woode stone siluer and gold c. As Elisha cried vnto the true God so also did we in the daie of our trouble We fasted and praied lifting vp our hearts and our handes vnto God in the heauens commending our selues and all our forces onely to him Therefore as the priests of Baal laboured in vaine so also did the Spanyard As Elija Iehosaphat Mordechaie and Ester and many other the good seruants of God were heard in that they praied so also were we Wherefore as Elija by this argument confounded the priests of Baal proouing their god to be no god their worship to be false worship and contrarily did approoue himselfe to worship the true God in true manner so also why may not we by the like argument condemne the god of the Pope and the Spanyards to be no god and their religion likewise to be no religion and on the contrarie conclude and boldly affirme our God only to be the true God and our religion to be that religion which this our true God hath once commanded doth daily commaund and euer accepteth Truly so great was our daunger in that expedition of the Spanyard against vs that sithence our deliuerāce from the same we may truly say as the Church saith psal 124. If the Lord had not bin on our side may England now say if the Lord had not bin on our side they had then swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs then the waters had drowned vs the streame had gone ouer our soule then had the swelling waters gone ouer our soule Praised be the Lord which hath not giuen vs as a praie vnto their teeth Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken and we are deliuered Our helpe is in the name of the Lord which hath made heauen and earth This whole psalme in respect of our mightie deliuerance may we as truly applie vnto our selues as before we shewed that we might applie part of the song of Moses and the Israelites when they were newly deliuered from their slauerie and bondage out of the lande of Egypt 4. The second example of these mixt workes of God against Pope and poperie and also for vs and our religion is the honourable and happie successe of our forces last yeare sent forth against the Spanyards vnder the conduct of the right honourable and most worthie Earle of Essex and the Lord Admiral especially if it be compared with the former successe of the Spanyard against vs. For the Spanyard comming against vs as before is said with such huge and mightie forces as he thought inexpugnable and finding vs as it were in a manner altogether vnprepared to meete him so suddenly and indeede of our selues not able then to haue resisted him yet could not so much as set any footing of any one man within any part of our land but by the mightie hand of God stretched out from heauen against him was forced to returne in vain yea with losse at the least of halfe his forces both shippes and men by the waie to the euerlasting shame and dishonour of him and of his religion But on the contrarie our forces beeing nothing so great as his were neither comming vpon him on the suddaine without his great preparation for them did yet so mightily preuaile by the power of God going before them and with them and the feare of God falling vpon the Spanyards as sometime vpon the Shechemites and their neighbour nations Gen. 35. 5. that comming not into any obscure riuer but to one of the most famous hauens in all Spayne and finding the same furnished with a mightie Navie of the king his greatest shippes did not withstanding both foile all the foresaide Navie and also land not some but as many of their men as themselues would and within few daies did both take and sacke not some little village but one of the chiefest richest and strongest townes in all his kingdome strongly fortified with men and plentifully furnished with victuall and whereof by report of them that were there that know the place euery house was built of stone and in forme and strength like vnto a castle Thus did our God blesse and prosper our forces against him with losse of no man of reckoning but onely one and of no more of the common soldiours then is most likely in so great a multitude would haue died at home So did our armies returne as with a sufficient spoyle and bootie so with exceeding great honour and renowne What shall we say of these things that by our hand and strength we haue gotten the victorie God forbid that we should so robbe God of his honour But let vs more truly answer as the Apostle answereth the like question of admiration with these wordes If God be with vs who can be against vs Rom. 8. 