for such his authority to those priests who found the fault It was said to be obtruded for that neither the priests knew that it came by any lawfull authority nor it selfe brought any gratefull thing with it but rather did grace and strengthen the faction of the Iesuits against them the Archpr. being cōmanded in his instructions to doe nothing of moment without the aduise of the Iesuits who had already begun a most scandalous sedition in England It was said to be disorderly procured c. both in respect of the false suggestion which was the mother thereof as may appeare by the constitutiue letter and also in respect that the principall actors in the procuring thereof were men of an other order who were not onely free frō being subiect vnto it but must be directors also in it especially in matters of moment as appeareth by the Archpr. his 6 instruction All which maner of proceeding being right well knowen and that these principall procurers and counsellers were such as were also knowen to the Counsell to be more medling in matters of State then became them they could not shoot very wide who affirmed that this authority was already thought by her Maiesties Councell to be of purpose erected for the better effecting of such designments Neither was this to bring the archpr or any good Cath that should obey him within the compasse of treason for matter of State but a reason which al good Catholikes might take why the priests were not euer forward to run after the noueltie hauing no other warrant for it then a letter of a Cardinall who vnder colour of pietie might easily be caried by the Iesuits knowen Statesmen to do any thing which might further their designments And the Counsel being knowen to be thus possessed the priests had no reason to runne further into displeasure of her Maiestie her Hon. Councell but rather seeke to be well assured that the ground thereof was no State plot but Religion for which they haue bene and are most ready to shed their blood when it shall please God to suffer it But where doeth this good fellow shew that the priests would bring all good Catholikes that should obey the ordination the Archpriest within the compasse of treason for matter of State See I pray you how he choppeth Logike which point these men to worke more mischiefe do teach the persecutors in plaine words againe a litle after in the same page in these words Besides all this by the opinions of diuers men in the Lawes of our Countrey this our cause may and wil be drawen within the compasse of an olde Lawe enacted as well by our Catholike Bishops and Prelats as by the Prince aboue 300. yeeres agoe viz. the Law of Premunire because it is an externall iurisdiction brought into this Realme against the wil notice of the prince and countrey which made the late reuerend Bishop of Lincolne D. Watson to refuse all externall iurisdiction offered him ouer his fellow prisoners although once hee had lawfull Episcopall Iurisdiction within the Realme was vnlawfully depriued thereof Thus much doeth this author cite out of the English booke to proue that the priests to worke mischiefe doe teach the persecutors in plaine words that all who obey the archpriest are within compasse of treason Is this fellow in his right wits trow ye or must not his Reader be very credulous or at the least very forgetfull who being told that he shall see how the Priests to worke mischiefe teach the persecutours a lesson to bring the obedient within compasse of treason must be serued with an example of a Premunire But neither doe the Priests affirme in this place that the Archpriest or those who obey him incurre the Statute of Premunire but say onely that by the opinions of diuers men in the Lawes of our Countrey this our cause may and will be drawen within the compasse of an olde Law c. And in that they say of diuers men they leaue a scope for others to be of the contrary opinion And if the matter were so cleare as all men were of that opinion there being as expert Lawyers of the Priuie Councell as any other are how can they bee thought to bee taught by the Priests that there is here in our case any danger of a Premunire Who can iudge whether the follie of this authour or his malice were greater when he alleaged this sentence out of the Priests their booke to prooue that they to worke more mischiefe did hereby teach the persecutours in plaine wordes to bring all good Catholikes that obey this ordination and the Archpriest appointed by his Holines within the compasse of treason for matter of State Let vs put the case that there were no danger of a Premunire in this our case yet if by the opinions of diuers men in the lawes of our Countrey it might or would be drawen within the compasse of such a law it had bene wisedome to haue paused vpon the matter and not to haue runne ouer headlong into so great a danger vpon a letter of a Cardinall which added affliction vnto affliction without any good or ease to men otherwise afflicted and might very well haue bene omitted and God much better serued except onely in the triall of his priests who haue euer since the institution of this authoritie liued vnder a grieuous yoke and most extreame persecution vnder the Archpriest Iesuites and other their ouer forward and busie adherents And whereas this authour noteth that the Priests would haue consent of the prince though different from them in religion to be needfull for legitimation of this authoritie hee doth but shew how his pen can play the Gentleman vsher to his wit The lesse the likelihood is that the Prince would legitimate this authoritie the greater was the reason which the Priests did vse for their forbearance to yeelde vnto it It is very well knowen that when the prince did not differ in religion the statutes against the prouision of dignities from Rome was sued And can any man of reason hope for more fauour at the hands of a prince who doth differ in religion If this Archipresbyterie could be prooued so necessary as without it the Catholike religion could not stand in England this glanse were to some purpose and the Priests no doubt would haue bene as resolute in the behalfe of the Catholike faith as they are not sparing their liues in the defence thereof which they daily giue for it although through the businesse of a fewe vntimely Statesmen they are all generally taken for such and are put to death as traytors But the Archipresbyterie being no way so necessary but that it might with much more profit to Gods Church haue bene wanting the Priests most resolute to die in defence of the Catholike faith might aduise themselues whether it were wisedome to runne needelesly into an other danger and of such qualitie as if the magistrate had no way differed
