Gētlemen citizens and some artificers preuaile a monstruous case and that in cause of religion not onely against al the Bishops of the Vniuersal Church besides vvhich haue as S. Ireneus saith receiued vvith their Episcopal succesiō the grace and gift of vnderstanding the truth but euen against their ovvne Prelates and Pastors vvho to say the least must needes both by their great vvisdom learning godly life and by their vocation be more like to knovv the truth and giue true sentence in matters belonging to their ovvne profession and vvere vvith more reason to be heard then those vvho neither for age learning nor diuinitie vvere comparable to them and to vvhom al the said persons by Gods lavv and mans did ovve specially in these cases of religion al subiection and obedience as to the proper Pastors of their soules Aboue al this they moreouer at the same time caused a forme of othe to be conceiued concerning the Queenes spiritual Souerainty vvhich should be offered to al Archbishops Bishops and other Ecclesiastical persons specially vvhom they knevv by their former declaration and Protestation against it could not in conscience take it nor vvould against their conscience receiue it that vpon refusal therof they might be deposed to vvitte the Pastors and parents euen by their sheepe and children Certaine hungrie companions from Geneua shaped into sheepeskinnes vvayting in the meane time to enter vpon their flockes as aftervvard they did the said Prelates honorably and gladly sustaining depriuation and euer since emprisonment for confession of their faith vvhereby and by tracte of time most of them be happily and gloriously deceased These strange and vnnatural dealings these procedings dishonorable to her Ma. tie and the Realme these lavves against Gods expresse cōmaundements vvhich prescribe obedience and subiection to our Prelates these decrees that limite Gods constant and permanent truth to the mutabilitie of temporal statutes to mortal mens vvilles and fansies these are the lavves of the Realme and not the Ciuil ordinances of our Prince that vve refuse to obey and vvhich not onely in our life and doctrine but vnto death and yelding our bloud vve trust to vvithstand vvishing that so at the least God vvil haue mercie on our Countrie and vvipe avvay the ignominie of such violent disorders vvhich to all our posteritie must needes breede shame and rebuke and to vs Gods indignation Vve liue not then here in this our absence from our Coūtrie any vvhit contrarie to Gods lavves as vve be charged but against mans lavves so far as it is euident that they be repugnant to the lavves of God the Church and nature as by the premisses is plaine and as vve are able further to proue against any Protestant Diuine in the vvorld Yea vve auouch further that as no Protestant Diuine in Christendom can proue vve liue against Gods lavves so no Protestant Lavvyer of the Realme for the Catholikes of neither science vvil stand against vs in this poynt can conuince vs that vve liue contrarie to the lavves of our Counrrie Vvhich vve affirme not for that onely that such lavves be vniust and therfore lightly bind not in cōscience nor for that that pertaining to religiō they passed vvith out the consent of any of the Clergie nor for that that being repugnāt to the dignitie and priuileges of the Church they are against the othe of the makers and of al Christian Princes in due order consecrated but for that they be not in deede any lavves at al the makers lacking competent povver authoritie and iurisdiction to procede iudicially and authentically to heare determine define or giue sentence in any such things as be mere Ecclesiastical The Parliament is a mere temporal Court the Bishops them selues hauing voice there no othervvise but as Barons of the Realme nor hauing authoritie thereby or in that respect to treat or define of any matters other then pertaine to the ciuil regiment of the state al the povver that they or others there haue being deriued from the Prince and Commonvvealth ciuil vnto vvhom neither by the lavv of God nor of nature the defining of such matters do belong And it is an euident errour reproueable by al humane and diuine learning that the souerainty or supremacie in causes Ecclesiastical is by nature or by Christian lavves implied in the right or title of a temporal King or that it euer vvas due or can be due to any temporal gouernour Heathen or Christian in the vvorld Not to the crovvne of a Heathen Prince can it belong vvhose Emperial Kingly or Princely povver ouer their peoples vvas notvvithstanding lavvful and true soueraintie and agreable to the lavv of nature and Gods ordinance of vvhich States the Apostles spake vvhen they charged the Christians to pray for them and to be subiect and obedient to them generally through their Epistles as our Sauiour also did in the Gospel concerning the paiment of tribute forasmuch as for some hundred yeres after there vvere not many Princes