The Execution of Iustice in England for maintenaunce of publique and Christian peace against certeine stirrers of sedition and adherents to the traytors and enemies of the Realme without any persecution of them for questions of Religion as is falsely reported and published by the fautors and fosterers of their treasons xvii Decemb. 1583. †Imprinted at London 1583. ⧠The Execution of Iustice in England for maintenance of publique and Christian peace c. IT hath bene in all ages and in all countries a common vsage of all offendors for the most part both great and small to make defence of their lewd and vnlawfull facts by vntruthes and by colouring and couering their deedes were they neuer so vile with pretences of some other causes of contrarie operations or effectes to the intent not onely to auoid punishment or shame but to continue vphold prosecute their wicked attempts to y e full satisfaction of their disordered and malicious appetites And though such hath bene the vse of all offendors yet of none with more danger then of Rebels traitours to their lawfull Princes Kings and countries Of which sort of late yeeres are specially to be noted certaine persons naturally borne subiects in the Realme of England and Ireland who hauing for some good time professed outwardly their obedience to their soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth haue neuerthelesse afterward bene stirred vp and seduced by wicked spirites first in England sundry yeres past and secondly and of later time in Ireland to enter into open rebellion taking armes and comming into the field against her Maiestie and her Lieutenants with their forces vnder banners displayed inducing by notable vntruthes many simple people to followe assist them in their traiterous actions And though it is very well knowen that both their intentions and manifest actions were bent to haue deposed the Queenes Maiestie from her Crowne and to haue traiterously set in her place some other whom they liked whereby if they had not bene speedily resisted they would haue committed great bloodsheddes and slaughters of her Maiesties faithfull subiects and ruined their natiue countrey Yet by Gods power giuen vnto her Maiestie they were so speedily vanquished as some few of them suffered by order of Lawe according to their deserts many and the greatest part vpon confession of their faultes were pardoned y e rest but they not many of the principall escaped into forreine countries there because in none or few places rebels and traitours to their naturall Princes and countries dare for their treasons chalenge at their first muster open comfort or succour these notable traitors and rebels haue falsely informed many Kings Princes and States and specially the Bishoppe of Rome commonly called the Pope from whome they all had secretely their first comfort to rebell that the cause of their fleeing from their countries was for the religion of Rome and for maintenance of the said Popes authoritie Whereas diuers of them before their rebellion liued so notoriously the most part of their liues out of all good rule either for honest maners or for any sense in religion as they might haue bene rather familiar with Catalyn or fauourers to Sardanapalus then accōpted good subiectes vnder any Christian Princes As for some examples of the heads of these rebellions out of England fled Charles Neuill Earle of Westmerland a person vtterly wasted by loosenesse of life by Gods punishment euen in the time of his rebellion bereaued of his children that should haue succeeded him in the Earledome and how his bodie is nowe eaten with vlcers of lewde causes all his companions do see that no enemie he had can wish him a viler punishment And out of Ireland ranne away one Thomas Stukeley a defamed person almost through all Christendome a faithlesse beast rather then a man fleeing first out of England for notable piracies and out of Ireland for trecheries not pardonable which two were the first ringleaders of the rest of the rebelles the one for England the other for Ireland But notwithstanding the notorious euill and wicked liues of these and others their confederates voide of all Christian religion it liked the Bishop of Rome as in fauour of their treasons not to colour their offences as themselues openly pretend to do for auoyding of common shame of the worlde but flatly to animate them to continue their former wicked purposes that is to take armes against their lawfull Queene to inuade her realme with forreine forces to pursue al her good subiects and their natiue countries with fire sworde for maintenance whereof there had some yeres before at sundrie times proceeded in a thundring sort Bulles excommunications other publique writings denouncing her Maiestie being the lawfull Queene and Gods anoynted seruant not to be the Queene of the realme charging and vpon paines of excommunication commanding all her subiects to depart from their natural alleageances wherto by birth and by othe they were bounde Prouoking also and authorising all persons of al degrees within both the realmes to rebell and vpon this antichristian warrant being contrarie to all the Lawes of God and man nothing agreeable to a pasturall officer not onely all the rabble of the foresaid traitors that were before fled but also all other persons that had forsaken their natiue countries being of diuers conditions and qualities some not able to liue at home but in beggerie some discontented for lacke of preferments which they gaped for vnworthily in Vniuersities other places some banckerupt Marchants some in a sort learned to contentions being not contented to learne to obey the Lawes of the lande haue many yeres running vp and downe from Countrey to countrey practised some in one corner some in an other some with seeking to gather forces and money for forces some with instigation of Princes by vntruethes to make warre vpon their natural