Priest preacher If euery Priest shold take place agreeing to their Vice-gerencie vnder Christ there could be no order kept all being of equall power in respect of Priesthood therfore was it well prouided by the lawes and proceeded of institution deuine as may appeare by our Sauiours giuing of preheminence to Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles that were as well as he all equally Priests that the power of iurisdiction should be a note to take their place by aswell amongst themselues as amongst others abroad in the world or Doctor of Diuinitie before a Knight c. And finally although in regard of the same order a Nobleman or his sonne take place of all these yet alwaies Ioels sentence stands inuiolate ratified confirmed and augmented with many sacred sanctions priuiledges and prerogatiues due to the priesthood now which were not so before in regard whereof the highest honour temporall on earth is no whit dishonoured but rather hath an augment of honour by his Priesthood which to confirme that holy Bishop Saint Ambrose was bold being moued by the Emperour and in his princely presence to drinke to the best man at the table to take the cup with a wassall to his Deacon saying all peace health honour and happinesse to you my Lord Emperour your Maiestie knoweth that a Priest represents the person of Christ and his Deacon supplies the place of an Angell and seeing the lowest Angell in heauen is farre to be preferred before the highest dignitie on earth pardon my dread Soueraigne if I haue done your Highnesse command and preferred my poore Deacon in the cup before the Imperiall Regalitie of Caesar Yea what else but onely this doth it meane that the poorest Priest on earth if admitted to heare the Popes Emperours or any other King or Prince his confession sits couered in his chaire while the other kneeles bare headed at his foote to receiue absolution at his hands But enough of this matter THE VI. ARTICLE WHether may or ought a man to seeke the like praise preferment or aduancement for another of his societie or company equally as for himselfe or whether fitter in pollicie if he seeke it for himself or his speciall friends to do it per se vel per aliam scil quartam vel tertiam personam c. THE ANSWERE IN matters wherein there is some difficultie daunger losse reproch or shamefastnesse a man may and a true friend will often attempt act and performe that for his friend which he would neuer dreame of nor wish to himselfe and then by consequent it is cleare that a man may do equally and as much for another as for himselfe in the case proposed in the former article And a simple politician is he that will do it either immediatly for himselfe or his friend For alwaies the farther off it is contriued by a fourth fifth or tenth person and that a thousand miles a sunder the more cleanely politically Machiuilean-like coÌ„ueied it is An example wherof that ignoble Polipragmon father Parsons though to the condemnation of his Atheall proud aspires yet to the high commends of his naturall ingeny may be to all posterity in his practise for a Cardinals hat The deuice for which was as followeth After many practises of father Parsons and his fellowes against her Maiesty and the English Crowne Kingdome and State whereof we will speake anone aswell by his agents in England it selfe as also in Italy Spaine and Flanders finding the secular Priests at Rome and in England alwayes opposite to his wretched designements most vnnaturall attempts and treasonable practises Cardinall Allane being now dead and Doctor Worthington homo secundum cor Parsoni ruling all the rost in the Low-countries amongst the Seminaries as that couertly sullen surly Prelate father Holt did amongst the souldiers and other pensioners there hauing deuised many shifts for father Parsons aduancement and all failing at length the King of Spaine was made acquainted therewith and how that the students others of our nation were bent against the fathers for his sake forsooth in that they sought the establishing of the English Crowne to his royal issue whereupon his Maiesty wrote earnestly to his Holinesse Pope Clement that now is A very â—â—kâ—â— lâ—t to this is their now proceedings here in England to get bowes and giâ—les vagrant fellows and such as â—ee by these scolâ—â—â— â—â—ilings against seculars 〈◊〉 it euery 〈…〉 what a part waâ— it for the 〈◊〉 to write 〈◊〉 â—â—â—terly against such blessed men as the Iesuits are whâ—â—only vphold religion amongst â—s he 〈◊〉 England whâ—â—h otherwise 〈◊〉 â—quaâ—le c. and to other Cardinals that in any case they should support beare out and mainaine the credite of the Iesuits against the complaints of the English who without all cause reason and sense but by being seduced by the Queene of England did greatly calumniate these holy fathers that sought their countries good and happinesse as he affirmed Whiles this was a hammering in drawing the kings affection from all the English seculars to the Iesuites in generall the aboue named agents like gallant states men father Holt and Doctor Worthington drew a very formall letter petitionall or supplicatiue in the names of all the common souldiers laborers artizens and pentioners aswell men as women equally without difference yea the yery scullians landresses and seruants were not omitted in that pitifull complaining shewing to his Maiesty the king of Spaine the present calamities that England stood in most humbly beseeching his Catholike Maiesty in regard of the great affection and care of our country and the afflicted English he would vouchsafe to deale most earnestly with the Pope to preferre that vnworthy dishonorable Prelate father Parsons to the dignity of Cardinall affirming it to be the only way to bind and vnite the English to his Maiesty Miranda canunt sed non credeÌ„da portae But what was the issue nunc spectatum admissi risum teneatis amice In expectation of the same preferment and for what causes else is to himselfe best knowne are not much material this good father went to Rome on pilgrimage you may please to imagine out of Spaine very deuoutly or rather directly in the yeare 1597. Where he no sooner arriued but presently he was visited or rather courted with two Cardinals at his lodging to wit Cardinall Baronius and the other a Spaniard This extraordinary curtesie and honor done vnto the poore man gaue present occasion of some speech in the city that out of all doubt father Parsons should be made a Cardinall But the conceit begun thus in Rome ended there also with a merry iest For father Parsons being counselled by the Phisitians to keepe his stomacke warme sent his brother for scarlet to make him a stomacher who of likelihood so soone as euer he heard the name of scarlet he was possessed vpon the sudden with so affectionate an opinion of his brothers aduancement that forgetting his intent to haue
the Puritanean ministers the Consistorian discourses letters libels and practises of Knox of Buchanan of Beza of Cartwright of Barrow of Browne of Field of Gibson of Dauison and many others make it manifest nothing being more ordinary then to presse England and to inueigle her Maiesties loyall subiects with the examples of Geneua Scotland Some fewe of whose principles concerning state affaires I will heere set downe as well to giue you to vnderstand what state matters those are which as vnlawfull treasonable and pernicious both to prince and state are forbidden and doe indanger intangle and hazard their liues that deale in them as also that therby you may iudge how iustly the Puritanes and Iesuits iumpe togither in statizing First one and a chiefe principle of the Puritane ministers is neuer to let any forme face shew or name of an ecclesiasticall state remaine amongst them but to obliterate eradicate and vtterly extinguish the name of Bishops and of all auncient ecclesiasticall persons of from the face of the earth To which effect a Scots minister in a letter to his friend saith that certaine of the chiefe noble men of England dealt with him by instigation no doubt of some English ministers in the yeere 1583. to perswade the king of Scotland his master to ouerthrow all the Bishopricks in his countrey that his proceedings therein might be an example for England adioyning And so within two yeeres vpon repayre of 10000. men in armes to the king of Scots at Sterling the Bishopricks being wholy suppressed in deede one Knewstub a Consistorian minister of Suffolke wrote thus to Feild I would be glad quoth he to heare somewhat of the estate of Scotland It doth more trouble me then our owne For I am conceiuing some hope vpon the change of their former proceedings Which hope no doubt was as Cartwright saide that as those turbulent Consistorians had been an example to the church of Fraunce and Scotland to follow them so the Lord saith he the said Cartwright would haue vs also to profite and be prouoked by their example what to do mary to play the rebels as they had done Secondly another principle set downe in Whittinghams preface to Goodmans booke is taken out of Knox his doctrine scil that if kings and princes refused to reforme religion the inferior magistrate or people by direction forsooth of the ministerie might lawfully and ought if neede required euen by force and armes to reforme it themselues The first practise of which principle was at Geneua for abandoning of their lawfull prince the Bishop of that place For when they perceiued that the Bishop sought by force to encounter their proceedings and that as Sleidan notes he had excited the Duke of Sauoy to that end to assist him they then ioyned themselues into a more neere amitie with the Bernians other neighbouring consistorian states so as the Duke and Bishop comming together to besiege the citie were both repulsed Bernatibus illis auxilium ferentibus Thirdly another like principle to this is grounded vpon an oth of confederacie taken first amongst the followers of Knox in Scotland vpon a letter of his written from Diepe in the yeere 1557. by the iudgement as he saith of the most godly and learned that then liued in Europe meaning Iohn Caluin and the rest of the Geneuians The effect of which oth together with a testification of their intents made by a kinde of subscription was this sent to the Queene Regent in time of parliament holden by her in Scotland that vnles they had their desires they would proceede in their course for suppressing of all religious houses in Scotland agreeing to their order of reformation prescribed to be obserued through all that whole realme ann Dom. 1558. whereof a memorable letter was sent in the name of the people to all the religious houses that they should either remooue thence by such a day or else they would then eiect them by force and to make it sure on their part these new statists enacted before hand there that neither themselues nor any that ioyned with them should incurre therefore any danger in life or lands or other politicall paines and that if any violence hapned in pursuit of these matters they meaning the Queene and her subiects should thanke themselues Whereupon shortly after being all put to the harme and all men vnder paine of rebellion inhibited to assist them for contemning the Queens summon for their apparance at Striueling they rose vp presently in armes at Saint Iohns-towne excited by Knox his preachment made for that purpose for the ouerthrow of religious houses and within two daies had quite destroied and rased the houses of Blackfriers of the Gray-friers and Charterhouse monks downe to the ground and so proceeding in Fyfe Angus Mernis c. breaking downe all altars and images they wrote to the Queene threatning to destroy Saint Iohns-towne for that fact that vnles she staid from that cruelty they should be compelled to take the sword of iust defence protesting that without the reformation which they desired they would neuer be subiect to any mortall man Vpon which occasion taken they writ to all their brethren to repaire vnto them as also to the nobles vpon paine of excommunication to ioyne with them as it being their dutie said Knox so to doe to bridle the furie and rage of wicked men were it of princes and emperors Of like sort also they writ to the Bishops and clergie which then were in Scotland that vnlesse they desisted from dealing against them they would withall force and power execute iust vengeance and punishment vpon them and that they would begin that same war which God commanded Israell to execute against the Cananites Which exorbitant letters of theirs tooke such effect with the temporaltie that when Lion Herault in his coate armour commanded all vnder paine of treason to repaire to their houses by publike sound of trumpet in Glasco neuer a man obeied that charge but went forward to their associats at S. Iohn Stow. Fourthly this principle and manner of statizing they termed by an other name the resisting of the enemie which to make strong they set downe an other principle by entring into a league by solemne oth at their departure from S. Iohns towne that if any one member of their congregation should be troubled they should all concurre assist and conuent againe together for defence of the same As presently after they did vpon a new quarrel pickt against the Queen at S. Andrewes where by Knox his preachment they made hauocke cast downe spoiled and destroied all the frieries and abbies in the towne And so dealt they shortly after with the abbie of Scone the frieries of Striueling of Lithquo and of Edenborough whence the Queene being fled for feare they kept the field two monethes tooke away the coyning irons being as the Queene alledged a portion of the patrimonie of the crowne and iustified the same Fiftly vpon this principle followed another
England were Catholicks and those of the bloud royall so in esse with all yet were her title as good as the best saith he and by consequent concludes with this bobbe giuen to all our nation that the gift of the crowne of England was in the oldking Catholiks hands who perhaps quoth this patch Parsons may be perswaded as also his sonne the now king may be to the like set to giue ouer his claime and surrender vp his whole interest and right thereunto to his daughter Clara Eugenia Isabella yeelding her aide for atchieuing of the same to her and some such chatholicks Noble as his Maiestie shall thinke fit for a husband to a Lady of so high parentage Who being now the Archduke Albert late Cardinall c. if followeth that he is the Peere must be our Prince by Coruester Parsons designements And seeing he there insinuates as much and that the foresaid Cardinall Allan had dealt with the king of Spaine as he would make the world beleeue to that intent and purpose the case then and therein is cleere that this same booke here mentioned and that Appendix were both of Parsons owne doing as birds of one nest feather and wing hatched by the vnnaturall heate of his ambitious hart Secondly I obserue both heere there that there was great difficultie and doubts put in perswading the king of Spaine to this exploit for the conquest of England and that there was much adoo to draw him vnto it had not the parties mentioned importuned him to our countries ouerthrow Thirdly they account the intended massacre of her Maiestie and of so many thousands of her good subiects as must haue died if the Spaniard had preuailed as before I prooued it vnto you by the words of the Duke of Medina and other testimonies to that purpose a holy and glorious acte and to haue beene vndertaken of an vnspeakeable zeale and pietie c. Loe Nobles and Gentiles you deere catholikes of both sexes and all degrees Medina vowes he will spare none be he or she Catholicke Protestant or whosoeuer this booke affirmes the massacre intended is an acte of zeale what case are you now in if your Soueraigne forsake you also and who shal can or will defend you if she giue you ouer to the persecutor what haue you to say in your owne defence to saue your liues if her highnes draw the sword of iustice and lay it vpon you Truely nothing at all but so many of you as are loyall subiects your religious catholicke consciences reserued being as innocent as ignorant of those practises whereof I dare boldly speake it in the worde of a priest many thousands in England neuer heard of before the publishing of these Quodlibets might iustly haue fed your dying soules with hope of Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iustitiam quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum But for other hopes you could haue none Fourthly the false harted Cateline inuolueth all the catholicks that were then beyond the seas in that his most Turkish Iesuitish Puritanian and barbarous designements Fiftly he intangleth such as receiued so great fauors at her Maiesties hands and the state heere as that where by the lawes they might all haue beene put to death they were onely banished Yet notwithstanding he forceth them to become intercessors both for the destruction of her Highnesse and of her kingdome Sixtly what iust cause is heere giuen to her Maiestie and the state of seuere proceeding against all such catholicks as were then beyond the seas when they should come home in that they all sought and thirsted after the blood of their countrey vos iudicate But I hope and in part I know it that the false bastard Iesuits pen when he writ those words did but expresse the traitorous harts of himselfe and some fewe of his consorts and that he hath most egregiously belied many For of the Lord Dacres and sundrie others as well of the cleargie as laitie it is well knowne they were euer most opposite to those traitorous practises and therefore most mightily persecuted by Parsons and his confederates notwithstanding they still helde and do holde out as loyall English subiects vsque ad sanguinem as obedient catholicke children vsque ad aras and as seruiceable in hart to both God and man Pope Prince and to the catholicke Romish church and the English common wealth as soule and body in one person can affoord or faith fealtie religion and loyaltie diuine loue and naturall affection can expect or demaund at their hands And for the rest if any were so sotted and bewitched with Iesuitisme or infected with the Spaniards as I doubt too many were I wish for my owne part euen from the bottome of my poore but resolued catholicke loyall hart so many of them as remaine obstinate with Parsons in that vnnaturall combination faire and well buried in their graues Thus hauing made the first part of the Interrogatory most apparant and manifest I wil now prosecute the answere to the second in as briefe and plaine a method as I may Say then for the present which yet is more then I would willingly put to mainteine the time and our afflicted state considered that his Holinesse and the king of Spaine might lawfully haue taken armes against her Maiestie and this her kingdome our natiue land yet it was shamefull part of father Parsons his companions to be the contriuers or instigators of it as it is to be prooued by many memorable examples agreeing to this purpose scil First out of holy writ it is manifest and apparant that the Iebusites and other inhabitants of the land of behest were permitted there to liue euen after the Israelites had obteined the land as their owne ancient inheritance ergo a forreine people of a natiue broode are not to be by Gods lawes subiected in their natiue soyle by strangers of an alien land Secondly Gregorius magnus when he might haue ridde the parts and coasts of Italy from the tyranny of the Gothes and other sauage peo-people if he would haue intermedled in matters of blood refused so to do accounting it to be a course not fitte for a man of his calling to deale in Thirdly by the lawes customes and practise of all kingdomes such persons as shall machinate and deuise to execute such outragious designements against their prince and countrey haue euer beene iustly condemned and detested of all honest men and good subiects yea and euen of those same princes inuadors or vsurpers that comming to sway the scepter royall of a kingdome by such meanes neuer suffred such traitors to passe vnpunished nor without the iust guerdon of treason deducere canes ad inferos as by sundry examples in the Antiperistasis to Parsons Doleman I haue prooued it true Fourthly it had beene Parsons dutie and so also the dutie of all other priests Iesuits and religious persons to haue praied for her Maiestie and their countrey and by preaching to haue sought the reformation
