be so much the more probable that they both aspire ayme and shoote at an absolute imperial marke and withall will be able to giue a greater assault pushe and put for it when time comes then euer any of the fower monarches or other vpstart imperiall states gaue before them to this day by how much as they are more dispersed and haue greater fatours in all Christian kingdomes then any other rebels or aspires to soueraigne dominions had in any one of these regions where they first began tyrannically to rule For if Ottoman alone could passe out of Persia with other vacabonds and in the end become so mighty a Lord in a strange land vanquishing in short space the rest of his fellowes all great princes by fortune of wars and other meanes that now his successor called Imperator Turcarum is the most powerable Emperor of the world yea aboue the Spaniards by reason that his dominions are vnited together round about him whereas the Spaniard is rather hindered and his strength diminished by multitudes of kingdomes intituled subiected and gouerned by him then otherwise by reason that they lye so far a sunder disioynted by intercurring countries betwixt him and home on each side then considering what manner of men they are none can deny but that there is great likelyhoode of the Iesuits aduancement to soueraigne dominion with inlargement of their territories further then euer it was like that the Turke should haue enlarged his vntill the effects did demonstrate it vnto the worlde that so it was Secondly this is confirmed not onely ab inductione for euery particular Nation how many great potentates side with them to second their aduersaries euery where but also by the meanes they haue to worke that feate withall scil to increase their faction by winning inueigled single harts vnto them which they do sundry waies but especially by three deuises that are the cheife aides and hopes of conquests none of which the Ottomans had when they began their enterprise One is wit practise experience and policie for in vaine are warres abroad nisi sit consilium domi neither Matchiuel nor any that euer yet was in Europe comming neere vnto the Iesuits for Atheall deuises to preuent the stoppels of their stratagems and to further their owne proceedings An other is pretended piety whereby through helpe of the former to put their rules and principles in execution in due time and place respecting the person and other circumstances and occasions offered they haue and do not onely allure multitudes vnto them dayly encreasing the number of their faction but withall there can be nothing done nor almost intended against them or for the strengthening by counterplots of their aduersaries where euer they liue but presently know it and thereby hauing their spials in euery princes court and place of most intelligence that may informe their Generall as they doe once a moneth ordinarily from all parts of Europe what is there done or intended with or against them they haue the aduantage by being thus dispersed to saue themselues from all vniuersall or any notable danger And if possibly it can be preuented or their aduersaries ouerthrowen in their owne courses taken against these fathers they haue the meanes for it else it is not in the world to be heard of or found The last is plenty of money which Ottoman also wanted And seeing to speake morally there is not that exploite to be done which money cannot compasse then consider what huge masses of money and infinite treasure the Iesuits haue euery where It is credibly reported by some reuerend priests as I told you once before that they lost at their expulsion out of Fraunce three millions at the least Adding hereunto what large collections they make yeerely here in England which is the least they haue in any other Nation vnlesse Scotland c. where they are resident little or nothing at all sometimes comming to any afflicted Catholike so mercilesse hard and cruell harts they haue of many 1000. l. which some one of them hath reeceiued as before is touched in part and more at large in other bookes written of their conni-catching deuises to get money is to be found Then I say none euer had fairer meanes or greater helpes and likelyhoods of preuailing in their ambitious aspires and affecting of soueraigne dominion in an absolute monarchiall state then they haue Thirdly that the Iesuites practise is as well against Spaine and by consequent against the whole house of Austria and the Empire as against any other Nation it is apparant by that I told you of in part before concerning Fa. Parsons winding twinding doubling and boutgates in intituling the Lady Infanta to the English crowne meaning it directly for himselfe and his societie as is manifest also by his said books of succession c. which here you may please to confirme as wel by general collections out of the same bookes as likewise by the common report giuen out by him and his faction that not onely the said king catholike was priuie to the setting forth of that luckles labour but also patronized it as a speciall worke and peece of seruice done on his maiesties behalf to the greatest preiudice that could euer haue been offered to the king catholike as well ancient as recent and now regnant in esse For first he makes his maiestie the author in a sort patron and protector of all the conspiracies treasons and treacheries that are or can be brought against himselfe or any other soueraigne prince built vpon the erronious principles and grounds there laid downe by the many wide open gaps made through his popular doctrine For all rebellious multitudes in euery prouince court or countrie liuing vnder the Spanish gouernment or else where to enter and claime authoritie ouer him if in any thing they take pepper in the nose by least conceited dislike and all this vnder pretence of glorious stiles titles of common wealths and states Then he insinuateth as though the right title as well to the crowne of England as also of Fraunce and by consequent to the crowne and kingdome of all Europe there being not one but his title to it is as good if not better then it is to England were wholy in his highnes guift and free for him to bestow where he pleaseth And out of this grosse conceit he bringeth for an assured assertion for concatenation of the catholike religion and king catholike together as bellum sacrum hath beene euer since made odious euen to a Christian catholikes eares and the Spaniard had in suspition of all other Christian princes that he aspireth to a sole absolute monarchicall gouernment despition whereas it is this said father and his societie that aime at it in very deed Which no indifferent valorous or wise man hearing of but will thinke that all princes in christendome haue iust cause to looke hereafter to their stand and to haue a iealous watchfull restlesst eye aswell vpon the
