Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	king_n	nation_n	scotland_n	3,495	5	8.3464	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20505	A discourse vppon a question of the estate of this time. Faithfully translated out of French by E.A.	Aggas, Edward.	1591 (1591)	STC 6910; ESTC S118984	10,741	18

which I leaue to the discretion of those that list more déepely to penetrate thereinto I wil procéede to intreat of the profit and commoditie that may redound to al christendome so long as the king standeth fast in the declarations which he hath published both before and since his comming to the crowne for matter of conscience and religion wherein he alwayes submitted him selfe to the determination of a generall or nationall councell The king is not alone in this realme of his religion there are but ouer many instructed therein that do professe the same Neither in this realme alone are there many withdrawen from the Romish Church but also in England Scotland Denmarke Sweden Poleland Germany Switzerland and other places being more then halfe christendome What way therfore do ye thinke to be best to reclaime al these nations to the obedience of the cath apost Romish church whether war or a frée generall councell Inquisitions fires gibbets murders warres battels fiege of townes leagues conuenticles slaughters assaults poysonings in briefe all other meanes and subtilities in the worlde that these 30. yeres could be practised to the great desolation and detriment of al christendome but especially of this realme haue as yet nothing preuailed Only they haue made a number of Atheists Libertines and Epicures contemners of God his word and church we haue found these medicines to be no fitter to the cure of the sickenes of the mind then is a strong cleane and fuming wine to the frantike or burning ague but rather to resemble oile to quench a flaming fire or as when a man hath paine in his arme for the curing therof to cut off his leg or other member My maisters the Apostles and antient fathers of the Church neuer vsed any such tooles for the rooting out of those errours and heresies which from time to time were sowen and planted therein Marke in the Acts of the Apostles what they did in the beginning in the cutting off of meats and abolishing of Iudaisme which some through the circumcision went about to continue in the church after grace giuen by Iesus Christ Consider what the Emperour Constantine the great did for the suppression and condemning of the heresie of Arrius Sée also what other Emperours did in like cases what course thy tooke to abolish the heresies of the Nestorians Pelagians Anabaptists and others as the Counselles called for the same do testifie Why then shall not we do the like in these dayes where the question concerneth not a handfull of people retired from the Romish church but euen halfe christendome But now here commeth some angrie fellow that will tell me that the heresies of these dayes are already condemned by the councel of Trent and therfore if that a processe alredy iudged euen by decrée where all parties haue answered reciprocally is not to be reduced to the file what shal then become of a processe iudged by default and contumacie where the parties haue neither appeared nor answered But omitting al other causes of nullitie aleadged against the said Councell as by sundry bookes expressely written doth appeare the Protestants and Huguenots do say and complaine that they are not heard in the said councel of Trent That albeit they were thereto summoned and called yet they durst not appeare as doubting of the safety of their persons by reason of a certaine principle both then and yet holden by some of our diuines importing That faith is not to be kept with heretikes and fearing the like successe as happened to those who contrarie to the publike faith and the Emperour Signismundes safeconduct were put to death at the councel of Constance If we were once sufficiently grounded to condemne this opinion and errour may we not be so againe It is not the first time that there haue béene diuers councels holden for the rooting out of one selfe heresie Sith there haue béene two Councels holden in Italie and one Sinode in France for the determining of the opinion of a meane Deacon of Saint Maurice of Angiers is it not greater reason to call a generall frée councell for so many peoples and nations of Christendome as at this day are of diuers opinions Let vs then shewe that we feare not the touchstone yea let them know that equitie and trueth are on our side which can neuer be reuersed in the presence of God who by his holy spirite alwaies assisteth a frée councel lawfully assembled and holden I could be content here to make a digression and exclamation against our holy fathers the Popes who are or should be the common fathers of all faithfull and Catholike people for suffering so much christian bloud to be shead about these arguments and controuersies in religion also for that they haue rather fauoured allowed and consented to the leuying of such wars hereabout then vsed the spirituall sword the which is Gods word for the cutting off of the course of heresie but in respect of the reuerence of their memorie the place that they haue holden the honor that I owe to that holy sea and eschewing of offence I will holde my peace I say therefore that as this sickenes of diuersitie of opinions in religion is spirituall so it is requisite thereto to applie spiritual remedies and medicines To say with some that the king is to be instructed we may say as much of al other that holde the same opinions as he doth and so when shal we haue done teaching of euery one particularly Againe thinke you so to win the consent of the inhabitants of England Scotland Denmarke Sweden Germany and other countries that haue frée exercise of their religion without controlement Wéene you that the doctours of Sorbonne and other such diuines shall be welcome to them in particular when they come to minister vnto them this foode and instruction Ye are deceiued it is a méere mockerie neither can that be the necessarie remedy to this disease Nothing but a generall councell can cure so generall a sickenesse For the honour of God therfore my Maisters you that are seruauntes to God and the king as well Cleargie men as others neuer withstand this course And you of the League let reason rule you as well your affaires are but in bad case I say and affirme that vnto such as in lieu of employing themselues about the calling of a generall councel shall withstand and hinder the same we may iustly attribute the causes of whatsoeuer domage may ensue to the catho apostol and Romish religion aduowing that they be guilty and answerable before god for al the robberies murders fires spoils ransoms violations ruines calamities and other outrages and excesse of the warres I know well enough my maisters that many of you do wish that the king would become a catholike to the end ye might haue peace and ye desire peace to the end to returne to your houses there to inioy your woonted commodities and pleasures But if ye obtaine not this wish at Gods hand ye may be