doctrine of the Iesuits touching equiuocation hath already bewitched so many of them But principally what are all catholike priests that are Iesuited to looke for vpon the broaching of this desperate and diuelish conceite when the catholikes are in number sufficient they must rebell and the innocent priests are sent ouer to increase this number Into what perplexities are they hereby cast How can they expect any fauor when they are taken none caÌ„not deny that their comming ouer is to increase the number of catholiks and that father Parsons raigneth and hath the whole direction at this day for all the missions that are for England How then alas how may her Maiesty the state conclude against them what lawes can be too extreme to keepe them out of the land or if they will needs come in what seuerity for the execution of lawes against them can be more then sufficient Into what gulfe are we plunged nay into what an obloquie are we plunged nay into what an obloquie must the catholike church of Rome grow in that the execution of priesthoode and treason are now so linked together by the Iesuits in England as we cannot exhort any to the catholike faith but dogmatizando in so doing we draw him in effect to rebellion For the mitigation therfore both of her Maiestie and the state and that they may deale more mercifully with poore secular priests I doe heere professe both for my selfe and those that are not Iesuited as too many are that we loath and detest this point of Iesuitisme that if we finde that we can not otherwise preuaile and that such as are catholikes will needes runne into these Iesuiticall courses of rebellion and treason we will surcease from the execution of our functions and from the increasing of that number that will will not be aduised by vs with patience and suffering to expect the Lords leisure for the restitution of the catholike faith and in the meane time to obey her Maiestie as they did in Tertullians time and as Saint Augustine doth teach vs in lawfull commandements and points perteining to ciuill gouernment and temporall lawes THE V. ARTICLE VVHether seeing this BuchananiaÌ„ doctrine of stirring vp subiects to rebell against their Soueraignes when they are of force is so greedily snatched vp of the Iesuits as it seemeth they would scorne not to be holden or accounted of as the first author or at least practisioners of it in their owne sense and meaning is it then the whole monarchie of all these northerne Isles of England Scotland and Wales that they shoote at or else do they aime at the crowne monarchiall of England onely or otherwise at none at all directly but onely for a superioritie ouer the ecclesiasticall and secular state THE ANSWERE THey doe questionles cast at all both ecclesiasticall temporall and monarchical states as may be demonstrated by sundry arguments conuincing them of their no lesse treacherous and ambitious then Pharisaicall and irreligious intents attemptes practises and proceedings therein First for that in precise termes they and theirs haue giuen it out for England by name that it should be made an Island of Iesuits and that they were assured of it that the king of Spaine vpon the conquest would bestow it vpon them Secondly before the Lady Infantaes title marriage or placing in the Lowe countries was dreamed of the chiefe speeches was of the king her fathers title and for hers it was but then coldly handled And if you marke well the tenor of his discourse throughout his whole Dolmanian coyned succession you shall not finde him absolute in his opinion for Spaine And he frameth all his passages to perswade as well all our English nation that it will be fittest and for the most aduancement of our nobles and augmentiue florish of the whole common wealth as also most secure and to the greatest both merite and renowne of the king catholike neuer to offer to come hither himselfe or to enthronize his maiestie or royall issue within the Britons coasts as a diminution of his honor princely regalitie so to doe considering our countrie is so base obscure and beggerly and the blood royall together with all the heroeces nobles and gentles of these northerne Isles so abiect meane and ignominious forsooth where his Spanish paragons with their Mercurian gilded Caduceus come in place Loe deere Catholiâ—es and all you deeâ—â—ly affected 〈…〉 countries 〈◊〉 thiâ—ke 〈◊〉 not bâ—â— that 〈…〉 you 〈…〉 Ladies 〈…〉 sh◠〈…〉 beâ—â—◠〈…〉 Paâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 the rest of 〈…〉 its 〈…〉 great 〈◊〉 â—â—gher adâ—aâ—ceâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 you 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 the Spaniard 〈◊〉 â—oâ—â—aigne â—aâ—â—â—s c. But the best most conuenient and contentiue course to be taken for all parties is by this exlegall legifers lawes set downe for the Spaniards to bring this whole monarchiall Isle from the name honor and title of successionall regality to be vnder a Viceroyes gouernment charge there withal reduced into the forme fashion and proportioned order of a Prouince to send the peeres other nobles natiues of this land that shall take the Spaniards part into forraigne countries as Sicily Naples Peru India c. to make them Vâ—ceroyes there and then to commit this Prouince to the gouernment of the fathers of the society of Iesus sci to our petty king father Fa. Parsons and the rest as I said before Which assertion if it seeme absurd to be but a surmise then tell me I pray what gouernment can you gather out of all his bookes that we shal haue or who shall be our king oâ— sway the scepter royall of this land For the king of Spaine himselfe it is to meane for him and therefore holden of Fa. Parsons for a dishonor if he should leaue Spaine to keepe heere his royall Court. For his daughter the new Archdutchesse of Austria Dutchesse of Burgundy Lady of Netherlands her grace was but then glauncingly spoken of Yea when Fa. Parsons had vrged the subscription and consent to her title afterwards to sundry of our nation as before is said amongst the rest a reuerend priest and anncient gentleman old Master Midleton being roughly handled by Fa. Parsons and indangered in Spaine before his departure to Rome for not consenting to his vnnaturall motion vnlesse it might haue beene by marriage of the said Lady Infanta to some noble or peere of our land This cosening mate protesting at the first that it was meant no otherwise but she should afterward when partly by force and feare partly vpon hope to haue gotten all his money out of this fathers hands who by your leaue vnder Benedicite be it spoken cosened him at the last cast of three hundred pound at least as we haue beene credibly informed by reuerend priests then there which he neuer could get out of his handes he consented vpon that condition to giue his name to that charter of subscription And then loe what the good father added quoth he I could wish her Ladishippe
Portingals and Spaniards continued kept the honours point for Martiall exploits these latter yeares but who shall carie away the price in the cadences of the Spaniards God only knoweth Thus came the foure Patriarkes of Hierusalem Antioch Alexandria and Constantinople by succession of honor wealth and fame in Gods Church to rise and fall one after another and now all decayed dead and gone from their auncient state renowne and dignitie in the Church of God here militant on earth Thus came all Monasticall Heremiticall and religious orders of Saint Anthony of Saint Basill of Saint Augustine of Saint Hierome of Saint Benedict of Saint Bernard of Saint Dominicke of Saint Frances of Saint Clare of Saint Briget and sundrie other religious orders of men and women to haue their generation and corruption by the freedome left of God in humane actions and mans choise to be good or bad vertuous or vicious and to rise and fall by succession one after another by merited fame and iust desert of their life manners and graces giuen and employed by them to Gods glorie In few thus came the spirituall Knighthoods of the Templers the Knights of Saint Iohns the Knights of Rhodes and now of Malto by a lineall succession of fame renowne and worthinesse to haue panigericall histories set foorth of their prayses And the like is of later orders and societies of Carmelists Carthusians Capouchians Theatines Iesuits Bonhommes c. all which set vpon the worlds Theater represent a mournfull tragedie of mans miserie how like to flowers they haue now one and then another order companie or societie burgened blossomed bloomed and flourished and yet subiect to the fates of free-will in all humane wights their deriuatiues are strayed abroad haue left and are gone from the obedience deuotion pietie pouertie chastitie charitie humilitie patience and religious zeale which was in the primitiues and founders of their Orders What shal we say more the whole body mysticall of Christ consisting of the three estates Ecclesiasticall Temporall and Monasticall do auerre the Peripateticall Prince his principle to be true in all things depending vpon chance and chaunge concerning the conuersion of countries people and nations to the Catholike faith For was not the generation or beginning of the Mosaicall law a plaine corruption fall and decay of the law of nature all the Gentiles presently vpon the Orient rise bright shine and flourish of the Israelites Church and their Hebrew Monarchie being giuen ouer into infidelitie and Idolatrie contrarie to the law of nature vnder which the faithfull had liued aboue two thousand yeares without distinction of Iew or Gentile vntill this Mosaicall law began And when for the Iewes sinnes and offences the period of their Monarchie and end of their synagogues and temples honour and religion came did not then the primitiues of the East Church amongst the Christians carry away the auriflambe of all religious zeale After that when the heauie cadens of the East Church came did not also then the Sonne of iustice tanquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo spread abrode the bright beames of his spouses glorie in a transparant light throughout these our West Ocean cloudes of heathenish darknesse and giue to these Northren Isles the prerogatiue regall of Prime-birth to his inheritance if the Britons and afterwards the English Saxons could haue kept it When by succeding turnes the most part of Asia and Affricke was corrupted and fallen away and all Europe conuerted to the sacred Apostolicall Romane faith when Monasteries began in this North Christian world to be built and great multitudes of Monkes Friers Canons regulars Nunnes and other sacred Saints and holy persons to consort themselues together when Emperors Kings Queenes Princes Lords and Ladies of all degrees fled from their regall Palaces to priuat Cels and left the triumphes of their conquests the trophees of their loues and pompes and pleasures of their Courts to who so would possesse them when here an Anchoresse there an Hermit and in euery wood wild and desert some sacred virgine valed inuested interred dead to the world was to be found when all fertile soyles all places of pleasure profite and content all earthly wealths and reuenues of most woorth were turned into Abbey and Church lands liuings and liuelyhoods when holy emulation was who might giue most all gaue of the best and made this flourishing Isle our Ladies dower when Kings and Queenes Priests and Prelates Lords and Ladies Monkes and Friers sacred Virgins and chast Matrons and all sorts of persons knew their duties first to God to his Church to her Priests then to their Prince to the Commonwealth and to her Peeres and lastly each one to another how when and where to commaund or obey when all things sorted to so sweet a sympatheall harmonie in English hearts as England by a prerogatiue royall of grace diuine merited to be called Anglia chara Deo gens when flying fame of their rare Angelicall conuersation had fronted the coasts of furthest countries and occupied with great admiration of mind the mouthes of most men in the world when England Fraunce and Flaunders Italy Bohemia and Germany Spaine Portugal and Hungary Sicilie Naples and Cyprus Denmarke Poland and Sweden Scotland Ireland and Norway did striue for a supremacie to carry away the garland of vertue deuotion and religion on all sides Then inimicus homo enuying at mans felicitie to conforme by permission diuine Gods concurrence with secondarie causes to the Philosophers prescript of generation and corruption in tract of time corrupting all these Northren and Westerne parts of the world with contention ambition Turcisme heresie and Pharisaisme a new generation of Catholike truth and religion begins to labour and bring soorth their children amongst the Indians Antipodies and new found world before vnknowne vnto these Northren and Westerne parts discouered first by Portingals and Friers and after proceeded in by Spaniards and Iesuits And now listen what followed Amongst many other cadences and fals the heauiest of all the rest hath bene iudged by many to haue bene our English calamities begun at first by the ambitious aspires of Cardinall Wolsey who affecting the highest Soueraigntie in causes Ecclesiasticall on earth made a great breach by his contrarie plotting betwixt King Henry the eight of famous memorie and the Sea Apostolicke And afterward when vnder her Maiestie Queene Elizabeth our Soueraigne now regnant sundrie persons of rare indowments graces and abilities had retired themselues to places of studie and seruice of their Lord God beyond the seas where they liued in diuerse Seminaries and Colledges leading there a right Monasticall and religious life in a most perfect state of religious profession calling and order as both all other religious Orders and Ecclesiasticall persons that conuersed with them or knew their manner of life and whereunto their whole studie tended did acknowledge somtimes in teares proceeding after their returne hither in simplicitate cordis with all humilitie patience
Generall at Rome of all the occurrents in these parts of the world which they dispatch to and fro by such secret ciphers as are to themselues best and commonly but onely to them knowne So as nothing is done in England but it is knowne in Rome within a moneth after at least and reply made backe as occasion is offered 5 Hauing thus established a Councell almost in euery Princes Court where the president or chiefe agent or intelligent must alwaies be a Iesuit in re or in spe and action to discouer propter bonum not Reipublicae but rei priuatae societatis without all scruple to them the secrets of their Soueraigns to their vttermost knowledge though with the consequent ouerthrowe of their own natiue Prince countrie and all as their prodigious and more then heathenish practises in France to haue lifted the Spaniard into that throne and kingdome to their perpetuall shame and reproch all Christendome ringing of those their vnnaturall treasons against their owne naturall Countrie doth make it manifest to omit or referre ouer to another place what and how spitefully traiterously and irreligiously they haue delt against England and our Soueraign Lady and Queene Then followeth another shift for managing of their actions which is that if as often it hath so hapned their treasons and trecheries be discouered either by intercepting of their letters and the mysteries therein vtcunque made knowne or apprehension of their messengers or some of their inferior intelligents then to calumniate deny and falsifie all the actions and proceedings of the Councel and State very iudicially publikely and apparantly against them they either pretend that the parties confessed such things by constraint of tortures or that it was a plot of the State to make all Catholikes odious whereas in deede they make vs odious by this meanes to the State and all as being all thought guiltie of their conspiracies because they know not how to put a distinction or difference in these tamperings amongst vs. This calumniation must be seconded for a shift with a like vnto it which they call a lawfull equiuocation and herein though there be no question to be made of it but that in some sense it may be lawfull as for example if a Iudge or other ciuill magistrate appointed to sit in Commission vpon a matter of fact should examine in matter of law not pertaining to that purpose or being of one and the selfe same kind in specie yet no way pertinent to the knowledge or true information of the matter there to be examined so as if the question be which is common whether such a one being a Catholike haue euer heard it preached or taught that it was lawfull for a subiect to lay violent hands vpon his Soueraigne or not and now the Iudge in examining this partie asketh him whether he know any Seminarie priest or were euer at Masse or confession By the euill taught lesson of equiuocation one M. Iames Standish a Iesuit priest abused his Holinesse when being aâ—ked whether the matter proponed by him for setting vp the new Hierarchie was done by all the rest of the Priests consents in England or not he answered but very falslâ— for scâ—â—ce one of the seâ—â—â—lâ—â— in England in respect of the whâ—le nuÌ„bâ—r knew of it that it was reseruing to himselfe as since poore ignorant mâ—n not considering what he did to lie to his Holinesse he hath confessed this part viz. as I presuppose or presume c. Iust like whereunto may be interpreted Card. Caietanes letters for estabshing M. Blackwel Archpresbiter who hauing by Parsons and Garnets cousinage got a long Catalogue of names out of England exhibited to his Grace for election of M Blackwell c. his Lordship affirmed in the said letter that it was by generall consent of most Priests in England being abused indeed with names taken here for one purpose and giuen vp there for another the parties altogether ignorant of what was intended and the Iesuits excusing the matter vpon the aforesaid equiuocate presupposition scil that all would like of it c. or no. To this he were no way bound to answer but might absolutely deny it because it is as a thing impertinent to his place and office at that time and maketh neither here nor there for comming to the knowledge of this article scil whether it be lawfull to kill an annointed Queene or no. But now if the case be proposed the examination made of such articles as may either directly or indirectly boult out and make known the truth of the matter intended then of due right to be examined then and therein equiuocation is but a meere deuice of periurie cogging and lying As for example what say you saith the Magistrate if the Pope come in with hostile hand to inuade this Realme thereby to set vp the Catholikes religion whose part will you take c and the Catholike answereth I will take the Queenes part meaning to himselfe if the Pope will commaund me so to do or for any thing further of my mind that you shall know This I say is wicked cogging and vnlawfull as being nothing else but a secret concealed treason It being sure that inuasion hostile power and force of armes do denotate a population of the whole land and no restoring but per accidens only of religion or the Catholike faith at all And therfore as euery Catholicke in England is bound in that respect to defend his Prince and countrie against all forreine inuasion of King Pope or whosoeuer else shall come in with hostile hand vnder what pretence soeuer as hereafter shall be proued so ought the partie examined to answere absolutely without al doubling or concealed intents for that matter it being a point directly tending to treason to her Maiesties person and the Crown and State Sixtly vpon this slie deuice of equiuocation whereby the Iesuits hold it dogmatizando that they may not only to our aduersaries but euen also to any Catholike Magistrate yea to the Pope himselfe answer one way and meane another so as impossible it is for any that is not a Iesuit to know a Iesuits heart here-hence they haue gotten or arrogated vnto themselues an immunitie of so ample priuiledge as go where they list neither Chancellor Bishop nor Archbishop may meddle with them when they do amisse stat pro ratione voluntas their owne pleasure are their guides and so strict a law imposed vpon all others where euer they liue as do they but only pretend a matter they may not be called in question nor once asked why they do it so as their arrogancie is grown to that height now as the whole Clergie vnlesse some few persons desirous to liue quiet let all run on wheels aswell secular as religious throughout Italy France and Spaine are brought almost to a non plus not knowing what course to take to reforme theÌ„ And as for the English seculars presently vpon the coming in of Fa.
