Contraryvvise you proue nought against vs and yet force vs to embrace your vvicked opinions Doctrine we receiue heresie These are points first to be decided and determined amongst Deuines and learned men of both parts and therefore that Magistrates should proceede against vs as men conuicted of those crimes before our cause be heard and determined by them that are by God 7 They vvill onely haue the pope to be iudge appointed to handle those high and important points of diuinity we hope your Maiesties clemency and piety will not permit But iudgement 8 Neuer vvith you in any lavvfull generall councell being past on our side already in so many generall Councells abroad and 9 Proue your popes mitre and massing sacrifice by conuocations and Parliaments if you can conuocations and Parliaments at home commending and approuing the faith we professe what reason can giue life to that lawe that doth reuerse a sentence so authentically giuen without the full form of iustice and processe therein required Chapter 4. The reasons vvhy vve are so resolute in our Religion Reasons of Religion THE first reason that we giue of our faith and Religion Sacred Soueraigne and why we ought not to suffer therefore as delinquents is that neither 1 The Turks and any other heretikes are able to say so much as these do albeit they proue nothing obstinate pride nor presumptuous pertinacy The 1. reason nor dislike of order or Discipline nor contempt of authority nor curiosity affectation of nouelty or discontentment in our priuate humors maketh vs so constant and resolute in the profession thereof but our consciences meerly so informed and inforced in maner by the 2 Proue this grace and exhibit this holy vvord and then you say somthing instinct of Gods grace and reuelation of his holy word and will but our vnderstanding captiuated in obsequium fidei by most euident (a) In no Religion but the Catholike only do all these Testimonîes concur Testimony of holy Write of Vnity Vniuersality Succession Antiquity and 3 Fevv lay papistes vnderstand scripturs in strange tongues and in vulgar tongues they may not read them Hovv then come they to knovv that scriptures make for them do they beleeue the pope and his emissaries that giueth them black for vvhite authority of Scriptures 4 VVith vhose vvorks you are but little acquainted Fathers Saints Doctors Councells Parliaments Virgins and Martyrs which all concur onely and jointly in the 5 VVhat is that to those that professe the popes particular doctrine Catholike Religion and in no other profession whatsoeuer which considerations accompanied with the feare of Gods judgements the danger of 6 You feare purgatory fire Hell fire you feare not that runn vvith your holy father headlong into hell and vvith rebells into treason Hell fire and the desire of eternall Saluation command vs by the rules of reason in the practise and profession of that Religion to obey the law of God 7 VVhy then doo you prefer the popes lavves before the letter of gods lavves before the lawe of Man It is an instance and maxime that suffereth no exception that neuer any generall or vniuersall 8 VVhat is that to vs innouation The 2 reason or alteration in matters of Faith or Religion from bad to better hath been heard of either in the whole world or in any particular nation be it either from Iudaisme Gentilisme Paganism Atheisme or Idolatry but that the commission and vocation of the messengers haue been authorised Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis Mar. 16. our Lord working with all and confirming the word with signes that followed which sithence our new messengers and reformers as yet haue not duly nor clearely shewed pretending as they do to purge Christendome of superstition and idolatry how can they in reason craue at our hands credit or conformity to the new lawes made on that behalfe God is ipsa vita lux veritas God that is the life light The 3. reason and truth it selfe cannot giue commission credit and authority to death darknes and falshood but it is most euident and cannot be doubted of or denied that the first Apostles and Conuertors of this our nations of England Scotland Ireland France and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome deliuered vs the same Romane faith we 10 That is the question We proue the contrary by particular instances and euident demonstrations now professe 9 All vvas not of your religion The Greek church at this day renounceth your erros the same Masse and the same Sacraments and preached the selfe same Doctrine Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis our Lord working with all and confirming the worde with signes that followed Reason then concludeth thus that either God in this case hath giuen testimony to falshood or else the doctrin confirmed by the testimony of God is true and auowable and not to be forsaken for feare of any humane lawes till we haue like testimony from Heauen to the contrary and when our aduersaries shall duely reproue ours herein and make their own 1 VVe haue proued it clearly But the caniball masse priests stick alvvaies in this brake mission as manifest by the word of God then if we do not conforme our selues to the new lawes imposed vpon vs worthily we are to endure these late inflicted penalties for matter of recusancy To conuince vs then that either we haue not the true Scriptures The 4. reason or interpret them not as wee ought or that we dishonor God in honouring his Saints or erre in the number or nature of our Sacraments as that our doctrine is false and defectiue and to condemne vs and punish vs therefore as Heretikes and Idolaters requireth 2 As if ordinary pastors vver not to reproue errors according to the doctrine of the prophets and Apostles vvithout extraordinary authority in all reason an absolute commission from God the which when it shall be produced willingly we will obey If they alledge Scriptures the Scriptures are common to vs both The 5. reason yet more likely in reason to be ours then theirs because that if the Church of Rome had not conserued them and communicated the same vnto vs our aduersaries had been at this day 3 If Rome had sunke many yeers since yet had the scriptures been preserued Scripturelesse the very originall Bible the selfe same numer◠which S. Gregory sent in with our Apostle S. Augustine being as yet 4 Where further vvhat maketh that for you reserued by Gods especiall prouidence as a Testimony (a) We receiued the Scriptures from the Church of Rome that what Scriptures we haue we had 5 As if vve had in England no Bibles but Gregories Bible or as if Gregory vver the author of the Bible them from Rome and haue nothing of our reformers but
vāts seing lay mē are little skilled in tōgs stānd prohibited to reade them in vulgar tongs with out licēce furthermore these felowes art not so far trauelled as to know what is cōteined in scriptures fathers coūcels aūcient writers concerning matters in cōtrouersy if they resolue thēselues by relatiō of the massepreests friars thēar they most simple ideots to beleeue matters vpon heresay and to found themselues vpon the reports of such lying compagnions Lastly they seeme to haue theire braynes distempred that are made to beleeue that the popish sacrifice of the masse for quick and deade their carnall eating of Christs flesh with the mouths of men nay with the mouth of bruit beasts their transubstantiation halfe communions and idolatrous worship of the sacrament the popes vniuersall and plenary power conteined in decretales their 7. sacraments and doctrine of iustification by orders mariage and extreame vnction theyr worship of saints reliques and images and all the rest of their abhominable doctrine may be proued by authority of scriptures fathers saints doctors councels Parliamentes and that the same is confirmed dy vnitie vniuersality succession and. antiquity beside the testimony of virgins and Martyrs This we may affirme of the Apostles creed and the Catholike fayth taught and published in auncient Councels but by no meanes of the fayth of the moderne sinagogue of Rome Nay in our abridgemente or suruey of Poperie we haue plainely demonstrated that the same is contrary to scriptures fathers councels auncient writers and is deuoyde of the testimonies of martyres virgins and decrees of Parliaments and all other authenticall proofes Secondly they alledge that neuer any vniversall innouation in matters of religion hath been made but that the commission and vocation of the messengers hath beene authorised by signes and wonders But this allegation as it concearneth vs nothing so it vtterly ouerthroweth the petitioners cause For we haue made no vniuersal innonatiō Nay we do not alter or abrogate-any one article of the Christian faith but as in Spaine true teachers in former tymes caused Arianisme to cease and true religion to bee receiued and as the Christians in the land of Palestine some 400. yeares sence for a time caused the impieties of Mahomet to be suppressed Christian religion to be taught and practised so do we onely abolish the corruptions false doctrines heresies and impieties of popery and reteine euery article of the Auncient christian fayth But the massepreests friars and monkes adhering to the Pope haue made an vniuersall alteration in the worship of God bringing in the idolatrous worship of saints of images of the sacrament and receiuing many old condemned heresies and new deuised schoole doctrines and decretaline deuises and yet neither shew signes nor wonders vnlesse a man list to beleeue the wondrous lyes of their legends and breuiaries Thirdly they take it as a matter most euident and that cānot be denied that the first apostles and conuerters of Englād Scotland Ireland France and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome and deliuered vs the same fayth which the Papists now professe But they take boldly and affirme impudently that which no man either giueth them or yeeldeth to bee true Parsons hath spent much idle talke in this argument and proueth nothing Coleton is as mute as if hee were turned into a Codfish and replieth nothing to that which is answered to the petition of Masseprecstes the last session of parliament and their discourse touching this poynt As