abrogated Christs institution in the celebration of the Lords supper not onely taking away the cuppe from the communicants but making a priuate action of that which should be a communion Is not this as much as the Pharisies did Mat 15. that transgressed Gods commaundement for their owne tradition And do not the Papists ordaine that vnwritten traditions should be receiued with equall affection to the holy Scriptures Againe what reason haue they to curse and anathematise Iam. 4. nay to put to cruell death such as obey not their ordinances and vniust decrees S. Iames saith We haue but one Law-giuer that is able to saue and destroy And no where do we reade that the Church of Christ did persecute Christians and put them death for matters of their conscience and religion much lesse for matter of ceremonies or such obseruances Neither can the aduersarie shew that bishops excommunicated Christians that would not rebell and take armes against their Liege Soueraignes Which of vs saith Optatus lib. 2. contra Parmenian did persecute any man The Apostle he commaundeth euery soule to be subiect to higher powers and not to rebell How vntolerable then are the Romish decretals and rescripts that not onely bind mens consciences in things frée otherwise but also in things that may not be done without impietie Likewise haue diuers complained of the abuse of popish excommunications That which our Sauior Christ saith If he heare not the Church let him be to thee as a heathen man or Publican that the popish faction translateth to the ridiculous censure of the Pope And therefore excommunicateth al that place not the Churches vnwritten traditions in equall rancke with diuine Scriptures or that beléeue not that Christians can performe the lawe perfectly and are iustified before God by the workes of the law or that hold not the doctrine of the Romish Church concerning their seuen Sacraments or that do not worship Images or that receiue not their doctrine of indulgences and purgatorie and all the heresies and abhominations of the Pope or that submit not themselues to his tyrannie or that refuse to pay his annates or taxes or whatsoeuer he and his suppostes require Nay they excommunicate the subiects that rebell not against their lawfull Kings After that Pius the fifth that wicked and cruell hypocrite had commanded that neither the Lords nor people of England should obey Quéene Elizabeths commandements or lawes it followeth In Bulla contra Elizabetham Qui secus egerint eos anathematis sententia innodamus That is Those which shall do otherwise we pronounce accursed or anathema Neither did the Pope onely in time past thunder out those curses but also gaue leaue to euery base companion and for euery small trifling cause to inflict most grieuous censures Petrus de Alliaco speaking of the Pope and his excommunications complaineth that he gaue leaue to his Collectors to thunder out excommunications to the offence of many and that other Prelates for debts and light causes did cruelly excommunicate poore men De reform Eccles Saepè saith he per suos Collectores in multorum scandalum fulminauit alij Praelati leuiter pro leuibus causis vt pro debitis huiusmodi pauperes excommunicatione crudeliter percutiunt The Germaines complaine Grauam 34. that many Christians were excommunicated at Rome for prophane causes and for gaine to the trouble of diuers mens consciences Romae say they caeterisque in locis per Archiepiscopos ac Episcopos aut saltem eorum ecclesiasticos iudices multi Christianorum ob causas prophanas ob pecuniae denique ac turpis quaestus amorem excommunicantur multorumque sed eorum in fide infirmorum conscientiae per hoc aggrauantur in desperationem pertrahuntur Scotus in 4. sent dist 19. complaineth De reform Eccles that the Church did too often strike with this sword and Petrus de Alliaco saith that by this abuse the sword of the Church was in his time growne into great contempt Of late time the Popes of Rome haue excommunicated Emperours and kings if they would not depart with their townes countries and crownes and yeeld to their legats what they demaunded How intolerable this abuse was we may perceiue if we consider the heauinesse of this censure being rightly inflicted by the true Church Our Sauiour sheweth that the partie excommunicate is to be holden for a heathen man and a Publican Tertullian Apolo 39. doth call it the highest fore-iudgement of the future iudgement Lib 1. Epist 11. ad Pomp. Summum futuri iudicij praeiudicium Cyprian doth esteeme them as killed with the spirituall sword Superbi contumaces saith he spirituali gladio necantur dum de Ecclesia eijciuntur Commonly excommunication is called Anathema and Chrysostome homil 70. ad populum Antioch calleth it the bond of the Church We are therefore no lesse to be thankfull for our deliuerance from the Popes vniust lawes then the auncient Christians for their exemption from the yoke of the Pharisies and from humane traditions from which by the preaching of the Gospell they were freed Neither may we think it a simple fauour that we are made to vnderstand that the crackes of the Popes thundring excommunications are no more to be feared then the ratling of Salmoneus that impious fellow that with certaine engines went about to counterfeit the noise of thunder We knew alwaies that a man vniustly excommunicated and by a Iudge vnlawfull was no way preiudiced Origen in Leuit. homil 48. speaking of a person excommunicate saith that he is not hurt at all being by wrongfull iudgement expelled out of the congregation Nihil laeditur in eo quod non recto iudicio ab hominibus videtur expulsus And the aduersaries confesse that excommunication pronounced vniustly and by him that is not our Iudge bindeth not C. nullus 9. q. 2. and C. nullus primus 9. q. 2. and C. sententia 11. q. 3. But few vnderstood the iniustice and nullitie of the Popes lawes and that he neither was nor is a competent iudge vntill such time as by true preaching of the Gospell which by Queene Elizabeth was restored vnto vs the man of sinne beganne to be reuealed CHAP. X. Of our deliuerance from heresie schisme superstition and Idolatrie THese things therefore considered it cannot be denied but that her Maiesties godly reformation brought great profite to the Church of England Yet if we please to looke backe to the heresies of the Papists and to remember how they liued in heresie schisme superstition and idolatry we shall the rather praise God for that great deliuerance of his Church which he wrought by the meanes of our late Quéene For heresie and false doctrine is the bane and canker of the Church The Apostle Paul If an Angel from heauen should teach vs any other Gospel or doctrine beside that whith himselfe had taught the Galathians Gal. 1. doth pronounce him accursed S. Iohn in his second Epistle forbiddeth vs