conuerted to Christ and yet al that vvhile the Church had her seueral regiment Not to Pagan Emperours then did it belong though they vvere no lesse Emperial and Kingly then novv neither vvas it chalenged of them for the principal Apostles ruled the Church in Rome vvhē Nero reigned likevvise vvhere the Kingdoms are reuolted againe as in al the Turkes dominion needes must the Church there haue a spiritual regimēt vvithout any dependance of the Heathen Kings vvhom yet in temporal matters they obey and serue And therfore al that the Protestants alleage out of Scriptures make no more for the claime of a Christian Prince then for the right of the Heathen Againe not to the crovvne of Kings or kingdoms in that they be Christian for then the Church vvhich is Christes mystical body or Commonvvealth matching and meeting vvith a terrene or earthly state should forsake her proper regiment iurisdiction and forme of gouernement receiued immediatly of Christ and yeld the same and it self to the earthly povver vvhich the Apostle calleth humanam creaturam By vvhich meanes vvhen so euer a king or Countrie is conuerted the Church should come and submit to them and not they to Christ and his Church vvhich must needes be most absurd Princes and peoples conuerted alvvaies submitting them selues to Christ and his lavves not dravving the Gouernours of the Church or any person therof to more subiection then they vvere before their Christianitie yea often rather rem◅ting some of that for Christes honour And therfore the holy Scriptures informe vs by euident speaches that conuerted Kingdōs must serue the Church The Kingdom and Nation saith the Prophete that serueth not thee meaning the Church shal perish And S. Augustine Our Lord saith he wil not sail to defend his Church who hath made al earthly kingdoms subiect to his yoke within her lappe spred through out the whole world Kings by receiuing Christes religion are not become Christes Maisters or Lordes ouer the
late proclamations published in Iulie and Ianuarie last and othervvise Vvherein because vve vvould not in any vvise oppose our selues to publike authoritie or giue occasion of further offense specially in these daies and sectes so prone to despise Domination vve durst not presume to direct the vvordes of our defense to her Maiestie or Councel particularly though S. Iustine S. Hilarie and other holy fathers haue done the like to their Princes but to al indifferent readers generally Praiyng neuertheles to God vpon our knees that he vvil incline her Graces and her honorable Councels hartes vvith mercie and equitie to read the same Vve require it vvith teares euen for the passion of our Sauiour and for their soules sake ⧠Our coming beyond the seas and liuing out of our natiue Countrie CHAP. 1. FIrst vvheras vve be closely charged in the Edict of the 15 of Iulie 1580 that vve be fled into forraine partes and refuse to liue in our natural Countrie Vve protest to al the vvorld that it is not for any vnduetiful affection alienation or estranging our hartes and likings frō the same as our daily prayers and sacrifices to God our continual sighes and teares both publike and priuate our sundrie duetiful attempts and hazards of our persons and the bloud and liues of our brethren yelded in Apostolike and peaceable sort for the vveale and saftie therof do abundantly testifie Nor for that by vnkind affectiō vve preferre any Countrie or Commonvvealth before our ovvne be the commodities in them selues neuer so many or their courtesies to vs neuer so great as in deede through Gods goodnes to vvhose honour it specially pertaineth and for vvhose cause they be done the fauours euery vvhere shevved vs are vvorthy immortal memorie and thankes vvherof our often sorovvful bevvailing before God and complaintes one to an other do beare vs vvitnesse Vvhich vve novv vvillingly disclose also to the vvorld concerning the hard state of our long banishment vvhich be it neuer so much eased by Christian contentation and manifold graces of the people vvith vvhom vve conuerse yet neuer vvanteth the ordinarie difficulties and displeasant accidēts that folovv strangers in euery place Thou knovvest Good Lord hovv often vve haue lamented together that for our sinnes vve should be constrained to spend either al or most of our seruiceable yeres out of our natural Countrie to vvhich they are most due and to vvhich in al ages past they should haue been grateful that our offices should be acceptable and our liues and seruice agreable to strangers and not to our deerest at home Thou knovvest hovv earnestely vve haue together desired thee to incline our Princes hart to admitte vs to our Countrie into vvhat state so euer so that vve might there in pouertie and penance néuer so extreme serue the poore soules to their saluation voiding our cogitations of al the honours commodities preferments that our forefathers and the Realme yelded and gaue to such functions acquitting them for our