probation and therein not to be any way stayned The second triall of our fidelities consisteth in matter likewise of fact a Catholikes behauiour tovvardes his Maiesties Predecessors and him selfe towardes your Maiesties Predecessors your Title in them and in your selfe and the effect of our loue and affection performed in all occasions that might giue contentment to your Maiesty both before and since your entraunce into this your Kingdome of England which we will endeauour to touch as briefly as we can It cannot be denied then in the first ranke of these our comportements but that we our selues in our times and our Catholike Parents before vs at all times of opportunity offered haue declared our deuouted affections to your said Highnes b Catholikes alvvayes affected to the K. Title to England right to this Crowne the testemonies whereof are in printed bookes and publike facts so manifest to the world that we neede not long dwell on that point vouchsafe therefore patience we beseech you DEARE SOVERAIGNE to heare some instances of the c Blessinges benefittes his Maiesty hath receiued by Catholikes blessinges and the benefits your Maiesty hath receiued by Catholikes and by our seruices and fidelities King Henry the vij th and his eldest Daughter from whome your Maiesty hath receiued lineally and directly your birth right and naturall succession to this Crowne were most zealous and religious Catholikes and for that singuler affection he did beare to the d Henry the 7. preferreth the Scotish King before the Frensh Scotish nation principally for their great zeale at all times to the Catholike religion preferred the same before Fraunce bestowing his said eldest Daughter on your Highnes great Grand-Father and the younger vpon the French King by which happy marriage came that lineall and rightfull descent of bloud that made your Maiesties renowned Mother Heyre apparant to this Crowne of England who also was the vndoubted e His Maiesties Mother lineall heire to King Edvvard the Confessor lineall Heire to King Edward the Confessor by his sister Margaret Queene and Saint and consequently your Maiesty from your Catholike Mother and her Catholike Predecessors hath not only receiued the hereditary succession of the Kingdome of Scotland but also a double right to the Crowne of England as f His Maiestie true heire both to the Saxon Norman Princes heire to the Saxon lineall line by a holy Saint Catholike Queene and heire to the Norman line by a most worthy Catholike Prince and a blessed Martir and all them vnited in her and nowe duly descended to your Maiesty Queene Mary It was the pious and vertuous Queene Mary and her Catholike subjects who cancelled the forged will of her Father King Henry the eight exceeding preiudiciall to your right in this Crowne that disproued it in Parliament and deposed the Protestant vsurping Queene Iane a Queene Iane set vp by Protestants deposed by Catholikes set vp then by the Protestants to the disinheriting of Henry the eight his daughters Queene Mary and Queene Elizabeth and his eldest sisters issue vvho was your Maiesties great Grand-mother and whose issue were in all right to haue beene preferred before her younger sister Grand-mother to the vsurping Protestant Queene Iane who so deposed by that renowned pious Catholike Queene Mary the Crowne by her royall prouidence was reserued to the rightfull and lawfull heires thereof consequently descended nowe to your Maiestie conformable to the lawe of God Nature and Nations The serpentine inuectiue made by Hales and other Protestants in the beginning of Queene Elizabethes raigne directly against your Maiesties Title thereby intending b Hales inuectiue against the Title of Scotland the aduauncement of a pretender potently in those daies possessed in the breastes of no meane multitudes was vpon the setting forth thereof in the time of Queene Elizabeth indelayedly vndertaken fully answered learnedly confuted by c Hales ansvvered by Iustice Brovvne M. Ployden both Catholikes Sir Anthony Browne then one of the Iustices of the common Pleas and lately before in Queene Maries raigne had beene chiefe Iustice of the same Court and M. Edmund Ployden famous Lawyers with the assent of other Catholike Diuines ciuill Lawyers and Gentlemen of good worth judgement and experience Howe many d Havvardes Persies Pagets Vaux Treshams Throghmortons Salisburies Abington families of Catholikes haue endured great damages and detrimentes in renowne and state for desire they had to maintaine the right of your most blessed Mothers Title in remainder and aduentures made to relieue her and deliuer the afflicted Princesse out of her captiuity with much abundant loue teares and affection your sacred mother testified publiquely at the end of her life Since your Mothers death we remayned euer e Catholikes behauiour after the martirdome of his Maiesties Mother constant to your Maiesties right to the succession of this Crowne not ebbing and flowing in our affections but resolute euer to liue or die with your Maiestie in that most just pretence but if any particular person in forraigne countries hath spoken or written to the contrary for his priuate and particular