A TRVE REPORT OF THE LATE AP­PREHENSION AND IM­PRISONNEMENT OF IOHN NICOLS Minister, at Roan, and his confession and ansvvers made in the time of his durance there.

VVherevnto is added the satisfaction of cer­taine, that of feare or frailtie haue latly fallen in England.

PRINTED AT RHEMES By Iohn Fogny. 1583.

THE PREFACE.

Good Christian reader, the children, and specially the Priests of Gods Church, haue ben manifoldly as­sailed by their aduersaries in our coū ­trey these later yeres: first by the vvriting and preaching of the Sect-maisters, vvhich made no great im­pression: Secondly by authoritie of the Ciuil Magistrate, vvhich vvas more forceible, but yet preuailed no further then to the losse of some rich­mens transitory goods, & a fevv poore mens temporal liues, neither the one nor the other perished to the ovvners but both laid vp vvith Christ and be­stovved vpon him to the hundreth fould aduantage in the next, and to [Page]the great encrease of the Catholike partie in this life.

Lastly by practise and pollicie of certain crafty cōsciēceles men, by fals­hood & forgerie, altering in the sight of the simple the causes of their death & punishment, & making their liues & actiōs odious to the vvorld. Vvhe­reby they disaduātaged in deede the Catholike part much more then by any plaine violēce or pretēded iustice vvhatsoeuer. Besides the cōmon per­suasions of Protestants but most false (though grounded vpon the experi­mēt of their ovvne disloyaultie in the daies of Q. Mary) that al Catholikes be ennemies to the state: vvas it not a great tēptation to such as knovv not the deepe subtiltie of Sathā, to see that certain good fellovves vvere found to preach, print, & aduouch to the faces of the poore desolate persons, yea and to svveare that they had purposed and [Page]practized the Queenes death? particu­larly recording the time, place, and circumstances: and naming such and such of the Counsel, that vvere vvith all to be massacred, and al this, ei­ther so coulorably and confidently, or so plausibly & oportunely for the practize, that publike iustice passed vpon them as malefactors, and there­vvith many pretty pāphlets put forth and spred for the tempering of mens speaches and conceits of such strange procedings. In this case truly a poore and vnaduised man might haue ben either for some time abused, or haue foūd good cause to say vvith the pro­phete, Penè moti sunt pedes mei: my feete vvere almost moued.

But he that said, nothing is hidd, vvhich shall not be reuealed, vvould not haue this error long to preuaile, but hath to his ovvne glory, the honor [Page]of his saincts and great aduantage of the Catholike cause in our countrey and the vvhol Church, many vvaies discouered that trechery: as short gau­dies almost hath the ennimie of such traffick, as Iudas had of the betraying and sale of Christ, vvho disclosed his ovvne treason, yelded vp his money againe, and hanged him self, before his Maister (vvhom he sould) vvas executed. God giue the aduersaries better grace and an other kind of re­pentance then that proditor had: to saluation and not to perdition. But truely his name be therefore euerla­stingly glorified, our mercifull lord, hath merueilously reuealed to the shame of heresie, these sinful inuen­tions of the Churches ennemies.

The conscience and certen knovv­ledge of so many good men, that knevv those holy confessors inno­cency, [Page]the vvisedom of others that savv the practiz, coulour, and collu­sion, the note of their ansvveres and full satisfactiō giuen at the barre, their vniforme and sincere protestations of their innocencie at their death, the ve­ry qualities of such persons as vvere the first brochers and instruments of their accusation and condemna­tion, al these things and diuers trea­tises set forth of the matter, haue opē ­ned and made clere the case to the vvhol vvorld: vvhereby god of his old mercies hath turned all these dif­ficulties and apparent distresses to the singular benefit of his truth.

And lo here more, to see his svvet prouidence and disposition of these things, Iohn Nichols him self, the first author of the shamfull fiction, and that first set dovvne the particularities for vvhich the men of god vvere cō ­demned [Page]and executed, falling of late into the handes of the iustice at Roan, hath confessed al the collusion and forgerie. Vvhich vvas thought meete to be published Verbatim, euen as him self vvrote & gaue forth to the Offi­cers and others: the Original partly remaining in the court roules, partly to be shevved of his ovvne hand vvriting.

