continued if any correspondencie of gratitude or hope had continued from Scotland with no small assurance of farre greater matters aduancement to the Kings person if the enemies since of both our Realmes as he saith had not ouerthrowne and altered that course This he hath in that Letter and much more Whereby you may perceiue what his practises haue been from time to time against her Maiestie and state seeking first as you see by large pensions got from Spaine to worke with the Scots and others for the vntimely aduauncement of his title which must haue beene with the ouerthrow of her Maiestie or otherwise you know it could not haue been And here I request the Reader to note these labours of father Parsons for the affaires of Scotland to haue beene in the yeeres 1583 1584 in which selfe same yeere happened the trayterous plots of Parry Fran Throgmorton and the Earle of Northumberland and the practises with the Duke of Guise Spaniard and other English abroad about the deliuery of the Queene of Scots and ouerthrow of her Maiestie and shortly after the treasons of Babington and his complices Which I note that you may see how fa Parsons courses concurred at the same instant with their attempts and by this you may gesse whether it be not more then probable that hee was inward with all those deuises perhaps some of that mony was imploied to the setting forward of those attempts though hee vvould seeme cleere in all things But it is Gods will that his ovvne Letters and writings should discouer his dealings There want not other Letters of his and his complices which shew his good will towards our Soueraigne country but these shall be sufficient at this time Now will we come to the obiections made against him concerning his intituling the Spaniards to the Kingdoms of England Fraunce and Scotland and of the Students subscribing in Spaine to the Lady Infanta her title as also concerning the Lord Dacres and diuers of our nation discredited by fa Parsons to the losse of some of their liues and lastly of the booke of Titles or succession to all which wee will aunswer in order To the first of intituling the Spaniard vnto England Fraunce and Scotland it is plaine euident in it selfe that by intituling them to England consequently he intituled them to Ireland and all her Maiesties dominions and to Fraunce because of the right wee pretend to that Crowne Touching Scotland it may follow by a sequell of neighborhood because you know the Spaniards creepe euer forwards louing rather to gaine by theyr neighbors an ell then lose an inch For by reason of the imminent danger of that Crowne and the rather because that King is a Competitor to England and therefore sustayning great wrong by his inuading of vs would no doubt stirre and make warre against him which happily might occasionate his ouerthrow and losse of that Kingdome likewise So that fa Parsons falsly intitling the Spaniard vnto the Crowne of England doth also in effect intitle him to Scotland likewise in that hee could not possesse the one quietly without the other considering the wrong that of necessity must be done to the Scot which would make him stirre so long as he were able to leauie but a thousand men or procure ayde from neighbours adioyning I doe not take vppon mee to determine of any mans right or title praying with my hart that her Maiestie may long cōtinue amongst vs but do note in a word what bloodie mischiefe fa Parsons doth breathe out in his famous libell of succession For the proofe of the second obiection of the schollers beeing vrged to subscribe to blankes and to confirme the Infanta her title to the Crowne of England is a matter very notorious and euident VVee haue diuers priests yet aliue in England to confirme the same by othe aswell of them that were inforced to subscribe against theyr wills as others that openly refused the same I doe therefore wonder to see the mans vnshamefast deniall of so manifest and apparant a truth As touching the fained matter of the Cardinalls deuise for certaine courses to be held in our country after her Maiesties time and his proposing of the same to diuers it is a most egregious calumniation against the deceased Cardinall all men may easily see it to be but a meere inuention of fa Parsons in naming onely two persons deceased Sir Frauncis Inglefield and Doctor Stillington for witnesse knowing vvhat proofe a dead witnes may carry eyther in Court or country Besides there were diuers men of wealth of ou◠nation with whom hee was as like or more like to haue communicated the same as with the two dead persons named who for ought I can learne neuer heard of any such speeches from him Whereby you may see by whom the worthy Cardinall is disgraced and dishonoured now hee is dead beeing by Father Parsons drawne into all foolish and fond deuises as an actor with so factious creatures in matters by themselues deuised But they which disgraced him liuing in his latter dayes will not suffer him of likelihood to rest quiet now hee is dead Concerning his proposing the booke of Tytles to haue been reade in the Refectory in Rome in steed of a spirituall Lecture vsed to be reade at such times there be diuers yet that will depose the same against him and Ma Lowbery now a reuerend priest was the man should haue read the same but he reiected it vtterly refusing to meddle with such stuffe To the third poynt concerning the L. Dacres vsage amongst them we will referre the relation thereof to Ma Charles Paget best acquainted there-with who hath promised if Fa Parsons surcease not to discouer his vsage with others To the fourth matter of diuers disgraced by him and his complices it would make a huge volume to set downe the particularities of euery one that hath beene abused by them in this kind And therefore we will reserue it for a particuler treatise of purpose if occasion inforce vs heereafter to discouer more at large their particuler dealings against particuler men Onely at this time I will note vnto you one or two notable examples The first shall be of Ma Barkworth now I trust in heauen This Ma Barkworth being a priest in the Colledge of Vallidolid was by the Iesuits suspected to be a furtherer and concurrer with certaine youths that entred into the order of S. Benedict Whereof Fa Parsons hauing intelligence did write to the Rector of that Colledge that he should be dismissed presently shewing in his letters some anger that he stayed so long Where-vpon the Minister of the Colledge came vnto him one morning being sicke of a feauer and not well recouered and bad him to arise and make himselfe ready to walke with him saying that it would be wholsome for him to walke and shake off his Feauer and not to yeeld thereto When they were departed out of the English Colledge he led
by them Secondly you are not ignorant that euen against that pretended inuasion he was aduanced vnto the honour and dignity of a Prince which might moue a right good man And that he had an opinion of a moderate course to haue been taken by the Spaniards in that attempt his owne words in the said treatise doe plainly shew saying that he was made Card for the sweeter managing of things in our Country after the conquest Yet I cannot but much wonder at this honest Fa that in his marginall notes vpon this point he was so blind or so bold as to cite Doctor Saunders works de visibili Monarchia and de schismate Anglicano which works containe so many irreuerent speeches and the divulging of such odious matters against her Maiestie and her noble progenitors as the vntruths of some and the incertainty of others considered could not but irritate the most Christian Cath and patient Prince in the world But because the things are not meete to be repeated yea are scandalous to proceede from an English man I referre my selfe for proofe heereof to euery man that hath read the bookes I would to God so worthy a man had not stayned his works with such stuffe in these times then would I dare to say that he had beene the greatest honour to his Country and the worthiest man of the world The like I may say of Didamus veridicus For it is well knowne that although the man was most worthie and one of the most famous Clarks of this age yet was he very cholerick and would sometimes bite more then was conuenient But as for Philopater and Perni I scorne to think of such foolish stuffe hatcht by this Fa and Fa Creswell And this shall serue in aunswer of the first point leauing euery man of indifferencie to iudge whether such proceedings in matters of state to the ruine ouerthrow of our Prince and Country daily practised by the Iesuits wherewith they are charged in the treatise of Important considerations be sufficiently iustified by the example of such like proceedings in other men whether there be any wrong done by vs in disliking of such courses in those worthy men whereof some of themselues afterwards disliked Although I was purposed to haue omitted that point because I thinke you shall shortly see a particuler Treatise therof yet will I now say a word or two briefely of it And the rather I will so doe in that I see Ma. Doctor Ely in his notes vpon the Apologie somewhat distasting the mention thereof induced as I verily thinke by this onely respect that our state being onely Protestants and in nothing consenting vnto the authoritie of the sea of Rome therefore there should be no reason why the Pope should in any thing necessarie or conuenient for our Church stay or respect the consent or permission of our Prince notwithstanding the pretence of the said law of Premunire But to satisfie in part Ma. Doctor and whosoeuer els in this point I thought good to add this consideration or motion which drew mee and others of vs to make the matter more weighty vrgent then it seemeth Ma. Doctor Ely and others apprehend You must therefore vnderstand that the chiefest occasion of this law at the first was to preuent many mischiefes inconueniences which happened heere in our Realme by diuers priuiledges and indults that were procured from Rome by surreption vniust fauours and false informations by vertue of which indults and priuiledges many contentions arose aswell amongst the seculer Clergie as the religious yea often times to the spilling of blood To auoyde these so great inconueniences our Cath Kings with the free and full consent of all the Clergie and temporalty enacted that no such graunt procured from Rome should be executed within the dominions of England vppon the penalties specified in the said statute vntill the Kings consent thereto were first obtayned Now then to the purpose if his holines had instituted any vsuall authoritie heeretofore accepted by our Kings Clergie and in vse in Cath times amongst vs and by the ordinary course of law to wit by election or otherwise ex plenitudine potestatis so that we had had sufficient notice thereof to bind vs to obedience it may be said that heerein the offence vnto the Cath law of premunire had been onely a materiall offence if any at all because we may