no leauings but losse Especially a crowne so sweet and so hard to winne as Englands is it likelie the Spaniard would not esteeme it worth the holding or leaue such a realme as this to it selfe contenting him onelie to haue it to friend when he may enioy it subiect Belieue me cosin they are no such Aesops coxcombs as finding so rich a iewell as England to leaue it as a thing of nought they hauing vsde the Indies long and being better iewellers then so nor are they so tēperate a people neither yet is Spaine so much the Paradice of the world it being for the most part a verie barren and desert soyle that they should hold England so little worth as not worth the holding If Englands amitie heretofore with Spaine haue not deserued a worthier opinion at her hands then so at least her late enmitie hath during which what boote we haue made of it both by land and by sea all the world knowes what it of vs it may put it in her eye Besides the deere proffer the Spaniard made for England as England as well as for reuenge in 88. with the losse both of their honours and liues and the infinite charges of their Armado shewes plainelie at what price they were willing to haue purchaste it at a lesse then which it is not likelie that they would euer haue left it Tush tush it is verie well knowne that the Spaniard so esteemes of England that not being able to make it Spanish hee could be content that euen Spaine were English for some yea sundrie honours which it hath and Spaine wants At least their wise and valorous king the Emperour Charles so esteemed of England that in his precepts to his sonne the last Phillip on his death-bed hee stucke not to make this one and that the greatest earthlie one vnto him in these words And sonne in briefe Paz con Yngalatierra y guerra con todo el mondo as much to say as Sonne be at peace with England and warre with all the world How base were it then in vs to disesteeme our nation so as to wish it vnder another which so highlie so noble an Emperour commended and which the Iesuits themselues finde to flow with milke and honie vnto them euen vnder persecution There is no question but greatlie may religion sway a Prince but yet not so as to leaue a Crowne We reade of manie that haue transgrest yea left all religion for a Crowne but of verie few that euer left a Crowne for religion Yea most Princes hold it a point of religion neuer to leaue a Crowne till a Crowne leaue them See then I pray how sillie an Oratour father Cowbucke is in this his gentle perswasion of the Spaniard and how vngentle a minde he beares to his countrie being indeed no gentleman and lastlie somewhat to excuse the man how well it steeds him to seeme the religious in this Paradox for his credits sake though thereby hee discredit his religion in but seeming so Neither for your credit-sake cosin will I anie further perswade you herein least in so seeming to vnder-value your iudgement in a cleare case I should seeme not onlie the discurteous vnto you but also vnciuill For what generous nature in the world would endure his countrie to be conquered by straungers or what sot imagine in a conquerour a voluntarie abandon of a Crowne seeing that in such a case aboue all other worldly cases whatsoeuer Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tenere Passing politickelie notwithstanding deales the king of Spaine seeing his right to this realme and his successes of warre for the same haue hitherto bin no better to entertaine religious men in the pursuite thereof for that it is much what a religious person once turnd politicke may perswade with the vulgar making pure religion and deuotion his colours then which no Oratorie can so enueigle affections not onely to couet but also to vndertake matter euen against nature And on the other side too cheape were England wonne to Spaine with so piping neither need the king of Spaine greatlie repine at the few Caricks and townes wee haue taken and spoiled of his neither yet at his Catholicke charges in maintaining two Englishe Seminaries at this day to our Church in his countrie if he can carue himselfe so easie and so ample amends Which as touching the Seminaries quatinùs vnder Iesuits discipline and also his foresaid Armado of 88. if his charitie be so great toward vs or rather not his ambition for before the miscarriage of that Armado on our cost those Seminaries were not erected in Spaine but since are there not I pray other kingdomes aswell as England vpon which he may likewise practise such his Armadoes first and then after also erect them the like Seminaries namelie with Iesuit-superiours ouer them which if the one were without the other or that the Seminaries had beene erected before the Armado were no such suspitious dealing but truely very faire and friendly play like to the last French kings in that of Rhemes but as thus England may well say Timeo Danaos dona ferentes and the rather for that father Cowbucke hath of late gotten diuers of the youths hands of those Seminaries to the Ladie Infantaes title as wee heare which alasse poore man wil neuer earne him the price of a Cardinals hat much lesse the honor to weare it But as I say if the king of Spaines zeale be such as needs he will be doing why there is Denmarke and Scotland two ample kingdomes both hereticall why hath he no Iesuits there or why sends he no Armadoes thether Oh belike he sees that they haue kings to defend them and England but a Queene but a woman whom happily being such he would haue the world thinke he came a wooing vnto that yeere which truelie besides the manner being so martiall was also vnlawfull in the maine seeing it is not allowable for any Catholike much lesse the Catholicke king the king of Catholickes to marrie two sisters though the one were Catholicke without dispensation much lesse perforce Or if hee will say that not those kingdomes but England hath wronged him what is that I pray for English-men to betray therefore their countrie vnto him or why should not wee the rather for that reason suspect his pretence of religion in his comming Shall the sonne because the father hath done his neighbour wrong ioyne with that neighbour to cut his fathers throat God defend or were it religion or moralitie in that neighbour to make such vse of the sonne truelie no. And yet such is Spaines dealing with our countrie and vs at this day and so good Casuists are Iesuits Graunt wee as the Iesuits suggest that our countrie hath and doth maintaine Spaines rebels against her sackt her townes inuaded her tresures both by sea and land yet were it so and that it became subiects to define their Soueraignes affaires of state all that an English-Catholicke
