or receiued much lesse such rapine ought to bee called a statute and for lesse cause a fundamentall law of the realme Vnder the colour of which speech thou doest heere suppresse the truth which bindeth al the gentlemen of France to this duetie which is here spoken of forasmuch as they haue receyued theyr noble possessions of the first kinges beeing founders of this Crowne to the intent and vppon this condition that they should maintayne the kingdome in the state of the Monarchie and in the line of the bloud royall and for the want of such obedience they should be accounted rebels and felons This is therefore the true fundamentall lawe iust and approued of all estates not thy last false pretended statute which some varlet hath wrested by subtletie treason and violence from the handes of his Maister Euen as the last king beeing sette at libertie did reuoke it incontinently after the death of him that had committed suche violence agaynst him thereby to shewe that such a wicked accident neyther could nor ought to preiudice the trueth nor the right vsage of any thing And thus lette vs passe further The fifth Article THe fifth Article containeth two points The first is that the Catholieks which doe helpe the king doe burie in the dust the honour and glorie of Fraunce which hath receiued this priuiledge aboue al other countries of Christendome that from the time of the first christian king vnto the last king that is now dead it hath neuer receiued anie as king that hath bin anie kinde of waie spotted with heresie Heerevpon this malecontent doeth knocke and torment himselfe more than euer hee did before falling from phrensie into a rage For he commeth to this point that he calleth the king the first borne of satan Afterwards he saith that the myracle of healing the goule granted onely to the kings of France shall be lost in a king being an heretike Now to the first We answere thus that the honour and glorie of a realme Iohn 17 consisteth in the true knowledge of the true God and in the celebration and right vsage of his pure seruice contained declared in his word the kingdomes and countries hauing kings which doe acknowledge and practise these two Articles are declared honorable before God Whereupon it followeth that in busines of religion the glorie and interest of this realme is nothing at all diminished or hindered because of the king seeing that he is such a one and therfore consequently he is to be accounted faithfull and the sonne of the Church of God But to the end that thou shalt not obiect that I reason absurdly I will come to thy intention Thou wouldest summarily infer and say that in affaires of religion the glorie of a kingdom lieth in this point in that that it hath alwaies had kings which haue acknowledged the Bishop of Rome decked with all these qualities first to be Gods lieuetenant the vicar of Christ 2. Thess 2. successor of the Apostles vniuersall Bishop chiefe soueraigne pastor of the Church hauing also this authoritie to change augment and diminish yea euen to the condemning and sauing whome he pleaseth Thou callest this the honor and glorie of a kingdome But it hath bin else where answered and proued vnto thee that such a doctrine and beleefe being examined by the word of God being the onely touch stone will be found to be ignominious and dishonorable so farre off is it from all honor and glorie And as concerning that which remaineth wee ought to obserue the circumstances of the times in the which the kings of France haue beene conuerted to the Christian religion from the yeere of our Lord God 472. vntill this time which was about the space of 1118. yeeres within which diuers ages many Bishoppes of Rome being ambitious ignorant and superstitious haue often times and diuersly altered corrupted the pure seruice of God And for my witnes herein I take the introduction of this which followeth The marriage which the Lord instituted Gen. 2. was heere alreadie forbidden to ecclesiasticall persons as a thing prophane vnto the which was vrged the vowe of perpetuall continencie and excommunication to them that shoulde bee found in falt through ouer-sight and indiscretion The seruice as well of Idols as of superstitious relikes was receyued into vse as a thing necessarie to saluation Hermitages and dedications of feastes and temples had as much attributed vnto them in as much as a great portion of iustification to saluation was sought for in them The adoration of the Crosse also is a parte of it an abhominable errour to saie and beleeue that in a peece of woode that may be burned should consist a peece of the diuine worshippe The Prayers and Offerings for the dead doo sing the same song The adoration of a sacramentall signe brought in sithence doeth iustifie the sacrifices of the Pagans the pride of the Popes and that of the Demons which doo attribute more vnto themselues