Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	good_a	king_n	prince_n	3,500	5	5.4628	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13158	A briefe examination, of a certaine peremptorie menacing and disleal petition presented, as is pretended, to the Kings most excellent Maiestie, by certaine laye papistes, calling themselues, the lay Catholikes of England, and now lately printed, and diuulged by a busie compagnion, called Iohn Lecey	Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1550?-1629.	1606 (1606)	STC 23452; ESTC S117870	127,037	159

couÌ„sel accusing them of iniustice hard dealing which some confesse in part to bee true for if they had been iustlye dealt with all then had they been exequuted for their trecherous practises and felonies for which diuers of them stood by lawe condemned and not sent awaye to rayle vpon such as shewed mercie and fauoure to them And this is the corps the deuaÌ„t derrier al the coÌ„teÌ„ts of this lame petitioÌ„ apologetical framed as is sayd by lay Papists or rather in theire names by certein masse-Priests For answer wherof although no further answere needeth then that which alreadye hath beene made to their good masters vrging the same things in diuers of theire libels discourses and petitions wee purpose by Gods grace to hold this course First it shall be declared that toleration of false religions is repugnant to rules of religion and holy scripture and next that it is contrary to al Christian policie and reason Thirdly that the Papistes themselues in places where they commaund deny all toleration of other Religions then that which they professe themselues Furthermore leaste the Papists mighte excepte that these allegations doe nothing concerne theire cause it shall be further proued that poperie is a false idolatrous hereticall new and blasphemous religion and not onelie enemie to kings and princes but also greeuous to all Christians Finally least any of these petitioners shoulde swell with pride and thinke that with his greate eloquence he were able either to iustify the cause of popish Religion or to make good his reasons for toleration therof we haue thought good not onelie to glosse the text but also to examine the prologues reasons epilogues defenses accusations and whole pleadings of our aduersaries throughout their whole apologeticall petitioÌ„ Tu leno haeresis Arrianae saith Lucifer in his apology for Athanasius cunctos fieri cupis consacrilegos tuos So wee may say of these petitioners that while like bawdes they set forth the whore of Babylon her whorish religion they seek to make vs partakers with them of theire sacriledge and impietye Jt may bee they will complaine that this is no frendly dealing But as Sainte Ambrose epist 27 saide of one non ille tuus hostis sed tu illius so wee may say of papistes we are not their enemies but they are ours Noli accusare saith Hierome to Ruffinus apolog 2. ego cessabo defendere So say I to these petitioners forbeare to charge vs and we shall willingly forbeare to make our defenses Againe let them cease to tell vs of their Resolution in their profession and loyalty towards his maiesty and we shall haue lesse cause to detect either their grosse ignorance and foule impieties abhominations and abuses of their religion or their vndermining treasons and rebellions In the meane while let them attend and haue patience while wee briefly discouer vnto them the mysteries of their wicked religion which so obstinately they will needs professe and the holownesse and defects of their loyaltye which so boldelie they pretend Chapter 2. That the toleration of any false heretical or idolatrous religion is repugnante to reasons of religion and holy scriptures THE Church and city of God beeing built vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets and their doctrine it is matter sufficient for Christians that are members of Gods church and citisens of the citie of god to refuse and reiect any Religion if the same be not founded vpon holy scriptures nor taught by the Apostles and Prophets inspired by gods spirit But if the same proue not onely diuers and strange but also contrary to apostolical and propheticall doctrine and conteine not only false and hereticall opinions but also positions and fancies tending to idolatrie and plaine impietie then oughte all Christians to abhor and flie from such a wicked religion and by no meanes to tolerate those that either teach it or professe it or fauor it The law of god Deuteronom 13. is very direct and peremptory against false teachers and seducers that endeauour to drawe men to idolatry or any false religion whatsoeuer That prophet saith Moyses or that dreamer of dreames shall bee slaine because he hath spoken to turne you away from the Lord your god In this case hee doth not permit either the brother to fauour his brother or the father his sonne or daughter or the husband his wife or one friend another And Deuteron 29. there shall not bee amongst you saith hee man nor woman nor familye nor tribe which shall turne his hart this day from the lorde our god to goe and serue the gods of these nations So it appeareth that both the idolatrous seducers and such as adhere vnto them and are seduced by them are to bee expelled out of the land if we meane to insist in the waies of gods commandements and to auoide his heauie wrath and iudgements Elias 1. Kings 18. condemneth such as stood indifferent betwixt two religions How long saith he doo you halt betwixt two if god be god followe him if Baalbe god folow him Now what els do they that are content to winke at the idolatrous masse and worshipp of angells Saints and dumb images but ioyne god and Baal together The Prophet Dauid Psal 16. sheweth what detestation all the children of god ought to haue not onely of idolatrie but also of all idolaters and false worshippers Their offerings of blood saith he wil I not offer neither make mention of their names with my lips Zephanie 1. the Lord threatneth to punish such as together with gods worship tolerate an other religion I will stretche out mine hand saith he vpon them that worship and sweare by the lord and sweare by Malcham Our Sauiour Christ Matth. 18 coÌ„mandeth such to be reputed and holden as Heathen men and Publicanes that stubbernlye refuse to heare the church and shall wee harbor them and repute them good christians that shall professe a religion vnhearde of in the apostolike and auncient Church likewise Matthew 7. He exhorteth his disciples to beware of false prophets that come vnto them in sheps cloathing and Matth 16 to take heede and beware of the leuen of the pharises Sadduces Do they not then plainelie neglect the exhortations and commaundementes of our Lorde and sauiour Christe that without punishmente suffer such as bring in the leuen of Poperye or tolerate the exercise of any false religion Sainte Paule Galat 5 doth wish them cut of which did disquiet the church and Apocalyps 2. the bishop of Ephesus is commended For that he could not beare with them that were euil and because he hated the works of the Nicolaitans CoÌ„trariwise the Bishops of Pergamus Thyatyra are repreheÌ„ded the first for suffering them which taught the doctrine of Balaam the second for suffering the woman Iesabel to peaehe and to deceine gods seruantes Do we then think that god will hold them guiltlesse that suffer his church to be disquieted with false teachers and winke at the Priests of Baal

to theyr factioÌ„ or that shal be ready to exequute any mischieuous enterprise against the state the papistes wil deny themselues to be in this case But what should any man trust denials that remembreth Percies and Catesbyes and Garnets late treasons 12. If we beleeue not rules of state yet let vs consider in what daunger states stand that haue in theyr bowels many Iebusites Massepriests and their complices ready to execute the popes will by examples and precedents of former times And first let vs remember how many enterprises were made by them in the late Queenes dayes of famous and blessed memory to bring their country vnder the commaund of strangers Next what attemptes they made against that innocent princes life Thirdly what libells they set out to the disgrace of the principall gouernors of the state Fourthly let vs consider what stirrs and rebellions they raysed in the dayes of King Henry the 8. King Edward and Queene Elizabeth Fiftly it may not be forgotten how they made a league in France against the king and cruelly murdered King Henry the third and empoysoned diuers that stood in their way Sixtly the massacres of Fraunce and cruell executions in Flanders shew what they wil do here if once they thinke themselues strong enough Seuenthly if we forget all the rest yet may we not forget Percies late treason who in the ruines of the Parliament house meant to bury both King and state and to massacre all Christians opposite to the popish faction Lastly if of nature papists were quiet yet will the Pope neuer suffer them to rest vntill he haue his will Our last reason of state against Popery is for that the same is both enemy to princes and most grecuous to christian subiects which remayneth now in particular chapters to bee handled Chap. 12. That popish religion is enemy to kings THat popish religion is enemy to all kings professing a contrary religion J think the papistes themselues will not deny For experience sheweth that they persecute such both with armes and laws and censures Neither do they only make opeÌ„ wars vpon them but also by priuy murdrers empoysoners seek to destroy them as may be proued by many particulars And now if any maÌ„ reply say that neither Clement the 8. nor this pope now raiguing tooke this course against his Maiesty and other christian kings professing true religion we aunswer first that it is vncertain how far the pope was engaged in Percies late treason and what secret practises popes both haue and do continually set forward And secondly that want of occasion and meanes hath rather hindered their violent and furious courses then any change or alteration of their former resolution in oppugning their opposites But suppose his maiesty and the state were not of a contrary religion to the pope yet it shall be prooued that popery is aduerse to Kings that like well inough of that religion For first all kings liuing vnder the popes obedience are the popes subiects Boniface the 8. declareth it in the chapter vnam sanctam ext de maior obed where he saith it is necessary to salnation for all men to be subiect to the Pope Now what greater indignitie then to make kings the popes vassalls and subiects Secondly Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. sayth that the pope hath power to take away kingdomes from some and to bestow them on others The same doctrine is also maintained by Robert Parsons in his seditious book of titles He doth also traiterously affirme that the people may sometime lawfully proceede against princes VVilliam Rosse in his book de iustareip supra reges impios haereticos authorit c. 2. affirmeth impudently that the right of all the kings and kingdomes of Europe is layde vpon this foundation that the state or people may depose their kinges But grant this and then are kings tenants at the popes and peoples will For what is more easy then to impute grieuous crimes to princes if the pope or seditious mutins lift to quartell with them Thirdly Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. determineth that it is not lawfull for Christians to tolerate a king that is an infidell or an heretike if he go about to draw his subiects to his religion The papists therefore as we see are taught to make it a matter of conscieÌ„ce to depose their kings and the massepriests set them on to rebellion Pius the fift excommunicated all such as would not take armes against Queen Elizabeth and Clerke and VVatson first and lately Percie and Catesbie and theyr complices attempted the Kings destruction albeit they say he is not declared excommunicated Nay admit a Prince were not aduerse to the pope in religion yet if the Pope pretend any matter of quarrell vnto him his subiects are stirred against him and hee is excommunicated as may appeare in the Duke of Ferraraes case excommunicated by Clement the 8. because he wold not deliuer vp into the popes hands his dukedome of Ferrara Fourthly suppose a king keepe good correspondence with the Pope yet he is not within his kingdome as papists teache to make ecclesiasticall lawes nor may refuse to obey the popes ecclesiasticall lawes But he is no soueraign king that eyther receiueth lawes of other or hath no power to make lawes for his subiects in matters of externall Church gouernement Fiftly where popish religion reigneth there the clergie is exempt from the kings courts and gouernment Bellarmiue in his treatise de exempt Cleric setteth down these propositions first that Clerkes in ecclesiasticall causes are freed from the commaund of secular princes by the law of god Next that Clerkes are not to bee iudged of secular iudges though they transgresse temporall lawes and lastly that princes in respect of Clerkes are not souesaigne princes Eâ—eanuel Sae in his first edition of Aphorismes for confessaries saith that the rebellion of a Clerke against his King is not treason because hee is not the kinges subiecte His words are these Clerici rebellio in regem non est crimen laesaema iestatis quia non est subditus regis So wee see that the doctrine of popery maketh kings but half kings and depriueth them of a great part of their subiects Sixtly the Pope in c. quia nonnulli de immunitate ecclesiae exempteth the goods and possessions of Clergy men from tolle and custome Doth it not appeare then that Popish religion depriuing the King of halfe his reuenewes doth also weaken his estate and make him oftentimes vnable to defray his ordinary charges 7. In all states where popery is professed a greate part of the kings reuenewes is taken from him and bestowed vpon the pope and his kingdome is thereby much impouerished Finally did the King neither respect his Royall authority nor his enemies yet if he meane to secure himselfe from the hads of Cuttorotes and priuy empoisoners he may not endure the king-killing Iebusites nor the popes proctors that stirre vp warres against princes

theire country but many things are often offered that are slenderly performed and such no doubt would the seruice haue been that is or was offered by them who seared more the Popes thunderboltes then the princes double cannons and onely desired to free themselues out of prison that they mighte after take part with the stronger to desire to bee placed in the forefront of the battel in theire shirts they had no reason vnlesse they had meante after they hadde put of their armes and clothes to runne awaye more ligtly My Lord Vaux was so good a man of warre that I woulde wish no greater benefit to England then that all our enemyes were such But suppose some few recusants did offer to serue the Queen yet neither had she reason to trust them nor we to beleeue that all the rest of the recusants meant to serue her faithfully being sworn vassals to the pope her sworn enemy Vnhappy had this land beene if theire prayers and vowes had been performed Foralbeit some papists then did acknowledge the Queenes authority notwithstanding the popes excommunications yet that was for that the excommunication did not bind them vntill such tyme as the Popes bulle might be put in exequntion as appeareth by the faculties granted to Parsons and Campian Fourthly out of England they runne into Ireland to tell vs of the fidelity of Irish papists But it appeareth those men neuer came there to trye it they shew so greate ignorance of the Irish and of the affaires of Ireland For in the battaile at Kiusale they cannot name 10. Jrish that did any greate seruice At other times the most part alwayes abandoned and betrayed those that relied vpon them and euer for one Irish man that truly serued the Quene there might bee reckened 10. that willingly serued the rebells And this should the king finde at theire hands J feare if he had occasion to trie them If then these petitioners haue no better argumentes to proue the fidelity of recusants then such as these they will not proue refined gold nor good copper but rather Corke guilt ouer like gold or some such other light and slight stuffe good for nothing Fiftly they tell his maiesty of the affection and behauiour of papists toward his predecessors himselfe and his title neither forgetting King Henry the 7. nor King Edward the confessor But all the question being concerning the moderne papists and theire loyalty to princes of contrary religion who seeth not how farre theire discourse runneth out and is transcendent aboue theire purpose the welshmen of our tyme may with better reasoÌ„ alledge the noble acts of Hector and Aeneas of Troy or of king Brute King Arthur or some auncient famous man of Britayne How much they fauored the King it appeareth by diuers attempts against him in Scotland and by the treason of Clerk VVatson Copley Brooke Markham and now lately of Percy Catesby and others sence his comming into England Parsons and Coluill directly oppugned the Kings title in books in print and to that boke which Parsons set out as is saide in diuers languages the Iebusitical faction yeelded a greate applause Many of them also as the seculer preestes charged them subscribed vnto it Jf then nowe they pretend to fauour the kinges title it is because it were bootelesse and dangerous now to oppugne it likewise the papistes that heeretofore wrote and spake in defence of his Maiesties Mother and of the Kinges title respected nothing else but theire owne particuler thinking by theire glosing wordes either to bring in Popery or to aduaunce theire owne priuate pretences Finally they shew they haue great Confidence in his Maiesties clemency that they haue refused to pay the twenty pound a month due for recusancy albeit the penalty be greate But here they shoulde rather alledge cause to moue the King to trust them then to shew that they may assuredlie trust the Kings mercy whose Clemency is so exceeding and word so assured Further this rather argueth their disobediente and repugning humor then iustifieth theire sober disposition and desire to be loyal Lastly they shewe a great differeÌ„ce betwixt the gentle proceeding of true christians that with light penaltyes seeke to winne men and are slow in exacting them and the rigor and cruelty of papistes that confiscate all the Lands and goods of true Christians most barbarously torment and massacre their persons without pitty or mercy Jf then our lay papistes haue no better defences nor preteÌ„ces for their fidelity then they haue formerly alledged theire owne words will rather conuince them then cleare them and such as had no euill opinion of recusants before will take occasion to suspect that this stubble of theirs is nothing but a couer for the seed of much hartburning discontentment and disloyalty as their billetts and fagots of late were laid to couer their barrels of gunpowder couched vnder the higher house of Parliament Chap. 20. An answere to the petitioners calumniations agayust the professors of the Gospel set downe in the 6. chapter of their popish apologetical petition IT were a most simple defence for a prisoner standing at the Barre of iustice and answering for his life before his iudges to alledge for his defence that his behauiour is as honest and loyall as that of his accusers Yet this is the best defence which these Massepriests vnder the maske of lay papists make in this place supposing very absurdly the accusation of their aduersaries to be a iustification and defence of their own actions Nay where they pretend to deale against their accusers they mistake the matter vtterly and speake against such as are long since departed this life and neuer either accused them or knewe them and inueigh against the ministers of the Church of England which are not parties against them leauing the kings sergeants and atturney to speak what they list and aunswering nothing to their informations accusations and enditements which principally touch them But will you heare their wooden weak accusation against vs as it followeth Chapter 6. The cariage and behauiour of our Accusers IT resteth now lastly to consider what hath been the behauiour of some of our 1 Your accusers are your ovvne consciences the kings Atturney and other officers The Ministers accuse you not but ansvver your sooleries accusers the Ministers we meane The cariage of our Antagonists and some hot spirits of their adherents and followers from time to time in your maiesties affaires that hath so cherished dignified and aduanced them and to other their lawfull Princes that haue not so fully concurred with them in matter of religion as your Maiesty doth vt contraria iuxta se posita magis elucescant that contraries compared together may the more cleerly appeare If you demand what they were that accounted it a matter treasonable to retain any book or paper in fauour of your Maiesties Title and that in publique books called your Mothers right to this Crowne a pretended Title Agendum est

