do follow the prophane peruersitie of Eutiches condemned in the late Councel gathered at Calcedon and do not so beleeue in all poyntes of fayth as the 318. holy Fathers of the Nicene Councel VVho are heretykes by the sentence of auncieÌ„t Christian Emperors An Domini 457. and as the 150. venerable Bishops gathered together in the Councel of Constantinople or the other two councels folowing of Ephesus or Calcedon sciant se eâ—ie haereticos c. let them know that they are heretikes This decree made Valentinian and Martian Emperors of the east and west nyne and twenty yeares after the former decree And the like made the Emperor Maximilian after the late Councel of Trent against all kynd of Protestants LutheraÌ„s ZuingliaÌ„s Anabaptists Caluinists and the like condemned by the said Councel so as the same reason that moued Valentinian and Marcian almost 1200. yeares agoe to proclame them heretiques that were condemned by the Councel of Calcedon in their dayes wherin Leo primus B. of Rome had the chiefe hand and confirmed the same The same I say moued Maximilian the Emperor of our dayes to proclame for heretiques all protestants condemned in the Councel of Trent gathered in his tyme by like authoritie as that of Calcedon was but yet let vs see one deduction furder Of what religion think yow were these Emperors that made these lawes against those heretikes or what communion were they of for by this we shal see who they were whom they condemned Did these Emperors then agree with the Church and religion of Rome and acknowledged that for the cheefe and head church of Christianity and the Bishops therof to be head Pastors For if they did then condemned they such as did not the same then or do not thesame now This poynt then let vs explayne good reader and therby also learne the sutle shifting of this shuffling Minister Truly the first decree of al Iustinians Code which is a collection of all Christian Emperors decrees being of Gratian The religion of Gratian Valentinian Theodosius Valentinian and Theodosius whose first words are Cunctos populos c. Doth appoynt and command all Christian people both of the Roman and Greeke Empyre to follow the fayth and religion of the Roman Church deliuered to them by S. Peter and continued vnto that day which say they Damasus the Bishop of that Citty doth follow as also Peter Bishop of Alexandria whosoeuer did not follow this vnity of Religion should be counted infamous heretikes This is the substance of that first decree which being so tel me now if this doth touch our protestants or no who can abyde neyther Roman B. nor Roman Religion Thesame three Emperors in an other Decree do describe vnto vs what manner of heretikes they would haue punished Leg. omnes de haerer lib. â— Coâ— tit 5. in these words Haereticorum vocabulo continentur latis aduersus eos sanctionibus debents succumbere qui vel leui argumento à iudicio Catholicae religionis tramite detecti fuerint deuiare VVho are truly heretiâ—es Those are heere called heretiques and to be punished by our lawes made against them whosoeuer shal be detected to dissent and disagree euen in any smal matter from the iudgment and path of Catholike religion Thus say they And seing in their first Decree they do declare that the Roman religion vnder Pope Damasus was the only Catholike religion to be folowed it is easely seene whether Protestants or Papists at this day be comprehended vnder these penal lawes made against heretikes or no And finally that we may see by one Emperors playne decree what religion they were of and of what society and communion and whom they accompted true Catholikes and whom heretikes yow must know that in the fore-said Code of Iustinian there is a letter of Iohn the first B. of Rome written to the said Emperor Iustinian whose tytle is this Gloriosissimo clementâ—ssimo filio Iustiniano Ioannes Episcopus vrbis Romae c. wherein among other prayses which the Pope geueth him one principal was that notwithstanding he was Emperour of Constantinople and that some emulation now began in that Empyre against the Citty of Rome yet he persisted in his Catholike due obedience to the said Church of Rome head of all other Churches amore fidei sayth he chaeritatis studio Cod. lib. 1. leg inter claras tit â— edocti Ecc is disciplinis Romanae sedis reuerentiam conseruatis ei cuncta subijcitis ad eius deducitis vnitatem ad cuius authorem hocest Apostolorum primum Domino loquente praeceptum est pasce oues meas quam esse omnium verè Ecclesiarum caput Patrum regulae principum statuta declarant pietatis vestrae reuerendissimi testantur affatus c. Yow being moued by the loue of faith studie of charitie wel instructed in the discipline of the Church do continue your reuerence to the Roman sea and do subiect all other therunto bringing them to the vnity of this Churche to whose fouÌ„der the first of all the Apostles Christ gaue this precept feed my sheepe which Churche as wel the rules 10.21 and traditions of ancient Fathers as the decrees of former Christian Princes haue declared to be truly the head of all other Churches And the same do testifie your Maiesties most reuerent speeches and behauiour towards the same This wrote the Pope to him which letter he putting into his said Code or book of Statutes as a most honorable monument answered the same and made a decree theron which beginneth thus Victor Iustinus pius faelix Imperator c. Ioanni S mo Archiepiscopo Alme Vrbis Romae Cod. ibid. leg nos reddentes lib. 1. tit 3. Patriarchae c. Nos reddentes honorem Apostolica sedi vestri Sanctitati c. We rendering due honor to the sea Apostolike and to your Holinesse which alwayes we haue desyred as becometh to a Father we haue endeauored in honour of your beatitude to bring to the knowledge of your Holines all things that do appertayne to the state of all Churches for that it hath byn alwayes our study to keepe and conserue the vnity of your Apostolike sea and of the holy Churches of God which vnity hath alwayes hitherto perseuered immouable without any contrariety and consequentlie we haue byn careful to subiect and vnite all priests of the whole east couÌ„tryes to the sea of your Holines Thus beginneth he his decree which is ouer loÌ„g to be here all inserted but any man may read it wherin the Emperor with great humility and affection professeth his due subiection and of al his Empyre to the Church of Rome naming her in expresse wordes Caput omnium Ecclesiarum head of all other Churches and that whatsoeuer doctryne is different from the doctryne of this Church is heretical by which rule he condemneth for heretikes in this and in two other that follow immediatly and
are extant in the Code both in Greeke and Latyn Nestorius Leg. eum recta â—eruâ—torem ibid. Euthichâ—s Apollinaris as dissenting from the Roman Church and Bishops therof Now then let the reader iudge whether these lawes of the Emperors made against heretikes do touch vs or protestants And so much of this second poynt The third poynt also touching S. Augustine his approuing S. Augustin alleaged by O. E. against himself and commending much these Emperors for punishing heresyes for making lawes against heretikes is altogither for vs in like manner and fully against protestants August lib. 1. contr Ep. Parmâ—n cap. 6. 10. ep 62. 166. Aug. ep 4â— ad Vincent for that S. Augustine dealing specially in this pointe against the Donatists Circumcellians who denyed the visible Church dispersed ouer the whole world and restrayned it to their sect only in Africa as euery sect of our Protestants doth at this day to the particuler place and Society where they liue it is easely seene who were heretikes and who to be punished by S. Augustines opinion to wit those that do rise vp against the vniuersal knowne and visible Church of their tyme do condemne it or are condemned by it and let Sir minister bring but one example to the contrarie in any age from Christ to Luther and it shal be sufficient to wit that any man condemned by the general knowne and visible Church of his tyme for an heretike was not held and taken for such by any of that tyme or any tyme after that was not an heretike himselfe let Oules eie I say spie but one exaÌ„ple of this out of all antiquitie and it shal be sufficieÌ„t Wherfore to end all his matter about Imperial lawes for punishing of heretikes and approuing therof both by the Apostle and by S. Augustine which yet other Protestants hitherto did neuer vrge as this witles minister doth let the reader marke this firme deduction and playne demonstration all those foresaid Christian and Catholike Emperors so much comended by S. Augustine and other Fathers following after him to wit Gratian Valentinian Theodosius Marcian Arcadius Honorius Iustinian and others A manifest deduction demonstration against nevv sectaties that made lawes against heretikes they held the Roman religion in their dayes to be the Catholike and true Christian religion though diuers of them were of the Greeke Church and Empyre They professed the Bishops of Rome to be the heads and cheife leaders of this vniuersal and visible Catholike Church as before hath byn shewed by the example of Gratian ValeÌ„tiniaÌ„ Theodosius to Pope Damasus of Arcadius Honorius Theodosius the second S. Augustine Pope Innocentius primus and of Iustinian to Pope Iohn the first and consequeÌ„tlie they pronounced for heretikes all those that did rise vp apart vnder particuler Authors differing in opinions from this vniuersal church as Arrians Donatists Montanists and the like This vniuersal visible and external Church hath endured euer since vnder Popes and Emperors and other gouernors of Christianitie vntil the tyme of Pope Leo the tenth and his successors and of Emperors Ferdinand Charles the fifth Maximilian and their followers when Luther began to brake out from that Church and against that Church and others following his example since that tyme. Now then I would aske by what equity or reason this later brood comming forth of this Church and rebelling against it can cal those men heretikes that remayned in the fayth of the foresaid Church and moreouer wil say that they must be punished by the same lawes that the foresaid Catholike Emperors made against those that impugned that Churche This I say I would haue our new Oedipus to answere and in the meane space the discrete reader may consider how it can be answered by him so blush for him that hath not byn ashamed to bring in so cleare a conuiction against himselfe One onely sillie shift or pettie cauil this minister perhaps may run vnto as dyuers of his fellowes are wont with a brasen affirming that the visible Catholike and Roman Church when Luther began was not the same that it was when those Emperors made those lawes but theÌ„ I would aske him when it changed and how and by what meanes so great a body so generally planted so strengthened and fortifyed not only by Gods spirite but also by learned men Doctors Councels in euery age could come to be changed and perish without testimony of any one wryter or historiographer without noyse coÌ„tention or contradiction of any The Emperors are knowne that liued and raigned in this meane space and except two or 3. as Leo the third called Isaurus and his sonne Constantine the fifth surnamed Capronius which fel into heresyes and were noted and condemned by the same Churche all the rest liued and dyed in one Religion of their ancestors The Popes also from Ioannes primus before mentyoned to whom Iustinian the Emperor wrote his decree vnto Leo decimus wheÌ„ Luther begaÌ„ne are in nuÌ„ber about 17c all of one religion nor can it be shewed that any one Pope impugned his predecessor in matters of fayth This demonstration is as cleare then as that 3. and 4. do make 7. for when Luther and Lutherans began their new sects A most â—leere palpable demoÌ„stration our Churche was held for the only Catholike and true Churche of christendome and so did both Luther Zuinglius and Caluin hold it also before they fel when the one was a Fryer the other two Priests and all three said Masse how then by their falling from it the said church should be made no church and their new congregations to be the only true Cathol Church and that they should come now to-call themselues Catholikes and vs heretikes and that we should be punished for heretikes by the former Imperial lawes made against themselues and their lyke this I say is a mysterie and metamorphosis that passeth the reach of all sober men and none but mad heads can eyther say it or beleeue it for that by the same argument may English Puritanes at this day which is a yonger brood of protestaÌ„ts as yow know in our country taking some port or towne in England fortifying themselues therin cal Parlament Protestants to account saying as they do that they are the elder church and that they wil punish parlament Protestants with the same Parlament lawes which Protestants made of purpose to punish them But I am ouerlong in a matter so cleare and therfore I craue pardon of thee good reader and wil here end and so much the rather for that I am to handle this poynt more at large afterward against O. E. in his new chalenge to wit who be heretikes and who be not for that he wil needs take vpon him to defend this mad desperate paradox that papists be heretikes protestants Catholikes but I think we shal shake him out of his clouts when he cometh to that combat
Bernard others hath in part byn seene but wil more appeare in the other incounters following especially the second and seauenth The other shifts also of repeating againe often the things before answered as though they had neuer byn answered of accusing others for excusing him-self of running behynd the cloath of â—tate thrusting her Ma ties person and gouernment betwene him his aduersary his bold impudent assertions of things manifestly knowne to be false as that the puritans and protestants are all one and that there is no difference of religion betwene them Admonition and conclusion and other such lyke all these poynts I say haue byn sufficiently layd open before as they fel out nor need they any new repetition here againe but rather admonition to wit that the K t. would with some indiffereÌ„cy coÌ„sider of these points and enter into contemplation of a good conscience remeâ—bring rather his eternal good theÌ„ his teÌ„poral honour and therwithal these words of S. Augustine to Iulian. Aug. cont Iul. lib. 5.6.7 Etst coram hominibus sit dura frons tua erubescat saltem coram Deo mens tua Albeyty our forehead be hard and blush â—ot before men yet let yow mynd at least blush before God which were noe lesse wholsome then holy counsel for him yf he would follow yt And this was my exhortation and Warn-word to S. F. before I saw the supplement of his proctor O. E. which being much more shamelesse bytter and false then any thing vttered by the K t. I was tempted to take this sentence of S. Augustine from him and bestow yt vpon the minister but in the end I resolued to leaue yt common to both and to the end yow may consider how fitly the foresaid sentence as wel of a shamelesse mynd as of a shamelesse forehead doth fal vpon the masked minister O. E. yow must remember how he hath behaued him-selfe in the former combat how euen at his very first calling vpon the stage he shewed vs a notorious cosening trik about falsifying a place of S. Augustine Vid. Cap. 3. Stechus Eugobinus in naming the Pope God and at his next goying vp he telleth certayne notorious lyes Cap. 13. which all the world cannot excuse adding ther-vnto a lyke falsification about the counsel of Lateran Cap. 15. his impudency also foolish inconstancy and contradiction to himself is to be remembred in his third admission to tel his tale further his egregious folly in setting downe his English rule of faith wherby he would exclude the a Cap. 16. in annot vpoÌ„ hiâ— epist. to the â—ead puritans and no lesse folly is discouered in alleadging Cath. Emperors decrees quite against himself And his grosse ignorance is laid forth by occasion of his argument Aâ—â—iones sunt suppositoruÌ„ therby to prooue that Catholyks receaue not their faith from the vniuersal Churche Finally his atheisme and irreligious iudgement is discouered and conuinced not only by that he saith the differences betwene Lutherans b Cap 17. Zwinglians Caluinists Puritanes not to be any essential points in matters of religioÌ„ but also by his coÌ„temptible speches of the first Doctors fathers of his owne religion especially yf any of those two books named by me before Cap 6 7. and wrytten against the Puritanes â— meane the Suruey of disciplinar Doctrine and Daungerous positions were written by him as some wil say wherin the whole story of the deformed Churche of Geneua by Caluyn VVickednes of Caluyn Pharellus Beza and others Pharellus Beza and others and their actions councels drifts and attempts about the same are so set downe and printed by publike authority in EnglaÌ„d that yf a man would study to describe notorious wicked men and catylines of their countrey without conscience he could not set it downe nor expresse it more liuely theÌ„ it is done in the foresaid books against the foresaid new prophets and their cheefest northen schollers to wit Iohn Knocks and his fellowes in Scotland and Goodman and his mates in EnglaÌ„d which argueth no faith or conscience in any of them but only to say and do for the tyme as the tyme serueth and as their proper lucar ease ambition and sensuality requireth and herby may be warned the discreet reader to look to his soule and saluation seing these men for them-selues do seeme to make that the last and least part of their care or cogitations feeding vs with many faire words of blessings but filling vs with myseryes The end of the first Encounter THE SECOND ENCOVNTER ABOVT FALSHOOD AND LYING OBIECTED TO SYR F. AND OF certayne absurd groundes and principles fayned by him to be in Catholyke doctrine And how he dischargeth him-self therof THE SVMME OF THAT which before was set downe betweene the watchman the warder CAP. I. AS in the former first Encounter the knight in his vaunt of vanitie VVatchvvord and vanitie therof height of heretical pryde went about to persuade vs yea to lay before our face the inestimable and innumerable blessings which our country for sooth had receyued by change of Catholyke religion into Protestancie so for better confirmation of this so loftie a dryft he took vpon him in this second Encounter to make declaration that in Queene Maries raygne and former tymes vnder Catholyke English Princes there was uothing els but darkenesse cloudes mistes shadowes ignorance blyndnes want of learning lack of light and other such calamities and miserable obscurities for proof wherof he setteth downe as it were by way of preface or preparation to his designed treatise certayne preambles forged by him-self as for example that the only desyre to read vpon the book of God the old or new testament was held for heynous heresie in former tymes so farre foorth that for this only act or desyre men were brandled to the slaughter and then passing further on to the depth of his discourse he setteth downe fower famous grounds or principles of Catholyke doctryne all put in order by him as most sure and consequent the one of the other which he calleth general grouÌ„ds and Maximes of our religion The first that ignorance is the mother of deuotion The second that lay men may not medle with matters of religion The third that the Pope and euery least masse-priest coÌ„ming froÌ„ him must be obeyed though he commaund that which is blasphemous before God The fourth that the Popes pardons are ready remedies for all synne among vs though neuer so greiuous euen immediatly committed against God him-self For answere of all which fancyes the Warder hauing made a competeÌ„t declaration to shew first how fond and ridiculous a maÌ„ner of proceding this was The VVarder his defence against the VVatchman the first parte and is in our K t. after so much folly and flatterie vttered in his former tale of blessings throughout the first EncouÌ„ter to enter now into so shameles a course of forging falsifying and lying for
