these Westerne parts that both Catholik and Protestant Antiquaries thus deliuer vnto vs âraediâabat ad flumen vsque âordensâ ad mare Sâoâum vbi Caledonios Athalos Horestos ac vicinaâm Ion. Baâââ descript Briten in ãâã Albaniae regionum Inâolas docendo monendo âr ando ad veritatis obseruationeÌânstigauit Ex dâsâults suis quosdam ad Orchades Insulas ad Norweââ Islandiam misit vt âorum instructioniâus fiâi quo que lumen recipeâent Nam in Elguensi Collegio âcentos sexaginta quinque literatos viros ad id âmper paraâos habebat praetâr reliquos alijs exercitijs âditos He preached aâ farre as to the riuer of Forde â the Scotish sea where he stiâed vp the Caledoâns Athaliâns Hoâests and the Inhabitaâts of â neighboring kângdoms to Aâbion vnto the obseruaân of ââueâh by teaching admonishing and ãâã ing â sent some ãâ¦ã disciples to the Iles of Orâi ades to â waye and âsland that ãâ¦ã instruââions they ãâ¦ã receiue the light of âaith For in âhe Collâdge âââgue he âad 365. learned âân alwaise readie for â purpose besides others imploted in other exerââ Saint Asaph his scholler a Bishop of ââtanie who as Protestants saiâ from Roân power Auâhââitatem ânctânem acceâit â tooke authoritâ and ãâã Sucâceded hâm â that great charge and gouernment of at Apostolike Colledge in VVales This S. ântegern being by all accounts a Bishop â0 yeares and disciple to S. âââuanus conââaâed Bishop by S. Paââad itâs who was senâ ther from S. Celestine Pope in or about the are 431. must needâ be liuing with Saint âaph at or a litle before Saint Augustinââmâning And as our Protestants saâe Saâââaph ioyned with Saint Augustine So Saint Asaph writer of his maister S. Kentegerns liâ proueth that S. Kentegern was at Rome whâ S. Gregorie was Pope and submitted hiâselfe to him in all things and was approueâ by him also in his Apostolike proceedings 16. In this time in the yeare 596. Saiâ Augustine was sent Legate hither by the saâ holy and learned Pope S. Gregorie who bâ his supreame Pastorall power gaue him spârituall authoritie ouer all Bishops and otheâ here in these his owne words vnto him Bâ tanniarum omnes Episcopos tuae Fraternitati commiâmus Beda l. 1. Eccles hist gentis Angl. c. 27. vt indocti doceantur infirmi persuasione reborâtur peruersi authoritate corrigantur We commit â the Bishops of Britanie to your Fraternitie that the â learned may be taught the weake by persuasioÌ strengââned the wicked corrected by authoritie By this Papâ power and authoritie all things were ordeâ in the Church of EnglaÌd in S. Augustins tiâ and all his Successours by the same autâritie were setled in that Archiepiscopall Sâ which he translated after 400. yeares froâ London to CaÌterburie All those Bishops vâ to the first Protestant Bishop called Mathâ Parker who was made by Q. Elizabeth bâ will and manner receiued Consecratioâ Pall power and Iurisdiction from the See Rome and they swore obedience vnto it their owne Parker Godwin Ioceline aâ others in the liues of them and those Yorke together with all Registers Recorâ Annals and Antiquities doe prooue partiââarly In generall for this place it sufficeth in these Protestants publikely approued confessions to write it in their owne words Archbishop Parker being the 70. Archbishop after Augustine yet of all that number he was the onely man and the first of all which receiued Consecration without the Popes Bulls 17. They assure vs that vntill the 23. of King Henry the eight a ssuming supreamacie to himselfe euery Bishop in England swore âuch obedience vnto the Pope Hoc Iuramentum â singulis Episcopis Papae praestari consueuit Obediens âro Beato Petro Sanctaeque Romanae Ecâlesiae Domino meo Domino Papae suisque successoribus Papatum Romanum Râgalia S. Petri adiutor ero ad retinendum defendendum saluo meo ordine contra âmnem âominem This Oath was accustomed to be taken by âuery Bishop I will be obâdient to S. Peter and to the Lord my Lord the Pope and to his Successours I will âe an helpeâ to hold and defend the Popedome of Rome ând Râtâ of S. Peter against all men In the yeare of Christ 1536. and 23. of King Henry S. they âare and the Statuts themselues so prooue Leges in Parlamento lataesunt de Rege supremo Ecclesiae Anglicanae Capite declarando de Clero Anglicano Regifulijâiendo Ne quid deinceps amplius Papae aut Romanae Cuâiae quot unque praetextu ex Anglia pendatur De Episcopis consecrandis alijsque quae Roma anâea geâebantur intra Regnum persierendis De Eccleââasticorum beneficiorum primitijs atque decimis Principi in perpetuum soluendis His legibus potentia Papalis quae nongentis amplius annis in Angliâ durauis âentidiâ Lawes were enacted in the Parliament of declaring the King to be supreame head of the English Church of subiecting the English Cleâgie to the King That nothing heareafter vnder what pretence soâuer in England shall depend of the Pope or the Court of Rome Of consâcrating Bishops and performing other aââairââ within the kingdome which before were done at Rome Of paying pârpetually to the Prince the fiâst fruites of Ecclesiasticall Benefices and Tiâhes By these lawes the Papall power which hath bâne in forââ for these nine hundred yeares did fall And this was âo strang a thing and wonder in the world to see the supremacie of the Pope of Rome thus taken from him by a temporall Prince afâer so many hundreds of yeares continuance and a lay man to stile himselfe supreame head of the Church that his very flatterers themselues crye out Habetur Conâilium Londini iâ quo Eccleâia Angliâanâ formam potestaââs nullis aâte temporibus visum induit Henricus enim Rex caput iâsius Ecclâsiâ constituitur At London there is holden a Councell in which the English Church haâh put on a power which in no times past was seene For King Henry is constituted head of that Church So large testimonie haue we from our greatest Aduârsaries witnessing that the Catholikes of England giue no other power or Iurisdiction to tâe Pope of Rome then he had euer without any inteâruption And in this we haue âhe generall assent of all our Kings Princes Bishops and others and all the Christians in the world from the timâ of Christ vntill long aâter the greater part of King Henrie the eight his reigne No King against it but he whom the Protestant Sir VValter Ralegh sufficiently discribeth his young sonne King Edward the sixth of that name ouerruled by Protestant Protectours and Qâeene Elizabeth a woman King Iames wiser then any of them hath leât it thus publickây in open assembly declared by his Regall sentence The kings Resolution is that no Church ought further to seâerate heâselfe froÌ the Church of Rome either in doctrine or Ceremonies then she hath departed from herselfe when she was in her floâishing
be coÌtained in Scrâtures or to be professed which Catholiâ doctrines against these Protestants in thâ Articles of Religion they themselues acnowledge ãâã âal l. 2 ãâã RomaÌ ãâ¦ã to be contained in the old Masseâ the Britans the Papisticall Masse Missae Pâsâica as some of them terme it before S. âlestins time 3. And to speake in order of euery paâcuâar in their Articles that is now questned Antiquit. âlast Gulielm Mâlââ l. de antiq coeââb Glast Io. Capgrâu Catalog in â Iosepâ Arimath omitting the rest Their Article intitulâ of the Iustification of man asscribing Iustificatââ to faith onely is vtterly condemned by â Penitentiall an Order as I haue recited frâ the Britans their so many Monasteries in â ages by the liues of our first Religious Sâ Ioseph of Arimathaea and his fellowes liuâ Eremits all their life in watchings fastinâ and praiers so performing their deuout â âes to God and the blessed virgin In vigilijs âiunijs orâtionibus vacantes Deâ Beatae Virâââ deuota exhibentes obsequia So did their âucâessours after them and all British Religious â other places So kings and Princes Bishops âd greatest learned men all which by our ââoâestanâs truely beleiued and had true âith though they vndertooke such penall ad âtisfactorie courseâ of life And there great âarned Doctour Priest Historian and Reliâous man in that Penitentiall Oâdâr Saint Gild. Prolog in lib. ââ exciâ cânquâât ãâã âildas wrote Sciebam misericordiam Domini sed â iudicium timebam Laudaham gratiam sed reddiânem vnicuique secundum opera sua verebar I did âowe tâe mârcie of our Lord but yet I did âeare his âdgment I praysed his grace but I did dread his reâard acâording to euery ones worckes which conâmneth our Protestants pretended assuring âstiâying faith 4. Their Article stiled Of workes of supereâgation teaching such workâs cannot be tauâht âthout arrogancie is confuted by those Britans â that is âaid as an arrogant saying âor if âe Britans or any other peopââ had beene âounde to such workes of Perfection such âharitie Chastitie Obedience voluntarie âouertie to so many Religious Foundations â they performed and the like they that âe not so must needs be damned because â grossely they breake God Commaundeâent among which Protestants recount âese and whatsoeuer man is able to doe in this life in this their Article 5. The Britans did not hold with thesâ Protestants in their Article intituled of thâ Church That the Church of Rome had erred in maâters of faith otherwise they would not as before haue so diligently and dutifully followed and obeyed it in all ages and if thâ Church of Rome had then erred the Britanâ still following the doctrine thereof âad alsâ erred ân such thinges which our Protestanâ haue before generally denied And the ââpreme head of the Protestants Church â England King Iames in open Parlameâ K. Iames speache in âis 1. Parlam pronounced of the Church of Rome It wâ a Rule to all both in doctrine and Ceremonies whâ it was in her florishing and best estate wââch ãâã he acknowledgeth to haue beene ãâ¦ã in that time And being it is proued to be suâ in such estate still it must be a Rule as thâ it was 6. Concerning their Article Of the Authâritie ProtestaÌt in their Theater of great Brit. l. 6. with others of generall Councells our Britans who trâuailed so farre vnto such Councells subscrâbed vnto them in many Articles contrary â these of Protestants and euer had them â great reuerence as our Protestants coâfesse and attributed more to them then theâ men doe 7. Their Article stiled Of Purgatorie fighteth against the Catholike doctrine of Puâgatorie Pardons Indulgences Relicks âmages and Inuocation of Saincts In aâ âich by our Britans they are condemned âd first in Purgatorie and praying for the dead Antiquit. Glâston Manuscr tabulââ fix Guliââââ Malmââb l. de anââq ãâã glâst Cââpgrââ in S Pâtricio Chart. Arth. an 531. apud Caâum l. 1. de anââquit âaââab Acadâm pag. 69. 