Son of Joseph Which was the Son of Mat-ta-thi-as which was the Son of A-mos which was the Son of Na-um which was the Son of E-li which was the Son of Nag-ge which was the Son of Ma-ath which was the Son of Mat-ta-thi-as which was the Son of Se-me-i which was the Son of Jo-seph which was the Son of Ju-da Which was the Son of Jo-an-na which was the Son of Rhe-sa which was the Son of Zo-ro-ba-bel which was the Son of Sa-la-thiel which was the Son of Ne-ri which was the Son of Mel-chi which was the Son of Ad-di which was the Son of Co-sam which was the Son of El-mo-dam which was the Son of Er. Which was the Son of Jo-se which was ehe Son of Eli-e-zer which was the Son of Jo-rim which was the Son of Mat-that which was the Son of Le-vi Which was the Son of Ma-thu-sa-la which was the Son of E-noch which was the Son of Ja-red which was the Son of Ma-le-lâ—-el which was the Son of Cai-nan which was the Son of E-nos which was the Son of Seth which was the Son of Ad-am which was the Son of God St. Matthew Chap. 24. AND Iesus answered and said unto them Take heed that no man deceive you for many shall come in my name Saying I am Christ and shall deceive many and ye shall hear of Wars and Rumors of VVars see that ye be not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet For Nation shall rise against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there shall be Famines and Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers places All these are the beginning of Sorrows Then shall they deliver you up to be Afflicted and shall Kill you and ye shall be hated of all Nations for my Names Sake And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another And many false Prophets shall arise and shall deceive many And because Iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold But he that endureth unto the end shall be Saved VVhen ye therefore shall see the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the Holy place who so readeth let him understand Then let them that be in Judea Flee unto the Mountains For then shall be great Tribulation such as was not since the Beginning of the VVorld to this time no nor never shall be and except those days should be shortned there should be no Flesh Saved but for the Elects sake those daies shall be shortned Then if any Man shall say unto you lo here is Christ or lo there believe it not for there shall arise false Christs False Prophets and shall shew great Signs and VVonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. Beloved I have told you before PSALM 74. Great God of Gods forget not those Who thee Reproachfully Despise Remember Lord the Blasphemies Cast on thee by Frantick Foes O! to the wicked Multitude Surrender not thy Turtle Dove Nor from thy tender care remove The Poor by pow'rful Wrong persu'd Thy Covenant bound by Oath Maintain For Darkness overspreads the Face Of all the Land in every place Destruction Rape and Slaughter Reign Let not th' Opprest return with shame But Crown thee with Deserv'd Applause O Patronize thy proper cause Remember Fools Revile thy name O! Let their Sorrows never cease Who blast thee with their Calumnies The Tumults of their Pride who rise Against thee every day Increase The Protestant Instructed and the Errors of Popery Discovered Question WHat ought to be the great Design of all Men in this World Answ So to Serve and Honour God in this Life that we may for ever enjoy eternal happiness in the World to come Quest This indeed is the Interest of every man but since there are so many Religions in the World which of these do you profess Answ The Christian Religion which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and which is commonly called the Protestant Reformed Religion Quest Why is it called the Protestant Religion Answ It is called the Protestant Religion from a solemn Protestation of several Princes and Cities of Germany against the errors and Usurpations of the Roman Church but yet it is no new Doctrine brought into the VVorld but the truth of Christianity Confessed Asserted and purged from the Corruptions of Popery and hath the very same grounds to prove the Truth thereof which the Christian Religion it self hath Quest How do you prove that the Protestant Religion professed at this day is the pure and Ancient Christian Religion Answ 1. Because of its exact Conformity to the Scriptures and the genuine and clear sense thereof 2. In that the Protestant Religion is the very same and exactly agrees with the Faith of the Christian Church in the first three hundred years after the death of our Saviour 3. From the confession of the Papists themselves who own that there have been some in all Ages even in the darkest times of Popery who have Owned Asserted and Died in Defence of the same Doctrines which we now profess as the Waldenses Albingenses Berengatians and others Quest Hath not the Romish Church the Decrees Canons Councils and the Pope himself as their Head to prove the Truth and Certainty of their Religion Answ Though they boast very much of Infallibility yet 1. They never were agreed nor are ever like to agree who this Infallible Judge is whether in a General Council or the Pope himself 2. They have no Rational Certainty of what they believe since they willfully neglect the Holy Scriptures and with a Biind Obedience intrust their Souls with those Men whose Credit and Testimony a Man would hardly trust with a Sum of Money without better Security 3. They have no Bible nor other Authentick Record to prove their Religion but a Mass of dead Traditions that have no Voice nor Sound to be understood untill the Romish Clergy put a sense upon them So that a Man can hardly embrace Popery except he first turn Atheist yea quit all his Religion and Reason at once Quest But do not the Papists damn all the World but themselves confidently affirming that Rome is the Catholick Apostolick Church out of which there is no salvation Answ Their confidence is not at all to be wondred at since it is one of the greatest Arguments they use to prove the most ridiculous Assertions but that the Romish Church can have no possible claim to their being only saved is unanswerable from these Arguments 1. Because we know of no Church which consisteth of all Christians Subjected to one Humane Head nor do we read that our Subjection to the Pope is made a condition of Salvation 2. It is evident that in the Apostles time and for divers Ages since there was a Christian Catholick Church which had no dependence upon the See of Rome 3. There are a greater number in the World who embrace
man miscarry if he will part with his Silver to save his Soul so that it is fitted for a most wicked and licentious life since men may sin at the highest rate and not endanger their souls for if they have money the Popes Pardon clears them from the greatest Villanies so that though they are never so guilty they can with their last breath solemnly call God to witness that they are as Innocent as the Child unborn Qu. Since the Popish Religion is such a compound of Humane Policy and framed to make men depend upon the Pope and be subject to his power though against their Sovereigns Interest we may wonder that so many Princes do with one consent joyn their power to support his Throne Ans This indeed seems to be a very strange infatuation and we can give no other reason for it but that it is the secret Judgment of God to give them thus up according to what was foretold in Rev. 17.17 For God hath put it into their heart to agree and give their power to the Beast until the words of God be fulfilled for else there is nothing more destructive to their Power and Interest than such a Spiritual Sovereign as the Pope pretends to be Qu. How doth it appear that the Popish Religion is so destructive to the power of Princes and the Interest of their Kingdomes Ans It is undeniably clear from their own Doctrines and Principles 1. They assert that the Pope may dethrone Kings and give their Kingdomes to others that he can absolve and free their Subjects from all Duty and Allegiance to them yea he can bind and loose their Consciences at his own pleasure 2. It is such a Religion as expresly frees and exempts all Ecclesiastical persons from the Laws of their Natural Prince so that they cannot be judged for the most horrid and notorious Crimes that can be committed by them 3. It makes the Princes and Rulers of the world to execute with a blind obedience whatsoever the Pope commands them not leaving them the liberty to judge whether it be right or wrong 4. It strikes at the very Foundation of all Religion and Piety which is the greatest security to Government and the strongest obligation to all Civil and Moral Duties for if a man commit the most horrid acts of wickedness such as Murther Adultery Incest Rape Sodomy c. yet an ordinary Priest by the Almighty power of the Pope can dispense with them all the price of them being rated and appointed which being paid the Priest can give full pardon and absolution for the same 5. It is a Religion that expresly teaches that a man is not bound to repent presently of the most heinous sin it being sufficient if it be done before the last moment of his life 6. It destroys truth righteousness and honesty among men since it allows and warrants Equivocation and Perjury both in Oaths and words and that a man may swear in such doubtful terms as may be directly contrary to the intent of him that gives the Oath whereby an Oath cannot be an end of Controversie Lastly it is a Religion which in its Principles is destructive to Humane Society for it triumphs delights and glories in those monstrous Prodigies of mischief Blood and Cruelty which we would think Humane Nature would tremble at and which seem rather to have been acted by Devils transformed into the shape of men than by any who have the least pretence to the name of Christians witness the Massacres of France and Ireland and the bloody Persecutions in the Netherlands Germany Spain Piedmont and most Countries in Europe Therefore from such a Religion and all the cursed effects thereof let us beseech Almighty God to deliver us and our Posterity for ever Amen PSALM 64. THou great Protector hear our cry Save from our dreadful Enemy O vindicate From their close hate Who for our Souls in ambush lye From their blind rage protect Who Truth and thee reject Who whet their tongues more sharp than Swords Their Arrows draw even bitter words To wound th' upright With fierce delight When time to their desire accords They on a sudden shoot Nor fear Divine pursuit Confirm'd in skilful malice they Conspire and Nets in secret lay And say what eye Can this discry First counsel take and then betray On mischief set their hearts Pursu'd by wicked Arts. But God shall let his Arrows fly Wound in the twinkling of an eye Each shall be stung By his own Tongue And with that fatal poyson die The Image Of Antichrist The Image of ANTICHRIST Or The Vsurpations of the Pope and Church of Rome over Kings Emperours c. ABOUT Five Hundred Years after the death of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ one Phocas who had Murdered his Master Mauritius Emperour of Constantinople and his Children first Advanced the Bishops of Rome to be Universal Bishops and Heads of the Church at which time they were endowed with these large Possessions and Donations which they call St. Peters Patrimony and which they falsly assert to be the Gift of Constantine the Great After this the Church of Rome growing Great Mighty Rich and Proud at once lost its Humility and Purity of Religion and assumed Politick and Tyrannical Principles which caused her Defiled hands to lay afide the Sword of the Spirit and to make use of the Temporal Sword which she used to the Deposing and Murthering of divers Kings Princes and Emperours I. For after they had once tasted the Sweetness of Wealth Ease and Prosperity the Popes began to swell in Pride and Pomp and the more they Flourished in this World the more the holy Spirit of God forsook them so that in a short time those Bishops who were Poor Mean indigent persecuted and wanting all things began to Triumph over Princes to tread upon the Necks of Emperours and to bring the heads of Kings under their Usurped Authority They were carryed upon Mens Shoulders in all manner of Magnificence as if the earth were not good enough to bear them they were honoured as Gods on earth and Sovereign Princes Dukes and Lords c. went Bare-headed before them And not only so but through their Pride and Ambition they grew so great Apostates from Christians that of being Persecuted they became Persecutors of others and at last were so Great enemies to God and Religion that the Pope may now be justly Reckoned and Accounted the Antichrist or Man of Sin so long before spoken of by St. Paul in Thessalonians 2.2 II. This pride and insolency of the Pope and his Clergy appeared in several Instances which might be given of it but out of the Multitude we shall only Collect some few to shew what Slavery and Bondage both Princes and people were formerly subject to under this Antichristian Yoke About the Year 1158. Frederick Emperour of Germany Marching into Italy the Pope hearing of it went with his Clergy to meet him As soon as the Emperour saw
