the price of all things raised and the Yeomanrie decayed infinitelie vvhich heartofore vvas the honor and strenth of the kingdome and so consequentlie it vvas the trevv reason vvhy all things haue continued so dear in this land vvhearin maister Stubs ded err nota litl TITVLVS SECVNDVS HItherto Schisme raigned but the second plague was the ruine and wrach K. Evv. 6. of the Church for the authoritie and name of king Edward was vsed to break down and forciblie subuert the vvhole Church of England but see how craftie a statesman the Deuel is though the way to Anarchie and confusion was layd leuel by king Henrie who was onelie fitt for such a work in regard of his greatenes and crewell imperiousnes yet he lett religion stand a while longer knowing well that all could not be effected at once but as he seduceth Sowles so states by degrees and being also confident that the forts of pietie and religion being razed and the Church being brought vnder a laye supreme head he might by a second hand easilie ouerthrow religion it self King Henrie at his Deathe appointed by his will sixtean Executors who during the minoritie of his sonne should be his aydors and counsellors for the better gouerning the realme Emong whome One and who mayd hym self the Principal was the lord Edvvard Seamor Earl of Hartford who took vpon hym being the kings vncle to be protector and that was as good as a dispensation as he took it for his executor ship and lifted hym too manie degrees higher then his fellowes which king Henrie neuer intended that he might ouer-rule the rest by his title and supereminencie One of the first things of importance he contriued and compassed vvas innouation and the establishing of a new religion not so much for deuotion as bycaus he knew that nothing could quench his thirst so vvel as a chainge and bring the game he hunted after into the toyles and hearof Cranmor was a principal worker tho he was but a few moneths before of king Henries religion and a patrone of the six articles The better both to perswade the people and geue harting and strenth to ther sect Peter Martyr and Bucer vvear sent for ovvt of Germanie vpon whose fame and learning as vpon tvvo great Arches they might build and raise ther Churche tho bothe wear Apostates By Cranmor Ridlie Lattimor and these two Rabbins was the new Liturgie framed and the old banished these wear the authors of the first Alteration of religion which so manie hundred yeares had bean heare professed and continued vvith all dew reuerence So povvrefull was the Protector by vsing the king name a child then but of 9. years old but he was well seconded by the Duke of Northumberland the Admirall and the Marques of Nortampton all affected or seaming affected to the chaing of religion who over-ruled all that mayd anie show of opposition or dislike of ther proceadings Which was verrie strainge considering there wear so manie vvise and eminent men who had aequal authoritie with them both as Counsellors and executors and vvear most different in religion from them as the lord Priuie seale the lord Saint Iohn of Basing Bushop Tonstal Syr Antonie Brovvn and thewise sectetarie Syr W. Paget and speciallie that noble Chancelour the lord Writheoslie a man of experienc knowledg and prudenc and a director and pattern to his posteritie to be preferred before anie new guides but to content and please hym he vvas created Earl of Sowth-Hampton yet neither wonn so nor contented nor safe All things afterward grew to confusion ther remained no face and skarse the name of Catholick Church in England and tho ther wear great multitudes of men well affected to the ould religion and discontented that the Church was driuen into the wildernes and forced to lurk in corners yet ded they show loyaltie humilitie and peace and ded not taik armes and disobey that shadow of the king But what mooued the realme how wear men inchanted to embrace this religion and applawd the authors of it Noueltie euer pleaseth daintie stomachs and auarice is no small temptation at Syracusa Dyonisius the tyrant comming into the temple of Apollo full of sumptuous and goodlie ornaments and seing Aesculapius appareled with clothe of hould and full of Iewels hauing a long whyte siluer beard and Apollo the father carued with a floorishing yowthful gould beard and a playne cote of siluer he gaue order to shaue both Apollo and Aesculapius for it was indecorum that the sonn should haue a graye and his father a read beard and also vndecent that a Phisicion should wear so rich a cote so he ded not like that Apollo should be drawen so gawdilie and like a Barbarossa and a grauer gown he sayd would become a God better for gould and Iewels wear fitter for Princes then gods fitter for pomp then perfection The Duke of Sommerset ded rightlie imitate Dionisius for seing the Church rich remembring the exampl of his old maister and hauinng taisted at Aumesburie hovv svveat a Morsell a Priorie is he thought it not decorum to see the Cleargie so rich there wealth was not suitable to ther calling ther lands vvear giuen to noorish deuotion not to choke it to stirr men vp to prayer not to ease and luxurie and therfor he would shaue and share with them Tvvo Bushops hovvses he took in the Strand which serued hym vvel to build Sommerset hovvse for Quene Ann. He procured an act whearby all Colledges Chantries free Chappels Hospitals and fraternities wear suppressed and giuen to the king and how greadilie he intruded into the Bushop of bathe and wells his hovvses and mannors that Churche can never forget and yet Bushop Bourn by his industrie recouered some again but nothing to the Spoyles a poor releaf rather to fead then to fatt a Bushop Yet was he not satisfied for shortlie af ther contrarie to all law against king Henries vvill and against his own couenants when he was mayd protector he committed to the tovvr the Lord Chancelor he deposed Busbop Tonstal both from the Counsel and his bushoprick as too statelie a Seigniorie for a man of religion and too daintie a bitt to be swallowed by the Churche therfor he dissolued yt and brought it within the survey of the excheckor and he never prospered after It was directlie against the law 1. Edvv. 3. cap. 2. that the lands of Bushops should be seazed into the kings hands and that his father by the aduise of euel counsellors commanded them to be seazed withowt cawse but hearafter it should not be so Yet hear he set not downe his staff he committed Gardiner the Bushop of Winchester and after depriued hym He dissolued Stoke Colledg fleaced all Cathedrall Churches and committed infinite sacriledge vvherto the Nonage of the king gaue opportunitie Neither ded he hunt after his praye onelie emong the Churche liuing for yf yovv look in the Parliamant rolls of that tyme yovv shall fynd that with a
in danger of his wrathe o miserable tyme vbi tacere non licet quid cuiquam licet 3. To this opinion Luther subscribeth and which is rare they both C. and L. accord against the supremacie of Princes in cawses Ecclesiastical for tom 2. fol. 259. saith Luther quid ad not mandatum Principis Electoris Saxoniae Princeps secularis est mogistratus quem gladium non munus predicandi curae habere debet as yf a secular magistrate had nothing to doe vvith Cleargie busienes And tom 1. Latin he expownds hym self fol. 540. Non est regnum aut principum etiam veram doctrinam confirmare sed ei subijci seruire Which is quite contrarie to the acts of parliement either of H. 8. of E. 6. or Quene Elizabeth 4. It may be yow will Imagin that though Luther was so singuler yet the Lutherans arr not but yow ar deceaued and that yow shall fynd by ther greatest and most learned Champion M. Chemnicius epist ad elector Brandenburg first he shouweth that it is not conuenient vt punitionis officium contra Caluinistas interea temporis penitus quiescat which is to be noted as a thing he much regarded and shortlie after of the religion and the Quene of England he giueth this sentence that 1. no good thing is further to be expected of her 2. that she vsed the Protestants of Germanie hardly 3. that she noorisheth a new sect risen in her realm of Puritans 4. and lastlie he maiks it a â—east that she being a woeman haith taken vpon her to be maker of Ecclesiasticall Lavves quod femineo à seculis inaudito fastu se Papissam caput Ecclesiae fecit these ar his words and surelie none of our Bushops depriued could saye more tho more manerlie for the statut consisting of two brainches the one they defend stowtlie that the king ought not to haue the supremacie in the other they disagree emong them selfs 5. Cartvvright haith vvritten manie chapters in his last book against this supremacie who yet was neuer conuented in the starchamber nor arraigned for yt neither was forced to recant his writings The Puritans ar as earnest as the Catholicks that it ought not to rest in the king but differenc is in whome the power should rest whether by a monarchie in the Pope or in an oligarchie of the elders The English Puritans of Amsterdam in ther Confessio fidei 1607. pag. 50. art 2. ded resolue that vnicuique Ecclesiae particulari est par as plenum ius ac potestas exercendi fruendi exequendi institutaomnia quaecunque Christus Ecclesiae suae dedit obseruandae in perpetuum So then euerie parish-preast is a Pope in his parish and haith par plenum ius and whether this aduancement of the Consistories be not more preiudicial to princes then the Conclaue more subiect to mutinies more open to confusion and anarchie I referr my self to learned Hooker 6. I will conclude with D. whiracre and that vvith some admiration he Doth so boldlie affirm a matter so notoriousle vntrew pag. 4. against M. W. Raignolds in his preface The title saith he of supreme head of the Church haith bean misliked by diuers godlie learned men and of right it belongeth to the sonne of god and therfor neuer ded our Church geue that title in such vvords vnto the Prince neither ded the prince euer challeng it I vnderstand not vvhat this meaneth for yf he meane plainlie and withowt aequiuocating then certanlie he abuseth his reader with a fable yf I obiect the statut of 26. H. 8. c. 1. or 35. H. 8. c. 3. I knovv he vvill say it vvas not our Church that gaue that title But Syr that will not serue yow for 1. E. 6. cap. 12. yf anie person after the 5. of March next shall affirm that the king his heyrs or successors kings of this realme is not or ought not to be supream head in earth of the Church of England and Ireland immediatlie vnder God it shall be treason for the third affirmation so hear is the act of your own Church for vvhich Gardiner was sent to the towr and these godlie men sc Gilbie Caluin Knox Luther who so much misliked it in king Henrie had not cawse to like it better 1. Eliz. when it was chainged into supream gouernor for the one had as much powre as the other And surelie D. Whit. rather shifteth of the obiection then answereth it for these godlie he meaneth wear Caluin Gilbie the Lutherans and his ancient frend maister Cartwight who all condemned the vse of that title of supreme head and think yow that he ded hym self like it I imagin that he vvould not othervvis haue mayd so she an euasion for his coÌ„mendation of the men that denied it his own reason deriued from ther vvords that it belonged onelie ond properlie to the sonne of God his fable that neuer ded the Prince Challeng that title show fullie the Doctors mynd that he would not subscribe voluntarilie to that opinion and taik the oath and desyred to euade But vvhat euer his opinion vvas of the matter he commended those that most impugned it Novv to return to the Bushops seing the supremacie and the oath vvas the main and the mean obiected to depriue them vvhich vvas as much impugned by ther ovvn half brethren Lutherans and Caluinists as by the Bushops seing Cartvvright pvas tolerated licensed to preache not restrained nor punished for his opinions and seing so manie and so eminent men concurred vvith the Bushops in that opinion as I haue shovved ther vvas and is some reason to haue expected yf not a more merciefull sentenc yet a more fauourable execution of the sentenc and seing they fovvnd so litl fauor and releaf it doth vvitnes to all posteritie ther exceading patienc to taik vp ther cross and follovv ther maister For not vvithstanding all this aduersitie disgrace vvants and loss of libertie the magistrates never had cavvse to complayne of anie inuectiues or libells No Reueilematin no homelies of sedition wear dispersed no VVyat no Oldcastel appeared in the feald the soldiers and knights of the Rhodes vvear not detected of anie conspiracie the Realme was not disquieted nor embroyled A miraculous patienc by a supernatural grace they ded rather choose to suffer them selfs then the realm should which was a great happienes to England and the like not hard of vpon so great a mutation of state and which was neither to be ascribed to the pollicie and prouidenc of the Chancelor or Secretarie nor anie feare of punishment vvhich might be inflicted vpon the Bushops for they could fall no lower being all readie cast down to the grownd and they that could hope for nothing nead not feare anie thing but reallie and trewlie it was to be imputed to the nature patienc humilitie and obedienc innated in religious and vertuous men who ar trewlie Catholique These vertues and this there patience showeth well the nature of the English
