Henries tyme except he haue a brazen face and a â—eared conscience or els be ignorant of all antiquity But to returne to S. Augustin and those first two hundreth yeres comprysed in the history of S. Bede yf wee consider the notable miracles wherwith it pleased God to confirme this our Catholyke religion in those dayes for his owne glory and the conuersion of the panims no man can â—out that it is the true fayth except he be more faythlesse incredulous then those infidels that were conuerted therby Saynt Bede signifieth that S. Augustin wrought so many miracles whereof he declareth some that S. Gregory wrote vnto him to admonish him not to be proud therof he also declareth very many famous miracles donne by a crosse erected by King Oswald and after by his relickes as wel in Ireland and Germany as England and by the relickes of saynt Eartongatha daughter to the King of Kent and her cosen Edelburg both virgins and nunnes of S. Edelâ—â—eda the Queene that dyed a virgin in a monastery whose â—ody was taken vp whole vncorrupt after many yeares â—â— the discouery whereof diuels were expelled and many â—â—sseasses cured Also he recounteth the lyke notable miraâ—â—es of S. Chad S. Cutbert S. AEdelwald and saynt Iohn a Bishop which they did whyles they were yet liuing and others donne by holy oyle by the blessed sacrifice of the masse all which for breuities sake I omit remitting our aduersaries to the autor in the places aleaged in the margent OF THE FIRST CONUERSION of our country whyles it was called Britany in the tyme of King Lucius with euident proofes that our Catholyke fayth was then preached planted there CHAP. V. BVT for as much as our country hath ben twyse coÌ„uerted from paganisme first in the tyme of the Britains and after in the tyme of the Saxons or English they wil say perhaps that although we proue that the second tyme our Catholyke religion was planted and established there when many errors as they would haue the world to thinke were crept into the Church yet at the first conuersion in King Lucius dayes their religion was taught and deliuered to the Britains which some of their croniclers are not ashamed to intimat to their readers and namely Holinshed who yf my memory fayle me not for I haue not his book here maketh Eleutherius the Pope write a letter to King Lucius more lyke a minister of England then a Bishop of Rome Therefore I wil take a litle paynes to examine this poynt wil make it manifest that our Catholyke religion which saint Augustin planted amongst the English was deliuered 400. yeres before to King Lucius and the Britains by Fugatius and Damianus or as some say Donatianus sent into Britany by Pope Eleutherius in the yeare of our Lord 182. And although no ancient historiographer or writer for ought I haue seene do signify particularly what poynts of religion were preached to King Lucius at his conuersion partly for that matters of so great antiquity are but very breefly and obscurely handled and partly because in those dayes when there was no other but our Catholyke religioÌ„ vniuersally professed this of the protestants not so much as dreamt of it was needlesse to signify the poynts or articles therof for that it could not be immagined to be any other bur the Roman fayth yet in the discourse of the tymes and ages next ensewing the conuersion of King Lucius whyles the fayth which he receiued remayned pure and vncorrupt the cleare light of truth doth snfficiently shew it selfe through the clouds of the obscure breuity wherewith the matters of those tymes are treated To this purpose it is to be vnderstood that as our famous countryman S. Bede testifieth the fayth preached to King Lucius and the Britains remayned in integrity and purity vntil the tyme of the Arrians which was for the space of almost 200. yeares and although he signify that from that tyme forward the people of Britany weare geuen to noueltyes and harkened to euery new doctrine yet it is euident in him that neyther the Arrian heresy nor yet the Pelagian afterwards took any root there or could infect the whole body of the Britain Church but only troobled the peace thereof for a short tyme in so much that it should seeme the first was rooted out by the industry of the good Pastors and Bishops of Britany whereof some were present at the great councel of Sardica held against the Arrians shortly after that of Nice in which respect S. Hilary doth worthely prayse the Britain Bishops for that they wholy reiected the Arrian heresy and the later I meane the heresy of Pelagius which saynt Bede sayth the britains would nullaâ—enus suscipere in no sort receiue was suppressed by S. German and saint Lupus two Bishops of France who at the request of the Britains came into Britany and confounded the Pelagians in open disputation whereby the people were so â—ncensed against the said heretykes that they could hardly â—old theire hands from them and in conclusion banished those that would not yeld to the true Catholyke faith and here vpon ensewed such peace and tranquility in the britan Church that for a long tyme after as saynt Bede testifieth the fayth remayned there intemerata vncorrupt wherby it appeareth that after the expulsion of the Pelagians which was about the yeare of our Lord 450. the Church of Britany reteyned the same fayth that it receiued at the first conuersion and therfore yf we fynd the vse and practise of our religion vntil these tymes it may serue for a testimony that the same was deliuered to King Lucius First we read that presently after the persecution of Dioclesian wherin our protomartyr saynt Alban with some others was put to death about the yeare of our Lord 286. the Christians that had liued before in woods and caues not only repayred the Churches which the persecuters had destroyed but also made new in honour of the martyrs celebrated festiual dayes and buylt amongst others a most sumptuous Church in honour of S. Alban where many miracles were wount to be donne continually vntil the tyme of S. Bede as he himselfe witnesseth afterwards when the Pelagian heresy had somwhat infected the country saynt German going thether out of France to confound the Pelagians at the request of the Britans themselues as I haue declared before appeased a great storme at sea with casting therein a little water in the name of the Trinity which no dout was holy water and being arriued there he restored sight vnto a noble mans daughter applying vnto her eyes certayne relyckes which he caryed about him c. after hauing confuted the Pelagians and reduced all to the purity of fayth as saynt Bede sayth meaning therby the fayth first preached to King Lucius he went to the toomb of S. Alban to geue thankes to God per ipsum by
peace these later yeres Impossibilites of conquest Her maiesties propensioÌ„ to peace and to geue toleration to Catholyks The heretyks measure Catholyks by themselues The charity of Catholyks tovvards their enemies The Catholyks desyre restitution of religioÌ„ by svveet meaâ—es The erection of Seminaryes tendeth not to force of armes The svvoord needles vvhere the vvoord preuayleth Heresy dayly decaying The vvyse gouernours can not but note Gods handivvork in the progresse of Catholyk religioÌ„ in England VVhat conquest the Catholyks desyre in England Neyther F. Pars. at Rome nor any Englishman in Spayn made priuy thereto The prudent manner of proceeding of the councel of Spayn The circumspection of the Yrish VVitnes maye be takeÌ„ of Hugh Buy agent of late for Odonel in Spayn and novv in her maiestyes seruice Not lykly that Syr VVilliam Stanley could approue the plot that vvas executed The ridiculous folly of a lybeller in obiecting to sir VVilliam Stanley his deliuering of Deuenter to the true ovvner Syr VVilliaÌ„s generosity sincerity in tendring Dauenter The hatred of heretyks is a notable testimony of F. Parsons his great vertue The greatest saynts of God alvvayes calumniated As the church vvas planted so it must be restored Ioan. 7 10. Luc. 2â— Act. 6. 14. 17. 21. 24. 23. Gods seruaÌ„ts so cunningly calumniated by euil men that good men sometymes held them suspected S. Athanasius extremly caâ—lumniated Baron anno 336. 339. 335. Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 30â— Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 21. Epiph. haer 68. Athan. Apoâ—log ad Constant Baron anno 363. 371. S. Basil. Basil. Ep. 7â— epist. 79. Basil. ad Eustachium epist. S. Hierome Baron To. anno 39â— â—roâ—â—anno â— Hieron epist. ad Demetria The good vvoorks of good men remayn honorable vvhyles their persecutours perish vvith ignoâ—iny S. Chrisostome so calumniated that he vvas tvvys banished by Catholyk Bishops Baron annâ— 427. Baron anno 369. * Greg. Nazian oratione ad 150. Episc. in vita sua Idem an 387 Aug. contra IulianuÌ„ lib. 6 cap. 12. Baron anno 426. Item epist. â— editio nouae Ciril epist. 7â— 14. Baron anno 429. S. Ciril slandered by meÌ„ sent abrode of purpose to defame him Spyes sent abroad to defame F. Parsons Spyes discouered in the seminaries of Spayne Baron â—od an Ciryl epist. 8. S. Cirils ansvver to Nestorius applyed to F. Pars. Parsons repayeth the malice of his enemies vvith charity Hiero. epist. â—7 Miserable to do iniury but not to suffer it Of F. Pars. his great profitable labours in gods Church His notable books Soules gayned to God by him in England 4. Notable Seminaries erected and 2. residences for priests 2000 Crovvnes rent procured for the seminary of Dovvay The tumults of the English in Rome pacified His vvyse examplar gouernment of the English colledge at Rome All our Seminaries eyther erected or releeued or exceedingly benefyted by him His lyfe so religious that his greatest enemies can iustly repreheÌ„d nothing therein F. Parsons charged for lack of better matter vvith the actions of his very enemyes His good vvoorks calumniated il interpreted as our Sauiours vvere Gods manifest coÌ„curreÌ„ce vvith his labours in the progres of Cathol religioÌ„ Three conâ—lusions â—ravvn of â—he premisses God hath â—aysed F. Parsons for a special instrument to repayre his Church in England Exod. 31. â—5 3â— It is not possible but that F. pars being employed by almighty God shal be impugned by the deuil and all his instruments His Apostolical labours shal be the more glorious to all posterity for the great coÌ„tradiction he receaueth of Gods enemies The autor proceedeth to the discouery of the impudency of O. E affiâ—â—â—ing that none are puâ— to death in Engl. for religion M. Iohn Righby exeâ—cuted in the yere 1600. M. Palaser M. Talbot M. Ihon Norton Mrs. Lyne M. Ihon Pibush M. Mark Barkvvorth M. Robert Nutter M. Edvvard Thvving M. Thurstan Hunt M. MiddletoÌ„ M. Harrison â— a lay man Catholyke Priests traytors novv in to other â—ort then vvere the Christian Priests in the primatiue Church Beda histor Eccles. lib. 1. S. Alban our first martyr charged vvith receauing a trayterous Priest S. Alban martyred about the yere of our Lord. 300. An example for Catholyks Matth 10. Christians martyred in the primatiue Church by paynims for the same points of religion that Catholyke are persecuted novv Baron To. 2. anno 303. Surius 11. Februa The sacrifice of the Masse forbidden vpon payne of death by Dioclesian Concil Roman sub Siluestro 1. Con. Carth. â— can 3. Leo Mag. Epist 81 Aug. ser. 9â— de tempore Ambros. li. 5. epist. 33. Liturg. Dionys Basil. Chrisost. Tertul lib. 3. ad vxorem li. de Castira li. de oratione Cypria 63. Ibidem Christians martyred vnder Diocletian for heating masse The ansvvere of the martyrs concerning the necessity of masse To heare masse in England is treason by consequence A coÌ„parison of the proceedings of the old persecutours vvith those of this tyme in Engl. The ansvver of the old martyrs conform to ours novv Act. cap. 5. The old martyrs vvere condemned for disobedience to the temporal lavves as Catholyks are novv Treason pretended but religion condemned as vvel in the old martyrs as in ours novv Notable iniustice donne to M Hunt and M. Sprat condemned at Lincolne anno 1600. Iudge Glanâ—duile punished exemâ—plarly by alâ—mighty God â—â—lâ—en the â—inister Beda hist. Angl. li. 1. c 23. Lib. 1. ca. 26. Ibid. ca. 29. â—p 29. â—p 33. â—â—b 2. cap. 3. â—id 2 cap â— â—ib 2. cap. 7. 1â— â—l 3 ca. 29. Lib. 4. cap. 1. Lib. 5. ca. â—0 Lib. cap. 5. Lib. 5. cap. 7. Ibibem Lib. 5. cap. 20 Polid. lib. 4. hist. Angl. Polid. lib. 6. Ibidem Polid. lib 7. Alâ—ed invita S. Eduuardi Gulielmus NeubriceÌ„ li. â— ca. 25. 34. Petrus blesensis epist. 44. â—olid vergil lib. â—5 Polid. lib. 27. Lib. 3. ca. 2. quest 10. 11. 12. 13. Lib. 3. cap. â— Lib. 4. ca. 10. Lib. 5. ca. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. lib 3. cap. 15. Polid. lib. 2. Platina in Eleuther Beda hist. Angl. lib. 1. cap. 4. Lib. 1. hist. eccles ca. 17 Athan. Apoâ— log 2. contra arrianos Hilari epist. ad Epistolos c. Ibid. cap. 21 Cap. 7 â— Beda Eccl. hist. lib. 1. cap. 17. Ibid. ca. Lib. 1. ca. Gildas in â— stigatio in eccles ordinem Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Polido verg hist. Angl. lib. 3. Gildas de excidio Britaniae Beda hist. Angl. lib. cap. 2. Lib. 2 cap. 2. Ibidem Tertul. li. aduersus Iudeos Origen in Ezech. hom 4. in hom 6. in luâ— Athanas. 2. Apolo Hilar. sinodi soft hâ— in Maâ— Hieroâ— marcel migret Bethleâ— â—lido lib. 1. Angl. â—an 21. â—eda hist. â—ngl â— â— ca. 4. â—ector Boeâ—ius hist. coâ— lib. 6. â—reneus lib. 3. â—ap 3. Tertul. lib prescrip Ang. cont epist. Man chaei quaâ— vocat Funmenti Aug. in P mo contra parteÌ„ Doâ— Optams â—