for these petitioners they shewe themselues ignorant of learning that beleeue that the doctrine of Romish traditions of the Popes authority of the masse of the 7. sacramentes of Purgatory and indulgences and such like matters was known to the anciēt Bishops of Rome but suppose old Rome had sent true preachers abroade to conuert nations to the Christian fayth what is that to new Rome that sendeth out false apostles to corrupt the true fayth and assassins Cut-throates to murder such as fauour the truth this false doctrine and cut throate practise certes was neuer confirmed with true signes and wonders Fourthlie they require vs to shew a Commission from God if we meane to conuince the papists that they haue not true scriptures or interpret them not right or that they are idolaters or hereticks a deuise likely to proceed from such idle heades For neither did those fathers that conuinced the Marcionists Arrians Manichees Angelicks and other hereticks either of corrupting or misconstruing the scriptures or any other poynt of false doctrine shew a commission immediatly from god neither doe the masse preests that dispute nowe against Turks Arrians and Anabaptists shewe forth any such commission All Christians and not onelie publike teachers haue commission sufficient to descry to take heed of false Prophets that come vnto them in sheeps clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues What needeth then this extraordinary authority Fiftly they tellvs that we had our scriptures from Rome and had been scripturelesse if we had not receiued them from thence He sayth also that the same bible which Angustine brought into England is yet reserued by gods especiall prouidence But firste it is not materiall from whence Christians receiue holy scriptures The Romaines receiued them from the Iewes and yet I trow Parsons and Coletou as they are turned Romanists will not turne Iewes Secondly that the Britous receiued the scriptures from the Romanes it is not likely they being as the common report goeth conuerted by Ioseph of Arimathaea Neither doe these petitioners shew where the Bible is to be foud that was brought in by Austen the Monk nor doe they make proofe that this which they shew is the the same Bible which Austen brought in Jf it bee the old vulgar translation it is not likely that Gregory sent it For he doth not alwayes follow that translation Heere also they tell vs that we haue reiected and discanonized diuers bookes of scripture because they be expresse testimonyes againste our religion which it pleaseth them to cal new and negatiue But neither doe we reiect any booke of canonicall scripture nor can any argument be drawne from the bookes apocryphall added in the vulgarlatin translation to the old testamēt that doeth hurt vs. Furthermore if we do onely deny the heresies of the papists then doe we not frame any new religion vnto ourselues and if the papists affirme matters not known to fathers then is theire religion new positiue if not wicked in the superlatiue For the sence of scripture they tell vs that we haue onely the warrant of our priuate spirit and they the assistance of gods holy spirit promised to his Church But absurdly they talke of the interpretation of scriptures following therein the priuate sence of a sencelesse pope and neither the interpretation consonant to the meaning of gods holy spirit speaking in scriptures nor to the iudgement of fathers vpon whome they bragge most fondly Lastly they tell vs againe of parliaments and
Masses in their honour and to go on pilgrimage and to offer to them and confirme the same with false and counterfet tales of Saint George Christina Catherin Margaret Dorothey and such like legendes confirming false doctrines with false tales 10. Their doctrine of 7. Sacraments is most false For no where can they shew where Christ instituted eyther the form or matter of all these sacraments or promised grace and iustification to all these sacraments 11. Falsely and dishonorably they teache that brute beasts eating the sacrament eat also Christs body 12. Christ sayd take and eat they say to their priests in effect lift and offer and to the people gape and gaze 13. They teach their folowers to make grauen images and to worship them yet god in his law expresly forbad the worshipp of them 14. God commaunded his people to sweare by his name they teach their disciples to sweare by Saints and other creatures 15. Falsely they teache subiects to rebell against theyr Princes excommunicate by the Pope and that the Pope hath power to assoile them from their allegeance a doctrine false and seditious 16. They teach that concupiscence in the regeneras is no sin and that the virgin Mary was not conceiued in sinne Which holy scriptures condemne as crroneous 17. The state of perfection they place in the vowes of monkes and friers as if their rules conteined more perfection then the gospell 18. Their iustification they place partly in charity partly in their own works and hope thereby to merit heauen but the law pronounceth them accursed that abide not in all the words of the law to do them 19. Charity they say is the forme of faith and nothing els but the grace of God But this vtterly destroyeth grace 20. They doubte not but that they are able to satisfy for all sins committed after baptisme but true christians beleeue that by Christs stripes they are healed Finally all those doctrines which the papists teach contrary to the faith of the church of England are false and erroneous as is demonstrated in diuers ample treatises published againste them Chapter 7. That Popery is an heathenish and idolatrous religion IF we had no other exception against popery yet this one is sufficient to exclude it out of all Christian Churches and common wealths that it is a religion blotted with most grosse and heathenish idolatry A matter displeasing to god offensiue to true Christians and most repugnant to the christian faith God in his law Exod. 20. denounceth grieuous punishments against this sinn Tertullian in lib. de idololatria calleth it a principall crime and the whole cause of gods iudgement Idololatria saith he principale crimen geueris humani summus seculi reatus tota causaiudicij If then the Masse priestes and their followers bee guilty of this sinne how will they be able to answere either before god or man But of this crime we doubte not but plainelie to conuince them For first in the canon of the Masse both the prieste and people are taughte to bow themselues and to giue diuine worship to the sacrament Alan de sacrifie Eucharist c. 41. and Bristow in his 26. motiue and other papists do call the sacramēt their Lord and god but to giue gods honoure to any thing but god is plaine idolatry Either therfore must they proue that the sacramēt is god by hypostaticall vniō as Allen cōfesseth very impiously falselie or it will be an easy matter to proue them idolaters 2 Secondly the papists confesse that Latria or the honour properly due to god is due also to the crosse and crucifix and images of the trinity This is the doctrine of Thomas Aquuinas and all his folowers But it leaueth these idolaters without excuse For how can they defend their doctrine vnlesse they wil deny these crosses crucifixes and images to be creatures 3 Thirdly they make vowes to saints angels and in their publike liturgies call vpon thē They do also swear by thē publiquely confesse their sins vnto them ioyning them in ranck with god almightie But to communicate these honors to creatures is nothing else but to make them gods and themselues idolaters Bellarmine lib. 1. de cultu sanctorum c. 9. blusheth not to make them gods by participation But herein he doth participate with the idolatrous gentiles 4 Fourthly they make an idol of the Pope giuing vnto him the honoures and titles that are properly due vnto Christ and making him the head spouse and foundation of the catholike Church In the chapter satis dist 96. He is expressely called God and that he is rightly so called Augustine Steuchus in his defence of the pretended donation of Constantine doth acknowledge Jn the glosse in c. cum inter extr Ioan. 22 de verbor signif He is impiously called Lord and god Baldus in l. vlt. c sent rescind and. Felin in c. ego N. de iure iurando do giue him the name of a god on the earth Finally his followers fall down before him and worshippe him as god Nowe what is idolatry else but to aduance a creature aboue his rank and to giue him diuine titles and honors 5. Fiftly it is idolatry to make grauen images and to worship them For that is apparant by the wordes of the second commandement that is specially directed againste idolatry But the papists make grauen images and worship them Nay they worship them no otherwise then the gentiles did theire idoles Both gentiles and papists praye before them both offer incense vnto them both doe thinke to honoure the memory of the deade in erecting images to them why then shold not this be reputed idolatry as wel in the papists as in the gentiles verily if we do rightly esteem of matters we shal find that papists do more slauishly serue their idols thē the He then did their idoles going in pilgrimage to them kissing them crouching vnto thē and setting vp lights before them 6. They make the images of god the father god the holy ghost of the trinity giue thē diuine honor But to worship false images as these are the papists themselues confesse to be idolatrous Jt is manifest idolatry also to giue gods honor or latria to creatures 7. Euery day of the week the papists make new gods of the altar oftē they make new crucifixes The Pope also canonizeth at his pleasure new saints But god by his prophet psal 81 forbiddeth the hauing of new strāge gods as idolatrous they deny percase that they esteem thē as Gods But what can vain pretēces auaile whē we see they communicat gods honuor to these creatures 8. The holy scriptures Amos 5. and act 7. condomn thē for idolaters that worshipped and serued the hoast of heauen But papists worship angels saints the court hoast of heuē serue them religiously Nay they are so farre from acknowledging their errour herein that they contend that dulia or seruice is due vnto them 9 The gentiles are condemned
