or receiued much lesse such rapine ought to bee called a statute and for lesse cause a fundamentall law of the realme Vnder the colour of which speech thou doest heere suppresse the truth which bindeth al the gentlemen of France to this duetie which is here spoken of forasmuch as they haue receyued theyr noble possessions of the first kinges beeing founders of this Crowne to the intent and vppon this condition that they should maintayne the kingdome in the state of the Monarchie and in the line of the bloud royall and for the want of such obedience they should be accounted rebels and felons This is therefore the true fundamentall lawe iust and approued of all estates not thy last false pretended statute which some varlet hath wrested by subtletie treason and violence from the handes of his Maister Euen as the last king beeing sette at libertie did reuoke it incontinently after the death of him that had committed suche violence agaynst him thereby to shewe that such a wicked accident neyther could nor ought to preiudice the trueth nor the right vsage of any thing And thus lette vs passe further The fifth Article THe fifth Article containeth two points The first is that the Catholieks which doe helpe the king doe burie in the dust the honour and glorie of Fraunce which hath receiued this priuiledge aboue al other countries of Christendome that from the time of the first christian king vnto the last king that is now dead it hath neuer receiued anie as king that hath bin anie kinde of waie spotted with heresie Heerevpon this malecontent doeth knocke and torment himselfe more than euer hee did before falling from phrensie into a rage For he commeth to this point that he calleth the king the first borne of satan Afterwards he saith that the myracle of healing the goule granted onely to the kings of France shall be lost in a king being an heretike Now to the first We answere thus that the honour and glorie of a realme Iohn 17 consisteth in the true knowledge of the true God and in the celebration and right vsage of his pure seruice contained declared in his word the kingdomes and countries hauing kings which doe acknowledge and practise these two Articles are declared honorable before God Whereupon it followeth that in busines of religion the glorie and interest of this realme is nothing at all diminished or hindered because of the king seeing that he is such a one and therfore consequently he is to be accounted faithfull and the sonne of the Church of God But to the end that thou shalt not obiect that I reason absurdly I will come to thy intention Thou wouldest summarily infer and say that in affaires of religion the glorie of a kingdom lieth in this point in that that it hath alwaies had kings which haue acknowledged the Bishop of Rome decked with all these qualities first to be Gods lieuetenant the vicar of Christ 2. Thess 2. successor of the Apostles vniuersall Bishop chiefe soueraigne pastor of the Church hauing also this authoritie to change augment and diminish yea euen to the condemning and sauing whome he pleaseth Thou callest this the honor and glorie of a kingdome But it hath bin else where answered and proued vnto thee that such a doctrine and beleefe being examined by the word of God being the onely touch stone will be found to be ignominious and dishonorable so farre off is it from all honor and glorie And as concerning that which remaineth wee ought to obserue the circumstances of the times in the which the kings of France haue beene conuerted to the Christian religion from the yeere of our Lord God 472. vntill this time which was about the space of 1118. yeeres within which diuers ages many Bishoppes of Rome being ambitious ignorant and superstitious haue often times and diuersly altered corrupted the pure seruice of God And for my witnes herein I take the introduction of this which followeth The marriage which the Lord instituted Gen. 2. was heere alreadie forbidden to ecclesiasticall persons as a thing prophane vnto the which was vrged the vowe of perpetuall continencie and excommunication to them that shoulde bee found in falt through ouer-sight and indiscretion The seruice as well of Idols as of superstitious relikes was receyued into vse as a thing necessarie to saluation Hermitages and dedications of feastes and temples had as much attributed vnto them in as much as a great portion of iustification to saluation was sought for in them The adoration of the Crosse also is a parte of it an abhominable errour to saie and beleeue that in a peece of woode that may be burned should consist a peece of the diuine worshippe The Prayers and Offerings for the dead doo sing the same song The adoration of a sacramentall signe brought in sithence doeth iustifie the sacrifices of the Pagans the pride of the Popes and that of the Demons which doo attribute more vnto themselues than euer the sonne of God did as hee was in the qualitie of a redeemer All which traditions idolatries and superstitions are nothing else but pure heresies Serm. 67. ad Eug. for the which cause Saint Bernard calleth the bringers in of these things