the Church nor being authorized to rule their Cleargie or to dispose of their liuings Secondly that they held that poore halfe of their kingdome which remained at the Popes pleasure and no further as appeared by the insolent dealing of the Pope with King Henry the second and King Iohn out of whose hands the Pope had almost wrested the scepter of their royall authoritie But her Maiestie abolishing the 〈◊〉 power of the Pope fréed her selfe and her successors from his tyrannie and restored that power and iurisdiction to the Crown that was by his craft and fraudulent dealing long vsurped She found that it belonged to godly kings to make lawes for religion to rule their subiects to dispose of the affaires and goods of the Church according to right So did Constantine the great and other godly Emperors So did Charles the great and Lewes kings of France So did Alfred and S. Edward Kings of England as the lawes of the Code and Nouell constitutions the constitutions of Charles and Lewes and of the auncient Kings of England declare Neither before Pope Heldebrand or rather that firebrand of hell did any Pope take vpon him to giue out lawes or decretals for the gouernement either of the whole Church or the Churches of other kingdoms For this matter therfore Quéene Elizabeths name deserueth to be had in perpetuall remembrance for that she fréed her selfe and her subiects from the Popes wicked lawes and vsurpations and restored the auncient priuiledges and dignities to the Crowne The which had bene much in a man but in a woman was much more glorious With her also peace which by the practises of the Spaniards had bene exiled to our losse and shame returned again into this land For finding this land at variance with France and forsaken of Spaine she 〈◊〉 meanes to compound with France and begā to settle matters at home According to the Prophets admonition she sought peace and followed it And such successe hath it pleased God to giue her that although the Pope by diuers practises hath sought to raise discord and rebellion within England yet maugre his head we haue enioyed peace this 〈◊〉 and fortie yeares to the great contentment of her subiects and the wonderment of the world For who wondreth not that France and Flanders and other our neighbor countries being in a flame and the Pope desiring nothing more then to set our country on fire that the moderation of a woman should maintaine her State in peace when great Kings could not kéepe their state from being consumed with warres 〈◊〉 great this benefite is both the commodities of peace and the miseries of warres may teach vs. Et nomen pacis dulce est saith Tully ipsa res salutaris The name of peace is sweete and the thing it selfe safe and commodious Neither doth a people more desire any thing then peace as he saith in another place and in peace not onely those to whom nature hath giuen sence but also houses and fields seeme to reioyce Quid est tam populare ac pax qua non modo ij quibus natura sensum dedit sed etiam tecta atque 〈◊〉 videntur Contrariwise warres worke destruction of men cities countries and as Tully saith haue vncertaine euents and nothing is more execrable then ciuill warres Tully 〈◊〉 him vnworthy to liue among men that delighteth in ciuill discord and warre By meanes of long peace this land is also growne to great wealth The country is better cultiuated trade is much increased all arts and occupations growne to greater 〈◊〉 then in time past Noblemen and Gentlemen haue doubled their reuenues Yeomen and Merchants aspire to the degrée of Gentlemen and diuers men of occupation do exceed men of their sort in former times Whosoeuer compareth the common people of England with men of their qualitie in Spaine Portugal and Italy must néedes confesse that in wealth and meanes our country men do farre excéed them Finally neuer was England so populous and strong in men as in our late Quéenes dayes Spaine and most places of Italy séeme desolate in comparison That these are great blessings it cannot be denied For God promiseth increase of substance and men to his people as a blessing Deut. 28. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body saith Moyses to the people of God and the fruite of thy land the fruite of thy cattell the flockes of kine and sheepe And the multiplication of Abrahams posteritie Gen. 17. and in diuers other places was accounted to him as a great blessing Wherefore as oft as we looke backe to former times we cannot choose but call to mind those graces which we haue long enioyed by Quéene Elizabeths meanes and be thankfull vnto God for them If any be either vnmindfull or vnthankfull if he be English I doubt not but he will proue a traitor to his Prince and country if a stranger then he will shew himselfe an enemie In the the first ranke I place Robert Parsons in the second certaine malicious Italian and Spanish Friers But their discourses wherein they would denigrate her glorie are so fond and 〈◊〉 that they do rather illustrate the same To shew that her Maiestie had no power in forreine countries Parsons alleageth that since Calice was lost we had not one foot of our owne beyond the seas As if none could haue power or credite in forreine parts but such as haue cities and dominions of their owne beyond the seas or as if it were not a signe of great power that her forces by sea and land haue alwayes bene able to 〈◊〉 the ambitious aspires of the Spaniard and the cruel rage of Antichrist and that her authoritie hath swayed much in forreine parts both with friends and enemies Againe that the English haue lost their footing beyond the seas and were shamefully driuen out of Calice which was reputed the key of the kingdome of France and a doore whereby the Kings of England were wont to enter into that kingdome it was not our fault but of that vnfortunate woman Quéene Mary that lost all and had no good successe in any thing and of her butcherly Clergy that were murthering of Christs lambes at home while forreine enemies oppugned the state abroad and would suffer no succor to be sent ouer in time He talketh also very idly of large Prouinces possessed by the English liuing vnder popish religion and of the losse we haue sustained by chaunge of our old mightie and honorable allies as he calleth them For the relikes of those large Prouinces were lost not by Queene Elizabeth but by that vnhappie woman Quéene Mary and her bloudy and butcherly priests Moreouer if King Philip fell at variance with vs the same was not the Quéenes fault that kept good correspondence with him albeit he betrayed her to the French at her first comming to the crowne and succored the rebels of the North anno 1569. and conspired with that louzie Frier Pius the fift to
vpon his throne 〈◊〉 him as we reade 1. King 3. Was not then this 〈◊〉 Queene iustly punished with barrennesse for inaking so many childlesse Without cause she fell at variance with the French entring into her husbands quarrell But she spent her labour and treasure in vaine left the 〈◊〉 in debt and lost all she did aduenture for At the sea she was most 〈◊〉 losing a goodly shippe called The great Harrie by 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 no successe in any thing And so it appeareth that she liued and died 〈◊〉 leauing 〈◊〉 memorie behind her but of cruell persecution of Spanish slauerie and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and losse to our nation Neither doth any accompt otherwise of her then as of a woman vnhappie in her mariage cruell in persecuting Gods Saints vngratefull to those that were her best friends vnkind to her subiects 〈◊〉 in all her enterprises The like successe had those kings of England that were most forward in the Popes seruice Before king Henry the seconds time the Popes agents had litle to do in England He was the first that gaue them grace But see his reward The Pope maintained Becket and other his rebellious subiects against him and forced him to most disgracefull and base conditions of agréement Furthermore the Popes agents in his time found such fauour that vntill the raigne of king Henry the eight this Land could neuer be ridde of them 〈◊〉 Richard the first for the Popes pleasure crossed him selfe for the holy land and went thither with great forces of men and royall prouisions But nothing he gained beside a vaine name of a valiant man On the other side his losses and disgraces were excéeding great For first he lost most of his 〈◊〉 then he lost the best part of his men Thirdly he lost diuers good townes in France where his enemies tooke aduantage of his absence Fourthly he was taken prisoner in his returne Fiftly he impouerished himselfe and his countrie in leauying money for his ransome And lastly was vnnobly slaine before a litle castle in France by a base fellow So litle did the Popes pardons and blessings auaile him Neuer did any king of England more for the Pope then king Iohn For he resigned his Crowne into his Legates hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also as much as in him lay to make his kingdome tributarie to the Pope Let vs then 〈◊〉 what fruite he reaped of his deuotion to the Pope First he liued in continuall iarre with his 〈◊〉 Secondly he lost Normandie and 〈◊〉 townes of great moment to the French Thirdly in his 〈◊〉 the French made warre 〈◊〉 him in England and 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 at his owne doores Fourthly he suffered his kingdome to be pillaged by the Pope Finally he died of poyson ministred to him by a Monke of Swinsted Abbey as Caxtons Chronicle reporteth King Henry the third was flatly 〈◊〉 by Innocent the fourth and deluded with a promise of the kingdome of Naples for his sonne Edmond But for this vaine title he payed full deare not onely suffering the Pope to spoile his countrie but also paying himselfe great summes to the Pope King Henry the eight for the deliuerance of Clement the seuenth spent 〈◊〉 treasure vainely And that was the successe of all the kings of England that did seruice to the Pope Generally all those that liue vnder the Popes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most miserably being neither secured for their 〈◊〉 nor liues nor liberties either from their neighbour princes or