a hundred thousand were slaine in one yeere in the rebellion of the countreymen against the lords about religion But the more hée toucheth these matters the more shame hee shall bring vpon himselfe and the synagogue of Rome For not any of our communion but the cruell popes of Rome and their agentes haue caused these tragedies They stirred vp the French King Spaniard to make wars vpon their quiet subiects that desired nothing but peace Nay when a solemne peace was concluded they made that a trappe to catch a number of noble men and others to murder them True christians haue still suffered and yet this sauage companion imputeth vnto them the tragicall murders committed by papistes In Scotland the people neuer stirred before their liues were sought the insurrection of the rusticall people in Germany was for a Sleidan gréeuances offered them by their Lords and not properly for religion They were not of our religion but rose against lords as well of our religion as papists and by our side were both by word and force suppressed But the warres in Bohemia and Germanie and Swizzerland were indéede raised by the popes and their agents and all the worlde séeth that all their studie is to raise warres and tumults to trouble all Christendome And yet Christian princes will not sée neither will Christian people beware of such vnchristian courses As for the people of England they are to shewe themselues thankfull not onely for the restoring of true religion but also for the fruite that hath thereof ensued in all true religious Christians After his talke of spirituall blessings hée passeth to speake of temporall benefits and saith that If her Maiestie as she entred by generall consent and was promoted by the forces of papists especially and shewed herselfe in all points of religion and behauiour a papist and was crowned at a masse so had continued then had shee and her realme beene most happy and first shoulde haue had a most florishing kingdome vnited both to her and among themselues in religion iudgement affection fidelitie and friendship But his tale consisteth of diuers foule leasinges and his coniecture is vaine and improbable For albeit shée entred with consent of all good men yet it gréeued the papists excéedingly insomuch that shée could not get any one popish prelate to execute the ceremonie of consecration but onely one and hée one of the meanest The rest like traitors refused Secondly it is false that shée was promoted by force of papists For what néeded force if all were willing shée shoulde bée crowned and if the papists were vnwilling it is not likely they would vse force vnlesse it was to force their owne wils Thirdly it is most false that shée shewed herselfe in all points of religion and behauiour both in her sisters daies and at her coronation a papist For if shée had so done why should the popish prelats feare any alteration seeing shée gaue no signe of any as this babling companion prateth And why should they refuse to sacre her if shée ment to obserue all popish ceremonies vnlesse they doubted of her title Lastly it is most false that shée was crowned at a masse For shée declared plainly shee woulde no masse which was a great occasion why the popish bishops refused to consecrate her But were this true yet his coniecture of happinesse that would haue ensued of continuance of the masse is most vaine and foolish For albeit the French kinges Francis the second Charles the ninth and Henry the third continued the masse and all popish ceremonies yet neither did the kingdome of France flourish in their times nor were their subiectes eyther vnited to their princes or at vnity among themselues Likewise they of the Low countries haue long continued in great troubles and dissensions and béene forced to defend their liues and liberties against the violence both of the king of Spaine himselfe and of his agentes albeit the king alwaies séemed a sworne seruant and vassall of the pope of Rome and a firme papist The Portugals also neither greatly affect the Spanish king nor do well sort with the Castilians or those that fauor them and haue now lost their ancient glorie and libertie albeit their princes haue still continued vassals to the pope Why then notwithstanding the continuance of popish religion might not dissension as well haue hapned in England betwixt the prince and people and among the people themselues do we thinke that our nation could still haue endured the vnsatiable crueltie of popish prelates or is it likely that a frée people could haue endured the slauish yoke of the pope of Rome But bée it that our countrey-men could haue swallowed all yet must wée vnderstand that the pope of Rome woulde neuer haue suffred her Maiestie to reigne whom both Clement the seuenth had declared illegitimate a Sanders de schism Paul the third pronounced vncapable of the crowne This coniecture therefore of a flourishing kingdom in case poperie had continued is nothing but a vaine flourish of a foolish discourser And so much the rather may we thinke so because no kingdome can florish without true religion nor can they long agrée among themselues that haue no attonement with God nor consent in true faith Secondly he imagineth that great securitie woulde haue ensued of the cōtinuance of popish religion For saith he Then none of these feares and terrors of inuasions conquests treasons and conspiracies had euer come in consideration But hée much mistaketh the knights meaning if he do suppose that hée either feareth the force of forreine enimies or the secret practises of traitors For hée feareth them not but exhorteth his countrymen to prepare themselues to repulse the forreine enimie that is so busie and to watch that they bee not intrapped by secret practises of pretended friends True it is that the rinegued and Hispaniolized English do by all meanes séeke to draw forreine enimies into the countrey and to practise mischiefe at home but hée is very blinde that séeth not that we are as well able to resist such attempts as euer our ancestors were and he is a bastardly and dastardly Englishman that feareth to encounter the Spaniard in so good a cause or is afraid of the Spanish brags In the meane while it is woorth the marking that this Noddy doth signify that either by force or practise the papists meane to haue their will And yet some men there bée that will not sée their malice and thinke it needlesse to take any course to resist and encounter their practises But suppose poperie had héere continued how coulde this Noddy haue giuen vs warrant that we shoulde haue béene neither oppugned by enimies abroad nor by traitors at home was not Henrie the third of France excommunicated by the pope oppugned by his subiects murdred by a Dominican frier notwithstanding his zeale in poperie and all his seruice done to the pope Did not the Spaniard inuade Portugall albeit the
the king and stirreth vp both his subiects and forreine enimies against him but also curseth and banneth all his friends subiectes and partakers Their goods hée giueth away for a spoile their persons hée will haue solde for slaues and the waste of the whole lande hée woulde haue remaine as a monument of his holinesses great displeasure Neither did it content him to prosecute the liuing onely vnlesse the dead also were throwne out into the fieldes as vnwoorthy of christian buriall Such is the charitie of his holinesse towards christians and his louing affection toward the English nation Neither was Paule the thirdes fact singular For in our times Pius quintus and Sixtus quintus haue published no lesse odious and scandalous excommunications against her most gracious Maiestie most bitterly cursing her and all her louing subiects then their predecessor did against Henry the eight and his people Further they haue not onely gone about to trouble this state by rebellions but also to subuert it by forreine b The plots were taken vpon Criton a Iesuite Throgmorton and others inuasions Haue wee not then great cause to honor and loue the popes holinesse that hath shewed himselfe so friendly to our princes and nation Wée may do well also to entertaine such priestes and friers as come from him séeing they wish vs no more harme then the destruction of the prince the ouerthrow of religion and the state the slaughter of our people Neither haue they any thing in their vowes but that all our throtes were cut by the Spaniard Nay when neither by open hostilitie nor secret treasons and practise they could preuaile against vs they haue encouraged certaine railing and scurrilous companions by infamous libels to defame her Maiestie to raile on her chéefe Counsellors and to dishonor all our nation and those especially that haue shewed themselues most forward in dooing God and their countrey seruice This prating companion sheweth himselfe verie spitefull albeit hée woulde dissemble it Sanders Rishton Allen Ribadineira and others haue published cart-lodes of slanders and lies against the Prince the Nobilitie and diuers other honest men Finally beside these wrongs and disgraces which concerne matters temporall the popes of Rome haue gone about to wrong vs in matters spirituall which concerne the saluation of our soules For they haue not onely sought to depriue vs of the worde of God in our mothers language of true faith and doctrine of the sincere administration of the Sacraments and of a true ministerie