orderlie for some offences is an other quaestion he procured an act 31. H. 8. vvhearby it is expressed that sinc the former act of 27. H. 8. the religious howses voluntarilie and of ther own good wills and withowt constraint by course of law and vvritings of record vnder ther Couentseals haue giuen and confirmed to the king ther lands howses and right haue forsaken and left them all to the king And to this statut they ar sayd to consent as to an act at ther own suite Whearupon yow shall fynd emong the records of the augmentation court a great Chest full of particular surrendors by the Abbots and Couents vnder ther hands and seales the which yf yow ded see yow will admire the art of the lo. Cromvvel and the obedienc and simplitie of these poor oppressed men And is not this a likelie tale that owt of ther bowntie voluntarilie they would renounce ther liuings and turn beggars in dead to so gracious a Prince it was no maruel I ded once my self vpon Salesburie playne deliuer my purse when I could not keape it and commanded ther humanitie tho I could not praiâ—e ther honestie Now yf yow please to examin and consider Examples of sacriledg vnpartiallie yow will fynd that this great Conquest this augmentation of reuennue and Threasor both by law and religion was a Robberie and pillage of the Church and a sacrilege inexcusable and it vvas not for nothing that Luther sayd inducunt animum ideo Deum dedisse nobis Euangelium eosque ex carcere Pontificio expediuisse vt possint ipsi auaritiae suae litare The which might fitliest be applied to king H. and from the which manie and fearfull examples might haue dissvvaded hym and discooraged his agents and instruments yf God had not hardned ther harts and sealed vp ther eyes and so as few of them prospered to see tertium haeredem beatum Marcus Crassus robbed the temple of Hierusalem and note his end and disiaster Ioseph lib. 18. c. 8. Herod opened king Dauids sepulcher and took the spoyle therof and vvhat miserie afterward ded he fall into Iosephus lib. 16. c. 11. Vrraca went to robb the chappel of S. Isodore in Spayne to defraye the expenc and charge of his vvarres and his guttes burst owt of his bellie in the Churche porche Histoire general of Spayn part 4. Leo the 4. Emperor took a most pretious crown owt of the Church of S. Sophia in Constantinople which was dedicated to it and he dyed of a carbuncle Sigonius l. 1. de regno Ital. Gondericus king of the Vandals when he took Siuil took also the spoyles of the Churches and seazed vpon the riches thereof and to requite hym the Deuel Seazed and posseded hym Tarapâ—a in Honorio VVhat nead I seak moe examples of terror king Hentie is dead they come to late but not to admonishe others What punishment had Iulian the Apostata emong his other sinnes for his Church-robbing at Antioche Tripartite lib. 6. cap. â—1 what misetie fell vpon Heliodorus for the like 2. Macchab. c. 3. To conclude read the historie of Nicephorus Phocas a parallel to Match H. 8. He resumed all Donations granted to Monasteries and Churches and see what afflictions and furies haunted hym euer after and therfor his successor Basilius abrogated that law of Phocas for the suppressing of Monasteries as the roote of all the calamities that happened in that tyme. He is desperate that is not mooued to fear by such examples of terror to tempt God with the like attemps I will not applie these to k. H. 8. tho I might trewlie affirme that wrastling as it vveare with God and his Church not vnlike Herod he liued iealious of his wiues and not confident of his frends his lusts wear mayd his torments and after his diuorce from his first and lawfull wyfe as in reueng of his lasciuiousnes the original of all Englands calamitie no vvyfe could please hym long few of them could get a protection for ther heads and none of them liued secure and ioyefull And which is most to be noted as yf God would show his indignation and with his hand write vpon the wall Mane Thekel Phares as his iudgment against hym all his hopefull and glorious stemm and brainches wear quicklie cutt of withowtanie issevv and that pittiefullie and lamentablie and the crown and scepter vvas translated to an other name and nation quite contrarie to his intention and the proiects both of his vvill and statute And for his actions God suffred hym as a bling man to err in his ends and vvander in his course all this great purchase vvas neither employed to the honor of the realme nor to ease the subiects nor to encrease learning nor to mantaine soldiers and men decayed nor to releaue the poor all vvas vvaisted in tiltings triumphs enriching and pleasing his mistrises and the sollicitors of his lusts Boolein and prodigalitie consumed all and to maik an end he can bragg of no other monument he haith left to record his memorie but the same which he left vvho boasted of burning Dianas temple And touching his agents Wolsie and Cromvvel the maister and the seruant the instruments and moouers of this greate vvheale vvhen they had acted ther parts they vvhear both by hym self cast of the stage vvith contempt and disgrace and not vvithovvt a brand left vpon ther names and families What course vvould the Lutherans in Cermanie the Consistoriand of France or the Puritans of Scotland haue taken yf they had bean plunged into such miseries remember ther actions and ther violenc and iudg of the tree by the fruite and then câ—mparatiuelie look vpon the Image of the trevv Catholick Church and mark the differenc of ther visages and vertues Though these Abbies vvear almost the third part of the realme men of vnderstanding and povver the renennues great ther tennants manie and rich greatlie fauoured of the people for ther hospitalitie and howsekeaping and highlie esteamed both of the nobilitie and gentrie And though also the knights of S Iohns of Hierusalem wear in the same predicament and by ther fraternities might haue procured great trowbles and tumults and the rather by the Popes assistanc and the Emperor yet to show to the world what they wear in ther own likenes and proper coolors and to testifie the patienc of trevv Israelites the obedienc of trevv subiects and the real imitation of ther maister who was apter to shedd his own blood then to reuenge his wrongs they resolued to endure Gods punishment and the kings iniustice and rigor and armed them selfs into the feald vvith teares and prayers and took vp no other weapons nor mayd no insurrections not counterfeiting as Beza in vvords preached patienc but in actions showed furie violence and reueng I vvill add this and so end that by ther suppression to manie wear enriched and the gentrie was encreased yet the rents of lands vveare enhauced enclosures set a foot depopulation generallie mayd
desyred to walk at libertie in the wyde world and were wearie of Cloysters and spiritual exercises Anno 28. to loose no tyme all small religious howses of or vnder 200. pownds per annum with all ther lands and haeteditaments of vvhich there vveare 376. wear giuen to the king by parliement and these vvear able to dispend aboue 3200. povvnds per annum of old rents of Assise and the mooueables of these howses being sovvld at vndervalevv amounted to aboue 100. thowsand pownds The religious and ther dependants vvear all voyded and left vnprouided of habitation so as moe then ten thowsand persons weare turned owt of ther own doores to seak ther fortunes Which mooued the common people to much compassion to see them forced to liue by almes vvho by ther bountiefull hospitalitie had releaued so manie Anno 30. Battel Abbie in Sussex Martin in Surrie Stratford in Essex Lewes in Sussex wear suppressed and converted to the kings benefitt and vse for all things wear doon politiquelie and by degrees At last anno 32. and 33. generallie all other monasteries of what valew soever and all the lands of S. Iohns of Hierusalem wear giuen to the king and the corporation of the knights was dissolued and to satisfie them with some contentment they had pensions distributed emong them of 2870. pownds during ther liues So hear was left in England and Ireland no care of the general good of the Church to mantain anie succors assistanc or fortification of Europe against the Turk nor no nurceries of deuotion and prayer again sinn and the deuel And to conclude all Chantries Colledges and Hospitalls for the releafe of the poore vvear offred and bestowed vpon the king and left to his order and disposing anno 37. The valew of all the Church lands in England at that tyme amounted to aboue 320180. pownds 10. per annum wheareof the king took into his own possession and appropriated to the crovvn 161100. per annuÌ„ The which was so great a bootie that an offer was mayd once in the parliement as Howse reporteth in preface to H. 8. to create and mantain with those reuennues fortie Earles 60. Barons 3000. knights and 40. thowsand soldiers and also that so the Commons should never after be charged with anie more subsidies or impositions The like motion and proiect was commended The Cavvses of the Supression and offred at the lay mans parliement in the tyme of king Henrie the fourth by some that loued Wiclef better then the Church and wear better frends to ther lands then to ther Religion but Thomas Arondel Archbushops of Cantorburie ded stowtlie and vertuouslie resist ther motion and preuayled with the king to preuent there platts and the mallice of auarice The Lutherans in England ded reuiue and set on foot again the same motion by ther book called the supplication of Beggars which was opposed by the supplication of Sovvles endited by the vertuous and learned penn of Syr Thomas Moor. yet at last they fownd a patrone an vnworthie Thomas of Cantorburie to geue waye to ther deÌ„uises and to fead the kings humor and so he vvho should haue bean the cheafe protector and intercessor for the Cleargie prooued the Cheafe Cateline that betrayed the Church and conspired ther oppression Add to this the kings own inclination to vayn-glorie which begot his auarice whose prodigal expences could not be mantained vvithovvt such extraordinarie