the whole parliament to omit to speake of their secret combinations and practises it is no good signe that they seeke to satisfie the King and to serue him deuoutly when they seek to set vp a religion displeasing to God disgracefull hurtfull to the King and most praeiudiciall to his subiects Secondly He supposeth the Prelates of the Church of England cannot with reason disallowe this petition seeing nothing is required at theire hands but a reasonable conference and satisfaction in poynts of their mission and vocation But it seemeth he meaneth to giue them but little satisfaction that refuseth to giue them theire due titles and telleth them of I know not what wealth pleasures and pallaces pretēded to be enioyed by them Hee is also very ignorant that imagineth that the teachers of the truecatholike faith can abide a false wicked idolatrous hereticall blasphemous religiō or true subiects treason and rebellion and very impudent to call true Bishops in question for theire vocation and mission hauing no colour of defence eyther for the mission and vocation of Masse Priestes to sacrifice for quicke and deade as for the Pope to rule the whole Church or for the Cardinalls to practise the troubles of Christendome Further he was not wise to talke of Bishops winess being allowed by sainte Paule seeing the periured Romish preistes forswearing mariage and swearing continency doe notwithstanding keep concubines whoors and Bardassaes As for the calling of our prelates and ministers it hath been often and sufficiently iustified already and shal be againe when the intrusion of the pope and his poleshorne crewe of sacrificing preeests into the Church shal not by any means be mainteined or coloured Thirdly he seemeth very carefull not to offend the Puritanes as he calleth them But it is offence inough to giue the names of faction to true Christians Furthermore if the papists be no better able to pleade for themselues and theire religion then these petitioners haue done not only such as they call Puritanes but also all other good Christians will condemne them to be neither half subiects nor condicionall subiects nor subiects at all As for their religion it groweth euery day more odious and execrable then other Fourthly the schollers of Cambridge and Oxford of all men rest worst satisfied with this petition being voyd both of learning and reason as for the conceipt which ignorant creatures haue of masse preests they regard it not knowing thē to be but shallowe fellowes in diuine matters though very profound in rebellions and treacherous practises miserable are they that followe such guides and trust such false fugitiue compagnions Fiftly the Artizans and prentizes of London would make a wiser speake then this petition so seely defences are therin made for the popish preests that how so euer they thought on them before they cannot chuse now but both cry out againste them and stoppe them as false fugitiues seditious traitours and professed enemies to their prince and country In the meane while the masse preests haue litle cause to thāk Iohn Lazy that maketh them pleade theire cause before artizans and prentises who generally detest them and theire abhominable doctrine and practises and hope to see thē shortly hold vp their hands at the barre for treason Finally the papists at home and abroad will be very sory to see theire cause so nakedly handled and so weakely defended and if they be wise will curse him that published so bare a discourse giuing vs occasion to discouer theire treacherous hereticall and wicked doctrines and other mysteries of the popish faction As for the example of Saint Albā and of his teacher it fitteth the papists in no sorte Those two knew no one poynte of that wicked doctrine of papists which the Church of England condemneth neither was Albane martyred for the popes quarrell or the doctrin now cōteined in the decretales but for the faith and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles being as loyall to his gouernors as the Jebusites and their complices are peruerse and disloyall And therfore at vnawares where the prologue wold vse the example of the primitiue church of England he printeth priuatiue church shewing himselfe to be a member rather of the popes priuatiue church of England that is depriued woulde depriue Christians of all true faith in veritie of religion and sincerity in conuersation then of the true primitiue Church founded by Christe and gouerned by the Apostels and their true successors But what shold J need to stand longer about the examinatiō of this poor speak of this rude Lazy prologue who so far forgot himself in his dates of his discourse that he publisheth in print the 16. of octobre this apology that as hee saith in the beginning of the prologue came to his handes the 28. of that month which if he be able to make good then he hath sent vs rather a prophesy then a preface telling vs what the lay papistes pleaded some 12 daies before their pleading came to his handes Chap. 17. An answere to the two first chapters of the petition conteining causes both of the petitioners long silence and of their breach of silence IF the two first Chapters of these laye mens petition had beene spared it mighte percase haue beene imputed for wisdome vnto them For then neither theire ingratitude in not acknowledging his maiesties rare fauors towardes them gratiously pardoning their offences nor their presumption in accusing him for breach of promise nor their vntrueth in charging his maiesty the parliamente and state with rigorous and cruell dealing against them nor their vaine brags in pretending that they were so forward in maintening the Kings title and the principall meane that placed him in his royall throne woulde so clearely haue appeared But seeing they woulde needes acquaint vs with the reason of their present speech and former silence let vs heare them what they can say A PETITION APOLOGETICAL PRESENTED TO the Kings most excellent Maiesty by the Lay Catholikes of England in Iulie last Chapter 1. The cause of our silence MOST 1 His grace you abuse his souerainty you deny his might you hinder Mighty and gratious Soueraign Many are the reasons that haue caused vs to expect with perpetual patience and profound silence your Maiesties most gracious resolution for some benigne remedy and redresse of our moste greeuous 2 You vvrong his Maiesty charging him to be a persecutor and your cause shevving your selues vnthankefull for his fauour calamities and afflictions as the confidence of a good cause the testimony of an incorrrupte conscience the memory of our constant and continuall affection to the vndoubted right and Title in remaynder of your renowned Catholike Mother to the Crowne of England the imputations Crosses and afflictions we suffered many 3 If your plots had taken you had marred all yeares therefore the publique and gratefull acknowledgment that your saide glorious Mother made thereof at the time of her Arrainement and execution in
doth playnly declare the authors thereof to want shame modesty reason and wit For if they had not wanted shame then woulde they haue blushed to charge others with disloyalty themselues being vnable to discharge themselues if they had not wanted modesty they woulde haue contented themselues with present fauors being such as they afforde not to our brotheren in other countries and not soughte audaciously to haue dignity honour and further liberty Jf they had not wanted reason they woulde not haue saide that they haue yeelded sufficient reason for theire religion and finally if they had not wanted wit they woulde no haue vndertaken to accuse innocentes themselues being guilty nor would they haue compleyned of wounds deepe and dangerous in their honors being honored aboue their desert nor would they haue called the King Sweete Soueraigne or once mentioned Souereinty considering that they ouer throw the kings Souereinty and make him the popes subiect by their doctrine but yet that passeth all the rest of their fooleries that not being able to cleare themselues nor hauing spoken one worde in defence of theire sacrificing preests and Iebusites now in the conclusion of their request they speak for them also for masse preests I say which contriued the kings destruction by the practise of Clerck and Watson and lately absolued Percy Catesby Tressam and their complices which went about to blowe vp the King Queene Prince and high Courte of Parliament with gunpowder to massacre true Christians to alter lawes and to ouer throw the state Chap. 21. The insufficiency and foolery of the submission promised by lay papists to the king is examined and refuted THere is no chapter nor almost clause of this petition of lay papists whereto we may not take iust exception But yet if we doe put them alltogether and compare them with the 7. Chapter wherein they offer to be bound for the King and his Kingdome and to tender a submission to his maiesty for his satisfaction this will passe all the rest in fooolery and absurdity listen therefore I pray you and hear what they say for theire massepreestes and how they secure the kings person and Crowne from the trechery of their shauen Crowned trecherous masse preestes Chap. 7. The forme of the Catholikes submission IF we may be permitted to enioy some quiet graue The lay Catholikes submission and vertuous Clergie men for the comfort of our soules we doubt not but to giue your Maiesty a far greater security for the few hundreds of our Priestes then was giuen for the many thousands of Queen Maries Priests and Prelates in the late queen Elizabeths dayes against whome albeit aboue 1 Abate nine thousand (a) 10000. Clergy men left their liuings rather then they wold leaue their religion ten thousand of them did abandon their Ecclesiasticall Liuings rather then they would conform themselues to the times especially the (b) All Queen Mary Bishops forsook their Prelatures rather then they would forsake their chiefe Pastor holy Senate of Bishops no one excepted yet in the time of the said Queen for the space of thirty years extreame and restlesse 2 You are extreamly vngratefull that suffer not our late gratious Queen to rest that alvvayes fauoured you to her ovvne hurt persecution no capitall lawes were made