countrey some with inwarde practises to murder the GREATEST some with seditious writings and very many of late with publique infamous libels ful of despitefull vile termes and poysoned lyes altogether to vpholde the foresaide antichristian and tyrannous warrant of the Popes Bull. And yet also by some other meanes to furder these intentions because they could not readily preuayle by way of force finding forreine Princes of better consideration and not readily inclined to their wicked purposes it was deuised to erect vp certeine schooles which they called Seminaries to nourish bring vp persons disposed naturally to sedition to continue their race and trade and to become seedmen in their tillage of sedition them to send secretly into these the Q. Maiesties realmes of England Ireland vnder secret Maskes some of Priesthood some of other inferior orders with titles of Seminaries for some of the meaner sort of Iesuites for the stagers and ranker sort such like but yet so warely they crept into the land as none brought the marks of their priesthoode
therefore as there is no doubt but the like violent tyrannous proceedings by any Pope in maintenance of traitors and rebels would be withstoode by euery Soueraigne Prince in Christendome in defence of their persons and Crownes and maintenance of their subiectes in peace so is there at this present a like iust cause that the Emperours Maiestie with the Princes of the holy Empire and all other Soueraigne Kings and Princes in Christendome shoulde iudge the same to be lawfull for her Maiestie being a Queene and holding the very place of a King and a Prince soueraigne ouer diuers kingdomes and nations she being also most lawfully inuested in her Crowne and as for good gouerning of her people with such applause and generall allowance loued and obeyed of them sauing a few ragged Traitours or rebels or persons discontented whereof no other Realme is free as continually for these xxv yeeres past hath bene notably seene and so publiquely marked euen by strangers repairing into this Realme as it were no cause of disgrace to any Monarchie and King in Christendome to haue her Maiesties felicitie compared with any of theirs whatsoeuer and it may be there are many Kings and Princes coulde be well contented with the fruition of some proportion of her felicitie And though the Popes be nowe suffered by the Emperour in the landes of his owne peculiar patrimonie and by the two great Monarches the French King and the King of Spaine in their dominions and territories although by other Kings not so allowed to continue his authoritie in sundrie cases and his glorious title to be the vniuersall Bishop of the worlde which title Gregorie the great aboue nine hundreth yeeres past called a prophane title full of sacrilege and a preamble of Antichrist yet in all their dominions and kingdomes as also in the Realme of Englande most notably by many auncient Lawes it is well knowen howe many wayes the tyrannous power of this his excessiue authoritie hath bene and still is restrained checked and limitted by lawes and pragmatiques both ancient and newe a very large fielde for the Lawyers of those countreyes to walke in and discourse And howsoeuer the Popes Cannonistes being as his Bombarders doe make his excommunications and curses appeare fearefull to the multitude and simple people yet all great Emperours and Kings aforetime in their owne cases of their rightes and royall preeminences though the same concerned but a Citie or a poore Towne and sometime but the not allowance of some vnworthie person to a Bishopricke or to an Abbey neuer refrayned to despise all Popes curses or forces but attempted alwayes eyther by their swordes to compell them to desist from their furious actions or without any feare of them selues in body soule or conscience stoutly to withstande their curses and that sometime by force sometyme by Ordinances and Lawes the auncient hystories whereof are too many to be repeated and of none more frequent and effectual then of the kings of Fraunce But leauing those that are auncient we may remember howe in this our owne present or late age it hath bene manifestly seene howe the army of the late noble Emperour Charles the fift father to King Philippe that nowe reigneth was not afrayde of his curses when in the yeere of our Lorde 1527. Rome it selfe was besieged and sacked and the Pope then called Clement and his Cardinals to the nomber of about 33. in his mount Adrian or Castell S. Angelo taken prisoners and deteined seuen moneths or more and after ransomed by Don Vgo di Moncada a Spaniarde and the Marques of Grasto at aboue foure hundred M. duckates besides the ransomes of his Cardinals which was very great hauing not long before time bene also notwithstanding his curses besieged in the same Castell by the familie of the Colonies and their fautors his next neighbours being then Imperialistes and forced to yeelde to all their demaūds Neither did King Henry the seconde of Fraunce father to Henry nowe King of Fraunce about the yeere 1550. feare or regard y e Pope or his court of Rome whē he made seueral straight edictes against many partes of the Popes claymes in preiudice of the crowne clergie of Fraunce retracting the authoritie of the court of Rome greatly to the hinderance of the Popes former profites Neither was the army of king Philip nowe of Spaine whereof the Duke of Alua was generall stricken with any feare of cursing whē it was brought afore Rome against y e pope in the yeere of our Lord 1555. where great destruction was made by the said army and al the delicate buyldings gardens and orchardes next to Rome walles ouerthrowē wherewith his holinesse was more terrified then he was able to remoue with any his curses Neither was Queene Mary the Queenes Maiesties late sister a person not a litle deuoted to the Romane religion so afraid of the popes cursings but that both she and her whole