Bishop of Pavia and St. Laurence of Milan coming as Intercessors for some of their Flock who had contrary to the Edicts Shelter'd several of the Heruli or Inveterate Whigs of that Age receiv'd particular Favour and a very gracious Answer from him as Baronius show at large out of Ennodius And here we may further add that he not only made this Epiphanius with Victor Bishop of Turin his Embassadors to the Burgundian King as the said Authors have it but constituted as â—ausin relates St. Severin his Almoner to distribute money among the Poor that had much suffered by the Quartering of his Army Nay Anastasius owns him as a Benefactor and Bestower of rich Gifts on the Vatican it self Nor was Theodoric any Laodicean or Luke-warm Prince but on the contrary the great Defender of the Gothic Faith as plainly appears by his Eager Declarations as soon as this Emperour discountenanc'd that Religion in the East Thus then we still see That the differences in Worship do not always alienate a Monarchs Heart from his dissenting Ecclesiastics and consequently that a Princely and Magnanimous Subject may retain a Tenderness for his Fellows even when they arâ— not of his Sentiments and Opinion in Spirituals Boetius as I hinted being now known was presently highly honour'd and all the Trust impos'd in Him that a Knowing King usually pâ—ts in a Wise aud Faithful Minister The business of State too prospering not a little as seldom it miscarries in good hands Theodoric increast even his Esteem of him and therefore gave daily fresh marks of his Royal Munificense and Bounty as may be amply seen in Causinus But what is durable in this fleeting World where often Mistakes but oftner Envy ruins Envy is of the Bastard line Emulation that Spur to Virtue being the Legitimate nor goes she ever alone as having Malice and Cruelty still about her for her chief Companions and Councellors These were the Furies that vow'd the imcomparable Boetius's Overthrow and therefore presently distill'd their venom into the susceptible minds of Triguilla and Conigastus two Eminent Goths and the first of them in high Favour with the King for he was Praepositus Regiae Domus as the said Boetius himself stiles him to wit Superintendent of his Royal House and Expence 'T was now according to Sigonius the year 525. which Baronius precisely calls the Thirtieth of Theodoric's yet Quiet and Flourishing Reign when the black Cloud began to gather and becoming at last a mighty Storm it brought Ruin along with it to the Innocent and no little Trouble even to the King and Kingdom 'T was in this year also when the Active and Potent Iustin and Princes of that Calibre prove ever by the Vmbrages they give uneasie to their Neighbours made his Edicts as Baronius writes against the Manichaeans Pagans and some other Dissenters in his Dominions which doubtless soon alarm'd the Italian Goths for being ever sollicitous for their Brethren there as may be seen in Theodoric's Negotiations with the Emperour they could not but apprehend that the Laws would in conclusion reach their said Brethren and so de facto it happen'd the very following year These accidents prepossessing not a few and with them Theodoric also Triguilla resolv'd to strike while the Iron was hot for he was often piqu'd by Boetius who severely as his own Writings show reprehended him for several ill practices and particularly according to Causinus for advising the forcing the Campanians in a scarce and wanting year to sell all their Corn at a low rate for the maintenance of the Army an Oppression which the very Senate that ever wish'd its Disbanding might perchance resent and consequently punish to purpose He went therefore with Conigastus to the King and after many Preambles to be sure of the great vigilance and care of his Majesties safety they told him of a mighty PLOT against his Sacred Person and Religion adding that Boetius stifled the â—iscovery Nay that he was also in truth the grand Projector and Architect Theododoric seem'd greatly surpriz'd at the Thing but much more at the Author who had in so many Hazards and in so many Accidents still shown the utmost Loyalty of a Subject After some pauses and that he was a little recovered they assured him there was no room for doubting since they had noâ— only intercepted his Trayterous Letters but that some of his Partizans had already discover'd the whole Scheme of the Design Thereupon they acquainted him as Causinus mentions that the Pope and the Emperour were