iudge all Princes to be bound in conscience to become Cath and to accept and concurre with such ordinances of his Holinesse as are vsuall or necessary for the vpholding of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie of Christes church As now her Maiestie being a Protestant and so perswaded in conscience is bound to concur accept of such Ecclesiasticall subordination as is both vsuall and necessary for the preseruing of the Protestants Church and Clergie But to accept and admit of an extrauagant iurisdiction vnusuall not only in the Church of England but also in the whole church of Christ from the tyme of Christ himselfe vnto these dayes and such an one as was altogether vnnecessary for our Church yea very hurtful both to our poore afflicted Cath and state also as wee will shew at large hereafter if occasion be offered could not in my opinion but draw after it the penalties of the law aforesaid iustly For if that law were iust when it was first instituted it not beeing abrogated is still iust and in force Well then this authoritie of the Archpriest being such an exorbitant vnusuall and inconuenient iurisdiction therefore such an one as could not in conscience bind any Catho Prince to admit thereof or consent thereto were the times Catholick I doe not see why the same reason doth not hold now with vs in these times and how any man can be excused from the penaltie of that law in admitting an externall iurisdiction without the knowledge of theyr Prince and against her consent vnto which if shee were a Catholick shee were not bound to consent but contrariwise to repugne This I say is wilfully without all reason or necessity to contemne her princely prerogatiue and therfore no excuse of religion conscience or the like can in my conceit free any man thus accepting of this authority at the first but meere ignorance of the law and case which I thinke was invincible in most The third point of the argument of this worke of Important considerations is so falsly so maliciously related by him that belieue me it doth not a little amaze me to consider so strange boldnes in a man of his coate First hee saith that in the said booke we affirme that neither the Pope nor any other Ecclesiasticall power hath authority to restraine punish or represse by way of force or armes immediatly or by others any christian temporall Prince whatsoeuer for anie delict of heresie Apostasie impugnation of Christian fayth extirpation of religion or other crime whatsoeuer though neuer so much danger or damage should ensue by
in liking some courses taken and in pittying the cases of such as iustly felt the smart thereof as at the Northerne or Irish attempts heretofore c. Howsoeuer Father Parsons list to wrest this saying it doth shew as much as before I haue sayd of the Martyrs aunswers that our ignorance in such affaires vvas great and therefore not to be imputed as we hope to them it is not But seeing and knowing what now we see know no ignorance can excuse vs if we disclaime not Matters were then caried vnder a maske of zeale and religion and the verities of plots and treasons were vnseene of vs who euer detested disloialty But theyr actions haue been since so open that we could not but see that religious pretences were but fayre shewes to colour foule matters which wee detest and hate as no whit proportionable to religious or priestly vocation And to conclude this chapter of aduersaries with father Parsons I wonder that for shame he could note the Duke of Norfolke as though any loyall person of the house of Arundell hauing wit or discretion could be agreeued with vs for detesting the disloyaltie of the Duke I assure my selfe it is detested and hated of all the honourable generation of that lyne For will any man loue the sinne or iniquity of any person because the said person was his kinsman or parent what a ridiculous imagination were this And as for our asking what the state will thinke of such priestes as come from the Seminaries heereafter it is not as maliciously this Calumniator commenteth that we will doe theyr errands before they come but in respect of his trecherous and trayterous dealings with them in the Spanish Seminaries to draw them to treasonable actions who now hauing got the gouernment and managing of Rome Doway and all may worke the like in those Colledges so that no place shall be free from suspicion to our state of such practises against them And thus we will end this Chapter praying to GOD to forgiue all Calumniators and draw them to more charitable courses and then shall it be happy for Father Parsons An aunswer to the fourth Chapter concerning our pretended folly in vttering open and manifest vntruths and contradictions to our owne discredit IT is a common practise amongst men that meddle in broken matters and such as will not abide the touch especially if they be cunning and of wit and pollicie that meddle therein to seeke helps by shifts circumstances and by-matters and those lesse to the purpose when they are pressed or called in question for such euill or vnlawfull affaires that thereby they may giue some glozing shew and appearance vnto the world of innocencie to iustifie their bad and corrupt dealing And euen so fareth it heere with Fa Parsons who being taken tardy in his vndutifull dealings and vniust practising against his naturall Prince and Country with such euidencie and apparant facts that conuince his guilty behauiour therein to colour and hide these his foule faults and make some shew of innocencie he flieth to by-matters taking hold of such things as are of least importance alwayes flying and shuffling when hee commeth to the poynt that toucheth and substance indeede of the accusation For whereas both he and some of his associates are in particuler accused as dealers in state matters and practisers against their Country and some plots stratagems and deuises of his and theirs and specified particulerly hee shuffeleth them off in hast as though he were afraid much to meddle with them onely snatching at some circumstances now and then he leaueth the matter vnsatisfied or fully aunswered As where it is auerred in the Important considerations that we thinke in our consciences they haue beene instruments and meddlers in all things which haue beene intended against her Maiestie heere he keepeth great reuell and maketh such a stirre that he runneth ouer all the attempts that were practised before their entrance into England to shew that there were matters attempted before they came hither or any English Iesuit was in authority Which assertion being auerred but opinatiuely as that we think they haue had their fingers in all matters not absolutly auouching the same is not a substantiall accusation but a thing left in doubt and suspence as all matters vnder opinion are And therefore that was but a by-matter in respect of the reall facts and attempts layd to their charge afterwards yet shall you finde that he vseth the canuasing of these by-matters to discredit all other reall accusations and to make himselfe and his associates to seeme innocent in all tâ—e rest But this cunning must not serue his turne we will pâ—â—inly let you see wherein they haue directly offended in these kinds of dealing that they shall neuer be able to denie the same with any shew of probability And for diuers of the former deuises we will giue you some reasons and probabilities that induced vs to thinke that their heads haue beene hammering in all the rest First for his euasion in matters attempted before their entrance into England or that any English Iesuit was in credit it doth not follow that therefore no Iesuits had their fingers in such attempts Were there not Iesuits of other Countries to step into such actions In the action of Parry you shall finde there were Secondly was not Fa Darbishire a Iesuit long before the English Iesuits came into England And I haue heard men that knew him very well affirme that hee was a great medler many yeeres agoe in such affaires Might he not then haue his fingers in the French matters concerning the Duke of Guise and Queene of Scots Some will affirme that he was an abetter therein Thirdly were not the Iesuits from the beginning great with the Spaniards whose fingers haue beene almost in all matters as that of the Duke of Norfolke that of Ireland and diuers others Is it not somwhat probable by this that the Iesuits might be Counsellers or abetters in these affaires being men of such stirring spirits and so forward to put themselues into Princes matters and dealings of state VVere they not likewise very great with Pope Gregory the thirteenth their greatest benefactour and most affectionate vnto their order of all Popes Might they not then be of counsell in Stukleys intention for Ireland Are not these great probabilities to induce men to think they haue beene hammering from the beginning hauing had such faire offers and so fit oportunities and themselues being so ready and desirous to deale in such kinde of affaires as all the world seeth both by experience of Fraunce England Ireland and other places Iudge by this whether the assertion in the Important considerations that wee thinke they haue beene instruments and dealers in all practises from the beginning against our Prince be so voyd of reason or probabilities as Fa Parsons would make you beleeue or whether it be malice in vs to suspect the worst vppon such probable grounds against such men whom
