the lesse feelinge hath he to preuenent the dangerous ruyne and dismall lott of the same and a man once being ingulfed in the filthie puddle of beastlie concupiscence which euer doth insult ouer the spiritt the lesse feeling hath he of godes inspiration and the lesse swaie beareth the interior man which in carnall and beastlie people is altogether restrained from his operation by their insatiable and inextingible appetites of their fleshlie inclination and disposition to these vilde and corruptible thinges 2. When the greatest and mightiest Monarches and Potentates of this world are in this case especially if they be wantonlie trained vpp in voluptuousnes and enticed with lasciuous and wanton exercises they forgett and forgoe all spirituall motions to make themselues as it were dull and insensible to all celestiall influence and illustrations forgetfull of God obliuious of his comaundementes negligent of their charge carlesse and vnprouident of the end and marke for the which they are exalted and aduaunced to the regall scepter which is the peace and tranquillitie of the comon wealth But they not respectinge either comon good or the peaceable estate of their kingdomes abusing their powerfull force and dignitie with wanton lusts and other execrable vices and wickednes of whome it is spoken by the holy ghoast Psal 134. Gaudium hipocritae instar puncti their ioye and allacritie shall quickly be ended and they likewise eyther themselues or their posteritie shal be plunged an perplexed with the vsual troubles continuall calamities and fatall reuolutions which commonly are incident vnto such princes of whome it is said Virum iniustum mala capient in interitu The euils and mischeefe of an vniust and wicked man shall intrappe and compasse him euen vnto his destruction and vtter decaye They may for a smale tyme raigne ouer wicked natiōs for whose dreadfull and abhominable trespasses and wickednes God suffreth or rather stirreth vpp Tyrants to vexe punish and ouercharg their miserable subiects with grieuous and intollerable oppressions tyrannicall extortions impositions and irreparable callamities who euer maketh choice of wicked officers and ministers which frame and conforme themselues to please their wicked humors and are skilful architects to putt in execution their detestable plottes and purposes staues of their bellies enemies of Christs crosse captiues and seruants of the diuill whose chiefest reward and promotion for performing their dreadfull and bloudie tragedies is the gouernment of such prouinces and citties to whome they haue comitted them 3. And although Ferdinande King of Castile and Arragon father to the good Queene Katherin of England was as vertuous and iust a prince as liued in all Europe in his daies yet whē he was dienge he gaue a mournefull sigh and said he had rather ther all the kingdomes in the worlde that he were a poore lay brother in some religious order seruing in a monasterie then said he my cōscience shoulde be disburdened of the heauie and dreadfull terror of my dangerous accomptes for the heauie burden of soe manny kingdomes states Prouinces for the which I miserable wretch must aunswere being scarse able to satisfie or yelde accompt for my owne secrett and peculiar offenses much lesse for the gouernmente of all those regions committed by God to my charge and ouersight Zonarus tomo 3. After that the Empire Anno 800. was translated by Leo the 3. Pope into the West and Charles the great King of Fraunce being made Emperor some of the Emperors that succeeded him forsaking the Empire became religious as Lotharius who beinge fifteene yeares Emperor and liued a most vertuous Christian remembringe the speech that his father Lodouicke vsed in the time of his death of the vanitie of the worlde and of the miserable estate of such as are the slaues therof became a Mounck anno 865. 4. Hugo the Emperor after many victories that he had against his enemies became a Mouncke Rachisius kinge of Italie resigninge his kingdome to his Brother Astulpus became religious in the Monasterie of Mount Cassius of the which he was as it is thought Abott anno 741. Pipine kinge also of the Romanes and eldest sonne of Charles the great followed that blessed example who became a mouncke in a monasterie that he builded himselfe at Verona anno 805. In Spaine Bamba very prosperous and fortunate both at home and a broade amoungest his other victorious exploites defeated and discomfited 200. shippes of Moores that were Pyratts tooke also Paule kinge of Fraunce prisoner that came to inuade Spayne at lenght beinge moued by diuine inspiration became a mouncke anno 674. whose blessed example Verenundus kinge of Castile followed Ramiris kinge of Arragon first became a mouncke in his fathers life time who beinge dead without yssue of other Children was compelled to returne to the worlde and marrie and hauinge yssue which was a daughter returned to his monasterie againe 5. But of all kingdomes of the world England was most famous for the number and sanctitie of their religous kinges as Sigibertus kinge of Nothumberland who forsakinge the worlde tooke a religious habitt vpon him Anno 640. Ethelred kinge of the Merceans anno 704. who gouerning his kingdome with great pietie and religion resigned the same ouer to his sonne beinge but a childe and erected a monasterie of which he was made Abott But when the childe came to riper yeares he followed his fathers steppes went to Rome and receaued the habitt of Constantine the first then Pope and spent there the remainder of his dayes with great sanctitie and hollines his name was Chenredus in whose companie went Offa kinge of the East Saxons who in the prime of his youth settinge at naught the vanities of all worldlie prosperitie contemninge his opulent and rich kingdome tooke vpon him a voluntary death which was to betake himselfe to a perpetual silence banishing from his vowed and inuincible chastitie all fleshlie enticementes and prouocations Not longe after him Inas kings of the said Saxons a man of of an incomparable pietie and deuotion made his whole kingdome tributaire to the sea Apostolique went to Rome forsakinge his kingdome and became religious The same Geolfus did vnto whome Venerable Beda dedicated his historie who beinge kinge of Northumberland and considering the dangerous estate of kinges fled vnto a monasterie there to serue God with greater securitie of his saluation and resigned his kingdome to Egebert his Vncle who after that he had raigned 20. yeares followed also his Nephewe to the monasterie and died therin in that religious vocation 6. In Germanie the example of Charlemaine was famous beinge sonne to Charles Martell and beinge kinge of Austria and and Suethland came to Rome in a poore mans attire and vnknowen to any where he receaued holie orders of Zacharias the Pope and afterwards entred the monasterie in mount Zoracte which he himselfe builded but beinge disturbed by the frequēt visitation of those of his frindes retired himselfe to Mount Cassen a place more remote was there receaued with
which blessed name none disdayned none were called Gospellers Lutherans Caluinists Zuinglians Protestantes or Puritans Anabaptistes Trinitarians or any other sect with innumerable others which the Protestant religion hath sett abroach and inuented men were simple and honest in their dealinges faithfull of their promisses charitable in their workes zealous in their beleefe obediente vnto their Prelates and Pastors This is soe euident a trueth as that all bookes recordes generall and prouinciall councells all parleamentes of kingdomes all vnctions and inuestinge of Emperours and Kinges all consecration of Bishoppes all holy orders of Priestes all churches monasteries and chappels in the worlde all the gates of townes and cyttyes all monuments and recordes both spirituall and temporall all vniuersities and doctours of Christendome both comon and ciuill lawes of all countries yea Protestantes themselues doe plainly witnesse 3. But that Protestant religion is new is a thing most certeine for there are men yet liuinge at this day more auncient then it and can remember when it first came into England and Irelande Wee can shewe you the first inuentours and authors therof The place the time and the occasion by which it crepte in and infected these miserable nor then countries Who haue opposed themselues against it What garboyles callamities came into those countryes that nourished the same What rebellion and insurrectiō of subiects against their princes for defending the same What were the motiues of such as inuented yt and occasions of others that imbraced it The successe of the one and the other and by whome and how the same was condemned I pray you what can be more euident signes and tokens of noueltie for noueltie in all common wealthes but especially in matters of religion as S. Nazianzenus saith is to be auoided yea the Emperour of the Turckes did aduise the Queene of Transiluania to beware of the noueltie of hereticall sectes and that shee should neuer suffer the same to creepe into her countrie It is well knowen also that the name of protestāt religion was neuer heard of before the yeare of our Lord 1529. in the towne of Spira in Germany where the Lutheranes beinge as it were combined against the Emperour Charles the 5. did vse a kinde of protestation wherupon afterwardes they were called Protestantes 4. If thou say that it lay lurkinge and hidden in the worlde I aske where or in what place of the world in what kingdomes and townes or who were the defenders therof Truly no writer or historiographer did or could euer make mētion of any such nor euer before that time any mention was made of them nor was it euer heard that any hereticall secte was so closelie hidden in the worlde but it might be knowen at least when Luther himselfe taught the same they should then haue manifested themselues and yet we can finde none such for such as followed Luther they were before Catholickes Ex nobis prodierunt saith Saint Iohn sed non erant ex nobis Ioan. 2. They went foorth frō vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they had remayned with vs it is cleare therfore they were not good Christians who forsakinge the narrowe way of saluation runne headlonge into the broade way of perdition and licentious doctrine of newe sectaries Whereas the religion of Christ is a religion moste auncient sacred immutable impregnable inuiolable alwaies the selfe same holdinge and continuinge his vigor and force vnto the worldes ende it is the soule and life of the Church For euen as by the soule fleash is vnited vnto the liuinge man soe by religion mākinde is ioyned vnto the church of Christe beinge his spirituall kingdome and all that euer were saued either before Iustinus mart orat ad Anto. Aug. l 10 confess ca. 43. or after Christe oughte to be called Christians as Iustinus martyr and other holy Doctors doe say for that they embraced Christian religion and as saint Augustine saith Ipse vnigenitus Dei silius homo propter nos factus est c. The only begotten Sonne of God became man for vs that he should become the head of his whole Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile Matt. 16. vnto whome Christe promised to remaine withall vnto the consumation of the worlde Matt. vlt. So that the religion by which this church is vpheld and Christe professed did and shall allwaies continue 5. It is well knowen that the name of hugonots began in France an 1562. as themselues of their assēblies made in the nighte at a gate in Tours in France called Hugon confesse to haue taken their denomination went out of the Catholique churche and did embrace the impiety of Caluine In Scotland they fell alsoe from the Catholique Church into Caluinisme anno Domini 1560. In Flanders the Geuses reuolted from the said church ouerwhelmed in the pit of soe manny heresies anno 1566. In England they chaunged religion anno 1535. and first fell vnto Lutheranisme afterwardes to Zuinglianisme afterwardes the bodye of the realme fell from Zuinglianisme to puritanisme the next degree vnto Anabaptisme and since what numbers are fallen to the familie of loue And what swarmes of Athistes are sprunge vpp in euerie shire as Whittguifte noteth against Cartwrith 6. Are not the first Authours of the protestancy also knowen as Luther Carolastadius Oecolampadius in Germanie Pharell in France Thomas Crammer in England Iohn knox and Paule Methen a baker in Scotland George Browne in Irlād In the Apologie of the church of England pag. 142 it is said that Luther and Zuinglius came first to the knowledge of the truth Luth. tom 7. f. 307. and preaching of the ghospell Luther said that God reuealed vnto him the knowledge of his Sōne that he at lenghte might euangelize it to others and that the Gospell was first preached by him D Kellyson reply to Surcliffe fol. 149. But we knowe that they cannot alleadge the author of our religion neither can they nominate vs from any particuler man nor can they chardge the Catholique church with any priuate opinion or faith that is not vniuersally allowed embraced of all Catholiques neither can they nominate the time that shee fayled of her faith Neither can they obiect that our church hath separated herselfe from the greater church or that such as did adhere to the Pope were in number lesse then any Church For it is written in S. Gregories Epistles to the Bishoppes of the Easte that Affrique Spaine France Italie and all the worlde did communicat with him This verie argument other Doctours did vse against other heretiques as Tertullian Tertull. lib. de praescrip Qui estis vos inquit c. What are yee saith he from whence and when came you where did you lie hidden all this while alsoe Optatus mileuita lib. 2. contra Parmenand Vestrae inquit Cathedrae originem ostendite c. Shew the beginninge of your Chaire you who challenge vnto your selues the churche