according to Christ his institution but also in lieu thereof to establish the idolatrous worship to stocke and stones of angels of saints departed and to bring into the church the abomination of the masse togither with manifold superstitions impieties and heresies And for this cause they haue secretly sent into this lande diuers a It is thought that aboue 400. of them are dispersed in diuers corners in England troopes of massing priestes and friers all marked with antichristes brand to seduce simple people and to draw them to superstition idolatrie and heresie Wherefore let all true christians and true harted Englishmen open their eies and beware that they be not oppressed both with spirituall and temporall bondage and slauerie This is it which the popes of Rome entend and haue by so many practises laboured this is also the drift of this glauering parasites discourse This the merchants of Babylon and slaues of antichrist which secretly lurke in diuers corners of this lande watching their oportunitie do wholie purpose But remember that you haue faire warning CHAP. VIII Of the Spanish nation and king Philip the second and his practises against England wherein also the eight encountre of our aduersarie N. D. is examined LOth I am and very vnwilling where the different betwixt vs and the Spaniard hath béene so long in deciding by blowes to begin any long contention about words termes It is a cōmon saying words are light as winde and men of action in wordes commonly vse least ostentation Beside that I holde it no good course to set out inuectiues against princes and especially such as are now departed this life and haue receiued their guerdon whether they haue done good or euill The popes and their parasites take to themselues libertie in infinite slanderous pamphlets to disgrace all men opposite to their faction neither sparing prince nor priuate person liuing nor dead but all honest men detest this frierlike fashion I thinke it also a vaine thing to recount matters formerly past that concerne vs little or nothing But yet seeing this pratling and busie felow our aduersarie will néedes haue the Spanyards and their late king the subiect of this encounter and like a fugitiue traytor sticketh not to aduance them aboue his owne nation and to pleade their cause against his owne prince and country I am content thus farre to reason of them as that men may learne how farre to trust them and vnderstand that we haue no reason either to feare their force or to yéelde them any superiority or to thinke better of the Spanyard then of our owne nation Lastly least any might suppose our aduersary to haue spoken wisely and learnedly I will briefely runne ouer his discourse and note the leudnesse and vnsufficiency of his pleading His vnnaturall and vnkind dealing against his prince and nation before which he taketh on him to preferre the Spaniard I néede not to note for it is too too apparent and sufficientlie knowne to any that will take paines to read ouer his idle discourse The time hath béene when the English and Spaniardes did well agrée as appeared not onely by mutuall trade and conuersation of both nations one with another but also by diuers publike contractes and leagues made betwixt them Sometime the kinges of England matched with the house of Spaine and sometime the Spanish kings haue had their wiues out of England and both of them estéemed much of the amity eache of other albeit the Spaniard hath béene more happy to receiue more profit of this coniunction with England then our nation by our matches and linking with the house of Spaine For by the aide of our archery the Spaniardes diuers times haue obteined victory against the Mores and Don Pedro king of Castile béeing expulsed by his subiects by the blacke prince and the English forces was restored to his kingdome Neither could Ferdinand king of Spaine so easily haue possessed the kingdome of Nauarre had not the forces of English sent for his aide by king Henry the seuenth distracted the French so that they could not come in time to succor their friends distressed Contrarywise king Edward the first matching with the house of Castile receiued smal aduancement as is declared in the chronicle of a In Henric. 3. Matthew of Paris and king Henry the seuenth matching with Catherine of Spaine presently lost his sonne and heire The same woman also béeing maried afterward to king Henry the eight was like to
to worke wonders and the worlde shall beléeue his signes and wonders 22. He shall prescribe a certaine forme of ceremonies lawes to all his folowers Finally he shall rise obscurely receiue power of princes encrease by force be folowed with all wicked traytors heretikes atheistes and shall be destroyed with the breath of Gods spirite All which conditions as they are proper and well agrée to the pope of Rome and his kingdome so the aduersaries themselues cannot shew any other vnto whome these qualities canne agree He calleth himselfe Christs vicar and yet opposeth himselfe against Christ and his kingdome He declareth himselfe a plaine aduersary in suppressing Gods word and extolling his owne constitutions and aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God He taketh to himselfe the name power and honor that is proper to God excelling all mortall creatures in pride and arrogancy His life is full of all abominations He taketh no shame albeit his dooings be most shamefull nay albeit his ignorance in religion be excéeding great yet doth he vant himselfe that he cannot erre in decyding of matters of faith Presently vpon the decay of the Romayne empire his kingdome beganne to shew it selfe Neyther did he rise but vpon the ruines of that state Hauing gotten credite among Christians he brought in infinite nouelties into religion and by his euill example and facilitie in granting pardons wrought a great dissolution in mens manners At Rome hée now reigneth and none but hée Nay hée is reputed to bée head of the church although head of the societie of wicked and feined Christians His kingdome is plainly described in the figure of the purple whoore and of Babylon Finally his mysticall impieties persecutions of Christians merchandizing of mens soules and all those properties of antichrist which before I described appéering in him and in no other declare him to bée antichrist Neither can any medicine which the papists haue deuised helpe this gréefe As for the Noddy our aduersarie hée doth not vnderstand those reasons which hée draweth out of Bellarmine Much lesse is hée able to enforce them First hée telleth vs That antichrist shall be one singuler man But that cannot stande with the apostles wordes that teacheth vs that the mysterie of iniquitie began to worke in his time Againe the kingdome of Antichrist could not bée erected attaine to such greatnes by one man onely nor is one onely man opposite to Christ Further the state of antichrists kingdome is called an apostacie but the terme of apostacie cannot fit one man Finally Saint a 1. Ioan. 2. Iohn saith that that antichrist that was prophecied of was in the world in his time And b Tract 30. in Matthaeum Origene maketh antichrist a state or succession of men Generaliter saith hée vnus antichristus est species autem eius multae Neither haue the Scriptures or fathers any thing whereof the contrarie may directly be concluded Onely the scriptures by the figure of one beast do set out a state and the fathers do firmely adhere to the manner of spéech vsed in Scripture which by one particular man vnderstand diuers men succéeding in one state Nay the aduersaries themselues beléeue that Christ by the rocke Mat. 16. whereupon he said he would build his church vnderstood not onely Peter but all the bishops of Rome Secondly he saith That the Iewes shall receiue Antichrist for their Mesâ—ias And therefore that it is not likely that the pope should be Antichrist whome they canne neuer admit for their Messias But the antecedent is a méere fancy taken vp without ground For albeit our sauiour â—an 5. saith that the Iewes Will receiue another if he come in his owne name yet canne it not be gathered that he speaketh there of Antichrist For he speaketh indefinitely and saith if any come in his owne name that him they will receiue And so doth d In Ioan. 5. Nonnus expound it And if we should otherwise take it then would it folow that Antichrist should come in the apostles times that he might be receiued of those to whome our sauiour then spoke Thirdly he reasoneth out of Matth. 