A REPLIE VNTO a certaine Libell latelie set foorth by Fa Parsons in the name of vnited Priests intituled A manifestation of the great folly and bad spirit of certaine in England calling themselues seculer Priestes With an addition of a Table of such vncharitable words and phrases as by him are vttered in the said Treatise aswell against our parsons as our bookes actions and proceedings ¶ Pro iustitia agonizare pro anima tua et vsque ad mortem certâ pro iustitia et Deus expugnabit pro te inimicos tuos Ecclesiast cap. 4. ¶ Noli esse humilis in sapientia tua ne humiliatus in stultitiam seducaris Ibidem cap. 13. ⧠Justitiae et innocentiae permissu Anno Dom. 1603. The Epistle to the Priests said to be vnited with the Archpriest * ⎠* REuerend and my deere bretheren whom with my soule I loue and honour with my hart I cannot but be sory to see you so vniustly abused by the slights and cunning deuises of the Iesuits and more to see you whom wisedome and discretion should make perfect and expert in the affaires of our poore afflicted Church so applaude their proceedings that worke your bane or at the least by holding your peace to approoue such actions in them as tend to the ouerthrow of your selues Tell mee I beseech you in your owne vnderstandings are you not highly abused in bearing the name of these two late Libells viz. the Apologie and Manifestation in both which not onely the honour of priesthood is impeached and our whole Cleargie disgraced debased and sought to be held in slauery and subiection to the Iesuits theyr creatures but also such vndutifull actions and practises as haue beene attempted by them or any other Catholicke from the beginning of her Maiesties raigne vntill this day are maintained defended excused or iustified whereby your liues are engaged as accessary to all treasons plots practises done or attempted against our Soueraigne and Country by such parsons in that to approue defend or maintaine any action is as you knowe to make the approuer defender and maintainer accessary thereto iudge then what cause you haue to thanke such Maisters for this theyr good office in laying snares to entrappe you withall and thinke whether this deuise be not a plot of purpose to bring you into as great obloquy with your Prince as through theyr own vndutifull practises they haue brought themselues thereby to turne the sword of persecution vpon all as heeretofore for some particuler mens offences Deere brethren if you regard not the wrongs and oppressions doone to vs your brethren and neerer vnto you in all right of reason then the Iesuits are if you regard not the deiection and oppression of your Cleargie which they violently seeke if you respect not theyr actions and attempts against your natiue country and neerest friends yet regard your selues respect your owne liues haue a care to the common and generall good of altogether insiduated and betrayed by them disclaime from such actions wherein you haue no part neither desire I thinke to haue I know your harts to be loyall let them not be stained by a false imputation from a deceitfull Iesuit Beleeue me her Maiestie dooth make difference betwixt practisers in matters of state and religion and therefore suffer not your names to be brought into question for such odious dealings by the cunning policies of Fa. Parsons inrowling thē to the approbations of such hatefull trecheries And if there were n◠difference at all made as I know there is yet were it glorious to die a Cath priest in profession of the Cath fayth without taint or imputation of those foule crimes But some of you happily may be ignorant how farre you are abused in this kinde vouchsafe but the reading ouer of this reply to the latter Libell you shall easily perceiue more danger to be couched therein then you are aware of and thereby see the better what wrong is offered you in publishing the same in your names If in the perusing hereof any word may seeme ouer-sharpe which yet I haue endeuoured to auoyde consider I beseech you the deformity of some matters vniustly vncharitably auerred against vs that all such sharpe words touch onely one man the Author of these iniurious Libels and Architect of this whole businesse and then I hope you will with more ease yeeld pardon to such excesse If any other faults eyther in stile or defectiue handling of matters obiected occur beare with the author this beeing his first worke and hudled vp in hast without such helpes as longer time might haue affoorded him yeelding him in all things as fauourable a censure as you may who is ready to protest in the sincerity of a Catholicke priest that neyther malice anger passion nor desire of reuenge drew him to vndertake this worke but onely a sincere opinion of iustice and innocencie so much impugned by Fa Parsons in defence wherof hee thought himselfe bound as well in respect of the common cause as his owne particuler interest therein to shew his best indeuours Your friend and brother VV. C. ⧠The Preface generall to Catholickes COurteous and beneuolent Catholicks I present here vnto you a reply vnto a certaine Libell intituled A manifestation of the great folly and bad spirit of certaine in England calling themselues seculer Priests which happening into my hands I diligently red ouer hauing without passion perused it and with indifferencie as to my selfe seemed poysing and considering as well the matter deliuered with the forme and manner of the deliuery as also the verity thereof I could not but a little wonder to see a man so mightily inueigh against passion and bitter writing in others shewing so much choler passion yea and impatience as hee doth here And did I not descry the Author thereof to be one particuler Parson not many priests vnder whose names falsly yea and vncharitably it is published thereby to bring them into obloquy with their Prince and state vnto whom the Iesuits practises in state matters heere defended are odious I should much admire to see so palpable vntruths defended so manifest vniust actions maintained and such apparant verities with such boldnes denied but the worke proceeding frō the party it doth hammered in the forge it was I could expect no other then I found therefore my wonder was the lesse and my admiration sooner at an end For why the man is well knowne to be of such a naturall disposition as that if he once enter into any course he will with infinite violence prosecute the same Vpon which headstrong cariage irremouable wilfulnes many straines you know and ouerstrainings must needs follow and many fained inuentions with concealements of truthes yea and in the end open impugnations of verities the better to iustifie former proceedings least happily otherwise the fault might seeme too light where it may in no case be indured Pardon mee deere Catholickes in deliuering the truth with
could finde a stomack to eate 3. meales ordinarily in one day and those sound ones too As for Fa Parsons insulting vpon Ma Bluets speech to Fa Weston concerning th' vse of Sacraments and his diuers comments there-vpon It is but the superfluitie of his owne vanity Ma Bluets speech was both graue and iudiciall in any reasonable mans iudgement For if the sacrament and good counsell of the Confessarins would not or could not reforme a Priest liuing in prison for conscience Religion how should we thinke that Ma Westons Agencie was like to effect it vvhere-vnto no man could be tyed in these times by force but of free will so might refuse those remedies at his pleasure his Agencie hauing neyther power of life nor death imprisonment nor chaines and therefore not to be compared as wise Ma Parsons seemeth he would haue it with a common wealth or publique authority where iustice may be executed in foro contentioso But you will yet happily call me to reckoning further for my first assertion wherein I affirmed that the Iesuits intended a generall dominion ouer all the priests of England by their attempt at Wisbich for the truth of which assertion although I haue alreadie giuen you sufficient reason yet wil I further satisfie you heerein by obseruation of that which hath followed since You know I suppose how the Priests were about a Sodalitie amongst themselues which was chiefly intended as by the rules thereof you may gather for the prouision of such as came newly and rawly ouer for the disposing of them abroad to their better securitie for the prouision of prisoners in durance for the better reliefe to Cath abroade in matters spirituall for the particuler good of euery priest and for the checking of some exorbitant and vnnaturall courses taken by the Iesuits against their Prince and Country to abolish such medlings in those affaires as impertinent to our function and vocation and to strengthen and inable our selues in these matters by a mutuall vnion this I say was the end of our sodalitie which we imparted vnto the Iesuits that they should see our sinceritie and honesty in those proceedings but we were too sincere and plaine to deale with such craftie crowders for they well perceiued that this course would discouer much of their iuglings in matter of state also put an euerlasting blocke or bulwarke against their intended superioritie So that although openly they seemed to like of the course because for shame they durst do none other yet they thought it high time to worke some cunning meanes to delude our indeuours Whereupon they secretly addressed Ma Standish one that had been most forward for the association but a secret Traytor vnto all the rest vnto Rome and there by the working of Fa Parsons he was brought before the Pope as hauing great affaires concerning the Clergie of our Countrie Wherein an oration furtiue vniustly and vntruly in the names of all the Priests of our Countrie he desired a gouernment and subordination Which false office being by him performed Fa Parsons himselfe busily folowed the matter with many vntrue suggestions vnto his holines of great discord betweene the Priests and Catholicks in England and we wot not what for the suppressing and reformation whereof some subordination gouernment was forsooth necessary Vpon these and many other such like vntrue suggestions his holines referred as sithence wee haue learned the whole disposition of this affaire vnto Cardinall Caietane theyr Protector Whereby Fa Parsons had in effect as much as he desired or could haue wished For the Cardinall euer stood at the Iesuits direction in all matters concerning our affaires as all the world knoweth Thus vvas Ma Blackwell by the Card commaundement and through Fa Parsons practicall deuises inuested in his authoritie a man wholy prostrated at the feete of Fa Garnet and standing meerely at his deuotions and directions in all matters of moment as by all his violent courses against vs in their behalfe the world may see But to manifest this point more palpably vnto you that you may see wee speake not of passion or emulation against the Iesuits but directly as the truth is In the instructions sent vnto the Archpriest concerning the execution of his office one and the chiefest prouiso was that hee should in all matters of weight be aduised by the Prouinciall of the Iesuits Fa Garnet Doe but thinke hereby how matters were like to be managed heere when all the controuersie was onely betweene vs the seculer Priests and the Iesuits not between Priests and Catholicks as falsly Fa Parsons suggested and that our Archpriest must be taught by the Iesuits Prouinciall what he shall doe in any matter of moment Iudge indifferently I beseech you whether this was not a trick to keep the managing of all matters in their owne handes and hold the Priests in slauerie and subiection vnto them Which because they saw by experience they could not obtaine imediatly to themselues they deuised to procure it more cunningly by a third person hauing a Secular priest in a corner wholie depending vppon them So that our superiour beeing to be directed by their superiour all the soueraigntie gouernment should indeed haue rested in the Iesuits Adde vnto this fa Garnets owne words deliuered before Ma Mush Ma Dudley when they came vnto him about the appeasing of the broyles in Wisbich vnto whom shewing himselfe discontented that they had not cōcurred to the confirming of fa Westons Agencie he vsed these or the like words to this effect That hee saw no reason why the priests in England should not as well be gouerned by the Iesuits here as they were and had beene in the Colledges beyond the Seas Now let any man that is not ouermuch blinded with affection towards the Iesuits of which sort I know there be many who will belieue nothing that maketh against any of thē indifferently iudge whether all their indeuours and intentions from the beginning were not to attaine vnto a monarchiall gouernment ouer the Clergie of England And yet this inference seemed strange vnto good Fa Parsons Beleeue me I thinke he so much presumes vpon his wit and policies together that he thinketh he may walke in a Net and not be seene But softly good Fa other men haue eyes aswell as your selfe and can discerne such grosse colours especiallie when the sunne shineth so cleerely But yet before I proceed any further I cannot let passe an admirable shew of a detracting spirit in Fa Parsons who in the close of his quipping carping against the foresaid discourse of the stirrs raised at Wisbich is not ashamed to note certaine particuler accusations as whoredome drunkennesse dycing pewter stolne which Mary the maide found in ones Chamber c. spoken of in the foresaid Relation Which he so cunningly shuffleth vp and leaueth hanging so suspiciously as if they were things euident without controle condemning the parties accused Whereas in the aforesaid discourse and