and partaker of his golden purposes As for that which foloweth of recusant Catholikes that they do enioy their lands goods country and libertie notvvithstanding they are secretlie reconciled to the Pope and do adhere to her Maiesties enemyes as by a marginal note he sayth doth appeare by diuers letters of priests ready to be shevved Catholykes enioying their goodes and libertie for there enioying I would the ministers ioy were not greater in his benefices and then I doubt not but he would be more calme then now he is his hawty wyues hayre would soone grow through her french veluet hood but for their adhering to enemyes testified as he sayth by Priests letters we haue as litle reason to beleeue him against Priests not shewing their letters as they should haue to write any such vntruth which we beleeue not but take it as a stratageme deuised to set vs at diuision among our selues The whole discourse next ensuing is so bitter spiteful so ful of gore blood poyson as it needeth his visour of O. E. to vtter thesame for that the cunning compagnion though he be content to fawne and flatter be knowne vnderhand therby to gather vp some morsels for the present yet fearing perhaps somwhat the future and considering that both tymes and matters and men may change he thought good to pâ—euent afterclaps by couering his true name and to purchase securitie for tyme to come with the losse or diminishment of some prayse present And therfore walking out of sight in this behalf he playeth egregiouslie the syrebrand telling her Maiestie and her counsel O.E.A. notorious fyrebrand of sedition that too much extraordinarie fauour and remissnes tovvards Catholikes hath caused diuers rebellions both in England and Ireland and that it hath dissolued the very synevves of gouernment that it is more profitable and expedient to excute lavves then to pardon offenders c. All which this sycophaÌ„t chaunted out lustely at that very tyme and season to fil vp her Maiesties eares when his Lord and yong king Essex was most busy in plotting her Maiesties ouerthrow vnder pretence of meeting at puritane sermons and seing that this plot was layd in Ireland from whence this minister vnder pretence of running away for feare of punishment of some vntemperate words spoken came into England not long before his maister as heere is reported it may be he came about this negotiation and fearing least it might be discouered before due tyme he took in hand to write this book of all-arme against Catholikes to disguyse and shadow the other A treacherous deuise and to diuert mens eyes another way but for this let her Maiesties wyse counsel looke vnto and prouide as they shal fynd need I am only to proceed in refuting of his malice and folly let them punish his treacherie and knauery if they fynd it After his spite is spit ouâ— against the Catholikes he cometh to aduauÌ„ce highlie Sir F. Hastings wach-word Bragging of Sir F. book and sayth that the good knight of a zealous mynd tovvards religion gâ—ueth the vvord to his countrimen And I say N.D. giueth the Ward and who geueth or receyueth most venewes let our countrymen be iudges as they may also of this champion his successe who seing his good knight dryuen to the wal with more hast then good speed cometh running to his succour receauing for his gaine the first broken head as wrangling sticlers ar wont to do and so I suppose yow wil say also when ye see al that passeth Yet doth he with a conâ—ident interrogation commend vnto vs the whole worke saying vvhat one sentence in all the vvhole discourse can be noted vnvvorthy eyther a true Christian or a loyal subiect or a vvorthy knight wherto I answere that there wil so many sentences be found in the treatise folowing vnworthy of al three poyntes mentyoned to wit Christianitie loyaltie and chiualry as if this worthy champion can defend them he wil shew him selfe worthie to be knighted also and to haue a K. for the first letter of his title But to returne agayne to the prosecution of this mans inuectiue against Catholikes their liues honours liberty and goods all which he impugneth at one tyme and for some florish and shew of proof he alleageth first certayne examples of Scripture where kings of Iuda were reprehended for permitting vnlauful woorship and then out of the old Roman lawes recounted dy Cicero and Vlpian â— Reg. 1â— â— Paral. â—3 Cicero lib. 3. de legâ— bus Vlpian l. quo ties ff de poeâ—is which do prescribe diuers kyndes of punishments for malefactors and â—hirdly out of the lawes of ancient Christian Empâ—rors that willed heretikes to be punished and with this thinketh that he hath proued very substantialâ—y that Catholike men also may must be puniâ—â—ed in England But thus to reason at randome is much like to boyes argumenting in Sophistry Petrus iacet in lectulo ergo hâ—â—ulus siat in angulo these examples haue no affinity or coherence with our cause but only so much as they make against this Noddy His argumeÌ„t against him â—elfe and for vs for if old Roman lawes do gyue general authority to the body of the common wealth to punish particular offencers non è contra as Cicero signifieth in his booke de legibus then foloweth it in good reason that the Catholike christian churche being the vniuersal body of Christs common wealth vpon earth hath authoritie to punish ProtestaÌ„ts Puritanes Lutherans Arrians or any other sect that doth or shal aryse but not that theâ—e haue authoritie or may haue to punish the other for matter of religion though they sâ—ould get superiority of temporal power in any place of the world for that they are but particuler men and members of members at all and the other the body and true common wealth to whom only it appertayneth to punish And leâ— * O. â— Oules eie but sâ—ewe me one example from the beginning of Christendome that euer any man or woman in any age was punished as an heretike by the Christian common wealth for sticking to the religion of the Pope of Rome and it shal be sufficient for all I aske but one example out of all antiquitie As for the examples alleaged by him of Asa and Manasses kings of Iuda who notwithstanding 3. Reg. 15. 2 Paral. 33. Idolatrous vvorâ—hip on hils among the levves out of the Temple pre-figured heresves among Christians Hierem. in c. â— Amos in c. 12. O see Aux de vriâ—â—tate ieiunâ— cap. â— Deutt â—3 Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 1â— cap 51. Cypr. lib. de vn Eccl. Hier. in cap. â— Ezech. in c 1â— Osee in c. 1â— Zach. in c. 8. â— an Aug. enarrat in Psalm â—0 part â—9 sup lib Iosue cap. 27. their other good zeale did not remooue the vnlawful seruice and sacrifice accustomed on hils and high places they make nothing against vs but
haue brought in being a matter that doth cleerlie coÌ„uince him his religioÌ„ of noueltie heresie For that GratiaÌ„ ValeÌ„tinian his sonne being Emperors of the west The decree of the 3. Emp. examined and Theodosius of the East all three do agree to commend to their subiects the romane fayth and bishop of thaâ— place to wit Damasus theÌ„ sitting in that chaire vnder payne of heresy infamy and other extreeme punishments which poynt for that the false minister after his fashion durst noâ— put downe clearly as the woords themselues do ly in the text least therby he should discouer ouer much the truth I meane to do it for him in this place without other fee for my labour then to proue him a cosening companion and alleaging them brokenly to his owne purpose Cod lib. 1. de summa Triâ—it c. CuÌ„ctos eâ— Cunctos populos sayth the decree quos clementiae nostrae regit imperium in tali rolumus religione vessarâ— quam diuinum Petrum Apostolum tradidisse Romanis religio vsque adhuc ab ipso iâ—sinuata declarat quamque Pontificem Damasum seqâ—â— claret Petrum Alexandriae Episcopum virum Apostolicae sanctitatis c. our wil is that all people whom the Empyre of our clemency doth gouerne shal lyue in that religion which diuine Peter deliuered vnto the Romanes as the religion by him taught and enduring to this day doth playnly shewe which religion lefte by S. Peter it is euident that Damasus bishop of Rome doth folow as also Peter bishop of Alexandria a man of Apostolical holynes c. to wit that according to Apostolical discipline and euangelical doctryne we all beleeue one deity of the Father the SoÌ„ne the holy Ghost with equal maiesty in holy Trinity and this law whosoeuer doth follow we command that they do imbrace the name of christiaÌ„ Catholikes the rest whoÌ„ we esteeme as mad and furious men we wil haue to beare the infamy of heretical doctryne and to be punished first by God then by vs. This is the decree of these three Emperors against heretiks for neere 1200. yeare agoe wherin yow see they remit themselues all three though one were of the east Empyre to the Romane religion and to Damasus the Pope his beleefe with whom the Patriarke of Alexandria for the east Churche did also agree and heere is nothing determined of religion as yow see by their owne authoritie but only that such as followed the Romane â—eligion and Pope of those dayes should be compted Catholikes and the rest heretikes which if the parlament of England had done in these our dayes as all ancient parlaments were wont to doe as appeareth by our statuâ—es then could not the religion authorized by â—hem be called parlament religion no more â—hen this can be called Imperial though pubâ—ished and protected by Emperors Now then gentle reader consider how many folâ—yes or Nodytismes which the minister obiected alwayes to me be by him coÌ„mitted in alleaging this one example of these Emperors and on whom they light but the principal is that being alleaged by himself and for himself it maketh wholie against him ouerthroweth quite his cause which may be accoÌ„pted doltisme also in the deane besydes Nodytisme for it sheweth first the whole difference betweene these Catholike Emperors decree Poynts of the Emp. decree contrary to O. E. for defence of religion and the modernal decrees of our Parlaments that take vpon them to appoynte and defyne religion in England it sheweth that the Romane religion was receyued by S. Peter and had endured so vntil their dayes which was more then 400. yeares it sheweth also that Damasus Pope of Rome was then the cheife gouernor of christian religion throughout the world it sheweth that these Emperours accounted him for their head and not he them in matters of religion it sheweth how humbly these Emperors did submit themselues to the decree of the councel of Nice made before their dayes about three persons in one God-head confirmed by Pope Siluester and continued by Damasus and it sheweth how obedientlie and christianly these Emperors did hold them for Catholike christiaÌ„s whom thesaid councel and Pope Damasus did hold for Catholiks and condemned those for infamous heretikes who did dissent from their obedience in religion and now whether our later Parlaments of England haue done the same by the councel of Trent and Popes confirming defending the same as our former parlaments were wont to doe I leaue to the reader to iudge and whether this law of these Emperors were wyselie brought in by O. E. or no but let vs passe yet further in examyning this rule for tryal of truth The minister hauing shifted of wittilie as it seemeth to him the exprobration of parlament religion by the foresaid example of the Emperors falleth to range and roue wyde far and to obiect to vs that in Q. maryes dayes our religion was established more by parlament then by authoritie of the Apostles that we are deuided among our selues and haue more then 200. diuers opinions about the Sacrament of the L. supper that the vniuersal Churche could not deliuer vs our fayth Diuers manifest false obiections quia â—â—tiones sunt suppositorum that our fayth is neyâ—her Catholyke nor hath any certayne grouÌ„d â—t all but is buylded vpon the particular opiâ—ions of this or that mutable and â—ulearned â—ope that it is not ancient but ful of late noâ—eltyes and old heresyes and other such stuffe â—ithout end prating much and prouing noâ—ing so as no Mountebank in Italie could â—â—ewe him-selfe lesse shameles or more ridiâ—â—lous And to say a word or two to euery one of â—â—ese fooleries before rehearsed the religion â—â—at the parlament established in Q. Maryes dayes was it any new religion VVhat religion vvas planted by parlament in Q. Maries dayes or differenâ— from the rest of Christendome or did the parlament then do any other thing then thâ— former edict or decree of the Emperors thaâ— commandeth men to hold the ancieÌ„t reâ—gâ—â— of Rome descended from the Apostles anâ— follow the Bishop of that Churche theÌ„ liuiâ—â— as head of all Christendome And as for the two hundred different oâ—â—nions that Catholykes are said to haue let â—â— E. and all his compagnions together proued two only that are real differences and tâ— maynteyned by Catholykes being opposâ—â—â— one to the other and that in poynts of fayth â—â—deed and I shal yeild and pardon all the othâ—â— hundred nyntie and eyght differences that 〈◊〉 obiecteth but if he cannot proue this of 〈◊〉 only as neuer he wil be able then are thâ— not two hundred differencies of ours but â—â— lyes of his and agayne do yow note for auâ—â—ding cauillations that I require two real â—â—ferences in matters of beleef for of other câ—â—â—cumstances that touch not preciselie belieâ—â— our schooles and learned men lawfully mâ—â— haue diuersitie of opinioÌ„s as about the manâ— how bread is conâ—erted into Christs flesh the Sacrament
application of our particuler case of the vniuersal Churche her teaching and therby discouer the deep lurking of our souldiour-masked minister When we Catholykes say that our fayth is taught The application of the former discourse or deliuered vnto vs by the vniuersal Churche our meanings that albeit particular men as Priests Pastors or preachers do immediatly deliuer the same vnto vs yet for that they do yt not as of them-selues nor as their owne but from the said Catholyke vniuersal Churche and by her order we say truly and properlie and cannot say otherwyse but that we are taught it by thesaid vniuersal Churche which is the body and not by perticuler men which are parts only euen as when a man striketh an other with his foot or hand it cannot be said so properly that the foot or hand strook him as the man him-self and this argumeÌ„t ruÌ„nneth also in our aduersaries cause yf he had wit to see it for when a maÌ„ is taught at this day the protestant fayth of England allowed by the state may he not say more truly and properly that it is the teaching of the vniuersal Churche of England then of this or that particuler contemptible minister but this he foresaw not when he came in with his actionis sunt suppositorum therby wil see what reason I had to ad stultorum for so much as his obiection besydes the ignorance and falshood therof ouerthroweth no lesse him-selfe and the teaching of his Church Ignorance of O.E. yf it had any force so much of this which indeed is ouer much for the fondnes of the instance There remayneth then that part only of his babble where he cryeth out that our religion is not Catholike but his and that ours is buylded only vpon Popes which are mutable and subiect to error his vpon the eternal truth of God c. All which to yes though they haue byn sufficiently refuted before in that I haue alleaged and a thousand tymes before that agayne by other writers yet these men as hungry flyes beaten of from hunny do returne stil with the very same clamors agayne for lack of other better matter and heere yow see are two poynts the first whether we or they be Catholikes and then whether we depend of Popes and they of God For the first which of our Churches is truly Catholike much hath byn said or at leastwyse may be gathered by the former discourse about the ancient rule of true Catholike fayth VVho are Catholykes but more particularly it remayneth to be handled in this fellowes first new foolish chalenge added after this for Syr F. wherfore heere I wil say no more of that mad paradox for which shame ynough abydeth O.E. in that when I shal come to answere it Now for the second about our depending of Popes and they of God and the scriptures it hath appeared by the two or three precedeÌ„t chapters how they depend ech man of their owne fancy and iudgment of scripture and not of God or godlines and as for our depending of Popes as heads successiuely of our Churche we confesse it willingly and do glory therin that we are not heretical acheuâ—â— as our aduersaries are but yet to meet with this prating calumniators exprobation we say that we depend not of any Pope as a priuate or particular man Hovv Catholyke men depend of the Pope in their religion and subiect to infirmities eyther of ignorance euel lyfe or the like but as he is head and cheife pastor of Christs vniuersal Churche Gods substitute vpon earth to whom he hath assured the perpetual assistance of his holy spirit and of the omnipotent power of his aeternal Godhead euen vnto the worlds end and by vertue of this promis let Peters successor be neuer so vnâ—earned rude feeble or infirme as hardly can be chosen one meaner then himselfe was in all or most of these poynts before he receyued vertue from his maister yet shal his learning be incontrolable for gouernment of Gods Churche taking that helpe by councels doctors other learned meanes which he may and Gods prouidence wil euer prouide that he shal do his rudenes also shal be wysedome his feeblenes fortitude his infirmity vertue in respect of his place and dignity and this did our ancient holy Fathers esteeme the matter not by the talents or merit of the man as heretikes bable but by his office place and dignitie As for example who knoweth not but that Pope Damasus before mentioned in the decree of the three Emperors was not perhaps the learnedest man in the world nor otherwise the best qualifyed for humayne giftes though he were also a notable man but other might exceed him in these poynts Yet do the said Emperors preferre him before all in directing men for their fayth and beleefe as yow haue heard S. Hierome also was farre more learned then he by studdy as all men wil confesse and himselfe also for that he wrote often to S. Hierome to requyre his opinion in poyntes of learning and yet when the matter came to determyne poyntes of fayth S. Hierome subiecteth himselfe to him with that humility as a chyld and scholler would vnto his father and Maister and much more for that he saith most absolutely in a most hard and perilous controuersie of that tyme not yet determined to wit whether one or three hypostacies or subsisteÌ„ces were to beholden in the Trinitie The faith humilitie of saynst Hier. epist. ad Damas. the most learned humble father I say writeth thus to Pope Damasus out of Syria Obtestor BeatitudineÌ„ tuam vt mihi Epistolis tuis siue dicendarum siue tacendarum hypostasâ—on detur authoritas I beseech your Hol. that yow wil giue me leaue and authoritie by your letter to hold or deny three hypostacies Loe heere the different spirit in a learned humble Catholike saynct from an ignorant prowd contemptuous heretike S. Hierome regardeth not the personal partes of Pope Damasus but his place roome and dignity of his office our heretikes not only do contemne his place but also most maliciouslie do lode the persons of al or most Popes with infinite calumniations and slaunders therby to discredit their office and ordinances what then may we say of these men but that they are gyuen ouer as S. Paul sayth in reprobum sensum to a reprobate sense and synne maliciouslie and desperately to rayle against their owne consciences God ameÌ„d them and let all wyse men take heed of them As for the last and lowdestâ— ly which this prating minister affirmeth VVhether Catholyke religion be ful of nouelties and heresies to wit that Catholike religion is ful of new noueltyes and old heresyes this also is to be discussed in his foresaid chalenge when it commeth to be aunswered wherunto I might remit the matter without saying any thing here as I meane to do but only to premonish the reader of two poynts that there I am to handle
