gouernours as I haue sayd with equal authoritie all in his opinion or the far greater parte very catholique But he was no sooner dead but all these orders of his were ouerthrowen and a protector made the third day after the kinges death and sone after religion changed and the law of six articles abrogated and as litle regard had to king Henries will and ordinances as if he had neuer byn king of this realme or mayster to the breakers And among other these changes was displaced Gardener himself one of the cheef of those sixteen appoynted for gouernours by king Henry and not only thrust from all authoritie but sent also to the tower of London prisoner as before I haue shewed and other Catholique Lordes remoued in lyke manner from the Councel for lyke endes and purposes Then began a new world of making new Lordes new Earles new Marqueses new Dukes in deuiding great states offices dignites in good felowship amonge themselues all in the name of the childe king though he were not yet crowned nor three weekes past synce his fathers death New men also were called out of Germany to wit Peter Martir and Martin Bucer two apostated friars with their wenches that had been Nunnes who must come to teache a new religion in England but with expresse condition to be indiffereÌ„t to reache that sect opinion either of Luther Swinglius or Caluin or other that should be determined and agreed vpon by the Parlament then in gathering together and so they were contented and with that condition they were sent the one to Oxford and the other to Cambrige Then was the new English forme of seruice drawen out in hast by certayne of the Protectors chaplayns in Somerset place in London not fully agreeing to any of the Captaynes doctrine aforesaid but somewhat mingled of them all and much also of the Catholique ryte and forme all which was approued soone after for apostolical and established by the lay part of the Parlament for the cleargie reclaymed and all men inforced to sweate vnto it and so for the old religion receaued by the vniuersal church and continued in England for aboue a thousand years and confirmed by so many miracles at the beginning as S. Bede and other ancient authors do affirme and allowed by the consent of all our learned English for so many ages now was there a new religion deuised in corners set vp by certayne obscure and hungrie fellowes in hast within the space of two monethes and authorized by a parlament of vnlearned lay men to be the rule of our saluation But in the meane space the Duke of Somerset now head of this church for that the childe king was at play could think nothing of it attended principally to his temporall aduancement to purchase good old land and caused his seruantes to set forward the new religion without troobling him therin saying that all should be examined and approued afterward by the authoritie of the yong king as trew head of the Church and so it was Then followed great tumultes and rebellious in the realme as also iarring and falling out of the great protestant Councellors among themselues The protector first cut of the head of his brother the Admiral and then the Earle of VVarwicke cut of the head of the Protector and diuers of his frendes and made himself duke of Northumberland and then plotted with the duke of Suffolke to cut of all king Henries children and to bring in Suffolkes daughter and Northumberlandes sonne as they did For which soone after both their heades were cut of also by Queen Marie and Catholique religion was restored agayne to the state wherin first it was when king Henry her father began this tragedie and first put all out of ioynt Thus passed the matter briefly and all this Bishop Gardener had seen and passed through and had plaied his parte in diuers actes and pageantes to wit as an actor in the beginnyng and as a patient after as hath byn shewed And being now restored to his old estate agayne and more ouer made Chancelour of the realme and looking back vpoÌ„ the dream past had he not trow you iust cause to preache hora iam est nos de somno surgere it is tyme to aryse from sleep wherin we haue slumbered these tweÌ„ty yeares and more in suche varietie of tossinges and to walk with more light and stead fastenes for the tyme to come let it be left I say to the iudgment of euerie discreet reader whether this theame parable were fitly chosen and wel applied by B. Gardener or no or rather blasphemously peruerted as our Hunting deuyne Sir Francis wil needs haue it and so much for this tyme of Bishop Gardener About C. Allen for that I haue byn ouer large in B. Gardeners affaires I meane to be verie breef so much the breefer for that the matters obiected agaynst him by this accuser are very cauils if we consider the substaÌ„ce of the thing it self for he sayth that this English traytor though he were a Cardinal at Rome and sworn to the Popes paÌ„table hath sent froÌ„ thence many slanderous and seditious pamphlets and in one which was the treatise against the English execution of iustice he seemeth to wish that doctor Sanders and doctor Bristow had spared to speak so much in defence of Pius Quintus Bul agaynst her Maiestie and yet he doubteth not to affirme that these two learned men of â—reat zele and excellencie had their special reasons to do so which he will neither desend nor reproue c. And further he proceedeth sayth this maÌ„ to excuse all the preestes and studentes beyond the seas and all such as haue come ouer and saith that all of them â—ince that censure of his holinesse to vse sayth he his owne wordes did vse all â—euerence and respect to her Maiestie vttering in no preaching speach or booke â—o not at the houre of their death and martyrdome nor euer before in any their confessions to the magistrate any disloyal word agaynst her Maiestie These woordes recyteth Hastinges out of the discourse against their English iustice as wordes of moderation or rather blushing as he â—ermeth them for that which was done before and yet he sayth that â—n an other treatise of defence of Sir VVilliam Stanlies act in geuing â—uer Deuentrie to the king of Spayne the Cardinal cometh to â—tter himself as far as either Sanders or Bristow or any other in approbation of the sayd excomunication which thing albeit this kinght â—o greatly condemne yet cannot I any thing marueyle thereat considering that the Cardinals opinion being as he was could be no other in substance touching matters of controuersie then was that of doctor Sanders doctor Bristow and the rest And though for peace â—â—oderation and edification he liked wel in others and specially â—n the yonger sorte of preestes that they should auoyd all occasion of â—ateful speach in this odious
pastors shall appeare to take account of the obedience or rebellion vsed to his vnder pastors then will these reckoninges be cleered and euerie man shall receyue according to his merits And if all Christian nations haue and ought to bear such reuerence and respect to the sea of Rome then much more our litle Iland of England as this man calleth it for that it hath receiued more singuler benifits from thence then any one nation in the world besides to wit it hath bin twice conuerted from paganisme to Christian religion by the especial diligence labour and industrie of the same sea once in the time of the Britans about a hundreth and ninetie years after Christe at what time Elutherius that holy Pope and Martyr conuerted king Lucius and his subiects by the preaching of Saint Damianus and his fellowes sent from Rome to that effect and the second time about fiue hundreth years after when our predecessors the English Saxons were conuerted by Saint Augustine and his fellow preachers sent by Saint Gregorye the great then Bishop of Rome to the same end And if it be most certayn and cannot be denyed that these two benifits rightly considered are the greatest that vnder heauen our land could receiue from any mortal men and that the obligation of this dooble spiritual birth of ours is so much greater then the band we owe to our carnal parents by how much more weightie and important is our eternal saluation then our temporal life let all men consider the barbarous ingratitude of this mā that barketh with such spite against the sea of Rome the mother of our Christianitie and against her Bishops the woorkers of so high a blessing vnto vs. And with this cōsideration I leaue the modest discreet readers to iudge of the matter as reason and religion shal induce them and with this cease to passe any further in this matter THE EIGHTH INCOVNTER TOVCHING SPANIARDES ASvvell the vvhole nation as their present King HAuing made the warde which you haue seen in the former incounter both to Rome and her Bishoppes agaynst the peeuish wranglinges and spitefull calumniations of this wach-worde-geuer there remayneth yet an other bickering about the Spanish king and nation which I haue reserued to this last place as the subiect wherein our cockish knight presumeth principally to crowe and triumph without modestie and to lauish out lies without number or measure imagining that all is both lawfull and gratefull which he sayth in that kynde and that no man will aduenture to check him therin in respect of the present warres and hostilitie that are betwixt our realme and them But he is deceaued for that the wiser sorte of our nation haue learned euen by the lawes of moral ciuilitie that a man must speake moderatly also of his enemy and the more religious sort do know by the principles of Christianitie that not only of our temporal aduersarie which may be afterward our frend we must notly or fayne reproches but neither of the Deuil himself though he be our spiritual immortal enemy and Gods also so detestable are lying lips and calumnious tongues in the sight both of God and man where either reason or religion beareth rule as neither of them seemeth to do with the enraged and distracted spirit of Sir francis Hastinges VVhich poynt that we may better consider of I shall first beginne with that which he vttereth in diuers partes of his libel agaynst the whole nation of Spaniards in general terming them by the names of proud ambitions bloody tyrannical rauening Spaniards a nation cursed by God for that the Pope that cursed man of sinne hath blessed them c. And in one place he descrybeth them in these wordes I must remember vnto you that it is recorded of the Spaniard that in dissimulation he surpasseth all nations till he haue attayned to his