Kingdomes your principall pillers of the new Gospell comprehended within the number of the ten mentioned there in S. Iohn which hate the harlot Yes marie Why then they are enemies of Christ and Satans souldiers for in the 13. verse it is said of these that they shall deliuer their power vnto the beast which signifieth either the Diuell or Antichrist and shall sight with the Lambe and the Lambe shall ouercome them because he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Is not this doating in an high degree to infame so notoriouslie them of whom he would speake most honour and to make the special Patrons of their new Gospel the Diuels Captaines and fiercely to wage battaile against Christ Iesus See how heate of wrangling blindeth mens iudgements But you proceed and say that we further hold that the blood of the Saints and Martyrs was not shed in Rome but in Ierusalem Here is a confusion of Men and matters for we say that the blood of many Saints reheaised in the Apoc. was shed in Rome by the tyrannicall Emperours but the martyring of those tvvo principall witnesses Enoch and Elias recorded in the cleauenth of the same shall be at Ierusalem aswell because the text is very plainc for it specifying that their bodies shall lie in the streetes of that great Citie where their Lord was crucified as for that the ordinarie interpreters of that place doe so take it But M Perkins holdeth that the place where Christ was crucified signifieth here not Ierusalem but Rome because Christ was crucified there in his members so it might aswell signifie any other place of persecution as Rome The reason therefore being naught worth befo rt fiath it with the name of S. Ierome but citeth in the margent a letter of two vertuous Matrons Paula and Eustochium Good Sir if S. â—â—reme had meant that that Epistle should haue had his authoritie he would haue set it out in his owne name vvhich seeing he thought not expedient set the authoritie of it aside and vige his reasons iâ— you thinke it vvorth your labour and you shall be ansvvered In the meane season I hope all sober Christians vvill take the place vvhere our Sauiour Christ vvas nailed on the Crosse to signifie rather Ierusalem then Rome And consequently all that you haue alleadged out of Scripture to proue the vvhore of Babylon to figure the Ecclesiasticall state of Rome not to be vvorth a rush speaker A. W. To make the world drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication is not to inforce men by file and sword as the Roman Emperors did but to allure them by poysoned doctrine and counterfeite holines which course hath been almost proper to the Church of Rome The like signification hath the other speech of committing fornication with the Kings of the earth which argueth a delight whereby they were drawne not a violence of inforcement yea the idolatrie the Apostle speakes of is not the grosse worshipping of salse gods by profest idolatrie but in a mysterie the false worshipping of the true God Against his reason you except not but charge him with doting in a high degree for making the Kings of England Scotland c. Satans souldiers And such in deed they were when they gaue their power to the beast and as long as they continued the Popes seruants but the Apostle shewes that at the last after their drunkennes and fornication the Lord hauing discouered their shame vnto them they should hate the whore c. which they haue happily done yea euen Bohemia though a Popish Emperour for this present gouerns it and shall in Gods good time wholy consume her flesh with fire It is neither diuinity nor reason to imagine that Henoch and Eltas hauing been taken from the earth by God to their reward should come againe into the world and be slaine by Antichrist As vntrue is it that by that great city Ierusalem is meant for that terme is neuer giuen to it in all the Reuelation but to Rome ordinarily especially chapters 17. 18. yea our Sauiour himselfe was not crucified in Ierusalem but without it In the great city that is in the Romane Empire he was indeed crucified yet is he also daily crucified in his members by the instigation and appointment of the Pope of Rome by whom all the later persecutions of true Christians haue been raised in seuerall countries howsoeuer the secular power hath been the instrument of his crueltie speaker W. P. M. Perkins brings not onely Hieroms name but his iudgment that Epistle being of his writing in the name of those two Matrons yet we stand nor vpon his authoritie though we might well inough against you and your ordinarie interpreters without name but vpon the reasons before deliuered which proue that the great city is not Ierusalem but Rome Which exposition besides the authoritie of the text hath the sauour and defence of auncient and learned men Bernard saith They are the ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist