her royall Maiestie hath receiued life being hir crowne kingdome and diademe won and conuerted vnder Kings Ethelbertus Adelwaldus Kingylsus Edwine Peda or Wiferus Sygebertus and Redwalde her most noble and renowned christian catholike Predecessors Kings of England vnited by king Egbertus augmented and enlarged by so many Henries Edwards and others known Catholike Kings by whome so many immunities fauours and priuiledges were graunted to our religion So many altares churches chappels monasteries and places of professing Papistry as Protestants name it were founded and prouided in the first time of our conuersion from Idolatry and the very Primitiue dayes of christianitie in England The Churches of saint Paul in London of Canterbury Winchester Lincolne Westminster and others the common Schooles of Cambridge by king Sigebert the vniuersity of Oxford by king Alfrede the monastery of Gloucester by king Ofricus the monastery of Hetesey by king Oswye who assigned possssions for twelue more monasteries in Northumberland the monastery of Saint Martine in Douer by king Whitred the abbey of Lestingey by king Oswalde sonne to Saint Oswalde the abbey of Abington by king Cyssa the monastery of Ely by Queene Etheldred wife to king Elfride the monastery of Chertsey by king Edgar the abbey of Peterborow by king Ethelwalde the abby of Bardney by king Etheldredus Glastenbury by king Iâ—a the monastery of Winchcombe by king Kenulfus the abbey of Saint Albons by king Offa the abbey of Ethelingsey and nunnery of Shaftersbury by king Alfrede and fortie monasteries by king Edgar all which were edified and founded in the time of our Primitiue Church and within two hundred yeeres of our first conuersion as Fox himselfe acknowledgeth What donations and free giftes were graunted to the English Clergy by those first christian kings the donations of king Ethelwulfe Ethelbalde and others were to be free in their lands and territories from secular seruices and payments tributes and taxations to Kings c. that all churches and monasteries should be absolued from al publike vectigales works and burdens that they might therby more diligently serue God by how much they were more alleuiated of those seruices Such likewise were the graunts of Kings Sigebertus Cissa Edgar Etheldredus Offa Aluredus for the praying to God and Saints for the soules of them and their posteritie So that no man can doubt of what faith they were except it bee a question whether hee that prayeth to Saints prayeth for the dead offereth sacrifice of Masse graunteth church liberties honoreth the See of Rome buildeth altares monasteries and nunneries for Monks and Nunnes and foundeth these things be a Papist or a Protestant And it is so manifest that these holy and sanctified kings were popish and moonkish men as they tearme them and of our religion that presently vpon their beleeuing in Christ the greatest care and study they had was to prouide ornaments and necessary furniture for that profession And among the Saxon Kings within the space of two hundred yeeres as Foxe himselfe with others reporteth in the English Primitiue church nine Kings at the least King Kingylsus Iue Colulfus Eadbertus Ethelredus Kenredus Offa Sebbi and Sigebertus voluntarily forsooke their kingdoms professed monasticall life and liued monkes in vow of pouertie chastity and obedience and for that most religious action as our ennemies themselues acknowledge were most highly honoured and commended of all historians and still to this day for that cause are more glorious both to themselues and our nation then the other of our Kings how honorable soeuer The wordes of that history which Foxe in his Monuments citeth to that end are these Religion did most clearely shine insomuch that Kings Queenes Princes and Dukes Consuls and Barons and rulers of Churches incensed with desire of the kingdome of Heauen labouring and striuing among themselues to enter into monasticall life into voluntary exile and solitary liuing forsooke all and followed God And no man can deny it to bee true all Historians report it all Monuments Antiquities auouch it Wherefore my assurance is that my gratious Soueraigne and prudent Princesse clayming all things by their title cannot be offended for defence of the faith of all her noble christian progenitors and ancestors vntill now Besides so many christian kings of the Brittons about thirty in number from Lucius the first to Cadwall ader and of the English or Saxon Danish and Norman nation a hundred and fiftie kings from the conuersion of Ethelbertus Adelwaldus or Ethelwaldus Kingilsus Edwine Peda or Weda or Wiferus Sigebertus and Redwalde the first christian Kings of rhe Saxonish Septarchie most wise prudent vertuous and triumphant Princes which both they themselues embraced and maintained with all zeale and deuotion and promulged and deliuered by al lawes and constitutions to their posteritie Kings and subiects to be beleeued Which her Maiesties father K. Henry the eight although denying the Romane iurisdiction obserued in all his life and of denying that iurisdiction at his death repented of king Edward the sixt an infant more needing to be taught than to teach I say nothing and my Soueraigne that is in the time of her sister Qu. Mary professed with much deuotion and after her death at and after her owne coronation in the fidelitie oth and promise of a Prince according to our antient lawes and titles of Kings of England hath obliged and indebted her selfe to protect and defend And for defence whereof as appeareth by the statute of Westminster the first and other authenticall Recordes all those regall and princely prerogatiues which were graunted by the free subiects of England to their Kings her Catholike predecessours and which she still enioyeth by that title were granted and confirmed as euery one may reade in the kings prerogatiues and statutes in the titles of such principalities as were then and for that reason and intent giuen vnto them as the priuiledges of alienations auowsons citations corporations escheats fooles forfeitures franchises deodands intrusions mort dauncestries partitions pateÌ„ts primer seisins prouisions tenures wards seruices releefes wrecks and other preeminences Therefore this defence of those holy and euer most honorable kings can not be offensiue to my wise and prudent Princesse hauing clayming and pretending all tide and interest shee hath either to temporall or spirituall dignitie as heire and successor to their regall right and authoritie And to descend lower to those which haue bin benefited by those Princes you first my noble Patrons that possesse those honourable offices and dignities you enioy them by their institution they the first donors and founders of those preferments that life and beeing which you haue I meane not onely your honorable orderly and peaÌ„ceable life and liuing in gouernement of their prouision but that very naturall life it selfe wherein you communicate with all other reasonable men in some sort you possesse by them for if those Princes had not aduaunced your auncestors to honours and nobility
not any Religion builded vppon the deceitfull and vaine coniecture or blowne abroade to be beleeued with the whirling spirite of priuate men Quot capita tot religiones so many heades so many religions as Luther saide vnlearned deniers of Scriptures and their sense at their pleasure liers deceitfull false translators corrupters and forgers of holy euidence deuisers of new Doctrines for temporall pleasures and respects to be exempted from obligation and vowe of obedience chastity pouertie to be obeyed liue in lasciuiousnesse and pompe of wealth without any other argument at all as those innouators did But a Religion founded vpon the most certaine and infallible worde and reuelation of God expounded by those vndeceiuable Rules before remembred and that holy and euer-during society and Church of Christ for which he gaue himselfe and ordained Religion where so much virtue is practised such obedience chastitie pouertie and contempt of all impediments of heauen is vowed and professed which societie if it might erre no preseruance of true Religion is to be hoped for where none shoulde truely beleeue all should be in errour I defend that religion which in all times and places hath beene witnessed and approued with such Arguments as are disabled to be vntrue by infallible and vndeceiuable signes by thousandes of supernaturall miracles and wonders which by no meanes could be counterfaite or falsely reported So many naturally vncurable blinde restored to sight deafe to hearing lame to going sicke to health dead to life by most famous and notorious knowne Catholikes or Papists as it pleaseth Protestants which all Philosophers agree no naturall cause or arte of Diuells themselues could bring to passe neither God graunt vnto man for confirming falshoode Not that Religion which as it was taught of the Diuell father of lies as the Authours themselues shall witnesse and certainely by all arguments of reprobation condemned them their fellows and followers to hell But that which by all testimonies and vndeceitfull arguments brought the professors thereof to heauen and the most earnest and zealous therein as religious Heremites Monkes Freers Nunnes Priests Bishops Popes as all Calenders Histories and approued Recordes giue euidence to the greatest happines Not that Religion which made those that before were good chaste obedient and contem ners of the world to be wicked and giuen to al impietie as their owne writings witnesse but that Religion which those it reclaymed from false worships made them so holy and such Saints that all creatures haue done homage and duety vnto them the sea and waters against nature supported them the wilde sauage and deuouring beasts adored them the rauening foules in desarts nourished them the windes tempests ayre fire earth all elements simple compounded sensible and vnsensible things the Diuelles themselues those triumphing and tyrannicall enemies against humane nature commaunded and ouer-ruled by authoritie with trembling obeyed them Not a Religion tossed and tennised vp and downe with so many boundes and reboundes choppes and changes vniuersally both in head members containing so many falsities by their owne proceedings so many contradictions in essentiall things as there bee essentiall questions Neither doe what it could hauing the temporall sword and all iurisdiction in it selfe hath hitherto condemned vs such as I will proue the Religion of English Protestants and others to be but a Religion which in this space of almost 1600. yeeres neuer chaunged one poynt of Doctrine neuer admitted errour in faith or the least contradiction therein eyther in Decree of Pope or confirmed Councell but clearely condemned and confuted all misbeleeuers Not a Religion that contrarie to the name nature and office of true Religion separateth man from his God and Creator by so many sinnes and iniquities and yet hath no grace no Sacrament for men of reason and actuall offences no meanes or preseruatiue to preuent them no helpe or remedy to redeeme them but suffereth man to lie loaden vnder so mighty a masse of impieties and to be drowned in hell for that instrument of their iustifying faith can be no benefit to them which as before by their owne grounds haue no faith at all and as I will demonstrate heereafter haue not one property or condition of true beleeuing or matter tending to mans saluation But that Religion which as it teacheth and counselleth the way of perfection vnto all by renouncing Honours and wealth the Temptations and snares of the Diuell as the Apostle calleth them by professing Chastitie more perfect and better then the matrimoniall state as the same saint Paul witnesseth and by abnegation of a mans owne will and forsaking terrene and temporall dignities which might hinder his heauenly iourney such as our Sauiour his Apostles the Primitiue Church all reason and experience teacheth to be the path of perfection and readiest way to Heauen when and where nothing is left to hinder it That Religion which taking compassion of the frailetie of man to sin in euery state hath a stay to keepe from falling and a remedy for those that haue offended For the state of all vntil they came to such discretion and iudgement as may be cause of sinne the Sacrament of Baptisme both taking originall offence away and arming the soule against new and actual infection To confirme the former grace of that tender age and enable vs against so many temptations and persecutions as Christians haue the Sacrament of Confirmation To feede and foster all estates in the whole course and circuite of this life the foode of diuine Eucharist and Sacrament of the most holy body and blood of Christ and seeing all are subiect vnto sinne the Sacrament of Penaunce for the cure and comfort of all offenders And because the agonies and temptations at the time of death be vrgent most against vs the Sacrament of Annointing or extreame vnction to remooue the relickes of sinne and giue strength in that extremitie And for the particular helpes and assistance of particular states particular Sacraments the Sacrament of Orders to dignifie the calling of Clergy men and make them worthie and fit instruments to performe so many holy supernaturall functions as are belonging to that preeminence And lastly for the consolation and defence of married people such as encomber themselues with the cares of the world and practical life the Sacrament of Matrimony giuing grace and strength against the difficulties and cares of that condition No state no sexe no age no time no place order or degree among men is left vnprouided of spirituall comforte and protection Not a Religion whose grounds and principles ouerthrowe all christian and true Religion where God is made author of all sinnes and thereby worthy no Religion where the decision of spirituall doubtes appertaine to temporall and vnlearned Princes men women or children where such sentences although neuer so much disagreeing euen to them selues and apparantly false must be obeyed for the infallible woord of God where man hath not libertie and freedome