support And think yow that the Lords and courtiers disliked the proposition no they knew what a rich praye it would prooue whearof each man hoped and thirsted to haue a share and speciallie maister Cromwel who knew no better ladder to climbe to greatnes and welth then by an innouation so full of spoyle whearby one might easilie rise by the fall of so manie who being a man of experienc and bred vp in a forge knew the better which way to hammer and frame his busienes in some good forme that the king might vndertaike the action and stand stowtlie to a matter of his domination and profitt knovving well that his conscience was all readie buried in Ann Boolens tomb And tho maik he waye playner and remooue all blocks the thre principall Abbots Glastenburie Reading and Burie thre Barons of the parliement stowt and religious men and likest to crosse and empeach these practises wear executed for denijng the supremacie bothe to discoorage the Bushops from mediating for them and to terrifie the rest of the religious that they might not withstand the king who was now armed with suffieient powre to bring them vpon ther knees all forren intercession being cut of But quo iure quo titulo vvas this suppression The titl of the religious hovvses compassed The Abbies hold these lands in frank Almoine and in see they vvear possessed of them by the donations of Saxon English and Norman kings and subiects continued legallie by prescription established by law and confirmed by the Charters of kings and so they held ther inheritanc and immunities by the same lawes the temporall Lords hold ther Baronnies and the king his reuennues What nead I remember the Charters of the realme the magna charta 9. H. 3. or the confirmation thereof 28. Ed. 1. vvhear it is granted that the Church of England shall be free and haue her liberties inuiolable and cap. 2. iudgment against them shall be held for naught and 4. Bushops wear authorised to excommunicate those that shall seak to vndoe ther charters And 3. E. 1. the Bushops ded accurse those that attempted to spoyle the Church or by force and craft to diminish ther liberties or the charter of the realme and all those that either should maik statutes or obserue them being mayd against the sayd liberties for which is to be noted by one and the same Charter both the Church and all the subiects hold ther liberties so as king H. 8. might as well break the one as vndoe the other and yf the parliement could geue powre to abrogate the one that is a president to dispence with the other But in Peterboâ—ow Ledgerbook yow shall fynd king Iohns grants more at large and fullier then anie printed book setteth down What nead I remember sententia lata super confirmatione cartarum by E. 1. or 42. Ed. 3. cap. 8. yf anie statut be mayd contrarie to magna charta it shall be voyd Or the confirmation of all these 1. 6. 7. 8. of R. 2. and 4. H. 4. Which all wear intended to preuent tyrannie to secure the Church then being visiblie knowen and generallie reuerenced for to no other Church they wear granted nor no other can enioye theÌ„ yf the king so please But to return to the suppression The The surrendors king to maik his title either to be or to appear stronger to which he had no title of hym self but by parliement and hovv farr that powre is extended to geue awaye the lands of a third parson not being hard nor convicted
patients that suffer and beare there crosses either within or vvithowt the realme withowt the realme wear and arr the Seminaries of Preasts religious men and students within the realme ar the Recusants vvho daylie taist of affliction and haue not a light or small burden to beare vvho all suffer for ther conscienc and secundum magis vel minus participate of the miseries incident hear to Catholicks Touching the Seminaries when the ould Cleargie and preasts wear some Languishing The Seminaries in prison some in exile manie dead and all in disfauor the Secretarie and some politcik protestants both hoped and promised that preasts and preasthood would be shortilie worne ovvt and extinguished and in dead abovvt the yeare 1576. there wear not aboue 30. of the old preasts remaining in the realme whearupon D. Allen a man born to doe God seruice and others of the Cleargie owt of ther prouidence and Charitie begonn the Seminaries at Douay 1569. and why To preuent the decaye of religious professors to setl a continuanc and encrease of preasts for the better propagation of religion to preserue a visible and Catholick Church in England and for the instruction and trayning vp of yong schollers in a setled course of studie conference and exercise and so to bread in that nurcerie yong plants continuallie fitt to be drawen owt for employments in England to vvinn sowles to instruct them in cases of conscienc and so spreade abroad ther knowledg and vertues into all ports of the land And that Seminarie vvas not erected against lawe for the statute was mayd long after when they had taken deap roote and then was it too late either to transplant them home or by threats and terror to prohibit ther proceadings But these ar sayd to be schooles and harbours to noorish such men as ar 1. base and fugitiues 2. such as corrupt the land with false doctrine 3. and such as ar ministers of practises to disturb the kingdome to stirr vp rebellion and to with draw the subiects from ther obedienc And ther for the proclamation 1580. and other statutes wear iustlie mayd against them But how doe they answer it In dead it is trew that great Pronotharie and clark of the execution of Iustice obiected so For ther basenes at Douay and S. Omers much against them but for ther basenes I haue obserued well and am assured that at Douay ther be gentleman both in the Colledg and monasterie of as good families as well bred and as learned schollers as I haue knowen in the vniuersities of England whearin I was no strainger I will not compare them for so I might maik them odious nor yet will I detract from the milk of my own nurces but I may trewlie ovowe that they ar so orderlie gouerned as maikes ther demeanor ciuil and supra aetatem religious and deuowt and how can it be otherwise for they spend there tyme most in studie in exercises of learning and in matters of deuotion Neither ar they in such dainger of Debauchment or the infections of disorder for they be strictlie keapt to ther task and rather vvonn then forced to yt and tho they be brideled with a hard bitt it is carried with a gentl hand and greater care is had bycause manie of them ar of eminent families and noble parentage who though they can not dravv ther pettigrees from Lewlin Prince of Wales as the Pronotarie doth yet can they show a discent both ancient and honorable neither yeomen of the wardrobe nor yeomen of the gard And touching ther being fugitiues they answer well for them selfs that they deserue not properlie such a title for they liue not ther as owt lawes but for conscienc sake and to auoyd the rigour of the new lawes opposite to the doctrine of the Churche Secondlie they liue not there for faction 2. Fugitiues or vndewtiefull affection to his maiestie but compelled by extreme necessitie the Catholiks hauing in England no Churches no Catholick seruice no dew administration of the sacraments nor vse of the sacrafice of the alter and so they saye they should liue in England as bodies withowt sowles or sowles withowt food and so either be starued for want thereof or become Apostates from ther religion or liue as Atheists withowt religion Thirdlie yf yovv put vpon them the disgrace full name of fugitiues onelie bycause they doe not accommodate them selfs to your Canons and the iniunctions of the present tyme and therfor depart owt of the realme To let pass Bartie Knolls Hales and others yow must not forget that your great Doctors Iewel Horn Cox Pilkinton Poynet and manie others ded taik the like cours in Quene Maries tyme. And yf these men wear not fugitiues and deserued in your iudgment no disgrace for remaining at Frankfort Strasburgh and speciallie Geneua noted for the Seminarie of all Conspiracies in France how comes it to pass that those at Douay and S. Omers being in the same case ar so hatefullie censured to be fugitiues And yf they wear fugitiues as the lawe also then ded iudg them yow ded so welcome them home with the titles of Lords and Bushops that I perceaue to be a fugitiue of your making is but a verball obiection and not a reall scandall Besides they answer trewlie and reasonablie As they can not remain in England withowt dainger and offenc of lawe so when they come over hither they committ treason and yf they returne a promoter or a purseuant vvill shovv them the waye to Nevvgate except they renounc ther religion vvhich yovv esteame peraduenture but a Peccadilio and that is euident by the statut 25. Elizab. c. 2. wherby yong men that returne not from the Seminaries and abiure not ther religion ar mayd guiltie of treason and they vvho send them releaf and exhibition fall into the dainger of a Premunire what remedie can yow teache vs against this Dilemma Yf they might fynd grace and haue the happienes to be freed from the dainger of these Lawes and vvhich they humblie craue toleration of ther consciences and religion neither Doway nor S. Omers could hould them they would quicklie show ther dewtiefull affection to ther Prince ther naturall loue to ther contrie and for ther parents and kindred from whome they ar separated to ther great discomfort they should playnlie fynd that kyndenes would not creape when it may safelie go 3. They corrupt noâ— the Land Now touching the next poynt whear with they ar charged for corrupting the land with false doctrine First in this accusation as yovv presuppose Caluinism and your religion to be an infallible veritie so the preasts and religious heare ar as confident that it is impietie On both sydes ther ar learned and vertuous men and one will not vayle bonnet to the other how then should the quarrel be decided or shall it remain perpetuall and a skourge to the world The Bushops in the first parliement of the Quene ded vrge and offer