or executed And in the (c) The booke in tituled execution for treson and not for religion made by the late Lord Burleigh book intituled Execution for treason and not for Religion composed and set foorth by the late L. Burleigh then high Treasurer of England on whom for his great wisedome and policy the menaging of the Commonwealth of this Realme vnder the Queen principally depended Anno. 1583. and Anno Regni Eliz. 26. it is in expresse words set down what fauour these Priestes found in tearmes as followeth And though there are many subiects knovvn in the Realm that differ in some opinions of Religion from the Church of England and yet doo also not for heare to professe the saeme yet in that they doo all professe loyalty and obedience to her Maiesty and offer readily in her defence to oppugne and resist any forraigne force though it should come or be procured from the Pope himselfe (d) None of Q. Maries priests or Prelates persecuted for religion none of these sorte are for their contrary opinions in Religion persecuted or charged vvith any crimes or paines of treason not yet vvillingly searched in their consciences for their contrary opinions that sauour not of treason After which Narration he reckoneth vp great numbers as (e) D. Heath Archbishop of Yorke D. Heath Archbishop of Yorke B. Poole B. Tunstall B. VVhite B. Oglethrop B. Thurlby B. VVatson B. Turberuill none of all these vvere pressed vvith any capitall paine though they maintained the Popes authority against the lavves of the Realme he recounteth (a) Abbot Feenam one Abbot and diuers Deanes whome he commendeth for learning modesty and knowledge and concludeth that none (b) None of all these held or punished as traytors though they maintayned the Popes authority against the lawes of the Realme of these nor yet diuers others of the like morall and indifferent cariage were euer called to any capitall or bloudy question vpon matter of Religion nor were not depriued of any of their goods or proper liuelihoods of the like indulgence and lenity mention is made in the same booke vsed towards the layety in wonderfull pleasing words as followeth There are great numbers of others being lay men and of good possessions in Lands and men of credit in their countries that do enioy their estates though they houlde contrary opinions in Religion for the Popes authority and yet none of them haue been sought hitherto to be impeached in any point or quarrell of treason or losse of life member or inheritance So that it may plainely appeare it is not nor hath not been for contrary opinions in Religion or for the Popes authority alone as the Aduersaries do boldly and falselie publish that euery person hath suffered death since her Maiesties Raigne yet some of this sort are well knowne to hold opinion that the Pope ought by authority of Gods word to bee supreame and onely head of the Catholike Church throughout the whole world and that the Queenes Maiesty ought not to be (c) To deny the Queen to be supreame gouernesse ouer Ecclesiasticall persōs not persecuted with charge of treason gouernesse ouer any her subiects in her Realmes being persons Ecclesiasticall yet for none of these points hath any person been persecuted with the charge of treason or in danger of life If then this were the case of Queen Maries priests and other quiet and faithfull subiectes in the late Queens dayes we hope that our Priests being aswell qualified in all respects to our Princes good liking satisfaction as they were both for quiet behauiour ciuill life and sincere affection to your Maiesties seruice may for our comfort obtaine
in Augustine de haeres c. 39. Epiphanius haeres 38. doth condēn the Casās for inuocating both good and bad angels Tertullian also in his book de prascript aduers haeret condemneth them that serue angelt doe the papists then think it catholike religion to worship and serue Angels and to call vpon them 19 As the papists doe proue their religion by forged miracles and lyes so did the Seuerians which therfore were ranged among heretickes by Saiut Augustine de haeresib c. 24. 20 The Papists c. proposuists dist 82. call mariage fleshlie pollutions and say that maried folkes liue in the flesh and and cannot please god But for the like doctrine the Tatians and Encratites were adiudged hereticks 21 As the Manicheys cōdēned mariage in their priests caled electi absteined frō the cup in the Eucharist gaue to christ a body extended to diuers places and not solide so do papists 22 Montanus first broughte in lawes of fasting and extolled vnwritten traditions and was author of oblations for the dead The firste is prooued by the testimony of Apollonius in Eusebius his history The last two poynts are made euident by Tertullian following Montanus his heresy and deriuing them from his Paracletus in his booke de corona militis Why then shoulde not papists offending in the same poynts be reputed Montanists 23 Further I haue shewed in my late suruey of Popery chap. 8. that as the pepuzians honored Pepuza so the Papists honor Rome that with the Catharists they hold that a man may performe the law perfectly and bragge of their purity perfection that with the I acobites and Armeniās they make the images of God the father and the holy ghost that with the Staurolatrians Chazinzarians they worship the crosse that with the Collyridians they worship the virgin Mary and offer consecrated hostes in her honor that with the Circumcellions they murder such as are opposite to their faction that which the Priscillianists they periure themselues and teach aequiuocating periurie that with the Eutychianistes they giue Christ a body without iust dimensions or circumscription that with the Pelagians they extol the force of free will and diminish the praise of gods grace that with the here ticks mentioned by Jrenaeus they accuse scriptures and to make short that they haue embraced many other old condemned herefies As for the master of Sētences Innocent the third Thomas Aquinas Scotus Albert Durand Steuchus Harding Stapleton Allē Bellarmine Baronius and other particuler agents of the Romish Church we are able to charge them with infinite hereticall opinions But because our's duersaries doe not take themselues bounde to defend euery priuate mans doctrines and opinions J will reserue the proofe hereof to some other place Finally if all doctrins brought into the church since the Apostles tymes sauor of heresies as Tertullian affirmeth thē we need not to doubt but that al those popish doctrins cōcerning vnwritten traditions apocryphall scriptures the reading of scriptures in tongus not vnderstood the being of Christs body within the accidents of bread and wine in the Eucharist trāsubstantiatiō the sacrifice of the masse half cōmunions the adoration of the sacrament the popes vniuersall monarchy the popish worship of saintes reliques and images the 7. sacramentes the merits of workes and such like nouelties as are broughte into the Church by the pope and his complices are mere heresyes Chapter 9. That popish religion is new and not as the Papists call it the old religion ANtiquity in matter of religion cartieth no small weight with it in the reputation of Christiās Saint Iohn 1. epist 1. saith he declareth vnto vs that which was from the beginning and Ephes 2. we reade that the church is founded vpon the prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone Jf then popish religion was not frō the beginning nor can be iustified to haue proceeded from christ or his apostles or the holy prophets then is it for the noueltie thereof to bee reiected But that is so apparant as hee that will deny it muste needes speake againste his owne conscience and knowledge if he haue either conscience or learning 1. The masse is a principall matter which papists contend for Yet is the same a playne corruption of Christs institution of the Eucharist and wholy repugnant to the apostles doctrine Christ taking bread said this is my body but the masse priests deny that any breade remaineth in the sacrament after the words of the institution spoken He said take and eat The Massepriests say to the people gape and gaze and in the mean while eat and drinke all themselues He said do this in remembrance of me they offer vp Christ in honour of saints He commanded all to drinke that receiued the other kind They exclude all but the Priest from the cup. He ordeined the sacrament to be receiued of the communicātes they receiue it not but oftentimes hang it vp cary it about and adore it The Apostle 1. Cor. 11. sheweth that the sacrament was instituted to declare the Lords death but these celebrate the masse in tongues not vnderstood insomuch that few papists vnderstand what is doon in the celebration of the masse 2. Christ certes neuer instituted the Popes monarchie Nay where the Apostle Ephes 4. speaketh of the ministers of the church this great monarch is not once named True it is that Christ said to Peter feede mysheepe and promised that to him he would giue the keys But what is that to the Pope that is no Apostle nor in any thing like to Peter further Peter had no monarchicall power giuen by these words For equally were the Apostles called and authorized Much lesse therefore are we to imagin that any bishop had this vniuersal monarchy bestowed on him 3. Further it is mere madnesse to affirme that either Christ or his Apostles taught the worship of the Crosse or of images or of Saints or their reliques or that they deliuered to their disciples and folowers the popish doctrine of the 7. sacramentes or of Purgatory and indulgences or of the merites of congruitie or of the foundations and other pointes of Popishe Religion 4. In our suruey of Popery we haue shewed that those poynts of popery which the Church of England refuseth are repugnant both to auncient councells and the auncient fathers of the Church The auncient fathers of the Church and Bishoppes of Rome neuer thought that any one bishop had authority aboue a generall councell The sift canon of Nice forbiddeth to receiue any that were excommunicated by other Bishops The 6. Canon of that councel equalleth other Bishops to the bishop of Rome in that councell it was decreed that Priests should not be separated from their wiues The councell of Eliberis condemneth the superstitious lighting of candles in churchyards and pictures in churches The councell of Gangra taxeth such as disprayse mariage or despise the oblation of maried priests or refuse to eate flesh or condemn such as weare common
