spirituall belonging to the soule and conscience the other temporall that concerneth the body and weale-publique Let the consideration of the spirituall goe before for that they are the worthier and most important for true Christians to be considered and esteemed There was in England before the alteration one God worshipped and adored after one and the self same manner not onely thoroughout this little Iland of England and Scotland but also of the whole body of Christendome one fayth one beleefe one forme of seruice one number of sacramentes one tonge in celebration one sacryfice one head of the Church one obedience one iudgement in all with other lyke poyntes and circumstances of vnion and vnitie which made a generall vniformitie also in the peace of mens myndes and is a benedictioÌ„ so highlie esteemed commended by the Apostles and Christ himself as nothing more in Christian doctrine This was in England before the change but now in these poyntes we English of the new profession are not onelie different deuided from the generall body of Catholiques in Christendom with whome we were vnited before but also among our selues and with other new sectaries sprong vp with vs or after vs we haue implacable warres and are deuided in opinions as from Lutherans in Germanie and Denmarke from Zwinglians in Swizer-land from Caluinistes in Geneua Fraunce Holland and Scotland and at whome what combates our Bishoppes Counsellors and moderate sorte of Protestantes haue to defend their Parlament Religion and Q. proceedings as they call it against Puritanes Brownistes and other lyke good fellowes that by shew of Scriptures doe impugne it All Englishmen knowe and see by their bookes daylie so as this first and greatest spirituall blessing of vnity and vniformitie we haue lost and not gained by out change of Religion But here our Knight perhappes will say that the blessing consisteth in that by this change they who follow the Parlament Religion allowed by the state of EnglaÌ„d I doe say Perhappes for that I know not but rather doe doubt much whether Sir FraÌ„cis doth followe it or no haue the onlie true Religion among all others that doe erre or at least-wyse his puritan Religion and thereby that they only haue this blessing by the change And no doubt but he saied much if he could proue it of the one or of the other but this seemeth impossible I meane that he should either proue it to me or knowe it himself but onlie by his owne particuler ghesse which maketh not faith but opinion and fansie for I would aske Sir Francis or any such man as he is that determineth so resolutely that his onlie Religion among so many others as are extant at this day is true and all others false whereon doth he grouÌ„d his certaintie Two only meanes can Sir Francis haue to guide himself in this case first that he hath receyued his doctryne of such or such persons preachers Ministers or Doctors whose learning and knowledge in this â—ehalf he trusteth absolutely then is his whole fayth builded vpon the credit of man as is euident and consequently is nothing worth nor no fayth at all The other waie is that he beleeueth it for that it â—s founded in scripture but this waie to Sir Francis must needes be as vncertayne as the other if not more for that to be sure that it is â—oundly grounded vpon scripture he must first reade himself his whole beleef expresly in scriptures which is much for a man of Sir Francis occupation to do then he must be able to iudge of manie other poyntes belonging to the same as namely that the booke is surely scripture that he readeth And then that the translation which he vseth is trulie made out of the learned tongues of Hebrue Greek and Latin And lastelie he must be sure of the true sense and exposition which also are hard matters for a man of Sir Francis learning and much more for others that knowe lesse then he Yea and when all is done if he had all these helpes needfull for such a matter as he hath not yet were it but a priuate mans opinion and consequentlie his faith should be grounded but vpon his owne particuler iudgement which maketh no faith at all but opinion only as ofteÌ„ hath byn saied for that faith must haue Gods expresse authoritie for her foundation So that to conclude the first blessing which Sir Francis in particuler thinketh to haue recâ—yued by this change of his religion is in effect that wheras before when he beleeued the Catholique and vniuersal fayth of Christendome deliuered vnto him by the vniuersal churche as founded on scripture which churche Christe and his Apostles gaue him expresse comission to credit his beleef was properly fayth and founded vpon a rocke that could not fayl now hauing left that fortresse and cast himself into the waues of new opinions he hath nothing certayne at all but so much as he list to chuse of himself or of other mens opinions which choise is properly called heresy for that the woord heresie in Greek as all learned men know signifyeth nothing els but a certayne election and choise in matters of religion to witt when a man leauing the common consent of the generall Churche chuseth only to follow that which his owne priuate iudgement induceth him vnto And to make this more playne how all these people haue no other rule of beleef but only what their owne faâ—sie leadeth them vnto I aske Sir Francis not of any Catholyque Doctor nor of anie auncient father as S. Augustin S. Ierom or the rest whome easely he would contemne but rather of his owne Doctors Martin Luther Iohn Caluyn Theodore Beza and such others whome he supposeth to haue bin seruantes of God and indued with his holie spirit and all the world knoweth that they were more learned then Sir Francis yet why should he beleeue his owne iudgmeÌ„t more then theirs in poyntes of faith wherin they differ from him as Luther about the real presence and the number and forme of Sacraments and many other pointes Caluyn in matter of the Q Supremacie which he denieth Beza in the whole gouernement of their churche Or why should I beleeue Sir Francis or his new maisters of England rather then these that were more learned then hee or his or what reason rule or foundation haue any of these men to beleeue their owne opinion more then others but only self will and fansie This then is the first and greatest spiritual benediction or malediction rather that I fynd to haue happened to our realme and nation by this wofull alteration of religion that whereas before we had â— direct rule squyre and pole-starre to follow which was the vniuersal churche now euery man being set at libertie holdeth beleeueth and teacheth what he listeth Nor is there any waie or meane lefte to restrayne him for streight way he appealeth boldly and confidently to the scriptures and there he wilbe both
made vnfit to be eateÌ„ yet eateth the same he is coÌ„deÌ„ned for that he doth not according to his own iudgment and beleef And after all he concludeth his speach with this general proposition omne autem quod non est ex fide peccatum est all that is not according to a mannes beleef and conscience is sinne for so expound this sentence Origen Saint Ambros Saint Chrisostom and other fathers and not to signifie that all the woorkes of Infidels donne without faith should be sinne though Saint Augustin apply it also to that sense sometimes but the other sense is the literal and most true as appeareth manifestly by the whole discours of Saint Paule Of all which insueth that no man may do against his conscience though it were awry Not for that a wrong conscience excuseth in all cases for that is a different question but for that a wrong conscience byndeth euermore and some tymes excuseth also when it proceedeth of inuincible ignorance But howsoeuer it cometh by right or wrong information no man may go agaynst it without sin so long as he cannot perswade it to change and if this be so how much more are the recusant Catholiques of England bound to follow their consciences in the poynt they stand in for not going to churche being founded vpon so sure and euident growndes as any demonstration in the world can lay downe for proof of any manifest truth what so euer as for example first that the religion they professe is true and the only truth that among Christians is to be found and secondly that they being of that religion maie not dissemble or seem to professe any other by going to their seruice sermons or churches and hereby also appeareth how great impietie and folly it is for any man to inforce them thereunto as our barbarous knight would haue the English magistrate to do I saie it is impietie to inforce any Christian to do an acte agaynst his conscience and beleef for that it is to inforce him to his damnation as Saynt Paul before hath taught vs I saie also it is folly for that by drawing mens bodies to church by violence their myndes being repugnant nothing is gayned at all but more internal hatred and rancor rather enkindled and the infotcers are made pertakers of the others sinnes and damnation And further the Protestantes do greatly hereby discredit their owne doctrin which they were wont to teach that no man should be forced in matters of his conscience And more ouer they do shew hereby vnto the world that they seeke not the inward man but the vtter shew body with what great repugnaÌ„ce soeuer it be of the soule which is quyt contratie to all pietie and a most base manner of proceeding in respect of the Catholique vsage which albeit it punisheth such as do wilfully and obstinatly leaue the vniuersal ancieÌ„t faith of Christendome which once they haue receyued and sworne vnto yet as long as they are euill perswaded of the same they are not only not forced to Catholique churches or to hearing of masses participation of Sacramentes or to other lyke exercyses of contrarie religion but are barred also though they would come if they be supposed to come with repugnance or that there be any least suspition that they go fâ—ynedly or agaynst their willes for that their soule and mynde is sought in Catholique religion and not the body only And this maie be sufficient for repelling Sir Francis first charge against English recusantes concerning the present hurt he saieth they do in England by geuing others example to follow their consciences and not to dissemble And by giuing them example of good life of modest behaueor of patience in aduersitie of corage in Gods cause of contempe of earthly prosperitie of care of their saluatioÌ„ of feare of Gods iudgementes of fidelitie in following the direction of their consciences of magnanimitie in not yelding to betraye their owne cause and beleefe all which is conteyned in the most excellent and heroical act of the refusing to go to churches and seruice of a different Religion In which poynt of refusal also the Puritanes were wont to concurre with Catholiques for defence of their profession but it may be they haue thought it best now to alter that course for that as they haue no other grownd of their religion but their owne iudgment so it byndeth them no further then they list and that it standeth with their comoditie and it may be that in this poynt now they haue thought it best to follow those whome Christ sayth temporales sunt in tempore tentationis recedunt they are according as the tyme serueth do retyre in tyme of tryal or persecutioÌ„ I come then to the second charge which our knight geueth vpon our recusantes about the hurtes that he will needes haue men beleeue they would do if they could of which he writeth thus Touching the hurt they would do who doubteth but they would haue vp their masse agayne and bannish the syncere worship of God their whole Catholique gouernment and religion I am sure they long for And yet to pronounce these men to carye holow hartes to Queen Elizabeth is thought to be an vncharitable sentence Do you see how wyse a charge this is and how learnedly proued Yf a maÌ„ should reason thus agaynst him his brother the Earle that died not longe agone in Yorke you both are puritanes in religion as you are taken and consequently no man can dout but that you would haue vp your geneuian disciplinarie for me of gouernment whereby all the Bishops in England must be pulled downe and other Ecclesiastical dignities discomposed the Queenes Supremacie also must be taken away and other like pointes of the English churche ouerthrowen whereby a man may pronounce that you cary but holow hartes to the present state and to the Queen Elizabeth notwithstanding all your flatterie And this is an argument Sir Francis which logicians call ad hominem in which kinde I could vrge you yet further and make you scratche your head towching wishes and bearing hollow hartes towardes Queen Elizabeth and her gouernment if I would follow presumptions as you do against recusantes for that besides your religion if a man consider whence you descend and what pretences be or may be about succession it is not hard to ghesse what your wishes may be to haue Queen Elizabeth or some other person to sit in her place and yet to pronounce you to carry a hollow harte to Queen Elizabeth as you say in iest that it is thought to be an vncharitable sentence and I say it in earnest quia charitas non cogitat malum sayth Saint Paule charity iudgeth not the worst of things and so I wil not iudge what wishes you haue or may haue only I wil tel you that if you haue any in this later kinde they are more perilous and preiudicial to Queen
religion in England had not byn changed we had had no breach with Rome nor consequently had the excommunication followed whereof so great noise hath byn made in the world abroad and so great trouble at home And what the vnion and frendshipp of the Bishop of Rome may importe euen as a temporall Prince the effects shewed of late in Fraunce where espetiallie by his indeuour and authoritie matters haue byn compounded that seemed verie hard and desperate before not only between that King and his owne subiectes but also between that crown and Spayn and the states of Flaunders which without such an arbiter and vmpyre would verie hardly haue euer byn accommodated Sixthly England had continued in her old ancient amitie and leagues moste honorable with Spayn and Burgâ—ndie and with their dependents and consequently had auoyded all these long and costly warres which by that breach we haue byn inforced to manteyne with losse of so many worthie men and expence of so great treasure as easelie maie be imagined and the quarell not yet ended Seuenthly so great and bloody warres and tumultes in Christian kingdomes round about vs had neuer happened as before in part hath byn declared and all the world doth impute the principal causes and motions therof vnto the diuersitie of religion in England And lastly most dolefull alterations in our own countrie had byn auoyded as the depriuation in one day of all the sacred order of Bishops in England with their perpetual imprisonment for that they would not subscribe to this infortunate change of religion wroong out in ParlameÌ„t as all men know by the oddes only of one or two voices of lay men The disgrace and abasing of so many noble houses with ouerthrow of others wherof let Norfolk Arundel Northumberland Oxford VVestmerland and Dacres giue testimonie For of the rest I will not make mention seing perhaps themselues would be loth I should all which had passed otherwise by probabilitie if religion had not byn altered The continual and intollerable affliction also of so many honorable and worshipfull Gentlemen had neuer happened for perseuering in their fathers fayth wherto our country was first conuerted from infidelitie without any other offence obiected or to be proued agaynste them but only refusing to accommodate themselues to this change The torturing hanging and quartering of aboue a hundreth Preestes for the same cause the moste of them good Gentlemen and youthes of rare witt learning and other partes which other Common wealthes would highly haue esteemed and so would ours too in tymes past and will agayne in tyme to come when these blastes shall once be ouerblown All these inconueniences and calamities had bin auoyded or the moste of them if change of Religion in England had not byn made so that the innumerable benedictions which this poore man would needs threap vpon vs by the change do come to be in effect these that follow First in Spiritual affayrs to haue no certaynty of Religion at all as hath bin proued no stay no foundation no rule but only euery mans own priuate iudgment and fansie wrangling and iangling without end and without iudge or meanes to make an end Nouelties without number and liberty of lyf without feare or force of Ecclesiasticall disciplyne to restrayn it And theÌ„ in temporall matters the blessings are such as haue bin discouered our Realme deuided and shiuered in a thowsand peeces our Princess olde without children or hope of