The 3. was of Traian in whose time 3. holly Bishoppes suffred vid. Saint Clement the disciple of saint Peter saint Ignatius disciple to saint Iohn the Euangelist and saint Polycarpe The 4. was of Antoninus Verus The 5. of Seuerus The 6. of Maximinus The 7. of Decius who did put saint Laurence to death The 8. of Valerian The 9. of Aurelian The 10. was the crwelest of Dioclesian of Maximinus These persecutions were before Constantius the great who was a Christian 3. Vnto these saint August added the persecution of Iulian the Apostata which was most pernitious for he depriued the Christians of offices and places in the common wealth as also of all their goodes and studies of learning Another was of Valens all these were Romane Emperors Another was of Sapor king of Persia who caused his people to adore the sunne wherin 16000. thousand suffred amoungest whome were many Bishoppes priests and many holly virgins dedicated to Christ Before all these saint August sets downe the first persecutioÌ„ of all which was of Iudea vnder Herod wherin the Apostle Saint Iames the greater suffred Wee doe nott speake here of the persecutions of the Vandals in Affricke or of other heretiques or infidels but only of the Romane Emperors whose persecution was nott only in one kingdome or prouince but in all places especially at Rome at Alexandria where S. Cathrin suffred at Antioch Nicomedia Cesarea of Capadocia Cesarea of Palestin in Ponto in Helesponto in Africa in Aegipt at Saragosa at Parris where saint Denys of Areopagita with his followers were putt to death at Syracusa where S. Lucia at Catanea where saint Agatha in Bithinia in Achaia at Smirna at Thebes and in all other places subiect to the Romans 4. Were all these persecuting princes lawfull heads of Christes church or some of them If some all should be for the one ought to haue asmuch authoritie in that head-shipp as the other if that stile or dignitie should rightly belong to the Emperiall scepter or should be annexed to the Royall authoritie as a power or iurisdiction comprised and comprehended within the maiestie of a regall dignitie as some protestants do hold Yf this be trew all these blessed martyrs wherof some of them were the blessed Apostles as saint Peter and saint Paule who suffred vnder Nero were damned is arrogant and dissobedient subiects for not conforming themselues to their princes wills and humors in causes ecclesiasticall and consequently none that was put to death by them was a holy martyr but an obstinat and wilfull subiect which is most foolish and absurd If yow say that a king to be head of the church ought to be a Christian as some other English protestants do say I aske of them who was head of the church the space of the first 300 yeers after Christ when all kings were infidels and persecutors thereof as I haue declared For either the church all that while was without a head or els some other that was not a king must be a iudge and haue this authoritie and supreame iurisdiction of the king therin and such ought to haue no les iurisdiction ouer the Christians in causes of their consciences and ecclesiasticall matters now then at that time 5. Nowe the Christians are no les nor no better then they were in that golden age of the primitiue church Epiph. heresi Optat. lib. 2. contra Parmen S. Aug. Epist ad generosum quae est 105. Hiero. Prosper in continuatione chronici Eusebij and consequentlie the same ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ought to continew still in the church of Christ which he builded setled and founded vppon saint Peter and his successors as vppon a firme Rocke whose foundation shall neuer faile against whome the gats of hell with all the plottes and pollicies of Sathan and the cunninge deuises and attempts of Matche-villian protestantes shall not preuaile And so in vaine they striue to build the same vppon any other fundation then that which was alreddy laid downe by Christ himselfe being the Corner and head stone of this foundation vppon saint Peter the Apostles and prophetts and their successors for euer I meane the Bishopps and priests vnto whome he committed the authoritie and regiment ouer his flocke to feed and defend them from the woulues to saue them from the violent excursions of infidels and heretiques vnto whome it is sad in the Actes or the Apostles Attendite vobis vniuerso gregâ— in quo c. Loocke well to your selues Act. 20. Matt. 10. Matt. vlt. Mar. vlt. Iohn 20. Iohn 21. and to the vniuersall flocke in which the holy ghost placed you Bishoppes and pastoures to gouerne and rule the church of God And as this church is the mysticall body of Christ and a spirituall Common wealth so it should be gouerned and managed by spirituall parsons and pastours that should haue spirituall orders and consequentlie ought to haue spirituall authoritie and iurisdiction ouer her rebellious and obstinat children to chastice their rebellions disobedience to correct their offences and to extend the rodd of discipline vppon them when they will nott obey her otherwise it should be a poore distressed common wealth when none hath power or iurisdiction therin to chastice the transgressor of her lawes and so all her subiects may with libertie and impunitie keepe or breake them 6. But no article or inunction of the protestant religion is of greater force amongest the protestants specially of England then that the king is supreame head of the church and that euery one whether he be a catholique or protestant must not only encur the imputation of high treason but also the pennalties and disgrace of traitoures that wilâ— not sweare solemly and publickly that he thinckes in his conscience this to be trew which is nothing els then to enthrall and enforce a catholique perhapps some proâ—estants to a damnable and wilfull preiury against his owne conscience that knoweth or at least thincketh the contrary Was not this new fundation and grownd of the English protestant church newly coyned the 26. yeer of king Henry 8. when the oath of supremacy was inuented by the instigation of his fatall and filthy passion of lust and concupiscence and by the industry and suggestion of certaine cogging mates as Thomas Cromwell and Robert Barnes an apostat frier the one beheaded the other I meane the frier burned rather of malice then of any conscience or honesty without which there can be no good religion not warranted by scripture but deuised in the court not by the best but by the worst quorum Deus venter est quorum finis interitus gloria in confusione c. not perswaded by reason but violentlie constrained not ordained for the edification of the church but for the destruction and confusion of innoceÌ„t christiaÌ„s not resolued of by the schooles and learned diuines but first determined by the king and enforced in the parleament against the definition of all former parleaments
for a man as meate drinke or sleepe and said moreouer that if a married woman would not render the coniugall debpte of matrimonie Lib. ae vita coniug serm de matrimonio that the husband should not spare his maide The like filthie lust but farre more detestable was the occesion of Caluine his heresie For it is well knoweÌ„ as may appeare by the iudiciall actes and recordes of NouodiuÌ„ Bolsecus in vita Calu. cap. 5. Iul. Brig pag. 59. that he was condemned of the filthie sinne of the flesh against nature had it not beene for the intreatie of the bishop there which obtayned that his punishmente should be turned vnto a hoate burninge iron on his backe he should haue bene altogether burnt Iohn Witcliffe for that he was depriued of his personnage in Oxforde for his vitious misdemenor began his heresie Arrius because Alexander was preferred to the Archbishopricke of Alexandria before him Nicep de pen. l. 5. c. gaue occasion of the Arrian heresie against the deitie of Christe MoÌ„tanus for that he was denyed the primacy of Asia which he soughte verie earnestlie troubled the Church with newe heresies as Nicephorus wyttnesseth de penitentia lâ—b 5. cap. 15. Aerius alsoe for beinge denyed of a Bishopricke fell into Arianisme and afterwardes inuented himselfe a newe heresie which was that wee ought not pray for the dead 2. Henry the eighte as Iohn Foxe a greate puritan in England doth wyttnes Fox in historia pa. 512. edit 1 all the world knoweth to be true for his diuorce made from Queene Catherine his wyfe was by the Bishoppe of Rome excommunicated who beinge sore exasperated therby assembled a parlamente by which he brought to passe that he banished the Popes authoritie out of England made himselfe head of the Church thus far Iohn Foxes owne wordes Hollin in descrip Brita l. 1â— cap. 7. For it is certainly knowen that from the conuersion of England by S. Augustine duringe soe many hundred yeares vnto Kinge Henry the 8. as all English historiographers and ministers themselues doe acknowledge the Catholicke or papisticall religion as it pleaseth them to tearme it did florish in England that the cheefe pointe thereof was that the Pope was iudge moderatour and cheefe Pastor aswell of the English Church as of all other Churches of the Christians in Ecclesiasticall matters which Catholicke faith the said Kinge Henry defended the space of xx yeares as longe as he liued with his lawfull married wife aswell against domesticall heretickes that were his subiects by all penall statutes and exquisit torments at alsoe against forraine hereticks by a most learned booke in the defense of the 7. Sacraments which booke I haue in myne owne custodie for which he was ennobled and honored by Pope Leo the tenth with the title of defeÌ„der of the Catholicke faith which was neuer giuen to any kinge in the worlde before which he receaued as Foxe saies with great ioy for when it came to the kinge beinge then at Greene wich he went to his chapel accompanied with manny nobles Ambassadors Cardinall Wolsey said Masse the Earle of Essex brought the basen of water the duke of Suffolke gaue the assay the duke of Norfolke held the towell the Heraldes with their company began their accustomed cryes prononcinge Fox anno 1528. fol. 441. Henricus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae defensor Fidei Dominus Hiberniae And amongest his other magnificent titles he lefte to this day this title to his posterity as is well knowen to the world Neyther only with bookes but alsoe with his victorious and inuincible armes did he defende the Catholike Romane faith and the dignitie thereof for the which he foughte againste sundrie princes and their confederates as againste Lodowicke the 12. kinge of France and Iames the 4. kinge of Scottes though married to his sister Who beinge vanquished and his great armie ouerthrowen by the Earle of Surrie in England and the said kinge himselfe being slaine in the battle for that he was excommunicated was not suffred to be buried in any Christian graue Also he sent his Armie by sea to ioyne with the Spaniardes againste the kinge of France to assaulte France in the frontiers of Spaine by the powerfull force of the English Iohn Albertus the kinge of Nauare was driuen altogether out of the kingdome beinge excomunicated by the Pope which Spaine doth possesse at this daye Did not the said kinge within fewe yeares after send an Armie into Italie against the Emperor Charles the first in the defence of Clement the 7. then Pope And notwithstanding he was his great frinde and his Nephewe for that Queene Cathrine was his Aunte yet through the filthie concupiscence by which he was besotted and blinded to marrye Anna Bulâ—ene and soe to be diuorced from his lawfull marryed wife he turned all thinges topsie turuie reiected the Popes authoritie which he before aswell by Gods lawes the holy scriptures as by the fathers and Councells of the Church defended and soe by a parlament of one Realme or kingdome he disanulled and abrogated that which was established by soe manny generall parleaments and generall Councells of all Christendome yea by Christe himselfe and by all such as trulye beleeued in him And for not yealding vnto his desire herein manny religious and constant Martyrs offred their liues and their bloode amoungest whome was the lighte of England that most sacred Martyr and learned diuine Iohn Fisher Bishopp of Rochester Sr. Thomas More Lord Chancelor of England of these sorte of people our Sauiour wished vs to beware Act. 20 the Apostle alsoe saith woulues shall enter after my departure and shall not spare the flocke Rom. 16. Therfore in another place he requested vs to marke and knowe what people they be that raise dissentions and scandalls in the Churche and doe teach otherwise then wee haue alreadye receaued and to fly from them Heb. 4. Iohn 4. He alsoe exhorted vs that wee should not be lead away with mutable and strange doctrine S. Iohn alsoe wished vs not to beleeue euerie spiritt but that wee should trye whether they be of God 3. But the doctrine of Luther cannot by any triall be founde true so that as Christ saith Iohn 7. my doctrine is not myne but my fathers which did send me soe Luther may say his doctrine is not his but his fathers the diuell that did send him Luth. lib. de Missa Ang. to G lenens Ger 10. 7. witteÌ„b 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 14. whom he boasted to haue suggested vnto him arguments to ouerthrowe priest-hoode and sacrifice that by that meanes he should ouerthrowe and confounde the true worshipp of the true God for God as the Apostle saith is the God of peace and charitie not of dissention For whosoeuer procures sectes and diuision betwixt brethren saith the prophett is a diuell When therfore by Luthers meanes wee see so manny sectes against Godds Churche wee must