approue and highely comend Heer now I would aske is this faith a gooâ— and sauing faith or no which these theeue and murderers haue or only historical as Syâ— Francis calleth it for that it lacketh workâ— No protestant I suppose wil deny it to be â— good and liuely faith and consequently a â— a iustifying and sauing faith for that otheâ— wayes those good saynts that are thus haâ—â—ged should be deceyued or in doubt of the supper which they are taught in no case â— doe but to rest most assured therof throuâ—â— the merit of this faith and yet can no mâ— say that this their faith had fruits or was aâ—â—compained with good works And conâ—â—quently that eyther faith alone and only faith as wel as faith only doth saue these men after the manner that suche good fellow ProtestaÌ„ts are saued or els they are not saued at all seing works they had none And this being so that all malefactors whatsoeuer remayning in their wickednesse may be saued by this only faith The comâ—â—â— cartvvay of Protestants only faith as wel as these that liue wel and haue good works yea much better and more surely yf we beleeue Doctor Luther let the reader iudge whether I rightly called it an open easy cart-way or no. And so much of this controuersy wherof the minister also O.E. keepeth sylence and saith not a word in defence of his knight and maister And so shal we end this second whole Encounter THE VVARNING AND admonition about this second Encounter first to Syr Francis Hastings and then to O. E. his Chaplayn and champion CAP. XVII TO continue my former purpose promise Syr Francis which was to recouÌ„t with yow and breifly to lay out both to your owne and your frends vew in the end of euery encounter what principal points had passed betwene vs in our combate and how wel or euil you had behaued your self therin I am now by way as it were of some short recapitulation to refresh your memory in that behalf and therby also to make matters more cleer in the sight of our diligent and attentiue reader First then to passe on with some order wheras at the very first entrance of the former encounter I complayned of a certayne shift of yours that being charged with flattering her Maiestie and the state of England with so many new deuised blessings as yow affirmed to haue ben brought in by change of Catholike religion Eâ—c 1. cap. 2. yow did runne presently to charge Canonistes and Roman courteours with flattering also the Pope so haue I now the same complaint in the beginning of this second Encounter that yow being charged with diuers notorious vntruthes vttered in your VVatchword about the doctrine of Catholiks auouching them to hold that which they hold not yow do vse the very same shift by running to accuse friars and telling vs that in king Richard the 2. his tyme according to Tho. VValsingham A common stift of S. FraÌ„cis to accuse others for excusing himself Fryars were braue lyars c. which as yf it were in all respects true as yow alleadge the story it would be no iust defence or excuse for your defaults in that kynd so the whole narratioÌ„ therof being peruerted in your allegation as before we haue declared it must greatly diminish your credit Cap. 2. num â— 7.13 c. for all the rest that was or is to ensue after from yow And this yow treat as it were by way of preface or preparation to your poor defence of those vntruthes which are obiected against yow wherin also yow discredit your self not a litle by bringing in other impertinent and forged matters to fil vp paper and help out withal and among other of certayne deuised chalenges of disputation said to be made on your side by Iohn Husse in the councel of Constance and by Martin Luther at VVormes and Augusta and by Simon Grinaeâ—â— at Spire Protestant disputers and by Peter Martyr and Theodore Beza at the conference of Paâ—sy in France c. In all which examples there being discouered many vntruthes as wel in the narration it self as in the applicatioÌ„ and further declared Cap. 3. 4. that none of all these fiue disputing champions alleadged by yow for founders pillers and defenders of your religion churche and doctrine were truly indeed of your religion in all points and consequently also neyther of your churche yow wiâ— easily see what credit yow haue gayned by bringing them in But when yow come to your defence it self of the first two vntruthes obiected against yow Cap. 5. by the Warder to wit that we hold reading of scriptures in any vulgar tongue whatsoeuer for heresy that for this cause only we braÌ„dle men to the slaughter how do yow stand Syr Francis in this defence do yow bring any one sufficient proof at all for any one of these two absurdityes The warder setteth downe a plaine sensible discourse how in what languages scriptures are permitted to al as also why and vpon what causes reasons arguments or vtilitie of what hurt or necessity our Churche hath or ought to make restraint or limitation therof to some who are not to profit therby â—eaping ouer the aduersaryes cheef matter which considerations conteyning indeed the substance and very sinewes of this whole controuersy yow Syr knight like a good Encounterer do leap ouer without answering any one word vrging only against vs for the second point of this controuersy that some of your people haue byn examined sometymes or called in question for suspition of heresy for that against order and commandment of their superiours and without licence they haue taken vpon them to read and interpret the sacred scriptures in vulgar languages and that herof followeth say yow that we hold the very act it self of reading scriptures to be heresy which how fond a sequel it is euery man of meane vnderstanding conceyueth and yow are made ridiculous for this fond inference by diuers examples alleadged in other things more cleere to all men And then furthermore wheras it liketh yow to be pleasant with the Warder affirming that by adding only to your words that for only reading of scriptures men were brandled to the slaughter he made one ly of his owne while he sought to proue thesame against yow the said one ly is redoubled vpon your self by shewing that only is fond in your owne words and consequently that this word only hath not proued one ly against the warder but two or three lies against your self And all this as I said is handled in your preamble to this second Encounter 4 Forged maximes obtruded by the knight the bulk and corps wherof consisteth as yow know in the verifying of foure other false propositions forged by your self assigned for grounds rules and Maximes of our Religion which are nothing so to wit that we hold ignorance to be the mother of deuotion and that
exaÌ„ples of pardons abused by Catholyks as S.F. alleageth and both of them false with a notorious imposture about the poysoning of K. Iohn Cap. 15. The speech of the Warder is defended where he calleth the way of saluation by only faith the coÌ„mon cart-way of protestaÌ„ts The truth of which doctrine is examined c. 16. The warning and admonition about this second Encounter first to S. F. Hastings then to O.E. his chaplain and champion Cap. 17. An addition by the publisher of this book wherin he sheweth first a Reason why these two EncouÌ„ters go alone then the dâ—fference he findeth in the wryters and their wrytings thirdly how a man may vse this which heer is sayd to the decisioÌ„ of any coÌ„trouersy of our tyme. Cap. 18. THE SECOND TABLE OF THE CHEIF CONTROVERSIES HANDLED IN THESE two Encounters In the first Encounter WHo are properly Catholyks and who heretyks by the old lawes of Cath. Christian Emperors and whether the lawes made against heretyks by these Emperors do touch protestants or Papists at this day in England annotat vpon the epist. of O.E. cap. 2. num 2. How a man may make a most cleere and euident deduction of Cath. Religion by the forsaid Emperial lawes if no other proof were and whether euer any Christian were punishable before our tymes for sticking to the Pope of Rome in Religion ibid. num 12.13.27.28 c. How old Christian Emperors did promulgate lawes about Religion against the transgressors therof how different a thing it was from that which ProtestaÌ„t Princes are taught to do at this day Ibid. What was the old rule of faith so much esteemed and talked of amoÌ„g the auncieÌ„t fathers how Cathol heretyks may easily euidently be tryed by thesame Cap. 15. Whether the English-parlament rule of faith set downe by O.E. be sufficient to discerne Catholyks from heretiks and whether a paâ—lament can make any rule of faith Cap. 16. num 1.2 c. Whether Canonists do cal the Pope God or no and how false S. Francis and his Chaplayne are found in this point Cap. 2. 3. Enc. 2. cap. 3. num 10.11.12 c. In what sense a creature may be called God and how ConstaÌ„tine the great did cal Pope Siluester so Cap. 2. 3. What wonderful reuerend opinion the auncient Fathers had of the high and diuine power giuen to Priests vpon earth especially to the highest Priest Ibid. Whether protestants haue vnion among them or any meane to make vnion or to find out certainty in matters of faith cap. 4. num 10. Item cap. 5.6.14.15.16.17 What Synods and Councels conferences conuenticles and other meetings protestants haue had throughout the world to procure some shew of vnion but eueâ— haue departed more disagreeing then before Cap. 4. num 12.13 Whether Lutherans and Caluinists may any way be said to be brethreÌ„ or of one Churche as both S. F. Iohn Fox do hold cap. 3 4.5 c. Whether Zwinglians and Caluinists and other Sacramentary Protestans be truly heretiks according to the iudgment and sentence of Martyn Luther and what blessing he giueth them as to bastard children ca. 5. n. 1.2.3 c. Whether English protestants and Puritans do agree in Iesus Christ crucified as S. F. saith or may be accompted true brethreÌ„ of one Churche ca. 6. 10 n. 8. c. 12. n. 6. Whether liberty for all vnlearned to read scriptures in English without difference or restraint be a blessing or a curse profitable or hurtful to the people ca. 8. Enc. 2. c. 3. Whether publyke seruice in English be a hurt or benefit to all sort of people cap. 8. num 7. cap. 9. Whether and how the merits of holy men may stand with merits satisfaction of Christ. Cap. 9. num 7.8.9 Whether aboundance of good works be a peculiar blessing of Protestants or no as S. F. defendeth cap. 10. n. 2.3 4.5 cap. 17. 18. Whether English nobility and commonalty be richer at this day then in old tyme by change of religion cap. 11. num 7.8.9 c. Whether it be a special grace and blessed nature of Protestants to persecute no man for religion Cap. 10. Whether freedome from exactions long peace great power in other countreys great welth of the land and more aboundant multiplying of children then before be special benefits and benedictions brought into England by change of Religion Cap. 11. Whether the vniuersal Churche may be said properly to teach vs or no which O. E. denieth Cap. 11. num 12. Whether the sacrifice of the masse be a new inuention or no and whether the number of 7. Sacraments were not agreed on before the late Councel of Trent as O.E. affirmeth Cap. 13. num 7.8.9.10 c. How farre Catholyke men do depeÌ„d of the Pope for the certainty of their religioÌ„ Ca. 16. n. 17.18.19 Enc. 2. c. 13. n. 16. Whether any one new or old heresy can be prooued truly to be in the doctrine of Papists at this day and how that there be many properly and formally held by Protestants Cap. 16. num 20. What differences of doctrine or opinions may be among Cath. men without heresy or breach of the Rule of faith according to the auncient Fathers Cap. 16. num 6. How coÌ„temptuously the Protestants do speak not only of the old Fathers but also of their owne wryters when they make against them Cap. 17. num 17. Whether temporal blessings entred into England and other countreys round about with the new ghospel and change of the old religion Cap. 12. 13.14 18. How many and how great Inconueniences in matters of State otherwyse haue ensued in England by change of Religion since K. Henry the 8. his departure from the vnion of the Roman Churche Cap. 17. 18. In the second Encounter Whether there were more darknesse ignoraÌ„ce in Q. Maryes tyme former ages then now whether Protestants be better learned then Catholyks Cap. 2. num 18.19 cap. 3.4 6. Whether fryars weâ—e braue lyars in K. Richard 2. his tyme as S.F. saith and what manner of fryars they were to wit corrupted by Wickliffe Cap. 2. num 11. Whether scripture were read generally in English in S. Bede his tyme or no Cap. 3. num 5.6 c. Whether Iohn Husse and Martyn Luther offered disputation to Catholyks or no and whether they were of one and thesame religion or that any of them did agree fully with S. Francis and O. E. in their religion now professed Cap. 3. 4. Whether the Catholyks or Hugonote ministers in the conference at Poysy in France anno Domini 1561. had the better Cap 4. num 14. Whether Catholyks did euer hold it for heresy to read scriptures in English or haue euer put men or women to death for that fact only Cap. 4. 5. 6. num 12. 15. cap. 9. num 3. Whether the auncient Fathers did vse to pray to Saints and
can the knight beare witnes whose name beginneth with a B and waâ— forced to witnesse against him I could alleadge also diuers other witnesses omni exceptione maiores as wel of his owne order as otherwise of his intemperate and odious speaches against the present state and such as manage the same for temporal matters complayning grieuouslie among the rest of the seruitude and great pouertie of the English clergie affyrming in particular that they payd the third penny of all that euer they had and fynally shewing himselfe as deepely discontent as any man could bee that lyueth in external shew of obedience And for all these and other such poynts I could name many particuâ—ars both of matter men tyme and place when and where they were spoken as also I could resolue the name of O. E. into his true sillables if it be true that his surname beginne with S. but I haue promised to spare him for this tyme and wil keep my promise And if it please him to goe forward in this controuersie taken in hand with christian modestie and conuenient tearmes of ciuilitie as men professing learning ought to do I shal be content to answer him in the same style attending to the matter and not to the man or his manners but if he delight in the other vayne style of scolding scurrilitie I meane to leaue him and deliuer him ouer into the hands of some which may chance tâ—ke him vp also in that kynd according to his deserts in the meane space the man before mentioned that is most iniuried by him in his malignitie of speach leeseth litle by his lewd detraction but gayneth rather exceedingly both in merit with God and credit with all good men and as for the tryal of their cause it will appeare sufficientlie by that which afterward cometh to be examined in these Encounters CERTAINE BRIEF NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS VPON SIR F. HAStinges Epistle to the Christian Reader THOVGH whatsoeuer S r. F. wryteth in this Epistle be handled afterward more at large in the seueral Encounters theÌ„selues that do ensue yet to let nothing passe wholy vnanswered and to discouer somewhat in this beginning the talent which the K. hath in wryting I haue thought best to set downe these fewe annotatioÌ„s coÌ„cerning the principal points though none indeed be principal or material of his said Epistle to the Christian Reader First of all he beginneth the very first paragraphe of his Epistle with such obscurity or deep mistery Epist. pag. 1. as I confesse I vnderstand him not for thus he sayth Hauing obserued gentle Reader from the words and wrytinges of the learned that it is a maxime A maâ—â—mâ— euil applied or rule in Philosophie Finis est primus in intentione the end aymed at is first setled in the intention of man and findinge this Romanist to boast and bragge much of his leaâ—ning it is not vnlike that like a conning Clarke whatsoeuer his learning be the end of this his worke was the first ground of his wryting Thus he wryteth and yf the Reader vnderstand his meaning and what he would coÌ„clude it is wel for I professe my ignorance therin only I know the Philosophers maxime to be this Aristoâ— that as the end of â—oing any thing is first in our intention so is it last in preformance and execution The later part our K. hath left out the former I know not why he hath brought in except perhaps his hidden conceyt should be that the last part of my Wardword which is the remission to the Lords of her Ma â—ies Counsel was the first thing intended by me and inducing me to wryte which yet is euidently seene to be false for that the K. Wachword and iniuryes offered therin to Catholikes was the motiue inforcing rather then inducing to that worke and to oppose my ward to so slaÌ„derous a watch so that heer S.F. his Philosophical Maxime is fondly applyed or not applyed at all and consequâ—ntly his brag of hauing obserued thesame from the word wrytings of the learned ys vayne seing how vnlearnedly he vseth it But this is easily pardoned in a Knight and so let vs go forward After thiâ— he taketh in hand the tytle of my book which is A teÌ„perate wardword c. saying a he proclaymeth temperance in his tytle Epist. ibid. and pursueth the aâ—te of rayling in the whole processe following and in the end of all he persuadeth ruine both to Church comon-wâ—lth c. For my rayling I remit me to the iudgment of the indifferent Reader who wâ—l distinguish betwene rayling and round answering or rigorous reiection of an importune aduâ—rsarâ— that multiplyeth calumniatious without grouÌ„d number or measure especially in that kind of bloudy sycophancy wherâ—n the watching libel was wrytteÌ„ though I do confesse as before hath byn signified that I was the more earnest and eager somtyme for that I did imagine the said byring libel not to haue proceeded from the knight but from some K. of another kind not from S.F.H. of so honorable a house and calling but from some Crane some Wâ—lkinson S F. Presbytery of 〈◊〉 minâ—â—â—ers at Cadbury some Sipthorpe yf I remeÌ„ber wel their il fauored names Doctors and Rabbyns of his puritanical presbytery at Cadbury but now that I see the knights humility to be so great as to dishonour himselfe with taking the name of this worke vpon him I shal endeauour to vse more patience also with him in my answere except he ouer straine it sometymes by the intemperance of his tongue against Catholykes and so much of this But for the second which he obiecteth that I seeke the ruyne both of Church and comon wealth by my exhortation to peace atonement and mitigation in religion which afterwards goeth in my remitter to the Lords of her Ma tâ—es Counsel their Honors and not S r. F. worship or wisdome must be iudges of this poynt and why an exhortation to peace and vnion should be accounted a cause of publyke ruyne I see no cause nor yet reason of state or religion therin except the knyght his puritanical camp do hate peace following therin that other Maxime that in troubled waters is best fishing Which coniecture is shrewdly confirmed by the attempt of their Puritane Captaine the Earle of Essex brought by puritanisme into suche calamitie who hauing byn stout against peace with forrayne Princes for diuers yeares The Earle of Eâ—sex pitifully seduced by the Puritans vnder pretence of home security had wrought such a troubled water vnder haÌ„d in the meane space as yf his streame had not byn troubled and turned vpon him before his tyme he might chaunce to haue inhooked the greatest fish of England And whether S r. F. were one of those anglers or no I cannot tel being so farre absent nor wil I accuse him though he being of the sermon-sect and exercising society which vnder that occasion and pretence layd their hookes to this troublesome and