from the Pope First they serue two kings wheresoeuer they liue that is their King or Duke and the Pope If they offend the Pope they are 〈◊〉 heretickes and are deemed worthie of death yea albeit the controuersie be no matter of Religion Lewis of Bauier and his followers were reputed 〈◊〉 he for taking on him the 〈◊〉 without the Popes allowance these for yeelding obedience to their lawfull prince The like censure was 〈◊〉 against all that followed the Emperour Henry the fourth and Fredericke the second If they offend their Princes either in word or 〈◊〉 the penaltie is death Poggio sheweth that a rich man being accused of treason answered that he had not offended but if his goods had offended he would not consent with them And thus by renouncing that which he 〈◊〉 he escaped The lawes are very rigorous both of Pope and popish 〈◊〉 the executions 〈◊〉 cruell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of the times of Alexander the sixt saith that there was neuer more outrages committed by 〈◊〉 and cut throates that the people of Rome had neuer lesse freedome that there was a great number of priuie promoters and that euery euill word was punished with death But this is common to all Italian princes Murthers and spoiles are litle regarded euery word nay euery thought against them if it be knowne is 〈◊〉 most 〈◊〉 The Spanish inquisitors in 〈◊〉 passe most sauage beastes Upon euery light surmise they procéed against most innocent persons and some they racke some they samish some they burne some they cut 〈◊〉 The very Papistes themselues could neuer endure it nor would suffer it but by force The Venetians will none of it The Neapolitans refusing the same yéeld this reason quia per simplicem alicuius maleuoli accusationem nullis requisitis probationibus nullisque defensionibus acceptis posset quisque in carceres detrudi vita honore facultatibus priuari Because by the single accusation of one malitious fellow neither proofes being sought nor exceptions receiued any man might be thrust into prison and depriued of his honors goods and life Are they not then miserable that liue vnder the danger of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people of the Low countries do affirme that 〈◊〉 Inquisition was the originall ground of the troubles and tumults of the Low countries and that the Cardinal Granuelle endeuouring to bring in the same was the ruine of his countrie At the first the 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 principally against Turkes and Moores Who then doth not detest the Spaniards and Italians that practising the same against Christians do plainly declare that they hold them to be no better then Turkes and Moores The common forme also of inquisition against Christians is very cruell odious and intolerable considering first that the Romanists take all for heretikes that 〈◊〉 them for their villanies superstitions and heresies and next for that they neither obserue forme nor order of 〈◊〉 nor respect young nor old men aliue nor dead oftentimes 〈◊〉 mens bodies most cruelly and spoiling their goods most gréedily and punishing any that dissent from the synagogue of Rome in matter of the Sacraments as if they had conspired the destruction of their prince and countrie By this cruel procéeding in the raigne of Charles the 〈◊〉 the bloudie popish tormentors in the low countries put to death fiftie thousands as the Histories of the Low countries 〈◊〉 In England like sauage wolues they spoiled the flocke during the raigne of Queene Marie How many haue bene executed in Spaine Italie France and
Alberto regi subijcit He did also indeuour to put his sentence in execution and percase had done it but that Philip by the industrie of Sciarra Colonna and Nogaret preuented him and apprehended the furious Pope Ferdinand king of Spaine had no other pretence to inuade the kingdome of Nauarre but onely to execute the sentence of Iulius the second that had excommunicated him for taking part with the French No doubt therefore but one time or other the French king that is the king of Nauarre also will require satisfaction of the Pope and Spaniard that did him this wrong But in the meane while we may sée in this fact of Iulius the arrogance of the Popes that take vpon them to depose kings at their pleasure and to giue away their kingdomes This seditious course of the Pope in sentencing kings was also the sole pretence almost of the Leaguers rebellious stirres against Henry the third in France For when the Iebusites and their faction had declared that the king was iustly deposed then did the rebels take armes against him and ceassed not to pursue him to the death The Spaniards also for the same cause ayded them and concurred with them Likewise the execution of the Popes sentence against Henrie the fourth of France was the cause both of the reuolt of his subiects and of the warres made against him by the prince of Parma and the Spaniards Such a firebrand of warres do we find the Popes sentence to be No sooner was Henry the eight king of England pronounced excommunicate by Paule the third but he sent Cardinall Poole to stirre vp the French King to inuade his kingdome Afterward when he saw that the French could not be stirred to execute his pleasure he caused diuerse rebellions to be raysed against him by the seditious clamours of Masse-priests Monkes and Friars both in York-shire and Lincolne-shire and other parts of England Sanders 〈◊〉 that he commanded the Nobilitie and chiefe men of England by force and armes to oppose themselues against the king and to cast him out of his kingdome Principibus viris ac Ducibus Angliae 〈◊〉 Nobilitati praeeipit vt vi armis se Henrico opponant illumque è regni finibus eijcere nit antur The like course held Pius Quintus that wicked Pope against Quéene Elizabeth of pious memorie for he did not onely declare her depriued of her kingdome but by all meanes sought actually to depriue her of it and that first by dealing with the French and Spanish by force of arms to inuade her realmes and afterward stirring vp and comforting Malcontents and Rebels to set the realme in combustion by ciuill warres Hierome Catena in the discourse of the life of this impious Pius sheweth how he perswaded the Spaniard that he could not otherwise better secure the Low-countries then by ouerthrowing the Queene of England He declareth further how he induced the French to take part against her Likewise did Gregorie the thirtéene send forces into Ireland together with his legate Sanders Sixtus Quintus by all meanes hastened the Spanish fléete that came against England anno 1588. Neither haue they and others ceassed vpon all occasions to séeke her hurt and destruction This therefore is a most cleare case that no Christian king can be in safetie as long as he suffereth Iebusites and Masse-priests to aduance the Popes authoritie and to preach seditiously that the people hath power to put Princes out of their royall seate It is very dangerous also to foster any man within the Realme that beléeueth this seditious doctrine True it is that Papists cast many colours to hide the deformities of this doctrine but these colours are easily washed away as not being able to abide any weather First they alleage that diuerse popish Princes haue enioyed their kingdomes quietly without molestation But we are able to shew more Princes of late time troubled by the Popes practises then they are able to shew to haue liued peaceably by them Furthermore the reason why Popes do not trouble all is because it were not safe for them to fall out with too many at one time and not because their ouer large authoritie is not preiudiciall to all For 〈◊〉 the Pope may depose all kings vpon cause then all kings stand in like danger séeing no man can auoide all causes of quarrell Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. cap. 6. saith that the Pope doth practise this power for sauing of soules But experience teacheth vs that through his excommunications and sentences of deposition pronounced against diuers kings he hath ruined kingdomes and brought infinite people to destruction both of bodie and soule Theodoric of Niem speaking of the deposing of the king of Hungarie by Boniface the 9. saith There followed of it great slaughter of innumerable people destruction of churches and houses of religion the burning of cities townes and castles and infinite other mischiefes which follow long warres because kings without the hurt of many cannot be deposed His words are these Vndè clades hominum innumerabilium Ecclesiasticorum piorum locorum Monasteriorum enormis destructio incendia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non infinita alia mala quae guerrae secum producunt diu vigentia 〈◊〉 quia non sine multorum dispendio 〈◊〉 deponuntur Emanuel Sa in his 〈◊〉 for confessaries doth signifie that this doctrine holdeth against tyrants only But what doth this reléeue the Papists when those which fall out with the Pope and yeeld not ê¯to his most vnreasonable requests are presently by Friers and priests proclaimed tyrants The very Papists themselues cannot deny but that Quéene Elizabeth was much renowned for her rare clemencie and that not without cause seeing she spared alwayes those that would not haue spared her if it had lien in their power to haue hurt her and yet they accuse her of tyrannie In the resolution of certaine cases of conscience set out by Allen and Parsons for instruction of English traytors Non gerit se vt Roginam say they sed exercet 〈◊〉 She doth not behaue her selfe as a Queene but doth exercise tyrannie The like words they gaue out against the French king now raigning albeit he hath shewed mercie to many 〈◊〉 none 〈◊〉 Ernest sending away one that vndertooke to kill the Count Maurice amazzate said he quel 〈◊〉 that is kill me that tyrant Others alleage that the Pope procéedeth onely against heretikes and notorious offendors But that is a most notorious and palpable vntruth for no man is more eagerly prosecuted then religious pious and godly Christians as the executions of France and Flanders do shew And if they will not confesse it true in Christians of our time yet can they not deny it in the times of the Emperors Henry the third fourth and fifth of Fredericke the first and second and of Lewis of Bauier who made such confessions of their faith being declared heretickes as the Popes theÌ„selues could not contradict and yet did the