in it also and then producing the forg'd or false Letters as Sigonius truly terms them they call'd in their Witnesses who being examin'd by Theodoric alienated him in the end so far from Boetius that summoning the Senate and acquainting them with the Plot they took forthwith cognizance of that unexpected and strange Affair OPilio and BAsilius as Boetius himself records were the Names of the chief Accusers Names famous among the Antients for their Testimony against this Renowned Person and worthy to be considered also by those Learned Caballists of our Age who Prying into the Arcana of the Alphabet discover often Men say Strange Misteries even out of the first Letters of an Appellation This dreadful News being once spread about the City who can doubt but the King's Evidence were universally applauded and carest especially the Accusation being as Affairs then stood like Manna relishing in every Palate For many through their innate Loyalty could not but be exasperated to the utmost at the meer Relation of Theodoric's Danger Others were sincerely concern'd about Religion the late mention'd Iealousies contributing also not a little to their Distemper Some again had such Chymerical Idoeas of Forfitures and Confiscations in their Heads that no body is to wonder if they joyn'd in the common â—ry and Belief Interest having often an Influence we know upon the best and justest Balance There were also great Ministers of State we see as Triguilla and his Associats who satisfy'd thus not only their privat Revenge but hop'd to start perchance a New Hare to amuse and divert the Senate from reflecting on their ill Conduct and Managery But who can we in all reason imagin so transported at the King 's fam'd Escape as the pardon'd and lately Indemnifi'd Heruli who forsooth in outward Profession were of the Gothic Religion as Gualterus shows and being always we may be sure on the catch having according to Baronius no small Party in the Kingdom could not but Doate on his Royal Person with a modeâ—â—â—â— True Protestant Zeal and Passion This Accident therefore put certainly that dutiful Party a-Gog for what Prerogative what Heir or faithful Subject to the Crown cou'd now they thought stand the shock when the vey noise of the Danger of Liberty and Religion was able to ruin and defeat all Opposition Nay supposing a Plot it would
then really represented The Murders men saw the Saies and Sequestrations they felt and the Slavery they were reduc'd to want still perchance a Pen fuâ—ly to express them for tho they had not Six new Maâ—ters in one Year as was the â—ate of a still Fortunate and Glorious Isle if it truly knew its own Happiness yet they enjoy'd even in their own Memory as appears by Prosper Aquitaâ—us Palmerius and other Chronologists the pleasure of as many â—â—roads each Conquerour differing in his Interests tho never in his Pretences and Fury Alaric and his Goths Attila the Hun Genseric the Vandal â—igorus King of the Alani and Odoacer with the Heruli treading as it were upon the heels of each otâ—er acted here their Monstrous Parts Nor did some of them fail as Iornandes well notes in the midst of their Depredations and Cruelties to vaunt That Heaven had put them on the Employment that is to say In the phrase of their younger Brethren They came to do the Work of the Lord and if so They were doubtless very far from the Curse of Performing it negligently In fine Theodoric the Brave and thus He is esteem'd by Cassiodorus Ennodius and many of the Writers of those times came not only with his Ostrogoths and a drawn Sword to Crop this kind of Rump or Fag End of these Wild Peripatetics and Wanderers but with a Title also for that Kingdom was formally given him as Paulus Diaconus and Sigonius mention by Zeno the Eastern Emperour who being â—et a Living Member of that mighty Eagle which once stretcht her Victorious Wings over the best Part of the habitable Earth thought He had still at least the Advouzon and â—resentation to the West The Fortune of this Marâ—ial Man answer'd expectation nor can any body in few Words â—xpress fuller the Happiness of his Arrival than Heylin does when he tells us That He reduc'd Italy which before was the Thorough-Fare of the Barbarous Nations and so disorder'd by the frequent Inundations of Lust and Rapine to suâ—h a peaceable and settled Government that they quite lost the Memory of their former Miseries The Entry also of this Monarch into Rome was correspondent to the high Esteem the