(e) Cap. Ecclesia l. 2. q. 2. gl c. Clericum 11. q. 1. as the Lord of the same thence it commeth that the Kings Officers cannot bee anathematized by the curses that the Pope thundreth forth And by sentence of Court it hath bene said that in the generall monition (f) Sentence of Court giuen the 17. of Aprill 1507. reported by Iohn Ferrant in his Treatise of the rights of the Kingdome of France the e Register of Chastelet was not comprised for the matters that he knew in the office of Kings Register Wherefore Charles the fift in the yeare 1369 by letters pattents enioyned all Prelates and Officials that they should not make or pronounce any censure or excommunication comming from Rome into the Citties and places of his Dominions And Charles the seuenth by other letters pattents dated the second of September 1440. commanded the same thing to the Court to the Prouost or Gouernour of Paris and other Iudges By these testimonies it doth cleerely appeare that all royall rights and prerogatiues vsed by the King of France at this present belong and are due vnto Kings by right Diuine and common practised by the Patriarches and by the Kings of Ierusalem and in the Primitiue Church and by Constantine Iustinian Charlemaigne and their successours from time to time to this day Consequently that such prerogatiues be absurdly called priuiledges of the Gallicane Church or priuiledged cases for they are not fauours of Rome but gifts of God it is not an affranchisement but a naturall ingenuity of the Christian Church before their was either Pope or Bishop of Rome And thus much may suffice for that which respecteth the Kings title Now wee must speake of the possession which hath bene controuerted in the third race of our Kings but yet not interrupted but alwaies retained by thē who haue maintained the same in act as they were grounded therein by right CHAP. VI. That the first attempts of Popes against the authority Royall began in the third race of our Kings who haue neuerthelesse maintained themselues in their rights vntill this present HISTORIE teacheth vs that Hugh Capet being chosen and acknowledged King by the States and lawes of the kingdome in the yeare 987. required not any approbation of the Pope but went straight to Reines to be crowned and though in those daies Iohn the twelfth hauing attained the Pope-dome by horrible meanes as Hystories report assailed the king Platina others yet could he winne nothing though the King at this new comming to the Crowne would exasperate nothing against him But the Emperour Henry handled him more roughly for he came to Rome deposed him and created Leo the eighth in his place and hauing assembled a Councell he thereby made vse of the rights due to the Emperour according to the Canons Can. Adrianus c. vota can Agatho c. lectis c. in synodo 63. dist But forasmuch as my drift is principally to speake of the possession of the rights of the King I will passe ouer the confusions that the ambition of Popes and Anti-popes did in those times bring into the rest of Christendome from the yeare 1000 of CHRIST and about the raigne of king Phillip the first when the Empire was dismembred from the Crowne of France Of which disorders one of the principall authors was that Gregory the seuenth whom Cardinall Bellarmine calleth Saint though his name at Baptisme which Popes renounce after their election was Hildebrand which the Germaines say signifieth in their language Fire-brand of hell With like fury were moued the Popes his successours Vrbane the second and Paschal for they couered Germany and Italy with bloud and slaughter and thence proceeded the diuisions in States and Common-wealthes So that there were at Rome the Vrsius against the Colonna's at Florence the Medicis against the Strozzi at Genoa the Elisques against the Spinola's In a word the Guelfes for the Pope and the Gibelins for the Emperour Which diuision spread it selfe all ouer Christendome except in France which maintained it selfe in her liberty and in the obedience of her King As also did the wise and mighty Common-wealth of Venice which now of late hath expulsed the proclamers and procurers of this diuision and leuen of ciuill warres stirred vp or entertained and strengthned by the Popes in Christendome euer since these fiue hundreth yeares O that I feare there is the like designes at this present in hand in the Court of Rome But Christians haue patience Heb. 10.37 Yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry The Lambe shall ouercome There was then in those times for the space of 33. yeares together a horrible slaughter procured by the popes Innocent the third Honorius Celestine Innocent the fourth and Gregory the ninth against the Emperour Fredericke the second During which Mahomet the open enemie of the Church aduanced himselfe in the East Whom the Emperour going about to repulse the pope tooke occasion to make warre against him in Italy to seize vpon Naples other places of Fredericke who was constrained to returne speedily and to leaue Greece as a prey to the Turke and yet the Pope could not bee appeased without giuing him eleuen thousand markes of Gold With like zeale were moued pope Innocent and others his successours who kept prisoner Zemin Ottoman brother of Baiazet the second for which hee receiued yearely forty thousand Ducats And when King Charles the eighth would haue made vse of the prisoner for to make warre against the enemy of Christians pope Alexander the sixt aduertised the Turke thereof and caused Zemin Ottoman to bee poysoned for which hee had two hundred thousand crownes in recompence which were deliuered him by George of Antia the bearer of the aduise Hereby wee may plainely discerne of what spirit these men are and that we must not beleeue all things that comes from the Popes neither imitate their workes although their flatterers say that Popes haue all sorts of lawes within the casket of their owne breast Platina which is a sentence inuented by one of the most ignorant Popes that euer was namely Paul the second who had bene a Merchants Factor and was so great an enemy of learning and learned men that he declared all them to be Heretickes that should pronounce this word Vniuersity or Academy Is it not for this occasion that the Iesuites hate so much the Vniuersity of Paris Io. Auent li. 3. Annal. With like reason Pope Zacharie caused a certaine Germaine Mathematician named Virgil to bee cited to Rome because he iudged him an Hereticke in that he taught that there were Antipodes that is people that inhabited the earth vnderneath our Hemisphere Wee must not then hold the ordinances of Popes as if they were Articles of faith for so should the Creed be much defectuous and yet the Pope would haue all his decrees bee esteemed Articles of faith Can. nulla gl v. dist 19. and
who established the Priests in their charge yea Salomon deposed the Priest Abiathar And Nehemias restored the seruice of God caused the Law to be read and enterpreted making the people to vnderstand it by reading And if the Spirit of God taught Nehemiah this forme of enterpreting the Law by the holy Scripture which conteined then but the bookes of Moses and a few others of the old Testament how dare men taxe the Scripture of obscurity now that it is illustrate with the Commentaries of the Gospell of the Sonne of God and with the gloses of the Apostles Euangelists Certaine it is that this forme of enterpreting the Scripture by it selfe wil not be reiected vnlesse it be of such as the Apostle speaketh of 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes Now all those Princes were not Priests and therefore did nothing but in the quality of Kings exercising the charges depending of the Crowne True it is that sometimes one and the same man was both King and Priest as Melchizedec but it was in asmuch as he figured the onely King Priest and eternall Prophet of his Church to wit our Sauiour And if Cardinall Bellarmine will at this day bring in a mixt power into the Church either hee will make vs still in expectation of the Messias by such figures or will manifest vnto vs vnder the Gospell that which Pope Nycholas speaketh of in these termes Nichol. Epist 8. Before the comming of CHRIST some haue bene typically Priests and Kings as Melchizedec which the Deuill would imitate in his members Out of which words may be gathered that if there bee found since the publication of the Gospell any person exercising both the functions that hee is a member of the Diuell according to the opinion of Pope Nicholas who fauoureth not in that the Bishops that be Lords Temporall and Spirituall And as Kings fully discharging their office were blessed of God so they tooke not vpon them any thing pertaining to the office of the Priests and Leuites neither intermedled they with making vnleauened cakes sacrificing of Calues or sprinkling of the bloud vpon the Altar for in this case it was permitted the Priests to reproue and God did punish them for it So Azariah the chiefe Priest said to Vzziah 2. Chron. 26.18 It pertaineth not to thee to burne incense vnto the Lord but to the Priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated for to offer incense And not onely the chiefe Priest but the least hauing charge in the Church may admonish in conscience in godly manner all Kings Emperours after the example of Nathan and Saint Ambrose Bishop of Milan who shut the Temple against the Emperour Theodosius For it is not a case reserued to the Bishop of the first sea to put Kings in minde of their conscience to make knowne vnto them their sinnes it is the Law of God that speaketh and not man whose person or degree is not considerable but his Diuine commission After this manner vnder the Law yea from Adam vntill our Sauiours comming in the flesh Kings haue behaued themselues with the Priests Christ was borne in the yeare of the world 3963. and all the Church for the space of foure thousand yeares CHAP. IIII. That since the comming of our Lord IESVS in the flesh the authority of Kings ouer Ecclesiasticall persons is not diminished THERE is nothing truer then this Proposition of our Sauiour Mat. 5.17 I am not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it Also Ioh. 18.13 My Kingdome is not of this world Whence it followeth that the Iustice which is Patrimoniall to all Princes is not taken away from them ouer one part of their Subiects That IESVS hath not established any other power aboue their Estate for to dispense their seruants of their allegeance due vnto them that hee hath not taken away from them the command that they had in time of the Law ouer the Church to reforme it ouer the Doctors of the Church to assemble them and ouer the chiefe Priest to depose And therefore Saint Paul saith that Kings are established as well to maintaine piety and religion as honesty and pollicy 1. Tim. 2. To the end saith hee that wee may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty For why should the yoake of the Gospell which CHRIST calleth light to all that will vndergoe it bee heauy on the necke of Kings to whom God giueth titles and prerogatiues aboue all other men calling them the CHRISTS Ier. 4.20 or annointed of the Lord And as our Sauiour is called the light of the Gentiles 2. Sam. 21. 