31. Euen so let vs touching the confusion of the Spanish forces and the gracious successe of our owne likewise answer and say God hath beene with vs therefore it skilleth not who hath beene against vs and on the contrarie God hath beene against the Spanyard and therefore it hath not holpen him against vs whomsoeuer he hath had with him 5 A third example also of like mixt workes of God against Pope and poperie and for vs and our religion is that ouerthrow which the last winter the Lord himselfe without any meanes of man gaue to a great power of Spanish shippes sent towards Ireland for aide and strengthening of the rebells against vs. This power of shippes beeing not so much as exspected of vs did the Lord by his mightie power so graciously confound in our behalfe that we neuer heard of their comming till tidings came of their drowning And may we not here also adde the happie successe of our last voyage this present yeare against the Spanyard as likewise the contrarie of the Spanish Navie againe sent hither against vs yes verily These doe no lesse deserue the registring then the former these are as well worthie the obseruation as the former finally these speake as plainely for our religion and against poperie as the former For as touching this second voyage of that most worthie and honourable Earle albeit at the first God himselfe seemed as it were to froune vpon vs and to resist vs for the triall of the courage and proouing the patience and likewise the better humiliation of the saide Earle and his forces and finally for instructing of vs as well as the Spanyard that the proceeding in any voyage must not be according to the will and pleasure of man but according to his will and pleasure that ruleth and gouerneth as well by sea as by lād yet afterward all things considered the Lord hath not much lesse if any whit lesse at all magnified his great mercies towards vs and his gospel and his iustice against Spayne and poperie then he did the last yeare at the taking and sacking of Cales For first
saie his pride be considered against men as before it hath beene noted against God For how can he that lifteth himselfe aboue God or at the least matcheth himselfe in all things with God make any account of men This pride of his against men is so well knowne to all that fewe words thereof will suffice For how doth he entertaine the ambassadours of all Princes sent vnto him or any other that goe to see his holines what curtesie doth he shew them Forsooth he vouchsafeth nothing vnto them but onely the kissing of his filthie foote Therefore if the Earle of Wylshire his dogge at the holding forth of the Pope his foote to be kissed of some there present had bitten it cleane off as he ranne took it into his mouth had he not beene as worthie thereof as Iezabel was to be wholly eaten and deuoured of dogges How also doth his pride appeare in riding vpon mens shoulders as thinking the earth too base for his princely foote to tread thereon and all other creatures almost too vyle to beare his diuine person What shall we say also of his triple crowne of most pure golde set with all pretious stones not like to the thornie crowne that Christ did weare but farre passing all the diademes of all other Princes yea what further shall we say of his monstrous abusing of the Emperours from time to time when they were greater then now they are Hath he not made them with their wiues and children to waite many daies togither at his court gates as if they had beene beggers at some rich man his dore crauing an almes of some small peece of siluer or of bread and cheese Hath he not sent them whither it pleased himselfe to doe their penance inioyned by him Hath he not commanded them what seruice he would as if they had not onely beene his pages but also his lackies Hath he not commanded them to hold his sâ—yrrop and rewarded them with a blow on the eare for holding the wrong styrrop Hath he not troad on their necks hath he not crowned them with his feete will any doubt of these things because they are reported by M. Fox in the booke of Martyrs Let him knowe that M. Fox hath these things out of the bookes of other euen of their owne religion which haue written more largely of these things then M. Fox could doâ— So it pleased God to haue the memoriall of his intollerable pride preserued by his owne brood that the posteritie might make the lesse doubt thereof Againe what shall I saie of the right which he chalengeth to himselfe for aduancing and deposing for setting vp and putting downe Kings and Princes at his pleasure what shall I saie of those bulls excommunications and hellish but yet foolish thunder bolts against the Lord his annointed ouer vs for the cursing of her Maiesties owne person and discharging all her subiects of all obedience vnto her what shall I saie of the continuall debate contention strife and warres which alwaies he hath made betwixt Princes May this fellow truly saie as our Sauiour saith Matth. 11. 29. Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart Nay rather he may truly saie Take heede of me for I am proud and haughtie in heart May he also saie as the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 131. Lord mine eyes are not haughtie neither are mine eyes loftie c Nay rather also he may make a cleane contrarie hymne to be sung in a contrarie tune Saint Peter whose successour he vaunteth himselfe commaunded all men to submit themselues to Kings and to honour them 1. Pet. 2. 