those parents of whom you are discended and haue receiued being had not bin matched together for so great disparitie betweene them and so you had neither enioyed honour dignitie life or any being at all So that howe much or whatsoeuer you can chalenge to haue you are indebted vnto them And the rest of the nobilitie of England though not chosen to that high credite and fauour of our Princesse yet whatsoeuer it is they haue landes castles mannors titles of dignitie they possesse it by their ordinance as euery Cittizen his priuiledge and immunitie euery countrey vplandish man his quiet and orderly gouernement and protection And that miserable people of England that vntruely challengeth the name of Cleargie among Protestants whatsoeuer honour Archbishop Bishop Deane or inferior order or degrees and titles in Schooles as Doctors Bachilors and Maisters and places of learning Vniuersities Colledges or Learning it selfe or their Bishoppricks Benefices Churches Houses Donations Priuiledges or any other thing they can name was deriued from our Catholike Kings Princes and those that were of that Religion Sigebertus Kingylsus Ethelbert Ofricus Wiferus Etheldredus Oswye Wbykred Oswalde Cissa Edgar Ethelbalde Iua Kenulfus Offa Aluredus Ethelwulfe Edwarde and others before the conquest and such as raigned after to the Protestant regiment no Protestant Prince enriched many spoyled churches Wherefore seeing all estates in England Soueraigne and subiects of euery condition and calling haue receiued and doe enioy so many and irrecompensible fauours from those Catholike Kings and by as many obligations are bound and endebted to so honourable and immortall benefactors no person can be so vnmindfull of duty or irregardfull of gratitude to be displeased with my defence of them which euery English-man is so much obliged to defend And if it appertaine to the title and iurisdiction of christian Kings such as no man can denie them to haue beene to determine matters and questions of Religion as the English Protestants maintaine then if I should bring no other argument but the decrees and constitutions of those holy and learned Kings to proue my entent it ought to be admitted especially ioyning therewith the authority and consent of the still forcible lawes of my euer honored Princesse for in so dooing I shall prooue my Religion by that ground whereby onely it is impugned by the Protestants of England assigning the temporall prince for the time being to haue supreame authoritie in that cause and of what credite soeuer the Statutes of the Protestants are in this question touching her Maiesties catholike predecessors it was in all vpright iudgement vnpossible they should be deceiued For if God giueth ordinary or extraordinary assistaunce to Kings and Princes either for their owne vertuous endeuours and sanctity or for the pietie learning and number of them by whome they are counsailed and aduised there is no comparison but rather Protestant princes should erre then they the zeale and deuotion of those Kings catholike I haue cited before and Protestant writers Pantaleon Foxe and others acknowledge many of them to be glorious Saints in heauen whither false Religion could not bring theÌ„ And to giue example it is written not onely by English both Catholike and Protestant but forraine Historians that king Aelfred builded the monastery of monkes in Ethelingsey and that of nunnes in Shaftesbury he founded the vniuersitie of Oxford hee translated the lawes into our English tongue and diuerse other profitable Bookes for the instruction of his subiects hee diuided the foure and twenty houres of the day and night into three equall partes eight houres he spent in writing reading and praying eight houres in sleepe and other bodily prouision and the other eight houres in hearing and dispatching the causes and complaintes of his subiectes Such was the exercise of Kings in those catholike times as all Historians and Registers are witnesse and their constitutions themselues contained among the Lawes of Saint Edwarde reported by Foxe and yet to be seene in Guilde Hall giue euidence wherein is contained that King which dooth not such things in his owne person is not woorthy the name of a King and that hee ought to take his solemne oathe vppon the Euangelists and blessed Relickes of Saints before the whole state of his realme to execute such things and maintaine the holy Church with all integrity and libertie according to the Constitutions of his Auncestors and Predecessors before he be crowned of the Archbishops and Bishoppes and that he ought to haue vnder him three seruants as vassails fleshly lust auarice and greedy desire This was the integritie exercise and profession of those Princes so that if these â—ters must bee referred to Princes iudgements in regarde of themselues it is not likely they were permitted by God to bee in errour which performed all things both for the aduauncing his honour and the publike peace which was the rigorous execution of their duetie If wee considder what counsaile and aduise they vsed as in matters of warre they consulted with such expert and valiant captaines as were both a securitie at home and a terrour to forraine Nations and in causes of peace and publike gouernement with the most prudent wise and sage men iudges and others of our nation as the wordes of the auntient donations of our Kings Cum consilio Episcoporum Principum by the counsaile of Bishops and Princes and as all Monuments and the teste of euery Writ in law to this day wil declare so concerning matters of practicall conscience the greatest offices as Chancellor priuie Seale and Treasurer which be the chiefest places of confidence and conscience were alwayes executed in those dayes as Maister Fox reporteth by the Claergie and Bishoppes of England And touching matters of Faith and Religion they had alwayes of their priuy Councel the most holy vertuous and learned Bishops of their time such were Saint Cedde Saint Anselme Saint Dunstane Saint Thomas of Canterbury Saint Thomas of Hereford Lanfrancus and others to their Kings and whatsoeuer any publike decree of religious causes was to be enacted or receiued in parliament the whole Cleargie of England in their Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Suffragans Abbots Priors and other chiefe ecclesiasticall persons ten to one in number to the parliament ministery of this time was alwayes present and no decree of faith euer concluded but by the generall consent of the whole christian worlde generall councells and the vniuersall Church of God which can neuer be seduced so that no possible place of errour was left for those kings except God would which he could not permitte the whole world to be deluded To which if wee adde so many supernaturall signes and miracles as are written confessed by Protestants themselues in the liues of Saint Oswable Saint Edmunds Saint Edwards Lucius Kingylsus Iua Ceoluisus Offa Sigebertus and other knowne catholike kings of England shewed by God to testifie the trueth of their Religion in earth and
wilfulnesse in errour I offer them wrong or no It is more agreeing to the lawe of God of nature nations reason humane ciuilitie conscience or whatsoeuer may bee termed and taken for a lawe when it dooth so chaunce that either all learned and holy men in the christian worlde that euer were in so many hundred yeeres in all times and places should bee condemned or else a few neyther learned nor vertuous but ignorant and wicked should be reprooued and disallowed that the most and first must be freeed and the least and last condemned Then lette the Ministeriall Cleargie of England yeelde mee patience for I defend the doctrine and opinion of all godly and famous professors of Diuinitie all Popes Fathers and Doctours that euer were in the Church all Councelles particular and generall all forren domesticall Vniuersities Schooles Colledges and places of christian learning since the time of Christ to Martine Luther where so many thousandes or millions of miraculously approoued holy Saintes haue liued and died in this profession and onely impugne a new poore lewde licentious and vnlearned company of Ministers of one Kingdome or age and such as in particular reasons I will demonstrate to be euident wilfull and ignorant mis-expounders false translators and alleadgers of holy Scriptures liars deceitfull hereticall maintainers of olde condemned heresies actually erring and reerring in greatest questions and matters of Faith ensigned and marked with all tokens and badges which holy Scripture purtraiture Heretickes Seducers and Reprobate persons by that they learned their religion of the diuel himselfe that it was first deuised and after maintained for carnall libertie and wicked endes that they teach they know not what themselues contrary to holy Scriptures although we expound them by their owne rules of exposition contrary to their owne proceedings contrary to all authoritie humane and diuine contrary to all Lawes of God of nature nations particular Countries of all ciuill and politicke gouernement hauing nothing conducing to mans saluation or that can bring to heauen that by all iudgement of Christianitie those that died in that state without repentaunce except inuincible ignoraunce coulde excuse some simple Soules are condemned in hell yet seeing in this I shall dispute chiefly against the priuate Religion of one Nation in one onely time if I should leaue out the rest of the christian worlde in all ages and because England nowe hath a particular Religion to it selfe compare the sanctitie learning and authoritie of former Catholicke English Bishoppes and Diuines with our present Ministers I shall iustifie my cause to their great confusion As to giue example in our chiefest Metropolitane See Whether is it more equall and consonant to reason to giue credite for either the one or the other must be vtterly discredited to Thomas Cranmer the first Protestant Regent there Parkar and Grindal notoriously knowne not onely to haue beene of three diuerse Religions in substantiall poynts one against an other but euery one of them at diuerse times to please their Princes often in the greatest questions to haue differed from him selfe and they to haue beene of seauen or eight diuerse Religions for none of them was eyther burned for Protestancie or quartered for denying Supremacie or a Saint for life to speake the best renowned for learning for any monument or argument I coulde euer finde And to exemplifie in Cranmer their first and principle that was to condemne so many learned and holy Saints that had beene in that Archiepiscopall See and be a patterne to all his successors hee was condemned of high treason against his Prince prooued publikely periured and to haue counterfaite the handes and consents of fifty Cleargy men for the aduantage of his cause hee recanted his errour was in case of relapse and for ignoraunce was hissed and exploded in the common Schooles of Oxforde in publike disputations all which Foxe himselfe is enforced to graunt and can not deny Then whether is it more equall to giue credit to these than to Saint Augustine the Monke first archbishoppe there Saint Laurence Mellitus Iustus Honorius Deusdedit Theodorus Berctualdus Tacuinus and others three score and eight in number almost twenty to one many or most holy and learned men miraculously approoued of God and for pietie and learning admired of the whole worlde If they pretende the decrees of any Protestant Prince for exposition of holy Scriptures and proposition of Religion I haue cited almost twoo hundred to one before and in the lawes of that Prince which soeuer any Protestant will assigne eyther King Henry the eight King Edward the sixt or our Queene Elizabeth I will ouerthrowe them and prooue how euery one of them hath defined false and contradictory things to themselues which in some parte already appeareth in my last citations of Statutes If they alleadge their Vniuersities they are ouermatched in Catholike times at once Oxford hath had thirtie thousand Students all euer of the same minde with vs. For other Clergie men England Catholike had at the least if wee will coniecture by Fox his computation aboue a hundred thousand more than England Protestant is able to shew If they speak of sinods our sinods were greater in number of men tenne to one in number of assemblies two hundred to one If they speake of Parliaments and Lawes decreed there the excesse is more in both respectes If they vrge Scriptures and true sence of them by deduction by resorting to the originall tongues the Hebrew in the olde and Greeke in the new Testament comparing of places and examining circumstances which be their owne rules of exposition and the ground of their profession or howsoeuer the comparison is made the victory is ours Wee vse more Scriptures for numbers of Bookes more for diuersities of tongues than they and yet refuse none which they admit All our expositours of Scriptures haue beene continuall professed Students in diuinitie expert and acquainted with all Rules and meanes of true exposition diuerse of them most excellent Linguists and many naturall borne Greekes and Hebrewes and wee neuer receiued or beleeued any thing as a matter of Faith but that which the whole Catholicke Church which cannot erre had defined and receiued Their expositors of Scriptures were neuer to bee compared vnto these and at that time when their Religion was decreede and established out of Scriptures they must say there was not one person present which eyther vnderstoode Greeke or Hebrew or coulde vse any other of their Rules For their religion was first approoued in the first Parliament of our Queene Elizabeth where not one man learned in Diuinitie was present and had parlamentall voyce That wee Catholikes would wilfully erre is too wilfull impudencie to affirme it the profession of that Religion we defend is seuere and strict in regarde of that wee doe deny the punishmentes and penalties we vndergoe for our profession are many and greatest the temporall preferrement is none at all The contrary