1. King 14. 1. Sam. 13 1◠〈…〉 in the song of Simeon so also is the King called the Lampe of Israel and Moses and Dauid Men of God And in the Psalme speaking of this authority I haue said ye are Gods all children of the most High Whence come then those heresies that already take roote in all the society of new Doctors That Kings are rather slaues their Lords that Popes haue degraded many Emperours Bel. de Pont. lib. 1. c. 5. lib. 3. c. 16. lib. 5. c. 8. Emanuel Sa Iesuite in his Aphorismes Printed at Antwerp v. Princeps v. Clericis but neuer any Emperour deposed one Pope That Bishops may depose Kings and abrogate their Lawes That Ecclesiasticall persons dwelling in a Kingdome are not the Princes subiects and cannot bee iudged by them though they iudge Princes Now who is it that seeth not the iugling deceit of the Iesuites throughout the Chapters of this Treatise neither can the Cardinall bring any reason to the contrary and although wee agree in this that Kings are ordained of God for the people yet wee must discouer the fallacy of these Doctors equiuocating in the word for which is applyable both waies to serue and to command So wee agree that Kings are for the people but it is as the soule is created for the body and the head for the members to wit in a superiour degree to command and not to set the feete aboue the head Thirdly if this Doctor will not attribute to himselfe more authority then CHRIST and the Apostles haue done who in this world subiected themselues to it hee will not hold Kings in the ranke of slaues And if it had bene needfull to abase them in this estate the Lord IESVS had power enough to make the proudest stoope But if neither hee nor his Apostles haue enterprised any such thing then when the Church was in her purity it followeth that the perfection of the State Ecclesiasticall dependeth not on the superiority of Magistrates Soueraigne or subalternall And seeing the Apostle commandeth his successours to bee imitators of him 1. Cor. 11 1. Phil. 3.17 as he is of CHRIST they should say one to another as Christ did of himselfe
homage to none but to God of whom he holdeth his Crowne because all other fealty (m) Cap. cū olim ext de priui leg Bald. l. quoties C. de suis legis presupposeth seruitude contrary to such soueraignety and liberty Wherefore the King holdeth not in any fashion whatsoeuer of the Emperour nor of the Romane Empire which neuer any King of France acknowledged since Pharamond the first King of the Frankes or Frenchmen our Kings hauing all the markes of Soueraigne (n) Pan. ca. tua 2. de decimis ca. quae in Ecclesiarum de constitut Bald. l. exemplo C. de probat 1. de off praes proet Clemens 5. extrauag meruit Empire in their Kingdome Which the Pope himselfe confesseth in his Extrauagant saying that Boniface the eight could doe no preiudice to the King who acknowledgeth not any (o) Cap. per venerabilé Qui fili sint legit Superiour Which must be vnderstood contrary to the interpretation of the glose thus that iuris facti the King hath no Superiour seeing that the text beareth these wordes Hee might doe it (p) L. ex facto de vulgari l. sin c. de militari testam Pen. d. loco as being King and Prince for this word Prince is a name authorised of right by law and not an attribute to a violent vsurper to the aduantage of whom the Canonists will neuer confesse that the Pope authoriseth any such action and way * Facti cōtra ius of custome against right these words then he might is expounded the Prince is grounded in it by law or right And as the good Cittizen preferreth the safety of his country before his owne life and the life of them that bee neerest and dearest to him so they hold that wee must obey the King rather then our naturall Father because hee is the (q) Lucan Pater vrbique maritus Plutar. in institut Traiani Luc. de Penna l. quicunque col 3. Cod. de omni agro lib. 11. nemini lib. 12. de Coss husband and father of the country which is the common mother of the inhabitants Whence it followeth that Cardinall Bellarmine establishing another Temporall power then that of the King ouer his kingdome makes the Pope a Temporall (r) Bellar. l. 1. de Pontif cap. 9. adulterer as also he figureth him a Spirituall fornicator making him the Spouse of the Catholike Church Etiam Christo secluso for the King is alone the Father and Husband of his people and CHRIST is the onely Head of his Church Papa secluso Now from this fundamentall reason antient and naturall commeth this decision that if a Prelate be called by his superiour and by the King at one and the same time hee must rather obey (s) Can. Si Episc 18. dist c. de reb 12. q. 2. c. pastoralis ducto argumento ab ordine literae §. cum a. de off deleg the King then the Prelate The same is said of a Byshop holding a Manour in fee of the King hee oweth vnto him obedience rather (t) Gl. cau reprehensibili 23. q. 8. Inn. Panu cap. cum parati de Appellation then vnto the Pope himselfe as the antient Doctors do teach against the new opinion And because the Law is defined to be an ordinance of the (u) Bal. c. 1. de Constitu c. constitut 2. dist Soueraigne it pertaineth onely to the King to make and to abrogate them throughout his kingdome For who is it (x) L. 1. 2. 3. de officio praes vigil hath most interest to watch for all the members but hee which is the head And although the violence of some Popes hath bene such that they haue (y) C. Tibi Domine dist 63. constrained some Kings yea Emperours to beare the yoake that the prophesie of Saint Iohn in the Reuelation might bee accomplished The Popes neuerthelesse haue neuer vsurped nor yet pretended that authority ouer the King of France witnesse the extrauagant (z) Can. Ego Ludouicus 63. dist Meruit Neither maketh that against it which is in the Cannon Ego Lodouicus and that the custome of Kings is to send to the Pope to promise him a friendship of spirituall filiation For that gratification is by reason of his charge of Pastor which euery other Byshop exerciseth with as great power as hee But as for the Pope hee is bound presently after his election to send the articles of his confession to the King who hath the authority to make them bee examined by the Sorbonnists and bee considered (a) Du Till tit of the liberties of the Gallicane Church ca. satagendum 25. q. 1. vinc Sigau tract de factis princ c. 2. Regal cap. 3. whether they be orthodoxall according to that which was practised by the Popes Pelagius and Boniface the eighth in the raignes of Childericke and Phillip the Faire From this Soueraigne power grounded on right humane diuine and ancient it proceedeth that Kings may of their owne authority without the consent of the Pope (b) Bonif. in Bulla inserta in lib. liliol de qua Io. Feral Guliel Bened ca. Rainutius v. vxorem nu 103. detestamentis impose tribute on Ecclesiasticall persons although the Pope pretend (c) Cap. non minus c. aduersus de immunit Eccl. that the King of France alone hath this right which hee calleth priuiledge But if so bee it were a priuiledge yet hee can neuer reuoke it (d) Bald. 1. vectigalia C. de vectigal it being a thing granted to the common-wealth and not to the person Moreouer this imposition is laid by the king not onely on the Tēporality subiects of their owne nature for the (a) Bald. ca. cum venissent de eo qui mittiuit defense of the cōmon-weale but also on the rest of the reuenue Ecclesiasticall as king Lewis the twelfth leuied the tenth of the fruits of Benefices in the time of Alexander the sixt in the yeare 1498. The like did Francis the first in the yeare 1530. in the time of Clement the seuenth Wherefore the glose of (b) Clem. Si beneficiorum Clement saith that the same is ordinarily practised in France Contrariewise the Pope cannot (c) Decretū de annatis statuit sancta synodus v. exigatur impose nor raise subsidies vpon benefices Therefore the glose of the decree of Annats or first fruits reporteth that king Lewis the twelfth and others haue forbidden such raising of subsidies Item king Charles the fifth caused sentence to bee giuen against Pope Benedict the thirteenth for that matter And the kings Attorney generall obtained the like iudgement Anno 1463. in the raigne of (d) Guag l. 9. c. 3. li. 7. cap. 3. Lewis the 11 who had assembled many Prelates Which was also practised in the raigne of Phillip the faire And although according to the Popes opinion no lay-person can dispose of spiritual things (e) Cap. quae in
