who haue done so many good deeds as the saculars neuer did nor can do the like Twelftly that no mā or womā ought or may come at thē to receiue any Sacrament as hauing lost al their faculties authority by their disobedience contempt of their superior Thirteenthly that they haue iustly deserued to be euill spoken of to haue no reliefe vntill they submit thēselues recal their names from the appeale 14. That it were no more offence to kill one of them then to kill a notorious persecutor heretike Fifteenthly that the words Christ spoke whē he said whosoeuer will not obey the Church let him be accounted of as a Publicā or Ethnicke infidell did aptly agree to the seculars to be so accoūted of for disobeying the Catholike Church by their appeale other seditious slanderous libels against their superiors These many the like false suggestiōs which no Iesuit liuing dare for his life defend are put into peopls heads of purpose to colour therwith that bastard Pa. his impiety wherby seeking to bind al vnto him with the band of obedience he sets all his Iesuitical brokers here in England elsewhere on worke like so many band-dogs with bands of men banding out his mischieuous practises to bring all the whole realme bound hand and foot into bondage vnder him THE II. ARTICLE WHether any treason premunire or other preiudice to the Sea Apostolike the Catholike Church or Englands common wealth be incurred by the institution of this new authoritie or none at all THE ANSWER ALL three are incurred to all estates in the highest degree scil both treason committed against the Church of God and commonwealth of this land both a premunire incurred by auncient and recent lawes against sacred Maiestie both yea all preiudiced scil Pope Prince Church commonwealth and present state by maister Blackwels authoritie as is euident by sundrie bookes written and to be written of euery one of these points in particular and may be gathered passant in these Quodlibets here and there of all three And first for treason which in Latine we call proditio or laesa maiestas and a triritor traditor vel proditor vel reus lesae maiestatis It is alwaies an act acted or but onely intended against supreme Maiestie Which here we take three manner of wayes to wit either against the Maiestie Diuine and so all mortall sinnes whatsoeuer are so many treasons committed against the Maiestie of God or otherwise against the reuerend Maiestie of his sweet spouse and so all Schisme heresie Apostacie and Atheisme is treason against the Catholike Church and supreme head thereof vnder Christ on earth or lastly against the sacred Maiestie of regall power and so euery act attempt or intent c. to the indangering of the Princes person or commonwealth is directly treason and by consequent the iustification of the Archpresbiterie being only and wholly by Father Parsons procurement for the speedier nay the only way and means to perfect his most traiterous platforme tending to the dishonour of God preiudice of the Church destruction of her Maiestie and ruine of the commonwealth as in the Quodlibet of statizing shall be proued It is cleare then that this institutiue authoritie of Blackwels containes in it a whole masse of treason and conspiracie and the like is of a premunire made by Catholike Princes Kings of this land and allowed of by the Sea Apostolike incurred thereby Whereof besides that which hath bene and shall be said here thereof you may please to reade M. Charles Pagets booke against counterfeited Doleman aliâs Parsons and other bookes written against him and his associates THE III. ARTICLE VVHether the institution of the Archpriest be equally preiudiciall to the Commonwealth of Scotland and King Iames as it is to England and our Soueraigne or not so faultie THE ANSWER IT is equally at least and may in many respects be iudged more preiudicial to the Scottish King and Commonwealth then to our Soueraigne because the institutor Par. had before writtē his book of Titles or successiō in most apparant preiudice and ignominious slaunder of the said King very sawcily and rudely abasing both his royall Maiestie and his whole Realme and therefore too too vile a part and an act of most indignitie for him so officiously to institute an English man to be in so great authoritie within his highnesse dominions Secondly the Scots Catholiks had haue yet their Bishop of Glasco liuing a very reuerend Prelat ergo a more sawcie part to appoint ouer them a superior aboue him Thirdly there was not one secular Priest at the institutiō of this authority in al Scotland saue only the Abbot of New Abbey all the rest being Iesuits that were or are there ergo a greater presumptuous boldnesse in him to appoint such an authority there Fourthly he lying still at London and neither hauing any acquaintance in Scotland neither sending any other thither to labour in Christ his vineyard it seemeth to be a male part kind of bearding out their King Nobles Gentles Leards of that land rather then any thing else cōsidering that he neither coms neither sends ouer thither Fiftly Fa. Par. platforme holding equally for Scotl. aswell as Engl. the authority limited to M. Blackwell ouer both nations bewraies the Iesuiticall ambitious humour and traiterous intent more then any other action euer did before THE IIII. ARTICLE VVHether was it any sinne Schisme or other offence not to haue admitted of the Archpriest vpon Cardinall Caietanes bare word or writing before the Bull came from the Pope or whether might the seculars or ought they in conscience equitie and pollicie haue accepted of him or not THE ANSWER IT was no offence at all then to haue resisted as by sundrie bookes written hereof it is manifest no more then it is now to appeale from him but quite contrarie it was an act of iustice 1 His election was without our consent knowledge or acceptance 2 It was not made palam sed fraudulenter secreto animo decipiendi as may be proued Capite contra Canones videat casus excommunicationis in huius c. 3 No example of the Apostles actions neither yet of any Infidels cōuersion can free them from the decretum of the order obserued in all elections because our countrie had from the beginning of these new heresies sundrie Prelates with the laitie qui nunquam genu flexerunt coram Baal c being continually ex parte Catholica therefore whatsoeuer doth bind for elections in other Catholike countries binds here c. Ergo Blackwellus contra Canones c. 4 No law humane diuine of nature or nations alloweth a forced gouernour intruded especially to tyrannize as his authoritie by the words in his Breefe corrigere castigare c. is none other and not a word spoken of charitie equitie or iustice 5 It is opposite to all order in heauen and earth a Michael chosen as head of the principates quia vnus
