and publique persons And so it maketh no more against vs then this writer him self whether he hath published his Libel by authoritie as he wil not seeme or of his owne peculiar head and affection which rather we are content to suppose Howsoeuer it be we wil be bould to examine in the treatise folowing with such modesty and indifferency as is requisite in Gods cause his whole reprehension and in the meane time til he can proue vs or our brethren guiltie of anie crime other then the exercise and profession of the Catholique faith Ioa. 10.32 Act. 23.6 Act. 28.20 we wil say with our Sauiour De bono opere lapidamur and with the Apostle De spe resurrectione mortuorum iudicamur propter spem Israel his catenis circundati sumus THAT MANY PRIESTS AND OTHER CATHOLIQVES IN ENGLAND HAVE BENE PERSECVTED condemned and executed for mere matter of religion and for transgression onelie of nevv statutes vvhich doe make cases of Conscience to be treason vvithout al pretence or surmise of any old treasons or statutes for the same CAP. I. NOw to the principal pointes of the Libel we first affirme that the verie front or title therof importing that no Catholikes at al or none of them whom they haue executed were persecuted for their religioÌ„ is a verie notorious vntruth and contradictorie to the libellers owne wordes in his discourse following where he confesseth vnderhand A manifest falshood vvith contradiction to them selues that some be corrected othervvise for religion or yf they wil stand in the coÌ„trarie we appeale to the conscience and knowledge of al the Catholikes and protestantes within the Realme who of their equitie wil neuer denie that most prisons in England be ful at this daye and haue bene for diuers yeares of honorable and honest persons not to be touched with anie treason or other offence in the world other then their profession and faith in Christian religion Secondlie we say shal clearlie coÌ„uince that contrarie to the poursute of the same libel a number haue bene also tormented arreigned condemned and executed for mere matter of Religion and vpon the transgression of new statutes onelie without anie relation to the olde treasons so made and set doune by Parlament in Edwarde the thirdes tyme by which they vntrulie auouche al our brethren were conuicted And herein to deale particularlie and plainlie we alleage the woorthie Preest and Bachelar of diuinitie M. Cuthberte Mayne who suffred a glorious Martyrdome at Lanson in the prouince of Cornewale M. Mayne Ao. Dom. 1577. for that the case or couer onelie of an Agnus Dei and a printed copie of that Bul now expired which denounced to the christian world the last Iubilie were found about him condemned not by anie olde lawes as is deceitfullie pretended to abuse the simple of owre owne nation and straungers that knowe not our lamentable condition but by a late statute enacted the 13. yeare of the Q. reigne which maketh it highe treason to bring from Rome anie beades sacred pictures Agnus Deis Buls or as the expresse wordes of the said statute are any vvryting or instrument vvryten or printed conteining any thing matter or cause vvhatsoeuer by which wordes they may condemne a man to death as guiltie of highe treason though he bring from Rome but letters testimonial for a trauailers credit and commendation in iorney a thing vnhard of in al ages not credible to forrayners and a fable to the posteritie or rather a warning to the world to come into what miserie and barbarousnesse a kingdome that forsaketh the Churche may be brought vnto And an honorable gentleman of an ancient familie M. TrugioÌ„ for onelie receyuing the said blessed Preist into his house remaineth condemned at this daye to perpetual prison and hath lost both landes and goodes of greate importance for that fact Ao. Dom. Lykewise Thomas Sherwood a lay man indited adiudged and put to death 1578. At LondoÌ„ M. Shervvood for questions of the Q. supremacie in causes spiritual and other articles made capital by the new lawes onelie two yeares at the least before this fiction of conspiracie against the realme or person of the Princes was made or heard of The same yeare was a reuerend Preist named M. Iohn Nelson condemned and executed for affirming being driuen therunto by the coÌ„missioners captious interrogatories the Q. religion to be heretical and schismatical Ao. 1578 At LondoÌ„ M. Nelson which is made death not by the olde lawes of the realme nor by anie other of anie christiaÌ„ countrie but onelie by a statute made in the saide 13. yeare of the Q. reigne prouiding by a special clause that none shal affirme her Maiestie that novv is for it holdeth not in other Princes cases to come to be an hereâ—ique or schismatique vnder paine of incurring highe treason â—nd death After thes M. Eurarde Hanse was indited and â—o condemned to death which he constantlie suffred Ao. 1581 At LondoÌ„ onelie vpon a statute made in the last parliameÌ„t of al by which it is made a crime capital to persuade any man to the catholike religion into the compasse of which lawe they violentlie drew the blessed man by calumnious interpretation of his speeches when he â—ffirmed being vrged therunto that the Pope was â—is superiour in causes spiritual and had in such matters spiritual as good right as he euer had in England or hath at this day in Rome for which wordes though inforced from hym he was ther presently indited arrained and condemned to death and soone after most cruelâ—â—e executed whose case together with that of M. Nelson which goeth before declareth what truth is in this libeller who writeth here in one place That none are for their contrarie opinions in religion persecuted or charged vvith anie crimes or paines of treason nor yet vvillingely serched in their consciences for their contrary opinions And againe within a lease after he repeateth the same vntruth saying VVithout charging them in their consciences or othervvise by any inquisition to bring them into danger of Capital lavv so as no one vvas called into anie capitalor bloodie question vppon matters of religion but haue al inioyed their life as the cours of nature vvould M. Lacie Here may be named also M. William Lacye a worshipful gentilman who was condemned to death not long since at Yorke for that he confessed he had obteined a dispensation for Bigamie of the Popes holinesse to be made Preist and that according to the same dispensatioÌ„ he was made Preist either of which pointes by their late lawes of religioÌ„ are deadlie And the latter pointe they make treason forsooth by this strange sequele that when men take holie orders in the Catholike churche they giue their othe of obedience to the Pope who is a forreine enimie to her Maiestie and to the Realme as thes men affirme and could the world weene we were in suche thraldome of this barbarous heresie With
wil not name though he named them to commence such a foule tragedie considering therfore al thes thinges and desiring to couer the foulenesse of the fact as much as might be aswel in respect of their owne people manifoldlie discontented and speciallie impatient of such iniurious proceedings as also of strangers to whom the rare vertues of father Campian and of some of th 'others were knowen besides other violeÌ„t meanes by seuere punishments and proclamations to stay the hard speaches and conceates of the people therin They caused some of them that yet were not executed The substance and inteÌ„t of the six Articles propounded to the Priestes before their execution to be examined vpon certaine Articles six in al cleane of an other pourport then their former accusation of killiÌ„g the GREATEST as our Libel speaketh al which articles doe concerne onelie the authoritie and fact of Pius Quintus of famous memorie in censuring the Q. by excoÌ„munication and depriuation for Heresie and what they thought or how far they allowed of the same Wherunto because they did coniecture their answers wold be odious in the sight of the simple speciallie of zealous protestantes as it fel out in deed they deuised to publish and read them to the people at the martyrdome of the rest that therby they might at least conceiue that they were worthie of death for other causes though not for that wherof they were condemned and so ether lesse pitie theÌ„ or lesse marke the former vniust pretensed matter of their condemnation And this coÌ„ning cours they haue folowed euer sith in defence of that pretended Iustice and is the whole conueyance of this Libeller now who to defend th' execution of their crueltie towardes thes Saintes of God bestoweth his labour onelie to proue that they haue bene tried by the six Articles coÌ„cerning the Excommunication and that ther was found a note after Father Campians death touching the same Bul procured for th'interpretatioÌ„ force therof brought from Rome by father Persons and the said F. Campians sute that M. Hart confessed the Bul in such and such sort to bind and otherwise not to stand in force Whereby onelie he goeth about to perswade the world and speciallie strangers vnacquainted in our affaires the said men to haue bene traytors iustlie punished as though new crimes ether found out or done after the sentence of their death past yea after the execution of the same could iustifie their condemnation past before But the world looked for some iustification of that former iudgement and verdict of court which passed with such great solemnitie against thos innocent men before vpon transgression as was pretended of an old statute for compassing the Q. death For as for al other declamatioÌ„s and Inuectiues be they true or be they false can not excuse the fact froÌ„ plaine murther nor condemne them after they be dead for other crimes then they were coÌ„uicted of in their liues Which the Libeller him self coÌ„fesseth in thes expresse wordes after al his idle worke and wordes Vpon refusal to ansvvere to thes questioÌ„s directlie saith he as they might haue bene iustlie conuicted of treason Fol. 18. so yet vvere they not therupoÌ„ condemned Which yet is false for they haue latelie executed diuers Priestes as M. Haddock Preestes nevvlie martyred in England M. Hemmerford and others most cruellie onelie about the matter of excommunication of the Q. But vpon their other former actions committed both abrod and in the Realme But what thos actioÌ„s were and how they were prooued to be committed particulerly by thos whom we auouch to be vniustly condemned vpon old treasons and to be onely killed for their religion that should haue bene your whole endeuour Sir to shew al other superfluous railing or recital of preteÌ„ded offenses for which your self confesse they were not condemned being not of force to mainteine the defence of your pretended Iustice nor yet to stay the Christian world and Church of God from accompting them Martyrs whom you haue murdered Against whos holy ashes and memories you can strugle no more then th' olde heathen and heretical persecutours did to diffame thos glorious men of the primatiue Church whom they executed in pretence of like treasonable trespasses who yet notwithstanâ—ing their enimies manifold endeuours to stay the â—onours due to them after their deathes by Christ â—nd his Churches iudgment haue gotten the victory â—uer their aduersaries and so remaine as glorious in heauen and earth as their persecutors be infamous â—hrough al the world What worldlie honour the two king Henries of England had The comparison of the Persecutors vvith the persecuted I meane the second and eight which â—n the dayes of their reigne no doubt was great or what esteeme so euer the Princesse present and her greatest Ministers haue now by the height of their â—oome and fortune in this life it is but a very dreame â—hadow or phantasie to the glorie of Thomas of Canâ—urburie Iohn of Rochester Chancelor More Father Campian and the rest whoÌ„ fame felicity foloweth vpon their deathes and vppon such contradiction of sinners seeking to disgrace them As also in the contrary part the persecutors glory dieth with their authority if not before and they are commonly better knoweÌ„ to posterity by executing of such meÌ„ though to their shame then by other their factes in their life whatsoeuer And so doth God protect his Saints A contradictione linguaruÌ„ from the ganesaing of tongues and giueth theÌ„ victorie of the world by the fortitude of their Fayth in him But of the six Articles concerning the Bul of excommunication more shal be said in the next chapteâ— and other places folowing that their innoceÌ„cie theriâ— also may appeare and the slaunderous Libeller repressed euery way THAT WE NOWE HAVE GREAT CAVSE TO COMPLAINE OF INIVST persecution intollerable seuerity and cruelty tovvardes Catholiques in England and their Protestantes no reason to doe the like for the Iustice done to them in Quene MARIES and other Princes dayes and the cause of the difference CAP. III. THE Libeller by-sophistical reasons popular perswasioÌ„ going about to make men thinke th'english persecution to be nothing so violent as is diuulged nor any thing comparable to the iustice exercised towardes the Protestantes in the raigne of the late Q. Marie telleth of hundrethes for our scores as also of the qualities of them that then suffred of their innocencie in al matters of state and treason and such like To which we say breeflie clearlie and to the purpose that we measure not the matter by the number nor by the seuerity of the punishment onely or specially but by the cause by the order of Iustice in proceeding by the lawes of God al Christian NatioÌ„s and such other circumstances wherby we can prooue Q. MARIES doings to be commeÌ„dable and most lawful th' other towardes vs and our Brethren to be iniust and impious The difference is in thes pointes you professe to
simplicitie by the tyrannie of such as occupie vnder them principal authoritie How this sort of men abused the years sexe and benignitie also of the noble ladie now Q. of Scotland The traitours of Scotland whos fortune therbie hath bene so hard as the world now seeth withal bow they haue abused her most high and excellent Sonnes minoritie to th'aduauncement of their sect and selues no man can be ignorant And now when that rare Prince is come to years of knowledge and therby like to espie and punish the wicked treacherie and treasons of thos that haue so abhominablie abused his infancie and Mothers sexe they barbarouslie by the counsel of wicked Ministers the raskalitie of the Realme ceazed vpon his royal person and sithence being deliuered by God from his enimies handes they sticke not to tel him to his face that he was erected by them to defend this new and barbarous Gospel of theirs and onelie vpon feare of his further years they seeke to put his noble person in dailie danger This loe is the deuotion of Protestants towards their Princes agreable to their former opinions recited before But of their diuinitie we make no further accompt then is requisite for this dispute now in hād with their fellowe Protestants and with thos speciallie of England who are the principal protectors of al thes practizes coloured by religion wherof yet they haue no further care thē cōcerneth onely their owne interest But it is sufficient for vs that with thes men if we may beleeue ether their words or deeds it is no treason to resist the Soueraigne for defence of Religion nor no treasonable assertion to hould that a lauful Prince may be deposed in case of reuolt from God And so say also on the other side al Catholique men and schooles in the Christian world concerning this point The different maner of proceeding of Catholiques and Protestants in cēsuring their Princes for Religion But yet here is the difference betwene Catholique Christians and rebellious Heretiques that thes good-fellowes folowing their owne deceiptful wils and vncertaine opinions without rule or reason doe adiudge by their priuate follie and phantasie that thing to be errour or idolatrie which indeed is true Religion and doe condemne for Gods enemies such their lauful Souerains as holy Church which herein must be our cheefe informer and iudge doth allow for most iust godly sacred and Catholique Princes The Catholiques contrariwise as men of order obedience not trusting their owne particuler imaginations or partial affections which might lead opiniatiue and restlesse braines to raise rebellion at their pleasure vnder pretense of religion wherof the Protestants haue giuē vs pitiful examples thes years past when soeuer the wicked desired chāge of gouernours and estate doe commit the direction of matters so important to the Church and to the cheefe gouernours of their soules who can iudge by the Scriptures Canons and Councels what is Heresie who is an Heretique what Prince is worthie to be excommunicated who to be depriued who is incorrigible who may be expected in hope of amendment who not in what season and sort to the lest disturbance and most benefite safetie of the kingdome or place annoyed by such vnworthie Princes the thing must be executed The Church is not partial in thes thinges The Catholique Church the best iudge of Heresie as we that be subiects may be it is not decent that inferiours should determine at their pleasures of ther superiors What way therfore can we take in Christian religion more seemelie and sure in conscience for thes affaires then to harken to the highe priest of Gods Church by whos directiō our consciences in this case cannot lightlie erre or surelie not so perniciouslie when we folowe them to whom Christ hath giuen the charge of our soules and must render accompt therof to him as to the supreme Bishop of al by whom and for whom onelie al kinges doe raigne Catholiques therfore as you see agree with th' other in the point of deposing and resisting kinges for Religion but yet doe differ in the maner as far as reason and conscience differ from furie and phrensie About which matter I wil now set doune some Catholique writers albeit but few for breuitie sake The opiniōs of Catholique vvriters about depositiō of Princes for Apostasy Heresy yet of such excellent credit as shal be able to instruct and satisfy anie reasonable consciēce in this case as also to be our brethrens defence against al thos that charge them so deadlie with thes treasonable propositions Thomas Aquin that glorious Saint and clarke whos onelie sentence weigheth more then al the Protestants wits and wordes in the world saith thus S. Thomas Postquà m Princeps est denunciatus Apostata omnes inferiores subditi absoluuntur a praestito iuramento obedientia illi debita that is to say After a Prince is one denounced to be an Apostata al his inferiors and subiects are assoyled of their othe made vnto him of their obedience due vnto him This case therfore is plainlie resolued vpō Toledos opinion of a Prince excōmunicat in 2. 2. by the greatest of al the schoole Doctors and therfore can be no treasonable assertion or opinion Vpon which wordes of S. Thomas the famous professor of our time Francis Toledo writeth further thus Nota saith he quòd eadem est ratio de Excommunicato quia cúm primùm quis est denuntiatus excommunicatus omnes subditi absoluuntur ab eius obedientia Licet enim sit notorium crimen Principis non absoluuntur vasalli a iuramento vt bene dicit Caietanus ante denuntiationem ab Ecclesia qua facta non solum sunt absoluti ab obedientia sed tenentur non obedire nisi fortè propter periculum vitae vel damnum bonorum temporalium Et sic de Henrico octauo in Anglia factum est cui etsi subditi postquà m denuntiatus esset excommunicatus tenebantu◠non obedire tamen quia is crudelis erat illos vel vita vel bonis priuasset excusati fuerunt subditi illi adhuc obediēdo Which is in English Note saieth he that albeit S. Thomas named onelie an Apostata yet the reason is al one in the Princes case that is excommunicated For as soone as one is denounced or declared an excōmunicate al his subiects be discharged of their obediēce For though the crime of a Prince be notorious yet before declaratiō therof be made by the Church the vassals are not assoyled frō obedience as Caietanus wel holdeth which declaration being made by the Church they are not onelie discharged of their loyaltie but are bound not to obey him anie more except it be for feare of their liues The case of K. Henrie the eight or losse of their temporal goods As it was in England in the time of Henrie th' eight whom though the subiects were bound not to obey after he was denounced excōmunicate
Epist 28 Au. de ciuit Dei li. 5. Cap. 26 put him to publique penance among the rest of the people cōmaunded him to put of his kinglie robes to leaue his Emperial throne in the Chauncel and to keepe his place amōg the laytie and prescribed him after eight monethes penance to make a temporal law for prouiso against the occasions of such crimes as the said Emperour had committed and for which he was excommunicated This was an other world then we now are in Our shameles age maruelous courage and zeale in Bishops for Gods cause much humilitie and obedience in Princes Then was ther no flatterer so shameful nor heretique on earth so impudent as to make the temporal kinges aboue al correction of Gods Church and their owne Pastors nothing being more common in the histories of al ages then that Princes haue receiued discipline As when Anastasius th'Emperour was excommunicated by Symmachus Diuers Princes excōmunicated by their Pastours Lotharius and Michael Emperours by Nicholas the first and particular Princes by ther prouincial Bishops as we see in the recordes of al nations Therfore we wil stand onely vpon more famous and ancient examples Innocentius the first excommunicated Archadius th'Emperour and his wife Queene Eudoxia for that they disobeyed and persecuted their Bishop S. Chrisostome Nicepho li. 13. Cap. 34 Georg. Patriarcha in vita Chris We wil reporte the iudicial sentēce breeflie because it is much to the purpose and ful of Maiestie O Emperour said Pope Innocētius wel nere 1200. yeares agoe the blood of my brother Iohn Chrisostome crieth to God against thee The sentēce of excōmunication geuen by Innocentius Bishop of Rome against the Emperour thou hast cast out of his chaire the great Doctor of the vvorld and in him by thy vviues that delicate Dalila her persuasion hast persecuted Christ Therfore I though a poore sinful soule to vvhō the throne of the great Apostle S. Peter is committed doe excommunicate the her and doe seperate you both from the holie Sacramēts commaunding that no Priest nor Bishop vnder paine of depriuation after this my sentence come to their knovvledge giue or minister the said Sacraments vnto you Thus did this blessed Father whom S. Augustine exceedinglie commended in his time deale with this Emperour and wicked Queene the cause of her husbandes fal and offences and at length brought them to penance But when in processe of time some Princes VVhen vppō vvhat occasiōs spiritual Pastours began to vse the temporal svvord through Gods iust iudgement and the peoples sinne were fallen to such contempt of religion as it lightlie happeneth by Heresie and Apostacie that excommunication being onely but a spiritual penaltie or other ordinarie Ecclesiastical discipline would not serue then as wel Bishops as other godly persons their owne subiects did craue aide and armes of other Princes for their chasticement as most holie and ancient Popes euen in thes old dayes when the Protestants confesse them to haue bene godlie Bishops did incite Catholique kinges to the same that thos whom the spiritual rodde could not fruitfullie chastise they might by externe or temporal force bring them to order and repentance or at lest defend their innocent Catholique subiects from vniust vexation Ther is no warre in the world so iust or honorable be it ciuil or forraine as that which is waged for Religion we say for the true ancient Catholique Romane religion which by the lawes of holie Church and al Christian nations VVarre for the Catholique religion both lauful honorable is adiudged to be th' onelie true worship of God and vnto the obediēce of which al Princes and people haue yeelded them selues either by othe vowe or Sacramēts or euerie of thes wayes For this it is godlie and honorable to fight in such order and time as we be warranted in conscience and lawe by our supreme Pastors and Priests and not for wilde condemned heresies against most lauful Christian Catholiques Kinges Priests as the rebellious Protestants and Caluinistes of this time doe without al order lawe or warrant of God or man As the armes taken for defence of Godlie honor and inheritance in such sort and difference from Heretical tumultes as is said are so much more commendable and glorious for that no crime in the world deserueth more sharpe and zealous pursuite of extreme reuēge whether it be in superiours or subiects then reuolting from the Faith to strange religions Who-soeuer seeketh not after the Lord God of Israel 2. Paral. Cap. 15. let him be slaine said king Asa admonished by Azaria the Prophet from the highest to the lowest without exception And al the people and manie that folowed him and fled to him out of Israel from the schisme ther did sweare and vowe them selues in the quarel of the God of their forefathers And they prospered and deposed Q. Maácha mother to Asa for Apostacie and for worshiping the venereous God called Briapus For that case also in Deutrenomie expresse charge was giuen to slea al false Prophets Cap. 13 and who so euer should auert the people from the true worship of God and induce them to receiue strange Gods and new religions and to destroy al their folowers were they neuer so near vs by nature And in the same place that if anie citie should reuoult from the receiued and prescribed worship of God and beginne to admit new religions it should be vtterlie wasted by fire and sword Nether perteineth this to poore men onelie but to the gouernours and leaders of the people most of al As we see in the booke of Numbers wher Moyses by the commaundemēt of God caused al the Princes of the people to be hanged vpon gibets against the sonne Cap. 25. Execution done vppon Princes for cōmunication in sacrifice with the Moabites and the rest of the people euerie one by the hand of his neighbour to be put to the sword for the same fault wherin Phinees the Priest of God by sleaing a cheefe captaine with his owne handes deserued eternal praise and the perpetuitie of his Priesthood By Moyses also his appointment the faithful Leuites slew 33000. of ther neighbours brethren frends for committing Idolatrie forsaking the true God Marry in al this as yow see by th'exāples alleadged the Prophet and Priests must direct them for the cause and action that they erre not of phantasie partialitie pride and pretence of religion as Heretiques Rebels doe but the quarel must be for the old faith seruice and Priesthood against innouation and directed and allowed by thos which by order and function haue charge of our soules Cap. 27 The punishment of Princes for schisme and reuolt As we read also in the booke of Numbers that the Captaine and al the people were commaunded to goe in and out that is to proceed in warres according to the order of Eleazarus the Priest Such were the warres of Abia and other kinges of
