not close and inseparable among our selues we shal be found the vncleane vessels of dishonour Vnity is the beauty of the Church now and it shall bee her triunphant song in the end to cry as the Prophet had foretold of lattet times Venite ascendamus in montem Domini Come brethren let vs goe vp together to the mount of God Therefore these exhortations are to pray the Lord God who hath formed vs to make vs vnited vessels of honour and to that effect to rectifie our iudgements that wee may esteeme no names so sacred vnder heauen as the holy names of harmony peace and vnanimity within the Church in one thing and in all things that we may thinke no opinion more Christian in this age wherein wee liue then that of the venerable Zanchius one of the brightest stars of our owne Hemispheare in his treatise De verareformandarum Ecclesiarum ratione written for that part as followeth Whatsoeuer is in the Church of Rome or in any other Church it is either agreeable to the written word or contrary or adiaphoron indifferent Whatsoeuer is besides the written word either in the Fathers in the Councels or in the Papall decrees they are in like sort vnder the same distinction Pro contra or indifferent For the first that which is agreeable with the word is to be retained or if it be reiected it is againe to be receiued for the second that which is contrary is to be refused or if it hath been followed is againe to be forsaken for the third that which is indifferent we must not thinke that it doth of it selfe belong vnto saluation but in such a case we must follow the rule of the Apostle That nothing bee brought into the Church but that which doth tend to edification order or vnity All indifferent ceremonies therefore may bee securely followed for any of those respects but so to be followed as that we stil preferre things which bee more ancient vnto those which be more late aswell for the honour of antiquity as because that which is most ancient in the Church is most true for albeit nothing can binde the conscience but canonicall Scripture yet to introduce nouelties or to banish out of the Church any of those things which from the primitiue time hath beene allowed by common and Catholike consent and confirmed by the writtes of the ancient Fathers To reiect such things with out authoritie of generall Councell it is not lawful for any Christian man who feareth God saith he Can we maintaine more sound opinions either as good Christians or as good subiects then those of Zanchius for vnity tending to the strengthening both of Church State we especially of this Isle the condition wherof if we consider truely when it lay thousands of yeres of our ancestours diuided in weake and dismembred Kingdomes and as our owne eies haue seen it subiect to the ambition of so many forrain Pharaohs as haue pressed to bring it vnder their seruitude by practises now from France now from Spaine now from Rome we shall thinke this age wherein we are to be like to that fourth generation wherein God did predestinate as he foretold Abraham to bring his posterity out of Egypt for that same God called Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis miraculous in his Saints who raised that excellent Moses to lead his people through the troublesome deserts to a glorious state in the Land of Canaan hee hath also sent to vs a mighty and extraordinary instrument to lead vs through those perilous perplexities now past vnto the ioyfull Iubile of these conioyned Kingdomes making this Isle great and fortunate in his royall person as hee made his people of Israel most blessed for the time by the like coniunction of the tree of Ioseph with the tree of Iuda saying by the Prophet Ezechiel That they should bee all vnder one King and no more a diuided people So that they who delight in disiunction be they Aaron be they Miriam be they Core Daâ—…han or Abiraâ—… who rebels against Moses especially bee they Iesuited Papists or heteroclite Puritans I speak not of any good men who obey God and the Prince but of those who carry armed hartâ—… factious and vehement spirits against the State spirits contrary to God because as the Scripture saith Non in commotions Domâ—…us The Lord is not in commotion spirits not of peace nor edification but of destruction In spiritu vehâ—…ti câ—…nteres naâ—…es Tharsis saith Dauid Be who they will who grudge against Moses euery wel disposed member of the common-wealth hath great cause to grudge against them least they cut the thred of our felicity and bring vpon vs which God of his infinite mercy forbid by our constant murmurings that euill which befell the obstinate Israelites at the waters of contradiction whose wicked rebellions made Moses to offend the Lord grieuously euen that good Moses of whom it is said Delectus Deo hominibus Moses cuius memoria in benedictione est Though hee was dearely beloued of God