they alvvayes ioyne together against the Romans So the Iesuits howsoeuer they iarre amongst themselues yet are they all bent together vnited against all others that oppose any one of thē or their proceedings Heereupon Sixtus quintus of famous memory was wont to say of them as diuers of credit in Rome reported Qui tangit vnum tangit omnes and themselues many times haue affirmed no lesse in the late stirrs of the Romane Colledge But for this Fa or any other to say that they haue not many and often iarres and those no small ones neither is to fall into the depth of impudencie Witnes the great controuersie betwixt the Spanish and Italian Iesuits not manie yeeres past vvitnes the iarrs betweene fa Crighton and father Parsons for Scottish and Spanish affaires the like betwixt him and fa Haywood in England him and fa Holt diuers others of them as fa Cresswell and fa Edmund Harwood against fa Hieronimo Fierouante and fa Iulio the Confessor of the English Colledge in Rome whereupon the remooue of the two latter followed as all know who were then in the Colledge This poynt is so euident to all the world as I assure my selfe no one religious Order in Gods Church commeth neere vnto them therein witnes their daily expulsions out of theyr order and the multitude departing from them yeerely The 3. 5. and 7. articles are that the Iesuits be firebrands of all sedition enemies to all secular priests such notable lyers as none will belieue them no not when they sweare that by the schismaticks in England they are called Horsleeches c. For the two first poynts theyr late actions both at home and abroad do witnes so euidently that none who are therwith acquainted can iudge any otherwise of them For the last concerning the imputation of lying so famous and notorious are theyr equiuocations so scandalous that the very Protestants take notice thereof to the great preiudice of our profession alwaies heretofore famous for our truth and sincerity But such iuglings and shiftings of late haue beene vsed by them that not onely Protestants but also Catholicks yea Priests can scarce tell when they speake sincerely when otherwise I know they will vsually make great shewes of kindnes where they least affect vvitnes this a pretie cunning policie of one of them not long since practised vpon an honest gentleman who beeing to haue entertainement in a certaine place before his repaire thether this Iesuit vsing great shew of kindnes towards him would needes of curtesie bestow his Letters vpon him for his better credit and kinder entertainment which the honest gentleman receiuing as a kindnes departed But by the way beeing somewhat acquainted with their tricks and hauing no great cause to put ouer-much cōfidence in their dealings hee thought good to see whether hee caried not hote coales to burne his owne coate Wherevppon opening the Letter he found such stuffe against him selfe as had I not seene the same I should hardly haue belieued it to haue beene true But this tricke of honestie was borowed of worthy father Parsons the cunningest polititian in these practises aliue I thinke Witnes this his dealing with Robert Shepheard in his commendations to Doctor Eley in Musepont Witnes this his dealing with diuers scholers after the attonement in Rome How soeuer this kinde of dealing may seeme excusable vnto them vnder the name of honest equiuocations sure I am that fewe honest men will excuse it from dishonest lying I remember that a reuerend honest Priest once told me that he discoursed aboue an houre with a Iesuit and many complements passed but not on reall intended veritie from the good Father A worthy practise in Religious men to affect such dishonest dealings which tendeth to nought els but to take away all societie conuersation amongst men which is hatefull euen vnto Pagans and Turkes For howe should a man conuerse with such a one whose conceits and meanings hee shall neuer vnderstand whereby he shal often conceiue most good when the other intendeth most knauery and villanie But to make an end of these articles Fa Parsons collecteth one in close and end of all to make you laugh to wit that he and his companions as is reported gathered fiftie thousand pounds out of England to their owne vse But Fa Parsons merry iest is the multiplication of this summe to 200. millions of Italian scudi Heere forsooth he telleth you the people must laugh I know some persons so merrily disposed that eftsoones they can laugh at a feather but if wisedome with discretion and grauitie consider this multiplication I verily think no such merry mood will moue their conceits but rather iudge that error to haue beene either in the transcription to the presse or in the Printer then of malice which were too too blind or ignorance which were as grosse to mistake so much the alteration of the summe out of one kind of coyne into an other See now whether there were more malice or ignorance in the error or more folly in the carping exceptions But we must giue him leaue to snatch at the least aduantage for all will be too little to iustifie themselues or excuse their actions But let vs come a little to the accusation about their collections It is well knowne that collections in England haue not been small yet haue the distributions been so scant and sparing that poore prisoners neuer liued in the like want as of late yeeres they haue done let them speake heereof that haue felt the smart yet all the world knoweth that such Collections haue passed generally thorow theyr hands what becommeth thereof God knoweth But sure I am that for themselues howsoeuer prisoners are pincht they liue in aboundance and excesse as before I haue noted some examples thereof and something by the way I will tell you It is not long sithence 22. hundred pounds in gold were taken going ouer the Seas which being confiscate to her Maiestie neuer any came to claime the same neither could it be knowne whose it was and more then this by some of the highest it was thought verily to be the Iesuits money I will not say absolutely it was theirs because I was not of their counsaile but it was a wonder that the owners if it belonged to any others would make no meanes by way of suite or supplication to haue got at the least some part thereof backe againe sith the chiefest penalty was but the confiscation of the money taken which no man going about made the matter more suspitious to all men But more wil be said heereof if there be any further occasion Now I will onely proceede by coniectures and add to the rest some other probabilities or inducements in that the Iesuits being religious men and therefore poore yet some of our English Iesuits beyond the Seas who haue no reuenues or commings in any way knowne will sometimes bestow largely in crownes of their owne purse vpon
whose secret actions priuate workings tended vnto the subuersion of the Prince and Countrey or Magistrate and Citty and that this being vnknowne to the Prince or Magistrate affection would not suffer them to see their owne danger and the danger of their Countrey Common-wealth or Citty it were not only lawfull for me to disclose the particuler actions of the said party though priuate thereby to giue occasion vnto the Prince or Magistrate to be more vigilant vnto themselues and their estates and more obseruant of the aforesaid dangerous person but also an act of allegeance to my Prince and of loue vnto my Country vnto which euery man is bounde in duty and conscience So in our case if any particuler actions of the Iesuits be discouered they are but matters of proceedings with particuler men that thereby you might learne by particularities and matters of lesse moment to conceiue the better what how dangerous their practises be in matters of greater waight and how theyr proceedings hold one and the selfe-same course both in particuler and generall affaires in matter of lesse and greater moment And this so long as we obserue truth in our relations is both lawfull and necessary as the case now standeth with the Iesuits and their actions in England and we are free both from the note of detractors in reuealing theyr exorbitant proceedings penalties thereby incurred The like cannot be said in theyr behalfe for defaming of vs. For they haue not onely vniustly and vntruly detracted from our good names and credits in these matters of our proceedings as all the world now seeth but also entred into our particuler liues most falsly going about to touch therein our good names which no way is excusable in that if any such thing had beene true in any of vs yet could it not beeing a secret infirmitie haue tended to any generall hurt of any whole body or common-wealth but onely to a particuler hurt of a mans selfe which by no law of conscience could be reuealed by them Neither haue wee done so by them though I thinke no man will recken them all saints But those secret diffamations proceeded doubtlesse of a machiauilian ground and not of iustice or charitie Now let vs come at length vnto the booke of Important considerations at which our deere Father spitteth no lesse then fire with words of folly frensie fury mutinie warre and defiance parasiticall pernicious erroneous hereticall wicked reprochfull trayterous ridiculous impious base and wickedly minded proctors for hereticks accusers against persecuted Catholicks transformed with passion enuy malice sold our tongues to the cōmon enemy vnited in wicked attempts contemptible to all Catholicks of discretion the like Certes this good mans zeale was great when in his heate of choler hee vttered so many fierie and passionate speeches But yet I must needs craue pardon at his hands to runne ouer this matter a new and request his patience that wee may examine the booke againe and see whether it deserue so mightie blame as hee maketh shew of Belieue me if it doe we will cancell