vntfitnes disproportion and inconuenience of that match bothe to her self and the realme but he ded it priuatelie and with discreat circum spection Stubs like a professor of an vnseasoned zeal took the question in hand and as a punishment of his presumption for feited his hand for that being rather published to incense and corrupt the people then to aduise and inform the Quene And tho some of the greatest and vvisest consellors ded earnestlie sollicit and seake to further the match bycause it vvas like both to vnithe the kingdome of france to England and was sure that the possession of the Netherlands wold also be offred vnto theÌ„ by the prince of Oreng and the states whearby England was like to be a most potent Monarchie yet was the whole bodie of the kingdom cast into much distemper onelie which bare conceapts and iealosies Some vpon partialitie and faction some for distrust of the practises of France some for ther own or ther frends sinister ends and ambition as Iam perswaded euen in this case ther ar men posseded with the same diseases and humors And yf I ded not wel know the nature of the multitude a beast of manie heads and mad braynes I should wonder how they durst oppose the desseins of a king of that experienc and iudgment who haith managed this busienes with so great warienes caution and prudence that this great Coniunction can portend no other effect then honor confort and prosperitie He is the sittest to iudg of his own cawse and his own cavvse being the Commonwelths cawse yf anie priuate Man should arrogate to hym self either more vvisedome to controll his proceding or an opinion of more affection to the state or more prouidenc to foresee and preuent daingers therby I see not which waye he can avoyde not to fall into the custodia of the court of wards till he come to hym self again But to leaue this matter as a deliberatiue which requireth a Crassus or Antonius I will come to that which gaue the occasion of this treatise Ther met at a merchants howse in London The occasion of this â—â—ea I se wheare merchants for ther table and hospitalitie beare worthilie the bell aboue all merchants in Europe diuers persons of excellent qualitie met there in a garden before dinner T. Aldreds letter the pamphlet aforesayd and some strainge rumors and seditious practises from Amsterdam being perused examined and discussed A fyne Chaplain to a great person and one of the merchants acquanitance cam into the companie and hearing but a litl of this discourse which at that tyme vvas the subiect of all tabletalk with much The ministers or ation vehemencie he ded affirm this match to be like to bread great incombrance and mischeafe to the kindome bothe ni regard of the encrease 1. Of Catholiques in the Realme and in respect of Spayne which he ignorantlie called an ancient enemie 2. Whearupon he took occasion to rage and raile bitterlie against the church of Roome as the Seminarie of all commotions in Europe and the Contriuer and plotter of all treason in England 3. And bycause he vvould shovv his Rhetorick in the ruff and omit nothing which might exasperate the companie against the Catholicks he alledged in thunder and vehemencie the death of king Edvvard and that sillielie the manie conspiracies against Quene Elizabeth and speciallie that horrible proiect of the Gunpovvder treason by a fevv priuate hotespurres vvhich in iustice is rather to be buried vvith the offendors then obiected and imputed to innocent men vvho generallie vvith great sorrow abhorr the memorie of it 4. Besides he vrged that princes be bothe disquieted and endaingered by the excommunicats ans and bulls of popes by the Catechismes and doctrine of the Iesuits And that the subiects of England ar withdrawen by them from ther obedienc to ther prince and ar so full of treacheries and disloyalte as no nation can be paralleled with them 5. Yow may think also that he forget not to arm hym self vvith the authoritie of D. Murtons censure for vvhich I think he ded not studie much VVe may novv asvvel expect a vvhyte Aethiopian as a loyal subiect of that religion He produced a book entituled A discouerie of Romish doctrine in the case of conspiracie and Treason Whearin the Author playeth his maister prize against the professors of the Catholick religion vvith an Hyperbole of criminal accusations and scandalous imputations able to driue men into dispayre of the kings grace vnto them and to bread in his maiesties Royal hart a diffidenc of them 6. He vrged parson vvhytes vndiscreat vntruth and vncharitabl sentenc that all ther religion is full of doctrine whence procead monsters of Conspiracies against the state and that they teach men to murther the king and blovv vp the parliement And that since Bells tyme ther was never such a raue nous Idol as the preasts and seminaries 7. He ded not omit the like allegation owt of Ormerode the picturemaker who vpon erroneous misconceauing condemned that singuler and renoumed Doctor Allen for affirming that princes might be slayne by ther subiects by the 25. Numeri 8. And so he concluded all with that Rhetoritall sentenc of monsieur Lewes baylie in his book of the practise of Pietie pag. 783. vvhich he produced with such ostentation as if it wear able to cast all the learned societie of the fathers into a fitt of a quartane Iesuits and preasts saith he ar sent to vvithdravv subiects from ther allegiance to mooue inuasion and to kill kingâ— yf they be Saints vvho be Scithians VVho ar Canibals yf they be Catholicks Which conclusion for the art and the witt worthilie deserueth both a praemium and a Plaudue sâ—c pueri crepundia gestant After this delicate oration they went to dinner and presentlie after dinner the minister departed in great haist Therupon all the companie vehementlie desyred one gentlman of ther companie who ded well vnderstand the world and was a freeman not obliged to anie religious orders but as films Ecclesiae to deliuer his opinion of the ministers Inuectiue Which he was at last contented at ther importunitie and for the satisfaction of ther Conscienc to vndertaike and which with his license and information I taik vpon me as his Amanuâ—nâ—â—s and secretarie to set downe and deliuer the same to yow After a long pavvse quoth he lodius The trevv state of the Quâ—stion accusat Machos Catalma Cethegum Is not this ridiculus who can endure to heare a Grace hus complain against sedicion I perceaue by the premisses that the protestants set this down as a Decree against Catholiks and labor to imprint that in the harts of the people as a perpetual scandal and stayne That the Catholik religion and doctrine is daingerous and preiudicial to the safetie of kingdomes and an enemie to Sooueraintie and so they censure it as neither allovvable not tollerable in a vvel gouerned monarchie Now this being a matter of
so great importanc as it is in dead to be esteamed for Querelam Ecclesâ—ae quilibet Catholicus facit suam I will endeauor therfor to fift owt the truthe and vvhat is therin to be holden for an infallible conclusion aswel to instifie them as to resolue my self in that poynte which haith mayd manie good and vertuous men in EnglaÌ„d to stagger much And that I may not wander in my discourse nor leaue yovv in a laborinthe I wil set dovvne the trevv state of the quaestion to be argued as they propownd it 1. First vvhether to be a Catholick vvho professeth devv reuerence to the church of Roome and to be a trevv subiect to his Prince and Contrie be incompatible or no 2. Secondlie yf they be incompatible vvhether that incompatibilitie be generallie in all states or but in some particular states and kingdomes vvhether originallie and euer or but at some tymes onely and Whether simpliciter as malum in se or acciden tally onelie as malum prohibitum vpon consideratio of particuler circumstances and enacted by particular statutes and lawes vpon occasion 3. And Lastlie VVhether I uteranism and Caluinism be not more incompatible with loyaltie more opposite and almost contradictorie and that ab origine ffor the better deciding and manifestation of these high poynts I wil maik my first discourse vpon the last Quaestion and wil examin whether the factions and tumults vvhich haue filled all the kingdomes of Europe with blood and Calamitie these hundred yearres haue sprung from the opinions practises and procurement of the Catholiks as an inseperable propertie alwaies to them or ells rather was this mischeafe and the egg of this Cockatrice layd first at wittenbergh for the which they worthilie of late celebrated ther Iubilee hatched at Smalcald and fostered and Nourished at Geneua And this poynt I will argue not as a deuine for I vvill not arrogate so much to my self but historicallie sincearlie and legallie as one that desyres to defend the loyaltie of religious and innocent men rather then ther opinions and assertions vvhich they can best mantaine them selfs and vvhich so manie ages haue embraced with dew reuerence and that plainlie and vvith integritie and truthe vvhich is euer best graced vvith her ovvn beautie and neads no paynting and coolers In the yeare of our lard 1514. The whole estate of the church enioyed peace and The peace of the Church 1514 ther ancient priuiledges all princes vvith great deuotion vvear nurcing fathers and protectors thereof No storm ded shake it no schisme ded break the vnitie ther vvas harmonie and good correspondenc for matters of religion and faithe betwan the church of Roome and the princes and common welths of all Christendome and till that tyme thorough ovvt all Europe speciallie in England from S. Augustines comming hither this quaestion was never mayd nor proposed either in the schooles or courts of common lavve Anno 1515 Martin Luther an Augustin Luther Friar a man of a turbulent spirit learned and yet no famous Clark vvas the first that broke this long and setled peace vvho hauing interposed hym self in that fatall busienes of the Indulgences sent by Pope Leo the tenth into Germanie not properlie appertainning to hym but as a proctor for the order he begonn first to inuaigh against the iniurie do one to his fraternitie His reuolt against the abuses and couetousnes of the collectors and against ther authoritie which ded nominate them and required such a leuie of mooine in that nature This was a popular and plausible introduction to vvin the vulgar sort vvho can not endure the pressure of extraordinarie contributions and alwaies hate the rapine of such collectors And therfor he quiklie fownd manie fauores but much more when he began to exclaym against the ambition of prelats the riot and disorders of religious men taxing some for tytannie some for auarice some for idlenes and ignoranc and all for corruption and abuses Thus he stood in armes and as a challenger for a fow yearres onelie against the defects of the cleargie and with owt much dainger for diuers good men conceaued at first that he had onelie intended and sought reformation of disorders renouation of discipline punishment of irregularitie and amendement of lyfe And that not with owt somme cawse tho withowt good arder For S. Hildegardis had foretould a storme to the church for ther sinnes Sauonarola a Dominican had wakened Italie vvith prediction of terror friar Thomas of Guien prophecied a vae vae a scourge a desolation to Bourdeaux an inundation of miserie to France and the vvorld So then after that Luther ded fynd populo placere quas fecisset fabulas as noueltie is euer at first wel entertained in the world and that the people applauded his actions and desseins and that manie of the best wits speciallie those that wear bred and framed in Erasmus his school wear inclined to second hym and perceauing also that some of the greatest Princâ—s in Germaine ded geue hym both hearing and harting in his proceadings The vayne glorie thereof raised the ambitious conceipt of hym self manie straynes hygher then he vvas in dead all men encooraging hym who whear ticled with new fancies and conceipts which syde alwaies carrieth most voyces for natures most affected to leuitie and chainge ar best pleased with innouations Therupon as a man sick in his spirits and of a fierie disease he begonn to raue and defame all church gouernement He abondaned his cloyster cast of his habit and renounced all obedienc to his superiors For now he preacheth against the His seditions doctrine vvhole cleargie against the tyrannie and superioritie of the Bushop of Roome whose authoritie in matters ecclesiastical vvas then generallie holden for sacred perswading the people not to render anie obedienc to them The Pope he tearmed Sathanissimum papam messer Asino the Prelates he called blind guides the religious Porcos and candles set vndet a bushel thus seaking non purgare abusus sed tollere ordinem Triticum cum Zizanio euellere studebat And vvhy ded he preach such homelies to the people Bycause so should they sayd he stil liue in darknes and in the shadow of death with owt the light of the gospel and be fed and missed by ignorant guides and drie nurces and stil remain in Aegipt the hovvse of bondage and in the captiuitie of Babilon This Prologue mayd attentiue auditors by a fayre shovve and promise of great matters then he begon the Tragedie acted with incredible sedition and insolencie His whole studie was now to demolish the walls of the church and abolish all ecclesiastical orders and so by participation to shake the verrie foundations of the state In this humor he fed hym self with great hopes to conquer the world with the sword of the spirit and to subdew the Pope whome he was the first that affirmed to be absolutelie Antichrist the man of perdition and insignis praestigiator And the