A DEFENCE OF THE CATHOLYKE CAVSE CONTAYNING A TREATISE IN CONFVTATION OF SVNDRY VNTRVTHES AND slanders published by the heretykes as wel in infamous lybels as otherwyse against all english Catholyks in general some in particular not only concerning matter of state but also matter of religion by occasion whereof diuers poynts of the Catholyke faith now in controuersy are debated and discussed Written by T. F. WITH AN APOLOGY OR DEFENCE OF HIS INNOCENCY IN A FAYNED CONSPIRACY against her Maiesties person for the which one Edward Squyre was wrongfully condemned and executed in Nouember in the yeare of our Lord 1598. wherewith the author and other Catholykes were also falsly charged Written by him the yeare folowing and not published vntil now for the reasons declared in the preface of this Treatyse Psalm 118. Redime me à calumnijs hominum vt custodiam mandata tua Redeeme me o Lord from the slanders of men that I may keep thy commandements Imprinted with licence 1602. THE VNTRVTHES AND SLANDERS CONCERNING matter of state some particular persons confuted in this Treatise and in the Apology following THE first concerning the conquest of EnglaÌ„d which O. E. in his late lybels falsly chargeth the English Catholykes to seek and sâ—iâ—â—t Treatise Chap. 1. The second touching the Catholyke Kinges late attempt in Ireland which the English Catholykes are also falsly supposed to haue procured Treatyse Chap. â— The third concerning Sir VVilliam Stanley his deliuering Dauenter to the king Catholyke Treatse Chap. 1. The fourth touching father Parsons his great labours in Gods Churche peruersly interpreted shamefully slandred by the heretykes Treatise Chap. 2. The fifth an impudent malitious vntruth auouched by O. E. in his late challenge to wit that no Catholykes are put to death in England for religion but for treason and attempts against the state Treatise Chap. 3. Apology Chap. 10. 22. 23. The sixt the improbable absurd fixtion of Squyres conspiracy against her Maiesties person imputed to father Richard walpole of the holy-Society of Iesus as principal contriuer to father Creswel of the same Society to the author of this Treatise as abetters Apology Chap. 1. 2. 6. 7. 8. 9. 20. 21. The seuenth a slanderous vntruth published as wel in these later as some former libels concerning VVilliams York Patrick Cullen executed at London some yeares past and falsly supposed to be employed by the English Catholykes then at Brussels against her Maiesties person Apology Chap. 15. The 8. an impertinent vntruth publyshed in a pamphlet concerning the fayned conspiracy of Edward Squyre wherein it is affirmed that there is great moderation lenity vsed in causes of religion Apology Chap. 22. 23. The 9. a foolish inuectiue of the author of the sayd pamphlet against the Iesuits Apology Chap. 24. VNTRVTHES AND SLANDERS CONCERNING MATTER OF RELIGION DISCOVERED confuted vpon diuers occasions in this Treatise the Apology following A False impudent assertion of a shameles minister who being present at the death of two martyrs at Lincolne in the yeare 1600. affirmed publikly that England receiued the protestants religion when it was first conuerted to the Christian faith vnder the Popes Eleutherius and Gregory the first Treatise Chap. 4.5 6. An other slanderous vntruth of the heretykes charging Catholykes with Idolatry in the reuerend vse of holy Images Treat Chap. 11. 12. The lyke slanderous impudent vntruth touching the Catholikes opinion of merits of workes published lately in a pamphlet concerning the conuiction of my lord of Essex Treat Chap. â—9 A ridiculâ—us miracle fayned by the author of the pamphlet aboue said that concerned Squyres â—ayned conspiracy Apolog. Chap. 25. The table of the chapters followeth in the end of the Treatise THE PREFACE VVHEREIN THE AVTOR DECLARETH HIS INTENTION IN THIS TREATISE AND THE CAVSE why he wrote the same and why the Apology concerning Edward Squyre being written three yeres since was not published vntil now IT is now more then three yeres gentle reader since that one Edward Squyre hauing bin sometyme prisoner in Spayne and escaping thence into England was condemned and executed for a fayned conspiracy against her Maiestyes person wherto my self some others were charged to be priuy for as much as it seemed to mee that this fraudulent manner of our aduersaries proceeding against Catholykes by way of slanders and diffamations authorised with shew of publik Iustice and continued now many yeres did beginne to redound not only to the vndeserued disgrace discredit of particular men wrongfully accused but also to the dishonour of our whole cause I thought it coÌ„uenieÌ„t to write an Apology in my defeÌ„ce to dedicate the same to the Lords of her Maiesties priuy counsel as wel to cleare my self to their honours of the cryme falsly imputed vnto mee as also to discouer vnto them the treacherous dealing of such as abuse her Maiesties autority and theirs in this behalf to the spilling of much innocent blood with no smalle blemish to her Maiesties gouernment and the assured exposition of the whole state to the wrath of God if it be not remedied in tyme. This Apology being written by me in Spayne and made ready for the print now almost 3. yeres past it seemed good as wel to me as to other of my friends to stay the impression of it vntil we should see the issue of the treaty of peace betwyxt England and Spayne then expected with no smalle hope conceaued of many that liberty of conscience or at least some toleration of religion might ensue therof to the Catholikes of EnglaÌ„d therfore seeing my principal intention was no other but with the occasion of my owne purgation to seek remedy of the wrongs donne vnto vs by discouering to the lords of the councel the vnchristian and pernicious proceeding of our cheef persecutors it seemed to mee that yf the desyred effects of toleration and consequently our remedy did follow of the treaty the labour charges of printing my Apology should be needlesse And although after many moneths expectation and the meeting of the commissioners at Bullen there appeared no lykelyhood at all eyther of peace betwyxt the two kingdomes or toleration of Catholyke religion in EnglaÌ„d in which respect it seemed conuenient to some that my apology should be published yet for as much as so long tyme was then ouer past that the matter of Squyre seemed to bee forgot and that therfore the defence of my innocency might eyther be to litle purpose or at least seeme out of season I resolued to suppresse the same and the rather for that I vnderstood that howsoeuer some simple men might be deceaued in Squyres cause yet the wysest considering the weaknes and inualydity of the proofes and his denial of the fact at his death did take it for an inuention and a stratageme of state conforme to dyuers other of like quality which many wyse
to make others of the â—emples of the Idols which saint Gregory ordayned shuld â—e donne with casting holy water therin buylding altars â—nd placing relikes of saynts commaunding further that â—easts should be celebrated in the dayes of the dedication of â—he sayd Churches in the natiuity of the martyrs whose â—elykes should be kept there besyds that he appoynted saynt Augustin to be Metropolitan of England and sent him holy vessels and vestiments for altars and Priests and relyckes of the Apostels and martyrs and granted him the vse of the pal ad sola missarum solemnia agenda only for the celebration of solemne masses and further gaue him order to ordayne 12. Bishops vnder himself and to make another Metropolitan at Yorke who when those parts should be coÌ„uerted should haue as many vnder him and be himself after saynt Augustins dayes dependant only vpon the sea Apostolyk and receiue the Pal from the same furthermore saynt Augustin caused King Edelbert to buyld a Church from the ground in honour of the blessed Apostles S. Peter S. Paule and a monastery not farre from Canturbury whereof the first Abbot called Peter was of so holy a lyfe that after his death it was testified from heauen by a continual light that appeared ouer his tombe Also King Edelbert caused S. Paules Church to be buylt in London and another in Rochester dedicated to S. Andrew the Apostle Hereto may be added the exercise of the Popes autority not only in the dayes of King Edelbert but also after in the raygne of other Christian Kings vntil the tyme that saynt Bede ended his history Pope Boniface sent the Pal to Iustus fourth Archbishop of Canturbury after saynt Augustin Honorius the Pope sent also the Pal to Honorius that succeded Iustus and to Paulinus Archbishop of York ordayning at the request of King Edwin and his wyfe that the longer liuer of them should consecrate a successor to the orher that should dy first to excuse so long a Iourney as to Rome The two Kings Oswy and Egbert the one of Northumberland and the other of kent sent Wigard to Rome to be made Primat when both the seas of Canturbury and Yorke were vacant and Wigard dying there Pope Vitalianus made Theodore a grecian primat in his steede Wilfrid Byshop of Yorke being twys vniustly expelled from his Bishoprik appealed both tymes to Rome first to Pope Agatho and after to Pope Iohn and being cleared by their sentences was restored to his Bishoprik and heer I wil ad a woord or two concerning the exceeding great zeale and deuotion of the Saxon Kinges to the sea Apostolyke in those dayes King Oswy determined to goe to Rome in Pilgrimage and had donne it yf death had not preuented him King Ceadwald weÌ„t thether to be baptysed dyed there King Hun his successor after he had raygned 37. yeares weÌ„t thether also in Pilgrimage as many sayth saynt Bede in those dayes both of the layty and clergy as wel women as men were wont to doe King Coenred did the lyke had in his company the sonne of Sigher King of the east Saxons and both of them entred into religion in Rome about the yeare of our Lord 709. not past 22. yeares before S. Bede ended his history which was almost 900. yeres a goe wherto may be added out of later historiographers the lyke examples of the extraordinary deuotion and obedience of our English Kings vnto the sea Apostolyke in â—uery age vntil after the conquest King Inas shortly after S. Bedes tyme about the yeare of our Lord 740. went to Rome and made his Kingdome tributary to the Pope ordayning the Peter pence the lyke did also afterwards Offa the King of the Mercians in the yeare of our Lord .775 Etheluolph King of England went to Rome in Pilgrimage about the yeare of our Lord 847. and made that part of England which his father Egbert had conquered tributary also to the Bishop of Rome King Edward being threatned with excommunication by Pope Iohn the teÌ„th for that he was carelesse to prouide the English Church of Bishops caused Pleimund the Bishop of Canterbury to make many and after to goe to Rome to purge him selfe of his negligence about the yeare of our Lord 920. King Edgar obtayned of Pope Iohn the 13. with licence to giue certayne liuings of secular Priests to Monkes about the yeare of our Lord .965 Canutus King of England went to Rome in Pilgrimage about the yeare of our Lord 1024. S. Edward King of England hauing made a vow to goe to Rome procured the same to be commuted by Pope Leo the nynth into the buylding of a monastery of S. Peter he also confirmed the payment of the yearly tribute to the sea Apostolyke about the yeare of our Lord 1060. which was not past 5. yeares before the conquest after the which there were no lesse notable examples of this matter King Henry the second who by Pope Adrian was first intituled Lord of Ireland sent legats to Rome to craue pardon of Pope Alexander for the murder committed by his occasion vpon saint Thomas of Canterbury where vpon two Cardinals were sent into England before whome the King lyke a publike penitent a priuat person submitted himselfe to the Ecclesiastical discipline in a publik assembly of the cleargy and nobility When King Richard the first was kept prisoner by Frederick the Emperour his mother wrote to Celestinus the Pope calling him the successor of Peter and the Vicar of Christ quem Dominus constituit super gentes regno in omni plenitudius potestatis whome our Lord had placed ouer nations and Kingdomes in all fulnesse of power and willed him to vse the spiritual sword against the Emperour as Alexander his predecessor had donne against Frederick his Father whome he did excommunicate King Iohn being excommunicated by the Pope was not absolued before he tooke his crowne of froÌ„ his owne head and deliuered it to Pandulfus the Popes legat promising for himselfe and his heyres that they should neuer receiue it afterwards but from the Bishop of Rome I omit others of later tyme seing no maÌ„ I think doubteth but that all the successors of King Iohn liued in the communion and obedience of the Roman Church paying the old yearely tribute called the Peter peÌ„ce vntil the tyme of King Henry the 8. her maiestyes father who being maried to his brother Arthurs widdow by dispeÌ„sation of the sea Apostolyke continued many yeares after in the obedience therof and in defence of the autority of the sayd sea wrote a learned book agaynst Luther for the which the honorable title of defender of the fayth was giuen him by Pope Leo which tytle her maiesty also vseth at this day so that no man can deny that our country was conuerted by S. Gregory to the Roman fayth or that it hath continued therin vntil K.
