sed ista loquuti sumus secundum ea quae nobis exterius patent Faxit benignissimus Salvator noster ut reliqui hoc horrendo justitiae supernae exemplo admoniti in viam salutis redeant quod misericorditer hoc modo coepit benigne prosequatur ac perficiat sicut eum facturum speramus ut de erepta Ecclesia de tantis malis periculis perenâ—es illi gratias agamus Considering oftentimes with my self and applying my whole understanding unto these things which now of late by a just judgment of God are come to pass I think I may with right use the words of the Prophet Habakkuk I have wrought a work in your days which no man will believe when it is told him The French King is slain by the hands of a Friar for unto this it may justly be compared although the Prophet spake of another thing namely of the Incarnation of our Lord which exceedeth and surmounteth all other wonders and miracles whatsoever As also the Apostle S. Paul referreth the same words most truly unto the resurrection of Christ When the Prophet said A work his mind was not to signifie by it some common or ordinary thing but a rare and notable matter worthy to be remembred as that of the creation of the world The Heavens are the works of thine hands And again He rested the seventh day from all the works which he had made When he saith I have wrought with these words the Holy Scriptures are wont to express things not come to pass by casualty fortune or accident but things befallen by the determined providence will and ordinance of God as our Saviour said The works which I do you shall do also and yet greater and many more such like in the holy Scriptures And that he saith that it is done in times past herein he followeth the use and order of the holy Prophets who for certainty of the event are wont to prophesie of things to come as if they were past already For the Philos say that things past are of necessity things present of being things to come only of possibility For which certainty the Prophet Isaiah long before prophesying of the death of Christ hath thus spoken He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb before his shearer so opened he not his mouth And this whereof we speak at this present and which is come to pass in these our days is a famous notable and almost incredible thing nor done or atchiev'd without the particular providence and disposition of Almighty God A Friar hath kill'd a King not a painted one or one drawn upon a piece of paper or a wall but the King of France in the middest of his Army compassed and environ'd round about with his Guard and Souldiers Which truly is such an act and done in such a manner that none wil believe it when it shall be told them and perhaps hereafter it will be held but for a fable That the King is dead or slain is easily believed but that he is kill'd after this manner is hardly to be credited even as we presently agree unto this that Christ is born of a woman but if we adde of a Virgin then according to natural reason we cannot assent to it even so we easily believe that Christ died but that he is risen again from death unto life is according to humane understanding impossible and therefore incredible that one is awakened again out of sleep extasie or a swound because it oft happens so according to nature we naturally believe but to be risen again from the dead it seemeth so incredible unto flesh that S. Paul disputing at Athens of this point was disliked and accused to be a setter forth of new Gods so that many as S. Luke witnesseth did mock him and others said We will hear thee again of this thing Of such things therefore which befall not according to the Laws of Nature and the ordinary course thereof speaketh the Prophet that none shall believe it when it shall be told them But we give credit to it by consideration of the Omnipotency of God and by submitting our understanding under the obedience of Faith and the Service which we owe unto Christ By these means this that was incredible by Nature becometh credible by Faith Therefore we that believe not after the flesh that Christ is born of a Virgin yet when it is added unto it that this was done supernaturally by operation of the Holy Ghost then truly we agree unto it and faithfully believe it So likewise when it is said that Christ is risen again from the dead as we are onely flesh we believe it not but when it is affirmed that this was done by the power of Divine Nature in him then without any doubting we believe it Even so when it shall be told us An infallible Comparison that such a mighty King was kill'd by a poor simple and weak Friar and that in the midst of his Army environ'd with his Guard and Souldiers to our natural reason and fleshly capacity it will seem incredible or altogether improbable yet considering on the other side the grievous sins of the King and the special providence of Almighty God herein and by what accustomed and wonderful means he hath accomplish'd his most just judgment against him then most firmly we believe it Therefore this great and miraculous work we must ascribe onely to the particular providence of God not as those who refer all things amiss unto some ordinary causes or unto fortune or such like accidentary events but as those who more nearly observing the course of the whole matter easily see that here in this befell many things which could in no wise have been brought to pass without the special help of God And truly the state of Kings and Kingdoms and such like rare and weighty affairs should not be thought to be governed by God rashly and unadvisedly In the Holy Scripture some are of this kind and none of them can be referred unto any other thing but unto God the onely Author thereof yet there are none wherein the Heavenly operation is more seen then in this whereof we speak at present We read in the Maccabees how Eleazar offered himself unto a sure death to kill the King who was an enemy and persecutor of the people of God For in the battel espying an Elephani more excellent then the rest whereon it was likely the King himself was with a swift course casting himself in the midst of the troops of his enemies here and there making a way per force gâ—t to the beast went under her thrust his sword into her belly and so flew her and she falling upon him kill'd him Here we see some things as to zele valiantness of mind and the issue of the enterprise not unlike unto ours though in the rest there is no comparison to be made For Eleazar was a souldier exercis'd in weapons train'd up in
the Turn-coat would gladly perswade King James to change too undertaking to make him believe that true Policie would really oblige his Majestie to it thus a Letter to King James vid. Dr. George Hakewell's Answer to it pag. 94. B. C. The first reason of my hope that Catholick Religion should be most available for the honour and securitie of your Majestie and your Children is taken from the consideration of your Subjects which can be kept in obedience to God and to their King by no other Religion i. e. then Popery But somewhat after he confesseth that there may be some few Romish Traytors but with this difference b Ib. pag. 102 103. It is certain there be Traytors against God and Man of all Religions and Catholicks as they are the best Subjects so when they fall to it they are the worst Traytors But if we look upon Examples or consider Reasons the Catholick is the onelie Religion which as it doth duely subordinate Kings unto God so doth it effectually binde subjects to perform all lawful obedience unto their Kings Another Runaway viz. Dr. Thomas Baily is very zealous for the loyalty of the Romanists and yet at the same time bravely tells us what good Subjects the Romanists were to Oliver Cromwell whereas the other people of England were against him but take his own words c Dâ— Baily's life of Bishop Fisher p. 179. Where should a man finde better Subjects i e. then Romanists and yet these are the men who have been traduced all along as inconsistant with politick Government And why should the same loyaltie be suspected at any time still to remain within the same breasts since that their Religion Laws both Civil and Ecclesiastical Custom Provision for the future present Practice Oaths and Protestations all along evermore obliging them to such Obedience especiallie whereas at this present all other Sorts and Sects of Christian Religion excepting those who are for all Sorts and Sects appear against this d 1655. present Government like Aries Scorpio Leo Sagittarius c. as if they would all and everie one of them wound each part and member of this bodie politick the Roman Catholicks like Pisces the emblem of the Fisherman are contented to remain quiet under foot A little after he renews the former comparison betwixt Queen Mary's and Queen Elizabeth's Reign thus e Id. pag. 183. 184. It is most notoriouslie evident that there were more open Rebellions during the five years of her short Government then during the four and fortie years of her late Majesties after Reign But Bailie need not talk much of Loyalty either to Kings or Queens since nothing liketh him so much as a Protector whom he hopes considering his vertuous actions will be no small friend to the Loyal Romanists and so alluding to Henry VIII his Cromwell he goeth on and tells us of his hopeful Oliver f Id. pag. 260. And who knows but that it i e. the Restoration of the Roman Religion may be effected by the same NAME And then observing that the then Pope Innocent X had as part of his Arms a Dove with an Olive-branch in her mouth he thus proceeds with his Worshipful hopes and comparisons between that Olive and his Oliver g Id. pag. 260 261. Oliva vera is not so hard to be Constru'd Oliverus as that it may not be believed that a Prophet rather then a Herald gave the Common Father of Christendom the now Pope of Rome Innocent the Tenth such Ensignes of his Nobilitie viz. a Dove holding an Olive-branch in her mouth since it falls short in nothing of being both a Prophesie and fulfilled but onely his h Oliver Cromwell Highness running into her Arms whose Emblem of Innocence bears him alreadie in her mouth Thus you see his hopes of Cromwell yet the same man can a His end to Controversie in his Epistle or Preface tell the world that the Beheading Banishment and other Miseries of our late Kings was a just judgement of God upon them because they were not of the Popes Religion But a great deal more might be said of this man but enough at this time if not too much One tells us that the effects of Protestant Religion in all Countries is b W. W. The Catholick Doctrine of Transubsiant pag 115. Licentious Libertie Rebellion and other horrid Vices and this is argued to the Lady to have a care of our Religion and to imbrace that of Rome as if they were all good people and never taught Rebellion yet it may be he will not allow the deposing of Kings to be Rebellion or Treason Another desiring of the bloudy and murdering Rump or the Remnant of the wicked long Parliament that the Papists might have a freedom or liberty for their Religion amongst others is pleas'd to give this encouraging Reason c The Christian Moderator part 2. p. 7 I am confident they will neither be such fools as to forfeit their Libertie nor so ungrateful to forget them that gave it since out of all our Histories not one Example can be assigned that they ever offer'd to move the least sedition in a time when they enjoyed but half the Liberties of Free born Englishmen And it is a wonder to see how this man doth magnifie the Rump and d Id. p. 12 29. declareth that most of the Romanists who seem'd to be of the old Kings side onely fled to his Garrisons for shelter and not to take up Arms to offend the Parliament I shall here say no more of him but that he calls the Rump the e Id. pag. 38. Renowned Parliament for delivering us from the Tyranny and Oppression of the Prelates And indeed our Reverend Bishops and their Clergy were the onely men that the Romanists stood in aw of the Ignorant Phanatick wanting Learning to cope with such penmen But to come yet neerer our present time since the happy Restauration of his Majesty there came into the World a Book under the Title of Philanax Anglicus who was the Author of it I know not but this I can tell the Reader that be who he will he was an arrant Plagiary it being all stoln out of Pateson's Image of both Churches The Publisher calls himself Thomas Bellamy but upon enquiry there is no such man found but f Annal. anno 1586. Cambden will tell him of two of that name Jerome Bellamy hang'd for Treason and his Brother hang'd himself to avoid publick Execution This pretended Fair-friend would make the world believe that g Phil. Angl. pag. 71. It is plain that in the poor five years of her viz. Queen Maries Reign there was de facto more open and violent Opposition and Rebellion made by her own Subjects then Queen Elizabeth had in fortie five years or any Prince before or since the Wickliffian Doctrine Thus what one boldly affirmeth others as ignorantly believe which is too common with such people whose designe is not