it and blot out his date but if it proue otherwise hee must be content to let it passe with a more fauourable interpretation and not wrest matters into worse sence then euer the Authors intended In the very first entrance into this booke I wish you to note a cunning falshood of this Father in the relating of the title of this booke which he setteth downe thus Important considerations to mooue all true Catholicks that are not wholy Iesuited to acknowledge all the proceedings of the state of England against Catholicks since it excluded the Romaine faith and fell to heresie to haue beene not onely iust but also mild and mercifull c. In this altered title which is not verbatim with the title of the booke Fa Parsons sheweth himselfe not a little first in foysting in of the world all before proceedings thereby to take aduantage of euery petty matter that hath happened perhaps sometimes by the knauery of some Pursuiuant or other odd fellow without commission or warrant as also in adding with a Parenthesis since it excluded the Romane fayth and fell to heresie therby to make the matter shew more hatefull and haynous Whereas in very deede as euery man may see that list to read ouer the Treatise the intention is not to excuse or iustifie euery particuler action of the state as the action may be in it selfe considered without further respect then to that particuler bare action For who will or can iustifie or excuse the killing of a priest as a priest or confiscating or hanging of a Cath as a Cath meerely for religion This I say is not intended in that booke as all the world may see for therein is lamented the hard course taken as well against Priests as Catholicks neither for ought I see doth the state make shew of persecution quo ad vitam et necem for matter meerely of religion and conscience but vppon pretence of treason or attempts against her Maiesties person or state or at the least vpon the feare thereof Now then all the end and scope of this booke is none other then this to excuse the state from such generall imputation of infamie layd vpon it especially by the Iesuits who haue been the chiefest causers of those vehement afflictions as though the state without all cause or shew of cause had made lawes against innocent men and there-vpon persecuted them vnto death no true occasion of exasperation hauing euer been giuen from any such person eyther to prince or state To take away I say this vnderserued infamie this treatise was written of purpose to lay the fault truly where indeede really it hath beene humbly desiring at the feete of our Soueraigne that we being innocent in such actions may not sustaine the burden of their offences but may obtaine so much fauour in her gratious sight as to be numbred amongst her loyall subiects and those that hate such vnnaturall and euer accursed practises least otherwise we be inforced to say lamenting our case with the Prophet patres nostri peccauerunt et non sunt et nos inquitates eorum portamus This I say is the whole scope and intention of this worke and therefore doth the author giue reasons by particuler mens actions and vndiscreete attempts as well by writings as practises that the state hath had iust cause to feare when it perceaued such dealings and there-vpon was moued to prouide by lawes and premunitions against the like afterwards And if by these lawes and prouisions it happened that innocent men sometimes were wronged as in all generall lawes it happeneth sometimes yet was not the state all causes first giuen considered so much to be condemned nay rather it was to be excused in that it is most certaine that it hath not proceeded with that rigor vpon such causes giuen as otherwise it might haue done to the extirpation of all such persons from
attempts Into which the worthy Cardinall Allen looking more narrowly saw right well and therefore detested such proceedings in his latter dayes as you may see more plainly in Ma. Charles Pagets aunswer for himselfe in the end of Doctor Elyes booke against the Apologie where also you may perceiue how farre hee was from ioyning with fa Parsons or fauouring his proceedings whō he held for a man of a violent and headlong spirit and much complained thereof And if it had so pleased God that hee had liued fa Parsons would haue found that hee had disliked his courses and would haue curbed him for them But hee liued not and some say his death was not without suspition It is certaine that whilst he liued fa Parsons kept himselfe aloofe in Spaine but after his death hee hastened him as soone as hee could conueniently to Rome Where after the said Cardinals death and the death of the worthy Bishop of Cassana which was by flat poyson as many affirme hee raigned like a little King But God that throweth downe the highest Ceder tree would haue things fall out as they haue done that his pride and ambition might be seene and his secret vniust vncharitable and disloyall facts wherein hee hath long steeped his practising fingers to the oppression of many innocents and encrease of our domesticall afflictions might be seene on all sides to his speedy humiliation which God graunt or his euerlasting infamie which I wish he may by iust satisfaction in true humility auoyde But to come 〈◊〉 our purpose for the facts of Doctor Saunders they haue beene sufficiently both in the first chap and Important considerations proued to haue beene vniustifiable and it little importeth whether he did thrust himselfe into the Irish matters or was commaunded thereto as Father Parsons affirmeth which yet wee beleeue not the action it selfe being vnnaturall and therefore not falling vnder commaund and much lesse to him being a priest Neither was he forced to iustifie the action of the nobles in the Northern commotion or to defend any such courses as he did which no way were conuenient and therefore let Fa Parsons hold his babble vnlesse he will still discouer more his treacherous will towards his Prince and Country to make himselfe more hated of both which neede not his deserts haue beene so good As for the action of Doctor Web and Ma Morton it was an inconsiderate and vnaduised act irritating the Queene and state without any reason in the world And assuredly had Pius quintus seene the inconueniences thereof I assure my selfe he would haue kept in that Bull. But many faire tales of great matters to be performed by the Nobles within the Realme drew him thereto as in like manner the hopes of the Recouery of Ireland buzzed into Pope Gregories head by Stukley prouoked him to the like attempts afterward Let any man of indifferencie iudge whether wee haue not cause to dislike these course But sure I think Fa Parsons did long for a generall massacre of Cath throughout England in that he would haue vs to iustifie these things and fauour still his wicked plottings and practisings As concerning the booke set out in Card Allens name in 88. it is the terriblest worke that hath beene writ of that subiect and able to hang all the priests and Cath in England if they had but the least finger in it yet this holy Fa would haue vs to iustifie it If the worthy Card did so much ouer-shoot himselfe wee know it was much contrary to his hart in his latter dayes and therefore are verily perswaded for diuers reasons that the worke eyther wholy or in the greatest and worst part thereof proceeded from Fa Parsons vnder the good Card name which made vs to impugne it not as the Card worke but as Fa Parsons And such derogating words as are vsed against it touch not the worthy Card but that vnworthy Iesuit Neither is it the Card that is called by the name of this Iesuit but Fa. Parsons though he would fain shift it off to the Card. Touching the Card booke against English iustice shewing that Cath did truly suffer for Religion and were free from matters of treason and treacherie and that priests were not sent in to deale in matters concerning the state but Religion onely is so little impugned by vs that euery where in all our writings and in the Important considerations it selfe wee auerre and defend the same in that point But to say that no Priest Iesuit or other Cath hath practised against the sacred person of our Soueraigne and quiet of her state as wel by their dealings within the Realme as by their procuring inuasions and laying the plots thereof without the Realme it were meere impudencie and to denie a verity as apparant as the sunne-shine at noone dayes as both by diuers publique conuictions thereof and by books letters and pamphlets written to that purpose may appeare and Fa Southwell in his supplication in part confesseth as much Therefore these things being so euident and publique as they be wee doe no more but seeke to cleare our selues and Cath heereof letting the burden light vpon some particuler persons medlers in such vndutifull actions and not vpon the whole innocent body of Priests and Cath. VVhich course how necessary it was for all Cath in our Country let themselues be Iudges vnlesse they would willingly haue had their throats cut or haue beene hanged for other mens actions In the taile of this Catalogue of our made enemies Fa Parsons placeth himselfe as the chiefe of all the rest and I beleeue him to be the chiefest and onely as the spring head from whom all our miseries and mischiefes both temporall and spirituall in part or whole for many yeeres did and still doe proceede although he reckon vp a fardell of Fittons in his owne commendations wondring from whence all these imputations should come and that in all our bookes he can find no one thing of substāce that we haue against him And then he reckoneth mountaines of mighty great good things done for vs and many other matters for the iustifying of himselfe All which prayses would haue sounded far sweeter our of his neighbours mouth then his owne vnlesse such neighbours were scant in those coasts First he saith his departure out of England is highly iustified in the Apologie that no man without shame can obiect the same againe For this Fitton reade Ma Doctor Bagshawes aunswer to the Apologie in Ma. Doct Elyes notes Then he talketh of his ioyning with Card Allen in Flaunders and Rome for the promoting of the Cath cause in England It seemeth he was an ill copesmate for I am sure Cardinall Allen quickly shot him off for a wrangler After this he reckoneth his Seminaries in Spaine and Flaunders A goodly broode hee gaue vs a reward to breake our heads by his good deedes to bring men into treasons against their Prince and Country as is declared before and more appeared