70. Manuscri antiq de primo statu Laâdauen ecclâsiae âhe old Antiquities of Glastenburie teach âat Masse and Praiers were there dayly offeâd for the Christians buried there Matthew â westminster and others witnesse that our âoto martyr S. Alban praied for the dâad âmmending them to God King Arthur âth the coÌsent of all the Bishops and Nobles Britanie and with licence of the Pope by â Charter of Immunitie to the Schollers of âmbridge reserued praier for the souâes of â the kings of Britanie his Auncestours Proâedio animarum antecessorum meorum Britanniae âum So did King Mauricus to the old âurch of Landaffe in S. Dubritius time to âie for his soule the soules of all the kings Britanie and all faithfull soules departed â this dayly was to be done Oratione quoâiââ ecclesiastico seruitio pro anima illius aniâus âarentum suorum Regum Prinâipum Briâiae omnium fidelium defunctorum In dayly âer and Church seruice for his soule and the soules âis parents Kings and Princes of Britanie and of âhe faithfull dead The Britans in London ânded a Church to such purpose to conâue for euer In qua pro ipso Rege fideâibus Carââoe Naucarbânen âist de vit S. Gildae man anâiâ ânctis obsequia aeternaliter celebrarentur diuina In ââb diuine seruice should be allwaâse celebrated for â the King and the faithfull which are dead ânt Gildas praied dayly for the soule of his other deceased Orabat pro spiriâu fraterno quotidiè So too many to be recited 8. Concerning Pardons or Indulgences S. and Antiquit. Glâst Chare S. Pariti Guliâlm Malmesb. l. Antiq. âoenâb Glâst Gapgrau in S. Patricâo Io. Leland in Artha Antiquiâ Gââst Tabul Fix Pope Eleutherius by the mediatio of our Apostles Saint Damianus and Phaganus graunted DeceÌ annos Indulgentiae tenne yeares IndulgeÌce for all Piâgrimâ to Glastâburie and 30. yeareâ Indulgence to Bishops Pilgrims And Sainâ Celestine Pope graunted 12. yeares IndulgeÌâ to it And Saint Patricke an hundred daiâ Indulgence S. Patricius dedit centum dies Indugentiae 9. Touching holy Images from the firâ entrance of Christians heere they were heâvied with due reuerence Saint Ioseph and hâ holy companâe brought hither vsed here anâ after their deatheââ left here the Imageâ of tâ Crosse and others Figuraâ nostrae Râdemptioââ aliasque figuras manifestas And these and sucâ holy signes âere âuch certaâne signes of Chrâstians that when Saint Damianus and Phâganus Britan Antiquus Manuscript Antiq Capgrau in vit S. Albân Iaâob GeÌnuen in âod Probus in vit S. Patricij Capgrau in âod â came hither they certainely knew â them that Christians had dwelled here bâfore Quibus bene cognouerunt quod Christiani prilocum Inhabitauerunâ Saint Amphibalus and â Alban vsed the Image off the Crucifixe wiâ such reuerence as if Christ crucified hâ beene present Quasi pendentem Dominum Iesâ in Cruce
great if euery one that is persecuted for Iustice shall haue his reward in heauen what will their honour be which haue suffered so much and so long time for that cause Your Protestant Aduersaries and Persecutours themselues taking the altitude of your miseries and suffrings for this greatest iustice haue found their eleuation to be raised to the hight of all former Persecutours who were Pagans professed enimies to Christ and all Christians They which professe Christ and Christianitie may not be such Great was the persecution of Nero and yet Britonie felt it not but was then a Refuge Aâyle and as a Sanctuarie to receiue and defend the persecuted Bitter was Dioclesiaus PersecutioÌ here in Britonie but as our Gildas telleth vs it was but Nâuânnis of nine yeares onely at which time the Scots ââcts Saxons Gormundians Aâricans and Dânes âll Pagans persecuted the Christiâs here But neuer any bearing the name of Christ before âhese dayes persecuted the Catholike Chriâtians of this Kingdome All those Pagans âersecuted Christians as enimies to their old Gods and Religion and for not ioyning âith them in Idolatrie deeming Christian âeligion newe and erroneous Our ProtestaÌt Persecutours persecute vs for defending the old Religion of Christ which cannot be vntrue and for not imbracing their newe which in the Schoole of Christ cannot be true 13. All the Pagans that euer persecuted here distroied not âo many Churches and Chappels as King Henrie the eight and his daughter Elizabeth nor tooke from the Church the halfe of that which they did Halse such a Fine and Ransome as the Catholikes paid to them aboue the third part of England in Religious Church-lands possessed by the Clergie here Sixhundred yeares since besides other for fitures would haue stopped the Pagans Persecution The Saxons greatest Persecution next to Dioclesians soone slacked and releÌted no soon âr had the Saxons driueÌ Theonus and Thadiocus Archbishops of LoÌdon and Yorke with other Bishops Priests and Religious from âheir Sees and Residences in the yeare of Christ 586. But King Ethelbert of Kent ruling vnto Húber by meanes of his blessed ChristiaÌ Queenâ Bertha and her holy Bishop S. Lethard gauâ ease and peace to Christians here before S. Augustines and his Associates comming hither and they were receiued by Ethelberâ not yet a Christian with honours and noâ indignities All they were strangers and forrainers to the persecuted Our Persecutourâ be of the same Nation blood and kinred and stiled Christians with them whom thus they persecute for Christs true Religion If King S. Ethelbert Queene S. Bertha and Bishop S. Lethard were now liuing Catholikes would not be persecuted THE II. CHAPTER That the Religion of our English Catholikes as well from the Saxons as Britons is the same with their first Apostles and deduced from them and first of the Saxons conuerted by S. Augustine and his Roman Mission NOw because our Protestants and Persecutours before haue deliuered it For greate glorie to our Nation to deriue our spirituall degree from so noble a Father as S. Peter We will âriue and deduce from him a continuall âd neuer interrupted Succession both of âiscopall and Priestlie function and doâine also in euery point now questioned by âr Persecutours froÌ that so noble a Father â these Protestant times And to begge more âce and fauour from these our enimies in âs cause they themselues shall briefly make âs deduction â And first concerning Bishops and Massing Priests sent hither or consecrated here by S. Peter's or his Roman Successours Iuâââdiction such as they now so greuiously dââ ãâã âhey confesse publickly that they had âo ãâã but so consecrated as the Roman Church did from the begining and stilâ doth consecrate vnâill their neââ booke oâ pretended Consecration maââ by King Edward thâ Sââth â child hiâââthoritie brought in theiâ ãâ¦ã aâd they acknowledge ãâ¦ã consecraâeâ ãâ¦ã Priesââ ãâ¦ã and doe ãâ¦ã ââstifie ãâ¦ã Engl. Proteââ in Rogers Booke of articles Annal. Burton an 140. Caiuâââtiq ãâ¦ã Annâl ãâ¦ã ân Mansââ ãâ¦ã 1. 6. Harrison descript of Brit. waâ oâr Archbishop ãâ¦ã moreouer that this our ãâ¦ã was seâlâd by this greaâest Aâostââ in âhe ãâã yâare of Nero and 67. ãâ¦ã â Peter returned againe to ãâ¦ã dâuers of thâse our Bishops and ãâ¦ã Nation as S. Manâuetus S. ãâã S. Maâcellus or Marcellinus the renoâned Priests and Preachers of Cambridge ân and afteâ the yeare 140. S. Marcellus being and liuinâ Bishop after King Lucius and Britonie waâ conuerted when three Archbisbops anâââventie eight Bishops were here placed anâ all Ecclesiasticall thinges established anâ confirmed by Papall power in this Kingdome â To make this Succession without aâ question they deliuer vnto vs the names aâ âme Episcopall Acts of our Archbishops Hollinâh Hist of England Stowâs Hist. Godwin conuers of Britan. Cataâ of Bishops in London Yorke and S. Dauids âf LondoÌ Yorke and Caerlegion In London âe chiefe Metropolitan See S. Theanus S. luanus Cadar Obinus Conanus Pallaâus Stephanus I'tutus Theodwynus or âedwynus Thedredus Hillarius Guiteliâs Restitutus Fastidius Vodinus Theoâs Others adde S. Augulus Ternokinus âd Gormcelinus They confesse that Theoâs the last Archbishop of London with full ârisdiction continued in his Archiepiscopall âe notwithstanding the Pagon Saxons inuaân and persecutioÌ vntill the yeare of Christ ââ which was but 10. yeares before S. Auguâââ coming hither So they testifie of Thaââus Matth. West an 586. Archbishop of Yorke the same yeââe âauing his See and with the Archbishop of ãâã and many of their Clergie flying into âalââ and Cornewall to the Christian Bisâps Priests and people there They reâpt in thâ Archbâââop See of Yorke Theoâsius Sampsoâââ Taurinus âeruanâs Sampsonââ ãâã and the âenamed Thadiocuâ ãâ¦ã âegion they â downe Tremonus S. ãâã S Daâid âiud Conanc Theliaus Eâbâdus wholiâd in S. Augustins time and after him imâediatly succeeding in Archiepiscopall digâtie fourty or more vntill the time of Berârd who in the yeare 1115. lost that honour âom that See by Papall order as all Antiâaries Catholikes and Protestants agree 4. These men also deliuer vnto vs a Catalogue of learned holy writers in euery agâ and in the age whâ S. Augustine came hitheâ they recount vnto vs the most noble Sainâ and Doctours Dubritius Iltutâs Congelluâ Dauid Gildas Kentigeânâs Brendant Asaphus and others whâly ând absolutâ agreeing with the Church of âome They ââ downe our Vniuârsiâies ãâ¦ã aâ among others ãâ¦ã from all eâror Our ãâ¦ã in the greââouncelâs ãâ¦ã âhe same faiâ with tâe whole ãâ¦ã they had mâ entercourâe ãâã âââmunicaââon next to tâ Popes of ãâ¦ã the moââ Catholike aâ renowââd ãâ¦ã Churcâ of Christ â Athanaââââ ãâ¦ã S. Martine and maâ more and bâth âââse Tertulââan S. Chryâstome with ãâã did highly commeÌd thâ our ãâ¦ã true Religion 5. Anâ becaâââ some Proâestants to muâ ãâ¦ã libertie cannot well eâdure ãâ¦ã ââckes and Religious sâ king wâaâ ãâ¦ã can âo disgrace suâ as oâherâ ãâã âânowned Clergie especialâ the ãâã of S. Benedicts Order
North neither was it in his âwer so to doe vntill he was Bishop there âich was not vntill the yeare of Christ 670. there about by all Authours which was âge after S. Benedict Biscops being Abbot âth in Northumberland and Canterburie âd whereas some Monckes now would haue Aigulphus a Benedictine Moncke first to âie persuaded the Monckes of Lyrinum to Maââh VVestm âârân Floâent VVigorn chron Sigâbert aâââ âeiue S. Benedict's Rule this cannot be for Aigulphus was a Moncke of FloriacuÌ Moâsterie which was not builded many yeares âer this time and so it is not certaine but âth the Monckes of Canterburie and those Northumberland vnder this holy Abbot Benedict Biscope hitherto were Lyrinian and not Benedictine Monckes and yet as before they were of the most Religious anâ learned Monckes and Apostolike men in thâ Christian world as the rest of our Britisâ Moâckes euen by Protestants confession â also were 11. ând this is the glorie of this our Eâglish Nation to haue had generally both iâ Kent where S. Augustine was and in all othâ parâs cânuerted to Christ such renowneâ Fathers and Protogenitours in him For sucâ were the Monckes of S. Gregories Monastârie Io. Diacân in vita S. Gregorij l. 2. c. 11. in Rome from which S. Augustine arâ his fellowes learned and holy Disciples â the most learned and holy Pope S. Gregoriâ were sent as our Protestants them selues acânowledge that euer was And so learne were the Monckes of this his Monasterieâ aboue other Italian Monckes in that timâ that besides the Apostolike men about 4â in number which S. Gregorie sent into Eâgland he made Maximianus his Abbot theâ Bishop of Siracusas Marimanus a Moncâ thereof Archbishop of Rauennas and