EXURGAT DEUS DISSIPENTUR INIMICI * THE HISTORY OF THE DEfendors of the Catholique Faith Whearevnto are added Observations Divine Politique Morrall By Christopher Lever Nostrum in Coelo Negotium LONDON Printed for Nicholas Fussell and Humphrey Moseley at the signe of the Ball in Pauls Church yard 1627. POSUI DEUM ADIUTOREM MEUM NON NATVRA SED PON TIFICIORVM ARTE FEROX SEMPER EADEM BEATI PACIFICI DONEC PAX REDDITA TERRIS F. Hulsuis sculp THE HISTORIE OF THE DEFENDORS OF THE CATHOLIQVE FAITH Discoursing the state of RELIGION in England and the care of the politique state for Religion during the reignes of King HENRRY 8. King EDWARD 6. Queene MARIE Queene ELIZABETH And our late Souereigne King IAMES Kings and Queenes of England France and Ireland Defendors of the most True most Ancient and most CATHOLIQVE FAITH c.. With all Declaring by what means these Kings Queenes haue obtained this Title Defendor of the Faith and wherein they haue deserued it whereunto are added Obseruations DIVINE POLITIQVE MORALL BY CHRISTOPHER LEVER Nostrum in Coelo Negotium Printed at London by G. M. for Nicolas Fussell and Humphrey Moseley and are to be sold in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Ball. 1627. TO THE MOST HIGH MIGHTY And most Gratious PRINCE CHARLES By the grace of God King of Great Brittaine France and Jreland Defender of the CATHOLIKE FAITH YOVR MAIESTIES MOst humble and vnworthie Seruant CHRISTOPHER LEVER with all humilitie dedicateth this Historie of the Defendors of the Catholike Faith vnto your Majestie beseeching Almightie God to deriue vpon your sacred name and house a perpetuall succession of able and resolute Defendors of the Faith to the honour of God the peace of the Church the prosperitie of the State the blessed memorie of your Royall Name and the Confusion of Antichrist AMEN A CATALOGVE OF the Chapters contained in this HISTORIE King HENRIE 8. 1. AN induction to this Historie briefly declaring the variable change of Times from the beginning to the time of this Historie page 1. 2. By whom and what meanes this Title Defendor of the Faith was giuen to the Crowne of England pag. 19. 3. King HENRIES first Act of Defence for the Catholike Faith pag. 31 4. Of what importance this Act for the Kings Supremacie was to the state of England in respect of Pietie and Policie pag. 38. 5. Of the suppressing of Abbeys and Religious houses in England pag. 48. 6. Of the Kings remisse and cold proceeding in the worke of Reformation pag. 60. 7. Of the sixe Articles and the euill which thereof ensewed pag. 77. 8. Obseruations out of the generall view of this latter time of King HENRIE 8. pag. 91. 9. In what state King Henrie left the kingdome to the next Defendor of the Faith King Edward 6. p. 109 10. A comparison betweene King Henry 8. of England and Fredericke Barbarossa the Emperour of Germanie pag. 119. King EDVVARD the 6. 11. OF the next Defendor of the Faith King Edward 6. pag. 125. 12. Of the benefit that redounds to a state by a lawfull succession of bloud pag. 131. 13. Of King Edwards defending the Catholike Faith and wherein he chiefely defended it p. 139. 14. The trouble of the State at this time of King Edward how they were occasioned and how compounded p. 152. 15. A discourse of the miserie of mans life vpon occasion of the Duke of Summersets death p. 165. 16. Of king Edwards death and how he left the state to the next succession 179. 17. A Comparison betweene king Iosias of Iuda and king Edward of England p. 187. Queene MARIE 18. OF Queene Marie and of the alteration of the State in the beginning of her gouernment pag. 191. 19. In what particulars Queene Marie did most offend the Catholike Faith p. 201. 20. Of certaine discontents whereat Queene Marie tooke great offence pag. 225. 21. Of rebellion a discourse p. 237. 22. A Comparison betweene Queene Marie of England and Katherine de Medicies Queene-mother of France p. 245. Queene ELIZABETH 23. OF the next Defendresse of the FAITH Queene Elizabeth and thorow what difficulties she attained the kingdome p. 249. 24. The first act of the Queenes defence for the Catholike Faith after she was Queene p. 262. 25. Of certaine state considerations which in respect of Policie might haue disswaded the Queene from reforming the state of Religion p. 268. 26. Of the care the Queene and State had to suppresse the enemies of the Catholike Faith p. 282. 27. Of what importance these statutes were in the 13. yeare of the Queene in respect of the Church and state p. 296. 28. Of the Christian care Queen Elizabeth had to defend certaine Christian Princes and their States p. 306. 29. A remembrance of some particulars wherein God hath defended this Defendresse of the Faith Queen Elizabeth p. 321. 30. Of Q. Elizabeth her resolute continuing in defence of the Catholike Faith p. 329. 31. Of the last Act of the Queenes defence for the Catholike Faith p. 333. King IAMES 32. OF the next Defendor of the Faith King Iames the Kings Maiesty that last was p. 335. 33. Of the Kings defending the Catholike Faith in Scotland before hee was King of England p. 343. 34. In what particulars King Iames our Souereigne hath principally defended the Catholike Faith p. 347. 35. A remembrance of some particulars whereby God hath wonderfully defended the Kings Maiesty p. 361. 36. Of the diuersity of Religions p. 364. THE HISTORIE of the Defendors of the CATHOLIKE FAITH AN INDVCTION to this History briefly declaring the variable change of times from the first beginning to the time of this present Historie CHAP. I. THE first time was in the first Creation for before God made things there could be no time time being a deriuing of things to such ends whereto in Gods decree they are directed For whatsoeuer is earthly euen man and the number of his trauells with their circumstances are bound by God to a necessity of time beyound which all the power of earth cannot reach Their opinion then is both foolish and wicked who imagine all things to happen by fortune and that there is a speciall power in the Orbs and Elements which they call Nature by which both heauen and earth and euery worke thereof is directed And this opinion of Atheisme is grounded vpon this doubt that whereas wee define God to bee the beginner of all things It is by them demanded where that God had his beginning and from what hee discended By which forme of reasoning they conclude against their owne vnbeleefe their doubting what should begin acknowledgeth a beginning the which beginning is God not that God himselfe had beginning but that all things had their essence and deriuation from him hee himselfe being infinite and without time For as in the figure of a Circle is not to bee found any limit or terme of beginning or ending So God within whose Circle all things bee that are in
euery particular man not rashly to be moued to any fact or opinion by the loue or reuerence we haue to the persons of them that would perswade vs because in this case we doe not satisfie reason but affection CHAP. XIX In what particulars Queene Marie did most offend the Catholike Faith FIRST to remember euery particular grieuāce in this Queenes time were a labour infinite neither is it my purpose to trauell so largely therein as others before mee haue done And therefore I will onely reduce to memory some particulars of most consequēce referring him that shal require further satisfaction to the ecclesiasticall writings of those times wherein they are largely discoursed neither among these the euill fortunes of the Duke of Northumberland nor of his Sonne and daughter the Lord Gilford Dudley and the Ladie Iane his Wife because the Duke hath worthily deserued his fortunes and therefore did not receiue wrong from the Queene and State And though the Ladie Iane and the Lord Gilford her Husbād were forced to take the enterprize they themselues being meerely passiue in that businesse yet hauing proceeded therein so far as they did I see not how Queene Marie could giue them life and secure her selfe especially considering the present condition of the State how inclineable it was then to imbrace any occasion of quarrell Secondly That wherein the Queene did first offend the Christian Faith was in taking into her protection such who had before declared themselues enemies to truth and Religion and this was at her first comming to the Crowne giuing liberty and honour to such men whom her princely brother had before imprisoned degraded for by this she opened hell let loose those euill spirits which King Edward had shut vp who breathing Reuenge set the Kingdome in combustion burning and bloodying the holiest and best members thereof to the dishonour of the Prince and Nation the discomfort of holy Christians and to the discountenance of the Catholike Faith and this in a double respect was euill in Queene Marie First hereby shee gaue an assured demonstration how in the case of Religion shee was affected Secondly shee armed reuenge in in these men giuing it authority and the countenance of great place wherewith they became most terrible Thirdly And with this prologue did Queene Marie begin the Tragedie of her life fitting her with actors who had well learned their parts of blood persecution outtruding them of much better merit whom shee found in honourable and Reuerend places established as Doctor Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterburie the Arch-Bishop of Yorke the Bishop of VVinchester and many others giuing their dignities and places to their greatest enemies men not comparable to them in learning and holy life exceeding them onely in cruelty and blood who hauing gotten the sword of authority once into their hands would not sheath it before it had bene made drunke with the blood of Saints nor before the measure of their sins were full whom God for the pleasure of his will and for the glory of his Saints did suffer and for a time forbeare Fourthly in restoring the Nurseries of all abominations the Abbeyes and Monasteries she had in giuing she did much offend the Catholike Faith because those assemblies were found to abuse the name of holinesse making it a cloake to couer the bodie of their wickednesse who like horse-leeches sucke the blood and best maintenance of the Kingdome to support their lazie and most licentious trade of liuing and in this did the Queene not onely offend the truth of Religion but also the prosperity of her State in being so euill a president and in giuing so much wealth to idle and altogether vnprofitable people and not onely idle but euill vsers of their riches large possessions to the high offending of God the wrong to Christian Religion and the impouerishing of the Common-Wealth all which respects the Queene ought carefully to haue regarded Fifthly Againe the Queene restoring them did condemne the gouernement of her Father by whom they were dissolued her making them of such necessity in a Christian Kingdome made him an euill doer to suppresse them whereby she did dishonour her Father in that wherein he was most honourable he deseruing the honour of his new stile in this and in his act of Supremacie onely both which she vtterly disclaimeth damning the deed and the honourable merit of her Father building againe that euill foundation which he to his honour had cast downe And therefore if he by suppressing them hath deserued to bee stiled Defendor of the Faith shee then by supporting them may be iudged to haue offended that Catholike Faith whereof she was made Defendresse Sixthly But that which is most worthy of sad remembrance in this Queenes time was the alteration of Religion she reducing the Church of England to their former condition of Popish Idolatry which in the happie time of King Edward had bene discontinued she inhibiting al her subiects vpon grieuous paines to acknowledge that profession of Religion which she found in the State established binding them to seuere lawes to that Romish obedience which formerly they had abiured Seuenthly And in this she did oppose her selfe with al violence against the Catholike Faith as if she meant at one blow to bee the death of faith true religiō she disclaiming the good proclaiming the bad destroying Gods holy Temple to build the groaues altars of Idols this she did with such appetite that her gouernement was scarce begun before this was finished So easily is mās nature carried by violēce forcible pursuit to execute the most wicked and vngodly ends Eighthly And as this alteration of Religion was greatly to the offence of Catholike Faith so was it also very preiudiciall to the State the Kingdome hereby loosing the Lordship of it selfe which King Henrie with much hazard great trauel had recouered And assuredly if the Q. consciēce could haue bene perswaded she would neuer for any cause haue giuen the Pope or any other Potentate the supremacie of her own state and among all other least of all to the Pope who hath no principality proper but onely a gouernement compounded of many thefts he hauing taken from euery christiā Prince somwhat of reuenew or dignity to make vp the measure of his greatnes And it was great ouersight in the Q. to commend the trust of her state to the Pope whose ambition auarice hath made him euer inclineable to deceiue for when the couetous hath the treasure in keeping it is hard to make him honest he that hath nothing but by theft wil be glad to imbrace oportunity fit occasiō And therefore by thus altering religion she did not only offend the Catholike faith but dishonor the English nation binding it againe in the bonds of forraigne power from which
iniuries and harmes which they the former Kings and Queenes of England had many times inflicted on that Kingdome And thâ—refore haue they good cause to honour her remembrance and to giue her name the best merit of all the rase of her princely predecessors Sixthly But she who was large in the vse of her Christian mercy could not thus bound her vertues in the limits of an Iland neither could she content her selfe that she had done well but delighteth to continue her well-doing And therefore being inuited by the necessitie of the French Kings occasion Henrie the Fourth she reacheth him her hand of fauour to France and there she witnesseth the greatnesse of her power and the greatnesse of her mercifull regard that notwithstanding that Nation had bene the corriuall of this and had euer enuied the prosperity of our many victories And though the Queene her selfe was lawfully interested into the title of that Crowne yet would she not take aduantage of these opportunities but so powerfully she assisted the King as that by her meanes he might well say to haue gained the garland which without the Queenes assistance had either not bene got or not so gainfully obtained Seuenthly And if any one obiect the Queene was improuident to conferre her fauours to a nation which had euer more enuied opposed the prosperity of her owne kingdome whereof she had no assurance let them remember that the Queene was neuer altogether ruled by the perswasion of State reason and that in this particular shee deuiseth not how to inlarge her owne kingdome but how the kingdome of God might by her be any way aduanced And because that then the French King did declare himselfe to professe the Protestant Religion she therfore thought it the office of her high place to defend him in the cause of ReligioÌ„ to defend that christian faith whereof she was made Defendresse the which she did so fortunately that he obtained his kingdome she a name of honour that wil liue for euer in al those places of the world where the vertues honourable deeds of noble personages are recorded And let the French-men for euer remember her name thankefully as their noble Defendresse let them remeÌ„ber also that as our english Kings haue euer bene a terror to their natioÌ„ so this Q. of EnglaÌ„d was their coÌ„fort she by whose fauour they obtained that benefit which preseÌ„tly they enioy in their King and in their peaceable State Eighthly Another instance of the Queenes fauorable commiseration was the King and kingdome of Portingall the poore King Anthonie being executed by Philip King of Spaine a power that by much did ouermatch Anthonie and therefore this Portingall made his resort to implore the fauour of Queene Elizabeth who after the Nature of her gratious spirit compassionates his great miserie and furnisht him very princely towards the reobtaining of his kingdome Ninthly And though this businesse had not successe answerable to hopefull expectation God otherwise disposing it yet doth not that diminish the Queenes gratious merit for it is not in any earthly power to giue victory at pleasure but to attempt onely and to leaue the successe to the will of God Againe we see that the greatest earthly powers haue often failed in the like attempts because as I haue said no Prince can giue victory at his pleasure but must abide the fortune of the day which is alway vncertaine And who can tell but that God in iudgement to that people would not suffer the Queenes good purpose to preuaile neither doe all men agree on the lawfulnesse of Anthonies title many approuing the right of the King of Spaine to the Crowne of Portingall to be more iust than that of Anthonies yet the Queene is not to be blamed for taking part with Anthonie against her profest enemie the King of Spaine then hauing declared himselfe such an enemie to the Queene and her State as made it behoofull for the Queene to apprehend all occasions to weaken him Tenthly The Queene therefore had a double respect in this Portingall voyage first to repossesse the wronged king for so she beleeued him secondly to disaduantage the great enemie of her State whereby to make him the lesse able to offend her And therefore though she failed in finishing yet was her purpose good and doth merit to bee ranked among her other honourable deeds because it was done principally in fauour of a distressed Christian Prince to relieue him in the extremities of his hard fortune it deserueth so much the more of honourable remembrance and to bee reputed as an effect caused by the Queenes most gratious disposition Eleuenthly A fourth instance of the Queenes gratious fauour to forraigne Princes is Belgica the States of the Low-Countries where the Queene hath done so much as hath made her famous in all the world receiuing those little pettie States into her protection against the King of Spaine at that time the greatest Prince in Christendome the which quarrell shee did maintaine with such aduantage as made the king feare her and the world admire her Twelfthly And howsoeuer there be that obiect the Queene did iniurie to the Spanish King to assist his rebellious subiects against him for so they repute the States of the Low-Countries yet doe I verily beleeue otherwise For though I will not dispute the title of the king of Spaine to these Countries being impertinent both to me and to this Historie yet may it assuredly be concluded that the Queene a godly and religious Ladie at that time ordered by as wise and honourable a Counsell as was in Christendome would not rashly haue entred into any dishonourable quarrell or haue done ought in the generall view of the world that stood not with the reputation of her princely name And this doe they well vnderstand who best vnderstood the Queenes nature who respected the honour of her princely name as much as any other Prince euer did 13. And though it be iudged that the states were Rebells to the King of Spaine yet considering the full opposition of that time betweene England and Spaine it may seeme reasonable in the Queene to take this aduantage offered by the Low-Countries and to protect them for the security of her owne peace aswell because of their conformity in Religion as also for the better disinabling of her mortall enemie who by all contriuement sought the detriment of her state And besides there is a great difference in them who moue Rebellion and them who imploy Rebells being moued to opportune purposes especially considering the enmity of him against whom they Rebell 14. And this I write to answer the euill rumors of such men who are most ready to traduce the Queenes most honourable deseruings For neither do I condemne the States for Rebells neither do I acquite them of that imputation but onely answere for
