the English together with the States souldiers ouerthrew the Cardinals armie betwéene Newport and Ostend to the vtter ouerthrow of the Cardinall and the Spaniards in that countrie if the victorie had bene pursued And now albeit coldly pursued yet hath it so broken his forces that he hath lien idlely euer since before Ostend hoping rather by treatie then by force to preuaile In Ireland the Lord Gray ouerthrew the Earle of Desmond and cut the Italians and Spaniards that kept the fort at Smerwike in péeces About the time also died Sanders the Popes Legate and other traitors stirred vp to rebellion by the Pope and his agents Neither could D. Iuan d'Aquila kéepe his footing in Kinsale albeit he had with him many good souldiers and great aduantages Diuers times hath the Pope troubled her both in England and Ireland stirring vp first the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland and then certaine rebels in Norfolke and afterward procuring diuers seditious fellowes in Ireland in hope of his blessing to rebel But his blessings haue bene turned into cursings and all his trecherous deuises haue come to nothing Finally we find Gods promise to his people by Moyses Deut. 28. verified in her For where he sayth That God would make all his peoples enemies to fall down before them we sée that all the Quéenes enemies fel before her and that the more they maligned her the more God aduanced her Such reputation she wan both with Christians and with Infidels that al men had great respect vnto her except such as maliciously oppugned her The King of Poland and the Transiluanian haue receiued fauour of the Turk for her sake and her friends great comfort in all their distresses Before the Quéenes time the Pope claimed a great part in the gouernement of England challenging power to make Ecclesiastical lawes to send hither Legates to ordaine and appoint Bishops in diuers cases to dispose of Ecclesiasticall liuings and those that possessed them He did also leuis tenths and first fruites and by procurations licences and dispensations drew great summes of money out of the realme In some cases he tooke vpon him to iudge the king and to dispose of the crown of England Hereof it followeth first that the Kings of this land for some ages before King Henry the eight were but halfe Kings neither medling with the externall gouernement of the Church nor being authorized to rule their Cleargie or to dispose of their liuings Secondly that they held that poore halfe of their kingdome which remained at the Popes pleasure and no further as appeared by the insolent dealing of the Pope with King Henry the second and King Iohn out of whose hands the Pope had almost wrested the scepter of their royall authoritie But her Maiestie abolishing the vsurped power of the Pope fréed her selfe and her successors from his tyrannie and restored that power and iurisdiction to the Crown that was by his craft and fraudulent dealing long vsurped She found that it belonged to godly kings to make lawes for religion to rule their subiects to dispose of the affaires and goods of the Church according to right So did Constantine the great and other godly Emperors So did Charles the great and Lewes kings of France So did Alfred and S. Edward Kings of England as the lawes of the Code and Nouell constitutions the constitutions of Charles and Lewes and of the auncient Kings of England declare Neither before Pope Heldebrand or rather that firebrand of hell did any Pope take vpon him to giue out lawes or decretals for the gouernement either of the whole Church or the Churches of other kingdoms For this matter therfore Quéene Elizabeths name deserueth to be had in perpetuall remembrance for that she fréed her selfe and her subiects from the Popes wicked lawes and vsurpations and restored the auncient priuiledges and dignities to the Crowne The which had bene much in a man but in a woman was much more glorious With her also peace which by the practises of the Spaniards had bene exiled to our losse and shame returned again into this land For finding this land at variance with France and forsaken of Spaine she found meanes to compound with France and begā to settle matters at home According to the Prophets admonition Psal 34. she sought peace and followed it And such successe hath it pleased God to giue her that although the Pope by diuers practises hath sought to raise discord and rebellion within England yet maugre his head we haue enioyed peace this fiue and fortie yeares to the great contentment of her subiects and the wonderment of the world For who wondreth not that France and Flanders and other our neighbor countries being in a flame and the Pope desiring nothing more then to set our country on fire that the moderation of a woman should maintaine her State in peace when great Kings could not kéepe their state from being consumed with warres How great this benefite is both the commodities of peace and the miseries of warres may teach vs. Et nomen pacis dulce est saith Tully ipsa res salutaris Philippic 2. The name of peace is sweete and the thing it selfe safe and commodious De leg Agrar contra Rull Neither doth a people more desire any thing then peace as he saith in another place and in peace not onely those to whom nature hath giuen sence but also houses and fields seeme to reioyce Quid est tam populare ac pax qua non modo ij quibus natura sensum dedit sed etiam tecta atque agri laetari videntur Contrariwise warres worke destruction of men cities countries and as Tully saith Philippic 2. haue vncertaine euents and nothing is more execrable then ciuill warres Tully estéemeth him vnworthy to liue among men Philippic 3. that delighteth in ciuill discord and warre By meanes of long peace this land is also growne to great wealth The country is better cultiuated trade is much increased all arts and occupations growne to greater perfection then in time past Noblemen and Gentlemen haue doubled their reuenues Yeomen and Merchants aspire to the degrée of Gentlemen and diuers men of occupation do exceed men of their sort in former times Whosoeuer compareth the common people of England with men of their qualitie in Spaine Portugal and Italy must néedes confesse that in wealth and meanes our country men do farre excéed them Finally neuer was England so populous and strong in men as in our late Quéenes dayes Spaine and most places of Italy séeme desolate in comparison That these are great blessings it cannot be denied For God promiseth increase of substance and men to his people as a blessing Deut. 28. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body saith Moyses to the people of God and the fruite of thy land the fruite of thy cattell the flockes of kine and sheepe And the multiplication of Abrahams posteritie Gen. 17. and in diuers other places was
A FVL AND ROVND ANSWER TO N. D. alias Robert Parsons the Noddie his foolish and rude Warne-word Comprised in three Bookes Whereof the first containeth a defence of Queene Elizabeths most pious and happie gouernment by him maliciously slaundered The second discouereth the miserable estate of Papists vnder the Popes irreligious and vnhappy tyrannie by him weakely defended The third toucheth him for his vnciuill termes and behauior and diuers other exorbitant faults and abuses both here and elsewhere by him committed and cleareth his vaine obiections and cauils PHILIP 3. Beware of dogs beware of euill workers LONDON Printed for GEORGE BISHOP 1604. TO THE MOST RELIGIOVS AND VERTVOVS PRINCE KING IAMES by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Jreland Defender of the true auncient and Catholike faith AS Kings receiue their kingdomes and authoritie from God so most gracious and dread Soueraigne they prosper and flourish most when they empoloy their royall authoritie for the aduancement of the true seruice and honour of God 2. King 18. Of Hezekiah the holy Scriptures giue testimonie That he did vprightly in the sight of the Lord according to all that Dauid his father had done and that he tooke away the high places and brake the grauen images and cut downe the groues and brake in peeces the brazen serpent that Moses had made And againe that he claue to the Lord and departed not from him but kept his commandements Therefore it followeth So the Lord was with him and he prospered in all things that he took in hand The same we likewise find verified in your Maiesties predecessor Queene Elizabeth of glorious memorie At her first coming to the Crowne she brake