Prâbus another of his Monckes of his Monastârie Mariâ Sââput l. 2. atate 6. in S. Benedicto Trithemius l. de script Eccles in S. Benedicto he sent to Hierusalem to build a Monsteâie there we haue also warrant from â Church of God so witnessing in S. Gregâries publike office that S. Augustine and â Monckes he sent into Briâanie about 40. number were learned and holy men Missiâ Britanniam Doctis Sanctis viris Augustino â âlijs Monachis Sending into Britanie learned and holy men Augustine and other Monckes 12. But whether S. Augustine and those who came into England with him to conuert it as they most happily did were indeede Monckes of S. Benedicts Order I will not heare dispute leauing it perchance to some other worke in hand it being all one âo this my purpose whether S. Augustine ând his companie were Benedicton or other Monckes I onely intending now to shew that from our first Conuersion in S. Peters time vnto these times there was a continuall succession of Priests and of the same Religon for which now in EnglaÌd we are so persecuâed And that S. Augustine and his companie were most hoây and learned men Docti and Breuiar Romandie 12. Martij in festo S. Gregor Bed Hist. Eccles Angl. l. 2. Matth. VVesâ in Chron. Fâorent VVigâr Chroniâ Gâliel Malmesburâââ dâgâst Reg. Angl. âancti viri that they taught our Predecesâours the same faith we now professe and that âhey conuerted to the faith of Christ Ethelâert King of Kent and his Kingdome of KeÌt ând Sebert or Sigebert King of the East Saxons with his Kingdome and preached in many other places oâ England conuerting in âhem many to Christian Religion I saie with âhem and the whole Christian world then Asia Africke and Europe agreeing with S. Gregorie who sent hither these so holy and âearned men and therefore is rightly by Saint Beade instiled Apostle of England in Religion vsing his masse and honouring him for a Sainct as our Protestants confesse that their doctrine and Religion was true and for this part of the world Italie froÌ whence they came France through which they came England or Britanie whether they came Ireland Scotland and Germanie where some of our Britans and English then were acknowledging S. Augustines Religion to be true so prooue vnto vs. So S. Augustine prooued it both by humaine and diuine testimonie So his Opposits and our persecuting Protestants confesse To vse their words The Britans confessed indeede that to be the way of ProtestaÌt in Stowes ââst righteousnesse which Augustine had preached and sbewed vnto them 13. And he is a simple witted man if he can vnderstand but the Latine tongue that doth not most clearely see and confesse the same if he will but reade the publicke Church seruice Masse and the others which our Protestants confesse S. Gregorie perused and published the Latine and Greeke Church vsing his Masse translated into Greâke as they doe S. Basiles and S. Chrysostomes as also his holy learned workes which he â Doctour of the Church and as our Protestants stile him The most holy and learned Popâ that euer was did publish and are now extant Thus he and his Lâgates sânt hither into England generally taught the same Doctrine in all points which we Catholikes now professe euen those for which we are so pittifully persecuted Roman Supremacie Saâifice of Maââe Sacrificing Priesthood such âpiscopall Roman Ordination and whatâeuer elsse now controuersed by Protestants â I shall demonstraâe against them in euery âticle of their Religion when I come to the âonuersion oâ tâe other Parts of England â those which were of our old British Orâer and Reâigâon And yet our English Proâstants publickly generally and with such âthoritie protest and testifie that in the first â0 yeares of Christ within which S. Greârie and his Legates liued and âaught the âhurch of Rome was pure and free from erâr And if she had or should haue erred in âis publicke doctrinall practises and orders âncerning the whole Church the whole âhurch which these men denie should also âue erred For they constantly thus ackâwledge that this most holy and learned âpe so published and proposed them Greâius Io. Bal. dâ Roman Ponâifice Art l. 2. in Gregor Magno Robert âarnes â de vit âontif Rom. in âod Magdebur hisâ Ecclesiasc in Greg. Magnuâ omnium Pontificum Râmanorum doâinâ viââ praestantissimus Scholas Cantoâum inâuit Ambrosiâ more ecâlesiastiâas cantiones quaââaecè dicimus Antiphonas composuit Officiarium âclesiae fecit Antiphonarium nocturnum diurnum âpoâuit Sacrorum normas digessit Missarum ritus ââplanauit eius Canonem consarâinauit Gregorie â great the most worthiesâ of all the Bishops of Rome â doctrine and life instituted Schooles of singerâ and âer Ambrose his manner composed Ecclesiasticall âges which in Greeke we call Antiphones He made âe office of the Church be ordered the nightlie and daylie Antiphonarie he digested the Rites of tâ Church he polished the Ceremonies of the Masse aâ the Canon thereof he gathered together 14. It will be very hard for the quickeâ sighted Persecuting Protestant to finde aâ one of their Articles of Religion which wâ not condemned and of Catholikes not pâblickly
oldâesse of the Record is not remeÌbred Quis isâe Rex fuit scedulae veâustas negat scire he was their Beâefactour and gaue them or confirmed to âhem Inswitrin Terram quae appellatur Inswitrin âd Ecclesiam veâustam concessit ad petitionem Morâret âiusdem loci Abbatis The land which is called ânswitrin he granted to the old Church by the pâtiâioÌ of Morgret Abbot of that place and their Bishop Manuto wrote and coÌfirmed it Ego Manuto Episâopus hanc chartam scripsi I Bishop Manute wrote tâiââaper 14. Besides this Bishop England had then ât Saint Augustines coÌming diuers Bishops âere ordered or sent by the Popes authoriâie Saint Asaph in the west S. Iuo in Hunâingtonsyhre S. Lethard in Kent and others not vnprobably in other places besides ouâ British Bishops in VVales and those of Scotâand And to remember but the names of our first Bishops in England after S. Augustines comming besides Kent and London where âhe and his Associats were Bishops all which vndoubtedly by all writers Catholike and Protestant old or new Monasticall or others either were of our British old Order or ioyned with them that were at that time here 15. VVe haue in the North Saint Aidanâ Finan Colman Tuda Eata Cuthbert Foâ Yorke S. Paulinus the first by Marianus waâ ex Francia and staied but onely 6. yeares after him S. Cedda S. Wilfride Bosa Sainâ Iohn called of Beuerlaie brought vp in Sainâ Hilda her old Monasterie At winchester wâ had S. Birinus spoakeÌ of before who restored in that Monasterie our old MoÌckes and ioyâned with the Northumbers Agilbertus â Frenchman who preached long in Ireland ioyned âlso with the Northumbers VVinâ also a Frenchman and Eleutherius remembred before In Liâhfeild we had Diuma oâ Dwyna a Scot hauing all Middle England for his Dioces so had sixe or seuen of his Successours all such vntill the yeare 678. Cellacââ Scot Trumhere Ianuman Cedda winfride Saxulf I passe ouer all the old Sees iâ wales knowne and confessed by all to haue had none but such Bishops 16. Such also was the ordinarie aÌd vniuersall pietie and sanctitie of our old holy Priestâ and Preachers of that time before any later Order was receiued euen of the laie people conuerted and taught by them as the learned Saint Bede then liuing much be waileth the great change and alteration saying In tantum Beda l. 3. Hist âccles Angl. cap. 5. auââm vita illâus Aidani à nostri temporis segnitia distâbat vt omnes qui cum eo incedebant siue aettonsi ââue laici meditari debeâent id est aut legendiâ Scripturis aut Psalmis discendis S. Aidan his lifâ âas so farre different from the slouthfulnesse of our âe that all those which went with him wheather âonckes or Laickes were to meditate that is they âere to bestowe their time either in reading Scripture â learning the Psalmes And in an other place ââaieth thus of Bishop Colman who dispuâd with Saint VVilfrid and of his Predeâssours Bed histâ ecclesiast l. 3. ca. 26. Quantae autem parsimoniae âuiusque contiâtiae fueriâ ipse cum praedecessoribus suis testabatur âam ipse locu quem regebaâ Of how great abstinenâ and continencie he was with his Predecessours the âce it selfe which he ruled did witnesse where âen they went away very few howses besides the âurch remained and these howses onely without âch ciuill conuersation could not continue They had âonie nothing but cattell If they receiued any moâ of the riche presently they gaue it to the poore All care of those Doctours then was to serue God and not worlde All their desire was for the soule and noââbellie wherevpon in that time the habite of Reliâ was in greate reuerence so that wheresoeuer ââst or Moncke did come he was ioyfully receiued âll as the Seruant of God And if any trauailing âeir iornie did meete him a Priest bending âselues they reioyced to be signed with his hande âssed by his mouth They gaue diligent eare to his ârtatioÌs VpoÌ the sondayes they flocâed to the Church âonasteries to be instructed in the word of God If Priest chanced to come into a villadge the Inhaâts presently came together and desired to receiue âord of life from him For there was no other cause âriests or Ecclesiasticall men to goe to villadges but to speake briefely to âuer soules And they were so ãâã from all infection of couetousnesse that they would nâ except compelled by the riche men of the world ââceiue lands or possessions to build Monasteâies Whiâ custome was genârally obserued in the Churcâes of tââingdome of Northumberland sometime afâerwardâ Thus of Saint Aidan their first Apâstâe anâ of his Disâiples and people by him conueâced and although he kept Easter otherwiâ then those did which came from Rome yâ he was and worthily beloued of all euen â the Archbishop of Canterburie Honoriâ for his workes of faith pietie and charitiâ and during his life that difference was patieâtly endured And this was not an errour câmon to all Scots but to some of theÌ for Roâ and others impugned it And wheÌ it was roâted out it was not done by MoÌckes or otheâ Bed l. 3. 4. 5. Guliel Malmesb. Matth. Westm Floren. ââigârn from Rome but as Saint âede and otheâ prooue either by the Poâes admonitioÌ as â Ireland by Bishop Agilbertus and Saiâ Wilfride in Northumberland and in othâ place by Saint Egbertus Adamnanus aâ others of their old owne Order and profâsion 17. In this I haue the longer insisted ââ onely for the glorie and honour of those oâ Fathers in Christ not iustly to be takâ from them to be giuen vnto others and tâ it is the honor of our English Priests aâ Catholiks to be heires successours aâ children to such Antecessours and parentâ Religion But because it is the most common Dauid Pâwâll ââ annoâaâ in l. 2. ââraldi CaÌbren de ãâã Cambr. Io. Bal. in Act. Râman poââific l. 2 ââ Gâegor 1. Francis Godwin conuers of Bâiâ p. 4â Fulk answ ãâã cont Cain p 4 Middlâto papist pag. 202. Foxe Aââ and Meâ pag. 463. edit an 1576. Io. Gâsâ lin Hâââor eâclesiast Matth. parker Antiquiâ Brit. pag. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. receiued allowed and approued opinion and confession of our English Protestants and those their best learned in their estimatioÌ to write in their owne very words At the comming of Augustine there florished with âhe Britans the preaching of the truth sincere doâtrine liuelie faith and the pure worship âf God âuch as from the Apostles themselues was by Gods coÌâaundement deliuered to the Churches The Britans âefore Augustines comming continued in the âaith of âhrist euen from the Apostles time After the Britans âmbraced the saith of Christ they neuer forsooke iâ neiâer when Augustine came into the Iland So many ând so great a number of the old names of Priests âoncks Abbots Prelates Bishops Churches Abâeyes and Sees which haue beene in euery age doth âfficieÌtly
