Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	faith_n	prove_v	3,810	5	6.3590	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13158	A briefe examination, of a certaine peremptorie menacing and disleal petition presented, as is pretended, to the Kings most excellent Maiestie, by certaine laye papistes, calling themselues, the lay Catholikes of England, and now lately printed, and diuulged by a busie compagnion, called Iohn Lecey	Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1550?-1629.	1606 (1606)	STC 23452; ESTC S117870	127,037	159

coloure of traditions they thrust vpon the Church not onelie diuers Fables and superstitious toyes but also a greate part of the errors of the church of Rome Finally they talke of Apostolicall and Ecclesiastical traditions and yet can not certainely deriue them eyther from the Apostles or from the Ancient catholike Church These foundations therefore are ruinous and rather serue to prooue the erroncous doctrine of Antichrist then the faith of Christe Iesus Canus in his booke de locis theolog among his principall groundes and proofes of christian religion reckoneth not only the acts of Councels and writings of the fathers but also the authority of schoolemen and canonists of profane writers and of humane reason yea of the popes and moderne church of Rome Now what I beseech you is more vncertaine then to rely vpon the vncertaine actes of councels and connterfact writings set out vnder the name of fathers Againe what is is more vnreasonable then to bring forth the pope his complices for witnesses or iudges in their owne cause Lex dei saith Athanasius Apolog 2. inimicum ne que testeÌ„ ne que iudicem esse vult the lawe of God admitteth not our enemies to bee either iudges or witnesses Finally naturall reason is blind in the cause of true religion profane men write profanely These groundes therfore as they are faultie cannot serue for immoueable groundes of the christian fayth CoÌ„monly all papists doe build their faith not so much vpon holie scriptures as vpon vnwritten traditions popish decretals lying miracles feyned visions the Romish churches Practise But theire miracles and reuelations haue for the moste parte no better authoritie then from the forged and lying legendes of saintes the falshhood of their Decretalls and traditions is declared by the writings of auncient fathers the practise of the moderne Church is contrary to the apostolike and catholike church of old time For in that Church we neither finde any vniuersal pope with triple crown guard of Swizzars nor any Romish masse nor popish indulgences or purgatory or such like trash Vpon these false and erroneous grounds it is no maruell if they haue framed to themselues a most false and erroneous religion as may appeare by these particulars Concerning scriptures they teache that they are no perfect canon of our fayth and next that they are not authenticall to vs vnlesse they be consigned and deliuered to vs by the Pope and his adherents Thirdly they say that the Latin translation is authenticall which they doo not affirme of the originall books Fourthly they say they are obscure and hurtfull Lastlie they permit them not to bee read publikely in tongues vnderstood of the multitude But the Apostle 2. Tim. 3. sayth They are able to make the man of God perfite and none but heretikes as we may read in Ireneus euer accused them of insufficiency Secondly as lawes so scriptures haue receiued theyr strength from the author of them that is from the holy ghost And those are very absurd that do beleeue the Pope speaking in his decretalls and will not beleeue God speaking in holy scriptures Thirdly all the fathers prefer the originall books of scripture before the translations Fourthly the word of god in scriptures is called light and the food of the soule Who then that is not led by the spirit of Satan can repute them obscure or hurtfull Lastly neuer was it taught or hearde in auncient times that scriptures were publikely red in tongues not vnderstood Secondly they giue to Christ in the sacrament a body neither felt nor seen nor any way like to our bodies For what man J beseech you euer had a body that was in many places at once and yet filleth no place they holde also that being in his mothers womb he was vir perfectus that is a grown man and that as man he was omniscient and knew all things His office of mediatorship they communicate vnto the virgin Marie and other saints and to Angells and somtime stick not to call saints their redeemers as Bellarmine in his first book de iudulgentijs confesseth To make a treasure of indulgences they mix the merits of Christ and his saints together as if Christs merits were insufficient Their Massepriests as they say are after the order of Melchisedech Finally they make them mediators for Christs body as these words of the Masse declare suscipe hanc oblationem c. and again supra quae propitio sereno vultu respicere digneris That is receiue this oblation viz. of Christs body and blood And again Looke vpon it with a fanourable and serene countenance Of which doctrines no one is true and diuers are blasphemous and impious Thirdly they say the Pope is saint Peters successour and Christs Vicar albeit he neither teach the gospell nor administer the Sacraments nor resemble them almost in any thing Him also they make the heade spouse and foundation of the vniuersall church albeit he can shew graunte for none of these prerogatiues They teach further that he is aboue general councels and hath power to depose kings and that his lawes bind mens consciences but such doctrines are not only erroneous but also absurd Fourthly they cast out of the catholike church all that professe not their faith although elect to life and contrarywise make reprobate persons hereticks and wiched men professing the Romish faith and communicating with the Romishe church true members of christs body they hold also that the catholike church is alwayes so visible that euery man may see it and discerne it Finally they shut the catholike church within the limits of the Romish church Matters repugnaunte to holy scriptures and no way agreeing with the nature of the true catholike and apostolike church nor very well with reason Fiftly most falsly they teache that the Pope onely hath power to confirme generall councells and that no man els ought to summon them and praeside in them They hold also that the conuenticles of Laterane Constance Florence and Trent are comparable to the fowre firste generall councells Sixtly they make their followers belieue that the moderne church of Rome differeth not from the aunciente Romane Church and that the same is guided by gods spirit and cannot erre But their erroneous doctrine different from that which S. Paul taught the Romans declareth the contrary 7. Commonly they take to themselues the name of Catholikes yet their doctrine of the masse of their half communions adoration of the sacrament merites of congruity and condignity of Popish indulgences worshippe of images and such like was neuer receiued of the Christians of all times and places 8. Parsons in his booke of 3. conuersions giueth out that Saint Peter and Eleutherus did teache the moderne Romane faith to the aunciente Britones and Austen the monke to aunciente Saxons But hee faileth in his proofes and with a harde and bare face telleth nothinge but bare and improbable lies 9. They teache their followers to worship saintes and to say

cultu sanctorum c. 23. aloweth these speches of friars speaking to a woodeÌ„ crucifix thou hast redeemed vs thou hast recoÌ„ciled vs to thy father he confesseth also in his 1. booke de iudulgentijs that saints may be called redeemers Thomas Waldensis in his prologue ad Martinum quintum applieth these wordes of the Apostle Lord saue vs wee perish to the pope 14. Bonauenture or rather some falsary vnder his name applieth those diuine prayses which the prophet in the Psalmes giueth to god to the virgin Mary 15. Of the scriptures most commonly they speak most blasphemously sometime calling them a nose of waxe sometime a deade letter sometime a killing letter sometime comparing them to Aesops fables Kellison in his suruey p. 158. saith the deuill doth wrap himselfe from top to toe in scriptures as if the word of god were the habit of the diuell He that list to see diuers other blasphemous doctrines sayinges of the pope and his complices let him reade the two bookes de antichristo et eius ecclesia latelie set out by Master Powel a young man learned zealous and paineful that hath at large handled this argument in the meane while we may see that such as professe christian religion and true piety haue noe reason to like that religion in which Christ is notoriously blasphemed and so many impieties conteined Chap. 11. That toleration of popery is contrary to reasons of state FVrthermore with small labor it may be shewed that popery is a religion full of contradictions absurdities and fooleries and so contrary to holy scriptures and the catholike faith of christians as darknesse to lighte falsehood to truth and black to white But this short answere will not admitte any such large discourse beside that all these poyntes are at large prooued in the suruey of popery published in answere to Kellisons inuectiue Suruey Now therefore it shall bee sufficient to shew that as popery is contrary to the rules of Christian religion so it si no lesse repugnant to reasons of state and derogatory both to the Authority of Kinges and to the libertie of Christians That popish religion is contrary to reasons of state and politicke gouerne ment it apeareth firste for that the same is idolatrous wicked false and contrary to gods true seruice nowe what state can long continue that either receiueth such a wicked religion or else is carelesse for the establishment of gods seruice Them that honoure me saith the Lord. 1. Samuel 2. I will honor and they that despise me shall bee despised The Apostle also Rom. 1. sheweth that the wrath of god is reueiled froÌ„ heauen against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnesse of men which withold the truth in vnrighteousnesse Secondly it is alwaies dangerous to change lawes and to reuerse matters heretofore orderly passed But if popish religion were tolerated then shoulde all those lawes cease that concerne the articles of religion the book of common prayer the forme of administration of sacramentes the kinges royall authority in ecclesiasticall causes the ministers of gods worde and sacramentes and the postessions of the church Finally many things now well ordered would then bee called in question if then lawes be the bands that conteine the common welth in order who seeth not that a greate dislolution of state woulde followe if Popish religion were tolerated Thirdly the pope claimeth power to dispose of kingdomes and to depose kings and all his true disciples doe maintain his Claime Js it then possible that any state should ether liue vnder such a tyranny or tolerate such professed enemies of state Fourthly the same man pretendeth right to giue lawes to the state especially in ecclesiasticall causes and to dispose of the liuings of the church But I thinke noe state will giue this power to straungers and enemies that hath liberty to refuse it Fiftly we reade that pope Paule the third in his bulle of excommunication against King Henry the eighte King of EnglaÌ„nd commanded his subiects to take armes againste him gaue away his true subiects as slaues to those that coulde take them dissolued all bondes wherein any stood bound to him or his subiects as is euidently aparent in the words of his bulle recorded in Sanders de schismate the collector of his Bulles and this authority all pops claime and al papists must defend But it is strange that any state should endure such indignities offered to princes and theire subiects Sixtly no man can serue the pope and his prince and countrye especially beeing in opposition with the pope howe then can the state admit such as depend vpon the pope and are ready to exequute his commandementes and take them selues bound to do it vpon paiue of damnation Nay Percie and other papists of late without his commaundement as they say were in a fayre way to ouerthrow the state 7. To restore banished men to acquite condemned persons to let prisoners loose that are in custody by order of law is the moste extreme condition that lost common wealths may be drawn vnto as Tully saith lib. 5. in Verrem perditae ciuitates saith he desperatis omnibus rebus hos solent exitus exitiales habere vt damnati in integrum restituantur vinctisoluantur exules redusaÌ„tur But toleration of popery doth bring all these incommodities with it shold we then basely subiect our selues to enemies and traitoures take that course which no state euer yeelded vnto vnlessethe same were brought to extreme and desperate termes 8. No state can admitte such as depend vpon forreine enemyes and intertaine intelligence with them For that were to imbrace within our bosomes the enemies of state But that is the case of the archpreest of the Iebusites Massepreests gunpouder traytors and all their adherents 9. No state can be well gouerned by two gouernors and two diuers lawes For as there is but one principall gouernemente In a state so ought there to be but one authority and one law but if papists bee tolerated then the pope must aswell be obeyed as the king and the popes laws be ioyned with the kings lawes furthermore the common wealthe will prooue a monster not onelie with two heades but also with two soules and two diuers kindes of proceedings 10. The bonds of state are lawes the bonds that tye subiects to their princes are othes of allegeance and loyall affection towardes them But papists being dispensed with all by the pope respect neither lawes of state nor othes of allegeance nor loue due to princes Howe then can any state tolerate such fellowes as respect nether bonds of state nor duty nor obligation toward their lawfull princes 11. Lawes punish such as contriue the murther of priuate persons and much more such as are ready vpon euery occasion to stirre sedition should then then the state tolerate such as vpon the Popes commandement and warrant nay vpon the word of a seditious Massepriest shall thinke it lawfull meritorious to murther empoyson any that shal be opposite

Contraryvvise you proue nought against vs and yet force vs to embrace your vvicked opinions Doctrine we receiue heresie These are points first to be decided and determined amongst Deuines and learned men of both parts and therefore that Magistrates should proceede against vs as men conuicted of those crimes before our cause be heard and determined by them that are by God 7 They vvill onely haue the pope to be iudge appointed to handle those high and important points of diuinity we hope your Maiesties clemency and piety will not permit But iudgement 8 Neuer vvith you in any lavvfull generall councell being past on our side already in so many generall Councells abroad and 9 Proue your popes mitre and massing sacrifice by conuocations and Parliaments if you can conuocations and Parliaments at home commending and approuing the faith we professe what reason can giue life to that lawe that doth reuerse a sentence so authentically giuen without the full form of iustice and processe therein required Chapter 4. The reasons vvhy vve are so resolute in our Religion Reasons of Religion THE first reason that we giue of our faith and Religion Sacred Soueraigne and why we ought not to suffer therefore as delinquents is that neither 1 The Turks and any other heretikes are able to say so much as these do albeit they proue nothing obstinate pride nor presumptuous pertinacy The 1. reason nor dislike of order or Discipline nor contempt of authority nor curiosity affectation of nouelty or discontentment in our priuate humors maketh vs so constant and resolute in the profession thereof but our consciences meerly so informed and inforced in maner by the 2 Proue this grace and exhibit this holy vvord and then you say somthing instinct of Gods grace and reuelation of his holy word and will but our vnderstanding captiuated in obsequium fidei by most euident (a) In no Religion but the Catholike only do all these TestimonÃ®es concur Testimony of holy Write of Vnity Vniuersality Succession Antiquity and 3 Fevv lay papistes vnderstand scripturs in strange tongues and in vulgar tongues they may not read them Hovv then come they to knovv that scriptures make for them do they beleeue the pope and his emissaries that giueth them black for vvhite authority of Scriptures 4 VVith vhose vvorks you are but little acquainted Fathers Saints Doctors Councells Parliaments Virgins and Martyrs which all concur onely and jointly in the 5 VVhat is that to those that professe the popes particular doctrine Catholike Religion and in no other profession whatsoeuer which considerations accompanied with the feare of Gods judgements the danger of 6 You feare purgatory fire Hell fire you feare not that runn vvith your holy father headlong into hell and vvith rebells into treason Hell fire and the desire of eternall Saluation command vs by the rules of reason in the practise and profession of that Religion to obey the law of God 7 VVhy then doo you prefer the popes lavves before the letter of gods lavves before the lawe of Man It is an instance and maxime that suffereth no exception that neuer any generall or vniuersall 8 VVhat is that to vs innouation The 2 reason or alteration in matters of Faith or Religion from bad to better hath been heard of either in the whole world or in any particular nation be it either from Iudaisme Gentilisme Paganism Atheisme or Idolatry but that the commission and vocation of the messengers haue been authorised Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis Mar. 16. our Lord working with all and confirming the word with signes that followed which sithence our new messengers and reformers as yet haue not duly nor clearely shewed pretending as they do to purge Christendome of superstition and idolatry how can they in reason craue at our hands credit or conformity to the new lawes made on that behalfe God is ipsa vita lux veritas God that is the life light The 3. reason and truth it selfe cannot giue commission credit and authority to death darknes and falshood but it is most euident and cannot be doubted of or denied that the first Apostles and Conuertors of this our nations of England Scotland Ireland France and Germany were sent from the Church of Rome deliuered vs the same Romane faith we 10 That is the question We proue the contrary by particular instances and euident demonstrations now professe 9 All vvas not of your religion The Greek church at this day renounceth your erros the same Masse and the same Sacraments and preached the selfe same Doctrine Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis our Lord working with all and confirming the worde with signes that followed Reason then concludeth thus that either God in this case hath giuen testimony to falshood or else the doctrin confirmed by the testimony of God is true and auowable and not to be forsaken for feare of any humane lawes till we haue like testimony from Heauen to the contrary and when our aduersaries shall duely reproue ours herein and make their own 1 VVe haue proued it clearly But the caniball masse priests stick alvvaies in this brake mission as manifest by the word of God then if we do not conforme our selues to the new lawes imposed vpon vs worthily we are to endure these late inflicted penalties for matter of recusancy To conuince vs then that either we haue not the true Scriptures The 4. reason or interpret them not as wee ought or that we dishonor God in honouring his Saints or erre in the number or nature of our Sacraments as that our doctrine is false and defectiue and to condemne vs and punish vs therefore as Heretikes and Idolaters requireth 2 As if ordinary pastors vver not to reproue errors according to the doctrine of the prophets and Apostles vvithout extraordinary authority in all reason an absolute commission from God the which when it shall be produced willingly we will obey If they alledge Scriptures the Scriptures are common to vs both The 5. reason yet more likely in reason to be ours then theirs because that if the Church of Rome had not conserued them and communicated the same vnto vs our aduersaries had been at this day 3 If Rome had sunke many yeers since yet had the scriptures been preserued Scripturelesse the very originall Bible the selfe same numerâ— which S. Gregory sent in with our Apostle S. Augustine being as yet 4 Where further vvhat maketh that for you reserued by Gods especiall prouidence as a Testimony (a) We receiued the Scriptures from the Church of Rome that what Scriptures we haue we had 5 As if vve had in England no Bibles but Gregories Bible or as if Gregory vver the author of the Bible them from Rome and haue nothing of our reformers but