him sayth saynt Bede that is to say by his meanes or meditatioÌ„ causing the sayd toÌ„be to be opened he placed very honorably therin certayne relickes of the Apostles dyuers other martyrs going to the place where the blood of the blessed martyr was shed he took away with him some of the dust which was stil bloody Furthermore it hapned after in the tyme that the Britans kept their lent a litle before the feast of the resurrection of our Lord that they were molested by the Picts and SaxoÌ„s whyles saynt German was yet there and therefore they craued the help of his prayers and direction dispayring altogeather of theyr owne forces and he vndertaking the conduct of them ordayned that when they should come to ioyne battayle all the army of the Britains should cry out a loud three tymes Alleluya which they did and therewith they put their enemyes to flight and gayned a notable victory This being donne and the affayres of the Iland both spiritual and temporal wel composed saynt Bede sayth the holy Bishops had a prosperous returne partly by their owne merits partly by the intercession of blessed saynt Alban whereby he geueth to vnderstand that such was their opinion according to the great deuotion they had shewed before to the blessed martyr It is also to be gathered playnly out of S. Bede that there were monasteries of Monkes and religious men in Britany before this tyme for speaking of the rebellion of Constantinus against Honorius which was in the yeare of our Lord 407. he sayth that hauing proclaymed himselfe Emperour he made his sonne Constance Caesarem ex monacho Caesar of a monk Here I wish thee to note Good reader that saynt Bede in his breefe introduction to his Ecclesiastical history where he intended to treat specially of the second conuersion of our country in the tyme of the Saxons toucheth the 400. yeares before from the tyme of King Lucius so breefely that he passeth with silence about 350. yeres therof at one tyme and other noting only some things by the way aswel concerning the temporal as spiritual affayres in diuers tymes ages to make some conexion of his history from the beginning Therfore I leaue it to thy consideration what testimony and euidence we should haue found of our Catholyke religion yf he had treated those matters particularly and at large â—eâ—ngâ—n the course of so few yeres as he runneth ouer and in so few leaues lynes of a part only of his first book which is also very breefe wee fynd the practyse of so many poynts of our religion testified and confirmed as buylding of Churches in the honour of martyres the reuerend vse of saynts relyckes and greate miracles donne by the same the intercession of saynts for vs and the custome to prayse and geue God thankes by them also monastical lyfe which includeth vowes of religion and chastity the vse of hollywater the custome which in our Church is yet most frequent of Alleluya whereby it may be gathered that the seruice of the Church out of the which the same no dout was then taken was not in the vulgar tongue finally the keeping of lent easter and others feastes wherby playnly appeareth the vse force of traditioÌ„ in the Church of God without the testimony of expresse scripture and all this we see was vsed in the Church of Britanny when the fayth deliuered to King Lucius was yet in purity which proueth euidently that he was conuerted to the â—ame Catholyke religion that saynt Augustine planted after-wards amongst the English Saxons which wee that be Catholykes professe vntil this day THE SAME IS CONFIRMED and proued out of Gildas CHAP. VI. THis may easely be confirmed out of Gildas the britan surnamed the sage who wrote shortly after the Saxons came into Britany almost 200. yeares before S. Bede in whose treatyse of the distruction of Britany and in his reprehension of the Ecclesiastical men of those dayes it is euident ynough what religion was professed from Lucius tyme vntil his for first speaking of the persecution vnder Dioclesian he sayth that electi sacerdotes gregis domini the chosen Priests of our Lords flock were killed meaning such priests as did offer sacrifice vpon the altar for so he sufficiently interpreteth him selfe when he reprehendeth the negligeÌ„ce or the Britain Priests of his dayes whome he calleth sacerdotes raro sacrificantes ac raro puro corde inter altaria stantes Priests sacrifising sildome and seldome comming to the Altar with a pure harte and tearmeth the Altars venerabiles aras and sacrosancta altaria sedem Caelestis sacrificij the reuerend and holly altars and the seat of the heauenly sacrifice and calleth that which is offred therein sacrosancta Christi sacrificia the holly sacrifices of Christ and further geueth to vnderstand that the hands of the Priestes were consecrated at those dayes as yet they are in the Catholyke Church when holy orders are geuen wherby wee may playnly see that the Priests of our primatiue Church in England and their function consisting principally in offring to almighty God sacrifice vpon the Altar is all one with ours Furthermore treating of the martirdome of S. Alban and his fellowes he sayth that yâ— God had not permitted for che great sinnes of the Britains that the barbarous nations which were entred he meaneth the Picts and Saxons did depriue the People of the toombs of saynt Alban and of the other martyrs and of the place of their martyrdomes the same might stryk vnto them a feruor of deuotion and deuine charity insinuating therby the great consolation and spiritual benefite that the Christians were wont to receiue by the visitation of those holy places Also he sayth that before ful 10. yeares past after that persecution the Christians repayred the old Churches distroyed by the persecutors and buylt now in honour of the martyrs and kept festiual and holy dayes lastly he playnly signifieth that the Christians vsed in his tyme to make vowes of chastity and that their were monasteries wherin religious and monastical life was exercysed for he maketh mention of an holy Abot called Amphibalus and most bitterly reprehendeth two wicked Princes Cuneglasus and Maglocunus the first for marying a widdow that had vowed perpetual chastity and the other for that being become a monke he returned to the world and maryed hauing a former wyfe then liuing wherein he also geueth to vnderstaÌ„d that it was not then lawful for him post monachi votum irritum after the breach of his monastical vow to returne to his owne wyfe and much lesse to mary another To this purpose also it may be obserued in Gildas as before I noted in saynt Bede that vntil the tyme of the Arrians there entred no infectioÌ„ of heresy into Britany therfory hauing signifyed the sincerity and zeale of the Christians after saynt Albans death in buylding Churches of martyrs keping feastiual dayes and
who can with any reason deny that the Popes supremacy the confession whereof is now made treason in England was in King Lucius dayes acknowledged generally of all men for what moued him being so farre from Rome to seeke to receiue the faith of Christ from thence but that he desyred to haue it from the fountayne head were there not Christians at the same tyme in England as there had ben from the tyme of Ioseph of Arimathia by some of whome it is lyke he was conuerted and might haue ben Baptysed or yf there were no Christians there that might satisfy his deuotion and desyre in that behalfe was there not at the same tyme very learned Bishops in France by whome he might haue receiued satisfaction without sending so farre as to Rome what then moued him therto but that he vnderstood that the admission of all Christs sheep into his fold the Church belonged principally to the successor of S. Peter to whome our sauiour particularly commended the feeding of his flock which saynt Bede insinuateth sufficiently saying that King Lucius beseeched Eleutherius by his letters that he might be made a Christian per eius mandatum by his commandement Neither can there any other probable reason be geuen why a few yeres after Donaldus King of Scots sent to Pope victor the next successor of Eleutherius to receiue of him the Christian fayth which at the same tyme florished not only in France as before I haue sayd but also in England from whence he might haue had Bishops and Priests to instruct and baptise him and his people But for the more manifest proof of this poynt let vs heare what S. Ireneus who florished at the same tyme in France teacheth concerning the autority of the sea Apostolike gouerned then by Eleutherius from whome K. Lucius receiued the fayth VVhen we shew sayth he the tradition of the greatest and most AuncieÌ„t Church knowen to all men founded constitute at Rome by the two most glorious Apostles Peter Paule that the same tradition receiued from the sayd Apostles is deriued euen to this our tyme by the succession of Bishops we confound all those that any way eyther by an ouerweening of their owne wits or by vayne glory or by blyndnesse and euil opinion are led away with fals conceyts for euery Churche that is to say the saythful which are euery where must needs haue recours to this Church agree therewith propter potentioreÌ„ principalitatem for the greater or more mighty principality of the same wherein the tradition of the Apostles hath ben alwayes conserued by them which are euery where abroad and a litle after hauing declared the succession of the Bishops of Rome from saynt Peter to Eleutherius who he sayth was the twelfth he addeth by this ordination and succession the tradition which is in the Church from the Apostles and the preaching of the truth is come euen to vs hec est plenissima osteÌ„sio this is a most ful euident demonstration that the fayth which hath ben conserued in the Churche from the Apostles vntil now is that one true fayth which geueth lyfe Thus farre S. Ireneus out of whose words may be gathered three things very imporrant and manifest against our aduersaries The first the force of tradition in the Churche of God that the same alone being duly proued is sufficient to conuince all heretykes that teach any thing contrary therto The second that the continual succession of the Bishops of Rome in one seat and doctrin is an infalible argument of the truth The which also Tertulian in the same tyme not only obserued but also prescrybed for a rule against all heretykes in his book of Prescriptions To which purpose S. Augustin sayth the succession of Priests from the seat of Peter the Apostle to whome our Lord recoÌ„mended his sheep to be fed holdeth me in the Catholyke Church and in another place number the Priests euen from the very seat of Peter and in that order of fathers see who succeded one an other that is the rock which the proud gaâ—â— of hel do not ouercome Optatus Mileuitanus in lyke