Oreâ—h kinge of Bohemia who was married vnto Frederique the second neuer gaue any consent to matrimonie and kept her selfe perpetually continent vntill shee went into a monasterie which her selfe builded at Prage Chunegundus also the daughter of the king of Hungarie who was married vnto that chast Boleslaus king of Polande together with him kept hirselfe a Virgin and liued most religiouslie in a monasterie that shee her selfe hath builded Ioane the daughter of the kinge of Hungarie Isabella the kinge of Fraunce his daughter and sister vnto S. Lewis and Blanche daughter of Philipp kinge of France all obserued the religious vow of virginitie and continence 6. In our dayes God forgetteth not alsoe to blesse his Curch with the like example of despisinge the worlde and imbracinge the crosse of Iesus Christe with his euangelicall counselles yea in great personages as in that most vertuous virgin Margarita de Austria daughter of Maximilian the Emperor and kinge Philipp the second of Spaine his sister who professeth at this daie this blessed institution in S. Clara at Madrill in Spaine Alsoe the two daughters of Charles ArchDuke of Austria and Stiria and sisters vnto the Queenes of Spaine and Polande and vnto the great Dutches of Florence who discended from the greatest Potentates of the worlde settinge at naught all the vaine promotions of the same consecrated themselues to serue God in religious profession 7. But was it euer seene from the beginninge of the worlde that any Kinge Queene Prince or noble man became a minister or forsooke landes or liuinge to imbrace perfection in protestante religion was it euer seene that anny protestant followed the councell of Christ to giue all that he had to the poore to denie himselfe to take vpp his crosse and to followe him No trulie the contrarie is knowen too well for they neuer giue anny thinge to the poore but take from them all that the Catholique church purchased for them who turne all sacred thinges to prophane vses who robbe both God the church the poore of all their patrimonie For they extorte from the poore inhabitants 20. shillinges some 30. some 40. both for marriadge and christininge and euerie one must pay so much Yea euerie Gossopp is compelled to paie the like and this they take vpp fron the Catholiques of Irelande whose inhabitantes in all places are of that profession except the Englishe soe that one English minister of that miserable countrie in a village called Inischortie in the countie of Wexford called Husse an Englishman tooke from one little hamlett neere that village 14. crownes for marriage and christninge in one fortnight By which you may perceaue what he tooke in euerie other place of iurisdiction he being in those partes the Bishopps officiall By this cruel and irreligious religion manny of the poore inhabitantes of that countrie are disabled to keepe house and are faine to begg being not able to mantaine house through soe great an extortion and yet this minister cannot vnderstand his parrishoners nor they him excepting a verie fewe of the English that are resident at Inischortie Are there any laymen in the world more worldlie or more couetous to purchase landes for their childrenn or are there any more greedie to hourde vpp wealth then they To conclude it was neuer seene that anny man or wooman who imbraced protestancie liued chast and continent for by that profession none can be such the meanes being taken awaye by which chastitie and continencie are to be obtayned as fastinge prayers discipline hair clothe almesdeedes contempt of his owne excellencie and despising of the world How greatlie religious people fructifie vnto God and to his Church and that they are the best labourers which are therein CHAPTER IX 1. S Bernard saith that they are appointed by God to pray for the bodie of the church both for the quicke and for the dead And as Nazianzen witnesseth their praiers be the only diluge that washe awaie our sinnes and purge the world And as Eusebius affirmeth they are coÌ„secrated vnto God for the whole stocke of mankinde None knoweth what mischeefes and callamities they driue from the worlde what singuler benefâ—ttes they obtaine of God by whose praiers and workes of incomparable charitie godes wrathe is appeased and made placable Beside what blessed example giue they vnto the world for had it not bene for them the euangelicall vertues and counsells would haue bene quite extinguished which they doe not only teach but also practize For their modestie humilitie pietie deuotion and contempt of all temporall honnors and allurementes are forcible motiues and infallible inducementes to all kinde of vertues and therfore saint Iohn Chisostome calleth them the lanternes and spectacles of the worlde for of them the people doe learne how God is to be reuerenced with what feare loue and deuotion he is to be adored in the Sacramentes with what reuerence and respect he is to be praied vnto how patient wee ought to be in aduesitie how stout inuincible wee should behaue our selues in aduersitie how charible wee ought to shewe our selues to our neighbors yea their whole liues is nothing els then a continuall bearinge of Christes crosse a secreat exhortation to all good examples of vertue and pietie and a silent obiurgation and distastfullnes of all vice and wickdenes Chrisost de despi rerum hom ad popul 59. And therfore S. Iohn Chrisostome wished the people to visitte and frequent monasteries conuentes for they are saith he without any allurementes and voide of all disquietnessesse and distractions besides said he they are most secure and quiett hauens to fixe our ancker in Moreouer they oppose themselues against all the enemies of the church with whome they haue continuall and cruell skirmishes and doe susteine the heauie burden of their bloodie persecutions against whome they vphoulde and defende Christs religion in all places where the same is oppressed And by their blessed labours yea losse of life with violent effusion of their blood they plant restore it againe in those countries where it was supplanted 2. Omittinge most of the examples which you may read in the Chronicles of their holie orders I will here set downe some fewe only as a patterne and example of the rest Remigius beinge a mouncke conuerted kinge Clodoneus withall the Realme of Fraunce from Idolatrie vnto Christ Anno 530. Afterwardes he was made Archbishopp of Rehmes S. Martin beinge a mouncke conuerted all Suethland from the Arrian heresie Anno 540. S. Augustine being sent by saint Gregorie into England conuerted that kingdome with their kinge Ethelbert anno 622. Lambertus the Mouncke conuerted Feslandria a prouince in Germanie About that time Kilian an Irish mounck conuerted the Fraunckes in the managing of which buisinesse he suffred martirdome Wilfrid an English mouncke and afterwardes Archbishopp of Yorck Anno 673. goinge from Rome was by a tempest driuen into Holland were he preached the ghospell of Christe and returned vnto the East Saxons who beinge blinded
against me alone calling S. Augustine S. Hierom and S. Gregorie the Iustices af the Papisticall kingdome Thus also did that proud Beza charge Origines with blasphemie adding that neither S. Chrysostome nor any of the Greeke fathers did euer declare the trueth simply charged Saint Hierom with shamles errors as inuocation of Saincts and the practise of chastitie or virginitie in the Church Musculus also said that S. Hierom did deserue rather hell then heauen Brentius did charge the first Councell of Nice with foule errors Caluine called the fathers thereof Lunatick and francticke people Musculus saith they were instigated and led by the diuill and that all Councells were pernitiouslie fallen into errors Vrbanus Regius said that in the best tymes of the Church Sathan ouerruled all Bushoppes Peter Martyr called the aunciente Fathers pratlers but no diuines Illiricus reiected the said Fathers Peter Martyr also said that as longe as men relie vpon the Fathers they must be deluded with errors Doctour Humfrie at Oxford said that Iuell gaue a great scope vnto the Papists and did himselfe greate wronge in alleadginge the Fathers for himselfe for what haue we to doe with fleash and bloud The same also Caluine and Peter Martyr wrote Whitakers also vnto Doctour Sanders answered sayinge We care not for your histories Doctour Toby Mathewe said to Father Campion If he should beleue the Fathers he could not be a protestante Beza cried out against Athanasius and the Fathers of the Councell of Nice for that saith the Athanasius found out this Tripartite god he meant the blessed Trinte He said also that he Fathers of that Councell were blinde sophists the ministers of the the beast the bond-slaues of Antechrist 4. The third cause of this mine auersion was because protestantes are hard to be reclaimed for that amouÌ„gest all the sects that euer were none were more inconstant or variable in their Doctrine then the Protestants For neither birdes or beastes as Plinie saith doe watche to breake other birdes egges or destroie others of-springe Plin. natural hist lib. 10. c. 74 as these Protestantes watche to destroye and abrogat the Doctrine which was hatched before them so as whatsoeuer the first gospeller doth settle the whelpe that comes from him doth destroye it as in steede of many examples the confession of Augusta may serue for one so called for that in that citty Colloq altenbar f. 4 39. Colloq altenb fol. 464. the Lutheranes did exhibit to Charles the 5. a booke wherein were written all the articles of their Doctrine which was 50. times chaunged and mangled as they themselues affirme in all which the last is nothinge like the first and soe they call it Cothurnum c. A dislikinge vnto all the rest notwithstandinge Luther said it to be Fundamentum quod hactenus papistis opposuimus The fundation which hitherto we opposed against the Papists the grounde of our religion according to the word of god and the onlie rule of the peace and establishinge of traÌ„quillitie in Germany saith he but in very trueth was the cause of all the warres and troubles thereof and which was abolished out of Germany yea out of Augusta it selfe and within fewe yeares became zuinglians Zuingfeldians and is in noe place accepte in Saxonie For other sectes with which that miserable Country doe abounde being in nuÌ„ber 20. as Stanislaus Rescius describeth carrienge with theÌ„ all the sway did steppe in amoungest them and so at the last Luthers Doctrine was vtterly reiected Count Palatines Country can beare witnes of this mutabilitie which from Zuinglianisme turned to Lutheranisme againe from Lutheranisme to zuinglianisme Smidlerus in vita Bullen f. 15. As also vpper Germany when one Prince or great superintendent dies the people after their death doe change their religion 5. England alsoe cannot denye this to be true which a certaine Pope many hundred yeares prophesied of them saying English men of all natâ—ons are most inconstant and waueringe in their faith the time shall come saith he that when Christendom shall haue most neede of them they shall suarwe from their faith and fall into sectes and heresies For in our daies it changed her religion 4. times within 30. yeares vnder kinge Henry the 8. kinge Edward his sonne Queene Marie and Elizabeth And as Fox saith kinge Edward beinge a childe after his fathers funerall by the instigation and settinge on of his Vncle the Duke of Somersett did abolish the religion which his Father had by lawe ordained viz. The six articles containing 1. The trueth of the Reale presence 2. That both kindes for all persons are not necessarie 3. That marriage of Priests is prohibited by the lawe of God 4. That Vowes and votaries are confirmed by the lawe of God 5. That the Masse is agreable to Christes instâ—tution 6. That Auricular confession is warranted by the word of God This kinge sett foorth two bookes of reformation afterwards a third These articles of our faith were made at one parlemente by the said kinge Henry the 8. and were abrogated as superstitious inuentions by another ParleameÌ„t Anunas menstruas fides as Hillarie and S. Basil say of the Arrians euery newe yeare and moneth a newe faith And what I pray you can be amoungst Christians more disgracefull then this For ought not our ReligioÌ„ euery article thereof to be as the same S. Basil saith eadem heri hodie in saecula to admitt noe change but to continewe his vigor aswell yesterdaye to daye as alsoe for euer According whereunto our Sauiour alsoe saith that heauen and earthe shal passe but my wordes shal not passe nor any iott nor sillable thereof till al be fulfilled Is there any Christian to be found who dares be so bould to say that our Parlament exceedeth the power of God But god by his absolute power as Aristotle and all diuines and Philosophers affirme cannot make two contradictories or contraries to be trewe because of the implication therein for if the one be trewe the other must be false and truly noe more can these opposite and contradictorie Parleaments be possiblie true 6. The 4. cause was that Protestantes make but a mockery of all religion for that they follow Nicholas Machauailes precepts holding that the Catholike religion is a hinderance to state and that Princes shoulde followe that religion though the groundes thereof be neuer soe false which doth aduance their present estate but contrarie to this S. Thomas saith that wisdome and power are companions of trewe religion which when it faileth the power of state alsoe faileth non veniat anima mea saith S. Bernard in Concilium eorum qui dicunt c. my soule shall not follow their Councells who say that the exaltation and and peace of the Empire will hunder the peace of the Church If Iustice be a vertue to giue euerie man his owne to giue to Cesar his owne and to God his owne how doth the Prince
was a wonderfull president and a miserable spectacle to the whole worlde Knocks and one Lindesay another reprobate assistinge him by their secrett combination with the Earle of Morton others set vpp the Bastard of Scotlande who after he was promoted to the Earldome of Moraye and Regencye of that kingdome Knox in the Scotish historie said that if princes be tyrants against God subiectes be freed from their obedience Cal. in ep Daniell ver 22. alleadged by kellys d. Replie to Sutcliffe the hugonots of France in their congregation ar 34 Luther also at Sleydan hath l. 8. ChroÌ„ Zuing. lib. 4. Epist he went about to aduaunce himselfe vnto the Royall Scepter of the kingdome boasting himselfe to be borne in lawfull weadlocke and therfore that he was the only legittimate sonne of his Father Iames the fift These impudent mates write in their bookes that by godes lawes women shoulde not be admitted to the gouernmente of kingdomes that the people of the ghospell should not be tied vnto the lawes of kinred that kingdomes should not be giuen vnto the nexte degree of fleshe and bloode and that it stoode in the power of the people to create kinges to depose or punish them at their pleasure if they giue cause of offense and this to be not onlye lawfull for all the people but for euerie one that he is prayse worthie whatsoeuer priuate person he be that shoulde kill any kinge that misgouernes himselfe that the supreame authoritie consisteth in the people and not in the kinge and this they did write only to take awaye the last Queene and her issue as it is related by Adame Blackwoode who beinge big with childe was pittifully amazed and terrified at the bloodye cruell and most horrible murther of her Secretarie Dauid Rice a man of an innocente life and a most deuoute Catholicke without lawe Blacuodaeus Apolo pro regibus cap. 2.3 4. Buchan reason or any iustice which was practised by these mens procurmente and sinister deuises in her owne sight and Chamber of presence callinge for her helpe who was not able to releeue him her selfe beinge in the like danger as being straite conueide to close prison and there taxed with an infamous reporte and imputation of her honestie shee beinge most innocent therof which was diuulged and spread abroade by their calumnious practise of slaunderous libells reportes and letters to all Princes 5. Did not these lewed mates as soone as they reuolted from the Catholicke Church rebelle alsoe against their Princes and at one instant become enemies of priests Princes soe Stephen Bosgaie the Hungarian and the Emperor Rodolphe his page noe sooner became a Caluiniste The rebellion of the low countries is knowen by their owne edic printed at Francfort 1583. then he made all Hungarie for the most parte to ioyne with the Turcke and to rebell against the said Emperor Geneua noe sooner opened the gates for Pharell and Caluine but they shutt them againste their lawfull Princes The Princes of Germany reuolted from Charles the 5. Emperor as soone as they forsooke their faith and became Lutherans Flanders hath done the like especially such as embraced these newe sects who rebelled against their lawfull kinge and against all his gouernors as againste Margaret Duches of Parma and gouernesse of the same who was threatned to be murthered if shee should in any thinge gainsay them In the same danger was her sonne the Duke of Parma by gunnpouder vilde fire which was prepared for him in a vaute to destroy him and all his traine at Antuerpe and before him Dom Iohn de Austria by the treacherie of one Boniuetius a frenchman Surius hist who was suborned by the Prince of Aurenge to murther him and missinge of their purpose they deuised his death by many other miscreantes Alsoe 1560 at Geneua Caluine and Beza conspired and combined together to murther the kinge and to ransake and destroye all the Courte of France Surius 24 and persuaded Spifamius to be the Architecte of this detestable practise beinge backt and entised therin by Otoman the Turque the cheefe instrumeÌ„tes compassers of which plotte were punished the 24. of March of that yeare Lodowick the 13. Surius 1567. They set vpp and crowned alsoe Lodouicke the Prince of Conde kinge and called him by the name of Lodouicke 13. the firste Christian kinge of the Franckes against the trewe kinge thereof this is proued by Peter Carpenters booke a hugonot who writeth that to noe other purpose were intended all the deuises and machinations of the Causaries soe he calles the hugonotts adiâ—cted to this cause then to abolishe and destroye the Queene mother with all her whelpes and therfore said he Beza chargeth and accuseth the lompishnes and slowe indeuors of the causaries through their quiett rest and peaceable disposition relented in their rancor and malice againste the papistes and the kinge and that he accused he Hugonott princes for not destroyinge and killinge the Princes of France and that in all their assemblies and meetinges they neuer once make any motion of peace of God or his religion but rather of warres troubles tumultes and sedition they alsoe complotted the kinges death at Amboise before the edict of pacification which was anno 1561. 