VNTO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE Prince his Soueraigne Lord King IAMES A poore Subiect sendeth A Souldiors Resolution humbly to waite vpon his Maiestie IN THIS LITTLE Booke the godly Vertues of our Mighty King are specified with disscription of our late Queene and still renowned ELIZAS Gouernement The Pope and Papists are in their colours set forth their purposes laid open and their hopes dissolued the happie peace of England is well described and the long continuance thereof humbly prayed for LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet for Walter Burre dwelling in Paules Churchyeard at the Signe of the Crane 1603. TO THE MOST High and Mighty Prince IAMES by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the Faith c. MAY it please your Maiestie when I consider my owne vnworthines I checke my selfe for my presumption in that I haue aduentured to write vnto a Prince of so great power and wisedom as is your kingly selfe but when I do remember that your Highnes desireth to be approued a good poore mans King then in the hope of your gratious acceptance I not repent the little labour that I haue bestowed in which the clearenes of my conscience beares me vp and makes me hope that in my vpright course I shall not in the least sort displease the mightines of your great maiestie I haue like a Soldier hent my selfe against your publike enemies and the foes of Christ in the iustice of which course my resolution hath resolued in life and death to doe your Highnes faithfull and obedient seruice your poorest subict my renowned Soueraign humbly entreateth that you would be pleased gratiousely for to accept this his trifeling gift and with your mercies eye to view the lines vnto your princelie selfe directed and if they shall procure your content your seruant then receiues the fulnes of his ioy and gaines vnto himselfe his most desired recompence with all submission he referreth himselfe and this his worke to be censured by your Maiestie vnto whome he wisheth Salomons wisedome Dauids heart and Ioshuas courage with al the best cōmended vertues which did attend on them that Englands king may be a mirror to the world and that the nations of the earth may wonder at the long continuance of your most happy and princely gouernment Your Maiesties poorest Subiect ROBERT PRICKET A SOVLDIERS Resolution MOst mightie Prince the Angelicall graces wherewith your kingly spirit is indued the diuine excellencie of whose vertues worthinesse your royal hand hath in heauenly lines vnto the worlde commended as an apparant testimonie of your sound belief arightly grounded vpon the corner stone Christ Iesus by the grace of whose asistance your sacred Maiestie is made to be the worlds chiefe Christian king so that in all the kingdomes of the earth that doth homage to the name of Christ there is not any Prince of so absolute a power being arightly incorporated in the proper strength of his owne inheritance that can cōpare with the greatnes of your Magnificence nor is their any king vnder the heauens great Canopie that standeth like your royall selfe so clearly sequestred from the Romane Antichristian leprosie the demonstration of which apparant truth doeth vndoubtedly prognosticate that God hath raisde your highnesse vp vnto the throne of royall dignitie that by the happines of your godly gouernment you may encrease beautifie the glorious kindgom of his blessed Son And that your Maiestie like a most valiant victorious and triumphant captaine vnder the banner of the worlds Redeemer Christ should with maiesticke power confront and vnderneath your princely foote treade downe all oppositions that by secret plots of diuelish treacherie or publike force of hostile armes dares but presume by their tirannicall aspiring menaces to threaten the ruine of the house of God And as the Church in Englande hath for these last precedent foure and fortie yeares beene ruled by a godly religious maiden Queene renownde Elizabeth of famous memorie vnto the glorie of whose vertuous gouernment may with a Christian consideration be ascribed the long-agoe prophetical wonder seene in heauen Of a woman cloathed with the Sunne in whome the Church was figured compassed about with the illustrate and shining beames of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. And vnderneath her feet the wauering and vnconstant Moone was put For by her meanes from forth the Church was cast the vaine inconstant mutabilities of Romes inuented straunge traditions And vppon her head a crowne of twelue starres stoode which did foreshew as was by her made manifest that from the doctrine of the twelue Apostles should deriued be the forme and order of her gouernment the brightnesse of whose illuminating light shoulde with an vncontrolled power from forth her kingdome driue the loathsome darknesse of that soules poysoning contagious smoke which flies from forth that hell-borne pit the gulfe of Antichrist And in despite of that great red Dragon hauing seuen heades and ten hornes seuen crownes vpon his heades By which is mentioned the diuel the Pope Spaine Monkes Friers Iesuites and Seminaries with the rabblement of that Antichristian power burning with furie agaynst the Spouse of Christ hauing made themselues red with the effusion of those streames of bloud which their cruelties caused to gush forth from the innocent bodies of thousād martired Saints yet maugre the force of al their hellish tyrannising rage diuine Eliza during all the time of her most happy blessed peaceful and victorious raigne trauelled in the desire of her religious care to be a gratious mother and a tender nurse vnto the children of the Church of God and in the continuance of her now out dated and yet datelesse time her subiects being fed with the Nectar and Ambrosia of a heauenly diet by the ministry of that euer-enduring truth contained in the canonicall Scriptures of the olde and new testament many thousandes were begoten vnto Christ and taught arightly how