13 and 17. But he commandeth all Kings to submit themselues to him and to honour him Saint Peter beeing iustly reprehended by Saint Paul Galat. 2. 14. did patiently take the same reprehension and after that wrote neuerthelesse of Saint Paul 2. Pet. 3. 15. But the Pope to preuent all such reprehensions and to stoppe the mouthes of all men that no man may dare to finde any fault with him chalengeth this as a speciall prerogatiue as we haue heard before that no man may saie vnto him Why dost thou so 6 That which hath bin said of him may also be said of his Cardinalls Bishops other of his traine Like master like man They are all of one broode of the same nature of the same spirite Such also as the Pope himselfe is such haue bin many of his whelps here in England From whom haue all treasons come all insurrections all rebellions all conspiracies against her Maiesties person the whole state of the land Haue they not come from Iesuits Seminary priests and as they call them catholique noble-men and gentlemen It cannot be denied What also shall we say of the murther of the late French king by a Iacobine fryer and of other like practises of the Papists against their Soueraignes in other countries Can the Protestant be iustly charged with any such things against their princes though popish As for that of the Duke of Suffolke against Queene Marie as it was before the title of Queene Marie was thoroughly knowne so all men know what colour of reason he had to doe as he did by the will and testament of that noble Prince king Edward the sixth Besides it is also knowne how soone and willingly he yeelded himselfe As for the Ladie Iane how innocent shee was in that action the Chronicles of our land doe testifie Touching Sir Thomas Wyat he intended no hurt against the person of Queene Marie but by his oath to the will and testament of king Henrie the eight thinking himselfe bound to doe whatsoeuer he could for the hindring of all forraine gouernment he did therefore withstand the comming in of the Spanyard Concerning the late tumult of Hacket and his two associates as Hacket himselfe was iustly executed so the other two were condemned of all men in that behalfe and therefore all men see how farre this differeth from the continuall practises and heynous treasons of the Papists allowed and iustified in their open writings as appeareth by Cardinall Allin his booke of that matter and likewise approoued warranted by the Pope himselfe the head as they say of their Church 7 To leaue this 5. coÌ„mandement let vs come to the next wherein the Lord forbiddeth all crueltie and commandeth all mercie as likewise he doth in many other places Doe they therefore I meane the Pope and Papists as they are Papists behaue themselues any better in obseruation of this commaundement then all the former No certenly but such as their pride is such is their crueltie As the Scripture oftentimes ioyneth these two euills togither so also they concurre in them For it may be truly saide of them as the Prophet writeth of his time psal 73. 6. Pride is as a chayne vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment This is manifest by that which hath beene before spoken of the persequution of the Protestants in our owne land of the
earth and in hell it selfe This addeth no small force vnto my argument against him and all his religion For if he were he whom he vaunteth himselfe to be if he were Peter his successour and Christ his viccar-generall vpon earth if he were the head of the Church if he had the keies of heauen if he could not erre how could he haue erred in sending forth so many curses causeles or if the cause of his curses were iust the which he rather pretendeth how could he so often haue cursed without successe Christ hath said and promised to Peter and his successour as they teach that whatsoeuer or whomsoeuer he should binde or loose in earth the same should be bound or loosed in heauen Haue his curses beene such verily they neuer came halfe waie to heauen or els when they came there Saint Peter was so fast asleepe that they could not awake him to let them in or els when they were let in or crouded in they were nipped in the head and by the regents there retained with a Nescio or Non placet But I will not speake too much of this least I prouoke his holines to commence an action against Christ himselfe for not keeping promise yea to sende out a bull and excommunication against him For then what should become of vs poore Protestants if our head should be thus hardly dealt withall 6 Notwithstanding I feare him not greatly sith I haue seene by so much experience that his bulls are but bubbles yea that the high court of heauen hath alwaies turned his cursings into blessings For I doubt not but that the more he hath cursed her Maiestie and this lande the more God hath blessed both Elisha cursed the two captaines with their fifties which were sent to apprehend him and carrie him to the King and presently fire came downe from heauen and consumed them 2. King 1. 