all religion become retrograde And that fair tyre the mask of sinn be mayde And better to effect a speadie end Lett ther be fovvnd tvvo fatal instruments The one to publish the other to defend Impious contention and provvd discontents Printing Maik that instamped characters may send Abroad to thovvsands thovvsand mens intents And in a moment may dispatch much more Then could a vvorld of pennes perform before VVereby all quarrels titles secrecies May vnto all be presentlie mayd knovvne Factions prepared parties allured to rise Sedition vnder sayr pretences sovvne VVhereby the vvlgar may become so vvise That vvith a self presumption ouergrovvn They may of deapest misteries debate Controule ther betters censure acts of state And then vvhen this dispersed mischeaf shal Haue brought confusion in each misterie Calld vt contempt of stâ—tes in generall And ripend the humour of impietie Then take the other engine vvhervvith all Coâ—nes They may torment ther self vvrought miserie And scourge each other in so strainge a vvise As tyme or tyrants neuer could deuise c. BABEL OR MONARCHOMACHIA PROTESTANTIVM NOT manie yeares since Reasons for the match vvith Spayn vpon the divulging of a letter vvritten by mayster Aldred against the match with Spayne and of that scandalous libel against the embassador Count Godomer as also by the instigation of somè whote-spoors in therpulpits men oft of more feruor then iudgment The people of London vvas much incensed to snarle and murmur euen at the verrie name of Spayne and euerie artificer presumed as an Aristarchus to censure the king for that negotiation as for an error of state vvch vvear like to cast the vvhole bodie of the kingdome into a distemper As yf the kings Zeale to the realm and to his issevv had bean vnnaturallie frozen and his iudgment had fayled hym and that those great planets of the counsel had also lost ther light and erred in ther course Whearupon I vvas vrged by diuers of my good freÌ„ds to vvrite the Apologie of that actioÌ„ and proceading bycause somme of them had hard me deliuer not onelie a full ansvver to all the objections of the contrarie faction but also diuers reasone in defenc thereof fovvnded vpon a rock and growndwork subiect to no battrie nor vndermining And to speak trevvlie and freelie the benefites vvhich the realme may reape by that match ar so maine and so aduantagious as I vvish yt rather doon then disputed on For it setleth a firme peace betvvean both the kingdmes aliquid amplius then they apprehend vvho oppugn yt Traffick shal therby be establisthed and encreased the seas by a concurrens of bothe the kings may be purged and cleared from Turks and pyrates The kingdome shal also be again stored and enriched with threasour coyne yf it be locked vp infraquatuor maria and not stil offred to that Idol of Cambaia The crown shal be disingaged from a burdensome vveight of debts and consequentlie the subiects ar like to be much eased of contributions and taxes And is the renevving and confirmation of the treaties vvith the house and Princes of Burgondie to be accompted as a Cypher or is it nothing to haue so great a Monarch as the king of Spayne a firme allie and frend vvhome England knoweth what it is to haue an enemie It is trew that England was neuer so full of moonie as it was by spoyles and depredation betwean the yeares 1576. and 1590. but how dearlie had that prochase bene bought yf god who had predetermined to dispose the crowne of England to her issew who had suffred deathe and disgrace for his glorie had not mayd the wynds and sea fight for England Virginia a Colonie now to be tenderlie regarded shall hearby setle her staples and mart with more securitie and aduanc ther traffick both by a fafer passage and entercours with the Ilands But aboue all arguments nothing mooueth me more then that is for the honor Safetie and commoditie of Prince Charles the darling of England which euerie trew Patriot is bownd in coÌ„scienc to further and aduance But so we shall be sayd to leaue Holland in the briars an old and assured frend and of powre to assist the realm vpon all occasions god grand the prince may neuer stand in nead to vse them and remeniber how small furthernas nay rather hovv great hindrance they haue bean to the traffick of this realme and vvhat great losses and dammage by ther meanes our merchants haue sustained in the Indies Moscouie Groenland In ead not tell yow how chargeabl a neighbour they vvear and how vnsure a frend euer preferring france and for England cum nemini obtrudi potest iâ—ur ad me And not vvith standing vvise men may easilie discern vvhat fauor they may yet reap at his maiesties hands yf they deserue not the contrarie by inconsiderate courses But vvhat cavvse can they instlie pretend that repyne and murmur at the name of Spayne They obiecte the sin the curse and the disparagement to match vvith a Catholick What is the reason for that barr bycause the Ievves might not be tollerated to match vvith the Ammorites nor religions persons vvith the prophane That opinion taisteth too much of Iudaisme and the Tabmud the barr is remooued for now vvear vnder the lavv of grace bothe Ievves and gentiles circumsision and vncircumcision ar all vnited to Christ by faith and Charitie and incorporated into his bodie and Church The Ievves might not marrie vvith of ther trybes for the promise was mayd to Abraham and his sead which was not to be stayned vvith vnpure blood and a commixtion of paganisme but novv the promise is alreadie performed and the iudicial lavv is abrogated Yea but that showeth that god disliketh that his Children should be defiled vvith the mixture of a superstitious people Trevv but who ar the superstitious and which is the trew religion is an other quaestion Bothe ar Christians both ar baptized in that name bothe laye hold on the promises testaments and the gospell bothe saye one Pater noster and one Credo both reuerenc the 4. first general counsels but vvho is the Catholick is filius Christs of the surer syde by the moother Church And of the elder howse Besides is it so strainge to heare that a protestant should match vvith a Catholick To passe ouer Quene Elizabeths treatie with Monsieur ded not Henrie the king of Nauarr the protector of the reformed churches in France marrie with the french kings sister a Catholick in regard of bonum publicum and yet the Elders and consistorie of Geneua ded not condemne that nor reprooue hym for that Ded not the same king aftervvard match his sister a famous protestant with the Duke of Lorraine one of the Champians of the Catholick churche Ded not Levves the Prince of Conde the Archipiller of the french church apprehend vvith great applavvse the overture of a marriage vvith Marie Quene of France and Scotland which certanlie had bean
then he would read a lecture more Nay to conclude his fidus Achates Philip Melancton in his book called Didimus saith Equidem sapient em virum iudico fuisse vviclesum Anglum qui omnium primus quod ego sciam vidit vnmersitates fuisse Sathanae Synagegas And this I wonder maister Philip Wold so generallie affirme and aprooue vviclefs error that vniuersities arr the Synagogue of satan being so skilfull an artist hym self But at the beginning they wear all vncertan what to mantain for sownd and trew doctrine and aboue all Melancthon was euer an Academick and never long coÌ„stante and that yow may see by this that libro ad waldenses he recanted that opinion and reuoked his error vvhich Carolostade never ded So as yow may perceaue that at therfirst rising and preaching reformation the spirit had not in manie yeares fullie illuminated ther vnder standing nor directed ther iudgment with full perfection as he ded the prophets and the apostles and S. Paul Hearby it appeareth that at threblowes Luther laboured to cut down the thre great Cedars of the empyre The Cleargic The Canon â—avves and the vniuersities For vvith ovvt vniuersities the cleargie covvld not be in structed nor with owt Lawes be gouerned and so being necessarilie chayned together he could not break the link with owt subuerting all for he ded not seak a reformation of them but a totall extirpation and destruction as appeared by the Bushopricks And this I dare affirme that all the Hundred His behaviour to Caesar and the Princes Grauamina Germanie presented to the Emperor Charles at Norembergh ded not containes articles of that dainger greauances of that loss and such an oppression of the state as the se thre had beane And yet a greater mischeafe follovves For novv I vvill lay dovvn his positions of state and declare to the vvorld a prodigious inciuilitie and his arrogancie disobedienc and presumption tovvards the Emperor and the Princes of Germanie Desiryng your patienc that I may but a litl digress to maik his spirit more plainlie appeare in his likenes and hovv immodestlie and vnreuerentlie he ded esteame Regiam Maiestatem by the exampl of his vsage of king Of k. H. 8. Henry the VIII of England libro contâ—a Regem Angliae He calls king Henry in his preface An enuious madd fool ful of Dastardie and with owt one vaine of princelie blood in his bodie After that he saith He is a Basilisk to vvhome I denâ—unc damnation And pag. 335. This glorious king lyeth stowtlie like a king Note his moralitie for which he is famous And again he is a lijng Scurra couered vvith the title of a king and a chosen vessel of the Deuel And pag. 338. Thou art no more a king but a sacrilegious theaf And most sloouenlie and like hymself pag. 333. Ius mihi erit Maiestatem tuam stercore conspergere c. I am ashamed to procead I wil omitt infinite and these ar too manie vvhich it wear incredible to haue bean vttered by the Elias of Almaing but that both his own books ar extant and S. Thomas Moor the most famous Chancelor of England recapitulates them with a nomber more in his lattin vvork against Luther printed at Loouain 1566. And these places I haue selected and cited not onelie bycause they touched Henry the eight as he vvas a king and at that tyme one of the most mightie and Renoumed Princes in Europe but bycause also therby yow might discouer the modestie and Holie disposition of Doctor Martin and how like a man he was to preach and persuade obedieÌ„c to magistrates Novv note how he ded behaue hym self to the princes of the Empyre and whether he ded geue to Caesar his soueraine lord that which is Dew to Caesar It is worthie the obseruation to see his religious and ciuil respect of an emperor Libro contra duo mandata Casaris he vvrites Turpe quidem est Casarem ac Principes manifestis agere mendacijs It is a shame for Caesar and the Princes to lye so palpablie and in the same book and with the same spirit saith he Deus mihi dedu negotium non cum hominibus ratione praeditis sed Germanicae bestiae debent me occidere Meaning that the Princes the Sauages and beasts of Germanie should murder hym But he showes therin yet more gall and bitternes Oro cunctos pios Chrisitanos dignentur simul rogare Deum pro eiusmods exâ—aecatis Principibus quibus nos ma no trae suâ— furore corripuit ne vlâ—o pacto eos sâ—quamur vel in militiam ire vel dare aliquid contra Turcas quodâ—quidâ—n Turca decies prudentior probiorque quam sunt Principes nostri quid â—alibus faâ—â—â—s contra Turcam prospere euenâ—at qui Deum tam alâ—etentant blasphemant Was this but a Peccadilio Caesar and the Princes to be censured with such scandalous comparisons and reproches but this is not all in libro artic 500. in articulo 367. Quid ergo boni in rebus diumis vel decernant vel constituant tyranni tam impij prophant Before they wear fooles novv he maâ—ks them tyrants and then he goeth a degree higher still For libro de seculari potestate he deliuers his opinion of all princes and kings in general and how they ar to be esteamed Scâ—re debes quod ab initio mundi rarisâ—ma auis est prudens princeps ac multo rarior probus sunt communiter maximè faiui nequisâ—imi nebulones in tâ—rra And there also bycause his good meaning might more perspicuouslie appear he interprets hym self planilie Quis nesâ—â—t Principes esse carnem Ferinam in Caelo As yf it wear as great a dayntie as vennieson to Head of y church see that a prince should be saued And in his book de belio contra Turcas Casarem negat esse Caput reipublicae Christiana defensorem fidei ac Euâ—ngelij oportere sanè Ecclesam habere alâ—um defer sorem quam sunt Imperatores Reges And mark his reason Eos namque esse peâ—imes hos es Christianismi fidei the which concludes my assertion for he mantains doctrine opposite to all king and contemneth government And as yf he would Vnking and depose them he dothe encoorage the people to dravv ther swords against all crowns and scepters Therfor lo. 1. contra Rusâ—icos he sendeth this greating to the princes Sciatis boni â—omini Deum sâ—c procurare quod subditi nec poâ—suâ—t nec debent nec volunt tyâ—annidenâ— vestram ferre diutius Mark that debent as a good encooragement to the Bowers Who can mantaine such Paradoxes or that they proceaded from the spirit of a prophet of God can anie Lutheran iustifie these wild propositioÌ„s or coolor them with tolerabl glosses Ded euer anie prophets Apostles or Martyes vse such a barbarous libertie of speach against Nero Dioclesian Iulian tho the greatest persequutors Ded Elias rage so madlie against Achab and Iesabel S. Paul gaue hym a