of theire Prince and country But now that we are so farre vrged we shall God willing make it appeare that their Popish deuises are nothing but a pack of nouelties latelie brought into the Romish church that their Religion is full of heresies impieties and blasphemies and lastly that diuers of their practises are full of Salt peter and most dangerous to the state and that their importunate desires are repugnaÌ„t both to reasons of religion state and also to modest and ciuill cariage My sole request to thee shall be that thou woldest be please to compare our answer with the lay papists petition and to iudge according to proofes We seeke for trueth we defend the Kings prerogatiue and state Let no man therfore shut his eies against that light by which we may see truth nor bee carelesse in matters so nerelye touching the safety of the King and state neither let any papist bee offended with vs while we seeke his saluation Non ideo vobis displiceamus saith Saint Augustine to certein Donatists epist 204. ad Donatum quia reuocamus erraÌ„tes quaerimus perditos and so wee say also to the simple and abused papists Let vs not displease you because we seek to call you from your errors and to gaine that which is lost We doe not hate you as our Countrimen but we detest your errors being humorously affected to forraine superstition In speaking also for common peace and safety we seek your peace The petitioners say they are resolued and pretend reason of their resolution But nothing is more fantastical or foolish then to resolue vpon false suppositions and to build without firme foundation neither is any thing more sottish then to seek that which being granted would turne to theire dishonoure and hurt if not destruction To confirme the weake and to recall those which goe astray wee haue done our best endeuour wee haue also defended the honor of religion his maiestie and the state as became vs. The rest wee referre to gods grace beseeching him so to enlighten all christian mens heartes with the knowledg of his eternall truth that not onelie the professors of religion may stand firm against the glozing perswasions of seducing and seditions Iebusites and Masse-Priests but also such as encline too much to error and superstition and nowe seeme malcontented maye be gathered into the true Church and shew themselues true subiects embracing truth and perseuering therein to their liues end A BRIEFE EXAMINATION OF The Lay Papistes late petition directed to his royall Maiestie Anno. 1604. Chapter 1. The resolution of the petition apologeticall of the Lay papists together with a somme of the answer made vnto it COmmonly we see by experience that excuses going before accusations doo argue a secret confession of the faultes of guiltie consciences Jf nothing els did shew it yet this and diuers other petitions and Apologies directed by diuers Masse priests and Papists vnto his royall maiestie who neither chargeth them nor proceedeth againste them for those matters which they goe about to couer and excuse do prooue it sufficiently For what reason haue they to make so many defenses and excuses if they did not knowe in their consciences that there are certaine matters wherewith they deserue to bee charged doo the defendants vse to make their answers before the accusers exhibit their bills or articles But suppose their consciences were cleare yet their wordes do argue plainly that neither for their faith towards god nor for their fidelity to his maiestie they stand vpright in the common reputation of their countrimen For if they did what should they need to publish such Apologies wherein they pretend to giue his Maiestie an accompt of their beleefe and religion and a full and ample securitie and satisfaction of their fidelities and submission againe if their cause were so cleere why doo not Massepriests come foorth and shew themselues and why should the lay Papists be so sparing in giuing the King his prerogatiue and so lauish in ascribing his right to the Pope Lastly what meant Percie and his companions to attempt so bloodie an execution and all papites to pray for the good successe of matters designed To forbeare to speake of the quality of their cause which we shall haue more occasion to do hereafter first we are to vnderstand what their intention is in this their Apologeticall Epistle and next what forme they keepe in their proceedings Their request is first that penall lawes made heretofore against Massepriestes recusantes and their abettors may be either reuersed or suspended And next that Popish religion and the teachers thereof may be tolerated vpon a certaine forme of submission And lastly that his maiesty wold be pleased to accompt Papists for his good subiects and to suspect the rest Matters all of verye hard disgestion and verie difficult to be proued or granted Yet what dare they not attempt to obtaine a toleration of their wicked abuses first they threaten the King Chapter 3 with an intimation of their numbers forces and intelligences bothe at home and abroade not forgetting to bragge of their qualities and merites Next they alleadge certaine reasons of their resolution in popishe religion Thirdly which to vs seemeth very admirable considering their manifold rebellions and treasons against their princes couÌ„tries both in England and elsewhere and the late horrible treason then in brewing they stand vpon high termes of theire loyall carriage and fidelity Fourthly albeit the same be without the coÌ„passe of their apologeticall petition yet they run out into a long accusation of the professors of true religion therein inuoluing his maiesty the gouernors of the state as it were ridiculously making them to answer that must be their iudges Lastly they offer a form of submissioÌ„ preteÌ„d to giue vs sufficient security for the Kings life for the preseruation of the state of which the first declareth their obedience to be very bare onelie voluntarie the second argueth theire pride to bee insupportable which vndertake to capitulate with the King and thinke their worde and bonde sufficiente for the securitie of such a king and state But wee must vnderstand that nowe they were conceiting theire horrible treasons and that they ment to burne their bonds and the parties to whom they stood obliged This is the substance of their pleading For the better garnishing whereof they propose reasons firste of their former silence next of the breach of their silence in this petitioÌ„ apologeticall albeit we haue iust cause to wonder how they can well speak of silence when so many of their consorts haue neuer ceased their babling and scribling about this obiect how they dare preteÌ„d reasons of this petitioÌ„ that is so deuoid of weight reason wisedom Beside these reasoÌ„s Iohn Lecey commeth in with a prologue in commendation of the actours in this Pageant and certaine banished Masse-Prestes staÌ„d in the rereward with an epilogue to the Lords of his maiesties

couÌ„sel accusing them of iniustice hard dealing which some confesse in part to bee true for if they had been iustlye dealt with all then had they been exequuted for their trecherous practises and felonies for which diuers of them stood by lawe condemned and not sent awaye to rayle vpon such as shewed mercie and fauoure to them And this is the corps the deuaÌ„t derrier al the coÌ„teÌ„ts of this lame petitioÌ„ apologetical framed as is sayd by lay Papists or rather in theire names by certein masse-Priests For answer wherof although no further answere needeth then that which alreadye hath beene made to their good masters vrging the same things in diuers of theire libels discourses and petitions wee purpose by Gods grace to hold this course First it shall be declared that toleration of false religions is repugnant to rules of religion and holy scripture and next that it is contrary to al Christian policie and reason Thirdly that the Papistes themselues in places where they commaund deny all toleration of other Religions then that which they professe themselues Furthermore leaste the Papists mighte excepte that these allegations doe nothing concerne theire cause it shall be further proued that poperie is a false idolatrous hereticall new and blasphemous religion and not onelie enemie to kings and princes but also greeuous to all Christians Finally least any of these petitioners shoulde swell with pride and thinke that with his greate eloquence he were able either to iustify the cause of popish Religion or to make good his reasons for toleration therof we haue thought good not onelie to glosse the text but also to examine the prologues reasons epilogues defenses accusations and whole pleadings of our aduersaries throughout their whole apologeticall petitioÌ„ Tu leno haeresis Arrianae saith Lucifer in his apology for Athanasius cunctos fieri cupis consacrilegos tuos So wee may say of these petitioners that while like bawdes they set forth the whore of Babylon her whorish religion they seek to make vs partakers with them of theire sacriledge and impietye Jt may bee they will complaine that this is no frendly dealing But as Sainte Ambrose epist 27 saide of one non ille tuus hostis sed tu illius so wee may say of papistes we are not their enemies but they are ours Noli accusare saith Hierome to Ruffinus apolog 2. ego cessabo defendere So say I to these petitioners forbeare to charge vs and we shall willingly forbeare to make our defenses Againe let them cease to tell vs of their Resolution in their profession and loyalty towards his maiesty and we shall haue lesse cause to detect either their grosse ignorance and foule impieties abhominations and abuses of their religion or their vndermining treasons and rebellions In the meane while let them attend and haue patience while wee briefly discouer vnto them the mysteries of their wicked religion which so obstinately they will needs professe and the holownesse and defects of their loyaltye which so boldelie they pretend Chapter 2. That the toleration of any false heretical or idolatrous religion is repugnante to reasons of religion and holy scriptures THE Church and city of God beeing built vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets and their doctrine it is matter sufficient for Christians that are members of Gods church and citisens of the citie of god to refuse and reiect any Religion if the same be not founded vpon holy scriptures nor taught by the Apostles and Prophets inspired by gods spirit But if the same proue not onely diuers and strange but also contrary to apostolical and propheticall doctrine and conteine not only false and hereticall opinions but also positions and fancies tending to idolatrie and plaine impietie then oughte all Christians to abhor and flie from such a wicked religion and by no meanes to tolerate those that either teach it or professe it or fauor it The law of god Deuteronom 13. is very direct and peremptory against false teachers and seducers that endeauour to drawe men to idolatry or any false religion whatsoeuer That prophet saith Moyses or that dreamer of dreames shall bee slaine because he hath spoken to turne you away from the Lord your god In this case hee doth not permit either the brother to fauour his brother or the father his sonne or daughter or the husband his wife or one friend another And Deuteron 29. there shall not bee amongst you saith hee man nor woman nor familye nor tribe which shall turne his hart this day from the lorde our god to goe and serue the gods of these nations So it appeareth that both the idolatrous seducers and such as adhere vnto them and are seduced by them are to bee expelled out of the land if we meane to insist in the waies of gods commandements and to auoide his heauie wrath and iudgements Elias 1. Kings 18. condemneth such as stood indifferent betwixt two religions How long saith he doo you halt betwixt two if god be god followe him if Baalbe god folow him Now what els do they that are content to winke at the idolatrous masse and worshipp of angells Saints and dumb images but ioyne god and Baal together The Prophet Dauid Psal 16. sheweth what detestation all the children of god ought to haue not onely of idolatrie but also of all idolaters and false worshippers Their offerings of blood saith he wil I not offer neither make mention of their names with my lips Zephanie 1. the Lord threatneth to punish such as together with gods worship tolerate an other religion I will stretche out mine hand saith he vpon them that worship and sweare by the lord and sweare by Malcham Our Sauiour Christ Matth. 18 coÌ„mandeth such to be reputed and holden as Heathen men and Publicanes that stubbernlye refuse to heare the church and shall wee harbor them and repute them good christians that shall professe a religion vnhearde of in the apostolike and auncient Church likewise Matthew 7. He exhorteth his disciples to beware of false prophets that come vnto them in sheps cloathing and Matth 16 to take heede and beware of the leuen of the pharises Sadduces Do they not then plainelie neglect the exhortations and commaundementes of our Lorde and sauiour Christe that without punishmente suffer such as bring in the leuen of Poperye or tolerate the exercise of any false religion Sainte Paule Galat 5 doth wish them cut of which did disquiet the church and Apocalyps 2. the bishop of Ephesus is commended For that he could not beare with them that were euil and because he hated the works of the Nicolaitans CoÌ„trariwise the Bishops of Pergamus Thyatyra are repreheÌ„ded the first for suffering them which taught the doctrine of Balaam the second for suffering the woman Iesabel to peaehe and to deceine gods seruantes Do we then think that god will hold them guiltlesse that suffer his church to be disquieted with false teachers and winke at the Priests of Baal

that it is repugnaÌ„t to the practise of the Primitiue church the authority of fathers and lawes of christian Emperours and finally that it prouoketh the wrath of God againste the Authors of it Neither neede we to make any question of the practise of Papistes in this behalfe if wee looke anto the actions of the pope and his bloody Jnquisitories In Italy they tolerate no religion contrary to Popery in Spaine they persecute such christians with fire and sword as are contrary to theire faction Jn the Low countries the cause of troubles proceeded principally from hence for that the people would not admitte the bloody inquisition of Spaine that was thoughte to be the fittest meanes to rooote out all religions but one Although then papists now think it no inconuenience in England to tolerate diuers Religions and to admit another religion then that which is alreadie receiued and stick not in plain termes to saye so yet it is apparant that they speake againste their conscience and that they contradicte their owne docttrine and practise Chapter 6. That Poperie is a false and erroneous religion I Might if J list enlarge the former discourse with diuers other reasons against toleration of diuers religions but what should further demonstrations neede to proue that which no papist will as I thinke deny let vs therefore shewe because these apologeticall petitioners stand much vpon the trueth and honesty of their religion that beside the former generall reasons there are diuers other particular matters to be obiected against popish religion euery one sufficient to crosse their desires For first it is a false and erroneous religion Next the same is superstitious and idolatrous Thirdly it is composed of diuers hereticall positions Fourthly it is a pack of nouelties Fiftlie it conteyneth diuers doctrines full of Blasphemies Sixtly it is enemie to kings and greeuous to their subiects Lastly it coÌ„teyneth many pointes of doctrine condemned by the aduersaryes themselues and alloweth diuers practises disliked by all nations That Popery is a religion false and erroneous we prooue firste by the falshood of the groundes thereof and next by the erroneous positions and doctrines whereof it is composed Stapleton in his book entitled principia doctrinalia doth deliuer vnto vs. 7. grounds or principles of popish religion The first is the church of Rome the second is The Pope the third the meanes vsed by the Pope in iudgement the 4. the Popes infallible indgement in causes of controuersy the fist his power in taxing or consiguing the canon of holy scriptures the sixt his certain interpretation when he expoundeth scriptures the seauenth the churches or popes power in deliuering doctrine not written The which grounds as they are defectiue not meÌ„tioning the canoÌ„ of scripturs as a ground of fayth nor reputing the decrees of councels and writings of Fathers to be any matter of momeÌ„t deseruing to be placed among the principles of our aduersaries fayth so they are most absurde and false For first howe can the church of Rome be a principle or foundation to it self and againe why shoulde the Church of Rome where Peter taught be more a foundation or principle then the Churche of Hierusalem where our sauiour Christ himselfe taughte and suffered the apostle Rom. 11. doth threaten the Romanes and signifie that the Roman church was a branch that mighte bee cut of And Saint John Appocalyps 17. sheweth that the whore of Babilon which was a figure of Antichrist should haue her seate in Rome Secondly the Popes doctrine is notoriously declared to be erroneous and that in many materiall pointes as for example in the questions aboute the lawe the sacramentes transubstantiation the gouernement of the Church and diuers other important points But were it not a matter already knowne and resolued that the Pope cannot be supreme iudge in matters of religion yet the papists haue no reason to thinke that a blind man can iudge of colors or an ignorant man of Artes. Furthermore the pope hath no greater priuiledge then the high priest of the law Yet he erred in condemning Christ and his doctrine Lastly both the fathers shew that diuers bishops of Rome haue bene Herreticks as Liberius and Honorius and Adrian the. 6. in his booke de sacrament c. de confirmat coÌ„fesseth that the pope may determine falselie by his decretall Thirdly it is ridiculous to trust to the popes meanes in iudgement when he vnderstandeth neither councels nor vseth any good meanes to know the truth Nay wee knowe whatsoeuer means are pretended that the pope either ruÌ„neth vpon his own head or followeth a few carnall cardinals or contentious friars Fourthly it is a blockish thing to distinguish the Pope from his iudgement For so the pope should be found to be without iudgement iudgmeÌ„t without the pope That this iudgmente is not infallible we gather infallibly out of his manifold erroneous doctrine iudgmeÌ„t The same appeareth also by his false decretalls and the variation of the popes iudgement Fiftly the scriptures being consigned by god and deliuered to the church by the prophets and Apostles need no new consignation nor taxation of the pope Nay very absurd it were if lawes receiuing their strength from the gouernors the scriptures shold not be authenticall without the approbation of the pope who for the moste part vnderstandeth no scriptures nor hath skill to reade them in theire originall tongs Sixtly the Pope is for the moste parte ignorante both of the sence of scriptures of the principal poynts of religioÌ„ hauing studied neither And very ridiculous it is after plain words of scriptures and exposition of counsels and fathers to runne to the pope for resolution Finally the resolution of matters of fayth dependeth not vpon the determination of the pope or his adherentes who are departed from the fayth but vpon the word of god that in matters of saluation is plaine and better expounded by the learned and by auncient fathers then by partiall Popes and their adherentes Stapletones groundes therfore are false and erroneous Neither are the principles deliuered by others more certaine The conuenticle of Trent sess 4. dooth seeme to found the faith of the Church partly vpon scriptures and partly vpon vnwritten traditions But first the same alloweth no scriptures authenticall but such as are found in the old latine of the bible which in many pointes digresseth from the originall bookes and is much inferiour vnto them Secondly they allow no interpretations of scriptures but such as are consonante to the doctrine of the church of Rome which in matters of controuersy are most peruerse erroneous and absurd as may appeare by diuers particulers in the suruey of popery Thirdly they make the bookes of Tobiah Iudith Ecclesiastieus Wisedome and Machabies together with certaine fragments not found in the original books of the old testameÌ„t equal to other scriptures alwaies reputed canonicall the which is reproued by the common consent of auncient fathers and seemeth repugnant to reason Fourthly vnder

