that neuer offended them did not worke mischiefe against her whom they tooke to be the obstacle of all their plots and desseines Your Maiestie I doubt not will wisely consider of these plotters and their abettors and all their practises A King saith Salomon that sitteth in the throne of iudgement chaseth away all euill with his eyes But his eyes must be in his head and he must sit in the throne of iudgement and execute his lawes He must not suffer them to escape vnpunished that maliciously seeke the bringing in of strangers and the subuersion of Religion and the State A wise King saith a wise King scattereth the wicked and maketh the wheele to turne ouer them Who these plotters are I haue declared in the treatise following And that they excuse not themselues by Religion I haue discouered the deformities of their Religion as well as their wicked treasons All which I present to your Maiesties graue consideration beseeching him that is King of Kings to endue you with wisedome and all royall and heroicall vertues fit for the managing of so great kingdomes that you may both triumph ouer all your enemies and also long sit in the royall seate of these kingdomes to the honor of his diuine Maiestie and the comfort of all your louing subiects Your Maiesties most loyall and louing subiect Matthew Sutcliffe The Preface to all true Christians and loyall subiects HOw often the Spaniard and Pope and their agents haue attempted by secret practises to ruinate the Realme of England I doubt not my deare countrimen and friends but you haue heard The rebellion in the North-part of England an 1569. the pretence of the Duke of Guise an 1584. the diuers rebellions and troubles of Ireland the practises of Parrie Patrick Collein Williams and York to kil the Queen of Lopes Squire to impoyson ber of Babington and Ballard and diuers other Masse-priests and Masse-louing Papists to subuert the State are yet fresh in memory And to forbeare to speake of such secret practises they haue endeuoured by open warres also to preuaile against the State In the yeare 1588. they prouided against England not onely great land-forces but also a great fleete in their owne conceit inuincible yet by Gods grace easily vanquished and dispersed Likewise anno 1597 and 1598. they made two attempts or rather offers of some enterprise against the State In the first one D. Stillington and other Masse-priests English and Spanish miscaried the Spanish fleete being wracked on the rockes of their owne country so that they could not come to sing Masse in England The other was disappointed by stormes and contrary winds so that no effect came of it The noise of these preparations and menaces comming into England and being bruited abroade partly by letters and partly by a proud proclamation set forth in print by the Adelantado of Spaine wherein he plainly discouereth that he meant no lesse then to cut all our throates if he could it is no maruell if the State and diuers men well affected to their countrey did prepare themselues to make resistance Among the res̄t Sir Francis Hastings a man of auncient nobilitie and one that hath adorned the honour of his parentage with excellent vertues and namely with true pietie loue of his countrey fortitude and magnanimitie scorning to heare that so base a rabble of Marranes and Bisognos as were assembled first at Lisbone and then at the Groyne should either talke or thinke of the conquest of England which the Adelantado in his bragging Rodomonts stile did threaten he armeth himselfe and prepareth his friends and countrimen to make resistance Perceiuing also the securitie of some and slacknesse of others especially such as were tainted with the pestilent infection of Italian atheisme or Spanish Marranisme but commonly titled Cacolike or popish religion he publisheth a little treatise called A watch-word giuing warning to the secure and stirring vp such as seemed euill affected to resist manfully and to withstand the Spanish incrochments and pretences This booke crossing the desseines of Robert Parsons and his consorts who by all meanes sought to set England in combustion that they might triumph in the ashes and sing Masse in the funerals of their natiue countrey we may perceiue by the sequele that it touched his cause and faction very nearely and therefore was taken by him very tenderly For presently he taketh pen in hand and writeth a most scornefull and bitter treatise against her Maiesties proceedings against Religion and all that professe it railing against Sir Francis and the professors of the truth and commending in the best sort he could both the professed enemies and the secret vnderminers of the State Wherein if we would but note the mans singular impudencie or rather his audacious foolerie it were argument sufficient to confound all his writings For at what time the Spaniard lay with forces at the Groyne and by a Proclamation set forth in print threatned fire and sword against the Realme Robert Parsons like a viperous traitor in his Ward-word talketh of nothing but peace and would make vs beleeue that both the Pope and Spaniards are our good friends Where Iesuites and Masse-priests and malcontent Papists were brewing of sedition and preparing themselues to ioyne with forreine forces this good fellow would make vs beleeue that traitors are good friends and that there was no hurt by them meant to the Queene or State Finally this babling Warder doth addresse all his discourse to the Lords of the Councell and chiefe dealers in matters of State albeit the same tended wholly to the destruction of the State And yet when I consider the practises of the enemies of the State I must cōfesse that he had great reason to enter into this shamelesse course For albeit there was no colour of truth in his discourse yet he supposed if the same were shewed to her Maiestie that it would make her stay her preparatiues He thought also it would proue a faire pretence to those that were loth to spend their money to forbeare to make resistance against the enemy Further he saw that the same would bleare mens eyes while both forreine enemies and secret traitors sought to cut our throates And finally the same being full of railing scorning and scurrilitie he doubted not but the same would deterre others or at least make them slow to take vpon them the defence of the common cause For what man considering the smal encouragement that forward men did find at the hands of friends and the rude entertainment they receiue at the hands of enemies would not leaue the patronage of the State to those that haue most interest in publike gouernement All this notwithstanding sir Francis considering the obligation that Christians haue to maintaine sincere religion that bindeth true harted subiects to defend their country hath published an Apologie both in defence of the common cause and of his owne reputation against the scurrilous and railing libell which Parsons calleth A
Parsons will prooue his rule of faith he must shew a faith grounded vpon tradition that is not deduced out of Scriptures Nay if he will not be contrarie to himselfe he must shew that not the Apostles tradition as he saith in his Warn-word 1. Encoun cap. 15. but the Catholike church is the rule of faith as he holdeth Ward-word Encontr pag. 6. He doth also obiect against vs diuers alterations of religion in England in king Henry the eight his raigne and in king Edwards dayes and then asketh by what authoritie our rule of faith was established But first he might as well haue spoken of that alteration made in Q. Maries dayes when the impieties of Popish religiō were established by act of Parliament Secondly the alterations in religion made in England of late time make no variation in the rule of faith that is alwayes one but in the application and vse of it Thirdly albeit by act of Parliament the articles of religion were confirmed wherein the canon of scriptures and the substance of our confession is set downe yet was that rather a declaration of our acceptance then a confirmation of the rule of faith that in it selfe is alwayes immoueable Our rule of faith therefore is certaine albeit not alwaies in one sort approued or receiued by men But that rule of Popish faith neither in it self nor in the approbatiō of Parliaments or Churches is certaine or immoueable Finally he asketh a question of Sir Francis in his Ward-word p. 5. how he knoweth his religion to be true And saith he hath only two meanes to guide himselfe in this case and that is either Scriptures or the preaching of our Ministers But this question as I haue shewed toucheth himselfe that buildeth his faith vpon the Pope nearer then Sir Francis who groundeth himselfe his faith only vpon the holy Scriptures and is assured of his faith not by these two meanes onely but by diuers others For beside Scriptures he hath the help of the Sacraments of the Church of Gods spirit working within him of miracles recorded in scriptures of auncient Fathers of the practise of the Church of the consent of nations of the confession of the aduersaries of the suffering of Martyrs and testimonies of learned men and such like arguments In this question therefore Robert Parsons shewed himselfe to be a silly Frier and to haue had more malice then might In time past also we were as shéepe going astray and out of the vnion of the Catholike and Apostolike Church Diuers of our auncestors worshipped the crosse and the images of the Trinitie with diuine worship Some like bruite beasts fell downe before Idols crept to the crosse and kissed wood and stone Others worshipped Angels the blessed Uirgin and Saints praying vnto them in all their necessities trusting in them saying Masses in their honour and offering incense and prayers to their pictures and images For so they were taught or rather mistaught by popish Priests The Komish synagogue in the very foundations of religion was departed from the Apostolike and Catholike Church The schoolemen brought their proofes out of the Popes Decretals and Aristotles Metaphysickes Est Petr's sedes saith Bellarmine in Praefat ante lib. de Pont. Rom. lapis probatus angularis pretiosus in fundamento fundatus The See of Peter is an approued corner stone precious and laid in the foundation The same man lib. 2. de Pont. Rom. cap. 31. calleth the Pope the foundation of the Church Sanders calleth him the Rocke Alij nunc à Christo saith Stapleton relect princip doctr in Praef. eorúmue doctrina praedicatio determinatio fundamenti apud me locū habebūt That is Others now beside Christ and their doctrine preaching and determination shall be esteemed of me as a foundation This he saith where he talketh of the foundation of religion and the Church But the catholike Churth had no foundation beside Christ Iesus and his holy word and Gospell taught by the Prophets and Apostles The Apostle Gal. 1. denounced him accursed that taught any other Gospell then that which he had preached The holy Fathers proued the faith by holy Scriptures and not by popish Decretals and philosophicall Principles Concerning Christs bodie the Komanists taught that the same is both in heauen and in the Sacrament albeit we neither could see it there nor feele it But the scriptures teach vs that his bodie is both palpable and visible and is now taken vp into heauen So likewise teach the Fathers Vigilius in his fourth booke against Eutyches speaking of Christs bodie When it was on earth saith he surely it was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certainely it is not on earth They haue also brought in new doctrine concerning Purgatorie and indulgences and which is no more like to the auncient catholike faith then heresie and noueltie to Christian religion They teach that whosoeuer doth not satisfie in this life for the temporall punishment of mortall sinnes committed after baptisme and remitted concerning the guiltinesse must satisfie for the same in Purgatorie vnlesse it please the Pope by his indulgences to release him Of the tormentors of soules in Purgatorie and of the nature qualitie and effect of indulgences they talke idlely and vnlike to the schollers of Catholikes The Catholicke doctrine concerning the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper they haue quite changed in Baptisme adding salt spittle hallowed water exorcismes blowings annointings light and other strange ceremonies In the Lords supper taking away the cup from the communicants and not deliuering but hanging vp or carying about the Sacrament and worshipping it as God and finally beleeuing holding transubstantiation They haue also deuised other sacraments and taught that they containe grace and iustisse They were wont to kisse the Popes toe and to receiue his dunghill decrētals worshipping Antichrist and intitling him Christs Uicar All which nouelties superstitions and heresies by her Maiesties godly reformation are abolished who hath restored the auncient Cathalike and Apostolike faith which the Popes of Rome for the most part had altered suppressed She hath also by her authoritie brought vs to the vnitie of the Catholike faith and by good lawes confirmed true Christian religion Before our times there was no settlement in matters of Religion Durand denieth Diuinitie to be Scientia Thomas and Richard Middleton hold that it is Writing vpon the master of Sentences the school-mē striue about the words vti and frui dissenting not only from their master but also from one another They differ also much about the distination of diuine attributes Vtrum sit realis formalis an rationis tantùm This saith Dionysius a Charterhouse Monke is one of the chiefe difficulties of Diuines and about it betweene famous Doctors is great dissention and contention AEgidius doth lance Thomas and others runne vpon both AEgidius in lib. 1. sent dist 2. would haue the persons of the Trinitie to be distinguished by a certaine thing
it in the will of man 32. Iosephus Angles rehearseth thrée diuers opinions in 2. dist 37. about this question whether a sin of omission may be committed without a positiue act 33. The same man reckeneth fiue different opinions about the difference of mortall and veniall sinnes And thrée opinions concerning this question What is sinne of malice 34. Bellarmine lib. 1. de pontif Rom. c. 12. saith that the keyes of the Church are nothing but order and iurisdiction Caietan in tractat de iustit authorit Romani pontifisis holdeth that the keyes of the Church include somewhat more 35. Pighius lib. 4. hierarch eccles cap. 8. holdeth that the Pope cannot fall into heresie nor be deposed Turrecremata lib. 4. sum part 2. c. 20. saith that the Pope falling into heresie ipso facto is deposed before God and cast out of the Church There also he saith that some held that the Pope neither for manifest nor secret heresie is deposed or could be deposed Caietane in tract de author Papae concil c. 20. 21. holdeth that the Pope prouing a notorious hereticke is not deposed ipso facto but that he may and ought to be deposed by the Church Bellarmine himselfe lib. 2. de pontif Rom. c. 30. holdeth that if the Pope be a notorious hereticke he then of himselfe ceaseth to be Pope 36. Iansenius denieth that the comming againe of Helias can be proued out of the 48. of Ecclesiasticus Bellarmine lib. 3 de pont Rom. c. 6. wondreth that he should be of that opinion 37. Franciscus Victoria relect 2. de potestate Ecclesiae q. 2. and Alphonsus à Castro lib. 2. de haeret iust punit sayth that as well Bishops as Apostles did immediatly receiue iurisdiction from God Turrecremata lib. 2. sum de Eccles. c. 54. and Iacobatius de concilijs hold that the Apostles receiued their iurisdiction from Peter and other Bishops from Peters successor Caietane in tract de author Papae Dominicus à Soto in 4. dist 20. and Heruaeus de potestate Papae teach that the Apostles receiued their power from God and all other Bishops from the Pope And this is also the opinion of Bellarmine 38. Hostiensis in c. nouit de iudicijs and Augustine Triumphus in summa de potestate Ecclesiae q. 1. art 1. and others very triumphantly affirme that the Pope by the law of God hath full power ouer the whole world as well in ciuill as Ecclesiasticall affaires Driedo Turrecremata Sotus Sanders and others reckoned vp by Bellarmine lib. 5. de Pontif. Rom. c. 1. are content to abate somewhat and to say that directly the Pope hath not power ouer all the kingdomes of the whole world 39. The Doctors of Paris hold that a generall councell cannot erre Caietane in apolog p. 2. c. 21. and Turrecremata lib. 3. sum c. 32. hold contrary 40. Petrus de Alliaco Ioannes Gerson Iacobus Almain and others in their treatises De potestate Ecclesiae hold that a generall Councell is aboue the Pope Others hold that the Pope is aboue the Councell as Iacobatius de concilijs Sanders de visib monarchia and Bellarmine lib. de concilijs Others wéene that although the Pope be aboue the Councell yet it lyeth in his power to make the Councel aboue the Pope as is euident by the glosse nonsi 2. q. 7. and c. in synod dist 63. 41. The Romane Catechisme in the exposition of the Creed Waldensis fol. 1. lib. 2. c. 9. Turrecremata lib. 1. c. 3. and others do shut out excommunicate persons from being members of the Church but this is misliked by others as Bellarmine confesseth lib. de Eccles. militant c. 6. 42. Alexander Hales 3. part q. vlt. art 2. and Turrecrem lib. 1. de Ecclesia cap. 30. affirme That in the passion of Christ the holy virgin onely had true faith Bellarmine lib. de Eccles. milit cap. 17. maruelleth at them and condemneth their opinion 43. Ioan. Maior in 4. dist 24. q. 2. saith that by Gods lawe Priestes are forbidden to marrie The same opinion doth Clichtouey hold lib. de continentia Sacerdot cap. 4. But Thomas in 2. 2. q. 88. art 11. saith that the vow of continencie is annexed to priesthood by the lawes of the Church onely And many follow his opinion and among the rest Bellarmine 44. Marsilius de Padua writeth that Clearkes are subiect to secular Princes The Canonists in c. tributum 23. q. 8. in c. quamuis de censibus in 6. hold that both their persons and goods are exempted from temporall princes iurisdiction Franciscus victoriarclect 1. q. vlt. de potest Eccles. and diuers others cut the controuersie in the midst and hold that they are free for their persons and goods partly by the law of God and partly by priuiledges of Princes and partly by neither 45. How the soules of holy men departed do know what we say or do Bellarmine bringeth in three diuers opinions lib. de sanct Beat. cap. 20. 46. Caietan in Exod. cap. 20. taketh an image and an idoll for one thing Bellarmine lib. de cult sanct cap. 7. reproueth him for it Likewise he misliketh Ambrose Catharine who in a tract of images saith That God prohibited images simply but that this prohibition was positiue and temporall 47. Occham Maior and Richardus are of opinion that a Sacrament cannot be defined Scotus in 4. dist 1. q. 2. holdeth that it may be defined imperfectly Ledesma in tract de Sacrament in genere q. 1. art 2. holdeth that it may properly be defined 48. Bellarmine lib. 1. de Sacramentis cap. 18. bringeth in diuers opinions concerning the forme and matter of Sacraments no one agréeing with others Finally I haue alreadie rehearsed infinite contradictions of the Romanists concerning the Masse in my booke de Mïssa contra Bellarm. concerning purgatorie and indulgences in my bookes against Bellarmine of that argument I haue also in the first booke touched diuers contradictions and cōtrarieties in the doctrine of our aduersaries And to be breefe I say and offer to proue that there is no article of Christian faith wherein the aduersaries do not varie and disagree one from another God grant they may once sée it and leauing their idle bangling about vaine questions of mixt diuinitie returne to the Catholike faith which is a doctrine of agreement and vnitie CHAP. VII Of the seruile and wretched state of the English nation vnder the raigne of Queene Mary and generally of all people liuing vnder the Popes lawes and religion HAuing at full discoursed concerning matters Ecclesiasticall it followeth now that I speake of matters touching the state politike beginning first with our owne nation vnder the vnhappie raigne of Quéene Marie sometime Quéene of England and then touching other Princes and States that are subiect to the thraldome of the Pope and his Babylonish religion First then it is apparent that she brought her selfe and her people into danger by reason of her match with king Philip and no question but she had
