her Maiesties royall person All whose generall cause and quarrell the seculars hauing now in hand may not in any wise yeeld before it be ended by his Holinesse and that in a more serious manner then euer was in any the like case handled heretofore in the Court of Rome For the whole State of Christendome aswell in causes Ecclesiasticall as temporall will be proued to depend vpon it as hereafter you shall heare THE VII ARTICLE VVHether then seeing it must come to pleading before his Holinesse or euer the matter can be taken vp or ended are the seculars or the Iesuits likelier to preuaile on the Archpriests behalfe And if the seculars as some seeme to make no doubt of it by reason that their plea is on the behalfe of the Pope his Holinesse the whole Church in generall that is for the Ecclesiasticall Monasticall and temporall state and the particular common-wealths and regall Maiesties of England France Ireland Scotland yea of Italy Spaine Polony Sweden and Denmarke together with the Imperialty of Caesar it standing the chiefes of all these in both states vpon for their owne indignity security and preseruation of their Princely prerogatiues to their posterity to ioyne with the seculars in this their appeale then what is like to come to the Archpriest c. THE ANSWER MAchiauell may do much in all courts of Christendome in morall acts and humane actions and therefore although it stand all Princes vpon to ioyne with the seculars and none more or so much as her Maiesty Queene Elizabeth and her honorable Counsell yet considering what factious dispositions there are euery where abroad in the world what great matters men and money haue attempted atchiued and effected contrary to all expectation to their wish and desire and how plausible tickling and tempting the Iesuits doctrine is of popularity to make subiects rebell act and performe whatsoeuer they put into their heads for the conspirators aduancement no Prince in the world but hath some great Lord or other about him that will be ready to speake a good word for the Iesuits in hope of a better turne at their hands at one time or other when kingdomes are at stake It followeth then that for the present it will be doubtfull and verie hard to say which part whether seculars or Iesuits shall preuaile All men that know the Iesuits hard dealings and practises and what foule matters they haue bolstred banded bearded and borne out against the greatest and chiefe Princes on earth may and do easily conceiue thus much that looke what the diuell or man can do shall not be left vndone on the Iesuits behalfe But seeing truth may be obscured for a time yet can neuer be torne downe so as neuer after to rise then make I no question of it but that admit the Iesuits and Puritanes bring in Antichrist betwixt them who shall do more against all states and common-wealths and the whole Church of God then euer hath bene or shall be done by any other besides notwithstanding in the end the Iesuits will be quite ouerthrowne Which hapning then the Archpriest standing stifly out on their side is like inough to be called out of England to some preferment for a time as to be President or Rector of some Colledge or Seminary vt cedat cum honore THE VIII ARTICLE VVHether this appeale and contention betwixt the seculars on the one side and the Iesuits with their Archpriest on the other side be like then in the case last proposed to be the vtter ouerthrow either of the one or other partie or of neither of both THE ANSWER DIrectly it can be the ouerthrow of neither the one party nor the other because the seculars are but in statu quo prius and cannot be in a worse then they are in at this present And as for the Iesuits they may passe into India and other countries where the rest of their company liue But indirectly it may be an ouerthrow of either of both whose lot it shall fall out vnto to be suppressed and haue the foile and so in that case the Iesuits preuailing the poore seculars were as good to be all hanged vp together-ward as liue to endure the insults triumphes and vpbraidings that shall be layd vpon them in animating of their sawcie laicall faction to glorie in their malice impotent iniquitie and ouercrowing them for a time which yet could not be long as a thing impossible for any religious order vtterly to ouerthrow as thereby the Iesuits would an ecclesiasticall or secular state on behalfe whereof that sacred sentence was oracled from those lips that could not lye that portae infernae non praeualebunt aduersus eam Againe in the same case the seculars preuailing the Iesuits of like sort were sure to be ouerthrowne marry not with such scofs taunts insultations tyrannies and triumphs ouer them as the others do and would surely put them more barbarously in practise But the Iesuits chiefe griefe discomfiture and ouerthrow would be this and a greater to an ambicious aspiring hart there can be none to be excluded for euer out of this land and so frustrate their hope of a Iesuiticall Monarchy in the Iland of great Brittaine THE IX ARTICLE VVHether then seeing it seemeth the victory consists wholly on the Popes decree and that whose part he takes that is sure to preuaile may he then erre in deciding this contention betwixt the seculars and Iesuits or be partiall on the Archpriest and Iesuites behalfe against the other or not THE ANSWER IF the matter come once before his Holinesse I do verily thinke he cannot because although the ground in shew be but of matters of manners yet in re I am perswaded they will be drawne to matters of such moment as a visum est spiritui sancto nobis must iudicially passe ex Cathedra in definitiue sentence against them Which two the holy Ghost and spouse of Christ ioyning together in iudgement I stedfastly beleeue they cannot erre and by consequent make no question of it but if euer the seculars get safe passage admittance and audience at the sacred chaire of Saint Peter that then downe go both Archpriest and Iesuits at least by recantation submission surcease But now for asmuch as hoc opus hic labor est the difficulty is all how to haue this matter come to light before his Holinesse without sinister information or partial relation made the memory of many both ancient and recent examples putting all men in mind of what may and is no question most likely to happen for a time scil that as Parsons and others before vsed sundry Machiuilean forgeries stratagems plots practises and deuises for establishing of this vsurpate Archpresbitery most impiously therein deluding abasing and preiudicing of his Holinesse and the Catholike Churches lawes So may he and his confederates do the like againe and by consequent the Pope as hitherto hauing neuer heard nor bene fully exactly and sincerely informed of the truth of our
effects we now behold both clergie and laitie highly offending so the succceding occasions of erronious conceipts hath been our owne faultes in treading our forefathers steps in this point of priuate respects selfe conceits and high aspires So as iustly we may say Non sumus digni à Deo exaudiri but rather and most true it is that nostris demeritis meremur puniri and that the fault is not in her Maiestie nor honorable Councell nor ciuill magistrate nor all nor any of our aduersaries but in our selues that England is not yet conuerted and our persecution of long time still encreased scil by reason of some seditious persons and others that followed them with indiscreet zeale and those that were in expectance of great matters by a change conuerting their thoughts from heauenly hopes to earthly hazards imploying their studies how to compasse their owne ambitious aduancements God highly offended to see his blessings and graces lost and taken from amongst vs for our forefathers sinnes to be gone about by the like and woorse proceedings to haue it restored againe It could not otherwise choose but greeuously offend the diuine maiestie and vntill the archplotters of this preposterous course for our countries conuersion were either cut off or otherwise had humbled themselues and surceasing from all ambitious aspires sought sincerely the health of soules not heapes of gold England should neuer be conuerted But we all die and pine away leauing the atchieuement to those that shall succeede in our places when we are all dead and gone That the Iesuits of the more fiery hot and Puritanian humor may not snuffe at the quiet that catholikes are here said to haue liue◠in eleuen yeeres you shall heare the very words of two of their great Rabbies Parsons Creswels speaking to her Maiestie in a Puritanian stile as followeth In the beginning of thy kingdome thou didst deale something more gently with catholikes none were vrged by thee or pressed either to thy sect or to the deniall of their faith All things in deede did seeme to proceede in a farre milder course no great complaints were heard of no extraordinarie contentions or repugnancies Some there were that to please gratifie you went to your churches But when afterwards thou didst beginne to wring them c. Which whensoeuer it was we were the cause as the attempts in Fraunce and Scotland make it manifest This then being the course and cause of humane hopes our harts doe bleede to reade and heare as sundry of vs haue what hath beene printed and published out of Italie in the life of Pius Quintus concerning the indeuors of his holines stirred vp by false suggestions to ioine with the king of Spaine for the vtter ruine and ouerthrow both of our prince and countrie Would God such things had neuer beene enterprised and more that they had neuer beene printed but most of all that they neuer had fronted our natiue shores And if Parsons and his associates had not busied themselues with that they should nor then had we not now medled in this place with that we would not as whereunto for a iust defence of all loyall catholike subiects ignorant of Parsons and his complices drifts we are now constrained to make appeales apologies and replies For what good soeuer the first or againe renewing of the excommunication the printing reprinting of state bookes and other practises may bring hereafter to the Church of God we neither see it neither knowe it But sure we are that for the present nothing hath done vs greater harme nor giuen our common enimies greater aduantages against vs. It is elsewhere set downe how that her Maiestie vsed vs kindly for the space of the first ten yeers of her highnes raigne the state of the catholikes in England that while was tollerable and after a sort in some good quiet Such as for their conscience were imprisoned or in durance were very mercifully dealt withall the state and change of things then considered some being appointed to remaine with such their friends as they themselues made choise of others were placed with Bishops and others with Deanes and had their diets at their tables with such conuenient walkes and lodgings as did well content them They that were in ordinarie prisons had all such libertie and commodities as the place and their estate could affoord them yea euen thus much and more doth Parsons confesse in his Philopater as also father Creswell in his Scribe to the like effect though both very rude peremptorie and sawcie in their speech to her Maiestie with thou didst this and thou didst that c. And Parsons in Grenecoate makes the case cleere especially for state matters though he turne his passage there against the Earle of Leicester to a wanton speech as deliuered from a Lady of the Court how great quiet the state and Court was in for twelue yeeres space no talke of treasons nor conspiracies no iealousies nor suspitions no enuie nor supplantations no feare of murtherings nor massacrings no question of conscience nor religion all liued in quiet content and right good fellowship was amongst them both Lords and Ladies wiues and maidens nobles and gentles knights and esquires married and single of all degrees a ioy it was to haue been in the Court in those daies saith Parsons in that Ladies name whose words mooued much the company where she was as women saith he are potent in moouing where and when they please she did deliuer her mind with so sweete a countenance and courtly a grace c. Now whiles you were say our aduersaries thus kindly vsed of her highnes how trecherously was she dealt withall by you For what had you to doe being catholikes and religious priests as Iesuits terme themselues with spreading pamphlets libels and other fooleries abroad of any misdemeanor in her Maiesties subiects and peeres of the realme You might haue left such scoggerie as Parsons hath set out in Greenecoate to Tarleton Nashe or else to some Puritane Martin Mar prelate or other like companions And for you it was to haue handled grauer higher and more important matters and that concerning soule points not subtilties nor new deuises much lesse to haue dealt against her Maiestie and the state in so traiterous a manner as in a late treatise set out by our brethren doth at large appeere Where to our vnspeakable greefe the world shall see that we our selues who would be termed catholikes and that of all sorts haue beene the true causes of all our owne calamities When I was examined before some of the high Commissioners at the Gildhall about 14. yeeres agone concerning matters of state and especially about the six Interrogatories which we commonly called the six bloodie articles knowing my selfe innocent from the beginning of any the least disloyall thought I haue often since much mused with my selfe what should haue mooued her Maiesties honorable Councell to haue proposed these articles to priests but most of all why
