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
most Christian and most Princely labours are diuulged and laid open before the generall face of the world whereby that man of sin is with euidence discouered and all his painted Pollitique Religion laid nakedly open in the true formes of his false worship and whereby Christian Emperours Kings and Potentates are induced by the authorities of reason and particuler example to combine with God and Gods Lieftenants Christian Princes against all forreigne confederacie whatsoeuer These workes of Religious Learning in the King as they were of maruellous import and strength to the Catholike Cause so also they made much for the Kings sacred honour and will vndoubtedly remaine to all posterity as ornaments of his princely worth and inducements to inflame with sacred zeale the affections of his princely Progenie to honour and inlarge the reputation of Religion and Learning And howsoeuer his malitious lying enemie Tortus or the Cardinall his Master Bellarmine would disgrace the Kings sufficiencie in this kinde of learning and would therefore father his Maiesties worke vpon his Subiect of lesse authority yet are these iniuries both knowne and iudged by many thousands both of this and of other Nations that haue had experience of his extraordinary indouments the truth whereof it is not possible his owne Subiects can report without suspition of flatterie Eleuenthly I conclude then that the Kings Maiesty most noblely defended the Catholike Faith against all the enemies and principally against these two great ones the Papist and the Puritan Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST there was neuer any time wherein God had not some Patron to giue the cause of his Church Sanctuarie for though it be often in distresse it is neuer in destruction Secondly the Kings proceeding against the Papists and the Puritans did well distinguish the quallities of their offence and declare his owne integrity for though he proceeded against both yet with some distinction of fauour For the Puritan was the lesse enemie being enemie to the peace onely but the Papist both to the peace and truth of the Catholike Faith Thirdly Men measure the dgrees of loue and hate according to the quallity of the cause that moues the passion But in particular relations the personall respect doth often preuaile aboue the cause For passion is much more strong when it is vnited in one particuler Subiect rather than when it is deuided vnto a multitude CHAP. XXXV A remembrance of some particulers wherein God wonderfully defended King IAMES FIRST there was neuer any Prince in the world who had more cause to acknowledge Gods fauour then King Iames who trauelled his Princely life from his Cradle to his age thorow many dangerous fortunes whom God still supported against the most able and the most subtill practises of his enemies For if we reduce to memorie the many dangers of his life in Scotland and how in that kingdome his enemies did conspire against his life and State there is in that time and place matter enough of admiration But if that were not and that wee remembred his fortunes in England onely in those few yeares of his gouernement here wee shall finde matter of more than admiration and such conspiracie and damned practises as would amaze and with horror affright the hearts of tyrants and bloody practisers Secondly and for Scotland first to omit many of lesse note I remember that very dangerous conspiracie of the Gowries onely a practise brought to that ripenesse as that the King might seeme to be fast in the snare his enemies had laid to betray him yet did God in a trice breake their snare free the King and destroy the Diuellish deuisers of that proiect This story is well knowne and therefore it need not my report being alreadie related by such who haue had better cause to know the truth of euery circumcumstance and yet in this place doth it merit to bee named both for the rarenesse of the practise and for the greatnesse of Gods deliuerance Thirdly at the Queenes death also did God wonderfully assist the King and fauour the prosperity of his fortunes for at that time when the enemies of our State and the enemies of our Faith did hopefully beleeue that the enmity of these two kingdomes England and Scotland would vpon this occasion haue renued their antient quarrells and thereby haue interrupted the Kings peaceable entrance into this kingdome yet was the euent otherwise no little disturbance letting his Maiesties forward entring whereby God did mocke the expectation of his enemies and assuredly exceed the expectation of all men Fourthly that neuer to be forgotten treason of blowing vp with powder a destruction ment to the King the Queene the Prince the State the house of State the Church the Monuments of the Church the bones and Sepultures of Princes a destruction lesse mercifull then the generall Flood because more sudden and yet all most generall too the very naming whereof may serue for euer to prouoke the people of this kingdom to acknowledge their dutifull thankes to God by whose hand onely this mighty deliuerance was wrought Fifthly By these particulers out of many may appeare how God did wonderfully protect the person of that King suffering him to enter so farre into danger as that he might haue bene said to haue stood in the verie gates of death the match being readily prepared to fire that powder which if it had bene fired had committed the greatest Slaughter that euer at one instant of time happened May God therefore for euer be praised who preuented so great a destruction and let his prouidence be for euer admired who hath thus defended the Defendors of the Catholike Faith CHAP. XXXVI Of the diuersity of Religions FIRST the diuersity of Religions is one maine cause that deuideth the world into so many disagreements the maintainers of euery seuerall Sect disclaiming and persecuting al diuersity iudging such for prophāe out of Gods