and men and though hee was the most meeke of all liuing flesh yet they brought the Lords indignation vpon themselues and vpon him who both were preuented by death and were not suffered to enter into the Land nor to taste the fruits of their long and painefull voyage in the Wildernesse God of his goodnes grant you to loath these waters of strife and chiefly these waters which bee poysoned with Iesuiticall wormewood and gaul wherof so many millions of people haue died within these threescore yeres that you may cry in time with that Prophet Saluum me fac Domine quoniam intrauerunt aquae vsque ad animam meam Deliuer me O Lord because those waters haue gone vnto my Soule God grant that like vnto the holy Doue you finde no resting place among them vntill you enter into the Arke and vnitie of the Church that we may liue together in one hope to see the further mysteries of this happy time the seale whereof is already opened to the great admiration of all the world It was forbidden anciently to sacrifice a Swan because her plumes are white and her heart black so would I wish that from this peace offering might be debarred all such whose hearts are incurably blacked with pride of stricktnesse and singularity and that it should bee onely handled of those meeke and ingenuous spirits who will bee contented to found their iudgement thereof vpon those three grounds without the which our knowledge cannot be sure as S. Augustine faith Contrarationem nemo sobrius contra scripturâ—…s nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pascificus That no sober man should make opposition to reason nor no Christian man to the Scriptures nor no peaceable man to the Church And so hoping that the modest Reader will obserue these grounds I doe submit my selfe to his discretion beseeching him that he would not looke vpmy paines with his sinistrous eye nor receiue with the wrong hand that which
be could not be admitted to the sacred mysteries of his goddesse Iâ—… if he had not changed himselfe out of a Phylosopher into an humble Asse further to let these fine fellowes know how in this a sinnâ—…â—…ge of mine I haue been â—…urious 〈◊〉 â—…orneelie 〈◊〉 wâ—…th pertaineth to the Asse The People Dâ—…d saith Nolita fieri sicus Equus Mulus qâ—…bus none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of the Asse the Prophet Esay wonderfully noting perhaps the particular circumstances of our Sauiour as somethinke in a Propheticaâ—…ision hath said Cogâ—…nit Bâ—… pâ—…rem suunt 〈◊〉 prâ—…sepe Dâ—… It is manifestly seene that by naturall goodnesse the Asse hath those properties which euery Christiane is commanded to follow so patient of iniuties that being â—…ten of any other beast it taketh no offence so painefull and obedient that the greater burthen maketh it to trauell more willingly so simple that it requires no attendance as horses and other seruiceable beasts so temperate and soberat food that while it â—…eth the most percious fruits oyles coines spices it putteth downe the mouth to pâ—…re vpon thâ—…les as it were a figure of that simplicity and aâ—…ty which â—…ght to bee vnder the Crosse as some â—…o imagine it hath the marke of a Crossâ—…pon the backe Tertullian in his daies did glory in this That in the Priâ—…e Churcâ—… the Pagans and prophane 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 did all the Christians Asinaâ—… 〈◊〉 holding in theâ—… those Aâ—…e qualities Finally that asse whospake to Balâ—…m as hee carried him to curse Gods people 〈◊〉 and to impugnents Will So went I beyond Seas â—…ying my headâ—…ll of false and error â—…pinione and 〈◊〉 fraughted with desires to sed and 〈◊〉 super 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleased God of his mercy to open my eyes 〈◊〉 old to that beast that I did see such odious 〈◊〉 of his worship the iudgements which 〈◊〉 the â—…tned against it it pleaseth him whole â—…ded 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 to loose me from the bands of ignorante The Prophet Dâ—…d saith Dâ—…mint â—…iamea apâ—…es 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 annaâ—… laudeâ—…â—…uam doâ—… iâ—…iquos viâ—… 〈◊〉 impâ—… ad to connuertentur Since he who opened the mouth of the Asse hath also for his glorie opened my mouth I must not neither be silent although I â—…o Doctor nor doe not presume to instruct your Lâ—… conscience yet must I remember that commandement of our Sauiour giuen to one whom he disâ—…ssed of many Diuels â—…euertere in domum tuam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quanta tibâ—… fecer at Dominus Returne homeward and now become a simple Asse in Christian knowledge That which the Lord hath done to mee I shall preach it to others for his glorie and their edification and so I preceede to tell your Lâ—… how I was tranformed into â—…his Asse of Balaam CHAP. II. A Discourse of our naturall light and diuine