toleration of popery is conformable to reason But little doth he seem to vnderstaÌ„d what is reason that requireth things so coÌ„trary to truth law reasoÌ„ For first what reasoÌ„ can he preteÌ„d to desire the practise of a religioÌ„ rebellious seditious fals erroneous foolish absurd new straÌ„ge idolatrous blasphemous and full of diuers other moste grosse abuses either therfore the papists must clear their religioÌ„ from these crimes or else confesse they haue small reason to demand a toleration for it We haue iustified our charge in diuers treatises both in latin and English and yet they answere nothing particulerly Secondly litle shew of reason haue they to desire his maiesty to admitte a religion which depriueth him of halfe his authority halfe his subiects halfe his reuenewes and maketh him subiect to the pope Thirdly they doe without all reason demand the free exercise of a religion that bringeth mens consciences into thraldome their persons into danger and their landes and goods into the hands of tyrantes Fourthly the pope and massepriestes make merchandise of mens soules and make little conscience to buy and sell churches altars dignityes heauen grace and all spirituall thinges They spoyle the poore the widdowe and fatherlesse and for maynteinaunce of their owne estates make hauocke of Christian mens estates Haue they then reason to sue for such a bargayning and spoyling religion 5. They shew theÌ„selues deuoid of reasoÌ„ that admit masse priests into theire houses that like owles fly the light and sight of the magistrate that intertaine intelligence with forreign enemies that deuoure theire substance that like impure lechours abuse the wiues daughters and maides of such as giue them intertainement and pretending to make them Catholike doe indeed make them Cuckoldlike Sixtly we finde by proofe that Masse-preests and Jebusites haue combined theÌ„selues with foreign enemies haue sought the destruction of the ire souereigne princes the thraldome of their natiue country to strangers Jf any man doubted of this before the horrible treason and rebellion of Percy Catesby their followers and their wicked deseignements may resolue him And therfore if reason may rule them none of the kings true subiects can seek the aduancement of this treache rous religion Finally papists haue no reason to aske that of vs in England which themselues deny to vs and our brethren in Spaine and Italie There they will not cease their butcherly proceedings nor put downe their houses of Inquisition Neither will they be induced to suspend their penall lawes made against true Christians What face and forehead then haue papists to aske that in England of vs which they will not yeeld to vs and our brethren in other countries is it not reason that they should doo to others as they would haue others to do to themselues and doth not the law quod quisque ff quod quisque iuris contain great reason determining that euery man should be iudged according to the law which himselfe vseth But if papists wil needs vrge things vnreasonable then must they vnderstand that true Christians haue reason to reiect their treacherous false erroneous new absurd ido latrous and blasphemous religion And next that his Maiesty hath iust cause to abhor the practise of that religion that as hath bin foreshewed maketh him the Popes vassall and taketh away halfe his authority halfe his subiects halfe his reuenues and bringeth the rest into question Now his Maiesty is in no daunger by the grace of God if he can suppresse the growing faction of Antichrist Sixtus Quintus in his declaratory Bull anno D. 1588. against our late gratious Queen confesseth that hee had no meanes to proceede against her as he had in countries professing popery to deale with other princes But let Massepriests gather their bands of seditious persons together and then both prince and state shal incur great hazard Thirdly the preachers of the Catholike faith haue good occasion to oppose themselues against these wolues that seeke to enter vpon Christs flock They seek to alter both religion and state and will not rest before they haue depriued al true pastors both of their liuings and life will not then true pnstors awake and vigorously resist them Fourthly Wise politikes may not admit a religion that will cause dinision and trouble the peace of the state Neither may they tolerate such as depend on strangers and concurre with forain enimies 5. The disciples of Christ may haue no felowshipp eyther with the priests of Baal or the caniball Massepriests that say they eat Christs flesh with their mouths and teeth swallow his blud into their bellies or with the disciples of Antichrist that seeke to suppresse the true catholike faith 6. No true louer of his country can endure rinegued Iebusites and Massepriests that are combined with forreign enemies and seeke to bring their countrimen vnder the commaund of straungers and to murder all that are studious of the peace and honor of their nation as Walleyes and others Iesuites actions of late haue plainly declared 7. Charitable Christians may not tolerate either a race of sturdy begging friars or a packe of lazy Monkes or a swarme of caniball Massepriestes which say they eat vp Christs body really and corporally but indeed and really deuour the poor the widow and the fatherlesse 8. Men of honest minds and disposition are enemies to all lecherous and fodomiticall Friars Monks and Massepriests neither will they salute them heare them or conuerse with them least they be partakers of their sinns and consequently of theyr plagues 9. Christians maintain their Christian liberty and haue reason to detest the doctrine of Antichrist that enthralleth both theyr persons and consciences Further as it pilleth theyr goods so it destroyeth vtterly the soules of them and theyrs Finally seeing they cut our brethrens throates abroade no Christian man hath reason to suffer them to harbour here purposing to cut our throats at home Faux Percie and Catesbie haue left a race of cutthrotes and gunpowder fellowes behind them shold then reasonable men so far forget reason as to harken to a petition so vnreasonable Chap. 15. That popish religion may not be tolerated if we respect the groundes of christian religion and policy confessed by the papists themselues THat diuers religions are not to be suffered in a christian common wealth we haue before demonstrated by the confession of papists themselues It resteth therefore now that we proue by generall pofitions holden and confessed by the papists that popish religion may not bee tolerated by princes and states eyther professing true religion or els holding the true rules of policie 1. First it is confessed by our aduersaries themselues that no idolatrous religion is to be tolerated in any state But it is clearly demonstrated heretofore Chap. 7. that popish religion in diuers pointes is idolatrous 2. Neither will they yeeld to permit any sects or heresies but it is apperant that monks friars and Massepriests are diuided into sects and manifestly

the whole parliament to omit to speake of their secret combinations and practises it is no good signe that they seeke to satisfie the King and to serue him deuoutly when they seek to set vp a religion displeasing to God disgracefull hurtfull to the King and most praeiudiciall to his subiects Secondly He supposeth the Prelates of the Church of England cannot with reason disallowe this petition seeing nothing is required at theire hands but a reasonable conference and satisfaction in poynts of their mission and vocation But it seemeth he meaneth to giue them but little satisfaction that refuseth to giue them theire due titles and telleth them of I know not what wealth pleasures and pallaces preteÌ„ded to be enioyed by them Hee is also very ignorant that imagineth that the teachers of the truecatholike faith can abide a false wicked idolatrous hereticall blasphemous religioÌ„ or true subiects treason and rebellion and very impudent to call true Bishops in question for theire vocation and mission hauing no colour of defence eyther for the mission and vocation of Masse Priestes to sacrifice for quicke and deade as for the Pope to rule the whole Church or for the Cardinalls to practise the troubles of Christendome Further he was not wise to talke of Bishops winess being allowed by sainte Paule seeing the periured Romish preistes forswearing mariage and swearing continency doe notwithstanding keep concubines whoors and Bardassaes As for the calling of our prelates and ministers it hath been often and sufficiently iustified already and shal be againe when the intrusion of the pope and his poleshorne crewe of sacrificing preeests into the Church shal not by any means be mainteined or coloured Thirdly he seemeth very carefull not to offend the Puritanes as he calleth them But it is offence inough to giue the names of faction to true Christians Furthermore if the papists be no better able to pleade for themselues and theire religion then these petitioners haue done not only such as they call Puritanes but also all other good Christians will condemne them to be neither half subiects nor condicionall subiects nor subiects at all As for their religion it groweth euery day more odious and execrable then other Fourthly the schollers of Cambridge and Oxford of all men rest worst satisfied with this petition being voyd both of learning and reason as for the conceipt which ignorant creatures haue of masse preests they regard it not knowing theÌ„ to be but shallowe fellowes in diuine matters though very profound in rebellions and treacherous practises miserable are they that followe such guides and trust such false fugitiue compagnions Fiftly the Artizans and prentizes of London would make a wiser speake then this petition so seely defences are therin made for the popish preests that how so euer they thought on them before they cannot chuse now but both cry out againste them and stoppe them as false fugitiues seditious traitours and professed enemies to their prince and country In the meane while the masse preests haue litle cause to thaÌ„k Iohn Lazy that maketh them pleade theire cause before artizans and prentises who generally detest them and theire abhominable doctrine and practises and hope to see theÌ„ shortly hold vp their hands at the barre for treason Finally the papists at home and abroad will be very sory to see theire cause so nakedly handled and so weakely defended and if they be wise will curse him that published so bare a discourse giuing vs occasion to discouer theire treacherous hereticall and wicked doctrines and other mysteries of the popish faction As for the example of Saint AlbaÌ„ and of his teacher it fitteth the papists in no sorte Those two knew no one poynte of that wicked doctrine of papists which the Church of England condemneth neither was Albane martyred for the popes quarrell or the doctrin now coÌ„teined in the decretales but for the faith and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles being as loyall to his gouernors as the Jebusites and their complices are peruerse and disloyall And therfore at vnawares where the prologue wold vse the example of the primitiue church of England he printeth priuatiue church shewing himselfe to be a member rather of the popes priuatiue church of England that is depriued woulde depriue Christians of all true faith in veritie of religion and sincerity in conuersation then of the true primitiue Church founded by Christe and gouerned by the Apostels and their true successors But what shold J need to stand longer about the examinatioÌ„ of this poor speak of this rude Lazy prologue who so far forgot himself in his dates of his discourse that he publisheth in print the 16. of octobre this apology that as hee saith in the beginning of the prologue came to his handes the 28. of that month which if he be able to make good then he hath sent vs rather a prophesy then a preface telling vs what the lay papistes pleaded some 12 daies before their pleading came to his handes Chap. 17. An answere to the two first chapters of the petition conteining causes both of the petitioners long silence and of their breach of silence IF the two first Chapters of these laye mens petition had beene spared it mighte percase haue beene imputed for wisdome vnto them For then neither theire ingratitude in not acknowledging his maiesties rare fauors towardes them gratiously pardoning their offences nor their presumption in accusing him for breach of promise nor their vntrueth in charging his maiesty the parliamente and state with rigorous and cruell dealing against them nor their vaine brags in pretending that they were so forward in maintening the Kings title and the principall meane that placed him in his royall throne woulde so clearely haue appeared But seeing they woulde needes acquaint vs with the reason of their present speech and former silence let vs heare them what they can say A PETITION APOLOGETICAL PRESENTED TO the Kings most excellent Maiesty by the Lay Catholikes of England in Iulie last Chapter 1. The cause of our silence MOST 1 His grace you abuse his souerainty you deny his might you hinder Mighty and gratious Soueraign Many are the reasons that haue caused vs to expect with perpetual patience and profound silence your Maiesties most gracious resolution for some benigne remedy and redresse of our moste greeuous 2 You vvrong his Maiesty charging him to be a persecutor and your cause shevving your selues vnthankefull for his fauour calamities and afflictions as the confidence of a good cause the testimony of an incorrrupte conscience the memory of our constant and continuall affection to the vndoubted right and Title in remaynder of your renowned Catholike Mother to the Crowne of England the imputations Crosses and afflictions we suffered many 3 If your plots had taken you had marred all yeares therefore the publique and gratefull acknowledgment that your saide glorious Mother made thereof at the time of her Arrainement and execution in