in shifting and concealing then he doth deny disputing Ita opertus ac tectus incedis sayth Hierom to one epist. 6. vt plus confitearis tacendo quà m renuas disputando This we may truly say of Parsons that his shifts and answers which he bringeth to couer the wounds of his cause do make the matter far more suspicious then before What then are we to think of such a shifting and iugling fellow Will you heare Parsons giue sentence in his owne caúse If he do I hope you will say we do produce no witnesse that wil deale partially in fauor of our cause But he in his 2. encon c. 9. fol. 62. saith that he which vseth a trick of legierdemain but once of known and set malice to deceiue is neuer to be trusted againe What then remaineth now but that such a shifting trecherous companion be rather trussed then trusted haltred then harbored baffulled then beléeued CHAP. XIII Parsons his patcheric in begging things in controuersie discouered THe very name of an aduersary and often mention of controuersies if nothing else me thinkes might haue moued Robert Parsons to looke better to his proofes and to haue presumed lesse of his begging For albeit he be of the Ignatian sect and by profession a mendicant friar yet hath he no reason to beg of his aduersaries nor to take as granted things that hang in controuersie Nor haue we cause to maintaine of almes such vagarant sturdy roging beggars as the laws iudge worthy of hanging It may be he wil stand vpon termes and sweare like a hackster that he is no beggar bestowing many thousands of crownes vpon spies and cutthrotes But the truth will appeare by the sequele of his doings Fol. 1. b. he accuseth me of deportment against all kind of Catholike men though neuer so learned vertuous worshipful or honorable But he shold haue proued himself his traitorous consorts which are the men that I do meane to be both Catholikes and learned vertuous worshipfull and honorable We of the plainer and simpler sort could yet neuer learne that it was a thing either honorable or commendable to betray his prince or countrey or to take part with Italians or Spaniards against his owne nation Fol. 7. talking of priests put to death in England he calleth them and others seruants of Christ and sayth they suffered for auncient religion But we looked for proofes and not for bare and beggarly affirmations For the seruants of Christ came neuer to depose Princes from their thrones Nay our Sauior Christ saith plainely that his kingdome is not of this world But these Massepriests as appeareth by records and by their confessions and the Popes faculties granted to them came for that purpose Secondly we haue proued in our challenge that their religion as it differeth from the faith which we professe in England is neither Catholike nor anciēt Lastly we haue there also declared them to be culpable of treason and to haue died for that not for their religion though otherwise bery louzy and beggarly bellacos and as beggarly defended by this begging and cousining companion In the same leafe also he affirmeth that Christ is the Masse-priests captaine and master and that he assureth them on his honour and power that no one haire of their head shall perish In the end he doubteth not to call thē martyrs But to proue his matters he alleageth neither testimony ofscripture nor sentence of fathers Nay where that Romish Church teacheth that no man can be certaine of his saluation without speciall reuelation yet this disciple of Antichrist affirmeth that Christ vpon his honor hath assured Campian Ballard Babington and I thinke Lopez too that they shall not perish For of these I thinke he speaketh To shew them to be no martyrs I haue alleaged diuers reasons Reason then would that if he would haue wonne credit he should haue either answered our reasons or proued his owne cause by argument In his obseruations vpon my Preface and in diuers places of his book he giueth the name of Cathōlikes to papists And yet he knoweth that this is a maine controuersie betwixt vs. What punishment then doth he deserue that wittingly and wilfully wil beg or rather steale that which belongeth not vnto him Fol. 14. most impudently he giueth the title of the Catholike Christian church and the vniuersall body of Christs commonwealth vnto papists that are neither the whole church nor part of the Church Unto vs he giueth the title of Protestants Puritanes and Lutherans which we renounce professing onely the faith of Christ Iesus He doeth also match vs with Arrians and other sects which we detest But these are points in controuersie to be proued Fol. 17. he sayth that the Councel of Trent was gathered by like authoritie as that of Chalcedon was A matter vtterly denied by vs and not any way proued by him Nay it is most absurd to compare that reuerend synod assembled and moderated by the Emperors authority and proceeding according to scriptures to a conuenticle of slaues sworne to Antichrist and assembled by his writ and doing all according to his pleasure Fol. 20. a. he sayth It cannot be proued that any one Pope impugned his predecessor in matters of faith As if al our pleading were not that the later Popes do impugne and ouerthrow the faith of the first bishops of Rome Themselues also deny not but that Agatho condemned his predecessor Honorius for a Monothelite In the same place also affirming that all the Popes and Bishops of Rome from Iohn the first to Leo the tenth held one faith he saith that this demonstration is as cleare as that three and foure make seuen But this seuen and seuen yeare he shall neuer proue that which with a light fingar he taketh as granted is clearely false For the instruction giuen to the Armenians in the synode of Florence and the decrees of the Conuenticle of Constance were neuer holden of Popes before them Nor did former Popes beléeue the doctrine of the Conuenticle of Trent Fol. 77. b. he taketh as granted that a hundred haue bene put to death for being priests and for being ordained to that function beyond the seas and for defending the faith belonging to that function and that great numbers are dayly apprehended arraigned and condemned for standing in their fathers faith and resisting nouelties Both which are notorious vntruths For neither in the arraignement of priests or others is any question made of faith nor is that louzy patched religion that Papists hold ouer and aboue our faith the faith of the Apostles or Fathers nor are priests executed simply for being priests but because they come from forrein enemies and are combined with them which alwayes hath bene accounted treason Fol. 80. he talketh idly of sending money out of England for defence of heresie for he beggeth of vs that which he shal neuer obtaine that popery is religion and true religion heresie and that we maintaine heresie Fol. 104.
friends are sory to sée so worthy a worke misnamed For if he had done me right he should haue called his pamphlet A confirmation of my challenge for so in truth it is the author answering nothing to the purpose and rather by silence consenting then by good answering contradicting our arguments The most of his discourse standeth vpon bitter railing vaine talking and childish trifling about serious matters If any man doubted whether popery were heresie before I doubt not but that this weake discourse that yéeldeth no satisfaction to any indifferent Reader may resolue him The author of this deuise as we are credibly informed is VValpoole the ruler of the kitchin or porredge pot of the colledge of yong English popish traitors in Rome In Italian they call him traitors and empoysoners The treatise of thrée conuersiōs is deuided into two parts The summe and scope of the first is comprised in these few words England hath bin thrise conuerted to Christian religiō by preachers sent from Rome ergo England is to submit it selfe to the Pope and to accept of that religion which he recommendeth vnto vs. This Robert Parsons doth suppose to be a good consequence For else he should but trifle in his whole discourse and then especially where he talketh of our obligation to the sea of Rome of S. Peters chaire Neither doeth he doubt but to proue his triple conuersion and that in honor of the Popes triple crowne But if we do well examine his grounds and allegations we shall find that vnder the title of S. Peters chaire and apostolical doctrine the man doth séek nothing else but to recommend vnto vs the Popes close stoole with a decoction of his decretaliue doctrine and most beastly abominations The grounds of the whole discourse are false and the inference made out of them most weake and euil concluding First most false it is that Britannie or as Parsons sayth England was thrise conuerted by preachers sent from Rome Of Peters preaching in Britaine whereupon the first supposed conuersion standeth the obliuious fellow is but lately aduised For in his Wardword wherein he maketh the best ward for Rome that he can he could not find any more then two conuersions and those he rather fancieth then proueth His proofes for S. Peters preaching in England stand wholy vpon the testimony of Simeon Metaphrastes a lying pedant full of fabulous narrations whereto the aduersaries themselues make conscience to giue credit of Surius a Carthusian Monke and a great eater of stockfish and a codshead parasite hired to speak for the Pope and vpon a forged lying decretal set out vnder the name of Innocent the first wherein notwithstanding we reade nothing specially of Britaines conuersion Those that were sent from Eleutherus bishop of Rome to the Christian King Lucius of Britannie séeme rather to haue bin Britans then Romanes as the names of them set downe by Galfridus by Caius and other writers of British histories do report Lucius certes had no reasō to craue baptisme at the hands of Eleutherus his mandataries vnlesse he had bin well instructed in Christian religion before Beside that the Romanes in these times ruling in most part of Britaine it may be a question how far the kingdome of Lucius did extend it selfe Suppose then that this historie is authentical which may well be doubted the same being onely found in legends and fabulous writers all the glory of this conuersion must néedes stand vpon weake surmises and fabulous legends As for the Monke Austine he could not speake one Saxon or British word but was faine to bring interpreters with him out of France then called Gallia How then could he conuert them which vnderstood not one word spoken by him We do not reade that he preached to the Saxons or Britans but only that he baptized And very likely it is that he holp onely to baptize those whom either the Britans alwayes remaining among the Saxons and submitting thē selues vnto them or the interpreters which Austin brought with him from Gallia which then had a tongue common to both Gaules and Britons had before conuerted But suppose that either himselfe speaking British or Saxon or by some interpreter should haue conuerted somc few yet all that amounteth to nothing and is scarce worth the speaking of it Secondly suppose some Britans or Saxons had bene conuerted to Christian Religion by preachers sent from Rome in auncient time when religion was pure and sincere yet Parsons hath no reason to make any great clamor vpon so small aduantage For first all those that are conuerted to religion are not to subiect themselues to those churches frō whence those came that did conuert thē or else to the bishops that sent them The church of Rome acknowledgeth no subiection to the Church of Ierusalem or to the Bishop thereof Neither doth Friseland or Germany that was conuerted by Saxons that came out of England acknowledge our Church or Bishops to be their superiors But were Rome beholding to Ierusalem from whence her first preachers came yet da not the Romanists now turne Turkes because Turkes preside at Ierusalem Suppose then we were beholding to Christian Romanes yet what is that to Antichristian Romanes that haue declined almost into as grosse impieties as Turks and worship idols or as they call them images so grossely that the Turkes do condemne them and may iustly rise up too against them in iudgement Againe suppose we had bene beholding to the auncient Romanes yet this maketh nothing for the moderne inhabitants of Rome that either are a race of Gothes and Lombards that were enemies to the Romanes or else a collection and Ramasse of other nations nothing like to the Romanes Finally if we ought to embrace that religion that was either taught by S. Peter Eleutherus Austin or by other Christian Bishops in their times then are we to renounce the decretaliue doctrine of Popes together with the philosophicall mixtures of schoole diuines both which haue bin brought into the Church long after the ages wherein they liued Furthermore the idolalatrous worship of the crosse with latria of the saints with dulia of the blessed virgine with hyperdulia the doctrine of Papists concerning the carnall eating of Christs bodie transsubstantion halse Communions priuate Masses reseruation of the Sacrament purgatorie for temporall paines after the guilt remitted popish indulgences and other popish trash might be packing It would also be time for the Pope with his triple crowne two swords guard of Suizzers Cardinals Menkes Masse-priests and Friers to trusse vppe his trinkets and to make himselfe readie for his iourney into some farre countrey beyond all Christianitie For neuer shall Robert Parsons proue albeit he could conuert him selfe into all shapes that Britaine was conuerted to any such religion as this or that the Church then had such a forme as now wée see in Rome Page 103. hée alleageth two proofes whereof the first he calleth negatiue the second affirmatiue and thereby hopeth to shew that
warde-word expecting no doubt reward at the hands of God rather then mā and respecting rather his own dutie then the praise of others But before either the booke came forth or that I knew the Knights resolution the impudencie of the man so boldly extolling traitors and forreine enemies together with his singular arrogancy despising his own nation and his foolish speakes for the Popes cause stollen out of others and put forth as his wont is in his owne name had extorted from me a reply to his Wardword Which certes might haue bin wel spared considering the sufficiencie of the Knights apologie if I had seene it before I had ended my reply For what is there in the Wardword worthy of answer seeing the same consisteth wholy of lies and patches and old ends stollen from others often refuted before And what answer can be deuised so slender that counteruaileth not such a hochpotch of words To these replies published by vs after long silence we see that Robert Parsons hath purposed to set forth a reioynder For we haue already receiued two parts of nine but so fraught with calumniations and lies malicious and scornful termes odious and filthy reproches that it seemeth he hath spent all his store of poison and despaireth to perfect the rest This booke albeit most contemptible containing nothing but disgracefull matter against her Maiesties proceedings that is lately deceased and childish disputes for some few points of poperie yet haue I thought good to handle not for any worth that can be in any such packe of pedlary stuffe set to sale by this petit merchant but for that iust occasion is thereby giuen vnto me to insist vpon the cōmendatiō of our late Queene for her heroical vertues and happy gouernment by this wicked traitor and vnworthy swad wickedly disgraced and especially for her singular pietie and zeale in restoring religion and abolishing Poperie O that she had bene so happy to keepe out the Ministers of Antichrist once expulsed as at the first to expulse them and put them out of her kingdome but what by yeelding to intreatie of some about her by this generation foully abused and what by tolerating of such as were sent in by forreine enemies to practise against her life and kingdome and what drawne backe by those that entertained intelligēce with publike enemies she was perswaded to slacke execution of lawes if not to suspend them to her owne great trouble and to the hazard of Religion and the State but that God by his prouidence supplied the defects of mē By the aduersaries Warne-word I haue also bene warned to discourse of the miserable and dangerous estate both of kings and their subiects that liue vnder the thraldom of the Pope and that both in regard of matters of State and of Religion Finally albeit Robert Parsons hitherto hath vsed scurrilous railing for his warrant protection against those that haue dealt with him and like as a foxe pursued with hounds with the filthy stench of his stile endeuoureth to make them giue ouer the chase yet I shall so touch him for his impietie making a iest at Scriptures and Religion for his scurrilitie railing without wit or modestie for his doltish ignorance committing most grosse and childish errors for his lies and forgerie vsing neither respect of truth nor common honestie that I hope I shall turne his laughing into another note If I speak roundly to him and his consorts yet I do not as he doth speake falsly Sharpnes he ought not to mislike hauing begun this course Neither can others iustly reproue me considering my aduersaries audacious impudencie Si falsa dicimus saith Hilarie infamis sit sermo maledicus Si verò vniuersa haec manifesta esse ostendimus nō sumus extra Apostolicā libertatem modestiā If we tell matters false then let our sharpe speech be infamous If all we report be manifestly proued then are we not out of the limites of Apostolical libertie and modestie Howbeit what measure is to be required in him that is to incounter a man of such vnmeasurable and outragious behauiour In the first booke the honor of her Maiestie late deceassed and her proceedings in the alteration of religion is defended In the second the grieuances of Christians vnder the Popes gouernement both in matters of conscience and their temporal estate are plainely discouered In the last we are to incounter with the ridiculous manner of Parsons behauior and writing left he might per case thinke himselfe wise therein God turne all to his glorie to the manifestation of truth the detection of errors and the shame of the shamelesse patrons thereof The first Booke containing a defence of Queene Elizabeths most pious and happie gouernement impugned in a scurrilous libell intitled A warne-word The Preface to the first Booke I Need not I trust make any large discourse in calling to remembrance the noble and heroicall acts of our late Queene and most gracious Soueraigne Ladie Elizabeth of famous and godly memory For as Iesus the sonne of Syrach said of famous men of auncient time so we may say of her that her name will liue from generation to generation Her kind loue to her subiects and gracious fauours done both to English and other nations will neuer be forgotten His words likewise concerning his famous ancesters may be well applied vnto her She was renowned for her power and was wise in counsel She ruled her people by counsel by the knowledge of learning fit for them She was rich and mightie in power and liued peaceably at home Her remembrance therefore is as the composition of sweete perfume that is made by the art of the Apothecary and is sweete as hony in all mouthes as it is said of Iosias In his steps she insisted and behaued her self vprightly in the reformatiō of the people took away al abominatiōs of iniquity She reformed the abuses and corruptions of popish religion which through the working of the mystery of iniquitie had now won credit in the world and ouerthrew the idoll of the Masse and banished all idolatrie out of the Church She directed her heart to the Lord and in the time of the vngodly she established Religion She put her trust in the Lord and after that wicked and vngodly men had brought vs back into AEgyptian seruitude she deliuered vs from the bondage of the wicked AEgyptians and restored Religion according to the rules of Apostolicall doctrine But because as in the time of Iosias the Priests of Baal so in our times their of-spring the Masse-priests cannot brooke her reformation but looke backe to the abominations of AEgypt and Babylon I haue thought it conuenient not only to declare at large what benefites the people of England now fiue and fortie yeares almost enioyed by her gracious and happie gouernement but also to iustifie the same against the slaunderous calumniations and cauils of Robert Parsons her borne subiect but now a renegate Iebusite