protection that conspire not with them in their opinion of Religion And heerehēce it is that the name of Iew or Turke is odious to a Christian the name of Christian odious to them they iudging vs and we iudging thē Anathemates cursed people Secondly neither is this contention onely in these opposites of Christian and heathen but the heathen among themselues and the Christians among themselues are deuided into many bitter differences the Turke against the Persian both against the Iew and so in many other particulars of the barbarous people Among the Christians also the Papist against the Protestāt the Protestāt against the Papist the Puritan against them both besides many other subdiuisions So that the Christians in these times haue as many seuerall Religiōs as the old heathen Pagans had Gods and that Idolatrie which the people of the old world committed by hauing multiplicity of Gods did the people of these times cōmit by their
that State where the authority of the Prince is deuided or rather translated into the person of another as in the case of Popish Supremacie is most euident Sixthly Againe to inherit by succession of blood which is of very speciall consideration is by this forraigne Supremacie much indangered because where this power is granted there is also giuen to the Pope the power to alter and dispose of Kings and Kingdomes at his pleasure and to translate the inheritance of States according as hee shall please to fauour or dis-fauour the true owners whereof many times hath ensued much misery and many calamities So that I verily thinke there is no part of Christendome that hath not had a wofull experience in this great misery That were the Prince or the cause neuer so Iust and holy or the Pope and his wicked life neuer so apparantly euill yet by this vniuersall power hee had power giuen him to alter the State and to translate Succession at his pleasure pretending a Religious good but intending eyther the aduancement of his base kindred or else some other enuious and euill end And how dangerous this may bee to a Kingdome let any Iudgement determine Lastly this inconuenience doth follow of Popish Supremacie the practise of so many Treasons wherewith the name of Christendome is much spotted For he that is resolued the sufficiencie of other mens writings to this purpose This onely Argument that whereas by the testimonie of holy Scripture wee are taught to know that man of sinne whom the spirit of God calleth Antichrist by this speciall sensible signe of pride in that he being but man shall presume to exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God Now that Kings and Princes of the Earth are by the sentence of Scripture called Gods it is most euident in that place where he saith I haue said yee are Gods that is neerest to my selfe in your dignitie of place representing my power and my Maiesty in the highest degree vpon Earth Then whosoeuer shall exalt himselfe aboue these degrees of Maiesty must of necessity be he whom the Spirit of God calleth that man of sinne that Antichrist because his sinne is like the sinne of the Diuels in the Creation for as they did so doth he contend for the highest Supremacie and Nymrod-like he buildeth himselfe aloft aboue the reach of Earth reaching his ambition beyond the limits of mortality euen aboue all that is called God Eighthly And therefore great reason had the King and so haue all the Kings of the Earth to cast off all friendly intertainement with him that would exalt himselfe aboue all flesh nay aboue all that is called God and I am verily perswaded that this one respect of pride is that marke whereby shee is best knowne to bee that Babylon with whose Fornications the whole Earth hath bene poysoned yet in these latter times hath shee got more vgly visors to maske in Blood and Treason two such deformities as would be very apparant in the face of Religion And God no doubt hath set these markes in her fore-head as he marked Cain that all his beloued in the world might know her at the first blush and auoide the filth of her Fornications For where those euills are God is not in the honour of his seruice but in his Iustice and angry Maiesty CHAP. V. Of the suppressing of Abbeyes and Religious Houses in England FIRST the worke of Gods prouidence is most worthy of consideration leading by variable turnings the passage of all transitory things to that end whereto God hath decreed them In which worke howsoeuer God doth neuer change the purpose of his will yet the euents many times seeme very admirable to our vâ—derstandings by reason of their change and varieties For all things in this world are in continuall motion being moued as shall please the hand of prouidence euery thing being like the mouing Sea sometimes flowing sometimes in their ebb againe sometimes vp sometimes downe according as shall please that power that moues them And from this mouing cause is deriued that variety in the state of Earth which men falsly call Fortune the often change whereof to a Christian Iudgement is not strange because he considereth the power that God hath ouer all his creatures and how inclinable they be to alteration Secondly And for particular instances Though Religion before these times had indured an euill change changing the truth for many superstitious Ceremonies yet so venerable was the name of Religion to the people of those times as notwithstanding their misconceiuing the truth thereof they gaue such large demonstrations of loue and zeale to that profession and the Professors as no people at any time did euer exceed them inriching the state of Religion both with honourable regard and with very ample possessions Insomuch as the Church then might rather seeme a Triumphant then a Church Militant So high was it exalted in the degrees of worldly prosperity yet for all this flourish God commeth with his rod of correction and finding euill in the greatnesse thereof he alters their present Condition that as they had forsaken