parts of Christendome ex professo and in particular are banisht for such out of all the most Christian Kingdome of France as also for their Spanish faction there where for all their great meanes and flattering Ballades of late made and exhibited to the King they are not like to get in againe this yeare nor yet the next hee hearing of their turbulent carriage here in England Onely they holde in here and there with the good Capuchines being at oddes with all other orders and oftentimes among themselues which is their greatest credit and which they may easily doe for that as one of those good Friers on a time confest they couet to haue all and these nothing Vpon this grounde likewise it was that the excellent good Bishop of Bamberge in Germanie being laboured vnto some fewe yeares agoe by the importunat commendations of the house of Austrich and other Catholicke-states of the Empire for their admittance into his most reformed diocesse he answered no I brooke no such Quiddits To conclude then with that I began to say seeing the Iesuits are a societie so inferiour to all other religious Orders and yet ambitioning aboue them all in the bare name of Iesus scorning belike in their singularitie to bee called after their founder hee being as yet no canonized Saint as aforesaid and namely an Order farre inferiour to the Seminaries both for institution and merit to our Church and Countrey as alreadie is partly proued though not in priuiledges from the Sea Apostolicke wherein howsoeuer otherwise they come short in merits to other orders it will be sure to be neuer a whit behinde to any it is I say great pusillanimitie in the brothers of the same cedere suo iuri so much as to giue them the preheminence in our Countrey for ecclesiasticall rule either in their owne name or to their vse as Maister Blackwels is much more to suffer themselues to be so infamed by them as by flat libell and which worse is by their owne partaking therewith Is it not enough that the Iesuits disgrace and supplant them with their zizaniaes in their owne Colledges liuing vnder their Ferrule that they expell them thence at their pleasures that they beate them almost to death but also in their Countrey they will assay the like and euen not there manumize them from their wrongs Pharao himselfe being no longer cruell to the Israelites then whilest they liued in his land saue once when in reuenge thereof the red Sea miraculously deuoured him and all his host Is it not enough that for euery one Martyr of those Fathers there haue been twentie at least of these Brothers to our Church and yet they to vsurpe the honour of all like the Spanish-Souldiour in the Lowe-countries who hath been alwaies the least part in his Lieges seruice there and yet the most in the praise Is not all this I say and a great deale more of the Iesuits vnkindnesses and vndeseruings both of our Seminaries our Church and Countrey enough but needes to al this they must adde libelling vpon them too forgetting that Qui dixerit fratri suo Racha is reus gehennae ignis I could wish and I verily hope they will valew themselues aboue the Iaponian and other Indian Clergie who know no other Pope then the Iesuits and take their bare words for Canons At least I could wish that in this case of so reall reproch to their whole bodie and preiudice to their Apostolike-haruest in our vineyard here they would as I hope in God they will abiuring Mammon and all other sinister allure and adiure of both Iesuit and Iesuited Arch-priest ioyne with their wronged brethren in a confident and vnanimous defence and not suffer their honours which is also their owne so basely to be bandied out of our Church and Countrey namely by an intruding societie were it but in honour of their excellent Founder our late Cardinall a man no whit inferiour to their Father Ignatius but rather afore him in all manner of rare desert to the Sea-Apostolicke for which hee was worthie to die a Peere of the same à fortiore then they being the naturall broode of our English Church ex traduce from Saint Augustine and Mellitus continued rather then founded by the said good Cardinall to our Countrey in all this age of persecution Surely Cosin rather then this shall come to passe through the indiscreete obedience or rather pusillanimitie of the Seminaries themselues toward the Iesuits there will not want amongst the Catholicke-laitie spirites to vndertake the defence in honour both of our Church and Countrey and namely of the Appealants our so reuerend Patriots and ghostly Fathers who though they for their parts haue all this while been content in their exceeding charitie but to holde the buckler to their eares against the Societies blowes yet these haply will not sticke to returne them in their behalfes a sound venny at least Yea seeing those Fathers haue thus presumptuously broken quarter with ours and that in our owne Countrey they being meere Spanish let them either yet make amends if at least it be not too late or else be sure that they sit fast for that saluo the Appeale