apparell The councell of Laodicea condemneth the worshippe of angels Neyther is there any abuse in Popery that is of any antiquity but lightly the same is taxed in some ancient councel The popish worship of angells images crosses and such like halfe communions straunge and vnknown tongues and other abuses of popish religion likewise are either not knowne or generally condemned by the fathers 5. The auncient Christian religion came from Hierusalem but the popish worshippe of images and saints the doctrine of the carnall eating of Christs body transubstantiation halfe communions indulgences the popish doctrin of purgatory and the popes monarchy came neuer from thence 6 Finally we find when and where the principail points of popish doctrin which the church of England refuseth were established by the synagogue of Rome the worship of images was first receiued and established in the idolatrous second councell of Nice vnder Irene Gregory the 7. first tooke on him the vse of both swords and began with sorce to depose Emperors and to translate kingdomes from one to another Innocent the third first brought in transubstantiation and auricular confession in the councell of Lateran The conuenticle of Constance first decreed that accidents in the Eucharist subsist without a subiect and that all Christians beside the priest were to content themselues with one kind in the sacrament Eugenius the fourth in the conuenticle of Florence as is said setled the doctrin of purgatory and the popes supremacy then also was deliuered the doctrin of the 7. sacraments and established first by authority The rest of those popish doctrines concerning the sacrifice of the Masse indulgences and such like deuises which we refuse were lately confirmed in the conuenticle of Trent From thence the papists deriue the authority of the missalls breuiaries and other rituall books If any thing be taught by them more then this contrary to the sound forme of faith deliuered by the Apostles the same hath bin receiued either from olde hereticks or els from later Popes of Rome That religion therfore which papists teach ouer and aboue the christian faith is newly deuised and not to be deriued from the Apostles or prophets or ancient fathers of the church Chap. 10. That Popish religion is impious and blasphemous THE people of God vnder the law were so zealous of Gods glory that they vsed to rend their cloths if they did heare any man vtter any thing soūding like blasphemy Nay for the word that signifieth blaspheming the Hebrewes vse the worde of blessing which sheweth that all our actions shoulde tend to the prayse of god and none to his dishonor Is it not then straunge that Christians which shoulde excell all others in zeale and loue towards God should either professe or suffer popish religion that is so full of impieties and blasphemies against god This they thinke to wipe away with one impudent denial But this name of blasphemy is too deep grauen in the forehead of the whore of Babylon to be defaced with any deniall For first the Pope challengeth to himselfe the name and honour of God as is euident by the chap. satis dist 96. and c. inter corporalia de translat pral and the Canonists giue vnto him that name and honour as is to be seene in the glosse in c. cum inter extr Ioan. 22. de verb. signif and in the commentaries of Felin in c. ego N. de iureiur ando and Baldus in l. vlt. Cod. sententiae rescindendae Stapletō in his epist to Gregory the 13. before his doctrinale principles doth call the pope supremum numen in terris that is the soueraigne god of the earth 2. Secondly blasphemously the papists translate the honour of Christ to the Pope they call him the head foundation and spouse of the Church as appeareth by the disputes of Bellarmine lib. 2 de pontif Rom. c. 31. and by the glosses of the Canonists Abb as Panormitanus saith that Christ the Pope haue but one consistory This honour also the Pope is content to take to him as by the Chap. quoniam de imunitate in 6. and diuers other decretales it appeareth In the booke of Ceremonies hee applieth to himselfe these words which Christ vttereth of himselfe all power is giuen to me in heauen and earth 3. Thirdly they giue the name and titles of God to creatures Biel lect 48. super can missae saith the prieste is the creatour of his owne creator the same blasphemy is also found in Innocentius de mysterijs missae and in Stella Clericorum and was vttered by Bonner to certaine Priestes in the beginning of Queen Maries dayes 4. Fourthly they confesse theyr sinnes to angells and saints as well as to God as is euidently proued by their common confession in tfieir missalls Horatius Tursellinus in his Epistle to Peter Aldobrandini before his history of our Lady of Loreto saieth that god dooth at our Ladies pleasure gouerne the earth and bestow at her becke heauenly gifts vpon men Commonly they giue the office of mediation to our Lady to saintes and angells 5. They teach that the Massepriests are constituted priests after the order of Melchisedech Nay they make the priestes mediators for christs body as it appeareth by these wordes of the masse supra quae propit to ac secreno vuliu respicere digneris c. 6. They are not ashamed to affirme that a dogge or hogge or mouse eating a consecrated hoast doth eate christes true bodie as we may see in Thomas Aquinas 3. p. q. 83. art 6. and in 4. sent dist 13 and in Biel in 4. sent dist 12. in Alexander Hales and diuers other schoolemen 7. Nicholas the 2. in the chap. Ego Berengarius dist 2. de consecrat maketh Berengarius to confesse that Christs glorified body is torue with teethe and sensibly handled by the Priest 8. Clemens the 6. in the chap. vnigenitus extr de paenit et remiss doth make Christe like to the sinfull people of the Iewes in whome as we reade Isay c 1. from the heade to the foote there was nothing sound 9. Faber in his booke against the anatomy of the masse compareth christe to drūken Silenus annon sayth he mirificus Silenus suit christus in another place he calleth him an enchanter 10. Bellarmine lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 13. alledging a place out of Iustine Martyr but most fasly placeth angels before the holy ghost and woulde haue them worshipped together with the holy trinity 11. Julius the third called for his Peacock in despight of god and nothing is more common among papists then blasphemies imprecations as is confessed by themselues in the Romish catechisme 12. In the Romish breuiary the blessed virgin is called dulcis amica dei that is the sweet friend of god the happy gate of heuē They giue vnto her also power ouer her sonne and say iure matris impera redemptori that is by thy motherly power commād the Redeemer of the world 13. Bellarmine lib. 1. de
haue we prooued Chap. 8. that popish religion is a masse of old and new heresies 3. Further they confesse that all impious and blasphemous opinions are to be seuerely punished and neither by publike graunt to be authorized nor by conniuence to be passed ouer But hardly shall the papists be able to cleare themselues of the impieties and blasphemies wherewith formerly they stand charged 4. Fourthly that cannot be true religion that containeth either falshood or foolery or error Nor do papists deny that such false religions are to be repressed and by lawes exterminated out of the commonwealth But in our suruey of Popery we haue shewed that diuers positions of popery are not onely erroneous and false but also foolish and ridiculous 5. Kings that are subiect to the Pope will not suffer any religion if they can chuse that is either preiudiciall to their dignity or dangerous in respect of their safety But many arguments examples do shew that popish religion is of that nature as formerly hath bin declared 6. The Popes themselues albeit vsurpers will not suffer any of their subiects to bind themselues by oath to forreine princes in enmity with them or to entertaine intelligence with them Why then should such as are sworn to the enimies of the state and entertain intelligence with them and practise against the state be suffred in England 7. In Italy no man is permitted to harbour any priest or friar that denieth the Popes vsurped supremacy Why then should the Massepriests and their adhaerents be tolerated among vs that deny his Maiesties supreme authority in the gouernmēt of the church of England that is due to him both hy the lawes of god and man 8. Finally the papists asmuch as they dare resist the popes pillages and cry out vpon his exactions Shold true Christians then that are now released and freed from these burthens admit a religion which teacheth and vrgeth these manifold exactions and oppressions Chapter 16. An answere to the title of the petition of lay lapists and the preface of Iohn Lecey NOw least any ignorant papists shold be abused by glozing reportes of their consortes as if they were able either to cleare these doubts or to alledge iust causes of theire boulde request for a toleration of popish religion wee haue thought it not amisse to examine the seuerall chapters and partes of this apologeticall petition adding our answers to their titles prefaces demandes accusations letters and idle discourses The title front of theire petition foloweth to gether with Iohn Leceys preface A PETITION APOLOGETICAL a It is not credible that papists vvold either present or signe and allovv such baggage stuffe PRESENTED TO the Kings most excellent Maiesty by the Lay b Hereticks and idolaters deserue not the name of Catholikes Catholikes of England in Iulie last In eo quod detractant de vobis tanquam de malefactoribus ex bonis operibus vos considerantes glorificent Deum in die visitationis In that c Here vvanteth the beginning of the sentence viz. haue your conuersation-honest can vve then repute them honest that cut of honest conuersation wherein they misreport of you as of malefactors by the good workes considering you they may glorifie God in the day of visitation 