6. The like is read of that vnluckie Luther who wrote and wished the Cittizens of Hall Sur. hist and the subiectes of the Bishopp of Mongontia to putt away or murther their Archbishoppe And called Caesar and all Christian Princes Traitors Tirantts and reprobatts Idem ibid he exhorted all those princes to wash their handes in the bloode of the people and Cardinalls Sur. hist 1568. Did not Farnar the kinges gouernor at Rochell betraie that towne assone as he was infected with Caluinisme and made the same to rebell againste their kinge by the instigation of North Beza commended deceite and that it is good to embrace it sometimes videlicet to faine one thinge and to doe another Also they soughte to murther Herrestus Archbishop of Coline and the Prince Ferdinand his brother What shall I speake of the two kinges of France Francis and Charles the 9. how often haue they rebelled against them and how often haue they soughte to murther them as they haue don Frances Duke of Guise by the instigation of Beza and by the treacherie of Poltrot for they neuer spare to plott the like tragedie when they can bringe the same to passe by whatsoeuer meanes of dissimulation deceite and hipocrisie as they write in their owne Bookes Were not the Ministers of Scotland in the fielde with the Earles of Anguish and Marre and others against his maiestie that nowe is was not their detestable plott of betraying their Countrie and Prince detected by the Earle of Gory before his death For that conspiracy did not Patricke Galoway minister of S. Iohns on Andrew Pollard subdeane of Glasco Iames Carnibel minister of Haddington Andrew Hea person of Panfroe Andrew Meluin professor of
other places was kild by an Englishe dogge that himselfe brought vpp 4. The Bastard of Scotland The Earle of Moray his death Iames Earle of Moray that troubled Scotland with the same heresie in his greatest triumphe beinge accompanied with 500. horsemen at Lith was shott by a gunn by which he was slaine the author therof escapinge harmles notwithstanding he was admonished the night before that there was such a plot laid for his destruction yet he did not shunn it Iames Duglas Earle of Morton a great defender of Caluinisme and persecutor of the Catholiques was beheaded at Edenborough for treason against his maiesties Father 5. The first that broughte it to Denmarque was Christiernus king of that Countrie who was depriued of his kingdome and banished by his subiectes and beinge by the intreatie of Charles the fifte and Henry the 8. his kinsmen retourned home was apprehended of his subiectes and caste into a filthie caue where he ended his life most miserablie The first who preached protestancy in Ireland 6. The first that euer preached protestancie in Ireland was George Browne who in kinge Harries daies was made Archbishoppe of Dublin the capital cittie of the kingdome of Ireland and the first sunday he preached the protestant religion at Dublin he made a Catholique sermon at Christs Churche and desired his audience neuer to beleue him if through frailtie of the flesh feare of the Prince or loue to temporall interesse he should preache the contrarie and the verie next sonday ymediatly followinge he preached protestant religion which was nothinge els then a deniall of that which he preached the sonday before Vnto whom some of the Aldermen of that Cittie said My â—o doe you not remember that yow wished vs not to beleue you if happilie yow should preach the contrarie of that yow preached the sonday before To whom he answered sainge I must needes haue done soe or else haue lost my liuing This man when Queene Marie came in vpon his recantation was restored to his liuinge the night that his Bul came ouer he was found dead in the morninge Some said he died for verie great ioy about mid-night when vppon the suddaine he receaued newes that he was restored to his Archbishoprique 7. Norfolks his death The Duke of Norfolke which gaue his verditt for the supplantinge of Catholique religion and for the aduancinge of the protestancye with Queene Elizabeth in her first parleament assembled for that purpose beinge therunto solicited by his Brother in lawe the Earle of Arundell vnder pretence to marrie the said Queene vnto whome shee made a promisse of mariadge Sanderus de schismate Angliae if the said Earle with his faction would helpe her for the alteringe of religion was arraigned condemned of highe treason and was beheaded for the same which a certaine â—atrone meeting him goinge from the pleament prophesied tellinge him that he should neuer haue a better ende or rewarde of them for whome he gaue his voyce and suffrage against the Catholique religion And the said Earle beinge frustrated of his purpose and deceaud of his hope died soone after for verie greefe and without issue and perhapps if he should haue liued longer he should haue tasted that Cuppe for his labour that his brother in lawe had done before him The said Duke his eldest sonne called Philip Howarde and Earle of Arundell was arraigned condemned of highe treason and died in the Tower of London 8. Sr. Iohn Perott when he was Lord presidente of the Prouince of Mounster in Irelande was the first that caused the parish priests and other incombents of porte Townes in that Prouince to ymbrace the English seruice which when they tould him they could not vnderstand the English his aunsweare was that they should chatter like Geese He putt to death a prieste called Sr. Thomas Coursie vicar of Kinsale by marshall lawe for that he went to perswade Sr. Iames fitz-Morice to restore the praye which he had taken froÌ„ Kinsale This man in the middest of his greatest honor beinge lorde deputie of Ireland and one of the preuie Councell of England was apprehended arraigned and condemned of high treason and died verie miserably in the tower his landes and goodes beinge all confiscated Deut. 31. 9. Laudate gentes populum eius quia sanguinem seruorum suorum vlciscetur vindictam retribuet in hostes eorum Let the gentiles praise gods people because he shall reuenge the blood of his seruants and will pay home their enemies with a reuenge as may appeare by the horrible and dreadfull punishment of all other persecutors and heretiques As of Pharao the first persecutor of Gods Churche Exod 14. Of Dathan and Abiron the first Scismatiques Numeri 16. of Iezabell 4. Reg. 9. of Antiochus 2. Machab. 9. Of Pilat who killed himselfe as Euseb writes lib. 2. c. 7. declares the destruction of the Iewes which Iosephus setts downe lib. de bello Iudaico Of Herod Ascolonita who was eaten by woormes after he had slaine his wyfe and Children and went about to slay himselfe as Iosephus declareth lib 17 antiquita cap. 9. Of Herod the Tetrach who lost his kingdome liued in perpetuall banishment accordinge to the said Ioseph lib. 18 cap. 14. of the daughter of Herodiades read Nicheporus lib. 1. caput 20. of Herod Agrippa read Act. 12. Nero Domitian and other wicked Emperors who persecuted the Church eyther slewe themselues or else were slaine by others as all histories doe wyttnes Dioclesian for that he could not destroie the Church for verie greefe gaue ouer his Empire the Emperor Maximianus and Maximine were chasticed with such a horrible disease that the Pagan Phisitians said it was the plague of God as Eusebius wrieth in Chronico lib. 8. hist cap. vlt. lib. 9. cap. vlt. 10. As touchinge old heretiques they tasted the like dreadfull death Simon Magus when he would flye by the praiers of S. Peter he fell headlonge downe and was kilde Egesippus lib. 3. caput 1. de excidio Also Arnobius l. 2. con gentes Manicheus the heretique was flaid aliue by the kinge of Persea because intendinge to cure his daughter he kild her Epiph. heres 66. Montaine Theodotus their prophets hanged themselues Euseb lib. 5. hist cap. 19. The Donatistes that cast the Eucharist vnto dogges were torne in peeces by the said doggs Optat. lib. 1. Parmenianum Arius goinge to Church went to purge nature when together which his excrementes he did cast fourth all his intralles and presentlie died as S. Athanasius wittnesseth oratione cont Arrianos Ruff. lib. 10. hist cap. 13. And although there may be some hereticall Princes or Common wealthes that haue not felt as yett any of these calamities and perhappes they bragge and boast of their great pleasures and prosperitie noe otherwise then the woman doth in the Apocalipes sedeo regina vidua non sum luctum non videbo I sitt as a Queene I am not a widdowe and
of the churches and persecuted church men This man beinge feastinge one time with his frindes in his pallace there started vp a gentleman of that maiesticall contenance that he put all the guestes in great feare that were with him and with a terrible voice and dreadfull aspect comaunded the earle to followe him and that with such maiestie that he could not otherwise choose Comming to the gate there was a mightie horsse prepared for him and he was compelled to mounte vpp a horssbacke and presently the horsse did fly vpp into the skies and the miserable earle cryinge most pittifullie vanished away with the horsse Those that were within the pallace durst not to goe foorth but shutt the gates out of which the miserable earle was carried away by the diuill 2. Paulus Emilius a diligent historiographer of the matters of Fraunce doth note the like accident of a certaine Earle called Willian a great persecutor of the church who beinge also at a great feast accompanied with other great earles was comaunded by one that was at the gate to goe foorth and soe risinge from the table went foorth to knowe what he was where he met with one a horssbacke which tooke him away and did neuer appeare any more He added moreouer that in the very same place the Earle of Niuers a great persecutor of the immunities of the church was serued in the like maner The kinge of Aragon called Sanchius through extreame necessity was forced to make vse of the church liuinges of his kingdome in his warres against the Moores and although it was for the defense of Catholique Religion yet he made restitution of all that he had so tooken from the Church Many good authors doe note and obserue that the church liuinges neuer profittes any and that they doe not only succede bad with them that take them but also consume and destroye their temporall possessions withall for like as the mothes the rust or the canker consumes the wood the cloath the iron and the fleashe that ingenders them and euen as the feathers of the Eagle beinge ioyned with the feathers of any other consumes and spills them soe church liuinges wrongfully detayned or violently taken from the church consumes and ouerthrowes the temporal estate vnto which they are vnlawfullye ioyned and annexed 3. This England France and Ireland may testifie for France enioyed but smale quietnes since Clement the 7. annexed vnto the crowne of France by the procuremeÌ„t of Francis ' the firste when the said Clement married his Neece called Catherina de Medicis vnto Henry the 2. Daulphine of France at Marcells all the promotions and donations of church liuinges vnder the crowne of France And as for him that sought it or by what meanes it was giuen I leaue that to the French historiographers yet wee knowe that he and all his issue liued and ended most miserably their kingdome and state was most pittifully broken with soe manny bloody garboiles all the nobilitie consumed and exhausted with soe mannie cruell battles ouerthrowes so many rich townes and citties ransaked soe many couÌ„tries and prouinces vtterly destroied soe many churches and monasteries dissolued and cast downe soe many religious people murthered and soe many sacred virgins deflowred and rauished soe as France through heresie which by this donation crept into it was a spectacle of all miserie famine pestilence warres vprores coÌ„bustions to all other nations And although the said Henry the 2. had 6. sonnes whereof 3. of theÌ„ were kinges yet all died without yssue and not one of that race is left aliue and soe the lyne of the howse of Valois in whome the crowne of France continewed the space of 260. yeares is altogether extinguished and the crowne came to the howse of Burbon their auncient and implacable enemies and nowe suecedinge them in the crowne and kingdome Henry the 8. not by any grant or indulgence of the Pope but by force and feare of violent lawes made and deuised by him leacherie and couetousnes intisinge him therunto tooke vnto himself a spiritual iurisdiction and besides suppressed cast downe all the monasteries who although he had six wiues and left behinde him one sonne and 2. daughters yet now there is none liuinge nor any of their lyne or race man or woman now extant 4. And as for the nobilitie of England and Irelande which were instruments more ready to serue the kinges humour then to please God they be all for the most parte extinguished of whose discent or race one amoungest 20. is not to be seene this daie to possesse their ancestors liuinges vnto whose patrimonie others crept in and succeeded some perhappes being their mortall enemies The Duke of Norfolque and the earle of Arundell were the cheefest instruments that Queene Elizabeth had in the first parleament shee assembled to putt downe the church and to drawe all spirituall iurisdiction vnto her selfe hopinge that by this seruice the one should be contracted with her in mariage the other should be in extraordinarie fauor with her I would they had taken S. Paules aduise Oportet obedire Deo magis quam hominibus Wee ought to obey God more then men or the prophet his caueat maledictus qui confidit in homine cursed is he that trusteth in man Scisma Angliae This Duke as a certaine graue matrone prophesied and tould him to his face cominge from the parleament that he should lose his head by her whome to please he did displease God and made shipwreaque of his religion was condemned and put to death for highe treason against the Queene at Tower hill in London and hâ—s eldest sonne the earle of Arundell after beinge condemned and arrayned after much mourninge and longe imprisonment died in the Tower of London And the other Earle of Arundell died without yssue male of his bodie and it is thought if he had liued any longe time he should haue tasted of the same cuppe with the other 5. The Earle of Ormond which was the onlie instrument for Queene Elizabeth in Ireland to strenghten the voices of the parleament for her spirituall supremacie as yet liuinge is depriued of his sight and of his only sonne and the only ioy and felicitie he had in this world and of his end wee knowe not but wee knowe he hath church liuinges and wee are certaine that who hath them vnlawfully shall neuer thriue the better And therfore Charles the 7. kinge of France beinge in great waÌ„t of mony through the warres he had with the English about the dukedome of Normandie of which the quiett state of his kingdome depended would not make vse of the tithes of his kingdome beinge therunto moued by a great prelate for that he knewe they would not succeede well with him Ossorius in the historie of the kinge of Portingall Emanuell writeth that the Pope dispensed with him for the tithes of his country towardes his warres in Affricke and hauinge perceaued that he had not soe good successe as before