The Protestant School-Master CONTAINING Plain and Easie Directions for spelling and Reading English with all necessary Rules for the True Reading of the English Tongue TOGETHER WITH A Brief and True Account of the Bloody Persecutions Massacres Plots Treasons and most inhumane Tortures committed by the Papists upon Protestants for near six hundred years past to this very time in all Countries where they have usurped Authority to exercise their Cruelties That is The Persecutions of the Protestants in Piedmont Bohemia Germany Poland Lithuania France Italy Spain Portugal The Low Countries Scotland Ireland and England With a Description of the Variety of their Tortures curiously Engraven upon Copper Plates And several other useful Particulars By Edw. Clark B. D. LONDON Printed by T. B. And are to be sold by John How at the Rose and Crown in Sweetings Alley near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1680. The Protestant School-Master CONTAINING Plain and Easie Directions for spelling and Reading English with all necessary Rules for the True Reading of the English Tongue TOGETHER WITH A Brief and True Account of the Bloody Persecutions Massacres Plots Treasons and most inhumane Tortures committed by the Papists upon Protestants for near 600 Years past to this very time in all Countries where they have usurped Authority to exercise their Cruelties That is The Persecutions of the Protestants in Piedmont Bohemia Germany Poland Lithuania France Italy Spain Portugal The Low Countries Scotland Ireland and England With a Description of the Variety of their Tortures curiously Engraven upon Copper Plates And several other useful Particulars By Edw. Clark B. D. LONDON Printed by T. B. And are to be sold by Enoch Prossor at the Rose and Crown in Sweetings Alley near the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1680. TO THE Protestant Nobility Gentry and Commonalty of ENGLAND SINCE we may Daily observe That the Romish Foxes both Jesuits Priests and Layity do lay out the utmost of their strength and Policy to introduce their cursed Principles and Practices into this Kingdom it concerns every Man to be upon his Guard and to endeavour as much as possible to secure and forewarn all Protestants of the danger of the return of that medly of Non-sence Blasphemy and Slavery And young Persons especially ought to be truly informed thereof since the design of these Sons of Belial is to debauch the Youth of this Nation and therefore upon all occasions you shall hear them vilifying all Religion and abusing the Holy Scriptures there being none fitter to be Roman Catholicks as they non-sensically call themselves than Atheists because they find little or no difference between the Popish Religion if it deserves that Name and none at all since Treasons Rebellions Murders Rapes Burnings and all manner of the most Horrid Cruelties Hell it self can invent are so far from being Crimes or Sins that they are many times counted meritorious and a Man shall deserve Heaven for committing them according to the Doctrine of that Church there being no sin unpardonable but that which they falsly call Heresie or the true Worship of God according to the Scriptures and for this it is that they would have murdered our Gracious Sovereign turned our Land into Blood Slaughter and Confusion For this they would have overthrown our Religion enslaved our Consciences or else have burnt our Bodies to Ashes as they did our Ancestors It is difficult to give a draught of this bloody Beast of Rome it would be a horrid sight to draw him in his full proportion yet take a short view of him so as to tremble at the thoughts of what others have suffered and what he yet hopes to inflict upon us if Divine Providence prevent him not though no doubt but the Almighty will save and deliver us out of his Hands His Eyes are Flames that have consumed the Bodies of many Thousand Martyrs His Mouth is like Hell gaping for his Prey Blood gushes out of his Jaws like Rivers his bloody Tuskes are the Racks and tormenting Engines wherewith he grinds the Bones of Gods Saints His Tail is Armed with the stings of Scorpions wherewith he lashes Kings and Kingdoms from his Throat he belches forth Curses and Excommunications and denounces Judgments and Death upon all that oppose him It is this Monster of Persecution and Cruelty that the Slaves of Rome endeavour to advance in all places where they have Power and Authority and by this you may Judge of their Principles and Religion by these evil Fruits you may Judge of the Tree and what Spirit they are of their hopes are very great and their confidence mighty but we trust Heaven will blast their designs and overthrow their Machinations and yet save his People So that we may have cause to bless the Lord of Heaven and Earth and to praise him in the Congregation Let us therefore have no disagreement among Protestants but let us as one Man by all justifiable and lawful methods in our several Places and Stations oppose this armed Beast of Persecution And let us instruct our Youth both in their Principles and Practices that so they may avoid and fly from them as from that which will certainly ruine Soul Body and Estate for ever This is the design of this little Book which will give a brief Account of the Mischiefs and Villanies committed by that Man of sin upon the Servants of God ever since he appeared in the World the like of which were never acted by Heathens Turks or Infidels and since they make so ill use of Pictures upon many accounts I have endeavoured to draw in Picture some short strokes of the variety of their Tortures practised upon Protestants a Volume not being able to contain the whole of their Horrid Massacres and Inhumane torments Here are likewise Rules for teaching young people to read English so that this may serve instead of any other Book of this kind and youth may at the same time reap both profit and Delight and thereby learn in time to read their Bible that Great Enemy to the Popish Church and which they formerly have and would again burn as well as our Bodies if it were in their power Therefore let us Conclude in the words of the Royal Psalmist Psalm 5. Destroy thou the wicked and mischievous Persecutors O God let them fall by their own Councils Cast them out in the multitude of their Transgressions for they have rebelled against thee but let all those who put their Trust in thee rejoyce let them ever shout for Joy because thou defendest them let them also that love thy Name be Joyful in thee For thou O Lord wilt bless the Righteous with favour wilt thou compass him as with a Shield Amen So Prays he who is an hearty Well-wisher to the Protestant Religion Edw. Clark The Alphabet of several sorts of Letters Roman small Letters a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s s t u v w x y z Italick small Letters a b c
substantial sign to be used in Baptism Answer Read that of Saint Mat. 3.11 I Baptize you with vvater and Acts 10.47 Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized But the Papists use Salt Oyle Spittle and many other Superstitions and Additions which they have made to the Institution of Jesus Christ in Baptisme King James of Famous Memory in his Apology hath these Words The Queen my Mother at my Baptism although I was Baptised by a Popish Arch-bishop sent him word to forbear to use the Spittle in my Baptism which was obeyed it being indeed a Filthy and Apish Trick Her own words were That she would not have a Pocky Priest to spit in her Childs Mouth Quest What do the Papists mean by the Mass which they so often talk of Answ It is the same which the Protestants call the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the Papists call it the Mass thereby intimating that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is made a Sacrifice and offered up to God which as it is used by them is both Vain and Idolatrous 1. Because by the Death of our Blessed Saviour who was Sacrificed for our Sins Divine Justice is sufficiently satisfied and the Sinner who returns and Repents is fully secured as to his everlasting State Heb. 10.12 This man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sate down at the Right-hand of God 2. The Papists Worship their Mass not only as God but trust in it for Salvation instead of Christ our Saviour Neither doth it excuse them to say that they worship not the Bread or a breaden God but Jesus Christ whom they suppose to be present for this Argument cannot free them from Idolatry no more than it will the Heathen Idolaters who though they worshipped the Sun yet supposed it to be God and so they did Jupiter whom they worshipped And therefore if Papists be not Idolaters there never were any such in the world Qu. Are these all the Points wherein the Papists and Protestants differ Ans No for a Volume would hardly contain the Fopperies of that Apostate Church as denying the Cup in the Lords Supper to the people Pardons Indulgences Pilgrimages and Jubilees their seven Sacraments instead of two appointed by our Saviour forbidding Priests to marry Justification by Works Merit Equivocation and abundance more which if truly understood would make every Protestant abhor both their Church and Doctrine Qu. But is the Apostacy of the Church of Rome such as there is no safe union with her or being saved in that Religion Ans If Rome be that spiritual Babylon mentioned Rev. 18.4 as it is there very plain and evident then are we absolutely commanded to come out of her lest being partakers of her sins we be partakers of her plagues Qu. But though the Roman Church in her Doctrine be directly contrary to Scripture yet how can all this demonstrate that the Pope is the Antichrist so expresly foretold in 2 Thes 3.4 Ans To resolve this question let us consider 1. That the Holy Ghost in Scripture hath been very exact in pointing out Antichrist by such notorious marks and characters as after-Ages might easily know him if they do not wilfully shut their eyes 2. Unless we deny our Senses as Papists do in many things we cannot be ignorant that the Popish Church clearly answers all those marks which are given of him in Scripture even him whose coming shall be after the working of Satan with all power signs and lying wonders forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath appointed to be used with thanksgiving who sitteth in the Temple of God and exalteth himself above all that is called God who bewitcheth the Kings of the Earth with his Inchantments and is drunk with the blood of the Martyrs of Christ Jesus yea whose Traffick and Merchandize is not only silver and gold but the Souls of men Rev. 18.13.3 This Mystery began to work in the time of the Apostles and he who for a time did withhold his coming that is the Heathen Emperours of Rome hath been long since taken out of the way And 4. It is undeniable that this Adversary can be no single person or of a short continuance but is a Politick Body or Kingdome united in one Supreme Head and with a succession for many Ages 5. It is apparent that these express characters of Antichrist can be applied to no other Enemy of Jesus Christ or his Church under the New Testament either Pagan or Mahometan Qu. But it is said of Antichrist that the Lord will consume him by the breath of his mouth and how can this be applied to the Pope or Church of Rome Ans 1. We know that the Fall of Antichrist must be by degrees as his Rise was and not all at once 2. How have these last Ages of the World been cleared from Antichristian darkness in England Scotland Ireland France Germany Sweden Denmark