counsel and that with the assent of all the Iudges of the realme according to the auncient lawes in fauour of Cardinall Poole her kinsman did forbid the entrie of his bulles and of a Cardinall hatte at Callis that was sent from the pope for one Frier peyto whome the pope had assigned to bee a Cardinall in disgrace of Cardinall Poole neither did Cardinall Poole himselfe at the same time obey the popes commandements nor shewed himselfe afraid being assisted by the Queene when the pope did threaten him with paine of excommunication but did still oppose himselfe against the popes commandement for the saide pretended Cardinall Peyto who notwithstanding all the threatninges of the pope was forced to goe vp and downe in the streetes of Londō like a begging Frier a stout resistāce in a Queene for a poore Cardinals hatte wherin she folowed the example of her Grandfather King Henrie the vii for a matter of Allum So as howsoeuer the christian kinges for some respectes in pollicie can indure the pope to commaunde where no harme nor disaduantage groweth to thēselues yet sure it is and the popes are not ignorant but where they shall in any sort attempt to take from christian princes any part of their dominions or shall giue ayde to their enemies or to any other their rebels in those cases their Bulles their curses their excommunications their sentences most solemne Anathematicals no nor their crosse keyes or double edged sword wil serue their turnes to compasse their intentions And now where the pope hath manifestly by his bulles and excommunications attempted asmuch as he could to depriue her Maiestie of her kingdomes to withdraw from her the obedience of her subiectes to procure rebellions in her realmes yea to make both rebellions and open warres with his owne captaines souldiers banners ensignes and all other things belonging to warre shal this pope or any other pope after him thinke y t a soueraigne Queene possessed of the two realmes of England Ireland stablished so many yeeres in
of such base and vulgare note as those were which of late haue bene executed as in particular some by name are well knowen and not vnfit to bee remembred The first and chiefest by office was D. Heth that was Archbishop of Yorke and lord Chaunceler of England in Queene Maries time who at the first comming of her Maiestie to y e Crowne shewing himself a faithfull quiet subiect continued in both the sayde offices though in religion then manifestly differing and yet was he not restrayned of his libertie nor depriued of his proper lands and goods but leauing willingly both his offices liued in his owne house and inioyed all his purchased lands during all his naturall life vntill by very age he departed this world and then left his house liuing to his friendes an example of gentlenes neuer matched in Queene Maries time The like did one D. Poole that had bene Bishop of Peterborough an auncient graue person and a verie quiet subiect There were also others that had bene Bishoppes and in great estimation as D. Tunstall Bishop of Duresme a person also of very quiet behauiour There were also other D. White and D. Oglethorpe one of Winchester the other of Carlile Bishops and D. Thurleby and D. Watson yet liuing one of Ely the other of Lincolne Bishops not pressed with any capitall payne though they maintayned the Popes authoritie against the lawes of the realme and some Abbots as M. Fecknam yet liuing a person also of quiet courteous behauiour for a great time Some also were Deanes as D. Boxall Deane of Windsore a person of great modestie and knowledge D. Cole Deane of Paules a person more earnest then wise D. Reinolds Deane of Exceter and many such others hauing borne office and dignities in the Church and had made profession against the Pope which they began in Queene Maries time to change yet were they neuer to this day burdened with capitall peanes nor yet depriued of any their goods or proper liueloods but onely remoued from their Ecclesiasticall offices which they would not exercise according to the Lawes And most of them for a great time were retayned in Bishops houses in very ciuill and courteous maner without charge to themselues or their friends vntill the time that the Pope began by his Buls and messages to offer trouble to the realme by stirring of rebellion about which time onely some of these aforenamed being found busier in matters of state tending to stirre troubles then was meete for the common quiet of the Realme were remooued to other more priuate places where such other wanderers as were men knowen to moue sedition might bee restrained from common resorting to them to increase trouble as the Popes Bull gaue manifest occasion and yet without charging them in their consciences or otherwise by any inquisition to bring them into dāger of any capital law so as no one was called to any capitall or bloody question vpon matters of religion but haue all inioyed their life as the course of nature woulde and such of them as yet remayne may if they will not be authors or instruments of rebellion or sedition inioye the time that GOD and nature shall yeelde them without danger of life or member And yet it is worthy to be well marked that the chiefest of all these and the most of them had in the time of King Henrie the eight and King Edward the sixt either by preaching writing reading or arguing taught all people to condemne and abhorre the authoritie of the Pope yea they had many times giuen their othes publiquely against the Popes authoritie and had also yelded to both the said Kings the title of supreame head of the Church of England next vnder Christ which title the aduersaries doe most falsly write and affirme that the Queenes Maiestie doeth nowe vse a manifest lie and vntrueth And for proofe that these foresaide Bishoppes and learned men had so long time disauowed the Popes authoritie many of their bookes sermons against the Popes authoritie