yet any one wise man no nor sound Catholike or good Christian in the world vnlesse he were either a Ieseuit in re or in spe or a broker for them THE VII ARTICLE VVHether any other profession or religious order haue done like good for instructing of youth or conuerting of countries to Gods Church or reformation of life and manners of such as liue in the Church as the Iesuits haue or not THE ANSWERE LIke as I told you before the Iesuites intrude themselues into both secular religious and temporall Princes affaires and must euery one of them be Rector chori Dominus fac totum and an absolute superlatiue in all things or else all is naught So herein they challenge a prerogatiue royall to themselues alone so farre beyond all measure of copartnership with any other as they haue bene bold to affirme that religion had vtterly quailed if they had not bene yea the Catholike Church in eminent danger to haue bene quite extinct and ouerthrowne In so much as they haue not feared to affirme that the Pope erred de facto in the reconciliation of the French King which great no lesse impudency and insolency then arrogancy and impiety in them as it may be put amongst others of their malepart errors and vsurpate censures so know they to their owne perdition shame and confusion that the Church of God hath no need of them But let them all as I pray God for their wretched soules sakes that too many of them do not proue ranke heretikes yet for the Catholike saith and Church of God neither they neither portae inferi preualebunt aduersus eam and that he qui potens est ex lapidibus suscitare filios Abrahae can raise vp better more learned prudent and perfecter and purer then any pure illuminate amongst them out of the very ashes and dust of seculars or other religious bodies when they are all dead and gone to the place prepared for them And therfore in answer to the Article I say First that as it hath alwayes bin seene hitherto in Gods Church at the rising of any new and extraordinary sect or opinion in religion that God hath stirred vp some certaine person or order of religion to be a curbe to that new sect or heresie as is cleare by S. Benedict by S. Dominicke by S. Augustine by S. Thomas Aquinas and sundry others and yet not these such as without whom the Catholike faith had bin extinct or the Church of God ouerthrowne So reâ—rend a regard was alwaies had of both secular and religious persons as no Noble or other Peere of highest honor in this laÌ„d but would haue had their childreÌ„ yea their heires brought vp in Bishops pallaces or Abbots monasteries vnder those spirituall guides before euer any Iesuit came within ken of humane knowledge Yea some Bishops in England are recorded to haue had 7. or 8. Earles with other Noble mens sonnes attending vpon theÌ„ at one time not that any Bishop did expect seruice at their hands but that it was thought fit to traine them vp these in their youth c. So no question of it but the Iesuits at the first institution of their society did much good in these dangerous times of heresies sects and innouations wherewith the Christian world was and is yet intangled more is the pitty but yet being far inferior to the aboue named religious orders as the church of God could theÌ„ haue bin without theÌ„ so now much more without these yet done aswel perhaps better as now the case staÌ„ds theÌ„ she hath done by their helpes meanes Secondly for their instructioÌ„ of youth c. I haue told you inough before it is but a double diligence like to a Beares loue to his whelpes to pray for his owne paunch And yet take it in best sense there haue bin are wil be youths brought vp better then they do both by secular religious teachers wheÌ„ they shal be far to seeke Mary that it is so now for the present it proceeds of one of their former trickes of gaining credit fame as by alluring sweet natured youths vnto them withall in stopping by disgracing speeches other meanes that none whom they can hinder shal be gouerned taught or instructed by any but themselues Yea was not this one speciall cause of foisting in the Iesuites readers into the Romane Colledge and other places was not this one speciall cause to hinder the Benedictines religious intent charitable designments when they offered to haue brought vp and maintained 30. English youthes from time to time to prepare them for their natiue country Which these Momists Zoilists Aristerkists and enuious Iesuits could not endure to heare of was not this the cause of their Archpriests late command that no youth should go ouer to any Colledge without his approbation testimony giuen of him to the fathers Yea and withall hath not this bene the cause that many fine yong Gentlemen haue lost their wits haue bene made vncapable of all gouernment either in the Church or common-wealth euer after Let one William Tempest as fine a youth one who had as many signes of a generous hart and gentle bloud in him as any that euer went out of England in this age be a heauy spectacle as it cannot chuse but be so to all his friends for all others to looke vpoÌ„ wheÌ„ they are moued to send their children to be brought vp vnder Iesuits Thirdly concerning their paines taken in conuersion of countries I pray you what nation is there that is wholly conuerted by their only meanes They entred Polony and streight there followed vpon it a rebellion against their Soueraigne in conclusioÌ„ the Danskers wold not admit him to be their King vnlesse he wold cast off that seditious society that had raised such mutinies against the Cleargy They pierced India thrust out the Dominicans Augustinians other poore religious Friers in fine made the Spaniards become odious to that straÌ„ge people natioÌ„ They ruled the rost ouer al in France And wherunto tended all their seeming religious indeuor but treason to the king rebellion in his subiects population ruine destruction of their natiue country common-wealth They came here into England and no sooner had they set foote on shore but presently their harts were inflamed with flashes of conspiracies how to top the highest place They haue residence in Spaine and how mightily haue they labored to wring the bucklers out of the Dominicans haÌ„ds for possessing the chaire to teach at Salamanca And with the like busie turbulent seditious heads is Germany Bohemia Cicily Italy and Rome it selfe molested pestered and disquieted Therefore as they haue neither conuerted any countrey directly and by their owne only labours but peruerted many a deuout soule by sinister dealings so neither haue they done halfe that good in any place wheresoeuet they yet came as sundry both secular religious Priests haue
few Often and often againe must the Iesuites arrogancie and deceitful dealings in euery action transforming themselues into Angels of light be made knowne to the world and inculcated into the simple and some wilfully blinded ignorant peoples heads that will beleeue any thing they fable of against any secular Priest whosoeuer be he Seminarie Bishop Card. or Pope yet will beleeue nothing on the contrarie writteÌ„ or spoken by any whosoeuer against theÌ„ though the affirmer or apellant will euer seale it with his bloud which blind drowsie coÌ„ceit of many doth argue some horrible monster to be in breeding amongst them whom sundry of their fautor will honour as a God Otherwise sure they would neuer be so besotted as to thinke but that a religious man may be exorbitant a wise man forget himselfe a bad liuer creepe into fauor and so Fa. Parsons to be familiar with Princes and yet a starke c. For what greater meanes to worke mischiefe theÌ„ wit and fauor what sooner deceiueth and longer cloaketh deceit then a religious habite vpon a lewd person when doth the Wolfe rauine more cruelly then when he is cloathed in a sheepes skin And when did euer any heresie arise but vnder zealous pretence at the first of the churches aduancement Then seeing a veluet hearse may couer a vile and stinking hide a noysome action abuse an innocent meane and a religious yea and that truly a holy and blessed order and habite be abused by bâ—â— persons irreligiously liuing in it Let none hereafter be seduced with outward signs of religious pietie where apparant verities are of iniquity the common lawes must be wholly annihilated abolished and troden down vnder foot and Caesars ciuill Imperials brought in amongest vs and sway for a time in their places All whatsoeuer England yeelds being but base barbarous and void of all sense knowledge or discretion shewed in the first founders and legisers and on the other side all whatsoeuer is or shall be brought in by those outcasts of Moses staine of Solon and refuse of Licurgus must be reputed for Metaphisicall semie Diuine and of more excellencie then the other were The fift statute there made was concerning calumniation not much vnlike that statute of Association I meane in Father Parsons sense as he in Greencoate makes it seeme to haue bene put in at the procurement of the Earle of Leicester or like the Proclamation he there talkes of to haue bene made by his Lordships procurement against talkers of such great mens doings as he was whilst be himselfe might calumniate and call in question whom he pleased And so conformably hereunto doth this Iesuiticall act of detraction or statute of calumniation tend scil to bar all men from speaking of Fa. Parsons that blessed liue Saint or any other Iesuit whosoeuer they being such rare men as neither are their actions to be sifted canuassed or discountenanced by any secular Priest whosoeuer perhaps the Pope excepted if he keepe silence and seeme not to dislike of theÌ„ which if he do not haue at him amongst the rest with heaue and hoe rumbelow neither can it be otherwise thought of but as an act and signe of an euill spirit and vnsound in religion for any one that dare take that course they being religious men nay Iesuits and Fa. Parsons of all the rest the rarest wise man of our nation most familiar with Princes admired at in Spaine reuerenced in Italy only hated in England which is a sufficient argument of his integritie a manifest token of their euill affection to the Catholike church and religion that talke against him This collusion of Iesuiticall sanctitie caused a prouiso in the foresaid statute that whosoeuer did offend a Iesuit or speake against this high councell of Reformation it should be lawfull for the Fathers or their Syn-odicall ministers to defame destract and calumniate him or her at their pleasure be who they shall be Noble Peere or Prince Bishop Cardinall or the Pope himselfe For which cause and for the better vnderstanding of the said statute they hold two propositions one is that detraction is lawfull in generall and so was it practised at Wisbich by a Iesuit affirming that there were so many and grieuous enormities there committed amongst the prisoners that Fa. Weston and his adherents were constrained to separate themselues from the other Priests and being charged to name some particulars or if he could not he was to be reckned of for an iniurious calumniator so therein to haue offended greatly in slaundering the whole house he answered nay my words were generall and therefore I offended none Another proposition is for particulars scil that whatsoeuer particular person be he priuate or publike and that eminent or a chiefe is directly bent against them they neuer must leaue him but calumniate slaunder and inuent new matter against him to death Thus did they calumniate Doctor Gifford and maligne him to this day a man of good desert and of as many good parts abilities and graces as euer past the seas in this age and hath not his better if any be his equall of any English man beyond the English Ocean now aliue This reuerend Priest then for that he did not admire these monsters nor applaud with Panigeries of praises to their worthlesse designments for in very deede they had no other cause to calumniate or dislike him they presently deuised sundrie most vile and vniust calumniations against him They defamed him in England for a sower of sedition an informer against the Iesuits and an exhibiter of the Memoriall to the Pope They procured him to be examined before the Nuncio in the Low countries and failing of their purpose that way the Nuncio after long delaies affirming in plaine termes that he was wronged one Fa. Baldwin a turbulent fellow of a Belial breede dealt with the Nuncio for a generall pacification remission on all sides and Fa. Baldwin in the name of Father Parsons and all the Iesuits asked him forgiuenesse So shamelesse are the Iesuits as the very pulpits are prophaned by them wheÌ„ it stands them vpon to maintaine their reputation per fas aut â—efas they care not how nor what tyrannie they commit against any as poore Fisher if aliue can witnesse whom some say they sent to the Galleys at Naples after they had got what from him as they cold where he remained a galley slaue euer after and so is full if aliue or not murdered as it is lately reporâ—â—d by Parsons meanes in his way to Naples and the Doctor for his owne part for ciuilitie sake performing asmuch with this addition if he had offended any of them Which being done and the Nuncio commanding them both to be secret of what had past in fauour indeed of the Iesuits yet Father Baldwin gaue it out in a glorious sort that the Doctor had asked Father Parsons the Iesuits forgiuenesse and thereby to disgrace him a new and to make their former
betwixt him and Doctor Squire then liuing were very likely to be renewed and so to worke great discredite both to him and the cause Catholike Thus stood the case then with Maister Blackwell now see the canuasse for Retractation of this slaunder giuen out of so stately a Polipragmon This simple man quite altered in nature manners and conuersation by reason of strong drinke priuate close liuing and familiaritie with some fathers of that societie became an officious Agent libeller-like to Rome by writing against his brethren the seculars enticed I make no question of it by some cony-catching deuise of Fa. Parsons thereby intending to be his bane at length as his new magisteriall office at his procurement instituted will be no doubt of it the onely meanes to plague him in reuenge of his former speeches vsed against the said father Who should quite forget himselfe his principles of Machiauell and all his rules of pollicie if Maister Blackwell scape scotfree after all the Iesuits turnes are serued by such a blockish instrument as cannot perceiue their mumbling meaning as resting wholly at their deuotion to stand or fall Yet so it is now as whether drowned in vaine delight of his new supremacie or otherwise inueigled to be a close Iesuit as sundry such there are which going vnder the name of seculars make the said seculars cause seeme more odious weake and exorbitant or howsoeuer it comes to passe Maister Blackwell sings now placebo domino meo Parsonio in terra viuentium for the time and layeth me on loade vpon euery opposite to a Iesuites designement Now he condemneth all as suspended and irregular persons that either directly or indirectly maintaine write or speake in defence of the censure of Paris which cleared the seculars from schisme sinne and all other crime or offence in the first resistance of his Archpresbitership and then againe threateneth all with thundring sentences of Ecclesiasticall censures that speake conferre procure or seeke for any redresse against his ignorant crueltie appointed of purpose and either doth not or will not know it to be slagellum fratrum suorum yea a scourge to himselfe and all England besides It is strange to consider how now he be labors himself in laying about him on all sides to defend the neuer heard of more impudent shamefull and palpably ignominious It is but a signe of a dastardly mind and most vnfit to be in authority to persecute those most whome all men note to be freest froÌ„ offence and yet such as by reason of a humerous tender and scrupulous heart they carry are easi iest ouercome and forced to yeeld For exaÌ„ple whereof get and read all the passage by letters and messages betwixt the Archpriest and Ma. More c. reprochfull and abhominable facts of Fa. Parsons and the rest of the Iesuits And especially he tyrannizeth if he find a sweete nature and mild disposition any way opposite vnto him such a one as Maister Thomas More a very reuerend secular Priest of many good parts and abilities who as I haue heard of late hath fared worse for my sake which I am very sory for though outwardly there was made no shew of it for I could tell perhaps why I can no lesse admire how that euer wise men should be so blinded as not to discerne which many do not then smile in my sleeue to thinke how brauely they haue bobd this double diligent M. Blackwell with this statute of Retractation of slaunder whereby if euer it come to hearing he is as sure to be hoysted ouer the barre for an ambidexter by comparing his former speech to his present proceedings as I am sure to haue written and set it downe here for a looking glasse vnto him with this emprise aboue it tristitia vestra trust to your self good Ma. Blackwell and forsake in time that seditious company who moue you to act write and speake you know not what against your selfe as one day you will find it I could here particulate this statute but it were too tedious to do so more exactly in discouerie of M. Blackwels ignorance simplicitie Who whiles I was in Scotland sent out an inhibition against all such bookes printed per Biennium c. by any Catholikes meanes or procurement within these two Realmes of England or Scotland as either might exasperate our common aduersaries here or otherwise preiudice the worthie labourers in our common causes that had merited so well of their countrey and all Catholikes as Father Parsons had for he was the famous man and I the infamous wretch whom all men iudged that speech to be intended for as no doubt it was and that by instigation of his good spirite Fa. Garnet to stop thereby the answer to Fa. Parsons Doleman of succession to the English Crowne which then they knew I went about A copie of which schedule being sent vnto me by a friend out of England to Edenborough where then I lay I could not tell well whether to laugh or be angrie to see the slinesse craft and pollicie of the Iesuits to put such a sharpe sword of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction into a rawe simple and mad mans hands as if the point had not bin blunted and the edge turned by abuse of his authoritie neuer rightly had and many wayes since iustly lost as wil be proued against him he wold haue kild all that euer came in his I should say the Iesuits way and himselfe vnnaturally therewith as I feare he hath already For amongst other errors committed by him in that inhibition this was one scil that he would suffer all Parsons seditious bookes to passe current as his Philopator speaking most rebelliously against her Maiesty and the whole State and Nobles of this land his Doleman entituling most traiterously the Spanish Infanta to the English Crowne together with his Appendix fathered on Cardinall Allane being dead his Letter to the Marques Huntley to creepe in againe with Scotland but sent through England to be huffed ruffed and vanted of and sundrie other of his confederates libels letteâ—s and messages matter enough to haue moued a Saint to anger much more a mortall wight to be exasperated therby and knowing as he could not chuse but know it that I sought nothing lesse then to exasperate either my Soueraigne or present State but all quite contrary to confute all and whatsoeuer he had written leauing the question vndecided and fault where it was in him his clearely to be seene yet he to forbid both printing and reading of mine and extolling the other to the skies what a man should thinke hereof it may be easily discerned An other error therein was in that his authoritie if he had any and that it were not lost againe did extend onely to the censure allowance of such bookes as were of matters of Religion and Ecclesiastical gouernment and discipline so as this booke I then was thought to be in hand withall was out of his commission to meddle or deale