than euer the sonne of God did as hee was in the qualitie of a redeemer All which traditions idolatries and superstitions are nothing else but pure heresies Serm. 67. ad Eug. for the which cause Saint Bernard calleth the bringers in of these things the ministers of Antichrist and such Prelates Pilates These things will constrayne thee to confesse that the greater parte of the kings of France beeing instructed in the same sorte were fedde with a poore foode Neuerthelesse I doe agree that such false beleefes cannot bee imputed to heresie but simplie to errour because they did not erre with delight of hart and much lesse through mallice but only thought to doe well Besides that following the intention I will alleadge the example of two kings of Fraunce which doe shew that thou hast not seene all thinges The first is of Phillip the fourth called the fayre which was not onely accounted and holden as an heretike but also excommunicated of Pope Boniface the eighth of that name because hee would not take in hand the voyage into the holy land and moreouer because hee did not beleeue that the Pope had right to transpose kingdomes The second example concerning Chilperie the ninth king of Fraunce which helde a damnable opinion touching the article of the Trinitie and commaunded the Bishops to preach it Notwithstanding all which Fraunce beeing better taught by the Bishops that were then woulde neuer enterprise to cast off or forsake neither the one nor the other And now for the second point of the Article which concerneth the healing of the Goule a notable myracle sayest thou which will haue no force in a king beeing an heretike To the which ptetended myracle I will aunswere these thinges Those which returned awaie with theyr Goules incurable with conditions to serue and cherish them all theyr life time doe shew that thou takest the coles of Saint Laurence in the stead of the Angell Gabriels feather or quill Secondly that of the phisitions which
estate of gouernement Ergo hee is periured if he inquireth of traitors who haue sworne to do it But in despite of the rage which causeth these furious to bee so madde I demaunde who is the chiefe in a kingdome if the soueraigne Magistrate be not Next vnto God who ought a man to sweare faith and fidelitie vnto but onely vnto the soueraigne Magistrate Are not the lawes in this case cleare and formable enough that is to say that the subiect is culpable of the crime or treason if he doth not reueale vnto him the conspiracies which are practised against him But one hath promised and sworn not to say any thing I answere that it hath beene proued that it is not lawfull to sweare to doe euill and if it be that any hath so sworne that then he ought presently to cal it back agayne and repent least that the second sinne bee woorse than the first Moreouer true it is that that which presseth thee without comparison is the feare of hanging of some Monke or Priest Wherupon thou oughtest to vnderstand that the crime of treason against his soueraigne is worthy to be made hanging aswell towards the Ecclesiasticall as toward the Nobilitie and aswel towards the councellors as the Merchants Now let vs heare thy prophesie If the king of Nauarre were head ouer the French Church that of these two faire heades should Antichrist be borne for hee would sayest thou take away religion from the Frenchmen bring in a most cruell French inquisition To the which also I aunswere that the Church neither ought nor can haue but one heade Ephe. 1 1. Thes 2 which is Christ Iesus Secondly that Antichrist is borne long time since Thirdly that the king had rather die a hundred and a hundred times than to take away the Christian religion from France not hauing any thing at all determined in his mind to bring in any inquisition whatsoeuer so far off is it from being like to that of Spayne the which thou callest iuste but thou hast omitted amongst the deuils in hell seeing that his vnspeakable crueltie and tyranny is not exercised but amongst those who are most religious according to the will of God and most iuste amongst men the which is knowne of all noble hartes louing the truth and vertue And because ye hate such people ye doe the more commend such a kind of Inquisition forasmuch as it hurteth none but them for the maintenance of your ambition auarice superstition cookry idlenes and tyranny Beholde how the treatie of religion is in Spayne the Soueraigne is altogether robbed and spoyled of the knowledge that a Magistrate ought to haue ouer his subiectes when as there is any capitall crime committed or any other corporall punishments to be vsed vppon what occasion soeuer it be for all men knowe that king Philip through a pretended deuotion hath giuen transported this right whereof we speake vnto his Ecclesiasticall Romish Spanyardes which haue desired and wrested it from him by all the most