declaration of Sixtus Quintus against our vertuous and religious Queene Elizabeth in the feditious libell of Parsons and Allen to the nobility and people of England and Ireland in Sanders his factious booke de schismate and proued by diuers letters and NegotiatioÌ„s of Englefield Norton Parsons and others Fourthly some of this sort came with the Spanish armada an D. 1588. and others were to folow Likewise did they follow the Adelantado in the enterprise by sea an 1598. and of D. Iuan d' Aquila into Jreland 1600. and much did the forrein enemy depend vpon the intelligence and forces of recusants as is made euident by the Adelantadoes proclamation Fifily I hope the recusaÌ„ts will not deny but that they haue depended in tyme past and purpose still to depend vpon the pope and must be forward in exequuting his bulles 6. no small numbre of Papists haue serued forrein enemyes receiued pensions froÌ„ theÌ„ which is no good argument of loyall cariage 7. the archpreests factioÌ„ hath loÌ„g stood for the infaÌ„taes title against his maiesty no doubt reteine the same humor stil but that the kings streÌ„gth doth keepe them in tempre 8 SaÌ„mier the Iebusite coÌ„ming disguised into England about the yeare of our Lord 1585. did plot so with diuers principall recusants in England as is testisied by the Iesuites catechisme that he brought his maiesties Mother and diuers others to theire destruction 9. we find that the principal men that in King Edward the 6. his dayes hindred the vnioÌ„ of England and Scotland and the aduancement of the state of late tyme were papists and that the quarrel about religion hath beene the cheefe stay thereof 10. euery man knoweth that the principall contriuers of that treason for which Watson Clerk and Brooke were exequuted were preests and reculants So likewise were Pearcy Catesbie Digby Tresham and their consorts that by fire and gunpowderment to make an end of the King and his Royal progeny They were I say most refolute and principall popish recusants and thought by fire and gunpowder to make good theire Romish fayth And shall any man so farre exceed all duty and modesty to make such felowes loyall Finally seeing al papists professe to serue the Pope deuoutly they cannot serue the king faithfully that is so contrary to him in religion For no man can serue two contrary masters To let former practises passe euery papist now is so combined with the Pope that he is bound to follow him and to exequute his censures Neither if they were asked the question would they either condemne former rebellions for popish religion being warraÌ„ted by the Pope or resist the popes forces inuading vs or stand with the king being excommunicated But howsoeuer they woulde promise their doctrine is such as no loyal subiect can hold it For their masters teach that the king is subiect to the pope that the Pope hath power to depose kings and to assoyle subiects from their obedience vnto them that the king is not to make Ecclesiasticall lawes nor to meddle with the gouernment of the church but as an exequutioner of the popes laws that Ecclesiasticall persons and their goods are exempt from the kings gouernment diuers others such disâ—oy all poynts Lastly if we compare popish recusants eyther with auncient or moderne true Christians we shall easily perceiue a mayn difference betwixt them For neither doe we read that ancient or later Christians did murther their kings that were Heathen nor that they thoughte it lawfull to doe such an act as the leaguers of France did nor that they allowed either the breach of oathes or the rebellions of subiects against their kings nor that they beleeued those trecherous poynts of doctrine which papists of late both beleeue and teach Now then let vs proceed on with our discourse and consider whether these lay papists haue either answered these obiections or broughte any matter sufficient to cleare them selues and their consorts from the iust imputations of infidelity and disloyalty toward their princes Both which poynts may be resolued by examination of the particuler poyntes of this fift chapter wherein they tell first that before their restrainte for recusancy some of them bare offices in the common wealth and were dignified by the Queen and that others had there putation of worshipfull and honest men But if they meÌ„t to haue iustified their former cariage as they pretended promised then should they haue told vs of their loyal affection to their prince and of theire good seruices performed for their country They should also aswell haue mentioned the cause of populer recusants as of the gentlemen But herein they altogether fayled For neither do they clear themselues nor their coÌ„sorts of those trecherous practises doctrines formerly noted nor are they able to bring proofe of either good affection or good action seruice performed for their prince country But where they talk of the diguifiing of many recusants by the Queene insteed of discharging themselues they charge theÌ„selues with great vnthankfulnesse and disloyalty that alwaies hated and persequuted her which ceased not to dignify and honor them Secondly they say their behanior after theire restraint was such as became Catholike Christians towards christian magistrates with all humility respect modesty and subiection But this would rather haue beseemed some others to speak then the laye papistes who for want of good neighbors ruune out into an high commendation of themselues Further more neither are prisoners much to be commended for carrying themselues modestly and respectiuely seing prisons at no places for men to exceed and grow proud rebellious nor did the papists here falsely called Catholikes keepe themselues in so good temper and ordre but that they were to be charged with diuers intelligences correspondences practises with the enemies of the state as appeareth in the recordes concerning Throckmorton Arden Someruille Babington Abington Parry Brooke and others And although for want of meanes and occasions they broke not forth alwaies into open action yet their modesty subiectioÌ„ did neuer so far restrein theÌ„ but they thought it lawful to kil and murder depose princes excoÌ„municated by the pope vnlawful to obey such without dispeÌ„satioÌ„ especialiy in ecclesiastical causes that therfor which they talk of obeying princes not for anger but for conscience sake and of their carriage without shadowe of disloyalty and of theire integrity and vnimpeachable demeanor is nothing else but a vaine brag without colour or shadowe of modesty For their conscience is ruled by the popes will and their practises treasons and rebellions are recorded both in story and in the Crown office Furthermore their treacherous doctrine agaynste the authoritye of Kings is published in their owne bookes and cannot be denyed by themselues Thirdly they tell his maiesty what offers were made by certaine recusantes in the I le of of Ely and by the lord Vaux anno 1588. when the Spanish and the popes forces came againste

exiled for that the state cold not otherwise be well secured against their plots and practises and yet are so farre from rendring thankes for any fauour that they expostulate with his maiestyes councell as doing them wrong and in effect protest they will not submitte themselues to his maiestyes order Nay it is apparent that they resolued to return to continue their former treasons as may be collected by the examinations of the actors in Percyes treason and rebellion THE COPIE OF THE BANISHED Priestes Letter to the Lords of his Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell To the right a VVhy is this petitio directed to the Lords is the king no body with these meÌ„ Honourable our very good Lordes the Lords of his Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell RIGHT Honourable As we haue suffered for 1 Not so but for Antichrist and his damned practises and pretences Christ his sake and the profession of the true Catholike religion which he 2 Men plant vvith hands not vvith bloud but these priests of Baal tread vpon Christs blud root vp the Church by him planted planted with his pretious bloud many years imprisonment and 3 Those that liued at Wisbich in prison fared like Lords and fatted theÌ„selues like proks other massepriests abroad vvere either chaÌ„berlaines to their hostesses or MaggiordoÌ„s to their hostes waÌ„ting nothing that they could vvish And this against the Iebusitical faction may be proued out of WatsoÌ„s quodlibets depriuation of all worldly comforts and commodities so do we with the like patience and humilitie endure this hard heauy 4 For those that by lavvs deserue death this is extraordinary fauor sentence of exile which is a certaine kind of ciuill death or rather a languishing and continuall dying especially to them that haue the honour and safety of their prince and Country in that recommendation as we 5 TheÌ„ neuer haue they had their prince and country in recoÌ„mendation seeking to make both subiect to the pope his abhominable heresie nay to destroy both as appeared by the late gunpovvder treason euer both haue had and haue Notwithstanding least it might be imputed vnto vs here after that this banishment was rather an extraordinary fauour and grace then an vndeserued 6 This thanks the Lords ar to look for at the haÌ„ds of the priests of Baal punishment or penalty we thought it our dutie to let your Honors vnderstand that as we are 7 VVhy then do ye murmure content with patience and humility to suffer and support whatsoeuer you should impose vpon vs for our 8 For your trecherous practises and combinations Religion so are we bound with all to make protestation of our innocencie according to that of S. Peter 9 But you suffer contrary to these vvords of Peter for railing libelling practifing against the state Nemo vestrum patiatur vt sur ant latro an t maledicus aut alienorum appetitor si autem vt Christianus non erubescat glorificet autem Deum in isto nomine May it please your Lordships therfore to vnderstand that the quality and condition of those that are comprehended vnder the selfe same sentence of banishment is very different and considerable both in honour and 10 What do these base conscienceles svvads talk of honor conscience that hane no other foundation of their actions but the popes vvil conscience among the which some there are that came voluntarily into prison vpon a proclamation set out by your Lordships in the late Queens daies and name with assurance of fauor vpon such their submission som came neither voluntarily into the prison nor into the Realme and therefore not subiect to any censure and all of them haue bin euer most 1 Such faithfull seruants and vvelvvillers vvere Clerke Watson and Brook executed not loÌ„gsince at Winchester and Digbie Grant Faux and others executed in Pauls Churchyard at Westminster but nether for their faithfull seruice nor their affectioÌ„ to his Maiesly faithfull seruants affectionate well-willers of his Maiesty and haue to shew vnder the great Seale of England his Maiesties gratious generall pardon by which they are restored vnto the peace of his Maiesty place of 2 This shevveth that their conscience accused them of trechery disloially before true subiects since which time they haue committed nothing against his Maiesties quiet Crown and dignity as being euer since in 3 As if prisoners might not be disleall and trecherous captiuity and therfore in the rigor extremities of those lawes which in their best sence nature were euer held both 4 Most gentle if they be coÌ„pared vvith the lavves of the Spanish inquisition or the popes bloudy decretales extreame and rigorous cannot be punished by any form or course of law with so seuere a correction as aqua igne interdici to be depriued of the benefit of the common Ayr and elements of our most naturall and dear 5 VVhen you sold it to forrein enimies you made it deare both to them and your selues country Yet sithence it is your Lordships pleasure we should be transported we are 6 This is the patience of Lombards not of saints content in signe of obedience coÌ„formity to that we see is your order for this time to forbear the Realm for a while to absent our selues reputing our selues notwithstanding as men free from all danger or penalty of lawes and neither by this fact of banishment nor by any other act of our necessarie retourne into 7 If this be your country vvhy did you abandon it take your self to the seruice of Italians Spaniards our country hereafter in worse estate then your Lordships found vs in the prison when your Lordships warrant cam for the carying vs out of the Realme And so hoping your Honours will conceiue of vs as of men that haue the feare grace of God before our eies and the sincere loue of our 8 For pure loue they their consorts an 1588. sought to cut their countrimens throats and to bring their prince and country into the haÌ„ds of straÌ„gers for like causes sought Percy to blovv vp the parliament house Prince and country in our harts and dutifull reuerence and respect to your Lordshippes in all actions we humbly beseech your honors that if we happen for want of health or other helpes necessarie for our reliefe to 9 Hauing bin in Italy they shold know the penally of banishedmeÌ„ returning vvith out pardoÌ„ or liceÌ„ce retourne hereafter into the Realme this banishment may not any waie aggrauate our case or make vs les capable of fauor grace then we were the xxj of September when your Lordships order came to remoue vs froÌ„ post to 10 You shold haue bin left at Tiburn post neuer haue bin suffered to return to the pope Cardinals vvhich you count pillers but that you haue encouÌ„tred vvith

A BRIEFE EXAMINATION OF A CERTAINE PEREMPTORIE MENACING AND DISLEAL PETITION PRESENTED AS IS PRETENDED TO THE Kings most excellent Maiestie By certaine Laye Papistes calling themselues The Lay Catholikes of England and now lately Printed and diuulged by a busie compagnion called JOHN LECEY Epist Iude verse 16. These are murmurers complainers walking after their owne lusts whose mouthes speak proude things hauing mens persons in admiration because of aduantage AT LONDON Printed for William Cotton and are to be sold at his shoppe adioyning to Ludgate 1606. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD TOBIE BY GODS GRACE Bishop of Duresme his speciall good Lord. THE last Session of the Parliament my good Lorde I answered a certain petition then diuulged and printed by the Masters and teachers of Popish religion and this I had well hoped would haue satisfied their disciples and folowers seeing their learned leaders so silent and vnable to replie But I perceiue that the common saying now prooueth true That many schollers a Cicer. Epist famil lib. 9. ad varronem passe their Masters For if they had not excelled their teachers in immodesty they woulde not haue rubbed ouer that rustie stuffe which their betters are ashamed to bring againe vpon the stage and if they had not passed them in boldnesse and importunitie they would haue forborne to importune his Maiestie and the state further in matters formerlie for such graue and important considerations most worthilie reiected And yet I speake not this to the intent to clear their masters For beside that this seemeth a deuise of their Masters the Massepriestes and Iebusites that make others to solicite their forelorne cause Chrysostom homil 43. op imperf in Math. telleth vs that the impiety of the schollers is to be imputed to the masters The argument of both petitions is one in effecte and therefore much more needeth not to be said now then that which is formerly aunswered to the Masse-priests Yet because all haue not seene the former petition and answer nor vnderstood their gunpowder and rebellious practises and these Lay or rather lame Romane Catholikes seeme to stand more vpon their loyaltie then the other I thought it not amisse after this late discouery of their most horrible treasons particulerly to examine this discourse also and with marginall Glosses to poynt to the fooleries of their text which notwithstanding I would not haue all simple papists take as spoken to theÌ„selues for my meaning was to touch only these Petitioners and such as subscribe this factious Petition Much adoe we haue about toleration of popish religion but we may say as Saluianus lib. 7. de prouidentia said sometime in another case vtinam hoc remedium malorum non diuturna toleratio I would this toleration which they desire were a remedie of their pretended euills and not rather a long continued toleration of mischiefes and that both in the Church and state For why I beseech you may we not so say seeing nothing can be granted that is either more derogatorie to Gods honor or more preiudiciall to the Kings maiesty and state as hath in part appeared by this late attempt and as God willing it shall at large with moste inuincible arguments be demonstrated This my discourse most reuerend Father I present to your Honor as a pledg of my loue and an acknowledgment of your Lordships fauours towards me and the rather that both your Lordship and al true Christians truelie zealous for the cause of true pietie and studious of the safety of their countrie may thereby vnderstand how much it importeth them all to concur in repressing such notorious insolency factious courses These men they are like the heretiks of whom Irenaeus lib. 5. aduers haeres speaketh which being blind in matters of truth did contradict their own saluation Caecutientes circa veritatem saith he suae contradicunt saluti But pious governours will neither neglect the safety of religion the state nor of these conteÌ„tious gainesayers of truth if they doo not wilfully shut their eares to the truth and their eies to the light and carelesly neglecte the restraint of the vnderminers both of the Parliament house and whole State Wherefore referring these matters next to Gods prouideÌ„ce to the zealous care of our superiors I commend this worke and my selfe to your Lordship and your Lordships prosperous estate to the fauour of the almighty London this first of Ianuarie Anno. 1605. Your Lordshippes in all pious affection MATTH SVTCLIFFE To the Christian Reader I DOE not beleeue gentle reader that many lay papists will subscribe this petition albeit pretended to bee framed and exhibited by all of them to the King It were a matter too sawcy for wise and ciuill men to challenge the king of breach of promise as they do pag. 8 and too presumptuous to rayle on religion publiquelie professed and the professors thereof to the Kings face as they do in diuers places Neither do I think that all are so foolish as to make themselues pledges and hostages for their Masse-priests suffering such slippery coÌ„panioÌ„s to dominere in their houses to confer with their wiues daughters to wast their estate while they haue no Counterbond from them either for the others good behauiour or theire owne securitie This I am well assured that what soeuer is pretended this petition neuer came Originally from the heades of lay papistes For neyther may such men withoute licence reade Caluines Institutions nor Luthers bookes nor other discourses written by men of our side nor may they take vpon them to discourse of Religion as the Authors of this petition doe I wold therfore pray the simpler sort of plain meaning Papists not to take what soeuer is sharpely spoken against the Masse Priestes masked vnder the name of lay papists and the sole deuisers of this petition and their abherents the Authors of many treasons and mischiefes as spoken or meant against themselues and all seduced simple soules And against such as so violently run a course against truth and seek to blow vp the King and State I doubte not but all indifferent men will esteeme my speech moderate and this kinde of dealing most fitting and conuenient What shall vncircumcized Philistims raile at the people of God and seeke our destruction and shall not true Christians be permitted liberty to represse theire insolency to countermine their vndermining treasons and freely to defend the truth When themselues do publish their petitions they may not refuse to haue them publiquelie examined and no reason haue they to complaine of wrong seeing themselues thus handled when notwithstanding their wicked intentions they put forth their Apologyes requests and discourses into other mens handes as if they were most loyall and honest men Hitherto they haue abused the worlde with a false pretence of antiquitie and falselie chalenged to themselues the name and title of Catholiques They doe also before such as are ignorant of matters of state stand vpon termes of loyalty and loue