the ministers of Antichrist and such Prelates Pilates These things will constrayne thee to confesse that the greater parte of the kings of France beeing instructed in the same sorte were fedde with a poore foode Neuerthelesse I doe agree that such false beleefes cannot bee imputed to heresie but simplie to errour because they did not erre with delight of hart and much lesse through mallice but only thought to doe well Besides that following the intention I will alleadge the example of two kings of Fraunce which doe shew that thou hast not seene all thinges The first is of Phillip the fourth called the fayre which was not onely accounted and holden as an heretike but also excommunicated of Pope Boniface the eighth of that name because hee would not take in hand the voyage into the holy land and moreouer because hee did not beleeue that the Pope had right to transpose kingdomes The second example concerning Chilperie the ninth king of Fraunce which helde a damnable opinion touching the article of the Trinitie and commaunded the Bishops to preach it Notwithstanding all which Fraunce beeing better taught by the Bishops that were then woulde neuer enterprise to cast off or forsake neither the one nor the other And now for the second point of the Article which concerneth the healing of the Goule a notable myracle sayest thou which will haue no force in a king beeing an heretike To the which ptetended myracle I will aunswere these thinges Those which returned awaie with theyr Goules incurable with conditions to serue and cherish them all theyr life time doe shew that thou takest the coles of Saint Laurence in the stead of the Angell Gabriels feather or quill Secondly that of the phisitions which
and wickednes of the same and of the way how to hinder that course Now the fourth parte of the diuision remaineth yet to be looked into which is as much to saie whether by the ministrie of the excommunications the Bishops of Rome may depriue Monarches of the benefites and rightes of this present life or not for proofe to the contrarie Luk. 20. Rom. 13 it hath bene already sayd and proued that God hauing giuen the Empires and kingdomes of the world to those whom he hath chosen from amongst men doth forbid all Bishoppes Cardinalles Monkes and Priests to disturbe or depriue them of the same If the Princes be wise they haue tallans good inough to defend themselues from such iniuries if they doo not make them their owne hurt This iniquitie of the Bishopps of Rome which vnder the pretence of ecclesiastical iurisdiction do transpose kingdomes to whō they wil shal better appeare by the conferring of the ecclesiasticall gouernment with the politike which we will also handle First of all the power of the Church is spirituall and that of the Magistrates is corporall Secondly the Church iudgeth according to the diuine lawes of the word of God and the Magistrate politikely according to the course of the worlde Thirdly the Church doth punish the rebellious spiritually in the soules with ecclesiasticall paines and the Magistrates corporally in the flesh with politike pains ouer the which the Church hath nothing to do Frō whence it foloweth that if it should be such a maner of excommunication then the ecclesiasticall persons haue nothing to do with the worldly goods of priuate men much lesse with realmes kingdomes and Empires By this conference the most blockish amongst the Antipodes may easily indge of such abuses much more then the French men If for wilfulnesse of heart they doe not picke out their eyes so that they maye not see at noone time when as the Sunne is in the highest assure your selues then my maisters that all excommunications Iohn 16. beeing abused cannot shut the gates of paradise agaynst you seeing that God doeth keepe them open for all louers of godlynesse and truth in despight of him which sayth that hee hath power to shutte them against you for which cause it is sayde in the Prouerbes that the cursing without cause will neuer come to passe Prou. 26. To conclude the Apostles did not care for the excommunications of the Scribes and Pharesies much lesse then ought the French men to care for the Italian or Romish estate because they haue lesse to doe with them than the aforesayde Scribes and Pharesies had to doo with the Disciples of our sauiour Christ Heere must not bee forgotten the titles and qualities which the Bishop of Rome doth attribute to himselfe 2. Thess 2. when as he nameth him selfe chiefe and soueraigne pastor of the Church established sayth hee in the full power of the king of kings and of Saint Peter and Saint Paule and of his owne together with his Cardinalles And I praie you what to doe Onely to root out and excommunicate if he could Henrie of Bourbon at this daie our king of France in despight of his sentence In the which wee finde a description of a pride more than deuillish for the holy scriptures doe witnesse that these diuine titles Chiefe soueraigne and soueraigne pastor of the Church doe appertayne vnto Christ God bee blessed for euer who onely is called chiefe of the Church by Saint Paule Ephe. 1.4 Col. 1.2 writing to the Ephesians in the first and fourth Chapters and vnto the Colossians in the first and second Chapters This is also hee alone which is called by Saint Peter 1. Pet 5 in his first Epistle and fifth Chapter the chiefe shepheard of our soules and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes and eighth Chapter Heb. 8 is called the soueraigne sacrificer These two Apostles whose successours the Bishoppes of Rome doe call themselues they haue great regard not to attribute to themselues such titles of diuinitie knowing that they doe belong to none but onely to Christ being onely iust thereby to distinguish him from the vniust therefore they speake simply of themselues in this sort I desire the Elders saith S. 1. Pet. 5. 