the reader so may I not altogether pretermit this preface of O. E. which is somwhat more spised with poyson and venome then the other teÌ„ding wholy to bloodshed and cruelty against Catholikes the man I haue somwhat dismasked before in my answere to his opprobrious letter to N. D. whom he enterpreteth Noddy heer we shal haÌ„dle the proiect and purpose of this his writing which indeed is nothing els O. E. his plot and proiect but to irrite and styrre vp her Maiestie and her honorable counsel with the rest that sâ—and at the sterne of gouernment to ingulf themselues in Catholikes blood and spoyle of their goods wherby hee and his hungry crue standing by and for desyre therof licking their lips might hope to come to haue some share in the deuidend O. E. vvatcheth for scrappes and yet for auoyding publike hatred notorious shame he desyreth to entertayne himselfe in some darkenes for a tyme and to expect his pray vnder the shroud of a cyphred * O. E. name for as he said which knoweth wel such compagnions qui malè agit Io. 3. vers 10. odit lucem non venit ad lucem vt non arguantur opera eius he that doth naughtely hateth the light and wil not come to it least his workes may be conuicted but yet we must drawe this Owle to light and see what he sayth vnder the vizard of O. E. His drift in this Epistle and in his whole writing is to styr vp the state to set vpon some new affliction of Catholykes reioysing clapping his hands where any rigour is in vre already and to this barbarous purpose he deuiseth diuers impertinent and ridiculous meanes of persuasion which I shal runne ouer with as much breuitie as they are voyd of substance wit reason or honestie His first meane of persuasion is by extolling exceedingly the extraordinarie clemency vsed hitherto in England towards Catholykes Rare clemeÌ„cy tovvards Catholykes which clemency he sayth hath byn most singuler and admirable and to proue this leauing all home testimonyes he runneth into Italy to seek a witnes bringing foorth one Petrus Bizartus in his story of Genua Pet Biz lib. Hist. Gen. 33. Pres. pag. 1. who sayth that for the first 20 yeares of her Maiesties reigne no blood vvas shed nor any suffered to be punished but by lavvful tryal and sentence of Iudges c. But what need was there to go so farre to fetch so slender à testimony this fellow wrote a 1000. myle of and telleth vs only that there vvas no bloudshed nor punishment vvithout some sentence of Iudges or lavvful tryal for the first 20 yeares And what then for the second twenty shal we inferre as it seemeth we must that for these later twenty yeares bloudshed hath byn vsed without lawful tryal or sentence of Iudges and doth not our minister shew himself more then * Bizarro in ItaliaÌ„ a light phantastical head Bizarro I speak to him as vnderstanding the Italian tongue for bringing in Bizarus to so fond a purpose so that by this yow may take a scantling of the mannes discretion at the very first entrance yow shal see it more in the next and other poyntes that do ensue For as in this first poynt he would make Catholikes to seeme vngrateful for that hauing receyued so singuler clemency they complayne of rigour therby deserue to be punished more so in the second poynt he beginnes to treat of their moouings against the stare wherby he would haue them much more to deserue punishment and his entrance to this treatise is in these wordes Ibid. pag. 1. In the meane vvhile Thomas Harding obteyned a Bul from the Pope to exercise Episcopal iurisdiction in EnglaÌ„d to dispence vvith irregularities and to receyue all that vvould be reconciled to the Pope And then he noteth in the margent anno Domini B567 by which entrance also we may be much confirmed in our former coÌ„iecture of our mannes deep wit seing that at the very beginning he would bring in such impertinent stuffe for the foreshew of his wares for first it was neuer hard of before I think that D. Harding after his departure out of England to Louayne in the beginning of her maiesties raigne VVhether D. Harding returned into England came home to liue in England agayne or to exercise Episcopal iurisdiction therin but rather about the tyme this man assigneth he was busy wryting in Flanders against his aduersary M. Iewel Secondlie what need was there to geue him Episcopal Iurisdiction in England at that tyme who abyding as I haue said in Flanders there were diuers Bishops yet liuing in England and other learned men to haue exercised that Episcopal iurisdiction if need had byn But this is more ridiculous which ensueth that he had a Bul to dispence vvith irregularities and to receaue all that vvould be reconciled to the Pope for what needed either Bul or Episcopal iurisdiction for this seing euery ordinarie Priest may haue authoritie to do it without Bul or Episcopal iurisdiction or what special need was there at that tyme to dispence with irregularityes or to reconcile men more then before Doth O.E. know what irregularitie meaneth or wil he tell his reader trewly what is vnderstood by reconcilling to Catholike religion which he calleth to the Pope no I trow not it is not their fashion to deale sincerely in any poynt for proof wherof heare his exposition All that vvere reconciled sayth he to the Pope renounced their obedience to the Prince Spiritual obedience may stand vvith temporal and is it so in deed Sir minister wo then to the Emperor to the kings of Spayne France Polonia and Princes of Italy and other places whose subiects are eyther all or the most parte reconciled to the Pope in the sense that we talk of Catholyke religion and yet haue they not I trow renounced therby all obedience to their temporal princes So that reconciliation to the Pope may stand with due obedience to their naturel princes also if O.E. his seditious mates wil be content to vnderstand matters a right and not to cauil wilfully against their owne consciences As for D. Mortons sending into the north by Pius Quintus for declaration of his sentence geuen in Rome which is the next poynt that followeth in this ministers tale it being so long agoe and but a particuler English mannes act cannot by any reason preiudice any more the residue of Catholykes now in England The Earle of Effex his attempt then the late attempt of the Earle of Essex did or may do all English puritanes and protestaÌ„ts that were of his religion or shal be hereafter though not priuie to his attempt nor any thing so much as the said late attempt may touch perhaps this hungry minister if matters were wel examined who being of his retinue and of more need then his maister is likly inough to haue byn of his councel
somwhat yow may ghesse by that which here hath byn said VVherfore to draw to an end of this his preface to draw our doughtie Minister out of the dyke of imperrinent discourses after a litle ruffle of choler wherin he saith that the proud and presumptuous Iesuite calling himselfe N. D. had presented his vvard-vvord to her Maties Counsel he telleth vs what an heretical new enterprise he hath taken in hand A nevv â—raking chaleÌ„ge of O.E. to wit besyds the answering of the ward-word to make an other chalenge of his owne I haue sayth he to meet him at euery turne vvith my ansvvere to this noddy conioyned a briefe discourse and in certayne nevv Encounters dravving him into a nevv combat proued that Popish religion is neyther Catholique nor ancient nor true religion nor the true Church of Christ nor the Popes agents that haue byn executed for traytors true martyrs c. Thus he vaunteth what he would do as Goliath did 1. Reg. 17. Dabo carnes tuas volatilibus coeli c. but what he wil performe when he cometh into the feild where he and I must try who is the Noddy that we shal see after And I am content the reader be both looker on and Iudge yf the sturdie minister receyue more blowes then he expected and returne home beaten back and syde in this first combat about the Ward-word then may his frends bemone him if they list while other do laugh and then shal we haue litle need to enter into his new combat which he offreth after this but if he proue himselfe a man in the first then may he more be trusted in the second As for my presumptioÌ„ in presenting my defence and ward vnto the Lords of her Ma ties Counsel No presumption to haue offred the VVards-vvord to the Lords of the Counsel I see no reason besyds this Ministers anger and disdayne why it should be so called or taken seing their honours are publique iudges vmpyres by office for all sorts of persons to haue refuge vnto And for so much as the iniuryes offered by the Watch-word as a famous libel as wel to great forrayne Princes and nations as to honorable worshipful and most honest subiects did touch the honour and publique weale of our kingdome and nation very neare to whom should I haue gone for remedy in this matter but only to their Lordships should I haue made my mone to the Puritanical and tyrannical Presbytery of S r Fâ— Ministers or to the rude rable of O. E. his pyratical compagnions we haue seene the issue of both these sorts of late and therby may we gather what equity we should fynd at their hands seing the Prince whom they most flattered hath found at their hands so egregious treachery and conspiracy To their Honours I appealed then with iust reason shal do now agayne in the end of this my book to cal these two defendants to account of the crymes of flattery forgery sycophaÌ„cy vsed by theÌ„ in this their writing to the end that if my seueral warnings which I am to geue them after all the Encounters do not worke some good in them yet at least wyse their honours authority and respect may make them blush and put them to silence Last of all the Ministers conclusion is this not vnlike to the premisses This sayth he I may boldly say that I haue not follovved the aduersaryes vayne in scurrilous scoffing nor his vanity in ruffinlike bragging Boldly yow may say it S. Minister but how truly your writing it self wiâ—-shew afterward and hath in part already And I doubt whether euer any of your coate yf yow haue any certayne coate to be knowne by and be not of euery coate haue so much exceeded in all these three poynts of scurrility vanity or rayling as yow haue done for which cause yow are forced also to put on the visard of O. E. for couering your shame It followeth further But vvhy shouâ—d I goe about say yow to excuse my selfe before the faultes be proued percase it is no fault to vvrite as I haue done Lo heere an other qualification of the matter before he denyed it now he putteth it in doubt and percase but heare yet further And vvere it a fault sayth he yet I trust thou vvilt beare vvith my vveaknes seing as the Apostle sayth O. E. calleth his rayling vveaknâ—s all of vs offend in many things Heere Io is the last refuge and excuse of all to wit by vveaknes that all do offend in many things To the first if it be weaknes of brayne and wit it is pardonable for that it is forcible but if it be weaknes of manners and honestly it is a fowle fault in a prelate and preaching deane that should strengthen others To the second though all offend in many things yet that it is no iust excuse in euery thing for yf this answere might be admitted at Newgate sessions when those good fellowes are brought foorth to be arraygned of their offences then fewe or none would go to Tyborne but as there in those kind of people many wickednesses are pardoned and some offences punished the one in mercy the other in iustice so it should be with this fellow also and may perhaps one day if he come to an indifferent session In the meane space I am content to conclude as he doth to the reader and in his owne words Read sayth he vvith indifferency and vveigh my allegations and compare deligentlie my defence vvith the Noddyes chalenge and then vse thy libertie in iudgement to discerne vvho is the Noddye THE FIRST ENCOVNTER ABOVT BLESSINGES AND CVRsinges brought in by change of Catholike Religion in England THE ARGVMENT This first Encounter about blessings and benefites cursinges and calamityes ensuing vpon the change of Catholyke religion in our Country or threatning to ensue vvas the first and principal matter taken out of S. Francis Hastinges Watch-word by the VVarder to be incountred vpon as an argument both of moment and vtility to be handled and vvel considered as sufficiently appeareth by the VVarders discourse therof vvhervnto both the knight and his aduocate O. E. hauing replyed N. D. maketh this reioynder diuiding the same for more perspicuityes sake into 19. Chapters vvhich follovv in order A BRIEFE SVMMARIE of all that before hath byn said or now is to be added about this first Encounter of Blessinges and cursinges by change of Catholike Religion CHAP. 1. TOVCHING the seueral argumentes of the Watch-word and Ward-word in general as also of this secoÌ„d reioyneder combat betwene Sir Francis and me in this his VVast-word and my Warn-word as in like maner the late arriual of O. E. his Wrangle-word sufficient hath byn said before in the preface to the whole worke as also in the epistle to O. E. himselfe and in the annotations vpon both their letters to the Reader so as now we are only to treat of the proper subiect of this first
diligence and concurse vnto the Churches and sepulchres of Martyrs as in Rome where do they so much sound out the word Amen to the likenes of an heauenlie thunder Heere now we see the Romanes faith highlie praysed by S. The Catholike deuotioÌ„ of Rome Hierome and proued to be more excellent then of any other Christians in the world for their earnest deuotion and running to Churches and sepulchers of martyrs this if Syr F. had put downe sincerlie as it lyeth in S. Hierome it would haue marred his market and giuen a great buffet to his religion as yow see speciallie if he had added the wordes immediatlie following in S. Hierome S. Hier. Ibid. which are these Non quod altam habeant Romani fidem nisi hanc quam omnes Christi Ecclesiae sed quod deuotio in eâ—s maior sit simplicitas ad credendum The fayth of Rome is speciallie praysed by the Apostels aboue others not for that the Romanes had a different fayth from that which all other Churches of Christ do hould but that their deuotion and simplicitie in beleeuing was greater then the rest By which words is euident first that in S. Hieromes tyme the Romayne faith was accompted the general Catholike faith of all Christendome which Romayne faith as after more largelie shal be demoÌ„strated was sent into Britany by Pope Eleutherius before S. Hieromes tyme Enc. 7. c. 6.7 after his tyme brought into England agayne by S. Augustine the monke at S. Gregoryes appoyntment so as twise we haue had communication participation of this Romayn faith so higlie coÌ„mended by S. Paul and S. Hierome Secondlie it is to be noted that the things most praysed in the Roman fayth by S. Hierome are two poyntes most scorned at by our Protestants to wit simplicitie in beleeuing without disputing or curiouslie asking reasons and secondly promptenes of deuotion in visiting Churches martyrs Sepulchers and the like for which two poynts of simplicitie in beleeuing and deuotion S. Hierome is of opinion that S. Paul did so speciallie commend the Romanes in his dayes which poynts being so farre different from the iudgments and affections of the protestants of our dayes no maruaile though Syr F. heere would not let vs see S. Hieromes whole sentence but a peece only cut out as he thought best for his purpose and yet this peece also not truly nor faithfullie aleadged as now shal be shewed And this is one principal poynt to be considered gentle reader for thy instruction in these menâ— manner of dealing how many wayes the poore shifting knight hath altered this litle poore latyn sentence of S. Hierome to make it sound somwhat to his purpose S. Hieromes text abuâ—ed to wit Tota Ecclesia instar tonitrui reboat Amen Adding first of his owne the two first words Tota Ecclesia which are not in S. Hierome then changing ad similitudinem which S. Hierome vseth into instar and leauing out the word caelestis found in S. Hierome and lastlie seperating and cutting of the whole from the precedent and consequent sentence and true sense as hath byn shewed so as in six words foure at least haue receyued alteration or imposture And yet we know that both in reason and custome when any sentence is aleadged first in latyn and then in English as this is by him the former at least shouâ—d be exact and in the Authors owne words but necessitie giueth this libertie to Syr F. to clip and cut tryfle and cauil as he may let vs see yet further There foloweth in his reply another text aleadged out of S. Augustin to the same purpose for prouing publike Churche seruice to be in vulgar tongues Psalm â—â— expounding these words of the Psalme Beatus populus qâ—â— intellâ—gâ—t iubilationem August sup psalm 99. which words our K. interpreteth thus Blessed is the people that vnderstandeth the ioyful song And further addeth out of thesame Father this exhortation vpon thesame woords S. Augustines vvordes falsely applied Curâ—amus ergò ad hanc beatitudinem intelligamus iubilatiâ—nem non èam sine intellectu fundamus Let vs runne to this blessednes let vs vnderstand this iubilation let vs not power it out without vnderstanding All which being meant most playnlie of inward vnderstanding and feeling of blessed â—oy within our hartes this grosse interpreter wil needs transferre all to outward crying singing and chaunting of Geneua Psalmes in their Churches and for this cause translateth falsely the words intelligamus iubilationem non eam sine intellectu fundamus Let vs vnderstand the song let vs not sing it without vnderstading as though alâ— were meant by singing in vulgare knowne tongues for that the word vnderstanding is so often repeated which yet is as â—arre of from S. Augustynes true meaning and whole drifte in that place as if the knigâ—t would inferre also that because he vseth the word Curramus let vs runne he would defend therby running games in England or running at bazes or prison barres in Churcheyards as yong people are wont to do for that the holy Father in that place handling these words of the Psalm 99. August Ibidâ— initio Iubilate Deo vniuersa terra let the whole earth reioyce to God saâ—th first Non hoâ—taâ—ur velut aliquem vnum angulum terrae c. The spirit of God doth not exhort any one corner of the world or any one habitation or congregation of men to Iubilate and reioyce vnto him but for that he knoweth that he hath sowed his benediction euery where he requires this iubilation euery where also These are S. Augustines words and let the reader iudge whether these be spoken of any corporal singing psalmes or saying seruice in particuler Churches and congregations or rather of inward iubilation of spirit which S. Augustine expresly meaneth and for confirmation therof he alleadgeth also those words before cyted out of an other psalme Psalm â—â— Beatus populus qui intelligit iubilationem Happie is the people that vnderstandeth this Iubilation which word vnderstandeth for that our heretyke buildeth all his argument theron S. Hierome enterpreteth nouit iubilationem happy is the people that knoweth Iubilation S. Hieron in Psal. â—â— or as our ordinary latyn edition hath Scit iubilationem knoweth or feeleth Iubilation which later sense also S. Augustine himself foloweth in other places reading Sciens iubilationeÌ„ All which senses the Greeke and Hebrue words do beare that is to say Happie is that people of God which feeleth inward comfort and spiritual iubilation of hart in his seruice Which being so most fondlie and childishlie is this text brought in by S r. F. to proue external singing of psalmes in vulgar languages quite coÌ„trarie to S. Augustines meaning words and sence as now I shal more particulerlie declare out of two playne places of thesaid Father The first is in the very same treatise aleadged by our aduersary which yf as he could not but see it S.
