should follow the scepter and peace should follow plentie there should be no distrust of secret treason nor feare of forraine inuasion But aboue all see that you nourish in them a strong perswasion of Spanish loue and an earnest desire of Indian gold that euen as Philip made the Athenians beleeue that he pretended enmitie against the Plotenses and Olynthians when he meant to ride vpon the backe of all Grecia so must you make them beleeue that the purpose of the Spaniard Beleeue them that list is onely to reforme religion and to passe no further And thus there being a coniunction of English plots with Spanish practise how should we but preuaile except sonnes with my elder brother Baalam we haue laboured to curse where the Lord neuer cursed and detested where the Lord neuer detested and I your olde father be constrained in the end to roare with Iulian the Apostata saying vicisti Galilaee vicisti I say no more vnto you but walke closely and keepe your selues in tenebris for your predecessors I know not whether to ascribe it to angrie stars the influence of the heauens neglect of oportunitie want of secrecie by too great securitie haue had so sinister successe that in stead of supplanting a kingdome they haue broken their neckes at Tyburne and in stead of reconciling sowles to our Romish faction Not so but iust reward of treason their heads haue been vnited to an halter This crueltie haue they sustained for my sake whom therfore I haue crowned with martyrdom as your elder brother Campion the rest the remembrance of whom in whose endeuours I haue heretofore placed my hope of effecting that whereunto I now imploy your selues doth but increase my sorrow and griefe CHAPTER 5. Certaine semblances betwixt the Foxe and the Lyon Antichrist and Mahomet in broaching their damnable doctrines and leuying nations to their lawes FOr as much as the couert enemies against the Church do most of all deceiue simple people by shrowding their deformities vnder the mantle of deuotion I haue thought it pertinent to set downe these semblances following betwixt the Pope Mahomet the which throughly pondered of euerie Christian man are sufficient to bring him to a full detestation of the Romish religion This Mahomet was an Arabian souldiour and tooke wages of the Emperour Heraclius to serue him in his wars In a mutinie he was chosen to be a commaunder of a rebellious host so base a vassall was he that the people of Mecha who worship him at this day condemned him to death for his murders and robberies Mahomets coÌ„fession of himselfe Yea he confesseth himselfe what he was namely an Idolater an adulterer giuen to leacherie subiect to women in such manner as it is a shame to report This is that prophet without prophesying The first semblance in their manners that lawmaker without miracles that irreligious former of religion that man without God which hath by his ignorance choked the truth and by his violence inforced falshood That many of the Popes haue bin as desperate and damnable varlets as euer was Mahomet Some Popes as verie varlets as euer was Mahomet the legends written by their owne secretaries doe beare witnesse Amongst whom that monster Boniface the eight carieth the bell of whom themselues giue testimonie that he entered like a Foxe ruled like a Lion and died like a dog Whosoeuer listeth to rake in the dounghil of Popes shall finde some of them to be starke Atheistes as Paul the third some blasphemers and sodomitical knaues as Iulius the third some whoremasters as Iohn the 12. who abused his fathers concubines some necromancers as Syluester who was made Pope auxilio diaboli by the aide of the diuell Yea so holy are these vnerring fathers that one being demaunded why in their suffrages they praied not for Cardinals and Bishops that saith he is to be vnderstood vbi oramus pro schismaticis haereticis where we pray for schismatickes and heretikes The meanes whereby Mahomet deceiued the world were as followeth This new Captaine many could not abide his manners were so monstrous besides he was vexed with the falling sicknes therefore to redeeme himselfe from this contempt pretended a diuinitie in his doings faining himselfe to conferre with God and so to be rauished out of himselfe and that he was no more a prince elected through fauour of souldiers but a messenger of the Almightie Hauing laid this foundation politickely he beginneth to make a mingle-mangle of all religions For to allure the Iewes he exalted Moses and retained circumcision not to estraunge the Christians he confessed Christ to be the spirit word and power of God to please the Nestorians he said that Christ was not verie God nor the sonne of God but that he had indeed the soule of God The Foxe laieth a foundation for his absurdities and blasphemies The second semblance in the ground plot of enlarging theit kingdomes much like that of the Lion for as Mahomet coosened the world in making it beleeue that he entered communication with God when he fell into his fit of the falling sickenes so the Pope whilest he maketh thousands beleeue that he is Gods vicar as the other made his beleeue that he was and is Gods messenger and that he cannot erre in giuing sentence though he may slip as a priuate person poisoneth the Church with pestilent opinions and draweth whole cart-lodes of soules after him into hell fire The groundworke once laid that the Pope cannot erre then like to Mahomet beginneth hee to make an hotch-potch of heresies as to worship Christ and other saints with the Carpocratians to worship the virgine Marie with the Collyridians to paint God like an old man with the Anthropomorphits to hold freewil and a possibilitie to fulfill the commandements with the Pelagians to restraine meats to daies and times with the Montanistes and Manichees to condemne mariage with the Tatians and Cataphrygians and in many pilgrimages praier to the dead Iustification by workes to shew himselfe a right Mahometane The third semblance is in the likelihood of their blasphemies against Christ The third semblance in broaching their blasphâ—mies for Mahomet fearing I say least that he should alienate the Christians confessed Christ to be the spirit word and power of God but not verie God nor the sonne of God and himselfe to be the seruant of Christ but yet so that in the end he preferreth himselfe before him and maketh himselfe the last refuge for mankind to flie vnto The Pope denieth not the person of the great sonne of God for then should he not be Antichrist but yet if you marke well how he degradeth him of his dignities you shall see that Christ is much alike beholden to them both and that euerie one may vnderstand what his flatterers giue him and what he chalengeth Let vs heare what is written Christopher Marcellus said to the Pope and it pleased him well Tues alter Deus in terris