11. Elisha cursed those vnhappie hangmans and wicked boyes that mocked him and presently came two Beares out of the forrest which deuoured them 2. King 2. 29. The same Prophet likewise cursed his seruant Gehazi for that sinne which before we haue heard to be the life of the Pope and presently the leprosie of Naaman did fasten on him and cleaue vnto him 2. King 5. 27. Dauid cursed Ioab praying the Lord to remember him according to his wickednes 2. Sam. 3. 39. so it fell out to Ioab 1. King 2. 34. Paul cursed Elimas the sorcerer with blindnes and immediately there fell on him a myst darknes so that he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand Act. 13. 11. If therefore this bonus senex and holy father had cursed with the same spirit wherewith they cursed and in the same name in whose also they cursed his curses also would haue had the same effect But sithence they had the cleane contrarie may we not safely conclude that he is not the Vickar of Christ but rather the deputie of the deuill and that the vickar of Saint fooles is his ghostly father yea that he is the aduersarie of Christ and childe of perdition in taking vpon him to curse the annointed of the Lord who is also the blessed of the Lord. Certenly forasmuch as his curses are no more effectuall but alwaies turned into such blessings I wish he would likewise curse me for then I thinke I should both liue the longer notwithstanding my present infirmities of bodie which daily threaten death vnto me and also euerie other way be the more blessed Dauid hoped of some good from the Lord for cursing of Shimei after another manner 2. Sam. 16. 12. so if the Pope would also curse me I should hope to fare likewise the better thereby 7 To end this argument therfore drawne frō such examples if Nabuchadnezzer seeing the mightie deliuerance of Shadrack Meshach and Abednego in the fierie ouen did acknowledge their God to be the only God Dan. 3. 29. If Darius seeing the straunge preseruation of Daniel from the mouth of the Lyons when he was cast into their denne to haue bin deuoured of them did likewise confesse the God of Daniel to be the liuing God which remaineth for euer Dan. 6. 26. shall any that professe themselues and would be accounted Christians see so many and so great mercies of God towardes other professing our religion and so miraculously bestowed shal any I say that would be accounted Christians seeing all these things done by God himselfe for the vpholding and maintaining of our religion and the professours thereof yet make doubt of our God whither he be the liuing God and of our religion whither it be the true religion 8 Yea but me thinketh I heare one obiect the great plentie that was in the time of poperie when one might buie 24. egges for a pennie a good cowe for a noble or eight shillings an oxe for a marke a sheepe for twentie pence a bushell of wheat for foure or sixe pence And that sithence this new religion for which I now plead came vp there was neuer such plentie neither was it euer so merrie with vs. This is an old obiection and worne in a manner with often handling cleane through yea it is so olde that it is euen rotten and consumed so that if it be but touched it will fall to dust or pouder It was vsed by the Iewes to Ieremie against the word of God that he preached and for defence of their former idolatrie When say they we worshipped the Queene of heauen or as some doe read more generally the things of heauen then we had plentie of victualls and were well and felt no euill but sithence we left such idolatrie we haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine Ier. 44. 17 18. To this obiection I returne a threefold answer briefly First I saie that this plenty of things in former time of poperie is not easily prooued as spoken For although a man might then buie so much for so little as hath beene spoken of yet this prooueth not such plentie except there had beene as great plentie also of money to haue bought the other things so cheape Then a penie was as hard to come by as a tester is now for then a labouring man had but a penie a daie for his worke but now he hath sixe pence or a groat at the least Therefore it skilleth not though things be now dearer then they were then as long as money is more plentifull and easie to be come by So likewise it may be saide as well of the commodities which the poore man hath to sell as which the rich man hath When therefore a man may haue a groat nowe or sixe pence as easily as then he could haue a penie may he not as well giue a groat or sixe pence for that which he buieth now as then he did giue a penie Secondly the number of people beeing now so encreased aboue that it was then as we see it to be and compared with the small number