sort vrgeth this succession of the Roman Bishops against the Donatists reckoning vp all the Bishops from S. Peter to Siricius with whome he sayth all the world did communicat and there-vpon concludeth therfore yow sayth he that challeÌ„ge to your selues a holy Churche tel vs the beginning of your chayre Thus reasoned these fathers against heretykes aboue 1200. yeres ago as also did S. Ireneus before in K. Lucius tyme and the same say wee now with no lesse reason against the heretykes of our tyme we shew them our doctrin conserued in a perpetual succession of Bishops from the Apostles vntil this day we demaund the lyke of them and seing they cannot shew it we conclude with S. Irenaeus that they remayne confounded and that they are to be registred in the number of those that eyther by an ouerweening of their owne wits or by vayne glory or by blyndnes and passion are led away with fals conceits The third poynt that I wish to be noted in the words of S. Irenaeus is the supreme dignity of the Roman Churche aboue all other seing that he cauleth it the greatest most ancient not in respect of tyme for the Churches of Hierusalem and Antioch were before it but for autority and therfor vrgeth it as a matter of necessity duty that all other Churches whatsoeuer and all faythful people throughout the world ought to haue recours therto and agree therwith propter potentioreÌ„ principalitateÌ„ for the greater and more powreful principality and autority therof which autority is founded vpon no other ground then vpon the institution of our Sauiour himselfe who gaue the gouerment of his Church to S. Peter the Apostle not only for him selfe but also for his successors which I wil prooue heare with as conuenient breuity as the importance of the matter wil permit THAT OVR SAVIOVR made S. Peter supreme head of his Churche CHAP. VIII THE supreme autority of S. Peter ouer the Churche of God is to be proued directly out of the holy scriptures by many places and arguments but 3. shal suffice for breuityes sake The first place is in S. Mathew where our sauiour promised to S. Peter to buyld his Church vpon him saying Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram adificabo Ecclesiam meam that is to say thou art Peter or a rock and vpon this rock I wil buyld my Churche signifying by this allegory that he made him the foundation or head of his Church for the head is to the body the gouernour to the common welth as the foundation is to the buylding that is to say the principal part the stay strength and assurance therof and this appeareth more playnly in the Siriac tongue in which saynt Mathew wrote his gospel where
other Bishops making general edicts condemning heretykes deposing and restoring Bishops cauling counsels and excommunicating whole prouinces and countryes I appeale to thee gentle reader whether he was not then generally held for supreme head of the Church whether it is lykly that when Eleutherius the Pope made King Lucius a Christian he made him a protestaÌ„t that is to say an enemy to the sea Apostolyk a persecuter of Priests and of all such as defend the dignity and autoritie of saynt Peeter his predecessor from whome he claymed and held the supremacy of the Churche which now all protestants deny to his successors And agayne seeing I haue proued that the authority of the sea Apostolyke is not grounded vpon any humain tradition but vpon the institution of our sauiour himselfe who left his flock and sheep to saynt Peeter to be fed and buylt his Churche vpon him as vpon a sure rock promising that hel gates should not preuayle against it ordayning for the auoyding of Schisme diuision one head from the which the dyuers and manyfold members of his Churche might receiue the influence of one doctrin and spirit what shal wee say of them that are not of this fold that do not communicat with this head that are not planted vpoÌ„ this root of vnity nor buylt vpon this rock that agaynst the chayre of Peeter set vp a chayre of pestileÌ„ce can they be the sheep of Christ or members of his mistical body or receiue the influence of his spirit it is no maruel yf they be caryed away with euery blast of new doctrin torne and rent with euery schisme and cast at length vpon the rockes of heresy or atheisme haue wee not then sufficient reason to giue lands lyues or what honour pleasure or comodity soeuer the world yeildeth rather then to be driuen from this safe harbor of truth and ancor of vnity into the seas of schisme and heresy to the assured shipwrack of our soules and when wee spend our blood for this cause do we not dy for religion yea for a most important point of religion though it be made treason wherof wee may truly saye with the blessed martyr Sir Thomas More thet it is a treason without sinne for the which a maÌ„ may be hanged and haue no harme dy and liue for euer seeme to some a traytor and be a glorious martyr THE MATTER OF HOLY Images is debated and the vse therof proued to haue ben in the Churche of God euer since our Sauiours tyme. CHAP. XI BVT let vs examine a poynt or two more of religion wherein our aduersaries dissent from vs that wee may see wheather K. Lucius were more lyke to learne their doctrin concerning the same or ours and for that they think they haue a maruelous aduaÌ„tage of vs in the matter of Images and relykes of saints wherein they charge vs with flat Idolatrie and breach of the commaundment of God I wil say somwhat therof And fyrst I cannot but maruel at their grosnesse that cannot distinguish betwiyt an Idol and an Image whereof they may learne the difference in Origen and Theodoretus expouÌ„ding these words of the coÌ„maundmeÌ„t non facies tibi IdoluÌ„ thou shalt not make to thy self any â—dol for the septuaginta whose translation they follow for sculptile haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say an Idol wherevpon they say that an Idol is a fals similitude representing a thing which is not that a similitude or Image is a representation of ae thing which truly is to which purpose also S. Paule sayth Idolum nihil est in mundo an Idol is nothing in the world for that Idols represent no truth but mere fictions vanityes and lyes and therfore ar cauled in the Hebrew text of the holy scriptures Elilun and Auâ—nim wheron it followeth that all Images or other creatures held or adored for Gods whâ—ch they neither are nor yet possibly can bee are truly and properly Idols wheras other Images that represent a truth can not so bee cauled and this difference is euident in the holy scriptures which neuer atribute the name of Idol to the true Image of any thing but to the fals gods of the gentils and vseth the name of Image for the similitud of that which is truly the thing that it is thought to be or hath the true proprietyes that by the Image are represented so Christ is cauled the Image of his father and Salomon is sayd to haue made in the temple Images of Lions Oxen Flowers yea and of the Cherubins who though they were Angels and Spirits were neuerthelesse pourtrayed lyke men to expresse the forme wherein they appeared to Moyses on the mountayne and with wings to shew the celerity of their motion so that the representation made therby was true as of a true apparition and a true propriety in the Angelical nature Herevpon it foloweth that Images which are not honored for Gods but ordayned for the honor of Christ and his saynts who are truly that which they are represented to be are no Idols and therfore our aduersaries are eyther very ignorant or malicious when they confound these woords in such sort as to cal Images Idols and to translate Idolum in the scripture an Image as they commonly do very absurdly and sometymes ridiculously as in S. Paule where he speaketh of couetousnes saying it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Idolatry or the seruice of Idols and in an other place that the couetous man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Idolater or a woorshipper of Idols meaning therby that couetous men make theyr money and their riches their Gods they translate it couetousnes is the seruice of Images and the couetous man is a woorshipper of Images as though there were no other Idolatry but that which may be doÌ„ne to Images or that Image and Idole were all one or that it could be sayd with any propriety or reason that a couetous man makes his money an Image as it may be properly sayd that he makes it an Idol because he makes yt his God which yt neither is nor can be in which respect it may wel be cauled an Idol Furdermore they bewray in themselues either great simplicity or peruers malice in that they permit no honour nor reuerence to be donne to the Image of Christ his saynts for doth not reason and common experience teach vs that the honour or reuerence donne to the Image passeth from thence to the Prototipon that is to say to the thing or person it representeth he which crowneth sayth S. Ambrose the image of the emperour crowneth the Emperour and he which contemnes his image seemeth to do iniury to his person when the people of Antiochia cast downe the image of the Empresle wyfe to Theodosius the Emperour he took it for so great an affront to her and him selfe that he had lyke to haue destroyed the whole citty in
of beasts or catel which he signifyed by the words blynd and lame and other in bread he attributeth the word polluted or defiled to the bread only not without mistery to oppose therto the cleane sacrifice of the gentils in forme of bread cauling it a cleane oblation and putting the special force of the antithesis betwyxt the figure and the verity for that the shew bread or bread of proposition being as S. Hierome sayth the bread which the priests polluted was a proper figure of the holy eucharist as he also testifyeth Furdermore this sacrifice cannot be vnderstood of the sacrifice of our sauiour vpon the crosse which was offred only once and in one place and not amongst the gentils neither yet of spiritual sacrifices as of thankes geuing prayer fasting and other good workes which are improperly cauled sacrifices and therfore it is to be noted that whensoeuer this woord sacrifyce is improperly taken in the scripture some other woord is alwayes ioyned thereto to signify the same as hâ—stiae laudis saecrificium iustitiae Saecrificium cordis contriti the host or sacrifice of prayse the sacrifice of iustice the sacrifice of ae contrit hart and on the other syde whensoeuer it is alone without any woord adioyned to restrayne or diminish the sence as it is in this prophesy it signifyeth a true and proper sacrifice This difference may wel be noted where it is said miscricordiam volui non sacrificium I wil haue mercy and not sacrifice and agayne obedientiae est melior quam victima obedience is better then sacrifice in which sentences sacrifyce properly taken is opposed to mercy and obedience which also may improperly be cauled sacrifices as wel as thankes geuing prayse of God or any other good worke whatsoeuer Agayne the prophet speaketh heere of a sacrifice or oblation which should be but one cauling it a cleane oblation but the spiritual sacrifices are as many as there are good woorkes of the faythful Also he speaketh of a sacrifice proper to the new law and to the gentils such a one as should succeede the sacrifices of the Iewes and be offred in steede therof but spiritual sacrifices haue ben in all tymes and common both to Iewes and gentils But howsoeuer other men may vnderstand this prophesy our aduersaryes cannot with any reason expound it of the good woorks of Christians seeing they teach that the best woorkes of the iustest men are polluted and vncleane sinful and damnable which therfore cannot according to their doctrin be that sacrifice which almighty God himselfe cauled by the mouth of his prophet a cleane oblation Lastly the most learned and auncient fathers of the Churche do vniformly expound this prophesy of the sacrifice of the masse as S. Iustin the learned Philosopher and famous martyr within 150. yeres after Christ sayth that of the sacrifices of the gentils that are offred in euery place videlicet the bread and cup of the Eucharist Malachâ—â— the Prophet euen then spoke and foretold that wee should glorify his name therby Ireneus also hauing declared in what manner our sauiour did institute the blessed SacrameÌ„t of the Eucharist at his last supper and that the Churche receyuing the same of the Apostles offreth it to God throughout the world addeth de quo in duodecim prophetis Malachias sic praesignificauit non est mihi voluntas in vobis c. that is to say wherof Malachias one of the