our powers should take vpon vs to giue it vnto another were he neuer so good a Catholike that had no right thereto Iustinus Martyr speaking of the duety of Christians to the ciuill Magistrate in those times of Infidels and persecutors affirmeth that they prayed not onely for the Emperors themselues but also for their sonnes that they might succeede them in the Empire quod aequissimum est which saith he is most agreeable to iustice and equitie were they like to prooue as euill as their fathers there is no exceptions of it The which I rather obserue to shew my dislike of Fa. Parsons in this point who is accustomed vpon euery occasion when he is in his best moode to affirme that he careth not who it is from whence he commeth or what right he hath to the crowne of this kingdome that when the time commeth shall be able to catch it so he be a Catholike But concerning both this point and the former least it should be said that whilest I would seeme to giue a reason of that which I haue in hand I do onely shew my opinion and illustrate the same with similitudes that are of as great vncertainty as that which I propound I will confirme my opinion with the iudgement of a principall man to whom there will no great exception be taken and then that which I haue said will prooue to be an argument ab authoritate Thus he writeth Soloiure naturali diuino non priuatur aliquis Dominio in subditos propter peccatum Apostasiae in fide c. If you goe no further then to the law of nature or to the law of God no king is depriued from his soueraigntie ouer his subiects though it be for the sin of Apostacie from faith And he giueth a very sound reason for this his assertion nam fundamentum dominij non est fides c. For faith is not the ground of dominion but some other politike title hauing force by the lawe of nations of succession by inheritance or of election or of iust acquisition by iust warre Qui tituli possunt etiam manere sine fide neque vnquam extat ius aliquod diuinum quo eiusmodi tituli eneruantur propter defectionem a side which titles may remaine without faith neither is there any lawe of God whereby such titles are impeached for defection from faith 8. I know that iure ecclesiastico by the authoritie sentence of the Popes holines much more may be done then here I will speake of But yet I thinke it wil prooue in the end the best course for men not to do so much as they may Many things be lawfull which are not expedient And this Iesuiticall course of downe with princes when they offend them may peraduenture so prouoke them as they will say as fast downe with priests and of a certainty we shall haue the woorse When they finde that the titles of their kingdomes cannot be touched either by the lawe of nature or by the lawe of God do what they list it may giue them occasion to oppose themselues with greater seueritie against the See Apostolike in that the same should make such extreme lawes voluntarily against them as should tend to the thrusting of them out of their kingdomes And out of question it will be subiect if once they take this course to great iangling whether such lawes as should touch the deposing of a king are not rather to be accounted lawes ciuill and temporall then any matter or subiect fit for ecclesiasticall men or lawes to worke vpon We see already that some kings do take vpon them to deale and make lawes in causes ecclesiasticall denying his holines authority therein within their kingdomes And will it not seeme a thing much more plausible probable if other kings shall stand vpon it and say that his holines hath no interest to make any ciuill or temporall lawes that may touch their freeholds Nay if things should come to this rifling I feare they would in their heat goe further and tell his holines that for ought they finde kings haue as great authority to depose priests as priests haue to depose kings Besides it must be cōfessed that all priests Iesuits and euery other sort of clergie men the Popes holines excepted are borne subiects of kings and princes and it will be an odious assertion to say that the taking of priesthood vpon them should giue them warrant to bristle and make head against their soueraignes Furthermore it cannot be denied shift the Iesuits with all their cunning neuer so prettily but the immunities which priests haue from the temporall lawes of kings doe proceede as Saint Thomas acknowledgeth from their meere fauour and godly zeale towards them Also it is most manifest that as the kings of England haue beene most bountifull to the church and churchmen here within their dominions in so much as all the reuenewes and temporalties with many singular priuiledges which in this realme our forefathers haue enioyed haue proceeded from their most princely liberality and authority so standeth the case of the clergy in all other kingdomes which two points would be duly considered of in time For if princes should by the same meanes seeke to spoyle the church and take from it all her said immunities priuiledges and temporall possessions it will little auaile to bring in our distinctions how parliaments may giue what they list to the church and churchmen but they can take nothing either from them or from the church What the power of a parliament is in England we haue had too great experience and I suppose the states in other kingdomes haue the like And therefore in all pollicie kings and soueraigne princes are not to be ruffled with in this Iesuiticall maner That which they may pretend how in these their discourses they ayme but at some one or two doth indeed touch all kings if they incurre the displeasure of his holines Surely though I humbly acknowledge my selfe to be minimus fratrum meorum and neither arrogate to my selfe to be of such mature iudgement as many are nor will presume to take vpon me so peremptorily on the one side as Father Parsons doth on the other though vnlearnedly God wot yet I finde many great dangers that may happen to the Catholike Roman church if these violent spirits be not in time suppressed Such furious insulting ouer princes will neuer doe good They may be drawen many waies by gentle and milde proceedings with them rather then by such indiscreete and desperate courses whereby they grow to greater resistance For if the Popes holines in times past dealt so sharpely as it seemeth with Baldemarus king of Denmarke that he writ in this sort to the supreme Pastor Notum tibi facimus vitam nos habere à Deo nobilitatem à parentibus regnum à subditis fidem ab ecclesia Romana quam si nobis inuides remittimus per presentes Be it knowen vnto thee that we haue our