to ground their faith vpō the al and onely sufficient sure foundation of their redeemers loue That plain and simple people in her land could with diuine and godly wisedome maintaine the argument of their faithes beliefe against the cunning coosening sophistry of a pernicious Popish Priest But now that our late mayden Queene whose sanctified soule vnto her God brought forth so many Saints hath left this earth to bee a Saint in heauen whither should my eyes returne themselues with ioy vnlesse to looke vpon your Maiestie And in this thought my soule is rauished with a priuate meditation my Countrey England hath stoode as a glorious Cittie built vppon a Mountaines toppe whose beautie wealth strength and gouernment hath lifted vp it selfe with admiration to the world the temple of the house of God was from mount Sion brought and placed in the midst of Englandes territories And since this Island first conuerted was from Pagan Athisme it neuer stoode so dignified by the true profession of a sound religion as now it did by the instrumentall
meanes of heauens Elizabeth And when this glorious England seemed to feare if selfe being mourner-like wrapde vp in sable blackenesse and timerous mindes speaking to themselues that their best dayes were past and dangerous times were neare at hand the sillie Lambes that feared the tyrannie of the Romane Woolfe wept in their thoughts and did this question aske Where shall we sing our songs of Sionnow The Woolfes they met in flockes togither hoping that their long wishde for time was come when they againe should glut themselues with bloud the rich did feare to loose their wealth the poor did feare to loose their liues the vilder sort did hope to liue vp on their countries spoile And when this cloude of danger had brought it selfe euen vnto the strength of his supposde combustion then as a vapor into ayre dissolued were all the meateors that did seeme prodegious for the liuing mistres of our happines did in her life time bequeath her crowne to him whose right it was and when her soule was vnto heauen ascended forth with heauens God into the mouth of Englandes nobles put the name of him who by their Queene was named to be their soueraigne and they togither with vnited loue did vnto Englands commons straight praclaim that great King Iames was made their lawful king Then Englande did vnto her selfe retaine the vigor of her former strength and the beautie of her glorie was presently sequestred from all occasions that might diminish extinguish or in the least sorte eclipse the Sunne-shine of her precedent dignitie neuer was a land to God more bounde then England is for this aboundant mercie who hath vnto vs raysde a King not onely heyre vnto Elizaes Crowne but also an inheritor of all those gracious vertues wherwith her righteous soule is crowned And now my soueraigne Lord from saint Elisa to your godly selfe discended is her kingdoms gouernment and all the Saints on earth within the limits of your large and spacious confines doe humbly wayte vpon the assurance of your blessed hope And for your royall hand hath manifested that your princely heart obeyeth the precepts of heauens written worde what should I say but certainly resolue your royall selfe descending from a race of Kings and from that mightie King whose euerconquering arme at first did breake the heade of Romes vsurpde authoritie that now the mightie God of heauen whose wrath hath alwayes threatned the destruction of that Babilonian Whoore hath raysed vp your regall Maiestie to breake the necke and backe of that soule deuouring beast so as the Dragon and his Angels shall no longer rule in Christendome nor shall the nations of the earth continue to be deceiued with the infectious Locusts of their lyes and heresies but his kingdome shall bee razed to the earth and the worlde shall wonder at his destructions ouerthrow sure I am this truth must come to passe before the second comming of the king Christ Iesus since whose being vpon the earth vntill this present time there neuer was a true beleeuing king remooued from the Popes authoritie and yeelding to the gouernment of Christ that was of so absolute a power to bring to passe the prophecies against the Citie of Rome as is your maiestie vndoubtedly my soueraigne Lord this relying age is leaning to the latter ende of time and all the signes forerunniug the day of iudgement haue put themselues into a perfect view the reuolution of the heauens being so shaken as that the planets are remoued from their wonted stations one hauing stept into an others place and this massy globe of earth hath oft with fearefull earthquakes trembled the seuenth and last Angell in the Reuelation specified hath as it well was calculated by a reuerend and learned minister in your Scotlands kingdome beene sounding the last generall summons for this already fiftie fiue yeares past and time it selfe hath almost brought his course vnto a whole vnited period whereby is threatned more then ordinarie change And at this present your kingly selfe hauing as it were by miracle been vntil this time preserued and now being created Gods great Lieutenant vpon earth and the onely warriour and chiefe Champion for his Iesus Christ why should not euery Christian souldier then resolue that your magnanimious spirit and glorious race from you proceeding shall be the guard vnto the Church of God bring confusion vpon all her enemies For as from the roote of righteous Iesse did proceede the liniall race whence Christ himselfe descended so vnto me it seemeth that heauens eternall King in his secrete wisdome knowing the worlde is measured with a little length hath raysde you vppe most mightie Prince that from your righteous selfe might spring a glorious ranke of godly and religious Kinges and Queenes that might vnto the Nations of the earth maintaine the glorie of his heauenly name vntill himselfe shall in the Cloudes appeare and summon all the world vnto a generall iudgement Worlds peerelesse Prince and my renowned