and discretion wil be of my opinion that whatsoeuer good effectes haue come to our common wealth by her Maiesties gouernment or rare partes of Princelie commendations A note to be diligently obserued and which truelie may be termed blessings might haue byn as great as all these or farre greater vnder Catholike religion and especiallie in her Maiestie if it had pleased almightie God to haue blessed her and the realme with the continuance therof and contrariwyse whatsoeuer cursings and calamities on the contrarie syde haue ensued or may ensue herafter by the change of religion these are proper effectes and necessary consequeÌ„ts of the new ghospel and not of any defect in her Maiesties gouernment and this foundatioÌ„ being presupposed in all that I shal say let vs passe on to examine in a word or two the most ridiculous vanitie of these fiue blessings folowing which he calleth corporal accompting his former spiritual For the first of them which is deliueraÌ„ce from intolerable exactions â— Blessing deliuerance from exactions if he meane it of the realme in general as his marginal note may seeme to importe which often yet disagreeth in sense from his text let the Escheker books be compared of the tributes payments contributions and exactions that were vsed in EnglaÌ„d in former dayes before this new ghospel came in and since I meane of the summes that were payd in old tymes when Catholike religion bare rule and protestants were not knowne those that later Princes by reason of troubles warres suspicions and other like occasions rysing especially by difference in religion haue byn forced to take of their subiects since the yeare of Christ 1530. or there about at what tyme K. Henrie began vpon the aduise incitation of Cranmer Cromwel and other Protestants to breake with the Pope and churche of Rome let these summes I say be coÌ„ferred and then our knight if he be a good Auditor or Eschequer man wil for very shame stryke out this blessing and mentyon it no more But yf he meane this blessing especiallie or principallie of our Clergie men this day in England for that they pay nothing now to the Pope as in the texte and prosecution of this blessing is set downe then let the wealth and ease of the old and new Clergie be compared togither or rather the pouertie and beggerie of the one with the honor and splendor of the other and so this controuersie wil quicklie be decyded and S.F. beaten from this first corporal blessing of his new Cleargie to a Spiritual which is Matth. â— Beati pauperes spiritu blessed are the poore in spirit for in body and purse they are already miserable as them-selues euery where complayne The pouertie and myserie of the protestaÌ„t cleargie none more grieuously or more spitefullie in secret as before hath byn touched then his champion O.E. alleaging these reasons that the most of them hauing much to pay both to Prince Patron in steed of the Pope and litle to receyue the gleebe lands of their benefices being commonlie swept to their hands and their charge of women and children so great as the parishes do commonlie feele when they dy their beggerie must needs be intollerable wheras on the other syde in Catholyke Countryes yf they contribute any thing to the Pope as to their head for better maintenance of his state and gouerment of the whole Churche it is neyther so great a matter and commonlie â—â—t out of the greater benefices that caÌ„ better beare it and in recompence of that agayne he defendeth them against the intrusion or vsurpation of seculer men vpoÌ„ their liuings which importeth them much more as by experience of Catholyke Countryes and Kyngdomes is seene then is the contribution they make to Rome though it were so great and greuous as our K. maketh it in K. Henrie the 3. his â—yme alleaging a certayne complaynt of our English Churche to Pope Innocentius 4. in a general Councel at Lions an 1245. against his collectors officers in England which being taken out of Iohn Fox whom this man yet wil not name maketh no more against the Popes Authoritie A calumniation of Ihon Fox act â—on Pag. 241.242 c. nor yet conuinceth him of abuse that way then yf at this day the same complaynt should be made by the Churche of Spayne as diuers tymes it is against the lyke collectors or officers there or when any complaint is made in England of any of her Ma ties officers that abuse themselues in their collections for couetousnes vpon the Clergie at this day wherof I presuppose there would not want complaints if all Ministers should be willed to vtter their greifes therin And what then doth Syr F. and Fox vrge so much against the Pope the complaynt of some in England against his officers at that tyme VVhy Pope Innocentius required a collection of mony for recouering the holy land when the publike necessitie of christendome oppressed by Turkes and Saracens inforced Pope Innocentius as general Father of all to lay some contribution vpon the cleargie of England and other countryes for defence therof to which effect also in the very same councel of Lions he had appoynted and declared king Lewes of France for Supreme general and yet was not the summe exacted such nor so great but that more money in these our dayes hath byn sent out of the realme in one yeare by these meÌ„nes liking and good approbation for defence of heresie and rebellion in France Flanders Scotland and other countryes theÌ„ was in this many other tymes in those dayes for maintenance of the whole Churche and Christianitie and yet coÌ„playneth not our knight of this which subiects now feele for that it is present but of the other past and gone which they feele not wherby is seene his indifferencie that they seek nothing but matter of complayâ—â— and cauilling against the Pope and hâ—â— doings As for long peace which is an other blessing of his both sweet profitable as he termeth it â— blessing long peace I know not what or why I should answere seing Aristotle teacheth that to go about to proue or improue by reasonâ— that which is open and manifest to our senses is to wearie reason and offer iniurie to sense who seeth not therfore what hath passed in England since protestant religion first entred in K. Henryes dayes for if we talke oâ— domestical styrres and tumultes among our people we haue had more within these 70. yeares to wit from the one or two and twentith of K. Henryes raigne downwards vnder him and his three children respecting religioÌ„ only then in a thousand before his dayes and more then in many ages for any cause whatsoeuer setting a syde the contention for the crowne betweene the two houses oâ— Yorke and Lancaster which cannot go by reason in this accompt for that it was a particular quarrel of certayne Princes of the bloud royal not rysing of
any reason of state or gouernment at home and if in the tyme of her Maiesties raigne there hath byn lesse actual home warre then in her Fathers brothers and sisters tyme for matters of religion much may be attributed to her owne moderation especiallie at the beginning in not yeilding to the furious humors of some hoate sectaries that would easely haue put all in combustion had not other counsel bene folowed to transfer the fyre rather to other mens houses then to haue it in her owne but the most especial part in this may trulie be geuen to the mylde and bearing natures of Catholikes that haue passed so many yeares vnder the heauie yoke of persecution rather with muttering then mouing Patience of Catholykes and yet what peace we may truelie be said to haue at home when such diuision of harts iudgments and wils is discouered as this knight in this very encounter doth affirme I cannot determyne but do leaue it to other men and himselfe also to consider But as for forayne warres vnder her Maiesties raigne whom most this fleering knight would flatter in this behalfe I would aske but himselfe hath it not bene almost perpetual with all our neighbours round about vs at one tyme or other and that for religion it selfe which this man braggeth to haue brought sweet peace haue not our armes byn seene in France for many yeares together against diuers kings therof for the same quarrel Foraine vvaâ—res let Newhauen speake by vs held if the knight wil not answere let Lithe also in Scotland tel vs if our armes were there against their lawful Prince in fauour of heresie and as for Spayne and Burgundie our eldest and surest allies in tymes past I thinke no denyall can be made but with greater impudency then this brag of peace is asserted and now what great treasures haue bene spâ— in those continual forayne warres whaâ— numbers of men consumed both by sea and land in this action for maintenance of thiâ— cursed new Pandora so is heresie termed by old Irenaeus it is hard to count â—enzus li. 2. cap. 19. 53. but easie to ghesse and yet telleth vs this man of his long sweet and profitable peace as though warres maintayned in Holland Zealand Ireland France Spayne Portugal Indies and other places by English armes English money English blood and all for maintenance of Geneua religion were no warres but all peace all sweetnes all profit all felicitie wherfore to obey Aristotle and not to reason any further when sense conuinceth so notorious a flatterie and vntruth I wil say no more hereof There ensueth the eyght and this no smal blessing as this knight sayth of power in foraine countryes â— Blessing of povver in forrayne countryes which what it may be we hauing no one foote of our owne beyond the seas since Calis by heretical treason was lost I do not wel see and yf we compare it with the great large prouinces we had before vnder Catholike Religion and especiallie with the change of our old mighty and honorable allyes and confederated Princes to our new gotten frends we shal soone discouer the fayntnes and fondnes of this blessing which is seene also by the qualitie of those persons and their cause which our K. braggeth to haue had their refuge in England vnder a womans gouernment out of France Flanders Swethland Scotland and other countryes who yf they haue bene none commonlie but open rebels to their true and lawful Princes their cause heresy or Atheisme then hath their refuge to England as also the Turkes familiarity wherof this prophane K t. vaunteth by name bene certayne effectes of the new ghospel litle honorable to our country or her Ma tie though by necessarie consequence of a course thrust vpon her she hath bene enforced to entertayne them whom otherwise of her most honorable and princelie disposition she could not but contemne and in her hart detest And so much of them not worthy the memory Next this cometh the nynth blessing which is as he sayth great wealth of the land encreased by this change of religion Blessing vvealth of the land Pag. 27. much riches plentie and aboundance such as hath not lightlie bene knowne before Wherabout I must tel our K t. first that it shal be reason that in this poynt we stand not only to his relation but that we aske our people of England them-selues what they feele at home in their countryes and not what pleaseth him in his chamber to imagin and to set downe â—t home with his pen sitting more at ease perhaps then many others especiallie since the match with the ritche widdow Hannâ—â—â— who hath eased wel the blow receyued before by the â—urchasing Yeoens-baron Yeoens repayred much he ruinous walles of his Cadburie Ierusalem And trulie where this so blessed aboundant encrease of riches should ly in particular which this our K. so greatlie boasteth of I do not see for yf we consider the nobilitie and gentrie of our Land at this day and compare them with that wealth which was wont to be in former tymes Old nevv riches of our nobilitie I meane power with power riches with riches multitude of seruaÌ„ts with multitude of seruaÌ„ts house-keeping with house-keeping and other such like effectes of wealth and riches I doubt me much how S. F. can verifie this blessing And for him-selfe though I wil not enter to feele his purse yet for so much as publike fame telleth I may say without slaunder that hauing sold all or the most parte of his owne landes and spent his goods vpon enterteynment of Ministers or other like ministerial minions he may better brag of good fellowship and liberalitie then of great blessing of riches and in the same case take I the most part of his fellow ghospelling knightes to be notwithstanding their daylie feeding vpon Catholikes goodes and that their Almes extend not to buyld Monasteries Colledges Churches or hospitals as their Ancestors did before them that were of an other religion so as to the nobilitie and gentry of our land the participation of this great blessing seemeth to be but litle And as for the commonalty we ought as I said to heare them-selues speake in their owne case VVealth of the commonaltie and not this seelie procter only which intrudeth him-selfe without proxie or commission and perhaps also not so wel informed in the case as he might be or not so faythful in relating as were conuenient for sure I am this cannot be denyed that when her Ma tiâ—s tributes and other duetyes are to be exacted of the coÌ„mon people though otherwayes they pay them willingly to their power yet heare I great difficulties and complaintes of penurie and where then consisteth this extraordinarie blessing of so great riches plentie and aboundance brought in by change of religion which yet is so exceeding great by this maÌ„nes vaunt as it is able ready to susteyne such
where the noddiship trulie lighteth when the matter is tryed I am content to remit it to the readers iudgment And heere the verie first clause of his speech conteyneth no smal noddytisme to wit the bringing in for an instance the later east churches that haue fallen to schisme and heresie also namely about the holy Ghost as our aduersaries wil not deny wheras my assertion was that one head was acknowledged by aâ—l Catholike people of Christendome so as the instance of the late greeks since their fall doth make nothing to the purpose and that the ancient greeke Fathers did acknowledge the preeminencie of the Churche of Rome aboue all other Churches and consequentlie also of her gouernour and Pastor the Pope is most euident euen at this day by their owne wrytings yet extant as by Ignatius his Epistle ad Rom. Iren. at large aduersus haeres lib. 3. cap. 3. Athan. apolog 2. Epiphan lib. contr haereses 68. Basilius Epist. 52. Nazianz. carm de vita sua Chrysost. Ep. prima secunda ad Innocentium Greeke Fathers acknoleging â—he principalite superiorite of the RomaÌ„ Churche Cyril ep 10. ad Nestorium ad 11. clerum populum constantinop â—heodoret epist. ad Leonem Papam Zozâ—mâ—n lib. 3. hist. cap. 7. All which ten ancient greeke Fathers let any man read in the places cyted for that they are to long here to be set downe then let him iudge also of the second noddytisme when he sayth that the ancient Churche was vtterlie ignorant of this matter for if the ancient greeke Churche did acknowledge it how much more all the ancient latyn fathers and doctors And this may be sufficient for this first ioynder about vnitie oâ— fayth in Catholikes let vs passe to the second about the meanes to iudge or know the truth THAT PROTESTANTS not only haue no agreement or vnitie among them-selues in matters of religion but also are depriued of all sure meanes and certayne rule wherby to attayne therunto CAP. XIIII THERâ— foloweth in the Ward-word that not onlie the Protestants haue no present vnion in doctrine amoÌ„g them-selues In certaynty of beliefe among protestants See of this sup cap 4. num 10. but also that it is impossible that euer they can haue it which is as great a spiritual curse and malediction as may be and this for lack of due meanes to procure or establish the same And to this purpose the K. is hardlie posed by the warder about the certaintie of his fayth and religion to wit how he can haue any and by what infallible meanes he can be sure that he is in the right way and not in heresie and seing that he and his do make scriptures their onelie assurance this dependeth of the true sense he is asked and vrged whether he hath this certaintie of Scripture by his owne reading onlie and iudgment or by the credit of some ministers that enterpret the Scriptures in this or that sense vnto him and whether soeuer of these two wayes he stand vpoÌ„ it is shewed and proued to be vncertayne the first depending onelie of the owne iudgment the second of others who being priuate men hauing no more assurance of the holie Ghosts assistance then him-selfe The curse of vncertainty among protestants can be no more sure or infallible then the first wherof it foloweth that a protestant hath not nor can haue any further certainty of the truth of his religion then humaine iudgement or probabilitie can giue him which is a miserable curse and no fayth at all except he wil flie to his inward spirit and inspiration which is farre more vncertayne and perilous then the other all which is contrarie in the Catholyke Churche and in the way and meanes of tryal which she foloweth and consequentlie that the certayntie is farre different for securitie Furthermore the K. is sore vrged in this poynt of vncertaintie about disagreeing not onlie from the old Catholyke doctors of the primitiue Church but also from his owne the new yea those that first brought this later light of his religion yf it were light into the world as Luther zwinglius Caluyn and such others and he is demanded how he can dissent from theâ—e men as he doth in so great poynts of doctrine See before cap. 3.4.5 yet haue no certainty of beliefe seing these men were as learned as he and no lesse illuminated by his owne confession and yf they were deceyued in some poynts they might be in all c. From this curse of varietie and vncertaintie of doctryne and beliefe the warder passeth to an other no lesse markable brought in by change of old religion which is dissolution of lyfe and manners which protestants them-selues do not deny in their writings as before hath byn shewed The curse of euel lyfe Sup. cap 6. and yf they would the experience of England it selfe is sufficient for proofe and the warder declareth it by playne demonstration wherunto notwithstanding it seemed good to the K. to answere with deepe silence not so much as muttâ—ring any one thing for his defence so as heere I would thanke him as S. Augustine in a like case thanked Faustus the Manichie Aug. contra Faust. manich lib. 2. in fine Gratiae tibi agende sunt vbi nonnulla sic vidisti te refutare non posse vt ea malles summo silentio praeteriri Yow are to be thanked in that yow saw and therby confessed some things in my book to be so vnanswerable as yow choose rather to passe them ouer with deepe silence then to say any thing vnto them Then foloweth in the ward-word another treatise of temporal effectes by change of religion which he reduceth also to two heads First what was liklie to haue fallen out if this change of religion had not bene made in her Ma ties tyme and then what hath ensued vpon the said change and for the first he handleth eyght poyntes liklie to haue folowed 1. The strength and felicitie her Ma tie should haue had by all liklihood through the vnion of her subiectes 2. The securitie therof ensuing 3. Maryage and noble yssue of her Ma ties body 4. The establishment of succession 5. Vnion with Rome and sea Apostolyke 6. Ancient leagues with forayne Princes mainteyned 7. much bloody warre in our neighbors kingdomes had byn auoyded 8. diuers important damages and peryls at home by aâ—l liklihood had neuer rysen all which great felicities hauing beene eyther lost by change of religion or greatlie weakned and put in daunger he sheweth further that the contrarie effectes of curses calamities haue or may ensue therby and hauing layd them foorth he finally concludeth thus All these inconueniences and calamities had byn auoyded Pag. 1â— 4 or the most of them if chaÌ„ge of Religion in England had not byn made so that the innumerable benedâ—ctâ—ons which this poore man would neads threape vpon vs by that change do come to be in effect