twelue prophets did signify before hand speaking to the Iewes in this manner my wil is no longer to be serued by you c. S. Chrysostome hauing alledged the same Prophesy concludeth Behold sayth he how clearly and playnly he hath interpreted the mistical table which is the vnbloody host He that listeth to see more testimonyes of the fathers let him read Tertulian S. Ciprian S. Hierome S. Augustin S. Ciâ—il Eusebius Theodoretus and S. Ihon Damascen in the places alledged in the margent THAT NOT ONLY THE SACRIFICE of Melchisedech but also the sacrifices of the old law were figures of the sacrifice of the masse are changed into the same and by the way is declared the necessity of sacrifice as wel for common welth as for religion CHAP. XV. NOw to speake of the sacrifice of Melchisedech I think our aduersaries wil not deny that our sauiour was and is a Priest according to the order of Melchisedech and that he shal be so for euer as the Prophet Dauid testifieth of him saying tu es sacerdos in eternuÌ„ secundum ordinem Melchisedech thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech the which saynt Paule also sheweth amply in his epistle to the Hebrews the which being granted two things do euidently follow thereon The first is that for as much as priesthood and sacrifice ar correlatiues and cannot be the one without the other in which respect saynt Paule sayth that a Priest or Bishop is ordeyned vt offer at dona sacrificiae to offer gifts and sacrifices agayne that our sauiour being a Priest must needs haue somewhat to offer and seing his sacrifice vpon the crosse was offred by him but once neither can euer be reiterat in that manner and therfore cannot be that continual sacrifice which must needs correspond to his eternal priesthood bee continually offred in his Church I coÌ„clude that besydes his sacrifice vpon the crosse he did institut and leaue behind him some other to be offred dayly not only for remission of dayly sinnes but also for a most deuine act of religion wherby all faythful people may dayly do to almighty God the due worship seruice they owe him the which kind of worship by publik sacrifice was not only vsed in the law of Moyses but also in the law of nature is so due to God from man and proceedeth so â—â—rinsecally from the very grounds and principles of nature it selfe that their can be no perfect religion nor good common welth without it For as for religion whereas the special office and end therof is to acknowledge by external acts the seruice and subiection wee owe to our Lord and creator and the dominion he hath ouer vs it is manifest that no external act of religion doth so fully and conueniently expresse and signify the same as sacrifice wherby wee gratefully offer to almighty God his owne creatures not only rendring him part of his owne gifts and yeilding him thankes therfore but also destroying them in his honour to testify as wel that he is souuerayn Lord of lyfe and death as that we hold our beeing and all wee haue of him and depend wholy of his wil and prouidence yea and that we owe our owne lyfe to him in sacrifice and doe as it were redeeme the same with the death or destruction of an other creature in signification wherof he which in the old law did present to the priest any beast to be sacrifised did hold him by
depryue vs of it in our country not only by their doctrine but also by rigorous and violent lawes resembling therin as wel the old persecutors of Gods Churche that did the lyke as also Antichrist that is to come who as Daniel the Prophet fortelleth shal take a way iuge sacrificium the cōtinual sacrifice of the Churche which is the sacrifice of the masse and the ancient Byshop and martyr Hypolitus doth testify in his book of the consummation of the world that in the tyme of Antichrist Churches shal be lyke cottages and that the precious body and blood of Christ shal not be in those dayes the liturgy shal be taken a way the singing of the Psalmes shal ceasse and the reading of the scripture shal not be heard thus farre saynt Hipolitus that wrote within 250. yeares after Christ. Seing then the Caluinists and Lutherans abolish the sacrifice of the masse yea and bring christian religion to a very desolation and ruine ouerthrowing altars churches monasteries images relickes of saynts the signe of the crosse sacraments ceremonies and all external memories and monuments of christianity and in steed of the blessed body and blood of our sauiour bring into the churche nothing but a bare signe therof what els are they but true figures or the forerunners of Antichrist that shal set vp the abomination of desolation in the temple of God as sayth the Prophet that is to say shal bring an abominable desolation vpon the Churche and true religion of Christ OVR DOCTRIN OF THE merits of woorkes and Iustification is proued and cleared from the slanders of our aduersaries commonly publyshed in their Sermons and lately insinuated in a book set forth concerning the conuiction of my Lord of Essex CAP. XIX FOR as much as my intention in this treatise was to detect and confute certayn slanderous lyes of our aduersaryes spread abroad agaynst vs in some of theyr late bookes and lybels no lesse touching matter of religion then matter of state I can not forbeare to discouer vnto thee here good reader their notable impudency in charging vs to be enemies of the Passion of Christ and to euacuate the merits therof by ascribing our saluatiō to our owne workes which they are wount to publish in their sermons and common table talke and haue of late insinuated in a pamphlet concerning the conuiction of my Lord of Essex wherein treating of Sir Christofer Blunt that he protested to dy a Catholyke some foolish minister I think foysted in an aparenthesis signifying that he dyed not such a Catholyk but that he hoped to be saued by the merits of Christs passion not ascribing his saluation to his owne workes as though other Catholykes that teach merits of workes did not hope to be saued by the passion of Christ wherin I know not whether I should wounder more at their ignorance or their malice their ignorance if they know not what we hold and their malice if they know it and yet slander vs. For who knoweth not that wee acknowledge the blessed passion of our Sauiour to be the root and ground of our redemption and reconciliation to God and the fountayne from whence floweth all our iustification and saluation saying with S. Peter that we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ the immaculat lambe and with S. Paule that wee are iustified in his blood shal be saued from wrath by him and that there is no other name wherein wee can be saued but the name of IESVS neuerthelesse wee know withall that though his passion be most meritorious the redemption that wee haue therby most copious yet it was his wil that wee shuld doe somewhat of our parts to haue the benefit therof which our aduersaries cannot but grant confessing as they doe that to be partakers therof they must be baptysed they must beleeue they must repēt after they haue sinned seeing vpon the warrāt of the holy scriptures they ad all this to the passion of Christ without derogation to the dignity therof what reason haue they to blame vs if vpon the same warrant we ad another condition no lesse expresse in scripture then any of the rest seeing our sauiour himselfe sayth if thou wilt enter into lyfe keepe the commaundments to which purpose S. Paule also sayth omnibus obremperantibus sibi factus est causa salutis that is to say he was made a cause of saluation to all such as obey him and in another place the dooers of the law shal be iustified before God and not the hearers only and S. Iames wee think a man to be iustified by workes and not by faith only and our Sauiour himselfe not euery one sayth he that sayth to mee Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he which doth the wil of my Father by all which wee see that good workes are necessary to saluation and must concurre therto with the merits of Christs passion which being the root fountayne of all mannes merit giueth as it were lyfe and force both to fayth and also to the good workes of faythful men to make them meritorious before God wherin three things are to be noted for the better explication of this matter The first is that there is two manners of iustification the one the iustification of the wicked man be he infidel or christian in mortal sinne the other the iustification of the iust man or an increase of Iustice the first proceedeth merely of the grace of God without merit of workes for that it is not in the power of nature being auerted and alienat from God to conuert it selfe vnto him without his grace vocation therfore S. Paule worthely excludeth frō the first iustificatiō both of the Iewes the gentils all merit of man The second which is the iustification of the iust man or encrease of Iustice is procured by good woorkes proceeding of Gods grace without the which their can be no iustification and therfore the Catholikes do teach not only the precedence of Gods grace before euery good woork according to that of the prophet misericordia eius praeueniet me his mercy shal preuent or goe before me but also the concurrence therof according as S. Paule sayth non ego sed gratia Dei mecum not I but the grace of God with me and as our Sauiour sayth sine me nihil potestis facere without me you can do nothing and agayne S. Paule omnia possum in eo qui me comfortat I can do all things in him that strengthneth or comforteth me Of the first iustification S. Paule sayth in diners places that wee are iustified gratis freely or for nothing by the grace of God by fayth and not by woorkes as meritorious and of the second he sayth speaking of the effect of almes yt shal multiply your seed and shal augment the increase of the fruit of your iustice and saynt Iames a
poynts which I haue handled what hath alwayes bin the doctrin of the Churche of God concernâ—ng the same and that therfore King Lucius could receiue no other froÌ„ the Catholyke RomaÌ„ Churche by the which he was conuerted to the Christian fayth and yf I thought it needful to rip vp euery other particuler point controuersed betwyxt our aduersaries and vs I could easely shew the same in euery one But what needeth it seing they cannot proue that any Pope I wil not say from S. Eleutherius to S. Gregory but from S. Peter to Clement the eight that now gouerneth the Churche hath taught and decreed any different doctrin from his predecessors whereas on the other syde wee shew euidently that in a perpetual succession of our Roman Bishops there hath ben also a continual succession of one the selfe same doctrin where vpon it followeth infalibly that King Ethelbert and the English could not receiue from S. Gregory the Pope any other fayth then King Lucius and the britans receiued from saynt Eleutherius and that wee which now hold communion with the Roman Churche teache no other doctrin then that which was taught by them to our ancestors and hath successiuely come from S. Peter consequently from our Sauiour Christ. Therefore thou mayst wel wonder good reader at the impudency of our English ministers that are not a shamed to preache teache the contrary wherby thow mayst also see how lamentable is the case of our poor country wherein such haue the charge and cure of soules as haue not so much as common honesty to say the truth in matters as cleare as the Sunne and teach such a religion as for lack of better reasons and arguments they are forst to mayntayne it with manifest lyes slanders yea and murders of innocent men whome they execute for fayned crymes vnder colour of matter of state acknowledging therby sufficiently the truth of our Catholyk fayth seing they are ashamed to aâ—ow that they trooble any man for it whyles they confesse that they punish and put to death heretykes namely the Anabaptists directly for their religion and their impudency is so much the more notorious for that their publyk proceedings in the dayly execution of penal and capital lawes touching only matter of religion doth contradict and conuince their sayings and writings wherein they affirme that they put none to death for religion But for as much as I haue treated this matter at large in diuers partes of my Apology besydes that I vnderstand that some others also entend to treate thereof in the answere of a ridiculous challenge made by O. E. fraught with most absurd paradoxes as wel concerning this poynt as others touching our Catholyke fayth I remit thee good reader therto and so conclude this treatys beseeching