any our Crown without Succession our olde frends and allyes made our enemies our new frends vncertayn our own flesh and countrymen most pitifully deuided within their own bowels and most miserably tossed and turmoyled both abroad and at home abroad and in other countries with Prisons Yrons Chaynes Gallyes and other Afflictions euen to Death it self for being Protestants Pirats Spies Practisers or other such imputations incident to enemyes At home afflicted with no less persecutions of our own Magistrates for being Catholiques or deemed to be such So as I would fayn know who are they in our litle Iland that feel these innumerable benifits and blessings by change of Religion which this gentleman talketh of seeing there are very few either of one Religion or other that taste not of the miseries wherof I haue spoken either in themselues their frends children seruants kinsefolks goodes honours or otherwise and most of all the Realm and Commonwealth it self It may be Sir Francis sitteth easier then other men hauing gotten som fat morsel to feed on by this change yet ought he to haue some sens and feeling also of other mens greefs or at least-wise so much wit as not to put himself to sing in publique when so many thowsands of other men do weep and complayn And so much of his blessings THE SECOND INCOVNTER ABOVT CERTAIN ABSVRD GROWNDS and principles forged by this Knight to be in Catholique Religion WE haue taken a scantling in the former incounter of this our knightes folly and flatterie now followeth a fuller view of his cogging and lying for these two vertues coÌ„monly go together qui adulator idem mendax sayth one the flatterer is a lyar in lyke manner For neither truth can stretch herself to flatter nor flattery can be manteyned without lying This man then after he hath flattered the state of England so grosly and fondly as you haue heard by telling them of the innumerable benedictions powred out vpon the whol Iland by the change of religion now he will needes take vpon him to set before our eyes the spiritual miseries and maledictions that Catholiques were in before this change to witt in Queen Maries dayes and in former raignes of ancient Catholique Princes by reason of certayne absurd and false principles which as he sayth were then receyued for truthes in matters of Religion But before he come to set down those principles he maketh for his preface acertain poetical description of the dark clowdy and mistie state of thinges in Queen Maries tyme in these woords It is not vnknown sayth he to many yet liuing nether can it be altogether â—idden from the yonger sorte that liued with them what a dark mistie clowd of ignorance which brought in popish idolatrie and all manner of superstition did ouershadow the whole Land c. and againe after In these dark and clowdy daies least the sun-shine of knowledge should dispearce the mists of ignorance and giue light to the dimm of sight c. Doth it not seeme that this graue gentleman describeth the lake of Auernus in Italy or some foggy marsh in England or some smoaky kitchin or wood-howse of his own without a window when he speaketh of our famous Country in former tymes Aboue a thowsand years the state of England and the Princes People Nobility and Learned men thereof had continued in that Egiptian or rather Cimmerian darknes which he describeth vnder clowds mists and shadows vntil his new Sun-shyne doctors came in to
Spiritus autem viuificat the letter or literall â—ound doth ofteÌ„ tymes murder the reader the only spirit that is the internall true and spirituall meaning of the Scriptures doth giue lyf And albeit S. Augustin in his learned booke de Spiritu litera doth extend these woords of the Apostle to a farther meaning also yet he teacheth this too and so do the rest of the ancient fathers namely S. Hierom â—d Nepotianum handeling the story of king Dauid 3. Reg. 1. where the â—ong virgin Abisag was sought out to heat him in his olde adge S. Hierom sayth that if we should follow literam occidentem the murâ—hering letter it seemeth a iest and fable but if we fly to the hidden spirituall sence and meaning it is most holy But now let vs aske of you Sir Knight how wil your vnlearned â—eaders those whoÌ„e you cal dim glimering people discerne these things without a guyd such as the Catholique Church doth appoynt for â—xpounding the Scriptures to simple people by Catechisms SermoÌ„s Homelies teaching of pastors and the lyke without deliuering the whole Bible into their handes to be vsed or abused to their destruction Furthermore you cannot deny but that the vnderstanding of Scriptures is a particuler gift of God reserued especially vnto Christe who had the key to open the booke sealed with seuen seales as S. Iohn testifieth and to the same effect is it recorded in S. Lukes Gospel for a singuler grace bestowed by our Saueour vpon the Church tunâ—â—peruit illis sensum vt inteligerint Scripturas Then after his resurrection did he open to them the sence wherby they might vnderstand Scriptures of theÌ„selues For euer before he had interpreted the same lightly vnto them as in the Gospel apeareth He sent also S. Phillip the Apoâ—tle by commaundement of his Angell to goe and interpret a certain place of the Prophet Esay vnto the great Eunuch Tresurer of the Q of AEthiopia when he would conuert him And it is to be obserued that albeit Christe might haue opened the sence of the Scripture to himself immediatly yet would he send him a guide Yea though the sayd Eunuch were learned as may appeer by that being an AEthiopianred the Prophet in Hebrue and though he were also instructed in the Iews religion as it is proued by that the storie recordeth that â—he came to adoie in Hierusalem yetall this notwithstanding was he so far from the pryde of our peeuish prowd protestant people now a dayes which make no bones at any difficultie of Scriptures as when he was asked by S. Phillip Putasneintelligâ—s quae legis thinkest thou that thou vuderstandest the Scripture which thou readest he answered how can I vnderstand it except some body do expound the same vnto me which answere I beleeue many a good wife in London that goeth vp and downe with her Bible vnder her arme would be ashamed to giue if she were asked whether she vnderstand the whole Bible or no. These then Sir Knight are the reasons why some of those your glimmering and inlightened people were restrayned by Catholique discipline to read vpon Gods booke as you call it vulgar translations noâ— to bar them from light as you malitiously calumniate but rather leasâ— they being but half blynde should become whole blynde that is tâ—â— say madd and obstinate blynde of ignorance and vnlearned blynde for such effects doe insew some times of the rash reading of this booke of God when therof is ingendred falshood and HeresyeÌ„ that is the doctrine of the diuel for proofe wherof let vs consider whether in aâ— thowsand years together in England France Germany and other places of Christendome while this prudent restraint of Catholiquâ— church lasted of not permitting all ignorant people to read Scriptures at their pleasures in vulgar languages without an interpreter there arose so many Sects Heresyes and alterations about Religion as there haue risen in fifty or threescore years since this reading was left open to all there is no comparison And if we consider only England theâ— matter is euideÌ„t that more sects haue sprong vp of late by many degrees Yea though we leaue all other sects that are permitted or wiâ—ked at in England respect such only as haue bin punished openly by the magistrate namely such persoÌ„s as haue bin whipped or burned in London Norfolk and other places for Heretiques in the tyme oâ— her Maiestyes raign that now is for denying Christe himself or otherâ— poyntes of the blessed Trinity being altogether vnlearned people as our Chronicles testifie of whome I ask had they euer fallen into such errors and obstinacie but only by reading Sciptures in the vulgar language had euer william Hacket dreamed himself to be Christe or william Geffrey before him but by this way we see then the inconuenience In King Henries tyme when Tindal had translated and printed the new Testament in English at Colen and began to seck meanes to haue them dispersed in England the laws and kings commandment being then against it there was a certayn foul fusteluggs dishonest of her body with base fellows as was openly reported whose name was Ioan knell alias Burcher if I forget not who beginning to be a great reader of Scriptures her self became a principall instrument also in that tyme to deuulge such Bibles as were sent especially in the courte where she became known to certayn women in authority and to conuey the bookes more safty she vsed to bynde them in strings vnder her aparrell and so to pass them into the courte but her neerest freÌ„dship was with An Askew whoÌ„e king heÌ„ry afterwards caused to be burned for denying the reall preseÌ„ce in the SacrameÌ„t of the Aulter But this other scripturian profited so wel as in the fifth yeare of king Edwards reygn she was burned also by the protestants of that time for denying Christe to haue taken flesh of the Virgin Marie Who when she was codemned to dye spake very scornfully to the Iudges and saied It is a goodly mattâ—er to consider your ignorance it is not long agoe since you burned Ann Askew for a peece of bread and yet came your selues soone after to beleeue and professe the same doctryne for which you burned her now for sooth you wil needs burne me for a peece of fleshe in the end you will come to beleeue this also when you haue red the scriptures and vnderstand them and when she came to dye in Smithfield and D. Story endeuored to conuert her she skoffed at him saying he lyed like c. and bad him god read Scriptures And thus much may serue for the repelling those clowds mists and darknesse which this wach-woord-giuer wil needs imagin to be amoÌ„g vs for that all coblers do not clowt Scriptures in our commonwealth But let vs see now what positions and principles he sayth we haue for our direction amiddest this darknesse In these darke and clowdy dayes sayth he least
A TEMPERATE VVARD-VVORD TO THE TVRBVLENT AND SEDITIOVS VVach-word of Sir Francis Hastinges knight vvho indeuoreth to slaunder the vvhole Catholique cause all professors therof both at home and abrode Reduced into eight seueral encounters vvith a particuler speeche directed to the Lordes of her Maiesties most honorable Councel To vvhome the arbitriment of the vvhole is remitted By N. D. Psalm 71. vers 4. Iudicabit Dominus pauperes populi humiliabit calumniatorem God vvil iudge his poore and afflicted people and vvil make the stâ—nderer to stoop Imprinted vvith Licence ANNO M. D. XCIX THE PREFACE TO THE READER I Could much haue vvished that Sir Francis Hastinges vvho geueth himself for author of a certayne iniurious pamphlet published some monethes past agaynst Catholiques and intituled Avvache-vvord or vvhosoeuer made that byting libel for him vvith intention to dishonor him vvith the title as on the one syde he nameth himself knight and all men knovv the Hastinges to be of a verie honorable familie and one also to be knight of that name so on the other had he obserued some terme and stile of nobilitie or gentrie in his vvryting in vvhich case I had either vvholy spared this labour of ansvvering him at all leauing him only to the censure and rebuke of his equals for medling in so base an excercise as calumniation and rayling is in this his old yeares or at leastvvise should he haue receyued his check and refutation vvith that regard of vvorship and honor as othervvise had byn due to his rank place and person But fynding him so far forgetful of all knightly temperance in his tongue and of all ciuil cariage in the drift and current of his book as he holdeth no rule or limit of modestie at all but inraged rather as it seemeth vvith a furious veyne of inuectiue spirit spareth neither God nor man so far forth as they concerne the catholique cause or the cause them he must beare vvith me and lay it to his ovvne demerits if I be driuen to encounter vvith him in some more egar and sharp manner at certayne meetinges then either I allovv of by myne ovvne lyking or then the reuerend respect I carie to his house and familie and the particuler affection I feele tovvardes some of his ovvne name and linage vvould othervvise haue induced me VVho vvill not confesse but that lying forging and falâ—ifying ignorant vaunting odious scoffyng malitious calumniations seditious interpretations bloodie exaggerations Barbarous in sultations ouer them that already are in affliction and calamitie ought to be far from the nature pen and tongue of a knight or gentleman and yet these are the flovvers or rather furies of this skolding discourse as aftervvard you shall see by that vvhich is to be treated VVherin if the lyues honors states and liuinges of home-borne subiectes vvere only touched and brought in question as they be it vvere more tolerable though no vvay tolerable being don vniustly but the heat of this hastie knight resteth not here but rusheth further to the open assault of forayne monarches also their honors fame and reputation vvhich is lesse tolerable and consequently hath need of some more sharpe and forcible reiection The violence of the Puritan spirit is not vnknovven to the vvise of England vvherunto also France and Scotland vvil beare sufficient vvitnesse It hath byn kept dovvne many yeares by the valour and prudenee of the Protestant and the knovven professors therof haue byn held leane and hungrie by her Maiestie to no smale benefyt of publique peace and so may be stil vvhyle the Catholique partie hath also some poyse and svvay in the balance agaynst them If Sir Francis be one of them it may seeme perhaps expedient in his vvisdome that her Maiestie grovving novv fast in yeares thinges be brought to some trial by garboile in her dayes for that aftervvard more then one parte may chance to ioyne agaynst them vvherfore if they might novv oppresse the catholique partie by the hand of her Maiestie their ovvne vvould serue aftervvardes more easely to do the lyke agaynst her and hers and the vvay and meanes to effectuate them both may seeme perhappes no vvise to be more potent or speedie then to dryue many at home to desperation by feares and terrors of oppressions and by opprobrious iniuries and personnal slaunders to inforce forayne princes of the same religion to implacable yre and indignation And this is the proper course that Sir Francis taketh throughout his vvhole sedious vvach-vvord VVhich to couer the better he falleth to extreme flaterie of the other syde espetially of the state and of her Maiesties person in particuler vvhich are the fittest baytes to couer such hookes as angle after popular fauor for a further fetche To this man then I am to ansvver as the substance and tenour of his accusations fictions or calumniations shall leade me reducing all that I am to saie for better order and memorie to eight or nyne principal heades branches and argumentes vnder the name of encounters vvherin I dout not but the apparent truth of diuers poyntes vvil come to light vvhich hitherto haue layen hidden and obscure in the vnderstanding of many hoping that the discret reader vvill passe ouer these fevv lynes vvith a beneuolent or at least an indifferent eye reseruing the final iudgment of all to the Lordes of her Maiesties Councell vvhome I my self haue chosen for vmpires and arbitres of the vvhole controuersie and so I end this entrance and vvil passe to my first combat and incounter vvith Sir Francis Hastinges Your harty freend that vvisheth your best and greatest good N. D. THE PRINCIPAL PARTES OF THIS VVARD-VVORD THe preface to the reader about Sir Francis Hastinges manner of proceeding The first encounter about blessings or cursings receyued by change of catholique religion in England page 1. The second encounter concerning certayn absurd grovvndes of catholique religion faigned by the knight and the defence of Saynt Thomas of Canterbury page 11. The third encounter touching forged perils to haue byn procured to her Maiestie by Catholiques both before and since her raigne page 27. The fourth encounter about certain principal Englishmen iniured by name as Bishop Gardener Cardinal Allen c. also about father Persons and other Iesuites page 41. The fifth encouÌ„ter about Iesuites and father Persons in Particuler vvhether they seek the Queenes blood as S. Fra. affirmeth page 55. The sixth encounter of Catholique recusants novv in England and the fault of disloyalty falsly layd against them page 72. The seuenth encounter of for ayn princes slandered and first about the Bishop of Rome vvhether he be Antichriste or no. page 90. The eight encounter about the present king of Spayn and the Spanish nation iniured by Sir Francis page 102. A speech to the Lords of her Maiesties priuie Councell remitting the iudgement and arbitrement of the vvhole controuersie to their censures as also the iudgment and petition of the ansvverer for ending or composing of