that foule fiend For is it not â—orded in their histories that many them were Necromancers familiarly â—â—uainted with the diuels Search Carâ—al Benno in his bookes of the life and â—â—ngs of Hildebrand and he wil tel you â—â—t many haue obtained the popeâ—ne through diuellish arts as Sylueâ—â— the second Iohn the eighteenth Iohn nineteenth Iohn the twentith Benet eight Benet the ninth Gregorie the â—enth earst called Hildebrand who â—â—pered his triacle so well that as â—â—d as fiue or sixe Popes by the Italian dram were broght to their bane to the enâ— he might haue a beateÌ„ path to their places Now to speake of the same knacks iâ— the popish cleargie descended from thâ— stocke of such grandsires before mentioned it would be too tedious nay we may not imagine that those maide priestes which daily handle a breade god can play legerdemaine when the seeme to giue absolution But here the old Foxe will reply thâ—â— all the flowres in Priapus that Dryad and Naiades and Satyrus that is all thâ— flowres in hils and dales and many greene forrest haue not so sweet a smâ—â— as a Catholikes conuersation For thâ— old Foxe Popish mortification liuely depainted poore beast abides the 〈◊〉 brunt of the weather his poore cuâ— haue such streight rules of liues as noâ— haue more some of them not eating â—ny flesh a great part of the yeare soâ—â— of them eating no flesh at all being leane as if they had lien seuen yeaâ— diseased in their dens of Idolatrie â—thers going woolward others doiâ—â— perpetuall pennance and whippiâ—â— themselues a vie who shall whip moâ— others vtterly forswearing the mariaâ—â— bâ—ed and vowing virginitie Thus warrant you the Foxe doth loue morâ—â—fication as dearly as a dog doth a cudâ—â—ell Austeritie of life no true marke of the Church And what if your Austeritie of life â—ere as you would make the world beâ—eue yet come you not neare Baals â—riestes who cut launced themselues â—hom notwithstanding the prophet â—lias mocketh with full mouth no nor â—et neare the superstitious Mahomeâ—â—nes of diuerse sortes But ye worlds deceiuers ye painted â—epulchers ye meale-mouthed counâ—â—rfeits your priests indeed vow contiâ—ent liues but O heauen O earth O â—â—ousand millions of rapes adulteries â—â—cestes fornications committed vnder â—is goodly vow of virginitie You vow â—ouerty but it is to nestle your selues in â—â—llaces and there to pamper your â—â—lues at other mens charges You â—atch in the night but it is to sleepe in â—â—e day O what paines takes the olde â—â—xe to ride on mens shoulders and to 〈◊〉 vp his feet to haue his pantofle kissed tel ouer so many thousands of crowns 〈◊〉 come tumbling in on euerie side O â—hat paines he takes to haue the spoile and bootie of so many millions of soules so miserably bewitched O what a marke of mortification is it in the reuerendissimies to haue their tailes caried vp by their trainebearers and to ride vp and down in their coaches with their concubines Alas for pittie those religious men which merit both for themselues and for others how ill be they lodged in their princely chambers poore men alas how are they famished when the world is together by the eares who shall bestow most vpon them and their hands so troubled with the gout that all is fish that comes to net O the small warmth they haue in their Iacobine chambers how ill be they clothed in their cold cassockes O what hunger abide our English popelings and poore catholickes in abstaining from a peece of restie bacon to feede of dainties that are fetcht out of farre countries how pale faced are they in drinking the strongest wines they can come by aâ— what great price do these Romanistes rate paradice at when thus they doe worke to be seruiceable Here whilest we giue them the challenge for seeking the kingdome of heauen in their drunken dotages and stinking cesterne of their owne traditions they in the meane while most wickedly slaunder vs that we disioyne amendement of life from remission of sinnes And why so because we settle the consciences of men on him who hath paied so deare a price for them But as touching our doctrine compared with theirs we will make him Iudge who shall iudge vs all by his word And as for our liues we acknowledge that we haue too great cause to humble our selues before the highest maiestie But as for them their Sodom Gomor their plaunches and swinesties of all impietie their harbours and lurking holes of idlenes and all manner of dissolution yeeldeth such a lothsome smell as doth infect both heauen and earth The second propertie of the Foxe is wilinesse The second propertie of the Foxe is wilines and this is one of his vnseparable accidents To find out all his deceipts is almost as difficult as to sound Sathans depthes and therefore if in this I be too short it is no meruel for the Foxe is full of subtletie Amongst many his properties of cunning compassing The Foxe woorieth aloofe from his den this is reckoned one that he dare not woorie neare his den least timely watch should take him tardie In like sort these subtill seducers wander