Boâ—aventure Aâ—â—inus Perron c. rather say that these with your other chiefest Doctors Divines School-men Canonists Lawyers with your grat est Scholars and Writers have belyed and slander'd you and your Religion rather then I who am onely the Instrument to convey to you the Words sentiments and belief of these your grave Oracles leaving at your own discretion either to approve or reject them For if you doubt or question the truth of this Assertion According to the Church of Rome Kings may justly and lawfully be deposed it being nothing to the purpose which way or by what knavish distinction The true-blew Romanists will positively assure you that it is a truth so certain that not so much as any one do make any doubt of it For as saith Bellarmine It is agreed on by all Nor amongst the School-men is there any Controversie about it nor can they shew one Catholick Author against it And to say that Kings may be deposed is a golden sentence and this is not a meer Opinion but a certain truth amongst all Catholicks And that this may be justly done none but a Madman will deny Decianus saith that it is the true and common Opinion so that Germonius affirmeth that it is madness not to believe it It is now evident and conspicuous to all says Mancinus and Capistranus Botero would have us believe that it is ridiculous to think otherwise or as Gretser saith to deny this King-deposing Doctrine as the same to deny the Catholick faith And this he repeats over and over again that he might be the better believed and offers at some reason for it too which he need not have troubled himself with to have convinced King James seeing his Majestie would easily believe him if by the Catholick Faith he meant the Roman Religion as we need not question but that he did In behalf and vindication of Allegiance in King James his time was here publish'd by Authority a little Book call'd God and the King In opposition to this Tract is another Dialogue printed by the Romanists beyond Seas and also call'd Deus Rex wherein is affirm'd that this King-deposing Doctrine is doubtless the suffrage of all men Gregorius Nunnius Coronel telleth us that if we should read all the Ancient and Modern Divines and Lawyers we shall finde that they do unanimously affirm this Doctrine and those who think otherwise are not onely far from truth but madmen If you ask Cardinal Perron of this thing he will tell you that it was always the judgement of the Roman Church that all Magistrates and Divines maintain'd the same and to believe the contrary would make them Schismaticks and Hereticks or else the Church must have fail'd and so the Pope not to have been Christs Vicar but a perfect Heretick and Antichrist If you advise with Adolphus Schulckenius Vicar-General of Colen he will plainly tell you that it is the judgement of all their Divines Lawyers Councils and Popes that he is no good Catholick that denyeth it which cannot be opposed without great rashness and blasphemy and no less man then Cardinal Allen assureth the Catholicks that by maintaining this Principle they are no Traytors nor hold Assertions Treasonable false or undutiful His friend Father Parsons saith that it is asserted and taught in all the Schools both of their Divines and their Lawyers and that the Doctrine is certain and must be believed as an Article And again that it is the most certain undoubted Common Judgement of all the learned Catholicks And in another of his Books thus he assures his good Romanists All Catholick Subjects also of other Countries do hold and acknowledge this Doctrine If this Doctrine be not true Sanctarellus will have the Church to erre and Suarez affirms that it is as certain as it is certain that the Church cannot erre That to believe otherwise is against Ecclesiastical Custom the practice and agreement of the General Councils against the opinion of all learned Catholicks â—nd against reason it self Nay in short that to believe the contrary is downright and flat Heresie as several of them tell us Carerius calls it the very Heresie of Calvin and suchlike Hereticks meaning in not allowing the Pope to have power to depose Kings and Solarzanus testifieth the same with this addition that it hath been formerly condemn'd as Heretical No less man then Leonardus Lessius though under the disguise of Singletonus tells us that to think that Kings may not be depos'd is expresly against the great Lateran Council whence he makes these following Conclusions and the same method and arguments are also used and approved of by Cardinal Bellarmine I. If Kings may not be deposed then of necessity must that General Council of Lateran have erred and not onely this but also that of Lyon that of Vienna that of Constance c. nay that the very Council of Trent it self must also have erred and also not onely these his General Councils but also several Provincial ones II. If this King-deposing Doctrine be not true then must the Popes themselves also be fallible for then must Gregory VII have erred Vrban II have erred and so must also Gregory IX III. If this Principle be not true then must also the Church it self have erred for many Ages nay farther to have erred willingly or maliciously with a designe or on purpose And that Hell hath prevail'd against the Church and so the Roman Church not to be a true Church nor the Church of Christ IV. And if the Church Councils Popes have erred in this they may also erre in other Articles as the Sacraments Trinity Incarnation c. and that with greater ease and facility whereby Christ must be a Deceiver and so we may suspect the whole Christian faith it self Thus you see the judgement of their so much cryed up holy Lessius who farther assures us that to deny this Doctrine is the meer cunning and instigation of the Devil Again That there is scarce any Article in the Christian Religion the denying of which is more dangerous to the Church then this Doctrine Again That it is more pernicious and intolerable then to erre concerning the Sacraments And to conclude with him he at last conjures all that call themselves Catholicks upon their Salvation to have a care how they deny this For as Coquaeus will tell you this King-deposing Doctrine is agreeable to the holy Scriptures and the Rules of Christ Another assures us that to doubt of the truth of it would seem not onely to oppugn the verity of the Christian Faith but to savour of perfect Heathenism But not to trouble my self or Reader with their zeal and resolution in defence of this King-deposing Doctrine in which I might be endless I shall tell you that no less man then our Cardinal Allen declares his judgement in these very words God had not sufficiently provided for our Salvation and the preservation of the Church and Holy Laws if there were no way to deprive
Erfordt who was so zealous in Oth. Meland pag. 521. § 428. his commendations of Boniface Dorneman the little Priest of Hallandorp that he told his Auditors that he was more learned then St. Paul more holy then the Angels and more chaste then the Virgin Mary Or like the German Boor who at Marpurg in Hessia thus saluted and desired the assistance and favour of Judge Burckhard O Eternal and Omnipotent Lord Vicegerent I have heard Id. § 572. that you are the very Devil and all in this Court therefore for Gods sake put an end to my Tryal But now some Princes begin to see their own Rights and Prerogatives are sensible how unworthy their Predecessors have been abused and begin to understand that their Power is Independent neither receiving their Rights from Rome or her Popes but that their Crowns were given them from Heaven and that rather the Popes have been like that Bird in the Fable and made use of of old by the Franciscan Fryar Jehan de Rochetaillade by some Jehan Froissard Chron. Tom. 2. fol. 182 183. Edit 1530. call'd de Rupescissa which Bird being born without Feathers was through Charity relieved and made gay by other Birds and thus perk'd up despis'd her Benefactors who at last not able any longer to suffer her pride and tyranny every Bird pluckt back again their own Feathers leaving her as naked as she was at first And the truth is the Popes have done with the Empire as the Snake in the Fable did with the Husbandman who finding it almost frozen to death in pitty brought it to the fire-side where by the warmth having recover'd strength and vigor all the thanks it return'd was the stinging of the Goodmans Children And for these ungrateful actions many have undertaken to foretel strange Judgements and Calamities to happen upon the Popes But though for mine own part I am no great admirer of our later Prophets and trouble my self with their odd Predictions no farther then for recreation yet seeing the Romanists have put such a strange confidence in those Relations of their Swedish St. Brigit or Birgit as to declare that they were all immediately inspired by God himself and not onely canoniz'd the Lady but by several Bulls and Authorities so confirm'd the truth of her Book that it must not be contradicted yet if they will but seriously look into her Revelations they will finde little reason to boast so much of them seeing they will finde few so Revelat. S. Brigit lib. 1. cap. 41. Zealous as this Saint against the Pope and his Assistants prophesying with bitterness their ruine and destruction That his assumed grand Authority hath of late sensibly decay'd and lost ground is manifest and this Conquest hath been not so much by the Sword as the Pen so that as Adeodate Seba formerly Delit. Poet. Gall. Tom. 3. pag. 678. writ of Luther one against whom many lyes have been publish'd as other men having his passions and failings may also be said of many other learned Pen-men Roma Orbem domuit Romam sibi Papa subegit Viribus illa suis fraudibus iste suis Quantò isto major Lutherus major illa Illum illamque uno qui domuit calamo I nunc Alcidem memorato Graecia mendax Lutheri ad Calamum ferrea clava nihil Rome tam'd the World the Pope Rome Conquer'd tyes She by her force He by deceipts and lyes How greater far then they was Luther when Both him and her he conquer'd with one Pen Go lying Greece vaunt thine Alcides tho' His Club compared with Luthers Pen's a straw But amongst these Learned Worthies I have nothing to do And am apt to think that all this time hath been bestow'd to little purpose either because of mine own insufficiencie or the too much resoluteness of some other people However I might have made better use of my time in regar'd of mine own advantage had I soon enough call'd to minde Juvenal's observation Vester porro labor foecundior Historiarum Sâ—t 7. Scriptores petit hic plus temporis atque olei plus ***** Quae tamen inde seges terrae quis fructus apertae Quis dabit Historico quantum daret act a legenti Do you Historians more then Poets get Although more time and charge your works befit No no what gain you by your toyl where 's he Will give th' Historians an Atturnie Fee In the compiling of this History such as it is I have not dealt with the Romanists as the Hot-headed Puritans us'd to do whose strength of Arguments lye chiefly in canting misapplying Scripture confidence and railing and if they can but make a noise with the Whore of Babylon Antichrist the Beasts Horns c. they suppose the Pope is confuted sure enough at least the good Wives and Children are frighted out of their little wits and take him to be the strangest Monster in the World with so many Heads and Horns insomuch that Pope Vrban VIII did not amiss when he desired some English Gentlemen to do him onely one courtesie viz. to assure their Country-men that he was a man as much as themselves And had he said a better Christian then the Puritan I should not therein have troubled my self to contradict his Infallibility for I think them to be the worst people of all mankinde A Sect that will agree with you in the Fundamentals of Religion but will take miâ—â— and destroy all for a trifle and rather then submit to an innocenâ— Ceremony though impos'd by lawful Authority will ruine Kingdoms Murther Bishops Rebel against their Soveraigâ—â— Banish Queens declare them Traytors Imprison and depose then Kings and make the way as plain as can be for their murâ—â—â— A Sect that will cry down Bishops to possess their lands 〈◊〉 the Kings Great-seal imprison him renounce his Authority and murther his best Subjects and yet cry out they cannot commit Treason In short a Sect that would hate Christ but that he said he came not to bring peace but war As for the Roman Catholick I must needs have a greater kindeness for him then the former fire-brands as being an Adversary more Learned and so to be expected more Civil and Gentile and wherein they differ from us they look upon as Fundamental and so have a greater reason for their dissent then our Phanatical Presbyterians a people not capable of a Commendation nor to be obliged by any Favours their very Constitution being ingratitude as Histories do testifie and King James himself doth acknowledge as much In this Treatise I hope I have behaved my self civilly with the Romanists having forborn all bitterness and railing though the many bloudy and unwarrantable actions that I here meet with might prompt a milder man then my self to some indignation which may somewhat Apologize for me if by chance any do either meet with or fancie a stricture or retort tending to dislike And yet I dare boldly say that they shall not finde any such heavy Censures