are lawfull for the kinge to doe vnto whome the said Antigonus made aunswere Vnto tirannicall and barbarous Princes such thinges are lawfull but vnto vs nothinge is lawfull but that which is honeste 3. This is the difference betwixt the good kinge and the tyrant for the one is subiect to the lawes of God and nature the other is subiect to noe lawe but to his will and his passion hauinge noe respect to lawe conscience faith or iustice The one doth respect cheefly the good of the weale publique the other his owne priuate comoditie the one doth enriche his subiects by all the best meanes he can the other doth impouerish them with all extorsion and imposition The one doth reuenge the iniurie don vnto God the comon wealth and pardones his owne proper iniurie the Tyrant doth the contrarie and doth reuenge his owne quarell and forgiue the iniurie done vnto God The one endeuours to preserue loue and amitie amoungest his subiects the other doth sowe dissentions and factions amoungest them to destroy them and by their destruction to enriche himselfe with the confiscation of their goodes The one makes great accompt of the loue of his subiects the other euer groundes himselfe in the hatred of his subiectes The one doth search the best and the most vertuous to bestowe offices and promotions on them the other doth bestowe them vppon the wickeddest people he can gett The one is a pastour to feede his subiectes the other iâ— a woulfe to destroy them 4. But to come to my purpose that it is not lawfull for kinges to doe what it pleaseth them the verie heathens haue obserued the conrrarie Zonarus tomo 2. in Traiano Traian the Emperor when he gaue the sword to the Pretor of Rome said these wordes If I shall comaund anny thinge that is lawfull or iuste vse this sword for me if otherwise I shall bid or comaund anny thinge against iustice vse it against me The kinges of Aegipt did cause their magistrates to sweate not to obey them but in thinges lawfull the same did Phillipp the beautifull kinge of France and Antigonus the 3. who comaunded his presidentes and magistrates that they should not execute his comaundement though it were signed with his owne hande vnles it were iust lawfull It is an ould prouerbe Melius est imperium in quo nihil licet quam imperium in quo mihi liceat It is better to be vnder his gouernment where the lawe giues noe scope then vnder his where all thinges are lawfull without any restrainte 5. And for their spiritual comaunde S. Gregorie Nazian doth admonishe theÌ„ you saith he that are sheepe aske not to feede your pastors Orat. 17. ad Ciues timore percussoâ— neither intermidle in things that pertaines not vnto your charge doe not iudge your iudges nor prescribe lawes to your law giuers if yow will haue me to be plaine with yow for the lawe of Christe hath made you my subiectes and referred you to my tribunall and that yow are sheepe of my flocke Chrysost de verbis Isa Homil. 40 And therfore S. Chisostome willed kinges to containe themselues within their limittes for the boundes of priest-hoode is distinguished from the boundes limittes of kinges for that of priest-hoode is more then that of kinges for the kinges power exceedes not temporall thinges but the power of priest-hoode came from heauen the kinge hath the charge of our bodyes but the priest hath to deale with our soules Lâ—ciferius Bishop of Caler saith these wordes What power haue you speakinge of Prâ—nces of Bishopps which if you shall not obey by the sentence of God alreadie giuen you shal be condemned S. Iohn Damascen saith that Princes haue nothinge to doe in Church matters for that their office is not to gouerne ecclesiasticall state and therfore S. Paule saith Nescitis quod Angelos iudicabimus multo magis secularia Doe you not know that wee shall iudge Angells much more seculer thinges 6. The inconuenience of this is declared by two examples of a politicke courtier and a religious christian Ecebolus Sophist was maister to Iulian the Apostate and much esteemed of him this polititian in the gouernment of Constantius did frame himselfe a christian to conforme himselfe to the Emperors humour when the said Constantius became an Arian heretique the said Sophiste tourned his coat also Againe when Iulian the Apostate was Emperor denied his faith became an infidle the said Ecebolus became also an infidle afterwards when Iulian died and Iouinian also that a most deuout and godly Catholique succeeded Iulian Ecebolus like the Cameleon did conforme himselfe to the newe Emperor cast him selfe at the Church doore crauing pardon of the Christians Lib. 3. c. 11 as Socrates saith A liuely representation of the polititians of this time of whome Iouinian the Emperor said Socrat. li. 3.21 that they worshipp not God but the Prince 7. The other example is of Cesarius who as his brother S. Gregorie Nazianzen saith beinge honoured with great offices and promotions of the said Iulian and for that he would not forgoe his religion beinge a Catholique he was disfauoured of the said Iulian and forsakinge the worlde and the fauor of the Emperor did set little by all wordly promotion and credit of the Emperor in respect of the Catholique religion This example of Cesarius doth represent vnto vs a fine Catholique and the other of Ecebolus a fine Polititian of these our dayes Wherefore if wee endeuour to followe the Princes Religion as often the kinge doth change the same soe often wee must alsoe change ours and soe wee make of the Prince a God and forsake the liuinge God That the protestant religion whose principall foundation and groundes are these articles aforesaid is nothinge else then a denyinge of all Religion and pietie and a renewinge of all heresies CHAPTER I. 1. CAluine in his institutions saith Inst li. 4.14.7.15 that S. Augustine of all antiquitie is the best faithfullest wittnes Aug. to 6. ab haeresibus 82. but he enrolled your Patrons amoungest old heretiques as Iouinian Vigilantius Aerius Aquarios Armenians Nouatians Pepusians Pheudapostles Euuomians Pelagians and Donatiâ—tes Iouinian the Moncke saith that fastinge or abstinence are of noe worthe He destroied also the virginitie of the blessed Virgin affirming that shee lost her virginitie when shee was deliuered of Iesus and said that continencie in Virgins and religious people was noe better then matrimonie and soe certaine Virgins beinge at Rome vpon this heresie did marrie by which saith S. Augustine was comitted a prodigious thinge and was extinguished so represently that it did not gett footinge amoungest other priestes 2. S. Ierom exclaimed against Vigilantius vsinge these wordes It is a sacrilege to heare what the filthie fellowe calls vs ashmoungers and idolaters for that wee reuerence dead meanes bones which he ment by the reliques of the holie Sainctes And the said S. Ierom writes that he denyed
great ioie of Petrocias Abbott thereof where he increased verie well in vertue and religion and especially in humilitie For beinge by the Abbott appointed to keepe sheepe which office he more willinglie accepted then the scepter when he was crowned at a certaine tyme when one of the sheepe was lame he brought her vpon his owne shouldiers vnto the feild he liued Anno 750. What shall I say of Trebellus kinge of the Bulgars who through the blessed endeuours of Pope Nicholas the first became a christian and bore such zeale to christian religion that he expelled presentlie Photinus the heretique and leauinge the kingdome to his sonne became a mouncke But vnderstandinge afterwardes that his said sonne caste off the yoke of Christ and returned to his former impietie he went out of the monasterie tooke his sonne prisoner whome he seuerlie punished by putting out his eyes perpetuall emprisonment and depriuation of his kingdome which he gaue to Albert his younger sonne and instructinge him with sound councells and blessed admonitions of Christian obseruations returned to his monasterie 7. Another memorable example is of Iohn Brena kinge of Hierusalem and Emperor of Constantinople who in his feruent praiers saw saint Fraunces offering vnto him his habitt and forthwith called his confessor and receaued the said habitt in which he liued but fewe dayes and though he came to the vieneyarde the 11. houre yet he receaued neuerthelesse his wages What kinge more famous for his great vertue and miracles then kinge Henrie of Cyprus who followed the same blessed course of life In this blessed rancke wee may enroll Iohn kinge of Armenia who resigninge his kingdome to Leo his nephew which was soe large and soe great that he had vnder him 24. kinges chose rather to be abiect and base in the house of God then to commaunde in the tabernacles of sinners But when the Turcks inuaded those kingdomes and Leo beinge not able to resiste them and seinge it was the quarrell of God he girded himselfe with the sworde leuied an armie resisted the enemies of Christ giuinge them a verie great ouerthrowe but persecutinge the course of his victorious battell he was slaine and made a blessed ende What shall I say of the sonnes of Emperours and kinges the 3. sonnes of Charles the great Emperor as Vgon Dagon and Pipine two of them became religious of their owne accorde the last was compelled to enter for that he aspired to the kingdome in his fathers life tyme but when he tasted the sweetnesse of Christe his yoke he imbraced the same willinglie they liued Anno 83. 8. Vbian kinge of Ireland had 3. sonnes all were Mouncks and great Sainctes vid. Furseus Follianus and Vltanus who leauinge their countrie came into Fraunce in the time of Clodoneus kinge of that countrie and builded the monasterie of Pontimacum which euersince was verie famous The emulation of the two sonnes of Brittaine should not be omitted for wheÌ„ Iudaellus who was next to succede in that kingdome told his brother Iodocus of his purpose in takinge vpon him a religious obseruation and that he should prepare himselfe for the gouernment thereof he craued 8. dayes to deliberate vppon the matter but when he entred in deepe discourse with himselfe what a heauie and daungerous burden he should take vppon him he preuented his brothers purpose and fled into the monasterie before he tooke any order to hinder his determination The kinge of England called Richard had two sonnes that were religious anno 802. the one was called Willebald in Mount Cassin the other Wiâ—ebad at Mardeburge in Saxonie The kinge of Fraunce called Charles had also two sonnes that were religious Clotarius and Charles the great who professed the same institution anno 841. In whose register wee ought to enroll Frederique the sonne of Lodouicke anno 962. Henry the sonne of another Lodouicke Anno 1150. Lodouicke alsoe the sonne of Charles the second Kinge of Fraunce and heire apparenâ— of the crowne thereof who beinge hostage in Spaine became a Franciscan Frier The like profession alsoe Iames the sonne of the kinge of Maiorca embraced which was the first of the royall blood that euer entred that order whose happie exaÌ„ple Peter the sonne of the kinge of Arragon followed who did not onlie proffit himselfe but was alsoe by his deuoute sermons a light to manny that walked in darcknes and in the shadowe of death 9. If I should register all the kinges Princes and Dukes which entred into religion it should require an infinitt labour although I ought not to omitt al as Algorius Duke of Aquitane with his sonne Amandus Anno 429. Also Anselmus Duke of Mantua anno 740. DiclaÌ„dus Arcigiadus Duks of Suethlande anno 815. Vigestus of Spoleta 820. Willian Duke of Guyne and Aquitane 411. another WilliaÌ„ also Duke of that place anno 912. who was soe humble that vppon a certaine time when the Abbott of Claima in which Abby the said Duke serued God bid him to bake some bread he went most willingly to the hoat furnace and hauinge not at that tyme wherwith to cleanse it he did sweepe the hoate furnace with his habit and receaued noe harme Not inferior vnto him in this religious zeale was another William Duke of Burgundie who entred into saint Frauncis his order Was there any maÌ„ found in the worlde these manny a hundreth yeares more triumphant and victorious in warre more prosperous and happie in peace then Charles the fifte Emperor who hauinge triumphed and ouercome all his mightie and potent enemies chased and draue away the great Turcke with his armie of three hundred thowsand soldiors from the dreadfull siege of the cittie of Vienna the capitall cittie of Austria and from the destruction of Christendome and supplantation of the catholique religion tooke the rebellious and seditious princes of Germanie prisoners in the oxen fielde hauinge but a handfull in respect of the great and mightie armie which he ouercame in in a sett battell which they pitched by the instigation of that fatall and ominous Apostate Luther beinge the onlie cause of all the miseries and callamities of the Christian world He tooke also Frauncis the first by his captaine generall before Pauia in Lumbardie who with 6000. soldiors came to besiege the said cittie where all his army beinge ouerthrowen was brought prisoner in his owne gallies to Madrill He tamed alsoe all Affrique with his victorious and inuincible Armies Wyone Tuins and Goleta ouerthrewe Barbarosa beinge a Pyratt and most infestuous to the Christians Extinguished that raginge and furious flame of the Spanish rebellion and all the citties and comons of the two kingdomes of Castile the kingdome of Arragon Valentia all which reuolted from him for that he placed in his owne absence a Viceroye which was not natiue of their owne countrie all the rebells although he ouercame them yet he pardoned them both in landes and goodes he tooke manny citties and fortresses in Affrique as Oran Tanges Zeita with many
not only of England but of all the world against the decree of all the generall counsells therof against all sacred doctors against common sense and honestie against all lawes both ciuill and cannon not only against catholiques but against protestants in all other countries yea against the puritans of England against these constant confessors and blessed martyrs aboue recited which acknowledged no such supremacy in spirituall or ecclesiasticall matters to any king or prince whatsoeuer that did putt them to death whose blessed blood was patiently shed for the defence of Catholique religion and lastly against the practise of all former ages and antiquitie For from Donaldus the first Christian king of the Scots according to saint Victor Anno 197. there were 84. Christian kinges from Ethelbert being made Christian according to saint Aug. an 600. vnto Edward the confessor 1006. there were 80. kings Christian in EnglaÌ„d after the coÌ„quest ther were 20. vnto king Henry the 8. so as none were euer called head of the church before king Henry after him Edward Elizabeth and king Iames. What shall I say of other holy and valiant martyrs that suffered in these later persecutions raysed vpp by Luther and Caluins heresie and by the Princes that embraced the same How many thousandes suffred confiscation of their goodes and landes effusion of their blood confusion of the world desolation and destruction of their wiues children woe and wreake and dissolution of all things such a masse of miserie and callamitie wherin their miserable and forlorne life was plunged withall as no man can rehearse without greefe nor none can see without teares How many thousand did rotâ— in vgly prisons die in banishments suffred patiently the crewelest tormentes and yrcâ—somest death that could be imagined rather then they would preferr the vaine fauor of man before the fauor of God antiquitie before noueltie to forgoe their auncient Catholique religion to become of the new to forgoe the firme Rocke of Christs church to build their faith vpon them that haue neither grownd or foundation of any supernaturall or theologicall faith at al no certitude in their doctrine no deuotion in their religion no honestie in the profession therof no vertue in their liues no pietie in their schooles or synagoges no charitie in their woorckes no mortification in their members or passions and consequentlie no conscience in their doings THE CONCLVSION 1. I Haue gentle reader exposed to thy vew the Theater of catholique and protestant religion where thou maist plainly behould and see the of-spring beginning growndes foundation practise mischeefe and inconuenience of the one and the excellency of the other Liu. 13. Math. 13. by which thou maist perceaue that the catholique religion ought to be compared to the wise husbandman which did sow the good side in his grownd or farme the protestant to resemble the enimie which sowed the badd cockle and darnell the one ought to be called positiue the other negatiue the one ecclesia malignantium the other militantium the one plantation of religion and deuotion the other supplantation or rooting vp of the same 2. The first subiect of corruptible and materiall things which the philosophers doe call Materia prima which neuer holdeth her selfe setled or contented in any certaine course of any forme or composition but is eueâ— more mutable and changeable by a certaine naturall reuolution from one forme and fashion to another for that shee being disgusted with the one euer more seeketh another is not so vncertaine and vnconstant as protestancy which by a certaine fatall reuolution and babilonicall confusion groweth from one errour to another from one mischeefe to another from one sect to another as appeareth by so many sectes forged and coined by this new religion within these 80. yeers which are 240. in number all in differrence and variance amongest themseluees not in ceremonies or things indifferent but in the cheefest articles and substance of their religion as many of themselues do auerre the one detesting condemning and pronouncing their cursed sentence of Anathema against the other as you may read aboue in the â—â— booke cap. 1. The same may be confirmed by a certaine Prince of Germany who being demaunded of what religion his bordering neighbours were he answered he could describe of what religion they were the last yeere but this yeere he could not well tell their religion in respect of the mutabilitie and in constancy therof see the preface and cap 1. lib 2. 