An importaÌ„t aduise to all Princes A Reason Esop in morall Fables The queenes moderation Her defence of Faith before she was Queene An euill practise to disinherit the Queene Note Her trouble in her Sisters time Queene Elizaheths Teares Salomon A good woman Pollitique Morall Her first care for Religion A loue principium The queenes care to cure the diseased State The practise of bad physisitions Her restoring Religion to purity of Doctrine Poperie for euer banished from this Iland King Edward ouermatched by Queene Elizabeth Her desert visible in the face of England The returning of holy men from banishment to England Diuine Pollitique Morall Experience Nothing that is earthly is free from inconstancie God the onely supporter of mens resolution The nature of all men Queene Elizabeth most constant To auoid the miscoÌ„ceiuing The Queene neuer fainted in her resolution Yet much tempted by state considerations Religion Pollicie respect diuers ends Religion ought to order state Religion is peruerted and Scripture wrested to maintaine vnlawfulnes In Popish states Regards of state One of the chiefe of Q. Elizabeths honourable deeds The victorie she had of her selfe The first consideration of State The danger of altering Religion A Reason The Queene made choise of the weaker to assist her against the stronger Her holy trust The second State consideration was the difficulty in finishing An argumeÌ„t from the order of nature The importance of this consideration Third consideration The displeasure of forreigne princes The desires of great persons The vse of forreigne regard In respect of England A Reason The Spanyard hath now larger Dominions than the Duke of Muscouy EnglaÌ„d in the midst of many disagreeing Nations The queenes constancie God is able to worke without as well as with meanes Sampson The honour of Queene Elizabeth Diuine Pollitique Morall Mercie The reward of Mercie Mercie hath prehemineÌ„ce in the nature of God Queene Elizabeth very mercifull An admirable degree of Mercie The mercy of Popish lawes and Papists How much the Queene hath exceeded her Sister in mercie The purpose of the queens Lawes No meanes to reclaime the inueterate enuie of men Proiects deuised by the Pope Interdictions Pope Pius Quintus The euill effect of the Popes Bull. A Parliament The cause of the statutes against Recusants Exmalis moribus nascuntur bona leges The mercy of the queens Lawes The purpose of the Statutes A large demonstration of the queens mercie The slanders of euill and malitious men None haue haue suffered in England for their conscience onely The mercy of the Law The Popes Bull the occasion of more strict Lawes The purpose of the state The difference in the practise of these states Our iustice more mercifull then their mercie The pollitique regard of this seuerity in the Romish State Religion flourisheth vnder â—ppression This Pollicie not answerable to piety nor holy example Act. 5. 34. The mercy of English Lawes concerning Religion Christ the true example of Christians The principall purpose of the statutes The necessity of these Statutes Diuine Pollitique Morall In respect of the Church The prosperity of the state dependeth on the prosperity of the Church The Church and State Children of one Father Respect had to Pollicie and not to piety onely The Popes quarrell The particular branches of these Statutes Inconuenience by English Romish trauellers Nothing can respect the state lawfully that respecteth not Religion also A comparisoÌ„ Of most importance for the Church In respect of the common-Wealth The wisedome of state The dangerous inconuenience of Iesuites and Romish Priests The Iesuites banished France Franciscan Fryer King Dauid A respect most needfull for the English Nation A prouident carâ— The policie of the Romish Church preuented Iesuites Intelligencers A great means of the Popes greatnesse The vse of Seminarie Priests and Iesuites Treason Wherein Iesuits are best learned Diuine Pollitique Morall Euery mans care Charity doth approue vs good men Children of God Loue the fulfilling of Gods Law The dutie of euery Christian The care which ought to be regarded in all States The purity of Christian Religion The difference of Christian and heathenish State Queene Elizabeth most compassionate Distressed Christian Princes In respect of Scotland The wisedome of those times Note These two Kingdomes in one Isle like two wiues in one house King Iames. The Queene hath the glorie of this deede The Queene euer fauorable to Scotland The Queene defended that nation which her predecessors had much offended The French King A princely regard Obiection Answer The Queene neuer altogether ruled by the perswasion of State The queenes reason The Frenchmen owe thankes to the name of Queene Elizabeth The King and kingdome of portingall None can giue victory at his pleasure Gods iudgement The doubt of Anthonies title The queenes double respect in this voyage A reason for the Queenes excuse The States of the Low-Countries A dangerous Obiection The answer The queenes nature A second reason of the Queenes doings Note Euill men readie to traduce the Queene The offence betweene England and Spaine a sufficient reason for these proceedings Vertue the better for opposition The Queene iustifiable in this quarrell The Spaniards the States can both report the Queenes victories The queenes cares euer seruants to the necessities of Christian princes The honour of the English Nation Diuine Pollitique Morall God the best recompencer of deserts God most assured in his promises Gods reward In the queens particular Many practises against the Queene The diuers sorts of practises Gods speciall prouidence for the Queenes safetie Daunted with her Maiesty It is in vaine to resist the power of God Her trouble in her Sisters time Her enemies could not preuaile to her destruction An obiection The answer Note The queenes innocence was a cause but not the onely cause of her safetie After she was Queene The practise of the Pope against her The two Earles WestmerlaÌ„d and NorthuÌ„berland Gods defence for the queen The Spanish King The common attempts on both sides The nature of our English Warres with Spaine The Spanish preparation to inuade England The inuincible Nauie Anno. 1588. Their proud confidence God hateth pride in all Creatures His mighty deliuerance Sir Francis Drake How the Queene behaued her selfe in these weighty affaires No man certainly known before his end The glory of our life is to continue in well doing The queenes godly constaÌ„cie She was answerable to her constant mot Semper eadem Her constancie apparent In the view of her gouernement The name of Queene Elizabeth cannot perish in England A request to the learned of this Land The last defence shee made for the Catholike Faith A most Christian care A worldly care To benefit posterity The care of Christians The queenes persecution King Iames. Obiection Answer Another obiection Reasons The answer None but God can foretell the truth of future euents Gods decree His prouidence Councell When Gods secrets are knowne to men All things are iudged by their euents and not otherwise Astrâ—logie and calculating vncertaine False foreiudging The foolish impudence of men God iudgeth not as man by apparaÌ„ce The Kings Maiesty God hath exceeded our hopes Mens expectations deceiued In respect of likely-hood The practise of forreigne States our enemies A matter very considerable The discretion of State Note Gods fauour to the King The enemies of this Kingdome What the King did inherit with England The Kings forward successe The King at his entring had no vse for weapon but to giue honour The happie issue deceiued the euill ezpectation Gods blessings to our Nation Queene Elizabeth We ought to glory in nothing but in well-doing Gods instrument The Kings care for Religion The Kings reforming the state of Scotland The first Protestant King in this Kingdome Gods assistance to the Kings good cause The King defended the quarrell of Faith before he had the title A gratious beginning ending Diuine Pollitique Morall The alteration of a Prince the alteration of State Nothing but the person of the Prince was altered The euill hopes of bad men The hope of factious people Note That both the Papist the puritane could conspire on hope in one particuler Prince The successe failed Church of Scotland The Kings resolute constancie The reason Their arguments of hope How God assisted the King in this important businesse The Kings choice The Papist and the Puritane both enemies to the Catholike Church The order of the Kings proceeding against the Puritan The Kings most Christistian Care His Maiesties religious Iudgement The different nature of the King and these peeuish people Obiection Answer A most orderly proceeding An argument Papist The care of the State The reason The Papists The Gunpowder treason How this might haue wrought reuenge in the Kings desire The Kings Proclemation His most religious mercie Statutes enacted The Oath of Allegiance Blackwell the Arch-Priest The two great enemies of our Church Diuine Pollitique Morall The many daungers the King passed In Scotland England The conspiracie of the Gowries His deliueuerance At the Queenes death The Pope and Papist No disturbance to let the Kings forward entrance The treason of the blowing vp the Parliament house A destruction lesse mercifull than the Flood God wonderfully protected the King Religion deuideth the world The names of Christian and heathen odious to one another The Christians among themselues and the heathen among themselues deuided Among the Christians Christians now haue as manie Religions as the Pagans had Gods One God one Truth one Religion God hath prescribed an order for his seruice The reason why Religion is so deuided The contradictions among the learned Papists Doctor Morton Bellarmine and Blackwell Wisbitch Iesuites and Secular Priests Note In the Religion of popery much diuersity The Protestant Religion deuided The hurts of diuided Religion No meanes to reclaime these disobedient Christians Obiections of the Papists Answer Diuersity in all Religions Diuersity in the Iewish Church The doctrine of the Sadduces The Kings desert in this respect of vnity The true Religion is like Christ betweene two Thieues Christ the way the truth and the life He that is but neere truth is not true
affecting them more then the Lord of them nor applying them to any other end then holines for which all things were created most happie are they who for the honour of their God and for the testimonie of his truth haue forsaken the pleasures of this transitory life and haue giuen themselues a sacrifice to God for so to die is to enioy immortality and perpetuall rest CHAP. XVI Of King Edwards Death and how hee left the State to the next Successor FIRST it were foolish and vaine for any man to desire to know the secrets of Gods will because no man can vnderstand more of Gods secret than he himselfe shall please to reueale and therefore is mans knowledge limited being able onely to iudgâ— by reason and consequence whereas Gods diuine workes exceed the iudgement of sence being not contrary but aboue the reach of reason And from this cause is it that men commonly offend in their false constructions iudging of Gods worke grosly according to humane vnderstanding and not considering his wisedome and power by whose prouidence all things are directed For in Gods matters Christians must beleeue when they cannot iudge and it is sufficient argument to conclude the goodnesse of any worke when wee know that God is the Author for those things which to a naturall man seeme strange to a reformed iudgement appeare much otherwise and there is nothing be it neuer so euill in mans iudgement but God can make it serue for the worke of his glory he being able to make the euills of men respect an end beyond their expectations and in that wherein we iudge our selues most miserable can he make vs most happie Secondly And for particular instance we may consider K. Edward whom God elected from among many thousands for the work of his glory hauing defended the Catholike Faith with a resolution most zealous constant yet notwithstanding in the growth of his prosperity did God take him from the world and depriue the Children of faith of their Patron and princely Defendor whereby in common iudgement God may seeme to be offended with his owne and to leaue his Saints vndefended to the stroake of persecution from which this holy King had defended them But thus to iudge of God were wicked and false because we see the Gospell by that interruption did spread it self with much more generall acceptation the blood of holy Martyrs being a holy seed whereby the Church spread into a large generation and who knoweth but God to manifest to all the world the faith and obedience of his holy Saints in the Church of England suffered this persecution for the glory of their memorie for a demonstration to all men what numbers of true Catholike Christians had flourished vnder the protection of King Edward their Patrone and princely Defendor The Saints hereby exchanging their mortall variable life for eternity perpetuall rest their deaths begetting the liues of many holy men like them whereby the number of Gods seruants was much augmented to the glory of God and prosperity of his Church And therefore let no man condemne the worke of Gods prouidence but yeeld his obedience to the good pleasure of God and let him know that God is mercifull euen in his iudgements and that hee can make that which doth seeme to threaten vs most to be the Ladder whereby we may ascend the highest of all preferments the fauour of God and the fellowship of his holy Saints Thirdly King Edward being dead the state grew verie stormie and full of greate businesse the cause being who should succeed the King in which controuersie the kingdome was deuided the greatest part of the Counsell and the Nobility proclaiming Lady Iane Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke whose Mother was Daughter to Mary King Henries Sister first married to the French King and after to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke But the greatest part of the Commons and some of the Nobility adhering to Lady Mary eldest Daughter to King Henrie the Eighth by his first wife Queene Katherine of Spaine and this occasion was the trouble and death of many honourable and worthy personages For whether King Edward of his owne election or wrought by the perswasion of others I know not had by his last Will and Testament interested the Ladie Iane to the inheritance of his kingdomes for this cause as was pretended that the State might still continue the profession of the Protestant Religion which could not be hoped in the gouernement of Queene Mary But howsoeuer the King did thus bequeath his kingdomes it is very likely hee was drawne thereto by perswasion of his nobles especially of the two Dukes Northumberland and Suffolke because hereby the inheritance was conueyghed to their issue to whom in right it did not belong neither is it likely the King of his owne motion would haue disinherited his owne Legitimate sisters to interest one further off And if Religion was the cause why was not choise rather made of Queene Elizabeâ—h then Lady Iane Shee being by much neerer in the degrees of blood and altogether as assured in the Protestant Religion And therefore certainely the King was moued by others to offer this iniurie to his neerest blood Fourthly And if the question be demanded whether in this case it was lawfull for the King to translate the inheritance of his kingdomes I answer that howsoeuer the pretence is faire and good yet was the practise euill because wrong was offered and those ends are neuer good the which are compassed by euill meanes and to translate inheritance where it ought not is to contradict Gods prouidence by whose wisedome all things are ordered And therfore no doubt this offence of those Dukes and their confederates conspiring with them this vnlawfull end was the cause that God did suffer the power of their enemies to preuaile to their destruction For God is the Father of Truth and the God of Iustice neither would he that men should attempt to alter the course of his prouidence or by any violent and euill meanes pursue an end be it neuer so Religious and holy For good men must vse onely good meanes to reach good ends And therefore this practise of these Dukes in the iudgement of Religion was not good notwithstanding in state practise it hath example and may seeme allowable Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST there is no pretence how faire soeuer can giue authority and strength to vnlawfull actions For God who is all-sufficient and who hath decreed all good things hath likewise deuised all good meanes to compasse them therefore euery good worke doth consist of lawfull matter and forme for no euill thing can bee well done neither can any good thing bee done euilly Secondly When God by death doth preuent the hopes that are had of a vertuous Prince it doth not argue against the worthinesse of the Prince
approue her to bee most valiant in Christian patience and to haue worthily defended the profession of the Catholike Faith before shee was made Defendresse the storie of which her most vertuous suffering I haue heretofore written in verse and therefore in this place I forbeare to make particular Narration of that which formerly I haue declared And in this I receiue speciall contentment that in my knowledge of this Souereigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth I dare confidently report to haue found more in the trauell of my time than King Salomon withall his experience and wisedome could euer finde A good Woman 〈…〉 FIRST 〈◊〉 common with God then to helpe when the disease is highest and the expectation of good is furthest off for in this doth God shew his omnipotencie and the difference betweene the actions of himselfe and his creatures for man to produce his effects doth couet the aduantage of naturall fitting causes but it is sufficient cause in God that he is willing Secondly There is this difference in the punishments of good and euill men temporall and eternall the good mans temporall punishment must of necessity end the euill mans spirituall punishment hath an euerlasting necessity of being For God hath determined all men to taste of both cups but with different measure Thirdly It was a wisedome both Religious and Pollitique in the Queene to enter her State with generall peace for though shee had the sword of authority in her hand and found in the power of her command such as had bene very grieuous vnto her yet did she like a wise Princesse take no further reuenge then onely name them for her enemies and so distinguish them from better friends For it is most needfull for a Prince at the entring his State to gaine the opinion of mercie because there is nothing can better secure him then the hearts and faithfull seruice of his people Fourthly There is this greatnesse euen in men of inferior fortune that they either dispise the dignities they haue not or can with a modest patience hope them For seeing that all worldly things are moued with variable motions what man can haue reason to dispaire the fortune of some prosperitie CHAP. XXIV Of the first Act of Queene Elizabeths defence for the Catholike Faith after she was Queene FIRST Queene Elizabeth in her gratious disposition was like the sune which no sooner is vp but it riseth to the comfort of all Creatures so the Queene no sooner in the seate of Maiestie but she applyeth her cares to the vse of mercie and vertuous deeds casting vpon the generall face of this Nation her heauenly aspect and influence which in the blacke time of her Sisters gouernement lay in the shadow of darkenesse and blacke obscurity And as the neerest to her Religious heart she beginneth being of important consideration first with Gods cause Religion laying that for her foundation whereupon she determined to erect the whole frame of her holy life For shee well vnderstood there was nothing could support her in the true estimation of honour and vertuous liuing but Religion without the exercise whereof all other things are vitious and of euill merit And therefore did she pursue this end with a most stedfast resolution daring to doe any thing were it neuer so hazerdous that might aduantage it and remouing euery impediment which any way might hinder the prosperity of that proceeding And because she found the bodie of her State dangerously wounded by disorder and euill gouernement she therefore very carefully and skilfully applieth present remedie least otherwise the disease might proue incureable and the cause of Religion might then bee like the common cause of Patients who haue their patience tryed by deferments and lingring cures which in the trade and practise of many bad Physitions is very frequent And this disgrace hath the Queene well auoided in determining first the generall cause of the Common-Wealth before any particular end that might respect her owne priuate Secondly The euidence of this her holy and princely care is most apparant in the restoring of Religion to that Truth and Authoritie wherein in King Edwards time it was worthily established abolishing superstitious Poperie which in the time of Queene Marie her Sister had vsurped the place and dignitie of true Religion And this false worship hath Queene Elizabeth like a most victorious Empresse for euer vanquished bringing it downe to that pouertie of strength as the fauourers thereof haue little reason euer to hope a restauration of that which she and her Successor our Soueraigne King Iames haue for euer banished from the bonds of great Brittaine Thirdly And in this hath Queene Elizabeth very fortunately defended the Catholike Faith and finished that holy quarrell with as much honour as euer did any Christian Prince before her being in this worthily able to match if not to ouer match her most princely brother K. Edward who but for her may be thought for his holy care singular and without comparison Fourthly To reckon vp the particulars of Queene Elizabeths merit were a needlesse trauell both because I cannot so report them as they are worthly and also because they are yet visible in the view of the gouernement of the Church and State of England as now it standeth our Church being still in the flourish of that prosperity wherein shee left it established to the next Defendor of the Faith and wherein K. Iames her successor our Souereigne doth yet continue it and wherein we hope it will be euer continued in his hopefull posterity Fifthly This noble beginning of Queene Elizabeth was so much to the aduancement of the Catholike Faith that being by report made knowne to the world was a cause that the Children of faith who in Queene Maries time did willingly banish themselues into places of farre distance now hearing of this alteration resort againe to their Countrie and to the protection of this Noble Defendresse who did free them from the miserie of persecution and vnder whose defence they peaceably enioyed their liues and the libertie of Reformed Conscience And with this holy exordium did Queene Elizabeth begin the Storie of her vertuous life Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST It is a precept giuen vs by our best Master First seeke the Kingdome of God This lesson had the Queene learned from that Doctor who therefore did applie her first cares to this principall end for which God did succeed her in others for it is vnquestionable true that he that seeketh God shall finde all his necessarie things though he seeke them not Secondly The Queene by her direct manifesting her resolute purpose how in the case of Religion she was resolued was both in her selfe Religious and had this Pollitique respect that thereby shee tooke feare from her friends and hope from her enemies making hope and feare shift places for that did satisfie the expectation of her friends which in such