they are like to carrie as good as they bring for all our good Cardinall be dead and gone such being Lex talionis dens pro dente oculus pro oculo and againe a meere morall iustice that Quisquis quae non licet loquitur quae non lubet audiat We Catholickes standing as yet on the one side of the Riuer the Appeale depending and the Iesuits on the other I doe not doubt but God will giue vs the day when once we come to closing or if not at least God shall lose no honour by our foyle so humbly will we all with our Appealant-Fathers yeeld vs obedient to the disgrace and the Apostolicke Sea which spirite I pray God they beare The Societie hath giuen scandals enough and daily doth throughout all the parts of Christendome which if they were but halfe made into a nosegay would I doubt not yeeld so vnsauorie sent vnto English noses that we should esteeme such flowers not worth the setting in Englands garden But this debt they may yet forestall if they will and all harder measure that may therewith befall them by licking out their Racha so irreligiously written and more impudently maintained against our Fathers and withall absolue themselues in so doing from their reatus gehennae ignis Well ipsi viderint They know very well that Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum and that confession of a fault is the least part of Pennance saue letting the wrong fall which we see they would now gladly doe if that would serue the turne but it will not for that as the French man saith Desbender l'arque ne guerit pas le play To vnbend the bowe heales not the wound More charitie were it in them by a penitent confession though with the lesse satisfaction which once our
from S. Peter to this day beene such that euer I reade Ignem veni mittere in terram quid volo nisi vt ardeat being a fire that Christ neuer meant as out of two flints by repercussion or out of steele by hard-edge but such a fire as hee sent downe in forme of disparted tongues ouer his sacred mother and the Apostolike assemblie at Pentecost and that which Saint Augustine our countries Apostle brought ouer to Eleutherius our king from Saint Peters sea Such is the fire that burnes in Iesus name and such the fire that flames from forth the Seminaries amōgst vs at this day Volentes trahit saith S. Paul of the holie ghost hauing his spirit nolentes non cogit The Iesuits mistake groslie if they thinke that God is to come to his spouse in turbine tonitru for such shall be the comming of Antichrist another day but in leui aura quasi susurrans Saxonie that was subdued to the Catholicke faith by armes how short time continued it therin being the last of all the Germaine-Prouinces that receiued it and the first that forsooke it In like manner at this instant hath not the Poland king receiued notable domage and daylie doth both in his owne and the Churches estate at the hands of his natural subiects the Sweathlands vnder the conduct of his vncle Fredericke whom they haue chosen their Protector and as now the newes is their king against him comming at the Iesuits instigation to conquer them to the Catholike faith Hath hee not lost not onelie all that his naturall heritage this of Poland being his kingdome but by election from euer being by all likelihood Catholicke againe it being now by meanes of such his prouocation the rather rooted in heresie but also part of Liefeland too which before was Catholicke besides his honour and all his charges of warre Such forsooth was the Iesuits religion in this case and so set they on the king to reuenge their wrongs rather then his or Gods and the irreuerence those people did them as they informd comming to take place and to preach amongst them by vertue of the kings letters-patents And thus if the Popes holinesse had anie such commission as is said the Iesuits doe vsurpe it they hauing I am sure no Breue of his to shew whereby thus to set kingdome against kingdome for religion as Poland against Sweathland and Spaine against vs. The knights of the Temple of Rhodes those of Malta at this day though they be the vowed souldiers of Christ his church neuer bore so quarrellous and irreligious spirits neither yet the Iesuits founder though hee were sometimes a souldiour left them any such rule But least of all is the Spaniard so peaceable a man amongst his neighbours as that hee neede to be nowd on to quarrels by the religious Howsoeuer that is not the way cosin the spirit of Christ being meeke and humble and what manner of Ghospelling he propounded to his Apostles and what armes viz. a scrip and a staffe you may read in the Acts. Moreouer if propter iniustitias c. as in 2. Reg. God to deliuer a nation ouer to the hands of another nation be his curse to that nation so giuen ouer and not his blessing is it meete that the Patriotts of the same should exhibit themselues instruments thereunto all people being bound to complie with their countrie as with their mother in all Gods blessings and not his maledictions Now then seeing it doth or may appeare vnto you that the king of Spaine neither de facto hath nor de iure can haue anie autenticke title or colour of title from the sea-Apostolicke to the royall Crowne of this land as for religion which of all pretences is most forceable much more easilie and iustlie may you condemne the Iesuits for perswading amongst vs a Spanish title thereunto in blood which the Spaniard himselfe neuer to this day yet pretended either in himselfe or his predecessors and lastlie if such their supposed title together with the aforesaid from the church faile then forsooth the benefit of Spaines conquering vs which of all other positions is most absurde Touching their title in blood then were it neuer so new and so true it is sufficient answer therunto to say that in respect they are meere straungers and of another nation I meane the king and his sister