out most of their prayer bookes in Latine and closely forbid the common seruice and liturgie of the Church to be said in vulgar languages In the 22. session of the Conuenticle of Trent where they anathematise them that hold that the Masse should be celebrated in vulgar tongues their meaning is to establish the rites of the Romish Church and the Latine seruice and to prohibit the vse of vulgar tongues in publike liturgies And this is also proued by the practise of the synagogue of Rome that alloweth the prayers of such as pray in Latine albeit like Parrots they vnderstand not what they prattle and by the testimonie of Hosius Bellarmine and others writing vpon that argument But this practise is most barbarous fruitlesse and contrary to the custome of Christ his Church in auncient time Si nesciero virtutem vocis saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. ero ei cui loquor barbarus qui loquitur mihi barbarus that is If I vnderstand not the meaning of the words I vtter I shall be to him to whom I speake barbarous and he that speaketh shal be barbarous vnto me And againe If I pray in a strange tongue my spirit prayeth but mine vnderstanding is without fruite And a little after I will pray with the spirit but I will pray with the vnderstanding also I wil sing with the spirit but I wil sing with the vnderstanding also Else when thou blessest with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen to thy blessing when he knoweth not what thou sayest These words are most direct against the Latine seruice of the Papists shewing first that the priest speaking in Latine when the people vnderstandeth nothing taketh a barbarous course Secondly that songs and prayers without vnderstanding profit nothing And lastly that it is ridiculous for the people to say Amen to the priest when they vnderstand not his prayer or blessing Vt quid loquatur saith S. Ambrose in 1. Cor. 14. quem nemo intelligit Why should he speake whom no man can vnderstand And againe What profite can he reape that vnderstandeth not what he speaketh And afterward An vnlearned man saith he hearing but not vnderstanding knoweth not the end of the prayer nor answereth Amen that is true that the blessing may be confirmed And finally Si ad edificandam Ecclesiam conuenistis ea dici debent quae intelligant audientes that is if ye be come together to edifie the church then must such things be spoken as the hearers vnderstand Omnis sermo qui non intelligitur saith S. Hierome in 1. Cor. 14. barbarus est that is Euery language that is not vnderstood is barbarous And againe If any speake with tongues not vnderstood of others his vnderstanding is made without fruite if not to himselfe yet to others And lastly Sic est loquendum vt intelligant alij We must so speake that others vnderstand Saint Augustine expounding these words of the Psalmist Beatus populus sciens iubilationem nullo modo beatus es saith he nisi intelligas iubilationem that is thou art no way blessed vnlesse thou vnderstand thy song of reioycing or iubilation And againe in Psal 99. he misliketh that our voice should only sing a song of reioycing or iubilation and not our heart Vt vox nostra sola iubilet cor non iubilet which is iust the case of Papists chanting with a loud voice and not vnderstanding what they chaunt or pray This place our aduersary encont 1. c. 9. nu 8. would take from vs by saying that S. Augustine doth not speake of any corporall singing psalmes but rather of inward iubilation But S. Augustine mentioning our voice and speaking of those that sing and exhorting men in this and such like psalmes to praise God doth refute the fellowes foolery Beside that if iubilation be with vnderstanding of the hart then by S. Augustines iudgement those cannot reioyce or vse iubilation that vnderstand not what they say as the Papists do in their iubilations and iubilies chanting like pies and parrots they know not what and not conceiuing any inward ioy of any thing is spoken by the priest that is as well vnderstood as a Monkie chattering with his téeth and squealing out an indistinct voice Theophylact also and Oecumemus writing vpon the first to the Corinthians c. 14. confirme our cause and ouerthrow the aduersaries Dicit quod expediat saith Oecumenius eum qui alia lingna loquitur siue in psalmodia siue in oratione siue in doctrina aut ipsum interpretari intelligere quid dicat ad vtilitatem auditorum aut aliū hoc facere conuenit He saith that it behoueth him that vseth a strange tongue either in singing praier or teaching either to interprete himselfe and to vnderstand what he saith for the profit of the hearers or that it is fitting another should do it Theophylact saith that the Apostle in the whole course of his speech doth shew that he that speaketh with a tongue not vnderstood profiteth himselfe nothing Iustine in his apologie and Dionysius in his Ecclesiastical hierarchie describing the practise of the Primitiue Church do plainely shew that the people vnderstood the Bishop answered him and concurred with him Hierome in prolog 2. in Epist ad Galat. and Gregorie Nazianzene in orat in laudem Basilij