remayne printed to be seene in these times to their great shame and reproofe to change so often and specially in persecuting such as themselues haue taught and stablished to holde the contrary There were also and yet be a great nomber of others being lay men of good possessions and lands men of good credite in their countries manifestly of late time seduced to hold contrary opinions in religion for the Popes authoritie and yet none of them haue bene sought hitherto to be impeached in any poynt or quarrel of treason or of losse of life member or inheritance so as it may plainely appeare that it is not nor hath bene for contrarious opinions in religion or for the Popes authoritie as the aduersaries doe boldely and falsly publish that any persons haue suffered death since her Maiesties reigne and yet some of these sort are well knowen to holde opinion that the Pope ought by authoritie of Gods worde to be supreame and only head of the Catholique Church and onely to rule in all causes Ecclesiasticall and that the Queenes Maiestie ought not to be the gouernour ouer all her subiectes in her realme being persons Ecclesiasticall which opinions are neuerthelesse in some part by the laws of the realme punishable in some degrees yet for none of these poyntes haue any persōs bene prosecuted w t the charge of treasō or in danger of life And if thē it be inquired for what cause these others haue of late suffered death it is truely to be answered as afore is often remembred that none at all are impeached for treason to the danger of their life but such as do obstinately maintaine the contents of the Popes Bull afore mentioned which do import that her Maiestie is not the lawfull Queene of England the first and highest poynt of treason that al her subiects are discharged of their othes and obedience mother high poynt of treason and all warranted to disobey her and her laws a third and a very large poynt of treason And thereto is to be added a fourth poynt most manifest in that they would not disalow the Popes hostile proceedings in open warres against her Maiestie in her realme of Ireland where one of their companie D. Sanders a lewde scholler and subiect of England a fugitiue a principall companion and conspirator with the traitors and rebels at Rome was by the Popes speciall commission a commaunder as in forme of a Legate and sometime a treasorer or paymaster for those warres which D. Sanders in his booke of his Church monarchie did afore his passing into Ireland openly by writing gloriously auowe the foresaid Bull of Pius Quintus against her Maiestie to be lawfull and affirmeth that by vertue thereof one D. Mooreton an olde English fugitiue and conspirator was sent from Rome into the North partes of England to stirre vp the first rebellion there whereof Charles Neuill the late Earle of Westmerland
left without any further argument to the iudgement of the Almightie God as persons that haue couered their eyes against the sunnes light stopped their eares against the sounde of Iustice and oppressed their heartes against the force of reason and as the Psalmist saith They speake lyes they are as venemous as the poison of a serpent euen like the deafe Adder that stoppeth his eares Wherefore with charitie to conclude if these rebels traitors and their fautors woulde yet take some remorse and compassion of their natural countrey and would consider how vaine their attempts haue bene so many yeres and howe many of their confederates are wasted by miseries and calamities and would desist from their vnnatural practises abroade and if these Seminaries secret wanderers and explorators in the darke woulde imploy their traueiles in the workes of light and doctrine according to the vsage of their schooles and content them selues with their profession and deuotion and that the remnant of the wicked flocke of the seedemen of sedition would cease froÌ„ their rebellious false and infamous railings libellings there is no doubt by Gods grace her Maiestie being so much giuen to mercie and deuoted to peace but al colour and occasion of shedding the blood of any more of her naturall subiectes of this sand should vtterly cease Against whose malices if they shall not desist Almighty God continue her Maiestie with his spirit power long to reigne and liue in his feare and to be able to vanquish them and all Gods enemies and her rebels traitors both at home and abroad and to maintaine and preserue all her naturall good louing subiectes to the true seruice of the same Almightie God according to his holy worde and will Many other things might be remembred for defence of other her Maiesties princely honourable and godly actions in sundry other things wherein also these the like seditious railors haue of late time without all shame by fained and false libels sought to discredit her Maiestie her gouernement but at this time these former causes and reasons alleadged by way of aduertisements are sufficient to iustifie her Maiesties actions to y e whole worlde in the cases remembred FINIS All offenders couer their faults with contrary causes Rebels doe most dangerously couer their faults Rebellion in EnglaÌ„d Ireland The rebels vaÌ„quished by the Q. power Some of the Rebels fled into forreine countries Rebels pretend religion for their defence Ringleaders of Rebels Charles Neuill Earle of Westmerland and Thomas Stukeley The effect of y e popes but against y e Queene of EnglaÌ„d The practises of the traitors Rebels fugitiues to execute the Bull. Seminaries erected to nurse seditious fugitiues The Seminary fugitiues come secretly into the realme to induce the people to obey the Popes Bull. Sowers of sedition taken conueÌ„ted executed for treason The seditious traitors condeÌ„ned by the auncient lawes of the realme made 200. yeres past Persons coÌ„demned spared froÌ„ execution vpon refusall of their treasonable opinions The forrein Traitors continue sending