haue caused great trouble both to the king and this realme vpon the dissolution of that vnlawfull contract if the kings vigilancie and magnanimitie had not surmounted the same Great friendship likewise hath béene betwéene our kings and the dukes of Burgundy of whome the late kings of Spaine are lineally descended betwixt the English nation the people of the low countries depending on the house of Burgundie The nations by mutuall trade reaped great profit each of other The princes by the aide and countenance each of other were much strengthened against their common enemies Charles the fift in his time much estéemed for his wisedome did make so great accompt of our nation that he chose Mary Quéene of England as a fit match for his sonne Philip to whome he left all his dominions and dying gaue his sonne this speciall charge that he should neuer breake with England nor loose the fauour of our nation He did wisely consider our strength by sea and what aide we were able to afford him béeing friend and what hurt we might do vnto him if we conioyned our forces with his enimies Much it were to be wished that the frendship of the Spaniard had béene as profitable to the English nation as the friendship of the English was to the Spanyard But then we should not haue lost Guines and Caleis by this coniunction nor béene spoiled of the remainder of the ancient conquest of our ancestors in France by his meanes neither then should the English for his pleasure haue béene intricated with the warres with France Howsoeuer the same ought to haue béene profitable vnto vs yet for our goodwill a man would neuer haue thought that we should haue reaped displeasure and wrong Yet we sée what is come to passe This league of friendship is broken and all ancient good offices doone by our nation to the Spaniard quite forgotten King Philip when her Maiestie came first to the crowne forgot not onely the bond of allyance with her sister but also his fathers charge In the treaty of peace betwéene France and Spaine he a Guicciardin de paesi bassi forsooke his sister and left her to shift for her selfe and that also in a war which himselfe had begun Not long after at the solicitation of pope Pius the fift he became our professed enimie and sought the destruction of her Maiestie b Girol Catenae in vita Pij Quinti one saith that to secure his dominions in the low countries he determined to aide the rebelles in the north and to ouerthrow the Quéene c This record of Pius his negotiation with king Philip doth ouerthrow all Philopaters calumniation Non potendo assicurare i suoi stati di Fiandra con miglior mezzo che con l'abbatimento de quella reina Both Pius the fift and he conioyned their forces and counsels together to do vs hurt determining vnder the conduct of Chiapin Vitelli to send ouer aid to the rebells in England Hauendo commandato saith d Ibidem Catena Il re catholico che dalla parte di Fiandra si mandasse in Inghilterra vna quantita di gente armata sotto la scorta di Chiapin Vitelli Pio quinto rimessa grossa prouisione di denari c. When the Duke of Alua made some stay of the execution of the kinges commaundement the king againe sent him expresse word that notwithstanding any difficulties or considerations whatsoeuer he should e Ibidem aide the rebelles of England which he termed His friends Nuouamente il rè gli comandò che non ostante qual si volesse difficultà ò consideratione seguisse l'impresa d'aiutar gli amici d'Inghilterra gli mandò appresso la persona di Ridolphi denari per l'esse quutione Yea and with such affection did he prosequute this matter that when he saw his purpose tooke no effect he wept for sorrow E'lre Catholico saith f Ibidem Catena ne pianse alla presenza del Cardinal Alessandrino By this therefore it appeareth that all loue of that king to her Maiestie which this philippicall parasite so much pretendeth was altogether extinguished and al bondes of alliance and friendship vtterly broken and that by king Philips g Andreas Philopater his slanderous report to the contrarie is refuted by Pius Quintus his letters default first When secret practises of rebelles preuailed not the king prouided a nauy which his flatterers called inuincible and a great force and army of land souldiors determining with fire and sword to inuade this realme by fine force to dispossesse her Maiestie of her crowne What successe his enterprise had the world knoweth and therefore we néede not here report His inuincible nauy was well beaten and scattered his souldiors and mariners for the most part either were slaine or taken or dyed of want and misery and the mightie monarke of whose Potent force our aduersary maketh such crakes was ouercome by a woman But whatsoeuer the succsse was it appeareth that this was no brotherly part thus to inuade her Maiesty nor any point of a catholicke and Christian king to oppugne peacible Christians for the profession of true catholicke religion Nay albeit this great losse and shame might haue forced him to acknowledge Gods iustice and powerfull working against him and caused him to surcease his cruell persecution against Christians yet did the same worke nothing in his hard hart nor coulde hée be induced to giue ouer his former desseignements so long as breath lasted anno 1594. being verie weake and for some daies spéechlesse the a This was written out of Spaine first wordes which he vttered after he came to himselfe were these Is the adelantado gone for England So much was his head troubled about that voyage His friends also report that he should say that hée woulde sell his siluer candlestickes and the rest of the furniture of his chappell before hée woulde giue ouer the warres against England And I beléeue it to bée true séeing notwithstanding diuers repulses and infinite losses anno 1588. 1594. 1595. and 1599. hée neuer gaue ouer vntill such time as hée gaue vp his spirite and yéelded to nature The papistes do excéedingly commend his zeale in popish religion or rather his great hatred against the professors of true religion So earnest he was in this cause that he spared not his owne onely déere sonne for that he was thought to fauor that truth which we professe E cosa molto notabile saith b In vita Pij 5. Gierome Catena Ch' el re facesse sacrificio della sua carne del suo sangue à dio Et Pio publicamente commendò la Christiana catholica mente religione di lui dicendo quia proprio filio non pepercit Albeit his sonne Charles was a prince for his yéeres of great excellency and then the onely sonne of his father and the hope of his succession yet did not that mooue the fathers hard hart to
by the answeres of Campian Sherwin Briant Kirby Filby and diuers other priestes But a Lib. 7. de visib Monarch Sanders saith that the purpose of the rebels was to bee praised albeit they had no successe Nobilium iliorum laudanda consilia erant c. and he b Ibidem calleth the rebellion Pium institutum fidei confessionem a pious or deuout resolution and a confession of their faith Hee c Ibidem accounteth those that died in that rebellion no woorse then martyrs d Motiue 15. Bristow likewise putteth the earle of Northumberland the two Nortons Woodhouse Plomptree and others that died for rebellion in the catalogue of martyrs Both hée and the rest allow pope Pius his bull and make Felton a martyr that was executed for setting the same vpon the bishop of Londons gates Cardinall Allen not without the helpe of Parsons and consent of other priestes published the declaration of Sixtus quintus his bull and exhorteth all her subiects To take armes against her Maiesty and to lay holde vpon her person and to deliuer her into the handes of her enimies And with Allen and Paâ—sons all the Seminarie priestes and friers that come ouer are consorted So then it appéereth that the papists generally and especially those that come from beyond the seas and are by the pope his agents emploied in England are a traiterous faction opposite to the state and her Maiesties gouernment Fourthly it appeereth that they adhere to forrain enimies and namely to the Spaniard and pope That they are our enimies it cannot be denied The law is cleare Hoâ—â—es ij sunt saith e ff de Verbor signific l. hostes Pomponius qui nobis aut quibus nos publiâ—è bellum decreuimus They are enimies with whom we haue wars That is also declared by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth them to be properly enimies that make wars vpon vs. They are also enimies that either by force or practise séeke the ouerthrow of a Prince or state if they be forreyners as subiects intending the same are rebels and traytors But the Spaniard hath made diuers hostile attempts against her maiestie and the state As namely first in comforting and abetting the northren rebels and promising them aide anno 1569. as appéereth plainely by testimonie of Gierome Catena in Pius Quintus his life and by the negotiation of Ridolphi with the Duke of Alua. Girol Catena in vita Pij Quinti Nay at the r solicitation of Pius Quintus about the yéere of our Lord 1567. he resolued to become our enimie and to employ all his forces against vs. Parsons also testifieth that at the popes agents request he sent succour to the rebels in Ireland Alexandro Sega Nuntio apostolico supplicante Cantabrorum Gallecorum manum subsidio Hibernis Desmondano misit saith Å¿ Andreas Philopater p. 134. he or at least his secretarie and agent Creswell In the yéere 1588. he prepared great forces both by sea and land to execute the popes Bull and to conquer England forsooth as both the t Sixti 5. sent declarat pope himselfe in his declaratorie sentence against her maistie and Cardinall Allen and Parsons that wicked traytor in their letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland doe plainely confesse Neither did king Philip the second euer cease to prosecute his purpose against vs as appéereth by diuers attempts and by the Aâ—elantadoes proclamation published at his last setting out from the Groyne wherein he plainely telleth vs that he came to conquer England and to kill vs all if he could And yet some will not beléeue either his owne words or other proofes Likewise no question is to be made but that the pope is a publike and professed enimie of this state and so hath béene euer since her maiestie came first to the crowne Pope Pius anno 1569. at the first chop published a most execrable Bull against her declaring her to be depriued of her crowne and her right before to haue beene pretended assoyling her subiects from their obedience and forbidding them vnder paine of excommunication to obey her any more Declaramus saith he de apostolicae plenitudinis potestate praedictam Elizabetham haereticam haereticorum fautricem eÃque adhaerentes anathematis sententiam incurrisse c. Quinetiam ipsam praetenso regni praedicti iure neâ—non omni quocunque dominio dignitate priuilegióque priuatam Item proceres subditos populos dicti regni ac caeteros omnes qui ei quomodocunque iurauerunt à iuramento huiusmodi omni prorsus dominij fidelitatis obsequij debito perpetuò absolutos c. Praecipimúsque interdicimus vniuersis singulis proceribus subditis populis alijs praedictis ne illi eiúsue monitis mandatis legibus audeaÌ„t obedire Qui secus egerint eos simili anathematis sententia innodamus With his hostile sentence he ioyned also hostile actions For he sent u Sanders de visib monarch lib. 7. Nicholas Morton into the north to stirre vp a rebellion in those parts Nicholaum Mor tonum saith Sanders in Angliam misit vt certis illustribus catholicis viris authoritate apostolica denuntiaret c. The same is also testified in forrein x Comes Natalis hist lib. 20. Histories When the rebels in the north were suppressed he encouraged the Duke of Norfolke to rebell promising him ayde of souldiours and money Pontifex saith y In historiae Manolessae Aemilius Manolessa post quam Ducis Norfolâ—iensis animum ad rebellionem incitatum intellexisset promisit se decem millia nulitum in Angliam missurum atque interim duodecim millia aureorum ad eum transmissurum He confesseth also that the rebellion in the north was stirred by Pius or rather the impious pope Robertum Ridolphum saith he misit Pius Quintus vt animos nobilium tentaret subditosque aduersus reginam Elizabetham armaret Hée z Girol Caten in vita Pij Quinti dealth also both with the old Quéene mother of France and with king Philip of Spaine most earnestly to ayde and comfort the rebels as appéereth by his letters and the negotiation of the Cardinall of Alexandria in Spaine Hée sent also Vincent Lauro into Scotland to worke trouble that way Gregorie the 13. stirred vp the rebellion in Ireland as appéered by the authoritie giuen to Sanders and other priestes and to make the businesse the hotter sent them some little reliefe of men and money Further as if this had not béene sufficent a In declarat Sixti 5. contra Elizabeth Sixtus Quintus did againe declare her maiestie excommunicate and as himselfe confesseth persuaded and enioyned the king of Spaine to execute his sentence and by force to expell her out of her kingdome To this ende also he sent both souldiours and money and by all meanes possible concurred with the Spanish forces and this deseignement also the popes succeeding haue to their
the subiects from their oath of obedience and forbiddeth his adherents any longer to obey her And I thinke no papists dare refuse to obey him if he vrge them and commaund them vnder paine of his curse Secondly Campians and Parsons faculties do shew that whensoeuer the popes Bull can be put in execution then all papists are bound to concurre in the execution of it Thirdly Morton was sent to stirre a rebellion in England and effected his purpose The like was done in Ireland first by Nicholas Saunders and lately by Archer and other Priests Which sheweth that they will do the like in England whensoeuer occasion and meanes shall be offered Nay they apparantly professe in a treatise called aduertisment des catholiques Anglois that they committed a great fault in submitting themselues to her Maiestie pour s'estre soubsâ—â—is à vne princesse heretike and in that they did not take armes against her Fourthly Cardinall Allen as the Spaniards came by force so went about with his wicked letters and perswasions to worke a rebellioÌ„ in which act Parsons Holt other priests also coÌ„curred Fiftly Parson by setting forth first the Scottish title then entitling the Earle of Darbie last deceased and lastly in his Treatise set out in Dolâ—â—ans name for the Infantaes right endeuoureth nothing els but to worke sedition and rebellion as a a A discouerie of a counterfeit conference priest of his own side doth charge him calling his worke a bloody deuise and as his dealing with the yoong priests that come ouer into England doth plainly declare And albeit they be not acquainted with the particulars yet can they not be ignorant that some generall mischiefe is intended against the state being commanded so ofteÌ„ in their deuotions to say pater noster and aue Maria for the furthering of some good intention or rather treason of the recâ—or of the Romish colledge Nay b The discouery of Campian his fellowes Monday doth directly charge Parsons for preaching openly in the colledge seditiously against the Quéen and saith that their coÌ„mon argument is how mischief may be wrought against the state Sixtly the doctrine of Iesuites is notoriously knowne viz that it is lawfull for the Pope to depose princes and for subiects to rebell against them Lastly the rebellion of Leaguers in Fraunce much sharpened and furthered by English papists doth sufficiently teach vs c AduertismeÌ„t des catholiques Anglois A treatise tending to perswade the French to embrace the league what Iesuites and priests will do here if order be not taken Cardinall â—olet that well knew their purposes and was sometime a Iesuite said that Iesuites would set all Christendome in coÌ„bustion if they were not preuented But his libertie of spéech cost him his life as some popish priests sticke not to d In their discourses against the Iesuits affirme 9 It is also most notorious that they haue stirred vp forraine enemies against the prince and state Sixtus quintus in his declaration published against her Maiestie doth openly professe that at the earnest solicitation of certaine principall cacolike Englishmen he proceeded against her maiestie and had enioyned the Spanish king to execute his Bull and to come with great forces against England Allen also in his most traiterous letters to the Nobility and people of England and Ireland doth confesse so much Neither did the Spanish king any thing but at the motion of Englefeld Allen and Parsons and vpon the exclamations of their consorts To draw him on the rather a Testified by his owne consorts Parsons put him in mind that he was called Philip Norwey and how that according to a prophecie Betwixt Bostons bay and the pile of Foudray the blacke nauie of Norwey should come and doe wonders He confesseth also in a letter of his to a Nobleman in Scotland that he had beene with most princes in Europe to stirre them against vs. The Emperour likewise vpon their informations and solicitations hath shewed himselfe enemy to her Maiestie and our nation Anno 1586. and the yeare following Cardinall Allen and his consorts were verie busie with the Duke of Guise and other Frenchmen to induce them to concurre with the Pope and Spaniards in the warre against England And so seditiously did Morgan behaue himselfe that the king commanded him to be coÌ„mitted to the Bastil of Paris The English b Aduertissement des catholiques Anglois aux François catholiques papists that then were in Fraunce doe plainly tell the French that they were iustly plagued because they did not oppose themselues against the Quéene Le crime d'endurer Iezabel ta voysine say they Plonger au sang Chrestien te destruit peu à peu And of themselues they giue out that they are scorned of all nations for that they c Ibidem p. 89. suffered an hereticall Quéene to reigne Nous sommes c See heere a plain testimony of the loyalty of papists say they esclaues sous vne Izabel pire cent fois que Iezabel bref pour auoir souffert vne royne heretique nous sommes auiourdhuy le mespris la fable le iouet des heretiques Ad hereunto D. Stories practise with the D. of Alua the oration of Allen not yet Cardinall to Gregorie the 13. Saunders his perswasions to the same pope Parsons his negotiation with certaine princes néere adioyning to vs William Critons plots for inuasion and their clamorous and lying discourses dispersed throughout the Christian world and consider the summe of their practises with forraine nations and then thou néedest not doubt but that their principall deseignment was to stirre vp forraine nations to make warre vpon vs 10. Finally the whole scope of Seminarie priestes and their consorts is First to make a number in England to put the popes Bull in execution next to bring in the pope and Spaniardes which cannot bee done without the vtter desolation of the lande The first is prooued by experience For that their consortes began to attempt in England and haue in part effected in Ireland and for this purpose haue they erected Seminaries and sent into England Ireland whole troupes of priestes and deale both with forreine princes and domesticall malcontents Neither may wee doubt but that al these seditious fellows come with one purpose and resolution not daring to attempt any thing beyond their commission Secondly the facultie graunted to Parsons and Campian doth plainly shew that when the Bull can bée executed then all the Romanistes are bounde to do it Thirdly the popes wordes are plaine Hee l Bulla Pij 5. Sixti 5. commandeth all his adherents To execute his sentence vnder paine of excommunication Fourthly the doctrine of Iesuites doth plainly allow the popes power to depose princes and all that faction holdeth that his sentences are to bée obeied vnder paine of excommunication Fiftly neither woulde the pope nor Spaniard bestowe such charge in maintaining these fugitiues but that they hope againe to bée requited Finally the