A DECACORDON OF TEN QVODLIBETICALL QVESTIONS CONCERNING RELIGION AND STATE Wherein the Authour framing himfelfe a Quilibet to euery Quodlibet decides an hundred crosse Interrogatorie doubts about the generall contentions betwixt the Seminarie Priests and Iesuits at this present ECCLES VII Noli amare mendacium aduersus fratrem tuum neque in amicum similiter facias Do not loue a lye against thy brother neither do the like against thy friend Newly imprinted 1602. THE PREFACE TO THE READER EXPERIENCE hath made the case cleare in all sciences arts and professions wherein humane capacitie doth shew the soules excellencie in apprehension discourse and iudgement of things past present or to come by inuention morall coniecture and wit of man that these fiue Rules hold out as inexpugnable Principles The Author in all these fiue Principles certainties of things of none denyed doth clearely conuince the Iesuits faction and all their fautours of many grosse errours which ignorant people deduct from their absurd rules opposite to these in al things as that their Generall with his companie of Prouincials cannot erre that they cannot faile in their doctrine instructioÌ„s gouernment and the like that the foundation of their order is a state of most perfection of any other c. All which errours with many other are impugned by these fiue grounds set downe as in a Preface to the particular Quodlibets here following affirmed of all and denyed of none to wit First that no ground in Diuinitie no Axiome in Philosophie no Maxime in the Law no Paragraffe in positiue Discourse no Paradoxe amongst Orators no Proposition amongst Schoolemen no Article of our faith amongst Apostles by sacred OEcumenicall Synode defined deposed and decided to be thus and none otherwise beleeued and taken vnder paine of damnation but the same may be impugned by a seeming reasonable plea to the contrarie with arguments of proofe in shew holden on a whole day by fine wits in a schoole despicion and the defendant so grauelled if of dull and slow conceit that he shall haue no reason to deny that to be true as verbi gratia that blacke is white that a man is a mouse that there is no God at all c. which to auerre to be false he is and will be readie to spend his life and shed his dearest bloud Secondly that bonum malum vertue and vice religion and heresie standing in opposition one against the other yet haue this concordance by a necessarie sequele inserted into the subiect wherein they are inherent by proper kind as if you build vpon proofe of either by examples the one shall ballance and beard out the other in authoritie to the vttermost Thirdly that there is no new thing vnder the Sunne nor any inuention of wit inuented but anothers wit can equall it by inuenting the same Fourthly that there is no certaintie of any thing here on earth but that the fall and stand the life and death and the very Periods of times Kingdomes Princes and all sorts of persons hang vpon mutation alteration and downefall knowne to God alone Fiftly that Aristotles Principle scil Generatio vnius est corruptio alterius is so perfect a current of time and plyable to all not onely physicall or naturall but also morall politicall cadences and vp-rests as no excellencie so rare but hath beene abased no complexion so perfect but hath bene corrupted no Maiestie so regall but hath bene subiected no power so great but hath come to nothing no foundation so firme strong and sure but hath bene shaken yea and hitherto quite ouerthrowne vnlesse it were the impregnable rocke of the Church which hangs vpon certitude of diuine pillars independent vpon humane chaunce and chaunge and no commonwealth corporation societie or state so prudent politicall and perspicuous in all things to make them famous eternized and their condition of life gouernment and order permanent but haue had their sates by succeeding turns with a no lesse fearefull eclipse of their former fame then a notable diminution of their wonted glorie Thus came all the mightie Monarchs Worthies and Monarchies of the world as it were by a naturall succession of birth and bloud deuoluted from the father to the sonne to haue their rise and fall one after another He meaneth the continuance of that Monarchie from Nimrod or Ninus to the last of Nabuchodonosors son vz. Balsazar as the Romane Empire from Julius Caesar to this present though vp and downe as the AssyriaÌ„s was The Assyrians first swayed the scepter Royall of the worlds Monarchie and longest of all other continued with the same and who then so famous as their Nabuchodonosor in whose presence the whole earth kept silence but yet subiect to corruption Who euer had a lostâ—â—r fall as to be turned out of the proper feature of a man into the gastfull purport of a beast and in the end his Kingdome taken from his house name and line no face of a commonwealth remaining vnder any Assyrian title at this day Then rose vp the Persian Prince and where caryed fame her sayles aloft but vnder the canapeall beauer of a Darius his briefe He alludeth to the Maiestie of King Darius in his briefe summoÌ„ of all the worlds Peeres then vnder his stately Monarchie to come to his solemne feast the renowned Monarch of the world in his dayes and yet he also was cast off from the highest Pyramides of fortunes wheele For although the now Persian Sophie haue recouered an Asiaticke imperiall state againe yet by the folly of Darius his house and line the second Monarchie whereof Daniel spoke was translated from the Medes and Persians to the Greekes Then in speciall the Macedonian Alexander a second Worthy of the Gentiles was the glorie of former fame of his own wonder of future ages as the onely admired at Heroes of the world in his dayes But yet such is the painefull birth of Princes and short sorowfull and toylesome life of Monarchs in their generation and corruption of kingdomes and regall states as Alexander after twelue yeares raigne yeelding to destinie in Babylon there consumed to dust his Monarchie was deuided into foure principall besides other inferior members or Empires And then againe out of that Greekish corruption did rise a Latine generation of a Romane Monarchie which in a tottering state by tract of time is come vnto that passe wherein we now do see it One while the Romane Caesars and Octauians caryed away the trophees and triumphes of the world from all people and nations vnder heauen After them the Albions or great Britons Constantine merited the renowne to the famous English Isle then the worthie French Charlemaine got the fame by Martiall prowes and iust deserts to his worthie selfe people and nation where he liued After that againe the Lumbards and with them the Germaines where the imperiall triple Crowne of Caesar yet remaines vp and downe had the praise for many yeares together And now hath the