Masses in their honour and to go on pilgrimage and to offer to them and confirme the same with false and counterfet tales of Saint George Christina Catherin Margaret Dorothey and such like legendes confirming false doctrines with false tales 10. Their doctrine of 7. Sacraments is most false For no where can they shew where Christ instituted eyther the form or matter of all these sacraments or promised grace and iustification to all these sacraments 11. Falsely and dishonorably they teache that brute beasts eating the sacrament eat also Christs body 12. Christ sayd take and eat they say to their priests in effect lift and offer and to the people gape and gaze 13. They teach their folowers to make grauen images and to worship them yet god in his law expresly forbad the worshipp of them 14. God commaunded his people to sweare by his name they teach their disciples to sweare by Saints and other creatures 15. Falsely they teache subiects to rebell against theyr Princes excommunicate by the Pope and that the Pope hath power to assoile them from their allegeance a doctrine false and seditious 16. They teach that concupiscence in the regeneras is no sin and that the virgin Mary was not conceiued in sinne Which holy scriptures condemne as crroneous 17. The state of perfection they place in the vowes of monkes and friers as if their rules conteined more perfection then the gospell 18. Their iustification they place partly in charity partly in their own works and hope thereby to merit heauen but the law pronounceth them accursed that abide not in all the words of the law to do them 19. Charity they say is the forme of faith and nothing els but the grace of God But this vtterly destroyeth grace 20. They doubte not but that they are able to satisfy for all sins committed after baptisme but true christians beleeue that by Christs stripes they are healed Finally all those doctrines which the papists teach contrary to the faith of the church of England are false and erroneous as is demonstrated in diuers ample treatises published againste them Chapter 7. That Popery is an heathenish and idolatrous religion IF we had no other exception against popery yet this one is sufficient to exclude it out of all Christian Churches and common wealths that it is a religion blotted with most grosse and heathenish idolatry A matter displeasing to god offensiue to true Christians and most repugnant to the christian faith God in his law Exod. 20. denounceth grieuous punishments against this sinn Tertullian in lib. de idololatria calleth it a principall crime and the whole cause of gods iudgement Idololatria saith he principale crimen geueris humani summus seculi reatus tota causaiudicij If then the Masse priestes and their followers bee guilty of this sinne how will they be able to answere either before god or man But of this crime we doubte not but plainelie to conuince them For first in the canon of the Masse both the prieste and people are taughte to bow themselues and to giue diuine worship to the sacrament Alan de sacrifie Eucharist c. 41. and Bristow in his 26. motiue and other papists do call the sacrameÌ„t their Lord and god but to giue gods honoure to any thing but god is plaine idolatry Either therfore must they proue that the sacrameÌ„t is god by hypostaticall vnioÌ„ as Allen coÌ„fesseth very impiously falselie or it will be an easy matter to proue them idolaters 2 Secondly the papists confesse that Latria or the honour properly due to god is due also to the crosse and crucifix and images of the trinity This is the doctrine of Thomas Aquuinas and all his folowers But it leaueth these idolaters without excuse For how can they defend their doctrine vnlesse they wil deny these crosses crucifixes and images to be creatures 3 Thirdly they make vowes to saints angels and in their publike liturgies call vpon theÌ„ They do also swear by theÌ„ publiquely confesse their sins vnto them ioyning them in ranck with god almightie But to communicate these honors to creatures is nothing else but to make them gods and themselues idolaters Bellarmine lib. 1. de cultu sanctorum c. 9. blusheth not to make them gods by participation But herein he doth participate with the idolatrous gentiles 4 Fourthly they make an idol of the Pope giuing vnto him the honoures and titles that are properly due vnto Christ and making him the head spouse and foundation of the catholike Church In the chapter satis dist 96. He is expressely called God and that he is rightly so called Augustine Steuchus in his defence of the pretended donation of Constantine doth acknowledge Jn the glosse in c. cum inter extr Ioan. 22 de verbor signif He is impiously called Lord and god Baldus in l. vlt. c sent rescind and. Felin in c. ego N. de iure iurando do giue him the name of a god on the earth Finally his followers fall down before him and worshippe him as god Nowe what is idolatry else but to aduance a creature aboue his rank and to giue him diuine titles and honors 5. Fiftly it is idolatry to make grauen images and to worship them For that is apparant by the wordes of the second commandement that is specially directed againste idolatry But the papists make grauen images and worship them Nay they worship them no otherwise then the gentiles did theire idoles Both gentiles and papists praye before them both offer incense vnto them both doe thinke to honoure the memory of the deade in erecting images to them why then shold not this be reputed idolatry as wel in the papists as in the gentiles verily if we do rightly esteem of matters we shal find that papists do more slauishly serue their idols theÌ„ the He then did their idoles going in pilgrimage to them kissing them crouching vnto theÌ„ and setting vp lights before them 6. They make the images of god the father god the holy ghost of the trinity giue theÌ„ diuine honor But to worship false images as these are the papists themselues confesse to be idolatrous Jt is manifest idolatry also to giue gods honor or latria to creatures 7. Euery day of the week the papists make new gods of the altar ofteÌ„ they make new crucifixes The Pope also canonizeth at his pleasure new saints But god by his prophet psal 81 forbiddeth the hauing of new straÌ„ge gods as idolatrous they deny percase that they esteem theÌ„ as Gods But what can vain preteÌ„ces auaile wheÌ„ we see they communicat gods honuor to these creatures 8. The holy scriptures Amos 5. and act 7. condomn theÌ„ for idolaters that worshipped and serued the hoast of heauen But papists worship angels saints the court hoast of heueÌ„ serue them religiously Nay they are so farre from acknowledging their errour herein that they contend that dulia or seruice is due vnto them 9 The gentiles are condemned

in Augustine de haeres c. 39. Epiphanius haeres 38. doth condeÌ„n the CasaÌ„s for inuocating both good and bad angels Tertullian also in his book de prascript aduers haeret condemneth them that serue angelt doe the papists then think it catholike religion to worship and serue Angels and to call vpon them 19 As the papists doe proue their religion by forged miracles and lyes so did the Seuerians which therfore were ranged among heretickes by Saiut Augustine de haeresib c. 24. 20 The Papists c. proposuists dist 82. call mariage fleshlie pollutions and say that maried folkes liue in the flesh and and cannot please god But for the like doctrine the Tatians and Encratites were adiudged hereticks 21 As the Manicheys coÌ„deÌ„ned mariage in their priests caled electi absteined froÌ„ the cup in the Eucharist gaue to christ a body extended to diuers places and not solide so do papists 22 Montanus first broughte in lawes of fasting and extolled vnwritten traditions and was author of oblations for the dead The firste is prooued by the testimony of Apollonius in Eusebius his history The last two poynts are made euident by Tertullian following Montanus his heresy and deriuing them from his Paracletus in his booke de corona militis Why then shoulde not papists offending in the same poynts be reputed Montanists 23 Further I haue shewed in my late suruey of Popery chap. 8. that as the pepuzians honored Pepuza so the Papists honor Rome that with the Catharists they hold that a man may performe the law perfectly and bragge of their purity perfection that with the I acobites and ArmeniaÌ„s they make the images of God the father and the holy ghost that with the Staurolatrians Chazinzarians they worship the crosse that with the Collyridians they worship the virgin Mary and offer consecrated hostes in her honor that with the Circumcellions they murder such as are opposite to their faction that which the Priscillianists they periure themselues and teach aequiuocating periurie that with the Eutychianistes they giue Christ a body without iust dimensions or circumscription that with the Pelagians they extol the force of free will and diminish the praise of gods grace that with the here ticks mentioned by Jrenaeus they accuse scriptures and to make short that they haue embraced many other old condemned herefies As for the master of SeÌ„tences Innocent the third Thomas Aquinas Scotus Albert Durand Steuchus Harding Stapleton AlleÌ„ Bellarmine Baronius and other particuler agents of the Romish Church we are able to charge them with infinite hereticall opinions But because our's duersaries doe not take themselues bounde to defend euery priuate mans doctrines and opinions J will reserue the proofe hereof to some other place Finally if all doctrins brought into the church since the Apostles tymes sauor of heresies as Tertullian affirmeth theÌ„ we need not to doubt but that al those popish doctrins coÌ„cerning vnwritten traditions apocryphall scriptures the reading of scriptures in tongus not vnderstood the being of Christs body within the accidents of bread and wine in the Eucharist traÌ„substantiatioÌ„ the sacrifice of the masse half coÌ„munions the adoration of the sacrament the popes vniuersall monarchy the popish worship of saintes reliques and images the 7. sacramentes the merits of workes and such like nouelties as are broughte into the Church by the pope and his complices are mere heresyes Chapter 9. That popish religion is new and not as the Papists call it the old religion ANtiquity in matter of religion cartieth no small weight with it in the reputation of ChristiaÌ„s Saint Iohn 1. epist 1. saith he declareth vnto vs that which was from the beginning and Ephes 2. we reade that the church is founded vpon the prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone Jf then popish religion was not froÌ„ the beginning nor can be iustified to haue proceeded from christ or his apostles or the holy prophets then is it for the noueltie thereof to bee reiected But that is so apparant as hee that will deny it muste needes speake againste his owne conscience and knowledge if he haue either conscience or learning 1. The masse is a principall matter which papists contend for Yet is the same a playne corruption of Christs institution of the Eucharist and wholy repugnant to the apostles doctrine Christ taking bread said this is my body but the masse priests deny that any breade remaineth in the sacrament after the words of the institution spoken He said take and eat The Massepriests say to the people gape and gaze and in the mean while eat and drinke all themselues He said do this in remembrance of me they offer vp Christ in honour of saints He commanded all to drinke that receiued the other kind They exclude all but the Priest from the cup. He ordeined the sacrament to be receiued of the communicaÌ„tes they receiue it not but oftentimes hang it vp cary it about and adore it The Apostle 1. Cor. 11. sheweth that the sacrament was instituted to declare the Lords death but these celebrate the masse in tongues not vnderstood insomuch that few papists vnderstand what is doon in the celebration of the masse 2. Christ certes neuer instituted the Popes monarchie Nay where the Apostle Ephes 4. speaketh of the ministers of the church this great monarch is not once named True it is that Christ said to Peter feede mysheepe and promised that to him he would giue the keys But what is that to the Pope that is no Apostle nor in any thing like to Peter further Peter had no monarchicall power giuen by these words For equally were the Apostles called and authorized Much lesse therefore are we to imagin that any bishop had this vniuersal monarchy bestowed on him 3. Further it is mere madnesse to affirme that either Christ or his Apostles taught the worship of the Crosse or of images or of Saints or their reliques or that they deliuered to their disciples and folowers the popish doctrine of the 7. sacramentes or of Purgatory and indulgences or of the merites of congruitie or of the foundations and other pointes of Popishe Religion 4. In our suruey of Popery we haue shewed that those poynts of popery which the Church of England refuseth are repugnant both to auncient councells and the auncient fathers of the Church The auncient fathers of the Church and Bishoppes of Rome neuer thought that any one bishop had authority aboue a generall councell The sift canon of Nice forbiddeth to receiue any that were excommunicated by other Bishops The 6. Canon of that councel equalleth other Bishops to the bishop of Rome in that councell it was decreed that Priests should not be separated from their wiues The councell of Eliberis condemneth the superstitious lighting of candles in churchyards and pictures in churches The councell of Gangra taxeth such as disprayse mariage or despise the oblation of maried priests or refuse to eate flesh or condemn such as weare common

apparell The councell of Laodicea condemneth the worshippe of angels Neyther is there any abuse in Popery that is of any antiquity but lightly the same is taxed in some ancient councel The popish worship of angells images crosses and such like halfe communions straunge and vnknown tongues and other abuses of popish religion likewise are either not knowne or generally condemned by the fathers 5. The auncient Christian religion came from Hierusalem but the popish worshippe of images and saints the doctrine of the carnall eating of Christs body transubstantiation halfe communions indulgences the popish doctrin of purgatory and the popes monarchy came neuer from thence 6 Finally we find when and where the principail points of popish doctrin which the church of England refuseth were established by the synagogue of Rome the worship of images was first receiued and established in the idolatrous second councell of Nice vnder Irene Gregory the 7. first tooke on him the vse of both swords and began with sorce to depose Emperors and to translate kingdomes from one to another Innocent the third first brought in transubstantiation and auricular confession in the councell of Lateran The conuenticle of Constance first decreed that accidents in the Eucharist subsist without a subiect and that all Christians beside the priest were to content themselues with one kind in the sacrament Eugenius the fourth in the conuenticle of Florence as is said setled the doctrin of purgatory and the popes supremacy then also was deliuered the doctrin of the 7. sacraments and established first by authority The rest of those popish doctrines concerning the sacrifice of the Masse indulgences and such like deuises which we refuse were lately confirmed in the conuenticle of Trent From thence the papists deriue the authority of the missalls breuiaries and other rituall books If any thing be taught by them more then this contrary to the sound forme of faith deliuered by the Apostles the same hath bin receiued either from olde hereticks or els from later Popes of Rome That religion therfore which papists teach ouer and aboue the christian faith is newly deuised and not to be deriued from the Apostles or prophets or ancient fathers of the church Chap. 10. That Popish religion is impious and blasphemous THE people of God vnder the law were so zealous of Gods glory that they vsed to rend their cloths if they did heare any man vtter any thing souÌ„ding like blasphemy Nay for the word that signifieth blaspheming the Hebrewes vse the worde of blessing which sheweth that all our actions shoulde tend to the prayse of god and none to his dishonor Is it not then straunge that Christians which shoulde excell all others in zeale and loue towards God should either professe or suffer popish religion that is so full of impieties and blasphemies against god This they thinke to wipe away with one impudent denial But this name of blasphemy is too deep grauen in the forehead of the whore of Babylon to be defaced with any deniall For first the Pope challengeth to himselfe the name and honour of God as is euident by the chap. satis dist 96. and c. inter corporalia de translat pral and the Canonists giue vnto him that name and honour as is to be seene in the glosse in c. cum inter extr Ioan. 22. de verb. signif and in the commentaries of Felin in c. ego N. de iureiur ando and Baldus in l. vlt. Cod. sententiae rescindendae StapletoÌ„ in his epist to Gregory the 13. before his doctrinale principles doth call the pope supremum numen in terris that is the soueraigne god of the earth 2. Secondly blasphemously the papists translate the honour of Christ to the Pope they call him the head foundation and spouse of the Church as appeareth by the disputes of Bellarmine lib. 2 de pontif Rom. c. 31. and by the glosses of the Canonists Abb as Panormitanus saith that Christ the Pope haue but one consistory This honour also the Pope is content to take to him as by the Chap. quoniam de imunitate in 6. and diuers other decretales it appeareth In the booke of Ceremonies hee applieth to himselfe these words which Christ vttereth of himselfe all power is giuen to me in heauen and earth 3. Thirdly they giue the name and titles of God to creatures Biel lect 48. super can missae saith the prieste is the creatour of his owne creator the same blasphemy is also found in Innocentius de mysterijs missae and in Stella Clericorum and was vttered by Bonner to certaine Priestes in the beginning of Queen Maries dayes 4. Fourthly they confesse theyr sinnes to angells and saints as well as to God as is euidently proued by their common confession in tfieir missalls Horatius Tursellinus in his Epistle to Peter Aldobrandini before his history of our Lady of Loreto saieth that god dooth at our Ladies pleasure gouerne the earth and bestow at her becke heauenly gifts vpon men Commonly they giue the office of mediation to our Lady to saintes and angells 5. They teach that the Massepriests are constituted priests after the order of Melchisedech Nay they make the priestes mediators for christs body as it appeareth by these wordes of the masse supra quae propit to ac secreno vuliu respicere digneris c. 6. They are not ashamed to affirme that a dogge or hogge or mouse eating a consecrated hoast doth eate christes true bodie as we may see in Thomas Aquinas 3. p. q. 83. art 6. and in 4. sent dist 13 and in Biel in 4. sent dist 12. in Alexander Hales and diuers other schoolemen 7. Nicholas the 2. in the chap. Ego Berengarius dist 2. de consecrat maketh Berengarius to confesse that Christs glorified body is torue with teethe and sensibly handled by the Priest 8. Clemens the 6. in the chap. vnigenitus extr de paenit et remiss doth make Christe like to the sinfull people of the Iewes in whome as we reade Isay c 1. from the heade to the foote there was nothing sound 9. Faber in his booke against the anatomy of the masse compareth christe to druÌ„ken Silenus annon sayth he mirificus Silenus suit christus in another place he calleth him an enchanter 10. Bellarmine lib. 1. de cult sanct c. 13. alledging a place out of Iustine Martyr but most fasly placeth angels before the holy ghost and woulde haue them worshipped together with the holy trinity 11. Julius the third called for his Peacock in despight of god and nothing is more common among papists then blasphemies imprecations as is confessed by themselues in the Romish catechisme 12. In the Romish breuiary the blessed virgin is called dulcis amica dei that is the sweet friend of god the happy gate of heueÌ„ They giue vnto her also power ouer her sonne and say iure matris impera redemptori that is by thy motherly power commaÌ„d the Redeemer of the world 13. Bellarmine lib. 1. de