priuate euer since he came Priest into England and thereby vnacquainted how to manage a matter of such importance as his authoritie in shew extended vnto and that throughout a whole nation nay throughout two mightie kingdomes yea and ouer a gallant troupe of as graue sages and as fine a breed of wits as the world this day enioyes to be aduanced vpon the sudden to a higher authoritie then euer was granted to any within this Isle without all desert as no way eminent but obscure vnlesse it were for libelling against his brethren without all notice giuen or knowledge taken of any such man matter or manner of proceeding vnlesse it were perchaunce suggested by one sole man Maister Standish by name a Iesuits broker factor and follower without all markes signes and tokens of iudiciall Canonicall or sincere dealing without all relation insinuation or least shew of and to the intent of those to whom the election onely absolutely and of due right belonged without all cognisance hierogliphie or ensigne of Catholike institution christianitie or humanitie the whole summe of his authoritie consisting in very deed of no materiall point but additions of affliction to affliction in ordaining an ignorant man to be flagellum Dei ouer his brethren castigando flagellando like blind Longius that pierced our Sauiors side by others appointment directing his hand to that tender tersacred and euer blessed heart and yet he knew it not who I say hearing of such an extrauagant irregulate exorbitant and absurd authoritie to tyrannize ouer the alreadie tormented and that by their suggestion procurement and foisting in perforce who had discouered themselues a little before to be the rockes of scandale to Priesthood and shelues of sinke-downe to all princely regalitie as hereafter shall be proued ayming at no lower marke then the highest dignities on earth who would not haue suspected resisted yea and more readily roughly and roundly then hitherto the secular Priests did haue deciphered both the Iesuits and their Archpriest for how should we call him ours we hauing no part in him vnlesse a tast and touch of his headie indiscreet and euill packt-vp sententious censures by their designements flung out against vs vpon the first blast of his authority wafted ouer the sea and ere euer the poore silly man had warmed himselfe in his vaine glorie bay And againe although they knew his authoritie was gotten to be confirmed vtcunque from his Holinesse by many false suggestions shamelesse cogs and impious forgeries yet putting vp all matters letting by pasts passe for bypasts aswell for their maruellous audacious and passing all euer before heard of impudencie insolencie and banded out boldnesse in threats slaunders and exclamations for not present acceptance of their new found out authoritie vpon the bare sight of the Cardinals letters euen with as ful affiance and repose put in them as if Oracles had come downe from heauen as also for the manifest wrong offered to our brethren two reuerend learned and auncient Seminarie Priests Doctor Bishop and Maister Charnocke Batcheler in Diuinitie cast into prison dispoiled or fitlier said most cruelly vnnaturally and inhumanely robbed of all they had that could by malice of man be taken from them of purpose to stop their passage to his Holinesse and to terrifie all others from euer daring to make towards the Mother citie to complaine of their tyrannie though know they this and if their faces will not blush yet let their eares burne to heare it that accesse and audience we will haue maugre the diuels deceits and their slie deuises or it shall cost vs all our liues one after another notwithstanding all the premises with a full halfe score of reasons besides added by me in another place to proue that the Priests might haue chosen whether euer they wold haue admitted of such a violent intruded authoritie or not yet they in all humble dutifull and obedient wise with filiall submission embracing the Breue from his Holinesse when it came which was many moneths after the first cogge of that dye for the cast at all our ouerthrowes and vtter subuersion of our countrey if then and thereupon all libels had surceased for yet was nothing written against them on our part but either a sad silence or a charitable intreatie to cease of their detraction and their tampering in State affaires lien dead nay if the secular Priests could but haue liued quietly by them they would neuer haue set hand to paper against them as in the former article is declared But the forepast iniuries and still of fresh inculcated ignominies calumniations and slaunders raised vrged and laid on by them being so grieuous many and importable to flesh and bloud without Gods speciall grace as earth would burst and cloudes would breake and seas would toare in cries out against them if men kept silence our present age will and all posterity may account it to be one of the worlds wonders that the Iesuits being men holden of all but especially in their owne ouer-weend conceit to be sance peres of the Christian globe for pregnancie of wit pollicie in gouernment and pietie in intention how euer they should so farre haue ouershot themselues that bestriding the horse and hauing the bridle reines and all in their owne hand to leade the Priests and all other Catholikes which way they list they should be throwne downe from their loftie mount out of saddle seate and all by casting out libels of schisme against sounder Catholikes more learned Diuines and deuouter Priests if externall signes were iudges then any punie Father amongst them which will breed their bane ere all be ended But it was no doubt Gods iust iudgements so to haue it thereby to stirre vp the secular and Seminarie Priests to write Apologies in their iust defence yea and by occasion therof to take in hand the defence of the Catholike church and their natiue countrey nay of all ecclesiastical and temporall States against them And therefore to proue it was but a Seians iade they rode vpon for such is the nature of ambition in greedy affectation of Soueraigntie as it both makes wise men fooles in their drunken conceits and strikes them dead with their owne weapon but not Achilles his launce to hurt and heale at a stroke as most infortunate when they thinke they are most secure it were expresly against the law of God of nature and of man for the Priests not to breake off silence and send foorth Apologies Pamphlets and all kind of Quodlibets in defence of the premises otherwise all the world would condemne them as guiltie And therefore of necessitie honour credit fame and report being as deare as life and he holden for worse then an infidell by diuine Oracle that is carelesse of his neighbours much more of his owne good name the secular Priests were bound to do all that they haue done and no sinne vnlesse their too too long silence which set the Iesuites on cockehorse at vnawares to