others or else deny it so you shal see in time that although our worshipfull Archpriest hath done nothing but by fahaer Garnets direction yet when his ridiculous vniust vncharitable dâ—ttyrannous proceedings shall come to the scanning father Garnet will doe the best he can to pull his necke out of the coller and master Blackwell shall be the Asse that must beare all the burden So father Parsons that holy man by his practise doth giue father Garnet a pregnant example In the most of those seditious bookes which he the said father Parsons hath published he hath either concealed his name or giuen them such names as it hath pleased him to deuise And one of his said bookes being set out by him vnder the name of master Dolman now that many exceptions are taken vnto it he good man was not the author of it his name is not Dolman and gladly he would shift and wash his hands of it but all the water betwixt this and Rome will not serue his turne so to do although by the common principle of the Iesuits he may by lying and equiuocating make a faire shew But of this enough is said before As concerning the second point I will now make it plaine vnto you that the Iesuits being charged as in the former question is set downe are not therein slaundered any way vniustly For First it is plaine that father Parsons and his company diuide it amongst them how they list haue laide a plot as being most consonant and fitting to their other designments that the common lawes of the Realme of England must be forsooth either abolished vtterly or else beare no greater sway in the Realme then now the ciuill lawe doth And the chiefe reason is for that the state of the crowne and kingdome by the common lawes is so strongly setled as whilest they continue the Iesuits see not how they can worke their wils And on the other side in the ciuill lawes they thinke they haue some shreds whereby they may patch a cloake together to couer a bloodly shew of their treasons for the present from the eies of the vulgar sort And certainly I could not choose but smile when I read this point in father Parsons booke to see how prettily this fine fingred figgeboy conueigheth his matter how the common lawyers must waite vpon the Ciuilians to beare their bookes after them and how they are to applaud to all that the doctors will auerre to be lawe vpon their bare words vnto them Secondly the said good father deeming of all men it seemeth by himselfe hath set downe a course how euery man may shake off all authoritie at their pleasures as if he woulde become a newe Anabaptist or king Iohn of Leyden to draw all the world into a mutinie rebellion or combustion And this stratageme is how the common people may be inueigled and seduced to conceit to themselues such a libertie and prerogatiue as that it may be lawfull for them when they thinke meete to place and displace kings and princes as men may doe their tenants at will hirelings or ordinarie seruants Which Anabaptisticall and abhominable doctrine proceeding from a turbulent tribe of traiterous Puritanes other heretikes this treacherous Iesuite would now foist into the catholike church as a ground of his corrupt diuinitie And sure it is strange to consider how the caitiffe handleth this point giuing aduantage thereby to all nations to reuolt from the See apostolike if any catholike prince would take holde or build vpon this absurd fellowes word or authoritie For that amongst other arguments he insisteth vpon certaine rebellious most traiterous examples how some kings in this Island haue beene dealt with As if a man should take vpon him to prooue murther lawfull bicause many examples of murther may be produced or as if this were a good argument England Scotland Ireland Denmarke Swethia many states in Germany many men in France and else where haue reiected the authoritie of the Pope his holines the See of Rome therefore Italy France Spaine other catholike countries may do the like Fourthly the said good fathers with their ringleader and muster-master father Parsons do take vpon them in the saide booke and in other treatises to deale with matters of succession and titles of the crowne as if their bare words were of higher authoritie then either Court Parliamentall Prince or Pope and bicause as it seemeth their said ringleader is a bastard himselfe it is woonderfull to see what very small account he maketh of succession by inheritance title of descent birthright or bloud Now tell me in this case A gentleman or substantiall yeoman hauing one heire and many seruants dieth were he not an asse that would affirme that the right of the saide heire should depend vpon the pleasure of his fathers seruants If they thought meet he should haue his fathers lands or otherwise they would bestow them as they thought good I am sure you would account it vniust vnnaturall indecent and ridiculous And all that this traitorous Iesuite writeth of this point is grounded vpon the like folly whilest he laboureth so giantlike in opposing himselfe against succession by inheritance to fight most impudently with all lawes nay with nature and with God himselfe Hereunto it also appertaineth how after he hath contriued the meanes as he thinketh how to depriue kings and heires from their inheritance he then taketh vpon him to appoint how others may and are to succeede in their roomes and possesse their ancient right And he proceedeth herein as grauely and substantially as he hath done in the premisses For except this may carrie a shew of a good argument fiue hundred or a thousand yeeres since the ancestors of the king of Spaine the king of Fraunce and of diuers other kings had no interest to the kingdomes which now they enioy therefore some others must be found out to be preferred to those kingdomes the good father saith nothing There is one who hath written a booke of the Bathes in England and as I remember for it is long since I saw the booke the author of it the rather to extol the first finder out of the said Bathes that therby he might prooue him to be an ancient gentleman doth set downe his petigree and neuer leaueth it I assure you vntill he come to these words which was the sonne of Seth which was the sonne of Adam It were not amisse in my poore opinion that Master Parsons should carefully seeke out for this maÌ„s kinred It is not vnlikely but that by his skil he might intitle them to very many kingdomes distributing this to one and that to another as in his omnipotentencie he should hold it most conuenient The man if he liue long will prooue mad in the end without question except you can imagine that these and such like vanities are sober conceits And yet that which he saith against the blood royall of England to aduance a pretended interest to the Infanta