saith a certaine masse-priest must depend vpon Garnet and Garnet vpon Parsons and Parsons on the deuill Doe not you thinke then that this is a braue dependance and that the warneword is braue stuffe that is calfreted and deuised by a dependant vpon the deuill but may his friends say this was spoken out of choller Heare then what the archpriest said when he heard that Robert Parsons was first come into England This man sayd he will shame vs all he is for his expulsion and manners so infamous Howsoeuer he hath shamed others himselfe he hath shamed by his leud loose and discomposed patcheries Of his cruell disposition he hath giuen vs many arguments While he was yet in Bailioll colledge he prosecuted seuen young men of farre better parentage then himselfe and gladly would haue had them hanged for taking certaine puddings from a pupill of his called Himmes He endeuoured to draw Himmes his father into bond that hée should not cease to prosecute the fellonie and would haue proceeded further had not the councell taken order to stay his violence it may be he thought that taking of puddings was a great matter considering especially that the wealth of the tripewife his mother consisted in tripes puddings and souce but sée Gods hand against this prosecutor of takers of puddings he is now so swollen like a blacke pudding that the memory of Parsons puddings will not lightly be forgotten A man shall hardly find a fitter fellow to play Ballio the baud then Parsons being a baudy burley pudding growne fellow and very like the baud in Plautus cum collatiuo ventre oculis herbeis that is with his bumbasted and barrellike bellie and eyes greenish like grasse In Rome he hath long bene the tormentor of the boyes of the English colledge although his friends in his excuse say he loueth them but too well and namely one Fisher a fine youth that sometime was a Ganymedes to Edward or as he called himselfe Odeward Weston sometime reader of Sodomiticall diuinitie at Doway although now for his beastly loue they say he hath lost his place and lecture and is sent to Antwerpe to loue wenches there Prouided alwayes that he meddle not with boyes especially scandalously As for Fisher he is now at Rome as they say to do penance with Robert Parsons Protonotarie of Sodome if he be not fishing in the sea Whē Bishop and Charnocke agents of the secular priests in England were sent to Rome Sir Robert handled them very rudely These priests doe exclaime mainely against his crueltie He tooke away their writings and valists he caused them to be imprisoned and hardly examined and at the length sent them away re infectissima But what should I neede to stand vpon prooues of his bloody and cruell disposition when it is apparent that diuers wayes he hath sought to destroy the Queene whom he should haue honoured as his most gracious soueraigne He sought also to deliuer vp his countrimen to haue their throats cut by the Spaniards nay by Italians Marans and infidels One William Browne alias Ch. P. in a letter dated the 16. of August anno 1599. affirmeth that he hath a letter of Parsons his owne hand dated 1598. wherein he confesseth that he knew of Parries practise for the killing of the Queene and that the said Parsons kept backe a gentleman that intended to discouer the same A certaine other papisticall fellow in a treatise concerning the practises of Iesuits for killing of Princes doth charge Parsons for aduancing the practise of Parry and Sauage against the Quéens life for dealing with the Duke of Guise to enter into England with 5000. men to surprize the Quéene lying at Greenewich and the citie of London Neither haue the Spaniards made any attempt against England without the priuitie and solicitation of Parsons the arch-plotter of treasons William Browne alias Ch. P. doth charge Parsons to be a common detractor and saith that he detracteth without respect of religion truth or common honestie If then he detract from his owne fellowes 〈◊〉 vpon such as himselfe pleaseth though in the generall cause ioyned with him we may not maruell if he play his parts with vs whom he taketh to be his enemies by whose detractiō he hopeth to merit and to winne a Cardinals hat Finally the mans traitorous practises against the Queene and his countrey in many volumes cannot sufficiently be desciphred His first comming into England was to make a side and to moue rebellion And that is prooued by his faculties graunted anno 1580. Petatur saith he a S. domino nostro c. that is Let it be desired of our most holy Lord the Pope that the bull declaratorie of Pius the fift against Elizabeth and her adherents be vnderstood in this manner that the same bull shall alwayes bind her and all heretikes but not Romish Catholikes as matters doe now stand but onely then when the bull may publikely be put in execution By this facultie being granted then it appeareth that the bull of Pius Quintus was in 〈◊〉 against the Quéene and her subiects and that Parsons came to stirre vp false Catholikes or rather false traitors to put it in execution as soone as occasion should be offered Now according to the tenor of his faculties the fellow ceased not to rake in the coles of mens discontented humours and to make a partie against the Queene The papists saw he dealt so openly that they feared least if the fire tooke a number of them should be burned in the flames Such was the feare of the wisest of them that they told him plainely that if he retired not himselfe they would discouer him to her Maiesties officers Being thus forced more then halfe against his will to depart out of England yet ceased he not to procure vs troubles from Scotland as the king now raigning can tell and his libell against the Earle of Leicester that seemeth to fauour the kings title doth manifestly proue Nay in a letter to the Earle of Angus he doth plainely confesse that at that time he was for the kings title and sought presently to set it on foote without longer staying for the Queenes death In France he encouraged the D. of Guise to come with an army into England not forgetting in the meane while to aduance the treason of Parry Sauage There also he was acquainted by the meanes of Ballard with Babingtons conspiracie Neither is it to be doubted but he knew of friar Sammiers comming to the kings mother of which ensued the ruine of her as the authour of the Iesuits Catechisme testifieth It is said also that he caused 500. crownes to be deliuered to Ch. Paget to come ouer into England to treat with the Earle of N. whereof his destruction ensued not long after In Flanders he sought also to draw the D. of Parma into quarrell with the Queen of England offering him the Lady Arbella and the crowne of England for his sonne But he was no
passeth by them in silence Where I do signifie that the letters N. D. do stand for Ro. Parsons and that he was the author of the Wardword he answereth nothing but in sad silence passeth by onely reporting my obiections and saying nothing vnto them But where I am mistaken he vseth not to conceale my error Answering then no better was he not a béetlehead blocke thinke you to request his reader not to beléeue me in any thing For why should not others beléeue me as well as himselfe that dare not contradict that which I say Such answerers with vs are hissed out of schooles Where I say that Thomas Harding obteined a bull from the Pope anno 1569. to exercise Episcopall iurisdiction in England to dispense with irregularities and to receiue all that would be reconciled to the Pope he answereth That it was neuer heard of before that D. Harding after his departure out of England to Louayne in the beginning of her Maiesties reigne came home to liue in England againe or to exercise Episcopall iurisdiction therein As if he might not obteine a bull from the Pope without coming into England and putting the same in execution Or as if he might not come into England vnlesse his comming were euery where noysed abroad Or as if he might not come hither vnlesse he came to liue here againe He answereth further That there were bishops here in England and that euery ordinary priest hath power to reconcile men to the Pope and to dispence with irregularities But he knoweth the bishops in England were deposed and committed to prison so that the Hope might wel send some others ouer with Episcopal iurisdiction notwithstanding any thing they could do Furthermore if he were not ignorant of the cannon law he might know that neither priests nor bishops can without speciall faculty dispense with irregularities and reconcile such as the Pope condemneth for heretikes as the canonists teach him 11. 