24. and 2. Thes 2. That the gospel of Christ must first be preached to all nations before the comming of Antichrist which saith he is not yet fulfilled But in the 2. Thes 2. there is no mention made of preaching the Gospell to all nations In the 24. of Matthew wée finde that the preaching of the Gospell to all nations shall bée fulfilled before Christs second comming and not before the comming of Antichrist But were this a signe of the comming of antichrist yet it is long since the sound of the Gospell hath passed throughout the world Fourthly That antichrist should be a Iewe and of the tribe of Dan is but a méere conceite of some few vpon false vnderstanding of scripture for how shall a Iewe that establisheth the ceremoniall law of Moses bée receiued among Christians Wherefore this notwithstanding the pope may bée antichrist Fiftly it is a Iewish fancie That antichrist shall reigne in Hierusalem and restore Salomons Temple Neither is anie such matter gathered out of the eleuenth chapter of the Apocalypse where it is saide not that the bodies of Henoch and Helias as this falsarie hath but That the bodies of the two prophets shall lie in the streetes of the great citie For he speaketh not of the persecution by antichrist but by the Gentiles and vnderstandeth all godly men that shall beare witnesse of the truth of Christ Iesus a Lib. 18. in Isai ad Algas q. 11. Hierome saith that all these imaginations of restoring the citie and temple ceremonies procéede from the heresie of Cerinthus And truely very strange it were if antichristes reigne continuing but thrée yéeres and a halfe as our aduersaries hold hée shoulde reedifie the citie and the temple and founde so large a kingdome as that of antichrist shall bée Sixtly it cannot bée prooued That antichrist shall expresly deny Iesus and vtterly abolish the sacraments instituted by Christ and openly professe that either hee is Messias or God himselfe Neither in the 1. of Ioh. 2. v. 22. nor Ioh. 5. nor 2. Thes 2. which places are cited to this purpose is any such thing to be founde Nay his dooings they shall bée mysticall and hée shall deceiue many But if hée shoulde plainly denie Christ and abolish his Sacraments he coulde not deceiue any Christian Saint b In Ioan. Tract 3. Augustine therefore calleth them antichrists That by their workes denie Christ And cunningly shall antichrist peruert the Sacraments and take to himselfe diuine worship All which wée sée verified by the pope and therefore rightly take him to be antichrist Seuenthly that antichrist shall worke lying miracles it is not denied For it is very apparent that popish religion doth much stande vpon miracles and the legendes red in churches are full of them But that hee shall make fire come really and visiblie downe from heauen
by the answeres of Campian Sherwin Briant Kirby Filby and diuers other priestes But a Lib. 7. de visib Monarch Sanders saith that the purpose of the rebels was to bee praised albeit they had no successe Nobilium iliorum laudanda consilia erant c. and he b Ibidem calleth the rebellion Pium institutum fidei confessionem a pious or deuout resolution and a confession of their faith Hee c Ibidem accounteth those that died in that rebellion no woorse then martyrs d Motiue 15. Bristow likewise putteth the earle of Northumberland the two Nortons Woodhouse Plomptree and others that died for rebellion in the catalogue of martyrs Both hée and the rest allow pope Pius his bull and make Felton a martyr that was executed for setting the same vpon the bishop of Londons gates Cardinall Allen not without the helpe of Parsons and consent of other priestes published the declaration of Sixtus quintus his bull and exhorteth all her subiects To take armes against her Maiesty and to lay holde vpon her person and to deliuer her into the handes of her enimies And with Allen and Paâ—sons all the Seminarie priestes and friers that come ouer are consorted So then it appéereth that the papists generally and especially those that come from beyond the seas and are by the pope his agents emploied in England are a traiterous faction opposite to the state and her Maiesties gouernment Fourthly it appeereth that they adhere to forrain enimies and namely to the Spaniard and pope That they are our enimies it cannot be denied The law is cleare Hoâ—â—es ij sunt saith e ff de Verbor signific l. hostes Pomponius qui nobis aut quibus nos publiâ—è bellum decreuimus They are enimies with whom we haue wars That is also declared by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth them to be properly enimies that make wars vpon vs. They are also enimies that either by force or practise séeke the ouerthrow of a Prince or state if they be forreyners as subiects intending the same are rebels and traytors But the Spaniard hath made diuers hostile attempts against her maiestie and the state As namely first in comforting and abetting the northren rebels and promising them aide anno 1569. as appéereth plainely by testimonie of Gierome Catena in Pius Quintus his life and by the negotiation of Ridolphi with the Duke of Alua. Girol Catena in vita Pij Quinti Nay at the r solicitation of Pius Quintus about the yéere of our Lord 1567. he resolued to become our enimie and to employ all his forces against vs. Parsons also testifieth that at the popes agents request he sent succour to the rebels in Ireland Alexandro Sega Nuntio apostolico supplicante Cantabrorum Gallecorum manum subsidio Hibernis Desmondano misit saith Å¿ Andreas Philopater p. 134. he or at least his secretarie and agent Creswell In the yéere 1588. he prepared great forces both by sea and land to execute the popes Bull and to conquer England forsooth as both the t Sixti 5. sent declarat pope himselfe in his declaratorie sentence against her maistie and Cardinall Allen and Parsons that wicked traytor in their letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland doe plainely confesse Neither did king Philip the second euer cease to prosecute his purpose against vs as appéereth by diuers attempts and by the Aâ—elantadoes proclamation published at his last setting out from the Groyne wherein he plainely telleth vs that he came to conquer England and to kill vs all if he could And yet some will not beléeue either his owne words or other proofes Likewise no question is to be made but that the pope is a publike and professed enimie of this state and so hath béene euer since her maiestie came first to the crowne Pope Pius anno 1569. at the first chop published a most execrable Bull against her declaring her to be depriued of her crowne and her right before to haue beene pretended assoyling her subiects from their obedience and forbidding them vnder paine of excommunication to obey her any more Declaramus saith he de apostolicae plenitudinis potestate praedictam Elizabetham haereticam haereticorum fautricem eÃque adhaerentes anathematis sententiam incurrisse c. Quinetiam ipsam praetenso regni praedicti iure neâ—non omni quocunque dominio dignitate priuilegióque priuatam Item proceres subditos populos dicti regni ac caeteros omnes qui ei quomodocunque iurauerunt à iuramento huiusmodi omni prorsus dominij fidelitatis obsequij debito perpetuò absolutos c. Praecipimúsque interdicimus vniuersis singulis proceribus subditis populis alijs praedictis ne illi eiúsue monitis mandatis legibus audeaÌ„t obedire Qui secus egerint eos simili anathematis sententia innodamus With his hostile sentence he ioyned also hostile actions For he sent u Sanders de visib monarch lib. 7. Nicholas Morton into the north to stirre vp a rebellion in those parts Nicholaum Mor tonum saith Sanders in Angliam misit vt certis illustribus catholicis viris authoritate apostolica denuntiaret c. The same is also testified in forrein x Comes Natalis hist lib. 20. Histories When the rebels in the north were suppressed he encouraged the Duke of Norfolke to rebell promising him ayde of souldiours and money Pontifex saith y In historiae Manolessae Aemilius Manolessa post quam Ducis Norfolâ—iensis animum ad rebellionem incitatum intellexisset promisit se decem millia nulitum in Angliam missurum atque interim duodecim millia aureorum ad eum transmissurum He confesseth also that the rebellion in the north was stirred by Pius or rather the impious pope Robertum Ridolphum saith he misit Pius Quintus vt animos nobilium tentaret subditosque aduersus reginam Elizabetham armaret Hée z Girol Caten in vita Pij Quinti dealth also both with the old Quéene mother of France and with king Philip of Spaine most earnestly to ayde and comfort the rebels as appéereth by his letters and the negotiation of the Cardinall of Alexandria in Spaine Hée sent also Vincent Lauro into Scotland to worke trouble that way Gregorie the 13. stirred vp the rebellion in Ireland as appéered by the authoritie giuen to Sanders and other priestes and to make the businesse the hotter sent them some little reliefe of men and money Further as if this had not béene sufficent a In declarat Sixti 5. contra Elizabeth Sixtus Quintus did againe declare her maiestie excommunicate and as himselfe confesseth persuaded and enioyned the king of Spaine to execute his sentence and by force to expell her out of her kingdome To this ende also he sent both souldiours and money and by all meanes possible concurred with the Spanish forces and this deseignement also the popes succeeding haue to their