euer haue bene Which euery indifferent man that behouldeth the immortal workes of Charitie which this one blessed Pope hath done in the dayes of his high Priesthood must of necessity confesse Wherof we thought meet to make some mention in this place The seditious practise of this Libeller for that both other Protestantes are not ashamed to accuse the Holie Sea of Robberie and rapine in getting and houldīg the temporal state which now it hath so manie ages occupied to the great honour of God as also for that this Libeller oftē glaunceth at some iniuries which he pretendeth to haue bene done by the Popes tirānous excessiue power as he termeth it to the Princes of the world ī this case sometimes seditiously and subtellie suggesting to the Emperour and other the greatest and best Kinges of Christendome to abbridge his power sometimes craftelie commending them vpon a deuilish and deceiptful fiction of his owne that they onely tollerate his title and iurisdiction for a time and of pollicie so farre as they see it is not preiudicial to their owne states otherwise nether caring for his curses excommunications canons nor commaundements no more thē the protestāt Princes doe who haue withdrawen from him in their states al both temporal emolumentes and spiritual prerogatiues Of which restraint limitation or plaine contempt of the Popes power and censures the writer alleageth certaine examples of diuers Catholique Kinges and Countries that the English may seeme to haue done no new thing in this their shameful reuoult from the Sea Apostolique and contempt of the Ecclesiastical curse and excommunication Which this prophane Atheist affirmeth none but the simple people to feare or care for wise men Princes to haue no scruple or conscience at al in such matters but to resist by armes al lawes and ordinances as they list For proofe whereof he bringeth to no purpose how diuers kinges of Fraunce haue by their lawes pragmatiques restreined the Popes of diuers claimes prerogatiues and profits Touching Catholique Princes restraint of the Popes iurisdictiō How they in England in old time limited and abbridged his iurisdictiō by the law specially called Praemuniri How the noble Emperour Charles the fift feared not their curses when by his Captaines he beseiged tooke and sacked Rome imprisoned and ransomed the Pope him self How his sonne the King Catholique now raigning nothing respected excommunicatiō when his armie was led before Rome walles by the conduction of the Duke of Aluas How King Henrie the seuenth resisted the Pope in a matter of Alume and his neece Queene Marie her self as much as she was deuoted to the Romane religiō withstood him in the fauour of her cosin Cardinal Poole against doctor Peyto about a Cardinals Hat the bringer of which hat and the Buls for the said Peyto she did forbid to enter the Realme commanding thē to be staied at Calles and finally that Cardinal Poole him self hauing the Queene for him in the cause had no feare to disobey the Popes commaundementes and his threatned excommunications or curses but continued Legate and made the other poore Peyto being an obseruant frier to goe a begging stil Thus much in sense saith the Libeller in defence of their resistance of the Pope and contempt of his Censures But looke attentiuelie into the particular reasons and examples of this his discours The ansvver to the exāples alleaged and you shal find nothing but fraude and falshood First it is a most impious and godles conceipt that the Emperour and other great Kinges and Potentates of Christendome ether of old or at this present haue suffred or doe yet endure the Pope to command or haue iurisdiction in their countries onely for some respectes in policie and so farre as they list rather then vppon conscience and for religion when it is certaine that his spiritual authoritie and high Prelacie ouer al faithful Princes and people as instituted by Christ clearlie deduced out of the Scriptures approued by decrees of ancient Councels testimonies of al the old Doctors and by both imperial and national lawes of the Christian world is acknowledged in conscience of al Catholique Kinges that haue bene or yet be within the happie vnitie of holie Church And it is a most shameles slaunder of their sacred Maiesties that this Atheist would make the world beleeue that pretending conscience deuotion religion and sinceritie in their obedience to the Sea Apostolique they doe al in deed of policie As wel might this Machiuilian beare men in hand that the Christian religion is no otherwise admitted in Common-weales but so farre forth as it serueth for pollicie and the aduauncement of the Prince or temporal state And God graunt this be not the marke that our Protestantes and Politiques shoot at much it is to be feared that it is our English elne and analogie of Faith for measure of al actions And certes to no other end they vse their pretended Ministerie new cleargie of their creation occupying them to interteine and amase the people VVith the vvord of the Lord whilest they accomplish their worldly and wicked intentions as apparant it is that the good author of this Libel would not if he were a Prince as such be to neare Princes elbowes thes dayes admit ether Peter Paul or Christ him self into anie iurisdiction ether spiritual or temporal within his Realme nor would be depriued or excommunicated by anie of thē more then now by the Pope nor further deale with them then his aduantage and policie requireth And indeed by the meanes of such Lycurgians as this we haue in England new lawes against al claime of iurisdiction spiritual or temporal The Machiuilian drift of this Libeller that can be made by anie person whosoeuer borne out of the Realme Which no question might exclude Christ and his Apostles no lesse then their successours being as wel forreiners as they Wherin it seemeth singularlie to be noted that this craftie Politique putteth no difference betwixt spiritual regiment and temporal yea rather taketh away al ecclesiastical iurisdiction calling in this his pestiferous Libel which you shal not as we thinke read in anie other of the Heretiques writīges of thes dayes the Queenes spiritual power which she chalengeth against the Popes supremacie her REGALITIE The Q. REGALITIE seeking by al meanes possible wholie to extinguish the Hierarchie and Prelacie of Christes Church and concluding al in Kinglie authoritie Wherby as also by the Scriptures which they foolishlie in the sight of wise men but to the simple perswasiblie alleage That al men must obey the King as the Cheefe or precellent they exclude Peter frō his high spiritual function which he had in the time of Nero and giue vnto the said Nero as his regalitie no lesse thē now they yeeld both Papal and al other Bishoplie Ecclesiastical authoritie in England to the Queene as a peece of her Regalitie As though ther were no difference betwene a King and a Priest The
Libeller calleth in our Queene her Maiesties Regalitie is Abominatio desolationis fortold by Daniel What would this holie Father haue said if he had seene Cromvvel Cromvvel Vicar general made the Vicar general to K. Henrie in Spiritualibus and sit among and before al the Bishops and Archbishops of the Realme in their conuocations If he had heard tel of Sigillum Reginae ad causas ecclesiasticas of her commissioners and courts of her deposing and creating Bishops and determining of Religiō at her pleasure Kinges nether Catholiques nether Heretiques euer went thus farre being much more capable then anie womā can be Of which sexe S. Chrisostome sayeth thus Lib. 2. de Sacerd. VVhen it cometh to the gouernment of the Church and charge of soules al vvomankind must needes vvholie giue place That not onelie Athanasius the great but the ancient Osius Leontius S. Hilarie and other did so sharplie reprehend it in that heretical king Constantius might haue forewarned our Countrie and her Maiesties Councellours to haue taken heed as wel of the like absurditie as of the suspition of Heresie that in mens heades might seeme to be ingendred therbie seing that such as first attēpted it were notorious Arrians But to giue the same and farre more superioritie to a womā wherof as you see by S. Chrisostome she cannot possiblie be capable that passeth al the barbarous flatterie and follie in the world and maketh our nation a verie fable to al nations and to the posteritie Which in truth is not to make her next to God in her Realme as the Libeller saith but to make her the God of her people Hovv neer the Libeller doth make the Queene God Frō which cogitation though of her self hauing so manie meanes to put her in mind of her mortalitie we doubt not but shee is verie farre yet truelie this abhominable and blasphemous adulation of some about her Highnes may breed great tentations As we see in certaine of the old heathen Emperours who neuer rested til they were adored with diuine honour The next step vnto which is doubtles to say and beleeue that a temporal King is aboue the Priest in causes ecclesiastical or that in a Christian Common-weale the next dignitie to Christ or God is not the Priest but the Prince and so arrogate the regiment of the Church to a Queene which S. Paul expreslie testifieth to be giuen to Bishops Act. 20. saying Take heed to your selues and to the vvhole flocke vvherin the Holie-Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church of God c. Touching which our English singular absurditie it is the greatest pitie in the world to see them so manie yeares after so much holie blood protesting against that iniquitie and so manie learned mens admonitions persist in the same and to alleage stil thos scriptures so impertinentlie for the Princes vsurped spiritual soueraintie by which Claudius or Nero in whos daies and of whom the Apostle spake specially might as wel chalenge to be aboue S. Peter and Paul in the gouernment of the Church and in causes ecclesiastical as anie Christian king that now liueth Marke this reason For whē S. Peter admonished the Christians to whom he wrote and al other in them To be subiect to the king as excelling or preeminent which place our aduersarie so confidentlie alleageth first 1. Pet. 2.13 can anie man be so dul or obstinatlie blind The absurdities of Protestants in founding the Q. spiritual Supremacie vpon S. Peters vvord as to thinke that he prescribeth anie other dutie towardes the king then was common both to the Pagane Princes at that time persecuting the Church to Christiā kinges afterward protecting the Church Secondlie can anie Protestant be so peeuish to pretend herebie that the heathen Emperours by reason of this subiection to them that the Apostle prescribeth and by their Emperial dignitie should be aboue S. Peter Paul or Christ him self in the Church of God or in ecclesiastical regiment for Christ behaued him self to the Emperour in his daies as the Apostle here commaundeth Christians to doe and that the Apostolical preeminence or our Sauiours owne Preesthood among the faithful should not be esteemed so highe in truth and afore God as the regalitie of Nero or any other ether faithful or heathen tēporal power Thirdlie can they be so ignorāt as not to see the king to be called the cheefe or precellīg by the Apostle not in comparison or respect of the spiritual dignitie but in regard of his Dukes Presidentes and other lieutenants vnder him as the text it self plainlie geueth Fourthlie can not our aduersaries discerne the causes in which both Christian Priestes religious and al other men as S. Chrisostome writeth doe owe obedience to lauful kinges whether they be heathen or faithful from thos matters wherin nether Pagane nor Christian Prince may commaund the Priest nor people that is in religion and affaires of the soule Fiftlie could they not espie by the wordes of S. Peter next going before that the occasion of his writing of this obedience to Princes was to teach the faithful how they should behaue them selues in companie of the heathen without offence Who amōg other thinges slaundered and charged the Christians of treason conspiracies and disobedience to their Prince euen as our Protestants doe Catholiques because they would not leaue their Christian faith and exercises at their commaundement nor obey them before God and their holie Pastours in matter of faith and conscience For stopping of al which false slaunderous tonges S. Peter The true meaning and cause of S. Peters vvordes required thē to obey their Princes in al worldlie tēporal ciuil matters to pay their tribute keepe their ciuil lawes liue peaceablie and lowlie amongst them yea to pray for them whether they tollerate the Christian religiō or persecute the same Lastlie could our Libeller and his fellowes be in truth so grosse as not to consider that though the Apostles and holie Bishops of thos first times when the Emperours were yet heathen strangers to Christ and his Church could haue no superioritie ouer them nor vse anie discipline towardes them the other acknowledging no dutie or subiection to the Apostles or spiritual gouernours of the faithful people yet now when the Princes of the world haue submitted them selues and their people to the Ghospel of Christ and to his sweet yoke and are become members and childrē of the Church as the spiritual power oweth in worldlie thinges honour and obedience to his temporal soueraine so likewise that the secular power must of reason yeeld honor and subiection to the spiritual in affaires of faith soule and religion ether of them hauing meanes in their kind of superioritie to force by lawes penaltie discipline the other to obedience and due subiection if ether should rebel agaīst the other Wherin because the spiritual power consisteth in thinges Quae sunt ad Deum and that concerne our soules and
A TRVE SINCERE AND MODEST DEFENCE OF ENGLISH CATHOLIQVES THAT SVFFER FOR THEIR Faith both at home and abrode against a false seditious and slaunderous Libel intituled THE EXECVTION OF IVSTICE IN ENGLAND VVherin is declared hovv vniustlie the Protestants doe charge Catholiques vvith treason hovv vntrulie they deny their persecution for Religion and hovv deceitfullie they seeke to abuse strangers about the cause greatnes and maner of their sufferinges vvith diuers other matters perteining to this purpose Psal 62. Vt obstruatur os loquentium iniqua That the mouth may be stopped of such as speake vniustlie Psal 49. Os tuum â—bundauit malitia lingua tua concinnabat dolos Thy mouth hath abounded in malice and thy tongue hath coninglie framed lies THE PREFACE TO THE READER ALBEIT the late pamphlet intituled The execution of Iustice put forth in diuers languages for defence or excuse of the violent proceeding against Catholiques in England and for accusation as wel of them at home as of vs their felowes in faith abrode passing forth without priuilege and name ether of writer or printer euen thence where such matter is speciallie currant and might easilie haue bene authorized mouing indiscret odious and dangerous disputes of estate replenished with manifest vntruthes open slaunders of innocent persons and namelie with immodest malediction and seditious motions against the cheefe Bishop the Prince of Gods people though I say it might rightlie haue bene reputed an infamous Libel ether to be contemned or with such freedome of speech refelled as that maner of writing doth deserue yet considering the matter meaning and phrase therof to be agreable to the humour and liking of some in authoritie The causes of ansvvere and the booke not onelie not suppressed as diuers others of that argument seeming ouer simple to the wiser Protestants of late haue bene but often printed much recommended diligentlie diuulged and sought to be priuileged in * In FraÌ„ce forreine places where for shame they durst not publiquelie allowe it at home yea and in a maner thrust into the handes of strangers and therfore like to proceed though in close sort from authoritie we are forced and in truth verie wel contented and glad it hath pleased God to giue this occasion or rather necessitie to yeeld for the answere of the said booke our more particular accompt in the behalf of our Catholique brethren dead and aliue at home and in banishment Which we wil doe sincerlie as in the sight of Christ Iesus the iust iudge of the world and al his Saints in such humble milde and temperate maner as beseemeth our profession and the audience which audience we craue with teares of the whole Church and Christian world and of al that are placed in power and sublimitie ouer vs in our owne Countrie or els where that so our cause may be discerned both by God and man and our vnspeakable calamities ether by the intercession of manie releeued or by the general compassion of al our faithful brethreÌ„ made to vs more tollerable Loth we are and odious it may be compted to speake in such matter as must needes in some sort touch our superiours but Gods truth and mans innoceÌ„cie are priuileged and may in humble seemelie wise be defended against whomsoeuer And our pen God willing shal be so tempered herein that it shal displease no reasonable reader nor surelie skarce them if it may be against whom in our inculpable defence we are forced to write We haue in this case examples inough of Christian modestie in the ancient apologies of holie Fathers in Christ his Church as of S. Iustin Examples of vvriting apologies for innocencie Tertulian Athanasius Hylarius and other writing to their Princes that persecuted ether by errour or infidelitie the faithful people Who 's stile and steppes so long as we folowe we shal be blameles in the sight of al wise and good men and offeÌ„d none to whom the plaine truth it self is not odious As on the other side we haue in our aduersaries late bookes for immodest railing The Protestants stile contemptuous phrase slaunderous speach blasphemous wordes false reprochful seditious matter and al inhonest scurrilitie what to abhorre and detest and what to auoide in thes our writings which we would haue most vnlike theirs and not onelie allowable to our frendes but if it were possible and so pleased our merciful Lord to giue vs grace in their sight not ingrateful to our persecutours whos saluation as Christ knoweth we seeke in al thes our endeuours together with the maintenance of truth more then our owne defence and purgation Wherupon otherwise for our owne onelie honour and interest we would not so formallie stand against so honorable aduersaries in this world if we thought ether their hartes which are in Gods handes were not vpon euident reason and remonstrance of our innocencie inclinable to mercie and better consideration of their owne state and ours or that their accusation of vs afflicted Catholiques were not ioined to the general reprehension of the whole Church and the principal pastours therof whom by the lawe of our Christian religion we ought to respect more then our owne liues and in causes of our soule and conscience to obey aboue anie earthlie Prince by what other obligation so euer we be bound vnto him And as we would gladlie passe in this our answere with such equabilitie and indifferencie that in defence of the spiritual power which by our aduersaries importunitie we are driuen in maner against our wils to treat of we might not iustlie offend the temporal acknowledging in diuers respects al humble dutie to them both so writing nothing that anie man shal be able to proue vntrue ether in fact or faith we trust in the readers equitie be he Catholique or Protestant that in so faultles and necessarie a defence of our selues and of our Superiours as also of the common cause of our Christian faith and conscience he wil not iudge our writing seditious slaunderous or infamous libelling as the nameles author of this inuectiue against whom we treat vnchristianlie and vncourteouslie calleth other our brethrens bookes recording onelie the heauie persecution torments and deathes of Catholiques in such simple plaine and sincere sort as indeed al thinges were done The bookes of English persecution most true and so as no man liuing can trulie ether charge the reporters of fiction or falshood or of anie euil intention of diffaming to strangers their superiours dealings in making relation of our deare Countries most doleful calamities For the thinges there done dailie in publique cannot otherwise be hidden from the world and seing they are passed by lawe and order of pretended iustice ther can be no cause why them selues should mislike the diuulging therof except they acknowledge in their conscience some iniquitie and dishonorable defect in their proceedinges against the most innocent persons whom daily they torment and make away We are not so peruerslie affected God