farre and wide coÌ„passe sea land whereby to make a Catholike after their own profession Secondly Rainard raungeth in the night The Foxe raungeth in the night keepes his den in the day In like maner the two-legged Foxes dare not abide the day light but seeke lurking holes wander in by-waies marching on like maskers with shamelesse frontes in stead of visors disguising theÌ„selues lest wonted attire should broach their wiles marre their mummings Thirdly the craft of the Foxe appeareth in this The Foxe fasteneth on the yong lambs that he loueth to fasten and feede vpon the yoong ones the poore lambes of little force to escape his crueltie of like condition are the spirituall Foxes they fasten vpon such as are poore in knowledge and weake in faith that they may more easily peruert and draw them to errour For suruey bona fide the dealings of priestes Iesuites Seminaries or other seducers see and consider whether they reade not in the steps of the old serpent The daÌ„gerous practises of Foxe-priestes and Iesuites seeke they not to seduce poore simple women that they may intise â—heir husbands as Eua did Adam Maâ—ame must be recusant and Mounsire a monthly church-hant The meane genâ—lewoman or yeomans wife forsweares â—he Church Practise of papistes and faceth out the force of â—ur lawes the good man of the house â—eepes into the Church for feare of a â—ine setting more by his dames pater noâ—ter in her closet then any Christian exercise in the congregation as if our â—awes were made to rule men and not women husbands and not wiues This shuffling would be suspected for thus â—â—ngender Foxe-cubs who threaten fuâ—ure danger If simple men be recusants Marke this and reâ—ounce our felowship many not greatâ—y regard it because either
they want â—uthoritie or their purses be not well â—ined but be not deceiued for such litâ—le sparkes may serue the Popes turne â—y being kindled to a flame and that is wilines is a ware of The Iuie creeâ—ing along the ground beginning at â—he first to compasse the lowest part of the oke at the last by getting ground ouerpeereth the highest branch pierceth still the pith sucketh the sap to the ruine of the whole trunke so these subtill Foxes by insinuation and sugred speeches seeke first to enter into the coÌ„sciences of persons inferiour hoping by daily addition of newe addicted fooles to the fleshpots of Egypt to fortifie their faction but indeed the marke that they leuell at is to rase vp the foundation of our peace and to ouer-peare the head of her royall person Fourthly the subtiltie of the Foxe is herein discerned because perswading men vnto vertue and reuoking them from vice The Foxe is a counseller for his owne aduantage he doth it for his owne aduantage and then especially seeketh the spoile of the Church So that fitlie they may be resembled vnto theeues trauelling by the hie way and lighting into true meaning coÌ„panie can talke of simple dealing of sober liuing of the reward of the vertuous of the punishmeÌ„t of the vitious to the inteÌ„t that vnsuspected they may take their bootyat vnawares or to the craftie gamester who suffereth the simple man to winne for a while that afterward being greedy of play he may lurch him as he listeth Euen so these deceiptful workmen speake some good things but they intermeddle euill things they speak the truth but to scatter lies to root theÌ„ in mens harts as Sinen in Virgil mingled falshood with truth that he might more easily entrap the Troians they speake peace with their mouths but haue conceiued mischief in their harts they can say salue frater with Ioab aue Rabbi with Iudas when their purpose is to stab with the one and to betraie with the other To conclude they are deceiptfull merchants which vtter euill wares and set them out with lying words to make them saileable Wherefore as Paul commaunded the diuel to silence although he spoke truth least that his vttering of truth might aduantage his lying and gaine credit to his kingdome and as Iesus Christ sharpely rebuked the diuel saying vnto him we know who thou art teaching vs not to giue eare vnto the diuell although he tell the troth so let the rulers which regard the honour of the highest labour earnestly to hinder the course of these seducing spirits which are scattered in our land and to put the diuel to silence in them that his people be not beguiled and drawne away to straunge worship The Foxe craftily disswades from religion and loialtie Another of their wiles is in their manner of perswasion first against religion secondly against loialty Against religioÌ„ by whispering into the eares of the seduced Church agreement councels coÌ„sent fathers harmony teachers credit vniuersality antiquitie vnity apostolical traditioÌ„s all which an alblasted Moter hath trict trimly in colours hauing put as it were an new coat vpon an old deformed bodie as if where the asse had put vpon him the Lions skin the world could not discerne him by the length of his eares but the name of God be magnified he is discouered and his new vernished leaden dagger stabd in the intrals of his holy mother My purpose in this pamphlet is rather to discouer the wickednes of English Italionates then to dispute against the wilfull obstinacie of any Catholike champion yet because this is the dust that Master Allablaster with others more cast in the eies of our countrimen to put them quite out or at leastwise to bleare them I will briefely scatter it and so proceed in my former course Church agreement an old Motiue to the popish faith remoued and confuted BY the Church they would haue you to vnderstand the Church of Rome The Catholickes in their brags vnderstand by the Church the Romish Church for her eminencie and then when they tell you that the Church agrees the Church degrees the Church cannot erre all this in their language is to be spoken of the Romish Church Now if this proud Moter or any other of his fraternitie can bring you any prophecie or promise by which this her priuiledge may appeare that Rome is the mother Citie of the vniuersall Church Vrge this against a Romane Catholike as she was of the ancient Romane Empyre as also that this is her prerogatiue that she caÌ„not erre theÌ„ haue they done some thing but they may assoone find Paradise in hell as anie such text in the scripture Contrariwise she is poynted at 2. Thes 2.3 Apoca. 