which blessed name none disdayned none were called Gospellers Lutherans Caluinists Zuinglians Protestantes or Puritans Anabaptistes Trinitarians or any other sect with innumerable others which the Protestant religion hath sett abroach and inuented men were simple and honest in their dealinges faithfull of their promisses charitable in their workes zealous in their beleefe obediente vnto their Prelates and Pastors This is soe euident a trueth as that all bookes recordes generall and prouinciall councells all parleamentes of kingdomes all vnctions and inuestinge of Emperours and Kinges all consecration of Bishoppes all holy orders of Priestes all churches monasteries and chappels in the worlde all the gates of townes and cyttyes all monuments and recordes both spirituall and temporall all vniuersities and doctours of Christendome both comon and ciuill lawes of all countries yea Protestantes themselues doe plainly witnesse 3. But that Protestant religion is new is a thing most certeine for there are men yet liuinge at this day more auncient then it and can remember when it first came into England and Irelande Wee can shewe you the first inuentours and authors therof The place the time and the occasion by which it crepte in and infected these miserable nor then countries Who haue opposed themselues against it What garboyles callamities came into those countryes that nourished the same What rebellion and insurrectiō of subiects against their princes for defending the same What were the motiues of such as inuented yt and occasions of others that imbraced it The successe of the one and the other and by whome and how the same was condemned I pray you what can be more euident signes and tokens of noueltie for noueltie in all common wealthes but especially in matters of religion as S. Nazianzenus saith is to be auoided yea the Emperour of the Turckes did aduise the Queene of Transiluania to beware of the noueltie of hereticall sectes and that shee should neuer suffer the same to creepe into her countrie It is well knowen also that the name of protestāt religion was neuer heard of before the yeare of our Lord 1529. in the towne of Spira in Germany where the Lutheranes beinge as it were combined against the Emperour Charles the 5. did vse a kinde of protestation wherupon afterwardes they were called Protestantes 4. If thou say that it lay lurkinge and hidden in the worlde I aske where or in what place of the world in what kingdomes and townes or who were the defenders therof Truly no writer or historiographer did or could euer make mētion of any such nor euer before that time any mention was made of them nor was it euer heard that any hereticall secte was so closelie hidden in the worlde but it might be knowen at least when Luther himselfe taught the same they should then haue manifested themselues and yet we can finde none such for such as followed Luther they were before Catholickes Ex nobis prodierunt saith Saint Iohn sed non erant ex nobis Ioan. 2. They went foorth frō vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they had remayned with vs it is cleare therfore they were not good Christians who forsakinge the narrowe way of saluation runne headlonge into the broade way of perdition and licentious doctrine of newe sectaries Whereas the religion of Christ is a religion moste auncient sacred immutable impregnable inuiolable alwaies the selfe same holdinge and continuinge his vigor and force vnto the worldes ende it is the soule and life of the Church For euen as by the soule fleash is vnited vnto the liuinge man soe by religion mākinde is ioyned vnto the church of Christe beinge his spirituall kingdome and all that euer were saued either before Iustinus mart orat ad Anto. Aug. l 10 confess ca. 43. or after Christe oughte to be called Christians as Iustinus martyr and other holy Doctors doe say for that they embraced Christian religion and as saint Augustine saith Ipse vnigenitus Dei silius homo propter nos factus est c. The only begotten Sonne of God became man for vs that he should become the head of his whole Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile Matt. 16. vnto whome Christe promised to remaine withall vnto the consumation of the worlde Matt. vlt. So that the religion by which this church is vpheld and Christe professed did and shall allwaies continue 5. It is well knowen that the name of hugonots began in France an 1562. as themselues of their assēblies made in the nighte at a gate in Tours in France called Hugon confesse to haue taken their denomination went out of the Catholique churche and did embrace the impiety of Caluine In Scotland they fell alsoe from the Catholique Church into Caluinisme anno Domini 1560. In Flanders the Geuses reuolted from the said church ouerwhelmed in the pit of soe manny heresies anno 1566. In England they chaunged religion anno 1535. and first fell vnto Lutheranisme afterwardes to Zuinglianisme afterwardes the bodye of the realme fell from Zuinglianisme to puritanisme the next degree vnto Anabaptisme and since what numbers are fallen to the familie of loue And what swarmes of Athistes are sprunge vpp in euerie shire as Whittguifte noteth against Cartwrith 6. Are not the first Authours of the protestancy also knowen as Luther Carolastadius Oecolampadius in Germanie Pharell in France Thomas Crammer in England Iohn knox and Paule Methen a baker in Scotland George Browne in Irlād In the Apologie of the church of England pag. 142 it is said that Luther and Zuinglius came first to the knowledge of the truth Luth. tom 7. f. 307. and preaching of the ghospell Luther said that God reuealed vnto him the knowledge of his Sōne that he at lenghte might euangelize it to others and that the Gospell was first preached by him D Kellyson reply to Surcliffe fol. 149. But we knowe that they cannot alleadge the author of our religion neither can they nominate vs from any particuler man nor can they chardge the Catholique church with any priuate opinion or faith that is not vniuersally allowed embraced of all Catholiques neither can they nominate the time that shee fayled of her faith Neither can they obiect that our church hath separated herselfe from the greater church or that such as did adhere to the Pope were in number lesse then any Church For it is written in S. Gregories Epistles to the Bishoppes of the Easte that Affrique Spaine France Italie and all the worlde did communicat with him This verie argument other Doctours did vse against other heretiques as Tertullian Tertull. lib. de praescrip Qui estis vos inquit c. What are yee saith he from whence and when came you where did you lie hidden all this while alsoe Optatus mileuita lib. 2. contra Parmenand Vestrae inquit Cathedrae originem ostendite c. Shew the beginninge of your Chaire you who challenge vnto your selues the churche
destroied by the heresie of Pelagius giue a Moncke of Bangor for chastisment wherof almightie God suffred the Englishmen to turne the edge of their sworde vppon those that sent for them for their defence Vortiger was the leader of the Church when old Britans weare destroyd and dispossessed them of their Countrie and made themselues Lord thereof called Brittanie Englande by their owne name soe that heresie did soe increase in that kingdome about the tyme that S. Gregorie did send S. Augustine and other holy mounckes thither to preach the Catholick faith therein that 9. hereticall bushoppes beinge there before them no one catholick bishopp was found Ireland alsoe when the Englishe in kinge Henry the 2. gott footinge therein did little esteeme the sacred censure of holly Church Bern. in vita Malachiae Dolman Lib. 2. and the noblemen of that kingdome did vsurpe Church liuinges as may appeare by S. Bernard Edward the 3. beinge a most glorious kinge his end was pittifull his heire kinge Richard after infinitt sedition contention and blood-shedd of the nobilitie and others was deposed and made away the bloody diuision of the howse of lancaster yorcke came in and endured almoste one hundreth yeares with the ruyne not only of the royall lyne of LaÌ„caster by whom especially Iohn Wittcliffe a peruerse hereticke condemned in the Councell of Constance was fauored at the beginninge but with the ouerthrowe of many other Princes and families and most pernicious warres and garboyles continued both at home abroade with the losse of all the states and Prouinces of France Thomas Walsingham settes downe the Commotion of King Richard the 2. his time againste the nobilitie and Cleargie vnder their seditious Captaines Iacke Strawe Watt Tyler and the rest soe againe vnder other kinges whilest this heresie lasted and namly against the two most valiant Catholicke Princes Henry the 4 and 5. his sonne in the first yeare of whose rayne to witt kinge Henry the fift Iohn Stowe wryteth thus That the fauorers of Wiâ—cleefe his secte did nayle vpp scedulles vpon the Church doores of London containinge that there were an hundreth thousand readie to rise against all such as could not awaye with their secte The first tumuâ—tes of Pollardes and Wicliffians in England were Anno 1414. and hereon followed the open rebellion of Sr. Iohn old Castle and Sr. Roger Acton and others in S. Giles fâ—lde by Holborne neuerthelesse this secte could neuer take hold or preuaile in England neither then or after vntill foure pointes thereof beinge renewed by Luther and Zuinglius the later I meane Zuinglius his secte was admitted in kinge Edward hâ—s dayes 5. Did not the kinge of Denmarke bringe the people of Thretmarse which were a free state into a vilde thraldome after they were Lutheranes whereas as longe as they were Catholicks they were a free state of their owne Ces to 4. An Christi 379. S. Amb. in libris ad GratianuÌ„ Caes Baro. to 4. 379. S. Ambrose also doth proue the same as Caesar Baronius doth alleadge and saith Vna cum haeresi in regna cladem inuehi cum fide catholica salutem ferri c. that noe sooner heresie was broughte in then presentlie the kingdomes where it crepte in were ouerthrowen and quickly destroied and were againe restored and established by Catholique religion This he spake of the Empire of the easte sicque in occidente accumulari victorijs Gratianum that in the weast by the Catholique religion Gratianus the Emperor did encrease in many victories Cum in castris excubant cum gratia atque precibus Sacerdotum sancta religio when the priestes in the Campe did watch in prayers and other exercises of sacred religion Contrariewise you shall see the happie and florishinge Empire to decay and cast topsie turuie when the Emperor did fauor heretiques or at leaste when they were slacke in defendinge the Catholicque religion adeo saith he vt perspicuè intelligas claram victoriam religionem penitus consequi hereses tristes erumnas euocatas ab inferis secum ducere soe as you may plainly perceaue that by religion victorie was gotten and alsoe by heresie woe and wreake and all other dolfull calamitie and hellish confusion was broughte to the woâ—lde The like assertion hath holie Basill Basil ep 69 Caes Bar. to 4. An. Christi 363. quod enim comune est ciuitatibus omnibus vt cum semel hereticis aurem praebent mox vna cum heresi dissentiones rixae ac mala omnia sugata recta â—ide paceque subintrent ita planè Neocesarientibus accidit that which is incident to all Citties when once they giue eare vnto hereticques presently trewe faith beinge once abandoned dissentions debates and all other mischeefes will creepe in as wee see an euident example to those of Noecessaria what heresie saith he but which was contraire to the traditions of S. Gregorie the greate his wordes be these aduersaria traditioni magni reuera Gregorij 6. tomo 4. An. Christi 371. many heresies in the East The like miserie yow may read by the Epistles of those holy Sainctes videlicet Mileâ—itaâ—us Eusebius and Basilius to the Bushoppes of Italie and France and related by Caesar Baronius in which he wrote as followeth Miserandus status orientalis ecclesiae c. The state of the Easte Church is to be pitted for not onlie two or three Churches haue fallen vnto this dangerous tempest but that mischeefe of heresie hath extended her selfe from the bondes of Illiâ—ia vnto Tebaira the seede of which was first sowed by Arrius and afterwarde was gathered by wicked people who haue broughte forth wicked and pernitious fruites and discipline and doctrine of pietie and goood life is ouerthrowen all bondes and obligation of honestie and charitie is confounded and decaide none hath sway ouer others but he that is most wicked whose rewarde is the gouernment of others and he that exceedes others in blasphemies exceedes all in the episcopall dignitie The grauitie of Bishopps is lost the honestie of Pastors is gone the holy Canons of the Church are troade vnderfoote the releefe of the poore is altogether abused to their filthie vse The occasions of all such mischeefes are laide open by Saincte Optatus Milenitanus who hauinge reckoned the bloody and cruell actes of the heretickes called Donatistes he applied that place of the scripture vnto them Veloces pedes eorum ad effudendum sanguinem Cruelty of heretiques Mauritaniae videl the sea coast of Affrique next vnto Europe their feete are verie swifte to shedd blood And then addeth In Maritaniae ciuitatibus c. In the Citties of Mauritania by your procuremente they were affrighted with many garboiles Children were kilde in their mothers bellies men were murthered and torne in peeces matrons were violated infantes were slaine by riping vp their mothers bellies behould this your Church which was mantained vpholden by cruell and bloody Bishoppes whose greatest furie and vildest facte although in their estimation