World had of him for tho that City ever surpast all others in the glorious Reception of her great and Famous Commanders yeâ— now as the same Sigonius words it Her Citizens did even out-do themselves so that in short He was received with all the Acclamations and Applause that could possibly be exprest by Art as well as by the Passions of the Inhabitants 'T is true Theodoric was a Goth and therefore the Pope and He were not of a Communion but happening to be a Generous Prince and declaring himself a Friend and Patron to every Honest Christian all Peace and Concord ensued Nor did his Actions and Words difâ—er since in the very choice of his Officers and great Ministers of State he considered not Parties but the Merits of his Subjects and so among others sixt upon Boetius notwithstanding his Education and known Zeal for the Roman Religion Boetius was a Man if we consider the Antiquity of his House equal to Rome her self and descended also from Ancestors not inferior to any of her greatest Heroe's for being a Manlius he was of a prime Consular Family and which is more Heir to the Illustrious Marcus who by preserving the Capitol rescu'd not onlâ— the Standard or Imperial â—nsign but sav'd the very Life it self of the Government He had also the same Blood warming his Charitable Breast as ran in 〈◊〉 Veins of the Renowned Torquatus who tearing from the neck of his Conquer'd Enemy â—he â—hain or Emblem tho of Gold of the Servitude which his Countrey might have fallen under made himself by that Bravery Author as it were of a Magna Charta shewing also all along the Passion he had for their Liberties for Worthy Men are ever truly Solicitous of their Fellow Subjects Freedom and still promoting without By-Ends all their Iust Rights and Priviledges Imaginable 'T were endless to repeat the Benefâ—t which the whole World being at last in a manner subject to this Triumphant City must needs receive by the Example and Conduct of this thrice Noble Clan that did Justice even upon it self by chaâ—tising a Child who preferr'd as Livy shows the Capricios of his own Humour before Authority A Great and a Roman Action it was notwithstanding our modern Romanists in their Brags pretend to it as boasting they are all not only Obedient as far as God Commands to their Spiritual Governours but that their said Governours are as Circumspect and as Severe too against the Fanatical Illuminati or Pretenders to Shams and Miracles among themselves as against those they term Aliens and out of the Houshold of Faith This Manlian Impartiality which is cry'd up by several Antient Authors pleases Florus so well that he says Quis Hostem mirabitur c. Who could wonder that Rome's Enemies should yield when she had such Generals Nay Livy in the 9 th of his 1 st Decadâ— represents the said strict â—â—ther as a Captain That would have given check to Alexandâ—r himself had his â—ourse been Wâ—stwardâ— a Man able it seems to stop that Progress which Novelty and sudden Accidents still bring upon an amaz'd and unthinking People Boetius being thus supereminent by the Antiquity Fortitude and Conduct of his Family no body can deem it strange his Personal Virtues were transcendent for he was as all Writers conâ—ess Wise like an Oracle Skill'd as another Moses in all the Learning of the Egyptians and of a Piety â—â—â—â—mâ—â—ng a sincere Professor of the Holy Gospel His Rhetoric was also of a piece with his other Sciences so that the Senate chose him of all her Eloquent Members to Complement the King in a set Oration at his Arrival which tho it be lost is excellent we are sure by being of his Composition and especially since it brought him into his Sovereigns good Graces who soon afterwards found out his many and Matchless Qualities Theodoric as I said was a Christian Prince of a healing Temper and knowing besides that at the Long Run the Government still loses by Iarrs in Religion steer'd on a contrary Rhumb to the malicious JULIAN for instead of putting Altar against Altar as was the Custom of that Hater of the Christian Name he compos'd even the Papal Schism of Symmachus and Laurentius aâ— may be seen in Anastasius Bibâ—iothecarius and others which plainly shows That a gallant and well meaning â—rince may not only in Italy and Scotland but in England also deserve the Thanks of the Reverend Bishops and Clergy for his Patronage tho he and they should chance to differ in some Points of Faith Neither did he acquiesce in this one Act but heartily carest all the good Prelates who made application to him So that Epiphanius