both such their title is voide and of no effect as well as for Fraunce to impleade their Sallicke-law in barre against Englands title vnto it Againe prescription were also a competēt estopple vnto them they pretending from king Iohn and Edward the third and yet neither their ancestors nor they themselues hauing layed in their claime to this day which during the deuision of the houses of Lancaster and Yorke at what time it continuing long and the whole land likewise therevpon deuided in ciuil warres it was a fit season for the Spaniard to haue done set in foote considering that vis diuisa debilis and also being then neerer the stemme of this pretended title which would haue made the better show Briefe if titles so farre fetcht might take place for a Crowne I wisse there are in this land a manie poore persons at this houre that might be serud before Spaine And as for king Iohn though hee were not the best Prince either to the Church or our Countrie but vnfortunate to ech and to him selfe most yet will we not hold him so vnblest of God and vnhappie as that from his loyne should be intituled a forraine-pretender to this realme ne euer built hee London bridge for a Spanish Conqueror to trample on as I haue often heard that nation bost of such a day Much lesse king Edward that our victorious king may his ghost abide to see England vnder a forraine rule who subdued forraine powers and Crownes to it Be this enough said and more then needs touching Spaines title in blood to England seeing that euen a meere English pretendant to deduce a title so farre off and after so manie changes amongst vs without making claime any time betweene were absurd much more so meere strangers present enimies as both they are to our state for which as little reason wee haue as for their religious pretence aforesaid to be any way parties to their raignes ouer vs. Touching their conquest then and the vtilitie therof to our countrie which is the last point the Iesuits perswade the other two fayling they doe well verilie to suggest it vtill at least if so seeing that vulgus amicitias vtilitate probat rather then honest and honourable which at all it would not be but contrariwise a meere wrong in them to attempt and slauerie in vs to endure So noble an Iland as this which to vse the Spanish Chronographers owne words was one of the 3. prime plumes in the helme of the Romaine Empire at her greatest the other two quoth he being Spaine and Fraunce an Iland which
before anie of them was able to free it selfe from that Empire hauing euer since all but the time of the Heptarchie stood selfelie-Monarchike and in paragon with either Fraunce or Spaine and other the greatest Monarchies of christendome as well for the honours of warre as of peace a nation which hath twice conquered Fraunce and as for Spaine was able to free her neck from the Danish yoke the Dane being a nation full of valour within one 24. yeeres the Spaniard not performing his like freedome from the Moore being a base and obscure nation vnder 700 a nation which was able to bring in a Dolphin of Fraunce with all the martiall-flower of that kingdome to make vse of here at home euen in ciuill warres amongst our selues and that done safelie to acquite it selfe againe of him them which what nation in christendome but England would haue aduentured a nation whose Empire hath extended from the I le of Thule to the Pirenean-mounts simul semel and that in setled peace as we may read in the raigne of king Henrie the second a nation which hath beene able to send forth armies and Armadoes as farre as the holie land and performed more seruice for God and his church there then any other nay then all other christian people concurring in the same a nation that hath made other countries both afraid and beholding to it and as we read great Princes yea and an Emperour her Pensioners a nation that hath furnisht Saint Peters sea with two excellent good Popes and the Catholicke church with as manie Saints and deepe learned men and at this day doth as anie countrie in christendome besides it being the first begotten childe of the same our Ladies Dowre briefe a nation which at this day euen vnder a woman and as the Spaniard and Iesuits pretend in her vniust vndertakings hath hitherto bin able to make her partie good against all the world maintaining it selfe in peace when all her neighbour-states round about her are on fire such a nation I say to cease now at length her Monarchicke-honour and become vassall to Spaine or any nation in the world be it by title or conquest or whatsoeuer pretence yea of religion oh how dishonourable and abominable were it to true English-nature and valour and scandalous to all the world Prouinciall I say for so should it be were it either vnder the brother or the sister of Spaine seeing that neither of their states Spaine or Flaunders would agree his or her throne to be out of them and in faith for England to be ruled by a Prince out of the land which neuer yet was seene since England was England as little reason it hath as well for her profit as for her honour If in Spaine it is too farre off if in Flaunders neither yet is that neere enough besides that all those Prouinces make but an Archduke which is farre vnder the honour of a realme such as England is whose Crowne is and euer was Emperiall both for waight and fashion Then to be gouerned by their deputies say vice-royes which the Infanta cannot afford being her selfe no Queene how displeasing that were on the otherside the calamities of Flaunders may any time these 30. yeers and yet at this day teach vs. For what cutting off of the Nobilitie of the land came in with the Duke of Alua and what oppression of the commons and with and for them both what warres and waste of those estates to this houre The like perhaps may be alleaged of Ireland vnder her Maiesties