ovvne partes to the present possessioners and incumbents or to vvhom so euer God shal permitte Thou knovvest hovv iustly vve haue bevvailed our heauy case that so many strange nations hauing their Churches vvith freedom to serue God after there maner in our Countrie onely Catholikes vvhich in our fathers daies had all and for vvhom and by vvhom al Churches and Christianitie arose can by no intercession of forraine Potentates nor no sighes nor sorovves of innumerable most loyal subiectes obtaine one place in the vvhole land to serue their Lord God after the rites of al other good Christian Princes Priests and people of the vvorld That no Ievv no Turke no Pagan can by the lavv of God nature or nations be forced from the maner and persuasion of his ovvne Sect and Seruice to any other vvhich by promis or profession he or his progenitors neuer receiued onely vve that neither in our ovvne persons nor in our forefathers euer gaue consent to any other faith or vvorship of God but haue in precise termes by protestation and promis bound our selues in Baptisme to the Religion faith and Seruice Catholike alone are against diuine and humane lavves and against the Protestants ovvne doctrine in other nations not onely bereued of our Christian due in this behalfe but are forced by manifold coactions to those rites vvhich vve neuer knevv nor gaue our assent vnto Vvherein our greefe of hart is much increased either vvhen vve looke into other States and Countries as Germanie Suitzerland Suetia Polonia Boëmia and the like vvhere though there haue been great alterations in religion these late yeres yet lightly none be forced so but if they can not haue the exercise of their profession in one territorie Canton tovvne Church or Parish yet they may haue it neere them in an other as also in al the Prouinces and kingdoms subiect either to the Persian or the Turke at this day the old Christians be permitted to vse freely their deuotions or vvhen vve looke backe to the like distresses of Catholikes in old time vvhen certaine Emperours vvere cheefe fautors of Arianisme and other Sectes vvho yet vvere often induced of their natural benignitie to yeld certaine Churches or at least Oratories in Churcheyardes and other places adioyning for the Catholike seruice in their dominions So did Constantius the Arian Emperour and Valens graunt to S. Athanasius and his folovvers in Alexandria vvhich Valens God plaged aftervvard because he vvould not suffer the same at Antioche Valentinian also the yonger profered the like to S. Ambrose in Millan Vvhich onely grace of our Prince if vve might haue obtained no pleasure profite or preferment that the vvorld beside yeldeth in any part of Christendom should haue kept vs out of our deerely beloued Countrie so long for vvhose saluation and so much libertie of conscience as is mentioned vve haue often vvished diuers of our persons in perpetual prison for pledge and vvarrant of the peaceable and loyal demeanour of our brethren the Catholikes and for securitie of the state vvherof her vvise Counselers haue alvvaies in such cases greatest regard But neither this durst our Catholike brethren demaund in their manifold feares doubtes and disgraces at home nor vve in such suspicion and misconstruction of al our actions could euer vvith hope attempt it abrode And alas much lesse then the graunt of publike places for exercise of our ancient religion vvould haue giuen infinite contentment to the Catholikes vvithin and haue called home most of them abrode vvhen both sortes vvould haue counted it a singular grace during the distresse of these daies to haue had by permission pardon conniuence their soul rightes vvithout vvhich men perish doubtlesse euerlastingly in their priuate houses and chambers yea in prisons in the closeth and lest offen fensiue maner in the vvorld as the Apostles and Confessors did often in the primitiue Church and S. Cyprian testifieth that some did in his time and S. Athanasius him selfe did vvith the Catholikes in
Church as it is his spiritual and mystical Commonvvealth but are called by the Prophete her foster fathers as Queenes be also named her nources because it belongeth to the earthly povver that God hath giuen them to defend the lavves of the Church to cause them to be executed and to punish rebelles and transgressors of the same The Church then liue she among the Heathens liue she vvith the Christians must haue and hold that forme of regiment and Commonvvealth vvhich Christ immediatly instituted and vvas not chosen made or created by the peoples ordinance and consent vvhich is the origine of al other humane states and formes of Politie the holy Ghost perpetually assisting protecting and propagating the said spiritual regiment in al degrees and functions as in Apostles Bishops Priests and the rest to the end of the vvorld And to these the Apostle said Attend to your self and to your whole flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath put you to rule the Church Of these he said to vs Obey your Rulers and be subiect to them for they watch as being to giue accoumpt for your soules This regiment is not the right of any earthly crovvne Prince or State they al if they be Christians ovving subiection to the Pastors of their soules and vnto the Church of Christ The Church neuer yelded it nor can yeld it vnto them It is not agreable to them by nature as vve see in the Heathen it can not be chalenged by their Christianitie by vvhich them selues are bound to obey the Church and may not commaund it no earthly Commonvvealth can giue or conferre it to their Prince because they can not giue that vvhich they haue not by any natural facultie The Prince therfore neither taking it of the people nor hauing it by birth or othervvise can not communicate it to Parliament and consequently can not possibly make lavves heare or determine by him self Parliament or any other Court in such sort subiected vnto him of the Churches regiment And strange it is specially in that first assembly of the States hovv they could attempt to bring the Churches spiritual and proper regimēt into consultation iudicial cognition and deliberation before the Prince or them selues vvere found lavvful iudges in such cases no statute then that stood in force graunting them any such povver nor no such thing any vvay lavvful othervvise then by the false presupposition of the Princes Ecclestastical supremacie vvhich yet vvas not by lavves nor in truth by nature could be agnised before the determination therof in Parliament Vvhich hauing no legal meanes to deliberate of the matter could much lesse giue sentence for it But such knottes vvhē they cā not be loosed thē they are bold to breake thē as they did an other like insoluble in the next Parliament about creating their Bishops Vvhich being deficient in the foundation can hardly be amended In truth the Prince or Court of Parliament hath no more lavvful meanes to giue order to the Church and Clergie in these things then they haue to make lavves for the hierarchies of Angels in heauen To bring in these nouelties many a hard shift is sought God knovveth and of al absurdities this paradoxe of the Supremacie passeth the Lutherans flatly controvvling it in general and Caluin him self vvith al the Puritās at the least much misliking and reprehending the first graunt therof to King Harrie for it is al one to be head of the Church and to be cheefe Gouernour in causes Ecclesiastical And it may be thought that it is for some such quidditie that their B. of Canterburie hath been restrained The truth is novv after they haue flattered the Prince there vvith sufficiently for the establishing of their religion they vvould gladly haue the spiritual souerainty thē selues the better to establish other nevv deuises of their ovvne vvherein if they might do as they list square should haue been round long since and of al daies in the yere sunday vvere like to be fasting day But hovv so euer such giue or deny the same to the Prince it is plaine against al reason and nature and that much more in a vvoman then a man vvhich is not capable therof by her sexe It giueth povver to the Queene to conferre that to others as to the Priests and Bishops to preach minister Sacramēts haue cure of soules and such like vvhich she neither hath nor can haue nor do her self It giueth her that may neither preach nor speake in publike of matters of religion to do that vvhich is much more euen to prescribe by her self or her deputes or lavves authorised onely by her to the preachers vvhat to preach vvhich vvay to vvorship and serue God hovv and in vvhat forme to minister the Sacraments to punish and depriue teach and correct them and generally to prescribe and appoint vvhich vvay she vvil be gouerned in soul It maketh the body aboue the soul the temporal regiment aboue the spiritual the earthly Kingdom aboue Christes body mystical It maketh the sheepe aboue the Pastor It giueth her povver to commaund them vvhom and vvherein she is bound to obey It giueth povver to the subiect to be iudge of the Iudges yea and of God him self as S. Cypriā speaketh It maketh her free frō Ecclesiastical discipline frō vvhich no true child of gods familie is exēpted It derogateth frō Christes Priesthod vvhich both in his ovvne person and in the Church is aboue his Kingly dignitie It deuideth vvhich is a matter of much importance the state of the Catholike Church and the holy communion or societie of al Christian men in the same into as many partes not communicant one vvith an other nor holding one of an other as there be vvordly Kingdoms differing by customs lavves and maners ech from other vvhich is of most pernicious sequele and against the very natiue qualitie of the most perfect coniunction societie vnitie and entercourse of the vvhole Church and euery Prouince and person therof together It openeth the gappe to al kind of diuisions schismes sectes and