of all BISHOPS as he maliciously stiles him is next condemn'd to a Bonefire at Temple-Bar or in Smithfield In the next place how will a Papist chuckle and crow at the asseâ—â—ion it being what the Bellarmines the Baronius's the Ignatians and the rest of their greatest Hectâ—rs have ever aim'd at Fâ—â— on â—he one side the Church of England is render'd by him to be a pitiful silly thing and no more to be heeded or minded than an old woman's chat or tattle and on the other side the Pope and his â—reatures are applauded as excellent Architects rational in their fabric and in fine what not only out of foâ—m sake for otherwise he would be hang'd for a down-right Papist he doubts forsooth whether the foundation be so firm and solid as it should be So that still without the trouble of breaking ground and intrenching he gives a subtle Priest the Counterscarp at a dash I mean he puts him without more ado upon the desirable and â—ushious Topic of the CHURCH a Notion which he continually dreams on and is no sooner started but he runs division without end as the famous Whitaker hints to the Iesuit Campian in these words Catholici vestri turbulentis aliarum disputationum procellis jactati in isto Ecclesiae Portu libenter acquiescunt This is the Recipe which every Papist makes so many brags of which he offers to the Rich and to the Poor to the Scholar and to the Fool. This is the Hook with which he catches your Bristows your Bellassis your Berkshires and the rest of them and this is the Bait which they lay for the great Dutchess as well as for the low and humble Chamber-maid Is not then this Conventicler for I 'll never own him a Minister of the Gospel a rare Champion of the Reformed Religion that shoots thus hand over head among them he calls Protestants even without any caution or pre-arming them But what will not blind malice do or what will not a mad-man venture who dares not only as may be seen all along in his Scandalum magnatum equal himself tho' a mean Parson to a Bishop of London but represents himself so that any body that knows nothing but what the Libel says must take him for a far better man than the Earl of Northampton's Son a Family not only Illustrious for the rank it has in the Catalogue of Peers and of Note as being a Compton but to be honour'd esteem'd for the signal Loyalty of a Father for those faithful and eminent Sons spes crescentis Iuli for the hopes of a Grand-son that may perchance out-vie that Noble and Great Subject his Great-grand-father Enough then of Hickeringill an honest man one may swear when upon a Heady pique he could presently herd himself with a Race of Animals made blacker than â—iends in his own Curse ye Meroz Enough I say now of honest Hick who has yet this excuse left for himself and Mr. Iulian that several True Protestants long before them have in their very Hue's and Cry's against Popery zealously taught their Flock the horridest Tenets which they brand any of the Red-letter'd Gallants with as may be seen at large in the late King's Scotch-Declaration Having therefore done with JULIAN's Life and being come now to the Section of passive Obedience how can I with good manners pass by this Aphorism of that Primitive Saint the True Protestant Mr. Goodman in his very Treatise Of Obedience For there he tells us in express terms That altho' Popes for sundry Enormities have deposed Kings by unlawâ—ul Authority the reason yet that moved them so to do was Honest Iust and meet to be received and executed by the body of every Commonwealth Is not this an excellent way of destroying Babylon And are not Papists like to repent and be asham'd of the Principles and Actions laid to their charge if this Puritan Divinity be true But Mr. Iulian has out gone all his bold Predecessors many a furlong for he dares not only call St. Gregory's counsel of Prayers and Tears in time of Persecution Treason but spends several pages against this following position That the Gospel is a suffering Doctrine and so far from being prejudicial to Caesar ' s Authority that it makes him the Minister of God and commands all its Professors to give him and all that are in Authority under him their dues and rather to die than resist him by force To which he answers That at this rate under a Pâ—pish Successor the Lives of all Protestants shall ly at the Mercy of any Iustice of Peace And then he runs on in his old gibbeâ—isâ— to the very end of the Chapter 