lived to the age of his great Grand-father or great Grand-Mother the first living one hundred and ten and the other one hundred and five years what spirit he was of may in part be seen by his violent perswading to the ruining of all Protestants in his Classicum Belli Sacri and his ranting and calling of it b Ecclesiast c. 74. p. 242. Dathanismus and Abironismus in King James because he would not believe that the Pope had power to depose Kings But enough of Schoppius let us now see the Judgement of one greater than he Martinus Becanus a man of great Parts and Learning yet is pleas'd to compare Kings and Princes to Per Canes partim Reges Imperatores qui morsu externa vi defendunt Ecclesiam ab Incursione Haereticorum Infidelium Mart. Becan Controvers Angl. p. 131 132. Dogs That by their bitings and force do defend the Church from the Assaults and Incursions of Hereticks And these he saith upon some occasions may not onely be c Bec. de Republ. Ecclesiast l. 3. c. 4. Sect. 48 49. Excommunicated of which he endeavoureth to give some Instances but also d Reges Principes quando negligentes sunt in arcendis vel expellendis Haereticis excommunicandos a Pontifice deponendos Controvers Angl. Ib. Id. Tom. 3. Part. 2. Theologiae Scholasticae cap. 15. q. 5. pag. 421. Id. Refutatio Tort. Torti p. 23. deposed by the Pope And therefore a little after he affirms that none can with a safe Conscience take our English Oath of Allegiance because amongst other things it declares that the Pope upon any account cannot depose a King which Assertion he saith all Catholicks hold to be e Catholici judicant hanc propositionem apertè falsam esse Id. pag. 139. false and against the Lateran Council Gabriel Vasquez one of the most famous School-men of Spain is also of opinion that it is in the Popes power to f Com. in 1. 2. Thom. Tom. 2. Dist 152. Sect. 8. punish Princes and that the crime of Heresie against him is of such force that none of such Conditions are capable of Rule so that the Si omnes de stirpe Regia Haeretici sintt unc devolvitur ad Regnum nova Regis electio nam justè à Pontifice omnes illi successores Regno privari possunt Id. disp 169. Sect. 42 43. Kingdom must chuse some body else But if it so chance that the whole Kingdom be not of the Romish perswasion then the * Qâ—od si Regnum infectum esset Pontifex assignaâ—e posset Catholicum Regem ipsum vi armorum si opus esset introducere Ib. Pope can assign them one whom the people must not deny for if they do his Holiness forsooth may bring him in by force of Arms. Nor can we expect any better Doctrine from Franciscus Feu-ardentius Reges Regnis suis abdicare omni potestate dignitaâ—eque privare potest Com. in Esther p. 82. his very name somewhat shewing the fury of his Zeal this Franciscan is resolved for the Popes pulling down of Kings and yet he could wish that in these things his Holiness would consult with the holy Consistory of Cardinals Julius Ferrettus though not so hot-headed as the former and one that could indure cold as well as any Italian yet though he seldom used a Fire his Doctrine waâ— Zealous enough in behalf of the Pope affirming that he could a Papa dat Imperium Regna iis de causis rite deponuntur ab co Jul. Ferrettus de re disciplina Militari p. 156. Sect. 113. give Empire and Kingdoms nay and depose the Possessors because he is judge of all and instead of a God on Earth And in another b Id. pag. 354. Sect. 26. place he concludes with the same Doctrine against the Emperour And yet this Doctrine he intended for Charles the Fifth and assured it to his Son Philip the Second And for all this bad Doctrine this Lawyer was in great Repute as appears both by his great Preferments and Imployments and the latter end of his Epitath may serve for a hint Jura Poli atque fori belliterraeque marisque Descripsit tandem conditur hoc Tumulo And Celsus Mancinus Friend Towns-man born viz. Ravenna and of the same Profession with the former is just of the same Opinion c Conspicuum fit omnibus à summo Pontifice deponi privarique Imperatores è contra eligi Mancin de jurib Princip l. 3. c. 3. p. 76. Nor need this be any such wonder to us when a greater than either of them doth not onely affirm that this d Reges nostri in multis casibus possunt deponi sive per Papam sive ipsis Regnâ—câ—lis Tostat Com. in III Reg. c. 11. q. 35. King-deposing Authority is not onely in the Pope but in the very people too and of this Opinion is no less man than the voluminous Tostatus so that the word Treason will become null'd Although his Country-man e De potestate coactiva cap. 12. Sect. 17. Josephus Stephanus doth not speak any thing of this Power in the people yet he is as forward as any to give it to the Pope especially if the Kings be not of his Romish Religion and in another of his f De adorat pedum Pont. cap. 7. Books gives you a Catalogue of some Emperours and Kings unthroned by the Pope For those Opinions and other his Writings in honour of the Porphyry-Chair he was made Bishop of Orihuela in Valentia and his learning might deserve some preferment being well studyed in Church-Antiquities Another Spaniard viz. g In 2. 2 Tho. q. 12. art 2. col 478. Dominicus Bannez allows the same power to the Pope of King-deposing but had this Guipuscoian in his old age studyed Loyalty more than Hebrew he might have alter'd his judgement and it might have been more for his credit And with this noted son of Mondragon doth another Spaniard h Tom. 3. disp 1. q 12. â—unct 2. col 439. 443. Gregorius de Valentia agree And though their Orders be Enemies yet like Herod and Pilate they can shake hands to propagate Rebellion But we have a Country-man of our own as famous as either of the other two both for his Learning and his stedfastness in this wicked Opinion and this is Thomas Stapleton who boldly declares that for Heresie the i Rom. Pont. punire quosvis Principes potest si rei necessitas exigat Regno private Tom 1. pag. 710. Contr. 3. q. 5. Art 2. Nâ—mpe per populâ—m ipsum cujuâ— est eligere saâ—â—n Principem aut Ordines Regni vel Senatâ—m Civitatis At vero si istud non succedat potest per se immediatè procedâ—â—e dando illud Regnâ—m alteâ—i Oâ—thodoxo Principi vel prâ—mo Victori Oâ—thodoxo illud assignando Ib Sect. 4. p â—â— Pope may not onely punish but also deprive Kings of their
is Petrus de Palude affirming that the Pope can not onely b Potest deponere omnem talem non solum propter Haeresim aut Schisma aut aliud crimen intolerabile in populo Sed etiam propter insufficientiam utpote si quis Idiota sensu vel impotens viribus in Regno praeesset talis certum est qui mireretur deponi Petr. a Palud de causa immediate Ecclesiasticae potestatis Art 4. depose a King for Heresie Schism or such like crimes but also if he be insufficient by being either weak in understanding or body A man might think it strange that such good and honest-meaning men as the famous Spanish Lawyer c Relict in C. Novit de judicii Notab 2. Numb 3. 99. Martinus Azpilcueta but better known by the title of Doctor Navarrus should be for this King-deposing power of the Pope but that it is a wicked Principle maintained as we see by their chiefest Writers doting too much upon that irrational body of their Canon-Law And this also makes his Country-man d Tract de unitate ovilis c. 23. Numb 12. Michael de Aninyon subscribe with him to this Doctrine And Johannes Driedo that Lovan Doctor is so earnest for it that he seems to be careful lest he should forget to tell the people that the e Verum hoc non est siâ—entio praeteriundum quod Papa ex plenitudine potestatis super universos Christianos Principes potest haereticos Reges ac Principes propter crimen haeresis privare suis Regnis atque Imperiis Jo. Dried de libertate Christ lib. 1. cap. 14. Pope out of the greatness of his power can deprive them of their Kings And this is no new opinion it seems for above five hundred years ago Stephanus or Harrandus the XIV Bishop of Halberstat in Saxony declared to Valtramus of Magdeburg that he that was an f Dominus Henricus haereticus est pro quibus nephandis malis ab Apostolica sede excommunicatus nec Regnum nec potestatem a liquam super nos quia Catholici sumus poterit obtinere Dodechinus Append. ad chronicon Mar. Scoti anno 1090. pag. 460. col 1. Haeretick and Excommunicated by the Pope could have no right to rule over those who were true Christians And the truth of it is Childerick the Fourth King of France found by experience that the Pope above nine hundred years ago took upon him to depose Kings Donysius a Rickel or Leeuwis but now better known by the name of Carthusianus from his Order though for his Piety he procured the name of Doctor Extaticus yet this Doctrine of King-deposing though it was no part of Holiness however it may be that the Pope and others might have a better opinion of him for it because it is not g Imperatorem potest deponere Reges Regnis suis privare Dion Carthus de Regimine Polit. Art 19. once onely but h Id. de authoritate Papa gen Concil l. 1. art 6. twice and for ought that I know oftner that he boldly affirmeth it let the King have never so much right to the Throne And to him we may add i De origine jurisdict Quest 4 5 6. Petrus Bertrandus who to confirm his opinion saith that Christ had not done wisely if he had not left the Pope such power and had he been of another judgement probably he had gone against his Church The great Cardinal a Concil 154. Numb 1. Francis Zabarella affirming that it is not only a received Opinion but that the Canons also declare such power to lye in the Pope And if a man so modest impartial and learned as this honour of Padoua affirm thus much we need not admire that the Lovan Doctor b De Ecclesia c. 14. Jacobus Latomus the Italian Dominican c Judiciale Inquisitor verbo Dâ—mâ—mini â—emporales p. 90. Vmbertus Locatus the same Country-Lawyers d Criminalis lib. 4. c. 15. Numb 6 10. lib. 5. c. 52. Numb 8. Tiberius Decianus e Super Dig. de legibus l. non ambigitur Numb 6. Paulus de Castro f De Imperatore Quest 53. Numb 3. 3. Restaurus Castaldus and our Country-man g Super sententias lib. 4. in Prologo Quest 11. Art 4. Johannes Bacon or Bacondrop are carryed along with the same current and the latter of whom 't is said that he writ so much that his little Body could not carry his great Writings might have left this out though not for its weight yet for the trouble of penning it but that he would be according to his name Doctor Resolutus and in all things with the rest pin his Faith upon the Roman Sleeve And from these we shall not have the German Lupoldus de Bebenburg above three hundred years ago Bishop of Bamberg in Franconia dissent plainly telling the world That a h Posset tamen propter crimen haeresis vel a liud gravius crimen notarium de quo incorrigibilis appareret à Regno deponi â—ud de Bâ—bâ—nb de juribus Regni Imperii cap. 12. pag. 65. King not onely for heresie but other crimes also may be deposed and shews himself very valiant for the Pope And whether it was his zeal for that Chair that procured him after as I think to be translated to the Arch-bishoprick of Mentz let others judge Nor do I know whether this King-deposing Opinion was the result meerly of his judgement or his dependance as Prelate of Bamberg upon the Pope that See having been formerly snatcht from the Metropolitanship of Mentz by Clement the Second once Bishop of Bamberg and annext to the disposition of the Pope i Comment in Directoâ—um Inquisitor Nicol. Eimerici part 3. com 158. p. 661. Franciscus Pegna knew this Doctrine was pleasing to Rome and agreeable to her Laws and so could finde no better Patrons for it and himself than Gregory the Thirteenth and the Cardinals who ruled the rost in the Inquisition Purgatory-like Slaughter-house And let it displease who it will so it be but according to the Canon it will be maintain'd and held authentick by the observant Fryar Minorite k Rosella Casuâ—â—n vel summa Rosella v. Haereticus Numb 11. Baptista Trovomala in his Rosella the noted Lawyers l De Beneficio part 4. Quest 8. Numb 25. Johannes de Selva m Concil 147. Numb 22. Augustinus Beroius and the Learned Neopolitan n De jurisdictione part 1. cap. 23. Numb 1. Potentiam habet pâ—vandi Reges Principes ex causa Temporali aliosque instituendi Marta Jacobus Antonius Marta though both by himself and others vulgarly call'd Doctor Marta who in this place is somewhat large in proving it yet probably his reputation of the Pope was somewhat slackned before his death if he and the Novus Horno sent to the Emperour our King James and some others by way of supplication against Paulus V. were one and the same person as hath
fault he quite looseth his Right and Authority over his Subjects Of the same humour is g De Catholicis Institut Tit. 46. Numb 74 75. Tit. 23. Numb 11. Jacobus Simancas and with this Doctrine as the former claw'd Paul the Fifth so doth this Spaniard fob up Gregory the Thirteenth Nor will he have the Father onely to loose his Kingdom Propter Haeresim Regis non solum Rex Regno privatur sed ejus filii à Regni successione pelluntur Salman Tit. 9. Numb 259. but he also agrees with these who throw out the Children too Though this Author would once dispute whether a Divine or Lawyer would make the best Bishop yet here we need make no Controversie which of the Faculties amongst them is the best assertor of this seditious Doctrine since we see by experience that both Parties do their utmost to uphold it 'T is said that the fields adjoying to Badaioz of which this Simancas was Prelate are so pestered with the multitude of Locusts that the King is forced to provide many men for the burning of them And it would do well if he and others by punishment would restrain the publishing and maintaining of such mischievous Principles within their Dominions Another Spaniard and a famous Jesuite h De justitia Tom. 1. Tract 2. disp 29. col 213 214. Ludovicus Molina though at first he seems a little modest in respect of the Pope but would have the Subjects take upon them to chastise their Kings yet that a little advice from his Holiness would do no harm However the farther he goeth the more he imbraceth this jurisdiction of Rome and then at last in several places boldly affirms the a Potest summus Pontifex depone Reges eosque Regnis suis privare Molin de just Tom. 1. col 217. Id. Col. 225. Imperatoris depositionem ex justa causa pertinere ad summum Pontificem Id. Col. 220. posse summum Pont. deponere Reges eaque ratione merito transtulisse Imperium à Graecis ad Germanos deposuisseque Hildericum privasse Regni administratione quendam Lusitanice Regem Id. Col. 221. si Princeps aliquis Haereticus aut Schismaticus fieret posset summus Pont. uti adversus eum gladio Temporali procedereque usque ad depositionem expulsionem illius à Regno Popes power in deposing Kings A Doctrine which I dare say he never learned from that pious Manuel of his darling and daily companion Thomas à Kempis and yet this durst he offer to the King of Spain Another Spaniard but a Dominican Petrus de Ledesma tells the people pretty stories how to get rid of their Kings for if the Prince as he saith be an Heretick and that crime by his cunning cannot be sufficiently proved against him then let him publickly be excommunicated and all is as sure as a gun for Post sententiam declarativum de crimines haeresis aut Apostasiae Princeps injuste possidet Principatum inique dominatur in Subditos qui si viribus polleant tenentur se eximere ab ejus obedientia bellum ipsi inferre Petr. de Ledesm Theologia Moralis Tract 1. cap. 7. conclus 6 7. Id. Conclus 5. Quam primum quis declaratur excommunicatus propter Apostasiam à fide aut haeresim privatur dominio jurisdictione in subditos si quos habet subditi absolvuntur à juramento fidelitatis quo antea tenebantur by this means he is absolutely deprived of all Rule whatever and his Subjects are obliged if they be able to raise war against him and root him out for as he saith by the aforesaid Excommunication they are all absolved from their Obedience and Oath of Allegiance which they formerly owed to him And this he tells us is the judgement of Thomas Aquinas and all his followers And I think in this he doth not at all wrong this famous School-man who was so great a Champion for the Romish See that at last he was Canonized Quam cito aliqui per sententiam denuntiatur excommunicatus propter Apostasiam à fide ipso facto ejus subdito sunt absoluti à dominio ejus juramento fidelitatis quo eitenebantur Tho. Aquin. 