instinct of our Conscience A true definition of Idolatry for the better triall of superstitious worship and preuarication in Gods seruice THe Scripture records that the Asse of Balaam went on a pace before he did see the Angel and that the Angel was diuers times seene before obedience was done vnto him so was it with mee all the while of my being in France I did professe the Popish Religion and as sincerely obey the discipline of that Church as any man could doe of my weakenesse and that from vpright zeale and not from designe whereof I could my selfe giue many great proofes which be not pertment here onely this farre I say That many times I haue heard in one weeke more then twenty Masses and that for the greatest part there where I knew no man nor yet was knowne my selfe of any Whereof also your Lo selfe may beare witnesse by diuers of my Letters written to you in those times chiefly by one if it please you to remember from Paris immediatly before my going into Italy in the which I did play the Paranymphe to my selfe by praising the resolution of my comming foorth from the example of Abrahams calling who was comanded by God to goe forth of his owne Country that he might worship the Lord truely and he blessed of him in a strange land In such sort that for the time I could haue been content to remaine a Transfuga to my liues end In this Letter I did allude to the greater light of the Southerne Sunne and to the Aquilonar darkenesse founded vpon that Thalmudicall fable which we read in the writs of Rabbi Eleazer in his booke called Zoar that in the creation of the heauens God did leaue a hole in the Northerne parts thereof that in the beginning the Sunne had his first point of motion in the Southeast that about Damascus in the Southeast God tooke that Terra virgo that most perfect Earth whereof he formed Adam that the garden of Eden and mount Sion were planted in the South-east that God chose the Patriarckes and his peculiar people in the South-east remote significations of Gods truth to remaine for euer in the Climats of the Southeast according to that in the Canticles Vbi habitabit dilectus 〈◊〉 in meridie vbicubabit in meridie And that the Northerne parts of the earth were the seate naturally of darkenesse and iniquity as being subiect to the imperfect parts of the heauen and to the aforesaid hole whereout Lucifer and his companions did fall according to that vision of the Prophet who heard him saying Sedebo in montibus Aquilonis fimilis ero altissimo alleaging this Scripture Omne malum pandetur ab Aquilone and the text of Moses of the seuen Candlestickes of the Arke looking from the North towards the South as if the North were sinistra Mundi and the proper habitation of vncleane spirits like as we see the Aquilo to be a tempesteous and destroying winde whereas by the wholesome and nourishing Auster is meant the sweete and peaceable spirit of God incalled in the Canticles Ueni Auster perfla hortum meum And whereof Abacuc saith Deus ab Austro veniet So that the seuen Candlestickes looking to the South were signes of the perpetuity of the spirituall light there neuer to bee extinguished by any tempest of Northerne heresies These and such like fond fantasies which were then infused into mee and which haue beene inuented by curious braines to poyson simple wits did I introduce in that Letter And they were arguments good enough both of my zeale and of my ignorance as if the garden of Eden were not many thousands of yeeres agoe depriued of true light and consumed with the fire of Gods wrath as if that holy mount Sion and that mother City Ierusalem who had fairer promises of perpetultie made by God then Rome and all the Cities in the world because shee was like vnto Naâ—…h who preached to two worlds the mother not onely of Iewish but of Christian Religion as the Apostle saith The law went out of Sion euen the law Euangelicall the perfection of all lawes the Lord Iesus Christ declared to Moses obscurely in Sinai but
course they are shaken by a violent and contrarie motion thereof as miserable experience doth daily declare ' thither went I about this kinde of exploration to know truth by falshood But I protest so free yet from preiudice against Rome that all in contrarie so desirous I was to see that truth in Religion that piety in manners that vpright holinesse euery way which hath beene reported to me that I might say with the Prophet Sicut Cernus ad fontes aquarum ita anima mea sicut terra sine aqua my heart did boile in these desires as drie grounds thirsting for raine and the Deere after fresh fountaines and while it was so yet I must speak to the truth of Gods glory which is the scope of all this Treatise I did no sooner feele the ayre of Italy then I begunne to smell there with an apprehension of tyrannous Idolatrie in such manner that the practises which I did see there