honor est in honorante say Deuines in exposition of the princely Prophets speech Omnis honor regis ab intus in fimbrijs aureis c. And for that the questioÌ„ is not of admittance into the nuÌ„ber of nobles or geÌ„tles but being once matriculated cataloguated registred in that KaleÌ„der whether that then being but a Gentleman of proper merite onely and not of bloud coat-armor or auncestrie the foresaid wants and defects do more disable the subiect wherein they are inherent to aduancement ecclesiasticall or ciuill that is whether a Priest by function or an Esquire by creation ought more to conceale and hide his faults and which of them may be soonest hindred from preferment to higher dignities as from an ordinarie Priest to be a Pastor Vicar Deane Archdeacon Bishop c. and from a Gentleman of coat-armor to be a Knight Baron Lord baron Vicount and Earle c. Wherein because it is presupposed that they are both in the way to preferment the one as a consecrated Priest by his spiritual the other as a created Esquire by his temporal gentrie the difference by consequent must needes follow thereupon to be this that being once admitted by dispensation legitimation c. those things most in request with a Priest afterward must be learning vertue gouernment c. None of which in our speech of meanes to aduancement are so exactly required in a temporall Gentleman and on the other side the graces and abilities expected at a temporall mans hand must be parentage valor comelinesse of person and wealth sufficient to maintaine his estate c. which may cause his good fortune by marryage and otherwise none of which are required so precisely in a Priest and perhaps not at all necessities his preferment standing not vpon mariage or ostentation of his wealth friends and temporall abilities but vpon the managing of the thing he hath or is to take in hand wherein wisedome prudence and other ciuill politicall and morall vertues are required And so by consequent it followeth that as both are to maintaine their honour renowne and credite to the vttermost so both may conceale such defects as may hinder the same preferment which otherwise might and would accrew vnto them alwaies respecting time place person and other circumstances as may preiudice either one or other thereby which to explane how that may happen I will set the case downe in these few examples following Saint Augustine rightly called the Apostle of England because sent hither by blessed Saint Gregorie the Great to conuert as he did this countrie to the Catholike Romane faith sending for the Welch or Briton Priests fallen into Apostacie and Pesagianisme to come to conference with him concerning sundrie of their heresies and grosse errors obseruing well his actions and behauiour towards them vpon the speech of a false prophet or Pelagian Hermit they all that came to parlee presently left him before the first encounter because he did not rise and giue them the chaire place or honor point at their meetings mightily condemning him for an arrogant proud man But yet was it no pride in him at all because he both came in all humble wise submitting himselfe to the meanest in all Kent vntill he had conuerted them and also for that he should by giuing them place coming as he did an Apostle haue preiudiced the See Apostolike and the Popes Holinesse from whence as an ambassadour with Legatiue power he came and also he should therein haue preiudiced the Regall Maiestie of King Ethelbert of Kent by name who then hauing receiued the Catholike Romane faith at Saint Augustines hands whom for that cause his Maiestie had highly priuiledged they did not send for him but he sent for them by authoritie from the said King who afterward also compelled them to receiue the same faith and to renounce their heresie with the death of two thousand Monks of Bangor Abbey at one time procured by the King of Kents exciting the King of Northumberland and others to warre vpon them c. Conformable to this example in another kind may very well be the secular and Seminarie Priests comming into England with like Apostolicall authoritie as did Saint Augustine and therefore as they are to humble themselues in all respects wheresoeuer they come in England as he did in Kent vnder any ciuill magistrate vnder her Maiestie and not to contend for a cappe or a knee where is readie prepared for them a racke and a halter by course of lawe in this land through the Iesuites mischieuous practises bringing all the rest to be had in iealousie thereby so are and ought they to stand vpon points when they come in place where their priesthood is called in question Aâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 weâ—l â—e two â—â—â—â—ble â—â—â—â—â—â—es of 〈◊〉 N◠〈…〉 boâ—â— hâ—â—â—â—â—d aâ—â—bâ—â—h 〈◊〉 â—â—all men Th◠〈◊〉 was aâ—â—oâ—re shewâ—â— by the Lord â—â—d Dâ—cre â—o Capt. Stukeâ—â—y whâ—ch Stukeâ—â—y tak ng vpon him to be â—n extraordinary gâ—â—aâ— person desireâ—â—he â—â—â—le Dacre is 〈◊〉 on a time to gâ—ue him countenance and the place of 〈◊〉 where eâ—â—â— hâ— staâ—â—◠〈…〉 checks 〈◊〉 it told hiâ— â—oâ— and further if he once esteâ—ed to take either place or titlâ— of honor vpon him in his presâ—nce he would maâ—â— him know him selfe as too â—reat â—n indignity 〈◊〉 so highly â—â—scenâ—ed of that honor he was of 〈◊〉 hâ— bloud to be suffered thâ—t be should well know that honour consisted not in popular applause nor yet 〈◊〉 excesse furâ—â—it of worldly â—ches The other example was of a Noble mans son who being prisoner to a Knight fâ—r that the said Knight had enâ—red into some â—â—aiâ—â— with 〈◊〉 concerning hiâ— Noble bloud be tooke him by the sleeâ—e as they wâ—re in goâ—â—g ouer a stile passing ouer before him said Know you Sir H.B. I am W. sonne of W Lo. S. and though I gaue you place before yet hereafter I will not neither can I without preiudice of my house and honour do it c. and vsed with contempt either of their function or of the Sea Apostolike by whose authoritie they pleade Marrie yet herein also with a different respect had to an aduersarie of an other profession and religion whom in these times to contend withall it were in vaine and but an occasion of moe dangers many blasphemies greater sinnes and to one that is of the same religion the secular Priest is of A verie fit example agreeing whereunto was of late shewed by one secular Priest to three sundry persons all Catholikes and one a Priest Iesuited to the first being a Gentleman but yet meaner of calling then either of the other he gaue place at table hand wall and stile because he saw it proceeded of simplicitie inciuili lâ— rudenesse in him though perhaps entermingled with some spice of sâ—lâ— conceit and sawcinesse and withall there came no contempt of Priesthood direâ—tly thereby The second hauing also before time alwayes giuen place because he was
afterward lest he shold expect some extraordinarie fauor or benefit at their hands they haue twenty dog-trickes new waies deuises by detracting which by their maxime is called gaining or winning of time how to shake him off verie Iesuitically and he neuer the wiser of it Of this principle obserued amongst the Iesuits for winning of time father Cryton a Scot. Iesuit I thinke ouerslipping himselfe at vnawares in his words told the Lord Dacre being then in Spaine put in hope of great matters but impatient in delayes that it was their manner when they had one of his account and calling that although they could not or at least would not performe what they promised or put the party in hope of yet was it in pollicy for them to draw him on without giuing him any resolute answer to the contrary as the onely way to gaine time so that by keeping him there put off with lingring hope in delayes they might the easier either act some other action by him to serue their turns withall which vpon the sudden could not be in readinesse to be enterprised or else preuent some inconuenience which might happen vnto them by his present departure or absence in another place Notwithstanding the Lord Dacre hauing had sufficient warning giuen him before aswell by the Noble Dutches of Feria halfe sister to Sir Robert Dormer nephew to the sayd Lord by mariage who hath often shewed a true naturall English Ladies heart euen liuing in a Spanish soile against these vnnaturall Parsonian practises as also by the said father Criton who bid his Lordship in effect looke for none other then to haue father Parsons his mortall enemie for euer by reason of his refusall to fauour or further the title of the Lady Infanta and for his free and liberall speech on the behalfe of his Prince and countrey against all forraine pretenders c. expected no lesse as since he hath found then most iniurious calumniations against him euerie where Yet vsed Parsons often dalliance with his Lordship either to make him breake off friendship some with his dearest friends or else to feed him with hopes or gifts to colour other guiles or to remoue some old stooles to make him breake his shinnes vpon them c. It was a pretie iest to heare how they cogd with maister Cecill after he had gottē his protection here in England how by gaining time of putting him off with hope of present parley this day that day and at such a place now then at another they made him trudge course both tide Thames and time with crosse encounters vntill he was weary of it But of all the rest they vsed a faithfull seruant of theirs Doctor Barret president at Doway most vnthankfully which because it is the very Anatomy of all the Iesuits base gained time I will set it out word for word as it is in the originall wherein I found it yet very briefly there deliuered This maister Barret was for a long time one of the Iesuits chiefe darlings and a speciall instrument to many purposes whom they requited in the end with all manner of disgusts and disgraces euen to his last breath For being sent for vp to Rome about the breach of the students with the Iesuits Cardinall Tolet hoping he would haue taken part with the seculars intended to haue made him Rector there and to haue cast out all the Iesuites as he did cast out sixe of them But Maister Barret contrarie to the Cardinals expectation became wholly Iesuited and did what he could in fauor of them against the students Whereupon Cardinall Tolet reiected him as an vnworthy man The Iesuits afterwards sent him downe to Doway to his old charge and father Parsons the archcousiner craftily made him purchase a house which cost 1200. crownes and withall stopt at Rome the Popes pension for the Colledge the space of two yeares By these occasions Doctor Barret in behalfe of the Colledge fell in debt 3000. crownes the Iesuits all this while keeping from him the annuall pensions With this the Doctor at length being moued sending to Rome to cōplaine and require the mony gentle father Parsons went to the Pope and accused him of excesse and euill husbandry in disposing the Popes Pensions And so by this meanes through gaine of time suffering the house to fall in extremitie father Parsons gained two commodities thereby one was thereupon to send into England for collections to be made and that none should come ouer vnto Doway without twenty pounds or a good large sum in their purses by reason of the great want that the Colledge was in another that hereupon through tract of time he got aduantage of the poore President as though the Colledge had decaied through his default and so intended vpon that occasion to haue cast him out and haue thrust in Iesuits in his place sauing that his death preuented it But other matters falling out here in England contrarie to their expectation about their Atchpresbiter it was thought necessarie for gaining of time a while longer not as yet to place there the Iesuits but one Doctor Worthington for a time to be a stickler to gaine time by for them Thus you see the Iesuits axiome of winning redeeming or gaining of time is nothing else in effect then to runne withall times in altering their positions by three generall rules or propositions vsed now one way and thē another as a medius terminus for euery doubtfull argument one is tempora mutantur ergo nos mutamur in illis Another is omnia pro tempore ergo nihil pro veritate The last is diuide imperia at all times so as the deuision of the spoile being in thine owne hands thou mayst make it serue thy turne to win by time thy desires The practise of which ground is in no Iesuites affaire so manifest as in this verie point and platforme for their English gouernement labouring to outward shew to set vp now one then another intending it for none at all in very deed as by conferring of one thing with another may be easilie discouered in their practises For it is not vnknowne to all the Christian world as I verily thinke that in Rome in Spaine in Flaunders and euery where but especially here in England Scotland and Ireland they labour to stirre vp all men vnder colour of religion and zealous desire in them of our countries conuersion against our Soueraigne the present State and aboue all against the seculars accusing them to be fautors of heretikes furtherers of heretikes titles to the English Crowne and a faction forsooth we must be tearmed by a company of Montebankes that haue put this phrase into ignorant peoples heads that when they talke of any that is opposite to these seditious Iesuits damnable courses they must say ô he is one of the faction when like a company of asses if they knew what a faction meant they might easily discerne that these their new maisters did ride
them like fooles as they are and made them become a most seditious infamous pragmaticall treacherous diabolicall faction to set vp and defend a bastardly fellow in all his mischieuous plots and deuises and that the seculars are of no faction at all vnlesse they will call it a faction to ioyne against these vsurpers with the whole Church of God and so may they as probably like right heretikes they will do so one day say that all Catholike nations throughout Christendome are of the faction there being no Catholike countrey people or nation in the world this day but doth dislike of them and is against their wicked proceedings or else for speaking in defence of their Prince and countrey I meane in matters of gouernement succession and state affaires clearly abstracted from points of faith and religion and then and therein also if they say the seculars are of the faction they may aswell say that her Maiestie and honorable Counsell and in few all that are exempted from trayterous attempts and conspiracies either within or without the land are so And then by consequent all are of the faction throughout the world that will not yeeld to a Iesuiticall supremacy in the state Ecclesiasticall and to their Monarchy in a state temporall and in both to make father Parsons a king Cardinall Concerning this matter it is worthy the noting to see how this Camelion Iesuit Parsons hath banded off and on with time like a Protheus His and his fautors ostentation in outward shew is wholy for religion and that they do most earnestly desire the conuersion of their countrey and of such and such particular persons by name yea they would I marry would they all follow and prosecute the king of Scots title if he would become Catholike but if not they would all dye one after another against him And yet contrary to this ostentation made both in a letter of father Parsons to the Marques Huntley whom they account to be a speciall fautor of their faction as also contrarie to sundrie other of their writings schedules and passages they haue dealt both priuatly and openly to the contrarie In somuch that omitting particular practises as with the late Earle of Essex to whom father Parsons sent a Iesuite Priest to haue had him to take a pension of the king of Spaine priuatly for aduancement of his designements neuer mentioning any Religion to him off or on but be as he be would and so with others hath he dealt besides the viper shewed his malice most in the treatie of peace betwixt the kings of Fraunce and Spaine For at that time there was a rumour runne abroad that the Queene of England would enter into that league and so graunt a tolleration of religion But this father Parsons vtterly disliked of saying that either they would haue all or none that they would admit of no conditions His reason was this because quoth he a tolleration would make the Catholikes of England dull and without spirit c. But the reason indeed was this and in good faith when I first did see the Articles here drawne out in England of the conditions for peace before euer any newes came of this great Statists censure I sayd to a very friend of mine that it would cost the Iesuits a brace of a thousand pounds to stop it for that it stood not with father Parsons platforme to haue any relaxation of persecution in England so long as either her Maiestie liued or yet after vntill he were ready to come with Montioy Saint Iames of Spaine and Parsons for the Britons Monarchy because a tolleration for religion would breed these inconueniences all making against him and his faction First he could not then haue any colour to set out bookes or anticke shewes as he hath or to blaze it abroad in all nations how cruell tyrannicall and inhumane the persecution of Catholikes is in England Secondly he could no longer after haue blowne the infamous blasts that course both sea and land he affirming England to be the nurcery of faction sedition and of all mischiefe wrought throughout the world setting all Princes Monarches and States together by the eares liuing in league with one to make warre against another and maintaining of rebels against their Soueraignes Thirdly he could not by al likelihood haue had any Catholike Prince or other in Christendome to haue banded on his side For with what colour could either Spaine or Austria or any Catholike Prince haue inuaded England if Catholikes might liue here as freely as they did in France or as the Hugonites do now liue there and the Protestants in Germany and the Christians in Turkey and the Mahumetanes in Tartary the Pagans in Presbiter Iohns dominions Fourthly he could neuer after haue gone forward with this platforme for aspiring to the Monarchy For whereas now all Catholikes must depēd vpon the Archpriest the Archpriest vpon father Garnet Garnet vpon Parsons Parsons vpon the diuel the author of all rebellious conspiracies treasons murthers disobedience heresies all such other diabolicall bloudy designements as this wicked Iesuit hath hitherto deuised then and in that case this dependency had bin vtterly voide For we should haue had Catholike Bishops as Suffragans or such like that might haue giuen holy orders cōsecrated holy oiles ministred the Sacrament of Confirmation exercised their Episcopall authority in all things necessary priuatly as it was in the Apostles time and Primitiue Church without either any the least incōbrance or perturbance of the state or present incumbents the Bishops Archbishops that now are or admittance of any seditious Iesuit or other factious person to come within the lād Fiftly his malitious deuises cruel hard hart towards al Catholiks had herby bin discouered as neuer able hereafter to haue stirred vp her Maiesty or incensed her honorable Counsell against all her loyall and most dutifull subiects for his treacheries treasons cōspiracies Because al in that case wold haue bin ready to haue reuealed the least thought of any cōfederacy against her royall person kingdome and state Sixtly his baits had bene worth nothing for enticing and alluring of any subiect to rebellion either for the time present or to come because a league being once made with the French and Spanish nation all Catholikes of England being withall naturally inclined to loue and loyalty of and to their Prince and countrey all promises or hopes of preferment vnder forreine Princes would haue bin and seemed hatefull ridiculous and senslesse vnto them No nation vnder heauen affording greater honors comforts and content then England and our Soueraignes both are able do affoord to the inhabitants that liue in grace and fauor as in this case vtcunque the afflicted Catholikes should Seuenthly this tolleration or liberty of cōscience wold quite haue cut off two bloudy hopes which Parsons hath in al his practises to wit aswel the indāgering of her Maiesties royall person as also the fauoring furthering cōsenting