in al respectes besides the famous coÌ„fessor Archbisshop of Armachane Primate of Ireland a number of Bisshops of that countrie Next we yeeld you in banishmeÌ„t two worthie English Prelates of the same dignitie th' one dead th' other yet aliue in Rome three elected Bishops al now departed this life we name the honorable Abbat of Westminster foure Priors or superiors of religious Couents with three whole Couentes put out of their possessions either into prison or out of the Realme In the same case were a doosen of famous learned Deanes which next to the Bishops doe hold the cheef dignities in the English Cathedral churches fourtene Archdeacons aboue threscore Canons of Cathedral churches not so few as an hundreth Priestes of good preferment in Q. Maries time besides manie one made in our banishment and since martired fiftene heades or Rectors of colledges in Oxford and Cambridge men of great importance in thos vniuersities and in the common wealth and with them the rather by their good example and prouocation not manie yeares after manie of the cheefe professors of al sciences and aboue twentie Doctors of diuers faculties for conscience sake fled the Realme or were in the Realme imprisoned And both at the first and in diuers years sithence hath manie of the verie flower of the vniuersities come ouer both into the Societie Seminaries other places famous for learniÌ„g Wher through Gods goodnes and the great benignitie of Prelates Princes and Catholique people they haue passed their long banishement in honest pouertie and some in worshipful calling and roomes in Vniuersities with as much grace and fauor as to forreiners could be yeelded in no place thankes be to our Lord God impeached of crimes or disorder wherof we can shew the honorable testimonie of the best wher we haue liued in al nations And for our Christian comportemeÌ„t both at home in afflictioÌ„ Our behauiour in our time of persecution abrode in banishmeÌ„t though we be subiect to infirmities as other sinful creatures be we dare staÌ„d with al the protestaÌ„ts in the world which we be forced agaiÌ„st this infamous Libeller to speak more liberally and confidentlie for that he so shamefullie and against his owne knowledge writeth That verie fevv ar fled for Religion other then such as vvere not able to liue at home but in beggerie or discontented for lacke of preferment vvhich they gaped for vnvvorthelie in vniuersities and other places or banke-rupt marchantes c. Wher the poorest wretches and worst amongest vs that in this tedious time of twentie fiue years absence from our countrie wil relent in religion and returne to them may be most welcome receaued with ioye triumphe and made ieolie fellowes in their new Synagoge Ita nusquaÌ„ facilius proficitur quà m in castris rebellium TertuliaÌ„ as one saith So earnestlie they wooe euerie poore Apostata leud scholar and lost companion that for wearines of banishment loose life or impatience looketh homeward towardes heresie or carnal libertie and licence againe By which allurementes yet the world knoweth how exceding few you gayne or get froÌ„ vs whilest we in the meane space through Gods great grace receiue hundrethes of your Ministers a nomber of your best wits manie delicate yong gentlemen and diuers heires of al ages voluntarily fleeing from your damnable condition and seeking after God and many of them also become Priestes or religious euen now when you hate contemne and punish Priestes so deadlie This is the worke of God marueilous both in your eyes and ours and cannot by humane force feare or pollicie be dissolued Temporal men Catholiques Count your cardes therfore better and looke not onelie of so manie famous Clergie men and the dailie encrease of them against your violent lawes Sir Libeller but count yf you dare for shame among your beggars and bankeroutes in Q. Maries time as you dishonestlie terme vs now so manie noble and valiant Erles Barons Knights Esquiers and gentlemen that haue ether suffred prison or as their conscience led theÌ„ stoode in armes for defence of their Faith ChristiaÌ„ knighthood not against their Prince or countrie but against such as abused her weake sex and former years of her youth to th'establisshing of them selues and their Heresie or haue forsaken their honorable callinges offices and liuelihoods in their countries for defence of their Christian faith of which I could name you a noble number of al degrees able and redie to defend by sword excepting the respect they haue to their Prince and deare Countrie their Religion and honorable actioÌ„s against al the heretiques in the world that defame them Who 's most worthie order and knighthood the Libeller seeketh to distaine Erle of vvestmerland by naming the noble Earle of Westmerland whos peculier life and actions or anie other particuler person of what condition soeuer though we goe not about nor neede to defend against malitious enuie detraction of heresie yet surelie notwithstanding his youthful behauiour whatsoeuer which he learned ther amongst you and is not so straÌ„ge in Campe or Court you wote wel M. Libeller he is able to proue that you slaunder him extremelie we caÌ„ witnes that he liueth in good health honorable charge in the seruice of the K. Catholique as we also can tel you that the renouned Countie of Northumberland died a Saint and holie Martir Erle of NorthuÌ„berland For what former quarel or cause of his death so-euer ther was yet was he a true Martir in that he was offred â—is life yf he would alter his religioÌ„ as diuers others â—ere of the same action in the North and al other â—riestes pretended to be condemned for other treaâ—â—ns Which life and liuing in as much as they refused â—â—r Christ and his Faith when it was offered they be 〈◊〉 the number of Saints and Confessors no lesse theÌ„ 〈◊〉 they had died onelie for the same And therfore wheÌ„ the aduersarie chargeth D. Sanâ—rs and D. Bristow with treason for affirming such 〈◊〉 be Martirs in this sense he sheweth him self ignoâ—â—nt as he is malitious in bidding vs enroule Somerâ—â—ld Somerfild in the number of our Martirs as perhaps before â—od he is if he were distract of his wittes or furious as al men say and the Libeller confesseth to whom â—an not be imputed what so euer he did in alienation â—f mind and to his enimies shal be imputed murther â—hat so euer was done against him in that his state or â—peciallie which is the most common opinion prooâ—ed by manie probabilities if the poore gentleman were dispatched of purpose and appointment as the â—ryar that accused the duke of Lancaster was and maâ—ie other and as the Protestants said Iohn Hun was in â—ollards tovver for preuention of the discouerie of cerâ—aine shameful practises about the condemnation and making away of the worshipful valiant and innocent gentleman M. Arden whos case like to Naboths and his wordes of wishing the Q. in
Gentrie The persecution of Catholique Nobilitie Gētrie whom this Libeller saith They put not to death nor losse of their inheritance though they hould opinion for the Popes supremacie and defend that the Q. Maiestie ought not to be the gouernour ouer al her subiects in her Realme being persons Ecclesiastical vvhich opiniōs saith he ar neuerthelesse in some part by the lavves of the Realme punishable in some degrees yet such is their miserie we say that notwithstanding thes faire and false speeches of the enemy they be far more iniuried then the Cleargie euen themselues more vexed spoiled dishonored with fines mulctes bondes penalties imprisonmentes arreignements amongst theeues pretence of premuniries misprisions discontentments euil affections and cōtrarie religion to the state pursued by the vilest and most abiect men by Ministers spies and promotors assailed robbed in their owne howses and chased from the same into woodes yea sometimes into waters we speake of knowledge at length into banishment Which who seeth not how miserable a thing it is when their whole families must either perish of famine at home or begge in strange landes abrode in which case both their goodes are seazed on as the world knoweth and their possessiō◠fal to the Princes handes or into the fiste of some lost companion which shal vpon fauour obteine the gif◠to make spoile of the same And yet this good writer so nicelie to colour their crueltie towardes Catholique gentlemen setteth doune the matter as though cases of Cōscience Religion or of the sea Apostolique were but in some degrees in some litle part punished and not with losse of landes nor death at any time persecuted when he and al the world knoweth that they may and doe by thos wicked lawes of theirs disherite put to perpetual prison and to death diuers of the laytie We refer them to the worshipful M. Trugeons case who liueth in prison so many yeares of almes after the spoile and rapine of so goodlie possessions We refer them to the lay men put to death of late at Winchester and And ouer to so manie fled for religion of the best Nobilitie and gentrie wholie sacked and spoiled of al they possessed so many hundreds more vexed pilled spoiled at home as they haue not wherwithal to expel famine from them selues and ther families And which is yet more we tel you that ther can neuer a Catholique noble man in the realme if by anie shew of religiō or moderatiō in life he giue th'enimie the least suspicion in the world of his good affection that way be sure of his life landes and state one day For by one false pretence and calumniation or other they wil entrap him emprison him and in sin except God maruelouslie protect him they wil ouerthrow him and his whole familie and transferre al his honors sometimes to his cheefest enimies Yea al this often against the Princesse wil being led against her owne natural inclination to such thinges by the violent domination of certaine that ouerrule her and the whole Realme so as no Catholique can be sure of his landes or life longer then th' aduersarie list God knoweth we doe not amplifie in the sight of strangers the calamities of Catholiques in our countrie whos chaines dongeons spoiles flightes disgraces deathes if al the world could see with their eyes as we doe feele al the Princes Christian would take compassion and accompt our complaintes most iust and necessary Wherin our miseries are multiplied that such Libellers as thes The craftie cozonage of this Libeller doe by false reportes and misconstruction of our sentence in religiō guilefullie goe about to diffame vs with forrenners As for example when here this fellowe sayeth that ther be diuers gentlemen Catholiques in England that hold The Q. ought not to be gouernour ouer any her subiectes in her realme being persons Ecclesiastical and yet are not persecuted to death for the same c. For their prosecution and persecution I haue made it plaine before But for their holding of any such assertion I must and doe say that it is slaunderous and most vntrue For ther is a great difference to say she is not to rule the Bishops in causes Ecclesiastical or in matter of ministring the Sacraments preaching and doctrine and to say she is not Q. or gouernour ouer the Cleargie or that Priestes or Ecclesiastical persons be not her subiects For they are also bound yea euē monkes and religious as S. Chrisostome sayeth which this Libeller in an other place alleadgeth ignorātly to proue that in al matters such ought to obey their tēporal Princes they are bound I say to order and obedience of their kinges and to obserue their temporal and ciuil lawes made for peace tranquilitie and temporal gouernment of their people to doe them al honour and seruice in that behalf as the Libeller right wel knoweth that al Catholike Bishops and Prelates of the Church euer haue done and doe at this day both in our Realme and in al other Realmes abrode to their lawful Kinges yea to heathen kinges also though in matters of religion and of their spiritual charge neither Heathen nor Christian kinges be their superiours or ought to direct them but rather to take direction from them Thus then ouer and aboue al former recompted calamities by opprobrious tongues lying lippes and pennes we be persecuted for defence of our Fathers faith the Churches truth The cause wherof putteth the difference betwene our Martyrdome and the due and worthie punishmēt of Heretiques who shedding their blood obstinatelie in testimonie of falshood against the truth of Christ and his holie spouse and out of the vnitie of the same are knowē malefactors and can be no Martyrs but damnable Murtherers of them selues One onelie thing belonging to this passage is yet behind The protestant Martyrs hovv they vvere traitors which we must answere to breeflie The aduersarie telleth vs that the Martyrs of their sect in Q. Maries time denied not their lavvful Q. nor mainteined her enimies as ours doe A strange boldnesse to auouch a lye without necessitie which al the world can disproue at the first sight For how say yow Sir was not your Archbishop named here for the principal of al your Martirs cōuicted cōdemned opēlie of highe treason Cranmer euen for waging souldiars for Duke Dudley a hateful name to England since Henrie the seuēthes tyme euer aspiring but stil infortunate to it self and followers against the Princesse that was then and her Highenes that is now Was not your next Martir Superintēdent Ridley Ridley an high traytor publiquelie preaching and proclaming at Paules Crosse in London both Q. Marie and this Q. to be bastardes and to haue no right title to the Croune Sandz Did not your famous superintēdent now of Yorke yet no Martir how so euer he hath suffred of late some heauie Crosses for other causes of homelie qualitie boldlie publish the same in
Iuda 2. Paral. Cap. 13. that fought most iustlie prosperouslie against the schismatical Israelites iustlie possessed the cities which they cōquered in thos warres 1. Paral. Cap. 21. 4. Reg. Cap. 8. As also Edom Lobua reuolted from king Ioram for religion euen because he forsoke the God of their forefathers and could neuer be recouered to the same againe Wherin also th' example and zeale of the children of Israel was verie notable that they would haue denounced warre against the tribe of Ruben and Gad onelie for erecting as they topke it a schismatical Altar out of the onelie place where our Lord appointed that sacrifice should be done vnto his honor So much more since Christs lawe and religion was established diuers great and honorable fightes haue bene made for the Faith against Princes and prouinces that vniustlie withstood and annoyed the same So in old times of the Primatiue Church the Christian Armenians laufullie defended them selues by armes against their Emperour Maximinus Euseb li. 9 Cap. 6. And the Catholique people of diuers prouinces haue often by force defended and kept their Bishops in their seates against the Infidels VVarres made for Religion but speciallie against the commaundement of heretical Emperours yea and resisted them in defence of their Churches and the sacred goods of the same As the citizens of Antioche defended their Church against the Emperour Galerius his officers S. Basile and S. Ambrose people Naziā de laud. Basi Amb. li. 5. Epist defended them agaīst the inuasions of Heretiques And not the people onelie which may doe thinges of headines without counsel or consultation of whom S. Ambros sayth being willed to asswage their furie that it lay in him not to incite them him self but had no meanes often times to represse them but the Bishops of countries so persecuted by heretical Princes haue iustlie required helpe of other Christian kinges and nations Theo. li. 2 Cap. 5. 13 The exāple of Athanasius Socra li. 1 Cap. 13. Soz. lib. 4 Cap. 7. Damas in Pontif. For so holie Athanasius who knew his dutie to his soueraigne wel inough in what case he might resist him asked aide against Constantius the Arrian and first heretical Emperour whom Pope Felix declared to be an Heretique of his owne brother Constance Catholique Emperour of the west For feare of whos armes the said Arrian restored Athanasius and other Catholique Bishops to their churches and honors againe though after this Catholique Emperours death the other more furiouslie persecuted Athanasius then before Likewise against Valens the Arrian Emperour Petrus Socr. lib. 4 Cap. 17. 30. Sozo li. 6 Cap. 19. Socr. lib. 2 Cap. 18 Nicepho lib. 14. Cap. 21. successor to Athanasius and brother to S. Basil did seeke to the Pope of Rome for succour as al other afflicted Bishops and catholiques euer did So did Atticus Bishop of Constantinople craue ayde of Theodosius the yonger against the King of the Persians that persecuted his Catholique subiects and was therbie forceblie depriued and his innocent subiects deliuered The exāple of Pope Leo the first So did holie Pope Leo the first perswade the Emperour called Leo also to take armes agaīst the Tirant of Alexandria for the deliuerie of the oppressed Catholiques from him and the heretiques Eutichians who then threw doune churches and monasteries and did other great sacrileges Whose wordes for examples sake I wil set doune Leo. Epi. 75. Euag. lib. 2. Cap. 8 O Emperour saith S. Leo if it be laudable for the to inuade the heathens hovv much more glorious shal it be to deliuer the Church of Alexandria from the heauie yoke of outragious Heretiques by the calamitie of vvhich Church al the Christians in the vvorld are iniuried Lib. 1. ep 71. In breefe so did S. Gregorie the great moue Gennadius the Exarch to make warres speciallie against heretiques as a verie glorious thing And so euer haue holie Bishops most intermedled in cases of heresie and iniuries done vnto Gods Church as a thing properlie subiect to their correction by excommunication or what other way so euer God hath giuen them commodity of which al is to be vsed and executed according to the differences of times and persons The holie Bishops might most laufullie and so sometimes they did excommunicate the Arrian Emperours VVhat Princes may be excōmunicated and vvhen and haue warrāted their Catholique subiects to defend them selues by armes against them but they alwayes did not so because they had no meanes by reason of the greater forces of the persecutors As ther is no question but the Emperours Constantius Valens Iulian and others might haue bene by the Bishops excommunicated and deposed and al their people released from their obedience if the Church or Catholiques had had competent forces to haue resisted Yea the quarel of Religion and defence of innocencie is so iust that heathen Princes See S. Thomas 2.2 quaest 10. Art 10. not at al subiect to the Churches lawes and discipline may in that case by the Christians armes be resisted and might laufullie haue bene repressed in times of the Pagans and first great persecutions when they vexed and oppressed the faithful but not otherwise as most men thinke if they would not annoy the Christians nor violentlie hinder or seeke to extirpate the true faith and cours of the Gospel Though S. Thomas seemeth also to say that anie heathen king may be laufullie depriued of his superioritie ouer Christians How so euer that be plaine it is that Kinges that haue professed the faith of Christ and the defence of his Church and Gospel may be and haue bene iustlie both excommunicated deposed for iniuries done to Gods Church and reuoult from the same as sometimes also for other great crimes tending to the pernicion of the whole people subiect vnto them But to speake speciallie of matter of Religion and the crimes thervnto belonging Princes excōmunicated depriued for defects in Religion Leo the third was excommunicated and depriued of al his temporalities in Italie by Gregorie the second For defect also in Religion and of the Churches defence were the Greeke Emperours discharged and the Empire translated to the Germans by Pope Leo the third As afterward diuers German Emperours for notable iniuries done to Gods Church for sacrilege for heresie by godlie discipline of the Church and by the diligence of sondrie Popes haue bene brought to order or in fin deposed or els wher they would not obey Christes Vicar ether in them selues or in their posteritie haue bene notoriouslie by God confounded As Frederick the first Frederick the second Otho the fift Lewes the third Lewes the fourth and whom we name last because we must say some what more of him Henrie the thirde or as some cal him the fourth by Gregorie the seuenth which example the Libeller and other Heretiques most mention for that the said Henrie so obstinatlie resisted though otherwise by the
they knowe manie hundreth years before Gregorie the seuenth and our special Apostle pratised the point we now stand on and therfore likely to be beleeued of al reasonable men He therfore in the forme of his priuiledge graunted to S. Medards Monasterie thus decreeth An excommunication of S. Gregorie vpon Kinges and Princes In fine libri 12. Epist Si quis inquit Regum Antistitum Iudicum vel quarumcunque personarum saecularium huius Apostolicae authoritatis nostrae praeceptionis decreta violauerit cuiuscunque dignitatis vel sublimitatis sit honore suo priuetur If anie king Prelate Iudge or what other secular person so euer shal transgresse this decree of our authoritie and commandement of what preeminence or height so euer he be let him be depriued of his dignitie This was the right and power of S. Gregorie and this hath bene the faith of Christian men euer sith our countrie was conuerted and neuer subiect called in question much lesse accused of treason for it til this miserable time and lest of al made or found treason by th' old lawes in K. Edward the thirdes reigne as is pretended how so euer by their new lawes they may and doe make what they list a crime Capital And euer sith the said S. Gregories time or ther about al kinges in Christendome speciallie thos of Spaine Fraunce Pole and England take an othe vpon the holie Euangelistes at ther coronation The othe of the Kinges of England at their Coronation to keepe and defend the Catholique faith and ours of England expreslie to manteine also the priuileges and liberties of the Church and Cleargie giuen by K. Edward the Confessor and other faithful kinges their auncestors Wherof S. Thomas of Canterburie putteth his soueraigne Henrie the second in memorie both often in speech and expreslie in an epistle written to him in thes wordes In vita S. Thomae Memores sitis confessionis quam fecistis posuistis super Altare apud VVestmonasterium de seruanda Ecclesiae libertate quando consecrati fuistis vncti in Regem a praedecessore nostro Theobaldo Keepe in memorie the Confession which you made and laid vpon the Altar at Westminster touching the keepiÌ„g of holie Churches liberties when you were consecrated and annointed king by my predecessor Theobald And the Patriarches of Constantinople tooke an instrument of such as were to be crouned Emperours speciallie in the times of Heresie wherin they made the like promis and profession to keepe and defend the Faith and decrees of holie Councels So did the Patriarche Euphemius in the Coronation of Anastasius Nicephorus in the inuesting of Michael and others in the creatioÌ„ of other Emperours of the East And Zonoras writeth that the Patriarche of Constantinople plainlie told Isaac Commenus th'Emperour that as by his handes he receiued th' Empire Zonor tomo 3. Cuspinianus in Anastasio in zimiste so if he gouerned not wel by him it should be takeÌ„ from him againe Likewise when kinges that before were infidels doe enter by Baptisme into the Church they submit their scepters to Christ In vvhat cases subiectes may breake vvith their Princes and consequeÌ„tlie make them selues subiect punishable if they reuoult from their Faith and promis Vpon thes conditioÌ„s therfore and no other Kinges be receiued of the Bishop that in Gods behalf annointeth them which othe and promis being not obserued they breake with God and their people and their people may and by order of Christes Supreme minister their cheefe Pastor in earth must needes breake with them Heresie and Infidelitie in the Prince tending directlie to the perdition of the Common wealth and the soules of their subiects notoriousliâ— to the annoiance of the Church and true Religion foâ— the defence of which Kinges by God are giuen By the fal of the King from the faith the danger iâ— so euident and ineuitable that God had not sufficieÌ„tly prouided for our saluation and the preseruation of his Church and holy lawes if ther were no way to depriue or restraine Apostata Princes We see how the whole world did runne froÌ„ Christ after Iulian The exaÌ„ple of a Prince most dangerous to plaine paganisme after Valens to Arrianisme after Edvvard the sixte with vs into Zwinglianisme would doe into Turcisme if anie powerable Prince wil lead his subiects that way If our faith or perdition should on this sort passe by the pleasure of euerie secular Prince and no remedie for it in the state of the new Testament but men must hould and obey him to what infidelitie so euer he fal then we were in worse case then heatheÌ„s and al other humane commoÌ„ wealthes which both before Christ and after haue had meanes to deliuer them selues froÌ„ such Tyrants as were intollerable and euidentlie pernicious to humane societie and the good of the people for whos peace and preseruation they were created by man or ordeined by God The bond and obligation we haue entred into for the seruice of Christ and the Church Our bond to Christ more then to our Prince farre excedeth al other dutie which we owe to anie humane creature and therfore wher the obedieÌ„ce to th' inferior hindreth the seruice of th' other which is superior we must by lawe and order discharge our selues of th' inferior The wife if she cannot liue with her owne hushand being an infidel or an heretique without iniurie and dishonor to God Hovv man and vvife may depart for Christ she may depart from him or contrariwise he from her for the like cause nether oweth the innocent partie nor th' other can laufullie claime â—nie coniugal dutie or debt in this case The verie bondslaue which is in an other kind no â—esse bound to his Lord and maister Theodos. l. Manachaeos C. de haereticis then the subiect â—o his Soueraigne may also by the ancient imperial â—awes depart and refuse to obey or serue him if he become an Heretique yea ipso facto he is made free Finally the Parents that become Heretiques lose the superioritie and dominion they haue by law or nature ouer their owne children Cap. fin Extra de Haereticis Therfore let no man maruel that in case of Heresy the Soueraigne loseth his superioritie and right ouer his people and kingdome In case of Heresy the Soueraigne loseth his authority which can not be a lauful Christian state or common-wealth without due obedience to Christ and to the Churches lawes but may wel consist and not perish at al by change of their Prince or king No anie one person being simplie necessarie for the preseruation of the same as some one being an Heretique and enimie to Religion may lightlie is if he be suffred the destruction therof And thus much may as we trust suffice with al reasonable indifferent persons for defence of our brethrens answers touching the question of excommunication or deposition of Princes by the Pope wherof by occasion more
