Howe Catholike Religion was vniustlye sup­pressed by Queene Elizabeth, not one Spi­rituall person hauing voyce in Parlamente consenting: no disputation or ordinarie defence thereof permitted to the Catholike Bishoppes and Cleargie: and their duetifull loyaltie not­withstanding their pietie honoured by their pro­testant enemies.

IN THE first yeare and Parlamente of Queene Elizabeth, when our aunciente holy Catholike Religion was so vnholily, and irreligiously suppressed, and the new Prote­stant maner and fashion, by her authoritie re­ceaued, as partly before remembred, from our Protestant Histories, and will by them more amplie be declared hereafter: All the Catho­like Bishops of England then liuing, so farre opposed against it, that as a Protestant Anti­quarie relateth, obseruing the willfull and [Page 23] indirect proceedings of her, and some few of her secret Councellours, and aduisers in that so importunat businesse, far aboue the compasse, calling, and correction of a yong woman, and laye men, diuers of them vrged to proceede to excommunicate that Queene at that time. ( Cambd. Annal in Elizab. p 37. But others which preuailed, aduised to reserue it to the Pope of Rome: And they all ioyntly contradicted that innouation, and then and there offered as all protestant historians agree (Stowe and Howes hist. an. 1. Eliz. Holinsh. hist. of Engl. Ibid. Theater of Brit an. 1. Elizab. Cambd. in Annal. supr.) publickly to defend and maintaine by disputation, against all aduersaries whatsoeuer, their holy professiō and religion, and to that purpose assigned and appointed these disputants: The then Bishop of Winchester, the Bishop of Lichfielde, the Bishop of Chester, the Bishop of Carlile, who had crowned her, the Bishop of Lincolne, Doctor Cole, Doctor Harpesfield, Doctor Langdal, and Doctor Chadsey.

But that protestāt Q. & her fauorites know­ing the weaknes of their cause to be such, and how their chiefest champiōs had bene not long before in publike schooles at Oxford, in the time of Queene Marie so shamefully conuin­ced, by some of these Catholikes, that they were hissed by the learned Auditors, durst not ioyne with thē in tryal ( Foxe in Q. Mary, Crā. &c. But the Parlamēt begining on or about the 23. of Ianuary, they had so prepared their way before, [Page 24] that almost in the beginning of that Parlamēt, they obtained their purpose, for the receauing their new Religion, and effected that in the very first Acte or law of that Parlament ( Statut. an. 1. Eliz. cap. 2.) and would neuer harken to any mo­tion, or petition for disputation, vntill the laste day of March ( Stowe, Howes, Holinsh. & supr.) al­most two moneths after they had thus vtterly excluded the Popes authoritie, and the catho­tholike religion, vsed and practised here in this kingdome, euer since the time of Pope Eluthe­rius, and King Lucius, as the catholikes offered in Parlament to maintaine, fourteene hundred yeares togeather, without interruption ( Feckh. orat. 1. Elizab.) and publicke Masse and seruice of [...]he church to haue bene here so long, celebra­ted in the latine tongue. And would not then condiscend to any disputation at all, except the catholikes would accept, (to write in Prote­stants words; That Baconus in Theologicis parum versatus, pontificus in festissimus, & ordinis v [...]ndex, tanquam iudex praesideret: Bacon ( a lay man) vn­skilful in diuinitie most infestuous enemy to Papists, and persecutor of their order, should be iudge (Cam­den Annal. pag. 27.)

And if we may beleeue the present protestant Archbishop, the director of M. Francis Mason in their booke of consecration, among so many es­sentiall matters controuersed betweene the Protestants and vs, they would not dispute any one at all, but onelie three, concerning some ce­remonies. [Page 25] ( Fr. Mason in praef. of their booke of con­secrat. and pag. 103.) 1. about common prayer in the Latine or vulgar tongue. 2. Of the power of Chur­ches to change ceremonies. The third and last; whe­ther communion was to be ministred in both kindes: and the triall of these three ceremonies to be made by a fourth most strange ceremonie, in di­sputation, onely to be put in writing, within two daies warning at the most, vnum & alterum diem de quaestionibus praemoniti; as your Antiquarie writeth, and deliuered to their said offensiue enemy, Sir Francis Bacon ( Cambden annal. pag. 27.) A thing so ridiculous and vnequal in the iudge­ment of all learned and wise men, that if it had bene offered before Catholike religion was there condemned, it could not in conscience, ei­ther by those learned Bishops and Doctors, or the most learned that euer were in the Church of Christ; nor by the holy Apostles themselues if they had then and there bene, be accepted.

Yet Queene Elizabeth and her aduisers in this, notwithstanding that she had in open Par­lament before, as before is testified by our Pro­testant writers ( Howes historicall preface in Q. Elizabeth.) openly pronounced that shee would ne­uer vexe or trouble the Romane Catholikes, concer­ning any difference in Religion: in that very parla­ment, where she spake these wordes, and made that promise, proceeded to cruell penalties, a­gainst those Romane Catholikes; all our holie Bishops were depriued, imprisoned, or exiled: [Page 26] ( Stow histor. an. 1. Eliz. Holinsh. ibid. Cambden An­nal. an. 1. Elizab. Theatre of Brit. an. 1. Eliz. &c.) So were all other Ecclesiasticall persons that would not doe, as pleased her. Great forfaitures and punishments were imposed vpon all, that should heare Masse, or not be present at the new deuised seruice, ( Parl. an. 1. Eliz. cap. 1.2.) praemunire losse of landes goods, and perpetual imprisonment, and losse of life also, with note of Treason to them, that should denie that su­preame spirituall power to be in her, which many Protestants and learned both then and at this time said, and say, she was incapable of. All which notwithstāding that most worthy clear­gie in exile, and prisons at home, so caried them­selues in all ciuill dutie to that Queene, that they are in that respect recommended and ho­nored by their greatest Protestant aduersaries and persecutors; and for learning and pietie dignified and exalted more by theirs and our enemies, then euer any Protestant Bishops or Ministers, which inuaded their holy places since that time. ( Protest. def. of English Iustice. Godwine Catal, in those Bish. Camden in Annal.) But of this strange innouation of Religion by Q. Elizabeth, I shall write more largely from these Protestants hereafter.

The vertue, learning, and dutiful loyaltie of the Se­minarie or secular (as some name them) Priestes which came after into England, the vniust perse­cution of them, and catholikes here, and their most christian and religious offers and behauiour.

AFter Q. Elizabeth had by profane deuises & inuētions of some few irreligeous coū ­cellors, suppressed the auntient catholike religiō of this nation, by such sinister proceedings, as are before insinuated, & to the wonder of the chri­stian world, orbe christiano mirante, as this Prote­stant chiefest antiquarie truely noteth ( Cambden Ann. p. 39.) for the vncōscionable maner, & effe­cting herof: though she had in opē Parlamēt, as befor protested, neuer to vexe or trouble the Roman Catholikes, cōcerning any differēce in Religiō (Hows historical praeface in Q. Elizabeth) yet being assu­red, as the truth was, by her pauculi intimi, her very few secret friends (Cambd. supr.) that except she became a persecutor, against her faith & pro­mise so publikely, and lately giuen, & so ioyne craft and violence together, the weaknes of her cause was such, and the learning and conuersa­tion of life, of those her Protestant ministers, whom she must imploy in this busines, so vne­quall, and inferiour to the Catholike Bishops, and Cleargie of England, that no hope of such succe [...]e as they sought could bee, except these holie and worthie men were depriued, impri­soned, banished, or vtterly one way or other, [Page 28] put to silence, in such maner, that after their deathes, our most sacred order of Priesthood, which had continued in this nation here, in honor and glorie, from S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles, as we haue made demonstrance in other places, might vtterly and for euer be a­bolished and extinguished, as these fewe secrete friends of those designements open Antipriests, or Antichristians (for the Religion of Christ, cannot be without the Priests of Christs) plot­ted and hoped to effect. Your principall prote­testant Antiquarie, thus relateth that cruel Tra­gedie. ( Camden in Annalib. pag. 36.)

Parlamento dimisso, ex eiusdem authoritate, Epi­scopis pontificijs & alijs ecclesiasticae professionis iu­ramentum suprematus proponitur. Quotquot iurare abnuerunt, beneficijs, dignitatibus exuuntur, 80. re­ctores ecclesiarum. 50. prebendarij, 15. praesides Colle­giorum, Archidiaconi. 12. totidem decani. 6. Abbates & Abbatissae, & episcopi 14. Omnes qui tunc sede­runt, praeter vnum Antonium Landauensem, sedis suae calamitatem.

The Parlament being ended, by the autho­ritie therof, the oath of the Queenes supreama­cie was proposed to the popish Bishops, and all Ecclesiasticall persons, as many as refused to sweare, were depriued of their benefices, digni­ties, and Bishoprickes. 80. Rulers of Churches, 50. Prebendaries. 15. Masters of Colledges, 12. Archdeacons. 12. Deanes. 6. Abbots, and Abba­ses, and 14. Bishops; all that then remained [Page 29] except one Anthony Bishop of Landaffe, the ca­lamitie of his See. These Bishops inferiour in vertue and learning to none in Europe, as your Protestants acknowledge ( Mason lib. 3. consecrat. c. 1. pag. 100. Cambd. in Annal. sup. Stowe histor. an. 1. Eliz. Holinsh. hist. of Engl. 16.) thus deposed and imprisoned, and there to languish to death, they thought none could suruyue to consecrate anie more priestes for England: and all rulers of our Colledges in our (then renowned) Vniuersities thus expelled, that would not forsweare them­selues in such a sacrilidgeous manner, they thought themselues assured, we could haue no succession of Catholike students here to enter into that holy priestly order.

But, non est consilium contra Dominum, there is no counsayle against our Lord. The prophane craft and wylinesse of a few wicked men, ioy­ned with a womans spiritual supreamacie, was too weake to oppose and battaile against the heauenly wisdome and will of God. For a very small number, and those of the meanest then, of our glorious Cleargie, transporting themselues to Catholike nations, and by such poore meanes as they could procure, liueing in collegiall di­scipline and order at Doway in Flaunders, where our common happie and spirituall Nurse and Mother is, haue so wounderfull and far beyond the reach of your protestant polycies and strate­gems, to the honour of God, and his holy cause, against you, multiplied and encreased, that the [Page 30] number and glory of our renowned publike­ly stiled writers, which in this time haue come from thence, giueth not place to anye age, since our firste conuersion to Christe (Pits. de virg. illustrib. Brit. aetate 16.17.) our holye Martirs violently put to death by your Edictes, and proceedings ( Stowe histor. in Henric. 8. Elizabeth. & Iacob. Catalog. martyr. sub Henric. 8. Elizab. & Iacob. 1.5.) exceede the number, & are not exceeded in glorie by any, that histo­ries amonge vs remember, or whose me­mories by iniquitie of times are not remai­ning, except the nouenius persecution, duringe but nine yeares (Gyldas de excid.) ours nine­times as longe) vnder Dioclesian the tyrant. The Religious men of our Nation, all the spi­rituall Children of that Mother, are nowe possessours of manye Religious Colledges, and Monasteries, vnder Catholike princes, and some of them in England, with so many of ours, are enrolled in the Catologue of glori­ous martyrs, and a great number here stil work­ing in this holy labour with vs. And if to en­ter into scholes with your best learned, wee needed their assistance, wee doubt not, but di­uers of them are both wel able, and also readie to assist vs.