to theyr factioÌ„ or that shal be ready to exequute any mischieuous enterprise against the state the papistes wil deny themselues to be in this case But what should any man trust denials that remembreth Percies and Catesbyes and Garnets late treasons 12. If we beleeue not rules of state yet let vs consider in what daunger states stand that haue in theyr bowels many Iebusites Massepriests and their complices ready to execute the popes will by examples and precedents of former times And first let vs remember how many enterprises were made by them in the late Queenes dayes of famous and blessed memory to bring their country vnder the commaund of strangers Next what attemptes they made against that innocent princes life Thirdly what libells they set out to the disgrace of the principall gouernors of the state Fourthly let vs consider what stirrs and rebellions they raysed in the dayes of King Henry the 8. King Edward and Queene Elizabeth Fiftly it may not be forgotten how they made a league in France against the king and cruelly murdered King Henry the third and empoysoned diuers that stood in their way Sixtly the massacres of Fraunce and cruell executions in Flanders shew what they wil do here if once they thinke themselues strong enough Seuenthly if we forget all the rest yet may we not forget Percies late treason who in the ruines of the Parliament house meant to bury both King and state and to massacre all Christians opposite to the popish faction Lastly if of nature papists were quiet yet will the Pope neuer suffer them to rest vntill he haue his will Our last reason of state against Popery is for that the same is both enemy to princes and most grecuous to christian subiects which remayneth now in particular chapters to bee handled Chap. 12. That popish religion is enemy to kings THat popish religion is enemy to all kings professing a contrary religion J think the papistes themselues will not deny For experience sheweth that they persecute such both with armes and laws and censures Neither do they only make opeÌ„ wars vpon them but also by priuy murdrers empoysoners seek to destroy them as may be proued by many particulars And now if any maÌ„ reply say that neither Clement the 8. nor this pope now raiguing tooke this course against his Maiesty and other christian kings professing true religion we aunswer first that it is vncertain how far the pope was engaged in Percies late treason and what secret practises popes both haue and do continually set forward And secondly that want of occasion and meanes hath rather hindered their violent and furious courses then any change or alteration of their former resolution in oppugning their opposites But suppose his maiesty and the state were not of a contrary religion to the pope yet it shall be prooued that popery is aduerse to Kings that like well inough of that religion For first all kings liuing vnder the popes obedience are the popes subiects Boniface the 8. declareth it in the chapter vnam sanctam ext de maior obed where he saith it is necessary to salnation for all men to be subiect to the Pope Now what greater indignitie then to make kings the popes vassalls and subiects Secondly Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. sayth that the pope hath power to take away kingdomes from some and to bestow them on others The same doctrine is also maintained by Robert Parsons in his seditious book of titles He doth also traiterously affirme that the people may sometime lawfully proceede against princes VVilliam Rosse in his book de iustareip supra reges impios haereticos authorit c. 2. affirmeth impudently that the right of all the kings and kingdomes of Europe is layde vpon this foundation that the state or people may depose their kinges But grant this and then are kings tenants at the popes and peoples will For what is more easy then to impute grieuous crimes to princes if the pope or seditious mutins lift to quartell with them Thirdly Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. determineth that it is not lawfull for Christians to tolerate a king that is an infidell or an heretike if he go about to draw his subiects to his religion The papists therefore as we see are taught to make it a matter of conscieÌ„ce to depose their kings and the massepriests set them on to rebellion Pius the fift excommunicated all such as would not take armes against Queen Elizabeth and Clerke and VVatson first and lately Percie and Catesbie and theyr complices attempted the Kings destruction albeit they say he is not declared excommunicated Nay admit a Prince were not aduerse to the pope in religion yet if the Pope pretend any matter of quarrell vnto him his subiects are stirred against him and hee is excommunicated as may appeare in the Duke of Ferraraes case excommunicated by Clement the 8. because he wold not deliuer vp into the popes hands his dukedome of Ferrara Fourthly suppose a king keepe good correspondence with the Pope yet he is not within his kingdome as papists teache to make ecclesiasticall lawes nor may refuse to obey the popes ecclesiasticall lawes But he is no soueraign king that eyther receiueth lawes of other or hath no power to make lawes for his subiects in matters of externall Church gouernement Fiftly where popish religion reigneth there the clergie is exempt from the kings courts and gouernment Bellarmiue in his treatise de exempt Cleric setteth down these propositions first that Clerkes in ecclesiasticall causes are freed from the commaund of secular princes by the law of god Next that Clerkes are not to bee iudged of secular iudges though they transgresse temporall lawes and lastly that princes in respect of Clerkes are not souesaigne princes Eâ—eanuel Sae in his first edition of Aphorismes for confessaries saith that the rebellion of a Clerke against his King is not treason because hee is not the kinges subiecte His words are these Clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesaema iestatis quia non est subditus regis So wee see that the doctrine of popery maketh kings but half kings and depriueth them of a great part of their subiects Sixtly the Pope in c. quia nonnulli de immunitate ecclesiae exempteth the goods and possessions of Clergy men from tolle and custome Doth it not appeare then that Popish religion depriuing the King of halfe his reuenewes doth also weaken his estate and make him oftentimes vnable to defray his ordinary charges 7. In all states where popery is professed a greate part of the kings reuenewes is taken from him and bestowed vpon the pope and his kingdome is thereby much impouerished Finally did the King neither respect his Royall authority nor his enemies yet if he meane to secure himselfe from the hads of Cuttorotes and priuy empoisoners he may not endure the king-killing Iebusites nor the popes proctors that stirre vp warres against princes

toleration of popery is conformable to reason But little doth he seem to vnderstaÌ„d what is reason that requireth things so coÌ„trary to truth law reasoÌ„ For first what reasoÌ„ can he preteÌ„d to desire the practise of a religioÌ„ rebellious seditious fals erroneous foolish absurd new straÌ„ge idolatrous blasphemous and full of diuers other moste grosse abuses either therfore the papists must clear their religioÌ„ from these crimes or else confesse they haue small reason to demand a toleration for it We haue iustified our charge in diuers treatises both in latin and English and yet they answere nothing particulerly Secondly litle shew of reason haue they to desire his maiesty to admitte a religion which depriueth him of halfe his authority halfe his subiects halfe his reuenewes and maketh him subiect to the pope Thirdly they doe without all reason demand the free exercise of a religion that bringeth mens consciences into thraldome their persons into danger and their landes and goods into the hands of tyrantes Fourthly the pope and massepriestes make merchandise of mens soules and make little conscience to buy and sell churches altars dignityes heauen grace and all spirituall thinges They spoyle the poore the widdowe and fatherlesse and for maynteinaunce of their owne estates make hauocke of Christian mens estates Haue they then reason to sue for such a bargayning and spoyling religion 5. They shew theÌ„selues deuoid of reasoÌ„ that admit masse priests into theire houses that like owles fly the light and sight of the magistrate that intertaine intelligence with forreign enemies that deuoure theire substance that like impure lechours abuse the wiues daughters and maides of such as giue them intertainement and pretending to make them Catholike doe indeed make them Cuckoldlike Sixtly we finde by proofe that Masse-preests and Jebusites haue combined theÌ„selues with foreign enemies haue sought the destruction of the ire souereigne princes the thraldome of their natiue country to strangers Jf any man doubted of this before the horrible treason and rebellion of Percy Catesby their followers and their wicked deseignements may resolue him And therfore if reason may rule them none of the kings true subiects can seek the aduancement of this treache rous religion Finally papists haue no reason to aske that of vs in England which themselues deny to vs and our brethren in Spaine and Italie There they will not cease their butcherly proceedings nor put downe their houses of Inquisition Neither will they be induced to suspend their penall lawes made against true Christians What face and forehead then haue papists to aske that in England of vs which they will not yeeld to vs and our brethren in other countries is it not reason that they should doo to others as they would haue others to do to themselues and doth not the law quod quisque ff quod quisque iuris contain great reason determining that euery man should be iudged according to the law which himselfe vseth But if papists wil needs vrge things vnreasonable then must they vnderstand that true Christians haue reason to reiect their treacherous false erroneous new absurd ido latrous and blasphemous religion And next that his Maiesty hath iust cause to abhor the practise of that religion that as hath bin foreshewed maketh him the Popes vassall and taketh away halfe his authority halfe his subiects halfe his reuenues and bringeth the rest into question Now his Maiesty is in no daunger by the grace of God if he can suppresse the growing faction of Antichrist Sixtus Quintus in his declaratory Bull anno D. 1588. against our late gratious Queen confesseth that hee had no meanes to proceede against her as he had in countries professing popery to deale with other princes But let Massepriests gather their bands of seditious persons together and then both prince and state shal incur great hazard Thirdly the preachers of the Catholike faith haue good occasion to oppose themselues against these wolues that seeke to enter vpon Christs flock They seek to alter both religion and state and will not rest before they haue depriued al true pastors both of their liuings and life will not then true pnstors awake and vigorously resist them Fourthly Wise politikes may not admit a religion that will cause dinision and trouble the peace of the state Neither may they tolerate such as depend on strangers and concurre with forain enimies 5. The disciples of Christ may haue no felowshipp eyther with the priests of Baal or the caniball Massepriests that say they eat Christs flesh with their mouths and teeth swallow his blud into their bellies or with the disciples of Antichrist that seeke to suppresse the true catholike faith 6. No true louer of his country can endure rinegued Iebusites and Massepriests that are combined with forreign enemies and seeke to bring their countrimen vnder the commaund of straungers and to murder all that are studious of the peace and honor of their nation as Walleyes and others Iesuites actions of late haue plainly declared 7. Charitable Christians may not tolerate either a race of sturdy begging friars or a packe of lazy Monkes or a swarme of caniball Massepriestes which say they eat vp Christs body really and corporally but indeed and really deuour the poor the widow and the fatherlesse 8. Men of honest minds and disposition are enemies to all lecherous and fodomiticall Friars Monks and Massepriests neither will they salute them heare them or conuerse with them least they be partakers of their sinns and consequently of theyr plagues 9. Christians maintain their Christian liberty and haue reason to detest the doctrine of Antichrist that enthralleth both theyr persons and consciences Further as it pilleth theyr goods so it destroyeth vtterly the soules of them and theyrs Finally seeing they cut our brethrens throates abroade no Christian man hath reason to suffer them to harbour here purposing to cut our throats at home Faux Percie and Catesbie haue left a race of cutthrotes and gunpowder fellowes behind them shold then reasonable men so far forget reason as to harken to a petition so vnreasonable Chap. 15. That popish religion may not be tolerated if we respect the groundes of christian religion and policy confessed by the papists themselues THat diuers religions are not to be suffered in a christian common wealth we haue before demonstrated by the confession of papists themselues It resteth therefore now that we proue by generall pofitions holden and confessed by the papists that popish religion may not bee tolerated by princes and states eyther professing true religion or els holding the true rules of policie 1. First it is confessed by our aduersaries themselues that no idolatrous religion is to be tolerated in any state But it is clearly demonstrated heretofore Chap. 7. that popish religion in diuers pointes is idolatrous 2. Neither will they yeeld to permit any sects or heresies but it is apperant that monks friars and Massepriests are diuided into sects and manifestly

haue we prooued Chap. 8. that popish religion is a masse of old and new heresies 3. Further they confesse that all impious and blasphemous opinions are to be seuerely punished and neither by publike graunt to be authorized nor by conniuence to be passed ouer But hardly shall the papists be able to cleare themselues of the impieties and blasphemies wherewith formerly they stand charged 4. Fourthly that cannot be true religion that containeth either falshood or foolery or error Nor do papists deny that such false religions are to be repressed and by lawes exterminated out of the commonwealth But in our suruey of Popery we haue shewed that diuers positions of popery are not onely erroneous and false but also foolish and ridiculous 5. Kings that are subiect to the Pope will not suffer any religion if they can chuse that is either preiudiciall to their dignity or dangerous in respect of their safety But many arguments examples do shew that popish religion is of that nature as formerly hath bin declared 6. The Popes themselues albeit vsurpers will not suffer any of their subiects to bind themselues by oath to forreine princes in enmity with them or to entertaine intelligence with them Why then should such as are sworn to the enimies of the state and entertain intelligence with them and practise against the state be suffred in England 7. In Italy no man is permitted to harbour any priest or friar that denieth the Popes vsurped supremacy Why then should the Massepriests and their adhaerents be tolerated among vs that deny his Maiesties supreme authority in the gouernmeÌ„t of the church of England that is due to him both hy the lawes of god and man 8. Finally the papists asmuch as they dare resist the popes pillages and cry out vpon his exactions Shold true Christians then that are now released and freed from these burthens admit a religion which teacheth and vrgeth these manifold exactions and oppressions Chapter 16. An answere to the title of the petition of lay lapists and the preface of Iohn Lecey NOw least any ignorant papists shold be abused by glozing reportes of their consortes as if they were able either to cleare these doubts or to alledge iust causes of theire boulde request for a toleration of popish religion wee haue thought it not amisse to examine the seuerall chapters and partes of this apologeticall petition adding our answers to their titles prefaces demandes accusations letters and idle discourses The title front of theire petition foloweth to gether with Iohn Leceys preface A PETITION APOLOGETICAL a It is not credible that papists vvold either present or signe and allovv such baggage stuffe PRESENTED TO the Kings most excellent Maiesty by the Lay b Hereticks and idolaters deserue not the name of Catholikes Catholikes of England in Iulie last In eo quod detractant de vobis tanquam de malefactoribus ex bonis operibus vos considerantes glorificent Deum in die visitationis In that c Here vvanteth the beginning of the sentence viz. haue your conuersation-honest can vve then repute them honest that cut of honest conuersation wherein they misreport of you as of malefactors by the good workes considering you they may glorifie God in the day of visitation 1. Pet. 2. v. 12. Printed at DOVVAY by JOHN MOGAR at the figne of the d To shevv that they saile not alvvay vvithout coÌ„pas Compas 1604. THE PREFACE REuerend Sir 1 adde Iohn and then it vvill stand thus reuerend Sir Iohn There came to my hands by the way of 2 That is by the nearest vvay about Bruxels on the xxviij day of this moneth a certaine Petition or Apologie of the lay Catholikes of England as I stand 3 His best ground you see is false information informed presented to his Highnesse about the later end of the Parliament which semeeth so 4 Or rather confrontable to reason conformable to reason so 5 Hovv absolute vvhen it is made vvith conditions and limitations as appeareth aftervvard absolute in forme of their submission and so 6 True For euery politike Christian may vvoonder at their presumption and foly that suppose that a king or state vvill rest assured vpon the othes or promises of massepriests and their namelesse consorts admirable for the assurance by them offered for their 7 Priests of Baal ordered by Antichrist to sacrifice for quicke and dead and not true priests or pastors Priests and Pastors that the publishing thereof cannot but giue contentmente in mine 8 Not vvorth an onyon opinion to al sorts of men that desire both to be clearelye informed of the true state of things and that iustice and equity shold take place according to mens comportments and deserts and not according to the preiudicate opinions of such This had been truly spoken if it had heen applied to the inquisitors of Spain Italy And vvith the great auda ciousnesse and soly of these petitioners whome nothing but the bloud and vtter beggering of Catholikes can satisfie And therefore I thought good in more publike manner then it was before to make the world acquainted therewith Reasons of publishing this treatise THE publishing of this Apology cannot but tend much to his 1 Js it honorable for the king to submit himself to enemies and to receiue conditions of levvd subiects as these petitioners vvould persvvade him Maiesties honour His Maiesties honour and seruice and more to his satisfaction and 2 A goodly security vvhen a kings life and state shall depend vpon a single threed of popish fellovves promises And a most simple satisfaction vvhere nothing is performed but only promised security for so much as the Catholikes affectionate 3 Seruices supposed and obligations broken seruices and obligations therein contayned must needs be arguments of some supereminent vertue and goodnes in his sacred personage that could draw from them at all times such extraordinary effects of 4 Such as appeared in the tumultuous stirres of papists in Scotland against the king and in the practises of Brook Watson and Clerk executed at Winchester for conspiring the destruction of his Maiesty And lastly in Percie and Garnet loue and deuotion and the more manifest the 5 VVhat vvil resusats novv turn protestants it shold seem so But vve are to vnderstaÌ„d it no further theÌ„ a laxatiue purgatioÌ„ retcheth protestations of their purgations shall appeare to the world the more manifold shall be their bondes and obligations of performance and perseuerance therein The Protestant 6 They haue no reasoÌ„ to like either their murmuring petitioÌ„s or their bald pleadings Prelates cannot with reason disalow thereof The Protestant Prelates because herein is nothing required 7 A goodly proceeding vvhen fugitiues and malcontents call foorth true subiects to ansvver at their hands but a reasonable conference and satisfaction in points of their mission and vocation And when they shall make

