chastitie and such like and the same will breed his destruction I confesse that Gods word admitteth Ecclesiasticall dignities eueÌ„ to the soueraignetie after the order of Iethro but it admitteth not any domination of an vniuersall Bishop neuerthelesse if there were no controuersie but the degree yea and albeit there were some abuses yet might it be borne but seing it mainteineth such superstitioÌ„s as are directly repugnant to Gods word for the same tyraÌ„niseth the faithfull it can not be borne neither can we doe better then to abandon it as the enemy to Christ and his truth yet doe I say that albeit he will renounce all superstitions yet ought not the faithfull to be bound to obey him for no man can lay vpoÌ„ the faithfull the yoke which the Lord hath not layd vpon them but I say that this degree were more tolerable then the superstitions which are the doctrines of deuils But to omit all matter of Religion and conscience and to come to the state wherefore serueth the Papacie but to trouble the state of Kings Princes It hath put the King of Spaine to great charges and made him buy a reproch very deare It hath made him to arme him selfe to take a fall and to stoope vnder a womans arme It maketh him to mainteine an Inquisition which is but a Popish tyranny and can not but breed his destruction But what good hath he done in Fraunce in causing the subiectes to enter League against their king yea and arming the king against him selfe for by destroying his Reformed subiectes what doth he destroy but him selfe And had the king employed those forces against others that he hath employed against him selfe he might with honour haue purchased an other kingdome as great as his owne and now haue bene at peace where he is still in trouble I say that the king hath seemed to fight against him selfe but not properly the king him selfe but the League For the king is a good Prince but the League hath against his will wrought matters to his hinderance Againe for what serueth the Papacie in Fraunce but to suck vp her treasures Fraunce would not be tributarie to the Emperour yet doth she pay tribute to the Empire in the Popes person who is but a creature of the Empire Vpon what reason are men to goe to Rome to decide Ecclesiasticall causes as if in France there were no man capable of such decisions If those of Rome be better why cause we them not to come into Fraunce but must still be at new charges to goe to Rome Nay why be not our Parliaments also traÌ„slated froÌ„ France to Rome peraduenture the Romaines may be more capable to decide Ciuill causes then the FrenchmeÌ„ or sith the Pope hath the honor to decide the Ecclesiastical causes we might giue the Emperour the deciding of the Ciuill but if the French be skilfull enough to decide Ciuill matters they caÌ„ wel enough shift with Ecclesiasticall if neede require But what doth the Papacie for the French Clergie but ouerthrow them by making them sell their temporalties wast their reuenues to enrich the League staruing them selues in vayne about rooting out the Reformation The Clergie warreth vpon me as a professour of Reformation but I pitie them seing how the Pope entangleth them and the League deuoureth them to the very bones How long is it since Christes Vicar became a Turke to seeke to mainteine his Religion by the sword And of all these foolish driftes the people smarteth most by encurring infinite losses and ouerthrowes vpon a foolish fansie that the Pope hath taken to ouerthrow Reformation with the sword I pray you if Reformation should haue bene ouerthrowen with the sword could one handfull of people haue stood these 28. yeares in Fraunce could they yet haue borne out if God had not holden them vp considering how oft they haue bene assaulted and as oft circumuented But who euer went about to roote out Reformation once planted in his countrie and hath not laboured in vayne Onely the Prince of Parma who thinketh to haue florished â—olily in the Low Countries but euery blossome becommeth not fruict neither will his stalke make any sheffe wherewith to enrich the garner Two thinges will ouerthrow him The one for that he hath banished Reformation the other because he hath hardly entreated the Catholickes by destroying their country boores as propounding this marke principle that better is a wast country theÌ„ a lost yet shall we see him leaue that which he hath gotten yea glad if he scape with his skinne This is a punishment that God hath inflicted vpon Spaine for persecuting the faithfull with the Inquisition that she might haue bene rich with the spoiles of the IndiaÌ„s had she not wasted them vpon the molesting of the Low Countryes If the kinges Parliaments were entangled in the Emperours handes he would employ all his power to recouer them and his Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction being snared in the Popes hand he laboureth not to recouer it the cause whereof seemeth to be onely because the setting them free may cost him nothing for he neede doe no more but forsake the Pope as the English Dutch haue done neither shall he be able to opeÌ„ his mouth and aske why doe you so True it is that the Popes estate is hurtfull and ruinous but it is not hurtfull to any but to those that be his partakers It is hurtfull to the king of Spaine in putting him to great charges and foolish