〈◊〉 3. si quis damnatus extr de sent exccum illorum And speculator 〈◊〉 1. § de legato and diuers other places where they write of cases reserued But what a ridiculous fellow is this to deny that Harding had a bull for the purposes aboue written when the same is extant vnder the Popes hand and seale and followeth in these words Noueritis quod anno die mense pontificatu infrascriptis in generali congregatione c. pro parte reuerendorum Th. Harding N. S. T. P. Anglorum fuit porrectum memoriale supplicatio quae lecta fuerunt c. Annis abhinc tribus c. Concessit Th. H. c. Episcopalem potestatem in foro conscientiae absoluendi eos qui ad ecclesiae gremium reuertentur Huic potestati quia multi non credunt petimus vt in scriptum aliquod authenticum redigatur Ac etiaem vlterius monente nos temporis necessitate humiliter petimus vt eisdem concedatur in causa irregularitatis dispensandi potestas exceptis ex homicidio voluntario prouenientibus seu deductis in forum contentiosum Quibus auditis intellectis praelibatus sanctissimus dominus noster decreuit quod praenominati absoluere possint in 〈◊〉 conscienti e Anglos tantùm prout petitur etiam ab irregulatitate incursa ratione haeresis ab ea dependente emergente annexa dummodo absoluendi abstineant per triennium a ministerio altaris In quorum fidem testimonium c. anno 1567. die Iouis 14. Augusti c. Afterwards the Notaries subscription and forme of absolution is set downe Where was then Robert Parsons his honesty to shift off things so notorious In my Preface to the reader I say that obstinate recusants are for the most part reconciled to the Pope and adhere to forreine enemies and yet notwithstanding doe enioy their lands and goods And gladly would Ro. Parsons answere somewhat But neither can he deny that they are reconciled for then the masse-priests would not communicate with them nor that they adhere to forreine enemies for then in vaine should the Adelantado presume of their helpe in his proclamation penned as it séemeth by English traytors nor can he deny they inioy lands and goods For that is notorious What then doth he Forsooth he talketh idlely of the enioying of my benefices and of the testimonie of certaine masse-priests Of the which two the first is nothing to the purpose The second is leudly reiected without colour séeing euery mans confession is strong against himselfe and these mens confessions being in record are not lightly to be refused In the same place I say that Parsons defendeth publike enemies and traytors and seeketh the disgrace of the country and nation To all which he answereth nothing but by telling a tale of prosecuting Papists which he termeth Catholikes As if such may play the traitors and ioyne with publike enemies openly and lawfully The Papists being charged for mainteining the words of Hostiensis and Panormitane that say That the Pope is able to do almost all things which Christ can do except sinne he thinketh to shift off the matter by speaking with Panormitan That the Pope can do al things with the keye of discretion that erreth not But this is nothing els but to presume that the Pope hath discretion and the keyes of the Church and that in the determination of matters of faith he cannot erre whereas all the world séeth that the Pope cometh into the Church not with keyes but with 〈◊〉 and yron barres and that he doth not so much vse the keyes as swords and clubs and that also without discretion or reason killing all that speake against his triple crowne Where I say that such English as are reconciled to the Pope haue renounced their obedience to the Quéene he telleth vs of the subiects of the king of Spaine France Poland and of the Emperour that haue not renounced their obedience to their Princes But his shift is most ridiculous For the Pope was enemy to the Quéene of England and not to them But if at any time the Pope happen to excommunicate any of these Princes then is it cleare that such subiects as follow the Pope cannot by any meanes adhere to their lawfull Princes Unlesse Parsons can shew how a man can please two contrary masters and can himselfe serue both God and the deuill Fol. 28. and 29. he runneth out into a large exposition of these words of Hostiensis and Panormitan Quòd Papa potest quasi omniafacere quae Christus excepto peccato but all to no purpose For he should shew that these fellowes do not flatter the Pope and not tell vs a tale of their fooleries which as they are exorbitant so are they vnpleasant In the same place he sayth it is no more adsurditie to say That the Pope can do almost all that Christ can except sinne then if a man shold say That the Viceroy of Naples can do all that the king of Spaine can do in that kingdome except being free
reason others say contrarie The Scotists lib. 1. sent dist 5. inuey against Henricus de Gandauo for his opinion about the eternall generation of the Sonne of God Aegidius holdeth that the son of God hath power to beget another son which displeaseth Thomas and Bonauenture and is very strange doctrine Thomas Aquinas part 1. q. 32. art 4. saith that Doctors may hold contrary opinions Circa notiones in diuinis He teacheth also that the holy Ghost doth more principally proceed from the Father then from the Sonne which others mislike If then they agrée not about the doctrine of the holy Trinitie it is not like that in matters wherein they haue libertie to dissent they will better agrée Scotus holdeth that the soule and an Angell do not differ as two diuers kinds Others teach contrary Some Doctors hold that Angels consist of forme onely others hold contrary They dissent also about the sin of our first parents Pighius in the doctrine of original sin dissenteth from his fellowes Innocentius in c. maiores de bapt eius effect misliketh the opinion of the master of the Sentences that held it to be pronitas ad peccandum that is a pronenesse to sinne The Thomists to this day could neuer be reconciled to the Scotists about the conception of our Ladie these denying she was conceiued in sin the others affirming it Gropper in his exposition of the Créed confesseth that among the Papists there are two diuers opinions about Christs descending into hell Bellarmine in his bookes of controuersies doth not more violently run vpon vs then vpon his owne consorts In euery article almost he bringeth contrary expositions of Scriptures and contrary opinions In the sacrament of the Lords supper which is a pledge of loue there are infinite contradictions among them as I haue shewed in my bookes de Missa against Bellarmine The like contentions I haue shewed in my Treatises de Indulgentijs de Purgatorio and shall haue occasion more at large to speake of them hereafter We are therefore to thanke God that the doctrine of faith in the Church of England is setled and that refusing all nouelties we agrée therein with the auncient catholike Church We acknowledge one Lord one faith one baptisme one head of the Church one canon of Scriptures with the auncient fathers The rules of all auncient and lawfull generall Councels concerning the faith we admit We haue one vniforme order for publike prayers administration of Sacraments and Gods seruice Neither do we onely agrée among our selues but also with the reformed Churches of France and Germany and other nations especially in matters of faith and saluation And as for ceremonies and rites it cannot be denied but that all Churches therein haue their libertie as the diuersities of auncient Churches and testimonies of Fathers do teach vs. Most vaine therefore and contumelious is that discourse of N. D. in his Warne-word 1. encontr ca. 4 5 6. where he talketh of the difference of soft and rigide Lutherans among themselues of them from Anabaptists and from Zwinglians of all from the followers of Seruetus and Valentine Gentilis For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Caluinians or Zuinglians but onely call our selues Christians nor haue we to do with the Arians or Anabaptists or Seruetus or Gentilis or any heretikes Nay by our Doctors these fellowes haue bene diligently confuted and by our gouernors the principall of them haue bene punished But these may Parsons reply haue bin among vs. Admit it 〈◊〉 so yet do not our aduersaries take themselues to be guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisme because there are diuers guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisme among them We say further that the Churches of Germany France and England agree albeit priuate men hold priuate opinions Finally where we talk of the Church of England what a ridiculous sot was this to bring an instance of the Churches of Germany or Suizzerland nay not of the Churches but of priuat persons and that in matters not very substantiall if we admit their owne interpretations Hauing therefore talked his pleasure of Lutherans and Zuinglians he descendeth to speak of rigid and soft Caluinists as he calleth them in England He calleth them also Protestants and Puritanes But neither do we admit these names of faction nor is he able to shew that publikely any Christian is tolerated to 〈◊〉 either in matters of faith or rites from the Church of England But if any there be that mislike our rites yet is not that contention about matters of faith nor can the disorder of priuate persons hinder the publike vnion of the Church Finally I do not know any man now but he is reasonably well satisfied concerning matters of discipline albeit the same be with the great griefe of Papists who go about to stirre vp the coles of contention as much as they can that heretofore haue bene couered CHAP. II. Of the restoring of Christian Religion and the reduction of the Church of England to the true faith TRue faith in time of Poperie was a great stranger in England most men being ignorant of all points of christian Religion the rest holding diuers erronious points and heresies Their ignorance we shall proue by diuers testimonies hereafter Their errors and heresies are very apparent and at large proued in my late challenge That which the Apostle calleth the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4. that they imbrace for doctrine of faith For they forbid their Priests Monkes Friers and Nuns to marrie and commaund the Benedictines and their Charterhouse Monkes at all times to abstaine from flesh They also forbid men to eate flesh vpon all fasting dayes fridayes and saterdayes and in Lent dissoluing the commandements of God by their owne traditions The Manicheyes abstained from egges as Saint Augustine sheweth lib. de haeres cap. 46. Nec 〈◊〉 saltem sumunt quasi ipsacùm franguntur expirent nec oporteat vllis corporibus mortuis vesci So likewise did Papists at certain times they cal such as allow y e mariage of priests sectatores libidinum praeceptores vitiorum that is followers of lusts and teachers of vices albeit the Apostle affirmeth mariage 〈◊〉 be honorable in all sorts of men They dissolue such mariages albeit Christ teach that man is not to separate them whom God hath ioyned together Their Fastes they place in eating of fish and not in abstinence from all sustenance as the auncient Fathers by their doctrine and practise taught Some count it as mortall sinne to eate flesh on fridayes as to kill a man and that a Priest doth sinne lesse in committing fornication then in matching himselfe in honest mariage and yet they confesse that fornication is against the law of God and not the mariages of priests They tolerated common whores as did Simon Magus and other heretickes and now in Rome the Pope notwithstanding his pretended holinesse receiueth a tribute from them They do also sell Masses imposition of hands