for a man as meate drinke or sleepe and said moreouer that if a married woman would not render the coniugall debpte of matrimonie Lib. ae vita coniug serm de matrimonio that the husband should not spare his maide The like filthie lust but farre more detestable was the occesion of Caluine his heresie For it is well knoweÌ„ as may appeare by the iudiciall actes and recordes of NouodiuÌ„ Bolsecus in vita Calu. cap. 5. Iul. Brig pag. 59. that he was condemned of the filthie sinne of the flesh against nature had it not beene for the intreatie of the bishop there which obtayned that his punishmente should be turned vnto a hoate burninge iron on his backe he should haue bene altogether burnt Iohn Witcliffe for that he was depriued of his personnage in Oxforde for his vitious misdemenor began his heresie Arrius because Alexander was preferred to the Archbishopricke of Alexandria before him Nicep de pen. l. 5. c. gaue occasion of the Arrian heresie against the deitie of Christe MoÌ„tanus for that he was denyed the primacy of Asia which he soughte verie earnestlie troubled the Church with newe heresies as Nicephorus wyttnesseth de penitentia lâ—b 5. cap. 15. Aerius alsoe for beinge denyed of a Bishopricke fell into Arianisme and afterwardes inuented himselfe a newe heresie which was that wee ought not pray for the dead 2. Henry the eighte as Iohn Foxe a greate puritan in England doth wyttnes Fox in historia pa. 512. edit 1 all the world knoweth to be true for his diuorce made from Queene Catherine his wyfe was by the Bishoppe of Rome excommunicated who beinge sore exasperated therby assembled a parlamente by which he brought to passe that he banished the Popes authoritie out of England made himselfe head of the Church thus far Iohn Foxes owne wordes Hollin in descrip Brita l. 1â— cap. 7. For it is certainly knowen that from the conuersion of England by S. Augustine duringe soe many hundred yeares vnto Kinge Henry the 8. as all English historiographers and ministers themselues doe acknowledge the Catholicke or papisticall religion as it pleaseth them to tearme it did florish in England that the cheefe pointe thereof was that the Pope was iudge moderatour and cheefe Pastor aswell of the English Church as of all other Churches of the Christians in Ecclesiasticall matters which Catholicke faith the said Kinge Henry defended the space of xx yeares as longe as he liued with his lawfull married wife aswell against domesticall heretickes that were his subiects by all penall statutes and exquisit torments at alsoe against forraine hereticks by a most learned booke in the defense of the 7. Sacraments which booke I haue in myne owne custodie for which he was ennobled and honored by Pope Leo the tenth with the title of defeÌ„der of the Catholicke faith which was neuer giuen to any kinge in the worlde before which he receaued as Foxe saies with great ioy for when it came to the kinge beinge then at Greene wich he went to his chapel accompanied with manny nobles Ambassadors Cardinall Wolsey said Masse the Earle of Essex brought the basen of water the duke of Suffolke gaue the assay the duke of Norfolke held the towell the Heraldes with their company began their accustomed cryes prononcinge Fox anno 1528. fol. 441. Henricus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae defensor Fidei Dominus Hiberniae And amongest his other magnificent titles he lefte to this day this title to his posterity as is well knowen to the world Neyther only with bookes but alsoe with his victorious and inuincible armes did he defende the Catholike Romane faith and the dignitie thereof for the which he foughte againste sundrie princes and their confederates as againste Lodowicke the 12. kinge of France and Iames the 4. kinge of Scottes though married to his sister Who beinge vanquished and his great armie ouerthrowen by the Earle of Surrie in England and the said kinge himselfe being slaine in the battle for that he was excommunicated was not suffred to be buried in any Christian graue Also he sent his Armie by sea to ioyne with the Spaniardes againste the kinge of France to assaulte France in the frontiers of Spaine by the powerfull force of the English Iohn Albertus the kinge of Nauare was driuen altogether out of the kingdome beinge excomunicated by the Pope which Spaine doth possesse at this daye Did not the said kinge within fewe yeares after send an Armie into Italie against the Emperor Charles the first in the defence of Clement the 7. then Pope And notwithstanding he was his great frinde and his Nephewe for that Queene Cathrine was his Aunte yet through the filthie concupiscence by which he was besotted and blinded to marrye Anna Bulâ—ene and soe to be diuorced from his lawfull marryed wife he turned all thinges topsie turuie reiected the Popes authoritie which he before aswell by Gods lawes the holy scriptures as by the fathers and Councells of the Church defended and soe by a parlament of one Realme or kingdome he disanulled and abrogated that which was established by soe manny generall parleaments and generall Councells of all Christendome yea by Christe himselfe and by all such as trulye beleeued in him And for not yealding vnto his desire herein manny religious and constant Martyrs offred their liues and their bloode amoungest whome was the lighte of England that most sacred Martyr and learned diuine Iohn Fisher Bishopp of Rochester Sr. Thomas More Lord Chancelor of England of these sorte of people our Sauiour wished vs to beware Act. 20 the Apostle alsoe saith woulues shall enter after my departure and shall not spare the flocke Rom. 16. Therfore in another place he requested vs to marke and knowe what people they be that raise dissentions and scandalls in the Churche and doe teach otherwise then wee haue alreadye receaued and to fly from them Heb. 4. Iohn 4. He alsoe exhorted vs that wee should not be lead away with mutable and strange doctrine S. Iohn alsoe wished vs not to beleeue euerie spiritt but that wee should trye whether they be of God 3. But the doctrine of Luther cannot by any triall be founde true so that as Christ saith Iohn 7. my doctrine is not myne but my fathers which did send me soe Luther may say his doctrine is not his but his fathers the diuell that did send him Luth. lib. de Missa Ang. to G lenens Ger 10. 7. witteÌ„b 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 14. whom he boasted to haue suggested vnto him arguments to ouerthrowe priest-hoode and sacrifice that by that meanes he should ouerthrowe and confounde the true worshipp of the true God for God as the Apostle saith is the God of peace and charitie not of dissention For whosoeuer procures sectes and diuision betwixt brethren saith the prophett is a diuell When therfore by Luthers meanes wee see so manny sectes against Godds Churche wee must
diuinity in S. Andrewes and diuers others cheefe ministers of that Contry flye into England and for this traitrous fact were there receaued and cherished Did nott Robert Pont and walter Baquanquell minister by the instigatiō of Iames Lanson cheefe preachers oppose themselues against his maiesties edict that now is publickly at Edenborough Did not these ministers demaund of his maiestie also to be admitted in parleamēt aboue their bishopps Is it not one of their cheefe articles that it is heresie for any kinge to call himselfe head of the Church within his realme A prosecution of the laste Chapter that heresies are the causes of troubles and disquiettnes CHAPTER V. THe other reason of these reuolutions is the fauor that kinges Princes doe giue vnto heretickes when they doe not in time punish them or at leaste ridde their Countries of them because that kinges or Princes growinge forgettfull of God haue a more respecte to their temporall commoditie then vnto the will of God or the good of his Church thinkinge by their owne industrie and reason of estate themselues and their estate be sure and secure yet God almightie doth often suffer them to fall into great miseries and calamities and their kingdomes to be ouerthrowen and ruynated Tripert hist. lib 8 cap. 13. Theod. l. 4 Valent. an Arrian Emperor did send against the Goathes his great Captayne and a deuout Catholicke who was called Traian and was ouercome by them when he retourned he reprehended him called him Couard he answered it is you and not I that haue lost the victory for that you haue forsakē God he gaue the victory to the Barbarians against thee Also the said Emperor in his iourney against those Goathes was mette by the holy Monk called Isacius who said vnto him whether doe you goe hauing God against you Theod. l. 4 cap. 30. Metas in vita Isacij for against him thou makest this warre c. giue ouer thy warres against God and he will giue ouer his warres against thee 2. Valentinian the younger who being deceaued of his mother Iustine Theod lib. cap. 14. did fauor the Arrians was put to flight by Maximus the Tyrante who made himselfe Emperor and soe Theodosius the great did write vnto him that is was goods iust iudgment Carol. Sig. lib. 9. that he should suffer that infamy for that he forsooke the trewe Christian catholicke religion and fauored the enemyes thereof So Winceslaus the 12. Eneas Syl. hist Bohemia c. 35. kinge of Bohemia by his false reason of estate giuing tolleration vnto the hereticks was both by them depriued of his life and kingdome 3. Boleslaus Prince of Polland In Chron. lib. 6. hist. Polo did suffer the people of Prusia to renounce their Christianitie and liue in Idolatrie for which they sent him a verie riche present but was after ouerthrowen by them with the ruyne of all the kinges and the nobilitie of Polande Sabel Aeneas 8 c. 6 Carol. Sig. de regu Genebr in Chron. An. 607. 4. Nicephorus Cōstant for that he fauored secrettly the Manichees was ouerthrowen slaine by the Bulgares The like example wee haue of Gessulfe Duke of the Lombardes who for fauoringe the Arrians his armie beinge ouerthrowen was slaine himselfe by the Auoros whose wyfe betraied the Cittie wherin shee and her husband liued to the captaine generall of them thinkinge to marry him after but shee first was dishonored in her bodie and then hanged a liue vppon a Gibbett Num. 16. 5. Not without cause did God say vnto Moyses departe from the Tabernacles and tentes of wicked people and touch nothinge that belonges vnto them 4. Reg. 17. God sent liōs amoungst the people of Samaria for hauinge Idolls Geneb in Chron. both to kill and destroy them wherfore the Cittie of Parris hath this for a monumente engrauen vppon her gates one God one kinge one faith one lawe 6. Hence it is written by the holy Ghoste in these woordes All the kinges besides Dauid Ezechias Iosias sinned and that the kings of Iuda forsakinge God and his lawes were with all their kingdomes deliuered vnto others and their glorie to strangers and although Dauid did committ adulterie and soe Ezechias alsoe offended by his ostentation 2. Reg. 11. Isa 39. yet because they forsooke not their faith and religion nor made shippwracke thereof it is not counted that they sinnned for that to forsake our faith is the greatest sinne that is That God doth extende the rodde of his wrath vppon Princes and Common welthes infected with heresies CHAPTER VI. 1. THe sore punishmente and affliction by which almightie God doth prosecute this wickednes many authors doe treate therof esepcially the ecclesiasticall histories Designis Eccl. lib. 5 cap 11. signo 16. and of late Thomas Bozius For none are more prone to wantones riotous misdeameanors which euerie Heresie bringes with it then Princes because commonly they are brought vpp without due chastisment and correction and because each man soothes them to flater and misreporte the truth As also because they are loath to submitt themselues to the ecclesiasticall discipline and censure of the Church or to acknowledge anny spirituall power in the Church of Christe to constraine them as it doth heretickes of whom it is said by the prophet and proued by experience that the nation and people that serueth her not shall perish whosoeuer obeieth her not must be accounted as Ethniques yet to mantaine their absurde heresies they doe labour to deface and infringe her authoritie as wee see in all ages yea onlye the disobeinge the authoritie of the Church and the censure of S. Peter and his successors is the cause of all the heresies that euer were and the Princes that hearken vnto them and forsooke the Church by defendinge them were vtterly destroyed with their states For what punishment doth he deserue that vnder the pretence of Christianitie makes warre against Christ and he that shall call himselfe the childe of the Church destroies and rayses a flame therein all which examples it were to long for me to repeate for I will not alleadge here the dolfull and ruynous example of Constans and Valens Emperors who were enemyes of the Church neither of Hunericus kinge of the Vandals neither of Basiliscus the capitall enemie of the Councell of Chalcedon who was depriued of the Empire by Zenon neither of Zenon himselfe which was buried aliue by the comaundement of Ariadne his wife nether of Heraclius which in the beginning was a catholicke and a valiant Prince but after became an heretick Ionas 1.3 ibi Ion Paulus Diaconus lib. 7. c. 1. Carol. Sig. lib. 7. de occid imp and lost soe many noble Prouinces in the Easte and dyed of a most shamfull disease nor of Anastasius vnto whom a vision did appeare of a terrible and dreadfull man with a booke in his hande who opened the booke in the which the name of the said Anastasius was
Lucif c. 6. prouinge against them that they make God subiect to the diuill a poore miserable Christ that imagine that the church may either perish or be driuen to any corner of the worlde 4. And although the Sacraments ceremonies Matt. 11. and the legall obseruations of the Iewes did faile because it is said the lawe and the prophetts were vnto Iohn yet notwithstandinge the church of Christ did not faile which was collected and composed of both the nations I meane Iewes and Gentiles as S. Paule doth wittnesse in many places that the first fruictes of the holie ghoaste and the first christians were the Apostles which were Iewes therfore the churche of the Iewes did not faile so as that none of them did remaine therin as the said Apostle proues Rom. 11. Hath God saith he reiected his people God forbid for I am an Israelite and of the seede of Abraham and of the tribe Beniamine for God did not cast of his people The glosse vpon this place faith that the Iewes are not infidels altogether and soe God did repell theÌ„ in parte but not in whole because he hath not reiected me and others that are predestinated thus farr the glosse For he reiected the howse of Saule but not of Dauid vnto whome in reward of the ardent desire and feruent deuotion that he had to builde a temple for godes glorie he promised that he would build for Dauid an euerlasting kingdome and a perpetuall howse from whome he should neuer take away his mercie for which he made the 88. psalme wherin he confirmed this promise Whether that papistes doe amisse in hauinge their churches and monasteries soe sumptuous their alters and ornamentes soe riche and ecclesiasticall possessions soe great the poore wanting the same CHAPTER I. 1. WHatsoeuer is giuen to Christs church is giuen in his honor that suffred for the said church beinge his spouse his portion c. for as our Sauiour saith Beatius est dare quam accipere It is better to giue then to take and noe maruaile that christians should giue vnto God some parte of his owne as the prophett saith what shall I giue vnto him that giues vnto me all thinges I pray you tell me whether it be a greater offence to robb and ouerthrowe the kinges howse and to spoile his subiects of their goodes depriue them of their liues and to comitt all other outragious facts vpoÌ„ them then to build the same maintaine and enriche the same to bestowe lardglâ—e vpon