direct all affayres for in France and England all authoritie depeÌ„ds vpon the kings and yf they wear his consorts they wear not his inferiors What is the state but the authoritie of the Prince who onelie by his letters patents createth the pears disposeth all Offices giveth all honors receaueth all homages as the sole fountain from whenc springeth nobilitie and authoritie and he that either would restraine that sooveraintie or communicate it with others maketh no differenc of the Crovvn of a kinst and the la Beretta of the Duke of Venice Manie such like rules and positions haith he published fitt introduction for Anarchie and mutinies most of them false and all wicked vayles onelie to cover the face and name of treason that it might not appear in his proper and vglie shape I might heare trauel and wearye yow with as Good stuff owt of the book de iure Magistratus a bird of the same nest for if it wear not Bezas as manie think It vvas Ottomans his Camerado But I will leaue them bothe for they touch the string of sooveraintie with too rough a hand nay rather they straine to breack it when they teach so grosse treasons that the states ar aboue the king that the bodie is aboue the head a monstrous doctrine as yf anie man could with iudgment maik a quaestion whether the people should be directed and commanded by the maister or the man by the subiect or the soouerain by the Princ of Condie and the Admiral or by king Charles and king Philip had reason to cut of the head of the iustice of AragoÌ„ and to teach the people what was the trew meaning of nos qui podemos tanto come vos c. All which paradoxes it wear easie to refell but that I haue vndertaken onelie to discouer not to combate and encounter them and bycause they ar learnedlie and religiouslie confuted all readie by Barklaâ—e Bauricau and Blackwood Onelie by the waye I must informe yow that they deal politicklie and conninglie and professe not openlie and bluntlie to haue anie liking to chainge the state and depose or ouerrule kings But artificiallie they manage all First to bread a dislike of Monarchs then to show the inconvenienc to depend vpon the edicts of one man then may they much the better magnifie the authoritie of magistrates by whome they might reforme idolatrie and why the Creatures of a king suppresse the creator of ther power And yet be sure the Consistories and elders muh rule all and be iudges bothe of the cleargie lavves counsell and king They be the Rabbins that owt of ther Sanhedrim must govern both church and kingdome by the Oracles of Geneua I may not forget how vureuerentlie Eusebius Philadelphus Sc. Mr. T. Beza vsed king Charles in his book of Reueille matmattin whear vsuallie he calls the king Tyrant and maiks his Anagramme Chasscur desâ—oyal Read his rymes and scandalous reproches against the Q. moother-Peruse the 40. Articles recorded in that book for the better aduancing of seditious gouernment As art 25. that all cheafs and Generalls must obserue ther ecclesiastical discipline ordayned by the Synodes And art 40. they ar bownd neuer to disarme so long as religion is pursewed persecuted by the king he meaneth So much patienc haue these Saints that seaking to reforme all others can not reforme ther own affections But yf yow peruse the 14. and 15. art yow shall discern the brauerie of ther irregular passions intending therby onelie to ouerthrow the king and the familie of Valoys These wear the holie articles of Bearn 1574. coyned with his stampe and communicated at Millun to all ther Moschees that they might he more stroÌ„glie maik warr as they Sayd against ther enemies till it pleased God to turn the hart of the French tyrant Thus ad gustum populi principatus exigitur At the same tyme was framed and dispersed abroad the lyfe of Katharine de Medicis Francogallia the Toxsan of Massacreurs and the Legent of Lorraine For that honor the howse of Guise haith long had that no man professed hym self an enemie to the church but he was likewise at deadly seud with them Heare I might taik vp and stay yow no longer with the description of ther vertues and loyaltie but that I desyre to present vnto yovv vvhat opinion the graue and learned men of the church of England and others also of gread iudgment haue dad had of these Euangelists of Geneua 1. Doctor Sutclif in his ansvver to a libel supplicatorie p. 194. confesseth that the protestants of the french church taught for 30. yeares violent reformation of religion by the nobilitie people and priuate persoÌ„s 2. And in an other place Beza saith he in his book de iure Magistratus dothe arme the subiects against the Prince and he saith that book overthroweth in effect all the authoritie of Christian kings and Magistrates and for the book of Vindinciae contra tyrannos vvhich manie affirm to be Bezas or Ottomans It geues povver saith he to subiects not onelie to resist but to kill the Prince yf he impugn gods religion 3. The same is also averred by the late Archbush D. Bancroft in his book of the Suruay of discipline a man vvho exactlie had learned examined and obserued ther courses and positions and the great dainger grovving to the state by the ministers either Scotising or Geneuating for so he tearms them And the book of daingerous positions pag. 192. dothe demonstrate also the same To these I may add the iudgment of that famous Lawyer Frances Baldwin vvho had familiarlie conuersed vvith Caluin at Geneua in his book called Responsio altera ad Iohannem Calumum Paris 1562. pag. 74. Mirabar quorsum euaderet inflammatus tuus quidam apostolus Sc. m. Theodore qui cum hic concionaretur suis auditoribus commendabat vehementer extraordinarium illud exemplum Leuitarum sirictis gladijs per casira discurrentium obuios quosque idololatras trucidantium Sed nunc audio te vix contentum esse â—alibus Leuâ—is And pag. 128. I euiora saith he sunt illa cum statuis sepulchris ossibus principum ac martyrum barbarum bellum indictum videmus cum ciuitates occupari fana spoliari audimus c. But what nead I labour to prooue that Beza and his followers haue caused all these vproars and commotions in France when he hym serf Epistola 40. Christophero Thretio confesseth that they must fight it owt Ego quidem pacem nullam nisi debellatis hostibus ausim sperare Yf yow ask who wear these enemies he answers Cacolycorum castra traÌ„s Ligerim sunt Therby he means the Catholiks and the kings armie And a litl before ab eo tempore nostri copiss foelicisâ—ime instauratis Toloâ—anum agrum infestarum Inde ad Rhodanum vsque progresâ—i occupatis aliquot passim oppidis arcibus in quibus praesidium reliquerunt So they spoyled the contrie disturbed the peace surprised the kings townes fortified and oppugned
the church of England and who was chosen to write of this argument by the greatest Statesman of that tyme and he vvrit cum priuilegie and the generall allowanc of the church of England Saith he shall a king be deposed yf he break In his book of ChristiaÌ„ subiection his promise and oath at his coronation in anie of the couenants and poynts he promiseth He answers in the margent the breach of couenants is no depriuation And he geues this reason The people may not break vvith ther Princes tho ther Princes break vvith God And aftervvard Subiects can not depose ther Princes to vvhome they must be subiect for conscienc sake This is a sermon quite contarie to the Aphorisms of Holland and the diuinitie of Rochel and yet it standeth vpon inuincible reason for as yovv may not by Gods lavve depose your prince so yovv ar for bidden to taik armes against hym And vvhy D. Bilson vvil satisfie yovv For saith he he that may fight may bill and vvar against the Prince and murdering the Prince ar of consequenc incuitabl Aftervvard he addeth this to stopp the mouth of such a Polipragmus as called the king raptorem haereticum à suo repellendum The Apostles obeyed the tyrants that commanded all things against religion And in those things vvhich vvear cammanded against God they ded submit them selfs vvith meakenes to endure the Magistrates pleasure but not to Not. obey his vvill Lastlie and most to the purpose he concludeth yf the lavves of the land appoynt the nobles as next to the king to assist hym in doeing right and vvith hold hym from doeing vvrong then ar they licensed by mans lavves to interpose them selfs but in no case to depriue the Prince vvhear the scepter is inherited Novv it is certan that the lavves of the Netherlands geue no such authoritie to the nobles and yf they ded yet in no case to to depriue ther Prince or to abiure ther obedienc and maik that as a bridg to pass ouer to the sooueraintie And bycause some of good accounpt and iudgment haue bean led into that error that the Dukes of Burgondie hold not full power and sooraintie in the Netherlands I will send them to schoole to all lawyers records stories and that which is most infallible to the practise and common lawes of that contrie to Bodin and to that ancient and honorable Counsellor the Lord Chancelor Egerton in his oration for the post nati pag. 71. The Dukes of Burgondie saith he vvear absolute Princes and had soouerain povver in ther contries and king Henry the S. â—ad as absolute sooueraintie vvhen his style vvas Lord of Ireland as vvhen he vas king for the difference of styles marks not the differenc of soouerantie So then to conclude yf this warr begonn for religion vvas against all the rules of religion I may dewlie inferr that as ther vsurpation is withowt warrant either of law or the gospell they continew to hould it withowt conscienc and haue no other title but force and the canon And all forrein soldiers that doe assist them knowing the iniustice of the case and that the warr is so vnlawfull incurr the penaltie of mortal sinn and dainger of damnation and may as iustlie be reprooued as king Iosaphat for helping and assisting Achab. Look to the end for it is certanly fearefull to all those who know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write not thus much as an enemie to the contrie I hould a peareles countie for the goodlie townes welth traffick strenth and fertilitie in so small a circuite nor for anie personall quarrels nor for anie corruption or assentation in regard of the match with Spayne but onelie the truth of the storie the dainger of ther president and the cawse of religion haue induced me for tho I remembred the dislike had of ther manner of gouernment ther dealing with the Quenes officers and of ould how vnkyndlie my lo. Willoughbie had bean hearto fore vsed by them as his Apologie can witnes and of late what complaynts our merchant adventurors in ther books had mayd for ther ill vsage at Mosko and the east Indies by them what contempt they showed when the devvtie of Size Herrings was demanded in his Maiesties right for fishing on the coast of Scotland in presuming to imprison the demander and manie such like matters yet why should these mooue me when the state vvas not mooued And vvhen I saye the state I mean not the people but the king to whome Holland is and was most bovvnd for 2. high and bynding fauores wihch require a reciprocall obligation and thankfullnes on ther part and such as ought to bread in them good blood and ambites and respectfull toungs first in restoring vnto them the keyes that ded open and lock ther provinc not for anie remuneration but restitution of a part of his devv As also for the free permission of ther fishings vpon the Englih coast whearin they haue yearlie employed aboue 30. thowsand persons set to work by it and aboue 4000. Busses Doggerbotes galliots and pinks to ther admirable benefit which is onelie a permission of grace and no priuiledg by law for Grotius may withowt contradiction prooue mare liberum as the kings high waye is for euerie mans walk But he can not prooue that fishings vpon an other Princes coast be permitted to theÌ„ this is a digression to a good end And therfor I will return to the matter THE V. TITLE OF THE TROWBLES IN BOHEMIA AND THE PALATINATE BOhemia Onelie now resteth as a stage The trovvbles and sedition in to present the last Scene of all forren tragedies and tumults for religion and I Bohemia for religion will taik the Palatinate in my vvaye An vnfortunate prouince of late vvhich in a hundred yeares haith chainged religion fiue tymes and never leatned in all that tyme the rules of obedienc Wheareof I nead not maruel when I think of Parreus Cracerus and the schools of the new discipline Parreus in his Comment vpon the 13. Romans teacheth that subditi possunt suos Reges deponere quando degenerant in tyrannos aut suos subditos cogunt ad Idololatriam Scil. Subiects may depriue ther Princes when they degenerate from a royal gouernemeÌ„t and become tyrants of yf they compel ther subiects to Idolatrize And his meaning is yf they establish the Mass and the sacrifice of the Church or anie other religion then Caluinism then eiect excommunicate and cast them owt of all authoritie so terrible a sentenc he giueth both against the Emperor France Italie and Spayn But stay this is but his first peale vvhich he ded ring as the Toxsan the Alarum bell to Bohemia but he addeth an other article as a iust cawse of depriuation Quando pretextu religionis quaerunt propria commoda when vnder pretenc of religion they seak to maik ther own profit Which had bean a lectur not verrie plausible to king Henrie
and testifie From king Edvvard the Confessor Down to king Henry the VIII ther is no man so blind that will affirme ther was anie other religion professed and priuiledged in England but that which was planted heare by Gregorius Magnus who as D. whitacher noteth l. 5. contrae Duraeum pag. 394. ded vs a great benefit and vvhich vve ar euer most grate fullie to remember In all which tyme though the Cleargie mayd Canons by ther own authoritie for ther ovn particuler gouernment yet the kings of this realme ded euer fynt them obedient and readie hymblie and dewtifullie to obey them and to affoord ther best assistance to support the estate Royal euen oft vvhen they weare much troden vpon and heauilie burdened and albeyt sometymes they weare forced to whote contentions for external matters of iurisdiction and ther immunities as the commons and Barons weare yet they neuer passed the rules of order and obedienc nor stirred vp sedition or commotions And who soeuer shall obiect and call in quaestion the opposition of some prelates vnder Henrie the II. King Iohn and Henrie the III. shall neither doe great honor to the kings nor dishonor to the Church-men for ther zealous defenc of ther immunities and perhaps he may reuiue such matters as wear more conuenient to be buried in the records But the first king thar euer gaue effectuallie cawse in this kingdome to trie in the face of the vvorld the admirable patienc Order and loyaltie of the Catholiques was King Henrie the VIII flagelium Dei to the Church of England and yet of ther own religion First by aceusing the Cleargie to be fallen into the danger of a premunire for mantaining Caridnal VVolsies legantine power Secondlie by the statut of Supremacie Thirdlie by the Suppression of Abbeis Which vvear the thre first breaches wherby he threw Dovvn the foundation strenth and glorie of the Church of England The first leuelled the waye for the second and the second enabled hym with power and authoritie to compasse the third The first was a burden the second a bridle and the third a terror By the first he fownd ther weakenes by the second they perceaued his greatnes and by the third he mayd them dispayre of anie recouerie or reparation of ther estate by the first onelie the Cleargie smarted the second laye heauie both vpon the spirituall and temporall by the third the whole realme was again in a sort conquered And all this was doon to be reuenged