before Rome the walles of the Citty fell downe Then hauing entred the Citty and brought forth his Cannon out of Saint Markes for to plant it against the Castell the breach was made without shooting against it but for all that Sananorola was not beleeued because saith the Historie part of the Coūcel were corrupted with money for that the Cardinall of Saint Malo gouerned the Kings treasurie These delaies called to the Crowne King Lewis the twelfth who sent the Cardinall of Amboyse to Trent to the Emperour Maximilian and to Ferdinand King of Arragon to consult about the reformation of the Church not in the members onely but also in the head Which caused Pope Iulius who had a contrary intention to solicite the King of England to diuert Ferdinand from this purpose by giuing him the inuestiture of the Kingdome of Naples and besides to allie himselfe with the Switzers by meanes of a thousand Florins giuen to each Canton The King notwithstanding lost not courage but assembled the Prelates of his owne Kingdome in the Citty of Tours about an hundred yeares agoe in September last See Du Till in the end of his Chronicle and in the same were giuen Catholicke dicisions against the Pope which stands for Law against such as would at this day perswade Frenchmen that they must not succour their confederates nor make warre otherwise then it pleaseth Rome The King did more with the Emperor for he published a Councel at Pisa which the Pope that hee might auert the same assigned at Saint Iohns of Latran In those times was inuaded the Kingdome of Nauarre by Ferdinand of Arragon against King Iohn de Albret whom the Pope had excommunicated in hatred of the succours hee gaue to the King And at that time Ignatius Loyola a Spaniard being hurt and maimed within Pampelune which the King besieged deuised to erect a society of Iesuites that should vphold from thence-forth both the vsurpations of his Maister and the title vpon which they are grounded to wit the power of the Pope which they extoll aboue the goods life and honour of Kings and for this effect they haue a vow which no other religious men take It is a blind vow which maketh them moue subiects against their Princes Now the Popes continuing their proceedings in the raigne of Francis the Great the King had for enemies the Emperour the King of England the Duke of Milan and others notwithstanding hee letted not to say boldly That if hee were constrained to goe into Italy to get his absolution hee would go so well accompanied that they should send to meete him Since the Popes making vse of religion for to trouble the States of Christendome to hinder from any more speaking of reforming the Head as the Emperour Maximilian King Lewis the twelfth had determined to doe France being very much weakened Pope Sixtus the fifth made a league excommunicated the deceased king then King of Nauarre and my Lord the Prince of Conde who the sixt of Nouember 1585. fixed vp their oppositions with an appeale as in case of abuse and gaue the lie to Sixtus the fifth calling himselfe Pope in that hee termed the King and the Prince Heretickes Which proceedings Gregory the foureteenth continued against King Henry the third and all his seruants whom hee excommunicated by his Nuncio Landriano sent into the Capitall Citty of the Kingdome Here was the time that Frenchmen should haue feared if this scar-crow had bene to bee feared by the seruants of their King The capitall Citties were reuolted such as remained still vnder the name of the King were in many places retained in their duty by force there were few souldiers and no money But an excellent counsell a graue Senate of faithfull seruants to the King The sentences of Tours and of Chaalōs one expers terroris Achilles it is therefore said by sentence of Court that this Bull shall be burnt in the publicke place by the hands of the common executioner decreed against Landriano Nuncio Inhibitions are made that no man shall cary money to Rome or prouide any for the dispatch of Benefices Gregory the foureteenth entituling himselfe Pope declared enemy of the peace of the Catholike vnion of the King and of the State and adherent to the conspiracy of Spaine the fautor of rebels guilty of the most destable parricide committed in the person of King Henry the third Since that King Henry the Great hauing maintained with his authority the liberty of the Gallican Church the fautors of the Popes power contrary to the ordinance of God ceased not till they had murthered him as they had before done his predecessor And immediately after haue published their manifestation touching the pretended Temporall power of the Pope vnder the name of Cardinall Bellarmine Iesuite Which Treatise the Court of Parliament at Paris hauing seene gaue their solemne sentence the most Soueraigne Courts of the great or gilt chamber of the Tournelle and of the Chamber of the Edict or mixt Court being assembled which containeth these words The Court doth prohibite and forbid all persons of what quality or condition soeuer they bee Sentence of Parliament of Paris on the 26. of Nouember 1610. vpon paine of being held guilty of high Treason that they shall not receiue keep communicate Imprint cause to bee Imprinted or expose to sale the said booke containing a false and detestable Proposition tending to the euersion of Soueraigne powers ordained and established of God to the raising of the subiects against their Princes withdrawing of their obedience inducing to attempt against their persons and States and to trouble the rest and quiet of the Common wealth Enioyneth c. Behold how and by what meanes the State-royall hath bene maintained against the proceedings of Popes But if there bee at this day any that would bring into France new matters more pleasing to the aduersaries that is to say to the Iesuites those new counsellours are bound to produce like proofes for their opinions as wee haue done for ours taken out of Historie But it shall be to purpose in a matter of such importance that they present themselues in publicke the halter about their neckes after the manner as in old time the new Law-giuers did that they may presently be cut short in case they perswade not their auditors This course wil assure the Kingdome and deliuer your Maiesty from many importunities CHAP. VII What is the power of Ecclesiasticall persons And that the Pope is not grounded in the pretentions of Cardinall Bellarmine neither on Diuine nor humane law or right AS they that incroach vpon the rights of Kings imitate that Emperour who said if the Law bee to bee broken it must be done for a Kingdome so we haue obserued that another head of the same Common-wealth lead an army into Affrica for to with-draw the enemy out of Italy According to which stratageme wee will passe ouer the Alpes descend vpon the place and examine the power
the French King SACRED Maiesty Plin. l. 11. cap. 16. natural History teacheth vs that Bees appeare at their beginning like a little white worme all except him that is to be their King which commeth forth with wings is of yellow colour because he is formed of the most exquisite flowers And if the Monarch of all the world hath giuen such priuiledge to the King of so smal creatures what are we to beleeue of him whom he hath established to command ouer men honoured with the title of Most Christian To confirme which beliefe in the harts of your subiects to destroy the opiniō of the doctors of lies which falsely maintaine that the Kingly power is not absolute that it is an inuention of mē I haue aduentured to frame this little discourse to present it to your Maiesty to the end that by the reading of the same they may learne no more to blaspheme against the powers established of God alone and that they may know that it is not the antiquity and greatnesse of your house the Nobility of the Princes which your Maiesty commandeth the wisedome of your Soueraigne Courts the order Ecclesiasticall the large extent of your Prouinces the strength of your places the affection of your peoples the faithfulnesse of the confederates of your Crowne the experience of your Captaines the vallour of your Nobity the thunders of your Arsenall the greatnesse of your treasury that mainteineth your Crowne But that diuine character grauen by the finger of God in the face of the King Prou. 20.8 who sitting vpon the throne chaseth away all euill with his eyes He hauing giuen to your Maiesty in these tender yeares wings to flye ouer peoples which are but as creeping wormes of the earth in comparison of the degree he hath giuen your Maiesty euery good subiect by the yoake imposed of God to his owne conscience Rom. 13. acknowledgeth himselfe bound as I doe to make a vow to remaine for euer without dispensation from such a duty Your Maiesties most humble most obedient and most faithfull subiect and seruant IOHN BEDE Vltima talis erat quae mea prima fides Propert. 20 20. Errata Page 1. in marg read Hieron p. 2. l. 15. read Micrarchie p. 16. l. 16. for they read the p. 21. l. 11. read Papinian p. 36. l. 4. read depose him p. 38. l. 10. for of read ouer p. 49. l. 17. read Remy p. 89. l. 14. for these read their p. 90. l. 7. read in the Church p. 102 l. 18. for man read name p. 117. l. 19. read Luxemburg p. 121. l. 21. read by a Councell p. 141. l. 2. for out of read not in p. 149. l. 18. read these flattrers p. 163. l. 2. for haue read hauing What other litterall faults occurre I entreat the Reader either himselfe to amend or of curtesie to passe ouer The Right and Prerogatiue of Kings CHAP. I. That the Authority of the Prince is from God THE Ancients doe witnesse that France hath a long time ben free from monsters Heiron contra Vigilant statim initio hauing nothing disordered in her inhabitants nor in their manners whereas on the contrary in Affrica ariseth euer ordinaily some nouelty But if we seeke whence the disproportioned propositions handled in these daies doe proceed wee shal find them to be bred in forraigne parts not fruits of home-grouth Such an one is this same maintained by Cardinall Bellarmine whose actions haue (b) Bellum arma minae that is warre armes and threates Bel. lib. 1. de pont c. 7. de clericis ca. 28. reference to his name that the authority of Kings is but of a humane institution Wherein hee doth like those malefactors who going about to excuse their fact diminish the dignity of the person against whom they offended or like men of warre who first batter downe the defences of a place before they giue the assault For if this Doctor said true the attempt of murthering Kings were not so heinous a crime simply transgressing the lawes of men as indeed it is being committed against the commandement of God The falshood of which doctrine that I may the better shew I will vse foure kind of arguments of which the first is taken from nature created of God and considered in her purity wherein are obserued the traces of respect which all creatures beare vnto man to obay him as a Monarch Which naturall instinct notwithstanding the corruption brought in by sinne remaineth still in some creatures which acknowledge a King of their kinde and follow him Secondly seeing that the excellency of man consisteth in this that he was created after the image of his Creator who will doubt but that Empire or rule formed on the patterne of the Soueraigne God is aboue all other kind of command Thirdly the forme of the reasonable indiuiduall man whose head alone commandeth all the members and who in this regard is called Mycrocosmos that is to say a little world is it not a Michrarchie that is to say a little Kingdome well policied And euery one of our housholds commanded and gouerned by one alone doth