confess that there are fingular men among them in all sort of sciences besides that the life of many of them is it reprehensible If then there were not so great a number as there is yet they should have respect not to ruine and chase away those whom God hath endued with such excellent graces and deprive the King and his Countries of so great a good in chafing away or murthering them which might have served either for Counsel Learning or some other way seing it is ordinarily found that they desire to yeild all obedience and duty unto the King and to serve him with body and goods so as they would leave them the exercise of their Religion free To conclude then If his Majesty will be pleased to grant this liberty he should not onely prevent troubles and inconveniences which have hapned in France and else-where through this occasion but also it should be a means by the which his subjects should be induced every one to imploy himself in his vocation to the service of his Majesty and the advancement of the Common-weal seing that in the end they should be forced to come unto it were it after his decease as in other Countries where the like accidents have hapned It remains now to consider the inconveniences that may arise the which I find to be two principal The first that if the exercise of their Religion were allowed them they might multiply in such sort as the ancient Religion would decay and come to nothing the which the King would not endure by any means The other is They hold commonly that in one Country there cannot be two divers Religions without great trouble and disorder As for the first they must understand that all Religions are either grounded upon the authority of God or the authority of men For a Religion may be grounded upon the authority of men when having regard unto that which our Ancestors have done and followed or to that which our King commands or to that which some great personage doth enjoyn us we ground our Religion upon those respects without any firm reason or feeling in our hearts that we do well or ill as the Turks Pagans and Idolaters have alwaies done yea and the greatest part of the world do at this day changing their Religion and manner of serving God in what sort and as often as it shall please the King or those to whom they shall defer this credit but for that those Religions proceed not from a Religious heart fearing God but from the respect and reverence of men it is easie to hinder the course and to plant in other by humane means as by armes and violence so as it was no difficult thing for the Romanes to bring their Gods and Religions into Greece and other Countries of their conquests the which were grounded but upon the authority of their Princes and Kings But if the Religion hath its foundation upon the authority and word of God upon the testimony of their Consciences be it with reason or otherwise force or outward violence cannot prevail as we have shewed and there is no means to hinder the course and progresse thereof but in shewing the foundations ill laid If then the King will maintain the old Religion and stop the course of the new it is necessary that he give them leave to be heard to the end that they may be confuted and that all the world knowing wherein the abuse doth consist may fly their acquaintance If it be heresie they sow ye cannot but stop the course in suffering them to publish their doctrine so that their errors be laid open to the people by the truth of the word of God else the more you seek to suppress it the more it will encrease But contrariwise if happily their doctrine be conformable to the word of God it is not to be presumed that his Majesty would oppress it Wherefore that inconvenience alledged is of no consequence The second point alledged seems to be of great moment For they say commonly that for to entertain the publike quiet we must have but one Law one Faith and one King a thing without doubt which were much to be desired for it would us liken to that golden age But seing that Religion and faith is a meer gift of God engraven in the heart of man over the which none can command but God onely It were great indiscretion to think it possible to reduce all the Inhabitants of one Country to one Faith by force or corporal violence It is true that they say that as in a Family the Father ought to foresee that all those of his house worship but one onely God and be of one Religion so the King should provide that in his Realm there should be but one Faith and one Law the which were wonderful good and healthful but it is not possible to attain unto it if it be not among those people whose Religion is grounded upon the Kings simple Authority the which is no true Religion but a meer hypocrisie and counterfeting whereunto they may haply be drawn which have no fear of God As it was seen among the Romans who received as many new Gods as their Emperors commanded them but this will never take place among them which have any inward feeling grounded upon any reason be it upon the word of God or of their own Conscience In which case ye are so far from reducing a whole Nation to one Religion as you can hardly reclaim one Family the which was manifest among the Jews where there were three famous Sects more contrary the one unto the other then those of the new Religion unto them that maintain themselves under the ancient obedience of the Pope But which is much more from the beginning of the world unto this day it was never seene that all were of one law and one faith no not according to the exteriour exercise For before the comming of Christ the Kings of Egypt Persia and Babylon were forced to leave the Jews in their Countrey and to allow them the free exercise of their Religion the which they held abhominable And after his comming the Romane Emperours have also suffered it as Antonius Pius and Mark Antonie nor that they were of one accord with them for they had the name of a Christian in horror but for that they found they were not seditious nor disturbers of the publique quiet and so of many other Emperours who have suffered them and forbidden that no injury should bee done them although they were of a meere contrary opinion True it is that some one may say That all these Examples serve but to advance the Christian faith which the King intends to maintaine in rooting out the new Religion Yet it is most manifest It is no new thing to endure two Religions in one Countrey yea and that all wise Kings and Princes have done according to the necessities of the time for although the Religion of those Emperours were bad