the truth of his seruice So hee would bereaue them their earthly honour wherewith the true name of their false Religion was gorgeously decked Thirdly The first cause then of this alteration was God himselfe who when hee seeth the vessell of mens iniquity full he filleth his violl with wrath to reforme and correct what euill men had before deformed and being most Iealous of his honour hee commeth with more then common corrections to reforme the truth of his seruice For so did God at this time his angry hand reaching destruction beyond the liues of those euill men euen to their lands houses and possessions making King Henry vtterly extirpe these abused Monasteries as the Israelites did the Cananites for their monstrous and heathenish sinnes And therefore no doubt did God make particular choise of King Henry for his instrument fitting him with extraordinary spirit that he might the better mannage this great businesse whereto God had ordained him and wherein God did wonderfully assist him Fourthly But what might moue the King in respect of himselfe many men many waies coniecture Some by the spoyle of these houses that he might inrich himselfe and relieue the occasions of his Warres which then did much distresse him But howsoeuer this hath credit with him that writeth this Storie at large yet in that opinion I doe not beleeue him For it is not likely that any Christian Prince in the world would for any respect of spoyle destroy the estates of so many at that time reputed Religious and Godly men Others thinke the King did this out of Stomacke the Pope being then in full opposition with the King for taking Supremacie from him in the Church of England that had but lately giuen to him his Successors for euer the title of Defendor of
multiplicity of Religions For it is al one to deny God and to denie his seruice and Idolatrie is aswell in false worship as in no worship For as God is one but one so there is one Religion and but one whereto all creatures owe their obedience And that men might not preuaricate or alter the forme of Gods seruice hath God himselfe prescribed vs a precise forme how and in what forme wee should serue him damning all diuersity to this his owne order wherewith he is onely pleased and wherewith he is alway pleased Thirdly the reason then why Religion is thus deuided in the Christian world is the many seueral constructions of Gods Word whereby it is both diuersly and doubtfully vnderstood euery man adhering to that sence of Scripture as to his iudgement doth seeme most resonable And from hence it is that these two maine diuisions of Religion the Protestant and the Papist subdeuide themselues againe into many differences especially the Religion of Poperie For proofe whereof we may remember that the Church of Rome hath deuided itselfe into so many quarrel some disputations that searce two Colledges conspire one truth after one manner Nay and the best learned among them contradict and haue damned the opinions of one another this hath bene well declared by many arguments of sufficient proofe in the Learned writings of a Reuerend Doctor of this Church and which is now very lately declared by their own disagreements concerning the lawfulnesse of taking the Oath of Allegiance in which Controuersie the Pope and his great Cardinall Bellarmine oppose against their Arch-Priest Master Blackwell Fourthly It is also worthie of memorie that diuers of them in Queene Elizabeths time being prisoners at Wisbitch were deuided with so much hatred as might seme implacable the quarrell being for superiority betweene the Iesuites and Secular Priests began at Wisbitch but sithence spread ouer all Christendome neither doe I thinke will euer peaceably be compounded a matter rare that men professing one Religion and one Faith prisoners in one place and being by the Law dead men and onely continued there by the mercie of a gratious Prince should thus bitterly contend about priority and greatnesse of place And therefore it is most euident that in that Religion of Poperie wherein they so much boast of vniformity and generall consent there are many Sects and many bitter disagreements Fifthly and for the Protestant Religion whereof I esteeme most reuerently that also is full of much diuersity the vaine glorious spirits of men disturbing the peace of that Church which hath flourished with much prosperity And these diuersities like a ciuill warre and therefore a dangerous warre haue more indammaged the cause of Religion then all the other enemies in the world euer could doe which by reason of singularity and strange doctrine with which the grosse numbers of people are wonderfully contented they haue got a false reputation in the world of holinesse and thereby draw from the vnity of the Church numbers of the basest sort of people Sixthly It were needlesse to reckon vp the seuerall names of these Scismes they are to well knowne in this Nation whose peeuish obstinacie hath bene such as that neither Law nor mercy neuer yet could reclaime And whereas it is obiected by the enemies of our Faith that because of these diuersities therefore our Religion is not good I answer the argument is sencelesse because as I haue proued this diuersity is in all Religions and in theirs most who most obiect against vs. Againe wee all know that the Church of the Iewes was the true Church of God yet in that Church also was there much diuersity for the Sadduces did denie the resurrection which is a fundamentall point of Religion whereas our greatest differences are onely for circumstance and order And therefore this their argument of diuersity doth not conclude against the truth of Religion for the corne may bee good which lyeth mingled with Chaffe and so must the Church of GOD lie vntill the day of Iudgement when as Christ shall come with his Fanne and Seauer the good bad which in the meane time must lie in one heape in one Church and in one profession or name of Religion Seuenthly in this respect