almighty God to geue our aduersaries the light of his grace and vs in the meane tyme pacience and constancy and to thee indifferency to iudge of maters so much importing the eternal good and saluation of thy soule which I hartely wish no lesse then my owne FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS OF THIS TREATISE THE preface wherein are declared the causes of the long delay of printing the Apology and withall is noted the impudency of a late wryter in England disguysing his name with the letters O. E. who auoweth the fiction of Squyres employment for a truth and affirmeth that none are put to death in England for religion An Answere to two malitious slanders auowched in the foresayd libels concerning the conquest of England falsly supposed to be pretended sollicited by the Catholyks touching the late enterprise of the King of Spayne in Ireland Also concerning sir VVilliam Stanley and the Iesuits calumniated by the lybellers CHAP. 1. Concerning father Parsons in particular and that the extreame malice that the heretyks beare him is an euident argument of his great vertue CHAP. 2. That the Catholykes are persecuted martyred now in England for the same causes that the martyrs dyed in the primatiue Churche and of the great iniustice donne to two Priests condemned at Lincolne by Iudge Glanduile CHAP. 3. Of the impudeÌ„cy of a minister who being present at the death of the two martyrs aforesaid affirmed publykly that our country was conuerted by saynt Augustin the monk to the protestants religion by occasion where-of the truth of that poynt is euidently declared CHAP. 4. Of the first conuersion of our country whyles it was called Britany in the tyme of King Lucius with euideÌ„t proofes that our Catholyk fayth was then preached and planted there CHAP. 5. The same is coÌ„firmed proued out of Gildas the sage Ca. 6. Certayne poynts of controuersy are discussed whereby it is proued that King Lucius receiued our Catholyke fayth and first of the Popes supremacy in Ecclesiasticall causes CHAP. 7. That our Sauiour made S. Peter supreme head of the churche CHAP. 8. That the successors of saynt Peter to wit the Bishops of Rome succeed him in the supremacy of the Churche CHAP. 9. That the Bishops of Rome exercised supreme autority in the tyme of King Lucius CHAP. 10. The matter of holy Images is debated and the vse thereof proued to haue ben in the Churche of God euer since our Sauiours tyme. Chap. 11. The commandment of God touching Images is explicated the practise of the Churche declared Chap. 12. Concerning the relicks of saynts and the reuerend vse thereof Chap. 13. That our doctrin concerning the sacrifice of the Masse was generaly receiued and beleeued in the tyme of King Lucius and first that it was foretold and prophecyed by Malachias Chap. 14. That not only the sacrifice of Melchisedech but also all the sacrifices of the old law were figures of the sacrifice of the masse and are changed into the same and by the way is declared the necessity of sacrifice as wel for common welth as for religion Chap. 15. That our Sauiour Christ instituted and offred at his last supper the sacrifice of his blessed body and blood proued by his owne woords by the expositions of the Fathers with a declaration how he is sacrificed in the masse and lastly that he gaue commission and power to his Disciples to offer his body and blood in sacrifice that is to say to say the Masse Chap. 16. That the Apostles practised the commission geuen them by our Sauiour sacrificing or saying Masse them-selues and leauing the vse and practise thereof vnto the Churche that the ancient Fathers not only in King Lucius tyme but also for all the first 500. yeares afeer Christ taught it to bee a true sacrifice and propitiatory for the liuing for the dead Chap. 17 An answere to the obiections of our aduersaries out of S. Paules epistle to the Hebrewes with a declaration that the heretyks of this tyme that abolish the sacrifice of the Masse haue not the new testameÌ„t of Christ and that they shew themselues to be most pernicious enemies of humain kynd Chap. 18.
open iniustices donne vnto vs in this kynd for yf this had beene the first we should haue had lesse cause to complayne this might haue passed the better vncōtrold as many others of lyke sort haue donne but seing this māner of proceeding against vs is now so vsual in England that it is growne to a common practise and therby much guyltles blood shed many innocent men slaundered many weake scandalized the simple abused and deceyued the true cause of our suffring obscured and our religion defamed no reasonable man can blame me I hope if vpon so iust an occasion as the defence of my brethren our common cause and my selfe that am more perticularly interessed in this matter then many others I lance a litle this long festring sore to the end that the malignitie therof being discouered it may receyue some cure and remedie through your Lordships wisedomes whome yt importeth and in whose hands yt resteth to remedie the same For this purpose may it please yow to consider that ther is such a symphathy betwixt persecution calumniation as they are euer lightly found to concurre and go accompagned for besyds that calumniation is of it self a kynd of persecution we neuer read that Gods Churche was euer persecuted but his seruants were calumniated slaundred in which respect our Sauiour fore warning his Apostles Disciples of the persecutions that they were to suffer armeth them no lesse against slaunderous and calumnious tongues then against other furious assaultes of his their enemies saying happy are yow when men shal rayle vpon yow and persecute yow speak all euil of yow belying yow for my sake and after exhorting them to pray for their persecutours insinuateth also the concurrence of calumniatours saying pray for them that persecute and caluminiate yow and S. Paule speaking of persecution raysed against him the rest of the Apostles sayth we are cursed and we blesse we are persecuted and we indure yt we are blasphemed and wee beseech This wil be also more manifest yf we consider the nature and propertie of the cheife persecutour of Gods Churche whose armes and instruments all other persecutours are I meane the deuil himselfe who being as the Scripture sayth a lyer and the father of lyes yea and a slaunderer in which respect he is called Diabolus which signyfieth nothing els in the greeke tongue but a calumniatour can no more forbeare to lye and slaunder then the dog to bark when he is augrie or the snake to hisse and therfore whēsoeuer by Gods permission he maketh warre against the Churche he employeth his instruments no lesse to slander and calumniate Gods seruants then corporally to afflict and persecute them Hereof the experience hath beene seene in all the persecutions aswel of our Sauiour himself as of his Apostles infinite other Martyrs whensoeuer the Churche hath beene persecuted eyther by Infidels or heretyks our Sauiour was slaūdered to be a seducer of the people to woork by the deuil to be enemie to Caesar to hinder the paying of his tribute and lastly to make himself a King S. Paule was falsly charged with prophaning the Temple with sowing sedition stirring vp the people to rebellion and many other such lyke odious and greiuous matters S. Stephen the first Martyr was stoned to death vpon the testimonie of false witnesses that were suborned to accuse him of blasphemy against God and Moyses In lyke sort in the persecutions vnder Nero Dioclesian Antonius others the Chrystians were put to death vnder colour that they had set a fyre the citie of Rome killed sacrifised children eaten mānes flesh stirred vp the people to seditiō against the Emperours and their Gods and religion The Arrian heretikes in Greece accused S. Athanasius to be a whore maister a witche and a traytour The Vandales that were also Arrians in Africk kylled the Catholykes there vnder pretence that they had secret intelligence with the Romans against their state and gouermēt as we are now and lastly the Emperesse Theodora wyfe to Iustiniā the Emperour did cruelly persecute S. Siluerius Pope of Rome and all his cleargie obiecting falslie against them that they had written to the Gothes to inuite them to inuade the Roman Empyre and other lyke calumniations wherby to spil their blood with lesse admiratiō and repugnance of the common people In all which it is to be noted that as S. Gregorie Nazianzen sayd of Iulian the Apostata when he persecuted the Christians the enemies of Gods Churche endeuoured by all subtyle crafty meanes to procure that they which suffred for Christs cause should be punished as wicked and facinorous men yea and to make them and their religion more odious to all they slaundered them commonly with matters pernicious and daungerous to all as with treason against the Prince and State so that whilest they were punished as publyke enemies neyther fauoured nor pittied by any their persecutors had free scope to discharge all their furie vpon them without contradiction This hauing beene alwayes the custome and practise of the enemies of the Christian and Catholyke fayth which we professe yt is no marueil though those which impugne the same in England in these our dayes prouoked or rather possessed by the same spirit of lyes and calūniations that their praedecessours were do hold the same course that they haue donne partly slaundering vs with such deuised matter as this of Squyre which neuer had essence or being in rerum natura but only in imagination and fiction of the deuisers and partly ordayning lawes and statutes wherby some principal points of Catholyke Religion or els some necessarie consequence exercise and issue therof being made treason many may be intrapped within some shew of offence against these lawes and statutes whervpon agayne yt enseweth that the common people who hold for Gospel all that our English parlament enacteth and haue not the capacitie to discerne betwixt a true and a fayned treason hearing that the Catholykes are alwayes put to death as traytours whome they vnderstand to be none but such as commit some heynous crymes against the Prince or state are brought to imagyn that all Catholyks are perturbers and enemies of the common wealth and that their religion is not the common and general religion of Christendome or that ancient fayth in which all their forefathers liued and dyed and our Realme florished so many hundred yeares together but rather some particuler and pestilent opinion of some sect sprong vp of late that cannot stand with the safety of Kinges and Princes nor with the quietnes of their states And verely I dare say that such of the common sorte as are not aboue 40. yeares of age and neuer saw Catholyke tymes in England and haue heard of so many executions of trayterous papists as we are tearmed do think Papistery to be nothing els but a very compact of treason or perhaps vnderstand that Papist and