te prolatam in qua non author esse debes sed custos non institutor sed sectator non ducens sed sequens c. This pawne or pledge is a thing geuen yow in credit and not inuented by yow a thing which yow haue receyued and not deuised a matter not of wit but of doctrine not of pryuate vsurpation but of publyke tradition a thing brought downe vnto yow not brought forth first by yow a thing wherof yow must not be author but keep only not the fownder but a follower not a leader but one that is led Thus sayth he of the rule of faith in his tyme which rule also serueth vs no lesse at this day against all sorte of protestants then it did them at that tyme against their aduersaryes but rather much more for that our prescription of this rule is by many hundred yeares elder then theirs was and so this shal suffise about this matter of the Ecclesiastical rule of fayth what yt was and what the auncient Fathers did thinke and esteeme therof and now we wil examine a litle what styrre the minister maketh about his goodly rule of the present particular Churche of England OF THE ENGLISH rule of beliefe set downe by O. E. And what substaÌ„ce or certaintie it hath how they doo vse it for excluding Puritanes other Protostantes and of diuers shameful shifts of O. E. CAP. XVI NOTHING is more true in that kynd then the saying of the philosopher A â—ift lib. 1. Phis. Contraria iuxta se posita clarius elucescunt That contraryes being layd togeather do make each other better seene and vnderstood as a ragged garment layd by another that is fayre and pretious maketh the ragges and patches more euident and contemtible and euen so this ridiculous new deuised rule of O. E. if we compare it with the former auncient rule commended vnto vs by the old holie fathers we shal see more perspicuously the vanitie therof for that he sayth Pag. 19. As for our selues that is the Protestants of England all of vs professe the doctrine of Iesus Christ according to that rule that was established by the common consent of England and whosoeuer doth digresse from this is not of our societie c. But here I would aske him what rule this is and in what yeare it was established by whom and how many and what authoritie they had to establish or to make any new rule from the old receyued before in matters of religion See the statutis anno Henr. 8.25 c. 14. an 26. cap. 1. an 27. c. 15 19. an 31. ca. 14. an 34. 35. cap 1. for yf he speake of K. Henry the 8. his dayes when the first chaunges beganne and when diuers new rules were set downe in parlament with this expresse commendation that they were taken out of the pure and syncere only woord of God I doo not think that O. E. wil admit them or stand vnto them though Iohn Fox do hold all that tyme of K. Henrie his mutations after his breach with the Churche of Rome for the tyme of the ghospel and so doth terme it euery where In K. Edward dayes also he being head of the Churche An 1. Ed c. 1.2 11. an 2. 3. cap. 1.21.23 though but 9. yeares old there was two or three new rules made and altered about matters of religion and their communion book all pretended out of the word of God with reuocation of that which K. Henry the Father and his Parlaments out of the same woord had appoynted before which rule also vnder K. Edward I do not know whether our ProtestaÌ„ts wil allow in all poyntes now but sure I am our Puritanes do not nor wil not as appeareth by theire owne bookes what assurance then is there in this mutable and controuerted rule of so fewe yeares in age But the most important question is who and what men and by what authoritie they made this rule The Warder knew no other when he writ but the Lords of the ParlameÌ„t and so called it parlament religion wherwith O. E. is very angry Pag. 19. and sayth where he calleth our religion parlament religion he speaketh like himselfe that is falsly and slaunderously for albeit the same be receyued by authoritie of the Prince state yet is it Christs reâ—igion and not the Princes Soone spoken but how doth he proue it here is styl that old shifte of petiâ—io principij hissed out by learned men which consisteth in setting downe that for a principle which most needeth proof as heere where our minister wil needs haue his religion to be Christs religion whether we wil or no and that it was but receyued and promulgated only by the parlament but then must I aske him agayne what authoritie besydes the parlament hath determyned it to be Christs religion as also that the Puritans religion is not Christs religion notwithstanding they pretend Christ and his Apostles no lesse then doth the protestant and then if we fynd that the only authoritie that defyneth this matter is the Parlament allowing the one and condemning the other for that scriptures of themselues can not do it quia actiones sunt suppositorum as a litle after he vrgeth and then must needs the credit truth of English religion depend of the parlament and therof worthelie be called Parlament religion But harken good reader what an example he hath found to auoyd An example making against himself that his religion may not be called Parlament religion The Emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodâ—sius decreed sayth he that all people of their gouernment should hold the doctryne of Peter the Apostle Pag. 19. taught by Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter bishop of â—lexandria that they should beleeue one God and three persons yet I hope this Noddy wil not cal the fayth of the Trinitie an imperial fayth See this haÌ„dled more largely before in the annâ—t vpon the letter of O. â— to the reader c. Yes surelie Syr Noddy-maker I would cal and proue it so if the case were like that is if these three Emperors had determined this fayth as of theÌ„selues and by their imperial authoritie and that it had byn a different beliefe from the rule of fayth receyued before throughout Christendome as your parlament religioÌ„ was and is hauing no other ecclesiastical Authoritie â—or her establishment but only the authoritie of your Prince and parlament which defyned it to be trew religion and coÌ„forme to the word of God and determined that the other which was there before in vse to wit the Catholike to be opposite and contrarie to thesaid word and therfore to be abolished so as the allowance of the one and reprobation of the other proceeded from the parlament But the proceeding of the foresaid three Emperors in this their alleaged decree was farre otherwise which O.E. if he had had any more wit then a Noddy would neuer
Caluyn in matter of the Queenes Supremacy which he denyeth Beza in the whole gouernment of their Churche Or why should I beleeue S. F. or his new masters of EnglaÌ„d rather theÌ„ these that were more learned then he or his or what reason rule or foundation haue any of these men to beleeue their owne opinion more then others but only self wil and fancy This then is the first and greatest spiritual benediction or malediction rather that I fynd to haue happened to our realme and nation by this wooful alteration of religion that wheras before we had a direct rule squyre pole-starre to follow which was the vniuersal Churche now euery man being set at liberty holdeth beleeueth and teacheth what he listeth Nor is there any way or meane left to restrayne him for straight way he appealeth bodlie and confidentlie to the Scriptures and there he wil be both maister and Pilot boteswayne him-self to gouerne the bark at his pâ—easure for he admitteth no iudge no interpreter no authoritie no antiquitie nor any other manner of tryal which is the greatest madnes and malediction that euer could happen among men of reason And the very same cause that moued the Warder to be so liberal then in setting downe this poynt hath moued me now to repeat the same againe in this place And what do yow think that the knight his champion haue replyed to all this playne and manifest demonstration would not yow think that both of them for their credits sake should haue buckled vp them-selues to ioyne in this yssue with the warder shewing what certainty they haue or which of the two wayes they wil take proposed by him seeing he sayth there are no other or that they should theÌ„-selues at least appoynt some other way but consider good reader the force of euident truth they are so blanked and their mouthes so shut vp with this interrogation of the warder as the K t. thought it best to passe it wholie ouer with silence as before hath byn touched The minister with more shame then the K t. hath tatled somwhat Idle tatling in a grauâ— question telling vs that our religion is not Catholyke that the vniuersal Church could not deliuer it vnto vs quia actiones sunt suppositorum as yow haue heard that StapletoÌ„ teacheth that the Churche hath power to proue taxe and consigne the books of holy Scripture And that vniuersal tradition is the most certayne interpreter therof And finally that the fayth of Papists is buylt vpon the Popes fancie and opinion and it is ful of nouelties and old heresies and the like as before yow haue heard All these tatlings he hath vpon this discourse before rehearsed of the warder and almost in as many words as I haue recyted theÌ„ but to the matter it selfe about certainty or vncertainty in religion ne griquidem he answereth no one word at all only to the later parte or appendix of the discourse where the warder sayth that to make the matter more playne how protestants haue no other rule of beleef he asketh S. F. not of any Catholyke Doctors nor auncient Fathers whome he esteemeth not but of their owne new Doctors Luther Caluyn Beza and the like authors of their owne sects why English Protestants at this day should preferre their owne iudgments before these also whom they graÌ„t to haue had great store of the holy ghost in all matters doctrines and interpretation of Scripture where they dissent from them To this I say all the other storme being past it seemed good to the minister to make his answere in these wordes But sayth this Noddy why should yow beleeue more your owne opinions then Caluyn concerning the Q. supremacy Luther concerning the Real presence and Beza in the Churche gouernment I answere first that these mennes priuate opinions concerne not fundamental poynts of fayth Pag. 21. A most foolish ansvvere of O. E. about Luther Caluyn c. and therfore they are not to be brought foorth for instance in this cause where we talk of the foundations and reasons of Christian fayth Marke wel his answere good reader iudge who is the noddy he sayth two things the one that the iudgments of Luther Caluin and Beza be but priuate opinions among them the other that the poynts wherin they differ from them to wit the real presence in the Sacrament her Ma ties Supremacy ecclesiastical and the whole gouernemeÌ„t of the Churche are no fundamental poynts of their faith For the first I would gladly know what authority is auayleable among them in teaching preaching and interpretation of Scriptures yf Luther Caluyn and Beza be reiected as priuate and particuler men where they differ from them our Doctors and Churche they do defy the ancient Fathers they look not willingly after them their owne parlament this maÌ„ sayth a litle before doth not appoynt but admit their religioÌ„ only who then is hee or who are they that must determine and defyne in this case For the second yf the difference with Luther about the real presence of Christs real body in the Sacrament be no fundamental poynt of fayth seing they accuse vs of the highest cryme vnder heauen about the same that is of idolatry and holding a creature to be the creator and we them againe of most heynous blasphemy highest wickednes vpon earth in discrediting Christ in his owne words that said it was his bodie his whole Church that euer so vnderstood him vnto this day yf the matter of supremacy be no fundamental poynt of fayth VVhat pointes are fundamental in protestants doctryne wherby all their ecclesiastical hierarchie standeth at this day in England as their Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and other prelates and parsons of the Spiritualty who otherwise must needs be playne intruders and meere lay men If their whole gouernmeÌ„t of their Churche be not fundamental wherof dependeth whether they haue any true ministers preachers and teachers lawfully allowed or no consequentlie whether their Sacraments be Sacraments and be administred by them that haue authoritie so to doe if all these poynts I say be not fundamental in O.E. opinion what are fundamental And what Atheisme doth this Martial minister diuels deane bring in vpon vs But beleeue me good reader these good fellowes do only eate of the ministerie and beleeue as please them and this being a compagnion of many occupations wil liue by that which wil yeild him most according to that also shal be his doctrine and beleef Of their great grand-father fryer Martyn Luther he sayth here in the words folowing his former answere Pag. â—1 O. E. his contemptious speach of Luther and Caluyn VVe suspend our opinion and giue no approbation to Luthers opinion concerning the carnal presence of Christs body in the Sacrament for that we see the doctrine to be newe and not taught by the Apostolyke Churche nay we find yt to be repugnant to the Apostles doctrine deliuered in Scriptures
c. Marke the arrogancy of thâ—s petty chaplaâ—n we suspend we see we finde who are those wee I pray yow Oh that Doctor Martyn Luther were aliue againe to canuase this arrogant barking bastardly whelp of his he would proue him but a very demy puppie Of Caluyn he sayth when Caluyn was better informed about the Supremacy he changed his style and retracted his opinion but where and when I pray yow why haue yow not noted the place and tyme for Caluyn was to great a man I trow to change style or retract opinions were it neuer so false or impious and whether he changed in this let his Elizeus that had his cloke spirit of wickednes double I meane Theodor Beza be witnes who is more to be beleeued in this case then O. E. that is but a fugitiue of Caâ—uyns campe going about to betray his Captayne Lastlie about the gouernment of his English Churche he addeth concerning Beza Pag. 22. I say that in external gouernment it is not necessarie that all Churches should concur and agree Loe his saying and albeit he say madlie yet I trust he wil not say but that in one and the selfe same Churche agreeing all in one true doctryne of Iesus Christ as in the former leafe he affirmeth all sortes of protestants do it is necessarie they agree in the substantial poynts at least of some gouernement among them-selues Pag. 18. as for example Atheistical Doctrine O.E. of some one head the cheife members therof as whether the Prince be supreeme head ecclesiastical and may make Bishops and whether the Bishops be true Prelates and may make ministers and whether they be of Gods or the diuels making that are so made which is the proper controuersie betweene them of England and Beza at this day and was with Iohn Caluyn also while he lyued To deny this I say were a very mad new doctrine for souldiour O.E. to teach now vnder a ministers coate to wit that none of all these things are necessarie poynts of doctrine but indifferent rather and that in his Churche a minister a ministrel a preacher and a pyrate a bishop and a bytesheep a deane and a diuel are all one And that this fellow and his compagnions haue no religion nor conscience in saying and denying The Suruey of pretended holy discipline c. printed by Io. VVolf 159â— cap 2â— fol. â—54 admitting or reiecting at their pleasures it may appeare by one of their publyke books printed and set foorth against the puritanes where they haue a whole Chapter of accusations against the said puritanes for reiecting conteÌ„ning new ghospelling wryters of their owne when they make against them which yet yow see practised here by O. E. him-self though no Puritane and that euen against the very cheife heads and syres of both their religions Luther Caluyn Beza yea some are of opinion that O.E. was the Author of that book wherin the Puritanes are so eagerly argued for this fault of coÌ„temning their owne wryters wheÌ„ they make against them though I cannot easely beleeue the same for that it seemeth les fondly writteÌ„ in that kynd then could be expected of this maÌ„nes shallow cacitie that wrote this doltish answere to the Wardword but be it how it wil yow shal see the Puritanes taken vp very sharply by protestants in that book for reiecting both their owne authors and auncient Fathers which yet yow see this arrogant foole doth practise heere in the one I meane touching their owne and yow shal heare afterward how egregiously his fellowes dâ— the like in the other that is to say concerning the auncient Fathers But first let vs see what is obiected to the Puritanes in the former poynt In a certayne place Pellican Bullinger Bucer Illyricus Suruey c. 28. Pap. â—54 and Musculus all great Doctors among the Lutherans being brought in against the Puritane doctrine Cartwright answereth them thus Puritans coÌ„teÌ„pt of their ovvne Doctors If they were for one a hundred they could not beare downe the Apostle to wit standing with him as he presumeth But after these is brought in Luther himselfe interpreting a peece of Scripture otherwise then they would haue it but they answere that his exposition is out of season T. Cartvv li. 2. Pag. 313. 314. Then is brought in Bishop Ridly and brother Bucer great doers in K. Edwards dayes in England but the first is dismissed thus Bishop Ridley being a partie in this cause ought to be no witnes the second thus Ibid. pag. 398. Bucer hath other grosse absurdityes sometymes Homer sleepeth his reasons are ridiculous c. Iewel and Fox do folow but Fox is shaken of with this saying that he took greater payne in his story to declare what is done then how iustlie or vniustlie how conueniently or vnconuenieÌ„tlie it was done Iewel receyued this iyrke as a contumely ingrauen in his tombe as the Protestant complayneth B Iewel calleth the doctryne of the ghospel wantonnesse Ibi. Pag. 11â— Finally they write thus of all the cheif English protestants in K. Henry K. Edward Q. Mary and in this Q. tyme before them-selues their knowledge was in part T. Catvv li. 1. Pag. 196. and being sent out in the morning or 〈◊〉 the Sunne of the ghospel was rysen so high they might ouer see many things which those which are not so sharpe of sight as they were may see for because that which they want in the sharpnes of sight they haue by the benefit clearnes of the Sunne and light greater then in their dayes Loe heere the growing and disagreeing protestant fayth and euery man his new light and lanterne in his hand Whosoeuer cometh after presumeth to see more then his fellow that went before him Wher wil this matter end but marke their wrangling spirites one within an other the puritanes are sorely reprehended for this contemptuous vsing their owne authors but are the puritanes more arrogant or bolder in this poynt then yow haue heard O.E. before euen with the first parent of their profession As for the old Doctors of the ancient Cath. Churche Suruey Pag. 329. the foresaid book of protestaÌ„ts hath also a special chapter of examples of the Puritanes contempt against them calling S. Ignatius scholler to S. Iohn the Euangelist a counterfet and vayne man S. Irenaeus is reiected except sayth the Suruey he wil frame his speech after the new cut Sur. pag. â—3â— Annot Bezae in act â—4 1. Timoth. 5. euen according to Bezaes pleasure Iustinus Martyr being vrged that lyued presentlie after the Apostles answere is made that in the dayes of Iustine there began to peepe out in the ministerie some things Th. Cartvv li 2. Pag. 621. which went from the simplicitie of â—he ghospel To S. Iustine is added S. Hierome whom they answere thus Corruption groweth in tyme as the tymes are so are they that lyue in them there is not such sinceritie to be
