great Saint for his Christian libertie and constancie S. Chrysostome in lyke manner shalbe condemned for a great traytor who had greater contentions with his temporal Lordes Arcadius and Honorius Christian Emperours and with their wyues Theodosia and Eudoxia then euer S. Thomas had with king Henry the second For he prâ—ached agaynst them publiquely with great vehemencie and thundred out excomunication agaynst them and was twyce banished and driuen out of his Bishoprike by their disfauor and died in exile And yet was he neuer called or accompted a traytor but a singuler holy man and Theodosius the yonger son of Arcadius brought his body with great solemnitie honour and reuerence into Constantinople and wept most bitterly for the sinnes of his pareÌ„tes in persecuting so blessed a man And as the story sayth made prayer to him now dead for pardon of his fathers sinnes As did also often our king Henry the sonne for the offence of his father in being some cause of the death of this iust man his pastor and spiritual father Wel then to conclude this matter treason there was none nor could be in this contention of S. Thomas agaynst king Henry for it was donn with all due respect of the Archbil hopes parte and according to the lawes ecclesiastical both of churche realm And as for the mannes behaueour and actions in the rest of his lyf if we beleeue three or foure historiographers together of greate credit and sanctitie that liued at the same tyme and conuersed with him they were admirable in all kynd of vertue His death was by wilfull murder without iustice or commaundment of king or any magistrate as all the world knoweth His canonization was presently vpon his death by diligent inquiry of all factes and circumstances and by vniuersal applause of all christendom King Henry the second excused himself of the murder admitted his canonization builded his shryne and sepulcher adorned the same with greate giftes came thither in person and not only denyed as I haue sayed that his intention euer extended to his murder but also tooke seuere punishement and pennaÌ„ce of himself for the vniust wrath that by incitation of others he had conceyued agaynst so holy a man of which penance of the kings one that liued at the same tyme and saw it wryteth that he opened his naked shoulders at the sepulcher and receyued first fyue ierkes at fyue Bishops handes and fourescore and three at so many monks â—andes and after lay on the bare ground and other such circuÌ„stances as in the author you may read All those that had byn enemies to the blessed man or had had parte in his death came after to greate miserie by Gods iust iudgmentes And fynally all the Christian world for these foure hundred yeares haue holden him for a glorious martir and builded many a churche to God in his memorie in other countries many great moâ—arches haue come to England of purpose to visit his sepulcher and others haue sent great presentes and donaries Many miracles haue â—yn recorded by graue authors and publique testimony of the whole â— land to haue byn wrought by God at his sepulcher in witnes of his â—anctitie All these testimonies then being extant in the world for so many hundred yeares together let any man iudge whether they ought â—ot to be of more weight with a wyse and pious Christian then this â—raynles calumniation of a mad hasty hoat spurr that knoweth â—ot what he sayth and much lesse careth or indeuoureth how to â—roue it But let vs see now his third position that he feigneth to be among â—s as a grouÌ„d of religioÌ„ These two irreligious prophane grouÌ„des saith he â—eing layd though you haue seen that the knight hath layd them as fiâ—ions of his own grownds of ours they proceed to a third set it down â—r a Popish ground also that it was a dangerous and deadly sinne for any man 〈◊〉 disobey the Pope and his cleargie in any of their orders inioyned and commanded in such reuerence and regard must he and his cleargie be had that the meanestâ— masse Priest comming with authority from him must be obeyed vnder payn of damnation though he commaund that which is blasphemous before God in Christians and disloyal to men in subiects This is his narration from which if ye separate a manifest lye oâ— two with some fond exagerations for without this kynde of leuiâ— the poore knight can make no batch as for example that the Pope anâ— his Cleargie must be obeyed though they commaund blasphemies against God and disloyalty against princes which is a shameles slander and that the disobedience if he speake of omission in any one order inioyned by Pope and Cleargie is a deadly sinn and the lyke if you separatâ— I say these ouer lauishings of the hastie knight all the rest he obiecteth is rather commendation of Catholique religion then any reproche at all for in that he saith wee obey the meanest preest as the highest if he come with authoritie of the highest he sheweth therby that we haue among vs true obedience and subordination and thaâ— for conscience sake Not respecting so much the person that commandeth as him for whome and in whose name and authoritie hâ— commandeth and therin we fulfill the precept of S. Paule Obedite praâ—positis vestris subiacete eis ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabuâ— restris reddituri Obey your Prelates and humble your selues vnto them he distinguisheth not betwene high and lowe for they keep diligent watche ouer your soules as men that must render account theroâ— to God And in other places he sayth that this obedience must bâ— with such reuerence humilitie and inward affection as vnto Chryâ—â— himself whose substitutes our spiritual superiours be though neuer so mean or contemptible in mannes sight And again S. Paul sayth this obedience must be non solum propteâ— iram sed etiam propter conscientiam not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience that is vnder pain of deadly sinne or of damnation though this wise knight do iest at the phrase which yet is the proper phrase of S. Paul himself in the same place saying qui autem resistuâ— damnationem sibi acquirunt those that resist to obey procure damnation to themselues And this is answere sufficient for so ydle an obiectionâ— that we obey the meanest masse Priest coÌ„ming with authority of the highest in which matter I could teach Sir Francis a spirituall poinâ— of doctrine if he were capable of it and most true to witt that the meaner the substitute is that is obeyed in the name and place of any potent prince or superior the greater honor is donn to the sayd prince or superior and the greater vertue is argued therby to be in him that obeyeth for that he is not induced by any talent or commendation of the sayd substitute to obey him but only for loue