compared with that which I had seene in France by the Professors of that same Religion they represented to my minde the fashions of ancient Gentilisme the things I was earnestly bent to search were chiefely these The power of their Miracles whether they were true things or impostuâ—…es and deceipts as their enemies did affirme Secondly the weight of the Pope his dispensations and indulgences whether they were such impious traficke thereabout as was also alleaged Thirdly the condition of their Cloisterall life and whether it were polluted with such abominable filthinesse as is pretended by others who call Rome a Sodome a Babilon Lastly the strength of the Pope his Soueraignetie as it is now vsurped ouer temporall Princes and States and from what warrant they could depend CHAP. III. A relation of the lewde and impudent superstitions of Rome and of the ridiculous miracles which be pretended thereinto AS for the working of miracles together and at once shall a man see the falsehood of that and the truth of idolatrous worship and both in such lewde open and impudent manner that it seemes to me the first miracle in the World how such trumperies should be so long belieued For as true Religion hath the owne corruption by reason of our corruption so euerie superstition hath the owne periods as experience from time to time hath taught So soone as I entered in Lumbardy at Turine the seat of the Sauoiard it was told me there that the Duke had lately arriued from a Pilgrimage of Loret that the Prince his son was at the Pilgremage of nostra donna de mondenie And were to be seene from that towards Rome great multitudes of people going to diuers Churches of the Saints in diuers parts of the Countrey chiefly in Loret and with such familiar and affronted idolatry that if that one did see the Chappell of our Lady in his horyson presently he went to his knees although in the midst of a puddle to pray to that image namely of that place auowing that same image to be lately become a great worker of miracles that he himself had frequent reuelations comforts from the same this sort of discourse with such like fabulous traditions of Saints receiued from their predecessors was only to be heard in those voyages except it should be for recreation some rare act of Ribaldrie out of Pogius or Arretine and perhaps two imitated in that holy iourney of deuotion where it was not strange to see both the Priest and the whore lodge together all night I speake the truth such paines did I endure about these matters out of a curiositie to see some myraculous sight as I may be ashamed to relate going many myles on foot for obseruation of the rite to the danger of my health and perpetuall hurt of my complexion visiting the most famous Chappels and Churches for miracles on their owne holie-daies where great concurse of people was many stigmaticke and diseased persons priests exorcists deuotion almes with great promises of wounders to be seene but O how I did pittie to see the ridiculous birth of those swelling mountaines to see how farre minuit praesentia famam I did in particular see in Saint Peters Church at Rome that Cathedra Petri pretended to ease women in the time of their birth by applying to them a girdle which hath touched this chaire I did see in that same Church that Pillar of marble said to be the same vnto the which our Sauiour was tied to be scourged and now vsed to dispossesse Demoniacke persons I did see the practicke of that Chappell in Rome called nostra donna de monte renouned lately for her emulation with Loret I did see at Venice vpon the owen day that blood pretended to be of our Sauiour in the Church called the Friery which no Demoniacke person can endure to looke vpon as they say I did see another like to that in Naples and in the Regno nostra Donna de gli angeoli where lyeth the body of Saint Francis the elder I did see in Lombardie Nostra Donna de Regge highly esteemed for miracles diuers in Millane That of Piamont de mondeuie That Nostra Donna betwixt Genoua and Marsilia said to deliuer many from rapine and Turkish Pyrats I did see in Prouence at Saint Maximo the body of Mary Magdalene I did see in the Land of Iais in Sweezerland that called St. Clowes talked of for myracles also And lastly I did see that arch pilgrimage of Loret it selfe To all those I did repaire in solemne times but what did I see two things as I haue said fearefull idolatry and a base contemptible trade of forged miracles maintained by incredible stupidity and blindenesse of besotted people as it were with the drinke of some new Circe in such sort that I cannot tell how often I called to minde that ground of Machauell in his politicks de Repub. whereby in setling of great states he doth ascribe more to popular ignorance and simplicitie and to the power of Superstition then to whatsoeuer lawes or stately policies