downe grauen and molten Images she tooke downe high altars and remoued away all monuments of superstition out of the Church she feared not the malignitie of men but claue to the Lord resoluing to keepe his holy commaundements and to see God worshipped according to the prescript rule of his sacred word She was all her life long a harbor to the distressed children of God a refuge to the oppressed a protector of the persecuted for the testimonie of Christ Iesus a nursing mother of Gods Church Therefore God maruellously protected her both against the force of forreine enemies and also against the conspiracies of domesticall traitors and caused her to prosper in all her affaires She liued raigned long and happily and dying left behind her a sweet memory of many blessings by her meanes bestowed vpon her people Contrariwise such as either know not or did not remember from whence they receiued their kingly honor but either neglected the worship of God or else for Gods worship established superstition and idolatrie in the Church haue seldome long raigned or prospered in their kingdomes Ieroboam forgetting what great fauor God had done him aduancing him from low estate to the kingdome and renting it from the house of Dauid to giue it vnto him receiued a threatning message from the Lord by the hand of the Prophet Ahijah 1. King 14. The same also was shortly after accomplished For God brought euill vpon the house of Ieroboam and cut off his posteritie because he did euill in the sight of the Lord and erected idolatrie at Bethel Likewise Queene Mary who brought this land not onely vnder the commaund of Spaniards and Italians but also vnder the heauie yoke of Antichrist burdensome both to mens ciuill estates and also to their consciences erected superstition and idolatrie which before had bene banished and persecuted the Saints of God that would not bow their knees to Baal had a short troublesome and vnhappie raigne and left behind her nothing but hatred for her crueltie and infamy for her vnnaturall dealing with her subiects and misgouernement In both we find that accomplished which the Lord speaketh by the Prophet 1. Sam. 2. Them saith he that honor me I will honor and they that despise me shall be despised For neither will the Lord faile his inheritance Psal 94. nor hath the throne of iniquitie fellowship with God Dagon could not stand before the Arke of God 1. Sam. 15. nor shall the worshippers of Dagon preuaile against the seruants of God The which although both particularly in the diuers gouernement of Queene Elizabeth and Queene Mary and also generally by the examples of all that either fauoured or disfauoured true religion it appeareth most euidently yet because Robert Parsons an Apostate somtime from religion and now an vtter enemie to the state and a renegate Englishman for hatred to the truth and loue to Poperie in a large discourse doth endeuour to disgrace the proceedings of Queene Elizabeth in reformation of religion especially and to commend the State of the realme vnder Queen Mary and of all Papists vnder the Romish gouernement I haue thought good particularly to demonstrat I haue also wiped away both his malicious imputations encountred him in his railing inuectiues defending the honor of our dread Soueraigne whose memorie shall neuer die in the minds of her louing subiects and answering for true religion calumniated by the slanderous tongues of the supposts and slaues of Antichrist This discourse although not of that perfection that it may seeme worthy to be presented to so great a King yet for that it containeth a defence of your Maiesties predecessor which you honour and of that religion which you professe I am bold to consecrate to your Maiestie as the first fruites of my loyall affection towards you Therin also your Maiestie may see not only a precedent to follow but also a reward proposed to those that studiously and couragiously seeke to aduance pietie and true religion The aduersarie by all meanes seeketh to suppresse truth and to aduance idolatrie and popish errors misconstruing things well done imputing crimes to innocents excusing offenders denying things manifest forging and deuising matters neuer done nor imagined But while he hath sought to bring disgrace not onely vpon true religion but also vpon the restorers and defenders thereof he hath giuen vs iust occasion to shew that the doctrine religion and practise of Papists is not only repugnant to truth but also enemie to Princes and States grieuous to Christians and profitable to none but to the slaues and adherents of Antichrist Further I haue made it apparant that the state of popish Religion is no way to be maintained but by trecherie and massacres by lying railing and forgerie being hatefull both to God and man and the cause of many miseries and calamities Vouchsafe therefore most worthy and noble King to reade this discourse ensuing It shal declare vnto your Maiestie plainely by what meanes you may establish your estate Queene Elizabeth in her latter dayes was made beleeue that remisse dealing in matters of religion would assure her life often sought for by Papists and her State that they by all meanes haue sought to ouerthrow But this her remisnesse gaue her enemies oportunitie to
he sayth that the vniuersal Church was the direct rule and squire which we ought to follow and in the Warnw. Enc. 1. c. 15. nu 10. he teacheth that it is the summe and corpes of Christian doctrine deliuered at the beginning by the miracles and preachings of the Apostles Where I omit to tell Robert Parsons that it is absurd to make the same thing to be a rule and a squire the rule being direct and the squire being square It is also ridiculous though I do not tell him of it to say that Christs doctrine was deliuered by miracles for it was deliuered by writing and preaching and confirmed by miracles But I cannot forbeare to tell him that there is great difference betwéene the Catholike Church and the Catholike doctrine How then can these two make one rule Next he taketh exception to my words where I say that the Church of England hath a certaine rule to follow in matters of faith as if the canon of scriptures and those conclusions which are to be drawne out of them were no certaine rule or else as if traditions that are no where certainly described or set downe were a more certaine and authenticall rule then scriptures and necessary deductions out of them Fourthly he giueth out Warnw. 1. encont cap. 17. that we despaire of all certaine rule or meane to trie the truth which is a most desperate and impudent kind of dealing For directly I told him before and now I tell him againe that our rule is most certaine being nothing else but the canonicall Scriptures and the conclusions necessary drawne out of them Nay this rule may in part be confirmed by Parsons his owne confession For if the corps of Christian doctrine preached by the Apostles be the rule of faith as he saith VVarnw 1. encont c. 15. where are we to find it but in holy Scriptures He holdeth percase that it is to be found in the Popes bosome But if he say so in schooles he shal not want a greater plaudit then he had when hauing ended his comicall dealings in Bayliol colledge he was rung and hissed out of the house For who knoweth not that scabs and villany are rather to be found in the Popes bosome then any corpes of Apostolicall doctrine for that is very rife with them With the corpes of Apostolicall doctrine the Italian atheisticall Popes are litle acquainted We tel him further that for trial of any point of doctrine we are not to run to the Popes sea which is as much able to resolue vs as his close stoole but to the word of God reuealed in Scriptures and if there be any difference about a place of Scriptures we are then to compare the same with other places to search the resolutions of Councels of auncient and later Fathers of the Church of England and learned men Prouided alwayes that nothing be receiued as a ground of faith which is not to be deduced out of the word of God Whether then S. Augustine or Hierome or Ambrose or Luther or Caluin or any preacher among vs bring vs the word of God it is to be receiued But if they teach without that we are not necessarily to credit them nor to beléeue them in grounds of faith Out of the Scriptures we learne that Christ hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some pastors and teachers albeit all particular matters are not precisely set downe So likewise we are taught that these words