it not put vs in minde of this order instituted by God Surely none but such as will haue no lawfull familie at home dare deny it For as the father of a familie is in his house so is the King in his Kingdome and for this cause Princes are called by the Prophet Esa 49.23 The nursing Fathers of Gods Church The second order of Arguments is taken from the cōmon sence of al men against which such Doctors do trespasse for the law of superiority is borne with man and continued from the Creation of the world euen vnto vs. God hauing grauen in mans heart as to acknowledge a God-head for respect of religion so also to submit himselfe to the King to maintaine society according to that which the people of God said 1. Sam. 8.20 Our King shall iudge vs and go out before vs and fight our battailes Also Adam was chiefe head of all the men which liued during the 930 yeares that he liued after his creation The Empire of Noah was diuided betweene three Iaphet raigned in Europe Sem in Asia and Cham in Affrica And Nimrod called the mighty Hunter raigned in Babylon from the yeare 130 after the floud For this effect were Moses and Ioshuah established of God who had all the markes of Soueraignty for though the word King be not in so many letters found why shall wee not call them Princes Dukes and Kings seeing they executed the whole function and bare the markes of such And after the creation of the Iudges God cōdemneth not the forme of Monarchicall command as the Aduersaries of Royalty falsely calumniate seeing that he saith Rom. 13.1 There is no power but from God But hee blameth the lightnesse of his people in the change of the order by him established But if the people bee made so
dreamer of dreames such as are the practitioners of the chamber of meditations and shall giue thee a signe or wonder c. saying Let vs goe after other Gods c. That Prophet or dreamer of dreames shall bee slaine because hee hath spoken to turne you away from the Lord your God c. 2. King 11.15.17 So King Ioash and all the people sware to keepe the Law Politicke and Ecclesiasticall And if the obseruation of this Law is prescribed vnto Princes themselues where is that subiect that dare dispense therewith And if the worke-man-ship doe borrow his dignity from the worke-man who is he can accuse it of superfluity or defect Iren. lib. 2. cap. 47. Wee know saith Saint Iraeneus that the Scriptures are perfect for they are indited by the word of God and by his Spirit For these causes the Kings power is limited vnto this onely ordinance which conteineth in two Tables the rules of piety and iustice the most solide and fundamentall pillars of State which at all times those men haue kept inuiolate which in all things else obeyed the Prince So Daniel and his companions refused to prostrate themselues before the image of Nebuchadnesar Dan. 3. And the holy Apostles Peter and Iohn in the execution of their charge Act. 4.19 Ioh. 9.22 said that it is better to obey God then men In like manner the Mid-wiues are praised for that they would not execute the decree of Pharaoh Exo. 1.17.21 and put the Hebrew children to death for that was against the second Table of the Law of God Thou shalt not kill Therefore it is written Mat. 5.21 And because the Midwiues feared God therefore hee made them houses So said that constant Martyr 2. Maccab. 7.30 I will not obey the Kings commandement but I will obey the commandement of the Law that was giuen vnto our fathers by Moses So for obeying man although he was a Prophet rather then God 1. King 13. the man of God was torne in pieces of a Lyon The impiety and wickednesse of Iezabels commandement who had ordeined that the Prophets should bee slaine hindred Abdias from executing it For seeing that the king in his kingdome is as a Father of a family in his house and God will haue vs to loue him more then our owne bloud it sufficeth the king that we render vnto him the seruice that children owe to their most deere parents seeing that the honour due vnto him is comprehended vnder the name of Father and Mother Which is a thing so imprinted in the hearts of good men that the light of Lawyers Papipinian though he were not instructed in the Law of God refused the Emperour Caracalla to excuse the murther that hee had committed in the person of his brother saying that it is not so easy to excuse an homicide as to commit it By which answere he sheweth that they doe falsely call themselues Christians which canonize murtherers and easily approue the Parricides which they haue hardly executed And forasmuch as such bounds are set by him which giueth and taketh away Kingdomes on such conditions as pleaseth him good Princes which haue desired the preseruation of their estates haue not hindred the course of iustice nor bound the hands of the Magistrates established by them when they would execute their charges Haue also taken in good part the admonitions that the Pastors of the Church haue giuen them for the obseruation of piety for as it is said of the great Citty Troy that it could not bee destroyed till first they had lost their Tutelary Gods Peritura Troia perdidit primum Deos. So may wee aswell and with more suerty say that it is a most assured token of the subuersion of a State at hand when Religion is ill obserued and iustice not well administred The Prince then is not aboue the Law of God for it commeth from his Superiour neither aboue the law of nature which cannot bee abolished but with the abolishing of nature it selfe But that which is said in the Ciuill Law L. Princeps de â—â—gibus 〈◊〉 aequo §. 〈…〉 ad Trebel that the Prince is free from the obseruation of the Law is meant from the solemnities of the Law and from constraint which things are denied to euery particular or priuate person l. pen. de lâ—â—â—â—ptis 3 c. de â—estam l. ex imperf de leg 3. in whose mouth onely resteth humble supplication and who are armed onely with a Placet This may also bee vnderstood of the priuiledges granted by Kings which can neuer be extended against the Prince who hath the right to reuoke them when they are abused and may abrogate the lawes of which himselfe is the authour L. digna vox de leg liuing himselfe in the meane time after the lawes so long as they continue for the subiects buying according as the price goeth and exposing his treasury according to the statute And that place of Samuel maketh not to the purpose hoc erit ius Regis which speaketh of the right of rigour which is extreame iniurie and is of the customary right of ill and way-ward and not of good Kings So said the Emperour Theodosius to submit the Empire to the Law is some-thing more then to cause it to be obserued by others L. digna vox de leg for there is no commandement higher then to command the Prince nor any more difficult then to command a mans selfe For this reason good Princes the better to containe their subiects in their duties haue brought themselues to liue according to the Lawes principally according to them which are of the State and fundamentall of their soueraignty as said the Emperour Traian girding the sword on his high Constable Draw it forth saith he for mee if I command according to the Lawes but if I do the contrary employ it against mee But although such subalternall Magistrates are aswell Officers of the Empire as of the Emperour yet it is not therewith permitted them to controule the actions of their Soueraigne especially when they are personall vices which passe not into habitude and which bring not ruine to the whole state and such as Princes render an account of to God alone Tibi soli Psal 51. said Dauid though hee had caused his seruant Vrias to bee slaine and committed adultery with Bathsheba No Officer of the Crowne spake to depose him neither any particular person to bring him to iudgement much lesse strangers in any degree whatsoeuer in another territory who in these times being very liberall of the rights of others abuse that place of Saint Paul Rom. 13. which enioyneth obedience to the Prince for coÌ„science sake to cause the first Table of the Law to be transgressed dispense subiects of their oath of Allegeance due vnto Caesar and so cause the second Table of the Law to bee violated for their hurt being carried away according to the nature of the errour to the vice
at Arles and the sixt most famous of all at Francfort in which he himselfe was present in person and there condemned the errour of Felician and the Councell of Nice falsely called the seuenth generall Councell Sigeb in the yeare 773. Now in this place it is worth the obseruing that the election of Byshops and Arch-bishops yea of the Bishop of Rome was subiect to the confirmation of the Emperour for want of inuestiture made by him they should not haue bene consecrate as the Canons do witnesse Can. Vota can Agatho 63. dist where wee read the confirmation of Saint Ambrose by the Emperour Valentinian From this ancient prerogatiue common to the Emperours it commeth that Charlemagine hauing parted the Empire and agreed with the Emperour of the East assembled a Councell at Rome that hee might make passe a new title in his person and an acknowledgement by the Clergy touching this authority to confirme Byshops which from all antiquity belonged to the Emperours his predecessors Whence it is manifest that the Popes haue absurdly termed this declaration and acknowledgement a priuiledge and fauour of Rome or gratification to King Charles the Great for it is a right and prerogatiue common antient and Diuine And at that time was made the Cannon Hadrianus Can. Hadrianus Can. in Synodo 63. distinct and after thâ—â— which beginneth In Synodo which truth is farre from the doctrine of the Cardinall Iesuite who would faine perswade the people that the authority of Emperours and Kings is grounded on the good liking and fauour of the Pope and that they cannot vse the same longer then it pleaseth him Now a while after crept in the question that so much troubleth the world about the interpretation of these wordes of our Sauiour This is my body For the cleering of which point and to know the meanes whereby a Christian man Communicates in the merite of the death and Passion of our Lord and Sauiour King Charles the Balde who beganne to raigne in the yeare eight hundred fourty and one went not out of his owne kingdome to seeke the vnderstanding of those wordes of the Gospell in the Court of Rome but consulted with one of the most learnedst Clegy-men of his subiects named Bertram a Priest whose discourse wee haue yet worthy to bee preserued for by it wee may learne that the opinion pretended to be new in these daies was as then esteemed most ancient And if it would please the Disciples of Loyola to referre themselues to this good Priest there would be no more disputing in France about the Sacramental words neither should wee debate so much about hoc est yea if they were sent for the peace of the Church Thus wee haue shewed how our Kings haue maintained their right and authority during the two first races in which time was preached none other doctrine then that of the ancient Canons which haue these words It is a generall paction (a) Can. quae contra 8. dist 93. in summa 94. dist c. qui culpatur 23. q. 3. textus gl cap. Si Episc 18. dist of humane society to obey the Prince Which was confirmed by the example of the King of Israel who commanded Hilkijah the high Priest and by the testimony of Saint Hierome saying Wee must (b) Cap. principibus 23. q. 5. be faithful to Princes and Superiour powers otherwise none can hope for reward at Gods hands Now among other Kings the Canonists themselues say that the King of France is the (c) Cardin. Clem. 1. pr. de immunit Eccl. King of Kings that he shineth among others as the morning starre (d) Bard. ca. 1. §. 