the whole parliament to omit to speake of their secret combinations and practises it is no good signe that they seeke to satisfie the King and to serue him deuoutly when they seek to set vp a religion displeasing to God disgracefull hurtfull to the King and most praeiudiciall to his subiects Secondly He supposeth the Prelates of the Church of England cannot with reason disallowe this petition seeing nothing is required at theire hands but a reasonable conference and satisfaction in poynts of their mission and vocation But it seemeth he meaneth to giue them but little satisfaction that refuseth to giue them theire due titles and telleth them of I know not what wealth pleasures and pallaces preteÌ„ded to be enioyed by them Hee is also very ignorant that imagineth that the teachers of the truecatholike faith can abide a false wicked idolatrous hereticall blasphemous religioÌ„ or true subiects treason and rebellion and very impudent to call true Bishops in question for theire vocation and mission hauing no colour of defence eyther for the mission and vocation of Masse Priestes to sacrifice for quicke and deade as for the Pope to rule the whole Church or for the Cardinalls to practise the troubles of Christendome Further he was not wise to talke of Bishops winess being allowed by sainte Paule seeing the periured Romish preistes forswearing mariage and swearing continency doe notwithstanding keep concubines whoors and Bardassaes As for the calling of our prelates and ministers it hath been often and sufficiently iustified already and shal be againe when the intrusion of the pope and his poleshorne crewe of sacrificing preeests into the Church shal not by any means be mainteined or coloured Thirdly he seemeth very carefull not to offend the Puritanes as he calleth them But it is offence inough to giue the names of faction to true Christians Furthermore if the papists be no better able to pleade for themselues and theire religion then these petitioners haue done not only such as they call Puritanes but also all other good Christians will condemne them to be neither half subiects nor condicionall subiects nor subiects at all As for their religion it groweth euery day more odious and execrable then other Fourthly the schollers of Cambridge and Oxford of all men rest worst satisfied with this petition being voyd both of learning and reason as for the conceipt which ignorant creatures haue of masse preests they regard it not knowing theÌ„ to be but shallowe fellowes in diuine matters though very profound in rebellions and treacherous practises miserable are they that followe such guides and trust such false fugitiue compagnions Fiftly the Artizans and prentizes of London would make a wiser speake then this petition so seely defences are therin made for the popish preests that how so euer they thought on them before they cannot chuse now but both cry out againste them and stoppe them as false fugitiues seditious traitours and professed enemies to their prince and country In the meane while the masse preests haue litle cause to thaÌ„k Iohn Lazy that maketh them pleade theire cause before artizans and prentises who generally detest them and theire abhominable doctrine and practises and hope to see theÌ„ shortly hold vp their hands at the barre for treason Finally the papists at home and abroad will be very sory to see theire cause so nakedly handled and so weakely defended and if they be wise will curse him that published so bare a discourse giuing vs occasion to discouer theire treacherous hereticall and wicked doctrines and other mysteries of the popish faction As for the example of Saint AlbaÌ„ and of his teacher it fitteth the papists in no sorte Those two knew no one poynte of that wicked doctrine of papists which the Church of England condemneth neither was Albane martyred for the popes quarrell or the doctrin now coÌ„teined in the decretales but for the faith and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles being as loyall to his gouernors as the Jebusites and their complices are peruerse and disloyall And therfore at vnawares where the prologue wold vse the example of the primitiue church of England he printeth priuatiue church shewing himselfe to be a member rather of the popes priuatiue church of England that is depriued woulde depriue Christians of all true faith in veritie of religion and sincerity in conuersation then of the true primitiue Church founded by Christe and gouerned by the Apostels and their true successors But what shold J need to stand longer about the examinatioÌ„ of this poor speak of this rude Lazy prologue who so far forgot himself in his dates of his discourse that he publisheth in print the 16. of octobre this apology that as hee saith in the beginning of the prologue came to his handes the 28. of that month which if he be able to make good then he hath sent vs rather a prophesy then a preface telling vs what the lay papistes pleaded some 12 daies before their pleading came to his handes Chap. 17. An answere to the two first chapters of the petition conteining causes both of the petitioners long silence and of their breach of silence IF the two first Chapters of these laye mens petition had beene spared it mighte percase haue beene imputed for wisdome vnto them For then neither theire ingratitude in not acknowledging his maiesties rare fauors towardes them gratiously pardoning their offences nor their presumption in accusing him for breach of promise nor their vntrueth in charging his maiesty the parliamente and state with rigorous and cruell dealing against them nor their vaine brags in pretending that they were so forward in maintening the Kings title and the principall meane that placed him in his royall throne woulde so clearely haue appeared But seeing they woulde needes acquaint vs with the reason of their present speech and former silence let vs heare them what they can say A PETITION APOLOGETICAL PRESENTED TO the Kings most excellent Maiesty by the Lay Catholikes of England in Iulie last Chapter 1. The cause of our silence MOST 1 His grace you abuse his souerainty you deny his might you hinder Mighty and gratious Soueraign Many are the reasons that haue caused vs to expect with perpetual patience and profound silence your Maiesties most gracious resolution for some benigne remedy and redresse of our moste greeuous 2 You vvrong his Maiesty charging him to be a persecutor and your cause shevving your selues vnthankefull for his fauour calamities and afflictions as the confidence of a good cause the testimony of an incorrrupte conscience the memory of our constant and continuall affection to the vndoubted right and Title in remaynder of your renowned Catholike Mother to the Crowne of England the imputations Crosses and afflictions we suffered many 3 If your plots had taken you had marred all yeares therefore the publique and gratefull acknowledgment that your saide glorious Mother made thereof at the time of her Arrainement and execution in

is as they say that their cause is poore and more porely defended And therefore great simplicity haue they shewed in prating of things aboue their capacity and for this cause they stand condemned by all true Christians which wold haue liked much better their sober silence then their violent and foolish libells Thirdly their Children whom these petitioners that deuide themselues from gods church do deuide from the Christian world as being no part of it shall in time to come haue iust cause to curse such parents as bring them vp in ignorance of true religion and open idolatry And if they haue grace will wish their babbling parents had neuer medled in this desperate cause Fourthly so far are they from making any iust defence against their aduersaries that they giue both them and others iust cause to insult and tryumph seeing that the wittes of lay papists and their teachers beeing sommed and pressed togegether no drop of reasoÌ„ or piety hath proceeded from them to season their vnsauory religion Finally they confesse that they obserue no decorum and yet professe that they will not examine curiously that which by their aduersaries hath beene thundred out against them nor dispute in moode and figure with them And yet they pretend to be desirous to giue his maiesty all possible contentment and an accompt of their beleefe and religion and a ful and ample security and satisfaction But if they obserue no decorum it is not like they will content his Maiesty and hardly will they giue satisraction to so learned and wise a prince without curious examination of matters obiected They must also dispute if not in moode and figure yet in some better forme then now they do if they will either proue vnto vs their disfigured and euil qualified religion or els iustifie vnto his Maiesty the reasoÌ„s of their rude request that is not only subscribed as approued by subscriptions of a thousand hands as that was of the Millenary ministers of which these lay papists talke idelly but also with the terror of many thousands of the popish faction as it were obtruded to his Maiestie So we may see that these petitioners are able to bring neither truth nor reason for the iustification of their cause keeping silence when they should haue spoken and speaking nothing to purpose when they resolued to breake silence But if we please to examine the true cause both of their former silence and this present petition we shall find that their silence proceeded partly from their great occasions beeing busied in diuers practises against the state as these horrible treasons lately discouered do declare and partly from the lewdnesse of their cause that by farre better orators then these laymen cannot be defended Contrarywise the occasion of their petition is not any wrong offered by vs but rather a wrong intended by them and that both to his maiesty and to the state while bragging of the numbers forces and correspondeÌ„ce with strangers they endeuor to strike a terror into his maiesty and buzzing these foolish tales into the ears of the multitude desire to trouble the peace of the state But the state of things being well known neither shall his maiesty haue cause to feare their threats nor the people reason to beleeue their foolish tales For as they feede themselues like as all fugitiues and malcontents do with a fond conceit of their owne strength without grounds of reason so they feed their readers with words and shewes without any sound demonstration of any point of their erroneous religion God grant that the simple seduced papist may as well apprehend it as we shall prooue it and then will they hereafter be more wary how they venture their state and soules vpon the masse-priests warrant who vpon the hazard and losse of others doe reape no small aduantage now and seek to bring all into aduenture hereafter Chap. 18. Of the quality number and forces of English papists and of their assurance and resolution which they praetend in their religion IT were much to bee wished that thepapists of England did either well know them selues and theire owne qualities numbres and forces or else had learned for what religion they contend For then neither would they stand so much vpon theire merits qualities numbers and forces nor yet once offer to talke of the assurance of their religion for which they haue no ground and this euerie other man doth acknowledge seeing theire merites if we respect fauor to be slender their good qualityes to be fewe theire forces to be nothing in regard of his maiesties numbers of true subiects and considering that theÌ„ doctrine of popery may not be examined by lay papists and wholy resteth on the Popes pleasure Theire pleading is moste simple as the two chapters following doe declare Chapter 3. The estate and quality of your Maiesties Catholike Subiects FOR the cleare vnderstanding of which two pointes maye it please your Grace to consider first what is the state and condition of your faithfulll and Catholicke subiects for 1 They vvould terrifie his Maiesty vvith shevv of numbers reproch him as vngratefull not regarding their deserts number quality and desert next what 2 Their religion is declared to be a hochpot of heresies impieties and nouelties Their grounds are vncertain traditions and the popes decretaline fancies Religion it is they professe and vpon what grounds lastly what they are of your Maiesties subiects of their Rank that for former of future seruices and submission in all ciuill and temporall causes against all both domesticall and forraigne enemies haue and will go farther or venter more willingly their liues liuings for the honour and defence of your person greatnesse and posterity then they and their friends both haue and vvill doe In deliuery of which points we hope your Maiesty will expect no farther art or eloquence then may be required of men plunged and perplexed with the 3 The Pope belike hath giuen his clients a purgation that are thus troubled vvith fluxes and refluxes But for vexations they haue no reason to complaine here in England considering their vvealth and case at home and the cruelty of their consorts abroad and their deserts at home and abroad flux and reflux of perpetuall vexations which is truth that craueth 4 If you cry for iustice vvhat needeth mercy vve find your pleadings so absurd and destitute of truth that neither your crocodiles teares can excuse you nor iustice acquite you iustice and teares that crye for mercy It is euident Dread soueraigne that the subiects of your Maiesties Realmes of England and Ireland consist of Catholikes Protestants 5 They put themselues before his Maiesties loyall subiects and rayle at the state as bearing vvith sectaries They do also leaue the Scots out of the number of the kings subiects Iudge then vvhether it be possible to find more proud beggars or insolent malcontents or rayling hypocrites Puritanes and other sectaries the Catholikes and Catholikely

lib. 2. c. 92. testifieth that he disabled heretiks tomake any testaments Eusebius de vita Constantini lib. 3. c. 62. 63. declareth that he prohibited the exercise of all hereticall religions and held heretikes and sectaries to be no better then traitors to himselfe and enemies to truth The Emperors Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius l. 1. Cod de sum trinit fid Cath. commaund all their people to embrace one religion the somme whereof they do set downe in forme of a law and in the law omneÌ„s C. de haereticis they commaund all heresies to keep silence omnes vetitae legibus diuinis imperialibus constitutionibus haereses say they perpetuÃ² quiescant Arcadius and Honorius as appeareth by the law Cuncti C. de haeret Manich. tooke away all churches from heretiks least they shold teach or doo the exercises of their false religion in them Theodosius the yonger and Valentinian his consort made diuers lawes against heretikes as we may read in Codice Theodosiano The like course was held by Martianus and Iustinian as is euidentlye declared by their lawes yet extante in the Code and nouells Finally if at any time Christian Emperors grew cold eyther in setting forth the true faith or in punishing or suppressing errors then we find that the auncient fathers fayled not both to admonish them of their duty and to reprehend them for their slacknesse Chapter 4. That to admitte the exercise of false religions formerlie forbidden is contrary both to christian policie and reason THE gentils by the light of reason perceiued that religion was not lightly to be changed and god dooth therein taxe his people by his prophet that they were more easily induced to change the euerliuing god then the Heathen nations were to chaÌ„ge their gods They coÌ„sidered that ther was but one truth coÌ„stantly beleeued that their religion was true This was the reason why the Romanes did so violeÌ„tly persecute the primitiue christians and refused the superstitious rites of Bacchanalia which priuilie began to creepe in among the people But Christians proceede vpon better groundes of policie in prohibiting the exercise of all false religions For firste they consider that the wrath of god is reueiled from heauen against such as with-holde the truth in vnrighteousnes But who doe herein offend more greeuously then they which either grant liberty to false teachers or winke at the exercises of a wicked and false Religion doe not they manifestly giue way to errors and stop the course of truth Secondly they know well that god despiseth those which despise him as we reade 1. Samuel 2. and that hee casteth such out of his fauour as are neither hote nor colde Jf then such as regard not to see god rightly serued rest despised and luke-warme professors are reiected how will it goe with such as are colde in setting forth true Religion and care not what false doctrines are stirring abroade in the world Thirdly they vnderstand the greeuous threatnings of the law against all idolatrous false worship of god I am a iealous god saith the Lord and will visit the sinne of the Fathers vpon the Children to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me Fourthly as there is but one god so they know that there is but one true religion Christian policie therefore may teach them to admit no religion but that which is founded vpon the writings of the Apostles and Prophets and which they are resolued is most true Fiftly diuersities of religions breed distractions of mens minds and diuers seditious stirres and tumultes as the leagues of France and practises of the popes agentes in France Flanders England Scotland Germany and other countries doe declare of late the Papists seeking to replant their superstition in EnglaÌ„d went about to set the land on a flame and to drown true religion in blood But wise politicks are by all means to roote out these seedes of Ciuil dissension Sixtly all changes in matters of state are dangerous But admitte a false and erroneous religion where nothing but the true faith hath been professed then no doubt but the chaÌ„ge will be great Finally nothing is more absurd then to change lawes with out cause and to admitte a religion condemned by lawes and to restore such as are condemned by the state For that is rather a subuersion then an alteration both of lawes and state If then we respected nothing but the danger of state in the mutation of religion yet woulde all pollitick and wise men bee well aduised howe they admitted a newe and false religion contrary to that which hath formerly beene receiued by the state Chap. 5. That toleration of diners religions is contrary to the doctrine and practise of Papists BVT where the Pope and his adherents may fit as iudges little reasoning may serue to perswade theÌ„ to dislike of toleration of diuers religions For not onelie their doctrine but also their long continued practise condemneth it in the Chapter ad abolendam de haereticis They adiudge them Hereticks that dissent froÌ„ the Romish church in the doctrine of the sacramentes and such both by ecclesiasticall and by ciuill lawes they persecute to the death Nay ofteÌ„times without forme colour of law they massacre them empoysoÌ„ theÌ„ by all means seek to root out the race memory of them out of the earth Their goods they confiscat their liuings they take away their bodyes they burne and although malice doth oftentymes end with death yet such as are of a coÌ„trary religion all those that fauour them they persecute both aliue and deade killing those whom they can ouercome and cursing whome they cannot kill In France they massacred many thousaÌ„ds without forme of law and gladly wold they haue massacred vs in England if theire treasons had not beene discouered Bellarmine lib. de laicis C. 18. determineth that it is not lawful for any magistrate or prince to grant libertie of conscience or toleration of religion to his subiectes He saith further that hee oughte to defend one onely religion with all his force Non licet vlli magistratuÌ„ vel principi saith he conscieÌ„tiae libertatem seu paceÌ„ religionis subditis suis concedere sed vnam tantum religioneÌ„ sum ma vi defendere tenetur Posseuin his consort lib. 1 select biblioth 2.6 doth not onely deliuer the fame doctrine but also sheweth reasons why two religions may not in one state be tolerated Firste hee saith it is a diuelish inuention 2. that it is contrary to gods ordinance 3 that it repugneth against the law of nature 4. it is contrary to the substance and property of the christian faith 5. that it taketh away the truth and certainty of christian religion 6. that it taketh away the certaintie of gods deuire worship and of the Church 7 that it taketh away christian discipline 8. that it cutteth asunder the vnit ye of the church 9. that it is contrary to the worde of god 10.