such straite lawes were made for comming into England of Seminarie priests bringing in of Agnus Dei crosses medals graines c. reconcilement perswasions to the catholike faith and the like All which when I saw the bookes of the excommunication of her Maiestie by Pius Quintus diuers others tending to that purpose written since and withall had well considered what the Iesuits dealing had beene how that they had procured these indulgences pardons to serue their owne turne therewith I then wel perceiued vpon what grounds the said six articles were built And Master Bales a blessed martyr shall witnes with me at the latter day how woe my hart was vpon the last speech he and I had together in the house of an honorable person where we met about those and other matters my last words being these vnto him scil that his holines was misinformed and indirectly drawne to these courses by Iesuiticall meanes And therefore of all other orders of religion were I to goe into any I would neuer be Iesuit whiles I liued And this may suffice for the matter in question to conuince any catholikes true meaning hart that the circumstances well considered with all humble obedience to the See apostolike be it spoken there neither was due circumstances in the Bull of Pius Quintus to binde any to withdrawe their allegiance from our Soueraigne neither and much lesse was it conuenient that the same excommunication should haue beene renewed againe THE IX ARTICLE VVHether then seeing her Maiestie and the state knew such practises were by priests and other catholikes vsed and put in execution and yet were ignorant who were of that faction more one then an other till now of late that God hath most strangely and in very deed as it may he termed miraculously reuealed the truth which long hath beene hidden to discerne who are innocent and who free may not then her lawes and proceedings against all catholiks in generall from the beginning of her Highnesse raigne to this present discouery of the treasons and traitors that vrged it be truely counted both milde and mercifull And that howsoeuer of her owne accustomed innate royall disposition benignitie clemencie her Highnesse may and we shoulde wrong our owne conceits in preiudice of her sweete and Princely nature if we should not thinke she would now at length take pittie of such her owne catholike subiects as haue manifested their loyaltie innocencie and ignorance of what was intended against her royall person and state Yet whether in tendring the afflictions which the innocent both secular priests lay persons haue sustained by making such lawes or prouisoes and adding them to the lawes alreadie made as may free both the priests and those that receiue them from the paines and penalties before by statute enacted against them all in generall may not for all that the sayd former statutes penall lawes and actes enacted be thought to stande in force against the Iesuiticall faction and no reason or sense to haue them repealed but both to haue beene made with great moderation and also to stand and remaine with as great pollicie in all or any wisemans iudgement that shall duly consider the Iesuits practises and other her Highnes enimies against her person state and kingdome in the course precedent of all this time THE ANSWERE I Holde directly the affirmatiue part heerein scil that both her Maiesties lawes and proceedings against all sorts of catholikes haue bene milde and mercifull the opinion and iudgement of her Highnesse in religion one way and their foresaid practises against her another way duly considered and also that all the appellants and other priests and catholikes that ioyne with them in prosecuting that appeale as there is iust cause and many reasons which we doubt not of but that to her high prudence and Princely wisedome they will present themselues in laments submissions and teares on our behalfes and in pollicie mercy and iustice on the part of her Highnesse towards vs why some prouisoes should be made for securing of them the said appellants and their associates together with those that do or shall receiue them heereafter from danger of the foresaid penall lawes so haue they and we all that be catholikes in England this day as great motiues causes and reasons moouing vs to admire that euer any of vs are left on liue to make knowne to all posteritie what hath hapned in our daies the like woonders hauing neuer hitherto as yet beene seene as our wretched age hath left recorded to those shall follow vs by succeeding turnes of natures course to the worlds end And by consequent we cannot vrge an absolute repeale of any former statute or penall law so long as any Iesuit or other priest or lay person of their faction which I hope would be very few if any were after they were gone shall remaine within the land but thinke our selues happie and deepely bound to her Maiesty if a prouisoe onely may be made in forme aforesaid to keepe the innocent harmeles though with an other prouisoe also or stricter statute if stricter may be for the vtter expelling of all Iesuits out of the land And for to make this my opinion sinke the deeper into all catholikes heads and harts that either are infected with the Spanish pip or otherwise Iesuited in affection or faction I must and do craue pardon for enlarging my selfe a litle in handling this subiect to the purpose and agreeing to their capacitie Often haue many wise learned and prudent greatly mused what should haue beene the cause in morall sense to speake to men of the heauie and sore affliction of catholiks in England for many yeeres yea it hath beene thought of many great clerkes yet with pardon craued ignorant of our English cases as heereafter will appeere that the circumstances considered as the occurrents came to their minds that their persecution in the primitiue church was not greater if so great respecting the danger of soule-wracke then the persecution in England hath beene for these twenty yeeres space and vpward to wit since the infortunate arriuall of the Iesuits in this land The causes moouing many to admire thereat and in multitudes of vollees in morneful sighes and sorrowes hurled out with wailings one to another greeuing when wise deuout true compassionates of their countries miseries met together that for our owne and our forefathers sinnes so heauie a scourge shoulde be laid vpon our nation our deere countrymen our flesh and blood our neerest linckt vnto vs often times our greatest lothers Amongst others these were the causes of their woonder how it should be First they considered with how great a sympathie all concord naturall incline and reciprocall affection It is no maruell though the Iesuits be so egar of England as they are and that they hazard body soule and all they haue or can be able to make to haue it wholy theirs For considering the poore lodgings scarcity of victuals and vncomfortable trauell
our powers should take vpon vs to giue it vnto another were he neuer so good a Catholike that had no right thereto Iustinus Martyr speaking of the duety of Christians to the ciuill Magistrate in those times of Infidels and persecutors affirmeth that they prayed not onely for the Emperors themselues but also for their sonnes that they might succeede them in the Empire quod aequissimum est which saith he is most agreeable to iustice and equitie were they like to prooue as euill as their fathers there is no exceptions of it The which I rather obserue to shew my dislike of Fa. Parsons in this point who is accustomed vpon euery occasion when he is in his best moode to affirme that he careth not who it is from whence he commeth or what right he hath to the crowne of this kingdome that when the time commeth shall be able to catch it so he be a Catholike But concerning both this point and the former least it should be said that whilest I would seeme to giue a reason of that which I haue in hand I do onely shew my opinion and illustrate the same with similitudes that are of as great vncertainty as that which I propound I will confirme my opinion with the iudgement of a principall man to whom there will no great exception be taken and then that which I haue said will prooue to be an argument ab authoritate Thus he writeth Soloiure naturali diuino non priuatur aliquis Dominio in subditos propter peccatum Apostasiae in fide c. If you goe no further then to the law of nature or to the law of God no king is depriued from his soueraigntie ouer his subiects though it be for the sin of Apostacie from faith And he giueth a very sound reason for this his assertion nam fundamentum dominij non est fides c. For faith is not the ground of dominion but some other politike title hauing force by the lawe of nations of succession by inheritance or of election or of iust acquisition by iust warre Qui tituli possunt etiam manere sine fide neque vnquam extat ius aliquod diuinum quo eiusmodi tituli eneruantur propter defectionem a side which titles may remaine without faith neither is there any lawe of God whereby such titles are impeached for defection from faith 8. I know that iure ecclesiastico by the authoritie sentence of the Popes holines much more may be done then here I will speake of But yet I thinke it wil prooue in the end the best course for men not to do so much as they may Many things be lawfull which are not expedient And this Iesuiticall course of downe with princes when they offend them may peraduenture so prouoke them as they will say as fast downe with priests and of a certainty we shall haue the woorse When they finde that the titles of their kingdomes cannot be touched either by the lawe of nature or by the lawe of God do what they list it may giue them occasion to oppose themselues with greater seueritie against the See Apostolike in that the same should make such extreme lawes voluntarily against them as should tend to the thrusting of them out of their kingdomes And out of question it will be subiect if once they take this course to great iangling whether such lawes as should touch the deposing of a king are not rather to be accounted lawes ciuill and temporall then any matter or subiect fit for ecclesiasticall men or lawes to worke vpon We see already that some kings do take vpon them to deale and make lawes in causes ecclesiasticall denying his holines authority therein within their kingdomes And will it not seeme a thing much more plausible probable if other kings shall stand vpon it and say that his holines hath no interest to make any ciuill or temporall lawes that may touch their freeholds Nay if things should come to this rifling I feare they would in their heat goe further and tell his holines that for ought they finde kings haue as great authority to depose priests as priests haue to depose kings Besides it must be cōfessed that all priests Iesuits and euery other sort of clergie men the Popes holines excepted are borne subiects of kings and princes and it will be an odious assertion to say that the taking of priesthood vpon them should giue them warrant to bristle and make head against their soueraignes Furthermore it cannot be denied shift the Iesuits with all their cunning neuer so prettily but the immunities which priests haue from the temporall lawes of kings doe proceede as Saint Thomas acknowledgeth from their meere fauour and godly zeale towards them Also it is most manifest that as the kings of England haue beene most bountifull to the church and churchmen here within their dominions in so much as all the reuenewes and temporalties with many singular priuiledges which in this realme our forefathers haue enioyed haue proceeded from their most princely liberality and authority so standeth the case of the clergy in all other kingdomes which two points would be duly considered of in time For if princes should by the same meanes seeke to spoyle the church and take from it all her said immunities priuiledges and temporall possessions it will little auaile to bring in our distinctions how parliaments may giue what they list to the church and churchmen but they can take nothing either from them or from the church What the power of a parliament is in England we haue had too great experience and I suppose the states in other kingdomes haue the like And therefore in all pollicie kings and soueraigne princes are not to be ruffled with in this Iesuiticall maner That which they may pretend how in these their discourses they ayme but at some one or two doth indeed touch all kings if they incurre the displeasure of his holines Surely though I humbly acknowledge my selfe to be minimus fratrum meorum and neither arrogate to my selfe to be of such mature iudgement as many are nor will presume to take vpon me so peremptorily on the one side as Father Parsons doth on the other though vnlearnedly God wot yet I finde many great dangers that may happen to the Catholike Roman church if these violent spirits be not in time suppressed Such furious insulting ouer princes will neuer doe good They may be drawen many waies by gentle and milde proceedings with them rather then by such indiscreete and desperate courses whereby they grow to greater resistance For if the Popes holines in times past dealt so sharpely as it seemeth with Baldemarus king of Denmarke that he writ in this sort to the supreme Pastor Notum tibi facimus vitam nos habere à Deo nobilitatem à parentibus regnum à subditis fidem ab ecclesia Romana quam si nobis inuides remittimus per presentes Be it knowen vnto thee that we haue our