But wee haue euer bene so far from either needing or requiring it, of them, that when you gaue vs the greatest hopes of disputa­tion, wee neuer sent for any of our owne re- [...]enowned [Page 31] professors lyuing in forraine nati­ons: But as true Priests of England are the suc­cessors of Saint Peter the glorious Apostle, and his holie Disciples in this Nation, by a con­tinued and neuer yett interrupted Hierar­chicall succession to this daye, as we will iu­stifie against your best antiquaries, and diuines; and firste after our Bishops by you depriued, imprisoned, and persecuted, vndertooke this quarrell of God in hande against you, and gayned many soules to Christ; and for no crueltie or persecutions you raysed, or ex­agerated against them, coulde at any time be forced to forsake that holie combate, they had vndertaken: But as true Pastors they ad­uentured, and gaue their liues for the sheepe of our highest shepheard and redeemer: so to the hazard of the honour of Catholike Re­ligion, if Protestants could haue put them to foyle, in all these miseries and afflictions, de­stitute of bookes, conference and harbour, of­tentimes to hide their heades, they were euer readie to offer, and entreate for tryall, with vnequall conditions; and so vnequall and preiudiciall to the disputante Priestes, and Catholickes of Englande, that except they had beene so confidente in their cause, that they could not be ouercome, and the Pro­testant Bishops and Doctors compleately fur­nished and prouided of all thinges requisite to such a conflicte, if their quarrell were [Page 32] iust, had not bene desperatly diffident in these matters; neither might the Catholikes in con­science haue made those suits and offers, or these protestants without damnable shame haue re­fused them: as the petitions themselues will be euerlasting witnesse to the world.

And when the protestant state of England had in aboue twenty of the first yeares of Q. Elizabeth, afflicted vs with many miseries, and had put many of our renowned and best learned priests, M. Sherwine, Foord, and others, to whom they durst not graunt priuate disputation (in the Tower itselfe though neuer so secret) vniustly to cruell death: and had vsed M. Campion, the glorie of that Societie in England, in such mea­sure, neuer allowing him to defende his owne written booke, though neuer so priuatly, vntill by tortures and rackes they had al-most depri­ued him of his life; and after with many of our learned and holy priests, did depriue him there­of; had banished M. Heywood, and M. Parsons had forsaken England, the three prime English Iesuits of that time; And no other religious man either of that, or any other order, but onely priests being here; and of them aboue thirtie in prisō in the Tower, Marshalsea, Kings-bench and other places: About which time, the 27. yeare of her raigne, Queene Elizabeth was so vnmindfull of her promise made in her first par­lament before remembred, that by degrees shee clambred vp, to the heighest pitch of persecu­tion, [Page 33] against her Catholike subiects, that she im­posed twenty poundes for euery moneth ab­sence, frō that her new seruice (Parl. of Q. Eliz. tit. Recusancy) at which to haue bene present, had bene damnable sinne and heresie, frō our first conuersiō to Christ, vntil the yeare of K. Edward the sixt a child, both by the lawes of the whole Catholike Church, and of this kingdome.

And not content with this, proceeded to that contempt of the Priestly dignity of our most blessed Sauiour and Redeemer, his holy Apo­stles, and all holy Bishops, and Priests since their time; that she intended to make it treason; and al that willingly receaued such men (as Christ our Sauiour commandeth all men to do) vnder a great woe and penaltie of losse of libertie, lands, goods, and life also, which she after enacted for a law in that Parlament. Whereupon, and for preuention of so vnchristian proceedings, the chiefest catholikes of this nation, with the con­sent and directiō of their learned secular Priests, then onely here remaining (and no religious men being at that time, or diuers yeares after in England) humbly prefered to that Queene, in her Parlament time, when shee decreed that bloody edict, this most christian, and more then equall petition, following word by word.

The Parlaments vniust proceeding against Priestes and Catholiks, and persecution without all cause by their owne iudgements.

HItherto the petition of the Catholikes of England penned by the reuerend Priests in that time, and by their assent presented to Queene Elizabeth, and to her handes deliuered by M. Shelly, in the 27. yeare of her raigne, as she walked in her Parke at Greenewich, and at the time of the Parlament then holdē, by which Parlament, all English men made Priests since the feast of the natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist, in the first yeare of her raigne, were made Tray­tors, and the receiuers of them fellons. The same M. Shelly for his presuming to deliuer it vnto that Queene, not acquainting her priuie Councell there-with before, and for no o­ther cause, as hee often protested, was by Sir Francis Walsingham then chiefe Secre­tarie, committed close prisoner to the Mar­shallsey, where he dyed; which was the summe of the answere made vnto this most humble and religious petition, which notwithstanding, that Queene and her Parlament then procee­ded in making that cruell Lawe, as commonly the Protestants since haue presumed: Although M. Robert Apreece of Washingly in Hunting­tonshire lately deceased, and in his life, a wor­thy Confessor, did often affirme before diuers & [Page 46] credible witnesses, approuing it againe not three weekes before his death in the presence of many, being thereof of purpose demanded, that the Earle of Kent which then was, and present in that Parlament, did constantly affirme that Queene Elizabeth did not confirme that sta­tue, but said I' a visera, which disabled it to be a lawe.

He testified further, God is called to witnes of this true relation, that a gentlemā named M. Hambdon, at that time gentleman vsher of Brome­ley, then L. Chancellour, and present when the Queene came to allowe or disallow the lawes, then entreated, and assuredly iustified to the same M. Apreece, and diuers other gentlemen as­sembled togeather at a supper that very daye, that this Bill was not passed by the Queenes consent, but she said as the Earle before affir­med; and that giueth more strength for this to be so. The same M. Apreece confirmed vpon his owne knowledge, that this statute was not put in the written copie or Catalogue of the lawes that passed in that Parlament, & was diuulged, and so continued a fourtnight together in com­mon acceptance, without contradiction.

But howsoeuer the trueth of this is, most true, and too true it was and is, that by onely pretence of such a lawe, many holy and worthy Priestes haue bene most cruelly put to death, and most grieuous afflictions raysed and prose­cuted against the Catholikes of England by that [Page 47] onely warrant. Yet this Queene sometime be­fore her death, or at least some of her priuie Councell gaue some hope of a mittigation, thinking perhaps that after her death, his ma­iestie that nowe is, being vndoubtedly by his true and most lawfull right to succeede, could no be so well pleased to finde the Catholikes of England, which had endured so much for their constant defence of the most vnquestiona­ble tytle of him and his holy mother, to be so grieuously afflicted by the Protestants estate of this kingdome which had not bene so friendly and fauourably vnto it. Therefore some hopes were giuen to the Archpriest of England then, that his Priestes should at the laste haue dispu­tation with their Bishops and Doctors; and this was so credibly related and denounced vn­to him, that two seuerall times he sommoned & appoynted foure of his learned Priests to vnder­goe that combate. His assigned disputants were these: D. VVeston. D. Smyth. D. Tho. Wright, and M. Richard Broughton. Three of these also hee appoynted to despute, D. Smith, M. Wright and M. Broughton at the Parlament in K. Iames his time, when the new oath was enacted, and for the fourth assigned Doctor Bishop.

And to confirme further this relenting dispo­sition in that Queene, and the wisest of her counsell, besides that which is written before, those Priestes whom hee that writeth for the new oath vnder the name of M. Roger Widdring­ton [Page 48] doeth vntruely challenge for his opinion, as both their late Apologie to the contrary, the martirdome of some of them for onely refusing it (as namely M. Robert Drury) and the confes­sion and acknowledgment of that author him­selfe vpon certaine knowledge doe testifie, they still iustifie that the councell of Q. Elizabeth promised quietnes and tolleration, vpon Priests acknowledgement of temporal obedience vnto her, which none denyed: and this was the mo­tiue as these Priestes haue often protested (for I am none of them) that they were willing to yeeld so much as their spiritual bond and dutie to the See Apostolik which they except, would permit to Queene Elizabeth then their Soue­raigne.

Neither can wee without great aspersion of dishonour, and all hope of all kinde of peniten­cie in that princesse be of other minde. For ha­uing publickly so protested in parlament, neuer to vexe or trouble anye Romane Catholike for matter of Religion, her case (euen by protestants iudgement, not to persecute for Re­ligion) should be too desperate by their owne proceedings, especially if we a little reflect vpō that, which all the christian world can witnesse both for priests and Catholikes, and our prote­stant histories themselus thus deliuer vnto vs in these wordes: Elizabeth succeeded her sister, & began her raigne with so generall applause, as her sister did, by reason the Cleargie, the No­bilitie, [Page 49] and most of the commons were Romane Catholikes, who neuerthelesse, although they knew her full determination, was to alter their setled course in Religion, yet they all with one consent being set in the Parlament house, when the certaine newes was brought thē of Queene Maries death, they acknowledged her imme­diate right, and presently declared the same by diuers Proclamations, and forth-with prepared themselues to performe their homage and feal­tie, which shee gratiously accepted. ( Howes Historical preface in Queene Elizabeth. Stowes Historie. anno 1. Elizabeth. Cambden in apparal. Annal.)

Thus these Protestant historians, and these renowned Bishops, Priests and Catholiks were so far from raysing the least resistance against her, when as we see they might easily haue kept her from being Queene, if they would haue pro­ceeded as Protestants vse to do, that those holy Bishops, as your greatest Protestant antiquarie writeth ( Cambden annal. pag. 27.) though they both thought Queene Elizabeth at that time to deserue the censure of Excommunication, and that they had power and authoritie to inflict it on her, yet they refrayned to doe it, leaste by that meanes the people and subiects of En­gland would take armes against her, and so de­pose her, being by them excommunicated. And thus tender of this Queenes safety and quiet (though after excommunicate, and for her birth [Page 50] by our Protestant historians and statutes them­selues not in the best estate, were all Priests of England, after that not onely at that time of the statute against them, they were all most free and innocent, as is iustified in the petition before, & confirmed by our Protestant historians, which cannot charge any one Priest of those dayes with temporall disobedience; but euer after continued in the same dutie and loyaltie, not a­ny one accused of the contrarie, except they wil instance in M. Ballard, for the businesse of the Queene of Scotland, and her sonne his Maiestie that now raigneth, and long and happely may he raigne amongst vs, which we thinke for their dutie they owe to our Soueraigne and King Iames, Protestants should not be hastie to vrge: and if they should, and that matter were as the Protestants then pretended, yet but one Priest in 44. yeares, seruing for their purpose, they may now acknowledge how vnequal and vn­iust a thing it was, to condemne so venerable & heigh a function, generally for so an heynous offence, when they finde none guiltie by their owne proceedings.

And this innocencie of Priestes was that, which in those latter dayes of Q. Elizabeth so inforced that Queene and her councel, so cun­ningly as they could with their politike reputa­tion, not to be altogether contrary to them­selues, and not ingeniously acknowledge the wrongs and iniuries they had offered and done [Page 51] to that sacred vocation, to stay the fury, and mit­tigate the rage of their former persecution, by occasion whereof, and Priestes prooued thus innocēt, diuers religious men, which spareingly before (as those of the Societie) or not at all (as the Monkes of the order of S. Benedict, had vi­sited England) resorted hither in some numbers in those latter dayes of that Queene. And thus much of the honor and loyaltie of Priests, and vndeniable trueth of the Religion they taught in her time.

Howe the Priestes and Catholikes of England, ne­uer deserued the least persecution or affliction, vnder our Soueraigne King Iames, but rather fauour, honour, and reuerence.