subtill coosenages and deceits that any kinde of way they could deuise to bring the same to passe that therby they might the more subtilly vse their deuelish cruel actions agaynst those which do but once open their eyes against theyr errors trumperies and falsehoods And all this husbandrying intituleth it selfe the Inquisition of Spayne the which giueth such authoritie boldnes vnto his Clergie that they dare quarrell with the princes of the bloud and challenge them euen so farre foorth as to the razing of them out so as is already come to passe Where is to be vnderstood that the Soueraigne prince did neuer rule more imperiously ouer Spaine than these ecclesiasticall Lord gouernors doe by the ministerie of this Inquisition which maketh them to liue like kinges and princes and in assurance being most assured that theyr filthines and deceits shall neuer fall into any examination or censure but amongst themselues Now this is the cause that this Leaguerer and his companions finding all this to be so good according to their mind why they would willingly eat a part of it And for the attaining vnto the which sayest thou that it is better to take a king of a straunge nation that is to say a Spanyard daring to assure thy selfe that by the office and seruice of his Inquisition this Metamorphosis would worke well for thee and thy mates so that of simple priestes and prelates ye might become little kings like vnto your vsurping Spanyards Thou hast a natutall pretended reason indeede and goe on with it seeing that Satan hath no more expedient meanes to maintayne your ambition couetousnes tyranny and idlenes by But for feare of beeing accused of accusing a king of Spayne with such like ignorance and vndiscreetnes being reputed wise amongst all the monarchies of the earth it behoueth me to eschue such a blame in discouering his intention and to what ende he proposeth himselfe when as hee giueth the iurisdiction and power which euery Soueraigne ought to keepe himselfe when hee should minister the criminall punishment which belongeth vnto his subiects vpon what occasion soeuer to his ecclesiasticall persons For there is no cause why we should esteem or think that one onely and superstitious indiscretion doth induce this great prince to such wicked proceedinges wee shall finde and conclude then that in making this present Inquisition actiuelye vnto hys Cleargie hee hath imitated the subtill proceedinges of Mahomet the which beeing not able to install his tyranny amongst the Arabians imployed himselfe vnder the colour of religion by the ministerie of the which hee executed his wickednesse more easily But had not such a subtletie beene the estates of Spayne had hindred their king well enough from biting and kicking so furiously as he doth now and as the codition and lesson of those of Arragon do witnesse beginning thus We which can doe more than yee wee chuse you for king with such conditions c. By the meanes whereof they had expulsed from them this tyranny had it not been for the subtleties and villainous aide of their wretched ecclesiasticall priestes What preachers are these which by their exhortations preachings and authorities doe helpe to maintaine this deuilish inquisition with the which office these venerable personages doe acquite themselues the more willingly because that in steade of feeling theyr part of the tyranny they make it serue to their greatnesse immunities honours pleasures commodities and other such like benefites comming and issuing from the aforesaid inquisition Behold also now the motiue and efficient cause of the same where it appeareth that aswel the king as the Clergie of Spayne do complot sucke and gripe the people ouer whom God hath constituted them as fathers and guides What religious people be these which sporte themselues thus with poore Christians sending them frō Caiphas to Pilate For which cause two euident examples will witnesse that the zeale of religion hath nothing at all induced neither the king of Spayne
anihilate the obedience or dutie which Christians doo owe them as it appeareth by the same text where Saint Paul doeth not permit the Corinthians to digresse from their obedience for that cause so farre off is he then from that that he commandeth in other places 1. Tim. 2. Kom 13. that praiers shoulde bee ordinarily made for them and to honor them and paie them tribute And furthermore that because the Apostle in this place doeth indeuour to take awaie the scandale which the Corinthians had giuen it should followe by the counsell of this venerable leaguer that in stead of one shoulde spring mo then one hundred But this is a knowen thing that the deciding of a particular wrong hath no communitie with the generall administration of a whole realme for wee may well for our owne right or wrong in giuing place to our selues proceede without scandale or sedition