Peter descended to the pope of Rome Fourthly the aduersaries themselues cannot prooue this succession by any such infallible and certaine deduction as is pretended Wherefore vnlesse this Noddy can shew first that the pope hath succéeded Peter in the generall charge of apostolicall gouernment and teaching throughout the worlde and secondly that the pope is a true bishop pastor and successor of Peter and thirdly that neither the bishops of Antioch nor Caesarea nor Ioppe nor Lydda where Peter taught nor any saue the bishops of Rome succéeded in Peters seate and fourthly that the popes authoritie in giuing lawes in censures exactions dispensations iudgements was generally allowed and neuer contradicted and finally that he still holdeth the apostolike doctrine and faith intirely and admitteth no heresies nor false opinions in religion vnlesse I say he prooue all this he is at the end of his reckoning for the popes authoritie and sheweth himselfe to bée but a vaine babler and a foolish challenger that euen in the midst of danger conueieth himselfe out of the steccato And I do much woonder that all true Christians do not suspect this manner of procéeding and detest the pride and vanitie of this discourser that leaueth his miserable disciples more perplexed then before For he teacheth that vpon paine of damnation they must subiect themselues to the popes authoritie and yet when it commeth to the iumpe he is neither able to iustifie the popes authoritie in making and dissoluing lawes nor in ordering bishops throughout the worlde nor in iudging of controuersies nor authorizing the scriptures nor in dispensing in cases reserued nor in deposing princes nor in raising warres and handling both the swords and such like matters Nay he is not able to prooue that he is Peters true successour or a lawfull bishop He teacheth subiects to rebell and setteth princes to murder Christians and blinde papists blindely obey and yet no warrant can the popes proctor bring to iustifie the popes strange desseines and dooings Onely he endeuoureth in the last end of his pleading for the pope to shew That this land ought especially to respect the sea of Rome for beeing twise conuerted from paganisme to Christian religion and that first by Eleutherius then by Gregory the first which were both bishops of Rome And here he triumpeth and thinking that he hath satisfied his reader with an exquisite and delicate dish at the ending of his papall banquet he taketh away the table and biddeth all his guests Proface and à dieu But if his readers be not more wary while they thinke to be fed with holesome meat they are like to be gulled which googeons This gull certes in this his catastrophe séemeth to haue no other purpose For first it is a méere fable to say that this land was conuerted from paganisme either by the one or by the other of these two For Christianity was in England long before Eleutherius time and stories say he did onely and that by his deputies christen king Lucius And when Augustine the monke came to the Saxons the Britons long before that were Christians Secondly neither did Eleutherius nor Gregory preach the faith here nor giue much aide to the conuersion of the people of this land Onely Eleutherius sent Eluanus and Meduinus two Britons otherwise called Fugatius and Damianus to king Lucius and Gregory sent Austin the monke hither But the Saxons were conuerted by certaine Britons and French that could speake the Saxon language and not by Austin that could do nothing but hould the crosse like a crosier-clerke whiles others preached Thirdly albeit this land had béene conuerted by Eleutherius and Gregory yet this is but a personall fauour rather making vs beholding to those two then to those that succéeded them To prooue that we owe any obedience to the sea of Rome for that cause this argument is all too weake For the church of Rome was first conuerted by those that came from Ierusalem yet doth not Rome yéelde any obedience to the bishops of Ierusalem Nay they haue forgotten Saint Paul whome we are assured preached at Rome and do all depend of Peter Likewise the Phrysons and Germanes were conuerted by Saxons out of England yet do they not subiect themselues to the church of England Fourthly the late popes of Rome haue béene alwayes beholding to the kings and people of this country One king gaue the tribute of peter pence others gaue them great priuiledges and authority by which meanes they drew out infinite treasure out of England Bonner a In praefat in lib. de ver obed saith that the reuenues of the pope out of England were equall to the kings reuenues In requitall whereof the popes haue b Matth. Paris sent to our princes either glasses or feathers or rotten bones or paper lead and such like toies Adrian the fourth gaue to our princes a title to Ireland which he had no power to giue Innocent the fourth to king Henry the thirdes sonne gaue a bare title to the kingdome of Naples which cost infinite treasure in the end prooued a méere mockerie Other popes haue shewed theÌ„selues alwaies opposite to the English nation to the kings of this realme No sooner had the pope intelligence that William of Normandie was purposed to come with a puissant armie to conquer this lande which coulde not be done without great waste wracke and slaughter but hée c Matth. Paris caused his standard and ensignes to bée halowed and blessed So much did it please him to heare of an inuasion of our countrey and so holy a thing did warre and waste of this kingdome séeme vnto him Another pope did vpholde Thomas Becket and his rebellious consorts against king Henry the second fauored his professed enimies and in the end forced him to a most shamefull penance d Matth. Paris in Ioanne Innocent the thirde thundred out his excommunications against king Iohn and stirred vp forreine enimies against him Neither did he euer cease to pursue him vntill such time as he had made both the king himselfe and as much as in him lay all his people tributarie to forreiners At which when the Nobilitie and people of England repined the furious pope in great choler e Ibidem sent out his interdictions excommunications and curses against them and neuer ceased to pursue them as long as he had meanes to hurt them In the warres which the kings of England made in France for the obteining of their right in that kingdome the popes crossed them by all meanes possible and declared themselues vtter enimies to our nation being glad of any calamitie that hapned to vs and sorrowfull for our good successe But neuer did anie declare more malice against any of our kinges then Paule the third against king Henry the eight the Quéenes most noble father as appéereth by his most execrable a D. Sanders de schâ—sm lib. 1. bull which he published against him For therein hée doth not onely curse
then the king taking vpon him to be the Popes champion persecuted poore Christians with great iniustice and cruelty And vsing the pretence of popish religion sought both by force of armes and fraudulent practise to vsurpe the dominions of other princes and to establish a tyranny among such people as by armes he had oppressed Hereupon let the world iudge whether Sir Francis had not reason to exhort all true English to oppose themselues against such ambition pride vsurpation treacherous practise iniustice cruelty and tyranny and whether any man in such a case could haue said lesse But if he had said more yet the kinges strange procéedinges against his sonne Charles testyfied by pope a Vita Pij 5. Girol Cat. Pius himselfe against his wiues complained of by the French against the prince of Orenge and the people of the low countries recorded in the actes of the Duke of Alua and testyfied by diuers apologies of the prince of Orenge and the states and knowne to many yet liuing against his subiectes of Naples and Milan reported in Natalis Comes and diuers histories against the Portingals witnessed by the historie of the conquest of Portugal by Don Antonio the king wrongfully dispossessed of his country and best knowne to the Portingals against the Quéene of England knowne to the world and recorded in the processe against Lopez the physicion and partly testyfied by Gierome Catena in the life of Pius Quintus against the secretarie Escouedo and Antonio Perez and the state of Arragon published to the world in a treatise for that purpose these procéedings I say and his whole life recorded in histories would sufficiently iustifie the same Against which recordes and testifications the idle talke of this addleheaded Noddy Concerning his catholike maiesties opposite vertues of his sweete nature and cōdition of his princely behauiour pious gouernement deserueth neither credite nor consideration He was of so swéete a nature that for certaine monthes before his death neither his physitions nor surgeōs nor others without good preseruatiues could endure to come néere him albeit his clothes and lodging were neuer so swéetely perfumed So excellent a thing it is to bée swéete natured Hée saith also That by the witnesse of enuy king Philip is cleered Percase hée himselfe in this frierlike declamation degorged in the kings praise taketh on him the person of enuie and so cléereth him Otherwise all the water in the baie of Alcasson woulde neither wash him nor cléere him Where sir Francis doth obiect to king Philip certaine dangerous practises héere in England during his mariage with Quéene Marie this idle discourser not remembring his title of Warde-word leaueth his garde and runneth into a néedlesse discourse Of the state of things in Queene Maries time while the Spaniards were in England As if it were in questiō what was then done in England and not how king Philip caried himselfe in Spaine and all other places or else as if the state of thinges in England concerned king Philips humors and qualities any thing at all Well let vs notwithstanding see what this idle iangler hath to say for the state of matters in England Hée saith first That king Philip paide the expences and for the furniture of the mariage with Queene Marie and how the two Spanish and English nauies that accompanied the king when hee came into England were at his cost vntill they came to Portesmouth and the whole traine from thence to Winchester and that the mariage was celebrated at his charges But what is this to the discharge of his promise concerning the relation of the state of England Besides that this narration is full of vanitie and falshoode For what is more vaine then to bragge that the king defraid the charges of his seruants and attendants or that hée paid the charges of his owne mariage What more consonant then that the husband and goodman of the house shoulde bee at the charge of his wife and houshold What a ridiculous thing is it to vaunt that the king paide all charges betwéene Portesmouth and Winchester when either little or nothing was spent in the iourney The falshood of his narration may be controlled by the accounts that are yet to bée seene in the auditor generals office and in the Eschequer For thereby it is apparent that the Queene not onely defraied the charge of her owne fléete but also spent infinitlie about the furniture and preparations for her mariage Money certes euill bestowed For neuer was mariage more vnhappie either to the prince her selfe or her state Secondly hée telleth That the Spanish nobles and gentlemen came furnished with necessities and money It is maruell he setteth not downe also how they came furnished with Moriscoes and Negroes and horseboies and such Canalliary All which pertaine as much to the purpose as that which hée setteth downe of the nobles and gentlemen But bée it they came well furnished yet that deserueth no great commendation As for their expences they could not be great séeing most did eate vpon the Quéenes charge and the rest ate bread by the ounce and drunke water by the quart and yet all of them coulde not auoide to come in merchants bookes Thirdly hée saith That the priuie councell was not altered by the king As if that were not a point following vpon the conditions of the mariage Beside that albeit he altered nothing yet through the subtiltie of Winchester the Councell was at his deuotion and shoulde no doubt haue béene altered but that he was preuented by the Quéenes death Fourthly he vaunteth much That he honored the English Nobilitie and gaue many of them great pensions But hée shoulde do well to name those that were so honored and enriched by king Philip. For it is more then I can learne Howbeit it is no strange matter if for to effect his purposes he was at some expence For fishers when they angle for fish must bée at the charge of the baite and fowlers that séeke to catch birdes must draw them to their nets by casting them meate Like vanitie he vseth where hée sheweth That the king honored highly English captaines and soldiers and made them equall in all points of seruice with the Spaniard As if it were a high point of honor for English to bée made equall with Spaniards Beside that all the honor the king did them was to suffer their throtes to bée cut in the sacke of Saint Quintin and the seruice ended to send them home poore bare and naked Hée affirmeth also That the king made our merchants free to enioy all priuiledges throughout all his kingdome Which is a plaine and most notorious vntruth For neither were they suffered to trade into the Indies nor had any more priuiledge in Spaine the Low countries then méere strangers as is euident by the merchants bookes now to be shewed if néede bée It is also a méere fable That the king in all quarrels betwixt English and Spaniards shoulde fauor the English
that this should cost the Queene many a bitter teare Let the quarels be specified witnesses produced to prooue the Quéenes tendernesse more to Spaniards then her owne people Fiftly hée telleth a very pitifull case viz. That no Spaniard coulde walke in the night without danger of his life nor at other times without iniurious wordes and that they paide deere for all things especially if they were taken talking with a mans wife daughter or seruant and as a certaine Viceroy tolde him that some English would send their wiues daughters of purpose into the fieldes where Spaniards walked to allure them to talke with them and thereby to entrappe them and get money from them and that diuers of the Spaniardes had their purses taken from them that the Count Fuensalida was robbed as he was at supper with diuers of his countrymen All which long discourse is as farre from the purpose as Spaine from England For what doth this concerne king Philips vertues or the state of England which are the points which héere he taketh on him to handle Must the state of England consist now in the brabbles betwixt the scum of the kings traine and a fewe bandes and base fellowes about their Sen̄oras Further the same doth rather shewe the insolency of the Spaniards then deserue any commiseration for the losses or knockes they priuily receiued For why shoulde they be suffred to abuse honest women or to attempt maidens chastitie Will N. D. our Warder play the baud to make matches betwixt knaues and whoores and mislike that there was not a guard set while such lend fellowes went about their base affaires Againe it may be that it was not a Viceroy for what hath such a Noddy or vice as this to do with Viceroies or viceroies to do with such petite matters but some vice that purposed to delude him that tolde him the tale of these walking womē or walking knaues For how could he know that they were mens wiues or daughters if he were a stranger or else that they were sent for that purpose that he speaketh into the fields how knew he but that it was a quarrell betwixt knaues bauds how knew he that the Spaniards did not willingly bestow their mony vpon baggages being men that frequent the bordell as oft as the church As for the robbery of the Count Fuensalida if any such thing were it no more concerneth the honor of our nation then the robberies by Fuorusciti in Italy Naples the honor of the king of Spaine Robberies disorders wil euery where be committed but we praise them not we allow thē not Neither did Quéene Marie then allow this foresaid robberie And rather then the old Count should wéepe for his plate he shall haue a collection in part of recōpence for his losses All this great matter therefore being well considered is nothing neither hath our aduersarie any reason to exclaime and say That these were the fine fruites of our new Gospell then freshly planted among vs. For those that did these feates were papists and not men of our religion and these disorders were committed in Quéene Maries time when popery was publikely professed in England and not in the time of the Gospell Againe the Spaniards and not any of our profession vsed to haunt bordels and to make these baudy matches And if in states that professe the Gospell there be diuers outrages committed they cannot bée imputed to our profession but to the leudnesse of those that will not bée reformed and that liue among vs and are not of vs. Which kinde of people are both reprooued by their teachers and punished by the magistrates Hauing thus for his pleasure ranged farre from the matter in an idle discourse cōcerning certaine brabbles betwixt the English and Spanish in Quéene Maries daies he commeth to his purpose concerning king Philip and gladly would he purge him from all suspicion of euill meaning towards our nation contrary to a letter mentioned by Sir Francis and written out of Spaine when king Philip was yet in England The letter purported that notwithstanding the kings faire pretenses his purpose was to winne the fauour of the nobility and so to make himselfe absolute king and possessing the principall places with his owne souldiers to alter the lawes and to impose taxes and rule the country at his pleasure And this the warder by all meanes séeketh to shift off and to discredite and that first Because these plots and practises were neuer heard of before as he saith But he must néedes be deafe that liued in Quéene Maries daies in any eminent place in the state that heard not often of these practises and very dull and sencelesse if he suspected them not Neither is it likely that such a prince would desire to come hither if he should still be tied with conditions Secondly he saith That the name of the writer and receiuer of the letter would haue beene set downe But that might haue bred daunger the letter béeing written against Spaniardes that then ruled in England Neither is it the fashion for intelligencers to declare either their owne names or the names of such as they write vnto Thirdly he would auoide it by this shift That it was some flying report without ground and taken vp in some port-towne or tauerne by some factor or other wandring companion But the probability of the plot and procéeding of the Spanyard and the euent of thinges did shewe the contrarie Fourthly he would beare vs in hand That it was some deuise to make the Spaniards odious and perhaps to vphould the faction of the earle of Deuonshire that missing the mariage of Queene Mary began to practise But the ambition and malicious purpose of the Spaniardes against all that professed the truth and his procéedings in the gouernement did plainely declare that it was a truth and no fiction As for the earle of Deuonshire he neuer desired to marry the Quéene For if he had he might Such was her affection towards him Neither did he euer take any gréefe for not marrying her for his affection was no way enclined that way Neither could he poore gentleman entertaine any practise béeing destitute of friends and meanes watched by his enemies of no subtill reache to compasse any such matter I wonder the Noddy was not ashamed once to name this yong earle who albeit innocent and harmelesse yet was poysoned at Padua to content some mens humors But our aduersarie as if he were a smith and of Vulcans generation as his supposed father was canne forge twentie such deuises and shift off wicked practises with a number of loose wordes He saith It is a grieuous and heinous slander against a mightie munificent and bountifull monarke to say that he meant to make himselfe king As if mighty and munificent monarkes do not in their ambitious humors séeke to enlarge their dominions That this was no fiction it may appeare by the drift of Charles the fift entending this mariage