where controuersie and multiplicity of opinions is Then how much more true is it in things so eleuated aboue naturall vnderstanding as the mysteries of religion be What a palpable prouocation and allurement of delightfull atheisme epicurisme and infidelitie is it to carnall mindes to see so many diuisions and no agreement For can any one particular voluptuous man or other in iudgement thinke himselfe wiser than so many great companies and congregations as hee is most sure are all deceiued And if hee shoulde aduenture to beleeue and be religious as others doe there is oddes three hundred to one he shall be brought into errour because he seeth so many religions erected defended against whatsoeuer he shall chuse to followe the pleasures he should forsake are certaine sensible and forcible to mooue affection that which hee should beleeue is most vncertaine ineuident and without motiue to be followed as it is proposed in these mens proceedings Or if that man bee of reading and iudgement to consider former times he shal finde foure hundred more religions contrary to any that is now professed in the Schoole of Protestants so that it will more than double the former danger and the same man shall vnderstand that the Catholike Church for whose election calling preseruing from errour and consummation the whole mysterie of Christ was wrought hath condemned and vtterly extirped all those foure hundred and by the same infallible authority and censure in diuers generall Councelles where the whole christian worlde was assembled reprooued and anathematized those that raigne in Protestants So that if a man in case of religion will deny the voyce of that spouse of Christ that piller of trueth and societie assisted by the promise of Christ from falling into error it is euident that a thousand to one he shall shal be seduced damned Who then wil wonder if many infidels atheists are entred among these men when at the worst their atheisme and that only in the end can bring but to damnatiō in the meane time brings al pleasures and delights and their professing of religion in such vncertaine maner first most certainly depriueth of those plesures 1000. to one brings to the same damnation Or who wil maruel if those that be not come to this perfection of policie nullifidianitie as I trust ther be but few one being too much in a christian nation be far more careles negligent vnduetifull in liuing well then such as doe liue in the vnitie of the whole Catholike worlde wherein there neuer was or is any disagreement or contradiction in matters of belieuing For if as I shewed before a man might would or should in reason doubt to giue assent to any religion where there was so manifest and apparant daunger of a false election if it be true in a speculatiue consent of faith onelie exacting an agreement of the vnderstanding howe much more doubt and difficultie will bee made for men of reason to aduenture so great paines and labours as holy Scriptures prescribe to be vsed for obtaining heauen when by reason it is euident before they begin that a thousand to one al their labors will be lost and their indeuours rewarded with euer-during damnation in hell Will any man now muse if the song of Epicures is so often tuned and so much impietie put in practise If it were in the execution of daily and ordinary affaires no man woulde labour much for that which so many affirme he could not get but contrariwise euery one in reason should and would contend for principall preferrement and commodity which all men graunt he might obtaine hee that by consent of all hath vndeniable title to a kingdome or meaner dignitie will refuse no aduenture to winne it he whome all or most deny to haue such interest either will not at all or faintly take it in hand hauing little or no hope to bring his attempt to passe euen so in these spirituall affaires For although the Crowne and inheritaunce of heauen proposed to Christians is incomparably more excellent than such terrene preferments yet being a spirituall and supernaturall reward and not so proportionate to the manner of humane knowledge and affection in this life depending of sence and imagination as temporall aduauncements and pleasures are and being so vncertain vnprobable or rather vnpossible to be obtained as these men make it it can be no matter of admiration that so much wickednesse doth rule and so few aduenture so certaine and painefull a worke for so vncertaine and doubtfull recompence Thus it alwayes chaunced in temporall things so it euer did and will come to passe in questions of religion whether it be true or false The Idolatrous state of the Gentiles when they were most diuided for their diuersities and placalities of gods rites and sacrifices were farre more wicked then when fewer pretended title to be worshipped The Mahumetans though euer lewd and impious yet after the Persian schisme and diuisions among them they daily fell to be more wicked than before and the Iewish people sometimes the true seruants of God and religious so long as they remained in vnitie among themselues after they were diuided into Sectes became more carelesse of seruing God as is manifest not onely in the schisme betweene the houses of Roboam and Ieroboam recorded in holy Scriptures but most euident in their last desolation For at the comming of Christ the time of the Messias being expleated they were diuided into many Sects and Religions who should be hee and what they shoulde beleeue So that besides Christians the true worshippers there were at that time in that nation Samaritanes Pharises Sadduces Essenes Baptists Herodians Galileans Ezechians Atongists Theudists Egiptists Barrownosbonists Vespasianians and other sects whereby that nation so vertuous and religious when it was vnited in true worship was come to that carelesnesse of religion and liuing well that they were drowned and ouerwhelmed in such monstrous and erroneous iniquities that their owne Historian Iosephus affirmeth their sinnes to haue beene so great that if the Romanes had not come to take such extraordinary reuengement vpon them he did thinke Authiatu terrae deuorandam fuisse ciuitatem That their Cittie Hierusalem would either haue beene swallowed vppe of the earth or drowned with some deluge and inundation or be consumed with fire and lightnings as the Sodomites were In like manner it alwaies happened in all times places and persons polluted with hereticall Sects and diuisions as all Antiquities and Historians witnesse SECT IIII. The scope and intent of the Authour to teach a most vndoubted certaintie and vnitie in religion WHerefore right Honourable as it is so euident that it can not be denied but such troupes of errours and impieties haue embatteled themselues in the camp of Protestants and by ample reasons may bee had in iust suspition that many doubters or rather deniers at least in affection of all Worship as euer in like times
haue beene are entred in So seeing contraries are and must be cured by contraries and certaintie and true vnitie in religion is the onely remedy of such intollerable and prophane abuses as haue proceeded from want thereof I haue written a cōpleate confutation of all enemies to true reuerence of what condition soeuer Atheists Epicures and such as be deniers of all worship or externall infidells and aduersaries of Christ Pagans Iews Mahumetanes or internall ennemies as the heretikes of all ages eyther past present or to be heereafter which I haue named A Resolution of Religion because therein not onely all doubtes and difficulties eyther pretended by any of those misbeleeuers or by any means to be imagined or conceiued are loosed and resolued but euery article and question of that most holy and approoued Religion which I defend is solued from all errours and resolued to the most assured and infallible word and reuelation of God which by no possibilitie can either be deceiued in himselfe or be cause of errour vnto others Whereby euery point and proposition of religious duety will be prooued to be so certaine that no infidell or false beleeuer can make it doubtfull So certaine as Saint Chrysostome writeth as any naturall demonstration is or to folow saint Augustines phrase so vndoubted that a man in iudgement should sooner doubt whether himselfe doth liue than call any article of that faith into question So that as nothing can be more holy credible and woorthy to be beleeued then that doctrine which I am to teach so nothing can be more irreligious obstinacie and wilfulnesse than to deny and not embrace it and as great madnes to follow any other false profession being as resolutely proued that they are all most vaine false erroneous and resolued to the lying spirite of the Diuell and wicked deceiuers and seducers SECT V. The certaintie excellency and dignity of Catholike Religion AND lest any Reader should maruaile that in a time of so great question and vncertainty of true Religion I should so peremptorily vndertake to so great personages and with so much securitie to shew any Religion so vndoubted and certaine as I haue assumed I do not meane thereby any of those erroneous professions either affirming or denying reuerence Not the blasphemous impietie of Diagoras Lucretius Epicures and Epicurians impugning all Religion to whose sacriligious liues and sentences God and all creatures are so repugnant to which all reasons dissent to whom no Argument or authoritie of any Country Citty Towne Villadge or particular man not mad with passions or frantickly distracted by pleasures in so many thousands of yeares as the world hath beene and in so many kingdomes and countries thereof yet agreed Neither any of those Infidelities of Iewes Mahumetanes Brachmans and Pagans so often by that Religion I will defend both miraculously and otherwise confuted and condemned by their owne confessions and withall maintaining either pluralities or corporeitie mutation change and dishonourable imperfections in God to whom Religion is belonging haue in all reason spoyled him of all worship and reuerence for none can be due to such a God or Gods as they imagine besides so many irreligious errours against the light of nature it selfe which are vnpossible to be taught of God and yet be rewarded in the chiefest Rules of these Religions Neither any of so many hundreds of expleaded or nowe raigning heresies or any that shall arise hereafter not the Religion of Martine Luther so often professed and both priuately and publickly recanted altered changed doubted and redoubted by himselfe as his owne workes and all protestants doe witnesse neither of licentious Caluine and a few artificers of Geneua or of Knekes that gally slaue of Scotland or of Edward Seymer duke of Somerset or King Edward the sixt a child of nine yeares old without any assent or assembly either of parliament or other as Fox himselfe is witnes the wil and testament of K. Henry the eight being violated and his Bishops and Clergy committed to prison or depriued Neither of the Protestants of this time which without disputation or aduise of any learned or parliamentall diuine all such then depriued by the consent of some vnlearned Noble men Knights of Shires and Burgesses of the townes of England was enacted and decreed Nor any other builded vpon the deceitfull deduction of any priuate man or framed vppon any such feeble and false foundation for so I should committe my selfe and bring my Readers to the same pittifull danger whereof I complained in those professors But I defend that Religion and Worship which all most learned and vertuous men of the whole christian worlde as well priuately by themselues as twenty times gathered together in generall Councells haue euer concluded out of holy Scriptures which many thousandes of nationall and prouinciall Sinodes euerie one of far more authoritie than any Protestant assembly all vniuersities colleges schooles and places of learning the Lawes of all christian Princes spirituall and temporall haue decreed For although wee ordinarily defend the infallible definition of POPES in controuersiall questions of Religion when Councells and such Remedies cannot be called and vsed as in temporall yea spirituall causes the Queenes Maiestie by her new taken prerogatiue proceedeth without Parliament yet all doubts and difficulties betweene Protestants and vs we defend as defined in general Councels out of holy Scriptures and yet the definition of any Pope in such cases by al moral iudgement is vnpossible to be false for neuer any did or doth or will define any sentence but that that was or shal be the cōmon opinion of al schools vniuersities with the assent of the best learned of the world such examination as the difficulty to be adindged requires I defend that Religion which only is ratified by all authoritie all Scriptures Traditions Prophets Apostles Euangelists Sybils Rabbins before Christ all holy learned Fathers Historians Antiquaries and Monum al Sinodes Councels Laws Parliaments Canons and Decrees of Popes Emperors Kings and Rulers all Martires Confessors holy witnesses by al friends enemies euen Mahumetans Iewes Pagans Infidels al former Heretikes Schismatikes these Protestants themselues when they were most probable to speake the truth and al testimonies that can be deuised not only in this world but of God of Angelles and glorified soules whose euidence cannot be vntrue of Diuels and damned soules in hell condemned for their contempt or negligence therof of soules in Purgatory whatsoeuer can be cited for witnes in such cases as wil be most euident in my particular arguments not onlie of the Titles heere recited but many others I defend that Religion which hath confuted al forreine aduersaries Atheists Epicures Iewes Pagans Mahumetans Magicians Philosophers which hath conquered left without memory aboue foure hundred Sects of internall and domesticall heretikes subdued all nations and brought to subiection all that haue opposed themselues against it