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
Well yet I cannot blame his wit though I detest his hypocrisie in this action as an acte then the which nothing could haue bene more preiudiciall to the Apostolicall Sea nor more vniustly fathered on his Holinesse for in deede it stood all such traitours and conspiratours vpon as he and his companions haue shewed themselues to be in that and other actions against both Pope and Prince but especially against the Nobles and common-wealth of this land to haue had M. Blackwels authority established by hook or by crook otherwise their great Arch-atheall master father Parsons with some others of theÌ„ might haue come in danger to haue bene degraded set on the pillorie for forgerie not in smal matters or priuate actioÌ„s but in points of as high importance as are crownes kingdomes or iurisdiction Apostolicall supreme But of this matter I shall haue occasion to talke hereafter onely thus much I haue here noted to giue the diligent Reader to vnderstand what notable deuises these men haue to seduce the ignorant and well meaning hearts how rightly they tread the pathes of al former hereticks at their first entrance into the blind by waies of singularitie which brought them quite out of the Kings path high way or Watling street how plaine their absurd grosse and manifest errours do appeare though it be impossible by reason of their dissimulation equiuocation sophistication winding twinding and doubling to fasten any heresie vpon theÌ„ they wil haue such interpretations expositions comments and glosses or rather gloses and how notwithstanding they may not be iustly termed hereticks because neither is their pertinacie in generall yet knowne neither anie one mans particular obstinacie made as yet manifest in the premises And I pray God it neuer may be but that they may reforme correct and humble themselues in time either by comming out of their order and societie if they see the daunger of their soules perdition eminent by liuing in it there being some of theÌ„ questionles verie good men and innocent of the guile and deceit that it is in their chiefe Rectors prouincials or else by purging and refining their liues and manners in it in generall that they may make me and many moe false Prophets who according to that race they do runne cannot iudge otherwise of them but as some of the wiser sort amongst themselues haue iudged foretold and presaged of a heauie downefall to come vnto them by their ambition and aspiring And how sharp bitter and extreame soeuer or exorbitant as some of them terme my letters I may seeme in speech or writing against them for corasiues not lenitiues must helpe or nothing in the deepe launcing of these inward festred sores couered ouer with sound flesh and skin to outward shew yet God is my witnes I do as affectionatly tenderly as faithfully and vnfainedly wish their amendment euen from my verie heart and in my poore prayers do as daily remember euerie day vpon my knees at Gods holy altar in time of my best memories and deuotion yea and withall do recommend their and our vnitie peace and quiet together as Catholickes both priestes and lay persons should haue and liue in to euerie penitent that comes vnto me vnder benedicite as duely and truly as for mine owne needie because sinfull soule And so to make an end of this Article let none thinke me to be out of charitie in this vehement kind of writing for I told you at the first that the cause why I tooke this course in hand to deale with them by way of Quodlibets was of set purpose that I might without offence more readily and roundly touch them to the quicke wishing from hencefoorth till all be ended for perhaps I may touch them more narrowly hereafter then as yet I haue that both I in writing and they all into whose hands these may come in perusing may neuer let this charitable correctiue and fitly to be applied speech to our purpose of the princely prophet passe out of our minds scil Irascimini nolite peccare c. with the which kind of anger I do now proceede in the rest of my Quodlibets THE VI. ARTICLE WHether any Catholicke man or woman be knowne to be or to haue bene seduced by them and if there haue then by what meanes THE ANSWERE WHat anie Catholicke seduced yes who doth follow them but is seduced by them What Catholicke in England where they beare sway but is either seduced or grossely abused by them for as they make th se 3 sortes of Câ—th licke here mentioned the bâ—okeâ—s of their forgeries sâ—th either thâ— indiscreet scrupulous ignorant zealoâ—◠〈◊〉 the audaciouâ— stirring readâ— wâ—ttâ—d needâ—e or else the pâ—ouâ—â— haughtie ambitious weâ—lthâ— So haue they other notable dogâ—ricks of consonage to cut purses pâ—â—ke loâ—kes comiâ— bâ— glaries extortion symony â—all Lombardiâ—iaÌ„ kind of deuises to make gain of but especially by two geâ—erall rules one to winne all such to be of their societie that are wealthy and worshipfull or honorable 〈◊〉 note though that they chase of the finest wits and most stirring heads that can be gotten for money yet when 〈◊〉 of two they will alwâ—ies refuse the pregnant wit for the proud rich coat though there be but a dunce within it which is the cause that they haue so many simple schollers amongst them Another rule is to get an interest in theÌ„ that cannot or will not be oâ— their societie and so in euery house where they liue each Iesuit forsooth must rule like a Lord â—â—amâ— for sâ—ot and lot to let and set and buy and sell all at their pleasure no man being Maister of his own house where 〈◊〉 may beare swinge and be admitted of Indeede those that least know them do most admire them and therfore it is a common question among the meaner sort as that seditious faction most proudly count all with whom they are not acquainted to aske one of another or of such Priestes as come vnto them I pray you what are these Iesuits sure they are men of great account worthy men farre aboue any secular Priest They say in France noble men would come with their hattes off to them and yet suffer secular Priests and others of the French Cleargie to stand bare headed before them Certainly they are rare men They are in high places They neuer come at such mean houses as ours are I neuer saw any of them but one and sure he seemed to be very learned wise graue and some extraordinary person and so my brother or sister or mother or dâ—ughter or cousin or some one friend or other told me in secret that he was a singular fine man but it must not in any case be knowne abroade in the house among the inferior sort of Catholickes vnlesse to such or such by name For I tell you he is not a man that euery one is worthy to come acquainted withall c. And thus per iurari coeperunt homines
Campian and Fa. Parsons they were but counted as their assistants and that only in administring of sacraments for Fa. Heywood durst presume to forbid preaching c. Seuenthly vpon this intollerable pride hypocrisie and immunitie arrogated vnto theÌ„ whereby no Prince or prelate liuing can escape their tongs pens yea nor fists if it come to banding vntill these mortificats haue their wils nothing being well done nor any gouernment well managed without their direction as wanting discretion zeale learning or something which these illuminates made of a more excellent mould must perfect and reform in the grosse headed seculars there followeth then presently after it another deuice plotted of purpose to make it seeme meet to the ignorant multitude afterwards to others for note this that popularitie is the rouer they ayme at in all their proceedings the mobile vulgus being euer wauering and readiest to run vpon euery change that all the whole Cleargie both Ecclesiasticall and Monasticall throughout all nations should be subiect to theÌ„ And to put this deuice in execution England is made the maine chance of Christendome this day For effectuating whereof hauing brought all things to that forwardnesse as all the Colledges and Seminaries at Rome Doway Siuill Valledolid and elsewhere beyond the seas are vnder the Iesuiticall gouernment or rather vsurpate tyrannie the contention being about Father Westons supremacie forsooth ouer the rest of the reuerend auncient and worthy Confessors the secular Priests in prison and Fa. Garnets soueraigntie ouer the rest abroad hauing alreadie appointed a silly man for an Archpriest as substitute vnder him and he as Prouinciall here vnder Fa. Parsons nostri fundi calamitas there is now wanting nothing but to bring this platforme to perfection But for the deuice it selfe in contriuing this Luciferian aspire it is this They beare the people in hand that the secular Priests besides their want of learning and zeale which occasionated their immunitie ouer theÌ„ are forsooth more subiect to error heresie Apostacie more infirme fraile weake and readier to fall then they are c. What Princes wil endure such person in their â—â—ngâ—omes as vnder pretence of religion shal infect their subiects wâ—â—h such hateful coâ—â—eâ—ts so daungerous to their State or who can be seâ—uâ—e of his stand if this populâ—â— dâ—â—trine take to â—e in rebellious subiects harts and what â—â—n be expected thâ—reby but wheâ—e rebels can not haue their wâ—â— presently to make hâ—mocke of the common wealth and inuest 〈◊〉 with the Crownes 8 From this freedome of the Iesuits doth issue out a fresh a faire seeming but mischieuously poisoned fountaine of zealing christall streames deuided into two armes or riuals from the head the one is called ordo ad Deum the other obedientia By meanes of which two there is nothing can go or be done amisse by any Iesuite for that alwaies it is either in ordine ad Deum if an act of a superior or propter obedientiam if done by a inferiour So as this seditious odious blasphemous and sacrilegious abuse of Gods diuine graces vertues and benefites bestowed is a dogbolt in euery bow and shaft in euery quiuer to draw out for the managing of any impious fact whatsoeuer By this the popular multitude may depose their Princes and choose others at their pleasure By this no difference shall be put in their choise vpon any right or title to Crownes or Kingdomes by birth or bloud or otherwise then as the Fathers forsooth shall approue it By this all things must be wrought and framed conformable to oportunitie of times and occasions as verbi gratia The people haue a right and interest in them to do what they list in choise of a King marry yet limited by reason of the times and occasions now offered to one of these two scil the King of Spain or the Lady Infanta And then againe the times and occasions changing after a Spaniard is setled in the Crowne it must be holden for a mistaking yet such as seeing it cannot be holpen the people must beware hereafter of euer attempting the like againe It is manifest to any that knowes the Iesuits course that although they pretend all their designmeÌ„ts to be ordine ad Deum as directed to the common good of the Church yet their chiefest care is how to aduance increase their owne socie ie hoping of likelyhood by their number to bring one day some great matter to passe after once they haue firmly established their new Hierarchie which being perimpleshed who so then liues shall heare other news then euer yet were