3. But the catholique religion is alwaies one and the selfe same alwaise retaineth and holdeth the same continwance and vigour of trueth not in diuersitie of sectes but in simplicitie and vnitie of beleefe and profession without duplicitie or disparitie or contradiction of doctrine or without absurditie or dishonestie in her maners and customes because she hath the holy ghoast to assist and direct her in all trueth and to protect and to defend her from all errors misbeleefe and infidelitie For not only this new religion is changeable and variable in profession and doctrine but also in condition custome and behauiour for alteration in faith and religion procureth also a great alteration and inconstancy in mindes and affections in life and maners as wee may knowe by such nations who when they were catholiques were mercifull chast sober liberall temperat children were obedient to their parentes and people faithfull of their promisse But when they were turned protestantes as they selues do affirme they became most crwell bloody insolent lecherous riotuous couetuous barbarous luxurious and intemperat 4. For when protestancy laboreth to stoope and intercept all the channells and fountaines of Gods grace the enfluence of Christs passion all the inspiration of the holy ghoast from the soules of christians by which they should be inwardly and formally iustified to whome ought to be applied that which was spoken of the Iewes that they resisted the holy ghoast when it an â—ulleth all the excellencies vertues operations effectes of the blessed Sacramentes all the applications of the merites of Christes passion the vallour and vertue of his blood which the eternall and euerlasting father would haue to be religiously and deuoutly applied by religious meanes and our owne proper endeuours to our owne sanctificatioÌ„ when it destroieth reiecteth all the woorkes and merites of the iust as proceeding and hauing their force worth and valloure from that blessed passion and death of Christ and all the blessed rewardes correspondent and proportionable vnto those merites by vertue of the foresaid passion and blood which they deny to be of that force to abolish and blot out our sinnes wickednesse and punishmentes due vnto the same and so reiecting the force and vertue of Christs passion and transferring and building the same vppon another fundation which they call imputatiue iustice of Christ saying that Christ imputeth not vnto vs our offences and as it were couers them by that iustice by which he is iust himselfe nott by which he maketh vs iust when vppon a kind of an arrogant faith and presumptuous predestination without any relation or referrence to his owne endeuoures so as he beleue that Christ suffred for him or that he is predestinated to be saued he must be such When I say protestancy is blinded and nusled in this peruerse doctrine it being the only and cheefe article of their beleefe which is against scripture good life comon reason sense the definition of the catholique church honestie of a christian and the pietie of a catholique yea against operation of grace or instinct of nature it must run headlong vnto all desperat blasphemies and damnable mischeefe their vnbrideled concupiscence and crwell dispositions impelling them therunto For when the transgression of no lawe or the attempt and consummation of no acte though neuer so exorbitant or so abhominable is punished nor the good woorkes or merites or any execution or exercise of vertue or mortification of any their passions is not regarded for that as they say the merites of Christ his passion doe abrogat them nay such worckes or mortifications are iniurious to the same and doe as they say derogat from them Wee must thincke them to be no otherwise then they are taxeâ— with the imputation of all those cruell and vnchristian like Epithethes by their owne gospellers and when their religion is nothinge els then a path way to all dissolute libertie and licentiousnesse their liues and maners must be such for the corruption of the one engendreth the dissolution of the other 5. Finallie this is the cause that wee see many lawes decrees and dishonest plottes daylie deuised with their rigorous and cruell executions nott against transgressors of godes lawes the lawe of nature but against honest and vertuous people so as the reputation of an honest conscionable and well disposed person cannot be without the imputation of a dangerous traitour whose life goodes and landes must waite and lye open as a pray and bootie for euerie miscreant who as he exceedeth others in villanie and wickednesse must excell them also in promotion and authoritie cuius maledictione os plenum est amaritudine dolo sub lingua eius labor dolor Psal 9. whose tonge is full of malediction bitternesse and deceit Idem so as the decay and downefall of the good must be the raising vpp and aduancement of the badde Exurge Domine non confortetur homo Psal 9. iudicentur gentes in conspectu tuo Constitue Domine legislatorem super eos vt sciant gentes quoniam homines sunt Arise Lord let not man be strengthned let the Gentiles be iudged in thy sight Appoint Lord a law-giuer ouer them that the Gentiles may know that they be men FINIS
both a sacrifice and a Sacrament fol. 286 CHAP. III. Whether the Catholique Church commit offence in leaning to the litterall sense of Christs wordes in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar fol. 318 Lib. VI. CHAP. I. That there is a purgatory which is proued aswell by Scriptures and auncient Fathers as also euen by testimonies of Protestants themselues fol. 350 CHAP. II. Touching the Popes Authority in releasinge of soules out of purgatory fol. 359 CHAP. III. Whether it be against the lawe of God to forbid Priestes to marry and whether vowes and votaries are rather the inuentiōs of men then the ordinance of God fol. 363 CHAP. IV. Whether we ought to confesse our sinnes to priests and whether that priests cannot remitt or forgiue them fol. 372 CHAP. V. Whether fasting from one sorte of meate more then from another or for to vse any obseruation therein be superstitious according as protestants doe affirme fol. 377 Lib. VII CHAP. I. Whether the Protestant assertion be true which affirmeth that generall councells can erre fol. 386 CHAP. II. That the catholique church in those things shee doth propound to the christians to beleeue whether they be contained in the Scriptures or not cannot erre fol 395 CHAP. III. Whether Catholiques are to be charged with arrogancie for thinking that their church cannot faile fol. 396 CHAP. IV. That this Church which shall neuer be hid but remaine visible is manifest by the parable of Christ our Lord. fol. 402 CHAP. I. Li. VIII Whether that papistes doe amisse in hauinge their churches and monasteries soe sumptuous their alters and ornamentes so riche and ecclesiasticall possessions so great the poore wanting the same fol. 407 CHAP. II. Of the vnhappy endes and other punishments by which God doth chastice those that presume to robb Churches or otherwise to prophane and abuse sacred things fol. 416 CHAP. III. A prosecution of the last chapter fol. 426 CHAP. IV. Whether the kinge may take away church liuinges at his pleasure And whether as he is absolute kinge of the temporall goodes of his subiects he be so also of the Churche churche liuinges fol. 440 Lib. IX CHAP. I. That the protestant religion whose principall foundation and groundes are these articles aforesaid is nothing else then a denyinge of all Religion and piety and a renewinge of all heresies fol. 447 CHAP. II. That no iot or sillable of Christian religion ought to be counted a thinge indifferent or of smale moment and that whosoeuer doth not agree with the Catholique church in all pointes of beleefe cannot be saued fol. 459 CHAP. III. That the new Religion for that it takes away all religion is worse then that of the Turckes and Gentiles fol. 452 Lib. X. CHAP. I. An answer vnto Protestants barking against the religious institutions of holy Orders saying that religious vocations were not instituted by our Sauiour fol. 467 CHAP. II. That the Apostles and their followers in the primitiue church followed this estate of perfection fol. 473 CHAP. III. Of the increase of religious orders and how the same continued from time to time vntill our dayes fol. 476 CHAP. IV. That preestes in the primitiue churh euen from the Apostles time were religiouse and obserued religious order of life fol. 486 CHAP. V. Of the multitude of religious persons fol. 491 CHAP. VI. Of many great and eminent men who forsooke and contemned the world to become religious fol. 499 CHAP. VII Of Emperors Kinges and Princes who forsooke the world to become religious fol. 504 CHAP. VIII Of Empresses Queenes and Princes who likewise forsooke the world to become religious fol. 518 CHAP. IX How greatly religious people fructify vnto God and to his Church and that they are the best labourers which are therein fol. 525 Lib. XI CHAP. I. The name of those that suffred death by the Gewses of Flanders where the protestantes are soe called fol. 534 CHAP. II. Certaine cruell and bloody factes committed in Fraūce against the Catholikes by those that the vulgar sorte doe cal Hugonotes from the tyme that they stirred rebellion against the kinge Anno 1562 fol. 544. A Catalogue of those that suffered death as wel vnder king Henry as Queene Elizabeth and king Iames from the yeare of our Lord 1535. and 27. of king Henryes raigne vnto the yeere 1620. fol. 555 CHAP. III. A Compendiū of the martyrs and confessors of Ireland vnder Queene Elizabeth fol. 569 Lib. XII CHAP. I. Euery sect of heresies challinging vnto thēselues the trewe and Catholique church there is here set downe the true notes and markes by which the same may be discerned fol. 587 CHAP. II. That there are many excellencies and effectes which should allure euery one to follow and imbrace the Catholique religion And contrariwise many inconueniences and blasphemies which the new religion houldeth and teacheth The first excellencies fol. 609 CHAP. III. The 2. excellency is the pure and hollie doctrine which it professeth fol. 610 CHAP. IV. The 3. Excellencie is most diuine Sacraments which confer grace fol. 613. CHAP. V. The 4. Excellencie is to fauor the good and to punish the wicked fol. 616. CHAP. VI. The 5. Excellencie is the conuersion of all nations vnto Christe and driuing Idolatrie out of the world ibid. CHAP. VII The 6. Excellencie of the catholique Religion is that the same is proued and auerred by so many good witnesses as sacred and learned doctors blessed saincts martyrs and generall counsells fol. 617. APPROBATIO Hic Liber cui Titulus The Theater of Catholicke and Protestant Religion nihil continet quod fidei vel moribus aduersatur quin potius multa quae tam ad fidem Catholicam stabiliendam quam ad haereses huius temporis impugnandas optimè inseruiunt Matthaeus Kellisonus S. Theol. Doct. WHETHER THE RELIGION WHlCH Protestants professe be a new Religion or whether the Romish Religion be new and that of the Protestant be ancient and ould CHAPTER I. 1. IF Protestants were of sound iudgment or nott distracted of their wittes they would neuer suppose much lesse auerre so manifest an vntruth as that the religion of the church of Rome is a new religion or defend an absurditie so egregious as Protestant religion to be the more auncient Wherfore this first assertion being so euident and knowen an vntruth such as doe follow are the lesse to be beleeued 2. It is well knowen that before these 80. or 100. yeares all Christendome did imbrace the catholike Roman religion so that it was terra vnius labii Gen. 11. Act. 4. as it is written in Genesis a countrie of one language and one speeche and as we reade of the christians in the Actes of the Apostles that first beleeued in Christ that they were of one hart and of one accord and as one God was honored and worshipped of all soe one faith was embraced of all they obserued one order of administration of the Sacraments they vsed and kepte one obseruation of ceremonies all were called Christians
which blessed name none disdayned none were called Gospellers Lutherans Caluinists Zuinglians Protestantes or Puritans Anabaptistes Trinitarians or any other sect with innumerable others which the Protestant religion hath sett abroach and inuented men were simple and honest in their dealinges faithfull of their promisses charitable in their workes zealous in their beleefe obediente vnto their Prelates and Pastors This is soe euident a trueth as that all bookes recordes generall and prouinciall councells all parleamentes of kingdomes all vnctions and inuestinge of Emperours and Kinges all consecration of Bishoppes all holy orders of Priestes all churches monasteries and chappels in the worlde all the gates of townes and cyttyes all monuments and recordes both spirituall and temporall all vniuersities and doctours of Christendome both comon and ciuill lawes of all countries yea Protestantes themselues doe plainly witnesse 3. But that Protestant religion is new is a thing most certeine for there are men yet liuinge at this day more auncient then it and can remember when it first came into England and Irelande Wee can shewe you the first inuentours and authors therof The place the time and the occasion by which it crepte in and infected these miserable nor then countries Who haue opposed themselues against it What garboyles callamities came into those countryes that nourished the same What rebellion and insurrectiō of subiects against their princes for defending the same What were the motiues of such as inuented yt and occasions of others that imbraced it The successe of the one and the other and by whome and how the same was condemned I pray you what can be more euident signes and tokens of noueltie for noueltie in all common wealthes but especially in matters of religion as S. Nazianzenus saith is to be auoided yea the Emperour of the Turckes did aduise the Queene of Transiluania to beware of the noueltie of hereticall sectes and that shee should neuer suffer the same to creepe into her countrie It is well knowen also that the name of protestāt religion was neuer heard of before the yeare of our Lord 1529. in the towne of Spira in Germany where the Lutheranes beinge as it were combined against the Emperour Charles the 5. did vse a kinde of protestation wherupon afterwardes they were called Protestantes 4. If thou say that it lay lurkinge and hidden in the worlde I aske where or in what place of the world in what kingdomes and townes or who were the defenders therof Truly no writer or historiographer did or could euer make mētion of any such nor euer before that time any mention was made of them nor was it euer heard that any hereticall secte was so closelie hidden in the worlde but it might be knowen at least when Luther himselfe taught the same they should then haue manifested themselues and yet we can finde none such for such as followed Luther they were before Catholickes Ex nobis prodierunt saith Saint Iohn sed non erant ex nobis Ioan. 2. They went foorth frō vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they had remayned with vs it is cleare therfore they were not good Christians who forsakinge the narrowe way of saluation runne headlonge into the broade way of perdition and licentious doctrine of newe sectaries Whereas the religion of Christ is a religion moste auncient sacred immutable impregnable inuiolable alwaies the selfe same holdinge and continuinge his vigor and force vnto the worldes ende it is the soule and life of the Church For euen as by the soule fleash is vnited vnto the liuinge man soe by religion mākinde is ioyned vnto the church of Christe beinge his spirituall kingdome and all that euer were saued either before Iustinus mart orat ad Anto. Aug. l 10 confess ca. 43. or after Christe oughte to be called Christians as Iustinus martyr and other holy Doctors doe say for that they embraced Christian religion and as saint Augustine saith Ipse vnigenitus Dei silius homo propter nos factus est c. The only begotten Sonne of God became man for vs that he should become the head of his whole Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile Matt. 16. vnto whome Christe promised to remaine withall vnto the consumation of the worlde Matt. vlt. So that the religion by which this church is vpheld and Christe professed did and shall allwaies continue 5. It is well knowen that the name of hugonots began in France an 1562. as themselues of their assēblies made in the nighte at a gate in Tours in France called Hugon confesse to haue taken their denomination went out of the Catholique churche and did embrace the impiety of Caluine In Scotland they fell alsoe from the Catholique Church into Caluinisme anno Domini 1560. In Flanders the Geuses reuolted from the said church ouerwhelmed in the pit of soe manny heresies anno 1566. In England they chaunged religion anno 1535. and first fell vnto Lutheranisme afterwardes to Zuinglianisme afterwardes the bodye of the realme fell from Zuinglianisme to puritanisme the next degree vnto Anabaptisme and since what numbers are fallen to the familie of loue And what swarmes of Athistes are sprunge vpp in euerie shire as Whittguifte noteth against Cartwrith 6. Are not the first Authours of the protestancy also knowen as Luther Carolastadius Oecolampadius in Germanie Pharell in France Thomas Crammer in England Iohn knox and Paule Methen a baker in Scotland George Browne in Irlād In the Apologie of the church of England pag. 142 it is said that Luther and Zuinglius came first to the knowledge of the truth Luth. tom 7. f. 307. and preaching of the ghospell Luther said that God reuealed vnto him the knowledge of his Sōne that he at lenghte might euangelize it to others and that the Gospell was first preached by him D Kellyson reply to Surcliffe fol. 149. But we knowe that they cannot alleadge the author of our religion neither can they nominate vs from any particuler man nor can they chardge the Catholique church with any priuate opinion or faith that is not vniuersally allowed embraced of all Catholiques neither can they nominate the time that shee fayled of her faith Neither can they obiect that our church hath separated herselfe from the greater church or that such as did adhere to the Pope were in number lesse then any Church For it is written in S. Gregories Epistles to the Bishoppes of the Easte that Affrique Spaine France Italie and all the worlde did communicat with him This verie argument other Doctours did vse against other heretiques as Tertullian Tertull. lib. de praescrip Qui estis vos inquit c. What are yee saith he from whence and when came you where did you lie hidden all this while alsoe Optatus mileuita lib. 2. contra Parmenand Vestrae inquit Cathedrae originem ostendite c. Shew the beginninge of your Chaire you who challenge vnto your selues the churche