of theire Prince and country But now that we are so farre vrged we shall God willing make it appeare that their Popish deuises are nothing but a pack of nouelties latelie brought into the Romish church that their Religion is full of heresies impieties and blasphemies and lastly that diuers of their practises are full of Salt peter and most dangerous to the state and that their importunate desires are repugnaÌ„t both to reasons of religion state and also to modest and ciuill cariage My sole request to thee shall be that thou woldest be please to compare our answer with the lay papists petition and to iudge according to proofes We seeke for trueth we defend the Kings prerogatiue and state Let no man therfore shut his eies against that light by which we may see truth nor bee carelesse in matters so nerelye touching the safety of the King and state neither let any papist bee offended with vs while we seeke his saluation Non ideo vobis displiceamus saith Saint Augustine to certein Donatists epist 204. ad Donatum quia reuocamus erraÌ„tes quaerimus perditos and so wee say also to the simple and abused papists Let vs not displease you because we seek to call you from your errors and to gaine that which is lost We doe not hate you as our Countrimen but we detest your errors being humorously affected to forraine superstition In speaking also for common peace and safety we seek your peace The petitioners say they are resolued and pretend reason of their resolution But nothing is more fantastical or foolish then to resolue vpon false suppositions and to build without firme foundation neither is any thing more sottish then to seek that which being granted would turne to theire dishonoure and hurt if not destruction To confirme the weake and to recall those which goe astray wee haue done our best endeuour wee haue also defended the honor of religion his maiestie and the state as became vs. The rest wee referre to gods grace beseeching him so to enlighten all christian mens heartes with the knowledg of his eternall truth that not onelie the professors of religion may stand firm against the glozing perswasions of seducing and seditions Iebusites and Masse-Priests but also such as encline too much to error and superstition and nowe seeme malcontented maye be gathered into the true Church and shew themselues true subiects embracing truth and perseuering therein to their liues end A BRIEFE EXAMINATION OF The Lay Papistes late petition directed to his royall Maiestie Anno. 1604. Chapter 1. The resolution of the petition apologeticall of the Lay papists together with a somme of the answer made vnto it COmmonly we see by experience that excuses going before accusations doo argue a secret confession of the faultes of guiltie consciences Jf nothing els did shew it yet this and diuers other petitions and Apologies directed by diuers Masse priests and Papists vnto his royall maiestie who neither chargeth them nor proceedeth againste them for those matters which they goe about to couer and excuse do prooue it sufficiently For what reason haue they to make so many defenses and excuses if they did not knowe in their consciences that there are certaine matters wherewith they deserue to bee charged doo the defendants vse to make their answers before the accusers exhibit their bills or articles But suppose their consciences were cleare yet their wordes do argue plainly that neither for their faith towards god nor for their fidelity to his maiestie they stand vpright in the common reputation of their countrimen For if they did what should they need to publish such Apologies wherein they pretend to giue his Maiestie an accompt of their beleefe and religion and a full and ample securitie and satisfaction of their fidelities and submission againe if their cause were so cleere why doo not Massepriests come foorth and shew themselues and why should the lay Papists be so sparing in giuing the King his prerogatiue and so lauish in ascribing his right to the Pope Lastly what meant Percie and his companions to attempt so bloodie an execution and all papites to pray for the good successe of matters designed To forbeare to speake of the quality of their cause which we shall haue more occasion to do hereafter first we are to vnderstand what their intention is in this their Apologeticall Epistle and next what forme they keepe in their proceedings Their request is first that penall lawes made heretofore against Massepriestes recusantes and their abettors may be either reuersed or suspended And next that Popish religion and the teachers thereof may be tolerated vpon a certaine forme of submission And lastly that his maiesty wold be pleased to accompt Papists for his good subiects and to suspect the rest Matters all of verye hard disgestion and verie difficult to be proued or granted Yet what dare they not attempt to obtaine a toleration of their wicked abuses first they threaten the King Chapter 3 with an intimation of their numbers forces and intelligences bothe at home and abroade not forgetting to bragge of their qualities and merites Next they alleadge certaine reasons of their resolution in popishe religion Thirdly which to vs seemeth very admirable considering their manifold rebellions and treasons against their princes couÌ„tries both in England and elsewhere and the late horrible treason then in brewing they stand vpon high termes of theire loyall carriage and fidelity Fourthly albeit the same be without the coÌ„passe of their apologeticall petition yet they run out into a long accusation of the professors of true religion therein inuoluing his maiesty the gouernors of the state as it were ridiculously making them to answer that must be their iudges Lastly they offer a form of submissioÌ„ preteÌ„d to giue vs sufficient security for the Kings life for the preseruation of the state of which the first declareth their obedience to be very bare onelie voluntarie the second argueth theire pride to bee insupportable which vndertake to capitulate with the King and thinke their worde and bonde sufficiente for the securitie of such a king and state But wee must vnderstand that nowe they were conceiting theire horrible treasons and that they ment to burne their bonds and the parties to whom they stood obliged This is the substance of their pleading For the better garnishing whereof they propose reasons firste of their former silence next of the breach of their silence in this petitioÌ„ apologeticall albeit we haue iust cause to wonder how they can well speak of silence when so many of their consorts haue neuer ceased their babling and scribling about this obiect how they dare preteÌ„d reasons of this petitioÌ„ that is so deuoid of weight reason wisedom Beside these reasoÌ„s Iohn Lecey commeth in with a prologue in commendation of the actours in this Pageant and certaine banished Masse-Prestes staÌ„d in the rereward with an epilogue to the Lords of his maiesties

in Augustine de haeres c. 39. Epiphanius haeres 38. doth condeÌ„n the CasaÌ„s for inuocating both good and bad angels Tertullian also in his book de prascript aduers haeret condemneth them that serue angelt doe the papists then think it catholike religion to worship and serue Angels and to call vpon them 19 As the papists doe proue their religion by forged miracles and lyes so did the Seuerians which therfore were ranged among heretickes by Saiut Augustine de haeresib c. 24. 20 The Papists c. proposuists dist 82. call mariage fleshlie pollutions and say that maried folkes liue in the flesh and and cannot please god But for the like doctrine the Tatians and Encratites were adiudged hereticks 21 As the Manicheys coÌ„deÌ„ned mariage in their priests caled electi absteined froÌ„ the cup in the Eucharist gaue to christ a body extended to diuers places and not solide so do papists 22 Montanus first broughte in lawes of fasting and extolled vnwritten traditions and was author of oblations for the dead The firste is prooued by the testimony of Apollonius in Eusebius his history The last two poynts are made euident by Tertullian following Montanus his heresy and deriuing them from his Paracletus in his booke de corona militis Why then shoulde not papists offending in the same poynts be reputed Montanists 23 Further I haue shewed in my late suruey of Popery chap. 8. that as the pepuzians honored Pepuza so the Papists honor Rome that with the Catharists they hold that a man may performe the law perfectly and bragge of their purity perfection that with the I acobites and ArmeniaÌ„s they make the images of God the father and the holy ghost that with the Staurolatrians Chazinzarians they worship the crosse that with the Collyridians they worship the virgin Mary and offer consecrated hostes in her honor that with the Circumcellions they murder such as are opposite to their faction that which the Priscillianists they periure themselues and teach aequiuocating periurie that with the Eutychianistes they giue Christ a body without iust dimensions or circumscription that with the Pelagians they extol the force of free will and diminish the praise of gods grace that with the here ticks mentioned by Jrenaeus they accuse scriptures and to make short that they haue embraced many other old condemned herefies As for the master of SeÌ„tences Innocent the third Thomas Aquinas Scotus Albert Durand Steuchus Harding Stapleton AlleÌ„ Bellarmine Baronius and other particuler agents of the Romish Church we are able to charge them with infinite hereticall opinions But because our's duersaries doe not take themselues bounde to defend euery priuate mans doctrines and opinions J will reserue the proofe hereof to some other place Finally if all doctrins brought into the church since the Apostles tymes sauor of heresies as Tertullian affirmeth theÌ„ we need not to doubt but that al those popish doctrins coÌ„cerning vnwritten traditions apocryphall scriptures the reading of scriptures in tongus not vnderstood the being of Christs body within the accidents of bread and wine in the Eucharist traÌ„substantiatioÌ„ the sacrifice of the masse half coÌ„munions the adoration of the sacrament the popes vniuersall monarchy the popish worship of saintes reliques and images the 7. sacramentes the merits of workes and such like nouelties as are broughte into the Church by the pope and his complices are mere heresyes Chapter 9. That popish religion is new and not as the Papists call it the old religion ANtiquity in matter of religion cartieth no small weight with it in the reputation of ChristiaÌ„s Saint Iohn 1. epist 1. saith he declareth vnto vs that which was from the beginning and Ephes 2. we reade that the church is founded vpon the prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone Jf then popish religion was not froÌ„ the beginning nor can be iustified to haue proceeded from christ or his apostles or the holy prophets then is it for the noueltie thereof to bee reiected But that is so apparant as hee that will deny it muste needes speake againste his owne conscience and knowledge if he haue either conscience or learning 1. The masse is a principall matter which papists contend for Yet is the same a playne corruption of Christs institution of the Eucharist and wholy repugnant to the apostles doctrine Christ taking bread said this is my body but the masse priests deny that any breade remaineth in the sacrament after the words of the institution spoken He said take and eat The Massepriests say to the people gape and gaze and in the mean while eat and drinke all themselues He said do this in remembrance of me they offer vp Christ in honour of saints He commanded all to drinke that receiued the other kind They exclude all but the Priest from the cup. He ordeined the sacrament to be receiued of the communicaÌ„tes they receiue it not but oftentimes hang it vp cary it about and adore it The Apostle 1. Cor. 11. sheweth that the sacrament was instituted to declare the Lords death but these celebrate the masse in tongues not vnderstood insomuch that few papists vnderstand what is doon in the celebration of the masse 2. Christ certes neuer instituted the Popes monarchie Nay where the Apostle Ephes 4. speaketh of the ministers of the church this great monarch is not once named True it is that Christ said to Peter feede mysheepe and promised that to him he would giue the keys But what is that to the Pope that is no Apostle nor in any thing like to Peter further Peter had no monarchicall power giuen by these words For equally were the Apostles called and authorized Much lesse therefore are we to imagin that any bishop had this vniuersal monarchy bestowed on him 3. Further it is mere madnesse to affirme that either Christ or his Apostles taught the worship of the Crosse or of images or of Saints or their reliques or that they deliuered to their disciples and folowers the popish doctrine of the 7. sacramentes or of Purgatory and indulgences or of the merites of congruitie or of the foundations and other pointes of Popishe Religion 4. In our suruey of Popery we haue shewed that those poynts of popery which the Church of England refuseth are repugnant both to auncient councells and the auncient fathers of the Church The auncient fathers of the Church and Bishoppes of Rome neuer thought that any one bishop had authority aboue a generall councell The sift canon of Nice forbiddeth to receiue any that were excommunicated by other Bishops The 6. Canon of that councel equalleth other Bishops to the bishop of Rome in that councell it was decreed that Priests should not be separated from their wiues The councell of Eliberis condemneth the superstitious lighting of candles in churchyards and pictures in churches The councell of Gangra taxeth such as disprayse mariage or despise the oblation of maried priests or refuse to eate flesh or condemn such as weare common