17. as by that finger to be the seat of apostasie by Saint Paul 2. Thess 2.3 vers and by Saint Iohn in the Apocalypse Rome the sea of Apostasie yea by many auncient fathers Greeke and Latine albeit they in their times saw not that was before their eyes Againe if it were lawfull for men why should Rome rather be chosen then Ierusalem the first and the auncientest of the Churches called of the prophets the citie of God Esay 2. from whence the word of God should goe fourth into all the world founded by Saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles or rather than Antioch Acts. where were named the first christians and where it is apparant that Peter and Paul liued Sirs what can you say for your selues faith sometimes florished at Rome And what then so did it at Ierusalem at Antioch at Ephesus c. But was not Ierusalem turned into Ieruskaker Was not Bethel that is the house of the Lord turned into Bethauen the house of iniquitie Is not the candlesticke remoued from those famous Churches of Asia Ephesus Pergamus Thiatira Philadelphia c. These places are altered for wickednesse and Rome for bad life and bad religion And thou Rome though sometimes faithfull art now the Queene of pride the nurse of â—dolatries the mother of whoredomes â—he shop of heresies Romes abhominations where the enteâ—ance into Gods house that is the scripâ—ures wherein he hath placed his eternall truth is forbidden vnto his people where the Church is not onely made a place of merchandise of mens soules â—ut is changed into a shop of more abâ—ominable Idolatrie than euer was amongst the pagans themselues where â—he true Iesus Christ is changed into a â—ead and sencelesse thing hauing neiâ—her head nor feete which cannot keep â—t selfe from the talents of theeues nor â—et from the teeth of mice and rattes which perisheth of it selfe if it be not â—he sooner deuoured But here some fauorit of poperie will â—ell you What if the Pope sit in Peters chaire that the Pope sits in Peters â—haire answere him that so did the Pharisees in Moyses seate Matt. 23. yet neuer â—he better no iot the holier for all that â—o that I may iustly
their loue to voluptuous delites or prodigalities children whom extreme want hath made desperatly minded or wanton wanderers whom long trauail hath depriued of naturall affection And thus began Mahomet to strengthen his state The Lion and the Foxe iumpe in the manner of strengthening and enlarging their kingdomes by ioyning himselfe with the angrie souldiers of Heraclius stirring vp their minds against the Emperour and encouraging them in their defection whereupon in processe of time it came to passe that although many could not abide him for the basenes of his birth Mahomet his beginning and odiousnes of his former life yet growing from a thiefe to a seditious souldier and from a seditious souldier to be a captaine of a rebellious host his Mahometicall force began to subdue mightie people Now as you must strike with Mahomet whilest the Iron is hot and worke those with diligence whose inclination you finde pliable so must your wisedome appeare in the manner of this worke wherein I would haue you to propound to your selues The old Foxe sendeth his cubbes to schoole to the Lion the deceitfulnes of that damned wretch before named I would not for all this world it were knowne my sonnes you followed so base a pattern of a cousening knaue for an example of Imitation This Mahomet not onely to gratifie his companions but also the more easilie to allure all nations receiued all religions the pertinacie of Arrius the errour of Nestorius The religion of Mahomet the vaine inuention of the Thalmudists therfore from the Iewes he receiued circumcision from the christiās sundry washings as it were Baptisme with Sergius denied Christ his diuinitie Secondly to enlarge his kingdome he made such lawes as were fit to win The manner how Mahomet enlarged his kingdome and allure the vilest as to his Arabians base wretches accustomed to liue vpon the spoile he alloweth theft and setteth a law of reuengment Hurt him which hurt you he that killeth his enemie or is killed by him entreth into Paradise he permits hauing of many wiues diuorcement for trifling causes promiseth Paradise to them that giue liberally and fight for his sake Thirdly mistrusting his fall with many bulwarkes hath he fenced his law Three bulwarkes of laws mahometane that no way be open to subuert it First by commaunding to kill them which speake against the Alcoran Secondly by forbidding men to conferre with a contrary sect And thirdly by prohibiting credit to bee giuen to any of a contrarie religion Now sirs why should not we preuaile as well as this deceiuer whom for example I haue mentioned to you my children Mahomet an example of imitation to the Pope haue we not as wany motiues as plausible Rhetoricians to perwade for first as he to allure all nations receiued all religions so I your old father haue found out such a religion as is compounded of all sorts that all might be pleased and therefore our enemies haue called it the trusse and budget of heresies Secondly Why man 's corrupted nature doth so easely incline to poperie our doctrines are as mightie to preuaile as euer were the lawes of Mahomet If their old men be couetous their yong mē voluptuous their nobles ambitious and the common sort ceremonious The Catholickes faith fit for a couetous heart we haue such allurements as are able to winne them To the ritch couetousnes with craft and crueltie the rest of her factours we haue coyned a purgatorie