for a man as meate drinke or sleepe and said moreouer that if a married woman would not render the coniugall debpte of matrimonie Lib. ae vita coniug serm de matrimonio that the husband should not spare his maide The like filthie lust but farre more detestable was the occesion of Caluine his heresie For it is well knoweÌ„ as may appeare by the iudiciall actes and recordes of NouodiuÌ„ Bolsecus in vita Calu. cap. 5. Iul. Brig pag. 59. that he was condemned of the filthie sinne of the flesh against nature had it not beene for the intreatie of the bishop there which obtayned that his punishmente should be turned vnto a hoate burninge iron on his backe he should haue bene altogether burnt Iohn Witcliffe for that he was depriued of his personnage in Oxforde for his vitious misdemenor began his heresie Arrius because Alexander was preferred to the Archbishopricke of Alexandria before him Nicep de pen. l. 5. c. gaue occasion of the Arrian heresie against the deitie of Christe MoÌ„tanus for that he was denyed the primacy of Asia which he soughte verie earnestlie troubled the Church with newe heresies as Nicephorus wyttnesseth de penitentia lâ—b 5. cap. 15. Aerius alsoe for beinge denyed of a Bishopricke fell into Arianisme and afterwardes inuented himselfe a newe heresie which was that wee ought not pray for the dead 2. Henry the eighte as Iohn Foxe a greate puritan in England doth wyttnes Fox in historia pa. 512. edit 1 all the world knoweth to be true for his diuorce made from Queene Catherine his wyfe was by the Bishoppe of Rome excommunicated who beinge sore exasperated therby assembled a parlamente by which he brought to passe that he banished the Popes authoritie out of England made himselfe head of the Church thus far Iohn Foxes owne wordes Hollin in descrip Brita l. 1â— cap. 7. For it is certainly knowen that from the conuersion of England by S. Augustine duringe soe many hundred yeares vnto Kinge Henry the 8. as all English historiographers and ministers themselues doe acknowledge the Catholicke or papisticall religion as it pleaseth them to tearme it did florish in England that the cheefe pointe thereof was that the Pope was iudge moderatour and cheefe Pastor aswell of the English Church as of all other Churches of the Christians in Ecclesiasticall matters which Catholicke faith the said Kinge Henry defended the space of xx yeares as longe as he liued with his lawfull married wife aswell against domesticall heretickes that were his subiects by all penall statutes and exquisit torments at alsoe against forraine hereticks by a most learned booke in the defense of the 7. Sacraments which booke I haue in myne owne custodie for which he was ennobled and honored by Pope Leo the tenth with the title of defeÌ„der of the Catholicke faith which was neuer giuen to any kinge in the worlde before which he receaued as Foxe saies with great ioy for when it came to the kinge beinge then at Greene wich he went to his chapel accompanied with manny nobles Ambassadors Cardinall Wolsey said Masse the Earle of Essex brought the basen of water the duke of Suffolke gaue the assay the duke of Norfolke held the towell the Heraldes with their company began their accustomed cryes prononcinge Fox anno 1528. fol. 441. Henricus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae defensor Fidei Dominus Hiberniae And amongest his other magnificent titles he lefte to this day this title to his posterity as is well knowen to the world Neyther only with bookes but alsoe with his victorious and inuincible armes did he defende the Catholike Romane faith and the dignitie thereof for the which he foughte againste sundrie princes and their confederates as againste Lodowicke the 12. kinge of France and Iames the 4. kinge of Scottes though married to his sister Who beinge vanquished and his great armie ouerthrowen by the Earle of Surrie in England and the said kinge himselfe being slaine in the battle for that he was excommunicated was not suffred to be buried in any Christian graue Also he sent his Armie by sea to ioyne with the Spaniardes againste the kinge of France to assaulte France in the frontiers of Spaine by the powerfull force of the English Iohn Albertus the kinge of Nauare was driuen altogether out of the kingdome beinge excomunicated by the Pope which Spaine doth possesse at this daye Did not the said kinge within fewe yeares after send an Armie into Italie against the Emperor Charles the first in the defence of Clement the 7. then Pope And notwithstanding he was his great frinde and his Nephewe for that Queene Cathrine was his Aunte yet through the filthie concupiscence by which he was besotted and blinded to marrye Anna Bulâ—ene and soe to be diuorced from his lawfull marryed wife he turned all thinges topsie turuie reiected the Popes authoritie which he before aswell by Gods lawes the holy scriptures as by the fathers and Councells of the Church defended and soe by a parlament of one Realme or kingdome he disanulled and abrogated that which was established by soe manny generall parleaments and generall Councells of all Christendome yea by Christe himselfe and by all such as trulye beleeued in him And for not yealding vnto his desire herein manny religious and constant Martyrs offred their liues and their bloode amoungest whome was the lighte of England that most sacred Martyr and learned diuine Iohn Fisher Bishopp of Rochester Sr. Thomas More Lord Chancelor of England of these sorte of people our Sauiour wished vs to beware Act. 20 the Apostle alsoe saith woulues shall enter after my departure and shall not spare the flocke Rom. 16. Therfore in another place he requested vs to marke and knowe what people they be that raise dissentions and scandalls in the Churche and doe teach otherwise then wee haue alreadye receaued and to fly from them Heb. 4. Iohn 4. He alsoe exhorted vs that wee should not be lead away with mutable and strange doctrine S. Iohn alsoe wished vs not to beleeue euerie spiritt but that wee should trye whether they be of God 3. But the doctrine of Luther cannot by any triall be founde true so that as Christ saith Iohn 7. my doctrine is not myne but my fathers which did send me soe Luther may say his doctrine is not his but his fathers the diuell that did send him Luth. lib. de Missa Ang. to G lenens Ger 10. 7. witteÌ„b 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 14. whom he boasted to haue suggested vnto him arguments to ouerthrowe priest-hoode and sacrifice that by that meanes he should ouerthrowe and confounde the true worshipp of the true God for God as the Apostle saith is the God of peace and charitie not of dissention For whosoeuer procures sectes and diuision betwixt brethren saith the prophett is a diuell When therfore by Luthers meanes wee see so manny sectes against Godds Churche wee must
came within his reache Besides the destruction and desolation he caused in many places of Germanie In Norriberge he burned a hundred villages Townes and Castles and shutt vp in them men and women with children and olde people which the firy flame consumed Surius An. 1553. viz. at Alterfum and Laufum Againe did not Christiernus kinge of Denmarke execute the like crueltie vpon those of Stocholum the cheefe Cittie of Suethlande after that he inuited all the nobilitie with the two Archbishopps viz. Sarcen and Stringeron and then murthered them euerie one and afterwards all the rest of the Cittizens notwithstandinge he had giuen his royall worde to the contrarie in the execution of which murther Surius An. 1517. he continued for many dayes That heresies are the cause of Reuolution of Countries and destruction of state CHAPTER IV. 1. SAincte Gregorie sayeth that the conseruation of the Common wealth doth depende of the peace of the Church and that for two reason for that the lawe of God commaundes vs that wee should obey our kinges and princes in thinges that are not contrarie to the said lawe of God soe that he that obeyes God he muste needes obey his lawfull Soueraigne because God almightie soe commaunded for that obedience wee owe to the kinge is parte of that wee owe to God But when men doth cast away this bridle by heresie or by anny other occasion of their vnbridled and incorrigible humors as they haue no feare of God soe bear they noe dutie to their Prince or Soueraigne Euseb de vit Const lib. 1. c. 11. Zozo lib. 1. cap. 16. Wherfore Constantius Clorus father to Constantyne the greate a most prudente and valiante Prince intendinge to assay and proue the loyaltie of some Christian souldiers he said vnto them that if they would renounce their faith and sacrifice to the Idolls Carol. Sig. lib. 2. de occiden imperio they should abide with him and possesse such honors and promotions as they had receaued of him otherwise such as would refuse soe to doe they should departe from him Some there were who for to gaine the Princes fauor did as he comaunded and renounced their religion others refused soe to doe But Constantius putt awaie such as did sacrifice to the Idolls and kepte with him such as refused soe to doe saying that they were his best subiectes for quoth he he that is a Traytor vnto God will alsoe be a Traytor vnto his Prince 2. Carol Sig. lib. 16. de occid imp Theodor. histor l. 5. cap. 36. The like alsoe did Theodoricke being an Arrian hereticke killing a Courtier of his owne whome he loued intirlie for that from a Catholicke he became an Arrian only to please the kinges humor sayinge that he could neuer keepe touch with man that was not faithfull vnto God Also the most valiant Martyr S. Hornusta said vnto the kinge of Persia who comaunded him to denye his religion and become an infidel that if he should denie Christe that was Lord and Redeemer of the worlde he shoulde more easilie denye him that was a mortall man Through want of faith therefore and good religion rebellions are stirred vpp against their Princes and Soueraignes as alsoe insurrections of subiectes spoyles and garboyles of Traitors combustion and confusion of Common wealthes and all other enormities and trespasses are committed And as Aristotele saith Cuius vsus est optimus eius abusus est pessimus the more excellent and eminent a thing is if it be well vsed soe the more mischeefe it ingenders and the more ruine it bringeth with it if it be abused For as nothinge in this world is comparable in goodnesse to the Christian Catholick faith so when the same is abused by sectes and diuisions nothinge did euer more trouble the Christian Comon wealth for that discordes in matters of faith doe procure and ingender discordes and differences in the hartes and mindes of them that professe the same from which discords and variances proceedes soe manny mischeefes and reuolutions of Countries and kingdomes and kingdomes deuided as our Sauior saith cannot longe endure Therfore Theodosius the yonger beinge at Constinople and seinge his Empire deuided into sectes by the heresie of Nestorius he wrote an Epistle to that most vertuous and holy man Symon Stylites which at that tyme did florish with most rare example of sanctitie Act. Conc. Ephes edi tom 5. Ces Baro. tomo 5. An. 43â— by which epistle he requested him verie earnestly that hee should aske of God peace and vnion for the Church and added these wordes Because that its diuision doth soe afflict vs that it is the roote and fountayne of all our euills and calamities Wherefore whosoeuer will read the Chronicles of kingdomes and the ecclesiasticall histories of the sainctes he shall finde this to be true by the warres that the Catholicks had in the Easte with the Arrians and in Africke with the Donatists and the Gentiles and Iewes against the Christians in all places 3. And neither Iewe nor Gentile are soe infestuous and pernitious againste the Churche and Christian Comon wealth as hereticks and especially those of our vnhappie times and of all sects the Caluinistes which are flames of sedition and destruction of Church and Comon wealthe an infernall fire-brand that burnes wheresoeuer it takes place which consumes to ashes all states and Citties where it is nourished not vnlike the Cancker that eates and gnawes the body that feedes it thus much you shall knowe by readinge a booke called Incerdium Caluinisticum printed 1584. Hollensen hist Angl. Anno 1554. idem in histo Scot. Anno 1567. Also the histories of the troubles of France lib. 1. Anno 1565. The historie of Flanders Anno 1555. in the additions of Surius 1585. Stanislaus Rescius Ambassadors and Treasure for the kinge of Poland in Naples did write a booke 1596. De Atheismis Phallerismis Euangelicorum nostri temporis videl of Atheismes and Phallerismes I meane cruelties of the Euangelistes of our tyme neither onlie doe they destroie kingdomes but alsoe seeke to depriue Princes of theyr liues that oppose themselues againste their doctrine for some of them conspired to kill Queene Marie and one of them confessed the same at his death which was at Tiborn the 18. of May 1554. Norman Lesby Iames Meluine and other Caluinists in Scotland murthered the Cardinall of S. Andrewes in his owne howse and chamber the yeare 1546. Stowe 1554. and this by approbation of Iohn Knockes Buchanan and others of the Geneuian Consistorie Doctor Hancraft in his booke of dangerous positions Lib. 4. c. 14. in historia Ioh. Lesley ep Rosâ—e 4. Buchanan in his most wicked and vngodly declamation made at London against his dread soueraigne the last Queene of Scottes incensed both English and Scottes against her to depriue her of her life and of her kingdome whose wicked desires and desigmentes was putt in execution by the English in the moneth of Ianuarie 1587. which