expenses for nothing and to Fraunce in setting the whole state in trouble But what harme hath it done to England to the Reformed partes of Germanie or to Suitzerland it hath spit his venome bnt vpon his owne faction forsake him and he can hurt you no more True it is that at this time it seemeth hard to forsake the Pope because of the power of the League but giue ouer the League and let the King and Clergie abandon it and you shall soone see both League Papacy come to naught And I know though it stay a while that this will be the end of the game when all is done the League must vnleague it selfe and it will neuer vnleague it selfe but with the Popes destruction The Popes combat against the light of the Gospell witnessed by the Martirs and Reformed hath resembled the battell betweene the moth the candle which burneth first her winges and then her feete so as she can not leaue the game before she be wholy burnt So hath the Pope singed his winges in England Germanie and Suitzerland and can not but continue the game by the League vntill the whole body of the Papacie be burned you would say that the Pope and the moth are both sprong out of one double yolked egge they doe so resemble in their fight Thus much I will say that when the Martirs complained of the superstitions if the Pope had had any care to satisfie their complaintes his kingdome might haue continued But he
vpon and serue by erecting any worship vnto them so many doe they make Gods and therfore albeit they could worke miracles to authorise the doctrine yet ought such miracles to be accompted among the miracles wrought by the Heathen oracles aforetime But in as much as the Popes fauorers doe say that Reformation is a new doctrine and must be authorised by signes and miracles I will giue them one howbeit I will giue it after the same maner as the Lord gaue it to the Scribes Pharisies euen the signe of the Prophet Ionas taking it out of the holy Scripture and referring it to a matter which was yet to do Likewise may I say that the peruerse and adulterous nation requireth signes but shall haue no other signes giuen it then the same that God gaue in the Reuelation that is that if we see and that shortly the same to be fulfilled vpon the Papacie which is foreshewed of the beast vpon Rome that which is foretold of Babylon also that we see the faithfull that liue vnder the Reformation triumph ouer the beast ouer his Image character the number of his name restore to Babylon double according to her workes and to fill double vnto her in the cup that she hath filled to vs Then shall the same be to them a certaine signe that the Reformation is of God and that it is the seale of our approbation But what greater miracle doe you craue thē to see in France a handfull of the Reformed committing many ouersightes in the state and many times suffering them selues to be snared through ouermuch simplicitie still hold out notwithstanding all the subtelties and endeuours of so many mightie and wise men of this world I wonder that neuer a Catholicke Doctor will reason according to the discourse of Gamaliell and say If this Reformation be of men the Clergie neede not to sell their demaines and consume their reuenues for the authorising of it for it will come to naught of it selfe but if it be of God the Clergy haue lesse reason to wast their goods to make warre against God S. Paul testifieth that abstinence from mariage is a doctrine of deuils I know there may be sundry cauilles alledged to blemish this matter howbeit it can not be so well scoured but there will remaine some filth It may be demanded why he calleth it a doctrine of deuils I answere because it is a doctrine repugnāt to God For God said It is not good that mā be alone speaking generally of all as well of the Clergie as of the laitie and the Pope thinketh it good that mā should be alone namely a Clergie man wherein he contrarieth God so did Satan contrarie God when he said You shall dye the death Againe mariage was ordeined for three causes whereof two were expressed in mans creation videl that woman might be a helper to man and for the generation of children The third cause doth S. Paule expresse saying that it is better to mary then to burne so shewing it to be a remedy against temptations I may therefore demande sith God gaue this law generally to all men why should the Clergie be depriued of a cōmon law For sith temptations are common they doe as much assault the Clergie as others and they being thus depriued of the common remedie must of necessitie fall and so is this a snare which the deuill hath set vp to cause them to stumble and a yoke that he hath layd vpon them vnder the pretence of holynesse Now if any will obiect the saying of S. Paule That he which marieth his daughter doth well but he that marieth her not doth better I aunswere that S. Paule in the same place saith Faciat quod vult non peccat si nubat which is let her do as she shall thinke good she sinneth not though she mary And proceeding in his purpose he saith That the father may keepe her a virgine it is to be meant If she will according to the former saying That she doe as she will This my version I authorise by S. Paule who saith that he speaketh not this to set a snare for to force the maydens will were as much as to set a share in her way and therefore I conclude thereupon