from Bishops Neque laico permiâuâous facere opus aliquod Sacerdotale vt sacrificium aut Baptismum aut impositionem man us aut benedictionem siue paruam siue magnam Nemo enim sibi sumit honorem sed qui vocatur a Domine huiusmodi namque gratia per impositionem manuum Episcopi datur Neque Presbyteris potestatem damus ordinandi Diaconos aut Lectores aut Ministros sed Episcopis tantum Hic enim est Ecclesiasticus ordo Cum à Deo consequenâiam rerum didicerimus Episcopis quidem assignauimus aâtribuimus quae ad principatum Sacerdotij pertinânt Presbyteris vero quae ad Sacerdotium Deinde Diaconis quae ad ministrandum vtriusque vt puâè castè fiant quae ad Religionem pertinent Neque enim sas est Diacono sacrificium offerre aut baptizare aut benedictionem fiue paruam siue magnam facere neque Presbytero ordinationem ClericoruÌfacere Ostensum est Anâistitum Ordinem perficientem esse perfectionis authorem Non licet sine Episcopo baptizââe neque dothen celebrare Neither doe we permit âhe Laeâie to doe any Priestly functiân as to offer Sacrifice baptize impose hands or to giue any Benediction either litle or great For no man taketh this honour to himselfe but âe who is called by God Because this grace is giuen by the imposition of the Bishops hands Neither doe we giue vnto Priestes the power of ordaining Deacons or Lectours or Ministers but onely to Bishops This is the order of the Church When we did lerne the sequell of things from God indeede what appertained to the principalitie of Pâiestes we assigned and gaue it to Bishops and to Priestes what belonged to Priestehoode afterward to Deacons what appertained to the assistance of both that these things which concerned Religion might be performed chastly and cleanely Neither is it lawfull for a Deacon to offer Sacrifice or to baptize or to make any Benediction either litle or great neither for Priestes to ordaine Clergie-men It is declared the Order of the Bishops is the perfecting Order and authour of perfection It is not lawfull without a Bishop to baptize nor to offer Sacrifice nor to saie Masse 6. Wherevppon the English Protestants in their most publicke and authorised proceedings thus acknowledge It is euident vnto all men diligently reading holy Scripturs and auntient authors that from the Apostles time there hath beene these orders of ministers in Christ Church Bishops Priests and DeacoÌs which offices were euermore had in such reuerent estimation that no man might presume to execute any of them except he were first by publike praier and imposition of hands approued and admitted therevnto And these orders should be continued and reuerently vsed and esteemed in this Church of England And in this both their booke intituled Of Consecration of Archbishops Bishops Priests as their Articles of Religion and coÌmon practise doe onely allowe and commit such thinges to them whome they call and apprehend to be Bishops saying Allmightie God giuer of all good things by his holy spirit hath appointed them in the Church Episcopall Order is of diuine Ordination and by law diuine Christ acted it by the hands of the Apostles It is an ordinance Apostolicall He hath enacted it for succeding posteritie and so it is a Canon or Constitution of the whole Trinitie Wherevpon the Protestant PuritaÌs conclude If prelacie be de Iure diuino by the lawe of God it receiueth both breath and life from the Religion of Rome And this they offer Publikly to defend and the Parlament Protestants so grauÌte claiming that Ministrie they haue by ordination from Rome Wherevpon these Puritans with generall assent haue thus concluded They cannot see how possibly by the Rules of Diuinitie the separation of our Chuâches from the Church of Rome and from the Pope head thereof can be iustified They protest to all the worlde that the Pope and the Church of Rome and in theÌ God and Christ Iesus himselfe haue had great wronge and Indignitie offered vnto them and that the Protestant Churches are scismaticall in forsaking the vnitie and communion with them If the English Protestant opinion he maintained That Bishops Iurisdiction is de Iure diuino by the lawe of God his Magestie and all the Nobilite ought to be Subâect to Excommunication 7. Which neither king Nobles or vnnoble no meanest Protestants of England can âoubt feare or pretend against the Bishop of Chalcedon he neither hauing or claiming the âeaste spirituall power or Iurisdiction ouer âny one great or little highe or lowest Protestant in EnglaÌd His Episcopall both Order ând Iurisdiction which as he construeth beâongeth vnto it extending onely to Cathoâiks of this kingedome to keepe them in good order and loyall dutie both to God and âheir king as good Catholik Bishops doe ând are bounde to doe Which must needs be an helpe and no hurt or offence to any Common-wealth Bishops learned louing and knowing their dutie and hauing charge whereof they must render a seuere accompt to God attended with watchfull and reuengfull eyes vpon them for loue will not or feare dare not concurre vnto or suffer vnder them disobedieÌce to heauenly or earthly Prince They which cannot endure spirituall dutie are in most daunger of lapse into temporall disobedience hauing reiected spirituall power keeping them in awe and dutie to temporall VVhich perhaps caused Constantine our wise king and Emperour to saie vpon experience as he did of staggerers in Religion and faithfulnesse to God No doubt but both the Pope of Rome and Rich of Chalcedon know their offices sufficiently without any admonishments They are not ignorant who said and how it concerned them Non possumus aliquid aduersus veritatem sed pro veritate VVe cannot any thing against 2. Cor. 13. the truth but for the truth and potestatem quam Dominus dedit mihi in aedificationâm non destructionem The power which our Lord hath giuen me vnto edification and not vnto destruction 8. There is great difference in hauing and exercising power from Rome The first should not feare them which would feare without cause of feare neither secret and prudent exercise in necessitie to redesse or preuent euills Greater meetings and assemblies be often made by some in and of as great daunger and to lesse purpose then would serue priuately to examine witnesses or so to giue a sentence where the litigants be and ought to be secret To doe many vsuall and necessarie actâ of Religion be as daungerous and require as great and greater assemblies A publike setled Consistoâie in any place or âlaces to be set vp could not but with âonde âmaginations be thought vpon were the Iudg âad not vbi reclinet caput suum Probate of puâlike wills administrations Tithes Conâracts Marriages Diuorces Alimonie Basâerdie and publike slanders among ProtestaÌts âaue publike Protestant Courts and all or âany mixt with our temporall lawes Many âf the remembred instances as Tithes and âasterdies concerning inheriting
Gospells from the shoulders of the ânsecrated But this maketh not much to the ârpose it being onely as I haue saied a Ceremonie and not essentiall to the Consecration of a Bishop and that true and vndouted Bishops were made before the Gospells were written Otherwise the wholâ Church then euer after and now and eueâ had wanted it and had no Ecclesiastical Order at all Which is the lamentable and desperate condition of such as persecute a truâ Bishop and Priest for their Order and power thereby confessing their want both of thaâ which is essentiall in this high office as alsâ consecratours to performe it consecrat truâ Priests or confer any Ecclesiasticall Ordeâ or degree at all not the meanest in that kinâ to any person 20. All Authors agree euen Protestants iâ their Catalogues of British and English Biâhops that we had continuall succession oâ such here in great numbers vntill Queen Elizabeth by her supreamacie depriued anâ deposed them And to keepe it farre from thâââme of an Innouation to haue one such Bishop Successour to so many if we haue thaâ libertie in time of Persecution when Bishop are driuen from their Sees vsuall in histories to remember and honour them in Exiâ and Persecution we haue still kept a Succesion of Bishops in or of this nation Of thoââ which were depriued of their Bishop pricke we haue Richard Pates Bishop of worcheste who subscribed to the Councell of Trent hâ being there present by this Title Richardâ Patus wigornieÌsis Episcopus Thomas Goldwell Bishop Godw. Catal. of Bish. in Worcest in Ric. Pates in S. Asaph in Thom. Goldwell of Asaph liued at Rome 20. yeares after that deposing Thomas watson Bishop of Lincolne was committed to prison in the I le of Elie and died about the yeare 1584. Thus the Protestants themselues deliuer and moreouer they deliuer much praise and commendatioÌs of theÌ and all others our renowned Bishops 14. or more in number who were deposed and persecuted by Queene Elizabeth yea far more and greater theÌ they doe of those which were intruded into their places Before or soone after the death of Bishop Waâson of Lincolne Owen Lew is of this our Nation was consecrated Bishop of Cassan in whose life-time our most Illustrious Cardinall William Allan was honoured with that dignitie and consecrated Archbishop of Maâkâen who liued with these honours vntill the 16. day of October in the yeare of Christ 1594. ân his time William Gifford was by Pope Clement the eight made Deane Ecclesiae Diui Petri Insulensis Of Saint Peters Church at Lile And afterward he was ordained Archbishop of Rhemes in Champaine in France where he lately liued And whilst he liued Archbishop both VVilliam of Chalcedon and Richard also who is now so persecuted were by highest Papall authoritie coÌsecrated ad sent into England And what man of ordinarie knowledge Iudgement or vnderstanding will aduenture to saie but all these were renowned men as also diuerse of our renowned Priests most worthie of Episcopall honour aÌd dignitie in equall times honourably stiled and registred for all posteritie not onely as great glories of their CouÌtrie England but the whole Church of Christ Therefore to haue one of such worthie men a Bishop in his natiue Countrie bearing for auoyding offence his Title of a place so farre hence which froÌ the first Conuersion thereof to Christ had 3. Archbishops aÌd many Bishops aboue 1400. yeares past should