ghost The second notable poynt which the Bishop vttered in this sermon was concerning king Henrie the eight his lord and mayster which moued the auditorie no lesse then the other And this was that the sayd king a litle before his death had dealt with him verie secretly and seriously to haue sent him to a certayne dyat in Germanie vnder pretence to treat other matters but in deed the cheef poynt should be to seeke out some honorable way and meanes as from himself and not from the king either by the Emperor legat popes Nuntio or other fit instrument to reconcyle him agayne to the church of Rome And this the Bishop affirmed to be most true vpon his oath and fidelitie to God and the world and to the memorie of the sayd king his master dead whome he shewed to loue so tenderly and dearly as he wepte most bitterly also in that place for that this holie motion had not taken the effect he desired attributing the let therof to Gods seuere iudgmentes and to the great difficulties which the sayd king found of making that recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ with his honour and reputation which temporal honour he lamented much that it was more regarded by the king and some that counselled him then in so weightie a woork of eternall saluation ought to haue bin Thus then was the substance and these were the circumstances of that sermon Let vs now coÌ„sider whether the theam he tooke iam hora est nos de somno surgere were fit and to his purpose or no or whether it were prophanely blasphemously peruerted as this wise gentleman affirmeth who taketh vpon him to censure the matter First let it be considered that if euer any man of our realm might take vpon him to talk of a sleep or dream in matters of our coÌ„mon-wealth as a Counsellor and of his own knowledge Bishop Gardener might do it which had seen such alterations both of religion and temporalityes within our land such chopping and chaunging such pulling down and setting vp as he might fitly call the tyme a time of sleep or dream For as in a sleep things are represented to a man confusedly and out of hand they passe away and contrarie representations come in their place so had Bishop Gardener seen in the publique affaires of the realme no lesse alterations of comicall and tragical acts after he came to be a councellor For first he had seen his own king and maister king Henry the eight so earnest in the defence of the catholique faith of the sea of Rome in perticuler as he wrote a booke in defence therof though he were disswaded by some of his counsell to do it for reason of state And after that again being to send this very man Gardener then his secretarie to Rome for his Embassador about soliciting of the diuorce between himself and Queen Catherine he commanded him to tel the Pope and Colledge of Cardinales that whatsoeuer they determined in that matter he would accept it with all indifferencie and euer be a most obedient childe of the Romane churche And this commission he gaue him in the presence of Cardinal VVolsey and yet soone after he saw the same king so chaunged for the affection he bare to an other partie as he brake with the Pope and churche of Rome and pulled down the sayd Cardinal and put to death two of the men that he esteemed most for vertue and learning of all his realme or of any other forrain kingdome of Christendom and whom he had loued before exceedingly to wit Doctor Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More Chancelor Again Gardener had seen the same king wax weary soone after of the party for whose loue he had first begun to make all those stirres and to put her to death openly and yet to continew his former breaches and to run from one difficulty to an other and from one inconuenience to an other neuer to stop the fountain from whence all this vnquietnes came He had seen him also passe from on wife to another to the number of six dismissing some and putting others to death according to the affection or disaffection which he bare to each of them for the time He had seen him make diuers and different actes of parlament in preiudice or preferment of his own children now for their legitimation and inheritance now for the contrarie as by the statutes themselues yet extant in print is euident to the world And from the liking or disliking of his said wiues he passed also to the liking or suspition of his own kinred subiects and familier frâ—nds of which he pulled downe so many as by the stories may be seen And Bishop Gardener was wont to say of him that knew him ful well that after he once left to loue that person which by Gods law and mannes he was bound to loue aboue all others to wit his first wife and Queen he neuer loued any person harâ—ely and constantly afterwards Moreouer he had seen the poore king so combered and troobled about matters of religion as was pitiful to behold For that on the one side the point of his spiritual Supremacy taken vp in his choleâ— against the Pope seemed to touch his honor