TO THE MOST GRAcious renowmed Christian King; IAMES by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King, defender of the true Catholique and Apostolique faith: All diuine, and celestiall graces, mercies, and blessings, be multiplyed from generation to generation, for euermore: Amen.
MOst Gratious, and renowmed Christian King, whereas the Papists, (who vsurpe the name of Catholiques) hauing posted vnto your Maiestie, to exhibite vnto your royall person a Supplication full of vntrueths: I one of the meanest of your Maiesties most humble and loyall subiects, mooued with zeale of the holy and vndoubted true religion, now professed in England; haue thought it not inconuenient (with your Graces fauour, which I humbly craue) to answer the chiefe and most materiall points of [Page]the saide supplication, because it tendeth to the greeuous slaunder of our late deceased Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth, and also of the noble and worshipfull personages of this your Graces Realme of England: and the rather, because I heare that some fauorites of the Romane religion, doe so highly extoll and aduance the learned and eloquent penning of the same, and the imaginary validity and force thereof, that they vaunt that it cannot be contradicted, yet doubt I not but that the plaine verity of this short aunswer will be of sufficient force to daunt their expectations, and to bewray their vntruthes, to their deserued discredit. The saide Supplication consisteth of feauen seuerall partes, as by perusall thereof may appeare.
1. The first part is their exordium, wherein they pretend faith and dutifull obedience, and loyaltie vnto your Maiestie, the which protestation I pray God they may effect in verity, in as effectuall and ample manner as they haue in flourishing and glosing shew of words professed the same. But I commit that to God who searcheth the harts and reynes, time trieth all things: nil fictum diuturnum essepotest.
2. In the second part they doe complaine that they were ouer-whelmed with greeuom persecutions, by the seuerity of our late deceased Queene: We doe not a little maruell that they blushed not to informe your Grace with so manifest vntruthes, [Page]if they supposed (as they in wordes pretend) that God hath blessed you with a wise and vnderstanding hart, rightly to discerne betweene truth and fashood: For I dare boldly affirme that they cannot prooue that any one receiued the sentence of death onely for professing the Romish religion, except treason were thereunto also annexed: And if it may please your most Gracious Maiestie to waigh in equall ballance the persecutions (to vse their owne wordes) they suffered either by imprisonment or fining by the purse, (wherewith verye fewe in comparison were touched) your highnesse shall vnderstand that their owne wilfull obstinacie, and not the Queenes Maiesties feueritie vrged the same; for whensoeuer it pleased them to resort to their parish churches vnto diuine prayers, they had present releasement both of their imprisonment, and also of their fines and fees: But seeing that their vniust exclamations inforce me to call to fresh remembrance the most sauage and brutish dealings of the Papists in Queene Maryes dayes, how they then dominered your highnesse cannot be ignorant: how vnmercifully did they torment vnto death the faithfull seruants and Saints of God, for professing the glorious Gospell of our redeemer Christ Iesus? Some they tormented with most sharpe and long imprisonment, some they whipped with roddes, some they secretly murthered in prison, but the greatest and generall number were sacryficed [Page]in the fire, in which kinde of torment they spared none, no not any degrees of persons, not so much as women great with childe, but tormented them to death, euen when the children did fall out of the mothers wombes into the fire, in the view of the Papists, who being past shame and grace, nothing regarded it. Yea such was their raging madnesse, that they digged vp the dead bones of those two godly and learned fathers Martin Bucer, and Paulus Phagius, and burned them in Cambridge: It is manifest vnto the world, that the Papists tortured to death, as graue, as wise, as vertuous, and as learned, and Catholike fathers, as Europe affordeth: Acts and Monuments. The records of these things are so manifest, so true, and so fresh in memorie (of many yet liuing) that they cannot bee contradicted. But to returne to our late deceased Queene, wheras the Papists doe vniustly charge her, that she was A grieuous persecutor of them, their assertion consisteth of contrarieties, for after the death of her brother King Edward, they vndelayedly persecuted her Grace: in the dayes of Queene Mary, they tossed her from prison to prison, threatning her with continuall death, so that she dayly expected the Axe to seuer her sacred head from her Princely shoulders: D. Sutcliffe in his reply to the Apo. pa. 84. and once a precept was giuen for the executing thereof, to the Lieutenant of the Towre, by the treacherous dealing of one of the Popes Gardiner Bishop of Winchester. minions (the bearing great sway in England,) in so much that if the Lieutenant