to defend the principles of ther religion by disputation vvhich the protestants would not accept * Camden nisi Baconus in theologicis parum versatus tanquam iudex praesideret and he being a professor of the common lawes vvhy he should be chosen moderator of such a Diuinitie disputation Cambredg can neither geue reason nor president nay rather yf yow ask ther opinion they will answer Spectatum admisi c. for it is a tidiculous Solaecism Since Father Parsons and diuers others haue mayd the same challeng desirous to bring I ruthe to the Tryal and touchstone in solemn and publick manner And let no man obiect the colloquies at Poissy Ratisbon Wormes Altenburg Murbrun c. which wear fruitles bycause formeles they ded not produce the effects expected bycause they erred in ther course of proceading and I confess I vnder stand not the misterie vvhy the protestants in England now draw bach seing Ievvel in the beginning was so forward and mayd so liberal offerts which yf anie would now defend it would quicklie appear which religion weare counterfeit and which currant whether doctrine wear solide and vvhether not speciallie hauing a moderator who could discouer evasions guid the disputers and iudiciouslie determin to whome the prize should be giuen And yf perhaps some would except and alledg the conferenc betwean M. Hart and D. Reignolds betwean Gode and Campion which wear honored and diuulged as triumphes and that these ought to stand as sufficient proofes co convinc the Catholicks yf the truthe so well sifted by disputation may satisfie them and preuayle I answer it is iniquissima conditio for a man armed to sett vpon a prisoner to insult vpon a man weakned with fetters and destitute of books withowt preparation and vvarning and which is worst in the face of a rack and torments whear Campion had bean posed with crewel quaestions before and in a place of no indifferencie whear they may sett down what they list and frame a combate at ther pleasure as Roynolds ded And whear as perhaps for politick cavvses the king and the Lords may dislike anie publick disputation vpon the grownds of religion yet this may well be granted and the french kings president may induce it The preasts and fathers offer to prooue that Iewel the mainster Carpenter of that Apologie of the Churche of England that Luther Caluin Melancthon and the later Doctors Colonells of the new plantation haue overcrowed and born down the Catholicks for opinion of truthe sinceritie and learning onely by false quotations corruptions falsifications misrecitalls and that both of scriptures and fathers both of the text and the gloss And this they humblie pray and hope that his Maiestie in his own tyme vvould be pleased to grant bycause these be heynous offences and the temple of veritie can not be builded vpon error and false grownds and bycause illusions and forgeries be stratagemata satanae that at least he would permitt the triall of that iust accusation and so afthervvard esteam of ther integritie as they shall acquite them selfs Concerning the third poynt that the 3. Preasts ar no practisers Seminaries bread such preasts as ar ministers of practises and stirr the people to rebellion as they ar charged both by the book of execution of iustice and by the proclamation 1580. whearin particularly they ar accused to haue bean priuie and accessarie to the counsells and proiects of the king of Spayne the Pope and others who intended and combined at that tyme to invade England to depose the Quene and subdevv the realme I must freelie answer that iealousie is trewlie described to be full of eyes and yet all pur-blind fearefull of her own shadowe euer in motu trepidationis and contrarie to the motions of other starres And tho they vvear great statesmen ye with all ther Opticks they could not foresee the great daingers like to fall vpon them till they wear at ther doors And hauing by error drawen and prouoked them yet took they the course rather to continew the flame then quench the fyre to encreas the mallice then preuent the mischeaf For first yf anie such confaederation had bean which never yet could be discouered nor was recorded in anie historie was it probable that so great and so wise Princes would acquaint the poor speculatiue preasts at Reams or Douay or the fathers of the societie with ther plats and intentions is it credible that they would manage matters of state so vveakelie yea but these Princes purposed by the meanes of the preasts and religious to prepare a partie assistant in England how by reconciling the people to the Pope that they might ioyne vvith hym and the king of Spaynes armie One error begets an other for preast doe not reconcile men to the Pope but to God and his Churche 1. And yet surelie it was a miracle that emong so manie preasts and in so long tyme and when Spies and intelligencers wear employed and rewarded neither anie such preast could be nominated who was then or after so corrupted or induced by these great Princes nor anie was afterward apprehended or discouered for anie such trespasse and which is most to be marked not anie subiect was called in quaestion or accused for entertaining anie preasts to that end then how phantastical was this feare what an imagination of Chimeraes and terrors most iniurious to touch the reputation of all the English preasts in generall and by statuts and proclamations to call ther names and ther liues in quaestion and to haue no su sufficient vvitnesses to accuse them no euidenc against them nothing but presumptions and probabilities to attaint them of treason the lyfe and honor of subiects wear wont to be esteamed more pretious and the function of preasts more reuerenced 2. I may also add this that when the king of Spaynes armado was vnder sayle towards England not a preast nor Seminarie man was fownd in it And though in the proclamation they wear traduced to be men suborned for preparation and making the way leuel for ther better landing yet hovv vvell they prepared it appeareth by this that neither preast nor Catholick vvear apprehended and attainted for anie such offenc as is afore sayd 3. Besides hovv litl affianc the king of Spayn had in the English preasts and Catholicks of that tyme was demonstrated by this that all the religious English at Valladolid and Burgos 1589. wear fettered and committed close prisoners when the armie of England assaulted Lisbone and invaded Portingal Furthermore in all the actuall treasons and conspiracies supposed to be mayd against Q. Elizabeth ther was never preast or monk or friar touched or taynted for anie of them For certanlie the holie altars of God will not suffer nor indure so vngodlie machinations and cloysters bread better humors eleuate ther sowles from the world they think not of Princes but in ther prayers and venite ad iudiciū sownding ever in ther eares requires a continual preparate in
king And vvhat estimation Musculus holds them vvorthie of appeareth locis commun cap. 10. tit de officijs ministrorum So yow see neither of them bowe the knees to this Baal nor magnifie Caluins Idol But yf yow would look thorough with a pearcing eye the absurdities of the Disciplinarians read Schulting his Hierarchica Anacrisis lib. 15. cap. 19. 20. and 22. Whearby yovv may perceaue how all kings ar mayd subiect to ther excommunications the trevvlie Brutum fulmen of these Eldors and what confusion it breadeth in the ciuil state which learned Hooker wiselie noted and gow both nobilitie and commons must assamble at the summons of the pastor as the head of the parish the President of the Counsell and then vvhat conclusions they determin and decree arr rules and of sufficient authoritie to bynd the Parish to obedienc So euerie parson is a demi-Pope in his parish the elders ar suprem magistrates and Caluin really Papa and cheaf pastor though ovvt of his humble pryde he vvill not vouchsafe to be nor be called Doctor Besides maister Butler knevv that vvheare Philautia and Phantasia arr conioyned and raign as matches predominant in the breyneand bodie ther must neads be a hart svvelled and blovvn vp vvith singularitie and vvith a conceipt that they onelie knovv the truthe and the trevv vvorship of God and that onelie they stand in grace as men predestinated to glorieand blesse Vpon this dreame they contemne all others for ther defects and imperfections and being transported vvith strong passions and inflamed vvith the feruor of a provvd spirit more then of charitie and sober zeale they ronn into desperate actions as furies that regard neither Maiestie iustice or gouernment And in dead ther be some diseases that ronn in a blood and arr almost hereditarie to some of ther familie as frensie oft doth vvhich leaueth alvvaies a taynt and a spice of the staggars in ther vitall spirits as yf they had bean bitten with a mad dogg And therfor maister Butler knovving the sumptomata of ther disease might with skill and iudiciouslie sett it dovvn as an Aphorism That a Puritan vvas a Protestant ovvt of his vvitts And so I leaue hym till it please God to cure or convert hym speciallie in Scotland TITVLVS QVARTVS TOVCHING HOLLAND AND THE VNITED PROVINCES VVE ar now to arriue by course at Holland and Zelland that horrible The 4. proof of disloyaltie By exampl of Holland Akeldama and feald of blood and the theater of tragical and lamentable stories Whear I will rather declare then delate with what furie the Lutheran faction begonn and with what violenc the Caluinists proceaded and with what calamitie they both continued for as yow haue hard ther axiomes and positions before at large so the practises and tyrannie of ther followers ar hear best to be discouered And aboue all the actions of ther conspiracie the Vnion of Vtreght vvas the most capitall and infamours A deuise according to the rules of Iunius Brutus an imitation of Swiz and the Cantons and a strong argument to conuince them of rebellion though they euer marched vnder the name of Religion and bellum sacrum This Vnion was mayd by the states 1578. The formâ— of the vnion of vtreght who seing the fortunate proceadings