heard of either of Antichrist 〈◊〉 some other â—onster By this a checke must be giuen to the publishers of such Paradoxes after that a dispensation procured for restoring the offender and then shall all be well euer after c. 9 Out of this directing and doing of all things in order ad Deum and for obedience sake they frame a new deuise how to make themselues not only aboue seculars in authoritie but also more mundane then any temporall worldling in practise And this deuise is grounded vpon a principle amongst them called vti scientia that is a rule prescribed vnto them if you please to know it in plaine English how to learne to shift and liue by their wits And therefore they as knowing better then any Cadger Graser MerchaÌ„t Farmer Artizan Broker or Vsurer where and how a commoditie is to be raised and to be disposed euery way in ordine ad Deum must command rule all the rest in euery Noble and Gentlemans house where they reside In so much as no lease must be let nor fine taken nor peece of bread giuen but by their aduice The tenant must please them or grease them or else repent it a part of the fine must be employed at their appointment the Maister or Mistresse can scarcely rule or do any thing without their approbation the children and seruants are set in opposition against their parents and maisters if the least dislike be had of these Rabbies Yea I tremble to write what they haue not feared to worke and daily practise vpon this sacrilegious and arrogant abuse of vti scientia wherby they knowing aswell by the seruants maisters mistresses confessions as also by the wiues against their husbands husbands against their wiues and the seruants confessions against theÌ„ both all the secrets in the house how they haue abused that sacred seale which neither by word nor signe nor by any other means nor vnder what pretence soeuer may be opened to death and all of purpose to tyrannize ouer poore soules as getting thereby occasion to intrude themselues for disposing and managing of their worldly causes I leaue it to sundrie reports woful experiences wherof Mistresse Wibur in Kent together with her husband can and will be witnesses another day against Father Cur. the Iesuite vnlesse his repentance were great for it ere he died 10 To helpe this forward
Althogh it might haue bene in some sence a speciall point of vncharitable pollicy for the Iesuits to haue reiected that friendly offer to haue brought vp 30. of our English youthes as at Rome because that probably many of those would haue bin Benedictines and haue frustrat the Iesuits hope of hauing al here for themselues without copartners yet was it no pollicie in thē to beate a Priest almost to death for but making the motion of receiuing one into the Benedictines order for that foule fact did openly bewray their vnmortified passionate humours pride ambition malice auarice and other shamefull vices too too bad to be spoken of but most of all to be in any religious person that with the worlds weapons they make their vaunt that they can conquer the world Therefore dare they attempt to bid battell liuing in the world to religious men liuing out of the world and still themselues be no worldlings Herein then consists the miserie which being discouered any man may reade the riddle plaine scil that for asmuch as the Benedictines had all or the most part of the Abbey lands in England bequeathe vnto their Monasteries by sundry deuout holy and vertuous Catholike men and women in times past liuing in this Realme and for that the Dominicanes haue the chaire of authoritie for reading in the schooles especially in Salamanca in Spaine which grieues these pure spirited soules at the very heart and what banding brawling and quarrelling they haue made with them about it were too long to recite and also to them belongs of due right the soueraigne authoritie of the sacred Inquisition and withall to be called Predicatores preachers where euer they go with an higher prerogatiue then euer any Iesuite could or I hope euer shall haue for it were daungerous and great pitie that euer such ambitious men should obtaine such ample priuiledges And lastly for that the Scotists Franciscanes especially the Obseruants haue also had sundrie Frieries here in England as also the Carthusians commonly called the Charterhouse Monkes haue had the like in some sort Therefore was there bona causa cur none of all these or any other religious order that had euer enioyed either house or land in Albions Ile should euer come there again or any other religious order that might liue without the Iesuits for their sakes But all of them as reprobates and of God forsaken must be banished hence and a statute made in that high Councell that none such should euer come within this land after it is conquered by Spaniards and Iesuits sicut placuit Iesuitis The second Act enacted or statute made in that high infernall Consistorie was concerning the Church and Abbey lands scil That forasmuch as there be an hundred Bishoprickes great and small in these three kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland with well nigh 20000. Parsonages and Vicariges and how many Monasteries Nunneries Frieries and other religious houses it is hard to tell the number Notwithstanding there was a booke brought into Paules Churchyard in written hand to be bound vp and sent God knowes where into Spaine as it may be thought because the partie that brought it was a sideman of the Iesuits the collection wherof as it was there reported stood the party in foure hundred pounds In which booke of a huge volume in a small hand there were set downe all the religious houses that euer haue bene in this Realme what land was giuen vnto them where it yet lyeth who gaue it how long since vpon what condition and prouiso when by whom how much and wherein altered diminished or increased and in whose possession it is at this present These with other circumstances and particulars being set downe no man can iudge otherwise but it was a worke fit for that Synodicall court to haue the perusing and censuring of it And there if any where is their nūber of religious houses like these to be found All which as also nothing else belonging either to the Ecclesiasticall or Monasticall state must be any longer in the hands of Bishops Abbots or other secular or religious persons as heretofore they were accustomed and incorporated vnto their seuerall orders But all must be vnder the holy society of Iesus presently vpon the establishing of the spiritual monarchy Which done their father General or Prouinciall must call out foure Iesuits two secular Priests who must be also demy Iesuites else all were naught These sixe Vicars I pray God not of hell for of heauen they are not they smell so ranckly of Cartwrights and Bruses pure synodall ministery like sixe Dutch Peeres of whom the Prophecies talke or so many mighty Lords shall haue the lands mannors Lordships parsonages monasteries and what soeuer else belonged to Church or cloister resigned ouer into their hands allowing to the Bishops Parsons and Vicars competent stipends pensions to liue vpon according as Bishops Suffragans Montseniors haue allowance in other Catholike countries or rather as the Turkes Bassaes Ianizaries vnder him are maintained And all this sicut placuit Iesuitis as the Romanes in their leagues were wont to write or rather iuxta decretum Medorum atque Persarum à quo prouocare non licet as king Darius sayd Liuery and seisen thus taken by these sixe Tribunes or popular Nobles all the rest must be imploied in pios vsus as father Generall of Rome shall thinke good The Colledges in both Vniuersities must be likewise in the power of these mortified creatures No Bishop nor Parson nor Vicar nor fellow of any Colledge must be so hardy as once to demand an account what is become of their reuenues lands and Lordships If they do this shall be the answer mirantur superiores c. or in plaine tearmes how dare you seeme to inquire how a Iesuite disposeth of any thing being peculiarly guided by the Spirit c. The third Statute was there made concerning the Lords temporall and other of the Nobility Gentry of this land And this Statute did consist of this point especially sci That euery Noble or Gentleman of special account and liuing such as to omit others Sir Robert Cicill Sir Iohn Fortescue Sir Iames Harington Sir Robert Dormer Sir Iohn Arundell now his sonne maister Iohn Arundell called great Arundell of Cornwall Sir Iohn Peter Sir Mathew Arundell of Warder his sonne and heire Sir Henry Constable Sir Iohn Sauage with sundry other Knights and Esquires all which were there limited by that blind prophane Parliament what retinue they should keepe when time came of inhauncing how much should be allowed them to spend yearely and what diet they should keepe at their tables The fourth Statute was there made concerning the common lawes of this land and that consisted of this one principall point that all the great charter of England must be burnt the manner of holding lands in see-simple free-taile franke Almaigne c. by Kings seruice soccage or villanage brought into villanie scoggerie and popularitie and in
them like fooles as they are and made them become a most seditious infamous pragmaticall treacherous diabolicall faction to set vp and defend a bastardly fellow in all his mischieuous plots and deuises and that the seculars are of no faction at all vnlesse they will call it a faction to ioyne against these vsurpers with the whole Church of God and so may they as probably like right heretikes they will do so one day say that all Catholike nations throughout Christendome are of the faction there being no Catholike countrey people or nation in the world this day but doth dislike of them and is against their wicked proceedings or else for speaking in defence of their Prince and countrey I meane in matters of gouernement succession and state affaires clearly abstracted from points of faith and religion and then and therein also if they say the seculars are of the faction they may aswell say that her Maiestie and honorable Counsell and in few all that are exempted from trayterous attempts and conspiracies either within or without the land are so And then by consequent all are of the faction throughout the world that will not yeeld to a Iesuiticall supremacy in the state Ecclesiasticall and to their Monarchy in a state temporall and in both to make father Parsons a king Cardinall Concerning this matter it is worthy the noting to see how this Camelion Iesuit Parsons hath banded off and on with time like a Protheus His and his fautors ostentation in outward shew is wholy for religion and that they do most earnestly desire the conuersion of their countrey and of such and such particular persons by name yea they would I marry would they all follow and prosecute the king of Scots title if he would become Catholike but if not they would all dye one after another against him And yet contrary to this ostentation made both in a letter of father Parsons to the Marques Huntley whom they account to be a speciall fautor of their faction as also contrarie to sundrie other of their writings schedules and passages they haue dealt both priuatly and openly to the contrarie In somuch that omitting particular practises as with the late Earle of Essex to whom father Parsons sent a Iesuite Priest to haue had him to take a pension of the king of Spaine priuatly for aduancement of his designements neuer mentioning any Religion to him off or on but be as he be would and so with others hath he dealt besides the viper shewed his malice most in the treatie of peace betwixt the kings of Fraunce and Spaine For at that time there was a rumour runne abroad that the Queene of England would enter into that league and so graunt a tolleration of religion But this father Parsons vtterly disliked of saying that either they would haue all or none that they would admit of no conditions His reason was this because quoth he a tolleration would make the Catholikes of England dull and without spirit c. But the reason indeed was this and in good faith when I first did see the Articles here drawne out in England of the conditions for peace before euer any newes came of this great Statists censure I sayd to a very friend of mine that it would cost the Iesuits a brace of a thousand pounds to stop it for that it stood not with father Parsons platforme to haue any relaxation of persecution in England so long as either her Maiestie liued or yet after vntill he were ready to come with Montioy Saint Iames of Spaine and Parsons for the Britons Monarchy because a tolleration for religion would breed these inconueniences all making against him and his faction First he could not then haue any colour to set out bookes or anticke shewes as he hath