but the putting a king frō his kingdom can neuer be so done and to be short the one is permitted the other is forbidden the one is in our power the other not Consider then this sottish fashion of arguing It is lawfull for mee in respecte of my businesse to choose him that I would then is it lawfull for subiectes in renouncing theyr king to choose such a one as they thinke good because the other is not of theyr religion This is well à simili I praie you what incongruities are there What diuine or polititian woulde reason thus Doest thou not see that besides this thy wickednes intaking a waie the seepter from him to whome the Lord hath giuen it that it is not so easie a thing as thou doest make it to rauine vp the pray from the lyon Oh how thou wouldest bite and rend in peeces if they counsell coulde attayne so much Thou sellest mans bloud good cheape Also what Paradoxe is it when as thou saiest that it were better to chuse one of the moste contemptiblest amongst the Catholickes and make him king Doest thou not perceyue that heere wee ought to reason of the naturall Frenchman beeing valiant which will neuer practise the prouerbe Ab equis ad asinos Out of the hall into the kitchin Furthermore that such a little king shoulde bee a poore vnaduised Icarus Virg. the which the heate of the sunne in a moment woulde cause to fall into the sea And not beeing therewith contente to haue called the king an Ethnicke and Hereticke but moreouer thou namest him one that is fallen a relapse and an Apostata To the which thou hast beene already sufficientlye aunswered else where besides that which by and by shall be added It behooueth thee to proue sound and examine the trueth of matters and not falsly to deface the Magistrates giuen of God by odious wordes beeing inuented at pleasure against thy conscience Behold the answere to thy first Article the which declareth thee to be a seditious slaunderer and dooth cause thee to checke thy selfe of the faulte the which thou doest falsly impute vnto thy king for that that it is heresie to wrest the holy scriptures so as thou doest in causing subiects to turne from the obedience which they owe vnto their soueraignes And as for those which do obiect that the last kinges were not admitted to the crowne of France but by the administration of the Romish ceremonies the which doe require as some say that the king that now raigneth might enter in by the same gate wee aunswere that such ceremonyes ought not anyething at all to preiudice the diuine right because the necessitie doth present it selfe to reforme the Church This beeing heere admitted of all true diuines it shall also bee admitted that it is not reasonable so bring kings in subiection to superstitions beeing forbidden of God and much lesse to take away their politike administration which God hath giuen them ouer kingdoms for not obseruing the same The second Article NOw I come to the second Article of this leagued Doctor containing the Statutes Canons of the Councels to the which to be of the same nature and dependencie I will adde the seauenth comprehending the decrees of the Pope For these two Articles by a common consent do take in hand to excommunicate the king as an heretike with the nobles others that follow him in quality of fautors adherents of the heresie Therfore it is necessary to see whether such lightnings doe fall from heauen as sent from God or whether they came out of the depth as proceeded from Satan to knowe whether the children of light ought to feare them or not Let vs also be holde from the entraunce whether this tempester throwing his tempestes against the king doth shield himselfe as in former time with the pretence of heresie which if he doth we may annswere him in like sort as before how he ought to addresse himselfe to a sicke body moreouer that the remedie which he pretēdeth to giue to thē which might be holden of such a malady is pestiferous mortall and by consequence not to be receiued wherfore he shal answere to the names of such spirituall maladies not maintaine the heresie far off is it but to shewe that the Bishop of Rome nor any other in the manner of spirituall Phisitions haue neither calling right mandate or warrant to depose infidell Princes frō their kingdoms scepters Luk. 22. crownes which God hath giuen them seeing the ecclesiastical censures ought to do nothing but in spiritual punishments concerning religion not in politike causes of the world To the which ends we wil thus argue against such abuses tyrannies All that which is done in the church for the cause right vsage of christian religiō ought to haue the worde of God for obiect foundation 1. Cor. 3. for the authority of the same is altogether argued of in diuinity But the Canons of such Bishops the decrees of such Popes haue nothing for obiecte nor foundation but only the corruptible wil inuentions of corruptible men therfore it followeth that such Canons decrees do no carrye themselues to the right vsage of christian religion The Maior is proued by this generall maxime A Bishop can neither adde nor diminish to or from the holye scripture Deut. 4 1. Cor. 3. for that it pronounceth a curse against all men that shal take in hand to doe it forbiddeth to laye any other foundation but him which is already laide that is to saye Iesus Christ And like wise it shal be said to them that do otherwise who hath required these thinges at our handes Esa 1 they are an abhomination vnto me The Minor is thus proued God commandeth to approue Rom 13. 