1. Cor. 4. Peter which am also an Elder with them And S. Paule sayth let men esteeme of vs as of the Ministers of Christ 2. Thes 2 Hee saith in the second epistle written to the Thessalonians that it belongeth to the sonne of perdition to attribute vnto himselfe such diuine titles The primitiue church doth also giue the lie to the ambitious priest of Rome In witnes whereof amongst other the Canon of the third Councell of Carthage sayth Cap. 1 sed dist 99. that the Bishoppe of the first sea was not called prince of priests nor soueraign priest Tom. 7. homil 43. in Mat. ad Eulog li 7. c. 30 or such like and that hee cannot call himselfe vniuersall Chrisostome speaking of all Bishoppes sayth thus Whosoeuer shall desire the primacie on earth shall not be numbred amongst the disciples of Christ Finally all men knowe that Gregory hath beene a capitall enemie to this title of vniuersall Bishop so farre foorth that by the same hee sayth that hee did perceyue the nigh comming of Antichrist Wherefore hee concludeth that suche a title is prophane and that suche tytles doe declare vnto vs the insupportable pride of such a Bishop so doeth the vantage of hauing full power as Sathan saith of himselfe ouer the kingdomes of the earth giuing the lie to the prophet Daniel which attributeth it to one onely God Mat. 4. Dan. 5 Neuerthelesse I doo agree most willingly to this truth that the Pope is also established in the full power as wel of him selfe as of his Cardinals Let vs nowe ende the rest of this Article This leagall Proctor willing to let nothing passe that might serue him towards the excōmunication of his king hath shewed foorth yet another certaine Canon of Lutheran ordeining that kings shal neuer come to be sacred vntill they haue first sworne to defend the Romane Catholike religion It hath bin answered vpon the generalitie of their Canons that the ecclesiasticall persons bee it in their councels or bee it in their consistories or else where haue no cōmandement right nor calling to driue kings from their kingdomes and Lordships which it hath pleased God to giue them seeing that he will rather serue himselfe with the ministerie of them in such administration than of others Moreouer we saie that the intention of the king is to maintaine the puritie and truth of the Catholike Apostolicall and Christian religion with as good an affection as anie other king that euer raigned in France He hath vowed it and the experience will followe God helping to the contentment of al true religious Christians And as for the Romane his intention is nothing else but to let euery one loose to his owne libertie Holding it
chosen kingdome and that the Ecclesiasticall Romanes ioyned with some number of ignorant people seduced by them haue this right of election whereof thou speakest such proues are not in the strength of all your Sorbonne Beholde then the first reason sufficing to declare the falsehood of thy Commentarie And so I come forward to the second drawen from the nature of the people ouer whome the aforesayd king ought to bee appointed where Moses saith thus Thou shalt not set ouer them c. Inferring by this Pronoune that amongst these priuiledges and speciall graces which God woulde giue vnto his people he would giue them a king hauing the quality of a brother and making profession of the same religion which they did for the better distinguishing and separating them from other nations the which should carrie the same common markes of alliance and adoption Gen. 17. and also for want whereof it was sayd in Genesis that euerie man childe not circumcised should be cut off This was not then neither hath beene sithence common to anie other nation for all men knowe that God by the preaching of his Gospell hath neuer called at once whole nations to the knowledge of him and that for the most part he hath rather and first of all conuerted the subiects yea the meanest sort from amongst the sayd subiects as the Apostle witnesseth to the Corinthians where it appeareth 1. Cor. 1. that the faithfull had neither right nor power to appoint a king ouer themselues of theyr religion It behoueth vs then to holde this resolution for a maxime in diuinitie that God onely calleth whome he pleaseth to the knowledge of his truth and giueth the kingdomes of the earth to whom it seemeth him good sometimes to a beleeuing Prince and sometimes