or to blaze it abroad in all nations how cruell tyrannicall and inhumane the persecution of Catholikes is in England Secondly he could no longer after haue blowne the infamous blasts that course both sea and land he affirming England to be the nurcery of faction sedition and of all mischiefe wrought throughout the world setting all Princes Monarches and States together by the eares liuing in league with one to make warre against another and maintaining of rebels against their Soueraignes Thirdly he could not by al likelihood haue had any Catholike Prince or other in Christendome to haue banded on his side For with what colour could either Spaine or Austria or any Catholike Prince haue inuaded England if Catholikes might liue here as freely as they did in France or as the Hugonites do now liue there and the Protestants in Germany and the Christians in Turkey and the Mahumetanes in Tartary the Pagans in Presbiter Iohns dominions Fourthly he could neuer after haue gone forward with this platforme for aspiring to the Monarchy For whereas now all Catholikes must depēd vpon the Archpriest the Archpriest vpon father Garnet Garnet vpon Parsons Parsons vpon the diuel the author of all rebellious conspiracies treasons murthers disobedience heresies all such other diabolicall bloudy designements as this wicked Iesuit hath hitherto deuised then and in that case this dependency had bin vtterly voide For we should haue had Catholike Bishops as Suffragans or such like that might haue giuen holy orders cōsecrated holy oiles ministred the Sacrament of Confirmation exercised their Episcopall authority in all things necessary priuatly as it was in the Apostles time and Primitiue Church without either any the least incōbrance or perturbance of the state or present incumbents the Bishops Archbishops that now are or admittance of any seditious Iesuit or other factious person to come within the lād Fiftly his malitious deuises cruel hard hart towards al Catholiks had herby bin discouered as neuer able hereafter to haue stirred vp her Maiesty or incensed her honorable Counsell against all her loyall and most dutifull subiects for his treacheries treasons cōspiracies Because al in that case wold haue bin ready to haue reuealed the least thought of any cōfederacy against her royall person kingdome and state Sixtly his baits had bene worth nothing for enticing and alluring of any subiect to rebellion either for the time present or to come because a league being once made with the French and Spanish nation all Catholikes of England being withall naturally inclined to loue and loyalty of and to their Prince and countrey all promises or hopes of preferment vnder forreine Princes would haue bin and seemed hatefull ridiculous and senslesse vnto them No nation vnder heauen affording greater honors comforts and content then England and our Soueraignes both are able do affoord to the inhabitants that liue in grace and fauor as in this case vtcunque the afflicted Catholikes should Seuenthly this tolleration or liberty of cōscience wold quite haue cut off two bloudy hopes which Parsons hath in al his practises to wit aswel the indāgering of her Maiesties royall person as also the fauoring furthering cōsenting
or Iudge Paramount on earth vnder the Diuell in hell must denounce the sentence following out from his infernall seate Forasmuch as the secular Priests durst presume to appeale to Saint Peters chaire against my faithfull seruant George Blackwell instituted at my appointment designements and instructions giuen to the Pope of Rome to make him Archpresbiter and Protonotharius c. in and throughout the great Kingdomes of Albion or great Britaine to do lawe and iustice vpon such rebels against my louing brother the King Catholike of Spaine as in that Imperiall Isle it should seeme meete iust and necessarie in his wisedome to haue sharpely rebuked chastised and punished and for that also I did prescribe the manner how the said Pope was to proceede according to the tenure of my abstract of statutes lawes orders and actes enacted by me and my Generall in the high Councell of Reformation for England with a prouiso that my forenamed seruant Maister Blackwell should haue nothing to do with the fathers of the societie I thought it meete in my experience and wisedome not onely to exempt all my brethren and confatherhoods the Iesuites in England Scotland or elsewhere from being vnder the Archpriest but moreouer and besides to will and commaund my said seruant Maister Blackwell vnder paine of officipard to do nothing without my Prouinciall Garnets counsell designements and decrees who being an especiall illuminate and hauing a more neare familiaritie with God then any of the rest by reason of his place and calling he the said Blackwell thus directed by him shall be so farre and free from error or doing any thing amisse in acting all things vnder obedience to my Prouinciall as whosoeuer should contradict any thing by him decreed I hold it sit that he be noted for an Ethnicke a reprobate and one that was neuer established in the grace of God c. All these lawes statutes and acts with prouisoes thus enacted forasmuch as the seculars contemptuously haue violated infringed and broken the very marrow center and quintessence of their contempt accrewing to the preiudice of the holy societie and therein to Father Parsons in chiefe it stood his Prouinciall Garnet vpon to lay about him on the behalf of Blackwell to make his cause and quarrell his owne and this to be outwardly in shew Clement the eighth his Holinesse the Pope of Romes in managing and menacing and inwardly in intention to be Parsons that bastardly vicar of hell his in the platforme plotcastings and practises And so for all the world neuer imagine nor dreame of any kind of temporall gouernement by a Puritane Iesuit to be otherwise intended then as a Puritane Minister said in Edenborough God and the Kirke against the King and his Councell and outher ney King or ney Minister in Scotland As much to say and as Knoxe that seditious traitor did write to her Maiestie that those Princes who will not subiect themselues to their infernall and damnable discipline yea and submit themselues to be ruled by the Puritanian Ministerie might iustly and shold be deposed and depriued both of Crown gouernement and life at their pleasure Wherein you may please to note by the way that the Puritanian Ministers made the Gospell and the blacke Kirke of Scotland their pretence for aduauncing such a man to the Crowne as should wholly subiect himselfe and sweare and subscribe to the defence of their doctrine And yet all the world knoweth it that they would bring all into a Swisserly popularitie or a Geneuian gouernment void of Prince peere or other Noble or at least will neuer yeeld to accept of any King that shall not be ruled by theÌ„ And euen so the Puritanian Iesuits must needs intend do make shew of aduancing none to the English Crowne but such a one as is conuerted to the Catholike Church of Rome making the Gospell and spouse of Christ their pretence therein But yet their platforme allowes no King power or potentate aboue them and by consequent seeing notwithstanding yet needes they must haue the countenance of some great Monarch for a time to gouerne by in the state temporall as now they make his Holinesse for a while their sconce and buckler in the state ecclesiasticall it were no pollicie in them to haue an absolute Soueraigne to raigne in this land no not euen the Infanta who questionlesse Parsons made choise of before her father or brother the King of purpose to haue her gouernement subordinate either vnder him or the Emperour but as they haue gotten an Archpriest to be as it were a Vicar generall subordinate vnder his Holinesse in causes Ecclesiasticall and yet his said Holinesse onely to be a shadow or cloake but to haue no medlings or dealings nor to know any thing of the affaires of his Church here further then they shall please to informe him of so will they neuer admit of other gouernement but a Viceroy to be as it were a Prorex or King homageâ— subordinate to Spaine or Austria in causes temporall And yet the said Prorex must stand at their deuotion and not be able to informe anie thing to the King absolute further or otherwise then as they shall appoint him which if he do or attempt the contrarie he is sure to be deposed and loose his life for it either such a new King homager chosen by the Prince absolute at their assignement or else no King euer after but a king Cardinall and Pope Iesuit THE X. ARTICLE VVHether then is it dangerous or not to haue any of the English bloud royall either maryed to one of the Iesuiticall or Spanish faction which I perceiue is all one in the generall pretence though not in the intention or practise either within or without the land or otherwise conuerted to the Catholike faith if God so giue them grace by any Iesuite or Iesuited Priest of their faction THE ANSWER THe daunger you make a question of may be two wayes taken one spiritually and the other corporally In neither of which daungers any one can be said properly and directly to be in the act of either mariage or conuersion Because as I said at the first these seditious turbulent factious Iesuites here in England howsoeuer they may be in foro conscientiae and before God excommunicated suspended irregular or otherwiâ—e haue incurred any ecclesiasticall censure by their absurd grosse erronious opinions practises and proceedings yet for that they liue hitherto as visible members of the Catholike Church and neither do neither dare publikely teach much lesse obstinately defend any thing contrarie to the Catholike Churches doctrine and beleefe and further forasmuch as there is no sentence as yet denounced from his Holinesse against them or if denounced yet not here made knowne or if knowne yet no Bull nor Briefe come for assurance thereof or if any such yet not publikely promulgated therefore in foro externo all these circumstances considered and that the Church doth iudge secundum allegata probata as
ex illis and not a Raphael of another order c. And as the Chapter of Cannons chuse their Deane and not the Priests dispearsed in parishes the Deane Chapter and Priests of each Bishoprike their Bishop and not the inclused Monkes of that Dioces the Dominicans their Prior and not the Franciscans the Iesuits their prouincial and not the Benedictines the Aldermen and City of London their Maior not the Iustices c. and onely in hell amongst heretikes ordo negligitur ergo the Iesuits appointing vs a superior do imitate one of these 6 His letters to Rome against his brethreÌ„ egor defence of the Iesuits coÌ„uince him to be vnus ex vel subditus illis ergo coÌ„tra ius imponitur nobis c. 7 He publickly professeth partiality as in his bitter letters to maister Benson to maister More and to sundry others and that he maintaines them in all things ergo vt iniquus iniustus iudex deponendus 8 His authority was vnhonestly procured because we were neuer made acquainted therewith hauing è contrario formerly imparted our minds vnto them c. vnlawfully confirmed because by the Cardinal at Parsons suite both our enemies and vniustly executed because by Iudges of their owne cause and therefore all three Cardinall Parsons and Blackwell intrusers into our haruest vsurpers of his Holinesse authority and tyrants ouer vs and our countrey 9 That it was directly a plot cast of Parsons by and for the Iesuits to expell or bring all Priests vnder them patet ex bulla qua instituitur praecipue vt pacem habeant cum Iesuitis ergo ad interitum omnium aliorum c. 10 That it was foisted in by Parsons procurement only vpon a point of extremity to colour his impiety and to stop the discouery of his treacherous mind towards his countrey appeareth For it came iumpe at that time when both in Spaine Italy the Low-countries his dealings began to be odious for his tyrannie against all Priests and lay persons that consented not to his Iaponian kingdome and in England his bookes and all his and their dealings being by Catholikes generally disliked and by secular Priests condemned and reiected as full of ambition bloudshed infamy and ruine intended to our whole countrey it was time to set vp such an Archiprate or else had the Iesuits faction bene quite pulled downe for euer which though he haue but a blind name of authority yet it serueth to hold tacke till by inuasion or otherwise the Iesuits may worke their feate for inhauncing of kingdomes c ergo vtterly by all English to be deiected 11 That setting M. Black priuate life aside which now I omit he is vnfit if such authority were lawfully graÌ„ted to be chosen for a head ouer so great a multitude of fine wits many more graue ancient and learned then himselfe especially in times of so many