of those times doth prooue that there was no greater plentie in those times then is now Yea rather doth not this commend the mercie and liberalitie of God the more in prouiding as well for the great multitude that is nowe by the meanes of the long and great peace we haue had as he did then for that small number of people that was then If it be obiected that many townes cities were greater then then now they be and that this prooueth as great a multitude to haue bin then as is now I answer that as some townes and cities are decaied so also many more both townes cities and villages are mightily encreased Thirdly though the former plentie of former times should be graunted yet it is not to be ascribed to poperie For then now also where poperie is there should be like plentie But we see the contrarie For in Spayne and other countries of poperie there is farre greater dearth at all times then where our religion is receiued THE FIFTH PART OF THE tenth argument touching the workes of God both against Poperie and for our religion NOw then let vs proceede and to the former exāples both of God his iust iudgement against poperie and Papists and also of his mercies for our religion and the professours thereof let vs adde an other sort of mixt workes of God that is of such things as God hath done both for one and also against the other and whereby at one and the same time he hath signified both his liking of the one and also his disliking of the other Here I will not referre the reader to the histories and bookes of other but doe onely intreat him wisely and in the feare of God to consider such things as haue beene so lately done in the eyes of the whole worlde as that euery childe of twelue yeares age knoweth them and talketh of them 2 First therefore let the great Navie of the king of Spayne sent forth anno Dom. 1588. for the inuasion of this kingdome and captiuating of the people if it had beene possible be considered with the successe which it had This Navie was so great as that the seas neuer before did beare the like and therefore also themselues did call it the inuincible Navie Neither was it sent forth onely by the King of Spayne himselfe but also with all the blessings that might be of the Pope and the whole Church of Rome As the whole popish holy cleargie in England in Queene Maries daies made many earnest and loude praiers went many solemne processions and sang many deuote Masses for the childe-birth and safe deliuerance of Queene Marie so in like manner did the Pope and colledge of Cardinalls and the whole holy Synagogue of Rome in Rome in Spayne and in many other places make the like supplications goe the like processions and sing the like masses for the good and happie successe of the saide Navie Therefore came this great armie not onely intending all violence and crueltie but also fully perswaded in their owne hearts of all victorie They made the like account of preuailing against Englande that sometime Senacherib King of Ashur with his Captaine Rabshakeh made of preuailing against Ierusalem and therefore saide no doubt in their hearts secretly the same that Rabshakeh spake in words openly 2. King 18. 25. Am I now come vp without the Lord to this place to destroy it The Lord hath saide vnto me goe vp against this land and destroie it They thought it had beene impossible for vs to haue escaped their hands as sometimes Benhadad king of Aram did thinke it impossible for the Israelites to escape out of his hands and therefore hearing that men were come out of Samaria against him he made not reckoning of it but said Whether they be come out for peace take them aliue or whether they be come ought to fight take them yet aliue 1. King 20. 18. Finally they so presumed vpon the vertue of the Popes blessing and vpon their great forces that they made reckoning before of deuiding the spoile amongst them as sometime Sisera and his mother with her wise ladies did of deuiding the spoile of the Israelites Iudg. 5. 29. 3 But what came of all this Truly as there neuer had beene sent forth the like power by sea against any people so was there neuer the like ouerthrow They had not cried loud ynough vnto their gods therefore they did not helpe them they set themselues against the God of heauen therefore he confounded them They said as the Egyptians saide Exod. 15. 