Queene from heauen absoluing her subiects from their obedience deposing the Queene and disposing of her Kingdomes as he thought conuenient And this by reason of the fauour of Romish Religion did some hurt in the State the Earles of Westmerland and Northumberland by this incouragement raise Rebellious Armes against the Queene and the State of Religion But God the great enemie of Traitors confounds this practise of the Popes confounds his rebellious instruments the two Earles scatters their rebell troopes and giueth the Queene and honourable victory Seuenthly The Pope finding these oppositions to weake incites a more able enemie against her Philip King of Spaine who by reason of his Indian Wealth and his large command of people may bee thought the most able Prince in Christendom between whom and the Queene the Warres were maintained with much resolution and valour yet by reason of the maine distance betweene their Kingdomes they were lesse fearefull than otherwise they would haue bene if these two England and Spaine had bene neighbour Nations And therefor the common attempts on both parties were to Roue at Sea and make prey of such Merchants and others as had not power to resist them whereof it happened that both of them both lost and wonne according as good occasion and the fortune of VVarre would fauour them Eighthly And in these heates and prouocations did these warres continue whereby both Nations became in the greatest hatred of one another that could be And the Spanyard naturally proud and hauing got many victories in other parts of the world thought it much to his dishonour that little England should be able to resist his greatnes the rather he being ayded by the Pope and England vnassisted by any other confederate saue the Low-Countries Therefore he made great preparation to inuade this kingdome that by the Conquest thereof he might declare his greatnesse and at once end that warre which had bene continued by Sea fights and other pettie grieuances a long time And for this end was that huge Nauie of Ships prouded by them Christened the inuincible Nauie which anchoring neere our English Coast appeared like a Citie of Ships or like another England come to inuade England so confident were they in the trust of this victory that before hand they would dispose of Earledomes Lordships and large Possessions bringing with them whips and other instruments of torment to afflict the victored English ouer whom they neuer were victors Ninthly But God who saw this their presumptuous pride and hated it in the Nature of his Angels would not flatter in the Nature of the Spanyards and that men might know that he onely and not the numbers of men can giue victory he in a trice dissolues this huge Congregation of Ships and by the wisedome Pollicie of one little man onely did he vtterly ouerthrow this mighty Goliah this huge hoast by the Spanyards reputed and reported to be inuincible Tenthly And thus did God giue a gratious deliuerance to his seruant Elizabeth making her triumph in the spoyle of her enemies and to ouerthrow that strength which in iudgement was thought inuincible And for the Queene her selfe in these weighty affaires she neuer gaue the least demonstration of feare but in her owne person and in her greatest hazard would shee by orations animate and inflame the valour of her people shewing the greatnesse of her noble Spirit with such proofes of Maiestie as the greatest courage in the world could not do more By these particulars out of many may appeare how much Queene Elizabeth was in Gods fauour and how admirably hee hath defended this most noble Defendresse of the Catholike Faith CHAP. XXX Of Queene ELIZABETHS resolute continuing the defence of the Catholike FAITH FIRST Before our end wee are not certainely knowne what we are because of the many alterations turnings whereto all Earthly things are subiect for wee see that the beginning and the endings of many vtterly disagree and that many haue a hopefull beginning whose ends are desperate and a man may enterprise well that cannot finish well Therefore as euery thing is iudged by the euent so euery man is iudged by his end he being most properly said to be such a man as he shall declare himselfe in his last resolutions Secondly It is then the glory of our life to continue in well doing and that no consideration moue vs to retire from the vse of vertuous deeds and to abandon that whereby we haue gotten a reputation of vertuous liuing Thirdly And this godly constancie hath well appeared in Queene Elizabeth who euer continued her selfe most constant in her Religious Resolution For as she was ruled being vnder gouernement so shee ruled when she had the gouernement and so she left the rule when she left the gouernement she was borne in the Faith of the Protestant Religion she liued in that Faith and in that Faith she died her aduersity in her Sisters time could not weary her nor her prosperity in her own time varie her but in both times was she one without alteration At her entring the State she tooke vpon her the Defence of the Catholike Faith the which she attempted noblely continued constantly and finished happily for as she began so she continued and as shee continued so shee ended Fourthly This her Christian constancie is most apparant in the view of her gouernement where her hands were euer working for the defence of Faith defending it at home defending it abroad for her selfe defending it and defending it for others euer in trauell for this holy businesse the particulars whereof if I should report them I should ouercharge my poore abilitie with too much businesse and peraduenture preuent the Labours of some other better able to report them For it cannot be that the honorable name of this great Queene should euer dye or that the remembrance of her vertuous and Princely deedes should perish in forgetfulnes because this Nation which she hath so much honoured hath many generous and sufficient Learned men whose honestie will neuer suffer that England lose the honour of her famous memorie by whose great Maiesty England it selfe and the name of English-man is throughout the world made very famous Fiftly And I heartily wish that these my poore vndertakings in this honorable cause may prouoke be it by enuie or displeasure some better sufficiency to report her most Princely deseruings and it iustly doth moue admiration in many that among so much sufficient Learning as this Land hath such a Queene such a Patronesse of Pietie Learning should not liue in the written monumēts of their best sufficiencie whose name hath got degrees aboue admiration with Princes of the greatest commaund in the World And most excellent Prince may it please your Grace I may report the loue I will euer owe the liuing name of this dead Queene and the content
alteration of time How God doth inuite men to their Saluation Religion did liue in death The cause of scisme in Christian Religion The Practises of the French Diuine Pollitique Morall The reformation of Religion Christian Religion deuided into Protestants and Papists How Religion was reformed England the first that with victory did oppose the Pope The first occasion of the alteration of Religion Luthers Booke de Captiuitate Babyl K. Henery the Eighth against Luther The purpose of the Kings Booke The greatnes of the Pope at those times The Popes pollicie The Popes secret purpose in stiling the K. Defendour of the Faith The Popes purpose disappointed by prouidence God moueth the King against his naturall disposition Luthers bitter writing Luthers misconceiuing Luthers zeale without discretioÌ„ Diuine Politique Morall The first Act of the Kings Defence Frederick Barbarossa Henry the Second The first occasion of difference betweene King Henry and the Pope The King first made supreame Head Anno regni 26. An Argument of the Kings greatnesse The benefit of Maiestie The inconuenience of Papall authoritie Diuine Pollitique Goodness and greatnes the two ends whereto all men intend Richard the Third of England The gouernment Monarchiall the best An inconuenience of Popish Supremacie Pretend and intend The practise of many Treasâ—ns Pride the most sensible signe of Antichrist Psalme The sinne of the Diuels in the Creation Nymrods sinne Supremacie God neuer altereth his purpose Vicessitudo rerum The variety of Fortunes The regard that was giuen to the Pop Church The first cause of alteration of Religion God most iealous of his honour The King well fitted for this businesse What might moue the K. in respect of himselfe Master Fox in the Act and Monâ— The Popes strength The cause mouing the King to the subersion of the Abbeyeâ— The outrruding of Fryers c. The suppressing of Abbeyes good to the Church and Common-Wealth A doubt Answer 1. 2. Cardinall Wolsey an euill president Pollitique Morall The weakenesse of the Kings resolution The King ruled by perswasion and not by Iudgement Cardinall Wolsey Thomas Cranmer D. Cranmer Stephen Gardiner Gardiner a great Polititian The sixe Articles Sir Thomas Moore The excelleÌ„t ornaments in Nature in Sir Thomas Moore The error of such as write Historie Truth the life of all History Moore an euemie to the Protestant Religion The vnequal comparison betweene Moore and Gardiner Lord Cromwell In moderation England beholding to the labours of the Lord Cromwell In this time Religion did proceed well His constancie in one course Diuersity of opinions cause of the Kings vnconstancie The Kings infirmitie Euery alteration in a state is dangerous The Kings error Diuine Pollitique Morall The cause pretended of the sixe Articles The cause of manie grosse and sencelesse opinions The nature of the Vulgar An euil cure Sixe Articles The power of perswasion The sixe Articles what they were The euil that redounds to a State when the Counsell are diuided The care of State Gardiner the meanes to hinder the King from reformation Gardiners wit Gardiners gifts The ReligioÌ„ at this time in England was neither the ProtestaÌ„t nor the Papist Three Protestants and three Papists die at one time and in one place for their Conscience Acts and Mon pag. 1375. The Kings Counsell the one halfe Protestants the other Papists The miserie of these times Tolle vnum tolle verum 2 Sam. 7. 5. God would not that K. Henry but that King Edward should finish this reformation King Henry deserued well in doing more then was done before him by any other The King exceeded expectation God assisted the King The Kings desert Diuine Pollitique Morall The difficultie in the Kings attempt This opposition was ordered by the power of God The wisedome of pollicie is foolishnesse with God The King gaue aduantage to his enemies The Popes Curses vpon King Henry The power of the Popes censure Faction the first part of Conquest A second Reason The equall partage of Christendome to many Princes The care of those times England and France in continuall faction A pollitique regard England with Spaine France with Scotland coÌ„federates The aduantage the French had of the English by reason of this popish quarrell God and not pollicie ordered the king Considerations in respect of the Pope The Pope degraded of authority The Kings example daÌ„gerous for the Pope The Pope enuied of Christian Princes The Popes diligence The respect the Pope had to the dishonorable yealding How it did import the Pope to continue friendly intertainement with the King The Pope lost the King by his too much neglect pride Authority in an euill person ruines it selfe A saying of Byas How to iudge men God confoundeth the Popes pollicie God and the Pope vtterly disagree Papall suprepremacie gotten by state practise Charles the Great father of the Popes ambition Luther Areason of the Popes obstinacie A principall of Papistrie The fashion of antient Heretickes The pride of the Pope To know how to distinguish good and euil by their ends The Pope intituleth himselfe the seruant of Gods seruants but insulteth ouer Emperors Dissimulation commonly in The Popes greatnesse like Nebuchadnezzars Tree couered the whole Earth When great dissemblers dare discouer themselues The Kings proceedings very important The Kings orderly proceeding The bodie of Popery must needs fall when Supremacie the head was cut off The Christian Princes stood mute at the Kings businesse The French had at this time aduantage of the English by reason of the Pope England and France enuious of one anothers gloriâ— The King fortunate The Kings care to satisfie the Princes of Christendome The reason thereof A pollitique discretion Religion at this time but in reforming The Pope had his head broken Diuers law-makers diuers lawes The euill gouernement of the state at this time The King himselfe otherwise inclined D. of Saxony Master Fox Act. and Mon. pag. 1478. The Kings dislike of Gardiner The repentance sorrow the King made for the Lord Cromwell The Kings affection How the K. left the state Whether the King defended the faith or not Obiection The King the first Christian King Defendor of the Faith The King defended the Faith in two particulars A double inconuenience to a Christian state The King made way for his Sonne King Edward finished what his Father had attempted A comparison betweene King Henry and King Edward To finish a good is more then to begin it In respect of greatnes K. Henry was more excellent in respect of goodnesse King Edward King Henry did wound Idolatry but King Edward destroyed it Diuine Pollitique Morall The King the Emperor famous for their bold Attempts The Emperour against Pope Alexander the King against Pope â—lemeÌ„t They both quarrell the Pope for Soueraigntie The King intended reformation the Emperour did not The Emperour more forward least fortunate The Kings weakenesse was the weakenesse of Nature not of Courage The two Popes their enemies neerely agree They both curse but with vnequall successe
and here may be generally noted from the Obseruations of all times that God doth neuer suffer the light of his truth to be vtterly extinct though many times in that degree of aduersity as that the eye of this world cannot see it This is euident in the sacred Stories of the Bible and also in the condition of these times whereof I write When ignorance and Error like a double vaile did blinde the face of Truth yet God whose eye of prouidence is euer open seeth the enuie of euill men And in the time of his good pleasure he taketh off this double Vaile and presents Truth naked to the view of all men as in the sequell of this History shall appeare most euident Secondly Here hence also we may note the instability of earthly things and how that Soueraignty and Empire the pollitique ends and the extremities of mens indeuours are built vpon vncertainties and most vnconstant turnings the which false foundation hath suddenly cast downe what many yeares much studie and many mens labours had erected Therefore is that principle of Pollicie not altogether without reason that Authority and Greatnesse of State receiueth strength by discords and Faction For it is both the nature of things and the trauell of men to indeauour alterations and to transpose things from the present condition wherein they are for from this cause all Empires haue had their beginning strength and death Thirdly It is a Morall respect that in our constructions we Iudge not properties by externall euidence only for vertue and merit is not giuen by Suffrage because it is often included in the farre inferior number and is often banished to pouerty and contemptible fortune Fourthly For as it is no proofe of truth to produce multiplicitie of witnesses where there is a necessary relation to fauour So vertues and morall deserts are not Iudged by common examples or opinions because both the one and other are not free and voluntary but forced on vs by the grosse and palpable flatteries of our infirmities Fifthly It is also a morall institution that men should somewhat disgrace themselues in their owne dignities not that their actions may indure disgrace but that their owne opinions exceede not in their owne estimations which error doth often make the most fortunate most wretched For if kingdomes Empires and the Catholike Church haue indured bad alterations Let no man dare to secure himselfe in their vncertainties CHAP. II. By whom and what meanes this Title Defendor of the Faith was giuen to the Crowne of England FIRST there is not in this last age of the world any thing more admirable or that better doth merit the memorie of writing then the reformation of Christian Religion reducing it to that purity of Doctrine wherein it was first deliuered And this in a double respect deserueth euerlasting memorie First the worthinesse of the act it selfe being the restoring of Religion to the purity of Doctrine whereby so much good doth redound to the state of Christendome as that greater cannot Religion being the key that doth open the passage to happinesse and the Ladder by which wee ascend the presence of God and holy Angels whereby we are interessed into Gods fauour and without which it is impossible to please God It is admirable also in respect of the manner and meanes whereby this worke was wrought being directed by the speciall power of Gods prouidence to the admiration of al them that truly consider it Secondly For the Act it selfe all the learned in the world are in controuersie whether thereby Religion was deformed or reformed To both which opinions many excellent learned men diuersly adhered whereby they deuide the vnity of Religion into these two diuersities Protestants and Papists either of these subdeuiding it selfe againe into many seueralls whereby the plaine and honest vnderstanding of men lesse learned are distract To see Religion which in truth is but one deuided into so many diuersities now because the handling of this doth rather belong to argument then History to a disputation rather than to a relation of the occurrents of Time I therfore leaue that as impertinent to this businesse and onely tie my selfe to relate the manner how Christian Religion was reformed and in speciall how by the Crowne of England this was done whereby that Nation hath all other Kingdomes of the Earth in the highest degrees of honour and reputation much exceeded it being the first that with victory dared to cast off that awfull and needlesse yoke of obedience to the seate of Rome Thirdly The first occasion hereof was in the time of Martin Luther who by his diligence in preaching and writing had got great estimation in Germany especially with the Duke of Saxonie because in his teaching he opposed the vsurped authority of the Pope and for detesting those grosse heresies which by long continuance in the Church had gotten a generall allowance among almost all men This Luther writ a booke entituled de captiuitate Babylonica so offensiue to the state of Papacie as the Pope and all his speciall fauourites were therewith very much displeased Whereupon King Henery the Eighth whether of his owne accord or by the perswasion of others I know not writ against Luther and in speciall against that booke of his de Capt. Babil in defence of the Popes Supremacie The purpose of the Kings booke beeing specially to conclude the doctrine of Pardons Secondly of the Popes Supremacie Thirdly of the Sacraments of the Church whether this was the Kings owne labour or that he onely Fathered it to giue it authority is not certainely knowne and diuersly beleeued Many thinke it was not and that his Fathering of it was onely a pollicie of state both to gaine himselfe a reputation in learning and that by this speciall demonstration the Pope might be tyed to the Kings fauour and assist him in his Warres against the French King and they haue these reasons of likely-hood that vpon the instant publishing the said Book the Pope did not only fauour the Kings enterprise but also gaue him many other witnesses of thankes and among many this aboue all that to his other titles of honour he added this aboue all that in remembrance of the Kings princely care for the State of the Catholike Religion hee and his Successors for euer should be stiled Defendors of the most Catholike Faith Fourthly And herein appeared the greatnes of the Pope at that time that the greatest Princes of Christendome thought themselues highly rewarded for their greatest trauells if the Pope should but giue them the allowance of his fauour or demonstrate himselfe in any particular kindnesse how small soeuer And this was a matter very considerable in that pollitique Religion to gaine such opinion of holines as made him reuerenced of the greatest Potentates For by this he often made exchange with great aduantage giuing them words for things and receiuing the seruices of men