NOW let vs come to the time of our dread leige and Soueraigne King Iames: as the world well knoweth, the affection and dutifull loue of the Priests and Catholikes of England toward his Maiesties right and most vndoubted true title to this kingdome, in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth, yet euer perfor­ming due obedience vnto her, was not inferi­our to the best Protestants of this nation: so it pleased his Maiestie without any exception of Priest or Papist, generally to speake in publike Parlament of this whole Iland. I am the husband, and all the whole Ile is my lawful wife: I am the head, and it is my bodie: I am the Sheepheard, and it [Page 52] is my flocke (King Iames parl. 1. sess. 1.) He therefore accounteth vs poore members of this his wife, his bodie, & flocke, for being but one husband, head and shepheard, he hath but one wise, body and flocke by that relation. And at his entrance hither, by his regall testimonie, wee that be priestes and Catholikes applauded and embra­ced it with as great ioy and alacritie, as those that were Protestants, and of his Religion, as they pretende: his Maiestie tearmeth it ( sess. 1. supr. parl. 1.) a ioy full and general applause, and vn­expected readines of our deserts, memorable resolu­tion, most wonderfull coniunction, and harmonie of our hearts, in declaring and embraceing our vn­doubted King and gouernour at his first entrie into this kingdome, the people of all sortes rid and ran, other flew to meete him; their eyes flaming nothing but sparkles of affection, their mouthes and tongues vttering nothing but sounds of ioye, their hearts, feete, and all the rest of their members in their ge­stures, discouering a passionate longing, and earne­stnes to meete and embrace, their new Soueraigne.

Thus it pleased him to embrace vs in gene­rall, as his most louing and dutifull subiects: and in particular thus he pittied our former af­flictions, and intended to mitigate and relieue them: my minde (saith he) was euer free from per­secution or thralling my subiectes in matters of conscience. (King Iames in Parlament) therefore of himselfe he did not thinke vs worthie to be persecuted or inthralled, but rather light­ned [Page 53] of those miseries, as his next wordes a warrant: I was so far from encreasing their bur­dens with Roboam, as I haue so much, as either time occasion, or lawe could permit, lightned them. And in his censure against Conradus Vorstius the Dutch heretike, recounting the differences betweene protestants and vs, hee findeth not one for which we may be persecuted, but the contrary.

At his comming in, he set the Catholikes and Priestes at libertie, gaue free pardons vn­to all of them, both priests and others, that would sue them foorth, and paye foure or fiue Nobles at the moste for them to the Lorde Chancellour: In those pardons, hee remitted both the guilt and danger from priesthood, and much more then any of vs had transgres­sed in, he stiled vs as our dignities, discentes, or callings were, gentlemen, priestes, or of what degree, dignitie, or preeminence soeuer he were, his belooued subiects: which wordes and state are incompatible wtth the name of Treason: in those pardons hee pardoned whatsoeuer could be in any rigour interpreted to be within the daunger of that Lawe, both our comming into England, and abyding and remayninge heere: so that by pardon being dead, they can­not possiblie be reuiued, because the graunt is irreuocable. Our comming in, was but one indiuiall acte and offence in Lawe, and so re­mitted, cannot be offence: our continuance, [Page 54] and remayning so long as we doe not reiterate it againe, by going foorth, and comming in the second time, is also but one particular, singular, and indiuidual action, without discontinuance, one ens fluens, as all such not interrupted be: an hower, a daye, a weeke, a moneth, a yeare, a life, an age, and the like. This all philosophie, & common reason (whereon our common law is, and must be founded) teacheth vs. Thus diuers protestāt, & good lawyers haue answered: thus his Maiestie esteemed, when hearing of a priest named M. Freeman, put to death for his priest­hood, by the Iudges of Warwicke, soone after his Maiesties comming hither, with signe of sorrow answered: Alas poore man, had he not foure nobles to buye his pardon: by which he conclu­ded, that a priest being pardoned for his priest­hood, could not after for being a priest be put to death, or tearmed a traytour, or indanger his friends and receauers, but was a free and lawfull true subiect, from that imputation. His Maiestie also allowed the times of Constantine for times of true Religion, and the Roman Church then, and after, to be the true, & our mother Church, and not to be departed from.

Then wee may not so vnder-value the lear­ning and iudgement of our learned and Soue­raigne in diuinitie, and histories, but he well knoweth (which no learned man is ignorant of) that in the time of Constantine, the Church of Rome had the same holy sacrifice of Masse, [Page 53] and the same holy sacrifycing priesthood, which now it hath, which I will hereafter demon­strate by the best learned protestant antiquaries of this nation, as also that the Church of Rome at the reuolt of King Henry the 8. was the same in all essential things, which it was in that pre­fixed time of Constantine; And to be liberal to my needy protestant contrymen in this case, I say, that the Church of Rome, & the Religion of the Priests of England, their priesthood, and sa­crifice of the Masse, is the same which were in Rome, and in this Iland also in S. Peters time, & in euery age without interruption since then, vnto these dayes of Protestants. And if we may beleeue Isaac Casaubon, the stipendarie cham­pion for the Protestants of England, who saith, ab ore regis accepi, and haec est Religio Regis An­gliae, &c. (Isaac Casaubon contra Cardinal Pe­ron. Pag. 50.51.52.) I haue it from the Kings mouth, this is the Religion of the King, this is the Religion of the Church of England: The fathers of the Prima­tiue church did acknowledge one sacrifice in chri­stian Religion, that succeeded in the place of the sa­crifice of Moses. The sacrifice offered by Priests, is Christs bodie and the same obiect, and thing, which the Romane Church beleeueth.

These and such things troubled the heads of some great Protestant persecutors in England, (their consciences being guiltie of some-what not good) that they coulde not enduer the least clemency of his Maiestie towards his loy­all [Page 56] and truest catholike subiects, but olde stra­tagems and tragedies of Queene Elizabeths time, must needes be renewed and playde a­gaine, to bring not only the Catholikes of En­gland, but their holy religion (if possiblie it could be done) into obloquie, especiallie with his gra­tious Maiestie: and thereupon an execrable and most damnable treacherie by gunpowder was to be inuented, for a few wicked & desperatly minded men to doe, whom many protestants tearmed papists; although the true Priests and Catholikes of England knew them not to bee such, nor can any protestant truely say, that any one of them was such a one, as their lawes and proceedings against vs, name Papists, Popish recusants, or the like. What he was, papist or protestant, rich or poore, noble or vnnoble, of Courte or countrey, that was inuentor of this horrible deuise, I will not discusse, but referre all indifferently minded men, and of iudgement able to discerne the probable trueth in such a cause, to the historie and circumstances thereof, as they are set downe by the Protestant histo­rian, M. Ed. Hows ( histor. of Engl. in King Iames.)

But to graunt to our Protestant persecutors, for arguments sake (that which I may not) and they will as hardly proue, that this wicked in­terprise was first inuented by Catesby, and some of his consorts, and that diuers of them were papists, and had acquaintance with the chiefe Iesuite then in England, who at least in confes­sion [Page 57] knew of this conspiracie, & did not reueale it: that there were foure of this cōpanie arraig­ned for the conspiracie, three gentlemē (though two of these, Fauxe and Keyes were but seruing men) as the fourth, Thomas Bates styled yeomā. that one Knight and three Esquires concealed it, of which the Knight was so ignorant, that as the Protestant relator of this matter saith, at his death he spake these wordes ( Howes supr. in Sir Edward Digby) If he had knowne it first to haue bene so fowle a treason, he would not haue concea­led it, to haue gayned a world: Which he could not haue truely said, if he had knowne it in par­ticular, & in it selfe a most horrible damnable thing; and the rest as this author writeth, dyed penitent; and besought all Catholikes, neuer to attempt such a bloodie acte, being a course which God did neuer fauour nor prosper. Those that were vp in tumult with Catesby, were (as the Prote­stants relateth (Howes supr.) neuer full fourscore strong, besides many of their houshold seruants (no doubt papists if their maisters were so) forsooke them how erlie: yet they diuulged many detestable vntruths against the king & state, omitting no scandal which they thought might serue their traiterous purpose, & that they were assembled and prepared to some special seruice, for the aduancement of the catholike cause, hoping thereby to haue drawne into their rebellion, those of that religion, & other wilful malecontents:

And to make euident, it was rather a madde desperat attempt of one priuate kindred, or [Page 58] acquaintance, then of any religion. Thus it is creedibly recounted by them that knew their discents (for I was a stranger to them all) Catesby and Tresham were sisters children; the two Graunts brethren, and the elder intermarryed with Winters sister, calling his eldest sonne Win­ter Graunt: the Winters Grandmother, was si­ster to the Grādmother of Catesby & Treshame, and so they were kinsmen. Yorke, and the Win­ters sisters children, by the Englebies: the two Wrytes long time dependers of Catesby, and their sister married to Percy: Catesby, Tresham, T. Winter, two Wrights and Graunt were in Essex rebellion. All these were yong except Percy, who gaue the Pistoll to his Maister the olde Earle of Northumberland in the Tower: And if any of these were Catholikes, or so dyed, they were knowne Protestants not long before, and neuer frequenters of Catholike Sacramentes with any Priest as I could euer learne: & as all the Protestant courts will witnesse, not one of them a conuicted or knowne Catholike or re­cusant. And of all these remembred of that con­spiracie or acquainted with it, the L. Mounteagle, now L. Morley, who disclosed it, was most no­ted to be a Catholike, as his Ladie and Childrē were.

Therefore seeing (as the Protestants haue te­stified) no Catholikes could by any deuise, be drawne into this matter, not one among so ma­ny hundreth, or thousands of knowne Catho­likes [Page 59] priuie vnto it, but detesting it when it was knowne, the Archpriest by writing condemning it presently when he vnderstood it, all his Priests abhorring it, & euery one of thē with the Arch­priests warrant, and the consent of the chiefest Catholikes in England, and all they in their pe­titions hereafter condemning it for a most hor­rible offence ( Archpriest letter of prohibit. Author of moderat answ. epist. dedicat. to the king. Catho­liks petitions to the parlament and chiefe Secretary) And not one either Prieste or knowne Catho­like, with all those strickt and diligent searches and examinations then made by the pro­testant state about it, was either prooued, or pro­bablie suspected to be guiltie of it: but so farre freede, that the Lords of the Councel, requested that a Priest should be appoynted to perswade and assure Fauxe (a chiefe agent in it) that he was bound in conscience to vtter what he could of that conspiracie, and M. Tho. Write a learned Priest did hereupon come to the councell, and offer his best seruice herein, and had a warrant to that purpose subsigned with 12. priuie Coun­cellors hands, which he shewed vnto me, and I am witnesse of his hauing such a warrant. But as he said, Fauxe had confessed all they could wish before he could come vnto him, so that no man of conscience can, or will thinke, but gene­rally al the Priestes and Catholikes of England did rather deserue fauour, honour, and enfran­chisement, from all afflictions, for their moste [Page 60] religious, and holy seruing of God, and as loyal obedient and dutiful trueth, alleageance and fi­delitie to our protestant King and countrey, then the least disfauour for this practise.