not in the new English Religion teaching the Church of God neuer wanted Bishops and acknowledging both him and all Catholikely consecrated Bishops and Priests to be true and lawfull Bishops and Priests vndoubtedly by right ordination be offensiue but desired such Order Function and dignitie being by their publike testimonies most needefull excelleÌt and honourable with all true Professours of Christian Religion 21. Thus we see a Succession of English Bishops though not all in England but in other CouÌtries some of them consecrated and remaining a thing not vnusuall in times of Persecution and bannishment of Bishops as in the great lights in their time of Gods Church S. Hilarius S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome and others loÌg time exiled yet thereby did not interrupt a continuall Succession in their Sees What least exception then can be taken against our renowned Bishop of Chalcedon for Order and degree so honourable and eminent by all testimonies for his owne worthines and worthily therefore to be had in high reuerence euen with his Persecutours he bringeth able witnesses with him his knowne loue aÌd honour to our king Queene and CouÌtrie his owne holy life and conuersation his learned works and writings with all at home and abroad he hath euer piously and gratefully conuersed and with honour defended and iustified himselfe against Maleâolants Among all English Catholickâ oâ Protestants few are to be found which haue more defeÌded the honour of our Soueraigne âone more acceptable to his Maiesties frieds ând Allyes in marriage no maÌ among so maây renowned Priests of England worthie of âreatest honour in equall times adiudged so ât to supply such place by that highest Paâor which hath shewed great care and loue four king Queene and hoped Posteritie ând Countrie And since Persecution and âroclamation against him what could such a âan in Persecution doe more then he hath âone in decreeing and Ordering that all âriests and Catholiks should daily with deâotion praie for our king Queene State and Countrie And both since the comming in of âim and VVilliam of Chalcedon of happie âemorie his Predecessour as likewise before âe Catholiks of England haue bene and now âe knowne to be the most loyall dutifull and liuing Subiects in our dearest Countrie of England THE VI. CHAPTER That our English Priests who teach alâ things with the Apostolicall Religioâ are truely coÌsecrated worthie men anâ are to be honoured and not persecuted 1. Hauing redeemed Episcopall Ordââ and dignitie conferred by the Sâ of Rome from all Imputation of wickâ obloquies and made it knowne to be so higâ and honourable we might spare all furthâ labour for exemption and defence of Prieââlie Function seeing euery Bishop of neceâsitie must be a Priest and whatsoeuer of thâ calling is noble and glorious in a Bishop must needs be such in Priests Episcopal hânour and consecration addeth an higher aâ greater worthinesse to him that was beforâ Priest but cannot take away or diminish aâ excellencie or renowne he had before Tâ Protestants of Scotland doe confesse whiââ all knowe that after Catholike ReligioÌ wâ ouerthrowne there they had not any preteâded Bishops before King Iames accordiââ to his manner of making such gaue suâ Titles to them And their Knoxe Buchanan Forbs Bale and others both of England ând Scotland are not ashamed to saie that âefore the sending of Saint Palladius thither ây Saint Celestine Pope about the yeare 430. âlonckes who were onely Priests supplied âhe place of that dignitie with that People âut malice to Episcopall worthinesse and âower their owne
Missaâque celebrare tâpro viuis quâ pro deââeris in nomine Domini And the prayer being endea taking the holy oyle he shall make a Crosse ââ both the haÌds of the Priests saying Thou shalt vouchsafeÌâ Lord to conseâât and sanctifie these hands by this holy âyntement and our benediââion that whatsoeuer they shall censâârat may be âonsecrated and whatsoeuer they shall âlesse may be blessed and sanctified in âhe name of our Lord Iâsus Christ ââ is finished âe sâall take the patten with the hoste ând Chalââe with the wine and shall giue it ãâ¦ã saying âake yea power to offer Sacrifice to God ând saye masse as well for the liuing aââr the dead in the name of our Lord. âhis is the most auntient Pontificall which âtiquitie hath preserued and delââered vnto â vniformely agreeing with the now vsed ântificall in the Roman Church which difâeth not from but agâeath with the most ântient Manuscript Copies and Examplare âtant in the most renowned Labraries And âerefore our old British Antiquities deliuer Manusââ antiq Capââ in ãâ¦ã Histor. ãâ¦ã Arthur dipâ apââ Cam. â for a receiued Tradition aÌd custome here in other places for the Priests thereof acââding to their Office and Consecration to âer Sacrifice both for the liuing aÌd the dead ât consuetudo tam pro viââ quââ defunctis hoâ Dâo immolare And this was so generall a ââued truth and custome in the whole ââch from the Apostles time and Tradition ââ them that is was and iustly adiudged Heresie the Protestants thus acknowleging ângl Protest in Feild ââokeâ of the Church â 3. ca. 25. pag. ââ8 Ciuââ ãâã pag ãâ¦ã to denie it Aerius condemned the custome of the Church in naming tââ dead at the Altar and âffering the Sacrifice of ãâã âor them and for this his rashâ and inconsideraâââoldnesse and presumption in condemning tâe ââââeâsall Câurch of Cârist ââ was ãâã âo ââemned So S. Epiphanius S. Augustine Isodorus Damaâcânus and others demonstrate 10. And for England where holy Priests anâ Priestâood are so greuously persecuted wâ thus sucââssâuely and without any Interruptiâ deduce it in aââ times and changes to theâ daies Saint Peter a massing Prieste Bishopâ and Apostle preaching and consecratiââ Priests and Bishops here could consecrat aââ ordaine no others but such as were to be â his owne Order So Saint Câement his confeâsed massing and Sacriâicing Sucessor dircted to seâd such into these parts Pope Eleââherius who by his holy Mission of Prieâ and Bishops hither conuerted this kingdome being also a Massing Priest and Popâ could send no other Pââests but such And â Churches and sacrificing Massing Altars eâctâd in them all to such vse and end conâsed by all wriâers Caâholiâs and Protestaâ doe so demonstrate All agree we âad qâiââessesse ãâ¦ã Religââ and agreemeââ ãâã vntill Dâoclâlian his Persecution whân ââoâg others persââuââed the holy Prâââ Massinâ Priâsts as Saint Gildas before ââ proued and others ãâã ãâ¦ã Electi Sacerdotes trucidati and they which escaped did as often as they could saiâ Masse in places whether they fled to escape daââger as in Scotland whether the Persecution did not come ât not being vnder the Romans We had many Massing Priests as Saint Amphâlabus âodocus Priseus Calanus Ferranus Amâianus Carnoâus âd others who âââed thithâââut of our Britanie now England and were maintained by king Crathââââen to âaâe Masse âho founded all things necessarie to such âurpose Churches Altars Chalâââ Pââens âadlesticks and all things else Seâ Crathlintâus âex sacram Antistitis adem munââibus ornauiâ anâââssiniâs Hect. Boeth ãâã 6 Scoâ Hist fol. 99. ââ Calicibââs Patenis Candelabris alââsque sâââlibââ ad sacrorum âvsum commodis ex argenâo aurââe fabrefactis Altarique cupro are claâââo ââprouenââs ad caâx agris in sacrae aedis vicinââ constituââ But ââ King Crathline adornâd the Sacred house of the Bisâp with most ample gifts Chalices Patens Candâstikes and such like necessaries made of ââlâer and âld for the vse of the Church with an Altar also eââased in Copper and Brâse to doe all which he allotteââyearely rents of the fields neare adioyning to that sââa house 11. Britanie after this vntill the Pelagian ââresiâ was quiet for Religion and theâââpe Caelestine who was so âarre a Massing âpe and Priest that although the Masse waââpisticall before as he Protestants acknowâlge yet he added the Introiââ Graduall âsponsorie Tract and Oââeâtorie vnto it strictly commaunding that Priests shoulâ knowe the Popes âanoâ ad âe sent such Maâsing Bishops and Pââest with them inâo theââ kingdomââ ãâã gââd Sâotland and ãâã ãâã ââtroâum ãâã responsorium âraâââ ãâ¦ã insâruit atque vt ãâã codââeâ ãâã Caâones scirent arââe prâcepâ Cermanâm in ãâã Palladium in Scottâââ â Pâârââium cum quodââ ãâã in âiberniam ââ Pâlagianas âaerâses ãâã Eâiscopos misiâ Caelestinâââd aâde to the ãâã all âasse the Introite Câaâusâ Respânsoriâ Traâââ and Offertorie and be stricâ câmmaunded that the Priests should knowe the Caâââ of the Bishops He sent Bishops âermânus into ãâã Paââââius into ââotland and Patricius with one Segeâ into âreland that they migât extirpate theÌce the Pâgia ââerisse All mâ acknowledge that these wââ Massing Priests and Bishops and that tââ conâecrated Such in great numbers botâ England Scotland and Ireland Neââusuing neare or in the time of Saint Patriâ writeth thus of him Ordinauit Episcopoâ treâââ fexagintâ quinâue aut amplius in quibus spââitus â ãâã ârat Pââsbiteros auâem vsâue ad trâa ãâã âinââit He conseâraâed more then 365. Biâhops whome waâ the spââit of our Lord but Pâââsts ãâã âcd â000 And of Theââ diuers weât so âa as to Ameriâa âd there eâecuâed their Priâââe Oâder ân oââering the sacred bodie aâblââod of Christ at Mââse on consecraâed ââarâ in one place of America were lâuing ãâã the time of Saint ãâã ãâ¦ã âis life and trauailes allmost 1000. yeareââast 24. Priests which were Saint Patricks âisciples daily hauing Masâe amâng them ând others in other pâaces Immolaâânt agnuââa âmaculaâum âmnes ad communionem venââbant ââentes Hoâ sacrum corpus Domânâ Saluatoris sâââite sanguinem voââs in vitam âternamâ They sacriâed the immaâulate Lawbeâ and all came to the Comâunion saying Taâe yea this bodie and blood of our ââd and Sauiour which will be to you lâse euerlaââg And to manifest vnto all the vndoubted âuth of Saint Bâândans trauaiâes and relaân of these things iâ is set downe in memoâble Antiquities diuers hândredâ of âeares fore the Spaâiards or Porâugals enterance to America that there it was thus Propheâally reuealed vnto him Post ãâã Anneruââââculâ dââlarabitur istâ teârâ vestris Successoâââus ãâã Christianoââân superâeneâiâ ãâã After ââ yeares this land shall be discouered ââ your Suââurs whâ Pârsâââtion âhall come ãâã the Christians 2. That S. German S. Lupus S. Seueââ S. Paladius and all thâse which S. Ceââne that Massing Popâ sânt hither into Brâââie were Massing Bishops and Priests as alââ