see if it be possible to suppress their assemblies And doubtless if we look unto experience the perfect mistress of all things we shall find it is as impossible to hinder it as it is impossible to keep them from believing of that which they think fit and agreeing with the word of God Have we not I pray you seen the great power of the most victorious Emperor Charles the fift of famous memory who made all the world to tremble Have we not seen his most incredible diligence to suppress this Religion Have we not seen the rigorous edicts which he made and whereto tended it but to hinder the preaching of this new Religion and that they which made profession thereof should forbear their Assemblies For he knew well their hearts could not be forced and yet he prevailed nothing notwithstanding all his prohibitions It may be they assembled in some strange Country where they had greater liberty No no but contrariwise all the Princes of Christendom together with the Pope were resolved to root them out and to give them no place of retreat but all was in vain How do we then think that the Kings power the which out of doubt is not greater then the Emperors can hinder it seing that now France England Germany Scotland and all the Countries about are open unto them to retire themselves and to use the liberty that is here denied them whereas they have so many Kings and Princes on their side whereas the number is multiplyed by many and infinite thousands without doubt they which gave his Majesty this counsel shew plainly that either they want judgment or else they seek to settle their own greatness to the prejudice of the King and the ruine of the Countrey Let them examine all the Histories of the world and they shall find that when any new Religion hath been grounded upon the inward perswasion of the word of God that all the striving in the world could never hinder but the exterior discipline thereof would have its course The Romane Emperors could never force the Jews to receive their Statues into their Temples nor hinder the Christians from their Assemblies who desired rather to live like savage beasts in caves and rocks then to abandon the exercise of their Religion I will not examine whether their quarrel be like unto this so it is that they are as well perswaded in their hearts that they follow the word of God and that they are commanded to assemble and preach as they were which perswasion can never be wrested from them by any violence for they say among themselves that if they should be allowed to believe what they would so as they would forbear to teach and assemble were as much as if they should suffer a man to live so as he would take no refection and nourishment for they maintain that faith is entertained by the preaching of the word even as the life of the body is by the nourishment of meat But admit it were possible to forbid their Assemblies they must proceed either by rigor and force or by gentleness and perswasions that is they must either corrupt them or else force them to do against the testimony of their consciences and so falsifie their faith which they owe unto God It is most certain that the constant and vertuous will rather choose a thousand deaths then to do any thing against their Consciences so as with them there were nothing to be gotten As for the rest who for fear or hope would deny their faith First they should grievously offend the divine Majesty and damn their own souls by this falshood and dissimulation for that they should sin doubly first to have embraced the error and afterwards more to have falsified sified their faith and testimony of their Conscience and to have dealt doubly whereas God requireth sincerity and plainess so as they that should force them thereto should be the cause of their more grievous damnation They then which counsel the King to force or corrupt his subjects to the end that they should dissemble and make shew of any other Religion then that which they believe in their hearts are the cause of the disloyalty which they commit against God and the King for without he shall carry himself disloyally to God either for fear or hope it is to be presumed that by the same passions he will carry himself as disloyally unto the King when as time and occasion shall be offered Constantius father to Constantine the Great although he were a Pagan yet he called Christians into his Court and admitted them to favour whom he did see ready to abandon goods and honours yea their own lives rather then to be disloyal unto the God whom they did worship yea he held them worthy of his friendship and did impart unto them most of his important affairs And in-truth the King hath no Subjects more faithful then those which obey him for Conscience that is to say because God hath so commanded it they which falsifie their conscience to please the King or for any other private respect shew that they do not obey the King for Conscience onely but for some other particular affection and if they make no difficulty to falsifie their Consciences in the service of God without doubt it is to be feared that when any passion or affection should move them either the fear of death or the losse of goods and credit or some such like thing they would make no great difficulty to falsifie their