in one that is not in another but others condemne him for that opinion Writing vpon the 3. dist lib. 1. sent they denie their masters examples and one condemneth another Bonauenture saith that men may attaine to the knowledge of the holy Trinitie by naturall reason others say contrarie The Scotists lib. 1. sent dist 5. inuey against Henricus de Gandauo for his opinion about the eternall generation of the Sonne of God AEgidius holdeth that the son of God hath power to beget another son which displeaseth Thomas and Bonauenture and is very strange doctrine Thomas Aquinas part 1. q. 32. art 4. saith that Doctors may hold contrary opinions Cinca notiones in diuinis He teacheth also that the holy Ghost doth more principally proceed from the Father then from the Sonne which others mislike If then they agrée not about the doctrine of the holy Trinitie it is not like that in matters wherein they haue libertie to dissent they will better agrée Scotus holdeth that the soule and an Angell do not differ as two diuers kinds Dthers teach contrary Some Doctors hold that Angels consist of forme onely others hold contrary They dissent also about the sin of our first parents Pighius in the doctrine of original sin dissenteth from his fellowes Innocentius in c. maiores de bapt eius effect misliketh the opinion of the master of the Sentences that held it to be pronitas ad peccandum that is a pronenesse to sinne The Thomists to this day could neuer be reconciled to the Scotists about the conception of our Ladie these denying she was conceiued in sin the others affirming it Gropper in his exposition of the Créed confesseth that among the Papists there are two diuers opinions about Christs descending into hell Bellarmine in his bookes of controuersies doth not more violently run vpon vs then vpon his owne consorts In euery article almost he bringeth contrary expositions of Scriptures and contrary opinions In the sacrament of the Lords supper which is a pledge of loue there are infinite contradictions among them as I haue shewed in my bookes de Missa against Bellarmine The like contentions I haue shewed in my Treatises de Indulgentijs de Purgatorio and shall haue occasion more at large to speake of them hereafter We are therefore to thanke God that the doctrine of faith in the Church of England is setled and that refusing all nouelties we agrée therein with the auncient catholike Church We acknowledge one Lord one faith one baptisme one head of the Church one canon of Scriptures with the auncient fathers The rules of all auncient and lawfull generall Councels concerning the faith we admit We haue one bniforme order for publike prayers adminis stration of Sacraments and Gods seruice Neither do we onely agree among our selues but also with the reformed Churches of France and Germany and other nations especially in matters of faith and saluation And as for ceremonies and rites it cannot be denied but that all Churches therein haue their libertie as the diuersities of auncient Churches and testimonies of Fathers do teach vs. Most baine therefore and contumelious is that discourse of N. D. in his Warne-word 1. encontr ca. 4 5 6. where he talketh of the difference of soft and rigide Lutherans among themselues of them from Anabaptists and from Zwinglians of all from the followers of Seruetus and Valentine Gentilis For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Caluinians or Zuinglians but onely call our selues Christians nor haue we to do with the Arians or Anabaptists or Seruetus or Gentilis or any heretikes Nay by our Doctors these fellowe 's haue bene diligently confuted and by our gouernors the principall of them haue bene punished But these may Parsons reply haue bin among vs. Admit it were so yet do not our aduersaries take themselues to be guiltie of Arianisme and Anabaptisine because there are diuers guiltie of Arianisine and Anabaptisme among them We say further that the Churches of Germany France and England agree albeit priuate men hold priuate opinions Finally where we talk of the Church of England what a ridiculous sot was this to bring an instance of the Churches of Germany or Suizzerland nay not of the Churches but of priuat persons and that in matters not very substantiall if we admit their owne interpretations Hauing therefore talked his pleasure of Lutherans and Zuinglians he descendeth to speak of rigid and soft Caluinists as he calleth them in England He calleth them also Protestants and Puritanes But neither do we admit these names of faction nor is he able to shew that publikely any Christian is tolerated to dissent either in matters of faith or rites from the Church of England But if any there be that mislike our rites yet is not that contention about matters of faith nor can the disorder of priuate persons hinder the publike vnion of the Church Finally I do not know any man now but he is reasonably well satisfied concerning matters of discipline albeit the same be with the great griese of Papists who go about to stirrc vp the coles of contention as much as they can that heretofore haue bene couered CHAP. II. Of the restoring of Christian Religion and the reduction of the Church of England to the true faith TRue faith in time of Poperie was a great stranger in England most men being ignorant of all points of christian Religion the rest holding diuers erronious points and heresies Their ignorance we shall proue by diuers testimonies hereafter Their errors and hercues are very apparent and at large proued in my late challenge That which the Apostle calleth the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4. that they imbrace for doctrine of faith For they forbid their Priests Monkes Friers and Nuns to marrie and commaund the Benedictines and their Charterhouse Monkes at all times to abstaine from flesh They also forbid men to eate flesh vpen all fasting dayes fridayes and saterdayes and in Lent dissoluing the commandements of God by their owne traditions The Manicheyes abstained from egges as Saint Augustine sheweth lib. de heres cap. 46. Nec eua saltem sumunt quasi ipsa cùm franguntur expirent nec oporteat vllis corporibus mortuis vesci So likewise did Papists at certain times they cal such as allow ymariage of priests sectatores libidinum praeceptores vitiorum that is followers of lusts and teachers of vices albeit the Apostle affirmeth mariage to be honorable in all sorts of men They dissolue such mariages albeit Christ teach that man is not to separate them whom God hath ioyned together Their Fastes they place in eating of fish and not in abstinence from all sustenance as the auncient Fathers by their doctrine and practise taught Some count it as mortall sinne to eate flesh on fridayes as to kill a man and that a Priest doth sinne lesse in committing fornication then in matching himselfe in honest mariage and yet they confesse that
fornication is against the law of God and not the mariages of priests They tolerated common whores as did Simon Magus and other heretickes and now in Rome the Pope not withstanding his pretended holinesse receiueth a tribute from them They do also sell Masses imposition of hands benefices and make money of their god of the altar and their religion which sauoureth of the heresie of Simon Magus Venalianobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est venale Deusque That is churches priests altars sacraments crownes fire incense prayers yea heauen and God himselfe are set to sale among vs. Brigit in her reuelations cap. 232. saith Priestes are worse then Iudas for that he sold Christ for mony but they barter him for all commodities As the Basilidians worshipped images vsed enchantments and superstitious adiurations so do they worshipping not onely materiall images but also their fantasticall imaginations They also exorcise water and salt saying Exorcizo te creatura aquae againe exorcizo te creatura salis With the Heretickes called Staurolatrae they worship the crosse with the Angelikes they serue and worship Angels with the Armenians they make the images of God the Father and the holy Ghost As the Nazarites mingled Iewish ceremonies with christian Religion so do Papists borrowing from them their paschal lambe their Iubileys their priestly apparell their altars their Leuiticall rites and diuers other Iewish ceremonies Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers. haeres cap. 30. saith that Marcion and Saturninus first taught abstinence from liuing creatures from whom the Papists séeme to haue borrowed their abstinence frō certaine meates as lesse holy then others Our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles as S. Augustine saith Epist. 86. ad Casulanum neuer appointed what dayes we ought to fast and what not The Papists therefore haue their fasts from others then from Christ or his Apostles From the Manicheys they borrow their communions vnder one kind as may be proued by the Chapt. relatum and comperimus dist 2. de consecrat and by Leo his fourth Sermon de quadrages The Helcesaites make Christ in heauen to differ from Christ on earth as saith Theodoret haeret fabul lib. 2. cap. de Helcesaeis his words are these Christum non vnum dicunt sed hunc quidem infernè illumverò supernè So likewise the Papists teach that Christs bodie in heauen is visible and palpable but not as it is in the Sacrament With the Pelagians they concurre in many points as I haue at large declared in my late challenge Hoc Pelagiani audent dicere saith S. Augustine lib. 2. de bono perseuerantiae c. 5. hominem iustum in hac vita nullum habere peccatum Now how can they cleare themselues from this that hold that a man is able to performe the law of God perfectly The Apostle Paul denyeth that we are iustified before God by the workes of the law The Papists haue taught quite contrarie He teacheth vs not to glorie in our works They say quite contrarie that men may glorie in their workes He sheweth that as many as receiue the sacrament of the Lords bodie are also to receiue the sacrament of his bloud They denie the cuppe to all the communicants beside the priest Our Sauiour instituting the Sacrament of his last supper said Accipite manducate that is take and eate These imagine that he offered his bodie and bloud really and corporally at his last supper and that he appointed his bodie and bloud actually to be offered in the Masse and not alwaies to be sacramentally and spiritually receiued of the communicants The Papists teach that wicked men reprobates and diuels may haue true faith But the Apostle teacheth that true faith iustiāeth that they which haue it liue by faith Commonly they hold that charitie is the forme of faith Which if it were true then could not faith subsist without charitie But the Apostle teacheth vs that faith as faith doth make the iust to liue and auncient Christians were alwayes ignorant of these philosophicall fancies They hold that diuers sinnes are committed which are not forbidden by Gods law But this sheweth that the law of God as they suppose is not perfect and that the lawes of man hauing nothing in them of Gods law bind the conscience as well as the law of God Finally the very foundations of popish religion are erronious the same being founded partly vpon the decretals of Popes partly vpon the traditions of men contained partly in their Missals breuiaries ond other rituall books partly in their fabulous legends and partly in the chest of the Popes brest and partly vpon the old Latin translation of the Bible which the Romanists hold to be authenticall and partly vpō the interpretations of the Romish Church But since it pleased God to put into her Maiesties royall heart a resolution to reforme the church that was so much deformed by the pharisaicall and superstitious additions of that Papists to restore religion according to that doctrine of the Apostles Prophets not only all former heresies errors were abolished but also the true doctrine of faith was restored The which is apparent not onely by the articles of Religion which we professe but also by our publike confessions and apologies which we haue published at diuers times And in part it may be proued by the secret confession of our aduersaries For albeit they would gladly cauill against our confessions yet they take their grounds commonly out of Luther Zuinglius Caluin Melancthon and others not often medling with our confessions Diuers of them also are wont to call vs negatiue Diuines Which argueth that so much as we hold positiuely is for the most part confessed by the aduersaries themselues and that we bring in no new faith but that which alwayes hath bene holden and maintained in the Church of Christ desiring onely that the positiue errors heresies and superstitions of Papists may be abolished Wherefore as Christians in time past extolled Constantine the great that gaue libertie to al his subiects to professe the Christian religion that assembled synods of Bishops and confirmed their decrees so ought we to celebrate the memory of our gracious Quéene that gaue libertie to all Christians to professe the truth that caused diuers assemblies of learned men and ratified the Christian faith by her authoritie CHAP. III. Of the true and sincere administration of the Sacraments of the Church restored in England OF the holy rites and sacraments of Christian religion we cannot speake without griefe of heart when we consider how shamefully they were abused mangled and corrupted by the synagogue of Antichrist Where Christ ordained onely two Sacraments to wit Baptisme where he said Teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost and the sacrament of his body and blood where he said Take eate this is my body and drinke ye all of this for this is the
words without swearing and blaspheming The Popes and their faction haue caused all the warres and troubles in Christendome as histories do recount If a man do but look in the life of Sixtus the fourth Iulius the 2. he may easily sée what seditious and turbulent spirits they cary But what néed we looke so high seeing the flames of ciuil discension in Germanie France Flanders England and Ireland burning so bright by the solicitation of Paul the third Pius the fifth Gregorie thirtéenth and fourteenth and this Clement that now possesseth the throne of Antichrist do so plainely declare them to be firebrands of warre and trouble Well therefore said Petrarke that in Rome all those mischiefes were hatched that are now spread through the world and neuer shall Christian Princes haue loyall subiects as long as seditious Masse-priests are suffered to lurk within their kingdomes In countries subiect to y e Pope they count it a little fault to murder mē now frō thence are come certaine assassins which for hire and by perswasions are induced to kill men There also impoysonments are most common The Popes themselues vse to drinke of poysoned cups and that by the iust iudgement of God seeing by the cup of their poysoned doctrine according to the prophecy Apoc. 17. they haue empoysoned many Christian nations To conclude this large discourse there is no state of men vnder the Popes iurisdiction but it is growne to great dissolution and corruption of manners and may be conuinced of diuers sinnes and abominations by infinite witnesses and confessions if we would stand vpon it but I will content my selfe with two or three Breidenbach in the historie of his peregrination speaketh generally and sayth Recessit lex à sacerdotibus c. that is the law is departed from priests iustice from princes counsell from elders good dealing from the people loue from parents reuerence from subiects charitie from prelates religion from Monkes honestie from yong men discipline from clerkes learning from masters study from schollers equitie from Iudges concord from citizens feare from seruants good fellowship from husbandmen truth from merchants valor from Noblemen chastitie from virgins humility from widowes loue from maried folks patience from poore men O time ô manners And Walter Mapes that liued in the time of Henry the second King of England Virtutes cunctae saith he en iacent defunctae All vertues lie now dead Charitie is no where to be found And againe In truth I find that the whole Cleargy doth studie wickednesse and impietie enuie raigneth truth is exiled The prelates are Lucifers heires They being now aduaunced tread downe others blinde guides they are and blinded with idolatrie of earthly things Robert Bishop of Aquila in his Sermons of which Sixtus Senensis maketh mention in the third booke of his Biblioth sanct speaketh thus to his countrie of Italie O Italia plange ô Italia time ô Italia caue ne propter obstinationem tuam in te desaeuiat ira Dei c. Tu in dies durior efficeris in peccatis malitia perseuerando Fiunt iam vbique vsurae publicae omnia foedata sunt spurcissimis vitijs carnis ignominiosae Sodomiae superbia pomparumiam occupauit omnes ciuitates terras blasphemiae Dei periuria mendacia iniustitiae violentiae oppressiones pauperum similia superabundant O Italie saith he lament ô Italie feare ô Italie beware lest for thy obstinacie the wrath of God waxe not cruell against thee c. Thou euery day art more and more hardened perseuering in thy sinnes and maliciousnesse Euery where men set vp bankes of vsurie all things are defiled with most foule vices of the flesh and most shamefull sodomie Pride in pompous shewes haue now filled cities and countries blasphemies against God periuries lies iniustice violence orpression of the poore and such like vices do superabound I would further insist vpon this argument but that I referre diuers matters ouer to the second booke where I shall haue occasion more particularly to examine the good workes of Papists But the Church of England neither alloweth publike shewes nor bankes of vsurie nor dispenseth with oathes of subiects to Princes or alloweth periurie nor shall Robert Parsons find such filthines and abhominations among the professors of our religion as are commonly practised by the Popes Cardinals Masse-priests Monkes Friars and Nuns and their followers All corruptions in doctrine concerning good workes are reformed and diuers abuses concerning manners among the Papists taken away The which séeing it procéeded wholly of that reformation of religion which Quéen Elizabeth of pious memorie wrought by her regall authoritie among vs we are most gratefully to accept that worke and by exercises of pietie and charity to indeuour to shew our selues not vnworthie either of our profession or of so great a blessing Against this discourse Robert Parsons talketh very scornfully and saith first that the experience of the whole world will deny that good workes are fruites of our religion But if he had bene well aduised he would haue forborne to talke of experience For whosoeuer hath liued among those that are of our religion and among Papists also must néedes say that the liues of Romanists are abhominable offending in whoredome Sodomie periurie vsurie and all impieties and discharge vs deterring and abhorring those vices and punishing them seuerely Beside that if he meant to winne credit he would not talke of the whole world being not able to name one honest man that will iustifie that which he talketh Secondly he saith our best friends renounce our workes And then alleageth an Epistle of Erasmus mentioned by Surius a Postil of Luther and a testimonie out of Aurifaber But first Erasmus is none of our best friends being in most points an aduersarie and a professed Masse-priest And if he were our friend yet haue we no reason to beléeue Surius a malicious enemie and a base Monke hired to speake lyes Secondly it is a ridiculous foolerie where we dispute of the fruites of the Gospell in England in Queene Elizabeths dayes to bring testimonies of Luther and Aurifaber that were dead before her time and speake of some of their countrie people Thirdly they speake not of the whole reformed Church in Germanie but rather of some that albeit they disliked Poperie yet did not sincerely embrace the truth Finally neither Luther nor Aurifaber doth charge his countrie people with such faults as raigne among Papists He must therfore seek some witnesses that speake more to purpose and leaue his owne treasons filthinesse periurie lying gluttonie and drunkennesse before he talke of good workes Finally he pratleth much concerning the merit of workes But if he had bene vsed according to his merits then had the crowes long ere this eaten his carion flesh He misliketh also that we should giue a caueat to auoide hypocriticall ostentation albeit any man shold do good works But this caueat concerneth him but a litle whose workes are most wicked and odious his