Emperour in regard of Pope Cornelius who was therfore afterward as al other his predecessours before him martired By the same promis and like assistance of the Holie-Ghost the same Sea hath worne out al the old Heretiques The Sea of Rome hath preuailed against al old Heretiques and their Persecutions of farre greater power pride and learning â—hen thes ProtestaÌ„tes be susteined not onely by some â—articular Princes of certaine prouinces but by diâ—ers most mightie Emperours persecuting the Catholique Bishops Priestes and other through the whole Romane world as heuilie as now some smaller Princes protestantes doe within the boundes of their dominions onelie The same Sea hath gone through al other distresses forreine and domestical standeth and florisheth now notwithstanding al the threates molition and machination of her forsakers in al vertue strength and glorie Neuer more loued honored and regarded of the Catholique Kinges in the world Neuer more reuereÌ„ced and obeyed of the Churches children neuer more feared of her forsakers As we may see by the desperate and most obstinate cours they take in our poore afflicted Countrie not so much thinking to defend them-selues by the dailie sheding of most innocent mens blood as baselie to wreake their inqueÌ„shable anger at the Sea of Rome The inqueÌ„shable rage of England against the Sea of Rome vvith their feare of the same which they feare must be the instrument of Christes rodde of iustice towardes them in time for forsaking the felouship therof in Christian Faith and Religion Them selues doubting that the stroke of this ExcoÌ„munication so often reuiued by them selues wil neuer in the ende fal voide as other wher we see it hath not though by the flatterie of a few yeares good fortune our men at home cry peace sport and securitie to the poore people perswading them that al is wel safe by the killing of a few Priestes when ther is no other way of sauing our beloued Countrie assuredlie from perdition both temporal and eternal but by repeÌ„tance and humble crauing pardon of Gods Church If they could kil al the Cleargie true beleeuers in the world had the Popes owne person to doe their pleasure with him or could make away as many Popes one after an other as they haue done Priestes and as the first persecutours of our faith did martir yet could they not preuaile nor escape the hand of God reuenging alwaies at length thes Contempts Schismes Heresies and Apostasies with memorable punishment In warning wherof he geeueth vs a good admonition by his owne writ when he saith Ne dixeris peccaui et quid mihi accidit triste Altissimus enim est patiens redditor Eccle. 5. Doe not say I haue sinned and no misfortune hath fallen vpon me for the same God paieth home at length For that God is a patieÌ„t restorer or payer So that God payeth home at length albeit with great patience and then taketh the saying of S. Austen place that he recompenseth his slownes with the greatnes of his punishment Into what desolatioÌ„ al Afrique was finally brought by the schisme and sect of the Donatists how the Heresie of the Arrians Plagues vpoÌ„ Heresie after the wearisome toile almost of the whole world for many yeares discharged it self at length into Machometisme how the diuision of the Oriental Church from the Sea of Peter hath bene the losse of libertie and the eternal destruction of so manie noble most free and florishing Prouinces of that part no man can be ignoraÌ„t As also not see into what hazard and extreme perils thes deuilish doctrines of our dayes and the seditious folowers of the same haue brought the glorious kingdome of Fraunce with the states of Flaunders The peril of diuers kingdomes by this nevv Heresie Germanie Poole and most of the North partes of the world neere vnto vs. Which consideration draweth vs also into the doleful accompt of our English present feares and miseries and much more to the foresight of our calamities to come seeing clearlie by the recordes of our Countrie that no Nation hath oftener susteined general alteration of the state and gouernment then ours nor yet euer anie violent change or mutation but for some notable contempt of the house of God As appeareth by the sondrie inuasions and conquests made on vs and by the notes which Gildas the wise venerable Bede and other men of experience and foresight haue in their monumeÌ„ts set doune which were too long and needles to rehearse Onelie this is euer to be borne in mind that when our kinges of England had good intelligence with the Pope and mutual offices of loue and honour passed betwixt them and our bodie politique and Ciuil magistrate had al godlie and charitable correspondence with the spiritual Common-wealth of Christs Church and the prelates therof then had we a most happie and victorious Contrie blessed of God with al spiritual and temporal benediction In such sort surelie that to remember onelie what grace and glorie our Realme hath receiued by ioining and submitting it self to the lawes and regiment of holie Church might make our hartes ioyful if the consideration of this our present infelicitie by seuering our selues from the same did not eftsoons turne al to inconsolable sorowe Truelie what so euer is or hath bene singular to our Countries honour ether in Church Citie The benefites honours of our Countrie by Catholique religion Vniuersitie College Schoole Monasterie Librarie or anie part of the Common-wealth not lest renouned in the world al came of the Catholique religion and the greatest part of the famous Prelates of our NatioÌ„ As likewise what pietie iustice fidelitie conscience deuotion feare of God peace order obedience truth and honestie was once in anie state of men it can be referred to no other but to the godlie discipline forcible doctrine and manifold graces of the Church and her holie Sacramentes as on the contrarie the waste of al goodnes is now by manie yeares experience found to proceed of the Protestantes not onelie fruitles but pernicious preachers and doctrine Who by inuading the old honorable roomes of most noble Prelates founded neither by them nor for them haue made pitiful spoile of the goodliest ecclesiastical states and monumentes Our miseries by Heresie almost in al Christendome And by taking away the dailie dreadful Sacrifice Confession chastitie fidelitie obedience humilitie order and al honestie of life and maners haue giuen our people doleful experience of the deadlie fruite of their schisme and reuolt from the Sea Apostolique and Catholique communion of the faithful world Which we are forced to treat of here more largelie through the importunate and odious vaunting of this Libeller concerning their felicitie vnwonted prosperitie in England since their breaking from the vnitie of the Church of Rome speciallie sith the Queene saith he was cursed and excommunicated by the Pope al matters haue gone luckelie Not talking at al of the Realme or peoples increase in
be praised as purposelie to dishonour our Prince and Countrie The true causes of publishing our miseries for whos loue in Christ so manie haue so meeklie lost their liues or to reueale their turpitude which we would rather couer if it were possible from the eyes of the world with our owne blood but we set forth the truth of al thes actions for the honour of our nation which otherwise to her infinite shame and reproche would be thought wholie and generallie to haue reuolted from the Catholique faith and consented to al the absurdities and iniquities of this new regiment and religion if none with zeale and extreme indeuour resisted such pernitious innouations Wher now as wel our owne people as al strangers in the Christian world perceauing the disorder to proceed but of the partialitie of a few powerable persons abusing her Maiesties clemencie and credulitie doe glorifie our Lord God that in so great a tentation al the Cleargie in maner and so manie of the laitie of al sortes constantlie persist in their fathers faith to the losse of goods landes liues honours and what soeuer besides and that the whole state excepting the authoritie of the Prince may yet be rather counted Catholique then heretical this is the honour of our nation in al places which otherwise for dooble reuolt and recidiuatiō into Schisme and for extreme persecution would be compted remediles hopeles and of al other places most infamous Secondlie we set forth thes thinges for the memorie and honour of such notable Martirs as haue testified the truth of the Catholique faith by their pretious death See S. Cyprian Which was an ancient Canon and custome of the primitiue Church which appointed certaine special persons or skil and learning to note the daies of euerie ones glorious confession and combat that their memories might afterward be solemlie celebrated for euer among Christians Thirdlie we doe it to communicate our calamities with our brethren in faith and the Churches of other prouinces standing free from this miserie both for their warning and our comfort and to excite in them Christian compassion towardes vs that therbie and by their councel and praiers we may find mercie and releef at Gods hand by the example of the Oriental Churches afflicted by the Arrians See S. Basile Epist 69. 70. which as we may read in S. Basile in their like distresses made their general complaints by often letters and messingers to the west Churches standing more entire and void of that Heresie and persecution Finallie we are forced to publish thes thinges so particularlie and diligentlie to defend the doings of the said holie Confessors and their felowes in faith against the manifold slaunders and calumniations of certaine Heretiques or Politiques vniustlie charging them with treason and other great trespasses against the Common-wealth to auert the eyes of the simple from the true causes of their suffering and to disapoint the holie personages if they could of the honour done to Martirs in Gods Church For that is one special cause among manie why they had rather make them away for forged treason or other feigned offences then for profession of the truth which in their hart they hate more then anie crime in the world S. Gregorie Nazianzene liuelie expresseth the condition of al Heretiques in the behauiour of Iulianus the Apostata thus writing of him Oratione in laudē Caesaris He openlie and boldlie professing impietie yet by coulor of clemencie couered his crueltie and lest vve should atteine to the honours done customablie to Martirs vvhich he disdeined to the Christians he vsed namelie this fraude and deceipt that such as he caused to be tormented for Christs cause should be thought and reported to be punished not for their faith but as malefactours For discouerie therfore of this sinful and deceiptful dealing of our aduersaries who not contented with the death and torments of Gods Saints would punish them by ignominie after their life we are driuen to this dutiful office of their and the holie Churches defence whos honour and innocencie we may not bewray for a thousand deathes Wherin we are not much terrified by the vaine and vulgar exordium of the Author of this inuectiue which we now must refute The Libellers vaine and vulgar Exordium who beginneth aboue al arte after their maner with a common sentence as meet for vs and our matter as for him and his cause telling vs that it is a common vsage of al offendours and speciallie rebels and traitors to make defence of their lend and vnlauful factes by couering their deedes with pretence of other causes Which speech as it might be vsed where anie such trespasse could be proued so is it fondlie said where no crime can be auouched as in the processe of this treatise shal be by Gods grace most clearlie conuinced And it might not onelie be applied by the olde heathen or heretical persecutors against the first Apostles and Martirs of Christ being falslie charged with the same crimes as we be now and answered for them selues as we doe but may much more be verified and found in publique persons and common-wealthes when they erre or commit iniquitie then in anie poore priuate States Princes and common-vvealthes haue more pretēces for couering their misdeedes thē priuate mē or afflicted persons be they neuer so guiltie For Princes and communities in disorder haue a thousand pretences excuses and coulors of their iniust actions they haue the name of authoritie the shadowe of lawes the pennes and tongues of infinite at their commaundement they may print or publish what they like suppresse what they list wherof priuate men be they neuer so wicked or good haue not so great commoditie For examples we need not to goe farre out of our owne Countrie and memorie For when Richard the third intending to vsurpe the Croune of England slew diuers of the Nobilitie first most cruelly Richard Duke of Glocester and afterward murthered vnnaturallie his owne innocent nephewes what solemne Libels proclamations orations were put foorth to iustifie his abhominable iniquitie When the last Duke of Northumberland for the like ambitious purpose would haue dishabled and defeated traiterouslie Iohn Dudly Duke of Northumberland both the noble daughters of his owne Soueraigne and Maister and by the title of his daughter in lawe possessed him self of the Croune what a number of pamphlets and edicts were published on the sodaine for couloring of that foule treacherie and intollerable treason When Orange Orange and his confederats reuolted not long since from their natural Prince the Scottish Heretiques from their lauful Soueraine Iamy Murton c. and other Prouinces for the same cause from the vnitie and common faith of the Church who hath not seene the infinite Libels for their excuse in wickednes That therfore that may sometimes fal in priuate mens causes for couering their sinne and shame happeneth farre oftener and much more dangerouslie in powerable
this man was M. Kirkman M. Kirkeman an happie Priest also martyred for that he acknowledged him-self to haue reconciled certaine persons to the Catholike church For which likewise were put to death M. Thomson M. Harte and M. Threlkeld M. ThoÌ„son M. Hart. M. Threlkeld afterward in the same citie of Yorke neuer charged nor suspected of anie other treasons then of hearing Confessions absoluing and reconciling sinners to the fauor of God and to the vnitie of the Catholique churche againe which both in the Priest that absolueth and in the partie that is absolued they haue made to be the crime of les-Maiestie vnder this false and most vniust preteÌ„ce that al parties so reconciled are assoiled of ther obedience to the Q. and doe adhere to her enimie and admit forreine iurisdiction power and authoritie which is exercised in Confession for remission of sinnes Thes be the treasons and none other for which the blood of Gods Priests is so abundantlie shed in our poore countrie thes yeares Adde to thes the two famous confessors Ao. 1583. M. Slade M. Bodie M. Iohn Slade and M. Iohn Bodie who both by certaine interrogatories being driuen to say their mindes touching the Q. chalenge of supreme regiment ecclesiastical contrarie to the asseueration of this libeller set downe before for confessing their faith of the Popes spiritual soueraigntie and for denying her to be head of the churche of England or to haue anie spiritual regiment were coÌ„demned to death in publique iudgement at two diuers sessions and that at twise a rare case in our countrie the latter sentence being to reforme the former as we may gesse in such strange proceedinges which they perceiued to be erroneous and insufficient in ther owne lawes Wherupon one of them was executed at Winchester th' other at And ouer in the same prouince being neuer charged with disloyaltie or olde treasons as not onelie by the recordes of their arraignment and condemnation we are able to prooue but also by their owne speeches and by the whole action of ther Martyrdome The booke is intituled The Seueral executions of Slade and Body c. imprinted in London by Richard Iones 1583. which is put in print by one of their owne protestantes that was present and is witnessed by thousandes of others that both heard saw their deathes and iudgement I wil for examples sake alleage some thing out of the said printed pamphlet of that which was said vnto them by the enimie at their martyrdome Confesse your fault saith one of the cheefe * Sir VV. Kingsmel gentlemeÌ„ and ministers of execution ther present for satisfaction of the vvorld in the cause of your death to which the holie confessor I. Bodie answered after protestation of his loyaltie in temporal thinges Yovv shall vnderstand quoth he good people that I suffer death for denying her Maiestie to be Supreame head of Christes churche in England in causes ecclesiastical other treasons except they make hearing the holie Masse or saying Aue Maria treason I haue coÌ„mitted none So his happie companion M. Slade condemned for the same onelie cause was thus spoken vnto in the houre of his agonie The cause vvhy M. Slade and M. Bodie vvere murdered by one doctor Bennet a great minister of ther new congregation let not the Pope saith he that vnvvorthie Priest be preferred before thine ovvne natural Princesse vvho is the lavvful supreame head of the Church next vnder Christ So said this minister by whom we may not onelie perceiue vpon what statute and treason they were executed but also which in an other parte of this libel is without shame most boldlie denied Pag. 10. that indeed the Q. is commoÌ„lie of protestantes called Supreame head of the Church So their preachers in pulpit doe sounde owt daylie as al men know and their writers in bookes dedicated to her as M. Bridges M. Bridges against doctor Saunders and D. Stapleton and others doe tearme her expreslie Wherof the wiser sorte as we may see by this libel are so ashamed that they wolde haue it giuen out to strangers speciallie who wonder at the monstruous title that ther is no such thing chalenged of her or giuen her by the new lawes of Religion in England The protestaÌ„tes ashamed of their Head of the church For which cause and for that they had an intention streight to publishe at home and in forreine partes that none were put to death for anie such matter of faith or religioÌ„ they suppressed the said printed pamphlet of thes twoo mens martyrdome and punished the Author therof though he wrote in that point the plaine truth as he hard and sawe but not discretlie inough nor aggreable to the politique practise they had then in hand which was to perswade the world that none were put to death for their conscience nor that the Q. chalenged anie such title of Supremacie or Headshippe ouer the Church Pag. 10. which later point it seemeth conuenient to the politiques of our Realme to disauowe with such vehemencie in this libel as they geue vs the manifest lye for that we reproue them of it for thus they write vvhich title of headship of the Church the aduersaries doe most falslie vvrite and affirme that the Q. Maiestie doth novv vse a manifest lie and vntruth c. Wherfore of this matter I am inforced in this place to speake a word or two by the waye The truth is that in the first yeare and Parliament of the Q. reigne when they abolished the Popes authoritie and wolde haue yeelded the same authoritie with the title of Supreame head to the Q. as it was giuen before to her Father and Brother diuers speciallie moued by Minister Caluins writing who had coÌ„demned in the same Princes that calling liked not the â—earme and therfore procured that some other equiualent but lesse offensiue might be vsed Vpon which formalitie it was enacted that she was the Cheef gouernour asvvel in causes ecclesiastical or spiritual as ciuil and temporal And an othe of the same was conceiued accordinglie to be tendred at their pleasures to al the spiritual and teÌ„poral officers in the Realme by which euerie one must sweare that in conscience he taketh and beleeueth her so to be and that no Priest or other borne owt of the realme can haue or ought to haue anie maner of power in spiritual matters ouer her subiectes Which othe is compted the verie torment of al English consciences not the protestantes themselues beleeuing it to be trew of al trew catholiques as before it was deemed in her Father a lay man and in her Brother a childe very ridiculous so now in her self being a woman is it accompted a thing most monstruous and vnnatural and the verie gappe to bring anie Realme to the thraldome of al sectes Heresie Paganisme Turcisime or Atheisme that the PriÌ„ce for the time by humane frailtie may be subiect vnto al our religion faith worship seruice