of the Duke of Parma and the course of the Malcontents entered into a perpetual league comprised in 20. articles for ther mutual support and succor First they of Holland Zelland Frize and Gelders ded ioyn Contra omnem vim quae sub praetextu nominis Regij aut religionis inferetur After that the contriuer and ringleader of all the Prince of Orenge and they of Anvvarp and Gand cam vvith into the league and subscribed it the 14. Februarij 1579. the vvhich vvas after ward again confirmed at Haghe 20. Iulij 1581. and the scope of all this was to abandon and expell ther leage lord the King of Spayne and to depose hym from his ovvn dominion and inhaeritanc Therfor vpon that they established an edict que le Roy d'Espaigne est descheu de la Seigneurie du Pays-bas And to maik it more authenticall they deuised a forme of Abiuration from the king and a particuler reuocation and dispensation of ther former promise and oath of obedience in these vvords I. W. N. Svvearanevv and bynd my self to the prouinces vnited to be loyal and faithfull to them and to ayd them against the King of Spayne comme vn bon vassal du Pays And when they had taken that oath they broke all the kings seales pulled dovvn his armes seazed and entred vpon his lands rents customes and all other haereditaments and took the same into ther own hands And as absolute lords they coyned moonie in ther own names placed and displaced officers of the state banished all the kings counsellors published edicts possessed the church liuings suppressed Catholick religion beseaged Amsterdam and vsed all the marks and notes of sooueranitie in ther own names Whearupon Raald a counsellor for frizeland hearing this new oathe which was generallie tendered to all men vpon the horror and greaf thereof he dyed soodainelie as of an Apoplexie The reasons they gaue why the king of Spayne had forfeited his title and right wear these For 1. suppressing ther religion 2. for oppressing them vvith tyrannie 3. for abrogating ther priuiledges and for holding them in bondage and seruitude for such a magistrate they ar not bownd to obey they said but to eiect hym as a Tyrant An example and president of daingerous consequenc and which deaplie concerneth all princes to look vvel to For yf subiects may depose ther prince and maik them selfs iudges when he shall forfeit his crown and dignitie vvhich praerogatiue the Rochellors may challenge as lawfullie as the Hollanders qui stat videat ne cadat kings had nead to maik ther seat sure and sit fast for these men maik it but a slipperie hold And in dead ambition and treason can neuer fynd a fitter cloake for ther wearing then that which is mayd of the Holland fashion by religion Now that yow may the better iudg of The general quarrell the particuler quarrel of the Hollanders I will set down the trew grownds for the defenc of the general and why they took armes at first The original and principal cawse of this long and crewel warr was the spring of the new sects in the low contries and vnder the shadow of religion all the factions in the state and all discontentements wear masked singulare commodum and priuatum odium And as the peoples natural inclination to noueltie ded set it much forward so ther wanted not a concurrenc of forreiners who serued as bellowes to blow the coles both owt of France and England Charles the fifth owt of his wise prouidenc remembring what a peace of work Luther had cut owt for hym in Germanie and with what dainger charge and difficultie he overcame it Intended for the quietnes of this contrie and
and assure hym that they wear ar and so would continew constant vt in Belgio colatur religio Catholica regi sua constet authoritas And before that at vvorms in the general diet holden 1577. the agents of the states submitted and referred ther cavvse to the Emperor as likevvise the king of Spayn ded And therfor both parts being so conformable and concurring in eodem tertio a general peace might well be expected with good probabilitie Now obserue hovv this vvas performed according to agreement the Emperors commissioners cam to Coolen in the beginning of April but Dauus perturâ—at omnia the states sent not thers till the 4. Maij and then with a commission insufficient and restrained the tyme of ther treatie to six vveaks and no longer So it seamed the states could not agree a long tyme of ther instructions to ther agents and ther for the Imperials took it as an error that when they them selfs could not in manie months agree of that they would notvvith standing limit ther deputies to so short a tyme for the handling of a busienes so weightie and intricate as this was and whearim so manie seueral men had seueral ends Besides in the articles which the deputies exhibited they propounded extrema non media contrarie to promise furthermore by the articles and media of peace proposed by the Duke de Terra noua all seueritie was lenified and mitigated for the case of religion as the Emperors commissioners ded testifie by these words Vt nemo iuste conqueri posset regem pretextu religionis vel seuire in corporae subditorum vel bona eorum confiscare vel conscient t is vim inferre So as the Imperials finding the dallijng and de layes of the states such as in 16. weaks they could get no answer and that by ther letters they renewed all old greafs and quarrels they broke vp the treatie and departed Hearupon Bolduc and Valencen receaued and incertained the articles Ouer Isel and Turnay refused them not Artois and Heynault guided with the bonus genius of the Church and Em. Lalain that valiant and religious Marques of Renty together with Monsieur de Capre Heze Baize and the rest condemning the course of the Prince of Oreng offrerd ther obedienc to the king and mayd peace with the Duke of Parma In this interim what ded they of Holland they wear now further of the case was altered They published discourses against the treatie they studied how to defend ther vsurpation and how to perfect the Frame of ther vnion and how to increase discord and diuision emong the rest vvhear there ministers and agents fayled not to serue ther tvrn But they vveare principallie busied abovvt a nevv proiect For by the mediation of the Prince of Oreng and the counsel and assistanc of England and for ther better abilitie and more strenth they capitulated vvith Monsieur the Duke of Alleneon 1578. whome they created Duke of Brabant and Prince absolut of the Nether lands 2. Secondlie touching the kings tyrannie Touching the kings oppression of them first exaction and impositions then disanulling ther priuiledges also the too seuere gouernmeÌ„t of his ministers whearby he broke his oath solemnlie svvorn at the ioyefull entrie wear the cawses of making this vnion The end vvas to preserue them selfs and ther contries from vtter ruine and destruction Hear is ther Clayme and the foundation of ther Vnion and of ther Dominion and sooueraintie And first touching the exactions and tyrannie and seueritie of Gouernous which the deputies of the states ded aggrauate so much at Colen Surelie so long after the Duke of Alua his tyme and vnder the temperate gouernement of the Duke of Parma and after so oft and manie offers and signification of the kings gracious disposition to ease ther burdens it was rather to be iudged as a Cauil to shift of peace then a desire to beridd of warr For first touching these greauous exactions they complaine so of vâ—delicet of the Tenth pennie imposed by the Duke of Alua. It is necessaries to Draw the Curtens whearwith they shadovv and obscure the truthe Necessitie and not his own will forced Alua to exact that which neither he would haue Doon nor the king haue suffred it but being driuen to extremitie for setisfijng the soldiers vvho allvvaies grow wild withowt paye and so to avoyd a greater mischeafe he was driuen to incurr an inconuenienc Some of the counsell in Englant in the Quenes name seazed in Hampshyre 600000. Duckets sent from Spayne to paye the Armie vvithovvt anie charg at all to the contrie tho she had giuen a passeport for the safe conduct of it as is reported Vpon what pretences or how iustlie I wil not argue hauing beane before debated at larg in a treatie But these politique men who conselled her to extend her authoritie for staying the moonie as they well knew it was none of hers so wear they also sure it would driue the Duke of Alua into such strayts that he would be compelled to commit error and increase the hatred of his gouernment and arme the peopls furie to sedition which vvas the thing they most aymed at Besides the king of Spayn hauing sent the Duke de Medina a man of a milder nature to succead Alua who partlie by misfortun partlie by his stearnnes partlie by some errors and by forren princes disfauor was grown odious he brought vvith hym 200000. Duckets which the ZellaÌ„ders intercepted vpon the seas and as his stewards took it as pure Almes into ther charge to disburse it withowt accoumpt So hauing lost his moonie and ships lost also his hart to staye near them and therfor returned back to Spayne fullie resolued neuer to haue further dealing with such sharking Cormomorants of that Nest and crevv And so was Alua further both plunged and perplexed But hearby it appeareth that it vvas neither the kings pleasure nor purpose vvho furnished hym so largelie and liberallie as vvas intended but the necessitie of his present vvants vvhich compelled Alua to that demand and exaction And so it vvas rather an occasion of scandal and offenc reflected vpon the king then deserued by either and a quarrel rather mayd and contriued then giuen And these popular orators that plead so earnestlie for the ease of the commons and seam so carefull to procure the exoneration of the impositions and taxes layd vpon the people vvhy doe they not now inueigh asmuch against these nevv magnificos of Holland who ar so fart from laying dovvn and diminishing these subsidies and excisâ—s that they haue raised and augmented them in duch soâ—t as at this daye no common vvelth in Christendome groneth vnder the like burden And it can not yet be forgotten that the gend to ther of the people as they called hym the Prince of Oreng ded propovvnd and labor to vvrest and vvring from them of Holland the Sixth pennie tovvards his M. Issolt change and maintenanc anno 1584. this vvas a note