purpose and when he can once preuayle he goeth beyond them all in oppression and tyrannie also that he disdayneth all other nations and that in pryde and carnal voluptuosnes no nation cometh neer him and these be his qualities This our gentlemans censure gathered out of recordes as he sayth but I would gladly he had cited the author where he found this record as he ought to haue donne for discharging his fayth and honestie in so greeuous an accusation as this is and that toucheth so many if he had regard or respect therof And hardly do I beleeue that he hath euer found or shall fynd any writer of credit be he of what nation soeuer that will shew himself so fond and passionate as to set downe by wryting so preiudicial a censure and so general a reproche as this is agaynst any nation notwithstanding I know that the Spaniardes at this day haue many emulators and aduersaries partely for hatred of Catholique religion which is their greatest glorie and partely by reason of their large dominions which is not strange for so had the Romanes also before them and the Graeciās Assyriās before them agayne when their Monarchies were potent quia virtutis comes inuidia as the common prouerb sayth enuy followeth vertue and valour and in this sense our English prouerb is also most true it is better to be enuied then pitied And when the Roman monarchie was fallen and the french also that was set vp by Charls the great our English nation had the greatest of any one of Christendome for some ages together when we possessed our ample olde states and dominions in france during which tyme he that will see the inuectiues made agaynst our English manners and agaynst our proud and tyrannical kynde of proceeding as then it was termed let him but reade ouer the recordes of the french chronicles extant at this day and yet no reason that these recordes should condemn or disgrace our whole nation now nor then neither when they were written being set downe by our aduersaries and emulators and by those that were either vnder vs or feared vs and consequently were nothing equally affected vnto vs as many are not at this day agaynst Spaniards Moreouer if some Spaniardes should be found in deed to haue some of those vices or defectes which here by their calumniator Sir francis are named as among other nations no man can deny but the lyke are also to be found what reason or equitie is there to omit conscience and christianitie with which this man seemeth to haue litle to do what reason is there I say that these defectes should be attributed vniuersally to the whole Spanish nation wherin there are to be found thowsandes that haue no part nor fault as on the other syde if some English-men as they passe ouer other countries by sea and land at this daye should behaue themselues scandalously by gluttonie and drunkennes as diuers haue byn sayd to do is it a lawfull consequence to say or think that all English are such at home and that these are the qualities of the
common-wealth many perils diuerted both for the present and the time to come many benefits and benedictions insew euery way if I be not deceiued which yet I leaue to the high and most holy inscrutable prouidence of almightie God to determine at his pleasure and to your Lordships wisdomes to consider with due maturitie And so most humbly I take my leaue This first of September 1598. Antigo. of flatterie Esa. 3. The present state of English blessings â—â—cles 22. Scotland Irelandâ— Flaundersâ— Fraunce England Spiritual effectes by change of religion Ioan. 17. Act. 4. Eph. 4. Gal. 3. 2. Thes. 5. 1. Cor. 4. About certayntie in religion A playne demonitiation agaynst Sir Francis VVhat effectes of vertue nevv religion hath vvrought Esa. 11. Sledan Math. 3. 8. 4. Luc. 3. Act. 2. 2. Corinth 7. 2. Rom. 8. Coll. 3. Math. 19. 17 1. Cor. 7. Luc. 11. 14. Temporal effectes by change of religion Strength felicitic by vnion Securitie Issue of her Maiestie Establishment of suecession Vnion vvith Rome see Apostolique Ancient leagues VVarres abroad Damages receaued at home Recusantes The soÌ„me of all that hath byn saide Senecâ— Deuised daâ—â—â—enes Learning in Q. Maries reigne Manifeste vntruthes Vntruth Vntruth Hovv reading of Scriptures vvas forbidden vvhie Comparason â— Cor. 3. Ad Marcellinum Vnderstanding of Scriptures a peculier gift Apoc. â— Luc. 24. Act. â— Ibidem Experience of hurtes come by permitting the reading of scriptures to the ignoraÌ„t Ioanâ— Burcher burned The first forged position Distinction of laytie cleargie Origen hom 7. in Herem Epiph. Episc. ad loan Episcopum Hierosol Hieron CoÌ„ in cap. 12. Hierem. Maxime Minime D. Thom. 2. 2. quaest 82. â—r 20. VVhat deuotion is vvhence it proceedeth Psal. 38. VVhy the best learned are not alvvayes most deuoutâ— 1. Cor. â— The Catholiques more authors of knowledge then Protestants The second faigned position Act. 20. About S. Thomas of Canterbury Theodor. lib. 4. c 6. lib. 5. c. 17. deinceps Zozom lib. 8 fere per totum Socrat. lib. 6. c. 16. Zozom lib. 8. c. 17. Niceph. l. 14 c. 43. Math. Paris Vide apud Lippoman Surium Mense Decemb Edoard in vita D. Thomâ— cap. 26. K. H. his voluntarie penance The third feigned position Impudent calumniation Heb. 13. Ephes. 6. Rom. 13. The fourth faigned position Shameles lyinge Many cauiles and falshoodes Rom. 13. Vide quest 26 27. addit 6. Tho. ad 3. p. caet tract 9. opustul de indulgentijs Ioan. 20. A fonde coÌ„clusion The malignitie of Sir Francis The estate of Lady Elizabeth in Q. Maries tyme. Causes of securitie to Lady Elizabeth in Q. Maries tyme. VVicked calumniatioÌ„s Leu. 4. â— Num. 35. 1. Reg. 19. 15. 16. 17. About Doctor Storie Doctor Stories zâ—le and complaynt A Counselour may speake freely About the Bul. of Pius Quintus A ridiculous proposition Three things considerable in this knights accusation Anno Domini 1570. regni 13. Incitation of Popes by the English Protestantes Contemptuous proceeding The excomunication agaynst the Queene Other hostile actions obiected Of the patience of Catholiques The patieÌ„ce of ProtestaÌ„tes Goodmans booke The reuels of forayne heretiques Northumb. VVestmerl Fr. Throg Char. Pag. Northumb. Arundel The Comparison betvveen Bishop Gardener Cardinall Allen. 2. Cor. 6. Of Bishop Gardener Rom. 13. Bishop Gardener his gentle nature The Dukes speaches to Bishop Gardener The Duke of North. religion Stovv â—n 1. Reg. Manâ—e A mysterious bracelet Of Bishop Gardeners fall Sto anno 1. â—d 6. About bringing in the Spaniard in Q. Maries dayes Rom. 13. The SermoÌ„ of Bishop Gardener at Pauls Crosse. Bishop Gardener his repeutance at his death K. Henrie the 8. inclination to reconcile himselfe The sleepe and dreame noted by B. Gardener in England Seem HeÌ„r 25. cap. 22. anÌ„ 28. cap. 7. 17. K. Henries perplexitie about religion The stirres in king Edvvardes dayes Of Cardinal Allen. VVhy Doct. Allen. D SaÌ„deâ—s and other lyke might vtten their myndes more playnly Hovv the Q is ouâ— mother and he Pope our father Sir Francis ridiculous Ioan. vâ—t About Iesuites in general and their coÌ„tradictors Act. 28. Iustin. apol 2. ad Anton. Pium. Tert. apol aduersus geÌ„tes Sap. 10. Psalm 79. 7. Luc. â— Isai. 8. Heb. 12. Causes of tribulations to Gods seruantes Ioan. 18. Act. 9. 2. Cor. 1. Dyuers sortes of contradictors of Iesuits 1. Cor. 1. 1. Timoth. 1â— 2. Cor. 11. 1. Ioan. 2. Philip. 1. 1. Timoth. 1. 2. Timoth. 4. Profession of Iesuites 1. Ioan. â— Chrysost. Tom. 5. hom 2. de vit monach Basil. serm de institut monachi Nazianz. â—rat 1. in Iulian. Apostat Iesuits doctrine Eccles. 1. Dan. 12. The name lisfe and coÌ„uersation of Iesuits Iustin. apol 2. ad Imp. Anton. Tert. apol Top liffe the preestqueller Ihon Chattel in France an 1594. offred to kil the king Ioanes Ghineardus martyred Cic. lib. 2. off D. Tho. 2. sent dist 44. art 2. de Regim principum cap. 6 Caet in D. Thom. 2. secundae q. 64. art 3. Sot de iust lib. 5. q. 1. art 4. Diuers enemies of Iesuites Tertul. Apolog cap. 8. Cap. 2. Apostatical Iesuites Ioan. 3. Deut. 32. Iustinus Apolog prima Part. 6. Constant cap. 1. Exam. admitt cap. 4. Iesuites labors and indeuours for the publique Tertul. Apol. â—â—p 42. Obiections against lesuites ansvvered Ambition 1. Cor. 1â— VVhether Iesuites be seditions trooblers of common vvalthes Act. 24. Luc. 23. A holy kynde of seditioÌ„ Luc. 12. S. Bonauent stim diuini â—â—noris Eccles. 41. VVhether Iesuites do seeke the deathes of princes Ioan. 12. The fact of Iohn Chattel in france the 27. of DeceÌ„b. 1594. An other deuyse against Iesuites in Holland Refutal of the fable VVhether Iesuites seeke her maiest blood 1. Cor. 2. Defence of F. persons in particuler An euident demonstration 1. Reg. 2â— 2. Timot. 2. About good lyf Math. 7. Iacob 2. The first charge agaynst Catholiques An erroneconscience also byndeth Rom. 2. Idolothita Roman 14. Aug. lib. 4. contra Iuda cap. 3. An erroneous conscience doth euer excuse Roman 1â— Protestantes discredit Matti 13. Marc. 14. Luc. 8. About the hurtes that recusantes vvould do Argumentum ad hominem 1. Cor. 14. No subiectes to be vrged vpon invvard desyres The third charge against recusantes Sir Francis Hastinges conscience Notorious rayling and calumniatioÌ„ agaynst recusaut Catholiques A bare English hart vvhat it is An absurd position of Sir Francis Gen. 12. 19. 3. Reg. 12. 4. Reg. 3. Hier. 38. 39. 40. c. Ruff. lib. 1. cap. 18. Zozom lib. 3. cap. 12. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 4. Psal. 44. Math. 17. Luc. 12. 1. Cor. 2. Domestical examples 1. Pet. 2. About obedience to teÌ„poral Princes Acts. â— False taanslation 1. Pet. 2. Hebrae 13. Spiritual go uernours Acts. 20. Most absurd doctrine Mat. 15. 1. Pet. 2. Hovv recusantes do obey and hovv they may not A speech to catholique recusantes 1. Pet. 2. Math. 22. Marc. 12. Rom. 13. Temporal Magistrate 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 13. Note this point Ioan. 8. Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. Spiritual magistrate Ioan. 6. Luc. 12. Ioan. 13. Math. 23. Luc. 10. Heb. 13. Temporal and spiritual iurisdiction Occham to the Emperour Opprobtiousspeaches VVhether the Popes of Rome be Antichrisâ—â—â— Antich one man Antichrist declared by the levves Antichrist vvhen Antichrist a Ievv Antichrist in Hierusalem Antichrists doctrine Antichrists miracles Antichrists tyme of raigne Henoch Helias Day of iugdment Hovv there are many Antichristes 1. Loan 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venit 2. Thessal 2. Hovv Rome is Babylon About the Popes external honor The peril of Sir Francis rayling Exod. 22. Leuit. 