conceit that this their fault might be the defence of Catholike religion as though Ma. Bluet whose letter this is said to be did esteeme that a fault Is he not full fraught with most wicked malice that would driue such a conceit into his readers head against a venerable priest and one who hath suffered in the defence of the Catholicke faith before any Iesuite dared to come neere vnto England for all those proud vaunts that they were the men specially raised by God to ouerthrow Luther and his followers What M. Watson did in Scotland he is to answere it himselfe but doubtlesse he was not employed thither in any such affaires as this author affirmeth by any of the priests He hath spent time there as other priests haue to represse that wicked doctrine of the Iesuits that a man might locke vp his conscience after that he had heard masse and then goe to the protestants Churches Neither doe wee knowe what meaning any of those had to deale with the French king in any State matters whome this author so taxeth Hee who is so well acquainted with meanings wil perchance in his larger Apologie tell vs more newes thereof The stories of Alcimus and Simon and others who went to Demetrius and Apollonius and others here named can haue no place here vnlesse this companion doe compare his holinesse vnto Demetrius as hee compareth the priests to Aleimus and Simon For all the world is a witnesse for the Priests that they went to Pope Clement the 8. to seeke for iustice and that they sought not to any other for iustice in the controuersie betweene the Iesuites and them although they sought their princes fauour which they might lawfully doe and desire to enioy it as the Catholiques in the primitiue Church haue sometime done and doe pray vnto God duely for her prosperous raigne and that God will incline her heart to haue compassion vpon such her most loyall and faithful subiects as haue heretofore most vniustly ben condemned for the euill practises of a few busie fellowes The fourth consideration cōsisteth of twelue special points which I feare will lie heauy vpon their soules who are guilty of these stirres The priests make no doubt of the iustice of their cause And while this matter doth hang in question this Apologie well considered and aduisedly read doth it selfe very much preiudice their cause in whose defence it pretendeth to be written If it shall be hereafter iudged that the priests were schismatikes because they did not accept of the new authority before they saw a Breue from his Holines without doubt they haue much to answere for But if contrariwise it shal be iudged that they were not schismatikes then must the Iesuits and their adherents be the men who haue been the cause of all the euill which hath come vpon this slander raised by them against the priests And vpon this also dependeth the fift consideration for if it be proued that the Iesuites and their adherents did iniurie the priests in so high a degree and a publique infamie of schisme c. then will it not auaile them to say that the priests should haue considered that it was a time of persecution and that they shuld haue suffred this infamie rather then haue stirred in their own defence If this doctrine of his might passe currant in temporal warres there would indeed quickly be an end therof for by this rate euery mā that is wickedly inclined might murther his fellow without any contradiction for feare of endangering the campe if the vniustly assaulted should seeke to defend himselfe This companion should haue remembred that the priests sent to his Holinesse to whom it belonged to determine this controuersie and that they haue not stirred in any thing more then in procuring that the quarrell might come to his hearing For which purpose they iudged it most necessary to make the world acquainted therewith hauing once before bene frustrated thereof by reason of their ouer great confidence in the iustice of their cause onely In the sixt consideration this authour taketh his pleasure in discrediting the priests who would not consent that the Iesuits the Archpriest with the rabblement of their most wicked and seditious adherents shall esteeme of them as of schismatikes soothsayers Idolaters Ethnickes and Publicanes And he would perswade his Reader that they are not onely few in number but greene in credit without scruple of conscience what they vtter and therefore not to be trusted in matters which concerne the liues states and honors of men who shall fall out with them yea his Reader must vnderstand that those who haue yeelded to the enemie in one or two steps could neuer go backe againe but must yeeld in greater matters and discouer all they knowe against their brethren if not more He speaketh as clerklike as if he had searched the greatest secrets of his factious adherents which will one day perchance come foorth and the parties named who haue done asmuch as he mentioneth But as for the appellant priests he cannot charge them iustly that they haue yeelded in any such thing If any priest hath yeelded any