diuinity in S. Andrewes and diuers others cheefe ministers of that Contry flye into England and for this traitrous fact were there receaued and cherished Did nott Robert Pont and walter Baquanquell minister by the instigatiō of Iames Lanson cheefe preachers oppose themselues against his maiesties edict that now is publickly at Edenborough Did not these ministers demaund of his maiestie also to be admitted in parleamēt aboue their bishopps Is it not one of their cheefe articles that it is heresie for any kinge to call himselfe head of the Church within his realme A prosecution of the laste Chapter that heresies are the causes of troubles and disquiettnes CHAPTER V. THe other reason of these reuolutions is the fauor that kinges Princes doe giue vnto heretickes when they doe not in time punish them or at leaste ridde their Countries of them because that kinges or Princes growinge forgettfull of God haue a more respecte to their temporall commoditie then vnto the will of God or the good of his Church thinkinge by their owne industrie and reason of estate themselues and their estate be sure and secure yet God almightie doth often suffer them to fall into great miseries and calamities and their kingdomes to be ouerthrowen and ruynated Tripert hist. lib 8 cap. 13. Theod. l. 4 Valent. an Arrian Emperor did send against the Goathes his great Captayne and a deuout Catholicke who was called Traian and was ouercome by them when he retourned he reprehended him called him Couard he answered it is you and not I that haue lost the victory for that you haue forsakē God he gaue the victory to the Barbarians against thee Also the said Emperor in his iourney against those Goathes was mette by the holy Monk called Isacius who said vnto him whether doe you goe hauing God against you Theod. l. 4 cap. 30. Metas in vita Isacij for against him thou makest this warre c. giue ouer thy warres against God and he will giue ouer his warres against thee 2. Valentinian the younger who being deceaued of his mother Iustine Theod lib. cap. 14. did fauor the Arrians was put to flight by Maximus the Tyrante who made himselfe Emperor and soe Theodosius the great did write vnto him that is was goods iust iudgment Carol. Sig. lib. 9. that he should suffer that infamy for that he forsooke the trewe Christian catholicke religion and fauored the enemyes thereof So Winceslaus the 12. Eneas Syl. hist Bohemia c. 35. kinge of Bohemia by his false reason of estate giuing tolleration vnto the hereticks was both by them depriued of his life and kingdome 3. Boleslaus Prince of Polland In Chron. lib. 6. hist. Polo did suffer the people of Prusia to renounce their Christianitie and liue in Idolatrie for which they sent him a verie riche present but was after ouerthrowen by them with the ruyne of all the kinges and the nobilitie of Polande Sabel Aeneas 8 c. 6 Carol. Sig. de regu Genebr in Chron. An. 607. 4. Nicephorus Cōstant for that he fauored secrettly the Manichees was ouerthrowen slaine by the Bulgares The like example wee haue of Gessulfe Duke of the Lombardes who for fauoringe the Arrians his armie beinge ouerthrowen was slaine himselfe by the Auoros whose wyfe betraied the Cittie wherin shee and her husband liued to the captaine generall of them thinkinge to marry him after but shee first was dishonored in her bodie and then hanged a liue vppon a Gibbett Num. 16. 5. Not without cause did God say vnto Moyses departe from the Tabernacles and tentes of wicked people and touch nothinge that belonges vnto them 4. Reg. 17. God sent liōs amoungst the people of Samaria for hauinge Idolls Geneb in Chron. both to kill and destroy them wherfore the Cittie of Parris hath this for a monumente engrauen vppon her gates one God one kinge one faith one lawe 6. Hence it is written by the holy Ghoste in these woordes All the kinges besides Dauid Ezechias Iosias sinned and that the kings of Iuda forsakinge God and his lawes were with all their kingdomes deliuered vnto others and their glorie to strangers and although Dauid did committ adulterie and soe Ezechias alsoe offended by his ostentation 2. Reg. 11. Isa 39. yet because they forsooke not their faith and religion nor made shippwracke thereof it is not counted that they sinnned for that to forsake our faith is the greatest sinne that is That God doth extende the rodde of his wrath vppon Princes and Common welthes infected with heresies CHAPTER VI. 1. THe sore punishmente and affliction by which almightie God doth prosecute this wickednes many authors doe treate therof esepcially the ecclesiasticall histories Designis Eccl. lib. 5 cap 11. signo 16. and of late Thomas Bozius For none are more prone to wantones riotous misdeameanors which euerie Heresie bringes with it then Princes because commonly they are brought vpp without due chastisment and correction and because each man soothes them to flater and misreporte the truth As also because they are loath to submitt themselues to the ecclesiasticall discipline and censure of the Church or to acknowledge anny spirituall power in the Church of Christe to constraine them as it doth heretickes of whom it is said by the prophet and proued by experience that the nation and people that serueth her not shall perish whosoeuer obeieth her not must be accounted as Ethniques yet to mantaine their absurde heresies they doe labour to deface and infringe her authoritie as wee see in all ages yea onlye the disobeinge the authoritie of the Church and the censure of S. Peter and his successors is the cause of all the heresies that euer were and the Princes that hearken vnto them and forsooke the Church by defendinge them were vtterly destroyed with their states For what punishment doth he deserue that vnder the pretence of Christianitie makes warre against Christ and he that shall call himselfe the childe of the Church destroies and rayses a flame therein all which examples it were to long for me to repeate for I will not alleadge here the dolfull and ruynous example of Constans and Valens Emperors who were enemyes of the Church neither of Hunericus kinge of the Vandals neither of Basiliscus the capitall enemie of the Councell of Chalcedon who was depriued of the Empire by Zenon neither of Zenon himselfe which was buried aliue by the comaundement of Ariadne his wife nether of Heraclius which in the beginning was a catholicke and a valiant Prince but after became an heretick Ionas 1.3 ibi Ion Paulus Diaconus lib. 7. c. 1. Carol. Sig. lib. 7. de occid imp and lost soe many noble Prouinces in the Easte and dyed of a most shamfull disease nor of Anastasius vnto whom a vision did appeare of a terrible and dreadfull man with a booke in his hande who opened the booke in the which the name of the said Anastasius was
Spaine the cheefe reason he moued was it not that the kinge of Spaine was the Cheefe defender of the Romish Idolatrie An. 1567. Pet. Saxonius lib. inscriptio admonitio ad fideles Germanos caueant a Caluinistis infestiue and of ensiue to both of their religions I meane the Protesant and Turkishe religion And the said Ambassadour concluded that if those Idolaters were ouerthrowen all nations would become Turckes and so both they and themselues would reuerence one God De Elemosina eroganda Sacerdotibus Whether Papist Priestes do amisse in taking any thinge for their Masses CHAPTER III. 1. S Paule did receaue offeringes as the Church doth for their iust liuelyhood from the Phillippians bene fecistis inquit you haue done well communicating to my tribulation and you also knowe O Phillippians that in the beginninge of the Ghospell when I departed from Macedonia noe Church commmunicated vnto me in accompt of guift and receipt but you onlie for vnto Thessalonica also once Phil. 4. and twice yow sent to my vse not that I seeke the guifte but I seeke the fruicte aboundinge in your accompt He counteth it not meere almesse or a free guift that the people bestoweth on theire Pastors or preachers but a certaine mutuall trafficke as it were an enterchange the one giuinge spirituall thinges the other rendringe temporall thinges in lieu thereof for so it putteth one the condition of an oblation or sacrifice offred vnto God and is most acceptable sweete in his sight 2. Behould the Apostle receaued of them godlie and charitable helpes and meanes and â—east he should only preach or pray for them in lue of those corruptible guiftes he avouched non quia requiro datum not that I ayme at any temporall guift or reward but that I may perceaue the fruitt of your deuotion Priestes are worthie of a double honnor especially such as do labour in woord and doctrine and by this comandement wee are bid vt boui trituranti os non claudamus aâ— alligemus that wee should not stopp or moosell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne for according to the counseâ— of our Sauiour the workman is worthy of his wages D. Hiero Homilia lib. 2. Comentar in cap. 15. Math. and as Waldensis saith against Witcliffe he did not comaunde to sell spirituall thinges sed bouem edere de tritura but that the ox or cowe should eaâ— of his thressinge and labour 1. Cor. 9. Hee doth not seeke herein the proffit of him that receiues but of him that giues as S. Paule saith yf wee giue vnto you spirituall foode it is not much if you giue vs corporal St. Paule sought helpes for the Sainctes at Hierusalem sainge Now I go to Hierusalem to minister vnto the Sainctes and as S. Hierom saith Si spiritualium c. why should not the Gentiles ymparte theire corruptible goodes for theire releefe by whose dispensation they are made partakers of spirituall graces and therfore the aboundance of the one ought to supplie the want of the other And as the Apostle S. Paule saith 2. Corinth ca. 8. Exod. 16. 28. Let in in this present tyme your aboundance supplie theire want and their aboundance also may supplie your want that there may be an equalitie as it is written he that had much abounded not and he that had little wanted not his meaninge herein is that such as abound in worldly riches should communicate for supplie of other their bretherens necessities whatsoeuer they may that on the other side those whome they helpe in temporall may ympart vnto them againe some of their spirituall riches as praiers and some other holly woorckes graces which is a happy change for wealthie people 3. In the ix Chapter of this Epistle he exhorted the CorinthiaÌ„s verie earnestly to giue their Almes for the releife of the Sainctes saying he that soweth sparinglie sparinglie also shall reape and he that soweth in blessinges of blessinges also shall reape as it is written he distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice remaineth foreuer Almes is compared to seede for as the seede throwen into the grounde though it seeme to be cast away yet it is not lost but is laide vp in certaine hope of great increase Reade the x. Chapter of S. Math. the x. and 16. of S. Luke S. Ambrose vppon the second epistle 8. chapter saith that the Corinthians had no more priuiledges then other Churches auouchinge that the laborer was worthie of his wages Where behould that it is neuer granted to any nation to haue the Ghospell freelie preached vnto them without giuinge reliefe to the preachers thereof our Sauiour confirminge the same dignus est operarius mercede sua the laborer is worthie of his hyre 4. But the heretiques of this time do imitate the Donatistes to preach pouertie to others when they gather riches to themselues faininge pouertie but most falslie as S. August writes lib 2. against Petilian who saith Nos spiritu pauperes c. Wee saith Petilian beinge poore in spiritt and careles of wealth wee abhorr riches Iohn Witcleffe as Thomas Waldensis writtes of him did obiect to the religious priestes and preachers that they did administer the Sacraments and preach for gaine Waldensis de Scrament â—libus cap. 99. 5. S. Paule in the 6. to the Galathians saith He that is catechized in the word doth communicate to him that catechised him in all goodes addinge for what thinges a man shall sowe those alsoe shall he reape The woorcks of mercy be the seede of life euerlastinge and the proper cause thereof Loe here S. Paule shewes the great dutie and respect that wee ought to haue to such as preach or teach vs the Catholique faith and not in regarde onlie of their paines taken with vs but that wee may be partakers of their merittes wee ought especially to do good to such or as the Apostle saith communicate with them in all our temporall goodes 1. Cor. 9. that wee may be partakers of their spirituall Wherevpon S. Aug. lib. 2. Euangel 48. Knowe you not saith he that they which worcke in the holy place eate the thinges that are of the holy place and they that serue the alter participate of the alter So also our Lord ordeined for them that preach the ghospell and such as labour at the alter whose sacrifice and oblations redoundes to the comfort of the Christian flocke as also as are dedicated to serue God in recollection praiers and contemplations or any other spirituall and godly functions which also is beneficiall to the Church and the faithfull ought to be releeued and mantained by the liberalitie and deuotion of them Hiero. lib. 5. vig. Cap. 5. 6. S. Hierom vpon that place of S. Luc. 16. saith Make vnto your selues frindes of the mammon of iniquitie that when they shall fayle they may receaue you into the heauenly tabernacles Which cannot be ment of the comon vulgar sorte of poore Num isti c.
Lucif c. 6. prouinge against them that they make God subiect to the diuill a poore miserable Christ that imagine that the church may either perish or be driuen to any corner of the worlde 4. And although the Sacraments ceremonies Matt. 11. and the legall obseruations of the Iewes did faile because it is said the lawe and the prophetts were vnto Iohn yet notwithstandinge the church of Christ did not faile which was collected and composed of both the nations I meane Iewes and Gentiles as S. Paule doth wittnesse in many places that the first fruictes of the holie ghoaste and the first christians were the Apostles which were Iewes therfore the churche of the Iewes did not faile so as that none of them did remaine therin as the said Apostle proues Rom. 11. Hath God saith he reiected his people God forbid for I am an Israelite and of the seede of Abraham and of the tribe Beniamine for God did not cast of his people The glosse vpon this place faith that the Iewes are not infidels altogether and soe God did repell theÌ„ in parte but not in whole because he hath not reiected me and others that are predestinated thus farr the glosse For he reiected the howse of Saule but not of Dauid vnto whome in reward of the ardent desire and feruent deuotion that he had to builde a temple for godes glorie he promised that he would build for Dauid an euerlasting kingdome and a perpetuall howse from whome he should neuer take away his mercie for which he made the 88. psalme wherin he confirmed this promise Whether that papistes doe amisse in hauinge their churches and monasteries soe sumptuous their alters and ornamentes soe riche and ecclesiasticall possessions soe great the poore wanting the same CHAPTER I. 1. WHatsoeuer is giuen to Christs church is giuen in his honor that suffred for the said church beinge his spouse his portion c. for as our Sauiour saith Beatius est dare quam accipere It is better to giue then to take and noe maruaile that christians should giue vnto God some parte of his owne as the prophett saith what shall I giue vnto him that giues vnto me all thinges I pray you tell me whether it be a greater offence to robb and ouerthrowe the kinges howse and to spoile his subiects of their goodes depriue them of their liues and to comitt all other outragious facts vpoÌ„ them then to build the same maintaine and enriche the same to bestowe lardglâ—e vpon his seruaunts to defend and protect them c Tell me I praie you whether Salomon that built the temple of Ierusalem soe sumptuously and which by the riches thereof was most famous through out the world was more offensiue vnto God for soe doing then Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon and Antiochus Epiphanes which were not contented to ransacke and spoile that worthie temple cast downe the pillers take away the golden alter and candlesticks and all other sacred vessells or religious ornamentes but also defiled the same and prohibited any oblatioÌ„ or sacrifice to be offered therin For this cause these two tirants doe represent the diuill and Salomon is a figure of Christe And if Salomon was soe comended in holie scriptures for buildinge the said Temple for the sinagoge how much more christiaÌ„ princes for buildinge churches for Iesus Christe 2. I praie you tell me also whether Constantine the great merited more before God the world for buildinge soe many churches vppon his owne charges and for augmentinge and enrichinge the patrimony of Christe then kinge Henrie the 8. that did cast and pull downe soe many churches monasteries and chapples and did disolue soe manny Religious howses robbed them of all their sacred ornaments and by soe doinge spoyled God of his patrimonie Yow saie that whatsoeuer kinge Henrie the 8. did was donn for the reliefe of the poore and the ease of his subiects to be freed from subsidies and impositions as was related in that verie parleameÌ„t wherin monasteries churches were surprised and religion prophaned And therfore it was added in the said parleament that the truly poore of the kingdome perished and that Abbey Lubbers for soe they called religious persons did possesse their liuinges To this effect there was a supplicatioÌ„ exhibited to the kinge against Bishoppes Abottes Priores Deacons Archdeacons suffragans priestes in forme following c. What tyraÌ„t euer oppressed the people like this cruel veÌ„geable generation Before these came there were but fewe theues yea thefte was at that tyme soe rare that Caesar was not compelled to make penaltie of death vpon felonie as your grace may wel perceaue in his institutes ther was also at that time but fewe poore people and yet they did not begge but there was giueÌ„ them enoughe vnasked Wherfore if your grace will build a sure hospitall that neuer shall faile to reliue vs all your poore beads men take from them al these thinges set these sturdy boubies abroad in the world to get theÌ„ wiues of their owne to get their liuinge with their labour in the swette of their browes accordinge to Gene. 1. Tie all idle theues to the cartes to be whipped naked about euerie markett towne that they by their importunat begginge take not away the allmesse that the good christian people do giue then shall aswell the number of our foresaid mounsterous sorte as of the baudes hoores theeues and idle people decrease then shal these great yearly exactions cease then shall all your people encrease in wealthe c. these are sett downe in Iohn Fox his Chronicles Iudas in like manner when the deuout wooman Marie MagdaleÌ„ anointed Christs feete with a moste pretious ointment did saie vt quid perditio haec what destruction is this had it not bene better said he that this had bene sold and giuen vnto the poore our Sauiour aunswered let her alone and added moreouer that in what place so euer of the world his gospell should be read her deuotion should be comended And as Iudas herin did not care for the poore as the scripture reporteth but hopinge it should retourne to himselfe soe parleament protestants did not care for the poore but all their drifte was to haue the liuinges and treasures of the churches themselues as itt fell out 3. I praie you tell me whether the poore were better and more reliued or the subiects more eased of subsidies and impositioÌ„s before the suppression of the church or after Doctor Sanders writes that England was neuer troubled with greater impositioÌ„s subsidies then it was in the later daies of kinge Henry the 8. nor any kinge in england had lesse treasure in his cofers then he at his deathe And as for the poore people it is manifest that they haue lesse releefe now then euer they had I am sure there are not 300. persons reliued by all the churche liuinges of England and Ireland beinge in those mens handes which haue as little charitie towardes God and