ex illis and not a Raphael of another order c. And as the Chapter of Cannons chuse their Deane and not the Priests dispearsed in parishes the Deane Chapter and Priests of each Bishoprike their Bishop and not the inclused Monkes of that Dioces the Dominicans their Prior and not the Franciscans the Iesuits their prouincial and not the Benedictines the Aldermen and City of London their Maior not the Iustices c. and onely in hell amongst heretikes ordo negligitur ergo the Iesuits appointing vs a superior do imitate one of these 6 His letters to Rome against his brethreÌ„ egor defence of the Iesuits coÌ„uince him to be vnus ex vel subditus illis ergo coÌ„tra ius imponitur nobis c. 7 He publickly professeth partiality as in his bitter letters to maister Benson to maister More and to sundry others and that he maintaines them in all things ergo vt iniquus iniustus iudex deponendus 8 His authority was vnhonestly procured because we were neuer made acquainted therewith hauing è contrario formerly imparted our minds vnto them c. vnlawfully confirmed because by the Cardinal at Parsons suite both our enemies and vniustly executed because by Iudges of their owne cause and therefore all three Cardinall Parsons and Blackwell intrusers into our haruest vsurpers of his Holinesse authority and tyrants ouer vs and our countrey 9 That it was directly a plot cast of Parsons by and for the Iesuits to expell or bring all Priests vnder them patet ex bulla qua instituitur praecipue vt pacem habeant cum Iesuitis ergo ad interitum omnium aliorum c. 10 That it was foisted in by Parsons procurement only vpon a point of extremity to colour his impiety and to stop the discouery of his treacherous mind towards his countrey appeareth For it came iumpe at that time when both in Spaine Italy the Low-countries his dealings began to be odious for his tyrannie against all Priests and lay persons that consented not to his Iaponian kingdome and in England his bookes and all his and their dealings being by Catholikes generally disliked and by secular Priests condemned and reiected as full of ambition bloudshed infamy and ruine intended to our whole countrey it was time to set vp such an Archiprate or else had the Iesuits faction bene quite pulled downe for euer which though he haue but a blind name of authority yet it serueth to hold tacke till by inuasion or otherwise the Iesuits may worke their feate for inhauncing of kingdomes c ergo vtterly by all English to be deiected 11 That setting M. Black priuate life aside which now I omit he is vnfit if such authority were lawfully graÌ„ted to be chosen for a head ouer so great a multitude of fine wits many more graue ancient and learned then himselfe especially in times of so many dangers and full of diuersities and differences in al things besides religion learning and this is most plaine for that he is wel knowne to be a man of no reach only he hath read studied sundry positiue authors whereby he can speake or write sentences euill couched together God wot out of others But of himselfe he neuer knew what discourse writing to great persons or of matters of weight or what ciuill conuersation or gouernment meant For hauing a charge onely of a widow Gentlewoman with whom he liued he neuer conuersed with any to learne either wit knowledge or experience in any thing or how to behaue himselfe in company discourse or otherwise to sift out any matter or yet to know how to do iustice in his office further then his booke told him which often causeth error through want of practise and experience to know the custome of times and places c. which may alter quite his book cases as applyed by a correspondencie to another purpose Which grosse ignorance a man shall find almost in euery letter he writes wresting this and that sentence Canon author and authoritie quite contrarie to another act matter sence and meaning then euer thereby was intended which I should rather thinke came of his simplicitie then of wilfull error were it not that he is become so proud peremptorie and scoffing contemptuous in his exorbitant letters words and all his other actions since this immerited authority came vpon him ergo by Parsons rule of deposing or chusing gouernors M. Blackwell is vnfittest of an hundred and consequently to be deposed for his insufficiencie though otherwise he had absolute authoritie 12 That M. Blackwels simplicitie and vnaptnesse to gouerne sheweth plaine the great mischiefe and ruine of our countrie intended by chusing of him is manifest For who in pollicie would attempt that which the Iesuites go about by any but such as wanting wit to enter into their drift should thinke euery word to be an oracle or else to be the Gospell that they speak and then vpon this ground Catholikes hauing tender consciences must thinke it a sinne irremissible to resist c. 13 That the Iesuits pollicie was maruellous dexterous in choosing one by profession a secular Priest and not a knowne Iesuite and consequently none fitter then M. Blackwell vz. First otherwise they had opened their own ambition to all the world Secondly they could not in honestie and with any face haue spoken for themsâ—lues as others may do for them Thirdly they may hereby colour all their trecherie for if it fadge not well the head is a Seminarie or secular Priest if it hap to their wish he is by them set vp ergo at their appointment Fourthly they may as they do more stoutly defend him then themselues 14 That a greater persecution is and must ensue by M. Blackwels Archpresbitery then euer came to Catholikes by the ciuill magistrates vz. First for that it opens the way to all rebellion freeing euery one to speake or do what they list or can against any except Iesuits all vnder pretence of zeale in taking forsooth the Popes part by defending M. Blackwels authority and esteeming of all that resist it to be Schismaticks or worse Secondly wheras before som few were infamed by priuat oppositions against the Iesuits now all that obey not M. Blackwell are so persecuted by these Parsonians railing and slaundering toungs as none can liue free Thirdly it breeds that contempt as euery boy and girle are in manner of esteeme of priesthood become Haywoodists Wisemanists and I could tell you what worse perdee to put no difference but all secular as well laitie as clergie c. Fourthly it makes vent for inuasion both of England and Scotland the Archpriests twelue assistants being dispersed in euery corner with the laity to worke by North and by South perswading it to be for the Scots good to ioyne with Spaine ergo mightily he is to be resisted 15 That the plot was laid long ago for the Archpriest videl by their olim dicebamur and other forgeries of theirs First
hypocrita cupit se videri iustus hypocrita cupit se videri iustum a Iesuite iustus must make a Blackwell iustum 20 The causes mouing them thus vehemently to haue vrged our consent at the first and their now surcease from calling this vsurpate authority in question must needs be these First their shamefull abuses which would be called vpoÌ„ sure to come coram nobis in the highest place if once we had an equall iudge as we doubt not but at length to haue Secondly their crueltie vsed towards all Priests Thirdly their vnhonest proceedings in this election and institution of maister Blackwell Fourthly their vnlawfull authorizing of him at the first without commission banding it out like a company of cutters of Queene hith or roisters of Bellingsgate without all modestie shamefastnesse or honestie Fiftly their forging facing and coyning of letters messages c. to get consents c. Sixtly the generall esteeme simple people haue of their phansaicall vertue honestie and sincerity so as yeeld our consents we occasionate their sinne to increase hold backe our yeeld and their impietie is straight knowne and they quite ouerthrowne dismasquâ—d deciphered and set foorth in their proper colours 21 We cannot in conscience yeeld to it because that it is first to yeeld to the slaunder raised by them of vs all Secondly an iniurie to those that are gone Thirdly a contradiction to our owne doings Fourthly an opposition against one and other Fiftly a breach of all order Sixtly a participation consent association combination or sodalitie with the Iesuits to ouerthrow our countrie and make all our posteritie curse vs. 22 That M. Blackwell is but a cypher for the Iesuits to put what figure they list vnto vz. by the additions substractions affirmations negations c. of the particulars of his authority ergo part the figure and the cipher and the best is but tittle est c. 23 That they haue indiscretely marred their owne market in their violent course taken for confirmation of his authority viz. First by giuing out such and such to be excommunicated suspended c. which he dare not auerre nor can obtaine authoritie to do so Secondly by constituting assistants before euer he had authority for himselfe to whom he could not giue any faculties they hauing come to London some of them three sundry tearmes for such and he answering still that his authoritie for that matter was not yet come Thirdly the authority that now his assistants haue is only nomine non re for they haue to do with nothing but as informers to giue intelligence what they heare and see Fourthly the Iesuits laity refusing to come at our Seruice to receiue vs into their houses or to giue vs any maintenance and giuing out that we are schismatikes c. for not accepting this cogging authority at the first blast shew maister Blackwell to be most greedy in affecting of honour that could not haue patience vntill we had heard an answer from them we sent and the Iesuits to be most impudent in their dealings that would Turkize ouer vs in that shamelesse manner to vrge our consent by violent force not onely to saue their credits which had bene more tollerable but withall to bolster out their impiety and most vile practises against vs and both to be void of conscience shame religion or honesty to haue set a worke abroach which to maintaine they must needes be desperate or else are quite ouerthrowne and disgraced for euer 24 This simple mans election now confirmed the Iesuits being his counsellors and all things working and drawing to a head for inuasion so as the plots are like to be discouered shortly throughout Christendome it stands these statists vpon to vrge dentibus ensibus for maister Blackwell whom if we yeeld vnto we set vp the Iaponian kingdom if we resist we saue our country ouerthrow theÌ„ for euer ergo â—o true English harted catholike ought to fauor Blackwels authoritie And for any other vnlesse it be the Puritanes I thinke none will hereafter howsoeuer some schismatikes and perhaps Protestants haue heretofore bin teÌ„pted with their faire promises Many I verily thinke that al Puritanes will ioyne wholly with the Iesuits at leÌ„gth how farre off so euer they seeme to be and are yet in external profession of religion there being at the least halfe an hundreth principles odde trickes concerning gouernement authority tyranny popularity treason coÌ„spiracy c. which they iump as iust together in as if both were made of one mould 25 The very word Archpresbiter is Anomolum abolendum quite out of vse in Gods Church at this day ergo an innouation neuer like to be allowed of by the Pope after his Holinesse shall once please to be rightly informed of the case 26 It was but a policy of Par. to giue such a silly maÌ„ a poore tittle without an â—ffectual title to bleare our eyes with his care of our countrey because forsooth the name of a Bishop would haue raised persecution as though this be not as great and greater cause of persecution But the reason was indeed First for that neither the Cardinall nor he could compasse such a matter without authorizing such ouer the Iesuits equally with the seculars Secondly for that the Pope must then haue bene both priuie vnto it and ratified and confirmed it Thirdly and most of all for that then he must haue come by ordinary election of the seculars whereas now being an extrauagant innouate authority this extraordinary choise of him doth carry some better show in it Fourthly this great Iland could not then haue bene gouerned absoultely by them as is intended it shall be by excluding all Bishops and other authority 27 It is iust agreeing with the Puritanes to haue this kind of Archpresbitery and Parsons priuate rules of gouernement in his high Councell of Reformation tend to no lesse in morall matters though in religion he yet braues it out as though the most zealous Catholikes sided on his side 28 It was of purpose to keepe all gouernement from amongst vs thereby to settle his Iaponian monarchy ergo to be resisted 29 It is contrary to the custome of all countries ages times and persons to haue such an Archpresbiteriall gouernement ergo c. 30 It was intended thereby to bring all by solemne oath to prosecute the Iesuites wicked designements and therefore were certaine Priests in Spaine of late vrged to take an oath of obedience to the Archpriest in all things at their comming into England notwithstanding the poore Archpriest stands still at the Iesuits deuotion to be cast out at their pleasure if he act not what they command him 31 It was inuented of pollicy sent ouer with vnnaturall hate towards our countrey and will be maintained with great bloudshed if not preuented ergo These things being all matters of most weight the circumstances on all sides considered that in a world can be found I conclude with a briefe answer to the
the suite of Daniell to send home his countrimen in peace and quiet or otherwise to harden his and Darius his hart to yeeld to no release but that for euer they should there condemned despised and dispersed remaine In this heroicall disputation the moderators wherein no doubt were full replete with no lesse Cherubinicall knowledge then Seraphical zeale the three great princes Michael Raphael and Vriel with the rest of the Regents and gouernors deputed to the Hebrues monarchie or twelue tribes of Israell taking part with the Iew and Daniell and the prince of the Persian kingdome who had resisted Daniell 21. daies together with all the Lords protectors guardians and gouernors of Mede of Perse of Chaldaea of Babylon and of all the Asiacke monarchie vsque vltra Garamantes and Indos taking the parts of the Gentiles and defending those people princes and nations ouer whom by Gods mercifull designment they had the protection gouernment and charge of patronage Thus began the plea. The guardians of the frontires of Palestine alledged how all that rich countrie à fructu frumenti vini olet multiplicata and abounding with milke and hony in former ages was now become desert wilde laide waste to sacke and spoile with robbers and theeues hauing no repâ—â—â—e of God nor good Saint no soule in that soile but nowe diâ— pâ—râ—sh Whereas before out of euery tribe there past yeerely sundry deuoâ—re soules thence into Abrahams bosome to be in a readines at th Mâ—ssâ—â— his returne into heauen Therefore was it necessarie that Z â—â—ch 〈◊〉 Esdras that Nehemias and others of the Iewes priestâ— Leuites prophetâ— and scribes with the whole multitude should be deliuered to replenish these prouinces with Gods people againe To this was answered by the Gentiles generals and captaines that forasmuch as Nabuchodonosor as Baltasar as Darius as Xerxes and other monarches by secret instinct and often good motions put into their harts by commission giuen vnto them from their heauens king had of their princely benignitie granted vnto the Iewes after triall made of their constancie and that their God fought for them in the cause of religion and sacrifice a free libertie of conscience to serue their Lord God agreeing to their Iewish rites and that euen Daniell who was so desirous to haue his people sent home was in as high authoritie grace and fauour with those Ethnicke princes as any noble of their owne sect in the court and countrie where they and he together liued therefore was that argument for the Palestian empire of no validitie seeing it is not the soile but the soule which God respecteth and whereof they all haue charge and thar no humane wight be he Iew Gentile or Proselite Christian Infidell or Catechumene but hath his good Angell appointed to protect him at his first entrance into the worlds vale of miseries and is bound to continue with him accompanying him where euer he goes so long as he or she remaines in this territorie of teares Then the guardian of Hierusalem and principall of Iudea S. Michaell as it seemed replied and said that though it were the men which liued in the world and not the world it selfe which they all had charge of in chiefe yet because man came of earth and in Salem citie was Adam our protoplast created therefore was the prerogatiue royall giuen to Iebus land to be called Terra sancta for euer after The language also which Adam first did speake and which after some two thousand yeeres continuance of that onely and no moe throughout the world remaining vncorrupted as destinated to the posteritie of Heber in the time of Phaleg amongst 72. distinct tongues cast amongst the Nimrodian rebels in the tower of Babell comming by lineall discent to be called Hebrew after the diuision made was the same which Moses which Samuell which Salomon which Dauid with all the Iewes legifers vsed in their scriptures codes law bookes prophecies and other writings and this tongue of all others is onely called Lingua sancta Moreouer the people of this nation Iewes borne and none but they are called Gens sancta populus electus regale sacerdotium by right of inheritance euen from Adam from Noe from Abraham from Israell from Dauid by lineall succession in a downe-right line And although their ancestors liued in bondage 400. yeeres space vnder the Aegyptian Pharaos during which time seuen mighty nations of sundry warlike people whereof the chiefe being Cananites gaue the name to the whole land inhabited ouer all yet did not that discontinuance any whit disable their rightful title and claime but that at time conuenient by Gods appointment to the number of 1300000. and aboue past ouer the red sea leauing not one Israelite behinde them in Aegypt and vnder the conduct of Moses and Duke Iosue victorious ouer thirty kings and kingdomes besides other states this sacred nation possessed this holy land the holy language still preserued amongst them So as euen to these countries kingdomes and prouinces hath God assigned his Angels protectors of his people therin and by consequent in rigor of his iustice the Iewes ought to returne into the kingdome of Iurie and Hierusalem againe With this answere was not the Angell of Perse contented but held on his plea on the Gentiles side affirming that as it was for their sins that God in his iustice had reiected Israells issue so although it pleased him to manifest his omnipotent power and Maiesty that man might say non in carneo brachio corroborabitur vir and that there was no God but the Lord God of Israell alone yet was not his mercy so tied to their sleeue as after so many signes tokens prodigious woonders and miracles shewed for their sakes in open sight of all their enemies as amongst the Aegyptians before named the Philistines the Tyrians the Moabites the Ammonites the Edomites and all other nations round about them he should still forgiue and forget to punish them agreeing to their demerits as hitherto he had but that the destinies of their daies drawing to an end the fatall web of their woes being at hand and the period of their time now approching there was no expectation to be had of their returne nor in rigor of iustice any motion to be made on that behalfe And euen Daniell Ezechiell Ieremie and the rest of the prophets doe know that the quadrupart monarchie began in Babylon vnder Nabuchodonosor which shall continue to the end by translation from the Chaldeis to the Medes and Persians as now it is and from them to the stout inuicted Macedonian Greeke from whom by reuolution af time it shall descend to the Romanes sacred Senate and whosoeuer be the monarchie vnder that prince power and potentate shall the Iewes captiues liue Therefore the holines of the land the sanctitie of the tongue the purity of the people the sacred vnction of the priest is not to be named when it comes to pleading of Gods iustice and mans deserts Heauen was euer