I shall not bewaile trulie at lenght after all their great security they shall haue a sudden fall and let them take example by the dolefull ouerthrowe of others that haue lead their liues in pleasures and haue abused their power againste godes Church and the members thereof let all men knowe that all heresies be fatall ominous and vnfortunate especially to the first professors thereof Vltio sanguinis seruorum tuorum qui effusus est introcat in conspectu tuo gemitus compeditorum Psal 7. Whether there be nothing that the Protestants affirmatiuely beleeue confesse and professe but the Church of Rome doth beleeue the same and cannot be denyed by Catholiques but that they are most auncient and consonant with the word of God CHAPTER I. 1. ALl Heretiques say as Lactantius reportes that their owne religion is verie good and agreable to the word of God Lib. 4 diuinist cap. vlt. and better then others It is naturall to euerie beast according to Pliny to thinke his owne shape more beautifull then the rest Plin. lib. 8. cap. â—4 Plin. ibid. yea such as are most deformed thinkes themselues most beautifull as the Apes doe which though they do counterfeit mens shapes or gestures neuer so much cannot be said to haue the forme of men so these sectaries though they like Apes in imitation haue taken from vs some partes out of the Masse as may appeare and in their spirituall courtes visitations conuocations and excommunications although in deede none ought to excommunicate but he that can absolue they by their owne doctrine cannot absolue therfore they cannot excommunicate yet for all that they cannot be said to haue the trewe forme of Religion or the trewe Church for the ecclesiasticall forme and gouernment of your Protestantes is reiected by the Puritantes contemned by the ministers of Caluine and Beza and other Hugonottes of France as part of the reliques of Antechrist your common praier booke being called by them in contempt the missall of England Yf such as yow yourselues cales protestants do disprooue your Religion to be altogether against the woord of God how much more will the Romish Church say the like who doe differ from yow almost in euerie point 2. In the Booke of dangerous positioÌ„s in the 9. chapter set forth Anno 1593. by Doctor Bancraft of Canterburie it is alleadged that the Puritants do say of the comon booke of publick praiers videlicet that it is full of corruption and that many of the contentes thereof are against the woord of God the sacramentes wickedly mangled and prophaned therin the Lordes supper not eaten but made a pageant and stage play that their publique baptisme is full of childish superstitious toyes so many Puritants did write against it that England will neuer do well vntill that booke be burned 1. admonitio ad Parla pag. 9 41. 43. Also the superintendeÌ„t of Rateburge and the cheefest ministers in Germanie hauing read Caluines woorckes printed An. 1592. at Francfort In timore Domini saith he legi relegi dico in Christo Iesu c. Caluinistarum lib. 3. in pref Apost lib. 1. a. 2. fol. 9. I haue read and perused them the space of 23. yeares I auoutch it before IESVS Christ saith he that all the Caluinistes do nourish in their breastes the Aryan Turkish ympietie and that they open windowes and gates for Arianisme and Mahometisme as our bookes publickly set forth do manifest the same and so brought an example of Adam Newser the cheefe Pastor of the Church of Hedelberge Ibid. f. 9. who from a Zuinglian be came an Arian and afterwardes a Turcke which three sectes I meane Caluinisme Arianisme and Mahometisme Iohn Schutz in lib. 50. Causarum causa 48. another protestant Doctor calles them three briches of one cloathe and that fellowe hauinge gone vnto Constantinople Anno 1574. did writt that none became an Arian which first was not a Caluinist and brought example of Seruetus Blandrata Alciatus Franciscus Dauidis Gentilis Gribaldus Siluanus and others 3. There was printed a booke 1586. at Iena in Saxony by a Lutheran minister the Tittle whereof was An admonition from the woord of God that Caluinistes be not Christians but Iewes and baptized Mahometts Also 2. yeares afterwards another was set fourth at Tubinge by Philipp Nicholas minister the tittle whereof was a detection of the Caluinian sect to agree with the Arians and Nestorians in the groundes and foundations of their religion and that no Christian can ioyne with the Caluinistes but that he must defend the Arians and the Nestorians Sleid hist lib. 19. An. 47. Bernardinus Ochinus being the first principall Apostle of England in kinge Edwardes his dayes with Peter Martyr Martyne Buzer Okinus in lib. dialog Zanchius de vno Deo Beza ep 1. par 11. Bal. in pref act Rom Pontific Calu. lib. 1 de scandalis pa. 136 An. 1593. pag. 44. and Paulus Phalangius vnto whose direction both the vniuersities of England were comitted did oppugne the blessed Trinitie the deitie of Christ and of the holy Ghost so as Beza called him the fauorer of the Arian heresie and a scoffer at all Christian religion yet neuerthelesse one Iohn Bale somtimes Bishopp of Ossorie in Ireland calles this Bernardin and Peter Martyr the light of the Ghospell of England and Caluine saith that the said Bernardine was borne for the happines of England It is said also in the suruey of the pretended holy discipline printed at London that the sect of Caluinistes is a cancker and another Thalmud which by their wicked rebellion against their lawfull Princes haue founded their ghospell and Church which by their intollerable arrogancy do oppose themselues against all sacred Doctors against all venerable Councells and against all the florishing Churches that euer were from Christ his tyme vntill our dayes that there is no place of Scripture which they do not wrest from the lawfull sense thereof neuer before knowen by the Church of God and that it had beene good for England that none brought vpp in the filthie schoole of Geneua or Scotland had euer entred into England 4. Conradus a Protestant writeth that Caluine sayeth that the merittes of Christ cannot preuaile against the iudgment of God Also he affirmed Caluine to write that the blood of Christ was of no force to blott out sinnes and that aboue 1500. yeares it was putrified fo 84. 85. 87. Curaeus in spongia fol. 250. Erast pag. 29. Fridericus Borussius pag. 45 Osiander in confess haue written the like impietie with many other blasphemies which yow may read in the Caluini Turcismo lib. 4. c. 22 Other Lutheran writters make bookes of the contradictories and contradictions of Caluine Caluini Theolog. lib. 1. f. 85 Luth. lib. de Sacrament fol. 376. Orthodox Conf. en le Tigurine tract 3. fol. 127. Luth. tom 6. Ienues Germa fol. 257. the tittle whereof is called Laberinthi inextricabiles contradictionum The intricatt Laberinthes of contradictions
Luther saith that the Zuinglian doctrine and ghospell was from the diuill that the diuill made an instrument of him and that by him he did gouerne and raygne In another place he called him Perdiabolatum indiabolatum superdiabolatum sceleratum cor mendax os habebat That he was persathanised insathanized and supersathanized and that he had a wicked harte and a lyinge mouthe So Zuinglius calles Luther a false prophett an incorrigible heretique Zuinglius tomo 2. in exegesi ad Luth. in corresponsione ad Luth. lib. de Sacra Ort. conf eccles Tiguri trac 1. f 3 5. Ibid. fol. 106. foolish arrogant blasphemous and lyinge a diuell a beast a deceauer a seducer an Antechrist Luther also said of him againe I had rather burne then to hold the opinions of Zuinglius and Oecolampadius and all other wicked bedlam companions cales them Archdiuills and so he saith I that am nowe readie for the graue God is my wittnesse and this will be my glory before his tribunall that I haue labored the condemnation of all these hellish people videlicet Carolastadius Ziuinglius Stinckfeld and those that are at Tigur and Geneua yett these are the cheefe pillers of the protestant religion Luther also did diuorce a certaine wooman beinge married to a Zuinglian and bid her to marry whome shee listed for that saith he it is not lawfull for yow to marrie an infidel Againe Colloquiū Altēburg elect 3. resp ad Saxo. Zuingl tomo 1 in exempl ar 18. It is said of Luther and Melancthon that there is asmuch difference betwixt them as betwixt Sumer and Winter Zuinglius said that nothing did greeue him so much as for being called a Lutheran Brentius saith beinge a kind of a Lutheran nos Zuinglianam c. Wee cannot ymbrace with a safe conscience the heresie of Zuinglian and Osiander 1560. Cēturici 4. Elizab. Reg. dedicata Do not the madeburgenses inueigh against the Zuinglians for denyinge the reale presence and doth not Luther saye that the holy scriptures are corrupted of the Zuinglians In the Duchy of wittenbergue where Brentius was superintendent an edict was proclaimed against the Sacramentaries The ministers of Ienua did exhibit a petitiō to the Princes there to haue an assemblie to the end they should condemne the Sacramentaries and the Ziuinglians as aduersaries And in the yeare 1560. in that Towne Hesutius printed a boooke against the Sacramentaries Caluine did also writt a booke against Hesutius William Clebitius did writt against the Lutherans with this tittle The ruyne of the papacie of Saxonie videlicet Lutheranisme Also Iohn Sturmius writt against the Lutheranes Brentius writt against Bullenger The Lutheranes of Saxonie in their Conuenticle did condemne Albert Hardenburg a Zuinglian of heresie In Transiluania Lutheranes are against the Sacramentaries and the Sacramentaries against them The people of Breme in Saxonie after they were in Lutheranisme fell to Caluinisme and banished all Lutheranes 5. Neither can they excuse themselues their debate or strife to be of thinges indifferent or of ceremonies or such like smale and trifling thinges but of the cheefest pointes and articles of our faith For Nicolas Gallus a protestant preacher of Ratisbon doth declare the same saying In suis Thesibus ita scribit Non sunt leues inter nos c. Betwixt vs ghospellers it is not in light thinges wee differ nor our variances are not of thinges of smale moment but concerninge the cheefest articles of Christian religion videlicet of the lawe of the ghospell of iustification of good worcks of the Sacraments of the vse and order of ceremonies which by no meanes can be decided or compounded Wherfore Luther saith wee esteeme seriouslie in good sadnes all Zuinglians heretiques Luther Thes 77. 1545. and alliens from the Churche of God Beza calles Lutheranes Eutichiās and Nestorians And Caluinistes doe count Lutheranes no better thē Manychees Marcionistes Monotholites who were oulde heretiques Illiricus saith Caluinistarum liturgia non vno sacrilegio viciata est Illir in confess Ang. 17. The liturgie of Caluinistes is not spotted with one only sacriledge the like censure Conradus giues of the same liturgie Oecolāpadius most bitterly writes against Lutheranes and also in the like bitternes Lutheranes write against him by Brentius Iohanes Pomeranus did also write against Brentius Did not the Duke of Saxonie punish most seuerely Zuinglians by the instigation of Luther Did not the kinge of Denmarcke expell Caluinistes out of Denmarke and did not Caluinistes expell Lutheranes out of Count pallentine his Countrie did not Weastphalus write most bitterly against Caluin and Caluine against him 1557. intituled An admonition vnto Weastphalus which if he shall not obey he shal be counted an heretique and the said Weastphalus hath these woordes no doctrine is more spatiously dispersed none with greater deuises and hipocrisie defended none that seduceth more people with greater errors then the false doctrine of the Sacrament of the Eucharist Oecolampadius saith these woords of Luther and his sect Lutheranes saith he they haue a kind of shewe of the woord of God but the right word of God they haue not and herein they followe other heretiques who relies althogether on the woord of God Did not after that Caluinisme was admitted and ymbraced in Transiluania and Hungarie Arianisme and Sabellianisme take place there En la reformation des fausses suppositions lib. 2 Brent in recognit prophetici Apostolici item in Bull. def tract 3. cap. 6. pag. 278. Bullenger contra Brent c. 1. Doth not Lannoy say that the cheefest point of all these fellowes doctrine is that Christ is not God nor by any meanes begotten of the substance of his Father Did not Brentius say that the doctrine of the Zuinglians and Caluinistes tendeth directly to Athisime Iudisme and Mahometisme Some others say that this sect of Caluine tendes to Ethnisme others to Atheisme as Iohn Whitgifte affirmeth with which saith he England aboundes And Bullenger writeth such is the dissention betwixt Zuinglians and Lutheranes that none hereafter will beleeue ought but what it pleaseth him 6. Doe not Protestantes say that the Englishmen as longe as they be of this religion Admonitio 2. ad parla vide act in Comitijs parla Londini An 1503 f. 10. 11. 12. 13. which they professe that they are not baptized nor ought to be counted Christians the ecclesiasticall regiment therof to be as vnlawfull as that of antechrist and that the Church of England is so prophaned and like Babell gouerned by the power of Sathan and not by the order of Christ that none in which there is any sparcke of Godes grace or any feelinge of conscience can liue in England and that all that liue in England and that goes to their Churches and whosoeuer that heares the sound of their belles ioynes with them in their Churches are conuocated thither by the name of Antechrist and are addicted vnto the slauerie of Babylon and Egipt