faith which they owe unto their King so as they which give this Counsel unto the King shew their ignorance for that they seek to root out them which in simplicity and sincerity of heart yeild obedience unto God and the King And as for those which proceed disloyally and against their Consciences they are not onely content to suffer them but also to advance them unto honour as we have seen by some examples of those who before having made profession of this Religion have afterwards without being condemned of error onely to aspire to honour and credit turned their Coats To conclude Although it were a thing possible to force or corrupt the Protestants to abandon their Religion and to doe against their Consciences yet were it not expedient for the good of the Common weal. But as I said It is not possible to hinder them unlesse they will ruine them and put them to death the which were hard to compasse for in the place of one they should put to death ten others wouldrise and those which dy so constantly rather then remove their faith are held for good men by the common people who have more regard to the constancy then to the cause which they maintaine whereupon they have desire to examine the Cause and come to fall into the same opinions so as this must needs cause them to multiply and encrease wherefore they that advise the King to this means are much abused for besides that they frustrate
his Majesties intention they thrust the Countrey into great desolation and almost apparant danger of a ruine yet it is plainly to bee seene that the Arts Occupations and trades by meanes whereof this Countrey was wont to flourish above the rest do now decay and are transported to their neighbours the ancient enemies to the house of Burgoign and Austria It is almost incredible what prejudice the persecutions have brought within these forty yeares to the making of Cloth and Sayes and Tapestry which trades being as it were proper and peculiar to the Netherlands they have chased away by this means to the French English and other Nations I forbeare to speak of an infinite number of other good and profitable trades which are retired into forraigne Countryes to enjoy the liberty 〈◊〉 â—â—eir Consciences For in generall all the trafique of Marchandize hath been wonderfully interessed as many good men can witnesse In Antwerp Lillee Torney Valenciens and other such Townes and this hath beene one of the chiefe occasions why of late years the English have beene perswaded to leave Antwerp and goe to Embden that is to say from the flower of all Marchants townes full of infinite Commodities to a petty Towne obscure and of no commoditie Yea they are grown so proud by reason if this Drapery the spoiles of his Majesties Netherlands as they seeme to have no care to compound thinking that we have more need of them then they of us The French in like sort bragg that they are clothed with our spoils by reason of the Marchants that are fled for Religion so as that which did serve them as a bridle to bring them the sooner unto reason in time of warre will now make them more proud and untractable Besides It is well known that within the Countrey there be many sufficient Marchants which upon this occasion refuse to contribute in time of necessity fearing that this question of religion will be a subject unto their enemies to make them confiscable But above all It is to be considered That the profession of Armes and Warre which hath beene flourishing in these parts hath and will be greatly interessed if it be not other wayes prevented I will not speak of many Gentlemen good and faithfull subjects which might doe good service to his Majesty which are now retired to their houses fearing for this onely occasion to employ themselves in any occasion whatsoever Neither will I say that many others who desired to doe the King good service yea even of those which knew the seats and scituations of Countries are forced to leave their native soyle and to retire to their enemies prefering the liberty of their Consciences before all things in the world Without doubt there must a care be had for if any war should happen either against the English French or any other neighbour Countrie wee know not whom to trust and without doubt the enemies will not forget to make their profit upon 〈◊〉 occasion by all manner of practises to the great prejudice of his Majesty and all his Countrey and it is to be feared that among so many men there will bee some which under colour to seeke their Liberties will bee perswaded to attempt some Innovations The desire to live and serve God in Liberty of Conscience is of so great force as it makes men forget all other affections and passions how vehement soever for it not only maketh the subject neglect the duty which he oweth to his naturall King and Prince but it doth even estrange the hearts and withdraw the affections of Fathers and Mothers from their Children yea it maketh them forget themselves so as they make no difficulty to expose their bodies to the burning flames and to all sort of torments and to abandon wife and children leaving them nothing but poverty and famine rather then to lose this good in regard whereof there is nothing in this world that they esteem So that it is no wonder which some report for a truth that many among the Gascoignes and Provencials during the persecutions in France for matter of Religion have treated to yeild themselves tributary to the Turk hoping that by that meanes they would suffer them to live in liberty which they valued above all things and it may be they had put it in execution to the great prejudice of all Christendom if one onely respect had not restrained them which was that they held it too grievous to give their first borne children to the great Turk to be bred up in Mahomet's Religion for this affection is incredible and exceedeth all others the which being well considered with the great diversity of