and therefore was it ordered That they should depart out of Paris within three dayes and out of France within fifteene dayes after notice to them giuen as corrupters of youth perturbers of publike peace and enemies of the king the state Iohn Chastel also himselfe cōfessed That Garet a Iesuite did teach him these lessons which made him resolue to kill the king Yea and that the father and sisters of the young man with teares and bitter tearmes detesting the Iesuites did declare further that it might appeare to posteritie that this was the doctrine of Iesuites that they taught the saide Chastell a pillar was set vp in the place where this desperate murderer and parricide dwelt testifying the same and mentioning that this was the cause of their expulsion out of France In that Monument the Iesuites are called Mali magistri and their colledge Schola impia and their religion called Noua malefica superstitio Further the Iesuites in a certaine apologie published presently vpon their expulsion out of France do not denie Iohn Chastels attempt to be lawfull or contrary to canons but rather conformable vnto them and that they endeuour to prooue by Sixtus Quintus his bul against the king and refute the sentence of the court against the saide Chastel as vniust He procéedeth further in cléering the Iesuites saith That Iohn Garet Chastels master being tortured denied that the Iesuites were priuie to this fact and that thereupon by publike testimony of the magistrate he was declared innocent Wherein he declareth himselfe very impudent howsoeuer the other was declared innocent for I haue shewed before by diuers arguments that the Iesuites were both priuie to this fact and did publikely defend the doctrine Nay the a Of the parliament of Paris register wherein his confession is recorded and the sentence of the court doth declare that the said Garet being a Iesuite was the teacher of that wicked doctrine which Chastell ment to execute therefore by publike sentence Was hee banished France and his goods confiscated Let it then bée considered with what conscience this woorthy Warder affirmeth that Garet was declared innocent by the magistrate Hée saith also That Iohn Ghineard Iesuite was put to death for that in his studie this question Whether it be lawfull in any case to kill a tyrant was found disputed on both sides without resolution But the a In the processe against Ghineard register of the court of parliament of Paris doth conuince his impudent lying For there it is testified that The saide Ghineard was founde seazed of diuers bookes composed by him and written with his owne hand conteining the approbation of the inhumane murder of Henry the third Beside that the court of Parliament of Paris enioined him to confesse That hee had wickedly spoken and determined that if Henry the fourth was not slaine in the wars hee must be slaine otherwise Finally his owne hande writing which hée acknowledged vpon his examination doth shewe that he did not onely propound the question in Thesi but resolued it in Hypothesi Neither doth our aduersarie doubt to accuse the Parliament of Paris of great iniustice for executing the saide Ghineard Seeing he saide no more then Thomas Caietan Sotus and other scholasticall diuines and Philosophers in times past As if scholasticall diuinitie and Philosophers fancies were warrant sufficient for men to kill princes or for Christians to attempt any thing Beside that the case of the Iesuites and of ancient writers is diuers These onely thinke it lawfull to kill such tyrants as by oppression and force inuade a kingdome The Iesuites account all tyrants that resist the popes tyrannie and are by him excommunicate Olde writers for the most part speake in Thesi against vsurpers But Ghineard the Iesuite spoke in Hypothesi and determined b In papers of Ghineard That it was lawfull to kill Henry the 3. and Henry the 4. which all the world acknowledgeth to be lawfull kings the popish faction onely excepted The fact of Iames Clement that murdred Henrie the third this Ghineard calleth Heroicall and a gift of gods spirit Speaking of king Henry the fourth he saith thus If he die not in the warres let him be slaine some otherwaies Hauing done with the Iesuites of France he goeth about to answere for the Iesuites of Doway and the low countries that as Peter Panne confessed himselfe Perswaded and hired and furnished him with a knife to kill Count Morice And this action he calleth a fiction denying that euer the Iesuites had any such intention But the matter is all too plaine to be faced out with flearing wordes The poore man was taken seased with a strange fashioned knife béeing examined he voluntarily confessed both his owne fault and by whome he was induced to do that wicked act He continued in his confession and was executed for his treason at Leyden The magistrates of Leyden do testifie so much and there is no cause why any part of this narration should séeme vntrue For no man hath reason to accuse himselfe or others vniustly especially where it goeth vpon the perill of a mans life Nor is it likely that any should suffer death for matter feined and supposed and without proofe Certes if any doubted of the matter before b Sica tragica Costers and this Noddies defence is so simple that it may greatly confirme him in this truth They alledge certificates to disprooue Peter Pannes confession But what credite can such writinges deserue that may bée forged for any thing wée knowe and béeing admitted to haue béene written yet appeare to haue beene extorted by the Iesuites and made by men fauouring their faction Beside that they séeme to bee graunted without due proofe and procéeding and yet neither conclude against Peter Panne nor his confession First it is alleaged That hee was no papist at all But that is a fiction without all colour For why should not he be reputed a papiste that was continually among them and neuer had tast of any other religion Secondly our aduersarie saith He was a drunken vagrant and madde fellow As if he were not therefore more likely to enterprise such a made action He telleth vs further That Peter Panne was a man extreamely well affected to Count Morice But how canne this be prooued seeing it appeareth by the processe made against him that he neither knew him nor euer had séene him before his comming into Holland Is it not extreame folly to imagine any such extremity of affection without cause or proofe Fourthly he would beare vs in hand That the Iesuites had no cause to desire Count Morice his death Why then did the Iesuites séeke his fathers death and perswade men to kill the Quéene of England and the French king Do not men of euery faction desire those taken out of the way that are opposite to their designes Fiftly he denieth that Peter Panne euer prouided butter for the colledge of Iesuites as is conteined in Peter
in part by our aduersaries discourse who either betraying his clients or bewraying his owne trecherous humour or or a foolish humour of contradiction goeth about to prooue that a man may kéepe a good conscience to God and yet not kéepe faith and allegeance to his prince or to vse his owne words That a mans conscience to God may be seuered from obedience to his prince and this hée woulde iustifie by the example of Abraham Lot the ten tribes that left Roboam Iehu Hieremie Athanasius Eusebius Vercellensis Hilary others But as his position is strange so his proofes are most weake and simple Our Sauiour Christ commandeth vs to giue to Caesar that which is due to Caesar But no question but allegeance and obedience is due to Caesar The a Rom. 13. apostle saith Wee must bee subiect not for wrath onely but also for conscience sake And the apostle saint b 1. Pet. 2. Peter commandeth vs To submit our selues to the king for the Lordes sake Neither was it euer heard that any godly bishop did take vpon him to release the oath made to kings or to dissolue the obligation that tied subiects to princes The examples alleaged to prooue that conscience and obedience to princes may be seuered are much mistaken Abraham and Lot dwelling in Chaldea were not subiect to other princes but were princes themselues ruling their owne families as kings for that as yet kingdomes and common-welthes were not established But suppose they had béene subiect to some king yet were they not forbidden to leaue their countrey or if they were yet might they depart séeing God c Gen. 12. commanded Abraham out of his countrey But English fugitiues flie hence contrarie both to gods ordinance and the princes commandement The tenne tribes rebelled against Roboam and set vp a strange king beside that forsaking true religion they d 1. Reg. 12. set vp idols in Bethel so papists rebell against their princes and English fugitiues woulde set vp a strange king and séeke by all meanes to set vp their idols and golden calues or at least woulde haue men like calues to worship golden images But God neuer allowed rebellion or idolatrie e 2. Reg. 9. Iehu killed Ioram king of Israell and his mother Iezabel but that was by speciall commandement of God But our rinegued English contrary to Gods ordinance séeke the destruction of the prince and mother of their countrey and this vnnaturall traytor doth wickedly compare her to Iezabel Hieremy did attempt nothing against the life of his prince nor did hée any thing but declare the message of God to his people Wherefore either let this Noddie bring foorth some message from God to commaund vs to submit our selues to the pope and king of Spaine or else his defence is not woorth a daisie Athanasius Eusebius Vercellensis and Hilary forsooke their country for safegard of their liues and refused to obey their princes commandement that sought to establish the Arian heresie Yet did they not rebell against their prince or séeke to depose him or murder him or to giue his kingdome into the hand of strangers But our fugitiue English albeit no man forceth them to embrace heresie or séeketh their life yet flie they like traytors to forraine enemies and there conspire against the prince and state and al to establish their popish heresies and to erect idolatry His authorities likewise are impertinent to this purpose The prophet Psal 44. where hée saith Obliuiscere populum tuum domum patris tui woulde haue the church and euery one of the church to forget his kinred and people and to follow Christ And our a Matth. 