1. Tim. ◠acknowledge and respect all kings which he giueth to people of what religion soeuer they bee From whence it followeth that such decrees Canons doe oppose themselues against his commandements to the truth wherof these texts are witnesse And it shall come to passe
helpe the king as fauters of heretikes To answer the same and for the more briefe and easie vnderstanding of this matter of excommunication it is requisite to diuide it into foure parts The definition of the thing shall be the first The second shall comprehend the authoritie and calling of those who ought to excommunicate The thirde shall haue regarde to the qualitie of the crime together with the ende of the censure The fourth shall intreate of the commodities and rightes of this present life to knowe whether ecclesiasticall iurisdiction hath power to depose them from their proper rights or not The worde Excommunication is defined in this manner Excommunication is a bannishment or reiecting of an obstinate sinner beeing hardened in his sinne the which is throwne out of the company of the faithful by the iudgement and sentence of the Church by the authoritie of Iesus Christ following the rule which is contained in hys worde The which ecclesiasticall punishment is ordained as well to cause the sinner to repent and amende as also for the edification of the foresaide Church The seconde parte is touching the persons which ought to pronounce such sentence of excommunication for if it be proffered done by a man hauing no calling it is nothing like as a band made without forme of lawe It is necessary therefore to knowe in generall that the power of excommunication is giuen to the church as Iesus Christ doth witnesse in the Gospell written by S. Mathew Mat. 19. where speaking of him that will neither hear in particular nor in the presence of one or two witnesses his brother which then hath offended commaundeth the partie offended to tell such his rebellion to the Church as to the which the iudgement and acknowledgement of the censure which falleth to him that hath offended doth belong After the Maister Saint Paule his Disciple speaketh thus of the proceeding of excommunication holden agaynst the incestuous Corinthians 1. Cor. 5. I haue determined saith he as being present that he which hath done this thing be deliuered c. And afterwards adding you and my spirit being assembled with you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliuer I say such a man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh to the end that the spirit may be saued in the day of our Lord. It may be seene then that this iudgement is deferred to the Church which chuseth a certayne number of men to the which shee giueth charge to watch ouer the flockes and to haue certaine knowledge of him which hath offended to bring him backe againe to the trueth to the ende that if there doe fall out the censure of excommunication it maye bee doone by the sight and agreement of the Church Mat. 16. according to the authoritie which Iesus Christ hath giuen her This is then a certaine token that the obstinate sinner ought to be excommunicated in the same Church whereof hee is a member and in the which the fault hath beene committed to her greate offence And because that excommunication is the last and moste seuere ecclesiasticall censure against the sinner therefore it is good to proceede in all thinges deliberately by good counsaile Epist lib. 3. Epist 19. and manifest proofe of the cause Wherefore S. Cyprian sayth that the Bishops of his time did call the other Bishops of their prouinces when there was any question of excommunicating the rebellious and obstinate Where it appeareth that there is found no such matter as in the Romish proceedinges seeing that they excommunicate not onely those which be not of their diocesse but all other out of their prouinces as they thinke good ouer the which they haue no more to do than this my leagued Monke hath ouer the Tartarians This abuse doth aggrauate it selfe the more in as much as the Popes beeing accused of manye crimes doe notwithstanding iudge them which are their accusers where we may not omit that of old time our Fathers did ordaine and appoint those things which they thought