Againe The beast spoken of in the Apocalyps to which a mouth is giuen to speake blasphemies and to make warre with the Saints of God is now gotten into Peters chaire as a lyon prepared to his pray It will be said that Bernard spake these latter wordes of one that came to the Popedome by intrusion or vsurpation It is true indeed but wherefore was he an vsurper He rendreth a reason thereof in the same place because the Antipope called Innocentius was chosen by the kings of Almaine France England Scotland Spaine Hierusalem with consent of the whole Clergie and people in these nations and the other was not And thus Bernard hath giuen his verdict that not only this vsurper but all the Popes for this many yeeres are the beast in the Apocalyps because now they are onely chosen by the colledge of Cardinals To this agreeth the decree of Pope Nicholas the second ann 1059. that the Pope shall afterward be created by the suffrages of the Cardinall Bishops of Rome with the consent of the rest of the Clergie and people and the Emperor himselfe and all Popes are excommunicate and accursed as Antichrists that enter otherwise as all now doe Ioachimus Abbas saith Antichrist was long since borne in Rome and shall be yet aduanced higher in the Apostolike See Petrarch saith Once Rome now Babylon And Ireneus booke 5. chap. last said before all these that Antichrist should be Lateinus a Romane speaker D. B. P. Novv let vs come to the auncient and learned men vvhom you cite in fauour of your exposition The first is S. Bernard vvho saith that they are the ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist Of vvhom speaketh that good religious Father forsooth of some officers of the court of Rome Good vvho vvere as he saith the ministers of Christ because they vvere lavvfully called by the Pope to their places but serued Antichrist for that
to keepe out their like from entring into this Iland the glorie of God the safetie of the King and the prosperitie of this kingdome are all waining in the last quarter For howsoeuer it be very true that some Popish errors hinder not men from remaining good and faithfull subiects yet as his Maiestie most wisely and truly obserued None of those that trulie know and beleeue the whole grounds and conclusions of their Schoole doctrine can euer prooue either good Christians or faithfull subiects For the former I referre my selfe to most of the points handled in this Treatise ensuing for the latter let the doctrine and practise of the Romish Synagogue it selfe giue sentence How can he possibly be a faithfull subiect that is to be commanded in the highest bond of conscience by forreine authoritie Shall we rest vpon the Popes holinesse as if he forsooth would not enioyne any thing that should preiudice any Prince in his estate temporall Let former examples passe can any true or iust dealing be hoped for at his hands whose vassals daily teach subiects that it is meritorious to murther Princes Would not the Pope if hee had misliked that doctrine haue checkt it long before this time either in some generall Councill or by some definitiue sentence of his owne as your Lordship hath prudently obserued And whereas their Arch-priest Blackwell condemnes all attempting of ought against Princes by any priuate authoritie doth hee not which is also your Lordships wise obseruation reserue thereby a tacite lawfulnes thereof in case it be directed by publike warrant So impossible is it for a Papist that beleeues the Pope cannot erre and holds himselfe therefore bound in conscience to obey him in all his commandements to be a faithfull subiect to any Prince in the world whatsoeuer But I haue been carried further in this matter than I purposed it remaines that I humbly craue pardon of your Lordship and commend there my poore labours to your honourable and gâ—â—tious acceptance beseeching God to continue your life and to encrease your zeale care and wise loâ—… to the glorie of his name the further aduaâ—… of religion the prosperiâ—â—â— of the estate the saâ—â—â—e and honour of his Maiestie â—…d your owne present and euerlasting comfort through Iesus Christ. From my house on the Tower Hill February 18. Anno 16â—◠〈◊〉 Lordâ—hips to be commanded in all Câ—râ—stian dutie Aâ—â—ONY WOTTON TO THE READER WHen I had finished my poore labours in answering and compared Master Perkins Treatise the Papists accusation and my defence together I could see no better course for thy vnderstanding of al three then to set downe all three euery one in the Authers owne words Now I came at the last to view them all three together the greatnes of the booke driueth me into some feare least that which I intended for thy good in reading of it should proue an occasion of thy forbearing to read it Only my hope is that knowledge of the truth being the end of thy reading thou wilt not thinke much