the Low-Countries c. Qu. But do we not see Popery prevail now in a more than ordinary way in several Countries where the Gospel has been clearly preached Ans This is not so strange if we consider 1. That where the truth is not received in love God doth many times give up men to strong delusions to believe lies 2. Observe that such as imbrace Popery do not do it from Principles of Reason or Conscience but it is the visible effect of a Licentious Age and from an unusual growth of Atheisme and Ignorance for it is not to be admired if those who never really had any Religion Espouse any Religion that may serve their Interest or Lust 3. There is no such great slavery exercised over the body under Turkish bondage as there is over the Reasons and Consciences of men under the Popish Yoak so that they have no way to be convinced of their Errors since they must not see with their own eyes the most clear discoveries of truth that can be made to them either in the Scriptures or any other Books Lastly though Popery seem to encrease yet it 's clear that they get but little advantage thereby and it seems only to make way for its utter ruine and destruction So that if the Pope be not Antichrist yet we may challenge Antichrist to do worse and wickeder things than he Qu. Certainly there can be but little encouragement for men to turn Papists if they rightly understand what Popery is Ans No question but there is great blindness upon their minds since the whole frame of it is but the driving on of a Politick Interest They shut up the Scripture to keep the people in the dark their Religion not being able to endure the light they set up an Infallibility to hold them under a blind obedience they pick their pockets by their Doctrines of Merit and Purgatory yea notwithstanding their high pretences to Charity it is such a Religion that no man can be damn'd except he be poor neither can any rich
their Fists and then bid her to call upon the Saints but she smiling said My trust and my salvation is only in my Saviour Jesus Christ and upon him only will I rest as for the Virgin Mary though see be blessed above all women yet she is not Omniscient and therefore knows net our requests yea she her self hath need of the Merits of her own Son without which she could not have been saved But they reviling and abusing her she couragiously said I willingly endure all this as it becomes me to do desiring no better usage since the same was done to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and to his Apostles and to thousands of the holy Martyrs Upon this they carried her away and murder'd her in the Fields In one house they slew a man and his Wise and there being a little Girl in the Cradle of about three years old of a very amiable countenance the poor Child seemed to smile upon them whereupon one of these bloody Villains took her by the Heels and dashed out her Brains From thence these Wretches went to a Town called Bruse where they murthered many by shooting some drowning others burning others and grinding their very bones to powder Amongst others they found an ancient Woman of fourscore years old whom they earnestly perswaded to hear Mass and that she would respect her age to whom with a worthy resolution she answered God forbid that I who now of a long time have had one foot in the Grave should forsake my Lord Jesus Christ who hath so long preserved me in the knowledge and profession of his truth and that I should now put my trust in Creatures and should receive the Traditions of men instead of the holy Word of God Upon these words they immediately slew her The sufferings of the poor Protestants in Piedmont continued still they are under the Government of the Duke of Savoy and are the Off-spring of the old Waldenses which inhabited there and have ever since professed the same Religion they have Evangelical Churches in the several Valleys of Angrognea Bobio Villaro Valguicharda Roras Tagliacetto and divers others in all which most of their Inhabitants are Protestants and had been long indulged in their Religion by the Princes of Savoy to whom they were Subjects but in the year 1565. a cruel Edict was published that all such as would not comply with the Church of Rome and go to Mass should within ten days be banished from their Country and Habitation but by the Intercession of the French King and the Elector Palatine of the Rhine this Edict was recalled and they continued quiet till the year 1655. wherein that late horrible Massacre was committed upon them for the sake of their Religion The Papists had all along by many cunning Plots and contrivances endeavoured their subversion by using all Arts to stir them up to Rebellion and by planting Jesuits Colledges among them which like Goads in their sides still annoyed them and prov'd a great trouble and affliction to them for they often procured some cruel and harsh Edict or Proclamation by their Complaints and Lyes which they raised in the Duke of Savoys Court against them As in the year 1602. they got an Edict for banishing all private and publick Protestant Schoolmasters as Enemies to the Government and disturbers of the Peace and likewise another Edict 1622. that no Strangers ether Ministers or others should be entertained among them In 1634. an Edict came out that all the Protestants of Compiglione should be banished and in 1654. the same was done against those of Martino and Perosa These Missionary Fathers behaved themselves among them more cruelly than Turks or Barbarians But at last resolving utterly to root out the Protestants from among them and throughly to perform the will of their Vnholy Father the Pope they procured an Order in the midst of Winter that is January 25. 1655. which is very sharp in those Countries for the banishing of all Protestants out of the Valleys of Lucerna Lucernetta and seven other places within three days after publication unless they would turn Roman Catholicks and this extended to all in general none being excepted of what Rank Degree or Condition soever they were And thus these poor Creatures were forced in compliance with this cruel Edict to fly for the security of their Lives and Consciences in the depth of the Snow and when all the Valleys were covered with water there being among them some Women with-child others newly delivered young children crying and lamenting old women and decrepit men leaning on their Staves all dragged over the Ice through Rain Snow Waters and a thousand inconveniencies and hardships so that it would have grieved the heart of a Barbarian to have seen them leaving their Goods behind them or selling them for little to the Papists who took no pity of their bitter tears sighing ringing of hands beating of Breasts mourning complaining and lamenting but all these calamities were but as the bleating of Sheep or the lowing of Oxen to Popish ears and they rather rejoyced than commiserated the condition of these poor Wretches They were no sooner gone but their houses were pillaged rifled and ransackt of all that was left and then pull'd to the ground yea the Trees were cut down and such havock and devastation made as all was turned into a Wilderness This cruel Edict was put in execution by one Gustaldo and others but this was not all the Design was for the utter extirpating and roofing out Hereticks as they called these Religious Souls it would not satisfie them to have banished these few and the poor Protestants could have no redress at Court for all their humble Petitions and Remonstrances could not be heard The Papists had yet more wicked and bloody Designs against them and to that purpose they imployed some Romish Agents who had great influence over the Duke and Dutchess of Savoy It is next to impossible to reckon up the variety of Cruelties and Murders committed upon these poor Innocent Souls we shall therefore only give a brief Abstract of some remarkable passages that happened therein Upon the seventeenth of April 1655. whilst the Protestant Deputies were detained at Turin and delayed with hopes of redress some Souldiers were sent on purpose to fall unexpectedly upon the Protestants who peaceably attended the issue of their Petitions which caused some bustle for the poor people being prompted by the Law of Nature stood upon their defence and the Papists lost fifty men the Protestants only two Wednesday April 22. the Marquess of Pianessa the Popish General came to the Valley of Lucerna and promised them there should be no violence offered to them provided they would but quarter a few Souldiers as a token of their obedience which the well-meaning people consented to but no sooner were these Troops entred but they put all to Fire and Sword slaying all they met with that had but the likeness of mankind and that in
were murdered without distinction of Age Sex or Quality neither Old Bed-rid nor the diseased in Hospitals being spared In Masion the bloody Papists apprehended an honest Godly Minister whom they carryed along the Streets with a Thousand Scoffs and Scorns and beating and abusing him and then they made Proclamation That whosoever would hear this Holy man Preach should come to the Slaughter House At which place they abused him two hours together He then desired that before his death they would permit him to pray to God upon which a Villain stept to him and cut off half his Nose and one of his ears saying Now pray as long as thou wilt and then we will send thee to all the Devils And then this holy man kneeling down prayed with such zeal and fervency of Spirit as drew sighs from some of the Murderers and afterwards speaking to him that had cut off his Nose he said Friend I am now ready to suffer what thou hast to inflict upon me but I intreat you and your Companions to consider seriously of the Mischiefs and Outrages committed by you against this poor City for there is a God in Heaven before whose Tribunal you must shortly give an Account of these your Cruelties Just then a Captain passing by cryed send that wretched man to the Devil which one of them hearing took him by the hand pretending to lead him to the River to wash off his blood but when he came thither he threw him into the water and then battered him with Stones till he was drowned In the year 1571. after the end of the third Civil VVar in France great means were used to draw the chief of the Protestants to Paris under the pretence of a Marriage that was between the King of Navar who was a Protestant and the Lady Margaret Sister to the French King but in the mean time several Protestants were murdered in the City of Roan as they came from a Sermon which seemed very much to displease the King and divers were Executed for the Mutiny then were the Articles of Marriage agreed upon at Paris the Admiral Coligni was invited to the VVedding and those that belonged to the Family of the Duke of Guise were forbid the Court which was very acceptable to the Protestants as judging it an assured pledg of the Kings fidelity since he declared much satisfaction in the Marriage saying That it was not so much for the Wedding as that it was a strong knot of Peace and would be for the good of the whole Nation The Admiral for his security was allowed to bring with him fifty Gentlemen armed and being come to Paris he was honourably received of the King who called him Father and protested that in his whole life he had not been better pleased as judging this day would end all his troubles and settle firm peace and quietness in his Kingdom Notwithstanding this the Admiral had several Intimations of some Treachery intended against him but though very wise yet he took little notice of it The Queen Mother likewise entertained him with great favour and the King sent him One Hundred Thousand Franks out of his Treasury for the loss which he had received in the VVars And the King to delude the People spake publickly That he did not give his Sister in Marriage to the King of Navar only but as it were to the whole Church of the Protestants to joyn with them in an indissoluble union and as a tye to their peace and safety The Seventeenth of August the King of Navar and the Lady Margaret were married with great Solemnity before the great Church of Paris on a Scaffold in the sight of all the People by the Cardinal of Bourbon the King of Navars Unkle and the VVedding was solemniz'd with Banquets Dancing and Masques with a strange mixture of Protestants and Papists together