disorders It maketh al Christian Bishops Priests and vvhat other so euer borne out of the Realme forainers and vsurpers in al iurisdiction Ecclesiastical tovvards vs and that there can be no iurisdiction ouer English mens soules but proceding and depending of her soueraine right therein Vvhich is directly against Christes expresse commaundement and commission giuen to Peter first and then to al the Apostles of preaching baptizing remitting retaining binding and loosing ouer al the vvorld vvithout difference of temporal state or dependance of any mortal Prince therein It keepeth the Realme from obediēce to general Councels vvhich haue been or shal be gathered in forraine Countries It taketh avvay al cōuenient meanes of gathering holding or executing any such Councels and their decrees as appeared by refusing to come to the late Councel of Trent notvvithstanding the Popes Messengers and letters of other great Princes vvhich
Gods vvord that preeminence aboue Protestants they haue also Finally if the time of their liuing in this vvorld vvas by much more then a thousand yeres in diuers of them neerer to Christ then ours is and thereby they might very easily trace out the Apostles doctrine by the report of not many ages before them in these things novv doubted of that aduantage also they had beyond the Protestants Al these things vvith vvhat other prescriptions so euer any Catholikes haue had against Heretikes in al age vve haue against the Protestants in the most euident sort that can be So that vve may very fitly say as S. Augustine did by the like comparison onely changing the Heretikes names Hath long time so confounded heauen and earth light and darknes that Luther Caluin Zuinglius Bucer Beza do see and Hilarie Gregorie Ambrose Hierom Chrysostom and the rest are blind Therfore if either grace coÌ„mon sense diuine or humane probabilitie vvil serue our Schooles cary al vvith them against the Aduersaries if the expresse vvordes of Scriptures may preuail vve haue them a thousand times more cleere for vs then the Aduersaries haue for them if the sense must be sought for vve haue as many helps of nature of learning and of grace honour and thankes be to God as they haue to find it out the sentence is giuen for vs and against our Aduersaries in al the Tribunals of Gods Church Al Vniuersities al Colleges al Churches al Bishoprickes al Monasteries al monuments of Christianitie vvere made by and for Catholikes and for Protestants none Al the soules of our Christian fathers al the Saints in heauen al their actions vvorkes vvritings liues and deaths professe for vs. Therfore if our doctrine be erroneous there is no truth nor can be no God Christ religion nor saluation Vvhich Atheisme is the end of al these vnhappy reuolts from the vnitie of Gods people And for the particular points of our doctrine Catholike vve haue and diuers other learned in banishment haue before vs by sundrie bookes in our vulgare tonge defended them vvith al maner of learning and proofes that the Protestants them selues required and haue refuted the contrary inuincibly By vvhich combat in vvriting bookes though they vvere the chalengers and promised for the entertainemeÌ„t therof or at least vvished in shevv of vvordes al freedom and impunitie yet aftervvard they vvere driuen to forbid the entering hauing or reading of al our vvorkes Vvherevpon madde I. Pace meeting one day vvith M. Iuel called the B. of Salisburie but not secundum vsum SaruÌ„ the ProtestaÌ„ts chaÌ„pion saluted his L. courtly and said Novv my Lord ê™ he you may be at rest vvith these felovves for you are quit by ProclamatioÌ„ Neuertheles the Aduersaries haue not ceased to make shevv of ansvver to diuers of the said Catholikes vvritings but vvith such il grace in the sight of al vvise men that they haue rather furthered our cause then their ovvne For their ansvver is nothing els but a plaine running avvay like vnto some covvardly dogges that fleing from the fight yet in running avvay looke backe and barke and bay at their enimie or the game vvhich any man of iudgement may sone espie Alleage them Scriptures it is not Canonical alleage that vvhich them selues acknovvledge to be Canonical they corrupt it vvith false translation deceitful alteration fantastical glosing such as neuer came to any vvise faithful maÌ„s mind before Alleage them Doctors they deny the bookes alleage others or their bookes confessed they say they vvere in a blind age of some that they folovved the errors of the Gentility of al together that they vvere men Alleage sacred Councels they vvil not beleeue them vvithout expresse Scriptures Vvhen vve reply yea but vvhy beleeue you not these men and Saints and iudicial meanes of trial of the true sense of Scriptures seing you are but men also your selues and a litle vvorse men then they then at length they come to the spirit of God vvhich they arrogate to theÌ„ selues and deny it to Gods Church Priests and Councels to vvhom it