In setting it dovvne, no one title is altered, nor the very incongruities of his speach amended. And though he vvas in prison vvhen he did it, yet he did nothing of feare or compulsion, being assured that he could not for such matters as he had committed in Englād, nor for religion, be any long time in durance in Fraunce: but al came of deepe remors of mind and conscience for the death of the in­nocents, vvhich he knevv came by [Page]his false accusation, vvherevvith he vvas invvardly so vexed in England, though he continued as he dooth yet in his peruerse pretēded religion, that he both confessed his foule dealing to one of the cōdemned persons and to some in office and authoritie there: and also in fine left the Realme there­fore specially, and partly, as he saith him self, because the Bishops vvho vvere cōmaunded and had promised him euery one of them a yerely pen­sion for recompence of that his ser­uice, vvould not keepe touch vvith him. but shaked him of vvith a Tu vide­ris, like as the ievves did their copes­mā sudas. Vvhere vpon he obteined a peece of mony of an other, his prin­cipal patron, vvho thought it pitie or at least no pollicie to cast the poore miser of, in that sorte, and passed ouer into the lovve countrey vvithout ta­king [Page]his leaue, & vvent forvvard into Germany, provvling as his manner hath long ben vvith Epistles for his liuing, and not finding cōtentement so, he purposed into Turkey, and thi­thevvard he vvent on, till by the per­suasion of his cōpanion one M. Lau­rence Caddey sometime student of the English College in Rome, he vvas turned back from that desperat course into Fraunce: by vvhose godly endeuours for both their saluations, notice vvas giuen of the said Nichols in Rhemes and Paris, and after vvas apprehended in Roan, vvhere he vvrote and spake the letters and other things follovving, and there­vpon vvas dimissed very shortly.

And being aftervvard among some contreymen of his ovvne religion, to vvhom he resorted for payment of his fees, he vvas demanded before [Page]them, by some that vvere Catholiks vvhether he vvould novv being at li­berty, auouch all the things confessed in the time of his restraint: he an­svvered that all vvere most certaine, & that he vvould stand to all that he had vttered. A protestant yet he vvould be still, though in prison he shovved him self vvilling to conferre and to yeld to reason, and might at the same time haue easily ben inuited to Rhemes, if he had not falne into the Protestants hands, at his releasing. At his first arriual in Roan, the vaine man told some of his companions that he had talked and disputed vvith Doctor Allen, and that he profered him a hundred pound English a yere to be of his religion. The fellovves lif and fortune, though he be not old, hath ben exceding various, if all vvere recorded sith he first vvas Mi­nister, [Page]vvhere his miserie began: but nothing need to be spoken, of the causes of his first comming ouer sea, of his follovving the Camp, of his vvandring in Flanders, Fraunce, and Italy, and such like: onely I thought it necessarie for an introduction to the rest, to set dovvne his formal Ab­iuration Verbatim, as it is recorded in the Court of Inquisition at Rome: faithfully trāslated into English. Into vvhich office of holy Iustice against Heretikes, he vvent to accuse him self of his ovvne accord, and in the end the matter passed as follovveth.

A TRVE REPORT OF THE LATE APPREHENSION AND IMPRISONMENT OF IOHN NICOLS Minister, at Roan, and his confession and answers made in the time of his durāce there.
Vvherevnto is added the satisfaction of certaine, that of feare or frailtie haue lately fallen in England.

The true copie of the Abiurations that Iohn Nicols (latly re­lapsed from the Church by Apostasie) made at Rome in the yere of our lord 1579. vvhich Abiurations, in his English reuolte latly published in print, are by him termed tvvo Sermons that he preached before the Popes holynes. faith­fully translated into English out of the auctentik Latine copie, nevvly sent from Rome vvhere the Original is ex­tant of recorde.

NOS Frater Thomas Zobbius ordinis praedicatorū, Sacrae Theologia Magister, & Commissarius gene­ralis, sanctae & vniuersalis Inquisitionis Roma­nae. Cum tu Ioannes Nicolaus, filius alterius I [...] ­annis Nicolai de loco Vvalliae, Dioecesis Landa­uiensis in Regno Angliae, aetatis tuae annorum viginti quatuor, velcirca, sponte coram nobis comparueris in hoc sancto Officio, atque confessus fueris, &c.