by the popes demandes to the king that could not be effected without greater authority by the propositions made by king Philip to the counsell to enlarge his power and release the rigour of the conditions whereto he was tyed by the kings secret working to draw ouer Spanish soldiers and his practises to possesse himselfe of the nauy and the principall portes and fortresses of this kingdome by wordes commonly giuen out by the testimony of Sir Francis Englefeld if he were aliue and would say truth and also of diuers others of the nobility by the ambitious humors of the Spaniard and finally for that otherwise his aduancement by this mariage would haue amounted to nothing And if in the low countries where he is but duke or earle he hath sought to be an absolute king we may not doubt of his purpose in England where he had the title of king and possessed the Quéene Where the letter saith That king Philip meant to haue altered the counsell to possesse the hauens to make new fortes to furnish them with his owne men to change the common lawes to bring in the Spanish inquisition and Spanish lawes and to impose strange taxes vpon vs after the fashion of Spaine he thinketh it sufficient to answere first That no such thing was attempted by him and secondly That all this was prouided for in the conditions of his mariage with the Queene But his slender surmises are all too weake to crosse such violent purposes For albeit béeing preuented by the hand of God that tooke away the Quéene he could not put matters in execution yet doth it not follow that he neuer had any such purpose or intention Againe it is a fond thing to imagine that the king could be tyed with wordes and conditions when experience teacheth vs that neither promises nor othes nor lawes of God nor lawes of nations could bridle his ambition He was a Guicciardin de paesi bassi precisely sworne to obserue the priuiledges and lawes of the low countries Yet did he obserue none but contrary to all order change the councell of estate bring in the inquisition and enlarge the authority of the ecclesiasticall state erect citadelles place garrisons and impose strange taxes vpon the people And if the Duke of Alua did this by his direction in the low countries no doubt but he would haue doone the same himselfe in England if he had atteined his purpose and had not béene crossed by the Quéenes death And that this was his full intention we haue already shewed by diuers argumentes beside the testimony of the letter These therefore are no bugges nor imaginations but true collections grounded vpon principles of state and the kings actions Héereby also we may gather that we were happily deliuered from the thraldome of the Spaniard more grieuous then the thraldome of Egypt as their rigorous dealing with them of the low countries may plainely enforme vs. Where among strange taxes imposed by the Spaniards one is mentioned most strange That the subiect payeth for euery chimney and others are noted as not common that some pay by the poll and all pay for their victuals so that a man cannot eat but the king must be paid as if he were a common host as indéede he kéepeth a common tauerne in his court after a base fashion that a man cannot drinke but the king will gaine somewhat our aduersarie wondreth That any should publish such childish toyes But the Spaniardes and the kings subiects in other places do find that the burthens are so heauy that neither children nor yet men are able to beare them And albeit there is percase some error in the particulars yet the sum is not much mistaken For throughout the kings dominions a tribute or taxe is paid for all things bought and sould in the market Neither is any marchandise exported or brought into the country or passed from place to place but there is a custome paid Of late there is a tribute exacted not onely for euery Hanega of corne ground at the mill but also for salt Neither are the countries of Biscay Arragon Nauarre Catalonia or Valentia so frée as our aduersary pretendeth In Flanders according to the Spanish stile the duke of Alua imposed a tenth and twentieth part vpon all the kings subiectes a tribute neuer exacted in the Turkish dominions Now then if the king exact such payments vpon his owne frée subiectes in what case are they like to be that he shall vanquish with his sword Where it is declared in the letter That the king purposed to roote out the nobility of England and to bring the commons to beggery and to sell all not aboue twentie yeeres ould for slaues our aduersary doth terme this narration sottish and impudent and asketh How this beeing contriued in England could be discouered by one in Spaine But whatsoeuer termes the relation doth deserue certaine it is that this manner of procéeding is most inhumane and barbarous and not so improbable as the warder would make it For first we may not thinke that the haughty minde of the Spaniard could either be content with a simple reuenge of wrongs or conteined within the boundes of common lawes and customes Secondly we know that the popes malice is so great against such as spurne at his authority that he stirreth vp all the world against them and Giueth them for slaues to those that canne take them as a Sander de schism lib. 1. Paule the third did giue the English in Henry the eight his daies Thirdly it is most notorious that in the Indiaes they haue practised all these barbarous cruelties so that they haue almost dispeopled diuers countries that were very ful of people at their first comming thither Fourthly the example of our neighbours of the low countries that liue vnder the Spanish yoke and haue their nobility eyther extinct or debased and their liberties abolished and liue in great slauery may shew vs some part of their purposes and as it were the plot of their gouernement Lastly in their fléete that came against vs anno 1588. beside store of halters and fetters prouided to bind our poore countrymen that should be taken prisoners and were already taken in conceit there were found in Don Pedro de valdez his ship diuers engines and irons to marke such as should be taken for slaues Adde héereunto the testimony of him that wrote the letter out of Spaine mentioned by Sir Francis and did vnderstand by good intelligence the resolution of the Spaniards in this point and wée shall not néede to make question but that this was indéed intended and resolued against our nation Neither coulde hée reueale this secret vnlesse it had come to his notice which might by diuers meanes come to passe For albeit the king hatched this purpose first within his owne brest yet was the same communicated to others and so made knowne in Spain to those that shoulde concurre in the execution of it Such abominable treasons God would
colour lay vpon them So that nowe notwithstanding the riches of the Indies the people of Spain for the most part are brought to beggerie Secondly by the abolishing of the popes vsurped power his extreme exactions ceased and the publike treasure of the kingdome which by his meanes was woont to be exhausted began to encrease at the least it was kept within the kingdome Thirdly her Maiestie restored peace vnto vs which Quéene Marie intricating her-selfe in her husbands quarrell did exchange for warres and lost Calice and all the remainder of her ancestors possessions in France This peace but that the papists haue gone about by diuers attempts at home and abroade to trouble it hath now continued two and fortie yeeres and vpward So it appéereth what troubles wants warres rebellions losses or disgraces haue hapned now this many yéeres to this nation or else are intended against vs that the same haue wholy procéeded from the popish faction and their abominable and cursed idolatrie and superstition as all blessings that haue béene bestowed vpon vs haue issued from the fountaine of Gods fauour for the maintenance of his truth by meanes of her Maiesties gracious gouernment and of her fathers and her brothers noble purposes and deseignements Neither did her Maiestie restore peace to vs onely with forreine enimies but restraine the cruell rage of popish butchers that murdered Gods saints at home made warres vpon them shée I say restored peace and gaue rest to Gods church Lastly by meanes of her Maiesties gouernement the strength of this land is growne great Neuer were there more valiant men of warre nor better men at sea then now Her Nauie is excéedingly encreased her munitions and furniture for the war is exceeding Neuer was there in England greater store of learned men nor more cunning artificers in al trades There is no countrey better peopled nor was euer prince more reuerenced or beloued of her subiects These blessings God hath bestowed on her people by meanes of her gouernment It hath pleased him also singularly to blesse her both with spirituall and temporall graces and to make her reigne farre longer then of most of her progenitors to multiplie her daies aboue ordinarie Shee hath also seene the miserable endes of most of her enimies and of such traitors as haue sought her hurt and long may shée continue and see the confusion of the rest to the comfort of all her louing subiects and griefe of her wicked enimies As for those that haue either by open force or priuate practise sought to destroie her they are all perished and come to confusion euen so Lord let them all perish and come to confusion that hate thée and thy truth and the maintainers and professors thereof At this happinesse of the English nation by the happie change of religion made by her Maiestie at her first entrance into her kingdome it is no maruell if this our aduersarie and his consorts be repine for that is the nature of enuie to bée sorie if shée see no cause of others sorrow Vixque tenet lachrymas as the Poet a Ouid. Metamorph 2. saith quia nil lachrymabile cernit It is the propertie also of busie fellowes to be quarrelling and accusing of others they feede on accusations as daintie meate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Pindarus They looke not into their owne myseries and calamities but curiously looke into other countries not vnlike hungrie Grammarians that are descanting still of the calamities of Troie and yet sée not their owne domesticall miseries that more néerely concerne them But it is true as one saith That he that is curious in other mens causes is also malitious Which appéereth true in this our aduersarie for gladly woulde he by ripping vp our estate make the worlde beleeue that we haue receiued no blessing nor benefite by change of religion but he demonstrateth nothing but his owne folly ignorance and malice He b P. 1. beginneth with a long tale of flatterie and the harmes ensuing thereof and at his first setting out entreth into a common place as it were into a common Inne pleasing and resting himselfe but tyring and harrying his reader with his néedelesse fooleries For what skilleth it I pray you to know what a dangerous beast a flatterer is Againe who denieth but that flatterie is an odious thing But what is this to vs Can he shew that sir Francis is a flatterer no nay he doth not so much as go about to prooue any such matter nor doth he applie his common place to his purpose but leaueth it as a fragment borrowed out of some frierlike declamation without any coherence to the rest of his long speake Wherefore to helpe him foorth where he faileth we confesse that flatterie is a foule fault and are content that he should speake his pleasure against flatterers For whatsoeuer he saith against them falleth right vpon him and his consorts who albeit they raile starkely against honest men yet are still clawing the pope and the king of Spaine and their adherents shewing themselues to be clawbackes parasites and flatterers what the pope saith that they say all what he denieth they denie They are of néere kinred to Gnatho of whom c In eunucho imperaui egomet mihi omnia assentari Terence speaketh That had no power to gainsay any thing which his master said so saith d In praes in relect princip doctrin Sapleton That the popes determination is the foundation of his religion They are also like the parasite in Plautus whose belly taught him to speake strange thinges for these good fellowes for their bellies sake speake raile holde their peace write faune flatter and vnto the popes pleasure turne their stile and their teaching Mutato iudicio ecclesiae saith the a Epist 2. ad Loâ—emos Cardinall of Cusa mutatum est dei iudicium Now by the church he vnderstaÌ„deth his holy father the pope who as b De princip doctrin passim Stapleton holdeth is the principall subiect of Ecclesiasticall authoritie him a multitude of parasites doth most palpablie flatter Augustin Steuchus doth honour him as a God audis saith c Contr. Donat. Constantini he Pontificem deum appellatum habitum pro deo Gomesius writing vpon the rules of the popes chancerie saith That the pope is a certaine visible God Papa saith he est quoddam numen quasi visibilem quendam deum prae se ferens Stapleton like a shamelesse parasite doth d In Epist dedicat ante princip doctrin worship him as his souereigne God on the earth Tanquam supremum in terris numen Iohn Andreas in c. quanto de translat episcopi and Abbas Panormitanus in c. licet de electione saie That he and Christ haue but one tribunall seate betweene them e In breuiloquio e In praef an t lib. de pontif Rom. Bonauenture calleth the pope The onely spouse of the church Christs vicar generall Robert Bellarmine who
among themselues Nay the contention betwéene Caluin and Luther is not so great but that popish doctors haue greater As for our selues all of vs professe the doctrine of Christ Iesus according to that rule that was established by common consent of the church of England from which if any digresse he is no more to be accounted of our societie then the papists that are of the popes retinue Lastly where he calleth our religion Parliament religion hée speaketh like himselfe that is falsely and slanderously For albeit the same be receiued by authoritie of the prince and state yet is it Christs religion and not the princes The a Lâ—unctos Cod. de summ Trin. sid Cath. emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius decréed That all people of their gouernment should hold the doctrine of Peter the apostle taught by Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter bishop of Alexandria and that they should beleeue one God three persons and yet I hope this Noddie will not call the faith of the Trinitie An imperiall faith And thus much in answere of his obiection of parliameÌ„t faith and of supposed diuisions amongst vs. But if hée had considered how that all the authoritie of their Romish faith as it differeth from ours standeth vpon the authoritie of late popes and of the late conuenticle of Trent and that both the grounds and positions of it are either nouelties or old condemned heresies and was in Quéene Maries times established more by parliament then by authoritie of the apostles and how many and diuers sectes they haue among their monkes and friers and b About the matter of the sacrament of the Lords supper they haue not so few as 200. diuers opinions diuers opinions among their schoolemen and how their late writers dissent both from fathers and schoolemen and among themselues I thinke hée woulde haue spared either to haue obiected vnto vs our dissensions or to haue talked of the authoritie of our religion To discredite the report of spirituall blessings bestowed on vs he a P. 5.6 saith further That before this change we beleeued the catholike faith of Christendome deliuered by the vniuersal church grounded vpon that rocke that cannot faile now beleeue onely either other mens opinioÌ„s or our owne fancies which choice is properly called heresie and héere hée thinketh to haue argued like a great doctor But first as his doctrine is strange so his stile is new and fantasticall For although hée sweate hard in séeking yet shall hee not finde that any one doctor saith That the vniuersall church doth deliuer to euerie priuate man the catholike faith for as schoolemen might teach him Actiones sunt suppositorum and it is not the whole kind but some one or other that doth this or that action Secondly most vntrue it is That either poperie is the catholike faith of Christendome or that the apostles or their catholike successors taught those errors of poperie which wee condemne Thirdly he doth vs wrong where he saith That our doctrine is diuers from the catholike faith of Christendome For whatsoeuer Christ or his apostles taught or is deliuered in the confessions of faith or créedes generally receiued of Christs Catholike church that wée beléeue and receiue refusing no point of catholike doctrine and all priuate fancies opinions heresies whether of popes or other heretikes and false teachers we renounce condemne and anathematize Héereof it followeth that the doctrine and faith of the church of England is most catholike and certaine being grounded vpon the apostles and prophets Christ Iesus being the corner stone which is a firme rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Grounded it is I say vpon the writings of the apostles and prophets endited by Gods holie spirite and thereunto not onely Councels and fathers but also the aduersaries themselues for the most part giue testimonie But the blinde papists haue deuised and receiued both new grounds of their religion and new doctrine which standeth onely vpon the authoritie of this pope and that pope whose fancie and opinion is all the certeintie they haue This is that rocke or rather banke of sand whereon the miserable papists faith is built For what the pope determineth that they hold to be the determination of the vniuersal church vpon his credite they receiue the scriptures Nay without his determination a Stapletonde author eccles they denie the scriptures to be authenticall b Princip doct lib. 9. c. 12. Stapleton teacheth that the church that is the pope at all times hath power to approue and taxe and consigne the bookes of holy scriptures In another place he c Ibidem lib. 11. c. 4. holdeth that vniuersall tradition is the most certaine interpreter of scriptures Generallie they hold that the pope is supreme iudge in all controuersies of faith and manners and that he is the iudge that cannot erre Hereof that followeth which this noddie obiecteth to vs That the faith of papists is built vpon the popes fancie and opinion which altering from time to time the faith of the Romish church is variable like the moone and vnstable as the sea Trusting to the popes determination from the Angelickes they haue receiued the worship of angels from the Collyridians the worship of the holy virgin Marie from the Carpocratians and Simon Magus and their disciples the worship of images from the Manichées and other heretikes prohibition of meates and dislike of mariage of priests and from other heretikes other damnable opinions So that their faith is not the catholike faith of Christendome but méere heresie grounded vpon the fancie and opinion of most wicked and vnlearned popes But d P. 6. saith this Noddie Why should you beleeue more your owne opinions then Caluin concerning the Queenes supremacie Luther concerning the reall presence and Beza in the church gouernment I answere first that these mens priuate opinions concerne not fundamentall points of faith And therefore that they are not to bée brought foorth for instance in this cause where we talke of the foundations reasons of Christian faith Secondly I deny that Caluin did deny the Quéenes supremacie in ecclesiasticall matters as we hold it For neither did he subiect princes to popes or priests in matter of their royall gouernment nor did hee denie princes power to establish ecclesiasticall lawes nor to command for Gods truth or to prouide for the setting foorth of true religion or redressing of disorders in churches or priests which are the principall points of supreme gouernment of princes in their realmes and dominions Neither do I thinke that any ancient father of the church did euer denie this power to princes Sure I am that many haue allowed it The reason why Caluin did once mislike the title of king Henry the eight was because hée was perswaded that hee had challenged all that power which the pope arrogateth to himselfe as head of the church wherein after that he was better informed he changed his stile and