2. 2. q. 12. art 2. by John XXII yet for all his title of Angelical Doctor he could maintain the black position that Subjects were not to obey nor acknowledge Excommunicated Princes And some of the Thomists to make the Authority of Temporal Monarchs less valid make use of his Book de Regimine Principis but to what purpose I know not However b Desceptat Calvin pag. 152. Franciscus Panicarola the preaching and worded Bishop of Asti is no enemy to the Popes coercive Authority over Princes That the Italian Dominican c De literali ac Mystica Regularum juris Canon interpretat Quest 2. art 4. punct 2. Numb 25 26 27. Quest 3. art 9. Numb 101. pag. 270. Paulus Carraria is a great magnifier of the Popes power in Temporals need not be long in proving if we do but consider what Laws and Examples he makes use of to shew that Kings may be deposed and Kingdoms given away by him And to him we may joyn another of the same Order d Summa de Exemplis lib. 8. cap. 60. Johannes à S. Geminiano since they both go the same way and upon the same errand Gregotius Nunnius Coronel though but a Portugal Augustan Mendicant Fryar yet is as furious and proud as the best of them against Temporal Government and it may be for this fault Clement the Eighth and Paul the Fifth were so kinde to him and got him to Rome to be neer them He declares that if they a â—â—â—g Nâ—n. Cor. dâ— veâ—a Christi Eccles lib. 9. pag. â—45 Tâ—â—◠〈…〉 quan â—egiâ— poâ—â—taâ—e privaâ—◠〈◊〉 â—s sui vi authoritate câ—â—litus sibi â—radit◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not be obedient to his Church then may the Pope by his great power from Heaven very justly turn them from all their Royalties and Government Nay that sometimes the b Id. Pag. â—69 In illos aâ—ma capiant tanquam Regio dâ—demate 〈◊〉 a sede 〈◊〉 agnoscaâ—t Subjects themselves if the Pope bid them must take up arms against them and dethrone them And in another of his Books he saith that an c De optimo Relpub 〈◊〉 lib. 3. c. 13. pag. 508 â—â—9 p. 511. Râ—x â—â—pâ—s â—aeâ—â—icorum dogmaticus â—â—â—â—mato animo 〈◊〉 à Regâ—◠〈◊〉 aâ— administratione Imperâ—â— quod in Christianos habet amo 〈…〉 Heretical King must not be permitted to rule but turned from his Kingdom anâ— this not onely for Heresie but also if d Id. Cap. 14 pag. 521. Si Reges Principes gravissiâ—â— â—int dediâ—â—â—eleâ—bus efficâ—tor proculdubio uâ—â—x his dâ—abus caâ—sis justissime Rom. Pont. possit acriâ—er in Reges animadâ— ertere cos a Regalâ— solio muneâ—is â—â— poâ—â—staâ—â— dâ—â—rbare he be given to to any great
it and saith that it ought to be obeyed II. To the second he saith it is a hard Question and therefore he cannot answer it but upon further advisement he answereth as to the first III. To the third he knoweth not what to say thereunto IV. To the fourth he saith that so long as her Majesty remaineth Queen the Pope hath no authority to warrant her Subjects to take Arms against her or to disobey her but if he should depose her then he might discharge them of their Allegiance and Obedience to her Majesty V. To the fifth he saith he will not meddle with the Doctrine of Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow VI. To the last when this case happeneth then he saith he will answer and if he had been in Ireland when Dr. Saunders was there he would have done as a Priest should have done that is to pray that the right may have place William Filbee John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond And because some of these Answers depend upon the writings of Bristow and Saunders we must understand that a little before this one Richard Bristow or Bristolus born in Worcester-shire and bred up a Priest in Flanders had made a little Book which he call'd his Motives which was after either by himself or others hugely enlarged In this writing he did not onely twit Queen Elizabeth for not obeying the a Motive 6. Excommunication-Bull of Pius the Fifth against her but also that b Motive 40. Subjects may sometimes be discharged from their subjection and Princes deposed and then publickly declares that the foresaid Earl of Northumberland the Nortons Plumtree and others to be c Motive 15. most glorious Martyrs of the Catholicks though they were deservedly executed as Traytors for their notorious and actual Rebellion in the North against the Queen Yet d Compend vitae Râ—c Brist § 6. Dr. Thomas Worthington of Lancashire who translated the larger Motives into Latine doth give great Commendations to Dr. Bristow for his learning and valour in thus defending the Popes Authority whereby he may justly go with those who favour the Opinion of King-deposing As for Nicholas Sanders he was born in Surrey and at Rome got his Orders and Degree of Doctor Pius the Fifth had him in great esteem knowing him to be a man of mettle and a great Zealot for the Authority of that Chair as he shews at large in his great e De visibili Monarch Ecclesiae Vid. lib. 2. cap. 4. Book dedicated to Pius the Fifth in which he is so far from acknowledging Queen Elizabeth to be a true Queen that he calls her several times by no other title than the f Id. P. 734 736 737. Pretended Queen and other times onely plain g Pag. 275 355. Calvinistical woman He saith that the Popes power reacheth to the h Pag. 430. altering of Kingdoms that the Emperour Henry the Fourth was most i Pag. 458. justly deprived of his Empire by Gregory the Seventh greatly k Pag. 730 731 732 733 734 735 c. commends those who impiously rebell'd against the Queen in the North and calls them Noble Martyrs and this he aims at again in another of his l De schismate Angl. p. 363. Tracts From this Sanders we may collect what was the judgement in this case of John Story an Oxford Doctor of Law he in Queen Maries time ruled the roast in our English Inquisition and in Queen Elizabeths Id. Pag. 736 737. Raign being accused in Parliament of a great deal of cruelty in the administration of his foresaid Office replyed like himself to this purpose That he had offended in nothing but that whilst he cut off some Branches he neglected to pull up the Root which if he had done Heresie had not got up again And this he meant of the Queen to whom he denyed himself to be a Subject looking upon the King of Spain as his Soveraign and the Queen Elizabeth by the Popes Bull of Excommunication utterly deprived of all Rule and Government upon which cause he scorned to plead for himself taking the Judges under such a Princess to have no power or judgement over him And if any doubt of the Popes Authority in deposing Kings Aelius Antonius Nebrissensis will tell them that they need not since both Civil and Canon-law doth allow it and the learned Doctors of them Per leges quoque Pontificias Civiles Johan Navar. Rex vere potuit Regno spolian ex eo quod schismaticus schismaticorum fautor atque proinde Haereticus laesaeque Majestatis reus atque eodem jure intestabilis ipse omni ejus Posteritas Gentilico Regno mulctanda quod utriusque juris Consultissimi Doctores multis argumentis rationibus exemplisque probant Ant. Nebress de bello Navar. lib. 1. c. 1. and all his Posterity may be deprived too for which he produceth the Example of John Albret King of Narvarre whom he doth not onely call Schismatick and Heretick but which is the prettiest of all a Traytor though he doth not tell us to whom But the King of Spains Historian must write any thing to vindicate his Masters Rapine And yet they 'll think it hard that the Portugals should redeem their own or that Gaspar Sala and others should vindicate the late revolt of Catalonia Antonius de Sousa de Macedo in all his writings hugely zealous for the honour of his Country Portugal is as fierce against any pretence of the Castilians as any yet when he is the most endeavouring to fasten the Crown on the head of Braganza he makes his Master so open and weak on one side that not onely that Family nay Nation may loose the sway but they may once more fall a prey to their politick Neighbour For he acknowledgeth that the Pope may m Lusitan liberata proem 2. § 2. § 25. pag. 117 118. depose his Master by the same power he hath over other Kings and that they may sometimes be thrust from their Thrones upon their evil n Id. Lib. 2. cap. 4. pag. 510 511. administration of Government And another dangerous Principle he maintains of a Kings not Ruling unless he hath been o Id. L. 2. c. 1. § 7. sworn and Crown'd And somewhat to this purpose he speaks in another place concerning the ancient way of p Proem 2. p. 116. Anoynting To these Opinions I perceive him not a little perswaded by Example and the sentiments of others Arguments of so great force to the Divine Dr. q Opus de dignitatibus lib. 1. c. 2. pag. 9. Nicolaus Rebbe and the Lawyer r De haereticus lib. 4. cap. 14. Conradus Brunus that they also upon the same account embrace this King-deposing Opinion And of the same judgement is the Learned Å¿ Hierarch Eccles lib. 5. cap. 14 15. fol. 260 266. Albertus Pighius and as for a good proof to it he several times remembers you with the action
of Pope Zachary Giulio Cerrio having been somewhat large in respect of the bulk of his Tract in examples of the Popes power in deposing Kings fairly concludes that t Hora in simili casi altri appertenenti alla Fede niuno puo dubitare che l'autorità de i sommi Pontesici non se stenda assolutamente sopra qual si voglia dignita Temporale Certio Risposta per la verita no man must doubt of the Popes absolute jurisdiction over Kings in some causes and this may be interpreted to the worst sence well enough since the whole drift of that Letter F pag. 111. is in opposition to those who deny this deposing power to be in the Pope To tell any man what Cardinal Bellarmine was would be impertinent since his name is come into a Proverb They say that many were formerly much beholden to Lyranus for his Writings Nisi Lyra lyrasset Nemo nostrum saltasset Some think Cambden as much beholden to Leland Pitseus to Bale however we know that several have walk'd in English habit for Authors which in truth have scarce been so good as Translations and so Samuel Clark the poor botching Presbyterian-story-teller is a voluminous partial Plagiary beyond all mercy one as fit to write the Church-history as Alexander Rosse to continue Sir Walter Raleigh As for Bellarmine you may look through him like a Multiplying-glass and perceive multitudes of people toyling themselves out of his Bowels to get themselves published in the world that if he had never writ the Romish Church had wanted at least an hundred Authors to augment their Catalogue and in this sort our Country-men make as bold with him as any to thrust their little English Pieces both for gain and honour amongst their party in these Nations This learned Cardinal was a true son of his Church as he shews through all his writings especially when he is concerned for her greatness and authority in one place he saith that the Pope can sometimes u Potest mutare Regna uni auferre atque alteri conferre Bellarm de Roman Pont. lib. 5. c. 6. change Kingdoms take away from one and give to another he being the judge x Ib. c. 7. to determine whether a King be fit to be deposed or no and if it be thought fit that he should be deposed then y Nec ulla eis injuria fiet si deponantur Ib. there is no wrong done to him if he be turned from his Throne And this jurisdiction he defends in another of his a Possit eos Regnis atque Imperiis exuere eaque Regna Imperia ab aliis ad alios transferre Id. De Translat Imper. Rom. lib. 1. c. 12. Books and in another b Si quidem inter omnes convenit posse Pontificem maximum Haereticos Principes jure deponere subditos eorum ab obedientia liberare Mat. Tort. Respons pag. 9. Book he declares that this Opinion is agreed upon by all and this power he affirms in another of his c Contra Barchaium cap. 27. Books Though 't is d Jac. Fuligatto vita Card. Bellarm l. 1. c. 2. said of him that he would never remember that he either ever told lye in his life or beguil'd the truth by excuse or jeasts yet I shall scarce believe that he speaks altogether truth in his thus attributing so great authority in temporal things over Monarchs to the Pope yet for all that he was the Chief Champion of that See and allow'd to its Bishops all the aforesaid power and jurisdiction yet we are assured by the Testimony of a learned Romanist e De potestate Papae cap. 13. pag. 101. cap. 40. pag. 329. Guilielmus Barclaius that Pope Sixtus