no maruaile at their designements for England much lesse doubt to be made of what they would do in such a case if it came to canuasing for a kingdome THE VII ARTICLE VVHether seeing it is proued that the Spanish inuasion was traiterously procured by father Parsons means did he then also and some others by his procurement mooue her Maiesties subiects to disobey her highnes to take armes against her to surprise her person if they could and to ioine their forces with the Spaniard 1588. affirming that it was lawfull for them so to doe or not And whether might any of her Maiesties subiects lawfully haue followed their counsell therein THE ANSWERE THey did sollicite stir vp and mooue her Maiesties subiects as it is here deduced we cannot denie it greater is our greefe But it was not lawfull for any honest man or true catholike borne vnder English allegiance to haue followed their aduise And this our generall opinion of the seculars is no small comfort vnto many a deuout catholike whose tender consciences haue been by the Iesuits false pretended zeale mightily perplexed a long time with many doubts as not knowing what to doe in this case of obedience to his holines and their soueraigne Therefore I say in few that as concerning the first part of this article it might haue been a sufficient argument of Master Parsons hatred both towards her Maiestie and towards his natiue countrie to haue sollicited the pope and the king of Spaine with so great importunitie to haue assailed this kingdome with their owne forces though he and the rest of his crue had left her Maiesties subiects to haue at the least taken their owne courses as God should haue mooued their harts and not haue troubled himselfe so much in perswading them with great torments of minde in many to haue run with him and such like miscreants as he is into the pit of perdition for companie to satiate his insatiable desires But their malice pride and ambition are so infinite in their actiuitie and operation as there is no mischiefe or villany which they will not attempt to further their most sauage and Turkish designements It was much that one a clergie man possessed and seduced at that time by the Iesuits did iustifie the treacherous dealings of certaine English subiects in betraying the trust committed vnto them by her Maiestie and therewithall vpon Iesuiticall perswasions did also furthermore exhort others her highnes subiects to doe the like Mary the course that was held by them at this time 1588. passeth all Gods forbod as our phrase is But yet will the facing Iesuits so face out this matter as I shall not be credited herein except I make the same as cleere as day at noonetide when the sunne is brightest Therefore to lay open the case in plaine termes you shall vnderstand that in the said Declaration and Admonition before mentioned father Parsons in the good Cardinals name whom he had bewitched doth stretch all his rhetorike to the furthest extent with so great arte and cunning vsed therein as sure great pitie it is that euer so good a wit as his Grace had should haue been so mightily abused by that coosening mate and that they both were giuen ouer so farre at that time as that they should imploy such good gifts to so wicked a purpose For first they make their entrance into their discourse with a most odious and shamefull declamation against her Maiestie thereby to stirre vp her subiects harts to contempt of her highnes and to make her be holden euery where for odious to God to the world and all men I will not trouble you with the particulars but verily I am perswaded that Don Lucifer the wittiest fiend in hell could not haue written more spitefully Secondly they threaten the nobilitie gentrie and all the rest of the inhabitants of this kingdome with losse of all their goods their lands their liues and with damnation besides except that presently vpon the landing of the Spaniards they ioyned themselues and all the forces men munition victuals and whatsoeuer else they could make with that catholike armie forsooth For the words be these If you will auoide say they the Popes the kings and other princes high indignation let no man of what degree soeuer obey abette aide defend or acknowledge her c. adding that otherwise they should incurre the Angels curse and malediction and be as deepely excommunicated as any bicause that in taking her Maiesties part they should fight against God against their lawfull king against their countrie and that notwithstanding all they should doe they should but defend her highnes booteles to their owne present destruction and eternall shame Thirdly after all these and many other such like threats in a high and militarie stile to scarre bugs with then they come to some more milde perswasions and promise the noble men that so they ioyne with the Duke of Parma vpon the receit of their Admonition they will intreate that their whole houses should not perish Parsons did instigate the good Cardinall to sweare by his honor and in the word of a Cardinall that in the furie of their intended massacre there should as great care be taken of euery catholike and penitent person as possibly could be and that he was made a Cardinall of purpose to be sent then into England for the sweete managing of those affaires Fourthly other arguments they vsed â—â—wne from the certaintie of the victorie as that all the protestants would either turne their coates copies armes or flie away in feare and torment of the angell of God prosecuting them that although none of her Maiesties subiects should assist the Spaniards yet their owne forces which they brought with them were strong ynough their prouision sufficient their appointment passing that they had more expert captaines then her Maiestie had good soldiers all resolute to die in the cause which they had vndertaken that the blood of all the blessed Bishops shed in this land and all the Saints in heauen praied for the Spaniards victorie that all the vertuous priestes of our countrie both at home and abroad had stretched foorth their sacred hands to the same end that many priests were in the campe to serue euery spiritual mans necessitie that their forces were garded with all Gods holy angels with Christ himselfe in the soueraigne sacrament and with the daily most holy oblation of Christs owne deere body and blood that the Spaniards being thus assisted with so many helpes though they had been neuer so few they could not loose and that her Maiestie and her assistants wanting these helpe although they were neuer so fierce neuer so proud neuer so many neuer so well appointed yet they could not preuaile feare you not say they to such as would take their part they cannot And thus farre out of their said Iesuiticall Admonition Now what say you reuerend priests and you deere catholikes of all estates to this pernitious booke wherein he