companie and not one slaine but he whose head was carried into england and standes disgracefullie vppon London bridge for a traitors head His brother Sr. Iohn was found vppon the highe way by Sr. Iohn Souch and hauinge notice that the englishmen were marchinge towardes him he was not able hauinge a principall good horsse to moue hand or foote vntill the english souldiors came vppon him and kild him This is the iuste iudgment of God executed vppon them that made the world beleue their quarrell was for religion and yet their first exploite and cruelest acte was putt in execution vppon poore catholicks churches sanctuaries consecrated vessells which they polluted prophaned Nothinge doth displease God more then hipocrisie for as a holy man saith Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas fained holines is double iniquitie for noe vice is more often reprehended of our Sauiour then this vice and wickednes and although he pardoned all manner of sinnes yet vnto hipocrites he cried out woe Matt. 23. and course and that many times 10. Sr. Iohn Norrice in his Portingall voiage with the bastard don Antony going to take Lisbone and to make him kinge thereof of his great armie which consisted of 18. thowsand able men he brought not men enough to bringe home his shippes the first enterprice that he attempted was vppon a monasterie by the Grine which his soldiors destroied and cast downe The Earle of Esex that was the only Phenix of England the cheefe fauoritt of the Queene and the only man that all the contrie flatterd and followed and all the English nation applauded was arraigned and condemned of high treason and beheaded in the tower of London who when he tooke Cales in Spaine an exploite both terrible to the Spaniardes ioyfull and honnorable vnto England the churches and sanctuaries of that cittie felt the greatest smarte which he prophaned burned and cast downe whose sacred vessells his souldiors tooke away and turned them into prophane and filthy vses for the which fewe or none that assisted in that exploite escaped an ominous and fatall end as manny doe obserue and note In the Machabees Macha 2. Cap. 3. Heliodorus doth testifie thus much who counselled his kinge if he had an enemie that he should send him to robb the Temple of Hierusalem and he should find the smarte thereof because there is in that place the power of God which doth destroie and confound such as come to annoy that place 11. S. Ambrose speakinge with Valentine the yonger vsed these wordes Epist 33. If you haue â—oe right to doe anny iniurie to any mans priuate howse much lesse can you take away from Gods howse which neuer suffred sacrilegious persons vnpunished and robbers of churches and sacred thinges as by the precedent examples appeares as also by the griuous punishment of Cardinall Wolsy is euident who for erectinge his new college at Oxford and at Ipswiche as Stow writteth obtayned licence of Clement the seauenth to dissolue to the number of fortie monasteries of good fame and bountifull hospitalitie wherin the kinge bearinge with all his doinges none durst controll him In the executinge of which busines fiue persons were his cheefe instruments which were sore punished by God two of them fel at discord amoungest themselues and the one flue the other and the surminor was hanged for his labour the 3. drowned himselfe in a well the 4. being wealthie enoughe before begged his bread to his dyinge day and the 5. was Doctor Allen. The cheefe instrument amoungest them was murthered by Thomas fitz-Gerrald The Cardinall fallinge afterwards into the kings greuous displeasure was deposed and died miserably and the colleges which he meant to haue made soe glorious a buildinge came neuer to good effecte For this irreligious robberie was done of noe conscience but to patch vpp pride which priuate wealth could not furnishe Whether the kinge may take away church liuinges at his pleasure And whether as he is absolute kinge of the temporall goodes of his subiectes he be so also of the Church and of Churche liuinges CHAPTER IV. 1. THe only argument Protestants vse to proue this doctrine is that of the Prophett Samuell who said to the children of Israell that if they would needes haue a kinge he would take away their vineyardes their landes and liuinges and would bestowe them vppon his seruants c. Testado in lib Reg. cap. 19. The holie doctors doe expound this place to be ment of Tyrannicall kinges who followinge their passion or proper will and not lawe or reason would performe this towardes those stiffnecked people And soe to diuert and disswade them from the vehement desire they had to gett them a kinge he vsed those wordes not that of right or iustice a good kinge ought soe to doe And soe S. Gregorie doth expound the same sayinge Lib. 4. c. 2. in Reg. cap. 8. that Tyrantes and not good kinges will doe this for saith he in that historie of kinges wee read that God was highly displeased with Achab for takinge away the vineyarde from Naboth for which the said Achab with his Queene Iezabell was sore punished by God for the same therfore S. Gregorie saith this was not godes comaundement And therfore Dauid beinge sollicited at the request of Orna Iebuseus to take a platt of grounde for to edifie an alter for our Lord he would neuer take or accept it vntill he made payment thereof Soe as whatsoeuer is sett downe by the prophett Samuell is to giue warninge to good kinges what they should obserue and what they should forbeare to doe thus farr S. Gregorie 2. S. Iohn Chrisostome did reprehend the empresse Eudoxia the wife of Arcadius the Emperor for takinge away from a certaine widdowe her vineyarde and seinge that he could doe nothinge with her by faire meanes he caused the church gates to be shutt against her For Emperors and kinges are not absolut Lordes of the landes and goodes of their subiectes neither can they take them away accordinge to their pleasures vnles it be for great offences although many protestant courtiers doe say the contrarie only to flatter their Princes for if Kinges and Princes had the proprietie and dominion of their subiectes goodes then there should be noe neede of anny parleament or courtes to treate with the subiects for the kinges necessitie but they may take from the subiects all they haue at theire owne pleasure But the kinge for beinge head and Lord of the kingdome and for his paines taken in the gouernment thereof hath his owne patrimonie rents and seruices with such like or if this be not sufficient for the defense of the weale publique christiaÌ„ religioÌ„ the subiects ought to supplie his waÌ„ts rather by request then by violence But these newe gospellers say with the matchevillians Plutar. in Apo. that kinges by their prerogatiues may take all their subiects goods to their pleasure as a flatterer said to the kinge Antigonus that all thinges
the lesse feelinge hath he to preuenent the dangerous ruyne and dismall lott of the same and a man once being ingulfed in the filthie puddle of beastlie concupiscence which euer doth insult ouer the spiritt the lesse feeling hath he of godes inspiration and the lesse swaie beareth the interior man which in carnall and beastlie people is altogether restrained from his operation by their insatiable and inextingible appetites of their fleshlie inclination and disposition to these vilde and corruptible thinges 2. When the greatest and mightiest Monarches and Potentates of this world are in this case especially if they be wantonlie trained vpp in voluptuousnes and enticed with lasciuous and wanton exercises they forgett and forgoe all spirituall motions to make themselues as it were dull and insensible to all celestiall influence and illustrations forgetfull of God obliuious of his comaundementes negligent of their charge carlesse and vnprouident of the end and marke for the which they are exalted and aduaunced to the regall scepter which is the peace and tranquillitie of the comon wealth But they not respectinge either comon good or the peaceable estate of their kingdomes abusing their powerfull force and dignitie with wanton lusts and other execrable vices and wickednes of whome it is spoken by the holy ghoast Psal 134. Gaudium hipocritae instar puncti their ioye and allacritie shall quickly be ended and they likewise eyther themselues or their posteritie shal be plunged an perplexed with the vsual troubles continuall calamities and fatall reuolutions which commonly are incident vnto such princes of whome it is said Virum iniustum mala capient in interitu The euils and mischeefe of an vniust and wicked man shall intrappe and compasse him euen vnto his destruction and vtter decaye They may for a smale tyme raigne ouer wicked natiōs for whose dreadfull and abhominable trespasses and wickednes God suffreth or rather stirreth vpp Tyrants to vexe punish and ouercharg their miserable subiects with grieuous and intollerable oppressions tyrannicall extortions impositions and irreparable callamities who euer maketh choice of wicked officers and ministers which frame and conforme themselues to please their wicked humors and are skilful architects to putt in execution their detestable plottes and purposes staues of their bellies enemies of Christs crosse captiues and seruants of the diuill whose chiefest reward and promotion for performing their dreadfull and bloudie tragedies is the gouernment of such prouinces and citties to whome they haue comitted them 3. And although Ferdinande King of Castile and Arragon father to the good Queene Katherin of England was as vertuous and iust a prince as liued in all Europe in his daies yet whē he was dienge he gaue a mournefull sigh and said he had rather ther all the kingdomes in the worlde that he were a poore lay brother in some religious order seruing in a monasterie then said he my cōscience shoulde be disburdened of the heauie and dreadfull terror of my dangerous accomptes for the heauie burden of soe manny kingdomes states Prouinces for the which I miserable wretch must aunswere being scarse able to satisfie or yelde accompt for my owne secrett and peculiar offenses much lesse for the gouernmente of all those regions committed by God to my charge and ouersight Zonarus tomo 3. After that the Empire Anno 800. was translated by Leo the 3. Pope into the West and Charles the great King of Fraunce being made Emperor some of the Emperors that succeeded him forsaking the Empire became religious as Lotharius who beinge fifteene yeares Emperor and liued a most vertuous Christian remembringe the speech that his father Lodouicke vsed in the time of his death of the vanitie of the worlde and of the miserable estate of such as are the slaues therof became a Mounck anno 865. 4. Hugo the Emperor after many victories that he had against his enemies became a Mouncke Rachisius kinge of Italie resigninge his kingdome to his Brother Astulpus became religious in the Monasterie of Mount Cassius of the which he was as it is thought Abott anno 741. Pipine kinge also of the Romanes and eldest sonne of Charles the great followed that blessed example who became a mouncke in a monasterie that he builded himselfe at Verona anno 805. In Spaine Bamba very prosperous and fortunate both at home and a broade amoungest his other victorious exploites defeated and discomfited 200. shippes of Moores that were Pyratts tooke also Paule kinge of Fraunce prisoner that came to inuade Spayne at lenght beinge moued by diuine inspiration became a mouncke anno 674. whose blessed example Verenundus kinge of Castile followed Ramiris kinge of Arragon first became a mouncke in his fathers life time who beinge dead without yssue of other Children was compelled to returne to the worlde and marrie and hauinge yssue which was a daughter returned to his monasterie againe 5. But of all kingdomes of the world England was most famous for the number and sanctitie of their religous kinges as Sigibertus kinge of Nothumberland who forsakinge the worlde tooke a religious habitt vpon him Anno 640. Ethelred kinge of the Merceans anno 704. who gouerning his kingdome with great pietie and religion resigned the same ouer to his sonne beinge but a childe and erected a monasterie of which he was made Abott But when the childe came to riper yeares he followed his fathers steppes went to Rome and receaued the habitt of Constantine the first then Pope and spent there the remainder of his dayes with great sanctitie and hollines his name was Chenredus in whose companie went Offa kinge of the East Saxons who in the prime of his youth settinge at naught the vanities of all worldlie prosperitie contemninge his opulent and rich kingdome tooke vpon him a voluntary death which was to betake himselfe to a perpetual silence banishing from his vowed and inuincible chastitie all fleshlie enticementes and prouocations Not longe after him Inas kings of the said Saxons a man of of an incomparable pietie and deuotion made his whole kingdome tributaire to the sea Apostolique went to Rome forsakinge his kingdome and became religious The same Geolfus did vnto whome Venerable Beda dedicated his historie who beinge kinge of Northumberland and considering the dangerous estate of kinges fled vnto a monasterie there to serue God with greater securitie of his saluation and resigned his kingdome to Egebert his Vncle who after that he had raigned 20. yeares followed also his Nephewe to the monasterie and died therin in that religious vocation 6. In Germanie the example of Charlemaine was famous beinge sonne to Charles Martell and beinge kinge of Austria and and Suethland came to Rome in a poore mans attire and vnknowen to any where he receaued holie orders of Zacharias the Pope and afterwards entred the monasterie in mount Zoracte which he himselfe builded but beinge disturbed by the frequēt visitation of those of his frindes retired himselfe to Mount Cassen a place more remote was there receaued with
any other taught the same in any other countrie did euer conspire in treason or murther or deuised anny mischeefe against kinge potentate or countrie or that euer anny man lost his life landes or goodes for not receauinge either themselues or their doctrine or that euer any kinge was expelled out of his kingdome for not receauinge the catholique religion into his countrie or was forced to imbrace the same as the founders of protestancie haue done But it is wel knowen that Luther and Zuinglius were the first that euer preached the protestant religion as it is proued in the Apologie of the protestant Church of England and that they were the causes of all the mischeefe warres and troubles insurrection of subiectes against their princes ouerthrowinge and banishment of Princes by their owne subiects out of all their kingdomes and states 9. Lastlie it is knowen also that our first founders and apostles came in simplicitie of spiritt without troupes of horsemen or bandes of soldiors hauinge noe other standert but the crosse of Christ nor noe other poulder but the dust of their feete but the protestant founders came with wilde-fire gâ—n-poulder and cannot-shott with their cruell armies in all places to bringe all to confusion an desolation that would not imbrace their sect yea many holie martyres haue suffred death for not forsakinge their old religioÌ„ to accept these new deuised opinions of these sectaries wherof I haue thought good to sett downe the names wherby you may perceaue the constancie of Catholiques and the cruelties of protestants Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos For yow shall knowe them by their fruicte I will first speake of Flanders then of France afterwardes of England and last of all of Irelande The name of those that suffred death by the Gewses of Flanders where the protestantes are soe called CHAPTER I. 1. THe Reuerend Father Nicholaus Picus guardian of a monasterie of S. Francis in Holland together with ten of his brethren Ierom Werdan viccar Will. Hadne Nicase Hez Theodorique Emden Anthony Hornarien Anthony Werden Godfrey Meruellan Frauncis Rod of Bruxells Peter Astun a lay brother Cornell Wican a lay man who after much torment and affliction were sent to the towne of Bill where they were beaten with clubbes hanged on the topp of the common stoare howse of the towne in the night time the 14. of August 1575. they cutt of their eares and their noses they ripped vp their bellies and pulled ouâ— all the fatt they could gett and sold the same in all places of the prouince They alsoe put to cruel death Leonard Veichle pastor of Barcomia Nicholas Poppell another pastor of that place Godfrey Dimens somtime rector of the vniuersitie of Parris but then Pastor Gorcomiensis Iohn Oster Wâ—canus cannon regular of saint Augustines order and ouerseer of the Nunnes Adrian Becan of the order of Premonstrensis Iames Lacopins a monke of the same order Iohannes On s of the order of saint Dominique Andrewe Walter Pastor Hairnâ—tensis besides many other related by doctor Estius chauncelor of Douaie In this cittie of Brill were put to cruell death 180. religious persones at seuerall tymes And the Crucifix which stood in the church of Gorcomend for the consolation of the Christians they