sheweth himselfe to be past shame to talke against mariage when himselfe was begotten by a filthie priest and his consorts wallow in all beastly abhominations Wherefore let the aduersaries storme and rage as much as they list yet will we say and may say it most truly that both the Church of God and the State hath receiued great blessings by Quéene Elizabeths late happie gouernment And if nothing else yet the vaine opposition of enemies and traitors may perswade vs that it is so For not onely their mislikings do fhew that both the Church and State was well ordered for otherwise they would haue bene better pleased but also their vaine ianglings and contradictions they being not able to obiect any thing which soundeth not to her Maiesties honeur and high commendations confirme the same CHAP. XIII Parsons his cursed talke of cursings of England by chaunge of Religion and gouernment vnder Queene Elizabeth examined THe Prophet Dauid speaking of the foolish and wicked men of his time saith that their throate is an open sepulchre and afterward that their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse The which we sée verified in the Pope and his impious sect For their throates are wide as the graue and swallow the wealth of Europe They also degorge out of them all the wickednesse and villanie they can deuise against the godly Pius Quintus and Sixtus Quintus accurse the Quéene Robert Parsons following their steppes raileth vpon her in diuers libels In his Warn-word that is a complement of his foolery he sayth We receiued no blessings by her but rather cursings Here therefore we are to answer the barking of this cursed hel-hound and of his accursed companions In the first encounter of his Wardword p. 4. he saith We are deuided from the general body of catholickes in Christendome But this should haue bene proued if he would haue any man to giue him credit For we alleage that the Papists from whom we are deuided are no Catholikes beleeuing the new doctrines of the late conuenticles of Lateran Constance Florence Trent other Friers priests which neither were receiued of all men nor in all times nor in all places which is the true propertie of Catholicke doctrine Next we offer to proue that we are true Catholikes séeing the doctrine of our faith is Apostolicall and vniuersally approued of all true Christians and for the most part confessed by the Papists vntil of late time If then this be a principall curse to be deuided from Catholickes then doth the same fall on Parsons his own head and vpon his trecherous consorts and not vpon vs. Secondly he saith that we of England are deuided from Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists abroad and from Puritanes Brownists and other like good fellowes at home But this common Iergon of Papists is already answered For neither do we acknowledge the names of Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists nor can he shew that the Church of England is deuided from the Churches of France Germanie or Suizzerland or that one Church oppugneth another If any priuate man do maintaine priuat opinions in doctrine as diuers Germaines French and English do or else if there be any difference among vs concerning ceremonies and gouernment that doth no more make a schisme in our church then the diuers rites of Spanish French and Italians and diuers opinions in al points of religion betwéen old and new Romish Doctors maketh a schisme in the Romish Church For generally we all agree in substance of faith in rites ceremonies refer euery Church to their libertie In England publikely there is more vniformitie in doctrine prayers ceremonies then in the Romish Church albeit some priuat men whom Parsons vseth to call Puritanes dissent in some points As among the Papists there are diuers that allow not all which they hold commonly But saith he in his Warne-word Encont 1. c. 15. the French Germaines and Scottish do not agrée with the English in the rule of faith as is proued in the foure fiue and sixe and sequent chapters But if he had found any differences he would not haue spared to set them down In the chapters mentioned he sheweth not that we differ in any article of faith or substantiall point of religion but rather in rites ceremonies and some diuers interpretations of some words of Scripture Thirdly he would make his reader beléeue that we haue no certaintie in religion and that as he foole-wisely imagineth because we haue no certaine rule whereby to direct our consciences And this he handleth both in his Wardword 1. Encontr and Warnw. 1. enc c. 15. 16. and other places skipping like an ape vp an downe without rule order or reason But while he talketh of the rule of faith he is direct contrary to himselfe For in his Wardw. p. 6. he sayth that the vniuersal Church was the direct rule and squire which we ought to follow and in the Warnw. Enc. 1. c. 15. nu 10. he teacheth that it is the summe and corpes of Christian doctrine deliuered at the beginning by the miracles and preachings of the Apostles Where I omit to tell Robert Parsons that it is absurd to make the same thing to be a rule and a squire the rule being direct and the squire being square It is also ridiculous though I do not tell him of it to say that Christs doctrine was deliuered by miracles for it was deliuered by writing and preaching and confirmed by miracles But I cannot forbeare to tell him that there is great difference betwéene the Catholike Church and the Catholike doctrine How then can these two make one rule Next he taketh exception to my words where I say that the Church of England hath a certaine rule to follow in matters of faith as if the canon of scriptures and those conclusions which are to be drawne out of them were no certaine rule or else as if traditions that are no where certainly described or set downe were a more certaine and authenticall rule then scriptures and necessary deductions out of them Fourthly he giueth out that we despaire of all certaine rule or meane to trie the truth which is a most desperate and impudent kind of dealing For directly I told him before and now I tell him againe that our rule is most certaine being nothing else but the canonicall Scriptures and the conclusions necessary drawne out of them Nay this rule may in part be confirmed by Parsons his owne confession For if the corps of Christian doctrine preached by the Apostles be the rule of faith as he saith VVarnw 1. encont c. 15. where are we to find it but in holy Scriptures He holdeth percase that it is to be found in the Popes bosome But if he say so in schooles he shal not want a greater plaudit then he had when hauing ended his comicall dealings in Bayliol colledge he was rung and hissed out of the house For who knoweth not that scabs and villany are
rather to be found in the Popes bosome then any corpes of Apostolicall doctrine for that is very rife with them With the corpes of Apostolicall doctrine the Italian atheisticall Popes are litle acquainted We tel him further that for trial of any point of doctrine we are not to run to the Popes sea which is as much able to resolue vs as his close stoole but to the word of God reuealed in Scriptures and if there be any difference about a place of Scriptures we are then to compare the same with other places to search the resolutions of Councels of auncient and later Fathers of the Church of England and learned men Prouided alwayes that nothing be receiued as a ground of faith which is not to be deduced out of the word of God Whether then S. Augustine or Hierome or Ambrose or Luther or Caluin or any preacher among vs bring vs the word of God it is to be receiued But if they teach without that we are not necessarily to credit them nor to beléeue them in grounds of faith Out of the Scriptures we learne that Christ hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some pastors and teachers albeit all particular matters are not precisely set downe So likewise we are taught that these words this is my body are most true that the sacrameÌ„t is Christs body in a mysterie or sacramentally albeit how the Sacrament is called Christs body there may be some differences Likewise out of Scripture we are taught that the King is the most principall man in his Realme and not to be subiect to any other in externall gouernement albeit euery one percase vnderstandeth not the seuerall points of his supreme authority These differences therefore notwithstanding our rule of faith is most certaine Fiftly he would insinuate that as vertue houskéeping true dealing is much decayed since her Maiesty came to the crowne so pride in apparel gluttony drunkennes lechery swearing and other vices are much increased But the man should shew that these vertues are decayed and vices increased in men that are truly of our Religion If he say so then let him name the men that are guiltie of these faults If the men that are guilty be Papists that for the most part are knowne to be carnall and cruel and most vitious he striketh himselfe and not vs. If they be Atheists or hypocrites then his allegation maketh not to purpose This I will speake to his teeth that if our Ministery be no more honest and vertâ—ous then the Popes Cardinals Friers and Masse-priests and our true professors then zelous Papists it were pitie they should liue on the face of the earth Some proofes I haue brought before and more I shall alleage herafter Let Parsons do the like against vs and leaue his hypocriticall ostentation and generall declamation that maketh men rather to wonder at his impudency then to beleeue that he dealeth truly or sincerely Sixthly he very impudently imputeth all the troubles wars and calamities that haue happened in Scotland Ireland Flanders France to alteration in Religion and wold lay the blame wholy vpon vs. But if he looke into their immediate causes he shall find that the mint of this money was the Popes consistorie and that he and his agents are the onely firebrands of all mischiefe In Ireland Gregorie the thirtéenth stirred vp rebellion by the traitor Saunders his legate in England Pius Quintus by his agent Ridolphi and by Morton his messenger moued the two Earles to rise in the North Anno 1569. The same Pope animated the Spanish King to make warres against the Quéene of England and against them of the Low countries The same Pope sent not onely his agents to stirre the French but ayded them both with men and mony Gregorie the thirtéenth likewise sent ayde to Irish rebels The wars of Germanie were enflamed by that butcherly Pope Paule the third To make short all massacres trecheries warres and troubles haue wholy procéeded from their malice against the truth If the Pope and his adherents therfore haue bene troubled so was Herode and all Ierusalem with him at the birth of Christ. If they blame vs for their troubles so did the Pagans impute all their troubles to Christians and their religion But the true cause was not religion but the hatred of impious Papists against religion Finally he saith that if her Maiestie had not altered religion then her kingdome had bene flourishing and secure and that she would haue had issue and her succession certaine and continued in friendship with the Pope and auncient confederates and neither had wars abroad nor treason at home and insinuateth that by reason of alteration of religion al is fallen out contrarie But if Wil Sommer had written this discourse he could neuer haue spoken more foolishly nor impertinently For first I haue shewed that the state of the kingdome for diuers respects was neuer more flourishing Secondly if any danger hanged ouer our heads the same might easily be auoyded if lawes had bene executed against traitors Thirdly it is now apparant to the world that want of issue in her Maiestie hath not hurt vs God sending vs so gracious and magnanimous a king Fourthly his royall Maiestie succéeding in her throne hath declared that she wanted no succession The same act also sheweth that Parsons and all his consorts are a packe of false Prophets Parsons his booke of succession doth also declare him to be a false traitor Fiftly it is a ridiculous thing to tell vs of vnion with the Pope and his mediation of peace For there ought to be no agréement betweene Christians and Antichrist Here the Noddie will storme that his holy Father should be called Antichrist But let him answer my reasons in my fifth booke De Pont. Rom. against Bellarmine and then let him storme while his heart break Sixtly we haue so litle losse by breaking with the Spanish king that all men of knowledge pray that either he may chaunge his former courses or that the warrcs may still continue Finally this land hath no reason either to feare forraine warres or domesticall treasons vnlesse we will vncouple the Popes hounds that come hither to teare the kings Maiestie and State in péeces which I hope he and his Councell of state will looke vnto Whether then we looke into the Church or the State we must needes say that Quéene Elizabeths raigne was most happie And that so much the rather for that all her aduersaries wit and malice doth not affoord any one sound argument that doth any way sound to her disgrace Robert Parsons hath long barked in vaine against her procéedings But he should remember that the end of mad barking curres is beating if not hanging The second Booke shewing the miserable estate of Papists both in England vnder Q. Mary and elsewhere vnder the Popes irreligious tyrrannie weakely defended by N. D. in a leud Libel intitled the WARNE-WORD The Preface to the second Booke THE nature of
man being subiect to change it is no maruell good Christian Reader if naturally all men desire change But that such as professe religion and haue experience in the world should desire to change for the worse and seeke from libertie and peace to returne to miserable captiuitie and slauerie vnder the grieuousyoke of popish gouernment it seemeth to me not onely strange but also repugnant to the rules of religion and reason Stand fast saith the Apostle in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and be not intangled againe with the yoke of bondage And Tully would haue men contend for libertie vnto the death The poore slaue in Plautus could say that all men had rather be free then bond Omnes profectò saith he liberi libentiùs sumus quà m seruimus Yet such is the ouerthwart humour of some men that rather then they will continue long in one and the selfe same setled state will not doubt to hazard their life and libertie vpon hope of better happe in a new gouernment The children of Israel had not long continued in the wildernesse after their wonderfull deliuerance out of AEgypt but they began to murmure vpon the first pinch of hunger And all the congregation of the sonnes of Israel saith the Scripture murmured against Moyses and Aaron in the wildernes and the sonnes of Israel said vnto them would to God we had died by the hand of God in the land of AEgypt So much it grieued them to remember their bellies which were wont to be filled in AEgypt not remembring the slaueric wherein they once liued nor the land whereto they were going So likewise some there are among vs that not knowing or not remembring the grieuances of the popish gouernment nor wel considering their present freedom and happie state looke backe to Rome and the Popes golden promises and rather will venture their soules and bodies then still enioy that libertie and freedome which they haue receiued from their auncestors Of this sort are first a sort of rinegued English fugitiues that runne to the Pope and Spaniard and are by them perswaded to become sacrificing Priefts and traitors and secondly such as are seduced by them all of them drinking of the golden cuppe of the whoore of Babylon and as if they had drunke of Circes cuppe from men being transformed into beasts and brutish Papistes Wherefore to reclaime these haggard English if it be possible and to stay the stirring humours of others as I haue in the former Treatise recounted diuers excellent graces bestowed vpon our countrie and nation by meanes of the pious and prosperous gouernment of our late Queene that broke down the altars of Baal and established Christs true religion among vs so now in the Discourse ensuing I purpose by Gods grace to enter into a due consideration of the calamities and miseries wherto our natiō was subiect during the raign of Queene Marie and whereto all Papists liuing vnder the Popes iurisdiction are ordinarily subiect Wherein that I may proceede more perspicuously first I will speak of matters of the Church and then of matters of ciuill pollicie and that first as they concerne the King and next as they concerne his people Now because Robert Parsons according