as idolaters psal 114. for that they worshipped images of siluer and gold and the worke of mens handes What excuse then can the Papistes alleadge for themselues that they passe not the condemnation worshipping gods both of metall and stone and falling downe before the works of their own hands 10 The apostle 1 Cor. 10. saith the gentiles offred sacrifices to deuils and the reason is for that they offred them in honoure of men and without warrante translating gods honoure to creatures are not the papistes then ashamed of their masses that are no better then sacrifices to deuils being offered in honoure of men and to the dishonoure of Christ and christian Religion 11 The Prophet Hieremie c. 7 taxeth them as idolaters that builte high places in the honoure of god being neuer commanded by god so to doe there also the idolatry of those is reprooued that made vowes to the Queene of heauen and serued her This reproofe therefore is much rather deserued by the Papists which builde high places and altars to men and without warrant serue our Lady whome they call the Queene of heauen making more praiers and vowes to her then to God 12 Jn the Booke of Baruch c. 6. the Babylonians are reputed idolaters for that they caried their Gods of golde filuer and stone vpon their shoulders and adorned them with costly apparell and worshipped them Why then shoulde the Romanists deny them selues to be idolaters that cary their idols in procession and adorne them with costly apparel and iewels and kisse them as their delites 13 The idolatrous Jewes are noted Hierem. 2 for saying to a stock thou art my father to a stone thou hast begotten me and yet the sencelesse papists say to stocks and stones Pater noster and to a wodden crucifix thou hast redeemed me as Bellarmine lib. 2 de cult sanct c 23. confesseth 14 S. Iohn 1 epist 5 where he warneth Christians to keepe them selues a simulacris that is from images or similitudes set vppe to be worshipped dooth signifie that papistes worshipping such images decline to the customes of the gentiles 15. The Israelites confesse their sinne Iudges 10. in worshipping Baalim or the images of god Happy were the Papistes if they woulde likewise acknowledge their sinne in worshipping moulten and grauen images both of god and of creaturs their idolatry is no lesse greeuous then that of the Israelits 16. The worship of angels by the councell of Laodicea c. 35 is tearmed idolatrous and by Hierome in epist ad Riparium by other fathers in expresse tearmes hath bin condemned The same is also flatly forbidden coloss 2 and Apocalyps 22. do not the papists then worshipping angels fall within the compas of this prohibition and of the crime of idolatry 17 The Iews 2. paral 30 ar taxed for offring inceÌ„se to idols 2 King 18. to the brazen serpent Marcellina noted as an idolatrous heretick for burning inceÌ„se to images neither did the Heathen Emperors require more at the hands of Christians theÌ„ sacrifice to incense before the statues And yet the papistes when they haue offered incense to theire images wipe their mouths and suppose they haue committed no idolatrye But they are as blind as the images which they worship 18. To sacrifice in honour of creatures is idolatry for that is an honour due to God only as the papists themselues confesse But Papists doo offer sacrifice in honour of Saints as the prayers of the Masse doo declare They giue them also the sacrifice of prayers are they not then grosse idolaters 19. Tertullian lib. de idololatr dooth shew vs that the worship of images and similitudes is idolatry Omnis forma aut formula idolum se dici exposcit inde idololatria omnis circa omne idolum famulatus seruitus Euery forme or small image sayth he ought to be called an idole and thence it commeth to passe that idolatry is the worship or seruice bestowed vpon euery idole Again speaking to idolaters qui seruitis lapidibus sayth he qui imagines facitis aureas argenteas ligne as lapideas You which serue stones and which make images of golde and siluer of wood and stone 20. S. Ambrose de obit Theodosij saith that Helene finding the crosse of the Lord did adore hir King and not the wood Forasmuch as that was the error of the gentiles The papists therefore worshipping wooden crosses runne into the error of the idolatrous gentiles 21. Epiphanius haeres 79. affirmeth that the diabolicall inuention of images hath adulterated the seruice of god and brought in spirituall fornications The same father did also teare a vail wherin either Christ or some saint was painted and thought it no fit thing to hang in the church dooth he not then ouerthrow and condemn the common practise of papists 22. The fathers of the councel of Francforde vnder Charles the great say that the cause why they refused to worship and adore images was least they shold proue idoles which argueth that images worshipped are nothing els but idoles 23. TertulliaÌ„ de praescript aduers haeret and Hierome in Abacuc c. 2. teach vs that heresie is a kind of idolatrie Who then caÌ„ deny but that papists maintaining so many heresies are also guilty of grosse idolatry 24. Reason doth also conuince the Papists to be idolaters For what more reasonable then that such as worship idols should be reputed idolaters further idolatry is nothing else but the translation of gods honour to creatures Thirdly an image worshipped religiously is nothing but an idole Tertullian lib. de idololat defineth an rdole to be nothing else buta little forme or image Finally why should not they be coudemned to bee idolaters that do the same things for which the gentiles were condemned as idolaters But the papistes by worshipping images make them idoles They translate gods honour to the sacrament to crosses to the Virgin Marie to the images of the Trinity They deny not that they worship images for religion sake they cary about their images kisse them pray before them burn incense to them as did the gentiles 25. Finally the papists by their own confession are proued idolaters Bellarmine lib. 2. de imag inib. c. 5. sayth that an idole is a false similitude and representeth that which is not But Papists do worship the false similitudes of God the Father God the holy ghost and of the Trinity Likewise they worship the images of Saint George that killed the dragon of Dunstane that tooke the diuell by the nose of Catherin Christopher diuerse saints that either neuer wer in the world or are falsly represented and belyed They confesse also that it is idolatry to giue latrian or diuine honor to creatures But this honor they giue to the Crucifix to the images of the trinity and to the sacrameÌ„t As is shewed before Furthermore their consciences inwardly accusing them of idolatry they haue blotted out the 2. commandement against the worship of grauen images and other similitudes

Papists study as much for the Popes grace as for gods grace in hac vita gloriam in futura From my study in Dovvay this 7 That is 12. dayes before the receit of the book which vvas the 28. of this moneth 16. of October 1604. Your very louing Sonne and seruant in Christo Dommo IO. LECEY The answer to both HOw little our aduersaries respÃ©cte true and sincere dealing wee may in part coniecture by the vntruths of thÃ¨ title and preface praefixed before this petitioÌ„ For firste they giue the title of Catholikes to papists whose religion is prooued seditious false erroneous hereticall idolatrous and blasphemous and in no sorte catholike or professed of true catholikes and secondly they pretend that it was made by the lay papists of EnglaÌ„d whereof J doe no suppose them to be so vnwise as that they will auowe what soeuer is sayde in this petition or so presumptuous as to charge the King with disgraceful breach of promise or to defame him with suspition of heresy as these men do Further the authors hereof page 19. do cite Caluine Knoxe Luther and Goodman whose books lay papistes may not reade and whose testimonyes they haue no reason to alledge vnlesse thÃ©y haue read them Leceys praeface concerning the conformity and perfection of this petition the contentement to be receiued of all sortes of men thereby is nothing but a pack of foolish and vntrue surmises as we shall declare heereafter alledging the wordes of Saint Peter 1 Epist 2. they leaue out the beginning of the sentence vpon which the words by them cited do depend Haue your conuersation honest among the gentils saith saint Peter that wherin they detract from you as malefactors considering good works they may glorify god in the day of visitatioÌ„ those words haue your conuersation honest being guilty in their consciences of dishonesty they leaue out and translate by the good workes considering you for considering your good works Further their title and testimony is not more destitute of truth theÌ„ of reason For neither is a petition an apology nor an apology a Petition that they should call their discouse a petition apologeticall Nor had they reason to alleadge saint Peters wordes concerning the good workes of Chrstians who notwithstanding were reputed malefactors For little doe they fit the cause of papists whose good works are gheason and whose practises of treason and rebellion in so many recordes doe conuince them to be truly malefactors The secular preestes also confesse that the exequutions done vpon Masse-priestes and theire adherentes were iust and necessary The preface of John Lecey or rather lazy Iohn is nothing else but an idle declamation in prayse of this pseudaposticall petition and the authors thereof wherein this scraping fellowe endeuoureth to tickel the galled backs of his owne compagnions with his forged commendations But let them beware they trust him not to farre least he draw them within the compasse of his own disloyalty and bring them where Percy and Catesby left them The Lazy fellowe directeth his speech to some odde namelesse sacrificer for hee calleth him reuerend Sirre but if the Masselouers were not blinded with affection they might thereby see howsoeuer this geare is thrust forth vnder the name of lay papists that all the aduantage proceeding therof commeth to the polshorne preests of Baal In the entrance of his matter he maketh greate bragges telling his frend that this petition or apology he knoweth not whether to call it is so conformable to reason so absolute in forme of the petitioners submission and so admirable for the assurance by them offered for theire preestes and pastorus that the publishing thereof cannot but giue contentment in his opinion to all sorts of men But his performance is nothing correspondent to his greate countenance For firste we haue already shewed that this request for a toleration of popery is not only contrary to reason but also to religion all Christian policy Secondly the submission that they make is very defectiue coÌ„sidering theire denyall of the Kings authority in Ecclesiast icall causes and their de pendance vpon the Pope that claimeth a superiority ouer the king But did they submit themselues wholy to his maiesty yet shoulde they doe nothing but that which is required of all good subiects Thirdly theire admirable assurance is most admirably ridiculous For who doth not wonder and laugh to heare assuraÌ„ce offred for the life of so great a King and so potent a state by a few thridbare fellowes we know not who they are the parliament house had beene blowne vp who shoulde haue sued their bonds who should haue brought them into the Starchamber for periurye Againe when the Pope so easily dispenseth with oathes and dissolueth contracts what reason hath any Christian to depend either vpon him or his adherents for either oth promise or bond Besides all this our prologue where hee thinketh himselfe horribly eloquent speaketh playne contradictions fooleries For firste if the petitioners had such reason as he pretendeth what should they neede to make a submission as hauing committed some greate crime againe what submission can a subiect make to his souereine that it is not required of him by duty thirdly such as make such absolute submissions as he talketh of neede nor to put in bonds or pledges Finally it is foolery to thinke either that papists are true catholikes or that such as ar truly informed of the continual practises of the fierye Iebusites and massepriestes agaynste the state will like of their vnreasonable requestes and no man can take them to bee wise that charge their iudges with praeiudice before hearing but to say or signify that nothing can satisfie the state but the blood and vtter beggary of Catholikes or rather papists is plaine villany and not to be proued againste any gouernor of this state No they desire their reformation and not their destruction or hinderance and much it were to be wished that Percy and other papists had been no more malitiously affected to vs theÌ„ we to them Alledging reasons for the publishing of this treatise he disputeth like a wilde man running far beyond his witte reason firste hee saieth that the publishing of this Apology cannot but tend much to his maiesties honor and more to his satisfaction and security as if those did honoure him that charge him with breach of promise note him with the stain of heresy hatred to catholike religioÌ„ as the petitioners do Further what security and satisfaction can those yeelde his maiesty that esteeme neither othes nor bonds when the pope contremandeth them but did they meane to keepe both yet prinate mens bonds are no security for such a king kingdom They talke J confesse of loue and deuotion to the king But it appeared but little by the practise of Brooke Clerke and VVatson first les lately by the treason of Percy Catesbie and Faux who of meer loue sought to blow vp the king

spirits vvhich sought to alter the state her course and to enter into bloud but all was 7 Onely the malcontent faction of papists vvas so filled filled with feares and suspitions at home with 8 Shame come to the Pope and his adherents that occafinned them The losse hath lighted vppon them already wars and diuisions abroad and with continuall frights and allarmes of strange attempts either against 9 Looke vvho these attempters vvere and you shall finde them to haue been either papists or Atheists set on by papists her person or state and in fine when her treasure was 10 This may be truly of firmed of her Maiesties enemies and their states But not of England as I hope his Maiesty vvill vvitnesse But vvere vve hurt by the vvars yet should not this cause vs to loue papists that mingled heauen and earth and stirred the vvorld against vs to vvin their purpose exhausted her subiects and kingdomes extreamely impouerished and all the kingdomes almost about vs disgusted and in open tearmes of iealousie and 11 Much to their ovvne losse and paine as the sequell had declared if the king had not giuen them peace hostilitie with her she began againe to thinke of her former fortunate dayes and to incline to a 12 It is rather madnesse then mildnesse to spare either professed enimies or secret traitors milder course as the onely meanes to setle her and her Realme in peace security and former prosperity which times compared together do demonstrate that the seuerity of lawes made against Catholikes were the 1 Lavves made against papists are the onely bands that hold the flate together and the best meanes vve can vse to contrecarre the mischiefs in â—eded by them forerunners of infinite mischiefes and miseries And least your Maiestie beholding such bloudy and strange lawes made against vs with their 2 They vvere alvvaies most slovvly executed rigorous execution by the space of so many yeares in so long a Raigne as was that of our late Queen might thereby coniecture that such new and neuer hearde of decrees could not without vrgent or notorious occasions haue beene inuented constituted and so seuerely executed least this apprehension of these former proceedings might make the like impression in your mind and auersion from vs we humbly craue your Maiesties gratious eares and attention And when you shall reuiew and consider deeply the lawes made against vs compare them with the objected crimes that then some ouerture may be proposed to the present Parliament for clearing the lawes by reason which is the soule of the law to them that distinction may be made by iustice betweene the innocent and guilty persoÌ„s for howsoeuer the late (a) The reason that might moue the late Queen to make lawes against Catholikes Queen might haue pretention to make them both by reason of her 3 A shamelesse slander It was only a deuise of the popish faction illegitimation by her own Father in publique Parliament notoriously diuulged and the jealousie she euer stood in of the Queen your gratious Mother both for the back and alliance she had with Fraunce and the right she semed to haue by the 4 The Pope is the Church to these men and by the same reason his close stoole may be their chappell But if they giue the Pope power to excommunicate princes and to depose them these popes churchmen are but mean subiects sentence of the Church pronounced against the diuorce of her Father and the diuers censures and 5 Very vvickedly and saucily and treacherously aliovved by papists excommunications promulgated against her Yet your Maiesty of whose rightfull succession and most lawfull and legitimate possession of this Crowne 6 Then is Parsons and his follovvers more diabolically disposed tovvards the king then Satan himself For they haue long impugned and denyed the kings title to the crovvn of England Satan himselfe being put to his shifts can make no doubt or difficulty against whom no 7 VVe report vs for disproofe of this to certain discourses set out by Parsons and Coluil CoÌ„petitor either hath or had purpose or power to contend (b) Vide D. Giffords coÌ„mission and MoÌ„sieur de Be thunes letters whom the 8 This Sea of Rome is a sea of abhominations and mischiefes And therefore it is not much materiall vvhat is regorged out of such a guise of impieties But that the Pope hath not excommunicated the King it hath proceeded rather from fear then loue or any indeauor of Gifford or Bethune His predecessorr got nothing by excommunicating Queen Elizabeth and lesse vvold the Pope novv vvin by censuring his Maiesty Sea of Rome is so far from censuring that she hath 9 VVhat thÃ¨ vvhore of Babilon doth his Maiesty hath no cause to like This is certain the Pope nener censured Clerk nor WatsoÌ„ nor Percy nor Digby nor Garnet and the rest that sought the subuersion of the state already censured all those that shal any way seek to giue you any disturbance or molestation and with whome all the Princes in Christendom are in perfect peace and amity and whom Catholikes haue as yet no way 1 Hath the king no reason to be offended vvith the tumults practises of papists in Scotland England vvhy then vvas WatsoÌ„ hanged and order taken to persecute the Scottish rebells vvhy vvas the lavv executed against Faux and Digby other traitorous papists offended but by all meanes endeauoured to serue satisfie and content (a) His Maiesty hath no such reason to continue the lawes against Catholikes as the late Queen had to inact them Your Maiesty we say for these respects hath no such apparant cause to continue those lawes as the late Queen had to inact them the reasons and foundations of those lawes being by this happy mutation of state time and persons vtterly 2 Neuer as long as the king professeth true religion or refuseth to become the popes vassall remoued If then Dread Soueraign we haue been are and will be as we haue and will demonstrate as loyall 3 As the leaguers vver to Henry the 3. of France vvhose throat they cut Or as Percy and Catesby of late vvere to our King faithfull and affectionate to your Maiesty your predecessors and posterity and euen to those Princes that dealt most hardly with vs and to the good and peaceable estate of our Country as any sort of your Maiesties subiects within the Realme of our Ranke whatsoeuer we see not how by authority we can be driuen to forsake our Catholike 4 Your faith is proued neither to be Catholik nor your fathers faith Fathers faith and beleefe vnlesse authority can by reason 5 Authority is one thing reason another These iumble both together conuince vs that our faith is infidelity our Religion superstitron and the seruice we vse Idolatry or the 6 This is proued and all your brabling obiections ansvvered