direct all affayres for in France and England all authoritie depeÌ„ds vpon the kings and yf they wear his consorts they wear not his inferiors What is the state but the authoritie of the Prince who onelie by his letters patents createth the pears disposeth all Offices giveth all honors receaueth all homages as the sole fountain from whenc springeth nobilitie and authoritie and he that either would restraine that sooveraintie or communicate it with others maketh no differenc of the Crovvn of a kinst and the la Beretta of the Duke of Venice Manie such like rules and positions haith he published fitt introduction for Anarchie and mutinies most of them false and all wicked vayles onelie to cover the face and name of treason that it might not appear in his proper and vglie shape I might heare trauel and wearye yow with as Good stuff owt of the book de iure Magistratus a bird of the same nest for if it wear not Bezas as manie think It vvas Ottomans his Camerado But I will leaue them bothe for they touch the string of sooveraintie with too rough a hand nay rather they straine to breack it when they teach so grosse treasons that the states ar aboue the king that the bodie is aboue the head a monstrous doctrine as yf anie man could with iudgment maik a quaestion whether the people should be directed and commanded by the maister or the man by the subiect or the soouerain by the Princ of Condie and the Admiral or by king Charles and king Philip had reason to cut of the head of the iustice of AragoÌ„ and to teach the people what was the trew meaning of nos qui podemos tanto come vos c. All which paradoxes it wear easie to refell but that I haue vndertaken onelie to discouer not to combate and encounter them and bycause they ar learnedlie and religiouslie confuted all readie by Barklaâ—e Bauricau and Blackwood Onelie by the waye I must informe yow that they deal politicklie and conninglie and professe not openlie and bluntlie to haue anie liking to chainge the state and depose or ouerrule kings But artificiallie they manage all First to bread a dislike of Monarchs then to show the inconvenienc to depend vpon the edicts of one man then may they much the better magnifie the authoritie of magistrates by whome they might reforme idolatrie and why the Creatures of a king suppresse the creator of ther power And yet be sure the Consistories and elders muh rule all and be iudges bothe of the cleargie lavves counsell and king They be the Rabbins that owt of ther Sanhedrim must govern both church and kingdome by the Oracles of Geneua I may not forget how vureuerentlie Eusebius Philadelphus Sc. Mr. T. Beza vsed king Charles in his book of Reueille matmattin whear vsuallie he calls the king Tyrant and maiks his Anagramme Chasscur desâ—oyal Read his rymes and scandalous reproches against the Q. moother-Peruse the 40. Articles recorded in that book for the better aduancing of seditious gouernment As art 25. that all cheafs and Generalls must obserue ther ecclesiastical discipline ordayned by the Synodes And art 40. they ar bownd neuer to disarme so long as religion is pursewed persecuted by the king he meaneth So much patienc haue these Saints that seaking to reforme all others can not reforme ther own affections But yf yow peruse the 14. and 15. art yow shall discern the brauerie of ther irregular passions intending therby onelie to ouerthrow the king and the familie of Valoys These wear the holie articles of Bearn 1574. coyned with his stampe and communicated at Millun to all ther Moschees that they might he more stroÌ„glie maik warr as they Sayd against ther enemies till it pleased God to turn the hart of the French tyrant Thus ad gustum populi principatus exigitur At the same tyme was framed and dispersed abroad the lyfe of Katharine de Medicis Francogallia the Toxsan of Massacreurs and the Legent of Lorraine For that honor the howse of Guise haith long had that no man professed hym self an enemie to the church but he was likewise at deadly seud with them Heare I might taik vp and stay yow no longer with the description of ther vertues and loyaltie but that I desyre to present vnto yovv vvhat opinion the graue and learned men of the church of England and others also of gread iudgment haue dad had of these Euangelists of Geneua 1. Doctor Sutclif in his ansvver to a libel supplicatorie p. 194. confesseth that the protestants of the french church taught for 30. yeares violent reformation of religion by the nobilitie people and priuate persoÌ„s 2. And in an other place Beza saith he in his book de iure Magistratus dothe arme the subiects against the Prince and he saith that book overthroweth in effect all the authoritie of Christian kings and Magistrates and for the book of Vindinciae contra tyrannos vvhich manie affirm to be Bezas or Ottomans It geues povver saith he to subiects not onelie to resist but to kill the Prince yf he impugn gods religion 3. The same is also averred by the late Archbush D. Bancroft in his book of the Suruay of discipline a man vvho exactlie had learned examined and obserued ther courses and positions and the great dainger grovving to the state by the ministers either Scotising or Geneuating for so he tearms them And the book of daingerous positions pag. 192. dothe demonstrate also the same To these I may add the iudgment of that famous Lawyer Frances Baldwin vvho had familiarlie conuersed vvith Caluin at Geneua in his book called Responsio altera ad Iohannem Calumum Paris 1562. pag. 74. Mirabar quorsum euaderet inflammatus tuus quidam apostolus Sc. m. Theodore qui cum hic concionaretur suis auditoribus commendabat vehementer extraordinarium illud exemplum Leuitarum sirictis gladijs per casira discurrentium obuios quosque idololatras trucidantium Sed nunc audio te vix contentum esse â—alibus Leuâ—is And pag. 128. I euiora saith he sunt illa cum statuis sepulchris ossibus principum ac martyrum barbarum bellum indictum videmus cum ciuitates occupari fana spoliari audimus c. But what nead I labour to prooue that Beza and his followers haue caused all these vproars and commotions in France when he hym serf Epistola 40. Christophero Thretio confesseth that they must fight it owt Ego quidem pacem nullam nisi debellatis hostibus ausim sperare Yf yow ask who wear these enemies he answers Cacolycorum castra traÌ„s Ligerim sunt Therby he means the Catholiks and the kings armie And a litl before ab eo tempore nostri copiss foelicisâ—ime instauratis Toloâ—anum agrum infestarum Inde ad Rhodanum vsque progresâ—i occupatis aliquot passim oppidis arcibus in quibus praesidium reliquerunt So they spoyled the contrie disturbed the peace surprised the kings townes fortified and oppugned
fictions mayd faults by law deuised by pollicie and mayd offences rather then being so of them selfs How playne was her gouernement and how farr from triks a litl seuear to which â—he was oft forced for thoughe she was a great Iusticer yet withall how merciefull she was appeared manifestlie by her gracious compassion to the Dutches of Sommerset to Syr Iohn Cheak to Syr Edward Mountagevv the cheaf Iustice to Syr Roger Cholmlie to the Marques of Northampton Syr Henrie Dudlie Syr Henrie gates the Lord Robert Dudlie who stood attainted and to the Duke of Suffolk whome all she knew and had before fownd to be enemies of her religion and no frends to her title and yet she released them all ovvt of the tovvre whear they weare prisonners Notwithstanding all this the Protestants wear never quiet nor suffred her to be quiet Some ded libell against the regiment of voemen some picked quarrels to her marriage some published discourses and invectiues against her religion and some conspired her depriuation to aduance her successor by vvhose aduancement euerie Caluinist expected a golden fleace The grovvnd of all these seditious actions vvas the religion they professed then nor fullie six yeares old a religion of more libertie more pleasing to the gallants of a court and voyd of these austerities and mortifications which the ancient Catholiques obserued with reuerence But emong manie others that book of obedienc prepared most the vulgar to insurrections and mutinies for pag. 94. he affirmeth that Quene Marie deserued to be put to Death as a tyrant and monster Ded euer anie Catholich write so or ded the pen of anie seminarie man blot the paper with so barbarous a sentenc Yet knox libro appellat ad nobilitatem popul Scot. ioyneth hands with a Goodman and backeth his opinion Illud inquit audacler affirmauerim debuisse nobiles rectores iudices populumque Anglâ—anum non modo refistere repuguare Mariae illi Iesabeli quam vocant reginam suam verum etiam de ea Sacerdotibus eius supplicium sumere and these yet vvear not all Procead Syr Thomas VVyat is worthielie chronicled for his rebellion vvho marched as a Cyrus ouer Shooters hill with his armie threatning both court and cittie Prince and people Yet this holie Goodman cap. 14 in his Obedienc commends hym and saith he ded but his dewtie and that it was the dewtie of all that professed the gospell to haue risen with hym and pag. 43. He affirmeth that it is lawfull to resist the superior powers and vrgeth all states to taik armes against her But whear ded Goodman and knoâ— suck this sweat doctrine at Geneua the school of Monarchomachia whear Buchanan ded learn the same and all for one end and maister VVhitingham in his preface to that book confesseth that it was approoued to be a good and godlie treatise by the principal of that cittie that is Caluin and Beza And albeyt in Qurne Elizabeths tyme Goodman is said to haue recalled that opinion yet it was neuer publicklie recalled by hym and disalowed and besides it showeth in Quene Maries tyme vnder the cross and affliction of what spirit he end his faction weare of Yf yow dowbt vpon what pretenc wyat ded rise bycause some maik quaestion thereof surelie it was partlie for religion partlie for bonum publicum to hinder the Quenes marriage for both ioyntlie concurred as Stow and Hollinshead agree He that shall presume to defend that it was not for religion Quene Marie in her oration at the Guildhall in London doth refell hym for she declared that she had sent diuers of her counsell to wyat to demand the pretences of his insurrection and she sayd it appeared to her counsell that it vvas a Spanish Cloke to Couer religion It is trew that wyat vrged to haue the Towr deliuered to hym and to haue powr to nominate and choose new counsellors and that he would not trust but be trusted Wear these in different demands af a subject Or regalities fitt to be offred to his mercie was this to preseru the Quene Surelie Violenc and the Svvord be vnfitt keapers of a Prince person And touching Religion Fox hym self saith that for religion they coÌ„spired emong them selfs and mayd vvyat ther Cheafe the reason was that by forren marriage the Quene vvould bring a seruitude vpon the realme and establish popish religion ther in Vovv vpon these premisses mark vvhat ensevved VVilliam Thomas conspired to kill the Quene and at his execution he gloried that he dyed for the good of his contrie Doctor Pendlton preaching at Povvles Crosse one discharged a peace against hym and at the same place an other daye one threw a Dagger at maister Bourn being in the pulpit wheare the lord Maier could skarselie appease the tumult so as the lords of the counsell the next sonday after together vvith the Garde vvent thither to preuent or to punish such disorders yf anie should there happen againe And at vvestminster vpon an Easter daye a desperare fellovv wounded a preasts as he was saying Masse in saint Margerets Church So great vvas the distemperature of these inflamed puritans vvho complayne so much against the persecution of that tyme and yet they prouoked it and hauing no powre to command yet had they no humilitie to obeye and when they might haue liued quiet them selfs yet vvould not suffer others to liue quiet in whose authoritie it laye to disquiet them But I will mount to offences a degree higher William Fetherston a counterfet king Edward was brought vpon the stage as a Parkin Warbeck to disturb both the Quene and the state What strains of inuention and pollicie wear these against a Prince for her religion but hear they stay not for One Clebar sometymes a Paedante remaining at yakeslie in Northfolk vvas put to death for a conspiracie against the Quene Vdal Stanton Peckam and Daniel wear committed both for conspiracie and haeresie and for attempting to robb her threasure and the Exchecquor for which they had there dew punishment To let passe the treason of Dudlie and Ashton who wear sett on and stirred vp by the French Syr Peter and Gawin Carse great protestants together with Syr Thomas Dennie took armes in Deuonshyre to hinder and empeach the king of Spayne his arriual in England possessed them selfs or Excetor Castl and afterward perceauing ther own weaknes and less assistance then they expected they fled into France which was then the harbour for the malcoÌ„tents of his nation Thomas Stafford comming vvell instructed from Geneua mayd proclamations publicklie in seueral places that Quene Marie was not lawfull Quene and vnworthie to be Quene and so abuse the people he gaue owt boldlie and falselie that twelf of the strongest houlds in England and best fortified wear committed to the custodie and command of the Spanyards to maik them the more odious whome they hated onelie for ther religion and povver and no other particuler quarrel and therfor he Bradford Procter and