of their primacy in causes ecclesiastical Seing then your religion so far as it is distinct from others hath no other ground then reason of state I doubt not but yf the matter were wel examined what God they beleeued in that persuaded her Ma tie therto or yow and your fellowes that manitayne it vpon the same reason and by such vnchristian practises as yow do yow would be found to be coÌ„preheÌ„ded in the third diuisioÌ„ of varro who said that 3. kynds of men had three different kynds of Gods the Poëts one the Philosophers an other and statists or Polityks a third that euery one of them had a different religion according to the difference of their Gods as that the religion of the Poets was fabulous the other of the Philosophers natural the third of the Statists polityke and accomodated to gouernment And this is that which yow professe For the God yow beleeue in is the Prince your scriptures are the actes of Parliament your religion is to conserue the state persas uefas and therfore as all good Christians do measure the reason of state by religion which is the true rule and the end therof and from the which it cannot in reason dissent or disagre so yow on the other syde reduce and frame religion to your fals reason of state and by that meanes peruert all the order both of nature and grace preferring the body before the soule temporal things before spiritual humayn before deuine earth before heauen the world before God and which is more yow subiect both earth heauen body soule the world yea God and all to the priuate pleasure and profit of the Prince as though he were the end the Lord and God of all the world and of nature it self whervpon ensew those monstrous pollicies which wee fee fraught with all frand hipocrisy periuries slauÌ„ders murders and all kynd of cruelty oppression and impiety which haue ruined infinite Kinges with their countries Kingdomes and what they wil bring our poore country vnto in the end tyme wil tel wherto I remit me for as the Italian prouerb sayth La vita il sine â—l di lâ—da La sera the end prayseth the lyfe and the euening the day OF THE TRVE CAVSES OF more moderation vsed in the beginning then afterwards of the difference made by the Lawes betwixt Seminarie and I Mary priests CHAP. XXIII BVt to proceed in your obseruations you go forward to geue example that there is moderation vsed in ecclesiastical causes where matter of state is not mixt with religion saying for els I would gladly learne what should make the difference the temper of the lawes in the first yeare of the Queene and in the 23. and 27. but that at the one tyme they were papists in conscience and at the other they were growne papists in faction or what should make the difference at this day in law betwixt a Queene Marie priest a Seminary priest saue that the one is a priest of suspition and the other a priest of sedition Hereto I answere that because you say you would gladly learne and that I take yow to be of a good wit and docile I wil take paynes to teach you this poynt that you say you would so fayne learne Know you therfore that there were diuers causes of more moderation and lenity vsed for some yeares in the beginning then afterwards yet not those which you speak of and so you shew your self eyther ignorant or malitious in both The first an ordinary rule of state which those great statists that procured this change could not neglect I meane in case of innouation to vse no suddayne violence but to proceed by degrees especially in matter of religion which is seldome changed without tumult and trouble wherof they had seene the experience in the tymes of both the kings Henry and Edward therfore they had great reason to water their wyne at the beginning and to vse moderation at least for some yeares vntil the state and gouernment were setled The second cause was the doctrine of your owne gospellers in Q. Maryes tyme who because some of their folowers were burnt for heresy according to the Canons and lawes of the Churche cryed out that they were persecuted and published in their bookes and sermons that faith ought to be free and not forced that therfore it was against all conscience to punish or trouble men for their religion in which respect the authors of the change that serued themselues of them in the ecclesiastical and pastoral dignityes could not for shame at the very first vse the bloody proceeding which afterwards they did though neuerthelesse they forbore not in the very beginning to imprison and otherwise to afflict all Bishops and cheif pastours and such others as would not subscribe come to their Churches for the which cause I remember that besydes a great number of ecclesiastical and temporal persons some of my owne kindred and familie were called to London and imprisoned in the second yeare of her Maiesties raigne and so remayned prisoners many yeares after The third cause was the vayne hope that those polityks had that a religion so sensual and ful of liberty as theirs authorized with the power of the Prince vpholden with lawes promulgate with all artifice of writers preachers and perswaders would easely within a fewe yeares infinuate it self into the hartes of all men especially of the youth wherby they made accompte that the elder sort being worne out there would be within a fewe yeares litle memorie or none at all left of Catholike religion but when they saw after some yeares experience how much they were deceiued of their expectation and that through the zealous endeauours of the learned English Catholikes abroad learned bookes written Colledges Seminaryes erected priests made and sent in therby infinite numbers reduced to the vnity of the Catholike Churche not only of the schismatiks that fel at the first eyther by ignorance or for feare but also of the ProtestaÌ„ts themselues and amongst them euen many ministers and principal preachers and none sooner conuerted or more zealously affected to Catholike religion then the yongest and fynest wits wherwith our new Seminaryes beganne to be peopled when those statists I say saw this they thought it then tyme to bestyrre themselues and to persecute in good earnest and yet to do it in such sort as they might if it were possible auoyd the name suspition of persecutors both at home and abroad and therfore they vsed the same pollicy that Iulian the Apostata did of whom S. Gregory Nazianzenus writeth that he professed not externally his impiety with the courage that other persecutors his predecessours were wont to do neyther did he oppose himself against our faith lyke an Emperour that would gayne honour in shewing his might and power by open oppression of the Catholyks but made warre vpon them in a cowardly and base maÌ„ner couering
and for the constant profession of the Christian faith he receiued a glorious crowne of martyrdome wherin may be noted by the way how it pleased almighty God of his diuine prouidence to geue vs in our first martyr such a notable example of Christian fortitude charity in harboring a persecuted Priest and sauing his lyfe with the losse of his owne to the end that in the lyke cases and occasions which now dayly occur no terrour of temporal lawes nor pretence of treasons may withhold vs from vsing the lyke charity towards the Priests of God wherto our Sauiour Christ also inuiteth and incowrageth vs with promise of great reward saying he which receiueth a Prophet in the name of a prophet shal haue the reward of a Prophet and he which receiues a iust man in the name of a iust man shal haue the reward of a iust man But yf we consider the proceedings of the persecutors in those dayes wee shal fynd that the Christians were not only persecuted as traytors and in the same manner but also for the same poynts of religion that wee are persecuted now wherof I wil breefly represent vnto thee good reader an euideÌ„t exaÌ„ple to the end thou mayst the better iudge whether wee dy for religioÌ„ or no or whether there be any difference betwyxt the martirdome of the old Christians and of the Catholykes at this day Wee read in the ancient and Publyk records of the acts of the proconsuls of Africk vnder Dioclesian and Maxiâ—ian Emperours vnder whome saynt Alban was martyred that they made an edict wherin amongst other things they forbad vpon payne of death the blessed sacrifice of the masse which is called Dominicum in the sayd records therfore dominicum agere or celebrare is vnderstood there to celebrate masse and if our aduersaries maruel what warrant I haue so to expound it they shal vnderstaÌ„d that this woord Masse in English Missa in Latin vsed by ancient â—ouncels and Fathers aboue 1200. yeares agoe and deriued of the hebrew woord missah which signifyeth a voluntary sacrifice or oblation hath dyuers other names in the anâ—â—ent Fathers as in the greekes liturgia tremenda misteria crificium tremendum and in the Latins solemnia ablatio per saâ—â—rdotem cena Domini and to omit diuers other more ordinaâ—â— Dominicum as appeareth in saynt Cyprian who speaking of the sacrifice offred at the altar in remembrance and representation of the passion of Christ which wee cal the sacrifice of the masse tearmeth it sometymes sacrificium quod Christus obtulit sometymes ipsum nostra redemptionis Sacramentum c. somtymes only Dominicum saying nunquid post caenam dominicum celebramus that is to say do wee offer the sacrifice of the body of our Lord or do wee say masse after supper and this is euident by all his discours in that Epistle where he treateth principally of the blessed sacrifice and saith that Christ is buius sacrificij autor doctor the Autor and teacher of this sacrifice and that the Priest representing the person of Christ doth offer sacrificium verum plenum a true and ful sacrifice This then being presuposed it is to be vnderstood that certayne deuout Christians in Afrik being secretly assembled at masse were taken and brought before the proconsul Anulinus who examining them began with fayre woords to persuade them to haue care of their liues and to obey the commandment of the Emperours they answered spem salutemque Christianorum DominicuÌ„ esse that the masse is the hope and saluation of Christians and that therfore they could not forgoe it vpon which confession they were coÌ„demned to death amoÌ„gst rest there was one Emeritus in whose house masse had beÌ„ celebrated to whome the Proconsul sayd was the assembly made in thy house contrary to the commandement of the Emperours he answered yea why didst thou sayd the Proconsul suffer it I could quoth he do no lesse for that they are my brethren yea but thow oughtst to haue hindred it sayd the Proconsul I could not sayd the other for wee that be Christians sine Dominico esse non possumus cannot be without masse as though sayd the Proconcul thou art not bound to obey the edict of the Emperours God sayd the martyr is greater then the Emperours and ought more to be obeyed where vpon he was condemned and executed as the rest here now I aske our aduersaries whether these men were put to death for religion or no and whether it fareth not euen so with vs at this day as then it did with them For although the masse be not now made treason but a mony matter yet by a certayne consequent it is drawen within the compasse of treason for it cannot be celebrated without a priest the receiuing of whome is treason I meane a Seminary Priest there being now so few other in England yf ther bee any at all that the Catholykes must eyther receiue them with daunger of their liues or lack the necessary food of their soules which they hold more deare then lyfe as the old Christians also did But let vs compare breefly the proceedings of the persecutors in those tymes and these In the examination of those Christians the old persecutors would not content themselues with theyr confession that they were Christians so put them to death for their religion but sought to bring them within the compasse of their statute wee aske yow not say they whether yow bee Christians but whether yow haue hard masse contrary to the coÌ„maundment of the Emperours the lyke is donne now with vs for it suffiseth not our persecutors that wee confesse our religion as that wee are Catholykes but they examine vs whether wee haue heard masse whether we haue ben reconcyled by a Priest or whether the Queene bee supreme head of the Churche and such lyke therby to draw vs within the compasse of the lawes that they may put vs to death vnder colour of treason Furthermore the old Christians sayd for their iust defence that they being Christians could not be without masse and we now say the same that wee cannot forgo absolution of our sinnes nor other spiritual comforts to be receiued at the hands of Priests only to this our persecutors reply as the others did that it is against the lawes and statutes of her Maiesty we answere with the old ChristiaÌ„s God is aboue all Kings and his law aboue all lawes Et portet magis obedire Deo quam hominibus we must rather obey God then men neuerthelesse we are condemned for disobedience to the lawes as the old Christians were and dyed they for religion and not wee were they martyrs and not wee were their enemies persecuters of Gods Churche not ours the cause is one the self same the proceedings lyke no difference in the issue breach of lawes and treason is pretended but