Soueraigne the consideration of these things before discribed haue compasde me within a heauen of ioy And though I am the vnwoorthiest of manie thousandes that in your Englande liues and farre vnfitte to vndertake this waightie businesse hauing beene alwayes trayned vp in the exercise of Armes yet for I know there is nothing dignifieth a Souldiers sword so much as well to vnderstand the iustice of the cause for which hee fights I haue in the hope of your Maiesties acceptance aduentured to make this little worke the armour of a Christian Souldiers Resolution and doe resolue for God and for his truth in life and death to vow my selfe a faithfull seruant to you my soueraigne Lord the earths most godly and chiefe Christian king And so much the more haue I tasked my weake and shallow vnderstanding muse to this performance because I must confesse vnto your Maiestie that in a zealous loues affection to your highnesse I haue before this time aduentured to let a little Pamphlet passe vnto a publike view which hath drawne vnto it selfe a partial iudgement from some opinions as I thinke not worthy any great respect for by the idlenes of their inuectiue wordes they seeme to proue that I deserued blame because I dealt so roundly with the sea of Rome which vaine imagination found some shewe of cause to ground it self vpon the present times incertaintie feeming as if they desired to make a doubt whether Religion should stand in that same forme which now it doth or whither it should be brought vnto a more neare affinitie with Gehenna the Antichristian church of Rome When this I heard I could not choose my soueraign Lord but secōd that my foregoing work with this my named Resolution For when I with my self considered how Rome was figured by your owne disoription and sawe with what feruencie of spirite your diuine and sanctified heart did oppose it selfe against that worldes disceiuing irreligious pernicious blasphemous monstrous Pope I could not but in my soule
Soueraigne your Englands nation hath in times past been accounted famous in the exercise of Armes and your people for their magnanimious valour in warlike cheualry haue not onely beene admired but feared of all the kingdoms in Christendome and beyonde those bounds fayre Englands force hath marched with a conquering arrne so as the glorious renowne of honourable deedes being brought vnto this present age by the golden trumpet of fames true report dooth make such deepe impression in your Subiectes hearts as that I cannot but suppose the flower of your EnglaÌ„ds youth desireth to be accounted souldiers especially now that they are the subiects vnto a mighty king lineally descended froÌ„ the royal bloud of Englands mightiest kings yet vnto them whose hearts desires the exercise of armes my resolution thus much speaketh and sayth it is a thing conuenient for them to consider that warre being the shield of iustice is not to bee vsed but when iustice dooth commaunde the vse thereof and that peace with safety to the publike state is in this christian common wealth before warre to bee preferred And therefore those that would arightly be true valiant minded men ought thus to vse the exercise of martiall discipline not thereby within your Maiesties vnited kingdoms to infringe the happines of a long continued peace but that by their experience in the vse of warre they may become the most commended 〈…〉 is to maintaine the dignitie thereof against all occasions and powers that shall seeke to disturbe or ouer throw the same And in regard the Church of God your maiesties royal person your princely progeny your kingdomes and your Highnes 〈◊〉 are all to be defended by the sword of warre when forraine foes or priuate enemies shall with force in opposition riser no doubte but your Maieste will command such course to be taken as that your Subiects shall be taught the rudiments of warre so as they shall be familiarly aqvainted with the thinges belonging thereunto And that a souldiers hand shal by your Highnes gratious fauour be employedstd in assisting those your Maiesties faâ—thful friends and true beleuing Protestants whose country and whose people God in his aboundant mercy hath wondrously delivered from the tyranny of Rome bloudy Spannish Inquisition and for they fight against the Beast and those that on their foreheads beares his marke God hath with honour crownd the actions done by the 〈◊〉 and dignified their attempts in warre with glorious victories the iustice of their cause notwithstanding the coynde obiections made by Spaine is and hath beene by tho hand of God approued as may vnto the world be witnessed and your Highnes by assisting them doth as it was thought by our late Queene and stil renownd Elizabeth giue a strong security vnto the safety of your Englands peace for the maintenance wherof when your Maiesty shall see your people trayned vp with actiue skil to vse their weapons fit for fight and well to vnderstand the ordering of their Files and rankes and seuerall standinges in a pitcht Battalia that all to bee commaunded may sodainely with speedy execution know how to make a true performance according to directions giuen and that not any may commaunders bee but such whose wise valiant courage with tride experience ioynd shall make them worthy of their place and then al these throughout your kingdoms gouernment being by a godly ministery taught to vnderstand the iustice of their cause More deeds of honour shall then in time to come by the conquering hand of Englands king be done then euer yet disciphered was by the Chronicle description of precedent time for now the foes to God and to his truth shall feare the name of English men and your kingly Maiestie with the glory of your succeding princelie race shall be a terror to the enemies of Christ. For this a Souldier prayeth and all this to defend being by his king commaunded he hath his sword in readines And thus most mightie Prince and my renowned Soueraine A poore Souldiers resolution humbly offereth vp his liues employment at your princely foote FINIS Reuel cap. 12. VVere the gouernment of Rome now as then it was when England was conuerted there should be no Pope as now theâ—e is nor Masse nor Purgatcrie nor approbation to any of their erronious constitutions Ethelderius brought with him none of their new blasphemous doctrine Ioseph of Aramatheus before him was a stranger therevnto Our late Quâ— did in the time of her sicknesse bequeath her crown vnto our now king affirming it as in in deed it is his proper right Reuel cap 12. ver 8. 