to an Infidel The soueraigne God sayth Dauid hath power ouer the kingdomes and there placeth whome he will therefore after Nabuch◠donosor hee placed Balsasar Darius Cyrus all Pagans As also sithence the death of Iesus Christ of long continuance he hath rather called Pagan Princes to gouerne the Empire than Christians the which succeeded one another by the ordinance and pleasure of him euen as Saint Paul taught the christiās Rom. 13 saying that there is no power but of God that those which doe resist resist the ordinance of God From thence it insueth that if anie one opposeth himselfe against God when for the cause of religion hee would depose the soueraigne princes which hee hath placed and hath not called to the knowledge of him Examine then this reason whiles that Ipasse to the third point which goeth altoge ther against thee so good an aduocate art thou Beholde how thou wouldest inferre that because it was forbidden to the Israelites to admit anie heretike for their king that the same ought to be sayd and vnderstood of all Christian people To the which I aunswere denying the proposition and the illation together beginning at the first thou canst not denie but the most parte of the kings of Iuda and of Israel haue beene heretikes as theyr idolatries and abhominable sacrifices doe witnesse recited in theyr actes the which kinges for all that were not deposed from theyr crownes On the other side therefore thou shalt bee constrayned to confesse that the Christians much lesse then ought to depose theyr kinges for causes of heresie Luk. 20. Rom. 13. Tit. 3 seeing that the commaundement of Christ and his Apostles doe forbidde the same as hath beene and shall bee seene And for the fourth reason I silie that the king being a Christian man baptised and nourished in the Christian Church if hee doeth fall into some errour or defaulte deseruing a grieuous censure ought not for the same cause to bee reputed as a stranger whiles that hee maketh some profession of the same religion or whiles that hee witnesseth his loue towardes the same for the which cause Saint Paule speaking of Excommunication which hee calleth 2. Thes 9 marked by the Letter sayeth Conuerse not with him to the end that hee may be ashmed neuerthelesse hold him not as a common enemie but rather admonish him as a brother If thou oughtest to doe this to the meanest in a realme much more then to the soueraigne in neglecting whereof thou shewest thy selfe such a one as thou art Finally this lawe is quite contrarie to that of thine when as thou doest hinder the waie which doeth establish kings at this daie as well approued of God as the ancient lawe of the Iewes the difference beeing onely in the aforesayde circumstances and not in the substaunce of the matter From whence it proceedeth that thou doest resist the ordinance of God when thou doest reiect him which hath right and calling to raigne ouer Fraunce beeing approued and receiued by the naturall and lawfull officers of the Crowne hauing right and commaundement so to doe To conclude from the aforesayd reasons then it followeth that this lawe of Moses is not generall but of old time particular to the Iewes As in deede thou canst not produce anie one example out from the primitiue church thereby to saie that that hath interpreted and vnderstood this text so seeing that that hath taught and practised altogether contrarilie And as for that that thou addest that the king hath bene condemned by the iudgement of the Church it is answered that one Bishop of Italy assisted with his Romish Consistorie neither is neither can represent the vniuersall Church dispearsed throughout the whole world And furthermore that hee of Rome can haue power no where but in his owne diocesse as the auncient Doctours doo witnesse Chap. 23 amongst whom Basile in his booke intituled The solitarie Life sayth That all Bishoppes doo binde and absolue equally as well as Peter The ninth Canon of the councell of Antioch Can. 9 carrieth as much where it is likewise said that euerie Bishop hath power and authoritie ouer his owne diocesse The Romane Bishop ought therefore to content himselfe with his owne at Rome and not to vsurpe ouer all those of France where he hath nothing to doo as hereafter more at large shall be discoursed and proued Now I come to the other text by the which thou dost alleadge that it is lawfull for thee to kill thy king if thy credite could doo the same It is expressed in the fiue and twentith of Numbers Num. 25. that the Lord commanded Moses to take all the heades of the people and hang them vp before the Lord agaynst the Sunne which had committed fornication and idolatrie with the Moabitish women wherof thou dost conclude that the king ought to be hanged as culpable of such a crime This is a leagued hangman that sayth so and I answere that this example is nothing to the matter or to the purpose Beholde therefore the supreame magistrate is not therby to be punished and much lesse to be reiected Secondarily as well the diuines as the politicians do affirme that it is