1. Pet. 2. v. 12. Printed at DOVVAY by JOHN MOGAR at the figne of the d To shevv that they saile not alvvay vvithout cōpas Compas 1604. THE PREFACE REuerend Sir 1 adde Iohn and then it vvill stand thus reuerend Sir Iohn There came to my hands by the way of 2 That is by the nearest vvay about Bruxels on the xxviij day of this moneth a certaine Petition or Apologie of the lay Catholikes of England as I stand 3 His best ground you see is false information informed presented to his Highnesse about the later end of the Parliament which semeeth so 4 Or rather confrontable to reason conformable to reason so 5 Hovv absolute vvhen it is made vvith conditions and limitations as appeareth aftervvard absolute in forme of their submission and so 6 True For euery politike Christian may vvoonder at their presumption and foly that suppose that a king or state vvill rest assured vpon the othes or promises of massepriests and their namelesse consorts admirable for the assurance by them offered for their 7 Priests of Baal ordered by Antichrist to sacrifice for quicke and dead and not true priests or pastors Priests and Pastors that the publishing thereof cannot but giue contentmente in mine 8 Not vvorth an onyon opinion to al sorts of men that desire both to be clearelye informed of the true state of things and that iustice and equity shold take place according to mens comportments and deserts and not according to the preiudicate opinions of such This had been truly spoken if it had heen applied to the inquisitors of Spain Italy And vvith the great auda ciousnesse and soly of these petitioners whome nothing but the bloud and vtter beggering of Catholikes can satisfie And therefore I thought good in more publike manner then it was before to make the world acquainted therewith Reasons of publishing this treatise THE publishing of this Apology cannot but tend much to his 1 Js it honorable for the king to submit himself to enemies and to receiue conditions of levvd subiects as these petitioners vvould persvvade him Maiesties honour His Maiesties honour and seruice and more to his satisfaction and 2 A goodly security vvhen a kings life and state shall depend vpon a single threed of popish fellovves promises And a most simple satisfaction vvhere nothing is performed but only promised security for so much as the Catholikes affectionate 3 Seruices supposed and obligations broken seruices and obligations therein contayned must needs be arguments of some supereminent vertue and goodnes in his sacred personage that could draw from them at all times such extraordinary effects of 4 Such as appeared in the tumultuous stirres of papists in Scotland against the king and in the practises of Brook Watson and Clerk executed at Winchester for conspiring the destruction of his Maiesty And lastly in Percie and Garnet loue and deuotion and the more manifest the 5 VVhat vvil resusats novv turn protestants it shold seem so But vve are to vnderstād it no further thē a laxatiue purgatiō retcheth protestations of their purgations shall appeare to the world the more manifold shall be their bondes and obligations of performance and perseuerance therein The Protestant 6 They haue no reasō to like either their murmuring petitiōs or their bald pleadings Prelates cannot with reason disalow thereof The Protestant Prelates because herein is nothing required 7 A goodly proceeding vvhen fugitiues and malcontents call foorth true subiects to ansvver at their hands but a reasonable conference and satisfaction in points of their mission and vocation And when they shall make
it euident out of the written word that they are the true Sheepheards and Pastors sent from God to haue charge of soules they make profer without delay to folow them and with all conformity to obey them and heare their voices which when they shall proue the controuersie is charitably composed and though they faile of their proofs yet they remaine as they do with their wealth their 8 These tvvo vvords are euil placed together But if talking of massepriests he had ioyned their whores pleasures he had spoken properly wiues their pleasures and pallaces the poore Catholikes desiring onely a secret and silent permission of such 9 Of vvolues rather for vvho made them pastors or is so simple as to commit Christs sheep to them Pastors as shall shew to them the whole world sufficient 10 Can they proue the Popes authority and the function of priestes offering and deuouring Christs body and bloud vvith their mouth they shall then vvorke vvonders euidence and approbation for the charge of soules they vndertake The 1 They laugh at this pild prologue that vvould threape kindnesse vpon them Puritans herewith cannot be offended if they peaceably The Puritans and precisely seek after contentment and not contention because they shall find diuers of their maximes zealously or rather odiously conceiued by them against Catholikes ouerthrown 2 Soon may Iohn Lazy euacuate hu brain but the principles of popish practises he shall neither euacuate nor ansvver euacuated by most euident demonstration and instances in matters of fact practise and experience especially in that point of conditionall subiects which is so much vrged by the Ministerie The 3 They shall soon trusse your schoolboy masse priests flourishing and learned Academiks of Oxford and Camoridge may perceiue hereby that Catholikes know their Priests 4 And to requite their kindnesse the massepriests knovv their follovvers and their vvines daughters intus ad cutem intus in cute Academikes of Oxford Cambridge take them neither for ignorant in diuinity nor 5 Their pitifull ignorance both in diuinity and humanity is too too apparēt dunces in humanity neither for Catalines towards their Senate nor for Absolons towards their Dauid that dare aduenture life liuing for their vertues and loyalties And I imagine that if your Ministers were put to the like plunges they would hardly find the like pledges wherefore I could wish that your Ministers would endeuor rather to excell and surpasse them in their Godly qualities then in their pamphlets and pulpits to vrge the State to suppresse them with seuere exilements and edicts which are nothing but argumentes of their feare and 6 VVhetstones for lying they deserue Their faces also are as hard as vvhetstones whetstones of the others fortitude The godly and zelous 7 They are sory they attend not on the masse-priests to Tiburn as they vvere vvont Artizans and Prentises of London and other places The Artisans and Prentises may learne hereby to moderate themselues a little in their outragious alarms of Stop the Traitor when they see an innocent Priest passe the streets for by reading hereof they may be rightly and truely informed and instructed how far the poore Innocent men are from treasons and all treasonable purposes The Catholikes at home must needs hereby be comforted and animated in well doing and faithfull seruing The Catholikes of England obeying their 8 Viz. The Pope for to papists the king is not soueraign Soueraign in pace gaudio if they may be permitted and if not that yet in suffering with alacrity what shall be imposed vpon them for their religion when by his Apologie they shal be disburdned of those former clogs imputations of disloialty and treason The Catholikes not only here in Flanders but in the whole Christian world besides must needs be hereby much edified and excited to the sincere practise The Catholikes abroade and profession of zeale and piety towards 9 That is tovvards their god on the earth God of fidelity and obedience towards their 10 VVere the leaguers of France and ebells that rose against king Henry the 8. and his children obedient to princes Princes and of a reuerent respect and regard towards their Priests and Pastors when they find in this present Apology so rare and remarkeable an example of English Catholikes constancy in the one and conformity in the other and such confidence for the third that sithence the Apostles time the dayes of the primitiue Church of England neuer the like President either in the time of peace or persecution hath been heard or read of that the sheep should engage themselues for their shepheards and make voluntary profer to be bound body for 1 They are not so mad I trovv body life for life for their fidelity except that famous 2 He died for Christ and not for the cause of Antichrist as the Popes martyrs do Protomartir of England S. Albane who was to them herein a patrone and president the end of whose blessed conuersation our English Catholikes beholding do imitate his faith and fortitude and do succeed him in a reuerentiall loue and deuotion towards their Pastors Which heroicall mind and resolution of our said English Catholikes must needs be as famous to posterity a it is repugnant to all worldly wisedome and policie and must also needes be accompanied with asmuch honour and merit in the sight of God and all good men as it cannot but be incombred with dangers and difficulties in the sight of flesh and bloud and of all those quorum Deus venter est whose 3 This is properly said of the Popes cardinalls their adherents God is only their belly profite and pleasure in this world Of this Apologie two copies were sent ouer the one to France and the other to Flanders all one in sence and substance but it seemeth that the copie sent to Flanders was taken verbatim out of the first fountaine and originall And that the other which came to Paris was not altogether so 4 Quod dissonat verum non est saith Hierome ample and compleate Therefore I haue thoughte good to aduertise you that I haue followed and set foorth that copie which I found or at least presumed to be most consonant to the good minds and affections of them whom it most concerned And thus willing you to make your profit spirituall of these my endeuors and of the sequent Apologie desiring God that it may serue to mollifie the hearts of our heauy 5 No vvay so heauy as the spanish inquisitors aduersaries and fortifie and corroborate the Saints and seruants of God in well doing and patiently suffering and carrying the Crosse of christ and crown of thorns which prick to the quick on euery side I wish you the two most pretious iewels that can happen to a christian sovle Gratiam 6