that are enimies to the Pope and by all meanes seek to perswade men to take away their liues These fellowes caused Henrie the 3. of France anno 1589. to be most cruelly murdered by a Dominican Frier and the like they attempted against king Henry the 4. now raigning Jf God had not watched for the safety of our King and state Catesbie Percie Faux had by fire gunpowder destroyed the King the Queen the Prince and all the Lords Iudges and commons assembled in parliament How many they haue lately empoysoned we refer to Gods secret iudgement That the pope dooth entend the destruction of all Christian princes whom he excommunicateth it is not to be doubted seeing he armeth their subiects against them and promiseth not onely remission of sins but also rewardes to such as lay holde vppon them Whosoeuer therfore meaneth to reigne securely and to maintaine his regall authority must diligently prouide that his subiects professe not popish religion that is so opposite both to his authority and security Chapter 13. That popish religion is greeuous both to true christians and to papists themselues THat popish religion is greeuous to al true Christians it cannot wel be denied For who is not vexed especially if his hart bee enflamed with true zeale seeing the holy scriptures abused and accused of imperfection insufficiency and flexibility and popish traditions either aequalled or preferred before them what true christian can endure to see Christs honoure and office emparted to angels and saintes and idols worshipped more fre quently and deuoutly then the true and euer liuing god What zealous Christian doth not burne with indignation to see the man of sin to dominere in Christs Church to call himselfe Christes vicar the heade and spouse of the church and to exalt himselfe aboue al that is called god Finally who wold not greeue to see gods holy name and truth blasphemed as it is by the teachers of popery Furthermore as Christ was greeued to see the house of god made a denne of theues so it cannot chuse but greeue his disciples to see the house of god possessed by Antichrist and al true teachers chased away oppressed and murdred in places where his complices can preuaile there also scriptures in toÌ„gs vnderstood of the multitude are suppressed and the Popes hests followed more diligently then the lawes of God Thirdly what can be deuised more greeuous to a christian soule then to see gods true worship suppressed idolatry superstition publikelye mainteined and of ignorant people so grossely abused Fourthly as nothing is more pleasing to truÃ© Christians theÌ„ frÃ©edome of conscience and liberty of true catholike religion so can ther be no greater vexation of conscience then to see the institution of Christ in his holy sacraments and worship violated and mens consciences forced to embrace errors and true professors cruelly persecuted Finally it is no small vexation of spirit for free Christians to see princes made the Popes vassals and his exequutioners to murder such as professe the truth for free meÌ„ to endure the Popes exactions and pillages to heare the vntruth and calumniations of his agents defaming innocent christiaÌ„s with notes of heresy schisme and other most greeuous crimes Nay so heauy is the yoke of the popes tyranny that theÌ„ papists themselues are forced to complaine thereof and would noe doubte cry outlouder if they durst Petrus de Alliaco in his booke de reformat ecclesiae complaineth of the principall abuses which were most greeuous and burdensome The first was the multitude of the popes lawes the second was the frequent vse of excommunications and other censures of the Churche The third was the heauines of the popish prelates exactions beside these three he shewes that the multitude of religious orders and begging friars was a heauy and intolerable burthen in the church The Germans not long sence collected a hundred matters of grecuance offred them by the pope and his Clergy and officers and presented them to the pope desiring redresse The speciall poynts are set downe in their petition entitled centum grauamina Germaniae c. So many abuses reigned in the Church of Rome some hundred yeares agone that the bishop of Chems writing thereof a speciall treatise called it onus Ecclesiae the burthen of the Church Aluarus Pelagius also that liued some time before Martin Luther began to discouer the errors and abuses of the church of Rome and doth most greeuously compleyne of them intituling his booke de planctu ecclesiae that is the lamentation of the Church And this hath been the complainte of diuers Christians as we may perceiue by some Epistles of Petrarch and other writings of Arnold de villa nona of Nicholas Orem Thomas Bradwardine and many others The papists themselues feele the greef of auriculer consessions the fraudulent practises of the friars in theire absolutions and enioyning of satisfactions The multitude of the popes lawes the burthen thereof lyeth heauy vpon their consciences for their friars teach them that they binde the conscience The vow of single life in many youngmeÌ„ women doth work desperate effects When they see theÌ„ selues haltred they runne into a greate dissolution of manners and grow carelesse what sinnes they commit The massepriests liue in great subiection to theire prelates and the rules of moÌ„kish life ar greuous to al that professe those forged religioÌ„s And therfore few obserue the rules of their profession none long doe well content them selues to liue vnder them Jn Italy and Spaiue they mure vp their Nunnes and yet neither walles nor lawes can keepe them in order The taxes imposed both vpon the clergy and laity are many and greeuous No act of religion almost is done without paying of these payments the pope rayseth great treasures If any transgresse the popes lawes out flye suspensions excommunications and interdictions and no release is graunted with out greeuous compositions especially if matters concerne the popes prerogatiue Finallie if any spurne either against the popes authority or agaynste any poynt of his erroneous religion then hee passeth through the hands of the inquisitors and to the racke if not to the fire he goeth if a man be suspected he is a long time imprisoned if he be conuicted then is he to passe to the fire his goods are seysed and his wife and children vtterly empouerished And of these cruel exequutions kings and princes are the ministers Neither dooth the father respect the child nor the wife the husband if the pope doe accurse him nay oftentimes without form of law eyther they cause such as they suspect to be empoysonned or massacred and vnder this gouernment do papists liue Is it not then strange that free men shold endure this slauery and that Christians shold not seek remedy for so greeuous oppressions Chap. 14. That the petition of papists for a toleration of popish religion is voide of reason IOhn Lecey in his preface doth vant that the petitioÌ„ of his coÌ„sortes for

haue we prooued Chap. 8. that popish religion is a masse of old and new heresies 3. Further they confesse that all impious and blasphemous opinions are to be seuerely punished and neither by publike graunt to be authorized nor by conniuence to be passed ouer But hardly shall the papists be able to cleare themselues of the impieties and blasphemies wherewith formerly they stand charged 4. Fourthly that cannot be true religion that containeth either falshood or foolery or error Nor do papists deny that such false religions are to be repressed and by lawes exterminated out of the commonwealth But in our suruey of Popery we haue shewed that diuers positions of popery are not onely erroneous and false but also foolish and ridiculous 5. Kings that are subiect to the Pope will not suffer any religion if they can chuse that is either preiudiciall to their dignity or dangerous in respect of their safety But many arguments examples do shew that popish religion is of that nature as formerly hath bin declared 6. The Popes themselues albeit vsurpers will not suffer any of their subiects to bind themselues by oath to forreine princes in enmity with them or to entertaine intelligence with them Why then should such as are sworn to the enimies of the state and entertain intelligence with them and practise against the state be suffred in England 7. In Italy no man is permitted to harbour any priest or friar that denieth the Popes vsurped supremacy Why then should the Massepriests and their adhaerents be tolerated among vs that deny his Maiesties supreme authority in the gouernmeÌ„t of the church of England that is due to him both hy the lawes of god and man 8. Finally the papists asmuch as they dare resist the popes pillages and cry out vpon his exactions Shold true Christians then that are now released and freed from these burthens admit a religion which teacheth and vrgeth these manifold exactions and oppressions Chapter 16. An answere to the title of the petition of lay lapists and the preface of Iohn Lecey NOw least any ignorant papists shold be abused by glozing reportes of their consortes as if they were able either to cleare these doubts or to alledge iust causes of theire boulde request for a toleration of popish religion wee haue thought it not amisse to examine the seuerall chapters and partes of this apologeticall petition adding our answers to their titles prefaces demandes accusations letters and idle discourses The title front of theire petition foloweth to gether with Iohn Leceys preface A PETITION APOLOGETICAL a It is not credible that papists vvold either present or signe and allovv such baggage stuffe PRESENTED TO the Kings most excellent Maiesty by the Lay b Hereticks and idolaters deserue not the name of Catholikes Catholikes of England in Iulie last In eo quod detractant de vobis tanquam de malefactoribus ex bonis operibus vos considerantes glorificent Deum in die visitationis In that c Here vvanteth the beginning of the sentence viz. haue your conuersation-honest can vve then repute them honest that cut of honest conuersation wherein they misreport of you as of malefactors by the good workes considering you they may glorifie God in the day of visitation 1. Pet. 2. v. 12. Printed at DOVVAY by JOHN MOGAR at the figne of the d To shevv that they saile not alvvay vvithout coÌ„pas Compas 1604. THE PREFACE REuerend Sir 1 adde Iohn and then it vvill stand thus reuerend Sir Iohn There came to my hands by the way of 2 That is by the nearest vvay about Bruxels on the xxviij day of this moneth a certaine Petition or Apologie of the lay Catholikes of England as I stand 3 His best ground you see is false information informed presented to his Highnesse about the later end of the Parliament which semeeth so 4 Or rather confrontable to reason conformable to reason so 5 Hovv absolute vvhen it is made vvith conditions and limitations as appeareth aftervvard absolute in forme of their submission and so 6 True For euery politike Christian may vvoonder at their presumption and foly that suppose that a king or state vvill rest assured vpon the othes or promises of massepriests and their namelesse consorts admirable for the assurance by them offered for their 7 Priests of Baal ordered by Antichrist to sacrifice for quicke and dead and not true priests or pastors Priests and Pastors that the publishing thereof cannot but giue contentmente in mine 8 Not vvorth an onyon opinion to al sorts of men that desire both to be clearelye informed of the true state of things and that iustice and equity shold take place according to mens comportments and deserts and not according to the preiudicate opinions of such This had been truly spoken if it had heen applied to the inquisitors of Spain Italy And vvith the great auda ciousnesse and soly of these petitioners whome nothing but the bloud and vtter beggering of Catholikes can satisfie And therefore I thought good in more publike manner then it was before to make the world acquainted therewith Reasons of publishing this treatise THE publishing of this Apology cannot but tend much to his 1 Js it honorable for the king to submit himself to enemies and to receiue conditions of levvd subiects as these petitioners vvould persvvade him Maiesties honour His Maiesties honour and seruice and more to his satisfaction and 2 A goodly security vvhen a kings life and state shall depend vpon a single threed of popish fellovves promises And a most simple satisfaction vvhere nothing is performed but only promised security for so much as the Catholikes affectionate 3 Seruices supposed and obligations broken seruices and obligations therein contayned must needs be arguments of some supereminent vertue and goodnes in his sacred personage that could draw from them at all times such extraordinary effects of 4 Such as appeared in the tumultuous stirres of papists in Scotland against the king and in the practises of Brook Watson and Clerk executed at Winchester for conspiring the destruction of his Maiesty And lastly in Percie and Garnet loue and deuotion and the more manifest the 5 VVhat vvil resusats novv turn protestants it shold seem so But vve are to vnderstaÌ„d it no further theÌ„ a laxatiue purgatioÌ„ retcheth protestations of their purgations shall appeare to the world the more manifold shall be their bondes and obligations of performance and perseuerance therein The Protestant 6 They haue no reasoÌ„ to like either their murmuring petitioÌ„s or their bald pleadings Prelates cannot with reason disalow thereof The Protestant Prelates because herein is nothing required 7 A goodly proceeding vvhen fugitiues and malcontents call foorth true subiects to ansvver at their hands but a reasonable conference and satisfaction in points of their mission and vocation And when they shall make

Clerk Brooke Percy Garnet and their confederates hearty affection we beare to your Maiestie and the commonwealth of your Potent Monarchie deserueth It is not our meaning most mightie Monarch being meerly lay men that make no profession of lettres to examine 4 They thinke to slubber matter ouer vvith out examination curiously and contentiously all that our aduersaries haue thundred of late against vs or to dispute with them in mood figure which combate we leaue to the diuines of both parts when your Maiesty shall thinke good thereof but with due respect to giue your Grace an accounte and reason of our beleefe and religion and a full and ample securitie and satisfaction of our fidelities and submission The answere to the first and second Chapter THus we see the causes of their silence and of theire speakeinge but wee cannot see that they are either true or sufficient the first reasons pretended for their silence are these as they tel vs. the coÌ„fidence of a good cause the testimony of an incorrupt conscience the memory of their coÌ„staÌ„t continuall affection to the vndoubted righte and title in remainder of the king to the crowne of England their zeale and promptitude shewed in his maiesties righte and pretention as they call it to the crown of EnglaÌ„d theyr forwardnesse in proclaiming his maiesty King of England and their generall ioy and applause at his maiesties enterance into the realme and for these reasons they say they haue in profound silence expected for some benigne remedy and redresse of their most greeuous calamities and afflictions But first what absurde fellows are these to talke of silence hauing of late time published so manye discourses libells rimes and pamphlets both in defence of themselues and in disgrace of others and presented so many petitions both to his maiesty and to all that could helpe them or were likely to fauour them Secondly if the Massepreestes and theire associates had a conscience so incorrupte as they pretend and such confidence in their cause as they boast why doe they fly the light and hide themselues in corners againe why doe they not make the goodnes of theire cause appeare and particulerly clear themselues of those hereticall and treacherous doctrins wherewith they stand charged they shew themselues most shamelesse when they defend the popes clayme in deposing kings and translating kingdomes and adhere vnto him as his sclaues and maynteine grosse idolatries and absurd nouel tyes to talke either of a good cause or of a good conscience Thirdly if they indeede had fauoured the kings vndoubted righte then woulde they not haue called it pretention nor put him in remainder as heere they doe Nor would so many of them haue fauoured Parsons and Coluill that haue oppugned the kings title in bookes published to the worlde nor haue receiued pensions and interteined intelligeÌ„ce with other clay mers and pretenders Fourthly those which fauored the Iebusites and spaniardes and pope did not then much applaude when either his maiesty was proclaimed king of England or firste entred into the realme But when they sawe the states forwardnes then whatsoeuer heauinesse lay at their hartes they were forced to set on the best face they cold and to do as others did though with smal alacrity as the deiected countenances heauy sighes and sobre cheare of diuers of them did declare Knowing the king to be of a religioÌ„ aduerse to the Pope by the rules of the Popes decretales which they regard as much as the holy scriptures they might not fauoure him nor consort with him if they had beene able to resist Lastly most vniustly they charge the state as oppressing the papists with greâ—uous calamities and afflictions whereas their consorts in Spaine and Italy with all cruelty spoyle and murder our brethren and the state doth only punish recusancy with pecuniary mulctes and very rarely and of few and of late tyme hath begun to exact them But had these fellowes so good a cause and conscience as they pretend yet should the same rather mooue theÌ„ to speak then to keepe silence For who is not bolld to speake in a good cause to mention the kings mother or the conspiracy of Gray and Cob ham they shold say of Clerk and Watson the principall contriuers of that plot they had no reason being the causes of her destruction drawing her indirectly into theire intricate practises most dangerous to her person and that conspiracy proceeding onely from the inuention practise of Papists The next causes of their silence were as they say the promises made by his maiestie both in publique and priuate the courteous vsage of certain recusants at Hampton courte and his maiesties speech the firste day of the parliament But these are matter that rather mighte moue them to open theire mouths and to giue thankes to his Maiesty for his vndeserued fauors then either to suppresse his prayses in silence or to mutinously to mutter and to vtter wordes of discontentment as if they had bene dealt withall hardlie and vniustly Furthermore they do bewray their vngracious and crooked nature that seeme to charge the king with breach of promise and alteration of his courses who promised more then they deserued and performed all that hee promised and altered not his course of Clemency though forced thereto necessarily by alteration of theyr lewde course and their agents importunity For his promises at Hampton courte which are principally vrged this I answere that in that place neither was any toleration of religion demanded nor any such matter promised nay the cause of the repaire of diuers recusants thither was the suspition conceiued of them as if they were guilty of the preests treason and not any new motion for toleration Thereuppon they prayed his maiesty to haue a good opinion of them being guilty of no other crime as they sayd theÌ„ recusaÌ„cy And he like a most gracious king father of his people answered that the same shoulde be no conuiction if other wise they d emeaned themselues loyally Had they beene as dutifull as his maiesty was benigne and gracious they woulde not haue entred into those plots and rebellions which some did afterward That his maiesty did neuer promise any toleration of popery at any other time a noble Counsellor did assure all that were present when Digby vpon occasion did mention and vrge the same at his arreignement His Maiesty saide hee as well before his comming to the crowne as at the very tyme and alwayes sence was so farre from making a promise or giuing hope of toleration that he professed he shoulde not endure the very motion there of by any whatsoeuer For his clement courses against recusaÌ„ts euil deseruing papists I need not say much the same being notorious to the world only J wish that this generatioÌ„ wold not abuse his clemeÌ„ cy but seeke to bee thaÌ„kful for his former fauors theÌ„ prouoke his iustice by their coÌ„tinued il carriage misdemenors secret plottings The