do testifie that the people did answer Amen to the priests prayer But how could they say Amen to his prayer not vnderstanding what he said Ephrem made diuers praiers and songs in the Syriake tongue which were frequently vsed in the Churches of Syria Iustinian the Emperor made a law that the prayers vsed at the celebration of the sacrament should be pronounced with an audible voice But to what purpose if it were sufficient that the people should be present onely and not vnderstand what is said or praid This practise is clearely testified by Nicholas Lyra writing vpon the fourtéenth Chapter of the first to the Corinthians In the primitiue Church blessings and other common things viz. in the Liturgie were in the vulgar tongues saith he The aduersaries also enforced by the euidence of truth confesse it were more profitable to haue prayers and the publike Liturgie of the Church in tongues vnderstood of the people rather then otherwise as may be gathered out of the words of Strabus Lyra Caietane and others writing vpon the first to the Corinthians chap. 14. Finally reason maketh against the vse of a tongue not vnderstood in publike prayers For if such are condemned as come neare to God with their lippes hauing their hearts farre from him then are not they to be allowed that in their prayers ioyne not their heart with their words Secondly the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 14. that it is a curse laid vpon infidels when God speaketh to them in other tongues Thirdly the tongue seruing to vtter our conceipts it is a most ridiculous thing for men to vtter things neither conceiued nor meant Lastly if the
Romaines and Greekes in auncient time might vse vulgar tongues in their publike Liturgies why is not the same both lawfull and commendable now Friar Robert Encont 1. cap. 8. endeuoureth to shew reason to the contrarie But his reason is weak and friuolous Comparing prayers with Scriptures he saith there is much lesse necessitie of publike seruice in vulgar tongues But if he had meant to defend the Popes cause and his owne and to propound the state of the controuersie betwixt vs aright he should haue said that there is no profit or vse at all of vulgar tongues in the publike seruice in the Church and that it is rather inconuenient and hurtfull then otherwise For if it be profitable and no way inconuenient why should not the publike Liturgie of the Church be in vulgar tongues Notwithstanding let vs sée how he proueth that Warn-word Encentr 1. cap. 8. which himselfe propoundeth albeit not the point in question First he saith that publike seruice is appointed to be said or sung to the praise of God and in the name of all the people by publike Priests and other ecclesiasticall officers appointed thereunto But if publike seruice be appointed to be said or song to the praise of God then vnlesse he exclude the people from the praises of God the people also is to concurre with the Priests in praysing of God which they cannot do vnlesse they vnderstand the language of the seruice But I trow he will not denie but that the people ought to ioyne in singing Psalmes and giuing thankes to God in the open congregation And therefore the Psalme 95. Come let vs sing vnto the Lord is commonly vsed in the beginning of Gods seruice and the people in auncient Liturgies were wont oftentimes to answer the Priest Againe it is false that publike seruice was appointed to be said and sung onely by ecclesiasticall officers and that the people did not as well pray for things necessarie as praise God for benefites receiued But how could they do this not knowing what they sayd or prayed If a man should present himselfe before the Pope and speake ghibrish or a language not vnderstood by the partie would he not thinke himselfe mocked He addeth further that it is not needfull for the people to be alwaies present at publike seruice but onely in spirit and consent of heart But the fellow doth plainely contradict himselfe For how can a man be present in spirit and consent of heart when he is absent with his vnderstanding and knoweth not what is done or said Beside that he ouerthroweth that which he would proue For if consent of spirit and heart be requisite in publike seruice then is it requisite the people should vnderstand what is said without which vnderstanding he cannot consent Lastly if it be profitable that the people be present in the congregation where God is serued that is sufficient for vs to proue our assertion For why should not the people méete to celebrate the praises of God being commaunded to kéepe his Sabboths And why should they rather be enioyned to heare Masse which is a profanation of Gods seruice then to come to the Church to praise God and to pray vnto him and to heare his holy word And if the people ought to do this then is it not sufficient that in time of seruice they should gape on the Priest or patter their Pater nosters or Aue Mariaes or rattle their beades as the ignorant Papistes vse to do Thirdly he supposeth he can proue seruice in an vnknowne tongue out of the ceremoniall law of Moyses For because it is said Luk. 1. That all the multitude of the people was praying without at the houre of incense while Zacharie offered incense within he would inferre very willingly that it is not necessarie the people should pray with the Priest in a tongue vnderstood But if this might be applyed to the Masse then would it also follow that the Priest might offer the sacrifice of the Masse without a Clerke and the people attend without in the church yard It would also follow that the people might not heare nor sée Masse For that the people might not enter within nor sée what was done in the sanctuarie Against vs this example fitteth not For neither can any strong argument be drawne from the ceremonies of the law that are now abrogated nor can Frier Robert shew that the Priests of the law prayed in a tongue not vnderstood or that they vsed any publike prayer which the people