right stampe hath be laboured with his pen to winne vnto his byace and to bring her Ladiship in dislike of the secular priests as others haue sought but all alike preuayled she being both too wise constant and vertuous to be carried away with gloses you would maruell that euer any bearing the face of a religious man would write so exorbitantly as he there hath done to his vtter shame and discredit as you shall well perceiue when it once comes foorth in Print with the discouery of his arrogancy ignorance lies on the one side and of his malice slāderous toong contēpt of the secular priests on the other side But to returne to our former speech These circumstances of Parsons actions and names giuen to offenders demonstrating a soueraigntie or superioritie in cheefe to be in Master Blackwell it followeth that he being notwithstanding all this subordinate or for feare or want of wit experience and knowledge due to such a superior as he takes vpon him to be at the command of Fa. Garnet betwixt whom by a priest of their owne faction it hath been told that there is continuall intercourse once in euery 24. howers at least there can no lesse be aymed at by the Iesuits in this Isle then a supreme power imperialty and dominion ouer all And so I conclude that they ayme at the succession themselues to rule vnder the Spaniards or rather to cloake their intended ambitious aspires vnder the Spaniards wings a while vntill they haue gotten all subiected vnder them Sed caueat Hispania praelio partu venditur proelis fides THE VI. ARTICLE VVHether then seeing they shoote at the whole monarchie of great Britanie together with Ireland Doe they intend any thing against Fraunce or not Or whether their practise for England may hinder or further their attempts for Fraunce more then their like practises for Scotland one while and for Ireland another while may do or no THE ANSWERE ENgland is made the maine chaunce of Christendome as our countries heauie case is at this present by seditious factions tampering and aspiring heads Wherefore we haue iust cause so many as loue to liue in quiet to pray hartely for the preseruation of her Maiesties life For afterward great calamities are we sure to see so many as liue to that wofull hower by all probable coniecture And by consequent then it followeth that England is the onely butte marke and white they aime at as well in intention as in execution of their pretended expedition exployte and action Which failing farewell a Iesuits monarchie for euer But holding their plots cast for England then haue at all Fraunce and other nations by peece meale in succeeding turns of conquests And therefore standes it both the state ecclesiasticall and temporal vpon of England in chiefe of Fraunce next and so of all other states and princes to looke to them in time and to ioyne in aide fauour and assistance of the Seminarie and secular priests in this their appeale This conclusion needes no further better nor other proofe then a relation with aduisement of this discourse Quodlibeticall First for that as you may gather by the second reason in the last Article and perceiue more at large if you read father Parsons Dolemanian succession he bringeth all his chiefe and strongest arguments for intituling the Lady Infanta to the English crowne from that head scil for that she is the right heire of Brytaine and France c. Now then if she be the heire of France and Brytaine as in precise termes he calleth her in his Appendix and that thereby she be intituled to our English crowne then questionles if once she get or I should haue said they get possession of this Isle in her right which they aime at in chiefe their title therunto comming by this meanes it standes with no sense that they shoulde giue ouer their clayme on her graces behalfe to that kingdome whereof they say she is already heire hauing obteined that monarchy whereunto she is intituled by the foresaide claime of heritage and whereby withall reciprocally she is againe reintituled to the same French kingdome and crowne Neither will the law Salique keepe them out from aduauncing her royall ensignes in the middest of them For I holde it but for a kindly canuase banding bob or taunting effect to confront with France for Burgundy Britany and other states and seigniories of old depending vpon the French crowne affirming as father Parsons doth in Doleman that though by the law Salique the Lady Infanta may be defeated and put from her rightfull title of inheritance and lawfull claime to the whole kingdome of France in concreto or in sensu composito as a man may terme it yet no reason saith he there but that so many states prouinces as came to the crowne of France by heires generall or women but that the same should diuolue vnto the Spaniard by women heires againe Which if he can bring to passe for all those seigniories come by women then shall the French be so fleeced in abstracto or in sensu diuiso as let them rest assured to be distracted out of their wits ere the Spanish Iesuiticall faction haue left them vnlesse they surrender vp the whole into their hands and yeelde perforce to abrogate the authoritie of their Salique lawes it holding no way either in piety or policie with father Parsons principles that taking vpon him in his said booke of titles and high counsell of reformation to abolish vtterly the auncient municipall lawes of this lande which were established by highest authoritie then the lawe Salique of France and that before euer the saide lawe was heard of amongst them that they should not tender thrust vpon and compell the French to chaunge their forme of gouernment lawes customes and all at his designement Secondly although during the time of their I meane the Iesuits rebellious practises conspiracies against the last king Henry the 3. of France of the house of Valois and this king regnant Henry the 4. before king of Nauarre it was not directly knowne that the Iesuits had cast at the crowne and whole kingdome of France in those warres then maintained by aide of the Spaniard but as a great part of catholikes heere in England in former broiles and conspiracies as well by the dukes of Norfolke and of Guise as also by captaine Stukeley and doctor Saunders aided with Italians and Spaniards c. and finally by the attempt in the yeere 1588. did thinke that the Iesuits and their faction had done all of zeale though indiscretely and for the aduancement of Gods glory and the catholike cause pretended by them to be religion So the French catholikes many of them of ignorance folowing the parts of Spaine and other rebels against their Soueraigne and country by Iesuiticall perswasion hauing had the like good opinion of these religious men and thereupon following their direction at an inche yet since their expulsion thence for their treasons and