of the [Page]Tower had not himselfe presently posted vnto the Court vnto the Queene her sister, to vnderstand certainly her pleasure therein, she had dyed before the Queene had beene acquainted therewith. But in processe of time, she by Gods prouidence beeing freed from that danger, and her selfe enioying the royall Crowne, Scepter, and dignitie of the Realme: did not the Pope deale with her as his predecessour did in former time deale with King Iohn? By his cursed Bul he cursed and excommunicated the aforesaid King, & interdicted the whole realme: So that for diuers yeares none were suffered to be Christianly buried: he charged all his subiects that none of them should releeue, helpe, or succour him by any meanes, eyther directly or indirectly, vpon paine of his curse: so that the rebellion of his nobles was so great that of force (to procure his peace) he was constrained to Stovves Chro: in the life of K. John. Page 255. and 256. resigne both the kingdomes of England and Ireland into the Popes hands, and did take it again of the Pope by fee farme, paying one thousand markes yearely for the fame. And euen the like he practised against our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth: But the sacred word of God had taught her subiects a better lesson of fidelity, & loyalty to their Prince, then to regard his vaine & wicked Bull which by his Felton. Stovves Chro: page 129. agents he caused to be hanged vpon the Bishop of London his gate. After this he instigated a mighty Prince (who is now dead and gone) to attempt his pretended inuincible [Page]inuation, and with his many fold forces vtterly to subuerte the flourishing state of this Realme, and to extirpate (if it had beene possible) the true worship of God. Moreouer also the Pope instigated Parry, Babington, & Lopez, and diuers others their confederates to conspire the Queenes vntimely death, he fent also his cursed brood of Iesuites and Seminaries (the firebrands of sedition in all kingdoms) to induce her subiects to rebellion: whereunto also the Pope (their vnholy father) added his yeerely curse at Rome with booke, bell, & candle: hereby may you plainely see and perceiue, that the Pope & Papists which pretend to be (but indeed desire rather to make) Martyrs, did continually persecute her Maiesty and sought all the meane that they possibly could to procure her vntimely death, yet shame they not to cry with open mouthes vnto your Maiesty that they were persecuted. As for our Queene, the only, omnipotent, wise, & all seeing God, preserued her frō all their bloudy practises, & gaue vnto her an happy, ioyful, & peaceable end, to his glory, her own and our comforts, & to their vnspeakable griefe & sorrow.
3. In the third part, this generation of vypers relate vnto the world their owne wicked and trecherous endeuors to induce some now liuing, to aspire vnto the royall dignity of this kingdome. O cursed Parasites and false harted Papists, cannot you be soliciters of mischiefe, but you must needes brag thereof; it argueth that discord and rebellion are [Page]the chiefest vertues (if I may so say) of your new and false Catholique Romish religion. But most gratious King, let vs praise and glorifie God, who hath so directed your godly proceedings by his holy spirit, and hath also giuen you wisedom and fortitude to relie vpon his diuine prouidence, who workerh all things for the best, to them that serue and loue him. And that it hath now pleased God to crowne your royal head with the crowns of these kingdoms of England, France and Ireland, it cannot be any wise imputed vnto the Papists, for they were (like traitors) wholy bent another waye, vntill they perceiued that their designes were in vaine, and their hopes frustrate. For no sooner had it pleased God to call vnto his mercie our gracious Queene (who at & before her death resigned vnto your highnesse, as vnto whome of right it appertained, the royal scepter of all her dominions) but that once her, now your most faithfull nobles, caused your rightfull title vnto all her kingdoms, to be by open proclamation published vnto the world, the vndoubted trueth of which your royall and lineall discent, together with the spirit of God working in their hearts to acknowledge the same, hath so vnited the harts and minds of all the nobilitie, clergy, and communalty of this land, that all (the Papists excepted) doe ioye to behold your royall face, and are ready to serue, honour, and obaye you, with their bodies and goods euen vnto death: The Lorde blesse and [Page]preserue you from the practises and conspiracies of the wicked Romanists (for surely they hate you in their harts because you professe the Gospell of Christ as your predecessor Queene Elizabeth did) who if (notwithstanding their flourishing shew of words) their wicked and desired expectations had bin effected, whē the general inuasion of this land was intended (your Maiesty knoweth by whom) neuer had your Grace inioyed the scepter of these kingdoms of England & Ireland, yes hardly (if they could haue effected the contrary) should you haue reteyned the kingdom of Scotland, which then (& now also God be thanked)you possesse quietly.