9. Reue 11. ver 9 A booke intituled A Souldiers wish vnto his Soueraigne Lord King Iames. The Papists desire to make a doubt of the certaine continuance of our religion in the forme which now it doth The doctrine of Rome and Spaine poysoneth both body and souls but helpeth neyther Boniface 3. by the leaue of Phocas the foolish Emperour did first write himselfe papa and then presently begaÌ„ the ruine of the Church the ful effect whereof was concluded by Adrian since whose time as saith planlina in the life of popes there was neuer any Emperour of might nor pope of any vertue Some seeme as if they were papistes but indeede are not VVhat maner of Subiectes papists were vnto the Queen now what hope there is of them The Schooles of Rome and Spaine are the nurseries of treason Dist 40 etsi papa 9. q. 6. ea cuncta 30 q. 1 Cap. In 6. lib. 2. de sen. 26. q. cap. Quouenc In. 6. lib. de sent Apostelatus in verb continetur In 6. lib. 2. de sen. King Herold exiled Robert Archbishop of Canter Ro. gat him to WilliaÌ„ D of Norm Pope Alexander to he reuenged of King Herold sent vnto duke W. a banner to go and conquere England and eleane remissioÌ„ of sins both a pena a culpa to all that would follow the banncr by this means was England the last time conquered Perpetual malses apointed to be suÌ„g in Swin fted Abbey for the Monk which poysoned king Iohn So is it now in Rome for him which slew the Prince of Orringe for the Frier which kild the French King Declectio et Significatio Panormitanus saith that councels may erre as they haue done inter raptorem et raptaÌ„ Hierom 39. q. 2. tria doth affirme as much and August de bap lib. 2. ch 3. contra Donatistas * Dist. 19. 51. Ro. er enim vero et nulli facit cap. 5. omnes Pope Celestinus 4 crowned the Emperour Henricus 6. with his secte A true descrip of Rome as is declared in the Reuela ch 17. The Authors Resolution doth in this place resolue vpon sufficient reason that the King hath no affection vnto papists The Church of Rome is in it selfe diuided secular priests and sesuits being at a desperate variance The reasoÌ„ why the priests did accuse the Iesuites and what their labor
resolue with a Souldiers Resolution to follow your kingly Maiestie in your vertues steppes and not to suffer a little Monkish Mowle hill heape of tongues that rides vpon the skirt of Peeuish Popery to derogate from your kingly name the glory due vnto the honour of your faithes profession nor suffer that the godlie people in your land whose heartes prepareth as befitteth loyall faithfull and obedient Subiectes to bid your Highnes welcome to your Kingdomes Crowne that the ioy which they conceiue in the excellencie of your great Maiestie should be eclipsed by the inftigation of any secret Papisticall obiected doubt what should let my resolution to speake plainely to my King whole Highnes knoweth what drudges are sent from Rome and therefore will not take Phisicke for his soule from their impoysoned proiected potions The Chronicles with innumerable Tragike scenes haue made discription of the Roman regement shewing to the world that not any king nor Queene nor Prince in Christendome that euer did displease that proud vsurping Bishop since he rulde alone and gainde vnto himselfe the name of Papa but they were all of them eyther poysoned murdered or otherwise betrayed or their lands inuaded or their Subiects moued to rebellion or many times nearly brought in danger of those euils eyther by Monkes Fryers Iesuites Seminaries or some other villanous minded slaues sent from the Popes diuelishnes but mis named Holines to put in execution those three damned purposes Bohemia Lombardy Germany France bleeding Belgia haue bought their to true experience with a deare and bloudy prise And though that Spaine be Romes chiefe Champion yet king Philips eldest sonne euen in his Fathers sight must bleed to death when he displeasde the Pope England hath had a hard experience of his Tyranny and in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth the multiplisity of trayterous plottes laide against her life all wrought by Romes confederates were to long to specifie and for your Scotlandes Kingdome Mighty Soueraigne neyther your royall person nor your publike state haue stoode exempt from their most vilde attemptes and assuredly my Soueraigne Lorde no other then such like strategems are to be expected from their hands who by their oathes haue sworne and vowed allegiance to the Sea of Rome yet among them but not of them is there some that giues themselues vnto the vse of ceremoniall customes first brought in by Rome and yet no doubt they see the hellish euils that springes from thence but what they do is done for fashion for custom sake and peraduenture with some religious obseruation yet in their heartes I verily belieue they hate the proudnes of the Popes supremacie and grieues to see the Villanies wrought by his Workemanshippe and such as these I thinke are nothing dangerous for I haue obserued in them a due obedience to your Englandes lawes but for the former sort your Maiestie knoweth the daunger of their euill effects for be they but once reconciled to the Pope so as they dare not like louing and obedient Subiectes take their oath to your supremacie it cannot be but their intentions must be dangerous they cannot in their harts endure to be your subiects but as they lately were her Maiesties in cōtinuall hope of change nor doe I wonder at their minds in this for