besides preferring Numa and his contriued Religion with his fained Goddesse Aegeria vnto the armes and painfullnesse of Romulus which opinion it seemed to me he did conceiue by his contemplation of the Christian superstitions of his time For certainly there is nothing in antiquitie which hath beene better followed by these of succeeding ages then the ancient gentilisme of Rome appeares to be renued by the folish idolatry of these daies it is so notorious that I neede not to be tedious in bringing forth examples only this the Romane History doth tell vs that the Statesmen of old were able to leade the popular to what they would by an augure diuination or presages in Religion which it pleased them to deuise and I say that now a daies a forged reuelation of our Lady a pretended myracle accompanied with a Bull from the Pope is able to effectuate as much In Ethnick Rome in her beginning her chiefe Senators grudging against the virtuous and watchfull raigne of
Spaine as may be well perceiued by these late tempests amongst them And the great Duke of Tuscan who although first hee be next neighbour to the Pope and secondly that he be the first of these who haue growen fat vpon the reuersions of S. Peters Trencher his whole estate being contriued by Popes or Cardinals of his house and thirdly although he be lately allied with the house of Austria yet for all these this open and shamelesse insolence of Rome vrged notlong since against the Segniory of Venice hath made him Suegliato to stirre and rouse vp his eares so far that against and in spight of this Iesuiticall insidiation which threatneth Christian Potentates hee hath made a Law that no lands rents nor mooueables aboue a beggerly portion should be legacied to any Church person Iesuite or other without his approbation added thereunto It followeth to speake of Spaine which although it hath for many yeeres past beene the principall arch of the papall pride yet when wee consider how farre that great King hath beene frustrated of the ends propounded to him by these who haue beene the chiefetiers of him to the Seate of Rome I doe also presume that for good respects he may haue disposition to fall away from the Idoll of her dangerous ambition Because the Iesuite as is sayd hauing a chiefe Maxime that Religion must shoote out and flourish with a growing state and finding Spaine most enclined to Monarchy as he doth imagine hath deuoted himselfe to the seruice of that Crowne that by the encrease thereof his society may likewise grow and beare authority throughout the world and from this scope hath hee beene and still studieth to bee the authour and broacher of many Christian calamities and euer so vnfortunate for the Spaniard whom hee pretendeth to aduance that in place of strengthning his dominions the Iesuite hath beene a cankering worme to rippe the bowels of the same and to plague them with consuming feauers of ambitious aspiring By the Iesuiticall documents were the braue seauenteene Prouinces of the Netherlands so entreated of his Deputies that as one taken with S. Authonies fire hee hath beene constrained to cut them off being one of his most noble members after he had sent from his treasures of Spaine about one hundred million of gold to cure the same By the Iesuiticall infusion was likewise moulded in fauours of their monarchicall proiects that holy league which stoode him so deare in France and whereof hee hath seene the like vnfortunate Issue for they hauing spent a world of money about the surprize of that Kingdome so did God despise the iniquity of these masked designes that he did make the restauration of that Land a miracle of this Age being once in such broken weakenesse and in so short a time â—…rme like a Diamond and terrible to their Enemies But with the most maigre and poore fortune of all did they embarke their ambition for the conquest of England where he did not onely lose his Instar monâ—… quum that inuincible called Armada but in place to conquer the same they doe finde themselues now counterpoysed on this hand by a mighty Monarch who like to armed Pallas carrieth for his owne defence a sword in the one â—…d and a pen in the other Summarily that puissant King hath beene redacted to spoile his treasures and spend his time by the craft of those Archicharlatans the Iesuites who like deceiptfull Alcumists consuming euery thing vnder a vaine hope to make golde haue extenuated the body of his estate with the poysonable smoake of their Mercury so farre that if it had not beene the Christian candor and sincerity of our most gracious Soueraigne to establish his peace first with England and next with Holland there is no doubt but before now his late domesticke conspiracies of his nouos Christianos or Mâ—…roscos in Ualentia conioyned to his exteriour diseases had sufficed to render him a neighbour pray That all these