or the right of the States it as little importeth considering that he was put in trust with it by her Maiestie and vpon his alleageance to her should haue discharged the trust and fidelity reposed in him in that charge To dispute the case whether hee might in conscience or ought in danger of mortall sinne deliuer vp the Towne to the King of Spaine is not necessary to our purpose yet this I will say that all which Fa Parsons hath said in proofe thereof is not worth a rush vnlesse hee proue two points first that her Maiestie is the person that hath giuen the first cause of breach of the league with the Spaniards which I think if matters be well examined will proue contrary as you may see by the attempts made by the Spaniard both secretly and publiquely against her Highnesse and state before aleadged nothing being attempted by her against his Maiestie of Spaine or any his Countryes Which being true then might she iustly and in conscience iure gentium make warre against him win his Townes and Countries from him and in right and iustice detaine them Secondly he must proue that Sir William Stanley knowing in his conscience that she had no iust cause of warre against the Spaniard which I think he could not know might deliuer vp the said Towne without a greater mischiefe to follow vpon such restitution for a man is not bound to make restitution of goods euill gotten or possessed mala fide when without imminent danger of his owne or other mens liues he cannot doe as all Canonists will confesse because the life of a man is dearer then goods and the lesse euill must be preferred before the greater As for example if I should haue vniustly taken away the weapons of another man and had beene malae fidei possessor yet if I should perceaue that the true owner were paratus ad homicidium and thereby eyther my owne life or others might be endangered if I should restore his weapons vnto him which erst I had taken vniustly from him in this case it is euident that I were not bound to make restitution although I were as I haue said malae fidei possessor So in this case of Sir William Stanleyes if greater mischiefe might probably ensue thereof then the deteyning of the Towne could be he was not bound thereto Which case Fa Parsons hath not handled Now will I referre the censure to other men whether greater euill did not grow vnto our common cause in England by this particuler fact of Sir William Stanlies in that the state was thereby exasperated against all cath for his fact which great damage and common hurt of his Country-men and Cath he was in charity bound more to regard then the restitution of one Towne to the Spaniard And therefore waying and considering the auersion and alienation of our state from Cath for such facts as these of Sir William and the like wee haue often wished that if his conscience had felt any touch or scruple concerning those warres he had otherwise quietly left them off or with-drawne himselfe without giuing any such open occasion of complaint vnto the state But his not onely deliuering vp of that Towne but also ioyning himselfe with the Spaniard in field against his Soueraigne and Country may not be approued by any good subiect And therfore I wish that so worthy a martiall man had conuerted his sword against the Turke or other common enemies and not against his owne Soueraigne and Country that by his actions our Prince might haue had no iust cause to haue beene offended with vs at home Aliens and strangers may doe what they will and wee yet remaine blamelesse if wee haue no part with them because they are strangers but when naturall subiects of our owne Country and Cath shal in these iealous and suspicious times practise or conuert their weapons against their Prince and Country it cannot but incense their wrath and indignation against all Cath at home as by experience we haue felt Touching Fa Parsons vrging of an Epistle writ by Card Allen in defence hereof what might be his reason or whether he did it of himselfe or vrged there-vnto by reason of the great expectance of the Spanish intention anno 1588. immediatly following which we suspect I cannot tell but I wish with all my hart it had beene vnwritten considering the little good hath come thereby Neither is this to dishonour the worthy Card as Fa Parsons would make it but contrariwise to shew our loue and honour we beare towards him in that we hartily wish such ouer-sights or inconuenient actions as the best man in this life is not without imperfections nor the wisest in his iudgement without errors had neuer proceeded from him And whereas such things as the book written in the yeere 1588. this Epistle are too too euident and publiquely knowne to our state and all men else we seeke to excuse the same as much as in vs lyeth that the fault or rather the errour may by circumstances seeme more tolerable which no man of wit or discretion can deny to be an euident demonstration of our loue and affections towards him as our dearest and worthiest Father Which cannot be odious and offensiue in vs to our Prince state as we trust in that duty and nature bindeth euery man extraordinarily to loue their parents and founders eyther naturall or spirituall And therefore to excuse them is but a shew of filiall loue and affection but obstinatly to defend and maintaine that in a parent which is no way approueable were meere sycophancie not loue meere peeuishnes not any tolerable affection Now come we to the great attempt made by the Spaniards in the yeere 1588. out of which action Fa Parsons exempteth all English Iesuits because he saith himselfe fa Holt and fa Creswell were then in Rome with Cardinall Allen and that no English Iesuit at all was residing at that time eyther in Spaine or in the Low-countries But all this proueth not that therefore the Iesuits had no part in this action Neither can it be probable to any man of iudgement or vnderstanding that the Iesuits beeing so great with the King and so forward in attempts against our Country hauing had their fingers in matters precedent as you haue seene would now sit still hauing so faire an offer made and so good opportunity to be dooing I confesse that there was no great respect made to the English beyond the Seas in that action nor in any other of the Spaniards will be if euer matters come to issue nor perhaps were the English Iesuits called to be counsellers therein as since they haue beene because indeede the Spaniard intended a most bloody conquest and translation of our state and people But to thinke that the Iesuits were not vrgers thereto and setters forwards to theyr power of that attempt were to contradict all reason and probabilities For first it is most certaine that all the vvorld had very
score yea hundreds yet aliue that doe step before it And no lesse a deceite it seemeth to be that he would put it forth in the name of a reuerend auncient Priest in England to bring him into danger for the same Whereas he sayeth that hee neuer knew Ma. Dolman it is a manifest vntruth For he not onely knew him but also knew him to be one of the most principall priests of our Nation both for the reuerence of his yeeres grauity iudgement and 〈◊〉 good parts that hath alwayes opposed himselfe againste the vniust and exorbitant courses of the Iesuits whereof 〈◊〉 Parsons hauing such continuall and certaine informations of euery man in particuler and their affections could not be ignorant especially he being the onely man of respect amongst the chiefe Cath of account in the East parts of England And therefore it may well be presumed that this vir dolorum as he calls himselfe did dolo malo of purpose publish the same vnder his name thereby to doe him a good turne if he could Wee know the Iesuits charity towards their back-friends and such as stand in their way And whereas in disgracefull sort he seemeth to excuse him from such an intention because forsooth as he sayeth Ma Dolmans talent is knowne to be farre inferiour to such a labour you may gather his loue and affection towards him how willing he is to doe him a good turne if it lay in his power Wee can assure you that all that know the man and speake not of him in spleene and hatred because he is not a fauourer but an aduersarie to the Iesuits proceedings cannot but confesse that he is a man of excellent good parts and not inferiour to most of Fa Parsons faction in England And therefore no vnlikely matter that a worthier peece of stuffe then this Libell of Succession might proceede from his endeuours if hee would be so idle as to busie himselfe about such vngratefull toyes After these obiections Fa Parsons by the mistaking of a word falsely printed viz greenewatt for greenecoate of purpose maketh himselfe ignorant of the matter which he knoweth as well as a begger knoweth his dish For he cannot be ignorant of his owne speeches deliuered in Greenecoate alias Leisters Common-wealth a booke written by himselfe to the disgrace of the late Earle of Leister Wherein he sayeth that difference in Religion speaking in the behalfe of the Scottish tytle ought to be no barre in the inheritance to the Crowne Thus you see him like a weather-cocke turning euery way But now he is become so religious in the behalfe of the Spaniard that he will haue them all to goe together by the eares and one to cut anothers throat yea suffer all the villaâ—â—â—es and miserable oppressions in the world by the Spaniard â—â—cause he is a Cath rather then to admit of the Scot for that 〈◊〉 is not so or of any other in his case and will needes haue all men bound without all temporall respects whatsoeuer vnder payne of damnation to striue to bring in a Cath Prince against the true heire and him that hath the best title Which generall proposition how absurd it is and against the very law of nature we haue else where shewed For by the same reason were the Christians bound being in great multitudes in the primitiue Church yea and whole legions of them souldiers and therefore in more likelyhood to haue preuailed therein then a few vnarmed Cath here in England to haue ioyned their forces at euery change for the erecting of a Christian Emperour the same being a thing of greater importance to Gods Church then for any King or Prince of so small an Iland to be a Catholike Neither can the difference of heresie and infidelity the one being a subiect to the Church and the other none much helpe the matter for your Emperours many times went by election and faction of the souldiers and hee that could get the force of the souldiers to proclaime him and bring him in was the true Emperour without respect of blood kindred or linage and therfore there was more reason for the Christians so to haue done at that time then for Cath in these But yet they held no forcible courses I meane the Christians nor thought it lawfull so to doe As concerning the letter to the Earle of Angus we haue already shewed sufficient out of it to the same purpose it was cited in the Important considerations The whole course of the letter being somewhat long after Fa Parsons manner of writing familiar Epistles is to no other end then to shew his diligence bestowed 8. or 10. yeeres for the King of Scotland his vntimely aduantage to the crowne of England And for the matter of the French Embassadors going to the Pope to procure audience for our first two messengers Ma. Doctor Bishop and Ma. Charnocke he may aske Ma. Nicholas Fitzherbert thereof I doubt not but hee can resolue him therein of the