further then to thinke himselfe highly fauoured that there hath beene notice taken of his faith and loyalty towards his Prince and countrey let the priest be made knowen and he shal be esteemed of accordingly by the priests and if no man haue yeelded in any other matter then is the Apologie-maker a notorious wicked imposter The last consideration is of the necessitie of vnion which is handled with exhortations vnto it and disswasions from diuision and of the facilitie of making it againe among vs and to shew that there is a great facilitie he will aske his discontented brethren that shew themselues so mightily inraged what is there which they would haue in this matter who vexeth or vrgeth them so as they may not liue quietly if they would A couple of reasonable questions and therefore this answere is made vnto them First they would haue that which the Iesuits the Archpriest and all their seditious adherents are bound vnder paine of eternall damnation to perfourme that is that these doe make restitution vnto the priests for those most wicked slanders of Schisme sedition rebellion c. which are contained in Father Lister the Iesuites booke and their owne most malitious stomackes without any iust cause giuen vnto them by the priests Secondly they haue prooued that the Iesuites and Archpriest with all the seditious followers doe vexe them so much as in them lieth and doe vrge them so as they cannot liue quietly by them but in euery corner there is some of this sedition to warne all good Catholikes to flie them not to giue them any entertainement or reliefe And all this is to driue them either to perish or to belie their owne soules with the great dishonour both of God and his Church And as for the Archpriests good nature here specified it is very ridiculous He recalled his
was a great occasion of the totall ouerthrow of religion whereupon also the same deuill brought in the diuision of opinions about going to the hereticall Churches and seruice which most part of Catholikes did follow for many yeeres and when the better and truer opinion was taught them by Priests and Religious men from beyond the seas as more perfect and necessarie there wanted not many that opposed themselues especially of the elder sort of Priests of Q. Maries dayes And this diuision was not onely fauoured by the Councell but nourished also for many yeeres by diuers troublesome people of our owne both in teaching and writing See how shamefully he followeth still this bug emulation If the little affection in the Laitie towards the Clergie and litle vnion amongst the Clergy themselues were then culpable what reward must they haue who now haue effected the same to the ouerthrow of religiō which by the great paines of many religious Priests hath gotten root in many But to our purpose It is euident that no emulation was cause of the change of the Catholike Romane religion professed in her sisters time but her Maiesties conscience I must thinke her Highnesse hauing bene euer trained vp both in her fathers and brothers times in the religion of the Protestants and following to that purpose the counsell of such as thought not so well of the Church of Rome as of the Religion that is now professed Io. Stow. in Eliz. An. 1. 1559. as may appeare by such actes as are registred to haue bene done presently vpon her Maiesties comming to the Crowne But as for the Catholikes their going to the Church it was somewhat more to be lamented perchance then to be blamed before it came to be a signe distinctiue by which a Catholike was knowen from one who was no Catholike For this consideration onely in the iudgement of the Iesuites in their Romane Colledge made the going to Church vnlawful in England as we haue heard M. Iames Younger afterwarde Doctor of Diuinitie affirme who presented vnto them the discourse which Bell made in defence of going to the Church with a protestation It is also well knowen that Fa. Bosgraue the Iesuite at his first comming ouer into England went to Church vntill hee vnderstood that now it was become a signe distinctiue and was excused for that fact by his ignorance of the then present state of our Countrey himselfe comming from such places where it was not takē for so heinous a matter to go to the Protestants Church F. Alexander his felow Iesuite may much more fitly be said in the spirit of this author to be the deuils instrumēts in Scotland by bringing in a diuision of opinions about going to the puritanical assemblies after that the Catholikes there had been instructed by the secular priests of the danger therof forbore those meetings wherby it was become also there a signe distinctiue But whensoeuer any troublesome of any sort hath either in teaching or writing nourished this or any other diuision bending this way the Secular priests haue shewed themselues most vigilant constant in the defence of vnity and the safety of our English Church as it very well appeared by M. Io. Mush his labours against Bell in the North his M. Watsons confirmation of the Catholikes in Scotland against those Iesuits Fa. Alexander his felowes the standing against Fa. Walley and Fa. Southwel two Iesuits in the South by M. Collington and M. Charnock when these Iesuits did teach the Catholikes who were called to the barre openly at Assises or Sessions in the yeere 1591 that they might lawfully to keepe themselues out of prison for not going to the Church yeeld to goe to this or that learned Protestant to cōferre with him in matters of their faith which could imply no other at the least in the face of the world then a doubt of their faith or a contentment to be instructed in their faith by such as in their conscience they tooke for heretikes and consequently it was a deniall of their faith before men if this axiome keepe his old authority Dubius in fide est infidelis He that is doubtfull in his faith is an infidell But after all