course taken amongst the English students at Rome that they may not haue their mutuall meetings congratulations recreations and other solaces and comforts of one chamber classe and company with another as earst they haue had and is euery where else to be found where any humanitie religious pietie or charitable wish or desire of either spirituall welfare or corporall health progresse and practise of studie vertue and learning is resident in the Rector Principall or chiefe But Iesuits must needes smell of innouations and singularitie in all things otherwise how should we knowe their rare indowments illuminations and familiar acquaintance with their maker c. And to this absurditie a blasphemie of his may be added wherein he maketh this opposition against the sacred state of regall dignitie and throne triumphant of imperiall maiestie to wit that the title honor and regall dignitie of a crowne is of all other things so irregular and extraordinarie as not onely an vsurper disseizer intruder and impious tyrant but also euen a very infidell a traitor a butcherly murtherer or a most base Assismistial crue if once he may attaine it by the rules of father Parsons common wealth then his title is neuer after to be examined by any except a Iesuit you must alwaies vnderstand but euery one is bound as is aboue said in conscience to obey the same Loe here noble princes and you deere catholikes what you are to learne out of the Iesuiticall doctrine Certainly therein is nothing else but fallacie vpon fallacie error vpon error one contradiction encountring another and all nothing but treacheries treasons and conspiracies The state of a monarchie is of all other gouernments the most perfect and excellent and yet forsooth the tenure of a crowne is imperfect infamous as out of all rule and order The actuall possession of a kingdome or state at the first vsurpation of it must onely guide the right as the most materiall point to lead the inheritance and succession of a crowne which way it liketh best The common wealth is the onely iudge of the possessionar or king regnant to controll him at the pleasure of the people A king was made to rule a common wealth and a common wealth to obey a king and yet carts must leade carthorses schollers guide schoolemasters people teach preachers children rule parents and an vnruly irregular disordered multitude witkout head or of many heads none good like a monster cloaked by a fallacie to abuse simple people vnder the name of a common wealth must gouerne the most irregular and extraordinarie crowne And so lawes must be construed conformable to the sensual appetite of a multitude not the multitude reformed agreeable to Gods lawes Soueraignes must accommodate themselues to the manners and conditions of their subiects be they good or bad and not subiects apply themselues to the arbitrament of their soueraignes be they neuer so good and gracious longer then they list to obey them Soueraignes must raigne vpon sufferance onely de facto ad beneplacitum populi in a bare possession of a crowne but not de iure to continue the same by order of lawe in his owne right longer or otherwise then the varieties of humors altering the dispositions in men may mooue the people to interprete the lawe from time to time vnto them Thus shall neither the king catholike nor the emperor nor any other soueraigne haue assurance of safetie for their person or state one minute of an hower and all by this vnchristian directorie of father Parsons which makes all their actions good and allowable to displace princes at their pleasure And yet still vice must be vertue violence made law wrongs iudged rights hangmen made iudges and traitors crowned kings but deposible alwaies and actually oftentimes must be deposed be there cause or no cause be they capable or incapable be it in the field of warre or in the land of peace Bicause forsooth Fa. Parsons publike state or statisticall doctrine of runnagates called here a Common wealth doth hold it necessary to be so is the onely iudge peramount in all state cases commissions for a crowne king kingdome without appeale to any higher iudge whosoeuer And further euery Precopite Tartarian multitude thus incorporated getting once the stile and title of a publike state in their owne opinion may brook the name of a Geneuian or an Heluetian or a Switherly commō wealth and alter chaunge and innouate the course of inheritance and succession not onely to crownes and kingdomes but also to euery priuate persons heritage holden in Fee simple So as they may beare away the right and true title cast vpon any from the king to the Freeholder by the lawes of Fa. Parsons new common wealth and giue it to whom they list though the party be neither member of that state nor subiect thereunto by nature submission infranchisment or other ordinary and lawfull meanes For if the onely lawful and good tenure of a kingdome diademe and crowne be holden by the king himselfe of the good-will onely of the common wealth that is as much to say as a Tenant at will of the people then followeth it by this hyperbolical fiction against the state of inheritance in regall maiestie that à fortiori all a soueraignes subiects also which haue any lands of ancient demaine or other inheritance must be subiect to the like lawes And so by good or at least necessary sequell is inferd that this they doe to confront the king of Spaine in chiefe points of regal state and to harden the Hollanders Zelanders and others there to mantaine warres in open action against him as also to minister new matter of rebellion in Arragon in Portugall and in all other of his owne dominions for a seditious route to thrust him quite out of his whole monarchiall estate of Spaine and to depriue him of kingdome crowne and life at their pleasure To all this Fa. Parsons hath prepared a ready way to serue his owne turne and his societies not the king nor any of his royall issues therewith for his admittance to the Spaniards much more to any other kingdome being onely by his common wealth and popular applauses neuer so well settled yet holding his crowne but as Tenant at will of the said common wealth who may reuoke their admittance when they list to quarrell it followeth that he hath no estate of nor assurance at all in him for any thing he holdeth Thus hath this great Statist discouered at vnawares his owne and his confederates ambitious aspires treacherous intent Atheall expectation pragmaticall practise and Matchiuilian platforme to make the world beleeue he pleads onely for the Spaniards and that simply and plainely for religions sake when his drift directly is immediately by meanes of conquest intended for England to bring all Christendome into an vprore for common soldiers to examine their soueraignes what title they hold by and thereupon themselues by craft mony and multitudes gathered together through their
