AN ADMONITION TO THE NOBILITY AND PEOPLE OF ENGLAND AND IRELAND CONCERNINGE THE PRESENT VVARRES made for the execution of his Holines Sentence by the highe and mightie Kinge Catholike of Spaine By the CARDINAL of Englande A o. M. D. LXXXVIII Gulielmus miseratione Diuina S. R. E. Tituli San ti Martini in Montibus Cardinalis Presbyter de Anglianuncupatus Cunctis Regnorum Angliae Hiberniae Proceribus populis personis omnibusque Christi fidelibus salutem in Domino sempiternam RIghte honorable worshipfull and moste dearelie beloued in our lorde no man can be ignorante that eyther by reporte readinge or remēbrance list looke backe not muche further thē fiftie yeares paste that this great miserie and mutation of state and Religiō in this our realme of England by which our Churche Alas ys already ouerthrowne our cuntrie in extreame tearmes of perishinge and our selues with what so euer is deare vuto vs in daily dreade of destructiō and damnation proceaded not firste of the subiectes disorder or disobedience to theire kinges as els where Heresie often dothe and as we see in many of the next nations vnto vs yt presently hapneth where popular mutenie against theire magistrates hath caused their like calamity But begonne firste and wholly in effecte by our Kinge that then was Henrie the eighte and afterwarde till this daie hathe bene specially pursued by our princes pretensed lawes and vsurped souerainty ouer our soules to the which our Nobilité Priestes and people by force and feare haue rather bene drawne then by lawful consente yeilded therunto lob 14. And albeit wicked and hipocriticall kinges be suffred sumtimes or sent from God for the subiectes sinnes and for our offences greate no doubte and greauous in euerie estate let none excuse themselues let none accuse others and that we hereby may worthely also be thought to haue deserued bothe our princes fall and our 1. Reg. 13. owne punishement accordinge to Gods most holy cōmination that when his people should cease to serue him in truthe and comitt wickednes bothe they theire kinge shoulde perishe together Neuerthelesse to see and knowe the place specially affected and the nexte immediate surge of all our sores where we expecte remedy and not ruine ys necessary for our recouery VVherin though the case haue longe semed vvel neere desperate yet God himself not forget full of his olde mercies beholdinge from heauen our not voluntary but coacted miseries and our moste holy and zelous father in Christe Sixtus the fifte his higheste Minister and our chefest magistrate and master in earthe to whom our Sauiour hath giuen Apostolike power to take vengeance vpon disobedience moued by the sorowes and sighes of so manie aflicted soules and instant praiers of all Christian people that pittie our enforced perishinge in Schisme and Heresie doth giue vs at this time both better meanes more hope and redyer helpe then we coulde euer possiblie haue either deserued or de sired yea thei haue not the pope alone but God himselst suerly and other the most zelous and mightiest Princes in Christendom by his Induction takē the whole care of our case into their owne handes and that with suche sinceare intention whereof my-self can best beare witnes and assure you my deare cuntrymen and in such sweete moderate mercifull sorte that in the appliance of the prepared remedie neither the corps of our commonwealthe nede to feele or feare any distresse nor any parte other then the principall affected and sum suche feawe as will not followe this offer of Gods ordinaunce be wroonge or wrinched thereby For albeit of ten els in likecase of reuolte from Gods Churche and our fathers faithe not onlie the kinges but also their cuntries after diuers dreadefull Censures and Sentences haue bene by supreme authority of Christes vicar giuen vp to Inuasiō warres wastes and final distruction and we nowe mighte by way of rigor and extreame Iustice be bothe charged chastised far more depely then the Churche of Theatira for tollerating Apo. 2. the wicked Iesabell not now as then callinge herself a prophetisse but the verie cheefe spirituall gouernesse vnder God to teache and deceaue Gods seruantes and to force them to fornication to eate breade of Idolatrie in Schismati call seruice And also for that by error of cōscience or wante of couragc