against the Pope touching his marriage to abandon his iurisdiction and to aduance his ovvn greatenes and royall power that so no man might afterward controll his action or restrain his appetites vvhich lawleslie rainged in hym and prooued verrie inordinate And ther for he bard owt of the realme all forrein power and at home he subdewed them and mayd them of no power Such is the imperious nature of domination in irregular mynds which hauing once broken owt of his circle can not indure limitation and bownds but must and will rainge at libertie in the wide and wild feald of his humors and not being able to geue law to his appetites vvill maik lawes as champions to authorise them and reason as a parasite to glorifie them Now to examin all these thre The first 1. The premunite was a quarrell he ded pick onlie against Cardinal VVoltie and yet afterwards sett vpon the tentors and extended against the vvhole cleargie Which being summoned into the kings bench the kings learned counsell vrged and exaggerated the matter so vehamentlie that in the Conuocation howse they concluded to submit them selfs to his pleasure and to obtain ther pardon and recouer his fauor they wear content to offer and present vnto hym a hundret thowsand pownds wherevpon ther Pardon was signed by the king and confirmed by parliement and by a deuise there they wear also Drawen to acknowledg hym supreme head This vvas a course at that tyme thought neither agreable to Iustice nor honor for Cardinal Wolsie had the kings licens vnder his hand and the great seale of England sor his warrant to vse the legantine power and aftervvard by reason thereof the king hym self employed hym to exercise the same and sit vvith Campegius and examin the matter And yf the diuorce had bean allowed ther should neuer haue bean quaestion mayd of the legantine povvre Touching the Supremacie All the hings 2. The supremacie subiects euer acknovvledged that the crovvn of England quoad temporalia is independant of anie other povver but that great and Transcendent Maiestie vvho proclamed to the vvorld Per me reges regnant that kings knovving vvho vvill taik ther audit may be more carefull to rule vvith Iustice and keape ther accoumpts streight and subiects knovving there tye and vvho layd vpon ther necks this suaue iugum and withowt encroachment may obeye vvith more loyaltie and affection The Question vvhich king Harrie mayd first of all kings in his parliement concerneth his povver and iurisdiction quoad spiritualia And whether that new and highe praerogatiue vvear euer properlie and essentiallie inuested in the crovvn of his realme heartofore or whether it wear the creation of a nevv right by parliement iure Coronae or the establishment of an old And hearupon grovveth an other quaestion novv both in England and other kingdomes so much debated vvhether the Controuersie for Supremacie in spiritualibus be a quaestion onelie proper to Religion and so subiect to the sentenc and censure of the Church onelie as emong the Romans it vvas to the Collegium Augurum and Pontifex Max. or proper to Pollicie and the state onelie and so subiect to the iudgment of lawe or Mixt and a participle vvhear of either of them may hold plea. Of both these I shall haue fitter both Occasion for the matter and Opportunitie for the tyme to declare my poore opinion in my discourses vpon the Ecclesiastical Historie And for the suppression of the Abbies 3. The Supression of Abbies the Cleargie by that fact and the supremacie stood as in captiuitie and at the kings pleasure and mercie ther possessions wear seazed ther goods forfeited ther Churches prophaned and sacked And the augmentation court was erected vpon the spoyles of the Churche and the sale of ther mooueables vestiments challices bells and all for when the king fownd that the Cleargie thorough the humilitie of ther zeale yealded so much vnto hym he never thought he had power sufficient till he had more then enoughe and vpon that aduantage his conscienc being inlarged broke owt of those ancient bownds which the lawes of the Church had prescribed to hym Therfor anno 27. he appointed Cromwel and Doctor Leigh to visite the Abbies and by vertue of the kings commission which had then a chymical powre to maik sacriledge vertue they took owt of the Monasteries ther cheafest Iewels plate and Reliques to the kings vse and dismissed all such religious persons vnder the age of 24. yeares as
desyred to walk at libertie in the wyde world and were wearie of Cloysters and spiritual exercises Anno 28. to loose no tyme all small religious howses of or vnder 200. pownds per annum with all ther lands and haeteditaments of vvhich there vveare 376. wear giuen to the king by parliement and these vvear able to dispend aboue 3200. povvnds per annum of old rents of Assise and the mooueables of these howses being sovvld at vndervalevv amounted to aboue 100. thowsand pownds The religious and ther dependants vvear all voyded and left vnprouided of habitation so as moe then ten thowsand persons weare turned owt of ther own doores to seak ther fortunes Which mooued the common people to much compassion to see them forced to liue by almes vvho by ther bountiefull hospitalitie had releaued so manie Anno 30. Battel Abbie in Sussex Martin in Surrie Stratford in Essex Lewes in Sussex wear suppressed and converted to the kings benefitt and vse for all things wear doon politiquelie and by degrees At last anno 32. and 33. generallie all other monasteries of what valew soever and all the lands of S. Iohns of Hierusalem wear giuen to the king and the corporation of the knights was dissolued and to satisfie them with some contentment they had pensions distributed emong them of 2870. pownds during ther liues So hear was left in England and Ireland no care of the general good of the Church to mantain anie succors assistanc or fortification of Europe against the Turk nor no nurceries of deuotion and prayer again sinn and the deuel And to conclude all Chantries Colledges and Hospitalls for the releafe of the poore vvear offred and bestowed vpon the king and left to his order and disposing anno 37. The valew of all the Church lands in England at that tyme amounted to aboue 320180. pownds 10. per annum wheareof the king took into his own possession and appropriated to the crovvn 161100. per annuÌ„ The which was so great a bootie that an offer was mayd once in the parliement as Howse reporteth in preface to H. 8. to create and mantain with those reuennues fortie Earles 60. Barons 3000. knights and 40. thowsand soldiers and also that so the Commons should never after be charged with anie more subsidies or impositions The like motion and proiect was commended The Cavvses of the Supression and offred at the lay mans parliement in the tyme of king Henrie the fourth by some that loued Wiclef better then the Church and wear better frends to ther lands then to ther Religion but Thomas Arondel Archbushops of Cantorburie ded stowtlie and vertuouslie resist ther motion and preuayled with the king to preuent there platts and the mallice of auarice The Lutherans in England ded reuiue and set on foot again the same motion by ther book called the supplication of Beggars which was opposed by the supplication of Sovvles endited by the vertuous and learned penn of Syr Thomas Moor. yet at last they fownd a patrone an vnworthie Thomas of Cantorburie to geue waye to ther deÌ„uises and to fead the kings humor and so he vvho should haue bean the cheafe protector and intercessor for the Cleargie prooued the Cheafe Cateline that betrayed the Church and conspired ther oppression Add to this the kings own inclination to vayn-glorie which begot his auarice whose prodigal expences could not be mantained vvithovvt such extraordinarie support And think yow that the Lords and courtiers disliked the proposition no they knew what a rich praye it would prooue whearof each man hoped and thirsted to haue a share and speciallie maister Cromwel who knew no better ladder to climbe to greatnes and welth then by an innouation so full of spoyle whearby one might easilie rise by the fall of so manie who being a man of experienc and bred vp in a forge knew the better which way to hammer and frame his busienes in some good forme that the king might vndertaike the action and stand stowtlie to a matter of his domination and profitt knovving well that his conscience was all readie buried in Ann Boolens tomb And tho maik he waye playner and remooue all blocks the thre principall Abbots Glastenburie Reading and Burie thre Barons of the parliement stowt and religious men and likest to crosse and empeach these practises wear executed for denijng the supremacie bothe to discoorage the Bushops from mediating for them and to terrifie the rest of the religious that they might not withstand the king who was now armed with suffieient powre to bring them vpon ther knees all forren intercession being cut of But quo iure quo titulo vvas this suppression The titl of the religious hovvses compassed The Abbies hold these lands in frank Almoine and in see they vvear possessed of them by the donations of Saxon English and Norman kings and subiects continued legallie by prescription established by law and confirmed by the Charters of kings and so they held ther inheritanc and immunities by the same lawes the temporall Lords hold ther Baronnies and the king his reuennues What nead I remember the Charters of the realme the magna charta 9. H. 3. or the confirmation thereof 28. Ed. 1. vvhear it is granted that the Church of England shall be free and haue her liberties inuiolable and cap. 2. iudgment against them shall be held for naught and 4. Bushops wear authorised to excommunicate those that shall seak to vndoe ther charters And 3. E. 1. the Bushops ded accurse those that attempted to spoyle the Church or by force and craft to diminish ther liberties or the charter of the realme and all those that either should maik statutes or obserue them being mayd against the sayd liberties for which is to be noted by one and the same Charter both the Church and all the subiects hold ther liberties so as king H. 8. might as well break the one as vndoe the other and yf the parliement could geue powre to abrogate the one that is a president to dispence with the other But in Peterboâ—ow Ledgerbook yow shall fynd king Iohns grants more at large and fullier then anie printed book setteth down What nead I remember sententia lata super confirmatione cartarum by E. 1. or 42. Ed. 3. cap. 8. yf anie statut be mayd contrarie to magna charta it shall be voyd Or the confirmation of all these 1. 6. 7. 8. of R. 2. and 4. H. 4. Which all wear intended to preuent tyrannie to secure the Church then being visiblie knowen and generallie reuerenced for to no other Church they wear granted nor no other can enioye theÌ„ yf the king so please But to return to the suppression The The surrendors king to maik his title either to be or to appear stronger to which he had no title of hym self but by parliement and hovv farr that powre is extended to geue awaye the lands of a third parson not being hard nor convicted
orderlie for some offences is an other quaestion he procured an act 31. H. 8. vvhearby it is expressed that sinc the former act of 27. H. 8. the religious howses voluntarilie and of ther own good wills and withowt constraint by course of law and vvritings of record vnder ther Couentseals haue giuen and confirmed to the king ther lands howses and right haue forsaken and left them all to the king And to this statut they ar sayd to consent as to an act at ther own suite Whearupon yow shall fynd emong the records of the augmentation court a great Chest full of particular surrendors by the Abbots and Couents vnder ther hands and seales the which yf yow ded see yow will admire the art of the lo. Cromvvel and the obedienc and simplitie of these poor oppressed men And is not this a likelie tale that owt of ther bowntie voluntarilie they would renounce ther liuings and turn beggars in dead to so gracious a Prince it was no maruel I ded once my self vpon Salesburie playne deliuer my purse when I could not keape it and commanded ther humanitie tho I could not praiâ—e ther honestie Now yf yow please to examin and consider Examples of sacriledg vnpartiallie yow will fynd that this great Conquest this augmentation of reuennue and Threasor both by law and religion was a Robberie and pillage of the Church and a sacrilege inexcusable and it vvas not for nothing that Luther sayd inducunt animum ideo Deum dedisse nobis Euangelium eosque ex carcere Pontificio expediuisse vt possint ipsi auaritiae suae litare The which might fitliest be applied to king H. and from the which manie and fearfull examples might haue dissvvaded hym and discooraged his agents and instruments yf God had not hardned ther harts and sealed vp ther eyes and so as few of them prospered to see tertium haeredem beatum Marcus Crassus robbed the temple of Hierusalem and note his end and disiaster Ioseph lib. 18. c. 8. Herod opened king Dauids sepulcher and took the spoyle therof and vvhat miserie afterward ded he fall into Iosephus lib. 16. c. 11. Vrraca went to robb the chappel of S. Isodore in Spayne to defraye the expenc and charge of his vvarres and his guttes burst owt of his bellie in the Churche porche Histoire general of Spayn part 4. Leo the 4. Emperor took a most pretious crown owt of the Church of S. Sophia in Constantinople which was dedicated to it and he dyed of a carbuncle Sigonius l. 1. de regno Ital. Gondericus king of the Vandals when he took Siuil took also the spoyles of the Churches and seazed vpon the riches thereof and to requite hym the Deuel Seazed and posseded hym Tarapâ—a in Honorio VVhat nead I seak moe examples of terror king Hentie is dead they come to late but not to admonishe others What punishment had Iulian the Apostata emong his other sinnes for his Church-robbing at Antioche Tripartite lib. 6. cap. â—1 what misetie fell vpon Heliodorus for the like 2. Macchab. c. 3. To conclude read the historie of Nicephorus Phocas a parallel to Match H. 8. He resumed all Donations granted to Monasteries and Churches and see what afflictions and furies haunted hym euer after and therfor his successor Basilius abrogated that law of