deputies at least the Irishrie so pretend iustifiying their present rebellion vpon their harsh hand ouer them though questionles herein they haue little reason but rather doe bite and whine at once are turnd rebels for not knowing in their sauagerie when they are well who were it Queene Maries dayes how ere they herewith pretend religion as little would they be loyall They want but to haue tasted the Spaniard a while to become true againe to England As for the Infantaes estate here if of the two that be it the Iesuits had rather and that withall her own countrie would assent to her residence here besides the absurdities and inconueniences hereof alreadie cited this is another and not the least to wit the vnlikelihood of her euer hauing issue being issue-lesse at these yeeres whereby would remaine the same vncertaintie of an English heire after her that now is In lieu whereof what factions were it not likelie shee would during her raigne ouer vs maintaine for her brother his heires succession to the Crowne what ielousies nay perhaps what not ciuil wars she being a partie alreadie aggreeued for the supposed wrongs done by England both to her father and her brother for which she would happilie thinke by this meanes to make them full amends or at least if such her practise should not preuaile to shew her selfe in so assaying a verie louing sister It is not her laying open her Low-countries and her brothers dominions no not his Indies to our trafficke in the meane time which aswell is like to come to passe ere long God willing through their inforced amitie with vs can counteruaile this hazard alone muchlesse all the aforesaid Nor is it yet halfe an age since the Spanish nation being admitted into our countrie in al loue and in the greatest knot of amitie that may be imagined to wit by the mariage of their Prince with ours at what time and that in how short a time we were as willing to be rid of thē through their ill deseruings as some of our countrie men with the losse of their liues shewed themselues alittle afore vnwilling of their comming we may yet verie well remember We may yet very well remember the chargeable vse they then made of our coūtry in their own wars both by land sea our losse of Caleis the while We may yet remēber their insolence amongst vs proude misgouernance to the contempt of our nobilitie much more of our commons for which no sooner was that knot between the two nations broken by the death of that blessed Queene but straight they were made to know how great disgust they had giuen vs with the losse of some of their liues for a farewell If then comming in as friends they deserued as foes at our countries hands how much more comming in as foes though nere somuch vnder the couert of religious friends may wee thinke to find them cruell and tyrannous namelie hauing had since so much matter of reuenge ministred them from hence as they assume Or why did they not then if their title were such to the Crowne of England as the Iesuits suggest make vse of that oportunitie for their subiecting vs But sure it seemes t was not the will of God both for that they tooke no such counsaile then and also if they meant anie such matter Gods sequestring the Spanish Prince from out the realme and taking away the Queene
all at one time Nay more to note the will of God in this behalfe he also tooke away the issue he had as I haue crediblie heard by our Queene as it were to shew that hee would not haue England anie way Spanish though England it selfe neuer so faine would Great and ample dowre he likewise laid vnto Englands crowne by the match and yet it was not Gods will that all that should winne England Spanish How much more may we then hope in God neuer to see it such by being laid to Spaine especiallie so baselie and abiectlie as these hot-spurre Fathers would haue it seeing that Spaine laid to it in so wooing wise could not make it Spanish Moreouer what reason were it that Spaine should be so great aboue all her neighbours as by the possessing of England nay what preiudice were it not to all christendome considering the proude and tyrannous humour of that nation Say that we for our parts should haue Catholicke religion by the meanes with it peace and trafficke with all christendome and all christendome the same with vs and perhaps all christian Princes peace with one another too which by our practises say the Iesuits hath bin and daylie is infringed Graunt we all this doth it therefore follow that Spaine is sure to haue euer a good king ouer her to administer such her greatnesse in good manner yea is Spaine euer sure of a Catholicke king vnder whom to continue Catholicke it self and all her estates vnder her In the fiue twentieth yeere of the raigne of our Soueraigne Lord and King Henrie the eight Catholicke religion was as vnlikely to haue bin supprest in England as it is at this day in Spaine vnder Philip the third and yet we see how soone after it followed and what it is now come to The like may chaunce to Spaine vnder a king according and by the same reason why may not wee also hope for Catholicke religion yet once againe here in England as they not expect the Protestant it being no more impossible nay more probable for a Protestant-Prince to returne Catholicke seeing that magna est veritas praualet then for a Catholicke one to turne Protestant it being too true that ruimus in vetitum semper cupimusque negata But say that Spaine should be so fortunate in her Soueraignes as to haue them euer Catholicke whereby Catholicke religion still to flourish in their dominions yet neither doth that take away all other mischiefes which may follow of their greatnes as breach with their neighbour-Princes and so warres abroad and be but for imployment of such spirits as happilie would else through peace be tumultuous at home consequently oppression of their