this is my body are most true that the sacramēt is Christs body in a mysterie or sacramentally albeit how the Sacrament is called Christs body there may be some differences Likewise out of Scripture we are taught that the King is the most principall man in his Realme and not to be subiect to any other in externall gouernement albeit euery one percase vnderstandeth not the seuerall points of his supreme authority These differences therefore notwithstanding our rule of faith is most certaine Fiftly he would insinuate that as vertue houskéeping true dealing is much decayed since her Maiesty came to the crowne so pride in apparel gluttony drunkennes lechery swearing and other vices are much increased But the man should shew that these vertues are decayed and vices increased in men that are truly of our Religion If he say so then let him name the men that are guiltie of these faults If the men that are guilty be Papists that for the most part are knowne to be carnall and cruel and most vitious he striketh himselfe and not vs. If they be Atheists or hypocrites then his allegation maketh not to purpose This I will speake to his téeth that if our Ministery be no more honest and vertuous then the Popes Cardinals Friers and Masse-priests and our true professors then zelous Papists it were pitie they should liue on the face of the earth Some proofes I haue brought before and more I shall alleage herafter Let Parsons do the like against vs and leaue his hypocriticall ostentation and generall declamation that maketh men rather to wonder at his impudency then to beléeue that he dealeth truly or sincerely Wardw. p. 3. Warnw. 1. encoutr cap. 18. Sixthly he very impudently imputeth all the troubles wars and calamities that haue happened in Scotland Ireland Flanders France to alteration in Religion and wold lay the blame wholy vpon vs. But if he looke into their immediate causes he shall find that the mint of this money was the Popes consistorie and that he and his agents are the onely firebrands of all mischiefe In Ireland Gregorie the thirtéenth stirred vp rebellion by the traitor Saunders his legate in England Pius Quintus by his agent Ridolphi and by Morton his messenger moued the two Earles to rise in the North Anno 1569. The same Pope animated the Spanish King to make warres against the Quéene of England and against them of the Low countries The same Pope sent not onely his agents to stirre the French but ayded them both with men and mony Gregorie the thirtéenth likewise sent ayde to Irish rebels The wars of Germanie were enflamed by that butcherly Pope Paule the third To make short all massacres trecheries warres and troubles haue wholy procéeded from their malice against the truth If the Pope and his adherents therfore haue bene troubled so was Herode and all Ierusalem with him at the birth of Christ If they blame vs for their troubles so did the Pagans impute all their troubles to Christians and their religion But the true cause was not religion but the hatred of impious Papists against religion Finally he saith that if her Maiestie had not altered religion then her kingdome had bene flourishing and secure and that she would haue had issue and her succession certaine and continued in friendship with the Pope and auncient confederates and neither had wars abroad nor treason at home and insinuateth that by reason of alteration of religion al is fallen out contrarie But if Wil Sommer had
Popes sentence against Henrie the fourth of France was the cause both of the reuolt of his subiects and of the warres made against him by the prince of Parma and the Spaniards Such a firebrand of warres do we find the Popes sentence to be No sooner was Henry the eight king of England pronounced excommunicate by Paule the third but he sent Cardinall Poole to stirre vp the French King to inuade his kingdome Afterward when he saw that the French could not be stirred to execute his pleasure he caused diuerse rebellions to be raysed against him by the seditious clamours of Masse-priests Monkes and Friars both in York-shire and Lincolne-shire and other parts of England Sanders confesseth that he commanded the Nobilitie and chiefe men of England De schis lib. 1 by force and armes to oppose themselues against the king and to cast him out of his kingdome Principibus viris ac Ducibus Angliae caeteraeque Nobilitati praecipit vt vi armis se Henrico opponant illumque è regni finibus eijcere nitantur The like course held Pius Quintus that wicked Pope against Quéene Elizabeth of pious memorie for he did not onely declare her depriued of her kingdome but by all meanes sought actually to depriue her of it and that first by dealing with the French and Spanish by force of arms to inuade her realmes and afterward stirring vp and comforting Malcontents and Rebels to set the realme in combustion by ciuill warres Hierome Catena in the discourse of the life of this impious Pius sheweth how he perswaded the Spaniard that he could not otherwise better secure the Low-countries then by ouerthrowing the Queene of England He declareth further how he induced the French to take part against her Likewise did Gregorie the thirtéene send forces into Ireland together with his legate Sanders Sixtus Quintus by all meanes hastened the Spanish fléete that came against England anno 1588. Neither haue they and others ceassed vpon all occasions to séeke her hurt and destruction This therefore is a most cleare case that no Christian king can be in safetie as long as he suffereth Iebusites and Masse-priests to aduance the Popes authoritie and to preach seditiously that the people hath power to put Princes out of their royall seate It is very dangerous also to foster any man within the Realme that beléeueth this seditious doctrine True it is that Papists cast many colours to hide the deformities of this doctrine but these colours are easily washed away as not being able to abide any weather First they alleage that diuerse popish Princes haue enioyed their kingdomes quietly without molestation But we are able to shew more Princes of late time troubled by the Popes practises then they are able to shew to haue liued peaceably by them Furthermore the reason why Popes do not trouble all is because it were not safe for them to fall out with too many at one time and not because their ouer large authoritie is not preiudiciall to all For if the Pope may depose all kings vpon cause then all kings stand in like danger séeing no man can auoide all causes of quarrell Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. cap. 6. saith that the Pope doth practise this power for sauing of soules But experience teacheth vs that through his excommunications and sentences of deposition pronounced against diuers kings he hath ruined kingdomes and brought infinite people to destruction both of bodie and soule Theodorie of Niem speaking of the deposing of the king of Hungarie by Boniface the 9. saith There followed of it great slaughter of innumerable people destruction of churches and houses of religion the burning of cities townes and castles and infinite other mischiefes which follow long warres because kings without the hurt of many cannot be deposed His words are these Vndè clades hominum innumerabilium Ecclesiasticorum picrum locorum Monasteriorum enormis destructio incendia ciuitatum oppidorum villarum castrorum nec non infinita 〈◊〉 mala quae guerrae secum producunt diu vigentia subsequebantur quia non sine multorum dispendio reres deponuntur Emanuel Sa in his aphorismes for confessaries doth signifie that this doctrine holdeth against tyrants only But what doth this reléeue the Papists when those which fall out with the Pope and yeeld not to his most vnreasonable requests are presently by Friers and priests proclaimed tyrants The very Papists themselues cannot deny but that Quéene Elizabeth was much renowned for her rare clemencie and that not without cause seeing she spared alwayes those that would not haue spared her if it had lieu in their power to haue hurt her and yet they accuse her of tyrannie In the resolution of certaine cases of conscience set out by Allen and Parsons for instruction of English traytors Non gerit se vt Reginam say they sed exercet tyrannidem She doth not behaue her selfe as a Queene but doth exercise tyrannie The like words they gaue out against the French king now raigning albeit he hath shewed mercie to many deseruing none Duke Ernest sending away one that vndertooke to kill the Gount Maurice amazzate