would perswade you that all the priests in England and out of it praied for the heauie desolation and vtter downfall ruine and destruction of our natiue countrie and vs all in very deede Well he therein lies falsly but let him goe What praiers he and his made they themselues know for our parts we were happy many of vs that we neuer so much as once dreamed of such matters But as for the Iesuits faction what say you was it not time for them to burne this booke Will not those that escaped the fire be an euerlasting monument of their ignominie and shame God hath set a brand vpon them for false prophets to be euer hereafter hated and eschewed Their blessings turned into cursings and those whom they cursed God did blesse Confusion and shame fell vpon her Maiesties enimies and the crowne of an incredible victorie hath adorned her head for euer The contrarie in euery thing fell out to that which they prophesied Their valiant captaines fled their strength their prouision their passing appointment and whatsoeuer else they had serued not their turnes their harts were daunted and the world hath iudged them to haue cried crauen as the speech is in cocke pits But that which they speake of diuine assistants doth trouble me most What will our common aduersaries say and what may they not say in that an armie assisted so mightily with angels with martyrs with priests with the blessed sacrament and with the daily sacrifice should speede so euill If I had Elias spirit assuredly the filthie plague of leprosie should neuer leaue them nor any of their societie that euer should approoue this their so prophane abusing of those diuine mysteries Furthermore in that they said that all the priests abroad and at home praied for the Spaniards good successe I am perswaded not any one vnles they were Iesuited did so sure I am that a great many did rather quite contrarie And therefore as I said before they lied falsly yea many of them at home as I haue heard some of them auow it knew not of the comming of the armie till it was scattered and others wished in their harts that the pope and the king of Spaine had not taken that course with her Maiestie And as for the priests that were in the campe such of them I doubt not as were of the Iesuiticall humor did thrust themselues into that bloodie seruice headlong But sure I am withall that some others who were of a more milde and catholike spirit were compelled to be in that campe full sore against their wils as some of them haue often confessed as much vnto me vpon occasion of speech betwixt vs. Also they tell vs of the indignation of certaine princes that her Maiesties subiects should incurre if they shewed not themselues rebels and traitors to her highnes in assisting the Spaniards as also that in taking her Maiesties part they should fight against their lawfull king Who would haue thought that any Iesuit liuing nay any strumpet were they neuer so impudent could haue put vpon them such brasen foreheads I am perswaded that as many Englishmen as should haue ioyned with the Spaniards the very Spaniards themselues would afterwardes in their harts haue detested them And then much lesse would any prince liuing haue approoued such treacherie and treason And for the lawfull king they speake of it is too too vile traiterous and indigne a speech worthier to be buried in hell then printed in any booke head or hart And therefore to be hartily wished and praied for at Gods hands that they may neuer liue good day in England or elsewhere being Englishmen borne that doe either now or shall hereafter honor or acknowledge any Soueraigne of this kingdome but Queene Elizabeth whilest God shall prolong her daies Concerning also the Cardinals honor and promise alas good man there was neuer person of so high a place more inueigled then he was by that false Iesuit Parsons It hath beene confessed by some of the Iesuits themselues in the hearing of sundry witnesses that the Duke of Medina Sidonia openly affirmed vpon occasion of speech that his sworde coulde finde no difference as he thought betwixt an heretike and a catholike his busines was to make a way for his Master which he meant to doe and intended no lesse as before is said And this may suffice for that matter of moouing her Maiesties subiects to rebellion But I haue runne too long vpon this point I trust it appeereth by all that hitherto hath beene said what Parsons and his fellowes drift was in perswading her Maiesties subiects to rebellion c. therefore nowe I come to the second part of the article which is that no honest man might lawfully haue followed their councell And first if the said perswasions were absurd vntrue irreligious and wicked It followeth that no man might without sinne haue yeelded vnto them Secondly titles to kingdomes are not impeached either by the law of nature or by testimonie of Scripture as you shall heare heereafter out of a great Doctor propter defectionem à fide ergo the dutie of subiects doth continue and is not dissolued in respect of any such defection Thirdly Nabuchodonozer was as great an enimie in his time to the church and citie of God as could be imagined he destroied all before him and led the people away captiue into Babell And yet heare what commandements the prophets Ieremy and Abacuk gaue to the Elders priests prophets and to all the people that were in captiuitie and consider how vnlike they are to father Parsons speeches before mentioned Seeke the prosperitie of that citie whither I haue caused you to be caried away captiue and pray vnto the God of heauen for it For in the peace thereof shall you haue peace And that woorthy Abacuk said further Praie for the life of Nabuchodonozer king of Babylon and for the life of Balthasar his sonne that their daies may be vpon earth as the daies of heauen and that God would giue vs strength and lighten our eies that we may liue vnder the shadow of Nabuchodonozer king of Babilon and vnder the shadow of Balthasar his sonne and that we may long do them seruice and finde fauour in their sight Fourthly the same obedience that heere is prescribed to these wicked kings did Christ himselfe and his apostles prescribe and practise in their times to heathenish princes Emperors and gouernors Our Sauiour paid tribute both for himselfe and Saint Peter and gaue a generall commandement to all subiects to do the like both then and for euer after For so I vnderstand his precept giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars Fiftly and as touching the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul they are most plaine and most earnest that all subiects without exception should submit themselues vnto the authoritie of those wicked emperors and gouernors that then raigned in which number Nero himselfe was propter dominum bicause it was the will of God that it