subiects for the maintaining of those warres especiallie their subiects lying so farre off as England gouerned by their deputies together with a thousand such like mischiefes which are incident to great Monarches as from their greatnes and hauing more then they can well weld though nere so Catholicke and good otherwise And if it be so as the Iesuits calumniate that England alone troubles all the world how much more trow yee would all the world be troubled were Spaine and England one vnder a quarrellous Prince or rather how would not England then haue her part of troubles with all the world which now is quiet Great are the hazards that are from greatest Monarches both to the Church and the ciuill state of the world for that their taking to be bad as most men are naturallie so inclinde especiallie when aboue controule carries all in like manner with them making their greatnesse the counterpoise or ouer-biasse to goodnesse as wee read in the Greeke Emperours whose aptnesse to heresie wrought continuall schismes in the church till in the end God gaue that Empire with her Emperour ouer for the same to the Turke as aforesaid So likewise afore them the Romaine Emperours who being manie bad to one good what disorder wrought not their example and authoritie throughout all their Empire for which it pleased God at last to dissolue it and conuert it into manie kingdomes and Prouinces as now we see it whereby though one state or kingdome should miscarie vnder an vnhappie Prince yet the rest may tarrie good and prosperous If then such hath bin the prouidence of God to depose the Romaine Empire from her greatnes for her sinnes as from her greatnes and hath disposd it into distinct states and Prouinces as in reformation why then doe the Iesuits so labour to erect a Spanish Empire against such the prouidence of God for the euils hee saw in the Romaine or rather why not let England continue English and worke it selfe Catholicke againe if it please God in English manner Are they so much of God almighties counsaile as to know whether is more to his honour the proceeding practise of the Seminaries as hitherto for the good of his church and our countrie or the Spanish sword Or rather what christian spirit is not able to distinguish whether of the two is more perfect and how little behoofefull nay how vnlawfull is the drumme and ensigne where the word is likelie to speed as here amongst vs it daylie makes faire shew to doe Briefe a Heathen man could see it to be better and say thereupon Cedant arma togae concedant laurea linguae Which such their Spanish raigne if it should once come to passe in our countrie as I beseech God I may neuer see it either with or against our wils how hard yea impossible a matter it were to euict that nation out againe Sicilie Naples Lumbardie and the greater part of the Low-countries doth at this day teach vs by their lamentable extreame bondage not that Spaines valour maintaines such her dominion ouer them but her Indies Most of all absurd therefore it is to thinke it likelie that which Father Cowbucke by his papers agents so labours to perswade viz. that of their owne good nature they wil selfelie auoide the realme after hauing once establisht the Catholicke religion in it which saith hee is all that the Catholicke king desires Oh vnsauorie assertion arguing rather that simplicitie which ought to be in a religious person then the subtilty that is in him As though if a reconciled foe be neuer to be throughlie affied a present enimie for pretended wrongs and who daylie seekes and assayes to be reuenged may hauing once the law in his own hand be so farre forth trusted as with a kingdome seeing that for it what faith what iustice euer tooke place in this world Or as though the pretence to continue our said holie religion amongst vs may not as stronglie perswade him were religion his meere motiue to settle in this land as to come to inuest the same Oh cosin shew yee me where euer religion and armes marcht so together shew ye me where euer ye read of a Prince that vanquishing a countrie by the sword euer left it but so which properly is
man might doe in this case is but to be sorrie at the iniustice rather abide the fortune of his countrie for the fault what God shall award then be a traitour to it therefore and it is innocence enough in him not to be guiltie of his countries sinne howsoeuer hee rue it in her shame And who can tell whether happilie the next age may raise vp an English Soueraigne whose amity with Spaine may more auaile Spaine then these pretended domages come to At least wise Chronicles doe tell how that Spaine hath of auncientie more then once or twice beene beholding to English fauours farre aboue these trespasses which we neuer read it requited yet till now that England payes it selfe All the requitall that may be so tearmed is the two Seminaries which at this day it maintaines to our Church as aforesaid if at least he disparage it not with an vsurping intention whereof the Armado of 88. and the Iesuits practises whom he hath deputed ouer those Seminaries make too palpable shew But howsoeuer these his Seminaries may be thought requitals to Englands former fauours sure I am they are no benefits so of worth as for which English Catholickes should be traitours to their Prince and countrie in Spaines behalfe much lesse the kings pensions to our people in his dominions which being greater in title theÌ„ they are in truth I do not see but their farre sleighter seruices may deserue them then the sale of their deere countrie and their honours I speake this by proofe good cosin both in my selfe as you know and too manie my good friends that yet are in his and his sisters seruice the more was my fault when as it was though therby the more my experience in dislike of that nation Furthermore thus much I assure yee of my certaine