Phocas for the suppressing of Monasteries as the roote of all the calamities that happened in that tyme. He is desperate that is not mooued to fear by such examples of terror to tempt God with the like attemps I will not applie these to k. H. 8. tho I might trewlie affirme that wrastling as it vveare with God and his Church not vnlike Herod he liued iealious of his wiues and not confident of his frends his lusts wear mayd his torments and after his diuorce from his first and lawfull wyfe as in reueng of his lasciuiousnes the original of all Englands calamitie no vvyfe could please hym long few of them could get a protection for ther heads and none of them liued secure and ioyefull And which is most to be noted as yf God would show his indignation and with his hand write vpon the wall Mane Thekel Phares as his iudgment against hym all his hopefull and glorious stemm and brainches wear quicklie cutt of withowtanie issevv and that pittiefullie and lamentablie and the crown and scepter vvas translated to an other name and nation quite contrarie to his intention and the proiects both of his vvill and statute And for his actions God suffred hym as a bling man to err in his ends and vvander in his course all this great purchase vvas neither employed to the honor of the realme nor to ease the subiects nor to encrease learning nor to mantaine soldiers and men decayed nor to releaue the poor all vvas vvaisted in tiltings triumphs enriching and pleasing his mistrises and the sollicitors of his lusts Boolein and prodigalitie consumed all and to maik an end he can bragg of no other monument he haith left to record his memorie but the same which he left vvho boasted of burning Dianas temple And touching his agents Wolsie and Cromvvel the maister and the seruant the instruments and moouers of this greate vvheale vvhen they had acted ther parts they vvhear both by hym self cast of the stage vvith contempt and disgrace and not vvithovvt a brand left vpon ther names and families What course vvould the Lutherans in Cermanie the Consistoriand of France or the Puritans of Scotland haue taken yf they had bean plunged into such miseries remember ther actions and ther violenc and iudg of the tree by the fruite and then câ—mparatiuelie look vpon the Image of the trevv Catholick Church and mark the differenc of ther visages and vertues Though these Abbies vvear almost the third part of the realme men of vnderstanding and povver the renennues great ther tennants manie and rich greatlie fauoured of the people for ther hospitalitie and howsekeaping and highlie esteamed both of the nobilitie and gentrie And though also the knights of S Iohns of Hierusalem wear in the same predicament and by ther fraternities might haue procured great trowbles and tumults and the rather by the Popes assistanc and the Emperor yet to show to the world what they wear in ther own likenes and proper coolors and to testifie the patienc of trevv Israelites the obedienc of trevv subiects and the real imitation of ther maister who was apter to shedd his own blood then to reuenge his wrongs they resolued to endure Gods punishment and the kings iniustice and rigor and armed them selfs into the feald vvith teares and prayers and took vp no other weapons nor mayd no insurrections not counterfeiting as Beza in vvords preached patienc but in actions showed furie violence and reueng I vvill add this and so end that by ther suppression to manie wear enriched and the gentrie was encreased yet the rents of lands vveare enhauced enclosures set a foot depopulation generallie mayd
wolfs stomach he ded seak to deuowre that most ancient and honorable Earldome of Oxford In all this glorie he was cut of for his sinnes and arraigned and executed for acting so grosslie the part of a Protector And though he was badd enoug an other succeaded much worse For novv begon the tree of Dudlie to spread owt his brainches vvith glorie vvho could not be except he vvear great novv vvas the tyme for his common vvelth to floorish and bycause he vvould not seam to doe anie thing but by Iustice he begonn 1549. to vvrastl with Sommerset till he gaue hym a fall First he proclamed hym to be a man that subuerted all lavves and that he broke the orders of H. 8. appointed for his sonns good that he keapt a Cabbienet counsell and litl esteamed the aduise of his fellowes that he took vpon hym to be protector expresslie vpon conditions to doe nothing in the kings affayres withovvt consent of the executors And vpon these and such like accusations God stirred one of these reformers to vvrack an other Novv as that shovved his iustice so to seame religious he cavvsed the book of common prayer 1552. to be first published for that religion he knew vvould best serue his turn vvho vvas all readie novv farr engaged in the plat to aduanc his ovvn hovvse by the ruine of his maisters and by that coolor he discerned that he might best vvinn the Duke of suff to hym And bycaus he supposed the Lord Threasorer vvas not vnlike to cross hym he took order at the counsel table vvhear he vsed to leaue his spectacles yf he vvear soodainlie cald for vp to the king to maik the same before his return be so svveatlie anoynted and perfumed that therby he lost his nose and skaped nearlie vvith his lyfe and yet he liued to requite hym and for his better strenth vvhile king Edvvard vvas sick as yf all had bean fixed in a sphear to mooue vvith hym he cavvsed at Durham hovvse his sonn to be married to ladie Iane the Earle of Pembrocks sonn to the ladie Katharin and the Earl of Huntingtons sonn to his ovvn daughter and all vpon one daye all to serue for one end and to maik it impossible for anie to bayt the beare hearafter Then vvas king Edward mayd away by his means and that potticarie who poysond hym for the horror of the offenc and disquietnes of his conscienc drowned hym self and the landres that washed his shirt lost the skinn of her fingers ther be some yet liuing in the court that haue sean weaping eyes for it Yet was all so ouer shadowed with the name of religion that not manie could discern the impietie yf yow would see the oration he mayd to the Lords when he was to depart from the towr to go towards Cambredg and proplayme his daugther in law Quene yow shall see how Raignard had gotten on a minister cloke and mayd that is cawse which he was furthest from Now consider thre things 1. for the men vvear not they both fitt instruments to encrease pietie and vertue and to reforme a Church vvear not rhey like men to haue bean chosen by the spirit of God for so godlie ends and like to be labourers in the haruest of Christ wear ther pietie zeale and charitie such as became them vvell and vvear suitable to reformers to Iosias and Ezechias No nisi hominus edificauerit ciuitatem they labor in vayne he will geue them a fall whear they purposed to taike ther rising 2. For ther ends both of them concurred in chainging religion both of them lost ther heads one of them vvas a butcher to an other and both vnded ther ovvn famililies and hazarded ther frends but for Dudlie as he ded ruine the king so he endaingered the whole realme and yet his end was a demonstration to the world that all his ayme vvas ambition and not religion for either he dyed a Catholick or certanly an Atheist And as his ambition so Sommersets auarice was not withowt his plagues for his weakenes was ouer maistered by a wyfe his eldest sonn was disinherited he executed his own brother he liued to see the loss of bullen the crown and the realm ingaged in debts and vvants confusion and commotions vvithin the realme by ther ill government and contempt withovvt 3. Novv consider te patienc of the Preasts and Prelates vnder these Cormorants they suffred all withowt resisting or rebelling and neuer prouoked the nobilitie to taik armes hauing bean bredd in the school of vertue to bear ther crosses with patienc and to affect rather the glorie of a Martyr then the svvord and fortune of a conqueror And so I leaue them till hearafter TITVLVS TERTIVS THe last and greatest tempest vvhich shaked the verrie fovvndations of the The Q. Elizabeth Church of England and threatned the vtter ruine and subuersion thereof vvas raysed by Quene Elizabeth vvho reuiued the Protectors new religion and reestablished it The vvhich was effected quicklie and quietlie sine sanguine sudore and as M. Camden noteth well Christiano orbe mir ante And surelie it vvas a strainge alteration bycause the Quene during her sisters lyfe daylie hard Masse ad Romanae religionis Camden annales normam saepius confiteretur Which is consonant to the report of Syr Frances Englefeald that the ladie Elizabeth being examined at Hatfeald by Q. Maries commissioners sayd to one of them it is not possible that the Quene vvill be persvvaded Iam a Catholick and therupon she ded sweare and protest that she was a Catholick And it aggreeth well with the Duke of Feria his letter to king Philip yet extant to be seane vvhearin he certified the king that Q. Elizabeth ded profess and assure hym that she beleaued the real presenc and that she vvas not like to maik anie great alteration for the principall poynts of religion I nead not relate the like speaches vsed by her to Monsieur Lansack seing manie honorable persons haue affirmed the same and seing her external profession in publick and her priuate chappell ded testifie that either she was then sincearlie in dead or would be taken then to be a Catholick And that was the cawse which mayd the world maruell more at her great and soodain chainge of religion And the rather bycause at her coronation she vvas orderlie consecrated and anointed at a Masse by the Bushop of Carlisle and she took the oath then to mantain the Church and vphold the liberties thereof as her predecessors had doone Which vvithovvt aequiuocation must neads be intended of that Church then being in esse and whearin she was consecrated and took that oathe and not of the Idea of a new Church a castle in the Ayre to be hearafter erected and fownded by lier authoritie and the Parliement But how euer she was before perswaded she was now altered and became too soodainlie Retrograde and so as in the opinion of manie prudent and great
patients that suffer and beare there crosses either within or vvithowt the realme withowt the realme wear and arr the Seminaries of Preasts religious men and students within the realme ar the Recusants vvho daylie taist of affliction and haue not a light or small burden to beare vvho all suffer for ther conscienc and secundum magis vel minus participate of the miseries incident hear to Catholicks Touching the Seminaries when the ould Cleargie and preasts wear some Languishing The Seminaries in prison some in exile manie dead and all in disfauor the Secretarie and some politcik protestants both hoped and promised that preasts and preasthood would be shortilie worne ovvt and extinguished and in dead abovvt the yeare 1576. there wear not aboue 30. of the old preasts remaining in the realme whearupon D. Allen a man born to doe God seruice and others of the Cleargie owt of ther prouidence and Charitie begonn the Seminaries at Douay 1569. and why To preuent the decaye of religious professors to setl a continuanc and encrease of preasts for the better propagation of religion to preserue a visible and Catholick Church in England and for the instruction and trayning vp of yong schollers in a setled course of studie conference and exercise and so to bread in that nurcerie yong plants continuallie fitt to be drawen owt for employments in England to vvinn sowles to instruct them in cases of conscienc and so spreade abroad ther knowledg and vertues into all ports of the land And that Seminarie vvas not erected against lawe for the statute was mayd long after when they had taken deap roote and then was it too late either to transplant them home or by threats and terror to prohibit ther proceadings But these ar sayd to be schooles and harbours to noorish such men as ar 1. base and fugitiues 2. such as corrupt the land with false doctrine 3. and such as ar ministers of practises to disturb the kingdome to stirr vp rebellion and to with draw the subiects from ther obedienc And ther for the proclamation 1580. and other statutes wear iustlie mayd against them But how doe they answer it In dead it is trew that great Pronotharie and clark of the execution of Iustice obiected so For ther basenes at Douay and S. Omers much against them but for ther basenes I haue obserued well and am assured that at Douay ther be gentleman both in the Colledg and monasterie of as good families as well bred and as learned schollers as I haue knowen in the vniuersities of England whearin I was no strainger I will not compare them for so I might maik them odious nor yet will I detract from the milk of my own nurces but I may trewlie ovowe that they ar so orderlie gouerned as maikes ther demeanor ciuil and supra aetatem religious and deuowt and how can it be otherwise for they spend there tyme most in studie in exercises of learning and in matters of deuotion Neither ar they in such dainger of Debauchment or the infections of disorder for they be strictlie keapt to ther task and rather vvonn then forced to yt and tho they be brideled with a hard bitt it is carried with a gentl hand and greater care is had bycause manie of them ar of eminent families and noble parentage who though they can not dravv ther pettigrees from Lewlin Prince of Wales as the Pronotarie doth yet can they show a discent both ancient and honorable neither yeomen of the wardrobe nor yeomen of the gard And touching ther being fugitiues they answer well for them selfs that they deserue not properlie such a title for they liue not ther as owt lawes but for conscienc sake and to auoyd the rigour of the new lawes opposite to the doctrine of the Churche Secondlie they liue not there for faction 2. Fugitiues or vndewtiefull affection to his maiestie but compelled by extreme necessitie the Catholiks hauing in England no Churches no Catholick seruice no dew administration of the sacraments nor vse of the sacrafice of the alter and so they saye they should liue in England as bodies withowt sowles or sowles withowt food and so either be starued for want thereof or become Apostates from ther religion