pretentions he is to answere for himselfe and his owne fact for therein we disclaime which party as we are credibly enformed hath both before and sithence the Queenes death done great diligence to giue your Maiesty satisfaction And your Maiesty is not ignorant we are assured what hath beene the carriage opinion and opposition of vs and our friendes euen in that particuler in the fauour and defence of your Maiesties right both within and without the Realme what a The daungers damages and disgraces vvhich M. Charles Paget Cap. Tresham M. Iohn Stonor of Stonor and diuers others suffred therefore are notorious dangers we haue passed at home and what slaunders and damages very many of our Catholike brethren haue suffered abroade for shewing themselues Scotish in faction as we were tearmed that b Scotish infaction vvhat is firmely immoueably affected to your Maiesties right of succession to this Crowne your Maiesty haue heard and we haue felt and shall feele our honours and estates thereby being extreamely diminished and eclipsed whiles we liue vnlesse your Maiesties pious royall hart vouchsafe to repaire and relieue the same Neither did your Maiesties c His Maiesties zeale in the Protestants Religion did nothing diminish the Catholikes forvvardnesse tovvardes his right and iustice zeale in the Protestant religion any way alter or diminish the just conceit and dutifull consideration we carried to that justice and right which God and nature had prepared for you from your cradell If then our carriage and affection to your Maiesty was such when your Religion was to ours so different your Person to vs vnknowne your fortune doubtfull the factions diuers the oppositions in all likelyhood very great and the euent of your affaires very vncertaine what may your Maiesty presume of vs nowe or rather what may you not
Monsieur de Bethunes lettres whome the Sea of Rome is so farre from censuring that she hath already censured all those that shall any way seeke to giue you any disturbaunce or molestation with whome all the Princes in Christendome are in perfect peace and amity whome Catholikes haue as yet no way offended but by all meanes indeuoured to serue satisfie cōtent a His Maiestie hath no such reason to continue the lavves against Catholikes as the late Q. had to inact them Your Maiestie we say for these respects hath no such apparent cause to continue those lawes as the late Queene had to inact them the reasons and foundations of those lawes being by this happy mutation of state time and persons vtterly remoued If then DREAD SOVERAIGNE we haue beene are and will be as we haue and will demonstrate as loyall faithfull and affectionate to your Maiesty your predecessors and posterity and euen to those Princes that dealt most hardly with vs and to the good and peaceable estate of our Country as any sorte of your Maiesties subjectes within the Realme of our Ranke whatsoeuer we see not howe by authority we can be driuen to forsake our Catholike Fathers faith and beleefe vnlesse authority can by reason conuince vs that our faith is Infidelity our Religion superstition and the seruice we vse Idolatry or the Doctrine we receiue heresie These are points first to be decided and determined amongst Deuines and learned men of both partes and therefore that Magistrates should proceede against vs as men conuicted of those crimes before our cause be heard and determined by them that are by God appointed to handle those high and important pointes of diuinity we hope your Maiesties clemency and piety will not permitte But judgment being past on our side already in so many generall Councels abroade and conuocations and Parliaments at home commending and approuing the faith we professe what reason can giue life to that lawe that doth reuerse a sentence so authentically giuen without the full forme of justice and processe therein required CHAPTER 4 The reasons why we are so resolute in our Religion Reasons of Religion THE first reason that we giue of our faith Religion SACRED SOVERAIGNE why we ought not to suffer therefore as delinquents is that neither obstinate pride The 1. reason nor presumptious pertinacy nor dislike of order or Discipline nor contempt of authority nor curiosity affectation of nouelty or discontentment in our priuate humors maketh vs so constant and resolute in the profession thereof but our consciences meerely so informed and inforced in manner by the instinct of Gods grace and reuelation of his holy word and will but our vnderstanding captiuated in obsequium fidei by most euident a In no Religion but the Catholike only doe all these Testemonies concurre Testimony of holy Write of Vnity Vniuersality Succession Antiquity authority of Scriptures Fathers Saints Doctors Councels Parliaments Virgins and Martirs which all concurre only and joyntly in the Catholike Religion and in no other profession whatsoeuer which considerations accompayned with the feare of Gods judgments the danger of Hell fire and the desire of eternall Saluation commaund vs by the rules of reason in the practise profession of that Religion to obey the lawe of God before the lawe of Man The 2. reason It is an instance and maxime