Vvee B. Thomas Zobbius of the order of the Preachers Doctor of diuinitie and Commissarie general of the [...]oly vniuersal Inquisition of Rome. For asmuch as [Page]thou Iohn Nicols the sonne of an other Iohn Nicols of the prouince of Vvales in the Diocesse of Landaff vvithin the Realme of England of the age of twenty and fower yeres or there abouts, hast voluntarily ap­pered before vs in this holy Office, and hast confessed that after the Sacraments of Baptisme & Confirmation in thy childhod by thee rightly receiued after the man­ner of the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH, thou hast ben trained and brought vp in pernitious schisme, and sun­dry wicked heresies vntill thou camest to the age of twenty and one yeres, and the same diddest beleeue, namely these, to vvite: Pilgrimages to holy places, of­fring of Candles and such like, to be meere supersti­tious. Beades not to be vsed. The Images of Saincts nei­ther to be had nor vvorshiped. That Saincts ought not to be praied vnto: nor that they haue any care or know­ledge of the necessities of mortall men, nor can pray for them. That praiers ought to be made in the vulgar tong which the cōmon people vnderstand. That lamps, ashes, vvhich are put vpon the faithfull on Ashwed­nesday, and al other ornaments and vestements of the Church, and finally all ceremonies Ecclesiastical what­soeuer ought to be taken away. That it is lawfull for Priests to marry, and for all persones to eate flesh at all times. The Bishop of Rome not to be head and cheef of the vniuersall Church. That there is no Purgatorie after this life. That man hath not free will. That he is iustified by faith onely. The most blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, to be onely a signe of our lords passion, but not the body of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST. That no Masse ought to be vsed in the Church, nor that the Apostles did celebrate any. That there are onely two Sacraments, that is to say: Baptisme and the Lords supper.

Finally that thou hast preached vnto the people in many places the foresaid heresies, by the space of one half yere, and that after the rites and manners of Here­tikes thou hast taken the order of Deacon and Priest­hood, [Page]and diddest obteine and get one benefice by Si­monie, and an other by free gift, and the fruicts thereof diddest enioy by the space of three yeres. And foras­much as thou hast said, that thou art right sory and pe­nitent for those thy former errors, and that by the mer­cie of God thou art called to that faith vvhich our holy CATHOLIKE and APOSTOLICK mother the CHVRCH of ROME dooth beleeue and teach, and that thou mindest firmely to hold it, & to stand therein to the death, and hast humbly desired that thou maist be admitted into the lappe of the holy Church, and to be absolued from the censures Ecclesiasticall which thou hast incurred for those causes, and to be dispensed with for such irregularities as thou hast thereby brought thy self in danger of, and to haue remitted to thee such fruicts as thou hast taken of the said benefices.

The decree of the most honorable & most Reuerend L. Cardinals Inquisitors generall, in the publike assem­bly of the holy Inquisition, by the counsel of the Do­ctors in diuinitie, and lavv, enacted the sixth of this pre­sent moneth of May, being seene: whereby the dispatche of this cause standing in question, betwene thee and the right worshipfull and Reuerend Doctor Sig. Anselme Canutus, Doctor of both lawes Canon and Ciuil, Pro­curor fiscal of this most holy Office, is committed to vs: we are come to pronounce this vndervvritten sen­tence.

The name of Christ and of that most glorious vir­gin his mother being first inuocated, we sitting in the seate of the iudgement, and hauing onely God before our eyes, by this our definitiue sentēce, which we haue in this writing made, say, pronounce, iudge, decree, and declare thee, the foresaid Iohn Nicols to haue ben a Schis­matick and Heretick, and to haue incurred all the paines and punishments that are by the holy Cannons and Constitutions whatsoeuer general or special prouided and made against Schismaticks and Hereticks. Yet for so­much as thou hast voluntarily presented thy self before [Page]vs, protesting that thou art sory from thy hart, and hast vvithall humilitie desired to be admitted into the lappe of the holy ROMANE CHVRCH, vvhich is not vvont to be shut vp against such as retorne therevnto: we doo benignely and mercifully receiue thee, accor­ding as thou requirest, so that thou do detest, accurse, and abiure from thy hart all schisme and heresies, espe­cially those aboue recited, and all errors that are con­trary and dissonant to the said holy CATHOLICK CHVRCH, in such sorte and manner as we commaund thee by this our definitiue sentence, to accurse, detest, & ab [...]re them.