at first they mayd that a cavvse of ther rebellion that the king vvould force ther consciences and yet they will not novv permitt the same freedome to those that liue vnder their command But novv to come to the Mayne poynt they Challeng by the vnion to be absolute Lords of these prouinces and haue renounced all title and obedienc to the king of Sayn as Earl of Holland and Zelland I ask quo titulo ingressi sunt they alledg in ther letters to the Emperor 1608. this grovvnd vvork Post tractatum pacis Coloniae qua Hispani potius ad opprimendam quam subleuandam Belgium vsi sunt Hispani Mercurius Gallob libro 32. tanta tyrannide in prouincias vrbes ac ciues omnes Belgij proculâ—atis omnibus priuilegijs grassabantur vt ad conseruandam quod ei imminebat ab extremo exitio patriam pleraeque Belgicae prouinciae quae in vnione perstiterant regem eiurarunt certam quandam ac liberam reipublicae formam constituerunt It a pro liberis à multis regibus accepti per 32. annos Hear is the fowndation of ther free state and the reason is tyrannie and the tyme is sayd to be after the treatie of Coolen tho in dead this vnion was mayd before Besides in the same place they vse an other argument that the king of Spayn and the Archduke acknowledg them as free prouinces in quas ipsi nihil iuris praetendant cum omnibus generalibus particularibus renunciationibus At the making of that vnion they alledged that the king had forfeited his estate by oppressing them vvith tyrannie by infringing ther liberties and his ovvn oath and for suppressing religion And at Coolen the states deputies added that they took armes not onelie for religion but to 1. auoyd exactions intollerable 2. and to cast of the yoke of too seuere gouernors So then 1. religion 2. tyrannie 3. exaction 4. abrogation of ther priuiledges and the kings own renunciation of his title arr the pillers of this vnion It remaineth therfor after hauing mayd a breach with this long battrie to geue the assault vpon ther title and discouer how seditious the positions and principles of that religion ar which imprinted in them such disloyaltie to vsurp that title If it could be prooued by them which is necessarie first to be that the king ded oppress the contrie by tyrannie and abrorating ther priuiledges then is it yet a question of importance whether therby he haith lost his authoritie ouer his subiects and yf he had lost it by what law haue they fownd it by what ciuil order or president ded they abiure ther obedience Surelie it vvas certam quandam ac liberam reipublicae formam constituere That vvas ther end and ther presumption but it vvas neither order nor cawse Neither is the kings tyrannie a sufficient vvarrant for ther tyrannie and vsurpation for a soouerain can not loose his soouerainetie it doth all waies carrie vvith it a nonobstante to difpenc with errors and irregularities And for ther priuiledges vvhich the king never intended to maik voyd and so they build vpon a false grovvnd vvhich vvill fayle them yf it had bean so great an offenc for the king to abrogate theirs is it not a greater offenc for subiects to vsurp his and so to maik them self parties and iudges and by ther own authoritie to punish ther prince Which is an insolencie and indignitie incredible to all posteritie and such as neither the Svvizzes nor the Amphictiones the confederate cantons of Grecia ded ever match nor come neare for so they maik regna occupantium ius qui potest capere capiat A pretenc opposite to all lavves a portall to let in confusion but yf the king ded loose and forfeit all his authoritie and iurisdiction yet I see not vvhy or hovv they could also challeng his lands and priuate inheritance for that must neads discend by law Besides yf the king could for feit his sooueraintie how can he forfeit it to his subiects but say they wear now no subiects we haue waued and renounced the same and is that inough It is trew a subiect may maik hym self ciuis alienae reipulicae but yf he stay in his own contrie he can not of a subiect maik hym self no subiect for tho he doe rebell as the Hollanders ded yet he is a subiect but it is admirable how of a subiect he should become a sooueraine that is scientia scientiarum a supernatural skill aboue my capacitie Yet yf the kings should for feit his earldome of Holland it is not to them but to the cheaf Lord of the fee that is to the Emperor for it can escheat to no other either by the Imperial or municipal lawes Yf yow ask me the reason I saye it is manifest that Holland vvas erected into an Earldome by the Emperour Carlous Caluus qui cum audiuit Hollandiam terram Imperatoriam a Danis spoliari rogatu Iohannis Papae principatum eius contulit Theodorico Berland Meyer Anno 863. So yf it be not in the king of Spayn to whome it is lineallie discended from Theodoric then may the Emperor geue a nevv inuestitur thereof as a fief Imperial to whome he pleaseth as he ded to Theodoric for it is a phantastical imagination that it is fallen by lapse to them of Holland the Emperor taketh no notice of ther Stateships being a priuate order for ther better government But yf it be fallen in laps it is rather fallen to Oreng and the nobilitie who can Better govern then to tradesmen and mariners And yet vndowbtedlie to none of them except they plead that as conquerors they wonn yt by the sword and so they will hold it which is a Tenure neither knowen to Litlton nor summe Rurall not Ius feudale a tenure fitter for forosciuti or the Hoords of Tartarians then a commonwelth of ChristiaÌ„s A certan Hollander in his third defenc of the vnited prouinces calleth the king of Spayn Raptorem haereticum notorium rudelie and vnciuillie and therupon inferreth An non potius regem Hispaniae quia haereticus notorius est ex suo regno omnibus omnium Euangelicorum viribus expellere oporteret either this man was much distempered or his religion infected hym and mayd hym a Catelin and so seditions These Ar fearefull paradoxes and such as all princes haue interest in and had nead to haue ther swords drawen to confute yf for pretenc of religion for errors in gouernment for restraining ther priuiledges for punishing sedition and ryots subiects may thus sit in iudgment vpon ther princes and taike armes and expell them owt of ther territories Thus ded ket and Iack Straw in England rise for bonum publicum the Bowres in Germanie and Ziska in Bohemia mayd ther insurrections for religion and so euerie Gracchus may taik vpon hym the reformation of the church and the state Now yf they obiect ther case is ill fitted with a comparison bycause
the church of England and who was chosen to write of this argument by the greatest Statesman of that tyme and he vvrit cum priuilegie and the generall allowanc of the church of England Saith he shall a king be deposed yf he break In his book of ChristiaÌ„ subiection his promise and oath at his coronation in anie of the couenants and poynts he promiseth He answers in the margent the breach of couenants is no depriuation And he geues this reason The people may not break vvith ther Princes tho ther Princes break vvith God And aftervvard Subiects can not depose ther Princes to vvhome they must be subiect for conscienc sake This is a sermon quite contarie to the Aphorisms of Holland and the diuinitie of Rochel and yet it standeth vpon inuincible reason for as yovv may not by Gods lavve depose your prince so yovv ar for bidden to taik armes against hym And vvhy D. Bilson vvil satisfie yovv For saith he he that may fight may bill and vvar against the Prince and murdering the Prince ar of consequenc incuitabl Aftervvard he addeth this to stopp the mouth of such a Polipragmus as called the king raptorem haereticum à suo repellendum The Apostles obeyed the tyrants that commanded all things against religion And in those things vvhich vvear cammanded against God they ded submit them selfs vvith meakenes to endure the Magistrates pleasure but not to Not. obey his vvill Lastlie and most to the purpose he concludeth yf the lavves of the land appoynt the nobles as next to the king to assist hym in doeing right and vvith hold hym from doeing vvrong then ar they licensed by mans lavves to interpose them selfs but in no case to depriue the Prince vvhear the scepter is inherited Novv it is certan that the lavves of the Netherlands geue no such authoritie to the nobles and yf they ded yet in no case to to depriue ther Prince or to abiure ther obedienc and maik that as a bridg to pass ouer to the sooueraintie And bycause some of good accounpt and iudgment haue bean led into that error that the Dukes of Burgondie hold not full power and sooraintie in the Netherlands I will send them to schoole to all lawyers records stories and that which is most infallible to the practise and common lawes of that contrie to Bodin and to that ancient and honorable Counsellor the Lord Chancelor Egerton in his oration for the post nati pag. 71. The Dukes of Burgondie saith he vvear absolute Princes and had soouerain povver in ther contries and king Henry the S. â—ad as absolute sooueraintie vvhen his style vvas Lord of Ireland as vvhen he vas king for the difference of styles marks not the differenc of soouerantie So then to conclude yf this warr begonn for religion vvas against all the rules of religion I may dewlie inferr that as ther vsurpation is withowt warrant either of law or the gospell they continew to hould it withowt conscienc and haue no other title but force and the canon And all forrein soldiers that doe assist them knowing the iniustice of the case and that the warr is so vnlawfull incurr the penaltie of mortal sinn and dainger of damnation and may as iustlie be reprooued as king Iosaphat for helping and assisting Achab. Look to the end for it is certanly fearefull to all those who know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write not thus much as an