to his best skill indeuoureth to aduance popish gouernment I haue thought it not amisse now and then as the course of my Discourse carieth me to enterlace his idle arguments and to refute them Not that I suppose any man of reason will giue credit to such a lying companion that shutting his eyes against light commaundeth his tongue to walke and talke against all truth but that by his trifling obiections you may perceiue our plaine dealing and his parasiticall and palpable glosing I may well say of this wicked Atheists wranglings as Origen sayd of Celsus in his discourse against Christian Religion Non est periculum vt eis subuertatur vllus fidelium Absit enim vt inueniatur aliquis in charitate Dei quae est per Christum Iesum tam frigidus vt Celsi verbis aut similium dimoueatur à proposito There is no danger least any faithfull man be ouerthrowne by them God forbid that any should be so cold in the loue of God which is through Christ Iesus that he should be disturned from his godly purpose by Parsons his wrangling Wardwords and Warne-words or by such friuolous deuises of any of his consorts But as the Apostle sayth All haue not faith And many want both the loue of God and the loue they ought to beare to their Prince and countrey Against these I dispute and for those I labour that persist in their first loue Marke therefore I pray you the ignorance of Papists in matters of Religion the falshood and absurdities of their doctrine the burthensome and grieuous tyrannie of the Pope and then iudge without partialitie whether the same be not like the captiuitie of Babylon and darknesse of AEgypt out of which all true Christians ought to desire to be deliuered God graunt all men grace to see it and auoyde it CHAP. I. Of the ignorance both of the Clergie and Laitie of England in matters of Religion in Q. Maries time and generally of Masse priests and their followers at all times and in all places BEfore I enter to discourse of Religion first I am to shew the misery of Papists that for the most part liued in time past and yet liue without the knowledge of Religion Nay diuers of the Masse-priests and common people were ignorant and deuoyd of all good learning and knowledge The ignorance of priests and people in the dayes of Iohn Peccham Archbishop of Canterbury may appeare in that he beginneth his prouinciall constitution with ignorantia Sacerdotum and teacheth them the articles of the Créed and how to handle the sacrament of the altar shewing them that the wine giuen to the communicants in lesser churches was not consecrate and that they were not too much to break the sacrament with their teeth percase for hurtiing of it but to sup it vp Instruant eesdem saith he c. altissimus constit de sum trinit sumptum ore sacraementum non nimis dentibus comminuere sed tritum modicè sorbcre perfectè O miserable men that were taught to sup the sacrament like an oyster And why might they not aswell be taught to eate wine as to sup bread The same man in the chapter Ignorantia sacerdotum de officio Archipresbyteri thinketh it sufficient for priests to teach by themselues or by others and that once euery quarter the articles of the Creed the ten commaundements the two commaundements of the Gospell for this fellow scarce beléeued that the loue of God or his neighbor was commaunded in the morall law the seuen workes of mercie the seuen deadly sinnes the seuen principall vertues and seuen sacraments And what was this quarter teaching forsooth nothing else but the construing or expounding of these things in English as the text
let vs sée what they are and in what places they are done First workes of true and sincere religion they care not for The Popes giue ouer teaching and busie them selues not much with praying Nay they persecute such as professe religion and will not suffer the vulgar sort to vnderstand what they pray commaunding them to pray publikely in tongues not vnderstood Pontifices nunc bella iuuant saith Palingenius sunt cetera nugae Nec praecepta patrum nec Christi dogmata curant Prelates now delight in warre other things they esteeme as toyes they neither regard the precepts of their fathers nor Christs Religion Iustice is slowly administred among them for the Pope easily dispenseth with the breach of all Ecclesiasticall laws and giueth absolution for most hainous sinnes before and sometime without all satisfaction Vrspergensis speaking of the dayes of Innocent the third Exaltatum est cornu saith he iniquitatis The horne of iniquitie is exalted He sheweth also that then iustice was sold for money In time past saith Brigit iustice dwelt in Rome and her princes were studious of peace but now all is turned into drosse and her princes are murtherers Neither do they so many almes déedes or deale so bountifully that they néed much to brag of their liberalitie Petrarch doth call Rome couetous Babylon and sayth that couetousnesse raigneth there Multo aequanimius ferunt millium animarum iacturam saith Clemangis quam decem solidorum They had rather lose ten thousand soules then ten shillings But percase by reason of their solemne vowes they are chast and continent Alas there is nothing more sensual and luxurious Quis non moechatur saith Palingenius speaking of the Romish vnchast Cleargie that is Who doth not offend in luxuriousnesse Huldricus doth shew that this forswearing of mariage is cause of great vncleanenesse Pelagius lib. 2. de planct Eccles. art 27. saith that by reason of priests vowes and licenciousnesse almost halfe the people in Spaine are bastards Speaking of priests Nimis incontinenter viuunt saith he at que vtinam nunquam continentiam promisissent maximè Hispani regnicolae in quibus prouincijs in pauco maiori numero sunt filij laicorum quà m clericorum This I cite at large for the honor of bastard Parsons that is so well affected to some old bastard Spaniards Truth is no friend to such lying companions VVhat truth can be there saith Petrarch where all is so ful of lyes He excepteth not the secret places of Churches the seates of iustice nor the Popes throne Quis vsquam saith he vero locus vbi omnia mendacijs plena sunt For their fraud and lies Palingenius calleth priests and Friers impostors and crafty foxes Hos impostores igitur vulpesque dolosas Pelle procul Neither can we commend them much for their clemency albeit their Popes sometimes affect the name and title of Clement For they prosecute their enemies as cruelly as euer did tyrants as Platina saith in Sergio 3. they torment poore simple Christians that touch their abuses and massacre them They are red with the blood of saints Finally neither vertue nor pietie sheweth it selfe in any of their actions What are then the good works that our aduersaries so much commend in them selues Forsooth pilgrimages to Rome oblations to saints almes giuen to sturdie Friers Monks building of Seminaries for rebellious youths eating of fish and toadstooles and muscles on fasting dayes vowing of virginitie and single life whipping a mans selfe doing penance by a Proctor praying to Saints hearing of Masses and such like Nay they accompt it meritorious to massacre Christian Princes and others when the Pope doth excommunicate them But part of these workes are flagitious part superstitious none good If then they alleage vs not their good workes and proue them their glory and boasting of their workes will proue vaine and odious Finally they must thew vs where these workes are done for which the Papists looke to merit eternall life and by which they claime iustification If they say at Rome as no doubt they will calling the same the holy citie then we shall wonder at their impudencie For that citie both in regard of Priests and people of all others is knowne to be most flagitious Peters pallace saith Mantuan is polluted and rotten with luxuriousnesse Petrique domus polluta fluenti Marcescit luxu And againe Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis ara Cynaedis Seruit venerandae diuum Ganymedibus aedes The same man lib. 4. fastorum telleth Leo the tenth that he was to reforme thrée things first the bloudie broiles of Italie secondly the poyson of the court of Rome that infected all countries and thirdly the abuses of religion that was much oppressed The manners of Italie Robert Bishop of Aquila rehearseth The sinnes of Rome are noted by Petrarch in his Sonnets beginning Fiamma dal cielo and L'auara Babylonia and Font ana di dolore where he signifieth that she deserueth to be consumed with fire from he auen for her notorious wickednesse Palingenius bringeth in the diuell affirming that both the men and women of Rome were his for that all did apply themselues to luxuriousnesse gluttonie theft and fraud contending who should excell others Cunctiluxuriae saith he at que gulae furtisque dolisque Certatim nosterque est sexus vterque If then pure religion is to visite the fatherles and widowes in their aduersitie and to liue an vnspotted life in this world as Iames the Apostle teacheth then is not Papish religion true nor vndefiled If such as do the workes of the flesh described Galat. 5. shall not inherite the kingdome of God then is the state of Papists most miserable vnlesse they repont They may say to themselues Peace peace and boast themselues that they can do mischiefe But therc is no peace to the wicked neither shall their misthieuous malice and bloudie massacres alwaies escape vnpunished CHAP. III. Of the erronious and absurd doctrine of Papists concerning the foundations of Christian Religion WRetched is the state of those that liue in darknesse and ignorance and without the knowledge of religion and vertue Ignorantia magnum malum and as Tully saith nescire turpe It is a shame not to know But not to know God nor his lawes is both shamefull and damnable Qui ignorat ignorabitur saith the Apostle that is God will not know him that is ignorant of God Yet farre worse it is to do maliciously and wickedly then onely to liue in ignorance and blindnesse But worst of all it is to hold obstinately dangerous and false opinions contrarie to the faith of Christ. If then beside their ignorance and leudnes the Papists hold diuers erronious and false opinions concerning religion then cannot their estate be otherwise then miserable Let vs therefore sée what they hold both concerning the foundations and also concerning diuers necessarie points of religion The Papists giue out that the Pope is the foundation
saith to demaund iustice against him Christopher Bagshaw his fellow priest testifieth that being burser he disfurnished the colledge library of many auncient bookes and rare manuscripts A true man he is as it seemeth being conuinced both of forgery filchery and periury But because he was sworne to be true a true thiefe to the colledge For these and other misdemeanors he had the fauour to resigne being first lawfully expelled as saith Bagshaw in his apologie against Parsons slanders and with such fauour he departed that no man seemed desirous he should remaine in the colledge any longer I thinke he may remember that he was rung with belles out of the house which was either a signe of triumph or else of his dismall departure out of the world At the same time he made a submission with many teares as saith Bagshaw and promised that he would euer after carry himselfe in a good sort but if he forgot his oth made first it was no maruell if he forgot his promise made after Hauing receiued this disgrace not long after he fled like a fugitiue out of his countrey and became a Iebusite For note that periured fugitiues make prime Iebusites So that was verified in him that is commonly found true in others Quod desperatio facit monachum For desperatly hee cast himselfe away into a monkish order although not long before he had deepely protested that he would neuer become a papist What religion was in him it may appeare for that suddenly he tooke on him a religion which he had a litle before forsworne Beside that being in England he alwaies professed the same religion that we doe and in priuate communication with his friends seemed desirous to learne some good course of study of diuinitie Being burser hee bought many bookes written by learned men of our side and placed them in the library of Bailioll colledge in Oxford What is then to be collected of all his demeanour and actions but that disgrace and malice and no other reason made him a papist a friar and an apostata Departing out of the countrey hee went not away empty handed For he carried away diuers summes of money which he had receiued of his schollers friends without rendring accompt Promising also to make a match betwixt one of his schollers and a gentlewoman his mothers neighbour he tooke money of both the parties friends albeit neither of the parties knew any such matter nor their friends had talked together A very prety tricke to be plaid for his first prize of cosinage The seculer priests charge him with mispending the almes that is bestowed on the english Seminaries vpon his intelligencers spies in postage and vpon his priuat pleasures After his departure out of England the man cosined the Prince of Parma the Spanish king and others offering like a montebanke the crowne of England to sale to any that would buy it A thing certes of good price if he could haue made his sale good He may remember that Marforio in Rome touched him in a certaine ticket for this grosse cosinage But great wonder it is that the Pope hath not trussed him ere this finding all his promises of intelligences treasons and packes in England to be nothing else but méere cosinage mockery and knauery to procure himselfe to be made Cardinall And this both himselfe and his brother and friends did so greedily looke for that on a time being aduised to weare a péece of scarlet before his stomacke and giuing order that a péece might be brought from the marchant his witlesse brother thinking the time of his aduancement had bene come caused as much scarlet to be brought to him as would make him a Cardinals robes But with great confusion and blushing like as if his face had bene died scarlet Parsons conueyed the man and his scarlet out by a posterne gate But the scorne and blemish still stucke to him Of his vertuous life in Spaine and in the colledge at Rome we neede not to stand much seeing the markes of his honesty appeare in the pustules of his face but especially in his scabbed legs The which mysteries of Iebusites least they should be reuealed they haue a graunt of the Pope to haue Physitions of their owne company While the stirres continued betweene the Iesuits and the English schollers in Rome one Harward gaue out that he could name seuen Sodomites in that colledge But may Parsons friends answere That is no nouelty among the fiery Ignatians that forsweare mariage For seeing they refuse honourable mariage it is Gods iust vengeance vpon them that they should fall into these filthie abominable disorders Euery one of the masse-priests according to the formulary of Rome doth say and confesse quòd peccaui in Sodomia that is I haue sinned in Sodomy The man naturally is a coward yet when he passeth through strange countreyes he goeth disguised and calleth himselfe Captaine Cowbucke But albeit he be no souldier nor worthy of that profession yet should he haue come anno 1588. with the Spanish forces against his countrey And so many hath he suborned to kill the Queene and to stirre rebellion in England and Ireland that he hath caused more blood to be shed then the greatest souldier of our time His impudency in lying and great cunning in iugling may be conuinced by his bold assertions and denials against all truth and by his shifting and cogging in all his writings which giue plaine euidence that the man when he sted from his countrey left honesty shame and conscience behind him if euer he had any as by diuers arguments in the treatise ensuing shall god willing be verified In the meane while see what his fellow traitors say of him He that set foorth the reply to Parsons libell doth testifie that he will affirme or deny any thing and saith that he hath a brasen forehead and prayeth that God would send him more shame more honesty and more truth Speaking of his cunning conueiance he saith he will neuer leaue his iugling trickes and againe that like a Gipsey he playeth at fast and loose His life vnto the rest of his consorts is so scandalous that the martrized Quodlitelist with admirati ō doth thus exclaime quodl 8. art 5. pa. 238. ô monster of mankind fitter for hell then middle earth and afterward thou giuest occasion for diuers to thinke thou art not a mere man but some fairies brat or begotten by some incubus or aerish spirit vpon the body of a base woman and quodl 6. art 7. and discouery pa. 70. Blackewell saith a certaine masse-priest must depend vpon Garnet and Garnet vpon Parsons and Parsons on the deuill Doe not you thinke then that this is a braue dependance and that the warneword is braue stuffe that is calfreted and deuised by a dependant vpon the deuill but may his friends say this was spoken out of choller Heare then what the archpriest said when he heard that Robert Parsons was first come into
