vnfained beleeuâ—rs of the Gospell of Christ Iesu O Englishmen you that are Priestes secundum ordinem Antichristi Papae Romani after the order of Antichriste the Pope of Rome be no longer enemies to the truth deuided and sundred from God and your louing Quéene Elizabeth Your obstinacie ingendereth wrath and prouoketh iudgement and iudgement by law ministreth death and damnation wyth death entereth the deuill and with hym heapes of infinite miseries and calamities In this pickle the impenitent lyeth for euer without redemption of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ So long as you hold with the Pope you shall be execrable vnto God and odious vnto your Prince expend therfore and weigh in your mindes caste with your selues in what a miserable perplexitie wretched case you Massemongers are so many as be not yet recoÌ„ciled vnto the truth in Christ Tourne vnto the liuing God and as you haue long tasted of his wrath so now beginne to taste hys frendship A better frend you cannot haue yea to say the trueth no other frende ye lacke but him whome if you haue your frende no enemy can do you hurte if he be your enemie no frende can do anye good if ye desire his frendship ye néede not séeke it farre it is offred vnto you in the Scripture at what tyme so euer ye recante God is ready to receiue you into hys fauour and grace But then you must take it while it is offred Behold now the acceptable yeare yet is the good tyme yet the golden time yet is the daye of saluation yet to day lasteth and yet the gate is open wherein the wise virgins maye enter But if it be once shutte againe the foolish virgins shall neuer haue it open any more Take mercy and pardon therfore while it is offred refuse it not least ye be refused The eternall God and father of our Lord Iesus Christe which is true in his promises and wonderfull in all his workes haue pittie of al Papists and spéedelye conducte you to the knowledge of the truth that you may be saued through the merites of Christ Iesus our onely redéemer and Sauiour Trisander Amen And I beséeche the same God to géeue them some porcion of his holy Spirite to kepe and confirme them in the knowledge of the eternall trueth of his Gospell that wée all like brethren and children of one father maye laude and prayse the name of the Lord our God that exalteth the humble and méeke doth throw pull downe the proud and highe minded Papistes And thus muche brieflye touchinge this Dialogue of Popish Priestes and theyr execrable abuses The end of the fifte Dialogue The sixt Dialogue wherein is laid open the dissention that hath beene in the Englishe Seminarie at Rome and the orders of that Seminarie The speakers are Trisander the Christian Pilgrime and Theophilactus the conuerted Christian Trisander NOwe are wee come to Rome the famous Citie of the worlde and the seate of Antichrist but before wée enter into this Citie can yée tell me how this Church is called and who payde for the building of the same Theophilactus What the name therof is I cannot tel but Pope Iulius the third when the state of true religion was subuerted and altered and papistrie planted erected the same Church of his owne expences and made processions and singing Te Deum with great solemnitie to declare the ioye and gladnesse that was pretended for this reconciliation Trisander I thinke the Diuell triumphed very much great ioies were then in hell amongst his route of Angels For this metamorphoses and sodaine alteration in religion the Pope his vice gerent here on earth reioysed and the Diuel his maister was glad that both king and quéene nobles and commons disioyned and disseuered themselues from the vnitie of Christes Church The Pope was more enriched his authoritie amplified his kingdome enlarged the Pope had plentie of worldly goodes and Peter pence pleased him best the Diuell sought nothing els but the sillie soules of the wretched persecutours and their vnhappie soules contented him most of all But tell mee I pray you good friende Theophilactus what moued the Pope to erect this Church without the walles of the Citie Theophilactus I knowe not in good sooth what caused him so to doe vnlesse he had thus conceit in his subtil braines that K. P. and Q. M. shoulde stande without the Citie to sée the repayring of the ruinous walles of Rome the cytie of iniquitie and there both K. P. Q. M. should stande to paye the workemen their hyre And suerly so it came to passe in the daies of K. P. and Q. M. that a great part of the ruines of that Citie was repayred vp agayne to the contentment of the Pope and his master whome hée serueth euen the iayler of hell But nowe all prayse bée ascribed to the Lorde that by the meanes of his faithfull seruant Queene Elizabeth our gracious princesse the light of the Gospell shineth throughout all this kingdome the ruines that were once repayred are nowe broken downe againe Antechristes religion is exiled and the trueth is preached of painefull labourers in Christes vineyarde and their doctrine is embraced of all true English subiectes Gods holy name bée praysed therefore Trisander Let vs nowe enter into the Citie where shall wee take our loding to night can you tell Theophilactus Yes that I can wée will go to the English hospitall and there wee shall bee welcome if we tel the schollers any newes that are in the colledge adtoyning to that hospitall Trisander What newes shall wée shew them they are of a contrary religion to vs they are disloyall subiectes both to God and to their princesse And if wée woulde tel them any such newes as they couet to heare wée shoulde offende both God and our louing Quéene therefore wee dare certifie them of nothing done in Englande without offence and if wée durst yet we would not for that they are degenerated from the faith and are vnnaturall vnto their Countrey Theophilactus Tush man you are melancolique you feare to vtter that which may be vttered for newes vnto the schollers Let vs tell them that father Edmunde Campion Ignatius di layolas priest is highly promoted in Englande For hee is Archbishoppe of the Towre of London and retaineth in his seruice many a stout Prelate Let vs tel theÌ„ of their Catholique martyre William Sherwood which was executed and put to death for that hee committed a horrible murther vpon Richard Hobson Gentleman both prisoners in the Kinges benche for the profession of Poperie Let vs bidde them make haste to returne home they shall want no preferment the Bishopricke of Newgate is voyde the Archdeaconship of the Kinges bench is vacant and many rich benefices in the towre doe waite and tarry their comming home For these recited places are receptacles of all the worthiest vnreformed priestes that come from beyond seas These newes wil animate embolden the Popes schollers
condition where dwell you and howe long haue you stayed in this Countrie Diawinckiani For olde acquaintance sake curtesie mooueth mée to giue a direct resolute answere to euery particular demaund of yours I intende to trauell to Italie my state is not so happie as it hath béene for now I am poore then I was rich now and then I haue money plentie but then I had store alwayes Haec est vicissitudo rerum This is the course of the Cardes I haue no certaine limitted dwelling but sometimes I dwell in this Monasterie sometimes in that nowe in this Nunrie and to morrowe in that now in this Hospitall nowe in that nowe in this Countrie in another soone after nowe héere nowe there nowe I cannot tell where Hanc viuo vitam This life I leade in spight of the Diuell Lastly I tell you that in Fraunce Germany Italy Bohemia Polonia Flaunders Brabant and Freezeland I haue trauelled euer since the Coronation of this Quéene Elizabeth Trisander Wherfore went you out of the Realme and why returne you not againe Diawinckiani I went out of the Realme for conscience sake and because of religion Trisander What religion then do you professe Diawinckiani Papistrie otherwise and that rightly termed the Catholike faith which I doe imbrace with all my hearte Trisander What doe I héere Are you stil a Papist Will you neuer renounce the Pope with all his Traditions and filthie abhominations With all his idolatrie and superstitious Ceremonies I pitie your case alacke my friend hath Satan blinded your eyes with the cloudie mist of ignorance and hardened your heart as the flint or adamant stone I lament your state I bewayle your grosse errour wherewith you are intangled Oh my friende for the loue I beare you and for the olde acquaintance that hath béene-betwixte vs these many dayes I councell you for your owne saluation for your own glory life euerlasting to examine your vnstable religion grounded vpon a sandie and fickle foundation which is easie to bée ouerthrowne with the leaste blast of winde that can bée Diawinckiani To examine my religion I haue no néede it is warranted and grounded vpon a riche rocke strong auaileable against all stormes winds and tempests My religion standeth built vpon a good foundatioÌ„ as the pope â—s Cardinals Bishops and Abbots do â—ouch and declare in their assemblies â—nd councels generall Trisander Surely my friende thou â—iest truth For I hearde tell that S. â—eters Churche is builte vpon a little â—ocke very rich I cannot denie it For the Pope dwelleth fast by-it and hath â—he most of his treasure in that plott of â—rounde But your religion shoulde not â—ée contrary to the truth of Christes heaâ—enly Gospell though Saint Peters Churche were richer then it is though â—he Pope and his Cardinals with the â—est of his adherentes to kéepe their great titles honours dignities and promotions boldly say that the Romishe faith is the true religion Diawinckiani My friend Trisander the Pope hath larger reuenewes then any Prince in Christendome why therefore is hée not Christes Vicegerent And the Church of Saint Peter is the costliest Church in the worlde in many respects why therefore is not the Church of S. Peter the holy Catholike Church the holy ghost in the fourme of an owâ— hath confirmed this faith before the faâ— of a Councell and in the presence of tâ— Pope himselfe Therefore assure yoâ— selfe this is the Catholike faith whiâ—â— I holde and allowe This is the trâ—â— religion confirmed by the Pope Trisander O my friende thou a 〈◊〉 fouly deceiued For the holy Ghoste wont to appeare in the forme of a Douâ— but not in the likenesse of an owle Thâ— Pope is not able to establish true religâ—on but hée can peruert all truth for thâ— hée fitteth in the chayre of pestilence anâ— claimeth to himself supremacie on eartâ— But I purpose not to discusse of religioâ— séeing that I haue no sufficient leasuâ— oportunitie thereunto but this briefâ— I tell thée giue ouer thy lewde opinioâ— and let vs both trauell together as twâ— brethren and reconciled Christians Foâ— sometimes I was of thy religion albeiâ— not in all pointes Diawinckiani Let wordes of religion passe by and let vs talke of our long and tedious voyage