after which the Bride was led into the Church to hear Mass with great solemnity but the King of Navar her Bridegroom the Prince of Conde and other Protestant Noblemen walked without the Church door till her return as misliking their Religion and Ceremonies In the mean time the Queen Mother and her bloody Councellors together with the Duke of Anjou and Guise contrive the Murder of the Admiral and the dividing the Protestants The Admiral after the Marriage moved the King for his departure home but the continual complaints of the Protestants still detained him at Court and going some days after th ther in his return home while he was reading a Petition with divers Noblemen and Gentlemen about him He was shot by a Harquebuzie the Bullet taking off the fore-finger of his right-hand and hurting him in the left Arm he feeling himself shot said without alteration of Countenance It came through yonder Window what kind of Treachery is this The door of the House being broke open they understood that he which shot presently mounted upon a Spanish Jennet at a back door and made his escape leaving his Gun behind him and upon Examination it was found that the Harquebuz was brought to the house the day before by one Chally Steward of the Kings House and an acquaintance of the Duke of Guise The King having notice of this Villany seemed to be extreamely concerned causing all the Gates of Paris to be presently shut and swore to the Admirals Friends that those that had committed this horrid Fact should not escape the Queen Mother likewise seemed much discontented at it The King went to visit the Admiral assuring him of his love and care over him However the King of Navar Prince of Conde and other Protestants had private advice to depart speedily out of Paris and to look upon this but as the beginning of the Tragedy which was to follow but they trusting to the Kings word would not go The Dukes of Guise and Anjou imployed some to go to every house and bring them a Catalogue of all the Protestants and the King set a Guard of Fifty Harquebuzies at the Admirals Gate and abundance of Arms were sent into the Kings Pallace of the Louvre and in the Evening of the same day all the Papists were in Arms the Protestants observing all this many of then assembled at the admirals Lodgings where it was advised that the Admiral should be Immediately conveyed out of Paris and the rest should change their Lodgings but this was again refused they still relying upon the Kings word who promised them Justice In the Evening divers Protestant Gentlemen offered to watch with the Admiral but he refused it and the same night the Duke of Guise sent for the Captain of the Switzers and shewed him his Commission to kill the Admiral and the rest of the Protestants and exhorted him and his Souldiers to be couragious in shedding their blood At midnight the Provost Sheriffs and Captains of every Ward had the same Orders given them with assurance that the like should be Executed upon the Protestants through the whole Kingdom of
which Sentence she willingly and cheerfully underwent In the year 1628. The City of Rochel was again besieged with a great Army by the French King whereby the Inhabitants were in such extremity for want of Victuals that rhey eat Horses Dogs Cats Rats and Mice and after that the poor Protestants lived Two Months upon Cow-hides and Goat-skins boyled They likewise eat old Gloves and whatsoever was made of Leather yea the poor people cut off the buttocks of the dead and eat them young Maids of Fourteen or Sixteen years old looked like old Women of an Hundred years old a Bushel of Wheat was sold for Twenty Pound a Pound of Bread Twenty Shillings a Quarter of Mutton above six Pound An Egg eight shillings An Ounce of Sugar Half a Crown a dryed Fish Twenty Shillings a Pint of Milk Thirty Shillings After a while the City was taken and some English that were therein when they came aboard looked like Anatomies or dead Bodies And since that to this very day the Protestants have suffered very great hardships and Persecutions in France by having their Churches pulled down by Fires and Imprisonments and Banishments by being excluded from all Officer and Imployments of Trust or Profit and by all manner of discouragements whatsoever and that only upon the Account of their Religion and all this contrary to Oat hs Protestations Edicts and Proclamations which have been solemnly made and granted to them for the free Exercise of the Protestant Religion Psalm 68. LEt God arise let his Enemies be scattered let them also that hate him flee before him As smoak is driven away so drive them away as wax melteth before the Fire so let the wicked perish at the presence of the Lord. But let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extoll him that rideth upon the Heavens by his Name J A H and rejoyce before him A Father of the Fatherless and a Judge of the Widow is God in his Holy Habitation God setteth the solitary in Families he bringeth out those that are bound with chains but the Rebellious dwell in a dry Land To him that rideth upon the Heaven of Heavens which were of old lo he doth send out his Voice and that a mighty Voice Ascribe the strength unto God his Excellency is over Israel and his strength is in the Clouds O God thou art terrible out of the holy places the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his People blessed be God Psalm 94. GReat God of Hosts revenge our wrong On those who are in Mischief strong Upon thy Foes Inflict our woes For Vengeance doth to thee belong Judge of the world prevent The Proud and Insolent How long shall they the just oppress And Triumph in their Wickedness How long supplant Ah! how long Vaunt And Glory in their dire success Thy Saints they kill and break And Insult o're the weak They Strangers and poor Widows kill And Blood of wretched Orphans spill And say can he Or hear or see Doth God regard what 's good or ill Brute Beasts without a mind O Fools in knowledge blind Shall not the Almighty see and hear Who form'd the Eye and fram'd the Ear VVho Nations slew Not punish you For he all knows to him appear Dark Councils secret Fires Vain hopes and vast desires One burnt for throwing down the Chest P Orange murdered Rack't the Inquisition Tortur'd in the Inquisition 80 had their Throats Cut Some beheaded Some stond to Death Others thrown upon Pikes The Cruelties of the Papists in Italy Spain Portugal and the Low-Countreys LEt us next proceed to look into Italy which being under the Inspection of the Pope it may well be supposed not to harbour many Protestants at least such as dare openly appear to be such by reason of the Inquisition which was first Instituted against the Moors and Jews in Spain but is now only used for the discovery and Tormenting of good Christians yet not withstanding all this there have been divers who have owned the Gospel even in the City of Rome it self and several other places in Italy For in the time of Pope Adrian the Fourth who was an Englishman one Arnald of Brixia came to Rome and preached publickly and boldly against the Corruptions of the Romi h Church and found great favour among the Senators and People insomuch that when the Pope commanded them to drive Arnal out of the City for an Heretick they resisted his command and defended Arnald upon which the Popo thundred out an Excommuncation against the whole City of Rome so that upon the importunity of the Clergy they were forced to send him away but he was entertained by the Lords of Campania who were subject to the Emperour of Germany with whom he remained and preached the Gospel to them The Emperour coming afterwards into Italy to be Crowned the Pope desired him to deliver up Arnald into his hands whereupon the Emperour seized upon one of the Lords of Campania which so terrified the other that he delivered up Arnald who being sent to the Pope he used him most cruelly and then ordered him first to be hanged and then burnt as an Arch Heretick His Chief Heresies were That he preached against the Pride and Covetousness of the Monks and Clergy that he inveighed against the Errors in the Sacrament that he expounded the Scriptures c. In the year 1546. there was one Eucenas or Driander a Spaniard born who being bred up in Rome yet came at last to the knowledge of the Truth and having discovered his dislike of the false Doctrine of Popery he was betrayed by his own Countreymen and Acquaintance and being brought before the Cardinals he was committed close Prisoner and was afterwards brought forth to declare his Judgment where he gave a Notable Testimony to the Truth upon which when he refused to recant the same he was condemned to be burnt and suffered Martyrdom with great patience and constancy In the year 1550 One Faninus of Ferrara in Italy being by the Grace of God and reading of good books converted to the Gospel and began to Instruct others privately therein but this coming to the ears of some of the Popes Blood-hounds they seized him and committed him to Prison where by the earnest Importunities of his VVife Children and Friends he was perswaded to deny the Truth and was thereupon released out of Prison He had not been long at liberty but he was extreamly troubled in mind for preferring the Love of his Relations and Friends before the service of Jesus Christ neither could he by ny means be free from these Tortures till he had fully resolved to venture his Life for the Gospel Being thus inflamed with holy Zeal he went about the Countrey teaching and Instructing the People wherever he came VVhereupon he apprehended and cast into Prison and was condemned to be burnt but he told his Judges That his
leave one Protestant Rogue living but would utterly destroy every one that had but a drop of English Blood in him yea they vowed they would not leave one English Beast alive nor any of their breed Alas who can comprehend the Sighs the Groans the trembling and Astonishment of these poor Innocent Souls to find themselves so suddenly surprized and that without Remedy What Shrieks Cryes and bitter Lamentations were there of Husbands Wives Children Servants and Friends howling and weeping finding themselves without all hope of deliverance from their present wofull Miseries and Calamities For by these and all manner of Cruelties and Barbarities which Hell it self could invent the Irish and English Papists murdered and destroyed in a few Months near Three Hundred Thousand Protestants as it is commonly computed without any manner of provocation but only because they were Protestants whose deaths the Divine Vengeance in a short time after recompensed upon several of the chief Murtherers many thousands perishing by the Sword and the Plague that followed it and the rest without doubt unless they heartily repent will receive the reward of their wickedness PSALM 54. LOrd for thy Promise sake defend And thy All-saving Shield extend O hear our Cries Which with wet eyes And sighs to thee ascend For Cruel men our lives pursue And who thy Statutes never knew Suppress our Foes O favour those Who to our Souls are True With Vengeance recompense their hate And in an instant ruinate Then will we bring Our Offering And thy great Acts relate Thy name for ever Praised be Who from those snares hast set us free For lo Our Eyes Our Enemies Desir'd Destruction see Spanish Invasion Martyrs burnt Burning of London Gunpouder Treason Sr. Godfry murderd Traytors Executed The Cruelties Plots and Treasons of the Papists against the Protestants in England with a brief account of the late Horrid Plot. AFter having briefly epitomized the bloody Cruelties and slaughters of this Monster of Rome and his Vassals throughout Europe let us now return home and see if our own Countrey has escaped better than our Neighbours Englishmen are generally accounted to be of a mercifull nature and pitifull disposition apt to be touched with the miseries of others and are not in their own natures bloody barbarous or Cruel what then may be the cause of those dreadfull marks of Rage and Fury that have been seen among us How has this Fair Island been made an Acheldama a Field of Skulls and Martyrs bones All this we shall find proceeds from corrupt principles of Religion I doubt not says a worthy Divine but Papists are made like other men nature hath not generally given them such Savage and Cruel Dispositions but their Religion hath made them so I am loth to say