For if the Priestes and Catholikes so manie thousands in England would haue entertayned it, no man can be so malicious, and simple to thinke, but there would haue bene a greater as­semblie then fourescore, to take such an action in hand; and the councell could not be so win­king eyed, but they would haue found foorth some one or other culpable, which they could neuer doe, though some of them most powrea­ble in it, tentered and racked forth their enuie and hatred against vs, to the vttermost limites they could extend. To confirme this our inno­cencie, the kings Maiestie in his second procla­mation against that wickednesse, calleth all the confederates, men of lewde insolent disposition, and for the most part of desperate estate (Proclamat. 2. against Percy, &c. an. 1605.) and in his third Pro­clamation, when they were all discouered and knowne, thus he proclaimeth and publisheth: (Procl. 3. an. eod. 1605.) It appeareth now in part who were the complices in this detestable Treason, publi­shed by our former proclamations, in their assembling together, to mooue our people to rebellion, although perhaps many of them did neuer vnderstande the secrete of his (Percies) abhominable purpose. Where wee plainely see, that the King and his coun­sell then knew the complices, and partakers of [Page 61] that villanie, yet they neuer taxed any Priest, or knowne catholike therewith.

And it further proueth, that they which ioy­ned therein knew not the practise in particular, neither durst the workers of it disclose it to thē, least for the vilenes of it, they would haue reie­cted or reuealed it, as al true Catholiks would haue done. And his Maiestie in publicke parla­ment, doth free Catholikes as much as Pro­testants in this inuention, when hee plainelie saith (as trueth is) if it had taken effect, Prote­stants and Papists should haue all gone awaye, and perished together (Kings speath parl. an. 1605.) And to demonstrate from his maiesties publike acte, that Priestes and catholikes were as inno­cent as Protestants, and as the Kings Maiestie himselfe, of this, and all such vilenesse, hee declareth by Proclamation ( Proclamat. die 7. No­uembr. an. 1605) We are by good experience so well perswaded, of the loyaltie of diuers subiectes (of the Romane religion) that they doe as much abhorre this detestable conspiracie, as our selfe, and will be rea­die to doe their best endeauours, though with ex­pence of their blood, to suppresse al attempters against our safetie, and the quiet of our estate, & to discouer whomsoeuer they shall suspect to be of rebellious or trayterous disposition. Thus his maiestie by good experience hath publickly pronounced.

And though I am no Iesuit, yet religiō, iustice & charitie draw my pen to write thus much, for the supposed guiltines of M. Garnet, superior of [Page 62] Iesuits here at that time, we haue but the pro­testants affirmation, and him denying it, and we haue from the same protestants, that which ra­ther iustifyeth his denial, then their affirmatiō: for they published his examination before the Councell, wherein they set downe his opinion ( H. Garnets examination before the Councel. anno 1605.) That the Pope could not depose the king, and they adde his reason thus; because the King was neuer subiect to the Pope; which reason I doe not examine, but thus iustifie, that if in his opini­on, the pope could not depose the king; and the king was neuer subiect to the pope, then the pope could not licence any man, supposed a Catholike, so to proceed; for himselfe could not by this his opinion so doe, much lesse any papist by his allowance: and if the king was neuer sub­iect to the pope, he could neuer be subiect to a­ny papist, the popes and his owne subiect. And whereas the protestants condemne some other Iesuits for this matter, and among them Father Baldwyne, yet hauing him prisoner diuers years, vnder their strictest examination, they at last dis­missed him as innocent and guiltlesse therein, & that with honour. And how-so-euer the case stood with the accused Iesuites, we are euidētly taught by these greatest authorities, that both priests and catholikes were vpon this pretence most vniustly persecuted; although besides all these reasons, wee by publicke consent both of Archpriest, best learned cleargie and Catholikes, [Page 63] presented and offered to maintaine our cause & innocencie in these humble petitions: and first to his maiestie in this maner.

These two petitions were printed and presented to his Maiestie in the Parlament, when the new oath was enacted, and the foure remembred Priests appointed by the Arch-priest then to performe that chal­lenge or petition; likewise at the same time was presented to the Parlament, by the handes of Sir Francis Hastings, and Sir Richard Knightly, two Puritanes of that Parlament, from the chiefe Catholikes of England, with the allowance of the Arch­priest, and his cleargie; this petition fol­lowing to the same purpose.

[Page 82]An other also of the like tenure, which here ensueth, was then with the same assent subscribed with 23. handes of the chiefest Ca­tholike gentlemen of England, and presented to the chiefe Secretarie of estate, potent in those times in court and councell, and as the Catho­likes then feared, not equally effected towards them, though neuer so innocent and wel-de­seruing, who was one of them who with other of the councell declared to diuers of these gen­tlemen (as they confidently reported vpon their reputation) that the Kings pleasure was they should paye no more the penaltie of twentie pounds a month for their recusancie; and after when hee had perswaded his maiestie to the contrarie, denyed his former assertion, of the releace thereof, although the gentlemen most sincere and iuste, still insisted and maintayned that this messadge was so deliuered vnto them: which also the then Earle of Northampton, L. Henry Howard, did freely confesse & acknow­ledge to be most true. And the same Catholiks were more then iealous, that this practise of cōspiracie was no great secret to that Secretary, long before diuers of them that were actors in it, and by him named Catholikes, were acquain­ted with it. We may not enter into iudgement, where men are not defamed of such inuenti­ons, to entrappe those they doe not affect: for the rest, let M. Howes his historie of that mat­ter make relation who it was, a great protestant [Page 83] that had more, or not much inferiour knowe ledge of it by his relation, then some that wer-put to death for concealing it. But howsoeuer, the petition followeth in these tearmes.

[Page 88]All these petitions being presented accor­ding to their titles at that time, though the two first to his Maiestie were printed, and the booke after his maner answered by D. Norton a Pro­testant Bishoppe, yet he neuer tooke notise of either of those petitions, or any one sentence of them: and the Parlament was as silent, for that presented vnto it. Onely this Secretaty was so much distasted with the gentlemen that sub­signed it, that hee tolde M. Anthony Skinner, who presented it vnto him, that if they were present, he would set them all by the heeles, a punishment for rogues, & not for men of their worth and reputation. There was no other an­swere made to these petitions, but onely this, the oath was enacted, and after prosecuted with such violence as the world can witnesse, such accompt and regarde hath bene made of our miserie by these Protestants.

Whether any reformatiō may be found in the preten­ded reformers of religion for Catholikes to fol­low. And first of King Henry the 8. with whome neither Catholikes nor Protestants now ioyne in Religion.

NOW, seeing if we be in errour, we can­not possible by all meanes we can work, procure that the learned protestant bishops, and doctors, who haue controlled all the christian world in their secret assemblies, will vndertake [Page 89] to instruct a few Priests of England, but suffer in their proceedings many thousandes of Ca­tholikes by this meanes to be tyrannized ouer both in bodies and soules: let vs returne to the first founders of this religion in England. The father King Henry the 8. his yong sonne and daughter, and see if wee can finde any motiue in their proceedings to mooue vs from our er­ror, if we be in error. And first to begin with the first, the father in this new Religion, and spiri­tuall power, all Protestant antiquaries, Foxe, Parker, Stowe, Holinshed, Cambden, Howes, and the rest entreating of this matter assure vs, both that King Henrie the 8. and his fit instrument Cranmer, for a cleargie man, were the principall and first actors in this Tragedie ( Foxe tom. 2. in Henr. 8, and Cranmar. Parker antiq. Brit. in Cranm. Stow hist. in Henr. 8. Holinsh. ibi. Theater of great Brit [...]in eod. Howes historial praef. Cambd. praef. hist. Eliz. &c.) and the occasion King Henry tooke to make his reuolt from the Church of Rome, because the pope would not consent for his putting away his wife Queene Katherine, that holie Ladie of Spayne. For before that time, king Henry was so obedient a childe to the Sea, and Religion of Rome, that by the pen of the blessed Bishop Fisher (whom hee after put to death, for denyal of his assumpted Supreamacy) in his owne name he defended them against the scurrilous bookes of Martin Luther: and was for that stiled by the Pope, Defensor fidei, defendor of [Page 90] the faith (Henr. 8. l. cont. Luther) which his Maie­stie King Iames still vseth by vertue of that do­nation.

One of late among the rest, with greatest warrant, speaking of this his first reuoult, hath these wordes (Hovves historicall praeface to his Hist. in Henry 8.) This was done after the king was deuorced from Catherine of Spaine, his first wife, with whom he had liued aboue twenty yeares, and by her had fiue children. The cleargie nor parlamēt notwithstanding the Kings importunitie would ne­uer yeelde to the diuorce, by reason they could not finde any iust cause. The King made Cranmar Arch­bishop of Canterbury, who was very apt, and ready to performe the Kings will, and he denounced the sentence of diuorce. Then the King, contrary to the good liking of all men, marryed Anne Bulleyne, by whom he had the Ladie Elizabeth. And then by acte of Parlament, made it treason against all men, that should say the marriage was not lawful. And pre­sently after her birth, he pickt a quarrell against Queene Anne, and then repealed the former acte, & made a new acte of Parlament, whereby it was en­acted, that it should be heigh treason, for any to iu­stifie his former marriage to be lawfull, and the next day after her behedding, he marryed her hand-maid, Iane Seymor, and then declared the Ladie Eliza­beth to be illegitimate. Thus word by word this Protestant historian: Then by this, & such like proceedings, as first bringing the cleargie into danger of Premunire, threats, importunities, and [Page 91] such practises, as these Protestants tel vs (Parker, Stow, Hollinshed, Theater, vt supr.) procuring the title of Supremacie to himselfe in matters ec­clesiasticall.

This Protestant antiquarie thus proceedeth in this Kings proceedings: The king obtained the Ecclesiasticall supremacie into his particular posses­sion, and therewithal had power giuen him by parla­ment, to suruey & reforme the abuses of al Religious houses & parsons. But the King because he would go the next way to worke, ouerthrew them, and razed them. Whereat many the Peeres and common people murmured, because they expected, that the abuses should haue bene onely reformed, and the rest haue still remained. The general plausible proiect, which caused the Parlaments consent vnto the reformation, or alteration of the Monasteries, was that the Kings exchequer should for euer be enriched, the Kingdome and nobilitie strengthened and encreased, and the common subiectes acquitted and freed from all for­mer seruices and taxes: to witte, that the Abbots, Monkes, Friers, and Nunnes being suppressed, that then in their places should be created fourty Earles. threescore Barons, and three thousand Knights, and fourtie thousand souldiers, with skilfull captaines, and competent maintenance for them for euer, out of the antient church-reuenewes, so as in so doing, the King and his successors should neuer want of trea­sure of their owne, nor haue cause to be beholding to the common subiect, neither should the people be any more charged with loanes, subsidies and fifteenes, [Page 92] since which time there haue bene more statute laws, subsidies, and fifteenes, then in fiue hundred yeares before, and not long after that, the King had subsi­dies granted, and borrowed great sommes of money, and dyed in debt, and the forenamed religious houses were vtterly ruinate, whereat the cleargy, peeres, and cōmon people, were all sore grieued, but could not helpe it. He also supprest the knights of the Rhodes, and many faire hospitals. This was done after the king was diuorced from Catherine of Spaine his first wife. He began his raigne prodigally, reigned rigorously, liued proudly, and dyed distemperatly. Through feare and terrour he obtained an acte of Parlament, to dispose of the right of successiō in the Crowne, and then by his last will and testament con­trary to the law of God and nature, conueyes it from the lawful heyres of his eldest Sister, marryed to the king of Scotland, vnto the heires of Charles Bran­don and others, thereby to haue defeated preuented, and suppressed the vnquestionable, and immediate right from God, of our gratious Soueraigne king Iames. At his death he was much perplexed, and spake many things to great purpose, but being in­constant in his life, none durst trust him at his death. Thus your Protestant historian hath described this first protestant supreame head of the church in England.