matters page 119. THE FIRST INCOVNTER ABOVT THE BLESSINGES AND BENEDICTIONS vvhich Sir Francis affirmeth to haue come to England by the change of Catholique Religion WITTIE was the answer of him who being demaunded what enimy was to be holden for most perilous and pernitious sayd that of domestical enemies the flatterer for that his wound is receiued commonlie with delectation and by couering the truth and praysing the vices and imperfections of the party flattered he doth lead him pleasantly and without resistance to perdition And as this is true in particuler men as all the world doth experieÌ„ce daily so much more hath it his effect in great communities and common wealthes where the greater part being lightly of the simpler and more imperfect sort they are easily caried away with the poysoned melody of these Sirens songes of adulatioÌ„ so he that will read ouer the stories of the beginninges proceedinges fall and ouerthrow of realmes and countries shal find the principall root of their ruine or changes to haue bin the eare and credit giuen to flatterers before the sincere couÌ„cell of them that spake more plainlie though les pleasantlie Let the onlâ—e example of the people of Israell serue for this tyme who being often told by holie men and prophets of God of their dangerous estate would neuer beleeue them but harkened rather vnto flatterers that smoothed all and told them of blessinges in so much as God himself resolued one daie to saie plainlie vnto them though it profited little Pâ—pule meus qui te beatum dicunt ipsi te decipiunt viam gressuum tuoruâ— dissipant My people they who say thou art happie they are those that deceiue thee and doe mar the way where thou art to passe therby to ouerthrow thee He that will consider with iudgemeÌ„t and indifferencie the present estate of matters in England and round about it this especially by reason of change made in religion shal read together the flearing tale which Sir Francis Hastinges telleth vs in the first lynes of his booke of the iâ—finit and innumerable blessinges receiued as he saith by the sayd change he will either say that the man lacked witte and discourse to see the deformitie and contradiction of his owne talke or els modestie and shame fastnesse in vttering it For notwithstanding the rare partes and good intentions of her Maiestie in this her gouernement which no man denieth nor yet conioyneth with the euil successe of this alteration of religion as well knowen not to haue proceeded of her owne inclination at the beginning who is there so simple that discouereth not or so euil affected that rueth not from his harte the difficulties alredy growen and growing daily by this most vnfortunate and fatall alteration of religion which this man calleth The fountaine and wellspring whence all the rest of this our little Ilandes benefites and blessinges doe issue and flow Nay doth not the seely fellow himself in all this furious and scornefull libell of his indeuour to lay before vs a thowsand feares and frightes of imminent perilles which he saieth hang ouer vs by the diuision of hartes of handes of iudgementes of affections of partes and partialâ—ties and factions within the realme Or is his whole argument any thing els in effect but a timerous abodement of infinite ruines that doe beset the realme at this day And are not his owne wordes these after a long discourse of perilles I doubt not deare countriemen but that you are men of wisdome and can easilye conceyue what dangers we stand in by that which hath bin set downe before And a little after The life of Religion of Queen Countrie is at the stake c. And how then doth he pype vnto vs this feigned note of melancholie musike amiddest so many dreadfull cares and sorrowes hath he not redde that Musica in luctu importuna narratio it is importun chaunting when other men are weeping but let vs heare his manner of speache If I should take vpon me sayth he to enter into the enumeration of all the benefites and blessinges that from the almighâ—i haue bin powred vpon this little Island of England c. Here Sir Knight seing you mention our little Island you must take in Scotland also or els you erre in Cosmographie and then your meaning must be that Scotland in like manner as well as we hath tasted of the same benedictioÌ„s by change of religion as no doubt but it hath with all other regions and countryes neere about vs who being quiet before and setled in one vniuersall and generall religion did by Englandes alteration receyue the like impression and motion in themselues yet more then the rest by their neerenesse Scotland Ireland Flanders and Fraunce Into the enumeration of all which countryes miseries tumultes calamities and desolations happened by that chaunge if I should enter with Sir FrauÌ„cis to recount them I should finde a far more ample subiect to inlarge my self vpon then he in recyting his blessinges though he descended vnto verie poore ones For to begin with Scotland and to say nothing of the Battailes Murders destruction of Countries Prouinces Townes Citties Howses and particuler Men which we haue seen in that Realme within thes fourtie yeares that the change of religion hath bin attempted no man can deny but that three Princes two Queenes and one King the Mother Daughter and Husband haue bin all brought to their bane by this occasion besides the ouerthrow and change of so many Noble Howses and Linages as Scotish-men can recount mong their Hamiltons Dougleses Stewardes and others as also the Irish will tell of their Noble Desmondes and other Peeres destroied But Flaunders Fraunce haue no end at all in these coumptes when they begin they are so many And all this as they say and is euident by the Lamentable consequence of our change of Religion in EnglaÌ„d which drew them after vs or at least-wyse gaue example hart and help to their change and euersion also But not to steppe froÌ„ England it self wher principally this blessing bringer doth vaunt that his blessings are powred out in abundance let vs examine the matter indifferentlie among our selues we are English-men and we talke to men of the same language and nation that know the countrie and condition therof and many haue seen the change and knew the stare of thinges therein before the alteration or at least-wyse haue heard thereof since by their fatheres and grandfathers This is not a contention about Terra Virginea where only we must beleeue Sir VValter Rawleighes Relations or Sir Humfrey Gilbertes about Terra Florida Let euery man then looke about him and say what he findeth or feeleth of these blessings or maledictions in himself or others I for my part shal onely for better direction of mens iudgments geue this aduertisement that all blessings of a common-wealth may seeme to be reduced to two heades or braunches the one
inlighten the same And it was accounted then as wâ—se learned valiant noble and florishing a Kingdom as France Italy Spayn and other Catholique kingdoÌ„s be at this day where if one of these our inlightened Sunborne English ministers should appeer he would not dare to opeÌ„ his mouth in schooles or matters of learning among the great number of most excellent learned men which there are found as we haue well experienced by such of our protestant people as now and then do go abroad to forrayn Vniuersities and are quikly brought to confess their inequalitie in this kynd for that they skarse vnderstand the very ordinary tearms of the learned sciences which the other do possess And as for Q. Maries reign in England it is euident to all those that haue iudgment to discern what learning and wisedom meaneth and indifferency to confess it that there was not a more learned Clergy in many ages before And in respect of these poore creaturs that occupy now their prebends and sitt in the Sun-shine of their New-pretended-gospel with their wiues and children round about them they wer great Rabbins and Patriarchs One Tonstale of Duresme one Watson of Lincoln one Christoferson of Chichester for learning one Fecknam of VVestminster one Gardener and on VVhyte both Bishops of VVinchester for wisdom and learning together were able to hold at school all your Sun-shine Clergie at this day for terme of life and after as by their woorks and wrytings yet extant doth well appeer But let vs see how the knight goeth forward in his tale after he hath tolde vs of these clowds mists and darknes that then raygned he addeth these woords whereunto sayth he was added and wherwith was mixed all bloody and sauadg cruelty agaynst those that desired knowledge and were any way inlightened by Gods grace with a glimering or smale insight into true religion For though it were but only a desire to read vpoÌ„ the holy booke of God ether the olde or new testament then heretique was his title heresy was his fault â—â—d for this was he called before the Romish Cleargy to receyue their censure and â—â—ch neuer departed from their clowtches till they had brandeled them to the â—aughter This is his narration VVherin first we must separate open and maâ—ifest lying from fond and rude ignorance for that the former is less â—ufferable in a Knight that holdeth accompt of honor then the secoÌ„d â—specially in matters of Diuinity And truly I am sory that the writer of this booke calleth himself knight to whom in law of Chiualry a â—â—aÌ„ should not giue the lye but with obligatioÌ„ to defeÌ„d it in the field â—ut for that I do presume when he resolued to write and publish this booke and to diuulge so fals fowl and slauÌ„derous a libel and to iniure â—o many mens honors therin as he hath donn and the honor of God and of his Saintes especially which is less to be tolerated he made accompt to renounce all priuiledge of Knighthood Gentry and Nobiâ—ity For this cause I am moued to make less scruple in that behalf when necessity is offered And heere I must begin in this very place to tell him that two manifest vntruthes properly called lyes for that they are wilfull are set downe by him in the woords alleadged and known to be such to very children and nouices in the Catholique Religion The first that it is holden for heresy or euer was to read vpon the Bible or booke of God as he calleth it in what language soeuer for euen in vulgar tongues it is permitted to infinite lay people in all Catholique countryes by lycence of the ordinary as all men know and it can not be denied The otherly is that for this fault only men were called before the Romish Cleargie in England and brandeled to the slaughter These I say are apparent fictions let the Knight defend his honor in auowing them It remaineth only to me to lay downe what the Catholique Church did ordayne in this behalf and what reasons she might haue to restrayne some of this mans dim and glimmering people from reading at their pleasure vpon vulgar Bâ—bles without lycence or without the spectacles of competent learning and vnderstanding requisit for to profitt thereby how far this prohibitioÌ„ of the Church streched and whether this may iustly be accompted bloody and sauage proceedings or rather prudent and prouident circumspection for simple mens safty First then most certayn it is that no man or woman was euer forbidden to read any parte of the holy Scriptures in any of the three learned languages wherin they were written to witt Hebrew Greek and Latin And secondly the restraynt that was made of vulgar translations as French Duch English and the lyke was only that no such translation should be admitted or vsed except it were first examined by learned meÌ„ by order of the Bishop Ordinary to see whether it were well and truly translated or no. And then such men and women of the laity were permitted to vse the sayd translation approued as should haue lycence of the sayd Ordinary and be thought fit and able to profit and not to take hurt or hinderance therby others had the same in effect and substans deliuered vnto them by sermons bookes and other means This was the order let indifferent men iudge and determine what cruelty or mercy impiety or piety might be herein For first no man will deny but if the translator did not put downe truly and sincerely the wordes of Scriptures in his vulgar translation then the simple reader that cannot discerne should take mans word for Gods word which were great inconuenience and for this cause only if none other were most necessary was it that some order should be set downe for examining of translations whereby might be distinguished wheÌ„ God and when man speaketh in the Scriptures And secoÌ„dly though it were certayn that the words of Scripture were â—et downe truly in vulgar translations yet if the same reader by ignorance did take out of the true woords a fals sence then sucked he poyson in steed of wholesom doctrine If then in a fayr and pleasant garden there should be this danger not only that one hearb taken for another might indaunger a mans lyf but the self same heard gathered and dressed in different sorte might be eigher poyson or treacle who would condemn the maister of the garden if he suffered not euery one indifferently to gather hearbs there but such as either had skill of theÌ„selues to discerne or were directed by others how to gather and vse those hearbs to their help and health and not to their hurt and distruction and to the very same end was the prohibition that ignorant people should not read Scriptures but with leaue and direction Who can deny but that S. Paule talking of the Scriptures as they were in the Learned tongues especially of the olde testament sayth of them liter a occidit
who haue instituted the degrees of Doctors Licenciates Maisters and Bachelers and apointed preferments for them you or we And to speake of positiue Diuinitie only and Scriptures wherof you will seeme to bragg who haue conserued and published the Bible in the learned tongues of Hebrue Greek and Latin euen in our dayes Were not the Biblia Complutensia in all three tongues printed and set foorth by the expences of a fransiscan frier Cardinall Ximenes Arch-bishop of Toledo within these three or fourscore yeares And were not the last Biblia Regia set foorth in foure or fiue tongues by Catholique men by the authority and charges of his Catholique Maiestie of Spayn And are not the Comentaries written vpon the Scriptures by Catholique men euen at this day aboue twenty for one more then those of Protestants why then do heretiques lyke apes bragg and prate in presence of lions that in euery kinde oâ— learning do bear them downe But now to the second position VVhen they had thus setled this blinde cours saieth our knight to keepe the people from knowledge c. Then they offer an other position that it was not for lay men to medle with matters of religion that belonged only and wholy as 〈◊〉 priueledge to Priests thereby making them secure and careless of God and aâ— godlinesse In setting downe of this forged position there is some subtlety ioined with impudencie For first in the former parte where he sayth we hold that it is not for lay men to medle with religion he subtely leaueth doubtful this worde medle either to signifie that lay men must not determine or defyne matters of religion or els not to medle or care for them at all In the former sence we graunt that in Synods and Counsels where coÌ„trouersies of fayth are to be treated Priests and Clergy-men haue only authority to define and determine for that S. Paule sayth that they are apointed by the holy Ghoste to gouern the church though before they come to determine they do help themselues also by the learning of lay men and take their iudgement when they may giue light as in all Counsels is seen But in the second sence it is moste impudeÌ„t that he inferreth that hereby we would make lay meÌ„ secure careleâ— of God all godlinesse For how doth it follow The Queen of EnglaÌ„d doth refer the determinatioÌ„ of all good lawes orders vertuous proceedings within the realm vnto the voices of her priuie counsell or of the parlament ergo heerby she maketh free secure and careles all the rest of her realm from obseruation of good orders law and honest behaueour Or in the self same matter of religion I may argue thus the determination of matters of fayth is remitted only at this day in England to Bishops ministers and not to their wiues ergo heerby those â—ood wiues are made secure and careles of God all godlinesse there 〈◊〉 no difference in the consequence at all VVherfore as malice here lost her eyes so doth she also her wits in â—hat which followeth for presently he leapeth to raile vpon the â—aints of heauen and namely vpon S. Thomas of Canterbury though â—mpertinent