that we all desire and not to haue taken this course that he did to flie away like false shepheards from the flocke of Christ and to become trumpetors of inuasion blood crueltie and destruction Our weapons ought to be spirituall praeces lachrymae praiers and teares preaching and sufferings for Christs sake according to the practise of all vertuous religious pious and catholike priests in all ages I know what father Parsons hath written of this point in an other treatise of his but his examples do not warrant him nor his fellowes to deale in this sort as he hath done Fiftly to rebinde this againe with authoritie of our omnipotent legifer Christ Iesus when the Samaritanes refused to receiue Christ did not Saint Iames and Iohn speake thus to our Sauiour and I dare say in verbo sacerdotis with a more sincere true and religious zeale then euer Parsons had in all his practises Domine vis dicamus vt ignis descendat de coelo consumat eos but Christ turning towards them What said he mary increpauit illos dicens nescitis cuius spiritus estis They thought as a good catholike noteth vpon this place that they might haue done as Elias did they imagined that they were ledde with the spirite of zeale and of their masters honour but indeed ducebantur spiritu vindictae terrestri non caelesti Sixtly father Parsons and his companions with the rest of the seditious Iesuits taking vpon them to be viri apostolici Iesuitical or rather Ignatiā apostles who by their calling forsooth are to preach throughout all the world and ought to be tied to no speciall place longer then they list it should haue beene more agreeable to their dignities and estimation to haue come amongst vs hither into England as the Apostles did name whither so euer they went and by signes and woonders to haue conuerted their countrey to the catholike faith seeing they take vpon them a perfection aboue priesthood and will be called new Apostles illuminats and extraordinarie Rabbies that haue more neere familiaritie and acquaintance with God then any other And this had beene apostolicall dealing indeed Mary yet perhaps the case may be altered if they can perswade vs that their founder first father hauing beene a captaine and a man of warre had some particular illuminations and priuiledges from heauen that although Christs Apostles proceeded with mildenesse and patience as we reade in the Gospell their master Christ did which was a longer course then a Iesuiticall humour is able with patience to endure yet his the said Ignatius disciples should haue leaue to take a shorter way and that by fire from heauen or hell if they could or by any treacherie cruelty treason or what mischiefe soeuer so it were propter bonum societatis or ordine ad deum they were to omit no oportunitie or villany that might further such their intents But by their leaues this being a new and ruffinly course neuer heard of for conuersion of any nation they must shew some better testimonie then either Angel from heauen or feind from hell can affoord them or els we wil not beleeue them to be any other then the forerunners of Antichrist as cōsorts of Puritans in this their rebellious doctrine Seuenthly if father Parsons and his fellowes haue any such large commission from their founder for from Christ they haue it not as that by force thereof they might haue sollicited the Popes holines and the king of Spaine by all false and slanderous suggestions as they did to vndertake that glorious and woorthie acte forsooth yet considering that they only pretend therby the good of their country the restitution of the catholike faith they might haue sollicited some other prince to haue taken in hand that enterprise and not to haue sought to haue put their prince country into the hands of the Spaniards who are at this day reputed throughout all the world to be the most cruell and bloody nation that liueth vpon the earth The treatise of that woorthy Bishop Bartholomeus Cusaus a Spaniard borne dedicated to the last king of Spaine hath laid the Spanish proceedings amongst the west Indians so plainely out in their colours how many millions of men women and children they haue there murthered and that with such inhumane barbarousnesse and much more then Phalericall cruelty as vntill they do repent them and are become a new generation all kingdomes and countries in the world are to pray at the least to be deliuered from them But none could or would I am perswaded serue their turnes but the Spaniard whose pride ambition and crueltie hath so possessed their harts as father Ignatius was not a righter Spaniard by birth then our English Iesuits are by imitation Eightly besides by framing themselues with all trayterous practises and fury to assist and set forwrad the Spaniards designements they haue a stronger conceit or rather a ful perswasion that when the king had subdued this realme neither he his sonne or his daughter would make their residence heere for then the Infantaes title mariage or placing in the Lowe Countries was not dreamed of but that this kingdome should haue beene reduced to a Prouince and committed to the gouernment of their societie scil to father Parsons our pettie Coruine knight the rest of his superintendēcie or societie Which passage though it may seeme very strait yet if euer you see father Parsons booke of intended Reformation you will finde roome ynough to put in more odious stuffe then I haue handled or am willing to smatter my pen withall And therefote thinke it no maruell if they professe themselues the very vowed vassals in effect of the Spaniard for I am perswaded in my conscience that they haue consecrated themselues more deuoutly to aduance the now king of Spaine or his sister to the scepter royall of this land then they haue to promote the catholike faith Neither make I any question of it at all but that if heereafter any Pope shall crosse the Spaniards plots and purposes as like inough they may England and Fraunce with other nations hauing hitherto beene euer more respectiue to the See Apostolicke and taken the defence of Saint Peters chaire more faithfully vpon them then euer Spaine did till now of late yeeres which God of his goodnesse may alter againe and grant to his church in these nations their woonted florish the Iesuits will haue such a figge in store for his Holinesse that shall do so as no Ruebarbe Angelica Mithridate or other medicine or antidote shall expell the venime poison and infection from his hart nor any bezar pearle golde or vnicornes horne long preserue his life after it And if there be as there are shrewd suspitions in Rome concerning the death of two Popes two Cardinals and one Bishop already but for breaking or rather intending to breake the Iesuits a little of their obstinate will and vnbridled insolencie and onely to reforme them in their order then
would perswade you that all the priests in England and out of it praied for the heauie desolation and vtter downfall ruine and destruction of our natiue countrie and vs all in very deede Well he therein lies falsly but let him goe What praiers he and his made they themselues know for our parts we were happy many of vs that we neuer so much as once dreamed of such matters But as for the Iesuits faction what say you was it not time for them to burne this booke Will not those that escaped the fire be an euerlasting monument of their ignominie and shame God hath set a brand vpon them for false prophets to be euer hereafter hated and eschewed Their blessings turned into cursings and those whom they cursed God did blesse Confusion and shame fell vpon her Maiesties enimies and the crowne of an incredible victorie hath adorned her head for euer The contrarie in euery thing fell out to that which they prophesied Their valiant captaines fled their strength their prouision their passing appointment and whatsoeuer else they had serued not their turnes their harts were daunted and the world hath iudged them to haue cried crauen as the speech is in cocke pits But that which they speake of diuine assistants doth trouble me most What will our common aduersaries say and what may they not say in that an armie assisted so mightily with angels with martyrs with priests with the blessed sacrament and with the daily sacrifice should speede so euill If I had Elias spirit assuredly the filthie plague of leprosie should neuer leaue them nor any of their societie that euer should approoue this their so prophane abusing of those diuine mysteries Furthermore in that they said that all the priests abroad and at home praied for the Spaniards good successe I am perswaded not any one vnles they were Iesuited did so sure I am that a great many did rather quite contrarie And therefore as I said before they lied falsly yea many of them at home as I haue heard some of them auow it knew not of the comming of the armie till it was scattered and others wished in their harts that the pope and the king of Spaine had not taken that course with her Maiestie And as for the priests that were in the campe such of them I doubt not as were of the Iesuiticall humor did thrust themselues into that bloodie seruice headlong But sure I am withall that some others who were of a more milde and catholike spirit were compelled to be in that campe full sore against their wils as some of them haue often confessed as much vnto me vpon occasion of speech betwixt vs. Also they tell vs of the indignation of certaine princes that her Maiesties subiects should incurre if they shewed not themselues rebels and traitors to her highnes in assisting the Spaniards as also that in taking her Maiesties part they should fight against their lawfull king Who would haue thought that any Iesuit liuing nay any strumpet were they neuer so impudent could haue put vpon them such brasen foreheads I am perswaded that as many Englishmen as should haue ioyned with the Spaniards the very Spaniards themselues would afterwardes in their harts haue detested them And then much lesse would any prince liuing haue approoued such treacherie and treason And for the lawfull king they speake of it is too too vile traiterous and indigne a speech worthier to be buried in hell then printed in any booke head or hart And therefore to be hartily wished and praied for at Gods hands that they may neuer liue good day in England or elsewhere being Englishmen borne that doe either now or shall hereafter honor or acknowledge any Soueraigne of this kingdome but Queene Elizabeth whilest God shall prolong her daies Concerning also the Cardinals honor and promise alas good man there was neuer person of so high a place more inueigled then he was by that false Iesuit Parsons It hath beene confessed by some of the Iesuits themselues in the hearing of sundry witnesses that the Duke of Medina Sidonia openly affirmed vpon occasion of speech that his sworde coulde finde no difference as he thought betwixt an heretike and a catholike his busines was to make a way for his Master which he meant to doe and intended no lesse as before is said And this may suffice for that matter of moouing her Maiesties subiects to rebellion But I haue runne too long vpon this point I trust it appeereth by all that hitherto hath beene said what Parsons and his fellowes drift was in perswading her Maiesties subiects to rebellion c. therefore nowe I come to the second part of the article which is that no honest man might lawfully haue followed their councell And first if the said perswasions were absurd vntrue irreligious and wicked It followeth that no man might without sinne haue yeelded vnto them Secondly titles to kingdomes are not impeached either by the law of nature or by testimonie of Scripture as you shall heare heereafter out of a great Doctor propter defectionem à fide ergo the dutie of subiects doth continue and is not dissolued in respect of any such defection Thirdly Nabuchodonozer was as great an enimie in his time to the church and citie of God as could be imagined he destroied all before him and led the people away captiue into Babell And yet heare what commandements the prophets Ieremy and Abacuk gaue to the Elders priests prophets and to all the people that were in captiuitie and consider how vnlike they are to father Parsons speeches before mentioned Seeke the prosperitie of that citie whither I haue caused you to be caried away captiue and pray vnto the God of heauen for it For in the peace thereof shall you haue peace And that woorthy Abacuk said further Praie for the life of Nabuchodonozer king of Babylon and for the life of Balthasar his sonne that their daies may be vpon earth as the daies of heauen and that God would giue vs strength and lighten our eies that we may liue vnder the shadow of Nabuchodonozer king of Babilon and vnder the shadow of Balthasar his sonne and that we may long do them seruice and finde fauour in their sight Fourthly the same obedience that heere is prescribed to these wicked kings did Christ himselfe and his apostles prescribe and practise in their times to heathenish princes Emperors and gouernors Our Sauiour paid tribute both for himselfe and Saint Peter and gaue a generall commandement to all subiects to do the like both then and for euer after For so I vnderstand his precept giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars Fiftly and as touching the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul they are most plaine and most earnest that all subiects without exception should submit themselues vnto the authoritie of those wicked emperors and gouernors that then raigned in which number Nero himselfe was propter dominum bicause it was the will of God that it
rightfull title or no he being by father Parsons definitiue sentence denounced an obstinate heretike and one of whom there was no possibilitie or hope of reclaiming from his hereticall opinions the said father Criton answered saying My Lord doubt you nothing thereof it is but father Parsons deuise to indanger his Maiesties person thereby knowing that the Scots are a false traiterous and a rebellious people quickly taking occasion to murther or otherwise rise in armes against their liege Lord and king True it is indeede that father Parsons and other English Iesuits and those that are of the Spanish faction haue laboured it much to haue the sentence denounced against his Maiestie but hitherto they haue not preuailed neither doe I thinke that euer you shal see it bicause no Scots wil seeke for it And Popes are alwaies sparing vnlesse they be mightily importuned vrged as both Pius quintus and Xistus quintus were by father Parsons and other Iesuits procurement against our owne Soueraigne and Queene Loe what euill hap England had to breede this wicked Iesuiticall broode that seeke their princes and countries destruction more egarly then any other Iesuits doe the nations and countrie where they liue THE VIII ARTICLE VVHether then bicause by the precedent article it seemeth very dangerous is it expedient for the Church in these latter daies of the world to excommunicate kings and whether was it a good and godly act in certaine of her Maiesties subiects such as desired to seeme more zealous then the rest to perswade Pius quintus to excommunicate her highnes and since also other Popes to renew the same twise THE ANSWERE VEry well said Saint Paule as earst I noted Multa mihi licita sunt sed non omnia expediunt For it is one thing to talke of the power authoritie and lawfulnes of excommunications and an other of the time place and persons when the sentence is denounced therefore as we say ex effectibus cognoscitur causa so by demonstration à posteriori it is manifest to all our woes that excommunicating of princes is not conuenient in this irreligious and most vnfortunate age Neither did they wel that either stirred vp Pius quintus first to excommunicate her highnes or these that since haue vrged other Popes to renew the same And therefore in answere to both the points of this article I hold the negatiue And for the first these are my reasons First when Saint Ambrose excommunicated the emperour Theodosius it was a time of greater zeale and otherwise Saint Ambrose might thereby haue procured vnspeakable detriment to the Church In my priuate cogitations hereof I haue assuredly often doubted whether Saint Ambrose deserued more commendation for his prouidencie in attempting such a matter or the emperor for his patience and obedience in taking the same in so good part But yet I hold it out of all question that if Saint Ambrose had inserted any such clauses into the said excommunication as of latter times are vsed and should in plaine terms haue deposed him or labored to haue had him deposed from his empire or absolued his subiects from their obedience the emperor would haue startled and I cannot tell but by all likelyhood he would not haue obeied it but rather haue put all to the sword that should haue withdrawne themselues from vnder his allegiance Secondly I finde certaine words in Saint Thomas which make me to maruell in that he saith out of the glosse that Princeps multitudo non est excommunicanda or as Rich. de Media Villa alledgeth the place neither the multitude nor the prince ought to be excommunicated And the most of the Schoolemen that write vpon S. Thomas in this place doe agree with him that a multitude is not to be excommunicated or if it be some hold that such an excommunication is void But let it be their error yet still they omit therein the other part as touching kings and princes and doe say nothing concerning the validitie of it in that place onely the said Richardus de Media Villa doth touch this point somewhat to our purpose for the inconueniencie thereof but in mine opinion very weakely for that any thing be it neuer so plaine may easily be so auoided A king saith S. Thomas ought not to be excommunicated that is saith Richardus but in maioribus peccatis for great offences As if we should thinke that euer S. Thomas thought so meanely of the wisedome iudgement and discretion of the Church that she would excommunicate princes for euery trifle Nay if that should be his meaning he had alledged the said place very ridiculously which is farre from Saint Thomas course and practise Thirdly besides whereas some inconueniences are made the impediments why a multitude may not be excommunicated there may very many moe reasons of mischiefes be obiected that doe ensue by the excommunicating of princes which consequently should stay that course likewise against them I haue prosecuted this reason onely disputatiuè non positiuè saluo semper meliori iudicio let S. Thomas meaning be what it shall his words are as I haue alledged them here in this place Fourthly it is no good prouidence in S. Augustines iudgement to excommunicate those that haue many followers to take their part or when the same may breede a schisme But it is very likely that kings and princes wil alwaies haue many followers to take their parts and that the same may beget more then a schisme Fiftly there was no probabilitie of any good successe that could be looked for by excommunicating her Maiestie as by experience might haue beene apparant by the excommunication denounced against king Henry 8. Sixtly I haue made mention before of inconueniences and mischiefes but if they may serue the turne to shew the inconuenience of an excommunication against kings and that I should enter into the enumeration of all the inconueniences and mischiefes which haue been the effects of both the said excommunications against her Maiestie and against her royall father it would appeere that there was neuer any excommunication more inconuenient and I should be exceeding tedious It may be sufficient that I remember vnto you as touching our own time how thereby her Maiesty and the state haue been more incensed both against the See of Rome and likewise against all catholikes priestes are become most odious the generall cause hath beene more impaired many dangerous questions and straight examinations haue thereof proceeded and to omit the rest infinite perplexities and quidities haue growne concerning the consciences of the weaker sort of catholikes when wherein and how farre they might professe their allegiance which haue intangled them diuersly and brought many of them into bands and other great dangers Seuenthly I am fully perswaded that there was yet neuer any Pope that did euer excommunicate any king or soueraigne prince but that afterward he sawe cause for the most part in his owne time if he liued any while to repent him of