truth Whether it was the French Embassador or a Cardinall it was an office agreeable to their humours dignitie Neither is it to the purpose that the Duke of Cessa laughed or is fained to laugh by fa Parsons for all was but a Spanish laughter and so must be reputed nothing discrediting any action of ours vnlesse he thinke gestures laughters can put vs like children out of countenaunce But he is much mistaken for if laughing will serue the turne we can laugh as fast as either Fa Parsons or the Duke either be it spoken without touch to his degree which wee respect in him and all persons of Maiestie grace or honour VVe will heere omit the vsage of our two messengers because else where wee haue spoken sufficient thereof but yet he hath heaped vp such a farthell of vntruths in the onely relating of them as that they were heard for three months together that they were not cast into prison that iustice by that action was not violated c. that I am ashamed to see such palpable vnshamefastnes not one word beeing true as by our former discourse to his holines where things must be fifted to their verities you may see and also in the copies of discourses If furthermore you please to read Ma. Doctor Bishops aunswer to fa Parsons letter and the censure vpon the same there you shall find the straightnes of their vsage with a strange imprisonment vnder Fa Parsons theyr Gayler and that they were neuer admitted to deale about their busines nor heard but onely once beeing accused before the two Cardinalls But these are the straynings and ouerstraynings of fa Parsons to defend his proceedings which I told you of him in the preface For his question how the restraining of a couple of priests may be both blaspemie to the sea Apostolick and to her Maiestie I aunswere him that this is a forgery and an imposture of his owne and no such coniunction made in the Epistle by him cited Onely it is there
aboade in the Colledge If then this were in hatred of order discipline he must needes graunt that there is no order nor discipline obserued in his owne order And if there be let any man iudge whether for voluntary Schollers to liue after the manner and order of religious men be to contemne order discipline But this offer was reiected by the Iesuits intending a farther slauery and bondage ouer them as in the history of those stirres shall appeare more at large And for our selues heere in England Parsons confesseth that we were about a sodalitie with rules and superiors How doth it then follow that we hated order discipline who without constraint sought for both But whosoeuer giueth not consent to Iesuits inuentions and fa Parsons order and discipline must be termed a libertine and disorderly companion though his inuentions containe plaine slauery and tyrannie as is manifest in the Archipresbyterie Now touching the fragments which hee citeth out of Card Sega his Memoriall all of them beeing squared to his owne humour they giue great occasion to suspect that they were not his for that hee is made to say that the Iesuits haue more force skill and vse in managing of soules then euerie other priest and consequenly to remoue them out of the English Clergie were as if one would let forth the best most digested blood out of a mans body thinking thereby to cure and preserue him Is there any man of iudgement or vnderstanding that can thinke this speech could proceede from a Cardinall of grauitie and iudgement beeing so contrary to all practise of Gods Church Besides it soundeth very ill to preferre religious men onely dedicated to themselues in managing of soules abroade before the seculer Clergie whose proper function is to giue themselues wholy to the direction help of others and to be prepared euen by their vocation that of iustice to giue theyr liues for their flock which no religious man as he is a religious man is bound vnto more then of charitie at the most And heereuppon it is that some Diuines too probably defend that to be a Pastor supposeth a state of perfection aswell as to be a Bishop as the Sorbonists Againe this speech is to condemne the whole practise of Christes Church from the beginning as to haue taken the worst and weakest order for helping of soules For she hath alwaies preferred the seculer Clergie to that office and neuer suffered the religious to intermeddle therein but vpon speciall priuiledges and graunts and by dispensation Furthermore the Church may stand without any particuler order of religious or all of them but she cannot stand without the seculer Clergy How then is it true or sound to say that to remoue the Iesuits out of England is to purge away the best most digested blood a man would think that were the best and most digested blood by which the body were necessarily maintained and without the which it could not liue and not that without which it might liue And then must it follow that the seculer Clergie is the best and most digested blood by which the Church of Christ liueth and without which it cannot liue and not the religious whom she may want Iudge then whether this erroneous discourse were like to proceede from the Cardinall or rather were not fained by Fa Parsons himselfe Another speech of the Cardinall is said to be that the Iesuits being vnited together haue better notice of the vertue talents and merits of euery particuler Priest that commeth into England and consequently can better assure Cath what is in them and how farre they may relye vpon each one of them This discourse tendeth onely to bring all into the Iesuits hands to minister occasion of infinite oppressions of such Priests as they shall not affect as by many experiences of disgraces done vnto Priests at their first entrance by the Iesuits we haue found as also in that great extraordinary priuiledges haue beene graunted to men of small talents beeing their fauorites How like is it then that these were the Card words Again afterwards he is brought in to say that he that taketh away from that vnfortunate kingdome of England the labour of this societie in these dayes seemeth to me not only to take away the salt of that Land but euen the sunne of that afflicted Church Are these speeches like to proceede from a graue Cardinall I meruaile how oft Fa Parsons hath heard religious men called sal terrae or lux mundi seu ecclesiae they being by their institute properly to liue in obscurity in Cells and Monasteries and not publique in the world When Christ vsed these speeches he spake vnto his Apostles whom hee sent in to the world to preach and instruct people and to be conuersant with them as well to edifie them by example of life as wholsome doctrine and not vnto such as were to liue sequestred from the world as religious men are by their institute and order And if any way Fa Parsons can writhe these Metaphors to appertaine vnto religious persons it is as they are by particuler priuiledge and dispensation sent into the world and not as they are religious men sequestred from the world Iudge then how the Iesuits can iustly be said to be the salt of England or sunne of our Church and not rather the Priests vnto whom the function of preaching and teaching belongeth of office and not vnto the Iesuits This application therefore of salterrae and lux mundi vnto the Iesuits doth not seeme to proceede from a Cardinall Againe it is affirmed that he sayeth that it was neither conuenient nor possible to remoue the Iesuits from the gouernment of the Colledges without ouer-throwing of all This is so notorious a paradoxe as it seemeth incredible to proceede from the wisedom of a Cardinall Were there no sufficient men in the world to vndertake the gouernment of the Colledges with preseruation of things but that all must goe to ruine if the Iesuits vpheld not all vvhat pride what arrogancie is this Could the Seminaries of Doway Rhemes be maintayned vpheld almost 40. yeeres without them and must now all goe to ruine without their managing Are all our English men in the world abroad so insufficient as that no one can be found able to take vppon him the gouernment of a poore Colledge I wish it would please Ma Iesuits to leaue the gouernment thereof a while which they say their Generall hath desired to doe and make triall whether we could not finde men sufficient for the managing of our Colledges yea more sufficient then any Iesuit they haue which neuer yet could maintayne that one poore Colledge of Rome foure yeeres together without some tumult or other which in twenty yeeres happened not in the Colledge of Rhemes gouerned by our owne seculer Priests Doctor Allen and Ma Baily But for all their complaints they finde too great a sweetnes to forgoe the gouernment of the
for the more easie cariage But who now will belieue Fa Parsons henceforward by his own rule though he say truth sith he heapeth vp so many vntruths together in fardels without blushing In the same page and the next following he laboureth to extricate himselfe of an obiection concerning his offering to sweare to Iames Clarke in London that he neuer meant to be Papist but onely to goe to Padua to studie Phisicke In which the cunningst shift hee hath is to ridde the same by an equiuocation because forsooth the word Papist is odious in England and not a terme professed by vs. This is the clenliest and best shift he hath as there you may see VVhereby you may note that hee had learned Logick before hee went ouer and knew the difference betwixt vniuocum aequiuocum which practise hee hath not lost since for ought I see After this hee braggeth of his good deedes for feare they should be forgot in the next paragraffe saith it is a violent lie that Cardinall Allens opinion was of him that hee was of a violent nature but for that reade Ma. Charles Pagets aunswer to the Apologie In the next paragraffe he commeth to Stukleys matters cōcerning Ireland which he layeth vppon Doctor Lewis saying that he had no part therein which he confirmeth by that he had beene then but two or three yeeres of the societie and was not Priest Of this we haue spoken in the fourth Chapter but that he had beene but two or three yeeres of that societie and was not priest argueth not that he was no dealer therein For if he could be of that credit and respect that he entred then into difference with Doctor Lewis Archdeacon then of Cambray and Referendary to Pope Gregory the 13. about some matters concerning that busines as here he confesseth I see not but that hee might in the same manner be of like credite with his order to haue a hand therein also And all men know Fa Parsons was forward enough at his first going ouer in such busie affaires and the greatnes of the Iesuits with Pope Gregory might giue occasion way enough thereto In the next page 92. hee noteth Ma. Blackwells bewayling his comming into England and his rising in his order by practises and vntruthes of which he saith and many more if wee can proue any one poynt hee will say wee are honest men in the rest Now then for our credits with fa Parsons for his rising by practises