euer since our countries conuersion from paganisme and Lastly that no suffering recusant euer lifted vp a finger to the leaste dammage or detriment of his prinee or country But theire sayings are conuinced to bee most vntrue both by publike records and common experience for if wee respecte matter of religion we find that they hold diuers poynts of doctrine confirmed in the late conuenticles of Lateran Constance Florence Trent which were not known nor heard of when this land was conuerted from paganisme nor long after Likewise both their missals and breuiarics their masses and formes of gods seruice are new and not known of the ancient Britons and English If we consider matters of state we finde that popish recusants and papists haue been principall actors in moste of those rebellions and treasons that haue beene practised and intended against king Henry the 8. king Edward the sixth Queen Elizabeth and his maiesty And J hope they will not deny that Brooke Markham Watson and theire complices were popish recusants or that the attempt of the Spaniards anno 1588 was againste theire country and set forward by papists Lastly it is notorious that Percy Catesby Digby and all theire consortes were desperate recusants and that they lifted vp not onely theire fingars but also theire whole armes and bodies against the king yet should a man bee very strangely conceited if hee thought they ment no harme to their prince and country Thirdly they runne out into a large discourse of theire hard vsage in the late Queenes time as they call it and of the Queens proceeding against them and of the effectes thereof ensuing pray the king to follow her rather in her dispositioÌ„ to mildnesse then in her other hard and sharp courses But first al this discourse is from the purpose and the intent propounded in the 3. chapter for therein they shoulde declare vnto vs the estate and qualities of Papists and not the proceedings of our late Queene of blessed memory Secondly the sameis most slanderous charging that moste gratious and clement Queen with hard sharp and bloody courses But this is all that Christian princes are to looke for at these mens hands or penns Let them vse all mildnes and remissenesse in proceeding againste papists yet vnles they suffer rebells and traytors to practise the ouerthrowe of the state and saucily attempt against their persons they shall be charged with sharpenesse and cruelty she indeede distinguished betweene religion and treason and so do others also But the papists did not so cunningly distinguish but that seeking to set vp theire wicked religion and to bring into the country the popes tyranny they fel also in to diuers practises and cases of treason Thirdly they falsly coÌ„meÌ„d her mild courses shew that troubles ensued of the exe quution of laws against papists whereas in truth her resolute course a gaynste theÌ„ secured her her slow exequutioÌ„ or rather suspeÌ„fioÌ„ of penal lawes against papists caused troubles rebelioÌ„s trecherous practises heaped sorrows both vpoÌ„ her her true friends I feare brought her to her end Finally they coÌ„fes their own lewd disposition that being not troubled the first 12 yeares of the Queenes raygne did not withstanding procure the Popes Bulle against her rebelled in the north anno 1569. sought to deposeher murder her now rail against her beingded let al christiaÌ„ princes therfor bewar what fauors they shewto such vipers how they heap benefits on such vngratful persons Fournhly theym ention diuers excommunications censures of popes passed againste queen Elizabeth and talke of Giffords commission and Bethunes letters in fauoure of the king as it seemeth and of the pope that hath not censured the king as yet But all these matters are also from the purpose-futher they bewraye the disloyall humors of papistes that make kinges the popes vassals and blush not to signifie that the pope might in iustice censure the king if he woulde Lastly they doe therein bewray the weakenes of the pope and the fading force of antichristes kingdome For now the pope doth not hold his hands from excommunicating the king at the request of Bethune or Gifford or any such base fellowe but because he feareth his rayling and cursing wold eyther take no effect againste the king or else ouerthrowe the credit of Antichrists thunderbolts Finally they conclude if they haue been ar and will be loyal to his Maiesty that they may not by authority be driuento forsake their fathers Catholike faith vnles their faith beproued infidelity their religioÌ„ superstitioÌ„ thire seruice idolatrie their doctrin here sy they do pretend also that the faitq professed by them is coÌ„firmed by iudgement passed on thir side in many generall councels abroade and in connocations and parliamens at home This they conclude But theire conclusion is grounded vpon false premisses theire exceptions are disproued theire assertions notoriously false and rediculous For what theire carriage hath beene it appeareth by the practises firste of VVatson Clerke Brooke nexte of Percy and his mates thirdlye of the Lorde of Fentry and their complices againste the king the same is also made euident by there bellions treasons of papists against Henry the 8. King Edward the 6. and Queen Elizabeth of pious memory How loyall they are and will be we may imagine seeing their dependance on the pope and foreine enemies and treacherous doctrines concerning deposing of kings by the pope and the assoyling of subiects from theire obedience to princes their religion and seruice hath been shall alwais be declared to superstitions idolatrous wicked and hereticall Neither are they or theire teachers able to mainteine it or to answer our obiections against it We haue also proued that both auncient fathers councels make against popish doctrine and that the doctrine of Trent was neuer receiued either by auncient fathers or by the parliaments or conuocations in England or known to papists before the yeare 1564. themselues must needes confesse vnlesse they bee both blindly foolish desperately obstinate Wee may therfore coÌ„clude vpon their own confession against theÌ„ that if papists neither haue been nor can be loyal to princes or louing to their couÌ„try desiring to bring both vnder the pope if their seruice be idolatrous their doctrine hereticall and their practise superstitioÌ„s as is formerly demoÌ„ strated howso euer idleheads prate of toleratioÌ„ of popery that neither their religioÌ„ nor their audacious boldnes sawcines is any loÌ„ger to betolerated we may also conclude that the reasons alledged by this resolution in religion are either false or not coneludent First they say they haue their vnderstanding captiuated in obsequium fidei scilicet papisticae by most euident testimony of holy writ of vnity vniuersality succession antiquity and authority of fathers saints doctors couÌ„cels ParliameÌ„ts virgins martyrs these they say coÌ„curre in popish religioÌ„ in no other But of holy writ these lay papists haue little resoÌ„ to make

princes and say that for one of ours they haue an hundred but they shew themselues shame lesse to speake vntruth without any shew of proofe For if they looke into all histories they shall not finde eyther parliament or prince within this realme that allowed the wicked decrees of the conuenticle of Trent Neither did the clergy or the vniuersityes of England euer approue theÌ„ Here againe they they tell vs of a child King and woman Queene as if they had Queens that were no women or disallowed of the succession of children to their fathers So their fift reason is very childish Their sixth reasoÌ„ had been more allowable if they could haue proued theire antecedent For if their faith had been that which Saint Paule so highly commendeth and which was first taught the English by Gregorie then should wee not much contend with them about matters of fayth But helas poret soules these laypapistes read not S. Paules Epistles nor canne they tell what he taught and as for their Masters they shall proue themselues desperate fellowes if thÃ¨y take vpon them to proue their transubstantiation and massing sacrifice and other poynts of popery out of S. Paule they should also but abuse their readers if they should vndertake to proue that popery is Catholike doctrine as hath been often shewed Finally if Gregorie the firste were iudge yet should they neither proue the popish worship of images nor the vniuersall headship of the pope nor the inuisibility and impalpability of Christes body in the sacrament the contrary rather out of Gregoryes doctrine may be concluded The 7. reason is nothing els but a repetition of matters formerly denyed They say we haue receiued our Bible our gospell and the canons from the Church of Rome The truth is that all true Christians haue receiued both the Bible the Gospell from Christ and his Apostles-likewise we haue receiued auncient canons from auncient general councels from the same the Church of Rome hath receiued both lawes and canons But the doctrine of the modern churche of Rome concerning the 7. sacramentes halfe communions the carnall eating of Christes body with the mouth and such like Mysteries of the masse they are contrary both to scriptures and actes of councels and were neuer knowne to the auncient church of Rome In theire 8. reason they affirme that the Romish Church is our Mother Church But then is she a cruell mother that persecuteth and murthreth her children Of the old Roman Church diuers nations receiued the faith and therefore to them she might be reputed the Mother church and so his maiesty meant when he spoke of the old church of Rome But this later Romish church is rather a stepmother then a mother and rather the mother of fornications as Saint John calleth her or the mother of errors as Francis Petrarch calleth her then the mother of Christians nay we haueby diuers reasons demonstrated that she is neither the mother church nor Christs church but the whore of Babylon and Synagogue of Antichriste Their ninth reason is drawne from the maner of the firsteÌ„ arising and condemnation of heresyes For if there neuer yet arose any heresy but both the names of the authors and of the councells that condemned them were well known then if neither the authors of the masse or of Purgatory or of prayers to saints can be named nor any councell found out that condemned them then they suppose that these poyntes came from Christ and the apostles But by the same reason hee mighte prooue that the heresie of the Angelikes Collyridians Messalians Nudipedalls Nazarites Apostolikes and diuers of that sorte came from Christ and the Apostles For neither is Coleton able to name the first authors of these heresyes nor excepte it bee the Angelikes condemned in the councell of Laodicea can hee shew that any of these hereticks were condemned by councels Further wee shew who were the first deuisers of the masse and these lay papists confesse that the author of euery little ceremony and the time thereof is known we knowalso that purgatory for satisfaction for teÌ„poral pains after that the guilt of sin is remitted praiers to saynts was first deuised by schoolmen among christians by idolaters among Heathen men Their last reason is deriued from the fruites of true religion which as they say are loue vnity concord piety acts of charitie and deuotion as fasting praier almes building of monasteryes erecting of vniuersities founding of Hospitals conuerting of Nations and such like But first the erection of monasteries and such like dennes of superstitious persons and Sodomites is neither a worke of Charity nor deuotion Secondly these fruites of religion that are heere mentioned neuer proceeded from the modern superstition of Rome And that is most apparent not only by common experience but also by the testimony and confession of papists themselues In Jtaly other countries where popery moste reigneth there is little true loue no vnitie nor concord either among the teachers or among their followers no steppe of christian piety no acts of Christian charity nor signe of sincere and internall deuotion their prayers are directed to saynts angels for the most part and little vnderstood of the vulgar sort being in strange laÌ„guages Their fasts ar superstitious their alms ar pharisaical for the most part euil bestowed The popes their coÌ„plices massacre murdre true christians with deadly hatred prosequute on another Their enemies they empoysoÌ„ murdre such as they cannot kill they curse and hate They make banks of vsury set vp bordell houses for maintenance of whoredom baudry they haue empouerished christians occasioned the progresse and successe of Turkes and as for new Rome it hath confuted no heresyes nor called any lawfull councels nor erected any vniuersityes nor taught any obedience to princes nay contrariwise the popes of Rome haue dissolued the bands of obedience and with preferring men vnworthy fostering Iebusites haue ouerthrowne vniuersities Finally teaching that the pope is aboue councels they haue taken away al authority froÌ„ councels teaching the idolatrous worship of saynts images and the sacrament and setting for ward their traditions they haue destroyed all religion and this in the abridgement or suruey of popery is proued both by testimonyes and examples agaynst vs certes they shall neuer be able to prooue any such matters They charge Master Caluin Knox Luther GodmaÌ„ with teaching coÌ„teÌ„pt of power authority and neglect of laws obedience that vnder the colour of liberty of the gospel But this is a coÌ„moÌ„ practise of papists when they are at a stoppe to father lies vpon Luther Caluin and other godly men How sincerely they deale it is apparent when they alledge such authors as lay papists vnder payne of excoÌ„mu nication may not read affirme that to bee taughte by them which those godly teachers vtterly dislike and condemne Absurdly also wher they vndertake to defend themselues they run out