said he quel tyranno that is kill me that tyrant Others alleage that the Pope procéedeth onely against heretikes and notorious offendors But that is a most notorious and palpable vntruth for no man is more eagerly prosecuted then religious pious and godly Christians as the executions of France and Flanders do shew And if they will not confesse it true in Christians of our time yet can they not deny it in the times of the Emperors Henry the third fourth and fifth of Fredericke the first and second and of Lewis of Bauier who made such confessions of their faith being declared heretickes as the Popes thēselues could not contradict and yet did the Popes excommunicate them and sought to depose them as heretikes and tyrants Likewise did they prosecute other kings and Emperours albeit consenting with them in matters of faith Henrie the third of France of late was cruelly persecuted and murdred by the popish faction and yet was he very superstitiously addicted to popish religion Suppose then that the Pope would procéed against none but heretickes and tyrants yet it is an easie matter and very vsual for him to picke quarels and to impute heresie and tyranny and great crimes to most innocent men Finally they may say that the Pope is alwayes assisted by Gods holy spirit and cannot erre in his sentences of excommunication and deposing of Princes especially for matters of religion But this allegation is most brutish ridiculous and refuted by euident experience and most euident proofes that teach vs that he is rather led by the spirit of Sathan who was a murtherer from the beginning and is the author of rebellions and troubles then by the spirit of God that is the God of peace and author of concord among Christians Wherefore let all Princes that liue vnder the Popes obedience consider
his expulsion and manners so infamous Howsoeuer he hath shamed others himselfe he hath shamed by his leud loose and discomposed patcheries Of his cruell disposition Bagshaw his apologie he hath giuen vs many arguments While he was yet in Bailioll colledge he prosecuted seuen young men of farre better parentage then himselfe and gladly would haue had them hanged for taking certaine puddings from a pupill of his called Himmes He endeuoured to draw Himmes his father into bond that hée should not cease to prosecute the fellonie and would haue proceeded further had not the councell taken order to stay his violence it may be he thought that taking of puddings was a great matter considering especially that the wealth of the tripewife his mother consisted in tripes puddings and souce but sée Gods hand against this prosecutor of takers of puddings he is now so swollen like a blacke pudding that the memory of Parsons puddings will not lightly be forgotten A man shall hardly find a fitter fellow to play Ballio the baud then Parsons being a baudy burley pudding growne fellow and very like the baud in Plautus cum collatiuo ventre oculis herbeis that is with his bumbasted and barrellike bellie and eyes greenish like grasse In Rome he hath long bene the tormentor of the boyes of the English colledge although his friends in his excuse say he loueth them but too well and namely one Fisher a fine youth that sometime was a Ganymedes to Edward or as he called himselfe Odeward Weston sometime reader of Sodomiticall diuinitie at Doway although now for his beastly loue they say he hath lost his place and lecture and is sent to Antwerpe to loue wenches there Prouided alwayes that he meddle not with boyes especially scandalously As for Fisher he is now at Rome as they say to do penance with Robert Parsons Protonotarie of Sodome if he be not fishing in the sea Whē Bishop and Charnocke agents of the secular priests in England were sent to Rome Sir Robert handled them very rudely These priests doe exclaime mainely against his crueltie He tooke away their writings and valists he caused them to be imprisoned and hardly examined and at the length sent them away re infectissima But what should I neede to stand vpon prooues of his bloody and cruell disposition when it is apparent that diuers wayes he hath sought to destroy the Queene whom he should haue honoured as his most gracious soueraigne He sought also to deliuer vp his countrimen to haue their throats cut by the Spaniards nay by Italians Marans and infidels One William Browne aliàs Ch. P. in a letter dated the 16. of August anno 1599. affirmeth that he hath a letter of Parsons his owne hand dated 1598. wherein he confesseth that he knew of Parries practise for the killing of the Queene and that the said Parsons kept backe a gentleman that intended to discouer the same A certaine other papisticall fellow in a treatise concerning the practises of Iesuits for killing of Princes doth charge Parsons for aduancing the practise of Parry and Sauage against the Quéens life for dealing with the Duke of Guise to enter into England with 5000. men to surprize the Quéene lying at Greenewich and the citie of London Neither haue the Spaniards made any attempt against England without the priuitie and solicitation of Parsons the arch-plotter of treasons In a letter dated August 16 anno 1599 William Browne aliâs Ch. P. doth charge Parsons to be a common detractor and saith that he detracteth without respect of religion truth or common honestie If then he detract from his owne fellowes rayleth vpon such as himselfe pleaseth though in the generall cause ioyned with him we may not maruell if he play his parts with vs whom he taketh to be his enemies by whose detractiō he hopeth to merit and to winne a Cardinals hat Finally the mans traitorous practises against the Quéene and his countrey in many volumes cannot sufficiently be desciphred His first comming into England was to make a side and to moue rebellion And that is prooued by his faculties graunted anno 1580. Petatur saith he à S. domine nostro c. that is Let it be desired of our most holy Lord the Pope that the bull declaratorie of Pius the fift against Elizabeth and her adherents be vnderstood in this manner that the same bull shall alwayes bind her and all heretikes but not Romish Catholikes as matters doe now stand but onely then when the bull may publikely be put in execution By this facultie being granted then it appeareth that the bull of Pius Quintus was in force against the Quéene and her subiects and that Parsons came to stirre vp false Catholikes or rather false traitors to put it in execution as soone as occasion should be offered Now according to the tenor of his faculties the fellow ceased not to rake in the coles of mens discontented humours and to make a partie against the Queene The papists saw he dealt so openly that they feared least if the fire tooke a number of them should be burned in the flames Such was the feare of the wisest of them that they told him plainely that if he retired not himselfe they would discouer him to her Maiesties officers Being thus forced more then halfe against his will to depart out of England yet ceased he not to procure vs troubles from Scotland as the king now raigning can tell and his libell against the Earle of Leicester that seemeth to fauour the kings title doth manifestly proue Nay in a letter to the Earle of Angus he doth plainely confesse that at that time he was for the kings title and sought presently to set it on foote without longer staying for the Queenes death In France he encouraged the D. of Guise to come with an army into England not forgetting in the meane while to aduance the treason of Parry Sauage There also he was acquainted by the meanes of Ballard with Babingtons conspiracie Neither is it to be doubted but he knew of friar Sammiers comming to the kings mother of which ensued the ruine of her as the authour of the Iesuits Catechisme testifieth It is said also that he caused 500. crownes to be deliuered to Ch. Paget to come ouer into England to treat with the Earle of N. whereof his destruction ensued not long after In Flanders he sought also to draw the D. of Parma into quarrell with the Queen of England offering him the Lady Arbella and the crowne of England for his sonne But he was no more able to performe his offer then the deuill that promised to giue all the kingdomes of the earth to Christ That packe being broken he solicited the preparations of the Spaniard against England anno 1588. ayding Card. Allen to make that most execrable libell which he titleth an exhortation to the Nobility and people of England and Ireland which containeth all the disgrace that could be deuised both against the