humours and conditions of men it were no strange thing if in so great a multitude of them that are persecuted for their Conscience some should be found more suddaine or more revengefull or impatient then the rest who would make no difficulty to attempt such exploits yea if it were but to revenge the grievous wrongs and injuries that were done for that Cause unto their kinsfolks and friends wherein it is greatly to be considered that there are no forts nor castles that maintain Kings in their greatnesse so much as the faithfull love of their subjects So contrarywise the King doth but provoke their hatred against his Majesty yea who otherwise are good and wel-governed men and live without reproach If the Inquisitors and their adherents feare not the Hugonots for that as they say they have not the wit to revenge themselves who maintain that they must do good for evil yet they may well have heard the common Proverb that patience too much urged in the end turneth to fury And if they be not void of all sense they must thinke that all the Kinsfolks friends and allies of them that they persecute are not of one minde and equall patience that they can so easily passe over the wrong which they thinke they have received so although there were no danger they should attempt any thing against his Majesty or his estates yet will they carry an irreconcileable hatred against his Officers whereby there will grow bad intelligence amongst his subjects which is a matter as every man knowes of very great importance as we may well see by the troubles of France the which partly took their beginning from such occasions and it is most manifest that if King Henry or his Father King Francis had in their times granted free exercise of Religion restraining them with good Lawes and Ordinances without doubt they had left their Realme much more happy and flourishing and had prevented so many calamities which have ensued I know there is some will say the like is not to be feared here considering the small numbers there is and therefore it were no reason that for a handfull of men and of the baser sort they should bring in any innovation But they that use such speeches discover their grosse ignorance or their unsupportable malice If there be any question to
yet they held it good and holy as the King holds his and it was the Religion which they received from their Ancestors above three thousand years past But wee finde also that Christian Emperours have endured alse Religions as it appears by the example of Theodosius Horatius and Arcadius who gave Temples to the Arrians and Novaâ—â—â—ns sometime within and sometime without the City as the necessity of the time and place required In the Ecclesiasticall History It is reported for a remarkable thing that Valentianus the Emperour was Orthodox and a good Christian yet he suffered the Arrians though he favoured them not so much as the others Vallens his Colleague or Companion in the Empire was an Arrian and would by no means suffer the Christians in his Government but did persecute them in all sorts whereby we may easily gather that in all well-governed common weales to avoid sedition and tumults it is sometimes necessary to grant Temples unto Hereticks not to the intent they should disperse their Heresies more but that the people hearing â—he truth confronted with falshood might without mutinies or tumults apply themselves quietly unto the true and right Religion But our Lord and Saviour saith that he came to bring war and not peace into the world so as in one house there shall bee dissentiou betwixt the Father and the Son the Brother and the brother How can we then maintain the Religion of Jesus Christ if they will reduce all the world to one faith and to one Law seeing that for the ordering thereof hee doth not command the faithfull to kill the rest but contrary wise he saith that the Apostles and faithfull should bee betrayed excommunicated and put to death for their faith and Religion and therefore he will have them win the field through patience and the vertue of his word So as I cannot wonder sufficiently at the impudency of these men who making a shew to be well read in all ancient Histories do maintain that there were never two different Religions in one Common weale for what will they say or answer to the diversity already alleadged betwixt the Pharisees Sadduces and â—â—â—sses without doubt they shall never finde that by reason of these Sects there was any great difficulty in the Government nor that Jesus Christ nor his Apostles did ever command to burne them for their Law What shall we say of the diversity of Religions that were among the heathen whereof one did not know anothers Gods No not the Names And some also maintained publiquely that God did not care for humane things And yet wee finde not that the Government of the Romanes was troubled for this cause But who doth not see at this day under the great Turk a great diversity of Religions so as among the Christians alone there are fifteen or twenty Sects and sundry Religions besides the Jewes Persians and Mahumatists all subjects to his Empire the which are more contrary the one to the other for matter of Religion then water is contrary unto fire Without doubt if these diversities were the true cause of seditions and tumults It were not possible that the Turks power should grow so great It is then a great ignorance to think that subjects cannot be maintained in quiet when they are of divers Religions for who so will look neerly to the spring and beginnings of tumults and seditions he shall find that they proceed not so much from the diversity of Religions as through private passions as through covetousness ambition revenge hatred and such like from the which small quarrels may grow and when the Magistrate prevents it not in time then by little and little they inflame and are cause of tumults and publike seditions witness the troubles and