of will where our good workes are necessitate where the predestination of God taketh away all election and indifferencie By which and such like positions as Protestants teach it followeth that no Article of Religion can be certaine no Religion can be nothing is to be accounted sinne nothing reckoned for vertue For who can certainely beleeue that which most certainely is vncertaine or false or who can either praise or discommend that which is doone whether the doer wil or no How can such actions be rewarded or punished How can that soule be immortall and performe religion which should want free and reasonable operations the arguments and pledges of immortality But I defend a religion so measured as before that by no possibilitie any Decree can be vntrue a Religion that so concordeth the eternall praescience and predestination of God with the temporall cooperation of man that it both leaueth the first infallible and yet prooueth the temporall action appetite delight or consent to any things to be voluntary free and in the power of man to be effected or omitted praised or discommended rewarded or punished as the nature thereof deserueth Not that Religion which hath raised such dissentions that it hath taken all vnitie and communion of Saints away diuided the millitant and triumphant Church and dishonored both depriuing Angells and glorified soules of that honor their excellencie and dignitie with God requireth men in earth the militant church of that helpe and assistance it needeth and alwayes had from them as inferiour causes from superiour all pitty and compassion of those that liue and be in state of merite from the patient Church of the faithfull departed and spoyled them of that reliefe they euer receiued of those that liue and made such hauoke and confusion euen among the liuing that no man regardeth other euery one almost of a different and diuided minde from the rest in these things and neuer at concord with himselfe but vppon euery new conceipt differing from his former assertion in continuall combate and controuersie with his owne will and vnderstanding and so no communion and participation one with an other no care of offence and iniuries no minde of satisfaction for wrongs and iniustices no cōbination of comembers no penance no restraint from sinne where the passion of Christ hath bin so long vaunted and triumphed of that except in most sacrilegious and blasphemous swearing by the instruments of our redemption no memorie at all thereof is left no signe or token to put vs in minde no image or representation no commemoratiue sacrifice or signification of so many paines miseries and mysteries as our Sauiour indured and wrought for our redemption where no order or hierarchicall subordination no consecration or distinction of callings and vocations is except the letters patents of a temporall Prince can giue that to others which is not cannot be in the giuer But that Religion which as it is vnited and one in it selfe in earth consisteth of a most perfect hierarchicall regiment of Pope Patriarkes Archbishops Bishops Priests Deacons Subdeacons Acolathists Exorcists Lectors and other Vnder-officers euery one in his roome and dignitie and the meanest of all by calling and consecration of greater honour than any ministeriall preferment among Protestants being no reall thing but an ens rationis an Idoll of the minde as the making of Pursuvants Apparators and such Officers appoynted by others where our POPE which is so odious in England is so ample in iurisdiction in all the worlde that no temporall Prince christian or infidell no ruler or professor of regiment in ecclesiasticall and spirituall causes at this time or any heeretofore either is or was ' by many degrees possessed of so large a regimēt· And our priuate Priests namely the most reuerend and learned Fathers of the Societie of IESVS so contemptible in our country are honoured of the greatest Princes of the world by their preachings paines haue added so many kingdomes both to the spirituall regiment of Christ and temporall gouernement of Catholike kings Our Catholike kings be most mightie and they which regarde vs most the most rich puissant and greatest Princes of the worlde Our religion religeth and bindeth together as the name importeth not onely kingdomes and menne in earth but God and his Catholike seruants the triumphant militant and patient Church no duety is omitted no compassion or pitty wanting where the mysterie of our redeeming is so esteemed and remembred that no festiuitie no office or parte of diuine seruice is celebrated in the yeere but representeth vnto vs one benefite or other no ceremony is vsed in the holy sacrifice of Masse no action of the Priest no ornament or attire hee weareth no benediction hee giueth no signe of the Crosse hee maketh but hath his religious signification and preacheth vnto vs his introite to the Altare his actions there his returne from thence the very vestments wherewith he is adorned the putting of them on the wearing of them in that celebration his putting them off his Amice Albe Girdle Manciple Stoale Vestiment and all hee vseth speak nothing but Christ crucified the maner of his oblation the cloth wherewith he was blindfolded the white garment putte on by Herode the cordes and whippe wherewith hee was bound and scourged the purple vestment wherwith he was deluded and that mysticall and most holy sacrifice his bloody and cruental oblation vppon the Crosse no action gesture prayer or the least ceremony either in word or deede silence or otherwise but bringeth a religious lesson and meaning and tendeth to instruction no benefite that Christ bestowed vppon man from the first instant of his conception left vnremembred but one time or other celebrated Not that Religion which denieth al things and properties of Religion as their opinions all negatiue doe witnes that hath taken away and conuerted from common and spirituall religious vses to priuate and temporall pleasures and preferments all monuments and foundations of deuotion and places of religious exercise leauing and vsing nothing necessary to mans saluation But that Religion whose opinions against these men are all affirmatiue professing deuotion and one acte of pietie or other that hath founded Churches Schooles Colledges Monasteries and places where Christian learning euer was or is exercised at this day that obserueth all things and wanteth or omitteth nothing belonging or that can be required to true Religion I defend that most holy and religious worship which I will prooue by aboue an hundred arguments and all kinde of inuincible reasons diuine and humane naturall and supernaturall to be the onely true and lawfull reuerence which we owe to God by which we were labij vnius spake one language and one Religion vntill that confused Babel was begunne in Germany from whence so many different tongs and confusions in Religion haue proceeded SECT VI. What mooued the Authour to dedicate his Worke to the Councell WHerefore right Honorable although the endes and offices
condition to whome as I hope my answere then was sufficient for my owne priuate so dooing So nowe lastly for that cause I humbly intreate licence to direct these reasons which I haue gathered in that question both for the excuse of my selfe and others to your Honours their successours in that court of iudgement although farre more mercifull moderators in such causes And that I may giue full assurance I doe it not to vpbraid any of your Honourable societie but onely to make my accompt and complaint to them in whom I haue reposed most hope of reliefe Ther is not now one left aliue to my knowledge that was then of the priuie Counsell or present there except your poore suppliant such is the variable course of earthly things Wherefore my humble sute to your Honours is that you will not onely accept of this my poore present which for those reasons I haue alledged your wisedome pietie mercy and iustice will not may not cannot refuse to doe but as you are in the highest degree of credit with my Soueraign so to be a meanes to her and as you can rule the rest to giue but indifferent and deserued defence against those which vniustly shall dislike it SECT VII The Authors particular defence of his writing to all estates and first to her Maiestie THen noble Patrons be my defenders in this my so iust and godly cause excuse my attempt to my Princesse and Queene let not my doings be offensiue vnto you the rest of the Nobilitie and protect me against the inferior controllers I would be loath my endeuours should be misexpounded of any Therefore I humbly craue fauour by you to tender a particular excuse to all And beginning with my Catholikely christned anoynted and crowned Queene Elizabeth to whom I wish both as much spirituall benediction and terrene honor as any subiect may to his temporall Soueraigne or as I would if she were of my owne Religion I desire her gratious leaue in this enterprise I defend that Religion which the lawe of God whereof she and all christian Princes professe defence defendeth the Lawes of the Church of Christ defend whereto she hath vowed defence by the vowe of a christian in baptisme by the promise and trueth of a Catholike in profession and life by the promise oath and fidelitie of a christian Catholike annointed consecrated and elected Queene at her coronation for defence whereof that most renowned and princely title the glorie of her stile was first granted to her father and still vsed of her Maiestie for that intent and by the POPES donation I defend that Religion whereof shee yet retaineth in her Princely person some reuerent notes which the pietie of her Catholike education gaue her as the vsing vpon sodaine and strange accidents to signe her selfe or women with childe with the sacred signe of the Crosse the great character of our glory and as it is reported in her owne priuate opinion not preuaricating in the maine poynt of the reall presence and others of chiefest moment euident hopes and tokens of no irrecouerable laps I will teach nothing contrary to her princely dignitie and prerogatiues nothing repugnant to her owne truely interpreted proceedings I will defend the liues religion fame and memory of all her famous and noble christian progenitours Kings and Queenes of England many of them while they liued honourable in earth and now glorious in Heauen whome her wicked Protestant ministers must needes condemne all to hell and damnation if they will leaue any little hope for themselues to be saued for one heauen can not possesse them both The lawe of God commaundeth me the lawe of nature enforceth me humanitie compelleth gratitude obligeth duety and reuerence to my Queene Elizabeth their heire and successor dooth necessitate me in this extremitie and desperate danger of their eternall noble fame memory to releeue them that bee dead and without reliefe of those by whome they should be both relieued and reuerenced in that behalf and not permit them for want of iust defence to be condemned of men in earth that are so happily translated from corruptible to euer-during kingdomes They were such as the condition of honorable Kings requireth Historians write it their yet liuing lawes and other monuments doe prooue it it cannot be imputed folly to him that shall defend them Many of them were holie Saints and miraculously witnessed of God to be in heauen euen by Protestants testimony and confession Therefore it cannot be impiety in a subiect to the heire of their Scepter to defend their Religion but wickednes and heresie in those which shall deny it for false Religion can neither be approued by miracle from God neither bring the professors thereof to their felicitie Of what degree soeuer wee are all that liue in England are indebted to those Princes If we be Cleargy men for learning schooles and educations if noble for nobilitie if souldiers and men of armes for fortitude and heroicall actes if peaceable and ciuill gouernors for matters and presidents of regiment if of the comminalty for common peace and tranquillitie they were prudent potent religious magnificēt and triumphant Princes by their wisedome they ruled vs by their victorious gests in armes they subdued and conquered vnto vs mighty strange and forreine Nations Scotland wil witnesse Ireland can make report Ierusalem Iewrie Fraunce Britanny Normandy and other Countries made tributory and subiect vnto vs will beare me record the Princely stile of my Soueraigne Queene of England Fraunce and Ireland to this day auoucheth it to be true if wee bee men of armes the order of Martiall discipline munitions ordonance artilery victuals towns walls gates castles fortresses garrisons musters tributes seruices lieutenants generals captains souldiers their rewardes honors maintenance and pensions were prouided by them If we affect the quiet and peaceable life all possible meanes of procuring and preseruing thereof hath beene their study and inuention they spared no cost omitted no labour to performe it they personally sate in iudgement and heard the complaints and causes of their subiects comprimitted matters without expences diuided counties and prouinces priuiledged citties townes and borroughs to that purpose constituted courtes assigned Iudges ordained pensions prouided Magistrates gaue directions freed frō taxes so established a kingdome that neither any community or priuate person can iustlie make complaint against them touching the spirituall and religious they gaue vs schooles colledges and vniuersities for learning and instruction founded churches monasteries altares for professing Religion and deuotion There is no grace priuiledge or prerogatiue needefull or belonging to an honourable and absolute christian kingdome which either Prince or subiect from the greatest to the least enioyeth but wee receiued it by them if it be temporall and by their help and meanes or allowaunce and consent if it be spirituall as from the first conuersion of the British Saxon and Danish Nation to the faith of Christ all antiquities will witnesse