it and yet I am confident it is true that many Papists would have been excellent Persons and verie good men if their Religion had not hindered them if the Doctrines and Principles of their Church had not spoiled their natural Disposition Good God! that any thing that is called Religion should so presently strip men of all Humanity and transform the mild and gentle Race of Mankind into Wolves and Tigers It is Popery that alters the Nature of Englishmen and makes them act like Turks Infidels or Barbarians its principles infect the Blood and invenome the Soul instead of being weak and humble it makes them Proud and Arrogant instead of performing the Commands of Christ it makes men obey the Pope though never so contrary to Religion If our Blessed Saviour says Hurt no man pray for your Persecutors submit to Magistrates and Governours The Pope and his Doctrines say Kill every man that is not of your Religion Curse those that disobey your Commands Kill Stab or depose your Kings or Govenours This is the Doctrine and these are the Principles and Commands of the Romish Church It is some hundreds of years since this Bloody Beast of persecution began to shew his Fangs and armed Claws in this Kingdom and it was almost as soon perceived and testified against by some good men in those times For in the Year one Thousand Two Hundred John of Salisbury declared against the Corruptions and Superstitions of the Romish Church and plainly discovered the oppression of the burden of the Pope and his Ravenous Clergy and after him John Grostead Bishop of Lincoln wrote to the Pope and admonished him for which he had like to have lost his life yet the Pope did only hitherto shew his Teeth and could not take his full swinge in Blood and Murther which he afterward attained to But since the Papists impertinently urge against us the Newness of our Religion and that it was not known before Martin Luthers days we shall produce much more early Testimonies against the Errors and abuses in the Romish Church For we find in the Year 884. John Patrick Erigena a Britan who was ordained the first Reader in Oxford by King Alfred was afterward Condemned and Martyred by the Pope for writing a Book concerning the Sacrament And in the year 960. many Ministers and Divines wore the mark of the Beast in their faces being by the Popes order Branded in the Faces with hot Irons for Dissenting in many things about the Mass Purgatory Monkery and the like and for saying that Rome was Babylon and that Cloisters were the Nurses of Sodomy In the year 1126. one Arnold and Englishman and a Preacher of the Gospel was Butchered at Oxford for Preaching against the Pride of the Prelates and the wicked lives of the Priests In the Year 1160. the poor Persecuted Waldenses came hither for succour but instead thereof they were Persecuted Condemned Burnt Whipt and stigmatiz'd for their Religion both at Oxford and other places After which almost in every Year it pleased God to raise up several Learned and worthy men to testifie against the Horrid Corruptions of Rome both by Speaking Writing and Disputing against them As in the Year 1170. Gualo and Gilbert Foliot Doctors of Divinity and after them Silvester Gerald Alexander a Divine Gualter Maxes Arch Deacon of Oxford Sebald Archbishop of York William Stringham Doctor of Divinity Roger Bacon Fellow of Merton Colledge a Divine and Mathematician John Scotus the Great Scotch-man and about the same time Doctor John Wickliff Jeoffery Chaucer William Wickham Bishop of Winchester and many other Learned men All these gave ample Testimonies by their publick Writings against the many Corruptions evil Doctrines and Superstitious Worship of the Romish Church with the hazard of their Lives Honours Liberties Estates and Fortunes so that many were persecuted and some were burnt in the Reign of King Henry the second 1174. and in the Year 1380. Vtred Bolton and John Ashwerly endured Persecution and a while after John Ashton Walter Bruce John Pateskul and Doctor Crump were persecuted and William Sawtree a Divine of Oxford was martyred and William Swinderly was Burnt in Smithfield In the Year 1407. William Thorp was Burnt and Lawrence
seven Acres of Ground within the Walls and sixty three Acres three Roods without besides eighty nine Parish Churches the most spacious Cathedral of St. Paul the Royal Exchange the Great Guild-hall the Custom House Many magnificent Halls of Companies several principal City Gates and other publick Edifices which was accompanied with the loss of vast quantities of rich Household-stuff and Goods of all sorts but especially four or five that is Books of which alone were lost near the value of an hundred and fifty thousand pound Tobacco Sugar Wines and Plumbs being heavy goods So that the whole loss is computed by an Ingenious Person to be Nine Millions and nine hundred thousand pounds and yet not above six or eight persons through Gods Providence were burnt in this vast desolation Upon the Eighteenth of September the Parliament met and the Commons appointed a Committee to examine into the Causes of the fire and to take Informations concerning it and in a short time so many and such very considerable Informations were brought in that it was no longer doubtfull but the Papists were the Contrivers and Managers of this dreadful Fire For among other things it plainly appeared that divers of the Popish Party were made acquainted with it before it happened for Mr. Light of Ratcliff deposed That being in discourse with Mr. Richard Langhorn since Executed for High Treason in February before the Fire concerning Religion Langhorn took him by the hand and said to him You expect great things in sixty six and think that Rome will be destroy'd but what if it be London A French man told one Elizabeth Styles in April before the fire that the English Maids would love the Frenchmen better when there was not an house left standing between Temple-Bar and London-Bride to which she replyed She hopes his eyes would never see that he said This will happen betwixt June October Dr. Oats in his Narrative pag. 22. says That in July 1678. being in discourse with one Strange a Jesuit Strange told him that they had got fourteen thousand pound by the Fire of London in 1666. and that they spent seven hundred fireballs to effect their Villany and that when the Fire-Merchants were at work then other Papists both men and women were imployed by them to plunder what they could that they had a Warehouse in Wild-street where some of their stollen Goods were laid and other Goods they concealed in Somerset-House as Hollands Cambricks Fine Cloth and some considerable quantities of Plate and a Box of Jewels Dr. Oats asked Strange How the King came to escape for it seems his death was designed then Strange replyed Indeed they were resolved to have cut him off but seeing him so Industrious about Quenching the Fire they could not find in their hearts to do it Strange said there were about Fourscore and six employ'd in it and John Grove since Executed for high Treason told Dr. Oats that he fired Southwark and that the Society of Jesuits got two thousand pound by that Fire Robert Hubert a French Papist of Normandy began this Fire in London being Hired thereto by Stephen Peidelow likewise a papist and Hubert observing the Ruin and desolation that followed could not be quiet till he had freely discovered the whole matter Affirming that by Peidelows directions he put a Fire-ball to the end of a long pole and lighting it with a piece of Match put it into the Bakers window and stayed till the house was in a Flame A French Merchant went to Hubert in the White Lyon Prison in Southwark and told him He did not believe him Guilty of what he had confessed Hubert replyed Yes Sir I am guilty of it and have been brought to it by the instigation of Mr. Peidelow but not out of any malice to the English Nation but from a desire of reward which he promised me upon my return into France A while after Hubert was Tryed and Executed for this horrid Fact owning and acknowledging to the last his doing thereof by the Instigation of Piedelow But this not doing their work they took divers other methods for carrying on their designs which they had very near brought to perfection in the year 1678. had not the Divine Providence most eminently made use of Dr. Titus Oats in the discovery thereof who notwithstanding the reproaches of his Popish adversaries was liberally Educated in St. John's Colledge in Cambridge where he took his Degree and afterward proceeded Doctor in Divinity at Salamanca in Spain no contemptible University In the year 1672. he was Vicar of Bobbing in Kent but the Air not agreeing with him he left it and was for some time Minister near Chichester in Sussex and afterwards came to be Chaplain to the Duke of Norfolk with an ample testimony of his sober Life and Conversation and whilst he was there he overheard some whisperings among the Popish Priests who were very conversant in that Family that there was some Great Design in hand but could not learn the particulars He had heard from his Protestant Friends and had read in Sir Hamond L'Stranges History of King Charles the First and other Judicious Authors That the Papists had for many years carried on a design to Introduce Popery once more into these Kingdoms which made him desire to know the bottom thereof and if it were possible to prevent it To this end he more freely conversed with that Party than he formerly used to do and seemed dissatisfied in some things concerning our Church and desired to discourse with some Jesuits who are accounted the most learned Men of the Popish faction This upon some Cautions he obtained and after divers Conferences with them in which he suffered himself to be overcome he was formally reconciled to the Church of Rome and a while after seeming to aspire to a higher degree of Perfection he desired to be admired into the Order of the Jesuits which after three dayes consideration they consented to and because he was a man of years being about Twenty eight they would not imploy him as a Novice but made him a Messenger of the Society This being the mark he aimed at they sent him with Letters to Valedolid in Spain which he judging to contain something of their Hellish contrivances dexterously opened by the way and thereby made some discovery of their wicked Intentions however he managed their Affairs with so much satisfaction that in a short time they made him privy to their most secret Consultations and keeping short Notes of all things of Concernment he was thereby in a capacity to give an account of so many several particulars as he has discovered which have had the happiness to be confirmed by other Circumstances and Evidence and have not the least contradicted one another nor those other Papers which have been found elsewhere nor differed from the Informations that have been given in by Mr. Bedlow Mr. Dugdale Mr. Jennison Mr. Mowbray Mr. Baldron and others whom God hath since raised