or liue as Atheists withowt religion Thirdlie yf yovv put vpon them the disgrace full name of fugitiues onelie bycause they doe not accommodate them selfs to your Canons and the iniunctions of the present tyme and therfor depart owt of the realme To let pass Bartie Knolls Hales and others yow must not forget that your great Doctors Iewel Horn Cox Pilkinton Poynet and manie others ded taik the like cours in Quene Maries tyme. And yf these men wear not fugitiues and deserued in your iudgment no disgrace for remaining at Frankfort Strasburgh and speciallie Geneua noted for the Seminarie of all Conspiracies in France how comes it to pass that those at Douay and S. Omers being in the same case ar so hatefullie censured to be fugitiues And yf they wear fugitiues as the lawe also then ded iudg them yow ded so welcome them home with the titles of Lords and Bushops that I perceaue to be a fugitiue of your making is but a verball obiection and not a reall scandall Besides they answer trewlie and reasonablie As they can not remain in England withowt dainger and offenc of lawe so when they come over hither they committ treason and yf they returne a promoter or a purseuant vvill shovv them the waye to Nevvgate except they renounc ther religion vvhich yovv esteame peraduenture but a Peccadilio and that is euident by the statut 25. Elizab. c. 2. wherby yong men that returne not from the Seminaries and abiure not ther religion ar mayd guiltie of treason and they vvho send them releaf and exhibition fall into the dainger of a Premunire what remedie can yow teache vs against this Dilemma Yf they might fynd grace and haue the happienes to be freed from the dainger of these Lawes and vvhich they humblie craue toleration of ther consciences and religion neither Doway nor S. Omers could hould them they would quicklie show ther dewtiefull affection to ther Prince ther naturall loue to ther contrie and for ther parents and kindred from whome they ar separated to ther great discomfort they should playnlie fynd that kyndenes would not creape when it may safelie go 3. They corrupt noâ— the Land Now touching the next poynt whear with they ar charged for corrupting the land with false doctrine First in this accusation as yovv presuppose Caluinism and your religion to be an infallible veritie so the preasts and religious heare ar as confident that it is impietie On both sydes ther ar learned and vertuous men and one will not vayle bonnet to the other how then should the quarrel be decided or shall it remain perpetuall and a skourge to the world The Bushops in the first parliement of the Quene ded vrge and offer
to defend the principles of ther religion by disputation vvhich the protestants would not accept * Camden nisi Baconus in theologicis parum versatus tanquam iudex praesideret and he being a professor of the common lawes vvhy he should be chosen moderator of such a Diuinitie disputation Cambredg can neither geue reason nor president nay rather yf yow ask ther opinion they will answer Spectatum admisi c. for it is a tidiculous Solaecism Since Father Parsons and diuers others haue mayd the same challeng desirous to bring I ruthe to the Tryal and touchstone in solemn and publick manner And let no man obiect the colloquies at Poissy Ratisbon Wormes Altenburg Murbrun c. which wear fruitles bycause formeles they ded not produce the effects expected bycause they erred in ther course of proceading and I confess I vnder stand not the misterie vvhy the protestants in England now draw bach seing Ievvel in the beginning was so forward and mayd so liberal offerts which yf anie would now defend it would quicklie appear which religion weare counterfeit and which currant whether doctrine wear solide and vvhether not speciallie hauing a moderator who could discouer evasions guid the disputers and iudiciouslie determin to whome the prize should be giuen And yf perhaps some would except and alledg the conferenc betwean M. Hart and D. Reignolds betwean Gode and Campion which wear honored and diuulged as triumphes and that these ought to stand as sufficient proofes co convinc the Catholicks yf the truthe so well sifted by disputation may satisfie them and preuayle I answer it is iniquissima conditio for a man armed to sett vpon a prisoner to insult vpon a man weakned with fetters and destitute of books withowt preparation and vvarning and which is worst in the face of a rack and torments whear Campion had bean posed with crewel quaestions before and in a place of no indifferencie whear they may sett down what they list and frame a combate at ther pleasure as Roynolds ded And whear as perhaps for politick cavvses the king and the Lords may dislike anie publick disputation vpon the grownds of religion yet this may well be granted and the french kings president may induce it The preasts and fathers offer to prooue that Iewel the mainster Carpenter of that Apologie of the Churche of England that Luther Caluin Melancthon and the later Doctors Colonells of the new plantation haue overcrowed and born down the Catholicks for opinion of truthe sinceritie and learning onely by false quotations corruptions falsifications misrecitalls and that both of scriptures and fathers both of the text and the gloss And this they humblie pray and hope that his Maiestie in his own tyme vvould be pleased to grant bycause these be heynous offences and the temple of veritie can not be builded vpon error and false grownds and bycause illusions and forgeries be stratagemata satanae that at least he would permitt the triall of that iust accusation and so afthervvard esteam of ther integritie as they shall acquite them selfs Concerning the third poynt that the 3. Preasts ar no practisers Seminaries bread such preasts as ar ministers of practises and stirr the people to rebellion as they ar charged both by the book of execution of iustice and by the proclamation 1580. whearin particularly they ar accused to haue bean priuie and accessarie to the counsells and proiects of the king of Spayne the Pope and others who intended and combined at that tyme to invade England to depose the Quene and subdevv the realme I must freelie answer that iealousie is trewlie described to be full of eyes and yet all pur-blind fearefull of her own shadowe euer in motu trepidationis and contrarie to the motions of other starres And tho they vvear great statesmen ye with all ther Opticks they could not foresee the great daingers like to fall vpon them till they wear at ther doors And hauing by error drawen and prouoked them yet took they the course rather to continew the flame then quench the fyre to encreas the mallice then preuent the mischeaf For first yf anie such confaederation had bean which never yet could be discouered nor was recorded in anie historie was it probable that so great and so wise Princes would acquaint the poor speculatiue preasts at Reams or Douay or the fathers of the societie with ther plats and intentions is it credible that they would manage matters of state so vveakelie yea but these Princes purposed by the meanes of the preasts and religious to prepare a partie assistant in England how by reconciling the people to the Pope that they might ioyne vvith hym and the king of Spaynes armie One error begets an other for preast doe not reconcile men to the Pope but to God and his Churche 1. And yet surelie it was a miracle that emong so manie preasts and in so long tyme and when Spies and intelligencers wear employed and rewarded neither anie such preast could be nominated who was then or after so corrupted or induced by these great Princes nor anie was afterward apprehended or discouered for anie such trespasse and which is most to be marked not anie subiect was called in quaestion or accused for entertaining anie preasts to that end then how phantastical was this feare what an imagination of Chimeraes and terrors most iniurious to touch the reputation of all the English preasts in generall and by statuts and proclamations to call ther names and ther liues in quaestion and to haue no su sufficient vvitnesses to accuse them no euidenc against them nothing but presumptions and probabilities to attaint them of treason the lyfe and honor of subiects wear wont to be esteamed more pretious and the function of preasts more reuerenced 2. I may also add this that when the king of Spaynes armado was vnder sayle towards England not a preast nor Seminarie man was fownd in it And though in the proclamation they wear traduced to be men suborned for preparation and making the way leuel for ther better landing yet hovv vvell they prepared it appeareth by this that neither preast nor Catholick vvear apprehended and attainted for anie such offenc as is afore sayd 3. Besides hovv litl affianc the king of Spayn had in the English preasts and Catholicks of that tyme was demonstrated by this that all the religious English at Valladolid and Burgos 1589. wear fettered and committed close prisoners when the armie of England assaulted Lisbone and invaded Portingal Furthermore in all the actuall treasons and conspiracies supposed to be mayd against Q. Elizabeth ther was never preast or monk or friar touched or taynted for anie of them For certanlie the holie altars of God will not suffer nor indure so vngodlie machinations and cloysters bread better humors eleuate ther sowles from the world they think not of Princes but in ther prayers and venite ad iudiciū sownding ever in ther eares requires a continual preparate in
the exposition of a statut that yf the preambl showeth anie dowbt to be before either in common law or some statut and afterward doth enact that thus it shall be in that case it must be taken that the lavve doubted of vvas so before For ab expositors of dowbts they would not ordaine it otherwise then the law was Now it appeareth by that statute scilicet by the common lawes of England and by I. Stanford in the pleas of the crown 1. that Treason must ever be an action not an opinion nor a profession for a man can not properlie be called Traytor till he committ an act that geues hym iusthe that denomination For Oldcastel vvas condemned a Traytor for his act in one court an heretick for his opinion in an other court and so wear Cranmor and Ridlie for ther actions 2. yt must be the act of a subiect against his soouerain Now what hurt had euer king H. 7. or his progenitors by anie subiect who was a preast sayd mass c. or can yovv show that anie real treason by preasts was committed or intended against the late Quene ded they euer procure sedition or stirr rebellion actuallie 3. and that was neadful to be prooued for Treason must be for offences in the highest degree bycause the punishment extends it self to all his posteritie that offends so to the ruine of his familie and to terrifie others 3. So then by the common lawes it is not treason But D. H. elench was quatenus he is a preast he is not a traytor but quatenus he doth the office of a preast in England Subtilissima subtilitas and yet bycaus false it preuails not For the function it self is mayd treason and therfor the act looketh back to 1. Eliz. to maik all preasts traytors that had ther orders sinc that tyme. 4. Besides by the prouiso of the act 25. and 27. Eliz. yf anie preasts committed shall submitt them selfs to the Quenes lawes and taik the oath they shall be freed from the penaltie of this act and so they shall not be iudged traytors yf they renounc ther religion as Bell Io. Nicholls and others ded wherby it is playn they ar not traytors simpliciter but secundum quid not for fact but opinion and to be enlarged vpon condition and seing it is in ther powre to maik them self in instanti no traytors It appeareth ther offenc is not properlie treason for yf it vvear so by 25. E. 3. ther acknowledgment onelie and conformitie and repentanc neither could not would haue discharged them from the Iustice of the law 5. Exampls wil maik the case playner Wilm Anderson a Seminarie Preast vvas executed 45. Eliz. for being in England contrarie to the statut so was M. Barckvvorth anno 1600. that vvas ther treason Tho. Pormort 35. Eliz. was attainded for being a preast residing in England and reconciling and Barvvis vvas executed for being reconciled that vvas ther treason both spiritual matters yovv may as vvell call Mithridate poyson black whyte vertue vice as to call religion treason but the lavv haith so called it A nevv name alters not the operation of an old vertue the cavvs of the death maiks the martyrdome not the name And surelie this act of generall diffidenc encreased more discontent But vvhat ded force the state to vse such violent and extraordinarie remedies vvhat ded bread such intricate trovvbles the extraordinary chaing of religion ded cast them into this laborinth bred these discontents procured all these enemies and forced the counsellors so to punish preasts 2. as Camden noteth the opinion of the Quenes illegitimation abroad 3. the iealouslie had of the Quene of Scots whome they dowbted most for her religion allianc in France fauor of the Pope and her proximitie and near kynred to the crown 4. the bull of PIVS V. And 5. the dowbt of the howse of Guise in the behalf of ther neace and 6. lastlie the offenc of the k. of Spayn for ayding Oreng and intercepting his moonie these wear the cawses that induced the State to prepare arme and vse means to preuent all mallice and mischeafe And knowing how strong a wall England haith for her protection and yet vvith in them selfs what a partie religion had both in E. and Ireland and no men wear so like as preasts to stirr vp all the humors in the bodie of the realmes therfor to keap then owt to expell them and to curb them yf they came in tey wear driuen to vse this pollicie to maik yt treason to be a preast or to mantain a preast And as this was mayd law by that glorious Prince who neaded such a deuise so it may be abrogated by hym that neadeth it not It remaineth that I shovv yovv vvhat Recusants men these Recusants arr vvho suffer in England and hovv they haue bean put to the triall of ther vertue The Recusants ar such as by the nevv lawes ar men marked owt that refuse for ther conscience to frequent the ordinarie prayers sermons and communion appointed by the Church of England this is all ther offenc and the sole trevv cawse they the lavv doth take notice of them and that fault bycause it showeth onelie that they ar not conformable to the Quenes iniunctions and the Canons of that Church and doth not conuinc them of anie disloyall affection to the Quene and the state ther for they ar subiect to a pecuniarie mulct vvhich the Scots men name verrie properlie and significantlie Saule moonie They haue allvvaies bean and yet arr persons of good qualitie manie of noble parentage most of vnder standing fevv of the meaner sort and all men of vertue and pietie vvho haue learned vvhat accoumpt is to be mayd of conscience And of this sort of subiects diuers haue bean euer since the first alteration It vvas an information of more mallice then truth by that profownd Casuist and Reporter of the lavves that from 1º Elizab. No person ded refuse to come to the Church to publick and vsuall prayers till the bull of Pius 5. vvas published As yf that bull had bean the sole meane to induce recusants to disobey the Quenes lavves and so to maik disloyaltie and disobedience the Original of recusancie I knovv he could not be ignorant that all puritans refused to come to Church or to communicate and wear best content to walk in the Church till sermon begonn so much they ded dislike the liturgie of England Besides he forgot hovv manie Bushops and preasts wear then knowen and professed recusants and how manie noble men and gentlmen of accoumpt ded forbeare to show them selfs members of that Church I maruel hovv he could conceaue that onelie Leuites and Prelates wear left to pray and serue God for a people who showed no religion nor constancie to wards Gods worship in tenn yeares No Sr England had manie worthie men at that tyme vvho never bowed ther knee to Nabugodonosors statua as Lanhearn Grafton Dinglie