and testifie From king Edvvard the Confessor Down to king Henry the VIII ther is no man so blind that will affirme ther was anie other religion professed and priuiledged in England but that which was planted heare by Gregorius Magnus who as D. whitacher noteth l. 5. contrae Duraeum pag. 394. ded vs a great benefit and vvhich vve ar euer most grate fullie to remember In all which tyme though the Cleargie mayd Canons by ther own authoritie for ther ovn particuler gouernment yet the kings of this realme ded euer fynt them obedient and readie hymblie and dewtifullie to obey them and to affoord ther best assistance to support the estate Royal euen oft vvhen they weare much troden vpon and heauilie burdened and albeyt sometymes they weare forced to whote contentions for external matters of iurisdiction and ther immunities as the commons and Barons weare yet they neuer passed the rules of order and obedienc nor stirred vp sedition or commotions And who soeuer shall obiect and call in quaestion the opposition of some prelates vnder Henrie the II. King Iohn and Henrie the III. shall neither doe great honor to the kings nor dishonor to the Church-men for ther zealous defenc of ther immunities and perhaps he may reuiue such matters as wear more conuenient to be buried in the records But the first king thar euer gaue effectuallie cawse in this kingdome to trie in the face of the vvorld the admirable patienc Order and loyaltie of the Catholiques was King Henrie the VIII flagelium Dei to the Church of England and yet of ther own religion First by aceusing the Cleargie to be fallen into the danger of a premunire for mantaining Caridnal VVolsies legantine power Secondlie by the statut of Supremacie Thirdlie by the Suppression of Abbeis Which vvear the thre first breaches wherby he threw Dovvn the foundation strenth and glorie of the Church of England The first leuelled the waye for the second and the second enabled hym with power and authoritie to compasse the third The first was a burden the second a bridle and the third a terror By the first he fownd ther weakenes by the second they perceaued his greatnes and by the third he mayd them dispayre of anie recouerie or reparation of ther estate by the first onelie the Cleargie smarted the second laye heauie both vpon the spirituall and temporall by the third the whole realme was again in a sort conquered And all this was doon to be reuenged against the Pope touching his marriage to abandon his iurisdiction and to aduance his ovvn greatenes and royall power that so no man might afterward controll his action or restrain his appetites vvhich lawleslie rainged in hym and prooued verrie inordinate And ther for he bard owt of the realme all forrein power and at home he subdewed them and mayd them of no power Such is the imperious nature of domination in irregular mynds which hauing once broken owt of his circle can not indure limitation and bownds but must and will rainge at libertie in the wide and wild feald of his humors and not being able to geue law to his appetites vvill maik lawes as champions to authorise them and reason as a parasite to glorifie them Now to examin all these thre The first 1. The premunite was a quarrell he ded pick onlie against Cardinal VVoltie and yet afterwards sett vpon the tentors and extended against the vvhole cleargie Which being summoned into the kings bench the kings learned counsell vrged and exaggerated the matter so vehamentlie that in the Conuocation howse they concluded to submit them selfs to his pleasure and to obtain ther pardon and recouer his fauor they wear content to offer and present vnto hym a hundret thowsand pownds wherevpon ther Pardon was signed by the king and confirmed by parliement and by a deuise there they wear also Drawen to acknowledg hym supreme head This vvas a course at that tyme thought neither agreable to Iustice nor honor for Cardinal Wolsie had the kings licens vnder his hand and the great seale of England sor his warrant to vse the legantine power and aftervvard by reason thereof the king hym self employed hym to exercise the same and sit vvith Campegius and examin the matter And yf the diuorce had bean allowed ther should neuer haue bean quaestion mayd of the legantine povvre Touching the Supremacie All the hings 2. The supremacie subiects euer acknovvledged that the crovvn of England quoad temporalia is independant of anie other povver but that great and Transcendent Maiestie vvho proclamed to the vvorld Per me reges regnant that kings knovving vvho vvill taik ther audit may be more carefull to rule vvith Iustice and keape ther accoumpts streight and subiects knovving there tye and vvho layd vpon ther necks this suaue iugum and withowt encroachment may obeye vvith more loyaltie and affection The Question vvhich king Harrie mayd first of all kings in his parliement concerneth his povver and iurisdiction quoad spiritualia And whether that new and highe praerogatiue vvear euer properlie and essentiallie inuested in the crovvn of his realme heartofore or whether it wear the creation of a nevv right by parliement iure Coronae or the establishment of an old And hearupon grovveth an other quaestion novv both in England and other kingdomes so much debated vvhether the Controuersie for Supremacie in spiritualibus be a quaestion onelie proper to Religion and so subiect to the sentenc and censure of the Church onelie as emong the Romans it vvas to the Collegium Augurum and Pontifex Max. or proper to Pollicie and the state onelie and so subiect to the iudgment of lawe or Mixt and a participle vvhear of either of them may hold plea. Of both these I shall haue fitter both Occasion for the matter and Opportunitie for the tyme to declare my poore opinion in my discourses vpon the Ecclesiastical Historie And for the suppression of the Abbies 3. The Supression of Abbies the Cleargie by that fact and the supremacie stood as in captiuitie and at the kings pleasure and mercie ther possessions wear seazed ther goods forfeited ther Churches prophaned and sacked And the augmentation court was erected vpon the spoyles of the Churche and the sale of ther mooueables vestiments challices bells and all for when the king fownd that the Cleargie thorough the humilitie of ther zeale yealded so much vnto hym he never thought he had power sufficient till he had more then enoughe and vpon that aduantage his conscienc being inlarged broke owt of those ancient bownds which the lawes of the Church had prescribed to hym Therfor anno 27. he appointed Cromwel and Doctor Leigh to visite the Abbies and by vertue of the kings commission which had then a chymical powre to maik sacriledge vertue they took owt of the Monasteries ther cheafest Iewels plate and Reliques to the kings vse and dismissed all such religious persons vnder the age of 24. yeares as
left open the port of aduantage hauing not repealed in England the act of her illigitimation as Quene Maries counsell wiselie had doone before But now at lenth to returne to the matters proper and pertinent to the quaestion Iam to handle The Quene before her coronation put all the bushops to silence and commanded they should not preache and after the parliement all those that refused the oath being called before the Quenes commissioners wear depriued from all honors liuings or employmeÌ„t either in the church or common welth and wear also committed to prison and so both lost ther liberties and liuing together Dignities they could not loose as appeared by B. Bonners case whome they could not degrade from the Dignitie of a Bushop though he ded loose London There vvear in all 14. Bushops most vertuous and learned prelates of England and 10. of Ireland deposed 12. Deanes 15. maisters of Colledges 6. Abbots 12. Archdeacons 160. preasts together with maister Shellie Prior of S. Iohns of Hierusalem Now touching ther Demeanor and the course of ther proceading before ther Depriuation These Bâ—shops sitting in Parliement at Quene Maries Deathe acknowledged by diuers proclamations Quene Elizabeths title and right to the Crowne And the Archbushop of york D. Heath then Chancellor of England calling together the nobilitie and commons assembled in both howses by a graue oration exhorted them to accept and obey Quene Elizabeth and by the best course he could endeauoured to dispose and setl the harts of subiects to loue and serue her And all the Bushops ioyntlie ded ther homage and fealtie to her Maiestie in dewtifull manner And although they vvear not ignoranc of her determination to alter the course of religion yet ded they neuer practise neither Scotising nor Geneuating nor neuer incensed the people and Catholiks against her nor attempted anie violent resistance nor sought the support of forrein Princes whome they knew at that tyme readie vpon so fayre pretence to haue ayded them but they ded so respect fullie tender both the Quenes safetie and the peace of the realme more then ther own liues liberties or liuings that though diuers emong them mayd a quaestion yf it wear not most conuenient for the good of the Churche to procead to excommunication against her to vvhich her case laye verrie open and subiect yet the most voyces disswaded that course least yf they should vse the sentenc and censures of the church against her the people might be induced to taik armes for the protection of religion and therfor they ded aduise rather to referr it to the popes determination and pleasure then to talk vpon them to doe yt them selfs though they thought they might lavvfullie doe yt as the case then ded stand Ther was also an other secret frend that ded much fortifie the state of the Quene King Philip knowing all the platts of France and ther secret intentions and vvat motions they mayd at Roome and vpon what tearmes they ded stand to offend England albeyt he had buried all offences at the treatie of Cambray yet loath to see France growe so great as to haue footing in England and as loath that Religion should loose her howld and honor there though he ded wish the end he ded not like the meanes and therfor he employed his ministers in England to doe good offices betwean the Quene and the Cleargie But Alas what became of all these graue prelates Trewlie nothwithstanding all ther publick disgraces and priuate sufferings they ded rather choose a Durate then an Armate and euer professed and well performed Preces Lachrimae arm a nostra Obserue how long and how heauilie ther burden lay vpon them D. Scott Bushop of Chester dyed at Loouain in exile Goldvvel of Asaph at Roome Pate of vvorcester subscribed at the counsell of Trent for the Cleargie of England and never returned D. Oglethorp of Carlile dyed soodainlie and shortlie after his depriuation and so ded learned and famous Tonstal die a personner at Lambeth Bourn of wells was prisonner to Carie deane of the Chappel Thirlebie of Elie first vvas committed to the