did against Christ Iesus and stand much vpon his stout arguments and obiections as Sophisters vse to do yet nothing is more vaine then his clamours and outcryes nor more feeble then his obiections Nazianzen epist 31. sheweth vs That often times it falleth out that those that are wronged are also accused Iidem iniura afficiuntur accusantur saith he And experience sheweth vs that then Robert Parsons cryeth loudest when his cause is weakest As for his disputes and obiections they are more easily ouerthrowne then brought into forme Multò difficilius est nosse quam vincere sayth Hierome of Iouinians discourses The same we may see of Parsons his patcheries For more hard it was to bring them to a forme then to refute them CHAP. XII Parsons his poore shifts and fond and ridiculous answeres examined SOmetimes silence maketh fooles seeme wise Prouerb 17. So sayth the wise man Stultus si tacuerit sapiens reputabitur But Frier Parsons could neither speake wisely nor yet modestly kéepe silence Cùm loqui nesciat tacere non potest In my Epistle to his Noddiship I obiect First that he published certaine chartels against his friends in Oxford Next that he was the authour of an infamous libell against the Earle of Leicester Thirdly that he made a libell entituled A Confutation of pretended feares Fourthly that he holy Cardinall Allen to make that rayling discourse which he directed to the Nobilitie and people of England and Ireland Lastly I say he made foure other books of like quality Now obserue I pray you what the wizard answereth to all this For the first foure Fol. 2. b. VVarneword sayth he I neuer heard any man of notice and iudgement ascribe them to him before and if I be not deceiued other particular authors are knowne to haue written them He dare not deny them being knowne to be his least his owne friends should cry shame vpon him nor dare he confesse them because such infamous writings haue no grace among honest men What doth he then Forsooth he answereth that which euery man may take as he list Afterward he maketh a face as though he would deny the other foure bookes to be his But in the end passeth by them in silence Where I do signifie that the letters N. D. do stand for Ro. Parsons and that he was the author of the Wardword he answereth nothing but in sad silence passeth by onely reporting my obiections and saying nothing vnto them But where I am mistaken he vseth not to conceale my error Answering then no better was he not a béetlehead blocke thinke you to request his reader not to beléeue me in any thing For why should not others beléeue me as well as himselfe that dare not contradict that which I say Such answerers with vs are hissed out of schooles Where I say that Thomas Harding obteined a bull from the Pope anno 1569. to exercise Episcopall iurisdiction in England to dispense with irregularities and to receiue all that would be reconciled to the Pope Fol. 12. b. he answereth That it was neuer heard of before that D. Harding after his departure out of England to Louayne in the beginning of her Maiesties reigne came home to liue in England againe or to exercise Episcopall iurisdiction therein As if he might not obteine a bull from the Pope without coming into England and putting the same in execution Or as if he might not come into England vnlesse his comming were euery where noysed abroad Or as if he might not come hither vnlesse he came to liue here againe He answereth further That there were bishops here in England and that euery ordinary priest hath power to reconcile men to the Pope and to dispence with irregularities But he knoweth the bishops in England were deposed and committed to prison so that the Pope might wel send some others ouer with Episcopal iurisdiction notwithstanding any thing they could do Furthermore if he were not ignorant of the cannon law he might know that neither priests nor bishops can without speciall faculty dispense with irregularities and reconcile such as the Pope condemneth for heretikes as the canonists teach him 11. q 3. si quis damnatus extr de sent exc cum illorum And speculator lib. 1. § de legato and diuers other places where they write of cases reserued But what a ridiculous fellow is this to deny that Harding had a bull for the purposes aboue written when the same is extant vnder the Popes hand and seale and followeth in these words Noueritis quod anno die mense pontificatu infrascriptis in generali congregatione c. pro parte reuerendorum Th. Harding N. S. T. P. Anglorum fuit porrectum memoriale supplicatio quae lecta fuerunt c. Annis abhinc tribus c. Concessit Th. H. c. Episcopalem potestatem in foro conscientiae absoluendi eos qui ad ecclesiae gremium reuertentur Huic potestati quia multi non credunt petimus vt in scriptum aliquod authenticum redigatur Ac etiam vlterius monente nos temporis necessitate humiliter petimus vt eisdem concedatur in causa irregularitatis dispensandi potestas exceptis ex homicidio voluntario prouenientibus seu deductis in forum contentiosum Quibus auditis intellectis praelibatus sanctissimus dominus noster decreuit quod praenominati absoluere possint in foro conscientiae Anglos tantùm prout petitur etiam ab irregulatitate incursa ratione haeresis ab ea dependente emergente annexa dummodo absoluendi abstineant per triennium à ministerio altaris In quorum fidem testimonium c. anno 1567. die Iouis 14. Augusti c. Afterwards the Notaries subscription and forme of absolution is set downe Where was then Robert Parsons his honesty to shift off things so notorious In my Preface to the reader I say that obstinate recusants are for the most part reconciled to the Pope and adhere to forreine enemies and yet notwithstanding doe enioy their lands and goods And gladly would Ro. Parsons answere somewhat But neither can he deny that they are reconciled for then the masse-priests would not communicate with them nor that they adhere to forreine enemies for then in vaine should the Adelantado presume of their helpe in his proclamation penned as it séemeth by English traytors nor can he deny they inioy lands and goods For that is notorious What then doth he Forsooth he talketh idlely of the enioying of my benefices and of the testimonie of certaine masse-priests Of the which two the first is nothing to the purpose The second is leudly reiected without colour séeing euery mans confession is strong against himselfe and these mens confessions being in record are not lightly to be refused In the same place I say that Parsons defendeth publike enemies and traytors and seeketh the disgrace of the country and nation To all which he answereth nothing but by telling a tale of prosecuting Papists
chaire Neither doeth he doubt but to proue his triple conuersion and that in honor of the Popes triple crowne But if we do well examine his grounds and allegations we shall find that vnder the title of S. Peters chaire and apostolical doctrine the man doth séek nothing else but to recommend vnto vs the Popes close stoole with a decoction of his decretaliue doctrine and most beastly abominations The grounds of the whole discourse are false and the inference made out of them most weake and euil concluding First most false it is that Britannie or as Parsons sayth England was thrise conuerted by preachers sent from Rome Of Peters preaching in Britaine whereupon the first supposed conuersion standeth the obliuious fellow is but lately aduised For in his Wardword wherein he maketh the best ward for Rome that he can he could not find any more then two conuersions and those he rather fancieth then proueth His proofes for S. Peters preaching in England stand wholy vpon the testimony of Simeon Metaphrastes a lying pedant full of fabulous narrations whereto the aduersaries themselues make conscience to giue credit of Surius a Carthusian Monke and a great eater of stockfish and a codshead parasite hired to speak for the Pope and vpon a forged lying decretal set out vnder the name of Innocent the first wherein notwithstanding we reade nothing specially of Britaines conuersion Those that were sent from Eleutherus bishop of Rome to the Christian King Lucius of Britannie séeme rather to haue bin Britans then Romanes as the names of them set downe by Galfridus by Caius and other writers of British histories do report Lucius certes had no reasō to craue baptisme at the hands of Eleutherus his mandataries vnlesse he had bin well instructed in Christian religion before Beside that the