Ier. 27. that the nation and kingdome which wil not serue Nabuchadnezer king of Babilon shal be visited saith the Lorde And in confirmation whereof Iesus Christ saith giue to Caesar that which is Caesars then Luk. 20. although he was a Pagan and thus is the Minor prooued Againe Iargue thus against the same Canons and decrees which do enterprise to displace Monarkes and kings beeing their Lordes God onely is the authour and giuer of kingdoms wherfore it followeth that Popes and Bishops haue no right to put them out the antecedent is thus proued produced by Ieremy I haue made the earth the meÌ„ Iere. 27 the beasts which are vpon the face of the earth saith the Lord c. I haue giuen to him to whoÌ„ it hath pleased me now haue I giueÌ„ al the earth into the hands of Nabuchadnezer king of Babylon my seruant all people shall serue him and his sonnes and the sonnes of his sonnes To the same ende the wise man did bring in God speaking thus By mee kinges doe raigne Prou. 8. the consequent is prooued in this sort No man hath right or commaundement to take away from any man that which he cannot giue and wherwith he hath nothing to do The Popes Cardinals Bishops haue no right nor any thing to do ouer kingdomes of the worlde from them it followeth that they haue no right to dispossesse them whereof these textes are witnesses Rom 13. Luk. 12. that the powers are ordained of God Giue to all them to whome it is due tribute to whome tribute belongeth and honor to whom honor is due Luk. 12. The kings of the nations do beare rule but it shall not be so with you Oh man who hath appointed me iudge a decider amongst you Marke Christ whose wisedome power was more great than that power of a million of millions of Popes Cardinals would not then although required intermeddle with deciding betweene two brothers Contrarily the Pope without beeing required in any thing will by constraint not onely iudge but parte diuide and take awaye the kingdomes of the worlde to transpose them where he list Mat. 4. imitating Satan when hee tempted Iesus Christ and would haue made him beleeue that the kingdoms of the earth were at his disposition to giue them wher he should thinke good And I holde a third argument against suche Canons and decrees vpon the calling right and nature of kinges to whom as to Soueraignes of kingdomes common-wealthes God hath subiected all other persons Rom. 13. that do owe subiection homage obedience tribute and other like duties vnto them 1. Tim. 2. So farre off is it then that the kings as these Canons would haue them in such sort should be tractable and punishable by the Ministerie of Bishoppes whereas on the contrary such Ministers as their subiectes do owe to them all the foresaid homages euen to be them selues not onely to bee disgraded for default of this theyr dutie but also furthermore to bee punished according to the qualitie and quantitie of the faulte that they commit Now then that the kinges being soueraigne Magistrates haue preheminence dominion and lordship generally ouer all men of their kingdomes of what condition soeuer they be Rom. 13. as appeareth by this generall commaundement of the Apostles proposed by word distributiuely All persons ought to be subiect to their superior powers seeing then that the Bishops are comprehended in the same subiection from thence it ensueth not onely that they haue no right or power to depriue temporall Lordes of their estates and dignities but that contrariwise they ought to maintaine and defend them euen to death if need be Let such Bishops of Rome consider therfore these things and remember themselues what Salomon saith Prou. 19. that it is not conuenient for the seruaunt to rule ouer Princes and for the more celebrate commendations of them the holye Scriptures doe adorne them with the titles of diuinitie Iohn 10. When then the Bishop in stead of reuerencing and respecting his king doth lift himselfe vp against his Maiestie he committeth two other abhominable faultes The first is where he detaineth vniustly that which he oweth to another The second is that hee is a rebell traitour and felon in lifting vp himselfe against his Lorde to whom hee is in subiection by the lawes of God and nature The conclusion is then that a Bishop yea were it the Bishop of Rome vndertaking to destroy and ouerthrow the state of a king is worthie to be hanged S. Iude speaking of such people S. Iude in hâ—â— epist sayth that the obscuritie of darknesse is prepared for them And heere it will not serue sufficiently for him to arme himselfe with a pretence of a Romish preheminence seeing that it hath no proppe nor foundation in the Scripture Let the greatest amongst you be as the least saith our sauiour Christ it was not so from the beginning Luk. 12. Mat. 19. The contrarieties and absurdities which are founde in the Canons and decrees of the Popes doe witnesse sufficiently with what spirite they doe proceede and doe shewe what credite and authoritie ought to bee giuen to them Petrarke who as one that had more knowledge than anye of his time did call Rome the hell of the liuing and the prison of wrath Notwithstanding these leaguers woulde make vs beleeue that when such