which hast ordayned and constituted the seruices of all Angells and men in a wonderfull order mercifully grant that they which alway do thee seruice in heauen may by thy appointment succour and defend vs in earth through Iesus Christ our Lord. Mat. 18. c. 10. Did not Christ bid vs that we should not despise any of these little ones for I say vnto you that their Angells in heauen alwaies do see the face of my father which is in heauen Two manner of wayes S. Thomas sayes wee offer our prayers to any D. Thom. 1. 2. q. 83. ad 4. primo vt sit per eum petitio implenda secundo vt per ipsum impetranda first that our desire by our prayers may be by him accomplished secondarily that our desire may be obtayned by him In the first manner wee offer our prayers vnto God onlie because that all our prayers and desires ought to ayme att godes graces and glorie which none can giue but God alone In the second manner wee offer our prayers vnto the holie Angells and Saincts that by their intercession God almightie may be moued to take commiseration on vs as it is alleadged by S. Iohn saying Apoc. 8. And there ascended the smoake of the incenses of the prayers of the Saincts before God This also is proued by so many apparitions of Saincts made vnto the liuing ymploring their helpe and protection as are registred by the holy doctors S. Euthimius did appeare vnto Phillipp Deacon being cast away in the mediterranean Sea Caesar Baron An. 477. apud and hauinge prayed vnto that holy S. fâ—rayde he tooke him by the hand and brought him safe to the shoare S. Bernabas did appeare vnto Anthemias Bishopp of Salamina thrice Caesar Baron An. 485. Ibid. 604. beinge sore vexed by the Heretiques that were then rising vp S. Peter did appeare vnto the widdowe Galla confortinge her that her sinnes were forgiuen her So the blessed Virgin Marie appeared vnto Seueriana about her death with many other apparitions which we both read and heare daylie c. but I cannot omitt that which S. Gregory of Niss relateth in the life of S. Gregory Thaumaturgus how that the blessed Virgin Mary together with S. Iohn the Euangelist appeared vnto the said S. Gregory Tha. and did instruct him in the mistery of the blessed Trinity Lib. de Anglia martyrum cap. 9. S. Gregory of Tours declareth that the blessed Virgin appeared vnto the master carpenter that was set to woorck by Constantine the great to buyld a church in her honour which was so huge as it was hard to be builded but shee instructed him the manner how to bring the same to perfection The like apparitions of other saincts do wittnesse S. Basil in oratione de Sancto Mamante S. Greg. Naz. in orat in Iulian. S. Sulpitius in vita S. Martini Theodoretus lib. 5. hist. cap. 24. Paulinus natal sancti Felicis S. Aug. lib. de cura pro mortuis habenda cap. 16. Whether Papistes doe err in worshippinge and adorninge the reliques of Saincts whether they sell their Masse and prayers for temporall gaine CHAPTER V. 1. I Answere that the holy reliques of of Christ or his Saincts are not vsed for temporall gaines but for the spirituall consolation of the faithfull which by those blessed reliques haue receaued great comforts and blessinges as you may read that the Iron chaines the Napkins yea the verie shadowe of the holy people and Apostles did releeue many Act. 12. Act. 5. Mat. 5. and reuiued some And if the deuout Christians doe offer any thinge at the Alter where those blessed reliques are kept the same beinge praetium peccatorum the price of their sinnes and the releefe of the poore they were not principally instituted for that purpose 2. Lib. de SacrameÌ„t tit 12. This verie obiection against the Catholique Church was first inuented by Iohn Witcleffe in England in king Richard 2. his time as that most learned man Thomas Waldensis then prouinciall of the order of the Charmilitts writeth his answere may serue aswell for you as it did for Witcliffe which you shall read in the 2. booke As for the Adoration or woorshippinge of Relicks or Images wee must consider that this adoration doth signifie honor and reuerence which is comonly vsed both vnto God and to his creatures Hieron li. contra as S. Hierom saith Veni Bethlem praesepe Domini incuâ—abile adoraui I adored the Cribb and Craddle of our Lord when I came to Bethlem Abraham adored the Angell that appeared vnto him Genes 8. Exod. 3. Num. 22. so did alsoe Moyses Iosue Nabuchodonoser adored Daniell S. Hierom alleadgeth the fact of Alexander the great in kneelling at the feete of Ioyda the high priest of the Iewes 3. So Iacob dyinge did blesse his children and adored the topp of his rodd Adore yee his footstoole Psal 98. Apoc. 3. Which rodd did signifie the holy Crosse In the Apocalips it is also said I will make them come before thy feete Psal 5.6 3 Reg 8. Iohn 7. Hier contra Vigi 2 syno Nyceni Aug. de ciuit c. 8. which is mente of the Bishopp or Angell of Philadelphia Againe the Temple the Arcke the Tabernacle the Propitiatorie the Cherubins the Alter the bread of proposition was adored and because Vigilantius gaue not vnto the Saincts and Images their due reuerence he was condemned as an heretick of the Church of God 1. Reg. 20. 4. It was a custome of holy people to adore great men and Dauid adored Ionothan fallinge downe vpon the earth So Abigall adored Dauid Wee adore saith S. Augustine those good people with Charitie Io. 5. not with seruitude So Iosue adored not the man that he sawe but the Angell which he vnderstood Elizeus hauinge receaued the new spiritt of Elias did suffer himselfe to be adored of the children of the prophets at the riuer of Iordan Regum 2. Num. 22. BalaaÌ„ adored the Angel Saule adored the soule of Samuell 3. Reg. 18 〈…〉 2. Abdias honoured Elias Porpheâ—i an old enemie of ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ whom Iohn Witcleffe did obiect vnto the Church saith that against the olde lawe of God shee doth adore the Angells the lawe prohibitinge any adoration to be extended towardes any besides towards God saying Deum tuuÌ„ adorabis illi soli seruies vnto whome saincte Augustine answereth Aug. lib. 10. de Ciuit Dei cap. 20. that wee liuing in this miserable peregrination honor and reuerence the Angells as the most blessed Citizens of heauen neither doth the lawe of God prohibite the same but rather commende it the lawe only forbides that the due reference and adoration which is due to God should not be transferred vnto any other creature or that wee should offer sacrifice vnto it which belongeth vnto God which God did forbid the Hebrewes sayinge Sâ—crificans dijs alienis eradicabitur He that offereth sacrifice to straÌ„ge godes shal
vs by others neither doe wee presume to deliuer euerie phantasie that springes out of our owne braine least matters of religion should be thoughte to be mens fictions or inuentions Whether we prohibit the scriptures to be translated into the vulgar tounge CHAPTER IV. 1. TRulye the Catholique Church doth nott altogether forbide vulgar translations of holly Scriptures althoughe shee would not haue euerie bodie at his pleasure to read the same or to make glosses thereon The councell of Trentt in the table of prohibited bookes and 4. rule permitted the vse of the vulgar translations to them whome the Bishopp or inquisitor with the licence of the pastoure shall thinke to be such as will reade them to their edification and not to their damadge Malmsburie affirmeth out of S. Bede that there was somtimes permitted vulgar translations in Englande The French alsoe had their French Bibles a long time and soe the Englishe catholiques by permission from Rome had the newe testamente in English 2. After the retourninge of the children of Israell from Babylon the diuine office the holly scriptures were read vnto the people in the Hebrewe tounge not withstandinge the Siriac or the Chaldean language was their vulgar tounge for the Hebrewe was not al that time vulgare otherwise the people should not haue had neede 2. Esd 8.13 of an interpretor when the lawe was read of Esdras as alsoe when Moyses and Iosias did propose the same vnto the people Againe the Apostles did write their ghospell in noe other languadge but in Hebrewe Greeke and Latine for Peter and Iames did write vnto the Iewes dispersed throughout the whole world in the greeke tounge as S. Iohn did write vnto the Persians 3. In Affricke as longe as the Christian religion was there the latine tonge was in vse as S. Aug. and S. Cyprian doe wittnesse Aug. de doctrina Christiana who also say that the psalmes were sounge in that languadge and in the Masse Sursum corda habemus ad Dominum gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro c. Isid lib. 2. de diuinis officijs cap. 2. Conc. Toll 4. Bed lib. 1. hist suaegent VVal to 3. de sacramentalibus Rab 2. de instit Cler. Rup de diuinis officiis That the latine tonge was vsed in Spaine in their churches it is wittnessed by S. Isidorus aboue 900. yeares a goe it was also decreed in the councell of Tollet that order should be obserued in singinge the spalmes In englande aboue 1000. yeres the seruice was in latine as Beda and Thomas Waldēsis doe wittnesse In Fraunce also the same tonge was in vse in their churches as Alcumus de diuinis officijs doth witnesse and Amallaricus Treuirēsis de officijs ecclesiasticis who saith that in all the weast the office of the church was in latine In Germanie the same also was obserued as Rabanus doth wittnesse and Rupertus 4. The Apostles as Iustinus Martyr doth obserue did celebrate and singe the psalmes to the gentiles conuerted to the faith in the greeke tonge notwitstandinge there were diuers tounges as of the Parthiās Medes Elamitans and such like neither yet in the vulgar greeke but in the Atticke which was the more common and more learned soe that the languadge which the greeke priests doe vse at Masse sacrifice is not the same that the vulgar sorte did vse Gregorie the 7. denied the kinge of Bohemia licence to translate the holy Bible into the vulgar tonge soe denied Innocentius the 3. longe requested therunto by the Bishopp of Mentes for these good fathers would not haue such profound misteries of the scripture to be in contempte and subiect to the crosse sense of the vulgar sorte for some simple religious persons readinge the holy scriptures did read of godes eyes armes and feete and such like which indeede ought to be vnderstoode not litteraly Cassiod colla 10. c. 2. 3. 4. 5. but metaphoricallie and therupon thought God to be a corpulent bodye or palpable subiecte 5. Dauid George the Hollander by readinge the scripture alsoe in the hollandish languadge found that the trewe Church should neuer fayle and because he found by experience that noe other church continewed soe longe as the Church of Rome he denied Christ to be the true Messias so that beinge subuerted and carried away by the sectaries of these daies he thought the Church of Rome not to be the true churche vnto which rather then he would yelde any beleefe he denied Christ to be God and soe denied the church of Rome to be true the churche And a certaine wooman in Englande hauinge heard the 25. Chapter of Ecclesiasticus read by the minister against women said it was the word of the diuill and not the word of God Bell. to 1. l. 2. c. 15. 6. Who can giue greater euidence of the inconuenience of readinge the scriptures more then the heretiques of this time euery one groundinge their heresies and absurdities vppon scriptures falslie applied and ill vnderstoode wherfore reason it self without other aucthoritie should perswade the church to haue the scriptures and her seruice in a certaine languadg otherwise there could be noe vnitie or communication of churches for none either learned or vnlearned should frequent any churches or heare seruice but in his owne Countrie where he should heare his owne vulgare languadge neither could there be generall councells for all the fathers that comes thither haue not euerie one of them the gifte of tonges and therfore this is the cause that the Apostles for the moste parte did write all in greeke for that at that tyme it was the commonest languadge of all as Cicero saith Oratione pro Archia poeta the greeke tounge is read almost amoungest all nations but the latine is restayned within her smale bondes and limittes but when the Romaine Empire beganne to florish the latine alsoe florished especially amoungest the learned as in Italie France Spaine Affrique and in other nations and therfore in respect that it is now the commō language the scriptures and seruice of the Church ought to be in the same 7. If any reason should moue the church to haue the scriptures in the vulgar tonges it is for that the simple people should vnderstande them but they cannot vnderstande the psalmes nor the prophetts nor many other bookes of the scripture neither by readinge them take much fruite thereby but rather great harme for if they should read in the prophett Osee Goe and make vnto yourselues children of fornications the adulterie of Dauid the incest of Thamar the lies of Iudith and how that Ioseph made his brethren druncke and how that Sara Lia and Rachell gaue their hand-maides as concubines to other men they would ether despise the Patriarches or imitate them in those thinges and when they should see soe many contradictories accordinge to the litterall sense which the rude cannot resolue they woulde be in a confusion or bringe the scriptures to manifest contempt 8. Also in