Sincops haue beene bred to him by the pride of Rome and by the Iesuiticall arts it is cleerly seen of those who going through the world haue known the remonstrances inuectiues Apologies and other politicall insinuations which haue beene published for strengthening of factions chiefely who hath seene that Platonick iest of Doctor Parsons an English Ies. his treatise directed with the foresayd Armada prescribing the order of the new state of England and the Lawes of the first Parliament to be holden after their landing so mightily was he possessed with that fancie which did euer after make him a fugitiue from Spaine and abhorred as an abuser and treacherous Alchumist and for these causes it would seeme That of all Princes the Spaniard hath greatest reason to beware of the follies and falshoode of Rome the maintenance whereof hath so endangered his Kingdomes while in the meane time the Pope and his Cardinals pigliano buon tempo make merry daies sitting in the calme of their Consistory giuing order to the Legions abroad as Nero and other voluptuous Emperours who succeeding Augustus were for a while heires to his dominions but not to his vertue Furthermore the Pope draweth more deniers foorth of the states of Spaine then of all the world besides notwithstanding the great reuenues Ecclesiastical of Spaine where the Church of Tolledo will amount to sixe hundred thousand crownes whereof more then the halfe is proper to the Arch-Bishop himselfe diuerse of the rest being not farre vnder this and all in great condition for riches neuerthelesse are the greatest part of things so absolute in the Popes will and so hardly granted to naturall Spaniards that before any of them can bee beneficed in the Church hee must attend at Rome seauen yeares at least at his owne charges and that with splendour to beautifie the Court shall not neither haue it in the end but with yerely pension giuen out of more then the third part at least to some of the Popes cozens or fauorites so that they are daily heard to affirme that scarcely in all their life time will they redeeme their losses and in the meane time that Court is neuer without thousands of those poore Pretendenti who follow Mâ—…n Seigâ—…r Illustrissgratis liuing vpon the smoake of Alchumie or vmbragious hopes Would not any man thinke that those bee reall distastes to so powerfull a Monarch for howsoeuer the late King Philip was abused by the Iesuiticall subtilties yet through a great deale of bitter experience the case is now come to a manifest discouery of intollerable inconueniencies for if that King being so mighty and full of experience was not able to beare through the Iesuiticall machinations against the late Queene of England and against a dismembred and desperate state of France how shall he who now is there so good and so deuote a Prince thinke his throne to besure to his successours against the chances of the world which we now see vnlesse he will concurre to extinguish that fire which hath blowen abroad so
and that hee should minister life and light to other creatures Doeth not your courtly witted Tacitus tell you that euen the best Princes are iealous of Soueraigne points if any striue to keepe a constant eclipse vpon a Kings face that it may not shine vniuersally drawing the whole reflexe vpon himselfe hee saith it is arcanum imperij a mystery of the Maiesty It is the fault of Prothemeus to steale the sacred and royall light to participate of the Maiesty becom guilty of a Soueraigne point it is to eate of the forbidden Tree seeking to be like vnto God who as in one Vniuerse he is only one Center vnto the which the end of all motions and the glory of all actions doe returne so is a King in one state a only one Center wherin the whole weight and praise of gouernment doth rest So that you who doe abuse the diuine bounty which shineth in some rare good Princes you become as the same Tacitus saith Foedum mancipium malis artibus ambitiosum a sordide slaue of Ambition yee doe snare your selfe into the wicked arts of the same to your ignominious ouerthrow and to the eternall testimony of royall piety and iustice in him who doth punish you for it Therefore as his Maiestyâ—… our gracious Soueraigne hath beene the first happy Prince in the world by his wise and skilfull creation of those whom hee hath preferred to the chiefe dignities of his fauour witnessed by their great seruice to the State of whom many be gone and numbers yet doe liue through his Maiesties dominions so let you onely contend among your selues for that Angelicall happinesse to flye the wicked spirit of proud emulation that you on the one side may detest that vnnaturall and monstrous enuy of the brethren of Ioseph among the soones of one family and he on the other who among his brethren findeth himselfe beloued of his father doe not abuse himselfe with the dreames of Ioseph