of persons to moue sedition in the realme The seditious fugitiues labor to bring the Realme into a warre externall domestical The duetie of y e Queen and all her gouernors to God their countrie is to repel practises of rebellion None charged with capitall crimes being of a cuÌ„â—â—arte religion and professing to withstaÌ„d forreyne forces Names of diuers Ecclesiasticall persoÌ„s professing contrarie religion neuer charged w t capitall crunes 〈…〉 sâ—râ—â—s oâ—â— same 〈…〉 and writinges A great nomber of lay persoÌ„s of liuelood being of a contrary religion neuer charged with capitall crime No person charged w t capitall crime for the onely inâ—â—â—â—enance of y e Popes supremacie Such condeÌ„ned onely for treason as mainteine the effects of y e Popes bul against her Maiestie and the realme D. SaÌ„ders maintenance of the Popes Bull. The persons that suffered death were condeÌ„ned for Treason not for Religion A full full proofe that the mainteiners of the bull are directly guilty of treason D. MortoÌ„s secret Ambassage froÌ„ Rome to stirre y e rebellioÌ„ in the North. Persons Campion are offenders as D. Sanders is for allowance of the Bull. Faculties graunted to PersoÌ„s CampioÌ„ by Pope Gregory 13. anno 1580. Harts coÌ„fession of the interpretation of the Bul of Pius Quintus A conclusion that all the infamous bookes against the Queene the realme are false Difference of the smal numbers that haue bene executed in the space of xxv yeres from the great numbers in v. yeres of Queene Maries saigne An aduertisement to al Princes of couÌ„tries abroad The authoritie claymed by y e Pope not warranted by Christ or by the two Apostles Peter and Paul Pope Hildebrand the first y t made warre against the Emperour An. Do. 1074. The iudgement of God against the Popes false erected Emperour Pope Gregorie the vii deposed by Henry y e 4. Henry 5. Fredrick 1 Fredrick 2 Lewes of Bauar Emperors Whatsoeuer is lawful for other princes Soueraignes is lawfull for y e Queene crowne of EnglaÌ„d The title of vniuersal Bishop is a preamble of Antichrist 1527. Rome sacked and the Pope Clement taken prisoner by the Emperours army 1550. King Henry the second of Fraunce his Edicts against the Pope and his courts of Rome The besieging of Rome and the Pope by the D. of Alua with King Philips army D. Peyto a begging Fryer The kings of ChristeÌ„dome neuer suffer the Popes to abridge their titles or rights though they suffer them to haue rule ouer their people The Queene or England may not suffer the Pope by any means to make Rebellions in her Realme Additaments to y e Popes martyrologe The ferang endes of Iames Erle of Desmond D. Saunders Iames Fitzmorice Iohn of Desmond Iohn Someruile The prosperitie or England during the Popes curses Reasons to persuade by reason y e fauorers of y e Pope that none hath bene executed for religion but for treason The first reason The second reason The Bul of Pius Quintus let vp at Pauls The first punishmeÌ„t for y e Bull. The third reason Rebellion in the North. The fourth reason The inuasion of Ireland by the Pope The Popes forces vanquished in Ireland The politique aduersaries satisfied Obiection of the papists that the persons executed are but schollers and vnarmed Many are traytors though they haue no armour nor weapon The application of the scholasticall traitors to others y t are traitors without armour Six Questions to trye traytours froÌ„ schollers The offendours executed for treason not for religion Vnreasonable obstinate persons are left to Gods iudgemeÌ„t
was a head captaine And thereby it may manifestly appeare to all men howe this Bull was the grounde of the rebellions both in England and Ireland and howe for maintenaunce thereof and for sowing of sedition by warrant and allowance of the same these persons were iustly condemned of treason and lawfully executed by the auncient lawes temporall of the Realme without any other matter then for their practizes and conspiracies both abroade and at home against the Queene and the realme and for maintaining of the Popes foresaid authoritie and Bull published to depriue her Maiestie of her crowne and for withdrawing and reconciling of her subiects from their naturall allegeaunce due to her Maiestie and to their countrie and for mouing them to sedition for no other causes or questions of religion were these persons condemned although true it is that when they were charged and conuinced of these poyntes of conspiracies and treasons they woulde still in their answeres colourably pretend their actions to haue bene for religion but in deede and trueth they were manifest for the procurement and maintenaunce of the rebellions and warres against her Maiestie and her realme And herein is nowe the manifest diuersitie to be seene and well considered betwixt the trueth of her Maiesties actions and the falshood of the blasphemous aduersaries that where the factious partie of the Pope the principall author of the inuasions of her Maiesties dominions doe falsely alleadge that a nomber of persons whome they terme as Martyrs haue dyed for defence of the catholique religion the same in very trueth may manifestly appeare to haue died if they so wil haue it as martyrs for the Pope and traitors against their soueraigne and Queene in adhering to him being the notable and onely open hostile enemie in all actions of warre against her Maiestie her kingdomes and people and that this is the meaning of all these that haue so obstinately maintayned the authoritie and contents of this Bull the very wordes of the Bull do declare in this sort as D. Sanders reporteth them Plus Quintus Pontifex Maximus de Apostolicae potestatis plenitudine declarauit Elizabetham praetenso Regni iure necnon omni quocunque dominio dignitate priuilegioque priuatam Itemque Proceres subditos populos dicti regni ac caeteros omnes qui illi quomodocunque iurauerunt à iuramento huiusmodi ac omni fidelitatis debito perpetuò