Lucif c. 6. prouinge against them that they make God subiect to the diuill a poore miserable Christ that imagine that the church may either perish or be driuen to any corner of the worlde 4. And although the Sacraments ceremonies Matt. 11. and the legall obseruations of the Iewes did faile because it is said the lawe and the prophetts were vnto Iohn yet notwithstandinge the church of Christ did not faile which was collected and composed of both the nations I meane Iewes and Gentiles as S. Paule doth wittnesse in many places that the first fruictes of the holie ghoaste and the first christians were the Apostles which were Iewes therfore the churche of the Iewes did not faile so as that none of them did remaine therin as the said Apostle proues Rom. 11. Hath God saith he reiected his people God forbid for I am an Israelite and of the seede of Abraham and of the tribe Beniamine for God did not cast of his people The glosse vpon this place faith that the Iewes are not infidels altogether and soe God did repell theÌ„ in parte but not in whole because he hath not reiected me and others that are predestinated thus farr the glosse For he reiected the howse of Saule but not of Dauid vnto whome in reward of the ardent desire and feruent deuotion that he had to builde a temple for godes glorie he promised that he would build for Dauid an euerlasting kingdome and a perpetuall howse from whome he should neuer take away his mercie for which he made the 88. psalme wherin he confirmed this promise Whether that papistes doe amisse in hauinge their churches and monasteries soe sumptuous their alters and ornamentes soe riche and ecclesiasticall possessions soe great the poore wanting the same CHAPTER I. 1. WHatsoeuer is giuen to Christs church is giuen in his honor that suffred for the said church beinge his spouse his portion c. for as our Sauiour saith Beatius est dare quam accipere It is better to giue then to take and noe maruaile that christians should giue vnto God some parte of his owne as the prophett saith what shall I giue vnto him that giues vnto me all thinges I pray you tell me whether it be a greater offence to robb and ouerthrowe the kinges howse and to spoile his subiects of their goodes depriue them of their liues and to comitt all other outragious facts vpoÌ„ them then to build the same maintaine and enriche the same to bestowe lardglâ—e vpon his seruaunts to defend and protect them c Tell me I praie you whether Salomon that built the temple of Ierusalem soe sumptuously and which by the riches thereof was most famous through out the world was more offensiue vnto God for soe doing then Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon and Antiochus Epiphanes which were not contented to ransacke and spoile that worthie temple cast downe the pillers take away the golden alter and candlesticks and all other sacred vessells or religious ornamentes but also defiled the same and prohibited any oblatioÌ„ or sacrifice to be offered therin For this cause these two tirants doe represent the diuill and Salomon is a figure of Christe And if Salomon was soe comended in holie scriptures for buildinge the said Temple for the sinagoge how much more christiaÌ„ princes for buildinge churches for Iesus Christe 2. I praie you tell me also whether Constantine the great merited more before God the world for buildinge soe many churches vppon his owne charges and for augmentinge and enrichinge the patrimony of Christe then kinge Henrie the 8. that did cast and pull downe soe many churches monasteries and chapples and did disolue soe manny Religious howses robbed them of all their sacred ornaments and by soe doinge spoyled God of his patrimonie Yow saie that whatsoeuer kinge Henrie the 8. did was donn for the reliefe of the poore and the ease of his subiects to be freed from subsidies and impositions as was related in that verie parleameÌ„t wherin monasteries churches were surprised and religion prophaned And therfore it was added in the said parleament that the truly poore of the kingdome perished and that Abbey Lubbers for soe they called religious persons did possesse their liuinges To this effect there was a supplicatioÌ„ exhibited to the kinge against Bishoppes Abottes Priores Deacons Archdeacons suffragans priestes in forme following c. What tyraÌ„t euer oppressed the people like this cruel veÌ„geable generation Before these came there were but fewe theues yea thefte was at that tyme soe rare that Caesar was not compelled to make penaltie of death vpon felonie as your grace may wel perceaue in his institutes ther was also at that time but fewe poore people and yet they did not begge but there was giueÌ„ them enoughe vnasked Wherfore if your grace will build a sure hospitall that neuer shall faile to reliue vs all your poore beads men take from them al these thinges set these sturdy boubies abroad in the world to get theÌ„ wiues of their owne to get their liuinge with their labour in the swette of their browes accordinge to Gene. 1. Tie all idle theues to the cartes to be whipped naked about euerie markett towne that they by their importunat begginge take not away the allmesse that the good christian people do giue then shall aswell the number of our foresaid mounsterous sorte as of the baudes hoores theeues and idle people decrease then shal these great yearly exactions cease then shall all your people encrease in wealthe c. these are sett downe in Iohn Fox his Chronicles Iudas in like manner when the deuout wooman Marie MagdaleÌ„ anointed Christs feete with a moste pretious ointment did saie vt quid perditio haec what destruction is this had it not bene better said he that this had bene sold and giuen vnto the poore our Sauiour aunswered let her alone and added moreouer that in what place so euer of the world his gospell should be read her deuotion should be comended And as Iudas herin did not care for the poore as the scripture reporteth but hopinge it should retourne to himselfe soe parleament protestants did not care for the poore but all their drifte was to haue the liuinges and treasures of the churches themselues as itt fell out 3. I praie you tell me whether the poore were better and more reliued or the subiects more eased of subsidies and impositioÌ„s before the suppression of the church or after Doctor Sanders writes that England was neuer troubled with greater impositioÌ„s subsidies then it was in the later daies of kinge Henry the 8. nor any kinge in england had lesse treasure in his cofers then he at his deathe And as for the poore people it is manifest that they haue lesse releefe now then euer they had I am sure there are not 300. persons reliued by all the churche liuinges of England and Ireland beinge in those mens handes which haue as little charitie towardes God and
pittie towardes the poore as they haue remorse of conscience to keepe them or morall honestie to bestowe them And as for other ecclesiasticall dignities and spirituall benefices out of which the greatest liuely hoode should be deducted they saie Non sufficit nobis vobis wee haue not inoughe our selues much lesse will wee imparte any thinge vnto others hauinge such a diluge of chitts and childrē with which the countries of this ghospell doe aboūd that S. Paule should not bragge nor glorie more for begettinge children per euangelium by the gospell of Christe then they by their voluptuous gospell And soe eche of them maie saie Genui vos per euangelium I haue begotten yow by the gospel but I would to God they had gotten them spiritually as S. Paule did and not carnallie as they doe whose voluptuous gospell is Crescere multiplicare ex sanguinibus aut ex voluntate carnis sed non ex Deo nati sunt By filthie concupiscence accordinge to the will of the fleash but are not borne of God whose vnhappy and wofull of springe did robb Christ of his patrimony and did not onlie destroie the ecclesiasticall state of his church but also haue almost brought to ruine the ciuill and temporall state hauing made their inundation with which all England and Irelād are so ouerwhelmed into their neighbours possessions and territories that the boundes and banckes of these countries are not able to resiste their violent irruptions neither yet a meane contment is not able to conteine the confused and disordered multitude of their issue soe as if England either by conquest or some other course doe not appoint their habitation and dwellinge place in some other countrie as Virginia or Guiana or elce where the kingdome of great Brittanie and poore Ireland shall feele the smarte and especially the nobilitie and cheefest into whome they prie daylie seekinge by all dishonest courses to intrude into their landes and liuinges as they haue donn alreadie by suppressinge them in all those countries where this gospel tooke footing for I dare say and boldely affirme that these gospellers haue putt downe and surprised as many howses of noble men and gentlemen as monasteries and churches but it is the iust iudgment of God that these potentats and great people should feele their greatest smarte by whom they were sollicited defended and protected in this their newe gospell And that for two causes vid. libertie to liue dissolutelie without controllment of their spirituall pastors and couetousnes with greedie desire to possesse and enioye the churche liuinges which sorte of people for that they contemne all spirituall power or iurisdiction which the church ought to haue ouer them as the spiritt ouer the fleash did easilie yeald to any heretique impugninge and resistinge this spirituall power and takinge away all ecclesiasticall discipline and spirituall correction and soe they gaue them full scope to all abhominable riotousnes and wanton dissolution 4. But to retourne to my purpose that God is not displeased nor good Christians offended for buildinge churches and monasteries or other religious howses for his seruice nor the poore hindered of their releefe for anny charitable oblations or donations that the deuout christians doe bestow on the church but rather God much pleased therby and the poore releeued First 2 Reg. 7. Genes Dauid for hauinge a desire to build a temple for Godes honor was rewarded with and euerlastinge howse and a perpetuall kingdome Iacob but only for consecrating a stone to godes glorie it was said vnto him I will cause thee to encrease and multiplie The englishmen vppon their first cominge to Irelande vnder kinge henrie the 2. dedicated to the seruice of God the first land they tooke which was in the countie of Wexford and made two famous monasteries as Donbrody and Tentarom of the order of S. Bernard and haue endued thē with great and ample possessions as also many churches in that countie and in euery place where they came which was noe smale cause they had such good successe in their enterprise Henry the 5. before he tooke the warres of Fraunce in hand builded two famous monasteries by Richmounde one of the order of Carthusians and the other of Sion Nunes of the order of S. Bride eche monasterie standes one againste the other and the riuer of Themes betwixt them which he dedicated to the seruice of God whom they praised with celestiall alleluias as diuine praises which were neuer omitted either by day or by night soe that when th one would make an end the other would beginn the bells giuinge them notice therof Therfore God did prosper him soe well in those warres that he brought almost all France to his subiection and his sonne kinge Henry the 6. was crowned kinge of Fraunce at Paris beinge but xi yeares of age Yea I could recken more then a thowsand examples of the like subiecte 5. And for the releefe of the poore as the pretious ointment that Marie Magdalen bought for our Sauiours feete was not a hinderance for the poore soe whatsoeuer is giuen to further his seruice doth rather further then hinder them Is there anie countrie in Europe more charitable to the poore and more liberall to godes seruants and all other ecclesiasticall persons then Spaine and yet noe countrie more sumptuous and costlie in their churches and more deuoute and lesse sparing of any thinge they haue for the settinge foorth of godes glorie for adorninge churches and monasteries with all ornaments and implements pertaininge therunto Is there anie country in the world that can shewe such hospitales in all citties townes villadges and hamletts for the cure of the sicke and for the releefe of pilgrimes and strangers such colledges for poore virgins that be depriued of parents and frindes where they be kept and brought vpp in all honest and godly education befittinge gentle women vntill they be married vppon the cost and chardges of the colledge in euerie cittie or great towne in Spaine such confraternities being erected for all workes of mercie by which meanes all sortes of distressed persōs are reliued soe many hospitalities for cast children for whome they haue nurses to giue them sucke vpon the hospitalles charges which also giues releefe vnto them vntill they be able to helpe themselues Soe manny colledges for orphanes soe manny vniuersities for schollers as noe countrie can shewe soe manny hauinge 24. vniuersities and so manny howses of mercie that I dare saye that the howse of mercy of Lisborne doth more workes of charitie and sustaines more poore people and marryes more virgins for godes sake then all the protestante countries in Europe 6. To conclude England and Ireland cannot denie but there was better prouision for the poore before the church was destroyed then after and that the most parte of all colleges and hospitalles were builded by church men themselues Did not the faithfull bringe all their goodes vnto the Apostles Act. c. 5. to be disposed accordinge to their