dangers and full of diuersities and differences in al things besides religion learning and this is most plaine for that he is wel knowne to be a man of no reach only he hath read studied sundry positiue authors whereby he can speake or write sentences euill couched together God wot out of others But of himselfe he neuer knew what discourse writing to great persons or of matters of weight or what ciuill conuersation or gouernment meant For hauing a charge onely of a widow Gentlewoman with whom he liued he neuer conuersed with any to learne either wit knowledge or experience in any thing or how to behaue himselfe in company discourse or otherwise to sift out any matter or yet to know how to do iustice in his office further then his booke told him which often causeth error through want of practise and experience to know the custome of times and places c. which may alter quite his book cases as applyed by a correspondencie to another purpose Which grosse ignorance a man shall find almost in euery letter he writes wresting this and that sentence Canon author and authoritie quite contrarie to another act matter sence and meaning then euer thereby was intended which I should rather thinke came of his simplicitie then of wilfull error were it not that he is become so proud peremptorie and scoffing contemptuous in his exorbitant letters words and all his other actions since this immerited authority came vpon him ergo by Parsons rule of deposing or chusing gouernors M. Blackwell is vnfittest of an hundred and consequently to be deposed for his insufficiencie though otherwise he had absolute authoritie 12 That M. Blackwels simplicitie and vnaptnesse to gouerne sheweth plaine the great mischiefe and ruine of our countrie intended by chusing of him is manifest For who in pollicie would attempt that which the Iesuites go about by any but such as wanting wit to enter into their drift should thinke euery word to be an oracle or else to be the Gospell that they speak and then vpon this ground Catholikes hauing tender consciences must thinke it a sinne irremissible to resist c. 13 That the Iesuits pollicie was maruellous dexterous in choosing one by profession a secular Priest and not a knowne Iesuite and consequently none fitter then M. Blackwell vz. First otherwise they had opened their own ambition to all the world Secondly they could not in honestie and with any face haue spoken for themsâ—lues as others may do for them Thirdly they may hereby colour all their trecherie for if it fadge not well the head is a Seminarie or secular Priest if it hap to their wish he is by them set vp ergo at their appointment Fourthly they may as they do more stoutly defend him then themselues 14 That a greater persecution is and must ensue by M. Blackwels Archpresbitery then euer came to Catholikes by the ciuill magistrates vz. First for that it opens the way to all rebellion freeing euery one to speake or do what they list or can against any except Iesuits all vnder pretence of zeale in taking forsooth the Popes part by defending M. Blackwels authority and esteeming of all that resist it to be Schismaticks or worse Secondly wheras before som few were infamed by priuat oppositions against the Iesuits now all that obey not M. Blackwell are so persecuted by these Parsonians railing and slaundering toungs as none can liue free Thirdly it breeds that contempt as euery boy and girle are in manner of esteeme of priesthood become Haywoodists Wisemanists and I could tell you what worse perdee to put no difference but all secular as well laitie as clergie c. Fourthly it makes vent for inuasion both of England and Scotland the Archpriests twelue assistants being dispersed in euery corner with the laity to worke by North and by South perswading it to be for the Scots good to ioyne with Spaine ergo mightily he is to be resisted 15 That the plot was laid long ago for the Archpriest videl by their olim dicebamur and other forgeries of theirs First
For who doth not see what a generall calamitie and extreme want and misery all catholikes as well secular as lay persons liue in that are not Iesuited what huge summes of money they collect euery yeere as before hath beene touched in part what bankes they haue in other countries and yet no pittie no reliefe no respect had of any that are not of their corporation or as brokers dependent vpon them to serue their turnes withall vsed as bondslaues to inrich themselues with that they haue or can gaine by them Fourthly I heere omit their officious enterprises for the conuersion of their countrey their seeking of superioritie ouer the seculars their barres put into all the bloud royall of this land to disinherite them their diuision made of all both ecclesiasticall monasticall and temporall states corporations and houses of any reckoning within the land their deuises to preuent as much as they can possibly that no other religious order especially no Benedictine nor Dominican shall come within the realme In fewe looke into their whole course manner of proceedings for their countries conuersion and you shall finde nothing but a large exchequer of a charter of policies how to bring by exchete the whole church common-wealth to be vnder their priuate corporation societie and so quite altering the course of conuersion of countries into a profession of a kinde of Lumbards Senselesse be that man or woman holden for euer heereafter that shall iudge any sinceritie fidelitie naturall and humane affection or other good meaning to be in them for reestablishing of religion or planting the catholike faith in their countrey if they may haue the swing and beare the sway THE II. ARTICLE VVHether the seculars or Iesuits haue had heretofore or haue now more secret intercourse and dealings inwardly and vnderhand with all or any of the Lords or other magistrates vnder her maiestie here in England or king Iames in Scotland c. THE ANSWERE THe answere to this article pertaines directly to a matter of state and therefore shall it be handled more peculiarly in the next generall Quodlibet of statizing against Parsons the Archstatist of the Iesuits For the present the question here intended is as of a matter of religion scil whether of them being both catholikes haue more close dealings with the common aduersaries in religion to them both The cause of which question doth rise vpon these Zoilists enuious aemulation that some few seculars whom they thought either to haue depriued of their liues or puld them downe so lowe as neuer after to haue risen haue by Gods prouidence found grace fauour and iustice at her Maiesties hands by opening their innocencie and loyall harts towards her royall person and their natiue countrey to those in authority vnder her Highnesse as master doctor Bagshaw whose death they most treacherously sought and others whom now they seeing to haue cleered themselues of al state medles and thereupon to haue found extraordinary fauour these most malicious restles slanderers inuent a new deuise that seeing they cannot preuaile with the aduersaries against the innocent to bring them to the gallowes they will spit out their gaule against them to catholikes to make them to be holden and accounted of as spies atheistes irreligious and such as haue forsooth extraordinary intercourse with some Lords or others in authoritie for the state and thereupon more fauour then others haue or then any sound catholike can haue or should seeke for or accept of In regard of which viperous speech fitter for a feinde then faithfull soule the question heere is mooued if it be an offence to haue any secret dealings with the ciuill magistrate then whether the seculars or Iesuits haue offended more therein To which I answere heere in briefe that if any offence be in that action the Iesuits will ouerweigh as farre the seculars in that as a horse load will a pound weight as the practises and dealings of their Parsons their Heywoods their Holts their Holtbeis their Creswele their Garnets c. will testifie it by sundry letters and witnesses against them to be brought foorth and shewed at time conuenient Yea doe they thinke it is vnknowne vnder whose wings the Archpriest liues shrowded or to and from whom the letter was sent on father Gerards behalfe to wish her after some fewe complements and thanks for the token she sent him to keepe her iewell the saide Gerard well c. or who they be that plie and plead for the Iesuits vnderhand and to whom in speciall intelligence is giuen from time to time of all that euer they know that may not touch the Iesuits or somtimes by accusing some of their owne company to contriue some vnhonest or sluttish part they are about more handsomely then otherwise they could or by whom they are backt to be so bold as they are both in prison and abroad to make their vaunt that they haue moe and greater friends both in the English and Scottish Court then the seculars haue more then halfe naming some particular nobles and others in high esteeme and authoritie vnder her Maiestie that are secretly entred into league with them forsooth on the Spanish behalfe Nor noe it is but a base feare of that seruile Parsons minde least by this fauour shewed of her Maiestie her honorable Counsell and other magistrats to those tried to be innocent and guiltlesse of the generall iealousie for conspiracies had of all for their sakes his treasons and treacheries should boult out more speedily and not haue so safe close and secret meanes to tamper with any to deale on his behalfe with her Highnes to accept of him for a spie as earst he offered himselfe to be so with deepe protestation and many vowes and circumstances that he would yea and no doubt but in matters for his owne aduantage he doth by his agents giue intelligence to the state of all things that euer he should heare of to be intended any way against her person crowne or kingdome working in the meane while notwithstanding vnderhand with the late Earle of Essex to be the king of Spaines close Pensioner for furthering of the inuasion yet againe at the same time dealt so as it should haue beene bewraied to the late Lord Treasurer Cicill and thus the cogging mate neuer deales with any of this lande but it is to worke their greater heauier and more speedy ruine So as I conclude that the Iesuits haue more secret close and inward dealings vnder hand with the ciuill magistrate then the seculars haue who go speake and deale openly not afraid nor ashamed of any thing they do or treat of with whomsoeuer it shall please God to mooue the harts to listen vnto or fauour them and by consequent the Iesuits close tamperings sheweth them to be most pernicious dangerous irreligious infest and enimies to the church and common-wealth of this and all other lands their owne guiltie consciences accusing them by their words and actions For true
the suite of Daniell to send home his countrimen in peace and quiet or otherwise to harden his and Darius his hart to yeeld to no release but that for euer they should there condemned despised and dispersed remaine In this heroicall disputation the moderators wherein no doubt were full replete with no lesse Cherubinicall knowledge then Seraphical zeale the three great princes Michael Raphael and Vriel with the rest of the Regents and gouernors deputed to the Hebrues monarchie or twelue tribes of Israell taking part with the Iew and Daniell and the prince of the Persian kingdome who had resisted Daniell 21. daies together with all the Lords protectors guardians and gouernors of Mede of Perse of Chaldaea of Babylon and of all the Asiacke monarchie vsque vltra Garamantes and Indos taking the parts of the Gentiles and defending those people princes and nations ouer whom by Gods mercifull designment they had the protection gouernment and charge of patronage Thus began the plea. The guardians of the frontires of Palestine alledged how all that rich countrie à fructu frumenti vini olet multiplicata and abounding with milke and hony in former ages was now become desert wilde laide waste to sacke and spoile with robbers and theeues hauing no repâ—â—â—e of God nor good Saint no soule in that soile but nowe diâ— pâ—râ—sh Whereas before out of euery tribe there past yeerely sundry deuoâ—re soules thence into Abrahams bosome to be in a readines at th Mâ—ssâ—â— his returne into heauen Therefore was it necessarie that Z â—â—ch 〈◊〉 Esdras that Nehemias and others of the Iewes priestâ— Leuites prophetâ— and scribes with the whole multitude should be deliuered to replenish these prouinces with Gods people againe To this was answered by the Gentiles generals and captaines that forasmuch as Nabuchodonosor as Baltasar as Darius as Xerxes and other monarches by secret instinct and often good motions put into their harts by commission giuen vnto them from