Nobilitie COncerning you my honorable Patrons that wisedome and prudence which hath exalted you to that tipe of dignitie dooth tell you that you are not wiser in these causes than thousands of so wise learned vertuous and honourable predecessors in that place councellors to those holy kings suppose you might contend in politike gouernment with many or most that went before you let it be some might be admitted fellowes in armes with so many martiall and victorious men because in such cases you haue beene experienced yet to that which is most or onely materiall in this question and controuersie of learning religion and diuinitie you are too wise to make so vnequall a comparison to ballance your selues vntrained and vnskilfull in such faculties with so many Saints most holy learned and professed Diuines Bishoppes and others famous in the whole christian world such as great numbers of the councellors of those Princes were Therefore seeing it is the same vertue of prudence which teacheth and directeth what to doe and admonisheth what we are not able to performe it must needs put you in minde of the place you possesse the charge you haue vndertaken promise and fidelitie you haue giuen and I remaine assured the pietie mercie iustice and heroical munificence which be the vndiuided companions of that virtue the naturall gratitude you owe to so many descents of your noble predecessors benefactors and most zealous professours of the religion I defend will both conquer your wittes and mooue your willes As I haue prooued of the Kings of England in all former times those that were our greatest friends still enioy the greatest honor both in heauen and earth those that frinded vs least haue the least interest therein and those which were our enemies heauen earth are still at enmitie and variance with them so it was with your predecessours in that place and the auncestors of our whole nobilitie the examples are too many to be cited if any man desireth the view he may haue it in the catalogue of our vnfortunate Nobles and for Protestant councellors let him call to minde what an Agent Thomas Lord Cromwell was in these affaires how he was aduaunced thereby what spirituall lands yea offices hee hadde what fauour with Prince howe potent ouer subiects yet by that law which he had prouided for others himselfe was first that was thereby condemned not admitted to the presence of his Prince What was the tragicall and mournfull enterlude of the two Protestant Protectors of king Edward the sixt the chiefe pillers and first originalles of English Protestancie the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland so basely disgraced put to death Who in the time of her Maiestie that is so violent an enemy against vs as Robert earle of Leicester yet the professors of that faith doe liue and he at the very time when hee hadde designed the most bloudy persecution against vs miserably died terrified with monstrous visions of diuels and now his name is not aliue Sir Francis Walsingham his deere friend was the mast cruel aduersarie for his degree which this time hath maintained against vs yet his miserable death his despairing wordes Lay me aside and let me be forgotten the illusions hee had at the same time and the filthy stinke and corruption of his body wanting all funerall pompe basely buried in the night will be an eternall infamy against him I coulde easily exemplifie in others both of the peaceable and martiall condition but I will not be offensiue to any of their families these which I haue recounted haue left few heires either of honour or their names behinde them Wherefore most honourable Patrons and you the rest of the wise and noble gentry of England Honor is the crest of your endowments Glorie is that you desire true honor and glory are onely or chiefly belonging to that honorable state which I defend this glory is truely in him that is religious hee is honoured heere of God by grace and in heauen by glory other honors be rather in men that honour than in them that be honoured And yet if your immortall appetites must needes possesse these mortall honors there is none you now enioy none you can desire which euer any of our Nation had but was deriued from the gifts donations and bounties of our Catholike Popes and Princes to your auncestors and predecessors and so to you by inheritance from the one and succession from the other It was neuer hitherto accompted dishonourable to any to be professor of that religion which made him glorious There haue beene many renowned families in England which haue brought foorth many glorious men and yet they which were most religious in our profession alwayes were and euer will be the chiefest honour of their houses Saint Guthlach the poore Eremite of Crowland was sonne to the noble Penwalde of the linage of king Ethelred and yet farre more honourable for his religion than natiuitie and nowe chiefly honoured for that cause So S. Suitbert sonne of the Earle of Nottingham and his Lady Berta whome Saxonie honoureth for the Apostle of that nation So S. Thomas Bishop of Hereford Chauncellour to King Henry the third sonne of the noble Cantilupus and Millicent Countesse of Yorke and Saint Ceadda councellor to King Alchfride Saint Dunstane and other religious councellors to our catholike Princes before named are nowe in all Histories and memories more honorable than any of that place that were not of their profession The only order of S. Benedict so renowned in our Nation hath had about twenty Kings and Emperours aboue an hundred great Princes many Popes sixteene hundred archbishops foure thousand bishops fifteen thousand famous men and fifteene thousand and sixe hundred most honourable canonized Saintes And such was the continuing and neuer fading honour that our religion gaue that our Kings Queens and greatest Princes thought it more honorable to bee religious than to seeke honour in temporall regiments It will be no easie thing for any Protestant to single foorth one auntient family of England of which there haue not beene many Bishops Abbots or religious rulers in our Countrey and yet those by all Recordes and Monuments are and euer will be more renowned than the others of their descent And to exemplifie these names and houses following either still now are or heretofore haue bene great in England Baldwine Hubert Kylwarby Peccam Stratford Offord Braidwarden Islepe Langhton Witlesey Sudbery Courtney Arundell Chichelsey Burchier Morton and yet those Archbishoppes of Canterbury which were of these names and families when they liued were the most honorable of their linage their place of dignitie highest among subiects and next vnto our Kings and now so long after their deaths they are more honoured and remembred with glory than any of their lines Thus I might alleadge of other persons and places And it is written in the life of that noble Saint Suitbert that the children of the greatest Princes and
Nobles of England were Priestes and Bishops But most Honourable as by name place office and calling you are chiefe Councellors to our Prince Comites euen companions to Kings Barones Milites the bulwarke and patrons of our countrey whose principall pillers and members vnder our Queene you are so your honor and glory consisteth much in defence thereof And it might seeme more then a blemish in you to be defenders of that which is offensiue to that kingdome and common state wherein you are aduanced to Regiment Then seeing this matter must bee disputed betweene Protestants and vs so many hundred yeares of the flourishing estate of this Nation vnder our Religion in the dayes almost of two hundreed Kings when no other Religion was knowne among vs will pleade for our preeminence or if we must needes discend to particulars although my condition is not to entrouble my selfe with politicke affaires further then they are subordinate and belonging to that high faculty of diuinitie whereof I may be supposed a student yet if it may bee lawfull for me to take notice of that which the law of God the law of nature and the lawes of al nations and the word Respublica it selfe teacheth to euery man that it signifieth a publike and not a priuate wealth being a congregation of many and not one particular person to be ruled maintained defended and preserued and not be destroyed and if either the testimony of Catholikes or Protestants in their owne cause may be admitted and triall may be made by the opiniōs which be defended on either part or by the effect which haue proceeded from thence this question will be soone at end and your honours will be double honoured to be Patrons of that Religion whereof I professe defence And to beginne with him that was the first beginner of this innouation the holy polliticke and peaceable propositions of Martine Luther are these Their Protestants hands must bee embrued in blood it is the nature of the gospell to raise warres and seditions among Christians there is no magistrate no superiour it is to be entreated by many prayers that the countrymen obey not their Princes that they goe not on warrefare against the Turke no contribution must be giuen to Princes for their warres against him no law neither any sillable of a law can be imposed vpon Christians more then themselues will either of men or Angels there no hope of remedy vntill all humane lawes be taken away Which positions vtterly destroy all gouernments and common wealths yet such was not only the doctrine of Luther which exercised in act to his power what he taught in word as not onely all histories but the ruines of Germany are witnesse to this day but it was both the word and worke of Caluine Beza Othomanus Spiphanius and others in Switzerland and Fraunce which taking all authoritie from Kings and magistrates decreed in their conuenticles not only that all ancient and noble families but ciuill gouernment lawfull pollicie and iurisdiction must be taken away and kept a councell to destroy the King of Fraunce his wife the Queene his children Queene mother and all good magistrates in that Kingdome and not content with this the basest people as a Taylor and Cobler at Franckeforde instituted new Courts new Senators and other officers of the meanest conditioned men expelling and putting to death all ancient rulers Wherevpon ensued so many outrages and desolations in those countries the intollerable seditions rebellions disobediences and violence in deposing and expelling lawfull Princes abrogating lawes spoyling Innocents and other enormous crimes against a common wealth which haue bin practized by the Protestants of Denmarke Sweueland Scotland Flaunders are so famous they neede no recitall And lest English Protestāts which so much in words and little in deedes contend for a Common wealth should be exempted from this generall proposition who in England was so famous a Protestant in the beginning as Tindal their great apostle and who in the time of our Q. Elizabeth so great a writer and monumenter as Foxe and whose workes more generally applauded then his acts and monuments and yet Tindall taught and Foxe defendeth in his publikely allowed and approued bookes these propositions following It is vnpossible for vs to consent to the will of God the law requireth vnpossible things the law maketh to hate God euery man is Lord of other mens goods the children of faith are vnder noe law What common wealth can be where these doctrines are published and proposed to be true Did not their Protestants write a booke against the temporall regiment of women intituled Contra monstrosum regimen mulierum against the monstrous regiment of women What monstrous doctrine and pestiferous were this now in our nation What Common wealth men were those which were the greatest and chiefest promulgers of this Protestancy in England The Lord Thomas Cromwell so exalted by King Henry the eight Iohn duke of Northumberland father to the late Earle of Lecester Cranmer and others I referre to their deaths for treason against their Princes Who are chiefest actors in affaires of a Common wealth in England but the priuy councell of our Soueraignes and yet howe farre vnlike Common-wealth men did the councell of King Henry the eight onely the Lord Chauncellor Wriothesly excepted behaue themselues presently violating their King and masters last will in which they were also constituted executors Would not the Protestant councell of King Edward the sixt haue disinherited her Maiestie that is and Queene Mary The Protestants of England testifie that the Puritanes platforme tendeth to the ouerthrow of the whole state and gouernment of the common wealth the Puritanes affirme as much of their doctrine I will passe ouer so many Protestant positions which as they be al negatiue denying Religion and duty to God so in things concerning temporall gouernment subiect to Religion they must needs be repugnant to ciuill regiment I will onely craue leaue to exemplifie in three or foure questions it is a common opinion with this people that the lawes of magistrates do not binde in conscience and secret but onely in publike and open shew for auoyding scandall What treason and treacherie may not priuately be plotted practised and put in execution by this doctrine What Realme can be secure what Kingdome is not in hazarde to bee ouerthrowne where euery rebellious vassall shall bee made a iudge of his Princes lawes What other thing doth their approued doctrine of sole faith portend to the world but a desolation of all order obedience and regiment If a man is onely iustified by faith he cannot be vniustified and condemned but for wanting faith and so treason felony murther rapine periurie and all offences against a common wealth euen to take away the crowne and scepter of a prince may securely be put in action as not destroying the vertue of faith and so not able to condemne