and profess the Christian Religion and have no Communion with Rome than there are Papists 4. It is the prerogative of Jesus Christ alone to be Head of his Church for as there is one Faith and one Lord Jesus Christ so there is but one body which is his Church united to him as her head Eph. 4.3 4. Psalm 2.6 Quest What are some of those Errors brought in by the Pope and his Clergy which occasioned the Protestants departure from their Communion Answ There were several Errors and Extravagancies Introduced both in Doctrine and Discipline one of their Doctrines was that of Purgatory which they affirm is a place next door to Hell where the Torments are as extream as those of Hell it self but not eternal in this place they say the Souls of the Faithful are purged some for a hundred some for five hundred or a Thousand years till they are delivered by the Prayers Masses Popes Pardons but especially by the Money of their Friends or Relations Quest What say the Protestants to this Answ They say it is Blasphemy to believe that Men are purged from sins in this place since the bloud of Christ is the only purgatory for our Sins Besides there is no ground in Scripture for any such belief St. Luke 16.23 In Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torment c. St. Matt. 28.12 They shall sit down with Abraham c. in the Kingdom of Heaven but the other shall be cast into utter Darkness where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth Mark 26.16 He that believeth shall be Saved and he that believeth not shall be Damned Quest What other Errors do they maintain Answ The Doctrine of Transubstantiation for they say that in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Jesus Christ is corporally present and that there is a change of the Substance of the bread and wine into the natural body and blood of Christ Quest What answer the Protestants Answ That this Doctrine is contrary to many plain Testimonies of Scripture it overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasion to very gross Idolatry and great Superstition and besides it contains a multitude of absurdities and contradictions For 1. Then must our blessed Saviour hold himself in his own hands yea devour and eat up himself and yet still sit whole and entire at the Table with his Disciples 2. The body of Jesus Christ must be in a Thousand places at the same time 3. His whole body must be in the mouth of every Communicant at once 4. His whole body must be less in quantity than the least Limb of his body 5. His body must at the same time be broken and unbroken and must at the same time ascend and descend and lastly must be subject to putrefaction and many other Absurdities And therefore those words This is my Body are to be understood that this doth signify and represent my body and upon the same account Christ is called a Rock a Door a Vine and yet none can be so sensless to think that Jesus Christ was turned into any of these Quest VVhat other Errors are they charged with Ans That the Scripture ought not to be set forth in the Common Tongue but that it is dangerous for the people to read the Bible lest they fall into Heresie Qu. What do the Protestants answer to this Answ That the true Reason of this is because if they suffer the People to read the Scripture it would make them abhor the Popish Religion as being absolutely contrary thereunto For the Scriptures exhort all to be diligent Readers thereof and our Saviour saith vvhat say the Prophets and Apostles concerning this Search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Seek ye the Book of the Lord and read Isa 34.16 They were more noble in that they searched the Scriptures dayly Acts 17.11 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Luke 16.29 Let the word of God dwell richly in you Col. 3.16 Take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Eph. 6.17 From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 Except you utter Words easy to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken 1 Cor. 14.9 16. Qu. What other erroneous Doctrines do the Papists hold Answ The praying to Angels to the Virgin Mary and the Apostles and Saints departed Quest VVhat say the Protestants to it Answ They say That the Papists by praying in that manner do give to the Angels and Saints departed the highest religious Worship and Adoration that is possible and so are guilty of fearful Idolatry and that we ought to go to God in the mediation of Christ alone neither have we any ground to believe that the Saints in Heaven know our particular Persons wants necessities or desires and the Scripture seems contrary to all this Call upon me in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 Say Our Father which art in Heaven Luke 11.2 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only Mat. 4.10 Let no man beguile you into a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels Col. 2.18 There is one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 Through him we have access unto the Father Eph. 2.18 Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Col. 3.17 VVhatsoever you shall ask in my name I will do it John 14 3. Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel know us not Is 63.13 Thou sendest man away his Sons come to Honour and he knows it not they are brought low but he perceives it not Job 14.21 St. John fell down to worship before the Feet of the Angel then saith he see thou do it not for I am thy Fellow Servant worship God Rev. 22.8 9. Cornelius fell down at St. Peter 's feet and worshipped him and Peter said stand up I my self am also a man Act. 10.25 Quest Do not the Papists affirm that we ought to pray for the dead Answ Yes but the Protestants answer They that dye in the Lord need not our prayers and they that dye in their sins can have no benefit by them and that the reason why the Popish Priests uphold this Error is because they get so much money by it Lastly we have no Command from God no promise to be heard no Example in Scripture for praying for the dead or praying to Saints Read 2 Sam. 12.21 Now the Child is dead why should I fast and pray Blessed are they that dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Qu. Do the Papists hold that all that dye without Baptism are undoubtedly damned and shut out of Heaven Answ Yes But Protestants say that is false for then 1. The Penitent Thief could not be saved contrary to that of St. Luke 23.43 2. A multitude of Infants must be damned for the neglect of their Parents which is a cruel and uncharitable censure contrary to Gen. 17.7 1 Cor. 7.14 Rom. 4.11 Mat. 19.14 Quest Is water the only visible
and Princes have been forced to kneel and kiss their Toes nay they asserted that all Kings were Slaves and in subjection to them and that all must be judged by the Pope but he by no man Psalm 88. LOrd sit not still as deaf unto our Cries For lo Our Enemies in Tumults rise Even those who thy Omnipotence deny And hate thy Name advance their Priests on High Dark Councils take and secretly contrive Our slaughter whom thy mercy keeps alive Come say they let us with incessant strokes Hew down this Nation like a Grove of Oaks Till they no longer be and Israel dye Both in his Race and Ruin'd Memory They all in one Confederacy have made A solemn League supply d with forreign Aid Hence Idumeans who in Gomades stray And Shaggy Ishmaelites that live by prey Th' incestuous race that bred are on the Lake Of salt Asphaltes savage Thieves who take Their Name from servile Hagar they who dwell In Geba Ammonites who peace expel Oh! say they let 's these Israelites destroy And all the Cities of their God enjoy O! let them like a Wheel be worried round Like chaff which whirlwinds ravisht from the Ground As Woods grown dry with Age imbrac'd with Fire Whose Flames above the singed Hills aspire So in the Tempest of thy wrath pursue And with thy Storms thy troubling Foes subdue O fill their Hearts with Grief their Looks with shame Till they invoke thy late blaphemed Name Confound them with eternal Infamy That they through anguish of their Souls may dye That Men Jehovah's wonders may rehearse The Great Commander of the Universe Mens Brains fryed eaten Children torn in Peices Infants thrown to the dogs swine Woemen Carried on Piks Rosted alive Some tyed and slain Hang'd by the Privitie Burnt in a barn A Brief and True Account of the Cruelties and Persecutions Committed by the Papists upon the Waldenses and Albingenses and other Protestants in Piedmont Savoy and the Valtoline from the Year 1160 To the Year 1656. VVHen by the just Judgment of the Almighty All the World wondred after the Beast and the Kings and Princes of Christendom established the Authority of the Pope and Church of Rome appointing to slaughter and destruction such as denied the horrid Blasphemies and Errors maintained by them It occasioned many good Christians to detest their Superstitions as unknown to the Apostles and the Primitive Church And the first we read of was one Berengarius who boldly and faithfully published the True Religion contained in the Scripture and discovered the falseness of the Romish He lived about the time of William the Conqueror his coming into England about which time his Followers being taken notice of as dissenting from many of the Common received Opinions of those times they were branded with the odious Name of Hereticks About Twenty years after this one Peter Bruis was a famous Preacher among them who taught them publickly a long time at Tholouse in Savoy In a short time after they were grown to so great a multitude that the Popes of Rome were resolved if possible by any means to extirpate and destroy them To which end they at first incited several of the most learned of their Party to write against them and warned divers Princes to have a care of them and to banish them out of their Territories The first then that flung away the Spiritual Keys and began valiantly to brandish the bloody Sword of Persecution against them was Pope Alexander the third who began therewith to hack hew and murder the poor Waldenses so named from Peter Waldo or Waldo of Lyons in France who appeared very couragious in opposing the many Corruptions of the Romish Church as Holy Oyl Consecrated Images Popes Indulgences Candles Merits Auricular Confession the Supremacy of the Pope false Miracles Purgatory Praying for the Dead Prayers to Saints extream Unction and many other Fopperies of the Popish Communion This Persecution of Waldo and his Followers who were encreased to a very great number began in France in the Year 1060. Waldo being compell'd to fly into the Mountains of France among the Savage Inhabitants to whom he taught his Doctrine others fled into Picardy from whence they were called Picards several into Flanders and Alsatia and thereby for the safety of their Lives they spread their Doctrine into all places King Philip of France being incited by the Ecclesiasticks raised Arms against them and destroyed Three Hundred Gentlemens Houses and likewise several Walled Towns And those that fled into Flanders escaped little better for they were persued and many of them for their Religion put to Death And the Bishops of Mayence and Strasburgh raised great persecutions against those which fled thither there being Five and Thirty Citizens of Mayence burned in one Fire and Eighteen in another who suffered Death with very great constancy and at Strasburgh at the instance of the Bishop Fourscore were likewise burnt for professing the same Truth and yet by the exhortations constancy and patience of these Martyrs there were such multitudes who entertained their Doctrines that in a few Years after in the County of Passau and in Bohemia there were above Fourscore thousand persons that made profession of the same Faith Some of them likewise fled into England for shelter but were more barbarously and cruelly put to death at Oxford by the Papists there than ever any Christians were before that time for matters of Religion and Three years after Pope Alexander the Third made a Decree in the Council of Tours in France that these Gospellers and all their Favourers should be Excommunicated and that none of them should buy or sell according as it was foretold in Revel 13.17 At Colen in Germany Four Men and Two young Women were discovered hid in a Barn and the Papists not being able to diswade them from the Truth The Men were all tyed to the Stake to be burnt but the Romanists pretending to pity the young Women perswaded them to recant but they perceiving their design got out of the hands of those that held them and voluntarily leapt into the Fire where they were burned with them about this time a Proclamation was published in Aragon whereby it was made Treason to relieve these poor Christians or to suffer them to live in that Country and liberty was given to all people to abuse them at pleasure without being punished for the same But these people still encreasing the Pope was resolved to suppress them by all means possible and therefore about the Year 1201. He set up the Bloody Inquisition which with its Racks Tortures Fire and all manner of Cruelty hath destroyed an innumerable company of Good and Holy Men. And in the same Year a noble Knight called Eunandus and one of the Waldenses was burnt at Paris and the persecution still continuing the people of Daulphine flying from their barbarous Enemies sheltred themselves in the Caves upon the Mountains but their cruel Adversaries having notice thereof persued