the Fifth was sometimes thinking to Censure and extinguish all Bellarmines works because as he thought he allow'd him too small authority in Temporals There were two of different Orders viz. Johannes f Epitome Controvers ex Bellarm. part 2. quest 21. p. 180. Andraeas Coppenstein a Dominican and g Solida Christianor fidei demonstratio lib. 3. cap. 10. Baldwinus Junius a Franciscan who have severally Epitomiz'd this Cardinals Controversies and with him they embrace this King-deposing Maxime They were after translated into French by the appointment of Cardinal Perron Jacobus Gretserus as an industrious a Jesuite as ever Germany brought forth whose resolution zeal and speedy pen made his Books almost innumerable and as in all other things so in this of the Popes authority he endeavours to vindicate h Gretser defensio Controversiarum Card. Bellarm. Tom. 2. col 1153 1154. c. Bellarmine and seems to wonder at King i Commentar Exegit in Reg. Britan. c. 6 7. James for denying such power to be in the Pope nay when he seems to make it his business to vindicate his Society from the suspition of Rebellion and to tell to all the world what brave Subjects to temporal Kings they are and will be even then doth he ruine all their loyalty by one exception k At si Pontifex aliquem ab haeresin à regno arceat ne subditos in haeresin inducat tum libere fateor nos nostrum judicium ad Pontificis judicium aggregare satiusque reputare Defens Apol. Gal. pag. 591. But yet saith he if the Pope should deprive any King for heresie marry then I do freely confess that we shall submit our selves to the Popes judgement A very good Item for which they deserved the teeth as well as the heart of Henry the Great Another of the same Order l Juris Canon Compend § 984. Petrus Alagonia and m Juris Canon Compend lib. 5. Tit. de Haeret § 13. Johannes Honorius van Axel with the Canon-law write down the same Principles in their Compendiaries and the Carmelite Fryar Giovanni Antonio Bovio findes fault with Father Paul the Venetian famed for his learning judgement moderation and integrity that amongst the Offices belonging to the Pope he doth not set down n Doveva anco se volea numerare tutte le Opere del Carico Pastorale fac mentioner dello trasferire de gli Imperii d'Oriente in Occidente habilitare inhabilitare alli Regni instituere destituere i Re che anco questo possono fare i supremi vicarii di Christo in Terra quando cio besogni per conservatione della fede Religione Christiana l'hanno fatto quando è venuto l'occasione ha hanuto effeâ—to è stato cio riceunto appovato da tutta la Christianica Anton. Bovio Risposta alle consideratione del M. Paolo pag. 69. his translating of Empires setting up and pulling down of Kings since he hath such authority An Article that I dare say Bovio never learned from the Virgin Mary whom they brag to be the Patroness and Foundress of their Order William Allen or Allain born in Lancashire a great darling with the secular Priests for whom he was the
sciogliere il vincolo del giuramento al Pont. Rom. come habbiamo dimostrato sopra c. Botero le Relationi Universali Part. 2. lib. 4. pag. 125 126 127. Giovanni Botero the first I may say that undertook prudentially to discover the world runs along in the same error with the rest of his Religion and will not onely allow the Pope to depose Kings but seem vext and angry against any that should deny it and reasons the case with them too as largely as if he had been chosen the sole Champion for his Church and declares himself a profest enemy against those who think that Kings have no Superiour but God in this World g Discussio Decreti Concil Lateran pag. 29. Lessius the Jesuit in behalf of the Pope makes use of Johannes Parisiensis but h A Theolog Dispute concerning the Oath of Allegiance Appendix pag. 402. § 18. Roger Widdrington a Benedictine affirms that Parisiensis and Antonius de Rosellis are rather for the Peoples power to depose Kings than the Popes though be it as it will one is as bad as the other and neither barrel better Herring Johannes de Bromyardo an English Dominican and famous in his time for his many writings is also an assertor of this a Opus Trivium verb. Regimen King-deposing Doctrine nor is it any strange thing amongst our Country Romanists for wherefore else should b Epist ad lectorem praefix Nâ—c Sander de Schismate Aâ—gl Edward Rishton commend Saunders for his Rebellion in Ireland Wherefore else should Watson the Author of the c Pag. 327. Quodlibets desire that the Pope had and would exercise as much power now in England as he did in Henry the Second and Kings Johns time Wherefore else should Everard Hanse the Priest say that he hoped Pius the Fifth did not err in declaring against Queen Elizabeth and absolving her subjects from their Allegiance Wherefore else should John Mundine Concertat Eccles Cathol Edit 1594. fol. 78 140 153 154 163 169 170 171. being asked at his Tryal if he thought that the Pope could depose the Queen or if another Prince should invade England whether he would assist the Queen or the Invador desire to be excused from answering Wherefore else should James Fenn at his Tryal declare that the Pope had power to depose the Queen and other Princes Wherefore else should James Bele declare that he would assist the Pope or any other against the Queen Coppie d'une lettre envoye d' Angleterre an seminaire des Anglois à Dâ—uay contenant l'Hist du Martyre de 4. Prestres An. 1616. pag. 10 18 49 53. Why should John Finch affirm the same or Father Thomas Maxfield that no man under damnation could take the Oath of Allegiance And Nicholas Atkinson refuse to take the said Oath though he was promised his life if he would take it As they promised the same mercy and favour to John Thulis and N. Voren at Lancaster And we are d Vid. O. E. a new chalange made to N. D. p. 116. Mat. Sutcliff's challenge concerning the Romish Church pag. 187. informed from the Records of the Memorials of the Council at Yorke that a House being searched for a Priest stiled David Engleby their own Catalogues mentions one Francis Ingleby who suffer'd there 1586 there were found in the said house these Positions That the Queen before the Popes Bull was not a lawful Queen That Catholicks are not to defend her or fight for her if any come to execute the Popes Bull. That it is lawful to take arms against her and to do what they please with her if they be sure to obtain Victory And the onely reason that Father e Vid. Rob. Abbot Antilogia pag. 156. Garnet had against some insurrection against the King was because they wanted the Popes Authority or approbation And if I mistake not 't is no less man than Father f A letter of a Catholick touching the Oath of Allegiance pag. 47. Parsons who thinks it no small honour for his cause that Robert Drurie Matthew Flathers and George Gervis three Priests would rather dye than take the Oath of Allegiance when life was offer'd them upon that condition But what need I trouble my self with particulars when Abraham Bzovius who thought himself fit to be joyned with Baronius tells us that all the g De Rom. Pont. cap. 46. pag. 621. English Priests who suffer'd in England absolutely maintain'd that the Pope might depose Kings and he h Id. Cap. 45 46. himself is of the same pernicious Principle Of this Opinion also is the great Spanish Lawyer i Emporium â—triusque juris Part. 1. Tit. 2. de jurisdic omnium judicum Quaest 4. § 12. Pet. Augustin Morla and to him it would be no news to add a Souldier of the same Kingdom and one that by the assistance of this Maxime was to prove his Sword could do no wrong by taking away another mans Kingdom and joyning of it to his Masters And this is Fadrique de Toledo Duke of Alva who in a large Speech told the people of Navarre pretty stories of the Popes power in giving away Kingdoms But the conclusion was that by the same Authority the Kingdom of Navarre was given to his Master of Spain and King Albret justly deposed And 't is no great matter whether he or his a Ael Anton Nebrissens de Bello Navarr lib. 1. cap. 6. Historian pen'd the Harangue And no question but that his Grand-childe Don Fernando d'Alvares de Toledo Duke of Alva was altogether of the same judgement when he conquer'd Portugal to the same Crown Nor is the great but none of the best Text-men the Spanish Preaching Jesuite Johannes Osorius of any better Principles For amongst other priviledges granted to the Popes he tells his Auditory that he can b Omnem dare auferre aut moderari jurisdictionem Reges create iterum Regna tollere Concion Tom. 3. Concio in Cathedra St. Petri col 2. appoint and depose Kings And in another of his c preachments he tells the people that by this Text Behold here are two swords is signified the Spiritual and material Swords of the Church whereby she doth assault beat and rob Kings of their Dominions and Authority b Ecce duo gladii hic Duas Ecclesiae potestates quibus in peccatores animadvertit significat Ecclesiasticam saecularem gladium Spirituale materiale quo Ecclesia uti potest cum oportuerit Reges expugnando ac debellando a potestate Regia expoliando Tom. 4. pag. 87. Of the same judgement is the Italian Lawyer and Divine too d Tract de officio S. Inquisit Tit. 1. § 67 68 93. Caesar Carena of so great repute at Cremona and a favorite of the English Overseer Cardinal Francisco Barberino Nephew to Vrban the eighth But of this subject we have been too long and so I shall conclude all with the Dominican
Cathol lib. 3. c. 3. § 3. Franciscus Suarez in this case defends both Bellarmine and Dr. Navarrus and himself speaks plain enough to the purpose when he affirms that h Si Rex legitimus tyrannice gubernet Regno nullum aliud subsit remedium ad se defendendum nisi Regem expelleâ—e ac deponere poterit Respublica tota puâ—lico communi Concilio Civitatum Procâ—rum Regâ—m deponere Suarez defens fid lib. 6. cap. 4. § 15. if a King of a lawful Title and Possession govern tyrannously then that the people by their Parliament may depose him yet he would have the people do this in their own defence Guillielmus Estius one of a great name both for learning and moderation an honour both to his Country Holland and his University Douay though in one a Annotat. in Machab. l. 1. c. 2. v. 22. place he speaks so much between the teeth that he seems onely to hint his Opinion to the case in hand Yet in another of his Books he speaks boldly and to the purpose confident enough of the truth of his cause since he thinks that he hath the Scripture and St. Augustine to back him But let us hear his own reason which in short is this because forsooth b Ratio quidem videtur quia in proceribus populo residet publica authoritas quae se à manifesta Tyrannide vendicare legitimum Principem eligere sibi possunt atque etiam electum si causa subsit imperio privare Guâ—l Est Com. in 4. libros Sentent lib. 2. pag. 444. the Nobles and people by the Authority residing in them may defend themselves from Tyranny and not onely chuse themselves a lawful Prince but also cause being given may throw him from the Throne again Though the Dutch and Spaniards were thought to be mortal enemies yet where Religion links together these can also agree though in wickedness For with the Hollander doth consent no less man than Tostatus one so voluminous that 't is thought that he wrote a sheet for every day he lived which is thus testified by this part of his Epitaph Primae natalis luâ—i folia omnia adaptans Nondum sic fuerit pagina trina satis Compare his days and leaves you 'll finde to 's praise He wrote as many sheets as he liv'd days That he was a great Scholar is not denyed but 't was no part of his learning to assert that Kings may be c Reges nostri in multiâ— casibus possunt deponi sive per Papam sive ab ipsis Regnicolis Tostat Com. in III. Reg. cap. 11. Quest 35. deposed not onely by the Pope but the people too being d Positus est ad procurandas utilitates subditorum non suam si secus agat non est Rex sed Tyrannuâ— deponi meretur c. Tostat Com. in III. Reg. cap. 12. Quaest 4. And he agrees with this in other places as in II. Paralip cap. 10. Quest 9. in Jud. cap. 9. Quaest 46. pag. 146. col 2. G. placed in that greatness for the good of the people not his own and if he do otherwise he is not a King but a Tyrant and so may be deposed To the judgement of Abulensis doth another Spaniard a famous Dominican agree who though he giveth great glory to the Pope in his authority over Kings and Potentates yet as if all the world were brave fellows and born to authority except Kings he alloweth the same power to the people e Absque Pontificis sententia potest Respublica se defendere privare Principem dominio in subditos Dom. Bannes in 2. 2. D. Tho. Quest 12. art 2. col 480. without having any liberty granted them for so doing from the Pope Nay f Licet Pontifex non puneat eum Respublica tamen Christiana puneat eum imo etiam si Pontifex videns sciens toleraret illum Apostatam ad huc Respub Christiana possit illum pellere à Regno quoniam Pont fex sine ratione permittit illum impunitum Bannes ib. col 481. though the Pope be so far from endeavouring to punish this King that though he do know and see his faults and yet doth tolerate him yet may the people deprive him And immediately before this Dominicus Bannes gives the people sole authority over their Kings to g Ib. Respublica potest Principem pellere e Regno privare authoritate quam ab illa est sortius quando sua gubernatione corruptis moribus destruit Reipub. commodum leges quibus Respub optime gubernatur Qua propter cum Princeps iste Apostata vel Haereticus destruat leges quibus Respub Christiana gubernatur conservatur Cives hujus Reipub. authoritate hac communi Principem a Regno pellere depose them Nay he saith that sometimes as if the Pope should declare the King to be an Heretick a Id. Col. 478. then the Subjects are obliged to quit themselves from their obedience to him and fight against him but yet he would have them to be so cunning as to consider first whether they had strength and force enough to make themselves Conquerours and in this case our English Roman Catholicks are very much beholden to him for putting in an excuse for them for their not yet Rebelling against their King as if obedience were a reproach amongst them Something to this purpose is a Country-man of ours under the name of Andraeas Philopater but who was the true Author under this Visard I cannot swear 'T is true it was commonly supposed to be Joseph Creswell an active Jesuite of the Spanish Faction and an Enemy to his Queen and Country and a Book of the same Title b Bibliotheca soc sâ—s pag. 285. Alegambe ascribes to this Creswell others say Robert Parsons was the Author and in this b Id. P. 415 451. Alegambe agrees also but yet he leaves us in the Suds and how in this case to trust to him I know not since he hath publickly in France been questioned for his writings and some think they both club'd to the making of it and indeed the brat is so like them that you would easily judge it to have been spit out of their Mouths for such a wicked book must be made by such wretches well let it be as 't will let 's hear the Imp it self speak 'T is certain we must believe it and it 's the Opinion of all Divines Hinc etiam infert Universa Theologorum jurisconsultorum Ecclesiasticorum est certum de fide quemcunque Principem Christianum si à Religione Catholica manifeste deflexerit alios avocare voluerit excidere statim omni potestate ac dignitate ex ipsa vi juris tum humani tum divini hocque ante omnem sententiam supremi Pastoris ac judicis contra ipsum prolatam subditos quoscunque liberos esse ab omni juramenti obligatione quod