we haue so longe vnnaturally subdued our soules to our bodies hazarded our eternall saluation to saue our transitorie substance obeyed man more then God preferred the temporall title not only of lawful ciuill authority but of manifold vsurped Tirannie aboue the supreame Bishops spirituall soue Mat. 16. Io. vl◠raignty by Christes expresse worde established on earthe yeilding to the one moste seruilly as to our household and home God and as to a verie nationall idol subiection bothe of bodie and soule thearby disobeyinge disgraceynge dispi singe and blaspheminge the other as a forrē power or rather as a strange deuill or Antechriste Deut. 17 Luc. 10. Num. 16. a thinge punishable in the olde lawe by deathe reputed inthe newe for expresse contempt of Christes owne person reuenged in Core and his confederates by fearefull fier from heauen by horrible gapinge of the grounde they stoode vpon and by sudden sinkinge downe to hell Yet all this notwthstandinge the Popes holines who accordinge to his Apostolike benignity wholly inclined to mercy followinge Gods rule and example rather of sparinge the wicked for the good then punishinge the innocent for the euil that the soule which sinneth onely may perishe doth most mercifully forget and forgiue all the premisses aswell in the whole body of the cōmō wealthe as in euery particuler person that ys penitent and wearie of these horrible disorders and treasons committed against God the See Apostolike holie Churche and our cuntrie incorrigible persons and principall procurers of these mischefs only excepted and only meaneth in Christes woorde and power giuen vnto him and in zeale of Gods house to pursue the actuall depriuation of Elizabethe the pretensed Queene eftsones declared and iuditially sentensed by his Holines predecessors PIVS QVINTVS and GREGORIE the XIII for an heretike and vsurper and the proper present cause of perdition of millions of soules at home and the verie bane of all Christian kingdomes and states neere aboute her That in this one womans condigne correction Gods mighty arme that deposeth the proude and powrable persons frō their Luc. 1. seates may be feared and glorified and the horrible and wicked outrages of Henrie the eighte her supposed fathers house and person together with Gods vengeance on the same may in sum measure of his iustice be accomplished and our whole people put in happy hope of saluatiō and full fredom of conscience againe that all the Psal 5◠iuste of the earthe may saie Lo this is she that tooke not God for her strenghte but trusted to her treasures and preuailed in her wickednes And that all the worlde and namely our owne
batail to the inhabitantes of the realme Poâ—â—nge the peaple She hathe not spared to oppresse her subiects neuer hauinge iust vvarres vvith any kinge or cuntrie in the vvorld vvith manifolde exactioÌ„s not only by ordinatie meanes of more frequent and large subsedies for vvhich only ende she hathe had more parliaments and more often prorogations therof then euer any lavvful prince had in so many yeares but also by sundrie shameful guiles of lotaries lavves decrees falles of money and suche like deceites and hathe imploied the riches of the realme to sett vp and susteine Rebells and Heretikes against their naturall princes to the great dishonor of our nation damage and daunger asvvell of our marchauntes as of all other trauaylers a publike piracie and robberie bothe by sea and land thervvith authorisinge by her letters of marte and othervvise permittinge diuers vvicked persons to spoile vvhom they liste vvithout sparinge sum peece of the gaine retorninge to sum of her ovvne cheif councellers and officers Sellinge of lavves She dothe for monye and bribes to the enrichinge of herself and seruantes by licenses dispensations pardons and permissions abolishe or frustrate many proffitable lavves as she dothe to the same ende multeplie sundry friuolous actes vvith great sorfets to the transgressors vvittingly forbearing as yt may be thought the execution of the same that after obliuion of the obseruation therof her courtiers and other loste Cosines and compagnions vvhom her excessiue auarice vvill not suffer to revvarde of her ovvne may make pray by promotinge the poore people so liue and fede on the carcas of the commonvvealthe yea euen sucke