'T is nâ—t my intention as I mentioâ—ed in the beginning to answer him in all particulars for that has been amply and excellently done already only now then I mmst take leave to shew you the Devil by his Claw or cloveâ— foot and consequently to let you see what a TRUE PROTESTANT is to wit One that cares not what he grants or what he deny's so it conduces in his poor Iudgment to his private design which is the destruction of the Monarchy This shall make him therefore to paint JULIAN a Cherubin or at least a Lamb or very moderate Prince on the other side to describe the Primitive Christians especially the most fam'd for Learning and â—ietâ— to be a Company or Legion of Thebean Coxcombs or else more Factious and Rebellious than the Fallen Angels This shall oblige him also to furnish the Papists as has been shew'd with Arms both Defencive and Offencive ane this shall cause him like a true Huntsman to let the Hare which with great eagerness and Crys he has long persu'd get home to her Forme that he may have at a seasonable and Critical time the advantage of another chase â— And truely seeing I am talking of JULIAN and of a True Protestant I must not pass by the Hugonet BLONDEL who to confute forsooth Purgatory as his Adversary Crasset shows decry's the famous and long celebrated Prophesies of the SYBYLS as forged making the most Ancient Christians the Forgers tho JULIAN himself who sought all manner of means to disparage Christianity never question'd the Books nor taxt its professors with any Cheat. But now before I end with JULIAN I must tell my Reader that theâ— Popish Writers have had the start of this his SQUIRE for as he draws inferences from his Master against them with by-blows home to purpose against the Church of England so they have their Remarks too upon this famous Man not very advantageous I 'l assure you to true Protestants For whosoever consults Gualterus a Iesuit eminent for History he shall find the four following and only Observations upon that Apostate And by the way I must add this that his drift all along is to make the Calvinian Doctrine to agree ad amussim even to a hair with some old condemn'd Heretic or
as also be so severe with them in his Basilicon Doron as to incite even his hopeful Heir the great Prince Henry against them IX Let us now come to the Deposing Doctrine and whosoever reads but Knox Bucanan Goodman Bishop Bancroâ—ts dangerous Positions the Disseâ—ters sayings c. all writen within the four Seas Must needs aver and say that no Imp of Hell has ever yet out done them on this Subject Then for the Practice DOCTOR HEYLIN's History of Presbyterians without the pains of searching and turning over Volumns plainly shows That the proportion between the Roman and Calvinian Heros in this dispute and more especially if we consider the extent of Iurisdiction and the age of them is like the Tyber to the Mediterranean nor are the Sainâ—s ever contented with the bare deposing of a Governour but like Turks persue the whole Line and which is more are never quiet till they have alter'd the very Government also But what can a man think when we add this aggrevation that not only English Papists have it seems writen several Treatises against the Power of Deposing Kings but even in Popish Countries the Santarelluses the Marianas the Schopiuses the Bellarmins the Suarezes the Becanuses and other Books haue been publickly Condemn'd or Burnt as the Popelings themselves make appear and which is yet much further the very Priests and Supporters of the Triple Crown have this very year in France as our News Books publish damn'd the said Opinion to the pit of Hell a thing never yet done by any one Presbyterian Author that I know of tho Justiâ—ied by Thousands and much further from having been openly censur'd in any of their Convocations or Assemblies Nay our Goodmanites and Cargilites will bitterly Exclaime at the Doctrine as Antichristian in the Pope and yet die with it in their Mouths and own it with their last breath as an Article of Faith Nay how have the party even in London labour'd and sweated like so many Cyclopses in their Caves and secret Dens and at last thinking themselves strong and irresistible how openly have they declar'd with the impudence of Prostitutes For the putting by the Heir of the Crown the Prelude of degrading our present Sovereign and this notwithstanding his often hazarding his Royal Person in defence of his King and Countrey 'T is out of the hatred to Monarchy and not