which wée haue to take Trisander I am content let vs do you haue said How many miles haue â—ée now to Paris Diawinckiani Thrée short miles Trisan What is it of the clocke â—ay wée bée at the Citie before night Diawinckiani It is one of the clock â—â—d easily before the going downe of the â—unne wee may beat Paris Trisa Let vs ride a pace where shal â—e finde good lodging Diawinckiani Doe not you care for â—hat wée shall bée very well entertamed â—â—y the Prior of Saint Dominicks Monaâ—erie and our good fare shall cost vs noâ—hing Trisander But can my Lorde Priâ—r speake English Diawinckiani Not a worde but he â—peaketh Latine no man better then â—ée Trisander I am glad that hée speaketh Latin so well but is he so vertuous that hee will so friendly receiue into his Monasterie such trauellers as I am Diawinckiani Hée is very vertuous But this I forewarne you of that if you sée him with others of his Cloyster walking after supper to the fieldes and many of the Parisian Cleargie sporting in the faire meddowes speake not a worde if after their woonted maner man with man worke filthinesse as Sainte Paul writeth in the first Chapter to the Romans That some men leaue the naturall vse of the women and burne in their lustes one with another This thing hath béene doone this long time and this wickednesse is as yet practised amongest them secretely Trisander In the booke of the Bishop of Cambray I haue read of this abhomination vsed most commonly amongst the Parisian Cleargie and whether in those places as yet they vse the like filthinesse I cannot tell but surely I am perswaded that at home in their houses they are not ashamed to defile theÌ„selues one with another For I resorting to som of their houses as a stranger might easily gather by their vnseemely playing one with another that their life is Sodomiticall and by their carnall and venereal talke a man may rightly hee persuaded that they liue as the Sodomites and Gomorreans did Diawinckiani They had rather liue like Sodomites then bée married as the ministers of the reformed churches are for the auoiding of all occasions of these carnall and fleshly pranckes I will bring thée my friende to manie Monasteries in the Popish Countries where it is the Monkes and Friers custome to practise the vices specified by S. Paule in the first Chapter to the Romans At Shalome in Burgundie thrée Monks were taken in doing this déede and were banished the Citie A German Prieste and a Frenche Priest of the Cathedrall Churche there in the saide Citie will not bée ashamed to offer this villanie to straungers that come to their houses This vice and iniquitie aboundeth
che in Pigliare O nobil detto da vn prencipe fv vn altro che demando a Alessandro doue erano tutte le sue richezze che lui hauena aquistate in tante guerre che lui hauena fatte lui fece segn◠verso i suoi sudditi disse ne li cuori della mia gente o nobil prencipe dice lui che piu gran cosa puo desiderar vn prencipe da i suoi sugetti che fede e verita verso lui che piu laudabil cosa in vn prencipe che liberalita lenita verso i suoi sudditi la liberalita di vn pouero si e il suo bon volere che piu gran dono puo dar le huomo che quello chegli vien dal cuore fu vn Re in thebe che fu si liberale mentrevisse che quando mori non si gli trouo tāti denari apressoper sepe lirlo nō si gli trouo denari in banchi oro in casse richezze nascoste non giou in cofani de quellise netroua pochi perche piu che le huomo hae piu lui ha da temer la mutabilita di fortuna ogni vno e liberale in parlare ma pochifran chi in danare ogni vno parla contra innidia e malitia e purci odiamo l' vn l'altro noi continualmente esclamiamo contra tirannia e pur siammo senza miserecordia noi dispreziamo superbia e pur siamo senza his māita noi abhoriamo glottonia e ebrieta pur sempre siammo a banchetti a feste noi sempre gridiamo contraotio e pur sempre siammo otiosi noi sempre diciamo male de la lingua che scandaliza e pur non sapiauo dir bene dines vno O Dio ache termine siamo ogni vno ha inuidia al suo prossimo ogni vno cerca di auanza l' altro Io credo che il mondosia quasi ala fine Essendo il prencipe giusto il clero sancto la chiesa ben fauorita la republica emendata tutto il regno pacefico quel pren cipe quel clero quella chiesa quella republica quel regno saranno beneditti a dio The Prince being iust the Cleargie holy the Church fauoured well the common weale amended and all the Realme peaceable that Prince that Cleargie that Church that Commen Weale and that Realme shal be blessed of God The Argument of the Dialogue TRisander the Pilgrime entereth in talke with his father Panteleon and craueth leaue to depart the Realme into other forraine coūtries humbly beseeching his father to disburse him such summes of money as may suffice him in all his peregrination His father fearing lest his sonne were seduced by some craftie Papist asketh the cause of this importunate request to forsake his natiue soile and to wander hee knewe not whither His sonne declareth the cause of this his petition and the cause being knowne his father yeeldeth to his sonnes demaund and giueth him so much money as is sufficient for him hee exhorteth his sonne to be vertuous in liuing pure in religion patient in aduersitie and humble in prosperitie Hee exhorteth him also to bee mindefull of God and not forgetful of himself His father more estee ming his sonnes soule then his body dreading the eternall destruction of the one more then the tēporall death of the other to confirme his sonne the more in religion which as yet he holdeth firmely to bee true and agreeable to Gods worde sheweth the corrupt liues of certaine popes that by the knowlege therof he might the more warily looke to himselfe and the more prudently take heede of Antichriste the deceiuer of thousande seely soules that are taken captiue by his great threatnings princely giftes glorious promises Papall countenance singular hypocrisie cauilling Sophistrie bulles of excommunication and other sinister meanes ¶ The first Diologue Wherein the corrupt liues of certaine Popes are discouered who arrogantly to the derogation of the diuine authoritie claime to them selues the title and name of supreme Pastor and chiefe head in the Church of God The speakers are Trisander the Christian Pilgrime and Panteleon his father Trisander OH out alas my minde is sore troubled I am gréeued at the hearte I knowe not what to doe day and night I passe ouer with gréeuous complaintes bewayling the time wherein I was borne little rest I take and lesse meate I eate In the day time I walke the faire gréene fieldes oppressed so sore with diuers thoughts that no man is able to assuage my paine and dolour but only my deare father Wherefore I thinke it best to vnsold to him the cause of this my griefe Oh Father whom next vnder God and my Prince I loue aboue all earthly things whom I obey likewise whome I reuerence with all humilitie Oh father I say you are hée that hath begotten mee nourished mée and brought mée vp from mine infancie in learning and vertue you loued mée dearely as a Father shoulde loue his sonne These fiue and twentie yéeres I liued vnder your regiment and all this while I wanted neither meate nor drinke I lacked no apparell nor money in my purse I had all things at my will and at my request Suche a father you were vnto mée as to leaue I am verie sorie And yet alas I must leaue you and depart from you I cannot choose I am so constrained will I nill I yea I must néedes forsake you And where heeretofore I haue had plentie of all thinges belonging to the bodie hereafter I am like to féele scarcitie to the maintenance of this my litle corps Notwithstanding the verie griefe of minde wherein I languishe mooueth mée perforce to craue your fauour and licence to bee absent from you for thrée or foure yeeres space Panteleon What sonne Trisander howe commeth this to passe that you are so vexed in minde and your countenance so soone changed Is it because you are loth to dwell with mée What haue I done against you Haue I gréeuously offended you or haue I withdrawne my fatherly affectiō from you that shoulde prouoke you to be so sad so sodeinly too séeke to depart from mée If I haue nothing degenerated frō the nature of a father what shoulde then mooue you to craue my fauour to be absent from mée I pray you good sonne tell mée the cause of this your passioned mind and without dissimulation vtter the same then shall vnquiet thoughts and troublesome imaginations auoide from mée Speake on bée not afraide Trisander You aske louing father why I am in suche perpleritie of minde fieldes oppressed so sore with diuers thoughts that no man is able to assuage my pains and dolour but only my deare father Wherefore I thinke it best to vnsold to him the cause of this my griefe Oh Father whom next vnder God and my Prince I loue aboue all earthly things whom I obey likewise whome I reuerence with all humilitie
then heare in a whole yeere For there I that heare nothing els but that language spokē w e I couet to learn but here not so For here in this my natiue countrey is spokē the language which I speak vnder stand and which my mother taught me Pan. Seeing my words are but wind will not preuaile tell me then to what countrey chiefely art thou bent to goe Trisander My mind and purpose is if it may please God and you my deare father to make a voyage into Italie there to beholde the stately Cities to sée the fertile fieldes plesaunt hylles batefull pastures shadowing woodes the plentie of al kind of trees and groues the abundance of corne vines and oliues fayre cattell sweet springes fountaines lakes riuers and hauens For the countrey of Italie is as it were an open lap to receiue the trade of all countreys My féete doe couet to make haste to this noble land most deere father therefore giue me leaue to trauel foorthwith into that famous region Panteleon You talke of Italie my sōne as though you had bin there but in Italie you were neuer I am sure tell me therfore whom hast thou harde to praise Italie so much that thou shouldest with such words extol the same Trisander One who was both a gentleman and also well learned who had bin in Italie passed through many a fair Citie as Rome Naples Bolonia Genoway with many mo He was a godly Gentleman alwayes and I take him to be so still for hee ceaseth not to praye to God both night and day nor to call vpon the name of the Lorde hée fasteth twise a wéeke hée giueth almes vnto the poore very liberallie of that hée hath Now because this Gentleman is both vertuous of life and true in his reportes I am the more enflamed with ardent desire to sée the Italian Countrie Panteleon Good louing sonne the Gentleman of whom you spake before whose person I do know I will neuer discommend hee may be learned and vertuous I say not to the contrarie but yet tell mée my sonne was it he alone or else many in number that caused thée to be so desirous to trauell to Italie Trisander