is as they say that their cause is poore and more porely defended And therefore great simplicity haue they shewed in prating of things aboue their capacity and for this cause they stand condemned by all true Christians which wold haue liked much better their sober silence then their violent and foolish libells Thirdly their Children whom these petitioners that deuide themselues from gods church do deuide from the Christian world as being no part of it shall in time to come haue iust cause to curse such parents as bring them vp in ignorance of true religion and open idolatry And if they haue grace will wish their babbling parents had neuer medled in this desperate cause Fourthly so far are they from making any iust defence against their aduersaries that they giue both them and others iust cause to insult and tryumph seeing that the wittes of lay papists and their teachers beeing sommed and pressed togegether no drop of reasoÌ„ or piety hath proceeded from them to season their vnsauory religion Finally they confesse that they obserue no decorum and yet professe that they will not examine curiously that which by their aduersaries hath beene thundred out against them nor dispute in moode and figure with them And yet they pretend to be desirous to giue his maiesty all possible contentment and an accompt of their beleefe and religion and a ful and ample security and satisfaction But if they obserue no decorum it is not like they will content his Maiesty and hardly will they giue satisraction to so learned and wise a prince without curious examination of matters obiected They must also dispute if not in moode and figure yet in some better forme then now they do if they will either proue vnto vs their disfigured and euil qualified religion or els iustifie vnto his Maiesty the reasoÌ„s of their rude request that is not only subscribed as approued by subscriptions of a thousand hands as that was of the Millenary ministers of which these lay papists talke idelly but also with the terror of many thousands of the popish faction as it were obtruded to his Maiestie So we may see that these petitioners are able to bring neither truth nor reason for the iustification of their cause keeping silence when they should haue spoken and speaking nothing to purpose when they resolued to breake silence But if we please to examine the true cause both of their former silence and this present petition we shall find that their silence proceeded partly from their great occasions beeing busied in diuers practises against the state as these horrible treasons lately discouered do declare and partly from the lewdnesse of their cause that by farre better orators then these laymen cannot be defended Contrarywise the occasion of their petition is not any wrong offered by vs but rather a wrong intended by them and that both to his maiesty and to the state while bragging of the numbers forces and correspondeÌ„ce with strangers they endeuor to strike a terror into his maiesty and buzzing these foolish tales into the ears of the multitude desire to trouble the peace of the state But the state of things being well known neither shall his maiesty haue cause to feare their threats nor the people reason to beleeue their foolish tales For as they feede themselues like as all fugitiues and malcontents do with a fond conceit of their owne strength without grounds of reason so they feed their readers with words and shewes without any sound demonstration of any point of their erroneous religion God grant that the simple seduced papist may as well apprehend it as we shall prooue it and then will they hereafter be more wary how they venture their state and soules vpon the masse-priests warrant who vpon the hazard and losse of others doe reape no small aduantage now and seek to bring all into aduenture hereafter Chap. 18. Of the quality number and forces of English papists and of their assurance and resolution which they praetend in their religion IT were much to bee wished that thepapists of England did either well know them selues and theire owne qualities numbres and forces or else had learned for what religion they contend For then neither would they stand so much vpon theire merits qualities numbers and forces nor yet once offer to talke of the assurance of their religion for which they haue no ground and this euerie other man doth acknowledge seeing theire merites if we respect fauor to be slender their good qualityes to be fewe theire forces to be nothing in regard of his maiesties numbers of true subiects and considering that theÌ„ doctrine of popery may not be examined by lay papists and wholy resteth on the Popes pleasure Theire pleading is moste simple as the two chapters following doe declare Chapter 3. The estate and quality of your Maiesties Catholike Subiects FOR the cleare vnderstanding of which two pointes maye it please your Grace to consider first what is the state and condition of your faithfulll and Catholicke subiects for 1 They vvould terrifie his Maiesty vvith shevv of numbers reproch him as vngratefull not regarding their deserts number quality and desert next what 2 Their religion is declared to be a hochpot of heresies impieties and nouelties Their grounds are vncertain traditions and the popes decretaline fancies Religion it is they professe and vpon what grounds lastly what they are of your Maiesties subiects of their Rank that for former of future seruices and submission in all ciuill and temporall causes against all both domesticall and forraigne enemies haue and will go farther or venter more willingly their liues liuings for the honour and defence of your person greatnesse and posterity then they and their friends both haue and vvill doe In deliuery of which points we hope your Maiesty will expect no farther art or eloquence then may be required of men plunged and perplexed with the 3 The Pope belike hath giuen his clients a purgation that are thus troubled vvith fluxes and refluxes But for vexations they haue no reason to complaine here in England considering their vvealth and case at home and the cruelty of their consorts abroad and their deserts at home and abroad flux and reflux of perpetuall vexations which is truth that craueth 4 If you cry for iustice vvhat needeth mercy vve find your pleadings so absurd and destitute of truth that neither your crocodiles teares can excuse you nor iustice acquite you iustice and teares that crye for mercy It is euident Dread soueraigne that the subiects of your Maiesties Realmes of England and Ireland consist of Catholikes Protestants 5 They put themselues before his Maiesties loyall subiects and rayle at the state as bearing vvith sectaries They do also leaue the Scots out of the number of the kings subiects Iudge then vvhether it be possible to find more proud beggars or insolent malcontents or rayling hypocrites Puritanes and other sectaries the Catholikes and Catholikely

affected in this Realme notwithstanding the long persecutions in the late queens dayes were at the entrance of your Maiesty to this Realme 6 God forhid the x. part of the people shold be the Popes marked slaues esteemed to be as many as any other of the sayd professions of Religion and as for Ireland few there are of that nation that are of any account or freehold An Irishman a protestant is rara auis in terris but are 7 They obserue onely certaine externall rites for vvant of better teaching but vnderstand scarce any point of popish sophisticall religion professed Catholikes besides those that are Catholikely affected And as for the Catholikes of this Realme it is well known that their 8 Some of your ancestors vvere also pagans or heretikes Ancestors haue deserued well of this commonwealth both in warre and peace both at home and abroad and for their fidelities and laudable seruices haue bin aduanced by your Maiesties progenitors vnder whom they liued and serued from whom we hope that in no point we 9 In infinite as may be specified by the bastardly doctrin of Trent and of other late coÌ„uenticles of popes schoolmen and such like teachers of popery degenerate only that which in them was esteemed the 10 Your polestar is not Catholike religion but the Popes chaire polestar of all their vertues to wit the Catholike Religion is in vs 11 Not Catholike faith but seditious practises and doctrines couered vnder this maske are punished in England punished for wickednes and impiety This did our Catholike Parents dignified by your Maiesties catholike progenitors leaue vs to succeede them in their Religion towards God their fidelity towards 1 You succeed them in neither being neither sound in religion nor affecton to your princes our Princes and theyr natiue freedome in this your Realme of England which we haue 2 So malefactors loose their liberty lost of late yeeres vnder the Raigne of our late Queene for no other crime or offence then for that we endeuoured to serue God as our Catholike forefathers haue done before vs euer since the conuorsion of our 3 Not onely Christians but also Pagans may be ashamed thus to ly For not only the seruice of Saints and Idolls vsed in the Church of Rome but also the Popish Masse and all those doctrines of popery vvhich vve refuse haue been brought into the Church long after this conuersioÌ„ which they talke of Country from Paganisme and to saue our soules which are more pretious in his sight then all the kingdoms in the world and although we were debarred from all offices and dignities and liued as it were in perpetuall banishment and confinement yet was it neuer heard that any one of our number of such suffering recusants euer 4 Did not the rebells in the North Anno. 1560. and in Ireland An. 1599. and at other times lift vp their fingars and hands against the Queen and are not the Papists in all places ready to rise against Princes excommunicate by the Pope lifted vp a finger to the least damage or detriment in the world of our Prince or country And thus by these few lines your Maiesty may see the multitudes condition and disposition of your Catholike subiects who humbly prostrate at your Maiesties feet craue to be restored to their former and ancient freedom What we haue here spoken or shall hereafter speake of our 5 See the ingratitude of recusants and vvhat Princes receiue for sparing them hard vsage in our late Queens dayes we are driuen thereto by necessity for mouing your Maiesty to commiseration by comparing in your wisedom the grieuousnes of our punishment with the quality of our deserts that thereupon you may temper the 6 Compare it vvith the proceedings of the bloudy inquisitors of Spaine and compare our Kings vvith Popish princes and then the vvorld may as vvell see the moderation of Christians as the cruelly of papists asperity of the former proceedings against vs which our late Soueraign her selfe in her later dayes began to do giuing the world to vnderstand by the last proclamation that euer she made in that kind that she began to 7 She did alvvayes distinguish aright betvvixt the articles of religion and treason But papists hold it a point of religion to execute the Popes bulles against their lavvfull princes vvhich true Christians accompt to be treason distinguish between Religion and Treason and aswell therein as in diuers other books and proclamations tending to that purpose before published vpon any notorious execution vpon Catholikes she diuers times and by her Ambassadors to diuers Princes abroad did promise and protest that her will and intention was not to punish her subiects for their (a) Our late Queen euer made profession that she meant neuer to punish for Religion Religion conscience whereby we conceiued som hope and found some effect a little before her Maiesties death and in this mind and disposition God did take her and your Maieste found vs which considered we hope your Maiestie hauing no occasion to hate vs and we many old and new occasions to loue you that you will rather imitate your predecessor in her first best and 1 Of her nature she vvas alvvaies iuclined to mildnesse But it had been better for her and the state if she had permitted her iudges to execute her lavves last disposition tending to mildnes mercy and moderation then in her other hard and sharpe courses sithence the fruits and effects of the one were (a) The fruites of a sweet mild course ioy peace 2 Or rather discomfort rebellion penury abundance and vniuersall vnion and combination of minds and affections both at home and abroad which your Maiesty seemeth most to desire and the harbingers and handmaids of the other haue been (b) The handmaids of blud and persecution wars 3 Or rather victories against our enemies and discontentment and hurt to none but malcontents and traitors dissensions discontentments bloud and beggery which your Grace cannot so well digest And that appeareth most euidently by the first twelue yeares of the late Queens Raigne which as they were free from bloud and persecution so were they stawght with all kind of worldly prosperity no Prince was for that space better beloued at home or more honoured or respected abroad no subiects euer liued with greater 4 Then vvere the papists most vvicked and vngratefull that liuing thus securely and contentedly practised against her sought her bloud being set on by Pius Quintus security or contentment neuer was the Realme more 5 VVhy then did the Papists anno 1569. take armes against their Queene and seek to alter this opulent state opulent or abundant neuer was both in Court and Countrie such a generall time of triumph ioy and exultation but no sooner did she begin to alter 6 She altered no course but onely repressed vnquiet