that they which of voluntarie abstinence from mariage haue made a law binding the people to one of these extremities videl either to forbeare mariage or Ecclesiasticall functions haue set a snare and vndertaken more then S. Paule In summe we may see that the deuils erected this snare to cause the Clergie to fall thereat and thereof it commeth that S. Paule termeth abstinence from mariage a doctrine of deuils I speake of the Priestes vowed chastitie which is subiect to a law Euen at the Councell of Nice did the deuils endeuour to bring this their doctrine into the Church but Paphnutius withstood it and the Councell would not admit it whereof we gather that the Church vntill the Nicene Councell was free from those superstitions for the which we haue forsaken the Papacie And so I now say that if they meane to allow the Catholicke Religion they must procure it to be receaued in like forme as it was at the Councell of Nice The League laboureth to bring the yoke of the Tridentine Councell into France but we craue the libertie of the Nicene Coūcell that is the state of the Church may be such as it was from the time of the Apostles vntill the time of the Councell of Nice while there was neither Pope nor superstition S. Paule teacheth vs to pray in an intelligible language to the end the people may be edified whereof it followeth that Gods word and matters depending thereupon ought to edifie the people in that language which they vnderstand I doe omit many other particular points easie to be decided by such as can frame them selues to a desire of well doing AN APOLOGY FOR THE GENENERAL CAVSE OF REFORMATION against the sclanders of the Pope and the League THE II. TREATISE WE haue promised to feast our readers with diuers fruictes and in part of performance thereof haue hitherto set before them onely Instructiue and Theologicall fruictes It resteth now that we present them with fruicts Politicke admonitorie therein addressing our discours to the King and the Clergie after speaking of the Pope turning againe to the Catholicke people we will also entreat of the Reformed Princes against whom especially the Pope hath addressed his sclaunders and then of the Ministers and Reformed people The king hath promised yea sworne to driue all heretickes out of Fraunce It is a good vowe that his Maiestie hath made onely the question is to see who those be Now is it so that they be heretickes which erre in the principles of faith and so consequently they which haue reuolted from the faith are the heretickes The Pope mainteineth a doctrine contrarie to the Gospell which in
expresse words by the mouth of S. Peter yea and of Iesus Christ him selfe doth forbid the vsurping of dominion ouer the Lordes inheritaunce and the making of marchaundise of men or mens soules as the Reuelation calleth it and therefore he is an hereticke and in performance of the kinges vowe ought to be driuen out of Fraunce I say driuen out of France that is to say his dominion driuen out of France It is alledged that no hereticke ought to succeede to the crowne To this article may the king of Nauarre well subscribe for in him is not to be founde any one spot of heresie but it is a sclaunder of the Pope who lendeth him this charitie to the ende to weaken the partie of the Reformation and so to strengthen the League so strongly that it may ouerrule both king and commons and shut vp the king in some Couent of Charterhouse Monkes for to make one of the League a creature of the Popes and one of the king of Spaines PeÌ„sioners king and through him to trouble the whole state of Fraunce and abolish the priuiledges of the French Church For long hath the Pope longed to set in foot and many a day hath he begun to molest the French kinges now he shieldeth him selfe vnder pretence of Reformation but where was Reformation at the warres of Millan when the Popes did nothing but lay snares for the kinges of France in the behalfe of the Emperour and king of Spaine who so will peruse the remembraunces of Bellay shall therein finde examples enough yea now albeit the cause of the ReformatioÌ„ were not yet would he finde occasions to trouble the kinges of France and therefore it is an easie matter for him to finde that pretence thereby the more cunningly to compasse his driftes And had he euen set his foote vpon the kinges throate yet were it no newes for he hath done as much to the Emperour or had he thrust our king into some Monasterie yet should he not be the first either Emperour or King of Fraunce that the Popes haue couled Many times did I marueile why the Popes should accuse the Reformed Princes of heresie yea and all Reformation but hauing read the 12. Chapter of the Reuelation where it is said that the Dragon and old Serpent which is the deuill doe accuse our brethreÌ„ before God both day and night I was resolued for it is not vnnaturall for the child to imitate his fathers actions The king hath bene counsailed to permit but one ReligioÌ„ in France the counsell is good if it may be compassed by reason There be two wayes to atchieue it or at the least to try it for man purposeth but God disposeth The first is the same which the Turke vseth in mainteining of Mahometes law and that is the sword but this meanes is bloudy cruell and doubtfull for the blowes are to be deuided and he is assured of winning