this trouble was ended Fa. Southwell as we vnderstand imployed M. Standish to tell M Charnocke that hee was now of mind that it was a thing vnlawfull And Fa. Walley told M. Collington that his meaning was onely that the Catholikes should go to the houses of the learned Protestants not to conferre with them but rather as a temporall punishment to quit them from going to prison which how ridiculous a shift it is any man of meane vnderstanding may easily perceiue and also what kinde of people they were whom it was likely the Councell did most fauour if they would debase themselues to deale in such offices as the Author of the Apologie doth here affirme And thus much for his second passage The third matter which here he affirmeth is that certaine Catholicks liked not that the Catholicke English Clergie should be restored at the least by way of a Seminary which was begunne at Doway which because it passeth my capacitie I will not enter into further then this that they were strange Catholicks of what nation soeuer they were that Seminary not hauing any rule by which the Students were bound to any thing more then to studie Diuinitie after which they might dispose of themselues as they would but this Author saith that those Catholicks their letters are yet to be seene and perchance they will come foorth with the larger Apologie and giue credite to this so strange an assertion In the meane while this Author will goe forward with the narration of those hurts and difficulties which vpon emulation haue fallen out in this our English cause vnder the Queene that now is especially concerning the Seminaries c. But first as it should seeme the Gentleman must haue a pipe of Tobacco for that his stomack is marueilous full and before he can come to this narration he must disgorge himselfe Hauing therefore told his Reader how that some Catholicks were against the restoring of the English Clergie as is before shewed thus he easeth himselfe And forsomuch as the principall and onely ground of this our present contention and scandalous controuersie is the very same disease of emulation partly of Lay men against Priests and partly of Priests against religious men especially the Fathers of the Societie with whom at this present they haue to do and that this emulation is accompanied with apparant wicked sisters and daughters as Ambition enuie hatred contention malice pride malediction and other like it is an easie thing for our brethren and others to discerne from what root these buds doe spring and consequently either to auoyd them in themselues or that other men be carefull to take heed of them See I pray you what lothsome stuffe here is and so peremptorily set downe as it doeth most
kindly and friendly in all points to their power but not for loue of the Iesuits but vpon their owne honest dispositions except it be meant by M. D. Haddock and M. Martin Array vnto whose lodging the two priests were sent the one vpon the 22. of April for then he was set at libertie and not presently vpon their sight of the Breue or assurance that all would submit themselues for this was done vpō the 8 or 9. of April when F. Parsons did first bring them the Breue to copy it out the other vpon the 6. of May for then and not before was the other at libertie not presently vpon their assurance that all would be quiet as here it is most falsly suggested And the trueth is that this doctor and his fellow Proctor did vse that kindnesse towards the two priests as euery day when the priests went abroad the doctor himselfe or his felow Proctor would take the paines to rig vp their chamber that no loose paper should be lost which they might by any chance leaue behinde them There was also an honest man in Rome of the Catholick English nation who in respect of olde acquaintance with one or both the priests promised to goe with one of them to visit the 7. Churches an act of deuotion vsed by all that goe to Rome but when the day came he durst not goe fot feare lest the Iesuits should shew ouermuch kindnesse towards him for this loue towards the priest Fa. Parsons his loue and confidence specially is not to be measured who as I haue bene enformed obiected to the priests that they had brought with them a letter which was indorsed or entituled to them in this style To your LL. by which he and others at that time iested at their Lordships And F. Parsons in his letter to M. Bishop of the 9. of October 1999. vrgeth the same as also this author in the Apologie cap. 9 fol. 135. But when these priests desired to see that letter alledging oftentimes what comfort it would be vnto them to see their owne Lordships so often talked of by F. Parsons and other Iesuits all the loue and confidence especially which F. Parsons had could not worke it neither would this letter euer be shewed vnto them as M Bishop testifieth in the English booke fol. 159. Although sayth he it was most instantly desired yea and said to haue been forged as is set down fol. 127. and quietly let slip here in the Apol which vndertaketh to answere that booke Now follow certaine letters of D. Bishop to M. Colington not when hee was at libertie as here it is suggested but a prisoner still although at more libertie then M. Charnocke had for hee was commanded to the Proctors house as M. Charnocke was after his departure and might not lie in the towne where hee would and might haue liued without further charge as also M. Charnocke might for that they had agreed for their chamber and diet for a certaine time and payd their money beforehand and were caried away to prison before halfe the time was out and were offered afterward to haue their diet for so many daies as were behind of the reckoning which were more then either of them had leaue to stay in Rome after their seuerall inlargement out of the Colledge And as for this glose that M. Bishops letter was written eight dayes after