1. de prohi feud alien Idem Consil 415. part 1. Notwithstanding the great extent of countries that the King of Spaine possesseth at this present by the meanes in history declared For yet at this day he is your Maiesties Leige-man both for Maiorca (e) Petrus Iac. in pract sub rubr de success regnum vers item noÌ„ aduertunt De Grassalio 1. iure li. 1. Regaliar a Fiefe of Magalon a Church of Gaule Narbonnois and for the Earledome of Flanders which belongs (f) Gaguin li. 4. 5. c. 1. Bald. Anth. statuimus v. iuxta hoc C. de Episc Cler. to the iurisdiction of the Parliament of Paris and is chiefest of the three Earledomes numbred among the Peeredomes of France Neither can the Kings renunciation being prisoner make to the contrary forasmuch as the feare of being still detained hindred it to bee a full consent and maketh the pretended ratification for the Kings children were then prisoners in Spaine Itaque semper suberat metus causa Imo per filios pater plerumque magis torquetur and the (g) Cardin. consilio 137. incipiens Redemptor Mar. soz consilio 53. example of the King of Cyprus serueth well to this purpose Secondly the King of Spaine caÌ„not preuaile with this consent because the right and iurisdiction thereof being a royall (h) Lucas de Penna l. quicunque 11. lib. Cod. de omni agro de sero demaine belonging to the Crowne cannot be alienated This royall dignity so high aduanced in euery kingdome was the cause that the Canonists made no difficulty as in these daies the Iesuites do to acknowledge the King for the Vicar of IESVS CHRIST in his owne (i) Felinus ca. cum non liceat de praescr Bal. cap. significantibus de off delegati Kingdome yea they entituled him corporall God and Gods (k) Bald. de loco prohibit feud alien de pace Constantiae delegate vpon earth these are their termes We haue had also many kings in such reputation with the Clergy that no Prelate aduentured to approue parricides or to absolue their subiects from their obedience but haue Canonized them and inrolled them in heauen Such do Hystories report to bee king Dagobert Charles the Great and Saint Lewis vnto which number mauger the enemies of the State wee will adde Henry the Great your Maiestes father an excellent and most valiant Prince and Martyr In like number is acknowledged in this kingdome certaine markes and testimonies of a speciall fauour of God granted to our Kings the gift of healing the Kings-euil the oyle of vnction the Flower-deluces and the Oriflambe or holy-standerd of France whereas all antiquity fabulous or true haue giuen but one Palladium to great Troy but one Buckler to stately Rome and but one signe of the Crosse in heauen for a presage of victory to the good Emperour Constantine Which prerogatiues acknowledged by Popes caused Innocent the fourth to grant tenne daies of indulgence (l) Thom. 4. sent q. 19. art 3. in sol vlt. arg gl in v. teneretur in proem prag sanct to them that should pray for the King and Clement added an hundred more Now for asmuch as the King of France is so absolute thence it coÌ„meth that his kingdome is not reckoned among the Fiefes for he doth
Ecclesiarum ca. Ecclesiae de constit c. 2. quanto de iudicijs no though it be in fauour of the Church so farre is hee from (f) Cap. si quis 17. cap. de iure patron granting them the right to possesse them yet notwithstanding the king may do both the one and the other as is confessed in the (g) Guag lib. 7. c. 3. Councell of Basill in the title of Annates Also after the opion of Gaguin this right to conferre Benefices is a prerogatiue so royall that there is not any thing in a kingdome that doth more belong vnto the king And that not by vertue of his being annointed for notwithstanding the same he remaineth still a meere lay-person (h) Cap. tua de decimis according to the doctrine of the Canons Wherefore the kings consent is requisite (f) Specul tit de legat Sect. nunc ca. dilectus 3. de praeb can cum inter de consuetud tit de Annatis Sect. Item quod dicta in prag sanct in the elections of Prelates before they bee consecrated According whereunto the kings Attorney ought to bee called in the election of the Abbot of of Mans but if any did the contrary the (g) Can. Hadrianus câ—en synodo can hinc est 16. q. 1. Guag lib. 4. cap. 1. King might punish him Vpon this right common antient and Diuine proper to al Kings are grounded the sentences of the Courts of Parliament Moreouer besides the conference of benefices the king may hold and (h) Panor in repetite Sect. quia v. 10. col 3. cap. extirpand de praehendis possesse them and indeed hee the hath Canonry of S. Hillarie at Poitiers of Saint Martin at Tours Anger 's and Mans. And although the King receiue not any order the (i) Gl. cap. Valentinianus 63. dist Canonists neuerthelesse doe hold that the most Christian king may exercise the office of a Subdeane that Charls the 8. did vse the same whilst the Pope celebrated Also the king precedeth all his (k) Pan. c. verum de soco compet Innoc. c. Nouerunt de sententia excommun prelates as PanormitaÌ„ and Innocent do hold yea the prelates do owe vnto him liege homage which (l) C. minus ibi Pan. de iuretur idem super c. veâ—ens in secundo notab dicens Regem esse fundatum de iure communi importeth fealty towards him against all without exception And to shew that it is in quality of Byshops that they submit themselues in making their oath they haue the (m) Gl. v. corporali c. vt circa de Elect. lib. 6. secundum Pan. c. laudabilem de frigidis stole about their neck their hand vpon the stomacke and the booke of the Gospell before them But Lay-men render homage kneeling and their hands ioyned together Also they (n) Can. si in morte 23. q. 8. ought to assist the King in his warres and so by sentence giuen it hath bene iudged (o) Io. Gall. anni 1280. in fin fol. 116. c. ex multa de voto ibique Panor against the Byshop of Limoges And they may bee depriued of their liuings for (p) Guid. q. 39. Bened. c. Rainutius 2. decis num 459. Guag lib. 6. c. 4. fellony further it appertaineth to the King alone (q) Aufrer in repet Clem. 1. in 4. reg fal 2. de off ordin Guido q. 62. v. circa Bened. v. vxorem 2. decis num 445. Fract arest art 211. to giue pardon to them in case of crime and to reforme the Church (r) C. 1. Ne sede vacante Bart. 5. part cath consider 17. assembling for this effect his Princes (s) Cygaut tr de factis princ in regali and Prelates without requiring therein the Popes authority as reporteth Vinc. Cygaut saying that he had receiued letters and commandement from the King to reforme the Franciscan Friars so is it practised ordinarily (t) Cap. Filijs 17. q. 7. in cases of notorious abuse And finally the King is alone Lord of all the Territory (u) L. pupillus §. Teritorium de verb. sinif l. 3. c. donatur lib. Cui ad 53. C. de deretur l. Nulli C. de episc Cler. of his kingdome Now territory is defined in the Ciuill Law a space of land which boundeth the extent of euery Citty So called because the Magistrate of the same giueth terrour and can expell whom he pleaseth out of his iurisdiction Hence it commeth that if a Byshop take any one out of the enclosure of his Court such taking shall be (x) Bal. flor l. sicuti §. Aristo Si seco vindi voide and therefore they are to (y) Can. romana Sect. contrahentes de foro compet l. 6. Can Episcopus in casus posit D. foro compet l. qui seruus Sect. Idem de Aedil Ed. craue aide of the Iudges royall Whereby may be gathered the mallice and folly of those men that entitle a Byshop my Lord of Paris my Lord of Chartres c. For there is none but the king Lord of those places yet true it is that in some Prouinces there are Byshops (z) Can Episcopus Ne clerici vel mo l. 6. Lords of the Territory as is the Byshop of Rome and some Byshops of Germany against whom maketh the saying of Pope Nicholas in his eighth Epistle that they which are both Kings and Priests vnder the Gospell are members of the Diuell Now whatsoeuer the Prelates pretend (a) Can. cuÌ„ Episcopus de off ordin lib. 6. Cui in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de Episcoand it is certaine that they haue neither Territory nor iurisdiction by disposition of Law neither any portion of Empire pure or mixt such as is iurisdiction witnesse the title De Episcopali audientia different from the title De iurisdictione omnium Iudicum vpon which the learned Cuias writing saith Episcopi iurisdictionem non habent nec forum nec apparitionem nec executionem And therefore there wholly remaineth to Kings all markes of Soueraignety Yea as the Doctors (b) Carol. de Grassalio è nouo iure lib. 2. Regal allegat can propter gl v. ducibê° 33. dist gl Adigere de iure patâ— Canonists do obserue of whom wee borrow that which followeth the King alone and none other is Gods Vicar and Lieutenant generall in his Kingdome habet vim Apostoli and they hold that hee hath authority to excommunicate And as touching his person and the persons of his subiects the Pope hath no power (c) Extrauag Meruit in bulla ad aeternam Io. 2. Extrauag frequentes in fin de iudicijs to excommunicate or curse them as the Popes Clement the fifth and Iohn the twentieth two themselues doe confesse of which Cygaut (d) Cygaut tract de factis princ c. sententiae excommun in fin pretendeth to render a reason taken out of Hostiensis And forasmuch as the family enioyeth the same rights