conuenient profitable and necessary for the correction of those which did belong vnto the French Church without going into Italie a as is prooued and shewed amongst others by the authour of the abuses and nullities of the Bulles of Pope Sixtus that dyed last the which dooth shewe by many examples Aim lib. 5. cap. 26. that the Bishoppes of Fraunce warned Pope Gregorie the fourth which came into the Realme with menaces of excommunications to the king that if hee did enterprise any thing against him in steade to excommunicate hee shoulde returne excommunicated Likewise it was tolde him that it was neuer seene that a Pope not being desired should euer meddle with iudging the rightes belonging to kingdomes and that the Frenchmen had alwayes accustomed to liue in libertie for the maintenance of the which they were resolued not to spare their owne bloud And lastly they tolde him that kingdomes were neuer gotten by excommunications From all which reasons it followeth that the French men haue no reason to seare the Popes encommunications If it falleth out that anie of them do cōmit anie offence they may go to the Bishops of Fraunce which ought to reduce them by faire meanes censure them accordingly without suffering them to go to Rome And for the third parte of the excommunication touching the person excommunicated together with the ende of such censuring First I sayde that it is necessary to admonish the culpable by all faire meanes euen with teares as also to heare and vnderstand him in all his reasons plaintes and iustifications to knowe thereby whether he bee duely informed of the accusations or not Now there hath beene no such obseruations in the foresaide sentence of excommunication from thence therefore againe it followeth that it is not onely a nullitie but also a detestable abuse That which doth also againe appeare for the third is the qualitie of the pretended crime of heresie wherewith the Pope accuseth the king forasmuch as it is verefied that suche a proposition the Romane Church hath neede of reformation is nothing at all erronious and much lesse hereticall Lette vs now behold the end of excommunication It hath beene sayd that it hath respect vnto the repentance and saluation of the sinner wherefore I desire all that be truly religious to confider whether the Pope indeuoreth himselfe to this ende when he excommunicateth kinges they shall find that he doth not Beholde let a Prince bee a tyraunt a whoremaister adulterous a rauisher a drunkard a blasph emer and an Atheist doing as much of these thinges as he will yea although hee bee quallified with all such vertues yet the Pope will not once deigne to tell him of the least of them no not to his Bishops so farre off is hee from speaking of the excommunicating either of the one or the other for such respects reseruing the thunderbolts and threatninges of the same onely against those which doe talke of the abuses
to shew himselfe chiefe of the Leaguerers nor the Leaguerers which are amongst the seditious Frenchmen to rebell agaynst theyr king The first example heereof is taken from the sodayne death of the two last Popes beeing dispatched by a letter of exchange hauing adioyned vnto it the Schisme which the same Spaniard had brought into the towne of Rome where I demand that if the king of Spaine be so affectioned vnto his religion wherefore doth hee not respect him whome hee holdeth and acknowledgeth as the lieuetenant of God and to be a spirituall Father One may see then that by such workmanships he would haue vs to vnderstand that whosoeuer shall not bee in the nature of a Spaniard shal neuer be accounted a good Romish Catholike Lastly the other example commeth from the towne of Soissons the Leaguers of the which by the ordinaunce of their superiours as they call them haue chased out the ladie Abbesse from the aforesoid Soissons being the kings Aunt where she hath alwaies beene preserued both from the one and the other notwithstanding that they knowe that she is the most ancient princesse of the bloud and reputed of all for the most zealous affectionate vnto the Catholike Romane religion which is in the world An euident token that a spirit which is the author of confusion and sedition doth vrge the furies of such Leaguers not the zeale of religion Poore Catholiks vnaduised which do affect so much that tyrannicall Spanish gouernment consider here the intention and purpose of your ecclesiasticall leaguers which do so much prise and praise the Inquisition of such a climate yea euen as of brideled calues if there bee anie perseuerance in such blindnesse Assure your selues most miserable French men that the most noble the most valiant the most vertuous the most aduised the most wise the most learned the most iust and the most rich amongst you shall euermore vnder such a schoolmaster be accounted and holden as heretikes if it