It was he alone and none other that reported these wordes to mée Panteleon I like it so much the better because thou saidst he was both learned and godly But canst thou tel where he was borne and what is his name Trisander A Saxonian borne and his name is Rhodoman Panteleon But what religion did he professe canst thou answere mée to that Trisander Hée counted the Pope as Antichrist his religion prophane and of his Church he estéemed as of the Sinagogue of Sathan He beléeued whatsoeuer is written and contained in Gods holy word he misliketh the doctrine of meritū cōgrui condigni as for being iustified by his workes it is no part of his opinion Hée denieth the reall presence of the Lorde in the Sacramentes Hée beléeueth no other thing then the worde of God willeth him to beléeue therefore I am persuaded his religion is good Panteleon I am glad thou hast talked with such a Christian and because thou arte so fully minded to trauell to Italie other countries I am contented to graunt thy request to trauell whither thou wilt for three or foure yeeres space Trisander I thanke you gentle father but I desire moreouer that you giue me so much money as may be sufficient to cary me throughout my voyage so shall not I hauing money enough doe that which I woulde not Panteleon Holde I giue thee three hundreth pounde in gold vse it well and spende it not prodigally Trisander I thanke you good father I request no more this is ynough for mée I will vse your money well and wil spende no more then I must needes Panteleon My sonne thou art younge lustie and prone to committe follie wherefore I counsell thee to bridle thy fansies to banishe euill thoughts and to cutte off all occasion of any vice that may hinder thy voyage and pronoke the wrath of God agaynst thée If the luste of the fleshe entise thee and the concupiscence of the eye allure thée to euill tame thy self with fasting and prayer call for the assistaunce of Gods spirit be circūspect in thy talke lowly in thy behauiour ready to suffer all raylings reuilings if thou be abused with ill speeches giue sayre words again if thou be offended with reproches offende not againe if thou be had in derisiō deride not again Moreouer to what coūtrey soeuer thou comst vse thy selfe gently soberly mildly and humbly be ready to pleasure all loth to displease any if the manners of the people be rude let not their rudenesse moue thy pacience and faine thy selfe alwayes needy then thy expences shal not bee so great neither shalt thou bee in any great danger of thieues Before you receiue any thing ask the price if the thing doth like thée take it with thankes and pay that thou promisest if the thing be proffered for more then it is worth in value refuse it w e curteous speches Now for thy lodging thou maiest be so bolde as to craue a view of thy chāber of thy bed if the same doth not content thée pay for a buccale of wine seeke another lodging for thy contentment In all thyne affaires vse thy selfe honestly and practise humilitie so mayest thou trauaile whether thou wilt as safelie as in thine owne countrey Trisander Louing father I thanke you this counsell is good may saue mée from many dangers God graunt I doe as I am councelled then I am sure I shall giue no occasion of wrath to anye man luing Your exhortation good father I will accōplish if the I may in euerie respect For I will so behaue my self that no stranger shall be displeased with me if I may choose Panteleon If thou dost so thy state shal be the safer But I must tell thée one thing and marke the same diligently In trauelling thou must néedes fall in the company of Papistes take héede they deceiue thée not and when thou cōmest to Rome suffer not thy selfe to be seduced for they wil make thée beléeue vnlesse thou stand stedfaste in thy fayth that the Bishop of Rome is the vniuersall head ouer the Church of God Doest thou not sée say they how beneficiall the Pope is to Pilgrimes what Churches hée buildeth what high wayes he mendeth what companie of strangers he dayly susteyneth howe many hospitalles he findeth howe many schollers he maynteyneth howe deuoutly he cōmeth once moneth into his chappell how reuerently he giueth the peopls benediction how he neuer misseth twise a day to say his breuiarie what paines he taketh with oratours leagates and such others in hearing their causes surely this man if he were not of God hee woulde not be so liberal in suppliyng the want of the needie neither woulde he be so painefull in causes ecclesiasticall Therefore saye they perswade
thy selfe the Pope is here on earth in Christes steade he is Peters successour and may binde and loose whom he list hée may saue whom be loueth destroy whom he hateth hee hath the same authoritie here in earth in heauen in purgatory and in hel that Christ himselfe hath in al these places Oh take heede my sonne these woordes are venemous and as bitter as gall beware and neuer condescende to the opinion of these stifenecked Papistes The Pope hath no vertue in him but all vice and hypocrisie Let them bragge of the Pope vntyll they bee wearie yea neuerthelesse thou shalt finde my sonne that the Pope is verye Antichriste as by his life and religion most manifestly shall appeare I will tell thee my sonne of the parentes of this Pope gregorie the thirtéenth otherwise named and that properly hugo that is to say hugh and by his surname boncompagnion good fellowe His father at the beginning was suche a one as solde olde wares which the Italians termed vechio as olde yron olde showes olde apparell and suche like thinges This man at laste became somewhat riche and vsed the trade of marchandize Nowe this Pope Hugh was borne at Bolognia and brought vp in learning there where hée studied the Ciuil and Canon lawes and became publique professour of both those lawes in that Citie where hee was borne At Rome and else where before hée was made Cardinall hée bare manie offices as it was reported vnto mée Some in Bolognia tolde certayne of my acquaintance that this Pope was maried and by that wife begate those children who are as yet aliue Some say otherwise that hée was neuer married but say that those whome hée calleth his sonnes are in deede his Bastardes but whatsoeuer they bée they are Gentlemen whether they bée so in condition or no I can not tell but I am sure they are noble men in wealth and in worldelye pompe The Popes syr name is boncompagnion good fellowe for that one of his Graundsyers accompanied him selfe with another Italian to kill a Serpent who did much hurte in the Countrey of Italie in slaying both man and beast and for this cause the Serpent being stayne by one of this Popes Graundsyres and by another Italian from that day forwardes hée was called boncompagnion and so was his father surnamed and this Pope likewise This Pope hath a brother in Bolognia who hath the charge of manye affayres and also the Popes bastarde though some call him his Nephewe hee hath the rule of all thinges at Bolognia This Pope hath his protrature liuely set foorth in manye places of that Citie and gaue commaundement to the Bolognians that his statute shoulde bee erected there In deede his stature is erected at Rome is erected in the Capitoll The Pope is liberall to those by whome he hopes that the ruines of his kingdome shal be repaired hée is beneficiall to Englishe men and to Germans For hee hopeth that by their witte and pollicie by their industrie and labour hee shall recouer to hymselfe those countreys againe and haue them in subiection What the lyfe of this Pope is thou maist reade my sonne in diuerse bookes as thou trauaylest to other countreys but this I will say as I was infourmed by credible persons that had beene traueylers to Rome that Omnia in curia Romana sunt vaenalia All thinges are to bee solde for money in the Court of Rome If any man hath committed murther if any man hath liued in adulterie if any man hath offended in gluttonie or drunkennesse or what so euer cryme hée hath committed come to this Pope with your purse full of money and for your syluer you shall bée absolued and forgiuen of all your sinnes But if you come with an emptie purse you shall departe as you come without anye indulgence and pardon of your sinnes no penye no pater noster If any will release his brother from purgatorie let him prouide money and an owle will flye with his brother to heauen wil you haue Agnos dei graua benedicta medalla crosses beades c. Then goe to this Pope and bring him a satchell of money and you shall haue all these thinges Oh my sonne I tell thée the trueth before these my neyghbours For a brother of mine hath dwelt with the Popes chiefe Chamberlayne and hath seene the practises of this Pope Gregorye the thirteenth and knoweth the fashions of his Courte Let not his hypocriste delude thée neyther lef his magnificent giftes deceiue thee thou shalt peceiue by his supermaiesticall statelinesse that hee is the sonne of perdicion hée can not take the paynes béeing lustie of age to goe on foote from his chamber to his chappell vppon feastiuall dayes but must bée carried on eyght scarlette mens shouldiers Oh pride Lucifer like When hée goeth in procession in the Citie hée is honoured as Christe ouer his heade must carpettes bee layde the walles must bee couered with the same and the streetes strowed with flowers and rushes The swishers are placed as it were in battaile arraye the meaner forte with their torches goe before the richer Citizens followe after the Nouices of moffe monasteries followe them then come the fatte belled Monkes Fryars Abbotes pryours and suche lyke after them the Byshoppes them the Popes Chamberlaynes with his Miters and after them followe the Cardinalles then appeareth the Pope not goyng on foote but caryed on mens shoulders verye pontyfically the trumpettes sounding the double Cannons are charged Which pontificallitye Christe hym selfe neuer vsed and therefore this excessiue pride seuereth the the Pope from the Immitation of Christes steppes Thou shalt see my soone that the Pope is not vertuous in deede though hée bée so accoumpted but full of hypocrysie Hée is as the brute goeth at Rome the cause of dissentions in diuers Countreys and hée onely was the cause of the late rebellion in Ireland For commaundement was giuen vnto them of the seminary by the Pope that they shoulde praye daylye for the prosperous successe of Doctour Saunders his affayres in Irelande This Pope succoureth rebelles and traytours that in the tyme of the laste commotion fledde out of the North. Trisander I vnderstande nowe father that you are verye well acquainted with one or other that lately hath béene at Rome Panteleon Haue I not tolde thée my sonne that my brother dwelt with the Popes chiefe chamberlaine it was hee that knewe all these thinges and reported them vnto mee Trisander Truely this reporte shall bee a caueat vnto mee to beware of the Popes engine readie prepared to entrape imprudent and vndiscreete persons All the perswasiue woordes in the worlde shall not make mée brooke him Panteleon In so dooing happie shall I bee that haue suche a godly and obedient sonne Trisander But father by your pacience I will aske one question were all Popes wicked in their liuing as they are Heathenish in their religion Panteleon Sonne thou askest mée a doubtfull question If thou askest whether all Popes wanted moral