out the verie bludd of poore aflicted Catholike mens consciences vvho besides those sacrilegious mas mulctes and the nevv made spoiles and intollerable extorsions for not coÌ„minge to their dam nable Idolatry of the communion vvhich for the loue of Gods lavve they often incurr and susteine to the vtter lamentable ruine of them their posterity be faine by great importable giftes to procure at her officers handes sum little ease and release of the intollerable feares and miseries that they liue in By vvhich vvicked trafique and other pittifull pillage of the people sum of her creatures are grovvne so great insoleÌ„t that all states degrees vvithin the Realme stand in avve and daunger of them Dâ—ytester In vvhich sorte besides others whoÌ„ vve nede not note she hath exalted one speciall extorsioner vvhom she tooke vp first of a Traitor vvoorse theÌ„ naughte only to serue her filthy luste vvherof to haue the more fredoÌ„ and intrest he as may be presumed by her consent caused his ovvne vvife cruelly to be murthered as after vvarde for the accomplishement of his like brutis The Erle of Essex he pleasures vvith an other noble dame it is openly knovvne he made avvaie her husband who novv of an amorous minion aduaunsed to highe office degree excessiue vvelthe is becum her cheife leader in all her vvicked and vnvvonted course of regimeÌ„t her instrument of the destructioÌ„ of the nobilitie by many indirect meanes of the ruining abacinge disgracinge disauthorisinge diuers auncyent hovvses names and persons of renoume besides innumerable of the coÌ„munalty perished most pittifulie in sundry prouinces for the feeding of his infinite auarice and other his vnsatiable companions reteinors liuinge only of briberie spoile and roberie wherby and throughe the fauoure of the pretended he hathe this n any a yeare ouerruled the chamber courte counsell parliameÌ„t portes fortes Seas Shipps borders men munition and all the cuntrie hathe had still at commaundment all officers iustices Benches Barres Sessions hath had the sale and monopolie of all lawes offices licenses â—orâ—ettes Byshoprickes benefices and Colleges hathe made suche traffique hoppinge chaunginge with his mistris aboute the treasures prerogatiues landes and commodeties of the croune that so by diuerse vnspeakable trecheries he hathe enabled and fortefied himselfe farr aboue the measure of any English subjecte and hathe bene the principall disturber and destroyer of the prouinces rounde about vs to the impouerishment of the people at home and decay of all trafique abrode with extreme perill of the lande Her dishonest lyfe VVith the forsaid person and diuers others she hathe abused her bodie against Gods lawes to the disgrace of princely maiestie the whole nations reproche by vnspeakable and incredible variety of luste which modesty suffereth not to be remembred neyther were it to chaste eares to be vttered how shamefully she hath defiled and infamed her person and cuntry and made her Courte as a trappe by this damnable and detestable arte to intaÌ„gle in sinne and ouerthro we the yonger sorte of the nobilitye and gentlemen of the lande whereby she is become notorious to the worlde in other cuntryes a comoÌ„ fable for this her turpitude which in so highe degre namely in a woman and a Queene deseruethe not onelie deposition but all vengeaunce bothe of God and man and cannot be tollerated with out the eternal infamie of our whole cun rie the whole world deriding our effeminate dastar die that haue suffred suche a creature almost thir tie yeares together to raigne bothe ouer our bodies and soules and to haue the chief regiment of all our affaires aswel spirituall as temporal to the extinguishinge not onely of religion but of all chaste liuinge and honesty Refusinge 〈…〉 She coulde neuer be restrained from this incontinence thoughe the principall peers of the realme and others of high authority as deputies from the whole parliament and estates made humble sute and supplicacion to her that for pittie and compassion of their desolate case and of the daunger that the whole realme and specially the nobility should be in yfshe deceased without lawful issue in suche a number of competitors of the croune she wold therfore marrie and procure yf yt were Gods pleasure lawfull heires of her bodie to inherite