the fire of our gaine For the voluptuous For dissolute and idle to no-things To feed the voluptuous our religion admits simple fornication and our practise hath erected a stewes To draw on the riotous the dissolute idle do-nothings we haue ordained many odde holy daies halfe holy daies at Rogation to carry banners after Pentecost to go about with Corpus Christi play to ring at All hallowes c. For such as would not see their sinnes To keepe men from the sight of their sinnes we haue taught them to mince it and that the first motions are no sins vnlesse they goe with consent that some are venial need but an asperges of holy water or a bishops blessing To win ambitious heads that faine would be aloft For aspiring heads you must teach that my power is to giue kingdomes to such as can conquer them to free subiectes from loyaltie and to giue immortalitie to such as can plucke the crowne from the princes head For wilfully ignorant If the people will know nothing to fit their humours we teach that Ignorance is the mother of deuotion that Images are bookes for lay men that knowledge of the scriptures makes heretickes that it is sufficient for them that their faith be foulded vp in our Romish Church beliefe without vnderstanding or knowing what it is Lastly least simplicitie either in Church-seruice Outward painted seruice of the popish Church meere pollicy to steale mens hearts or administration of sacraments should breed contempt we haue added many petite matters to make them more-commendable and our followers more deuout as in our Churches gilded Images altars super-altars candlestickes and such like In our massings and Church seruice golden garments costly colours straunge gestures Trash warbling numbering of beads c. in our priestes square caps bald crownes great hoods in our orders crossing annointing shauing forswearing wedlocke c. In our baptisme washing of hands salting spatling exorcising crossing In receiuing to come with beards new shauē an imaginatiō of a body where none is And lastly Foure bulwarkes of papisme least this our iugling should be espied we haue made as strong fences for papisme as euer did that wicked beast for Mahometisme for first we haue buried the scriptures least by that light our darkenes should be discouered Secondly Church-seruice we haue thrust vpon seely people in a straunge language Sonnes you know well why for Simon Magus was neuer detected before Christ was preached in Samaria Thirdly we haue forbidden our followers to conferre with the Hugenotes for they are alwaies striking at vs with the scepter of the word and still crie to the law and the testimonie c. Fourthly we haue an argument drawne à fasciculis which we commaund to be formed in a new moode and figure against such as speak against our traditions Vaine hope vncertaine promises Absolon a courtlike politike a patterne for popish priestes And what can we doe more yea what doth there else remain but that you doe all diligence feeding your fauorites with strong hope and large promises standing at the court gates with Absolon the liuely image of courtly politickes seeming to pittie the peoples estate when his ambitious humour did greedily aspire after his fathers kingdome Euen so you my sons tell them that their religion is good and their cause is good how I your father theirs do pittie thē and that if I had the disposition of the crown plentie
Thou art an other god vpon earth Againe it is written of him Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope In the proheme of the Clementines fol. 3. Papa id est admirabilis nec Deus nec homo quasi neuter es inter vtrumque The Pope is so named because he is wonderfull thou art neither God nor man but as it were a neuter betwixt both Againe Excepto peccato omnia potest quae Deus except sin he can doe all that God can doe He can make holy that which is vnholy pardon sins iustifie the wicked dispense against the old and new Testament Againe Omnis potestas data est mihi in terra All power is giuen to me in earth Now I report me to all them whose iudgement is not quite peruerted whether Mahomet euer did or could speake more blasphemously against the honour of God or Iesus Christ than these diuellish Doctors But we must remember here that as Mahomet hauing renounced the person of the sonne of God yet calleth himselfe his seruant So the Pope claiming supreame iurisdiction in all causes and throughout all countries yet vaileth bonnet and stoopeth his stile calling himselfe seruum seruorum Dei Of whose shamelesse hypocrisie or dissembled humilitie this Distich hath been framed worthie remembrance Roma tibi quondam suberant Domini Dominorum Seruorum serui hunc tibi sunt Domini Time was o Rome whē Lord of Lords Did yeeld thee fealtee Time 's past and seruants seruants now Thy Lords and masters be The fourth semblance is in their laws For Mahomet in his Alcoran commandeth his followers to kill the infidell The fourth semblance in the likelihood of their lawes to auenge themselues and to take no wrong and telleth them that whosoeuer killeth his enemie shall haue the greater share in paradice he permitteth the hauing of many wiues diuorcement for trifling causes by which damnable waies he hath enlarged his kingdome by his successors and partly by fraud partly by force hath brought a great part of the world vnder his tyrannicall subiection Now see whether the Foxe and the Lion agree not as wel as two heads vnder one hood For as Mahomet commaunds to kill and promiseth paradice to them that kil most so the Pope giues authoritie and power to kill the true Christians and promiseth immortalitie to them that murther their naturall princes Secondly as Mahomet commaundeth his to auenge themselues so the Popes doctrine is not farre short of it when he teacheth it to be the counsell of Christ not his commaundement to loue our enemies Thirdly as that damned wretch alloweth the hauing of many wiues and diuorcement for trifling