4. In the fourth part they do greeuously complaine of two euils that doe vex their harts: The first is, that this Realme of England is deuided into fourereligions, to wit, Protestants, Papists, Puritans, & Athists, ouer all which the Protestants did domineere all the raigne of our late disceased Queene: Thus much we do truely, to the glory of God confesse, that all such as did professe the sacred Scriptures, were protected first and principally by God, next by her Maiesty as an instrument from God, against the tyranny of the Pope, and all bloud-thirsty Papists; and that the Barrowistes (who may most iustly of all other among vs be termed Puritanes) as Iesuites which are the Popish Puritanes amongst them, and all Pharisaicall Iusticiares, together with all turbulent Athiest, (if any such be) which haue sprong vp in this flourishing time of the Gospell as euill weeds [Page]amongst good Corne, haue beene continually repelled by the preaching of the Gospell, by the wise, aduised and faithfull ministers and dispensers thereof in this kingdome. And we are fully assured that the said religion is so firmely established and founded vpon the sacred Scriptures, yea euen vpon Christ Iesus that sure rocke, and is so mightilie defended with the two-edged sworde that proceedeth from the mouth of God, which is able to cast downe strong holdes, and euery high thing that shall exalt it selfe against God and his true Church: that the gates of hell (that is to say, the Diuell himselfe, nor cursed Pope, Turke, Heretique, Infidel, Papist or Athiest) shall neuer be able to preuaile there-against so long as the world endureth. The second thing they complaine of is, that warres and bloudshed haue seldome ceased, Taskes and Subsidies neuer so many, discontented mindes innumerable Behold the children of the Diuell cannot but lye, for their father the Diuell hath beene a lyar from the beginning: How iniuriously doe they charge that blessed buried corpes whose spirite is inglory, with these vntruths? did not euery man sit vnder his owne Vine, and eate the labours of his hands quietly and peaceably without molestation, fortie and foure yeares and better to the great admiration of the worlde? See the Kings own testimony of her Maiesty in the latter end of the preface prefixed before the booke of instructions to his sonne. The words are these. But notwithstanding since there is a lawfull Queene there presently raigning, who hath so long, with so great wisedome and felicity gouerned her kingdoms, as (I must in true sincenty confesse) the like hath not bin red nor hard of either in our time, or since the dayes of the Romane Emperor Augustus, &c. If it please [Page]your gratious Maiestie to peruse the Chroncicles, you shall finde, that no King nor Queene before her time hath euer gouerned this realme in so godly peace and Christian vnity, so long time protecting it most: miraculously against the tyrrannie of the Pope, and all other forraine and domesticall enemies. Moreouer, her Maiestie hath beene a nourishing mother, and a louing Neighbour vnto diuers Princes, countries and states about her (as their consciences can witnesse) and their ingratitude cannot but acknowledge, if not requite, and gratiously protected she the distressed people from the bloudy tyrannie of their implacable, insolent, and cruel enemies. Yet hath she resigned her Kingdomes vnto your Gratious Maiestie in such state as your owne eyes doe now and long may behold, and the world doth admire. And no doubt, but as the Protestants haue beene faithfull vnto her, so will they also be vnto your Maiestie: wherefore let all faithfull Christians, extoll, praise and magnifie, the omnipotent and onely wise God, who hath waged his battels by hir hand, being (in the respect of her sex) a poore Grashopper (in mans iudgement) against all the enemies of his sacred Church, as he waged battell against Pharao and all his hoast, with an armie of Grashoppers: And therefore let the Papists cease to publish so great vntrueth, redounding vnto their owne perpetuall shame and discredit for euer.
5. In the fift part, they make their humble sute [Page]vnto your Grace, that they may obtaine freedom to vse the Romish religion freely without molestatiō, though not openly, yet secretly, alledging two reasons: the first is, that because they be restrained of that liberty, your kingdomes is abhorred of all kingdomes that professe the Romish Religion. The second reason is, that it would bee a ioyfull thing to all the said Kingdomes, to graunt them their said sutes. And to the end to induce your Grace to graunt their requests, they alledge two arguments. The first is, that the now French King yeelding to the Papists to secure the vse of the Romish religion, they honored him with these venerable titles, Pater patriae, et pacis restitutor. If it be true that he now deserueth these honorable titles, why then since that time hath not that honorable King been freed from the dangerous conspiracie of the Papists, who haue diuers times since sought to murder him? If it please your renowmed Maiesty to peruse the trecheries of the Papists, you shall find that they haue greater murdering harts then cursed Caine, who murdered his own brother. For to omitte the many and continuall treasons and conspiracies of the Papists against our disceased Queene, did not a gracelesse Monke poison King Iohn? did not a cursed Friar of France murder with a poysoned Pen-knife the last diseased French King? In vita Pii quintí. did not the Bishops, Monkes, Friars & Iesuites of Spaine, cause the kings eldest sonne of Spaine to be murdered, in letting him blood? did not the Papists of France vrge the King of France to cōmit [Page]a tragicall Butcherly massacre at Paris, in poysoning the Queene of Nauarre, and in a brutish butcherly order to murder the most part of the peerlesse Nobilitie in France, their wiues and children, with a great number of the common people in diuerse parts of his realme: So that in one yeare by one meanes and others, they did massacre a hundred thousand, as by their owne histories it doth appeare. But why should I stay vpon recitall of particularities? doth not the bloudy Inquisitiō at this day testifie, that this tyrannie is still continued in Spaine, in Rome, and amongst other their confederates? Beholde the fruites of the professors of the Romish Religion.