spirits vvhich sought to alter the state her course and to enter into bloud but all was 7 Onely the malcontent faction of papists vvas so filled filled with feares and suspitions at home with 8 Shame come to the Pope and his adherents that occafinned them The losse hath lighted vppon them already wars and diuisions abroad and with continuall frights and allarmes of strange attempts either against 9 Looke vvho these attempters vvere and you shall finde them to haue been either papists or Atheists set on by papists her person or state and in fine when her treasure was 10 This may be truly of firmed of her Maiesties enemies and their states But not of England as I hope his Maiesty vvill vvitnesse But vvere vve hurt by the vvars yet should not this cause vs to loue papists that mingled heauen and earth and stirred the vvorld against vs to vvin their purpose exhausted her subiects and kingdomes extreamely impouerished and all the kingdomes almost about vs disgusted and in open tearmes of iealousie and 11 Much to their ovvne losse and paine as the sequell had declared if the king had not giuen them peace hostilitie with her she began againe to thinke of her former fortunate dayes and to incline to a 12 It is rather madnesse then mildnesse to spare either professed enimies or secret traitors milder course as the onely meanes to setle her and her Realme in peace security and former prosperity which times compared together do demonstrate that the seuerity of lawes made against Catholikes were the 1 Lavves made against papists are the onely bands that hold the flate together and the best meanes vve can vse to contrecarre the mischiefs in â—eded by them forerunners of infinite mischiefes and miseries And least your Maiestie beholding such bloudy and strange lawes made against vs with their 2 They vvere alvvaies most slovvly executed rigorous execution by the space of so many yeares in so long a Raigne as was that of our late Queen might thereby coniecture that such new and neuer hearde of decrees could not without vrgent or notorious occasions haue beene inuented constituted and so seuerely executed least this apprehension of these former proceedings might make the like impression in your mind and auersion from vs we humbly craue your Maiesties gratious eares and attention And when you shall reuiew and consider deeply the lawes made against vs compare them with the objected crimes that then some ouerture may be proposed to the present Parliament for clearing the lawes by reason which is the soule of the law to them that distinction may be made by iustice betweene the innocent and guilty persoÌ„s for howsoeuer the late (a) The reason that might moue the late Queen to make lawes against Catholikes Queen might haue pretention to make them both by reason of her 3 A shamelesse slander It was only a deuise of the popish faction illegitimation by her own Father in publique Parliament notoriously diuulged and the jealousie she euer stood in of the Queen your gratious Mother both for the back and alliance she had with Fraunce and the right she semed to haue by the 4 The Pope is the Church to these men and by the same reason his close stoole may be their chappell But if they giue the Pope power to excommunicate princes and to depose them these popes churchmen are but mean subiects sentence of the Church pronounced against the diuorce of her Father and the diuers censures and 5 Very vvickedly and saucily and treacherously aliovved by papists excommunications promulgated against her Yet your Maiesty of whose rightfull succession and most lawfull and legitimate possession of this Crowne 6 Then is Parsons and his follovvers more diabolically disposed tovvards the king then Satan himself For they haue long impugned and denyed the kings title to the crovvn of England Satan himselfe being put to his shifts can make no doubt or difficulty against whom no 7 VVe report vs for disproofe of this to certain discourses set out by Parsons and Coluil CoÌ„petitor either hath or had purpose or power to contend (b) Vide D. Giffords coÌ„mission and MoÌ„sieur de Be thunes letters whom the 8 This Sea of Rome is a sea of abhominations and mischiefes And therefore it is not much materiall vvhat is regorged out of such a guise of impieties But that the Pope hath not excommunicated the King it hath proceeded rather from fear then loue or any indeauor of Gifford or Bethune His predecessorr got nothing by excommunicating Queen Elizabeth and lesse vvold the Pope novv vvin by censuring his Maiesty Sea of Rome is so far from censuring that she hath 9 VVhat thè vvhore of Babilon doth his Maiesty hath no cause to like This is certain the Pope nener censured Clerk nor WatsoÌ„ nor Percy nor Digby nor Garnet and the rest that sought the subuersion of the state already censured all those that shal any way seek to giue you any disturbance or molestation and with whome all the Princes in Christendom are in perfect peace and amity and whom Catholikes haue as yet no way 1 Hath the king no reason to be offended vvith the tumults practises of papists in Scotland England vvhy then vvas WatsoÌ„ hanged and order taken to persecute the Scottish rebells vvhy vvas the lavv executed against Faux and Digby other traitorous papists offended but by all meanes endeauoured to serue satisfie and content (a) His Maiesty hath no such reason to continue the lawes against Catholikes as the late Queen had to inact them Your Maiesty we say for these respects hath no such apparant cause to continue those lawes as the late Queen had to inact them the reasons and foundations of those lawes being by this happy mutation of state time and persons vtterly 2 Neuer as long as the king professeth true religion or refuseth to become the popes vassall remoued If then Dread Soueraign we haue been are and will be as we haue and will demonstrate as loyall 3 As the leaguers vver to Henry the 3. of France vvhose throat they cut Or as Percy and Catesby of late vvere to our King faithfull and affectionate to your Maiesty your predecessors and posterity and euen to those Princes that dealt most hardly with vs and to the good and peaceable estate of our Country as any sort of your Maiesties subiects within the Realme of our Ranke whatsoeuer we see not how by authority we can be driuen to forsake our Catholike 4 Your faith is proued neither to be Catholik nor your fathers faith Fathers faith and beleefe vnlesse authority can by reason 5 Authority is one thing reason another These iumble both together conuince vs that our faith is infidelity our Religion superstitron and the seruice we vse Idolatry or the 6 This is proued and all your brabling obiections ansvvered
theire country but many things are often offered that are slenderly performed and such no doubt would the seruice haue been that is or was offered by them who seared more the Popes thunderboltes then the princes double cannons and onely desired to free themselues out of prison that they mighte after take part with the stronger to desire to bee placed in the forefront of the battel in theire shirts they had no reason vnlesse they had meante after they hadde put of their armes and clothes to runne awaye more ligtly My Lord Vaux was so good a man of warre that I woulde wish no greater benefit to England then that all our enemyes were such But suppose some few recusants did offer to serue the Queen yet neither had she reason to trust them nor we to beleeue that all the rest of the recusants meant to serue her faithfully being sworn vassals to the pope her sworn enemy Vnhappy had this land beene if theire prayers and vowes had been performed Foralbeit some papists then did acknowledge the Queenes authority notwithstanding the popes excommunications yet that was for that the excommunication did not bind them vntill such tyme as the Popes bulle might be put in exequntion as appeareth by the faculties granted to Parsons and Campian Fourthly out of England they runne into Ireland to tell vs of the fidelity of Irish papists But it appeareth those men neuer came there to trye it they shew so greate ignorance of the Irish and of the affaires of Ireland For in the battaile at Kiusale they cannot name 10. Jrish that did any greate seruice At other times the most part alwayes abandoned and betrayed those that relied vpon them and euer for one Irish man that truly serued the Quene there might bee reckened 10. that willingly serued the rebells And this should the king finde at theire hands J feare if he had occasion to trie them If then these petitioners haue no better argumentes to proue the fidelity of recusants then such as these they will not proue refined gold nor good copper but rather Corke guilt ouer like gold or some such other light and slight stuffe good for nothing Fiftly they tell his maiesty of the affection and behauiour of papists toward his predecessors himselfe and his title neither forgetting King Henry the 7. nor King Edward the confessor But all the question being concerning the moderne papists and theire loyalty to princes of contrary religion who seeth not how farre theire discourse runneth out and is transcendent aboue theire purpose the welshmen of our tyme may with better reasō alledge the noble acts of Hector and Aeneas of Troy or of king Brute King Arthur or some auncient famous man of Britayne How much they fauored the King it appeareth by diuers attempts against him in Scotland and by the treason of Clerk VVatson Copley Brooke Markham and now lately of Percy Catesby and others sence his comming into England Parsons and Coluill directly oppugned the Kings title in books in print and to that boke which Parsons set out as is saide in diuers languages the Iebusitical faction yeelded a greate applause Many of them also as the seculer preestes charged them subscribed vnto it Jf then nowe they pretend to fauour the kinges title it is because it were bootelesse and dangerous now to oppugne it likewise the papistes that heeretofore wrote and spake in defence of his Maiesties Mother and of the Kinges title respected nothing else but theire owne particuler thinking by theire glosing wordes either to bring in Popery or to aduaunce theire owne priuate pretences Finally