their subiection hath vowed it self an other way and vpon the pain of deadly sin their consciences are tied vnto the lawes of Antichrist they are taught by the doctrine of Rome Romane dispensations to suppose that vnto you belongeth no obedience then vnto them I am sure there belonges no trust And for the schollers that the scholes of Rome Spaine brings vp your kingly self and al your kingdoms haue by an often taught experience learnd the true vnderstāding of their traiterous documents Iesuites Seminaries and Popish Priests I do resolue will neuer be thought to loue your Maiestie nor cā they at any time deceiue your Highnes when they are at no time trusted surely no trust to them belongeth that are the empoysoned branches sprong from the venomous heade of earthes corruption And because I would not haue the Papists thinke I speake by gesse but want authority whereon to ground my selfe I haue to that end set downe some of the dangerous decrees made by the lawes of their misbeleeuing church for the Pope to establish his diuelish authority hath thus decreed First that no man may iudge the Pope nor giue sentence about his iudgement for he is to iudge al men vpon earth 2 That the seat of Rome giueth strength might vnto all lawes but it is subiect to none 3 That hee hath authority to breake all oathes bondes and obligations made betwixt any man of high or low degree 4 That he hath power to interprete declare and lay forth the holy scriptures according to his own will and to suffer no man to expound it contrary to his owne pleasure 5 That he is a God vpon earth ouer all heauenly earthly ghostly and worldly and no man may say vnto him what doest thou 6 That he hath authority to dissolue subiectes from their obedience to their Lordes and Princes and that he hath power to depose kings 7 That he may giue cleane remission vnto whom he will both a pena a culpa he whom he forgiueth must needs be the child of saluation for he hath absolute power to bind to loose vpon earth and saith he the holy Church hath so determined and the force thereof as faith his lying blasphemy is greater then the canonicall scriptures From the authority of these lawes doth this effect proceed that so soone as any Prince displeafeth Rome he is presently by the pope cursed excōmunicated proclaimed no right inheritor that it is not lawfull for to hold of him his subiects are absolued frō their true alegāce blessings with clean remissiō of sins sent to all those that wil inuade spoile or conquer the land of any kingdom or Prince with whom the Pope shall be displeased And the beter to effect these his often performed deeds of charitie he sendeth his leaden Bulles vnto whome hee listeth thereby giuing authoritie vnto subiects to resist their kings and lustely to take vp armes against them when by the Pope they shall be commaunded Their oathes for their allegiance are dispensed with so as although a subiect betray murder or by any meanes kill his lawfull Prince and Gods annoynted king yet shall not their accounted very honest executioner bee adiudged a traytor but rather a holy man for that hee hath done it on the Popes behalfe and in that respect his acte shall bee registred for a heauen purchasing meritorious deede and after the death of such a one there shall be diuers misnamed holy but vnhallowed Masses sung by a company of blacke white gray and pibal asses for the redeeming of his soule out of their fooles inuented
purgatory And although this monstrous euil be against al laws of God and godly men yet doth the braseÌ„ impudeÌ„t shameles pope with al the multitude of his masse-monging shauelings striue to maintain the lawfulnes therof against the writeÌ„ word of the eternal law of God affirming that on earth al power is giuen vnto him that his seat is established by general counsels which as he sayth cannot erre And therefore what the Pope decreâ—th must stand of force against all authorities for saith his law What the Sea of Rome doth decrce must needes be allowed And what she reproueth must be of no strength For so must the decrees of the Sea of Rome be accepted as if they were spoken by the godly mouth of Peter himselfe And the more to approue his presumptuious blasphemy the Pope hath prouided that himselfe may be avillaine both to God and men and yet himselfe not to be found falt with For sayth his law Distinction the 40. Who doubteth but the Pope is holy the which is exalted vnto so great a dignity in whome though good workes of his owne merits bee wanting yet were those good works sufficient which were done by his predecessors And therefore hath his lawe in the place before recited thus decreed that though the Pope sinne neuer so grieuously and draw with him to hell by his example thousandes innumerable yet let no man be so hardy to rebuke him For he is head ouer al and none ouer him And by this vsurped authoritie is that 7. headed beast approued the very open and reuealed Antichrist of our time who by the trecherous and diuellish authoritie of his Antichristian lawe hath giuen vnto hsmselfe a power to set vp and at his pleasure to cast downe kings and with his fowle vngodly hel-path treading feete to set the Crowne vpon an Emperors head and vpon an Emperours necke to tread when he displeaseth him And vnto such a base subiection hath he brought the mighty Princes of the earth as that they thinke it no small honour to kisse the stinking feete of that inhumane monster This is the rich and wealthie whore bedeckt with Iewels and ornaments of gola Whose Scarlet robes are dyed in Christians bloud Whose variable garments betokens diuers liueries of religious orders Holding in her hand a cup full of abhominations the Popes decrees Bulles dispensations suspensations and cursings And the beast she sitteth vpon is the papall sea of Rome And with this whore the nations of the earth hane committed filthinesse But now sith that the the light from darkenes is distinguished by the glorious ministrie of saluations Gospell and that Romes