to his purpose for he was treating of lay men as you â—aue hearde whome he sayth we make careles of God and all godlinesse â—or that we refer the determination of controuersies in religion not â—nto them but vnto Priests only and now let euery one consider how â—his consequence holdeth which enseweth and it is enough sayth he â—f one of these fellowes come diligently and deuoutly to hear masse goe to confesâ—ion once a year to be as religious a man secundum vsum Sarum as could be wiâ—hed and though he were to be tainted and to be taxed with the grossest sinnes â—et Rome by the authority from their vicar generall had at rik to hale them into the â—able of their Saints and so to canonize them as we haue example of Thomas Becket in Henry the thirds tyme whose treasons to the prince were apparent and manifest c. But before I answere in the cause of S. Thomas I will aduise this â—alumniator first that his skoff of a religious man secundum vsum Saâ—um is ridiculous on his side if we compare him to his holy ministers that follow the vse of the tauern at chaering crosse do neither heare masse nor go to confessioÌ„ once in seuen yeares nor meane to amend or â—â—ake satisfaction and then it is a great lye that we require nothing els â—ut going once a year and a far greater that men of the grossest sinnes â—re made Saints among vs and finally nothing els is heer but iests and lyes Secondly I put Sir knight in mynde that talking of lay men S. Thomas example that was a Priest and head of Priests was not to his purpose Thirdly moste grosly and ignorantly he erreth in the tymes for that S. Thomas his death and canonization was in King Henry the second and not the thirds as fondly he affirmeth but aboue thirty years before king Henry the third was borne Fourthly that this poore man maketh an vnequal match to fight with Saints and will rest in the end with a broken head And finally that he sayth S. Thomas his treasons to his prince were apparent manifest is a manifest slaunder For there is nothing in all the whole discourse of his controuersie with King Henrie the second that sauoureth of treason or that impugned any one law of the realm then in vre For that the recourse he made to Rome was lawfull at that day as it is now in any other Catholique country The controuersie was only about the liberty of the English Church which the king sought to abridge and the other as primate to defend Nor did the king or his officers chardge him with treasons nor could they by any shew of Iustice. For if in euery contention or dissention that a spiritual subiect or Ecclesiastical Prelate may haue with his temporall prince the subiect shalbe condemned of treason according to this seruile censure of Protestantes that to flatter princes make them absolute lordes both of body and sowl then Iohn Baptist also must be accompted a traytour that dealt so peremptorily with his king Herod that was his liege Lorde in temporal affayres Or if you will haue examples of Christian princes S. Ambrose must be a traytor first for resisting openly his Lord and king Valentinian the yonger then for handling so hardly the elder Theodosius Emperour in Millan as he shut him out of the church and made him goe home agayne with shame and do penance S. Hilarius also S Athanasius shalbe traitors for their contentions with Constantius their lawull Emperour and temporall Lord who bâ—nished them from their Bishoprikes And the former of the two wrote two vehement bookes inuectiues agaynst the sayd Emperour and yet no man euer accompted him a traytor for the same but rather a
great Saint for his Christian libertie and constancie S. Chrysostome in lyke manner shalbe condemned for a great traytor who had greater contentions with his temporal Lordes Arcadius and Honorius Christian Emperours and with their wyues Theodosia and Eudoxia then euer S. Thomas had with king Henry the second For he prâ—ached agaynst them publiquely with great vehemencie and thundred out excomunication agaynst them and was twyce banished and driuen out of his Bishoprike by their disfauor and died in exile And yet was he neuer called or accompted a traytor but a singuler holy man and Theodosius the yonger son of Arcadius brought his body with great solemnitie honour and reuerence into Constantinople and wept most bitterly for the sinnes of his pareÌ„tes in persecuting so blessed a man And as the story sayth made prayer to him now dead for pardon of his fathers sinnes As did also often our king Henry the sonne for the offence of his father in being some cause of the death of this iust man his pastor and spiritual father Wel then to conclude this matter treason there was none nor could be in this contention of S. Thomas agaynst king Henry for it was donn with all due respect of the Archbil hopes parte and according to the lawes ecclesiastical both of churche realm And as for the mannes behaueour and actions in the rest of his lyf if we beleeue three or foure historiographers together of greate credit and sanctitie that liued at the same tyme and conuersed with him they were admirable in all kynd of vertue His death was by wilfull murder without iustice or commaundment of king or any magistrate as all the world knoweth His canonization was presently vpon his death by diligent inquiry of all factes and circumstances and by vniuersal applause of all christendom King Henry the second excused himself of the murder admitted his canonization builded his shryne and sepulcher adorned the same with greate giftes came thither in person and not only denyed as I haue sayed that his intention euer extended to his murder but also tooke seuere punishement and pennaÌ„ce of himself for the vniust wrath that by incitation of others he had conceyued agaynst so holy a man of which penance of the kings one that liued at the same tyme and saw it wryteth that he opened his naked shoulders at the sepulcher and receyued first fyue ierkes at fyue Bishops handes and fourescore and three at so many monks â—andes and after lay on the bare ground and other such circuÌ„stances as in the author you may read All those that had byn enemies to the blessed man or had had parte in his death came after to greate miserie by Gods iust iudgmentes And fynally all the Christian world for these foure hundred yeares haue holden him for a glorious martir and builded many a churche to God in his memorie in other countries many great moâ—arches haue come to England of purpose to visit his sepulcher and others haue sent great presentes and donaries Many miracles haue â—yn recorded by graue authors and publique testimony of the whole â— land to haue byn wrought by God at his sepulcher in witnes of his â—anctitie All these testimonies then being extant in the world for so many hundred yeares together let any man iudge whether they ought â—ot to be of more weight with a wyse and pious Christian then this â—raynles calumniation of a mad hasty hoat spurr that knoweth â—ot what he sayth and much lesse careth or indeuoureth how to â—roue it But let vs see now his third position that he feigneth to be among â—s as a grouÌ„d of religioÌ„ These two irreligious prophane grouÌ„des saith he â—eing layd though you haue seen that the knight hath layd them as fiâ—ions of his own grownds of ours they proceed to a third set it down â—r a Popish ground also that it was a dangerous and deadly sinne for any man 〈◊〉 disobey the Pope and his cleargie in any of their orders inioyned and commanded in such reuerence and regard must he and his cleargie be had that the meanestâ— masse Priest comming with authority from him must be obeyed vnder payn of damnation though he commaund that which is blasphemous before God in Christians and disloyal to men in subiects This is his narration from which if ye separate a manifest lye oâ— two with some fond exagerations for without this kynde of leuiâ— the poore knight can make no batch as for example that the Pope anâ— his Cleargie must be obeyed though they commaund blasphemies against God and disloyalty against princes which is a shameles slander and that the disobedience if he speake of omission in any one order inioyned by Pope and Cleargie is a deadly sinn and the lyke if you separatâ— I say these ouer lauishings of the hastie knight all the rest he obiecteth is rather commendation of Catholique religion then any reproche at all for in that he saith wee obey the meanest preest as the highest if he come with authoritie of the highest he sheweth therby that we haue among vs true obedience and subordination and thaâ— for conscience sake Not respecting so much the person that commandeth as him for whome and in whose name and authoritie hâ— commandeth and therin we fulfill the precept of S. Paule Obedite praâ—positis vestris subiacete eis ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabuâ— restris reddituri Obey your Prelates and humble your selues vnto them he distinguisheth not betwene high and lowe for they keep diligent watche ouer your soules as men that must render account theroâ— to God And in other places he sayth that this obedience must bâ— with such reuerence humilitie and inward affection as vnto Chryâ—â— himself whose substitutes our spiritual superiours be though neuer so mean or contemptible in mannes sight And again S. Paul sayth this obedience must be non solum propteâ— iram sed etiam propter conscientiam not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience that is vnder pain of deadly sinne or of damnation though this wise knight do iest at the phrase which yet is the proper phrase of S. Paul himself in the same place saying qui autem resistuâ— damnationem sibi acquirunt those that resist to obey procure damnation to themselues And this is answere sufficient for so ydle an obiectionâ— that we obey the meanest masse Priest coÌ„ming with authority of the highest in which matter I could teach Sir Francis a spirituall poinâ— of doctrine if he were capable of it and most true to witt that the meaner the substitute is that is obeyed in the name and place of any potent prince or superior the greater honor is donn to the sayd prince or superior and the greater vertue is argued therby to be in him that obeyeth for that he is not induced by any talent or commendation of the sayd substitute to obey him but only for loue
respect and reuerence of the partie whose authoritie he hath and in whose name he cometh and by this way a catholique man that obeyeth a mean Priest comming in the Popes authoritie or a mean qualified Pope comming with the authoritie of Christe leeseth nothing whatsoeuer the pride of heretiques do prattle to the contrary and so much of this There remaineth then only the fourth grownd or position to be examined for he would needs haue a whole mess of theÌ„ and this he setteth down in these wordes following And hauing thus made an open passage without stop to the mark and matter they aimed at so heÌ„med men in as they could not see which way to escape daÌ„ger but by them that layed the snare for them they propound vnto them a mean of deliuerie from all dangers euen when they sinned immeditly against God which is a pardon from his holiness and absolution from his holy Priests But if the decrees or ordinances of their Romish sinagogue were transgressed hardly any mercy was to be had Thus writeh our knight if you will beleeue him but hauing taken him trip in so many falshoods forgeries and calumniations before I presume that the discreeâ— reader will giue credit to him and his assertions heerafter by weight and measure looking to his fingers as well as to his lips as men vse to do when they deal with egyptians Now then let vs examin what truth there is in this tale of his First and formost who seeth not how egregious a cauil it is to say that Catholiques by teaching men to obey their superiors simply and â—or conscience sake and vnder paine of sinne as you heard also S. Paul to teach that thereby they do bring men into snares or hem them in as this mannes phrase is By which argumeÌ„t he may prooue also that God himself when he gaue the law to the Iewes did hem them in to â—nares of sinne which yet the Apostle so vehemently confuteth in the â— and 8. chapters of his epistle to the Romans Secondly it is a notoâ—ious vntruth to say that the means we prescribe of deliuery from â—ll dangers of sinne is the Popes pardon and a far greater and more â—mpudent lye it is when he addeth by a parenthesis euen when they sinn â—mmediatly against God for that the Catholique doctrine is cleer in this â—oint that the Popes and Churches indulgences auayle not to reâ—oue mortal sinnes but only are giuen where all such sinne is already â—ardoned by contrition and confession and vertue of the Sacrament â—nd that there remaineth only some temporall punishment in this or â—he next life to be remitted Neither can the Pope pardon the guilt of sinne it self by any other way then by the means of the Sacrament of confession and absolution which Sacrament hath his force of the blood of Christe as euerie ordinarie Priest authorised to heare confessions may do the like And so thirdly it is great ignorance in our knight if not malice to ioine togâ—ther as he doth the Popes pardon and the absolution of his holy Priests which haue great difference in this matter for that the pardon stretcheth not to remit sinne it self as hath bin said but only the temporal paines depending of sinne after it is remitted but priests absolution in the Sacrament of confession is sufficient to remitt any sinne if the penitent be contrite according to comission giuen by Christe quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis quorum retinueritis retenta sunt whose sinnes ye forgiue shalbe forgiuen and whose sinnes you shall retaine shalbe reteined So then absolution is a different matter from indulgence pardon Fourthly that the transgressions against the decrees and ordinanceâ— of the Catholique church which wickedly he nameth the Romish Synagogue be more hardly forgiuen among vs then greater sinnes and those namely that be immediatly comitted against God himself is a shameles slaunder and neuer taught by any Catholique man iâ— the world and so vnworthy to be further refuted Now then he hauing set down these four absurd grounds of religion in our name feigned by himself and accompanied with so many oâ—ther lies and falshoods as you haue heard you shall see how he maketh his conclusion and triumpheth as though he had donn somwhat of importance these are his woords Thus haue you the blind cours they sought to hreed vs in by debarring vs the cleer light of the holy writteÌ„ woord of God the carelesnes they sought to settle in vs of all religion by making it a thing impertinent to vs as though we had no souleâ— to care for c. This conclusion to him that hath red the former foolish positions with their confutations may serue for some disporteâ— and recreation to behold how his seelie knight bestirreth himself vpon castles builded in the aire by himself fals imaginations sotish apprehensioÌ„s oâ— his owne especially in a long ridiculous discours that he maketh immediately vpon these woords in his booke where imagining that alâ— goeth by pardons with vs and that pardons may be had for mony he inferreth that all rich men may easily be saued in our religion without any difficulty and yet sayth he Christe taught vs that it was aâ—â—asy for a camel to pas thorogh a needles eye as for a rich man to goâ— to heauen so he marueileth how these thinges can stand together To which I might answer that it seemeth as easy to teach a beare to play vpon a taber as to learn Sir Francis to be a good deuine and that I would more easily take vpon me to make a camel to goe thorough any needles eye in the sence that Christe spake it or any rich man in the world to enter into heuen if he would follow my counsel then to frame Sir Francis old head to vnderstand the depth of Catholique doctrine And therefore amiddest his doubts I leaue him to his ministers except he will resolue to be a catholique and goe to confession for then his ghostly father by the penance he may chaunce to enâ—oine vnto him will let him see and feele that all goeth not by pardons nor yet by money among vs. And that there is another more streight needles eye for him to enter seeing he is rich then the buying of pardons if he will goe to heauen after the catholique manner to witt by contrition confession and satisfaction which God graunt him to do for otherwise he will neuer come there seeing that the open and easie cart way of only fayth is far different from the needles eye and narow path that Christe speaketh of THE THIRD INCOVNTER ABOVT GREAT PERILS SVPPOSED TO be vvrought to her Maiestie by Catholiques both in the tyme of Queen Marie and since VVith the cleering of diuers particuler men that are slandered therin AS the principal marke that parasites do comonly shoot at with great Princes is not only to handle pleasant and delightfull matter to gain