intended to bestowe certaine bookes of prayers and spiritual exercises and meditations which he had in his custodie Which may suffice to refute th' aduersaries asseueration that none haue bene tormented for other matter then treason But the wordes of M. Thomas Cotam M. Cotam vttered in sense at the barre and thus verbatim left in writing discouereth the case more plainlie to the shame of this cruel heresie for aduauncement wherof so shameful thinges be committed Thus therfore he spake and auouched openlie in the presence of the racke masters In-deed quoth he yow ar searchers of secrettes for yow wolde needes knowe of me what penaunce I was enioined by my ghostlie father for my sinnes committed and I acknowledge my frailtie that to auoide the intollerable torment of the racke I confessed God forgiue me what they demaunded therin but when they further vrged me to vtter also what my sinnes were for which that penaunce was enioined me a lothesome and vnchristian question I then answered that I wolde not disclose my offences sauing to God and to my ghostlie father alone Wherupon they sore tormented me and stil pressed me with the same demaund and I persisted that it was a most barbarous inhumane question and that I wolde not answere though they tormented me to death Thus spake M. Cotam at his arreignmēt wherwith the enimies being ashamed the Lieutenāt of the Tower ther present begā to denie the whole wherūto M. Cotā replied againe thus And is not this trew Here is present D. Hammō with the rest of the commissioners that were at my racking to whos consciences I appeale God is my witnesse that it is most trew and you knowe that Sir George Carie Sir George Carie. did aske me thes vnnatural questions denie it if you can In truth al your torture and demaundes euerie one were of no other treasons but matter of mere conscience faith and religion or els of such folies as I haue rehearsed As for the moderation great pitie and courtisie which by your Libel you wold haue the world beleue her Maiesties ministers haue euer vsed The crueltie in racking Catholiques in giuing the torment to the persons aforesaid and other Catholiques the poore innocentes haue felt it and our Lord God knoweth the contrarie And we can put you in remembrance that you did it with extreame rigour and dispite commonlie vpon no dew presumption nor reasonable suspition of discouerie of anie important matter therby Looke in your recordes what suspicion of treasons or great matters you could haue in yong Sherwood who was the first in our memorie that was put to the rack for matters of conscience then when no man dreamed of anie thes feined new conspiracies See whether a portable Altare be a sufficient cause to giue the torture to a graue worshipful person not so much as suspected of treason or anie disobedience other then in cases of conscience Whether bookes of prayers and meditations spiritual or the printing and spreading of them be a racke-matter in anie common wealth Christian Looke whether your ordinarie demaundes were of that weight and qualitie as were to be answered by cōstraint of the racke Let the world see what one confession of treasonable matter you haue wrested out by the so often tormenting of so many and what great secresies touching the state which you pretend so earnestlie to seeke for you haue found amongst them al No no nothing was ther in thos religious hartes but innocencie and true religion it is that which you punished tormēted and deadlie hated in them Yf they wold haue in the least pointe in the world condescended to your desires in that or but once for your pleasures presented them selues at your Schismatical prayers al racking treasons had bene cleared and past Wherbie al the world seeth you did al for religiō not as for anie conscience that way wherwith most of you ar not much troubled but because the particular state of a number dependeth on this new religion Remember whether you layd not M. Thomson on the racke against al good vse and order before you euer examined him what presumptions had you so pregnant that you must racke the famous man father Campion about the Irishe commotion or collection of monie for the maintenance of the same or of anie knowledge he had of killing the Greatest as you mistically speake in your booke Fol. 2. Haue you not ordinarilie threatned men with the rackes and dongeons and sometimes brought them to the racke-house doore yea and laid some on the racke without either cause or intent to touche thē but onely by thos terrors to driue them to denie their Faith or to confesse wher they had said masse or other like thinges which you desired to knowe How often haue you by famine and filthie dongeōs tormented the happie yong confessor M. Iohn Harte M. Harte which could not now be after his condemnation for anie thing els but for his religiō and because he wold not yeeld to one Rainoldes a minister with whom you appointed him to confere For what other cause did you threaten the torture to M. Osburne but to make him confesse that he had said Masse before the true noble confessors of Christ my L. Vaux and Sir Thomas Tressame And which is more vntollerable is not your racke vsed or threatned to force men by the feare therof to speake thinges against truthe by your appointment and speciallie for false accusation of innocent gentlemen In his epistle to D. Alane set forth in prīt Fo. 10 Iohn Nichols him self a protestant and one of your owne instrumentes hath acknowledged so muche ī publique writing affirming that Sir Owen Hopton lieutenant of the Tower enforced him to accuse diuers gentlemen by name of highe treason whom he neuer knew which he did to auoide his threatned tormentes as he writeth Thomson Borschoe Henslovve Clifton We speake nothing of the pitiful extremities you haue brought diuers vnto by horrible Fetters Stockes Dongeōs Famine Or of the deathe of welneare twenty happie Catholiques at once infected and pestered in Yorke prison wher they perished by the vnmercifulnesse of the protestantes of whom by no pitiful complaintes they could obteine libertie or freshe aire for the sauing their liues without condescending to goe to their abhominable seruice We tel you not here againe that for the more affliction of Catholiques a thing to be marked and lamented Most barbarous cruelties of al christian hartes that you haue prophanelie made choice of Sōdaies great Holidayes to practise your torments vpon them after th' olde fashion of the Pagans rather then vpon workedayes that you bring other catholique prisoners neare to the place of torment to heare their brethrens sorowful cries and eftsoons leade some newlie taken from the racke vnder their fellowe prisoners windowes and to their doores that by hearing their pitiful complaintes sighes and grones proceding of infinite paines they may relent in religion Of al which
conscience to matter of treason Which being resolued vpon they went about by diuers proclamations libels and speeches first to make the people beleue that al Catholiques and speciallie Iesuistes and such Priestes and scholars as were brought vp in the Seminaries or Colledges out of the Realme were traitors And for their better persuasion gaue out one while that by the said Priestes and others in banishment Herof ther vvas a special proclamation published in Iulie 1580. ther was a maruelous confederatiō of the Pope K. of Spaine duke of Florence and others for th' inuasion of the Realme But that being shortlie proued nothing they feigned that the said Iesuistes and Priestes were confederated with the Irish quarel and to giue more colour of somewhat they sticked not to rack father Campian extremelie for search of that point But this fiction fayling they found out an other as foule that the death of the Q. and diuers of the Counsel was contriued forsoth in the Seminaries of Rome and Remes of which conspiracie in fin they resolued to endite them as they did pursued them to death for the same with such euident partialitie default of iustice and equitie as was in that court once most honorable for iustice neuer heard or read of before Vagrant discourses of such as accused mē of their liues at the barre Such as pleaded against them to make them odious in iudgment discoursed at this Libel now doth first of the nature and horrour of Rebellion in general and then of a Rebellion in the North for Religion a doosen years before when the parties ther accused were yong boies in the schooles and vniuersities of the Realme of the Popes Bul of excommunicating the Q. a good many of years before anie of them came ouer sea or euer sawe Pope Rome or Remes yea when some of them were yet protestantes in England they discoursed also of the Rebellion in Ireland by Stukeley Sanders others none of which men diuers ther arreigned euer saw or knew in their lyues Of their being made Priests by the Popes authoritie and of their obligation and obediēce to him being the Q. enimie of their authoritie to absolue reconcile in England receiued from him of their coming in at the same time when they were in armes in Ireland as though they had not entred their natiue countrie and exercised thos spiritual functious seuen years before or could not then exercise them but in fauour of such as tooke armes against the Q. And when thes generalities were vttered onelie to make them odious and amase the hearers with thos that should haue to iudge of their guiltines or innocencie the good Fathers and Priests The most iust exception and request of the martyrs arreigned made iust exceptions against such vulgar inuectiues as could not touch them that ther stood in iudgement more then anie other Priest or Catholique in the Realme and manie of the pointes such as they were sure none should haue bene arraigned of in K. Edward the thirdes tyme vpon whos statute neuertheles the enditement was pretended to be drawen humblie praying the Iudge and bench that they wold more directlie plainlie and sincerelie passe on them for their Faith and exercises of the Romane religiō for proof wherof they should not need to seeke for so impertinent and far fetcht matter which they openlie professed and desired to die for with al their heartes or yf they wold needes proceed against them as for treason in the sense of the old lawes of our Countrie that then wold please them to aggrauate no farther to their disaduantage and death ether other mens faultes or matter of pure Religion but to come to the inditement and to the particuler charge of euerie person their arreigned which was of cōspiring the Q. death Wherof if they could by any proof or sufficient testimony of credible persons conuict al or any of them then their death to be deserued yf not their innocent blood vpon al that should be accessorie to the shedding therof a crime that crieth for vēgeance at Godes hand when it is done but by priuate malice and mischeif but committed in publike place of iudgement by authoritie and pretence of lawe as in the case of Naboth and of Christ our master it is in the sight of God most horrible and neuer long eskapeth publike punishmēt from the which our Lord God of his mercie saue our poore countrie euen by the prayers of thes holie Martyrs for whos blood it is otherwise highelie deserued An euidēt conclusion vppon the principal purpose Therfore al other idle and vagrant speeches odiouslie amplifiing either the Popes Iesuites Seminaries Doctor Sanders or anie other mans peculiar actions for Religion or otherwise set apart wherupon as the Counsellers then at the barre so now the writers of this Libel voluntarie and vainly doe onelie stand and make their rest ther is nothing in the world that can proue effectuallie thes mens lawful condemnation nor auowe the iustice of that execution which the Libeller taketh vpon him to doe but in truth no whit toucheth the matter sauing onely such allegation testimonie as may conuince Father Campian and his fellowes with him arraigned to haue compassed the Q. destruction or inuasion of the Realme What other thing-soeuer they were guiltie of or what affection so euer they beare in respect of their contrarie Religion to their Prince and state or what treasonable opinions as they fondlie cal them concerning the Excommunication or depriuing the Q. were afterward discouered in them or what other reasonable cause in respect of the aduersaries feare and ielousie ouer the state or doubt of the times thē troubled the officers then or the Libellers now to satisfie the people or the world abrode doe alledge for their excuse none of al thes thinges can iustifie that execution so long as the matter for which they were onely endited can not be prooued nor the statute of K. Edward the third vpon which they pretend to haue endited them is transgressed by them Therfore as the whole treatise of our aduersaries defence is too to wide from the purpose so speciallie ar the fower reasons which for the readers ease Foure reasons for the cōdemnatiō of Fa. Campion and his fellovves as they terme it and for the pith somme of the whole discourse they haue put at th' end of their Libel in a rāke together by which the discret reader may take a tast of their deceitful dealing in the whole booke Euerie reason should conclude that the Priestes were executed vpon no charge of new religious treasons but vpon old statutes onely for matter of conspiracie in which sense no one of them in truth doth conclude And the first Reason The first reason cometh onely to this end that her Maiestie contemning the Popes Bulles for a good while at length spying them to be dangerous reuiued former lawes for prohibition of them within her dominions Which Argument
being laid for the ground of al hath nether the conclusion looked for against thos Priestes in particuler nor truth of narration in the premisses For nether were ther anie such Bulles and excommunications which they say were tollerated or contemned for certaine years none at al I say of that kind published in her dayes before that one of Pius quintus mentioned in the next argument folowing nether were ther extant anie old statutes that we know to be reuiued against such excōmunications in any such sense as they wil seeme to make them The second Argument prooueth onelie that Felton for publishing Pius quintus his Bul The second reason was by their lawes condemned and put to death and was the first that was executed for matters comming from Rome wherupon how substantiallie it is inferred that father Campian and his fellowes were not condemned for Religion but for transgression of old statutes of treasons let the wise consider and withal let the learned in our lawes determine whether the bringing in of a Bul of excommunication from Rome were treason in the dayes and by the statute of K. Edward the third The third reason Thirdlie they reason thus the people raised rebelliō in the North ergo her Maiesty can not be blamed for vsing force against them and punishing the authors of the same which maketh litle against the persons here named The fourth reason Fourthly that the Pope stirred to rebellion and succoured the Irish therfore she hath great reason to search out al seditions persons as Priestes and Iesuites be and so to trie condemne execute them Nether of which reasons haue anie further sequele in the sight of anie reasonable and indifferent man then to punishe them that ar by lawful trial prooued to be partakers of thes actions which was impossible to doe in anie of the Priestes case arraigned neither was any of the said commotions laid in particular to any one of them al at the barre though impertinentlie such matters were for a deceitful florish often as in this Libel touched A rhetorical preuention of the Libeller And wheras by preuention of some obiections ether made or that may be made that thes poore religious Priestes scholers and vnarmed men could not be any doers in the warres of England or Ireland the Libel maketh a solemne rhetorical tale for answere that though they were not in the feeld to fight yet they might by their counsel encouragement and perswasion be partakers of the same crime and executed as accessorie to the other treasons which needed not so many superfluous wordes in so short a worke al the world confessing that the ministers messingers espials and abettours of offendors ar often no lesse punishable then the principal actors But in sincere dealing it had bene to be prooued that F. Campian and thos other holie men were secret workers and aiders of the Northerne and Irish commotion wherof nether now in this booke nor then at the barre any one word is alleaged Al is ful of wild and wast wordes artificiallie couched to abuse the ignorant that knew not the state of this disputation al running to this odde issue that her Maiesty hath reason to punish traitors but no word to conuince them of thes or any other old treasons for which they were endited nor to reproue vs that boldlie vpon euident demonstration yea and certeine knowledge doe testefie before God and man that they were not guiltie of thos offences of which they were endited and for which they were by vnlauful calumniation and violence cast away as in the face of the world but ī the sight of our Lord atteined a pretious death and the glorie of Saints euerlastinglie When it came to the verie point of the accusation and al rouing and rayling talke against Pope Rome Religion Seminaries Bulles Masses Preachinges Reconciliations Agnus deis and Beades with which they larded al their euidence though of such thinges they professed not to condemne them was to be set aside and now by witnesses to be prooued that they were guiltie of the forsaid conspiracie against the Q. person The vvitnesses that gaue euidēce against the Priestes of God Epist 212. c. two or thre such fellowes were sought out and procured to giue testimonie against them as first professed them selues to be heretiques and therfore by S. Augustines Iudgemēt were not to be heard against a Catholique Priest Secondly seing heresie maketh no exception in England they were knowen to be otherwise common coosiners lost companions salable for a souz and bought by th'enimie to betray them beare witnes against them Thirdly some of them charged in the face of the court with shameful adultery with dooble or triple murther and other like horrible crimes pardoned for this purpose Fourthly they were discouered both then and afterward of notorious falshood incongruitie and discord of tymes persons places and other circumstances and their iniquity eftsoons disclosed by their owne * Iohn Nichols in his letters imprinted fellowe And to see now the men of God so manie so excellent for vertue so famous for learning religion zeale and deuotion to hold their liues vpon the conscience of such notorious Atheistes and out-castes of the world yea as in M. Paines case vpon the bare word of one of them onely A pitiful case against diuine humane lawes requirīg twoo witnesses at the least it was surelie verie pitiful to behold but not maruelous to vs that cōsidered the conditiō of our time easelie forsawe that thes holy mens deathes were now designed and thought necessarie by our Politiques for conseruation of their state as the Libeller here subtilly insinuateth Fol. 16. that it was to be done in regard of the dangerous tyme when the Popes forces were in Ireland and more in preparation to folowe aswel into England as he conningly faineth to make the necessitie of this Iustice more excusable as also into Ireland as though he wold say that by some one pretence or other for terrour and example they were to be found guiltie and so dispatched Strāge proceedings in matters of life and death Well thus their good witnesses gaue in euidence of thinges spoken and contriued in Rome and Reims which were knowen to be most false of al that were in ether place the times and dayes by them named whatsoeuer was ether trulie or falselie testefied to be done or said in ether of the twoo places by anie English ther dwelling it was vniustly applied to al euery one of thes good men now standing in iudgement yea it serued against some that were neuer in ether place in their life as against M. Foord and M. Collington as also against Father Campiā that dwelt a thowsand myles of in Prage occupied by his Superiours in teaching and preaching wholie estranged from al Englishmen and English affaires otherwise then in his prayers for aboue nine years together not euer sene or knowen to diuers
that then were arraigned with him in iudgement as conspirators in one and the same treason before they met ther together at the barre nor euer knowen to the witnesses them selues The same serued against M. Shert that had not bene in ether place of manie years before Against M. Briant also and M. Richardson that neuer had bene in Rome nor in Remes of eight monethes before the time wherin the false witnesses fained the conspiracie to haue bene ther contriued Yea and against father Bosgraue it serued also that was neither Seminarie man nor sent by the Pope or Superiour nor acquainted with anie other English Priestes that returned home nor of the cause of their coming hauing bene so long absent in the North-partes of the world that he had in maner forgotten his owne language repairing home him self for his health onely and yet al or the most part of thes men being so different amongst them selues in age life state calling place of abode time of absence from their countrie and in the cause maner purpose of returning were condemned together at one barre for one and the self same particuler treason for coÌ„spiriÌ„g forsooth her Maiesties death at Rome Rhems such and such dayes which in it self hath most manifest contradiction But yet when thes things were for the impossibilitie of the fact laid doune and opened at the barre by the holie CoÌ„fessors them selues it preuailed nothing though otherwise also the euidence were giuen by such persons and of such matters as it was nether possible nor credible that they could be guiltie It was found sufficient for their condemnation that they had kissed the Popes foot that they were his scholars and had receaued Viaticum from him that they had seene or spoken with Cardinals in Rome and were made Priestes ether ther or at other places and finallie sent home by authoritie of their Superiours accompted enimies in the present state of our Countrie Which thinges together with the partial vnwonted and vnlawful dealing vsed in the proceeding of that day of their iudgement and the knowen innocent qualitie trade of the persons cleareth them against this Libel and al other false accusation whatsoeuer The protestations of the coÌ„demned at their deathes But most of al euery ones sincere protestation in the houre of their honorable conflict and Martyrdome that they were ignorant of al conspiracies and most innocent of that for which they were condemned in particuler cleareth theÌ„ throughly in the iudgment and conscience of euery reasonable man seing it is not probable that such men would against their consciences and against the truth haue auouched a falshood at that instant to the present and â—uerlasting perdition of their soules which would not relent in anie point of their faith to saue onely their temporal liues And this is also an inuincible proofe of their innocencie and that al was for Religion and nothing in truth for treason that yf they would haue confessed the Q. to be their Cheef in causes spiritual or haue relented in their religion they should haue had life and perdoÌ„ which was profered to euery one of them not onely at th' execution but often before Yea for once going to their heretical seruice any of thos whoÌ„ they pretend to be so deepe traitors might haue bene quit with fauour as also with great thaÌ„kes goodlie preferments And plaine it is An euident reason that now at the houre of their death being past further feare of mans lawes yf they had ment any thing against the Q. person or had receaued order by their Superiours or had thought it agreable to their spiritual profession to deale in other matters then religion and conuersion of soules by preaching persuasioÌ„ praiers other preestly means they might haue spoken their mindes boldelie now at their passage and departure from this world M. Iames Laborne put to death at Lancaster as since that time we vnderstand that a certaine worshipful lay geÌ„tilman did who protested both at his arreignement and at his death that her Maiestie was not his lauful Quene for two respectes the one for her birth the other for the excommunication her Highnes hauing nether sought dispensation for the first nor absolutioÌ„ for the second But none of al our Priestes made any such answere nor otherwise vttered any vnlawful speach that might ether offend her Maiestie or the state present irritate enimie or scandalize frend Al their confessions both voluntarie and forced by torments ar extant in the persecutors handes is ther any word soundeth or smelleth of conspiracie They haue al sortes and sexes of Catholikes in prison for their faith Confessions of Catholiques and diuers honorable personages onely vpon pretence of dealing and conuersing with them hath any one of al the Realme in durance or at libertie by faire meanes or foule confessed that euer ether Priest or Iesuite perswaded them in Confession or otherwise to forsake the Q That euer they were absolued on that condition That euer they receaued Agnus-dei at their haÌ„des or other spiritual token for earnest or prest to rebel and ioine with the enimie as this slaunderons Libel doth not so much auouch for that were intollerable as by guileful art insinuate without al proofe or probabilitie Wherin as at the place of their iudgement the Magistrate professing that nothing should be preiudicial vnto theÌ„ that touched onelie their religioÌ„ yet indeed had no other matter for their conuiction but the functions of their order Priesthood so this Libeller now pretending their treasons to be old and of an other sort and acquiting them for their Romish tokens ceremonies bookes beades and opinions as he speaketh yet coÌ„ninglie windeth him self about in wordes and onelie condemneth them in the end for the same not as capital forsooth in them selues but as seruiceable to the Pope and appliable to the benefite of rebels at home or abrode So coÌ„ninglie they play in such mens liues and deathes as our countrie was vnworthie of But now when thes innocent persons were condemned and so manie of them as they thought was necessarie for their practize MachiaueliaÌ„ Policies executed because they perceiued great scruples and suspitious conceites to rise in al mens hartes and heades about the fact and vnwonted proceeding no man ether so euil or ignorant as to take theÌ„ guiltie of thos crimes wherof they were appeached and euerie man not so wise as to spie that it was done of necessarie policy without much regard of Conscience or diuinitie knowing also that one Iohn Nichols a Minister and protestaÌ„t who gaue the first false ouerture of this sinful stratageme touched by God absented him self at their condemnatioÌ„ and death and afterward cried the innocent men mercie vpon his knees In Roan 1583. confessing both by word and letter authenticallie recorded that partlie vpon his motion they had condemned innocent blood and that him self was forced by certaine persons in authoritie whom for honor sake we