towre and afterward he and secretarie Boxal vvear sent to Lambeth vvhear they ended there dayes Abbot Fecnam Bushop Watson Bushop Bonner dyed prisoners and Prior she l lie in exile This was the Catastrophe of the worthie Prelates of England a tragedie of the Downefall of the whole Cleargie a thing incredible to posteritie and never hard of in former ages that the third and most reuerend state of the realm the Cedars of Libanus who ever sinc king Etheldred floorished as the Oaches of a realme should be all at once cut downe cast into disgrace and prisons or exile and liue withowt releaf or comfort as men forlorne and abiects yet neither taynted for vice nor convinced for trespas nor accused for anie treason but that which they would never subscribe to aknowledg treason the refusing the oath of supremacie a poynd of religion to them and vvhich touched ther sovvles to the quick And wear they depriued for that then surelie had the ministers of Geneua great luck to escape the high Commission for yow shall hear ther opinions and see the differenc of ther spirits 1. Gilbee in admonitione ad Anglos calls king Henry the 8. libidinosum monstrum monstrosum aprum qui Christi locum inuasit Ecclesiae Anglicanae caput dicivoluit cum tamen omnis religionis expers esset This monstruons bore must neads be called Head of the Church vnder payn of Treason displacing Christ our onelie head who alone onght to haue the title why ded he call hym bore Partlie for his qualities partlie for Ann Boolens sake who was that Helena cuius causa peribat Ilium as both Melancthon in his Chron. and G. Bellay in his Comment declare 2. And that yovv may knovv vvhat an haeresie and flatterie of kings the school of Geneua censureth the Oath of supremacie to be I pray yovv heare the Oracle in cap. 1. Osee in cap. 9. Amos Et hodie in quit quam multi sunt in papatu qui regibus accumulant quicquid possunt iuris potestatis of this poynt I dare avowe Geneua is not guiltie ita vt ne qua fiat disputatio sed potestas haec sit penes regem vnum vt statuat pro suo arbitrio quicquid voluerit sine controuersia hoc firmum maneat Qui initio tantopere extulerunt Henricum regem Angliae certe fuerunt inconsiderati homines dederunt illi summam rerum omnium potestatem hoc me semper grauiter vulner auit erant enim blasphemi cum vocaruÌ„t illum summum caput Ecclesiae sub Christo Ded Syr Thomas Moor or Bushop Fisher say more nay not so much against the matter nor in so rude and violent manner such vvas the violenc of king HeÌ„rie that he pressed them to speact and yf they ded speak they wear in dainger of law yf they ded not speak
decrees the people was directed bothe in Chancerie Rolls and all Ecclesiasticall courts I haue before reuealed ther reasons and puld of all visards which hyde the face of truth After the supremacie was enacted and the Oath commanded the next care was to compell men to the exercise of the religion then established but the seminaries being erected the societie of Iesus encreasing and preasts being often sent ouer into England then begonn fyre and sword to rage the acts of 13. of 25. of 27. the proclamations of 1580. and 1591. wear published against the preasts and fathers and no man is so blynd but may discern the occasion of this rigour was for religion being for hearing mass and confessions which ar the foundation and pillers of religion and yet I confess the iealousies fears and suspicious of the tyme set for ward these seuear courses for thes prouident Counsellors ded think it necessarie by the horror of lawes to maik the seminaries of no vse by barring owt of the realme the Seadsmen for tho they ded obserue hovv far the zeal of the Church had transported the preasts that they preferred the Triumph of Truth before ther liues yet by all wordlie coniectures they probablie conceaued that the name of Treason as a Medusaes head would haue amazed and terrified them 1. bycause it stayned them all with a most reproachfull blott 2. and speciallie bycause they tought it depriued and robbed them of the crown and glorie of martyrdome the trophees of religion 3. besides they supposed that the loss of ther liues in so infamous manner the bleamish and hazard of ther frends and the punishment of ther partakers and abettors would haue vtterlie discooraged them from resorting anie more to England But this deuise ded not prosper it prooued quite contrarie ex cineribus Phoenix religion encreased by persecution owt of the ashes of martyrs so these politick lawes wrought not the effect they wear enacted for and yet wear verrie offensiue to all forrein princes as leges Draconis and phalarismus for these ar euer held to be most godlie lawes that ar least sanguinarie and yet mantain Now forasmuch as vpon worldlie respects A petition and reasons for mitigation manie acts haue of passedin parliement to trie what operation and cure they would works in the state and yf they prooued fruitles medecins or as empirical purgations too violent fitter to kill then to cure then to be repealed and bycause these prouisions and lawes against religious persons ar prooued to be such so they likewise ex gratia speciali and ovvt of his maiesties gracious compassion may be wel abrogated for as they wear mayd for the fears and suspicions of that tyme so by the grace and mercie of this tyme when they ar both neadles and causeles they may with honor be cancelled yf his maiestie shall please and the execution therof suspended to vvhose royall consideration I most humblie offer these few lines as petitions rather then reasons not for iustice but mercie 1. It was euer held against the wisedome and pollicie of this realme to fetter them selfs with too manie shacles of treason and dainger and therfor as 25. Edw. 3. at the petitions of the subiects the king ded declare and determin what should be taken and iudged for a case of treason by the common lawes of the realme so 1. Henry the 4. c. 10. it was confirmed and established that nothing hearafter should be deamed treason otherwise then was expressed by E. 3. And albeyt diuers actions wear strayned vp to be treason for a tyme vvhich vvear not within the list of 25. E. 3. as H. 6. the taking and surprising of persons and goods in Wales so to stand for the space of 7. yeares onelie and 8. H. 6. burning of howses and 22. H. 8. poysoning c. which of ther own nature and simplie wear not treason and therfor had a limitation of tyme annexed to them yet prudently all such former acts vvear repealed and mayd voyd 1. E. 6. for a more indifferent and merciefull proceading vvith subiects that the remedie might not be more daingerous then the disease and that the Lillies and roses of the crown might not be dyed with innocent blood For both in the tyme of Ciuil vvarrs and now while this great controuersie of religion dependeth in England vndecided such statutes open the gate to let in ruine desolation and confiscation bothe into the prisons of preasts and into the castles of the nobilitie and gentrie as appeared by the exampls and daingers of Arondel Northumberland Arden Sommerfeld and diuers others ane what ded happen to them maye endainger all 2. It vvill be a thing incredible to posteritie that so vvise a nation vvould maik that to be treason by parliement vvhich so generallie so perpetuallie ane so ancientlie haith bean honoured end approoued by all lavves vvas not preasthood vsed and exercised by the patriachs vnder the lavv of nature established by Moyses and the lavv of God continued yet in Christ and his Churches and never repealed by anie nevv decree vnder grace and the gospel and yf vvhich is impossible the Church erreth in that poynt of preasthood all ages all fathers all counsels all nations haue liued as blindmen in darknes and a chaos till Luther dispersed the mist is it not likelie Religion and preasthood wear like Hippocrates twins born and bred laughing and weaping beginning and ending together for in Moyses law the preast wear the inquisitors inspectores omnium iudices controuersiarum punitores damnatorum as Iosephus l. 2. contra Appion sets Down yf anie difficultie arise venies ad Socerdotes 17. Deuter and in c. 44. Ezech. Sacerdotes populum meum docebunt quid intersit inter Sanctum prophanum and so Philo. l. 3. de vita Moysis Iosaphat 2. paral and the Sanhedrim it self doth witnes it the reason of these remaineth yet in the tyme of the gospel and ther for by the lawes of England such reuerenc vvas euer showed to religious men that yf a bond man ded enter into a cloyster the law held it more reasonable that the king should loose his interest in the bodie then to be taken ovvt of his order the like vvas iudged yf the kings wards should enter into religion besides an alien can hold no lands in E. yet yf he be a preast he may be a bushop hear and enioy his temporalties as Lanfranc and Anselm wear vvho wear never dennisons Besides the state reposed so great trust in them that they wear maisters of the Rolls Six Clarks nay oft Chancellors and Threasorers of the realm And therfor it was a course of Summum ius by new lawes to punish men for an ancient vocation and so generallie receaued speciallie vvhen the storme is overblowen 3. Besides in Germanie Charles V. punished Luther by Exile and in Scotland by Baratre banishment they punish haeresie so they ded vviselie distinguish Haeresie and Treason as seuerall offences by seuerall
performed yf the Admiral for his own particular had not layd a block in his vvays But aboue all others it is memorable and worthie to be remembred vvhat a bloodie quarrel it vvas mayd that king Edvvard the sixt the first protestant king in England might not marrie Quene marie of Scotland vvho was euer honored and esteamed a Catholik and yet the protector vvould haue mayd no scruple of Conscienc in that Caluinisme and Lutheranisme ar as opposite as Antipodes and yet they haue matched oft together and ther Issews ar the records thereof And was it then tollerable in the reformed churches and is it intollerable vvith Spayne what then is the cawse of this great scrupulositie and feare Is it for the state of the kingdome or feare of alterations The husband is head of the vvyfe and tho the Infanta vvear born in familia Imperatrice yet ther is no soverainetie invested in her she can maik no mutation of State without the censent of the state And yovv haue the les cavvse to distrust that hauing a president before of king Philip vvho being king of England yet neither could nor vvould attempt anie alteration And yf the protestants ar sure to hould ther religion it is inhumanitie to repyne that she shall be suffred to enioye hers No man of honor vvil offend a ladie of such honor for a quarrel to her sovvle to her faithe and her vvorship of god What then is the reason vvhy this match is so distaist full Is it for the hate and odiousnes of the name and qualities of a Spanyard surelie ab initio non fuit sic that is neither an anciēt quarrel nor a naturall impression in the English For in the tyme of king Edvvard the 3. Ther vvas a firm and fixed amitie betvvean England and Portingal and of Lancaster ther king ar discended And for Castil they matched Constance the Daughter and heyr of king Peter to Iohn of Gaunt by vvhose right the crovvn appertained to hym And his daughter Catharin married vvith Henry the third king of Castil and therby the vvhich remaineth in the Sauoye records resignation of that crovvn vvas mayd by Iohn of Gannt and so all the controuersie vvas ended betwean them and the kings of Spaȳne as floorishing brainches of the tree and stock of Lancaster haue peacablie possessed that kidgdome So as Prince Charles shal by this match vvarme his bedd with his own blood I may add further that king Henry the seuenth married his sonn̄ to king Ferdinando his daughter to continew the succession of amitie I might remember the treaties of 1505. betvvean k. Henry the 7. and king Philip for the preseruation and noorishment of that league and frend ship And hovv much and hovv tenderly Charles the 5. embraced and esteamed yt vvell appeareth by the Treatie arctioris amicitiae 1543. And by the renoumed treatie of Callice the greatest honor that was evver doon to the crovvn of England and by the treatie 1507. bevvean Maximilian the Emperor Charles king of Spayne and king Henry the 8. by the treaties for entercourse 1515. and 1520. by the treatie of Cambray 1529. and by that famous treatie 1542. Thus the tvvo kings and kingdomes still renewed and noorished mutuallie and vvarmelie a perfect frendship and kind correspondencie till the schisme of Henry the 8. the diuorce disgrace