and for â—â—ntinuance of royal issue in thesame then â—â—otestants are wont to doe as by the exaÌ„ples â—â—eadged by the Warder is euident And to this the minister saith nothing at 〈◊〉 4 Inconuenience Succession not established as neyther to the fourth about establishâ—ent of succession which he saith could not â—â—ue byn but by allowance of the Pope and â—â—at this had byn dishonorable to her Ma tie â—â—d intollerable to the state to bring so great a 〈◊〉 to submit her-selfe to so base a slaue marke â—â—e impotent rayling of an abiect parasite Pag. 3◠〈◊〉 of him to receyue her right to the crowne And â—â—en he passeth further to the matter of state saying But let vs suppose her Ma tie should leaue 〈◊〉 issue behynd her is she the first that hath byn in 〈◊〉 case No S. Minister nor wil not be the last but what doth this remedy the inconuenieÌ„ce Heare him further Pag. Ibid. And is there noe remedy eytheâ— by lawes already prouided or by wise men to be deuisâ—â— but that we must needs fal by the eares togeather about this matter of succession This is 〈◊〉 supposition of their noddy our aduersary c. God graunt S. Minister he proue a noddâ— for his feare with-out fondation VVho is the noddy but hoâ— great a noddy yow are in the meane space 〈◊〉 setting so light by the matter and disputing 〈◊〉 fondly as yow do all men see But wheâ— yow ad further to make your aduesarâ— odious Pag. 22. that he percase desyreth some garboyle 〈◊〉 England to gratifie the Infanta the Spaniard wâ—â— slaue he is VVho are like to desyre more garboyles in England yf he be the man whome yoâ— would haue vs to weene yt is very wâ—â— knowne that he setteth lesse by the greate â—â— benefite or promotion that England or Spaiâ— ioyned togeather can giue him then yow 〈◊〉 by the least benefice of the diocesse wherâ—â— yow dwel and are a proling minister aâ—â— much more slaue were your to yow late 〈◊〉 the Eaâ—le of Essex running vp and downe 〈◊〉 by sea and land after him to gaine soâ—â— scrappes at his hands for your maintenancâ— and yow wife with her veluet hood thâ—â— this maÌ„ hath shewed him-selfe to the greatâ—â— Princes in Christendome with whome 〈◊〉 hath dealt in furderance of Cath. religion aâ—â— which of yow two hath desyred more gaâ—â—boyles in EnglaÌ„d eyther he by the lady Infanta or yow by your Lord Essex the euents haue shewed he being a man that cannot grow by garboyles and yow a broken compagnion that cannot wel remedy your needs but by innouations and with this I leaue yow and wil passe to the other foure inconueniences layd downe by the warder Fifthly sayth he yf religion in England had not byn changed 5 InconuenieÌ„ce vnion vvith Rome Sea Apostolyke we had had no breach with Rome nor consequently had the excommunication followed wherof so great noise hath byn made in the world abroad and so great trouble at home And what the vnion â—nd frendship of the Bishop of Rome may â—mport euen as a temporal Prince the effects â—hewed of late in France where especially â—y his endeauour and authority matters haue â—yn compounded that seemed very hard and â—esperate before not only betwene that King and his owne subiects but also beâ—wene that crowne and Spayne and the â—ates of Flaunders which without such an â—byter and vmpire would very hardly euer â—yn accomodated Sixtly England had continued in her ould â—ncient amity and leagues most honorable â—ith Spayne Burgundy 6 Auncient leagues with their deâ—â—ndants and consequently had auoyded all â—â—ese long and costly warres which by that â—eache we haue byn inforced to mainâ—â—yne with losse of so many worthie men â—â—d expence of so great treasure as easily may be imagined and the quarrel not yet ended 7 VVarres abroad Seauenthly so great bloody warres and tumults in Christian Kingdomes round about vs had neuer happened as before in part hath byn declared and euery man doth impute the principal causes and motions therof vnto the diuersity of religion in England And lastly most doleful alâ—erations in our owne countrey had byn auoyded Damages receyued at home as the depriuation in one day of all the sacred order of Bishops in England with their perpetual imprisonment for that they would not subscribe to this vnfortunate chaunge of religion wrong out in parlament as al men know by the oddes only of one or two voyces of lay men The disgracing and abusing of so many noble houses with ouerthrow of others wherof let Norfolk Arundel Northumberland Oxford VVestmerland and Dacres giue testimonyâ— for of the rest I wil not make mention seing perhaps them-selues would be loath I should all which had passed otherwyse by probability if religion had not byn altered The continual and intollerable affliction also of sâ— many honorable and worshipful gentlemeâ— had neuer happened for perseuering in theâ—â— Fathers faith wherto our countrey was firâ—â— conuerted from infidelity without any otheâ— offence obiected or to be prooued againâ— them but only refusing to accoÌ„modate theâ— selues to this change The torturing hanginâ— and quatering of aboue a hundred Priests fâ—â— the same cause the most of them good gentlemen and youthes of rare wit learning and other parts which other common welthes would highly haue esteemed and so would ours too in tymes past and wil agayne in tyme to come when these blasts shal once be ouerblowen Thus farre the Warder All which poynts O. E. answereth with shifts and sleâ—ghts as the former and first to the fifth about breache with Rome he sayth VVhat more absurd theÌ„ to obiect the breache with Rome when we esteeme that to be one of the greatest blessings that euer happened to this land To the other point mentioned by the Warder of the late peace made in Fraunce betweene those Monarches by the Popes mediation the minister saith nothing for that came not to his purpose yet he telleth vs againe heere now that Henry the third late K. of France and the late Duke of Ferrara and other Princes of the Popes religion were not-with-standing that troubled by the Pope A wise argument as though there were noe other cause for which the Pope might fal out with any Prince or punish him but only for chauÌ„ge of religion But this is the manner of this maÌ„nes arguing and with these manner of elenches â—aralogismes and other deceytful shifts of â—ophistry this fellow and his companions deâ—eaue the simple To the sixt about old ancient amity and â—eagues with Spayne Burgundy he answereth â—â—us 6 InconuenieÌ„ce breach of ancient leagues and amity As if yt were not more hurtful to the Spaniard â— break with vs then for vs to break with the Spaniard This as yow see is answered more like a souldiar then a minister â—g 3â— The last two points are in effect denyed by him to wit that eyther the
before or is it strange that he should pretend to come to this new light by reading Scriptures what other pretence did euer auncient heretyke or new take vpon him or what other excuse could this man make of running out of his Cloister or taking a sister to his Compagnion or from a Iudge of heretykes while he was a Dominican fryar to become an heretyke himselfe as appeareth plainly by Fox his whole discourse though S. F. so telleth the tale as he could be content we thought him to be a great learned Catholyke and for that cause betweene Ihon Fox and him they haue â—octored the poor fryar without euer heaâ—ing him dispute much lesse do his act only â—o geue him more reputation and reuerence with the reader And on the other syde they do bring in the â—rch-bishop of Aix who was against him and calleth him wicked Apostata to speak most absurdly though he were knowne to be a most reuerend and learned man and among other wordes they make him say thus This doctrine is contrarie to our holy Mother the Churche and to oâ—r holy Father the Pope a most vndoubted and true God in earth And did not those haynous woords deserue I pray yow some quotation where they might be found but neyther the K t. nor the Fox vouchsafeth vs so muche but as though the matter were most certaine the K t. braueth in a marginal note with these woordes O blyndnes O blasphemy But a man might more iustly say O cogging O cosenage that dare auouche so horrible a slaunder against so honorable a personage without cyting the place or Author for the iustification But we must passe ouer many of these absurdities with patience so go on to other matter HOVV LONG THE CAtholyke Romayn Religion hath florished in England of the authoritie of S t. Bede Arnobius abused by Sir F. togither with a comparison examined betwene our learned men and those of the Protestants and first of Ihon Husse bragged of by Syr Francis CAP. III. AFTER this the K t. before he come to answere in particuler to the vntruthes obiected against him wil needs say somewhat to those woords of myne that aboue a thowsand yeares the State of Enâ—land and the Princes peoplâ— nobilitie and learned men therof had contâ—nued in that Egyptian or rather Chimerian darcknes VVast-vvord Pag. 34. which he describeth vnder Clowdes Mystes and Shadowes vntil his new Sunshine Doctors came in c. Which woords of myne he hauing corruptly alleaged as often his fassion is sayth two things first that my bold assertioÌ„ of a thowsaÌ„d yeares is vayne for that yt is euident by Bedes playne testimonie that in his tyme this Iland had the Scriptures in their owne language as though this only were sufâ—icient to make that age to be oâ— Protestants Religion though it had byn so and the second that we do secretly yeild the first 600. yeres after Christs to Protestants seing we challenge commonly but a thowsand for our selues But by this last point to answere this first yow may see how wise an Answerer this is seing that when we name a thowsand yeares we vnderstand from the first conuersion of our English nation vnder Gregory the first Protestants religion in no age which no man can doubt of but yf syr F. wil goe higher vnder the Britans we shal easely also shew the lyke in that tyme. But in the meane space yt is but a hungry trick of this needy knight to snatch that which is not giueÌ„ him to wit 600. yeres together of the primitiue Churche wherof our meaning is to giue him no one yeare nor half one wherin his Religion was extant or had any one that professed the same in those daies as he doth now Enc. 7. c. 4 5.6.7.8-9 this I shal largely proue declare afterward and this to the second point But now to the first point of proof alleaged out of S t. Beede yf it were true as Syr. F. citeth thesame surely knights should haue truth in their allegations to wit that Scriptures were in those dayes read by some people in their vulgar languages and tongues which Bede nameth yet were yt nothing against vs who do vse thesame libertie and haue done in all ages to permit some vulgar translations for suche as are thought meet to profit Enc 1.8 infra cap. 5. and not to take hurt therby as before hath byn declared and after shal be shewed more at large But now yow must vnderstand that this playne and euident testimony of S. Bede which Syr F. braggeth of but quoteth yt not as commonly his shift is when he would not haue matters examâ—ned or his fraud found out this place I say of Bede which he alleageth is quite contrary to him for this sayth Bede Beda lib. 1. hist Angl. cap. 1. Haec in praesenti â—uxta numerum librorum quibus lex diuina scripta est quinque gentium linguis vnam eandemque summae veritatis verae sublimitatis scientiam seruatur confitetur Anglorum vz Britonum Scotorum Pictorum Latinorum quae in meditatione Scripturarum caeteris omnibus est facta communis c. This Iland at this present according to the number of the fyue Bookes wherin the law was written by Moyses doth in fyue tonges search owt and confesse one and the self same knowlege of the highest truth A notable abusing of S. Bedes authoritie and of the true highnes which is the Religion of Christ Iesus to wit the tongue of the Angles or Englishmen of the Britans of the Scots of the Pictes and of the Latines or relykes of the Romanes which Latyn tougue ys now made common to all the rest in meditation of the Scriptures Thus sayth Bede wherin 3. things are to be obserued first that all thâ—se fyue nations lyuing together in one Iland and in continual enmitie and warres in other pointes yet in Religion and profession of one truthe they all agreed which sheweth notably the vnitie of Catholyke doctrine euen among enemies and ouerthroweth that fond fiction of protestaÌ„ts who in all their bookes giue out and auow especially Fox and Hollinshed that the religion of the Britans was different from that which S. Augustine the Monke brought in from Rome to the English nation Fox monu pag 107.108 Hoâ—â—nâ—h des crip Angl. Cap. 9. Secondly yt is â—o be noted that since the new Religion of Protestants came vp though all the â—â—and aâ—most be of one tonge throughly frends in othâ—r matterâ— yet in points or Religion they agree not as in Bedes tyme when they were enemies which is the vertue of their vnitie And thirdly may be noted the euil dealing of Syr F. himself aâ—so who in this place sticketh not to auowche to the Reader that by these woords of Bede it is euident and plaine that the Scriptures were now in all these fyue tonges where as S. Bede sayth the quite contrary to wit that the
that tyme therof as Aeneas Syluius in the history of the Bohemians IohaÌ„nes Dubrauius B. of Olimutz IohaÌ„nes Cochlaeus in his history of the Hussits and others For as for the acts and gests of the councel 〈◊〉 selfâ— which are the best witnesses the whoâ—e â—â—tenth sessâ—on contayneth this Storie at large 〈◊〉 Iohn Hus his comming to the councel his â—â—am nation conference peruersitie condemâ—ation and the â—yke And fiâ—st yt is declared â—â—erein how that after Masse of the holy â—ost being song by the Cardinal of Viuaria â—egat for the Pope The number that came to this councel Arch and Byâ—hops 346. Abboâ—s and Doctors 564. Princes noblemen and their traâ—ne 16000 Fox Pâ—g 5 9. Sessio 15. Pag 314. the Letanies also sayd and 〈◊〉 the Princes both Ecclesiastical and temâ—oral set in their order which in the beginâ—ing of the sayd Session are recounted by â—ame Iohn Husse was brought into the â—ouncel vpon a Saturday the 6. of Iuly anno â—omini 1415. who being placed ad meduâ—m â—oncily vbi erat leuaâ—us in vnum altum scamnum c. â—n the mydest of the councel raised vp vpon a â—igh stoole to the end that all men might see â—im there was a learned Sermon made first â—y the B. of Laudium vpon these woordes Desâ—ruatur coâ—pus peccati Rom. 16. and that â—eing ended there was first made by the councel decretum silenâ—ij a decree that all men â—hould hold tâ—eir peace and after were read the articles of Iohn wicklief vnder whom Husse had studied in EnglaÌ„d to the number of 60. or there about condemned before in a councel at Rome which Iohn Husse was accused after that condeÌ„nation to haue preached and defended in Bohemia And after this his owne Articles to the number of 30. were read also publykly and condemned the last therof was this Nullus est Dominus ciuilis nullus est Praelatus nullus est Episcopus dum est in peccato morâ—â— no man is a ciuil Magistrate A vvicked article of Iohn Husse nor Prelate no Bishop so long as he is in mortal sinne After this doth follow in that session great coÌ„pany of other articles for the formâ— were fouÌ„d vnder his owne hand which weâ—â— proued by witnesses processes against hiâ— all which being vrged and shewed to 〈◊〉 wicked false and seditious his refuge wâ—â— when he was pressed by the councel anâ— learned men therof that he did appeale 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ from them all The manner of Iohn Hus his ansvvere flying therebâ— as the councel sayth all ordinary Ecclesiaâ—stical iurisdiction as heretyks are wont tâ— doe when they can not defend their fancieâ—â— Ses. 15. Pag. 316. And wheÌ„ after the condeÌ„nation of these arâ—ticles diuers Cardinals Archbyshops Bishopâ— and other men which the records do nameâ— were appoynted by the councel to conferâ— with him agayne and to persuade him tâ— follow reason and not to stand only in hiâ— owne Iudgement Respondit quod vellet stare iâ— eo quod scripsit manu sua in praesenti parte factâ— hinc inde suasionibus quod non vellet inhaerere suâ—â— opinionâ— Sed potius stare cum tota Ecclesia c. Hâ— answered that he would stand in that he haâ— written with his owne hand in the presenâ— affayre then diuers persuasions being madâ— to and fro vnto him that he would not so stick in his owne opinion but that he would stand rather with the whole Churche and with the learned men therof in this present councel gathered together Finally he stood â—â—iffe in his owne purpose c. Thus far the â—oords of the register And then agayne a litle after Reperto deâ—um Iohanne remanere in peruersitate sua Vaâ—neglory held Husse from coÌ„uerting and diâ—â—â—e quod propter homines quos dòcuit de opposito 〈◊〉 velit abâ—urare c. And finally finding that â—ohn Hus did persist in his peruersitie saying â—â—at in respect of these men whome he had â—aught the contrary he would not abuire â—r that yt would be scandalous c. Heereâ—pon they proceeded to this condemnation â—nd thus much of that poynt wherby apâ—eareth contrarie to S r. Francis assertion that â—e was both heard disputed with and chaâ—â—tably persuaded to returne vnto the truthe But besydes the former articles of doctrine â—e was conuinced also of two notorious vnâ—â—uthes one a ly the other a forgerie conâ—erning England for first he had published 〈◊〉 Prage Stovv Pag. 326. that in a meeting of many Catholyke â—â—â—rned men against his Maister Ihon VVicliffe in â— Paules Churche in London which I ghesse to â—e that which Iohn Stow mentioneth in the â—nd of K. Edward the 3. his lyfe Tvvo famous heretical vntruthes of Husse anno 1377. â—hen Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster vpon â—ontention against the B. of London stood â—r wicliffe and defended him in S. Paules â—hurche Husse said that such a Thunder and â—â—ghtening came from heauen vpon the suddayne as â—â—ke vp the dores and so chased VViclifs enemies 〈◊〉 with much a do they escaped into London This â—as one notorious ly which is conuinced also your histories The second was that Husse had brought forged testimony of the vniuersitie of Oxford affâ—â—â—ming that Iohn VVicliffe both lyued and dyed Catholyâ—e man which thing was proued â—orâ—gerie by testimony of thesame vniuersitie which vnder their Seale had gathered 26â— errors out of the books and wryting 〈◊〉 Wâ—cliffe and sent them to the sayd counâ—â—â— of constance to be seene iudged and conâ—demned as they were All this and much more is related of Ihoâ— Husse in the session of the councel by whicâ— is conuinced the falsitie of S. F. who saytâ— that he was condemned not being so mucâ— as heard but loden with chaynes and fetterâ— wherof no Author els that euer I read dotâ— make any mention but that the K â— as yâ— seemeth hath deuised yt at home in his studieâ—â— CoÌ„â—rarieties betvvixt Husse and Syr F. religioÌ„ And finallie why he should labour so mucâ— for the prayse of this Ihon Husse or brinâ— him in for one of the learnedest and chiefeâ—â— champions of his Churche I see no reason buâ— beggarie on their behalfe and penurie oâ— men to fil vp their Churche For that Hussâ— confesseth many things in his articles for 〈◊〉 agaynst S. F. as the seuen Sacraments Art 8 Pag. 318. anâ— dyuers others poynts of Catholyke religionâ— And on the other syde hath many proposiâ—tions which S. F. wil not dare to admit iâ— Englandâ— eyther for shame or feare as thaâ— aboue mencioned of the ciuil magistrate Art 30. Pag. 319. Paâ—tors and Prelates to lose their authoritieâ— and that they are not to be obeyed when sâ— euer they fal into mortal sinne which were a very hard case for both cleargie and laitie this day in England And an other that beginneth thus Quilibet Tyrâ—nnus potest debâ—â— licitè meritoriè occidâ— per quemâ—umque vassalum suum vel sâ—bditum c. Euery