20. Act. 23. Rom. 13. Hovv povver is to be respected Luc. 10. Math. 23. Harebrayne and hed longe dealings of Sir Francis 1. Cor. 5. 6. A demonstration agaynst Sir Francis madnes Luther Caluin Diuers reasons for the Bishop of of Râ—ome his preheminence Plato in polit Arist. lib. 3. polit cap. 5. Agust lib. 11. ciuit Dei cap. 15. 1. Cor. 10. Cant. 4. Saynt Peter cheefe of the church vnder Christ Ioan. 3. August in hunc locum Luc. 24. Marc. 16. Act. 1. Act. 2. Act. 3. Act. 5. Act. 10. Ibidem Act. 9. Chrysost. Ibidem Gal. 1. Chrysost. homil 87. in Ioan. CommissioÌ„ of Saynt Peter Math. 16. Ioan. 21. Ambrose in cap. vltimâ—Ì„ Luc. August in Ioan. 21. Chrisost in Ioan 21. Epiphanâ— in ancor Hovv Saint Peters charge is imparted also to others Saint Peters successors Popes of Rome 1 Pet. 5. The Particuler obligation of English tovvardes the Bishop of Rome Raging agaynst the Spanish nation VVhy Spaniards are maligned Speeches of English vvhen they vvere poteÌ„t Of the spanish nation 1. Mach. 8. Rare Spaniards Particular obligations of Spaniards The defence of the King of Spayne in particuler The condition of the mariage vvith the Spanish King King Philips vsage to made the English The vsage of English tovvards Span. in Q. Mariestyme The Count of freÌ„tsalida robbed pretily in England First frutes of nevv ghospellers A discourse of Sir Francis of King Philip secret meaning The letter out of Spayn discredited L. Courtenay The Carevves A malitious forgerie agaynst King Phil. Faigned effects of an imagined vsurpation About taxes paied to the King of Spayne The tribuâ— of Alcaualla A shamles tale The improbabilitie of the calumniation Duchesse of Feria King Phil. sought not Queen 〈◊〉 destruction About lopus the PhysitiaÌ„ In the 6. Encounter The conclusioâ— Effectes of yuel tongues A supplication to the Councel for moderatioÌ„ Reasons for moderation Qualities of the princes to be dealt vvithall Pope Clement viij K. Phillip The Catholiques of England their cheef desyre The furie of puritaâ—ical spirits Cyprian â—p 93. The effects of dying for religion in England Math. 21. Eccles. â— Iustin. lib. 3. Cicero off lib. 2. Luc. 11. The dangers after her Maisties death The example of Aug. and other kings Kings of England In the 6. incounter The example of King Henrie the eight and the King of France In the 3. incounter An important coÌ„sideration A ioyful state The first proposition of Protestantes in the vvorld
Spiritus autem viuificat the letter or literall â—ound doth ofteÌ„ tymes murder the reader the only spirit that is the internall true and spirituall meaning of the Scriptures doth giue lyf And albeit S. Augustin in his learned booke de Spiritu litera doth extend these woords of the Apostle to a farther meaning also yet he teacheth this too and so do the rest of the ancient fathers namely S. Hierom â—d Nepotianum handeling the story of king Dauid 3. Reg. 1. where the â—ong virgin Abisag was sought out to heat him in his olde adge S. Hierom sayth that if we should follow literam occidentem the murâ—hering letter it seemeth a iest and fable but if we fly to the hidden spirituall sence and meaning it is most holy But now let vs aske of you Sir Knight how wil your vnlearned â—eaders those whoÌ„e you cal dim glimering people discerne these things without a guyd such as the Catholique Church doth appoynt for â—xpounding the Scriptures to simple people by Catechisms SermoÌ„s Homelies teaching of pastors and the lyke without deliuering the whole Bible into their handes to be vsed or abused to their destruction Furthermore you cannot deny but that the vnderstanding of Scriptures is a particuler gift of God reserued especially vnto Christe who had the key to open the booke sealed with seuen seales as S. Iohn testifieth and to the same effect is it recorded in S. Lukes Gospel for a singuler grace bestowed by our Saueour vpon the Church tunâ—â—peruit illis sensum vt inteligerint Scripturas Then after his resurrection did he open to them the sence wherby they might vnderstand Scriptures of theÌ„selues For euer before he had interpreted the same lightly vnto them as in the Gospel apeareth He sent also S. Phillip the Apoâ—tle by commaundement of his Angell to goe and interpret a certain place of the Prophet Esay vnto the great Eunuch Tresurer of the Q of AEthiopia when he would conuert him And it is to be obserued that albeit Christe might haue opened the sence of the Scripture to himself immediatly yet would he send him a guide Yea though the sayd Eunuch were learned as may appeer by that being an AEthiopianred the Prophet in Hebrue and though he were also instructed in the Iews religion as it is proued by that the storie recordeth that â—he came to adoie in Hierusalem yetall this notwithstanding was he so far from the pryde of our peeuish prowd protestant people now a dayes which make no bones at any difficultie of Scriptures as when he was asked by S. Phillip Putasneintelligâ—s quae legis thinkest thou that thou vuderstandest the Scripture which thou readest he answered how can I vnderstand it except some body do expound the same vnto me which answere I beleeue many a good wife in London that goeth vp and downe with her Bible vnder her arme would be ashamed to giue if she were asked whether she vnderstand the whole Bible or no. These then Sir Knight are the reasons why some of those your glimmering and inlightened people were restrayned by Catholique discipline to read vpon Gods booke as you call it vulgar translations noâ— to bar them from light as you malitiously calumniate but rather leasâ— they being but half blynde should become whole blynde that is tâ—â— say madd and obstinate blynde of ignorance and vnlearned blynde for such effects doe insew some times of the rash reading of this booke of God when therof is ingendred falshood and HeresyeÌ„ that is the doctrine of the diuel for proofe wherof let vs consider whether in aâ— thowsand years together in England France Germany and other places of Christendome while this prudent restraint of Catholiquâ— church lasted of not permitting all ignorant people to read Scriptures at their pleasures in vulgar languages without an interpreter there arose so many Sects Heresyes and alterations about Religion as there haue risen in fifty or threescore years since this reading was left open to all there is no comparison And if we consider only England theâ— matter is euideÌ„t that more sects haue sprong vp of late by many degrees Yea though we leaue all other sects that are permitted or wiâ—ked at in England respect such only as haue bin punished openly by the magistrate namely such persoÌ„s as haue bin whipped or burned in London Norfolk and other places for Heretiques in the tyme oâ— her Maiestyes raign that now is for denying Christe himself or otherâ— poyntes of the blessed Trinity being altogether vnlearned people as our Chronicles testifie of whome I ask had they euer fallen into such errors and obstinacie but only by reading Sciptures in the vulgar language had euer william Hacket dreamed himself to be Christe or william Geffrey before him but by this way we see then the inconuenience In King Henries tyme when Tindal had translated and printed the new Testament in English at Colen and began to seck meanes to haue them dispersed in England the laws and kings commandment being then against it there was a certayn foul fusteluggs dishonest of her body with base fellows as was openly reported whose name was Ioan knell alias Burcher if I forget not who beginning to be a great reader of Scriptures her self became a principall instrument also in that tyme to deuulge such Bibles as were sent especially in the courte where she became known to certayn women in authority and to conuey the bookes more safty she vsed to bynde them in strings vnder her aparrell and so to pass them into the courte but her neerest freÌ„dship was with An Askew whoÌ„e king heÌ„ry afterwards caused to be burned for denying the reall preseÌ„ce in the SacrameÌ„t of the Aulter But this other scripturian profited so wel as in the fifth yeare of king Edwards reygn she was burned also by the protestants of that time for denying Christe to haue taken flesh of the Virgin Marie Who when she was codemned to dye spake very scornfully to the Iudges and saied It is a goodly mattâ—er to consider your ignorance it is not long agoe since you burned Ann Askew for a peece of bread and yet came your selues soone after to beleeue and professe the same doctryne for which you burned her now for sooth you wil needs burne me for a peece of fleshe in the end you will come to beleeue this also when you haue red the scriptures and vnderstand them and when she came to dye in Smithfield and D. Story endeuored to conuert her she skoffed at him saying he lyed like c. and bad him god read Scriptures And thus much may serue for the repelling those clowds mists and darknesse which this wach-woord-giuer wil needs imagin to be amoÌ„g vs for that all coblers do not clowt Scriptures in our commonwealth But let vs see now what positions and principles he sayth we haue for our direction amiddest this darknesse In these darke and clowdy dayes sayth he least