and dishonor of Quene Katharin and the cōfederation therupon with France cooled the zealle of this seruent affection So as ther vvas at that tyme no such cavvse of hatred disfauor or vnkindnes bevvean these tvvo kingdomes nor anie national dislike or contention vvhich first brake out end appeared in England in Quene Maries tyme principallie for the quarrel of a new religion then fiuee yarres old For ther vvas no pretenc but onelie that to maik the breach which Wyat desired Yet this is not the trevv and sole motiue of the grudg ther is and impostume vvhich can not be cured till it be lanched The hatred and remembranc of 1588. Manet alta mente repostum It is trew Hinc illae lachrimae But let vs be indifferent look vpon the wrongs doone to them aswel as ther attemps for reueng And vnpartially consider who gaue the cawse and forced them to taik armes The Moonie intercepted which the king had sent to the Duke of Alua the Assistanc of the princ of Oreng by Gilbert Morgan and others ther seconds the first voiage of Syr Frances Drake the inuasion and sacking of S. Domingo the protection of Holland by the Earl of Leicester the infinite depredations and letters of mart to the wnspeakable dammage of Speyne the Philippicae and inuectiues in euerie pulpit ballets and libels in euerie press against king Philip wear such prouocations as flesh and blood nay crovvnes and scepters could hardlie disgest I speak nothing of the Portingal vorage of the surprize of Cales nor of the Iland viage and can anie vvise man imagin that the king of Spayn vvas not sensible of such indignities vvas it not probable that he vvould send a futie to Kinsale to reuenge that Yet for all this hostilitie vvhen his maiestie cam to the crovvne how frendly and quicklie ded the king of Spayne alter his course and send the high Constable of Castil as the doue owt of the Ark to see yf the flood of mallice vvear fallen and vvith an Oliue brainch in his hand to seak for peace to maik an Amnestia and perpetual obliuion of all vnkyndnes past to couer all offences to burie all quarrels and to reconcile the two crovvnes and the subiects thereofs And surelie Cursed vvil he be vvho shal seak to violate that peace and vnder the coolor of religion to banish peace and Charitie the badges of religiō a malicions Cayn he is that maiks all contentions perpetuall and searsehe can he be holden loyal that remēbreth onelie the sudes and quarrels vvith Scotland and not what and how dear wnto vs it is now and so should be euer embraced and esteamed Furthermore the Crovvn of England shal hearby be thus more beautified and magnified But staye My pen shall intrude no further into the secret Cabbienet of counsel wthowrt warrant Bycause I kow not whether it be agreable to the kings pleasure or whether it be sit to be discoursed and speciallie bycause I hold it impossible forme to satisfie so profovvnd a Iudg vvithovvthis ovvn instructions and directions For I consider vvel hovv vnsearchable the secrets of princes art vvhich lie oft in abisso and ar too deape to be sovvnded by euerie shallow discourser And I remember also both what praying and preaching vvas vsed against the match of Quene Elizabeth vvith Monsieur in the like case and for feare of alteration and afterclaps and yet some vvho ded then most impugn it vnder pretenc of religion ded in dead least of all other counsellors regard religion Syr Philip Sydnie like a noble and vvourthie courtier laboured by a short treatise to present to her Maiesties iudgment the
vntfitnes disproportion and inconuenience of that match bothe to her self and the realme but he ded it priuatelie and with discreat circum spection Stubs like a professor of an vnseasoned zeal took the question in hand and as a punishment of his presumption for feited his hand for that being rather published to incense and corrupt the people then to aduise and inform the Quene And tho some of the greatest and vvisest consellors ded earnestlie sollicit and seake to further the match bycause it vvas like both to vnithe the kingdome of france to England and was sure that the possession of the Netherlands wold also be offred vnto theÌ„ by the prince of Oreng and the states whearby England was like to be a most potent Monarchie yet was the whole bodie of the kingdom cast into much distemper onelie which bare conceapts and iealosies Some vpon partialitie and faction some for distrust of the practises of France some for ther own or ther frends sinister ends and ambition as Iam perswaded euen in this case ther ar men posseded with the same diseases and humors And yf I ded not wel know the nature of the multitude a beast of manie heads and mad braynes I should wonder how they durst oppose the desseins of a king of that experienc and iudgment who haith managed this busienes with so great warienes caution and prudence that this great Coniunction can portend no other effect then honor confort and prosperitie He is the sittest to iudg of his own cawse and his own cavvse being the Commonwelths cawse yf anie priuate Man should arrogate to hym self either more vvisedome to controll his proceding or an opinion of more affection to the state or more prouidenc to foresee and preuent daingers therby I see not which waye he can avoyde not to fall into the custodia of the court of wards till he come to hym self again But to leaue this matter as a deliberatiue which requireth a Crassus or Antonius I will come to that which gaue the occasion of this treatise Ther met at a merchants howse in London The occasion of this â—â—ea I se wheare merchants for ther table and hospitalitie beare worthilie the bell aboue all merchants in Europe diuers persons of excellent qualitie met there in a garden before dinner T. Aldreds letter the pamphlet aforesayd and some strainge rumors and seditious practises from Amsterdam being perused examined and discussed A fyne Chaplain to a great person and one of the merchants acquanitance cam into the companie and hearing but a litl of this discourse which at that tyme vvas the subiect of all tabletalk with much The ministers or ation vehemencie he ded affirm this match to be like to bread great incombrance and mischeafe to the kindome bothe ni regard of the encrease 1. Of Catholiques in the Realme and in respect of Spayne which he ignorantlie called an ancient enemie 2. Whearupon he took occasion to rage and raile bitterlie against the church of Roome as the Seminarie of all commotions in Europe and the Contriuer and plotter of all treason in England 3. And bycause he vvould shovv his Rhetorick in the ruff and omit nothing which might exasperate the companie against the Catholicks he alledged in thunder and vehemencie the death of king Edvvard and that sillielie the manie conspiracies against Quene Elizabeth and speciallie that horrible proiect of the Gunpovvder treason by a fevv priuate hotespurres vvhich in iustice is rather to be buried vvith the offendors then obiected and imputed to innocent men vvho generallie vvith great sorrow abhorr the memorie of it 4. Besides he vrged that princes be bothe disquieted and endaingered by the excommunicats ans and bulls of popes by the Catechismes and doctrine of the Iesuits And that the subiects of England ar withdrawen by them from ther obedienc to ther prince and ar so full of treacheries and disloyalte as no nation can be paralleled with them 5. Yow may think also that he forget not to arm hym self vvith the authoritie of D. Murtons censure for vvhich I think he ded not studie much VVe may novv asvvel expect a vvhyte Aethiopian as a loyal subiect of that religion He produced a book entituled A discouerie of Romish doctrine in the case of conspiracie and Treason Whearin the Author playeth his maister prize against the professors of the Catholick religion vvith an Hyperbole of criminal accusations and scandalous imputations able to driue men into dispayre of the kings grace vnto them and to bread in his maiesties Royal hart a diffidenc of them 6. He vrged parson vvhytes vndiscreat vntruth and vncharitabl sentenc that all ther religion is full of doctrine whence procead monsters of Conspiracies against the state and that they teach men to murther the king and blovv vp the parliement And that since Bells tyme ther was never such a raue nous Idol as the preasts and seminaries 7. He ded not omit the like allegation owt of Ormerode the picturemaker who vpon erroneous misconceauing condemned that singuler and renoumed Doctor Allen for affirming that princes might be slayne by ther subiects by the 25. Numeri 8. And so he concluded all with that Rhetoritall sentenc of monsieur Lewes baylie in his book of the practise of Pietie pag. 783. vvhich he produced with such ostentation as if it wear able to cast all the learned societie of the fathers into a fitt of a quartane Iesuits and preasts saith he ar sent to vvithdravv subiects from ther allegiance to mooue inuasion and to kill kingâ— yf they be Saints vvho be Scithians VVho ar Canibals yf they be Catholicks Which conclusion for the art and the witt worthilie deserueth both a praemium and a Plaudue sâ—c pueri crepundia gestant After this delicate oration they went to dinner and presentlie after dinner the minister departed in great haist Therupon all the companie vehementlie desyred one gentlman of ther companie who ded well vnderstand the world and was a freeman not obliged to anie religious orders but as films Ecclesiae to deliuer his opinion of the ministers Inuectiue Which he was at last contented at ther importunitie and for the satisfaction of ther Conscienc to vndertaike and which with his license and information I taik vpon me as his Amanuâ—nâ—â—s and secretarie to set downe and deliuer the same to yow After a long pavvse quoth he lodius The trevv state of the Quâ—stion accusat Machos Catalma Cethegum Is not this ridiculus who can endure to heare a Grace hus complain against sedicion I perceaue by the premisses that the protestants set this down as a Decree against Catholiks and labor to imprint that in the harts of the people as a perpetual scandal and stayne That the Catholik religion and doctrine is daingerous and preiudicial to the safetie of kingdomes and an enemie to Sooueraintie and so they censure it as neither allovvable not tollerable in a vvel gouerned monarchie Now this being a matter of
the church of England and who was chosen to write of this argument by the greatest Statesman of that tyme and he vvrit cum priuilegie and the generall allowanc of the church of England Saith he shall a king be deposed yf he break In his book of ChristiaÌ„ subiection his promise and oath at his coronation in anie of the couenants and poynts he promiseth He answers in the margent the breach of couenants is no depriuation And he geues this reason The people may not break vvith ther Princes tho ther Princes break vvith God And aftervvard Subiects can not depose ther Princes to vvhome they must be subiect for conscienc sake This is a sermon quite contarie to the Aphorisms of Holland and the diuinitie of Rochel and yet it standeth vpon inuincible reason for as yovv may not by Gods lavve depose your prince so yovv ar for bidden to taik armes against hym And vvhy D. Bilson vvil satisfie yovv For saith he he that may fight may bill and vvar against the Prince and murdering the Prince ar of consequenc incuitabl Aftervvard he addeth this to stopp the mouth of such a Polipragmus as called the king raptorem haereticum à suo repellendum The Apostles obeyed the tyrants that commanded all things against religion And in those things vvhich vvear cammanded against God they ded submit them selfs vvith meakenes to endure the Magistrates pleasure but not to Not. obey his vvill Lastlie and most to the purpose he concludeth yf the lavves of the land appoynt the nobles as next to the king to assist hym in doeing right and vvith hold hym from doeing vvrong then ar they licensed by mans lavves to interpose them selfs but in no case to depriue the Prince vvhear the scepter is inherited Novv it is certan that the lavves of the Netherlands geue no such authoritie to the nobles and yf they ded yet in no case to to depriue ther Prince or to abiure ther obedienc and maik that as a bridg to pass ouer to the sooueraintie And bycause some of good accounpt and iudgment haue bean led into that error that the Dukes of Burgondie hold not full power and sooraintie in the Netherlands I will send them to schoole to all lawyers records stories and that which is most infallible to the practise and common lawes of that contrie to Bodin and to that ancient