17. Luc. 12. Sauiour woulde haue vs forsake our father and mother for his sake But where there is no opposition betwixt Christ and our countrey and people there this rule taketh no place What do those then deserue that not onely forsake their countrey and kinred but Christ also and true religion Againe albeit wée may not forsake Christ though wée shoulde loose countrey kinred life and all yet may not godly Christians séeke the destruction of their prince and countrey nor to bring in strangers This is altogither without the compasse of the text and English rebels that flie to the enimy haue no warrant so to do in these words As for Wyats enterprise wée are not bound to defend it And yet it is cléere that hée ment no hurt to the Quéene or to the realme but good rather séeking to driue out strangers whose comming coulde not choose but bée hurtfull to this land and dangerous In France and Scotland those of the religion did onely séeke to defend themselues against force and not to hurt their princes they repelled those that pretended the princes authoritie and yet went about to disannull the princes act and promise and sought not to murder and driue their princes out of their kingdomes as the factious papists haue done where they haue béene stronger But saith the Warder The a Act. 5. apostles chose rather to obey God then man And holy martyrs are commended Quod contempserunt iussa principum And finally hée calleth them Herodians that obey their princes and saith They make the princes will the platforme of their consciences and actions All which maketh nothing to the controuersie in hand For it is one thing to continue in allegiance and subiection to princes and another to obey or execute their wicked commandements This Christians are not to do bicause they are to obey God rather then man Yet may they not rebell against their princes nor may they seeke to depose them and murder them as the papists teach and practise Naie they proceede further and obey the most wicked commandements of the pope which like Herode cōmandeth many innocents to be done to death And therefore are they Herodians Christiani sanguinis hirudines and most vnlike to the apostles and former martyrs Which appéereth in this also for that apostles and martyrs paide tribute and sought not to kill their princes these fellowes vpon the popes excommunication not onely thinke themselues discharged of tribute but also of oath and obedience and oftentimes take armes against emperours kings and lawfull princes Where sir Francis woulde teach That all obedience is due to the souereigne magistrate and prooueth it out of the wordes of b 1. Pet. 2. Peter that teacheth vs that wée must Subiect our selues to all manner of ordinance of man for the Lordes sake our aduersarie quarrelleth and taketh diuers exceptions to his dealing First hée taketh exception to his translation for that hée translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all manner ordinance of man and leaueth out Siue ducibus ab eo mistis Secondly hée quarrelleth with his interpretation as if sir Francis shoulde teach that an absolute obedience in all causes were to bée yéelded to the temporall magistrate Lastlie hée saith that this place of saint Peter is impertinently alleaged to prooue that papists are to
or make a dumbe image speake it is no where declared or prooued Neither is it a miracle for a man to feine himselfe dead and to rise againe For that euery sacrificing priest is able to do that albeit his power to worke miracles bée not great By fire therefore which antichrist shal make to come from heauen we are to vnderstand antichristes thundring excommunications and other sentences and the wrath of the court of heauen that hée séemeth to haue at his disposition By the image of the beast Apocal. 13. wée are to vnderstande new Rome which now giueth out her imperiall edicts by the beast that had a mortall wounde and yet was after a sort cured wée vnderstand the Romaine empire after a sort restored in the papacie And so all agréeth with the pope and his kingdome and sheweth him to bée antichrist Wée do also read That antichrist shall reigne two times one time and a halfe But that this number is to bée taken precisely for thrée yéeres and a halfe and no more wée do not read nor beléeue For as this time is applied to antichristes reigne so likewise is the time of 42. monethes and 1290. daies neither of which numbers doth precisely make thrée yéeres and a halfe Moreouer it is a vaine imagination to thinke that such an alteration as antichrist will make can be wrought in three yéeres and a halfe Further the doctrine of napistes concerning the comming againe of Helias is nothing but a Iewish fable as appéereth by the wordes of the apostles Matth. 17. Why do the Scribes say say they that Helias must first come Our Sauiour also declareth that Iohn Baptist was figured by Helias after a sort Their opinion concerning Henochs returne is also a méere fiction for neither in the Apocalypse chap. 11. nor in the 48. chap. of Ecclesiasticus which is all the ground our aduersaries haue to prooue these matters is there any apparance that hée shall come againe and bée slaine of antichrist So that if the papistes looke not for antichristes comming before they heare of Henoch and Helias they are like to bée much abused And as well may the old Britons looke for the returne of king Arthur as they for Henoch and Helias Lastly our aduersary dreameth when he beléeueth that within fiue and fortie daies after Antichristes death Christ shall make an end of the world and come to iudgement For if that were true then should not the end of the world come vpon such a suddaine as Matth. 24. Christ telleth nor should the same be kept from mens knowledge as he likewise teacheth that it shall Wherefore if the Noddy haue no better meanes to shift off the name of Antichrist from the pope then by determining the precise time of Christes second comming then the pope will assuredlie prooue Antichrist For that time no mortall man knoweth or can certainly know Now if the pope be Antichrist it is to no purpose to dispute whether he be one of Antichristes forerunners Yet because this Noddy will néedes for his owne pleasure dispute that question it will not be amisse for a fuller view of the mans folly to consider likewise of this his foolish dispute First to prooue that Antichrist hath his forerunners he alleadgeth a place out of b 1. Iob. 2. Iohn where he saith You haue heard how Antichrist commeth and how many are become antichristes But this prooueth that antichrist was rather then come and so directly Saint Iohn affirmeth saying That he was then in the world Which ouerthroweth the Noddies conceit of forerunners and sheweth that hée is runne out of breath and out of his wit and yet helpeth him nothing to shew that the pope of Rome is not antichrist for albeit the bishops of Rome were not antichrists in Saint Iohns time yet later popes of Rome furthering the mysterie of iniquitie that began couertly to worke in Saint Iohns time appéered plainly to bée antichrist and in them antichrist that before did worke closely and in diuers men and diuers places became openly to be knowne and reuealed Hée saith further that Turkes Mores tyrants persecuters and other wicked people and especially heretikes and sectaries are forerunners of antichrist But if this were so then might the pope also bée a forerunner of antichrist for any thing this proctor of antichrist can alleage to the contrarie surpassing all others in wickednesse and being the father and author of diuers heresies of which wée shall haue occasion to speake more héereafter And indéede séeing antichrist was long in the worlde before hée obteined his kingdome and that those that laide the foundation of his state went before the popes that openly reigned it is not strange to say that some popes were as it were pages and forerunners and workers of antichristes apostacie and that at the length other popes began to shewe themselues manifestly in his seat◠Do then wée sée this by-question helpeth him but little And yet to helpe himselfe our a P. 93 aduersarie for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 committing two faults in one Greeke word Afterward hee mooneth this question Whether Rome be Babylon or no and yet like a wise fellow hée saith it is not materiall whether it be or no. Which sheweth him to bée an idle discourser that mooueth questions that bée not to purpose Beside hée is deceiued much in his opinion For if new Rome figured by the whoore of Babylon Apocal. 17. bée the seate of antichrist and if his kingdome bée the westerne Babylon then doth the apostle plainly declare that the pope is antichrist For none hath reigned there of long time but the pope of Rome But that the state of new Rome as it is the seate of the pope is figured by the purple whoore Apocal. 17 and by Babylon it is prooued b Matth. Sutl de pontif Rom. lib. 5. already by reasons vnanswerable First the holy Ghost did signifie the destruction of old Rome or the Romaine empire in the 13. of the Reuel by the head wounded to death And therefore no reason that we should suppose hée declared the flourishing estate of the same empire in the 17. chap. which were nothing but to go backe foorth Secondly immediately after the destruction of Babylon and the purple whoore the holy Ghost speaketh of the mariage of the lambe and of the last iudgement which must ensue after the destruction of Babylon the purple whoore immediately Of which wée may gather that the popes kingdome and not the Romaine empire that is long since destroied is vnderstood by the purple whoore and by Babylon Thirdly Saint Iohn telleth vs that the beast whereupon the purple whoore did sit was to ascend out of the bottomelesse pit and was not yet in the world Necessarily therefore must we vnderstand the papacy of Rome and not the Empire of Rome by that beast that had seuen heads séeing the Empire was then most florishing and the papacy not yet established