of vnity did the King most noblely defende the Catholike Faith disclaiming the enemies on both hands the proud Papist and the peeuish Puritan and like a most Christian Catholike King he directed himself to Iesus Christ placed as hee was crucified betweene these two Thieues who like two extremities Neighbour this most vertuous meane And let it be the prayers of euery true Christian that his Maiesties posterity for euer may thus direct themselues to the Lord Iesus only who only is the way the truth and life itself And let neuer any Caesar of this Empire incline their fauour to either of these crucified thieues for though they hang with Truth yet are they not true And that Religion which is but neere the Truth of the Catholike Faith is not that Truth for as God is so is Truth and so is the faith of holy Religion one and but one with out all duplicity or difference The Conclusion THVS I haue briefly and but sparingly reported the honourable deeds of the Defendors of the Catholike Faith wherein if I had bene iust and had related at full the number of their Princely deseruings in this kinde I should haue vndertaken a businesse of infinite paines and haue made this volume larger then the patience of these times allow to profitable writings I haue therefore extract from the number of their deeds such particulars onely as may abundantly serue to honour the memorie of their names And this trauell most Noble Prince I present to your Highnesse consideration not because I presume of any worth in my part of this businesse but because the knowledge thereof doth principally concerne the dignity of your High place wherein will appeare to your Gratious presence the view of your most Princely Predecessors and how farre they trauelled themselues for the aduancement of holy Religion defending it with resolutions constant and prosperous And wherein your Highnesse may behold what care this Christian Kingdome hath had for the Christian Faith and what care it doth expect in the hope of your Maiesty and in your posterity for euer Amen FINIS What Time is The Iudgement of Philosophy Gen. 1. 1. The Creation of Man All things giuen to Man The world diuided by Religion One God one Truth The reason of Multiplicitie of Religions The first schisme Gen. 4. 3. Gen. 4. 8. Caine the Father of Scisme The first alteration of Time Time the worse for time Gen. 6. 13. The first desire of Empire The foure Monarchies The state of the Church in the old world Gods Iudgements doe correct and not destroy God altereth the tâ—nâ—r of our Obligation The happie
of Holy Martyrs that shed their blood in opposition of that false doctrine neither wanted they some likewise at that time that suffered death in defence of the Popes Supremacie So that the Religion then profest in England was neither that of the Protestant nor this of the Papist for at that time one and the same Law did denounce Iudgement against the maintainers of both kindes condemning the Protestant for not subscribing to the sixe Articles and the Papist for not allowing the Kings Supremacie And therefore good cause had he of admiration who seeing at this time in England three Protestants and three Papists to die at one time and in one place and by the sentence of one Law for their conscience admireth thus Deus bone quomodo hic viuunt gentes hîc suspenduntur Papistae illic comburuntur Antepapistae Iesus saith hee how doe men liue here for there hangs the Papist and heere burnes the Protestant for Religion Eighthly And this came to passe because the Kings counsell were deuided into parts one halfe Protestants the other Papists The Protestants maintaining the Act for the kings Supremacie The Papists that of the sixe Articles either partie executing the iudgemēt of the Lawe according as in their seuerall opinions they were affected whereof insued the greatest calamitie that could be in a Christian State no man making conscience of Religion in either profession that escaped punishment onely such were free and vnder protection who either did dissemble or conforme them to the fashion of the time And this had not bene if the Prince and his Lords had conspired one end for take vnity away you take Truth with it and disagreements doe most assuredly presage losse if not destruction Ninthly But God who denied to his seruāt Dauid the building of his Temple because his hands had bene in blood and did reserue the honour of that worke for Salomon his Sonne a Prince of peace So in this work of reformation God would not King Henrie to effect it because he had bene in blood and Warre as was Dauid Salomons Father but he reserues it for King Edward a true Salomon in the wisedome and iustice of Salomon And this Prince did God ordaine to restore the truth of his seruice King Henrie his Father as did Salomons Father preparing onely matter for this heauenly worke which his Princely Sonne and not himselfe was to finish Tenthly And howsoeuer King Henry did not go forward to this worke with that constancie as the worthinesse of the cause deserued being letted by the enuie of euill Ministers yet hath he well deserued honourable remembrance hauing done more than any other Prince in Christendome before him euer did And if wee consider the kings Nature being most resolute and stiffe in any businesse he vndertooke there neuer was any of his Predecessors better fitted to enter into such a businesse of stomacke as hee was neither can it be said truely of the king that he failed in this enterprise for he performed all he vndertooke and would haue done more if either his own opinion or the counsell of his friend had further directed him And therefore hath he done honourably in doing more than before was done and in doing all he had vndertaken wherein he exceeded the expectation that all men had of him it being a matter thought impossible to preuaile in this against the Pope at this time a power so absolute as that both kings and Emperours had before failed in the like attempt