or factious disposition I will say no more but what is iustifiable à parte rei viz. that the most stirring medling practising heads amongst all of our English nation to goe no farther haue alwaies come to credite preheminencie amongst them Witnes this per inductionem Fa Parsons whose factious disposition hath been euery where sufficiently displaied with proofes sufficient VVitnes father Haywood and his busie factious inclination at his comming into England of which fa Parsons can beare witnes being at variance with him and many other priests yet liuing in England some of them hauing beene present at his Synodes where he made himselfe President in the Popes name VVitnes father Holt of whose disposition you may read in Ma. Charles Pagets answer to the Apologie Witnes fa Creswell as you may see in Doctor Elyes aunswer to the Apologie Witnes father Garnet the onely chiefe actor in all our stirres heere in England I might adde Fa Crighton the Scot with the rest and father Holt if he were aliue would take my part These then are pretty inducements to thinke father Parsons rose in his order by his factious disposition But for the other point concerning Ma. Blackwell let him be examined vpon his oath whether he came not vnto Ma. Bluet then prisoner in the Marshalseas vsing these or the like words VVhat meant Doctor Allen to send this man ouer he will vndoe vs all And being asked why hee aunswered that his expulsion out of Oxford was so infamous that it would be obiected by the Protestants to the disgrace of the cause Let Ma. Blackwell I say be vrged with this I adiure him as hee will aunswer it before Almighty God at the latter day to say the truth and then fa Parsons shall see wee haue wonne our credits euen in both these points besides an hundred more already prooued As for his action in Paris to get himselfe released thence I haue heard men of credite report the same thing and that Verstegen alias Rowland was one of the three that came to enquire late for him For his euasion that hee was not there subiect I would aske Fa Parsons whether when a Iesuit maketh aboade in any prouince hee be not subiect to the Prouinciall of that prouince for as then fa Parsons was no Prouinciall but a priuate Iesuit though he had indeed the superiority of such as came with him into England Touching the story of Doctor Gyfford and father Baldwine before the Nuncio in Flaunders read Ma. Charles Pagets aunswer to the Apologie and you shall see the contrarie to this fellowes words from the Nuncio his owne mouth In the 93 page b. hee denieth the Bishop of Cassana to haue beene generall Visitor ouer them because he had an other viz. the Bishop of Mont Reall ioyned in Cōmission with him which is but a cauill For they were both Visitors generall therefore the Bishop of Cassana had authority ouer them to visite and reforme them if he would haue put it in practise against them which hee would not doe to auoyde theyr clamors of partialitie against them for that they held him theyr enemie although he had many memorialls deliuered him vp against them euen of diuers of their owne order which he shewed to some priests yet liuing God forgiue him for his omission herein Concerning the Letters writ against the said Bishop cōtaining these words vel Turca vel mors vel daemon eripiat eū á nobis there be yet witnes thereof aliue who saw him burne it with his owne hands vsing these words pereat memoria earum cum sonitu For the poysoning of Sixtus quintus Cardinall Allen the Bishop of Cassana and others whether they were poysoned or not God knoweth and by whom But for Sixtus quintus it is notorious that hauing beene sicke of a burning Feauer and beeing newly recouered he suddenly fell downe againe and as was said with drinking of a cuppe of Greeke wine he died within the space of sixe houres if I be not deceiued The suspicion you see is great of his poysoning and that the Iesuits should concurre hereto the conceit may arise by their euill affection towards him in respect of his resolution to reduce them to the forme of other religious orders a little before his death But that they did concurre to this fact I will not for any thing accuse them as beeing a matter I cannot certainly know therefore will leaue it to that day in which all things shall be opened Touching
to the naturall disposition of the writer which being if a defect yet a defect in nature is not to be so much condemned But howsoeuer fa Parsons in this worke hath cried quittance as by the table of his words and phrases in the end of this reply you may see and therefore he may the better rest satisfied therein In his discourse heereof hee so ruffleth as if it were a Pedante amongst his scholers or that he had Ma. Watson on the hippe to crush him at his pleasure whereas indeed he hath for the most part either altered his words in reciting them mistaken and misconstrued his meaning or stretched the words and phrases farther then theyr proper sence by him intended I will alledge you some examples And first in the Epistle to the Quodlibets page 8. Ma. Watson writeth thus If that by way of quodlibet or Thesis proposed a man may without blasphemie sinne scandall or any offence in the world aske whether God or the deuil be to be honored whether our sauiour Christ could sin or no whether our blessed Lady were an adulteresse or common woman or not and withall to bring arguments pro et contra for auerring or impugning the same then to put foorth a question whether a Seminary priest or a Iesuit ought sooner to be credited cannot iustly incurre any reprehension or blame Which speech cannot be contradicted all questions in scholes being lawfull to be proposed and arguments brought on both sides so that the conclusion be in the defence and approbation of truth and verity But marke how fa Parsons citeth the said words He setteth them forth in this sort In this kinde of writing it is lawfull for him to dispute whether God or the deuill be to be honored whether our blessed Lady were an adultresse or common woman or not c. and then mightily inueigheth against him as of an audatious and impudent spirited person for proposing and putting in print such questions O the honesty of father Parsons VVhereas Maister Watson by way of supposall If a man may aske such questions without sinne scandall c then á fortiore is it lawfull to put the questions following hee maketh him to say that it is lawfull for him to dispute whether God or the deuill be to be honoured c. therby to turne the sence more odious and euill sounding which is but a very Iesuiticall tricke For although euen as Fa Parsons saith it be lawfull pro et contra to dispute those questions if iust occasion be offered or in schooles for the exercise of learning c yet as he hath altered the speech you see the sence more vnpleasing then in the former For he doth not propound them as questions but onely saith that if in the schooles such questions may be propounded If he insist vppon the naming of such things in print he doth but cauill For who knoweth not that many such questions are disputed by the Schoolemen in print Againe where Ma. Watson maketh a discourse of the fall of all religious orders in former times from theyr first puritie and feruencie which discourse is most true as we see before our eyes in the Benedictins Dominicans Franciscans Augustines and other orders where they are not of late reformed how farre they differ from the puritie and pietie of their first institution in theyr founders dayes this discourse fa Parsons will haue to be distorted against all religious men and theyr orders simply as affirming them to be all corrupted Thirdly where he preferreth seculer priests in England before Iesuits and other religious persons as well in preferment of degree worthines of person and superioritie in place as also in the state of perfection hee saith it proceedeth of the spirit of pride emulation ignorance temerity and folly and that the doctrine is against S. Tho. of Aquine S. Chrisostome and others not quoting the places where But I will say to Fa. Parsons and stand vnto it that for him or any Iesuit to defend the contrary is therein to shew their pride and ignorance For in chalenging place aboue their betters both in degree and honour in Gods Church is contrary to all custome and law of the Church as Ma Dâ—ct Elye in his answer to the Apologie hath shewed at large Howsoeuer some men may make question betweene parochus in genere and a religious person and the states of both which the Sorbonists defined on the pastors behalfe yet no man can doubt betwixt a religious state and ours in England where we are daily prepared to giue our liues for our flock of which Christ himselfe sayth Maiorem charitatem nemo habet vt ponat quis animam suam pro amicis suis And therefore the state of Iesuits or any other order whatsoeuer is not to be compared with the state of our Priests in England let Fa Parsons infringe this proposition if hee can But to make the case more plaine and euident we will put this generall axiome or ground that no man may leaue a more perfect state to goe vnto the lesse perfect being in vow bound vnto the more perfect but any religious man may leaue their Monasteries and domesticall discipline yea and in some cases are bound therto for the health of their neighbours soule as for example if there be no other meanes probable of his recouerie therefore to cooperate with Christ in the gaining of soules is a more perfect state then the profession of any particuler order of discipline or religion For to that end a state is said to be more or lesse perfect because it supposeth more or lesse perfection but that state of life supposeth more perfection which supposeth such inflaming charity as to be ready to giue their lyues for their neighbours spirituall good then that which onely seeketh his owne good therefore the life of a Priest in England which supposeth such a charity and such a resolution as to be ready to die for the good spirituall of his flocke is more perfect then a religious life which onely attendeth to himselfe and therefore supposeth no more then obedience obseruance of rules and ordinary charity Furthermore religion is but the way or meanes to perfection and therefore a man entreth into religion because hee would become perfect but that state wherein a man hath dedicated his life for his neighbours saluation is not a way or meanes to perfection but supposeth the highest and greatest perfection in this life therefore the state of a secular priest in England is more perfect then any religious state in the world Yet doth it not follow that euery priest is more perfect then a Iesuit or other religious man no more then it followeth that euery Bishop because of his state of perfection is more perfect then any priest or euery Iesuit then any Lay man because euery man liueth not according to the state he professeth And thus much for Ma. Watsons propositions in the grace preferment of the state of priests in England Fourthly