so neare as he might not shew to yeeld any one iote therin and consequently he was fain to put to death all such Catholiques as denyed the same though otherwise he both loued and highly esteemed themâ— and on the other side his iudgement and conscience in matters of the Catholique truthe against the protestants and all new sectaries conuinced his conscience and vnderstanding as he cleerly vttered in the statute of six articles which iudgement also enforced him to burne as many of that fide â— were conuicted And finally being wearied towards his later end with these combats of conscience and honor iudgement and passion he conferreâ— with Bishop Gardener as you haue heard about the mayn remedy and only sure redresse of all which was his returning to the vnion of the Romane churche and the rest of Christendome And besides all this Bishop Gardener had seen the same afflicted king brought to such streights and doubts in his later howers of life about the weightiest affaires that he had in this world as he could not tell what to determine ordayne or establish for the securitie of his owne children espeâ—ially of his only sonne prince Edward thaâ— had but nyne yeares yet of age and for that cause was the fatherâ— hart more peâ—siue about him For first he was afeard to leaue any protector vnto him remembring the eueÌ„t of king Edward the fourâ—â— his children vnder their vncle protector the Duke of Glocester And secondly he was as greatly afeard and afflicted also to think least after his death the perilous waues and fluddes of heresies should enter vpon him by the very same gate that hymself had opened VVhetfore both these poyntes he forbad expresly and appoynted for execution therof sixteen
gouernours as I haue sayd with equal authoritie all in his opinion or the far greater parte very catholique But he was no sooner dead but all these orders of his were ouerthrowen and a protector made the third day after the kinges death and sone after religion changed and the law of six articles abrogated and as litle regard had to king Henries will and ordinances as if he had neuer byn king of this realme or mayster to the breakers And among other these changes was displaced Gardener himself one of the cheef of those sixteen appoynted for gouernours by king Henry and not only thrust from all authoritie but sent also to the tower of London prisoner as before I haue shewed and other Catholique Lordes remoued in lyke manner from the Councel for lyke endes and purposes Then began a new world of making new Lordes new Earles new Marqueses new Dukes in deuiding great states offices dignites in good felowship amonge themselues all in the name of the childe king though he were not yet crowned nor three weekes past synce his fathers death New men also were called out of Germany to wit Peter Martir and Martin Bucer two apostated friars with their wenches that had been Nunnes who must come to teache a new religion in England but with expresse condition to be indiffereÌ„t to reache that sect opinion either of Luther Swinglius or Caluin or other that should be determined and agreed vpon by the Parlament then in gathering together and so they were contented and with that condition they were sent the one to Oxford and the other to Cambrige Then was the new English forme of seruice drawen out in hast by certayne of the Protectors chaplayns in Somerset place in London not fully agreeing to any of the Captaynes doctrine aforesaid but somewhat mingled of them all and much also of the Catholique ryte and forme all which was approued soone after for apostolical and established by the lay part of the Parlament for the cleargie reclaymed and all men inforced to sweate vnto it and so for the old religion receaued by the vniuersal church and continued in England for aboue a thousand years and confirmed by so many miracles at the beginning as S. Bede and other ancient authors do affirme and allowed by the consent of all our learned English for so many ages now was there a new religion deuised in corners set vp by certayne obscure and hungrie fellowes in hast within the space of two monethes and authorized by a parlament of vnlearned lay men to be the rule of our saluation But in the meane space the Duke of Somerset now head of this church for that the childe king was at play could think nothing of it attended principally to his temporall aduancement to purchase good old land and caused his seruantes to set forward the new religion without troobling him therin saying that all should be examined and approued afterward by the authoritie of the yong king as trew head of the Church and so it was Then followed great tumultes and rebellious in the realme as also iarring and falling out of the great protestant Councellors among themselues The protector first cut of the head of his brother the Admiral and then the Earle of VVarwicke cut of the head of the Protector and diuers of his frendes and made himself duke of Northumberland and then plotted with the duke of Suffolke to cut of all king Henries children and to bring in Suffolkes daughter and Northumberlandes sonne as they did For which soone after both their heades were cut of also by Queen Marie and Catholique religion was restored agayne to the state wherin first it was when king Henry her father began this tragedie and first put all out of ioynt Thus passed the matter briefly and all this Bishop Gardener had seen and passed through and had plaied his parte in diuers actes and pageantes to wit as an actor in the beginnyng and as a patient after as hath byn shewed And being now restored to his old estate agayne and more ouer made Chancelour of the realme and looking back vpoÌ„ the dream past had he not trow you iust cause to preache hora iam est nos de somno surgere it is tyme to aryse from sleep wherin we haue slumbered these tweÌ„ty yeares and