vvas promised And being at this exigent they flee from the question of doctrine to liues and maners of Popes Prelates and Priests as though there vvere any creature liuing more profane and impure then the preacher Protestant or al vvere true vvhich the deepe hatred and malice of Heretikes feine against Gods Priests or the vulgar vices of humane frailety vvere the fruites by vvhich false teachers be tried or vve for the condemmation of the Protestants doctrine charged them onely or specially vvith the sinnes incident to mens infirmitie of euery sort and not rather vvith such crimes as be natural to Heretikes namely of this sect Vve charge them vvith rebellion against Christes Church lavves and ordinances vvith disobedieÌ„ce to their lavvful Pastors vvith contempt of holy Councels fathers and Doctors vvith falsifying corrupting denying diuers bookes and places of holy Scripture vvith contention and dissension among them selues disturbances of Kingdoms and Countries desire of liberty and nouelty inconstance and daily chaunge of their opinions presumptuous arrogance and vaunting of their knovvledge aboue al antiquity vvith singularity sacrilege apostasie incestuous mariages of vovved persons spoile of Churches profanation of al holy things preaching and teaching altogether to the disgracing of fasting vvatching virginity continencie voluntarie pouerty al good vvorkes and many other points directly tending to the corruption of good life in al states finally vvith blasphemie against Christes Sacrifice Sacraments Saincts and such like their enormities vvhich are faults properly proceding from their doctrine and therfore far vnlike to those proceding onely of humane infirmitie and mans frailety vvith vvhich they either falsly or truely charge the Clergie and specially the Popes and See Apostolike euen as the Nouatians and Donatistes did before them Vvhich offenses do so litle preiudice the truth and doctrine of the same Seat that S. Augustine auoucheth if some Iudas or traitor vvere in that office as there vvas one in the College of the Apostles that it could not be preiudicial to the doctrine of that See or the peoples obedience to the same Our heaueÌ„ly Maister saith he concerning naughty Gouernours of the Church hath made the people secure and void of care that for them the Chaire of holesom doctrine be not forsaken in which euen the euil them selues are compelled to speake good thinges For it is not their owne that they speake but Gods who in the chaire of vnitie hath put the doctrine of veritie And S. Cyprian giueth vvarning to all faithful people not to maruel nor in any vvise to trust an Heretike specially one fallen into relapse vvhen he raileth on Gods Priests With the fallen and profane saith he and such as are out of the Church out of vvhose breastes the holy Ghost is departed there can be nothing els but a wicked or peruerse mind and deceitful tonge and venemous hatred and sacrilegious lies Whom
disordered and shameful meanes of Protestants in these daies to preferre their rebellions against both the spiritual and temporal Gouernours besides the horrible designements of their Caluinistical Consistories pretented Synodes and Prophecyings in diuers Countries al tending directly to pernicious innouations Compare novve these factes and other the perilous treacheries done against the repose of al Realmes round about and you shal vvel perceiue the attēpts of the other side to be sport and pastime in any vvise mans iudgement of vvhat religion so euer he be to the implacable fiercenes and furie of the other a people by this nevv no religion made most brutish conscienceles restles and that vvil hazard al the Kingdoms of the vvorld before it be filled vvith bloud and spoile except God preuent the matter vvith his mercie and reduce al men to the obedience of his Catholike Church and their Princes againe And for the present troubles in Ireland vvhich novv namely seeme to giue some cause of doubt that our brethrens intentions may be against the state no lesse then for the preferment of the Catholike faith most sure it is and of certaine knovvledge the vvriter hereof protesteth that they neither vvere nor could be acquainted othervvise thervvith then by the common brute of the vvorld If the Pope haue any part in those affaires assure your selues their elders vvhich of reason should rather knovv it neither by his Holines mouth nor any of his ministers in the time of those Students being in Rome heard so much And therfore to racke those poore innocent persons and to vvreast out of them Princes secrets vvherof there can be no reason that they should be partakers is a lamentable and rare case in our Countrie specially in the clement reigne of her Maiestie Imagine ye the Italian gouernement and specially the Papacie to be so discretely menaged that euery poore Priest or scholer in the citie knovveth the Popes secrets No no Christ doth knovv it and he shall one day open their