knowledge that in the action of 88. against our countrie the king of Spaine made no such shew or countenance to our nation then seruing him in his armie in the Low-countries as also in the Armado as to make vs thinke â—ee came either in loue or religion against it as the Iesuits here suggest both in that and in the next pretended but the cleane contrarie that is reuenge and rapine For besides that neither in the one nor in the other there was anie Briefe of his holines promulged ne as afore is showne ought to haue beene promulged in allowance of that action whereby the Catholicke-subiects of this land to haue beene bound to concurre thereunto the Spaniard in ech part notoriouslie deserud the cleane contrarie at our hands My eye was a witnesse of a notable affront done by a Spanish captaine vnto my Lord of Westmerland in Bruges at the verie instant of the Armadoes being on our coast the Duke of Parma then lying with all his Court there and his Campe there abouts namelie vpon his shew of disgust that he was no more regarded the seruice being for his countrie In like manner did I not then see after our firing the Spanish-fleet in the narrow seas the young Prince of Ascoli at his fugitiue-arriuall to Dunkerke the morrow after where the Duke of Parma entertained him on the strond him I say in answere to the Dukes question what newes of the Armado vncap himselfe and grinning toward heauen sweare by it that he thought not onlie all the foure elements were Lutherans that night and all that morning but also God himselfe so blasphemous was his Spanish-spirit much lesse religious as to come to conquer a countrie for religion Better yet of the two merrier was the Duke of Ossuna who at this present serues the Infanta before Ostend his representation and answere to the then king of Spaine within a while after who being the first maÌ„ that arriued at the Court with the successeles newes of the Armado stucke a distaffe at his side a spindle at his backe in steede of rapier and dagger and so shewd himselfe to the king while he was at Masse Whom the king after Masse asking what successe God had sent he merrilie pointed his maiestie to those his armes saying and swearing that since they had fought so woman-like and that a woman had foiled them they were worthy before God and man to weare from thence forth none other Whereupon the king hastilie stept to the altar and taking a siluer candlesticke from off the same swore a monstrous oth that he would waste not only al Spaine but also all his Indies to that candlesticke but he would be auenged of England such was the Catholicke-kings religion forsooth toward our countrie or rather his prophane ambition despite for which it hath pleased God who neyther allowes conquests for religion as may appeare by the successes wars of Christians in the Holie-land of yoare much lesse for meere ambition to speed his two like attempts since as bad as that first This latter newes of Ossuna in the manner said came reported into the Low-countries from the Court of Spaine and confirmed by sundrie letters to gentlemen in the Spanish regiment where I then serued I will not tell yee for I cannot how many vnthrifts came to the Duke of Parmaes campe from out all the Prouinces of Christendome in hope and vaunt to make themselues whole by England what waging for our noblemens heads what questioning Sir William Stanlies souldiers where the riches of our countrie most lay what lust after our women-kind yea our Ladies by euerie raskall souldier and what villanie not I saw and heard all this cosin and a great deale more and worse and therefore I may safelie say it and sweare it for a certaine vnto you Moreouer to confirme this assertion of Spanish-impietie toward our countrie I will giue you a Flemmish instant for the same My father was the man whom I haue often heard tell how that the morrow after the Spaniards entring the towne of Mastreicht in Brabrant by assault hee there saw in cold blood a Spanish souldier to whom a poore Burgar of the towne came suppliant on his knees in the open street and besought him for his life protesting that hee euer was a Catholicke from his cradle the said wretched Spaniard to murder him neuerthelesse saying oh Flemming then wil thy soule goe the white way and much good may it doe thee I conclude then that if the Spaniard be such toward Flemmish Catholickes also no kinder then is said toward English as yet in the pursute of his dominion ouer vs when in all wisedome he should vse vs most benignelie though but dissemblingly whereby the rather to vvin our affections vvhich is the easiest and surest conquest of all other vvhat other may both Protestant and Catholicke expect at his hands here in England another day vpon his atchieuemeÌ„t by armes No lesse vnworthilie haue the Iesuits carried themselues in those parts and els-where in the kings dominions toward our gentlemen doing them so many indignities and disgusts as I shame to tel though meete they vvere to be