heard not Fourthly he alleageth that the three learned languages of Hebrew Greeke and Latine were sanctified by Christ in the title of his crosse But neither is he able to shew why these thrée languages should be called learned rather then others nor doth it follow that in publike seruice we should vse only these thrée languages because they were vsed in the title of the crosse vnlesse our aduersarie will graunt that it also followeth because Christ rode vpon an asse that he and his consorts are onely to ride vpon asses Fiftly he telleth vs that auncient Fathers testifie that it is not conuenient that all things that are handled in Church seruice praesertim in sacris mysterijs should be vnderstood by all vnlearned people in their owne vulgar languages And to prooue this he citeth Dionysius Origen S. Basil Chrysostome and Gregorie But herein he sheweth himselfe a shamelesse fellow albeit all men knew it before For none of these speaketh one word against vulgar languages Nay all of them shew that the people vnderstood the language of publike Liturgies Againe they deny not that it is conuenient that the people should vnderstand the mysteries of Christian religion but rather shew the difficultie of it But what is that to vulgar languages when the Priests themselues vnderstand not the mysteries of Christian religion A sixth argument he draweth from the practise of the Iewes supposing that in Iurie and Ierusalem the publike seruice was in Hebrew and that Hebrew was not vnderstood of the common people But neither was publike seruice in all Syria in Hebrew as appeareth by the songs and prayers of Ephrem in the Syrian tongue nor is it likely that the Iewes did not vnderstand Hebrew in Christs time seeing now all the Iewes as it is said teach their children Hebrew In Esdras lib. 2. cap. 8. it appeareth they vnderstood Hebrew Intellexerunt verba quae docuerat eos They vnderstood the words which he taught them That therefore which is spoken of interpretation is meant of the meaning and not of the words as very simply our aduersaries suppose His seuenth argument is taken from the example of the Apostles that as he saith appointed the order of seruice But this ouerthroweth our aduersaries cause For if the Apostles neuer appointed the Masse or the canon or that seruice should be said in a tongue not vnderstood but rather ordained another forme of celebration of Sacraments as I haue shewed in my bookes de Missa against
regnat per munera quaeque reguntur sayth one in hist citiz Pauli Langij Theodoric à Niem lib. 2. de schism c. 7. Vsura saith he tantum inualuit vt foenus non putaretur peccatum that is Vsurie did so preuaile that it was accounted no fault Paul the fourth and Pius the fourth set vp shops of vsury as their acts testifie and Onuphrius recordeth Neither the Popes nor their adherents obserue oath or promise as their acts do at large shew and many poore Christians brought into snare by their perfidiousnesse haue felt Theodoric à Niem lib. 3. de schism speaking of Pope Gregorie the twelfth saith that with his vowes and othes he deceiued the world Votis iuramentis suis decepit mundum Gregorie the seuenth contrary to his oath tooke vpon him the papacie as is recorded in the life of Henrie the fourth He did also absolue all the Emperors subiects frō their othes of allegiance to their soueraigne Prince The like practise did Pius the fift vse in discharging the subiects from their othes to the late Quéene The articles of the pacification of Gant anno 1578. were confirmed by solemne oath of the old King of Spaine and yet presently and wilfully broken Neither had the Popes faction in France any better colour to intrap poore Christians then othes For whiles the Admirall and diuers of the religion in France trusted solemne othes they were brought within danger and most cruelly and perfidiously massacred Neither need we to maruell if this sect obserueth no othes seeing in the conuenticle of Constance the same determined that faith was not to be kept with heretikes in which number they reckon all that yéeld not to the Popes will The Doctors of this sect hold that the Pope can dispence with othes and absolue men that are periured Finally those that haue trauelled France Italy and Spaine do know that the common sort of Papistes can scarce vtter thrée words without swearing and blaspheming The Popes and their faction haue caused all the warres and troubles in Christendome as histories do recount If a man do but look in the life of Sixtus the fourth Iulius the 2. he may easily sée what seditious and turbulent spirits they cary But what néed we looke so high seeing the flames of ciuil discension in Germanie France Flanders England and Ireland burning so bright by the solicitation of Paul the third Pius the fifth Gregorie thirtéenth and fourteenth and this Clement that now possesseth the throne of Antichrist do so plainely declare them to be firebrands of warre and trouble Well therefore said Petrarke that in Rome all those mischiefes were hatched that are now spread through the world and neuer shall Christian Princes haue loyall subiects as long as seditious Masse-priests are suffered to lurk within their kingdomes In countries subiect to the Pope they count it a little fault to murder mē now frō thence are come certaine assassins which for hire and by perswasions are induced to kill men There also impoysonments are most common The Popes themselues vse to drinke of poysoned cups and that by the iust iudgement of God séeing by the cup of their poysoned doctrine according to the prophecy Apoc. 17. they haue empoysoned many Christian nations To conclude this large discourse there is no state of men vnder the Popes iurisdiction but it is growne to great dissolution and corruption of manners and may be conuinced of diuers sinnes and abominations by infinite witnesses and confessions if we would stand vpon it but I will content my selfe with two or three Breidenbach in the historie of his