Idolatrous whore dome is made knowne vnto the world Oh that any Prince should desire to contaminate his soule with her vncleannesse or endure to rest himselfe in the serpentike bosome of such daungerous wickednes But Rome thy pacht vp Iron legs are broken and like a haulting cripple thou standest reeling in thy weakned strength Thy nakednesse is made a publicke scorne and but a verie few to what had wont to be are left to stand on thy pernicious part Thou maist perceiue how God doth by degrees râ—â—e downe the kingdome of thy Sathans Sinagogue I wil not labor to aduertise thee Fury wrath and indignatioÌ„ is thy portion thou art throwne out vnto a fierce strong destruction And in thy day till which it is not long thou shalt not finde any meanes for to preuent the fearefull stroke of thy all confounding iudgement vnto which I leaue thee bee thou an heire vnto thy prepared inheritance This truth discribed I know my Lord and king is rightly knowne vnto your Maiestie your selfe haue drawne the portrature of Romes Antichristian beast and layd him open in his full discription And in your Scotlands kingdome all the time of your most blessed gouernment hauing once growne past the yeares of your minoritie your highnesse did religiously maintaine a reuerent learned wise and godly ministrie whose labour was to cast Romes Kingdome downe and in true forme for to erect and gouerne the house of God and Church of Iesus Christ. And should I bee so vilde to thinke that now your Maiestie would let a Tyrant loose or lend an eare to helles inchaunting charmes or please to loue or in weighty cause to trust the daungerous Imps by oath ingrafte into the Romaine stocke whose heartes hath vowed alleageance to the Sea of Rome by whose vilde lawes a seeming iust authoritie is giuen to execute the deedes of villainie and vnder pretext whereof so many haue beene made approued villaynes thrusting themselues into the speedy execution of bloudy trecherous strange inhumane stratagems accounting as if in them they had performed honest ChristiaÌ„ like meritorious deeds Or that your Maiestie would suffer a popish tolleration to bring forth thornes whose poyntes will turne themselues against your life and strine to worke your kingdomes ouerthrow No no my soueraigne my Resolution shall in life and death resolue that your Kingly Maiestie hath not a thought that bendes it selfe to such little purposes Your highnesse hath already ioynd vnto your Maiestie a company of honourable valiant graue prudent wise godly and religious Councellers whose foreseeing prouidence in the time of our late Queene and euer renowned Elizabeth did at all times worthily preuent the euill effecting policies of Rome And when of late the house of Dagon was in it selfe diuided Secular Priestes and Iesuites beeing each to other in apparent opposition the Priestes by printed Pamphlets proued that the Iesuites were the Arch Traytours of the worlde and that by them were complotted all the treasons against the Maiestie of our late Queene The Priestes thinking by this their accusation to gayne vnto themselues a fauourable opinion and by that meanes in time to win the minds of men vnto their loue then presentlie the wisedom of our Queene with those your now honoured Councellors perceiuing both sortes to bee no lesse then dangerous Traytours to the publike state did forthwith requite their cunning with proclaymed banishment annexing thereunto the penalty of death to bee inflicted vpon all those that by their wilfull staying should exceede the time limitted in the Proclamation And should I thinke your Maiestie would not now commaund the performance of the selfe-same course against those who by their continuall practises haue alwayes sought the vtter ruing of the house of God the murdering of Gods annointed and the subuersion of all your kingdomes In this for to resolue the doubts of men too timerous thus much assuredly my Resolution knowes that the obseruatioÌ„ your kingly self haue made of Romes performed trecherous tyranous and tragicke massikers will giue warning to your Maiestie with prudent wisedome to preuent their mischiefes and were they not altogether in their vaine expectatioÌ„s meerly reasonlesse I wonder what shewe of hope could giue occasion to suspect that nowe the reine of iustice which did gouerne them should bee let slip and
your royall vertuous selfe to bee their righteous king millions of thousands in your England liues whose spirites by the instinct of nature giues themselues to loue the lawfull exercise of Armes they with ioyfull willingnes will waite vpon the summons of their kinges commaund and spend their liues their lands their goods in the performance of faithfull and obedient seruice your England hath for these many yeares obserued the maner of your neighbor bordering kingdoms gouernment with what prudēt wisedom your maiesty did protect the safety of your land the continued true report of your renowned vertues fed your Englands people with delightfull ioy and to their hearts it did a comfort giue when as they thought vpon that blessed hope which built it selfe vpon the well known right of your succession though in christian policie A publike note was taken from the vulgar view yet all the world may witnes that our late Queenerenownde Elizabeth did with her Lordes and honoured Councellers long ago decree to yeeld vnto your Maiestie the proper right of your inheritance and that the people of your kingdom did expect no lesse was certainely approued by that ioyful general applause whichal your Englands subiects gaue when as they heard king Iames proclaimde to be their Soueraigne And now most mightie Prince sith that in despite of Rome the God of heauen hath established your name on earth and made you greater then euer yet was any Christian king and hath in peace confirmed the regall seate of your imperiall throne I make no doubt but your Maiestie with a Christian constancie and religious care will confirme the strength thereof by the inuisible