her dominions after her to whom sumtimes she merely and mockingly answered that she wold die a maideÌ„ Queene but afterwards in conteÌ„pte and rebuke of all the states of the realme and to the coÌ„demnation of chaste and lawfull mariage wher unto as to a bridle of her licentiousnes she ys enemie she forced the verie parliament it self to giue consent and to prouide by a preteÌ„ded lawe not tollerable nor euer I trowe hearde of before in a Christian free people that none should so muche as be named for her successor duringe her life sauinge the naturall that ys to saie bastard borne childe of her owne bodie A wonderfull thraldoÌ„e a lameÌ„table case that this highe courte of olde so renoumed for fredome and iustice should now be at the deuotion of one woman so farr as to authorise both her shamefull incontinency pernitious obstinacy against the honor and good of the whole realme hauinge no cause in the worlde why the next laufull heire may not better beare the naminge then her vnlawfull longe concealded
or fained yssue sauing that yt might be preiudiciall to her priuate pre sent peace which she euer prefferreth before the publike as she presumeth vpon the experience and late remembrance of her owne wicked practises against her soueraine when the time Her treae sons against queene Maria was measuring all other by her owne impatient ambition but indede yt procedeth specially vpon the agnisinge of her vnrightfull po s session vsurpers alwaies standing in more awe of the next heire and successor then lawfull princes commonly doe The pretense of mariage The Earle of AruÌ„dell others The Erle of ArraÌ„ the K. of SvvetheÌ„ Archeduke Charles the Duke of Holst HeÌ„ri novv kinge of France Monseur Alanson She all this notwithstandinge in the meane season as often before and afterward promised mariage to sum of the nobillity at home makinge many of them in single lyfe to the danger of their soules and decay of their famelies to attend her pleasure no lesse depelie dallied abused by dissembly almost all the great personages of Europe to whom aswel by letters as by sollemne Embasses she proffered herself to the mockery finall delulioÌ„ of theÌ„ all to her owne infamy and the daunger of her people and specially of late yeares she hathe most pittifuly and deuilishly abused the late noble brother of FraÌ„ce by manifold hope and promise of her mariage and croune by which baite and her deceitefull suggestion the poore yonge gentleman was driuen in to those dangerous actions and dishonorable affaires of Heretikes and rebells to his great dishonor and likelie shorteninge of his daies Her vnnaturall affection to vvardes the cuntrie By all which dishonorable vnworthy dea linge the whole worlde may see that in Atheisme Epicurisme she would yf yt were possible and might be suffred as she hathe begun turne the lyfe and whole weale of our cuntrye once most florishinge to the feedinge of her owne desordered delites being lothe no doubte that any thinge should be lefte after her lyfe that her rage and riot had not ouerrun or that her realme should be extant any loÌ„ger then she might make pleasure of it most gladd as may seeme that so florishing and auncyent a commoÌ„wealth which she hathe in manner brought to destructioÌ„ in her lyfe might be buried in her ignominious ashes when she ys dead VVherin her affectioÌ„ is so passinge vnÌ„atural that she hath bene heard to wishe that the day after her death she might stand in sum high place betwene hea uen and earthe to behold the scamblinge that she conceyued wold be for the croune sportinge herself in the conceyte and foresight of our future miseries by her onlie vnhappines procured not vnlike to Nero who intending for his recreation to set Rome on fier deuised an eminent pillar wheron himself might stand to behold it but so God may prouide for her and vs that she may see and feele sum parte of this pastime in her daies or rather she only and a fewe ofher Complices feele the paine who alone or principallie haue deserued it if we be so wise as to follow Gods ordinances Consede ration vvith rebelles Besides all these outrages in her person and regiment and besides sundrie wicked attemptes and treasons before she came to the croune against her prince cuntrie at home she hathe shewed such faithles dealinge towardes