Boots with boiling Oyl and put them upon their Legs over a soft fire Thus he tormented many but at last Francis the French King being informed of his Hellish cruelty sent to the Parliament of Provence to apprehend him who condemn him but he having notice of it fled to Arragon where a while after he was robbed of all he had by his own servants and then fell into an horrible disease unknown to the Physitians being intollerably tormented with pains all over his body so that he had not one minutes rest and no creature was able to endure him for the intollerable stink which proceeded from him nor he himself for his body was full of nasty sores and ulcers which swarmed with Vermin and rotted away from the bones by piece-meal In the midst of his torments he would in a great rage cry out Oh! who will deliver me who will rid me out of these intollerable pains which I now suffer for oppressing and tormenting those poor men endeavouring several times to kill himself but had not power and in this horrible anguish and despair he fearfully died no man being able to bury him for some time by reason of the loathsome smell proceeding from him till at last a poor man with an Iron Hook dragg'd his Carkass into a Hole he had digg'd for him During this Persecution the Bishop of Aix with some other Bishops walking with some of their Wenches through the Streets of Avignion they saw a man selling bawdy Pictures Images and Songs which they presently bought up but going a little further they found a man selling of French Bibles at which being extremely enraged they askt him how he durst be so bold to sell such Merchandize in that Town the Bookseller answered Is not the Holy Bible as good as these goodly Pictures you have bought for the Gentlewomen The Bishop of Aix said I renounce my part in Paradise if this Fellow be not a Lutheran The Attendants cryed out a Lutheran a Lutheran to the fire with him to the fire with him one giving him a blow with his Fist others pulled him by the Hair and Beard so that the poor man was all embrued in blood before he came to Prison The next day he was brought before the Judge where by the instigation of the Bishops he was burned the same day with two Bibles tyed about his Neck one before and another behind where he made a most Christian end This long and bloody Persecution of these Waldenses lasted near five hundred years in which time the Gospel spread into Bohemia Austria Germany Flanders England Poland Italy Spain Dalmatia Croatia Solavonia Salmatia Bulgaria and in other places to which they were driven where they were tormented and persecuted according to the power and influence that the Pope and his Agents had over the Princes and Governours of those Countries The Albingenses were the same with the Waldenses professing the same Doctrines and Principles and differing only in name their Country being called Albi the chief Preacher among them being one Arnold from whom they were sometimes called Arnoldists Pope Alexander the Third began with them condemning them for Hereticks and Pope Innocent the Third raising a War against them calling it the Holy War giving the same Pardons and Indulgences and promising Paradise to all that would fight against the Hereticks with the same encouragement as those which went to the Holy Land against the Turks and Sarazens In this War he so thundered out Excommunications and used Temporal Arms against Reymond Earl or Prince of Tholouse that he was forced to submit and his Nobility were much astonished to see their Lord not only divested of his Possessions but led to the Church to be reconciled to it where the Popes Legate commanded the Earl to strip himself stark naked all but his Linnen Drawers they then put a Rope about his Neck and led him nine times round the Grave of one Peter an Hermit who was kill'd in that War scourging him with Rods all the while of which the Earl complaining the Legate told him That he must submit if he would be reconciled to the Pope yea he must be thus scourged before his Earls Barons Marquesses Prelates and all the people He made him likewise swear to be obedient to the Pope and Church of Rome all his life and to make irreconcileable War against the Albingenses The Legate then acts the part of a General and besieges Bezier and the Albingenses desiring to come to Terms the Legate would admit of nothing but the renouncing of their Religion and imbracing Popery which they absolutely refused upon those Conditions saying That God was able to defend them but if he would please to honour them to die for his sake they would rather displease the Pope than God Almighty In a short time the City was taken by Storm being assaulted by above an hundred thousand Papists the Enemy entring and slaying a great multitude killing all they m t without distinction the Popes Legate-bidding them kill all both Catholicks and Hereticks for the Lord knoweth who are his So that there were threescore thousand persons slain in this City the Priests and Fryars going about the Streets in the mean time with Crosses and Banners and singing Te Deum Laudamus after which they set the whole City on fire and burnt it to Ashes They marched next to a Town called Carcasson which these bloody Villains who called themselves Holy Pilgrims took by Storm likewise killing burning and destroying all before them as they had done before at Beziers They next proceeded to the City of Carcasson which was about two miles from the Town and was defended by the Earl of Pezâ—ers when they offered to capitulate the Legate would grant no other Conditions but that the Earl and twelve more should come forth with their Baggage but all the rest both Men Women Maids and Children should come forth stark naked without any covering either of Shirt or Smock and humble themselves before him but the Earl disdained such unworthy Conditions upon which the Legate assaulted the City but they that were within threw down Stones Fire Pitch Brimstone and Scalding Water from the Walls which so galled the Legates Souldiers that the Earth was covered and the Ditch filled with their dead bodies The Legate sinding Force would not avail used Policy and therefore upon pretence of Parley he perswaded the Earl to come out of the City with great Oaths and Execrations for his safe return but having him in possession they kept him Prisoner and then instantly stormed the City to the amazement of the poor Citizens who expected nothing less but there being happily discovered a Vault in the Town which went to a Castle some miles from thence the Citizens in the Evening began their Flight with their Wives and Children carrying Victuals with them only for some few days the next morning they arrived at the Castle and from thence dispersed themselves some one way some another leaving
Redman and six others grievously persecuted In the Year 1417. the Lord Cobham was Burnt in St. Giles Fields John Purey and Will. White and Richard White were burnt Peter Clark a Divine of Oxford for maintaining publickly the Doctrine of Wicklif was forced to fly but was taken beyond Sea his Tongue cut out then hanged and afterwards burnt Roger Ovely was hanged and Quartered In the Year 1447. Humfery Duke of Glocester was murdered by the Papists for being a favourer of Wicklif and other Preachers of the Truth and divers others were many ways persecuted for the sake of Religion before the rising of Luther God having in all Ages raised up some to Testifie to the Truth and to maintain the purity of the Gospel And besides these Divines Learned and great men there were several other good men of a meaner quality who openly owned the Truth and suffered for the same and as the number of the professors grew greater who now began to be called Lollards so Persecution grew hotter and the Rage and Malice of the Papists increased In the Reign of King Henry the fifth 1413. Sir Roger Acton John Brown John Beverly and Thirty six more were all put to Death in St. Giles Fields and John Claydon and Richard Turning Benedict Vlman and several others were burnt and many Imprisoned In the Reign of King Henry the sixt William Tailor one of Wickliffs followers was burnt in Smithfield Henry Web and Henry Florence were Cruelly whipt and about an hundred and twenty men and Women suffered persecution many of them were burnt William White was Martyr'd and at the same time two were burnt at Colchester Richard Hoveden a Citizen of London was Martyr'd for the same cause near the Town and several more severely whipt and terribly handled Thomas Baily and Richard Wiche both Ministers were burnt one in Smithfield and the other on Tower-hill In the Reign of Edward the fourth John Goose was Burnt and in H nry the sevenths Regn one Jean Boughton of Fourscore years old was burnt in Norfolk another person was Burnt in Smithfield several were likewise stigmatized and many did penance William Tilsworth was Burnt in the Town of Anasham where they forced his own Daughter to set fire to Faggots that were to Burn her Father and two Years after Thomas Bernard and John Melton and one Roberts were Burnt in the same County of Buckingham Thomas Chace after many Cruel Usages and hardships was Murthered in Prison Thomas Norris was burnt at Norwich and Lawrence Guest at Salisbury and a Woman at Chipping Sadbury with several other persons in the Reign of King Henry the seventh In the Reign of King Henry the Eighth the Flames increased very much and abundance Suffered in every place In the Year 1511. Willam Sweeting and John B ewster were burnt in Smithfield the same year William Carder Robert Harrison and Agnes Grebel were burnt they forcing the Husband and Daughter of the Woman to come in as Witnesses against her After this one Mr. Style with his Book of the Revelations and twenty five more were Burnt five other Persons were accused for reading an Heretical Book which contained many Damnable Opinions and what should this Book be but only the Evangelists in English In the Year 1514. Richard Hun was murdered in the Lollards Tower and afterwards burnt John Brown John Stileman and Thomas Man were burnt in Smithfield Robert Cousin was Burnt at Buckingham Christopher Shoemaker at Newberry Richard and Robert Bartlet and John Scrivener were likewise burnt and the Children of John Scrivener were forced to set fire to their Father For it was usual with them to compell Children to accuse their Parents and Parents their Children Husbands their Wives and Wives their Husbands Intimate Friends Brothers and Sisters to accuse one another and many Hundreds were likewise forced to recant and abjure against their Consciencies or else be Burnt There were two things about this time that very much increased the professors of the Gospel in England One was the appearance of Martin Luther in the World who boldly owned the Truth and loudly Declaimed against the corruptions of the Romish Church Another thing was the Art of Printing which now began to be common whereby the True Religion was the more easily promulgated and Dispersed through every Countrey and in all Languages This Allarum'd the Pope and his Debauched Clergy who were afraid to have their wicked Doctrines and Practices discovered to the people and thereupon they began to rage and bestir themselves raising Persecution and making destruction and Slaughter in all places throughout the Kingdom against the Lutherans as they were now called In the Year 1519. several Protestans were apprehended at Coventry and imprisoned in filthy and nasty Dungeons six of whom were afterwards burnt Robbert Silkeb and Thomas Harding were burnt shortly after One Sigal Nicholson a Stationer at Cambridge was hung up by the Privy-members for having Luther's Books in his House several likewise abjured and the Body of William Tracy Esq in Glocester-shire because he had left nothing for Masses for his Soul was taken out of the Grave and Burnt two Years after his Death Richard Brafield a Monk of Bury after he had been whipt and most Cruelly handled in Prison and Gagged Beaten and bound and Degraded after a very shamefull manner was Burnt with much Cruelty in London continuing half an Hour alive in the Flames for want of Wood and when his left arm was burnt he rubbed it with his right hand and it fell down in the Fire he continued in Prayer without moving to the last moment several were imprisoned and fed with Bread made of Saw-dust some were set in the Stocks with Horse-leaches on their Legs and their hands so manacled with Irons that the Flesh grew higher than the Irons and with Iron Collars about their Necks and many were Racked till they were Lamed John Tewsbury James Bainham Valentine Sheafe and his Wife John Bent and one Trapnel were all Burnt about the same time three were hanged in Chains for Burning the Image or Rood of Dover Court John Frith Andrew Honor Thomas Bennet William Tindall John Lambert William Leiton and Collins a Lawyer were burnt and Robert Packington Murdered Doctor Barns Thomas Garret William Hieron were burnt in Smithfield John Potter was murthered in Prison Robert Testwood Anthony Parker and Henry Filmer were burnt at Windsor About five hundred persons in and about London either dyed in prison or were burnt in Smithfield In the Year 1541. Damlip Dod Sary were Slain One Henry at Colchester Kerby and Clark at Ipswich and Bury were burnt In the Year 1546. Mistris Ann Askew one of the Ladies belonging to Queen Katherine Parr because she would not confess any other Ladies was put upon the Rack and the Lord Chancellor himself being more Cruel he acted then the Executioner ordered her to be wracked to the utmost she was afterward Burnt in Smithfield and at the same time and place were likewise Burnt