absolutos That is to say Pius Quintus the greatest Bishop of the fulnesse of the Apostolique power declared Elizabeth to be bereued or depriued of her pretended right of her kingdome and also of all and whatsoeuer dominion dignitie priuiledge and also the Nobles subiects people of the said kingdome and all others which had sworne to her any maner of wayes to be absolued for euer from such othe and from all debt or duetie of fealtie and so forth with many threatning cursings to al that durst obey her or her lawes And for execution hereof to proue that the effect of the Popes bul message was a flat rebelliō it is not amisse to heare what D. Sanders the Popes firebrād in Ireland also writeth in his visible Church Monarchie which is thus Pius Quintus Pontifex Maximus Anno D. 1569. reuerendum praesbyterum Nicolaum Mortonum Anglum in Angliam misit vt certis illustribus viris authoritate Apostolica denunciaret Elizabetham quae tunc rerum potiebatur haereticam esse ob eamque causam omni Dominio potestate excedisse impuneque ab illis velut ethnicam haberi posse nec eos illius legibus aut mandatis deinceps obedire cogi That is to say Pius Quintus y e greatest Bishop in the yere of our Lord 1569. sent the reuerend priest Nicolas Morto an Englishmā into England y t he shuld denoūce or declare by y e Apostolique authority to certaine noble men Elizabeth who thē was in possessiō to be an heretike for y e cause to haue fallen frō al dominion power that she may be had or reputed of thē as an Ethnike and that they are not to be compelled to obey her lawes or commandements c. Thus you see an Ambassade of rebellion frō the Popes holines the Ambassadour an old doting English Priest a fugitiue and conspirator sent as he saieth to some noble men and those were the two Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland heads of the rebellion And after this he followeth to declare y e successe thereof which I dare say he was sory it was so euil w t these words Qua denuntiatione multinobiles viri adducti sunt vt de fratribus liberandis cogitare auderent ac sperabant illi quidem Catholicos omnes summis viribus affuturos esse verum etsialiter quà m illi expectabant res euenit quià Catholici omnes nondum probè cognouerant Elizabetham hereticam esse declaratam tamen laudanda illorum Nobilium consilia erant that is By which denuntiation many noble men were induced or ledde that they were boldened to thinke of the freeing of their brethren and they hoped certainly that all the Catholiques would haue assisted them with all their strength but although the matter happened otherwise then they hoped for because all the Catholiques knewe not that Elizabeth was declared to be an heritike yet the counsels intentes of those noble men were to be praysed A rebellion and a vanquishing of rebels very smoothly described This noble fact here mencioned was the rebellion in the North the noble mē were the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland the lacke of the euent or successe was that the traitours were vanquished and the Queenes Maiestie and her subiects had by Gods ordinance the victorie and the cause why the rebels preuayled not was because all the Catholiques had not bene duely informed that the Queenes Maiestie was declared to be as they terme it an heretike which want of information to the intent to make the rebels mightier in nomber and power was diligently and cunningly supplyed by the sending into the realme of a great multitude of the Seminaries Iesuites whose special charge was to informe the people thereof as by their actions hath manifestly appeared And though D. Sanders hath thus written yet it may be said by such as fauoured the two notable Iesuites one named Robert Persons who yet hideth himself in corners to continue his Trayterous practise the other named Edmond Campion that was found out being disguised like a roister and suffered for his Treasons that D. Sanders treason is his proper treason in allowing of the sayde bull but not to be imputed to Persons and Campion Therefore to make it plaine y t these two by speciall authoritie had charge to execute the sentence of this bul these actes in writing following shall make manifest which are not fayned or imagined but are the verie writings taken about one of their complyces immediatly after Campions death Facultates
subiects auowing and obstinatly maintaining the same should according to iustice cause the offender to haue the reward due to such a fact and this was the first action of any capital punishmēt inflicted for matter sent from Rome to moue rebellion which was after her Maiestie had reigned about the space of twelue yeres or more Thirdly when the pope had risen vp out of his chaire in his wrath from words and writings to actions and had contrary to the aduise giuen by S. Barnard to his predecessor that is whē by his messages he left Verbum tooke ferrum that is left to feede by y e word and began to strike with y e sword and stirred her noble men people directly to disobedience and to open rebellion and that her lewde subiects by his commandement had executed y e same with al the forces which they could make or bring into the fielde who with common reason can disallow that her Maiestie vsed her Principall authoritie and by her forces lawfull subdued rebels forces vnlawful and punished the authors thereof no otherwise then the pope himselfe vseth to doe with his owne rebellious subiects in y e Patrimonie of his church And if any Prince of people in the world would otherwise neglect his office and suffer his rebels to haue their wils none ought to pitie him if for want of resistāce and courage he lost both his Crowne his head his life his kingdome Fourthly when her Maiestie beheld a further increase of the popes malice notwithstanding that y e first rebellion was in her North partes vanquished in that he interteined abroade out of this Realme the traytours