England during the raigne of fourtie yeares notwithstanding â—ll the pressures vexations dishonours rapines slaughters impriâ—onments and deaths which they haue suffered in this space at the hands of Protestantes Puritans and Atheists for their religion VVhich afflictions layd together haue byn more then euer subiecteâ— since England was a monarchie suffered at home in this kynde Now then mark that which followeth If we looke one our own chronicles we shall scars finde any one Princes raigne though oâ— far fewer yeares then this euen when the people were all of one reliâ—gion and none of these afflictions and pressures layd vpon them buâ— that many more commotions troobles and rebellions happened then in this long tyme and among so infinite exasperations haue insued And if we looke vpon the short raignes of king Edward Queen Mary and the parte of king Henryes tyme after alteration in religion there is no comparison And whence cometh all this trowâ— you but of the singuler vertue and vnspeakeable patience of the Catholique subiectes of our tyme vnder her Maiestie that haue liued and suffered all this with gronning only and secret teares without further breach to defend themselues or reuenge ther iniuries And truly when forayn nations do both see and read the bloody list of lawes made against Catholiques and Catholique religion in England within these forrtie yeares and do heare of the rigorous execution of thesame together with the incredible molestations that therby are layed vpon so great and potent numbers of people that lack noâ—â—corage also to aduenture euen to death it self in fauor of their said religion they rest astonished and do wonder how either the countriâ—â— can remayn voyd of continual tumults or the prince free from infinitâ— dayly perils seing that desperation in such matters is the next dore to all extremities especially the persecution beinge so rigorous and violent so vniuersal and exorbitant as infinite people are interessed and touched therby either inmediatly by themselues or in their children seruantes kinsfolkes or frendes whereupon fynallie they do greatly admire as I haue said the modestie patience and longanimitie of the English Catholiques And so much the more for that the Protestant when he is vnder and disâ—auored hath no patience at all but breaketh out continually to most violent tumultes and rebellions If we do consider the deportement of the protestantes in Queen Maries tyme and how euery moneth almost they had either rebellious or new turbuleÌ„t practises against the state and Queen not being ashamed at length also by publique bookes to make all weomen incapable of royal gouernement a man would think this fellow very shameles not to blush to make this discourse agaynst Catholiques so soon after those broiles of his owne people And yet these differeÌ„ces are to be noted in the cause first that Q. Maryes gouernement dured but â—tle more then foure yeares and this of her Maiestie hath donne fourty â—en were the principal protestantes not touched nor pressed but now â—o Catholiques at all is spared they were restreyned only from brining in of nouelties these are forced to renounce their old religioÌ„ that â—om the first coÌ„uersion of the land they and their fathers haue profesâ—ed and vowed to keep they had few or no forrayn princes of their â—eligion round about to geue them courage or assistâ—nce these haue â—e most and strongest in Christendome and yet are quiet and this for England But if we passe our eye beyonde this litle Iland also and consider â—hat reuel these frends of Sir Francis though not of Saynt Francis â—aue made in other countries since the beginning of their innouaâ—ions to witt in Germanie France Flandres Poland Swethland Demnarke and Scotland agaynst their true and lawful princes what â—rmies campes battayles and insurrections what desolation of counâ—ries cities townes and linages they haue caused and what slaughter â—nd hauok of Christian blood they haue procured more impudent and â—idiculous will this clamor and exaggeratioÌ„ of our crowching knight â—eem to be about two earles only that vpon feare of force gathered â—heir seruants neighbours and tenants together and presently fled â—nd of two or three other gentlemen wherof the one was put to death â—or hauing a description of certaynes portes and hauens only found in â—is chamber and for that he had some intelligence with the Queene of Scottes and with Don Bernardin de Mendoza Embassador for the King of Spayne resident in England though nothings els could be â—roued against him the other went beyond the feas for that he could â—ot lyue with his conscience at home and neuer hurted them since And of two earles more committed the one vpon suspition and nothing proued against him that was known before his piteous death which God only knoweth how he came vnto the other for flying first for his conscience out of the realme he beeing taken on the sea and brought back again and after diuers yeares of imprisonment without any further matter layd to his charge was after condemned principally if not onely for a Masse heard or caused to be said in the tower of LoÌ„don which was such a treason as all his noble ancestors would haue byn glad to haue ben coÌ„deÌ„ned for his posteritie may glori that he was for that neuer Earle in England synce it was Christian was euer brought to the bar for such and so glorious and so holy a treason And to conclude all these accusations in deed layd together against English Catholiques are but very tryfles and triuial things that dayly happen in moste quiet peaceable commonwealthes where no man is afflicted by the state at all But that infinite greater and more haynous stirres and breaches haue not bin raysed within the space of fourtie yeares where so deadly differences in religion and so continual persecution against so great a body haue bin in vre this I say as I sayd before that to men of iudgement and indifferencie and of experience in gouernment is a maruelous wonder and a moste famous canonization of the patience magnanimitie and fidelity of English Catholiques and her Maiestie and the realme are happy that they haue such subiects And if they will not beleue me let them but turn the leaf a litle against protestants puritans and other new sectaries and restrain them from their desires and pinch them with persecution but a quarter of that they haue donn to Catholiques and they shall se and feele by experience which kynde of people is more apte to obey or to woork turmoiles and perils to their weal-publique and gouernours And therby also will appear the vanitie and malice of this impertinent and spitefull slanderer who endeth his inuectiue with these woords There is no end saith he with this people their practises are pestilent their perswasions perilous their platforms traiterous and to serue their turn they want not cunning to execute all so violent they are in their vilanies and treasons and so shameles
together for their gaines more then for deuotion which Bishop Gardener seeing and not able to resist he spake his minde plainly touching religion in a sermon before the yong king and councell vpon Saint Peters day which was but fiue moneths after king Edwards raign for which sermon he was sent to the tower the morning after and lay there prisoner all king Edwards time and came not out vntill Queen Marie at her first entrance into the tower of london wheÌ„ she was Queen deliuered him and other catholique prisoners together and how then doth our steel-brow-knight write that Bishop Gardener Hattered both father and sonne and neuer shewed himself in religion vntil both of them were called to their last home and Queen Marie entred the crown let some frend blush for him if he haue not shame to do it himself Againe it is as great an vntruth and as grosse ignorance besydes to say as this man doth that Bishop Gardener and his complices brought in the Spaniard and mached him in mariage with Queen Marie For that euery childe acquaynted with that state knoweth or may learne that Bishop Gardener was of the contrarie part or faction that fauored yong Edward Courtney the Earle of deuonshire and would haue had him to Marie the Queen whome Bishop Gardener had held for his spiritual childe in the tower all king Edwardes tyme. And now the matter was so far forward as the mariage was held for certayne but that the contrarie syde and especially the Lord Paget partly by the acquaintance and credit he had gotten with Charles the Emperor in Flanders during king Edwards tyme and partely for the ielosie he had perhappes of B. Gardeners great affection to the Duke of Northumberland his greatest enemie who in king Edwards reigne had indeuored vtterly to disgrace him they procured I say the said Emperors most earnest and effectual letters to the Queen about her mariage with the Prince of Spayne which they did so vrge to the sayd Queen and with so many argumentes against Courtney espetially that he was neither sound in body nor religion as they got her consent and subscription to the sayd letters of the Emperor And then there was no further dealing to the contrary for that Queen Mary bore such exceeding loue and reuerence to the Emperor Charles her Cosin as she would not fayl in her word geuen to him for all the world VVherby we may imagin what a mortification Bishop Gardener and all the rest of his side that fauored Courtney did receaue by this change of the Queens will and purpose and therby also perceyue the folly and temerite of this rashe accuser who layeth to there charge the bringing in the Spaniard which yet if they had donne or had byn cause of that greatest and most honorable mariage that for many ages hath byn in Christendom and of greatest consequence if issue had followed therof if this I saie bad byn so as it was not why did they betray therin both God the Queen and there countrie as this wise Censurer affirmeth what grownds what reason may there be aleaged of this triple treason God receiued by this mariage the strengthening of his true religon the Queen got the greatest noblest and richest husband that was extant in Europe our countrie got many a thowsaud of Spanish treasure without losse of any as heerafter shal be shewed And wherin then stood this great offence But let vs passe ouer these follies of our knight in matters of state for that perhaps his prayse and skyll is only in armes yet one point more must I examine wherin he condemneth B. Gardener and this is for his sermon made at S. Paules crosse vpoÌ„ the wordes of the Apostle to the Romanes hâ—ra est iam nos de somno surgere It is now high tyme for vs to ryse out of sleep the night hath gone before the day is come c. and the rest that followeth there All which sacred scripture this learned religious knight sayth very peremptorily that it was most prophanely and blasphemously peruerted by the said Bishop and that to bloody purposes which we shal now à litle discusse This famous sermon was preached as I sayd before at Paules crosse after the mariage was celebrated between the King and the Queen who both were present at this speech of the Bishop nowe also hygh Chancelor and there prsent in like maner both Cardinal Poole legate of the sea Apostolique as also the Embassadors of the Emperor french King and other Princes and a marueylous great learned and noble auditorie besydes as euer perhaps was at any sermon in England before or after The Chancelors discourse was how long they had runne astray and byn in darknes of diuision and stryfe among themselues since first king Henry lefte the old troden path of his ancestors kinges and Queenes of England in matters of religion and brake from the vnion of the church of Rome and of other catholique kingdomes round about him and that now it was time to arise out of this sleep and to looke about them And in this discours and sermon the Chancellor vttered two principal thinges among other that greatly moued the whole auditory The first was the hartie and humble accusation of himself for his â—all and consenting to King Henryes will in that booke de vera obedienâ—tia which he did vtter with so great vehemencie of spirit and abundance of teà res as he could not goe forward and was forced diuers tymes to make some pawses which in such an audience especially of strangers also he being the cheefest person of the realme after the prince we may imagin what a temporal shame and confusion it was vnto him and how greatly it would moue the hearers and lookers on to see him make such an accusation of himself willingly of his owne accord without compulsion and with such earnestnes as he did And that there was no fiction or dissimulation in this act of his the end declared for when he fell sick afterward and drew neer vnto his death he desired that the passion of our Sauiour might be redde vnto him and when they came to the denial of Saynt Peter and how after Christe had looked back vpon him he went out and wepte bitterly the Bishop cried out and bid them stay there and see whether his sweet Sauiour wold vouchsafe also to looke back vpon him and geue him some part of Saynt Peters teares for sayth he negaui cum Petro extui cum Petro sed nondum fleui amare cum Petro I haue denied Christe with Peter meaning that subscription to the supremacie of king Henrie I haue gone out with Peter meaning the participatioÌ„ of that schisme but yet I haue not wepte bitterly with Peter so bitterly as I should do and by often repetition of those woordes and asking God sorgeuenes with cryes and syghes he intertayned himself vntill great floodes of teares came downe vpon him and so gaue vp the
gouernours as I haue sayd with equal authoritie all in his opinion or the far greater parte very catholique But he was no sooner dead but all these orders of his were ouerthrowen and a protector made the third day after the kinges death and sone after religion changed and the law of six articles abrogated and as litle regard had to king Henries will and ordinances as if he had neuer byn king of this realme or mayster to the breakers And among other these changes was displaced Gardener himself one of the cheef of those sixteen appoynted for gouernours by king Henry and not only thrust from all authoritie but sent also to the tower of London prisoner as before I haue shewed and other Catholique Lordes remoued in lyke manner from the Councel for lyke endes and purposes Then began a new world of making new Lordes new Earles new Marqueses new Dukes in deuiding great states offices dignites in good felowship amonge themselues all in the name of the childe king though he were not yet crowned nor three weekes past synce his fathers death New men also were called out of Germany to wit Peter Martir and Martin Bucer two apostated friars with their wenches that had been Nunnes who must come to teache a new religion in England but with expresse condition to be indiffereÌ„t to reache that sect opinion either of Luther Swinglius or Caluin or other that should be determined and agreed vpon by the Parlament then in gathering together and so they were contented and with that condition they were sent the one to Oxford and the other to Cambrige Then was the new English forme of seruice drawen out in hast by certayne of the Protectors chaplayns in Somerset place in London not fully agreeing to any of the Captaynes doctrine aforesaid but somewhat mingled of them all and much also of the Catholique ryte and forme all which was approued soone after for apostolical and established by the lay part of the Parlament for the cleargie reclaymed and all men inforced to sweate vnto it and so for the old religion receaued by the vniuersal church and continued in England for aboue a thousand years and confirmed by so many miracles at the beginning as S. Bede and other ancient authors do affirme and allowed by the consent of all our learned English for so many ages now was there a new religion deuised in corners set vp by certayne obscure and hungrie fellowes in hast within the space of two monethes and authorized by a parlament of vnlearned lay men to be the rule of our saluation But in the meane space the Duke of Somerset now head of this church for that the childe king was at play could think nothing of it attended principally to his temporall aduancement to purchase good old land and caused his seruantes to set forward the new religion without troobling him therin saying that all should be examined and approued afterward by the authoritie of the yong king as trew head of the Church and so it was Then followed great tumultes and rebellious in the realme as also iarring and falling out of the great protestant Councellors among themselues The protector first cut of the head of his brother the Admiral and