peregrination speaketh generally and sayth Recessit lex à sacerdotibus c. that is the law is departed from priests iustice from princes counsell from elders good dealing from the people loue from parents reuerence from subiects charitie from prelates religion from Monkes honestie from yong men discipline from clerkes learning from masters study from schollers equitie from Iudges concord from citizens feare from seruants good fellowship from husbandmen truth from merchants valor from Noblemen chastitie from virgins humility from widowes loue from maried folks patience from poore men O time ô manners And Walter Mapes that liued in the time of Henry the second King of England Virtutes cunctae saith he en iacent defunctae All vertues lie now dead Charitie is no where to be found And againe In truth I find that the whole Cleargy doth studie wickednesse and impietie enuie raigneth truth is exiled The prelates are Lucifers heires They being now aduaunced tread downe others blinde guides they are and blinded with idolatrie of earthly things Robert Bishop of Aquila in his Sermons of which Sixtus Senensis maketh mention in the third booke of his Biblioth sanct speaketh thus to his countrie of Italie O Italia plange ô Italia time ô Italia caue ne propter obstinationem tuam in te desaeuiat ira Dei c. Tu in dies durior efficeris in peccatis malitia perseuerando Fiunt iam vbique vsurae publicae omnia foedata sunt spurcissimis vitijs carnis ignominiosae Sodomiae superbia pomparum iam occupauit omnes ciuitates terras blasphemia Dei periuria mendacia iniustitiae violentiae oppressiones pauperum similia superabundant O Italie saith he lament ô Italie feare ô Italie beware lest for thy obstinacie the wrath of God waxe not cruell against thee c. Thou euery day art more and more hardened perseuering in thy sinnes and maliciousnesse Euery where men set vp bankes of vsurie all things are defiled with most foule vices of the flesh and most shamefull sodomie Pride in pompous shewes haue now filled cities and countries blasphemies against God periuries lies iniustice violence orpression of the poore and such like vices do superabound I would further insist vpon this argument but that I referre diuers matters ouer to the second booke where I shall haue occasion more particularly to examine the good workes of Papists But the Church of England neither alloweth publike shewes nor bankes of vsurie nor dispenseth with oathes of subiects to Princes or alloweth periurie nor shall Robert Parsons find such filthines and abhominations among the professors of our religion as are commonly practised by the Popes Cardinals Masse-priests Monkes Friars and Nuns and their followers All corruptions in doctrine concerning good workes are reformed and diuers abuses concerning manners among the Papists taken away The which séeing it procéeded wholly of that reformation of religion which Quéen Elizabeth of pious memorie wrought by her regall authoritie among vs we are most gratefully to accept that worke and by exercises of pietie and charity to indeuour to shew our selues not vnworthie either of our profession or of so great a blessing Against this discourse Robert Parsons talketh very scornfully and saith first that the experience of the whole world will deny that good workes are fruites of our religion But if he had bene well aduised he would haue forborne to
the ignorance of Papists in matters of Religion the falshood and absurdities of their doctrine the burthensome and grieuous tyrannie of the Pope and then iudge without partialitie whether the same be not like the captiuitie of Babylon and darknesse of Aegypt out of which all true Christians ought to desire to be deliuered God graunt all men grace to see it and auoyde it CHAP. I. Of the ignorance both of the Clergie and Laitie of England in matters of Religion in Q. Maries time and generally of Masse priests and their followers at all times and in all places BEfore I enter to discourse of Religion first I am to shew the misery of Papists that for the most part liued in time past and yet liue without the knowledge of Religion Nay diuers of the Masse-priests and common people were ignorant and deuoyd of all good learning and knowledge The ignorance of priests and people in the dayes of Iohn Peccham Archbishop of Canterbury may appeare in that he beginneth his prouinciall constitution with ignorantia Sacerdotum C. ignorantia de sum Trin. and teacheth them the articles of the Créed and how to handle the sacrament of the altar shewing them that the wine giuen to the communicants in lesser churches was not consecrate and that they were not too much to break the sacrament with their teeth percase for hurtiing of it but to sup it vp Instruant eosdem saith he c. altissimus constit de sum trinit sumptum ore sacramentum non nimis dentibus comminuere sed tritum â—adicè sorbere perfectè O miserable men that were taught to sup the sacrament like an oyster And why might they not aswell be taught to eate wine as to sup bread Note that this is a common text among the Papists The same man in the chapter Ignorantia sacerdotum de officio Archipresbyteri thinketh it sufficient for priests to teach by themselues or by others and that once euery quarter the articles of the Creed the ten commaundements the two commaundements of the Gospell for this fellow scarce beléeued that the loue of God or his neighbor was commaunded in the morall law the seuen workes of mercie the seuen deadly sinnes the seuen principall vertues and seuen sacraments And what was this quarter teaching forsooth nothing else but the construing or expounding of these things in English as the text saith Absque cuiuslibet subtilitatis textura fantastica without any fantasticall patcherie of scholasticall subtilties For â—hat ordinarily these fellowes were wont to talke of logicall and philosophicall questions tending rather to the subuersion then the edification of the hearers Now what learning I pray you was