and murder Christes lambes Our aduersary he passeth this ouer without touch and onely telleth vs That the popes power hath beene acknowledged in all Christendome for many yeeres and ages But he lyeth and forgeth in this also For the easterne churches neuer acknowledged this power nor could the pope euer sell his commodities in those countries for any mony The churches of Africke likewise resisted the popes vsurpations and forbad their people to runne to Rome eyther for fauour or iustice The Frenchmen neuer would receiue the sixt booke of decretalles His prouisions the kinges of England would neuer admitte his pilling legates were odious generally to all Christendome Finally albeit his tyranny preuailed much in latter times yet haue a Petr. de Alliac de refor eccl Conciâ— Basil grauam Gâ—â—man honest men declared the discontentement which they haue receiued by his burdensome lawes iniurious excommunications and most shameful exactions and pillages He telleth vs moreouer How Christ said to his Apostles Luk. 10. He that heareth you heareth me and he that contemneth you contemneth me But first he is mistaken in the persons to whome these wordes were spoken For these wordes were deliuered to the seuentie disciples and not to the twelue Beside were these wordes to be vnderstood of the apostles and their successors yet they concerne the pope nothing For he is no apostle béeing neither called immediately of God nor sent into al the world nor ledde into all truth nor being able to make his decretals of authenticall credite Hée is not the apostles successor for hée féedeth not nor preacheth nor doth anie part of apostolicall function Nay hee doth contrary to the apostles fashion murder Gods saints trouble Christian people and resist Christes doctrine The apostles taught such things as Christ gaue theÌ„ in instructions The popes publish nothing but fond decretals and strange doctrine not onely diuers but also in manie points contrarie to Christes Gospell and holy Scriptures But saith N. D. The bishops of Rome be successors in the apostle Saint Peters seat Which I do not altogether deny if he meane the first bishops of Rome which were indéede true bishops and succéeded Peter and other apostles teaching apostolicall doctrine So all other true and godly bishops also were successors of Peter albeit they claymed not this vniuersality and fulnesse of power which the pope pretendeth to belong to him But whatsoeuer the first bishops of Rome were yet this concerneth the pope nothing for he is no bishop nor teacher nor successor in Peters chaire but rather Simon Magus his successor buing and selling not onely sacraments and benefices but also mens soules He succéedeth also the Angelicks in worshipping angels the Carpocratians in dissolutenesse and worshipping images the Collyridians in worshipping the virgin Mary the Manichées in his halfe communions and forbidding of mariage to priests the Pelagians in extolling the force of nature and merit of works and infinite other heretickes in seuerall points of leud doctrine He succéedeth also Nero in the Empire of Rome rather then Peter that was subiect to Neroes gouernement He alleadgeth also the example of the scribes and pharisées and saith That Christ commaunded his disciples to obserue and do whatsoeuer the scribes and pharisees that sate in Moses chayre said to them And to speake truth he hath more reason to compare the pope to scribes and pharisers corrupters of the law then to the successors of Christes Apostles But yet will not this serue his purpose for our Sauiors meaning was to shew that such as sate in Moses seat and taught his law were to be heard albeit otherwise bad men But the popes do not sit in Peters seat nor in Moses chaire nor teach apostolicall or true doctrine Hée telleth vs further That railers shall not inherite Christes kingdome especially such as raile against Magistrates All which wee admitte For it is a sentence condemnatorie against the pope of Rome and his faction that of late time haue taken to themselues infinite libertie in all their writings to raile against christiaÌ„ princes and others not sparing any that is contrarie to their procéedings For witnesse proofe héereof I referre my selfe to the railing buls of Paule the third against Henrie the 8. of Pius quintus and Sixtus 5. against Elizabeth his daughter of Sixtus 5. and Gregorie the 14. against Henrie the third and fourth of France and of Sixtus 5. against the prince of Condey To Sanders Ribadineiraes Rishtons Anniball Scotus the author of the commentarie of the popes late constitutions and other most slanderous and railing libels against Quéene Elizabeth The wise fellow doth also condemne his owne scurrilous railing against sir Francis Hastings Against vs it maketh nothing that onely in plaine termes declare our aduersaries leud dealings sparing all euill termes as much as we can Neither doth this concerne the pope that is neither Magistrate nor good Christian For that which this Noddy writeth How the pope is a spirituall Magistrate and hath a higher degree of authoritie then temporall magistrates and that he doth represent immediately the person of Christ Iesus is nothing but a péece of his frierlike folly and ignorance in spirituall and temporall matters For if such high authoritie had béene giuen him no doubt but wée shoulde long ere this haue séene authenticall writings of this donation and haue heard of the particulars Now wée must take these words as procéeding from a writer of antichristes marke that for Christ woulde commend vnto vs antichrist He telleth vs That all ancient diuines and doctors for aboue a thousand yeeres togither haue taught that it is blasphemie to raile at the bishop of Rome appointed by Christ to gouerne in his place and damnation not to acknowledge his authoritie And yet he is not able to shew either one sound diuine or doctor that hath so taught Nay he is not able to name many canonistes no nor schoolemen that haue so written or spoken Thomas Aquinas a 2.2 q. 13. teacheth him That blasphemie is against God Syluester Prierius b Summa in verb. blasphemia saith Blasphemy is a sinne against God properly which he prooueth by the authoritie of Saint Ambrose and improperly against saints But the pope is neither God nor saint Nay if it bée blasphemy to attribute to man that which is proper to God as the foresaide schoolemen teach then do the papists blaspheme that giue to the pope Christs power to remit sins sticke not to call him a god on earth All ancient fathers of the church had the bishop of Rome in no other estéeme then they had other godlie bishops neither did euer any one suppose that it was damnation not to acknowledge his authoritie Nay his vniuersall authoritie ouer all the church and infinite power in deposing princes not Caluin and Luther but all ancient writers doe gainsay and denie So that vnlesse the Reader haue great patience in this place hée will hardly endure to read so shamelesse and
Lucian and Rabelays but also all his owne companions of the societie of his firie father Ignatius As for his aduersarie hée hath not spoken any thing that in equall iudgement can be thought to sauour of immodestie For albeit hée seemeth to charge the Spaniards with Oppression and tyrannie and saith that they are Proud ambitious bloudie rauening and cursed of God yet his intention was not to touch the whole nation in which no doubt there are many ciuill religious and honest men and of great woorth especially when they come to the knowledge of the truth but diuers of them indefinitely and such especially as came in the popes seruice to execute his wrath and displeasure against innocent Christians For against these doth hée direct his discourse and against them doth hée animate his countreymen to fight séeing their purpose is to destroy our countrey and with crueltie to establish both a false religion and an absolute tyrannie Neither coulde hée vse more gentle termes considering the insolencies of the Spanish forces in these cases and the tyrannie of their gouernment The ambassadors of the citie of Siena a Natal Comes â—istor lib. 6. say That the gouernment of the Spaniard in the kingdome of Naples and other places of Italy is so rigorous that the countrey people desire to liue rather vnder the Turke then vnder the Spaniard And this by infinite insolencies and actes full of iniustice and crueltie for manie yéeres exercised by the Spaniards in the b Bartholomeus casas Indies in the c Belgica hist. Meterani Low countries and lately in the countries of Iuliers Wesell Monsterland and places adioyning may be verified Our ancestors were woont to say they were crabbe faced