more in suche varietie of tossinges and to walk with more light and stead fastenes for the tyme to come let it be left I say to the iudgment of euerie discreet reader whether this theame parable were fitly chosen and wel applied by B. Gardener or no or rather blasphemously peruerted as our Hunting deuyne Sir Francis wil needs haue it and so much for this tyme of Bishop Gardener About C. Allen for that I haue byn ouer large in B. Gardeners affaires I meane to be verie breef so much the breefer for that the matters obiected agaynst him by this accuser are very cauils if we consider the substaÌ„ce of the thing it self for he sayth that this English traytor though he were a Cardinal at Rome and sworn to the Popes paÌ„table hath sent froÌ„ thence many slanderous and seditious pamphlets and in one which was the treatise against the English execution of iustice he seemeth to wish that doctor Sanders and doctor Bristow had spared to speak so much in defence of Pius Quintus Bul agaynst her Maiestie and yet he doubteth not to affirme that these two learned men of â—reat zele and excellencie had their special reasons to do so which he will neither desend nor reproue c. And further he proceedeth sayth this maÌ„ to excuse all the preestes and studentes beyond the seas and all such as haue come ouer and saith that all of them â—ince that censure of his holinesse to vse sayth he his owne wordes did vse all â—euerence and respect to her Maiestie vttering in no preaching speach or booke â—o not at the houre of their death and martyrdome nor euer before in any their confessions to the magistrate any disloyal word agaynst her Maiestie These woordes recyteth Hastinges out of the discourse against their English iustice as wordes of moderation or rather blushing as he â—ermeth them for that which was done before and yet he sayth that â—n an other treatise of defence of Sir VVilliam Stanlies act in geuing â—uer Deuentrie to the king of Spayne the Cardinal cometh to â—tter himself as far as either Sanders or Bristow or any other in approbation of the sayd excomunication which thing albeit this kinght â—o greatly condemne yet cannot I any thing marueyle thereat considering that the Cardinals opinion being as he was could be no other in substance touching matters of controuersie then was that of doctor Sanders doctor Bristow and the rest And though for peace â—â—oderation and edification he liked wel in others and specially â—n the yonger sorte of preestes that they should auoyd all occasion of â—ateful speach in this odious
aut barbarum quid sonent aut infaustum aut maledicum aut impudicum If the hatred be agaynst the name what guilt can be in woordes what accusation agaynst names except they sound some barbarous thing or signifie some vnlucky slauÌ„derous or filthie matter which these wordes do not but rather the contrarie Toplif the preest-tyrant of famous memorie in putting them to death is accustomed diligently to put vp in his slaunders when he bringeth them to the gallowes to do it with the more soleÌ„nitie such a one traytor Iesuit as though the fiction only of this name IesuÌ„it were a sufficient condemnation of the partie and cleering of the quest that condemned him though often tymes it falleth out that neither is he Iesuit nor euer was In France a yong man that sometymes had studied in the Iesuites schooles of Paris was found afterward to offer violence to the kinges person that now is he was examined vpon the torture whether any Iesuit liuing had geuen him councel courage or instruction in that acte or was priuie to his intention which constantly he denyed the lyke did his father who also was put to torture and the same did Ioannes Garetius his mayster vpon lyke torture and so was deliuered and by publique testimonie of the magistrate declared to be innocent Yet another reader of the same order called Iohannes Ghineardus was put to death for that in his studdy was found the question discussed on both partes without resolution vtrum liceat aliquo in casu occidere tyrannum whether in any case it be lawful to kil a tyrant which question notwithstanding euerie where handled by all diuines in printed bookes allowed by all learned men both heretiques and Catholiques and red publiquely in all famous schooles and Cicero in his booke of offices handled it before Christian religion was begonne and synce him among Christians Saynt Thomas Caietan Sorus and all other scholastical deuines all which this innocent man said truly at his death might as iustely be pulled out of their graues and burned for the doctrin as he hanged for hauing the question handled in his studie and yet was he made a way and vpon this preiudice synce that tyme conceaued agaynst the name of Iesuites made odious by heretiques and by such as adhere vnto them as though all were malefactors haue there diuers general decrees of persecution byn set downe against the whole order in that kingdome without any other proof of particularitie agaynst them at all then I haue heere rehearsed which manner of proceeding if Tertullian did so much mislyke in heathens how much more would he condemne it in Christians agaynst Christians if now he were alyue agayne But to proceede in this matter of Iesuites lyues I might aske and vrge as the same Tertullian doth in lyke accusations who accuseth what alleageth he what hath ener byn found agaynst them let it be vttered and layed open to the world hostes eorum sayth he tum extranei tum domestici their enemies be both forayne and domestical they are wached they are pried on they are besette error malice enuy hatred emulation vice synne dissolution of lyfe are soldiiars agaynst them and spies waching must diligently at their dores what haue they found what haue they brought out if same only be persecuted agaynst them fama mendax saith he quae ne tunc quoque cum aliquid veri affert