innocencie and iudge their cause and ours vvho as vve shal then ansvver before him neither knevv then nor novv knovv any intentions of Pope or Princes concerning such things as are conteined in the Articles of the pretended confederacie mentioned in the Proclamation of the 15 of Iulie as more largely vve haue declared before As that also vvhich the late relapsed Minister levvdly reported in open pulpit and printed booke that the Excommunication of the Queene should be published here in our College of Rhemes and set on the postes and publike places of this citie vve protest to be an impudent vntruth and slaunder vvherof the vvhole tovvne vvill beare vs vvitnes and euery vvise man might easily discouer that caluminious fiction because in the dominions of his Ma. tie most Christian vve neither could nor durst do any such thing So that by this one thing so maliciously feyned al sincere and indifferent men may deeme of the rest of his hearesaies and sightes at Rome as of impudent lies and slaunders Humbly therefore vve desire for the honour of God her Ma. ties vvise and graue Counselers not to conceiue vpon such base felovves contriued calumniations othervvise of our doings and our brethrens either at home or abrode then as of men most obediently duetifully and naturally affectioned to her Ma. tie to their Honours and our deerest Countrie so far euer as shal stand vvith our subiection to Gods lavves and the Churches to vvhich vve are as much bound by our Baptisme and religion as to the former by nature and birth Being in the behalfe of God bold this much further in like loyaltie to tell them that the causes of vvhat perils and dangers so euer may be tovvard that Realme vvherof so God saue our soules vve haue no knovvledge can not be iustly attributed but to the first alteration of religion and forsaking the society of the Catholike Church and kingdoms Hereof proceedeth the multitude of nevv Sectes directly tending to the disturbance of publike repose vvhich for the special attentiō giuen to the doings of Catholikes are vvittingly ouerseen Vvhich Sectes in this case must needes proue more pernicious because by the propertie of many of them teaching their likers by contrarie actes othes and asseuerations to couer their conscience til time require their intentions can hardly be discouered and by the common condition of al heresies bringing noueltie chaunge and libertie vvhich yeld them many folovvers shal hardly be resisted Catholikes abhorred these mutations from the beginning because it is their grace to loue antiquitie grauitie and constancie Vvhom also it is our principal endeuour to induce to the open confession of their faith vvhen by the lavv of God it is required and neuer by contrarie othes or actions to pretend an other religion then they beare in their breastes Vvhich plaine discouerie of our selues can not be disagreable or dangerous to the Politie And maruel it is in our eies that such extreme diligence should be vsed by al penal lavves othes punishments and persuasions to driue the Catholikes to professe that outvvardly vvhich is knovven they hate in their hartes invvardly as though there vvere imminent danger of open professed Catholikes and none of the close dissemblers in the same kind For I thinke their vvisedoms do not imagine that their othes and statutes do chaunge their meanings though they alter their countenances nor that feare can long or surely keepe his maister Hovv so euer it be alteration of religion is the cause of al inconueniences though a fevv yeres vvordly prosperitie couer from the simple that very first surge of our miserie and perplexitie and to returne to Gods Church againe is the onely right remedie out of vvhich al Kingdoms are sure to perish assuredly Vvhich not acknovvledged maketh many a plaister and preseruatiue to be vvrongly applied Against our Lord no force nor counsel can preuaile vvho hath vsed as their vvisdoms must needes knovv the rod of his ire against al those great Kingdoms once most florishing in Christian faith and libertie novv vnder the tyrannie of the Turke and other Heathens specially for sinne schisme and heresie Let not their Honours contemne the voice and admonition of a poore creature vvhose speach may be the instrument of Gods prouident care ouer that poore afflicted people vnder her Ma. ties and their gouernement But if the restitution of the Realme to the Catholike Church can not stand vvith their consciences as being persuaded their ovvne religion to be true or at least not vvith their vvisedoms for that being thus far gone the retiring backe might be dangerous to the state yet for Christes loue vve aske it let their Honours haue some care and consideration of our consciences also and of other innumerable in the Realme no lesse timorous and as vvel informed as theirs or any mens can be in this case that for our satisfactiō before God and for the peril that may fall through his offense and indignation to them