vertues and such as the Gentiles had or whether they all lacked those Christian vertues which are the fruits of the Christian faith whether thy demaunde be of the first or of the second tell mée without any dissimulation Trisander I aske whether all popes that arrogantly claimed to them selues Supremacie in earth and the false pretensed succession of Peter in the Sée Apostolike were prophane in conuersation of life Panteleon There were no such arrogant Popes but they liued only Christianlike and as their religion was repugnant to Gods worde so their life and maners were contrarie to the commandement of the liuing God Trisander But father can you tell their names and how impiously they liued Panteleon What their names were I knowe and what their maners were likewise I knowe of certentie but forasmuch as I haue said somwhat of Pope Gregorie the xiii I thinke it not amisss to tell what his predecessour was and howe hée came to the Popedome this Pope Pius Quintus descended of very poore Parentage as at Rome is reported of him At Minerua hée was a Dominican Friar for a certaine space then hée became Pryor of that Monasterie at what time Cardinall Morone was suspected for one that sauoured not of Popishe religion Wherefore this Pryor Dominican was sent by the Pope to heare Cardinall Morons confession which when hée vndertooke and thought to haue hearde the Cardinals confession hée was reiected for that hée was neyther Bishop nor Cardinall But a poore Fryar This Dominican returned backe againe to the Popes Courte and tolde the Pope that Cardinall Morone disdained to take him for his confessor being no Cardinal but a poore Dominican The Pope hearing these wordes was muche out of pactence he was sore offended and his wrath was so kindeled that in his angrie moode hée called for a Cardinals hatte and gaue it vnto this Dominican willing him foorthwith to go againe to Cardinall Morone Now when hée came Cardinall like Cardinall Morone submitted himselfe yeelded to make his confession before him to answere to any Article that hée had to lay againste him and in his examination hée shewed him selfe conformable to the Popes Lawes It happened afterwardes that this Pope dyed and then as the order is the Colledge of Cardinals assembled together in a certaine appointed place of the Popes Courte to elect and choose amongest themselues some méete man to take vpon him the charge of so great and Sathanicall function The whole Colledge of Cardinalles that were present there except this one Dominican Cardinall gaue their assent and consent to this Cardinall Morone that hee shoulde haue béene Pope but when this Dominican Cardinal was asked why hée gaue not his voyce with the rest he made this answere I will neuer saith hée giue my voyce to any person suspected of heresie Then spake Cardinall Morone I will not be Pope though I might Heereupon all the Cardinals were willing that this Cardinall Morone should elect whom he best fansied to bée Pope of Rome which thing beeing graunted vnto him hée vttered these wordes saying I knowe none more worthie to bée made Pope then the Cardinall of Alexandria who refused to giue his voyce to my election for that some time I was suspected to bée an Heretike a worthier man then hée to beare rule may seldome or neuer bée found though wée sought for one through out the worlde Therefore séeing your graces good wil and pleasure was that I shoulde choose whom I best liked to the Popedome I nominate and pronounce this Cardinall of Alexandria These wordes thus vttered euery Cardinall in his degrée doing obeysance came and kissed this newe Popes féete This Pope had a nephewe supposed of some Romans to haue béene his bastarde whome hée created Cardinall ouer that Citie Alexandria whereof he himselfe had béene Cardinal before This his nephewe or rather as the common bruite or same goeth at Rome was bounde apprentise to a poore Tailour who dwelleth in the Englishe Seminarie at Rome and because hée was altogether vnapt for that science this poore taylour came vnto his vncle the aforesaid Pope Pius Quintus but then a Dominicā Frier in the monasterie of Minerua and tolde him that his nephewe was vnfitte to bée a taylour for that hée sawe no towardnesse at all in him touching that Art But sée now my sonne howe fortune fauoureth fooles howe shée exalteth the vnworthie For this felow the Popes nephewe can scarce reade his Masse booke much lesse vnderstande it and yet loe on a sodaine hée is created Cardinall of Alexandria This Pope his vncle as the report goeth was a better practicioner in hearing Nunnes confessions and fitter to play the Cooke then to supplie an office and roome of suche high dignitie to the which the Maiestie of Emperours kings by the iudgement of the Papistes is counted inferiour This Pius Quintus at the first was a beggar then afterwardes hee became a Dominican Friar and consequently a Cardinal and in fine a Pope Thus fortune exalted him to high degrées of promotion The recordation and remembrance of his pristinate and former state before fortune had smiled on him shoulde by right haue moued him to bee humble and lowly to all men in his Papall Maiestie Trisander Truely Father as for his base estate of byrth if his vertues were good or if his excellencie of wit was suche that it surpassed the wisedome of others I dde not weigh nor make any account nor doe so vilely thinke of his simple Parents that therefore I shoulde esteeme him vnworthie to haue béene as hee was promoted to a higher degree of function Panteleon Louing sonne to the derogation of his promotion I speake not a worde and as for his Papall dignitie it dothe not touche mee who hath it or who euer had it either noble or vnoble poore or riche But mine intention was to tell thee howe at the first hée became Chapline to Sainte Dominicke then afterwardes Chamberlaine to Beelzebub and last of all sonne to Lucifer by marriage For hee married his begotten daughter pride Trisander From suche offices and degrées of function good Lorde deliuer vs. I pray you father will you shewe mee if you can what his lyfe was being Pope Panteleon Yes that I can and hew hée liued I will declare to thée as followeth Hée was a blooddy persecutor of the Christians and caused many a faithfull beléeuer of the Gospell most lamentably to bée burned yea hée was the cause of that butcherly effusion of Christian blood at Paris and in all other places of Fraunce His successour Gregorie xiiii wickedly allowed the cruell handeling formentes shewed vpon the great Admirall of Fraunce the instrument of God for defence of true religion and for the consolation of the afflicted Christians Whiche facte is entred in marble stone in the imperiall hall of the Popes Court artificially set foorth but to speake of Pius Quintus this Pope was certified by a certaine Cardinall that in Rome there was an noble
man sonne to a Duke borne in Germanie differing from the Papistes in religion and disagréeing with their doctrine So soone as the Pope had heard these wordes being moued with furious indignation hée cried vnto the Cardinall burne him burne him but the Cardinall béeing more mercifull then the Pope desired his gracelesse Antichristian Maiesty to commaunde the young noble youth to appeare before him and so hée did When the young Noble man came before his presence hée did prostrate him selfe at the Popes féete at whom the Pope began so to raile and so to threaten him that the Noble man ouercome with his threatenings of death was readie to beléeue whatsoeuer hée woulde haue him beléeue and so with his grimme countenance and threatning words hée peruerted this Noble young man to the religion of perpetuall destruction Trisander Surely this man was more bitter then prudent and more gréedie of vndeserued subiection then carefull ouer the life of true Christians Fie vpon such a proude persecutor from such Tirants libera nos Domine But father it was tolde mée that hée was a great Coniurer or Nigromancer Panteleon And in very déede as I suppose thou hast hearde nothing but the truth in that For surely at Rome it is reported that hée did those thinges which no man coulde haue doone vnlesse he had béen skilfull in Nicromancie Hée foretolde of the victorie of the Venetians and Dun de Austria ouer the Turkes Hée came also vp on a certaine time out of his studie and tolde them of the victorie that were then in his presence Nowe quoth hée the Turkes are vanquished and slaine These wordes hée might foretell by Nigromancie as I suppose and not otherwise For hée had not the gift of Prophesie being a Tyrant and an open persecutor of the truth This Pius Quintus was so welbeloued of his seruants that some of his Chamberlaines had besméered his Crucifix with poyson so that when he came to pray and approched to kisse the Crucifix it ranne away when he saw the Crucifix remoouing it selfe after that maner he créeped néerer but the more hée créeped the farther the Crucifix remooued This thing I thinke was doone by the Art of Nigromancie but it was one of the myracles of his Grandfather Satan But the Romans report him to haue béene familiar with God and that hée very myraculously preserued hun alwayes and caused the stones to certifie him of any iminent dangers This man of sinne was so bent to the heauenly treasures that hée cared not for worldly riches for hée gaue all his goods to the poore made them Noble men and Gentlemen but they were suche poore as were his kinsmen some of them Cozins and Nephewes to speake plainely his bastardes Trisa Of this Pope Pius Quintus I also good father haue hearde muche Was it not hée I pray you sir that first excommunicated our gracious Quéene ELIZABETH Pante It was euen hée but shée neuer prospered better nor this Realme did neuer florishe more then since it was by him excommunicated therefore for his cursing wée passe not neither doe we regarde the thundering Bulles of excommunication of his successours Trisander It is so as you say that the Popes curse can doe vs no hurte but can you tell me father whether they are chosen Popes by the meanes of their vertue learning and wisedome or by the meanes of briberie golde and siluer Panteleon I haue tolde thée my sonne that in the Popedome there is no vertue and therfore it is the more lightly to be regarded Learned they must néedes bée not in Scriptures for that they defie them but in the Ciuile Canon lawes that they may know what is their owne Iure illicito may pleade for that which is not their owne Iure Pontificiali Wisdome is requisite in a Pope whereby