of his former strength And considering also the honour the Kings of England had got by the conquest of France the strong emulation of those two Neighbour Nations being both of them enuious of one anothers reputation and greatnesse the English being euer fortunate in those French quarrells and the French most desirous to suppresse the growing reputation of the English And therefore it may seeme at this time was offered an occasion to the French to recouer their reputation in Armes and to repossesse those places which the English then held in France yet for all these occasions so fortunate was the King and his people as no mis-fortune at that time did disaduantage our Nation God protecting it against the euill and beyond the expectation of all men 19. And lastly the King sending his Embassadours to all Christian Princes to giue them satisfaction for that he had done was a care very Princely and Christian for by this he preuented the many slanderous constructions that otherwise would haue censured him he himselfe by his Embassadours declaring the true purpose of his enterprize And this was a demonstration that the king reputed such whom he desired to satisfie as his kingly Brethren and that all of them being powers immediately vnder God in their owne Christian Kingdomes it was reason he should giue them a Christian satisfaction that he proceeded not in these diffrences without the perswasion of Learned and Religious iudgement neither was it euill order in the King to haue first effected what he ment and then to satisfie opinion For if hee had sent for their aduise before hee had attempted it he had then lost the honour of the enterprise and had either tied himselfe to the pleasures of other men or else haue opposed against them all the first had bene dishonorable the other very dangerous CHAP. IX In what State King Henrie left his Kingdomes to the next Defendor of the Faith King Edward the Sixth FIRST it may seeme strange to him that shall reade this Historie to consider the state of Religion in this last time of King Henries Reigne Religion lying then as it were in equall ballance inclinable to be sweighed according as shall please the next succeding Prince to fauour it For as yet Religion was not reformed but onely a preparation made for reformation the King hauing taken from the Pope his Supremacie and his vniuersall authority but not the number of his idle ceremonies insomuch as the Pope may be said to haue his head then broken in loosing his authority but his taile yet vnperisht reteining still the number of his fabulous obseruances And if I were demanded what was the Religion then profest in England I could not giue it name being no better then a Farrago or a Religion compounded of many diuers the State being yet vnsetled and but mouing to a reformation for both that of the Papist and this of the Protestant indured like extremities Secondly And the reason was because the lawes then in force were occasioned by men diuers in opinion yet neere in the greatnesse of place either part persecuting or prosecuting according to their seuerall affections So that men zealous in any profession of Religion were in danger of Law and such onely secure that made their conscience yeeld to generall practise and opinion whereby the best and most conscionable had least fauour in the iudgement of those lawes whereby the Common-Wealth did often lose her most vsefull members to the detriment of State and against all aduice both of pollicie and pietie Thirdly For that the King was of himselfe otherwise inclined may appeare both by the testimonie of them neere his person as also by the witnesse of his owne words as in particuler to Bruno Embassadour from Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie to whom imploring his aide against the Emperour hee answered that if the quarrell betweene him and the Emperor were onely for Religion he should then stand to it stoutly and hee would in that quarrell take his part Fourthly It may appeare also by the kings dislike of such men as had withheld his forwardnesse to reforme as in speciall Stephen Gardiner whom the king now found to contriue against him and to haue haled him on to those ends he most disliked And therfore the King before his death did withdraw his fauour from him And howsoeuer he forgaue him the forfeit of his life yet did hee for euer after discountenance him causing his name to bee rased out of the number of Executors to whose trust hee had commend the execution of his last will Besides the repentance and sorrow the King made for the Lord Cromwells death whom he had found so faithfull and fit for this businesse as neuer any Prince was better furnished the King finding the want of so choice an instrument would often in griefe of words say hee wanted his Cromwell in so needfull a businesse as he had vndertaken Fifthly And therefore assuredly the king had good affection to reforme the enormious abuses of the Church and to haue purged it from all Idolatrous seruice But God reseruing that for the honour of Prince Edward the next Defendor accepted of the Kings good purpose And that God who gaue him will to desire well and his sonne the honour to finish well gaue them both we trust his grace to die well to breath their soules into his hands of mercie And in these tearmes did the king leaue the state to the next Defendor his Princely Sonne a state full of storme and great businesse hauing entred so farre into an honourable passage as that the Prince who was to inherit his Fathers cares could not in the termes of honour but second the most honourable attempt of his Father Sixthly It may bee demanded now whether King Henrie according to his new stile did defend the Catholike Faith or not and in what particulars he best defended it For it may be obiected that the King not hauing reformed Religion but only in some few particulars hath not merited the honour of his stile because the Catholike Faith was not so defended in his time and in his kingdome but it indured much affliction To this I answer that howsoeuer the king did faile in the maine execution of his office yet cōsidering the greatnes of his attempt he hath wel deserued euerlasting memorie to be recorded the first Christian king Defendor of the Faith the first that with honour victory dated to oppose himself against the spiritual power of the Popes if we consider the danger of his attempt we shall finde it an act of great spirit consequence and such as may worthily compare with the deeds of antient Romanes which were of most admiration and wonder Seuenthly And in these two particulars hath he principally defended the Catholike Faith First in taking from the enemie of Faith authority
but it doth argue and conclude the vnworthinesse of the times for in such a case the Prince doth inherit happines but his people suffer miserie Thirdly It was both foolish and wicked in the two Dukes Northumberland and Suffolke to labour to erect and secure a state to their posterity with iniuries so apparant and palpable For though God many times suffer intrusions into titles he doth neuer establish them Fourthly In the discretion of State it cannot be thought otherwise but where there is vsurpation and false intrusion there is a miserable affliction with feare and Iealosie which neither the power or pollicie of any such State can auoid so long as God shall not suffer their violence to preuaile against the liues of the true inheritors Fifthly It is a Pollitique wisedome in a Prince to suspect the sincerity of al such state aduise that hath principall reference to the aduancement of such Counsellors For in this case it is often true that men will not speake their iudgements but their affections Sixthly To be ordered by lawfulnesse in all our actions is not onely the iudgement of conscience but of humanity and Morall discipline For Morall learning doth determine that there is nothing profitable that is not lawfull CHAP. XVII A Comparison betweene King Iosias of Iuda and King Edward of England FIRST to compare King Iosias of Iuda with King Edward of England is the most equall comparison of any two in the Storie of holy Kings both of them hauing with equall diligence and victory fought Gods quarrell to the glory of their God the reformation of his seruice the abolishing of Idolatrie and the confusion of the euill Ministers thereof First for their age when they began their Reignes King Iosias began his gouernement the eighth yeare of his age and King Edward the ninth of his wherein they very neerely consent and whereby God hath giuen proofe to the world that the power of his Spirit can as well preuaile in them of youth as in those of better yeares and experience he being able to make the Childe and the strong man alike victorious in a cause which hee shall please to protect as was this of these two holy Kings both of them equally conspiring one end the truth of Religion and holy worship Againe Amon Iosias his Father left the kingdome of Iuda in the exercise of Idolatry and so did King Henrie Edwards Father leaue the State of England in the practise of Popish Idolatrie hauing onely by suppressing of Abbeyes taken from those Idols their ornaments and wealth not vtterly destroying them as did Iosias and King Edward Againe Iosias when he vnderstood the will of God by hearing his Chancellor Shaphem reade the booke of the Law did accordingly frame himselfe in all obedience So King Edward when he vnderstood by the Learned men of his Realme such as Cranmer Latymer Ridley and others followed the Lords businesse with like zeale and constancie as did Iosias not onely abolishing the false but establishing the true forme of Gods seruice Againe as Iosias left the kingdome of Iuda to an euill Successor his Son Iehoahaz who againe prouoked the people to Idolatrie So likewise King Edward left the inheritance of the Church and kingdome of England to his Sister Mary who like Iehoahaz Iosias his Sonne did againe restore the euill practise of Idolatrie and superstitious Poperie vtterly defacing the godly building which her holy Brother had so carefully erected Againe as God did keepe his promise with Iosias which was to preserue Israell the time of his life in prosperity and rest So did God likewise preserue England in plenty and victory all the time of King Edward And therefore these two holy kings seeme to conspire in all saue their deaths Iosias dying in the field king Edward in his bed the one reigning thirty and one yeares the other but sixe yeares and odd moneths and yet in this hath king Edward the greater honour that he in sixe yeares did happily finish that which the other was thirty one yeares in compassing but aboue all hath he exceeded him in leauing to posterity that most famous Defendresse the Ladie Elizabeth his Sister who afterwards did proue the glory of her Sex and the admiration of all the world OF QVEENE MARIE AND of the alteration of the State in the beginning of her Time CHAP. XVIII FIRST I am now to change my Argument and to write not of mercy but of misery of the aduersity not of the prosperity of the Gospell and how the Catholike Faith was offended and not defended by the Successor Queene Marie who made the most miserable change in the state of England that euer that Nation indured she defacing the glorious worke of her Predecessor of K. Edward her princely brother extinguishing the lights of Truth whereby men were directed in the way of life obscuring al knowledge in the mist of Ignorāce and blacke error in which blindnesse the Christian world had for many yeares wandered This Eclipse being now againe by the interpositiō of her darke time brought vpon this Nation So that no light of Truth was in her time to be seene saue onely at the burning Stakes of Martyrs which holy fire did kindle a Religious zeale in many Spectators that beheld the mercilesse crueltie of the tormentors and the Christian patience of holy Saints tormented Secondly And therefore I am not as before to declare wherein Queene Marie hath defended the Catholike Faith because shee neuer defended it in the least particular but of the contrarie how shee did bend the powers of her endeauour both against the profession and the professors of true Christian Faith seeking by all violent and bloodie meanes to depresse the prosperity of Religion whereof by the dignity of her place she was made defendresse And in Truth it doth grieue me that I am to write the dishonor of this Queene which willingly I would auoide were the cause any other but Religion but that the declaration of these times do tie me to a necessity of Truth from which I dare not aberre for it were an euill presumption in any one to presume to write History then to obscure the truth thereof vpon what cause soeuer For thereof would issue a double inconuenience First he should wrong the vnderstandings of men in misreporting the Truth also lay an euil imputation on his name in suppressing the knowledge of Truth which is the life and true mouing soule of all Historie Thirdly And this I write in fauour of Q. Marie because of her extraordinary induments of Nature God hauing giuen her so much Maiesty and princely spirit as might serue to rule the greatest command in the world if to her other gifts God had giuen her the knowledge of his Truth she had well deserued to haue bene named most excellēt to haue exceeded all the famous Queenes
in the world saue her sister the most famous Elizabeth who hath exceeded her and al the world in the honour of true deseruing Fourthly Yet notwithstanding all these rare excellencies of nature merit little but only pittie for if the best beauty of nature haue not the benefit of grace the greatest ornaments therof are then but punishment to them that so enioy them And therefore they that haue not the gifts of grace haue nothing of worth though they haue all that nature can giue them and happie had Q. Marie bene if nature had giuen her lesse and grace more because any little breath of Gods Spirit is more worth than all other blessings whatsoeuer For nature adornes the body grace the soule of euery one that hath it commonly where the power of wit great spirit is in any one Subiect not moderated by grace they are then meanes to make the enioyers of them most dangerous instruments because nature cannot moue it self to good but naturally to euill and as the naturall motion is more easie to the mouer than the violent So the gifts of nature are more inclinable to euill than to good ends being moued to euill by their owne proper motion but to goodnesse by the motion of grace which in all naturall things is violent against nature And therfore was the Q. more dangerous hauing so much of nature because she was therby armed for euill the want of grace making her runne her natural course her great spirit other naturall induments spurring her forward in her euill passage whereby she became enemie to her self mouing her self to her own destruction Fifthly But that which made Q. Marie monstrous in her euill was the two much credit she gaue to euill counsell suffering her selfe to be transported by the violent spirits of euill and reuengefull men who conceiuing a grounded displeasure for some hard vsage they indured in K. Edwards time now take aduantage to reuenge the cause for which they had indured displeasure these men like euill spirits breathed the spirits of indignation into the Queenes heart moued her to effect most bloodie horrible deeds to the great displeasure of God and dishonour of her princely place Sixthly for it cannot be imagined that a Ladie of her spirit being in humane respects mercifull compassionate would haue entred her gouernement with such tyrannie terror bearing in both hands destruction like Reuenge her self entring the stage of her gouernement with fire blood had she not bene moued thereto by euil perswasion Neither can it be but the Q. conscience would condemne the course of her violent proceeding that she would iudge the large effusioÌ„ of christiaÌ„ blood stood not with the honour of her name nor with the Truth of Religion yet so powerfull is the authority of them we trust especially in the case of Religion and conscieÌ„ce as that many times we suffer our selus to be led against our own perswasioÌ„s by a reuerence we beare to other mens opinioÌ„s Seuenthly And this no doubt was the cause why the Queene was so resolued in in her bloodie persecutions shee giuing credit to their perswasion whom shee reputed most Reuerend and Learned and they perswading her she could not discharge the office of her Soueraigne place nor defend the Catholike Faith but by the extirping the Protestant Religion which in their opinion was Heresie in the highest degree neither could shee as they thought suppresse the generall fauour that profession had got in generall estimation but by seuerity rigorous laws wherein they were farre deceiued For it is impossible that any Pollicie of man should be able to supplant Gods Husbandrie which he hath made prosperous the Truth whereof is manifest in the experience of these persecuting times when as the death of one holy man was the life of many God raising a holy generation out of the ashes of his holy Martyrs the Church not decresing but increasing by the stroake of persecution And in this case was the Queene counselled as Rehoboams was by his young states men to make the yoake of persecution heauie whereas her Father did chastise with rodds she should correct with scourges and this was the euill counsell wherewith the Queene was ordered for shee made her yoake heauier than all her Predecessors had done and in truth insupportable for any true Christian Professor Eightly And therefore this Counsell of theirs may haue Pollicie but no Piety for if the State in King Edwards time had vsed Gardiner and Bonner with like seuerity and had taken from them their euill liues which they had iustly forfeited then had not these euill Ministers bene the cause of so much blood shed neither happily should the Queene haue had any such as they to haue prouoked her to such dishonour and vngodly practise for it is needfull Pollicie that the haughty spirits of men that haue authority and greatnesse must either not be offended or being moued to offence must bee then made sure from taking Reuenge And it had bene good for the Christian State that the ambitious spirit of Winchester had either not bene discontented by his disgrace and imprisonment or being so offended to haue made him sure from reuengefull practise and if this had thus come to passe no doubt much Christian blood had bene saued which by his meanes perished Neither had the Queene come into that ignominy of blood and cruelty shee being in her own Nature rather inclined to pittie and mercifull respect then otherwise And therefore though the time of Queene Maries gouernement was the most bloodie persecution that euer was in this Land I thinke euer since it had a Christian Prince yet was this Ladie otherwise disposed in her owne Nature neither would shee haue made her name so monstrous in blood had not her conscience perswaded a necessity shee being so resolued by their perswasion who shee thought had authority to iudge her Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST Diuinity doth admit no distinction of men but the difference of good and bad for Gods fauour doth not look as mans doth men iudge by externall but God by internall euidence God is no accepter of persons but men accept nothing but the persons of men and therfore it is often seene that thus God and the world diuide their seueralls God markes his with Grace the world hers with Nature and Fortune Secondly It is a pollicie of long practise and large proofe that Priests Iesuites and men of spirituall function are appointed for State designes as the most pregnant and conuenient mâ—n for they haue this odds that besides their helps of learning and much experience they haue alwaies the reuerence of their profession which vndoubtedly with people of their owne faith doth gaine them and their perswasions extraordinary credit Thirdly It is a prouidence worthy of