pulled downe and hanged the same vppon the gallowes they snatched also the Eucharist out of a Priests handes nailed it vnto a gibbet 2. When the Prince of Orenge tooke the cittie of Ruremunde in Gerderlande his soldiors rushinge into the monasterie of the Carthusians murthered three lay brethren vid. Albert Winda Iohn Sittart and Stewart Ruâ—emund And entringe into the church of that monasterie they found the Prior thereof called Ioachinus with the rest of the religious people prayinge vnto God all which they murthered in which cittie 29. priestes and religious persons were martired When the Gewes had gotte by deceit Adernard in Flaunders after spoilinge and robbinge all the churches and monasteries therof they apprehended all the priests and religious persons and brought them bound with the gentlemen of that cittie vnto the castle there amoungest whom master Peter licentiate of diuinitie and pastor of that cittie a worshippfull aged man was put to great tormentes and at the last beinge tied hande and foote was cast from the toppe of the tower headlonge into the riuer of Scaldis After him also they cast headlonge down into the riuer Paulus Couis pastor of that cittie Iohn Brackett Batcheler of diuinitie Iames Deckerie Iohn Opstall and Iohn Anuanne a noble man al priests They tooke also that vertuous man Iohn Machusius of saint Frauncis order somtimes Bishopp of Dauentrie who beinge sore wounded of them they left his poore carcasse like a dead carrion vpoÌ„ the streetes other priests they tooke by the cittie of Ipris and buried them quicke in the earth with their face aboue the grounde which insteed of a marck they shott at with bulletts 3. When Delps a cittie of Holland was taken by the Prince of Aurenge who seemed to shewe great fauor vnto a most reuerend and learned man called Cornellius Musius confessor to the Nunnes of saint Agatha of that cittie yet was he with vnusuall and exquisitt torments put to the cruelest death that could be inuented the 10. of December 1575. The same crueltie they shewed vppon Egelbert of Burges a Franciscan friar in the cittie of Alcmaria for they did ripp his belly and cutt off his intralles with their kniues With noe lesse crueltie did they putt to death two Mouncks of the order of saint Hierome at Ganda a cittie in Holland their names were Iohn Rixtell and Adrian Textor whome the Generall of the Gewses caused to be stripe of their cloathes and with their swordes forced them to runn vppon thicke hedges of quicksett and to die thereon The like crueltie he executed vppon William Gandan a Franciscan Friar Iames Gandan Theodorick Gandan Cornelius Sconhewe and Iasper cannone regular Mr. Iohn Ierome natiue of Edome in Holland who beinge taken with other Catholiques by Hornan were brought vnto Sâ—age in the north parte of that prouince where after many horrible and abhominable interrogatorious some of them died in that miserable captiuitie such as were left a liue were bound hand and feete vpon their backes with their naked bellies vpwardes and vppon euerie mans bellie was set a panne or caldron whelmed downwards full of dormise and frogges in great quantitie and vpon the said pannes or caldrons were put fiery coales which burning heate of the fire when those frogges felt and had noe other place to gett out they turned all vppon the poore peoples Bellies and did gnaw and teare there vntill they made hoales through their backes or at least some place to defend themselues from the rage of the fire 4. Vrsula Tales a religious Nunne of the Begginage after that her father an ould man and magistrate of that place with other catholiques were hanged by these rebells she also was brought vnto a gibbett and being asked
vs all feare of God or of hell and soe giueth a scope to all mischeefe That the comaundements pertaines not to the christians That there is noe sinne but incredulitie and that all are deceaued if they thincke to be saued by good woorcks with many such vild and absurde doctrines which make a man careles of his saluation rechles of his behauior and nothinge willinge to doe anny good when neither he that doth them is not recompensed or rewarded or God offended or displeased by the saide doings For as by the catholique religion Christ reformed the wicked inclination of man gaue hoalsome precepts and councells to amend his desolute misdeamenor instituted also SacrameÌ„ts to cure all diseases of our soules and to purge our conscience from all filth of sinne now by these carnall and wicked doctrine all ragged conuersation and discomposed misbehauiour is reuiued and as Ouid saieth Iâ— quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolique Metamorphose Insidiaeque vis aâ—â—â— sceleratus habendi In place of simple dealinges and honestie Were brought into the world by heresie â—eceite couetousnes and leacherie 18. The 12. note is the perfecte rule that the Catholique church Io. 20. Luc. 10. Matt. 23. Matt. 19. Iacob 4. and Catholiqueâ— haue to direct them in their faith for the church of Christe hath the holy ghoaste to instruct her in all trueth and to guide her from all errors Iohn 14.16 and wee Catholiques beleeuinge the church as wee are taughte in the Creede when wee saye I beleeue in the holy Catholique church obeyinge her in all thinges as wee be comaunded by our Sauiour wee cannot be deceaued by her nor is it possible we can offend God in submittinge our selues to her doctrine Matt. 18.3 Reg. 4. Actor 15 beinge comaunded by God to hearcken to her and as Rebeca vnder tooke for Iacob to rid him of his fathers malediction if he should followe her aduise soe the Catholique church which Rebecca figured shall deliuer vs from the enormitie of godes malediction if wee shall obey her But the protestants haue noe rule of their faith for they doe not beleeue the churche neither the traditions and generall councells thereof neither the auncient holye doctors of the same The onlie rule they as themselues saie is the scripture But this is noe certaine rule for that wee are bounde to beleeue manny thinges which be not in the scripture Matt. 13. Hebr. 13. yea that which the scripture doth teach the contrarie as the obseruation of the saboath daye and thinges strangled Againe in many places the holy scripture doth wante explication of manny thinges 2. Petr. 3. for saint Peter saith that the epistles of saint Paule are verie hard to be vnderstoode which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as alsoe the reste of the scriptures to their owne perdition Alsoe all heretiques doe alleadge the scriptures for themselues as saint Augustine sayes Aug. li. 1. de Trin. Hier. aduersus Lucifer for as saint Hierom saith the scripture doth not consiste in readinge but in the sense and vnderstandinge thereof and as for the vnderstandinge and sence of the same there may be a thowsand controuersies as for the trewe sense of these woordes Hoc est corpus meum this is my bodie I am sure Luther and Caluine are against one another touchinge the sense a and meaninge of those woords Therfore S. Augustine saith he would not beleeue the ghospell had he not bene moued therunto by the auctoritie of the churche 19. Soe as these protestants forsakinge the church they haue noe rule of their faith as may appeare by the deadly contention and debate which is daily betwixt them as betwixt Lutherans Caluinists and Anabaptistes for they charge on an other with heresies soe as each of these sectes is diuided into manny sectes for there are 13. sects of Lutherans differinge in opinions one from the other Also amoungest the Caluinists there are many as the world can tell for some of them would haue the kinge to be supreame head of the church others doe repine against it as the puritans doe The Anabaptistes are diuided vnto 14. sects and eche of them haue seuerall and contrarie opinions touchinge the principall pointes of their faith how can two lawiers pleadinge one against the other and ech of them alleadginge lawe for himselfe determine the righte of the cause and the sincere meaninge of the lawe without there were some iudge vnto whome they should referr the controuersie to be decided and debated And because these sectaries will haue noe other iudge but the scripture ech one alleadginge and interpretinge the sense thereof accordinge to his priuate opinion and corrupt affection their controuersie can neuer be decided nor their faith can neuer be setled or made certaine 20. The 13. note is the lawfull authoritie and mission of catholique pastors and preachers whereof the Protestants are wholie destitute no heretique being euer able to shew his next predecessor For as the holie doctors affirme There is no accesse to God but by Iesus Christ No accesse to Iesus Christ but by the church No accesse to the church but by the Sacraments No accesse to the Sacraments but by a Priest None can be a Priest vnles he be ordained by a Bishopp Neuer was there lawfull Bishopp ordained out of the catholique roman church Wherfore as saint Ierom said vnto his aduersarie you are out of the communion of the church of Iesus Christ because you haue not a priest of the order of the Mediator This marke of the vocation and perpetuall succession of pastors in the church of Christ hath euer ben most terrible vnto all heretiques for euen as Baptisme is the only doore to enter into all other Sacraments a Sacrament not reiterable and whose character is indellible euen so this Sacrament of holie Orders and of entring into steward-ship ouer the flock of Iesus Christ was ordayned by our Sauiour as necessarie for distinguishing and discerning such as be vsurpers and robbers from true and lawfull pastors then the other of Baptisme to knowe and discerne sheepe from Wolues and Christs flock from the troupes of infidels 21. This argument doth so gaule and pinche the Protestants that they are forced to fetch all the authoritie they haue for their vocation only from the temporall prince alledging the wordes of saint Paul that all authoritie is from God then saint Matth. that wee must giue vnto Cesar that which is Cesars then saint Peter that wee should be subiect to euerie humaine creature for godes sake all which places aswell the puritantes as the Catholiques doe interprete and vnderstand of temporall authoritie only for gouerning the common weaâ—th and not of spirituall direction and instruction of our soules in articles of our faith and saluation for that all Princes and kinges were then and 300. yeares after Christs passion infidels and especially the Romaine Emperor of whome this was principally intended Otherwise saint Peter and the Apostles who were
put to death by them for their religion were damned in not obeying and conforming themselues vnto those Princes in matters of faith and in the doctrine of saluation The puritanes which are called the reformed and seuere Caluinistes doe grounde themselues vpon the election of the people and that the common and vulgar sorte should make appointe and elect cleargie or pastors to feede and gouerne them and alleadge the first and 6. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Act. 1. 6. where it is said that it pleased the people to make choice of saint Mathias insteede of Iudas and saint Stephen Philipp Procherus 4. others to supplie the offices of Deacons and afterwardes in the primitiue church wee finde that the people did choose or nominate their Bishoppes But to this puritanticall foundations both the Catholiques and protestantes doe aunswere that those elections or nominations were permitted to the people by the Apostles for their comfort and that the parties so chosen receaued authoritie and spiritual iurisdiction from the Apostles and not from the people as wee see this daie that in manny places the people are permitted to make choice of their encombents but are inuested and consecrated of the Bishoppes of euerie diocesse where the parishioners are permitted to haue this priuilege That there are many excellencies and effectes which should allure euerie one to follow and imbrace the Catholique religion And contrariwise many enconueniences and blasphemies which the newe religion houldeth and teacheth The first excellencie CHAPTER II. 1. THe first and cheefest excellency is to beleeue that God is the first trueth and first cause from whome proceedeth all trueth and by whom all causes haue their operation and their influence The first goodnesse and sanctitie of whom all goodnesse and sanctitie doth depend And as it is the proprietie of the sunne to giue light of the fire to giue heate of the water to make colde so it is the nature essence and proprietie of God with farr greater excellency to do good and to communicat and impart the same vnto his creatures And so saint Augustin saith O God thow art perfect without deformitie great without quantitie good without qualitie eternall without time strong without infirmitie trew without fastshood thow art present euerie where with out ocupieng any place and thow art inward and intimat to euery thing being tyed or fastened to nothing 2. Butt the new religion maketh God crwell without mercy in that he doth encomber his people with lawes and preceptes which they cannott keep wicked without goodnesse in that they make him the cause of all the euill and wickednesse which the wicked doe comitt and for the which they are so seuerely punished The 2. excellencye is the pure and holly doctrine which it professeth CHAPTER III. 1. SVch is the perfection of catholique doctrine that it nether admitteth nor alloweth any thing against the light of reason godes glory or the good of our neghbors it teatcheth the law it comandeth vnder paine of damnation the perfourmance therof and the morall precepts of the tenn commaundeth which are certaine conclusions deriued from the same But Luther saith they pertaine nott to them and all the schoole of protestantes do teach that wee cannott keep or obserue them that God respecteth them nott and that the good woorckes of a christian do preiudice and derrogat from the merites of Christs passion And so they take away all the meritorious woorckes of the iust and all the force and industrie of mās proper merites and consequently al graces and inherent iustice of a sanctified soule by the extrinsicall and imputatiue iustice of Christ and saith that so they haue faith God regardeth nott their woorkes which is a wide gappe and dangerous gulfe to all wickednesse dishonestie loosnesse of life and dissolute behauiour a quite defacing dissanulling and abrogating nott only of the law of nature butt of all other lawes whatsoeuer and therfore most pernitious and dangerous doctrine 2. Besides these holy precepts it perswadeth though not commandeth the Euangelicall counselles of our Sauiour the cheefest wherof is perpetuall chastitie which is a celestiall vertue by which a man forgoeth many encombrances of worldly cares troubles and perturbations of minde 1. Cor. and affliction of his spirit as saint Paule saith The 2. counsell which our Sauiour gaue was to a certaine yong man sayeng vnto him if thou wil be perfect go and sell all that thow hast giue the same to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen follow me By this counsell a christian doth eschew many tentations and snarres of the diuill into which such as be rich do fall hedlong and ar deliuered from troubles vexations and anxietis of minde and of many contentious and litigious strifes and debates with his negboures which for the most part is incident to worldly people which blessed counsell was obserued of the christians at Hierusalem Acto 2. at Alexandria in Aegipt and at the lake Marian as Philo the Iew reporteth Matt. 5. The 3. counsell is to render good for euill and to pray for our persecutors The 4. counsell is to giue almesse and to pittie the poore to be mercifull to releeue the distressed no vertue is so often inculcated as this no vice so often discommended or with greater punishmentes threatned thē inhumanitie and crweltie The 5. counsell is to exercise our selues in continuall praiers Matt. 25. 1. Tim 2 Luc. 18. Luc 11. and so the Apostle wisheth vs alwaise to pray and our Sauiour also counselleth the same by 3. examples The first of a carnall father in respect of his sonne which yeldeth to his sonnes demande The 2. of a frind that was vrged at the earnest inintreatie of another frind to rise out of his bedd at night to giue vnto him what so earnestly he sought for The 3. of an inflexible iudge that neuer yelded to any mans desire yett at the earnest and importunat suite of a poore woman he was perswadeed to take comisseration of her 3. The religion of protestantes not only barketh all the obseruations of the precepts of the lawe but also forbiddeth and reiecteth all euangelicall counselles sayeng that no man ought to accomplish them As for virginitie they say it is impossible As for the poore they may starue for them for any relefe or comfort they receaue of them For they pull from them all that they haue As for mercy of all people none are so blouddy or so crwell yea the very first preachers of this new religion as you may read As for praiers they cannot abide any order of time or deuotion for performing them for they do nott only barcke as another Vigilantius against euensongs Masse and mattens and against any obseruation of times as att midnight morning and euening but also against the English comon praier booke as you see The 3. Excellencie most diuine Sacraments which confer grace CHAPTER IV. 1. THe 3. Excellencie be the sacramentes