their heauens king had of their princely benignitie granted vnto the Iewes after triall made of their constancie and that their God fought for them in the cause of religion and sacrifice a free libertie of conscience to serue their Lord God agreeing to their Iewish rites and that euen Daniell who was so desirous to haue his people sent home was in as high authoritie grace and fauour with those Ethnicke princes as any noble of their owne sect in the court and countrie where they and he together liued therefore was that argument for the Palestian empire of no validitie seeing it is not the soile but the soule which God respecteth and whereof they all haue charge and thar no humane wight be he Iew Gentile or Proselite Christian Infidell or Catechumene but hath his good Angell appointed to protect him at his first entrance into the worlds vale of miseries and is bound to continue with him accompanying him where euer he goes so long as he or she remaines in this territorie of teares Then the guardian of Hierusalem and principall of Iudea S. Michaell as it seemed replied and said that though it were the men which liued in the world and not the world it selfe which they all had charge of in chiefe yet because man came of earth and in Salem citie was Adam our protoplast created therefore was the prerogatiue royall giuen to Iebus land to be called Terra sancta for euer after The language also which Adam first did speake and which after some two thousand yeeres continuance of that onely and no moe throughout the world remaining vncorrupted as destinated to the posteritie of Heber in the time of Phaleg amongst 72. distinct tongues cast amongst the Nimrodian rebels in the tower of Babell comming by lineall discent to be called Hebrew after the diuision made was the same which Moses which Samuell which Salomon which Dauid with all the Iewes legifers vsed in their scriptures codes law bookes prophecies and other writings and this tongue of all others is onely called Lingua sancta Moreouer the people of this nation Iewes borne and none but they are called Gens sancta populus electus regale sacerdotium by right of inheritance euen from Adam from Noe from Abraham from Israell from Dauid by lineall succession in a downe-right line And although their ancestors liued in bondage 400. yeeres space vnder the Aegyptian Pharaos during which time seuen mighty nations of sundry warlike people whereof the chiefe being Cananites gaue the name to the whole land inhabited ouer all yet did not that discontinuance any whit disable their rightful title and claime but that at time conuenient by Gods appointment to the number of 1300000. and aboue past ouer the red sea leauing not one Israelite behinde them in Aegypt and vnder the conduct of Moses and Duke Iosue victorious ouer thirty kings and kingdomes besides other states this sacred nation possessed this holy land the holy language still preserued amongst them So as euen to these countries kingdomes and prouinces hath God assigned his Angels protectors of his people therin and by consequent in rigor of his iustice the Iewes ought to returne into the kingdome of Iurie and Hierusalem againe With this answere was not the Angell of Perse contented but held on his plea on the Gentiles side affirming that as it was for their sins that God in his iustice had reiected Israells issue so although it pleased him to manifest his omnipotent power and Maiesty that man might say non in carneo brachio corroborabitur vir and that there was no God but the Lord God of Israell alone yet was not his mercy so tied to their sleeue as after so many signes tokens prodigious woonders and miracles shewed for their sakes in open sight of all their enemies as amongst the Aegyptians before named the Philistines the Tyrians the Moabites the Ammonites the Edomites and all other nations round about them he should still forgiue and forget to punish them agreeing to their demerits as hitherto he had but that the destinies of their daies drawing to an end the fatall web of their woes being at hand and the period of their time now approching there was no expectation to be had of their returne nor in rigor of iustice any motion to be made on that behalfe And euen Daniell Ezechiell Ieremie and the rest of the prophets doe know that the quadrupart monarchie began in Babylon vnder Nabuchodonosor which shall continue to the end by translation from the Chaldeis to the Medes and Persians as now it is and from them to the stout inuicted Macedonian Greeke from whom by reuolution af time it shall descend to the Romanes sacred Senate and whosoeuer be the monarchie vnder that prince power and potentate shall the Iewes captiues liue Therefore the holines of the land the sanctitie of the tongue the purity of the people the sacred vnction of the priest is not to be named when it comes to pleading of Gods iustice and mans deserts Heauen was euer
England were Catholicks and those of the bloud royall so in esse with all yet were her title as good as the best saith he and by consequent concludes with this bobbe giuen to all our nation that the gift of the crowne of England was in the oldking Catholiks hands who perhaps quoth this patch Parsons may be perswaded as also his sonne the now king may be to the like set to giue ouer his claime and surrender vp his whole interest and right thereunto to his daughter Clara Eugenia Isabella yeelding her aide for atchieuing of the same to her and some such chatholicks Noble as his Maiestie shall thinke fit for a husband to a Lady of so high parentage Who being now the Archduke Albert late Cardinall c. if followeth that he is the Peere must be our Prince by Coruester Parsons designements And seeing he there insinuates as much and that the foresaid Cardinall Allan had dealt with the king of Spaine as he would make the world beleeue to that intent and purpose the case then and therein is cleere that this same booke here mentioned and that Appendix were both of Parsons owne doing as birds of one nest feather and wing hatched by the vnnaturall heate of his ambitious hart Secondly I obserue both heere there that there was great difficultie and doubts put in perswading the king of Spaine to this exploit for the conquest of England and that there was much adoo to draw him vnto it had not the parties mentioned importuned him to our countries ouerthrow Thirdly they account the intended massacre of her Maiestie and of so many thousands of her good subiects as must haue died if the Spaniard had preuailed as before I prooued it vnto you by the words of the Duke of Medina and other testimonies to that purpose a holy and glorious acte and to haue beene vndertaken of an vnspeakeable zeale and pietie c. Loe Nobles and Gentiles you deere catholikes of both sexes and all degrees Medina vowes he will spare none be he or she Catholicke Protestant or whosoeuer this booke affirmes the massacre intended is an acte of zeale what case are you now in if your Soueraigne forsake you also and who shal can or will defend you if she giue you ouer to the persecutor what haue you to say in your owne defence to saue your liues if her highnes draw the sword of iustice and lay it vpon you Truely nothing at all but so many of you as are loyall subiects your religious catholicke consciences reserued being as innocent as ignorant of those practises whereof I dare boldly speake it in the worde of a priest many thousands in England neuer heard of before the publishing of these Quodlibets might iustly haue fed your dying soules with hope of Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iustitiam quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum But for other hopes you could haue none Fourthly the false harted Cateline inuolueth all the catholicks that were then beyond the seas in that his most Turkish Iesuitish Puritanian and barbarous designements Fiftly he intangleth such as receiued so great fauors at her Maiesties hands and the state heere as that where by the lawes they might all haue beene put to death they were onely banished Yet notwithstanding he forceth them to become intercessors both for the destruction of her Highnesse and of her kingdome Sixtly what iust cause is heere giuen to her Maiestie and the state of seuere proceeding against all such catholicks as were then beyond the seas when they should come home in that they all sought and thirsted after the blood of their countrey vos iudicate But I hope and in part I know it that the false bastard Iesuits pen when he writ those words did but expresse the traitorous harts of himselfe and some fewe of his consorts and that he hath most egregiously belied many For of the Lord Dacres and sundrie others as well of the cleargie as laitie it is well knowne they were euer most opposite to those traitorous practises and therefore most mightily persecuted by Parsons and his confederates notwithstanding they still helde and do holde out as loyall English subiects vsque ad sanguinem as obedient catholicke children vsque ad aras and as seruiceable in hart to both God and man Pope Prince and to the catholicke Romish church and the English common wealth as soule and body in one person can affoord or faith fealtie religion and loyaltie diuine loue and naturall affection can expect or demaund at their hands And for the rest if any were so sotted and bewitched with Iesuitisme or infected with the Spaniards as I doubt too many were I wish for my owne part euen from the bottome of my poore but resolued catholicke loyall hart so many of them as remaine obstinate with Parsons in that vnnaturall combination faire and well buried in their graues Thus hauing made the first part of the Interrogatory most apparant and manifest I wil now prosecute the answere to the second in as briefe and plaine a method as I may Say then for the present which yet is more then I would willingly put to mainteine the time and our afflicted state considered that his Holinesse and the king of Spaine might lawfully haue taken armes against her Maiestie and this her kingdome our natiue land yet it was shamefull part of father Parsons his companions to be the contriuers or instigators of it as it is to be prooued by many memorable examples agreeing to this purpose scil First out of holy writ it is manifest and apparant that the Iebusites and other inhabitants of the land of behest were permitted there to liue euen after the Israelites had obteined the land as their owne ancient inheritance ergo a forreine people of a natiue broode are not to be by Gods lawes subiected in their natiue soyle by strangers of an alien land Secondly Gregorius magnus when he might haue ridde the parts and coasts of Italy from the tyranny of the Gothes and other sauage peo-people if he would haue intermedled in matters of blood refused so to do accounting it to be a course not fitte for a man of his calling to deale in Thirdly by the lawes customes and practise of all kingdomes such persons as shall machinate and deuise to execute such outragious designements against their prince and countrey haue euer beene iustly condemned and detested of all honest men and good subiects yea and euen of those same princes inuadors or vsurpers that comming to sway the scepter royall of a kingdome by such meanes neuer suffred such traitors to passe vnpunished nor without the iust guerdon of treason deducere canes ad inferos as by sundry examples in the Antiperistasis to Parsons Doleman I haue prooued it true Fourthly it had beene Parsons dutie and so also the dutie of all other priests Iesuits and religious persons to haue praied for her Maiestie and their countrey and by preaching to haue sought the reformation