causes so the Pope although he admitte not Polygamie yet simple fornication with him is no deadly sinne He erecteth stewes and brothell houses yea the sinne of Sodome hath been allowed by some of these maiden fathers Ioan. Rauisius Textor in his booke called officina and gelded bishops as by Sixtus the fourth who also gaue licence to all the generation of the Cardinall of Saint Lucie who was his huntsman to vse this sodomiticall filthines in the three hot monthes of the yeare namely Iune Iuly and August What should I tell you that Iohannes de Casa an Arch-prelate and grand-captaine writ a booke in commendation of it Of Catholike O shamelesse harlot to magnifie that in writing the onely thought wherof ought to wound the heart with horrour Thirdly as Mahomet permitted diuorcement for trifling causes so is it a cleare case that the Pope in this point hath also contradicted the doctrine of Christ Lastly as he promiseth paradice to the vilest creatures so the Pope granteth his pardons de paenitētijs iniungendis that is to a man before he sinne and what is this but with Mahomet to open heauen to the basest villaines in the world The which vntollerable beastlines of them God hath raised vp diuers of their owne countrie to displaie Venalia nobis Templa altaria sacra Coronae Ignes thura preces coelum est venale Deusque Thus englished Wares of all sort are here to be sold Buy what you will for money downe told Churches priestes offerings altars and crowne We passe for quicke sale all cities and townes Fire frankencense dirges and pardons from paine Hell Heauen God the Diuell we giue all for gaine Fontana di dolore albergo d'ira Schola d'errori ètempio d'heresia That is to say A gulfe of griefe a rocke of furious rage And take it in briefe a schoole or common cage Of errours most strange faire Rome to looke vpon But marke well the change now beastlie Babilon O dungeon most deepe of fraud deceite and guile O cage fit to keepe hot hate and vengeance vile Where vices preuaile and vertue lies starke dead Where sinne with full saile all states hath long misled O whirpoole of hell o foule and stinking Iakes Such as in thee dwel all goodnes quite forsakes A rare and strange world wonder thou wilt of all be thought If Sathan keepe thee vnder and Christ set thee at nought O nest of deulish treason from whence all vices issue O enemie to reason and fatall foe to vertue O drudge to drowsie drunkennes and surfetting excesse O shrowd of shifters shamelesse as whores and such like guesse I will knit it vp with this pretie Pasquil Roma quid est amor est Qualis praeposterus vnde hoc Roma mares noli dicere plura scio The first semblance is in cloaking their falsehood The first semblance in cunning cloaking of their knaueries for Mahomet notwithstanding his impietie and blasphemies saith that his doctrine is answerable to the old and new testament but yet so that no man examine his lawes vpon paine of death as if one paying money should charge the receiuer neuer to looke vpon it in the daylight and I beseech you who would not suspect such paie euen so dealeth the Pope for they count it heresie for the vulgar people to reade the scriptures in a knowne language and as for them vnto whom they must refer themselues they haue scarce seene the couerings of the bookes for the greatest part of them In deede there be some wallet brethren who are still chattering vntill their chappes be made vp but as for the scriptures they either are buried or els yelled howled censed adored clouted and patched vp in a strange language and vpon some solemne feast day sophisticated prouided that their laytie neither suspect nor sifit them but that they haue a good meaning and refer themselues to their articles The sixt semblance is in the likelihood of their bulwarkes for the fence of their kingdomes Mahomet commands first The sixt semblance in making like fences for their falsehoode to kill them which speake against his Alcoran Secondly hee forbiddeth to confer with a contrarie sect Thirdly that no credit bee giuen to any of a contrarie religion In like sort the Pope murders them that contradict his owne constitutions
Secondly hee forbids his catholikes to confer with the protestants Thirdly hee hath buried the scriptures least their light should discouer his darknes and least the common people should espie his Iugling he commands them not to meddle with the word of God There needeth no more to make men grow suspicious of the popish religion then these things well weighed CHAPTER 6. Of sundrie sortes of Foxes that are chiefly troublesome to the Church of England FOr the better auoyding of these enemies so pestilent and pernicious it is furder to be considered that sundry sortes of them are crept into the Church to supplant and vndermine it for some are heretikes either denying the person of the great sonne of God or degrading him from his offices and infecting his word with a million of errours of whom hath been intreated before and more shall be spoken hereafter Others are schismatikes who without cause depart away from the communion of the Church others are hypocrites or counterfeit christians reformed in name but more than deformed indeede who by their scandalous manners and wicked examples waste and destroy the vines especially the yong ones Which sort of Foxes are otherwise called scabd sheepe and are compared to leauen which sowreth the whole lumpe of which the Apostle giueth vs a rule in the person of the incestuous sinner that we should not companie together If any that is called a brother be a fornicatour 1 Cor. 5.11 Hereticall Foxes recusant papistes or couetous or an Idolater or a railour or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one eate not Of Foxes infected with heresie which do especially disturbe the church of England there be two sorts the one called recusants because they haue forsaken our fellowship the other churchhaunts who with false hearts frequent