seditions in Italy betwixt the Guelphs and Gibellines the which continued four hundred years and was the cause of infinite murthers rapes wars and all sorts of violence and yet there was no difference in the Religion but all did grow for that the Magistrate did feed the private passions of their Subjects instead of suppressing them by Justice And as for controversies touching Religion it is not two hundred years since that the controversies betwixt the Franciscans and the Iacobines for the Conception of the Virgin Mary had caused great troubles throughout all Christendom Not that the controversie was of any great importance but through the negligence of the Magistrate who nourished these factions and became partisans Seing then it appeareth that whereas good order hath been setled people of divers sects and Religions have been quietly governed without any sedition or tumult and contrariwise whereas no order was not onely diversity of Religion but even small quarrels have bred horrible seditions and tumults any man of Judgement may gather thereby that seditions and tumults take not their increase from the importance of the quarrel whereupon they are grounded but rather through the want of good order for that the Magistrates neglect to punish them that entertain them or else themselves maintain one party the which is confirmed by many ancient and modern examples And who so will examine strictly the last troubles of France shall find that the greatest part have hapned for that some mighty men or Governours themselves having no regard to the publick good nor to the ordinances of the States have at their own pleasures plaid the Kings and insulted of their own authorities over them of the Religion I think no man is so ignorant but knows that the murther committed at Vassey by the Duke of Guise against the laws of the King and State hath been the true and onely cause of the Civil Wars which followed to the ruine of the whole Realm for whilest the Kings proceeded by their authority there was no newes of any sedition how grievous soever the persecution were but when as Governours of their owne authorities offered violence to those of the Religion presently all these tumults grew the which may serve us for a good example whereby we may learn to avoid the like inconveniences and take some good course for the benefit of the King and of all his good subject which seek onely to obey him It is then easie to resolve that good order would be setled if liberty should be granted to them of the Religion to assemble and exercise their discipline restraining and bridling them with such laws as shall be thought good and that the Kings Magistrates and Officers be careful to execute his Majesties intention foreseeing above all things that the people usurp not the autority of the sword under colour of the factions of great men so as above all things there must be a prevention that all violence be forborn on either side and that those which proceed by any other unlawful means as by taxing and slandring shall be well punished which doubtless will be a most assured means and the subjects shall live in good unity and concord together and will carry a perfect obedience unto his
GOOD COVNSEL IN BAD TIMES Or a good motion among many bad ones Being a discovery of an old way to root out Sects and heresies and an earnest desire for a complyance with all men to settle Peace with Justice As also a Relation of a Remarkable piece of Justice done by Duke WILLIAM called the Good Likewise an Epistle to the Reader By John Musgrave a Lover of Peace and Justice Published according to Order 2 SAM 8.15 Thus David reigned over all Israel and executed judgement and justice unto all his people PROV 21.3 To do justice and judgement is more acceptable to the Lord then sacrifice LONDON Printed for Thomas Watson and are to be sold at his shop in Duck-Lane MDCXLVII To the Reader IN the beginning of these our late troubles and Civil warres I was imprisoned by the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Array in Cumberland maintaining the Parliamentary Protestations and opposing the Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government of our corrupt Magistracy and Ministery there after a long and chargeable Imprisonment I was removed by an Habeas Corpus to London and freed by Parliament Authority but upon my returne back into my Countrey I was constrained to undergo a voluntary exile in Scotland most pâ—â—â— of two years even till the reducement of that Country to obedience of Parliament hoping to have found such placed in Authorities there as had beene of approved Integrity and men hating Covetousnesse I returned to my Country but contrary to my expectations finding the Militia and Authorities there setled in the hands of such as were the sworne and professed enemies of the Kingdome I and some other exiles for the Parliaments cause by certain Propositions represented our grievances and made knowne to the Parliament Commissioners how the Militia and Authorities with us were intrusted to declared Traitors but the Parliament Commissioners would not redresse our grievances Afterwards Mr Osmotherley and I were sent to London to petition the Parliament in the behalf of the well affected of Cumberland and Westmerland after we had attended the Parliament some four moneths upon a false report of the Chair-man of the Committee I was committed to the prison of the Fleet by an Order of the house of Commons where I have beene prisoner yet in all that time could I never have accesse unto Justice During my restraint here reading the History of the Netherlands I found the rise and growth of the warres and troubles of those Provinces was not so much from the dissenting Opinions in matters of Religion as from pride and covetousnesse of the King of Spaines evil Counsellours and worser Ministers of Justice who under a counterfeit zeale and pretext of setling Church