his seruaunts to defend and protect them c Tell me I praie you whether Salomon that built the temple of Ierusalem soe sumptuously and which by the riches thereof was most famous through out the world was more offensiue vnto God for soe doing then Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon and Antiochus Epiphanes which were not contented to ransacke and spoile that worthie temple cast downe the pillers take away the golden alter and candlesticks and all other sacred vessells or religious ornamentes but also defiled the same and prohibited any oblatioÌ„ or sacrifice to be offered therin For this cause these two tirants doe represent the diuill and Salomon is a figure of Christe And if Salomon was soe comended in holie scriptures for buildinge the said Temple for the sinagoge how much more christiaÌ„ princes for buildinge churches for Iesus Christe 2. I praie you tell me also whether Constantine the great merited more before God the world for buildinge soe many churches vppon his owne charges and for augmentinge and enrichinge the patrimony of Christe then kinge Henrie the 8. that did cast and pull downe soe many churches monasteries and chapples and did disolue soe manny Religious howses robbed them of all their sacred ornaments and by soe doinge spoyled God of his patrimonie Yow saie that whatsoeuer kinge Henrie the 8. did was donn for the reliefe of the poore and the ease of his subiects to be freed from subsidies and impositions as was related in that verie parleameÌ„t wherin monasteries churches were surprised and religion prophaned And therfore it was added in the said parleament that the truly poore of the kingdome perished and that Abbey Lubbers for soe they called religious persons did possesse their liuinges To this effect there was a supplicatioÌ„ exhibited to the kinge against Bishoppes Abottes Priores Deacons Archdeacons suffragans priestes in forme following c. What tyraÌ„t euer oppressed the people like this cruel veÌ„geable generation Before these came there were but fewe theues yea thefte was at that tyme soe rare that Caesar was not compelled to make penaltie of death vpon felonie as your grace may wel perceaue in his institutes ther was also at that time but fewe poore people and yet they did not begge but there was giueÌ„ them enoughe vnasked Wherfore if your grace will build a sure hospitall that neuer shall faile to reliue vs all your poore beads men take from them al these thinges set these sturdy boubies abroad in the world to get theÌ„ wiues of their owne to get their liuinge with their labour in the swette of their browes accordinge to Gene. 1. Tie all idle theues to the cartes to be whipped naked about euerie markett towne that they by their importunat begginge take not away the allmesse that the good christian people do giue then shall aswell the number of our foresaid mounsterous sorte as of the baudes hoores theeues and idle people decrease then shal these great yearly exactions cease then shall all your people encrease in wealthe c. these are sett downe in Iohn Fox his Chronicles Iudas in like manner when the deuout wooman Marie MagdaleÌ„ anointed Christs feete with a moste pretious ointment did saie vt quid perditio haec what destruction is this had it not bene better said he that this had bene sold and giuen vnto the poore our Sauiour aunswered let her alone and added moreouer that in what place so euer of the world his gospell should be read her deuotion should be comended And as Iudas herin did not care for the poore as the scripture reporteth but hopinge it should retourne to himselfe soe parleament protestants did not care for the poore but all their drifte was to haue the liuinges and treasures of the churches themselues as itt fell out 3. I praie you tell me whether the poore were better and more reliued or the subiects more eased of subsidies and impositioÌ„s before the suppression of the church or after Doctor Sanders writes that England was neuer troubled with greater impositioÌ„s subsidies then it was in the later daies of kinge Henry the 8. nor any kinge in england had lesse treasure in his cofers then he at his deathe And as for the poore people it is manifest that they haue lesse releefe now then euer they had I am sure there are not 300. persons reliued by all the churche liuinges of England and Ireland beinge in those mens handes which haue as little charitie towardes God and
not only of England but of all the world against the decree of all the generall counsells therof against all sacred doctors against common sense and honestie against all lawes both ciuill and cannon not only against catholiques but against protestants in all other countries yea against the puritans of England against these constant confessors and blessed martyrs aboue recited which acknowledged no such supremacy in spirituall or ecclesiasticall matters to any king or prince whatsoeuer that did putt them to death whose blessed blood was patiently shed for the defence of Catholique religion and lastly against the practise of all former ages and antiquitie For from Donaldus the first Christian king of the Scots according to saint Victor Anno 197. there were 84. Christian kinges from Ethelbert being made Christian according to saint Aug. an 600. vnto Edward the confessor 1006. there were 80. kings Christian in EnglaÌ„d after the coÌ„quest ther were 20. vnto king Henry the 8. so as none were euer called head of the church before king Henry after him Edward Elizabeth and king Iames. What shall I say of other holy and valiant martyrs that suffered in these later persecutions raysed vpp by Luther and Caluins heresie and by the Princes that embraced the same How many thousandes suffred confiscation of their goodes and landes effusion of their blood confusion of the world desolation and destruction of their wiues children woe and wreake and dissolution of all things such a masse of miserie and callamitie wherin their miserable and forlorne life was plunged withall as no man can rehearse without greefe nor none can see without teares How many thousand did rotâ— in vgly prisons die in banishments suffred patiently the crewelest tormentes and yrcâ—somest death that could be imagined rather then they would preferr the vaine fauor of man before the fauor of God antiquitie before noueltie to forgoe their auncient Catholique religion to become of the new to forgoe the firme Rocke of Christs church to build their faith vpon them that haue neither grownd or foundation of any supernaturall or theologicall faith at al no certitude in their doctrine no deuotion in their religion no honestie in the profession therof no vertue in their liues no pietie in their schooles or synagoges no charitie in their woorckes no mortification in their members or passions and consequentlie no conscience in their doings THE CONCLVSION 1. I Haue gentle reader exposed to thy vew the Theater of catholique and protestant religion where thou maist plainly behould and see the of-spring beginning growndes foundation practise mischeefe and inconuenience of the one and the excellency of the other Liu. 13. Math. 13. by which thou maist perceaue that the catholique religion ought to be compared to the wise husbandman which did sow the good side in his grownd or farme the protestant to resemble the enimie which sowed the badd cockle and darnell the one ought to be called positiue the other negatiue the one ecclesia malignantium the other militantium the one plantation of religion and deuotion the other supplantation or rooting vp of the same 2. The first subiect of corruptible and materiall things which the philosophers doe call Materia prima which neuer holdeth her selfe setled or contented in any certaine course of any forme or composition but is eueâ— more mutable and changeable by a certaine naturall reuolution from one forme and fashion to another for that shee being disgusted with the one euer more seeketh another is not so vncertaine and vnconstant as protestancy which by a certaine fatall reuolution and babilonicall confusion groweth from one errour to another from one mischeefe to another from one sect to another as appeareth by so many sectes forged and coined by this new religion within these 80. yeers which are 240. in number all in differrence and variance amongest themseluees not in ceremonies or things indifferent but in the cheefest articles and substance of their religion as many of themselues do auerre the one detesting condemning and pronouncing their cursed sentence of Anathema against the other as you may read aboue in the â—â— booke cap. 1. The same may be confirmed by a certaine Prince of Germany who being demaunded of what religion his bordering neighbours were he answered he could describe of what religion they were the last yeere but this yeere he could not well tell their religion in respect of the mutabilitie and in constancy therof see the preface and cap 1. lib 2. 3. But the catholique religion is alwaies one and the selfe same alwaise retaineth and holdeth the same continwance and vigour of trueth not in diuersitie of sectes but in simplicitie and vnitie of beleefe and profession without duplicitie or disparitie or contradiction of doctrine or without absurditie or dishonestie in her maners and customes because she hath the holy ghoast to assist and direct her in all trueth and to protect and to defend her from all errors misbeleefe and infidelitie For not only this new religion is changeable and variable in profession and doctrine but also in condition custome and behauiour for alteration in faith and religion procureth also a great alteration and inconstancy in mindes and affections in life and maners as wee may knowe by such nations who when they were catholiques were mercifull chast sober liberall temperat children were obedient to their parentes and people faithfull of their promisse But when they were turned protestantes as they selues do affirme they became most crwell bloody insolent lecherous riotuous couetuous barbarous luxurious and intemperat 4. For when protestancy laboreth to stoope and intercept all the channells and fountaines of Gods grace the enfluence of Christs passion all the inspiration of the holy ghoast from the soules of christians by which they should be inwardly and formally iustified to whome ought to be applied that which was spoken of the Iewes that they resisted the holy ghoast when it an â—ulleth all the excellencies vertues operations effectes of the blessed Sacramentes all the applications of the merites of Christes passion the vallour and vertue of his blood which the eternall and euerlasting father would haue to be religiously and deuoutly applied by religious meanes and our owne proper endeuours to our owne sanctificatioÌ„ when it destroieth reiecteth all the woorkes and merites of the iust as proceeding and hauing their force worth and valloure from that blessed passion and death of Christ and all the blessed rewardes correspondent and proportionable vnto those merites by vertue of the foresaid passion and blood which they deny to be of that force to abolish and blot out our sinnes wickednesse and punishmentes due vnto the same and so reiecting the force and vertue of Christs passion and transferring and building the same vppon another fundation which they call imputatiue iustice of Christ saying that Christ imputeth not vnto vs our offences and as it were couers them by that iustice by which he is iust himselfe nott by which he maketh vs iust when vppon a kind of an arrogant faith and presumptuous predestination without any relation or referrence to his owne endeuoures so as he beleue that Christ suffred for him or that he is predestinated to be saued he must be such When I say protestancy is blinded and nusled in this peruerse doctrine it being the only and cheefe article of their beleefe which is against scripture good life comon reason sense the definition of the catholique church honestie of a christian and the pietie of a catholique yea against operation of grace or instinct of nature it must run headlong vnto all desperat blasphemies and damnable mischeefe their vnbrideled concupiscence and crwell dispositions impelling them therunto For when the transgression of no lawe or the attempt and consummation of no acte though neuer so exorbitant or so abhominable is punished nor the good woorkes or merites or any execution or exercise of vertue or mortification of any their passions is not regarded for that as they say the merites of Christ his passion doe abrogat them nay such worckes or mortifications are iniurious to the same and doe as they say derogat from them Wee must thincke them to be no otherwise then they are taxeâ— with the imputation of all those cruell and vnchristian like Epithethes by their owne gospellers and when their religion is nothinge els then a path way to all dissolute libertie and licentiousnesse their liues and maners must be such for the corruption of the one engendreth the dissolution of the other 5. Finallie this is the cause that wee see many lawes decrees and dishonest plottes daylie deuised with their rigorous and cruell executions nott against transgressors of godes lawes the lawe of nature but against honest and vertuous people so as the reputation of an honest conscionable and well disposed person cannot be without the imputation of a dangerous traitour whose life goodes and landes must waite and lye open as a pray and bootie for euerie miscreant who as he exceedeth others in villanie and wickednesse must excell them also in promotion and authoritie cuius maledictione os plenum est amaritudine dolo sub lingua eius labor dolor Psal 9. whose tonge is full of malediction bitternesse and deceit Idem so as the decay and downefall of the good must be the raising vpp and aduancement of the badde Exurge Domine non confortetur homo Psal 9. iudicentur gentes in conspectu tuo Constitue Domine legislatorem super eos vt sciant gentes quoniam homines sunt Arise Lord let not man be strengthned let the Gentiles be iudged in thy sight Appoint Lord a law-giuer ouer them that the Gentiles may know that they be men FINIS