bene letted and by them most desirously pursued And therefore in respect of Pollicie and the practise of State this marriage of Spaine was very hurtfull for our Nation ayming directly at the vtter ouerthrow of the English Monarchie wherein Queene Marie was neither Poilitique nor Holy not holy in not defending the Catholike Faith combining her selfe so neerely with the Popes Confederate and not pollitique in hazerding the honour of her Kingdomes in the hands of one so dangerous as the King of Spaine then was who already was so great as made him iustly feared and his proceedings suspected God of his goodnesse disposing otherwise of this businesse deriuing still a Succession of Kingly power within our selues of our owne nation and of our owne Kingly line to the better defence of the Catholike Faith and to the perpetuall honour of this our English Monarchie 14. Lastly Queene Marie in her vehement and vniust persecuting her most vertuous Sister the Ladie Elizabeth afterwards Queene did hereby very much offend the Catholike Faith because among all the Religions at that time in England this Ladie was chiefe not onely for holinesse of life but also for her eminence of place and dignity being heyre apparant to the Crowne and in whom the hope of King Henries issue onely remained And therefore the right of Succession remaining in her Royal person made her more than a priuate one and made the euill of her Sisters persecution more monstrous being directed against the life of one both holy and a Princesse and to whom God had purposed to giue the inheritance of these kingdomes and the office to defend the profession of faith and holy worship And if wee but remember the most gratious gouernement of this Ladie the time shee was Queene and how nobly shee hath defended the profession of Faith and Religion wee shall thereby iudge how much euill Queene Marie had done if the euill practise against her Sister Elizabeth had preuailed Neuer any Defendresse nor euer any Queene in the world hauing finished Gods quarrell with more honour or with better resolution than shee did And therefore if this holy life had perished the glory of her honourable actions had bene preuented neither had the world euer seene the admirations of her time nor the seuerall states of christendome euer had so noble a Patronesse to support them in their iust quarrells against the aspiring insolencie of the ambitious nor had the holy Saints on earth liued secure vnder the late protection of her mercifull wings whose holy faith shee hath victoriously defended against all oppositions cutting off not by Pollicie onely as did Iudith but by her power the head of Holophernes Idolatrie And thus triumphing in the spoyle of Gods enemies shee hath purchased an euerliuing name of honour and an euerlasting inheritance in heauen with God and with the Children of Faith whose quarrell shee hath most honourably defended 15. And Queene Marie in seeking to destroy so holy a life did not the office of her Christian place nor defend the quarrell of Faith whereunto her title bound her 16. In respect of State likewise was this very euill in the Queene because by this iniurie to her neerest blood shee sought to hinder the lawfull succession For the Ladie Elizabeth being dead it might proue quarrelsome who should next inherit Queene Marie hauing no issue to succeed her was like to leaue the State to much trouble and to many Competitors And if Queene Elizabeth had not succeeded happily our Nation had not bene so famous in the honour and reputation of warlike exercise as now it is neither had it flourished in the glorie of Learning nor in the trauell of industrious artes as it hath nor had there bene that peace that plentie and that security which presently we enioy nor happily had the State bene thus left as by her it is to a Prince of peace full of hopefull issue by whom and by whose posterity England may hope neuer to want a noble Defendor of it and of the Catholike Faith And therefore God onely bee praised who did preuent the euill that euill men intended against that Ladie against this Nation and against the Catholike Faith In all these respects may appeare the euill gouernement of these times and how the Queene was led by dishonourable meanes to an end most dangerous the cause as I haue said was onely the too much trust the Queene gaue to euill Counsell whereby shee was violently carried against her owne Nature to most vnchristian designes for her conscience did perswade her that those things were of absolute necessity which in truth were altogether vnlawfull And this was the Bishop of VVinchester Stephen Gardiners care to set an edge on the Queenes offence and to fit her for the stroake of persecution whereto in her Nature she was not fit And this hee did by the authority of his Religious place whereto the Queene had speciall reuerence framing her selfe to doe that onely which in her abused conscience shee thought was necessarie For there is nothing can perswade like conscience which in men of all Religions will desire satisfaction and ease And though our conscience iudge falsly of Truth yet cannot that Iudgement bee vnsatisfied whithout Torment and much affliction neither is there any so powerfull to perswade vs as them of whom we conceiue a reuerend opinion and thinke Religious and holy because the opinion of holinesse taketh away all suspition And therefore many times men seeming deuoute and verie precise are best able to deceiue because they are best credited the greatest pollititians working their most damned proiects by men professing sanctimonious life this being euer a foundation in that vile Art that pretence and false couller are the hands of Pollicie whereby shee effecteth that which otherwise were impossible And if wee remember the number of Conspiracies and Treasonous designes attempted in this last age of the world we shall scarce finde any one wherein men professing Religion were not principalls either plotters or practisers The experience of the time finding such men most fit instruments for such desperate attempts because they dare doe any thing and can keepe counsell and as it is ieastingly said of playes they are not pleasant without a Foole so it may bee seriously said of Treasons they are not bloodie without a Priest these men hauing got them a name of admiration for acting the most horrible parts of blood and treason wherein they haue approued themselues forward but most vnfortunane And by these men was the better nature of Queene Marie much abused making her by their euill counsell become odious to posterity in shedding without mercy the blood of many holy Martyrs treading vpon the face of truth dignifying Idolatrous euill seruice Vnfortunate Queene to be deceiued by these euill Ministers but woe vnto them by whom
the offence came happie had shee bene if they had neuer bene and happie were we if with vs they were not for where they are there is Faction Conspiracie and Treason and it is they and their house onely that is the house of Poperie that troubleth Israell Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST There is nothing in this world that can continue prosperity without all interruption For the Spouse of Christ the Church had neuer any such immunity but like all other things and for the worke of Gods glorie she doth often vary her State and like the Sunne often in clouds and sometimes in Eclipse The reason is the will of God who hath determined to leade vs through this wildernesse our pilgrimage to new Ierusalem Secondly It is the Popish Religion but no Religion to destroy and not correct to iudge without mercy and to bee terrible in the prosecuting their persecutions But our most diuine and sacred Lord Christ hath said Blessed are yee when ye suffer these things Surely then cursed are they that doe them Thirdly The iudgements of God haue relation to mens offence being the effect of that cause and therefore who knoweth but that God in iudgement to K. Henrie gaue him this contrariety in his Children to condradict and countermand one another in the forme of their gouernements because the King himselfe was so full of contrarietie and vnsetled constancie at one time persecuting both professions Fourthly To reinduce the Pâ—pall authority into the English State was a maruellous improuidence in the Queene and so direct against all rule of State as that questionlesse the Queene in this made her iudgement yeeld to conscience as she deemed it which if she had not bene a woman she would neuer haue done or at the least neuer so done without all limitation Fifthly The Marriage of Queene Marie with Spaine was an oportunity for Spaine to depresse the glory of this Nation for if the Queene had had issue by him the principality had bene translated to such a Prince as may yet iustly bee feared to what extremities his growing Empire intendeth Sixthly The Queenes error in these proceedings was to receiue her State instructions from such Counsellors as did labour onely to frame her to their owne designes not regarding the publike benefit of the State For doubtlesse had the Queene bene ordered by her Pollitique State or by any one Counsellor in the State of honourable quallity she had not giuen so much of her title and Maiestie to Rome and Spaine as by the perswasion of her Clergie Counsell she did Seuenthly So full of labour strife and error is their life that vndertake the charge of much businesse and great place that the Morall Philosophers doe pronounce them most happie and rich that can bee content with blessed pouerty CHAP. XX. Of certaine Discontents whereat Queene Marie tooke great offence FIRST there is no man in this life especially if he be of great place or great spirit that can free himselfe from occasions of discontent wherein euery man may make triall of his owne vertue and exercise his Christian patience in his moderate bearing them For there is no victory equall to that a man hath of himself neither any seruitude so base as to be ouercome of Discontâ—nt And therefore the most worthy men haue euer triumphed ouer Fortune thinking it a debasing of their Noble spirits to be vanquished by so meane an enemie And howsoeuer such men in common Construction are reputed most miserable that haue most cause of griefe yet in true vnderstanding it is otherwise and then especially when the grieued hath patience that true part of Man-hood whereby he is able to make the greatest burden of griefe easie For so did the famous men in old time by manly Constancie and so doe Christians now by patience support a liuing courage in the middest of greatest extremities Yet euer must this moderation be regarded that as our griefe may not vtterly deiect vs so wee must haue sense to feele and apprehend it least in the one extreame wee proue cowherds in the other Fooles For griefe is the true physicke of the minde which being well applied doth correct and heale vs but otherwise it doth destroy and make desperate and in this case doe men reuenge themselues on themselues and double the measure of griefe wherewith they are afflicted Secondly And this was Q Maries punishment who doubtlesse did verie much afflict her selfe in the remembrance of her euill fortunes some whereof I will relate not obseruing the order of the time wherein they were occasioned but ranke them according to their degrees in greatnesse and as the Queene found them most offensiue And as the greatest I remember first the trouble of her Conscience whereby she became enemie to her selfe and hatefull to her former proceedings iudging them much more violeÌ„t then the cause required or then might stand with the honour of her name and with the discharge of Christian Conscience and this shee vnderstood by a generall sense of mercy whereto in her Nature shee was inclinable and from which shee was violently moued by the breath of bad perswasion For though the Queene was made to beleeue that her vehement persecuting the Protestants Religion was necessarie for both states of Church and kingdome yet when Christian blood was shed in that abundance it much repented her that shee by that meanes had giuen her name so bloody a remembrance And in this case might she say of Gardiner and Bonner as Iacob did of his two Sonns Simion and Leui that they had made her name odious to euery mans eares and that therefore they were Children of Blood And surely the remorse of conscience for her bloody gouernment did very much afflict the Queenes minde whereof shee would oftentimes giue demonstration and by words of dislike witnesse how much she did distaste the furie of persecution and the generall waste those fires had made in her Kingdomes Thirdly Neither need this seeme strange to any that Q. Marie should dislike her selfe in her owne practise because wee know that Princes though they haue soueraigne power ouer their Subiects yet hath it such limitation as that Princes themselues somtimes are not free nor can compasse those ends which most desirously they would sometimes are they forced to that they would not The reason is because no prince in the world can support himselfe without the assurance of his Subiects and when the State is in Faction as then it was for Religion it is most dangerous for the Prince to Discontent them by whom he is principally supported And Queene Mary taking vpon her the protection of the Romish Religion did then binde her selfe to the heads of that faction lest by discontenting them she should haue runne her selfe into a generall offence and so haue hazzerded the fortunes of her State
case is doubtfull and preuent the forward hopes of the contrary faction which in all such alterations is ouer-daring Thirdly There is this benefit in afflictions that their vse and acquaintance make men valiant and able to vndergoe all fortunes for it is possible to make pleasure of sorrowes and to vse them for recreations Fourthly It is a commendable pride modestly to esteeme ourselues in our aduersities but hee that can moderate his pride in his prosperities is thought the more rare example and deserues imitation CHAP. XXV Of certaine considerations which in respect of Pollicie might haue diswaded the Queene from reforming the State of Religion FIRST It may seeme strange to many that their should bee any consideration able to diswade from doing well or that any by-respect should be so respected as to withdraw the purpose of one resolued to holy cares And this in truth were strange if common experience did not teach vs otherwise For it is often times seene that such men who haue gained fauour in generall opinion and are assuredly thought to be constant and most resolute in that wherein they are so reputed doe notwithstanding fall off from this their reputed Constancie and yeeld themselues ouercome by the perswasion of dishonest and by considerations Secondly And therfore is their iudgement much deceiued who belieue that any thing in this world is of that assurednes vnuariable cōstācie as that no time nor any perswasion can altar For the most excellent men the most excellent vertues of men are not supported by their owne power or by any earthly assistance but by the hand of God only in so much that when this most absolute power shall not supply to any particular the strength of such a one is but weakenes his constancie but faintnes because without this heauenly prop he cannot support the body of his vertues and so of necessity both he and they must incline to bad alteration if then the question were demanded what should be the condition of all men I would answer to bee constant in their holy purposes but if it be demanded what is the Nature of all men I answer that all of all manner of conditions are inclineable to euil onely and that such who ascend the degrees of best reputation doe it not by their own◠power neither haue they power to continue that state but naturally cast themselues from those deseruings whereunto God hath raised them Be it therefore the euerlasting honour of their names who haue valiantly resisted the power of those earthen temptations and haue had their regardfull eyes to holy and Religious ends onely And such was Queene Elizabeth who in respect of her dangerous fortunes was assuredly much tempted to these earthly regards the which she nothing regarded in comparison of her heauenly cares whereto she was wholly and assuredly deuoted Thirdly And therefore I report not what could but what would haue diswaded the Queene in respect of Policie from reforming Religion and I will plainly expresse my selfe in this particular because I would most gladly auoid the euil of misconceiuing which commonly ariseth from doubtful vnderstanding Fourthly And for the Queene though she neuer fainted in the care shee had vndertaken for Religion but euer continued her course in one resolute passage and euer trauelled therein with much prosperity and honour yet there wanted not many regards of Policie and state considerations which might haue allured her from her holy constancie and haue made her more remisse and colde in the pursuit of her holy businesse such as heretofore haue altered the strongest purposes of other Christian Princes and such as would haue altered the Queene her selfe had not God by the power of his Grace giuen her extraordinarie supportations For as I haue said Religion and Pollicie respect not alwaies one end neither doe they worke by one and the same meanes And though in Christian Common-Wealths it is most needfull that Religion order state and that Christian Princes suffer themselues to be directed by the Law of God and by the dutie of Conscience yet in the practise of many states it is otherwise where the truth of Religion is peruerted and the sense of Scripture wrested to maintaine the vnlawfull vse of such state practises as in the truth of holy iudgement are most damnable Fifthly This truth is euident in the gouernement of such Christan States whereby license dispensation and pardons men may adulterate lye and Murther and by the fauour of their lawes commit such outrage as in the iudgement of Gods Law is death and these are regards of State which for aduantage and profit tollerate and protect those things which in the stricktnesse of Conscience are altogether vnlawfull It is euident then both by generall obseruation and by speciall instance that Christian Princes haue many earthly prouocations to withdraw them from the zealous pursuite of holy Religious purposes and that God onely is able to support the best and most worthie from dishonourable recusancie and from retyring from those diuine seruices whereunto they haue with great hope and much acclamation entred Sixthly And in this noble deseruing hath Queene Elizabeth exceeded many of her princely predecessors and therefore I report this as one the chiefe of all her honourable deeds whereby she hath well declared her selfe beloued of God constant in her holy purpose and best able to defend the holy quarrell of the Catholike Faith For by this victorie she had of her selfe she hath done that which all the world could not doe God hauing made her inuincible and not to be conquered but by her selfe Seuenthly To relate the seuerall considerations of state were much trauell impertinent to this busines because the number of them is great for the much diuersity they altering according to the variable gouernement of state and as the alterations of time would make them vseful I wil therfore only report some few which at this time and in this state were very considerable And first the alteration the State indured by the Q. altering Religion for she could not but vnderstand that her new forming the order of Religion in her Kingdomes was in the wisedome of State very hazerdous because thereby she must needs discontent the greater number of her subiects whereby shee became subiect to the displeasure of her owne people and lesse able to suppresse the disobedience of such as should dare to attempt against her For at this time the Protestant Religion to which the Queene was zealously deuoted had not equall greatnes in this Kingdome with that of the Romish the Papist exceeding the Protestant in Number and power And therefore the Queene in her election made choise of the weaker and lesse able part to support her against her better prouided enemies And this shee would not haue done if shee had yeelded to this perswasion of State or had