the Popes Breue was published I should haue let it passe as one of this authors pety follies this letter bearing date the 29. of April as here is said and the Breue bearing date the 6. of April as in the leafe next before it is twice cited and elsewhere often in the Apologie But there is a further folly hereupon grounded or at the least the like more grossely committed to shew forth F. Parsons praises concerning a letter next following at the end of which thus sayth this author Thus wrote F. Parsons euen then when yet the Popes Breue was not come foorth was not that kindly done and friendly of F. Parsons But how is it proued that this letter was written euen then Marke how hee prooueth it As appeareth sayth he for that this was written the 9. of April and the Breue beareth date the 21. of the saidmoneth The Breue which hath hitherto borne date of the 6. of April must now for to claw Fa. Parsons be reported yea and beleeued also by the blind obedient to beare date the 21. of April Is not this authour very greedy that F. Parsons should be commended who will fetch a matter so farre off and so farre from a knowen trueth to further it ergo not being more common in the schooles then a Breue of the 6. of April for the Archpriests confirmation This letter and other would aske longer scanning then would recompense the paines but to euery mans view they present an argument that the peace was made vpon the Priests side and therefore I will briefly goe ouer some marginall notes which are made vpon these letters And first I will beginne with the notes made vpon Master Bishops letter whereupon Father Parsons his information who was to ouersee what hee writ into England how that he had laboured for his libertie he saith that hee had his libertie by F. Parsons procurement There is this note in the margent How then doeth hee denie this afterward but he telleth him not where you must go looke for that And in the meane time you must thinke that M. Bishop said one thing at one time and at another time denied the same which hee might very well doe speaking first according to such informations as F. Parsons gaue him which afterward he might vnderstand to be false The second note is this By this we see how these men were pretenders and could not expect their owne time And this note is made vpon M. Bishops good wishes to one man and certificate that vpon his peaceable behauiour he should be remembred And what doeth this proue that the same party pretended any thing at all vpon the next letter which is F. Parsons to M. Collington and M. Mush there is this note An obiection answered and that was Fa. Parsons is of an other body and therefore no friend of theirs A shrewd obiection and how is it answered He hath procured Seminaries for them and if these Seminaries were for men of his owne vocation as in deed they are and to make his faction the stronger yet they are all to one end and one publique seruice of our countrey And if no man wil this beleeue let him looke into his actions of the yeeres 1596 and 97. when diuers priests were to come in the Spanish Armadoes vnder pretence to restore the English to the Catholicke religion Let their forced subscriptions to strange titles proue Fa. Parsons and his agents their publique seruice of our countrey But after this letter of F. Parsons followeth another of M. Mush to him And where M. Mush declareth how much
of Pope Boniface the 8. Iniunct de electione and was afterward extended by Iulius the 3. to such as is our present Prelacie And all the scandall which hath growne out of this contention must be answered by those who most iniuriously did driue the priests to so hard a choice and if the priests haue in the prosecution of their iust defence bin assisted by such as in some other respect do disclaime from them and other their actions the Iesuits and their adherents cannot so cary it away with saying that they haue combined themselues in secret with the knowen enemies and aduersaries of our Catholicke faith But they must proue that they haue made an vnlawfull combination it being euident to the world that there may be as wicked and vniust combinations betweene men of the same religion as betweene men of diuers And as it hath bene answered before the priests haue iustified and cleared themselues sufficiently by their apparance at Rome from all suspition of euill dealing or other combinations then which Catholike priests might make and thinke themselues infinitely beholding to their gouernours that they are accepted of by them in that degree in which they are But listen how faire as false a tale he telleth his reader The Apologie therefore sayth this author written by vs was to stay somewhat this violent course if it might be by laying open quietly and modestly the true grounds of all these stirres and perturbations and that not by inuectiues exaggerations or inuentions of our owne as our brethrens books doe but rather by calme gentle and modest narration yea with the greatest loue and compassion of our hearts alledging alwayes most authenticall proofes for that we say speaking also the same in the best and most temperate maner we could and pretermitting many things that might be more odious if they had beene vttered and of this wee make Iudges the readers themselues that shall haue perused the same or may hereafter It is very strange that indifferent readers cannot see any of this in the Apologie If we shall trust to M. Doct. Ely to whom the Apologie was sent by a principall man of the Iesuits faction to be read wee shall finde by the notes which hee made thereupon that the true grounds of all these stirres are not handled in the Apologie but a foule stirre made with much impertinent stuffe full of innectiues exaggerations and inuentions of his owne and his fellow partners in this businesse and no proofes but a fewe of their owne letters a most ridiculous