all neere neighboures most iuste mightie and Catholike kinges abrode that it is almost incredible Sum she hathe ignominiouslie spoiled of great treasures One that fledd to her for promised succor and safety yea euen her that was our true lawful and worthie soueraine she hathe against all lawe of God nature and nations after longe imprisonment at lengthe also murthered of â—um she hathe surprised tounes and teritories with sum she hathe in great simulation offreindship in effecte broken most auncieÌ„t lea gues and amitie against them all she hathe not only notoriously coÌ„federated herself with their rebelles Hugonotes Geuses publicanes Male contents giuinge them great succourse bothe of men munition and monye with muche continuall incoragement and counsell in all their wicked attempts but was and yet is knowne to be the first principall fountaine of all these furious rebellions in Scotland France Flanders to the fall almost ofall their whole states the great calamitye of the Churcheof God wher by it is euident to all the world that herself raigneth vnlawfuly as an vsurper and rebell who onely standeth and holdeth herself vp all this while by ioyning with Traitors and rebelles and succoringe them against their lawfull princes and soueraines Her lea gue vvith the Turks In this kinde she hathe by the execrable practises of sum of her cheese ministers as by their owne handes letters and instructions and by the parties confessions it may be proued sent abrode excedinge greate numbers of intelligensers spies and practisers in to moste princes courtes citties and commun wealthes in Christendom not onely to take and giue secret notice of princes intentions but to deale with the discontented of euerie state for the attemptinge of sum what against their lordes and superiors namely againste his holines and the Kinge of In fanes instructions Spaine his maiestie whose sacred persons they haue soughte many waies wickedly to destroie as furthermore it is euident how she hathe by messingers and letters dealte with the cruel and dreadfull Tirante and enemie of our faithe the Great Turke himself againste whom our noble kinges haue in olde time so valiantly foughteÌ„ and vowed themselues to all perriles and peregrinations for the inuasioÌ„ of sum partes of Christendom and interceptioÌ„ of sum defensible portes and places of the same as for the disturbance of Christianity and annoiance of the principall defenders of the Catholike religion she hathe at this day a ledgar in his courte By which Machiuelian godlesse and consciencelesse course iniuste vsurped regimentes be alwaies conducted aduaunced not by counsell or courage but by plaine trumperie treason cosinage workinge their owne peace welthe and felicity by their neighbours warrs woe and miserie which neuer endeth well nor dureth loÌ„ge nor is in fine vnreuenged thoughe the present prosperity vpholden by others calamity hathe auerted the sence the simple worldlie from the beholdinge of that extreme plague which alwaies bothe by Gods iustice and mans reuenge insueth of the same â—â—er'extreme priâ—â— VVhich longe felicitie not withstaÌ„dinge hath so puffed vp this vsurper in presumption pride of harte that besides all other insolences and glorious vanetyes and vauntes in her wordes crakes countenances and iestures in all her lyfe and behauiour in which kinde she exceadeth all creatures liuinge she hathe caused the annuall daie of her coronatioÌ„ in all partes of the realme to be sacredly kepte and sollemnised with ringinge singinge shewes cerimonies farr more vacation from all seruile labors then any day either of our blessed lorde or ladie which ys more abhominable