the workers of such impieties Let vs speake a little of marriadge it was enacted by parliament of K. Henry the eight that all contracts of marriage whatsoeuer were voyde by a second marriage consummate hereupon ensued not only such shame and dishonour to that law against the light of nature and ciuill contracts but to vse the words of King Edward the sixt his Protestants in open parliament such incontinences intollerable to Christian eares men and women breaking their promises and faith made by the one to the other taking new husbands and wiues at their pleasure euen as it pleased them that it was reuoked by King Edward the sixt yet by the first parliament of our Queene it is reuiued and now in force from which opinion and the doctrine of remarrying for the incontinency of the first husband or wife what deuorcements dissentions remarryings breaches of wedlocks false accusations translations and lamentable decayes of ancient and honourable houses by adulteries and most wicked suppositions of vnlawfully begotten children haue ensued And because I haue spoken of marriage I with the indifferent Reader to consider whether the marriages of Priests and ministers consist with a common wealth or no let him but looke into this one article and he shall perceiue that euen by the nature of the thing it selfe so many wants miseries distresses and hungers as haue beene since in this kingdome and other flouds of daungers to a ciuill regiment haue flowed from that fountaine The ancient number of parishes in England euery one hauing at the least one Priest or Minister haue beene accompted forty thousand though Camden and later Writers muster a meaner reckning besides Bishoprikes Deaneries Archdeaneries Prebendaries pety Canonries and almost as many Chappels more many of them hauing their particular ministers and diuerse richer Protestant parsons their subcurates and among all these it is a dishonour at this day for a man to be vnmarried Then to make some coniecture in this case because a certainety can not be surueyed lette vs compare this new married broode so giuen to generation to the first inhabitants of countries which of a farre fewer number in processe of time haue growen to so great and populous Nations and because the encrease of the people of Israel in Aegypt is most exactly aboue all others remembred and registred in holy Scriptures which these men receiue I will take an example from them and yet to the Protestant aduantage for the Israelites in Aegypt were persecuted and their children put to death when contrariwise the generation of Ministers in England hath flourished and beene defended The number of the Israelites men women and children entring into Aegypt were onely 70. as is written in Genesis or 75. as it is expounded of saint Stephen if the first suruey of English parishes and ministers is admitted although we alow many of them to haue liued and vnmarried yet numbring their wiues which by chastitie in catholike times also were vnmarried it is probable that for euery maried Israelite there were more than two thousand married ministers for the grand-children of Iacob were not married at that time and if wee admit the least suruey of thirteene thousand fifteene thousand or sixteene thousand parishes yet for euery married Israelite there was a thousand married ministers Within the space of foure hundred yeeres the number of Israelites from the age of one and twenty yeeres vpward besides many more thousands of women children and young people and the whole tribe of Leui one of the twelue which was not nūbred in this account the number of such men amounted vnto six hundred thousands three thousands fiue hundred and fiftie Now let my Protestant Arithmetitians make a calculation of the Ministers ofspring if wee take my least account if their religion should last foure hundred yeeres which is but so long as the true Church of Israelites liued almost pilgrims or captiues yet a true Religion must be such that it carry no destruction to commonwealths though it last for euer as the worship of Christ was instituted to doe then by my meanest reckoning the number of men encreased in that time wil be 603550000 six hundred thousands of thousands three thousand thousands fiue hundred thousands and fiftie thousands which is a greater number to bee added in our nation then many Englands are able to maintaine though we neither reckon woman nor childe What then will the apparell and other expences of this generation be to a little country yet I haue not coūted how many since Protestant Religion haue multiplied in this order which before liued in monasteries and religious houses in chaste and single life by common iudgement little or not inferiour to the former multitude which as it doubleth the number of people encreased so it doubleth the miseries and perplexities of this kingdome Such chargeable bloody and continued warres as England in this time hath had in Fraunce Flaunders and other places both at sea and land are neither easie nor secure to be maintained And to ordaine or permitte multiplication of men to such endes to vtter them by slaughter is wholy Turkish and more like to Canaballs than to Christians And yet if they had not beene to preuent so many marriages and kill so many thousands of men how could this nation haue prouided for so many or how wil it deale hereafter when the present inhabitants haue tasted so many wants Lette vs make an other triall what domage the taking away or neglect of fasting and abstinence in this religion hath broght to our common wealth In Catholicke times besides so many dayes of abstinence whereby many thousands of fishers were maintained and much cattell and flesh preserued there were obserued aboue an hundred fasting dayes with onely one meale in the day if wee account the seuerall dayes of Lent Fridayes Ember dayes Vigils and euens of Saints that were fasted the number of the eaters then were fewer by much as is reckoned by ministers marriages the diet was not so delitious as Protestancie teacheth then let vs giue all aduantage to Protestants in this commission of enquirie and suppose contrary to all iudgements that there be but twelue thousand parishes in England let vs allowe that there be onely in euery parish one with another but an hundred persons menne and women which were wont to fast though this number is much too little let vs further imagine that the expences of euery ones supper would onelie be the value of one penny which is no deare ordinarie yet by this fauourable reckoning euery person in these hundred dayes spareth one hundred pence which is tenne shillings and the hūdred persons of euery parish one hundred times ten shillings which is fiftie pounds which together amounteth yeerely to sixe hundred thousands of poundes besides the consumption of so much victualles originall of so many wants and yet it hath beene credibly reported that of late yeeres vppon generall musters in England
all those Schooles by institution offer weekely or daily sacrifice for our nation where prayer is continually made by deputed persons for her Maiestie where so many publike prayers processions fasting disciplines and austerities are vsed to that end The rules and gouernement there consent with the auntient foundations of our Cambridge and Oxford the Religion there vsed the doctrine there taught the Priesthoode and other Orders there taken sacrifice offered prayers that bee made Sacraments that be frequented Lawes that bee obserued all things there practized be the same which so many renowned Kings of England euer professed and defended as conformable to their temporal regiments and to which our Qu. Elizabeth by the fidelitie of a Prince by solemne oath and all greatest security an absolute Ruler can giue hath indebted her selfe to obserue at her Coronation And what disobedience or want of duety can it be to deny to her or any temporall Prince Supremacy in ecclesiasticall causes a preeminence so distinct and independing of the ciuil gouernement And it euer was so far fro treason to deny it to any of our Kings or Queenes that not onely all English subiects but our Kings themselues euer approoued it in the Roman See And neuer any temporall Turke Tartare Goth Vandall or impious ennemy of Christ heretike or infidell challenged it as belonging to their temporall stile and no Protestant Prince at this day except in England eyther claimeth to him selfe or maketh it treason to giue it to the Pope of Rome Neyther dooth or euer did any or these professed ennemies to that See condemne for a temporall disobedience to appeale thither in spirituall causes or maketh it a matter of state to goe on pilgrimage to Rome or bring a Crucifix Picture or any halowed thing from thence which can be no busines of a commonwealth But all other Christians of the worlde euen such as bee vnder the Turkish regiment or any other whether they be Iacobites in aboue forty kingdomes Nestorians Maronites in Libia and Phoenitia Armenians Georgians Suryans Mozarabes Indians vnder Peter Iohannes in seauentie and twoo kingdomes or any others besides all Catholike and Christian kingdomes in this or other partes of the world haue free accesse without prohibition of their Princes either to Rome Ierusalem or any place where Christ is or hath beene reuerenced And in the dayes of the greatest temporall honour and renowne of England vnder the most glorious English Princes it hath beene so farre from disturbance or indignitie to our temporall state to goe that iourney and fetch or receiue such things from thence that our most puissant and triumphant Kings themselues haue performed those offices in their own princely and royall persons as our Protestant Writers be witnesses Howe honourable those Princes were for those and such offices as also how dishonourable with men and strangely punished of God not only al Kings of England but of other nations which practized any thing offensiue to that Roman iurisdiction I haue declared before If wee should enter into comparison of this kingdome now Protestant eyther with it selfe vnder Catholike regiment or with forraine Catholike kingdomes my sentence is true whether wee consider the glory of king Henry the eight and this kingdome before his fall or their infamie and dishonours after or the short or turbulent season of king Edward the sixt or for this present time what it is and what like to be which duety to her Maiestie chargeth me to leaue to the lamentable consideration of all men now and the pittifull experience of those which shall prooue it heereafter When contrariwise if wee enter into conceipt of Catholicke kingdomes ruled by that Religion and law which we defend they will be named the flowers of the worlde our neighbouring countries Fraunce Spaine Italie and others may be giuen for instance And to particularize in them that be most hated of English Protestants the Pope of Rome for a spiritual person and the Spanish King for a temporall Prince Is not the power and iurisdiction of the first extended by many degrees and whole kingdomes further and more glorious than euer was the Regencie of any spirituall superiour high Priest in Iewrie Caliphe of the Turkes Archflamine of the Pagans Archbishoppe of the Protestants or any their supreame head or gouernor in Ecclesiasticall causes in this or any other Nation neuer allowed further than one countrey and no man can question but the kingdomes riches and reuenews of the king Catholike are the greatest of any Monarch or Emperour in the worlde How the glory of all kingdomes was euer most when they most religiously embraced and maintained our doctrine I haue demonstrated at large in my Resolution no Article we defend prayer and adoration to Saints prayer for the dead restitution for wrongs and iniuries to those that liue obedience to Princes their iust and equall regiment the validitie of their lawes the force of good woorkes and their working the number grace and reuerence of Sacraments other holy things penance and punishment for sinne both in life and after with the rest being all affirmatiue positions teaching duety to God honour to Magistrates equalitie to all iniury and oppression to none the chiefest points of true regiment cannot be offensiue to a well ordered kingdome What quarrelles and contentions betweene Princes Kings and Subiects Nobles and Nobles and all estates haue beene comprimitted in England by the spirituall Romane authoritie now so hateful amōg vs which could by no other meanes be appeased the turbulent dealings in the time of King Henry the second so pacified the Barons warres quieted rigorous onerations imposed by Princes eased contentions and vnappeaseable warres of this kingdome with France and other Nations the like appeased and brought to end will witnesse What peace concord amitie and agreement in all estates the Protestants deniall of Restitution and Confession hath taken away what wrongs enmities and abuses it hath wrought the auntient loue neighbourly friendship christian charitie and peaceable agreement generally since then exploded among Protestant people are euidence for those bridles beeing broken what so conuenient meanes is either left or inuented by this generation to tame the inordinate passions of vnruly people How can the beginning of sinnes first inwardly hatched in the mind before they proceede to outwarde action to bee controlled by ciuill Lawes be stayed and preuented How can secret offences the mother and nurse of publike disorders be punished and destroyed Who can keepe Subiects from deuising against Soueraignes these from plotting against Subiects Subiects against themselues Who can now vmpire so many quarrelles euen with extraordinary and intolerable charges and abuses which the Consistory of Confession in euery parish so freely without bribe trouble or contention decided and rooted out For want whereof so many suites and actions in lawe such multitudes of Lawyers and their lately obtained riches haue ensued What abuses in their proceedings what vniust causes defended What iust and