called vpon by vs fulfilling that in England which he promised to the kéepers of his lawe by Moises Benedictus eris saith Moises ingrediens egrediens Thou shalt be blessed in thy comming in and going out And againe Emittet Dominus benedictionem super cellaria tua super omnia opera manuum tuarum benedicetque tibi in terra quam acceperis That is the Lord shall send his blessings vpon thy store houses and vpon all the workes of thy hands and shall blesse thee in the land which thou shalt possesse First by her happie entrance we were deliuered from the yoke of the Spaniards and from subiection to forraine nations A blessing very great and which is promised to the obseruers of Gods holy lawes The Lord saith Moyses shall appoint thee for the head and not for the taile and thou shalt be aboue and not vnder if so be thou wilt hearken to the commandements of the Lord thy God which I command thee this day That is God shall make thée commaund others and not to be commaunded by others Libertie is a gift litle estéemed because frée men know not the miseries of people subiect to forraine Lords But if men would consider the difference of men frée and subiect to strangers and tyrants they would preferre nothing before it Pro libertate saith Tully vitae periculo decertandum est For libertie we are to contend albeit we should hazard our liues And again It a 〈◊〉 est recuperatio libertatis vt ne mors quidem sit in libertate repetenda fugienda So excellent is the recouerle of libertie that we are not to doubt to lose our liues for the regaining thereof Contrariwise it is an indignitie not to be suffered by any Englishman honorably minded y e Spaniards should raigne ouer vs. The Spanish gouernment is very rigorous in Spaine but in Flanders Millan Naples and the Indiaes the same is most tyrannicall and insolerable Seing then that by the happie entrance of Quéene Elizabeth the Spaniards lost their footing in England which they had alreadie deuoured in their imagination and both perfidious Marans and the Popes bougerly Italians were turned out to séeke new countries wherein to practise their fraud and crueltie why do we not continually renew our thankesgiuing for so great deliuerance Her Maiestie was alwaies desirous of peace and neuer made warres against any but being prouoked and forced thereunto for the defence of her estate and people Yet neuer did she take armes in hand but she returned with victorie The French entring into Scotland and by that meanes intending to trouble England were forced to surrender Lieth and with scorne to returne from whence they came Upon which great securitie ensued to both the countries When the Nobilitie and people of Fraunce were oppressed by the Popes faction that meant after they had 〈◊〉 their purpose there to 〈◊〉 vs in England as in diuers Treatises they haue declared by her armes and mediation the Christians there obtained good conditions of peace if the aduersaries 〈◊〉 had not broken them Both with forces in New-hauen and by other meanes she was alwaies willing to succour that distressed people By her support for the most part the states of the lowe countries being in danger to be depriued of their libertie priuiledges and lawes and to be tyrannized by the Spaniards haue long subsisted and maintained themselues against most cruell enemies Anno Dom. 1588. that fléete of Spaniards which proudly they called the inuincible Armada by her shippes through Gods fauour was chased dispersed and vanquished and all the bragges of Spaniards and their assistants brought to nothing Not long after when she saw that to resist the enemies malice it was necessaire for her to follow the warres she sent some forces to sea which albeit not great nor competently prouided yet did they possesse the harbor of Coronna take the base towne and defeat all the forces that were gathered against them at the bridge of Burgos The same also entred Portugal and had possessed it if there had bene good correspondence Sir Francis Drake with no great forces took S. Iago S. Domingo S. Augustine and Carthagena and laid a plot to take a great part of the Indiaes from the Spaniard but that he defended himselfe with bribes better then with shippes or armes corrupting some that alwaies ouerthrew most traiterously all attempts against him At Caliz her Maiesties souldiers burnt the kings fléete tooke the towne and had entred farther into the countrie had not the Spaniard some as good friends in our armie as the Quéene Not long since the English together with the States souldiers ouerthrew the Cardinals armie betwéene Newport and Ostend to the vtter ouerthrow of the Cardinall and the Spaniards in that countrie if the victorie had bene pursued And now albeit coldly pursued yet hath it so broken his forces that he hath lien idlely euer since before Ostend hoping rather by treatie then by force to preuaile In Ireland the Lord Gray ouerthrew the Earle of Desmond and cut the Italians and Spaniards that kept the fort at Smerwike in 〈◊〉 About y e time also died Sanders the Popes Legate and other traitors stirred vp to rebellion by the Pope and his agents Neither could D. Iuan d'Aquila kéepe his footing in Kinsale albeit he had with him many good souldiers and great aduantages Diuers times hath the Pope troubled her both in England and Ireland stirring vp first the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland and then certaine rebels in Norfolke and afterward procuring diuers seditious fellowes in Ireland in hope of his blessing to rebel But his blessings haue bene turned into cursings and all his trecherous deuises haue come to nothing Finally we find Gods promise to his people by Moyses Deut. 28. verified in her For where he sayth That God would make all his peoples enemies to fall down before them we sée that all the Quéenes enemies fel before her and that the more they maligned her the more God aduanced her Such reputation she wan both with Christians and with Infidels that al men had great respect vnto her except such as maliciously oppugned her The King of Poland and the Transiluanian haue receiued fauour of the Turk for her sake and her friends great comfort in all their distresses Before the Quéenes time the Pope claimed a great part in the gouernement of England challenging power to make Ecclesiastical lawes to send hither Legates to ordaine and appoint Bishops in diuers cases to dispose of Ecclesiasticall liuings and those that possessed them He did also leuie tenths and first fruites and by procurations licences and Bispensations drew great sumines of money out of the realme In some cases he tooke vpon him to iudge the king and to dispose of the crown of England Hereof it followeth first that the Kings of this land for some ages before King Henry the eight were but halfe Kings neither medling with the externall gouernement of
wholy to bloodshed But this grieuous accusation required some more proofe then he bringeth Notwithstanding let vs heare what he alleageth His first perswasion saith he is by extolling exceedingly her Maiesties extraordinary clemencie As if the praising of a Princes clemencie were a perswasion to crueltie Or as if Parsons commending Pope Clements clemencie perswaded him to rigour Who euer heard such a witlesse speake Another reason he imagineth me to haue drawne from the meanings of papists But like an vnskilful archer he neither hitteth my reason nor intentiō He is therfore to learne that my purpose was to arme her Maiesty against Parsons and his consorts treasons and rather to secure the State then to vse violence to any but such as by all means oppugned the State and sought by trechery to vndermine the State Where I shew that heretikes idolaters traitors are to be punished therfore factious papists he saith thus to reason at randō is much like to boies argumēting in sophistry And yet he with all his logick shal neuer answer this argument considering that I haue proued Robert Parsons and his consorts to be heretikes idolaters and traitors Nay W. R. in his cleere Confutation confesseth so much not answering any of my arguments But saith he shew me one example from the beginning of Christendom that euer man or woman in any age was punished as an heretike by the Christian 〈◊〉 wealth for sticking to the religion of the Pope of Rome As if I had not shewed that Angelikes Carpocratians Marcionists 〈◊〉 Prince-killing circumcellions and Assassins Pelagians Collyridians crosse-worshippers and diuers others holding the same points which now the Pope professeth haue bene condemned and punished for heretikes Fol. 15. he crieth out folly and impudency in prouing that idolaters and heretikes are by lawes to be repressed But he dissembleth cunningly whatsoeuer is otherwise brought by me to preue Papists to be idolaters and heretikes He passeth by also two Gréeke sentences taken out of Euripides and Aeschines for to him Gréeke is of hard digestion Finally whatsoeuer is said of the Papists for railing against the Quéene in the booke De schismate Anglicano set out vnder Sanders his name and in other libels Parsons doeth wholly omit and yet he maketh a shew as if he would answer all writhing his face like an old ape swallowing pilles In the same place he noteth as he sayth a contradiction betwixt Sir Francis and me But the contradiction was in his vnderstanding and not betwéen vs. For neither would I nor he haue simple Papists punished with death which is the opinion of S. Augustine concerning simple heretikes Nor doth Sir Francis denie but that factious dogmatizing and obstinate heretiks ought to be put to death which both S. Augustine and I my selfe affirme Fol. 16. b. he giueth out that the words of Paul Rom. 16. where he would haue such marked diligently as caused diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which the Romanes had receiued make directly against vs and not against the Papists But then he must shew that we haue forsaken the doctrine preached to the Romanes and they not He must I say shew that S. Paul taught that 〈◊〉 the eight is the spouse and rock of the Church that there are seuen sacraments that Christs body is corporally vnder the accidents of bread and wine and in as many places as