rebelles that fledde for the rebellion and all the rable of other the fugitiues of the Realme and that he sent a number of the same in sorts disguised into both the Realmes of England and Ireland who there secretly allured her people to newe rebellions and at the same time spared not his charges to sende also out of Italy by sea certaine shippes with Captaines of his owne with their bandes of souldiers furnished with treasure munition victuals ensignes banners and all other things requisite to y e warre into her Realme of Ireland where the same forces with other auxilliar cōpanies out of Spaine landed and fortified themselues very strongly in the seaside and proclaymed open warre erecting the popes banner against her Maiestie may it be nowe asked of these persons fauourers of the Romish authoritie what in reason should haue bene done by her Maiestie otherwise then first to apprehend all such fugitiues so stolne into the Realme and dispersed in disguising habites to sowe sedition as some Priestes in their secrete profession but all in their apparell as roisters or ruffins some scholers like to the basest common people and them to committe to prisons and vpon their examinations of their trades and haunts to conuince them of their conspiracies abroade by testimonie of their owne companions and of sowing sedition secretly at home in the Realme What may be reasonablie thought was meete to be done with such seditious persons but by the lawes of y e Realme to try condemne and execute them and specially hauing regard to the dangerous time whē the popes forces were in the Realme of Ireland and more in preparation to followe as well into England as into Irelande to the resistance whereof her Maiestie and her Realme was forced to be at greater charges then euer she had bene since shee was Queene thereof And so by Gods power which hee gaue to her on the one part she did by her lawes suppresse the seditious stirrers of rebellion in her Realme of England and by her sword vanquished all the popes forces in her Realme of Ireland excepting certaine captaines of marke that were saued from the sworde as persons that did renounce their quarrel seemed to curse or to blame such as sent them to so vnfortunate desperate a voyage But though these reasons grounded vpon rules of naturall reason shall satisfie a great nomber of the aduersaries who will yeelde that by good order of ciuill and christian policie and gouernement her Maiestie could nor can do no lesse then she hath done first to subdue with her forces her rebelles and traytours and nexte by order of her lawes to correct the ayders abettors lastly to put also to the sword such forces as the pope sent into her dominions yet there are certaine other persons more nisely addicted to the pope that will yet seeme to bee vnsatisfied for that as they will terme the matter a nomber of sillie poore wretches were put to death as traytours being but in profession schollers or priestes by the names of seminaries Iesuites or simple scholemasters that came not into the Realme with any armour or weapon by force to aide the rebelles traitours either in England or in Ireland in their rebellions or warres of which sort of wretches y e comiseration is made as though for their contrary opinions in religion or for teaching of the people to disobey y e lawes of the Realme they might haue bene otherwise punished and corrected yet not with capitall peane These kinds of defēces tend only to find faule rather with the seueritie of their punishments thē to acquite them as Innocents or quiet subiects But for answere to the better satisfaction of these nyse and scrupulous fauorers of traitors it must be with reason demaunded of them if at least they will open their eares to reason whether they thinke that when a King beeing stablished in his Realme hath a rebellion first secretly practised and afterward openly raysed in his Realme by his owne seditious subiectes whē by a forreine potentate or enemie the same rebellion is mainteyned and the rebelles by messages and promises comforted to continue and their treasons against their naturall prince auowed consequently when the same potentate and enemie beeing authour of the said rebellion shall with his owne proper forces inuade the Realme and subiectes of the Prince that is so lawefully and peacebly possessed in these cases shal no subiect fauouring these rebelles and yeelding obedience to the enemie the inuador be committed or punished as a traitour but onely such of them as shall be found openly to carrie armour and weapon Shal no subiect that is a spial and an explorer for the rebell or enemie against his naturall Prince be taken and punished as a traitour because he is not found w t armour or weapon but yet is taken in his disguised apparell with writings or other manifest tokens to proue him a spie for traitors after he hath wandered secretly in his soueraigns campe region court or citie Shall no subiect be coūted a traitour that will secretly giue earnest and prest money to persons to be rebelles or enemies or that will attempt to poison the victual or the fountaines or secretly set on fire the ships or munition or