in other countries as in Spaine constrained to carie their meat with them otherwise to fast for three or foure daies space In Scotland but poore lodging God wot and little better then Spaine affoordeth In Fraunce Flaunders not that ciuill order for bed or boord as England yeeldeth and in all other nations compare their diet their lodging their intertaine with the English and certainly you shall finde a stately difference no where to be in all this realme vnlesse vpon the wasts or borders and scant there but you shal haue lodging and intertaine sit for any noble or state within ten miles of that place where euer it be you are in yea the common Innes on LondoÌ„ way through Watlingstreete or the fower forced waies on euery side east west north and south being sit furnished to giue better intertaine to any prince in Christendome then most nobles are in other nations Therefore respecting worldly pompe and pleasure happie were the Iesuits faction but vnhappy all others besides if they might once bring this florishing English kingdom to be a defamed Spanish prouince had euer beene noted in former ages betwixt the soueraignes and subiects of this land And that howsoeuer some princes had tyrannized ouer some fewe stumbling blocks that stoode in their way as impediments to their quiet raigne at least in their conceite and other priuate persons had proued traitors rebels yet in general you shal not find that euer the subiects of England sought the death of their kings or that the kings did tyrannize ouer the multitude but the battell once ended were they ciuill broyles as the Barons warres and the contention for the crowne betwixt the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster c. or forraigne hostilitie as those betwixt the Empresse and king Stephen and betwixt king Iohn of England and prince Lewes of France and others Now then seeing neuer any soueraigne regnant in this land was euer holden to be of a more princely magnificall mercifull flexible sweet louing compassionate and tender inclination then her Maiestie is of to take pitty and pardon to receiue into grace and fauor and to winne the harts of subiects by lenitie and gentle meanes And againe for as much as neuer was the multitudes and subiects in generall of this land I speake it of catholikes to mine owne knowledge of many loyall harts as well as of the rest more seruiceable loyall faithfull and affectionate nor more willing to die at their princes feete or in their Soueraignes iust quarrell and cause any where then they haue beene hitherto vnder her Maiestie and are still to this present That all this notwithstanding so sore an affliction so long imprisonments so continuall searchings so many sessions assises arraignments losses of landes goods liues and all should be by lawes penall made against catholike Recusants many are mooued on both sides scil as well on the behalfe of her Maiesties mercy as of her truest subiects loyaltie to woonder at it Secondly they had read the last will testament of king William the Conqueror and what his first passage of speech was in his last passage of life to king Henry the first and duke Robert Curthoys his sonnes to wit that the English natures were noble generous and gentle in themselues fierce hot and valiant in the field louing loyall seruiceable and faithfull to their prince Alwaies prouided that their Soueraignes vsed them as children not as slaues for free borne denizens they are with enioying their Franchises and liberties they will performe more then the most on their prince and countries behalfe whereas the Normane said he againe being a proud stubborne but yet a seruile lasâ—e people not carrying those generous mindes which the English carrie in all their actions must be curbed holden in and still kept short otherwise they will do nothing nor regard either their prince his honor or their countries weale The councell of this prudent prince caused a like respect in gouernment to be had of these two nations agreeing to their naturall dispositions of all the succeeding kings and Queenes that euer hitherto haue raigned in this land no nation vnder heauen bearing the porte and countenance in generall which the English carry The retinew of our English nobles is comparable in pompe and shew of honor with princes courts in forraigne countries our gentles are their nobles equals in seruice offices belonging to noble bloods generous harts Yea many knights and esquires in England are able to dispend more then sundry Lords Barons Vicounts and Earles in other countries And our Frankelings Gentlemen vntriall or substantiall Yeomen may be compared with the greatest Gentles in other nations as their fellowes for intertainment either respecting the multitude of seruants seruice and attendance giuen to guests at their table or in their chamber or the great good cheere with varietie of dishes and those well and clenly dressed and serued in with great and many ciuill ceremonies or conueniences either of lodgings within or walks without their houses or other commodities attendant on pompe and port that either may yeeld content delight or recreation to their friends yea in sundry farmers houses in England you shall finde better intertainment then the most part of ordinary Nobles in most kingdomes of the world is able to affoord This then being so their liberties and immunities being so many their loyaltie so firme their seruice so faithfull their education and bringing vp so free their inheritance freehold demeasnes and rents so great and extraordinary duly considered And aswell the high wisedome of her Maiestie on the one side as the free education of her subiects on the other side well weighed especially in that an English nature euen in the meanest member of the bodie politicall scil in the communalty is in this respect noble free of high courage and not able to endure lingring deathes torments gusts and greefes as other people are that notwithstanding her loyall subiects as well noble as ignoble should be put to those exigents that catholiks haue a long time bin put vnto the world hath mused and admired at it Thirdly they looked backe somtime into the ages acts and raignes of Nero of Dioclesian of Commodus of Probus of Heliogabal of Maximilian the Emperor and others and read the histories and apologies of Damascen of Iustine of Athenagoras of Tertullian of Epiphanius of Eusebius and others wherein they found sundry reasons and motiues as they thought not a litle to mooue these heathen Emperors to lenitie mercy which bookes and apologies often tooke effect as written to that end but not as father Parsons Philopater or father Creswels Scribe or father Southwels Epistle to her Maiestie are written alwaies in accusing or reproouing some one or many or all her highnes nobles and ciuill magistrates a very indiscreete part in them how true soeuer the reports had beene our frownd on state considered and that we were to seeke the fauor of all not to exasperate