he may knowe golde from siluer gemmes and precious stones frō common stones which bée in the stréetes Hée must haue wisedome to counte them wisedome to locke them vp in his treasure house hée cannot bée without wisedome to picke out the best golde from the badde to giue to his waiting gentlewomen at bed and boorde Hée must moreouer haue wisedome to prouide for his bastardely children which hée begot whiles hee was a soule Priest to the Putanne in the Burdello or whilest hée saide Masse elswhere for money to supplie the necessitie of any sober Curtezane and defloured Virgin Such learning and wisedome as before is recited euery Pope muste haue and euery Gentleman Bribery large giftes and greate promises must helpe him to that Papall dignitie or els hée shall go without it as most commonly it falleth out vnlesse perhaps some poore Cardinall be made Pope and compoundeth with the colledge of Cardinals that the Papall reuenewes bée equally parted amongst them all of the Colledge of Cardinals Trisander But what if a man had plentie of money then peraduenture hée might bée made Pope and rule the roste at his pleasure Panteleon If a man had money as thou saiest great plenty he should quickly bée made Pope of Rome as it saide of Iohn the xviii a Grecian borne who obtained the place by briberie sedition and hurly burly This man brought so much money to Rome with him from Constantinople as that hée was able therewithall to drawe and tempt vnto him aswell the wise and wary as the simple sort to bée of his faction whereby hée corrupted Crestentius the Consul violently to abuse Pope Gregory and to driue him out being a Germane and so purchased the Popedome and the sequell thereof But of those thinges that hée and his traine set to sale in his Popeship Mantuan writeth thus Pernices mercatur equos vaenalia Romae Tēpla Sacerdotes Altaria Sacra Coronae Iohn the xiii being the sonne of Albericus the sonne to Maozia obtained to be pope partly by the briberie and partly by the threatning of his father Albericus being Prince Before the Emperour Otho in an open Synode it was laide to his charge as Lutherandus writeth in his sixt booke that hée neuer saide Mattins that incelebrating the Masse he himselfe had not communicated that hée made Deacons in his stable among his Horses that hée had committed incest with two harlots being his owne sisters that hée played at Dice prayed to the Diuell to send him good luck the for money he admitted boy as to bée Bishops that he had rauished virgins and strange women that hée had made the holy pallance of Lateran a Stewes Brothelhouse that hée had defloured Stephana his Fathers Concubine and one Rainera a Widdow beside one Anna another Widdowe and her Néece that hée had put out the eyes of Benedict his Ghostly father that hee vsed common hauntes that hée ware armour and set houses on fire that hee brast open dores windowes by might that hée tooke a cup of wine and drunke to the Diuell and neuer blessed him selfe with the signe of the Crosse These and many more odious Articles were laid to
vel Benedicto Aut Augustint subleuiori ingo Omnes sunt fures quocūque charactere sācto Signati veniant magnificentque deum Necredas verbis ne credas vestibus albis Vix etenim factis est adhibenda fides Quorū vox lenis vox Iacob creditur esse Caetera sunt Esau brachia colla manus Rursus in Egyptum quā deseruerereuersi Dulce sibi reputant à Pharaone premi Carnis ad illecebras nulloretinēte ruentes In foucā mortis carne trahente cadunt They that pretend to follow S. Bernard Bennet or Austen which is not so hard False theeues they are al seeme they neuer so good Nor yet so deuout in their cowle their hood Beleeue not their words nor apparrel right white For nothing they do that afore god is right As gentle as Iacob in wordes they appeare But all in their workes they are Esau cleare To Egypt againe they are come to dwell Vnder great Pharao fearing no peril They followe the flesh and seek no restraint Which will at the last with hell thē acquaint This also he writeth of the Nunnes Harū sunt quaedā steriles quaedā parientes Virgineo tamen nomine cuncta tegūt Quae pastoralis baculi do tatur honore Illa quidem melius fertiliusque parit Vix etiā quaeuis sterilis reperitur in illis Donec eius aetas talia possenegat Some Nuns are barrē som bearing beasts Yet all are virgins at principall feastes Shee that is Abbesse as her doth befall In fruitfull bearing is best of them all Scarse one shal ye find amōg the whole rout which is vnfruitful till age cōmeth about Muche more of the Lecherous liues of Monks and Nunnes hath this Poet Nigellus written Geraldus Cambrensis declareth in the 2. part of his worke called the Glasse of the Church Cap. viii that by the Sea Coast a shée fish was founde of a wonderfull greatnesse called a Thirle Poole The people in great number came from al quarters there about some to beholde the monstrous shape of the fishe and some to cut it in péeces to carry them home to their houses for some profitable vse Among all other there was a Monke more quicke and stéering to perceiue all thinges then any other there This monke drawing very néere to the fishe behelde viewed and marked the priuie part thereof aboue all whiche the historie saith was as it had béene the opening of a great doore or gate hée looked thereupon very seriously much wondred neither coulde hée in any wise bee satisfied with the sight thereof at the last without modestie shame and all bashefulnesse hée approched somewhat nigh that by the stime and fatnesse thereof whiche then lay vpon the sande his footing failed him and hée fell flat into the foule hole so hée was swallowed vp of that which his lecherous hearte most desired This Adage then was founde true such Saint such shrine suche béere such botell and such treasure such trust Many suche vitious lecherous monkes coulde I recite but because I am persuaded these fewe may suffice the Reader I passe them ouer and referre the Reader to the histories of euerie age since the beginning of this monkish and solitarie life When Antichrist chiefly raigned in the consciences of men and when his doctrine repugnant against GOD his worde most floorished in all quarters of Christendome yet God did raise vp some that boldly spake in publike assemblies and with great boldnesse wrote against the Pope and his poysoned doctrine In their bookes a man may reade howe wickedly and hypocritically the Papisticall votaries liued But louing companion I pray you tell mee howe doe the other monkes Friers and Nunnes liue in the Countries which you haue trauelled besides the Cities before specified Diawinckiani Surely they liue very vnchastly and loosely as I haue declared of some alreadie At Granoble in Fraunce there was an Augustinian Frier who in his talke apparrell and gesture in the presence of the Citizens appeared very religious godly and deuout but this man had no good fortune For as he Sodomitically medled with a sworne brother of his own professiō hee was taken doing the déede but this horrible fault being forgiuen vpon his deniall hée was at an other time apprehended and imprisoned for the vnder a rocke nigh the foresaid Citie Granoble hée crackt a louse in a whoores Codyéece At Shalome in Sauoy there were two Dominicās that were in outwarde conuersation like Angels of heauen but yet they loued the woman kinde so well that they studied more in making a Caue in a Rocke not far from the Citie before mentioned to entertaine two young queanes thē they indeuoured to perfourme their Frierly vowe of chastitie Their often walking from theyr Cloysters to these caues bewrayed them at last and made them infamous amōgst the Citizens This thing was doone in the yéere of the Lorde 1578 and the infamie thereof was bruted in the Citie at my being there Trisander Oh my friend and fellowe traueller hast thou séene the horrible abuses of these monstrous and ougly hypocrites and wilt thou not condemne their idolatrous doctrine and superstitious Ceremonies tending to the perpetuall destruction both of body and soule What do they professe but a religion inuented by man for his worldely gaine and honour not conformeable to Gods worde but agréeable to the Popes will and commaundement What is their life but Pharisaicall iniurious lasciuious lecherous sodomiticall They talk of heauen but they walke not to heauen they bragge of chastitie but they kéepe concubines or els do much worse they defile thēselues one man which another they speake of iustificatiō by good works but they haue no good workes but vice as buggerry adulterie fornication fraud tyrannie ambition couetousnesse and all vncharitablenesse they talke of Christ but haue no experience of him nor any acquaintance with him they honour him with their lippes but their hearte hungreth not after him outwardly they professe him but inwardly they passe not for him in the hearing of men they vtterly forsake the worlde but in the sight of men they imbrace the worlde The Scripture calleth the worlde as it is written in the first of Iohn 2.5 The ambition the couetousnesse the lechery and all those other thinges that Sauour of nothing els but the flesh so that the fleshe the worlde the Diuell are those thrée furies that with their firebrands and serpents make an interming ling confusion of all thinges The fat bellied Monkes and Friers that say they forsake the world carry it with them into the monasteries For without doubt it is not possible to sée the worlde better than in the monasteries where a man shall sée nothing els but affections and passions of the minde with the whiche they seeke to aduaunce themselues or to driue one another out of the doores Oh that men will suffer themselues to bee thus mocked and deluded by these Frierly shauelings that indeuour as much as they may in deceiuing