ought to be obeyed by the subiects of England notwithstanding the Bul of Pius Quintus or anie other Bul or sentence that the Pope hath pronounced or may pronounce against her Maiesty Whether the Pope haue or had power to authorize her subiects to rebel or take armes against her or to inuade her dominions and whether such subiects so doing doe laufullie therin Whether the Pope haue power to discharge anie of her Maiesties subiects or the subiects of anie Christian Prince from their alleageance or othe of obedieÌ„ce to her Maiesty or to their Prince for anie cause Whether D. Sanders in his booke of the visible Monarchie of the Church and D. Bristow in his booke of Motiues writing in allowance commendation and confirmation of the said Bul of Pius Quintus haue therin taught testified or mainteined a truth or a falsehood Yf the Pope doe by his Bul or sentence pronounce her Maiesty to be depriued and no lauful Q. and her subiects to be discharged of their allegeance and obedience vnto her and after the Pope or anie other by his appointment and authoritie doe inuade this Realme which part would you take or which part ought a good subiect of England to take Wherin if you say nothing or refuse to answere somewhat in contempt or derogation of the sea Apostolique then are you iudged no good subiect but a traytor wherby let al Princes and People Christian beare witnes of our miseries and iniust afflictions who are inforced to suffer death for our onelie cogitations and inward opinions vnduelie sought owt by force and feare yet not condemned by anie Christian schoole in the world nor vttered by vs but vpon forcing interrogatories we hauing committed nothing by word or deed against our Prince or lawes but doing al actes of honour and homage vnto her suffering meekelie what punishement so euer she would lay vpon vs for our Religion The behaueour of English Catholikes since the Bul of Pius Quintus for so most part of al sortes of Catholiques haue done both in EnglaÌ„d and Ireland for this twentie fiue years space onelie a verie few Nobles of both countries taking once armes for their defence in al this long time of intollerable affliction the like patience you shal hardlie find in ProtestaÌ„tes as their furious rebellions against their Soueraignes in France Flandres and Scotland doe testifie our Nobles gentlemen hauing borne al thos anguishes of bodie and mind with losse of honours countrie landes libertie for so long time haue both at home and abrod obeyed her with such loialtie as subiects ought to doe their Soueraine neuer tooke armes in al EnglaÌ„d vpoÌ„ the Bul of Pius Quintus nor anie time since the publication therof contrarie to the deceiptful diuisioÌ„ of thos times things actions set doune by the Libeller placing that after which was done before the Bul was published but haue shewed them selues in al cases as seruiceable as before The Clergie men also whether religious Priestes The proceeding of Cleargie-men concerning the Bul. or students of the two colledges in Rome and Rhemes whether they were in the seruice of their countrie at home or in the schooles absent did al in maner notwithstaÌ„ding the said CeÌ„sure of his Holines vse al due reuereÌ„ce respect vtteriÌ„g in no preachiÌ„g speech or booke no nor at the houre of their death Martirdome nor euer before in anie their confessions to the Magistrate anie disloyal worde against her Maiesty No which we further auouch not anie one Priest of the Societie or Seminaries can be prooued by the aduersarie to haue absolued in secret Confession anie one man liuing from his allegeance or to haue euer ether in publique or priuate disswaded anie one person in the Realme from his obedience in Ciuil causes to the Q. Furthermore it is certaine that neuer Priest had anie such Commission giuen hitherto by ether the Popes Holines Priests Commissions or such other superiours in Religion or college to deale in anie such matters touching the Q. nether is ther anie such thing implyed in ether the authoritie or act of reconcilement how so euer the ielous enimie hath found knots in thos rushes that of theÌ„ selues are smooth As the contrarie is doubtles most true the Gouernours of the students alwayes of purpose prohibiting and as much as in such numbers of al sortes not al euer hauing discretion to season their zeale could be prouiding that in the cours of our schoole questions and controuersies concerning the Popes preeminence no matter of depriuing or excommunicating Princes should be disputed no not so much as in generalities and much lesse the particularizing of anie point in our Q. case Which matter notwithstanding it be determinable by Diuinitie and doe come in cours to be handled in schooles as other questioÌ„s doe yet because it is incident to matter of state as now our countrie most vnfortunatly standeth and consequently might be interpreted by the suspitious to be ment of her whos case men liked lest to deale in it was thought best to passe ouer al with silence The particuler doinges of D. Sanders of D. Bristoe Which moderation was kept in al places and persons of our Nation two onelie learned men of great zeale excellencie indeed D. Saunders and D. Bristowe excepted who had their special reasâ—ns to doe as they did which we wil neither defend nor reproue but manie Catholiques were sorie therfore and wished the matter so offensiue had neuer bene touched but committed onelie to higher powers and especiallie to Gods iudgement that he might ether in this world or the next wher both Popes Princes must come to their accomptes discerne of the coÌ„trouersie betwixt our two superiours th' one being our spiritual Head and Soueraigne who is the higher and in matter of Religion rather to be obyed th' other our temporal Prince to whom likewise in such sort and matter as the Holie Scriptures appoint vs we owe al dutie and obeisance WherupoÌ„ afterwardes not onely D. Bristow omitted in his second edition or abridgement of his booke that odious point not fit at that time to be handled but D. Saunders also though his former treatise was not of anie stranger Catholique and learned in anie nation misliked being more free therin because they be not entangled by authoritie and sway of lawes as we are yet called he in and suppressed to his liues end a verie learned booke made in defence of Pius Quintus his sentence and printed aboue fortene years since no copie therof that is knowen being now extant Which cours of moderation al Catholiques of al sortes both spiritual and temporal haue followed euer since restraining as much as in them lay the rigour of that sentence And the blessed Martyr F. Campian him self as is recited in the storie of his arraignemeÌ„t The speech of Father CampiaÌ„ at Rome falling in talke with a certaine principal Cardinal in Rome at his first arriual ther
could not answere of the sense or force therof nor be guiltie of anie crime towardes her Maiestie conteined in the same no nor should euer haue much thought or heard of it had not the other now reuiued the matter One or two answered that they were not so learned as to discusse ex tempore al thos matters conteined in their demaundes but that they esteemed of al in general as the holie Catholique Church teacheth which is said they the Romane Church Some said ther were or might be causes as if a Prince should fal to Apostasie Arrianisme or such like that deserued excommunication depriuation in which case the Pope might discharge the subiects from their obedience but of the Q. particular case they would not talke at al. To be short some being demaunded what they would doe or aduise others to doe if the matter should come to batail for Religion as it fel out in Ireland answered they would doe when that happened which they trusted would not so chaunce as good priests ought to doe that is pray for peace and that truth and iustice in warre might preuaile In al which you see on th' one side how carefullie al men eschewed to vtter their opinions in anie other wordes but such as could in truth no way giue offence to the Q. or state on th' other into what maruelous perplexitie the ministers and mainteiners of heresie ar brought that cannot but by such violent meanes be secure in their sect nor vphold their soule practizes against God the Church and their owne Countrie Let our Christian brethrē of al nations iudge of the causes meanes and measure of our calamities We neuer procured our Q. excommunication we haue sought the mitigation therof we haue done our allegeance not withstanding we haue answered when we were forced vnto it with such humilitie and respect to her Maiesty and Counsel as you see no man can charge vs of anie attempt against the Realme or the Princes person The vnreasonable dealing of our persecutors Yet not content with this they wil knowe what we wil doe hereafter if such or such a thing should chaunce they wil sound al the Catholiques hartes in the Realme which is more then Antichristian violēce they wil punish them as traitors by death most cruel for their onelie thoughtes Yea which God him self doth not for future faultes neuer committed nor perhappes euer like to come to passe Which search of mens future factes or intentions wherof them selues haue neither knowledge nor rule before hand is vnnatural intollerable and to common wealthes most pernicious were able to make al the Catholiques of the Realme to be wholie desperate not finding their loyal behauiour shewed in al kinde of office and seruice to their Prince sufficient to saue their liues but may be examined of thes captious and deadlie chapters of their inwarde opiniōs and purposes to come when the Magistrate or anie mans one powrable enimie list require it Especiallie now whē their vulgar ministers giue it out generallie that al thos whom they cal Papistes be in their hartes traitors and this Libeller sayth thos foresaid questions are most proper to trie them Into such thraldome of bodie and soule hath that barbarous heresie brought vs them also into thos hazardes of their state which they pretend to be the causes of thes their so extraordinarie proceedinges as may be thought were neuer before vsed nor lauful by nature or custome of anie Ciuil countrie in earth Some such demaundes the Scribes and Pharesies and other of the Iewes sectaries The proceeding of the Ievves vvith Christ proposed in times past to our Sauiour to intrap him ī speech to driue hī to vtter some treasonable wordes or cōceipt agaīst the Emperours regalitie ouer the people of God which they presumed to be euil thought of of diuers and speciallie of the better and more exact zelators of the lawe notwithstanding that ether for feare or other causes euerie one semed in al exterior offices to obey Of which tempting questions though Christ by his diuine wisdome easilie discharged him self neuerthelesse they ceased not stil to exclame Hunc inuenimus prohibentem tributa dare Caesari as others did afterward the like of S. Stephen and S. Paul and euen so now our English Saduces are not satisfied but by blood neuer resting til they haue pressed or suckt out something at least for mens intentions or other casual euentes to come that may sound against their duties to the Q. Such is our present menage of state in England into such termes are we brought of extremitie When al other pretences practizes forged crimes and false witnesses against Priests or Catholiques doe faile then are thes made iust quarels of their death and the highest treasons in the world viz to affirme vpon their vnreasonable and importune demaundes that if which God forbid the Q. by supposal should fal to Arrianisme Apostacie or Atheisme whervnto mans frailtie is subiect she might be depriued and her subiects discharged of obedience to her this is the onelie treason which they haue tried out of Catholiques Which for al that in truth cannot be treason how plainlie or voluntarily so euer it were spoken much lesse being wrested out by commandement and subtile drift of interrogatories The Libeller saieth nothing is punished in vs for question of Conscience or Religion The questiō of the Popes Supremacie a matter of Diuinitie and not of State but yet this is such in the sight of al resonable men in the world For it is a mere matter of Diuinitie if not defined for vs yet at least disputable in schoole as them selues wil confesse It concerneth the Popes supremacie and power Apostolical for which this Libeller affirmeth and repeateth often that none be endangered of life or limme in England This proposition I say or anie other equiualent to it viz. That the Pope hath power to excommunicate or depriue a Prince in case of Heresie or Apostacie and consequentlie to absolue his subiects from their othe and obedience to him or to stand in defence of them selues and the Catholique faith against him cannot be proued treason by the statute of Edward the third vpon which onelie he sayeth we be condemned for traitours Who so euer should auouch the same in anie Christian countrie in the world or in our owne countrie in the time of the said K. Edward had held the same opinion should not nor could not haue bene conuicted of treason treasonable assertion or euil affection to the Prince or countrie because it standeth with the honor and safetie of the whole common wealth and the rulers therof so far to be subiect and obedient to Christ and his Church that they count them selues no longer to stand or reigne rightfullie then they stand and reigne for the aduauncement of Gods truth and kingdome in earth which is his Church What treason had it bene to Q. Marie whos regiment for an exāple of their greefe
auowe before God seing we are now inforced to treate of thes affaires that whatsoeuer we haue said or shal say in this our defence or remonstrance touching the former articles and demandes about the Bul A protestation before the entraÌ„ce to the treatie of the former demandes about the Bul. nether hath bene nor shal be by vs anie wise spoken meÌ„t or applied against our natural Princesse or couÌ„trie how soeuer anie suspicious malitious or guiltie mind shal peradueÌ„ture conster or apply the same Nether shal the matter be otherwise treated of by me in this place but in such general termes as the schooles vse without touching anie particular person now liuing referring the applicatioÌ„ of al to Gods Church and to the cheefe Pastors therof and to the conscience of euerie good Christian reader to whose handes this booke may chance to come As on thother side we wil not busie our selues to defend euerie priuate mans writing or actioÌ„ concerning the matter of th'Ecommunication but wil without partialitie â—nd personal quarel for a common Apologie of vs al â—eclare and prooue thes assertioÌ„s of the Popes power â—nd superioritie ouer kinges in cases of Heresie Apoâ—tacie and other like to be agreable to Gods word â—nd not treasonable nor vndutiful to anie Prince or State in the world but beneficial to al and euery common wealth vnder Heauen whos gouernment is coÌ„teined within the prescript of Iesus Christ our Redeemers law But first before we come to the declaration of Catholique doctrine concerning Churches authoritie in censuring deposing Princes for matter of ReligioÌ„ The Protestantes opinion and practise for depositioÌ„ of Princes in case of false Religion it shal not be amisse perhappes to set doune the iudgment and practize of Protestants in the same case which though it weigh litle or nothing with vs as being altogether both done and spoken of seditious and partial affection to their Heresie and against the lauful Magistrate of God yet th' aduersarie seing his owne Masters against him shal wel perceaue that the resisting of Princes and Magistrates in cause of Religion as also the subiects taking armes for their defence in such a case is no way to be accounted treason but most lauful according to their new Ghospel And first their grand-maister Io. Caluin putteth doune his oracle In Dan. cap. 6. Ver. 22.25 as a conclusion approued of their whole sect and confraternitie in thes wordes Abdicant se potestate terreni Principes dum insurgunt coÌ„tra Deum iÌ„mo indigni sunt qui censeantur in hominum numero Potius ergo conspuere oportet in illo rum capita The doctrine of Father Caluin quà m illis parere vbi sic proteruiunt vt velint spoliare Deum suo iure c. Which in English is thus Earthlie Princes doe bereaue them selues of al authoritie when they doe erect them selues against God yea they are vnworthie to be accompted in the number of men and therfore we must rather spit vpoÌ„ their heades theÌ„ obey them when they become so proude or peruerse that they wil spoile God of his right to the same place I further referre the reader for his instruction For declaration of which text and for cutting of al cauillation about th'interpretatioÌ„ of his wordes their brother Beza shal speake next who alloweth highly commendeth in writing The doctrine of brother Beza the fighting in France for religion against the lawes and lawful K. of that Countrie saying in his epistle dedicatorie of his new testament to the Q. of England her self In editione An. 1564. That the Nobilitie of France vnder the noble Prince of Condey laid the first foundation of restoring true Christian religioÌ„ in France by consecrating most happilie their blood to God in the batail of Druze Wherof also the Ministers of the reformed FreÌ„ch Churches as their phrase is doe giue their common verdict The opinion of the Congregation Art 39. in the confession of their faith thus We affirme that subiects must obey the lawes pay tribute beare al burthens imposed and susteine the yoke euen of infidel Magistrates so for al that that the supreme dominion and due of God be not violated Zvvinglius likewise a cater-cosen to the Caluinistes in religion The senteÌ„ce of Zuinglius lib. 4. Epist Zvvinglii Oecol fol. 186. writeth thus If the Empire of Rome or what other Soueraigne so euer should oppresse the sincere religion and we necligentlie suffer the same we shal be charged with contempt no lesse then the oppressors therof theÌ„ selues wherof we haue an exaÌ„ple in the fiftenth of Ieremie wher the destruction of the people is prophecied 4. Reg. 21 for that they suffred their K. Manasses being impious and vngodly to be vnpunished And more plaine in an other place When kinges saith he rule vnfaithfullie and otherwise then the rule of the Gospel prescribeth Art 42. explanat Fol. 84. they may with God be deposed as when they punish not wicked persons but speciallie when they aduaunce the vngodlie as idle Priests c. such may be depriued of their dignitie as Saul was And what our English Protestants writ or thinke of this matter you shal wel perceiue by their opinioÌ„ high approbation of Wiats rebellion in Q. Maries dayes wherof one of their cheefe Ministers called Goodman thus speaketh in his Treatise entituled Goodmans opinion Cap. 14. a pag. 204. ad pa. 212 Hovv superior magistrats ought to be obeyed VVyat did but his dutie and it vvas the dutie of al others that professe the Gospel to haue risen vvith him for maintenance of the same His cause vvas iust and they al vvere traitors that tooke not part vvith him O Noble VVyat thovv art novv vvith God thos vvorthie men that died for that happie enterprise c. What the Scottish Ministerie defineth in this question is plaine The iudgement of the Scottishe Ministrie Io. Knokes Ibidem pag. 77. by the verdict of Iohn Knokes their mightiest Prophet the argument of a treatise of this matter being set doune by him self thus Yf the people haue either rashelie promoted anie manifest vvicked person or els ignorantlie chosen such an one as after declareth him self vnvvorthie of regiment aboue the people of God and such be al Idolators and cruel persecutors most iustlie may the same men depose and punish him So Luther also the Protestants Elias being asked his opinion of the Almans coÌ„federacie The opinioÌ„ and definition of Luther Sled Hist lib. 8. made at Smalcalde against Charles the fift their lauful noble Emperour answered That in deed he vvas in doubt for a time vvhether they might take armes against their Supreme Magistrate or no but aftervvard seing the extremitie of thinges and that Religion could not othervvise be defended nor them selues he made no conscience of the matter but ether Caesar or anie vvaging vvarres in his name might be resisted Sledan also recordeth that the Duke of Saxonie
the Lantzgrane gaue this reason Lib. 21. of their taking armes against their supreme Magistrate For as much say they as Caesar intendeth to destroy the true religion and our anciēt libertie he giueth vs cause inough why we may with good conscience resist him as both by prophane and sacred histories may be prooued Lib. 22. The same writer reporteth the like of the Ministers of Magdeburge declaring how the inferiour may defend him self against the superior compelling him to doe against the truth and rule of Christes lawes By al which you see that to resist the Magistrat defend them selues in cases of consciēce and to fight against the superiour for religion is a cleere and ruled case and no treasonable opinion at al against the Prince if we wil be iudged by Protestants wherin their knowen facts be far more notorious then their writinges The examples of the Protestants taking armes for their Religion For that Beza and other the cheefe ministers of the French Caluinical Congregations were them selues in feeld agaīst two or thre of their natural leige lordes and kinges Zwinglius also the vnfortunate Father of our English faith was killed in the battail as al the world knoweth and therby it is euident that the instance of D. Saunders who followed of zeale the late commotion in Ireland can not be so much obiected to the Catholiques reproch as th' aduersarie would haue it seeme whos report notwithstanding of the maner of his death is also a verie slaunderous vntruth The Protestants of Flanders held it for a most certaine truth by the approbation also and sollicitation of England that they might rebel against their supreme Magistrate for Religion when by force of armes they altered al and deposed their Soueraigne Which ought the more to weigh with th' English Caluinistes for that as I haue signified their pudding lay also in that fier As likewise it is wel knowē that them selues haue bene the cheefest procurers and doers in the depriuing of the lauful and annointed Q. of Scotland and for her further affliction haue kept her also in captiuitie thes fourtene years together And here in thes cases of their owne The variable mutable dealing of Protestants no treasonable propositions no resisting of Gods annointed no disobeying the king as being the most precellent no ouerruling the person that acknovvledgeth no superior in earth but holdeth onely of God for al thes termes the Libeller seemeth to make great aduantage of against the resisters of our Q. deposing of her Maiestie by the sea Apostolique can haue place or beare sway But when it cometh to a point of their owne freshe and florishing religion then neither vnction nor lauful succession nor anie other princelie prerogatiue can serue lauful Magistrates or saue them from their subiects furie th' English brethren euer speciallie assisting the rebellion as wel by their diuinitie as otherwise by force of armes to their power The question therfore is not nether is it material to the purpose which the Libeller so much florisheth verie idlie of the Princes lauful creation or consecration The true state of the question about resisting of Princes but whether a Prince laufullie inuested and annointed may be for anie cause namelie for matter of Religion resisted by his subiects We say that the Protestants of al sectes doe both holde and practize it England it self speciallie allowing of the same And therfore ther is no treason in this case if we folowe the present diuinitie of England nor new example if we respect the furious attempts and rebellions of Scotland Flaunders Fraunce and Germanie against their superiours for maintenance of their heresies al wel allowed by the ministerie of euerie Prouince And vpon thes examples you should look my Masters of England when you make so much adoe for one poore commotion made in defence of the Catholiques in twētie six yeares space of the greatest persecution and tribulation that euer was since the Gothes and Vandals times Wher if the Q. had holden her Ancestours faith and had ruled ouer so manie protestants but a quarter of the time afflicting them as she hath done Catholiques though perhaps not her self so much as her vnmerciful Ministers her Maiesty should haue seene other maner of attemptes against her state and quietnes then haue fallen by Catholiques ether in England or Ireland in this her reigne Which her long prosperitie in gouernment proceedeth speciallie of the said Catholiques timorous consciēce quietnes of nature loue of order obediēce great detestatiō of garboiles sturres troubles Which the verie Heretiques them selues haue oftē reprochfullie and scornefullie imputed vnto them openlie The scorneful speeches of Heretiques to Catholikes saying to some of great accompt whom they had afflicted extremelie What wil you or what dare you doe Your hartes we know and your wishes but you are verie cowardes and beastes that be Papistes We stād in no feare of your forces or what soeuer you can doe against vs. Yea the verie ministers wil out of pulpits protest that the Papistes shal neuer haue the world for them come what change of Prince or lawes so euer for they wil fight for it to death Which chalenge and vaunt they make on euerie hand so boldlie and yet verie vndiscreetlie because they see the Catholiques more sadde graue honest and quiet natured men The differēt natures of Catholiques and of Protestāts consisting of deuout and aged persons and of godlie weemen wher as the Protestants now in possession of state goodes and gouernment ar risen most of the principal by alteration spoile and factiō their cheefe folowers youthful persons venterous and desperate and the rest both of laitie and speciallie cleargie entangled by the present commodities and pleasures which this new Religion yeeldeth in al fleshlie lustes and turpitude are impatient vindicatiue restles and furious and in a verie few in comparison of Catholiques and quiet men make a great shew and a terrible muster in the sight of quiet honest and peaceable persons Now thes violent and factious men when the Prince lawes goe for them they make their aduauntage therof but if they be against thē they breake al bōdes of obedience despise dominatiō make spoile and hauocke of al thinges and runne headlong into al most detestable disorders If you marke thē you shal perceiue they make their market most in the minoritie of Princes or of their infirmitie as ī Englād in K. Edwards time The seditious and craftie practise of Protestāts In Fraunce vnder the deceased two yong brethren of his Maiesty that now is In our countrie againe by the infirmitie of the Princesse sexe that now reigneth otherwise truly of most excellent giftes but alwayes a woman easilie seduced and not hardlie ledde and drawen by thos whom she ether trusteth or feareth ī which case commonlie the more gentle or innocent the Soueraigne is the more violent is the gouernment through th' abuse of their