Government abusing this their Princes favour and their authority went about to lay a foundation of their own greatnesse in the ruines of the people and to enrich themselves by impoverishing and subjecting those Provinces to their lawlesse wills and Tyranny and the more easie to bring that people under their Iron yoke they set up the Spanish Inquisition where-from to free themselves they were constrained to take up Arms in defence of themselves and for preservation of their almost overthrown Liberties but finding no reconciliation could be had relying upon the equity and justice of their cause by publique Edict did declare the King of Spain to bee fallen from the Seignory and authority he had in and over those Provinces a good crution for Princes by oppression not to lose the affection of their people In France a fire was kindled which the blood of millions could not quench till free exercise of Religion was granted The bloudy wars and fearful massacres and cruel murthers in Germany upon the denying the Protestants there their Liberty were so great and many as the same indangered the utter devastation of that great Empire If wee take a view of the hot persecutions of the Popish Prelates here in England in Queene Maries dayes wee shall finde the same the very cause and grounds of those severe Lawes enacted by her sister against Papists and their Priests our late Bishops and their Clergy were so puffed up with pride as they could not be contented with their great Lordships and large dominions without they might Lord it over the Consciences of others which proved to bee their ruine and now they be cast out with shame as an abhominable branch Our New Presbyters who so cryed downe their Fathers the Bishops and proclaimed against them for their cruelties and in forcing men to a blinde obedience Are they more moderate Nay These our pretended Reformers since they have beene backed by Authority and set up their great Idol Kingdomes-deviding breaking Covenant by this new forgery they endeavour and threaten to enslave all men to their lawlesse lusts Doe they not cry out No Covenant No Parliament as the Prelates did No Bishop No King every Parish Priest more Lording it then any Prelate ever did surely their destruction will be sudden if they longer persist in these Godlesse courses with our Priests our new State Politicks comply by this new devised Covenant they to hold up their faction have cast off or kept out of all place and office such as bee conscientious or honest but left their Fathers the Prelates in case ever should recover their former power and credit should condemne them in their convocation house for Hereticks these pretenders and great Reformers as they retain their old Names and Offices of Parsons and Vicars so are they zealous observers and maintainers of the old Popish Ceremonies as swearing upon a Book ringing of Bells for the dead sermons reading and praying for and over the dead which to do their dear brethren of Scotland do abhominate having rejected the same as Antichristian But left any should think what I have said touching our Covenanting Magistracy and Ministery to bee out of disaffection to their Cause and not of Truth I know that the great masters of this City who so cry up the Covenant will not admit any the freedome thereof notwithstanding they have served seven years for the same without submitting to Book-swearing the other day the Major and Chamberlaine of this Metropolis put backe and denyed one his freedome because bee would not take the Freemans Oath upon a booke Depositions of witnesses are now disalowed and rejected by our new Reforming Justices without the same be sworn upon a Book as I can prove These our Reformers doe they not discover how ready they will be to face about and willing to bow againe under the Episcopall yoak by their continuing the Statutes in force for not repairing to the Book of Common Prayer the English Masse as the Scots calls it for not repairing to the Common Prayer Booke 34. persons in Cumberland at Midsomer Sessions last were indicted by Order of our Parliaments Justices there In Yorkshire the 15. of June 1647. Mr Worsley had his Oxen and Cowes taken from him for his recusancy in not comming to the Common
Prayer Booke yet Papists in both these Countries are tollerated and protected Let Scotland beware whiles they contend for Conformity they again set not up our English Dagon but passing by formalities let both Kingdomes secure their owne Peace by yeelding to publick liberty and exercise of Religion without making search of their friends Consciences which no force can master but exulcerate rather and make worse as Courteous Reader thou maiest well discover by this ensuing discourse of Mr Baldwin delivered to the King of Spaines own hand which I have published for thine and my Countries peace and how we ought to behave our selves towards men of different Judgements and Religions For a Conclusion I give thee an exemplary act of Justice done by a Popish Earle upon a covetous and corrupt minister of Justice If our Parliament thereby would bee stirred up so to punish their Delinquent Committee men and wicked Judges injustice and oppression would stand afar off Justice depresse those factions which other wise will break this Nation whose welfare as my owne I desire John Musgrave A DISCOVRSE OF Francis Bavvdvvine Shewing the means to prevent the troubles of a Kingdom and to root out Sects and Heresies Delivered at a Conference to the King of SPAYNE Anno MDLXV ALL men which live under one King are bound to seek the preservation of the publick good and quiet History of the Netherlands written Anno 1609 in folio 356. and the entertainment of the Kings greatness and prosperity who is the Head of the Body whereof we are members I have thought that I am not to be taxed of arrogancie if according to the small Talent which I have received from the Lord I endeavour to discourse