others or else deny it so you shal see in time that although our worshipfull Archpriest hath done nothing but by fahaer Garnets direction yet when his ridiculous vniust vncharitable dâ—ttyrannous proceedings shall come to the scanning father Garnet will doe the best he can to pull his necke out of the coller and master Blackwell shall be the Asse that must beare all the burden So father Parsons that holy man by his practise doth giue father Garnet a pregnant example In the most of those seditious bookes which he the said father Parsons hath published he hath either concealed his name or giuen them such names as it hath pleased him to deuise And one of his said bookes being set out by him vnder the name of master Dolman now that many exceptions are taken vnto it he good man was not the author of it his name is not Dolman and gladly he would shift and wash his hands of it but all the water betwixt this and Rome will not serue his turne so to do although by the common principle of the Iesuits he may by lying and equiuocating make a faire shew But of this enough is said before As concerning the second point I will now make it plaine vnto you that the Iesuits being charged as in the former question is set downe are not therein slaundered any way vniustly For First it is plaine that father Parsons and his company diuide it amongst them how they list haue laide a plot as being most consonant and fitting to their other designments that the common lawes of the Realme of England must be forsooth either abolished vtterly or else beare no greater sway in the Realme then now the ciuill lawe doth And the chiefe reason is for that the state of the crowne and kingdome by the common lawes is so strongly setled as whilest they continue the Iesuits see not how they can worke their wils And on the other side in the ciuill lawes they thinke they haue some shreds whereby they may patch a cloake together to couer a bloodly shew of their treasons for the present from the eies of the vulgar sort And certainly I could not choose but smile when I read this point in father Parsons booke to see how prettily this fine fingred figgeboy conueigheth his matter how the common lawyers must waite vpon the Ciuilians to beare their bookes after them and how they are to applaud to all that the doctors will auerre to be lawe vpon their bare words vnto them Secondly the said good father deeming of all men it seemeth by himselfe hath set downe a course how euery man may shake off all authoritie at their pleasures as if he woulde become a newe Anabaptist or king Iohn of Leyden to draw all the world into a mutinie rebellion or combustion And this stratageme is how the common people may be inueigled and seduced to conceit to themselues such a libertie and prerogatiue as that it may be lawfull for them when they thinke meete to place and displace kings and princes as men may doe their tenants at will hirelings or ordinarie seruants Which Anabaptisticall and abhominable doctrine proceeding from a turbulent tribe of traiterous Puritanes other heretikes this treacherous Iesuite would now foist into the catholike church as a ground of his corrupt diuinitie And sure it is strange to consider how the caitiffe handleth this point giuing aduantage thereby to all nations to reuolt from the See apostolike if any catholike prince would take holde or build vpon this absurd fellowes word or authoritie For that amongst other arguments he insisteth vpon certaine rebellious most traiterous examples how some kings in this Island haue beene dealt with As if a man should take vpon him to prooue murther lawfull bicause many examples of murther may be produced or as if this were a good argument England Scotland Ireland Denmarke Swethia many states in Germany many men in France and else where haue reiected the authoritie of the Pope his holines the See of Rome therefore Italy France Spaine other catholike countries may do the like Fourthly the said good fathers with their ringleader and muster-master father Parsons do take vpon them in the saide booke and in other treatises to deale with matters of succession and titles of the crowne as if their bare words were of higher authoritie then either Court Parliamentall Prince or Pope and bicause as it seemeth their said ringleader is a bastard himselfe it is woonderfull to see what very small account he maketh of succession by inheritance title of descent birthright or bloud Now tell me in this case A gentleman or substantiall yeoman hauing one heire and many seruants dieth were he not an asse that would affirme that the right of the saide heire should depend vpon the pleasure of his fathers seruants If they thought meet he should haue his fathers lands or otherwise they would bestow them as they thought good I am sure you would account it vniust vnnaturall indecent and ridiculous And all that this traitorous Iesuite writeth of this point is grounded vpon the like folly whilest he laboureth so giantlike in opposing himselfe against succession by inheritance to fight most impudently with all lawes nay with nature and with God himselfe Hereunto it also appertaineth how after he hath contriued the meanes as he thinketh how to depriue kings and heires from their inheritance he then taketh vpon him to appoint how others may and are to succeede in their roomes and possesse their ancient right And he proceedeth herein as grauely and substantially as he hath done in the premisses For except this may carrie a shew of a good argument fiue hundred or a thousand yeeres since the ancestors of the king of Spaine the king of Fraunce and of diuers other kings had no interest to the kingdomes which now they enioy therefore some others must be found out to be preferred to those kingdomes the good father saith nothing There is one who hath written a booke of the Bathes in England and as I remember for it is long since I saw the booke the author of it the rather to extol the first finder out of the said Bathes that therby he might prooue him to be an ancient gentleman doth set downe his petigree and neuer leaueth it I assure you vntill he come to these words which was the sonne of Seth which was the sonne of Adam It were not amisse in my poore opinion that Master Parsons should carefully seeke out for this maÌ„s kinred It is not vnlikely but that by his skil he might intitle them to very many kingdomes distributing this to one and that to another as in his omnipotentencie he should hold it most conuenient The man if he liue long will prooue mad in the end without question except you can imagine that these and such like vanities are sober conceits And yet that which he saith against the blood royall of England to aduance a pretended interest to the Infanta