out of the least fear or apprehension of Religion that moves them to this fury for as most of our notedst Writers of the times remark no true or pretended Authority since the Reformation winkt more at Papists than the loud Criers against Popery as soon as they got into the Saddle or would have sooner given them Toleration had not the said Papists been such known and desperate Enemies to a Repâ—blick But further What Man in England of the least understanding or Moment that did not as much know the Duke's Religion since the year 74 as since that of 78. Yet till Oates's Information or Discovery for then the whole gang were Cock a Hoop how did the considerablest of the harmless Lambs still run to that compassionat Prince for favours Did not Dr. Owen and the chief of their respective Levites and in fine all the eminent Men as well Pastors as Sheep that found themselves agriev'd make applications to him tho the possibility of his Succession against which none of them exclaim'd till they could stand on their own Legs had then the same fatality and inconvenience attended it as at present Nay the PLOT should raise in any Man that do's not effectively deny it a higher esteem and admiration of this Great Man than before seeing Oates and Bedlo have both Sworn That the Conspirators ever dreaded his knowledge of their Designs notwithstanding it tended on the one hand to the Establishment of his now suppos'd Religion and on the other to the exalâ—ing him to the Crown it self But the partiality of the Saints when any thing crosses as they think their purpose will not only damn BEDLG but OATES too and all his Family and Abettors for thus they serv'd DUGDALE tho' not long before he had been so highly vouch'd 〈◊〉 Oath by their Martyr COLLEGE of famous memory Thus too TURBER VIL was used whoÌ„ was so serviceable that he even carried away the Bell from his elder Brethren in the Tryal of my L. Stafford Thus it has also far'd with SMITH a Man once honour'd with several Elogiums and among otheâ—s with that of his great Leâ—rning by reason of his Narrative which like Affricanus Asiâ—ticus c. gave even lustre and distinction to his NAME but now this very famous piece as an addition to his Misfortunes is declar'd and confess'd by a True Protestant to be written by a PHANATIC But who knows to the honour of the Phanatical Tribe but they have been the Writers and Inventers too of all the NARRATIVES and certainly that horrid imposition on the People of BEDLO's Narrative of the Fires does abundantly confirm us CARE being the Author and three or four Tender-conscienc'd BOOKSELLERS the Promoters as the All-discovering OBSERVATOR has most fully prov'd But of all the scrupulous and consciencious Witnesses I must needs confess none have been so stigmatiz'd and hardly used as the IRISH for the Godly have even made the Testimony of all the Natives of that Kingdom Proverbial and yet Who but They brought these poor Men upon the Stage Who but They fed them with the fat things and with the very Grapes of Canaan till at last they put their Teeth on edge and Who but They were the common Vouchers and Compurgators for their Manners and the learned Heralds and Antiquaries â—o prove their great Descent and Quality Yet now how many mean Villains Scoundrels Beggers Papists Tories Bog-trotters not to be credited by any Christian c. were they call'd after they once appear'd against the Brethren Nay so illuminated were all the True Proâ—estants on a sudden that notwithstanding the Oaths of seven or eight of these Teigues upon whose Testimony the Parliament voted an IRISH PLOT and notwithstanding half as many English-men who had with the general applause of the Saints so illusâ—rated and made evident the English Plot that several were Hang'd and Executed upon their Oaths and notwithstanding also a pretty Paper declar'd Treason by the four INNS of COURT and by the Loyal Addresses of most of the NATION they brought in the Bill IGNORAMUS though some of the Iury were of such tender consciences a thing that cannot be too often remembred and which our Chronicles will never forget they could Indict and thâ— Bill was also found no meaner a Person than the Earl of Danby upon the Account of one single man's Accusation who was then actually at the Bar for Treason and whose Evidence plainly tended to his own security and advantage But who dares or can censure a Iury-man's Conscience say they and their Apologists I answer a MONSTER that has no Reason no Principle