of a little more paines or cost which necessity hath laid vpon them who desire to benefit themselues by vnderstanding the difference betwixt the Gospell and Popery That neither my tediousnesse nor darkenesse might offend or stay thee I haue laboured for as much plainenes as I could well attaine to with so much breuitie The skoffing reuiling and slaundering of the Aduersarie I haue chosen rather to referre to God the reuenger of all such Antichristian dealing and to thy discreete and Christian consideration then to answere in the like measure and kind of sinning But if it please thee in reading of the booke to compare the testimony he giueth of M. Perkins in his Preface to the Reader with his carriage toward him in the whole course of his answering thou shalt easily discerne that either the one or the other or both must needs be without iudgement or conscience For my course of answering I shall need to say nothing because I spake sufficiently of it in my answere to the twelue Articles In this present booke thou mayest know where M. Perkins the Aduersarie and my defence beginneth and endeth as well by the difference of the print as by the great or capitall letters set in the margin W. P. for William Perkins D. B. P. for the Aduersarie vnknowen hiding himselfe vnder those three letters A. W. for Antony Wotton And this course is obserued throughout the whole booke saue a few places where the marginall notes would afford no roome to those letters I haue further added some short answers in the margin here and there which thou maiest perceiue by the matter and letter It remaineth that I humbly and earnestlie intreat thee to examine what we haue written without preiudice and partiality and to acknowledge the truth with liking where it shall please God to make it euident vnto thee which he will certainly doe according to his promise if thou call vpon him in humility and faith for the assistance of his holy Spirit To whose gratious direction I commend thee now and euer Tower hill Febr. 18. 1606. Thine in the Lord Iesus Antony Wotton speaker D. B. P. TO THE MOST PVISSANT PRVDENT AND RENOWMED PRINCE IAMES the first by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defendor of the Faith c. MOst Gratious and dread Soueraâ—gne Albeit my slenddr skill cannot affoord any discourse worthie the view of your Excellencie neither my deadded and daily interrupted and persecuted studies will giue me leaue to accomplish that little which otherwise I â—…ght vndertake and performe Yet being â—nboldeâ—ed both by your high 〈◊〉 and gratious fauour euer shewed vnto all good litterature especially concerning Diuinitie and also vrged by mine owne bounden dutie and particular affection I presume to present vnto your Highnes this shoâ—…â—…ing â—â—eatise For your exceeding clemencie â—…es and rare modestie in the most eâ—inent estate of to mightie a Monarch as it cannot but winne vnto you great loue in the hâ—arts of all considerate Subiects so on the other side doth it encourage them confidently to open their mindes and in dutifull manner to vnfold themselves vnto their so louing and astable a Sâ—uâ—raiâ—ne And whereas 〈◊〉 the no vulgar praise of your Maâ—estâ—es pâ—…e you haue made open and often profession of your vigilancie and care to aduance the diuine honor of our Saâ—… Christ and his most sacred Religion Then what faithfull Châ—…an should slagger or feare to lay open and deliuer publikely that which he assureth himselfe to be verâ— expedient necessarie and a reeable towards the furnishing and seâ—ting forward of so heauenly a worke Moreouer if I your Maiesties poore subiect haue by studie at home and trauaile abroad attained vnto any small talent of learning and knowledge to whom is the vse and fruite thereof more due then vnto my so graâ—â—ous and withall so learned a Liege speaker A. W. Is it a dutifull manner of vnfolding your selfe to charge
commendation for discerning so much of the truth so may they bee excused if seeing Rome in their time a Christian famous Church they did not take it to be the seate of Antichrist But Hierome seemes rather to make against you because euen then he calles it Babylon in respect of Antichrist to come Your second and third reasons are of no more force For S. Iohn as I haue shewed spake not of Rome as it was then but as it was to be afterward and now hath been almost one thousand yeeres euen in temporall authoritie to which one of the Popes swords belongs Master Perkins rightly applies to Rome the words that fifteene hundred yeeres since were spoken of her as she is now the Popes Legates were nothing inferiour either for authoritie or exactions to the Romane Proconsuls But as it was foretold in a mysterie vnder a colour of spirituall gouernment ouerruling both in Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill matters he that remembers the bloodie