is the sacrament that the accidents of bread and wine subsist without their substance that a Christian may liue without sinne that latria is due to the crosse that we are to pray to saints after the fashion of the Romish church and such like points of popish doctrine Or else he shall make a direct lie where he saith these words make directly against vs. Hauing rehearsed the law Cunctos populos Cod de summ Trin. fid Cath. he crieth out and willeth vs to tell him whether the same touch not vs. But if we 〈◊〉 him true it will make little for his comfort For we neither refuse to communicate with the Church of Rome nor the Church of Alexandria that was in Damasus his time Nor do we digresse from the faith mentioned in that law which Parsons like a falsary cut out seeing it made not for his purpose But séeing true Christians do not communicate with the Church and Bishop of Alexandria that now is why should Christians communicate with the Pope and his sect séeing they haue embraced a number of nouelties and heresies and 〈◊〉 them in the Conuenticle of Trent which were vnknowne to Damasus and to the Church of Rome long after his time Fol. 20. he complaineth of iniuries offered by the Watch-word as a famous libell as well to great forreine princes and nations as to honourable worshipfull and honest subiects whereas whosoeuer readeth the book shal find that Sir Francis speaketh onely against forreine enemies and notorious traitors If then Parsons put his consorts among them it is maruell they spit not in the rascals face and defie him Againe if Sir Francis be reprehended for writing against forreine enemies and domesticall traitors what doth Parsons deserue that hath set out Sanders de schismate Allens wicked Exhortation to the Nobility and people of England and Ireland and diuers other libels to the disgrace of his liege soueraigne and nation and hath taken vpon him the defence of publike enemies and traitors Fol. 24. he would make vs beléeue that the Knight flyeth the true combat that he runneth behind the cloth of Estate But in the first he sheweth himselfe a false accuser in the second a vaine bangler For the controuersie arising about Sir Francis his discourse what was required at his hands but the defence thereof and the answer to 〈◊〉 his vaine cauillations Again seeing his purpose was to rehearse the principal blessings that God hath bestowed vpon this land through her Maiesties gouernement how could he satisfie mens expectations vnlesse he touched matters of state as well as religion If then Robert Parsons seuer the inconueniences ensuing from the change of religion from the rare good parts both in nature and gouernement 〈◊〉 Maiesty as himselfe confesseth fol. 25. then doeth he like a cowardly fellow runne out of the lists and flie the combat and not we For we haue proued and alwayes offer to proue that both Robert Parsons his trecherous consorts haue most shamefully railed against her Maiesties person and gouernment as may appeare most euidently in diuers slanderous libels published by them and namely by Cardinall Allens letters to the Nobility and people of England and Ireland made printed and published by the helpe of Parsons by Andreas Philopater and Didimus Veridicus his libels forged by the blacke smith of hel Parsons and Creswel by Sanders his book De schismaete translated into Spanish by the procurement of Parsons and diuers others If then Parsons renounce these libels and now fall to praise her Maiesties person and gouernement then he confesseth his
owne most traiterous behauiour and yeeldeth the bucklers to his aduersaries Fol. 32. he triumpheth as if Sir Francis had yeelded in the matter of controuersy concerning the blessings of this land where he confesseth that the life of religion Queene countrey is at the stake He sayth also that the example of Iosias includeth an euill abodement towards her Maiesties person But vnlesse his arguments were better he sheweth himself a vaine man to mount so high vpon so smal aduantage and to enter into his triumphant chariot For albeit Parsons and other such assassins and empoysoners haue our country and religion vpon one stake and haue diuersly attempted to destroy her Maiestie and to betray their country to the Pope and Spaniard yet are they still loosers For God doth still protect this countrey from all violence and treason as a harbour of his Church and doth not cease still to continue his fauour towards this land Againe albeit anno 1588. the Spaniards came against England thinking to murther our 〈◊〉 as the Egyptians did Iosias yet hath she ended her dayes in happinesse and left her subiects in peace Let the Spaniards therefore beware that they come not to fight against vs any more vnder the Popes banner thinking to spéed as did the Egyptians against Iosias vnder Pharo Nechao least they be turned home like wandring Gypseyes and sent backe to the Pope to complaine of their false prophet Parsons who hath often told them that they shall vndoubtedly conquer England Where I say he doth not once go about to proue flattery against sir Francis he cryeth out and sayth Reade the first page of the Wardword He sayth also That it was the but of his discourse But this sheweth that he was a bungling archer that shooting wide mist the but. For who so list to reade the place by him noted shall indéed find that he applied nothing to sir Francis but passed by in a generall cloud of words concerning flattery He crieth out also of impudency but vnlesse he bring arguments to proue that hurt hath ensued by alteration of popish religion to others then to the merchants of Babylon who howle like dogges séeing their gaine lost he shall get more by crying gréene sauce then by crying out of impudency himselfe being a patterne of impudency and foolery and a vaine crier of the Popes commodities Fol. 35. he findeth fault that I alleage no one word out of Harpsefeld Sanders Rishton ' Ribadineira and Bozius But he would therefore haue yéelded me thankes if he had not bin a thanklesse wretch For the more that is rehearsed out of these lying libellers the more hatred would haue redounded to the Papists He sheweth himself also a vaine cauiller to aske a testimonie of slaunderous dealing against the Queene when the subiect of their accusation is slander and when Parsons himself was an actor in the publication of diuers of those libels Where I say the Popes adherents in England neuer ceased vntill they had brought her Maiesties most innocent mother to her end which the King much repented afterward and shew the rage of that bougerly Pope Paul the 3. and the bastard Clement the 7. against the Queenes mother and her mariage he crieth out of temerity and indiscretion and sayth I bring in odious matters accusing both king Henry the eight and all the State But the temeritie was in those wicked Popes that dissolued lawful mariage and prosecuted men that belonged not to their charge and not in him that reproueth their vsurpation and lawlesse tyrannie Againe I accuse none but excuse Quéene Anne that was condemned vpon false informations witnesses But saith he whether matters passed so long agone with publike authoritie may be called now in 〈◊〉 c. by such a pettie companion as this is let all the world iudge As if Parsons himself like a pettie saucy scuruy companion did not cal in question the act of parliament an 28. Henr. 8. c. 7. as much as concerneth the mariage of the Lady Katherin prince Arthurs wife and her issue which he cōtrary to that statute déemeth lawfull I may say therefore to him that his owne mouth and tongue condemneth him As for my selfe I do onely cleare the innocent and lay the fault on Winchester and other wicked priests of the synagogue of Satan who for hatred to the religion which she professed layd this plot for the destruction of that innocent Quéene which is also partly insinuated in the act of the 28. of Henry the 8. where they are pardoned that sollicited and vrged the dissolution of Queene Annes mariage Fol. 37. b. he exclaimeth against cousenages knaueries and all because in the margent he found Augustin Steuch Contr. donat Constant. alleaged whereas by the fault of the Compofitour these words in Vallam de slipped out Which aduantages if he take then must he also answere why fol. 130. b. for Augustin Steuchus Eugubinus he alleageth S. Augustine Stechus Eugobinus Againe this cogging knaue must shew why he alleageth a cogging Epistle set out vnder the name of Nicholas and that sottish donation that is published vnder the name of Constantine being 〈◊〉 a counterfeit and forged thing as I haue proued by diuers arguments in my answere to the cauillations of a base masse-priest called E. O. He will also néeds haue these words Audis summum pontificem à Constantino Deum appellatum habitum pro Deo to be spoken by Constantine and not by Augustine Steuchus in his booke Contr. Vallam de donat Constant. But the words following hoc viz. factum est which no doubt are Steuchus his words prouing Constantines donation and not the words of Constantine or Nicholas do plainely testifie against him If then these be his words and be annexed to the former without diuision then both must be his Fol. 65. he cryeth out Marke the fraudulent manner of these men alleaging fathers And yet Hielome in Prol. 2. in comment in Galat. and Augustine in Psal. 99. do well proue that the people praying did in time past and ought to vnderstand the language of their publike prayers which is the thing against which he cryeth Where I argue thus that the Pope and his agents haue bene the stirrers of all the warres and troubles that of late haue happened in Europe for the most part and therefore not we that haue alwayes desired peace he cryeth out fol. 88. That the deuill hath taught me to make this malicious consequence But the deuill as I suppose oweth him a shame to denie it and he sheweth himselfe a dolt to giue me occasion so often to touch his owne and his consorts deuilish practises The consequent is most true and necessary For that which is done by these bloodthirstie wolues is not to be imputed to vs whose onely labour is to resist their malice Nay it appeareth that Pius Quintus was cause of the wars of France and the low countryes and that he stirred sedition both in England and