Ashbie and manie other places can witnes and the author of the execution of Iustice giueth better testimonie thereof and vseth it as an argument of the Quenes rare clemencie and her confidence of ther loyaltie further more yf yow look curiouslie and iudiciouslie into it that bull ded not concern ther going to the Church and seruing God but touching the Quenes being lawfull Quene and seruing her after the excommunications Now How these noble gentlmen and others succeading wear vsed and oppressed to what reproaches they wear subiect by the basest skoome of men it is a lamentable storie and would mooue a hart of flint It was not affliction enough to authorise purseuants to search ther howses and Promoters to informe against them but they must also haue a Felton surue yor of ther lands and estates What losses ded they sustain by the leases of the third part of ther lands what loss of goods by rapine what spoyle of woods what bribes wear they forced to geue gratiam emendicando I nead not repeat them I haue sean some part of the proceading For ther committing to Wâ—sbich Banhurie Elie the Fleat York or Ludlovv though they ded suffer ther restraint patientlie yet I must neads pittie them bycause ther they lost ther libertie hazarded health wear forced to neglect ther state vvear detained from ther wiues and children and mayd subiect to the contempt of the world And touching ther being Disarmed yt was more disgrace then loss it prooued they wear distrusted which was a course rather to prouoke then reclayme them But for ther twentie povvnds a month payd into the excheckor that ded lie heauie and mayd the meaner sort grone though I know by the lo B. the rigor and extremitie was a litl qualified Compare these with the Puritans recusants who will beare no such burdens yow shall fynd in the Catholicks more vertue and less insolencie more humilitie and less dainger to the state Compare them with the recusants of France and yow will think our geÌ„tlmen preasts and ther ministers Capitains our Catholicks vnwilling to offend theyrs vnwilling to obeye they defend ther faith with ther swords and resist the magistrate ours endure and sâ—io cui credidi is ther comfort and bycause they haue no Bezaes no Knoxes no Synodes no boutefeus they can not shovv yow a Mountauban or a Mountpellier nor anie other place of assuranc and retrayt but the Fleat or the Gatehows And yet neither in these plotts and treasons supposed to haue bean against her person in Quene Elizabeths tyme nor in that inuincâ—bl armado 1588. nor in that inuisible armie the skarcrowe of London 1599. nor in the vvarrs of Ireland whearin the Quene required ayd of her subiects no men ded shovv them selfs more forward to doe her maiestie seruice nor performed more readilie and franklie what was imposed vpon them nor behaued them selfs vvith more devvtie and less dainger The reason is playne they that refuse to go to Protestant Churches in respect of ther conscienc vvill far more refuse for conscience sake to committ treason a sinn of so highe degree and surelie they that regard so litl ther own bodies for safetie and saluation of ther sowles will never attempt or consent to anie desperate act against the kings person or the state of ther contrie and by such greauous and crijng sinnes hazard the destruction of both bodie and sowle Now yf yow will compare the greauances The Inquisition of Recusants Preasts and Catholicks in England vvith the Inquisition of Flanders one of the long cawses of that warr yow shall fynd heare moe burdens and theirs not heauier It is a rule taught commonlie but learned of fevv quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris The protestants of E. condemned the name of Inquisition in Flanders bycause ther brethren groned vnder that burden and yet a more greauous load being imposed vpon ther contriemen frends and kinsmen at home they taik no remorse no compassion ther for I will set before yow a glass which shall trewlie represent vnto yow the face form and differenc of ther punishments Charles the 5. at Worms 1521. decreed against Luther onelie Exile and Fyre for his books Anno 1526. at Machlin he set dovvn this penaltie against Hereticks or those that disputed of controuerses of religion or that keapt books prohibited for the first offenc 40. shillings for the second 4. povvnds and for the third 8. povvnds and perpetual banishment as a proper remedie to remooue them from infecting others Anno 1529. yf at a tyme limited they ded not repent ther errors nor disclayme then he adiudged Viris ignem mulieribus fossam as the Canons ancientlie prescribed and as Calum hym self vsed Seruetus Anno 1531. he confirmed the former acts adding that these who keapt such books and defaced and puld downe images male animo should loose ther goods and yet he vsed some limitation and for heresie yf he vvear worth 6. l. and be conuicted of it the delinquent should pay 3. And to avoyd all quaestions 1555. he interpreted and explayned hym self for the penaltie of thes lawes with the aduise of Viglius to taik avvay all occasions that might hinder traffick he limited that the penaltie against those that vvear receauors or abettors of such men should not extende to inkeapers victuallers marchants or mariners and yf the accusors ded slander anie iniuriouslie they should be punished for example sake this though it wear generallie enacted yet it was both intended and accordinglie more seuearly executed against Anabaptists and Libertines the greatest plages of a state After ward king Philip 1555. set down instructions rules and orders direct this court properlie erected for heresie and to preuent secret conuenticles the moothers of sedition and these regia mandata exquisitorum I refer yow to see in the storie of Vander Hare Whearin the king addeth no new amerciements nor deuiseth anie new seueritie for as he answered Montigny he purposed not to bring in the Inquisition of Spayne but to reuiue his fathers lawes nor to create anie new offences but such as wear of old censured for offences both in the Churche and state And yet this proceading ded work ill effects bred in the Catholicks a commiseration of ther contriemen and a greater obstinacie in the protestants Now look vpon E. match and compare The lavves of England against Catholicks them together and yow will fynd the penalties far moe and more seuear To acknowledg the Popes suprematie in spiritualibus is Treason To be reconciled is Treason To refuse the oath of supremacie is for the first offenc premunire for the second Treason For preasts to come over into E. is Treason 1585. or yf they stay in E. 40. dayes after the parliement or yf they wear mayd preasts sinc 1. Elizab. To harbour a preasts is fellonie Yf yong students continue beyond the seas and return not and abiure ther religion and show them selfs conformable it is
video mulcos Euangelicos nullos aut paucos Circumspice mihi populumisium euangelicum obserua num minus illâ—â— indulgeatur luxâ—i libidini pecuniae quâ—m facium illi quos detestamins profer mihi quem isâ—ud Euangelium ex comessatore sobrium ex impudiâ—o reddiderunt verecundum Ego tibi ostcndam qui facti sunt seipsis deteriores Quis vnquam vidit in eorum concionibus quemquam fundentem lachrimas aut ingemiscentem And Luther in self confesseth as much in postil Super 1. Dominic Aduentus pag. 623. Mundus fit quotidie deterior sunt nunc homines magis vindictae cupidi magis auari magis immodesti mdicisplinati multoque deteriores quam suerunt in papatu Aurifaber pronounceth from Luthers mouth that post reuelatum Euangelium virtus est occisa deuotio pulsa c. And Caluin complayneth that omnes fere ad corruptelas degenerant and Smidelin saith vt totus mundâ—s agnoscat eos non esse papistas nec bonis oâ—eribus â—uâ—â—quam sidere illorum operum nullum exercent penitus I will conclude with Bucers testimonie l. 1. c. 4. de regno Christi Maxima corum pars visa est id tatum ex Euangelto Christipetâ—â—sse vt iugum qualiscunque disciplinae penitentiae religionis quae in papatu reliqua fuit abijcereÌ„t proque carnis suae arbitrio ac libidme instuuereÌ„t omnia Nec pauci eorum qualem cunque euangel â—predicationeÌ„ eo tantum receperuÌ„t vt in opes muadereÌ„t Ecclesiastiâ—as Yf yow desyre to know the most probable cawse of this confusion sinn and impietie Luther hym self hauing set open the port of libertie and broken down the hedges of order and discipline could not so easilie shut it again nor geue lawes to them that come in When a multitud haith learned the way of pleasur yow can hardlie restrain them yow bet them from confession to preasts from pennance from fasting and aduanced the reputation of sola fidâ—s as a medecin for all diseases by so manie nevv quaestions of faith they haue buried charitie and by ther disputes of religion they haue frozen vp all deuotion and reuerenc of pietie So hauing showed yow how well and 2. His reformation and deâ—ection of Antichrist effectuallic Elias haith restored and reformed all things let vs examin hovv vvel he haith detected Antichrist and hovv like a Prophet or whether he haith not mistaken hym self like a head trowbled vvith vertigo and giddienes First consider well how wear to knovv Antichrist and what characters and marks the holie ghost haith set dovvn that the Church might not err in so vveightie a matter 1. his title is the man of sinn and sonn of perdition 2. an aduersarie to Christ 3. extolled aboue all that is called God or vvorshipped as God so that he sitteth in templo Dei as yf he wear God 5. his comming is in all povver lijng signes and vvonders 6. he must be reuealed before the reuolt 2. Thessal c. 2. 7. and S. Iohn 1. Ep. c. 2. v. 22. addeth this he is a lyer that denieth Iesus is not Christ this is Antichrist vvhich denieth the father and the sonn 8. and as Daniel described hym so Apocal. c. 13. § 1. he must haue vpon his dead the names of blasphemie and § 7. a powr to maik batl vvith the Saincts he must haue horns like the lamb but the mouth of the dragon and c. 19. the beast and vvith hym the fals prophet vvho seduced them that took the character of the beast these two vvear cast aliue into the pit of fyre and brinstone Novv examin vvho doth bear these badges and to vvhome ar they most proper The infallibl and certan mark is to be opposite fullie to Christ ex diametro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most contrarie more then a diuersitie or difference king of a kingdom opposite to Christs a prophet and lavv maker opposite to Christs an enemie both to his preasthood to his testament to his royaltie to his name Iesus and to the sonn of the liuing of God And one that striueth vvith Christ both vter esset and vter imperaret and so persequutes his saincts and servants It is not vice not superstition not a false vvorship of God nor errors of opinion that must reare vp the vvalls of this Babilon it must be kingdom against kingdom and crown against crown and contain and express the full povver pride and mallice of satan Whether then can this be trewlie and properlie applied to the Pope No in dead and I will show my reason 1. Luther contra Anabaptistas Ego dico sub Papatu esse verum Cristianismum imo nucleum Christianismi multos pios Fatemur apud Papistas Ecclesiam quia habet baptismum absolutionem textum Euangelij c. in 1. Galat. ibi verum concionandi munus verus Catechismus vt sunt oratio dominica deceÌ„ paaecepta fidei artic And whitacre saith haec ad nos ab illis deuenerunt Iunius confesseth in fundamento essentiali conuenimus controuers l. 3. c. 19. Inuito satana tenuit Ecclesia illa precipua fidei fuÌ„dameÌ„ta saith Zanchius Sarauia de gradibus minist p. 30. saith Ecclesia Romana Ecclesia est ipsa est mater nostram qua per quam Deus nos regenerauit And manet ibi ordinatio vocatio ministerium verbi And ther is reason for to acknowledg it bycaus otherwise the ministers haue no calling nor can prooue it and yf she be the moother Church and filia deuorabit matrem no ther is in that Church yet remaining verus baptismus verum Sacramentum verae claues ad remissionem peccatorum The Bushop of Elie cals it membrum sed non sanum and Caluin acknowledgeth as much but cals it Ecclesiam semirutam deformen and yet Ecclesias Christi Resp ad Sadoletum And l. 4. c. 2. § 11. Instit. foedus Dei apud eos inuiolabile permansit And vvhitacre saith est apud illos quoddam ministerium aliqua verbi praedicatio quae valet nonnullis ad salutem sine dubio Lay these together and put them into the ballance The Church of Room by the confession of ther cheaf aduersaries holdeth entirelie baptisme the Lords prayer the ten commandements absolution foedus Dei the ark of couenant both the testaments the thre Creads the fovvr first general counsels the fowndations of faith ordination vocation and the preaching of the word Nay I will add one no small piller they teach and mantain the trew doctrine of the blessed Trinitie which no protestant Church doth hould inuiolatelie but onelie the Church of England then vnder whose banner doe they fight vnder whome is the Pope Vicarius at vvhose alter and to whome doe they offer sacrifice yf to God to Christ his sonn and ther redeamor then surelie vve must look for an other Antichrist he is not heart to be fownd wresting of words and straining of some texts of the Apocalips vvill not serue your turn Luther at first denied the Apocalips