required to turne the Créed and ten commaundements into English Bishop Walter also in his prouinciall constitutions teacheth his priests what to beléeue of confirmation and extreame vnction which argueth great rudenesse in his disciples In Quéene Maries dayes it was thought sufficient for priests to reade Latine not one among twentie vnderstood Latine Bonner in the first conuocation in Quéene Maries dayes in his oration in praise of priesthood told the priests that they were creators of their Maker yet few of them could construe the canon and few of them vnderstood it Their grosse ignorance is yet fresh in memorie The Germaines complaine Grauam 47. that Bishops aduanced vnlearned idiots vnfit vile and ridiculous fellowes to the function of priesthood Episcopi say they saepenumero indoctos idiotas inhabiles vilesque ac ludicras personas ad sacerdotij functionem ordinant Neither may we thinke they spoke this of malice Onus Eccles cap. 23. The Bishop of Chems saith the people is seduced by blind guides which are ignorant idiots presumptuous couetous hypocrits symoniacall and luxurious persons Againe he saith Ibidem that Bishops admit men vnworthy to charges without all choise or due examination Indignos beneficiatos admittunt absque omni delectu debita examinatione instituunt Venalitate curiae Romanae saith one inaniter praeficiuntur lenones coqui stabularij aequorum pueri AureuÌ„ speculuÌ„ in Antilog Through the briberie of the court of Rome bawdes cookes horsekeepers and children are preferred to gouernement in the Church Aluarus Pelagius lib. 2. de planct eccles art 20. sheweth that the Bishops of Spaine deale no better then others ordaining men vnlearned and vnworthy and indiscreetly committing charge of soules to men vnsufficient Episcopi alicui nepotulo suo saith he committunt multa millia animarum cui non committerent duo pira Bishops commit many thousand soules to some litle nephew or bastard of theirs to whom if they did right they would not commit two peares Hew learned the priests were we may imagine when few of them could well say their Masse and few vnderstand it We may sée in the cap. retulerunt dist 4. de consecrat that some could not rehearse the words of baptisme but said In nomine patria filia spirita sancta Platina wondreth at the ignorance of the priests in matters of Religion Speaking of priests in Marcellino Quanta ignoratio saith he cum snijpsius tum doctrine Christianae Neither may we maruell at the ignorance of meane priests when the Popes themselues are vtterly vnlearned Laziardus writing of Gregory the sixth Epit. cap. 183. hath these words Vt dictum est alium cum esset rudis literarum secum consecrari fecit He made another to be consecrated with him being himselfe voide of learning Constat plures Papas saith Alphonsus à castro lib. 1. aduer haeres adeo illiteratos esse vt grammaticam penitus ignorent He confesseth that some Popes are so vnlearned that they are vtterly ignorant of grammar And that may be exemplified by Iulius the second that for fiat said fiatur and by other Popes Paul the second and Iulius the third and diuers others are by their owne friends reported to haue bin but simple clerks Felin in c. si quando de rescriptis saith that the Pope cannot be deposed for want of learning Papa propter defectum literaturae non potest deponi But were they learned yet vnlesse they be learned in holy Scriptures and teach their flockes committed vnto them their learning is to the people vnprofitable For like idole shepheards they do nothing but possesse the roome and places of shepheards The Popes albeit they claime the title of vniuersall Bishops teach none hauing contrary to the example of Peter and other Bishops of Rome giuen ouer the office of féeding and teaching and now onely famishing and destroying the Lambes of Christ Rapis depraedaris à me innumerabiles animas saith Christ to the Pope in Brigits reuelations nam quasi omnes qui veniunt ad curiam tuam mittis in gehennam ignis ex eo quod non diligenter attendis ea quae pertinent ad curiam meam Quia tu es Praelatus Pastor ouium mearum ideo culpa tua est quod non discretè consideras ea quae ad
and sauage beasts Contemning all iustice In his Preface to king Philip. saith Bartholomaeus à casas writing of the cruel vsage of the Spaniards towards the Indians they delight to see streames of mans bloud which they haue shed and seeke with infinite slaughter to depriue those great countries of the naturall inhabitants thereof In short space they killed diuers hundred thousands onely in one Iland called Hispaniola the women they abused the treasure and commodities of the countrie they spoiled The people of Naples were in the time of Charles the fift who otherwise was a good prince so vexed and oppressed by the Spaniards as an Ambassadour of the people of Siena said to Henry the French king Nat. Com. hist lib. 6. that for release of their extreame bondage they seemed desirous to liue vnder the Turke Vt Turcarum imperia ad tantarum miseriarum refugium exoptare videantur He saith further that the Spaniards laid so many grieuous tributes vpon the people that diuers auncient townes were thereby deformed and left desolate The Dutchie of Milan also by the Spanish tyrannie as those that haue trauelled that countrie do know is brought to great pouertie The taxes and customes are grieuous the oppressions wrought by the souldiers many the lawes vnsupportable Neither doth it auaile them to complaine For that remedie they haue often tried but all in vaine But no people was euer more oppressed then the Flemmings Brabansons Hollanders and other nations of the Low countries Their liberties they haue disanulled their lawes they haue litle regarded their townes they haue spoiled their countrie they haue almost wasted By the fundamentall lawes of the countrie they might neither place strange gouernours ouer them nor bring in forraine forces among them But the Spaniards haue done both By the lawes the king of