very much to séeke to haue accesse to Cardinall Modone for their letters of presentation to this Deanerie and that Deanerie to this Archdeaconship that Archdeaconship to this benefice and that benefice About a two yéeres agoe there was such a brute at Rome that Queene Elizabeth was dead that the schollers triumphed and were at variance betwéene themselues who shoulde haue the beast Ecclesiasticall liuinges here in England some said hée would bée deane of Paules another woulde assigne to him selfe the Deanerie of Yorke so euery one would choose to himselfe one peculiar place or other therein to be deane archdeacon or parson one of the schollers made sute to Cardinall Modone to haue his letters of presentatiō to be made M. Parson assoone as hée came to Englande And at another time there was great sturre and controuersie at Rome betwéene Goldwel Quondam bishoppe of saint Asse and Shelley Prior of the order of the crosse which of them shoulde be Archbishoppe of Canterburie for both of them were perswaded through a false surmised report that our louing Quéene was disceased whom God preserue frō day to day to his glory and the publique benefite of this fortunat English Iland Their vaine interrogations may bée fed and pleased by the newes before mentioned Trisander I am content to dee as you haue saide for by the recitall of suche newes I will satisfie their inquisitiue demaundes But tell mée good friend Theophilactus howe long may wée lawfully remaine in the Englishe hospitall without offence vnto the superiours of that house Theopilactus Eyght dayes may we stay there and haue both meate drinke and lodging which dayes being expired wée must depart thence Trisander But shall wée bee examined of our religion of the Popes inquisitours Theophilactus There is no examination of religion vnlesse they haue you in suspition of a contrary religion You may be in Rome twentie yéeres and neuer be examined touching your religion vnlesse some of your acquaintance to bewray you or els that you speake one worde or other inuectiuely against their Romish religion which if yée doe then shall you bee straitly examined of the inquisitours and haue no fauour without recanting the trueth but suffer taunts and rayling words which you shall not want nor any miserie or sorrowe that they can procure you in any respect Trisander But wée will take héede what wée speake that wée fall not into their mercie But let these words passe and nowe tel me I pray you who were the founders of this hospitall and what reuenewes hath it and what is he that is protectour of this hospitall Theophilactus Kings of Englande first founded this hospitall and bought certaine houses within the walles of the Citie of Rome for the maintenance therof as for landes it hath none belonging vnto it Cardinall Morone is protectour thereof and of the English colledge adioyning vnto the same D. Morice a welch man is the prouider and manciple thereof which D. Morice was sometimes Rectour of the English Seminarie but during the time of his Rectourship there was such dissention in the Colledge amongst the English men and the welchmen that I thinke the spirits of darkenesse did better agrée together in hell This D. Morice fauoured his own countreymē more then hée did the other wherfore the Englishe men coulde not abide him nor allow him to bée Rectour D. Parkar if hee vsed no parcialitie but spake vprightly surely he was worthy to be commended D. Morice saide he to mée beeing then at Millan in his house is appoynted Rectour of the English Seminarie but he is so proude and stately that hée rideth in a Wagon as though hee were a prince and causeth the English schollers to follow him all a long aloofe a farre of While he thus rangeth and wandereth abrode the Englishe schollers are sure to fare hard but the Welshmen will not be so vsed Maister Morice say they is our countruman and therefore we will fare of the best and surely so they did as I vnderstoode by their owne confession For they had the best chambers the best apparrell and the best commons for the cooke was a welshman the kéeper of the wine seller was a welshman al were welshmē that had any office so that they could controul the other schollers at their pleasure And when any english scholer made sute to be of the Colledge he would aske him with a grim countenance from whēce he came and what was the cause of his comming then he woulde tell him that there came more wandering fugitiues out of england then out of Wales But if he vnderstoode there came a welsh man he woulde receiue him very courteously and entertaine him ioyfully and so woulde his countreimen take him by the fiste with many congratulations O proud vncharitable wretches what distinction make you of Wales and England that there shoulde breede in your poysoned breastes such canckred malice towardes them that bee of your owne crewe and superstitious secte of poperie This Morice the welshman neuer loued thē that were borne in England for proofe whereof I will bring his owne slaunderous reportes which I haue heard with mine eares vttered frō his owne mouth euen to his countreimen The englishmen sayd he are proud and ambitious braggers and they are slaunderers of our nation If he had sayd both we welshmē and you englishmen are high minded ful of enuie bragging and standering one of another I would haue holden with him but seeing he sought to cleare himselfe and his owne countreymen in shifting their faults from themselues to the englishmen I commend not his charitie He would say often that the english papists were plaine hypocrites and had no more religion to vse his owne termes then a dogge that they sought for vaineglorie and a name of holines And so they did doubtles and so did his owne countreimen too albeit he spake nothing against them as hereafter in the sequel of this chapter most manifestly shall appeare to the viewe of England I will speake the truth for both I will not spare to discouer the malice and hypocrisie of the one and the other I will not be partiall neither shall affection drawe mée to display the offences of the one and kéepe in silence the enormities of the other but with an vpright conscience and an equal minde I will write of them both as well of welshmen as of Englishmē as the truth shall giue place They neuer came to dinner or supper without iarring brauling one with the other they vsed such ignominious names the one to the other as I am loth to rehearse for Ciuilitie sake I am a Gentleman quoth the one thou art a rascall quoth the other The welshman beginneth to fret and fume and saith albeit I came to Rome with broken rent apparrell yet I am borne of as good blood as thou art stop there quoth the other nay I tell thée plainely I am as good a Gentleman as thou art where sir quoth
subiection They pray for the Queene of Scottes that shee may be restored to hir former dignitie that she may attaine to the Crowne of England establishe the Romish religion and set abroche the Popes supremacie They pray for the prosperous successe of D. Nicholas Saunders proceedinges in Yreland I thinke the saintes to whome they prayed were fast asléepe and hearde not their prayers or else their mindes were ouer much troubled with she prayers of other men so that they coulde not bend downe their eares to them most heartely beséeching their deuine graces so fight with Saunders disloyall to his soueraigne false to his Countrey and enemie to the trueth They prayed that certaine hollow hearted papistes of great countenance high reputation should make an insurrection and ioyne all their powers mightes and forces to assist and ayde the rebellious caitiffe and wickedly disposed wretche D. Saunders captaine generall of a companie of Rakehels and bloodde suckers He that hath defended both our Queene and Countrey from all maltgnāt deuises treachiries wrought attempted by disloyall and vnnaturall subiectes I hope of his free mercie and bountie and not for any of our desertes shall continue and preserue the royall estate and dignity of our gracious Quéene and the desired welfare of this woorthye Englishe Ilande Lushe wee Christians set not a rush by all the studentes vngodly prayers what euill they wishe to their natiue soyle the same euil chaunceth to them selues they prayed earnestly seriously and as a man woulde thinke by their outward shewe and by the often mouing of their lippes very deuoutly theyprayed but their prayers tooke no place the victorie redounded to the prayse of the Christians and to the shame of the Papistes D. Nicholas Saunders was glad to run away and leaue his souldiers to abide the endelesse woe of vnfortunate destinie One paire of féete were better then two paire of handes to D. Saunders and his adherents Oh how vainely did the Students pray that hée for whom they prayed shoulde abide suche losse of his souldiers and suche infamie with well neere the hazarde of the rope that it had beene better for the Englishe Students to haue healde their peace and not to haue wearied their braines with vnlawfull inuocation of the helpe of saintes For sometimes the saintes are woont belike to take their recreation solace and pleasure being ouerwearied with the continuall sutes and supplications of phantasticall and busie headed Papistes Thus much for this matter and this I adde by the way Examine the state of thy religion oh thou papiste howe it beganne with crueltie is nourished with tyrannie and defended with forged fables of lying spirites whereas the christiā religiō tooke her beginning by lenitie was mainteyned with sincere and perfect simplicitie and is as yet sustained with genilenesse mildnesse and amitie If any bée gone out of the pathway of faith wée exhort him brotherly and friendly to forsake his errour and to become a reformed man These meanes the Papistes despise by threatnings and violence they séeke to inforce Christians to their pretensed religion inuented of man through the malice of our auncient aduersarie the subtill Serpent that deceiued Eue in the Garden of all pleasures and delightes Euery Saintes euening some of the Studentes are appointed to couer their bodies au◠their faces with sackcloth and come to the common haule whiles their fellowes bee at supper and there to whippe themselues so long that some of their backes shall be altogether bloody Some lay the strokes on their backes very softly some make their whipcordes not to smart and these fellowes will come forth when the Rectour hath knocked his fingers on the boord and say Oh what a good saint was hée whose feast wée celebrate to morrowe I whipt my self with ioy to remember the good déedes of this celestiall saint Oh saide hee and tooke a déepe sigh from the soles of his féete my backe aketh I think it bée altogether blooddy Well no force I will once againe for the saintes sake whom I serue whip my selfe And then hée goeth to his chamber and in the darke he layeth on his gown not his backe which such mighty strokes that if his gown could speake it would bid him holde his hands When hée hath done beating his gowne in steade of his backe hée commeth down to his fellowes and sayth I will mortifie this proude fleshe of mine For if I suffered but half the griefe and sorrowes that this saint Agnes or saint Lucia or saint Bridget or any other saint did I were not able to abide it but yet I will not spare my backe for my saintes sake If hee had said I will not spare my gown in the darke hée had tolde the trueth Euery chamber hath one sainte or other to bée patrone or patronnesse thereof as one Chamber hath S. Katherine of Stenna another hath our Lady the virgin Marie and another saint Gregorie and another saint Peter and suche like Saint hath euery chamber to kéepe the same and euery chamber is called according to the name of the saint As for example one Chamber is named sainte Peters chamber and another our Ladies chamber and another saint Gregories chamber c. Trisander Haue the Studentes once euery fourtnight daies of recreation Theophilactus Yes they haue once a fourtnight a day to recreate them selues and the Rectour prouideth vineyardes for them for their recreation and there they practise Marshall feates The one taketh vpon him to bée the chiefe leader of the campe and some become Captaines as Diuines and all the rest are souldiers Sometimes they fight with the canes of réedes in sporte but at the ende of the skirmishe they fall out by the eares in earnest The Iesuites are gladde sometimes to come and parte them least they grieuously hurt eche one another Twise a yéere there are priestes sent from Rome and Rhemes to england at Michaelmas at Easter and assoone as they are arriued in Englande they haue their Patrones to maintaine them some go like seruing men some like gentlemen and some like countreymen There goe from both places I meane Rome and Rhemes about the number of twentie priestes Wée may sée what vntrue subiectes there bée in Englande to maintayne suche a seditious broode of pestilent shauelyngs If they were al loyall subiects there should not be one masse priest in Englande but séeing they are most delicately nourished and most brauely mainteyned in apparell What passe they for Christianitie and true religion Amongst the Christians of the reformed Church it is but in vayne to hope for such delicate féeding and gorgeous raymentes These Epicures the papistes perceiue very wel and often speake thereof howe bare and poore the Christian Cleargie is howe it is pouled and pilled by Gentlemen Esquires Knightes and others wée shall shortly say they sée the spirituall liuinges ioyned to the temporall sir Iohn lacke latine shall be maister Parson to serue the parish and the patrone of the benifice