keepe Iustice with god that takes from God his righte which is religion depriues his diuine maiestie of that worshipp reuereÌ„ce which is due vnto him This is proued for that Princes followinge this false reason of state haue beene put by God froÌ„ their state as Ieroboam the seruant of Salamon to coÌ„tinewe himselfe in the kingdome which he had taken from Roboam did alter the Religion made a false religion For he made two golden calues one at Dan and the other at Bethell and also altered the order of priestoode by ordaininge others that were not of the order of Leuie For which both he and his yssue were depriued of their kingdome and destroied of their liues The Princes of the Iewes by reason of their state put Christ to death least the Romaines shoulde come vpon theÌ„ neuerthelesse the Romaines came vpon them and destroyed them 7. Vetiza a kinge of Spaine and his successor Rodorigus fearinge the rebellion of their subiectes for their owne wicked actes destroied and rased downe all the stronge holdes of Spaine which was the cause that that Country was broughte in one quarter of a yeare in subiection by the Moores which were not expelled Spaine in 700. yeares after The kinges of Fraunce Francis the first and his sonne Henry the second the one brought in the Turcke thinckinge to bringe him in to Spaine against Charles the fift Emperour kinge of Spaine to destroy Spaine But whether did the tempest driue the Turcke but to Tolouse within France which afterwards with great a doe makinge many spoiles of that Countrie were driuen out after burninge the Cittie of Nicea other citties out of which they brought with them 5200. Christians as slaues amongest which number were 200. consecrated virgins the other did ioyne with the rebellious protestaÌ„t Princes against the said Charles by whom they were ouerthrowen and brought to subiection Kinge Henry the third of Fraunce beinge perswaded that he should neuer be obeyed of his subiectes vnles he should make away the Catholique Princes as Henry of Loren Duke of Guise and Luyes of IoreÌ„ the Cardinall his brother murthered them in the assembly of Bloys 1588. but for that he was led rather by the wicked Councell of Macheuillians and not by the lawe of God he was punished himselfe by a poore sillye friar without the procurment of any but of his owne head who thrust him thorough with a knife beinge in the middest of his army purposing to besidge Paris Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie intendinge to take the Empire from the house of Austria followed Martine Luthers Councell that he should change his religion soe that by the procurment of Luther he rebelled against his soueraigne But the frute that he reaped by this false reason was to be apprehended put in to prison depriued of his estate Dukedome and dignity of elector shipp was not Absolon destroyed by the false Councell of Architofell And Aman by his wicked plottes by which he tought to destroie Mardocheus and the chilren of Israell For there is noe wisdome or Councell of Macheuillians against God his Church Thomas Cromwel was put to death as Fox saith by the cruell lawe he made himselfe as by a certaine fatall destinie these be Foxes wordes that whosoeuer should be cast into the Tower he should be put to death without examination the said Fox calleth this Cromwell the wall and defense of protestant religion But qui hominibus placent confusi sunt quoniam Deus spreuit nos those which doe please men are confounded for God despiseth them 8. The principal and last reason or cause is for that these articles are already condemned by the generall Iudgement and verdit in soe many generall Councells as haue beene in the world specially by the last generall Councell of Trent therfore nowe they ought not to be called in question Whereupon Gelasius the Pope saith Maiores nostri diuina inspiratione cernentes c. Our Ancestours foreseinge by diuine inspiration did most earnestly pray the faithfull that whatsoeuer was decreed by any Councell against anny heresie for the faith of the Catholiks and the Catholike trueth it should neuer be broughte in question againe Also Leo the Pope did desire the Emperour Marcianus that there should be noe retractation in any thinge defined by the holy Councell and soe the said Marcianus established by lawe accordinge to his request that none should dispute of the definition of the Councell The said Leo also taught the same in his Epistle to the Councel of Chalcedon to Maximus the Bushopp of Antioch The same is also decreede in the Councell of Ephesus and in the Councell of Chalcedon S. Augustine also said that it is an insosolent madnes to disputed against any thinge that the Catholike church had defined For our Sauior saith whosoeuer heareth your heareth me and whatsoeuer they will you to doe that doe yee 5. For as much therfore as these heresies were condemned as I haue said by the generall Councell of Trent vnto whom protestantes refused to come to trye their doctrine for none euer refuseth the triall of generall Councells but heretikes therfore we ought not to dispute with them any more Which also rightly agreeth with the couÌ„cell of S. Paul vnto Titus saying A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonitioÌ„ shunne knowinge that such a one is peruerted And to Tomothy he saith these be they that craftilie enter into houses and leade captiue silly women alwaies learninge and neuer attaininge vnto the knowledge of the trueth but as Iames and Mambris resisted Moyses soe these also resist the trueth men corrupted in minde reprobate coÌ„cerninge the faith All the while that S. Augustine was an Heretick S. Ambrose would neuer dispute with him And the Empresse Placilla wife vnto the great Theodosius vnderstanding that Eunomius the Hereticke would faine reason with her husband for eschewinge danger of being corrupted by him did with great wisdome hinder the conference And Nazianzenus saith we ought to abhor Heretikes as the destructioÌ„ of the church and the poyson of trueth not carienge any hatred vnto their persons but hauing pitty of their errors Ignatius likewise saith vt siilij â—â—cis fugite diuisionem vnitatis malam haereticorum doctrinam As the children of light shunne diuision of vnitie and the wicked doctrine of Hereticks by whom the whole world is defiled resraine from those euill hearbes which Christ did neuer plant for they be not the seede of God but of the deuill Be not deceaued brethren saith he whosoeuer shall followe a seducer shall neuer possesse the kingdome of heauen and whosoeuer departes not from a false preacher shall purchase euerlastinge damnation 10. Thus he admonished that we should beware of wicked Heresies the reason of his caueat is for that Heresie as the holy Doctors saye is a certaine mischeefe of the diuill and a firebrande that cometh from hell a pestilente corrupt and poysoned aier a cancker that consumeth
I shall not bewaile trulie at lenght after all their great security they shall haue a sudden fall and let them take example by the dolefull ouerthrowe of others that haue lead their liues in pleasures and haue abused their power againste godes Church and the members thereof let all men knowe that all heresies be fatall ominous and vnfortunate especially to the first professors thereof Vltio sanguinis seruorum tuorum qui effusus est introcat in conspectu tuo gemitus compeditorum Psal 7. Whether there be nothing that the Protestants affirmatiuely beleeue confesse and professe but the Church of Rome doth beleeue the same and cannot be denyed by Catholiques but that they are most auncient and consonant with the word of God CHAPTER I. 1. ALl Heretiques say as Lactantius reportes that their owne religion is verie good and agreable to the word of God Lib. 4 diuinist cap. vlt. and better then others It is naturall to euerie beast according to Pliny to thinke his owne shape more beautifull then the rest Plin. lib. 8. cap. â—4 Plin. ibid. yea such as are most deformed thinkes themselues most beautifull as the Apes doe which though they do counterfeit mens shapes or gestures neuer so much cannot be said to haue the forme of men so these sectaries though they like Apes in imitation haue taken from vs some partes out of the Masse as may appeare and in their spirituall courtes visitations conuocations and excommunications although in deede none ought to excommunicate but he that can absolue they by their owne doctrine cannot absolue therfore they cannot excommunicate yet for all that they cannot be said to haue the trewe forme of Religion or the trewe Church for the ecclesiasticall forme and gouernment of your Protestantes is reiected by the Puritantes contemned by the ministers of Caluine and Beza and other Hugonottes of France as part of the reliques of Antechrist your common praier booke being called by them in contempt the missall of England Yf such as yow yourselues cales protestants do disprooue your Religion to be altogether against the woord of God how much more will the Romish Church say the like who doe differ from yow almost in euerie point 2. In the Booke of dangerous positioÌ„s in the 9. chapter set forth Anno 1593. by Doctor Bancraft of Canterburie it is alleadged that the Puritants do say of the comon booke of publick praiers videlicet that it is full of corruption and that many of the contentes thereof are against the woord of God the sacramentes wickedly mangled and prophaned therin the Lordes supper not eaten but made a pageant and stage play that their publique baptisme is full of childish superstitious toyes so many Puritants did write against it that England will neuer do well vntill that booke be burned 1. admonitio ad Parla pag. 9 41. 43. Also the superintendeÌ„t of Rateburge and the cheefest ministers in Germanie hauing read Caluines woorckes printed An. 1592. at Francfort In timore Domini saith he legi relegi dico in Christo Iesu c. Caluinistarum lib. 3. in pref Apost lib. 1. a. 2. fol. 9. I haue read and perused them the space of 23. yeares I auoutch it before IESVS Christ saith he that all the Caluinistes do nourish in their breastes the Aryan Turkish ympietie and that they open windowes and gates for Arianisme and Mahometisme as our bookes publickly set forth do manifest the same and so brought an example of Adam Newser the cheefe Pastor of the Church of Hedelberge Ibid. f. 9. who from a Zuinglian be came an Arian and afterwardes a Turcke which three sectes I meane Caluinisme Arianisme and Mahometisme Iohn Schutz in lib. 50. Causarum causa 48. another protestant Doctor calles them three briches of one cloathe and that fellowe hauinge gone vnto Constantinople Anno 1574. did writt that none became an Arian which first was not a Caluinist and brought example of Seruetus Blandrata Alciatus Franciscus Dauidis Gentilis Gribaldus Siluanus and others 3. There was printed a booke 1586. at Iena in Saxony by a Lutheran minister the Tittle whereof was An admonition from the woord of God that Caluinistes be not Christians but Iewes and baptized Mahometts Also 2. yeares afterwards another was set fourth at Tubinge by Philipp Nicholas minister the tittle whereof was a detection of the Caluinian sect to agree with the Arians and Nestorians in the groundes and foundations of their religion and that no Christian can ioyne with the Caluinistes but that he must defend the Arians and the Nestorians Sleid hist lib. 19. An. 47. Bernardinus Ochinus being the first principall Apostle of England in kinge Edwardes his dayes with Peter Martyr Martyne Buzer Okinus in lib. dialog Zanchius de vno Deo Beza ep 1. par 11. Bal. in pref act Rom Pontific Calu. lib. 1 de scandalis pa. 136 An. 1593. pag. 44. and Paulus Phalangius vnto whose direction both the vniuersities of England were comitted did oppugne the blessed Trinitie the deitie of Christ and of the holy Ghost so as Beza called him the fauorer of the Arian heresie and a scoffer at all Christian religion yet neuerthelesse one Iohn Bale somtimes Bishopp of Ossorie in Ireland calles this Bernardin and Peter Martyr the light of the Ghospell of England and Caluine saith that the said Bernardine was borne for the happines of England It is said also in the suruey of the pretended holy discipline printed at London that the sect of Caluinistes is a cancker and another Thalmud which by their wicked rebellion against their lawfull Princes haue founded their ghospell and Church which by their intollerable arrogancy do oppose themselues against all sacred Doctors against all venerable Councells and against all the florishing Churches that euer were from Christ his tyme vntill our dayes that there is no place of Scripture which they do not wrest from the lawfull sense thereof neuer before knowen by the Church of God and that it had beene good for England that none brought vpp in the filthie schoole of Geneua or Scotland had euer entred into England 4. Conradus a Protestant writeth that Caluine sayeth that the merittes of Christ cannot preuaile against the iudgment of God Also he affirmed Caluine to write that the blood of Christ was of no force to blott out sinnes and that aboue 1500. yeares it was putrified fo 84. 85. 87. Curaeus in spongia fol. 250. Erast pag. 29. Fridericus Borussius pag. 45 Osiander in confess haue written the like impietie with many other blasphemies which yow may read in the Caluini Turcismo lib. 4. c. 22 Other Lutheran writters make bookes of the contradictories and contradictions of Caluine Caluini Theolog. lib. 1. f. 85 Luth. lib. de Sacrament fol. 376. Orthodox Conf. en le Tigurine tract 3. fol. 127. Luth. tom 6. Ienues Germa fol. 257. the tittle whereof is called Laberinthi inextricabiles contradictionum The intricatt Laberinthes of contradictions