then the Earle of VVarwicke cut of the head of the Protector and diuers of his frendes and made himself duke of Northumberland and then plotted with the duke of Suffolke to cut of all king Henries children and to bring in Suffolkes daughter and Northumberlandes sonne as they did For which soone after both their heades were cut of also by Queen Marie and Catholique religion was restored agayne to the state wherin first it was when king Henry her father began this tragedie and first put all out of ioynt Thus passed the matter briefly and all this Bishop Gardener had seen and passed through and had plaied his parte in diuers actes and pageantes to wit as an actor in the beginnyng and as a patient after as hath byn shewed And being now restored to his old estate agayne and more ouer made Chancelour of the realme and looking back vpoÌ„ the dream past had he not trow you iust cause to preache hora iam est nos de somno surgere it is tyme to aryse from sleep wherin we haue slumbered these tweÌ„ty yeares and more in suche varietie of tossinges and to walk with more light and stead fastenes for the tyme to come let it be left I say to the iudgment of euerie discreet reader whether this theame parable were fitly chosen and wel applied by B. Gardener or no or rather blasphemously peruerted as our Hunting deuyne Sir Francis wil needs haue it and so much for this tyme of Bishop Gardener About C. Allen for that I haue byn ouer large in B. Gardeners affaires I meane to be verie breef so much the breefer for that the matters obiected agaynst him by this accuser are very cauils if we consider the substaÌ„ce of the thing it self for he sayth that this English traytor though he were a Cardinal at Rome and sworn to the Popes paÌ„table hath sent froÌ„ thence many slanderous and seditious pamphlets and in one which was the treatise against the English execution of iustice he seemeth to wish that doctor Sanders and doctor Bristow had spared to speak so much in defence of Pius Quintus Bul agaynst her Maiestie and yet he doubteth not to affirme that these two learned men of â—reat zele and excellencie had their special reasons to do so which he will neither desend nor reproue c. And further he proceedeth sayth this maÌ„ to excuse all the preestes and studentes beyond the seas and all such as haue come ouer and saith that all of them â—ince that censure of his holinesse to vse sayth he his owne wordes did vse all â—euerence and respect to her Maiestie vttering in no preaching speach or booke â—o not at the houre of their death and martyrdome nor euer before in any their confessions to the magistrate any disloyal word agaynst her Maiestie These woordes recyteth Hastinges out of the discourse against their English iustice as wordes of moderation or rather blushing as he â—ermeth them for that which was done before and yet he sayth that â—n an other treatise of defence of Sir VVilliam Stanlies act in geuing â—uer Deuentrie to the king of Spayne the Cardinal cometh to â—tter himself as far as either Sanders or Bristow or any other in approbation of the sayd excomunication which thing albeit this kinght â—o greatly condemne yet cannot I any thing marueyle thereat considering that the Cardinals opinion being as he was could be no other in substance touching matters of controuersie then was that of doctor Sanders doctor Bristow and the rest And though for peace â—â—oderation and edification he liked wel in others and specially â—n the yonger sorte of preestes that they should auoyd all occasion of â—ateful speach in this odious
kingdomes or that may be christian which obligation groweth by that great and high commission giuen to Saynt Peter in special manner aboue all other Apostles as after shalbe demonstred by Christe him self ouer all christian soules in these wordes thryce repeated pasce oues meas pasce agnos meos feed my sheep and feed my lambes VVhich feeding he could not performe nor can his sâ—ccessors but by doctrine to all and gouerment ouer all And therefore whensoeuer Sir Francis sitting in his wache shall discouer or heare that the Popes holines leaueth of this clayme of Ecclesiastical Supremacie or is so purged as he becommeth a Protestant which none euer yet was nor wilbe by all liklyhood let Sir Francis know that he leaueth also to be Pope and whensoeuer he ceaseth to indeuor the establishing of his Roman vniuersal catholique doctrine in England or any other countrie els where sheep or lambes of Christ are or may be had there he ceaseth also to performe the dutie for which the Popedome or principal See was ordayned by our Saueour And consequently a very impertinent and childish discourse was this of Sir Francis about his holines purgation and reconciliation to Protestantes religion Let vs see if you please the rest concerning father Persons and his pewfellowes as he scornfully calleth them whome albeit he slandereth falsly in the imputations layd agaynst them about seeking the Queens blood yet doth he much honour them all in ioyning them in slander and calumniation with the Pope himself First of all then for that it seemeth that by father persons pewfellowes this pleasant gentlemaÌ„ vnderstaÌ„deth those of his order societie knowen commonly by the name of Iesuites I shall first treate somewhat of them and their estate and doinges in general and afterward descend to father Persons more in particuler though moderatly of them both in regard of the frendship that for many yeares I haue held with them and least any man should attribute the thinges I am to say rather to affection then iudgement in this behalf Notorious it is to them that haue experience in the affayres of our dayes and much more that trauayle through diuers countries and do weigh with iudgement what passeth in the world that these kynd of men I meane the Iesuites as they are greatly loued and esteemed by most catholiques so haue they many aduersaries and maligners also those not only such as in matters of fayth and opinion do dissent froÌ„ them both Heathen Turke Heretique Atheist Infidel and other lyke that all ioyntely do band agaynst them but diuers others also of catholique profession for other causes so as it seemeth that to them may be applied not vnfitly that saying of the Roman Iewes to Saynt Paule when they spake of Christian religion newly begun de secta hac notum est nobis quia vbique ei contradicitur This only we know of this new sect of Christians that euerie where there is contradiction made agaynst it to wit by Iewes gentils philosophers astronomers necromantes heretiques vitious and deuyded Christians and other the lyke and to say the truth it was no euil signe though vttered by enemies of the excellencie of the thing it self for so do diuers ancient fathers gather in their apologie for the Christian cause agaynst the heathens that obiected this matter they gather I say and namely Saynt Iustine Martyr and Tertullian the great perfection of true Christian and catholique doctrine by this general contradiction made of all handes agaynst it and this partly for that truthe is one and errors many and that excellent thinges haue euer many difficulties and that Christe foretold this finally for that the trial of gold by many and strong fyers sheweth it to be pure if it abyde and beare them all in which sence the holie ghost sayd of the iust man Certamen forte dedit ille Deus vt vinceret God hath geuen him a strong battell to the end he might win and therby his victorie to be the greater And king Dauid speaking in the same sence of himself and other seruantes of God complayneth sweetly Posuisti nos in contradictionem vicinis nostris thou hast put vs in contradiction euen to our owne neighbours that is to them that make the same profession also of thy seruice with vs and finally of Christ himself it was foretold Eccepositus est in signum cui contradicetur behold he is put for a signe agaynst the which great contradiction shall be made which in his passioÌ„ was cheefly seen whereof Saynt Paule speaking to the Hebrue Christians sayd Thinke of him which did suffer with patience so greate a contradiction of sinners agaynst himself and he not wearie nor faynt harted in lyke occasions This then perhaps may be some cause of so manyfold contradictions by sondry sortes of men at this day agaynst the Iesuits if as they beare the name so also they draw neare to the lyfe steppes of Iesus their mayster whose particuler badge and liuery seemeth to haue byn euer that his nearest followers and dearest frendes should haue most contradiction in this lyfe for so the lyfe of all his Sayntes do testifie which is nothing els but a rehersal of their contradictions and difficulties and himself discusseth the matter very largely in Saynt Iohns Gospel where hauing shewed extreme loue to his Apostles and disciples and sayd that now they were no more seruantes to him but rather frendes for that he had imparted with them all his secrets he telleth them this secret also for the vpshot of all about contradiction and opposition of the world If the world hate you sayth he know ye that it hated me before you if you were of the world the world would loue that which is his owne but for that you are not of the world and I haue chosen you out of the world therfore the world hateth you remember the saying which I was wont to vse vnto you that the seruant is not greater then his mayster Thus Christ in familiar and confident speech to his best beloued in which sence also he sayd after his resurrection to Ananias about Saynt Paule when he had chosen him to be his fauoryte vas electionis est mihi c. ego ille ostendam quanta oporteat eum pati pro nomine meo He is a chosen vessel vnto me and I will shew him how great matters he must suffer for my name and so he did afterward laying so many contradictions and tribulations vpon him from all handes as the poore man could not tell which way to turne him vt taederet etiam viuere that he was wearie euen of his lyf for that on one syde the Iew of another the Gentill pursued him of an other false brethren betrayed him of an other heretiques made diuisions of an other seditious Christians raysed factions agaynst him and added pressures to his chaynes of an other syde wordly Christians
earthly substance to wit in his riches ease and commodities of this lyf warre is made by meanes of Iesuites and sedition is put into his house before he was aware his reason falleth out with his sense and his conscience with his ease and with all the residue of his former trade of lyf and heer by both him self and all the countrie round about him is put in comotion and Iesuites are accused of this offence for putting of fyre in this house hew and cry is made after them many complayne others curse that are either trobled or endamaged by this warre and this is the true state of Iesuites at this day and these are the causes for which they are made odious and termed seditous For as for the odde and ydle callumniation of the heretiques of our tyme wherunto Sir Francis also as a deuoted child of theirs doth set his hand in this place that they do practise the deathes of princes and procure their destruction except only he meane that practise wherin they ioyne with their mayster vt princeps huîus mundi â—ijciatur foras that the prince of this world may be cast forth and that in particuler they haue sought the blood of our Soueraigne of England with such thirst as this man auoucheth and that generally they be princequellers king-killers and the lyke is an accusation no lâ—sse found then false and malitious and as easie to proue as that Sir Francis is by occupation a iugler for what men are Iesuites to attend to such attemptes or what profit or emolument can arise to them more then to other men by such murdering of princes albeit you would faign them to be so voyd of conscience as you insinuate or where or when or by whome was euer any such enterprise proued against them you will alleage perhaps the case of France mentioned before to be attempted by Iohn Chattel a youth of nineteen years of age that had once bin their scholler for he was not actually when he attempted that fact and if he had bin who seeth not the vanitie of this accusation that the offence of one particuler scholer should be atributed to all his maisters or be punished vpon them who had aboue a thowsand scholers more in that place at that time and diuers thowsands in other places of France at which the diuel enuyed not a little Furthermore the acquitall and free deliuery of father Iohn Gueretius particuler maister that had bin of the sayd Chattel by the publique magistrate without any punishment at all after he had bin held in prison and tortured and most rigorous trial made vpon him doth euidently shew as wel his innocencie as that of all his fellowes for that so rann the humors of their conspiring enimies against them at that day in Paris where the tryal was made that if any least shew of probable offence could haue bin found and fastened on them they had all smarted for it as since hath appeared This fact then of France is their ful clearing and no way their condemnation Their followeth another attempt of later time in Holland set foorth by the kinges rebelles of those prouinces since Sir Francis wrote his booke for if it had bin published first he would haue taken no dout a large argument therof to haue discoursed theron and rayled more at randome the fact is set out in print vnder the name of a sentence of death giuen by the magistrates of Leyden the two and twentith day of Iune last past of this yeare 98. agaynst one Peter Panne natiue of Ypers in Flanders for that he tooke vpon him at the persuation of the Prouincial of the Iesuites together with the Rector and prefect of studdies of their college of Doway to kill as they say CoÌ„te Mauris Gouernour of Holland and in the end of their narration which they auow to be Peter Panne his owne confession they do adde that this iustice is done vpon him to terrifie men from fauoring the bloodie and murderous sect of Iesuites which as is notoriously knowen to the world do inâ—ent daylie a thowsand most execrable practises and trayterous entrepryses and do seeke to put them in execution for killing and murdering kinges princes and principal personages especially such as will not admit them nor approue their papistical superstition called by them the catholique Roman Religion c. These are the wordes of those magistrates in their printed senteÌ„ce whereby is manifestly seen the end that moued them to publish so lying a pamphlet as also to faigne the whole narration for defaming of Iesuites and making them odious if all were faigned or at least to induce Peter Panne to confesse it or to accept and publish so manifest false a confession without further examination of the truth and circunstances therof For that since vpon further tryal of the matter before other magistrates of other places to wit of Ypers itself where the partie dwelt and of Doway wbere the couenant was forged to be treated and concluded and of other places in Flanders it is found that all was a mere fiction so far forth as it toucheth the Iesuites and so is it testified by an answere printed by authoritie of the saied magistrates the fyue and twentith of August next insuing of the same yeare 98. and by diuers other bookes and declarations afterward set abrode for iustifying of the truth and in one of them there are obserued aboue threescore manifest lyes layd downe agaynst the Iesuites in that shameful confession as for example among other poyntes it is shewed and verefied that Peter Panne was no catholique at all nor euer had doing with the Iesuites that he was a vagrant cooper giuen to drunkenes and running vp and downe the country lyke a mad man for which faultes and for his debtes he was often put into prison and sometymes being deliuered he put in himself agayne of madnes that his freÌ„des wold haue bound him in chaynes in his owne house that he was extremely well affected to Counte Mauris and consequently no fit man for Iesuites to deale withal to kill him if they had had any such intention as their was no cause why they should haue seing they were to gayne nothing by his death Moreouer that Peter Panne neuer prouyded the Iesuites college in Doway of butter in his lyfe as is affirmed in the sentence nor euer was seen in that college by any nor that there was euer any such seruant of the college named Melchior de val feigned to haue byn the messenger to sollicit this matter with Peter Panne neither was euer there any treatie with Peter Pannes wyfe in Ypers to this effect or other as is affirmed in the confession nor had she euer any acquayntance or dealing in her lyfe with Iesuites as in the faigned narration is set downe that all the tale of Peter Pannes coming to Doway in the rogation weeke last past and his dyning and treating with the Prouincial Rector