himself either cock-sure of Heaven or lived more idle or lazie or freer from trouble or danger if he got but a Monks Cowl on and lived hum-drumming in a Cell or Monastery made a Decree against as I may say run-away Souldiers against whom I onely concern my self in the former censure In which he Ordain'd that no Souldier unless he was dismiss'd should enter himself in a Monastery to turn Monk except he were lame or otherwise unfit for the Wars And this he sends to Pope Gregory ordering him to see it put in practice and divulged Gregory looks upon this as an unjust law even contrary to Christianity and desires the Emperour to consider how he can answer it at the day of Lib. 2. Ep. 62. Judgement yet declared that he had fulfill'd his duty by yeilding obedience to his commands and so had accordingly published the Order abroad But I warrant you Gregory the Eighth and our Modern Popes would not thus obey the Emperours and yet they will not say that this Gregory the Great an holy Saint in their Calendar in this his obedience and humility was erronious or committed a fault In the Emperours Army there was one Phocas a common Captain or Centurion but a most cruel and wicked man who upon a Mutiny in Sclavonia made himself very active so that they flew into open Rebellion and in this humour he plaid his Cards so well that he became the onely Ring-leader those that were loyal being forced to flee insomuch that they heaved him upon a Shield an old Ceremony not onely in Armies but also in France and Spain in proclaming their Kings and shouted him up for Emperour Having gone thus far in villany he proceeds and to loose no time in all haste marcheth to Constantinople and that with such a strength that the Emperour Mauritius who of late had led a very religious life having sent to all places to be pray'd for was forced to flee and so in a little Bark with his Wife and Children stole out of the City over the Chanel to Chalcedon now call'd Scutari or Calcitiu but being overtaken by Phocas his Souldiers was brought back to Constantinople where Phocas had the Emperours Children which then he had seis'd on murther'd before the Fathers face the poor Mauritius onely repeating that of the Psalmist Just art thou O Lord and righteous are thy judgements And which was more the Emperour having there one of his Sons a little Childe the kinde Nurse of it through a strange pitty love and loyalty stole it away and put her own Childe in its stead to be slain But the Emperour not to be out done in compassion unwilling to allow of such a cruel charity withstood the design and so had his own innocent Infant murdred before his face and at last was himself also slain then their heads were cut off and their bodies exposed to all manner of contumelies There were also murder'd Petrus Brother to the Emperour and many of the Loyal Nobility Theodosius eldest Son to Mauritius who had also been some years before Crown'd Augustus and co-Emperour to his Father being sent upon this Rebellion to Cosâ—hoes of Persia to desire his aid and assistance against Phocas was also overtaken and beheaded And to make the Tragedy compleat one Scholasticus an Eunuch having saved the Empress Constantina Daughter to the Emperor Tiberius thus a Father-in-law and Predecessor to Maurice and her three Daughters hid them secretly in a Church yet was not this so privily done but Phocas heard of it and sent to have them delivered Cyricius the Patriarch of Constantinople made some opposition nor would he yeild them up till Phocas had by Oath sworn to do to them no violence which for some time he kept thrusting them into a Monastery but at the years end had them all four most barbarously butcher'd Here we have Phocas one of the most absolute Villains in the world as for Mauritius a An. 602. § 23. Baronius himself cannot but give him many commendations yet he will quickly shoot his bolt to finde out the Reason of all these Judgements against him and all this because forsooth he would not comply with the liberty of the Church as they call it and was not a sure Friend to Gregory for this is that which he aims at And now let us see how Pope Gregory behaved himself towards this Villain he no sooner hears of this abominable Murther and how the Tyrant had made himself Emperour but he hath the Statues of Phocas and his Wife carryed through Rome in triumph with a great many pretty cantings and then with a great deal of state and glory placed up amongst the other Emperours Nor was this all for he writes to Phocas congratulating his good success as the Angels did the Nativity of our Saviour a Baron an â—â—3 § 3. Glory be to God in the highest who as it is written changeth the times and translateth Kingdoms For which we rejoyce that thou art come to the Empire Let the heavens rejoyce and let the earth leap for joy and of your gracious actions let all the people be exceeding glad In another b Id. § 5. Letter to the same Tyrant he rejoyceth and thanks God that he is Emperour and that Mauritius was taken away And in another to Leontia Wife to Phocas he thus begins c Ib. § 6. What tongue can declare what minde can conceive the thanks which we owe to God for your Empire And yet if we consult Historians they will assure us that this Phocas was not onely a cruel furious and bloudy fellow but also a drunkard wencher yea and an Heretick too But d Ib. § 9. Baronius and e Tom. 1. pag. 333. Coquaeus are very busie to quit him of the last fault and so make him a good Roman Catholick But be as bad as he will 't is confest that his Wife Leontia was guilty of the same vices Whereby I can scarce think of Pope Gregory's Letters but I must at the same time remember the flattering and wicked Addresses of late days made to Oliver and his Son Richard by their canting Armies and suchlike knavish Phanaticks who in the hight of their wickedness would impudently pretend the Spirit of God to be their Informer I do not here compare Pope Gregory to these Villains yet I can easily perswade my self that he had not as the Turks story of their great Prophet the Pigeon or Holy Ghost at the writing of these Letters directing him at his ear as they say sometime he had and so they always paint him The Patriarch of Constantinople having as aforesaid somewhat angred Phocas for not delivering the Empress Constantina and her Daughters to his cruelty without an oath of security and the Tyrant seeing himself thus bravely courted by the Infallible Roman condescended to the request of Pope Boniface the Third and so decreed That the Church of Rome should be the e Hic Rogante Papa Bâ—nifacic
also absolve by the Authority of God and Vs all you Bishops from that promise whereby you were bound contrary to the Constitution of the Church for the observation of them And then he rehearseth the said six Constitutions in controversie between the King and Him and then nameth several persons of Quality whom he did thereby Excommunicate Of these things he also giveth the Pope notice repeating in a manner the same reproaches against the King with an additional Id. § 34. commendation that he grows worse and worse whom he was also resolved to Excommunicate Upon this the English Bishops write to Thomas how they had once some hopes of a peace hearing how he gave himself to prayer fasting c. The way to recover the Id. § 43. benefits of a peaceable reconciliation hereby was conceived an hope that you might from above bring into his Majesties heart such favour that he would out of Kingly mercy relent in his wrath towards us and never recall to minde the injuries offer'd by reason of your departure Your friends and well-wishers regain'd some access unto his Majesty whilst these things were thus divulged of you insomuch as he graciously admitted all such as were suitors for restoring you into his former favour But now by the relation of some we understand which we cannot but with grief remember that you published against him a severer Commination wherein you let pass all salutation wherein you practice no Counsel or Petition for Grace wherein you neither advise nor write any thing that savoureth favourably but with all extremity do rigorously menace Interdiction or Excommunication against him Which were it as sharply executed as it is bitterly spoken we should not then hope for peace but should fear to be inflamed with an irrevocable and eternal hatred Thus whilst as it were with a drawn sword you joyn battle you have not left for your self any place for Petition Wherefore O Father we charitably advise you not to heap labours upon labours and injuries upon injuries but setting threatning aside you would rather imbrace patience and humility Commend your cause to Divine Clemencie and your self to the grace and mercy of your Soveraign and in so doing you shall heap and cast together coals of fire upon the heads of many It is better to be highly commended for voluntary poverty than to be openly taxed by all men for ingratitude for a received Benefit It is deeply rooted into the mindes of all men how gracious our Lord the King hath been unto you unto how great dignity he hath rais'd you from poor degree and received you into his favour so freely and frankly as the ample bounds of his Dominions reaching from the Northern Sea to the Pyrenean Mountains were by him so absolutely subject unto your power as through all those Principalities they were onely accounted happy who could finde but favour in your sight And that no worldly mutability might overthrow your prosperity and glory he laid your foundation most firm in the possession belonging to God And notwithstanding his Mother disswaded the Kingdom cryed out against it and the Church of God so far as she could sighed and groan'd thereat he indeavoured by all means possibly to raise you unto the dignity of your present preferment hoping he should hereafter Reign blessedly and enjoy your assistance and counsel with exceeding security If therefore where he expected security to defend him he shall finde a sword to offend What rumour will be spread of you by all men what a reward what a remembrance will this be of a requital never heard of before Forbear therefore if you please to wrong your fame forbear to injure your Renown and indeavour to overcome with humility your King and your son with charity c. And at the end tells him of his preposterous and rash Excommunication of the a â—ocelin Bishop and b John of Oxford Dean of Salisbury before the offence was examin'd A new order of Judgement and hitherto in the Laws and Canons as we hope unknown first to condemn and then to examine the offence The English Bishops write also to the Pope giving great commendations of their King and telling the Pope the occasion and story of these troubles between Henry and Thomas viz. How that the King finding sometimes the peace of his Kingdoms not a little molested with the outragious excesses of some insolent Clerks with due reverence to the Clergy referred their offences to the Bishops Judges of the Church that one sword might assist another and that the Spiritual Power might confirm and establish in the Clergy that peace which he maintain'd in the people Wherein the zeal of each party appear'd more plainly the Bishops affirming that murther or any other like crime should onely be punished in the Clergy by degradation The King on the contrary being of opinion that this punishment did not sufficiently answer the offence neither was it provision enough for maintenance of peace if a a Lector aut Acolythus Reader or sub-Deacon killing some famous man renowned for Religion or Dignity should escape free with loss onely of this Order The Clergy therefore upholding the b i. e. of holy Orders or Clergy Order established from Heaven and our Lord the King persecuting onely the offence as we hope with a just haetred and intending to plant his peace more deeply a certain holy contention arose amongst us which we trust the plain and honest intention of both parties may excuse Hereupon not with any ambition of inlarging his Dominions not with any conceit of oppressing the Churches Liberties but with a desire of setling and confirming peace it went so far that the King would produce to light the Customs of his Kingdom and Dignities anciently observed and quietly and reverently yeilded by persons Ecclesiastical to former Kings in the Kingdom of England and to the end that hereafter no longer the thred of contention might be spun he would have the same openly known Wherefore the most ancient Bishops and great Peers of the Realm being first sworn by their faith and the hope which they had in Almighty God and then making search into the state of fore-passed times the Dignities of the Crown being sought were laid open and by the testimonies of men of the greatest accompt in the Kingdom were published Loe here the cruelty of our Lord the King against the Church of God which fame hath so spread over the whole world Behold here his persecution And these are the works so divulged for wicked both here and every where And then they tell him how willing the King is to be advised by the Church that peace might be And truly Father our sollicitation had long since as we hope obtain'd the desir'd end of this wished peace had not our Father the Lord of Canterburies bitter provocations stir'd up afresh this discord now laid asleep and almost absolutely extinguished For he from whose patience we hitherto expected peace