bee defiled by false accusers whose bodies many yeeres after their death to witnesse the innocencie of their Religion and life remained vncorrupted nor those whome so many testimonies from heauen and earth haue confirmed to be most happy Saints to be reiected as impious I am out of doubt no Protestant Lady of England will or dareth to compare her selfe with the meanest of many which for the loue and honour of our Religion forsooke all temporall pleasures and princelie honours and preferring the poore chaste and obedient religious life before all dignities became sacred and consecrated Nunnes such as Foxe is enforced to consecrated were Queene Edelburge wife and Queene to King Edwine and daughter of King Anna. Saint Etheldrede wife to King Elfride and married before and yet a perpetuall Virgine as Saint Bede Fox and others do witnesse Sexburga daughter of King Anna and wife to King Ercombert Kineburga wife to King Alfride daughter to King Penda sister to king Ofricus Elfloda daughter to King Oswy and wife to King Peda and Alfritha wife to King Edgar Hylda daughter to the nephew of King Edwine Erchengoda and Ermenilda daughters of King Ercombert Werburga daughter to King Vlferus Kinreda Kinswida his sisters Elfrida daughter to King Oswy Mildreda Milburga and Milginda daughters of King Mirwaldus Saint Editha daughter to King Edgar and others most holie religious and miraculous Princesses the glorie of our English Ladies Or if the glorie and happinesse of Catholicke Princes will not mooue yet let the fearefull examples of the principall Protestant Ladies of England chiefe Agents in this quarrell greeuously afflicted of God and made dishonourable to the worlde putte vs in minde what wee ought to doe which though Stowe and Grafton haue too bluntly sette downe my selfe for some reuerent respects will heere omit Thinke it you Protestant Dames of England no disparagement in honor to be followers of those renowned Princesses which in all Antiquities are recorded to be the glory of your kinde and the supreame womanly honour of our Kingdome That RELIGION the greatest honour which hath giuen to them such eternitie of honour in Heauen can not make you dishonourable in Earth It is the nature of your sexe to immitate and in some things you will sometimes immitate too much If you that liue in Courte didde but knowe the guise of attires which those holy Queenes and Ladies vsed before they were Religious you would follow it in the highest degree although therein you should consent with the Dames of Italy France Spaine and Rome it selfe or any other place or person to which you professe your selues most distasted And in such things though neuer vsed of Queene Sexburga Etheldreda Edelburga or any of those or other Saintes your daily and new deuises are euidence against you that you esteeme it not dishonourable to learne of the Ladies of those Nations These agreements are not so worthie praise and yet therein you will not be at variaunce Then seeing the Religion of those Countries whose Ladies you allowe in matters so little deseruing immitation is that which maketh so honorable with God and man and not for a short courting but an euer-continuing time feare not to bee French Spanish Italian and Roman in that wherein the tipe and diademe of true honour consisteth or if you haue chosen to bee wedded onelie to terrene and debased honour yet you may not thinke so basely of that Religion I defend to disallowe it For all your earthly honours titles names and ensignes of dignitie were eyther first founded or after allowed and confirmed to your auncestors and in them to you by the Popes Emperours Kings and Regents in Catholike reuerence England Protestant wanteth many degrees of chiefest place which England Catholicke enioyed England Protestant hath diminished and added none to those which were before And those Countries I named and whose Religion I commend vnto you haue many of that condition which neuer any England hadde Catholicke Religion neuer denied any thing vnto you which was truely honourable it gaue you your dignities honourable places and priuiledges it gaue you credite with our Princes and for their and your honour ordayned you estates it defendeth your marriages to be honorable and a sacrament by that Religion your matrimonie was not in the pleasure of your Lordes repudiations and deuorcements at their willes were not knowen remarrying to a second wife the former liuing was euer most vnlawfull Concubines could not possesse the maintenaunce of your honours their bastardes might not enioy the inheritaunce of your legittimate for feare of offence I will be silent in most honourable fauours which your Catholike ancestors had and you might haue by that Religion and Protestancie cannot giue and referre that cause to your more serious examination and fauourable construction which for my promise of writing nothing offensiue to our English state I must willingly in this and other places leaue naked and vnfurnished of many and greatest arguments of defence SECT X. The Authors defence to all inferiour subiects IF I shoulde entreate what benefites and preferrements so many diuerse orders and conditions of inferiour subiects enioyed by enioying our Religion and what they lost by losse thereof as I should make my cause too popular and pleasing vnto them so I feare I might be offensiue to some to whome I haue promised to giue no occasion of offence Therefore I will onely put them in minde that as all their auncestors and predecessors were of the same RELIGION with vs so an innumerable company of their kinsfolks were religious men and women and in them the care of their parents ended and they became Fathers and mothers to their parents and families others were attendant instructed and maintained by pensions corrodies farmes annuities leases and tenements of our religious houses the poore were releeued in our Hospitalles and by our almes others liuing vppon our landes without fines or enhaunced rents euery temporall man and woman enioying more for them and theirs by howe much so many hundred thousandes of religious persons claimed and needed lesse by their poore and single life No wife to prouide for ioynture no daughter to endowe and giue in marriage no elder sonne to enrich with new inheritance and spared purchases no yonger sonne to be aduaunced by emprooued rents toyles or turnings out of Farmes no tenaunt chaunged no fines no forfeitures taken no woodes destroyed no priuiledge or freedome withdrawne many new and greater graunted by Kings and Noble men to religious persons their tenaunts and tenures not so many iarres and quarrelles in lawe contentions and debates of the poore subiects comprimitted by ghostly confessors religious persons and kings themselues SECT X. His defence to the Ministerie of England LAstly to come to the Protestant Ministery of England whose anger and displeasure as I esteeme it least so I name them last I appeale to all those estates I haue recounted for iudgement whether in accusing them of ignoraunce or
Professors are in the contrary case their Religion is pleasant and by professing it they liue in honours and delights which haue enticed not onely many Catholickes to followe Protestancie but Protestants to be Mahumetanes or of no Religion That by ignoraunce wee shoulde be seduced such sentence cannot proceede but from ignoraunce or malice Wee haue all authorities times and places for our defence our enemies haue none at all we were borne in the same Countrey of England bred vp in the same Vniuersities English where and whence those Protestants be wee haue trauailed all Countries studied in all christian Vniuersities we haue learned Diuinitie of the most famous Professors of the worlde we haue disputed in all Schooles and enioyed the best meanes of studie wee want wiues riches honours pleasures and all impediments of true diuinitie and studie thereof Our aduersaries are snared and entangled with all these and other lettes to hinder them That rather they than we would be more carefull to examine any authoritie or argument belonging to these questions no man can imagine it concerneth vs most and the reasons be euident before If Religion can be tried in this worlde wee haue sought and found all meanes they haue not farre sought for any and found none at all their daylie doubts changes and vncertaintie prooue it If they would stand to any triall wee knowe the order of all and will accept of any one with equall conditions If they will appeale to Scriptures as their highest Conuocation doth or to any other authoritie so many Catholike Diuines of England And the poore Author hereof because I haue taken this Woorke in hand and must iustifie my writing and not feed my Readers with vaine reportes and heare-sayes as Protestants doe haue read and studied them all and more than Protestants vse If they contend to credite the Hebrew Text in the olde Testament and the Greeke in the new as the common opinion of their Writers is I haue studied them in those languages and the auntient Glosses and Scholies Latine and Greeke for their Exposition If they will stand to the report of the most auncient Historians Eusebius Ruffinus Socrates Sozomenus Palladius Sainct Hierome Sainct Bede and others what was the practise of the Primitiue Church and beleeued in the vnspotted time of Christianitie I haue perused them If they will bee iudged by the decrees of the first POPES that were Saints and bee in Heauen as they confesse and ruled the Church in those times as their Archebishoppe of Canterbury dooth acknowledge I haue often with diligence considdered the Decrees both of all that were before the Councell of Nice and after If they will bee arbitrated by the present Schooles and scholasticall reasons I haue beene a poore Auditor both of scholasticall and controuersiall Questions where all doubtes and difficulties that witte or learning can deuise and inuent are handled and most exquisitely debated If they admit the first foure generall Councells of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Calcedon which the highest iudiciall authoritie of England hath expresly approoued by name or anie of the rest to which the same and her Maiesties consent also giueth approbation I haue seene and read them all from the first of Nice to the last of Trent as all approoued particular and prouinciall Councells which be extant or ordinarily vsed If they thinke there euer was true Religion among Christians and that it was exercised in the first sixe hundred yeeres after Christ and that those auncient Fathers which were the most famous in those dayes and ruled the Churche as Bishoppes and Doctours thereof were acquainted with it or Professours of it I haue carefully read ouer all the workes and writings which bee to be had of Dyonisius the Areopagite Scholler to Saint Paul Saint Ignatius Saint Polycarpus Saint Clement Martialis liuing in the Apostles time Saint Iustine Origen Saint Basill Saint Athanasius Saint Gregory Nazianzene Saint Gregory Nissen Saint Gregorie the Great Saint Irenaeus Saint Cyprian Fulgentius Pamphilus the Martire Palladius Theodoretus Ruffinus Socrates Sozomenus Euagrius Cassianus Lactantius Firmianus Vincentius Lyrenensis the most famous and learned Fathers of those vncorrupted ages all the workes of all these I haue read and examined and conferred them with Saint Augustine Saint Hierome Saint Ambrose Saint Leo Papias the scholler of Saint Iohn the Euangelist Theophilact Tertullian Eusebius Cesariensis Prudentius and others most excellent Diuines liuing when all Protestants agree true faith was vniuersally preached and beleeued And yet I take God and the whole Courte of Heauen to witnesse before whome I must render an accompt of this protestation my beleefe and all my actions my constant writing in defence of this Faith my selfe voluntarily in disgrace and persecution professing it will be my warrant of sinceritie That the same Faith and Religion which I defend is taught and confirmed