shall reape the commoditie If the benifice bee woorth threescore poundes a yéere sir Iohn shall haue twenty or scarce that if it be woorth more the patrone of the benefice hath the greater profite and sir Iohn lacke latine not a whit the better And when these popish priests are apprehended some had rather wilfully weare Stories Tippet then yéelde to the trueth They knowe their names shall bée celebrated as the names of Saints amongst the viperous Progenie of wicked papists They know moreouer that their apparell shall bee adored and woorshipped if it may bee bought or gotten of the Papistes their bodyes also should be holy reliques in the Pharisaicall sinagogue of Papistes if they coulde come by them by some secret meanes Thus haue I briefly and without prolixitie of woordes declared the dissention and discorde of the Studentes amongst themselues I haue written also of the orders of the English Seminary at Rome I haue shewed howe vnnaturall the Studentes be to their natural mercifull princesse to rayle vpon her maiestie in their sermons reuile her which reprochfull words I haue shewed likewise howe much hurt they wish to their countrey I meane Englande For they had rather it were destroyed with fire sword and famine then if shoulde continue in the trueth of Christian religion Nowe the Christian reader may easily vnderstande what crueltie they would practise vpon their own Countrey men if power and strength were correspondent to their satanicall desires God hath weakened the might of our aduersaries and I hope will holde it enfebled continually Let the Popes schollers and all other papists wishe what tyranny they list to bée vsed vpon Englande it will not bée as they desire but it wil be as it pleaseth the Lord. If persecution and miserie fall vpon Englande it is for the sinnes of England and not for that they reiect the Popes authoritie and his forged religion This English Seminarie hath foure thousand Crownes a yéere for the maintenaunce thereof There was great suite made vnto the Pope before hee woulde graunt anye exhibition for the maintenaunce of any number of schollers at Rome There was an Englishe Lady that wrote vnto him about it and many Doctours besides other Englishmen of some worshippe and credite Doctor Allen the chiefest scholler of an Englishe man that is beyonde the Seas and president of the Englishe Seminarie at Rhemes came a foote to Rome and was glad within these seuen yeeres to haue beene Thomas Beckettes Chapilan and to receiue foure crownes a moneth to buie him meate drinke and cloth His fauour then with the Pope was very small but yet hée coulde not gette this poore liuing for that Doctor Morice being a malicious and enuious man who vnder Cardinall Morone had the preferring of him there vnto denied it him partely for that he was an Englishe man and partly fearing least that by such meanes by little and little hée shoulde come in fauour with the Pope as well as hée At the first the Pope was intreated to giue exhibition for sixe schollers secondly hée was persuaded to maintaine fourtéene and by little and little the number is growne to thréescore So that in Rhemes hée maintaineth fourescore and eight But our English Gentlemen as I haue hearde D. Alen report to the Rector of the Englishe Seminarie at Rome supplieth the want of that Colledge with seuenscore poundes at a time I Haue now Gentle Reader put in writing the dissention and orders of the English Seminarie and haue written so truely whatsoeuer I haue hearde and seene that my aduersaries except they haue an impudent face can say nothing to the contrarie And yet I haue not written all the disorders of that Colledge but leaue that for another time when occasion shall better serue In all this booke I haue fained nothing neither emptied my gal neither spoke I any thing of hatred or fauour to any man God the iudge of all men is my witnesse But I haue written thus much to this ende that our cake holy Priestes may not delude the people with the false praises of their fained holynesse If proud malicious enuious slaunderous luxurious and ambitious men deserue to bee counted vertuous why then the Popes schollers are vertuous For they are proude malicious enuious c. For when they come on the Saturdayes to receiue their shyrts the one saith to him that deliuereth the shyrts come giue me a good shyrt for a naughtie shyrt doth not become the beautie of my face very well Ther will bee sometime such contention amongest them who shall haue the fairest shirt that it is a worlds wonder to see it One saith I am of better complexion then hee another doth contrary him in his saying oftentimes I haue looked two or three houres for a shyrt and was loth to contende with any for my beautie was burnt with the heat of the Sunne or to say as it is I neuer had any and passe not it I neuer shal There was one honoredin that colledge as a saint for his beauties sake but lo now he is a carkase I saw him dead but so deformed that I scarse knewe him albeit I vsed his company for a long tyme. Quid superbis terra cinis Why art thou proud thou earth and ashes The Lorde gaue thee that beauty wherein thou so much gloriest and within one houre wil take it away at his pleasure and leaue thee an ougly sight to the beholders Repent you that are the Popes schollers repent you of your pride repent you of your Romish religion repent you of your cankred malice both to Queene and Countrie be humble imbrace the truth bee loyall to your Soueraigne and loue your Countrie God graunt you may doe so for your owne soules health Amen The seuenth Dialogue Wherein is shewed that the Turks Iewes by the Popes licence are permitted to haue their sinagogue in his vsurped kingdome iurisdiction how he suffereth Curtezans in their filthinesse for a yeerely tribute paid to his Treasure house which tribute of theirs amounteth in the yeere to twentie thousande poundes The speakers are Trisander the Christian Pilgrime and Merādulabasca the Turkish Merchant and Rabbi Diacothelah the craftie Iewe. Trisander SEing my friend Theophilactus is gone away from mée to looke vnto his businesse I thinke it necessary for my comfort and greater ease to mée in mine expences to ioyne my selfe to the company of some trustie traueller and pilgrime which intendeth to goe to Madonna di Loreto As hée bethought him selfe in this wise how to finde a faithfull friende in his iourney loe héere hée méeteth with a wealthie rich merchant Turke that determineth to goe to Ancona a Citie not farre from Madonna di Loreto this man vnderstanding that Trisander wanted a companion saith after this maner as followeth Merandulabasca Your faire and cleare cōplexiō doth make manifest that you are an Englishman your stature behauiour gesture and apparell doth testifie the same are you not What say you
Trisander I am an English man borne syr Merandulabasca So I thought by your countenance you were an English man but whither are you bounding sir Trisander To Madonna di Loreto to sée what abuses are practised there I pray sir let mée bée so bold with your pacience as to craue your name and the Countrie wherin you were borne and if it may please you to haue my companie to Ancona I shal be heartily glad therof Merandulabasca I am glad I haue met you for I trust I shall finde a trusty companion in all my iourney to Ancona vnto the which Citie I purpose to goe And because you aske my name and the Countrie wherein I was borne I tell you my name is Merandulabasca by byrth a Turke and by profession a Mahumetan Trisander Beare with my rudenesse Gentleman I am loth to vse your company séeing you are no Christian Merandulabasca Why sir doe you refuse my company for that I am no Christian Haue you not read that Christe and his Disciples kept company with Publicans and sinners and will not you imitate them Accept my company I pray you and wée will conferre together of worldly matters and not of religion Trisander But howe is it that the Pope doth permit you to traffique in his Countrie being Turkes his sworne enimies Merandulabasca Wée pay yéerely Tribute to the Pope for his permission to vse our merchandize in his kingdome and for money the Pope will graunt vs whatsoeuer wée request at his handes and as for his subiects they are so gredie of siluer that they sell vs their owne natiue Countrie men The Inne kéepers that are rounde about the Sea side put vp a Lanterne with light in the top of a turret for a watchworde vnto our countriemen that are in little gallies rouing néere the Sea shore expecting their pray Thus very often in one night they appre hende twentie and sometimes thirtie guestes that neuer premeditate of the treachery of their hoast who selleth them to our Countriemen for such a price as hée and they can agrée And if our countriemen bée taken they are pardoned for a litle money of the Pope Wée haue our synagogue by the Popes sufferance Rabbi Diacothelah What Merandulabasca what talke you of with this lustie Bentleman and you Gentleman where were you borne Trisander I am an Englishman borne Syr and Maister Merandulabascas talk and mine is of the Tribute of all his Countriemen that are within the Popes dominion Rabbi Diacothelah That shauen Priest polleth vs of more money then his necke is worth Hée receiueth tribute for fiue thousande of vs Iewes at Rome and for as many at Ancona but the