Eleuenthly And therefore I verily belieue that God by his extraordinary power was with King Henrie making him in this inuincible and powerfull to preuaile in iust opposition he looking downe with his eyes of iudgement vpon the pride and open wickednesse of Papacie and hating that the order of his seruice should be so corrupted incites and assists the king to reforme what the iniquity of others had deformed so grosse and sencelesse was the Liturgie of the Church in those blacke daies of ignorance and blinde superstition as would grieue any true Catholike Christian to consider and shame the better sort of Papists themselues to remember And therefore it is reason we acknowledge our dutifull thankes to God for altering this state of misery into a condition most happie and prosperous and that we honour their remembrance whom God did vse as fit instruments to this holy and most Religious worke Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST It doth not conclude but it doth argue against Pietie and the Truth of Religion where there is seuerity in execution For as God is both most iust and most mercifull So all Ecclesiasticall prosecutions must haue temper and indifferent mixture Secondly Calamities Death and persecutions cannot effect that in the Catholike Church which they commonly effect in Pollitique States to the one they are a cause of decay and ruine to the other of inlargement for there is difference in the forme of Gods generall prouidence and of the particular care of his Church Thirdly To ordaine or decree Articles Canons or Statutes to iudge and binde the conscience it is necessary to be directed by spirituall instruction For though authority be in euery Prince yet iudgement is not Fourthly It is dangerous for a Prince to commit the forming of spirituall constitutions to disagreeing mindes for diuersity of opinions when it goeth by suffrage doth vtterly destroy the sincerity of al cōclusions Fifthly It hath bene and is the Pollitique practise of the Romane State to support the bodie of her greatnesse with most terrible persecutions the effect doth iudge the cause and that pollicie is found wicked in the daily fall and lessening of that antichristian Empire Sixthly Tolleration of Religion is in some States reputed a necessarie pollicie but a Religious Prince that doth loue God more then State can neuer tollerate that pollicie for God doth hate all conniuencie and hee is lame in truth that halteth betweene two opinions Seuenthly It is necessary wisedome for a Prince to make difference betweene obedient and disobedient subiects in the case of Religion yet is there a great difference to be had in punishing disobedient opinions and disobedient facts Eighthly It doth much respect a mans particuler happinesse to auoide singularitie and not easily to bee drawne from the common opinion because naturally we haue a liking of our selues and a dislike of others Ninthly To a ciuill happinesse is required to be able to beare all fortunes and not to contemne them For it is not possible for Fortune with her infinite occasions to subduce the greatnesse of a vertuous minde Tenthly A vertuous disposition cannot be supprest by opposition for there is nothing can strength Patience but exercise CHAP. VIII Obseruations out of the generall view of this latter time of King Henries Reigne FIRST the importance of this difference betweene the King of England and the Pope was such as that all Christendome had earnest
that God willed it the king wrought it and the Pope in despight suffered it to the Glory of God the kings honour and the confusion of Antichrist Eighthly From this ouersight of the Popes this may be obserued that authority and greatnesse in an euill person ruines it selfe with his owne weight neither can the greatnesse of power stand safe where it is not supported by the strength of iustice and honest proceeding And that as Byas saith promotions declare best what a man is So it is true that where authority is so absolute that there is liberty without checke Then doe men giue best demonstrations of their Natures and most apparently discouer their affections and to what ends they are most inclined For by the worke we may iudge the workeman by the fruit of the Tree and by the life the truth and holy faith of euerie man Ninthly Againe vpon this proud and ambitious Bishop may bee obserued how God confounds him in his owne practise he contriueth to make the King of England his fast friend his prop wherupon to support his vnspeakeable pride but God he determines otherwise of that King and leades him to a worke more holy honest and honourable The Pope in pollicie intitles him Defendor of the Catholike Faith because hee writ in defence of his vsurped Supremacie But God maketh him and his in deeds to defend the true faith and to denie that Supremacie So that what the Pope would haue God will not haue hee commandeth God countermandeth he deuiseth God disposeth and maketh the King shoote right whom the Pope made to leuell wrong But before all may bee obserued the Popes false vnderstanding iudgement in this case in respect of Piety and conscience how much he was led from the truth of Religion and from the witnesse of Truth Gods Word to maintaine his vniuersall power which his predecessors had by state practise gotten For it cannot be but in this their iudgements were exceedingly blinded they hauing no example of any Church at any time for their imitation When the Law was giuen God gaue it Moses to giue Aaron the people not Aron to giue Moses the people in euery cause both of state Religion Aron the Priest was obedient to Moses the Prince hee receiuing the dignity of his office from Moses vnto whom God gaue power to giue it Tenthly The like order was in the Iewish Church where the Prince might iudge the Priest and not the Priest the Prince and so in the practise of all times and in all places vntill that CHARLES the Great breathed the spirit of Ambition where it is and where