si quando de rescrip authority it is permitted to resist the same Whence commeth it that if the Pope or his Legats would legitimate a bastard in the Kingdome of France to the end hee might succeed it is another thing when it is to make the marriage (e) Cap. Tuam de ordin cognit of validitie whence he is issued or in some fashion trouble the royall iustice the obtainer of such legitimation c. (f) Guil. Bened 2. part c. Rainutius vers si absq libertis 2. c. in materia nu 47. Phil. Decius Cons 307. Coll. 2. shall bee amerced the abuse reiected by the Kings Officers So by sentence of the Parliament of Tholouse anno 1400. was pronounced that it had bene ill and abusiuely proceeded by the Popes delegates who had absolued Maister Giles de Bellemere Archidiaconus Micapicen without calling the party the Kings Attorney Now William Benedict saith there are three generall cases in France in which notorious abuse may be commited namely when the Pope and Ecclesiasticall persons attempt against the decrees of the anicient Councels against the Kings statutes or against the liberties of the Gallicane Church Seeing then there is appeale from the Pope who is it can endure him to be a Soueraigne no not in spirituall things Note this for it is the argument wherewith Seneca concludeth that the first Kings of the Romans were not Soueraignes Cic. 2. de repub because there was appeale made from them to the people Thus Horace the murderer of his sister was absolued who had bene condemned by King Tullus Hostilius Therefore this pretended Soueraignety Spirituall and Temporall resteth vaine according to the opinion of Saint Gregory and Saint Bernard the practise of the Gallicane Church For to feede the sheepe is meant after another manner Mat. 18.18 and that deliuering of keyes is not excluding the other Apostles seeing that the same promise was made to all otherwise they could not haue executed their charge and besides Peter could not receiue them but in the name of all Ioh. 20.22 according to the opinion of Saint Augustine written into the Canons Which is conformable to the disposition of the ciuill Law Can. quodcunque 24. q. 1. which saith that the deliuery of a key and of a ring by a father to his eldest daughter bringeth to her no priuiledge aboue her fellow heires but is taken as done in common as well for the rest L. cum pater 79. Sect. pater pluribus delegat 2. which decision is obseruable in the Ciuill Law as likewise that which is written in the Law tenth C. de Incendio which speaketh of certaine fishers of men like vnto him that Cardinall Bellarmine figureth forth against whom are these words Let not Fishermen deceiue Mariners in causing a light to be seene in the night in dangerous places as if it were a safe hauen to the end they might aduantage thēselues by the ship-wracke There is therefore no ground for this power in the Law of God nor in the Law of man for as no Prince giueth any priuiledge against himselfe so neuer any King nor Emperour resigned such a right to the Pope which cannot be alienated It remaineth to speake of the Canon Law De Elect. lib. 1. tit 3. Clem. Ne Romani which cannot derogate from the Law of God as saith the Clementine that the Law of the Superiour cannot bee abrogated by the inferiour Neither can it also derogate from the Law of Kings because it is a writing framed for aduantage of them that wrote it Conc. Agathens sub Alaciaco rege anno 506. can 32. Clericū can 11. q. 1. can 3. ibidem l. in fraudem §. quoties de iure fisci without hearing or calling the party interessed and held for priuate in this consideration are obserued therein many falsifications specially one notable one vpon this subiect for in steed of saying Clericus nullum praesumat as the Councell hath it it is written nullus Clericum changing the prohibition made to the Clergy to prescribe it to the Laity Now hee that produceth false proofes is to loose his cause though otherwise it were a good one Lastly this Canon Law I meane that from which are taken the maximes of the Iesuites vpon this subiect is new and but of late for the ancientest part of it which is the Decree was cōpiled by Gratian in the yeare 1093. the Decretals in the yeare 1211. The Sextus by Boniface the eighth in the yeare 1298. and the Clementines in the yeare 1310. Wherefore iudging well the authors of this new power are not grounded on diuine nor humane Law seeing our Sauiour himselfe witnesseth the Sonne of man came not to be serued Math. 20. but to serue and to giue his life a ransome for many neither on the example of the Apostles 1. Cor. 4.1 whose charge consisted in administration not in cōmanding and who said 1. Pet. 2. Psal 2. 72. Let men esteeme of vs as the Ministers of CHRIST and disposers of the secrets of God These men haue set themselues in place of the Maister are (a) V. gl in verbo non consonam Clem. Ne Romani sponsus vester rector est Christus caput Ecclesiae quae est ipsius corpus Hebr. 7. c. stiled Princes of Bishops and King of Kings Though the true King of Kings be risen againe and liueth for euer hauing no heire nor successour in his offices being eternally both King and Priest and Prophet of the Catholicke Church after the order of Melchizedec The flatterers neuerthelesse will substitute a mortall and sinnefull man in his steed and ascribe vnto him power in heauen and in earth and make him Lord of two swords and Soueraigne of all demeans so that he may confiscate or giue them away whence a blasphemous parasite saith (b) Cap. vnam sanctam extra communiā de maioritate Petr. Bertrandus in gl illius exarauag Our Lord should haue bene vndiscreete if hee had not left a man after him hauing the like power as he had as if such a head could bee seperate from his body and this Bridegroome CHRIST being a iealous God could endure any corriuall or as though such a supposition were not directly contrary to the wordes of our Sauiour Ioh. 16. v. 7. 14. v. 16. 15. v. 26. saying Verily I say vnto you it is expedient for you that I goe my way for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come vnto you For he knew that his presence and the exhortation of his carnall mouth so often reiterated hindred them not from sleeping in the garden or from denying him thrice at the words of a silly maide-seruant But hee knew that his holy Spirit the Moderator of the Church working inwardly and accompanying them after his Ascension would make them confesse the Sauiour in the middest of the most cruell torments Against which
truth the new Doctors belye the Gospell and hold it expedient that the humanity of our Sauiour bee on earth but not to gouerne the Church and make a sinfull and partiall man to gouerne it who sheddeth the bloud of them for whom IESVS CHRIST shed his bloud and will not haue men beleeue the truth which teacheth that the corporall presence of CHRIST the most perfect head of all men and his carnall gouernance is taken away from vs into heauen that so they might establish Liuetenants in a charge which no mortall man can or ought to haue after the Ascension of the Generall And as new Pharisies who expected a Messiah triumphing ouer Temporall powers and subduing nations by materiall armes these picture forth a successour with mixt power who is ashamed of the simplicity of the Gospell and is an enemy to the crosse of CHRIST which hee cannot endure but grauen or painted And since the Ascension of our Lord IESVS 1. Cor. 3.16 whom wee know no more according to the flesh these men will haue gouernours that are carried on mens shoulders succeding herein the opinion of the Israelites when Moses was so long in the Mount saying to the Priests Exod. 32.23 make vs Gods to goe before vs for as for this man wee know not what is become of him These are likewise those same which the parable of our Sauiour denoteth Luk. 19.12 saying A certaine noble-man went into a farre country to receiue for himselfe a Kingdome and so to come againe c. but his Citizens sent an Embassadour after him saying wee will not haue this man raigne ouer vs but the Lord being returned saith Vers 27. Bring hither those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them and slay them before mee So let it bee done to all such as will not continue seruants till the Kings returne who is gone to take possession of the Kingdome of heauen and to prepare a place there for vs that they may know that as the Iewes doe in vaine expect a Messiah triumphing in that manner as they would haue it so with as little ground they haue hoped for another Anti-christ then him whom the Iesuites paint forth with his double sword See more of this in a Treatise I haue made of Catholicke Vnity Chap. of the Church sect 6. Mat. 20.26 Mar. 10.43 Can. Constan seque dist And they in all the succession of the Apostles finding but one key of heauen would get the key of earthly Empire and as our Sauiour had said Thou art Peter these men adde Thou art Constantine Pepin and Lewis And because our Sauiour had forbidden superiority among the Apostles these men insert a Canon in these wordes The Emperour Constantine gaue this priuiledge to the Byshop of the Romane Church to be the head of all Byshops as the King is the head of Iudges And the following Cannons adde that hee gaue him also his Pallace his Crowne and Imperiall Ornaments because it was not (a) Idem habetur ca. 17. fundamenta li. 1. 