Bishops shal commit the greatest and most enormious faultes of the worlde such as are their conspiracies against the soueraigne magistrates giuen and appoynted of God that they are mooued by the heauenly inspiration The wise king may heere consider to whome it doth appertaine to destroye the councell of the wicked Prou. 20. as Salomon sayth to turne the wheele vpon them God punisheth such when it seemeth him good It is verie true that the not punishing of these kinde of people proceeding from the ignoraunce and negligence of the soueraigne Magistrates is the occasion that these doe giue themselues leaue continually to do like faults hoping that it will be alwayes with them as with harlottes 2. Pet. 3. which perswade themselues of no punishment for that they alwayes keepe themselues in Townes or publike Stewes of the common-wealth thinking that they are not only tollerable but also to bee maintained as those of Rome But if this iniurious time causeth that there is not founde a Magistrate at this daye in the earth which dooth repaye suche by Iustice when as they manifest themselues to bee seditious trayterous schismatickes heretikes murderers Sodomites Magitians and Atheistes the vengeance of God in the time appoynted can verie well pay the interest of such attentions and dilations This is heere spoken vpon the more than diuelish sawcines of the Bishops of Rome 2. Thess 2. the which by decrees and Canons as Giantes doe take in hande contrary to the ordinance of God not only to disgrade but also to kill and exterminate the
considered applie that which thou doest adde vnto thy selfe and to thy fellowes that is that this heresie is the cause of all these present euilles remembring with thy selfe that for the massacres treasons and rebellions vengeaunce doth manifest it selfe from heauen agaynst the authours and executers thereof and not agaynst those which desire the reformation of the Church Gal. 5 Heere thou doest complaine that the vse of your Churches are diuerted and chaunged This is great pittie if it bee thus that they are not nowe prophaned as when the praises of the creatures were sung 1. Cor. 1. the which yee dyd there worshippe in the steade of the creator and as when hee preached the Romish tyrannie 2. Cor. 6 in stead of Christ crucified If one ought so to torment himselfe for the beating downe of the Churches alasse then how many of the faithfull haue yee massacred beeing the true temples of God I perceiue alwayes that thou fearest more some ecclesiasticall reformation than anie other thing causeth thee so to insist vppon the examples of the Emperours and kings which after theyr example haue induced the people to the chaunge of religion But remember thy selfe that in the eight Article I haue counselled thee to commit thy selfe and thine affayres vnto the Lorde and thou shalt finde reste in thy soule And as for the second remember thy selfe of the counsell which Gamaliel did giue vnto the chiefe Priests of Ierusalem saying If thy counsell bee of men it shall quickly fayle but if it be of God it will not moue Act 5. Now for the third it will bee proued that thy maxime is not alwayes true as the Christians of the primitiue Church doe witnesse and the faythfull of our time which doe loue better to die than to imitate the idolatrie of theyr forrayne Princes Finallie thou saiest that the plaintes contayned in this Article are sufficicient to draw downe the starres from heauen In deede you haue done that by the ministerie of your persecutions when as yee haue ouerthrowen and caused so many thousands of the faythfull to fall which are compared to the starres in the heauen Therefore thou doest falsely impute such slanders vppon those which doe defend theyr king and their Countrie Apoc. 6 as also thou doest declare thy selfe a traitor to Iesus Christ when in steade of defending the puritie veritie of his christian Church thou doest defende the abuses of the Romaine which is resistance and violence offerep vnto him The twelfth Article LOoking into the contents of the twelfth article wee shall finde that this leaguall aduocate saith that the Catholikes to whom he speaketh doe betray theyr kingdom and procure the desolation ruine of the same for proofe whereof first he saith that about thirtie yeres sithence this heresie made some woundes which do bleede yet Secondly that within these fifteene yeeres the king of Nauarre hath spoyled the realmes by strangers and hath vsed verie many barbarous actes of hostilitie and cruelties against the orders of the same Thirdly that he is a Nero in maliciousnesse and crueltie Fourthly from whence it followeth that it is verie badly done to giue the swoord of S. Paul into his hand and the key of Saint Peter And heerevpon this leaguer tormenteth himself cryeth help help my friends for these Catholikes are traitours vnto the Romish Catholike Church the which they would chase out of this Countrie of France contrarie to the prophesie of Saint Remye and such like as followeth And now for answere first I desire thee that seeing thou hast tooke paines to haue beene deliuered of these lying affirmations