They that desire more knowledge of him, may resort to his owne statutes, the Protestant Theater of Britanie, Sir Walter Raleigh his pre­face to his historie of the world: and a booke [Page 93] of the tyrants of the world, published by the Protestants of Basile, where they may find him a supreame head among them ( statut. Henr. 8. ab an. Regni 21. Theater of Brit. in Henr. 8. Walter Ral. histor. of the world. praef. lib. of Tyran. Basil.) And his ghostly father Cranmer his chiefe instrumēt in those moste execrable sinnes, for a Cleargie man was not inferiour vnto him. Hee was as your first protestantly ordained Archbishoppe Parker in his life, with others witnesseth, both the mooued and moouing instrument of this king, in this, and many other his wicked desig­nements. Hee was of all the Religions of King Henry the 8. & Edward the 6. He diuers times swore to the Pope, and was forsworne: Hee swore to King Henry the 8. and was forsworne, when he swore otherwise to king Edward his sonne, and was publickly prooued a periured man: he was a chiefe executor of king Henrie the 8. his will, and within 24. houres of his death, a chiefe breaker thereof. He was a conti­nued felon vnto him in his life, married against his lawes, making it felony in such men: hee was for chastitie, to my reading the first, last, and onely trigamus, a Bishoppe, husband of three wiues in the world. He counterfeited the hands and seales of 50. conuocation men, and among the rest of the blessed martyr, Bishop Fisher. He gaue chiefe consent, and swore, that Edwarde the 6. a childe of nine yeares old, was supreame head of the Church, had al iurisdiction spiritual [Page 94] in himselfe (Parker antiq. Britan. in Cranmer. Foxe tom. 2. in Cranmer. Stow histor. in Har. 8. Holinsh. Hist. of Engl. ibid. Theater of great Britanie in K. Henr. Godwyne Catalogue of Bishops in Canterbu­rie in Tho. Cranmer. Stow, Holinsh, Theater, Foxe, and others in Q. Marie. and Edw. the 6. Harpesfield, in the life of B. Fisher) and all that Cranmar had he receaued from him, yea your Protestants wit­nesse, by the Protestant Confessions themselues of Heluetia, Bohemia, Belgia, Augusta, Wittenberge, and Swe, that boyes could not take or giue such power. (Th. Rogers pag. 140. artic. 23. Confess. Hel­uet. Bohem. Belg. August. Wittenb. &c.)

If any thing now controuersied, defended & sworne vnto, can make a man an heretike, Crā ­mar professing and swearing vnto them all, was an hereticke and traytor to God: If conspiracie, open hostilitie, and rebellion to his true and lawfull prince, Queene Marie, doth make a man a traytor to his Soueraigne: If to be hissed in the publicke schooles of Oxford, in publike dispu­tation, after all these changes doth conuince a man, vndertaking so many matters, to be a man vnworthie and ignorant: If to recant heresie, & fall to it againe, putteth a man in case of relapse of heresie, all these thinges be written of this Archbishop, Archactor, Architector, Arch-here­ticke, Arch-traytor, Arch-periured & prophane wretch of your Religion, by your owne writers here cited, and were publickly to the eternal in­famie of that vnhappie and gracelesse man, and [Page 95] his followers therein, prooued against him. Therefore, although King Henry the eight did rather differ from the Church of Rome in mat­ter of Iurisdiction spiritual (by his claymed Su­premacie) as your protestants testifie, and his lawes are witnesses ( Stow histor. in. Henr. 8. Ho­linsh. and Theator ibid. statut of K. Henrie 8. &c.) thē any way in matter of doctrine, Catholiks can­not in conscience by your Protestants, ioyne either with him, or you therein, beeing the first (as they haue assured vs) that euer claymed it in this kingdome; and procuring it in so vile & vnlawful maner, as your historians haue decla­red; and practizing it to his wanton and ambiti­ous ende, against his owne conscience. For al the foundatiōs of our Religious houses being pro re­medio animarū, to say Masse & pray for their posteri­tie for euer. For the honor of God, the most blessed Vir­gin, and other Saints, as all our antiquities giue warrant to write: he in all his life time cōtinued in these doctrines, and at his death in his last will and testament, protested himselfe to con­tinue in that opinion ( Bed. Henric. Hunt. Guliel. Malmesb. Roger. Houeden. Matth. West. Flor. Wigor. Camb. Stow. Holinsq. Theator, &c.) And for the supremacie it selfe (as hath bene prooued in the time of Queene Elizabeth, and your protestant historian, hath sufficiently insinuated) he recan­ted it ( Booke intituled, Lesters common wealth) your Protestants wordes of him these be: At his death he was much perplexed, & spake many things [Page 96] to great purpose, but being vnconstant in his life, none durst trust him at his death (Howes super. hist. preface in Henry 8.) which relation from a prote­stant writer, can carrie no other construction. And I take God to witnesse, I haue heard my father (then liuing in Courte) often make rela­tion, that this king Henry the 8. at his death, was sorie for his taking that title of supremacie vp­pon him, was willing to relinquish it, and la­boured to be reconciled to the Church of Rome, promising if he liued, so far as he could to make restitution. But being demanded of him pre­sently to take order therein, he was preuented by death, and dyed with such burthen and hor­ror of cōscience, as chanceth in such cases: which this Protestant before aymeth at, when he saith, he was much perplexed, and spake many thinges to great purpose. Therefore the Catholikes of En­gland, are rather confirmed by this king, then weakned by him, in profession of their holie faith.

And though in his life he persecuted and put to death many renowned Catholikes, for deniall of his supremacie, and sacramentary Pro­testants (such as those in England now are) for heretikes, yet he neuer recalled this second, as he did the first, neither made any new lawe, by which they were put to death, but left their triall to the auntient Canons of the Catholike Church; yet put those Catholikes to death only by pretence of his new inacted Edict of his su­premacie, [Page 81] neuer heard of in England before, as Protestant antiquaries haue tolde vs. Therefore this first supreame head of religion in England, in all things confirmeth the religion of Catho­likes, and condemneth that of Protestants: and this the more if we adde from your Protestant historians, how fraudulently, or rather forcebly he obtained his first colourable tytle to that his spirituall supremacie, by which he kept such turbulēt sturres in this kingdome. A Protestant historian and an Esquire by state, as he stileth himselfe, thus relateth it. William Martine Esq. in histor. of Henr. 8. pag. 388.389.

Cardinal Wolsey being dead, the King by his Councel was informed, that all the cleargie of En­gland was guiltie of premunire: because in al things they supported and maintained the authoritie, and power legatine of the Cardinal: wherefore to preuent mischiefe, before it fell vpon them, they gaue to the King for their redemption, and for their pardon, the somme of one hundreth thousand pounds, and by a publicke instrument in writing, subscribed, and sea­led by the Bishops and fathers of the Church; they acknowledged the King within his owne kingdomes and dominions, to be supreame head of the Church. Thus vniustly he procured that vnlawful prero­gatiue, & more vniustly as before, made his wic­ked vse therof. I neede proceede no further in his proceedings, for they ar dead with him: the pre­sent protestant state, as his owne childrē before, by lawes and Parlaments condemne them; all [Page 82] Protestants in the worlde reiect them, and hee himselfe before his death (by the most manerly fashion he could) refused his title of suprema­cie, in which he most differed from the church of Rome, as I haue brought Protestant witnes­ses before: therefore Catholiks are rather con­firmed, then weakned in their religion, by the proceedings of this King.

That English catholikes cannot be perswaded vnto, but much disswaded from Protestant Religion, by the Protestant proceedings in the time of King Edward the 6.

NOW let vs come to the next temporall rule, that claymed supremacie in spiritual matters in England: King Edward the 6. he was but 9. yeares olde, when this charge was layed vpon him, yet he was elleuen yeares olde, whē your religion was first borne in this nation, in the second or third yeare of his raigne, as all lawes and histories of that time giue recorde. ( Parl. 2. & 3. Edw. 6. Stow hist. in Edw. 6. Holinsh. Theater, and others ibid.) So this childe begot it, and his sister Q Elizabeth nursed it. We knowe for shame you will not tye vs, to the censure of an infant king; then you must appeale to those that instructed, and directed him in so great a businesse, These were temporall, and spirituall, and chiefly those that were of councell, and had sworne otherwise to King Henry the 8. [Page 83] during his life, liued in his Religion, and after his death continued the same vnder this yong king in his beginning and first Parlament ( Parl. 1. of Edw. 6. Stow. Holinsh. & in k. Edw. 6.) were executors of the last will and testament of king Henry the eight, in which concerning matters of trust in religion, they truely executed no­thing at all: but in the exheredation of his Ma­iesties holy Mother and himselfe, as much as they could they executed it ( Howes historial pre­face supr. Stow, Holinsh. Theater, & in Q. Marie & Edward. 6.

The chiefest of these for spiritual men was Cranmer their Archbishop, and the rest of the Bishops of that time that were not Catholikes, of which we finde but two, onely Hooper and Ferrar put to death for their Religiō by Queene Marie: For Cranmer, Ridlie, and Latimer were condemned for treason ( Foxe tome. 2. Monumen. in Q. Marie. Godwyne Catalogue of Bishops of K. Ed­wards time.) and what can we accompt of the re­ligion of these two, changing their profession so often with king Henry and K. Edward? and Ferrar (to vse your Bishops wordes) was thrust out of the Bishoppricke, in the beginning of Queene Marie, for being married, and ended his life in the fyer: more for being desperate how to liue, then for loue of Religion, so far as we can gather. ( Godwyn in S. Daudis 79. Robert Ferrar) The o­ther, Hooper (Godwyn in Worcester. 75. Glocester. 2. Iohn Hooper) a man of such conscience, as your [Page 84] Bishop writeth, that being made Bishop by the childe king anno 1550. Bishop of Glocester held also the Bishopricke of Worcester in commendam by li­cence of King Edward the sixt; this is his com­mendation. The rest that fled not the Realme for treason (which were not of your Protestant religion, but Puritanes in forraine countries) were depriued in England for being married, which by no Religion Bishops might doe: such were Bush of Bristow, Harley of Hereford, Hol­gate of Yorke and others that became Catho­likes (Godwyn in Brist. Heref. Yorke, &c.) Couer­dale was set at libertie by Q. Marie, and of so small esteeme with you in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth her raigne, that no Bishopricke was allowed him.