by those holy Hebrew and Greeke Scriptures those Historians Popes Decrees Scholies and Expositions Councels Schooles and Fathers and the profession of Protestants and all other Sectes by the same condemned I haue examined and with diligent aduise read ouer many Bookes and Writings of the best learned Protestantes the Woorke to which this Epistle is a Preamble will be my witnesse and not any that euer came to my hands containeth any argument or reason in my iudgement woorthy or able to withdrawe a reasonable and indifferent minde not blinded with pleasure or seduced by affection from embracing that Catholike Faith which I defend or that can establish or prooue any other Religion to be true That I should not bee able to iudge what maketh for vs what against vs I hope no man will challenge mee of so great ignorance That I would willingly erre and persist in errour if my religion were errour to followe a profession so austere and rigorous to sensuall appetite and desire if it be compared to Protestant doctrine and obstinately heape disgrace and affliction vpon my selfe to professe it when by reforming my opinion or conscience to the contrary I might both auoide the penitentiall life of Catholike profession and the perilles and penalties which the Parliaments of Protestants haue imposed vppon vs and enioy the liberties and delights which Protestancie yeeldeth and the preferrements wherewith their Schollers are rewarded I am out of doubt no Reader can be so partiall and vnequall iudge against mee or any one of so many English Catholicke Students which are in the same case and defend the same cause SECT XII The Conclusion how dishonourable and vnreasonable it is to persist in Protestancie howe honourable to graunt a Reformation WHerefore noble Patrones seeing so many worldes of witnesses giue euidence against the profession of Protestants and euery age time place person and thing of woorthy and credible authoritie yeeld testimony to my defence I will recomfort my selfe that by your gratious and iust protection no man will be so wilfull to impugne that which God and all reasonable creatures and
Fab. hiâ— Maâ— West S. Ludger in vita â— suitbeâ—t The conformitie of Catholike religion to all true and lawfull ciuil policie and regiment and the repugnancie of Protestancy vnto the same Catal. reg Britan. Angl. Foxe tom 1. monum stowe histor Grafton histor Doctrine and proceedings of Protestants against common-wealth Georg. Wiccl de retect Luth. Luth. ep ad fratr inferior German Luther l. de potest secul l. cont edict 2. Caesa l. de bell contr Turc Luth. l. captiu Babyl Claud. de sanct l. de Saccad englise fol. 58.55 Cocl in vit Luth. Petr. Frat. orat cont sectar Staphil apolog Foxe tom 2. mon. Test tâ— ord Burgund in remonstrat supr edict reg Gal. part 2. Petr. Fr. orat cont sect Defens reg relig Erasm Albert Conrad Wimp l. contr Swingl Cocl in Art Luth Melancth com ad Coloss Foxe tom 2. monum in Tyndall haer arti 3. artic 2 artic 18.19 Foxe sup Tynd. obed art 18. Goodm l. cont monstr reg mulier Stowe hist Graft hist Fox to 2. mo Graft vlt. H. 8. Stowe hist Anno 1. Edw. 6. Graft stowe Ann. 1. Mar. Respons adm parliam Adm. parl 13. Eliz. Caluin Instit Andr. Wyll synops papism c. Lawes Conuoc Protest Lond. 1562. parl 5. 13. Elizab. Protestant English doctrine against a common wealth statut in parl 32. H 8. c. 38. Parl. Ed. 6. tit Maryag Parl. 1. Elizab. Marriages of Priests and Ministers how much against a common-wealth Graft hist an 15. H. 5. Cambd. in Britan. Gen. 46. acts 7. Gen. 46 47. Numer cap. 1. Protestants doctrine and practise of Neglect of Abstinence and Fasting in England how preiudiciall to a common wealth Supr § 2. Resolut Relig. part 2. Arg. 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82. The Conformitie and Honor of catholike Religion to England or any well ordered Commonwealth Stat. 25. Ed. 3. c. 2 5. Ric. 2. c. 5 stat 1. Hen. 4. c. 10. Catal. Reg. Brit. Angl. Fox to mon. Stowe hist Pontifical Rom. â—n ord sacerd Part. 2. Resol â—rgum 5.6 â—tat in parliam â—7 Elizab. c. 2. â—esol part 2. â—rgum 5.8 â—ed l. 2.3 histor Angl. Fox tom â— monum Parliam 27. Elizab. sup § 6. supr Septeme l. de mâ— rib Rel. Turc Fran. Aluar. hist Ethiop Belfor Cosmograph l. 6. liturg Ethiopâ— to 4. Bibliothec. patr Osor histor Eman. l. 3. Theuet l. 11. Foxe tom 1. mon. Stowe hisâ— Graft histor Resolut Relig. part 1. c. 14. D. Edward in vit S. Tho. Cant. Stowe histor in Henr. 2. Graft hist sup Stowe in K. Iohn Caxton in eod Hall hist in H. 5. Fox tom 1. 2. Monum Foxe to 2. monn in Henr. 8. Caxt. histor Hall in H. 5. Stowe Graft in Henr. 8. Stow hist in H. 8. Resol Relig. part â— Argum. 5 6 7. Bed hist Angl. l. 2 3 4 5. Math. Westm Henr. Hunt Caxt. hist Fox tom 1. mon. Pantal. Chron. Bed hist Angl. l. 3.4.5 Guil. Malmes l gest Fox tom 1. mon. Stowe histor Fox tom 1. mon. fol. 178. Bed l. 3 4 5. hist Angl. Guil. Malm. l. gest Stowe Graft in hist Henr. 8. Argum. 87.88 2. I art Resol Part. 2. Resolut Argum. 72 73 74 75 79.83 84 85. Fox tom 2. mon. in H. 8. Edw. 6. Qu. Mary parl 24 H. 8. c. 12. parl 25. c. 14.20 parl 26. c. 1.3.14 parl 27. c. 15. parl 31 e. 9.14 parl 32. c. 15.26 parl 35 c. 5. parl 1 Ed. 6 c. 1.2 parl 2.3 Edw. 6. c. 1.21 parl 3.4 Edw. 6. c. 10. parl 5.6 Ed. 6. c. 1.3.13 parl 1. Eliz. c. 1. parl 5 c. 1.28 parl 13. c. 1. Conuoc Lond. 1562. artic 1 2 3 4 5 c. Foxe tom 2. in Cranmer Bed l. 1 2 3 4 5. hist Angl Admer in vita sancti Ans Guil. Malmesb. 〈◊〉 gest pont Angl. Math. West hist Fox tom 1. mon. Part. 2. Resol Reâ—ig Argum. 5.6 Foxe tom 1. moâ—um Armar Syn. Lond. proâ— 1562. articulâ— parliam 5. Eliza. 13. Eliza. Will. Synops Pap. Concil Flor. in vn Arm. Concil Trid. c. de script Syn. Lond. Prot. 1562. art 6. Trithem l. script Zuit Sen. Bibl· sanct Pantal. Chronol Stowe hist an 1. Eliza. parliam 1. Eliza. ca. 1. Graft hist an 1. Elizab. Casp Vlenb. l. 22 caus Rain Calu. Sleid. com Conuoc Lond. 1562. arti 6. parl 5. Eliz. 13. Eli. Fulke Charke Hanmer Andr. Will. Synop. Pap. Rain contr Bell. Whitak contr Campian Contr. Admâ—nit parliam Parlam 1. Eli. c. 1 Luther tom 2. Germ. Ientac fol. 9. Praefat. l. de abrog miss Luther in colloq mensal fol. 10. praefat sup Luther tom 1. Germ. â—entac fol. 4 colloq mensal fol. 158. 273. Luther in Praefat in tom 1. Germ. Ientacul Sueton. in vita Iul. Caesar Luther in colloq mental fol. 241. to 5. germ fo 141 Eccles c. 10. c. 1 L. 3. Esdr c. 3. Stowe in Comp. hist in aetat Reg. Angl. Graft hist Tom. Concil Stat. parl Reg. Angl. Resol Relig part 2. per mult arg Bernard Lutâ— Catalog haeret Salu. conduct fact protest in Concil Trident. Fox tom 2. moâ— in Cranm. Latiâ— Dan. c. 9.2 Esa 1 Ierem. 25.29 Stowe histor in He. 8. parl H. 8. Leuit. c. 25.27 Numer 36. Ios 6. Articul Coud pacis 1598. proaem articul artic 1 2 3. ait 31.32
the greatnes of their glory in heauen and whereof some for the sanctitie of those Princes are hereditary to their posteritie not by any desert of Protestants as the miraculous curing of that naturally vncurable disease thereby called the Kings or Queenes euill obtained by the holines of Saint Edward euery man must say that eyther God immutable and vndeceiuable hath giuen testimony to falshoode which is vnpossible or else that their Religion was true which is most certaine And if it shoulde not bee tedious to your Honors I would craue to enlarge this Argument by the vnhappy successe of those Princes which in any sort haue opposed themselues to that holy See of Rome where the Vicar of Christ and his viceregent in religious causes liueth and as we haue seene before all those kings of England that haue beene the greatest fauourers of that faith and most obedient to that See to be most happy and glorious so contrariwise wee shall perceiue all Kings that haue shewed repugnancie to him for that religion no christian King of England before this time denied to haue had the most vnfortunate and dishonorable life and end and that Apostolike gouernour to haue alwayes beene conquerour That holy See from the first Bishop thereof Saint Peter to Clement the eight that now raigneth hath had two hundred thirty and sixe Popes and hath beene assaulted by al forraine and domesticall enemies the gates of Hell haue beene set open against it and yet neuer any preuailed and because Christ hath spoken and promised it they shall neuer preuaile In the Primitiue age of Christianitie it was assaulted by the Pagan Emperours such as were Conquerours of the world and commanded all things and yet they could neither conquer nor commaunde it although they had put the greatest part of the first Popes to death but it subdued them in the end and their endes were miserable and the prophecie of Sybilla that the Fishers Hooke should subdue the Romane Empire and conquer the world was fulfild in the successors of S. Peter Rome was sacked spoiled by Halaricus Huns Gothes Vysegothes but that holy and indefectible See preuailed and vanquished Attila that surnamed scourge of God and vnconquerable captaine was miraculously caused to retire at the voyce of Saint Leo then Pope Rome was besieged by Limprandus but the very countenance of Pope Zachary enforced him to desist as Pantaleon himselfe confesseth The Saracens twice subdued Theophilus Emperour of the East and made Nicephorus his predecessour tributorie vnto them conquered Candy persecuted Affrike a great parte of Europe and Asia destroyed Italie burned the suburbes of Rome and yet Pope Gregory the fourth without force repelled them In the time of Luther the Duke of Burbon besieged Rome but beeing excommunicate the satterday before his desperate attempt hee was miserably slaine at the assault and died censured as Foxe reporteth and since such time many Protestants affirme Papistrie entred in that inuincible See hath beene oppugned and resisted with all the might and endeuours of the Kings Princes and supreame Regents of Germania Bauaria Persia Caesarea Saxonia Frisia Bulgaria Dalmatia Slauonia Morauia Normandia Dania Vandalia Polonia Prussia Hollandia Zelandia Hungaria Pomerania Noruegia Liflandia Lithuania Maiorica Granata Graecia Armenia the east and weast Indies Iapponia and so many vaste Nations in those partes of the world yet that little See of Rome and the faith thereof hath subdued them all and the poore Moonkes Freers and religious Priests sent from thence and that authority haue miraculously ouerthrown them That See was assaulted by Iulian the Apostata Emperour but how miserable was his end Valens and other Arrian and hereticall Emperours persecuted it but they were confounded The Graecians Armenians and Iacobines denied their obedience vnto it but were both in disputation condemned and after made vassalles to the infidell Turkish Empire In the primitiue Church before Constantine almost a hundred Pagan Emperours either truly elected or reputed persecuted it and al of them except ten or eleuen died miserably when the persecuted Popes put to death by them came not to the third part of that number Aboue foure hundred Archheretikes and their associates with all craft and subtiltie before Luther and the Protestant rebellion rebelled against it but they are so blotted out of memory that no mention is made of them but by Catholike writers impious politike and ambitious christian Kings and Emperors althogh not in matters of doctrine and faith yet in cases of iurisdiction haue wrastled with it but they all were maugre all their might and power put to foyle Frecardus king of Scotland warred against it but he had beene deposed of his nobilitie if Colmanus their Bishop had not forbidcen them wishing they should expect the vengeance of God vpon him for his disobedience which soone after came to passe for hee died morbo pediculari eaten with lice and his grandfather before him for the like disobedience was apprehended and imprisoned by his nobles and desperately killed himselfe Such was the end of Sanctius king of Portugall for his contempt to Pope Innocentius the fourth Bolislaus King of Polonia striued with Pope Gregory the seauenth but his body was cutte in peeces by his owne souldiers and cast to the dogges and no successour of his for the space of two hundred yeares could euer obtaine to be called a King except Vladislaus his next successor which could neuer procure his coronation Like was the successe of King Philip of France with Pope Vrbanus the second such was the end of the Emperours with their empire for disobedience to that See it was translated frō the French to Otho the third and the case of the Emperour Henry the fourth Fredericke the second with Pope Gregory the seuenth Honorius the third and Gregorie the ninth was not vnlike the first being lamentably depriued of his imperial dignitie and the second both spoyled thereof and pitifully strangled to death by Manifredus the bastard and left the Empire voyde by the space of eight and twenty yeeres Such was the recompence of Otho the fourth or fift and Lodowicke the fourth for their contention with Pope Innocentius the third and Clement the sixt how long the East Empire fauouring the Graecian Schisme against the Church of Rome hath beene drowned in the Turkish regiment euery one knoweth as howe their Emperour was miserably put to death and their emperiall citty Constantinople sacked and taken in the very festiuitie of Pentecost and the holy ghost concerning whose procession they are in error Iohn Alibrettus king of Nauarre contended with Pope Iulius the second and the twoo Henries of Burbon with Sixtus the fourth but the kingdome of the first was taken away and giuen to Ferdinando of Arragon and the two others were also deposed and depriued Thus I might write of other Kings and inferiour Princes that haue encountred with that See And concerning Protestants to omitte