more hée rateth vpon vs the busier wée are to deceiue his Priestes yea his Cardinals and Bishops with our great vsurie maintaine their Concubines so braue gallant that sometimes the most of his Cleargie are glad to crouch to vs for the lone of certain summes of money which if they want then must they forgoe the amiable countenance of their swéete peragons and fine minions And they had rather bée deprined of their liuinges then to be separated from their faire bedfellowes When they stande in néede of our helpes then they begin with flatterie as a preparatiue medicine to mollifie lifie the minde and assone as they haue receiued that which they demaund they extoll vs for our vertuous charitie and say that wée are sure to bée the children of God and to bée iustified by works of charitie Wée shall haue the Popishe Priestes redie to doe any thing that we request if we giue them money they wil not stick to say Masse for a stolne dogge as once it happened at Rome Anno Dom. 1575. that Rabbi Salomon was méerily disposed to deride the palpable error and grosse ignorance of the whafer Priestes in beléeuing that Christ whom his countriemen the Hebrwes haue crucified is in a little whafer cake as really as hée was on the Crosse Therefore hée gaue to a Romish Priest two Iulies to say Masse for a Dogge which was lost These shauelinges will say Masse for a sicke horse to recouer his health if hee may haue a little money They will doe any thing that they may perfourme if they bée rewarded Wée haue a licence of the Pope to haue our Sinagogue and such seruice Ceremonies as our Forefathers the Hebrwes vsed Trisander The Pope hath his kingdome héere in this world héere is his ioy pleasure riches and honour séeing hée may not hope for the fruition of the kingdome of heauen heauenly ioyes celestial pleasures and eternall happinesse It is no maruell though hée setteth so much store by siluer and golde the more treasure hée getteth the greater his dignitie increaseth and the larger possessiōs and reuenewes his Bastardes are like to obtaine Merandulabasca Séeing you saide you were loth to trauell in my company as farre as Ancona I must therefore bid you farewell and prouide mée another companion Trisander Doe so and fare you well Rabbi Diacothelah Adewe courteous Gentleman doe you lacke my frendship to the Pope in your behalfe tell me and you shall finde mée readie if you wil promise to recompence my paines Trisander Adue I say to you also and if you wil get mée the Popes Cope and his triple crowne you shall doe mée a great pleasure and I will giue you an hundred crownes for your paines Rabbi Diacothelah His Cope and triple crowne I am sure I cannot haue to giue you but if you lacke his blessing or will haue a dispensation to liue as you list without daunger of Hell to marry whom you will your Cosen your Néece or whom you fancie best yea if the same bée your mother in lawe if you get a dispensation once what sinnes soeuer you commit shall bee forgiuen and forgotten of God if the Popes dispensation bée true If you haue committed murder or any other crime as wicked for a little money I will get you your pardon of the Pope for hée is Christe Trisan I had rather the Pope should curse then blesse his dispensation and pardon can doe mée no good the Lorde of heauen and earth is hée that can pardon mine offences and not the Pope who is but a lumpe of clay to day reioysing and laughing in his sléeue to morrowe wallowing in Hell in sorrowes paines and torments nowe a mightie Potentate a worldly Monarke a pretensed Apostle and a stately chiefe Priest to morrowe an abiect forsaken of all men wormes meate and a stinking carkasse whose soule shall bée carried to Hell there to be tormented with endlesse woe miserie and calamitie both for his owne sinnes and the sinnes of others that haue béene peruerted by him Rabbi Diacothelah I perceiue by your wordes that you regard his riches but not the power and authoritie whiche Christe your Messias hath giuen him Trisander Christ our Sauiour hath giuen him no such power or authority as hée arrogantly claimeth and fasty challengeth to himselfe Hée is an aduersarie to
Masse being ended to repaire to their chambers and there to abide vntill the Bel warneth them to the scholes First the deuines scolasticall and positiue then the phylosophers and logicians and afterwardes the rhetoricians and gramarians One forme after another at diuers and seuerall ringing of the bell goeth to heare the publique lectures of the schooles of Rome and when they are come home from the schooles then one or other ringeth the bell to washing of handes ouer one of the Towels which are there to wipe their handes therewith there is written pro sacerdotibus no scholler dareth to wipe his handes therewith Then one ringeth the bell to dinner and one of the priestes is appointed by father minister a Iesuite to say grace and grace is said in latine and during dinner time one of the schollers who is appointed for that weake ascendeth and goeth vp to the pulpit whiche standeth in the lower ende of the refectorie or haule and there-hée readeth one hystorie or other and afterwards the Martyrologue But if any of the schollers haue committed some veniall sinne as they terme it then he pronounceth his fault and inioyneth suche penance as is specified by the superiours or written in his scedule or peece of paper assoone as he hath done reading hee cōmeth down immediately after wards one or other ringeth the bel thē they rise vp frō dinner to recreatiō their talke is of England wishing hoping the subuersiō thereof they had rather that aliants and straungers did rule the lande And that I lye not hée that is reconciled to the veritie of the Gospel and to the concorde of the reformed Church may beare testimonie for this man was in my time in the Englishe Seminarie and visited a scholler once lying sicke in his bedde which scholler died within a while after There were fiue or sixe schollers with the Neapolitane Priest and a Iesuite then beyng of the Englishe Seminarie nowe reader of Philosophie in the common schooles these perfect scholers talked of the Spanish Nauie of D. Nicholas Saunders then Captaine generall ouer the souldiers which came out of Spaine with him they hoped said they to sée the Masse openly aduanced in Englande for saye they wée had rather haue the Quéene of Scottes or the King of Spaine to gouerne the land thē our gracious Quéene Elizabeth whom God defende for his glorye sake and the maintenance of true religion When I hearde these vnnaturall woordes pronounced of vnnaturall subiectes towards their natural soueraigne and Countrie I could no longer forbeare to speake somewhat after this manner against these most malicious and blooddy wishings Though said I being then moreinclined to superstition then otherwise the religion of our Quéene Countrey differeth from the Catholique faith yet doe I not reade in Gods woorde that it is lawfull for vs to wishe the death of our naturall Princesse the ouerthrowe of our louing Countrey wherein we were borne Wée ought say they as wée may reade in the scripture hartily to pray vnto God for the happie conuersion of our Quéene and countrey to the faith of the Romanes Oh say they we had rather haue our parentes and friendes burned to ashes then that they shoulde renounce the profession of the faith of Rome but God sendeth a shrewd cow short hornes Neuerthelesse our hope and confidence is in the Lord of hoastes that the wished day of theirs shall neuer come to passe if the euent of all things should happen according to their wished mind they would not spare to imbrue their giltie handes in the innocent blood of their parentes and kinsfolke that shoulde boldely and constantly confesse Christ to bée the inuisible head of the Churche and not the Pope Father Ferdinando commended their villanous and Diuelish wishes For breuities sake I omitte to delate vpon their tir ānous doyngs desires and demaunds Nowe I procéede to certifie the curteous Reader of their manner of penaunce If any had committed some faulte by negligēce or through disobedience or contrarywise he hath penance inioyned him according to the qualitie of the crime As if he cōmeth to late to acōpany his fellow to the schooles then he is cōmaunded to stand at dinner or supper vntill the Rectour biddeth him sit downe If any other rose somewhat too late to contemplation hée is charged to lye prostrate on the ground vpon some couerlet or blanket and there hée lyeth on his backe vntill father Reetour or father Minister in the Rectours absence willeth him to rise vp Some for not comming to church some for neglecting the hearing of exhortations some for passing by any Iesuites some for one fault and some for another receue diuerse penances Some holde their fingers in their mouthes in the middle of the haule some are forbidden to drinke some haue not their antepast their first dish of meat or of fruites or of rootes some of ther post-past their after dish eyther of fruites or chéese And thus much in breuity fouching their maner of penances Euery one hath his bedde alone for feare of the abominable acte of Sodomie which is vsuall at Rome amongst all fortes of people And a little before midnight one of the Iesuites commeth to the scollers Chambers to sée what rule they kéepe and whether euery one bée in his owne bedde The scollers both in winter and summer weare two gownes the one vpon the other and a doublet and brieches in summer but in winter they haue warmer apparell Euery wéeke they are bounde to say ouer their beades for the Popes health and his florishing prosperitie and for the whole colledge of the the princely Maiesticall Cardinalls The first time that I came to the Englishe Seminarie father Rectour asked if I had any holy beades I tolde him no the next day the Rectour gaue me a payre of beades and warned me diligently and affectionately to pray incessantly for our patrone the Popes holinesse as he termed it I will sayde I say ouer my beades as well as I may but I could not tell what to doe with my swapping beades vnlesse to fray away dogges For I coulde better number the beades seuerally thē say my prayers on them I neuer learned to vse my beades but contented my selfe with my little primer booke and when I lost them I neuer sought any other I was complayned of to the Rectour for that I regarded no better the Diuels guttes To procéede further to write of the orders of the english seminarie I thinke it not amisse once a moneth euery student hath giuen him the name of some Saint whom for that moneth he taketh to be his patrone and defendour to him hee directeth his prayers and supplications as to God him selfe In that little fragment of paper is written to what purpose he shall pray as for the Popes health and long life that he may see reuengement done vpon princes who are fauourers of the reformed religion that he may subdue all countries fallen from him vnder his seruile