England This man sayd he will shame vs all he is for his expulsion and manners so infamous Howsoeuer he hath shamed others himselfe he hath shamed by his leud loose and discomposed patcheries Of his cruell disposition he hath giuen vs many arguments While he was yet in Bailioll colledge he prosecuted seuen young men of farre better parentage then himselfe and gladly would haue had them hanged for taking certaine puddings from a pupill of his called Himmes He endeuoured to draw Himmes his father into bond that hée should not cease to prosecute the fellonie and would haue proceeded further had not the councell taken order to stay his violence it may be he thought that taking of puddings was a great matter considering especially that the wealth of the tripewise his mother consisted in tripes puddings and souce but sée Gods hand against this prosecutor of takers of puddings he is now so swollen like a blacke pudding that the memory of Parsons puddings will not lightly be forgotten A man shall hardly find a fitter fellow to play Ballio the baud then Parsons being a baudy burley pudding growne fellow and very like the baud in Plautus cum collatiuo ventre oculis herbeis that is with his bumbasted and barrellike bellie and eyes greenish like grasse In Rome he hath long bene the tormentor of the boyes of the English colledge although his friends in his excuse say he loueth them but too well and namely one Fisher a fine youth that sometime was a Ganymedes to Edward or as he called himselfe Odeward Weston sometime reader of Sodomiticall diuinitie at Doway although now for his beastly loue they say he hath lost his place and lecture and is sent to Antwerpe to loue wenches there Prouided alwayes that he meddle not with boyes especially scandalously As for Fisher he is now at Rome as they say to do penance with Robert Parsons Protonotarie of Sodome if he be not fishing in the sea Whē Bishop and Charnocke agents of the secular priests in England were sent to Rome Sir Robert handled them very rudely These priests doe exclaime mainely against his crueltie He tooke away their writings and valists he caused them to be imprisoned and hardly examined and at the length sent them away re infectissima But what should I neede to stand vpon prooues of his bloody and cruell disposition when it is apparent that diuers wayes he hath sought to destroy the Queene whom he should haue honoured as his most gracious soueraigne He sought also to deliuer vp his countrimen to haue their throats cut by the Spaniards nay by Italians Marans and infidels One William Browne alias Ch. P. in a letter dated the 16. of August anno 1599. affirmeth that he hath a letter of Parsons his owne hand dated 1598. wherein he confesseth that he knew of Parries practise for the killing of the Queene and that the said Parsons kept backe a gentleman that intended to discouer the same A certaine other papisticall fellow in a treatise concerning the practises of Iesuits for killing of Princes doth charge Parsons for aduancing the practise of Party and Sauage against the Quéens life for dealing with the Duke of Guise to enter into England with 5000. men to surprize the Quéene lying at Greenewich and the citie of London Neither haue the Spaniards made any attempt against England without the priuitie and solicitation of Parsons the arch-plotter of treasons William Browne aliàs Ch. P. doth charge Parsons to be a common detractor and saith that he detracteth without respect of religion truth or common honestie If then he detract from his owne fellowes rayleth vpon such as himselfe pleaseth though in the generall cause ioyned with him we may not maruell if he play his with parts vs whom he taketh to be his enemies by whose detractiō he hopeth to merit and to winne a Cardinals hat Finally the mans traitorous practises against the Quéene and his countrey in many volumes cannot sufficiently be desciphred His first comming into England was to make a side and to moue rebellion And that is prooued by his faculties graunted anno 1580. Petatur saith he à S. domino nostro c. that is Let it be desired of our most holy Lord the Pope that the bull declaratorie of Pius the fift against Elizabeth and her adherents be vnderstood in this manner that the same bull shall alwayes bind her and all heretikes but not Romish Catholikes as matters doe now stand but onely then when the bull may publikely be put in execution By this facultie being granted then it appeareth that the bull of Pius Quintus was in force against the Quéene and her subiects and that Parsons came to stirre vp false Catholikes or rather false traitors to put it in execution as soone as occasion should be offered Now according to the tenor of his faculties the fellow ceased not to rake in the coles of mens discontented humours and to make a partie against the Queene The papists saw he dealt so openly that they feared least if the fire tooke a number of them should be burned in the flames Such was the feare of the wisest of them that they told him plainely that if he retired not himselfe they would discouer him to her Maiesties officers Being thus forced more then halfe against his will to depart out of England yet ceased he not to procure vs troubles from Scotland as the king now raigning can tell and his libell against the Earle of Leicester that seemeth to fauour the kings title doth manifestly proue Nay in a letter to the Earle of Angus he doth plainely confesse that at that time he was for the kings title and sought presently to set it on foote without longer staying for the Queenes death In France he encouraged the D. of Guise to come with an army into England not forgetting in the meane while to aduance the treason of Parry Sauage There also he was acquainted by the meanes of Ballard with Babingtons conspiracie Neither is it to be doubted but he knew of friar Sammiers comming to the kings mother of which ensued the ruine of her as the authour of the Iesuits Catechisme testifieth It is said also that he caused 500. crownes to be deliuered to Ch. Paget to come ouer into England to treat with the Earle of N. whereof his destruction ensued not long after In Flanders he sought also to draw the D. of Parma into quarrell with the Queen of England offering him the Lady Arbella and the crowne of England for his sonne But he was no more able to performe his offer then the deuill that promised to giue all the kingdomes of the earth to Christ. That packe being broken he solicited the preparations of the Spaniard against England anno 1588. ayding Card. Allen to make that most execrable libell which he titleth an exhortation to the Nobility and people of England and Ireland which containeth all the disgrace that could be deuised both against the
Quéene her subiects Whatsoeuer he did in deuising of that traitorous libell one W. Br. alias Pag. chargeth him that hee holpe to print it and gaue diuers copies to his friends Departing out of the low countries he committed the managing of matters to one Holt a man of his owne societie and confrairy of tray tours If then Holt was acquainted with the practises of Yorke Williams and Daniel for killing the Quéene as he is charged by W. Br. alias Ch. Pag. or with Heskets trecherous agency with the Carle of Darby then no doubt but R. Parsons was made priuie therewith also seeing he was but as an inferiour sphere concurring with Parsons that like primum mobile drew with him all inferior traytors and made all matters of treason to be taken in hand Residing in Spaine his onely purpose was to set this land in combustion To worke a detestation of her Maiestie and of the English nation in the mindes of the Spaniards he caused a most slanderous libell set forth before in Latin to be translated into Spanish by one Ribadineira a man of his owne trayterous order adding thereunto diuers slaunderous and most vntrue reports of his owne auouching his owne lies vpon the credit of Sanders being now dead And that this is true not onely his owne conscience doth witnesse but that ribald Ribadineira must acknowledge if he be aliue and will testifie truth For to draw the king of Spaine into the party he set out a most fond booke of titles to the crowne of England casting the same with all the force of his wit vpon the Infanta of Spaine seeking to depriue the right heires and endeuoring to bring vs vnder the captiuitie of strangers to which end also he caused diuers of the English nation residing in Spaine to subscribe to that title With the helpe of Creswell and others his adherents he caused diuers trecherous inuectiues to be published against her Maiesty the State and that partly vnder the names of Andreas Philopater Didimus Veridicus and such like counterfet names and partly without names By his and other his traitorous consorts solicitation king Philip the second sent forth a fléet to sea of which two attempts followed the one about the yeare 1598. in which diuers ships by stresse of wether were wracked on the coast of Spaine betwixt the Rocke and Cap. finis terrae the second followed not long after The first is proued by D. Stillingtō and other Massepriests perswaded by Parsons to come with publike enemies against England the second is mentioned in a letter of the said Parsons to Th. Fitzherbert and publikely diuulged by the Adelantadoes proclamation of which hereafter we shall haue occasion to speake And so earnest was the king of Spaine in setting forth this fleete against England that at one time returning to himselfe out of a trance the first words he speke were Whether is the Adelantado gone for England At another time being at his deuotions he said He would spend the furniture of his chappell but he would be reuenged vpon the English The Secular priests in their reply to Parsons libell fol. 65. do also mentiō these preparations Neither is it to be doubted but that Parsons concurred in the solicitation of them The author of the Reply speaking of these preparations for England These two preparations sayth he are so euident to haue proceeded with his concurrence and cooperation as he no way can deny it without the note of impudency so many witnesses and his owne letters bring in testimonie against him He doth likewise affirme that the vrging of diuers to subscribe to the Infantaes title is a matter notorious and euident and to be proued by the othes of diuers priests In his letters to a certaine Earle of Scotland Parsons plainely confesseth diuers practises set on foote by himselfe against England and that he sought to aduance the Spanish Infantaes title as being of his religion The resolutions of cases of conscience set out by A. P. that is Allen and Parsons for direction of their traitorous schollers are nothing else but resolutions to proue them both traitors and enemies to their countrie declaring the Queene to be a tyrant and no lawfull Queene and her officers no lawfull officers and ayming wholly at the ouerthrow of the State Finally it is auerred by the secular priests that Parsons had a finger in the rebellions of Ireland Neither is it to be doubted but that he his agent Creswel were acquainted with the enterprise of D. Iuan d'Aquila in Kinsale many traitorous English being that time in companie with the Spaniards If then this be one of the chiefe pillars of Romish faith certaine it is that the Romish faith standeth vpon disloyaltie and trechery or at least vpon a wicked disloyall traitor If Papists wold consider these his prartises they wold not so much esteeme his directories libels discoueries inuectiues wardwords or rather a wardrobe of knauery and villanie his Warnewords such like odious fardles of idle words which rather direct men to the gallowes then to religion and vertue which shall further appeare in the answer following This in the meane while I thought to relate for ease of his holy father if percase he list to saint this horse-holy Frier And if in the meane while he be not created Cardinall by reason of his infamous bastardie and foule bellaquerie too open playing aboue boord yet let him be a Cardinall and a card ercarniticable vested with Cardinals robes of yellow blew and greene like the Knaue of Clubbes CHAP. II. Of the title Warne-word and other matters promised and prefixed in the front of Parsons his booke A goose they say may be knowne by a feather If men will not beléeue me yet may it be verified by the goose Parsons For by his most foolish title being the first fether of his gooseships worke we may assure our selues we shall haue a great péece of foolerie For albeit he promise vs but one Warneword yet hath he sent vs a whole fardle of idle words and fantasticall fooleries Secondly as admonitions and warnings are sent to friends and not to enemies so might he haue done well to haue giuen some admonitions to the bougerly boyes of the English seminaries that suffer themselues to be abused too shamefully by the bougeronicall Masse priests to the dishonor of their nation and not to vs that regard not witlesse admonitions a straw The tragicall poet might haue told this comicall admonitor if he had but had any one graine of wit that a wicked mans offers and gifts are vnprofitable The Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the asse vnderstandeth no Greek and not much Latin being onely acquainted with the iron tongue of his mother the blacksmiths wife Thirdly his whole labour being spent in iangling and bangling about some pild matters of his popish paltry religion he must shew how all that nastie geare will come within the compasse of his title vnlesse he will
letters from Rome to Fitzherbert wherein he desireth to vnderstand the successe of the fleete that anno 1598. was to go for England Finally by the Adelantadoes proclamation made at the Groyne and whereof diuers printed copies were to be dispersed in England vpon his arriuall here The which for that if discouereth the pride of the Spaniard and the malice of the English traitors I haue thought it not amisse to set downe the whole tenour of the proclamation with some animaduersions in the margent Considering saith the Adelantado the obligation which his catholike Maiestie my Lord and master hath receiued of God almightie to defend and protect his holy faith and the Apostolicall Romane church he hath procured by the best meanes he could for to reduce to the auncient and true religion the kingdomes of England and Ireland as much as possibly hath bin in his power And all hath not bene sufficient to take away the offence done against God in dommage of the selfesame kingdoms with scandale of whole christianity yea rather abusing the clemency and benignity of his Catholike Maiestie the heads and chiefe of the heretikes which litle feare God haue taken courage to extend their euill doctrine with the oppressing of Catholikes martyring them and by diuers wayes and meanes taking from them their liues and goods forcing them by violence to follow their damnable fects and errours which they haue hardly done to the losse of many soules Which considered his Catholike Maicsty is determined to fauour and protect these Catholikes which couragiously haue defended the Catholike faith and not onely those but such also as by pusillanimity and humane respects hauc consented vnto them forced thereunto through the hard and cruell dealing of the said Catholikes heretical enemies And for the execution of his holy zeale he hath commaunded me that with force by sea and land which be and shall be at my charge to procure al meanes necessary for the reduction of the said kingdomes vnto the obedience of the Catholike Romane church In complement of the which I declare and protest that these forces shall be employed for to execute this holy intent of his Catholike Maiestie directed onely to the common good of the true religion and Catholikes of those kingdomes as wel those which be already declared catholikes as others who wil declare themselues for such For all shall be receiued and admitted by me in his royall name which shall separate and apart themselues from the heretikes And furthermore they shall be restored to the honour dignity and possessions which heretofore they haue bene depriued of Moreouer euery one shall be rewarded according to the demonstrations and feates which shall be shewne in this godly enterprise And who shall proceed with most valour the more largely and amply shall be remunerated with the goods of obstinate heretikes Wherfore seeing almightie God doth present to his elect so good an occasion therfore I for the more security ordaine and command the captaines generall of horse and artilerie the master generall of the field generall captaines of squadrons as all other masters of the field the captaines of companies of horse and foote and all other officers greater and lesser and men of war the Admirall generall and the rest of the captaines and officers of the armie that as well at land as sea they vse well and receiue the Catholikes of those kingdomes who shall come to defend the Catholike cause with armes or without them For I commaund the Generall of the artilerie that he prouide them of weapons which shall bring none Also I ordaine and streitly commaund that they haue particular respect vnto the houses and families of the sayd Catholikes not touching as much as may be any thing of theirs but onely of those that will obstinately follow the part of heretikes in doing of which they be altogether vnworthy of those fauours which be here granted vnto the good who will declare them selues for true Catholikes and such as shall take armes in hand or at least separate themselues from the heretikes against whom and their fauourers all this warre is directed in defence of the honor of God and good of those kingdomes trusting in Gods diuine mercy that they shall recouer againe the Catholike relgion so long agone lost and make them returne to their auncient quietnesse and felicitie and to the due obeience of the holy Primitiue church Moreouer these kingdomes shall enioy former immunities and priuiledges with encrease of many others for the time to come in great friendship confederacie and trafficke with the kingdome of his Catholike Maiestie which in times past they were wont to haue for the publike good of all Christianity And that this be put in executiō speedily I exhort al the faithful to the fulfilling of that which is here contained warranting them vpon my word which I giue in the name of the Catholike King my Lord and master that all shall be obserued which here is promised And thus I discharge my self of the losses and damages which shall fall vpon those which will follow the contrary way with the ruine of their owne soules the hurt of their owne country and that which is more the honor and glory of God And he which cannot take presently armes in hand nor declare himselfe by reason of the tyrannie of the heretikes shall be admitted from the enemies camp and shall passe to the catholike part in some skirmish or battell or if he cannot he shall flie before we come to the last encounter In testimonie of all which I haue commanded to dispatch these presents confirmed with my hand sealed with the seale of mine armes and refirmed by the secretary vnderwritten This being the Adelantadoes proclamation anno 1598. let the world iudge of the impudencie of Parsons that lyeth wittingly and saith the alarme was false Thereby it may appeare also what maner of man Parsons is that bringeth forreine enemies vpon his countrey and is consorted with them and yet faceth all downe that shall say the contrarie In his Epistle likewise he saith that the Ward word comming abroade the newes was in most mens mouthes that the Knight disauowed the Watchword attributing the same to certaine Ministers Where me thinkes I heare Thraso say Metuebant omnes me All stood in dread of me But that is not the fault that I meane here to touch For it is his egregious lying that we are here to talke of Let him therefore either name these most men that he mentioneth or at the least̄ some honest man that gaue out this report as from sir Francis his mouth or else we must say that this lie came out of his owne foule mouth that is now become a fountaine of lies He must shew also how Sir Francis could disauow a treatise subscribed and published by himselfe or else it will be said