of the churches and persecuted church men This man beinge feastinge one time with his frindes in his pallace there started vp a gentleman of that maiesticall contenance that he put all the guestes in great feare that were with him and with a terrible voice and dreadfull aspect comaunded the earle to followe him and that with such maiestie that he could not otherwise choose Comming to the gate there was a mightie horsse prepared for him and he was compelled to mounte vpp a horssbacke and presently the horsse did fly vpp into the skies and the miserable earle cryinge most pittifullie vanished away with the horsse Those that were within the pallace durst not to goe foorth but shutt the gates out of which the miserable earle was carried away by the diuill 2. Paulus Emilius a diligent historiographer of the matters of Fraunce doth note the like accident of a certaine Earle called Willian a great persecutor of the church who beinge also at a great feast accompanied with other great earles was comaunded by one that was at the gate to goe foorth and soe risinge from the table went foorth to knowe what he was where he met with one a horssbacke which tooke him away and did neuer appeare any more He added moreouer that in the very same place the Earle of Niuers a great persecutor of the immunities of the church was serued in the like maner The kinge of Aragon called Sanchius through extreame necessity was forced to make vse of the church liuinges of his kingdome in his warres against the Moores and although it was for the defense of Catholique Religion yet he made restitution of all that he had so tooken from the Church Many good authors doe note and obserue that the church liuinges neuer profittes any and that they doe not only succede bad with them that take them but also consume and destroye their temporall possessions withall for like as the mothes the rust or the canker consumes the wood the cloath the iron and the fleashe that ingenders them and euen as the feathers of the Eagle beinge ioyned with the feathers of any other consumes and spills them soe church liuinges wrongfully detayned or violently taken from the church consumes and ouerthrowes the temporal estate vnto which they are vnlawfullye ioyned and annexed 3. This England France and Ireland may testifie for France enioyed but smale quietnes since Clement the 7. annexed vnto the crowne of France by the procuremeÌ„t of Francis ' the firste when the said Clement married his Neece called Catherina de Medicis vnto Henry the 2. Daulphine of France at Marcells all the promotions and donations of church liuinges vnder the crowne of France And as for him that sought it or by what meanes it was giuen I leaue that to the French historiographers yet wee knowe that he and all his issue liued and ended most miserably their kingdome and state was most pittifully broken with soe manny bloody garboiles all the nobilitie consumed and exhausted with soe mannie cruell battles ouerthrowes so many rich townes and citties ransaked soe many couÌ„tries and prouinces vtterly destroied soe many churches and monasteries dissolued and cast downe soe many religious people murthered and soe many sacred virgins deflowred and rauished soe as France through heresie which by this donation crept into it was a spectacle of all miserie famine pestilence warres vprores coÌ„bustions to all other nations And although the said Henry the 2. had 6. sonnes whereof 3. of theÌ„ were kinges yet all died without yssue and not one of that race is left aliue and soe the lyne of the howse of Valois in whome the crowne of France continewed the space of 260. yeares is altogether extinguished and the crowne came to the howse of Burbon their auncient and implacable enemies and nowe suecedinge them in the crowne and kingdome Henry the 8. not by any grant or indulgence of the Pope but by force and feare of violent lawes made and deuised by him leacherie and couetousnes intisinge him therunto tooke vnto himself a spiritual iurisdiction and besides suppressed cast downe all the monasteries who although he had six wiues and left behinde him one sonne and 2. daughters yet now there is none liuinge nor any of their lyne or race man or woman now extant 4. And as for the nobilitie of England and Irelande which were instruments more ready to serue the kinges humour then to please God they be all for the most parte extinguished of whose discent or race one amoungest 20. is not to be seene this daie to possesse their ancestors liuinges vnto whose patrimonie others crept in and succeeded some perhappes being their mortall enemies The Duke of Norfolque and the earle of Arundell were the cheefest instruments that Queene Elizabeth had in the first parleament shee assembled to putt downe the church and to drawe all spirituall iurisdiction vnto her selfe hopinge that by this seruice the one should be contracted with her in mariage the other should be in extraordinarie fauor with her I would they had taken S. Paules aduise Oportet obedire Deo magis quam hominibus Wee ought to obey God more then men or the prophet his caueat maledictus qui confidit in homine cursed is he that trusteth in man Scisma Angliae This Duke as a certaine graue matrone prophesied and tould him to his face cominge from the parleament that he should lose his head by her whome to please he did displease God and made shipwreaque of his religion was condemned and put to death for highe treason against the Queene at Tower hill in London and hâ—s eldest sonne the earle of Arundell after beinge condemned and arrayned after much mourninge and longe imprisonment died in the Tower of London And the other Earle of Arundell died without yssue male of his bodie and it is thought if he had liued any longe time he should haue tasted of the same cuppe with the other 5. The Earle of Ormond which was the onlie instrument for Queene Elizabeth in Ireland to strenghten the voices of the parleament for her spirituall supremacie as yet liuinge is depriued of his sight and of his only sonne and the only ioy and felicitie he had in this world and of his end wee knowe not but wee knowe he hath church liuinges and wee are certaine that who hath them vnlawfully shall neuer thriue the better And therfore Charles the 7. kinge of France beinge in great waÌ„t of mony through the warres he had with the English about the dukedome of Normandie of which the quiett state of his kingdome depended would not make vse of the tithes of his kingdome beinge therunto moued by a great prelate for that he knewe they would not succeede well with him Ossorius in the historie of the kinge of Portingall Emanuell writeth that the Pope dispensed with him for the tithes of his country towardes his warres in Affricke and hauinge perceaued that he had not soe good successe as before
any other taught the same in any other countrie did euer conspire in treason or murther or deuised anny mischeefe against kinge potentate or countrie or that euer anny man lost his life landes or goodes for not receauinge either themselues or their doctrine or that euer any kinge was expelled out of his kingdome for not receauinge the catholique religion into his countrie or was forced to imbrace the same as the founders of protestancie haue done But it is wel knowen that Luther and Zuinglius were the first that euer preached the protestant religion as it is proued in the Apologie of the protestant Church of England and that they were the causes of all the mischeefe warres and troubles insurrection of subiectes against their princes ouerthrowinge and banishment of Princes by their owne subiects out of all their kingdomes and states 9. Lastlie it is knowen also that our first founders and apostles came in simplicitie of spiritt without troupes of horsemen or bandes of soldiors hauinge noe other standert but the crosse of Christ nor noe other poulder but the dust of their feete but the protestant founders came with wilde-fire gâ—n-poulder and cannot-shott with their cruell armies in all places to bringe all to confusion an desolation that would not imbrace their sect yea many holie martyres haue suffred death for not forsakinge their old religioÌ„ to accept these new deuised opinions of these sectaries wherof I haue thought good to sett downe the names wherby you may perceaue the constancie of Catholiques and the cruelties of protestants Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos For yow shall knowe them by their fruicte I will first speake of Flanders then of France afterwardes of England and last of all of Irelande The name of those that suffred death by the Gewses of Flanders where the protestantes are soe called CHAPTER I. 1. THe Reuerend Father Nicholaus Picus guardian of a monasterie of S. Francis in Holland together with ten of his brethren Ierom Werdan viccar Will. Hadne Nicase Hez Theodorique Emden Anthony Hornarien Anthony Werden Godfrey Meruellan Frauncis Rod of Bruxells Peter Astun a lay brother Cornell Wican a lay man who after much torment and affliction were sent to the towne of Bill where they were beaten with clubbes hanged on the topp of the common stoare howse of the towne in the night time the 14. of August 1575. they cutt of their eares and their noses they ripped vp their bellies and pulled ouâ— all the fatt they could gett and sold the same in all places of the prouince They alsoe put to cruel death Leonard Veichle pastor of Barcomia Nicholas Poppell another pastor of that place Godfrey Dimens somtime rector of the vniuersitie of Parris but then Pastor Gorcomiensis Iohn Oster Wâ—canus cannon regular of saint Augustines order and ouerseer of the Nunnes Adrian Becan of the order of Premonstrensis Iames Lacopins a monke of the same order Iohannes On s of the order of saint Dominique Andrewe Walter Pastor Hairnâ—tensis besides many other related by doctor Estius chauncelor of Douaie In this cittie of Brill were put to cruell death 180. religious persones at seuerall tymes And the Crucifix which stood in the church of Gorcomend for the consolation of the Christians they pulled downe and hanged the same vppon the gallowes they snatched also the Eucharist out of a Priests handes nailed it vnto a gibbet 2. When the Prince of Orenge tooke the cittie of Ruremunde in Gerderlande his soldiors rushinge into the monasterie of the Carthusians murthered three lay brethren vid. Albert Winda Iohn Sittart and Stewart Ruâ—emund And entringe into the church of that monasterie they found the Prior thereof called Ioachinus with the rest of the religious people prayinge vnto God all which they murthered in which cittie 29. priestes and religious persons were martired When the Gewes had gotte by deceit Adernard in Flaunders after spoilinge and robbinge all the churches and monasteries therof they apprehended all the priests and religious persons and brought them bound with the gentlemen of that cittie vnto the castle there amoungest whom master Peter licentiate of diuinitie and pastor of that cittie a worshippfull aged man was put to great tormentes and at the last beinge tied hande and foote was cast from the toppe of the tower headlonge into the riuer of Scaldis After him also they cast headlonge down into the riuer Paulus Couis pastor of that cittie Iohn Brackett Batcheler of diuinitie Iames Deckerie Iohn Opstall and Iohn Anuanne a noble man al priests They tooke also that vertuous man Iohn Machusius of saint Frauncis order somtimes Bishopp of Dauentrie who beinge sore wounded of them they left his poore carcasse like a dead carrion vpoÌ„ the streetes other priests they tooke by the cittie of Ipris and buried them quicke in the earth with their face aboue the grounde which insteed of a marck they shott at with bulletts 3. When Delps a cittie of Holland was taken by the Prince of Aurenge who seemed to shewe great fauor vnto a most reuerend and learned man called Cornellius Musius confessor to the Nunnes of saint Agatha of that cittie yet was he with vnusuall and exquisitt torments put to the cruelest death that could be inuented the 10. of December 1575. The same crueltie they shewed vppon Egelbert of Burges a Franciscan friar in the cittie of Alcmaria for they did ripp his belly and cutt off his intralles with their kniues With noe lesse crueltie did they putt to death two Mouncks of the order of saint Hierome at Ganda a cittie in Holland their names were Iohn Rixtell and Adrian Textor whome the Generall of the Gewses caused to be stripe of their cloathes and with their swordes forced them to runn vppon thicke hedges of quicksett and to die thereon The like crueltie he executed vppon William Gandan a Franciscan Friar Iames Gandan Theodorick Gandan Cornelius Sconhewe and Iasper cannone regular Mr. Iohn Ierome natiue of Edome in Holland who beinge taken with other Catholiques by Hornan were brought vnto Sâ—age in the north parte of that prouince where after many horrible and abhominable interrogatorious some of them died in that miserable captiuitie such as were left a liue were bound hand and feete vpon their backes with their naked bellies vpwardes and vppon euerie mans bellie was set a panne or caldron whelmed downwards full of dormise and frogges in great quantitie and vpon the said pannes or caldrons were put fiery coales which burning heate of the fire when those frogges felt and had noe other place to gett out they turned all vppon the poore peoples Bellies and did gnaw and teare there vntill they made hoales through their backes or at least some place to defend themselues from the rage of the fire 4. Vrsula Tales a religious Nunne of the Begginage after that her father an ould man and magistrate of that place with other catholiques were hanged by these rebells she also was brought vnto a gibbett and being asked
of whome they suspected noe such guyle he hauing promised them their libertie yet he sent souldiers in their absence to their chambers and as they returned from supper were intertained with the bloodie edge of their swordes and soe against faith and promise and after paying their raÌ„some they were inhumanly murthered In the cittie of Montbris the Barron of Adrett caused many catholiques to be cast headlong from the topp of a high Turett and caused also souldiers to attend their miserable fall and to entertaine them with the pointes of their pikes 7. Such was the impudencie and barbarousnes of a certaine hugonott that he did weare a chaine about his necke of the eares of priests shewed the same to the chiefest captaines of the hugonittes They did ripp the bellie of a certaine priest and tooke out his bowells in steede whereof they putt oates to serue their horse for a maunger The heretiques of the cittie of Neemes in Languedoc did cast a great number of catholiques into a mightie deepe and large well of that cittie and haue filled the same twise with mens bodies halfe dead Iames Socius a wicked pirate who obtaininge letters patentes of Ioan Alberte Queene of Nauare which they call letters of mart sayling towardes the Iles of Madera and Canaria mett with a shipp of Portingall goinge towardes America which he pursued and tooke In which there were 40. of the fathers of the societie of Iesus who were sent to the Prouince of Brazill to instruct them in Christian religion but the wicked and cruell Tyrant like a deuouring woolfe seased vppon these poore religious people whome he massacred and after dismembring of them of some he cutt a legg of othersome an arme and soe he cast them all into the sea 8. Lastly Anno 1567. in the Carthusian monasterie which they call Burfowtaine in the diocesse of Suesse 5. mounks of that blessed order were murthered by the heretiques that came to robb that monasterie Iohn Motto proctor thereof a most vertuous priest Iohn MegneÌ„ priest Iohn Aurill priest Benedict Lenes lay brother and Theobald priest All these that I speake of neuer tooke weapons against them but most patientlie endured martirdome at their handes But if I should speake of soe manny as were put to