it hath for many yeares disturbed the peace of Christendome yet with such euidence was this error laid open to the vniuersall eye of the world by the diligence of Martin Luther and others as the Pope could not but vnderstand it yet against the witnesse of his owne conscience did he still stifly defend it and this was a pollitique regard least the world vnderstanding him to faile in a matter so important might thereupon call in question the truth of that opinion which in truth is the state and strength of that Religion That in precept and doctrine the Pope cannot erre if then he had yeelded to haue erred in this he denied the truth of his foundation without which his greatnesse cannot stand Eleuenthly And therefore after the fashion of antient heretickes he would not yeeld to the perswasion of truth because he would not haue his iudgement contradicted and shamed by recantation to acknowledge himselfe to haue done amisse And this is onely the pride and Stomacke of the too much authority of these Bishops that respect greatnesse more then goodnes the world more then God falshood than truth desiring darkenesse to obscure the manie deformities wherewith they haue defaced the name of Christian Religion Twelfthly By this wee may learne to distinguish the good and euill the holy and prophane by their end whereto they principally aspire for good men make goodnesse their onely end whereto they reach but euil men make it onely their pretence and like the Lapwing flie most where there Nest is not and such hath bene the care of the Romane Church intituling their Bishops seruants of Gods seruants yet arrogate principallity ouer the highest of Gods Creatures They professe humility and Christian obedience but practise a tyrannie vnsupportable They call Christian Princes their beloued sonnes but make them slaues and seruants to their vngodly wills And from them hath the world learned dissimulation cunning practise for wee see that many men forme themselues very precisely in the habit of all Christian duties outwardly to gaine a reputation and the honour of high place which when they haue obtained they cast off that face of holines and discouer themselues in their true inuentions such was and still is the practise of Popes who by the formes of holinesse haue got a reputation in the world which at length came to the growth that it became like Nabuchadnezzars Tree to couer the whole earth and to spread it ouer all principality then in the height of that prosperity they cast off their vizard and discouer themselues to be but Pope and not Pastors casting from them the Word that they may with more dexterity vse the sword with which like Theeues they Rob Christian Princes of that Regality which God gaue them 13. And therefore King Henries proceedings were very considerable whereof it behoued the Pope to be verie regardfull as did threaten the ruine of that frame which the pride and pollicie of his predecessors had erected the rather because the king began at the top of his dignities to throw downe his Supremacie which had ouertopped the most soueraigne of al Christian power whatsoeuer And herein the King may seeme to vnderstand well what he had to doe for by striking the roote he was sure to perish the branches and the best way to ruine a house is to vndermine the foundation in Warre the victory is sure when the enemie hath lost that power wherein his chiefe strength consisted and so the body of Popery must 17. For these respects the Christian world stood mute at the Kings businesse no man daring to set to his helping hand so much danger their iudgements could see in attempting it as that all could bee content to be spectators but no actor like King Henry euery man hauing earnest expectation what would be the issue of so strange and hazerdous an enterprize 18. It is also very considerable that the French King had at this time aduantage offered him against the King of England The King being now in the heate of so great a businesse deuided from his confederate the Pope vnassisted by any forraigne state and in the danger of domesticke troubles whereby he was vnfurnished of a great part
and greatnes by the act of Supremacie for this as I haue said was the first step to the Popes downefall and therefore by disinabling the enemie of Faith hee did wel defend it Secondly in dissoluing the wicked assemblies of euill men professing religion the Fryers Monkes he therein performed the dutie of his Christian office because these men did not onely by their euill life disgrace the Christian profession but like drones idle themselues yet prodigally spending the fatte of other mens labours a double inconuenience to a Christian state First in maintaining such numbers of vnprofitable men Secondly in the euill wasting of that which might wel haue serued the necessities of many profitable vses Eigthly And therefore though king Henrie went forward in this holy busines but slowly yet laid he the passage open for his son and disarmed the enemie of his greatest strength whereby the next Defendor K. Edward might the better take from this Thiefe the spoyles of Christian Princes wherewith he had made himselfe appeare most glorious And so did that princely Edward to the glory of his God and the perpetuall honor of his princely name Ninthly Now if I should compare these two Defendors the Father K. Henrie and the Son K. Edward together and determine whether of them hath better merited the honour of their new stile I shall rather giue the palme to K. Edward because to finish a good is more more deseruing then to begin it For though king Henrie did deserue well in acting his princely part of great Maiesty yet did king Edward deserue better continuing the Sceane to the last period euer acting one and the same part and not diuers as did king Henrie his Father Tenthly Againe if wee respect greatnesse in their actions the Father hath the greater preheminence but if goodnes the son hath the greater the Father