regarded the dignity of her temporall life more than the honour and dignity of her Christian Name But she that could not be ouercome with euill ouercame this euill temptation and resisted the power thereof by her vertue and godly constancie Eighthly Againe the Q in thus altering the State of Religion did attempt a matter very difficult and of no easie performance and this she might vnderstand by her iudgemēt in Philosophie by obseruing the course of all naturall things For we see that those things which moue themselues in their naturall motiō are carried with lesse vehemēce then those that are moued by violent forced meanes And the body of this kingdome at that time of the Q. entering the state mouing in the fauour of romish religion wherin it had formerly moued for many yeares could not without much violence and great difficultie be moued against that customary motion nor be forced to retire backe in the same steps wherein it had formerly proceeded and therfore this difficulty in finishing was a consideration of state which in respect of state might haue diswaded the Q. holy care from the reforming of religion which would haue preuailed with any prince in the world who had regarded the felicity of their temporal life more than the honour of God or the prosperity of the Catholike Church Ninthly the discontentment of her neighbour nations the displeasure of the greatest part of Christian princes was a speciall consideration and such as that nothing but grace could be able to withstand for it is necessarie natural in the Natures of Princes in the spirits of great persons to desire generall reputation and that their names may liue in the fauour of good estimation hating to be held hatefull or not to haue place in the loue of their neighbour nations For this forreigne regard as it exceedingly cotenteth the noble spirits of such as desire it so also it is most behoofull for the security of their persons states kingdomes and great states being in this respect like particular men not able to liue in prosperity and flourishing wealth without cōmunicating to each other their seueral profits neither is there any part in the world where the regard of cōfederacy forraigne cōbination is so behoofull as in the states of christendome because of the equall partage of christendome to many seuerall princes whereby they liue in iealousie of one another cōmonly confederate with such forreigne power as in the discretion of state is thought to be of most conueniency both to aduance the glory of their nation to aduantage them against their most feared enemies wheras it is otherwise in the spatious gouernement of mighty Empires such as at this day the Turke the Persian and the Russian Emperours be and such as heretofore the Romane Emperours were who by reason of their huge bodies of State moue almost without resistance neither care these mighty Emperours so much to confederate with their Neighbours because they know that of necessity those lesser states must like Riuers discharge their seruice into their Ocean But this Kingdome of England being in the middest of many disagreeing Nations This consideration of state did therfore neerely concerne the Queene to consider of and these importances would doubtlesse haue diswaded her holy cares had her cares bene any other than holy Tenthly But this Noble Defendresse of the Faith howsoeuer shee vnderstood as much in the wisdome of State as anie other Prince than liuing Yet would she not be ruled by that wisdome but like her selfe a most Christian Princesse shee contradicts Pollicie with Pietie And she whose Religious Iudgement might and could teach her that God was able to support her Princely State against all opposition and to supply to al her necessities would not for any State consideration distrust the mighty power of his prouidence or forsake the safetie of his protection for any cause whatsoeuer For shee knew well that God was altogether as able to preuaile with the lesse as with the greater number and that he was not like man to worke onely by the aduantage of meanes for without meanes can he effect whatsoeuer shall please him were the whole power of earth and hel to withstand him And therfore as Sampson strong in God could with his weake weapon destroy a Thousand of his enemies so this most resolute Defendresse of the Faith refusing the power of earth hath with the truth of Religion onely vanquished not a thousand onely but many thousands of Gods enemies whereby she hath most nobly garded the safe passage of the Catholike Faith Eleuenthly And this I report in honour of this most excellent Queene whom no respect of danger or State consideration could remoue from her holy constancie whom all the power of the earth was not able to bereaue of her noble spirit whereby shee was most excellent fit for the defence of Faith and wherewith she hath defended it with as much honourable merit as euer any Christian Prince in the world did Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST God doth then trie the faith and loue of his seruants when they are presented with strong and able temptations for these tryalls though they cannot confirme in God any opinion of Truth in whom there is all knowledge yet they serue for the imitation of other and for their iudgement that will not imitate Secondly He that shall fall from the seruice of God for any respect whatsoeuer doth iudge himselfe an Apostate and vnworthy of Gods fauour because euen those that loue God if they loue him for respect they loue the respect and not God Thirdly In state reason it may seeme hazardous for the Queene to alter the State of Religion because it might haue occasioned such discords in the State as might much distresse her peaceable beginnings being yet vnsetled yet considering in what termes the State then stood the Faction being almost indifferent in number and strength she might very well thinke that the authority of her opinion would carrie many thousands with it because the grosse multitude doth euer moue in the current of the common opinion Fourthly In the proceedings of State affaires the prosecutions must be ordered by a discreet and setled iudgement and not with desperate vndertakings which some call Man-hood and heroicall spirit For if there be difference betweene a priuate man and an ordinarie officer in the State there must also be difference betweene the particular cause and the generall State Fifthly It is the strength of a Pollitique State to haue assured confederacie combination with neighbour Nations but the wisedome of that state is in nothing more iustified than in the profitable vse of such confederacie for therein doth appeare the excellence of wit when with the onely charge of wit we can imploy another mans power to our owne purposes Sixthly To resist and vanquish the
common knowne enemies of a vertuous life is a victorie which morall men haue obtained and doth assuredly iustifie for good the happie composition of such a Nature Seuenthly To maintaine correspondence and indifferent fauour in mutuall societie is most necessarie to a mans happie condition because he that hath the fauour of generall opinion hath interest in euerie mans estate CHAP. XXVI Of the care the Queene and State had to depresse the enemies of the Catholike Faith FIRST the best witnesse of a Christian life is Mercie and the best demonstration of mercie is that fauour that men shew to their enemies for such kindnesse is against the perswasion of flesh and onely caused by the mouing of Grace And therefore mercie euen in an euill man doth merit admiration at the least and to be reputed as a beautious ornament in a base subiect But mercy in the good is a most worthie commendation and a worthinesse for which God will exchange his best benefits For there is nothing wherein God is more delighted then the workes of Mercie in the heauenly exercise whereof hee himselfe is wonderfully contented gladding his most sacred diuinity that in Mercie hee doth triumph and that his mercie hath the greatest part in all his workings Secondly And as this respect of mercie hath preheminence in the Nature of God so hath it also in the reformed natures of good men who desire principally to square themselues to this most holy proportion And in this gratious respect of mercie hath Queene Elizabeth equalled the best Princes that euer were so rarely was this Queene composed of Mercie and Maiestie as that in Maiestie she may iustly be reputed most excellent yet in Mercie more excellent than in Maiestie the which she would often declare euen to the enemies of her life and soule For often would she reach her hands of fauour to them whose hands were euer readie to her destruction This truth is most euident in the view of her gratious gouernement who abhorred their death who most traiterously sought hers and suffered such peacefully to enioy their euill consciences who practised to destroy her for her zeale and constancie in the Catholike Faith Thirdly For if the Papists in the time of Queene Marie or if now in such places where that Religion is profest were or had bene so mercifull in the iudgement of their Lawes as Queene Elizabeth was the time of her gouernement then had not those times bene stayned with the crying sinnes of Blood and Persecution neither had the bodies of Saints perished in that abundance at the holy fires of Martyrdome May it therefore be for euer recorded for the honour of Queene Elizabeths name that her mercie was more to the bad then theirs to the better sort of people and that in this most gratious indument she is most worthie to bee compared with the most mercifull Prince that euer was Fourthly The first yeares of her gouernment may sufficiently proue this her mercifull disposition in which time the fauour of her hardest Lawes were such as that her greatest enemies the enemies of her life and Religion could not but acknowledge them very mercifull seeking onely to reforme not to destroy the estate or life of any one Fifthly Vpon this aduantage the euill spirits of men practise against her life and dignitie For it is not possible that the inueterate enuie of men can be satisfied by any manner of faire perswasion or suppressed by any violent meanes vnlesse seuerity reach to the verie life of one so enuious for mercie to an euill man maketh him presumptuous and seuerity maketh him desperate So that this disease of enuie is not curable vnlesse God please to doe it For in this peacefull time of the Q when mercy was so generally conferd did the Pope the enemie of Faith the great Polititian of the world deuise dangerous proiects against the Q. and the state of Religion in England the which he prosecuted with much instance and withall the forcible meanes he could deuise The course he tooke was answerable to the practise of former Popes anathemating banning the Queene from the hope of saluatiō interdicting her Kingdomes and absoluing her subiects from the dutie of their naturall obedience commanding vpon paine of damnation to doe that which in the Iudgement of Gods Law is damnation to doe This instrument Pius Quintus the Pope sent ouer into England and according to his vngodly command was it diuulged and spread before the generall face of this Kingdome whereby many of the Queenes people in the North and in places of least knowledge and ciuility reconcile themselues to the Popes fauour and like Calues ran wilde after the lowing of this curst and cursing Bull sent forth by the impious Pope Pius Sixthly The Queene and State apprehending the danger of these proceedings and knowing how hazzardous it might be to her life and state to suffer this violence to passe without resistance Call a Parliament and there agree vpon such Statutes as in their wisedomes were thought most conuenient to preuent the mischiefe intended against the Queenes life her State and the Catholike Faith Seuenthly The cause then mouing the Queene and State to enact those lawes which they call seuerity was themselues by reason of their turbulent and euill spirits desiring innouation yea and inuasion who if they could haue bene content with the benefit of peace which they thē enioyed wherewith the holy men of all ages haue bene most gladly contented they had then preuented those lawes which they so much condemne neither had they runne their names nor their cause of Religion into that suspition of the State as by these their treasonable designes they haue most iustly merited But it is antient and true that from euill manners are deriued good and wholsome lawes and they by desire to harme the state they did arme it with wholsome and prouident lawes whereby it was made the better able to preuent and resist their harmefull intentions And from their euill is this Good occasioned that by attempting euill and by fayling in that attempt they haue curbed their owne power and shortned their owne hornes wherewith they and their Bulls had thought to haue pusht the glory of this Nation And therefore was their Iudgement an effect of their owne cause and most iustly inflicted on them For God doth retort the euill purposes of men against the contriuers of them and they that make snares and traps to catch men are oftentimes snared in their owne deuises Eighthly But yet those lawes which they call seuerity were milde and mercifull and not proportionable to the greatnesse of their offence neither like in crueltie to the bloodie lawes in the time of Queene Maries gouernement against the constant professors of the Protestāt Religion the purpose of these Statutes being to secure the Queene and to continue her subiects in their
dutifull obedience not reaching to the life of any of the Queenes Subiects for their opinion of Religion onely insomuch as the most resolute Papist were he assured in the dutie of his allegiance and not guiltie of any treasonable practise was not vrged by torture or extremities to abiure his opinion and Faith of Religion but might continue himselfe in safety vnder the assured protection of the Q. her mercifull lawes it being the purpose of the Q. and state to reclaime the disobedience of her subiects in respect of Religion by faire and not by forcible meanes and to effect that by the gratious meanes of mercy which the Pope others lesse merciful haue attempted by the violent meanes of Blood fire and Persecution Ninthly It is therefore mallice a verie slander to the Q. princely name that Gods enemies hers doe report her a persecutor of Gods Saints that her lawes were bloody tyrannous that many of that Religiō whom they call Saints haue in this kingdome suffered Martyrdome for the witnes of their conscience onely their being no one particular person I think in all the Q time that can truly be said thus to suffer death but either as actors or abettors of Treason the lawes hauing no authority to iudge them otherwise For though by the law they were rebellious and disobedient Subiects that would not cōforme themselues to the reformed Religion then established though by the Law they indured some easie punishment to make a difference betweene the dutifull vndutifull Subiects yet there was no Law so strict as to giue the sentence of death to any offending onely in Recusancie neither was there any law before this occasion of the Popes Bull to make any the professors of that Religion traytors vnlesse they were actors or abettors of conspiracie or treason in which cases the Protestants themselues were iudged with like seuerity Tenthly And vnles the prouidence of the state would haue slept and bene regardlesse of the Q. the state and state of Religion there could not haue bene lesse done thē was done for the security of al the purpose of the state being onely to preuent and not to reuenge the iniuries of the Pope and his adherents Eleuenthly It is wonder then the Papist should condemne that in our state for seuerity which in their own states is a mercie neuer practised for with them the least suspition to fauour or affect the Protestant Religion is persecuted with much seuerity let a man in other respects be neuer so deseruing or his place birth neuer so eminent if once he be conuict to be a Protestant it is assured death it is strange then they iudge vs persecutors when our iustice hath lesse seueritie then their mercy we but easily correcting that offence which they punish with death and they seuerely punishing that which we most easily pardon Twelfthly For how many with vs dare and doe fauour those dangerous instruments of state and how commonly dare men discouer their superstitious affections in common conference and often with earnest reasonings defending and damning according to their appetites whereas with them euery little circumstance is quarrelsome and presumptions many times are most seuerely punished 13. And this seuerity in them is assuredly verie considerable for their Pollitique State of Religion being one maine prop whereupon they repose their greatnesse for it is verie necessarie for them to vse all their forceable violence to suppresse that truth which in despight of violence like the palme will sprout and prosper vnder their grieuous oppressions And considering how the Protestant Religion notwithstanding their oppressing it hath spread it selfe into verie spatious limits they may well vnderstand how much more it should haue flourished if by their violent hinderances it had not bene letted in his prosperous growth But this bloody pollicie of theirs was not answerable to piety and holy reason for so could the wise Gamaliell teach them who withstood the bloody counsell of the Iewes who would haue persecuted the holy Apostles withall seueritie with this perswasion that if their cause were not good that then GOD would be enemie vnto it and so of it selfe it would fall and if it were good it would bee in vaine to resist it because GOD would support it against all resistance 14. The mercie of our English Lawes then in matters concerning Religion onely is an assured demonstration that our Prince our State and our Religion is mercifull and these demonstrations of mercie are no weake proofes that our Religion is most Catholike and Christian most Catholike because of conformity to the Primitiue Church and most Christian because the exercise of mercie is the best imitation of Christ himselfe the Lord and true patterne of the Catholike and true Christian beleeuer And therefore the Queene and the Parliament were both mercifull and prouident in concluding these statutes the which by no other cause but by the Papists themselues were occasioned 15. The purpose of the Statutes was this principally first to prohibit the bringing ouer of Bulls or interdictions from the Pope Secondly to restraine the Runnawaies and Trauellers beyond the Seas without license and to prohibit Iesuits and reconsiled Papists from returning into the Queenes Dominions vnlesse vpon their returne they would submit to such as by the State were authorized to that purpose Now how needfull it was for the Church and State of England to haue this prouidence for their security and peace I purpose in the next Chapter verie briefly to discouer Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST Such are onely and alwaies to be opposed as enemies to a Christian State as are so iudged by the sentence of Gods Word For seeing Christ who is the Word of his Father is our Generall in all spirituall conflicts we must onely and alwaies fight his battailes by his direction Secondly To restraine disorder and disobedience in subiects the State doth vsually resort to the wisedome of a Parliament for though the King by his Proclemations may command or restraine his Subiects he being that one particular in whose person the whole authority of the State consisteth yet doe Parliament Statutes the rather satisfie because they proceed both from the Kings authority and from the generall wisedome of the Kingdome Thirdly There is no man can liue in that indifferencie of fauour withall but that hee shall haue cause to make distinction of friend and enemie or if he be free from all enmity yet he shall finde difference in his friends and therefore he must distinguish them CHAP. XXVII Of what importance the Statutes in the 13. of the Queene were in respect of the Church and State FIRST In respect of the Church were they most important for the which they were principally enacted they did also much import the State because the prosperity of the Common-Wealth doth by a necessarie consequence