sine mendacij vitio est detrahens adijciens demutans de veritate fame of her nature is geuen to lying and euen then when it telleth some truthe it â— seth not to passe without some parte of lying detracting adding and changing somewhat of the synceritie of truthe it self O quanta illius praesidis gloria esset qui aliquem eruret qâ—i centum iam infantes comedisset O what a glory would it be to any president or iudge that should bring forth a Christian that had eaten a hundreth iufantes in his dayes for that Christians were commonly charged to eate infantes flesh in their meetinges coÌ„munioÌ„s which yet of Caluins bare bread would neuer haue byn suspected And as Tertulian said this of the callumniations agaynst Christians so may we of no lesse false and malitious agaynst Iesuites but yet let vs see a litle further in this affaire Among all other aduersaries that Iesuites haue one is so domestical as they haue bin of their own body for diuers yeares I mean of their order and profession and for their defects are dismissed by a special priueledge which these religious men haue for their conseruation aboue other orders and these men often times become the greatest opposites of all others quia ex illis exierunt ex illis non erant they went from them and were not of them nor had their true spirit and vnction and some of them also goe so far as by litle and litle they become playn heritiques and apostataes or dissolute of life and of these also their want not perhaps some at this day among you of yours Sir Francis for of such ragges you make the pillers of your new churche let them be examined what they can say in this behalfe of life and manners against lesuites what they haue seen what they haue proued what they haue felt fiant enimici iudices let their enemies be iudges The holy martir of Christe Saint Iustine that liued before Tertullian euen in the first feruor of persecution against good Christians vseth an argument for their defence in life and manners notwithstanding their many slaunders raised against them which seemeth to me may be vsed also fitly in this defence of Iesuites his words be these VVhen I was a scholer sayth he in Plato his schoole and delighted with that doctrine and heard that Christians were accused euerie where of euil lyfe yet saw otherwise that they went to dye willingly and liued poorly aud feared not those thinges which to other men are most horrible I began to think with my self that is was impossible for those men to be vitious and geuen to pleasures of the world for then would they be loth to dye and to be depriued of their saied pleasures Thus argued he and we may do the lyke of Iesuites now adayes of whome we haue seen before how they professe voluntarie pouertie contempte of the world incapacitie of earthlie promotions great labors of studies and other such painful exercises we read also in their peculier rules that their chastitie must imitate the puritie of Angels both in mynde and body and as for wordly comodities that they must abhor those are the very woords of their rule and institute altogether and not in parte from all these thinges which the world doth loue and esteeme as honours promotions riches pleasures and the lyke and embrace and desyre with all their forces the thinges which Iesus their mayster esteemed and loued for our examples as contempt pouertie persecution and affliction
Prefect after dinner and their exhorting him to the enterpryse with making him many offers temporal and assuring him for his soule that if he died in the enterpryse he should go to heauen presently both in body and soule and many other such circumstances set dowâ—e in the printed narration all I say are shewed manifestly to be false and forged vpon examination and attestation of catholique magistrates of the places aforenamed and of the persons themselues mentioned in the fable and among other poyntes it is proued by many witnesses that the Prouincial of the Iesuites in the rogation weeke which they do name was in Bruxeles to wit aboue threscore myles of and had departed from Doway in the moneth of Ianuarie before and of Peter Panne also it is proued that he was not in Doway at that tyme nor could be for that he was working in his maysters shop at Ypers So as by these and many other most euident demonstrations there to be seen it is made cleer that this is but an heretical fiction to defame Iesuites for their zeal in Gods true religion in which respect as they are more dear to almighty God so ought they to be also to all good men that behold these diuelish deuises of Sathan and his instruments agaynst them But let vs returne to England where Sir Francis beateth also vpon the same nayl as you haue heard at the beginning of this incounter saying that he cannot perceiue the thirst that Persons aud his pew-fellowes haue of seeking her Maiesties blood to be yet quenched but how doth the poore man proue that they haue had that thirst no way how doth he proue that it is not yet quenched for that he perceiueth it not nor yet how it may be the causes still remayning why they sought it before o sillie disputer how he flieth still from the point he should proue I requier that he should proue that Iesuites haue sought the Queenes Maiesties blood and he giueth a reason why they haue not left to seek it and what is this reason for that the same causes of seeking it do remayn stil that were before What are these causes he nameth them not but it seemeth they can be no other then the difference of religion and the persecution made vpon them for the same VVel then all the substance of this argument is brought to this issue that for so much as Sir Faancis old head cannot perceiue how Iesuites persecuted for religion by the Queen can loue her or pray for her or cease to hate her and not seek her blood therfore it is so and must be thought so But to