massacre of so many thousands in a few daies not many yeeres agoe in France shall see that the Church of Rome shed blood enough at that one time to make her drunke as long as she shal continue yet what a small part was it of that which from time to time she hath bezeled in This section is nothing to purpose For who denies that there were as well Christians as Heathen in Rome in the Emperours daies The distinction Master Perkins denies is that S. Iohn speakes of Rome as it was vnder the Emperours and not of it as it hath been and is vnder the Popes which the authors you alleage meddle not with speaker W. P. S. Iohn writ a prophecie and therefore might well vse allegories besides he describes his Babylon so plaine that your selues are forced to confesse he meanes Rome by it S. Peter deales as an Apostle not as a Prophet and no where giues any inckling that by Babylon Rome should be meant Eusebius sets it not downe as his owne opinion but only recites it out of Papias from whom also it is apparant that Hâ—â—rome had it and in whom Eusebius saith there were many fabulous matters But let the distinction be as they suppose yet by their leaues hereby the whore must be vnderstood not onely heathenish Rome but euen the Papal or Ecclesiasticall Rome for the holy Ghost saith plainly that she hath made all nations drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication yea it is added that she hath committed fornication with the Kings of the earth wherby is signified that she hath indeauoured to intangle all the nations of the earth in her spirituall idolatrie and to bring the Kings of the earth to her religion Which thing cannot be vnderstood of the heathenish Rome for that left all the Kings of the earth to their owne religion and idolatrie neither did they labour to bring forraine Kings to worshippe their Gods Againe it is said that the ten hornes which be ten Kings shall hate the whâ—re and make her desâ—late and naked which must not be vnderstood of heathenish Rome but of Popish Rome for whereas in former times all the Kings of the earth did submitte themselues to the whore now they haue begun to withdraw themselues and make her desolate as the King of Bohemia Denmarke Germanie England Scotland and other parts therefore this distinction is also friuolous They further alledge that the whore of Babylon is drunke with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs shed not in Rome but in Ierusalem where the Lord was crucified and the two Prophets being slaine lie there in the streets But this place is not meant of Hierusalem as Hierome hath fully taught but it may well be vnderstood of Rome Christ was crucified there either because the authority whereby he was crucified was from the Romane Empire or else because Christ in his members was and is there daily crucified though locally in his owne person he was crucified at Ierusalem And thus notwithstanding all which hath bin said wee must here by the whore vnderstand the state of the Empire of Rome not so much vnder the heathen Emperors as vnder the head thereof the Pope speaker D. B. P. Well M. Perkins is content in fine to allowe of that distinction of Heathenish and Ecclesiasticall Rome which before he esteemed â—o foolish And then will prooue that not the Heathenish but Ecclesiâ—stâ—caâ—◠〈◊〉 is resembled to the purpell Harlot See what confidence this man hath in his owne shutle wit that now will prooue this and shortly after disproue it but let vs giue him the hearing The holy Ghost sayth plainely that she hath made all the vvorld drunke vâ—â—th the vvine of the vvâ—ath of her fornication and yet addeth that she hath committed fornication vvith the Kings of the earth But this cannot be vnderstood of heathenish Rome for that left all the Kingdomes of the earth vnto their owne Religion and Idolatry and did not labour to bring them to worship the Roman Gods Ergo it must be vnderstood of Papall Râ—me I answere The Roman Empire being the head and principall promoter of all kinde of Idolatrie and maintaining and aduancing them that most vehemently opposed themselues against the Christian Religion who with any shew of reason can denie but they chiefly coÌ„mitted spirituall fornication with the Kings of the earth if not by persvvading them to forsake their false Gods vvhich the Pagan Romans vvorship asvvell as they yet by encouraging and commanding them to perseuere in that filthie Idolatrie and to resist and oppresse the Christians vvheresoeuer Neither is that true that the Roman Emperours did not labour to bring other Nations to vvorship nevv Gods vvhen Nero and Domitian would be worshipped as Gods and for feare of Adrian one Antinous his seruant was worshipped as a God of all men as Iustinus Martyr testifieth These words of the text then agree very well with the Emperours who both were Idolaters and the chiefe Patrons