parasite pratleth but vpon â—ome other cause giuen rather from England as himself after page 57. of his libel confesseth in these woords The king of Spain and Popes malice saith he to the Queen is not for that she is daughter to king Henry the eight and sister to Queen Marie but because she hath banished the Pope that Antechriste of Rome c. ergo the Q. began with the Pope and the Pope not with her But secondly let it be considered in what maner this banishment of the Pope was contriued that in this time of peace between Rome and England after the Queens entrance what was donn at home by vs against the Pope to stir him to this act of hostilitie First not only the whole body of religion was changed that had indured aboue a thowsand years and this contrarie to expectation and promes but diuers peculier statutes were made also against the Bishop of Rome by â—ame with the most spiteful and opprobrius woords termes that any malice of man could deuise all the whole Catholique body of England enforced to sweare against him and his authoritie by name or els to incur most greeuous and capital damages the like detestable othe was offered and repeated again and again to all such and as often as they were to take any degree of preferment within the land All the clergie was deposed and depriued of liuings libertie only for adhering to the Popes religioÌ„ the Bishops other principal prelates of our land committed to prisons holds and restraints for the same cause and there continued vnto their dying day for that they refused to subscribe to so violent a statute Then such as would leaue the realme or fle were inhibited those that staied at home were inforced to participate not only of these other but also eating new deuised Sacrament bâ—ead against their consciences condemned also and anathemazed by the lutheraÌ„s first founders of this new religioÌ„ The Pope euery where was cried out of reuiled made a matter of scorne infamy not only in all sermons pulpits and conuenticles but also in comedies plâ—ies and interludes by euery base and contemptible companion In the schooles of vniuersities most ridiculous propositions were set vp as paradoxes to be defended that the Pope forsooth was Antechriste the man of sinne talked of by S. Paule and other like toyes And that which moued perhaps more then all the rest was that these things were not only practised alowed of in England and Ireland subiect to her Maiestie but were begun to be introduced also by ouâ— meanes that is by the turbulent attempts and practises of protestants her Maiestie perhaps knowing litle therof in all the realmes and regions round about vs and namely in France Flanders and Scotland where the warres tumults rebellions deuisions sects heresies and other outrages came to be so many and excessiue great as the lawfulâ— and naturà ll princes of those contries seeing themselues so far indomaged and highly endaungered therby were inforced first of all to complain vnto the Pope as chief pastor and common father of all to vse such spirituall redresse as he might for his party in respect oâ— his ecclesiasticall souereigntie whilest they prepared also to defendâ— themselues and their troobled countries by force of armes Not malignitie then of the Pope and his adherents agaynst heâ— Maiesties crown and diadem wherunto willingly they had concurâ—â— and assisted moued this first breach and bickering as this malignanâ— barking-whelp would beat into mens eares but necessities of greatâ—â— violence inforced the same And if perhaps we in England after the change made in religion had taken that course which Protestants did in Germany to follow our new opinions without gawling of others none of these open hostilities had euer insued And let this stand foâ— the second notandum wherby is ouerthrown all this slanderous caâ—lumniation of the kinght The third note may be to consider with indifferency what this acâ— of the Popes excomunication is in it self or how far it may in reason and iustice without malice and calumniation be streched against thâ— Catholique subiects of England In it self it was an act of iurisdiction between two superiours thâ— one Ecclesiastical the other temporal wherin the subiects sentencâ— or consent was neuer asked nor admitted Secondly it was no new thing for that we see and read that thâ— like hath happened often and vpon many occasions between thâ— Bishops of Rome and diuers other great princes common-wealthes Emperours Kings and monarchs and sometymes also with kings of England and of late with the king of France as all the world knoweth And yet the subiect is neither afflicted nor accused for it nor â—nforced to change their old receaued beleef about the Popes authoâ—itie in such matters though in that particuler fact for reuerence of â—heir naturall Prince and dew respect in lyke manner to the other â—hey will not medle nor yet discuss the question whether the Pope â—ad iust reason or sufficient information whervpon to proceed but with dutifull loue and honour to the one and to the other they chuse â—ather to commend the matter to almightie God which is the only â—hing that resteth for a pious and dutiful subiect to perform in such â—ases when two superiours shall disagree vntill God by his goodnes â—hall determine the controuersy and bring all to some happie end as â—e hath donn of late in France where after the foresaied excomuniâ—ation by the see Apostolique the same king hath receyued exceeding great fauours and benefytes from the same sea and Bishop which almightie God graunt we may once see also in our countrie to the conâ—entment of all parties and therby all such hastie hoate-spurres as this â—s who still would kindle more fier and bring all to desperation may â—e reiected and put to silence And with this I might end the matter of her Maiesties perils were 〈◊〉 not that this playntiffe proceedeth on with a long rehersal of other â—ostile actions committed as he sayth by English Catholiques also â—gaynst her Maiestie As the rising of the two earles in the north â—orthumberland and VVestmerland the rebellion of diuers of the â—obilitie in Irland Doctor Sanders going thither Mayster Francis â—hrogmortons practises in England M. Charles Pagets going â—orth of the land the other two earles of Arundell Northumberâ—ands commitment and the like All which are ouer long to examine more in particuler and all put together do weigh so litle in the matter we haue in hand as by that which followeth shal appeare None of all these actions brake out to any hostilitie sauing only â—he two earles rysing and gathering their tenantes together in the â—orth where yet there followed neither battayle nor bloodshed and â—hey were no sooner almost together nor heard of at the courte â—ut they were seuered agayn and retyred into Scotland Flanders And this is all the actual rysing that hath byn among Catholiques within
ghost The second notable poynt which the Bishop vttered in this sermon was concerning king Henrie the eight his lord and mayster which moued the auditorie no lesse then the other And this was that the sayd king a litle before his death had dealt with him verie secretly and seriously to haue sent him to a certayne dyat in Germanie vnder pretence to treat other matters but in deed the cheef poynt should be to seeke out some honorable way and meanes as from himself and not from the king either by the Emperor legat popes Nuntio or other fit instrument to reconcyle him agayne to the church of Rome And this the Bishop affirmed to be most true vpon his oath and fidelitie to God and the world and to the memorie of the sayd king his master dead whome he shewed to loue so tenderly and dearly as he wepte most bitterly also in that place for that this holie motion had not taken the effect he desired attributing the let therof to Gods seuere iudgmentes and to the great difficulties which the sayd king found of making that recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ with his honour and reputation which temporal honour he lamented much that it was more regarded by the king and some that counselled him then in so weightie a woork of eternall saluation ought to haue bin Thus then was the substance and these were the circumstances of that sermon Let vs now coÌ„sider whether the theam he tooke iam hora est nos de somno surgere were fit and to his purpose or no or whether it were prophanely blasphemously peruerted as this wise gentleman affirmeth who taketh vpon him to censure the matter First let it be considered that if euer any man of our realm might take vpon him to talk of a sleep or dream in matters of our coÌ„mon-wealth as a Counsellor and of his own knowledge Bishop Gardener might do it which had seen such alterations both of religion and temporalityes within our land such chopping and chaunging such pulling down and setting vp as he might fitly call the tyme a time of sleep or dream For as in a sleep things are represented to a man confusedly and out of hand they passe away and contrarie representations come in their place so had Bishop Gardener seen in the publique affaires of the realme no lesse alterations of comicall and tragical acts after he came to be a councellor For first he had seen his own king and maister king Henry the eight so earnest in the defence of the catholique faith of the sea of Rome in perticuler as he wrote a booke in defence therof though he were disswaded by some of his counsell to do it for reason of state And after that again being to send this very man Gardener then his secretarie to Rome for his Embassador about soliciting of the diuorce between himself and Queen Catherine he commanded him to tel the Pope and Colledge of Cardinales that whatsoeuer they determined in that matter he would accept it with all indifferencie and euer be a most obedient childe of the Romane churche And this commission he gaue him in the presence of Cardinal VVolsey and yet soone after he saw the same king so chaunged for the affection he bare to an other partie as he brake with the Pope and churche of Rome and pulled down the sayd Cardinal and put to death two of the men that he esteemed most for vertue and learning of all his realme or of any other forrain kingdome of Christendom and whom he had loued before exceedingly to wit Doctor Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More Chancelor Again Gardener had seen the same king wax weary soone after of the party for whose loue he had first begun to make all those stirres and to put her to death openly and yet to continew his former breaches and to run from one difficulty to an other and from one inconuenience to an other neuer to stop the fountain from whence all this vnquietnes came He had seen him also passe from on wife to another to the number of six dismissing some and putting others to death according to the affection or disaffection which he bare to each of them for the time He had seen him make diuers and different actes of parlament in preiudice or preferment of his own children now for their legitimation and inheritance now for the contrarie as by the statutes themselues yet extant in print is euident to the world And from the liking or disliking of his said wiues he passed also to the liking or suspition of his own kinred subiects and familier frâ—nds of which he pulled downe so many as by the stories may be seen And Bishop Gardener was wont to say of him that knew him ful well that after he once left to loue that person which by Gods law and mannes he was bound to loue aboue all others to wit his first wife and Queen he neuer loued any person harâ—ely and constantly afterwards Moreouer