enemie to the contrie I hould a peareles countie for the goodlie townes welth traffick strenth and fertilitie in so small a circuite nor for anie personall quarrels nor for anie corruption or assentation in regard of the match with Spayne but onelie the truth of the storie the dainger of ther president and the cawse of religion haue induced me for tho I remembred the dislike had of ther manner of gouernment ther dealing with the Quenes officers and of ould how vnkyndlie my lo. Willoughbie had bean hearto fore vsed by them as his Apologie can witnes and of late what complaynts our merchant adventurors in ther books had mayd for ther ill vsage at Mosko and the east Indies by them what contempt they showed when the devvtie of Size Herrings was demanded in his Maiesties right for fishing on the coast of Scotland in presuming to imprison the demander and manie such like matters yet why should these mooue me when the state vvas not mooued And vvhen I saye the state I mean not the people but the king to whome Holland is and was most bovvnd for 2. high and bynding fauores wihch require a reciprocall obligation and thankfullnes on ther part and such as ought to bread in them good blood and ambites and respectfull toungs first in restoring vnto them the keyes that ded open and lock ther provinc not for anie remuneration but restitution of a part of his devv As also for the free permission of ther fishings vpon the Englih coast whearin they haue yearlie employed aboue 30. thowsand persons set to work by it and aboue 4000. Busses Doggerbotes galliots and pinks to ther admirable benefit which is onelie a permission of grace and no priuiledg by law for Grotius may withowt contradiction prooue mare liberum as the kings high waye is for euerie mans walk But he can not prooue that fishings vpon an other Princes coast be permitted to theÌ„ this is a digression to a good end And therfor I will return to the matter THE V. TITLE OF THE TROWBLES IN BOHEMIA AND THE PALATINATE BOhemia Onelie now resteth as a stage The trovvbles and sedition in to present the last Scene of all forren tragedies and tumults for religion and I Bohemia for religion will taik the Palatinate in my vvaye An vnfortunate prouince of late vvhich in a hundred yeares haith chainged religion fiue tymes and never leatned in all that tyme the rules of obedienc Wheareof I nead not maruel when I think of Parreus Cracerus and the schools of the new discipline Parreus in his Comment vpon the 13. Romans teacheth that subditi possunt suos Reges deponere quando degenerant in tyrannos aut suos subditos cogunt ad Idololatriam Scil. Subiects may depriue ther Princes when they degenerate from a royal gouernemeÌ„t and become tyrants of yf they compel ther subiects to Idolatrize And his meaning is yf they establish the Mass and the sacrifice of the Church or anie other religion then Caluinism then eiect excommunicate and cast them owt of all authoritie so terrible a sentenc he giueth both against the Emperor France Italie and Spayn But stay this is but his first peale vvhich he ded ring as the Toxsan the Alarum bell to Bohemia but he addeth an other article as a iust cawse of depriuation Quando pretextu religionis quaerunt propria commoda when vnder pretenc of religion they seak to maik ther own profit Which had bean a lectur not verrie plausible to king Henrie
reuennues of the crown So to conclude the king giuing and appointing all iudges who in his realme is to iudg hym or to censure his counsells of state and politike temporall actions and yf be he iudg they ar vvithowt iudgment that attribute it to the states but they err most that arme the people vvithe that authoritie For tho I know what a parliement means and what power it vvoorthilie carrieth yet as it is euer summoned by the king so ther acts must be iudged allowed and confirmed by the king before they be lawes In the senate rests consilium but in the king is the powre and Maiestie of the realme and he is iudg to allow or disallow what he liketh and by the coniunction of these Foskevv sayd trewlie no state is berter tempered nor more temperatelie gouerned nor by more excellent municipall lawes then England is So to conclude what reason can be pretended for wyats insurrection against his soouerain the bodie politick was it for matching with Spayne that was no straâ—g motion for her father had once before deâ—seigned to match her in that familie besides the conditions vvear honorable and profitable to the crovvne yf God should bless them vvith issevv the person most noble and the reasons allowed by all the counsel But the Quene ded not obserue the lawes of the realme she abrogated the statuts of 1. E. 6. which all the kingdome approoued and the vvord of God by Moyses commandeth that Princes should obserue the lavves and those Princes dishonor them selfs vvho doe not acknowledg that of Theodosius tantùm tibi licet quantum per leges licet Well aliud ex alio malum As Moyses prescribed vvhat a Prince should doe so Samuel what he may doe Moyses tould hym his dewtie Samuel his power and it is trew and a Christian profession of kings legibus se subiectos esse profiteri But yow must consider the lavv haith two properties the one to show what a man should doe the other to punish them that doe it not To the first the king is subiect but tovching the second for criminal cavvses I know no court aboue the kings bench nor no iudg aboue the king Moreouer yf Quene Marie shold be tyed to her brothers lavves vvhy vvas not Quene Elizabeth to hers vvhy vvas not king Edvvard to his fathers lavves but that religion of Quene Marie was corrupt vnpure and superstitious So still hear is philautia and presumption yow will censure your iudg and yow a lay man wil iudg of his religion that is the Quaestion yet and not decided by anie orderlie Councels or Synodes on yovvr part and S. Austen libro vbi supra Si vir nistus sub rege sacrilego militet iuste posset illo iubente bellare 1. ciuicae pacis ordinem seruans 2. cui quod iubetur vel non esse contra Dei praeceptum certum est vel vtrum sit certum non est Tho the king be sacrilegious yet he is to be obeyed and hovv 1. ciuicae pacis ordmem seruans that is the course and that is the end for indiuidua bona sunt pax libertas vvhich is to be noted for them that plead so stronglie for ther liberties secundo yf the kings commandements be not directlie against Gods vvords yf vel non esse certum est vel vtrum sit certum non est Novv tho all Catholicks knevv the certum est in ther conscienc yet the protestants for the vtrum sit vvear vncertan bycause both the lavv of the realme the general counsels the vvhole state of the Churche Militant was against them and they had onelie the testimonie of priuate spirits to oppose against publick authoritie But vvhat yf Quene Marie had erred in some superstitions what yf the present king ded err in his gouernement in his courses in his iudgment or in matching his sonn withowt the consent of the realme should either of them be censured or excommunicated by the ministers or depriued or committed and emprisoned by a vvyat Salomon ded fall into greauous sinnes ad profundum Idololatriae lapsus atque demersus saith S. Austen and ded directlie against Goods commandement to keap and marrie straing voemen of the gentiles non ingrediemini ad illas besides he worshipped Moloch and Astarthes the goddes of the Sydomans yet neither Preasts nor people ded rise against hym or depose hym they left it to the proper iudg of hings who in his wrathe ded appoynt and raise vp Hieroboam to ruine his sonn and yf wyat could haue showd such an immediat warrant he had bean excusable Iulian prooued in Apostata yet tho the Doctors of the primatiue Church as G. Nazianzen and others sharply reprooued and detested his impietie yet they never perswaded nor taught the people to depriue hym He that proclaymed the prerogatiue of kings vos estis dâ— he taught the world that as Gods haue summum imperium so the people ar to obey and therfor called subditi for ther subiection and yow neuer hard of anie but Gyants that wear fayned to fight with the Gods and they perished for all ther greatnes for that hand must neads vvither vvhich toucheth Gods anoynted for he that taiks armes against hym doth prouoke the king to the feald and when the flame rageth who can tell whear the sparks will light Some limitations ther ar and those neadfull For I ascribe not an infinite vnlimited diuinitie to kings nor a powr to tyrannize and liue as atheists he that gaue the that glorie vos estis dij ded likewise geue them this caueat that for iniquitie and impietie transferam regna de gente in gentem He is the Iudg of Princes and his audit is dreadfull and to that we must leaue them FINIS THE SECOND PART HIERVSALEM THAT OBEDIENCE AND ORDER BE THE EIRENARCHAE OF CATHOLIQVES HAVING allreadie trewlie King Henrie tho eight and liuelie Drawen and presented vnto yow the Image of the Churches called Reformed vvith a face so full of frownes and stearnnes that by the Phisiognomie yow may iudg it vnquiet and turbulent It remaineth in like sort to paynt owt vnto yow the portraicture of a Roman Catholick by the infallible characters of deuotion order obedienc and the humilitie of the professors thereof What they weare in this land in the tyme of king Lucius and the Britons I shall not nead to expresle but refer yow to the ecclesiasticall stories of that tyme which euen Fox and the Centuries doe honor labouring rather to commend them as members of ther ovvn Churche then to acknowledg them ours For the tyme of the Saxons I vvill maik no relation of ther vertues and how amiablie the Church and common welthe ded sping vp together And though the prelates wear highlie reuereÌ„ced and ded beare great swaye in the state yet how dewtiefullie they obeyed ther princes Venerable Beda and the stories of that tyme. M. Lamberts Archaionomia the old Saxon Lawes and the monuments yet vpon record can witnes