they shew they haue great Confidence in his Maiesties clemency that they haue refused to pay the twenty pound a month due for recusancy albeit the penalty be greate But here they shoulde rather alledge cause to moue the King to trust them then to shew that they may assuredlie trust the Kings mercy whose Clemency is so exceeding and word so assured Further this rather argueth their disobediente and repugning humor then iustifieth theire sober disposition and desire to be loyal Lastly they shewe a great differēce betwixt the gentle proceeding of true christians that with light penaltyes seeke to winne men and are slow in exacting them and the rigor and cruelty of papistes that confiscate all the Lands and goods of true Christians most barbarously torment and massacre their persons without pitty or mercy Jf then our lay papistes haue no better defences nor pretēces for their fidelity then they haue formerly alledged theire owne words will rather conuince them then cleare them and such as had no euill opinion of recusants before will take occasion to suspect that this stubble of theirs is nothing but a couer for the seed of much hartburning discontentment and disloyalty as their billetts and fagots of late were laid to couer their barrels of gunpowder couched vnder the higher house of Parliament Chap. 20. An answere to the petitioners calumniations agayust the professors of the Gospel set downe in the 6. chapter of their popish apologetical petition IT were a most simple defence for a prisoner standing at the Barre of iustice and answering for his life before his iudges to alledge for his defence that his behauiour is as honest and loyall as that of his accusers Yet this is the best defence which these Massepriests vnder the maske of lay papists make in this place supposing very absurdly the accusation of their aduersaries to be a iustification and defence of their own actions Nay where they pretend to deale against their accusers they mistake the matter vtterly and speake against such as are long since departed this life and neuer either accused them or knewe them and inueigh against the ministers of the Church of England which are not parties against them leauing the kings sergeants and atturney to speak what they list and aunswering nothing to their informations accusations and enditements which principally touch them But will you heare their wooden weak accusation against vs as it followeth Chapter 6. The cariage and behauiour of our Accusers IT resteth now lastly to consider what hath been the behauiour of some of our 1 Your accusers are your ovvne consciences the kings Atturney and other officers The Ministers accuse you not but ansvver your sooleries accusers the Ministers we meane The cariage of our Antagonists and some hot spirits of their adherents and followers from time to time in your maiesties affaires that hath so cherished dignified and aduanced them and to other their lawfull Princes that haue not so fully concurred with them in matter of religion as your Maiesty doth vt contraria iuxta se posita magis elucescant that contraries compared together may the more cleerly appeare If you demand what they were that accounted it a matter treasonable to retain any book or paper in fauour of your Maiesties Title and that in publique books called your Mothers right to this Crowne a pretended Title Agendum est
they seek for true pastors indeede why do they forsake the bishops and preests of the Church of England which indeed haue both the calling and exequute the function of true Bishops and pastors and runne after these wolues murdrers and deuourers of Christ's sheepe Fiftly they offer to answere person for person and life for life for the fidelity of theire preests to his maiesty and the state But what if the preests absolue traitors and perswade them to rebellion where shall the state seecke either for the parties or sureties And what shall it auaile to sue the bonds Agayne what a ridiculous conceite is this to thinke that the bonds of euery two or three base compagnions will be sufficient to secure either the life of so greate a king or the peace and state of so greate a kingdome against men already found perfidious Thirdly it will be a question whether if such a matter were to be performed euery pild crowned preest could procure such hostages and bondes as are offered it may be some good old Ladyes and recusant Cuckowes would offer any bond for their darlinges But the wiser sort J thinke woulde neuer put their liues in hazard vpon the massepreests promises who if the pope command them to doe an exployt for their holy mother the mother of fornications regard neither promise nor oath Finally it may be a question whether any such bonds are good in lawe and percase these good fellowes knowing them to be nought are the bolder to offer them thinking to gull the worlde with theire greate offers Fiftly comming to the poynt of their pretended submission they playnely refuse to submitte themselues offring rather articles of a capitulation betwixt the King and them then any forme of true subiection or submission for firste they say they will acknowledge his maiesty to bee their lawfull King and souerein Lord and will defend his maiesties heires and successors righte And for this his maiesty is much beholding to them But we must vnderstand howe this offer is made vpon condition if they may haue theire masse and theire Masse preests if they may not haue theire requests then they neither submit themselues nor offer any thing Further they acknowledge more then by the doctrine of popery they can make good For by the chapter v. nam sanctam extr de maior obed all kings are declared to be subiect to the pope They do also deny the kings authority in Ecclesiasticall causes and offer many preiudices to the Kings righte both ouer the Clergy and others and acknowledge him no further to be their lawfull king then it shall please the Pope who hath power to excommunicate him and depose him as they say Lastly where they speake of the Kings successors right they forget to mention the kings righte But what should wee stand vpon future coniectures when the treasons of Watson Clerk Garnet Hamond and the rest haue plainely declared them to bee the kinges enemyes Secondly they promise to reueale and to theire powers to withstand and preuent any conspiracy or treason agaynst the King and his heires and to defend the realm against forrein inuasions But miserable were the King and state if they shold depend vpon their reuelations and withstandings of treasonable attempts and invasions that are sworne to the pope depend vpon forrein enemies Former practises and experience sheweth that their words and promises are but snares to catch such as trust them of late they smothered the treason of Percy and Catesby as much as they could soughte by all meanes to haue their country set on a flame They acknowledge to his maiesty what is due by the word of god or hath been vsed by any of their sect but of the word of god they make the Pope supreme iudge and vse to deny obedience to Kings excommunicate by him nay to Kings not excommunicate in ecclesiasticall causes what they meane to performe it appeareth by Watsons and Percies treasons Lastly they say they will performe this by protestation or oath and offer the like for their preestes But what are oathes and promises when they say the pope can dispense with oathes and teach that faith is not to bee performed to hereticks in which rank these superstitious ministers of antichriste place all true Christians Furthermore it may bee doubted whether these felllowes can bring the stiffe necked massepreests to take these oaths if they cā yet shal they neuer make them to keepe them doth it not then appeare that these conning fellowes goe about to ensnare playne dealing men with their false othes and feigned protestations the examples of Iohn Husse of the professors of religion in Frāce and Flanders that haue bene often massacred when they relyed vpon the othes and promises of the Popes adherents doe assure vs of it and Garnets treasons may bee a caueat for vs. Wherefor seeing these proud suppliants confesse themselues but halfe subiects and are much lesse then halfe when the pope commandeth them whose they are body and soule seeing they always cut away halfe the kings authority and sometymes all and endeuoure to bring vpon his maiestye and his subiects not only a false idolatrous hereticall and impious religion but also a most greeuous yoke of the popes tyrannicall gouernement from which this land hath by the grace of god and prowesse of his maiestyes noble ancesters been most happily freed and deliuered and seeing they haue alledged nothing which might eyther iustify their abusiue false religion or cleare themselues from the common imputations of the disloyalty of the popes adherents or assure the king and state against the trecherous plots and practises of rinegued English sacrificers Iebusites and other theire associates euer suspected now lately plainely detected in Percies treasō to be sworn slaues of Antichrist professed enemyes to the king I doubt not but his maiesty the state wil take a cours with these bold importune petitioners assure the church and realme both against their corruptions in doctrine and attempts in the affaires of Policy and that in the meane while as all Christians abhorre theire antichristian doctrine and dangerous practises so they will concurre in repressing and extinguishing the causes of them This al christians ought to performe and these especially that haue eminent places both in church and common wealth VVhat then should I need to exhort them to performe that which belongeth to their duty as they doe well knowe and which both god requireth and all true christians expect at theire handes Chap. 22. A censure vpon certain letters of the banished masse preests sent back to the lords of his maiesties councell anno 1604 and annexed to the former petition IT is an old saying all is lost that is bestowed on men vngratefull and may well bee verified by the fact of certein massepreests who hauing well deserued death if the lawes of the land had been exequuted against them were graeiously pardoned by his maiesty only