thât were coâsâcrated by theÌ is confesâ by all VVe haue the most worthie wiâââe of our old Bââtish antiquities written âut 1000 yeares since intituled euen by âestants glosses Prima ânstitutiâ varuâas âsiastiââ seruitij The first Institution and varâetie âââch sâruâce The Masse and publike officâ which in the time of S. German S. Lupus and S. Patricke was by theÌ and others vsed in Britanie Scotland and Ireland was the âame which was composed by Saint Marke the Euangelist And thus it continued here so long as the Britans ruled and after they were expelled by the Saxons with the which remained in wales ad Cornewall and theâ Scots and Irish. All our Archbishops both oâ London Yorke and Caârlegion Theonus Dubritiâs Sampson Dauid and the resâ with all Bishops and Priests vnder them werâ sacrificing and Massing Priests Altars foâ Masse were in all Churches and one tââ thâ sacrifice of Christs bodie and blood was offered in Masse All which appeareth in âannâ histories and their destructioÌ by the Pagaâ SaxoÌs in all Churches doth witnesse it Ecclââ Ecclesiastica omnia ad soluÌ vsâ destruebaÌâ Sacerdââes iuxta aâiaria trucidabaÌt They destroyed euen to ââ ground the Câurcâes and all Ecclesiasticall tâings tâe âilled the Priests at the Alâars Such were the Prâlats Bishops Priests Abbots and their Seââ Monasteries and Churches where Maââ was vsed in great number and aboundancâ in euery age ây the ârotestants confession âo Goââolin histor Eccles Matth. Parker Antiquis Britannis pag. 8. Tot tantâquâ Presâââârorum Mânacâorum Praesuluâ Episcoporum Ecclesiarum Coenobiorum Sâdiumâ vetusta nomina quae quosââ saculo extiterunt Se ãâã old names of Priests Monckes Prelats Bisâoâ Churches Monastericâ and Episcopall Seâs were in âuery ââge extante 13. And among the Saxons the first Christian Priests that were permitted here were Massing Priests their Sacrifice was the sacrifice of Masse their Church at Canterburie had Altars and Saint Leâhard the Bishop which came hither with the Fâenth Cathoâike Christian Ladie Queene Bertha married âo the Saxon king Etheâbert of kent and the Priests with him were all Massing Priests and âaied Masse in that Church allotted to theÌ to âhat end In antiquissima sancti Pâaesulis Marâinâ Ecclesiâ sub vrbe sua beato Pontisiâe Lethardâ praesiâente frequentabat Regina Missarum Oraâioâum âacra cum suorum coâitum samiliâ Christianâ ââ the auncient Chuâch of Saint Mârtin cituââd neare vnto the citie Lethardus the Bishop gouerâng it the Queene wiâh her Christian samilââ heard âasse frequently This was diuers yeares before âaint Gregâriâ that most holy and ââarned âope Gregoriâs magnus Romanus omnium âontisiâm Romanorum doctrinâ vitâ prâstantissimuâ âegorie the greate a Roman the worthiest of ad the âoman Bishops in doctrin and life As Protestants âle him sent Saint Augustine with his holy âmpanie hither and king Ethelbert as these âotestants saie by the persuasion of Queene ârtha his wise and her Clergie receiued the âole Roman Religion Conuârsus vxoris Berâ persuasione Ethelberius Rex Romanismum susceâ And Saint Augustine brought in among âher things Altars holy vestiments and âsselâ Relicks bookes of Ceremonies the Sacrafice of Masse and in a Councell assembled commaunded the Roman customes to be obserued euery where Introduxit Altaria vestimenta Vasa sacra Reliquias Ceremoniarum codices Prinum corum Studium erat cirâa Missarum oblationes Sedes âpiscopalââ ac deâimas coactà Syno do maÌdauit Romanas vâiq câsâctuâinâs sâruari And the Masse which S. Augustinâ brought hither fâom â Gâegoâie was the same which S. Gregoââe and the Roman Church then vsed and the present Râman Church and Catholikeâ of England doe vse at this time and the very same which was in vse before Saint Gregorie He onely addâââ vnto it as the Protestants themâelues confesse âew things not questioneâ by them as ãâ¦ã Lord haue mâââie âpon ââ to be diuers times ââiâerated which they confesse the Greeke Church dâd vse long before He added also Diâsque âostros in âuâ pace diââonas And dâspose our daiâs in thy peace And commaund we âe deliuered froÌ euerlasting damnatioÌ and numbred in the sâock of thy electâ But the Protestants allow and vse all these aâ also where they saâe he hadded Alleluia somâ times to be vsed it being vsed in Scripture and the saying or singing our Lords prayeâ Pater noster ordained by Christ and by Protestants confessâoÌ vsed in Masse in the Apostleâ time S. Aldeâme our holy Bishop and Countrie mâ who calâeth S. Gregorie his Maâââ writeth that he added in the daily Canon wââ the solenities of Masâe are celebrated in the Cââalogue of âââtyrâ S. ãâ¦ã ioyning the ãâã S. ãâã S. Anasââsiâ and âthers Qâââ ãâã Agatha âLuâia ãâã ãâã noster Gregoâââân Canone ãâ¦ã âmââa celeârâtur âopulâsse ãâ¦ã âââlogo ãâ¦ã âgaââa Luciâ VVhich S. ãâ¦ã and Pedagoge âregorie âs ãâ¦ã in the dââly Canon ãâ¦ã them after this mâner ãâã Catalogue ãâ¦ã Anastâsiâ Agaââa ãâ¦ã Saint Gregorie added no ãâ¦ã to the holy Masse For hereby ãâ¦ã the whole Canon was vsâd before anâ ãâã Saint Agatâa and Saint Lucia to the oâhâr holy women Martyrs proueth enough ãâã âis Act to be holy by former authoââtie and âxample those oââer holy Martyrs being by âhe Church of Christ placed and ãâã in âhe Canon before S. Gregorie hâs ãâã and S. âgatha and Sâinâ Lucia in the Caâââders of Protestants ãâã acknowledged and ãâã holy ãâã Saints and Martyrs For Saiââ Greâoââe to ioyne Saints to Saints in honour âould âe no ânsainctlike Act in him Nâither âhâ Priests of Engâand doe dâserue suâh peâalâies punishments and peâsââuciors as âhey naâe long suffered and now full âoe ândââe âor exeâcising their most honourablâ Functiâ ân offering their most diuine Sacriâiâe instituted by Christ offered by him his âoly Apostles and in all Ages after in this so approued and receiued Order and forme oâ Masse vntill it was first here disallowed by king Edward 6 a child and made so penall by Queenes Elizabeths strang proceedings in such affaires For king Henry 8. though otherwise a most strang Enimie to Christs âoly Church yet concerning Massing Priests anâ Masse he ordained by his laste will and Testament as is still to be seene Massââ That they should continue in England to the ând of the worlâ willing and charging Prince Edward his sonne aâ his Executors all his heires and Successours thâ should be kings of this Realme âs they will answear before allmightie God at the dreadfull daie of IudgmeÌt that they and euery of theÌ dreseâ it performed Neitheâ euer was there in England before that yoâ kings time or in any other nation wheâ Protestant Communion hath in these theiâ late daies opposed against Catholike Relâgion Priests and Masse any other Churcâ seruice but Catholike Masse and Sacriâieâ founde heard off or remembred in Antiquities 14. Therefore seeing the honour and dignitie of holy Priesthood in the respect oâ the most sacred and heauenlie
in the heauens and âhatsoeuer yee shall loose on earth shal be loosed in âe heauens God hath subiected to the hands of the âriests the Regall head theaâhing vs that this Prince greater theÌ that The thronâ power authoritie ând dignitie of Priests is aboue Regall this âleth onely in things temporall the Priest â heauenly The king of heauen hath giuen his power to his Priests and hath subiected âe Regall head to thâ hands of the Priests âeclaring vnto vs that this is a greater Prince âen he Neither hath he giueÌ such power vnto ângels or Archangels as to Priâsts Saâerdotibââââum est vt potestatem habâant quam Deus neque Chrysâst lib. 3. de Sacerdotio ângelis neque Archangelâs datam esse voluit Neque âim ad illos dictum est Quaeâunque alligaueritis in ârrâ erunt alligata in coelo Et quaecunque solueretiââ terrâ erunt soluta in âoelâ It is giuen to Priests âat they shall haue power which God would haue âuen neither to Angells nor Arâhangeââs For it is not âed to them Whatsoeuer you âhall bind vpon earth âall be bound also in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall âose on earth shall be loosed in heauen The power âf binding which is in Princes is onely ouer âodies that of Priests ouer soules and extenâeth to heauen Habent terrestres Principes vinâli potestatem verum corpârum solum Id autem quod Chrysoââ ibideâ ââo Sacordotum vinculum ipsam eâiam animam conângitatque ad coelos vsque peruadit Terreane Princes âlso haue the power of fetters but of the bodie onely âut that which I saie the bonds of Priests toucheth the âule it selfe and passeth vnto the heauens This is the doctrine deliuered by Christ so expâânded both by the Grââke and âââine Church in Britaniâ and all places with all persons all good Emperours Kinges and Princeâ of England and which the whole Christian worlde haâe euer profâssed and declared 17. And the world will witnesse euery where against persecuting England that the Cathâlikâ Pâiest and Clergie thereof be as leââned ââly religious and as saââ fââm exception and eueâ haue bene since they were persecuted ââmber for number as any âââgiâââ all Chââstian reâowned Naâions And of all Engâââh people they haâe most âoâoâred ânââeast ãâ¦ã offended their Pâinces or ãâ¦ã Câââcrie Most of them be and ãâ¦ã of noble or ãâã familiââ and alâââbred ââ and discended that thây haâe ãâã at home and abroad without ãâ¦ã or huâe They ãâã left ãâ¦ã places iâ ãâã and ãâã Englââd ãâ¦ã and all They ãâ¦ã Bâshoprâcks ãâã or ãâ¦ã but leaue ãâã to thâââr ãâ¦ã any ãâã Tribââes or ãâ¦ã From their Aduersaâies The Catholikeâ of ânglanâ ãâã these âo ãâ¦ã more the Protestants doe ãâ¦ã or many ãâã Presentations and ãâã which beâoâged ãâã their âo ââll into the lapse for the Protestant Bishops to bestowe as thây will Ouâ Catholikâ Priests haue no wiues or children to trouble the CoÌmon âealth withâll Pariâheâând pâaces of birth be not postered or charged with any âuâh nâr Schoââerships or Felâowships in Vnâuersitieâ which are not orâained for Ministerâ childrenâ Tenanâs are âot put out of their liuings nor the Church Riâches and liuings horded vp beggars made âut not releeued for any ãâã of Priests âr Priests fauourers All that be of their acâuintance in Religion are instructed in dutie âo God and Prince and be most true and âutifull Subiectâ to âheir king ân all occasioÌs âhâse caÌnot be the ãâã of a bad Religion 18. Their Religion vnder preâenâe whereâf they are presecuted they haue ofâeÌ in pubâshed bookes proued in euery point and ârticle to be onely true and now doe coÌââ it âât to pâeâse which will so demonstrate ãâã euery Article of thâ Pââseâutours Reâion euen by the Apostleâ and Apoâolike men and Fathers of that age in âhich they liued holy Scripturs and Proâstants themselueâ and they haue often âade most earnest and huÌbâe petitions lateâ pâblished in print to the Parlament ãâã publickly euen with vnequall condiâons to themselues and their causâââ dispute âd mâintainâ all and euery part of the doâine they hold and ãâã against the best âarned Protestant Bishops or ãâã their Persecutours And yet if meÌ would or should speake doe and proceede consequently as they which takââpon them to be teachers instructours and Reformers in Religion of all men in all times and places ought and without vtterly disabling themselues therein are bound A Prieste or Bishop that saieth Maâse absolueth penitents or reconciâeth men to the Catholike faith by power authoritie or Iurisdiction from Rome is no more guiltie of so âermed treason by the ParlameÌt Protestant Acts and lawes then all other Ecclesiasticall ParlameÌt an ãâã Elizab. Statute 2. Parlam 1. Iacob Parlam â Carâli personâ dâacons or others inferiours Religious of what name title or degree soeuer as SubdeacoÌs Acolythists Exorcists or