his custodie annointed and crouned him kinge and caused immediately the pretensed Queene to be slaine with her fautors at the courte gate not withstaÌ„dinge they cried TREASON TREASON as not onely iuste possessors but wicked vsurpers vse to doe this loe is the ende of iniuste titles this is the zeale authoritie of preistes for the maintenaÌ„ce of righteousnes religion Achab and â—esabell 3. Reg 18 19. No man can be ignorante with what courage and constancie Elias being sought to death by Achab Iesabell that ouerthrewe holie aulters and murthered the true religious of the lande told them that they and their housâ— were the subuersion of Israel and slew in his zeale all the Queenes false prophets foure hundrethe at one time and so sett vp holie alters againe He spared 4. Reg. 1. not the Idolatrous kinge Ochosias his capitains and messengers but destroied them by fier from heauen till the third capitain was forced to humble 4. Reg. 9. himfelf vpoÌ„ his knees vnto him Elizeus also caused Iehu to be coÌ„secrated kinge the house of Achab to lose their right to the kingdom and his sonne IoraÌ„ to be slaine by whose coÌ„maundment cursed Iesabell was afterward throwne out of her chaÌ„ber window in to the courte and after eaten of dogges in the very same place where she had comitted crueltie and wickednes before This Iesabell for sacrilege coÌ„tempte of holie preistes rebellion against God crueltie dothe so muche resemble our Elizabethe that in moste forrein cuntries and writinges of straÌ„gers she is comonly called by the name of Iesabell I know not whether God haue appointed her the like or a better ende Maacha 2. Par. 15. Queene Maacha mother to good kinge Asaa was as ours is an apostata from the true faithe and in fleshly lust not vnlike for she erected opeÌ„lie and worshiped the filthy Venerius statua of Priapus and replenissed all her courte cuntrie with effeminate and amorous persons and therfore was deposed from her regalitie by her owne sonne which the holie scriptures muche commende in him and the land purged of her whorishe abhomination By all which we lerne what crimes deserue in a prince deposition And howe preistes and prophetes haue bene principall workers and Gods ministers in there depriuatioÌ„ VVhearin the prophet Ely was so notorious that to his honor it is thus said of him in holie writ He cast downe kinges Eccle. 48 and destroied them and plucked the honorable from theire seates And of Elizeus in the same place thus He neuer feared prince nor could of no man be ouercum And thus it was in the olde testameÌ„t Nowe in the newe testament where the preistes haue muche more soueraigne authoretie the prince far strairer charged to obeye loue and cherishe the Churche the cause for vs is muche more cleare of which Churche it is said Kinges Isa 49. â—2 Isa 60. Psal 2. shal be thy fosterfathers and Queenes thy nurces And againe Kinges brests shall nurishe the and euery kingdome that serueth not the shall vtterly perishe In this Churche without faile is the supereminent power of Christes preistehood who with his iroÌ„ rod bruseth like a potsheard the pride Ier. 1. of princes that rebell against his holie spouse and hathe righte in his Churche ouer all kingdoms to plante and to plucke vp to buyld and destroie afore whom all kinges shall fall doune all nations shall do him seruice Matt. 16. Now is Christes preistly prerogatiue in moste ample and exacte termes comunicated to the chefe preist and pastor of our soules in other manner of clause then our pretensed monstrous spirituall gouernesse can shew for her self fie on that secular pride and wilfull blinde heresy that so repugnethe to Gods expresse ordinaunce and yet is wickedly vpholden of her flatterers though reproued both at home and abrode by the most notorious heretikes sect-masters of all sorts Now all Christes sheepe without exceptioÌ„ be they princes be they poore meÌ„ if they be ChristiaÌ„ men are put to Peters feadinge Iâ—an 21. Matt. 1â— and gouernment now the keyes of heaue giuen to Christs vicarr to let in to locke out to bynde to loose to pardon to punishe Nowe we be commaunded euery one be we Hebr. 13. kinges be we Cesars to obeie our prelates pastors and to be subiecte what Christian prince can excepte himself to theÌ„ as to those that must make accompte for our soules Nowe they haue 1. Cor. â— 2 Iohn 2 ad â—â—t 3. authoritie to forbid vs the cumpany of heretikes idolaters blasphemers not so muche as to salute them muche more not to obeie theÌ„ Act. 5. Nowe we finde by the experience of the Apostles practises and exaÌ„ple of their vsage that not onely our soules but our bodies goodes be in our pastors subiectioÌ„ so farr as is expedieÌ„t to our soules healthe and the Churches vtilitie which the very order and course of nature requireth Nowe S. Peter for Sacralege and simulation strooke starke dead bothe man and wyfe by his worde Now did S. Paule strike blinde Elimas Act. 13. the sorcerer for resistinge Gods truthe Now 1. Câ—r 4. 