6. decretal De Electione See the abhominations of this Canō reasonable that the Emperour should reside in the same Cittie where the Pope is and then to shew their thankefulnesse they forged that the Emperour was a leaper against the records of all Histories (b) Euseb 5. libris de vita Constantini Plin. li. 21. cap. 1. Mantuan lib. de patientia c. 30. cap. 1. Nesede vacante cap. extra d e consuet Clem. pastorali can 2. de re iudic And vpon this supposition or forgery they build that the Pope is appointed ouer Kings and Kingdomes and succeedeth the Empire vacant and may transport Empires from one nation to another and depose Emperours hauing the exercise of two swordes Behold how of one absurdity many do arise For first that same Donation is false as the learned (c) Hottom brutum fulmen cap. 12. Crimen falsi Hottoman verifieth by twenty sixe reasons And (d) Bartol Proemio digest nu 14. videte nos sumus in terris Eccl. ideo quod illa donatio valuit Bartoll himselfe saith it is true for no other reason but because hee wrote in the territory of Rome and therefore durst not write the contrary The best proofe against this falshood is that Constantius the sonne of Constantine neuer forsooke Rome and the dominions thereof but deposed Liberius Bishop of Rome who became for this occasion an Arrian and subscribed against Athanasius as Saint Hierome (e) Hieron in cap. Fortunatianus Catalogo scriptorum Ecclesiastic Athanasius in Epistola ad solitarium vitam agētes witnesseth But these Doctors must confesse that the great goods that Popes possesse haue proceeded frō the liberality of the Kings Pepin Charles Lewis Also in the confirmation (f) Ego Ludouicus 63. dist volater l. Geor. 3. that beginneth Ego Ludouicus there is no mention made of Constantine but only of Pepin and Charles the grand-father and father of Lewis Now the reason why this donation was published in the name of Constantine Du. Tillet was for that the Emperour tooke it ill as then that the King gaue away that which hee pretended to belong vnto him So this augmentation of titles hath caused the diuerse enterpretation of the word to feede either as a King in commanding or as a Byshop in preaching Aug. de verbo domini ser 20. tract 10. 124. in Ioan Cyril li. 4. dial de Trinit as Saint Augustine and Saint Cyrill enterprete it But Cardinall Baronius passeth further for he maketh to feed the flocke to be as horses feed on grasse saying against the Signory of Venice Holy Father kill and eate I know the word Feed signifieth three things to command as a King to exercise the Ecclesiasticall Ministery and the last to eate but the distinction is knowne according to the subiect whereto it is applyed As therefore it were impertinent to conclude for a King that hee is to Preach the Law of God and administer the Sacraments because the Lord said to Dauid 1. Kin. 2.11 2. Sam. 5.2 Thou shalt feede my people Israel so as wide from the purpose will the Iesuites cōclude that the Pope is to command ouer the Temporallity of Kings because our Sauiour saith to S. Peter Iohn 21. Feed my sheep for that is meant onely of the feeding for which hee had commission Otherwise it would follow by such equiuocations and abusing of words of many significatiōs that an asse turned out to feed in the third signification should be furnished with a Miter a Crosier staffe But to returne to our discourse with what audaciousnesse do they vaunt that the grounds of the Romish Bishops superiority ouer others is taken frō the law of God or diuine right seeing that it is the gift of the Emperour For if hee gaue it it followeth that hee had it before hee granted it and if the Pope receiued it frō
friendship cōbinations practised among mē that is not done with consideration of the ordinance of God is a conspiracy priuate complotment and confederacie and not a legall society nor religious charity 1. Cor. 13.5 which seeketh not her owne particular profite but executeth her effects outwards For there is no vnion neither in faith nor in charity sauing in IESVS CHRIST alone who is the center and perpetuall end of all good to which purpose saith Saint Paul 1. Cor. 10.31 whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee do do all to the glory of God And S. Peter recommending subiection towards the Prince referreth it to his vse 1. Pet. 2.13.14 c. Be yee subiect for the Lords sake Now as the morall vertues of the heathen are sinnes before God in as much as they are not done with hauing regard to his commandement which they know not So the contēpt of the King who hath right ouer the subiect by the law of God ariseth onely in the minde of him that contemneth the authour of the Law And by the same reason it necessarily followeth that such a man hath first violated his faith towards God before he faile in the seruice of the King for so long as hee remaineth faithfull in the first Table hee will not passe to the transgression of the second which is not well obserued but in the consideration of the first of which it is a sequele and necessary dependancy Wherefore wee see ordinarily that idolaters do easily rebell yea boldly attempt against the person of their King on the contrarie Religous soules serue them though they bee froward yea Infidels as wee haue noted some examples but after the transgression of the honour due to God the contempt of the King followeth soone after Thus is Samuel comforted by God They haue not cast thee away 1. Sam. 8.7.8 but they haue cast mee away that I should not raigne ouer them And as they haue forsaken mee seruing strange Gods euen so they forsake thee And Zedechias being tributary King before he came to despise the King hardened himselfe against God 2. Chron. 36.12.13 Zedechias did euill in the sight of the Lord his God and humbled not himselfe for Ieremiah the Prophet speaking in the name of the Lord and also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezar which had caused him to sweare by the name of God Also in another place the Holy Ghost interpreteth rebellion to be an euill as dangerous as to goe to sorcerers and witches Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and idolatry 1. Sam. 15. Thence it commeth that of late some of them that labour to weaken the authority of the King and haue fostered rebellion in this Kingdome of France haue also questioned the Pythonisse woman possessed and examined the Diuell Wherefore wee need not wonder if they that like not the right way directing to Holy Abba Father which art in heauen swerue frō the obedience of our Abimelec that is to say our Father the King which is on earth And as the Iesuites substitute to God our Holy Father another God on earth whom they call Most holy Father and separate IESVS CHRIST from his Body Spouse the Church for to create vnto him a Vicar and Liuetenant generall in all his Kingdomes Bel. lib. 1. de Pontif. cap. 9. etiam Christo secluso So these same Spirits will at this present erect a Monarke aboue Kings which are the fathers and husbands of their people and country to the end they should not enioy their Soueraigneties but so long as they shall please him Thus hauing begunne with disobedience towards God they end with rebellion against the King his Liuetenant on earth Wherefore none will euer defend the Kings rights and prerogatiues as they ought except hee first beginne with the Lawes of God and if hee bee a preuaricator in the first Table he will easiy be perswaded to lay such grounds as ouerthrow the Kings right for hee that granteth the greater will not sticke to giue the lesser This is the cunning deuise Ieroboam vsed who as it is written retained the people to himselfe 1. King 12.26.27 c. and hindred them from returning to the house of Dauid in causing them commit idolatry And for as much as the Article of confession of the reformed Churches aboue rehearsed conteyneth a submission of all the inhabitants of the Kingdome without excepting the Ministers and in as much as the Moderne Clergy-men whē a Priest is cōuerted to their Religion make him renounce among other things that pretēded priuiledge of Clericature Lastly for as much as the honour which we owe vnto the King is for conscience sake Rom. 13. as saith S. Paul and for Gods sake as S. Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 2.13 It followeth that the Cardinall Iesuite maintaineth a formall heresie Bellar. li. 3. recognit de Laicis in making some Christians subiect to the King not for conscience sake but for seruile feare obeying for no other cause but for that they are not the strongest and for feare of punishment not for loue of God For if the conscience be bound by the Law of God to the obedience of the King who is the subiect capable to attempt against the lawes rights or prerogatiues of the King but hee that falsifieth his faith vnto God Of this Saint Iude writing to his beloued of the common saluation saith that certaine men crept in Iud. v. 3.4 which were before of old ordained to this condemnation men without piety turning the grace of God into wantonnes renouncing the onely Dominator IESVS CHRIST our God and Lord. Then he passeth to the second Table affirming that such men breake it in consequence of that former renunciation And likewise these dreamers defile their flesh and despise Gouernment Vers 8. and speake euill of authorities And propoundeth a terrible example for them that curse Soueraigne Princes Yet Michael the Arch-angell when hee stroue and disputed with the Diuell about the body of Moses Vers 9. durst not marke blame him with cursed speaking but said onely the Lord rebuke thee Satan And in the 11. verse speaking of Core that gainesaied Moses with these words Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs out of a land Num. 16.13 which floweth with milke hony c. except thou make thy selfe Lord and ruler ouer vs pronounceth a woe against such like men For saith hee they perish in following the gainesaying of Core And note that this Core and his fellowes Dathan and Abiram Num. 16.2 and two hundred and fifty were of the principall men of the Synagogue to shew that it is not of late yeares that these Doctors of the Synagogue resist the King and that God hath chastized them Now if this holy Angell of God who had expresse charge to doe that which hee did and being therein thwarted by the Diuel durst not curse him but