Now let vs come to your chiefe temporall councellours then, these were by their owne creation, the Dukes of Sommerset and Nor­thumberland, called Protectors to the young king (Stow and Holinsh. and Theater. K. Edw. 6. and Q. Marie) the first basely put to death in that time for felonie: the other for treason and open rebellion against Q. Marie: And after hee had bene thus with Cranmar, the chiefe instrument to ouerthrowe Catholike Religion, and set vp Protestancie in the time of that yong king: hee plainely recanted his new faith, and was recon­ciled to the Church of Rome. And yet among these vnworthie men, vnder that yong king there were but 6. Bishops, and 6. others that [Page 85] made the Church-bookes of their religion thē: (Statut. An. 3. Edw. 6. cap. 12. Foxe, Stowe, and o­thers in Edw. 6.) and for religion it selfe, they had no Canons, articles, or decrees of it in all the time of that king. Howes your historian thus writeth of it: Edward, at nine yeares of age suc­ceeded his father, and then the Church vvas fleest a­gaine, the Bishoprickes cut and pared, all Chantries supprest, the Bishoppricke of Durrham allienated. By all vvhich, the Kings Exhequer vvas very litle enriched, neither vvas the common vvealth eased, or benefited; nor the auntient nobilitie any vvay digni­fied, onely some fevv preferred. The Earldome of Northumberland giuen to the Suttons, vvho obtay­ned the title of the Duke of Northumberland. In the first and second yeare of his raigne, the Masse vvas vvholly supprest, and part of King Dauids Psalmes vvere turned into english verse, by Hopkins and Sterneholde, Groomes of the Kings chamber, and set them to seuerall tunes, consisting of galliards and measures. The Duke of Sommerset, vncle to the King by the mothers side, being the Kings Protector, did all things in the Kings name, and inclyned ouer-much to the subtile counsel of his secret enemie, the Duke of Northumberland, vvho vvas fully bent to defeat and suppresse the apparant heires of God and nature vnto the Crovvne, and to preferre the heires of the Duke of Suffolke, according to the iniurious determination of k. Henrie the eight. For the better effecting vvhere­of, they made a combination, vvhich had as good suc-successe, as so bad a practise deserued. The Protector [Page 86] among other things that crossed his greatnesse in po­pularitie was, the spoyling of churches and chappels, the defacing of auncient tombes and monuments, & namely, twelue goodly tombes in Christ-church: his attempting was to pull downe all the Belles in parish Churches, and to leaue but one Bell in a steeple, whereat the commonalitie were reddie to rebell Hee raigned seuen yeares, mette with a tricke of trea­son. He meaneth that he was poysoned by his protestant Protector Cranmar, & other pro­testants of that most wicked combination.

They that desire to know more of that yong kings times, may resort to your Protestant hi­stories of Foxe, Stowe, Holinshed, Speede ( Foxe tom. 2. in king Edw. Holinsh. and Theater ibid. In­iunctions an. 1. Ed. 6.) and the childish Iniuncti­ons in matters of Religion, set out in the name of that Nouice, and Nouecins supreame head of your church: where he may finde the chiefe care of the councell and executors, left by king Henry the eight, spiritual and temporal, to loade themselues with new and great titles, and ho­nours of dignitie, grow riche, by the last ruines of the Church, and to be of no setled religion at all: For we doe not finde either in histories, or in confession of Protestants diligently collected by them, or in any priuate or publike monu­ment, any forme, fashion, shape, articles, canons or decrees of Religion, either vnder king Henry the 8. k. Edward the 6. or Q. Elizabeth, vntill [Page 87] her fourth yeare, anno 1562. when the booke of the artickles of your religion was first contry­ued and published to the world. Booke of Articles of Religion, an. 1562.

Therefore wee may not ioyne with these men in Religion, as neither you doe, especiallie with king Henrie the eight, but rather mar­uaile why you and all that clayme title to reli­gion from them, do not finde great motiues ra­ther to bethinke what wrongs they did vnto vs, then persist in heaping new and more pres­sures, and persecutions vpon the Catholikes of your owne nation, and kindred. For you haue heard from your Protestants before, that they obtayned that their power against the Relige­ous houses of England, onely vpon this motiue to reforme abuses, if they could finde them: To create and maintaine for the perpetual defence and securitie of this Kingdome. 40. Earles, 60. Barons, 300. knights, and fourescore thousand souldiers, with skilful captaines, and competent maintenance for them all for euer, out of the auntient Church re­uenewes: and yet to leaue for the maintenance of religious parsons, professing and liuing in the perfect way of christian Religion, chastitie, obedience, and pouertie, watchings, fastings, prayers, and austeritie of life, continued & maintained here from the comming of S. Io­seph of Aramathia into this Iland by our kings, euen the Pagan kings, Aruiragus, Marius, and Caillus, and other Christian Princes, and [Page 88] holy founders after, to these dayes (antiq. Glaston. apud Lel. in assert. Arthur. Capgraue in S. Ioseph. & S. Patric. & protest. histor.) which neither the Re­ligion of King Henrie the 8. King Edward the 6. Queene Elizabeth, or King Iames, did or doth condemne.

Neither can any of them (as these Prote­stantes haue before bene witnesses) dissallow of their Masses and prayers for the dead, but ac­knowledged the contrarie opinion to be here­ticall and damnable: yet both to the temporall and spirituall dammage of many thousands, frō that time they still perseuer in that estate of in­iustice, so obnoxious to restitution, and are so farre from performing King Henrie the eight his condition, to maintaine so many thousand souldiers & others, and ease their kingdome of taxes and contributions, that they are not now able to performe the first, nor to maintaine their dignities without the other. In all which, the Catholikes of England, are onely innocent, and yet they alone for their innocencie, are con­demned, and persecuted.

THAT THE PROCEEDINGS OF Q. Elizabeth ar noe warrant for protestants to per­secute Catholicks, nor noe true conuiction, but rather a confirmation of the Romane Catholicke Religion: by the writings of English protestants themselues.

[Page 89]ALl these protestant arguments conclude much more strongely against the procee­dings of Queene Elizabeth in these matters: for if it was publickly addiuged for lawe in the time of kinge Henry the seuenth (our lawes remayning the same) That the parlament could not make the king beeing a lay man, to haue spiri­tuall Iurisdiction. (temporibus Henrici 7.) How much more an vnpossible thinge is it, to en­title a woman, and such a woman to that dig­nitie by such donation? for first euen by our pro­testants, it is the Pepuzian heresie to say a wo­man at all is capable of that spirituall vocatiō shee stooke vppon herselfe, and presumed to impart to others. ( Epiphan. & Aug. in haeres. Pepuzian.) And thereupon your protestants as­sure vs: The Queens maiesties parson was neuer capable of any part of spiritual power: (Ormerod. protest. Assert. an. 1604. pag. 218.) Then much lesse of that supreame power. And if shee had been a man, yett in that case your protestant historians before haue told vs, made illegiti­mate by publicke parlament, the Kinge, Lords spirituall, and temporall with the rest, there must haue beene as greate a power to recall yt, which was not in that her first parlament, for the Lords spirituall, whoe onely haue power in such cases, did vtterly dissent to yeeld her any such priuiledge, soe that noe man, or com­pany that had power of dispensations, in such things, dispensed with her, but contrary.

[Page 90]Againe, it is a maxime in the Lawes (as you Lord Cooke writeth ( l. 4. fol, 23.) nemo po­test plus iuris in alium transferre qnàm ipse habet. None can giue more power to an other, then they haue to giue, and the contrarie is vnpossible: Therefore seeing no Parlament that euer was in England, when all the Bishops and Abbots, and chiefe spirituall men it euer had were as­sembled, had at any time, either for themselues, or to giue vnto any other, that supreame spiri­tuall power, but as your Bishops haue told vs before, it was wholly in the Pope of Rome euer from our conuersion, and so could neuer be de­riued to King Henry the eight, or Edward the six. ( Parker antiquit. Britan. in Cranmer. Polydor. Virg. in Henr. 8. l. vlt. histor. &c.) it is much more stronge against Q. Elizabeth, both for her sexe, and the other incapabilitie, as Protestants assure vs. And for her or any to clayme it, by that Par­lament wherein shee tooke it vpon her, is a thing more then to be wondred at: for all men of that Parlament, which had any spiritual iu­risdiction (as the Catholike Bishops) did by all meanes resist and contradict it: and the words of the statute (as your Protestants haue publi­shed it) by which shee tooke vpon her to exer­cise it, and persecute Catholikes onely by pre­tence of this power there giuen vnto her, are these: Most humbly beseech your most excellent Ma­iestie your faithful and obedient subiects, the Lordes Spiritual, and Temporal, and the vvhole commons in [Page 91] this your present Parlament assembled. That the supreame power spirituall, should be in that Queene, when it is euident by all our Protestāt histories, that not one Lord Spirituall, either desired it, or consented vnto it, but all repugned and gaine-said it; and for that cause were com­mitted to prison, or otherwise most grieuously afflicted. ( Stow histor. an. 1. Elizab. Holinsh. Thea­ter. an. 1. Eliz. Cambd. annal. rerum Anglic. in 1. Elizab. &c.) And yet there was not any man in that Parlament, that could giue vnto her, if she had bene capable (as she was not) the least spiritual iurisdiction ouer the least parish in England.

And if she had not insisted in her fathers step­pes of flatterie, terrors, & dissimulatiō, promises of great matters without performāce, & in some degrees (by the cunning of some about her without conscience) exceeded him, shee might haue founde as little applause, and consent in the Lords temporall and others; For vsing all meanes she could, to further her strange procee­dings, (partly to be hereafter from her Prote­stant writers remembred) yet shee found such and so manifest reasons opposed against her, that the scarres of those wounds then giuen to your religion, will neuer be recouered. A principall antiquarie among you writeth ( Cambden Annal. in Eliz. pag. 26.) that the Lord Vicount Moun­tague, which a little before had bene Ambassa­dour at Rome, with Bishop Thursby of Ely, for [Page 92] the reconciling of England to the Church of Rome in Queene Maries time, publickly in par­lament these opposed.

Hic ex Religionis ardore, & honoris ratione acri­ter instabat, magno Angliae dedecori esse, si ab Apo­stolica sede, cui nuper se submisse reconciliarat, mox deficeret. Hee out of loue of religion and care of ho­nour, did earnestly vrge, how great a shame it would be to England, if it should so soone reuoult from the Sea Apostolike, to which it had lately submissiuelie reconciled it selfe: and would turne to greater dan­ger if excommunicated, it by such defection be expo­sed, to the rage of neighboring enemies. Hee in the name of the nobilitie, and all degrees in England, in their name had done obedience to the Pope of Rome, and must needes performe it. Therefore he vrgently besought them, that they would not depart from the Romane Sea, to which they were indebted, both for first receauing the faith from thence, and from thence hauing it continually preserued.

This was sufficiently prooued at that time of the reconciliation of England to the Church of Rome, in open Parlament also by Cardinall Pole, as your first protestantly ordeyned Arch­bish. in these wordes affirmeth ( Parkerant. Brit. in Reginald. Polo) Hāc in sulae nobilitatem, atque glo­riam Dei prouidentiae, atque beneficientiae soli accep­ta ferendam, sed tamen viam ipsam atque rationem qua hac nobilitas atque gloria parta est, sede Roma­na nobis prima semperque monstratam, & patefa­ctam fuisse. In Romana exinde fidei vnitate nos sem­per [Page 93] perseuerasse, fuisseque nostram antiquissimam Romanae ecclesiae subiectionem. The noblenes of this Iland, for being the first of all the Prouinces of the worlde, that receaued the Christian faith, and the glorie thereof, is to be acknowledged to haue procee­ded from the prouidence and goodnesse of God, yet the way it selfe and meanes, by which this nobilitie & glory was wonne vnto it, was first & alwaies shew­ed and layde open vnto vs from the Sea of Rome: wee haue alwaies from that time perseuered in the vnity of the Romane faith, and our subiection to the Ro­mane Church is most auntient.