1. Cor. 5. did he threaten to cum to his coÌ„temners in rodd of discipline Now did he excomunicate a notable personage at Corinthe for inceste Not all onelie by spirituall punishement but by bodely vexation giuinge him vp to Satans chastismeÌ„t Now he also by excomunication corporally molested by an euill spirite for heresie and blasphemie 1. ad Timo 1. 2. Cor. 10 Himeneus and AlexaÌ„der Nowe he hathe authoritie to reuenge all disobedience and to bringe vnder all loftie spirites to the obedience of Christe Apostolicall povver Suche loe now is the Apostolicall force and power of Christes Preistehood in the new testa meÌ„t so farr aboue the authorety of earthly kinges as the sun is clearer then the moone heauen aboue the earthe the Soule of man better then his body and the comoÌ„ weale of the Catholike Churche formed by Christe more excelleÌ„t then any secular societie ordeined by man VVhere were then these disordred lawes and statutes that make the Apostles yea Christe him self and all his preistes that be borne out of EnglaÌ„d to be forren powers it was fiftene huÌ„dred yeares before kinges euer conceiued suche wickednes muche lesse to chalenge this moÌ„strous spirituall regiment for laie men children and verie women But this was then enacted this lawe stoode theÌ„ firme and bindeth the highest potentate of the world if he beare the name of a Christian aswell as the poorest person in earthe This I saie yfhe obeie not or heare not the Mat 18. Churche let him be taken for an Ethnike Strugglinge of princes against spirituall povver Yet such is the miserie and peruersnes of men that in a cause so plaine as this is some kinges haue bene founde to struggle against the ordinaunce of God and now oflate haue had flaterers to
saie yea and some so simple as to thinke that they whom Christe at his departure hence did endue with most ample commission and Iohn vlt. sent foorthe with that auctorety which his father had geuen vnto him haue no power to denounce or declare when princes be heretikes or violaters of Gods lawes Nor right to excomunicate them nor to discharge the people of their othe and obedience towardes suche as no ChristiaÌ„ man by lawe of God or nature may lawfully obaie In which necessarie pointe euery studious and reasonable maÌ„ may reforme him self aswell by the forsaid as by the histories of the Churche since Christes time And heire thow shalt finde straight vpon the first coÌ„uersion of kinges to the faithe how they coulde not withdrawe them selues from the Churches discipline thoughe bothe heretikes and other of wicked lyfe haue alwaies muche repined but euer were either driuen to order obedience or in fine confounded Almoste thirtene hundrethe yeares agoe Babylas bishop of Antioche excommunicated the onely Christian Kinge or Emperoure that Chrisost in vita Babilae then was as sum counte Numerius as others Phillip for executinge a prince that was put to him for an ostage VVhervpon as ill Kinges vse to doe he martired his Bishop whom for that S. Chrisostom and others recken for the most famous martire of that time VVherby all true Bishops may lerne that it is their dutie to chastise and excommunicate disobedient tirants whatsoeuer fall to their persons therfore Afterwarde holie Fabianus the Pope pursued the same Emperour by like excomunication and other meanes till at the lenghte he brought him to repentance Ser. li. 7. cap. 24. Afterwarde S. Ambrose Bishop of Milan with notable courage excoÌ„municated the elder Theodosius Theod li. â— â— 17 19. Amâ—â—lâ— 5 epâ— 28. Aug. de Ciuâ—â—at Dei lib. â— cap. 26. the Emperour put him to eight monthes penance and in the ende forced him to make a lawe or prouisioÌ„ against the like crime for which he was excomunicated This was an other world most deare cuntrymen maruelous courage and zeale for Gods cause was then in preists great humilitie and obedience in princes Then was there no flatterers so shamefull nor no heretike on the earthe so impudent to make temporall Kinges aboue all correctioÌ„ of Gods Churche their owne pastors they hauing most nede therof yea aboue all others when they passe the limites of Iustice the lawes of God Nice lib. â—3 c. 14. Georg. Patrtar de vita Chrisost Nere this time againe Innocentius the first excomunicated Arcadius the