Temporall sword and vpon his right eye his arme shall bee dried vp for certaine and his right eye shall bee vtterly darkened For if for the first mans offence in hauing tasted the forbidden fruite and beleeued the saying of the Serpent Yee shall bee as Gods Gen. 3. knowing good and euill the father of all mercy spared not the innocency of his deerely beloued sonne our suerty but saith by the same Prophet Arise Zach. 13.7 ô sword vpon my Sheepheard and vpon the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hoasts What torments attend the Apostasy of a re-lapsed man without promise of restoring which doth not simply beleeue himselfe to be God but exalteth himselfe aboue all that beare that name O sword which didst not spare the good Shepeheard for the offences of others awake rise vp against the foolish Shepheard destroy that man of sinne for his owne transgression who in the Maisters absence behaueth himselfe not as a fellow seruant but as Maister Math. 24. to the end that in this last time as sometime did his predecessour Herod who gaue not glory to God when the people cryed the voyce of God ctA 12.12 and not of men he may learne to his condemnation that it is the most High Dan. 4.25 the euerlasting God blessed for euer and none other beareth rule ouer the Kingdome of men and giueth it to whom soeuer he will Iuu 1. Sat. 3. procul ab Iesu It quibus grata est picta lupa barbara mitra The Conclusion directed by the Authour to the French King Lewis the 13. THE most ancient author of prophane History mighty Soueraigne reporteth that Croesus being in danger to bee slaine in the warre his son who had till that time bene dumbe seeing his father in that estate cryed out O man kill not Croesus which representeth vnto vs the effect of a naturall affection forcing natures defect and causing a man discharge the duty by his birth imposed vpon him Hitherto though according to my small ability I haue omitted no occasion by word and deed to testifie the seruice I owe your Maiesty Yet haue I euer remained dumbe not daring to represent vnto your Maiesty by mouth the true feeling I haue had of my duty And I should for euer haue bene silent had I not feared to bee reputed to giue consent to the pernitious effects of a certaine damnable errour Canonized of late which would still remaine vnder the ashes of such decrees if it had not bene discouered by some incendiaries come forth thence who with the firebrands and bellowes of some controuersies in religion haue caused the fires that haue since fifty yeares bene seene in France And whilst good French-men were busied wearied and weakned in quenching these flames these men haue taken opportunity and endeauoured to seize vpon the State and done all they could to roote out the Royall race and to trans-ferre the Crowne vnto strangers Vnto which not being able to attaine by maine force hauing so powerfull an enemy as King Henry the great and his Princes they haue aduised themselues of the most vnnaturall and abominable meanes that euer was practised amongst the most barbarous and Infidel Nations hauing blow vpon blow after infinite attempts laid violent hands vpon the sons of the most high the Lords annoinced These detestable actes make mee cry out O man of sinne kill no more our Kings If I should bee silent I were worthy to be condemned to dye for if the subiect that heareth in wordes some complot against the safety of his Prince makes himselfe guilty if he declare it not vnto him how could he excuse himselfe which by reading of bookes and discourse of reason perceiueth whence such vnnaturall attempts do proceed if hee contribute not his speach his industry and the perill of his life to auert and preuent such outrages in time to come But seeing it is lost labour to cry vnto this euill spirit who is not ruled by the military discipline of Cyrus to giue ouer the slaughter at the sound of retraite I will turne my selfe to your Maiesty aduising to take heed to your selfe for our our peace dependeth on yours we will haue no other Temporall King but Lewis suffer him not to publish in your Kingdome that there is a power aboue yours that your command is limited by the will of a stranger that the fidelity of the oath of your subiects may be slacked by his dispensation and your life at his worde giuen ouer to murderous attempts Vse againe the remedies which your Predecessor Phillip Lewis and Henry haue done before these new garrisons of strangers were brought into the land who take an oath of blind obedience to a forraine power out of the Kingdome a fourth vow vnknowne to other orders who creepe in and insinuate themselues with a wonderfull violence into the capitall Cities and best families yea euen into the Metropolitane City of the Realme who augment and make greater the presumptuous boldnesse of them that would precede Princes be equall with Parliaments and despise the function whereunto they are called Whence commeth it else that in former ages in the time of Phillip the Faire and other succeding Kings no French-man reuolted from the obedience of his Prince for feare of a friuolous excommunication and that in this latter age that illusion hath retained so long time in obstinacy so many peoples And how is it that King Francis the Great threatned Charles the fifth with the number and fidelity of his Schollers and that in the time of the barricadoes there was whole companies of them set forth to besiege the King in the Louvre And who was it instructed and fashioned Barriere but Varade a Priest of the new society ministring to him the holy Communion for saluation And who was it but a Scholler of these new Doctors that thrust his parricide knife into the mouth of King Henry the Great your father Yea who was it murthered him My Lord I cannot hold my peace I haue horrour of what is past and feare yet more what may come I will not bee a preuaricator in the cause of my King neither will I liue after him O! it hath bene it hath bene those vncleane Spirits whereof Saint Iohn speaketh in his Reuelation Apoc. 16.12 9.16 which repent not of their murthers of their witch-crafts of their fornications nor of their thefts which worke miracles and go vnto the Kings of the earth to assemble them to the battle of that great day c. These he termeth also Frogges Amphibia creatures that liue as well in water as on land in the State and in the Church and can vse both the sword and the penne These are they that imprinted in the minde of that monstrous parracide These blasphemies are read in the arraignement of Rauillac in his confrontation with D'Aubinie the Iesuite that the King intended to make warre against the Pope and that to make warre against
Antidote against this moderne poyson For not onely great and learned Captaines as Alexander and Caesar haue attained to the Empires of the world but also Generals of warre haue profitably vsed the Counsell of learned men for to execute great designes To this purpose Pyrrus said hee wanne more Citties by the industry of his Orator Cineas Plutar. in Pyrrhus then hee tooke by force of armes Yea a sillie Scholler following Regilianus profited him to obtaine the Empire by meanes of his declining Rex Regis making allusion to the name of Regilianus Trebel Pollio in Regill for the Souldiers which were in the Campe taking that for good presage proclaimed him Emperour Such men Alphonsus the Phenix of the Spanish Kings vsed calling vnlearned Princes Golden Flecees added that the dumbe were his best Counsellours meaning bookes that flattered not Kings but told them the truth and reprouing the opinion of one of his Predecessors who thought it vnbeseeming a noble and generous minde to haue learning saith It was the voyce of a brute beast rather then a man The want of which register hath caused that the most generous actions of our ancient Gaules haue remained buried in obliuion or haue bene much lessened by the writings of such as enuied their greatnesse For military actions are renowned to posterity according as the penne of hystory hath extolled the same thus are Achilles and Aeneas made famous by Homer and Virgil and Caesar himselfe by his true testimony And contrariwise they that haue had learning for aduersary remaine in opprobry to posterity Thus the iniury that the Vniuersity of the Athenians receiued by the cruel imposition of foureteene children sent to the King of Creta though otherwise he were in such reputation of iustice that antiquity made him a Iudge in the Elizium yet could hee not obtaine against pen and inke weake instruments in apparance Quaesitor Minos vnam mouet but that hee was dishonoured in his bed and his children Icarus and Minotaure the one an example of vanity the other a prodigious monster and himselfe taxed in his person as perishing miserably It is a worke worthy your Maiesty to establish the Kings Colledge the building vp whereof God hath reserued vnto your Maiesty as hee did the building of the Temple to wise Salomon and doubt not my Lord but that there will bee found Regents sufficiently capable honour nourisheth Artes they haue not hitherto appeared because the Muses could not bee heard during the noise of the Trumpet and sound of the Drumme The nurse-children of the Muses shut vp themselues in the caues of Parnassus and come not at the Court vnlesse they bee sent for But my Lord seeing it is a matter of peopling a royall Colledge there should not bee any Doctors not royall or not for the King nor any that haue taken oath of blind vow to any out of the Kingdome for saith the Gospell No man can serue two Maisters And why should the King maintaine at his charge Professours that will corrupt the syncerity of the affections of his subiects by the poyson of the new Canons of which wee haue quoted some By these two meanes euermore profitable for the State the State shall be preserued till it please God to encrease your Maiesty in age and in all sorts of Spirituall and Temporall blessings that you may gouerne the same in person and remoue away the cause of this euill which I hope for by Gods grace so much the more assuredly as your Maiesty is a liuely purtraiture of those great Kings that haue commanded the people of God succeeding as a yong Iosias to a father murthered by the disloyaltie of some of his subiects as a Salomon to triumphing Dauid his father as a Saint Lewis vnder the Regency of his mother God grant that your Maiesty may accomplish the posie of King Lewis the twelth your predecessour Perdam Babylonis nomen That is I will destroy the name of Babylon seeing that they now renew the like attempts as they did then vnder his raigne To the end that as the most high Monarch of heauen and earth would not employ to such a worke the mighty arme of flesh Henry the Great your father no more then hee did that of Dauid whom hee had destinated vnto battels your Maiesty as a Salomon his sonne by the workes of peace may restore the Gallicane Church by the common voyce of which with bended knees hands lifted vp to heauen and heart to God your Maiesty heareth the like blessing as the Queene of Sheba gaue to Salomon 2. Chron. 9.8 Blessed be the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee on his throne as King to execute iudgement and iustice And let the Prophesy of Nathan in the highest heauen bee ratified in your Maiesty 2. Sam. 7.13.14 I will stablish the throne of his Kingdome for euer I will bee vnto him a father and hee shall bee my sonne Amen Mart. 9.104 Prima tuo gerito pro Ioue bella puer FINIS