briefly of the means that might be held in these times in the which there is such great diversity of opinions To prevent all troubles and tumults that many arise as we have learned by the example of our Neighbours and withal satisfie as much as is possible the will and pleasure of the King our Lord whom by Gods law and commandment weare bound to obey and serve to the uttermost of our powers seing then as well here as in France England Scotland and Germany although there be some small difference a great part of the people are moved by exhortation and doctrine of those which they call Gospellers for that as they say they make profession to receive nothing but what is expresly contained in the Doctrine of the Gospel and of the Bible rejecting the ancient and accustomed manner of serving God as to go to masse to confess to receive the Sacrament fast for certain daies go on pilgrimages and other like exercises to joyn themselves to a new Doctrine and Religion which they call Reformed The question is how according to the Kings will and pleasure the people may be maintained in the ancient Faith without seeking any innovation and if happily the means seems somwhat difficult or rather impossible how we may prevent and shun many inconveniences which may arise or grow by the diversity that is among the Inhabitants of the Country First We must consider when any one speaketh of a Religion or Law it is to be understood that he speaketh of the Faith and apprehension which men have conceived and imprinted in their hearts and mindes touching God and his service and also touching the doctrine of their salvation Or else they comprehend not by this word Religion but the exercise and outward profession by the which we shew outwardly what we believe inwardly or at least what we should believe in our hearts As for the first It is most certain that they which follow the new Religion have a constant perswasion and impression in their hearts that what they do and believe is conformable to the word and commandment of God and they must above all things obey their Creator and rather endure death and all the torments of the world then willingly to go against his Word and commandments Seing then this maxime is graven in the hearts of men It is more then reason that God our Creator prescribe us what law he please and we are bound to obey him without any contradiction or exception whatsoever which maxime is not possible to root out of their hearts neither were there any reason to attempt it There must then some other means be sought to divert them from their faith Many have thought it best to proceed by force and terror by fire flames and all sorts of torments to the end that those which have not yet embraced this faith might by this means be terrified to remain in their ancient manner of doing but doubtless they are much abused as reason and daily experience doth teach for how is it possible to force and command the Conscience and minde by corporal violence How can any one perswade me that that man hath a bad faith whom I see die constantly and joyfully although I know not the ground of the one not the other Even as it is impossible for all the Monarchs of the world to keep the fire from exercising his heat when it encounters an object fit to burn In like sort it is as impossible for all men how mighty soever to restrain and hinder the spirit of man from discoursing and judging as he pleaseth and not to apply himself to that which he findeth best to agree with his natural impression the experience whereof is daily seen For what hath it availed to have put to death so many poor souls for the faith whereto have served the fires gibbets scaffolds tortures and torments which they have used in France in England yea and in these Countries Without doubt neither the power nor authority of men nor the sharpness of all the torments in the world avail any thing in this point The Kings of Aegypt were mighty but they could never command the consciences of the children of Israel The Romane Emperors held almost all the world in subjection who neither spared fire nor flames crosses nor gibbets cords nor tortures nor any kind of torments that could be devised or invented to root out the Christian faith and to terrifie their subjects to divert them and to retain them in their ancient belief and Pagan Religion and yet they prevailed nothing in their designes but contrariwise did much hinder their intents So that the Christians were wont to use a common proverb amongst them That the blood of their Martyrs was the seed of their Churches And indeed Iulian the apostate Emperor a malicious and subtle man seing that to root out the Christian Religion all his Predecessors had prevailed nothing but contrariwise that it was much augmented by means of the persecutions and that those which died for their faith took it for a glory and honour from that time forward he would no more persecute them neither by fire nor sword nor by any corporal violence although they hated him deadly but sought by gentleness and perswasions to draw them from