force of a prudent wise godly gouernment which doth vnto two speciall poynts direct it selfe which is vnto the well ordering of diuine and humane things wherein the obedience vnto God belonging doth challenge to it selfe a title Capital the celestiall dignitie whereof is first before all other things in the chiefest place to be preferred Diuine regiment doeth therefore take vnto it selfe the matter of Religion onely and the ordināces to be vsed in the church which in the time of the Law were commanded by God himselfe vnto his seruant Moses and hee by the appointment of God committed the principall charge thereof vnto Aaron and his sonnes and the tribe of Leui but now in the time of the Gospell they were taught and commaunded by Iesus Christ himselfe and by him left vnto his Apostles and from them the principall charge thereof is committed vnto the Bishops and Pastors of the Church And as in the time of the Law Aaron though he were the high priest vnto God and had chiefe authoritie in diuine things yet was not he the king Prince or supreme Magistrate ouer the people of God but that supremacie of kingly honour was giuen vnto Moses who was vnto Aaron in the stead of God and therefore next vnder God Aaron and his sonnes were accounted subiects vnto Moses So in the time of the Gospell though Bishops and Pastors haue the chiefe authoritie to deale with the administration of diuine and holy things yet they nor any of them are the kings princes or supreme Magistrates ouer the people of God and Church of Iesus Christ. But that supremacie of kingly honour is giuen vnto Kings and Princes in their seuarall kingdomes who are vnto Bishops and Pastors in the stead of God And therefore all Bishops and Pastors are to be accounted subiects vnto their seuerall Kings and Princes And as Moses in the diuine ordinances concerning the law of God did commaund nothing vnto Aaron and the tribe of Leui but that he had expresly receyued from the mouth of God So Kings and Princes in the diuine ordinance of the Gospel of Iesus Christ are not to commaund vnto their Bishops and Pastors any other thing then can bee expressely warranted by the doctrine of Christ himselfe or his Apostles Lastly as in the time of the Law the Kings and Princes of Israel and their Priests and Leuits did bring on them and their posterity the eternall curse of God when they fled from the obedience of the Law written by Moses in the old testament of God Euen so in the time of Gospel shall Kings Princes with their Bishops Pastors bring vpō themselues their posteritie the eternall curse of God when they shall flie from the obedience of the Gospel written by the Apostles and Euangelifts and left vnto vs in the new Testament of Iesus Christ in which is contained the freedome libertie and iustification of our best esteemed and most blessed peace And from the obedience therevnto hath proceeded the long continuance of Englands peacefull quietnes and by the meanes thereof most mightie soueraigne your royall person and your Scotlands kingdome from euery threatned danger haue vntill this time most safely beene preserued And for from hence must spring the firme continuance of your royall state and kingdomes blessednesse your righteous soule no doubt will most desire that things diuine be chiefly lookde vnto and because there neuer was a church so rightly ordered but that some errors were therein remaining the reformation whereof did belong vnto the kings vnto whose charge the gouernment thereof in their seuerall kingdoms was principally committed it now therefore remaineth euident that your religious vnderstanding wise diuine and sanctifyed heart will in the beginning of your most happie raigne looke first amiddest your Englandes kingdome with godly care to beautifie the Spouses of Iesus Christ. My Soueraigne Lorde I doubt not but your highnesse will be pleased to obserue the order giuen vnto your princely son the happie comfort of your Englands hope and account it for your greatest honour to see the Church of God well gouerned I am a souldier my most mighty king and my dutie is when iust cause requires to fight for God and for his Church and for you my soueraigne next vnder God within the compasse of your kingdomes confines the onely supreme heade and gouernour Be then most mightie Prince vnder your captaine Christ a glorious instrument as to that ende you were ordained and aboue all things chiefly see his Church to be well ordered O then let your Maiestie vouchsafe with Salomon To walke downe into the Garden of Nuts The Sinagogues congregations in England and see the fruit of the valley see if the Vine buddeth and looke if the Pomegranets flourish Beholde what profite hath proceeded from the doctrine of the Law the Prophets and in many Congregations see nothing that your highnesse can take knowledge of but onely ignorance disobedience and rebellion The fearefull daunger of whose desperate estate is principally occasioned by the want of Pastors able to teach them to vnderstand that peace in whome the lawe and the Prophets is fulfilled and then from the loue of those vngodly guides which taketh vp the place bequeathed to better men let your diuine and heauenly soule as