to bee patient to heare the denialles which are most true beginning then at the most generall pointes We answere in the first place that the aforesayd arguments haue beene sufficiently declared and verified that the Catholikes whereof thou speakest are not anie kinde of waie traiterous to Christian religion seeing that they are obedient vnto the commandements of the same inasmuch as they doe acknowledge the soueraigne magistrates Which it approoueth and commendeth in the behalfe of God their father Secondly we haue proued that the christian religion being folowed in the reformation of the same containeth no poynt of heresie Thirdly wee haue produced the diuersities of estates and difference of charges where it hath beene already shewed that the Noblemen and all other men of warre ought to suffice themselues with the corselet and sworde leauing the disputations of religion vnto the ecclesiasticall assemblies Fourthly heere must bee recited againe the fundamentall lawe which bindeth the Nobilitie to the establishing of the French Monarchie within the line of the bloud royall what loosenes woulde it bee accounted in the Noblemen if they should not imploye themselues with care against the enemies of the kingdome and aboue all against the Spanyardes which would at this daye not onely thrust out but also exterminate the king for euer if they could For the which cause I will alleadge a forceable saying of a Doctor being a late writer to this purpose speaking thus And as for this kind of people which do no seruice in the worlde but to shedde innocent bloud couering theyr cruelties with a cloake of religion I esteeme them worthie no other aunswere but that which is to be giuen to theeues which should pleade agaynst those which are impannelled for the country because they shoulde not carry the sworde for their defence And it maketh mee to remember this execrable Romaine Fimbria sayth hee the which hauing fayled to kill Sceuola threatned not to delay it because hee should not be left vnslaine Consider and apply this aunswere whilest that I doe visite the other arguments of thy Article Thou sayest that within these thirty yeares this heresie hath made some wounde that bleedeth yet vnto the which thou hast beene already aunswered that the abuses behauiours and conspiracies of the Guyze haue caused this mischiefe and not the reformation of the Church Thou addest also that within these fifteene yeares last past the king hath wasted Fraunce in exercising diuerse and moste cruell actions of hostilitie And to aunswere the same it hath beene sayde that by his meeknesse tollerations sufferances weet and gentle be hauiours his enemies haue obiected the contrary against him 1. Cor. 11. saying that hee vsed subtletie thereby to get the good will both of the one and the other Read and see and thou shalt finde that it was the Guize that playde the part of Nero and not the king But hee is an heretike saiest thou To this song hauing beene a thousand times repeated thou hast beene aunswered a hundred times pertinently and sufficiently and so much for this In the ende thou concludest that it is very ill doone to giue the sword of Saint Paule and the keyes of Saint Peter into his hande that is to saye to constitute him king The which poynt also hath beene amply and diuersly answered in the Articles going before where hath been proued
that no matter or occasion doth offer it selfe whereby the king ought eyther to be reiected or refused who hath both from God and man a lawfull calling to gouerne and conduct the Realme of Fraunce This Maxime is confessed of all men not being preuented or lead with a fore iudgement And as for the allusion which thou makest vnto the sworde of Saint Paule and the keyes of Saint Peter thy maisters haue drawne this prophanation and trumperie from the false interpretation which they haue giuen vnto a text in the two and twentith chapter of Saint Luke where Iesus fore-telling the Apostles of the persecutions which they shoulde suffer after his death Luk. 22. admonished them to make prouision offoure thinges that is to saye of purses scribbes coates and swordes signifiyng by suche Metaphors that they ought to prepare themselues to suffer many thinges But they were yet so ignoraunt that in shewing two swordes they thought themselues able to resiste by the same wherefore Iesus mocking them sayde It is enough Heere is great matter wherewith to drawe your two offices of Magistracie such mockeries are therfore vnworthy of any aunswere as also the prophesies which thou callest Saint Remyes the which hath neyther right nor power to treade downe those of the spirite of God foretelling that the Cittie with seuen mountaines Apoc. 17. which hath had great gouernement and rule ouer the earth shall bee razed out And as for the examples of the Gothes and other enemies of the Church which thou doest heere vnderstande such persecutors haue no communitie with the Princes which loue and do procure the aduauncement of the kingdome of Christ Also in regard of any other thing touching the kings of Fraunce it hath beene aunswered in the first