from whose modesty the recovery of the Kings favour assailed him afresh and without respect of his Majesty at such time as he led his Armies lately against the Peace-breakers with severe and terrible Letters nothing savoring of fatherly Devotion or Pastoral Patience but most bitterly threatning him with sentence of Excommunication and his Kingdom with an Interdict whereas on the otherside he rather ought with admonition to have mollified him and with merits and meekness overcome him If the Kings humility be so requited what will be determin'd against the stubborn If the ready devotion of obedience be esteem'd so slightly in what manner shall wilful obstiuacie be revenged Nay father to these so grievous threats are added yet matters far more grievous for he Excommunicated some of his Majesties Liegemen most inward with our Lord the King the Principal of his Privy Council who managed the counsels of the King and the affairs of his Kingdom and all this being neither cited nor impleaded neither as they say or call it guilty of any crime nor convicted nor confessing any thing Yea he went farther yet insomuch as he suspended from his Priestly and Episcopal Office our reverend Brother the Bishop of Salisbury being absent undefended neither confest nor convict before ever the cause of his suspension was approved of by the advice of those of the same Province or any others If therefore this course of proceedings in judgements so preposterous we spare to say inordinate be followed concerning the King and Kingdom what will be the end considering the time is evil and yeildeth great occasion of malice but that the band of grace and favour whereby the Kingdom and Priesthood have hitherto been united will be rent asunder c And so they appeal against the Archbishop Thomas The Church being somewhat troubled with these divisions it was the earnest desire of several to procure a peace and this the Pope himself wish'd having work enough to do with the Emperour Frederick To accomplish this upon the desire also of Henry An. 1168. he sends two Legates a Latere viz. Cardinal William and Cardinal Otto and accordingly impowered them with instructions to manage that accommodation in France He writes also to a Bar. anno 1168. § 3 4. Thomas desiring him by all means to give himself to peace and rather than not to have concord to wink at some things and yeild for a while Yet as if Thomas were not great enough before he intended to raise him above all in France to which purpose he resolved to make him Legat also over all those Churches but before he could bestow upon him that Legantine Authority he was to desire the King of France his leave which accordingly he did by b § 7 8 9. Letter As for the manner of the Treaty of Peace between the King and Thomas take the story of it from the Legates themselves to the Pope § 33. To our most blessed Father and Lord Alexander c. William and Oddo by the same Grace Cardinals c. Coming to the c c i. e. in France Dominions of the renowned King of England we found the controversie between him and Canterbury aggravated in far worse sort believe us than willingly we could have wished For the King with the greatest part of his followers affirmed how the Archbishop with great vehemencie d d Speed § 29. This Accusation Thomas denyed incensed the most worthy King of France against him and in like sort induced his Cosin the Earl of Flanders who before did bear him no malice to fall out with him and raise the most powerful war he could against him and this he knew of a certainty and it appear'd so by several evident demonstrations For whereas the said Earl departed from the King very friendly the Archbishop coming into his Province to the very seat of the War incited as much as in him lay as well the King of France as the said Earl to Arms The King affirm'd also that the Informations concerning the ancient Customs of England deliver'd to you were false and not true which also the Bishops there present did witness The King offer'd also that if any Customs since his time were devised contrary to the Ecclesiastical Laws he would submit them to your judgement Calling therefore to us the Archbishops Bishops and Abbots of the Kings Dominions that the King might not deprive us of all hopes of peace but rather suffer himself to be drawn to have a Conference with the Archbishop as well concerning the peace as the judgement Sending therefore Letters unto a a i. e. Thomas him by our Chaplains we appointed a certain and safe place where we might have conference with him on the Feast of St. Martin he nevertheless pretending excuses put off this Conference until the Octaves of that Saint which truely vexed the King more than could be imagined But when we saw that the Archbishop although we offer'd him safe conduct would nevertheless give us no meetings in any part of the Kings Dominions next the French we being willing to yeild to him that there might be nothing wanting in us which might redound to his profit came to a place in the Realm of France which himself appointed Being come to the Conference we began most earnestly to perswade him that he would behave himself to the King who had been his singular Benefactor with such humility as might afford us sufficient matter on which to ground our Petition for peace At which retiring himself aside with his friends after some consultation with them he answer'd that He had sufficiently humbled himself to the King without impeaching the honour of God the liberty of the Church the reputation of his own Person the possessions of the Church and farther the justice due to him and his friends These things so numbred up we seriously perswaded him as it was necessary to descend to particulars but when he would alledge nothing either certain or particular we demanded of him if in the matters specified in your Letters he would submit himself to our judgement as the King and Bishops had already promised to do to which he presently replyed that he had received no Mandat from you to this purpose But if he and all his might first be fully restored he would then proceed according as the Apostolick See should direct him So returning from the Conference since his words neither tended to judgement nor agreement nor yet would he by any means enter into the matter We manifested unto the King some things but concealing other passages as it was convenient and tempering other things what we heard c. Thomas b Bar. § 38 39 c. writes also to the Pope and informs him of the same conference and in a manner confesseth all here set down expecting his instigating the French against King Henry And another c § 53 54. Letter he writes to the Cardinals at Rome pitifully complaining that King
8 And though he thus denyed his Allegiance and obedience renounced his Soveraign and her Authority and by this action as much as in him lay deprived her of Title Rights and Dominions yet we shall finde no man more commended by the Romanists for this deed then this Felton If the Learned c Lib. 44. Ingenti five audacia five timeritate Thuanus say that it was a very bold or a rash action the Index Expurgatorius will not have those words to stand as if they derogated from the glory of the action and so orders them to be blotted out of his History Father d Respons ad Edict Reginae § 352. Parsons will assure us that he was a glorious Martyr of which Title e De visib Mon. pag. 734. Concertat Eccles Cathol in Anglia part 2. fol 42. Sanders and others declare him abundantly worthy And in this opinion joyns with them no less man then f Anno 1570. § 4. Spondanus Bishop of Pamiers who shews his partiality by his willingness to trust too much to lying Sanders But above all well fare Hilarion de Coste a zealous Fryar as you may suppose for he will have him to out-do all the Worthies and Heroes in the world calls him g Ce Valeureux Soldat brave Champion de Jesus Christ avec une force d'Esprit invincible l'Ardeur de la foy qui le poussoit eut bien le courage l'asseurance d'attacher en plein ville de Londres Certainement cette action fut merveilleusement genereuse Heroique Aussi l'Eglise d' Angleterre met son Martyre parmy les plus glorieux Trophees au range de ses Victoires plus signalees comme celuy par lequel ainsi que j'ay desie dit elle semble avoir triumphé plus glorieusement de l'Heresie avssi ce coup genereux sait par ce brave Gentilhomme Anglois est chanté rechanté par tons les Escrivains qui ont traitté de Schism de la persecution d' Angleterre lequels universellement le lâ—üent extollent comme un acte courageux comparable à ces miracles de valeur ces Prouesses que fiâ—ent jadis un Mutius un Horace one Clodiá vierge Romaine qui mirent leur vie au hazard pour salut de la Patâ—ie de la Republique qui pour cela sont seroâ—t eternellement renommez dans l'Histoire Hil. de Coste Histoire Catholique l. 3 pag. 560. The valiant Souldier and brave Champion of Jesus Christ commends his invincible courage and zeal for the Faith which was sowonderful Noble and Heroick that England doth place his Martyrdom amongst her most glorious Trophees and most signal Victories having thus bravely triumph'd over Heresie whereby his fame is renoun'd in all Writers who for his valour and courage do praise and equal him with Mutius Horatius and Clodis who ventured their lives for the safety of their Country Thus much for the honour of Felton yet when the same Pen cometh to tell us of Elizabeth it will allow her no other commendation then a Cette impie maudite Reine Elizabeth vraye Izabel de nostre temps ib. The impious and wicked Queen the true Jezabel of our Days Thus our late Puritans or Presbyterians and this man seem to have the same School-master who can commend an Oliver and suchlike Rebels but throw all the filth and slanders imaginable upon their Soveraign King Charles the Martyr Another remark there is concerning this Bull the determination whereof shall be left to the judgement of the Reader and for his greater light let him take this following Narrative One John Nichols born in Wales thence went to Oxford staying one year in White-hall since call'd Jesus Colledge then removed to Brazennose Colledge so to his own Country where he taught a Gentlemans Children is Ordain'd turns Curate in Sommersetshire at last gets to London whence he ships himself for Antwerp goeth to Rheimes and at length to Rome where he is admitted year 1579 into the English Colledge Here he staid about a year returns again into England is seiz'd on at Islington and sent to the year 1581 Tower of London where he makes a publick Recantation and in a little time publisheth these following Books for no more are come to my knowledge His Pligrimage A declaration of his Recantation His Oration and Sermon made at Rome with his Answer to an infamous Libel In one of his b Declaration of the Recantation K. VIII Books he hath these words About c 1580. Midsomer 〈…〉 was twelvemonth they renewed these Bulls of Excommunication granted by this Pope d Gregory XIII Gregory under the colour and name of Pius Quintus published There were five hundred Copies printed at Rome as two of you my Brethren can verifie the same and how they were publish'd as I heard at Rome in the English Seminary at Rhâ—ims and were put fast to Pillars in the City Those Bulls of Excommunication were scatter'd throughout all Italy Spain and part of Germany Then a little after he proceedeth thus One of your Readers in Divinity-positive I am certain before two hundred Scholars and not so few as one of you may testifie the same most impudently and devilishly spake that it was lawful for any man of Worship in England to give Authority to the vilest wretch that is to seek the death of our Soveraign Queen But this Nichols stayeth not long in England but slips again year 1582 beyond Seas upon what account I know not though I am not apt to think upon any designe of turning Mahumetan as e Sanders de Schism lib. 3. pag. 415 416. one would hint to us however it was being got as far as Rouen he is seiz'd on clapt up in prison and like to pay for his old Tales he had vented against the Romanists In this perplexity and restraint they tell us how he f De Schism pag. 415 416 4â—7 418 419 c. Card. Allens Answ to the English Justice p. 30 31. recanted all he had formerly utter'd against them protesting that what he had formerly divulged was either through vain-glory envy fear or hopes of Reward That he did recant we onely have from themselves and I can trace him no farther then his imprisonment at Rouen for what they did with him or what became of him afterwards I know not this I am certain that after they say he went out of England that Dudley Fenner an old Puritan publish'd a a Call'd An Answer to the Confutation of John Nichols his Recantion London 1583. In quarto Book in his behalf and it is as true that Nichols himself doth several times protest and call God to witness that he hath publish'd nothing but truth to which purpose he himself did in print answer the objections and imputations laid against him by Father Parsons But however it be I think no great stress is to be laid upon it