the price of all things raised and the Yeomanrie decayed infinitelie vvhich heartofore vvas the honor and strenth of the kingdome and so consequentlie it vvas the trevv reason vvhy all things haue continued so dear in this land vvhearin maister Stubs ded err nota litl TITVLVS SECVNDVS HItherto Schisme raigned but the second plague was the ruine and wrach K. Evv. 6. of the Church for the authoritie and name of king Edward was vsed to break down and forciblie subuert the vvhole Church of England but see how craftie a statesman the Deuel is though the way to Anarchie and confusion was layd leuel by king Henrie who was onelie fitt for such a work in regard of his greatenes and crewell imperiousnes yet he lett religion stand a while longer knowing well that all could not be effected at once but as he seduceth Sowles so states by degrees and being also confident that the forts of pietie and religion being razed and the Church being brought vnder a laye supreme head he might by a second hand easilie ouerthrow religion it self King Henrie at his Deathe appointed by his will sixtean Executors who during the minoritie of his sonne should be his aydors and counsellors for the better gouerning the realme Emong whome One and who mayd hym self the Principal was the lord Edvvard Seamor Earl of Hartford who took vpon hym being the kings vncle to be protector and that was as good as a dispensation as he took it for his executor ship and lifted hym too manie degrees higher then his fellowes which king Henrie neuer intended that he might ouer-rule the rest by his title and supereminencie One of the first things of importance he contriued and compassed vvas innouation and the establishing of a new religion not so much for deuotion as bycaus he knew that nothing could quench his thirst so vvel as a chainge and bring the game he hunted after into the toyles and hearof Cranmor was a principal worker tho he was but a few moneths before of king Henries religion and a patrone of the six articles The better both to perswade the people and geue harting and strenth to ther sect Peter Martyr and Bucer vvear sent for ovvt of Germanie vpon whose fame and learning as vpon tvvo great Arches they might build and raise ther Churche tho bothe wear Apostates By Cranmor Ridlie Lattimor and these two Rabbins was the new Liturgie framed and the old banished these wear the authors of the first Alteration of religion which so manie hundred yeares had bean heare professed and continued vvith all dew reuerence So povvrefull was the Protector by vsing the king name a child then but of 9. years old but he was well seconded by the Duke of Northumberland the Admirall and the Marques of Nortampton all affected or seaming affected to the chaing of religion who over-ruled all that mayd anie show of opposition or dislike of ther proceadings Which was verrie strainge considering there wear so manie vvise and eminent men who had aequal authoritie with them both as Counsellors and executors and vvear most different in religion from them as the lord Priuie seale the lord Saint Iohn of Basing Bushop Tonstal Syr Antonie Brovvn and thewise sectetarie Syr W. Paget and speciallie that noble Chancelour the lord Writheoslie a man of experienc knowledg and prudenc and a director and pattern to his posteritie to be preferred before anie new guides but to content and please hym he vvas created Earl of Sowth-Hampton yet neither wonn so nor contented nor safe All things afterward grew to confusion ther remained no face and skarse the name of Catholick Church in England and tho ther wear great multitudes of men well affected to the ould religion and discontented that the Church was driuen into the wildernes and forced to lurk in corners yet ded they show loyaltie humilitie and peace and ded not taik armes and disobey that shadow of the king But what mooued the realme how wear men inchanted to embrace this religion and applawd the authors of it Noueltie euer pleaseth daintie stomachs and auarice is no small temptation at Syracusa Dyonisius the tyrant comming into the temple of Apollo full of sumptuous and goodlie ornaments and seing Aesculapius appareled with clothe of hould and full of Iewels hauing a long whyte siluer beard and Apollo the father carued with a floorishing yowthful gould beard and a playne cote of siluer he gaue order to shaue both Apollo and Aesculapius for it was indecorum that the sonn should haue a graye and his father a read beard and also vndecent that a Phisicion should wear so rich a cote so he ded not like that Apollo should be drawen so gawdilie and like a Barbarossa and a grauer gown he sayd would become a God better for gould and Iewels wear fitter for Princes then gods fitter for pomp then perfection The Duke of Sommerset ded rightlie imitate Dionisius for seing the Church rich remembring the exampl of his old maister and hauinng taisted at Aumesburie hovv svveat a Morsell a Priorie is he thought it not decorum to see the Cleargie so rich there wealth was not suitable to ther calling ther lands vvear giuen to noorish deuotion not to choke it to stirr men vp to prayer not to ease and luxurie and therfor he would shaue and share with them Tvvo Bushops hovvses he took in the Strand which serued hym vvel to build Sommerset hovvse for Quene Ann. He procured an act whearby all Colledges Chantries free Chappels Hospitals and fraternities wear suppressed and giuen to the king and how greadilie he intruded into the Bushop of bathe and wells his hovvses and mannors that Churche can never forget and yet Bushop Bourn by his industrie recouered some again but nothing to the Spoyles a poor releaf rather to fead then to fatt a Bushop Yet was he not satisfied for shortlie af ther contrarie to all law against king Henries vvill and against his own couenants when he was mayd protector he committed to the tovvr the Lord Chancelor he deposed Busbop Tonstal both from the Counsel and his bushoprick as too statelie a Seigniorie for a man of religion and too daintie a bitt to be swallowed by the Churche therfor he dissolued yt and brought it within the survey of the excheckor and he never prospered after It was directlie against the law 1. Edvv. 3. cap. 2. that the lands of Bushops should be seazed into the kings hands and that his father by the aduise of euel counsellors commanded them to be seazed withowt cawse but hearafter it should not be so Yet hear he set not downe his staff he committed Gardiner the Bushop of Winchester and after depriued hym He dissolued Stoke Colledg fleaced all Cathedrall Churches and committed infinite sacriledge vvherto the Nonage of the king gaue opportunitie Neither ded he hunt after his praye onelie emong the Churche liuing for yf yovv look in the Parliamant rolls of that tyme yovv shall fynd that with a
and diuers others and with drew them from ther obedienc Bycause it is a matter which concerneth all preasts it is necessarie to examin it with deliberation Cuthbert Mayn was indited at Launston 1577. that he had and obtained from Roome a bull and instrument for absolution and that maister Tregion knowing hym to haue obtained the same 20. April after ded ayd and mantaine hym and was reconciled These wear the accusations and iudg of them 1. First for his reconciling Mayn answered that they wear deceaued preasts ded vse to reconcile men onelie to God neither by reconciliation was euer anie man withdrawen from his remporal obedienc by anie consequenc but rather had a greater obligation 2. And touching his being at Room and procuring this bull of the Pope he sayd he vvas never at Room nor sought to obtain from thenc anie Bull at all for absoluing anie man 3. Moreover that it was copie of a bull printed which he bought at Douay onelie to peâ—ule and see the manner of it 4. But that which is most to be noted is that it was printed at Douay and by the enditement he was accused that 1. Octob. 1597. he ded obtain from Room the afore sayd instrument for the law intended that the trespassor should obtain immediatlie from the Pope not a copie but the instrument it self and that it should contain some matter preiudiciall to the Quenes person or the quiet and good of the state or to seduce and corrupt the subiects for it is not to be imagined that the parliement would maik that treason by which no hurt nor dainger can ensew to the state 5. But what bull was this that maketh the matter cleare it was a bull concerning the Iubilie which by the Pope is granted of course and not at the suit of anie priuate person and for all contries not for anie one and once in 25. yeares and that bull ded continue in force butone yeare which yeare was ended 1575. and so the date of the instrument was expyred before he bought it much more 1. Octob. 