religion condemned and therfore as the whole Churche hath hetherto held and honored those old Christians for glorious martyrs so doth it now at this day and euer wil esteeme these other for no lesse as I haue shewed in my Apology more at large and therfore I wil proceed to speak a woord or two of the great iniustice donne since my Apology was writteÌ„ to two priests called M. Hunt and M. Sprat condemned and excuted at Lincolne in the yeare 1600. These two being taken in a search and confessing themselues only to be Catholykes were first imprisoned and then shortly after indited for hauing conspyred and practised the death of her Maiesty mooued her subiects to rebelion withdrawne them from theyr natural and due obedience and from the religion now established in England to the Roman fayth and finally for hauing mayntayned the autority of the Pope of all which poynts no one touching matter of state was proued against them no witnesse being produced nor so much as the least presumption of any attempt or coÌ„spiracy against her maiestyes person or state or that rhey had persuaded any man to the Catholyk religion ot sayd any thing in fauour of the Popes autority more then that which they answered to the captious question of the Queenes supremacy demaunded of them there after their apprehension lastly it was not so much as proued that they were Priests which though they denied not yet they did not confesse but put it to tryal vrging to haue it proued by witnesses or other sufficient arguments whereas there was none at all but light presumtioÌ„s therof as that there was found in thir males two breuiares which many lay men vse as wel as Priests and a few relicks and some holy oyle which they might haue carried for other mennes vse not their owne so that to conclude of all those great treasons whereof they were indited there was no one proued except the matter of the Queenes supremacy which is a meere poynt of religion as I am sure the puritans in England and all other heretykes abroad wil witnesse with vs who impugne the same as wel as wee and yet neither by the verdit of the Iury nor yet by the senteÌ„ce of the Iudge were they cleared of any one point but condemned for all as though they had bin guilty of all and so in truth executed for matter of religion though slandred with matter of state whereby their martyrdome was far more glorious the malice of our aduersaries more manifest the iniury donne vnto them vnexcusable the sinne of the Iudges and Iury most execrable which sufficiently appeared by the iustice of God extended vpon Iudge Glanduile who had shewed an extraordinary malice and fury agaynst them and was therfore as wel may bee presumed within a few dayes after strooken by the hand of God in such miraculous manÌ„er as the rest may take example therby yf their harts be not indurat And besydes these late martyrs before rehearsed M. Tichborne M. Fr. Page and M. R. Watkinson were arraigned condemned at London for beeing made Priestes beyond the seas and coming into England contrary to the statute were executed at Tiburne the 20. of April this present yeare 1602. beeing there not suffred to declare the truth of their cause and suffrance And this was donne euen at such tyme as hope was both giuen and conceaued of a more mylder cours of proceeding towards Catholykes then heretofore It is moste grieuous to consider how M. Tichborne by one of his owne cote was betrayed and apprehended almighty God vouchsafe to restore to that wretched man so great grace as he fel from in the dooing of that acte M. Page and M. Watkinson were apprehended in the tyme of the sessions the one by a wicked woman suborned to dissemble religion for such purposes the other by one Bomer who hauing late before playd the dissembling hypocrite spy at Doway returned into England there to become the disciple of his master Iudas At the same sessions was condemned for fellony and also executed one Iames Ducket a Catholyke lay man and another lay man with him about a treatise written by a martyr diuers yeares since concerning the cause of Catholyke sufferers OF THE IMPVDENCIE OF a minister who being present at the death of two martyrs aforesayd affirmed publykly that our country was conuerted by saynt Augustin the monke to the protestants religion by occasion whereof the truth of the poynt is euidently declared CHAP. IIII. I Can not omit to say somewhat here of the notable impudency of a foolish minister who being present at the death of the two martyrs at Lincolne aforenamed and hearing one of theÌ„ declare vnto the people his innoceÌ„cy protesting amongst other things that he dyed only for the profession of the Catholyke fayth to the which our country was conuerted from paganisme in the tyme of Pope Gregory the great was not ashamed to say publykly that the religion now taught preached there is the same wherto England was first conuerted And although I hold not this minister for a man of that woorth that he may merit my labour or any mans els seriously to confute his ydle babling yet for as much as the same hath bin oft published and preached by many others and many ignorant abused therby and seing the narration of our first conuersion may no lesse profit and edify the vnlearned reader with the testimony of the truth then content and delyte him for the pleasure of the history I wil breefly treat first of the coÌ„uersion of the Saxons or English in the tyme of King Edelbert and after of the conuersion of the Britains in the tyme of King Lucius euidently proue that our Catholyke faith was preached and planted in our country at both tymes and that our Kings and country continued euer after the latter conuersion in the obedience of the Church of Rome vntil the tyme of K. Henry the eyght It appeareth by our chronicles and histories that in the yere of our Lord 582. according to S. Bedes computation S. Gregory surnamed the great the first of that name sent into England saynt Augustin a monke with diuers others of his profession to preach the Christian fayth to the English and that they came thither bearing a siluer crosse for their banner and the Image of our Lord and sauiour as saynt Bede saith paynted in a table and hauing leaue of King Edelbert to preach to his subiects began first the exercyse of Christian Catholyk religion in the citty of Canterbury in an ancient Chutch which they found there dedicated to S. Martin from the tyme that the Romans liued there in which Church ipsi primo sayth saynt Bede conueâ—ire Psaâ—lâ—re orare missas facere praedicare baptizare coeperunt they first began to assemble themselues to sing to pray to say masse to preach and baptise vntil the King being conuerted they had â—eaue to buyld some Churches and
doing other workes of deuotion as I declared before he addeth mansit haec Christi capitis membrorum consonantia suauis donec Arriana perfidia c. this sweet consonance or agreement of the members of Christ the head remayned vntil the Arrian heresy spread her poyson there and although he insinuat as saynt Bede also doth that afterwards the people became new fangled and embraced other heresyes meaning no dout the Pelagian heresy which as I haue shewed before out of S. Bede was quickly extinguished there yet afterwards he signifieth playnly that neither the Arrian nor Pelagian nor any other heresy took root in Britany and that the Churche was cleare therof after the coÌ„ming in of the Saxons about the tyme of his byrth which was in the yere of our Lord 594. for speaking of the tyme and of the ouerthrow geuen by Ambrosius Aurelianus to the Saxons and Picts and of the great slaughter of them shortly after at blackamore in York-shire which as Polidore supposeth is called in Gildas mons Badonicus he sayth that the people hauing noted the punishment of God vpon them for their sinnes and his mercy in giuing them afterwards so greate victories ob hoc reges publici priuati sacerdotes ecclesiastics suum quique ordinem seruauerunt for this cause saith hee the Kings and others as wel publik as priuat personâ—â— Priests and ecclesiastical men did euery one their dutyes and although he declare presently after that by the extreame negligence of their Kings and gouernours ecclesiastical and temporal which immediatly succeded greate corruption was entred at the same tyme that he wrote yet it is euident ynough in him that it was not corruption of fayth but of manners as pryd ambition dissolutioÌ„ of lyfe droÌ„kenesse lying periury tyranny in the Kings simony couetousnesse in the clergy sildome sacrifices breach of vowes of chastity and of monastical lyfe profaning of altars and such lyke for the which he threatneth and as it were prophesyeth the vtter destruction of Britany which shortly after followed so that amongst other things which he was persuaded brought the plague of God vpon our country we see he taxed certayne customes peculiar to our aduersaries and the proper fruits of their religion tending only to the ouerthrow of ours therfore it playnly appeareth that ours was then in vre and receiued detriment by those who though they were not protestants in profession yet were protestants in humour and condition I meane profaners of Altars and holy things breakers of vowes of chastity and Apostatats from religious and monastical lyfe such as Luther and many of his followers haue ben since And now to come to later tymes after Gildas yf we consider the relicks of Christian religion which saynt Augustine found in Britany amongst other things the great monastery of Bangor wherein were aboue two thowsand monks it wil be manifest that the ancient religion of the Britains was our Catholike fayth for although in the space of a hundreth seuenty and three yeres that passed from the comming in of the Saxons vntil their conuersion the Britain Church was not only much decayed but also had receiued some aspersion of erronious and euil customes yet in fayth and opinion they diffred not from S. Augustine insomuch that he offred to hold communion with them if they would concurre with him in three things only the first in the tyme of celebrating the feast of easter the second in the manner of administring the sacrament of Baptisme and the third in preaching the faith to the Saxons all which the monkes of Bangor refused vpon no better reason then for that S. Augustine did not ryse to them when they came to the synod condemning him therefore to be a proud man notwithstanding that he had restored a blynd man to sight by his prayers in the presence of all the Bishops and clergy of Britany who vndertooke to do the lyke in confirmation of their customes but could not performe it Therfore as saynt Bede reporteth S. Augustine did foretel to the sayd Monkes of Bangor that seing they would not haue peace with their brethren they should haue warre with their enemies and yf they would not preach vnto the English nation the way of lyfe they should by their hands receiue reuenge of death which after was truly fulfilled for Edelfrid a pagan King of NorthumberlaÌ„d killed a thousand two hundred Monkes of that monastery at one tyme by the iust iudgement of God as saynt Bede sayth for their obstinacy Thus much for this matter wherby thou mayst see good reader that saynt Augustine found in wales amongst the Britains the same religion faith in substance that he then preached to the English or Saxons and which we Catholykes stil professe which being considered with that which I haue proued before concerning the continual practise therof in the primatiue Church of Britany whyles the same was in purity and integrity no man that hath common sence can dout that the same fayth was deliuered by Pope Eleutherius to King Lucius and generally professed throughout Christendom at those dayes in which respect we fynd honorable mention and testimony of the faith of the Britains in the Fathers both Greekes and Latins from the tyme of their conuersion as in Tertulian in K. Lucius tyme and in Origen presently after in S. Athanasius and S. Hilarius in the tyme of the Arrians of which two the first testifieth that the Bishops of Britany came to the councel of Sardica and the other commendeth the Britan Church for reiecting the Arrian heresy as I haue noted before also in S. Chrisostome and saynt Hierom who commendeth the deuotion of the Britans that came to Bethlem in pilgrimage in his dayes about the same tyme that the Saxons entred into Britany CERTAINE POINTS OF CONTROUERSY are discussed wherby it is prooued that King Lucius receiued our Catholyke fayth and first of the Popes supremacy in Ecclesiastical causes CHAP. VII BVT to the end that this vndouted truth may be cleared of all dout I wil ioyne Issue with our aduersaries vpon some two or three poynts now in controuersy betwyxt vs and them and breefly proue that the doctrin that we teach concerning the same was publykly held for truth throughout Christendome in King Lucius dayes and that therfore he could receiue no other then the same from the Church of Rome and this I vndertake the more willingly for that albeit all matters of controuersy haue ben very learnedly and sufficiently handled yea and whole volumes written of them by our English Catholykes in the beginning of her maiestyes raygne yet by reason of the strayt prohibition of the sayd bookes there are an infinit number in England especially of the younger sort that neuer saw the same to whome I desyre to giue in this treatyse at least some litle tast of the truth of our Catholyke religion so farre as my determined breuity wil permit First