nothing but stripes yea and it is tyrannous whereof we conclude that the king will neuer take that course vnlesse he be forced by the League worke tyrannie against him selfe For this we know that by nature he is no tyraÌ„t so that if it come to that passe all Frenchmen in reason are to take armes to free the king from the tyrannie of the League Also to take away a schisme is to put out a fire with fire or with oyle But fire is neuer quenched with fire but with water that is the fire of schisme must be quenched with the water of reason which is stronger and standeth with more equitie then warre it selfe The other meanes is sure may be performed without bloudshed yea it is a Christian meane grounded vpon reason truth and godlynesse It consisteth in reiecting the yoke of the Spanish Inquisition and Councell of Trent propounded by the League restoring the Catholicke Religion to the libertie of the Nicene Councell free from the Pope and burthen of his superstitioÌ„s This course if the king would vndertake we should neuer neede to feare the League for albeit the League and Clergie would cut of all the faction of Reformation yet should not Reformation quayle for God vpholdeth it and for proofe hereof the experience of 30. yeares might suffise But if the king and Clergy would fauour the cause of Reformation the League would make no greater hast then to hide it selfe The Clergie may imagine that this can not be done without their hurt and losse in respect of diuers donations made vpon some abuse or superstitions and vnlawfull vse hereto I aunswere that it is not necessarie that that which hath bene giuen to an vnlawfull entent should therefore be taken away but rather conuerted to a better vse as were the 250. golden censers offered for a conspiracie by Cores confederates which were conuerted to a good vse vidâ—l to be turned into golden plates to be layd vpon the Lordes altar Euen so that hath bene giuen to pray for predecessours soules departed may be conuerted to instructions for successours suruiuers or to pray to God for them so should the Clergie encurre no losse But if the Clergie will not be content with so manifest reason but obstinately bending against the truth seeke our subuertion we will leaue them to trye in vayne how to root out Reformation and wast their reuenues for we know that in the end they shall be forced to come to it God can well enough reclaime them either of their owne accordes or by great punishments and therfore let vs suffer them to runne their race for when they haue runne well they must stay and yeeld thereto When a man hath a sute it helpeth much to doe his whole endeuour and to offer his aduersarie all iust and reasonable offers for by that meanes he may bring his aduersarie to reason and agreement he also cutteth of all sutes or els conuinceth his enemy of frowardnesse and so iustifying his cause enclineth the Iudge to fauour him Euen so we knowing that we are to deale with the great Iudge which is God also that we owe a duetic to our king doe seeke to finde out all meanes how to satisfie him with reason and to turne away his wrath which the Leaguers doe wrongfully kindle against vs and therefore we offer to the Catholikes so much as in right reason and equitie we may so as it is not our fault and we doe wash our handes of it before God and thus they are to see that in contemning the iust motions that we make and propound they disdaine not vs but the truth which is of God For if they haue any harme it is their owne fault and God will not punish them but vpon euident iust reason for their contumacie in that they would not obey his truth If a man inuiteth his friend to his table at dinner offereth him an apple to eate and it chaunceth a worme to be therein as sometimes it happeneth he will not vrge his friend to eate the worme with
ordinarily strōg but deuide it into three or foure small cordes and you may easily breake it euen so is it with the Pope he knoweth the whole power of France to be strong therefore seeketh to disunite and seuer them and to disperse them into foure or fiue factions One of the Reformed an other of their cōtraries an other the aduersaries to Salluces the fourth the League the fifth the King which doe withstand thē but the King may reunite to him selfe all his subiectes in his owne defence against strangers and withall soone recouer all that the League hath vsurped and so haue his reuenge for the game Thus may the king if he please see whether it is better for him to fauour the Reformed who are his faithfull seruaunts or the the Pope that is his secret enemie Moreouer I say that the League is a Popish conspiracie against the Crowne and state of Fraunce yet will I not say that all those of the League be conspirators for I am well assured there be many good men vnder the League who if they wist that the Pope had conspired against the King would renounce both Pope and League and be the first oppugners of the Papacie Others there are also which will waxe cold whē they see the League of so small effect or the case alter as vndoubtedly it will or else if they see the king determine to be maister so as it seemeth that no mā may well be adiudged a cōspirator against the king in fauour of the League before his Maiestie hath likewise declared that he taketh the League to be a conspiracie against