And yet to the intent, that Iustice be not vtterly se­perated from Mercy, seing that the one is linked and knit vvith the other, and to the end the mercy of God by meane of Iustice may be more plentifull and large towards thee, we enioine thee for holsome penaunce, that thou do two seueral times visite the seuen Churchs of this citie, and that all thy life time, thou say daily fiue times, Pater noster, and fiue times, the Aue Maria, and for the space of fiue yeres, thou say once a vveeke, the Seuen penitentiall Psalmes together vvith the Litanies and Praiers following: and once in the moneth, the office of the deade, called the Dirige. And that foure times in the yere of the said fiue yeres, thou faste, and euery moneth confesse thy sinnes to a law full priest, such as is allowed by his ordinarie, & by his counsel and cōsent, to receiue the B. SACRAMENT of the altar once euery moneth, and in the feastes of the Natiuitie of our Lord, of Easter, Pentecost, and the Assumption of the gloriouse and per­petual virgin Mary the mother of God.

And so vvee do hereby Say, Iudge, Enioine, Decree, and Declare. Sending thee to the feete of our most holy Lord the POPES HOLINES for the forgiuenes of thy fructs taken, & absolution from the spot of Simony, and for the inhabling thee to holy orders, and other things vvhich are prohibited to Schismaticks & Hereticks.

THOMAS ZOBBIVS COMMISSARIE GENERAL.

The aboue vvritten sentence, vvas giuen, avvarded, and iudicially pro­noūced by this vvriting, by the afore­named our reuerend father Thomas de Zobbiis of the order of the preachers, Doctor of diuinitie, Commissioner general of the Office of the holy Ro­mane and vniuersal Inquisition, sitting in the Iudgement seat at Rome, in the Pal­lace of the said holy office in the Va­tican of S. Peter: & vvas read & published by me the Notarie, at the commande­ment of the said reuerend father the Commissarie, in the yere of the Na­tiuitie of our Sauiour 1579. in the seuenth indiction, the viij. day of the moneth of May, in the time of the Bishoprick & See of our soueraigne and most holy Father in Christ Gregorie by Gods prouidence the thirteenth of [Page]that name, the said Iohn Nichols being present, and vvith thanks giuing, ac­cepting the foresaid sentence: vvho vvilling to obey the same, and all the contentes thereof, kneeling vpon his knees before the said reuerend Father Commissarie general of the holy of­fice, corporally touching vvith his hāds the holy scriptures, did Abiure, Ac­curse & Detest, al those errors & schisme, and the heresies vvhich he helde and beleeued in manner and forme as in the Abiuration hereafter follovving, sub­scribed vvith his ovvne hand may ap­peere: made at Rome in the pallace of the said holy office, then and there being present as vvitnesses, Benedictus de Solanis, Peruzin, and Petrus Bilaqua of the Dio­ces of Firmiano.

I Iohn Nichols, the sonne of an other Iohn Nichols, of the prouince of Vvales, of the Dioces of Landaf, in the Realme of England, of the age of tvventy and fower yeres, or there about, kneeling on my knees before the re [...]erend Father Thomas Zobbius of the order of the Prea­chers, [Page 4]Doctor of Diuinitie, and Commissioner general of the office of the holy and vniuersal Inquisition of Ro­me: touching personally the holy Gospels, do sweare, that I beleeue and vvil to my death beleeue, that faith vvhich the holy CATHOLICK and APOSTOLICK ROMAN CHVRCH doth beleeue and teach.

But for so much as after the Sacraments of Baptisme and Confirmation rightly and Catholikely by me receiued and taken in my childhood, I vvas brought vp and trained in pernitious schisme, and sundry most impious heresies, till I came to the age of twenty and one yeres, and them did beleeue, namely and specially: That Pil­grimages to holy places, Offring vp of candles, & such like, were meere superstitious. That praying vpon beads ought not to be vsed: That the images of Saincts ought neither to be vvorshipped nor had: That the Saincts in heauen ought not to be praied vnto, nor that they haue any regard, care, or knowledge of the necessities of mor­tal men, nor can pray for them. That praiers ought to be made in the vulgar tong, which the common people doo vnderstād. That Candles, Ashes, which are vsed to be put on the faithful vpon Ashwenesday, all ornamēts and stuf of the Church, and finally, all Ceremonies ec­clesiastical whatsoeuer ought quite to be taken avvay. That it is lawful for Priests to marry, and for all per­sones daily to eate flesh. That the Bishop of Rome is not the head of the vniuersall Church of Christ. That there is no Purgatorie, after this life. That man hath no free­vvil, & is iustified by onely faith. That the most blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, is onely a signe of the death & passion of our Lord, but not his very body. That no Masse ought to be vsed in the Church or was celebrated by the Apostles. That there are onely tvvo Sacramentes, to wite: Baptisme, and the Lords supper. And these heresies haue I preached by the space of half a yere, and after the rite and manner of hereticks, haue receiued the order of Deaconship and Priesthood, and obteined one Ecclesiasticall benefice by [Page] Simonie, and an other of gift, and receiued the fruicts thereof. And for these causes was adiuged by this holy office a Schismatick and Heretick.