he had seen the poore king so combered and troobled about matters of religion as was pitiful to behold For that on the one side the point of his spiritual Supremacy taken vp in his choleâ— against the Pope seemed to touch his honor so neare as he might not shew to yeeld any one iote therin and consequently he was fain to put to death all such Catholiques as denyed the same though otherwise he both loued and highly esteemed themâ— and on the other side his iudgement and conscience in matters of the Catholique truthe against the protestants and all new sectaries conuinced his conscience and vnderstanding as he cleerly vttered in the statute of six articles which iudgement also enforced him to burne as many of that fide â— were conuicted And finally being wearied towards his later end with these combats of conscience and honor iudgement and passion he conferreâ— with Bishop Gardener as you haue heard about the mayn remedy and only sure redresse of all which was his returning to the vnion of the Romane churche and the rest of Christendome And besides all this Bishop Gardener had seen the same afflicted king brought to such streights and doubts in his later howers of life about the weightiest affaires that he had in this world as he could not tell what to determine ordayne or establish for the securitie of his owne children espeâ—ially of his only sonne prince Edward thaâ— had but nyne yeares yet of age and for that cause was the fatherâ— hart more peâ—siue about him For first he was afeard to leaue any protector vnto him remembring the eueÌ„t of king Edward the fourâ—â— his children vnder their vncle protector the Duke of Glocester And secondly he was as greatly afeard and afflicted also to think least after his death the perilous waues and fluddes of heresies should enter vpon him by the very same gate that hymself had opened VVhetfore both these poyntes he forbad expresly and appoynted for execution therof sixteen
kingdomes or that may be christian which obligation groweth by that great and high commission giuen to Saynt Peter in special manner aboue all other Apostles as after shalbe demonstred by Christe him self ouer all christian soules in these wordes thryce repeated pasce oues meas pasce agnos meos feed my sheep and feed my lambes VVhich feeding he could not performe nor can his sâ—ccessors but by doctrine to all and gouerment ouer all And therefore whensoeuer Sir Francis sitting in his wache shall discouer or heare that the Popes holines leaueth of this clayme of Ecclesiastical Supremacie or is so purged as he becommeth a Protestant which none euer yet was nor wilbe by all liklyhood let Sir Francis know that he leaueth also to be Pope and whensoeuer he ceaseth to indeuor the establishing of his Roman vniuersal catholique doctrine in England or any other countrie els where sheep or lambes of Christ are or may be had there he ceaseth also to performe the dutie for which the Popedome or principal See was ordayned by our Saueour And consequently a very impertinent and childish discourse was this of Sir Francis about his holines purgation and reconciliation to Protestantes religion Let vs see if you please the rest concerning father Persons and his pewfellowes as he scornfully calleth them whome albeit he slandereth falsly in the imputations layd agaynst them about seeking the Queens blood yet doth he much honour them all in ioyning them in slander and calumniation with the Pope himself First of all then for that it seemeth that by father persons pewfellowes this pleasant gentlemaÌ„ vnderstaÌ„deth those of his order societie knowen commonly by the name of Iesuites I shall first treate somewhat of them and their estate and doinges in general and afterward descend to father Persons more in particuler though moderatly of them both in regard of the frendship that for many yeares I haue held with them and least any man should attribute the thinges I am to say rather to affection then iudgement in this behalf Notorious it is to them that haue experience in the affayres of our dayes and much more that trauayle through diuers countries and do weigh with iudgement what passeth in the world that these kynd of men I meane the Iesuites as they are greatly loued and esteemed by most catholiques so haue they many aduersaries and maligners also those not only such as in matters of fayth and opinion do dissent froÌ„ them both Heathen Turke Heretique Atheist Infidel and other lyke that all ioyntely do band agaynst them but diuers others also of catholique profession for other causes so as it seemeth that to them may be applied not vnfitly that saying of the Roman Iewes to Saynt Paule when they spake of Christian religion newly begun de secta hac notum est nobis quia vbique ei contradicitur This only we know of this new sect of Christians that euerie where there is contradiction made agaynst it to wit by Iewes gentils philosophers astronomers necromantes heretiques vitious and deuyded Christians and other the lyke and to say the truth it was no euil signe though vttered by enemies of the excellencie of the thing it self for so do diuers ancient fathers gather in their apologie for the Christian cause agaynst the heathens that obiected this matter they gather I say and namely Saynt Iustine Martyr and Tertullian the great perfection of true Christian and catholique doctrine by this general contradiction made of all handes agaynst it and this partly for that truthe is one and errors many and that excellent thinges haue euer many difficulties and that Christe foretold this finally for that the trial of gold by many and strong fyers sheweth it to be pure if it abyde and beare them all in which sence the holie ghost sayd of the iust man Certamen forte dedit ille Deus vt vinceret God hath geuen him a strong battell to the end he might win and therby his victorie to be the greater And king Dauid speaking in the same sence of himself and other seruantes of God complayneth sweetly Posuisti nos in contradictionem vicinis nostris thou hast put vs in contradiction euen to our owne neighbours that is to them that make the same profession also of thy seruice with vs and finally of Christ himself it was foretold Eccepositus est in signum cui contradicetur behold he is put for a signe agaynst the which great contradiction shall be made which in his passioÌ„ was cheefly seen whereof Saynt Paule speaking to the Hebrue Christians sayd Thinke of him which did suffer with patience so greate a contradiction of sinners agaynst himself and he not wearie nor faynt harted in lyke occasions This then perhaps may be some cause of so manyfold contradictions by sondry sortes of men at this day agaynst the Iesuits if as they beare the name so also they draw neare to the lyfe steppes of Iesus their mayster whose particuler badge and liuery seemeth to haue byn euer that his nearest followers and dearest frendes should haue most contradiction in this lyfe for so the lyfe of all his Sayntes do testifie which is nothing els but a rehersal of their contradictions and difficulties and himself discusseth the matter very largely in Saynt Iohns Gospel where hauing shewed extreme loue to his Apostles and disciples and sayd that now they were no more seruantes to him but rather frendes for that he had imparted with them all his secrets he telleth them this secret also for the vpshot of all about contradiction and opposition of the world If the world hate you sayth he know ye that it hated me before you if you were of the world the world would loue that which is his owne but for that you are not of the world and I haue chosen you out of the world therfore the world hateth you remember the saying which I was wont to vse vnto you that the seruant is not greater then his mayster Thus Christ in familiar and confident speech to his best beloued in which sence also he sayd after his resurrection to Ananias about Saynt Paule when he had chosen him to be his fauoryte vas electionis est mihi c. ego ille ostendam quanta oporteat eum pati pro nomine meo He is a chosen vessel vnto me and I will shew him how great matters he must suffer for my name and so he did afterward laying so many contradictions and tribulations vpon him from all handes as the poore man could not tell which way to turne him vt taederet etiam viuere that he was wearie euen of his lyf for that on one syde the Iew of another the Gentill pursued him of an other false brethren betrayed him of an other heretiques made diuisions of an other seditious Christians raysed factions agaynst him and added pressures to his chaynes of an other syde wordly Christians
auoucheth that he hath dissuaded hindered and diuerted some that might perhaps haue had such inclination and namely one Gentleman some yeares past beyond the seas he sayeth not of what nation he was that hauing resolued vpon the only zeale of religion and for deliuering of catholique people from persecution to leese his own life or to take away that of her Maiestie he was entered some hundreth miles and more into his iorney toward England for that purpose hauing made himself ready to dye by discharging his minde of all worldly cares and cogitatons neither had he doubt of the effect for that he pretended not to escape aliue all which notwithstanding vpon father Parsons earnest dissuasion that met him on the way he was content at length to retyre and giue ouer the enterprise principally vpon this reason for others he persuaded himself to haue examined sufficiently before that English catholiques themselues desired not to be deliuered from their miseries by any such attempt and this to be most true he affirmeth vpon his conscience By this then it may seem to appeer that this father is not so thirstie of her Maiesties death and desâ—râ—ction nor of so bloody a disposition as Sir Francis would make him which I haue heard also confirmed by many protestants themselues who meeting with him in catholique kingdomes where he might haue donn them hurt hath alway donn them good and I could name some if I thought it would be no hurt or disgrace vnto them let those fourscore and fifteen whom at one time he deliuered out of the chaynes of galleys of Spayn in the year 90. whereof diuers are gentlemen now dwelling in EnglaÌ„d and those thirtie and fower which this present year of 98. he deliuered from like miserie in the galleys of Naples and many other particuler men benifited by him besides speak for him in this case for that these