sent to be dealers in the leauy of such Souldiours as he desireth of you be they not all Catholikes Yea euen the same Ministers and Ambassadours whome the late King vsed What occasion therefore haue your Lordships to grant your succor to the king of Nauarre for they do not otherwise entitle the King rather then vnto the house of Lorraine and Guise or to the King of Spaine their king and confederate With this sleight and subtilty haue they troubled the Kings affaires in Germany and slacked the leauy of his men of war What then would they do if indéede the king were become a Catholike considering that vpon a simple apparance only they haue so shaken the amity which the princes of Germany do beare to the king Hereupon therefore ye may conclude that al the instance that the leaguers make to cause the K. to returne to the Catholike religion tends only to withdraw from him the loue of forren protestant Princes so to weaken his forces of so much Also that albeit he were become a Cath. yet the King of Spaine with the houses of Lorraine and Guise and other his ennemies would neuerthelesse prosecute the warre against him and that with more power and strength then yet they haue for vndoubtedly they would vse the power of Germany other the protestants that now do assist the king in the defence of his successine and lawfull right to this crowne which they indeuour to wrest from him and al other the princes of his blood and familie This is the cause that the King being well informed of the drifts and practises aforesaide hath dispatched the L. Vicount of Turenne to the Quéene of England and thence into Germany to assure the protestant Princes of the contrarie of that that his enemies haue bruited among them to his hindrance and to shew them that it was no newes that he vsed the seruice of catholiks considering he had the like before he came to this crown Also that he intended equally to fauour and vse all his obedient seruants and subiects without acception or difference of religion with assurance likewise to the saide Lady the Quéene of England and protestant princes of Germany that at what time soeuer he shal cause himselfe to be instructed in the catholike religion he will withall procure to al christendome the benefite of re-union in one sole faith and religion thereby at once to cease all diuisions warres and partialities arising vpon the diuersitie of opinions in religion Let vs therefore I pray you a little examine what may bring to all christendome in generall and particularly to this realme the accomplishment of your desires It were somewhat if the king were instructed and brought to the cath Apost and Romish religion and with all my heart my selfe do wish it as earnestly as any of you yet must you with me confesse that albeit we might reap the contentment of the fight hereof yet his subiectes that are indued with the like opinion would not neuerthelesse be so soone reclaimed witnes Cassiodorus who in the person of Theodorike king of the Gothes dooth say Religion dependeth not vpon our commaundement for no man is forced to beleeue against his will witnes also S. Bernard who in another place saith Faith must be persuaded not forced whereby these two great personages doe fréely confesse that kings haue no power ouer the consciences besides that nothing should be so voluntary as religion wherein if the spirit be forced it may wel be said that religion is taken away and there is none at all left And indéed we haue found that our kings how zealous catholikes soeuer could not in thréescore yeares space neither by their examples of earnest Catho Apost and Romish religion neyther by fires tortures or temporall weapons tame or force the cōsciences of their subiects To what purpose then were it for the king to be a catholike vnlesse his protestant subiects would so become also I do already séeme to heare some cry out saying we would perswade yea euen force the king to denounce war against them vnlesse they would conforme themselues Alas so should yereturne into that whereout out ye séeke to depart You say The king becomming a catholike we shal be at peace yet in your other discourse you sée that créeping out of one war we shall fall into another as dangerous or rather worse then the former Let vs then crie alarum as much as we list for that is no cure for our calamities weapons prouoke weapons and our minds only are sicke which we must séeke to cure by documents and reasons onely Thus much for the particularity of this realme Shall the generall state of christendome be any whit the better Is the king more able to reduce forren protestant Nations to the cath apost Romish religion There wil be no want of firebrands of war to tel me with their vsuall discourses That the king who is a great warriour may with the assistance of the coyne and forces of our holy father the Pope and the King of Spaine in fewe yeares reduce the forraine people and Nations into the bosome of the Romish church Such discourses are much amisse as experience of that which is past teacheth vs for so should we reenter into such a laborinth as without other more milde and lawfull meanes and Gods great helpe we shall not easely get out againe yea so should we fall to turning of an infinite whéele able to leade vs and all christendome to a finall destruction Moreouer ye are to thinke that it were very vnséemely to the inuiolable faith of the king to his constancie inuincible magnanimitie honour and reputation so sleightly and sodainely to alter his religion whether in hope of a more peaceable raigne or in intent to force and racke consciences and in all extremitie to leauy war against those that haue assisted him in all his aduersities and against whome we are to imagine that he beareth no bad minde sith himselfe being in the like case hath felt that euen in his soule he thought it good Which also is the cause that he iudging others affection to religion by his owne will not force the cousciences of vs catholikes and woulde you then that he should force the protestants Iudge ye whether it were any reason Do we meane to play with the K. and make him in his actions which ought to be kept in measure and compasse walke after our fantasies Let vs at this time be content with his declarations published both before since his comming to this crowne which haue relation hereto and doe open to vs his resolution I haue peraduenture more briefly then I shoulde or then the matter deserues touched such inconueniences as are to be feared or may come to passe in case the king should reclaime himselfe to the cathol religion as readily as some doe desire but because by this little that I haue said others may easily supply such considerations as may be conteined in this behalfe