depend vpon the prosperity of the Church for in all true Christian Kingdomes the Church and the Common-Wealth are Children of one and the same Parent and though the Church be the older and of better inheritance yet a Christian Common-Wealth is a Childe of the same Father and hath a younger brothers portiō in the partage of Gods blessings the one inheriting felicity eternity the other felicity but not eternall And therefore whatsoeuer doth concerne the Church principally doth concerne the Common-VVealth likewise in a subordinate degree and those things which aduance a Christian State cannot derogate from the honour of the Church And this is true and onely true in holy and Religious Common-VVealths but not in such States where the Church is disinherited of Prioritie and birth-right and where the chiefe respect is had to Pollicie only and not to Piety Secondly The importance of these statutes in respect of the Church may be considered in this that the Popes quarrell with the Q. and the State was for Religion onely because the Church of England had cast off that obedience which formerly it had vnworthily giuen to the Popes wherby the Popes greatnesse and reputation in England was not only weakened but also his other priuate ends of aduantages and reuennewes were taken from him And therefore considering the quarrell was for the Religion profest in England the defence of the quarrell on the Churches behalfe must needs very much concerne it Thirdly Againe many of the particular branches of those statutes had principall respect to the benefit of the Church and to remoue all such euill meanes as might any way corrupt and abuse the consciences of men in the case of Religion the Church hauing found much inconuenience by the continuall intercourse of English Romish passengers passing from England to Rome and from Rome to England whereby the English Church lay open to all the Popes perswasions and whereby the ignorant and baser sort of people were withdrawne from their Christian beliefe from the dutie of their naturall allegiance And therefore to preuent this inconuenience was a care most considerable for the Church and which directly tended to the aduancement of true Religion Fourthly There be also many other respects which in these Statutes directly intend the benefit of the Church all which may appeare most euident to any iudgement that shall with impartiall eyes peruse them Fifthly And in truth there is nothing in a true Christian Common-Wealth that can onely direct it selfe to the benefit of State only but that Religion must withall be respected the care of State being but the bye and Religion the maine of euery Christian intendment And therefore oftentimes euen in those things which seeme most properly to concerne the State is Religion in them most regarded the care of State in respect of Religion being like the care of our bodies or which holy men care but so onely as for the houses of their soules and because of communicating those necessarie seruices which necessarily depend of each other These Statutes then were of most importance for the Church that being the most respected end whereto they were principallie directed Sixthly In respect of the Common-Wealth also were these statutes verie considerable and of speciall importance and namely in these particulars that the enemies of the State hauing made dangerous attempts to innouate and alter the State it behooued them to whose wisedomes the care of State was committed to vse the best preuentions they could to hinder the like occasions and therfore were these statutes deuised both to cut off the euill members already corrupted in the Common-wealth and also to preuent all such future occasions Seuenthly Againe there is no Protestant State in the world which hath not found the dangerous inconuenience of Iesuites and Popish Priests nursed in Seminaries beyond the Seas these men like so many euill spirits conueighing their treasonable temptations to sillie men least able to resist whereby many great and dangerous Rebellions haue bene occasioned and whereby many damned and most dangerous attempts haue bene made against the liues of Christian Princes Eighthly And for this consideration were the Iesuites banished France for thát memorable villanie of theirs attempted on the person of the French King memorable it may be for the horror of the deed and for circumstance of persons a Franciscan Frier acting and a Christian Prince suffering it and memorable for that a Pope in publike Orations did allowe the deede and commēd the doer canonizing him for holy happie whose fact without repentance was most wicked and damnable daring to do more then holy K Dauid to lay his murtherous hands vpon the Lords Anointed Ninthly And as this is a respect considerable in all States so in no place more then in the English Nation this Kingdome hauing had many like attempts and hauing many such attemptors who haue dared to enterprise such treasons as all the world nor all the time in the world is not able to produce the like And therefore to prohibite these Runnagate Traytors to returne more dangerous Traytors then they went and to infect the whole with the Leprosie of their vngodly positions and doctrines was a care which much regarded the peace the prosperous estate of this Kingdome Tenthly By these statutes the Policie of the Romish Church was preuented For it hath euer beene and yet is the Politike wisedome of that state to send out these their Intelligencers their Priests and Iesuites into all nations who by confessions other secret workings vnderstād almost the secrets of all States then like Bees to their Hiue or Spirits to their hell send or bring all the vse of their trauells to the Seate of Rome whereby the Popes haue euer had vnderstanding in the most secret affaires of State almost in all Nations And this is so behouefull for his greatnesse as with this he may be said to moue the bodie of his greatnes neither without this could he support himselfe in such estimation as he is For when the practise of any Prince is working against him he hath timely vnderstanding of it by these his carefull Intelligencers and by that meanes he is the better able to worke his owne safetie and to preuent the intendments of his aduersaries Eleuenthly And therefore was this of speciall consideration for the state to exclude them the Land who are the betrayers of our State Secrets to our greatest enemies There are these and many other respects which make it most behoouefull for the peace and prosperous estate both of the Church and state of England to banish the land of these vngodly practisers to bring them their aydors abettors and receiuers within the compasse of treason because their practise is treason and they themselues most dangerous Traytors dangerous to men dangerous to the soules of men dangerous to mens estates
who so soone as euer he could moue was moued by the Spirit of grace to holy and good purposes The best proofe of this was his Princely care for Religion wherin at all times he approued himselfe both industrious and resolute and wherein he fortunately trauelled with much prosperity and honour The demonstration whereof is now visible in the face of Scotland that kingdome being by his Maiesties happy gouernment reduced to the first Christian Faith and to a better forme of Common-wealth than formerly it had The Church there being reformed and purged from popish Idolatrie which had profaned both that and all other Christian Kingdomes Secondly and in this the King deserued euerlasting memory and praise that he was the first Christian King in that Kingdome whose care gaue end to that miserie and by whom that Church had the truth of the Catholike Faith practised publikely and with the warrant of lawfull authority professed In which holy businesse the King was verie fortunate and for which God did make him fortunate in the passage of his Princely life assisting him in his lawfull attempts and confounding the wicked practises of bad men who banded against his Maiestie to destroy him And therefore before his Maiestie had the title of Defendor of the Catholike Faith did he faithfully defend it and aduised and enioyned his Princely Sonne Prince Henrie to defend it And thus did God prepare the Kings Maiestie and the Prince for the purpose of this holy businesse and by exercising them for the defence of Faith in the kingdome of Scotland to fit them for the like care in England wherein the King most gratiously begunne his gouernment and ended it and wherein we trust that his Sonne our gratious Souereigne that now is and his royall seed for euer shall in these kingdomes defend the most true most antient and most Catholike Faith Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST it is in vaine to indeauour things wherein God is opposite for no power can alter the purpose of his prouidence This hath instance in the Fortunes of these two kingdomes England and Scotland who haue euer laboured their seueral extremities to be vnited the which when Pollitie and the wisedome of State could not doe God without these meanes gaue it successe and in an instant bound these disagreeing nations in the bonds of vnseparable concord Secondly the King by publishing in print his opinion of Religion and his directions for Christian gouernement did thereby much confirme the hopes and hearts of the better part of our English people For it must needs be that if the contrarie faction the Papist did not withstanding this declaration of his Maiesties presume much vpon fauour at his entrance this presumption would in all likely-hood haue proued a practise and therefore was this Publike satisfaction a Religious pollicie that did both arme his friends and disarme his enemies Thirdly It is necessary many times to a mans Morrall reputation to maintaine his integrity by Apollogies and publike protestations For if the person be eminent and of publike Note his good or euill name will be likewise generall CHAP. XXXIIII In what particulers King IAMES our Souereigne that was principally defended the Faith FIRST It is often true that the alteration of the Prince is a cause that the State is likewise altered and that those things which formerly in the gouernement had great authority become not only neglected but also punishable and in great contempt And this though it bee not true in generall instance yet in euery change of a Prince it is either hoped of the bad or feared of the better sort of people Wee had particuler witnesse of that in our happie alteration happie because nothing but the very person of the Prince was altered the gouernement remained in like degrees of happines wherein Queene Elizabeth to her honourable renowne nowne left it yet then were there many euill and discontented persons who could hopefully perswade themselues that the opportunity was then offered which they expected and that the time serued to reintegrate them into fauour and to bring their cause vnder the safetie of the kings protection And though in respect of the Kings particuler there was little or no ground for any such hope his Maiestie hauing before hand declared himselfe in print how in the case of Religion he was resolued yet was there a generall hope in that contrarie faction whereby they imagined somewhat would be done if not to their absolute content yet to their great ease and to the lightning the burthen of their afflictions which in the Queenes time they worthily indured Secondly But that which is more strange and worthie of note that not onely the Papists had this hopefull imagination but their opposites also whom men commonly call Puritans had the like conceiuing they hoping their cause should finde such large allowance of fauour with the King that they and their opinion onely should haue the countenance and warrant of the Kings protection And that both the Papist and the regular Protestant should be iudged vnusefull and of necessity to bee excluded from the Catholike Church Thirdly And howsoeuer the successe of this came short of common expectation yet was this of much more likelihood then the other both because their controuersie was not for the matter of Religion but for order and for the manner of Ceremonie and circumstance onely and also because the gouernment of the Church of Scotland had neere resemblance with that which they desired whereby the King might the better or rather be induced to giue them and their request friendly intertainment Yet notwithstanding al these likelihoods and the hopes of either partie did the King incline to neither his Maiestie finding the Church of England as it was established to be the meane and vertue betweene these two extremities and that their desires were not for the peace and aduancement of the Catholike Faith according as both of them pretended and that these oppositions were either to be reconciled and so made friends or else opposed as enemies Fourthly And this may worthily seeme strange that these two irreconcileable opinions that of the Papist and this of the Puritane should both of them at one time expect supportation from one and the same Prince and from such a Prince as had before declared himselfe not to fauour them that these who neuer consent in any little resemblance should thus conspire and hope in one particular person And the reason was the seuerall perswations they had of the truth of their cause wherein the maintainers of both opinions could receiue speciall satisfaction in themselues and hopefully belieue to worke the King to that acknowledgement of truth wherein they themselues were resolued and wherein they thought was sufficient reason to satisfie or perswade any man Besides they might peraduenture frame speciall arguments of hope to giue them incouragement in hopefull
Kings left their States to holy ends but euill successors Both of them fortunate to their Kingdomes The honour of King Edward Q. Elizabeth Q. Marie The change shee made in the Church of England The light of Truth put out The Queene obscured the glory of this Nation The purpose of the Historie of this Queenes time The truth of History must not for any consideration be concealed The inconuenience of misreporting the truth of Historie Queene Marie her extraordinarie induments of Nature Q. Elizabeth incomparable Nature without grace doth merit nothing The least gift of grace is more worth then the whole riches of Nature The gifts of Grace The gifts of nature without grace are dangerous in him that hath them The motion of Grace is 〈◊〉 against Nature The Queene an enemie to her selfe The Q. great ouersight Gardiner Bonner the Queenes euill instruments The Q good nature much abused She entred her gouernment with great Tyranniâ— Those wee trust most may best deceiue vs. A bad perswasion These euill Counsellors much deceiued God raiseth a new generation of holy men from the ashes of Martyrdome 1 King 12. 10 Their Counsell was wicked pollicie but no pietie A respect of pollicie Gardiner the euill spirit which most tempted the Queene to her seueritie The power of conscience Diuine Pollitique Morall The Duke of Northumberland The Duke guilty of his fortunes In respect of State The Q. first offence Gardiner Bonner and others The cruelties of these times A double respect How the Q. began her gouernement D. Cranmer and others The Papists In restoring the Abbeyes The euill of a bloody life In respect of State Idle and euil vsers of wealth The Queene in her iudgement condemned her Father The Queene erecteth that Idolatrie which her Father had defaced E contrario The worst of the Queenes euills Her establishing of Poperie Her full opposition against the Catholike Faith Her forwardnes in punishing Mans nature The alteration of Religion is preiudiciall to the CommoÌ„-Wealth The Q conscience abused The Pope hath not principality proper The Q. ouersight The English nation dishonoured by the Queene The Q. persecutions of holy men No profession of Religion but the Popes that thinke to merit by blood persecution Christians must beare the Crosse not make it The example â—f Christ. Mercy the 〈…〉 gift of grace The Martyrs The vehemencie of this persecution For his booke of Acts and Monuments Strange examples of enuie The graue is euery mans Sanctuary The doome of Nature Note A reuenge like the reuenge of Diuels This persecution equall with them of the Primitiue Church King Philip of Spaine The confederacie of the Spaniâ—h King and the Pope The Iesuites supported by the Spanish King Rome and Spaine the ladders of one anothers rising 〈◊〉 respect of State The Spanish King bound to certaine conditions No obligatioÌ„ can binde the desire of the ambitious Note The inconuenience of the Queenes Marriage The greatnes of Spaine The expectation of Spaine Portingale England the supporter of Spaine The inconuenience In respect of pollicie The Queene neither pollitique nor holy The prouidence of God in this businesse Queene Elizabeth The hope of King Henrie his issue The gouernment when she was Q. Queene Elizabeth incomparable What hurt the Q. death had bene to ChristeÌ„dome Iudith and Holophernes The glorie of Queene Elizabeths deeds In respect of State The inconuenience The glory of the English Natiâ—◠〈…〉 of Q. Elizabeth King Iames our Soueraigne God onely preuented the euill purpose of euill men Queene Marie led to dishonourable ends The cause the perswasion of her conscience Winchester Gardiner Nothing can perswade like conscience Who are most powerfull to perswadevs Men seeming deuout are best able to deceiue The ground of euill pollicie Who are the chiefe plotters and actors of treasons Why Priests are most fit for treasons The office of Iesuits By whom the Queenes nature was most abused Who they be that trouble the peace of Israel Diuine Pollitique Morall No man can free himselfe from Discontent The greatest 〈…〉 seruitude The error of common iudgement The power of patience A moderation in griefe For griefe is the true physicke of the minde The euill of discontentment Queene Maries punishment The trouble of her conscience Her owne iudgement of her owne proceedings Her Nature Protestants The queenes griefe Gardiner Bonner Gen. 34. 30. The Queene veri much in her selfe offended How the power of Princes is limited The reason Faction Faction The torment of an offended conscience King Philip of Spaine Her want of issue The natures of women The Kings not regarding her Her iealousie of her own merit The queenes deseruing of King Philip. The queenes offence in respect of King Philip very causefull The third cause of her Discontent was the losse of Callis Note Prouocations to French warres Callis the key of France The reason of the Queenes griefe for the losse of Callis The rebellion of her subiects Rebellion a cause that the gouernement is suspected What is required in the person of a Prince The forward successe of the Rebells One chiefe cause why they failed in their proiect Sir Thomas Wyat of Kent God the enemie of all Conspirators Gods mercie in thus punishing the Queene The mercie of God to this Nation in the Queenes death Diuine Pollitique Morall The diuers opinions of men in this Argument This controuersie must be iudged by Religion and not by pollicie The Testimonie of God the best authority Religion and Pollicie two diuers The differeÌ„ce of their ends and practise How to reconcile piety and pollicie The Popes haue abused the Christian Faith The Pope doth challenge authority to licence Rebellion How the Pope doth inrich himselfe The Pope no follower of any holy example In respect of State practise The example of King Dauid Dauid would not conspire the death of Saul though he were a Reprobate Dauid refuseth the offer of opportunitie to reueÌ„ge 1 Sam. 24. v. 5 6 7. Arare example of a holy King Note 1 Sam. 2. 6. 9 Dauid and the Pope disagree in their opinions An Italian prouerbe Count Baltezer The example of Christ. God who only maketh Kings can onely depose them No earthly power can giue licensce for Rebellion All traytors oppose against Gods prouidence The Pope his Dispensation Queene Mary Queene Katherine Commiseration and Christian pittie The woman a weake Sexe The venemous nature of the Romish doctrine Saint Bartholmewes supper of Sâ—ulâ—â— The differeÌ„t nature of two Sisters The day and night diuide the yeare The differeÌ„ce of good and bad The differeÌ„ce of Natures Of King Henries happinesse God is double as much in mercie as in Iudgement Queene Elizabeth is helper to cure the wounds her Sister had made in the State Wherein we may behold the deserts of Queene Elizabeth The highest of her deserts In respect of greatnesse goodnesse Virgin Marie Queene Elizabeth most excellent in the respects of mercie and Maiesty Disparagement King Iames. The Queene matchlesse for Maiestie