I therfore do from my hart, Abhorre, Detest, and Ab­iure, all schisme and heresies, namely those aboue speci­fied. And sweare that neuer hereafter will I beleeue he­resies or keepe company with hereticks, or read their books. And do further swere that I wil denounce and declare vnto this holy court, and to the inquisitors and ordinaries, of the places in the vvhich I shal become, al and singular persones whom I shal know either to be professed hereticks, or suspected of heresie. And swere also, that I wil obserue and performe al the points of the penance enioyned me: and in case I do not. I sub­iect my self to al the paines and punishements due by the law, to such offendors, so help me God, and these most holy Gospels.

I the foresaid Iohn Nicols haue Svvorne, Abiured, and Promised as before: and in faith thereof this schedull written vvith an other hand, I haue subscribed vvith mine owne: At Rome in the Palace of the said holy office, the viij. day of the moneth of May, Anno 1579.

VVhich Abiuration being made, the foresaid Reue­rend Father Commissarie general, did absolue the said Iohn Nicols there present and most humbly vpon his knees erauing the same, and him discharged from the Excommunications, Censures, and Penalties by him incurred by reason and cause of the premises, and him restored to the communion of the faithful, to the parti­cipation of the Sacraments, and to the vnitie and lap of our said holy mother the CATHOLICK CHVRCH. And hath enioyned him for healthful penance as is ex­pressed in the aboue written sentence, recorded and au­thentiked as is before said, in the presence of the afore­named witnesses.

This copie vvas taken out of the [Page 5]first & proper Original, vvith vvhich (vponcōferēce made) it agreeth &c. In faith and vvitnes vvhereof I haue sub­scribed and sealed it vvith the seale of the said holy Office in such cases vsed. At Rome in the Palace of the said holy Office the thirteenth of the said moneth of Maij 1579. So it is, Signed by me Flaminius Adrianus Notary of the holy Romane & general Inquisition in faith and testimonie of the pre­misses.

LAVRENCE CADDEY of whom we made men­tion before, lately passing the seas vvith Iohn Nicols, and his fellow in iourney into Germany, daily concei­uing more and more sorrow of the misery he was falne into by his frailtie and coacted forsaking of the vnitie of the CATHOLICK CHVRCH, retired into France in Ianuary last An. 1583. and his said Companion with him: and approching neere Rhemes, whither he came for his comfort of conscience, being in a village neere the suburbs of the Citie, he made his vvay by this letter written to the President of the College, as followeth.

ALthough I might comme to the Citie of Rhemes, because I neuer offended the same, or any inhabitant thereof: yet in respect of you my deere country men. I neither will come thither or vnto you, although as I shall be saued at the daie of iudgement, I loue you, and [Page]haue loued you as the apple of mine eye. And although the desire I haue to speake with you be vnspeakeable, the matter for the which I would speake with you is the greatest that euer I had with any since I was borne, or can haue whiles I liue in this miserable vvorld, and as I hope more profitable both for soule and bodie then any thing whatsoeuer in this world Besides it apper­teineth to both the Seminaries, that of Rome, and this of Rhemes, concerning vvaightie matters in respect of them both. Moreouer it concerneth the abhominable lyes of Iohn Nicols, which hereby may be redressed. To conclude, if your Seminaries haue ben iniured by the sclaunders of any, hereby they may be I trust cleared againe: and I trust that in respect of some, it may be said that the same Scorpion that stinged being crushed on the same, wil sonest heale the wound she made.