of Idolatry but can in no sort be applied to the Romane Church which was thâ—n as the Protestants cannot deny a pure Virgin and most free from all spirituall fornication But that it is now become Idolatrous M. Perkins doth proue by his second reason gathered also I warrant you right learnedly out of the text it selfe where it is said that the ten Hornes which signifie ten Kings shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked which as he saith must be vnderstood of Popish Rome For whereas in former times all the Kings of the earth did submitte themselues to the whore now they haue begunne to withdraw themselues and to make her desolate as the Kings of Bohemia Denmarke Germanie England Scotland and other parts In these his words is committed a most foule fault by grosse ouersight and ignorance in the very text What be England Scotland Denmarke as for Bohemia ruled by a Catholike Emperour it must be omitted as also many states of Germanie be these
they behaued themselues corruptly in their callings And so this maketh more against you then for you approouing the lavvfull officers of Rome to be Christs Ministers The second plaâ—e is alleadged out of him yet more impertinently your selfe confessing presently that those vvords vvere not spoken of the Pope but of his enemy The reason yet there set dovvne pleaseth you exceedingly vvhich you vouch so clearely that it seemeth to beare flat against you for you inferre that the Pope and all others since that time be vsurpers out of this reason of S. Bâ—â—nard Because forsooth that the Antipope called Innocentius vvas chosen by the King of Almaine France England c and their vvhole Clergie and people For if fnnocentius vvere an Antichrist and vsurper because he vvas elected by so many Kings and people then belike he that had no such election but is chosen by the Cardinals of Rome onely is true Pope This your vvords declare but your meaning as I take it is quite contrary But of this matter and manner of election shall be treated hereafter if need require It sufficieth for this present that you finde no reliefe at all in S. Bernard touching the maine point that either the Pope or Church of Rome is Antichrist And all the world might meruaile if out of so sweet a Doctor and so obedient vnto the Pope any such poison might be sucked specially weighing wel what he hath written vnto one of them to whom he speaketh thus Goe to let vs yet enquire more diligently who thou art and what person thou bearest in the Church of God during the time VVho art thou A great Priest the highest Bishop thou art the Prince of Bishops the heire of the Apostles and in dignitie Aaron in authoritie Moses in povver Peter thou art he to vvhom the Keyes were deliuered to vvhom the sheepe vvere committed There are indeede also other Porters of Heauen and Pastors of flockes but thou art so much the more glorious as thou hast inherited a more excellent name aboue them they haue their flockes allotted to them to each man one but to thee all were committed as one flocke to one man thou art not onely Pastor of the sheepe but of all other Pastors thou alone art the Pastor And much more to this purpose which being his cleere opinion of the Pope how absurd is it out of certaine blind places and broken sentences of his to gather that he thought the Pope of Rome to be neither sheepe nor Pastor of Christs Church but very Antichrist himselfe There is a grosse fault also in the Canon of Pope Nicolas as he citeth it that the Pope was to be created by the Cardinals Bishops of Rome As though there were some 30. or 40. Bishops at once but of the matter of election else where M. Perkins hauing lightly skirmished with a broken sentence or two out of one Catholike Authour flieth to a late hereâ—â—ke called Ioachim and quoteth Iewell for relator of it A worshipfull testimony of one heretike and that vpon the report of an other and he the most lying Authour of these daies As for the late Poet Petrarke his words might easilie be answered but because he quoteth no place I will not stand to answere it But to close vp this first combat a sentence is set downe out of the famous Martyr Ireneus that Antichrist should be Lateinos a Roman Here be as many faults as words That learned auncient Doctor discoursing of Antichrist his proper name out of these words of the Reuel the number of the beast is 666. And obseruing the letters of the Greeke Alphabet by which they doe number as wee doe by ciphers saith that among others the word Lateinos doth containe those letters which amount iust to the number of 666. and consequently that Antichrists proper name perhaps might be Lateinos but more likely it is to be Teitan as he saith there lastly that it is most vncertaine what his name shall be See the place gentle reader and learne to beware of such deceitefull merchants as make no conscience