him selfe and withall do prescribe a time for them to depart it within the which who so shall not renounce it but cōtinue therein shall be holden cōspirators against the crowne and state of Fraunce and withall pardon all such as shall depart therefrom It were also requisite vnder correction that the Clergie should denounce the Pope a schismatike for setting diuision in the state and therefore that his Maiestie prosecuting the steps of his auncesters predecessors Kings of Fraunce should make declaration of his intent to vphold and maintaine the French Church in her auncient priuileges together with the Pragmaticall Sanction amplifying the same and proclaiming the same French Church free from the Popes yoke and all consequences of Popery To the performing wherof that his Maiestie should also create one soueraigne Bishop in Fraunce Withall his Maiestie might maintaine the Catholique religion howbeit vnder the libertie of the French Church not vnder the Popes yoke who contrariwise should be denounced in respect of his secret malice an enemie to Fraunce besides his Maiestie should declare him selfe the maintainer of Catholique religion vnder the libertie of Gods law and of the primitiue Church and Councell of Nice This if it might please the King to do the state of Fraunce would be appeased and strengthened and the Pope astomed and the League set beside the sadle so as malgre all her endeuors she should be glad to quaile and so be driuen to vomit vp againe all that she hath deuoured yea how lowd so euer she be it would not be long but she would sing a lower note Neither wil I feare to auow let others thinke and perswade thē selues the contrary if they list that the King and Clergie must now of the two wayes choose one that is either to put them selues in the Popes mercie or to renounce the Papacie Now if he put him selfe in the Popes mercie their humanitie may be well enough knowen by the curtesie that the Pope shewed to Fredericke Barbarossa who referring him selfe to his mercie kneeled to him while Alexander IIII. then Pope with opprobrious speeches set his foote vpon his throate and nowe if the King should do the like the Pope would not put his foote vpon his throat but a Monkes coule ouer his head wherewith he hath bene long desirous to hood him or perhaps he might escape somewhat better cheape if he escaped as Frances Dandalus Duke of Venice did escape the excommunications of Clement V. which was by creeping through the hall vpon all fower with a halter about his necke For the Emperour Lewes IIII. cried Pope Iohn XXII mercie and asked him forgiuenesse which notwithstanding the Pope kept him prisoner in a chamber three yeares where in the ende he dyed miserably But now let vs see what the Popes excommunications are they are but conspiracies against princes as appeareth by the excommunication of Pope Cregorie VII who excommunicated the Emperour Henrie IIII. gaue the Imperiall Crowne to Rodolph Duke of Sueuia who died in the performance of the Popes conspiracie And as for the Popes wickednesse it appeareth in that by a Councell holden at Wormes and another at Basill an 1085. he was deposed from his Papacie as a sacrilegious person and disturber of the Empire It is also to be noted that this Gregorie procured the Saxons to reuolt against the Emperour and alienated his subiects from him yea euen his owne mother Pascal II. made Henrie V. to rebell against his father whom he kept prisoner in his towne of Liege where he caused him to be so hardly intreated that he died neither would the sayd Pascal suffer him to be buried Yet is it to be thought that he had no better ground then his predecessor who for the like doings was deposed from his Papacie What greater impietie can any man desire then this of the Popes who set the mother at debate with the Emperour her sonne armed the children against the Emperours their fathers Likewise Pope Gregorie the fourth caused the childrē of Lewes the Meeke so to cōspire against their father that they deteined him three yeares in a Cloister euē vntill that the French Nobilitie and Clergy withstanding them restored him and caused the children to aske their father forgiuenesse As much would the Pope now doe to our King but I hope our Nobilitie and Clergie withstāding will not permit it The vanitie of these excommunications and cōdemnations also appeareth in that one Pope or Councell releaseth them whom an other hath excommunicated and not onely so but also that some one Pope excommunicateth releaseth againe reexcōmunicateth some one Emperour as appeareth by Fredericke the second who was excommunicated released reexcōmunicated thrise And which is most of all to be noted Pope Adrian the fourth being corrupted with money giuen by William king of Sicill the Milaners other estates of Italie excommunicated the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa Thus are the Popes excommunications against Princes as saleable in the Popes shoppe as the pardons But what greater trecherie can we wish then was that of Pope Alexander who excommunicated the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa to the end to arme him against the Turkes and the whilest sent his liuely picture and letters to the Turke to procure him to be taken Afterward the Emperour seeking to be reuenged of this deede was by the same Pope