tēporal spiritual authoritie cōfounded by the Libeller As though ther were no distinction betwixt Christes bodie mistical and a body politique or humane Common-wealth As though Christ had giuen his said bodie spouse and spiritual Common-wealth to be gouerned ether vnto Kinges and Empeperours who were then and some hundreth yeares afterward persecutours of his Church and Faith and yet had as large whole and perfect Regalitie as anie faithful Prince hath or vnto Christian Kinges afterward who are by receauing Christes sweet yoke Faith made children and members of the Church not Heades therof As though our Sauiour had not in his time appointed special officers for the regiment of his Church or the holie-Ghost afterward not placed Apostles Prelates Pastors and Doctors to gouerne the same euen to the end of the world This deuilish confusion of thinges and attributing al spiritual Soueraintie to the temporal Prince and power The vvay to Antichrist which the Scripture calleth for distinctiō sake Humanam creaturam or rather this turning al Prelacie into Regalitie 1. Pet. 2. if it be permitted wil take away the verie life and essence of the Church of God and of al religiō and wil plane the way to Antichrist who shal by the title of his only Regalitie Antichrists Regalitie destroy if it be possible al power spiritual and temporal and set him self to be adored aboue what-soeuer is named in heauen or earth Woe be to our Nation and to the sinnes of our people which God hath suffred to be the first example of this abhominable conuerting of the spiritual power and regiment of our soules into our Kings Regalitie And Fye on this godles Libeller and his prophane intention that by the defence of this special turpitude of our Kinges and Countrie so foulie slaundereth also other most godlie Princes with his shameful surmise Hovv fouly Catholique Princes are slaundered by this Shameles Libeller that they doe but permit in their dominions the Popes authoritie of policie and no further then is for their aduauntage Who 's impudent calumniation may easily be refuted by their Maiesties zealous deuotion and most sincere obedience to his Holines in al matters of Faith and Religion wherin his Superioritie speciallie and properlie consisteth by their dailie Roial offices done against Heretiques for defence of the Romane Sea and Faith and by open profession of the same both in their liues and deathes by their continual resistance of the enimies therof to their infinite charge yea and often to the hazard of their persons crounes dominions by the due obseruation of the holie decrees of the Sea Apostolique as farre as the great loosnes of this time and the manifould importunity of Heretiques and Atheists wil permit by exact iustice done in many of their kingdomes vpon the rebels of the Church holy Sea and finally by their continual intelligence with his Holines in al their affaires of Conscience Religion and the vse of al his spiritual Graces Indulgences and Benedictions with as great humilitie as the poorest Catholique man in the world But the aduersarie telleth vs for al this that diuers Princes and Countries before named Al examples are not to be stood vppon haue abbridged limited and resisted the Popes doinges and authority To which we say that in such cases we should not stand alwaies vpon examples but rather on reason and lawe For a man might say that Herode killed Iohn Baptist Philip made away Babylas Theodosius banished S. Chrisostome Constance persecuted Athanasius king Henrie of England caused to be murdered his Primat and holy Metrapolitane Thomas of Canterburie manie moe haue resisted the Bishops and Pastours of their owne soules wherof diuers haue bene sorie and sore repented their iniquitie afterwardes as our said Henrie the second amongest other Who 's exāples may not be made a rule how kinges should behaue them selues towardes their Prelates God forbid No more in this other kind we now speake of need we to allowe al the Pragmatiques Praemunires or other National decrees and prouisions which euerie particular Prince hath made or may make though in conscience Catholique by which the Popes iurisdiction and preeminences in some sort and in some cases are abbridged and limited As on the other side againe we nether need nor wil condemne the same because they be not of thinges mere spiritual Al restraintes of the Popes iurisdiction in Catholique countries nether vvholy allovved nor vvholy to be condemned but ether plane temporal or mixt such as had ether by the Princes lawes or custome of Contries bene graunted of deuotion to the Sea Apostolique before and afterward vpon farder consideration by the difference of times or of lesse deuotion reuoked vpon pretence of preseruation of the temporal state and benefiting particular Prouinces vnto which the emolumentes and large priuileges yeelded before to the cheefe Bishop and other of the cleargie might seeme some hinderāce Or els were of that nature that the supreme Bishop might indeed of reason chalenge as thinges incident to his high office and requisite for the better administration of the same but yet not such for al that as were necessarilie or by diuine lawes apperteining directlie to his spiritual regiment and iurisdiction and therfore might by his wisdome ether be tollerated as manie thinges in this case be which he alloweth not for auoiding of scandales or for other detriment of soules or by composition for the better reteining Princes and prouinces in ecclesiastical peace be condescended and agreed vnto the limitation or imminution of his accidental rightes honours and preeminences nothing esteemed so material vnto him as the saluation and preseruation of kingdomes and Contries in the vnitie of Christes faith and Church The Pope may yeeld ī his humane prerogatiues but not in his spiritual Ther is no humane prerogatiue be it houlden neuer so rightlie or giuen neuer so iustlie for the honour of Christ and his high office but he may ether him self for iust causes yeeld it vp or by violence ether of persecutours or carnal and wordlie persons be bereaued therof Onelie his preeminence Prelacie ouer our soules and ouer al Christian Countries and persons be they publique or priuate and whatsoeuer our Sauiour graunted to the Prince of the Apostles vpon whom he builded his whole Church and to whom and to his successours he gaue the keyes of Heauen with ful commission to bind loose punish pardon feede confirme in fayth decide and determine c. this he can not yeeld this can no earthlie power take frō him this doth no Catholique King or Countrie restreine him of nether euer were ther anie lawes made in Fraunce Spaine or in our owne Countrie so long as it was Catholique for abbridging his Apostolical mere spiritual authority ī the premisses Though otherwise as it falleth out in a mans owne person wherin as the Apostle writeth and as we al feele the flesh resisteth the spirit The
the Popes Excommunication and Curse The sacking of Rome by the Duke of Burbon because his souldiars vnder the conduction of Burbon committed horrible violence and vilanie in the Citie of Rome against his Holines the Cardinals and al other whom they found ther as their pray Wher in deed the said noble Emperour though then verie yōg yet was nether cōsenting therunto nor had anie knowledge of the disorder til it was done purging him self therof afterward to the Pope verie humblie and the said Burbon author of that wicked enterprice by Gods mightie hand and iudgement and for a signe how highlie that impious fact displeased his diuine Maiestie was slaine sodenlie and as it is thought the first of al other vpon the wal of the suburbes Let al thos that take such examples take heed of the like endes As for the loialtie of the most Catholique King that now is of Spaine to the Sea Apostolique Touching the exāples of K. Philip and the Duke of Alua. notwith-standing what temporal differences soeuer haue fallen or may fal out betwene them it were to much idlenes to stand vpon against this fond wrangler And the Duke of Alua his Maiesties general behaued him self euen at that time when he had his armie before Rome as wel of his owne singular deuotiō as by his Kinges commaundement most religiouslie and honorablie without anie violence in the world or domage to the Citie other thē the waste of a few places of pleasure vines and orchardes about the wals for which this good felowe with whō we deale maketh much mone as it seemeth wher in deed he would rather haue wished the whole Citie bothe sacked and suncke for deuotion But thes Princes saith he cared not for the Popes Curses when they thus pursued their claimes both by armes and lawes The truth is that the Pope excommunicateth not euerie one that ether resisteth him in temporal quarels or matter of emolumentes of their peculiar Churches or Countries whether it be by lawes or armes and therfore ther is no cause why in such cases wher no censures are vsuallie published this Libeller should say Hovv the Pope and temporal Princes may contend in armes They regard no curses nor anathematizinges c. Nether thē also whē the iniurie done to holie Church or Apostolique sea seemeth so euident to the Pope that ther may appeare some reasonable cause of excommunicating the impugners the parties so censured in the contrarie side vpon perswasion of their right doe persist notwithstanding in the defence therof not then I say doe they contemne the censure as is vntruelie conceaued by the aduersarie but rather absteining from the holie Sacramentes and companie of such as to them by lawe are forbidden doe vse humble meanes towardes his Holines for his better information in the cause and doe seeke that the matter may be ended by good order of composition or arbitrament of other Princes and godly persons Or if in such causes of strife for worldlie commodities where the temporal Prince may sometimes ether haue the right on his side or seeme to him self in conscience or by the iudgemēt of godlie learned and indifferent men to haue it we graunt that he may without feare of Censures by armes or otherwise pursue his iust claime without impechement of his obedience in spiritual affaires may therfore sacrilegious persons as Heretiques Apostataes and open obstinate offendours contemne at their pleasures and violentlie resist the sentence of holie Church No ther is no match in thes matters What if the late Q. Marie of England staied the messinger of the Pope The example of Q. Marie ansvvered bringing a discharge of the late renouned Cardinal Poole from his authoritie Legantine and a Cardinals hat for a person though verie godlie yet knowen to be vnfit til his Holines might be better enformed of the man of the whole matter as immediatlie he was with al diligence and humilitie by the said most deuout Princesse should this be an example or encouragement to others of plaine disobedience and reuolt or wholie to abandone the Popes authoritie and to inuest a woman which is against nature in his Supremacie and spiritual charge ouer al her subiectes soules No surelie no more then of reason it should haue serued her Maiesties Councel sitting once in consultation together of the case to denie entrance to the Nuncio Apostolico The Nuncio Apostolico that came to summon to the General Counsel denied to enter Englād sent by Pius quartus about the third yeare of her Highnes raigne to require and beseech her in God to send some of her learned men to the general Councel of Trent then in hand as most other great Potentates of Christiantie did bringing with him a Safe-conduct for their peaceable passage audience and intertainment notwithstanding their contrarie religion and faction So did the English Counsel thē make their aduantage of that vnlike fact of the late noble Queene at once both to mainteine their vnlike seperation from the Christiā world and the felowship of other Catholique kinges as also and that perhaps especiallie to couer the ignorance feare and insufficiencie of their Superintendentes The English Superintēdentes afraid to goe to the Councel of Trent who though her Maiesty and others of the Nobilitie were wel īclined to send some of them for the honour of the Realme yet for feare of burning as they pretended but indeed for feare of the Catholiques learning and their owne shame the good-felowes made al the sute vnder-hand they could that none might be inforced thither And so at length it was agreed and moreouer that his Holines Ambassadour should not so much as be heard or suffred to come within the Realme vpon the warrant I say of the forsaid vnlike example of the former Queene Mary Which also serueth them further euer since not onelie to renounce al the old authoritie power and interest of the Sea Apostolique ouer our Countrie and to make the cheefe Bishop therof a mere stranger as other worldlie Princes of the Prouinces about vs that haue nothing to doe with our affaires whos messingers yet and Ambassadours for needful entercours and mutual intelligence by the lawe of natiōs they willinglie admit ether in peace or warres as occasion serueth but also to make him a Diuel an Antichrist and worse then the Turke him self whos messingers as the world seeth may haue audiēce with them and good correspondence wheras the Pope can haue none Wherby is discouered the miserie of wicked Heresie and the extreme hatred that rebellious children doe beare to their mother whom they vnhappilie haue forsaken obstinatelie resist to their owne perdition And this shal be sufficient to shew how wrongfully vnreasonably this Libeller hath sought to defend their English general reuoult from the Church of Rome and their contempt of his Holines Censures by the examples of some Catholique Princes differences wordlie debates with certaine Popes prelates of
religion deuotion conscience fidelitie honour and honestie for therin the difference decay from the old maners in al estates is too notorious and lamentable to behould Neuer so much iniustice neuer so much extortion neuer so much theft neuer so much pride ebrietie glottonie riot and al other sinne and abhomination But onelie as though he knew no other world or heauen but this he profanelie and proudlie in sondrie places of his litle booke maketh repetition of their good lucke in this life of their abondance in wealth of their long peace of the fruitfulnes of their feeldes euer since the Popes Curses Much like to the irreligious Tirāt that neuer liked his lucke better then after he had committed sacrilege and robbed sacred thinges So this triumphant Libeller braggeth Prophane bragges of the Libeller That the Queene hath reigned as long as three Popes fiue times as long as Queene Marie her sister in such felicitie that anie other Prince of Christendome vvould be glad to haue some peece of her good fortune Which tooto prophane and proud cogitations and comparisons of this writer we wil not attribute to her Maiesty or to her prudent Councelours who haue yet more feeling and sense in such thinges then to make so much of a few years moe or lesse reigne and other terrene felicitie that either her Maiesty should pronounce of her self as surely she wil not the wordes of that mistical woman of the Prophet Esay Cap. 47. I sit a Queene and vvidovve I am not and mourning I shal neuer see Or that her wise Councellours should admire her happines for this thing and second her with such applause as the people vsed to Herode in the height of his arrogancie and proud proposition Voces Dei Act. 12. non hominis They are al to wise I say ouer wel experienced to doe or say thus for they knowe the iudgementes of God incontinentlie folowing They are not ignorant that before ruine the hart is exalted Prou. 16. They can not forget the variablenes and inconstancie of mortal thinges The vanitie danger of continual prosperitie with the sodaine fal of verie fortunate persons They haue redde of Policrates king of Samos whos prosperitie being extraordinarie he was by his frendes speciallie by the king of Aegipt aduised to procure to him self some greefe and alteration of fortune lest some memorable calamitie should in the end ensue as indeed ther did Which exāple S. Gregorie Nazianzen thinketh in this case worthie to be remembred They can not but esteeme S. Austens iudgement of good credit in this matter who thinketh that nothing is more dangerous or vnlucky to a Christian then to liue long in continual prosperity Wherfore al this vanitie and triumphant florish proceedeth only from the vaine of our Libeller The vanitie of the Libeller who is one of that popular stāpe which in the Psalme blessed the people that had their barnes and butteries ful Psal 143. their sheepe pregnant their cattle faire and fat al void of ruine care and clamour where Christian men must measure their matters otherwise and say with the Prophet Beatus populus cuius Dominus Deus eius that people is happie whos Lord and master is God without whom and out of whos house which is the Church al humane felicitie is but matter of more damnation and truelie wher it is extraordinarie euer a very sore signe of euerlasting perdition Which we doe not say for that we accompt not this terrene felicitie a great benefite of God oftē times as wel to priuate persons as speciallie to Common wealthes VVorldlie prosperitie or that we recken this few yeares prosperitie of our Contrie anie thing comparable to the constant honour and felicitie of our Forefathers dayes but for that it maketh no certaine nor often no probable proofe of Gods fauour towardes them that enioy the same Luc 10. being lightlie common to good and euil though of the two more ordinarie to the wicked and worser sort then to the better because Lazarus often receaueth euil in his life as the gredie glotton doth the contrarie Yet our Libeller thought it a good popular perswasiō to the vulgar sort of men that haue fastened their eyes hartes onelie on thes presēt delites cōmodities neuer thīking on the life to come But now we must goe further with this vaunter and be bold to tel him that our Countrie is in no such blessed state The ease is examined vvhether England be novv in vvordly prosperitie or no. as he would make the silier sort at home or strangers abrod that feele not our miseries to beleue For though a few persons in respect of the rest not surelie the third man in the Realme hauing giuen them selues to folow the present condition of thinges and putting their conscience reason and religion to silence to be partakers of the pleasures and commodities which ther the world yeeldeth by the spoile of infinite Catholiques honest innocent men of al sortes are aduaunced to riches and degree and doe recken their present state a terrestrial Paradise feeling their owne wealth and not regarding other mens woe yet in deed knowing as we doe that the farre greater part of our Countrie of al degrees are brought to ruine miserie or extreme danger and desolation as wel them selues as their posteritie for the raising of others vnto this pleasure plentie and felicitie which they haue now for some yeares enioyed we must needes confesse and testifie that the bodie of the Realme generallie was neuer in such extreme miserie First and formost for the Cleargie which was and is in truth wher soeuer it remaine The old Catholique Cleargie and ought to be in al Christian common-wealthes the first and principal order of honour and in ours for number learning wisdome and excellencie of al kindes inferiour to none in Europe it is wholie destained and destroyed as the world knoweth the cheefe Prelates Bishops and others al spoiled of their dignities and liuelihoodes thrust into prisons forced into banishment til by manifold and long miseries they be almost al wasted and worne away Thes then so manie so notable and so worthie for whom both God nature and their place of birth doe chalenge a part of this so much praised prosperitie feele none of it but for mere conscience and confession of that truth which their holie predecessours laid and left with them In depositum haue lost their terrene lot ether are dead or haue passed so manie yeares in miserie as thes other good felowes their intruders haue liued in ioye and felicitie who in deed are Filij hominum The nevv Cleargie qui nubunt nubuntur that is certaine fleshlie companions vnordered Apostataes and contemptible ministers who entering into the right and roomes of others prouided not for them doe thinke al faire wether in England and haue good cause to like of the lucke of thes later yeares which maketh