others wanting all such power as is euident by that oâ Queene Elizabeth receiued and prosecuteâ by king Iames aÌd king Charles Priests therefore are not or should not be so prosecuteâ for their Priestlie functions God forbyd any English minded man or louer of Englanâ should thinke or wish it a thing so penall anâ capitall for any InhabitaÌt of England or English man to be borne abid or remaine in hiâ beloued natiue Countrie of England thougâ he weâe a meaner and more vnworthie maâ then any meanest Priest of England is 19. The Protestants thus deriue our Clergââ Succession Thâ first Parlament of Qâ Câmbd Annal pag 36. ââizabeth being ended the Oath of thâ Queens supreamacie was proposed to the Catholike Bishops and Ecclesiasticall Persons many as refused to sweare were depriued their benefices dignities and Bishopriks â Rulers of Churches 50. Prebendaries 5. âisters of Colledges 12 Archdeacons 12. âanes and 14. Bishops all that then âemaiâ except one Anthonie Bishop of Landaffe â calamitie of his See and âome commitâed prison in the Tower Fleete Marshallea â kings Bench. How reuerend and learned ân those of our Clergie then weâe and they âch immediately ioyned with the and coÌtiâd a SuccessioÌ of renowned Clergie Priests â memorable bookes and writings of very ây of them in defence of Catholike Reliân ther honour therby registred among â must worthie writers and their glorie in whole Church of Christ are warrant to posteritie I am an vnworthie witnesse â many older and of more frequeÌt conuersaâ with Priests then I can better testifie that âhin 25 yeares of the Reigne of Queene Eâbeth when so many from our Seminaries â come hither that at one time there were â of them Prisoners in the Marshallea and ây of them put to death There were then ây of Queene Maries Priests depriued and âsecuted by Queene Elizabeth still liuing â labouring here in this holy cauâe and âst of them were very learned as they were â which were sent from our Seminaries to âplie their number and ioyne with them as âers published bookes from them their
and best estate Wherfore as âhe Bishop oâ Chalcedon and Catholiks oâ England may not depart from the Church of Rome in this question So it will be a great wonder if King Charles and his Councell should thus persecute that which to them and all should be so honourable They may not persecute him for his Episcopall Order for that likewise is prooued the most glorious calling in the Church of Christ All English Parlamentarie Protestants confesse the Bishop of Chalchedon and all consâcrated as he was by the Roman Order containing all and more then they vse and by most true and lawfull Consecratours to be an vndoubted true and lawfull Bishop And so it must needs be for whether we will follow the present Roman Order euer vsed here since Saint Augustins time before their new deuised forme of so called Consecration made by King Edward the Sixth a child and altered by his Sister Elizabeth Queene a woman or that which the Britans Scots and Irish vsed long before ât is out of question by all that the Bishop of Chalcedon and euery one such is a true and most vndoubted lawfull Bishop hauing by due and true Consecratours whatsoeuer is contained or prescribed to be done in either of both which the new Protestant forme if they had true Consecâatours cometh short and wanteth euen in things essentiall both by all others and their owne iudgment and practise 18. The present Roman Order hath more though Ceremoniall then that of our BritaÌs Scots and Irish therefore I exemplifie onely in this and the rather to giue Satisfaction to our Protestants so extolling them for their Apostolik Religion neuer changed or altered as they saie Before S. Kentegern was consecrated Bishop all most 1200. yeares since this was their old vse and maÌner herein as Saint Asaph his Scholler a Bishop and others prooue Mos in Britannia inoleuerat in Consecratione Pontificum tantummodo capita corum sacri Cbrismatis infusione perungere cum inuocatione Sancti Spiritus benedictione manus impositione It was an auntient custome among the Britans that in the Consecration of Bishops they onely annoynted them on their heads with holy Chrisme inuocation of the Holy Ghost Benediction and imposiâion of âands This was done by consecrating Bisâops And this was Mos Britonum Scotorum â Hibernia The Custome of the Britans Scots and in âeland In those times when Canons of Counâells were not made of this matter or not ânowne here by reason of great troubles in âese parts as our Antiquaries write and yet âey were excused as hauing true and essenâally needfull Consecration Insulam enim quasi âira orbem positi emergentibus Paganorum infestaâonibus Canonum erantignari Ecclesiastica ideo Cenâra ipsis condiscendens excusationem illorum admit tit âhaââarte Foâ the inhabitants of the Iland being as were placed out of the world were ignorant of the anons by reason of the Continuall inuasions of the Paâans and therfore the Ecclesiasticall Censure yelding ânto them in this parte admââted their excusation But âur Protestants cannot be excused being not âgnorant but CoÌtemners of the Canons and âot this onely but omitting that which by âhe custome of the Britans Scots and Irish âhe old Roman Order in that time as Alâuinus Amalarius and others 800. yeares ânce terme it in their dayes was vsed then and is now all of them deliuering that âoly vnction by true Bishops to be necessaâie and essentiall euer naming the man to be âonsecrated Bishop Bishop elect onely vntill Dienyââus Aâeop l. de Ecclâsiaât Hâerarchia âhat vnctioÌ be ended and then Bishop coÌsecrated âpiscopus consecratus Our Protestants tâeÌselues âublickly haue written ad warranted that âaint Denys the Areopagite Vnctionem ponit expressè Doth expresely put vnction Anacletâ wrote Bishopâ are to be made by imposition of hanâ Anacletus Epist 2. §. â of Bishops and âoly âuction by the exampse of the Apostles because all saâctification consisteth in the hoâ ghoste whose muâââble power is mixed with hoâ Chrisme and by this Rââe sâlemne ordination is to â celebrated Oââ Protestants a âo confesâe thâ the holy Fathers both of the Greeke and Lâtine Church were thus coâecrated Of Sainâ Basile Vnââionâ sâcâa adhâbâta est ââdinatus He wâ ordained by applying holy ânnointing Of S. Gââgorie Nazianzen Me âontifiâem vngis So of â Iohn Chrysostome and Saint Seuerus So â Augustine Viâarius Christi Pontifex efficitur iâ in capite vngitur imitaÌdo illuÌ qui caput est toâiuâ Ecclâsiae per vnctionis gratiâ sit ipse caput Ecclâsiae sibi âmissae The Vicare of Christ is made Bishop aÌd therfâ he is annointed on the head in imitatioÌ of him who the head of the whole Church and he by the grace the ânnointing is made the head of the Chuââ committed vnto him So Saint Gregorie Qui S. Gregor mag in c. 10. l. 1. Regum culmine ponitur Sacramenta susâipit vnctionis quâ ve ò ipsa vnctio Sacramentum est is qui prâmouâââ benè soris vngiâur sâântus virtute SaâraâeÌââ robâreââ He that is pâaâed in the top taâeth the Sacraments â annointing bâcausâ the annointing it selfe is a Sacramâ he that is to be promoted is to be ânnointed well wiâl ââ if he would be strângâhned within with the âeâtue â the Sacrament Anâââ this Tââe he adiudge the Epiâcopaâl cânââââation of the Britanâ Scots aâd Iâiâh ââ be essentially valiâe S Saint Bede Amalââââs S. Iuo Stephant Eduensis and other auntient writers and Expositours of holy mysteries 19. Concerning the Ceremonie of the Booke of Gospels laied vpon the Consecrated though Alcuinus saieth Non reperitur in Alcuinus lâb dâ ãâ¦ã c. ââ âuthoritate veteri neque nouâ sed neque in Romanâ âraditione It is not found in authoritie either auncient ââ newe yea not in the Roman tradition And Amaâarius Neque vetuâ authoritas intimat neque Apostolica traditio neque Canoniâa authoritas Neither auncient authoritie neither Aposteliâall tradition nor Canonicall authoritie doth intimate âny such thing Yet we find this Ceremânie to âaue bene obserued in the time of S. Denis for ân his booke of the Ecclesiasticall Hieraâchie âe hath these words Pontifex quidem qui ad perfeâionem Dionisiuâ ãâ¦ã virtutemque pontifice dignam euââiâur vtâoâe genu flexo ante altare supra caput habet libros à to traditos manumque pontifiâis The Bishop indeede âhich is eleuated to worthy perfection and vertue of a âiâhop kneling on both knees before the Altar hath âon his head the bookes giuen from God and the hand â the Bishop Which Ceremonie is also vsed âily in the Catholike Church as is to be âene in the Rubâiks of the Roman Pontifiâll for after the ring is put on the finger of âe newe Consecrated Bishop this direction âântificale âomanum de Consâcratione Elâcti ân Episcââââ giuen Tum Consecrator accipit librum Euangelioââ de spatulis Consecrati Then the Consecratour taâh the booke of the
petitions and challendges of dâsputatioÌ boâ in the Marshal sea and Tower and their cofuting and confounding their Protestant auersaries doe sufficiently âestifie 20. Wâ may take some proportion of thâ labours and worâhinesse âere if we call â minde the sâaâe of such affair in Engâand â the time of Qâeene Elizabeâh before aây Râligious men came ââther the Cleâgâe Prieâ heing here aâlmost alone without other asistance and compare it with the present câdition when so many Orders of them âsides the old Clergie be and haue bene hâ diuers yeares and we shall not finde feaer the auntient Nobilitie scarceây more of â chiefest gentrie and not many more otheâ Catholikes now then in those daies Tâ which be old may remember it others â Iudgment in histories and Records may fiâ it so the time of Persecution threatning â commaundeth vnto me silence in particulâ Yet all that are so desirous to examine â ãâã Annâl pâ 27. 21. 22. 36. 