give assistance to the Inquisitors to install the new Bishops or to send Garrisons into any Townes then can they say except they use extreme rigour and great diligence it will not bee possible to maintain the ancient Religion Importuning the Court with their continuall complaints how wonderfully the Hereticks doe multiply But if there be any question to finde some milde and fit course to settle the Countries quiet without any great effusion of bloud then they say there are so few Hugonots and of so base qualitie as nothing ought to be altered for them So as any man may easily see that their intent is to maintain themselves onely in their greatnesse were it with the totall ruines of his Majesties Countries and they that doe earnestly affect the Kings greatnesse and the preservation of his subjects much reject them as partiall and suspect and make diligent information and search of the number quality and sufficiency of them that desire to be the Kings faithful subjects so as they may satisfie and enjoy their consciences and without doubt you shall find a greater number then is generally believed let them look to the multitude of those that are retired into England where they have their publike Assemblies in infinite number then let them turn unto those that are gone into France in as great numbers from them let them number up them that are at Franckfort Straesburgh Hiddelburgh Franckendal Collen Aix Dousburgh Embden Geneva Hamburgh Breme and other Towns of the East Countries without doubt in my opinion they shall find an hundred thousand and as for those which remain yet in the Countrey it is most manifest there are many more There hath somtimes been seen at an assembly or preaching at Tournay four or five thousand persons the like hath been known at Valencien beside those that have remained secretly in their houses else the Garrisons had been needless which have been sent thither if the multitude had not been so great It is thought that Lille hath not many less whoso will look into the petty Towns and neighbour Villages shall undoubtedly find an infinite number come into West-Flanders the numbers are wonderful great notwithstanding any pursuit or search which the Dean of Rennay hath made Have we not seen at Missennes as I remember seven or eight hundred Country-men force the Prison and deliver a Prisoner and they could never discover who they were I leave Eand Brugges and Yperen in which notwithstanding are good numbers What multitudes meet together at Antwerp is apparent and at Brussels where the Court remaineth yet can they not by any means keep them from assembling themselves together in good numbers What shall I speak of the Countries of Holland Zeland Gelderland and Friesland where it seemeth they have greater liberties and in truth the officers dare make no more searches nor executions by reason of the great numbers Have we not seen at Vtrecht an Episcopal Town and full of rich Chanons one called Thijs or Stephen preach this doctrine publikely for the space of a whole year in the view of the whole world in despite of all such as did oppose themselves and notwithstanding all their pursuit yet could they never apprehend him for that all the people did accompany him-both going and coming out of the Church so that somtimes he was carried upon their shoulders and lodges somtime in one house somtime in another whereby we may see that the number is not so small as some maintain Yea they complain that they cannot furnish them with Ministers and Preachers enough Without doubt if they were gathered together in one place as well those which are retyred as they which remain there would be found at least two or three hundred thousand if they will have respect to them that are of the same opinion and dissemble attending some change or fitter opportunity I do certainly believe that all joyned together would equal the number of the rest so that they which maintain that the number is so small and that for them they should not alter nor change any thing shew that they have no sense nor judgment or else that they would reign alone in the world Whereas they say that they are all people of a base condition The contrary hath been seen in Germany France England Scotland and Denmark whereas not onely the common people but also Princes and Kings have embraced this Religion and doubtless if they might discover themselves without danger of life and goods they should also find here a great number of Gentlemen and others of good sort that would declare themselves to be of their party but although the number were not so great yea if there were but very few yet it were befitting the clemency of a King to have regard unto the health of the meanest of his subjects The Emperor Trajan was wont to say that he had rather save one Citizen and subject then defeat a whole army of his enemies a speech worthy of a Monatch and Emperor such then as think they should not spare to ruine as much as in them lies the bodies and souls of the Kings poor subjects shew themselves ignorant what Christianity Humanity or the Clemency of a King means or requires the very name whereof makes his fame more glorious than all the trophies and victories that he could obtain of his enemies But they will say that these men are wicked and prophane and that they corrupt the rest whereunto I answer that the point of Religion onely excepted whereon it is not my intention here to judge you shall find that they are otherwise good men fearing God yeilding obedience to the King and Magistrate and doing wrong to no man although there be some that cover themselves with their name and are not so the which happeneth for that they are not suffered to have the exercise of their Religion as they would and as for the point of their Religion let it be what they please but so it is they are not all persecuted so much for that they follow heresie and error but for that they are constant and faithful in that which they think conformable to the word of God for they suffer them to believe what they please which indeed they cannot hinder so as they will be disloyal and hypocrites and seing they submit themselves to be instructed by the word of God there is no reason to esteem them so wicked Moreover we must in despite of our selves confess that the greatest and best wits and the most learned men maintain their party I will not disgrace the others but if we will lay by all favour and affection we shall find that the most excellent wits have been and are of their profession Yea the restauration of Arts and Sciences which were buried in darkness is come from them the knowledge of the Tongues especially of the Greek and the Hebrew hath been beautified more by them then by any others To conclude their adversaries themselves are forced to