The second argument is drawne from the graue and wise counsell of Salomons Counsellors vnto Roboham ( si loquaris eis bona verba, &c.) This Text is as rightly alledged, as the deuill alledged the Scripture vnto our Sauiour Iesus Christ, when he tempted him: for there was no request made vn. to Roboham as concerning religion, but onely for a mitigation of greeuous exactions. And the Counsell of Salomons counsellors in that behalfe, was both wise, right, and good.
But in causes of religion, O most renowmed King, let the sacred Scriptures be your direction, and preferre them before and aboue all worldly policies, royalties, dignities, and honours whatsoeuer: for therein consisteth your true honor, your true wisedome, your true authoritie, and royall [Page]dignitie. Moses teacheth from the mouth of God, Deutero: the 15. chapter & 6. verse. that if thy brother the sonne of thy mother, or thy owne sonne, or the daughter of thy wife that lyeth in thy bosome, or thy friend that is as thy soule, shall intise thee secretly, saying, Let vs goe serue other gods: thou shalt not consent to him, nor heare him, neither shall thy eye pittie him, nor shew mercie, nor keepe him secret: but thou shalt kill him, thy hand shall be first vpon him to put him to death. And our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath assured vs, that if we confesse him before men, he will confesse vs before his heauenly Father. And if we denie him before men, he will denie vs before his heauenly father. And whosoeuer loueth Father or Mother, brother or sister, wife or children, or any worldly honour, riches, dignitie, or regalitie, more then him, is not worthy of him: for we cannot serue two Maisters, for we shall eyther loue the one and hate the other, or els we shall hate the one and loue the other. And to this effect serueth the perswasion of Eliha vnto the Israelites, If God be God, serue him, &c. Therefore let the feare of God and his sacred word, be your direction; Let it be a Lanthorne to your feete, and a light vnto your pathes, that God may bee with you and blesse you in all your actions. And then (as the Apostle saith) If God bee on your side, who can be against you? But if God be against you, who can bee with you? For most gracious King, if all the Kings and Potentates in the world [Page]did loue, fauour, and honour you, what is it to the purpose if God be against you? And therefore the Lord blesse you with his grace and holy spirite, that no wordly thing may seperate you from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesu our Lord, Amen.
6. In the sixt part they imploy their wittes to perswade your most gracious Maiesty, that their religion is venerable for antiquity, constant for continuance, irreprehensible for doctrine, inducing to all vertue and piety, maintained by the first Christian Emperours, sealed with the bloud of millions of Martyrs, &c. We doe not a little maruell that they be not ashamed to auouch so great vntruthes. But it is truely said (amisso pudore omnis virtus ruit) for if their ascertions were true, why hath one Pope caused the dead corpes of his predecessor to be digged out of his graue and to be dismembred, and haue condemned him for an heretique, and all his workes for heresie? And the next successor hath ratified the first dismembred Pope to be good and Catholique, and all his workes Catholique: wee must needs be here in a Labyrinth, not knowing how to iudge which is the Catholique Pope: the condemnor, or the condemned, haue not some Popes beene condemned and depriued by generall counsels? hath there not beene two Popes at once, and sometimes three, and euery one hath cursed other, and excommunicated others, and fought bloudy battelles [Page]one against another, to the disturbance of all Christendome, and the shedding of the bloud of many thousand Christians? And he that was the valiantest tyrant, was the most religious Pope. But to let them passe; let vs remember Constantine the Emperour, who first endowed the Pope with stately reuenewes: But in his dayes where was their holy Bread, and holy Water? where were their pardons of free remission of sinnes, both veniall and deadly? (soulde now for money throughout Christendome to redeeme soules out of purgatory) where was their Ladies Chappell, their Ladyes Masses, their pilgrimages to Saint Iames of Compostella, &c? Where was their praying to Saintes? Where was their diabollicall authority to depriue Kings and Emperours of their Kingdomes, and to dispose of them at their free will and pleasure? Where was the supremacie of the Pope vniuersally ouer all Realmes, Kings, and Emperours, and ouer all degrees of persons spirituall and temporall? but it hath beene since great honour for an Emperour to leade the Popes horse by the bridle, and for a King to hould his stirrope, yea for an Emperour to be a foote-stoole to the Pope to treade on when hee went vpon his horse: This Luciferian pride was not heard off in Constantines time, nor long since: and as for the religion that was professed in those dayes and [Page]long before Constantines