Smith and it vvas mayd according to the liturgie of the straingers of Frankfort 1544. all of them of Bucers stamp and not much varijng from that in king Edvvards tyme. The which Parr Russel Grey of Pytgo and Cicil approoued but all those of Geneua vtterlie disliked not knowing the Quenes reasons nor regarding them 8. Lastlie the instrumentall cawses and cheafe artificers for building this new work wear choyce men all bothe for experience and pollicie Syr William Cicill mayd second Secretarie in king Eduuards dayes in an age whearin a man might learne more conning them vertue a wise man for practise and one that knevv well how much this alteration would serue his turn and raise his fortune and at that tyme he vvas hongrie hauing onelie the personage of VVimblton and certan lands abowt Stamford as appeared by his letter to the lord Marques 1560. vvhen Syr Robert Cicil vvas borne desiring the lord Threasorers furtherano that the Quene would grant hym some means and maintenanc for these two C. C. solike to be famous in England herafter Syr Nicholas Bacon was an others his brother in lawe a man of Deap iudgment of more knowledg in the lawes and a more plausible Orator I may not forget the Lord Robert who solelie to posses the Quenes fauor by a trick discarded Syr Williā Pickering then a fauorite and a courtlie gentlman neither can I omitt Seigneur Nicholas Throgmorton S. Tho. Smith and manie others who wear now in hope to fynd that which they had long gaped for such offices and preferments as they wear like to loose who held them in Quene Maries tyme. Better Enginers and fitter men could neither haue bean wished nor fuwnd then all these wear to vndermine and cast downe the Cleargie and the old Church governement vvho possessing vvholie the eare and grace of the Quene satt vvith command at the stearne and as pylots of great estimation guided the course both of the Church and commonwelth at ther pleasure thoughe manie men vvondered how maister secretarie could so soone forget his beads and his breuiarie whearwith he counterfeited a Catholick and vvonn Cardinal Pool to stand firmelie his frend Notwithstanding all this choyce of men and preparation of meanes ther courses and cownsells gaue occasion of more trowbles continual feares and greater hazards and daingers to the Quene the realme in all her tyme then ever anie architects of innouation committed And no maruel for ludit in humanis diuina potentia God doth skorn and frustrate the pollicies and shifts of men that haue nothing els to trust to but shifts and he vvill euer teach the wisest to see ther follies and a litl to humble them those that ar most prouident shall by ther errors learn that plus est in arte quam in artifice For now the Quene by this act of Innouation left destitute of all her allies and confaederates vvas driuen to stand vpon her own gard and lie open to all stormes hauing France an enemie and Spayne a frend skarse contented and so was driuen euen at first to ronne vpon a rock forced to assist the rebells in Scotland against ther Soouerain and to send them ayd to expell the french employed ther for ther Quenes seruice It may de yow think this a trifle mark the rest To succor the Admirall and rebells in France she Inuaded Normandie and took possession of Nevvhauen and Deape deliuered to her by the Vidame of Chartres was this a glorie the disgrace in loosing and ill defending Newhauen was a greater bleamish to them then it was honor to haue them yealded and offred to the Quenes disposing and speciallie seing they might therby either haue brought Callice home againe or haue locked vp the gates of Roan and Paris And they ded neither but bring home the great plague as a scourge to the realme for that offence furthermore for the securitie of the realme and to diuert all warres from home they wear driuen not withowt touch of the Quenes honor to kindl the fyre in all other adiacent nations and then to publish a declaration and reason of ther actions as yf the world could not read the trew cavvses of actions vvithovvt the spectacles of those ancient Senators Whearupon they ded ayd the Princes of Orenge against king Philip vnder pretenc of amitie and league vvith the howse of Burgondie and the kings of England which was a litl to grosse for so excellent vvitts considering that the amitie vvas contracted with no subiects nor states but betwean the kings of E. and the Dukes of Burgondie wheareof the states had the benefit and wear partakers but not authors comprehended in the treaties but not treators fayre coolors for fovvle errors And why for so she gaue a president against her self that forrein Princes might be vvarranted by her example to inuade her ovvn kingdomes to releaue her subiects yf they should rise for religion and to learn the waye to Ireland and requite her And the showe of Religion serued them fitlie for there purpose But surelie I haue hard verrie wise men much condemn the course Bor though England ded assist there neighbors on all sides vpon the reason of state which Polibius prescribed Vicininimium crescentis potentia maturè quacunque ex causa deprimenda which is an axiome that is oft inconuenient and ofter iniurious and sometymes pernicious Yet the counsell of Thucidides vvas more proper and safer Nullus princeps à suis subditis iuste puniendis arcendus est qui id facit parem in se legem statuit ne suos ipse puniat delinquentes And heare I must commend hym to haue said this vviselie who saith all things wittielie The vvisidome of the latter tymes in princes fayres is rather in fine deliueries and shifting of damgers vvhen they ar near then solid and grovvnded courses to keap them aloaf The grownd of all these trowbles vvas the pretenc of Sinon Viz. Actum esse de ea si pontificiam authoritatem in quacumque re agnosceret as Camden saith the Quene vvear vndoone yf she acknowledged the Popes authoritie Mark his reason duos namque pontifices matrem illegitimè nuptam pronunciasse and by that argument he suggested that it was best to alter religion inuest her self in the sooueraintie and banish the Popes bulls from grasing in this kingdome and all obedienc to that sea This was a course neither at home nor abroad to keap daingers aloofe and vndowbtedlie yf Henrie the 2. or Frances the 2. of France had liued that error was like to haue wrapped the realme into ineuitable perills and might by all probabilitie haue serued as a bridg to haue let the Quene of Scots passe over into England vnder her own title and the banner of the Church solliciting for her better warrant the renewing of the bulls of Clement the 7. and Paulus 4. against her moothers marriage and her own illegitimation and the rather this might haue bean doon by the error of them that
left open the port of aduantage hauing not repealed in England the act of her illigitimation as Quene Maries counsell wiselie had doone before But now at lenth to returne to the matters proper and pertinent to the quaestion Iam to handle The Quene before her coronation put all the bushops to silence and commanded they should not preache and after the parliement all those that refused the oath being called before the Quenes commissioners wear depriued from all honors liuings or employmeÌ„t either in the church or common welth and wear also committed to prison and so both lost ther liberties and liuing together Dignities they could not loose as appeared by B. Bonners case whome they could not degrade from the Dignitie of a Bushop though he ded loose London There vvear in all 14. Bushops most vertuous and learned prelates of England and 10. of Ireland deposed 12. Deanes 15. maisters of Colledges 6. Abbots 12. Archdeacons 160. preasts together with maister Shellie Prior of S. Iohns of Hierusalem Now touching ther Demeanor and the course of ther proceading before ther Depriuation These Bâ—shops sitting in Parliement at Quene Maries Deathe acknowledged by diuers proclamations Quene Elizabeths title and right to the Crowne And the Archbushop of york D. Heath then Chancellor of England calling together the nobilitie and commons assembled in both howses by a graue oration exhorted them to accept and obey Quene Elizabeth and by the best course he could endeauoured to dispose and setl the harts of subiects to loue and serue her And all the Bushops ioyntlie ded ther homage and fealtie to her Maiestie in dewtifull manner And although they vvear not ignoranc of her determination to alter the course of religion yet ded they neuer practise neither Scotising nor Geneuating nor neuer incensed the people and Catholiks against her nor attempted anie violent resistance nor sought the support of forrein Princes whome they knew at that tyme readie vpon so fayre pretence to haue ayded them but they ded so respect fullie tender both the Quenes safetie and the peace of the realme more then ther own liues liberties or liuings that though diuers emong them mayd a quaestion yf it wear not most conuenient for the good of the Churche to procead to excommunication against her to vvhich her case laye verrie open and subiect yet the most voyces disswaded that course least yf they should vse the sentenc and censures of the church against her the people might be induced to taik armes for the protection of religion and therfor they ded aduise rather to referr it to the popes determination and pleasure then to talk vpon them to doe yt them selfs though they thought they might lavvfullie doe yt as the case then ded stand Ther was also an other secret frend that ded much fortifie the state of the Quene King Philip knowing all the platts of France and ther secret intentions and vvat motions they mayd at Roome and vpon what tearmes they ded stand to offend England albeyt he had buried all offences at the treatie of Cambray yet loath to see France growe so great as to haue footing in England and as loath that Religion should loose her howld and honor there though he ded wish the end he ded not like the meanes and therfor he employed his ministers in England to doe good offices betwean the Quene and the Cleargie But Alas what became of all these graue prelates Trewlie nothwithstanding all ther publick disgraces and priuate sufferings they ded rather choose a Durate then an Armate and euer professed and well performed Preces Lachrimae arm a nostra Obserue how long and how heauilie ther burden lay vpon them D. Scott Bushop of Chester dyed at Loouain in exile Goldvvel of Asaph at Roome Pate of vvorcester subscribed at the counsell of Trent for the Cleargie of England and never returned D. Oglethorp of Carlile dyed soodainlie and shortlie after his depriuation and so ded learned and famous Tonstal die a personner at Lambeth Bourn of wells was prisonner to Carie deane of the Chappel Thirlebie of Elie first vvas committed to the towre and afterward he and secretarie Boxal vvear sent to Lambeth vvhear they ended there dayes Abbot Fecnam Bushop Watson Bushop Bonner dyed prisoners and Prior she l lie in exile This was the Catastrophe of the worthie Prelates of England a tragedie of the Downefall of the whole Cleargie a thing incredible to posteritie and never hard of in former ages that the third and most reuerend state of the realm the Cedars of Libanus who ever sinc king Etheldred floorished as the Oaches of a realme should be all at once cut downe cast into disgrace and prisons or exile and liue withowt releaf or comfort as men forlorne and abiects yet neither taynted for vice nor convinced for trespas nor accused for anie treason but that which they would never subscribe to aknowledg treason the refusing the oath of supremacie a poynd of religion to them and vvhich touched ther sovvles to the quick And wear they depriued for that then surelie had the ministers of Geneua great luck to escape the high Commission for yow shall hear ther opinions and see the differenc of ther spirits 1. Gilbee in admonitione ad Anglos calls king Henry the 8. libidinosum monstrum monstrosum aprum qui Christi locum inuasit Ecclesiae Anglicanae caput dicivoluit cum tamen omnis religionis expers esset This monstruons bore must neads be called Head of the Church vnder payn of Treason displacing Christ our onelie head who alone onght to haue the title why ded he call hym bore Partlie for his qualities partlie for Ann Boolens sake who was that Helena cuius causa peribat Ilium as both Melancthon in his Chron. and G. Bellay in his Comment declare 2. And that yovv may knovv vvhat an haeresie and flatterie of kings the school of Geneua censureth the Oath of supremacie to be I pray yovv heare the Oracle in cap. 1. Osee in cap. 9. Amos Et hodie in quit quam multi sunt in papatu qui regibus accumulant quicquid possunt iuris potestatis of this poynt I dare avowe Geneua is not guiltie ita vt ne qua fiat disputatio sed potestas haec sit penes regem vnum vt statuat pro suo arbitrio quicquid voluerit sine controuersia hoc firmum maneat Qui initio tantopere extulerunt Henricum regem Angliae certe fuerunt inconsiderati homines dederunt illi summam rerum omnium potestatem hoc me semper grauiter vulner auit erant enim blasphemi cum vocaruÌ„t illum summum caput Ecclesiae sub Christo Ded Syr Thomas Moor or Bushop Fisher say more nay not so much against the matter nor in so rude and violent manner such vvas the violenc of king HeÌ„rie that he pressed them to speact and yf they ded speak they wear in dainger of law yf they ded not speak