vnlesse he haue also his propheticall spirit T is a fearefull thing to consider how ingrate and rebellious people doe oftentimes constraine good Princes to offend against God and procure his iudgements both against their Princes and against themselues whereof we haue that terrible example of the punishment of Moses for the murmuration of Israel at the waters of contradiction therefore that it should not befall vnto vs as it did vnto them that the Lord doe not take from vs our great Captaine Let vs no more murmure nor grudge but seeing we see his Oracles haue hitherto been from God and that the Lord hath said to him as hee said to Moses Feare not I shall be with thee which our conscience wil confesse if we examine our selues how many times we haue seen the Lord miraculously vpon his side Let vs with Zanchius say who are we to oppose ourselues against such Lawes as he hath alredy established or may heereafter doe by the authority of a setled Church and well gouerned estate Let vs acknowledge both Papist Puritan and Protestant the reuealed mystery of this time wherein wee are and reuerence this great Instrument of God who hath opened the seale thereof and vnder whom wee are come from Egyptian bondage to be a great and mighty Nation Let vs honour this Orient light which doth arise with him after so long eclipse both in the Church and in the Common-wealth that being confirmed and strong by intestine vnion we may by the force of vnited mindes aspire to that Christian ambition to be led vnder our excellent Moses or Ioshua to that ioyfull Iubile of the Catholike harmony of Christendome and to eiect those detestable and vile Amalakites of the Turkish race that making so our way into the Land of Holinesse wee may all cry in one voyce as the Prophet foretold of latter times Venite ascendamus in montem Domini Come brethren let vs ascend together into the mount of the Lord which is the onely scope of an vpright Christian Amen Now hauing treated thus farre fot the glory of God and edification of his Church I will craue your pardon who are a discreete Reader to speake two words for the iustification of my voyage to Rome The credit wherof hath beene so miserably dilacerate by some Papists who say that I went thither expressely per fare la spia to play the spie that I receiued the Popes money and payd him backe with false measure at my returning homeward And I affirme in this foro publico contrary to these that I went to Rome out of meere zeale to the Papall Religion that I should not prooue ingrate to so great a personage as the Pope I confesse to haue beene beholding to his humane and courteous behauiour towards mee during my residence within his dominions And to the true affection of some few of his Cardinals and certaine other chiefe persons in whose manners to speake ingenuously and Christianly I did see nothing but vertuous conuersation much zealous mention of the Primitiue simplicity of the Church great remorse for her present diuisions and many hearty wishes that it would please God to make his Maiestie of Great Britain another Constantine and to blesse their daies with Christian peace and vnity But I affirme that I did neuer receiue any money nor benefit whatsoeuer of the Pope of his Cardinals Iesuites or any other persons whatsoeuer within the Romane Church except in medals beades Agnus Deies Indulgences and such childish toyes and trash whereof I made small accompt euen then much lesse now I affirme that I did neuer wrong the Pope nor any Papist whosoeuer except this be wrong Quod metui danaos dona ferentes that is to say that being Papist my selfe I was as diuers were of my Countrey men professed religious in the Romane Church beyond seas contrarious to the alluring Iesuist because I knew him to be Enemie to my Soueraigne King and Country and except by my renuntiation now of his Idolatrous religion Further I affirme that I might haue pursed the Popes money and would not And I sweare by that blessed Trinitie whose countenance I hope in the merit of my Redeemer to enioy that all these my foresayd affirmations are sincere and true And what one among a number of you who haue so prodigally and vniustly spent my Reputation is able to make the like Apologie for himselfe that hee hath neither receiued nor refused that hostile money vnlesse he will betake himselfe vnto his lessons of Aequiuocation What came to my knowledge of the deuises of those who seeke the destruction of this Kingdome whereof I am a member or of the counsels againe of such as were knowen to bee faithfull frinds and fautours of the same all that I did most sincerely relate by his Maiesties appointment vnto the first watchmen of the State vnder his Maiesties selfe all tending to this same end whereunto this present discourse is directed that is to the assuring of his Maiesties Crowne from the treacherous craft of