And this reconciling of England then to the Romane Church, was so ioyful and honorable a thing to this natiō, that to vse your Protestant Archbishops wordes ( Parker antiquit. Britan. in Polo) In Synodo decretum est, vt dies ille quo ponti­fici Romano authoritas restituta fuerit, quotannis festus dies celebraretur, atque Anglicanae ecclesiae re­conciliatio diceretur. It was decreede in a Synode, that the daye on which authoritie was restored to the Pope of Rome, should yeerely be kept holie daie, and called, the Reconciliation of the Church of En­gland. Abbot Fecknham ( in Parlm. Elizab.) in his oration to that Parlament of Q. Elizabeth hath thus: Damianus and Fugatianus as Ambassadours from the Sea Apostolike of Rome, did bring into this Realme 1400. yeares past, the very same religion, whereof wee are now in possession, and that in the latine tongue, as the auntient historiographer Domi­nus Gylduas witnesseth, in the prologue and begin­ning [Page 94] of his booke of the Britaine histories, which he would not haue dared to vtter, in that time and place, but that then he could produce that anti­quitie to be his warrant: which with many o­thers condemning the new religion of Prote­stants, are by them suppressed. All the Bishops (of whom more hereafter) and whom tearmeth your Protestant glorious & renowned men, ob­firmate refragati sunt. Did stoutly giue their voyces against this innouation. They offered publicke defence by disputation of Catholike Religion, both for doctrine and iurisdiction. Cambden An­nal. pag. 26. in appart. ad annal. pag. 36 Mason lib. 3. consecrat. pag. 206. cap. 5. Stow hist. an. 1. Eliz. Holinsh. ibid. Godwyn. Catol.

But the Protestants knowing how their chie­fest champions, had bene before so conuinced by them, that they were hissed by the auditors, durst not come to triall. But the Parlament be­ginning on the 23. day of Ianuary, they presently proceeded to make Queene Elizabeth supreme head of the Church, and by that title to make a religion what pleased her, and her few fauori­tes, which by such indirect meanes, as is heere testified by these Protestants, they brought to passe in the beginning of that Parlament, and in the very first acte and statute thereof. ( Theater of great Brittaine. lib. 9. cap. 24. parag. 4. Godwyn Ca­tal. in the Bish. depriu. an. 1. Elizab. Parlament. 1. an. 1. Eliz. cap. And would neuer hearken to any disputation whatsoeuer, vntill they had thus [Page 95] obteyned their purpose, and vntill the last day of March two moneths after, as all Protestant histories giue euidence.

And when they had by onely 6. voyces of laye-men, condemned our learned Bishops, and their holy religion: the religion of the vniuer­sall Church of God, they would not then al­low them (though condemned thus vniustly) a­ny disputation at all, except they would accept of that bable and mockerie of disputation, and all religion; which I haue from these Protestāts remembred before ( Cambden in Annal. lib. pag. 27.) Therefore let vs passe it ouer in this place, and desire your instructing Protestants a little further to instruct and informe vs, how shee proceeded, and so strangely preuailed in this matter. Orbe Christiano mirante, to the wonder of all the Christian world, for the prophane pro­ceedings then vsed, as your Protestants before haue testified (Camben annal. supra.)

So soone as shee was proclaimed Queene, & long before her Coronation, by proclamation she silenced the Catholike Bishops and Cleargie not to preach, and by her Iniunctions, gaue warrant to her laye protestant commissioners, to giue licence to preach (Proclamation of Q. Elizabeth. an. 1. Stowe histor. an. 1. Elizab. Iniunctions of Q. Elizabeth, an.) Shee put in practise the oathe of Supremacie amongst many which refused that oath, was the Lord Chancellour, D. Heath, Archbishop of Yorke, from whom shee tooke the priuie seale, and remitted it [Page 96] to Sr. Nicholas Bacon (Stowe histor. in Queene Elizabeth an. reg. 1.) shee putt many from the cowncell, and tooke new cownsaylers: suis adiun­xit, sayth your best Antiquary, ( Cambden Annal. in Elizabeth pag. 18.19) pro temporum ratione, Gulielmum Parrum, Marchionem Northamptoniae, Franciscum Russellum, comitem Bedfordiae, Thomam Parrum, Edwardum Rogers, Ambrosium Cauum, Franciscum Knolles, & Guilielmum Cecilium, pau­loque post Nicholaum Bacon, singulos protestantium doctrinam amplexos, nulloque sub Maria loco: Quos vt reliquos, in eorum locum iam inde suffectos, ita temperauit & cohibuit, vt sibi essent deuotissimi, & ipsa semper sui iuris, nulli obnoxij. Shee ioyned to hyrs for the state of the tyme, William Parr, Marquesse of Northampton, Francis Russell, Earle of Bedford, Thomas Parr, Edward Ro­gers, Ambrose Caue, Francis Knolles, and William Cecile, and soone after Nicholas Ba­con, all become protestants, in noe office vnder Q. Mary, which as the rest which shee putt in for those shee displaced, shee soe tempered, and kept them in awe, that they were moste seruiceable to her, shee allwayes to doe what pleased her, none to contradict her.

Shee concluded cum paruulis intimis (Camb­den supr. pag. 22.23.) with a few most inward with her, de nobilibus à regio consilio amouendis episco­pis & ecclesiasticis de gradu deijciendis, Iudicibus qui pro tribunalibus sederunt, & hirenanchis per singulos comitatus, qui regnante Maria re & aesti­matione [Page 97] magni erant, hos locos deturbandos, & le­gum seueritate coercendos, nullosque nisi protestan­tes ad rerum administrationem adhibendos, & in collegia vtriusque academiae coaptandos censuerunt, fimulque pontificios praesides ex academijs, scholar­chas ex wintoniensi, Aetoniensi, caeterisque scholis submouendos. Q. Elizabeth presently after the death of Q. Mary taketh order, with very few of her inward frends how to restore protestant Religion. The plott by them was, that new cō ­missions should bee directed to iudges, with prouision, they should not giue any office: new Iustices of peace, and sheriffes should bee made in all countries, the noble men should bee put from the councell, Bishops and ecclesiasticall men displaced, all iudges and iustices of peace that were in estimation in the tyme of Q. Ma­ry, should bee remoued in all shires, and seue­rely kept vnder, and none but protestants to bee admitted to gouernment in the comon wealth, and placed in the colledges of both vniuersi­ties, and all popish presidents of howses, and scholemasters to bee renewed from Wincester Eton and other scholes.

And accordinge to this conclusion, this Eli­zabeth neyther beeing crowned Queene as yet, nor haueinge by any pretence power to meddle with the Title of Supreamacie, because to speake in your protestants words, ( Stowe hi­stor. an. 1. Eliz ab. statut. in parlam. an. 1. Mariae) Queene Mary restored all thinges according to the [Page 98] church of Rome, reduced all ecclesiasticall iurisdic­tion, vnto the papall obedience: yett to write in the same protestants pen and words: (Stowe histor supr. an. 1. Eliz.) The Queene tooke an ex­act suruey of all her cleargie and officers of estate, and putt in practise the oath of supreamacie, and amongst many which refused that oathe, was the Lord chauncellor D. Heath Archbishop of yorke: shee committed the custody of the greate Seale vnto S [...]. Nicholas Bacon, a man moste malicious against pa­pists, whoe from that tyme was called Lord keeper. Cambden supr. annal. pag. 27.

Haueing thus displaced through the king­dome all catholicke magistrates, and dissolued the catholicke parlament, continueinge at the death of her Syster Queene Mary, and putt new protestant officers in their places, with all speed shee sommoned a parlament to begyn in Ianuary followeinge, within twoe moneths of her sisters death. ( Stowe supr. Holinsh. histor. an. 1. Elizab. Theater of Britan. 16. Cambd. Annal. ann. 1. Elizab.) And haueing thus prouided for a fitt company in the lower howse of parlament, swearers to the supremacie, shee and her pauculi intimi, were as prouident to packe some in the vpper howse alsoe. Therefore a fewe dayes be­fore the parlament, to speake as your protestant, (Stowe an. 1. Elizab. Cambden annal. supr.) the 13. of Ianuary, the Queene in the Tower created Sr. William Parr, ob laesam maiestatem sub Maria gradu deiectum, attainted of treason in Q. Maryes [Page 99] tyme, Lord marquesse of Northampton, Edward Sey­mor sonne to the late Duke of Sommersett, attain­ted, vicount Beuchamp, and Earle of Hertford: Tho. Howard second sonne of Tho. Duke of Norfolke, vicount Bindon; Sr. Oliuer Saint Ihon, Baron of Bletsoe; and Sr. Henry Carey, Lord Hounsdon. Qui singuli à pontificia Religione alieni, all which were alienated from the popes Religion, all which that Queene and her pauculi intimi, very fewe that con­sented vnto her, knew by that meanes would giue their voyces in parlament to what shee should desire, and not content with this, pro­ceeded soe in these indirect courses, that as your protestants haue written: ( Cambden Annall. pag. 27.) plures è protestantibus data opera, è comitatibus tum è ciuitatibus, & burgis fuisse electos, & Norfol­ciae ducem, Arundeliaeque Comitem, inter proceres potentissimos, in suam siue rem, siue spem, Cecilium­que sua solertia suffragia emendicasse. The papists complayned, that more protestants of sett purpose were chosen out of Countries, cyties, and burroughts, and the Duke of Norfolke and Earle of Arundell moste potent amonge the nobilitie, eyther for their owne good, or hope (by the Queens promises of marriadge or such things) and Cecyle by his cun­ninge had begged voyces. And to helpe and fur­ther soe bad a cause, the Queene herselfe (your protestants words) openly protested at that tyme in parlament, that shee would neuer vexe, or trouble the Romane Catholicks, concerning any difference in Religion.

[Page 100]Neyther did this Queene or hir pauculi in­timi, Cecile and Bacon, take this straunge course in hand, for dislike of catholick Religion: for your Antiquary telleth vs of Q. Elizabeth her­selfe: ad Romanae Religionis normam sacra audi­ret, & saepius confiteretur. Missam permisit post mor­tem Mariae & litanias. Q. Elizabeth heard masse af­ter the Romane order, often went to confession, and after Q. Maryes death allowed masse and litanies, (Cambden in Apparatu pag. 13.) The like is as well knowne of those her intimi at that tyme. But they had other little laudable ends, by protes­tant proceedings now, thus expressed by your cheifest Antiquary: ( Cambden in Annal. Rer. An­glic. in Elizabeth pag. 21.22.) Nonnulli ex intimis Consiliarijs in aures assiduè insusurrarunt mollissi­mo ingenio virgini, dum timerent ne animus in du­bio facillimè impelleretur, actum de ipsa & amicis esse, conclamatum de Anglia, si pontificiam authori­tatem in dispensando, aut alia quacunque re agnos­ceret: duos pontifices matrem illegittimè Henrico 8. emptam pronuntiasse, & inde in eorum sententia iam lata Scotorum Reginam ius in Regnum Angliae sibi arrogare pontificem sententiam istam nunquam res­cissurum. Some of her inward Counsaylors did dayly whisper into her eares, beeing a mayden of a moste tractable disposition, while they fea­red least her minde in doubt might most easely bee driuen forward (to marry with king Philip of Spayne, and soe continue the catholicke Re­ligion, that shee and her frendes were vndone, [Page 101] if shee should acknowledge the popes authority in dispenseinge or any other matter. For two po­pes had allready pronounced, that her mother was vnlawfully marryed to Henry 8. and soe in their sentence denownced the Queene of Scots did challendge right to the kingdome of En­gland. And that the pope would neuer recall this sentence.