Arch-Priest himselfe whose rest you may suppose is a great deale more not in paternal Peuter but in pure ore his brother the Peuterer is able to liue of himselfe And it is no maruell if the fathers Gerard Standish and Lister could not brooke to be imprisoned from such pleasures the latter choosing rather to be periured then so depriued So sweet a rest the Seminaries haue not but a sweeter that is to say Tiburne and so heauen How truelie were the Seminaries in diebus illis afore euer Iesuit was ioyned with them chara deum foboles magni Ionis incrementum and so are yet too a great part of them whom Iesuitisme hath not attainted but then speciallie when they were not to be said in parts but all one anima vna and opus vnum Then did charitie flourish indeed as well in the Laytie as in the Cleargie and heresie lose ground a pace when both Catholicke faith and Catholicke life marcht together in ech against it Then nere sounded in our eares the tearmes Schisme Rebellion Suspension Excommunication Irregularitie Faction Appeale CoÌ„quest c. All this came in with these Fathers these Courtiers these souldiers vnworthie the name of Apostles of Religious of Iesus Gracelesse minded men whom not the calamitie of a church vnder persecution nor shame nor feare of correction past and to come much lesse the lawes of charitie and humilitie can containe from so grosse scandals but needs they must be as bad yea worse vnto vs within our church then our common enimie is without Please God Catay or the Canibals countrie were their abode rather then so ciuill a land as England they being a farre fitter Societie to persecute then to be persecuted and rather to make Spanish souldiers of for the slaughter of those heathen people vnder drum and ensigne then to be imployed in Iesus name for our church and countrie And trulie I am perswaded that if as such manner of men they might be ransom'd from hence by our State as they happen to be apprehended setting rounde ransomes on their heads it would sooner rid them out of this land then anie other course whatsoeuer and help to bring home from their forraine Bancoes some part of our English-coyne againe or at least wise saue the rest from their singers The Arch-priest was not ashamed in a certaine absurde letter of his to his Assistants to tearme our reuerend Patriots the Appealants pestom planè Ecclesiae nostrae wherein you may note the spirit of the man how much it ods from Iesus by being so Iesuited With how much more reason might these men retort those tearmes vpon his owne and the Iesuits vndeserts and notablie on Father Cowbucke his and with him all mischiefes primum mouens For the Arch-priest himselfe is in truth but motum mouens in the present Schisme to wit betweene the said Cowbucke at Rome and the Prouinciall-Iesuit heere betwixt whom as betwixt two dishes he is seru'd vp to our table for such daintie as you see This is that Arch which the Iesuits haue made or rather which makes the Iesuits and with them way for the Spaniard to passe ouer into England if God defend not This is our ecclesiasticall-Triumnirate at this day verè pestis ecclesiae patriaeque nostrae as they haue vsed the matter and not the Opponents thereunto As for the first of them besides the disparage of his birth and name afore touched he is so notable a coward that since his fugacie froÌ„ Christs Campe here hee thought Paris too neere the broiles for which cause or whether for that his turbulent humour wanted employment there he had not beene there long but wishing to be farther off rather ill occupied then vnoccupied though the short while hee tarried there hee wanted not his brabbles with some of his fellow-fathers in the colledge hee made it a request to his Rector to let him goe to Rome Which his said Superiour seeing no iust reason for and thereupon refusing it him marke the shift Within a few dayes after he tels the Rector how that by letters from England hee had receiued aduertisement that our State had suborn'd and expressely sent ouer certain persons thither to murder him howsoeuer And to make this good he himselfe subbornes certaine Suresbies his speciall votaries whereof one I know de facto to come one euening late to their colledge-gate with pistols halfe in sight and halfe out and so with angrie lookes to aske to speake with him Which accordinglie was effected whom the lay-brother the Porter opening the gate vnto and seeing in that suspitious fashion came straight vnto this reuerend person and told him what he saw who presentlie taking him along with him to their Rector with pale looke and trembling member willed his said brother to tel him what he saw which the Rector vnderstanding and no whit suspecting the packe by reason of his well fained feare the while straight credited his aforesaid suggestion and so to soâ—e his life that verie night conuaid him priuilie out of the colledge with monie enough in his purse who on the morrow tooke his iournie toward Rome where within a few dayes after hee diu'd vp like a Dux all in Buffe as though he had bin the greatest champion in all our church Twentie of these gulleries hath this Parsons brat plaid both before and since this pranke but thus much for that Perhaps you will obiect that this was before his Resolutions what of that It was since he was a Iesuit true neuerthelesse euen as true as those resolutions were none of his owne but another mans collections and he but the bare penner of them for had they beene his owne hee would haue shew'd it in his life hitherto or yet atleast seeing that nunquam sera est ad bonos more 's via But whether they were his owne or no or but collections of another and his onlie the penning sure I am the man might haue bin much better occupied to haue continued his hand still in that vaine though hee meant not to liue according more credit it would haue beene both to him and his Societie also more profit to our Church here then his becomming since an ecclesiastical Steuklie an Archpriest-maker and a King-munger But soft the king is not yet made there is a certaine Queene must be first askt leaue for that course in her Parke Nor are the 40000. Catholicks no not so much as one I trust nor God willing will euer be in so disloyall addresse as to entertaine the catholike-Catholike-king or his sister on our shore as this man hath suggested vnto them Wherin he gulles them both seeing that thanks be to God England hath as true English-Catholickes in it as it hath Catholicke-English Nor euer shall by Gods help the Arch-priest with his conformable dousen make good that plot with al their braines Let therefore father Cowbucke no longer abuse the Spanish king with such vaine hopes neither yet make so daintie of his Councell of