39. Rowâs preface historicall in Quâene Elâââbeth Stowes ãâã yeare of Q. ãâã comparison may easily prooue that moââ I am not in error if they will but readââ Protestant Historicall relations Caâdâ Howes Stowe and others they will sâe wâ Pollicie was vsed to put downe Catholâ ReligioÌ aÌd by theÌ it will also appeare how ââtholike CouÌcellours were ââmoued Catholâ Iudges Sherifes Iustices of peace and othââ were displaced and Protestants put in tâ places fiue nowe Protestant Lords made iâ âounties Protestant Bââgesses chosen for ârlament Plures è Protestantibuâ datâ operâ è ânitatibus tum è âiuitatibââ Burgis fuisse electos âny of the Protestants of set purpose were chosen one ãâã Counties as well out of Cities as Townes And âhough the Caâholike Bishops were also âcluded from that Parlament that so Proâtant Religion might be the more easily esâlished by Parlament yet the Pâoâestant âtie exceeded onely in Sixe voices the Caâolikes who there profâsâed themselues to âuch and all for the most part of them for âong time remained so The Queene herâe openly then in that Parlament protested âââhe would neuer vexe or trouble the Roman Caâikes concerning any difference in Religion âough we found and felt since how farre âhe â altered froÌ this theÌ her intetion ad deternatioÌ What I haue saied is found to be true all the opinionâ of friends and aduersaries 21. And this sufficiently argueth a true âst lawfull and neuer defectiue knowne sucâion of worthie and learned Priests of the âular Clergie who defended in all times âholy cauâe of God in this our Countrie â conserued still the Catholike Religion in hearts of the Nobilitie gentrie and others âll soâts No Order of the Religious can â so The Iesuits came first of all the Reliâus hither but they were not heare before â went away againe not returning of some âres The DominicaÌs and Franciscans came âer before the Benedictins but neither they nor any other âid or could make this claiâ For our secular Priests haue as is beââ often declared continued alwaies their sâcesâion and in this last persecution sheâ the way and broaken the ice vnto all â Religious by their Mission of Priests hithâ from their Colledges beyond the sâ which I speacke not with any intention dishonour our Reuerend Religious buâ honour the Secular Clergie and to defend Authour of the ProtestaÌs Plea and Petition tâ ParlameÌt for Catholikes Against whom a certâ Benedictine Moncke in his prefatorie Epâ to Saint Augustins Meditations Soliloqâ and Manuall translated by him into Engâ writeth I here neuer hath beene any Interrupâ Benedictine Preachers and Teachers in England â to prooue this his assertion he reciteth âly three such Monâkes Abbot Fecknam aâ Moncke to vse his wordâ whole name was ârie Stile as I take it Who though bliâ bodie yet cleare sighted in minde in the Châââ Westminster publiâly and ââoutely confuted in an â none Sermon a precedent railâng Sermon â D. Horne by appointment of the Councell sââ in the eares of the people to disgrace the profesââ Monckes and Catholike Religion and D. Sââ Buckly and he seemeth to be offendâd â the foresaied Author of the Plea as thougâ had done wrong to their Order in suppâsing D. Abbot Fecknam his namâ say âe might haue remembred the famous and ââ â Abbot Fecknam But aâas this is farre froÌ accusing truely that Author or excusing himselfe or prouing what he said before For that Author in that very booke maketh twice an honourable memorie of that noble Abbot in one plâce setting downe to his honour the Oratâââ he made in the first Parlament of Q. Elizabeth in defence of Religion And âhat Author of the Plea was so farre and âtill is from being otherwise then a loâing friend and no enimy to the Order of âaint Benedict that in the time of Q. Elizaâeth before any Monckes came hither He ârote in honour thereof in his Apologie for Catholiks to the Councell of Q. Elizabeth Apolog. âpâst âo Q Elizab Councall prius an 601. pag 83. â these words The onely order of Saint Benedict so ânowned in our Nation hath had abouâ twentiâ kings âd Emperours aboue an hundred grâât Princes many âopes sixteene hundâed Archbishops 4000. Bishops â000 famous men and 15600. most honourable caânised Saints Thus farre ranne his penne with âeir Moncke and most commender Tritheâius 22. When the first Moncks from Spaine âme hither about the death of Q Elizabeth âd had no Faculties this Author at the reâiest of one of them his deare frâeÌd wrote efâctually to the then Archpriest Maister âack well to giue them ordinarie Faculties âhich he did and these were the first Faculâs that Congregation in my memorie as âe Moncks themselues confessed had in England vntill more ample were afterwards and otherwise procured vnto them And that Author hath euer liued ingreat peace loue vnitie and concorde with all the worthiest oâ that and other Orders of his acquaintance but to that excepting Moncke he âas noâ knowne And now at this time and ãâã afteâ both that Author and I that write as his anâ their louing friend will be so farre froâ being an enimy vnto the Moncks of Sainâ Benâdicts Order that except their auntienâ learned Moncks Historians and such as theâ accompt most fauouring to their Order iâ matter of Historie shall offend and be againâ them of this time we will not offend theâ bringing nothing but from these men theâ selues and such But yet that assertion Tâ there neuer hath beene any Interruption of Benediâââ Preachers and teachers in England cannot be sâ by Moncks and this Moncks owne confâsion For if it had bene a thing lawfull foâ Moncke or any Catholâke to goe twise ââ day to a Protestant Church where once â goe iâ dâmnable such a Moncke could not â a truâ Preacher and Catholike otherwise aâ learned man vnder pretente to coÌfute Proâstants by word or writing might goe to theâ Churches and deliuer themselues from pââalties Further this Moncke as they confeâ went soone after out
of England and died â of ât Abbot Fecknam by Moncks and â dâed in the yeare 1585. And then by ââ Monckes and all mens confession there liued here in England of the old English Monkes onely F. Buckley no great Preacher or learned man So this onely such Moncke could not abâe that proposition There nââer hath bene any Interruption of Benedictine Preachers and teaââeââ in England One no Preacher cannot be such and in the plurall number 23. And that Author made no more menâion in particular of Benedictine Moncks âhen of other Religious Orders all oâ them âailing in learned Priests except of âhe Clerâie to âheach and defend true Rââigion He âid not meane there was not any one either âearned or vnlearned If any such thing is âhere printed it was the printers and not his âoing neither can any of equaâl Iudgement âinke otherwise for that authour well kâew âat Father Sebert Buckley was theÌ liuinâ he âeing well and very louingly acquainâeâ with âaister Sadler and maister Mahu Priests âhich first ioyned with that F. Buckley heaâng from them the manner thereof And he âath seene vnder one of their hanâs more âen euer he wrote or held That it was âoubted whether that father Buckley was a ârofessed Moncke or no and the reasons of âch doubt are thus set downe written with âne of their hands Quia hoc neque per scripturam âe publicum Instrumentum neque per testem quirem âsam nouerat probatum vidit Because he had noââne this prooued by writing or puâlike Instrument nor witnesse that knew it This is more then my friend needeth in this matter or this case now requireth And he euer thought he was a Monke So doe I and honour the Order of S. Benedict and all other Religious Orders and loue and honour all my worthie frieÌds and acquaintance of them as much as euer I did which some of them know to be very much and as they can wish or desire and euer shall yet veritaâ vincit THE VII CHAPTER That the Catholikes of England taughâ and directed by such guides in Religioâ as our Priests be are not to be persecuted but protected defended and imployed as true and faithfull subiectâ in all things 1. THe honour dignitie glorie and renowne of consecrated Bishops anâ Priests being thus great ample excelleÌt anâ necessarie among all true beleuing Christianâ Instituted and ordained by Christ himselfe aÌâ according to his owne most holy Order foâ all professours of his faith and Religion in aâ ând places vntill this life and world is to end and that the publik Sacrifice they offer and celebrate is so holy and heauenly the Religion generally which they professe preach and âeache vndoubtedly true and that the highest spirituall power by which their Mission is so certaine so aântiently honourable and honoured and without manifest and vnexcusable offence both to the greatest authoritie on earth or in heauen so to be receiued and reuereuced of all twyce happie blessed and honourable is then your state cause and condition Most Noble and Renowned Confessours of the Nobilitie Gentrie and other Catholike laietie of England in chosing in such times such guides of your soules professing such Religion and which giueth you a second and greater felicitie to be for such a cause so persecuted in your Natiue Countrie of your owne Countriemen kindred and called Christians 2. To suffer Persecution for Iustice is a blessednesse and bringeth to eternall blisse But to endure it in such measure and manner as you haue done and doe it will eleuate you âo the highest and neuer fading ioyes your âosse may be of temporarie but your purâhase thereby will be of much better and euer âuting things Terreane glorie flattering and deceitfull honour is often valued bought and solde at too deare a rate but that which Persecution for the cause you suffer in will for euer endowe you with will farre exceede the worth of any price you can bestowe to possesse it Id enim quod in praesenti saieth â ad Cor. 4. Saint Paule est momentaneum leue tribulationis nostrae supra modum in sublimitate aeternum gloriae pondus operatur in nobis non contemplantibus nobis quae videntur sed quae non videntur Quae enim videntur temporalia sunt quae autem non videntur aeterna sunt For that our tribulation which presently is momentarie and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glorie in vs we not considering the things that are seene but that are not seene For things that be seene are temporall but those that be not seene are eternall And c. 5. in an other place he addeth Scimus enim quoniam si terrestris domus nostra huius habitationis dissoluatur quod aedificationem ex Deo habemus domum âon manufactam aeternam in caelis For we know that if our earthly house of this habitation be dissolued that we haue a building of God a house nââ made with hand eternall in heauen Your liues your lands your liberties honours and what soeuer in things temporall and to be forsakeÌ or spoyled and depriued off deare vnto you were lent giuen and but for a time bestowed vpon you as also his most pretious blood and life was after many other Miserie 's sustained for your Ransome aÌd RedeÌption by him for whose right and cause you stand and patiently endure afflictions for the same so often so much and so long time Thus he himselfe founde the way and returned to his owne kingedome and glorie immense and eternall and he said at his departure hence to his heauenly throane vnto his blessed Apostles Disciples to you and all that shall serue and suffer for him to the end of the world In domo Patris mei Io 1â mansiones multae sunt vado parare vobis locum Et ââ abiero praeparauero vobis locum iterum venio accipiam vos ad meipsum vt vbi sum eg vos sitis Et quo ego vado scitis viam sâââis In my fathers house there be many mansions I goe to prepaâe you a place I come againe and will take you to my sâlfâ that where I am you also may be And wither I goe you knowe and the way you knowe Euery Mansion in heauen in the howse of God farre surpasseth all Pallaces and pleasures of this world and to be with Christ in eternall glorie infinitely exceedeth all delights and honours here And the glorie and reward of them that come nearest to Christ in sufferings here ââll be âhe highest and greatest with him there in loyes for euer Ecce Tabernaâulum Dei cum hominibus Apoâal â1 habitabit cum eis ipsi populus âius erunt ipse Deus cum eis erât coruÌ Deus Eâ absterget Deus omnem Lachrymam ab oculis eorum mârs vltrà non erit neque luctus neque clamor neque dolor erit vltrà quae prima abierunt Behold the Tabernacle of