true men mourne while such theeues be merie Secondelie if we goe from Spiritualtie to Temporaltie and doe make our consideration of al orders and degrees of men and of the whole corps and communaltie of the land we shal find by reason experience and substantial coniecture that the whole being deuided into three partes two of them are inclined to Catholique religioÌ„ in their hartes and consequentlie are disconteÌ„ted with the present coÌ„dition of thinges Catholike Schismatiques and their miserie Of which Catholiques so manie as folowe the world and dissemble their religion for feare of lawes as they be notwithstanding their dissimulation manie waies knowen and discouered mistrusted doubted and hated of the Protestantes and generallie kept vnder iniuried disauthorised and watchfullie ouerlooked and therbie in continual miserie and discontentment so also in respect of their owne consciences being forced to sweare to such Articles of this new faith her Maiesties ecclesiastical Regalitie as they assuredlie beleeue to be most wicked vntrue impossible as also to receiue such falsified Sacramentes as they in their hartes condemne to the pit of hel and knowe to be poison to their owne soules and to their frendes who for companies sake doe receaue with them and finallie being constreined to heare hire such ministers as daylie read speake and preach nothing but blasphemie against Christes Vicar A pitiful case Church SacrameÌ„tes Saintes al Holies they are inforced to liue and alas ofteÌ„ also to dye in infinite distresse of mind and tormentes of Conscience passing al other humane miseries So as al thes haue litle part of this goodly ioye wherof this Libeller speaketh but doe liue in perpetual anguish wishing sometimes which we haue seene and heard with manie a sigh and grone that her Maiesty would â—e content with half their goodes so that she would graunt them libertie but in secret sort to haue the vse but of the holie Sacramentes and sometimes lamenting their manifold infirmities and impedimentes of wife and children for whos only needful releefe they continue in that damnable state of Scisme Now for the other zealous and sincere Catholiques being maruelous manie throughout the whole Realme The true and Zelous Catholiques and the number by Gods goodnes dailie encreasing such we meane as knowe it is not inough to saluation to beleeue with hart except when occasion is giuen they confesse with mouth and that if they denie Christ before men they shal be refused of him before his Father thes being no smal part of the lande of the greatest calling some of honour worship wealth and substance manie the rest of the honestest orderliest and best-beloued of the whole Countrie tast not of the pleasures of this Libellers paradise but haue passed thes yeares iÌ„ greater greefes feares miseries theÌ„ anie maÌ„s pen or tongue caÌ„ expresse not the teÌ„th part of their calamities discouered by anie of our brethrens bookes epistles pictures or complaintes If our felowes in the Catholique faith through Christendome could conceaue that in hart The cruel and barbarous sufferinges of Catholikes in England which thes Confessours doe in deed feele and we often with our eyes behold they would with infinite teares bewaile our case and with dailie deuout praiers procure Gods mercie towardes vs as we trust they doe If they might see al the prisons dongeons fetters stockes rackes that are through the Realme occupied and filled with Catholiques if they might behold the maner of their arreignement euen among the vilest sort of malefactors How manie haue bene by famine ordure and pestiferous ayers pined away How manie by most cruel death openlie dispatched How manie haue suffred proscription and condemnation to perpetual prison how manie haue bene spoiled and otherwise greeuouslie punished by forfaiting to the Queene an * Viz. in Crounes 222. and odde 100. Markes for euerie time they heare Masse How manie gentlemen and other persons of wealth are wholie vndone by losing * Viz. in Crounes 866. and odde thirtene score pouÌ„des by the yeare for not coming vnto the heretical seruice How manie haue lost al their landes and goodes during life for flying out of the Countrie for their coÌ„science sake How manie of the most substaÌ„tial profitablest and persons of greatest hospitalitie in diuers prouinces are chased out of their owne howses by spials promotours and catchpols How manie wander in place wher they are not knoweÌ„ driuen into wooddes yea surelie into * Iohn VVestby of Molbreck Esquier vvas glad to stand for a vvhole vvinters day almost in a pitt in vvater vp to the eares and often forced to duck vnder the vvater least he should be espied of the persecutors waters to saue them selues from the Heretiques crueltie How manie godlie and honest maried cooples most deare one to another by the imprisonment banishment flight of ether partie are pitifullie sondred How manie families therby dissolued into what pouertie miserie and mishap their children are driuen what number therby runne ouer sea into most desperate warres and fortunes or by better lucke and fortune goe to the seminaries or other seruice to passe their time during their Parentes calamitie And for such as be of the vulgar sort of honest hushandmen or artisans of which condition innumerable be Catholiques iÌ„ our Countrie they beiÌ„g not able to pay that impious Masse-Mulct much lesse the forfaiture for not coÌ„ming to the Caluinistes preaches and seruice are most cruellie and barbarouslie whipped in the open market places as both els where and speciallie of late a blessed number in the Citie of VVinchester most pitiful to behold were so vsed Others haue their eares cut of others burnt through the eare The misery of the more part novv in England and others otherwise of both sexes contumeliouslie and slauishlie abused Thes then and a thousand moe which we need not to rehearse being the miseries of the better sort and bigger number of the Realme and they falling vpon them for their fathers Faith and no other crime in the world committed ether against Prince or Countrie as the Libeller him self confesseth for the principal Cleargie and for manie good subiectes of the laitie who therfore he sayeth are not punished by anie capital paine as though the losse of libertie landes dignities grace and goods were no punishment but thes calamities we say being common to our whole state of the Realme and to the greatest part of the rest shal we say the state is blessed this regiment fortunate al is peaceable and plentiful in England Where indeed onelie a few newlie raised by other mens fal are made happie by other mens infelicitie and where a verie smal number in comparison haue deuided the wealth honors offices and pleasures of the whole land among them selues and doe menage the Countrie by their fauorits to the discontentment disgrace and destruction of the iustest gentlemen in the same Now this condition and present fortune of certaine men that haue by her Maiesties lenitie and
the conducting of them to life and peace euerlasting and the temporal perteineth principallie to the good and trāquilitie of this trāsitorie life comparing thē both together it must needes be cōfessed that the spiritual is the higher nearer and liker to the Soueraintie of God ouer his reasonable creatures thē is the terrene power or Humane creature as the Apostle here termeth the King his presidēts 2. Pet. 7. So as euerie power both spiritual and temporal being of God as S. Paul teacheth and obedience and subiection due to both in their kind though in seueral subiects causes and respectes yet is it most cleare that of the two the ecclesiastical power and regiment is more excellent In respect wherof S. Ignatius The subordination of the tvvo povvers according to S. Ignatius giueth this order in honoring and respecting our superiours Honour God the author and Lord of al and the Bishop as the Prince of Priestes being the Image of God and holding his Princedome of him and his Priesthood of Christ Epist ad Smirnē And after him you must honor also the King For none is to be preferred before God nor equal to him nor more honorable in the Church then the Bishop exercising the Priesthood of God for the saluation of the vvorld Nether is anie equal to the King in the hoste or campe procuring peace and beneuolence to the other Princes vnder him For he that honoreth the Bishop shal be honored of God and he that dishonoreth him shal of God be dishonored For if anie man rising against the king is vvorthie of damnation hovv can he escape Gods iudgementes that attempteth anie thing against or vvithout the Bishop For Priesthood is the cheef and somme of al mans good vvhich vvho so euer disgraceth dishonoreth God and our Lord IESVS CHRIST the chefe Priest of God c. And if anie man list farther to see what the olde Christian Emperours thought and acknowledged in this matter The opiniō practise of old Christian Emperours in this cause and how they behaued them selues towardes Gods priestes in al causes of religion and spiritual affaires and with what honour priuilege and prerogatiue they respected their persons and holie calling euen in temporal causes let him reade Zozomenus how Constantine the great behaued him self towardes the Bishopes in the first Councel of Nice Li. 2. ca. 2. trip and S. Augustines 162. epistle of the same Emperours contentment to aske pardon of the Bishopes for taking vpon him to deale in the Cause of Caecilian properlie perteining to them S. Ambrose epistle 32. of Valentinian the elders lawe that in ecclesiastical causes none should iuditiallie deale that were not of the same order The like he writeth of the Emperour Gratians behauiour in the Councel of Aquileia And to be breefe let him reade the Emperour Iustinianus sixt constitution wher he both putteth the true difference betwixt the Priesthood and the Empire and preferreth that before this saying thus The greatest giftes of God among men Auth. Quomodo oport Episcop c. in p. is the Priestood and the Empire of vvhich tvvo the former hauing the administration of diuine thinges the other of humane both proceeding of one beginning doe adorne mans life c. And thus it is euen in thos Countries where the Church and Ciuil state concurre in one common wealth wher like as the Prelates be in some respect and causes subiect to the temporal Prince so againe the Prince and state reciprocallie in spiritual matters are obedient to the Church Prelates ether of them deferring due honor to the other but the spiritual souerantie euer preferred among the faithful though for worldlie power force and glorie most necessarie to keepe the people in awe order kinges doe lightlie exceed the other Which exterior shew and splendour of Prince the Prelates of their seueral dominions doe most humblie by al seruice and office manteine But now for the Pope cheefe of al Bishopes and Christian people being in respect of his temporal state subiect to no Prince nor Potentat of the world and for his spiritual dignitie and iurisdiction farre passing al the Prelates of particular Churches and prouinces his principalitie being in nether kind subiect or subalternate to anie other he must needes be greater and more pearles without al exception and limitation And though his state and authoritie temporal be not holden nor chalenged by Gods expresse lawe immediatlie of him as the spiritual supremacie is The prouidēce of God for the Popes tēporal povver which he hath and holdeth immediatlie and directlie of Christ yet it is Gods great prouidence that sith the Emperours and Kinges haue bene christened and submitted them selues to the obedience of Christ and his Church that the cheefe Bishop should for the honour of Christ and his high dignitie be made free from al subiection by the Princes and Emperours owne grauntes be possessed of the capital Citie of al the world Which could neuer haue bene brought to passe nor so manie worlde 's continued in the reuolutions changes and ouerturninges of so many kingdomes states great Monarchies round about him had it not bene done by Gods special pleasure ordinance to the end that being subiect to none he might with more libertie lesse danger and greater indifferencie doe iustice to al and vse discipline without feare or respect of persons as wel towardes great as smal Which if he were subiect to some secular Princes as most other Bishopes are could hardlie be done In which case also some of our ignorant Heretiques as among other this Libeller be so vnsensible that they sticke not to alleage the saying of S. Paul Absurd allegatiō of S. Paul by the Libeller Rom. 13. That euerie soule must be subiect to superiour povver to proue therbie as it seemeth that the Pope should be obedient to our Queene or to some other particular king As though euerie person should be subiect to euerie power or to anie other then to him that hath superioritie ouer him or in anie other matters then wherin he hath superioritie may commaund Or as though God had onelie ordeined secular power and commaunded al obedience therunto and not appointed spiritual power and prelacie with charge of subiection vnto the same also With such grosse felowes the Church hath to doe that nether haue sense reason nor religion and which alleage that for obedience to earthlie powers onelie which ether in expresse wordes or by necessarie sequele much more commendeth subiection to spiritual powers As with like blindnes the man also alleageth this our Sauiours sentence The Kinges of the Gentils haue rule over them Luc. 22. but you not so to proue that Popes should arrogate no temporal authoritie but feede onelie as he saith Peter did and manie of the next Popes after him Which he would neuer haue cited if he had knowen that hereby onelie al tirannical domination vsed among the heathen Princes
enimies of Gods Church of anie one point of fact or doctrine wherwith they be by vs charged Lastlie the said Priestes which passe into England of whos couert working disguising close keeping they so much cōplaine as though that were inough to proue them traitors would haue appeared openlie in their owne Priestlie habite Offer of opē dealing vvith disputation if it may be receaued and haue done their holie functions in the sight of al men if in any sort whatsoeuer they had bene permitted As also at this present not onelie vpon her Maiesties graunt and desire insinuated here by the Libeller for thē to vse openlie their deuotion doctrine and profession according to the maner of their schooles but vpon anie sufficiēt warrant of safetie they are further also then that most redie and willing to giue an accompt of al their doctrine publiquelie in the Vniuersities of England or before her Highnes and Councel whersoeuer A thing which by manie bookes petitions and supplications our brethren haue oftē humblie and instantlie asked and could neuer yet obteine The Libeller putteth vs in hope that if the Priestes and Seminarie men would deale openlie the persecution and blood should cease And we assure him that the persecution first ceasing and her Maiesties pleasure herin vnderstood which is the natural order and not contrariwise al Priestes religious and Catholiques wil appeare and present them selues and wil doe al such Christian exercises duties and functions as now by persecutiō they are forced to doe in secret in the face of the whole Realme no man thankes be to God being ashamed of his order faith profession or Maister though euerie one be bound otherwise by the lawe of our Religion to saue him self so long as it shal please Christ from the persecutor And it is a great signe of our Priestes and Catholiques innocencie and of our aduersaries ignorance and malice that seeking to appeach a Christian man or Priest of treason they haue no more to lay against him then that he sheweth not him self openlie but dealeth secretlie and weareth an other habite thē is belonging to his degree The holie King and Prophet Dauid in place of danger did not onelie otherwise couer his person often and fled from his enimies That men may flie and hide them selues in persecution but feined him self a plaine mad man before Achis king of Geth in al his behauiour to escape peril How often doe we reade in the Euangelistes that our Sauiour fled that he did hide him self that he walked not openlie 1. Reg 21 that he went vp to Hierusalem on the feast day not openlie but in couert Ioh. 10. Who can be ignorant that it was no offence for Nicodemus that he came to Iesus in the night for feare of the Ievves Who knoweth not that the Apostles as wel before as after the comming of the holie-Ghost kept them selues often secret in priuate parlers and chambers as the first holie Bishopes of Rome for feare of their persecutors kept their meetinges misteries and councels in caues and grots vnder the ground How can they forget what holie Athanasius did in the daies of his persecution Or not be mindful how holie Barlaam feined him self in apparel and al other behauiour a marchant Apud S. Damasc to gaine Prince Iosophat to the Christian faith Or of the notable example of the holie Martir and Bishop Eusebius Samosatenus The exāple of Euseb Samosatenus most like to the practise of Priestes in England who in the time of Constantius the Arrian Emperour seeing manie Churches occupied by the Heretiques and voide of true Pastors went like a souldiar through Syria Phenicia and Palestine making Priestes and Deacons and ministring the Sacraments to the Catholique people destitute of their holie rightes then by the Arrians as they be now in England by Caluinistes The case is ruled in al diuinitie that anie religious Priest or Christian to auoide danger of his person may in the places of Infidels leaue the habite of their profession or vsage Men may change habite and couer them selues from the enimie by anie disguise And if we knew not the arte and cunning of Heresie we might wonder to see our protestants so religious now as to require of our Priestes to goe priestlike with open and present danger of their liues when their owne Cleargie at home make scruple to vse distinct attire from the vulgar accompt it plaine superstition to weare anie religious or clarkly apparel at al. But yet I must confesse that they haue good reason to wishe euerie one of our Priestes would shew him self opēly for so they might soone make an ende of al as they thinke and atteine the victorie that they desire Math. 10. Luc. 10. But our maister admonishing his disciples that he would send thē as sheepe amongst woolues warneth them and vs in them that men should not onelie be simple as the doue but wise as the serpent speciallie among woolues that is Heretiques which are of al creatures most cruel and subtile But to returne to our purpose and to the Libellers profer of mitigation or ceasing this persecution vpon condition we would deale no more in secret but openlie We protest before God and al his Saints that we wil vpon anie reasonable securitie of our persons libertie of conscience permission to exercise Christian Catholique offices to the saluation of our owne soules and our brethren doe the same thinges publiquelie which we now doe secretlie in al peaceable and priestlie sort as hitherto we haue accustomed and that so thos things which now you suspect to be done against the state for that they be done ī couert may plainlie appeare vnto you nothing els indeed but mere matter of conscience and religion as in veritie they are Therfore if such as gouerne our state vnder her Maiesty at this day can not be induced to reuoke thē selues and the whole Realme which were absolutelie the best to the former Catholique state and cōdition wherin their auncestors left it and them selues found it in respect perhaps of some litle cheke or dishonour which they may conceiue would ensue by acknowledging their former errour though in sincere truth it must needes proue finallie more dishonorable and dāgerous to perseuer yet at the least let their wisdomes cōsider that their principal worldlie errour was that in the beginning or long since they gaue not libertie of conscience to Catholiques being farre the greater and more respectiue part of the Realme as other of their religion and profession haue done to their owne great aduantage in Germanie and other Prouinces adioining which errour no doubt might yet in great part or wholie be redressed if they would but now at length haue some pitie of their people the greater part wherof languisheth away in bodie and soule most lamentablie onlie vpon an obstinate punto formalitie as is thought of some few particular aduersaries who wil not seeme to yeeld in any one
put none to death for religion you haue no lawes to put anie man to death for his faith you haue purposelie repealed by a special statute made in the first yeare and parliament of this Q. reigne The difference of proceeding in Catholiques and protestaÌ„tes al former lawes of the Realme for burning heretiques which smelleth of something that I need not here expresse you haue prouided at the same time that nothiÌ„g shal be deemed or adiudged Heresie but by your Parliament Conâ—ocatioÌ„ you haue not yet set doune by anie new lawe what is Heresie or who is an Heretique Therfore you â—an nether adiudge of our doctrine as of heresie nor of â—s as of heretiques nor haue you any lawe left wherby â—o execute vs and so to put anie of vs to death for religion is against Iustice lawe and your owne profession and doctrine But neuerthelesse you doe torment and punish vs both otherwise intollerablie and also by death most cruel and that as we haue prooued for Agnus deis for ministring the holie Sacraments for our obedience to the Sea Apostolique for persuading our frendes to the Catholique fayth for our Preisthod for studying in the Societie or Colledges beyond the seas and such like which you haue ridiculouslie made treason but after-ward being ashamed of the foule absurditie acknowledge them to be matters of religion and such as none shall die for And therfore we most iustelie make our complaint to God man that you doe vs plaine violence persecute vs wythout al equitie and order On thother side Q. Marie against the Protestants executed onely the old lawes of our countrie and of al Christendome made for punishment of heretiques by the Canons and determination of al Popes Counsels Churches Ecclesiastical tribunals of the world allowed also and authorised by the ciuil and imperial lawes and receaued by al kingdomes Christian besides and who theÌ„ hath any cause iustly to be greeued Why should any man complaine or thinke strange for executing the lawes which are as ancient as general as godly against Heretiques as they are for the punishment of traitors murderers or theeues Secondly we complaine iustly of persecution for that our cause for which we suffer is the faith of al our Forefathers the faith of our persecutors owne auncestors the faith into which our countrie was conuerted and by which we ar called Christian the faith of the Catholique Churches Kingdoms round about vs the faith that we promised in our regeneratioÌ„ and therfore can not be forced from it nor punished for it by any lawe of God Nature or Nations VVhy Heretiques may be forced to the Catholique faith though born and bredd vp in Heresie Wher contrariwise thos that in our time or otherwise haue fallen from that faith which not onely their elders religiously receaued but them selues also for most part were many years brought vp in or if not yet had they promised and vowed the same by their parentes and spiritual suerties though protestants in their Baptisme wherin solemne promise is both made and taken to folow the Catholique Church faith with abhomination of al heresies sectes whatsoeuer thes men I say though borne of pareÌ„ts ether Arrians Macedonians PelagiaÌ„s Anabaptistes Zwinglians Protestants or other sect or opinion are not permitted and much lesse charged or bound as the Libellerful ignorantly surmiseth to hold that profession of peculiar Heresie Fol. 9. wherin they were first brought vp seing they can not be deemed to haue professed that sect in their Baptisme or as idly this poore deuine addeth in their Confirmation which was first taught them by their maisters of error according to the time or place of their first education but are to be instructed how that their profession in Baptisme was of the true Catholique receaued knoweÌ„ Christian faith dispersed ouer the world in Christ his Church wherunto they afterward stand bound and consequentelie by al lawe both deuine and humane may be inforced albeit their actual baptisme or education were neuer so much amongest heretiques So that as no lawe of God or man can force vs to be protestantes no more can any reason be alledged nor iust excuse made for ether yong or old why being baptized or brought vp amongst Arrians or Caluinists they may not be forced to returne to the Catholique Church and faith againe And we may maruel in what age or world those people were borne which the Libeller noteth to haue bene burned in Q. Maries time Fol. 9. hauing neuer heard as he sayeth of any other religion then that for which they suffred For the sect which they pretended to die for was not extant in England aboue fiue or six years before in the short reigne of K. Edward the sixt or rather of his protectour for before that in K. Henries dayes the same profession was accompted heresie and the professours therof were burned for Heretiques and that by publique lawes no lesse then in the reigne of Q. Marie But the truth is that because we Catholique Christian men doe iustly ground our selues vpoÌ„ the former professioÌ„ of our faith notoriously knowen to be and to be called Catholique thes men apishlie would imitate our phrase and argument in a thing as far differing as heauen and hel Thirdlie we say that we haue iust cause to complaine of this present persecution The maner of proceediÌ„g in persecuting protestants for that the maner of it is such and the proceding so conformable to the old Pagane Heretical and Apostatical fashion and dealing against Gods Church and children that nothing can be more like They hated al Catholiques and compted them traitors so doe you They speciallie persecuted Byshops Priestes and religious so doe you They killed them indeed for their beleef but yet pretended otheâ— crymes more odious and speciallie matters of conspiracie and rebellion against the ciuil magistrate so doe you They droue the innocent by captious interrogatories into dangers of lawes that neuer offended the lawes so doe you They pressed men by torments to denie their fayth vnder colour of trying their secret intentes against the Prince so doe you They punisshed and haue put to death one Catholique for an other mans fault of the same profession and vpoâ— general supposals common to al of the same faith made away whom they lyst so doe you I referre thâ— indifferent readers to the persecution of Iulianuâ— Apostata of the Gothes and Vandals in Italie and Affrique It is not onelie the slaughter of manie and them speciallie the Priestes of God which is most proper to heretical persecution but th' other infinite spoile of Catholique mens goods honors and libertie by robbing them for receyuing Priestes hearing Masse retayning Catholique Schoolmasters keeping catholique seruantes mulcting them by twentie poundes a moneth which by their cruel accompt they make thirtene-skore a yeare for not repairing to their damnable Schismatical seruice By which a number of auncient gentlemen fal to extremitie ether