discouery of your learned men to manifest the same See Posseuiâ—us in biblioth select lib. and then is it both false and ridiculous which immediatly yow ad that we thought to haue it remayn secret among our selues what we do in this behalf concerning the ancieÌ„t Fathers c. For who would publish books and expurgatorie Indices in all countreys of such corrections as we think needful yf we would haue the matter secret but these men must needs say somwhat though neuer so fond or repugnant to reason But for that of later dayes diuers sectaries haue begonne to complayn greatly of the continuance of an ancient diligence vsed by the Cath. Roman Churche for repressing heretical books and purging others corrupted by them with infinite impostures false translations wicked annotations pernicious commentaries postiles arguments obseruations and other like most pestilent infections I shal be forced in this place to stand vpoÌ„ this matter somwhat and to open to the reader the truth of things about this point and then shal we answere also this particular obiection of deleaiur solummodo made heere by S r. Francis els where by many of his coÌ„parteners as though we meant to blot out all that is against vs in any sort of authors whatsoeuer First then it is to be vnderstood that it hath byn an ould custome of heretiks and sectaries from the beginning not only to wryte wicked bookes themselues The custome of heretiks to corrupt bookes but to corrupt other meÌ„nes wrytings also most audaciously to make them seeme to be of their secte and faction euen as rebels are wont to do who being but few at the beginning do giue out notwithstanding for their better credit that they haue many great parteners in secret and do oftentymes fayn letters to testifie the same Of this fraud of heretiks Origenes in epist. ad Alexandrinos Tertul. lib. contra Marcion Euseb. Caesar. in apol sub nomine Pamphyâ—â— martyris Ruffinus in epist. ad Macarium and of their corrupting not only the scriptures when they can but also other authors and wryters we haue many ancient complaints among the Fathers of all ages which were ouerlong heere to recite the reader may see those that I haue noted in the margent and therby may he make a ghesse of the rest But now to this most dangerous assault of the diuel â—uagr lib. 3. ca. 31. Cassiodorus de Diuin lect ca. 2. Leuitius de Sectis Act. 8. tom 9. Byblioth Sanct. 6. Synod act 15. tom 2. concil c. wherby he would bring all things in doubt and consequently the Churche of God into confusion the said Churche in the strength of his holy spirit hath striuen and resisted euer with all diligence industry and longanimity accursing first both the heretiks and all their heretical wrytings then cleansing and purging the works of other authors from their pernicious corruptions No book of former heretyke hath remayned infections and poysoned impostures and this diligence of the Cath Churche hath peruayled so much hath byn so grateful in the sight of God as we see and feele at this day the miraculous effects therof which are that of so many heretical volumes as haue byn written from age to age against the truthe of Catholyke religion and were curiously read and highly esteemed in those dayes by men that loued nouelties scarse any one remayneth to this day in so much that if we had not mention and memory of their said books and absurd positions by the testimony of Cath. authors that wrote against theÌ„ we should scarse haue had any knowledge that they had wrytten such woorks For what is become I pray yow of all those volumes written by the Arrians which did set a worke all the Cath. Fathers and Doctors of diuers ages to answere them what is become of the many books of Pelagius our learned though wicked Brittaine of Faustus the great Manichie of whose great parts and labors S. Augustine himself that was his greatest aduersary doth beare witnesse of Petilian Crescentius and other wryting Donatists What is become of the 200. books or volumes of our Ihon VVicliffe or wicked-beleef as Thomas VValsingham calleth him are they not all gon So as yf our other learned contreyman Thomas VValden VVicliffes opposite and some others did not make mention therof and of that nuÌ„ber we should neuer haue knowne that he had wrytten so many to his owne confusion Wel then these are the effects of this holy industry of the Catholyke Church in ceÌ„suring and condemning the wrytings of heretyks which censure though it be commonly litle esteemed but rather contemned by them and their followers for the tyme present yet as the figtree in the ghospel died and withered away after the curse of Christ receyued so do these men and their works by litle and litle dy in themselues after the malediction and condemnation of his spouse the Churche though presently it be not seene but future tymes wil declare it and if we haue seene the experience therof in 15. ages past we may beleeue it also of this which is the 16. Let the heretiks vaunt and brag what they wil to the contrary and already we see some proof therof For I would aske yow who readeth or esteemeth greatly Martyn Luthers works at this day in England I meane of Protestants though they were more perhaps in number then those of S. Augustine and much more esteemed for some yeares by his folâ—owers Luthers books out of request he being accoÌ„pted the Elias of our tyme Father of the new ghospel And the lyke I might aske of the books of Oecolampadius Carolstadius Zwinglius and other the first pillers of Protestants Religion and if they be eyther in contempt or of declining estimaâ—ion among their owne ofspring so soone what do we think that they are amongst Catholyks and wil be to their posterity when this tempest shal be blowne-ouer and the Churche restored to a calmer season againe And thus much of the effects of this diligence as also of the necessary causes inducing to vse the same which may be greatly confirmed by the coÌ„trary effects to be seene amoÌ„g heretyks and sectaries where this diligence is not or cannot be vsed nor if it were can it haue the forsayd benediction of good successe for that God the giuer of that benediction is not with them so we see that among them all sectaries books whatsoeuer are read promiscuously of all men and women euen the Turks Alcaron it self Macheuile Bodin tending to Atheisme and baudy Boccace with the most pestilent English Pallace of Pleasure all forbidden among vs Catholyks are read and studied by whome it lyketh them wherby it must needs ensue that the peoples iudgment affections are pittifully infected with poyson in euery kynd where no prohibition is vsed to the contrary The only diligence that is vsed at this day among them is to prohibit and keep out Catholyke books No
lay men must not medle with matters of religion and that the Pope or any Priest comming from him is to be obayed though he teach blasphemies and finally that our cheef remedy against all sinnes consisteth in buying of pardons c. In defence of which obtruded positions how yow behaue your self and what your carriage is both by flying euery where from the true state of the question cogging dissembling and bringing in other odde matters litle or nothing concerning the controuersy it self and by other such sleights and fhifts See cap. 7.9.12.14 c. I may not heer stand to repeat agayne but do remit the Reader to that which is written in euery chapter of this affayre yet cannot I but put yow in mynd the Reader also that all defaults may better be borne and digested then wilful corruptions and falsifications of authors whome yow alleadge I meane eyther in words yow cite or in sense when yow alleadg them quite contrary to their owne meaning purpose and drift as yow are often shewed to haue done in sundry places and vpon fundry occasions wherof some we shal take the payne to repeat breefly in this place for better establishing the readers memory about your manner of proceeding Diuers authoâ—s abused First then yow are shewed in the second Chapter of this Encounter to haue greatly abused the story of Thâ— VValsingham Cap. 2. nu 7.8 c. in alleading him fraudulently about the lying of corrupted fryars in K. Richard the 2. his tyme concealing craftily both the tyme occasion of his wryting and the men corrupted by VVicliffe Cap. 3. nâ— 3.4 5. c. of whome he wrote And then immediatly in the very next chapter yow are proued to offer no lesse iniury to the authority of S. Bede as though he should allow and testifie the promiscuous reading of holy scriptures in vulgar laÌ„guages in his dayes the truth being nothing so but rather the quite contrary appearing by his wordes and no lesse violeÌ„ce are yow declared to vse in thesame place to Arnobius an anciÌ„ent author Ibid. 9. nu 7. as though he had reproued the pious vse of Christian Images wheras indeed he speaketh only and expressely of idols made Gods among Gentils the title also of his book concealed by yow being Aduersus gentes S. Chrisostome also is prooued to haue byn egregiously misused by yow in the 9. chapter Cap. 9. nu 1â— not only by peruerting his whole sense and meaning in the matter for which yow alleadge him but by cutting of also and mangling his very words and sentences alleadged about which point the Warder noteth no fewer then 8. seueral abuses and falsifications in that place and not vnlyke iniury is shewed to be offered also to Index expurgatorius Hispanicus in thesame place concerning the note obiected by yow in your answere Cap. 9. nu 15. deleatur dictio solumodò in Gregory Nissen his sentence where yow both conceale the reason alleadged by the Index of that deletion or putting out to wit for that it was an error in the coppy and wholy from the authors argument drift and meaning in that place as also for that yow father that sentence vpon Gregory Nissene which is none of his as there is shewed But of all other your dishonorable dealing Syr Francis in this kynd of abusing authors Cap. 10. that doth most exceed which yow do vse in the 10. Chapter against that holy renowned man S. Tho. of CaÌ„terbury FalsificatioÌ„s against S. Tho. of Canterbury where yow ioyne perfidiously with Iohn Fox your maister the most shamlesse corrupter of authors that euer perhaps took pen in hand to disgrace that worthy Saint and Prelate both in his person and cause with the king and for that yow are ofteÌ„ taken attaynted of this trick throughout the whole said tenth chapter and in the other that ensueth especially where yow are shewed to falsifie most egregiously Caesarius Heislerbacius about S. Thom. his miracles I shal not need to set downe heer more particulars Cap. 11. nu 12.13 c. but rather wil end putting yow in mynd only therby to mooue you a scruple yf it might be of these many and notorious corruptions and falsifications vsed by yow and your said scholmaister Iohn Fox concerning the faigned poysoning of king Iohn by a monk and the absolution for the fact before hand in which narration there are so many shamelesse impostures vsed by yow two combyned companions in lying About the poysoning of K. Iohn sup Cap. 15. as I persuade my self the reuewing therof wil make yow blush or at leastwayes your modest reader for yow yf he loue his soule he wil take heed of yow and yours for the tyme to come Aud so for breuities sake I wil passe no further in this recitall but only vse a word or two of aduise to your procter O.E. and so an end Neyther yet wil I enter into any more particulars with him at this tyme About the minister O. E. for that this admonition would grow ouerlong and I am ful wearied already with repeating so much drosse of corrupted myndes that haue no conscience what they say or affirme but yet assure your self that this minister is farre worse then the knight in shamelesse manner of proceeding though somwhat more wary in citations and he that wil know him or take a scantling of his turbulent spirit in wryting let him read the sixt eight and thirteene Chapters of this encounter where he is dealt withall alone and singled into his Ierkin to vse his owne phrase and many of his tricks discouered and layd open and yf by this examen and by the rest of the former Encounter and the Epistles going before the man come not to be sufficiently knowne A nevv match for O. E. in hand then shal I remit me to that which after also is to ensue especially in the seueral answere to his new chalenges which I vnderstand some frend of myne seeing my present lettes occupations is like inough to take in hand and to buccle with him alone singulari certamine which yf my frend do performe as O.E. himself desyreth and craueth I dare fortel hauing considered wel the subiect which they are to discusse that O. E. wil be left in a very poor pickle and made a ridiculous companion as one that vnderstandeth neyther himself nor his aduersary nor the true state of the questioÌ„ he handleth and yf this proue not soo the match going forward then let me be condemned both of temerity and vanity for making that prophesy so long before hand And so to the proof I remit me beseeching in the meane space the moderate and indifferent reader which hath care of his saluation and readeth not so much for curiosity contention or loue to partes and faction as sincerely to be instructed in matter of truth concerning religion that he weigh seriously with himself what good meaning or
Heretical wryters their confusion and vanity in wryting discouered Enc. 1. cap. 1. num 8.9 c. S. Hierome his words much abused by S. F. Enc. 1. c. 9. n. 2. His great humility in subiecting his iudgment to Pope Damasus Enc. 1. cap. 16. num 18. S. Hilary his iudgment of the Popes heauenly authority Enc. 1. cap. 3. num 14. Hosius egregiously abused falsified Enc. 2. c. 8. n. 2.3 c. Hostâ—ensis abused by S. Francis Enc. 1. cap. 2. num 7. Husse and his whole cause examined in the councel of Constance Enc. 2. cap. 3. num 15.16.17 c. His daungerous doctrine that No man is a Prince prelate or Magistrate vvhile he is in mortal sinne Ibid. num 17. Two famous heretical lyes prooued there against him ibid. num 20. Husse contrary to S. F. in doctrine Eâ—c 2. cap. 3. nu 21. Husse his doctrine reiected by Luther for euer and euer ibid. num 22. Husse his leather breeches kept at this day for reliques among the Hussâ—ts in Prage ibid. num 24. I. IDolatry and Idolatrors agreeing only to heretiks in the Christian Churche obseruat nâ— 1â— 12 c. Ignorance whether she be the mother of deuotion Enc. 2. cap. 7. n. 3.4 c. Index Expurgatorius why and how it is to be made Enc. 2. cap. 9. n. 21.22 c. Iustification how greatly Lutherans and Caluinists do disagree about thesame whether it be by works or faith only Enc. 2. cap. 16. n. 8.9.10 c. K. KIng Iohn fayned by protestants to haue byn poysoned by a monk against the testimony of all antiquity Enc. 2. cap. 15. n. 3.4.5 c. Knockes founder of Caluinisme in Scotland His wicked daungerous doctrine about the deposition of Princesâ— Enc. 1. cap. 6. nu 3.4.5 c. L. LAteran Counsel falsified by the minister O. E. Enc. 1. cap. 13. num 10. Lay-men whether they be forbidden by Catholyks to medle in matters of religioÌ„ Enc. 2. cap. 7. And more largely cap. 9. per totum Lyes historical and doctrinal how they differ Enc. 2. â—ap 2. num 3. Lutherans and Sacramentaries their warre one against the other Enc. 1. cap. 5.4 c. per totum Luther his iudgment and sentence of the Sacramentaries ibid. cap. 5. num 1. 2. Luther what manner of man he was according to the iudgment of ZuingliaÌ„s and Caluinists Enc. 1. cap. 5. num 5. Luther Canonized by Iohn Fox ibid. num 4. Luthers prophesy of the destruction of protestants especially Caluinists by diuision amongst themselues Enc. 1. cap 7. num 4. Luther his going to Angusta and VVormes and dealing there Enc. 2. cap. 1. num 8. Luther his condemnation by the Emperour and his councel wherin he was said to be a diuel and not a man Ibid. n. 8. Luther wryteth of himself that one cryed to him Beatusventer qui te portauit c. Ibid. n. 9. M. MArtyrs tombes frequented with great deuotion by christians in Rome in S. Hieromes tyme. Enc. 1. c. 9. n. 3.4 c. what diligence was vsed in old tyme in registring the liues of martyrs and the dayes of that suffefering Enc. 2. cap. 11. n. 5. What maÌ„ner of martyrs Fox setteth downe of his Churche the one contrary to the other in beleef Enc. 2. cap. 11. n. 8.9.10.11 c. Masse and the sacrifice therof confessed by antiquity Enc. 1. cap. 13. n. 12. Masse in the latyn tongue and fruite of the hearing therof though it be not vnderstood by the people Enc. 2. cap. â— n. 6.7 c. Merits of good works what they are and how they may stand with Gods grace and Christs merits Enc. 1. cap. 10. num 6.7 c. Miracles of S. Thomas of Canterbury and the authentical proof therof Enc. 2. cap. 11. Miracles how fondly and heathen-like they are iested at by protestants Enc. 2. cap. 11. num 20. Miracles defended by S. Ambrose S. Augustine Enc. 2. cap. 11. num 26.27 c. N. NObility and commons corrupted pittifully by Wickliffe his doctrine Enc. 2. cap. 2. num 10.11 c. O. OBedience spiritual to the Pope may stand with temporal to the Prince obseruat num 5. Ochinus that taught in England in K. Edward his dayes his sentence of Caluyn and Beza Enc. 1. cap. 5. O. E. Minister His extreeme pride malice and folly In the ansvvere to his epistle He is prooued a noddy by spelling the word Noddy ibid. He is described what fellow he is ibid. He is a bloody fellow poore and needy and hopeth for scraps by other mennes ruine obseruat num 1.2 c. He is proued to be a notorious firebrand of sedition obseruat num 7. He excuseth his rayling by confessing it to be weaknes in him obseru num 37. The manner of his wryting is layd open as impertineÌ„t impudent and impotent Enc. 1. cap. 1. num 7. He is shewed to be a most shamelesse and impudent flatterer Enc. 1. cap. 3. num 23.24 c. He is proued also to be a true Oedipus and hungry parasite ibid. num 6. He is desperate in denying when he is pressed saying among other things that there is no diuision at all among Protestants Enc. 1. He damneth his auncestors that were Catholyks as hauing only the bare name of Christians Enc. 1. cap. 13. n. 6. His contemptuous speeches of Luther and Caluyn togeather with playne Atheisme Enc. 1. cap. 17. num 10. 11.12 c. He braggeth that he wil go to Syuil or Paris to dispute with Catholyks if he may haue leaue Enc. 2. cap. 4. n. 22. P. PAnormitâ—â— Hostiensis two learned Canonists greatly abused by S. F. Enc. 1. cap. 2. num 17. Parlament what it may do in matters of Religion and did both in Q. Mary and K. Edwards tymes Enc. 1. cap. 16. num 8.9 c. Pardons and for what sinnes they are vsed by Cath. doctrine Enc. 2. cap. 14. num 6.7 c. and to whome they are auayleable ibid. F. Paâ—sons defended against the raging malice of the minister O.E. Books and treateses written by him In Epist. to O.E. Persecution against Catholyks Enc. 1. cap. 10. num vlt. Plesâ—is Mornay his lyes discouered before the K. of FraÌ„ce Enc. 2. cap. 2. num 3. Poysy colloquy or conference betwene Catholyks and protestant ministers Enc. 2. cap. 4. num 12. The dissolution of the Protestant ministers in that meeting ibid. nâ—m 16. Their dissention in points of Religion ibid. nnm 19. The good that came by that disorderly meeting and conference ibid. Popes their most honorable titles taken out of auncâ—nt Doctors Enc. 1. cap. 3. num 13.14 c. Prayer to Saints Enc. 2. cap. 6. num 8. Priests authority in absoluing sinnes according to Chrisostome Enc. 1. cap. 3. num 13. Protestants and Puritans how they agree in Christ crucified what comfort they take one of the other Notes vpon the epist of S. F. num 8.9.10 c. Protestants more deuided then before by their synods and councels Enc. 1. cap.