our assemblies temporizing for feare of a fine or furder penaltie The first sort plead Baals cause with open mouth despise the Lords temple in Ierusalem post from Dan to Bethel to please Ieroboam hate our congregations and count it damnable to tread in our assemblies If these Foxes were as sharply punished as they are easilie discouered we shuld not haue so many Masses neither so many goe to Masse and yet Masse rated at so round a reckning I need not stand to mark out these malapart merchaunts their practise betraies thē they show outwardly how they are affected inwardly old doting dames and yoong minions old foolish fathers and yoong boyes that cannot tell why they were borne speake bouldlie for Poperie in defiance of the Gospel refuse the Church and checke the reprouer make a mocke of the ministerie and scorne true religion and yet haue peace and prosperitie If a prince be misused death is thought too smal a punishment for the offender if a man be so wicked as to procure an insurrection or raise a rebellion he must loose his head for it and good reason But whereas God hath soueraigne dominion ouer all a worme of the earth shall set himselfe against him deface his maiestie rob him of his honour blaspheme his blessed name yet escapeth without seueritie of punishment and that is no good religion These are those wretched people that haue sould themselues to be vassals of iniquitie and haue receiued the stamp of the beast in their foreheads that are readie to lie in waite for the Lords annoynted and haue cursed Dauid to his face These are the sonnes of those bloudie fathers that haue murdered the prophets These are the posteritie of Amelech vnworthie to liue amongst Israell which haue serued Baal Hamon and haue runne vnto the golden calues of Dan and Bethel These are the relikes of Iebus and the remnants of the Hittites that haue bin pricks and thornes in the sides of righteous men and will be kniues to our throats if that might come which their harts faint in waiting for but the same God that hath hitherto preserued vs detected their dissembled zeale and sheathed their sworde in their owne intrals shall still continew our most gratious protectour vnlesse the ouerflowing streames of our sinnes stop the course of his mercies and eclipse the brightnes of his fauour which hitherto hath shined vpon vs. Church papists There is an other sorte of Foxes in nature not much different from the former but yet not so easilie described neither are they oftentimes reputed as they are A token sent from the old Foxe to his yoong cubs It is not many yeares agoe since there came a token from the old gray Foxe to the cubs of his kind wherein was printed the fiue wounds of Christ with this poesie fili da mihi cor tuum that is sonne giue me thy hart whereby it appeareth that either Rainard was so well disposed as to maintaine dissimulation or els his brood were in a wrong boxe for they tooke his embleme in no other meaning Therefore haue they learned to temporize and with double hearts to halt on both sides hauing one for God and another for Baal one for the prince Temporizing papists described and an other for the Pope one for the Masse and another for the communion The manner of these for the most part is to peepe into the Church once in a month but preaching their queasie stomakes cannot away with especiallie if Idolatrie and papistrie be discouered I cannot more fitly compare these than to cunning watermen who looke one way when they take their iourney an other or to Cacus that notorions robber of whom it is recorded that he was wont to drag beasts backward into his Caue by their tailes to the intent that by contrary tracke of their feete he might be freed from the suspition of felonie euen so the popular demeanour of these hollow minded votaries lookes one way when their secret plots and practises tend an other and when they come to the Church they doe but drag backward with Cacus hiding their hollow hearts vnder show of conformitie yea howsoeuer these deepe dissemblers in outward appearance show milde and gentle promising all loyaltie to their prince agreement to gouernment and consent to religion yet trust them not for a Foxe will show himselfe a Foxe when time serues his turne The poets wittily faine that when Iupiter had made man A poeticall fiction fitlie applied being delited with such a cunning peece of workemanship he demaunded of Momus finde-fault what he could spy in so fine a feature and curious frame out of square and worthie iust reproofe Momus commended the proportion and comely disposition of the lineaments but one thing saith he I like not well that thou hast forgotten to place a window in his brest through which we might behold whether his heart and his tongue did accord If a window were framed in the brests of these discontented catholikes that her maiestie and the state-guiding counsell and all the true friends of this kingdome might know their secret intentions or if their consciences were as deeply sounded as they may be iustly doubted
because all the prayers of the faithfull are presented in his name in whom alone they are sanctified This is our doctrine The Catholickes on the other side will haue their referendaries Christ degraded of this honour by the Catholickes masters of requests It is presumption say they to rush so boldly before the king of kings and therfore we must beginne with the vshers of his presence or with the groomes of his chamber and who be these the greatest place they giue vnto the virgine Marie and what authoritie I pray you Roga patrem Iube natum Beseech the father commaund the sonne And Iure matris impera Commaund by thy motherly authoritie Then they muster all the saints and haue assigned to each his sundry charge one must be a Baal or patrone ouer this country another ouer the next one ouer this town another ouer that one placed ouer this science another ouer that one for the head ach another for the