and honorable Counsellor the Lord Chancelor Egerton in his oration for the post nati pag. 71. The Dukes of Burgondie saith he vvear absolute Princes and had soouerain povver in ther contries and king Henry the S. â—ad as absolute sooueraintie vvhen his style vvas Lord of Ireland as vvhen he vas king for the difference of styles marks not the differenc of soouerantie So then to conclude yf this warr begonn for religion vvas against all the rules of religion I may dewlie inferr that as ther vsurpation is withowt warrant either of law or the gospell they continew to hould it withowt conscienc and haue no other title but force and the canon And all forrein soldiers that doe assist them knowing the iniustice of the case and that the warr is so vnlawfull incurr the penaltie of mortal sinn and dainger of damnation and may as iustlie be reprooued as king Iosaphat for helping and assisting Achab. Look to the end for it is certanly fearefull to all those who know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write not thus much as an enemie to the contrie I hould a peareles countie for the goodlie townes welth traffick strenth and fertilitie in so small a circuite nor for anie personall quarrels nor for anie corruption or assentation in regard of the match with Spayne but onelie the truth of the storie the dainger of ther president and the cawse of religion haue induced me for tho I remembred the dislike had of ther manner of gouernment ther dealing with the Quenes officers and of ould how vnkyndlie my lo. Willoughbie had bean hearto fore vsed by them as his Apologie can witnes and of late what complaynts our merchant adventurors in ther books had mayd for ther ill vsage at Mosko and the east Indies by them what contempt they showed when the devvtie of Size Herrings was demanded in his Maiesties right for fishing on the coast of Scotland in presuming to imprison the demander and manie such like matters yet why should these mooue me when the state vvas not mooued And vvhen I saye the state I mean not the people but the king to whome Holland is and was most bovvnd for 2. high and bynding fauores wihch require a reciprocall obligation and thankfullnes on ther part and such as ought to bread in them good blood and ambites and respectfull toungs first in restoring vnto them the keyes that ded open and lock ther provinc not for anie remuneration but restitution of a part of his devv As also for the free permission of ther fishings vpon the Englih coast whearin they haue yearlie employed aboue 30. thowsand persons set to work by it and aboue 4000. Busses Doggerbotes galliots and pinks to ther admirable benefit which is onelie a permission of grace and no priuiledg by law for Grotius may withowt contradiction prooue mare liberum as the kings high waye is for euerie mans walk But he can not prooue that fishings vpon an other Princes coast be permitted to theÌ„ this is a digression to a good end And therfor I will return to the matter THE V. TITLE OF THE TROWBLES IN BOHEMIA AND THE PALATINATE BOhemia Onelie now resteth as a stage The trovvbles and sedition in to present the last Scene of all forren tragedies and tumults for religion and I Bohemia for religion will taik the Palatinate in my vvaye An vnfortunate prouince of late vvhich in a hundred yeares haith chainged religion fiue tymes and never leatned in all that tyme the rules of obedienc Wheareof I nead not maruel when I think of Parreus Cracerus and the schools of the new discipline Parreus in his Comment vpon the 13. Romans teacheth that subditi possunt suos Reges deponere quando degenerant in tyrannos aut suos subditos cogunt ad Idololatriam Scil. Subiects may depriue ther Princes when they degenerate from a royal gouernemeÌ„t and become tyrants of yf they compel ther subiects to Idolatrize And his meaning is yf they establish the Mass and the sacrifice of the Church or anie other religion then Caluinism then eiect excommunicate and cast them owt of all authoritie so terrible a sentenc he giueth both against the Emperor France Italie and Spayn But stay this is but his first peale vvhich he ded ring as the Toxsan the Alarum bell to Bohemia but he addeth an other article as a iust cawse of depriuation Quando pretextu religionis quaerunt propria commoda when vnder pretenc of religion they seak to maik ther own profit Which had bean a lectur not verrie plausible to king Henrie
wolfs stomach he ded seak to deuowre that most ancient and honorable Earldome of Oxford In all this glorie he was cut of for his sinnes and arraigned and executed for acting so grosslie the part of a Protector And though he was badd enoug an other succeaded much worse For novv begon the tree of Dudlie to spread owt his brainches vvith glorie vvho could not be except he vvear great novv vvas the tyme for his common vvelth to floorish and bycause he vvould not seam to doe anie thing but by Iustice he begonn 1549. to vvrastl with Sommerset till he gaue hym a fall First he proclamed hym to be a man that subuerted all lavves and that he broke the orders of H. 8. appointed for his sonns good that he keapt a Cabbienet counsell and litl esteamed the aduise of his fellowes that he took vpon hym to be protector expresslie vpon conditions to doe nothing in the kings affayres withovvt consent of the executors And vpon these and such like accusations God stirred one of these reformers to vvrack an other Novv as that shovved his iustice so to seame religious he cavvsed the book of common prayer 1552. to be first published for that religion he knew vvould best serue his turn vvho vvas all readie novv farr engaged in the plat to aduanc his ovvn hovvse by the ruine of his maisters and by that coolor he discerned that he might best vvinn the Duke of suff to hym And bycaus he supposed the Lord Threasorer vvas not vnlike to cross hym he took order at the counsel table vvhear he vsed to leaue his spectacles yf he vvear soodainlie cald for vp to the king to maik the same before his return be so svveatlie anoynted and perfumed that therby he lost his nose and skaped nearlie vvith his lyfe and yet he liued to requite hym and for his better strenth vvhile king Edvvard vvas sick as yf all had bean fixed in a sphear to mooue vvith hym he cavvsed at Durham hovvse his sonn to be married to ladie Iane the Earle of Pembrocks sonn to the ladie Katharin and the Earl of Huntingtons sonn to his ovvn daughter and all vpon one daye all to serue for one end and to maik it impossible for anie to bayt the beare hearafter Then vvas king Edward mayd away by his means and that potticarie who poysond hym for the horror of the offenc and disquietnes of his conscienc drowned hym self and the landres that washed his shirt lost the skinn of her fingers ther be some yet liuing in the court that haue sean weaping eyes for it Yet was all so ouer shadowed with the name of religion that not manie could discern the impietie yf yow would see the oration he mayd to the Lords when he was to depart from the towr to go towards Cambredg and proplayme his daugther in law Quene yow shall see how Raignard had gotten on a minister cloke and mayd that is cawse which he was furthest from Now consider thre things 1. for the men vvear not they both fitt instruments to encrease pietie and vertue and to reforme a Church vvear not rhey like men to haue bean chosen by the spirit of God for so godlie ends and like to be labourers in the haruest of Christ wear ther pietie zeale and charitie such as became them vvell and vvear suitable to reformers to Iosias and Ezechias No nisi hominus edificauerit ciuitatem they labor in vayne he will geue them a fall whear they purposed to taike ther rising 2. For ther ends both of them concurred in chainging religion both of them lost ther heads one of them vvas a butcher to an other and both vnded ther ovvn famililies and hazarded ther frends but for Dudlie as he ded ruine the king so he endaingered the whole realme and yet his end was a demonstration to the world that all his ayme vvas ambition and not religion for either he dyed a Catholick or certanly an Atheist And as his ambition so Sommersets auarice was not withowt his plagues for his weakenes was ouer maistered by a wyfe his eldest sonn was disinherited he executed his own brother he liued to see the loss of bullen the crown and the realm ingaged in debts and vvants confusion and commotions vvithin the realme by ther ill government and contempt withovvt 3. Novv consider te patienc of the Preasts and Prelates vnder these Cormorants they suffred all withowt resisting or rebelling and neuer prouoked the nobilitie to taik armes hauing bean bredd in the school of vertue to bear ther crosses with patienc and to affect rather the glorie of a Martyr then the svvord and fortune of a conqueror And so I leaue them till hearafter TITVLVS TERTIVS THe last and greatest tempest vvhich shaked the verrie fovvndations of the The Q. Elizabeth Church of England and threatned the vtter ruine and subuersion thereof vvas raysed by Quene Elizabeth vvho reuiued the Protectors new religion and reestablished it The vvhich was effected quicklie and quietlie sine sanguine sudore and as M. Camden noteth well Christiano orbe mir ante And surelie it vvas a strainge alteration bycause the Quene during her sisters lyfe daylie hard Masse ad Romanae religionis Camden annales normam saepius confiteretur Which is consonant to the report of Syr Frances Englefeald that the ladie Elizabeth being examined at Hatfeald by Q. Maries commissioners sayd to one of them it is not possible that the Quene vvill be persvvaded Iam a Catholick and therupon she ded sweare and protest that she was a Catholick And it aggreeth well with the Duke of Feria his letter to king Philip yet extant to be seane vvhearin he certified the king that Q. Elizabeth ded profess and assure hym that she beleaued the real presenc and that she vvas not like to maik anie great alteration for the principall poynts of religion I nead not relate the like speaches vsed by her to Monsieur Lansack seing manie honorable persons haue affirmed the same and seing her external profession in publick and her priuate chappell ded testifie that either she was then sincearlie in dead or would be taken then to be a Catholick And that was the cawse which mayd the world maruell more at her great and soodain chainge of religion And the rather bycause at her coronation she vvas orderlie consecrated and anointed at a Masse by the Bushop of Carlisle and she took the oath then to mantain the Church and vphold the liberties thereof as her predecessors had doone Which vvithovvt aequiuocation must neads be intended of that Church then being in esse and whearin she was consecrated and took that oathe and not of the Idea of a new Church a castle in the Ayre to be hearafter erected and fownded by lier authoritie and the Parliement But how euer she was before perswaded she was now altered and became too soodainlie Retrograde and so as in the opinion of manie prudent and great