exceeding his Son in respect of Maiesty and bold attempting but the Son his Father in zealous prosecuting a holy cause begun So that betweene these two the Father and the Son was shared both greatnes goodnes both of them hauing both these in reasonable proportion and either exceeding other in his particular King Henry the Father he taketh from the Pope the Idol of false religion authority wealth by denying his Supremacie and by suppressing of Monasteries these being his two legges whereupon he did support the body of his greatnes The Pope wanting these supporters Idol-like falls to the ground where the king there leaueth him But king Edward with better zeale entring Gods House and finding this Idol bodie and idle body in the Church of England casteth out that body from the Church which his Father left wounded in the Church cleansing the holy Sanctuary which by false seruice had bene long prophaned This holy Edward in respect of his youth and great place admirable for his wisedome holy life And therfore did king Henry deserue well and somewhat defended the Catholike Faith But king Edward deserued better and defended it best Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST It is no note of the Catholike Church neither of piety to inflict aduersity disgrace and death but of the contrarie For God doth giue to his owne these little demonstrations to remember them his iudgements and to make them the better relish eternall felicities Secondly God in the worke of his iudgements doth indifferently vse the seruice of good and badd instruments but in his mercies he doth euer imploy his best for Mercie is his most excellent attribute and doth reioyce against Iudgement Thirdly It hath bene the most generall and the most Pollitique practise of our times to disioyne a Prince from his power and by Faction to make a Fraction in his state for a faction doth euer destroy one parte if not both Fourthly It is a Court error and almost common in all States that men with generall acclamation applaude both the loue and hatred of the Prince wheresoeuer hee shall place them but a wise Prince will suspect all such assentations because they intend but to please and not to profit Fifthly He that would continue himselfe in generall estimation must bee both actiue and passiue For he that can suffer well is able to confound Enuie Sixthly The same degrees of vertue are not giuen to all men alike but to all men there is giuen a possibility of hauing vertues in some degree because to euery man is giuen an vnderstanding soule which may apprehend it CHAP. X. A Comparison betweene King Henrie the Eighth of England and Frederick sirnamed Barbarossa Emperour of Germanie FIRST these two mighty Princes King Henry of England and the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa were most notable in these last Ages for the greatnesse of their Spirits and for the boldnesse of their attempting both of them attempting one fortune but with great difference of succesfull fortune and both of them attempting with such resolute stoutnesse as that in themselues they are of neere comparison though in their fortunes they were not comparable The Emperour hee attempts against Pope Alexander The King against Pope Clement in this they conspire but the Emperour failed in his enterprize wherein the King got the garland and triumphed and in this they agree not The Emperour he quarrells the Pope for Soueraignety and because he thought it indignity and dishonour to this imperiall place to be crowned and confirmed by the Popes allowance King Henry his quarrel was for Supremacie thinking it dishonour to his kingly dignity to be second to any man in his own dominions and in this they very neerely consent Secondly Againe the King he intends a further care then this businesse of State the reformation of Christian Religion the which he found to be much corrupted The Emperour had not this good intention but trauells principally to reobtaine the Soueraigne liberty of his place which by the power of the Popes was taken from him and in this they agree not Againe the Emperour neuer fainted in himselfe but continued his princely courage to the last though the disaduantage aduantage of fortune made him faile in his great attempting and though most basely he did humble himselfe at the Pope his enemies feete yet was he forced to this by extremities not by any deiection or weakenesse of his former haughty spirit But the King though he had the Conquest and preuailed against the Pope in all hee vndertooke yet fainted he in the hope of his greatest businesse not reforming Religion but in parte which he might haue done at his own pleasure being prouoked thereto by the perswasion of prosperous fortune But this failing in the King was not caused by the weakenesse of his courage but by the weakenesse of his Nature being easily ruled by the perswasion of his neere fauourites and therfore in this they were vnequall Thirdly In respect of the Popes their enemies they were both alike handled both of
could not better be continued than by vniformity and order Seuenthly And this is that which deseruedly hath made the king worthie of honourable name and most worthie of all others to be stiled Defendor of the most Catholike Faith neuer any Prince before him hauing done more with greater zeale for Religion then this very act king Edward did being in this comparable with Iosias the good king of the Iewes who with all industry did trauell in Gods businesse destroying the groaues and high places where the Idols had that diuine worship which of dutie is onely belonging to God And such were those phantasticall Ceremonies then vsed more like the exercise of Heathen than of Christian Priests and such was the kings care to reforme and rectefie as may well equall that of king Iosias and worthily exceed all his predecessors the kings of England before him To recite the particulars of his honourable merit were a trauell infinite the passage of his