commeth to passe that ye bee not found in all things agreeable vnto maister Inquisitor Then ye shall vnderstand by them that the masse shall not saue you To this purpose two examples among a thousand which came vnto my knowledge a few daies sithence shall open this text It came to passe that two marchants of Gascoigne being in Spain and going by the high waie did contemplate and beholde an Image being much polished and verie faire and shining as bright as anie of their Countrie whereuppon they tooke occasion betweene themselues to demaund whether that matter whereof it was made was either of stone or wood This was inough to be sayd in Spaine they were heard by one of the Inquisitors and presently lead vnto a miserable prison wherein they remained the space of three whole yeres after notwithstanding any protestations or prooues they could make or bring for the triall of theyr being Catholiks And the other example is this A man of Poictou a great Catholike being at Lisborne seeing a great Priest beeing graue fayre and in good habite and marching accordingly this man began to saie thinking to haue praysed the Priest Beholde a Priest saith hee and not one of the durtie Priests of Poictou This being but once spoken which was inough immediatly this Poicteuni is heard vnderstood and therevpon lead presently in dome Petri into the popes prison where he was kept safe for the space of sixe moneths without knowing wherefore about the end of which tearme he was commaunded that he should not cal Priests Durtie any more There may be a whole booke composed of these tyrannies and vniust dealings These effects of the Inquisition will be found proued true and not thy conceit of anie Catholikes to bee punished by the magistrates of that religiō either in England or in Bearne as hath beene els where said Those to whome it appertayneth knowe that such offenders were punished in the quality of the seditious not as being religious From thence thou turnest for this seuententh time to leape vpon the authoritie of the Popes saying that the king is not the son of the church because he wold not kisse his pantable To the which I say againe that it hath beene proued vnto thee that it is enough for him that the Christian church is his mother that the Romish church cannot take frō him this liberty priuilege And for that thou doestalwaies feare some ecclesiasticall reformation neuer desiring any other religion than that which feedeth the belly thou threatenest the noblemen with their going to hell if they do not helpe to maintaine thy cause Hereupon harken I pray ye to the preacher I should loue it better saiest thou that ye were Huguenits so to see you fight for vs Catholiks Marke I pray ye he holdeth that the Huguenits are damned whereupon it followeth that hee should haue nothing to do with condemning of those Catholikes of whome he speaketh seeing that they should defend the kitchin his mother Behold also how he calleth the Huguenits to the same defence Thou art in thy triumph but goe to with thy Lyntill broth to the which thou doest allude To be short thou art greeued diuersly because the Noblemen which are the principall force of the realme will not vnderstand all this Thou hast bin told that they are indifferently bound aswel to defend their king as their cuntry together with their honors liberties piuiledges yea the more because they are bearded with the Spanyard an ancient enemy vnto whom ye would willingly sell htem Therefore remember thy selfe of the answer that was giuē to the robbers which pleaded against the merchantes for carrying weapons to defend themselues Thou doest heere repeat for the 70. time the difference hapned in France for religion The which here againe I say haue been moued by your clergie els where hath beene answered in so many sortes and so often that it is more than enough And now turne again thy leafe Thou dost heap vp afterwards proud maiesticall words of thine owne deuising thinking thereby the better to gette the Noblemen on thy side but thou oughtest to serue thy selfe with concluding reasons and not with affecting wordes throwne into the aire to the abandoning of all that which might happen to come after And how doest thou torment thy selfe in vaine on this side also it is to no purpose that thou doest propose vnto the aforesaide noble men the examples of the most excellent Romane knights as that of Sceuola amongst others Thou malitious blind doest thou not see that it was for the same cause of defence that Sceuola burnt his hand and that the others imploied themselues in the defence of their Countrie It is true that thou makest great account of the Iacobin that kild the last king the which thou doest produce againe as in a triumph vsing these great wordes One that was religious hath flaine the king of France hauing giuen testimonie of his zeale vnto all France O miserable