woorkes are of more weight with wise men then Sir Francis bare woordes to the contrarie And so with this I end also this encounter THE SIXTH INCOVNTER ABOVT THE CATHOLIQVE RECVsantes that refuse for conscience sake to goe to the Protestantes churches and to be present at their seruice in England AS in many other poyntes this hastie hotespur playeth the Herodian shewing himself without conscience at all and ready to pawne his soule for pleasing the prince state where he liueth so in no one thing doth he more discouer this diuelish and detestable disposition then in his cruel and malitious calumniation agaynst the better and more religious sorte of English Catholiques who refusing to dissemble do vtter their consciences plainly in matter of religion And according to their obligation in this behalf do abstain from going to the churches preachings and seruices of them that be of a different religion And albeit he cannot but confesse that many of them do geue good example of lyf in their behaueour or to vse his owne wordes do shew a good outward ciuil cariage in ciuil matters which I dout whether all his neighbours will testifie the lyke of him and of those of his profession yet sayth he let not that possesse you with too great a regard of them and to deliuer you from the danger of such deceytfull baytes I must assure you that this is a true position that without the true feare of God there can be no true religion And vnlesse the religion be found the face and shew of ciuil honestie seem it neuer so glorious in the eies of flesh and blood is but a deceitfull visour vpon a crabtree face couering the most vyle and cankred partes of a deceitfull hart and so I come to shew their dissimulation Thus far Sir Francis to whome I will not answer by examining faces and visours whether that of his be crabtree plumtree pear-tree or figtree let other men iudge that know it Neither yet by discussing how many sortes of cankers there be where with Sir Francis himself may be touched especially if heresie be one as Saynt Paule doth signifie and all holie fathers haue held after him But to the matter it self I answer that wheras Sir Francis maketh so light of good lyf in Catholiques calling it a deceytfull bayte Christe teacheth vs to make a far different collection when in his first sermon on the mountayne he gaue this aduertisement Beware of false Prophetes c. by their frutes you shall know them for as men do not gather grapes of thornes nor figges of brambles so doth euerie good tree bringe foorth good frutes and euerie euil tree bringeth forth euil frutes Neither can a good tree bringe foorth euil frutes nor euil tree good Saynt Iames sayd in lyke case thou hast fayth and I haue workes shew thou to me thy fayth without workes and I will shew thee my fayth by my workes If then here be workes and good lyf in these Catholiques it must be presumed to come of good fayth according to Saynt Iames. And if there be figges and grapes and such other good frutes found in their behaueour then must the tree be iudged good also if Christes rule be not false And for that our Sauiour gaue this rule to discerne true and false prophetes by it is not euil that Sir Francis and his men do fly from it so openly in the playne feeld leauinge good workes to Catholiques and reseruinge only threed-bare fayth to themselues for therby they discocouer what prophetes they be And of all this I do not greatly marueyle in Sir Francis for he seeth poore man how bare a haruest he hath in hand when he talketh of workes amonge those of his sect and how the hare goeth clearly away on our syde if he hunt after good life in his new prophetes But much I marueyle of his lack of shame that talking agaynst these recusant Catholiques he maketh mention so often of deceyt and dissimulation seing that of all other people of the realme these men dissemble least but rather do publish themselues euen to the face and vewe of the magistrate yea they are punished expresly for that they will not dissemble as many others do and go to your churches with a repyning and repugnant conscience for if they would do so then were they no more recusants and consequently fâ—ee from al your clawes penalties and vexations though neuer the more yours therby in mynde then now they be But to the end this matter maâ—e be better discussed let vs heare Sir Francis triple accusation agaynst them his wordes are these I do note sayth he three thinges in this kynde of people worthie to be knowen and obscrued first the hurt thy continually do secondly ihe hurt they would do and thirdly their deep dissimulation Here are three heades you see of a greeuous accusation set downe let vs see the particulers For the first sayth he it would aske a long discourse to discouer all the hurtes done by them they are so many and manifould This is nothing but wordes
rhetorical exageration hitherto let vs see some substance My owne experience telleth me sayth he that when the gentleman and man of wealth refuseth to come to the churche and is in any sort borne with all there the meaner sort receyue infection and draw backe from obedience also for Aboue maiori discit arare minor Of the elder oxe the yonger steer doth learne This is Sir Francis first charge which as it is graue and weightie in it self so is it as substantially proued with a poetical verse taken from his plow and stawle of oxen and from his steeres Let vs see what this iustice of peace hath more to saye of his owne experience for be-lyke he speaketh of his practise in that office agaynst Recusantes it followeth then in his booke If the man come to thurche and the wyf refuse which is a cunnning trick much practised of late yeares then is the houshold both seruantes and children in danger wholly to be corrupted And sure it is that the wyues of the meaner sorte are infected greatly by them and the nightcrowes persuation preuayleth much and in myn owne knowledge within these three yeares many of the meaner sort are fallen away and do fall away daylie for that impunitatis spes magna peccantium in illecebra the hope of impunitie is a greate bayte to offend Heer is all now that our knight can alleage in particuler concerning the hurts so many and so manyfold which before he sayd the recusantes do woork in England which in effect cometh to be no more as you see but that if the goodman refuse to go to churche though the good wife go then those of the meaner sorte begin to refuse also and if the goodwife refuse though the goodman go then are the seruantes and children in danger to do the like And then generally he setteh downe this doctrinal assertion that the night crowes perswasion preuayleth much and this knoweth he of his owne knowledge partely perhaps by experience of his own night crow and partely by tampering in these affaires who as is probable hath bin some principal actor in the long persecutions vpon Catholiques either by playing the parte of Iudas to betray and take them or of Caiphas or Pilate to condemne and afflict them And so by this experience he hath found out as he saith that many goodwiues of the meaner sorte are fallen of late and many other by their example do fall away dayly a grieuous accusation and fit for a carpet knight But Sir you that are such an enemie of night-crowes and haue such knowledge of the afayres of all the goodwiues of your countrie tel me whereunto do these wiues or children or seruantes or tenants or husbands fall when you say they fall away is it perhaps to any enormitie of sinne or to wickednes of life no but to haue a scruple to go to the protestants churches And why for that they are of a different religion They are Catholiques and do think your religion and seruice naught Wel then religion and conscience is cause of this refusal and not euil wil or rebellion as you malitiously interprete and consequently the way of true remedy is not to beat and bynde and driue them to your churches by force and punishment as you do perswade the Magistrate to do Sir consciencelesse knight but first you must make them of your religion that they may go of deuotion and conscience for if they go otherwise it is a dooble sinne both to them that go and to you that make them go albeit the act otherwise in it self were neuer so good and lawful as all men of learning and conscience do wel know that an erronious conscience also bindeth though your ignorance be so grosse in all christian learning as you seme to be both ignorant and careles of so manifest a truthe I say it is a manifest truthe that a mannes conscience is to be followed though it did erre and much more when it erreth not and the reason of the former is that forasmuch as our conscieÌ„ce is nothing els but the voice and determination of our reason and iudgement about matters to be donn or not to be donne it followeth that we are bound to obey that direction be it right or wrong so long as we haue no other light to guyde vs. For that according to this we shalbe iudged at the last day to wit according as each mannes conscieÌ„ce saâ—th Saynt Paule shal accuse or defend him and not according to the nature or qualitie of the thing it self that he doth which point schoolemen if I be not deceiued do expresse in these wordes that the goodnesse or malice of a mannes will is to be measured by the obiect that moueth the will and not by the thing it self that is donne As for example if I apprehend a thing to be euil and yet do it I do sinne albeit the thinge in it self that I do were not euil for that in my apprehension and iudgment it was euil so I did it vnder the conceit and formality of euil and consequently my wil and intention was naught in doing it though the thing in it self were lawfull As for example if in the night time seeing a beast in a bush and thinking it to be myn enemy I should kill it though the thing it self be no sinne yet should I commit manslaughter therin before God for that my apprehension was of myn enemy and consequently myn action should be iudged according to the obiect I conceiued and not according to the thing in it self This very case determineth S. Paule himself particulerly through out the whole foureteenth chapter of his epistle to the Romanes about eating the meates that had bin offered vp to Idols And the same matter he handeleth again throughout the eight chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians And in both places he determineth that to him that either eateth simply without enquiring whether it were offered to Idols or not or hath so much true christian knowledge as he vnderstandeth thereby that an Idol is nothing and that all creatures are lawful to be eaten by a christian man so it be donn without scandal of others with other due circumstances albeit I say to such a man it be lawful to eat of those meates that had bin offered to Idols yet to him that had a contrarie conscience and iudgement it should be a greiuous sinne to eate thereof for that he did it against his own iudgement and beleefe though it were erroneous I do know and trust iu Iesus Christe Saith Saint Paule that no meat is vnclean or vnlawful now but onely to such as think it vnlawful So as onely to think it vnlawful maketh it vnlawful according to Saint Paules rule And again the same Apostle qui discernit si manducauerit damnatus est quia non ex fide he that discerneth or iudgeth the said meat to haue bin offered to Idols and that it is therby