like to Parsons and both of them hired to speake shame against the professors of the truth If then a théefe is not to be credited speaking for his fellow théefe nor a traitor testifying for traitors then let vs heare no more of this renegate rascall traitor that died in action against his countrey consorting himselfe with the rebellious and théeuish Irish. Fol. 40. They are wont to say saith he that S. Bernard was no flatterer But because the man is wont to lie no man will beléeue him vnlesse he bring forth the parties that haue so said For to call the Pope Abraham Melchisedech and Christ as Bernard doth sauoureth of the flattery and darknesse of those times The fourth fifth and sixth chapters of Parsons his first encounter are nothing else but a packe of lies either receiued frō others or deuised cogged by himself He affirmeth first that Carolstadius Oecolampadius and Zuinglius were Luthers scholers Secondly that they were opposite to Luther Thirdly that there were infinite opinions among them that denied the reall presence 4. That the Anabaptists rose out of Luthers doctrine 5. That there was a potent diuision betwixt Melancthon and Illyricus 6. That Caluin and Beża issued from Zuinglius 7. That Seruetus was Caluins collegue and that he and Valentinus Gentilis and other heretikes came from Caluin and Beza 8. That we admit no iudge of controuersies and laugh at Councels 9. That Zuinglius was condemned in a synod 10. That out of our synods at Marpurge Suabach and Smalcald we departed with lesse agreement then before as Lauater and Sleidan testifie 11. That Melancthon to proue the Zuinglians to be obstinate heretikes gathered together the sentences of the ancient fathers for the reall presence 12. That Zuinglius died in rebellion against his countrey 13. That Oecolampadius was found dead in bed by his wiues side strangled by the deuill as Luther holdeth lib. de priuata missa or killed by his wife 14. That great warres arose betweene Lutherans and Zuinglians as he calleth them 15. That Luther was the first father of our Gospell which he calleth new 16. That Stankare was a protestant as he calleth him 17. That Chemnitius in a letter to the Elector of Brandeburg doth censure the Queene of England and the religion here professed 18. That there are warres and dissentions in England in most principall points of religion He doth also rehearse diuers other points which are all vtterly false and vntrue For first Oecolampadius and Zuinglius were learned men aswell as Luther and taught truth before they knew him Carolstadius also taught matters neuer learned of him Secondly except in the exposition of the words of the Lords supper in which the Papists do differ more then any others all consented with Luther in most things and in this did modestly dissent from him Thirdly those imagined different opinions among them that dissallow the reall presence cannot be proued Let Parsons shew where they are now maintained and by whom 4. It is apparent that Luther taught alwayes contrary to the Anabaptists as his writings shew 5. It cannot be shewed that either Melancthon condemned Illyricus or contrariwise 6. Caluin and Beza had their doctrine from the Apostles and not from Zuinglius 7. Seruetus was a Spaniard and a Papist and an heretike and no collegue of Caluin Nay by his meanes his heresies were first detected and refuted and he punished 8. It is ridiculous to say that we admit no Iudge and laugh at generall Councels For we esteeme them highly and admit the censure of any iudge proceeding by the canon of scriptures 9. The condemnation of Zuinglius in a synode is a méere fiction The 10. lye is resuted by Lauater and Sleidan Sleidan saith they agréed at Marpurge That seeing they consented in the chiefe points after that they should absteine from all contention Quandoquidem in praecipuis omnibus dogmatis idem sentirent abstinendu◠esse deinceps ab omni contentione The 11. lie is refuted by Melancthons whole workes where it is not found that euer he called his brethren heretikes or went about to proue them so Nay his principall study was vnitie and peace 12. Zuinglius died accompanying his countrimen of Zuricke in the battel against other Cantons of Suizzerland and standing for his country not against his countrey 13. Oecolampadius died in peace neither did Luther euer write of him that which the Papists haue reported 14. The names of Lutherans and Zuinglians we haue detested and if any contention were betwirt those that fauoured Luther or Zuinglius yet was it rather priuat then publike 15. Our religion we claime from the Apostles and not from Luther and so do other reformed Churches 16. Stankare we condemne as an heretike 17. The letter supposed to be written by Chemnitius against the Quéene is too ridiculous to proceed from him The same doth rather sauour of the blackesmiths forge of papists 18. In England there are no publike contentions nor do priuate men such specially as are reputed among vs as brethren contend about matters of saluation As for those contentions that haue bene about ceremonies they by the kings wise dome are ended to the great griefe of Parfons and other enemies of our peace Wherefore vnlesse Parsons can bring better proofes then Rescius Stancarus Staphylus and such like barking curres of his owne kennell both he and they will be taken for wicked and shamelesse forgers of lyes and slanders Hauing belyed vs before in the seuenth chapter of his first encounter he telleth lies also of himselfe and of his owne conforts First he saith If Papists were idolaters that this error was vniuersally receiued among them But that followeth not For all Papists haue not one opinion of Saints of relikes of images of Saints The second Nicene councell denieth That Latria is due to images or that the images of the godhead are to be made by Christians Some hold that not the image but the thing signified is to be worshipped many hold contrary All giue not diuine worship to the crosie nor pray to it in one sort Finally Bellarmine in his bookes de imaginibus and de Sanctis doth confesse that there are many different opinions among the worshippers of images Secondly Parsons denyeth that Papists are idolaters But Lectantius lib. 1. instit diuin c. 19. and other fathers shew that all are idolaters that giue the worship of God to creatures as the Papists do honoring the sacrament the crosse and images of the Trinitie with diuine worship This point is also fully proued against the Papists in my last challenge chap. 5. Thirdly he sayth most falsly That all Friers and Monkes professed one faith without any difference in any one article of beliefe The falshood of his assertion I haue shewed by diuerse instances heretofore Fourthly he sayth The Papists may haue a ministeriall head of the Church as well as we haue a woman for the head But it is a greater matter to be head of
state is as honourable as the vocation of a Iebusite is odious antichristian and damnable As for the termes of insolency and vanting they rather belong to him that insolently hath taken vpon him to conuey the crowne of England vnto the Infanta in his booke of Titles which like a falsary he hath put vpon an ideot masse-priest called Dolman and hath also vanted to the Pope that he will subdue England to the Popes erroneous religion Againe fol. 1. he termeth my Epistle vaine and arrogant And yet neuer did I vainely and arrogantly desire a Cardinals hat as Parsons hath done nor doth my Epistle containe a supplication for some preferment as did certaine letters procured by Parsons What a vaine man then is Parsons thus vamely to talke of vanitie and arrogancy In his Epistle to the reader he saith Sir Francis is known to be one of the Puritan crew and as if he were a blind harper he is stil harping vpon this string of Puritanisme But I must tell him that which he will be much grieued to heare that the contention about ceremonies and gouernement of the church raysed by some more zealous then wise and set forward by the enemies of the Church is by the Kings great wisedome now ended As for the terme Puritan it will farre better agree with the pharisaicall Papists then with any of our communion For they hold that all men if they will are able to performe the whole law and that the precepts of God are easie Of which it followeth necessarily that a man may be without sinne For he that transgresseth not the law is without sinne But to hold that is Pelagianisme and true Puritanisme Verum ne est sayth Hierome in the person of one Atticus to one that defended Pelagianisme quod à te scriptum audio posse hominem sine peccato esse si velit facilia esse Deipraecepta Is it true that I heare you haue written that a man may be without sinne if he will and that Gods commandements are easie And in the beginning of his third booke against Pelagius he sheweth that it is Pelagianisme to affirme That after baptisme Christians haue no sinne and if they are without sinne that they are iust and when they are once iust if they worke carefully that they may perseuere in iustice and eschew all sinne In my last challenge also I haue shewed by diuers other authorities and arguments that the Papists are flat Pelagians true Puritans Hoping that Robert Parsons will hereafter the rather forbeare to talke of puritans himselfe being an impure puritan and Iebusites being nothing else but right puritan Papists In the same place he sayth My volume is more intemperate and malignant then that of Sir Francis rayling fastest as his fashion is vpon him that is next his hand But what if my booke be more temperate then his Wardword Will he yet still call it Intemperate calling his Wardword temperate This therefore by indifferent men is to be iudged and not by such an intemperat malignant mate Againe séeing I dispute against the malignant rable of Antichrist against Parsons and such like malicious rakehels that séeke to bring their countrey into bondage vnder the Pope and Spaniard he hath no reason to talke of malignitie being himselfe especially a malignant traytour In the answere to my Epistle he calleth me contentious minister and afterward formall noddy But if it be lawfull for him to striue against his countrey and against religion he must giue me leaue to contend for my countrey against traytors and for truth against falshood We ought all to contend to please God as the Apostle did 2. Cor. 5. and not to please Antichrist Furthermore seeing the Apostle Paul disdaineth not to be called a Minister of Christ Iesus this squib Frier that is of the number of locasts spoken of Apocal 9. would not scorne the title but that he would declare himselfe to be a slaue of Antichrist As for the title of formall Noddy I doubt not but to remoue it from my selfe to him His materiall and grosse foolery is so palpable that if Cardinals had bene chosen of formall Noddies he could not haue missed the Cardinals hat with an appendix of a coxcombe and a bell In the same place possessed with a pang of rayling he calleth me Terentian Thraso and Philistian Goliah And because these words did not answere his swelling conceit he addeth Behemoth and Leuiathan and saith I challenge like a giant But all his bombasted words will not make me swell so big as Toadlike Parsons with his barrelbelly who albeit he hath sometimes playd Thraso called himselfe Captaine Cowbucke yet is indeed nothing but a cow-baby and the whore of Babylons Ballio Afterward he sayth That vnder a vizard I play the Vize as if Uizes in England plaid with vizards But in Italy euery Mountbanke and Zanni playeth with a vizard This therefore may better fit Parsons who since he came into Italy hath neuer ceased to play the Uize now taking the vizard of Howlet now of Philopater and lastly of N. D. aliâs a noble Dizard deseruing to be called Noddy and Zanni He wanteth nothing but his boxes of drugs and serpents to be a perfect mountebanke standing now in the state of perfection of dizardry Speaking of my stile he calleth it a vaine stile of scolding and scurrility belike to preuent me that I should not obiect scolding and scurrilitie to him that hath the same both by the fatherside and motherside and imployeth it most vainely for the defence of the whore of Babylon his second whore mother In his obseruations vpon Sir Francis his Epistle fol. 6. he toucheth him with termes of bloody Sycophancie But he doth himselfe and others wrong to giue his owne ornaments to those that litle deserue them For who so will looke into the libels set out by this bastardly barking curre he cannot chuse but giue him the garland of Sycophancie before all his fellowes And certes no man knoweth his plots for inuasion for conueying the crowne of England to strangers and other stratagemes but he-will rather take him to be the sonne of a bloody butcher then of a blacke-smith He rayleth also against M. Crane M. Sipthorpe and M. VVilkenson calling them doctors and Rabbins of the puritanicall presbytery and byting like a mad dog or at least barking against all honest men that come in his walke But compare them with his rakehell Iebusites and Romish priests nay with the consistoriall Cardinals and we shall see that he that alloweth the consort and combination of Cardinals hath no reason to speake against those vertuous and learned men Neither are the names and conditions of Romish priests such as that this euill fauored companion may despise the names of these men in respect of the other that deserue no fauour either for their titles or qualities Fol. 11. b. in his obseruations vpon my preface he saith It is spiced with poyson and venome But
the slaunder of this noble Earle he confesseth that if that action had taken effect the Popes authoritie would not haue bene still holden out By which it may appeare that by the trechery of some hollow hearted Papists this noble Earle was brought to destruction Fol. 9. most impudently he affirmeth that nothing is answered to his discourse of Emoluments of tolleration of popish religion and of the hurts that haue come of alteration of religion As if popish religion being proued false idolatrous and disastrous to all kingdomes all his discourse did not fal to the ground But this is the fashion of such combatants to crie victorie when they are beaten out of the field Likewise he crieth out manifest vntruths because Sir Francis saith he was first called into the field by Parsons But as wel may the théefe say that the peaceable traueller that giueth warning to all to beware of théeues prouoked the théefe to set vpon him The Spaniards were ready to come for England Sir Francis giueth the alarme Out commeth captain Cowbucke like a cutthrote and setteth vpon him in his Wardword Is it not he then that beginneth this braul And doth not he in fauour of publike enemies make himselfe ready to cut our throtes Fol. 11. he saith my Preface tendeth wholy to bloodshed But this grieuous accusation required some more proofe then he bringeth Notwithstanding let vs heare what he alleageth His first perswasion saith he is by extolling exceedingly her Maiesties extraordinary clemencie As if the praising of a Princes clemencie were a perswasion to crueltie Or as if Parsons commending Pope Clements clemencie perswaded him to rigour Who euer heard such a witlesse speake Another reason he imagineth me to haue drawne from the meanings of papists But like an vnskilful archer he neither hitteth my reason nor intentiō He is therfore to learne that my purpose was to arme her Maiesty againft Parsons and his consorts treasons and rather to secure the State then to vse violence to any but such as by all means oppugned the State and sought by trechery to vndermine the State Where I shew that heretikes idolaters traitors are to be punished therfore factious papists he saith thus to reason at randō is much like to boies argumēting in sophistry And yet he with all his logick shal neuer answer this argument considering that I haue proued Robert Parsons and his consorts to be heretikes idolaters and traitors Nay W. R. in his cleere Confutation confesseth so much not answering any of my arguments But saith he shew me one example from the beginning of Christendom that euer man or woman in any age was punished as an heretike by the Christian common wealth for sticking to the religion of the Pope of Rome As if I had not shewed that Angelikes Carpocratians Marcionists Manicheys Prince-killing circumcellions and Assassins Pelagians Collyridians crosse-worshippers and diuers others holding the same points which now the Pope professeth haue bene condemned and punished for heretikes Fol. 15. he crieth out folly and impudency in prouing that idolaters and heretikes are by lawes to be repressed But he dissembleth cunningly whatsoeuer is otherwise brought by me to proue Papists to be idolaters and heretikes He passeth by also two Gréeke sentences taken out of Euripides and AEschines for to him Gréeke is of hard digestion Finally whatsoeuer is said of the Papists for railing against the Quéene in the booke De schismate Anglicano set out vnder Sanders his name and in other libels Parsons doeth wholly omit and yet he maketh a shew as if he would answer all writhing his face like an old ape swallowing pilles In the same place he noteth as he sayth a contradiction betwixt Sir Francis and me But the contradiction was in his vnderstanding and not betwéen vs. For neither would I nor he haue simple Papists punished with death which is the opinion of S. Augustine concerning simple heretikes Nor doth Sir Francis denie but that factious dogmatizing and obstinate heretiks ought to be put to death which both S. Augustine and I my selfe affirme Fol. 16. b. he giueth out that the words of Paul Rom. 16. where he would haue such marked diligently as caused diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which the Romanes had receiued make directly against vs and not against the Papists But then he must shew that we haue forsaken the doctrine preached to the Romanes and they not He must I say shew that S. Paul taught that Clernent the eight is the fpouse and rock of the Church that there are seuen sacraments that Christs body is corporally vnder the accidents of bread and wine and in as many places as is the sacrament that the accidents of bread and wine subsist without their substance that a Christian may liue without sinne that latria is due to the crosse that we are to pray to saints after the fashion of the Romish church and such like points of popish doctrine Or else he shall make a direct lie where he saith these words make directly against vs. Hauing rchearsed the law Cunctos populos Cod de summ Trin. fid Cath. he crieth out and willeth vs to tell him whether the same touch not vs. But if we tell him true it will make little for his comfort For we neither refuse to communicate with the Church of Rome nor the Church of Alexandria that was in Damasus his time Nor do we digresse from the faith mentioned in that law which Parsons like a falsary cut out seeing it made not for his purpose But séeing true Christians do not communicate with the Church and Bishop of Alexandria that now is why should Christians communicate with the Pope and his sect séeing they haue embraced a number of nouelties and heresies and published them in the Conuenticle of Trent which were vnknowne to Damasus and to the Church of Rome long after his time Fol. 20. he complaineth of iniuries offered by the Watch-word as a famous libell as well to great forreine princes and nations as to honourable worshipfull and honest subiects whereas whosoeuer readeth the book shal find that Sir Francis spcaketh onely against forreine enemies and notorious traitors If then Parsons put his consorts among them it is maruell they spit not in the rascals face and defie him Againe if Sir Francis be reprehended for writing against forreine enemies and domesticall traitors what doth Parsons deserue that hath set out Sanders de schismate Allens wicked Exhortation to the Nobility and people of England and Ireland and diuers other libels to the disgrace of his liege soueraigne and nation and hath taken vpon him the defence of publike enemies and traitors Fol. 24. he would make vs beléeue that the Knight flyeth the true combat that he runneth behind the cloth of Estate But in the first he sheweth himselfe a false accuser in the second a vaine bangler For the controuersie arising about Sir Francis his discourse what was required at his