this argument answereth Saint Paule when he saith animalis homo non percipit ea quae spiritus Dei sunt a fleshly and sensual man perceyueth not the thinges that are of Gods spirit such for example as are the louing of a mannes enemies praying for them and rendring good for euil which yet spiritual men such as Iesuites are taken to be may perhaps both perceyue and practise and so I perswade myself they do and I haue heard in particular by such as come from English Seminaries beyond the seas where Iesuites and especially father persons here accused hath a hand that there is a custome and precept not only for all in general to remember her Maiestie in their ordinarie praiers but also in the particular deuotions assigned to euerie particuler person at the beginning of euerie moneth The Queen of England hath her particuler place of recommendation among other princes and before them also in the number of them that are assigned to pray for her so as this practise of praying for persecutors so much praysed by Christ though it enter not into Sir Francis worldly spirit and fleshly vnderstanding yet may it and doth it as it seemeth into Iesuites And this might serue now as well for defence of all Iesuites in general as of father Persons in particuler seeing no seueral matter is layd agaynst either of them but yet I may not let passe by law of common frendship to adde some few lynes also in the fathers case by name seing that by name he is accused of so odious a cryme as is to haue a thirst of shedding the blood of our Soueraigne lady and Queen About which accusation I would aske this accuser how this appeareth and how it cometh to passe that in so many yeares so many others hauing byn suspected some apprehended other indicted condemned and executed for imputation of lyke heynous crymes none euer that is knowen accused father Persons by name to haue induced or perswaded them to the lyke enterpryse though if they had it had byn no condemnation but much lesse probabilitie when not so much as an accusation is extant Let the examinations and arraynementes of Parry Sauage Ballard Babington with all his fellowes that were condemned with him Polewheel also Daniel Hesket and such others be vewed ouer and see whether any of them do accuse father Persons to haue byn partaker oâ— priuie to their councels actions or attemptes in this behalf let the recordes be sought out of all the preestes declarations that haue byn put to death within these twentie yeares which are more then a hundreth and consider whether any haue confessed fathers Personâ— euer to haue proposed any such matter vnto them and yet the most part of them were acquaynted with him many also sent into England by his direction and if he had felt such a deadly thirst of blood and of her Maiesties blood as this accuser sayth the readiest way for quenching therof had byn to persuade some of these men that come of purpose to aduenture their lyues for religion and feare not the leesing of any thing in this world to haue taken the enterpryse vpon them for the common good and for setting the vse of their religion at libertie ther by But there is no such matter and these are but fictions and deuyses of enemies to make men odious no preest hitherto nor Iesuite that I haue hearde of hath euer confessed of himself or others of that vocation any such attempt or meaning at all It seemeth they are gouerned by an other spirit and rule to wit by that of holy Dauid who made this vow touching his enemie and persecutor Saul Viuit Dominus quia nisi Dominus percusserit eum aut dies eius venerit vt moriatur aut in praelium descendens perierit propitius sit mihi Dominus ne extendam manum meam in Christum Domini As the Lord liueth sayth he except God stryk him or that his day come of natural death or that he going into the field to fight do perish there God be merciful vnto me that I lay not my handes vpon his anoynted So then father Parsons protesteth as I am credibly informed that he was neuer consenting witting willing inducing yeelding nor priuie to any such personal attempt against her Maiestie in his life Moreouer he
auoucheth that he hath dissuaded hindered and diuerted some that might perhaps haue had such inclination and namely one Gentleman some yeares past beyond the seas he sayeth not of what nation he was that hauing resolued vpon the only zeale of religion and for deliuering of catholique people from persecution to leese his own life or to take away that of her Maiestie he was entered some hundreth miles and more into his iorney toward England for that purpose hauing made himself ready to dye by discharging his minde of all worldly cares and cogitatons neither had he doubt of the effect for that he pretended not to escape aliue all which notwithstanding vpon father Parsons earnest dissuasion that met him on the way he was content at length to retyre and giue ouer the enterprise principally vpon this reason for others he persuaded himself to haue examined sufficiently before that English catholiques themselues desired not to be deliuered from their miseries by any such attempt and this to be most true he affirmeth vpon his conscience By this then it may seem to appeer that this father is not so thirstie of her Maiesties death and desâ—râ—ction nor of so bloody a disposition as Sir Francis would make him which I haue heard also confirmed by many protestants themselues who meeting with him in catholique kingdomes where he might haue donn them hurt hath alway donn them good and I could name some if I thought it would be no hurt or disgrace vnto them let those fourscore and fifteen whom at one time he deliuered out of the chaynes of galleys of Spayn in the year 90. whereof diuers are gentlemen now dwelling in EnglaÌ„d and those thirtie and fower which this present year of 98. he deliuered from like miserie in the galleys of