Generall at Rome of all the occurrents in these parts of the world which they dispatch to and fro by such secret ciphers as are to themselues best and commonly but onely to them knowne So as nothing is done in England but it is knowne in Rome within a moneth after at least and reply made backe as occasion is offered 5 Hauing thus established a Councell almost in euery Princes Court where the president or chiefe agent or intelligent must alwaies be a Iesuit in re or in spe and action to discouer propter bonum not Reipublicae but rei priuatae societatis without all scruple to them the secrets of their Soueraigns to their vttermost knowledge though with the consequent ouerthrowe of their own natiue Prince countrie and all as their prodigious and more then heathenish practises in France to haue lifted the Spaniard into that throne and kingdome to their perpetuall shame and reproch all Christendome ringing of those their vnnaturall treasons against their owne naturall Countrie doth make it manifest to omit or referre ouer to another place what and how spitefully traiterously and irreligiously they haue delt against England and our Soueraign Lady and Queene Then followeth another shift for managing of their actions which is that if as often it hath so hapned their treasons and trecheries be discouered either by intercepting of their letters and the mysteries therein vtcunque made knowne or apprehension of their messengers or some of their inferior intelligents then to calumniate deny and falsifie all the actions and proceedings of the Councel and State very iudicially publikely and apparantly against them they either pretend that the parties confessed such things by constraint of tortures or that it was a plot of the State to make all Catholikes odious whereas in deede they make vs odious by this meanes to the State and all as being all thought guiltie of their conspiracies because they know not how to put a distinction or difference in these tamperings amongst vs. This calumniation must be seconded for a shift with a like vnto it which they call a lawfull equiuocation and herein though there be no question to be made of it but that in some sense it may be lawfull as for example if a Iudge or other ciuill magistrate appointed to sit in Commission vpon a matter of fact should examine in matter of law not pertaining to that purpose or being of one and the selfe same kind in specie yet no way pertinent to the knowledge or true information of the matter there to be examined so as if the question be which is common whether such a one being a Catholike haue euer heard it preached or taught that it was lawfull for a subiect to lay violent hands vpon his Soueraigne or not and now the Iudge in examining this partie asketh him whether he know any Seminarie priest or were euer at Masse or confession By the euill taught lesson of equiuocation one M. Iames Standish a Iesuit priest abused his Holinesse when being aâ—ked whether the matter proponed by him for setting vp the new Hierarchie was done by all the rest of the Priests consents in England or not he answered but very falslâ— for scâ—â—ce one of the seâ—â—â—lâ—â— in England in respect of the whâ—le nuÌ„bâ—r knew of it that it was reseruing to himselfe as since poore ignorant mâ—n not considering what he did to lie to his Holinesse he hath confessed this part viz. as I presuppose or presume c. Iust like whereunto may be interpreted Card. Caietanes letters for estabshing M. Blackwel Archpresbiter who hauing by Parsons and Garnets cousinage got a long Catalogue of names out of England exhibited to his Grace for election of M Blackwell c. his Lordship affirmed in the said letter that it was by generall consent of most Priests in England being abused indeed with names taken here for one purpose and giuen vp there for another the parties altogether ignorant of what was intended and the Iesuits excusing the matter vpon the aforesaid equiuocate presupposition scil that all would like of it c. or no. To this he were no way bound to answer but might absolutely deny it because it is as a thing impertinent to his place and office at that time and maketh neither here nor there for comming to the knowledge of this article scil whether it be lawfull to kill an annointed Queene or no. But now if the case be proposed the examination made of such articles as may either directly or indirectly boult out and make known the truth of the matter intended then of due right to be examined then and therein equiuocation is but a meere deuice of periurie cogging and lying As for example what say you saith the Magistrate if the Pope come in with hostile hand to inuade this Realme thereby to set vp the Catholikes religion whose part will you take c and the Catholike answereth I will take the Queenes part meaning to himselfe if the Pope will commaund me so to do or for any thing further of my mind that you shall know This I say is wicked cogging and vnlawfull as being nothing else but a secret concealed treason It being sure that inuasion hostile power and force of armes do denotate a population of the whole land and no restoring but per accidens only of religion or the Catholike faith at all And therfore as euery Catholicke in England is bound in that respect to defend his Prince and countrie against all forreine inuasion of King Pope or whosoeuer else shall come in with hostile hand vnder what pretence soeuer as hereafter shall be proued so ought the partie examined to answere absolutely without al doubling or concealed intents for that matter it being a point directly tending to treason to her Maiesties person and the Crown and State Sixtly vpon this slie deuice of equiuocation whereby the Iesuits hold it dogmatizando that they may not only to our aduersaries but euen also to any Catholike Magistrate yea to the Pope himselfe answer one way and meane another so as impossible it is for any that is not a Iesuit to know a Iesuits heart here-hence they haue gotten or arrogated vnto themselues an immunitie of so ample priuiledge as go where they list neither Chancellor Bishop nor Archbishop may meddle with them when they do amisse stat pro ratione voluntas their owne pleasure are their guides and so strict a law imposed vpon all others where euer they liue as do they but only pretend a matter they may not be called in question nor once asked why they do it so as their arrogancie is grown to that height now as the whole Clergie vnlesse some few persons desirous to liue quiet let all run on wheels aswell secular as religious throughout Italy France and Spaine are brought almost to a non plus not knowing what course to take to reforme theÌ„ And as for the English seculars presently vpon the coming in of Fa.