Emperor his wife Quene Eudoxia for that they disobeyed and persecuted their Bishop S. Chrisostom I will reporte the Iuditiall sentence brefely because it is muche to the purpose and full of maiestie O Emperour the bludd of my brother Iohn Chrisostom crieth to God against the thou hast caste out of his chaire the great Doctor of the whole world and in him by thy wiues that delicate Dalida her persuasions persecuted Christe therfore I though a poore sinfull soule to whom the throne of the great Apostle S. Peter is comitted do excomunicate the and her and do suspende you bothe from the holie sacrameÌ„tes comaundinge that no Preist nor Bishop vnder paine of depriuation after this my sentence come to their knowledge geue or minister the said sacraments vnto you Thus did this blessed father whome Saint Au gustine excedingly commendethe in his time haÌ„dle that Emperor and wicked Queene which was the cause of her husbaÌ„des fall and offences and at lengthe brought them to repentance And when by processe of time the Churche became more potent and some Princes were falne to contempte of Religion as it lightly hapneth by heresie or Apostasie and that ExcoÌ„municatioÌ„ or other ordinary ecclesiasticall discipline wolde not serue being onely spirituall penalty and now not hauing ordinarely annexed that corporal vexatioÌ„ executed by sathan vpon excoÌ„municate persons therfore so much feared in the Primatiue Churche then aswell the Bishopes godlie persons their owne subiects did craue aide and armes of other Christian Princes against them as also the most holie and aunciente Popes of Rome did with all godly zeale incite the Catholike Kinges to the same that those whom the spirituall rodde could not frutefully chastise might by externall force be driuen doune or to repentance of their disorder There is no warre in the world so iuste or honorable as that which is waged for religion whether it be forren or ciuill nor crime in the world deseruinge more sharpe and zelous pursute of extreme reuenge then falinge from the faithe to strange religions whether it be in the superior or subiectes 2. Parali 15. VVho so euer seeke not after the lord God of Israell let him be stain from the highest to the lowest said Kinge Afa admonished by Azaria the Prophet And againe charge was giuen expresly in Deutronomie to slei all false Prophetes and Cap. 13. their followers were they neuer so neere vs by nature and to destroie vtterly all citties with their inhabitaÌ„ts that were proued to followe newe strange Gods or religions Princes and rulers no more excepted but muche more punis hable in this case then the people as appeareth by Gods commaundmeÌ„t to Moises that he should Num. â—â— hange vp all the Princes of Israel vpon gallowes against the sun for communication in sacrifice with the Moabites and the reste of the people euery one by the hand of his neighbor to be put to the sworde for the same faulte As an other time by Moises appointment the faithfull Leuits slewe thirty three thousand of their nert neighbours frendes and brethren for comittinge Idolatrie and forsakinge the true 2. Paral. cap 1â— God so iuste a quarrell is the deffence of religioÌ„ For which also the Kinges of Iuda as Abia and others fought moste iustly and prosperously against Hieroboam and other Kinges of Israell and iustly possesed the cities which they conquered in the warre as also Edom and Lobna for 2. Par 21. religion euen bicause he forsooke the God of his forfathers did reuolte from Kinge Ioram and could neuer be recouered Iosue 22. VVherin the example also and zeale of the children of Israell was very notable that they wold haue denounced Battell against the tribe of Rubine and Gad for erectinge as they tooke it a Schismaticall alter out of the only place in which God appointed to be worshiped by Sacrifice So did the Christian Armenians Euseb li. 9. c. 8. 9. take armes against Maximinus the Emperour for deffence of their faith So did Constantine againste Maxentius the tyrante By all which it is cleare that what people or person so euer be declared to be rebelious against Gods Churche by what obligation so euer either of kinred frendship loialté or subiection I be bounde to them I may or rather must take armes against them nothinge doubtinge but wheÌ„ my Kinge or Prince hathe brokeÌ„ with