Romanes in these times ruling in most part of Britaine it may be a question how far the kingdome of Lucius did extend it selfe Suppose then that this historie is authentical which may well be doubted the same being onely found in legends and fabulous writers all the glory of this conuersion must néedes stand vpon weake surmises and fabulous legends As for the Monke Austine he could not speake one Saxon or British word but was faine to bring interpreters with him out of France then called Gallia How then could he conuert them which vnderstood not one word spoken by him We do not reade that he preached to the Saxons or Britans but only that he baptized And very likely it is that he holp onely to baptize those whom either the Britans alwayes remaining among the Saxons and submitting thē selues vnto them or the interpreters which Austin brought with him from Gallia which then had a tongue common to both Gaules and Britons had before conuerted But suppose that either himselfe speaking British or Saxon or by some interpreter should haue conuerted some few yet all that amounteth to nothing and is scarce worth the speaking of it Secondly suppose some Britans or Saxons had bene conuerted to Christian Religion by preachers sent from Rome in auncient time when religion was pure and sincere yet Parsons hath no reason to make any great clamor vpon so small aduantage For first all those that are conuerted to religion are not to subiect themselues to those churches frō whence those came that did conuert thē or else to the bishops that sent them The church of Rome acknowledgeth no subiection to the Church of Ierusalem or to the Bishop thereof Neither doth Friseland or Germany that was conuerted by Saxons that came out of England acknowledge our Church or Bishops to be their superiors But were Rome beholding to Ierusalem from whence her first preachers came yet do not the Romanists now turne Turkes because Turkes preside at Ierusalem Suppose then we were beholding to Christian Romanes yet what is that to Antichristian Romanes that haue declined almost into as grosse impieties as Turks and worship idols or as they call them images so grossely that the Turkes do condemne them and may iustly rise vp too against them in iudgement Againe suppose we had bene beholding to the auncient Romanes yet this maketh nothing for the moderne inhabitants of Rome that either are a race of Gothes and Lombards that were enemies to the Romanes or else a collection and Ramasse of other nations nothing like to the Romanes Finally if we ought to embrace that religion that was either taught by S. Peter Eleutherus Austin or by other Christian Bishops in their times then are we to renounce the decretaliue doctrine of Popes together with the philosophicall mixtures of schoole diuines both which haue bin brought into the Church long after the ages wherein they liued Furthermore the idolalatrous worship of the crosse with latria of the saints with dulia of the blessed virgine with hyperdulia the doctrine of Papists concerning the carnall eating of Christs bodie transsubstantion halfe Communions priuate Masses reseruation of the Sacrament purgatorie for temporall paines after the guilt remitted popish indulgences and other popish trash might be packing It would also be time for the Pope with his triple crowne two swords guard of Suizzers Cardinals Monkes Masse-priests and Friers to trusse vppe his trinkets and to make himselfe readie for his iourney into some farre countrey beyond all Christianitie For neuer shall Robert Parsons proue albeit he could conuert him selfe into all shapes that Britaine was conuerted to any such religion as this or that the Church then had such a forme as now wée see in Rome Page 103. hée alleageth two proofes whereof the first he calleth negatiue the second affirmatiue and thereby hopeth to shew that the moderne Romish Religion is all one with the auncient Christian Religion But his negatiue ridiculous proofe is denied His affirmatiue is rather a bare affirmation then a proofe For first against his negatiue we offer to proue that not onely the points of Romish doctrine which the Church of England refuseth are brought in long after the Apostles time but also that they are contrary to the Apostles doctrine But suppose we knew no originall of some of the Romish heresies are they therefore no heresies Is idolatry no idolatry because the first beginning thereof is not knowne Or are the Angelikes Archontikes Crosse-worpers Nudipedals Monothelites and diuers other heretikes true Catholikes because the Papists cannot shew who first broached these heresies Secondly albeit the Magdeburgians and some other learned men find fault with some termes vsed by the fathers as of sacrifice altar priest purgatorie free-will and some other yet that sheweth not either that all the fathers vsed these termes or that any of those that vsed them consented with the Papists which from new termes are growne to new and strange doctrine Beside that Parsons disputeth ridiculously which ascribeth the particular and priuate opinions or some one or few among vs to the whole Church He himselfe albeit he affirme many things desperately will not yéeld vs this point against his
130. b. for Augustin Steuchus Eugubinus he alleageth S. Augustine Stechus Eugobinus Againe this cogging knaue must shew why he alleageth a cogging Epistle set out vnder the name of Nicholas and that sottish donation that is published vnder the name of Constantine being notoriously a counterfeit and forged thing as I haue proued by diuers arguments in my answere to the cauillations of a base masse-priest called E. O. He will also néeds haue these words Audis summum pontificem à Constantino Deum appellatum habitum pro Deo to be spoken by Constantine and not by Augustine Steuchus in his booke Contr. Vallam de donat Constant But the words following hoc viz. factum est which no doubt are Steuchus his words prouing Constantines donation and not the words of Constantine or Nicholas do plainely testifie against him If then these be his words and be annexed to the former without diuision then both must be his Fol. 65. he cryeth out Marke the fraudulent manner of these men alleaging fathers And yet Hierome in Prol. 2. in comment in Galat. and Augustine in Psal 99. do well proue that the people praying did in time past and ought to vnderstand the language of their publike prayers which is the thing against which he cryeth Where I argue thus that the Pope and his agents haue bene the stirrers of all the warres and troubles that of late haue happened in Europe for the most part and therefore not we that haue alwayes desired peace he cryeth out fol. 88. That the deuill hath taught me to make this malicious consequence But the deuill as I suppose oweth him a shame to denie it and he sheweth himselfe a dolt to giue me occasion so often to touch his owne and his consorts deuilish practises The consequent is most true and necessary For that which is done by these bloodthirstie wolues is not to be imputed to vs whose onely labour is to resist their malice Nay it appeareth that Pius Quintus was cause of the wars of France and the low countryes and that he stirred sedition both in England and Ireland The diabolicall Iebusites also were the instruments to stirre the rebellious leaguers in France and haue alwayes done their best to trouble Suethland England and Ireland The angels of Satan possessing the heads of Iebusites and masse-priests wrought the massacres of France and troubles of Flanders Anno 1588. the Spaniard and Pope sent a fleete against England and not we against Spaine Finally all stories almost testifie and declare that the consistory of the Pope and his agents heads are the forges to frame mischiefe and trouble Fol. 90. and 91. he cryeth out of lyes and impudencies But for my part I say shame take him that lyeth For first it is notorious that in the Romish Church although the aduersary would deny it there is and hath bene great variety in their liturges as the missals and formularies of Toledo Seuil Sarum Paris Rome Yorke and Millan do shew Neither hath Parsons any thing to answere but that in the substance of the sacrifice they agree As if that were all or the most part of the Romish seruice or as if I had not shewed that this is most false in my bookes De Missa Secondly it is true that the Conuenticle of Trent hath abolished diuers old missals and formularies as the bull prefixed before them shew Thirdly it is true that Iustine and