And agayne: Prospexit huiusmodi matrimonium ex dispensatione contrahendo, non posse non agnos­cere seipsam iniustis nuptijs natam esse. Shee thus perceaued that this marriadge with king Philipp of Spayne her Systers husband, to bee by the popes dispensation, must needs acknowledge that shee was borne in vnlawfull wedlocke. And they knew al­soe that shee remayning a catholicke must seeke for the popes dispensation of this her birth, not onely made and declared illegitimate, by the pope, but by her father himselfe, and the whole parlament, and Title to the crowne giuen her onely by the will and testament of her father, parlament Henr. 8. of Illeg. Lady Elizab.) against which in this case your protestant h [...]an thus exclaymeth: ( Howes histor. preface in Hen­ry 8.) through feare and terror Henry 8. obteyned an Act of parlament to dispose of the right of succes­sion to the crowne, and then by his last will and te­stament (K. Henry 8. in his last will and Testam.) contrary to the law of God, and nature, conuayes it from the lawfull heires of his eldest sister, marryed vnto the kinge of Scotland, vnto the heires of Char­les [Page 102] Brandon and others, (his daughter Elizabeth and of these others) thereby to haue defeated, pre­uented and supprest the vnquestionable, and imme­diate right from God, of our gratious soueraigne, kinge Iames, as if it had beene in the power of his will, or of the parlament, to disenherite, and preuent the diuine free guift, and grace of almightie God, by which the kings of this land doe hold their crownes.

Thus your protestant and priuiledged histo­rians: by which is euident that this proceedinge by such exorbitant courses concerning Religiō, was not for loue or likinge of their protestant Religion, further then yt gaue them licence and libertie to doe and liue as pleased their sensuall appetites, which the church and Religion of Rome would not allowe. And yett all these si­nistre and prophane proceedings not withstan­dinge, to insist in your protestants words in chaungeing Religion in that her parlament. ( Howes historial. preface. in Q. Elizabeth.) In this parlament notwithstandinge the presence of the Queene (to countenance their bad cause) with the apparant likelyhood of hir longe life, and hope of issue to succeede her, yett the maior part exceeded the minor but in sixe voyces, at which time (to wringe out consents) the Queene openly pronoun­ced, that shee would neuer vexe, or trouble the Ro­mane Catholicks, concerninge any difference in Re­ligion. Which promise of hirs was as well per­formed, as that condition of her fathers before, [Page 103] of bestoweinge the church reuenewes, for as your protestants haue related, her persecutions which soe vnprincely and vnchristianely in her name and power of that straunge claymed su­preamacie in a woman, and such a woman, e­qualed, or exceeded those of Nero, and Diocle­sian, infensiue tyrants and enemyes of Christia­nitie. Syr Edwyn Sandes in Relation of the state of Religion.

And in that parlament yt selfe, where shee spake these words, and proceeded to cruell in­flicted penalties, against those Romane Catho­licks, as all our holy Bishops were depriued, im­prisoned, or exiled, soe were all other ecclesia­sticall parsons that would not doe as pleased her. ( Stowe histor. an. 1. Elizab. Holinshed Theater ibid. Cambd. in Annalib. Rerum Anglicarum in Elizab. Parlament. 1. Elizabeth.) greate forfaictures and punishments imposed vppon all, that should heare masse, or not bee present at her new deui­sed seruice, premunire, losse of lands goods, and perpetuall imprisonment, and losse of life alsoe with note of Treason, to them that would not acknowledge that spirituall supreame power in her, of which shee was soe far vncapable in the iudgment of her owne protestants, that diuers of them wrote, and published to the world, that a woman could not bee a supreame gouernor in things temporall; ( Knoxe, Godman and other pro­test. against the Regim. of women.) and they were soe violent herein, both in England and Scot­land, [Page 104] against those two blessed Queene Maryes: that Q. Mary of England was inforced to make a statute in parlamēt, to suppresse yt: the Abrid­gement thereof is thus. ( parlament 2. an. 1. Mar. 20. die April. 1554. cap. 2.) The Regall and kingely power of this realme, and all the dignities, and pre­rogatiues of the same, shall bee as wel in a Queene, as in a kinge.

How the protestants in England vpon such good doctrine rebelled against that Q. Mary, all knowe; And in Scotland they rather chosed to crowne our Soueraigne in his cradle, then the true Queene his mother should raigne, & haue any power spirituall, or temporall at all, in her owne hereditary kingdome, ( Holinsh. histor. of Scotland. Stowe hist. an. 1. Iacob.) but by the vio­lence of those Scottish protestants, to bee dri­uert from thence. And landeinge in this king­dome of England. ( Cambden in Annal. in the life of Q. Mary of Scotland.) Where by these pro­testants before shee had such iust right of suc­cession, as they haue declared, & left that most vndeniable Title, and interest, by which moste truely, lawfully and vndoubtedly, her sonne our soueraigne kinge Iames now enioyeth both this whole kingdome of Britanie, Ireland, and all the adiacent Ilands by hereditary right from her, shee fownde noe further fauour here of the English protestants, but to bee a perpetual pri­soner in her life, and to her eternall glory, and english protestants soe longe endureinge shame, [Page 105] murthered and martyred at her death. Stowe Holinsh. Theater of Britanie in Q. Eliz. &c.

Moreouer in this soe termed parlament, be­sides the takeinge of this greate and supreame spirituall chardge and office vnto a woman (ne­uer heard of in the world before) and suppres­singe of the holy sacrifice of the masse, euer since Saint Peters tyme (as before is proued) ex­cepting three yeares of kinge Edward the 6. a child, and in place thereof admittinge a forme of communion and common prayer neuer vsed by any people catholicks or protestants, but in that shorte tyme alsoe of that yonge kinge in England, not any one Article of protestant Re­ligion eyther against the 7. Sacraments of the church, inuocatiō of Saints, prayer for the dead, purgatorie, validitie of good workes, merit, iu­stification or whatsoeuer els now contradicted by these protestāts, was thē, or vntil the fourth yeare of Q. Elizabeth, concluded by any parla­ment protestant Authoritie in England, but left arbitrary for euery man to beleeue and practize as his fantasie serued, without any rule at all. Booke of Articles and Conuocation an. 1562.

And for the communion Booke yt selfe, it had not any approbation of any one parlament mā, diuine or other, as your protestants assure vs, but the chardge of making or mareing that was onely committed sayth your prime protestant Antiquary with others, Cambden annal. pag. 23. Parkero, Billo, Maio, Copo, Grindallo whitheado & [Page 106] Pilkingtono Theologis, Thomaeque Smitho Equiti: To Parker, Bill, May, Cope, Grindall Whithead and Pil­kington diuines, and Thomas Smyth a knight. The first and cheifest of these seuen beeing Mathew Parker, had beene of seuen Religions vnder kinge Henry 8. Edward 6. Q. Mary and Q. Eli­zabeth, chaunging in euery one of those chaun­ges, as before is proued, ( Godwyne Catalog. of Bish. in Canterbury Matth. Parkr. Foxe to. 2. in k. Henr. 8. Edw. 6. Q. Mar. &c.) and al Q. Maries tyme professinge the catholicke Romane Reli­gion in England, both before and after his de­priuation of his liuings, in the second yeare of Q. Mary for being marryed.

For the rest of these protestant diuines, they were fugitiues for mariadge against the canons of the church, and conspiracy against Q. Mary, before which time they were in the same disease of chaungeing Religion with the former prin­ces, and after their going forth of England, pro­fessed the religion, & discipline also of the puri­tane churches where they liued, namely to ex­emplyfie in the liturgie or common booke of prayer of the protestants of Franckfort, publis­hed an. 1554. in Q. Maryes tyme, denyinge both the supreamacy of temporall princes, and other matters of english protestant Religion: this is the subscription of the english protestants then in all their names. (Liturgia seu ritus ministerij in Ecclesia peregrinorum Francofordiae an. 1544. per Petrum Brubachium in fine in subscript.) Subscri­bunt [Page 107] Angli ob Euangelium profugi totius Ecclesiae suae nomine. Iohannes Mackbraeus &c. The prote­stants of England that were fled for the Ghospell, subscribe in the name of their whole church. Ihon Mackbree minister, Ihon Stanton, William Hamon, Ihon Bendall, William whithingham, and to assure vs that these men in particular before named, bee Authors or correctors of yt, & neyther did, nor in their owne iudgment could allowe yt, it is euident: first both because they were of this protestant Franckford congregation, se­condly because: The first protestants of this king­dome (your protestants words. Couel in examin. pag. 72.) in a letter subscribed with eleuen of their hands, whereof Knoxe, Gilby, whithinghame and Godman were foure, moste of them hauing iudge­ment and learninge, vtterly condemned yt. (Couel a­gainst Burges pag. 69.122.47.185.) Soe did Cal­uine at Geneua, Ridley your protestant Bishopp and supposed martyr in a letter to Grindal him­selfe a cheife agent in it: all the Caluinists in the world abrode in their publick confessions, and at home haue likewise euer, and doe still con­demne it, as alsoe all Lutherans that euer were, and all those writers or correctors of it them­selus, and all the protestants in that first parla­ment in all probable iudgment, except fowre new cownsaylers of Q. Elizabeth, the Mar­quesse of Northampton, Earle of Bedford, Ihon Grey of Pyrge, and Cecile her pauculi intimi, to whome onely (as sayth your historian. Cābden [Page 108] supr. in Annal. in Elizab.) this matter was com­municated vnto: re nemini communicata, nisi Mar­chioni Northamptoniae Comiti Bedfordiae, Iohanni Greio de Pyrgo, & Cecilio.

And this matter was sufficiently proued by some of your late Bishops in the Conference at Hampton Court, publickly betweene the pro­testant Bishops and puritans, before our kinge himsemselfe; where Barlowe your Bishop in re­lating of that disputation, (Barlowe Conference at Hampton Court pag. 14. 15.) bringeth in Babing­ton, a protestant Bishop of yours openly to ac­knowledge, that in the beginninge, your protes­tants religion, and communion booke thereof, was proposed and approued in that first parlament by am­biguous and indirect dealeinge of the composers of that communion booke, and citeth the Archbishop of yorke to that purpose. And if wee may be­leeue your protestant Relations of that dispute printed with priuiledge, ( Their protestant Rela­tions of that Confer. printed by Ihon windet cap. 1.2.3. all annexed to Barlows Relation.) wee ar told, that your protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop of London, & Bishop of Wynchester did here vpon their knees before his maiesty confesse as much of the errors of that booke, and their Religion: thus wee haue from them in three se­uerall relations, and from the fourth by your Bishop Barlowe as before

Finallie thus wee pore catholicke preists and catholicks haue toyled ourselues in searching, [Page 109] seeking and preaching all protestants procee­dings, parlaments, lawes writings, liues & dea­leings of these pretended reformers, and the further wee wade, the deeper wee ar in error, if Catholick Religion could possibly bee error; for as is euident before, wee can finde nothing in any of these protestant patterns and exam­ples, but such as confirme vs in that faith wee professe with the catholicke christian world in all ages. To which God of his mercy conuert them that bee in error. And soe much for this first part of this protestant Plea and petition.

But seeing wee cannot finde any comforte by your owne writers and relators of these thinges to ioyne with you in your New Reli­gion: wee will next proue vnto you by your owne doctors and Antiquaries, that holy Reli­gion which wee embrace (& for which you per­secute vs) to be the same which was first prea­ched here by Saint Peter and his holy disciples, and soe consequently deliuered by Christ him­selfe, and continued in this nation in all ages euen since then, vntill these tymes.