in other countries as in Spaine constrained to carie their meat with them otherwise to fast for three or foure daies space In Scotland but poore lodging God wot and little better then Spaine affoordeth In Fraunce Flaunders not that ciuill order for bed or boord as England yeeldeth and in all other nations compare their diet their lodging their intertaine with the English and certainly you shall finde a stately difference no where to be in all this realme vnlesse vpon the wasts or borders and scant there but you shal haue lodging and intertaine sit for any noble or state within ten miles of that place where euer it be you are in yea the common Innes on LondoÌ„ way through Watlingstreete or the fower forced waies on euery side east west north and south being sit furnished to giue better intertaine to any prince in Christendome then most nobles are in other nations Therefore respecting worldly pompe and pleasure happie were the Iesuits faction but vnhappy all others besides if they might once bring this florishing English kingdom to be a defamed Spanish prouince had euer beene noted in former ages betwixt the soueraignes and subiects of this land And that howsoeuer some princes had tyrannized ouer some fewe stumbling blocks that stoode in their way as impediments to their quiet raigne at least in their conceite and other priuate persons had proued traitors rebels yet in general you shal not find that euer the subiects of England sought the death of their kings or that the kings did tyrannize ouer the multitude but the battell once ended were they ciuill broyles as the Barons warres and the contention for the crowne betwixt the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster c. or forraigne hostilitie as those betwixt the Empresse and king Stephen and betwixt king Iohn of England and prince Lewes of France and others Now then seeing neuer any soueraigne regnant in this land was euer holden to be of a more princely magnificall mercifull flexible sweet louing compassionate and tender inclination then her Maiestie is of to take pitty and pardon to receiue into grace and fauor and to winne the harts of subiects by lenitie and gentle meanes And againe for as much as neuer was the multitudes and subiects in generall of this land I speake it of catholikes to mine owne knowledge of many loyall harts as well as of the rest more seruiceable loyall faithfull and affectionate nor more willing to die at their princes feete or in their Soueraignes iust quarrell and cause any where then they haue beene hitherto vnder her Maiestie and are still to this present That all this notwithstanding so sore an affliction so long imprisonments so continuall searchings so many sessions assises arraignments losses of landes goods liues and all should be by lawes penall made against catholike Recusants many are mooued on both sides scil as well on the behalfe of her Maiesties mercy as of her truest subiects loyaltie to woonder at it Secondly they had read the last will testament of king William the Conqueror and what his first passage of speech was in his last passage of life to king Henry the first and duke Robert Curthoys his sonnes to wit that the English natures were noble generous and gentle in themselues fierce hot and valiant in the field louing loyall seruiceable and faithfull to their prince Alwaies prouided that their Soueraignes vsed them as children not as slaues for free borne denizens they are with enioying their Franchises and liberties they will performe more then the most on their prince and countries behalfe whereas the Normane said he againe being a proud stubborne but yet a seruile lasâ—e people not carrying those generous mindes which the English carrie in all their actions must be curbed holden in and still kept short otherwise they will do nothing nor regard either their prince his honor or their countries weale The councell of this prudent prince caused a like respect in gouernment to be had of these two nations agreeing to their naturall dispositions of all the succeeding kings and Queenes that euer hitherto haue raigned in this land no nation vnder heauen bearing the porte and countenance in generall which the English carry The retinew of our English nobles is comparable in pompe and shew of honor with princes courts in forraigne countries our gentles are their nobles equals in seruice offices belonging to noble bloods generous harts Yea many knights and esquires in England are able to dispend more then sundry Lords Barons Vicounts and Earles in other countries And our Frankelings Gentlemen vntriall or substantiall Yeomen may be compared with the greatest Gentles in other nations as their fellowes for intertainment either respecting the multitude of seruants seruice and attendance giuen to guests at their table or in their chamber or the great good cheere with varietie of dishes and those well and clenly dressed and serued in with great and many ciuill ceremonies or conueniences either of lodgings within or walks without their houses or other commodities attendant on pompe and port that either may yeeld content delight or recreation to their friends yea in sundry farmers houses in England you shall finde better intertainment then the most part of ordinary Nobles in most kingdomes of the world is able to affoord This then being so their liberties and immunities being so many their loyaltie so firme their seruice so faithfull their education and bringing vp so free their inheritance freehold demeasnes and rents so great and extraordinary duly considered And aswell the high wisedome of her Maiestie on the one side as the free education of her subiects on the other side well weighed especially in that an English nature euen in the meanest member of the bodie politicall scil in the communalty is in this respect noble free of high courage and not able to endure lingring deathes torments gusts and greefes as other people are that notwithstanding her loyall subiects as well noble as ignoble should be put to those exigents that catholiks haue a long time bin put vnto the world hath mused and admired at it Thirdly they looked backe somtime into the ages acts and raignes of Nero of Dioclesian of Commodus of Probus of Heliogabal of Maximilian the Emperor and others and read the histories and apologies of Damascen of Iustine of Athenagoras of Tertullian of Epiphanius of Eusebius and others wherein they found sundry reasons and motiues as they thought not a litle to mooue these heathen Emperors to lenitie mercy which bookes and apologies often tooke effect as written to that end but not as father Parsons Philopater or father Creswels Scribe or father Southwels Epistle to her Maiestie are written alwaies in accusing or reproouing some one or many or all her highnes nobles and ciuill magistrates a very indiscreete part in them how true soeuer the reports had beene our frownd on state considered and that we were to seeke the fauor of all not to exasperate
others or else deny it so you shal see in time that although our worshipfull Archpriest hath done nothing but by fahaer Garnets direction yet when his ridiculous vniust vncharitable dâ—ttyrannous proceedings shall come to the scanning father Garnet will doe the best he can to pull his necke out of the coller and master Blackwell shall be the Asse that must beare all the burden So father Parsons that holy man by his practise doth giue father Garnet a pregnant example In the most of those seditious bookes which he the said father Parsons hath published he hath either concealed his name or giuen them such names as it hath pleased him to deuise And one of his said bookes being set out by him vnder the name of master Dolman now that many exceptions are taken vnto it he good man was not the author of it his name is not Dolman and gladly he would shift and wash his hands of it but all the water betwixt this and Rome will not serue his turne so to do although by the common principle of the Iesuits he may by lying and equiuocating make a faire shew But of this enough is said before As concerning the second point I will now make it plaine vnto you that the Iesuits being charged as in the former question is set downe are not therein slaundered any way vniustly For First it is plaine that father Parsons and his company diuide it amongst them how they list haue laide a plot as being most consonant and fitting to their other designments that the common lawes of the Realme of England must be forsooth either abolished vtterly or else beare no greater sway in the Realme then now the ciuill lawe doth And the chiefe reason is for that the state of the crowne and kingdome by the common lawes is so strongly setled as whilest they continue the Iesuits see not how they can worke their wils And on the other side in the ciuill lawes they thinke they haue some shreds whereby they may patch a cloake together to couer a bloodly shew of their treasons for the present from the eies of the vulgar sort And certainly I could not choose but smile when I read this point in father Parsons booke to see how prettily this fine fingred figgeboy conueigheth his matter how the common lawyers must waite vpon the Ciuilians to beare their bookes after them and how they are to applaud to all that the doctors will auerre to be lawe vpon their bare words vnto them Secondly the said good father deeming of all men it seemeth by himselfe hath set downe a course how euery man may shake off all authoritie at their pleasures as if he woulde become a newe Anabaptist or king Iohn of Leyden to draw all the world into a mutinie rebellion or combustion And this stratageme is how the common people may be inueigled and seduced to conceit to themselues such a libertie and prerogatiue as that it may be lawfull for them when they thinke meete to place and displace kings and princes as men may doe their tenants at will hirelings or ordinarie seruants Which Anabaptisticall and abhominable doctrine proceeding from a turbulent tribe of traiterous Puritanes other heretikes this treacherous Iesuite would now foist into the catholike church as a ground of his corrupt diuinitie And sure it is strange to consider how the caitiffe handleth this point giuing aduantage thereby to all nations to reuolt from the See apostolike if any catholike prince would take holde or build vpon this absurd fellowes word or authoritie For that amongst other arguments he insisteth vpon certaine rebellious most traiterous examples how some kings in this Island haue beene dealt with As if a man should take vpon him to prooue murther lawfull bicause many examples of murther may be produced or as if this were a good argument England Scotland Ireland Denmarke Swethia many states in Germany many men in France and else where haue reiected the authoritie of the Pope his holines the See of Rome therefore Italy France Spaine other catholike countries may do the like Fourthly the said good fathers with their ringleader and muster-master father Parsons do take vpon them in the saide booke and in other treatises to deale with matters of succession and titles of the crowne as if their bare words were of higher authoritie then either Court Parliamentall Prince or Pope and bicause as it seemeth their said ringleader is a bastard himselfe it is woonderfull to see what very small account he maketh of succession by inheritance title of descent birthright or bloud Now tell me in this case A gentleman or substantiall yeoman hauing one heire and many seruants dieth were he not an asse that would affirme that the right of the saide heire should depend vpon the pleasure of his fathers seruants If they thought meet he should haue his fathers lands or otherwise they would bestow them as they thought good I am sure you would account it vniust vnnaturall indecent and ridiculous And all that this traitorous Iesuite writeth of this point is grounded vpon the like folly whilest he laboureth so giantlike in opposing himselfe against succession by inheritance to fight most impudently with all lawes nay with nature and with God himselfe Hereunto it also appertaineth how after he hath contriued the meanes as he thinketh how to depriue kings and heires from their inheritance he then taketh vpon him to appoint how others may and are to succeede in their roomes and possesse their ancient right And he proceedeth herein as grauely and substantially as he hath done in the premisses For except this may carrie a shew of a good argument fiue hundred or a thousand yeeres since the ancestors of the king of Spaine the king of Fraunce and of diuers other kings had no interest to the kingdomes which now they enioy therefore some others must be found out to be preferred to those kingdomes the good father saith nothing There is one who hath written a booke of the Bathes in England and as I remember for it is long since I saw the booke the author of it the rather to extol the first finder out of the said Bathes that therby he might prooue him to be an ancient gentleman doth set downe his petigree and neuer leaueth it I assure you vntill he come to these words which was the sonne of Seth which was the sonne of Adam It were not amisse in my poore opinion that Master Parsons should carefully seeke out for this maÌ„s kinred It is not vnlikely but that by his skil he might intitle them to very many kingdomes distributing this to one and that to another as in his omnipotentencie he should hold it most conuenient The man if he liue long will prooue mad in the end without question except you can imagine that these and such like vanities are sober conceits And yet that which he saith against the blood royall of England to aduance a pretended interest to the Infanta
married into England but they are all too meane and none to be found worthie within that Isle by birthe calling or any other abilities of so royall a Lady as she is It is wonderfull how this Protheus windeth and turneth now this way now that way and with what suppositions exceptions conditions and quiddities he handleth this point All which deuises the circumstances therunto belonging being with mature iudgement examined and a thorough reuiew taken of the whole scope and marke he shutes at glauncing here and there at the popular authoritie giuen to the subiects of this land to choose a king of their owne doe make it most apparant that his and by consequent the rest of the Iesuites meaning was and is if possiblie they can bring it to passe First to destroy our whole Nation by aide of the Spaniard and Austrian Burgundian Netherlandian and such like Germaine bred huff muff forces Secondly and then hauing brought all into subiection slauery and bondage especially the auncient nobility and secular cleargy by sending the former into other countries vnder pretence of aduauncement to higher honors and suppressing the latter as illiterate vnexperienced and vnfit to gouerne or any way to be aduaunced to the Ecclesiasticall state there must follow such waighty reasons mouing aswell the king catholike as the Ladie Infanta to appoint some Regent Viceroy or other substitute vnder thē as whether soeuer or who else besides winne it by conquest or compremises yet none but a Iesuite shall or can be found fitte Penes quem imperium To haue the whole managing of all causes and to gouerne the whole Isle Thirdly the high Counsell of Reformation for England doth make the case most cleere that they aspire to a Soueraignty aboue all these Northen Isles aswell in causes Ecclesiasticall as Temporall as if you please to peruse the Quodlibet here set downe of that matter you may easily perceiue but more directly if you can get a sight of the booke it selfe Only this consider by the way that the chiefe point there touched being an oeconomicall order set downe to appoint all estates within what compasse they shall liue by an Agrarian law there is neither Priest nor lay person from the highest to the lowest in either or any of the three auncient states of this land but must by that high Court of Parliament or Counsell of reformation stand at the Iesuites deuotion to fleete and swymme which way and as their fatherhoodes will haue them so as a Iesuit must be Dominus fac totum in all these northerne Isles Fourthly the institution of the Archpriest is in such forme in their pretence as it can not denotate lesse then a supremacy in time to come ouer this whole Isle of England Scotland and Wales and by consequent then ouer Ireland as subiect to England For otherwise to what end is it that Master Blackwell should haue as full and ample iurisdiction ouer all Scotland as he hath ouer England considering that they haue a catholike Bishop of their owne countrie and nation And withall to what purpose is it that certaine priests of late comming out of Spaine should be more vrged then others were to obey him in what he should commaund he still himselfe notwithstanding being at the Iesuites deuotion to stand or fal and at their appointment and direction to command when what and where they will haue him Fiftly the most egregious tyrannicall vsurpate intrusiue authority of the Iesuites gotten ouer all the Seminaries at Rome at Saint Omars in Spaine and at Deway for euen the president there is but a subiect seruant or some terme him the vassall of father Parsons adding hereunto the like intendment for England in plotting to haue had father Edmonds head of the afflicted Church in Duresse and father Garnet the supreme head of all the priests and catholikes liuing abroad at liberty and both these then being but subordinate vnder Parsons he directing appointing and commaunding all both here and there as he list and as the generall and his fatherhood shall iudge what else can this denotate then an absolute intendement of a Iesuiticall monarchy Sixtly the presumed plea they take vpon them against the secular priests on his behalfe attributing vnto him Per argumentum è contra The title of a Soueraigne by calling the said seculars and all that appeale from him rebels c. Which word howsoeuer it may improperly be applyed to any inferiour respecting his resisting of a Superiour yet the common phrase of speach is to vse that word onely as a traiterous act or attempt of a subiect against his Soueraigne And therefore doe we call traitors rebels when they rise by resistance or inpugnance of their Princes authority lawes orders or decrees Whereas if it be but against some noble or other priuat or publike person we call it a commotion a ryot quarrels a fray a contention c. But treason rebellion sedition and faction doe alwaies presuppose such a superior as hath none aboue him in that state calling and condition of life wherein he liues as Soueraigne and those that rebell c. as subiectes vnder him Forasmuch therefore as we iustly terme the Iesuites traytors rebels seditious and factious persons not in regard of the contention that is betwixt them and vs for superioritie which they vainely arrogate to themselues ouer the seculars resisting their proud attemptes plots deuises that way but in respect of their tampering in state matters opposing themselues against their natiue Prince and Countrey and practising the vtter ruine and destruction of this land by stirring vp both forraigne powers to inuade and home borne subiectes to rise in armes adding hereunto their many libelles slaunderous and infamous speaches in preiudice and against both Pope and Prince church common wealth both states This being that acte and those proceedings which make traytors rebels factious and seditious persons indeed they still crying Whoreson first in a contrary sense bicause forsooth we would not be obedient to the Archpriest euen iumpe in the Iesuiticall meaning pretence and action therefore are we called rebels seditious factious c. By which words they plainely attribute a soueraignty to Master Blackwell in opposition for causes ecclesiasticall against and aboue the Popes holines and for causes temporall ouer and against her Maiestie And although that this be an ordinary passage amongst them to call all that are not currants of Master Blackwels course factious seditious c. Yet of all the rest there is one Iesuite Fa. Holt by name who vseth this word Rebell more then any or all the rest of his fellowes in a most arrogant prowde conceited letter of his to a very woorthy Catholike Lady of speciall note name and esteeme as wel for her calling birth and abilities in gifts of nature and fortune as also for her rare vertues religious piety constancy and other indowments and graces abounding in all workes of charity Whom how this factious Iesuite one of the