Dionyse describe the forme that Christians vsed in their Liturgies as Iustines second Apologie and Dionyse his bookes of Ecclesiasticall hierarchie testifie Fourthly the instruction of the Armenians was no act of the Conuenticle of Florence but of some odde Masse-priest that vsed that conuenticles name It is no lie therefore notwithstanding this instructiō that the Conuenticle of Florence did not by any canon establish seuen sacraments Fifthly the Conuenticle of Lateran vnder Innocentius the third doth mention penance but giueth the name of sacrament as I sayd most truly to Baptisme and the Eucharist Finally it is most true that the popish sacrifice of the Masse was not knowne of the auncient fathers and I haue proued it in my third booke De Missa against Bellarmine Which if Robert Parsons confute I shall be content that the Pope bestow on him a Cardinals hat But if he be not able to answer and yet will néedes cry out famous falshood I will bestow on him a pointed cap with a bell and a capons feather to let all the world know that at that house dwelleth a sot Ignatius Irenaeus other fathers that he doth mention speake not of the body and bloud really offered in the Masse but of an oblation made in commemoration of that sacrifice Our writers albeit they mislike the fathers in some things yet no where do they yéeld that they speake of the popish sacrifice of the Masse offered after the damnable fashion of the synagogue of Satan Fol. 107. he calleth for two reall differences betweene papists in the points of faith And therefore I count my selfe bound to shew him not two onely but many more It may please him therefore to reade what I haue sayd before and to answere to euery point particularly and then I hope he will cease his harsh and currish bawling He must also shew that his consorts differ not in matters of moment or in any thing if he will defend their vnion Fol. 111. he crieth out and in his dogges voyce sayth If this woodcocke or any of his crew can shew any one noueltie as an article of faith in our religion c. And againe If O. E. or his mates can shew any one heresie taken for an heresie by the generall Church What then forsooth he saith He will yeeld in the rest Which I would pray him to remember For if I do not make him in this poynt a foote length of nose like a Curliew let the Pope if it be his pleasure make him king of the Canaries Nay I haue already shewed diuers both nouelties and heresies to be contained in Popish religion and no Popish woodcocke yet hath thrust out his beake to answere shewing themselues by their wits to be woodcockes and by their silence Codfish Onely one woodcocke of Rome vnder the maske of W. R. aliàs Walphoole or wicked Richard flusheth forth with his long bill But his answere is such as confirmeth my challenge very much the man being not able to answere any one argument Parsons also toucheth the heresie of the Collyridians which among many other I obiected to him and answereth that Papists differ from Collyridians manifestly But it is not inough to shew a difference vnlesse he also shew that his consorts hold no one point condemned as heresie in the Collyridians But that the congerhead cannot do For like to the Collyridians they pray to the Virgin Mary and offer in her honour This answere therefore sheweth him to be of the lignage of woodcockes But of these matters we shall talke elsewhere In his 2. enconter
is now a comon conclusion of the Iebusites Clement the fift in the chapter Romani Clement de iureiurando doeth determine That the Emperour sweareth fealty to the Pope Boniface the eight affirmeth That it is a matter of saluation for all men to subiect themselues to the Pope c. vnam sanct ext de maior obed The Canonists teach That the Pope is not tyed to law in c. proposuit de concess praebendae Baldus in c. 1. in vlt. col de confess affirmeth That the Pope by reason of his authoritie is doctour of both the lawes And commonly his flatterers affirme That he hath al lawes within the chest of his brest Ioannes Andreas and Panormitane in cap. per venerabil m. Qui filij sint legit say that the Pope hath power to dispense in mariages within the degrees prohibited by Gods law Petrus Ancharanus Cons 373. saith That the Pope hath power to licence the nephew to mary his vncles wife Panormitan in c. fin de diuort writeth that the Pope for a speciall great cause may dispence against the new Testament Papa potest permittere vsuras populis Iudaeis eas tolerare that is The Pope hath power to permit and tolerate vsury to Iewes and other people as sayth Alexander de Imola in Consil 1. part 2. and Card. in Clem. 1. § fin 27. quest de vsuris And experience sheweth that he permitteth vsury to the Iewes of Rome and Paul the fourth and Pius the fourth set vp publike bankes of vsury called falsely monti di pieta The Popes they are also made to beleeue that they may permit publike stewes in Rome and of that permission they make no small reuenue Likewise it is the custome of papists to flatter Princes hoping thereby to allure them to defend their sect Some they call most Christian some Catholike some great Dukes Baronius in his Epistle dedicatory before his third tome of Annales calleth King Philip the second of Spaine regum maximum the greatest of kings and Christianorum regum maximum decus ornamentum The glory and ornament of Christian Kings He sayth also that greater things may be spoken of him then Xenophon wrote of Cyrus and seemeth to compare him or preferre him before Constantine Likewise doeth he grossely flatter the French king in his Preface before his ninth tome of Annales Thomas Stapleton hath giuen immoderate prayses to Thomas Becket and Thomas More perhaps for name sake rather then for vertue Sanders Rishton and Bozius albeit they professe to write histories yet do they intend nothing more then to aduance their owne fauourers and to disgrace their aduersaries This is also a great part of the argument of their lying legends to set out the prayses of Monkes Friars and such like superstitious Papists Likewise without cause doth he accuse vs for lying M. Foxe vnderstanding his error concerning the execution of Marbecke did correct the same Yet when he said Marbecke was burned at Windsor he lied not speaking that which was to him reported and like to be true considering that the partie was condemned Neither doeth M. Foxe set downe Wickleffe or others in the Calendar to the intent to make them martyrs for that passed his reach but to declare the time of their death or sufferings Parsons doth further threaten to shew out of M. Foxe and others of our writers infinite doctrinall lies But he threatneth alwayes more then he can performe In his second encounter ch 2. where he giueth out these brags himselfe lyeth notoriously For most false it is that either the rebels in king Richard the second his dayes or else the friars whom Thomas Walsingham called lyars were Wickleffes schollers albeit this shamelesse frier affirmeth both For Ball a Masse-priest was a principall ring-leader of the rebels and the friers were murtherers sodomites and traitors as the rebels said of them Let vs sayd the rebels destroy these murtherers and burne these sodomites and hang vp these traitors of the King and Realme And this they sayd of the friars But Wickleffe alwayes detested and spoke both against such abominations and such rebellions It is a common tricke also of Papists to proue their doctrine with lies fables To proue transsubstantiation they make a crucifixe to speake these words Benè de me scripsisti Thoma Thou hast written wel of me Thomas when shal I be able to requite you for your paines To proue the real presence they make tales of bloud appearing in the sacrament and sometimes they say Christ appeared like a litle child which are toyes to mock children withall To proue purgatory they tel vs tales of S. Patrickes purgatorie of soules complaining and crying for more masses of apparitions of Angels diuels and soules The same lies they abuse also to proue prayer for the dead For the iustification of their doctrine concerning the worship of saints and their images they tell lies of images mouing talking working walking and of wonderfull apparitions and miracles done by them Our Ladies image is said to speake to Hiaciullyus Goodrike saw a boy come out of a crucifixes mouth as Mathew Paris relateth Finally the Popes and their agents without lies and notorious forgeries cannot maintaine their cause as by infinite lies of Bellarmine Baronius Parsons