to corrupt the best Authours and being often warned of it will neuer learne to amend Jreneus leaueth it most doubtfull what shall be Antichrists name And among diuers words esteemeth Lateinos to be the vnlikeliest And yet M. Perkins reporteth him to say resolutely that his name shall be Lateinos and then to make vp the matter turneth Lateinos a proper name with S. Ireneus into Romane an appellatiue which noteth onely his country Fie vpon that cause which cannot be vpholden and maintained but by a number of such paltrie shirtes Thus come we at length to the end of M. Perkins proofes and reproofes in his prologue where we finding litle fidelitie in his allegations of the Fathers badde construction and foule ouersight in the text of holy Scripture briefely great malice but slender force against the Church of Rome we are to returne the words of his theame to all good Christians Goe out of her my people Forsake the enemies of the Romane Church And as our Ancestors did the Pagan Emperours who drew out her most pure blood so let vs file in matters of faith and Religion from all heretakes that of late also spared not to shedde abundance of the same most innocent blood vnlesse to your greater condemnation you had leifer be partakers of her sinnes and receiue of her plagues speaker A. W. They were the Ministers of Christ by their profession as the Pope calls himselfe the seruant of seruants though both he is in truth Antichrist and they his ministers M. Perkins reason out of Bernard lyeth thus He that gets into Peters chaire without the consent of the Princes Clergie and people of Christendome is the beast spoken of in the Apocalypse But all the Popes from that schisme hitherto haue so gotten into Peters chaire viz. with consent of the Cardinals onely Therefore all the Popes since that schisme are the beast in the Apocalypse The proposition is Bernards in effect though notin words for he pronounces the Pope to be the Beast in the Reuelation because he was not chosen by consent of the Princes Clergie and people of Almaine France England c. And this Master Perkins sets downe very plaine at these words And thus Bernard c. How wide then are you from his meaning who make the quite contrarie collection in his name For if Innocentius say you were Antichrist and an vsurper because he was chosen by so many Kings and people then belike he that had no such election but is chisen by the Cardinals of Rome onely is true Pope He concludes out of Bernard that he was Antichrist because he was not chosen by the Kings Clergie and people but onely by the Cardinals you that he was true Pope because he was not chosen by the Kings and but onely by the Cardinals The reason out of Bernard you answere not but shift off the matter with alleaging
that then vvere most vehemently pursued did any vvhit at all diminish the number of Recusants or rather did not greatly multiplie and encrease them from one at the first to an hundred and moe in continuance But it may be they entend by those penall lavves to enrich your Maiestie and to fill your coffers Surely the receits vvill fall our much too short to gâ—ovv to any such reckoning And vvhat delight to enâ—ich your treasurie and stuffe your coffers vvith regrets and outcries of the husband vvife children vvidovves and poore infants vvhen as the best and most assured treasurie of a King is by the prudent esteemed to consist in the loue and heartie affection of his people Or are these penall lavves and forfeitures ordained for revvards vnto such dependents as for these or the like doe follovv you But the reuenues preferments and offices belonging to your Crovvne of England are abundantly able to content and revvard them that shall deserue vvell of the common-vvealâ— vvithout that so heauie agrieâ—ance and heart bleeding of others your Maiesties good subiects And your Maiesties high vvisedome and long experience in gouernment can best remember you that such men are not so mindfull of benefits receiued as the daily vvant and miserie vvill continually renue and reuiue the memorie of the oppressed And vvhen they shall see no hope of remedie the state being novv setled and a continuall posteritie like to ensue of one nature and condition God knovveth vvhat that forcible vveapon of necessirie may constraine and driue men vnto aâ— length speaker A. W. Doe you accuse his Maiestie of desiring to extinguish the Catholike faith or doe you dallie with him by this question The gates of hell are set open to all men by your catholike faith so that the diuell will neuer seeke to preuaile against it Either the generall opinion of all men and the bragges of your owne side are very vaine and false or else for one Papist in her Maiesties daies and gouernment there are three now at the least vpon the very hope of toleration These are matters of estate vndutifully propounding to the