Therfore M. Doctor Allen, I request you for the loue you beare to Christ crucified, his blessed mother, and all the Saincts of heauen, & as you tēder the life of a soule almost deade in sinne desiring by your meanes to be quickened, and as you couit to heale the sores vvhere­with, your Seminaries haue ben wounded, send in all hast without any delay a Priest wel learned, vertuous, and mortified, and of a good nature, and to him largely the cause of my arriual here, I wil lay open, so that by him you may be fully certified thereof. the which I would haue to be either M. Gregorie Marten, or Doctor Barnard the neede of body bringeth me not hither, but of Soule, and causes alleged. I am at Tessi half a league from you in a tauerne: hither therfore send as I request with this messenger in all hast that can be, and if the said Priest lodged here al night it were best,

Your humble Orator. laden vvith sinne, vvishing and comming hither to be healed, whose name you shall knovv.

Post scriptum. I haue a letter from the said Nicols to [Page 6]your worship, who is on this side the sea which I wil deliuer to the Priest sent.

It vvas endorced thus.

Venerabili viro D. Doctori Alano Anglorum Seminarij Rhemensis dignissimo pręsidi, hae statim tradantur litera.

A Monsieur le Docteur Allen Anglois. Iesus Maria. Si non sit in Ciuitate D. Alanus, tradantur Doctori Bernardo, aut D. Gregorio Martino.

THe President being not then at home, but nevvly gone to Paris, this letter was receiued and reade by the other to vvhom in his absence it vvas directed, and by whom his godly desire was also in part accompli­shed: but for more ful satisfaction of his conscience, he was aduised to go forvvard to Paris, vvhere he might deale vvith D. Allen him self: and so he resolued to doo, hauing appointed also before to meete Iohn Nicols againe there, vvho departed from him (as he said) at Challon, ten leagues from Rhemes, where Nicols (for a Brauado) wrot this letter follovving to the said Doctor: vvhich letter, at once vvith Laurence Caddeyes, he receiued by a special and speedy messager, before Laurence him self arriued

DOctor Alane, multi te ferunt librum quendam edidisse sub nomine Apologiae diuulgatum vtriúsque Seminarij Romae Rhemisque Ro­mani Pontificis impensis extructi. In eo libro tuo nimis in me ferociter irruisti & maledictis la­cessiuisti, si tu aliqua salutis meae cupiditate flagrasses illa con­uitia atque maledicta quibus abundasti silentio pretermisisses. Satis in meum vituperium dixisse arbitratus es, cum dixeras me [Page]his deciuisse à religione vestra, quid hoc ad propositum, nunquid Apostoli (qui omnibus virtutis ornamentis exculti fuerant) semper Christum agnouerunt? minime gentium sed Christum aliquando negauerunt vt sacra scripturarum loca testantur.

Quid si ego vestram religionem (si vera esset religio) decies abnegassem, & postea eam amplexus fuissem quandiu vixissem, nunquid post miseram hanc vitam me reprobum sentiretis? pro­fectò haud sic, si veri Christianiessetis. vestram religionem mul­tis erroribus implicatam denegasse laetor, maximè si fides vestra Romana ab Apostolorum sententia mintmè dissentiret, ab illa nullis terrortbus atque suppliciis adduci vllo modo potuissem: sed quia traditionibus humanis innititur, illam non probo.

Alane mi, Consule tibi dum tempus est, Resipisce, Renuncia erroribus quibus irretiris, Reuertere in patriam, Prosternas te­ipsum ad pedes pientissimae Reginae nostrae, explices perfidiam tuam, deplora te talem fuisse qualem terra vt ferret indignus fuisti. Romae quid didici? hypocrisim, mendacium, arrogatiam, breuiter, omnia mala. in Seminario regnat libido, superbia, inui­dia, ira, maledicentia, vt breui comprehendam, illud collegium est sentina omnium malorum. Perhorresco literis mandare quae oculis meis vidi, non crederes, quia nimis faues illis. Raptim scripsi. Rescribe si vis, aut si elatus animus patietur. scriptum Nancy.

Per me Ioannem Nicolaum Anglum.

DOctor Allen, manie reporte that you haue published a booke vnder the title of an Apo­logie of both the Seminaries of Rome and Rhemes, erected at the Popes charges. In that booke you haue pushed at me very furiously and pro­uoked me vvith many reproches. If you had had any care of my soules health, you vvould haue passed ouer those reproches and detractions vvith silence: but you thought to disgrace me excedingly in reporting that I had tvvise forsaken your religion. what is that to the purpose? vvhy? did the Apostles (vvhich were adorned vvith all ornaments of vertue) alvvaies confesse Chrisi? [Page 7]nothing lesse. For sometimes they did denie him as ho­lie vvrit testifieth.