And this was to the Queene so great offence as they onely can conceiue who haue endured the torment of an offended conscience Fourthly Another cause of Queene Maries discontent was King Philip her husband who either in truth or as she thought did not so louingly respect her as the sacred bonds of marriage required neither had shee issue by him according to her owne hope and the expectation of her Subiects and this did very much offend the Queenes patience being by the Nature of her Sex most inclinable to apprehend such discourtesie and the rather because of her princely place and the great spirit of Maiestie which shee wanted not For the Kings not regarding or his cold regarding her did conclude that in his opinion she wanted of that worthinesse he had formerly imagined and that shee did not merit the truth of his loue and most kind affection whereto his bond of Marriage did binde him his not regarding her debasing her in worth and estimation whereat shee might worthily take offence the rather because the Queene in her owne election had preferred him to her loue and to the honour of that Marriage before all other Princes in Christendome communicating with him the honours of her Crowne and Dignities to the hazzard of her life and State being contrary to the generall liking of her Subiects and for which had bene very dangerous Rebellion in her kingdome And therefore this offence taking of the Queene was very causefull and vpon iust consideration conceiued shee hauing done so much for him that deserued so little and he not recompensing the merit of her high deseruing Fifthly A third cause of Queene Maries griefe was the losse of Callis a towne of most importance for the English State especially considering the quarrell of those two kingdomes England and France who besides the English claime to that Crowne Dignity haue euer had an honourable Contention to exceed each other in the reputation of Armes and warlike exercise neither is it in reason to bee hoped that these two warlike Nations shall alwayes conspire peace and for euer forget the emulation and glorious conquests of former times hauing these maine prouocations to hinder it the nearenesse of place the equallity of power the difference of Religion and the claime to the lawfull inheritance the least of which occasions may serue to incense a forward spirit with desire of honourable Warre and Conquest And then considering the importance of the Towne of Callis for the English wars and how by hauing it the passage was euer open to enter that kingdome and being recouered by the French England may be then said to haue lost the key by which it hath heretofore so easily entred In these respects had the Queene good cause to grieue at so dishonourable a losse and the rather it being lost by a meane power and in little space which had bene honourably defended many years against the whole power of France and what other enuie soeuer to the glorie of her predecessors the disaduantage of her Successors and her owne perpetuall dishonour Sixtly lastly the rebelling of her subiects did very much discontent her because shee thereby vnderstood how her gouernment was disliked by many of her best Subiects For though it bee not a necessary Conclusion that where there is Rebellion there the State is misgouerned yet is Rebellion euer a cause that the gouernment is suspected and those grieuances that are able to prouoke such numbers of people against their Souereigne are generally belieued to arise vpon more then common considerations And therefore it is required in the person of a Prince not onely to bee of worthie deseruing but also to seeme to be such because it is most needfull for them to satisfie opinion without which no Prince in the world can be said to be great Seuenthly Againe the Rebells had such forward successe in their attempting as thereby they did much distresse the Queene and threaten the fortunes of her state For if the proiect had proceeded according to their plot and as it was deuised by the chiefe Conspirators the issue was likely to haue proued much more dangerous But Sir Thomas VVyat one of the chiefe Conspirators imagining the proiect was reuealed discouered himselfe in Armes before the practise was Ripe and before the time agreed vpon whereby he was vnassisted by his other Confederates and the practise by this meanes became abortiue and perished by vntimely birth which in likelyhood had otherwise succeeded if the whole power of the Conspirators had bene vnited Sir Thomas onely with his Countrie-men of Kent hauing done so much as may seeme to haue wanted but little to haue finished the whole businesse And this no doubt was GODS worke who is enemie to euerie euill practise bee the pretence neuer so fare and reasonable Eighthly Those and many other occasions of Discontent had Queene Marie whereby God gaue her to vnderstand how much he was displeased with her bloodie gouernement and whereby it may be he had mercie on her weakenesse in laying these gentle corrections on her who had deserued the seuerity of his angrie Iustice she being most vniust most seuere in her persecuting the Children of faith whom by the authority of her princely place shee was bound to protect The God of mercy be for euer praised who hath ended in this Kingdome the miserie of persecution making it die in the Death of Queene Marie in whose gouernement it had got authority and life and may it euer please God to deriue vpon his Church of England a perpetuall succession of holy and resolute Defendors of the Catholike Faith to the honour of Gods diuine Maiestie the good of his beloued Children the Children of Faith and the true glorie of the English Nation Amen Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST Gods temporall afflictions are mercies for they doe but remember vs our sinnes and inuite our repentance yet they haue contrarie effects in contrarie subiects For to some they are physicke to others poyson they rectifie some and destroy others This difference haue the elect and the reprobate Secondly The common pretenced quarrell in all Rebellions is either Religion or vsurpation of Empire yet neither of these can giue successe to such treasonable attempts because they that would alter and transpose of Gods gouernement and his officers doe but fight against his prouidence and contradict God in his owne appointments In this case then the best Pollicie is for men with patience to suffer and let God with victorie doe Thirdly Discontentment is such a sicknesse in the soule as that where it is vnmoderated there is a necessarie distruction Therefore the wise Morall man will oppose this enemie with reason and inuincible patience and outtrude him from all society with his thoughts For if there be any thing on Earth that can resemble hell it is
Enemies Eighthly And though the Pope challenge to be able to giue that dispensation which Iehu had giuen him of God yet is that onely presumption in the Pope for neither is he God to giue any such warrant neither is he Gods Prophet whose authority we may trust neither doth God reueale his will immediately to the Pope as he did to his Prophet Elisha neither haue his Iehues euer had that fortune and prosperous successe as had this God confounding many thousands of their damned and Rebellious practises to the honour of his name and to the shame of all such euill Ministers for this is an vnanswerable argument that the Popes power to dispence in this kinde is not from God because many of their practises succeed not which if they were from God they must of necessity prosper And therefore neither Prince Priest or Pope can giue dispensation in this kinde God onely being able to make that lawfull which without his speciall direction is most damnable CHAP. XXII A Comparison betweene Queene Mary of England and the Queene-Mother of France Katherine de Medices THESE two Ladies of all whom the Histories of our times record are nearest sutable to a paralell hauing beene both of them honourable in place of dignity both of them admirable in endowments of Nature and both of them transported by ill counsell too much effusion of Christian blood by persecution of the Protestant Religion in the seuerall precincts of their gouernement I desire not to disparrage the memorie of noble personages Historie will speake vnpartially and the Christian hearts which reade or heare of their persecutions will compassionate the troubles which holy men haue endured and though the sense of sorrowes bee past and not sensible to them who indured them yet will the knowledge of them beget a kinde of sense of those sorrowes which other men haue formerly sustained and according to our affections as wee loue or hate the cause it selfe so shall wee giue our censure of the Authors of the persecutions I forbeare therefore to prosecute the comparison in particulars the more because I pittie the frailty of their Sexe which hauing but weake iudgement is the lesse able to make resistance against stronge temptations I onely deplore their ill hap to sucke the milke of so venimous a breast as the Church of Rome which is indeed the Circe of the world transforming men by her enchanted potions into beasts and metamorphosing euen the innocent disposition of gentle Ladies and Princesses into a Leonine and Tiger like sauagenesse that Lupa Romana which as shee first fostered Romulus with the teats of a shee-Woolfe so nurseth now all others with the like milke and propoundeth the highest rewards of heauen to them that will most play the hell-hounds vpon earth shee which puts Princes vpon persecution of the Church vnder colour of zeale for the Church and stirres vp Subiects to rebellion by pretense of piety and giues the lawrell of Martyrdome vnto Treason to her we are to impute the miscarriages of these and many other worthyes whose better nature was empoysoned by bad principles instilled into them especially we may commiserate her of France because her persecution there feasted Saint Bartholmew with more Christian soules at one Supper then perished by Queene Mary the whole time of her life pray we almighty God that the bloud sucking tyranny of that Romish strumpet may haue an end that shee may bee no longer drunken with the bloud of the Saints nor the Princes of the earth no more intoxicated with her cups of abominations and so passe we from this sorrowfull and sad theme to the ioyfull times of blessed Queene ELIZABETH OF THE NEXT DEFENDRES OF THE Faith Queene ELIZABETH and by what difficulties she attained the Kingdome CHAP. XXIII FIRST I am now againe to change my Argument the gouernement being thus happily changed and to report a time of mercie and not misery of preseruation and not persecution and how the Catholike Faith was defended not offended of Queene Elizabeth and not Queene Marie Sisters indeed by the bond of Nature but most disagreeing in the gifts of Grace and holy ornaments The one defacing the other restoring the one wounding the other saluing the one offending the other defending the most Catholike Faith Queene Marie in blood Queene Elizabeth in peace in peace with God in peace with his Saints in peace with all men saue the enemie of God and Man the Idolatrous and false worship of Antichrist the which with most zealous resolution shee hath most victoriously opposed to the eternall honour of her name on earth and to her euerlasting happinesse in heauen where now shee hath most honourable place among the fellowship of those holy ones who haue best fought the Lords quarrell and best defended the profession of Faith and as it is said the daie and night diuide the yeare like indifferent partners so we may say that these two Sisters Queene Elizabeth and Queene Marie haue diuided the Renowne of the world Queene Elizabeth like the day hauing got the better part of fame honourable and holy remembrance and Queene Marie her Sister like the night the worse part a name of blood which being vttered reduceth to memorie the stories of blood and how the Saints of God were slaughtered whereby shee her selfe is made more blacke than night in giuing her name so blacke and so bad a remembrance Secondly This difference of good and bad is indeed very common in the generations of mankinde and not common to any other kinde of creature saue Man For inuegitable things we see that from one roote doe proceede many branches yet all of them of one and the same Nature and all bearing one and the same fruit but in the generations of Man it is otherwise for from on Father commonly proceedeth children of disagreeing quallities as from one Adam was deriued both righteous Habel and a wicked Caine and from one Isaac a Iacob and an Esau and so from one Henrie an Elizabeth and a Marie a day and a night a mercie and a miserie a blessed protector and a most bloodie persecutor of the Christian Faith And therefore was King Henrie much in Gods sauour and to vs was hee fauourable in making the greater part of the Kings Children the better part which seldome to any one man liuing happeneth God in his anger gaue our Nation but one Marie but in his loue he gaue vs both an Edward and an Elizabeth for so is God double as much in mercie as in iudgement neither will he that hath care ouer all his creatures suffer the cause hee so deerely loueth to want protection but if he giue his Church a Marie to trie it in the fire of persecution he will also giue it an Elizabeth to restore and refresh it Such was our noble Defendresse whose care did medicine the bodie of Religion and State which her Sister had grieuously
wounded And for my owne particular though there was neuer any Princesse in the world whose name I would more gladly honour than Queene Elizabeth yet dare I not take vpon me to report her worth not for that I feare the face of any man in that honest performance but because I am farre vnable to giue so much of honourable remembrance as her most princely life hath well deserued and by fayling in reporting lesse than truth I shall wrong the reputation of her name which most tenderly I loue and whereto I will euer be a seruant And therefore let such as desire to know her worth reade the large storie thereof in the most honourable deeds of late times there being almost no memorable Act in Christendome for the space of fortie yeares of her time wherein she had not some part of princely deseruing Let him view the prosperous face of this Nation and therein behold her merit let him remember her fortunate victorious in her most famous victories wise in the gouernement of her state iust in the liberty of Lawes mercifull in iudgement and iust in determining Let him remember England France Scotland Ireland Spaine Portingale Italy and Belgica and all the quarters of Christendome in euery part whereof is spread the remembrance of her merit let him aske the Turke the Tartare and those Emperours of most distance and they can report the honour and name of Queene Elizabeth Let him inquire at the enuie of the greatest Potentates in Christendome and that will declare her worthie of most worthie praise if there be any one a stranger in this Israell and doth not or will not know her merit let him consult with these or with any of these and he may receiue satisfaction better knowledge or if this suffice not to make her enough honourable let him remember how her holy hands put out the fires of trouble and grieuous persecutions loosing the holy Martyrs from the stakes of of death and like Gods Angell binding the mouth of death and tribulation which had wasted a great part of Gods inheritance And then how shee restored the Truth of Gods seruice vtterly abolishing Idolatrie grosse superstition And this is that which best merited honourable remembrance insomuch as if I had enuie and coueted to obscure her princely deseruing this her most godly act would in despight of enuie and me declare her most worthie and condemne the enuious breach of all them that dare traduce her And therefore I dare boldly say of Queene Elizabeth that in respect both of greatnesse and goodnesse she was such an Empresse as the world neuer had another to match her and for her Sex shee was such a woman as worthily may be said to haue exceeded all other but that most sacred Virgin with whom I neither will nor dare make comparison Thirdly Now that wherein Queene Elizabeth was most absolute was principally in those heauenly respects of mercie Maiestie wherein I thinke she was most excellent and without comparison the which like two hands she applied to euerie good worke of Church and Common-Wealth for by her mercie she approued her self most Christian and by her Maiestie a most Princely Soueraigne In both which respects was this Ladie so singular as if Grace and Nature had giuen them for ornaments to make her most excellent and as if God would by her demonstrate to the world surpassing he can make that Creature vpon whom he shall cast his heauenly ornaments Neither doe I thinke it disparagement to any Prince in the world that I report Queene Elizabeth most excellent both because shee was so in true estimation and also for that it may suffice for the honour of any prince to come neere Queene Elizabeth in these honourable deseruings she being matchlesse for mercie vnlesse in the comparison of K. Iames our Soueraigne and her successor which with her Kingdomes hath inherited that most gratious indument But for Maiestie she was neuer exceeded neither can I giue that comparison without wrong to Queene Elizabeth and flatterie to them whom I should compare her Fourthly And were I worthie to aduise in a matter so serious there is no Prince in the world whom I loue to whom I doe not wish this regard of Maiestie for there is nothing more necessarie in the person of a Prince then Maiestie which when it hath the moderation of mercie and aduised iudgement to order it it is then of most excellent beauty and of most speciall vse Because where it is thus ordered it begetteth in mens hearts an admiration and a Reuerence to the person of such Maiesty for commonly that which men admire they loue and too much familiarity doth oftentimes beget presumption and neglect of dutie neither is there any thing that doth more incourrage disobedience in Subiects than remissenesse and want of Maiestie in the souereigne And this is pretily alluded in the fable of the frogges to whom demāding a King Iupiter cast into a poole where they were assēbled a block which falling with much noise stroake a terror and a Reuerend feare in the Frogges but when they perceiued it blockish and to want Maiestie leape and insult ouer it in derision and scorne hating to giue their obedience to that which wanted the Maiestie to command them And this Morall did Queene Elizabeth well vnderstand who most Princelike did euer maintaine the Maiestie of her high place yet euer with the wisedome of such moderation as that her Maiestie was mercifull and her mercie maiesticke of these two principalls compounding a gouernement most honourable and vertuous Fifthly Such was this noble Queene and much more noble than I can report her who before she was Queene did worthily defend the profession of the Catholike Faith euen to the hazard of her princely life God giuing her that relish of aduersity the better to taste the pleasures of her most happie time which was to follow And if the particulars of her troubles were indifferently considered she would be found very constant and faithfull to God-ward and to haue indured much for the testimonie of Faith and to haue had a glorious Conquest ouer all the enemies of her religious life First their practise who thought to dis-inherit her and her Sister by intruding into the seate of this Empire the Ladie Iane whereby it was likely the inheritance should haue bene conueyed another way and translated into another Succession which could not haue bene without apparant danger of her life and her Sisters because authority that is vsurped cannot bee otherwise secured but by their death that can make lawfull claime yet God who doth euer protect truth did otherwise dispose of this great businesse but if we compare this with her trouble in the time of her Sisters gouernement the comparison will make this little and that monstrous she hauing indured so much for the tryall of her Faith as may well