her kingdomes as three or foure popes haue sit in their chayre at Rome fortyfied with so much duetie loue and strength of her subiectes acknowledging no superiour ouer her realmes but the mightie hand of God shall she forbeare or feare to withstand and make frustrate his vnlawful attemptes eyther by her sword or by her lawes or to put his souldiers inuadours of her realme to y e sword martially or to execute her lawes vpon her owne rebellious subiectes ciuilly that are prooued to be his chiefe instruments for rebellion and for his open warre This is sure that howsoeuer either he sitting in his chaire with a triple crowne at Rome or any other his proctors in any part of Christendome shal renewe these vnlawfull attemptes almightie God whome her Maiestie onely honoureth and acknowledgeth to be her onely soueraigne Lord and protectour and whose lawes gospel of his sonne Iesus Christ she seeketh to defend wil no doubt but deliuer sufficient power into his maydens hand his seruant Queene Elizabeth to withstand and confound them all And where the seditious trumpetters of infamies and lies haue sounded forth and entituled certaine that haue suffred for treason to be martyrs for religiō so may they also at this time if they list adde to their forged catalogue the headles bodie of y e late miserable Earle of Desmond who of late secretly wandering without succour as a miserable begger was taken by one of the Irishry in his caben and in an Irish sort after his owne accustomed sauage maner his head cut off from his bodie an end due to such an archrebell And herewith to remember the ende of his chiefe confederates may be noted for example to others the strange maner of the death of D. Sanders the popes Irish legat who also wandring in the mountaines in Ireland without succour died rauing in a phrensey And before him one Iames Fits-Morice the first Traitour of Ireland next to Stukely the rakehel a man not vnknowen in the popes palace for a wicked craftie traytor was slaine at one blow by an Irish noble yong Gētleman in defence of his fathers countrey which the traitor sought to burne A fourth man of singular note was Iohn of Desmonde brother to the Earle a very bloody faithles traitor and a notable murderer of his familiar friendes who also wandring to seeke some pray like a wolfe in the woods was takē beheaded after his own vsage being as he thought sufficiently armed with the popes Buls certaine Agnus dei one notable ring about his necke sent frō the popes finger as it was said but these he saw saued not his life And such were the fatal ends of al these being y e principal heads of y e Irish warre rebelliō so as no one person remaineth at this day in Ireland a knowen traitor To this nōber they may if they seeke nomber also adde a furious yong man of Warwickeshire by name Someruile to increase their Kalender of y e popes martyrs who of late was discouered and taken in his way comming w t a ful intent to haue killed her Maiestie whose life God alwayes haue in his custodie The attempt not denied by y e traitor himselfe but confessed and that he was moued thereto in his wicked spirit by inticements of certaine seditious traiterous persons his kinsmen and allyes and also by often reading of sundry seditious vile books lately published against her Maiestie But as God of his goodnes hath of long time hitherto preserued her Maiestie from these and the like trecheries so hath she no cause to feare being vnder his protection she saying with king Dauid in the Psalme My God is my helper and I will trust in him he is my protection and the strength or the power of my saluation And for the comfort of al good subiects against the shadowes of the popes Bulles it is manifest to the world that from the beginning of her Maiesties reigne by Gods singular goodnes her kingdome hath enioyed more vniuersall peace her people increased in more nombers in more strength and with greater riches the earth of her kingdomes hath yeelded more fruits and generally all kind of worldly felicitie hath more abounded since and during the time of the popes thunders bulles curses and maledictions then in any other long times before when the popes pardons and blessings came yeerely into the Realme so as his curses and maledictions haue turned backe to himself and his fautors that it may be said to the fortunate Queene of Englande her people as was said in Deuteronomy of Balaam The Lord thy God woulde not heare Balaam but did turne his maledictiōs or curses into benedictions or blessings the reason is for because thy God loued thee Although these former reasons are sufficient to perswade all kind of reasonable persons to allow of her Maiesties actions to be good reasonable lawfull and necessarie yet because it may be that such as haue by frequent reading of false artificiall libels and by giuing credite to them vpon a preiudice or foreiudgement afore grounded by their rooted opinions in fauour of the pope will rest vnsatisfied therefore as much as may be to satisfie all persons as farre foorth as common reason may warrant that her Maiesties late action in executing of certaine seditious traitors hath not proceeded for the holding of opinions either for y e popes supremacie or against her Maiesties regalitie but for the very crymes of sedition treason it shal suffice briefly in a manner of a repetition of the former reasons to remember these things following First it cānot be denied but y t her Maiestie did for many yeres suffer quietly the popes buls excommunications without punishment of the fautors thereof accompting of thē but as of words or winde or of writings in parchment wayed downe with leade or as of water bubbles cōmonly called in Latin Bullae and such like but yet after some proofe that courage was taken thereof by some bolde and bad subiectes she coulde not but then esteeme them to be very preambles or as forerunners of greater danger and therefore with what reason coulde any mislike that her Maiestie did for a bare defence against them w tout other action or force vse the helpe of reuiuing of former lawes to prohibit the publication or execution of such kinde of Bulles within her Realme Secondly when notwithstanding y e prohibition by her lawes the same bulles were plentifully but in secret sort brought into y e realme at length arrogantly set vpon the gates of y e Bishop of Londons pallace neere to y e Cathedrall Church of Pauls the principal citie of y e realme by a lewd person vsing y e same like a herald sent frō the pope who can in any cōmon reason mislike y t her Maiestie finding this kinde of denunciatiō of warre as a defiance to be made in her principal citie by one of her