in danger of his wrathe o miserable tyme vbi tacere non licet quid cuiquam licet 3. To this opinion Luther subscribeth and which is rare they both C. and L. accord against the supremacie of Princes in cawses Ecclesiastical for tom 2. fol. 259. saith Luther quid ad not mandatum Principis Electoris Saxoniae Princeps secularis est mogistratus quem gladium non munus predicandi curae habere debet as yf a secular magistrate had nothing to doe vvith Cleargie busienes And tom 1. Latin he expownds hym self fol. 540. Non est regnum aut principum etiam veram doctrinam confirmare sed ei subijci seruire Which is quite contrarie to the acts of parliement either of H. 8. of E. 6. or Quene Elizabeth 4. It may be yow will Imagin that though Luther was so singuler yet the Lutherans arr not but yow ar deceaued and that yow shall fynd by ther greatest and most learned Champion M. Chemnicius epist ad elector Brandenburg first he shouweth that it is not conuenient vt punitionis officium contra Caluinistas interea temporis penitus quiescat which is to be noted as a thing he much regarded and shortlie after of the religion and the Quene of England he giueth this sentence that 1. no good thing is further to be expected of her 2. that she vsed the Protestants of Germanie hardly 3. that she noorisheth a new sect risen in her realm of Puritans 4. and lastlie he maiks it a â—east that she being a woeman haith taken vpon her to be maker of Ecclesiasticall Lavves quod femineo à seculis inaudito fastu se Papissam caput Ecclesiae fecit these ar his words and surelie none of our Bushops depriued could saye more tho more manerlie for the statut consisting of two brainches the one they defend stowtlie that the king ought not to haue the supremacie in the other they disagree emong them selfs 5. Cartvvright haith vvritten manie chapters in his last book against this supremacie who yet was neuer conuented in the starchamber nor arraigned for yt neither was forced to recant his writings The Puritans ar as earnest as the Catholicks that it ought not to rest in the king but differenc is in whome the power should rest whether by a monarchie in the Pope or in an oligarchie of the elders The English Puritans of Amsterdam in ther Confessio fidei 1607. pag. 50. art 2. ded resolue that vnicuique Ecclesiae particulari est par as plenum ius ac potestas exercendi fruendi exequendi institutaomnia quaecunque Christus Ecclesiae suae dedit obseruandae in perpetuum So then euerie parish-preast is a Pope in his parish and haith par plenum ius and whether this aduancement of the Consistories be not more preiudicial to princes then the Conclaue more subiect to mutinies more open to confusion and anarchie I referr my self to learned Hooker 6. I will conclude with D. whiracre and that vvith some admiration he Doth so boldlie affirm a matter so notoriousle vntrew pag. 4. against M. W. Raignolds in his preface The title saith he of supreme head of the Church haith bean misliked by diuers godlie learned men and of right it belongeth to the sonne of god and therfor neuer ded our Church geue that title in such vvords vnto the Prince neither ded the prince euer challeng it I vnderstand not vvhat this meaneth for yf he meane plainlie and withowt aequiuocating then certanlie he abuseth his reader with a fable yf I obiect the statut of 26. H. 8. c. 1. or 35. H. 8. c. 3. I knovv he vvill say it vvas not our Church that gaue that title But Syr that will not serue yow for 1. E. 6. cap. 12. yf anie person after the 5. of March next shall affirm that the king his heyrs or successors kings of this realme is not or ought not to be supream head in earth of the Church of England and Ireland immediatlie vnder God it shall be treason for the third affirmation so hear is the act of your own Church for vvhich Gardiner was sent to the towr and these godlie men sc Gilbie Caluin Knox Luther who so much misliked it in king Henrie had not cawse to like it better 1. Eliz. when it was chainged into supream gouernor for the one had as much powre as the other And surelie D. Whit. rather shifteth of the obiection then answereth it for these godlie he meaneth wear Caluin Gilbie the Lutherans and his ancient frend maister Cartwight who all condemned the vse of that title of supreme head and think yow that he ded hym self like it I imagin that he vvould not othervvis haue mayd so she an euasion for his coÌ„mendation of the men that denied it his own reason deriued from ther vvords that it belonged onelie ond properlie to the sonne of God his fable that neuer ded the Prince Challeng that title show fullie the Doctors mynd that he would not subscribe voluntarilie to that opinion and taik the oath and desyred to euade But vvhat euer his opinion vvas of the matter he commended those that most impugned it Novv to return to the Bushops seing the supremacie and the oath vvas the main and the mean obiected to depriue them vvhich vvas as much impugned by ther ovvn half brethren Lutherans and Caluinists as by the Bushops seing Cartvvright pvas tolerated licensed to preache not restrained nor punished for his opinions and seing so manie and so eminent men concurred vvith the Bushops in that opinion as I haue shovved ther vvas and is some reason to haue expected yf not a more merciefull sentenc yet a more fauourable execution of the sentenc and seing they fovvnd so litl fauor and releaf it doth vvitnes to all posteritie ther exceading patienc to taik vp ther cross and follovv ther maister For not vvithstanding all this aduersitie disgrace vvants and loss of libertie the magistrates never had cavvse to complayne of anie inuectiues or libells No Reueilematin no homelies of sedition wear dispersed no VVyat no Oldcastel appeared in the feald the soldiers and knights of the Rhodes vvear not detected of anie conspiracie the Realme was not disquieted nor embroyled A miraculous patienc by a supernatural grace they ded rather choose to suffer them selfs then the realm should which was a great happienes to England and the like not hard of vpon so great a mutation of state and which was neither to be ascribed to the pollicie and prouidenc of the Chancelor or Secretarie nor anie feare of punishment vvhich might be inflicted vpon the Bushops for they could fall no lower being all readie cast down to the grownd and they that could hope for nothing nead not feare anie thing but reallie and trewlie it was to be imputed to the nature patienc humilitie and obedienc innated in religious and vertuous men who ar trewlie Catholique These vertues and this there patience showeth well the nature of the English
Ashbie and manie other places can witnes and the author of the execution of Iustice giueth better testimonie thereof and vseth it as an argument of the Quenes rare clemencie and her confidence of ther loyaltie further more yf yow look curiouslie and iudiciouslie into it that bull ded not concern ther going to the Church and seruing God but touching the Quenes being lawfull Quene and seruing her after the excommunications Now How these noble gentlmen and others succeading wear vsed and oppressed to what reproaches they wear subiect by the basest skoome of men it is a lamentable storie and would mooue a hart of flint It was not affliction enough to authorise purseuants to search ther howses and Promoters to informe against them but they must also haue a Felton surue yor of ther lands and estates What losses ded they sustain by the leases of the third part of ther lands what loss of goods by rapine what spoyle of woods what bribes wear they forced to geue gratiam emendicando I nead not repeat them I haue sean some part of the proceading For ther committing to Wâ—sbich Banhurie Elie the Fleat York or Ludlovv though they ded suffer ther restraint patientlie yet I must neads pittie them bycause ther they lost ther libertie hazarded health wear forced to neglect ther state vvear detained from ther wiues and children and mayd subiect to the contempt of the world And touching ther being Disarmed yt was more disgrace then loss it prooued they wear distrusted which was a course rather to prouoke then reclayme them But for ther twentie povvnds a month payd into the excheckor that ded lie heauie and mayd the meaner sort grone though I know by the lo B. the rigor and extremitie was a litl qualified Compare these with the Puritans recusants who will beare no such burdens yow shall fynd in the Catholicks more vertue and less insolencie more humilitie and less dainger to the state Compare them with the recusants of France and yow will think our geÌ„tlmen preasts and ther ministers Capitains our Catholicks vnwilling to offend theyrs vnwilling to obeye they defend ther faith with ther swords and resist the magistrate ours endure and sâ—io cui credidi is ther comfort and bycause they haue no Bezaes no Knoxes no Synodes no boutefeus they can not shovv yow a Mountauban or a Mountpellier nor anie other place of assuranc and retrayt but the Fleat or the Gatehows And yet neither in these plotts and treasons supposed to haue bean against her person in Quene Elizabeths tyme nor in that inuincâ—bl armado 1588. nor in that inuisible armie the skarcrowe of London 1599. nor in the vvarrs of Ireland whearin the Quene required ayd of her subiects no men ded shovv them selfs more forward to doe her maiestie seruice nor performed more readilie and franklie what was imposed vpon them nor behaued them selfs vvith more devvtie and less dainger The reason is playne they that refuse to go to Protestant Churches in respect of ther conscienc vvill far more refuse for conscience sake to committ treason a sinn of so highe degree and surelie they that regard so litl ther own bodies for safetie and saluation of ther sowles will never attempt or consent to anie desperate act against the kings person or the state of ther contrie and by such greauous and crijng sinnes hazard the destruction of both bodie and sowle Now yf yow will compare the greauances The Inquisition of Recusants Preasts and Catholicks in England vvith the Inquisition of Flanders one of the long cawses of that warr yow shall fynd heare moe burdens and theirs not heauier It is a rule taught commonlie but learned of fevv quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris The protestants of E. condemned the name of Inquisition in Flanders bycause ther brethren groned vnder that burden and yet a more greauous load being imposed vpon ther contriemen frends and kinsmen at home they taik no remorse no compassion ther for I will set before yow a glass which shall trewlie represent vnto yow the face form and differenc of ther punishments Charles the 5. at Worms 1521. decreed against Luther onelie Exile and Fyre for his books Anno 1526. at Machlin he set dovvn this penaltie against Hereticks or those that disputed of controuerses of religion or that keapt books prohibited for the first offenc 40. shillings for the second 4. povvnds and for the third 8. povvnds and perpetual banishment as a proper remedie to remooue them from infecting others Anno 1529. yf at a tyme limited they ded not repent ther errors nor disclayme then he adiudged Viris ignem mulieribus fossam as the Canons ancientlie prescribed and as Calum hym self vsed Seruetus Anno 1531. he confirmed the former acts adding that these who keapt such books and defaced and puld downe images male animo should loose ther goods and yet he vsed some limitation and for heresie yf he vvear worth 6. l. and be conuicted of it the delinquent should pay 3. And to avoyd all quaestions 1555. he interpreted and explayned hym self for the penaltie of thes lawes with the aduise of Viglius to taik avvay all occasions that might hinder traffick he limited that the penaltie against those that vvear receauors or abettors of such men should not extende to inkeapers victuallers marchants or mariners and yf the accusors ded slander anie iniuriouslie they should be punished for example sake this though it wear generallie enacted yet it was both intended and accordinglie more seuearly executed against Anabaptists and Libertines the greatest plages of a state After ward king Philip 1555. set down instructions rules and orders direct this court properlie erected for heresie and to preuent secret conuenticles the moothers of sedition and these regia mandata exquisitorum I refer yow to see in the storie of Vander Hare Whearin the king addeth no new amerciements nor deuiseth anie new seueritie for as he answered Montigny he purposed not to bring in the Inquisition of Spayne but to reuiue his fathers lawes nor to create anie new offences but such as wear of old censured for offences both in the Churche and state And yet this proceading ded work ill effects bred in the Catholicks a commiseration of ther contriemen and a greater obstinacie in the protestants Now look vpon E. match and compare The lavves of England against Catholicks them together and yow will fynd the penalties far moe and more seuear To acknowledg the Popes suprematie in spiritualibus is Treason To be reconciled is Treason To refuse the oath of supremacie is for the first offenc premunire for the second Treason For preasts to come over into E. is Treason 1585. or yf they stay in E. 40. dayes after the parliement or yf they wear mayd preasts sinc 1. Elizab. To harbour a preasts is fellonie Yf yong students continue beyond the seas and return not and abiure ther religion and show them selfs conformable it is