Naples and many other particuler men benifited by him besides speak for him in this case for that these woorkes are of more weight with wise men then Sir Francis bare woordes to the contrarie And so with this I end also this encounter THE SIXTH INCOVNTER ABOVT THE CATHOLIQVE RECVsantes that refuse for conscience sake to goe to the Protestantes churches and to be present at their seruice in England AS in many other poyntes this hastie hotespur playeth the Herodian shewing himself without conscience at all and ready to pawne his soule for pleasing the prince state where he liueth so in no one thing doth he more discouer this diuelish and detestable disposition then in his cruel and malitious calumniation agaynst the better and more religious sorte of English Catholiques who refusing to dissemble do vtter their consciences plainly in matter of religion And according to their obligation in this behalf do abstain from going to the churches preachings and seruices of them that be of a different religion And albeit he cannot but confesse that many of them do geue good example of lyf in their behaueour or to vse his owne wordes do shew a good outward ciuil cariage in ciuil matters which I dout whether all his neighbours will testifie the lyke of him and of those of his profession yet sayth he let not that possesse you with too great a regard of them and to deliuer you from the danger of such deceytfull baytes I must assure you that this is a true position that without the true feare of God there can be no true religion And vnlesse the religion be found the face and shew of ciuil honestie seem it neuer so glorious in the eies of flesh and blood is but a deceitfull visour vpon a crabtree face couering the most vyle and cankred partes of a deceitfull hart and so I come to shew their dissimulation Thus far Sir Francis to whome I will not answer by examining faces and visours whether that of his be crabtree plumtree pear-tree or figtree let other men iudge that know it Neither yet by discussing how many sortes of cankers there be where with Sir Francis himself may be touched especially if heresie be one as Saynt Paule doth signifie and all holie fathers haue held after him But to the matter it self I answer that wheras Sir Francis maketh so light of good lyf in Catholiques calling it a deceytfull bayte Christe teacheth vs to make a far different collection when in his first sermon on the mountayne he gaue this aduertisement Beware of false Prophetes c. by their frutes you shall know them for as men do not gather grapes of thornes nor figges of brambles so doth euerie good tree bringe foorth good frutes and euerie euil tree bringeth forth euil frutes Neither can a good tree bringe foorth euil frutes nor euil tree good Saynt Iames sayd in lyke case thou hast fayth and I haue workes shew thou to me thy fayth without workes and I will shew thee my fayth by my workes If then here be workes and good lyf in these Catholiques it must be presumed to come of good fayth according to Saynt Iames. And if there be figges and grapes and such other good frutes found in their behaueour then must the tree be iudged good also if Christes rule be not false And for that our Sauiour gaue this rule to discerne true and false prophetes by it is not euil that Sir Francis and his men do fly from it so openly in the playne feeld leauinge good workes to Catholiques and reseruinge only threed-bare fayth to themselues for therby they discocouer what prophetes they be And of all this I do not greatly marueyle in Sir Francis for he seeth poore man how bare a haruest he hath in hand when he talketh of workes amonge those of his sect and how the hare goeth clearly away on our syde if he hunt after good life in his new prophetes But much I marueyle of his lack of shame that talking agaynst these recusant Catholiques he maketh mention so often of deceyt and dissimulation seing that of all other people of the realme these men dissemble least but rather do publish themselues euen to the face and vewe of the magistrate yea they are punished expresly for that they will not dissemble as many others do and go to your churches with a repyning and repugnant conscience for if they would do so then were they no more recusants and consequently fâ—ee from al your clawes penalties and vexations though neuer the more yours therby in mynde then now they be But to the end this matter maâ—e be better discussed let vs heare Sir Francis triple accusation agaynst them his wordes are these I do note sayth he three thinges in this kynde of people worthie to be knowen and obscrued first the hurt thy continually do secondly ihe hurt they would do and thirdly their deep dissimulation Here are three heades you see of a greeuous accusation set downe let vs see the particulers For the first sayth he it would aske a long discourse to discouer all the hurtes done by them they are so many and manifould This is nothing but wordes
the kinges hart we shall discouer both trecherous cogging and shameles forgerie in the hart and hand of this counterfayt knight Thus then I begin the declaration The conditions of that most famous and royal mariage between the two greatest Monarches of Christēdome king Philip and Queen Marie and the conuentions agreed vpon between both nations and between the princes themselues Queē Marie the Emperour Charles then resyding in Flanders and king Philip and eche of their Councels and Parlaments are yet extant and for the most part in print wherby it may be seen that all those poyntes that this sely fellow cometh in withall now after the market ended about the succession of our realme the priuie Councel of what nation they should be the condition of our nobilitie the Parlament the lawes of the realme the portes castles and garrisons the officers of the courte and household and other lyke circumstances were