retracted his opinion Thirdly I say we suspend our opinion and giue no approbation to Luthers opinion concerning the carnall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament for that we sée that doctrine to be new not taught by the apostolike church Nay we finde it to be repugnant to the apostles doctrine deliuered in Scriptures to the doctrine of the ancient catholike church and to the analogie of faith Lastly I say that in external gouernment it is not necessarie that all churches should concur and agrée séeing not onely the east churches differed from the west but the western churches also from themselues The churches of Afrike had diuers customes differing froÌ„ the churches of Italy a I ibâ—d sa 〈◊〉 Ambrose in his church at Milan thought it not necessary in al things to follow the church of Rome Further I say that it is not to be doubted but that it is better in matter of externall gouernment to folow the consent of antiquitie and succéeding ages rather then any mans priuate humour and opinion and therefore I doubt not but our cause is better and our grounde more certaine which in searching out the doctrine of Christian faith do build our selues vpon Christ and his apostles and vpon holy Scriptures approoued by consent of times descent of holy fathers bishops testimony of the most ancient church which all appéereth in ancient symboles of faith then that of the papists which in doubts and controuersies runne to this pope or that pope which for the most part is but a blocke or a sot and a man ignorant not onely in the controuersies but often in the grounds principles of Christian religion Now what assurance the papists can haue of their faith that haue no ground but in the determination of the pope I report me euen to the papists themselues that condemne priuate opinions and singuler mens fancies and in externall termes yéeld all not to this man or that man but to the iudgement of Christ his vniuersall church Another spirituall blessing a P. 6. and 7. saith our aduersarie is when good works follow faith as meeknes penance mortification of the flesh continencie virginitie fasting praying almes voluntarie pouertie renouncing of the world And that mens sauage natures should be altered by Christs doctrine he prooueth out of Isay the 11. where it is saide That the woolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the Pard lie with the goate And the calfe lyon and sheepe abide togither Lastly hée asketh Whether our doctrine hath wrought these effects of peace and meekenesse of penance and mortification and the rest I answer that the doctrine of the Gospell hath wrought good effects in all true Christians And that all such do good workes and liue according to their profession And albeit euerie one do not so square their liues according to Gods law as they should do yet compare our people with the papists nay with the priests and popes themselues whom they call most holy and I make no question but they do farre excell them In Quéene Maries time this land flowed with bloud of innocents Vpon her Maiesties entrance these cruell executions ceased Such was her clemencie that shée would not shed the blood of those woolues that had shed the most innocent blood of many others Nay albeit during the time of her sisters reigne shée had receiued many wrongs yet did shée forget al. So rare was her clemencie that euen strangers commend it Tanta eius animi extitit moderatio saith b Histor Gâ—nuens lib. 23. Peter Bizarus atque inuata clementia vt non immeritò de illa dici possit quod veteres de Seuero Alexandro Mammea matre genito posteris tradidere nempe anaematon hoc est citra sanguinem gessisse imperium cum suapte natura semper à caedibus crudelitate abhorrens nunquam adduci potuerit vt aliquem nisi publico iudicio damnatum ad supplicium rapi pateretur Her people likewise did folow her steps and neuer sought the blood of papists though the world knoweth they séeke ours In France and Flanders our side neuer tooke armes but in defence of their liues against those that sought to murder them In our victories likewise great clemencie hath béene vsed The king of Nauarre now king of France was euer admired for his great clemencie The English entring perforce into Caliz and other places shewed great moderation in their victorie In diuers places where religion is professed adulterie is punished with death fornication with corporall punishments other vnnaturall filthinesse is not named No where are stewes accompted lawfull Neither do we accompt any man a true professor that doth not moderate his affections and absteine from swearing drunkennesse pride and deale mercifully with the poore and conscionably with all If any man do otherwise he may liue among vs but he is not of vs. But the whoorish synagogue of Rome she is redde with the blood of saintes No tigre was euer more fierce or cruell This farre surpasseth the bloody city whereof the prophet a Nahum 3. speaketh the gouernours of this synagogue like wolues haue deuoured the lambes of Christ and not spared his flocke they imprison the true professors they spoile them torment them and kill them Innocent the third caused many thousands to be slaine in France Iohn the two and twentieth did b Io. Villan hist. fiorent 11. persecute the poore Christians of Armenia and hired the Saracens to war vpon them and all because they would not acknowledge his authoritie Martin the fift and his successors with fire and sword sought to ruinate the Bohemians onely for séeking reformation of abuses and redresse for the cruell execution of Iohn Husse murdred at Constance contrarie to the emperors safe conduct To forbeare to speake of former times the world knoweth that the warres of Germanie against the protestants as they are called were stirred vp by Paul the third and prosecuted with great rigour By the instigation of bloody priestes of the Romish synagogue the innocent christians of Cabriers Merindole and the villages néere adioyning were most cruellie slaine without respect of age sexe or qualitie These be the wolues that in the time of Quéene Mary made such hauock of Christs flocke in England that haue caused millions of christians in France Flanders and other places to be slaughtered Lib. hist 24. Natalis a popish writer saith that thréescore thousand were murdred in the massacre of France anno 1572. Cum amirante saith he Lutetiae Parisiorum in omnibus propè Gallicis ciuitatibus caesa fuisse dicuntur plura sexaginta millibus hominum factionis Vgonoticae nouae religionis And therefore he doubteth not to cal this execution Cruell and bitter The numbers of those that haue béene secretly murdred by the bloodie Inquisitors in Rome Italie Spaine is excéeding great the crueltie of the persecutors strange the patience of saints admirable Neither doe they onely practise crueltie against such as they accompt
claiming somewhat that the Spaniard was vnwilling to yéeld coulde by no terror of excommunication hinder a Historia Adriani king Philips armie but it entred vpon the popes countrey and prosecuted his holinesse with great rigour So likewise in Iuliers and Italy the Spaniard hath iniambed vpon others right notwithstanding consent in Religion Further hée doubteth not to affirme That the warres and tumults in kingdomes rounde about vs haue principally proceeded from alteration of religion in England Which is but a ridiculous conceite and a vaine imagination For when as yet England continued in popish superstition the pope and his agents stirred vp Charles the fift to persecute the princes of Germanie Francis the first his officers to murder the poore inhabitants of Cabriers and Merindol And when her Maiestie came to the crowne all the worlde knoweth that her studie was rather peace then warre as her agents can yet testifie that often mooued both the Spaniard to cease his warres in the Low Countries and the French to desist to persecute his subiects that except in matters of their conscience promised al obedience Beside that it is a fond imaginatō to thinke that her Maiestie or her agents had that credite in other countries that shée coulde make them take armes at her pleasure No no the worlde is witnesse that it is the pope that is the firebrand of the warres throughout all Christendome Hée stirred vp Charles the fift against the Germaines as appéereth both by his letters and negotiation with him and by the aide hée sent to him against them Hée enflamed the warres in France and neuer woulde let matters settle as appéereth by the negotiation of his legates and by infinite testimonies When as yet her Maiestie did not so much as procéed against any papist for religion then did Pius the fift that furious frier publish his shamelesse and railing bull against her and sent Nicholas Morton to perswade the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland and their followers to rebell against her And so hée declareth himselfe to be Antichrist that shall cause all to bée slaine that will not admit his religion and that is figured in the second beast Apocal. 13. This companion therefore that doth impute the cause of warres vnto vs is like that good fellow that saide the cause why hée robbed and spoiled was because men carried money with them vpon the high way Wée cannot hinder the malice and ambition of the pope and Spaniard that prosecuteth warres against innocents But they are to be blamed that offer violence to the peaceable and defende open wrong and not they that mainteine their right Lastly hée telleth vs and that in a lamentable voice That if this alteration had not hapned wee had not seene the depriuation of all the sacred order of bishops in one day togither with their perpetuall imprisonment nor so many noble houses ouerthrowne nor so many troubled for persisting in their fathers faith and not consenting to this change nor the torturing hanging and quartering of a hundred priests most of them gentlemen and youthes of rare witte Percase he is hired to shedde some few teares Assuredly hée wéepeth without iust cause For neither were all the popish prelates depriued in one day nor were they cōmitted to perpetuall imprisonment Nor was any papist héere directly troubled for persisting in his fathers faith nor haue any noble houses bin ouerthrowne by religion but rather by rebellion Neither were those simple vnlearned youthes whom the popes agents haue sent into England to prepare the way to rebellion hanged and quartered for religion but for treason Further we say for answer that those prelates whom he talketh of were no bishops nor teachers but woluish murderers of Gods saints and hirelings of Antichrist whosemarke they bore and yet diuers of them were suffred to runne away Some of them were neuer imprisoned others were onely restrained that either to their owne houses or to places where they had all things in abundance Nay albeit they refused to consecrate her Maiestie and denied her right yet shée did not as shée might lawfully vse force against them But if any shoulde denie to consecrate the pope albeit no prince yet shoulde it cost them their liues Further the worlde knoweth how much her Maiestie hath fauoured her nobilitie Shée coulde not doe more honour to any then to the duke of Norfolke Yet coulde shée not mollifie his hart toward her She neuer thought euill of the earle of Westmerland and Northumberland yet did they séeke her destruction at the solicitation of a wicked priest called Nicholas Morton Henrie Earle of Northumberland albeit farre engaged in practises of rebellion yet was he suffred to enioy his honour and liuing And diuers that were farre interessed in that action were not called in questiō If then any perished in those practises the fault was wholy their owne Her Maiestie was sorrowfull for their wilfulnesse rather then cause of their ouerthrowe As for wilfull Recusants they were not once called in question before that the pope vsed their obstinacie as a meanes to worke the ouerthrow of the state And now notwithstanding they do adhere to the pope her Maiesties enimie and will not disauow his authoritie in depriuing her of her right which is a matter of great consideration yet all their punishment is onely a mulct for not comming to church and restreint that they doe not easily ioine with forraine enemies They enioy their landes their goods and most of them too great libertie albeit euill affected to the state and wholy addicted to a most abominable and damnable religion Our brethren in other places onely for professing the truth without other cause loose not onely goods landes and country but libertie and life also Wherefore if they be wise let them acknowledge that they liue vnder a gratious Princesse and see that such leud proctors as this leaue prating in their cause least they heare that which shall make them séeme vnworthy all fauour in all indifferent mens iudgment Against the poore yoong men that haue died for their practising for the pope I wil not say much I do rather lament that they should be so abused as to be drawne out of their countrey to forreine enemies and to be emploied in their seruice either to their owne destruction or to the hurt of their countrey but most of all that they shoulde to the finall losse of their soules yéeld themselues thrall to Antichrist and embrace his damnable doctrine and heresies Onely thus much being vrged by this Noddies importunitie I could not choose but say in defence of our religion and the present gouernment that they were executed for treason and not for their heresies or false doctrine Which appéereth notoriously by their enditements by the euidence by the iudgement and manner of execution That the sentence is most iust it is euident both by the ancient lawes of this lande and by the lawes of all nations By the a 25. Ed. 3.2
in Léeth Not long after followed the excommunication of pope Pius the fift and the rebellion in the north parts of England After that Nicholas Sanders stirred vp a rebellion in Ireland And this N. D. their proctor albeit hée woulde excuse and cléere the papists of all euill meaning yet coulde hée not forbeare to praise the rebels and lament their death which sheweth how well rebellion and treason doth please this faction and howe little hée loueth her Maiestie with whose capitall enimies hée is so néere consorted When by sedition and rebellion they could not preuaile hey stirred vp Philip king of Spaine to make open warres vpon her Maiestie to depriue her of her kingdome Neither did either respect of alliance or shame or danger drawe him backe from this enterprise The duke of Alua had giuen the first attempt had not the vnexpected troubles of the low countries hindred him And Don Iuan D'Austria had not failed to make warres vpon vs but that God cut him off in the midst of his deliberations The yéere 1588. the Spaniard brought a great fléete vpon this coast and to correspond with it there were great lande forces prouided by the duke of Parma in the Low countries Cardinall Allen was then readie also to vtter and throw abroad his excommunications and slaundrous a His letters to the nobility and people of England and Ireland libels against her Maiestie and the state Neither could the euill successe of that iourney make the Spaniard giue ouer his determination Beside rebellion and warre they haue attempted poyson and secret practises to destroy her Iohn Someruile was perswaded to kill her by a seditious priest The same execution did William Parry take vpon him perswaded by Benedict Palmio and Aniball Codret two Iesuits Ballard a priest by his lewd perswasion drew Babington Sauadge Tichborne and their companions to conspire her death By the meanes of Holt a Iesuite Gifford Worthington and of certaine priests Yorke Williams Patrick Collen and others were sent ouer vpon the same errand And when with the sworde nothing coulde bée done Lopez by certaine traitors was hired and Squire by Walpoole was perswaded to poison her And no question but many other attempts haue béene made against her although they are not come to light hitherto Neuer I thinke was one poore Ladies life more sought nor by more meanes They haue left neither force nor fraud nor any course vnattempted Nay not content héerewith They haue a In Bulla Pi◠v. Sixti v. cursed all her subiects and friends seased the persons and goods of such as they coulde come by and by all meanes sought to ouerthrow the state anno 1588. diuers rinegued English and among the rest the traiterous Cardinall Allen came with the Spaniards to fight against their countrey From time to time they runne to the enemie bewray their countries secrets and diuers of them euen now intertaine intelligence with the Spaniard And little it is God wot that our aduersarie notwithstanding all his great shewes can allege in his clients the papists defence First hée is offended that sir Francis Hastings should say That by Gods goodnesse onely her Maiestie was preserued her life being maliciously and with great cunning shot at by the Romish clergie and Spaine against her And thereupon alledgeth thrée reasons of her Maiesties deliuerāce First saith he King Phillip and the Spaniards specially fauoured her for her yoong yeeres beautie felicitie and other her good graces and talents Secondly hée saith Shee bore her selfe for a papist and heard two masses a day one for the quicke and another for the dead and receiued no seruant into her seruice lightly but with expresse condition and many