and woorse natured Vultu despicabiles moribus detestabiles as Matth. Parts testifieth And if antichrist and these that receiue his marke and worship him be cursed and miserable then are the Spaniards that are so willing to execute the popes most irreligious and vniust commandes most miserable and haue a great curse hanging ouer their heads But faith our fencing warder and bickerer The Spaniards are hated for their catholike religion especially and next for their virtue and valor He saith also that the like happened to the English when they were Lords of France for the most part and to the Romaines when they ruled a great part of the world But why should he seeke for new supposed causes when the true causes and reasons are so well knowne and so violent and all sufficient Beside that it is well knowne that the Neapolitanes Milaneses and Portingals do not hate the Spaniards for their religion but for the causes formerly declared Neither do we maligne the Spaniards for their catholike religion for we know that their religion is not catholike nay we do not hate them in regard of their false religion which they hould but rather pray for them and pittie theÌ„ but we haue great reason to suspect their encrochements and to detest their ambition iniustice rapines and tyranny How they may be called Fortes or valiant I report me séeing as Philosophers hould a Fortitudo est virtus pugnans pro iustitia Fortitude is a vertue striuing for iustice Lastly he offereth great wrong not onely to the Romaines but also to the ancient English to compare the Castilians vnto them For neuer was the Romaine or English gouernement like to the Spanish nor canne these two famous nations well bee compared to the inhabitantes of Casttle Granada Valentia and Arragon that vntill of late were a poore b Matth. Paris in Henr. base people and for the most part nowe consisteth of Gothes Vandales Mores Maranes and Iewes which haue surmounted and deuoured the auncient inhabitantes of Spaine He telleth vs also That it is no reason albeit some Spaniardes be found to haue those vices which Sir Francis imputeth to them that all the nation should be charged with them As if either he or any other did suppose all Spaniards to be of like vitious humor No Sir Francis doth onely charge Spaniardes indefinitely and those principally that are the popes vassals and agentes and are so willingly emploied in his seruice And in effect saith no more then our aduersary willingly confesseth He a P. 105. saith further That no nation in Europe hath more cause to glory and giue God thankes for his giftes aboundantly powred on them both natural morall and diuine then the Spanish who haue a country potent rich and fertile praised in scripture 1. Machab. 8. a people able in wit and body as appeared by Traian and Theodosius emperors by Seneca Lucan Martial Poetes by Hosius Damasus Leander Isidorus Orosius renowmed Christians by famous martyrs Christian kinges famous souldiers that haue conquered great countries by the sword and finally by excellent preachers that haue gayned many millions of soules to Christ by preaching And thus with bigge wordes and many great bragges he thinketh to put his aduersary downe But he is confident without cause and triumpheth before the victorie nay before he séeth his enimie To answere him in his owne tearmes I thinke there is no nation in Europe more behoulding to this base lying companion then the Spanish For renouncing all loue to his country and duty to his prince he hath sould himselfe to publike enemies to flatter them and to set out their praises Beside that he forgetteth all plaine and honest dealing and delighteth himselfe with vaine reportes and lyes The world knoweth that Spaine for the most part is a bare and barreine country and that the common sort is poore and miserable Portingall that is accompted the more fruitefull notwithstanding is but barreine Ieiuna miserae b Buchanan saith one tesqua Lusitaniae Valete longùm vosque glebae tantùm Fertiles penuriae How potent the country is it may appeare by this that it hath béene so often conquered by the Cathaginians Romaines Gothes and Vandales and lastly by the Mores of Barbary Theodosius and Traian albeit borne in Spaine were of Romaine bloud brought vp in Italy and Rome Seneca also and Lucan and Martiall had their learning and skill at Rome albeit Martiall for his filthy and obscene writing sauoureth of the humor of some Spaniards It is also a matter of méere impudency to compare the battels and conquestes of Spaniardes in the Indiaes where they had to do onely with naked men and people vnskilfull in feats of armes to the actions of the Romaines that haue subdued the most warlike people of the worlde Neither can wée account of his relation of winning of soules to Christ in the Indies by friers otherwise then as of a lying legend and vaine bragge that hath no ground For a Hierom. Benzo Barth Cas diuers report that they haue destroied millions of soules and speake sparely of winning of soules But were all this true that is héere reported yet maketh the same nothing so much for the Spaniard as the Noddie imagineth For what auaileth it
the Iesuites good liking For he is much offended that any should speake either for truth or state against publike enemies and traytors and would most earnestly pray you that you would be pleased to suffer him and his consortes to vndermine the state and to stirre vp rebellion and cut honest mens throtes without any noise or question made about the matter And because Sir Francis hath exhorted his countrymen couragiously to withstand the Spaniards and other publike enimies and speaketh plainely what we are to thinke of him and his consortes he calleth him A troublesome stickler and saith He is transported with violent rage against potent and annointed princes and in diuers places chargeth him with railing and slandering heere imputeth to him Base detractions and contumelious fictions and giueth him many other verie bigge words degorged out of his wicked and impotent malice against good men As if it were not lawful for vs to defend our selues or touch our enemies but in such manner and forme as this criticall Aristarchus and new teacher of formes of spéech shall like So ridiculous and absurd a Noddy we do encounter such vnreasonable requests we are to answere as may further appeare by the sequell of his discourse My first petition a P. 120. saith he Should be Note I pray you that he saith Should be and not Is. Whereby we may vnderstand that this proud companion disdeineth to make petition to your Lordships Signifying onely that if he might abase himselfe so low as to make petition to such as he accounteth heretickes That then his petition should be to restraine such turbulent spirits as those are which more of a madde and malicious kind of wantonnesse then of witte do loose their tongues with ouermuch liberty against the honor of mighty catholicke princes abrode So his complaint is that we loose our tongues to speake without witte thinking percase because he and his consortes do raile against Christian princes wittily or rather saucily that they may do it fréely and lawfully His desire is That turbulent spirites may be restrained But he doth not consider that this concerneth him and his consortes the Iesuites and popish faction very néere For they are the turbulent spirits stirred vp by satan to trouble kingdomes and enflame warres throughout the world as before hath béene in part declared b Discouery of William Critons errors Criton was taken with diuers plats for the inuasion of England He holpe to stirre warres in Scotland They are therefore Turbulent spirits and condemned by their owne consorts and all the world for such As for vs it toucheth vs nothing And therefore we willingly subscribe this petition and would wish that all Christian princes would take a course with such as publish libels and slanderous calumniations to the disgrace of princes and states For none haue more cause to complaine then we Paule the third published a slanderous bull or libell against Henry the eight Which was seconded with a bitter inuectiue written by cardinall Poole Pius 5. and Sixtus 5. a In bulla Pij 5. Sixti 5. haue d spoken their pleasure against her Maiesty b Sanders Ribad de schism and this kingdome Sanders Ribadineira and Rishton haue e written bookes full of most impudent calumniations against diuers catholicke princes f Cardinall Allen hath passed all that went before him in bitternesse and malice c In his letters to the nobility and people of England and Ireland The like course haue they taken against Henry the third and fourth of France and diuers noble princes of that kingdome Parsons the Iesuite himselfe alone hath published cart lodes of libelles Time therefore it is to stoppe the mouthes of such barking curres and to tye them vp for barking But why would he haue such turbulent Spirits restreined He saith That the furious hatred of Sylla and Marius of Pompey and Caesar was kindled by certaine opprobrious speeches vttered by some of their followers But he should do well to shew his author and prooue his words true least he be taken for a false forger of examples I could yet neuer vnderstand any such matter And therefore let him take héed least for want of good handling he marre the fashion of his first petition His second petition is That your honors would resolue to