conspiracies vpon more warie and further looking into their dooings drifts and plot castings comparing their infamous libels letters passages practises purposes and proceedings together and conferring one thing with an other heere and there and in all other nations kingdomes and prouinces where they come and can get footing as now in Sweuia the case is cleere how the Polonian king is defeated of that kingdome occasionated only by their treacherous ambitious tampring aspires sundry of sound iudgement and of the grauer more politike and wiser sorte amongst them that are not ledde away with passion or affection further then reason lawe iustice conscience and religion mooues bindes and compels them for to thinke are fully perswaded they escaped as great a danger of comming vnder a Iesuitical bondage when al France was in a furious combustion by them as euer they or anie other nation did at what time as the Templars the sampler of the Iesuits often mentioned by me in sundry places had confederated with the Turks or Sarazens in a general conspiracy for the ouerthrow of the whole christian world of France in chiefe And therefore as that most Christian catholike king great Henrie of France now regnant hath iust cause together with the state of France neuer to admit of the Iesuits againe to come within his borders or to like as the Scots phrase goeth within his bounds so maruell not though all that are Iesuits either in verbo or in voto in re or in spe or in faction or affection do mightily grudge murmur and euen gnash their teeth in the furie of their zeale with most bitter words reuiling as well the Popes holines as the king Christian the state the clergie the catholikes and the whole realme of Fraunce when they heare but the name of that nation or call to minde what a sweete morsell was taken out of their iawes at the reconciliation of the French king to the catholike Romish Church as the onely acte which dashed their hope for the time of that crowne frustrated their ambitious aspires to that mighty monarchie and put them halfe in dispaire of euer obtaining the like meanes of aspiring to soueraigne dominion Yea I am verily perswaded it gaue many of the more ambitious sort amongst them such a frantike phanaticall mad distraction in their wils as seuen yeeres retired exercise of contemplation will hardly bring them to a true mortified religious course and spirite againe For had they gotten Fraunce subiected vnder the Spaniards at that time as the ticklish state of all things stood here and elsewhere the Spanish title and claime to the English crowne rising thence as before is said they would haue had greater possibilitie of aduantage helpes and meanes by size ace and the dice for the conquest of all these northerne Isles then now they haue or are like hereafter easily to be possessed of the whole Christian world beginning now daily more and more to looke into them and their treacherous dealings Thirdly I might here enlarge my selfe with many weightie reasons to conuince the Iesuiticall ambition and aspires to the French crowne and kingdome as well by some suspitious speeches giuen our by their fautors of the causes moouing the marriage betwixt the Lady Infanta Isabella and the Archduke Albert and placing of them both in the Low countries as also by the generall passages and the Iesuiticall faction concerning the house of Burgundy and common applauses giuen on that behalfe how maruellous deepely affected the Burgundians are to the English how hatefull to the French how woorthy warriors of themselues and how that their forces together with the power of England and strength which the Lady Infanta their soueraigne would bring or send vnder the conduct of some Iesuiticall General perchance of Captaine Cubbocke were sufficient to bring both Fraunce and Scotland vnder the English subiection as of right they should These with many other the like perswasions vsed by them both to catholikes and others of our common aduersaries shew plaine if a man ponderate euery point particular and circumstance well with himselfe that the Iesuits aime at all these northerne Isles together with the whole kingdome of Fraunce and by consequent then these once gotten in full possession what kingdome in the world but per nullum tempus occurrens regi may by degrees come vnder their bowe bondage and Allobrogicall gouernment THE VII ARTICLE VVHether then bicause so it seemeth by this your last speech doe the Iesuits if they preuaile in England or Fraunce intend any thing against Spaine and the whole house of Austria and by consequent against the whole Empire and all other Monarchiall states of Christendome or else none but onely these before mentioned to themselues and the rest for the Spanish and Austrian lines THE ANSWERE IT is most certaine apparant and manifest by all coniecture reasons proofes and arguments ad hominem that they most traiterously haue cast the platforme and doe goe about so much as wit of man can deuise to bring all kings princes and states in Christendome vnder their subiection And therefore they haue an intendment against Spaine Austria and the whole empire as well as against England Scotland or Fraunce or any other peculiar prouince though not against all at once for that were meere follie in them but by peecemeale as I said before of these northerne Isles in setting one nation in opposition against an other and euery one to be iealous not only of their neighbour princes but also of their owne subiects each one apart and all this vnder pretence of religion making the Spaniards bicause he hath the best bag in deede though they pretend bicause he hath more religion in him then the rest a great many not knowing or at least not thinking of it how that the Spanish state is as ticklish as any in Christendome this day and as much bad and wicked liuers in it as any where almost is to be found the number of infidels Nueuo Christiano and lewd catholikes considered to be the cloake of their colorable aspires pretending for him alone as best able they thinke to beare them out against all other princes or soueraignes whosoeuer In which kinde of practise policie and matchiuilean deuise doe blinde the eies of the multitude which they chiefly labour for though it may seeme incredible to some that euer they should aspire to an absolute monarchie thereby considering they are so few in number and those dispersed here and there in sundry Nations ouer all the face almost of the whole earth yet who so doth wel consider that the Turkish empire the Ottomans race the Mahumetans state hath spred it selfe abroad vpon no expectation had either of themselues or feare conceiued at first of any other by them like to this platforme doctrine and pretend of the Iesuits they will thinke it neither strange nor impossible but rather very probable vnlesse God do strike them and confound their deuises And this I proue first to