signes that he enclined that way Thirdly he imagineth That shee was kept aliue to barre the next praetender that then was wife of the Dolphine of France which for some reasons neither Spanish nor English could endure And these reasons hée estéemeth to bée Very potent and pregnant for so hée calleth them But if wée will rightly estéeme them wée shall finde them to be built on false grounds and to bée very impotent barren of reason and ridiculous For first most false it is that the Spaniards so fauored her that they would either hazard their state or loose a kingdom for her sake All which was like to come to passe if the ladie Elizabeth should atteine to the crowne And very vnlikely it was that the Spanish king That spared not his a Vita di Pio quinto owne onely sonne nor bloud nor those that were far néerer to him then the Lady Elizabeth woulde encurre the popes displeasure and loose his footing in England to spare her But what néede wée dispute of the Spaniards care and affection to her when they suffred her to be imprisoned euill intreated and called in question for her life As for the Count of Feria hée came to her indéede but not for any good intended to her but either for a complement of curtesie or to aske such a question of her as her manly and stout answer maketh this Noddie albeit hée knew it ashamed to report Secondly her comming to masse if I may so call it when masse was saide before her that vnwillingly heard it was rather of constraint then otherwise As for seruants good Lady she had no power to entertaine any but her ould seruants were remooued and certaine were forced vpon her and commaunded to attend her that she liked not But be it she had for sauing of her life giuen some hope of inclining to popish religion as the aduersary falsely and dishonorably imagineth yet papists are not so simple as to trust such as are newly conuerted Againe séeing the pope had pronounced diuers sentences against her to frustrate and make void her right it could not auaile her any thing to turne to the papists vnlesse either the pope would reuoke his sentences or she take the crowne at his hands which I doubt whether he would haue giuen to her if it had béene in his power to dispose King Henry the third of France though superstitiously popish yet might he not liue for that he was not for the humour of the pope Antonie likewise king of Portugall was put beside his crowne notwithstanding his religion to gratifie the king of Spaine Thirdly séeing Quéene Mary was like to haue children at the first it is more likely that the papists sought to establishe the kingdome in Quéene Mary and her succession by the innocent Ladies destruction then to barre another pretender which could claime no interest before Quéene Maries death not then looked for so soone Besides it is not likely séeing the papists sought onely to establish their owne kingdome that they should exclude one that was wholy deuoted to their religion for one either contrary or much suspected And if the Spaniardes did respect the Lady Elizabeth in regard of matter of state then did they it not for loue as is pretended in the first
and therefore most woorthie to bée abolished and anathematized It is false also That the pope was by vs made a matter of scorne or that this proposition viz. That the pope is antichrist and such like are matters ridiculous For such propositions we take to be most true and dare alwaies maintaine them against more valiant disputers then this Noddy euer will be And therefore we do not thinke the pope a man to bée scorned but a tyrant to bée seriously shunned and abhorred of all christians Let this then make the eight lie This is also a lie most palpable and grosse That other princes fearing harme that might ensue of the alteration of religion in England complained heereof to the pope and that hee proceeded against the Queene vpon their complaints and instance Let him if hée can shew these pretended complaints If hée cannot shewe them let him at the least prooue them by some witnesse or record If not then do I not doubt but hée will prooue himselfe a vaine iangler Which appéereth also by this that Sanders a Lib. 3. de schism saith The pope proceeded at the instance of English prelates that referred the matter to him Beside that the pope is not so dull in working mischiefe that hée néedeth the solicitation of others to stirre him Nay it is cléere that pope Pius b Vita di Pio quinto stirred vp both Philip of Spaine and the French men against vs. And the like industrie did Paul the third vse in stirring vp warres and rebellions against Henrie the eight king of England and drawing troubles vpon the princes of Germanie No man therefore hencefoorth can iustly doubt but that all those practises which haue béene lately made against her Maiestie haue procéeded principally from the popes malice and rancor against true religion and the professors thereof and next from the malcontentment and trecherie of papists and their agents These are the two fountaines from whence all our warres rebellions treasons attempts to murder and poison princes and other great persons and other such like vilanous practises against the state haue flowed Now least any scruple might remaine in mens mindes hée endeuoureth to shewe how farre the excommunication of Pius quintus toucheth the papists in England and saith that They are not to discusse the question betwixt the Queene and the pope but to loue the one and the other But this resolutiō is so vnsufficient that it doth rather encrease then diminish our doubt For how can any good subiect loue him that seeketh the destruction of his prince How can a man serue not two masters but two masters so contrarie and adhere to a religious Quéene if hée bée a vassall to antichrist Beside this séeing papists make the pope the souereigne iudge of these matters what a ridiculous conceit is it to thinke that a papist can iudge otherwise then the pope iudgeth or sentenceth His reasons also are such as can satisfie none of any meane vnderstanding First saith hée This excommunication is an act of iurisdiction betwixt two superiors As if it were not méere foolerie to say that iurisdiction can bée exercised betwixt superiors or betwéene equals And if papists grant that the pope is superior to the Quéene then must they adhere to him and forsake her Which no doubt they will do and must doe if order bée not taken with them Besides wée deny that this excommunication is an act of iurisdiction or iustice Nay the worlde séeth it is a méere act of vilany and presumptuous tyrannie for a ribald like companion and a lousie frier to attempt to depose a prince and a most notorious foolerie to imagine that the popes of Rome who haue no right in that which they iniuriously possesse haue power to take away the right which belongeth to others Secondly hée saith That vpon the popes excommunication against a prince the subiects consent was neuer asked nor admitted Why then doth the pope excommunicate all those that after his excommunication adhere to her Maiestie Are not his a In bulla Pij ◠aduers Eliz. wordes plaine Howbeit I confesse that if rightly we will estéeme of matters the popes excommunication is no excommunication he being an vsurper and no iudge in this case And therefore all true subiects are to account of his excommunication as of a denuntiation of his malice and an argument of his shamefull dealing against Christian princes contrarie to all precedents of antiquitie and to estéeme them all not onely slaues of Antichrist but enimies of the estate that shall not plainly condemne it as wicked and vnlawfull But if the excommunication shoulde bée lawfull yet are Christians to know it and allow it for that it bindeth not before it bée published and allowed Thirdly he saith It is no new thing for popes to excommunicate princes And that the subiect is not to be troubled for his old receiued beleefe about the popes authoritie But hée is much deceiued in things new or old In faith and beléefe all is new that is not taught by Christ and his apostles Wherefore vnlesse hée can shewe this authoritie to be giuen from Christ hée must néedes confesse the Romish faith therein to be new Nay hée cannot shew that the popes either claimed or practised any such power as to excommunicate and depose princes before Gregory the seuenth that was therefore rightly called Hell-brand or the firebrand of the diuell to set discord betwixt Christian princes to the weakening and vtter ouerthrow of Christendome and enlarging of the Turkish empire Otho Frisingensis and Trithemius and hée that wrote the life of Henry the fourth emperour do all testifie that hee was the first that attempted to excommunicate princes and that at the first his excommunications were little regarded Fourthly hée telleth vs that The subiect is not to discusse whether the pope had iust cause to excommunicate the prince which altogither ouerthroweth his clients the papists cause declareth them to be vtter enimies to the prince excommunicate For if they may not discusse the popes procéeding but to beléeue that in his iudicial sentences hée cannot erre especially in matters of faith then must they of force beléeue that the pope hath done well to excommunicate their Queene and must aide him to execute it without further enquirie which teacheth vs without further enquirie also that all papists that allow the popes authoritie in excommunicating the Quéene are enimies if they bée forreiners and traitors if they be subiects Lastly he referreth his clients the papists of England to consider what the papists of France did of late when their kings were excommunicate and to English that liued in king Iohns time Which plainly argueth that though hée woulde haue them looke smoothly for the time yet when occasion serueth hée closely signifieth that they ought to rebell against their princes For so did they of the league in France and so did the subiects héere in England against king Iohn And generally all papists are bound
to beléeue that the popes excommunications are to bée executed and this is their common doctrine But suppose our aduersarie shoulde teach papists to contemne the popes authoritie which hée is not like to do yet would not his exhortation worke any effect For alwaies vpon the popes excommunication haue wars and rebellions ensued where the pope hath had any authoritie This was the beginning and motiue of the bloody warres of the popes against Henry the fourth and fift and the two Fridericks and against Otho Philip and Lewis of Bauier emperours of Germanie And no other cause can be assigned of the insurrections against king Henry the eight other excommunicate princes In vaine therfore doth this Noddy go about to reconcile the subiects obedience with the excoÌ„munications of the pope They neuer did nor euer coulde agrée hitherto Fire and water may percase bée reconciled but these two cannot Neither do I thinke that hée meaneth to reconcile them Onely hée desireth some respite vntill by our negligence either the papists may get a head or forreine enimies haue made their prouisions ready For how little affection hée beareth to the prince and state it appéereth throughout all his defence In this place hée goeth about to smooth and as farre as hée dare with the safetie of the cause in hand to defende the insurrection in the north of England anno 1569. the rebellions in Ireland the practises of Charles Paget and Francis Throgmorton and diuers other attempts against her Maiestie and the state Whereas the earles of Northumberland and Westmerland rose in armes in the north and spoiled all that quarter and purposed not onely the destruction of the prince but also the subuersion of the state and the bringing in of strangers as appéereth by the negotiation of Ridolpho as it is set downe in pope Pius the fift his life hée saith They onely gathered â—heir tenants togither and without battaile or bloudshed retired As if they had ment nothing but to méete at an ale-stake or May-game Doctor Sanders raised a rebellion in Ireland Francis Throgmorton not onely reuealed the secrets of the state to Bernardin Mendoça and practised with him how to draw in forreine enimies but also had his finger in other treasons Charles Paget began a practise about the coast of Sussex was the ouerthrow of Henry earle of Northumberland and afterward continued practising what mischéefe he could against his countrey The late earle of Northumberlandes actions were openly declared in the Starre-chamber to be dangerous The last earle of Arundell was taken as hée was passing ouer to the enimies And yet all these treasonable and dangerous practises are by him either lightly passed or else coloured Hée saith that Francis Throgmorton died for hauing a description of some portes in his chamber But his owne confession testifieth that hée was touched for far greater matters and I haue partly pointed at the same Hée saith The earle of Arundell was condemned onely for hearing of a masse and that he had cause to reioice that he was condemned for such a treason As if it were so spirituall and glorious a matter to heare a masse Assuredly in times past masses were no such glorious matters when they were solde to all commers for thrée-halfe-pence a péece and vnder As for the earle hée had great cause to commend the clemencie of this gouernment or else hée had well vnderstoode that hee had committed greater faultes then hearing of a masse all which I forbeare to relate for the respect I beare to his house The iustice that hath béene doone vpon papists that haue béene conuicted eyther of rebellion or secrete practises with forraine enemies or other kindes of treason and felony he calleth Pressures vexations dishonors rapines slaughters and afflictions Dishonoring her Maiestie and the state and calumniating the iudges And yet were more true catholickes and religious christians executed within one yéere in Queene Maries time then trayterous papists since her Maiestie came to the crowne a Histor Genuens lib. 23. Bizarus and other strangers do greatly commend her Maiesties clemency her very enemies could neuer appeach her of cruelty The papists most cruelly murder those that are of a diuers religion albeit they yéelde obedience to their prince and desire to liue quietly Her Maiestie executeth none to death for popish religion nay least she should séeme to touch any for religion she doth oftentimes spare offendors guiltie of dangerous practises and treasons Likewise in drawing the obstinate to the church there is great moderation vsed Many offend few are punished and that very gently The papistes haue the greatest part of the wealth of the land in their handes Diuers rayling companions are still publishing libels to the dishonor of her Maiestie and the whole gouernment neither can this Noddy represse his malitious affection but he must néedes allow their dooings And yet the papistes are spared although neuer the more for his wise pleading Finally he commendeth the papistes for their patience But I thinke he meaneth the patience rather of Lombardes then of christians For they neuer had yet patience but when they were vnable to resist In king Henry the eightes dayes they made diuers insurrections in England The trumpets of sedition were monkes and friers In king Edward the sixt his daies they stirred in Deuonshire and Cornewall and all for want of their masse and holywater and such like trinckets The chéefe moouers thereof were likewise priests in Quéene Elizabeths time they made head first in the north parts and afterward in Ireland by the seditious practises of priestes and Iesuites either most or a great part of that country is in combustion Neither haue they omitted any opportunity to mooue new rebellions in England In Fraunce they conspired together against their lawfull kings Henry the third and fourth and neuer gaue ouer vntill they were ouercome by famine sword and other calamities and this is the patience of papists nay they say that if the first christians had had power they would haue deposed Nero Dioclesian and other persecutors a Lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 7. Quod si Christiani olim saith Bellarm. non deposuerunt Neronem Dioclesianum Iulianum apostatam ac Valentem Arianum similes id fuit quia decrant vires temporales Christianis So when papistes are too weake to resist then they are content to obey but giue them head and then beware Compare now the dooings and procéedings of our side with our aduersaries I hope there shal be no such wickednes found in our hands Diligently doth this fellow search matter against vs but findeth none To iustifie his consorts he telleth vs of Goodman but we do not allow his priuate opinion Beside that he doth not like rebellion but misliketh womens gouernment which opinion since himselfe hath retracted Secondly he obiecteth against vs Wyats rebellion But that was not for religion but for matter of state not against Quéene Marie but against strangers whose tyrannie hée