be so much the more probable that they both aspire ayme and shoote at an absolute imperial marke and withall will be able to giue a greater assault pushe and put for it when time comes then euer any of the fower monarches or other vpstart imperiall states gaue before them to this day by how much as they are more dispersed and haue greater fatours in all Christian kingdomes then any other rebels or aspires to soueraigne dominions had in any one of these regions where they first began tyrannically to rule For if Ottoman alone could passe out of Persia with other vacabonds and in the end become so mighty a Lord in a strange land vanquishing in short space the rest of his fellowes all great princes by fortune of wars and other meanes that now his successor called Imperator Turcarum is the most powerable Emperor of the world yea aboue the Spaniards by reason that his dominions are vnited together round about him whereas the Spaniard is rather hindered and his strength diminished by multitudes of kingdomes intituled subiected and gouerned by him then otherwise by reason that they lye so far a sunder disioynted by intercurring countries betwixt him and home on each side then considering what manner of men they are none can deny but that there is great likelyhoode of the Iesuits aduancement to soueraigne dominion with inlargement of their territories further then euer it was like that the Turke should haue enlarged his vntill the effects did demonstrate it vnto the worlde that so it was Secondly this is confirmed not onely ab inductione for euery particular Nation how many great potentates side with them to second their aduersaries euery where but also by the meanes they haue to worke that feate withall scil to increase their faction by winning inueigled single harts vnto them which they do sundry waies but especially by three deuises that are the cheife aides and hopes of conquests none of which the Ottomans had when they began their enterprise One is wit practise experience and policie for in vaine are warres abroad nisi sit consilium domi neither Matchiuel nor any that euer yet was in Europe comming neere vnto the Iesuits for Atheall deuises to preuent the stoppels of their stratagems and to further their owne proceedings An other is pretended piety whereby through helpe of the former to put their rules and principles in execution in due time and place respecting the person and other circumstances and occasions offered they haue and do not onely allure multitudes vnto them dayly encreasing the number of their faction but withall there can be nothing done nor almost intended against them or for the strengthening by counterplots of their aduersaries where euer they liue but presently know it and thereby hauing their spials in euery princes court and place of most intelligence that may informe their Generall as they doe once a moneth ordinarily from all parts of Europe what is there done or intended with or against them they haue the aduantage by being thus dispersed to saue themselues from all vniuersall or any notable danger And if possibly it can be preuented or their aduersaries ouerthrowen in their owne courses taken against these fathers they haue the meanes for it else it is not in the world to be heard of or found The last is plenty of money which Ottoman also wanted And seeing to speake morally there is not that exploite to be done which money cannot compasse then consider what huge masses of money and infinite treasure the Iesuits haue euery where It is credibly reported by some reuerend priests as I told you once before that they lost at their expulsion out of Fraunce three millions at the least Adding hereunto what large collections they make yeerely here in England which is the least they haue in any other Nation vnlesse Scotland c. where they are resident little or nothing at all sometimes comming to any afflicted Catholike so mercilesse hard and cruell harts they haue of many 1000. l. which some one of them hath reeceiued as before is touched in part and more at large in other bookes written of their conni-catching deuises to get money is to be found Then I say none euer had fairer meanes or greater helpes and likelyhoods of preuailing in their ambitious aspires and affecting of soueraigne dominion in an absolute monarchiall state then they haue Thirdly that the Iesuites practise is as well against Spaine and by consequent against the whole house of Austria and the Empire as against any other Nation it is apparant by that I told you of in part before concerning Fa. Parsons winding twinding doubling and boutgates in intituling the Lady Infanta to the English crowne meaning it directly for himselfe and his societie as is manifest also by his said books of succession c. which here you may please to confirme as wel by general collections out of the same bookes as likewise by the common report giuen out by him and his faction that not onely the said king catholike was priuie to the setting forth of that luckles labour but also patronized it as a speciall worke and peece of seruice done on his maiesties behalf to the greatest preiudice that could euer haue been offered to the king catholike as well ancient as recent and now regnant in esse For first he makes his maiestie the author in a sort patron and protector of all the conspiracies treasons and treacheries that are or can be brought against himselfe or any other soueraigne prince built vpon the erronious principles and grounds there laid downe by the many wide open gaps made through his popular doctrine For all rebellious multitudes in euery prouince court or countrie liuing vnder the Spanish gouernment or else where to enter and claime authoritie ouer him if in any thing they take pepper in the nose by least conceited dislike and all this vnder pretence of glorious stiles titles of common wealths and states Then he insinuateth as though the right title as well to the crowne of England as also of Fraunce and by consequent to the crowne and kingdome of all Europe there being not one but his title to it is as good if not better then it is to England were wholy in his highnes guift and free for him to bestow where he pleaseth And out of this grosse conceit he bringeth for an assured assertion for concatenation of the catholike religion and king catholike together as bellum sacrum hath beene euer since made odious euen to a Christian catholikes eares and the Spaniard had in suspition of all other Christian princes that he aspireth to a sole absolute monarchicall gouernment despition whereas it is this said father and his societie that aime at it in very deed Which no indifferent valorous or wise man hearing of but will thinke that all princes in christendome haue iust cause to looke hereafter to their stand and to haue a iealous watchfull restlesst eye aswell vpon the