Church vnto whom they administred greater titles riches and honor then T. Titus had who were the Bishops in the primitiue Church of which sort there must bee a continuall succession euen vntill the comming of the Lord Iesus yet notwithstanding if the Bishops now do execute no other office and that in no other sort then Timothie and Titus did then their titles riches and honours being but externall things lawfully giuen and lawfully receiued do not preiudice the worthines of their calling And about this the mēbers of the church of God ought not to contend For it is the zealous godly religious care in the execution of their office which doth onely dignifie the approbation of their calling And if they fail in the performāce of those godly duties to their place belonging then in the abuse of their titles riches and honors the fault consisteth And whereas many in these our times do take offence against the names titles wealthes and honors which our Bishops haue on them bestowed thinking that all such things at first proceeded from the Pope of Rome they are therin deceiued for since the time that christian Emperors kings Queens became the nursing fathers and mothers of the Church both titles riches and honors were by them bestowed vpon the Bishops in the Church who were notwithstanding obediēt subiects vnto their Emperours Kings and Queenes and were approued glorious ministers of the Gospell of Christ Iesus and all this was done before the Bishop of Rome did make himselfe the beast of Rome which now he is by vsurping vnto himselfe the sole authoritie ouer al the kingdoms in Christen dome Since which time both the Pope himselfe and all the Bishops vnder his Antichristian sea haue fled from the approued authoritie of Timothie and Titus in not being desirous to administer vnto the church but like tyrannicall Lords to rule and ouer rule the same and by their ouerruling vtterly to ouerthrow the church by extinguishing the purity of that light which shined in the same placing in stead thereof the traditions of men by their approbation of vnwritten verities And thus being desirous to raise themselues vnto a higher height then vnto them was limitted they lest to seeke the glory of God onely sought by peruerting the Scriptures to glorifie themselues aboue all the kingdoms of the earth and by this his pride the Pope hath made himself to be the open reuealed Antichrist as is before described But now my hope is that not any will continue to contend about the estate of Bishops as now they stand sith by their lawfull liberty of power they may receiue dignities on them bestowed by those vnto whō they administer which example was obserud by many christian Emperors kings many holy and reuerent Bishops long before the Pope was knowne to be that diuell which now he is And therfore let not any so contend about these things as if they thought the abuse of the Antichristian sea could extinguish or race out the lawfull liberty of power which was by the Apostles of Iesus Christ left vnto the godly Bishops in the church This may it please your Maiestie I haue aduentured to speake because I know some few vnlearned people in your land do desire to striue to much in this contention And though the authority of bishops be approued lawful yet al within the cōpas of your highnes kingdoms are your subiects and in their harts no doubt they vnfainedly desire to be so and do in their souls reioyce because they are so and your Maiestie shall find them reuerent godly wife learned men yet if there be negligent defects in any they will assuredly perceiuing that your highnes do looke into their course speedily by your directiō amend the things amisse henceforth not suffer that such vnworthy guides as are before described should by the laying on of hands be admitted to the ministry nor alow of any Nisi probatus vel Episcoporum examine vel populi testimonia Vnlesse he be allowed by the examination of the Bishops or testimonie of the people And the better to direct this course no doubt our Bishops will obserue the saying of S. Ambrose who speaketh thus in his exposition of Paules Epistle vnto Timothie Paul Chargeth Timothie before God the Father and Christ the Sonne and the elect angels Vnder this charge be commaundeth those things to be kept which pertaine to ordination in the Church least easily any man should get an Ecclesiasticall dignitie but inquisition be first had of his life and maners that a meete and approued minister or Priest may be appointed neither any to be ordayned whose faults deserue suspition for hee sinneth which or dayneth and trieth not This course obserued then shall your Maiestie ioyfully behold your Englands famous vniuersities send forth worthy men faithfully to labour in that worthiest work then should your highnes see your England furnished with the blessed number of those preaching pastors whose heauenly minds diuinely sanctified will iustifie the approbation of their calling by the inward testimony of the spirit of God Whose mouthes are touched with an hote coale taken from the fire of the Altar Whereby they are purged that the worke of God may be done by them with a pure performāce the approbatiō of whose ministry shall for euer ground it selfe vpon the foundation of that written truth contained in the holy Scriptures by the authority whereof they will like faithfull ministers truly teach the church of God arightly to vnderstand the worthines of hir peace in Iesus Christ vpon which corner stone the truth of their doctrine being established it will manifest vnto the world that they are sent of God and by the power of the holy Ghost are called to be the preaching ministers of saluation vnto all beleeuers Such as these are those of whome the Prophet Esay with admiration speaketh Oh how beautifull are the feete of those that declareth and publisheth peace that declareth good tidings and publisheth saluation saying vnto Sion thy God liueth These are the well commended watchmen which do continually with carefull diligence attend and waite vpon the Church giueth warning when the enemie approacheth neere vnto it or vnto any member of the same and so well they know all the publike and priuate enemies that they can describe the power likenesse craftes and policies by which and vnder pretext whereof The diuell with all his boares and beares and wolues and foxes seeketh to deface the beauty of the Church vtterly to destroy the same so wise these godly watch men are that they can prescribe and teach the true and perfect vse of euery powerfull meanes whereby the euent of each dangerous opposition shall soundly securely be preuented so that the church notwithstanding the force of all occasions shall at al times know how to enioy the safety of her peace These are the faithfull sheapheards who being