that we haue not so many books of Scriptures 6 We discanonise no book of canonicall scriptures but papists place apocriphall scriptures among the canonicall books discanonised and reiected because they be expresse Testimonies against their new and negatiue Religion If they stand vpon the sence and true interpretation we stand on that point more confidently then they they hauing no further warrant then their 7 The papists properly stand vpon the priuat iudgment of the pope vve folovv no mans priuat spirit priuate spirit and we relying on the assistance of the holy Ghost therein promised to his 8 But not to the Pope or his adhaerents Church for the instruction of all truth which is Columna firmamentum veritatis the piller and foundation of truth If they fly to the Fathers for one place euill vnderstood and somtime falsified somtime mutilated somtime wholy corrupted we produce a thousand not by patches nor mammocks as they do but whole pages whole chapters whole books the vniforme consent of all the ancient fathers and Catholike Church If they presse vs with their passed Parliaments and Princes for one of theirs we haue an hundred and for a Childe King and a 1 Better a vvoman Queen then a vvoman Pope Woman Queene wee haue for vs so many so Wise so learned so religious so Victorious Princes as our Histories without theÌ„ would be very barren our Names obscure our clergy miserable our Bishops beggarly our Parliaments confused our Lawes intricated our Vniuersities without Colledges our Colledges without Schollers our Schollers without maintenance Reason then the life of the law requireth to our vnderstanding more ample and 2 These suppose the Popes decretalls more authenticall then scriptures authenticall euidence before wee bee cendemned by lawe as superstitious or irreligious The faith we professe is that 3 It is no more like it then false doctrine to faith fayth religion which Saint Paul to the Romanes so highly commendeth The 6 reason Rom. chap. 1. which therefore is called Catholike and Romane because (a) The church of Rome euer was and is the Mother Church all the Churches in the world either did in their beginnings or doe for the present agree vniformely with the sea of Rome in vnion and communion of faith doctrine and fellowship hauing recourse thereto as to the 4 The old church of Rome vvas the Mother Church But vvhat is this to nevv Rome Mother Church From the Pastors and Prelates of this Church to witte from (b) S. Gregory the Pope S. Auhustine the Monke S. 5 That vvill hardly be proued further vvhat maketh this for such as subuert the state peruert Christians conuert none Gregory the Pope and S. Augustin the Monke we receiued the benefit of our conuersion and regeneration from them we receiued the 6 This selfe same vntruth vve haue refuted at large in our ansvver to Parsons his treatise concerning 3. supposed conuersions of England selfe same Doctrine Discipline Seruice Sacraments Feasts and laudable Ceremonies which are by vs held practised professed and defended with the 7 Note hovv they say they defend holidays greasings holivvater and such ceremonies vvith their bloud effusion of our bloudes at this very day and this we finde 8 You corrupt histories as much as you can and yet they shevv hovv much you are degenerated from true Christians verified by the Histories of (c) S. Bead Cambden Stowe Hollenshed and Sauell S. Bead Cambden Hollenshed Stovve and that Tripartite History set out by Master Sauell From this Curch of Rome we receiued our Bible our Gospell our Creed our Canons The 7 reason which are the same through the whole Christian worlde among Catholikes both for the translation sence and interpretation This Church is by your Maiesty and by the learned sorte of the Protestants 10 Not this later Rome that is figured by the vvhore of Babylon but the ancient Church of Rome that vvas praysed by S. Paul The 8. reason acknowledged to be the Mother Church we hope then we are excuseable 9 So the Gospell of Papists dependeth on the pope that reuerence and loue our dearest Mother from whose breast our forefathers and we haue receiued the sweet milk of our soules There was ueuer yet since the Incarnation of christ anie heresie that crept into the Church of God The 9. reason but we find the names of the 1 Name the authors of the Angelicks Nudipedals Colâ—yridians Messelians authors of such heresies we find by the Church of Rome Councells called to condemne them and Doctors imploied to confute them there is not the least Ceremonie or circumstance that hath been added for the greater 2 For meere scorn foolery Further you haue deuised nevv doctrines and nevv vvorships of god not only nevv ceremonies Maiesty and solemnity in Gods deuine seruice but the yeare is knowne when and the Pope by whome it was ordained If matters then of so small moment passe not without recording reason would that the lawes that must condemne our Mother church of Idolatrie and superstitions should tell vs the authors that first corrupted her integritie but if the first inuentors and institutors of the Masse of Purgatory of prayer to Saints and the like supposed errors cannot be produced doubtlesse we must attribute them as we doe indeed to Christ and his Apostles and as deriued from such infallible authoritie we are bound in all equitie to follow them But if by the fruits your Maiestie will giue iudgement of the tree The 10. reasoÌ„ the fruits of our 3 Or rather seditioÌ„ vvars massacres empoysoÌ„ments stevvs ribaldry heresy Religion at Loue Vnitie Concord Pietie acts of Charitie and Deuotion as Fasting Praier Almes building of Monasteries erecting of vniuersities founding of Hospitals coÌ„uerting of NatioÌ„s calling of Councels confuting of Heresies obedience to our Princes though they be Pagans and Infidells and that for conscience sake (a) Calu. lib. 4. Inst cap. 4. lib. 4. cap. 10.6.5 Whereas both practisers and professors of the Religion which we are so pressed to embrace do far differ from vs in those points 4 These fellovvs teache their tongues to speak vntruth teaching vnder colour of the libertie of the Gospell (b) Knox in his exhortation to EnglaÌ„d printed at Geneua 1559. contempt of power and authoritie (c) Luther in his book de potestate seculari in his comment vppon the 1. of S. Peter cap. 2 neglect of lawes (d) GoodmaÌ„ in his book of obedience all which teache contempt of authority neglect of lawes in the places cited and obedience The examples are to late and lamentable in your Maiesties Realme of Scotland and in the persons of your gratious Mother and Grand-Mother Father and Grandfather to passe with silence the tragedies by such like plaied in sundry other 5 Can these meÌ„ iustly blame our brethren that

Catholike Christian subiects towards Christian Magistrates with all humility respect modesty and subiection euer either readily doing what they enioyned or patiently suffering what they imposed The long time of our 1 Actiue and not passiue persecutions the number of them that were afflicted the diuersity of their rankes qualities and of their humors and dispositions the perpetuity and variety of temptations and tribulations the infinite in dignities we passed through for so many yeares if they had fallen out among any other constitutions of men then catholike they might haue wroung very probably out of men well mortified and patient some action of dislike or 2 All the perilous practises that haue long troubled the state haue proceeded froÌ„ you perilous practise of discontentment when such multitudes of all degrees were so assayled especially of people so resolute in that supreamest degree of fortitude which is as 3 Behold lay men vvell studied in Aristotle Aristotle defineth it Tristia pro virtute 4 Lay mens Latin tolerare to endure heauy things for vertues sake a point very daugerous and wherof there want not plenty of 5 Do you not see hovv they threaten calamilies to the state if they may not haue their vvilles lamentable euents rising from cases of desperate necessity which Abner the generall of Sauls armie objected to Ioab Dauids Liueteuant in these words Exclamauit Abner ad Ioab ait num vsque ad internecionem tuus mucre desaeuiet an ignor as quod (b) Desperatio periculosa periculosa est desperatio Reg. 2 cap. 2. vsquequo non dicis populo vt omittat perse qui fratres suos And Abner cried out to Ioab shall thy sword be cruell euen to the death Knowest thou not that desperation is perilous Why dost thou not command the people that they cease to persecute their brethren But this may we glory in Redoubted Soueraign that in all this time no diligence of our Aduersaries no Malice no Policie no Curiositie no Argus eies of which there was great store greedily prying into all our doings could 6 Then vvanted they eyes For vvho did not see that the rebellions of Jreland and of the North vvere raysed by papists euer espie the least shadow of disloialtie in any one action of the publike weales professors and most sufferers in the cause notwithstanding the long and perpetuall course of their seruitudes and vexations The true reason whereof is the Doctrine we are taught by the Religion which we professe which telleth vs that we must obey our princes Non propter iram sed propter conscientiam not for any indignation but for conscience sake and that to resist them is to resist Gods ordinance and this is the bitte and bridle that euery true Catholike carrieth in his mouth to restraine him from that by grace and feare of Gods judgements which slesh and bloud otherwise with the liuelie sence and feeling of insupportable miseries and afflictions might driue him vnto In this case of our (c) The lay Catholikes fidelity to the late Queen dutifull behauiour in the late Queens dayes fiant inimici nostri iudices let our enemies be our iudges therein let the Roles Registers and Recordes speake sithence the great penalties imposed vpon vs for recusancy what hath been our Innocency our Integrity our vnimpeacheable cariage and demeanour how free we haue been from the least suspition of treason and practise as it pleased the Lords of the late priuy councell to tell vs (a) Catholiks iustified by the Lords of the Councell that the reason of our imprisonment vvas not in respect of any doubt made of our loyalties but onely to preuent the Spaniards hopes of our assistance in their pretended inuasions In the yeare (b) The cariage of catholikes the year 88. Eightie eight when the Spanish Armado came with intention to inuade this Realme our offers at Eely to the Lord North then Lord lieutenant in those parts in the presence of the Deane of Eely and many others else of worshipfull calling there present at that time for the hasting away of the forces of those countries to Tilbery-camp were these we beseeched and instantlie importuned that we might be imployed in those seruices in the defence of our Prince and country and not indure that dishonour that the whole Realme should be indangered and we no vnworthy members thereof and no meane freeholders should be exempted from that so behoofefull and honorable seruice we with voluntary aduenture of our liues and worldly fortunes (c) Their offer of seruice in person offered 1 Hovv durst you serue against your god on the earth to serue in person with our Sonnes Seruants and Tennants at out own charges as desirous most ioyfully to imbrace that oportunity to make manifest our loyalties in our Prince and countries cause we desired to be placed in the first front of the battaile we offered to serue in the places of the hottest and most daungerous seruice and if we might not obtaine that fauour of trust and seruice for greater security and liuely demonstration of our true English harts we did offer and implore to be placed (d) They offer to be placed vnarmed in the forefront of the battell vnarmed 2 This vvas to run avvoy vvithout question in our shirts before the formost rankes of our battailes to receiue in our bodies the first volly of our enemies shot to leaue an vndoubted Testimony by that our death to stop the mouthes of the serpentine maligners of our 3 This is vnspeakable impudency For the cheese procurers of this inuasion vvere papists vnspotted integrity and true English loyalties But if none of these instant requests would be graunted vs yet those hands which should haue valoronsly been vsed against the enemie should be zealously lifted vp to God for the deliuery of our prince and Country and to obtaine renowned glorious victory against the Inuador wherein we failed not answerable to the duty of loyalest English Subiects all which was offered by vs to be performed notwithstanding the late Queene was twife (a) They play the parts of good subiects notwithstanding al excoÌ„munications excommunicated And this is a demonstrable and vndoubted argument that we are not conditionall 1 Either conditionall subiects or no true papists vvhich are bound to execute the Popes censures against their kings being excommunicated Subiects a calumny so frequent in the mouthes of the Ministery and by them endlesly obiected against vs. The like offer to that the Catholikes at Eely made the (b) The like offer made the Lord Vanx Lord Vaux then prisoner likewise for Testimony of his conscience vnder the charge of the Arch bishop of Canterbury offered and in like sort woulde haue doon all the Catholikes in England vpon like occasion and opportunity When the Spanish Armado was dispersed and their forces defeated the Vice Chancellor of Cambridge associated with the Deane of Eely

doth playnly declare the authors thereof to want shame modesty reason and wit For if they had not wanted shame then woulde they haue blushed to charge others with disloyalty themselues being vnable to discharge themselues if they had not wanted modesty they woulde haue contented themselues with present fauors being such as they afforde not to our brotheren in other countries and not soughte audaciously to haue dignity honour and further liberty Jf they had not wanted reason they woulde not haue saide that they haue yeelded sufficient reason for theire religion and finally if they had not wanted wit they woulde no haue vndertaken to accuse innocentes themselues being guilty nor would they haue compleyned of wounds deepe and dangerous in their honors being honored aboue their desert nor would they haue called the King Sweete Soueraigne or once mentioned Souereinty considering that they ouer throw the kings Souereinty and make him the popes subiect by their doctrine but yet that passeth all the rest of their fooleries that not being able to cleare themselues nor hauing spoken one worde in defence of theire sacrificing preests and Iebusites now in the conclusion of their request they speak for them also for masse preests I say which contriued the kings destruction by the practise of Clerck and Watson and lately absolued Percy Catesby Tressam and their complices which went about to blowe vp the King Queene Prince and high Courte of Parliament with gunpowder to massacre true Christians to alter lawes and to ouer throw the state Chap. 21. The insufficiency and foolery of the submission promised by lay papists to the king is examined and refuted THere is no chapter nor almost clause of this petition of lay papists whereto we may not take iust exception But yet if we doe put them alltogether and compare them with the 7. Chapter wherein they offer to be bound for the King and his Kingdome and to tender a submission to his maiesty for his satisfaction this will passe all the rest in fooolery and absurdity listen therefore I pray you and hear what they say for theire massepreestes and how they secure the kings person and Crowne from the trechery of their shauen Crowned trecherous masse preestes Chap. 7. The forme of the Catholikes submission IF we may be permitted to enioy some quiet graue The lay Catholikes submission and vertuous Clergie men for the comfort of our soules we doubt not but to giue your Maiesty a far greater security for the few hundreds of our Priestes then was giuen for the many thousands of Queen Maries Priests and Prelates in the late queen Elizabeths dayes against whome albeit aboue 1 Abate nine thousand (a) 10000. Clergy men left their liuings rather then they wold leaue their religion ten thousand of them did abandon their Ecclesiasticall Liuings rather then they would conform themselues to the times especially the (b) All Queen Mary Bishops forsook their Prelatures rather then they would forsake their chiefe Pastor holy Senate of Bishops no one excepted yet in the time of the said Queen for the space of thirty years extreame and restlesse 2 You are extreamly vngratefull that suffer not our late gratious Queen to rest that alvvayes fauoured you to her ovvne hurt persecution no capitall lawes were made or executed And in the (c) The booke in tituled execution for treson and not for religion made by the late Lord Burleigh book intituled Execution for treason and not for Religion composed and set foorth by the late L. Burleigh then high Treasurer of England on whom for his great wisedome and policy the menaging of the Commonwealth of this Realme vnder the Queen principally depended Anno. 1583. and Anno Regni Eliz. 26. it is in expresse words set down what fauour these Priestes found in tearmes as followeth And though there are many subiects knovvn in the Realm that differ in some opinions of Religion from the Church of England and yet doo also not for heare to professe the saeme yet in that they doo all professe loyalty and obedience to her Maiesty and offer readily in her defence to oppugne and resist any forraigne force though it should come or be procured from the Pope himselfe (d) None of Q. Maries priests or Prelates persecuted for religion none of these sorte are for their contrary opinions in Religion persecuted or charged vvith any crimes or paines of treason not yet vvillingly searched in their consciences for their contrary opinions that sauour not of treason After which Narration he reckoneth vp great numbers as (e) D. Heath Archbishop of Yorke D. Heath Archbishop of Yorke B. Poole B. Tunstall B. VVhite B. Oglethrop B. Thurlby B. VVatson B. Turberuill none of all these vvere pressed vvith any capitall paine though they maintained the Popes authority against the lavves of the Realme he recounteth (a) Abbot Feenam one Abbot and diuers Deanes whome he commendeth for learning modesty and knowledge and concludeth that none (b) None of all these held or punished as traytors though they maintayned the Popes authority against the lawes of the Realme of these nor yet diuers others of the like morall and indifferent cariage were euer called to any capitall or bloudy question vpon matter of Religion nor were not depriued of any of their goods or proper liuelihoods of the like indulgence and lenity mention is made in the same booke vsed towards the layety in wonderfull pleasing words as followeth There are great numbers of others being lay men and of good possessions in Lands and men of credit in their countries that do enioy their estates though they houlde contrary opinions in Religion for the Popes authority and yet none of them haue been sought hitherto to be impeached in any point or quarrell of treason or losse of life member or inheritance So that it may plainely appeare it is not nor hath not been for contrary opinions in Religion or for the Popes authority alone as the Aduersaries do boldly and falselie publish that euery person hath suffered death since her Maiesties Raigne yet some of this sort are well knowne to hold opinion that the Pope ought by authority of Gods word to bee supreame and onely head of the Catholike Church throughout the whole world and that the Queenes Maiesty ought not to be (c) To deny the Queen to be supreame gouernesse ouer Ecclesiasticall persoÌ„s not persecuted with charge of treason gouernesse ouer any her subiects in her Realmes being persons Ecclesiasticall yet for none of these points hath any person been persecuted with the charge of treason or in danger of life If then this were the case of Queen Maries priests and other quiet and faithfull subiectes in the late Queens dayes we hope that our Priests being aswell qualified in all respects to our Princes good liking satisfaction as they were both for quiet behauiour ciuill life and sincere affection to your Maiesties seruice may for our comfort obtaine