manner of proceeding whereas the priests haue brought their proofes out of the originals of their aduersaries letters and writings published by them and this dealing is also discouered in the reply to the Apologie how this authour in most intemperate manner and most odious termes seeketh the disgrace of the priests for want of other meanes to wrecke himselfe vpon his aduersaries who haue laid too sure and firme a foundation for him to mooue and vnlesse a man will be most wilfully blind hee may very well perceiue the distemperature of this brainsicke companion where he tearmeth the priests children of iniquitie libertines and chargeth them with ambition enuy hatred contention malice prink malediction and other like His contemptible speeches also doe argue little modesty in him but if he should say that he had written no Apologie at all his absurd faction must beleeue him although they see him write it and haue it in their hands so religious are our newe illuminated Catholikes become if their guide tell them the tale But now sayth he since the writing of the sayd Apologie some other matters haue fallen out which doe inuite vs to write againe and what are those forsooth our discontented brethren haue set foorth two other books and put them also in print intituling the one The hope of peace by laying open such manifest vntrueths as are diuulged by the Archpriest c. Consider you how full of hope this way may be to peace I haue considered of it and I iudge it a most effectuall meane for peace to haue falshood discouered and the doubts or difficulties laide open which were before shuffled vp in such sort as the stirres brake forth againe presently after without giuing so much respite as to say there was a peace concluded The other in Latine whose title beginneth thus Relatio compendiosa turbarum c. A compendious relation of troubles c. But now good sir what of these wherein doe these two bookes trouble you will you heare his griefe he hath tolde you so many idle tales in his answere to the two former bookes that hee hath none left to bestow vpon the answere to these and therefore hee will make quicke worke with them and to beguile his deuoted the more cunningly he beginneth to tell them a tale of a Breue of the 17 of August 1601. which he pretendeth here that hee had not seene it when hee writ this Preface yet he would not but his reader should conceiue that he was very perfect in it for he declareth that there is a full decision of the cause in controuersie determining all points that haue beene or may be in question among vs or betweene our brethren and their Superiour or any bodie else But as yet could no man euer say that the priests were cleered from schisme thereby or condemned as schismatickes and how then are all points determined that haue bene or may be in question or how are any matters determined which were put vp in the appeale to his Holinesse nay the appeale it selfe is not admitted although the Archpriest did that which his Holines could not without griefe relate as these words of the Briefe import Quod dolentes referimus neither is there any one worde of the Iesuites or their disorders once touched but in a very fauourable manner that most wicked and seditious libell which they writ against the priests is onely suppressed and herein doe some of them most insolently glory This Breue also is prooued in this preface both by the date thereof and otherwise that it was gotten by the information of the one part only and how then could any controuersie be ended as it ought to be for it beareth date 17. of August 1601 which was long before that the priests arriued at Rome although they were there long before they were bound to appeare in the prosecution of their appeale as all men know who know any thing in the common lawes which allow two yeeres to the Appellants and when his Holinesse wrote the same as though his Holinesse wrote it he had not vnderstood saith this author of any of those scandalous bookes written and printed partly before and partly since by our discontented brethren If then he neither spake with the appellants nor did see any of their bookes dedicated to himselfe or the holy office of the Inquisition by whom could he be informed in their affaires or can any man of sense imagine but that
is there euidently seene to haue been spoken vpon iust cause and this authour is not able to answere the reason there giuen neither is it true which here also he affirmeth that the Breue of the sixt of April is called in question whether it were not forged it is onely sayd that it was procured by Fa. Parsons God knoweth out of what office and the reason is there giuen of these speaches and it is further shewed in the Replie to the second chapter of the Apologie how that his Holinesse doth not ordinarily see the Breues which he granteth In the 14. and 15. leafe this author indeuoureth to satisfie his reader why he doth often name insinuate their the priests patrons and their dealings with them in preiudice of Catholike religion and when he hath spoken his pleasure he solueth all himselfe in this manner And albeit some perhaps may excuse the matter as though this coniunction were not directly to the hurt of Catholike Religion yet euery man seeth that by consequence it is seeing heresie is strengthened by our owne diuision and voluntary weakening of the Catholike party in their fauour But perhaps an honest man will say that this coniunction is neither directly nor by consequence to the hurt of Catholike Religion but rather the vniust prosecution of those who pretend to be Cath. through which heresie may be strengthened and those priests tyred who haue and must deserue best of the Catholike Religion Neither is this any noueltie in Gods Church that those who should bee nurses of Gods people become cruel vnto them and they who vsed cruelty become pious in relieuing the