Luther saith that the Zuinglian doctrine and ghospell was from the diuill that the diuill made an instrument of him and that by him he did gouerne and raygne In another place he called him Perdiabolatum indiabolatum superdiabolatum sceleratum cor mendax os habebat That he was persathanised insathanized and supersathanized and that he had a wicked harte and a lyinge mouthe So Zuinglius calles Luther a false prophett an incorrigible heretique Zuinglius tomo 2. in exegesi ad Luth. in corresponsione ad Luth. lib. de Sacra Ort. conf eccles Tiguri trac 1. f 3 5. Ibid. fol. 106. foolish arrogant blasphemous and lyinge a diuell a beast a deceauer a seducer an Antechrist Luther also said of him againe I had rather burne then to hold the opinions of Zuinglius and Oecolampadius and all other wicked bedlam companions cales them Archdiuills and so he saith I that am nowe readie for the graue God is my wittnesse and this will be my glory before his tribunall that I haue labored the condemnation of all these hellish people videlicet Carolastadius Ziuinglius Stinckfeld and those that are at Tigur and Geneua yett these are the cheefe pillers of the protestant religion Luther also did diuorce a certaine wooman beinge married to a Zuinglian and bid her to marry whome shee listed for that saith he it is not lawfull for yow to marrie an infidel Againe Colloquiū Altēburg elect 3. resp ad Saxo. Zuingl tomo 1 in exempl ar 18. It is said of Luther and Melancthon that there is asmuch difference betwixt them as betwixt Sumer and Winter Zuinglius said that nothing did greeue him so much as for being called a Lutheran Brentius saith beinge a kind of a Lutheran nos Zuinglianam c. Wee cannot ymbrace with a safe conscience the heresie of Zuinglian and Osiander 1560. Cēturici 4. Elizab. Reg. dedicata Do not the madeburgenses inueigh against the Zuinglians for denyinge the reale presence and doth not Luther saye that the holy scriptures are corrupted of the Zuinglians In the Duchy of wittenbergue where Brentius was superintendent an edict was proclaimed against the Sacramentaries The ministers of Ienua did exhibit a petitiō to the Princes there to haue an assemblie to the end they should condemne the Sacramentaries and the Ziuinglians as aduersaries And in the yeare 1560. in that Towne Hesutius printed a boooke against the Sacramentaries Caluine did also writt a booke against Hesutius William Clebitius did writt against the Lutherans with this tittle The ruyne of the papacie of Saxonie videlicet Lutheranisme Also Iohn Sturmius writt against the Lutheranes Brentius writt against Bullenger The Lutheranes of Saxonie in their Conuenticle did condemne Albert Hardenburg a Zuinglian of heresie In Transiluania Lutheranes are against the Sacramentaries and the Sacramentaries against them The people of Breme in Saxonie after they were in Lutheranisme fell to Caluinisme and banished all Lutheranes 5. Neither can they excuse themselues their debate or strife to be of thinges indifferent or of ceremonies or such like smale and trifling thinges but of the cheefest pointes and articles of our faith For Nicolas Gallus a protestant preacher of Ratisbon doth declare the same saying In suis Thesibus ita scribit Non sunt leues inter nos c. Betwixt vs ghospellers it is not in light thinges wee differ nor our variances are not of thinges of smale moment but concerninge the cheefest articles of Christian religion videlicet of the lawe of the ghospell of iustification of good worcks of the Sacraments of the vse and order of ceremonies which by no meanes can be decided or compounded Wherfore Luther saith wee esteeme seriouslie in good sadnes all Zuinglians heretiques Luther Thes 77. 1545. and alliens from the Churche of God Beza calles Lutheranes Eutichiās and Nestorians And Caluinistes doe count Lutheranes no better thē Manychees Marcionistes Monotholites who were oulde heretiques Illiricus saith Caluinistarum liturgia non vno sacrilegio viciata est Illir in confess Ang. 17. The liturgie of Caluinistes is not spotted with one only sacriledge the like censure Conradus giues of the same liturgie Oecolāpadius most bitterly writes against Lutheranes and also in the like bitternes Lutheranes write against him by Brentius Iohanes Pomeranus did also write against Brentius Did not the Duke of Saxonie punish most seuerely Zuinglians by the instigation of Luther Did not the kinge of Denmarcke expell Caluinistes out of Denmarke and did not Caluinistes expell Lutheranes out of Count pallentine his Countrie did not Weastphalus write most bitterly against Caluin and Caluine against him 1557. intituled An admonition vnto Weastphalus which if he shall not obey he shal be counted an heretique and the said Weastphalus hath these woordes no doctrine is more spatiously dispersed none with greater deuises and hipocrisie defended none that seduceth more people with greater errors then the false doctrine of the Sacrament of the Eucharist Oecolampadius saith these woords of Luther and his sect Lutheranes saith he they haue a kind of shewe of the woord of God but the right word of God they haue not and herein they followe other heretiques who relies althogether on the woord of God Did not after that Caluinisme was admitted and ymbraced in Transiluania and Hungarie Arianisme and Sabellianisme take place there En la reformation des fausses suppositions lib. 2 Brent in recognit prophetici Apostolici item in Bull. def tract 3. cap. 6. pag. 278. Bullenger contra Brent c. 1. Doth not Lannoy say that the cheefest point of all these fellowes doctrine is that Christ is not God nor by any meanes begotten of the substance of his Father Did not Brentius say that the doctrine of the Zuinglians and Caluinistes tendeth directly to Athisime Iudisme and Mahometisme Some others say that this sect of Caluine tendes to Ethnisme others to Atheisme as Iohn Whitgifte affirmeth with which saith he England aboundes And Bullenger writeth such is the dissention betwixt Zuinglians and Lutheranes that none hereafter will beleeue ought but what it pleaseth him 6. Doe not Protestantes say that the Englishmen as longe as they be of this religion Admonitio 2. ad parla vide act in Comitijs parla Londini An 1503 f. 10. 11. 12. 13. which they professe that they are not baptized nor ought to be counted Christians the ecclesiasticall regiment therof to be as vnlawfull as that of antechrist and that the Church of England is so prophaned and like Babell gouerned by the power of Sathan and not by the order of Christ that none in which there is any sparcke of Godes grace or any feelinge of conscience can liue in England and that all that liue in England and that goes to their Churches and whosoeuer that heares the sound of their belles ioynes with them in their Churches are conuocated thither by the name of Antechrist and are addicted vnto the slauerie of Babylon and Egipt
more indisciplinable then they were in poperie These be Luthers owne wordes As touching their learninge or knowledge in diuinitie Stanc lib. de trinitate mediatore Francis Stancarus witnesseth one of their prophetts one Petrus Lombardus is more worthie then one hundreth Luthers two hundred Melancthons three hundred Bullingers foure hundreth Martyrs fiue hundreth Caluines Who all if they were pounded in one morter there could not be beaten out of them one ounce of true diuinitie especiallie in the articles of the trinitie incarnation mediator and sacraments 12. You see what testimonie your owne prophett doth beare against you looke to all those countries where they haue stirred vpp their tragedies was there any countrie the better for this ghospell or was the wicked life of any one reformed by it or were the professors themselues amended any thinge in their wicked liues by it Compare the wicked life of the professors of this newe religion with the vertuous life of the holie fathers that haue planted the religion that wee professe No kingdome gained vnto thirst by the woord Haue they not shined in all holines of life in all heauenly conuersation by which they haue allured the hearts of faithles and stiffnecked gentiles did they conuerte any kingdome vnto Christe by the sword haue they euer surprised citties or ouerthrowen kingdomes or euer brought with them armies into the fielde no not by the sword but by godes word and humilitie of spiritte haue they ouercome the deuill Was not Luther a professed Fryar many yeares who beinge giuen to loosenes of life did transgresse the lawe of God in breakinge his vowe by which he consecrated himselfe to serue God in holines of life and continencie of body all the dayes of his life whoe rann awaie and tooke a Nunne with him out of her Cloister Was not Iohn Caluine the fire braÌ„d of France and Scotland and other countries alsoe he being a priest for Sodomitticall wickednesse burned in the backe and continewinge his wicked life stil in that filthie sinne surprised Geneua Was not Beza his next successor giuen to that wicked and abhominable sinne with a boy called Andebertus and that manifestlie And to defend their wicked lines and filthie sensualitie they cast forth poisoned doctrine as that vowes and votaries are not made by the lawe of God that wee are not iustified by works done by Gods grace and that the same be not meritorious before God but that wee are iustified by faith only that all our woorkes though neuer soe good are sinfull before God that to bridle or restraine our filthie desires is to resist Gods ordinaunces that God is the cause of all euill and that from him all mischeefe comes Therfore they take away free will from man saying that man doth not concurre to his owne iustification with many such damntble heresies which were to long to relate and whether these be false prophetts who bringe into the world such poisoned doctrine lett euerie man iudge at least lett him take heede that his soule be not poisoned therwith in followinge their liues or imbracinge their cursed heresies out of which as our Sauiour wittnesseth noe good fruicte can bud forthe and consequentlie noe meritorious works of religion or charitie can wee euer expect at their handes The absurditie of this doctrin that euery one should assure him selfe that he is predestinated vnto life euerlastinge and that wee ought to be soe certayne therof as wee should not once feare the contrarie or to misdoubt the same is discussed CHAPTER V. 1. THis doctrine is most false wicked and hereticall sith the holie scriptures saie Cogitationes mortalium timidae incertae prouidentiae nostrae Sap. 9. The thoughtes of men are fearfull and their prouidence is vncertaine by reason that the bodie which is corrupted doth aggrauate the soule beinge in great danger by reason of the inclinations of the flesh occasions of the world and tentations of the deuill and wee being in the countrie of our enemies wherevpon S. Bernard saith faciles sumus ad seducendum debiles ad operandum sragiles ad resistendum wee are easilie to be seduced weake to worke and labour well and fraile to resist manfullie and couragiouslie And soe our Sauiour said to the Apostle Luc. 10. Neminem per viam salutaueritis You shall salute none by the waie as S. Vincentius expoundeth Ser. 11. post trinit Saluum dixeritis viatorem to him that is a poore pilgrimeâ— or stranger you cannot assure his saftie without danger nor securitie without feare for the shipp is not safe without feare in dangerous seas otherwise wee should not be admonished Lauda post mortem magnifica post consumationem prayse none before his deathe nor magnifie any before his end The scripture confirminge the same Eccle. 9. Nemo scit vtrum â—dio vel amore dignus sit sed omnia in futurum seruantur incerta None knoweth whether he be worthie of hatred or loue when all thinges are reserued in tyme to come And therfore the Apostle which was one of the greatest Saintes that was saith Nihil mihi conscius sum 1. Cor. 4. sed tamenin hoc non iustificatus sum I am not guiltie in conscience of any thinge but I am not iustified herein The Apostle durst not assure himselfe that he was iustified neither would he iudge whether this thoughtes were pure or noe but the trial thereof he left to Gods iudgment And for this cause wee are wild to worke our saluation with feare and tremblinge 2. As for predestination which is almightie God his election foresight purpose and decree of his deare children as alsoe his other actes touchinge their vocation inspiration illustration and illumination of them and consequentlie their iustification and last of all their glorification wee doe not denie but it ought to be reuerenced and embraced of all men with tremblinge feare dreadfull humilitie but that wee should not cast our selues with headlonge fall into any precipitat madnes and presumptuous malipartnes for this hath bene the gulfe wherein manie proude persons aswell at this tyme as before haue by godes iust iudgment perished groundinge thereon most execrable heresies and damnable blasphemies against godes mercie good life free will humble behauiour and religious christian modestie Rom. 8. S. Paule hath these wordes of predestination whome he hath forknowen he hath also predestinated to be made conformable to the Image of his sonne that he might be the first borne in many brethren and whome he hath predestinated them also he hath called and whome he hath called them also he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified them alsoe he hath glorified S. Augustine answereth those that are curious of Gods fore-knowledge and decree who saith Si quaeras c. If any man will aske wherfore God doth make choise more of this man then of that man lett him search godes inscrutable and vnsearcheable iudgment and in that search lett him take
be vsed but that and this he did to mantayne his opinion Also when his children kinge Edward and Elizabeth came to the Crowne and held contrarie opinions they caused contrarie translations to be published Fox ibid. Vulgar translations of scriptures profitts nothinge vnlesse wee knowe the true sense of them as for the true sense the protestantes giue vs no rule at all for the same For in England they cannott iudge of the controuersie of religion by the scriptures because they are bouÌ„d by their â—awes to beleue according to the will and decree of the parleament howse and of the kinge And in other protestant countries where the parleament or the wil of a prince is not of force there are so many sects and heresies as they cannot be reclaymed euerie one wreasting the scriptures to his owne priuate and fantasticall opinions for the Protestants doe not care for the vulgare translation vnles they may peruert the sense thereof according to their owne turbulent braines 8. Neither is there any people that doe reuerence and honor the scriptures more then those of the Catholick religion Which as S. Paule saith 2. Cor. 4. doth renounce the adulterating of the word of God wicked constructions deceitfull interpretations and sinister application thereof which is common to heretiques as Luther affirmeth that the roote of all heresies hath bene the scriptures yea he added that the scriptures ought to be called the booke of heretiques There is neither iott nor sillable in the scripture but the catholique church doth imbrace allowe the same as written and sett downe by the holie ghoast and although the priuate spiritt of some haue thought some bookes of the sacred scriptures not to be canonicall yet the whole catholique church hath receaued them hath taken awaie that doubte Touchinge the bookes of the old testament videlicet Iudith Tobyas the booke of wisdome Ecclesiastes the two first bookes of the Machabees and of Baruch as alsoe of the newe as the Apocalips the Epistle of S. Paul to the Hebreues the Epistle of S. Iames the 2. of S. Peter the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn and therfore the heretiques of this time doe not allowe those for that some in tymes paste haue doubted thereof Did not S. Tho doubt also of Christs resurrection and therfore ought he or wee doubt thereof still Christ hauing manifested his scarres and his woundes vnto him Euen soe though some learned men haue doubted of those bookes yet by the vniuersall consent of the church these bookes were made knowen to be Canonical scripture As concerninge the booke of Iudith the councell of Carthage vnder Aurelius Bishopp thereof Innocentius the first Geâ—asius with 70. Bishoppes the councell of Florence vnder Eugenius the 4. haue pronounced it to be canonicall as also of the booke of Tobie Ecclesiastes and wisdome As for the two bookes of Machabes the Canons of the Apostles the author whereof is said to be S. ClemeÌ„t in the ende thereof the two bookes of the Machabees are inserted as Canonicall those two bookes are confirmed by Innocentius the first and by the councell of Carthage and confirmed by the 6. Generall councell in such like manner the said 2. bookes are coÌ„firmed both by the two generall councells of Florence Aug. li. 18 de ciuit Dei c. 16. con Gaud. epist lib. 2. cap. 23. and Trentt and as S. Augustine saith that the Churche and not the Iewes doth allowe the Machabees for canonicall and not onlie S. Augustine doth produce wittnesse out of them but also Ireneus Tertul. Cyprian Chrysost and others soe as to doubte of these bookes is rather the infidelitie of the Iewes then the faith of the Christians especially when the Church hath once decreede the same and soe are all the rest of the said bookes made Canonicall by the Church and by her determination which is of greater force to allowe or disalowe of them as also of the true interpretation of them then all the priuate spirittes in the world vnto whome all priuate mens iudgment ought to submit themselues Basill the greate and S. Gregorie Naz. being the cheefest diuines amoungest the Grecians and hauinge cast awaie all other bookes they recollected themselues to studie the holie scriptures the true meaninge and interpretation thereof as Ruffinus testifieth Ruff. lib 2. cap 9. in Eccl hist they gathered out of the authoritie and comentaries of their predecessors not of their owne priuate presumption or proper imagination Gal 2. Aug. lib. 28 in Faust c. 4. 