is saith S. John a sin unto death I say not that any should pray for it Which may be understood either of the sin it self as if he should say for that sin or for the forgiveness thereof I will that none should pray because it is not pardonable or else in the same sense for that man who committeth such a sin unto death I say not that any should pray for Of which our Saviour himself hath spoken in S. Matthew saying that He that sinneth against the Holy Ghost shall not be pardoned neither in this world nor in the world to come Where he setteth down three sorts of sins viz. against the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and that the two first are less heinous and pardonable but the third unpardonable All which difference proceedeth from the distinction of the attributes as the Divines teach which severally are appropriated unto every several person of the Holy Trinity And although as the essence of all the three persons is but one so also is their power wisdom and goodness as we have learned by Athanasius his Creed where he saith The Father is Almighty the Son Almighty and the Holy Ghost Almighty yet by attribution power is ascribed unto the Father wisdom unto the Son and love unto the Holy Ghost whereof every several as they are termed Attributes so are they proper unto every several person that they cannot be referred to another By the contraries of which attributes we can discern the distinction and greatness of sin As the contrary to power which is onely attributed unto the Father is weakness and therefore that which we do amiss through infirmity of nature is said to be committed against the Father The opposite to wisdom is ignorance through which if any man sinneth he is said to sin against the Son therefore that which we commit through natural infirmity or ignorance is more easily forgiven us The third attribute which is the Holy Ghosts is love and hath for its contrary ingratitude a fault most odious for hence it happens that men do not acknowledge the love and benefits of God but do forget despise and hate them whence it followeth that they become altogether obstinate and impenitent And this way sin is committed against God with greater danger and peril then if it were done through ignorance or weakness of the flesh and therefore it is termed a sin against the Holy Ghost And because such sins are seldom or difficultly pardoned and that not without a great abundance of grace and so in some fort are said to be unpardonable whereas indeed they become simply unpardonable only through unrepentance For whatsoever is done amiss in this life although it be against the Holy Ghost yet by repentance may be forgiven before death but they that persevere therein till death are excluded from all grace and mercy And therefore for such sins and sinners it is that the Apostle hath forbidden to pray after their decease Now therefore because we understand not without our great grief that the aforesaid King is departed out of this world without repentance and impenitent to wit in company of Hereticks his a Suppose it did would any wâ—se man lâ—â—â—â— is Kingdom rather then borrow another mans sword who agrees not with him in every circumstance in Religion army consisting of such men and that by his last will he had commended the Kingdom and Crown to the succession of b And good reason being the lawful next Heir Navarre a declar'd Heretick and excommunicated as also when dying and ready to yield up his Ghost he desir'd of him and such like standing by him that they would c That this is false read Davila l. 10. p. 818. Spondan anno 1589. § 15. revenge his death upon those whom he judged to be the cause thereof For these and such like most manifest tokens of unrepentance we have decreed that his death be not solemnized with Funerals Not that by these we would seem to determine any thing concerning the secret judgments of God against him or of his mercies who could according unto his good pleasure at the point of his expiring convert and turn his heart and deal mercifully with him but this we have spoken moved by these external signs and tokens God grant therefore that the rest being admonished by this fearful example of Heavenly judgment may repent and amend and that it may further please him to continue and accomplish that which be hath so mercifully begun as we put our trust he will to the end we may give everlasting thanks to him for delivering his Church from such great and imminent dangers Thus with his blessing he brake up the Consistory and by this may appear with what * Davila p. 868. great demonstrations of joy he received the news of the Kings murder But here it may be we may meet with a blunt and bold Objector who possibly may affirm that there was never any such Speech made by the Pope To answer this we shall take Bellarmine for our Adversary First then the * Vnder the name of Mat. Tortus Respon ad Apâ—l Angl. p. 70. Cardinal doth not possitively deny there was any such Speech and if he had known there had been no such thing he would at this time being pleaded against him by King James have boldly denied it and he could not be ignorant being then famous and Praelector of Controversies at Rome intimate with the Pope and Cardinals and so not willing to be catch'd in a lie he endeavours to shuffle it off as well as he can One time he saith it was onely published by the enemies to the Roman Church But to this we answer that it was first published by the Romanists themselves presently after it was spoke and * Antifixtus in answer to this Speech was printed at London 1590. printed at Paris 1589. by Nicolas Nivelle and Rollin Tierry by Authority of the Holy Union and the approbation of these three Sorbonne Doctors Boucher Decreil and Anceline Then again the Cardinal argueth that the Pope himself did neither publish the Speech nor command it to be published This we may grant and yet never the worse this being no argument to prove he never spoke it Bellarmine proceeds intimating no such Speech could be divulged seeing none took notes of it as it was spoke To this may be answer'd that it is true that the Cardinal whose office it was to have noted the Popes Oration not dreaming of such a design neglected the providing of Pen or Ink but yet how it was taken this following story will tell The Oration and Consistory being ended and the Pope departed towards his Chamber certain Cardinals with a greedy desire flocked about Cardinal Allan an Englishman created 1587 there in the Chamber intreating him that he would call to remembrance and write down what he had heard there spoken Allan won by their importunity they being his friends promised to do his best
the Dominican discovered whereby the Fellow was taken and executed A Gentleman of Normandy in * Jean Bodin de la Republique l. 2. c. 5. p. 387. Confession told a Franciscan That he formerly had a design to kill Francois I. of France for which he was now sorry yet did the Confessor divulge this and the Norman was executed And one Radulphus having designed to murther Pope Innocent IV. he in * Mat. Paris An. 1247. p. 724. Confession told it to a Priest who informed the Pope of it and we need not doubt but that the Pope liked it well enough Nor do we hear that any of these Priests were punish'd or check'd for their Revealings and * Papae fiducialiter intimavit Matthew Paris doth rather commend the latter intimating as if he were bound to do it or did the part of an honest man in discovering it But we need trouble our selves no more about this matter seeing 't is impossible that all the cunning or wit of the whole Order of the Jesuits can quit Father Garnet from having been a Traytor against his Soveraign or Countrey Having of old been a great stickler to procure Troubles in this Kingdom Having been very active in the Invasion of Eighty-Eight Receiving Bulls from Rome to dispose of the Crown against the Laws of the Land Very earnest to hinder King James right Heir to the Crown to obtain it One of the Grand Agitators in this Powder-Treason to destroy the King and Kingdom he himself at last confessing it That Catesby had told him of the Plot not by way of Confession That Greenwell had told him of this not as a Fault for how could they do so that approved of it as Meritorious but as a thing which he had Intelligence of and told it him by way of Consultation That Catesby and Greenwell came together to him to be resolved That Tesmond and he had Conference of the particulars of the Powder-Treason in Essex That Greenwell asked him Who should be Protector Garnet said That was to be referred till the Blow was past That he confest That he ought to have revealed it to the King That nothing deterred him from the discovery so much as his unwillingness to betray Catesby That he had greatly sinn'd against God the King and the Kingdom in not revealing it of whom he heartily begg'd pardon and forgiveness And that the Sentence of Judgment and Death was justly past on him Yet will they tell great things of his Holiness and Saintship which may sufficiently be confuted without any great trouble if we do but consider the Bloodiness and Sodomy of his youth the Seditions and Treasons of his after-years with his proneness to Perjury and Lying all which are no signs of Holiness To which might be added his noted familiarity even in his later days with Mrs. Ann Vaux who seldom Vid Bishop Abbot's Antilog cap. 9. fol. 135. parted from his side which occasioned some who knew not that he was in Orders to think that he was married to her Certain it is that sometimes she went under the Name of Anne Garnet and in her Letters writ to him even when in Prison for this last Treason she still subscribed her self Yours and not mine own A. G. And we have it from good Authority that Robert Winter of Hoodington in Warwickshire one of the Traytors did freely and openly testifie That the said Garnet did lye with her in Mr. Abington's House at Henlip in Worcester-shire And yet rather than fail in his Sanctity they can invent a pretty Miracle to witness it As how one John Wilkinson earnestly desiring to be a Spectator of Garnet's Martyrdom not doubting but that God would shew some Miracle or other to demonstrate he Father's Innocency Accordingly he went to the place of Execution Saint Paul's Church-yard setled himself as conveniently as he could staid till all was done got nothing but an ear of Corn tainted with a little of Garnet's blood belonging to the Straw of the Hurdle or Scaffold This he carrieth with him as an holy Relique and after some time Garnet's Face miraculously appeareth as painted on it a Crown on his Head and a Starr and a Cross on the Forehead with a Cherubim hanging over his Chin and Beams about all In short the truth of the story was thus Wilkinson a zealous Romanist and affected to the Jesuits might get a piece of a Straw tainted with Garnet's Blood a Straw or Ear of Corn with some Blood on it he carrieth to the Wife of Hugh Griffith a Traytor and Romanist by Profession This she puts into a Crystal Case and we need not doubt but that it was look'd upon with a great deal of Devotion but as yet nothing of a Face could be seen by any eye At last about the Eighteenth day of September 1606 viz. above six Months after Garnet was executed some of the zealous Romanists looking upon it saw that which they call'd the Face of a man Thus is a Miracle found out and Wilkinson hastes beyond Seas to the Jesuits at St. Omers telling them what a pretty wonder he had discovered for the honour of their Society into which he was presently enter'd But here we may observe that they confess that Wilkinson came from the said St. Omers into England a little before Garnet's Execution and it may be sent upon the cheat Again how cometh the Wonder to be above Four Months or about Nineteen Weeks in doing Or Might it not be done by Art since Francis Bowen to whom it was shewn by Garnet's Friend Mrs. Ann Vaux who had some skill in Painting confest an Artist might make one neater and presently upon the place for a trial one of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury's Gentlemen whose Profession was not Painting drew one which Bowen confest was like that of the Straw but a little better proportion'd and Practise daily teacheth us that Faces may be done in a less Compass As for the thing it self 't was only a few Lines drawn like a Face upon the outward Husk of a Grain of Wheat but without any such Beams or Glories about it as the Jesuits would make simple people believe nor any more like Garnet as Hugh Griffith the Taylor himself confest than any other man that had a Beard They tell us that St. Luke was an excellent Painter and drew * Pet. de Natalibus l. 9. c. 79 several Pictures of the B. Virgin Mary one of which 't is said Pope Gregory the Great * Nonius c. 61 Jo. Eus Nieremb de Mirac l. 1. c. 39. carried in his hand in the Procession he made about Rome to stop the Plague then raging there which very Picture he sent to St. Leander Bishop of Sevil in Spain which is yet kept to work wonders in the Monastery of Santa Mariae or Nuestra Sennora at Guadalupa in Estremadura Yet every Boy at Rome will tell us that this Picture is in a little Chappel built on purpose for it on late