no maruaile at their designements for England much lesse doubt to be made of what they would do in such a case if it came to canuasing for a kingdome THE VII ARTICLE VVHether seeing it is proued that the Spanish inuasion was traiterously procured by father Parsons means did he then also and some others by his procurement mooue her Maiesties subiects to disobey her highnes to take armes against her to surprise her person if they could and to ioine their forces with the Spaniard 1588. affirming that it was lawfull for them so to doe or not And whether might any of her Maiesties subiects lawfully haue followed their counsell therein THE ANSWERE THey did sollicite stir vp and mooue her Maiesties subiects as it is here deduced we cannot denie it greater is our greefe But it was not lawfull for any honest man or true catholike borne vnder English allegiance to haue followed their aduise And this our generall opinion of the seculars is no small comfort vnto many a deuout catholike whose tender consciences haue been by the Iesuits false pretended zeale mightily perplexed a long time with many doubts as not knowing what to doe in this case of obedience to his holines and their soueraigne Therefore I say in few that as concerning the first part of this article it might haue been a sufficient argument of Master Parsons hatred both towards her Maiestie and towards his natiue countrie to haue sollicited the pope and the king of Spaine with so great importunitie to haue assailed this kingdome with their owne forces though he and the rest of his crue had left her Maiesties subiects to haue at the least taken their owne courses as God should haue mooued their harts and not haue troubled himselfe so much in perswading them with great torments of minde in many to haue run with him and such like miscreants as he is into the pit of perdition for companie to satiate his insatiable desires But their malice pride and ambition are so infinite in their actiuitie and operation as there is no mischiefe or villany which they will not attempt to further their most sauage and Turkish designements It was much that one a clergie man possessed and seduced at that time by the Iesuits did iustifie the treacherous dealings of certaine English subiects in betraying the trust committed vnto them by her Maiestie and therewithall vpon Iesuiticall perswasions did also furthermore exhort others her highnes subiects to doe the like Mary the course that was held by them at this time 1588. passeth all Gods forbod as our phrase is But yet will the facing Iesuits so face out this matter as I shall not be credited herein except I make the same as cleere as day at noonetide when the sunne is brightest Therefore to lay open the case in plaine termes you shall vnderstand that in the said Declaration and Admonition before mentioned father Parsons in the good Cardinals name whom he had bewitched doth stretch all his rhetorike to the furthest extent with so great arte and cunning vsed therein as sure great pitie it is that euer so good a wit as his Grace had should haue been so mightily abused by that coosening mate and that they both were giuen ouer so farre at that time as that they should imploy such good gifts to so wicked a purpose For first they make their entrance into their discourse with a most odious and shamefull declamation against her Maiestie thereby to stirre vp her subiects harts to contempt of her highnes and to make her be holden euery where for odious to God to the world and all men I will not trouble you with the particulars but verily I am perswaded that Don Lucifer the wittiest fiend in hell could not haue written more spitefully Secondly they threaten the nobilitie gentrie and all the rest of the inhabitants of this kingdome with losse of all their goods their lands their liues and with damnation besides except that presently vpon the landing of the Spaniards they ioyned themselues and all the forces men munition victuals and whatsoeuer else they could make with that catholike armie forsooth For the words be these If you will auoide say they the Popes the kings and other princes high indignation let no man of what degree soeuer obey abette aide defend or acknowledge her c. adding that otherwise they should incurre the Angels curse and malediction and be as deepely excommunicated as any bicause that in taking her Maiesties part they should fight against God against their lawfull king against their countrie and that notwithstanding all they should doe they should but defend her highnes booteles to their owne present destruction and eternall shame Thirdly after all these and many other such like threats in a high and militarie stile to scarre bugs with then they come to some more milde perswasions and promise the noble men that so they ioyne with the Duke of Parma vpon the receit of their Admonition they will intreate that their whole houses should not perish Parsons did instigate the good Cardinall to sweare by his honor and in the word of a Cardinall that in the furie of their intended massacre there should as great care be taken of euery catholike and penitent person as possibly could be and that he was made a Cardinall of purpose to be sent then into England for the sweete managing of those affaires Fourthly other arguments they vsed â—â—wne from the certaintie of the victorie as that all the protestants would either turne their coates copies armes or flie away in feare and torment of the angell of God prosecuting them that although none of her Maiesties subiects should assist the Spaniards yet their owne forces which they brought with them were strong ynough their prouision sufficient their appointment passing that they had more expert captaines then her Maiestie had good soldiers all resolute to die in the cause which they had vndertaken that the blood of all the blessed Bishops shed in this land and all the Saints in heauen praied for the Spaniards victorie that all the vertuous priestes of our countrie both at home and abroad had stretched foorth their sacred hands to the same end that many priests were in the campe to serue euery spiritual mans necessitie that their forces were garded with all Gods holy angels with Christ himselfe in the soueraigne sacrament and with the daily most holy oblation of Christs owne deere body and blood that the Spaniards being thus assisted with so many helpes though they had been neuer so few they could not loose and that her Maiestie and her assistants wanting these helpe although they were neuer so fierce neuer so proud neuer so many neuer so well appointed yet they could not preuaile feare you not say they to such as would take their part they cannot And thus farre out of their said Iesuiticall Admonition Now what say you reuerend priests and you deere catholikes of all estates to this pernitious booke wherein he
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
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
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
to receiue take and accept of for their practise and directions in all causes martiall monasticall spirituall and temporall This grosse error of father Parsons and his no lesse great absurditie then rash foolish presumptuous and most dangerous course where unto his proiects do tend by this his pretence for the Lady Infanta to colour his owne and his societies traitorous aspires doe argue his insolencie and pride to be so great as they blind his iudgement sence and censure from discerning that these his plots drifts and deuises will be not onely condemned and laughed at by a generall applause but he also vtterly reiected and cast off out of all indifferent mens conceites be they of what religion soeuer that beare any loue to their countrie or that wish a preseruation of their auncient nobility and gentry freed by lawes customes and priuiledges from that tyrannie spoile which this hard natured and most cruell harted man seemeth most to desire for his owne priuate respects and commodities And surely when I remember the words of some of his proctors apparators somners pursiuants attornies aduocates soliciters and serieants here in England that neither could neither can yet indure to here that the Popes holinesse should haue any dealing or medling in this matter as a gust which gauleth them to the very guts to heare and see some already of a more gracious sweet mild incline to mercy in her Maiesty towards the innocent on that behalfe then heretofore hath bene or then they can hope for to themselues or any way indeede do desire to any others father Parsons and the rest of his state compartners vrging nothing more then to haue persecution of catholikes increased not diminished at all further then to grant out bulles of excommunication against all those that should impugne the spanish title and withall to send out pardons and graines of indulgence to all those that should fight on the Spaniards side against their natiue countrie both which vnnaturall practises seing the Iesuites haue sought for to be put in execution to the vttermost thereby to torment vs on euery side and by consequent incense the soe oppressed with rage against their soueraigne and the state tell me deere catholikes what moues you to fawne vpon those that thus doe labour for your heauie destruction I cannot but muse with my selfe how euer this disguised vnfortunate stepfather father Parsons being filius terrae by birth an Englishman by education a catholike by externall profession a priest by charecter a religious man by vow and order and taking vpon him by function and calling wholy to aduance Gods cause yea with hallowes and how-hubs with whowbes whowes and outcries against all that tast not on the froth of his zeale hath hitherto refused to take his holinesse for an example and his sacred predecessors the successors of Saint Peter vpon whom he ought chiefly to haue relied as a speciall note of so sound a catholike and perfect religious person as he and his would make the simple people beleeue they are for a paterne to imitate who haue euer held most mild modest and moderate courses towards all but especially towards the kings of great Britaine were they Scots or English not halfe so seuere against any as oftentimes by surreptitiall suggestions of some euill and factious persons they were vrged to haue bene As well appeered in the bull of Pius the fift which though we wish had neuer come out and much more that the other two since that time denounced against her Maiesty had neuer bene seene or heard of in this world yet to speake Gods truth when the Pope his holinesse perceiued what bloody tragedies and massacres on all sides were like to ensue thereupon by commaund of withdrawing our naturall allegiance from our natiue soueraigne vpon wrong information giuen as before we haue touched at large the said Bull was called in againe and all catholikes throughout England left as free to obey her Maiesty in all things due to her princely regalitie as they were before But letting that and other excommunications passe as spoken of before with harty wish they had neuer bene amongst many examples of the deere loue and fatherlie compassion of the Popes holinesse towards the inhabitants and princes of this land in times of eminent common welthes dangers the chiefe since the Norman conquest was shewed in the daies and raignes of king Henry the second surnamed Fitzempresse and of his sonne king Iohn the third Monarche of England of a Plantagenets royall race Against whom hauing vsed his fatherly correction as pastor vniuersall ouer the whole flocke of Christ for their great tyrannie and crueltie vsed towards their naturall subiects yet vpon their repentance mercifully receiuing them into grace and fauour of Gods church againe his holinesse on the behalf of the second did not onely accurse and excommunicate prince Lewis of France with all his adherents forcing him to yeeld vp all the interest right and title that he or his posteritie had or euer should haue to the English crowne but also surrendred vp the said crowne of England frank and free to king Iohn and his heires and successors from of the head of Cardinall Pandulphus hauing sit enthronized three daies therewith in the Popes right of purpose to abate and end the strife for euer to inioy the same in as full absolute and ample manner as any prince or monarche euer enioyed or possessed a crowne And thousands there are in England that desire as much and I verily thinke more vnfainedly and with a better more sincere true and catholike religious mind then any of the Iesuiticall or spanish faction doe desire the conuersion of our countrie who yet will be ready to lay their liues to pledge for it that if as God forbid and I hope it shall neuer happen that any Lancastrian forraigner should get possession of this land with as many oathes homages and fealties made and done vnto him or her whosoeuer as prince Lewis had whom father Parsons brings in for an example in confirmation of the Lady Infantaes title by that house bloud and line of king Lewis of France be like of purpose to vrge the English as he hath to make the like protestation on the said Infantaes behalfe yet would euen this Pope Clement the eight according to his predecessors example reuoke recall repeale and force him or her to retire and withall would of his mere mercie a gift appropriated to Saint Peters chaire in speciall manner grant to our nation the election and choise and set vp a king of our owne natiue soile bred and borne within the confines of great Britaines Ocean vpon the like repentance and submission of former princes in this and all other Christian kingdomes maugre all the Iesuites Spaniards and huff muffes in the world These important considerations should haue touched father Parsons hart with deepe remorse to remember how mightily he hath resisted impugned and violated all lawes diuine and humane whatsoeuer