pastors shall appeare to take account of the obedience or rebellion vsed to his vnder pastors then will these reckoninges be cleered and euerie man shall receyue according to his merits And if all Christian nations haue and ought to bear such reuerence and respect to the sea of Rome then much more our litle Iland of England as this man calleth it for that it hath receiued more singuler benifits from thence then any one nation in the world besides to wit it hath bin twice conuerted from paganisme to Christian religion by the especial diligence labour and industrie of the same sea once in the time of the Britans about a hundreth and ninetie years after Christe at what time Elutherius that holy Pope and Martyr conuerted king Lucius and his subiects by the preaching of Saint Damianus and his fellowes sent from Rome to that effect and the second time about fiue hundreth years after when our predecessors the English Saxons were conuerted by Saint Augustine and his fellow preachers sent by Saint Gregorye the great then Bishop of Rome to the same end And if it be most certayn and cannot be denyed that these two benifits rightly considered are the greatest that vnder heauen our land could receiue from any mortal men and that the obligation of this dooble spiritual birth of ours is so much greater then the band we owe to our carnal parents by how much more weightie and important is our eternal saluation then our temporal life let all men consider the barbarous ingratitude of this mā that barketh with such spite against the sea of Rome the mother of our Christianitie and against her Bishops the woorkers of so high a blessing vnto vs. And with this cōsideration I leaue the modest discreet readers to iudge of the matter as reason and religion shal induce them and with this cease to passe any further in this matter THE EIGHTH INCOVNTER TOVCHING SPANIARDES ASvvell the vvhole nation as their present King HAuing made the warde which you haue seen in the former incounter both to Rome and her Bishoppes agaynst the peeuish wranglinges and spitefull calumniations of this wach-worde-geuer there remayneth yet an other bickering about the Spanish king and nation which I haue reserued to this last place as the subiect wherein our cockish knight presumeth principally to crowe and triumph without modestie and to lauish out lies without number or measure imagining that all is both lawfull and gratefull which he sayth in that kynde and that no man will aduenture to check him therin in respect of the present warres and hostilitie that are betwixt our realme and them But he is deceaued for that the wiser sorte of our nation haue learned euen by the lawes of moral ciuilitie that a man must speake moderatly also of his enemy and the more religious sort do know by the principles of Christianitie that not only of our temporal aduersarie which may be afterward our frend we must notly or fayne reproches but neither of the Deuil himself though he be our spiritual immortal enemy and Gods also so detestable are lying lips and calumnious tongues in the sight both of God and man where either reason or religion beareth rule as neither of them seemeth to do with the enraged and distracted spirit of Sir francis Hastinges VVhich poynt that we may better consider of I shall first beginne with that which he vttereth in diuers partes of his libel agaynst the whole nation of Spaniards in general terming them by the names of proud ambitions bloody tyrannical rauening Spaniards a nation cursed by God for that the Pope that cursed man of sinne hath blessed them c. And in one place he descrybeth them in these wordes I must remember vnto you that it is recorded of the Spaniard that in dissimulation he surpasseth all nations till he haue attayned to his purpose and when he can once preuayle he goeth beyond them all in oppression and tyrannie also that he disdayneth all other nations and that in pryde and carnal voluptuosnes no nation cometh neer him and these be his qualities This our gentlemans censure gathered out of recordes as he sayth but I would gladly he had cited the author where he found this record as he ought to haue donne for discharging his fayth and honestie in so greeuous an accusation as this is and that toucheth so many if he had regard or respect therof And hardly do I beleeue that he hath euer found or shall fynd any writer of credit be he of what nation soeuer that will shew himself so fond and passionate as to set downe by wryting so preiudicial a censure and so general a reproche as this is agaynst any nation notwithstanding I know that the Spaniardes at this day haue many emulators and aduersaries partely for hatred of Catholique religion which is their greatest glorie and partely by reason of their large dominions which is not strange for so had the Romanes also before them and the Graeciās Assyriās before them agayne when their Monarchies were potent quia virtutis comes inuidia as the common prouerb sayth enuy followeth vertue and valour and in this sense our English prouerb is also most true it is better to be enuied then pitied And when the Roman monarchie was fallen and the french also that was set vp by Charls the great our English nation had the greatest of any one of Christendome for some ages together when we possessed our ample olde states and dominions in france during which tyme he that will see the inuectiues made agaynst our English manners and agaynst our proud and tyrannical kynde of proceeding as then it was termed let him but reade ouer the recordes of the french chronicles extant at this day and yet no reason that these recordes should condemn or disgrace our whole nation now nor then neither when they were written being set downe by our aduersaries and emulators and by those that were either vnder vs or feared vs and consequently were nothing equally affected vnto vs as many are not at this day agaynst Spaniards Moreouer if some Spaniardes should be found in deed to haue some of those vices or defectes which here by their calumniator Sir francis are named as among other nations no man can deny but the lyke are also to be found what reason or equitie is there to omit conscience and christianitie with which this man seemeth to haue litle to do what reason is there I say that these defectes should be attributed vniuersally to the whole Spanish nation wherin there are to be found thowsandes that haue no part nor fault as on the other syde if some English-men as they passe ouer other countries by sea and land at this daye should behaue themselues scandalously by gluttonie and drunkennes as diuers haue byn sayd to do is it a lawfull consequence to say or think that all English are such at home and that these are the qualities of the
English nation as Sir Francis sayth here of the Spaniardes or to take a comparison from himself if one English knight of a noble familie haue byn so madheaded as to make a fantastical booke stuffed with ignorances lyes and calumniations is it reason that foraine nations should iudge hereby thar all our knightes and nobilitie of England are so fond and frantik and haue so litle respect to their honours and credit as he I trow no. VVherfore as concerning the Spanish nation in general no such preiudice or slanderous rule can be geuen as this malignant spirit setteth downe for that they are in this poynt as other nations be where all sortes of people may be found some bad and many good and if comparisons may be made without offence for that comparisons are odious in such affayres between nations no nation in Europe hath more cause to glorie and geue God thankes for his giftes abundantly powred vpon them both natural moral and Diuyne temporal and spiritual for tymes past and present then the Spanish who haue a countrie both rich ample fertile and potent and praysed in scripture it self a people able and apt in respect both of wit and body to attayne to any thing they take in hand as in old tymes appeared by the most excellent Emperours Traian Theodosius the great and some other of that nation that surpassed all the rest as also by their famous learned men in ancient tymes Seneca Lucan Martial and others when they were yet heathens Osius Damasus Leander Isidorus Orotius and such lyke old renowmed Christians both for learning sanctitie by their most famous martyrs in lyke manner Saynt Laurence Saynt Vincent and many others and in our age he that will consider after their valiant deliuering of themselues out of the handes and captiuitie of the mores that inuaded and oppressed their countrie what Christian Zelous Princes Kinges Emperours Captaynes Knightes famous soldiers they haue yeelded to the world and do yeeld daylie and what store of singular learned writers do appeare from thence from tyme to tyme what countries they haue conquered by the sword and how many millions of soules they haue gayned to Christ by preaching his word in diuers and most remote partes of the world all these thinges I say put together do make ridiculous and contemptible this malignant description set downe by Sir Francis whose spetial hatred agaynst them is founded in that which of all other commendations is their greatest to wit their constancie and zeale in defence of the catholique religion for which probablie God hath so greatly exalted them alredy aboue other nations of Europe will do more daylie if they continue that feruour in defending his cause notwithstanding any other humane infirmitie or defect in lyfe that as to men of what nation soeuer may happen which our merciful lord in regard recompence of the other rare vertues of zeale iustice constancie and feruor in his cause will pardon no doubt and geue grace of true amendement and rising agayne whyle the prating heretique that scornfully sitteth downe to score vp other mens synnes shall walk for his owne to his eternal habitation prepared in hel for that his one malitious and obstinate sinne of heresie if it may be called one prepondereth with Gods iustice more greeuously then all other infirmities and sinnes put to gither which catholique men do or may commit of humane frayltie And thus much of this poynt may suffice for if I should ad to this the ancient loue and amitie of the Spanish nation towardes vs in tymes past the large leagues that England hath held with them heretofore the great wealth and gaynes we vsed to gather and reape by their trafique the noble and bountefull Queens of that linage maried into England which aboue all others taken from forayne countries haue byn most gratefull and beneficial to our land and people the exceeding charitie of the present king and of his whole nation shewed to our English catholiques abrode in this long tyme of bitter banishment persecution for their faith these thinges I say if I should repeat or set out at large would perhaps help nothing to the argumeÌ„t we haue in haÌ„d but rather geue offence tymes standing as they do and therfore I recount them not in particular but leaue them to be considered with pietie gratitude by such as are indifferent in these dayes and to be recorded in the honorable monumentes of our posteritie And so hauing answered thus much about the iniurie offered to the Spanish nation by Sir Francis in general I will passe to the approbrious speaches vsed personally agaynst their present famous and noble king once also ours with such indignitie of vnciuil and most reprochfull termes as is not sufferable And if any of the sayd kinges subiectes were to answere our knight in this demand he would cast him his gauntlet and geue him the lye and chalenge him to the defence of so notorious calumniations and therby proue him either a lying or cowardly knight or both His ordinarie termes of the most excellent most Catholique king Philip are these the ambytious king of Spayne the vsurping tyrant the proud popish champion trecherous cursed cruel and the lyke all which vyces the world knoweth â—nny herself being witnes that his Catholique Maiestie is most free of and is indewed abundantly with the opposite vertues wherof no nation hath had better proof then England by the experience we had of his sweet nature coÌ„dition both in princely behaueour pious gouernment during the few yeares he liued amongst vs ruled ouer vs which tyme notwithstaÌ„ding of his being in EnglaÌ„d this malitious sycophant will needes calumniate draw into suspition of great mysteries of iniquitie meant by him as he sayth agaynst EnglaÌ„d English people by meanes of that ioyfull mariage gouernmeÌ„t which there he had If you will geue me leaue sayth he to call to your remembrance the manner and meaning of his coming into England when he came not as an inuader to conquer but as a frend to fasten a strong league of amitie by a mariage I doubt not but to discouer the trecherous crueltie of his hart This is Sir Francis promisse and you shall see after you haue gyuen him leaue how wisely he will performe the same and how substantially he will declare vnto vs the kinges intention or at least his own inuention But before I set downe his discouerie vnder his owne hand I shall declare a litle the state of thinges whyles the Spaniards were in Queen Maries dayes in England and how the king did actually beare himself by testimonie of all those that knew him conuersed with him or lyued vnder him And then shall Sir Francis tell his tale of that he imagineth or faigneth the king would haue don in tyme and before we both haue ended I beleeue that in steed of this discouerie promised of the trecherous crueltie of
fyne frutes our new ghospel then freshly planted and yet in the bud began to bring forth for that all this hatred and barbarous vsage towardes Spaniards and other Catholique forayners rose principally vpon the difference of religion lately begonne within our realme and these lads as the first professed proselites therof vpon heate and zeale committed these holy actions as the first frutes of so heauenly a seed But since that tyme we haue had much larger experience therof and I presume that most mennes myndes in England are sufficiently cleared in this case and if not let them behold the behaueour of Sir Francis in this libel who is an ancient branche of that plantation And so hauing seen the state of matters how they stood at that tyme and in particuler what king Philip had promised to do and what he was bound to do and then what in deed he performed really whyle he was among vs which was more in deed then either he promised or had obligation to performe as hath byn shewed let vs heare now what Sir Francis sayth he would haue donne if he could or if his abode had byn longer in England The tale shall go in his owne wordes for better declaring his spirit Thus then he writeth This mariage was sought for and intended also in shew only to strengthen the hand of the Queen of England to bring in the Romish religion and gouernment into this land and to establish it with continuance with purpose and meaning to ad strength to all the corners of Christendome to continue Poperie where it was and to bring it in where it was not that so the Arche-prelate of Rome might hold the scepters and power of all princes and potentates of Christendome in his hand to dispose a◠his pleasure but the plottes and practises layd and pursued by the Spanish king had made a wofull proof to England of a further mark shot at which was discouered in a letter to some of our nobles from a true harted English-man in Spayne had not God almightie in his rich mercy preuented their purposes and defeated them in their determinations as it shall appeare hereafter c. This is the preface and entrance which Sir Francis maketh to the discouerie he promiseth of great hydden mysteries about plottes and practises not only layd but also pursued by king Philip whyle he was in England which neuer came to light vntill this day though at that tyme they were discouered as he sayth in a letter to some of our nobles from a true harted English-man in Spayne But for the credyt of so new and weightie and incredible a secret it had byn good he had named the parties and particularities therof as wel who wrote as also who receyued that letter For first the English-man in Spayne though he were true harted to the faction of S. Francis syde to wit to the Protestantes yet might he perhaps not be so true handed or true tongued at that tyme or so truly informed of thinges or of that authoritie that this his letter or report may beare credyt in so great a busines agaynst so great men it being taken vp perhaps at tauerns or porte townes and market places by some merchantes seruant or factor or other lyke wandring compaignon as well tipled with Spanish seck as with English heresie who might wryt these news from Spayne of K. Philip as Iohn Nicols the minister brought and printed from Rome and Italy in our dayes of the Pope and Cardinals And that