and allow of all their prophane and irreligious orders set downe for succession as to be let in and put out at their pleasure And thus vnder a cloak of a most shamfull heathnish Turkish and ridiculous common wealths authority neuer seene nor heard nor liked nor allowed of by God or man the king regnant should be as the terme goeth to day a man to morrow none Now a king crownd at twelue a clocke at noonetyde and presently disinuested of all his roabes of estate and vncrowned againe by prime if it so pleased the mocke maiestie of the multitude at the kings royall approch to the imperiall throne of regalitie he shall haue the title in words of a king monarchiall with viuat rex in aeternum but like a king of clowts ere euer he take regall state vpon him he shall heare a proclamation from a Democracy with penes nos respublica regimen imperium if the said state popular be strong ynough to beare away the stile and title of a colorable weale publike And thus per circulum one king displaced after an other none being sure of his state but remoueable by law at the good will and pleasure of the mobile vulgus as mutable as the weathercocke the Spanish maiestie and Archgrace of Austria being once in possession of the English French Scots crownes must depend vpon the exorbitant inconstant passionate willes of their owne vnruly vassals to be expeld the next day after if either he displease or an other better conceite them in their rusticke rude ruffling humours And so one after an other must be placed or displaced as these common wealthes humorists fancy best To whom as Master Charles Paget hath well noted king Philip must obey like a poore lacky in a French Ioupe to runne and turne sit and stand raigne and render accept and abiure his crowne and kingdome regality and all as a subiect seruant and poore vassall at their appointment and right serued by his owne acceptance and allowance of a Law and legifer so contemptible disgracefull and preiudiciall to the sacred maiestie of a King But questionlesse if either his late maiestie or present king regnant had vnderstood our English idiome or been truly informed of the contents of those his worthlesse workes or had knowne what absurdities contradictions and spitefull preiudices had lien close cowched betwixt the barke and tree the roote and the rinde the superficiall shew in words and reall proceedings in acts of father Parsons and his confederates bewitching both his and our Soueraignes loyall subiectes together with all the populars of euery Prince in Christendome with this his most dangerous irreligious wretched and rebellious doctrine made for his owne purpose vnder a flattering dissimulate pretence of aduauncing his maiesties title to that he hath no right vnto and thereby to bring both him and all other Princes in subiection to these popular state conspirators for their owne auncient iust and lawfull inheritance he would sure haue reiected him with heue and ho in a strappado vnlesse that his priesthood might happely haue saued him at a pinch of extremitie But yet his maiestie may perhaps cast him into the Inquisition and cause him to be degraded eraced and burnt for an heretike if he obstinately maintaine what he hath begun but that is the spite of it a Iesuite wil stand to nothing though there be a thousand witnesses of it when his bookes and libels shall come in print for these matters translated into Latine or Spanish with perfect annotations of that corrupt text of his taken out of his owne and his confederates workes against himselfe for better information of his highnesse and the sacred Inquisition of many blasphemies foule abuses and grosse errors As first affirming as erst I told you how that all succession gouernment and gouernors or whatsoeuer is included or dependeth vpon the law diuine and of nature is all one without possibility of alteration or change as God and nature saith he are common and one to all alike c. He thereby couertly by a fallacy denies free will in man putting no difference betwixt the lawes of nature generall and specificall or that lawe which is common to man together with brute beastes and that other which is proper to man alone Which latter as that whereupon onely this gouernment dependeth he must grant to be naturally subiect to alteration and change as the former is tyed to immutability and permanent continuance in one and the selfe same state Then hereupon followeth an other absurditie scil a king saith he in plaine termes holdeth his crowne regality and kingdome by the goodwill of the common wealth his vassals where he raigneth Againe an other absurditie or grosser error may be this that he affirmeth this common wealth which he auoucheth to controle regall maiestie in forme aboue recited to place and displace kings and subiectes at their pleasure hath to challendge this priuiledge vnto it that it is commaunded by the holy Ghost in such sort as that in sentence iudiciall it cannot erre And by consequent I inferre first that he meaneth absolutely of a Iesuiticall common wealth squared agreeing to the high Counsell of Reformation For neuer could I heare any other state court or association that they would honor so much as to giue out they could not erre saue only themselues and their society c. And then againe that this supposed of a Iesuitical common wealth scil Quod respublica non potest errare it followeth that rebles traitors may hereupon build what the list and bring in the great Turke or Cam of Catay to rule ouer vs without controlement And this brings in an other contradiction For whereas in one place he holdeth that titles to kingdomes of Princes once settled are not to be examined but absolutely obeyed by priuate men in an other place quite contrarie he presumes vpon his owne head to examine titles of the greatest monarches on earth and to determine them by way of consultation in a publike conference of a wine tauerne authoritie And bicause vno absurdo dato plura sequuntur therefore to make shew that this conference was by authoritie not of priuate but of publike persons therefore must euery wayfaring man traueller tinker pedlar rogue and runnagate tag and rag that is a member of father Parsons common wealth more exorbitant then his former called of many the Earle of Leicesters common wealth or Greencote must be a publike person and not daily and howerly caried away in priuate from his owne opinion nor yet examine the matter priuately before or after he come to conferre thereof with this graue father we may be sure and the rest of the Iesuits appointed for that purpose Iust like to this legifers lawe giuen to his vicegerent the Archpriest to cut off all meetings or conferences to be had amongst secular priests about his authoritie And a very like lawe or rather abuse of all lawe and order is his tyrannicall