and deuised most slanderous letters in the emperors name against the yoong man And lastly for that the yoong earle was suspected for religion so giuen to his affectiōs that he did not himselfe desire any such matter nor if he had desired it could he haue bin liked by Winchester Neither skilleth it whether Winchester called him his spiritual childe or no. If he did then was hée an vnkinde spirituall father that gaue counsell to sende his childe away into Italy where by a most shamefull practise of this wicked generation he was poisoned and made away Resteth then that this practise of Winchester to bring in the authoritie of the pope and tyrannie of Spaniards was most dangerous to this state and ought to be most hatefull to this nation If he did not please the pope nor emperor neither as this our aduersarie pretendeth then was he odious to all the worlde His sermon certes preached at Paules crosse before the king and Quéene and popes legat declared that as in times past he had vsed his authority to persecute poore Christians so here he did abuse gods word to please the popes agent and those that fauoured his faction His text was Hora est iani nos de somno surgere which is taken out of Saint Paules epistle to the Romaines And out of this he went about to shew that since the church of England had departed from the subiection of the pope the people had continued as it were in a sléepe therefore did he conclude that euery man must awake and returne againe to the pope as if the apostle in those wordes had willed men to submit themselues and to returne to the obedience of the pope and to embrace his most vaine superstitions and his fantasticall and impious traditions which god wot was no part of the apostles meaning Nay he rather speaketh of the pope 2. Thes 2. where he mentioneth the man of sinne that shall sit in the temple of God and aduance himselfe aboue all that is called God And in this place he rather exhorteth worldlinges that are drowned in sensuality and pleasures and forget God while they follow the vanities of this world to awake and call themselues to a serious cogitation of spirituall matters For security and sencelesse stupidity is an image of sleepe or death rather And it may very well be applyed to those that eyther are besotted with popish ignorance not knowing any point of Christian faith or that walke in darkenesse of popish errors and will not awake out of their sencelesse sléepe and come to the light of Gods word that is offered to them For to speake truely the doctrine of popery is nothing but a doctrine of darkenesse of sleepe of death But let vs sée how our aduersary defendeth this noble sermon first saith he It was preached before the king and Queene the popes legat the embassadors of diuers princes and a great audience As if many great fooleries and vaine toyes had not béene declared before great princes and many auditors The more were present here the more witnesses there were of the mans great simplicity in mistaking and shamelesse impudency in peruerting the scriptures Secondly he telleth vs How Gardiners discourse was to shew how long the people of England had runne astray and beene in darkenesse of diuision and strife But first he séemed himselfe to be as it were in a sléepe when he talked of darkenesse and should haue spoken of sléepe For betwéene these two there is no small difference For many awake in the night and others sléepe at noone daye Secondly he committeth no smal error where he calleth the separation from popery Darknesse of diuision and strife For he that is ioyned to Christ walketh in light and they that liue vnder the pope continue in Egyptian darknesse Beside this darknesse doth rather worke confusion then diuision Thirdly he saith that Gardiner vttered two thinges that greatly mooued the whole auditory The first was the harty accusation of himselfe for his booke de vera obedientia Which he vttered wéeping like a great calfe and as our aduersary telleth vs With such vehemency as he was forced diuers times to make some pauses And that these teares were not feyned saith he It appeared in this that drawing to his end he said negaui cum Petro exiui cum Petro sed nendū amarè fleui cum Petro. The second was a relation how king Henry a litle before his death dealt with him secretly and seriously to go into Germany to a certaine diet and there to take some course that he might be reconciled to the pope But what maketh all this to the true expounding of this text Hora est iam nos de somno surgere Surely no more then if he should haue talked of clypping of goates or shearing of swine and such idle fancies as be represented to men in their sléepe Besides that here are many vntruthes conteined of which I haue great cause to doubt whether euer they were vttered in so famous and publike an auditory or no. First it is a most shamelesse vntruth to affirme that euer the king desired to be reconciled to the pope his words his actions yea all his procéedings tended to the contrarie and of this point he was so well resolued that rather he sought to perswade others to renounce the pope then determined himselfe to returne to the pope Finally what coulde be deuised more absurd then to feine that such a noble and magnanimous prince did voluntarily submit himselfe to a base enimie which by no force nor perswasion he coulde bée induced to do Secondly it is an absurd thing to thinke that if the king meant to do any such matter he would impose the charge vpon him that had written against the popes power and forsworne it and vntill the protectors death in king Edwards daies did acknowledge the princes supremacie Thirdly it is apparent that the king long time before his death suspected him for a secret traitor and coulde no way abide that he shoulde come in his presence as the Lord Paget and sir Anthonie Browne the Duke of Suffolke and diuers others testified And therefore if any such thing had béene in the kings head he woulde rather haue vsed any other then him At least he woulde haue declared his minde to some of his Counsails beside Gardiner Fourthly I cannot learne that euer the bishop of Winchester did speake these wordes at Paules crosse And therefore most like it is they haue béene forged since and fathered vpon him Lastly if the king woulde haue any such matter handled he woulde not haue sent into Germany but to Rome neither néeded hée to haue doubted but hée shoulde most willingly haue bin receiued if he had entended any such submission Al these points therefore séeme to haue bin deuised by some lying companion stand onely vpon the bare credite of this our wise aduersarie without proofe of any one witnes or record and therefore we may well conclude that the second
Pannes confession But what reason had hée to confesse it if the matter were not true These fellowes haue reason to denie it for their owne credite Hée denieth also That the Iesuites had any seruant called Melchior du Val. But that is not materiall séeing there are fewe Iesuites but they haue two or thrée names and it may bée that this Melchior also going about so wicked a purpose changed his name Further hée saith That there was neuer any speech had with Peter Pannes wife in Ipres about this matter and denieth that euer shee had any acquaintance with any Iesuite But hée must bée very well acquainted with her that knew both what shée did and what shée saide and what not This Noddy if hée had béene wise woulde haue alleaged some reason of his saying His companion a Sica tragica Costerus for proofe alleageth her examination But how shoulde wée beleeue that euer shee was duely examined or that shée saide as is alleaged Againe if béeing induced by Iesuites shée shoulde speake any such thing yet who woulde not rather beléeue her husband vttring matter against himselfe then such a light huswife speaking vntruth without danger or controlement and percase béeing hired Lastly whereas Peter Panne cōfessed That in the rogation weeke next before he talked with the prouinciall others of the colledge of Iesuites at Doway and told that they promised him reward in earth blisse in heauen for executing that act this discourser telleth vs That the Prouinciall that weeke was 60. miles from Doway and that there passed no such conference with Peter Panne And this hée saith Is prooued by witnesses and certified by cacolike magistrates But hée shoulde haue vnderstood that witnesses examined in the absence of parties and percase neither sworne nor duely examined prooue nothing Beside that wée haue good cause to except against such iudges and such witnesses as our professed enimies do choose and produce But suppose all their relation were true yet such certificates prooue nothing but that Peter Panne either mistooke the names or qualities of some persons named in his examinations and it may be that the Iesuites made him beléeue he was brought to the prouinciall and chéefe of the colledge when hée was onely before some other base companion of that societie That hée shoulde charge the Iesuites wrongfully being to die presently it cannot bée presumed Neither is it strange for Iesuites to worke cunningly and vnderhand in these cases that whē they come to light may prooue so odious This Noddie therefore was not wise to say What hath beene found against the Iesuites or to wish that it may bee laide open to the worlde which wordes a Apologet. c. 8. Tertullian vsed in the defence of Christians in his time For wée haue founde matter sufficient against them and little hath hée alleaged in their defence which wée haue not auoided Moreouer wée doe not read that Christians in Tertullians time taught this omnipotent power of the pope which the Iesuites defende nor beléeued that all that woulde not submit themselues to his iurisdiction shoulde bée slaine Among them certes there were no assassinors and murderers of kings nor practisers against princes states nor such proude and cruell sectaries as are the Iesuites And albeit Iesuites eate no children which crime was imputed to ancient Christians yet they haue occasioned the death of millions of men women and children that in the stirres and tumults raised by them haue perished and daily more and more matter we finde against them Further hée woulde haue such As haue abandoned the societie of Iesuites to be examined what they haue heard and seene during the time when they abode among them Which to gratifie him wée haue done and in one b Histor Iesuit Hazenmyller and Paule Floren c Colloq Iesuit and Simon Lith we find that they are the corrupters of religion the firebrands of sedition perturbers of Christian common-wealthes and the ruine of Christendome In outward semblant they are shéepe but inwardly they are goates or rather woolues They professe pouertie and chastitie but abound in wealth and liue licenciously and wantonly They take to themselues the name of Iesuites but are the onely vpholders of antichrists kingdome And if they will not beléeue them which haue left them and their societie let them listen a little what some of their owne friends report of them One Iohn Cecil a popish priest in his Discouerie of errors committed by William Criton Iesuite a Fol. 14. saith That his practises made many widowes and orphans in Scotland b Fol. 16. and that hee was taken with plats for the inuasion of England Hée chargeth him with c Fol. 10. Machiuilian practises d Fol. 4. making satirs and pasquinadoes e Fol. 27. and irreligious and vnconscionable calumnies And finally hée calleth the Iesuites f Fol. 18. turbulent spirits and saith they hinder the popes cause with their Libels schismes sedition and plots of inuasion Another priest In his discouerie of Dolmans conference g P. 6. chargeth Parsons directly with A practise and confederacie against the bloud royall and saith h P. 12. That his drift is to disinherite true heires to alter the common lawes and to bring in strangers into England i P. 19. yea to bring in mischiefes on mischiefes and k P. 33. ciuill warre Finally he l P. 70. chargeth him with monstrous absurdities and blasphemies against kings and m P. 43. saith That he calleth her Maiesties title in question and that the Iesuites haue made diuers practises against her Thus while traitors fall out true men come to vnderstande the truth This discourser telleth vs That the chastitie of Iesuites must imitate the puritie of angels But vnlesse by angels hée vnderstand wicked angels and diuels the Iesuites will come farre short of their example which they propose to themselues to imitate The angels of God certes neither burne in lust nor abandon themselues to the delites of the worlde He saith further That they shoulde abhorre all those things which the world doth loue and esteeme But that is nothing else but a sentence of condemnation against the whole societie of Iesuites that so much loueth the worlde and delighteth in honors pleasures large pallaces goodly gardens pleasant fountaines good furniture of housholde aboundance of daintie viandes rich clothes and such like worldly vanities After this hée runneth into a large discourse of the martyrdomes and voluntarie suffringes of the Iesuites in the Indies purposing percase if any entend to trace him in his lying to make him trauell a great iorney But suppose they shoulde suffer death tortures yet that is a matter common to them and to rebels traitors malefactors yea to such as fall into the hand of barbarous people that respect not whom they massacre Ghineard in France and Campian and other Iesuites in England haue suffred but a See the conclusion of the 4. encounters
ensuing not for the testimonie of truth Euill therfore are those words of Iustine apolog 1. concerning the patient suffering of Christians applied to Iesuites that are neither martyrs nor good Christians nor suffer for other cause but their offences and that most vnwillingly and vnpatiently as by Campian and by diuers examples may bée prooued The comparison likewise betwixt the first Christians that were charged to be Syluestres and Syluicolae and the Iesuites is most improper For Iesuites neither liue in woodes nor holes as did the first Christians but in princely pallaces and kinges courts and in the presse of people Neither are they retired for meditation but runne disguised ouer the worlde and thrust themselues into all companies to practise them wicked treasons and to execute their holie fathers desseignements Hee braggeth very much of the Iesuites teaching and of their reading artes toongs and sciences As if artes toongs and sciences were not as well taught before the name of this sect was heard of and shall not bee so againe when the whole order of them shall be extinguished As for their teaching it should bée much more commendable if with truth and knowledge they did not mingle falshoode heresie and poison and their toongs were more to bée estéemed if they did not teach them to spread lies and slanders But whatsoeuer their teaching is they enter vpon the pastors office and intrude themselues into it without commission and authoritie Nay they enter by other waies then the dore and in the folde make hauocke of Christes lambes Hée compareth them also to saint b 1. Cor. 15. Paule that saith Abundantius omnibus laboraui and to the rest of the most holy apostles Nay in the end hée doubteth not to iustifie the turbulent procéedings of the Iesuites by the example of Christ Iesus who was charged with troubling the people and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar as hée saith but the difference and oddes is so great as may make a man woonder why hée compared things so vnlike togither The apostles were makers of peace most humble and méeke men true disciples of Christ and most painfull laborers in planting true religion drawing men to Christ But these false apostles are sowers of sedition trumpets of warre proud braggers and boasters of their angelicall holinesse painfull labours and profound learning conterfect Christians and true disciples of Satan Painefull labourers but to ouerthrow rather then to build to drawe men to antichrist and not to Christ not séeking to win soules by teaching the meanes of saluation but to destroy soules by teaching false doctrine vaine traditions and by bringing men into the thraldome of antichrist Christ and his apostles were accused most vniustly These most iustly as hath béene verified Christ made a diuision in the world making good of bad and separating the good from the bad But the Iesuites make of good bad and set diuision where there was peace before as appéereth by their whole procéeding Yea and our aduersarie confesseth that of colde cacolikes they make hot recusants Therefore may they bée iustly called Rerump incendiarij that is burners of common-wealthes and fire-brands of Satan that of good subiects by their reconcilements make seditious leaguers desperate murtherers busie practisers and perturbers of states But a P. 69. saith he It appeareth not that the Iesuites haue sought her Maiesties bloud especially not Parsons that was neuer accused by Parry Sauage Ballard Babington Hesket Daniel Polwhele or others As if any thing could appeare more cleare then the murderous minde of Iesuites both against al princes excommunicate by the pope and namely against her Maiestie Do they not teach that the subiectes are to rise against their princes when the pope commaundeth Did not Ghineard resolue that it was lawfull to kill princes excommunicate by the pope And was not he therefore executed at Paris anno 1594. And haue not diuers Iesuites sent men ouer into England and perswaded them to murder her Maiestie And haue not diuers witnesses testified so much as before hath béene declared And hath not Ribadineira or rather a ribaldy lying frier a Portingale Iesuite by all meanes b This Ribald hath set out Sanders booke of schisme in Spanish with many additions and falsification◠sought to dishonour her Maiestie to stirre her subiectes to séeke her ouerthrow in his most slaunderous booke of schisme Finally we must not thinke that the Iesuites haue had eyther other purpose or desire this many yéeres then to stirre vp sedition and warres against her and to bring the realme vnder the pope and Spanyard whome they serue which cannot be done without the destruction of her person and the desolation of this realme Neither may we thinke that Parsons the Iesuite albeit for some purpose percase he hath kept himselfe from open managing of treasons is better disposed towardes her Maiestie and the state then the rest of his companions For all Iesuites allow the popes power in deposing princes which cannot be without their destruction Yea and Parsons himselfe hath not dealt so closely but that there are many great and euident proofes of his disloyalty and trechery For not onely the booke set out vnder the name of Dolman concerning the succession to the crowne of England is his but also diuers other a Andreas Philopater Leycesters common wealth a confutation of causes c. treasonable bookes and pamphlets whereby he goeth about not onely to stirre vp troubles in England but also to conuey the title of the crowne to the infant of Spaine and to bring in strangers for which he is reprooued by a certaine popish priest not altogether so leud as himselfe in a b Pag. 12. passim treatise printed at Collen anno 1600. and intituled A discouery of a counterfait conference c. Published by one Parson that dare not auow his name Yea and so farre hath he intricated himselfe in these matters that the generall of the Iesuites is ashamed of him and hath therefore called him out of Spaine and made him rector of boy-priests in the English colledge at Rome as being a person blotted with notorious treasons Secondly in this treatise which is either Parsons his deuise or at least allowed by Parsons not onely the cause of rebels and traitors that haue sought to destroy her Maiestie is pleaded but also the fact of Ghineard the Iesuite that expresty c His notes appeere in the registre of the court of parliament of Paris and in the sixt recueil of matters of the league determined That Henrie the third of France was iustly slaine and that tyrants in which degrée hée putteth all princes excommunicate by the pope may lawfully by any be slaine Thirdly he is a factor for the pope and Spaniard nowe professed enimies of her Maiestie and this kingdome And all the worlde knoweth that they haue nothing more in their vowes then her Maiesties ruine Fourthly hée is a Iesuite whose oath and profession is to do