Spaine could neither impose taxes vpon the subiect without the consent of the States nor condemne any man but by the lawes of the countrie But he hath both done the one and the other The Duke of Alua without the consent of the States or order required the hundreth part of that which euery man was worth and the tenth of all things bought and sold in the countrie The noble Earles of Egmont and Horne and diuers Noble men of the countrie that had done him great seruice he caused to be done to shameful death The prince of Oranges eldest sonne contrarie to the lawes of the Vniuersitie of Louain and countrie he caused to be caried prisoner into Spaine Finally contrarie to the lawes of the countrie he altered the ecclesiasticall State making new Bishops and erecting new offices of inquisition in diuers places of the countrie And this the king did Ludouic Guicciard de Paesi bassi hauing sworne to obserue the lawes and priuiledges of the countrie I will not here recount the murthers rapes robberies thefts spoiles and wrongs which the Spanish souldiers and officers haue committed For that would require a great volume and it would be said that these are the calamities of warres and wrongs of priuate persons Yet if Spaniards bring warres and calamities with them and sée not these wrongs redressed it sheweth how much their tyrannicall gouernement is to be auoided and detested But that is made apparant by the lawes and procéedings which are publikely auowed The Portingals may be an example to all nations sufficient to make the Spanish gouernement odious For although they be neare neighbors and agrée with the Spaniards in Religion language lawes and humors yet haue they not found any more fauour at their hands then other nations Their Nobilitie is almost ouerthrowne the Merchant decayed the Commons spoyled The exactions are intolerable and yet farre more tolerable then the wrongs offered by Spaniards from whom neither the husband can kéepe his wife nor the father his daughter nor the citizen or countriman any thing he hath Adde hereunto the violence that is offered to mens persons and the iniuries of words that they dayly sustaine and then you will confesse that the Portingals liue in great misery and bondage In England also the Spaniards albeit but few began to play their partes offering violence to diuers mens persons and attempting the chastitie both of matrons and virgins In the parliament which is the foundation of the libertie of our nation they attempted the ouerthrow of our libertie not onely by conioyning king Philip with the Quéene but also leauing out the Quéenes title of supreme authoritie in the summons and taking away the frée electiō of the Commons in chusing their Burgesses and thrusting out Bishop Watson Alexander Nowell and diuers Burgesses out of the parliament Nay such is the rigor of the Spanish gouernement that the Spaniards themselues cannot well like it The priuiledges of Aragon the last king abrogated vpon pretense of disorder in the fact of Antony Perez Escouedoes sonnes could neuer haue iustice for the death of their father Murders and violences are rarely punished The taxes customes and payments are so grieuous that notwithstanding all the riches that commeth from the Indiaes nothing can be deuised more bare poore and miserable then the common sort of Spaniards The imposition vpon fish wine oile and silkes which are the principal cōmodities of the country is great and other customes are not easie In the market the tenth penie is exacted commonly for all commodities bought and sold Wherefore if we respect nothing else but the yoke of the Spanish gouernement we may account our nation in very miserable termes in Quéene Maries dayes Yet was not that all the mischiefe she brought with her For beside the yoke of Spaniards she put vpon her subiects the yoke of the Popes tyrannie and of his Italians relinquishing the first fruits and tenths of Ecclesiastical liuings to the Pope and making her people subiect to all his extortions and pillages which not onely to this nation but also to all Christians hath alwayes bene very grieuous In Hen. 3. p. 530. Matthew Paris speaking onely of one Popes Legate and his rauinous pillages sayth excepting church treasure there remained not so much mony behind as he had caried with him out of England Nec remansit eadem hora vt veraciter dicebatur in Anglia tantum pecuniae exceptis sanctorum vasis ornamentis Ecclesiarum quantum à regno extorserat Anglicano The same man beside all this as the same author testifieth bestowed thrée hundred benefices at his own and the Popes pleasure Vnde regnum quasi vinea exposita omni transeunti quam exterminauit aper de sylua miserabiliter languit desolatum Whereupō it fel out saith he that the kingdom did miserably languish being laid desolate made like a vineyard exposed to euery one that passeth by and which the bore of the wood did roote out He that shall reade that storie shall find strange inuentions to extort money from the people and vnderstand that great summes of mony were transported out of England by the