9. We will pursue we will ouertake them we will deuide the spoyle our lust shall be satisfied vpon them we will draw our sword our hand shall destroy them but we may truly sing and say as Moses and the Israelites in that place sung and said vers 6 7 10. Thy right hand O Lord is glorious in power thy right hand O Lord hath bruised the enemie And in thy great glorie hast thou ouer throwne them that rose against thee thou sentest forth thy wrath which consumed them as the stubble Thou blewest with thy winde the sea couered them they sanke as lead in the mightie waters All this may we truly say because the Lord the Lord onely did ouerthrow Pharao and his people in the redde sea He gaue their flesh to be meate to the fishes as before he had giuen the flesh of the Egyptians Yea he did this in a maner without any strēgth of men he commanded both winde and sea against them and they both obeyed that so himselfe might haue all the glorie and none might giue any part thereof to vs neither we take any part thereof vnto our selues yea that so he might make it knowne to all the world that Pope and Spanyard had not onely opposed themselues vnto the Queene of England and her religion but also to the God of heauen and his truth So that as all the praiers processions and masses here in England for Queene Marie her safe deliuerance for the yong Prince in her wombe came to nothing in like maner did all the works of like deuotion by the Pope himselfe and the rest of the Church of Rome in Rome and elsewhere come to lesse then nothing For as before his curses of our Queene and land were turned into blessings so now also his blessings of the Spanyard and his forces were turned into curses Who seeth not by this that he that dwelleth in the heauens did laugh them to scorne and that that the Lord had them in derision as it is said and threatned vnto all such as assemble togither against the Lord and against his annointed psal 2. 2. c. As the prophets priests of Baal cried vnto their gods so did the Spanyard vnto his gods both which he imagineth to be in heauen and also before which he falleth downe and worshippeth in the earth I meane both vnto all his Saints and also to all his grauen images made of
originali sequitur quod ipsa fuit plus odita a deopro illo tempore quam Caâ—â— aut Iudas vel quicunque alius damnatus quod est impium nefarium dâ—cere probatur predicta conclusio sequendo doctrinam predictorum doctorum c. Nam quanto pena includens culpam est maior grauior tanto talis peccator a deo magis oditur sed pena virginis fuit maior quia plura bona perdidisset non propter aliud nisi quod deus ipsam in peccato concipivoluisset Igitur â—llo tempore illam deus plus quam alios odio habuisset Non enim est aliud odium dei quam subtractio gratie Sicut dilectio ipsius dei nihil aliud est quam gratie communicatio c. that is If the blessed virgin had beene conceiued in originall sinne it followeth that shee was more hated of God then Caâ—n or Iudas or any other that is damned which is impious and wicked to say And the former conclusion is prooued by following the doctrine of the foresaid doctours c. For how much the punishment including the fault is greater and heauier so much the more is such a sinner hated of god But the punishment of the virgin had beene greater because shee should haue lost more good things and for no other causeâ— then because God would haue her conceiued in sinne Therfore at that time God should haue hated her more then others For the harred of God is nothing els but the withdrawing of grace as his loue is nothing els but the communicating of his grace These things shall â—uffice for a tast of those nine learned sermoÌ„s the which in truth haue almost as many blaphemies as they haue words THE FOVRTH PART 1 AFter those sermons followeth officium beate virginis that is a seruice for the blessed virgin This seruice consisteth of many dishes of meat made readie for the virgin by the former cooke But before this seruice according to the manner of Princes is sounded a trumpet of great commendation by no meaner person then the most blessed father Pope Sixtus the 4. For the foresaid seruice beeing presented to his holines The seruice must be honourable that hath such a trumpet sounded before it that by such a trumpottour that he might appoint some other of his wisest and grauest diuines to examine the same and vpon examination taken to be truÌ„pettours for the proclaiming of the praises thereof he answered that he himselfe would doe it Hauing therefore examined it he allowed it first by his word of mouth commaÌ„ding it to be published and secondly by a short apostolicall writing ratifying and confirming the same with these wordâ— in the end of that â—aâ—ification and confirmation for the better credit thereof Non obstantibus constitutionibus ordinationibus apostolicis ceterisque contrarâ—is quibuscunque The meaning whereof is this that no other constitutions and ordinations apostolicall neither any other coâ—trarie seruices whatsoeuer should let or hinder the same leafe 49. B. Then followeth aâ— other solemne commendation of that seâ— uice in the inscription or title thereof and after all this solemnitie commeth â—he seruiâ— it selfe to the table the first dish whereâ— is this 2 Dixit dominus dominemee sede a dextrâ— innocentie mee that is The Lord said vnto mâ—â— ladie sit thou on the right hand of my innocencie Again Laudate pueridominaÌ„ super omnes gentes in conceptu gloriosam O childreâ— praise ye the ladie aboue all nations gloriouâ— in