and all that professe the same And Secondly by their affection toward forreine enimies and cold deuotion to her Maiestie and the present gouernment Their hatred against religion is so extreme that they will not suffer any to liue that professe the same Their affection to the pope is excéeding when for his sake they forget their loue to their countrie and duty to their prince as appéereth euidently by many examples and as they hate true religion the present gouernment so they séeke the establishment of idolatrie and other points of poperie and the whole alteration of the present state Of which the first cannot bée done without the subuersion of the church nor the later without the desolation of this countrey Two points so materiall that no true Christian can endure the first nor true Englishman the latter Our aduersarie supposeth that the masse and the popes gouernment may well stande with her Maiesties securitie But popish religion hath many tricks beside the masse and the popes gouernment if it were receiued as the Iesuites teach it admitteth no other soueraigntie either in ecclesiasticall or politicall affaires beside the popes Neither masse nor pope can come into England either with the safetie of her Maiestie or the state And this wée do not speake by guesses at the wishes of papists as our aduersarie supposeth but by experience of former practises and reasons deduced out of the grounds of Romish religion and the practise of Romish procéedings Of which wée haue spoken héeretofore and shall also haue occasion to speake more at large héereafter The thirde point to be considered is Whether the Recusants do not dissemble deepely and in hart stand euill affected to her Maiestie their countrey and all that professe the Gospell In handling whereof our aduersarie passeth a little the limits of patience and giueth sir Francis euill language and P. 80. chargeth him That he hath no care nor conscience in accusing so many cacolike men of England and that of such heinous crimes But high treasons are not answered with high wordes Neither can heinous crimes bée dashed out with flat and bold denials We find by experience that all the troubles that since the beginning of her Maiesties reigne vnto this time haue happened to this state haue procéeded wholie from the malice of papists The rebellion in the north parts of this realme was raised by Nicholas Morton and other priests when as yet there was almost neither act nor lawe made against papists When they coulde not preuaile in England they raised great broiles in Ireland Beside domesticall rebellions they haue stirred vp forreine enimies and warres against this state Philip of Spaine at the instance of English traitors determined both by sea and land to make warre vpon vs. By procurement and practise of this faction the Duke of Alua the Duke of Guise and Don Iuan d'Austria became our enimies Likewise if wée looke into secret practises either against her Maiesties life or against the state wée shall finde that all the plots were contriued and determined to bée executed by papists William Parry Somerfield Arden Babington Ballard Patrick Ocollen and all those murderers and empoisoners that of late time haue practised against her Maiestie were papists and set on by papists Onely Lopez as is said was a Iew. So papists and Iewes conspire iointly against this state Of their hatred against religion and the true professors thereof there is no question to be made Darkenesse cannot stand with light nor canne the sonnes of Beliall abide Christs true disciples No papist will endure to be excommunicate by the pope but if hée shoulde not persecute Christians vpon his commandement he shoulde bée excommunicate and accursed Nay albeit they woulde be content to liue in peace yet will not the Iesuites and seditious priestes suffer them to rest These raised the league or rather the rebellion against the French king and warres against the professors of true religion These are the agents of antichrist to mooue princes to warre against the lambe and those that follow him Neither is it to bée presupposed that they can continue in their allegiance to her Maiestie when they acknowledge the popes authoritie Praecipimus saith a In bulla Pij 5. aduers Elizabeth Pius Quintus interdicimus vniuersis singulis proceribus subditis populis alijs ne illi eiusue monitis mandatis legibus audeant obedire How then dare they obey her Maiestie when hée commandeth them not to obey The traytor b In his letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland Allen hée doth not onely exhort her subiects to forsake her but to take armes against her If you should either sit stil saith he or refuse to help the Spaniard c. or any of you seeke to vphold which God forbid the vsurper or her complices being thus cursed you shall first encurre the angels curse c. and bee as deepely excommunicated as shee is Séeing then that papists of our times bée like to their predecessors and séeing they cannot choose but obey the popes command what is to bée looked for at their handes but sedition rebellion and cruell execution of the popes commands They may now temporize So do also all rebels vntill their matters grow ripe They may likewise professe and protest déepely For so did Parry Lopez and the earles of Westmerland and Northumberland But why shoulde any thinke our papists to be of other nature then the papists of France and other countries that neuer cared for promise nor oath so they might attaine their purpose Shall not wée while wee haue meanes prouide for our safety and the safetie of the state Our aduersarie a P. 78. 80. talketh much of the Conscience of papists and setteth them foorth as Examples of good life and modest behauiour and diuers other vertues and no maruell seeing apes séeme faire to apes and serpents to serpents and affection maketh foule thinges séeme faire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eclog. 6. Theocritus But hée that nourisheth vp woolues must looke well to his shéepe Wee are well acquainted with their conscience and knowe they make no conscience to obey the popes commands though neuer so cruell Their behauior is such that wée finde no men more backewarde in publike seruice Wherefore as one saide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So wée may say the Spaniards are dangerous enimies the pope and his agents more the Recusant and domesticall malcontent is most dangerous Neither are they hard harted men and without piety and conscience that so thinke of them but these rather that oppugne true pietie and religion maintaine idolatrie and superstition and preferre strangers before their owne countreymen hazarding the destruction of their owne nation and countrey that is like to ensue if the popes purposes which they do fauour and vnder paine of his curse must fauour take effect And that they are not so honest men as is pretended appéereth
Further it woulde not be forgotten how much it gréeueth the Spanish nation that they haue béene disturbed by vs in their trade to the Indies and pursued by our shippes euen to their owne doores The enterprises also of Portugall and Caliz are no small corrosiue to their hautie harts And no doubt they sée how that to secure their Indies and their owne countries both of Spaine and Flaunders and the partes adioining they haue no meanes but by making warres vpon vs. But suppose the Spaniards shoulde neither respect their profite honor nor safetie or that they woulde by conclusions of peace prouide for themselues and their owne indemnitie yet what assurance can wée haue either that any peace will bée concluded or that it will certainly bée performed when the Spaniards a Pope Pius 5. and Sixtus 5. excommunications take hold of them if they should dare not once treate of peace with vs being excommunicated by the pope without expresse licence nor may performe their grants further then shall please the b The canonists giue him power to dispence with oathes and dissolue contracts and he chalengeth that power as may appeere by Paulus 3. his bull against k. Henry the eight pope Is it likely that the pope will suffer the very foundations of his authoritie to bée shaken to gratifie vs Or will he reuoke so many sentences of excommunication and decretals as haue béene made against her Maiesty and her subiects that we may now enioy a firme peace When was euer any such thing done Nay the popes authoritie standing in many places how can any such matter bée done If then the pope cause his Iubiley and indulgences to bée preached and published in Spaine against vs and if hée offer full remission of sinnes to all that will take armes or send foorth soldiers against England do wée not thinke that there will bée a great stirre in Spaine Do wée not know how much the Spaniardes are addicted to these opinions and how they beleeue that the pope hath Saint Peters keies and power either to send men to heauen or to hell Great reason therefore had our good knight hearing of great preparations made in Spaine and combinations of c There are troupes of them sent ouer into England daily popish priestes dispersed euery where in England and considering the state of both nations to giue the alarme to his countreymen and to exhort them to prepare themselues to resist so great and violent an enimie as ment the vtter subuersion of the state and the destruction of our most déere countrey Neither had our aduersarie any reason to take this in dudgeon or to mislike their forwardnesse that armed themselues vpon their princes cōmandement resolued thēselues to fight for their prince their countrey their religion their liberty their lawes their wife their childrē their friends their goods and whatsoeuer they now enioie by this gouernment but that hée declareth himselfe a traytor to his prince and countrey and an vtter enimie to true religion and that hée hath renounced all affection toward his nation to ioine himselfe to Spaniardes Italians Mores and barbarous people culled out of diuers countries and thought fit to be emploied in this seruice against vs. Neither woulde hée haue declared so much to the worlde had hée not well answered his name and shewed himselfe a Noddy not knowing how euill it beséemeth him that ioineth with publike enimies to pretende loue and friendship to his owne nation And therefore albeit peace bée a gladsome matter and much to bée desired yet wee haue no reason either to harken to this trecherous friers tale or ouer farre to trust to parlies or offers of peace made by the Spaniardes Oftentimes swordes may bée couered vnder branches of laurell But this our superiors will looke vnto whom it specially concerneth vnto whose care I report me This is sufficient to shew how little wée are to trust the Spaniard whom our aduersarie so much aduanceth Now it followeth that I shew briefly that we haue lesse cause to feare him then to trust him which may euidently appéere by these particulars First our soldiers giue no place to the Spaniards if they may méete them vpon equal termes as experience triall in diuers encounters doth plainly declare It is not long since our troops encountring them hand to hand betwixt Ostend and Newport gaue them a greater foile then they haue receiued within our memorie The effects do plainly shew it séeing they haue béene quiet euer since Our mariners are without comparison better men at the sea then theirs and more able and skilfull in managing of their ships and better do they vnderstand the nature of these seas and the situation of Ilandes portes and harbors in these partes then the Spaniards Our ships are better of saile and better accommodated for shot and great ordonance then those of the Spaniards And being assisted with the fléete of our associates of the Low countries farre superior to any fléete in the world If the Spaniards come into these seas we haue both the seas the harbors and portes fauorable and may haue present supply of any thing wée want which they being farre from home cannot looke nor hope for If the Spaniard come into these seas hée cannot long continue héere without encounter nor depart at pleasure the windes being commonly southerly and westerly But if our fléete should go into the Indies with any strength they might either take any Iland or porte or saile along the coast and returne with more commoditie They can winne little by vs but blowes for that our riches are not great nor easie to bée come by But if in the Indies or in Spaine we ouercome them our spoile cannot choose but be great their trade being for golde and siluer and things of great value If any suppose the Spaniard to be inuincible considering our want and his aboundāce of treasure he must thinke first that as his reuenues are great so his imployments are many and that he wanteth oftentimes mony to pay his souldiors and set his ships to sea Nay he wanteth mony to pay his debts and defray necessary charges insomuch as king Philip the second was cōstreined to play a Anno Dom. 1575. 1597. as appeereth by the record of his proclamations bankeroupt twise or thrise in his time and his souldiers for want of pay haue beene forced to rauage the country and to mutine against their commaunders Secondly albeit we want the Indian mines yet we want not meanes both to pay our souldiers and mariners nor to furnish them both by sea and land nor canne want sufficient prouisions of all sorts if we list to establish a certaine course of procéeding for the continuance and maintenance of the warres Thirdly it is not mony that fighteth nor hath principall vse in warres but men iron munition and necessary prouisions Neither do monyed men spoile the poore but the poore armed souldier maketh a spoile of him that
not haue kept secret Lastly where it is saide That the king had laide a plot for the destruction of the Ladie Elizabeth now Queene of England hée answereth That the worlde knoweth that the king at that day was her chiefe stay and defence and that for the reasons before alleaged and that finding her when he came into England in prison and hardly pressed about Wyats insurrection hee deliuered her and brought her to the court and yeelded her most carefull protection In the end hée concludeth That it is barbarous ingratitude not to acknowledge his fauour towards her But if this were a matter knowne to the worlde it were a great woonder if it shoulde neuer bée knowne in England where men haue greatest reason to know the same No no hée abuseth his Reader very much that imputeth the cause of her safetie to king Philip. For albeit for some causes hée had reason to respect her then when he hoped to haue issue by Quéene Mary yet afterward no doubt hée consulted and that for many and potent considerations to bée ridde of her Yea albeit her innocencie in Wyats cause was sufficiently knowne yet if God almightie had not béene her chéefe protector and stirred vp meanes for her safetie neuer thought of by man it was not the kings fauour that coulde haue defended or deliuered her But suppose God shoulde vse the king likewise for an instrument of her deliuerance yet did hée neuer any thing in regard of the Ladies innocencie but rather in regard of his owne profite as the Noddy vnawares confesseth in his third encounter and as is very apparent by the procéedinges of the king in that action But what if the king shoulde do a fauour to any person is it barbarousnesse for all others not to acknowledge the same In ancient time those that receiued a benefite were déemed vnthankefull if they did not acknowledge the same and endeuor to requite it but our barbarous Warder will haue all condemned for barbarous and vngratefull that either know not or acknowledge not the kings fauour extended to others Other points of his answere I haue before touched and refuted The premisses considered he doth woonder How sir Francis his booke which hée termeth a libell could bee suffred to passe to the print especially conteining so reprochfull calumniations against so great and potent a prince as the king of Spaine is But rather it is to bée woondred that Parsons or any Iesuite shoulde once open their mouth to speake of calumniations and libels when their common course is by libels and slandrous writings to denigrate all such as oppose themselues to their factious courses Parsons is not onely a practitioner but also hath passed master in this facultie Against my Lord of Leycester hée a Leycesters common-welth began to play his masters prises yet was not that his first libell as his friends of Oxford know The booke which hée published vnder the name of Andreas Philopater toucheth her Maiestie and all her cheefe Counsellors very rudely beside that hée set out a booke against the old Lord Treasurer and his whole house After that followed Dolmans booke which hée will not denie to bee both calumnious and iniurious and to haue béene written by him Hée is also charged by a friend of his to bee a principall actor in the infamous libell set out anno 1588. by Allen against the Quéene at the least hée ouersawe the presses and diuulged certaine copies thereof Nowe hée hath set out this fencing Ward-word comparable to the rest of his satyricall writings for the bitternesse thereof A certaine a A discouerie of a counterfeit conference p. 6. priest of his owne religion doth call his booke of succession set out by Dolman An infamous babling cartell or libell Iohn b Discouerie of the errors of William Criton Iesuite Cecil a popish priest doth not onely taxe Criton a Scottish Iesuite for setting out a Satyr pasquinado and libell against himselfe and others but condemneth all these pestilent courses of libelling and killing practised by the Iesuites Neither do I thinke that any can allow Ribadineiraes booke of schisme As for sir Francis Hastings Watch-word it is a discourse of another nature conteining neither satyricall inuectiue nor iniurious calumniation but a iust accusation and declaration of our enimies most wicked and malicious purposes against vs which none can mislike but such as professe themselues either enimies to our nation or traitors to their prince In the end of this discourse hée goeth about to cléere king Philip the second Of all supicion of hiring Lopez to poison her Maiestie yea of being priuie and consenting to that execrable fact But hée doth his client no pleasure in mentioning that wherewith hée is not charged and refuting the charge so loosely as if hée were hired to betray the kings cause as hée hath héeretofore long gone about to betray his prince countrey Wée I say do not charge the king with any such matter but onely referre our selues to Lopez his confession and to Manoel Lois and Stephen Ferreiraes depositions and to the bil of exchange for fifty thousand crownes to be paid to Lopez The witnesses and parties do all blot the king and his principall agents in the Low countries the Count of Fuentes and Ibarra Such a great summe coulde not bée paide without the kinges notice héereto may bée added a certaine token or iewell sent from Christopher Moro the kings counsellor and a message from the king brought to Lopez by one Andrada But nothing doth bréede more suspicion then this Noddies defence for the king Hée saith That this matter coulde neuer probably be knowne to the king And why not Coulde neither Lopez himselfe by letters nor Andrada by message nor secretarie Ibarra tell him of the purpose It is no question Nay it is confessed and deposed that they did Secondly hée saith That Lopez neuer gaue any signification of any such matter But his confession in writing testifieth the contrary And many heard him say more then his confession importeth Thirdly hée alleageth That the king was not to haue correspondence with Lopez being a Iew. As if the Spaniards vse not to haue correspondence both with Iewes and Turkes to serue their owne turnes or if any coulde bée more fit to execute such horrible factes then Iewes and Infidels Lastly hée asketh If the king had no agents neere to plot such matters but he must be made priuy himselfe But it may bée answered that no warrant coulde bée graunted for so great a summe but by the king that would not let fiftie thousand crownes go for nothing and that Lopez woulde do nothing vnlesse hée had the kings warrant both for the money and his further preferment It is therefore no Turkish impietie to talke of such matters but a course Turkish and heathenish or woorse to do or consent to such execrable empoisonments Neither would Parsons haue taken vpon him the defence of the king in this foule fact if he