be mediators vnto her Maiestie for some more gentle mild and mercifull course to be taken with papistes Wherein First he doth greatly wrong her Maiestie charging her with rough vnmercifull and cruell dealing against papistes who hath so much spared them that to many it is thought that she hath neither had sufficient regard of her owne safety nor of the peace and security of her subiectes Secondly he doth couertly charge your Lordships That you haue borne a hard hand ouer them and assisted her Maiestie in her vnmercifull dealing Thirdly he is so saucy as to make you his factors and mediators in a cause most irreligious and impious most dangerous to her Maiestie and the state most odious to her most loyall subiectes and most vnreasonable in regard of the petitioner and his consortes and this I will briefely shew leauing the consideration and prouision for the rest to your honors Most impious it is to perswade a toleration of popish religion béeing a doctrine full of heresies and not cléere of Idolatry as is notorious to all that know it and shall God willing be fully prooued héereafter And if it be impious to perswade it we must thinke that piety will not suffer vs to yéelde it Our a Matth 4. Sauiour saith It is written we must worship the Lord our God and serue him onely and that is the briefe of the first b Exod. 20. commaundement Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Now how is God onely serued where the idole of the altar and euery crucifixe is worshipped with diuine honor How do they serue God alone that make angels and saintes their mediators and communicate gods honor to them Besides that it is nothing but idolatry and Worshipping of strange Gods as saith c Aduers haeres Vincentius Lirinensis to embrace and stifly to maintaine heresies For heretickes no lesse reuerence their opinions then the Gentiles their gods Nay Saint d De vera relig c. 38. Augustine saith That it is the vilest kinde of idolatrie for men to worship their owne fancies and obserue that for a religion which their deceiued and swelling mindes imagine The apostle forbiddeth the Corinthians to haue any societie with them that e 1. Cor. 5. worship and serue idols And sheweth that there is no fellowship betwixt light and darkenesse nor company to bée kept with Infidels Nolite saith hée f 2. Cor. 6. iugum ducere cum infidelibus quae enim participatio iustitiae cum iniquitate Aut quae societas luci ad tenebras Quae autem conuentio Christi ad Belial Aut quae pars fideli cum infideli Qui autem consensus templo
Gregory the first albeit he would not haue images of saintes broken downe yet condemned the worship of them and Epiphanius vtterly misliked the vsing them and setting them vp in churches which sheweth the antiquitie or rather noueltie of imagery or to say better idolatry in churches The second Nicene councell celebrated about the 774 yéere of our Lord and the fathers there were the first that went about to establish the worship of images but that idolatrous synode was oppugned by the councell of Francford and of long time after could not generally be receiued 54. In times past Christians were wont reuerently to entombe holy Martyrs and to call vpon God at their monuments But now the miserable papistes of late time haue begun to dig them out of their graues and to kisse rotten bones and ragges and to worship them and to pray to the martyrs nay to worship those that are no martyrs And euery day as there is no end of mans curiositie they make more saints and institute more pilgrimages and masses in their honor Of late time they haue begun to frequent the Lady of Loreto of Monserrat of lames of Compostella and infinite other such like saintes and places 55. By a late decrée of the councell of Florence about the yéere of our Lord 1434. The pope was declared to be head of the vniuersall church and Christes true vicar and Peters successor in the gouernment of the vniuersall church which declareth the noueltie of the papacie 56. That the pope was aboue the councell was decréed in our fathers time by Leo the tenth in the Councell of Laterane Which sheweth that till then it was commonly holden that the gouernment of the vniuersall church was aristocraticall and not monarchicall and that the councell was reputed supreme iudge of controuersies of faith and all ecclesiasticall matters and not the pope 57. In ancient time the pope neither was borne vppon mens shoulders nor had his féete kissed of great princes nor wore the crosse in his slippers to shew that hée treadeth down religion with his féete Nor had hée a triple crowne on his head nor was hée garded with bandes of soldiers nor attended on by princes and cardinals nor had he swarmes of friers and monkes to defend all his pretenses and claimes Quod solius papae pedes principes de osculentur wée read first in Gregorie the seuenth his dictates the rest we find in later records of the popes ceremonies 58. It is not long since that the pope hath vsurped power ouer generall councels and taken vpon him sole power to call them dissolue them and confirme their actes For in ancient time the councell iudged the pope as appéereth by diuers councels of Rome and by the late councell of Pisa where Alexander the fift was chosen pope and by the councell of Constance where thrée popes were deposed and by the councell of Basilea that deposed Eugenius the fourth 59. Of late time the pope hath taken on him power to make lawes to binde the whole church and to place and displace bishops and prelats at his pleasure Lately also hath hée begun to beare himselfe as supreme doctor and iudge in matters of religion in hearing of appeales out of all prouinces and in excommunicating of princes and emperors throughout the worlde 60. Vntill Boniface the 9. his time he was not Lord of Rome nor did hée beare himselfe as a temporall prince for that is testified by Theodorie of Niem and diuers other writers of histories 61. Gregorie the seuenth was the first that tooke on him to depose emperors as appeareth by his dictates and by his bloody warres Before his time it was a rare matter to sée a pope intermeddle with warres or gouernement of kingdoms After the time of Gregory these that pretend to be Peters successors prooued the onely firebrandes of all the warres and troubles in christendome 62. Before Innocent the third his time it was neuer adiudged a matter capital to thinke otherwise of religion or the sacraments of the church then the pope of Rome beléeued and taught He first persequuted Christians with all extremities and now it is the popes common practise to kill all religious Christians that shall contradict his vsurpations 63. In ancient time the popes were confirmed by emperors and neuer durst pretend a right to depose princes Now they deny any to be emperor but such as is sacred by the pope and do take to themselues power to depose princes and to cause subiectes to rebell against them 64. The first Christians albeit not tyed to emperors by oath yet neuer rebelled against wicked emperors But now the pope causeth Christians to breake their othes and they are made to beléeue that it is meritorious to rebell against princes excommunicate by the pope and to murder them Neither may we thinke it was want of meanes that made them to be obedient For a Ad Scapulam Tertullian saith that where they were the strōger yet they neuer tooke on them to fight against their princes 65. The first Christians serued God in spirite and truth and were knowne by their modestie and vertue But the religion of papists consisteth all in eating red herrings and fish in fasting knocking knéeling greasing shauing crossing ringing and outward ceremonies At Rome and in Spaine Italy are common bordels and bankes of vsurie and such dissolution that the very heathens might not compare with them Swearing whooring killing are small faultes among them so they meddle not with the popes authoritie and religion Finally for that it is not possible to rehearse all particulars I say and by Gods grace shall prooue that the whole religion of papists which wée reiect is nothing but a packe of nouelties and heresies and the corruption of true catholike and Christian religion Wherefore as in this chapter we haue noted their nouelties so in the chapter ensuing wée purpose to make good our challenge concerning their heresies which being performed I hope it will largely appéere that they are no catholikes CHAP. III. That the papists do publikely professe and teach diuers erronious points of doctrine by the ancient catholike church condemned for heresies AS in deceitfull language so in erronious iudgement the Iesuites and Romish priestes are not vnlike to the women called a Philostrat in Apollonio Horat. carm Lib. 1. Lamiae For as the flattring Lamiae by their externall shewes and faire wordes deceiued and spoiled many yoong men so these flattering and fawning fauorites of the whoore of Babylon abuse many simple youthes with their faire glosses and allure them to like the errors and heresies of poperie to their vtter ruine and destruction And as the Lamiae were verie quicke sighted when they came abroad and pierced farre into other mens matters yet were altogether blinde at home and ignorant in their owne affaires so these good fellowes although they are alwaies prying into other mens matters and pretend that they can looke through mill-stones yet are they altogither