kingly life being nothing but in exercise of goodnesse the benefit whereof this Nation doth presently enioy and the renowne thereof spread ouer all Christendome and therefore I will onely remember some particulars of neerest consideration and such whose remembrance may most dignifie the author and contriuer of them Eighthly In the yeare 1547 and the first of King Edwards Reigne the King by act of Parliament did repeale all former Statutes concerning Religion by which Statutes the professors of Truth had bene iudged Heretickes and Heretickes and false Professors approued among the number of euill Statutes then repealed was that of the sixe Articles a Statute guilty of the blood of many the dearest Children of God which like an euill soare spread ouer all the Kingdome culling out such for the day of slaughter whom God had ordained to inherit eternal life the euil furie therof set on fire by the turbulent Spirits of euill men then in authority such as were Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester Bonner Bishop of London and others who by euill Counsell and pollice made the latter time of King Henrie fill our English Chronicles with the stories of blood and persecution Ninthly And therfore be it famous for the honour of King Edward and most worthie of his holy title that his princely care gaue end to this bloodie euill and that he for the honour of his God for the peace of his saints hath put out these destroying fires and blunted that edge of persecution which then did Tiranize the space of sixe yeares by the authority of the sixe euill Articles By this repeale did King Edward cure the wound his Father had made so dangerous in the Church and State of England reconciling himselfe and the authority of his place to the fauour of God which by these bloodie Articles his Father had verie much indangered Tenthly Againe the Kings holy care did not here end but yet respected a further benefit to the Catholike Faith neuer satisfying himselfe to haue done well whilst there was ought left vndone which either the seruice of his place kingly office or the necessity of the present times required And therfore when he had cast out the abhominatiō of his Israell Popish Idolatrie and the many errors of that Ceremonious Seruice hee contenteth not himselfe with this good deede but proceedeth to a higher degree of merit to the true establishment of the truth of Gods seruice thinking it vnworthy the honour of his name to take off from the church the ragges it then wore and so to leaue it naked and therefore did he inuest it with orders and ornaments of decencie fitting the fashion of Christs Spouse the Church Militant whereby shee might be distinguished from all diuersity whatsoeuer Eleuenthly And by this meanes the Liturgie of the Church was brought into a right square and proportionable to the Rule of Gods Word which ought to fashion euerie Christian care but principally the forme of Religion and holy Seruice Twelfthly Moreouer the commiseration he had of the necessities of men doth deserue a worthie remembrance and to bee ranked among those holy cares that haue made him verie famous For clemencie and pitifull regard in a person of such Maiesty is that whereby great men neerest resemble the Nature of God who is most mighty yet most mercifull In which heauenly respect this good King hath so farre exceeded example as that I cannot giue him equall comparison with any earthly creature in those times liuing who notwithstanding his greatnesse of Maiesty and high place would in his prouident care discend to the lowest of his Subiects to the lame the poore and the fatherlesse and with the eyes of Christian compassion would he view their necessities and accordingly prouide for them of his owne accord not led thereto by the perswasion of any saue of Gods Spirit which did continually moue him to holy exercise the witnesse of which his holy care will euer liue in the thankefull prayers of poore people who at this day are relieued in Hospitalls by him erected and giuen And in this respect hath hee well deserued the stile of Defendor of the Catholike Faith defending and prouiding for poore Christians the Children of Faith against the powerfull enemie necessity 13. And these workes of mercie are the best demonstrations we can giue that wee are in the Catholike Faith for he that hath not mercie hath not faith they being as vnseparable as the good Tree and the good fruit And such was this Noble Prince and so rare was he in the worke of holinesse as that worthely and before all others he hath deserued to be stiled Defendor of the most True most Antient and most Catholike Faith Obseruations Diuine Pollitique Morall FIRST A wicked Prince may effect Religious deeds but affect them he cannot because such deeds in such a one are not done for themselues but for the seruice of vnlawfull and wicked ends Secondly In Gods affaires the Prince his seruant may neither exceed his Commission in presuming neither neglect it with coldnesse but so proportion all his Christian proceedings that they may receiue allowance from the testimonie of God for as the body of a pollitique State Subiects are in all ciuill respects obedient to their temporall Lord. So all Potentates Powers and dignities haue their superintendent God who is their Lord paramont and doth command and iudge them as his vassalls Thirdly Such onely are fit to bee reformers of Christian Religion as haue Authority Truth and Zeale Authority to doe Truth to distinguish Zeale to perseuere all which had being and life in the person of King Edward Fourthly It was a Christian Pollicie in the King to establish Religion with vniformity and order and it is that Pollicie that doth still maintaine the State vnited For difference though it be but in ceremonie is a most necessarie cause of most vnnecessarie discords Fifthly Such Senators are
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
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