religion and the state Let vs seaze these whelpes of wolues that if they be suffered to grow strong and multiply will deuoure vs. Let vs strangle this brood of vipers that séeke to destroy their mother that gaue them life I haue as you sée giuen euerie one of you warning Now he that heareth the sound of the trumpet and hath no care of himselfe when the sword commeth and taketh him away that mans blood shall be vpon his owne head as the prophet a Ezech. c. 33. Ezechiel saith I haue discharged my conscience it is your part to looke to the rest And I hope you wil giue your selues no rest vntill such time as order be taken with those that if they may haue their wils will trouble the rest and peace both of Church and state Laus Deo A BRIEFE REFVTATION OF A CERTAINE CALVMNIOVS relation of the conference passed betwixt the Lord of PLESSIS MARLI and I. PERON calling himselfe bishop of Eureux the fourth of May last sent from Rome into England and deuised by some idle Iesuite to the slaunder of that noble and vertuous Gentleman and of true religion which he professeth Therein also the relators cogging glosses and commentaries are examined and his petition is answered Prouerb 27. The wounds of a louer are better then the fraudulent kisses of an enemie Matth. 7. Hypocrita eijce primùm trahem de oculo tuo tunc videbis eijcere festucam de oculo fratris tui Imprinted at London by Arn. Hatfield 1600. The Preface to the Reader SCarcely had I finished the former discourses in answere of N. D. his Ward-word but there came to my handes a pamphlet of the same Authour and entitled A relation of the triall made before the king of France about some matters of religion c. made in disgrace not onely of the Lord of Plessis my honourable friend whom I loue but also of true religion which iointly with him I doe professe In his former treatise N. D. playeth the fencer here his maship playeth the scribe in Dolmans dialogue he professeth himselfe a statist His owne friendes charge him with Turkeied machiauelisme whereby it appeareth that among other parts he playeth now and then Machiauel or Mahomet In his discourses against the Lord of Leicester and the L. Treasurer late deceased and others he playeth the libeller And as one saith of Pasquin he is put to play all parts For as Pasquin taketh vpon him diuers persons and speaketh now like an Angell now like a diuell now like a king and presently like a begger now like a pope and eftsoones like a poore parasite now like a merchant and by and by like a man of warre yea and abhorreth not to play the part of a poet a curtisan or a Iebusite so our friend Robert Parsons transformeth himself into all shapes and playeth all parts saue the part of an honest man As a Plato in Ioue Plato saith in like case of one he turneth himselfe like to Proteus into all formes turning vp down without order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is also like to Empusa whom b. In ranis Aristophanes doth thus describe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He saith that Empusa sheweth her self somtime like a great beast sometime like an oxe sometime like a mule sometime like a dog So likewise our aduersarie sometime barketh and fauneth like a dog sometime pusheth like an oxe sometime he hath no more vnderstanding then a mule But men of iudgement suppose that he is of nearest alliance to Pasquin and not vnlike him both in shape maners and language as his great practise skill in Pasquinadoes do declare Wherefore as before I haue encountred this furious fencer in his challenge made to Sir Fr. Hastings in the Wardword so here I purpose to meete with his turning deuises in this Relation sent from Rome to his consorts in England with a purpose to disgrace vs. neither do I meane to leaue him into what forme soeuer he shal turne himself a Horace Effugiet nunquam haec sceleratus vincula Proteus Vnlesse it would please God to giue him grace to turne from his wicked wayes and treasons to returne to himselfe and to a due consideration of his dutie You may thinke him a strange and variable fellow that taketh paines to signifie as farre as from Rome into England what had passed hard by our dores wherof we cannot chuse but haue more certaine and speedy intelligence then himselfe or others residing at Rome But such is his noble pleasure From a fencer and a Iesuite a great Rabbin of the Romish synagogue he is now turned into a base scribe and relator of Romish newes and beleeueth that his report wil be the rather receiued especially comming thus turned disguised from Rome which is the fountain from whence the popish sect receiue all their traditions It may be also that he hopeth to draw a great hand vpō vs by his triūphing relatiō cōcerning the trial passed betwixt the L. of Plessis the pretended B. of Eureux which in Rome was heard with great applause and well liked by his holy father But if he had better considered of the matter could haue imagined that his relatiō shold haue receiued opposition his collections answere I beleeue he would haue spared his labor or rather spent it in some other libelling discourse wherin his skil is greater then in disputing of religion For first no man can haue lesse reason to exclaime vpon falsifications corruptions of ancient authors then the popish sect Neither can it proue but a matter very dangerous to the pope to haue this point wel examined whose authoritie and doctrine doth for the most part depend vpon false legends forged acts of councels counterfeit writings set out vnder the name of fathers and notorious falsifications It will also be a meanes to detect the falshood of the Romish synagogue that long since by Petrarch was called Fucina d'inganni or the mint of falshood and iugling tricks of the whore of Babylon that is most famous for her illusions deceits and false dealings and finally the kingdom of antichrist that is so powerfull in prodigious a 2. Thess ◠lies and all deceiueablenesse of iniquitie Secondly it wil appeare by examination of particulars that the L. of Plessis was most vniustly charged with falsifications in his booke published against the masse and that Iames Peron pretended bishop of Eureux notwithstāding all his aduantages which the kings fauor and partialitie of the auditorie and other circumstances could affoord him was not able to iustifie his challenge Thirdly we will plainly proue that the popish sect haue gained nothing by this conference but shame confusion For if a Gentleman that maketh not profession of diuinitie were able in so vnequall termes to stand against so proud an aduersarie so mightily supported by the princes fauour
here obiected that Hieroms words in Ezech. cap. 4. make nothing against prayers to saints But it must be remeÌ„bred that the coÌ„trouersie here was not whether M. Plessis had well concluded out of that â—lace but whether he had rightly alleaged it Beside that we answer that it is no weake argument to conclude thus we must not trust in the prayers of men and therefore are not to rely vpon the prayers of men departed this life Finally writing vpon the epistle to the Galathians c Hierome doth flatly condemne prayers made to Saints departed and for dead men b Lib. 2. in epist ad Galat. Obscurè licèt docemur saith he per hanc sententiam nouum dogma quod latitat 〈◊〉 praesenti seculo sumus siue orationibus siue consilijs inuiâ— posse nos coadiuuare Cum autem ante tribunal Christi venerimus non Iob non Daniel nec Noe rogare posse pro quoquam sed vnumquemque portare onus suum He saith when we are here we may helpe one another signifying that men departed this world can neither helpe others nor be holpen by prayers of others The sixt place which the Lord of Plessis was charged to haue corrupted was drawne out of Cyril contra Iulianum lib. 6. And why was he charged thinke you Forsooth because hée alleaged him to proue that adoration was not to be yeelded to the signe of the crosse But herein there could not be any falsification vsed and that first for that he did not alleage the authors words and secondly for that he doth well conclude according to Cyrils meaning For where Iulian obiected to Christians that they worshipped the crosse Cyril answereth that these words proceeded of bad thoughts and extreme ignorance So likewise saith Minutius Felix in his apology cruces nec adoramus nec optamus That is we neither worship nor desire crosses The seuenth place was out of Petrus Crinitus where the L. of Plessis is charged to leaue out the word humi alleaging the law of Theodosius and Valens against the making of the signe of the crosse But his accusers should haue remembred that he did alleage not the words as now they are found in bookes falsified by idolaters and crosse-worshippers but out of Petrus Crinitus which citeth the law out of authenticall records Our wise relator here to make the matter séeme more heinous saith he falsified the law of Theodosius Valens Iustinian as if they had béene ioynt authors of that law when as Iustinian was not yet in the world when that law was made Neither is it much materiall if Tribonian in the Emperours name had put in the word humi For we are rather to rely vpon the originals then vpon Tribonians honestie that put words in and out and altered lawes at pleasure Neither was the law of Theodosius and Valens to be reputed new albeit the word Humi had béene left out séeing both Epiphanius and the councell of Eliberis in Spaine and diuers other fathers had condemned paintings of images The eight place was taken out of S. Bernard Epist 174. she needeth no false honors saith Bernard speaking of the virgin Mary being as she is at the fulnesse therof Againe he saith that it was no honour but a taking away of honor and that the feast of her conception was neuer well instituted Here his accuser charged the Lord of Plessis to haue omitted these words Magnifica gratiae inuentricem mediatricem salutis restauratricem seculorum As if it were necessarie where diuers places are alleaged out of one authour to write out all that commeth betwixt one other This is a new trick of Eureux who albeit he He hath set out a treatise to proue this position hold the scriptures to be insufficient and therein hath tried his poore talent of writing yet would haue more then is sufficient alleaged out of fathers and other authours Beside that the Lord of Plessis alleaging the authoritie of Bernard doth not dissemble in what estéeme he held the holy virgin Mary Finally he alleaged Bernard not as an authentical witnesse but as a man fauouring his aduerse party whose confession is strong against the papists but not for them béeing nourished in monasticall errours and superstitions Nay the papists themselues doe not allow all Bernards opinions for they celebrate our Ladies coÌ„ception which he disallowed and do not hold our Lady to be mediatricem salutis as he termeth her but rather mediatricem intercessionis and yet giue her such extrauagant honour as both he and Epiphanius writing against the heretikes called Collyridians much misliked The last place was taken out of Theodoret. God doth what he pleaseth saith a In Psal 113. hée But images are made as pleaseth men they haue the places of senses but they haue no sense Héere M. Plessis was charged first for translating Simulachra or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 images and next for leauing out these words à gentibus culta As if euery one that did translate amisse were to be charged with falsification or as if all bad translations in the old Latin interpreter of the bible were so many falsifications Beside that hée offred to prooue and most true it is that euery image hauing idolatrous or heathenish worship done to it is idolum Isai 40. where the old Latine interpretor hath Simulachrum the Gréeke worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Deuter. 4. that word which the Latine interpreter translateth Simulachrum the Gréeke interpreter translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither do either Gréeke or Latine authors of any antiquitie put such a difference betwixt the wordes Simulachrum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and imago as our papistes do To the second it was answered that the wordes à gentibus culta being set downe in the allegation do rather hurt then helpe the papistes that worship images with kissing crouching censing praying as the Gentiles did their idols Those reasons therefore that are forcible against the idols of the Gentiles are also most forcible against the popish worship of images which is more grosse idolatrie in some pointes then that of the heathens For they neuer did giue that worship that is due to the originall to the image But the idolatrous papistes with one worship honour the holy Trinitie and the image of the Trinitie made by a painter our Sauiour Christ and a woodden crucifixe And yet this woodden relator is bounde to defende this woodden cause If then the aduersarie coulde not get any grounde of M. Plessis in these places which were chosen as principall and placed first as places of most aduantage we may well suppose if the triall had procéeded that hée woulde haue receiued farre more disgrace in the rest CHAP. III. That our aduersaries haue no such great cause as they imagine to boast of their victorie in the conference passed betwixt the Lord of Plessis and Eureux BY this which hath béene spoken it may sufficiently appéere that the papistes had no great reason to make
Parsons the Iebusite their trumpet to blow out their victory throughout England as they haue alreadie done it at Rome and in other places For what victory can be pretended when as yet not one corruption or falsification coulde bée iustified against Monsieur Plessis and when wée are able to charge not onely Bellarmine Caesar Baronius Gregorie de Valentia Sanders Harding Stapleton and their consorts whose forgeries and falsifications are innumerable but also their holy fathers whose determinations they hold to bée infallible with infinite wilfull falsifications And least anie thinke wée fable of many wée haue begun to note some fewe The vanitie of their triumph may also appéere by diuers other arguments First our cause dependeth not vpon the testimonie of Scotus nor Durand nor Petrus Crinitus No nor vpon two or thrée testimonies of this or that father But vpon the euidence of Canonicall Scriptures testimony of the catholike church of all times which wée doubt not to prooue both by the scriptures themselues and also by the interpretation consent of the most ancient and sounde fathers As for the writings of other fathers wée examine them by the rule of Gods worde and receiue them as farre as they agrée with the rule and foundation of faith The testimonie of later writers and schoolemen wée produce as a confession of our aduersaries against themselues and not as a foundation or necessarie defence of the truth which they in so many pointes oppugne They are therefore put in to fill vp the rankes of our squadrons rather then to do vs any great seruice and rather because our aduersaries estéeme them then because we thinke them woorthie to bée estéemed If then these authorities had béene ouerthrowne which is not granted yet all our other squadrons standing firme the aduersaries cannot think they haue woonne the field Secondly admit one learned man of our societie and communion had mistaken some fewe places yet is not euery mistaking a falsification vnlesse it be wilfull and fraudulent nor is euery particular mans errour to be ascribed to the whole church Nay albeit Bellarmine and Baronius be now Cardinals and men of note among the papistes yet will not Parsons I trow take on him to defende whatsoeuer they haue written And albeit such a shamelesse mate shoulde not doubt to vndertake any impossibilitie yet the popes of Rome will not abide by all they haue written Why then shoulde they vrge vs to that which thēselues mislike in their owne cause Thirdly the place and forme of triall and procéeding was all in fauour of the aduersarie and disfauour of the Lorde of Plessis For neither had hée sufficient time to consider of matters obiected and to prouide himselfe of bookes to iustifie his assertions nor so indifferent iudges as was to be desired the king stil interrupting him and disputing against him and leading the iudges which way it pleased himselfe Nor was the auditorie indifferent being for the most part of contrary opinion Nor coulde he by any humble request obtaine that either his aduersarie might precisely be tied to his challenge or that his booke might be examined orderly or any thing else that is requisite in an indifferent triall Fourthly if a gentleman and no professed diuine vpon such vnequall termes was able to make head against his aduersaries much better I hope shoulde we be able to resist if professed Diuines might procure an indifferent triall allowed by both sides and more hardly woulde the aduersaries bée able to make good their challenges against vs. Certes if Eureux coulde not so well acquite himselfe before iudges determined to iudge for him he woulde neuer be able to appéere in a frée generall councell or before equall iudges Fiftly it is most ridiculous to thinke that this Thrasonicall challenger was able to make good that cause which neither with lying forging facing nor any wit or policie the greatest clerkes of that faction are able to maintaine Finally the very wordes of Eureux his challenge do plainly conuict him to haue performed nothing I do binde my selfe a In his answere and offer made to Monsieur Plessis saith hée to shewe that neither in this booke of his against the masse nor in his treatise of the church nor in his common wealth of traditions is there to be founde so much as one place among them all which is not either falsely cited or impertinent to the matter or vnprofitably alleaged Againe He protesteth and bindeth himselfe to shewe fiue hundred enormous and open falsifications without any amplification or exaggeration and all these conteined in M. Plessis his onely late booke against the masse And this hée saide hée woulde prooue by Gréeke and Latine copies But hée spoke these wordes as it shoulde seeme more of brauerie then out of iudgement for in the first part hee hath vtterly failed and I thinke meaneth neuer to performe it If hée would bée pleased we would be glad to sée his Latine and Gréeke allegations and all that performed which he promised in writing But many doubt of his abilitie and himselfe too no lesse then others For being desired To examine M. Plessis his booke leafe by leafe and in order he vtterly refused that course The second part he began to handle but hath no way accomplished his promise For promising to shew 500. enormous falsifications he onely quoted 60. places whereof onely nine were examined and yet no falsification prooued but onely in Eureux his challenge If then the defendant is to bée acquited where the plaintife prooueth nothing or not so much as hée affirmeth then is Eureux to bée condemned that in his challenge braggeth much alleageth little and prooueth nothing In the meane while our relator may do well to cease his vaine facing and vanting For vnlesse hée triumph to couer his owne shame and losse there will bée no cause of triumph for him founde in this triall It is not the vaine boasting nor the false report of this relator that can turne truth into falsehood and falshood into truth When Eureux or any other of his consorts shall go about to performe his challenge in writing which wel cannot be denied nor altered he shall finde that the Lord of Plessis will bee both able and most readie to defende himselfe against all the calumniations of his aduersaries and for the truth of his cause hée shall neuer want assistance as long as God shall enable vs to speake or write The Kinges pleasure in censuring M. Plessis we will not examine Neither do I thinke the aduersaries will allow him to be iudge in their cause The papistes therefore must deuise some better matter to grace their Romish cause then this For neither the triall of matters at Fontainebleau nor this relation can helpe them any thing CHAP. IIII. That Peter Martyr bishop Ridley bishop Iewell master Iohn Foxe master D. Fulke and other famous men of our communion are vniustly charged with falsifications and wilfull corruptions by the relator WE will not