Popes vassals occasion of heartburning against their Soueraigne to a worse purpose It is not lawfull for Christians saith your Cardinall Bellarmine to endure a King that is an heretike if he attempt to draw his subiects to his heresie speaker D. B. P. If then there be no greater reason of vveight and moment vvhy such dutifull and vvell deseruing Subiects should be so grieuously afflicted for their conscience let others conceiue as they shall please I vvill neuer suffer my selfe to be persvvaded that your Maiestie vvill euer permit it before I see it done If it be further obiected vvhy should not your Maiestie asvvell punish Catholikes in your Kingdomes as Catholikes doe Protestants in some other Countries I ansvvere that in all Countries vvhere multitudes of both sorts are mixed as it is in England The Protestants are tolerated as in France Polonia Bohemia the Catholike States of Germanie and Caâ—tounes according to that of the Gospell Suffer both the wheate and coâ—kle to grow vntill haruest In Spaine and Italie where sâ—arse any Protestants be the case is otherwise But vvhat is that to England vvhere are very many Catholike Recusants and Catholikely affected in euery degree not onely of the Temporaltie but in the Clergie also hardly of the highest degrees of honour to be excepted therefore for their number and qualitie to be tolerated speaker A. W. There is great reason to beare with Protestants in any countrie because there is no apparant shew of Idolatrie in their seruing of God nor any forraine power vpon whom they must depend but Papists are euen outwardly also Idolaters and vpon paine of damnation must obey the Popes definitiue sentence who cannot erre in seate of iudgment against all the Princes in Christendome speaker D. B. P. Lastly if there were no other cause but the innumerable benefits which euery degree and order of men throughout England haue and do daily receiue from our most Catholike ancestors as the constituting of so many holesome lawes founding of so many honourable and rich rewards of learning as Bishopricks Cathedrall Churches Deaneries Arch-deaconries Residencies Prebends and Benefices the erecting and building of so goodly Schooles Colledges and Hospitals and endowing of them with so ample possessions which all proceeded out of the bowels of the true wisedome pietie and vertue of their Catholike Religion Is not this much more then a sufficient motiue why their heires in faith should be most benignely and louingly dealt with and not for the profession of the same Religion so seuerely afflicted Let the Protestants in those countries where they are most molested appeare and shew that their predecessors in beliefe haue been so beneficiall vnto the publike weale and I dare vndertake that for their Ancestors sake they shall finde much more fauour then we sue for Wherefore they can haue no iust cause to repine at your Maiesties goodnes if vpon men of that Religion which hath been so beneficiall vnto your whole Realme you take extraordinary compassion speaker A. W. This makes against you rather than for you For the strengthening of the Popish Clergie hath alwaies been the weakening of the Prince and the establishing of the Popes absolutenes aboue the authoritie of the Magistrate Therefore that the zeale of our ancestors may not become againe dangerous to our state it is not onely meete but necessarie also to keepe out popish persons and opinions speaker D. B. P. It lying then in your Maiesties free choise and election whether you will enlarge and extend your Royall fauour vnto an infinite number of your most dutifull and affectionate Subiects who are the most vnwilling in the world to transgresse any one of your lawes were they not thereunto compelled by the law of God or else vtterly to begger and to vndoe both them and theirs for their constant profession of the ancient Romane faith My confidence in the sweete prouidence of the Almightie is that he will mercifully incline your Royall heart to chuse rather to pardon then to punish because the way of mercie consorteth better with your kinde and tender nature it is of better assurance to continue your peaceable and prosperous Raigne it will purchase mercie at Gods hands according to his owne promise Blessed be the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie I neede not adde what a consolation and comfort it will be to many score thousands of your subiects and the greatest obligation that can be deuised to binde them to you and yours for euer Now what applause and congratulation from forraine Catholike countries would follow this your famous fact Vndoubtedly all the glorious companie of Kings and Queenes now in heauen of whom you are lineally descended and among all the rest namely your most sacred and deare Mother that endured so much for her constancie in the same Catholike faith cannot but