merciful meÌ„ piller from prison to exile so desiring God to enspire your lordships vpon whose resolutions depends the repose of the Realm and the 11 You saue none destroy al that receiue not the beasts mark your pestileÌ„t doctrin saluatioÌ„ or perdition of many thousand soules with his holy grace and assistaÌ„ce in all your most graue waighty determinatioÌ„s in most humble dutiful maner we take our leaue froÌ„ 12 Many of your felovvs an 1588. that came a gainst their couÌ„try ly in the botoÌ„ of the sea from vvhence they send no libelling letters your hap is better your cause equal the Seaside this 24. of Sept. 1604. His Maiesties true 13 As true as the Irish rebells or as Watson Clerk Brook Percy Catesby Faux Digby the rest of that crevv that vvere as true papists as the rest of these massepriests and loy all subiects and your honors most humble seruants The late banished Priests The censure THE Lords no doubte looked for thanks for their gentle and milde course taken with these massepreests if they looked for none yet his maiesty deserued at their hands both thanks and praises that gaue them life who had so well deserued death and though he sent them out of England yet did send them into no place but whether they had fled before voluntarily of themselues But see the malicious disposition I pray you of this viperous generation For thankes to the Lords they send reprofes and expostulations direct their letters to the lords as thinking the king to be no king nor worthy to be written vnto by such glorious creatures of antichrist as they take themselues to be They suppose that they haue written wisely pithily But of that meÌ„ may the better esteem by these particulers First they say they haue suffred for christ his sake and the profession of the true catholike religion which he plaÌ„ted with his precious bloud But this is a grosse slander to the state and to his maiesty principally who is here charged with persequuting Christ the true catholike religion Further the same is a most impudent and vntrue assertion For neither did Christ plant nor water the masse nor the worship of saints and images nor the popes triple crown with his blood nor is popery Catholike religion nor did these fellows suffer for their superstitious false opinion vnlesse the same drew them into practise of treason and made them to fetch their greasy ordination from forreign enemies and to depend vpon them and to ioyn with them in seeking to blow vp the state Secondly they pretend to haue been depriued of all worldly comforts commodityes But the author of the quodlibers saith no and the world knoweth how they haue domineered in the places of their resiance and liued with all plenty ease and contentment in prison Gerrard and Garnet are fat and well liking and neuer did men enioy more worldly delightes 3 They cal the sentence of exile hard and heauy But in Spayn and Italy our brethren would thank god for such a fauoure so woulde they also considering they haue deserued death but that they are gracelesse and vnthankfull 4. They blush not to affirm that they haue the honor and safety of their prince in recommendation when their doctrine maketh theire prince and country subiect to the pope and his censures and their practises tend to bring in strangers and to dishonor and ouerthrow both prince and state as before is declared and as appeared by Percies treason 5. They say theire banishment is an vndeserued penalty But the lawes of England say they deserued death and their treasons prooue it are not then fauors well bestowed on these treacherous and murmuring fellowes 6. They alledge the words of saynt Peter Nemo vestrum patiatur vt fur vt latro aut maledicus aut alienorum appetitor si auteÌ„ vt Christianus c. But they are no followers of S. Peter or of his doctrine suffering for trecherous combinations with forreine enemies and domesticall Gunpowder men and hauing long railed againste the state and sought the spoile thereof diuers of theÌ„ deuiding bishopricks and benefices in England in conceipte and being inducted into them at Tiburn or Wisbich and none of them suffering for any poynte of Christian faith 7. They tell vs of the diuers qualityes of the Massepreestes banished But what is that to the purpose seeing none wold reuounce intelligences with forreigne enemyes nor acknowledge the kings supreme authority Further they cannot prooue that they haue any good qualities being so farre ingaged in Percyes conspiracy and other practises 8. They signify that they purpose agayn to return into their country But how agreeth this with their former protestation of suffering with patience and humility agayn why shold they intrude themselues where no man sendeth for theÌ„ why shold they thrust theÌ„selues in amoÌ„g true pastors being ordeined by Antichrist to sacrifice for quick dead why shold wolues be suffered to entre within Christs fold hereticks among Christians trecherous compagnions among the kings loyall subiects 9. They pray their honors to conceiue of them as of men that haue the fear and grace of god before their eies and the sincere loue of their prince and country in their harts But their doctrines actions and practises doe vtterly remooue this conceit both out of the minds of the councell of others Som particulers of their dooings we haue touched before the treason of Catesby and Percy toucheth them at the very hart Finally they call them selues his maiesties true and loyall subiects But how true it appeared first in the practises of Clerke and Watson hanged at Winchester not loÌ„g sence and next in the attempt of Percy and his complices diuers of theÌ„ being absolued and resolued by massepreests in their wicked purposes and generally in the doctrine of massepreests against the authority of Kings before mentioned and in their combinations and intelligences with the pope other traytors and forreine enemies as Parsons and the popish cardinals and such like What then remayneth but that such as finde them selues agreeued with the sentence of banishmeÌ„t should haue the senteÌ„ce of the law and that such as loue the Pope and Jtaly better then the King and their owne country should be forced to liue with theyr holy father in their Italian Babylon god grant that neither Prince nor country receiue harme by their return or by any of their associates or companions Amen FINIS The contentes of euery chapter of the Book precedent Chap. 1. THE resolution of the petition apologeticall of the lay papists together with a som of the answer made vnto it Chap. 2. That the toleration of any false hereticall or idolatrous religion is repugnant to reasons of religion and holy scripture Chap. 3. That conuinence and toleration of false religion and heresie and of the professors thereof is reproued by the authority both of ancient fathers of the church and of auncient christian Princes Chap. 4. That to admit the exercise of false religions formerly forbidden is contrary both to christian policy and reason Chap. 5. That toleration of diuers religions is contrary to the doctrine and practise of papists Chap. 6. That popery is a false and erroneous religion Chap. 7. That popish religion is heathenish and idolatrous Chap. 8. That popery is a religion composed of old and new heresies Chap. 9. That popish religion is new and not as the papists call it the old religion Chap. 10. That popery is a religion impious and blasphemous Chap. 11. That toleration of popery is contrarye to reasons of state Chap. 12. That popish religion is enemy to kings Chap. 13. That the same is burthensome to christians Chap. 14. That the petition of such as desire a toleration of popery is voide of reason Chap. 15. That the same is repugnant to grounds of religion and policy practised by papists themselues Chap. 16. An answer to the title of the petition of lay papists and the preface of John Lecey Chap. 17. An answer to the two first chapters of the petition conteining causes both of the petitioners long silence and of their breache of silence Chap. 18. Of the quality number and forces of English papists and of their assurance and resolution which they praetend in their religion Chap. 19. The examination of lay papists fidelity of which they endeuour to make proofe in the fift chapter of their petition Chap. 20. An answere to the petitioners calumniations agaynst the professors of the Gospell set downe in the 6. chapter of their popish apologeticall petition Chap. 21. The insufficiency and foolery of the submission promised by lay papists for themselues and their priests is examined Chap. 22. A censure vpon certain letters of the banished massepreests sent backe to the Lords of his Maiesties councell anno 1604. and annexed to the former petition Escapes correct thus Pag. 8. line 18. reade the apostle 2. corinth 6. p. 14. l. vl vlli magistratui p. 26. lin 28. Hierem. 2. p. 31. l 23. Basilidians l. 25. exorcizations p. 34. l. 5. with the priscillianists p. 48. l. 7. and ignorant people p. ead l. antepenul three principal p. 60 l. 9. whereas I doe not suppose p. 62. l. 6. if the parliament-house p. 73. lin 26 are matters p. ead l. or so mutinously p. 74. l. 26. but rather seek p. 76. l. 12. daungerous deseins p. 91. l. 22. numbres of papists p. 94. l. 15. fourthly they mention p. 95. l. 31. for their resolution p. 99. l. 33. Helas pore soules Literall faults and transpositions of titles pardon

Papists study as much for the Popes grace as for gods grace in hac vita gloriam in futura From my study in Dovvay this 7 That is 12. dayes before the receit of the book which vvas the 28. of this moneth 16. of October 1604. Your very louing Sonne and seruant in Christo Dommo IO. LECEY The answer to both HOw little our aduersaries respÃ©cte true and sincere dealing wee may in part coniecture by the vntruths of thÃ¨ title and preface praefixed before this petitioÌ„ For firste they giue the title of Catholikes to papists whose religion is prooued seditious false erroneous hereticall idolatrous and blasphemous and in no sorte catholike or professed of true catholikes and secondly they pretend that it was made by the lay papists of EnglaÌ„d whereof J doe no suppose them to be so vnwise as that they will auowe what soeuer is sayde in this petition or so presumptuous as to charge the King with disgraceful breach of promise or to defame him with suspition of heresy as these men do Further the authors hereof page 19. do cite Caluine Knoxe Luther and Goodman whose books lay papistes may not reade and whose testimonyes they haue no reason to alledge vnlesse thÃ©y haue read them Leceys praeface concerning the conformity and perfection of this petition the contentement to be receiued of all sortes of men thereby is nothing but a pack of foolish and vntrue surmises as we shall declare heereafter alledging the wordes of Saint Peter 1 Epist 2. they leaue out the beginning of the sentence vpon which the words by them cited do depend Haue your conuersation honest among the gentils saith saint Peter that wherin they detract from you as malefactors considering good works they may glorify god in the day of visitatioÌ„ those words haue your conuersation honest being guilty in their consciences of dishonesty they leaue out and translate by the good workes considering you for considering your good works Further their title and testimony is not more destitute of truth theÌ„ of reason For neither is a petition an apology nor an apology a Petition that they should call their discouse a petition apologeticall Nor had they reason to alleadge saint Peters wordes concerning the good workes of Chrstians who notwithstanding were reputed malefactors For little doe they fit the cause of papists whose good works are gheason and whose practises of treason and rebellion in so many recordes doe conuince them to be truly malefactors The secular preestes also confesse that the exequutions done vpon Masse-priestes and theire adherentes were iust and necessary The preface of John Lecey or rather lazy Iohn is nothing else but an idle declamation in prayse of this pseudaposticall petition and the authors thereof wherein this scraping fellowe endeuoureth to tickel the galled backs of his owne compagnions with his forged commendations But let them beware they trust him not to farre least he draw them within the compasse of his own disloyalty and bring them where Percy and Catesby left them The Lazy fellowe directeth his speech to some odde namelesse sacrificer for hee calleth him reuerend Sirre but if the Masselouers were not blinded with affection they might thereby see howsoeuer this geare is thrust forth vnder the name of lay papists that all the aduantage proceeding therof commeth to the polshorne preests of Baal In the entrance of his matter he maketh greate bragges telling his frend that this petition or apology he knoweth not whether to call it is so conformable to reason so absolute in forme of the petitioners submission and so admirable for the assurance by them offered for theire preestes and pastorus that the publishing thereof cannot but giue contentment in his opinion to all sorts of men But his performance is nothing correspondent to his greate countenance For firste we haue already shewed that this request for a toleration of popery is not only contrary to reason but also to religion all Christian policy Secondly the submission that they make is very defectiue coÌ„sidering theire denyall of the Kings authority in Ecclesiast icall causes and their de pendance vpon the Pope that claimeth a superiority ouer the king But did they submit themselues wholy to his maiesty yet shoulde they doe nothing but that which is required of all good subiects Thirdly theire admirable assurance is most admirably ridiculous For who doth not wonder and laugh to heare assuraÌ„ce offred for the life of so great a King and so potent a state by a few thridbare fellowes we know not who they are the parliament house had beene blowne vp who shoulde haue sued their bonds who should haue brought them into the Starchamber for periurye Againe when the Pope so easily dispenseth with oathes and dissolueth contracts what reason hath any Christian to depend either vpon him or his adherents for either oth promise or bond Besides all this our prologue where hee thinketh himselfe horribly eloquent speaketh playne contradictions fooleries For firste if the petitioners had such reason as he pretendeth what should they neede to make a submission as hauing committed some greate crime againe what submission can a subiect make to his souereine that it is not required of him by duty thirdly such as make such absolute submissions as he talketh of neede nor to put in bonds or pledges Finally it is foolery to thinke either that papists are true catholikes or that such as ar truly informed of the continual practises of the fierye Iebusites and massepriestes agaynste the state will like of their vnreasonable requestes and no man can take them to bee wise that charge their iudges with praeiudice before hearing but to say or signify that nothing can satisfie the state but the blood and vtter beggary of Catholikes or rather papists is plaine villany and not to be proued againste any gouernor of this state No they desire their reformation and not their destruction or hinderance and much it were to be wished that Percy and other papists had been no more malitiously affected to vs theÌ„ we to them Alledging reasons for the publishing of this treatise he disputeth like a wilde man running far beyond his witte reason firste hee saieth that the publishing of this Apology cannot but tend much to his maiesties honor and more to his satisfaction and security as if those did honoure him that charge him with breach of promise note him with the stain of heresy hatred to catholike religioÌ„ as the petitioners do Further what security and satisfaction can those yeelde his maiesty that esteeme neither othes nor bonds when the pope contremandeth them but did they meane to keepe both yet prinate mens bonds are no security for such a king kingdom They talke J confesse of loue and deuotion to the king But it appeared but little by the practise of Brooke Clerke and VVatson first les lately by the treason of Percy Catesbie and Faux who of meer loue sought to blow vp the king

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