yea and of the Popes themselues I haue iustified Doeth it not then appeare In the Challenge that in lying they haue set vp their rest And will not the world see the abominations of popery that cannot be maintained but by lying forgery and force God graunt that truth may once appeare and open the eyes of all Christians that they may sée that which now lieth hidden and come to the perfect knowledge of truth AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER CONCERNING FOVRE OTHER INFAMOVS Libels lately diuulged and sent into England by Parsons Kellison and Walpoole BEfore the former answer could be finished and published there came to my hands foure other bookes all penned by our malicious aduersaries and sent ouer frō Rome and other places into England to disturne simple people from the loue of the truth of which I haue thought good most Christian Reader here at the end of this work briefly to aduertise thée I hope also that the same aduertisement wil serue for present satisfactiō to those which percase expect a spéedie answer to such hastie calumniations and most wicked libels The first is set out vnder the name of T. F. alias Thomas Fitzherbert a man euill reported of by his owne consorts and therefore no maruell if hatefull to all men wel affected to their prince and countrey Long he hath bene a spie and pensioner of the king of Spaine But now perceiuing belike that the trade is become odious groweth out of request he is turned Masse priest and set to sing for the soules of his friends after thrée farthings a Masse And least he might forget his old art of spiery he is now set to spy for his holy father if by any good aduenture he can
are such as need no long coargutiō It is a sufficient course of conuiction of them to declare their perfidious falshood So writeth Hierome in an epistle to Marcella of like stuffe Haec sunt quae coargutione non indigent perfidiam eorum exposuisse superasse est Big they looke if we respect the bulk but nothing is more friuolous if we respect the matter Out of great heapes of chaffe there is no corne to be gathered neither can we expect better substance out of these fardles of wast paper which like chaffe may be blowne away with any litle blast of reason and discussion All of them are of like argument and for the most part repeate the same things Parsons he playeth the part of that friuolous pleader of whom Augustine speaketh in his 86. epistle Eadem atque eadem saepe dicit non aliud inueniendo quod dicat nisi quod inaniter ad rem non pertinens dicit He inculcateth the same things often finding nothing else to say but that he repeateth matters vainely and which are not to the purpose The authors spread abroade shamefull rumors against most honest and innocent men and that which procéeded first from themselues they pretend to haue heard of others being themselues both the authors and amplifiers of those rumors Such fellowes Hierome in his Epistle to Furia de vid. seruand doth rightly describe Hi rumores turpissimos serunt sayth he quod ab ipsis egressum est id ab alijs se audisse simulant ijdem authores exaggeratores The Papists giue out most shameful reports of Luther Caluin Beza nay of kings and princes Afterward they cause such sycophants as Bolsecus Staphilus Cochleus Sanders Ribadineira and such lunatical barking helhounds to write them and so euery odde companion taketh hint from them in time the rest shame not to diuulge and increase these leud reports themselues The most of the witnesses alleaged by these fellowes are men suborned by thēselues Such are those which already I mentioned Such is Surius and such is that cogging and lying writer of legends and lyes Caesar Baronius and his felfellowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Euripides sayth in Andromacha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Emperors and Caesars for lies and rare enginers to deuise mischiefe But as Hierome sayth ad Saluinam That is an authenticall testimony that had no cause to shift matters by vntruths Fidele est testimonium quod causas non habet mentiendi But the Papists without lies and forgeries cannot long maintaine their leud cause The authors striue against the truth as much as they can So saith Tertullian of Marcion lib. 2. contra Marc. Non poterat aedificare mendaciū sine demolitione veritatis He could not build vp his lies without the ouerthrow of the truth But what religion in the meane while is this that cannot stand without such grosse calumniations and lies Cui veritati patrocinātur qui eam à mendacio inducunt How is it likely that they maintaine truth saith Tertullian de praescript that seeke to establish it by lies In summe look how broad thick and long these libels are so full are they of villany lies fooleries Their arguments are loose and misshapen their authorities impertinent their reports false their shifts sottish their whole discourse either leud or impertinent S. Augustine epist 86. sayth of one that he brought many testimonies of scripture but all of litle value Subijcit testimonia de scripturis sayth he ad causam quam suscepit nihil valentia Such are the testimonies of our aduersaries their arguments are much worse T.F. or rather Robert Parsons enfrocked in that asses skin in his apology or poore defence for the cacolike cause talketh much of the conuersiō of our country But yet hath nothing which is not tediously repeated in the treatise of three conuersions of which you shall heare anon an equall censure In the meane while I thinke him an vnfit man to talke of conuersions to religion that is but newly turned from a spy to a spider-catching Masse-priest He bringeth some reasons to proue the sacrifice of the masse But all his arguments are but fragments and testimonies borowed by reuersion from Bellarmine whose bookes without respect to his Cardinals hat rest refuted in my bookes De missa and are yet left bare and without defence To talk of the antiquitie of Romish religion T.F. had litle reason hauing as yet scarce learned to say masse and being nothing else but a poore nouice in Romish religiō no way read in Ecclesiasticall histories and incapable of schoole subtilties Nay Robert Parsons shall haue much ado to answer our proofes by which the Romish religion standeth conuicted of nouelties Gladly would he defend traitors disgrace good subiects But therein the author declareth himselfe rather a traitor then a good subiect If it be no treason to flie to forreine enemies and to conspire with them against their Prince and countrey he must make other lawes and not onely alter treason but common reason also Very bitterly he inueyeth against rack-masters and iudges in the cause of Squire But what if Squire were neuer shewed the racke Doth he not rack his conscience to write such notorious lies The fellowes cause with his foolish exceptions cannot be cleared Nor with all his eloquence shall he be able to purge Walpoole charged to be the contriuer of that horrible treason which Squire intended for the empoysonment of our late dread soueraigne He was conuicted by his owne confession by a sufficient witnesse by letters sent out of Spaine and deuised by the consent of VValpoole to bring D. Bagshaw within the compasse of that foule treason Matters so plaine that euen the papists thēselues acknowledge the same and are much ashamed in the behalf of Walpoole and his consorts It is sayd that Squire retracted his confession concerning the accusation of Walpoole But the truth is he neuer had any thought of any such matter Only he said that he neuer intended to put the treason in execution which notwithstanding before he had confessed Finally his discourse is so wise that vnlesse we beléeue him on his owne bare word and take publike records confessions depositions of witnesses and sentences of Iudges to be may-games and suppose that Squire was hanged in sport we cannot choose but condemne both Walpoole and Parsons and all their adherents in this businesse to be both traitors and empoysoners The treatise of thrée conuersiōs is deuided into two parts The summe and scope of the first is comprised in these few words England hath bin thrise conuerted to Christian religiō by preachers sent from Rome ergo England is to submit it selfe to the Pope and to accept of that religion which he recommendeth vnto vs. This Robert Parsons doth suppose to be a good consequence For else he should but trifle in his whole discourse and then especially where he talketh of our obligation to the sea of Rome of S. Peters