Ireland The diabolicall Iebusites also were the instruments to stirre the rebellious leaguers in France and haue alwayes done their best to trouble Suethland England and Ireland The angels of Satan possessing the heads of Iebusites and masse-priests wrought the massacres of France and troubles of Flanders Anno 1588. the Spaniard and Pope sent a fleete against England and not we against Spaine Finally all stories almost testifie and declare that the consistory of the Pope and his agents heads are the forges to frame mischiefe and trouble Fol. 90. and 91. he cryeth out oflyes and impudencies But for my part I say shame take him that lyeth For first it is notorious that in the Romish Church although the aduersary would deny it there is and hath bene great variety in their liturges as the missals and formularies of Toledo Seuil Sarum Paris Rome Yorke and Millan do shew Neither hath Parsons any thing to answere but that in the substance of the sacrifice they agree As if that were all or the most part of the Romish seruice or as if I had not shewed that this is most false in my bookes De Missa Secondly it is true that the Conuenticle of Trent hath abolished diuers old missals and formularies as the bull prefixed before them shew Thirdly it is true that Iustine and Dionyse describe the forme that Christians vsed in their Liturgies as Iustines second Apologie and Dionyse his bookes of 〈◊〉 hierarchie testifie Fourthly the instruction of the Armenians was no act of the Conuenticle of Florence but of some odde Masse-priest that vsed that conuenticles name It is no lie therefore notwithstanding this instructiō that the Conuenticle of Florence did not by any canon establish seuen sacraments Fifthly the Conuenticle of Lateran vnder Innocentius the third doth mention penance but giueth the name of sacrament as I sayd most truly to Baptisme and the Eucharist Finally it is most true that the popish sacrifice of the Masse was not knowne of the auncient fathers and I haue proued it in my third booke De Missa against Bellarmine Which if Robert Parsons confute I shall be content that the Pope bestow on him a Cardinals hat But if he be not able to answer and yet will néedes cry out famous falshood I will bestow on him a pointed cap with a bell and a capons feather to let all the world know that at that house dwelleth a sot Ignatius Irenaeus other fathers that he doth mention speake not of the body and bleud really offered in the Masse but of an oblation made in commemoration of that sacrifice Our writers albeit they mislike the fathers in some things yet no where do they yéeld that they speake of the popish sacrifice of the Masse offered after the damnable fashion of the synagogue of Satan Fol. 107. he calleth for two reall differences betweene papists in the points of faith And therefore I count my selfe bound to shew him not two onely but many more It may please him therefore to reade what I haue sayd before and to answere to euery point particularly and then I hope he will cease his harsh and currish bawling He must also shew that his consorts differ not in matters of moment or in any thing if he will defend their vnion Fol. 111. he crieth out and in his dogges voyce sayth If this woodcocke or any of his crew can shew any one noueltie as an article of faith in our religion c. And againe If O. E. or his mates can shew any one heresie taken for an heresie by the generall Church What then forsooth he saith He will 〈◊〉 in the rest Which I would pray him to remember For if I do not make him in this poynt a foote length of nose like a Curliew let the Pope if it be his pleasure make him king of the Canaries Nay I haue already shewed diuers both nouelties and heresies to be contained in Popish religion and no Popish woodcocke yet hath thrust out his beake to answere shewing themselues by their wits to be woodcockes and by their silence Codfish Onely one woodcocke of Rome vnder the maske of W. R. aliás Walphoole or wicked Richard flusheth forth with his long bill But his answere is such as confirmeth my challenge very much the man being not able to answere any one argument Parsons also toucheth the heresie of y e Collyridians which among many other I obiected to him and answereth that Papists differ from Collyridians manifestly But it is not inough to shew a difference vnlesse he also shew that his consorts hold no one point condemned as heresie in the Collyridians But that the congerhead cannot do For like to the Collyridians they pray to the Uirgin Mary and offer in her honour This answere therefore sheweth him to be of the lignage of woodcockes But of these matters we shall talke else where In his 2. enconter c. 2. he cryeth out ô cogging ô cousinage and all because Sir Francis reporteth that the blood of a Ducke was worshipped as the blood of Hales and that D. Bassinet confessed his ignorance and that the archbishop of Aix called the Pope God on earth and spoke foolishly But what if all this were true May not we then with more reason say O coggers O cosiners O Scogans O cods-heads But that appeareth plainly For the imposture about the duckes blood was openly detected and the rest is reported in the acts of Bassinets examination Neither is it vnlikely that vnlearned prelates should speake vnlearnedly or that schoole-doctors should be ignorant in scriptures séeing all their diuinity is grounded vpon Thomas his fardle of questions and answers But saith Parsons how 〈◊〉 a duckes blood be discerned from others blood after so many yeares As if it were not detected also by the confession of the false priests that from time to time they renewed that blood as they do other false relikes in many places Here therefore Parsons sheweth himselfe to haue a shallow capacitie and the Papists are declared to be miserably seduced by cogging and cousening priests and caried away most simply and idiotlike to the worship of idoles and false reliques Fol. 43. b. of his second encounter he cryeth out Who shall be iudge Meaning to conuey the highest authoritie in iudgement concerning matters of controuersie about the interpretation of scriptures to the Pope But that is a shamelesse and most absurd course to place a béetleheaded ignorant and impious Pope aboue al learned holy fathers and Councels Beside that the Popes sentence is alwayes vncertaine For what can one Pope do that his successor cannot 〈◊〉 Tertullian he sheweth that scriptures are to be interpreted by scriptures Si quid pars diuersa turbat c That is If the contrary part do trouble vs in any thing by pretence of figures or aenigmatical speeches those places that are more manifest ought to preuaile the certaine to prescribe against vncertaine Encontr 2. c. 8. where he should answere my obiection out
〈◊〉 honestie of life betwixt his consorts and vs. In the meane while he may remember what fruites come of forced single life Anselme as Huntington lib. 5. and Roger of Chester reporteth in one Synode forbad lawfull mariage to Priests but in the next he was constrained to make lawes against Sodomites and therein condemned eight Abbots beside other inferiour Priests and Friars In the Church of Rome adultery and fornication haue alwayes bene accounted smaller offences as is set downe euidently in the chapter At siclerici de iudicijs I néede not therefore stand much vpon that and the rather for because it is notorious that the Pope tolerateth common bordels Yet lest Baals priests should stand too much either 〈◊〉 their virginitie or chastitie I would haue them to remember not onely the liues of late Popes Cardinals priests Monkes and Friers but also what old histories and other records say against them when they liued better then now Let them reade Boccace nouel 2. and diuers discourses of Monkes and Friers honesties Petrarch epist. 19. and others His 106. 107. 108. sonets Theodoricke a Niem tract 6. nemoris vnionis cap. 34. where Gregory the Pope testifieth that in two and twenty Monasteries the Monks and Nunnes liued most filthily and dishonestly Pene omnis religio 〈◊〉 dicti or dinis ac Dei timor abscessit likido ac corruptio carnis inter ipsos mares moniales nec non alia multa mala excessus vitia quae pudor est effari per singula succreuerunt The Pope himselfe was ashamed to speake all Let them also peruse the treatise called Onus Ecclesiae cap. 22. who sayth that Monkes and Friers are worse then diuels Aretin lib. de hypocritis Baptist. Mantuan lib. 3. calamit Palingenius in Leone and that which I haue cited out of diuers authors lib. de Monach. cap. 8. If they desire to heare some mens reports of them let them listen to that which followeth 〈◊〉 palatium saith Luithprandus lib. 6. cap. 6. sanctorum hospitium nunc est prostibulum meretricum The pallace of Lateran saith he that was wont to be a harbor of holy men is now become a bordell for whores Petrarch in his 16. epistle speaking of the Popes court sayth thus Nulla ibi pietas nulla charitas nulla fides nulla 〈◊〉 reuerentia nullus timor There is no godlinesse no charitie no faith no reuerence or feare of God In his 〈◊〉 Epistle he calleth it a den of theeues Mantuan li. 2. fastor willeth chastitie to be packing into villages if that they did not also suffer the same diseases for that Rome was become a publike stewes I pudor in villas sinon patiuntur easdem villae vomic as vrbs est iam tota lupauar Cardinals sayth Brigit giue themselues without restraint to all pride couetousnesse and delights of the flesh And afterward Iam nunc in maiori veneratione habetur lupauar quà m 〈◊〉 Dei Ecclesia Now the stewes are in more esteeme then the true Church of God Bishops and priests should build the Church but as Brigit saith they build the diuell two cities to wit the labor of the body and trouble of the mind Catherina of Siena c. 125. sayth Religious men should resemble Angels but are worse then diuels Platina writing of Iohn the thirteenth sayth He was a man from his youth contaminated with all filthinesse and dishonestie Writing of three Popes he calleth them three foule monsters By the articles and proofes exhibited against Iohn the three and twentith in the Councell of Constance as it is called it appeareth he was wholy giuen