Article And also passing further thou doest obiect against the Noblemen beeing enemies to the league the desolation and confusion of the Realme But I see that thou hastread Esops fabules seeing that thou playest the parte of a Woolfe troubling the water before the sheepe Who aduaunce such mischiefes more than yee by the traiterous ministerie of your rebellions and reuolts Yea saiest thou but the kinges of Fraunce in theyr sacring doe take the sworde at the hands of the Bishop for to beate downe heretikes And I aunswere thee agayne that the king did take it at the hands of God to do this if need should so require being not bound to receyue it at the hands of a man of the Church who hath nothing to do with the materiall sworde Thou doest also further assume that the king of Nauarre dooth promise to intertayne two religions into this kingdome but what reason dyd hinder him from receyuing foure or eyght Nowe I maye aunswere that in this place thy memorie fayleth thee for thou hast alwayes sayde that hee woulde abolish the Romish Religion and nowe thou accusest him that hee would maintayne it But hee may admit mo saiest thou The which I answere doth not conclude for such a soueraigne would tollerate a thing which hee esteemeth necessary for the maintenance of his estate and the which will haue greate respect vnto other thinges which shoulde bee preiudiciall vnto him And as for the profession of Atheisme whereof thou speakest heere with Saint Barnard and Petrarke wee exile this Epicure into the Towne of Rome for it shall be lodged and accepted better of there than elsewhere Thou makest mention also of the massacres and martirdomes come to passe in England and in Bearne which if it bee true then is it passiuely and not actiuely for those which make profession of the reformed religion haue not learned Christ Iesus so they leauing suche more than barbarous cruelties of murdering the faintes Apoc. 18. vnto those of whome S. Iohn speaketh in the Apocalyps And to that which remayneth I dare very well say that a subtletie of thine own put into the vttermost cabinet of thy conscience causeth thee heere to speake so figuratiuely and as one may say by the figure Antiphrasis seeing that thou callest the moste pernitious wicked seditious men in all Europe martirs which had as martirs of Satan vowed to their maister the ruine aswell of their soueraigne prince as of their country For what man is there of our time which knoweth anie thing of the affaires thereof which dooth not knowe verie well that there hath neuer beene any persecution styrred vp either in Bearne or in England against the Romish religion And who knoweth not certainly that those whom thou speakest of were punished only because of their treasons rebellions and coniurations Also who seeth not that thou wouldest make of euill good and good euill And that thou dost iustifie the wicked that by their examples thou mightest produce others like vnto them into Fraunce and also incite and incourage them to the lyke crime But that which God doth keepe is well garded The thirteenth Article NOw onely remaineth the last of thy Articles to be spoken of the contentes whereof I maye rightly compare to a towne ditch or sinke into the which is powred all manner of vncleannes and filthines for thou hast distilled heereinto the quintessence or very substance of thy wicked spirits to maintaine therby if it were possible that white is blacke the good euill the light darknes and the truth a lye as shall be better seene and proued in the examination of the same Thou hast inserted the same poynt into the third Article but heere thou giuest a more ample exposition of it And the summe of it is this that the aforesaid Catholicks are worse than the Iewes Turks Pagans and Heretikes yea than beastes themselues The which pretended Maxime thou dost defend in three principall heads and from the beginning of the first thou callest the Catholickes which are enemies to the League accursed because they followe a king which is of an other religion than theirs yea and that which those Infidelles would not do which thou hast already named For the beginning of my answere I must be constrained once againe to say that thy suppositions which are nothing but falsehoods and lyes haue beene by thee so often said and recited that they doe declare thee to be vnworthy of any aunswere by writing It hath beene sufficiently prooued vnto thee that the king is not found in any thing to be an Heretike Secondly that the false vnderstanding or beleefe in the case of religion dooth not take awaye the power of rule and gouernement from kinges and princes of the world And in the third place that not only the Iewes Pagans and heretikes but the Christians are oftentimes submitted and put in subiection to the gouernement of many kings being iefidels and heretikes the which proofes haue declared thee and now of new againe doe declare thee to be a deceiuer and a lyar euen as the slaunders doe importe which thou imposest vpon those of the reformed religion in saying that they neuer woulde nor will haue anye other kings but of their owne