particulerly treated agreed vpon and prouyded for before hand by all partes Neither was there euer any complaynt that the king or his nation brake any one of them whyle they were among vs but added rather diuers benefytes and courtesies of their owne accord aboue that which they had promised and were bound vnto As for the expences and for the furniture of the mariage so much I meane as came from abrode as also for the two Spanish and English nauies that accompanied the king when he came into England were at his cost and charges vntill they arryued at Portesmouth and the whole trayne from thence to winchester where he met with the Queen and the mariage was celebrated at the charges of the same King of Spayne All the Spanish nobles and gentlemen that came with the king came so furnished with all necessaries and brought such store of money with them as within two or three monethes after their arryual all England was full of Spanish coyne The priuie councel of England was wholie and intirely as it was before neither was any Spaniard euer put into it the officers of the Queens household were altogether English the king for his owne affayres and his other kingdomes had a particuler Councel which interrupted not ours the nobilitie of our land was exceedingly honoured by him and many of them had particuler great pensions also yearly from him the captaynes and soldiers that he vsed of our nation as namely at the warre of Saynt Quintins he honoured highly and made them equall in all poyntes of seruice and honor with Spaniardes and payd them himself without further charges to England saue only geuing them their vpper cassockes with the crosse according to the custome The marchantes commonly he made free to enioy and vse all priuileges and preferments throughout all his kingdomes countries and prouinces and in England he had such care to yeeld our nation contentment as he gaue expresse order that if any English man and a Spaniard fell out the English should be fauored and the Spaniard punished which he caused to be executed with such rigor as it cost diuers Spaniardes their lyues when the English were much more in fault and I haue heard it spoken by some of the Councel at that tyme that Queen Marie was so afflicted diuers tymes with this partialitie of the kinges towardes the English agaynst his owne nation as it cost her many a bitter teare for verie compassion shame And so much the more was she moued therewith for that she saw many English partly vpon this indulgence of the kinges and partly for that being secretly heretiques they had auersion and hatred to the Spanish nation to abuse themselues intollerably in offering most inhumane and barbarous iniuries vnto them No Spaniard could walke by night nor scars by day alone but he should be eyther wounded or thrust between two or three swashbucklers that attended particulerly to those exercyses and so put in danger of his lyf Villanous wordes were ordinarie salutations to them in the streetes as also often tymes in churches but no remedy was to be had nor would any man beare Witnes lightly in behalf of the Spaniard agaynst the English though the iniurie were neuer so manifest If any thing were to be bought in the market the Spaniard must paie dooble for it and for that most Spaniardes drunk water they must buy it also dearly in many places if they would drink it and often could not haue it for mony and diuers wells were sayd to be poysoned of malice therby to destroy the Spaniardes Many deuises were vsed to draw Spaniardes into priuate houses and familiaritie was offered them to that end and if any entred to talke with the wyf daughter or seruant as they were thought propēse in that kynde then rushed forth the husbād father brother or master that lay in wayte with other catchpoles of thesame conspiracie to apprehend them and to threaten death or imprisonment except they redeemed themselues with good store of money And I haue heard from the mouth of a greate noble man a Spaniard that was in England at that tyme and now is a Vyceroy vnder the king that some English would send their wyues daughters of purpose into the fieldes where Spaniards walked to allure them to talke with them and therby to intrap them and get money from them I omit to name more violent meanes of taking purses and playne roberies and other lyke artes to get the Spaniards money from them by force which yet were many and some most barbarous and shamefull to our nation and the mention and memorie therof maketh vs blush when in other countries we are told of them as namely this that followeth which my self haue heard recounted from a nobleman himself that is yet alyue to wit the old Count de Fuensalida cheef steward at this day of the kinges houshold who being in England with the king made a great supper one night to diuers noble men of his nation and to some others and being at the table mery and fearing nothing as in a peaceable and ciuil commonwealth it seemed he had no cause there came rushing in some twentie or thirtie maskared good fellowes with their swordes drawen and commanded that no man should stirre vnder payne of death and so kept them all at the table and their seruantes shut vp into diuers houses of offices where they were found vntill the theeues had ransaked the whole house and packed vp the siluer plate that was in store and so departed And these are the heroical actes and honorable histories which these noblemen and other strangers do recount of the ciuilitie and courtesie of our countriemen towardes Spaniards in those dayes which being obiected vnto vs in all forayne nations where we trauayle the french also recounting as bad or worse donne to them to whome at that tyme we were open enemies it cannot but make modest Englishmen ashamed and their eares to burne in respect of the dishonour of our countrie as also to consider what