her conception Againe Letatus sum in 〈◊〉 que dicta sunt mihâ— concepta est hodie regina ceâ—â— I reioyced in those things that were saide vnto me to daie is conceiued the queene of heauen Againe Laudate Hierusalem dominam quia non fecit taliter vlli nationi sicut fecit dilectissime matri Praise the Lord O Ierusalem because he hath not dealt so with any nation as with his most beloued mother 3 The second dish is this Dominus possedit me in initio viarum suarum antequam quicquam faceret a principio ab eterno ordinata sum ex antiquis antequam terra fieret nec dum erant abyssi cum ego tam concepta eram The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his waies before he made any thing at the beginning From euerlasting was I ordained from of old before the earth was made There were no depths and I was now conceiued 4 Betwixt these dishes and those that follow our ladie must haue a little musicke and there is the hymne or song Gaude mater saluatoris magni vellâ—s Gedeonis Rubus igne qui non vris verum templum Salomonis Sponsa dei stella maris porta celi tu vâ—caris Mundi salus seuientis caput cedens Holofernis Mare sicco calle transis currus mergens Pharaonis Inque Sâ—on dominaris pulsis inde Iebuseis Asuexi regis sceptrum Caput tangens virgo tuum mori fecit laqueatum Aman sanctis inimicum Babilonis rex in predam non abduxit te captivam Philistei nec Golie es transfixus pugione Sicut suum sol nitorem nunquÌ„aem per dit nec decorem Primipatris sic tu labem nullam sentis nec fetorem Tu soloccasum nesciens Iunaque semper rutilans Tusydus lucem pariens delicti nubes profugans NuÌ„llus in te conâ—identes vnquam vidit infelices Vere tibi nam deuotus est necesse sit beatus Ad te ergo nos clamantes in hac valle lacrymantes Adnuptias eternales fac venire triumphantes Reioyce of Iesus mother deere Thou fleece of noble Gedeon Thou bush that burnest not with fire Thou temple of true Salomon Of God the spouse of sea the starre Of heauen the gate thou called art To raging world thou didst giue health To Holofernes deadly smart In sea thou walkest as on drie land Drowning Pharao with his rout In Sâ—on also dost thou raigne By chasing Iebusites thence out The scepter of king Assuere Touching O virgin head of thine Did cause proud Haman hangd to be Who against thy saints did still repine Of Babylon the king in praie Did not away thee captiue lead No Philistine Goliah stout With sword could kill or lay the dead As sunne his brightnes doth not loose But still his beautie keepeth well So thou of first father no staine Dost feele or any filthie smell Thou art the sunne that goest not downe Thou art that moone which stil giust light Thou art the starre which alwaies shines Thou cloudes of sinne driuest out of sight None such as once doe trust in thee Did euer see vnhappie man But he to thee that is deuout Must blessed be as any can To thee therefore we loud doe call And in this vale with teares doe crie That to the eternall marriage We may once come triumphantly 5 Then followeth an other dish with an other fitte of mirth after which follow many other dishes which they call by the name of lessons because they were to
Massacre in France of the Spanish inquisition of the dispensations graunted by the Pope for the murthering of her Maiestie and of the villanous killing of the French king For further proofe also of the crueltie of the Catholike Prince the king of Spayne in all those places where he raigneth by right or wrong by inheritance or violence and vsurpation I referre the reader to the late booke of the intertainment of English fugitiues by the Spanyard In this booke the Spanish crueltie is both largely described and also exactly penned Therefore this booke beeing so lately come forth and handling this matter so well I doe onely referre the reader hereunto Yea the Papists haue not onely beene cruell to the liuing but also to the deade For doe not all men know that they digged vp the bones of Bucer and Paulus Phagius sommoned them beeing dead long before to appeare in their Court and condemned them and at last buried their bones solemnely at Cambridge Did they not also digge vp the bodie of one Margaret Elyot that had died in prison did they not I saie digge vp her bodie after that it was buried three or foure daies and so burnt the same Is such crueltie a note of that religion that is acceptable to him that hath commaunded his children to be mercifull as himselfe is mercifull Touching the seauenth commandement not to speake of the filthie adulteries fornications incests and such like abominations of particular persons euen of their Cardinalls Bishops whereof some haue beene taken in adulterie the next night after they haue much inueighed against the marriage of ministers others haue beene taken in ginnes as they haue climed windowes to defile other mens wiues yea not to speake of the like filthines of the Pope his owne holines that hath beene taken in the very