9. Did not S. Paule beinge an Apostle before he preached the Ghospell goe vpp to Hierusalem that he might confer with S. Peter Lucc 22. Iames and Iohn and especiallie with Peter touching the preaching and expoundinge of the Ghospell for that our Sauiour did praie particulerlie for S. Peter that he should not faile in his faith vnto whome he promised the assistance of his holie spiritt If this soe great a doctor beinge illuminated by Christe and receauinge his ghospell froÌ„ him did neuerthelesse conferr the same with S. Peter the foundation of the ecclesiasticall Hierarchy the Pastor of Christs sheepe the captaine of his armie the sonne that shineth in this hemispher of christendome and heade of the misticall bodie of Christe which is his church how much ought others to doe the like which haue not so much securitie nor soe good a warrant to be fauored and inspired of God as he had Howe can wee thinke or beleeue that heretiques can vnderstand the scriptures who haue not the spiritt of God to instruct them in the knowledge thereof For as no member of the bodie hath the spiritt of the bodie vnlesse it be vnited and ioyned to the bodie soe noe member of the misticall bodie of Christ which is his church hath the spirite thereof that is separated froÌ„ the same Wherevpon S. Augustine saith nihil magis debet christianus formidare c. there is nothinge that a christian ought to feare more Aug trac â—7 in Iohn then to be separated from the bodie of Christe for if he be separated and disunited from the bodie of the church he is not a member thereof and if he be not a member of the same he is not quickned by her spiritt and whosoeuer hath not the spiritt of Christe as the Apostle saith he is not his it is the spiritt that quickneth the flesh auaileth nothinge Therfore you beinge not in the Church vnto whome the spiritt of God is promised to direct her in all trueth and to guide her from all errors and heresies wee ought not to beleue that you haue the knowledge of the scriptures or the true vnderstandinge or interpretation thereof for it cannot stande with any reason or rule that this spiritt of trueth can be in turbulent mindes or malicious heades as hetiquees be Esa 66. qui non requiescit nisi super humilem mansuetum trementem sermones suos neuer resteth but vpon the humble and meeke
whosoeuer will eate the bread or drincke the Chalice of our Lorde vnworthilie did vse the wordes disiunctiuelie not copulatiuelie in which place S. Ambrose did read aut that is to saie or in the Greeke H. which is a disiunctiue particle and a disiunctiue commaundement is fulfilled if one parte be perfourmed as it is said in Exodus Exod. 15. he that killeth his father mother let him die the deathe for the sense is he that killeth his father or mother shall die because the one was sufficient Also in the actes Cap. 3. S. Peter beinge demaunded almes answered that he had not siluer and goulde that is not siluer nor goulde else he had not answered sufficiently siluer onlie suffisinge to giue almes And although we should graÌ„t that Christ did giue a precepte to the laytie to receaue Christ vnder both kindes yet the laytie doe aswell receaue both vnder one kinde as vnder two for he receaueth flesh and blood in the one and in the other For although by effecte and force of the wordes and sacramentall forme hoc est corpus meum this is my bodie Christs bodie is there yet his blood soule and diuinitie are also there by due consequence and concomitance all these beinge inseparable since his resurrection vnited in Christs person and soe vnder the forme of bread the laytie receaue Christes blood with the bodie though not in forme of drincke or drinckinge but eatinge Cypr. ser de caena Dom. epist 3. for which cause S. Cyprian called it eatinge of Christes blood 19. This is also proued à posteriori by the maruelous effect and euente of receauinge vnder one kinde in the combustion and miserable troubles of the last warres in Fraunce procured by Caluine and Beza and other firebrandes their followers that rushed out of hell for destruction of their countrie Caluine sendinge a Minister of his called North vnto Rochell who hauinge corrupted with his poisoned heresie the Mayor of that towne with many of the cheefest did surprize it and his last attempte was to seaze vpon the poore catholique cleargie which beinge gathered together into a church and expectinge nothinge else then to fall into the cruell handes of this diuilish minister the Abbott of S. Bartholomew which was the cheefest and the learnedst of that clergie beinge in number 24. tooke a loafe of bread and did vse the woordes of consecration applyinge it to the bread for he durst not haue the blessed Sacramente in the pixe accordinge to the custome of the church least those damned and impious crewe should cast it to their dogges as they hade done in other churches in Fraunce and euerie one of that heauie clergie did receaue Domini vic ticum which before the receauinge thereof were both fraile in faith and fearfull of death and readie to make shippwreacke of their profession and religion as I was tould by men of good creditt in that towne but after the consumation thereof they were soe firme and soe constante that euerie one of those 24. except one did endure a most cruell and vilde death which is knowen to all both catholiques and heretiques at Rochell to wit that euerie one of them with a stone about his necke was cast downe headlonge oute of the highest pinnacle of the highe tower in the entrie of the keaye of Rochell into the sea with men in Boates readie to knocke them downe into the bottome of the sea if perhappes anie of them shoulde swimme vpon the water 20. The vertuous Queene both of FraÌ„ce and Scotlande Marie Steward the Kinges mother had the blessed Sacramente reserued in a little pixe which shee her selfe receaued a little before her execution by which noe doubte shee constantlie and most patientlie did endure such a violente death as is knowen to the worlde Wee knowe that the vse of the Chalice did succeede ill vnto all those kingdomes and regions that obserued the same The wofull lott of sectaries for in the east besides that they were infected with sundrie errors and heresies they are plunged into the yoke of the miserablest captiuitie that euer was vnder that damnable tyrant the enemie both of God and man In the countries of the weast alsoe they which doe and did obserue that custome are not onlie now ouerwhelmed and ingulfed in all pernitious and blasphemous heresies but alsoe intoxicated with hatred itched with ambition confounded with tumultuous in surrections and turbulent rebellious wearied with bloodie and cruell warres and defiled with all impudicitie of beastly concupiscence and corrupted with all exercise of extortion iniustice and besides their labours are without fruite their soules without conscience their liues without honestie and their conuersation without shame they are become plaine Aâ—histes worse then either Iewe Turcke or Gentile 21. And in all those countries of the east and weast where nowe this wicked heresie infecteth worse then ether the poison of vipers or the corrupte aire of Basilisks the people especially the nobilitie were diuided into factions and hatred euerie one employinge his best time and his greatest skill to be reuenged vpon his competitors and therfore did embrace this heresie not for godes sake but for a reuenge wherby he might satisfie his vnlawfull ambition and filthie desires for as the wise-man saith Anima callida quasi ignis ardens non extinguetur donec aliquid deglutiat A turbulent minde is like a burninge flame of fire which shall hardly be extinguished vntill he shall deuoure consume somwhat And the Princes that fauoure these heresies are soe miscarried misled with this vnsatiable thirst both of ambition leacherie and couetousnes although they pretend religion herein that they shall neuer be satisfied nor their thirst shal be extinguished thoughe all the Chalices in the world had ben giuen vnto them It was graunted by the councell of Basil the vse of the chalice to the kingdome of Bohemia and the same permitted vnto them by Paulus 3. and by his 3. Legates that he did send to Germanie as also by Charles the fifte this graunt did them no good but rather did much harme for in a little tyme there grewe foure sectes of heresies in that kingdome as the Thaborites Adamites Howelites and Orphans soe as Pius the 2. was fayne to reuoke the graunt that was giuen them by the councell and trulie wee must not expecte great fruite nowe if it were graunted for our cleargie men are noe better then those that went before neither seculer Princes more vertuous or more iuste then their predecessors neither are heretiques more humble or more honest for hauinge the vse of it Theoph in cap. prioris ad Corinth 22. Yow vrge against vs out of Theophilactus in cap. prioris Tremendus hic calix cunctis pari ratione est traditus this dreadfull chalice is giuen to all after one fashion I answeare that his meaninge was to tell howe it was all a like to the twelue Apostles yea to Iudas himselfe yea it may be
For the fall and destruction of the church cannot be denied without the deniall of all the articles of our faithe and fondation of christian religion the trinitie of God the incarnation of Christ his preachinge his death his passion his eternall kingdome and priesthoode and all other misteries of catholique religion For what ende was his cominge to take fleash by his incarnation but to ioyne vnto himselfe in an indissoluble knott of mariadge his churche from which he would neuer be diuorced or seperated To what end was his preaching but to erect and establish the same his passion was to sanctifie it and to leaue her an euerlastinge remedie to blott out her sinnes and offences And I pray yow who is an euerlastinge king that hath not an euerlasting people Osee 2. Ephes 5. Ioh. 17. obeying him and obseruinge his lawes how can he be an euerlastinge priest whose priesthoode and sacrifice for soe manny yeares was applied to none and availed for none To what purpose was the holie ghoast sent but to remaine with his churche for euer and to instruct her in all trueth wherfore to affirme that this church hath failed is to affirme that Christs prophetts and Apostles are all liers and all that is written both in the old and newe testament to be fabulous That this Church which shall neuer be hid but remaine visible is manifest by the parable of Christe our Lord. CHAPTER IV. 1. THe church of God is called a Barne in which there is corne and chaffe a nett in which there is good and badd fishes a field in which there is cockle and wheate a banquett at which there are good and badd a flocke in which there are sheepe and goates all which doth signifie a visible church but the inuisible church hath but only the good accordinge to the opinion of the protestants which is contrarie aswell to the said parables as to our Sauiours owne wordes saying He will make cleane his barne Matt. 13. the wheate he will gather into his garner but he will burne the chaffe with an inexstinguible fire which shall not be vntill the day of iudgmeÌ„t Matt. 3. Our Sauiour saith suffer both of them I meane the wheate and the cockle to grow vntill the haruest which will not be vntill the day of iudgment For a kingdome must be meant of people that are knowen in the kingdome but the churche as before is alleadged is the kingdome of God therfore the dwellers thereof must be knowen S. Augustine doth proue the same lardglie against the Donatistes Aug. in Psal 101. concio 2. who said the church perished O wicked and impudent voice that the church should perish this they say because they be not in her c. Our Sauiour did referr vs to the church when he said Dic ecclesiae tell the church now which way should wee tell the church thereof without the churche be to be seene and therfore our Sauiour tooke away all doubt and said it is a cittie placed vppon a hill which shall giue light to the world 2. This is proued by reason for none can be saued vnlesse he enter into the church of which the arcke of Noe was a figure as all perished that did not enter into the arcke soe they perish also that enter not into the church but none can enter into the church which he knoweth not therfore all must perish because they cannot see this churche The profession of a christian ought to be visible not hidden therfore the church in which this profession is made ought to be soe for it is said Roman 10. Matt. 10. whosoeuer shall denie me before men I will denie him before my father who is in heauen 3. The comparison brought for the forsakinge the sinagoge of the Iewes is not a like for shee was but a figure and a shadow of the holie catholique church the oracles of the holie prophetts all the mornefull cries of the blessed Patriarches all the sacrifices of the Leuitts all the oblations of the Iewes signified or represented nothinge else then the cominge of the Messias at whose cominge all the other rites and oblations of the sinagoge should haue an end as it was prophesied Genes 94. Quando venerit qui mittendus est cessabit vnctio vestra vid. when the Messias shall come your vnction your sacrifice shall cease which also was prophesied and foretould by the Patriarch Iacob when he was dyinge who hauinge all his childreÌ„ about him said these wordes Non auferetur sceptrum de Iuda nec dux de faemore eius donec veniat qui mittendus est ipse erit expectatio gentium vid. the scepter shall not be taken from the tribe of Iuda nor a captaine from her loines vntill he come which is to be sent and he shal be the expectation of nations Soe as after the cominge of Christe aswell the seate royall of the kingdome as also the legall obseruations of the Iewes withall their sacrifices and oblations were accomplished in the death of Christe when he said consumatum est it is accomplished and soe instituted a newe lawe and founded his church which was the seate of Dauid that was giuen vnto him of whome it was said he shall raigne in the howse of Iacob for euer Luc. 1. Damas â—4 57. Esa 6.5 Osâ—â— 2. and of his kingdome there shal be noe ende and that all the world should imbrace the God of AbrahaÌ„ as it is said by the prophett Esay The Princes of people shal be gathered together with the God of Abraham soe as wee see not only the ChristiaÌ„s but also Turcks and Mores to imbrace the God of Abraham as the trewe God of whome it is said also I haue giuen yow a light vnto the nations that yow may be my saftie vnto the vtter most parte of the world 4. Wherfore he hath instituted a newe sacrifice by which his honnor should be vphoulden and by which his name should be glorified which accordinge to the prophesie of Malachias Malac. 1. should be the trewe oblation that should be offred vnto him for euer and in all places of the world this was not meant of the sacrifice of the old lawe for that could not be offred but at Ierusalem as the holie scriptures wittnesse and therfore it is meant of the blessed sacrifice of the Masse which shal be offred for euer in the churche of God for the which Christ hath instituted and ordained priestes which shall offer sacrifice vnto the eternall father accordinge to the institution of Christe and prophesie of Malachias and therfore S. Augustine lib. de vnit ecclesiae cap. 12.13 de ciuit lib. 20. cap. 8. Psal 85. ad illud tu solus Deus magnus Psal 70. affirmeth theÌ„ to denie Christ and to robb him of his glorie and inheritance bought with his blood which teach that his church may faile or perish and S. Ierom refuteth the same wicked heresie in the Luciferans Dialog ad