vs to sell our goods to let or set our lands for our reliefe to make iointures for the mainteinance of our 6 If this petitioÌ„ vvere made by maspriests then they accouÌ„t the vviues of lay papists to be their ovvne vviues their children to be their bastards wiues or estate of lands to our children albeit by not paiment of the said summes at the tearmes asoresaid we fell within the lapses of the Lawes in such extreamitie of daunger that our case was not to be relieued but by speciall act of Parliament yet such of vs as at VVilton in Nouember last past had recourse to the Lords of your Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell to be secured from the said forfeiture which otherwise we were to incur in default of payment as is before saide they were farre besides their expectation axed by the Lords of akinde of diffidence or chalenging your Maiesty with breach 1 In this libell you haue charged the king with breach of promise of promise for the easing vs of the saide mulcte-mony in sortt as it was deliuered vs in Iulie precedent at Hampton-Court wherupon we resolued absolutely to put our whole Estate into your Maiestyes hands that your Maiesty may see howe we preferre the credit and confidence we haue in your Maiesties iustice equity conscience mercie before our own security our lands goods and liuings and so doe vve still remayne in the same 2 Note how lay Papists are put by these libellers in predicaments predicament where if euery penny had been a pound euerie of our mole-hilles mountaines we would vpon such vrging of our diffidence haue prostrated all the same at your most Royall Maiesties 3 This cannot be done as loÌ„g as you kis the Popes feet feet The answer to the fift chapter of the petition IN Iuly an D. 1604. this Chapter which coÌ„teineth surmises or as theÌ„selues say proofes of the lay papists fidelity caried a farre better shew then now it doeth but sence the treason of Catesby Pearcy and theire compagnions beganne to be knowne abroade it seemeth superfluous to speake of things supposed and for lay papists fidelity we are to write of the Papists lame halting Fidelity For as many proofes else do conuince them to haue caried euill mindes to their prince and country of a long time so hardly shall they cleare themselues of the blot of this late conspiracy not that many were acquaynted with the particulers of the pouderplot but because most were acquainted with a generall deseignement for the reestablishment of popish religion a matter prooued by diuers arguments First at that tyme papists in all places flocked together and beganne to lift vp theire heades Secondly the matter was much talked of in forrein countryes and reported to be already exequuted Thirdly both in England and elsewhere papists said pater nosters and Auemariaes for the good successe of theire consorts this parliament Fourthly a rebellion cold not be raysed nor succeede without the help of many Fiftly the masseprests gaue out that their numbers were greate Lastly in a booke printed a little before the tyme deseigned for the exequution of this plot called 7. sparkes of an enkindled soule and conteining prayers common for all papists this horrible treason seemeth to bee described psal 2. Confirme your harts say they for your redeÌ„ption is not farre of The yeare of visitation draweth to an end and iubilation is at hand and afterward But the memorie of nouelties shall perish with a crack as a ruinous house falling to the ground and agayn he will come as a flame that bursteth out beyond the furnace his enemies shall be as stubble in his way His fury shall fly forth as thunder Thus is the gunpowder clap described The king is is also compared there to Pharo that by plagues was forced to let the Jsraelites depart Little therfore neede we to speake much of the lame fidelity of papists made so notorious to the world Notwithstanding seeing this chapter commeth among the rest let vs speake of this lame papists fidelity also Now we come say the petitioners to the matter of our loyalty but that this is an argumeÌ„t that hitherto they haue not atteined to it they tel vs also of the matter of their loyalty But neither do they bring any thing materiall nor do their wordes agree with their doctrine For in termes they call his maiesty gracious soueraigne and yet make him subiect to the pope their souerain Lord and god and accuse him diuersly for following the late Queen in her hard and sharp courses as they call them Three wayes they assigne for a prudent maister to try out the honesty and fidelity of his seruant accused of trecherie and yet neuer a one sufficient For neither is it sufficient to make inquisition of his former life and behauiour nor to looke into his present cariage and quality nor to compare his actions comportments with those that traduce him which are the onely meanes of triall which these petitioÌ„ers could deuise But the gouernors of state must further looke to the trecherous opinions which they defend and to the intelligences they haue both at home and abroade further they must look not onely to their owne demeanour but also to the attestations of others agayne little doth it make for the clearing of traytors or felons to shew that their aduersaries ar faulty and no maÌ„ esteemeth of a man by outward cariage and complementes Finally without sence and feling of true religion of a good conscience no man can be truly obedient as long then as the Papists are delighted with the vaine allurements of the mother of fornications and trade with the masse preests and other marchants of Babilon their loyallty will be doubtfull and their faire lookes suspicious But did wee respect no more then these three poyntes here offred to be considered yet would it goe hard with the massepreests and most of the recusants in his maiesties dominions For the masse preestes haue all of them the beasts marke and are all the slaues of the pope and depend wholly vpon him and the recusants adherents of this generaton are not cleare of suspicion For firste we finde that sence the yeare of our Lord 1568 diuers of them haue borne armes againste theire soueraigne as the lay rebels of the north and of Ireland all sworn papists Likewise did the rebels in king Henry the 8 his dayes that rose about the suppressing of abbeys and the rebels of Cornewall and Deuonshiere in King Edwardes dayes that fouÌ„d theÌ„selues greeued for want of greasing crossing censing and holy water and such like ceremonyes Secondly diuers of them haue abandoned their prince and country fled to forrein enemies as the multitude of wandring English spyes malecontentes through Spain Italy and Flanders doth declare Thirdly it is apparent that the principall motiues to stirre vp forrayne princes against the state haue been recusants the same is testified in the

doth playnly declare the authors thereof to want shame modesty reason and wit For if they had not wanted shame then woulde they haue blushed to charge others with disloyalty themselues being vnable to discharge themselues if they had not wanted modesty they woulde haue contented themselues with present fauors being such as they afforde not to our brotheren in other countries and not soughte audaciously to haue dignity honour and further liberty Jf they had not wanted reason they woulde not haue saide that they haue yeelded sufficient reason for theire religion and finally if they had not wanted wit they woulde no haue vndertaken to accuse innocentes themselues being guilty nor would they haue compleyned of wounds deepe and dangerous in their honors being honored aboue their desert nor would they haue called the King Sweete Soueraigne or once mentioned Souereinty considering that they ouer throw the kings Souereinty and make him the popes subiect by their doctrine but yet that passeth all the rest of their fooleries that not being able to cleare themselues nor hauing spoken one worde in defence of theire sacrificing preests and Iebusites now in the conclusion of their request they speak for them also for masse preests I say which contriued the kings destruction by the practise of Clerck and Watson and lately absolued Percy Catesby Tressam and their complices which went about to blowe vp the King Queene Prince and high Courte of Parliament with gunpowder to massacre true Christians to alter lawes and to ouer throw the state Chap. 21. The insufficiency and foolery of the submission promised by lay papists to the king is examined and refuted THere is no chapter nor almost clause of this petition of lay papists whereto we may not take iust exception But yet if we doe put them alltogether and compare them with the 7. Chapter wherein they offer to be bound for the King and his Kingdome and to tender a submission to his maiesty for his satisfaction this will passe all the rest in fooolery and absurdity listen therefore I pray you and hear what they say for theire massepreestes and how they secure the kings person and Crowne from the trechery of their shauen Crowned trecherous masse preestes Chap. 7. The forme of the Catholikes submission IF we may be permitted to enioy some quiet graue The lay Catholikes submission and vertuous Clergie men for the comfort of our soules we doubt not but to giue your Maiesty a far greater security for the few hundreds of our Priestes then was giuen for the many thousands of Queen Maries Priests and Prelates in the late queen Elizabeths dayes against whome albeit aboue 1 Abate nine thousand (a) 10000. Clergy men left their liuings rather then they wold leaue their religion ten thousand of them did abandon their Ecclesiasticall Liuings rather then they would conform themselues to the times especially the (b) All Queen Mary Bishops forsook their Prelatures rather then they would forsake their chiefe Pastor holy Senate of Bishops no one excepted yet in the time of the said Queen for the space of thirty years extreame and restlesse 2 You are extreamly vngratefull that suffer not our late gratious Queen to rest that alvvayes fauoured you to her ovvne hurt persecution no capitall lawes were made or executed And in the (c) The booke in tituled execution for treson and not for religion made by the late Lord Burleigh book intituled Execution for treason and not for Religion composed and set foorth by the late L. Burleigh then high Treasurer of England on whom for his great wisedome and policy the menaging of the Commonwealth of this Realme vnder the Queen principally depended Anno. 1583. and Anno Regni Eliz. 26. it is in expresse words set down what fauour these Priestes found in tearmes as followeth And though there are many subiects knovvn in the Realm that differ in some opinions of Religion from the Church of England and yet doo also not for heare to professe the saeme yet in that they doo all professe loyalty and obedience to her Maiesty and offer readily in her defence to oppugne and resist any forraigne force though it should come or be procured from the Pope himselfe (d) None of Q. Maries priests or Prelates persecuted for religion none of these sorte are for their contrary opinions in Religion persecuted or charged vvith any crimes or paines of treason not yet vvillingly searched in their consciences for their contrary opinions that sauour not of treason After which Narration he reckoneth vp great numbers as (e) D. Heath Archbishop of Yorke D. Heath Archbishop of Yorke B. Poole B. Tunstall B. VVhite B. Oglethrop B. Thurlby B. VVatson B. Turberuill none of all these vvere pressed vvith any capitall paine though they maintained the Popes authority against the lavves of the Realme he recounteth (a) Abbot Feenam one Abbot and diuers Deanes whome he commendeth for learning modesty and knowledge and concludeth that none (b) None of all these held or punished as traytors though they maintayned the Popes authority against the lawes of the Realme of these nor yet diuers others of the like morall and indifferent cariage were euer called to any capitall or bloudy question vpon matter of Religion nor were not depriued of any of their goods or proper liuelihoods of the like indulgence and lenity mention is made in the same booke vsed towards the layety in wonderfull pleasing words as followeth There are great numbers of others being lay men and of good possessions in Lands and men of credit in their countries that do enioy their estates though they houlde contrary opinions in Religion for the Popes authority and yet none of them haue been sought hitherto to be impeached in any point or quarrell of treason or losse of life member or inheritance So that it may plainely appeare it is not nor hath not been for contrary opinions in Religion or for the Popes authority alone as the Aduersaries do boldly and falselie publish that euery person hath suffered death since her Maiesties Raigne yet some of this sort are well knowne to hold opinion that the Pope ought by authority of Gods word to bee supreame and onely head of the Catholike Church throughout the whole world and that the Queenes Maiesty ought not to be (c) To deny the Queen to be supreame gouernesse ouer Ecclesiasticall persoÌ„s not persecuted with charge of treason gouernesse ouer any her subiects in her Realmes being persons Ecclesiasticall yet for none of these points hath any person been persecuted with the charge of treason or in danger of life If then this were the case of Queen Maries priests and other quiet and faithfull subiectes in the late Queens dayes we hope that our Priests being aswell qualified in all respects to our Princes good liking satisfaction as they were both for quiet behauiour ciuill life and sincere affection to your Maiesties seruice may for our comfort obtaine

merciful meÌ„ piller from prison to exile so desiring God to enspire your lordships vpon whose resolutions depends the repose of the Realm and the 11 You saue none destroy al that receiue not the beasts mark your pestileÌ„t doctrin saluatioÌ„ or perdition of many thousand soules with his holy grace and assistaÌ„ce in all your most graue waighty determinatioÌ„s in most humble dutiful maner we take our leaue froÌ„ 12 Many of your felovvs an 1588. that came a gainst their couÌ„try ly in the botoÌ„ of the sea from vvhence they send no libelling letters your hap is better your cause equal the Seaside this 24. of Sept. 1604. His Maiesties true 13 As true as the Irish rebells or as Watson Clerk Brook Percy Catesby Faux Digby the rest of that crevv that vvere as true papists as the rest of these massepriests and loy all subiects and your honors most humble seruants The late banished Priests The censure THE Lords no doubte looked for thanks for their gentle and milde course taken with these massepreests if they looked for none yet his maiesty deserued at their hands both thanks and praises that gaue them life who had so well deserued death and though he sent them out of England yet did send them into no place but whether they had fled before voluntarily of themselues But see the malicious disposition I pray you of this viperous generation For thankes to the Lords they send reprofes and expostulations direct their letters to the lords as thinking the king to be no king nor worthy to be written vnto by such glorious creatures of antichrist as they take themselues to be They suppose that they haue written wisely pithily But of that meÌ„ may the better esteem by these particulers First they say they haue suffred for christ his sake and the profession of the true catholike religion which he plaÌ„ted with his precious bloud But this is a grosse slander to the state and to his maiesty principally who is here charged with persequuting Christ the true catholike religion Further the same is a most impudent and vntrue assertion For neither did Christ plant nor water the masse nor the worship of saints and images nor the popes triple crown with his blood nor is popery Catholike religion nor did these fellows suffer for their superstitious false opinion vnlesse the same drew them into practise of treason and made them to fetch their greasy ordination from forreign enemies and to depend vpon them and to ioyn with them in seeking to blow vp the state Secondly they pretend to haue been depriued of all worldly comforts commodityes But the author of the quodlibers saith no and the world knoweth how they haue domineered in the places of their resiance and liued with all plenty ease and contentment in prison Gerrard and Garnet are fat and well liking and neuer did men enioy more worldly delightes 3 They cal the sentence of exile hard and heauy But in Spayn and Italy our brethren would thank god for such a fauoure so woulde they also considering they haue deserued death but that they are gracelesse and vnthankfull 4. They blush not to affirm that they haue the honor and safety of their prince in recommendation when their doctrine maketh theire prince and country subiect to the pope and his censures and their practises tend to bring in strangers and to dishonor and ouerthrow both prince and state as before is declared and as appeared by Percies treason 5. They say theire banishment is an vndeserued penalty But the lawes of England say they deserued death and their treasons prooue it are not then fauors well bestowed on these treacherous and murmuring fellowes 6. They alledge the words of saynt Peter Nemo vestrum patiatur vt fur vt latro aut maledicus aut alienorum appetitor si auteÌ„ vt Christianus c. But they are no followers of S. Peter or of his doctrine suffering for trecherous combinations with forreine enemies and domesticall Gunpowder men and hauing long railed againste the state and sought the spoile thereof diuers of theÌ„ deuiding bishopricks and benefices in England in conceipte and being inducted into them at Tiburn or Wisbich and none of them suffering for any poynte of Christian faith 7. They tell vs of the diuers qualityes of the Massepreestes banished But what is that to the purpose seeing none wold reuounce intelligences with forreigne enemyes nor acknowledge the kings supreme authority Further they cannot prooue that they haue any good qualities being so farre ingaged in Percyes conspiracy and other practises 8. They signify that they purpose agayn to return into their country But how agreeth this with their former protestation of suffering with patience and humility agayn why shold they intrude themselues where no man sendeth for theÌ„ why shold they thrust theÌ„selues in amoÌ„g true pastors being ordeined by Antichrist to sacrifice for quick dead why shold wolues be suffered to entre within Christs fold hereticks among Christians trecherous compagnions among the kings loyall subiects 9. They pray their honors to conceiue of them as of men that haue the fear and grace of god before their eies and the sincere loue of their prince and country in their harts But their doctrines actions and practises doe vtterly remooue this conceit both out of the minds of the councell of others Som particulers of their dooings we haue touched before the treason of Catesby and Percy toucheth them at the very hart Finally they call them selues his maiesties true and loyall subiects But how true it appeared first in the practises of Clerke and Watson hanged at Winchester not loÌ„g sence and next in the attempt of Percy and his complices diuers of theÌ„ being absolued and resolued by massepreests in their wicked purposes and generally in the doctrine of massepreests against the authority of Kings before mentioned and in their combinations and intelligences with the pope other traytors and forreine enemies as Parsons and the popish cardinals and such like What then remayneth but that such as finde them selues agreeued with the sentence of banishmeÌ„t should haue the senteÌ„ce of the law and that such as loue the Pope and Jtaly better then the King and their owne country should be forced to liue with theyr holy father in their Italian Babylon god grant that neither Prince nor country receiue harme by their return or by any of their associates or companions Amen FINIS The contentes of euery chapter of the Book precedent Chap. 1. THE resolution of the petition apologeticall of the lay papists together with a som of the answer made vnto it Chap. 2. That the toleration of any false hereticall or idolatrous religion is repugnant to reasons of religion and holy scripture Chap. 3. That conuinence and toleration of false religion and heresie and of the professors thereof is reproued by the authority both of ancient fathers of the church and of auncient christian Princes Chap. 4. That to admit the exercise of false religions formerly forbidden is contrary both to christian policy and reason Chap. 5. That toleration of diuers religions is contrary to the doctrine and practise of papists Chap. 6. That popery is a false and erroneous religion Chap. 7. That popish religion is heathenish and idolatrous Chap. 8. That popery is a religion composed of old and new heresies Chap. 9. That popish religion is new and not as the papists call it the old religion Chap. 10. That popery is a religion impious and blasphemous Chap. 11. That toleration of popery is contrarye to reasons of state Chap. 12. That popish religion is enemy to kings Chap. 13. That the same is burthensome to christians Chap. 14. That the petition of such as desire a toleration of popery is voide of reason Chap. 15. That the same is repugnant to grounds of religion and policy practised by papists themselues Chap. 16. An answer to the title of the petition of lay papists and the preface of John Lecey Chap. 17. An answer to the two first chapters of the petition conteining causes both of the petitioners long silence and of their breache of silence Chap. 18. Of the quality number and forces of English papists and of their assurance and resolution which they praetend in their religion Chap. 19. The examination of lay papists fidelity of which they endeuour to make proofe in the fift chapter of their petition Chap. 20. An answere to the petitioners calumniations agaynst the professors of the Gospell set downe in the 6. chapter of their popish apologeticall petition Chap. 21. The insufficiency and foolery of the submission promised by lay papists for themselues and their priests is examined Chap. 22. A censure vpon certain letters of the banished massepreests sent backe to the Lords of his Maiesties councell anno 1604. and annexed to the former petition Escapes correct thus Pag. 8. line 18. reade the apostle 2. corinth 6. p. 14. l. vl vlli magistratui p. 26. lin 28. Hierem. 2. p. 31. l 23. Basilidians l. 25. exorcizations p. 34. l. 5. with the priscillianists p. 48. l. 7. and ignorant people p. ead l. antepenul three principal p. 60 l. 9. whereas I doe not suppose p. 62. l. 6. if the parliament-house p. 73. lin 26 are matters p. ead l. or so mutinously p. 74. l. 26. but rather seek p. 76. l. 12. daungerous deseins p. 91. l. 22. numbres of papists p. 94. l. 15. fourthly they mention p. 95. l. 31. for their resolution p. 99. l. 33. Helas pore soules Literall faults and transpositions of titles pardon

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