to vices and carnall desires and was conuicted to be an incestuous person a Sodomite Vrspergensis testifieth against Clement the fifth that he was a notorious fornicator Matthew Villani hist. lib. 3. ca. 39. speaking of Clement the sixth and his continencie sayth that being Archbishop he could not keepe himselfe from women and being Pope neither could contain nor hide his fault Innocent the eight and Alexander the sixth had diuers bastards as Guicciardine and diuers others report Paul the second Iulius the second Leo the tenth Clement the seuenth Paul the third Iulius the third are all noted for their loosenesse of life and diuers of them conuinced thereof by their bastards Symony and vsury among the Romanists is so common that as Matth. Paris sayth they account the first no sin the second a smal sin Felin in c. ex parte de offic pot iudicis delegat sayth that without the rent of symonie the Popes sea would grow contemptible Priests in time past were wont to exclaime much of this abuse Heu Symon regnat per munera quaeque reguntur sayth one in hist. citiz Pauli Langij Theodoric à Niem lib. 2. de schism c. 7. Usura saith he tantum inualuit vt foenus non putaretur peccatum that is Vsurie did so preuaile that it was accounted no fault Paul the fourth and Pius the fourth set vp shops of vsury as their acts testifie and Onuphrius recordeth Neither the Popes nor their adherents obserue oath or promise as their acts do at large shew and many poore Christians brought into snare by their perfidiousnesse haue felt Theodoric à Niem lib. 3. de schism speaking of Pope Gregorie the twelfth saith that with his vowes and othes he deceiued the world Votis iuramentis suis decepit mundum Gregorie the seuenth contrary to his oath tooke vpon him the papacie as is recorded in the life of Henrie the fourth He did also absolue all the Emperors subiects frō their othes of allegiance to their soueraigne Prince The like practise did Pius the 〈◊〉 vse in discharging the subiects from their othes to the late Quéene The articles of the pacification of Gant anno 1578. were confirmed by solemne oath of the old King of Spaine and yet presently and wilfully broken Neither had the Popes faction in France any better colour to intrap poore Christians then othes For whiles the Admirall and diuers of the religion in France trusted solemne othes they were brought within danger and most cruelly and perfidiously massacred Neither need we to maruell if this sect obserueth no othes seeing in the conuenticle of Constance the same determined that faith was not to be kept with heretikes in which number they reckon all that yéeld not to the Popes will The Doctors of this sect hold that the Pope can dispence with othes and absolue men that are periured Finally those that haue trauelled France Italy and Spaine do know that the common sort of Papistes can 〈◊〉 vtter thrée words without swearing and blaspheming The Popes and their faction haue caused all the warres and troubles in Christendome as histories do recount If a man do but look in the life of Sixtus the fourth Iulius the 2. he may easily sée what seditious and turbulent spirits they cary But what néed we looke so high séeing the flames of ciuil discension in Germanie France Flanders
England and Ireland burning so bright by the solicitation of Paul the third Pius the fifth Gregorie thirtéenth and fourteenth and this Clement that now possesseth the throne of Antichrist do so plainely declare them to be firebrands of warre and trouble Well therefore said Petrarke that in Rome all those mischiefes were hatched that are now spread through the world and neuer shall Christian Princes haue loyall subiects as long as seditious Masse-priests are suffered to lurk within their kingdomes In countries subiect to y t Pope they count it a little fault to murder mē now frō thence are come certaine assassins which for hire and by perswasions are induced to kill men There also impoysonments are most common The Popes themselues vse to drinke of poysoned cups and that by the iust iudgement of God séeing by the cup of their poysoned doctrine according to the prophecy Apoc. 17. they haue empoysoned many Christian nations To conclude this large discourse there is no state of men vnder the Popes iurisdiction but it is growne to great dissolution and corruption of manners and may be conuinced of diuers sinnes and abominations by infinite witnesses and confessions if we would stand vpon it but I will content my selfe with two or three Breidenbach in the historie of his peregrination speaketh generally and sayth Recessit lex à sacerdotibus c. that is the law is departed from priests iustice from princes counsell from elders good dealing from the people loue from parents reuerence from subiects charitie from prelates religion from Monkes honestie from yong men discipline from clerkes learning from masters study from schollers equitie from Iudges concord from citizens feare from seruants good fellowship from husbandmen truth from merchants valor from Noblemen chastitie from virgins humility from widowes loue from maried folks patience from poore men O time ô manners And Walter Mapes that liued in the time of Henry the second King of England Virtutes cunctae saith he en iacent defunctae All vertues lie now dead Charitie is no where to be found And againe In truth I find that the whole Cleargy doth studie wickednesse and impietie enuie raigneth truth is exiled The prelates are Lucifers heires They being now aduanced tread downe others blinde guides they are and blinded with idolatrie of earthly things Robert Bishop of Aquila in his Sermons of which Sixtus Senensis maketh mention in the third booke of his Biblioth sanct speaketh thus to his countrie of Italie O Italia plange ô Italia time ô Italia caue ne propter obstinationem tuam in te desaeuiat ira Dei c. Tu in dies 〈◊〉 efficeris in peccatis malitia perseuerando Fiunt iam 〈◊〉 vsur ae publicae omnia foedata sunt spurcissimis vitijs carnis ignominiosae Sodomiae superbia pomparum iam occupauit omnes ciuitates terras 〈◊〉 Dei periuria mendacia iniustitiae violentiae oppressiones pauperum similia superabundant O Italie saith he lament ô Italie feare ô Italie beware lest for thy obstinacie the wrath of God waxe not cruell against thee c. Thou euery day art more and more hardened perseuering in thy sinnes and maliciousnesse Euery where men set vp bankes of vsurie all things are defiled with most foule vices of the flesh and most shamefull sodomie Pride in pompous shewes haue now filled cities and countries blasphemies against God periuries lies iniustice violence orpression of the poore and such like vices do superabound I would further insist vpon this argument but that I referre diuers matters ouer to the second booke where I shall haue occasion more particularly to examine the good workes of Papists But the Church of England neither alloweth publike shewes nor bankes of vsurie nor dispenseth with oathes of subiects to Princes or alloweth periurie nor shall Robert Parsons find such filthines and abhominations among the professors of our religion as are commonly practised by y t Popes Cardinals Masse-priests Monkes Friars and Nuns and their followers All corruptions in doctrine concerning good workes are reformed and diuers abuses concerning manners among the Papists taken away The which séeing it procéeded wholly of that reformation of religion which Quéen Elizabeth of pious memorie wrought by her regall authoritie among vs we are most gratefully to accept that worke and by exercises of 〈◊〉 and charity to indeuour to shew our selues not vnworthie either of our profession or of so great a blessing Against this discourse Robert Parsons talketh very scornfully and saith first that the experience of the whole world will deny that good workes are fruites of our religion But if he had bene well aduised he would haue forborne to talke of experience For whosoeuer hath liued among those that are of our religion and among Papists also must néedes say that the liues of Romanists are abhominable offending in whosedome Sodomie periurie vsurie and all impieties and discharge vs deterring and abhorring those vices and punishing them seuerely Beside that if he meant to winne credit he would not talke of the whole world being not able to name one honest man that will iustifie that which he talketh Secondly he saith our best friends renounce our workes And then alleageth an Epistle of Erasmus mentioned by Surius a Postil of Luther and a testimonie out of Aurifaber But first Erasmus is none of our best friends being in most points an 〈◊〉 and a professed Masse-priest And if he were our friend yet haue we no reason to beléeue Surius a malicious enemie and a base Monke hired to speake lyes Secondly it is a ridiculous foolerie where we dispute of the fruites of the Gospell in England in Queene Elizabeths dayes to bring testimonies of Luther and Aurifaber that were dead before her time and speake of some of their countrie people Thirdly they speake not of the whole 〈◊〉 Church in Germanie but rather of some that albeit they disliked Poperie yet did not sincerely embrace the truth Finally neither Luther nor Aurifaber doth charge his countrie people with such faults as raigne among Papists He must therfore seek some witnesses that speake more to purpose and leaue his owne treasons filthinesse periurie lying gluttonie and drunkennesse before he talke of good workes Finally he pratleth much concerning the merit of workes But if he had bene vsed according to his merits then had the crowes long ere this eaten his carion flesh He 〈◊〉 also that we should giue a caueat to auoide hypocriticall oftentation albeit any man shold do good works But this caueat concerneth him but a litle whose workes are most wicked and odious his writings being nothing but either lying and rayling libels or fond and trifling discourses of points of Poperie and his practises tending all to murdering empoysoning sedition warre and 〈◊〉 CHAP. XII Of temporall benefites enioyed by Queene Elizabeths most happie gouernment BEside great successe in affaires of the Church God hath also blessed the people of England in ciuil matters in regard that his name is truly