made vnfit to be eateÌ„ yet eateth the same he is coÌ„deÌ„ned for that he doth not according to his own iudgment and beleef And after all he concludeth his speach with this general proposition omne autem quod non est ex fide peccatum est all that is not according to a mannes beleef and conscience is sinne for so expound this sentence Origen Saint Ambros Saint Chrisostom and other fathers and not to signifie that all the woorkes of Infidels donne without faith should be sinne though Saint Augustin apply it also to that sense sometimes but the other sense is the literal and most true as appeareth manifestly by the whole discours of Saint Paule Of all which insueth that no man may do against his conscience though it were awry Not for that a wrong conscience excuseth in all cases for that is a different question but for that a wrong conscience byndeth euermore and some tymes excuseth also when it proceedeth of inuincible ignorance But howsoeuer it cometh by right or wrong information no man may go agaynst it without sin so long as he cannot perswade it to change and if this be so how much more are the recusant Catholiques of England bound to follow their consciences in the poynt they stand in for not going to churche being founded vpon so sure and euident growndes as any demonstration in the world can lay downe for proof of any manifest truth what so euer as for example first that the religion they professe is true and the only truth that among Christians is to be found and secondly that they being of that religion maie not dissemble or seem to professe any other by going to their seruice sermons or churches and hereby also appeareth how great impietie and folly it is for any man to inforce them thereunto as our barbarous knight would haue the English magistrate to do I saie it is impietie to inforce any Christian to do an acte agaynst his conscience and beleef for that it is to inforce him to his damnation as Saynt Paul before hath taught vs I saie also it is folly for that by drawing mens bodies to church by violence their myndes being repugnant nothing is gayned at all but more internal hatred and rancor rather enkindled and the infotcers are made pertakers of the others sinnes and damnation And further the Protestantes do greatly hereby discredit their owne doctrin which they were wont to teach that no man should be forced in matters of his conscience And more ouer they do shew hereby vnto the world that they seeke not the inward man but the vtter shew body with what great repugnaÌ„ce soeuer it be of the soule which is quyt contratie to all pietie and a most base manner of proceeding in respect of the Catholique vsage which albeit it punisheth such as do wilfully and obstinatly leaue the vniuersal ancieÌ„t faith of Christendome which once they haue receyued and sworne vnto yet as long as they are euill perswaded of the same they are not only not forced to Catholique churches or to hearing of masses participation of Sacramentes or to other lyke exercyses of contrarie religion but are barred also though they would come if they be supposed to come with repugnance or that there be any least suspition that they go fâ—ynedly or agaynst their willes for that their soule and mynde is sought in Catholique religion and not the body only And this maie be sufficient for repelling Sir Francis first charge against English recusantes concerning the present hurt he saieth they do in England by geuing others example to follow their consciences and not to dissemble And by giuing them example of good life of modest behaueor of patience in aduersitie of corage in Gods cause of contempe of earthly prosperitie of care of their saluatioÌ„ of feare of Gods iudgementes of fidelitie in following the direction of their consciences of magnanimitie in not yelding to betraye their owne cause and beleefe all which is conteyned in the most excellent and heroical act of the refusing to go to churches and seruice of a different Religion In which poynt of refusal also the Puritanes were wont to concurre with Catholiques for defence of their profession but it may be they haue thought it best now to alter that course for that as they haue no other grownd of their religion but their owne iudgment so it byndeth them no further then they list and that it standeth with their comoditie and it may be that in this poynt now they haue thought it best to follow those whome Christ sayth temporales sunt in tempore tentationis recedunt they are according as the tyme serueth do retyre in tyme of tryal or persecutioÌ„ I come then to the second charge which our knight geueth vpon our recusantes about the hurtes that he will needes haue men beleeue they would do if they could of which he writeth thus Touching the hurt they would do who doubteth but they would haue vp their masse agayne and bannish the syncere worship of God their whole Catholique gouernment and religion I am sure they long for And yet to pronounce these men to carye holow hartes to Queen Elizabeth is thought to be an vncharitable sentence Do you see how wyse a charge this is and how learnedly proued Yf a maÌ„ should reason thus agaynst him his brother the Earle that died not longe agone in Yorke you both are puritanes in religion as you are taken and consequently no man can dout but that you would haue vp your geneuian disciplinarie for me of gouernment whereby all the Bishops in England must be pulled downe and other Ecclesiastical dignities discomposed the Queenes Supremacie also must be taken away and other like pointes of the English churche ouerthrowen whereby a man may pronounce that you cary but holow hartes to the present state and to the Queen Elizabeth notwithstanding all your flatterie And this is an argument Sir Francis which logicians call ad hominem in which kinde I could vrge you yet further and make you scratche your head towching wishes and bearing hollow hartes towardes Queen Elizabeth and her gouernment if I would follow presumptions as you do against recusantes for that besides your religion if a man consider whence you descend and what pretences be or may be about succession it is not hard to ghesse what your wishes may be to haue Queen Elizabeth or some other person to sit in her place and yet to pronounce you to carry a hollow harte to Queen Elizabeth as you say in iest that it is thought to be an vncharitable sentence and I say it in earnest quia charitas non cogitat malum sayth Saint Paule charity iudgeth not the worst of things and so I wil not iudge what wishes you haue or may haue only I wil tel you that if you haue any in this later kinde they are more perilous and preiudicial to Queen
when they answered the lawfull magistrates of Hierusalem that commanded them to speak no more of the afaires of Christe â—at they would rather obey God then their commandement ergo these mennes consciences had not yet told them that all obedience without exception was due to the ciuil Magistrate S. Paules conscience also told him not so when he refused to obey the commandement of Nero and died for the same and so did many other Martyrs for resisting both him and other princes and lawful magistrates in Gods cause And it is a special praise giuen to Martyrs by the churche in their feasts contempserunt iussa principum they contemned the commandementes of princes for Christes sake How then saith this Herodian knight that all obedience must be yeelded to them in all matters without exception let vs see how he proueth it VVe are taught it saith he out of the booke of conscience by the wordes now alleaged of Saint Peter Submit your selues to all manner of ordinance of man But first I would aske him with what conscience doth he corrupt and falsly alleage this booke of conscience for the wordes of Saint Peter are Subiecti estote omni humanae creaturae propter Deum siue Regi quasi praecellenti siue ducibus ab eo missis Be subiect to euery humane creature for Gods sake meaning thereby the ciuil magistrate elected by the comon-wealth whether it be to the king as more eminent then the rest or vnto captaines and vnder magistrates sent from him why doth Sir Francis translate omni humanae craturae which is the very same also in Greek all manner of ordinance of man but that it serued more to his purpose and they can make their booke of conscience to say what they will haue sayd without scruple of conscience why doth Sir Francis translate siue Regi quasi praecellenti whether it be to the king as superior c. and why doth he cunningly leaue out the wordes that follow immediatly or to the Captaynes or vnder Magistrates sent by him c. but that he would make Saynt Peter to say that the king is absolute superior and that all obedience is due vnto him as to the Soueraigne magistrate as this sely man hath taken vpon him to teach vs though Saynt Peter doth name also the inferior magistrates in lyke manner and sayth only that the king is to be obeyed as the more eminent among them but yet putteth him not for absolute or that all obedience is due to him as our man would haue men now beleeue for that it maketh to his purpose and therby euacuateth the precept of Saynt Paule who appoynteth to Christians an other obedience also far different from that of kinges and temporal Princes in matters belonging to their soules when he sayth Obedite praepositis vestris subiacete eis ipse enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri Obey your Prelates and ly vnder them for that they do keep diligent wach ouer you as men that must render account