Nicholas Belerrian a Minister in Shrop-shire John Adams a Taylor and John Lacels a Gentleman belonging to King Henry the Eighth these beholding the Invincible Constancy and patience of Mistriss Askew were thereby much incouraged in their Sufferings About the same time Sir John Blage of the Kings Privy Chamber was falsly accused to have spoken against the Mass upon which he was condemned to be burnt in Smithfield whereupon the Earl of Bedford begged his pardon of the King who Commanded it to be drawn immediately After his release Sir George coming to the King Ah my Pig said he for so he usually called him Yea said Blage if your Majesty had not been better to me than your Bishops were your Pig had been roasted before this time Presently after Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and his Confederates set forth a Cruel Proclamation in the Kings Name for abolishing the Scriptures and all other English Books that discovered the truth to the people and having obtained this they very much rejoyced therein hoping that they had now for ever suppressed the Gospel so that it should never rise again and to strike the greater terror into mens minds they made a diligent search after the Professors of the Truth of whom they took the Names of some drove away others and hereby doubted not but to attain their ends But it pleased God that in the midst of these subtil Contrivances for the destruction of his Gospel and Servants to take away King Henry the Eighth within four Months after the Proclamation and thereby all their hopes and projects were utterly disappointed King Henry the Eighth being dead his only Son Prince Edward our English Josiah ascended the Throne under whom the Protestant Religion was established and Popery and Superstition abolished for he caused all Images to be demolished and as Idolatrous to be taken out of all Churches within his Dominions the Learned men of his time he encouraged and commanded them to open and expound the Scriptures he abolished the Mass and ordered the Service to be read in the English Tongue and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be administred in both kinds to the People But it pleased God in a short time to take him to himself for in the Seventh Year of his Reign and the seventeenth Year of his age he was taken with a lingring sickness during which time a Marriage was concluded between the Lord Guilford Dudley eldest Son to the Duke of Northumbereand and the Lady Jane the Daughter of the Duke of Suffolk whose mother being then alive was Daughter to Marry King Henry the Eighth's second Sister The Marriage being finisht and the King every day more sick than other so that he seemed past Recovery the Duke of Northumberland being ambitious to advance his Family perswaded the King that the Church and the True Religion would be in great danger if he did not chuse a pious Successor and that it was the part of a good Prince to set aside all other respects when the Glory of God and the good of his Subjects were concerned The King partly for his great desire to have the Protestant Religion confirmed and partly for the intire love which he bore to his Cousin the Lady Jane signed Letters Patents under the Broad Seal to appoint the Lady Jane to succeed him in the Kingdom although her Title were excluded by the Lady Mary who was alwaies a zealous Papist and the Lady Elizabeth This was afterwards confirmed by the Nobility and Chief Lawyers of the Kingdom and was subscribed to by all the Kings Council the Lord Maior and Aldermen of Lndon who upon the Death of King Edward which happened in a short time after proclaimed the Lady Jane Queen in London and Westminster The Lady Mary being in Hartford-shire and hearing of it presently sent to the Lords of the Council commanding and requiring them to Proclaim her Queen which if they refused to do she threatned to recover her Right by force of Arms. The Lords returned answer That the Lady Jane was invested and possessed of the Crown by just Right and Title both by the Ancient Laws of the Land and by Letters Patents signed and sealed by the late King before his death and therefore they declared they would adhere to her and to none other requesting the Lady Mary that she would not upon any pretence endeavour to disturb the peace of the Kingdom promising her that if she would carry her self as a dutifull Subject they would be ready to do her any service The Lady Mary having received this answer withdrew further from the City and the Council being sensible of her stout and unquiet disposition they raised an Army which was commanded by the Duke of Northumberland The Lady Mary went into Suffolk and Norfolk gathering such aid of the Commons as she could and kept her self in Framingham Castle to whom the Suffolk men first resorted who being alwayes forward in promoting the Gospel promised her their aid and assistance provided she would make no alteration of the Protestant Religion as it was established by her Brother King Edward To this she readily agreed and confirmed it with such Vows and Ptotestations that none could suspect her whereupon they joined with her and thus by the help of the Protestants she vanquished the Duke of Northumberland and his Army and was settled in the Kingdom but she soon forgot her promises for these very Suffolk men observing that Popery would be re-established they Petitioned to her to perform her word to them at which she was extreamly displeased and told them Forasmuch as you who are Members desire to rule your Head you shall one day find that Members must obey not se k to rule Yea one of the chief of these men Mr. Dob by name she caused for the Terror of others to be set in the Pillory several times and divers others that presented Supplications to her not to set up Popery she caused to be sent to prison Queen Mary being settled in the Kingdom the Lady Jane her Father the Duke of Northumberland and her Husband the Lord Guilford Dudley were soon after Beheaded and the Queen soon discovered her disaffection to the Protestant Religion by displacing all the Orthodox Bishops as Poinet Ridley Scorie Hooper Coverdale and by releasing out of the Tower Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester whom she made Lord Chancellor of England and Bonner who was made Bishop of London Then the Queen publisht a Proclamation that she was resolved to observe and maintain the Catholick Religion wherein she was bred up requiring all her Subjects quietly to embrace the same A while after this Bonner and Gardiner begun a cruel and bloody persecution upon the Protestants and made them fall in heaps For Mr. Hooper Mr. Rogers Mr. Taylor Mr. Bradford Mr. Saunders all famous men were condemned and burned for Heresie In the year 1555. Thomas Tomkins whose hand B. Bonner burnt in prison to try his constancy was afterward burnt in Smithfield
and Disport but being resolved in the midst and heat of the Battel to live and dye amongst you all to lay down for my God and for my Kingdom and for my People my Honour and my Blood even in the dust I know I have the Body but of a weak and feeble Woman yet I have the Heart and Courage of a King and of a King of England too and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain or any Prince of Europe should dare to invade the Borders of my Kingdom to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me I my self will take up Arms I my self will be your General Judg and Rewarder of every one of your Virtues in the Field I know that already for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and Crowns and we do assure you in the Word of a Prince they shall be duly paid you In the mean time my Lievtenant General Leicester shall be in my stead than whom never Prince commanded a more Noble or worthy Subject not doubting but by your obedience to your General by your concord in the Camp and Valour in the Field we shall shortly obtain a Famous Victory over these Enemies of my God of my Kingdom and of my People A Prayer for the Morning BLessed and Glorious Lord God thy Mercies are Infinite and thy long suff ring and patience is exc eding great else had not I poor wretched miserable sinner been spared so long considering my manifold provocations a-against thee Blessed be thy Name that thou hast been graciously pleased to preserve me the night past and that thou hast once more vouchsafed me the Light of the morning O Lord preserve me this day and keep me in all my ways give unto me the repose of a quiet Conscience and the clear Light of the Gospel Turn mine eyes away from Vanity and strengthen me in thy ways Protect and defend our Soveraign Lord the King Bind up his soul in the bundle of Life and let no weapon form'd against him prosper Preserve thy Church and the True Protestant Religion and discover more and more the snares of death and Popish Treachery and let us never fall into the hands of those men whose mercyes are cruel Bless my Relations kindred and friends and all others whom I am bound to pray for All which I humbly beg in the Name and through the Mediation of Jesus Christ thy Son our Saviour Amen A Prayer for the Evening MOst Gracious God and merciful Father I wretched sinner do beseech thee to look upon me with the eyes of thy mercy and let thy Holy Spirit work in me such a serious Repentance as that I may with Tears lament my sins past with grief of heart be humbled for my sins present and with all my endeavours resist them for the time to come And now O Lord I bless thee for my health food and raiment and that thou hast defended me this day now past from all dangers and Perils and as thou hast ordained the day for man to Travel in and the night for him to take his rest so I beseech thee sanctify unto me this Nights rest that being refreshed with moderate sleep I may be the better enabled to serve thee and 〈…〉 in the profession of thy True Religion and 〈…〉 Gracious Soveraign preserve him as the Apple 〈…〉 hide him under the sha low of thy wings 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 with shame and let them never prevail against him Protect thy Church and these Kingdom from Popery Superstition and Idolatry and unite our hearts in the profession of the True Religon which thine own right hand hath planted amongst us Bless the whole People of this Land and be merciful to all our Kinsfolks Families and Neighbours These and all other blessings we beg of thee for the sake of Jesus Christ in whose blessed Name and words we further pray Our Father c. Grace before meat LOrd lift up our hearts to look unto thee for a blessing upon our meats that we may comfortably use thy Creatures as pledges of thy Favour through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen After meat AS thou hast filled our Bodies O Lord with thy good Creatures far above our desert so be pleased to endue our Souls with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Before meat MOst gracious God and Loving Father we humbly beseech thee to forgive us all our Sins and Bless thy good Creatures provided for us and give us Grace to receive them as from thine hand and to use them soberly as in thy sight to thy Glory and our Comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen After meat ETernal Thanks and Praise be ascribed unto thee O Blessed Lord who hast opened thy hand at this time and made us partakers of thy Benefits Lord let us never cease to Offer unto thee the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen FINIS