needfull S. Hieremie lamenting the desolation of Ierusalem among other things breaketh out into these wordes Sed lamiae nudauerunt mammam lactauerunt catulos suos filia populi mei crudelis quasi struthio in deserto Those creatures who were wont to teare their yong ones in pieces prepared their teates and gaue them sucke the daughter of my people is cruel as an Ostrich in the desert But to returne to our purpose It is most true that some priests haue receiued very great fauours of the Magistrates who notwithstanding they are of a contrary Religion hold it fit that such haue fauour as they are well assured doe neither themselues plot nor combine with others who haue manifested themselues to plot against the temporall State vnder a faire pretence of Religion and in this ought these priests to thinke themselues most deepely bound vnto them for that they will take notice of their loyalty and if M. Bluet as here it is affirmed haue layd the fault where it ought to be what reason hath this fellow to tell his Reader that he will easily imagine that this fault is layd vpon the Iesuits and other of their side Master Bluet sayd no such thing but perchance the matters haue been so grossely handled by these fellowes as no man can imagine other and this fellow his guilty conscience maketh him to vtter it when the Iesuites are not charged therewith That which this fellowe carpeth at in the hope of peace pag. 13. 14. concerning the casting out of deuils is plaine enough against him the onely difficultie is in his owne opinion of the Iesuits that hearing of the casting out of deuils he is straight afraid of the Iesuits as thogh they were not onely deuils but the onely deuils That which is brought in in the hope of peace is brought to shew that it is not vnlawful to take assistance in a good cause euen of such as are otherwise contrary vnto vs. And therefore if there be any impietie in the application of the scripture there brought the impietie is in this author who placeth the Iesuits in the deuils roome and perchance he mistaketh when he affirmeth that the Protestants haue them for Religions sake it being well knowen that many of the Iesuites friends are highly fauoured who are knowen not to differ one iot in religion from them and the priests whom this author affirmeth to bee patronized by the Protestant magistrate are true Catholike priests and haue so shewed themselues and are resolute to liue and die in the Cath. religion so that there must be some other cause of the hatred if any be in the Protestant magistrats against the Iesuits then their religion But see how he proceedeth and they are so resolute saith he in this holy doctrine as they doubt not as it were to anathematize any man that will not stand with them therein for thus they write a litle after Who doth not now expect some sentence out of the hope of peace to this effect yet when it cōmeth it is of another matter nothing appertaining to this but here foisted in by this author to serue his turne For as it is euidēt to be seene in the hope of peace this discourse of the casting out of Iesuites as this fellow expoundeth it was cleane ended and another passage of the Archpr. his letter taken to bee answered where he writ in this maner It cannot be liked of that we should write one against another c. Whereupon it being first declared what the Iesuits writ against the priests namely in the treaatise of schisme and what infamy grew thereby vnto them the necessity of writing on the priests side is prooued and the sentence here alleaged by this authour is vsed to wit And if the priests haue been compelled to this hard choice as either they sustaine infinite iniuries and obloquies or redeeme themselues in this sort that is by writing from so vndeserued an oppression no superiour in the worlde can iustly finde himselfe touched in credit but such whom the Apostle calleth principes potestates mundi rectores tenebrarum harum This sentence being in this sense vsed by the priests note I pray you how this companion draweth it to another matter And is this true in deede good brethren sayth hee that no Superiour in the world can thinke himselfe touched in credit by this your dealing with heretickes against Catholickes but that hee must needes bee accounted a prince of darkenesse is there no exception at all with you what if his Holinesse that hath brought you vp c. And so hee goeth on in this vaine most idly and cleane contrary to the intent and purpose of the sentence which hee brought as may bee seene in The hope of peace pag. 16. And yet after all this which in his modestie he calleth a malepart kinde of writing he telleth his reader that some may excuse the matter as though this coniunction were not directly to the hurt of the Catholicke Religion yet saith he Euery man seeth that by consequence it is seeing heresie is strengthened by our owne diuision If this then be the matter returne in Gods Name to vnitie and doe that which Christians ought to doe in satisfaction to God and your iniured brethren who by you and your meanes haue suffred more indignities and affliction then euer