this discouery if any such were and that the tale be not wholly forged by Sir Frācis himself could haue no better ground then that I haue sayd to wit the reporte of some vulgar people or the coniecture of some particuler discoursiue head as is euident in it self for that this being a most secret designement and drift of the king himself and of his priuie Councel who were all at that day remayning in England and had this proiect within their owne brestes only how could it be discouered by an English-man from Spaynerthink you Agayne the nobles in England to whome he sayth the letter was written might be such as probably it may be iudged to haue byn written of purpose to feed their humors or to comfort them in those dayes or that themselues did procure it to be written and sent for their credit or that themselues deuysed it in England to make therby the Spaniards more odious and their doinges more suspected and to draw by this meanes more English after themselues to impugne the present state and gouernment as when the lord Courtenay Earle of Deuonshyre for missing the mariage of Queen Marie beganne to practise and to think of leauing the land vpon discontentment and when the Carewes and other of that crew fled the realme for conspiracies to the same effect such a letter was much to their purpose But I shall not need to call in reasons and circumstances for shewing the vanitie of this letter for that the manifest and shameles falshoodes which it relateth will easely discouer the forgerie as also the forge it self from which it proceedeth I will follow then the continuation of Sir Francis narration in his own wordes Now to proceed sayth he to lay open the right mark that in deed this king shot at though when he made way to ioyne in mariage with Queen Marie he made semblance of great conscience to Catholique religion and great care to bring the whole land into the obedience therof and seemed to glorie much when it was brought to passe as his letter to his holy father at Rome written out of England doth make shew wherin he expresseth what a worthie woorke he had donne when he had drawen the nobles commons of the land to submit themselues to his holinesse as their cheef those are his wordes yet litle did the nobles and commons know what was intended towardes them by this catholique childe of Rome for vnder this colorable name of catholique religion was hidden the ambitious humor of a most proud vsurping tyrant whose resolution was vpon mature deliberation and consultation with his machiuilian counsellors to seek by al the possible kinde means he could to win the principal of our Nobles to affect him and in their affection to possesse him of the crown and so to establish him in an absolute power ouer poor England and to bring this to passe he decreed to spare neither cost nor kindenes c. Hetherto is the asseueration of Sir Francis concerning king Philips intention to gain our crowne but neuer a syllable more of proofe then you haue heard before to wit his owne woord and bare assertion which he taking to be sufficient passeth ouer presently to explicate exaggerate the dangerous effectes that would haue ensued vpon vs when the king should haue gotten his pretence But I must pul him by the sleeue request him to stay prooue a litle better that the king
their araygnments was sweet and comfortable their consciences clearing them before their sayd mayster from all such act meaning or intention of treasons as falsly was layd agaynst them and so much the more willingly they went to the ladder and their example with the same reasons and meditations haue put the same desyre in foure tymes as many of their owne coate as they were in thowsaÌ„des of others within the land which would neuer haue thought of this perfection of dying for religion if God had not taught it theÌ„ by this persecutioÌ„ exaÌ„ple of others Aâ—d Sir Francis himself coÌ„playneth also as before you haue heard that within these three yeares vpon his knowledge many haue fallen away and do fall away daylie from his religion to ours by example the one of the other for that as he saith Of the elder oxe the yonger steere doth learne So as by this may be gathered what will be the successe of this pursuite on the catholique syde if the rigor be continued But on the other hand what it may come vnto God only forseeth whose cause if the catholiques do defend and if his spirit be with them as to most men it is euident then must they winne in the end and his wrath will appeare at length agaynst the other parte that iniustly afflicteth them howsoeuer it be delayed and borne of for a tyme. Nor is the argument good that some do vse to make we haue indured thus long and prospered c. For the holy ghost himself answereth Ne dixeris pâ—ccaui quid mihi accidit triste altissimus enim est patiens redditor Say not I haue donne amisse and no hurt hath happened vnto me for that God is a patient paymayster and in the end payeth for all The wise Solon told rich Craesus in his prosperitie that the measure of his felicitie could not be taken but at the end of his lyfe which in deed fell out to be most miserable and in England king Henry the sixth concluded a long raigne of fortie yeares with a troblesome and pittiful perturbation of the same And yet was there no such violent vexation of subiectes in those dayes as now is and hath byn for many yeares wherin truly if we set asyde all respect of religion and of Gods intermedling in the case and consider only reason itself and the opinion of wise wordly men and Philosophers no man is ignorant but that they agree all that nullum violentum est durabile And agayne that malus diâ—turnitatis custos est metus And Christe our Sauiour much more fully Omne regnum in se diuisum desolabitur All which groundes and principles cannot but lay before your Lordships wisdomes the importance of some mitigation and mollification of matters for preuenting further inconueniences if not for the present yet at least for the tyme to come espetially if God in his iustice and anger should take from vs her maiestie all men may forsee in what termes we shalbe quickly when to the differences of religion shalbe added the other also about the succession intangled perhaps principally by these respects of religion And then when exasperated myndes shall come to haue more commoditie of working their willes and wreaking their wrathes great extremities may be feared except the way be made before hand by some temperature of mitigation for that English natures are vehement as all men know in whatsoeuer they take in hand but espetially in these kynde of differences as former tymes haue made lamentable experience and the future I feare will declare the same much more if preuention be not made seing that neuer in tymes past concurred so many circumstances of sharp contention both from at home and abrode as now are lyke to be no forayn prince being neer about vs but wilbe desirous to haue an oare in the guyding of this bark if once it be aflote either for their owne pretenses or for their frend or agaynst their opposite besydes the different reasons of state that may moue diuers parties at that day as FraÌ„ce FlaÌ„dres DeÌ„mark that our future king be not ouerstroÌ„g Spayne FraÌ„ce FlaÌ„ders that he coÌ„cur with them in religioÌ„ EnglaÌ„d generally that he subiect vs not to an other crowne EnglaÌ„d in part that he be homeborne and England in three partes to the fauor or disfauour of three distinct religions Protestant Puritan and Catholique euery parte for his owne And as these things are manifest in themselues so is it also no lesse euident that the only or principal meane to preuent these dangers were to mittigate somwhat these acerbities now to the end that men of different religions dealing more freindly together might in time either come to be all of one opinion or at leastwise to agree in some good temperature for this publique afaire of the common-wealth which is impossible to do while matters of religion are pursued with such hostilitie as for many years they haue bin To which consideration there commeth also an other of no lesse moment in myn opinion which is that her Maiestie hauing raigned now a goodly number of years being neer the one and fourtie of her scepter as she followeth fast on the rate of Octauianus Augustus yeares of Empire so would she imitate his sweetnes and felicitie also in disposing his later yeares euen from the number of fourtie that her Maiestie is now at to the exhilerating of all her people generally as he did and therby came to be so deare so intirely beloued of all as the publique teares of all did testifie at his death all crying and wishing that either he had neuer bin borne or neuer dyed neuer bin their Emperor or neuer left to be referring the former parte of their wish vnto the beginning of his gouernmeÌ„t which had bin preiudicial to their common wealth and the second to his latter end which was most grateful to all And this particuler point of Augustus his proceeding diuers noble kings also of her Maiesties progenitors haue indeuored to imitate by special dissignement namely the two famous Henryes the fourth and seuenth and Edward also the fourth who albeit they entered by dint of sword and had many sharp bickerings for diuers yeares with their oposite factions yet all three of them so disposed themselues to clemencie towards their later dayes as they were most dear euen to them that had bin their enimies and oposit at their first entraÌ„ce to the crown VVhich circumstance notwithstanding of difficultie doth not occur to her Maiestie in the matter proposed for fauour of the Catholiques for that she neither entered the crowne by force of armes nor had she the catholiques of her realme against her therin but rather they were the people that principally with most harty affectioÌ„ assisted her Maiestie to the quiet and peaceable possession of the same as in another place more at large hath bin declared And euer since they haue liued with that
dutifull obedience to her Maiestie in all teÌ„poral matters which to any of her catholique ancestors hath â—uer bin exhibited by their dearest people VVherfore seeing there is no difficultie nor demerit on the behalf of the catholiques why this benifit should not be granted to theÌ„ who were in possession of it at the entrance of her Maiestie to the crown and had expresse promises to haue it continued stil and on the other side there be many and most weightie reasons to moue her Maiestie to haue compassion of them and to aleuiate their grieuous pressures and vexations after so many years of sufferance your Lordships haue the most honorable iust and pious cause in the world wherin to be mediators to her Maiestie for so principal a parte of your common-wealth as your catholiques be And for so much as this cause hath not only these three partes specified of pietie iustice and honor to moue your Lordships withall which yet I presume would to such men be sufficient but also includeth so many other like perswasiue motiues as either prudence or christian reason of state can comprehend as namely security continuance strength vnion peace defence vtilitie comfort ease ornament alacritie facility and the like great hope is conceiued that your Lordships wil not refuse to imbrace the same And surely my lordes the same reasons and many more might iustly moue her Maiestie and your Lordships also to take in hand the perfection of that greatest woorke so earnesty thought vpon by her Maiesties noble father King Henry the eight in his later dayes as before you haue heard by the publique protestation and other of Bishop Gardener his neerest and dearest Councelor in those dayes And you haue in the same matter the present example and president of the great king and kingdome of France which most wisely and happely hath followed the same resolution and hath found infinite ease honour and benefyte therby both before God and man and it is and wilbe of great consequence in Christianitie and ought no doubt to moue her Maiestie and your Lordships much Yet for that the hartes of Princes are in the handes of God to be moued when to his diuine wisdome mercy and iustice shalbe thought best and for that the sinnes of our couÌ„trie are great manifold which haue brought forth so greeuous afflictioÌ„s vpoÌ„ our selues by our selues if the multitude of these our demerits be such as do hinder so great vniuersal a blessing as would be for vs to see her Maiestie and the realme reâ—nited agayne to that spiritual fountayne of the seaâ— Apostolique by which all perfect vnionâ— must insue yet in a secondarie degree of comfort is desired that at least the persecution for religion may cease agaynst Catholiques and they be suffered to lyue in the religion wherin her Maiesties noble ancestors and your Lordships forefathers liued and dyed most christianly and honorably from the first conuersion of our land from paganisme to christan religion euen vnto these our dayes The memory of which your progenitors now dead and of their soules yet liuing and what sense and feeling they haue of these things and what they would say to you and do in this behalf if they were heer again to see men afflicted and pursued for that faith and religion which they so much esteemed and sought to aduance and by which we cannot but piously presume and hope that they be now saued and made partakers of Christes euerlasting glory with whome we can neuer haue parte nor fellowship again if we follow not their steps in the same religion this cogitation I say ought greatly to moue your Lordships to do somwhat in this so weightie and important sute of the afflicted catholiques And further I appeale to your Lordships wise consideration what a comfort it might be to her Maiestie now in her elder age and later part of her gouernment and to your Lordships also to see once all sortes of people merry contented louing and confident within the realme al to laugh and sing together all to pray to God most hartely for her Maiesties health wealth and prosperous long continuance al to be vnited in defence of the realme all made frends and familiar together as in Germanie and other places men be notwithstanding the differences of religion which more easely perhaps would be taken away and vnion brought in when freely and confidently men might confer and eche man shew his reason without feare and heare another mans argument without suspition of fraud or violence to be vsed This was the first proposition that Protestantes made vnto the world at their first appearance which they accompanied with many scriptures reasons both diuine and humane that fayth ought not to be forced They haue obtayned in sundrye countries their petition and therfore cannot in reason and honor be agaynst the same petition now made by Catholiques to her Maiestie and to your lordships in England and that with so much more equitie and iustice by how much longer Catholiques haue byn in possession of their Religion then Protestantes of theirs especially within England Your Lordships haue had many yeares experience now of the present maner of proceeding by affliction of Catholiques where one part of the land hath wept whyle the other hath laughed the one sort sighed whyle the other singed the one triumphed whyle many others haue mourned complayned and exclaymed let some proof be made of the other way also wherby contentmeâ—t is geuen to all let it be tried once in her Maiesties dayes how matters will go when all emnitie and hostillitie is taken out of the bowels of our commonwealth when the catholique man and woman in England may deale with their neighbour in loue and confidence when our noble and worshipful gentlemen abrode may returne home shew their loyal duties to their Soueraigne without offence or peril or force offred to their conscience for matters of religion when our English merchantes may traffique freely throughout the world without peril of piracie or confiscations when our home gentlemen may trauel with lyke libertie where it seemeth them best for increase of their experience to serue their country when our English students may visit forrayne vniuersityes without restraint and strangers come to ours and speake confer dispute and reason with modestie without danger of intrapping Let this my good Lords be proued for a time and let your honors as principal members of this afflicted body of our deuided realme be suters vnto her Maiestie as to the head for this sweet and holesome medicine by peace and composition within it self VVhereby there is no doubt but much honor mâ—â—it wil grow vnto your Lordships much comfort ease securitie to her Maiestie much ioy vtilitie vnto all her subiects much edification vnto our neighbours about vs much care and solicitude be taken away from all sortes of English much trooble and charges of warres excused much strength added to the