medicinam illud sed cladem appellans And doe yow think that pittie dyed with Germanicus or that there wear not manie and great persons mooued with the butcherie in England of some preasts it is the propertie of commiseration to be touched rather vvith the calamitie it seeth then to examin the cavvse it seeth not 4. I must plead this as an argument by exampl of a pagan Prince for compassion Marcus Aurelius tho the law was strict at Room Deos perigrinos ne colunto yet he permitted toleration to Christians as Tertullian in Apol. c. 5. Theodosius and Gratian the most Christian Emperors wear content to tolerate the Arrians enemies reallie of Christ and Iosephus noteth of Onias Megalita the same permission to continew brother hood for the peace of the state l. 14. c. 13. Antiq. The Venetians suffer the Iewes to liue emong them as the king of Spayn ded the Moores till necessitie forced hym to expell them Hovv much more reasonable is it to tollerate Catholick religion the moother of the nevv religion and the law maker and iudg heartofore of all religions 5. It is a fals proposition and proceaded from gall and Splean that Catholicks ar vnsociable that they can not liue vvith protestants in one common welth withowt iarrs and tumults and lasthe vvhich is giuen owt onelie to bread an exulceration in the harts of the people it is not tolerable in a Christian and wel gouerned common welth to grant toleration to papists Touching the first poynt the better and more charitable sort of protestants vvill not endure to hear so gross a paradox which day lie is before ther eyes prooued false for the Recusants in E. liue emong yow both peaceablie and neighborlie and withowt scandall yow buy and sell with them they performe all the offices of neighborhood they denie no temporall dewties neither tithes to ministers tho for sacraments nor devvtie to magistrates nor societie euen with puritans and it is a fals Surmise that Catholicks hold Protestants as haeretiques and excommunicate a skarcrowe to keap them a sonder and noorish diuision as yf ther vvear a natural antipathia betwean them But these Doctors who playe therin the Boutefeus remember not that the Catholicks deseru more respect and fauor by the law of Senioritie as the right heyrs of the Church disinherited of ther patrimonie The old Church ded leaue them ther priuiledges and honor she erected ther Cathedral Churches for our preasts she endowed ther colledges for our professors she builded ther alters for our sacrifices Most of ther ancients haue ther baptism from her the Bibles Cread and ceremonies and surelie it requireth some better respect for yf they had not left them yovv could not haue fovvnd them and they hope they shall not fynd charitie buried in England the contention is not general and personal but for opinions so yf yow force them not to be insociabl by scandals and prouocations yow can not fynd them vnsociable tho they meat not at Church they may meat at market Hitherto they haue liued emong yow and withowt iust complaint and should they be vvorse respected yf the king be pleased to show them mercie remember that chacun à son tour forget not that sinc k. H. 8. religion haith had his chainges and what God pleaseth to determin man must obey they that ar now in Gloria Patri may be hearafter Sicut erat in principio The Pure Caluinists will not endure Bushops therfor further not oppression least yow fynd suppression when yow look not for it Continew amitie and forget not that the bonds of religious vnitie ar so to be strenthned as the bonds of humain societie be not dissolued I dowbt to mutiners yf the king please for reasoÌ„ of state is a kings priuiledg which may dispenc with ciuil ordinarie courses for his own safetie and preseruation of the realm and he deserues not to be respected as a subiect that vvill seak to bynd the hands of his Princ and bar his beneuolenc 6. And touching the last poynt that religion will not permittanie such toleration I know and acknowledg ther ar manie reuerend learned and good men protestaÌ„ts in E. who ar verrie charitable nor enemies to ther persons tho to ther profession with whome frendlie and safelie they may conuerse withowt offenc for how can ther be offenc where ther is discreation But heartofore most of the ancient protestants ded defend and desyre this toleration whearat now mallice doth so snarle Vrbanus Regius locis Theol. Deus non docet comburere errantes ouiculas sed sanare infirmas pascere macilentas The same is Luthers opinion and assertion art 33. de non comburendis haereticis The same Musculus teaceth loc com de haeres and Osiander Epitom Centur 7. the same Acontius mantaineth lib. Stratagem Satanae Dominus non permittit haereticorum supplicia definite declarauit magistratus non esse idoneos iudices dogmatum interdixit illis talis iurisdiction is vsum And to omitt Castalio Chytraeus in his Chron. Anno 1593. showeth how much the Protestants of Swecia desyred toleration And D. Fulk l. de successione Ecclesiae reprooues the king of Spayn for too much austeritie and seueritie in that poynt Hispaniarum Rex vnicus est tam alienus à nobis vt nec foueat nec palam coire Ecclesias permittat in ditionibus suis Caluin ded once hold the same opinion and yow your selfs generallie and continuallie obiect the Creweltie of Quene Maries bonefyres and yf yow so dislike it then why doe yow like it novv but it is now against the law and vvas it not so then prohibited by law but yet we clayme nothing by law but appeal to grace It is trew that rigour to Catholicks is the way to bread Atheists when they ar barred from all exercise of ther own religion they ar not easilie drawen to an other and so they cast away all religion and that vvas the reason why these wise protestants M. Lanoue in his discourses perswaded princes to grant toleration vvhy Cassander Sturmius held that opinion why Belloy in his Apol. and Melancthon consented to the like why at first the Geuses in the lovv contries ded so vrgentlie sollicit the Religions Vried and by so manie books and vvhy Erasmus libro de sarcienda amabili concordia Ecclâ—siae donec Synodus laboured to prooue the necessitie of it 7. I will geue yow examples for matters of fact mooue more and ar subiect to less dispute At Hieusalem in the tyme of our Sauior Christ ther wear two sects much differing in religion and yet ded liue sociablie together and withowt offenc either to the Church or the state The Pharisei and Sadducei and they vvear not men of one religion and differing onelie in rites and orders but they vvear of opposite religions No man will dowbt but that the Sadduces vvear haereticks for they denied the resurrection and the immortalitie of the sowle an articl of our beleafe and the
manie princes in 32. yeares haue acknovvledged and vsed them as a free State Yf they hold onelie by prescription I may iustlie saye that tyme will not serue ther turne except they can therwith plead a title and bona fides for tyme may coÌ„firm a title but creates none and the opinion of forrein princes maiks not ther bad clayme better but geueth onelie a reputation to the vsurper and in so bad a quarrel brauelie defended not the cawse but the success not ther right but ther prosperitie haith doon them honor Besides it is nor trew that they haue bean so reputed of Princes to negotiate with princes vnder that title and that so princes confirm ther title be different things I grand that they offred to Quene Elizabeth the sooueraintie of these prouinces and laboured that she vvould entertain them but the counsel speciallie the L. Treasorer ded not vvelcome the offer both in regard of ther title for nemo potest plus euris transferre in alium quam ipse habet they could not geuer her that which vvas not ther owne and in respect of the safetie and honor of the Quene who could not hold and mantain such a tile withowt the censure of the world and withowt geuing forrein princes and her own people a president against her self Although for her own priuate ends afterward she was content to protect them and he who furthered most that protection was as glad so clenlie to be rid of the sonn as the Marques of Winchester was to be deliuered of the father And therfor the Quenes commissioners at Burborough as I haue hard affirmed trewlie Auersata est Regina delatam sibi saepius illarum regionum summam potestatem Neither was Syr Noel Caron in Quene Elizabeths tyme esteamed as an Embassador but as an agent But to ioyn issew with them yf they can maik good ther hold and Clayme it By lavv must be either by the Gospel and patronage of religion or it must be by lawe for yf by neither of these they leane vpon a rotten stake first the lavv is directlie against them For at the Ioyfull entrie they wear subiects absolutelie and the king was soouerain and to Oreng he committed the liuetennancie of these contries Ouem lupo Oreng and the people withdraw ther obedienc vpon surmises defended ther townes against the king depriued hym of his inheritanc and mayd them selfs sooueraines Whether wear these men guiltie by lavv of Treason or no this is the case trevvlie Dambouderius your contrieman in prax criminal cap. 132. haith drawen your proces saith he Seditiosi sunt 1. qui moluintur conspirationem 2. aduersus rectores admmistratores regionum 3. ilâ—â—citas congregationes populi cogunt â—iues commotionibus turbant c. This compared with ther dealing against Alua Don Iohn and the Duke of Parma with ther manie meatings at Breda and Osterweal with ther incensing and encooraging the Geuses with ther defenc of Harland and Alcmar is as good as a comment to explayne the law But cap. 82. Vi bâ—â—â—a sint insta requiritur 1. iusta causa 2. recta intentio 3. personarum idoneitas 4. authoritas principum sine qua est laesa Maiestas Now yf the states mark that sine qua they may hold down ther heads and blush for in all ther warres they neither had good coolor nor iust cawse they wear secured for ther religion by the pacification of Gandt by the perpetual edict by the articles of the treatie at Coolen and by enioying all withovvt disturbanc and yet would they not ioyn vvith the states generall and accept the same Also ther vvas not recta intentio for it was to noorish discord they pretended euer religion and the peoples safetie but the Prince perswaded them to armes and the vnion not for the loue of them but for his own preseruation Ambition and dispayre wear his motiues and counsellors and reueng and dispossessing the king wear his ends And he was the more disloyall seing he being a person of honor betrayed the trust of so great a charg reposed in hym And touching that sine qua it was a warr on ther parts mayd against the king and not by his authoritie and not onelie his sword was shaken against the king but his penn and Apologie which was a great error bycause they wear not aequallie matched and of one degree He had in the low contries neither office nor command but vnder the wings of the Aegle or authoritie of the Lyon And he held all his Belgick lands in fee of the Duke of Burgondie as of his Leage Lord and ded homage and fealtie for the same and he knew also that a soouerain geues law to his subiects aswel as offices and haith power of lyfe and death and as a learned man noted Eoâ—in the law signifieth the power and command of hym that haith the sooueraintie Besides Claudius le Brun in his book of proces ciuil and criminal addeth this Whosoeuer surpriseth tovvnes Castles and forts vvithovvt order of his soouerain as the Prince ded cawse Count Lumay doe in HollaÌ„d and Vorst and Barland ded Flushyng VVhearby the peace of the contrie is broken or vvho attempteth against the lyfe of the soouerains liuetennant it is treason And these all Europe doe hold as iudgments decrees of reason and principles of state which ar not to be called in quaestion and yf the states in Holland doe not obserue hold and practise the same they can never expect either peace order or obedienc in ther contrie So as it is manifest that the Hollanders in the beginning ar to be charged with sedition and in the progress with rebellion and treason And then being traytors by law they haue admirable luck and art to maik them selfs also Lords by lawe and it will be a good encooragement to ther soldiers yf men may winn dignities by offences to share the novvnes of Holland emong them or to induce them to a bellum pyraticum or sociale and cantonize that prouinc by ther own example They haue yet one euasion which is rather of consequenc then of substanc to prooue ther title a playster they think to salue all sores that the Archduke haith renounced his right and the king ar knowledgeth them to be now liberas prouincias in quas ipse nihiliuris pretendat though it is no aenigma no ridl nor such an argument as will pose a lawyer to answer it yet bycause I vvill not doe hurt whear I would doe good I leaue it to the consideration of that honorable and learned Chancelor Peckins who can best in a fitt tyme satisfie the world that it is but a sharcrow and thunder withowt a bolt So then by law yow haue hard in what state they stand for procuring the effusion of so much blood and breaking the peace By diuinitie of Christendome so now I desire all both Gomarists and Armenians to heare the opinion of Doctor Bilson a great Piller of