in Religion he would haue put the law in execution against them An other note which this authour maketh is that by the Countrey the Priests must needes meane themselues only that is to say some fiue or sixe that opposed themselues at the beginning for that his Holinesse had not asked their consents See I pray you how this fellow stil thrusteth in his Holinesse in this action who was not knowen in 12. moneths after to haue dealt therein except what might be gathered by the imprisonment of the two Priests who went out of England to Rome to haue shewed what they and others thought meete hee should vnderstand although this their imprisonment being such and in such maner before they had audience was an argument to some that it was not his action and that aswell his Holinesse in particular as that Sea and those who did fly thither for succour were too too much abused and this imprisonment of the two priests was about ten moneths after the institutiō of the Archipresbyterie How handsomely would this fellowes musicke sound were this string in tune vpon which he harpeth so often But it being so generally knowen that his Holines was not seene in the action vntill his Breue came which was aboue a yeere after the institution of the authoritie no man but he who is past shame would so often vrge his Holinesse or disobedience to his Holinesse And in this place he giueth this cause in mockage why fiue or sixe opposed themselues at the beginning for that his Holinesse had not asked their consents Alas poore man how faine he is of any foolish conceite to bring the priests into a contempt with the Catholikes Whose consent did his Holinesse aske when he confirmed the authoritie by his Breue I am well assured that he asked not the consent of any of them and yet if the Pope be of any credit or his Breue of the 17. of August 1601. they did all presently without delay yeeld themselues So that this absurd fiction of this fellow is too too apparant I would also demand whether his Holinesse had the consent of any of the Secular priests in England when this authoritie was first instituted and of how many If he had not the consent of them as doubtlesse he had not more then what M. Standish a Iesuit by promise abusing the priests gaue for them in their names who sent him not why is this vrged against fiue or sixe as though all the rest had giuen their consents to the institution thereof If he had the consent of the priestes why was there such canuasing for voyces or hands to be set to a letter which began thus Olim dicebamur Why were so many threatned Why were others who were not to be threatned sollicited with Now it is Fa. Parsons deuise you must not deny your hand Againe to an other you shall not deny me to set your hand vnto it And afterward his hand was set to it and he knew not thereof nor gaue any consent thereto And in this kind did the Iesuits labour and posted from one to another to get consents after that they sawe some to forbeare to yeelde themselues vnto it What deuises were vsed to others for their liking hereof may also be gathered by M. Blackwels behauiour in this point who sending for M. Collington and M. Charnocke vrged them to like thereof and threatned them that vnlesse they would positiuely affirme that they did like thereof he was to send information to Rome that they did dislike thereof notwithstanding they would giue no other answere then this vnto him that they did neither like nor would dislike but would beare themselues as became Catholike priests to do And this was all the opposition which was made at the beginning and it was by fewer then 6. or 5. for it was by these two only which were enow and are as many and perchance one more then at the beginning vse to oppose thēselues against springing heresies errors falshoods or the misdemeanors of such as aduenture to shew themselues in priuate before they appeare more openly to the world The causes of this opposition as this fellow tearmeth it are discoursed vpon at large by M. Iohn Collington in his booke lately set foorth of this argument And thus much in answere of that which this author noteth vpon the priests wordes which he citeth in this place After these notes taken vpon the priests words he declareth his opinion of the statute of Premunire in this maner And as for the Statute of Premunire by them mentioned it is not so ancient as they make it but was begunne to be treated about the time that Wickliffe rose vp when emulation was in heate against the Clergie and the chiefe purpose thereof was at the beginning to prohibite appellation to Rome in the first instance vnder the paines aforesaid and the worst kings of England euer since haue most vrged it and it was not made as these men say by our Catholike Bishops and Prelates nor could in conscience but sorely rather against their wils was it passed in Parliament by the streame of Temporall power and emulation against them c. If the priests did speake of a Statute of Premunire according to the opinions of men well seene in the lawes of our Realme how impertinent is this to tell vs what the chiefe purpose thereof was at the beginning and this being so that the chiefe purpose thereof was to prohibite appellation to Rome in the first instance and therefore no Catholike Bishop or Prelate could in conscience agree to the making thereof doeth not this fellow shew himselfe to be past shame in bringing in this conceite to the infinite discredit of the Archpriest and his tutors We will here omit how the Archpriest who according to his sixth instruction is to doe nothing of moment without the aduise of the Iesuites when he sent first to speake with M. Collington and M. Charnocke stood very stiffely vnto it In his letters to M. Collington that we might not appeale from him to Rome vntill it was often inculcated vnto him how dangerous that proposition was We wil also here omit his commandements vnto vs not to goe to Rome first to pleade our cause in hand for to this perchance answere may be made that he had procured that it should be first heard in Flanders before his Holinesse his Nuncio to whom when our brethren presented themselues and shewed themselues readie to haue their cause heard no one appeared for the Archpriest although he had before giuen out by his letters what potent aduersaries the priests should there find in this behalfe The Nuntio his letter to M. Blackwell and the Nuntio himselfe had written vnto him to come or send some instructed in his cause Wee doe here aske with what conscience haue his godly tutors aduised him and he attempted to punish such as haue appealed to Rome because they haue appealed to Rome as his owne