his ransome And lastly was vnnobly slaine before a litle castle in France by a base fellow So litle did the Popes pardons and blessings auaile him Neuer did any king of England more for the Pope then king Iohn For he resigned his Crowne into his Legates hands and indeuoured also as much as in him lay to make his kingdome tributarie to the Pope Let vs then sée what fruite he reaped of his deuotion to the Pope First he liued in continuall iarre with his subiects Secondly he lost Normandie and diuers townes of great moment to the French Thirdly in his dayes the French made warre vpon him in England and bid him base at his owne doores Fourthly he suffered his kingdome to be pillaged by the Pope Finally he died of poyson ministred to him by a Monke of Swinsted Abbey as Caxtons Chronicle reporteth King Henry the third was flatly cousened by Innocent the fourth and deluded with a promise of the kingdome of Naples for his sonne Edmond But for this vaine title he payed full deare not onely suffering the Pope to spoile his countrie but also paying himselfe great summes to the Pope King Henry the eight for the deliuerance of Clement the seuenth spent infinit treasure vainely And that was the successe of all the kings of England that did seruice to the Pope Generally all those that liue vnder the Popes iurisdiction liue most miserably being neither secured for their goods nor liues nor liberties either from their neighbour princes or from the Pope First they serue two kings wheresoeuer they liue that is their King or Duke and the Pope If they offend the Pope they are proclaimed heretickes and are déemed worthie of death yea albeit the controuersie be no matter of Religion Lewis of Bauier and his followers were reputed heretikes he for taking on him the Empire without the Popes allowance these for yéelding obedience to their lawfull prince The like censure was giuen against all that followed the Emperour Henry the fourth and Fredericke the second If they offend their Princes either in word or act the penaltie is death Poggio sheweth that a rich man being accused of treason answered that he had not offended but if his goods had offended he would not consent with them And thus by renouncing that which he had he escaped The lawes are very rigorous both of Pope and popish princes the executions very cruell and barbarous Onuphrius speaking of the times of Alexander the sixt saith that there was neuer more outrages committed by Spadassins and cut throates that the people of Rome had neuer lesse freedome that there was a great number of priuie promoters and that euery euill word was punished with death But this is common to all Italian princes Murthers and spoiles are litle regarded euery word nay euery thought against them if it be knowne is punished most rigorously The Spanish inquisitors in crueltie passe most sauage beastes Vpon euery light surmise they procéed against most innocent persons and some they racke some they famish some they burne some they cut péecemeale The very Papistes themselues could neuer endure it nor would suffer it Natal com hist lib. 2. but by force The Venetians will none of it The Neapolitans refusing the same yéeld this reason quia per simplicem alicuius maleuoli accusationem nullis requisitis probationibus nullisque defensionibus acceptis posset quisque in carceres detrudi vita honore facultatibus priuari Because by the single accusation of one malitious fellow neither proofes being sought nor exceptions receiued any man might be thrust into prison and depriued of his honors goods and life Are they not then miserable Meteran lib. 2. hist Bel. that liue vnder the danger of the cruell inquisition The people of the Low countries do affirme that the Inquisition was the originall ground of the troubles and tumults of the Low countries and that the Cardinal Granuelle endeuouring to bring in the same was the ruine of his countrie At the first the same was practised principally against Turkes and Moores Who then doth not detest the Spaniards and Italians that practising the same against Christians do plainly declare that they hold them to be no better then Turkes and Moores The common forme also of inquisition against Christians is very cruell odious and intolerable considering first that the Romanists take all for heretikes that reproue them for their villanies superstitions and heresies and next for that they neither obserue forme nor order of iustice nor respect young nor old Cap. accusatus de Haeret. in 6. Cap. ad abolendam de haeret men aliue nor dead oftentimes torturing mens bodies most cruelly and spoiling their goods most gréedily and punishing any that dissent from the synagogue of Rome in matter of the Sacraments as if they had conspired the destruction of their prince and countrie By this cruel procéeding in the raigne of Charles the fift the bloudie popish tormentors in the low countries put to death fiftie thousands as the Histories of the Low countries testifie Meteran hist Belg. lib. 2. In England like sauage wolues they spoiled the flocke during the raigne of Queene Marie How many haue bene executed in Spaine Italie France and Germanie by these Inquisitors it is hard to recount Of late because the executioners were not sufficient to satisfie their cruelty they haue caused many thousands without all order to be massacred Paul the 4. that first brought the inquisition into Rome brought himselfe and his house into perpetual hatred of the Romanes Onuphrius in Paulo 4. insomuch that vpon his death the people ran furiously together broke his statue threw downe the armes of his house burnt the inquisition court and were hardly restrained from doing further violence to the inquisitors The Popes exactions in all countries are very grieuous Polycrat lib. 6. c. 24. Ipse Romanus Pontifex saith Iohn of Salisbury omnibus grauis ferè intolerabilis est The Pope is become grieuous and vntolerable vnto all men Againe speaking of the Church of Rome he saith She sheweth her selfe rather a steppe-mother then a mother and that Scribes and Pharises sit in her which lay importable burdens on mens shoulders which they wil not once touch with their fingers Petrus de Alliaco speaking against the multitude and greatnesse of the Popes exactions De reform Eccles busieth himselfe to find a remedie by diminishing the excessiue charges of the Pope the number of Cardinals and disorders of inferior prelats but al in vain He proueth by the testimonie of Humbertus Ibidem that the cause that disposed the Greekes to reuolt from the Church of Rome was the grieuance of that Church in exactions excommunications and lawes Speaking of the orders of Friers he saith that their state is burdensome to all men and hurtfull to hospitals and lazar-houses and preiudiciall to all states of the Church Bernard of Clugny describeth the qualities of Rome fitly In Saryrd Roma