that suffereth no exception that neuer any generall or vniuersall innouation or alteration in matters of Faith or Religion from badde to better hath beene heard of either in the whole world or in any particular nation be it either from Iudaisme Gentilisme Paganisme Atheisme or Idolatry but that the commission and vocation of the messengers haue beene authorised Domino coöperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis Mar. 16. our Lord working with all and confirming the word with signes that followed which sithence our new messengers and reformers as yet haue not duly nor clearely shewed pretending as they doe to purge Christendome of superstition and Idolatry howe can they in reason craue at our handes credit or conformity to the newe lawes made on that behalfe God is ipsa vita lux veritas God that is the life The 3. reason light and truth it selfe cannot giue commission credit and authority to death darknes falshood but it is most euident and cannot be doubted of or denied that the first Apostles Conuertors of this our nations of England Scotland Ireland Fraunce and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome and deliuered vs the same Romane faith we nowe professe the same Masse and the same Sacraments and preached the selfe same Doctrine Mar. 16. Domino coöperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis our Lord working with all and confirming the word with signes that followed Reason then cōcludeth thus that either God in this case hath giuen testemony to falshood or else the doctrine confirmed by the testemony of God is true and auowable and not to be forsaken for feare of any humane lawes till we haue like testemony from Heauen to the cōtrary when our aduersaries shal duly reproue ours herein and make their owne mission as manifest by the word of God then if we doe not conforme our selues to the newe lawes imposed vpon vs worthely we are to endure these late inflicted penalties for matter of recusancy To conuince vs then that either we haue not the true Scriptures The 4. reason or interpret them not as we ought or that we dishonour God in honouring his Saintes or erre in the number or nature of our Sacraments or that our Doctrine is false and defectiue and to condemne vs and punish vs therefore as Heretikes and Idolators requireth in all reason an absolute commission from God the which when it shall be produced willingly we will obey If they alleadge Scriptures the Scriptures are common to vs both The 5 reason yet more likely in reason to be ours then theirs because that if the Church of Rome had not conserued them and communicated the same vnto vs our aduersaries had beene at this day Scripturelesse the very originall Bible the selfe same numero which S. Gregory sent in with our Apostle S. Augustine being as yet reserued by Gods especiall prouidence as a Testemony a We receiued the Scriptures from the Church of Rome that what Scriptures we haue we had them from Rome and haue nothing of our reformers but that we haue not so many bookes of Scriptures discanonized and rejected because they be expresse Testimonies against their newe and negatiue Religion If they stand vpon the sence and true interpretation we stand on that point more confidently then they they hauing no further warrant then their priuate spirit and we relying on the assistance of the holy Ghost therein promised to his Church for the instruction of all truth which is Columna firmamentum veritatis the piller
was it heard of that in England or Scotland any Minister or Ministers euer suffred any thing for that gratious Lady or your Maiesties Title but infinite are the a In Scotland Setons Gordens Simples Maxuelles families of the Catholikes that haue suffered for them both As the Seatons the Gordens the Simples the Maxuells in Scotland the b In England Havvards Persies Pagettes Treshammes Throgmortons Salisburies Abington Winsor Hawards Persies Vauxes Pagets Treshams Throgmortons Winsors Salisburie Abington and diuers other worthy Gentlemen in this Land the shipwrackes of whose opulent abundant states and fortunes are inuincible testemonies of the Libellers falsehood and follie in this his objection and of the constant fidelity of Catholikes to your Maiesty and all your race and predecessors in all their fortunes whatsoeuer And thus your Maiesty doth see the comparison of our former times and our precedent behauiours with our present affection and future assurance If then we be not rewarded and respected as all others are of other professions that haue done their duties as we did in aduauncing your Maiesties affaires and acknowledging your rightfull Authority yet at the least we hope that it will not be thought reasonable that we should be left in the same masse of misery which your Maiestie found vs in at your entrance Make vs then SWEETE SOVERAIGNE as able as we are wiling to serue you not by newe dignities and authorities but by restoring vs to our pristine honours and honest reputations and to our birth-right freedome and liberty by your only Peerles justice clemency and benignity permitting vs to liue in peace comedere buccellam nostram sine dolore to put a bitte of meate into our