great ioie of Petrocias Abbott thereof where he increased verie well in vertue and religion and especially in humilitie For beinge by the Abbott appointed to keepe sheepe which office he more willinglie accepted then the scepter when he was crowned at a certaine tyme when one of the sheepe was lame he brought her vpon his owne shouldiers vnto the feild he liued Anno 750. What shall I say of Trebellus kinge of the Bulgars who through the blessed endeuours of Pope Nicholas the first became a christian and bore such zeale to christian religion that he expelled presentlie Photinus the heretique and leauinge the kingdome to his sonne became a mouncke But vnderstandinge afterwardes that his said sonne caste off the yoke of Christ and returned to his former impietie he went out of the monasterie tooke his sonne prisoner whome he seuerlie punished by putting out his eyes perpetuall emprisonment and depriuation of his kingdome which he gaue to Albert his younger sonne and instructinge him with sound councells and blessed admonitions of Christian obseruations returned to his monasterie 7. Another memorable example is of Iohn Brena kinge of Hierusalem and Emperor of Constantinople who in his feruent praiers saw saint Fraunces offering vnto him his habitt and forthwith called his confessor and receaued the said habitt in which he liued but fewe dayes and though he came to the vieneyarde the 11. houre yet he receaued neuerthelesse his wages What kinge more famous for his great vertue and miracles then kinge Henrie of Cyprus who followed the same blessed course of life In this blessed rancke wee may enroll Iohn kinge of Armenia who resigninge his kingdome to Leo his nephew which was soe large and soe great that he had vnder him 24. kinges chose rather to be abiect and base in the house of God then to commaunde in the tabernacles of sinners But when the Turcks inuaded those kingdomes and Leo beinge not able to resiste them and seinge it was the quarrell of God he girded himselfe with the sworde leuied an armie resisted the enemies of Christ giuinge them a verie great ouerthrowe but persecutinge the course of his victorious battell he was slaine and made a blessed ende What shall I say of the sonnes of Emperours and kinges the 3. sonnes of Charles the great Emperor as Vgon Dagon and Pipine two of them became religious of their owne accorde the last was compelled to enter for that he aspired to the kingdome in his fathers life tyme but when he tasted the sweetnesse of Christe his yoke he imbraced the same willinglie they liued Anno 83. 8. Vbian kinge of Ireland had 3. sonnes all were Mouncks and great Sainctes vid. Furseus Follianus and Vltanus who leauinge their countrie came into Fraunce in the time of Clodoneus kinge of that countrie and builded the monasterie of Pontimacum which euersince was verie famous The emulation of the two sonnes of Brittaine should not be omitted for wheÌ„ Iudaellus who was next to succede in that kingdome told his brother Iodocus of his purpose in takinge vpon him a religious obseruation and that he should prepare himselfe for the gouernment thereof he craued 8. dayes to deliberate vppon the matter but when he entred in deepe discourse with himselfe what a heauie and daungerous burden he should take vppon him he preuented his brothers purpose and fled into the monasterie before he tooke any order to hinder his determination The kinge of England called Richard had two sonnes that were religious anno 802. the one was called Willebald in Mount Cassin the other Wiâ—ebad at Mardeburge in Saxonie The kinge of Fraunce called Charles had also two sonnes that were religious Clotarius and Charles the great who professed the same institution anno 841. In whose register wee ought to enroll Frederique the sonne of Lodouicke anno 962. Henry the sonne of another Lodouicke Anno 1150. Lodouicke alsoe the sonne of Charles the second Kinge of Fraunce and heire apparenâ— of the crowne thereof who beinge hostage in Spaine became a Franciscan Frier The like profession alsoe Iames the sonne of the kinge of Maiorca embraced which was the first of the royall blood that euer entred that order whose happie exaÌ„ple Peter the sonne of the kinge of Arragon followed who did not onlie proffit himselfe but was alsoe by his deuoute sermons a light to manny that walked in darcknes and in the shadowe of death 9. If I should register all the kinges Princes and Dukes which entred into religion it should require an infinitt labour although I ought not to omitt al as Algorius Duke of Aquitane with his sonne Amandus Anno 429. Also Anselmus Duke of Mantua anno 740. DiclaÌ„dus Arcigiadus Duks of Suethlande anno 815. Vigestus of Spoleta 820. Willian Duke of Guyne and Aquitane 411. another WilliaÌ„ also Duke of that place anno 912. who was soe humble that vppon a certaine time when the Abbott of Claima in which Abby the said Duke serued God bid him to bake some bread he went most willingly to the hoat furnace and hauinge not at that tyme wherwith to cleanse it he did sweepe the hoate furnace with his habit and receaued noe harme Not inferior vnto him in this religious zeale was another William Duke of Burgundie who entred into saint Frauncis his order Was there any maÌ„ found in the worlde these manny a hundreth yeares more triumphant and victorious in warre more prosperous and happie in peace then Charles the fifte Emperor who hauinge triumphed and ouercome all his mightie and potent enemies chased and draue away the great Turcke with his armie of three hundred thowsand soldiors from the dreadfull siege of the cittie of Vienna the capitall cittie of Austria and from the destruction of Christendome and supplantation of the catholique religion tooke the rebellious and seditious princes of Germanie prisoners in the oxen fielde hauinge but a handfull in respect of the great and mightie armie which he ouercame in in a sett battell which they pitched by the instigation of that fatall and ominous Apostate Luther beinge the onlie cause of all the miseries and callamities of the Christian world He tooke also Frauncis the first by his captaine generall before Pauia in Lumbardie who with 6000. soldiors came to besiege the said cittie where all his army beinge ouerthrowen was brought prisoner in his owne gallies to Madrill He tamed alsoe all Affrique with his victorious and inuincible Armies Wyone Tuins and Goleta ouerthrewe Barbarosa beinge a Pyratt and most infestuous to the Christians Extinguished that raginge and furious flame of the Spanish rebellion and all the citties and comons of the two kingdomes of Castile the kingdome of Arragon Valentia all which reuolted from him for that he placed in his owne absence a Viceroye which was not natiue of their owne countrie all the rebells although he ouercame them yet he pardoned them both in landes and goodes he tooke manny citties and fortresses in Affrique as Oran Tanges Zeita with many
other places of great importance and after atchieuing many other great victories being wearie of the world resigned his Empire vnto his brother Ferdinando and his kingdomes and other states to his sonn Philipp the second and retired himselfe to a monasterie of saint Hieromes order in Stremadura in Spaine and ended the remainder of his daies there most happilie by whose blessed examples many noble men were conuerted vnto God by taking vppon them this religious vocation as Charles de Borgia Duke of Gandia who enioyed great and honorable offices vnder the said Emperor became a Iesuitt and was generall of that blessed order of the societie of Iesus and Anthony de Corduba the sonne of the Duke of Feria in Spaine a neere coussin to the Duke of Gandia Rodulphus of Aquauiua in Italie a Iesuitt who beinge alsoe sent to the east Indies accordinge to the institution of that order there with other fathers of his religion suffered Martirdome by the Barbarians 10. Amoungest these I may not omitt that worthie and blessed Duke Ioys of Fraunce who first takinge vpon him the habitt and most austere profession of a poore Capuchine frier was comaunded by the last troubles and garboiles of that kingdome to defend his countrie against the inuasion and excursioÌ„s of the hugonotts of Languedocâ—e which he perfourmed most worthily but the warres being ended he returned to his owne profession and religion againe who by his holie life incessant preaching edified and conuerted many dissolute persons perswaded them to despise the world and the occasions of their wooe and died three yeares past whose happie memorie wil liue eternallie I might alleadge many other worthie examples but because they are as yet liuinge I will omitt them for that wee are bid to praise men but not before their death and that accordinge to their merites Thus in our holy religion great personages haue humbled themselues to Christ his yoke as it is prophesied by Esay Omnis mons collis humiliabitur euerie mountaine and hilliocke shal be humbled which prophesie is perfourmed in great Monarques that submitted their scepter to the crosse of him that was crucified and represented in their liues the liuely image of his bitter passion Of Empresses Queenes and Princes who likewise forsooke the world to become religious CHAPTER VIII IN the first Rancke wee must place that worthie and blessed Emperesse Theodora who notwithstandinge shee was married vnto Theophilus the Emperor Anno 470. an heretique yet remained still a firme Catholique and he beinge dead shee restored sacred images and recalled backe againe holie people that were exiled and banished for theire religion Then sequestred herselfe from the incoÌ„berances of the gouernment of the Empire into a monasterie where her mother Trurina had serued God for many yeares whose blessed example the Empresse Augusta followed and being importuned by the state of the Empire came for a tyme out of the monasterie to appease some rebellion against her sonne which was raised by his tutors vnto whose custodie shee comitted him which beinge appeased shee returned to her monasterie againe this was in the East anno 190. 2. In the Weast alsoe Ricarda the wife of Carolus Crasus Emperor of the weast did the like who buildinge a monasterie in Alsaâ—ia bestowed the residue of her life therein Cunegundus Anno 1139. who being married to Henrie kinge of England and afterwardes chosen Emperor and being seperated from him for suspition of adulterie contracted a better marriadge with Iesus Christ Thrise happie was the other Cunegundus that was married to Henrie the first Emperor who euer kept her virginitie after whose death she spente the rest of her yeates in the Conuent of confugients and is of the church registred amoungest the Sainctes Agnes also the wife of the 3. Emperor who beinge dead shee resigned not only the Empire being at her disposition vntill her sonne should come to yeares but also the Duchie of Bauaria she beinge inheritrix thereof and went to Rome Anno 1157. where she tooke vppon her a reguler profession whose example Elizabeth the wife of Albert Emperor and Archduke of Austria imitated who beinge miserablie slaine contemned the world and liued religiouslie in a monasterie builded by her selfe all the daies of her life Anno 1290. whome her two daughters followed the one was married to the king of Hungary the other to the Earle of Ottigense and also her two Neeces the Queene of Poland with her daughter 3. Of Queenes also the number of them is not smale The first Queene was Thesia Queene of Italie the wife of Rachisines aboue mentioned for as her husband entred into a monasterie in Mount Cassine so she entred and went into another monasterie with her daughter Petruda In Fraunce Radegundus beinge married to kinge Clotarius against her will shee obtained license of him to consecrate her selfe to God in a monasterie at Poiters whose steeppes another Queene of Fraunce Adoera the wife of Chilper followed with her daughter Childerada Anno 650. Batilda which was married to Clodoueus kinge of FraÌ„ce being free from the yoke of weldocke by the death of her husbaÌ„d went to Callice where enrichinge the monasterie that was there with ample and opulent possessions she enioyed the familiar preseÌ„ce of a better spouse In Spaine wee haue examples of sundrie Queenes which were to longe to relate but I cannot omitt that worthie queene Nugnes who first became religious herselfe and then her husband Veremundus Neither must queene Tarasia passe vnmentioned who being espoused by her Brother Alphonsus kinge of Leon vnto Abdala kinge of Tolledo could neuer be perswaded to goe to bed with him and the barborous kinge beinge taken away by an vgly disease she married herselfe afterwardes to Christ in the monasterie of saint Pelagius Anno 1005. 4. England hath not beene inferior to any of her conterminat kingdomes in the feruent zeale that many Queenes had to this religious discipline As Alfreda which was fianced in marriage to the kinge of Northumberland who beinge slaine before the matrimonie was consumated together with her husbaÌ„d Iuas became religious I caÌ„not let passe that worthy example of Etheldrade who being married to two kinges kept her virgnitie vndefiled and afterwardes became religious What shall I say of her sister Seburga queene of Kente and of Alfreda queene of Northumberland who also became religious I may not also ouerslipp with silence Margarett the daughter of Bela kinge of Hungarie who being consecrated to God by the vowe of her pareÌ„tes imbraced the blessed order of saint Dominique and imploied her life in all religious exercise especiallie in seruing the sicke and diseased persons and refused the marriage of three kinges of Polonia Bohemia and Cicilia although the dispensatioÌ„ of the Pope in respect of her vowe was laboured for 5. Zanchia Queene of Hierusalem and Cicilia after that her husband Robert was dead entred the order of saint Frauncis at Naples who earnestlie requested that none should call her queene Agnes daughter to