right stampe hath be laboured with his pen to winne vnto his byace and to bring her Ladiship in dislike of the secular priests as others haue sought but all alike preuayled she being both too wise constant and vertuous to be carried away with gloses you would maruell that euer any bearing the face of a religious man would write so exorbitantly as he there hath done to his vtter shame and discredit as you shall well perceiue when it once comes foorth in Print with the discouery of his arrogancy ignorance lies on the one side and of his malice slāderous toong contēpt of the secular priests on the other side But to returne to our former speech These circumstances of Parsons actions and names giuen to offenders demonstrating a soueraigntie or superioritie in cheefe to be in Master Blackwell it followeth that he being notwithstanding all this subordinate or for feare or want of wit experience and knowledge due to such a superior as he takes vpon him to be at the command of Fa. Garnet betwixt whom by a priest of their owne faction it hath been told that there is continuall intercourse once in euery 24. howers at least there can no lesse be aymed at by the Iesuits in this Isle then a supreme power imperialty and dominion ouer all And so I conclude that they ayme at the succession themselues to rule vnder the Spaniards or rather to cloake their intended ambitious aspires vnder the Spaniards wings a while vntill they haue gotten all subiected vnder them Sed caueat Hispania praelio partu venditur proelis fides THE VI. ARTICLE VVHether then seeing they shoote at the whole monarchie of great Britanie together with Ireland Doe they intend any thing against Fraunce or not Or whether their practise for England may hinder or further their attempts for Fraunce more then their like practises for Scotland one while and for Ireland another while may do or no THE ANSWERE ENgland is made the maine chaunce of Christendome as our countries heauie case is at this present by seditious factions tampering and aspiring heads Wherefore we haue iust cause so many as loue to liue in quiet to pray hartely for the preseruation of her Maiesties life For afterward great calamities are we sure to see so many as liue to that wofull hower by all probable coniecture And by consequent then it followeth that England is the onely butte marke and white they aime at as well in intention as in execution of their pretended expedition exployte and action Which failing farewell a Iesuits monarchie for euer But holding their plots cast for England then haue at all Fraunce and other nations by peece meale in succeeding turns of conquests And therefore standes it both the state ecclesiasticall and temporal vpon of England in chiefe of Fraunce next and so of all other states and princes to looke to them in time and to ioyne in aide fauour and assistance of the Seminarie and secular priests in this their appeale This conclusion needes no further better nor other proofe then a relation with aduisement of this discourse Quodlibeticall First for that as you may gather by the second reason in the last Article and perceiue more at large if you read father Parsons Dolemanian succession he bringeth all his chiefe and strongest arguments for intituling the Lady Infanta to the English crowne from that head scil for that she is the right heire of Brytaine and France c. Now then if she be the heire of France and Brytaine as in precise termes he calleth her in his Appendix and that thereby she be intituled to our English crowne then questionles if once she get or I should haue said they get possession of this Isle in her right which they aime at in chiefe their title therunto comming by this meanes it standes with no sense that they shoulde giue ouer their clayme on her graces behalfe to that kingdome whereof they say she is already heire hauing obteined that monarchy whereunto she is intituled by the foresaide claime of heritage and whereby withall reciprocally she is againe reintituled to the same French kingdome and crowne Neither will the law Salique keepe them out from aduauncing her royall ensignes in the middest of them For I holde it but for a kindly canuase banding bob or taunting effect to confront with France for Burgundy Britany and other states and seigniories of old depending vpon the French crowne affirming as father Parsons doth in Doleman that though by the law Salique the Lady Infanta may be defeated and put from her rightfull title of inheritance and lawfull claime to the whole kingdome of France in concreto or in sensu composito as a man may terme it yet no reason saith he there but that so many states prouinces as came to the crowne of France by heires generall or women but that the same should diuolue vnto the Spaniard by women heires againe Which if he can bring to passe for all those seigniories come by women then shall the French be so fleeced in abstracto or in sensu diuiso as let them rest assured to be distracted out of their wits ere the Spanish Iesuiticall faction haue left them vnlesse they surrender vp the whole into their hands and yeelde perforce to abrogate the authoritie of their Salique lawes it holding no way either in piety or policie with father Parsons principles that taking vpon him in his said booke of titles and high counsell of reformation to abolish vtterly the auncient municipall lawes of this lande which were established by highest authoritie then the lawe Salique of France and that before euer the saide lawe was heard of amongst them that they should not tender thrust vpon and compell the French to chaunge their forme of gouernment lawes customes and all at his designement Secondly although during the time of their I meane the Iesuits rebellious practises conspiracies against the last king Henry the 3. of France of the house of Valois and this king regnant Henry the 4. before king of Nauarre it was not directly knowne that the Iesuits had cast at the crowne and whole kingdome of France in those warres then maintained by aide of the Spaniard but as a great part of catholikes heere in England in former broiles and conspiracies as well by the dukes of Norfolke and of Guise as also by captaine Stukeley and doctor Saunders aided with Italians and Spaniards c. and finally by the attempt in the yeere 1588. did thinke that the Iesuits and their faction had done all of zeale though indiscretely and for the aduancement of Gods glory and the catholike cause pretended by them to be religion So the French catholikes many of them of ignorance folowing the parts of Spaine and other rebels against their Soueraigne and country by Iesuiticall perswasion hauing had the like good opinion of these religious men and thereupon following their direction at an inche yet since their expulsion thence for their treasons and
to receiue take and accept of for their practise and directions in all causes martiall monasticall spirituall and temporall This grosse error of father Parsons and his no lesse great absurditie then rash foolish presumptuous and most dangerous course where unto his proiects do tend by this his pretence for the Lady Infanta to colour his owne and his societies traitorous aspires doe argue his insolencie and pride to be so great as they blind his iudgement sence and censure from discerning that these his plots drifts and deuises will be not onely condemned and laughed at by a generall applause but he also vtterly reiected and cast off out of all indifferent mens conceites be they of what religion soeuer that beare any loue to their countrie or that wish a preseruation of their auncient nobility and gentry freed by lawes customes and priuiledges from that tyrannie spoile which this hard natured and most cruell harted man seemeth most to desire for his owne priuate respects and commodities And surely when I remember the words of some of his proctors apparators somners pursiuants attornies aduocates soliciters and serieants here in England that neither could neither can yet indure to here that the Popes holinesse should haue any dealing or medling in this matter as a gust which gauleth them to the very guts to heare and see some already of a more gracious sweet mild incline to mercy in her Maiesty towards the innocent on that behalfe then heretofore hath bene or then they can hope for to themselues or any way indeede do desire to any others father Parsons and the rest of his state compartners vrging nothing more then to haue persecution of catholikes increased not diminished at all further then to grant out bulles of excommunication against all those that should impugne the spanish title and withall to send out pardons and graines of indulgence to all those that should fight on the Spaniards side against their natiue countrie both which vnnaturall practises seing the Iesuites haue sought for to be put in execution to the vttermost thereby to torment vs on euery side and by consequent incense the soe oppressed with rage against their soueraigne and the state tell me deere catholikes what moues you to fawne vpon those that thus doe labour for your heauie destruction I cannot but muse with my selfe how euer this disguised vnfortunate stepfather father Parsons being filius terrae by birth an Englishman by education a catholike by externall profession a priest by charecter a religious man by vow and order and taking vpon him by function and calling wholy to aduance Gods cause yea with hallowes and how-hubs with whowbes whowes and outcries against all that tast not on the froth of his zeale hath hitherto refused to take his holinesse for an example and his sacred predecessors the successors of Saint Peter vpon whom he ought chiefly to haue relied as a speciall note of so sound a catholike and perfect religious person as he and his would make the simple people beleeue they are for a paterne to imitate who haue euer held most mild modest and moderate courses towards all but especially towards the kings of great Britaine were they Scots or English not halfe so seuere against any as oftentimes by surreptitiall suggestions of some euill and factious persons they were vrged to haue bene As well appeered in the bull of Pius the fift which though we wish had neuer come out and much more that the other two since that time denounced against her Maiesty had neuer bene seene or heard of in this world yet to speake Gods truth when the Pope his holinesse perceiued what bloody tragedies and massacres on all sides were like to ensue thereupon by commaund of withdrawing our naturall allegiance from our natiue soueraigne vpon wrong information giuen as before we haue touched at large the said Bull was called in againe and all catholikes throughout England left as free to obey her Maiesty in all things due to her princely regalitie as they were before But letting that and other excommunications passe as spoken of before with harty wish they had neuer bene amongst many examples of the deere loue and fatherlie compassion of the Popes holinesse towards the inhabitants and princes of this land in times of eminent common welthes dangers the chiefe since the Norman conquest was shewed in the daies and raignes of king Henry the second surnamed Fitzempresse and of his sonne king Iohn the third Monarche of England of a Plantagenets royall race Against whom hauing vsed his fatherly correction as pastor vniuersall ouer the whole flocke of Christ for their great tyrannie and crueltie vsed towards their naturall subiects yet vpon their repentance mercifully receiuing them into grace and fauour of Gods church againe his holinesse on the behalf of the second did not onely accurse and excommunicate prince Lewis of France with all his adherents forcing him to yeeld vp all the interest right and title that he or his posteritie had or euer should haue to the English crowne but also surrendred vp the said crowne of England frank and free to king Iohn and his heires and successors from of the head of Cardinall Pandulphus hauing sit enthronized three daies therewith in the Popes right of purpose to abate and end the strife for euer to inioy the same in as full absolute and ample manner as any prince or monarche euer enioyed or possessed a crowne And thousands there are in England that desire as much and I verily thinke more vnfainedly and with a better more sincere true and catholike religious mind then any of the Iesuiticall or spanish faction doe desire the conuersion of our countrie who yet will be ready to lay their liues to pledge for it that if as God forbid and I hope it shall neuer happen that any Lancastrian forraigner should get possession of this land with as many oathes homages and fealties made and done vnto him or her whosoeuer as prince Lewis had whom father Parsons brings in for an example in confirmation of the Lady Infantaes title by that house bloud and line of king Lewis of France be like of purpose to vrge the English as he hath to make the like protestation on the said Infantaes behalfe yet would euen this Pope Clement the eight according to his predecessors example reuoke recall repeale and force him or her to retire and withall would of his mere mercie a gift appropriated to Saint Peters chaire in speciall manner grant to our nation the election and choise and set vp a king of our owne natiue soile bred and borne within the confines of great Britaines Ocean vpon the like repentance and submission of former princes in this and all other Christian kingdomes maugre all the Iesuites Spaniards and huff muffes in the world These important considerations should haue touched father Parsons hart with deepe remorse to remember how mightily he hath resisted impugned and violated all lawes diuine and humane whatsoeuer
such straite lawes were made for comming into England of Seminarie priests bringing in of Agnus Dei crosses medals graines c. reconcilement perswasions to the catholike faith and the like All which when I saw the bookes of the excommunication of her Maiestie by Pius Quintus diuers others tending to that purpose written since and withall had well considered what the Iesuits dealing had beene how that they had procured these indulgences pardons to serue their owne turne therewith I then wel perceiued vpon what grounds the said six articles were built And Master Bales a blessed martyr shall witnes with me at the latter day how woe my hart was vpon the last speech he and I had together in the house of an honorable person where we met about those and other matters my last words being these vnto him scil that his holines was misinformed and indirectly drawne to these courses by Iesuiticall meanes And therefore of all other orders of religion were I to goe into any I would neuer be Iesuit whiles I liued And this may suffice for the matter in question to conuince any catholikes true meaning hart that the circumstances well considered with all humble obedience to the See apostolike be it spoken there neither was due circumstances in the Bull of Pius Quintus to binde any to withdrawe their allegiance from our Soueraigne neither and much lesse was it conuenient that the same excommunication should haue beene renewed againe THE IX ARTICLE VVHether then seeing her Maiestie and the state knew such practises were by priests and other catholikes vsed and put in execution and yet were ignorant who were of that faction more one then an other till now of late that God hath most strangely and in very deed as it may he termed miraculously reuealed the truth which long hath beene hidden to discerne who are innocent and who free may not then her lawes and proceedings against all catholiks in generall from the beginning of her Highnesse raigne to this present discouery of the treasons and traitors that vrged it be truely counted both milde and mercifull And that howsoeuer of her owne accustomed innate royall disposition benignitie clemencie her Highnesse may and we shoulde wrong our owne conceits in preiudice of her sweete and Princely nature if we should not thinke she would now at length take pittie of such her owne catholike subiects as haue manifested their loyaltie innocencie and ignorance of what was intended against her royall person and state Yet whether in tendring the afflictions which the innocent both secular priests lay persons haue sustained by making such lawes or prouisoes and adding them to the lawes alreadie made as may free both the priests and those that receiue them from the paines and penalties before by statute enacted against them all in generall may not for all that the sayd former statutes penall lawes and actes enacted be thought to stande in force against the Iesuiticall faction and no reason or sense to haue them repealed but both to haue beene made with great moderation and also to stand and remaine with as great pollicie in all or any wisemans iudgement that shall duly consider the Iesuits practises and other her Highnes enimies against her person state and kingdome in the course precedent of all this time THE ANSWERE I Holde directly the affirmatiue part heerein scil that both her Maiesties lawes and proceedings against all sorts of catholikes haue bene milde and mercifull the opinion and iudgement of her Highnesse in religion one way and their foresaid practises against her another way duly considered and also that all the appellants and other priests and catholikes that ioyne with them in prosecuting that appeale as there is iust cause and many reasons which we doubt not of but that to her high prudence and Princely wisedome they will present themselues in laments submissions and teares on our behalfes and in pollicie mercy and iustice on the part of her Highnesse towards vs why some prouisoes should be made for securing of them the said appellants and their associates together with those that do or shall receiue them heereafter from danger of the foresaid penall lawes so haue they and we all that be catholikes in England this day as great motiues causes and reasons moouing vs to admire that euer any of vs are left on liue to make knowne to all posteritie what hath hapned in our daies the like woonders hauing neuer hitherto as yet beene seene as our wretched age hath left recorded to those shall follow vs by succeeding turnes of natures course to the worlds end And by consequent we cannot vrge an absolute repeale of any former statute or penall law so long as any Iesuit or other priest or lay person of their faction which I hope would be very few if any were after they were gone shall remaine within the land but thinke our selues happie and deepely bound to her Maiesty if a prouisoe onely may be made in forme aforesaid to keepe the innocent harmeles though with an other prouisoe also or stricter statute if stricter may be for the vtter expelling of all Iesuits out of the land And for to make this my opinion sinke the deeper into all catholikes heads and harts that either are infected with the Spanish pip or otherwise Iesuited in affection or faction I must and do craue pardon for enlarging my selfe a litle in handling this subiect to the purpose and agreeing to their capacitie Often haue many wise learned and prudent greatly mused what should haue beene the cause in morall sense to speake to men of the heauie and sore affliction of catholiks in England for many yeeres yea it hath beene thought of many great clerkes yet with pardon craued ignorant of our English cases as heereafter will appeere that the circumstances considered as the occurrents came to their minds that their persecution in the primitiue church was not greater if so great respecting the danger of soule-wracke then the persecution in England hath beene for these twenty yeeres space and vpward to wit since the infortunate arriuall of the Iesuits in this land The causes moouing many to admire thereat and in multitudes of vollees in morneful sighes and sorrowes hurled out with wailings one to another greeuing when wise deuout true compassionates of their countries miseries met together that for our owne and our forefathers sinnes so heauie a scourge shoulde be laid vpon our nation our deere countrymen our flesh and blood our neerest linckt vnto vs often times our greatest lothers Amongst others these were the causes of their woonder how it should be First they considered with how great a sympathie all concord naturall incline and reciprocall affection It is no maruell though the Iesuits be so egar of England as they are and that they hazard body soule and all they haue or can be able to make to haue it wholy theirs For considering the poore lodgings scarcity of victuals and vncomfortable trauell