time, it was the same religion that we in England doe now professe. And it is for certaine that the Heathenish and Infidell Emperours, both long before Constantines dayes, and long since, did persecute the now professed religion in England, and that it was sealed with the bloud of many Martyrs, adorned with the vertues of many thousand confessors, beautified with the bloud of the pure and Immaculate virgins: neither were the Bishops of Rome in those dayes, freed from the said persecutions. But when Infidell Emperours by Gods diuine prouidence ceased their tyranny; Then the Luciferian Popes by degrees and steps climing the highest staffe of the ladder of pride, did so farre exceed in haughtinesse of hart, insolencie, and tyranny, that they first did shake off the lawfull authoritie of Emperours in the electing and admitting the Pope, and then presently after, they did domineere and tyrannise ouer Emperours, Kings, and all degrees of persons spirituall and temporall, so that it is to be doubted whether the heathenish Emperours in their time, or the irreligious Popes in their time haue persecuted and tormented to death the greater number of faithfull Christians and the Saints of God. It is superfluous to rehearse the stories of these things, seeing they be recorded in all Ecclesiasticall Histories, and in the Chronicles of all kingdomes: And wee are perswaded that your grace hath both seene and read the Historie of [Page]these bloudy tragedies: But of late time the Pope hath beene well plumed tof his borrowed fethers, and his Luciferian pride somewhat depressed: Yet, if the Papists will so be content, we will ioyne with them to procure that a Generall and free Counsell may be held in Christendome, wherevnto both Papists and Protestantes may freelie repaire, that thereby the Church of Christ may haue peace, and the ignorant may be confirmed in the true faith: and to this purpose hath one of our learned Diuines offered himselfe to dispute with any Papists whosoeuer (and many other will doe the like) so that his person may be secured red from perrill. D: Sutcliffe in the reply to The vvoord. pag. 43. This I pray God that it may be effected, and that he that is the true God may be worshipped of all, and that Baall may be vtterly forgotten, that all Christian kingdomes agreeing in true doctrine and sinceere truth may ioyntlie acknowledge one veritie, one faith, one baptisme, one religion, and one onely God in Trinity, and Trinitie in Vnity, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, Amen.
7. In the seuenth and last part they make a sollemne profession before God and his holy Angels, of as loyall, as obedient, and immaculate allegiance to your Grace, at euer did faithfull subiects in Scotland or England vnto your progenitors, and intend sincerely and truely with goods and liues to serue your Grace, for confirmation wherof they confesse merite in obeying, and demerite in disobeying, and [Page]therfore cannot but in soule be greeuously tormented for the least preuarication: This protestation is indeed with a flourishing shew of good words, let the fruites of their obediences trie the veritie thereof: where was the fruites of their obediences in the dayes of their annointed Queene now deceased that they may haue merite for it? These Romanists haue sugered wordes, but their harts be full of deadly poyson, for although they be a generation of vypers, yet they can change their shape into an Angel of light, to deceiue the very elect, if it were possible. The world cā testifie that the manifoulde treasons and conspiracies of the Papists, were sufficient testimonies of their demerit: And if they must needes be tormented in soule and conscience for their least preuarication, needs must thousāds of their soules and consciences be tormented for their many treasons & conspiracies, against their late annointed Queene now deceased. But whatsoeuer they professe in wordes, it is impossible so long as they professe the Romish religion to bee faithful subiects vnto your grace, for this is a maxime in the minds of most papists, fides non est seruā da cum hereticis, & we are sure that the Pope hath censured al Protestant Princes for heretickes, and their religion for heresie: Therefore whatsoeuer they professe in wordes, they cannot serue God and the deuill, neither can they truely serue and obaye you and the Pope: (Two so great contrarieties cannot concur in one subiect) And thus [Page]I conclude, praying to God (as our bounden dutie requireth) that of his great goodnesse, he will vouchsafe to blesse, preserue, and defend your royall maiestie, our noble Queene, and all your Princely Children, from all your enemies both forraine and domesticall, spirituall and temporall, and from the treasons and conspiracies of all Romanists: That your sacred Maiestie and your posterity, may liue and raigne ouer vs in the feare of God, and to his honour and glory, in regall dignity, happy prosperitie, godly peace and vnity, and that after this life, you may haue celestiall felicitie in the life to come for euermore, Amen.