mouthes without sorrowe without frights without slights and without circumuentions of our Aduersaries our woundes are so deepe and dangerous in matters of our honours states and liberties that no Phisition can cure vs but your self with the soueraigne balme of your renowned Clemency What pleasure or profit can redowne to your Maiesties person or estate if we your approued and assured seruants and subjectes rotte in prison die in banishment and liue in penurie and disgrace for no other crime or offence but for the constant profession of that Religion which in conscience we are perswaded to be the only true worshippe of God saluation of our soules Of which our faith and beliefe we haue rendred so sufficient reason that we hope it will fully satisfie and content so wise learned politique and discreete a Prince as your Maiesty hath shewed your selfe to be in all occasions presented to make triall thereof which maketh vs the more confident in our just and reasonable defence because we sue to a most wise just and learned Monarch And albeit more then this can hardly be required of men whose fidelities are so sufficiently tried and testefied as appeareth by the whole substance and tennor of this our Apologie yet pro abundantiore cautela we humbly lay downe at your Maiesties feete this forme of submission and security following in behalfe of our Priests and Pastors CHAPTER 7. The forme of the Catholikes submission IF we may be permitted to enjoy some quiet graue The lay Catholikes submission and vertuous Clergie men for the comfort of our soules we doubt not but to giue your Maiestie a farre greater security for the fewe hundreds of our Priests then was giuen for the many thousands of Queene Maries Priests and Prelates in the late Queene Elizabethes dayes against whome albeit aboue a 10000 Clergie men lefte their liuings rather then they vvould leaue their religion ten thousand of them did abandon their Ecclesiasticall Liuinges rather then they would conforme themselues to the times especially the b All Queene Mary Bishops forsooke their Prelatures rather then they vvould forsake their chiefe Pastor holy Senate of Bishops no one excepted yet in the time of the said Queene for the space of thirty yeares extreame and restlesse persecution no capitall lawes were made or executed And in the c The booke intituled execution for treason not for religion made by the late L. Burleigh booke intituled Execution for treason and not for Religion composed set forth by the late L. Burleigh then high Treasourer of England on whome for his great wisdome and polecie the menaging of the Common wealth of this Realme vnder the Queene principally depended Anno 1583. and Anno Regni Eliz. 26. it is in expresse wordes set downe what fauour these Priests found in tearmes as followeth And though there are many subiects knowne in the Realme that disser in some opinions of Religion from the Church of England and yet doe also not forbeare to professe the same yet in that they doe all professe loyalty obedience to her Majestie and offer readely in her defence to impugne and resist any forraigne force though it should come or be procured from the Pope himselfe d None of Q Maries Priests or Prelats persecuted for region none of these sort are for their contrary opinions in Religion persecuted or charged with any crimes or paines of treason nor yet willingly searched in their consciences for their contrary opinions that sauour not of treason After which Narration he reckoneth vp great numbers as e D. Heath Arch-bishop of Yorke D. Heath Arch-bishoppe of Yorke B. Poole B. Tunstall B. White B. Oglethrop B. Thurlby B. Watson B. Turberuill none of all these were pressed with any capitall paine though they maintayned the Popes authority against the lawes of the Realme he recounteth a Abbot Feenam one Abbot diuers Deanes whome he commendeth for learning modestie knowledge concludeth that none b None of all these held or punished as traitors though they maintayned the Popes authority against the lavves of the Realme of these nor yet diuers others of the like morall and indifferent carriage were euer called to any capitall or bloudie question vpon matter of Religion nor were not depriued of any of their goodes or proper liuelihoods of the like indulgence and lenity mention is made in the same booke vsed towardes the layetie in wonderful pleasing wordes as followeth There are great numbers of others being lay men and of good possessions in Lands and men of credit in their countries that doe enjoy their estates though they holde contrarie opinions in Religion for the Popes authority and yet none of them haue beene sought hetherto to be impeached in any point or quarrell of treason or losse of life member or inheritaunce So that it may plainely appeare it is not nor hath not beene for contrary opinions in Religion or for the Popes authority alone as the Aduersaries doe boldly and falsely publish that euery person hath suffered death since her Maiesties Raigne yet some of this sorte are well knowne to hold opinion that the Pope ought by authority of Gods word to bee supreame and only head of the Catholike Church throughout the whole world