of your soules And who those Prelates be the same Apostle expoundeth in an other place when he speaking to them selues sayth Attend to your selues and the whole flocke ouer which the holie Ghost hath placed you for Bishops to gouern the churche of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood VVhich wordes of tender loue and prerogatiue to be placed in their dignities by the hand of the holie ghost himself ouer the chosen people that God had bought with his owne pretious blood we shal neuer read to haue bin spoken to temporal kings and princes and consequently all obedience is not so absolutely due to them as this prophane diuine holdeth but much is also to be reserued for the others and in matters of highest moment First then we see most manifest falshood and trecherie vsed heer by this our Bible-clerk-knight in corrupting and translating wrongfully for his purpose this litle peece of Scripture alleaged by him what would he do think you if he had to alleage many places seing he handleth so pittifully this one only Secondly we may see the egregious absurditie and impietie of the sense which he would pick out thereof to wit that all obedience absolutely and in all matters and causes is to be yeilded to the soueraygn temporal magistrate without restraint and consequently also that all manner of their ordinances and lawes are to be obeyed without exception VVhich doctrine if it be true then were the Apostles bound to go to the Infidels temples and sacrifiise also when they were commanded for that no man wil deny but that this precept of obedience set downe heer by Saint Peter was ment expresly and particulerly for obeying the seculer magistrates and princes of that time all which were Infidels commonly and Idolaters So as if there were no exception of causes then did Saint Peter himself that giueth the precept verie euil in not obeying the magistrates of Iurie first and after in refusing to obey Nero the Emperor when he willed him to consorme himself in matters of religion And if there be any exception of causes or matters wherin by Gods law princes may be disobeyed then impiously and fondly is it set downe heer by Sir Francis so resolutely as out of Scripture that all obedience is due to the soueraygne magistrate and that also as his words be in all manner of ordinances without exception which heath enisâ—h doctrin includeth a thowsand denyals of God himself And further I say that the same is fondly affirmed for that the Protestantes greatest contention hath byn hitherto agaynst Catholiques to the end that they should not obey the preceptes of men though they were set downe by the whole Churche and now cometh in this guylt spurre-Doctor with a quyâ—e contrarie ground that we must submit our selues to all manner of ordinance of man VVhich is as far to the other extreme of base seruilitie as the former was to the contrarie of pryde to obey no ordinance of man at all they prouing the same then by that text of our Sauiour In vayne do they worship me teaching the doctrine and preceptes of men And now the contrarie by Saint Peter that we must obey all manner of mennes ordinance which yet Saint Peter sayeth not but Sir Francis falsly alleageth him And by this you see how these poor people do range vp downe without rule limit or certayne ground at all but only their own will and present fancie Moreouer I saie that this text of Saynt Peter of obeying ciuil magistrates though it were so as he alleageth it yet is it verie impertinently alleaged agaynst Catholiques in our controuersie about their not going to protestantes churches for that they do offer all due obedience in temporal and ciuil actions vnto their temporal magistrate And do stand only in matters of religion that concerne their soules and consciences and consequently this text is nothing to the purpose
haue wrought or do woorke ergo c. Anthichrist shall raigne but three yeares and a half when he commeth as is gathered by ancient wryters out of the Prophet Daniel chapter 7. and 12. and out of the 12. chapter of the Apocalips where it is sayd that he shall reigne a tyme tymes half a tyme for so S. Iohn himself interpreteth the matter c. 11. 13. saying it shalbe for 42. monethes which make iust three yeares a half but the Popes of Rome haue raigned for more ages then these are yeares and consequently cannot be Antichrist Beside this the Scripture teacheth vs plainly that before Antechrist come Henoch and Helias shall returne againe to oppose themselues against him and in the end shall conuert the Iewes Malach. 4. Ecclesi 48. Math. 17. Apoc. 11. but we see not yet this poynt fulfilled to proue the Pope to be Antechriste ergo c. Lastly for I will be no longer in this matter streight after the end of Antechristes kingdome which shall endure but three years and a half as before hath bin shewed shal ensew the day of iudgment and consummation of the world as the Prophet Daniel foretelleth cap. 7. and Saint Iohn in the Apoc. cap. 20. and the same is gathered out of Christes own wordes also Math. 24. and the foresaid Prophet Daniel speaking againe of this matter in the 12. chapter saith that the kingdome of Antechriste shall endure a thowsand two hundreth and ninetie dayes which maketh the former number of three years and a half And then he addeth these woordes happy is he that expecteth and ariueth vnto a thowsand three hundreth and thirtie and fiue dayes which is fourtie and fiue dayes after the death of Antechriste for that then Christe coÌ„ming to iudgmeÌ„t shall bring the crownes of iustice for those that are victors c. And seeing that the Popes of Rome haue endured now so long yet the end of world hath not ensued it is manifest as wel by this reason as by all the other before alleaged that these Popes cannot be properly Antechriste as our new malignant raylers do affirm But it may be some wil say seeing the absurditie of the former false position that the Pope of Rome is not properly that Antechriste which is foretold by the scriptures but only a forerunner of his and such as disposeth the way to his comming at the end of the world in which sense Saint Iohn hauing sayd Children this is the last houre and as you haue heard Antechriste commeth or is to come for so the greek verb signifieth plainly being of the present tense and not of the time past where the latin is doubtful and may be taken both wayes Saint Iohn I say hauing foretold in his epistle that Antechrist was to come in this last houre or age of the world after the appearing of the true Christe he addeth immediatly these wordes And euen now many Antechristes are made and therby we know that this is the last houre c. VVhich is as if he had sayd that forasmuch as we do see many become Antechristes that is to say do become opposite to Christe both in spirit and operatioÌ„ and doo begin to worke the misterie of iniqâ—itie as Saint paule calleth it agaynst true Antechristes comming heerby we know that this is the laste age from Christe to Antechriste and so to the worldes end which immediatly is to ensew after Antechristes ariual If I say our knight and his compagnions will confesse this that the Pope of Rome is not that proper Antechriste foretold heer by Saint Iohn to come in the end of the world but only that he is one of those other forerunning Antechristes already made and appearing in S. Iohns dayes to prepare the way which yet no heretique nor Sir Francis himself though neuer so shameles will daâ—e to auow of the Bishops of Rome of the primitiue churche when Saint Iohn wrote those wordes that they were Antechristes they being known to be Saintes and holy martirs for some ages together if this I say be graunted then it followeth that all these mennes ianglings in bookes and pulpits against the Popes of Rome to proue them Antechristes faleth to the ground and is made ridiculous for that in this sense all euil men whatsoeuer may be called Antechristes that is contrarie to Christe who do woorke iniquitie and cooperate to the kingdome of sinne which Christe came to ouerthrow and so all Turkes Moores Tyrants Persecutors and other wicked people are Antechristes in this sense as forerunners of true Antechriste and contrarie to Christe neither is there any thing peculier to the Popes of Rome though we should confesse them to be neuer so wicked in life but the very truthe is that principally and aboue others in this sense the name of Antechriste is proper to heretiques and sectaries who vnder the name of Christe do impugne Christe and leauing the common receiued vnion of fayth do finde out contrarie pathes by themselues And against such men did Saint Iohn especially speake those wordes that many Antechristes were already made to wit the Ebionites Cerâ—â—thians and Nicholaites then newly sprong vp And for this cause also doth he say Antichristi facti sunt they are made Antichristes and not borne so for that by their owne malice they made themselues such in departing from vnion And now whether Popes or the Protestants do participate more of this qualitie of heretical Antichriste by breaking vnion in faith and religion from the whole bodie of Christendome I leaue to the discreet reader to ponder And thus much may serue about calling the Pope Antichriste As for Rome whether it be Babilon or no litle importeth it to the matter we haue in hand so we agree in the sense for not only Saint Iohn in his Apocalips but Saint Peeter also in his epistle doth call Rome Babilon and we deny it not for it was in respect of the great confusion of iniquitie Idolatrie and persecution that the infidel Emperours vsed and were to vse against Gods Saints But that either Saint Iohn or Saint Peeter did call is Babilon in respect of the Christians that were in it at that tyme I think Sir Francis himself will blush to say and consequently the name of Babilon giuen to Rome when it was impious and pagan aperteineth nothing to Rome now after it is Christian nor hath this fond obiection need of any further answere For the rest of the rayling and contumelious speach wherby the Pope is termed the proud Priest Archeprelat of Rome touching the words Priest and Prelat they are names of his dignitie as they were in Christe and the Apostles themselues who were both Priests and Prelates Arche-prelates also in that they were more principal then others As for prowd that dependeth of the Popes inward disposition which our knight ought to haue knowen in all law of good christianitie how it standeth