their seates And of the second in the same place that he neuer feared Prince nor could be ouercome by anie And in an other place 3. Reg. 19 VVho soeuer escapeth the svvord of Iehu the svvord of Eliseus shal slea him By which examples of holie Scriptures we see first Illations consequents vpō the former examples that annointed and laufullie created kinges may be deposed secondlie for what causes they were depriued thirdly that as in the creation and consecration of kinges so also in their depriuation God vsed the ministerie of Priestes and Prophets as ether ordinarie or extraordinarie Iudges or executors of his wil towardes them For though nether thes Priests nor Prophets were superiours to their owne kinges or soueraignes in their temporal states and regiments nor Lordes or maisters of their crounes and kingdomes yet for that they held their dignities and soueraigne authorities of God and were bound to occupie and vse the same with what forces so euer they had to th'aduauncement of his Religion and to the true worship and honor of their supreme Lord and Maister as also to the benefit preseruation of his people in faith and feare of him the Priestes and Prophets that then had the principal and direct charge of mens soules and religion and were in spiritual matters superiors to their owne Princes rightlie opposed them selues in al such actions as tended to the dishonor of God destruction of religion and to the notorious domage of the soules of them ouer whom they did reigne and in the behalf of God executed iustice vpon such as contrarie to their obligation and first institution abused their soueraigne power to the destruction of true religion and aduauncemet of Idolatrie Heresie or such like abhomination In which cases and al other doubtes and differences betwixt one man and an other or betwixt Prince and people that Priestes and namely the highe Priest should be the Arbiter and Iudge and the interpreter of Gods wil towards his people is most consonant both to nature reason the vse of al nations and to the expresse Scriptures Deut. 17. For in Gods sacred law thus we read Si difficile ambiguum apud te iudicium esse prospexeris inter sanguinem sanguinem The subiection of al men to the iudgemēt of Priestes causam causam lepram non lepram c. If thou forsee the iudgement to be hard and ambiguous betwixt blood and blood cause and cause leprosie or no leprosie and finde varietie of sentences among the iudges at home rise and goe vp to the place which
the Lord thy God shal chuse and thou shalt come to the Priestes of Leuies stocke and to the iudge that shal be for the time thou shalt aske of them and they wil iudge according to the truth of iudgement and thow shalt doe what so euer they say that haue the rule of the place which God shal chuse shal teach the accordīg to his lawe thow shalt not decline neither to the right hand nor left And if anie shal be so proude as not to obey the commaundement of the Priest that shal for that time minister vnto the Lord thy God by the sentence of the iudge let that man die and so thou shal remoue euil from Israel and al the people hearing shal feare and take heed that hereafter they waxe not proude Thus far in the holie text generallie without al exception subiecting in cases of such doubtes as are recited al degrees of faithful men no lesse kings then others to the Priestes resolution Yea immediatelie order is giuen how their kinges which yet were not when that was writtē but afterward by their motion to be created should be elected that none could be chosen to rule ouer them beīg the people of God that were not true beleeuers and worshippers of him according to the ceremonies of their lawe and religion which lawes they might not take make or moderate them selues but receiue of the Priestes of the Leuitical tribe and therbie learne to feare God and keepe his wordes and ceremonies expresly also appointing and warning them or as it were couenanting with them and him whom they should create or haue for their king that he should not against Gods expresse commaundement bring backe at anie time his people into Egipt that is to say from the libertie of his faith and true seruice to the bondage of Idolatrie and false Religion Which condition was afterward to be implied in the receuing of anie king ouer the people of God and true beleeuers for euer Videlicet A conditiō implied in the creatiō of al Princes that they should not reduce their people by force or otherwise from the Faith of their forefathers and the religion and holie ceremonies therof receiued