most cruell death and were kild in al the Prouinces of Fraunce citties and townes thereof and such that were betrayed by theÌ„ I should make an infinitt volume but I cannot omitt that worthie and inuincible Prince Frauncis of Lorraine Duke of Gwise whose murther was plotted by Beza and executed by Poltrott These and the like examples ought to moue good christians to beware of these people 9. Before the firie and furious concupiscence of king Henry the 8. who caused that vnfortunat deuorce betwixt him and hâ—s vertuous Queene Katherine there was no realme in Europe more opulent and more abundant in all things then the kingdome of England no kingdome more peaceable at home and more glorious and prosperous abroad no king so victorious and tâ—iumphant ouer his enimies as he no courte so magnificent or so plawsible being full of cheerfull shewes and replenished with an vniuersall triumph ioy and exaltation the king liued in securitie without feare of forraine princes abroad or treason or conspiracy of his subiectes at home betwixt the one and the other there was interchangeable good offices aswell of a princely bountifulnesse towardes the subiectes as of a dutifull subiection towardes the prince the king possessed the hearts of his subiects they againe enioye the loue of their Prince But when he violated and dissolued the in dissoluble knott bond of matrimonie which no power in earth was able to disioyne as our Sauiour saith by this separation and diuorce Matt. 19. he separated himselfe also from Gods church all thinges were subuerted and turned topsy turuie all was filled which feares and suspitions at home with warres and diuisions a broad and with continuall frights and stranges allarmes of attempts and garboyles aswell in the court as in the countrie The treasures were exhausted the subiects impourished religion suppressed religious howses dissolued the vertuous oppressed the wicked aduanced and exalted the nobilitie condemned and beheaded and their goods confiscated and all vertuous people were fedd and sustained Pane lachrymarum aqua augustiae with the bread of mourning and teares and with the water of anguish and paine so as whatsoeuer the prophett Hieremy spake of Hierusalem may be applied to England after its apostacy The flourishing nation saith he is like a poore widdow Hier. c. 1. that wailes at night and her teares rune downe by her checkes her priests doe waile her virgins do complaine and she is euerie where oppressed her nobilitie are suppressed and many of her people ouerpressed with vnsufferable miseries and callamities Facti sunt hostes eius in capite eius inimici eius locupletati sunt Her enimies are promoted into her highest promotions and her aduersaries made riche by her spoyles Know yee and behold how distastfull it is to forsake God and nott to haue his feare before your eyes A seculo consregisti iugum Domini thow hast bracken and cast off godes yoake euen from the beginninge thy swoord deuoured the prophets quasi leo â— astator generatio vestra a destroieng lion is your generation And as King Henry the 8. himselfe said in this booke against Luther Eos qui pelluntur gremio matris Ecclesiae stat in furijs corripi atque agitari demonibus Such as are expulsed and thrust out of the bosome of our mother the Church are foorthwith ouercharged with the furious and raginge flames of hellish spirits and vanquished which diuills which assertion I would to God it had not bene verified of him that said it nor sutable to the purpose wherunto the same is applied But England to their great cost by experience knoweth this to be trew howsoeuer otherwise they dissemble it 6. But to retourne to him that applied the same against Luther the stroake did reboâ—nd and reflect vppon his owne neck Anno Domini 1533 Regni eius 24. for being excommunicated by Clemens 7. for putting away his married wife and for marrieng Anne Bullen tradidit se as the Apostle saith impudicitiae Ephes 4. in operem immunditia omnis in auaritiam he yelded himselfe ouer to impudicitie to the exercise of all vncleanesse couetuousnes he caused himselfe to be decreed by perleameÌ„t head of the church made it high treason in him that would not sweare precisely in his conscience this to be trew where many worthy personages both ecclesiasticall and lay people for refusing this oath or otherwise resisting it some were burned aliue as father Foster of the order of saint Frauncis Queene Cathrins confessor other some were beheaded as doctor Fisher-Bishopp of Rochester and Sr. Thomas Moore L. Chancler of England and may others were hanged drawen and quartered Yea he condemned the whole cleargie in a premunire which afterwardes they
redeemed with a submission paimeÌ„t of a hundreth thowsand pounds for that they acknowledged Cardinall Campeignes and Cardinall Wolsey as legats from Rome notwitstanding that the king himselfe by his Ambassadors procured their coming In the 24. yeeres of his raigne also he prohibited all appeales in causes ecclesiasticall reducing all spirituall authoritie of determining the same to the English Cleargie He forbid all license or dispensations and faculties from the church of Rome and seemed to establish them in Thomas Cranmer Archbishopp of Canterburie that he should grant the same to the king againe the 26. of his raigne Other his bloody factes and furious behauiour yow may well perceaue by the Catalogue following A Catalogue of those that suffred death as well vnder king Henry as Queene Ellzabeth king Iames from the yeare of our Lord 1535. 27. of king Henryes raigne vnto the yeere 1618. IN the first rancke of these blessed martyrs I ought not to forgett that blessed martyr S. Thomas of Canterburie alias Becket who for defending the immunities of the Church was murthered in king Henry the 2. his raigne now againe was by king Henrie the 8. by act of parleament attainted of high treason his ashes and holy bones and reliques were burned and of all churches dedicated to God in his honor it was decreed by parleament that they should not be named after him any more to which purpose comissioners were appointed in all places of England and Ireland and in the towne of Rathode in Meath the church wherof is dedicated to God in S. Thomas his honor the parishioners being commaunded to name their church after saint Peter they answered that the king may aswell by parleament proclaime saint Peter a traitor as saint Thomas and to preuent that they nominated their church after the blessed Trinity Vnder King Henry the VIII Anno Christi 1535. Henrici 8. anno 27. These were put to death at Tyburne the 29. of Aprill for denying the Kings Supremacy IOhn Houghton Prior of the Carthusianus at London Nic. SaÌ„d lib. 1. de Schism Ang. pag. 128. 129. 130. Augustine Webster Prior of the Carthusians at Exham Robert Laurence Prior of the Carthusians at Beuall Richard Reynolds Mounke of S. Brigitts order of Syon Iohn Hayle Priest Vicar of Thistleworth Charter house Monkes of London suffered at Tyburne 18. Iune Humfrey Mildemore William Exmew Sebastian Newdigate Carthusians at Yorke 11. May. Iohn Rochester Iames Warnet Charter house Mounkes died in prison in Iune Iuly Richard Bere Thomas Greene Iohn Dauis Thomas Iohson William Greenwod Thomas Scriuan Robert Salt Walter Persons Thomas Reading William Horne Carterhouse Monke 4. Aug. Iohn Fisher Card. of S. Vitalis Ric. Hal. in eius vita Staples de tribus Thom. Bishopp of Rochester at Tower-Hill 22. Iune Syr Thomas More Knight at the Tower-hill 6. Iuly Anno Christi 1536. Henr. 8. 28. Iohn Pasley Abbot of Whalley at Lancaster 10. March Sand. ibi l 1. pag. 176. 177. Iohn Castegate Monke at Lancaster 10. March William Haddocke Monke at Whaley 13. March N. N. Abbot of Sauley at Lancaster in March N. Ast be Monke of Geruaux at Lancaster in March Robert Hobbes Abbot of Woborne togeather with the Prior of the same Monasterie and a. Priest suffered at Woborne in Bedfordshire in March Doctor Maccarell with 4. other Priests at Tyburne 29. March William Thrust Abbot of Fontaines at Tyburne in Iune Adam Sodbury Abbot of Geruaux at Tyburne in Iune William Would Prior of Birlington at Tyburne in Iune N. N. Abbot of Riuers at Tyburne in Iune Anno 1537. Henr. 29. Antony Brorby of the Order of S. Francis Sand. ibi pag. 183. Boucher de pass Fratr Fransc pag. 8. 13. 17. strangled with his owne girdle at London 19. Iuly Thomas Cort Franciscan famished to death in prison 27. Iuly Thomas Belcham of the same Order died in Newgate 3. August Anno 1538. Henr. 30. Iohn Forest Frier obseruant Boucher ibid. pag. 26. Sand. ibid. Confessour to queene Katherine in Smithfield 23. May. Iohn Stone an Augustine friar at Canterbury this yeare Two and thirty Religious men of the Order of S. Francis being cast into prison for denying the K. Supremacy died there through cold steÌ„ch and famine in Aug. Sept. and October Sand. l. 1. pag 973. N. Croft Priest at Tyburne N. Collins Priest at Tyburne N. Holland Layman at Tyburne Anno 1539. Henr. 31. Knights of S. Iohns of Ierusalem at Towerhill 8. Iul. Sand. pa. 181. 194. 197. Adrian Fortescue Thomas Dingley Griffith Clarke Priest At S. Thomas Wateringes 8. N. Mayre Monke At S. Thomas Wateringes 8. Iohn Tauers Doctor of diunity 30. Iulij Iohn Harris Priest 30. Iulij Priests at Reading 14. Nouemb. Iohn Rugge William Onion Hugh Faringdon Abbot of Rehding at Rehding 22. Nouem Richard Whiting Abbot of GlasteÌ„bury at Glastend 22. Nouem Monks of GlasteÌ„bury at Glastend Iohn Thorne 22. Nouem Roger Iames Monks of GlasteÌ„bury 22. Nouem Iohn Beck Abbot of Colchester at Colchester 1. Decemb. Anno 1540. Henr. 32. Priests at Galais 10. April Sand. ibi pag. 216. 217. William Peterson Wiliam Richardson Priestes in Smithfield 30. Iuly Thomas Abell Edward Powell Rich. Fetherstone LaureÌ„câ— Cocke Prior of Dancaster At Tyburne 4. August Williame Horne Monke At Tyburne 4. August Edmund Bromelie Priest At Tyburne 4. August Giles Horne Gentleman At Tyburne 4. August Clement Philpot Gentleman At Tyburne 4. August Darby Genninges Layman At Tyburne 4. August Robert Bird Layman At Tyburne 4. August Anno 1541. Henr. 33. Dauid Genson Knight of the Rhodes 1. Iuly Sand. pag. 180. Anno 1543. Henr. 35. German Gardener Priest at Tyburne 7. March Sand. pag. 227. Iohn Lâ—arke Priest at Tyburne 7. March Iohn Ireland Priest at Tyburne 7. March Thomas Ashbey Layman at Tyburne 7. March Iohn Risby at Tyburne 7. March Thomas Rike at Tyburne 7. March Vnder Queene Elizabeth Anno 1570. Elizabethae 12. Iohn Felton Gentleman Nicol. Sander l. 7. de visib Monarc pag. 734. 736. in S. Paules Church-yard 8. August Anno 1571. Elizabeth 13. Iohn Story Doctor of the Canon-law at Tyburne 1. Iune Anno 1573. Elizabeth 15. Thomas Woodhouse Priest Concert Eccles Aug. at Tyburne 19. Iune Anno 1577. Elizabeth 19. Concert Eccles Aug. Cuthbert Mayne the first Priest of the Seminaries at Launston in Cornwall 29. Nou. Anno 1578. Elizab. 20. Concert ibid. Iohn Nelson Priest at Tyburne 3. February Thomas Sherwood Gentleman 7. Febr. Anno 1581. Elizab. 23. Concert Eccles Aug. Sand. l. 3. de schism Angl. Euerard Hanse Priest at Tyburne 31. Iuly Edmund Campian Priest of the Societie of Iesus at Tyburne 1. Dec. Alexander Briant Priest of the same Society of Iesus at Tyburne 1. Dec. Raphe Sherwyn Priest at Tyburne 1. Dec. Anno 1582. Elizab. 24. Iohn Payne Priest at Chelemsford in Essex 2. April Concert Eccles Angl. Sand. vbi supra Thomas Ford Priest at Tyburne 28. May. Iohn Shert
at yorke 29. No. William Gibson Layman at yorke 29. No. Anno 1597. Elizab. 39. Yepes vbi supra pag. 710. ◠◠William Anlaby Priest at yorke 4. Iuly Iohn Buckley alias Iones Priest of the Order of S. Francis at S. Thomas waterings 12. Iuly Thomas Warcop Henrie Abbot Edward Fulthorpe Laymen at yorke 4. Iuly Anno 1598. Elizab 40. Christopher Robinson Priest at Carlile Peter Snow Priest at yorke Richard Horner Priest at yorke Ralfe Grimston Layman at yorke Iohn Britton Layman at yorke Anno 1599. Mathew Hayes Priest at yorke Anno 1600. Elizab. 42. Christopher Wharton Priest at yorke 18. May. Relatio 16 Mart. à Th. VV. edit Iohn Rigby Gentleman at S. Thomas Wateringes 21. Iuly Robert Nutter Priest at Lancaster in Iune Edward Thwinge Priest at Lancaster in Iune Thomas Sprot Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Hunt Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Palaser Priest at Durham in Iuly Iohn Norton Gentleman at Durham in Iuly N. Talbot Gentleman at Durham in Iuly Anno 1601. Elizab. 43. Iohn Pibush Priest at S. Thomas Wateringes 10. February Roger Filcocke Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tybur 27. Feb. Relat. 16. Mart. pag. 93. 94. Marke Barkworth Priest of the Order of S. Benedict at Tybur 27. Feb. Anne Heygham Gentlewoman widdow to master Lyne at Tybur 27. Feb. Robert Middleton Priest at Lancaster Thrustan Hunt Priest at Lancaster Anno 1602. Elizab. 44. Francis Page Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 29. Apr. Thomas Tichborne Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Robert Watkinson Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Iames Ducket Layman at Tyburne 29. Apr. Mathew Harrison Priest at yorke in April Antony Battie Layman at yorke in April Anno 1603. Elizab. 