any other taught the same in any other countrie did euer conspire in treason or murther or deuised anny mischeefe against kinge potentate or countrie or that euer anny man lost his life landes or goodes for not receauinge either themselues or their doctrine or that euer any kinge was expelled out of his kingdome for not receauinge the catholique religion into his countrie or was forced to imbrace the same as the founders of protestancie haue done But it is wel knowen that Luther and Zuinglius were the first that euer preached the protestant religion as it is proued in the Apologie of the protestant Church of England and that they were the causes of all the mischeefe warres and troubles insurrection of subiectes against their princes ouerthrowinge and banishment of Princes by their owne subiects out of all their kingdomes and states 9. Lastlie it is knowen also that our first founders and apostles came in simplicitie of spiritt without troupes of horsemen or bandes of soldiors hauinge noe other standert but the crosse of Christ nor noe other poulder but the dust of their feete but the protestant founders came with wilde-fire gâ—n-poulder and cannot-shott with their cruell armies in all places to bringe all to confusion an desolation that would not imbrace their sect yea many holie martyres haue suffred death for not forsakinge their old religioÌ„ to accept these new deuised opinions of these sectaries wherof I haue thought good to sett downe the names wherby you may perceaue the constancie of Catholiques and the cruelties of protestants Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos For yow shall knowe them by their fruicte I will first speake of Flanders then of France afterwardes of England and last of all of Irelande The name of those that suffred death by the Gewses of Flanders where the protestantes are soe called CHAPTER I. 1. THe Reuerend Father Nicholaus Picus guardian of a monasterie of S. Francis in Holland together with ten of his brethren Ierom Werdan viccar Will. Hadne Nicase Hez Theodorique Emden Anthony Hornarien Anthony Werden Godfrey Meruellan Frauncis Rod of Bruxells Peter Astun a lay brother Cornell Wican a lay man who after much torment and affliction were sent to the towne of Bill where they were beaten with clubbes hanged on the topp of the common stoare howse of the towne in the night time the 14. of August 1575. they cutt of their eares and their noses they ripped vp their bellies and pulled ouâ— all the fatt they could gett and sold the same in all places of the prouince They alsoe put to cruel death Leonard Veichle pastor of Barcomia Nicholas Poppell another pastor of that place Godfrey Dimens somtime rector of the vniuersitie of Parris but then Pastor Gorcomiensis Iohn Oster Wâ—canus cannon regular of saint Augustines order and ouerseer of the Nunnes Adrian Becan of the order of Premonstrensis Iames Lacopins a monke of the same order Iohannes On s of the order of saint Dominique Andrewe Walter Pastor Hairnâ—tensis besides many other related by doctor Estius chauncelor of Douaie In this cittie of Brill were put to cruell death 180. religious persones at seuerall tymes And the Crucifix which stood in the church of Gorcomend for the consolation of the Christians they pulled downe and hanged the same vppon the gallowes they snatched also the Eucharist out of a Priests handes nailed it vnto a gibbet 2. When the Prince of Orenge tooke the cittie of Ruremunde in Gerderlande his soldiors rushinge into the monasterie of the Carthusians murthered three lay brethren vid. Albert Winda Iohn Sittart and Stewart Ruâ—emund And entringe into the church of that monasterie they found the Prior thereof called Ioachinus with the rest of the religious people prayinge vnto God all which they murthered in which cittie 29. priestes and religious persons were martired When the Gewes had gotte by deceit Adernard in Flaunders after spoilinge and robbinge all the churches and monasteries therof they apprehended all the priests and religious persons and brought them bound with the gentlemen of that cittie vnto the castle there amoungest whom master Peter licentiate of diuinitie and pastor of that cittie a worshippfull aged man was put to great tormentes and at the last beinge tied hande and foote was cast from the toppe of the tower headlonge into the riuer of Scaldis After him also they cast headlonge down into the riuer Paulus Couis pastor of that cittie Iohn Brackett Batcheler of diuinitie Iames Deckerie Iohn Opstall and Iohn Anuanne a noble man al priests They tooke also that vertuous man Iohn Machusius of saint Frauncis order somtimes Bishopp of Dauentrie who beinge sore wounded of them they left his poore carcasse like a dead carrion vpoÌ„ the streetes other priests they tooke by the cittie of Ipris and buried them quicke in the earth with their face aboue the grounde which insteed of a marck they shott at with bulletts 3. When Delps a cittie of Holland was taken by the Prince of Aurenge who seemed to shewe great fauor vnto a most reuerend and learned man called Cornellius Musius confessor to the Nunnes of saint Agatha of that cittie yet was he with vnusuall and exquisitt torments put to the cruelest death that could be inuented the 10. of December 1575. The same crueltie they shewed vppon Egelbert of Burges a Franciscan friar in the cittie of Alcmaria for they did ripp his belly and cutt off his intralles with their kniues With noe lesse crueltie did they putt to death two Mouncks of the order of saint Hierome at Ganda a cittie in Holland their names were Iohn Rixtell and Adrian Textor whome the Generall of the Gewses caused to be stripe of their cloathes and with their swordes forced them to runn vppon thicke hedges of quicksett and to die thereon The like crueltie he executed vppon William Gandan a Franciscan Friar Iames Gandan Theodorick Gandan Cornelius Sconhewe and Iasper cannone regular Mr. Iohn Ierome natiue of Edome in Holland who beinge taken with other Catholiques by Hornan were brought vnto Sâ—age in the north parte of that prouince where after many horrible and abhominable interrogatorious some of them died in that miserable captiuitie such as were left a liue were bound hand and feete vpon their backes with their naked bellies vpwardes and vppon euerie mans bellie was set a panne or caldron whelmed downwards full of dormise and frogges in great quantitie and vpon the said pannes or caldrons were put fiery coales which burning heate of the fire when those frogges felt and had noe other place to gett out they turned all vppon the poore peoples Bellies and did gnaw and teare there vntill they made hoales through their backes or at least some place to defend themselues from the rage of the fire 4. Vrsula Tales a religious Nunne of the Begginage after that her father an ould man and magistrate of that place with other catholiques were hanged by these rebells she also was brought vnto a gibbett and being asked
whether shee would forgoe her faith and religion and marrie with a soldior shee most constantlie denied and was cast into the riuer and there was drowned This religious Nunne had a sister that was married and because shee lamented the death of her father and kinsmen her head was brocken by one of the soldiors and that so sorelie that the braines came foorth Other farr more detestable wickednesses were comitted by these tyrannicall reprobates in other prouinces of Flanders Holland Zeland Brabant Gelderland and Frisland which you may read in the histories of Flaunders but this I ought not to omitt that they were soe tormented with such an insatiable thirst to shedd innocent blood that in their detestable conuenticle at the towne of saint Trudan in a vaulte vnder the grounde they purposed and decreed to make a massacre of ecclesiasticall persons in all places of the 17. Prouinces in one night which God preuented afterwardes vnto whome all honnor and glorie Mense Iulij 1566. for his prouident mercie shewed therin 5. And although the hugonottes of France sought diuers times to practise their tragicall plottes in that countrie as in the times of Frauncis the first in whose raigne they nayled a libell at the court gate of Parris of their damnable doctrine printed in the yeare 1534. which being brought vnto his maiestie and perusinge part of the contenâ—es thereof he said Did I knowe my right haâ—de to be infected with that venemous doctrine I would presentlie cut it off from my bodie Henrie the second and Frauncis the second yet they could neuer performe their desigmentes vntill the beginninge of Charles the 9. his raigne who being but a childe of 12. yeares of age and soe abusinge his minoritie they watched their time and oportunitie in the yeare of our Lord 1562. when euerie one that was wickedly disposed and irreligiouslie addicted and as it were forsaken of God began openly to shewe himselfe vpon the theater wheron this wofull tragedie was plaied For first they crowned their captaine generall Prince of Condie kinge of Fraunce and called him by the name of Lodouicke the 13. and the first Christian kinge of Fraunce The cheefest rage of all their malice was practized vpon those thinges which were most sacred and holy as vpon the blessed Euchariste by treadinge the same vnder their feete and castinge it vnto their dogges and vsed that sacred and dreadfull hoast together with the holy chrisme to cleanse their tayles withall and called Christ vnder the veile of bread Iohn le Blanch White Iohn The like outrage they extended vppon Churches Monasteries Alters Chapples Oratories Images Reliques and Sepulchers which they spoiled ransacked destroied burned Vpon Priests Mounckes and religious persons which they put to the vildest and cruelest death that they could imagine vppon sacred virgins and consecrated Nunnes which they rauished and defloured vppon challices and sanctified vessells and hallowed ornaments which they prophaned and defiled 6. Of 12. that shewed themselues the ringleaders vpon this bloodie theater there were 9. of them Apostate Mounckes which Christ vomitted out of his sacred mouth the captaine and leader of them all was Beza who sould his benefice for 700. crownes and then cast forth his venime amongest the licentious courtiers whome he perswaded with his doctrine vid. that it was noe offence before God to coÌ„mit sacriledge to spoile churches to cogge deceaue lye sweare and forsweare whose doctrine herein being the religion of these newe sectaries was most plausible and pleasinge to all miscreantes and malefactors who aboundantlie resorted vnto him from all partes of Fraunce and by which he determined to robb and spoile all the churches and monafteries of that kingdome in one night in the moneth of Ianuarie and appointed people for that purpose in all places of the kingdom which was first put in execution in the Prouince of Aquitaine had not the Duke of Gays come the sooner to Parris they had not only surprised the churches monasteries there but also the cittie court kinge Thus frustrated of their expectation they fled vnto Orlians where before they were lett in by the Cittizens Vide Sur. they did solemnlie swere that they came thither by the comaundement of the kinge to keepe that cittie and that they would offer violence to none either in his person conscience or goodes and that euerie one should haue the benefitt of the edict diuulged the last of Ianuarie wherein it was decreede that the hugonotts should not spoile churches or monasteries but they noe sooner entred the cittie but they spoiled the churches and monasteries burned Images cast downe alters yea cast downe the verie walls of the churches and shewed more execrable wickednes towards all sacred thinges then the verie Turckes for they in takinge any cittie or towne from the Christians doe only vse to cast downe the Images and Alters and not destroy the churches also 7. All the holy Reliques which those hugonotts could gett they burned them they burned the reliques of S. Damianus religiouslie reserued in that place as they also did S. Hillaries reliques at Poytiers S. Ireneus at Lyons S. Iustus and S. Bonauentur and the reliques of S. Martyn At towers they burned the image of Christ in another place they trayled the same through the dirte They spared the image of the diuill burned the Corpes of S. Frauncis the second which was buried in the Chapple of the holly crosse as they did burne the bones of Lodouick the 11. The churches which they broake not downe they turned into stables and storehowses Moreouer Beza comaunded all the Priests to be murthered of whome receauing monny for their redeÌ„ption yet violated the faith and promise which he had formerly sworne and broake the oath and peace which he had before vowed most religiouslie to obserue Soe as it is manifest there were cruelly put to death fiue thousand priests of whom some were flayed aliue others were rackte till they were dead Aboue six hundreth monasteries razed to the verie earth manny others were burned they burned alsoe the holie auncient Bybles which were kept in Fraunce for rare monuments many citties were exhausted with continuall siege their citizens were murthered all the countrie was spoiled and ruinated soe as these ciuill warres of the hugonotts soe often renewed did more consume and oppresse France with greater miseries and calamities then all former warres it euer had abroade For there was no trueth respected or oath performed if any garrison did yeld themselues vnto theÌ„ vpon hope of their oathes which they neuer accomplished to saue their liues as in steede of many examples that of Petraforte alone will serue neuerthelesse contrarie to the lawes of armes to the number of two hunderth were cast downe head longe from the toppe of a mightie high Rocke all which perished with that headlong and violent fall Such crueltie as this more then Turkish they exercised vppon euerie other place where they did carrie anny sway but