at the handes of Gods Priestes and none other Insinuating that obseruing thes precepts and conditions he and his sonne after him might long reigne otherwise as by the practize of their deposition in the bookes and time of the kinges it afterward appeareth wherof we haue set doune some examples before the Prophets and Priestes that annointed them of no other condition but to keepe and mainteine the honor of God and his true worship depriued them againe when they brake with their Lord and fel to strange Gods and forced their people to doe the like And this it was in the old law The authoritie of Priesthood in the nevv testament But now in the new testament in the time of Christs spiritual kingdome in the Church Priestes haue much more soueraigne authoritie Princes far more strict charge to obey loue Esa 49.52 Esa 60. and cherish the Church of which Church it was said by prophecie Kinges shal be thy Fosterfathers and Queenes thy Nurces And againe Kinges brestes shal nourish the euerie kingdome that serueth not the shal perish In which Church without faile is the supereminent power of Christs Priesthood Psal 2. who with his yrō rodde bruseth the pride of Princes that rebel against his Spouse and kingdome in earth like a potters potsharde Ierem. 1. and hath right in his Church ouer al kingdomes to plant and plucke vp to builde and destroy afore whom al kinges shal fal doune and al nations doe him seruice Math. 16. Now Christs Priestlie prerogatiue passing his owne regal dignitie much more excelling al other humane power of the world in most ample exact termes is communicated to the cheefe Priest and pastor of our soules Mat. 18. and secondarilie to the rest of the gouernours of the Church in other maner of clauses thē anie earthlie Princes can shew for their pretenced spiritual regiment Fie on that secular pride and wilful blind heresie so repugning against Gods expresse ordinance and yet is of wicked Sectmaisters and flatterers vpholden to the eternal calamity of them selues and of millions of others Ioan. 21. Now al Christs sheepe wthout exception be they Princes be they poore if they be Christian men are put to Peters feeding and gouernment Now the keyes of heauē be deliuered to Christs Vicar in earth Mat. 16. to let in to locke out to binde to loose to punish to pardon Heb. 13. Now we be commanded euerie one be we kinges be we Caesars to obey our Prelates and Pastors and to be subiect to them as to thos that must make accompt to God for our soules 1. Cor. 5. 2. Ioan. wherin what Christian Prince may except him self Now they haue ful authoritie to forbid vs the companie of Heretiques Ad Tit. 3. Blasphemers Idolaters and such like and not so much as to salute them much more not to obey them And lest anie man should thinke this power to be so merelie spiritual that it might not in anie wise be extended to temporal or corporal domage or chastisement of the faithful in their goods liues possessions or bodies being mere secular thinges therfore not subiect to their Pastors spiritual or Priestlie function it is to be marked in the holie Apostles first execution of their commissions authoritie Spiritual Pastors haue povver to punish corporally that though their spiritual power immediatlie and directlie concerneth not our temporal affaires yet indirectlie and as by accident it doth not onelie concerne our soules but our bodies and goods so far as is requisite to our soules health expedient for the good regiment therof and the Churches vtilitie being subiect to their spiritual gouernours Therfore S Peter Act. 5. being but a mere spiritual officer and Pastor of mens soules yet for sacriledge and simulation stroke dead both man and wife Act. 13. S. Paul stroke blind Elymas the Magician 1. Cor. 4 So did he threaten to come to his contemners in rodde of discipline So did he excommunicate a principal person in Corinth 1. Cor. 5 for incest not onely by spiritual punishment but also by bodilie vexation giuing him vp to Sathans chastisement As he corporally also corrected and molested with an euil spirit Himineus and Alexander for blasphemie heresie Finallie he boldlie auoucheth 1. Timo. 1 2. Cor. 10 that his power in God is to reuenge al disobedience and to bring vnder al loftie hartes to the loialtie of Christ and of the Apostles and Saints in this life 1. Cor. 6. Nescitis quoth he quoniam Angelos iudicabimus quanto magis secularia Knowe you not that we shal iudge Angels how much more secular matters In al which ther is no difference betwixt Kinges that be faithful and other Christian men who