45. vltimo William Richardson Priest at Tyburne 27. February Vnder King Iames. Anno 1614. Iacob Reg. 2. Laurence Bayly Layman as Lancaster in March Iohn Suker Priest at Warwicke in August Robert Grissold Layman at Warwicke in August Anno 1605. Iacobi 3. Thomas Wilborne Layman at yorke 1. August Iohn Putchering Layman at Rippon 5. Septemb. William Browne Layman at Rippon Anno 1606. Iacobi 4. Edward Oldcorne Priest of the Society of Iesus at Worcester 7. Apr. Raph Ashley Layman at Worcester 7. Apr. Henry Garnet priest Superior of the Society of Iesus in England in S. Paules Churchyard 3. May. Anno 1607. Iacob 5. Robert Drury priest at Tyburne 26. Ianuary Anno 1608. Iacob 6. Mathew Flathers priest at yorke 21. March George Geruis priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne 11. April Thomas Garnet priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 23. Iune Anno 1610. George Napper priest at Oxforde 10. of Nouember Cadwalladar priest in Wales N. Roberts priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Thomas Somers priest at Tyburne 10. of December Anno 1612. N. Scot priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Richard Newport priest together with him A Compendium of the martyrs and confessors or Ireland vnder Queene Elizabeth CHAPTER III. 1. WIlliam Walsh natiue of Donbuinein the diocesse of Meath first depriued of his bushoprick and spoiled of all his goods for not conforming himselfe to the Queens iniunctious about the oath of her ecclesiasticall supremacie and other lawes made against the holy Camons of the catholique church was put into a deepe dungeo◠wherein he was many yeeres afflicted with giues and fetters vntill by the fauor of his keeper he made an escape and fled into Spaigne and so ended the remainder of his blessed dayes at Alcala 1578. 2. Thomas Leorus Bishopp of Kildare willingly resigned his bishoprick in king Edwards dayes for that he could not with a safe conscience possesse the same and being to the great consolation of his hart restored againe vnto the same in Queene Maries dayes was againe in Queene Elizabeths dispossessed therof and of all other his liuelyhood well contented rather abiectus esse in domo Deimagis quam habitare in tabernaculis peccatorum he applied himselfe being banished to Munster in Ireland in teaching yong children to reade their books and instructing them in the christiā doctrine lightly he neuer came to any mans howse butt he exhorted therin nor euer supped or dined but in the later end therof he tooke occasion to edifie the people with one exhortation or another Once being at the Earle of Desmounds howse at supper a gentle woman beinge there retourning home told to her friends as a great wounder that Bishopp Leorus preached not at the later ende of his meat as he was accustomed he neuer did forbeare to reproue and reprehend vice wickednesse in any man whatsoeuer who was reproueable and persisting still in all hollinesse and zeale of godes euerlasting trueth vntill the last gaspe of his breath he died of the age of 80. yeers at the Nasse in the prouince of Leinster in Ireland 1577. 3. Morris fitz Gibbon Archbishopp of Cashall for the like cause was spoiled of all his goodes and suffred much laboure and trauaile and at lenght fled out of the kingdome of Ireland and died in the porte of Portingall 1578. Edmond Taner Bishopp of Clone and Corcke doctor of diuinitie who first being of the societie of Iesus out of which through great sicknesse not without licence of his superiors and aduise of the phisitions was enforced to come foorth and through the importunat sute of his frinds was persuaded to take vppon him the dignitie or rather the heauie bourden of a Bishopp especially in dangerous seasons of turbulent heresies by whicn he suffred great penury and want aswell in prison as out of it he died about the yere of our Lord 1578. 4. Hugh Lacy Bishopp of Limericke did suffer great callamitie aswell vnder king Henry the 8. as king Edward his sonne in whose times he was thrust from his place and function and also compelled to fly the Real me for not yelding to the supremacie of the yong king in the spiritually regiment of the church but being restored to his former dignitie in Queene Maries dayes by Cardinall Poole his hollinesse legat in England and Ireland was in Queene Elizabeths time enforced to suffer the like reuolution aswell of his bishippricke as of all other things and so to carrie the burden of Christs crosse he liued in woe and ended the same in ioy Anno Domini 1577. 5. Nicholas Skerret Archbishopp of Thomound a man of an innocent life and most zealous in the profession of the christian faith after suffering many difficulties and hard vsuadg in prison out of which he made an escape fled into Portingall and ended his holy life at Lisborne 1583. 6. Thomas O Hierly Bishopp of Rosse a man of great fame for good life and blessed conuersation after long imprisonnent in the Tower of London out of which he was enlarged by the entreatie of Sr. Cormocke Ma-Teighe Lord of Munstre who then was at the Court in Englād and after much affliction and tribulation liuing in woodes and montaines ended
not only of England but of all the world against the decree of all the generall counsells therof against all sacred doctors against common sense and honestie against all lawes both ciuill and cannon not only against catholiques but against protestants in all other countries yea against the puritans of England against these constant confessors and blessed martyrs aboue recited which acknowledged no such supremacy in spirituall or ecclesiasticall matters to any king or prince whatsoeuer that did putt them to death whose blessed blood was patiently shed for the defence of Catholique religion and lastly against the practise of all former ages and antiquitie For from Donaldus the first Christian king of the Scots according to saint Victor Anno 197. there were 84. Christian kinges from Ethelbert being made Christian according to saint Aug. an 600. vnto Edward the confessor 1006. there were 80. kings Christian in EnglaÌ„d after the coÌ„quest ther were 20. vnto king Henry the 8. so as none were euer called head of the church before king Henry after him Edward Elizabeth and king Iames. What shall I say of other holy and valiant martyrs that suffered in these later persecutions raysed vpp by Luther and Caluins heresie and by the Princes that embraced the same How many thousandes suffred confiscation of their goodes and landes effusion of their blood confusion of the world desolation and destruction of their wiues children woe and wreake and dissolution of all things such a masse of miserie and callamitie wherin their miserable and forlorne life was plunged withall as no man can rehearse without greefe nor none can see without teares How many thousand did rotâ— in vgly prisons die in banishments suffred patiently the crewelest tormentes and yrcâ—somest death that could be imagined rather then they would preferr the vaine fauor of man before the fauor of God antiquitie before noueltie to forgoe their auncient Catholique religion to become of the new to forgoe the firme Rocke of Christs church to build their faith vpon them that haue neither grownd or foundation of any supernaturall or theologicall faith at al no certitude in their doctrine no deuotion in their religion no honestie in the profession therof no vertue in their liues no pietie in their schooles or synagoges no charitie in their woorckes no mortification in their members or passions and consequentlie no conscience in their doings THE CONCLVSION 1. I Haue gentle reader exposed to thy vew the Theater of catholique and protestant religion where thou maist plainly behould and see the of-spring beginning growndes foundation practise mischeefe and inconuenience of the one and the excellency of the other Liu. 13. Math. 13. by which thou maist perceaue that the catholique religion ought to be compared to the wise husbandman which did sow the good side in his grownd or farme the protestant to resemble the enimie which sowed the badd cockle and darnell the one ought to be called positiue the other negatiue the one ecclesia malignantium the other militantium the one plantation of religion and deuotion the other supplantation or rooting vp of the same 2. The first subiect of corruptible and materiall things which the philosophers doe call Materia prima which neuer holdeth her selfe setled or contented in any certaine course of any forme or composition but is eueâ— more mutable and changeable by a certaine naturall reuolution from one forme and fashion to another for that shee being disgusted with the one euer more seeketh another is not so vncertaine and vnconstant as protestancy which by a certaine fatall reuolution and babilonicall confusion groweth from one errour to another from one mischeefe to another from one sect to another as appeareth by so many sectes forged and coined by this new religion within these 80. yeers which are 240. in number all in differrence and variance amongest themseluees not in ceremonies or things indifferent but in the cheefest articles and substance of their religion as many of themselues do auerre the one detesting condemning and pronouncing their cursed sentence of Anathema against the other as you may read aboue in the â—â— booke cap. 1. The same may be confirmed by a certaine Prince of Germany who being demaunded of what religion his bordering neighbours were he answered he could describe of what religion they were the last yeere but this yeere he could not well tell their religion in respect of the mutabilitie and in constancy therof see the preface and cap 1. lib 2. 3. But the catholique religion is alwaies one and the selfe same alwaise retaineth and holdeth the same continwance and vigour of trueth not in diuersitie of sectes but in simplicitie and vnitie of beleefe and profession without duplicitie or disparitie or contradiction of doctrine or without absurditie or dishonestie in her maners and customes because she hath the holy ghoast to assist and direct her in all trueth and to protect and to defend her from all errors misbeleefe and infidelitie For not only this new religion is changeable and variable in profession and doctrine but also in condition custome and behauiour for alteration in faith and religion procureth also a great alteration and inconstancy in mindes and affections in life and maners as wee may knowe by such nations who when they were catholiques were mercifull chast sober liberall temperat children were obedient to their parentes and people faithfull of their promisse But when they were turned protestantes as they selues do affirme they became most crwell bloody insolent lecherous riotuous couetuous barbarous luxurious and intemperat 4. For when protestancy laboreth to stoope and intercept all the channells and fountaines of Gods grace the enfluence of Christs passion all the inspiration of the holy ghoast from the soules of christians by which they should be inwardly and formally iustified to whome ought to be applied that which was spoken of the Iewes that they resisted the holy ghoast when it an â—ulleth all the excellencies vertues operations effectes of the blessed Sacramentes all the applications of the merites of Christes passion the vallour and vertue of his blood which the eternall and euerlasting father would haue to be religiously and deuoutly applied by religious meanes and our owne proper endeuours to our owne sanctificatioÌ„ when it destroieth reiecteth all the woorkes and merites of the iust as proceeding and hauing their force worth and valloure from that blessed passion and death of Christ and all the blessed rewardes correspondent and proportionable vnto those merites by vertue of the foresaid passion and blood which they deny to be of that force to abolish and blot out our sinnes wickednesse and punishmentes due vnto the same and so reiecting the force and vertue of Christs passion and transferring and building the same vppon another fundation which they call imputatiue iustice of Christ saying that Christ imputeth not vnto vs our offences and as it were couers them by that iustice by which he is iust himselfe nott by which he maketh vs iust when vppon a kind of an arrogant faith and presumptuous predestination without any relation or referrence to his owne endeuoures so as he beleue that Christ suffred for him or that he is predestinated to be saued he must be such When I say protestancy is blinded and nusled in this peruerse doctrine it being the only and cheefe article of their beleefe which is against scripture good life comon reason sense the definition of the catholique church honestie of a christian and the pietie of a catholique yea against operation of grace or instinct of nature it must run headlong vnto all desperat blasphemies and damnable mischeefe their vnbrideled concupiscence and crwell dispositions impelling them therunto For when the transgression of no lawe or the attempt and consummation of no acte though neuer so exorbitant or so abhominable is punished nor the good woorkes or merites or any execution or exercise of vertue or mortification of any their passions is not regarded for that as they say the merites of Christ his passion doe abrogat them nay such worckes or mortifications are iniurious to the same and doe as they say derogat from them Wee must thincke them to be no otherwise then they are taxeâ— with the imputation of all those cruell and vnchristian like Epithethes by their owne gospellers and when their religion is nothinge els then a path way to all dissolute libertie and licentiousnesse their liues and maners must be such for the corruption of the one engendreth the dissolution of the other 5. Finallie this is the cause that wee see many lawes decrees and dishonest plottes daylie deuised with their rigorous and cruell executions nott against transgressors of godes lawes the lawe of nature but against honest and vertuous people so as the reputation of an honest conscionable and well disposed person cannot be without the imputation of a dangerous traitour whose life goodes and landes must waite and lye open as a pray and bootie for euerie miscreant who as he exceedeth others in villanie and wickednesse must excell them also in promotion and authoritie cuius maledictione os plenum est amaritudine dolo sub lingua eius labor dolor Psal 9. whose tonge is full of malediction bitternesse and deceit Idem so as the decay and downefall of the good must be the raising vpp and aduancement of the badde Exurge Domine non confortetur homo Psal 9. iudicentur gentes in conspectu tuo Constitue Domine legislatorem super eos vt sciant gentes quoniam homines sunt Arise Lord let not man be strengthned let the Gentiles be iudged in thy sight Appoint Lord a law-giuer ouer them that the Gentiles may know that they be men FINIS