acte of adulterie and slaine at that very instant Not I saie to speake of these and other the like things all the world knoweth that their whole Church doth allowe Stewes and houses of bawdrie where any man may haue his whore according to his abilitie to giue for them some for twentie shillings some for tenne shillings some for tenne groates yea for sixe pence Any olde men that knew the Stewes here in our owne lande at London and all trauellers into other countreies can witnesse these thinges I feate also that many trauellers knowe the trueth of these things too much The Apostles condemne all fornication and wantonnesse yea they commaund the Church not to suffer one such filthie person amongst them least by one many be defiled and made to fall from the grace of God 1. Cor. 5. 4 c. Hebr. 12. 16. How much lesse then should the Church suffer whole houses and great companies of many harlots Hither also appertaine the abhominable dispensations that the Pope hath graunted for vnlawefull incestuous marriages contrarie to the written worde of God yea and to very nature it selfe the which also he might as well haue graunted for the marriage of a man with a beast Can all these things so contrarie to the expresse Scriptures be saide to be done by that spirit by inspiration whereof the Scriptures were giuen 9 To come to the eight commandement against theft all iniustice against our neighbour in his goods they offend as much herein as in the former For by what authoritie or right doth the Pope himselfe his Cardinalls Bishops Abbots Pryors Monks Fryers Priests Canons Peticanons and other of his generation gather such great masses and infinite summes of money of all sorts of people as they doe For what doe they either for soule or bodie worthy any thank much lesse worthie so great and ample reward The King of Spayne also the Pope his eldest sonne yet not his heyre though his fellow heyre of the blacke and darke kingdome by what authoritie or right or colour of either or of both hath he by his force and violence gotten all those forraigne kingdomes which he hath gotten and which he holdeth as vniustly as he hath got them But what neede I thus to accuse the persons of the Pope and papists of the transgression of this commaundement their religion it selfe especially at the wel-spring thereof is altogether couetousnes It is an olde saying that Omnia venalia Romae and this saying though it be old yet is it not moldie or cast away by them but fresh and as it were new baked and therfore as much set by and as much fedde vpon by the daintiest mouthes amongst them as euer it was yea many of them that thinke scorne of much other good and daintie meate doe feede of this as sauourly and hungerly as if they had not had a good meales meat an whole yeare before But I forget my selfe to speake of their persons whē I charged their religion of couetousnes I saie therefore that couetousnes is the foode and the very life of poperie For in poperie what is not to be bought for money To omit the common sale of all their preferments euen of the popedome it selfe who knoweth not that masses dirges trentalls forgiuenes of sinnes release from Purgatorie and heauen it selfe as poperie maketh men beleeue may be had for money Hence it is that the former generall prouerbe All things are to be sold at Rome hath brought forth another in wordes more particular but in sense and meaning as large and generall No penie no pater noster whereby is signified that in poperie the very least thing is not to be had graiis that is freely and without money and no maruaile for sith they teach that God himselfe giueth not heauen freely and without merits why should their religion giue the commodity it hath without siluer Neither in poperie may a man haue onely pardon for any sinne committed but also a dispensation and license for the committing and doing of any thing how wicked and vniust soeuer it be as hath bin touched before How contrarie is this manner of dealing as well to the practise of holy men in the scriptures as to the other doctrine of the scriptures Elisha refused the gift of Naaman offered and vrged vpon him though Naaman had first recouered his health by the meanes of Elisha The Pope taketh where nothing is offered and for which nothing is performed S. Peter also beeing offered money by Simon the sorcerer for power that on whome soeuer he did laie his hand he might receiue the holy Ghost answered with great indignation Thy money perish with thee c. Act. 8. 20. The Pope is not onely readie to sell greater matters for money then those gifts of the holy Ghost or at the least to take money for words onely of greater matters but also is so greedie to sell them that he will rage and roare like a lyon if money be not offered vnasked or not presently paide as soone as it is demanded Can we therefore thinke that the Pope taketh all such things by the same spirit wherby Elisha and Peter refused that