rebels destroy these murtherers and burne these sodomites and hang vp these traitors of the King and Realme And this they sayd of the friars But Wickleffe alwayes detested and spoke both against such abominations and such rebellions It is a common tricke also of Papists to proue their doctrine with lies fables To proue transsubstantiation they make a crucifixe to speake these words Benè de me scripsisti Thoma Thou hast written wel of me Thomas when shal I be able to requite you for your paines To proue the real presence they make tales of bloud appearing in the sacrament and sometimes they say Christ appeared like a litle child which are toyes to mock children withall To proue purgatory they tel vs tales of S. Patrickes purgatorie of soules complaining and crying for more masses of apparitions of Angels diuels and soules The same lies they abuse also to proue prayer for the dead For the iustification of their doctrine concerning the worship of saints and their images they tell lies of images mouing talking working walking and of wonderfull apparitions and miracles done by them Our Ladies image is said to speake to Hiaciullyus Goodrike saw a boy come out of a crucifixes mouth as Mathew Paris relateth Finally the Popes and their agents without lies and notorious forgeries cannòt maintaine their cause as by infinite lies of Bellarmine Baronius Parsons yea and of the Popes themselues I haue iustified Doeth it not then appeare that in lying they haue set vp their rest And will not the world see the abominations of popery that cannot be maintained but by lying forgery and force God graunt that truth may once appeare and open the eyes of all Christians that they may sée that which now lieth hidden and come to the perfect knowledge of truth AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER CONCERNING FOVRE OTHER INFAMOVS Libels lately diuulged and sent into England by Parsons Kellison and Walpoole BEfore the fornter answer could be finished and published there came to my hands foure other bookes all penned by our malicious aduersaries and sent ouer frō Rome and other places into England to disturne simple people from the loue of the truth of which I haue thought good most Christian Reader here at the end of this work briefly to aduertise thée I hope also that the same aduertisement wil serue for present satisfactiō to those which percase expect a spéedie answer to such hastic calumniations and most wicked libels The first is set out vnder the name of T. F. alias Thomas Fitzherbert a man euill reported of by his owne conforts and therefore no maruell if hatefull to all men wel affected to their prince and countrey Long he hath bene a spie and pensioner of the king of Spaine But now perceiuing belike that the trade is become odious groweth out of request he is turned Masse priest and set to sing for the soules of his friends after thrée farthings a Masse And least he might forget his old art of spiery he is now set to spy for his holy father if by any good aduenture he can sée Christs true body lurking vnder the accidents of the Masse-cake his bloud by a necessary concomitance as they say being not farre off This fellow as a Masse-priest was thought a fit person to speake for the Masse and as a spie and renegate Englishmā to speake shame of his country and to defend traitors And yet the poore man is as fit to dispute of the massing religion and popish subtilties as an asse to play an antheme vpon a paire of organs The true author of the booke as his stile declareth and the dealers in the edition must néeds witnes is Robert Parsons an old hackster in missifical quarels and a great dealer in matter of conuersion of England and one that vseth at his pleasure to borrow other mens names now calling himselfe Captaine Cowbucke now Dolman now Iohn Houlet now N. D. or Noddy now T. F. or Tom Fop now Robert Parsons Under the name of Dolman he set out his traitorous seditious booke of succession in disgrace of the Kings title Under the name of Iohn Houlet he published certaine idle reasons of refusall himselfe neuer refusing to attempt any mischiefe against the State Under the title of N. D. he set out-his VVardword and VVarneword stigmatizing his manship with the perpetual note of a Noddy implied by those two letters N. D. And this course he tooke in T. F. his Apologie The second is entitled A treatise of three conuersions of England and was set out by Robert Parsons also vnder the old stampe of N. D. whose signification euery child now knoweth to be Noddy But why he should write of the conuersion of his countrey to religion we can sée no reason séeing we haue knowne him alwaies more studious of the subuersion then of the conuersion of England and his consorts the Masse priests do testifie that he is a Machiauelian packing fellow boyd of religion and honesty The turnings of the Masse or turning of iackets had bene a more fit subiect for him to handle seeing he furneth skippeth so oft about the altar like an ape dauncing about a maypole and hath turned his coate so often from English to Romish from Scottish to Spanish from all to French that some of his friends feare vnlesse he turne Cardinall that he will turne Turke The third is called A Suruey of the new religion and was deuised by a renegued fugitiue Englishman who hath surueyed diuers other countries and yet neuer found any settlement in his braine or habitation Like Caine he hath bin long a vagrant fugitiue fellow Vagus profugus in terra and séeketh if not to kill yet to slander his countrimen and friends imputing vnto them most horrible opinions and crimes It resteth then that we set vpon him a mark as vpō Caine that euery man may know him for a suppost of Satan although herein we néed not much to trauell seeing the first letter of Kellisons name who fathereth this monstrous moonecalfe is K. and the man is noted among his companions for a great quareller about his commons The poore fellow is but a kettle doctor or rather a Tinker of broken schoole distinctions and a professor rather then a performer of any diuine learning The fellow talketh idly of new religion but neither doeth he know what is new nor what is old nor what belongeth to religion that taketh popery for religion and esteemeth the masse and decretaliue doctrine which this Church of England refuseth to be auncient and the apostolike faith which we professe to be new The fourth is termed A briefe and cleare confutation of a new vaine and vanting challenge and is directed against a treatise set out some two or thrée yeares agone by mee wherein is proued that the Masse-priests and their adherents are neither Catholikes nor good Christians But so learnedly and wisely hath the author of this braggard confutation handled the matter that his good
the moderne Romish Religion is all one with the auncient Christian Religion But his negatiue ridiculous proofe is denied His affirmatiue is rather a bare affirmation then a proofe For first against his negatiue we offer to proue that not onely the points of Romish doctrine which the Church of England refuseth are brought in long after the Apostles time but also that they are contrary to the Apostles doctrine But suppose we knew no originall of some of the Romish heresies are they therefore no heresies Is idolatry no idolatry because the first beginning thereof is not knowne Or are the Angelikes Archontikes Crosse-worpers Nadipedals Monothelites and diuers other heretikes true Catholikes because the Papists cannot shew who first broached these heresies Secondly albeit the Magdeburginns and some other learned men find fault with some termes used by the fathers as of sacrifice altar priest purgatorie free-will and some other yet that sheweth not either that all the fathers vsed these termes or that any of those that vsed them consented with the Papists which from new termes are growne to new and strange doctrine Beside that Parsons disputcth ridiculously which ascribeth the particular and priuate opinions of some one or few among vs to the whole Church He himselfe albeit he affirme many things desperately will not yéeld be this point against his owne consorts So we sée Parsons his whole treatise of three conuersions easily subucrted in thrée words and with the turning of a hand The second part of Parsons his treatise wherein he pretendeth to make search for the religion professed in England is wholly without the compasse of his title of thrée conuersiens So simple was he in his choise that he could not choose a title to fit his fantasticall worke Beside that he seemeth to be blind that could not find our Religion in the auncient Church of Christ for a thousand peares after Christ and long after For there is no point or article of faith taught by the Apostles receiued by the consent of the whole Church in any auncient and lawfull Councell but we receiue it and embrace it Nor do we professe any thing in the Creed of the Apostles or of the Nicene and other auncient Councels which the auncient fathers did not also together with vs receiue and professe While therefore the light-headed frier ranne poasting through all ages and pretended to enquire for newes of our Church which ho might sée if he would in all places he resembleth much that wise fellow that could not see wood for trées Neither is it material that in auncient time he findeth no opposition made against the Popes primacy or vniuersall power or to the Masse or to the doctrine of transsubstantiation the carnall presence in the Eucharist the sacrifice of the masse the 7. sacraments purgatory indulgences such like For who seeth not that it is most ridiculous to make search for opposition against popish doctrine heresie before the same was extant in the world But as soone as any began to chalenge the name of Oecumenical or vniuersal Bishop Gregory the first challenged him for it as the fore-runner of Antichrist The worship of images allowed after a sort in the second Councell of Nice though not in such grosse maner as now was oppugned in the Councell of Francford in the time of Charlemaine The carnall presence of Christs body in the sacrament was not beleeued by Gregory the 7. as Beno reporteth and was both thē and afterward disliked by many Transsubstantiatiō was disputed against by the schoolmen All the Easterne Church spurned against the Popes headship his purgatory and indulgences Neither since the time of the first beginning of these corruptions did the Albigenses Valdenses Wiclephians and Bohemians as they are called together with diuers others cease to exclaime against these popish abuses But saith Parsons these did not in all things agrée with vs. Yet if he speake of matters of faith he wrongeth them and vs. If of ceremonies it is not necessary that al churches shold agrée in all points Furthermore if the aduersaries had not calmniously layed diuers imputations of heresies vpon them which they neuer held the variation wold not haue séemed so great as they pretend Wherfore if Robert Parsons séeke no better it is not like that he wil find a Cardinals hat which as his friends charge him he hath long sought This is the summe of that which is materiall in Robert Parsons his treatise of thrée conuersions The rest is nothing else but froth of the mans fury and foolery and containeth only certaine idle inuectiues against M. Fox that good man against M. Bale other honest Christians together with certaine fond tales of king Alphreds dreames S. Cutberts apparitions such like woodden popish stuffe drawne out of lying legends He forgot not also to raile against our noble Quéene lately deceased and to call her old persecutor and to lay an aspersion of slaunder vpon the State as if the same did persecute Papists for religion a matter of which the secular Masse-priests are ashamed and sticke not to cleare those whem this conuertible Proteus most vniustly chargeth Finally his fardle of wast papers containeth diuers corruptions and deprauations of holy Scriptures miss-allegations of Fathers weake collections grosse errors rebellious positions notorious lies and calumiations which in a large treatise herafter are to be discouered K. Kellisons Suruey if any man list to suruey and peruse a certaine slaunderous and railing companions libell entituled Caluinoturcismus and with hatred more then Turkish to christian religiō set out by Gifford of Lile wil be found to be wholy stolne out frō thence albeit he yéeldeth no thanks to those from whence he borowed or rather stole his inuention This Plagiary therefore néedeth no other answer then that which is already made to Giffords Turky worke called Caluinoturcismus It séemeth the man is at a stand For albeit Gifford hate religion like a Turk yet he answereth no more then if by vertue of Parsons his thrée conuersions he were turned into a mute Turbot This K. also of his owne hath added a glozing and flattering Epistle to the King a certaine preface concerning inanimate and vnreasonable creatures percase like the Arcadian beasts of Doway and certaine fragments old ends of diuers stale declamations made as it seemeth at the drinking out of a pot of Renish wine His schollers I heare gape and wonder at his horrible eloquence But yet the wisest of thē see that they haue no affinitie with his purpose and onely serue to fringe his chapters like as mustie ends of mockado serue to stitch his iacket of perpetuana All the whole amounteth to nothing saue to declare the man to be a perpetuall railer and a most sottish declaimer The idle fellow in all his scuruy collection which he like a surueyor without commission hath made to litle purpose doth neither shew wisedome nor modestie nor learning If the fellow had bene wise he
brought this kingdome into subiection if not into seruile bondage if God had not crossed the deseignes of man and dealt mercifully with vs both taking away the Quéene in the strength of her age and preuenting the wicked counsels of bloudie traitours and persecutours who as Iohn Hales saith meant to haue brought this land vnder strangers and altering the State before the Spaniards had taken any firme footing in England How great danger this land stood in those that then liued may well remember and we cannot chuse but acknowledge if we looke backe and consider the working of Quéen Marie of the popish prelates and of the Spaniards The Quéene sought by all meanes to put the kingdome into the hands of king Philip. The popish prelates sought to suppresse religion which could not be without the oppression of our libertie The Spaniards ruled insolently and went about to make themselues strong aduancing those which were of their faction and thrusting backe all that were studious of their countries libertie The bulwarkes or blocusses that were made for defence of the land against strangers they suffered to fall they brought in strangers they put the commaund of the kingdome into the hands of such as were best affectioned to themselues and least carefull of their countries libertie What would haue ensued of this it is an easte matter to coniecture by the deportment of Spaniards in other countries that are subiect to their gouernment In the Indiaes they rule not like men but rather like barbarous tyrants and sauage beasts Contemning all iustice saith Bartholomaeus à casas writing of the cruel vsage of the Spaniards towards the Indians they delight to see streames of mans bloud which they haue shed and seeke with infinite slaughter to depriue those great countries of the naturall inhabitants thereof In short space they killed diuers hundred thousands onely in one Iland called Hispaniola the women they abused the treasure and commodities of the countrie they spoiled The people of Naples were in the time of Charles the fift who otherwise was a good prince so vexed and oppressed by the Spaniards as an Ambassadour of the people of Siena said to Henry the French king that for release of their extreame bondage they seemed desirous to liue vnder the Turke Vt Turcarum imperia ad tantarum miseriarum refugium exoptare videantur He saith further that the Spaniards laid so many grieuous tributes vpon the people that diuers auncient townes were thereby deformed and left desolate The Dutchie of Mitan also by the Spanish tyrannie as those that haue trauelled that countrie do know is brought to great pouertie The taxes and customes are grieuous the oppressions wrought by the souldiers many the lawes vnsupportable Neither doth it auaile them to complaine For that remedie they haue often tried but all in vaine But no people was euer more oppressed then the Flemmings Brabansons Hollanders and other nations of the Low countries Their liberties they haue disanulled their lawes they haue litle regarded their townes they haue spoiled their countrie they haue almost wasted By the fundamentall lawes of the countrie they might neither place strange gouernours ouer them nor bring in forraine forces among them But the Spaniards haue done both By the lawes the king of Spaine could neither impose taxes vpon the subiect without the consent of the States nor condemne any man but by the lawes of the countrie But he hath both done the one and the other The Duke of Alua without the consent of the States or order required the hundreth part of that which euery man was worth and the tenth of all things bought and sold in the countrie The noble Carles of Egmont and Horne and diuers Noble men of the countrie that had done him great seruice he caused to be done to shameful death The prince of Oranges eldest sonne contrarie to the lawes of the Uniuersitie of Louain and countrie he caused to be caried prisoner into Spaine Finally contrarie to the lawes of the countrie he altered the ecclesiasticall State making new Bishops and erecting new offices of inquisition in diuers places of the countrie And this the king did hauing sworne to obserue the lawes and priuiledges of the countrie I will not here recount the murthers rapes robberies thefts spoiles and wrongs which the Spanish souldiers and officers haue committed For that would require a great volume and it would be said that these are the calamities of warres and wrongs of priuate persons Yet if Spaniards bring warres and calamities with them and sée not these wrongs redressed it sheweth how much their tyrannicall gouernement is to be auoided and detested But that is made apparant by the lawes and procéedings which are publikely auowed The Portingals may be an example to all nations sufficient to make the Spanish gouernement odious For although they be neare neighbors and agrée with the Spaniards in Religion language lawes and humors yet haue they not found any more fauour at their hands then other nations Their Nobilitie is almost ouerthrowne the Merchant decayed the Commons spoyled The exactions are intolerable and yet farre more tolerable then the wrongs offered by Spaniarqs from whom neither the husband can kéepe his wife nor the father his daughter nor the citizen or countriman any thing he hath Adde hereunto the violence that is offered to mens persons and the iniuries of words that they dayly sustaine and then you will confesse that the Portingals liue in great misery and bondage In England also the Spaniards albeit but few began to play their partes offering violence to diuers mens persons and attempting the chastitie both of matrons and virgins In the parliament which is the foundation of the libertie of our nation they attempted the ouerthrow of our libertie not onely by conioyning king Philip with the Quéene but also leauing out the Quéenes title of supreme authoritie in the summons and taking away the frée electiō of the Commons in chusing their Burgesses and thrusting out Bishop Watson Alexander Nowell and diuers Burgesses out of the parliament Nay such is the rigor of the Spanish gouernement that the Spaniards themselues cannot well like it The priuiledges of Aragon the last king abrogated vpon pretense of disorder in the fact of Antony Perez Escouedoes sonnes could neuer haue iustice for the death of their father Murders and violences are rarely punished The taxes customes and payments are so grieuous that not with standing all the riches that commeth from the Indiaes nothing can be deuised more bare poore and miserable then the common sort of Spaniards The imposition vpon fifh wine oile and silkes which are the principal cōmodities of the country is great and other customes are not easie In the market the tenth penie is exacted commonly for all commodities bought and sold. Wherefore if we respect nothing else but the yoke of the Spanish gouernement we may account our nation in very miserable termes in Quéene Maries dayes Yet was not