1597. when he was endited so yow see parâ—uâ— iunt montes Yet bycause he had the bull tefused to come to the Church and obey the Quenes proceadings iudg Manhood tould the iurie whear manifest proofs can not be had persumptions must be allowed and therupon the iurie fovvnd hym guiltie though the enditement contained altogether matter insufficient and impossible and neither answearable to the words nor senc of the statut For in this bull ther wear neither words nor matter to withdraw or seduce anie subiect from dew obedienc neither vvas ther anie thing preiudicial to the Q. to be executed Notwithstanding maister Tregion lay long in prison emong fellons in a dongeon noysom for smells toads c. fed with bread and water and was afterward condemned in the premunire and his lands seazed by writ from the excheckor and the date of the vvrit vhas before the iudgment giuen as yf they knew it should be so he was prisoner 16. yeares an ancient gentlmen and honorablie allied and his lands 1000. pownds of old rent and tho it was entayled yet the knight marshall fownd means to avoyd it who had begged his lands of the Quene And all this vvas but for religion and vpon false accusation of one Twigs a parish Clack who affirmed that he had speach with Mayn at Christenmas 1575. and at that tyme was Mayn at Douay But to go forward ex pede Herculem by this iudg of the rest which is so much obiected Touching the rising in the North and 7. The Bull of Pius V. the attempts of Babington and his complices they wear mixt actions not for religion onelie or state onelie but for bothe and not procured by the suite and sollicitation of religious men but owt of ther ownzeal and compassion of the Quene of Scotland whome the Earles accoumpted nearest allied to the crovvne And such actions ar not comprehended vvithin the compass of the Question I am to cleare and discusse 1. But concerning the bull of PIVS V. Preasts vvear not to ask the reason of the Popes doeings yet yovv may fynd some of the reasons specified in the bull diuers haue ascribed it partlie to the soodain reuolt of England from the Church partlie to the prouocations mayd by the ministers there who in euerie pulpit vvhotelie and slanderouslie proclaymed the Pope Antichrist and the man of perdition and some haue attributed it to minsinformation of the Quenes case and the Catholicks But I am sure manie graue men vvear sorie that it vvas either procured or defended 2. And C. Allen vvitnesseth multos illud factum agre tulisse as before yovv see Bushop Watson and the rest ded and he wished that it had bean Dei iudicio reseruatum 3. And Fa. Parsons and Campion sollicited the mitigation thereof as appeared at his arrainment that it might not bynd the consciences of subiects to disobey the Quene Whearupon Gregorie the 13. declared withowt anie limitation or restraint that subiects ought to performe all dewties to Quene Elizabeth notvvithstanding the censure 4. Lastlie yow may probablie coniecture that the Popes ar not lightlie induced to vse so extream courses seing they neither sought by such censures to disturb the peace of k. Ed. 6. of the kings of Scotland Denmark Svveden the Duke of Saxonie or Marques of Brandenburg Neither doth it at all touch the Catholicks nor the present state for actio moritur cum persona which is the thing most concerning vs. The greatest blott is that ther vvear 8. The preasts more treasons by the preasts committed in Q. Eliz. tyme then euer wear in anie age by protestants and that is no quaestion disputable bycaus it is manifestè verum near 200. preasts and religious haue bean executed for that offenc In dead Norton D. HammoÌ„ and Topclif affirm that it is trew but bycaus Catholicks denieit let vs examin whether it be a trew Thesis no preasts wear executed for religion but for Treason 1. And to determin that the better enquire what be the acts for which they ar condemned to be a preast to come ouer into England to refuse the vath to say mass 10 absolue and â—econcile to preach and minister Sacraments and to bebred vp in the Seminaries Ar these matters of State and not of conscience temporall and not spiritual crimes of treason and not religion Ther must then be a new lexicon de verborum significationibus for els in forrein contries they will exclayme bycause it toucheth them all by participation both in conscienc and câ—edit who ar preasts and fynd ther function and profession so tainted 2. Thâ—n consider and defyne what is treason The best definition thereof is the statut 25. Ed 3. which was mayd according to the common lawes of England how know yow that maister Ploydons opinion directeth me In that act the Question vvas what was treason by the common law now saith he it is a principle in
Treason To bring in an agnus Dei beads or crosses is premanire To bring a bull from Roome or anie sentenc of excommunication which toucheth the Quene is Treason To absolue or reconcile anie man is Treason He that commeth not to Churche vpon each sonday was to pay 12. d. and be further censured but afterward he that refused to hear ther prayers and communicate 27. Eliz. is to pay for euerie month 20. povvnds and he that can not pay it his bodie shall fyne for it in prison To depart owt of the realm withowt the Quenes licens and not to return within 6. months after the proclamation is an offenc so great that the offendor shall forfeit his goods and his lands during his lyfe To hear mass is an offenc fyned at a 100. marks Yf a man suffer his sonn or his seruants being not a merchant to go beyond seas he shall forfeit 100. l. Ther ar manie mo but these ar too manie now whether of these ar whipped with the greatest scourge vvhether of these lavves ar most seuear and haue most nead of mitigation the name onelie of Treason is terrible and overgoeth far the rigor of the most rigourous and capitall lavves of the Inquisition and when I haue named that I sleightlie pass ouer the loss of goods emprisonment reproaches chaynes and fetters exile aggrauation of offences which vvould haue appeased the vvrathe of Minos or Rhadamanthus But the rigour of the execution of these lavves is most to be noted The tovvre vvas full of such patients and nevv prisons erected to entertain them and hovv they vvear at that tyme vsed yovv may best knovv by the exampl of dealing vvith maister Tregion at Lanson of maister Rigby of maister Christophor watson vvho perished at york vvith the infection of the prison as 18. other prisoners for religion ded 1581. Add to this the strict examination of Iustices the proceading of the high commissioners the inquisitors in E. the Harpies at visitations the promoters in temporall courts informing against them purseuants searching the hovvses of men but suspected and how much they wear noted that affoorded anie charitie or almes to such persons And surelie it is a thing I maruelat that so great and wise counsellors would not remember that note of Tacitus as a stayne of gouernment that â—oâ— esse delatores in republica vvas a certan sumptome of a diseased state I can not forget tho I would Racks and torments the examinoâ—s of Fa Campion and Fa. Sowthwel and manie others but satius est pertransire calamitatâ—m publiâ—am Therfor I may iustlie affirme that the Catholicks in England ded endure greater torture by the lawes of the realm then the Geuses ded by the Inquâ—sition and had therfor nead of more commiseration speciallie vvhen puâ—itans Anabaptists Arrians nor Atheists wear so curiously searched for nor so terriblie afflicted But the great cross Crosslet is this exceading all punishment that they generallie gaue owt in proclamations 1591. and in the book of execution of iustice that no man was punished for religion no mans conscienc was examined for his faith A politick deuise to blind the world with show of humanitie and to preserue the opinion of the Quenes mercie vnstayned vvith anie aspersion of creweltie so they abuse the credulitie of forrein states to aggrauate the offences of preasts and prisoners But was no man punished for religion in Q Eliz. tyme 1. ther vvas a general pardon 1581. whearin a strict caution and prouiso was that the benefit thereof should not be extended to anie person in prison or recusant for matter of religion and yet all malefactors had ther part in the pardon and was this no punishment nor partialitie 2. the Recusants pay 20. li. povvnds a month in regard of ther religion is this no punishment is not this properly called Sawl moonie The Turk layeth not such a tribut vpon the conscienc of Christians nor Christians vpon the Iewes 3. the old prelates and Cleargie all dyed in prison or in exile for ther religion and yet no man is punished either in goods or bodie or libertie What contradictions ar these and how palpable The Ladie Morlie La. Brown and La. Guildeford 1575. Hollinshead recordeth as a matter to be noted that thresuch ho. persons wear committed to prison onelie for hearing Mass and was this no punishment leases wear mayd of two parts of diuers of ther lands and was that no punishment But to conclude the loyaltie of these Recusants might appeare to the king plainlie by ther petition to his maiestie 1604. and manie tymes after and euer by ther obedienc and in Q. Eliz. tyme by ther protestation 1588. mayd at Ely whear they wear keapt prisoners by the offers they mayd to the Lord North Liuetennant there by the iustification of them by the letters of the Lords of the counsel and by ther submission sent to the Lords not withstanding all excommunications and so the Irish Recusants ioyning ther forces vvith the Quenes 1600. at Kinsal showed them selfs subiects à bsolutè and not ex conditione Now it is tyme to draw to a conclusion An ansvver to the questions proposed in the beginning and deliuer vp an accoumpt and somme of all and decide those quaestions proposed in the beginning of this discourse that Princes may know how farr and how safelie they may repose them selfs ther persons and states vpon the loyaltie of Catholick subiects First therfor touching the last quaestion vvhether to be a protestant and a loyal subiect be not more in compatible and more improbable then to be a Catholick and loyal It is in this discourse largelie demonstrated both by ther first generation in Germanie and Geneua by ther progresse in France by ther proceading in Holland and by ther sedition in Scotland The scope and end of them all was to sett vp the doctrine of Luther and Caluin to ruine the Church and aduanc the desseins of ambition oft intermingled with these fayre showes of Reformation Novv as yow can never plant anie new sect withowt faction conuenticles associations so to faction and schisme sedition is an accident inseparable for therupon all magistrates and lavves ar resisted and that vvith violenc for no vvar is so passionate as the vvars of conscienc Remember the natiuitie of Lutheranisme the Huguenots and Geuses and how vvell they vvear mantained by the svvord euen from ther Cradle so as they grevv to that height of presumption that either they vvould vnking ther soouerains and create them selfs Lords as in Holland or by tyring and terrifijng ther Princes vvith armes and tumults force them to pacification as in France or absolutelie depose ther Princes vvhen they became maisters and commanders of the state as Scotland can vvel remember and haith cavvse So likevvise on the contrarie part consider exactlie vvhether it be so impossible as some by ther books haue misinformed the vvorld for a Preast or a Roman Catholick to be a good subiect vvhich question concerneth vs