tooth ach c. Michael patronizeth the French Andrew the Burgonians Iames the Spanyards George the English Saint Ambrose with his staffe and his whip watched ouer Millayne the three Kings ouer Cullin Dionis ouer Paris Goele keepes scout watch at Bruxels c. Ale knights and drunkards haue Martin and Vrban for their good Lord and many a solemne peale and drunken pull is vpon their euens for their sakes the shoomakers haue Euispin for their Baal and the millers Arnold for theirs and Taylours which loue good fellowship must haue Goodman for theirs Anthonie must keepe the hogges Loy horses and kine and Hughe must keepe the dogges What should I blot more paper with these dotages you may see by this beloued countrimen what the Iesus Christ of the Church of Rome is from which the mercie of God hath withdrawne vs to serue the true sauiour of the elect In a word the papists doe as they in Pilates house did who called Iesus Christ by the name of King and Prophet but it was when they bufetted and scourged him Iohn 19.1.2 The fourth reason An horrible sinne to acquite the offender IF he that quitteth the offender when he seeth him guiltie be as much to blame before God as he that oppresseth the innocent then christian rulers may not acquire idolatrous worshippers which are the worst kind of malefactours as was proued in the former argument But hee that lets the offender goe with impunitie doth trespasse as he that tyes the halter about the innocents necke Therefore christian rulers must sharply punish papists who are idolatrous worshippers 1. Sam. 15. King Saul was reproued as well for sparing Agag King of the Amalechites as for killing the prophets Achab branded with the blacke marke of infamie as well for sparing Benhadad as killing of Naboth The fift reason IT stands not with diuinitie Magistrates feruent loue to religion is made apparant by execution of iustice against Church enemies that christian rulers shew lesse feruencie and zeale for the seruice of God then papists and pagans for the worship of the deuill But where catholikes as they desire the tearme haue libertie and are not seuerely punished there christian magistrates shew not so much zeale for the promoting of the kingdome of Christ as antichrist and heathens doe for the kingdome of the deuill Therefore c. What they haue done and day lie doe for the maintenance of idolatrie either in their blind zeale or their malitious hearts Christendome knoweth too well Romes Pantheon out of which was excluded the God of the Hebrewes because he would admit no companions collaterall should teach Christ his Church a good lesson which worshippeth the God of Israel that is to be zealous for his honour and to punish sacrilegious worshippers The sixt reason Rulers should more regard Gods honour then their owne IT stands not with diuinitie that christian rulers be more carefull of their owne honours then of the Lords glorie But they carefully regard and good reason also that their places and persons be respected as dutie requireth Therefore by like reason should they aduance the honour of God and much more These reasons are naturally drawne from diuinitie the which none may or dare deny who is perswaded that there is any diuinitie at all the consequent proue the same by christian pollicie The first argument prouing it to be good christian policie to take two-legged Foxes Impunitie discourageth the true subiects but animateth the false THat which discourageth the frends of the Church and giues life to the aduersaries cannot be warranted nor maintayned by christian pollicie But not to punish Church enemies or remoue secret traitours discourageth the true subiects and animateth the false hearted Therefore forbearance of household foes can be no good pollicie The second argument TO leaue prince nobles Dangerous nourishing a serpent in the bosome and best affected subiects in danger by nourishing a serpent in the bosome can be no good pollicie But by vaine deuise to blunt the edge of the sword of iustice or by cloaking qualifying or concealing to cause that it is not drawne against these intestine serpents is to endanger prince nobles and true hearted people Therefore no good pollicie The third argument THat mildnes and mercie Excessiue clemencie causeth contempt of authoritie whereby the aduersarie may seeme to suspect her maiesties magnanimitie and consequently to contemne her authoritie can carrie show of no good pollicie But the effect that excessiue clemencie worketh in our catholikes is either to suspect her courage or to misconster her kindnes or to despise her soueraigntie Therefore such forbearance can be no good pollicie The fourth argument Forbearance of Foxes a meanes to make them forecast and fortifie themselues TO giue the enemies of a kingdome leaue to forecast and leasure to fortifie themselues and so consequently to leaue the true subiects by this meanes in perpetual and needfull feare of some new attempts can be no good pollicie But forbearance of these househould enemies giues them but leaue to practise and time to renew their force in so much as when one tempest by Gods gracious prouidence is ouer past there is feare of another Therefore such forbearance can be no good pollicie It is not safe trusting a traitour but rather extreame folly to beleeue that such as plot for a kingdomes conquest can be reuoked with mercie or leaue the hould of their hope before they be at the last gaspe The fift argument TO be confederate with the people of strange worship Prophane pollicie to bee confederat with people of a strange worship for the strenghthening and vpholding of a kingdome in peace and prosperitie is no christian pollicie But to forbeare papists in hope of their assistance against forraine enemies if such neede should presse vs which God forbid is to be confederate with people of a strange worship Read the 30. and 31. chapter of the prophet Esay there see how the Israelites entred league with