Vvhat if I had denied your Religion ten times (if it vvere a true religion) and aftervvard had embraced it againe as long as I liued, would you notvvithstanding haue taken me for a reprobate after my death? if you vvere true Christians, I thinke you vvould not. I am ful glad that I haue denied your Religion, vvhich is mixed vvith manie errors. If your Romane faith dissented not from the doctrine of the Apostles, I should neuer haue ben dravven from it, vvith terrors or torments what­soeuer: but because it is vnderpropped vvith mens tra­ditions, I cannot like or allovv of it.

O M. Allen, prouide for your self vvhile you haue time. Amende, and for sake your errors vvherewith you are entangled. Retourne home to your country. Cast your self downe at the feete of our merciful Queene. Confesse your disloyaultie, and lament that you haue ben such a one, as the earth is vnworthie to beare. what learned I at Rome? hypocrisie, lying, pride, and to be short al that euel is. In that Seminarie there, raigneth lust, pride, enuie vvrathe, detraction, and to say al at a worde, that College is the sinke of sinne. I do tremble to vvrite the things, that I haue seene vvith mine eyes: neither vvould you beleeue them, because you fauor them to much. I haue vvritten in hast, vvrite againe if you vvil, or if your prowde stomack will suffer you. Vvritten at Nancy.

By me Iohn Nicols Englishman.

ABout three daies after the receipt of the aboue written letters, came Laurence Caddey and found D. Allen and all other Catholicks very redy, as duty requi­red, to giue him the comfort and succour they could to his great contentement: as also vpon intelligence that Iohn Nichols vvas in the tovvne, many meanes vvere [Page]sought to bring him to conference and speach of the le­arned for his recouery: but missing of that, there vvas thought no other remedy to saue his soule, & to reclame him from the damnable state that he liued and vvas like to dy in: but by his apprehension and imprisonning, vvhich, by reason of his speedy departure from Paris, could not be donne there: but it vvas atchiued at Roan, vvhere vpon his restraint, he vvrot vvith his ovvne hād at seuerall times the letters and others things in Latine, to D. Allen.

DOctor Alane, tua meam petulantiam vicit charitas, ad te (temeritate ductus magis quam prudentia fretus) acriter scripsi, tu ira non commotus omnia bona mihi optasti, pollicitus es cum fueram tibi inimicus ea quae non spe­raueram à te concedi, tua elementia me supe­rauit supra modū. Parisiis Rhemos venissem si mea culpatāta non fuisset quantum explicare verbis nequeo. Pudore impeditus, Rhemos petere nolim. Tua patientia mea maior fuit malitia, tua verba ex charitate fraterna producta ostenderunt quo spiritu suffultus eras. Laurentius Caddeus, qui meas tibi dedit lite­ras, iuramento facto predicta confirmauit, qua charitate audita in quae prorupi verba testetur.

Si illam Domine D. Alane animae meae curam te habere ve­rum sit, vt tuam reuerentiam non pigeret peregrinationis multo­rum locorum modo saluares eam, des tunc operam vt saluetur. & mea anima salua tua opera, saluabitur anima tua iuxta ver­bum diuinum. Si anima & corpore peribo tua incuria atque ne­gligentia, redditurus es rationem huiusmodi mortis meae in die iudicij. Sum detentus in carceribus, & non indignè. Sustentor lautius hucusque quam deberem, appello ad tuam reuerentiam, & non ad Papae Nuntium. Si promittes tuis literis, quod mea culpa quoquo modo commissa contra quoscūque ignoscetur mihi, & quod nemo ob mea delicta perpetrata, me è medio tollere cona­bitur, Rhemos veniam, & ponam vitam meam in manibus tuis: si hoc mihi negabis, sanguis meus à te requiretur, & eris causa perditionis animae meae. Non curo propter vitam corporis mei. [Page 8]singulis diebus contentus sum mori, si semel animam meam & virtute & religione verbo diuino innixam, suffultam sentirem, oh nemo mortalium me laetior esset.

Dicunt multi me nullam religionem habere, & verè dicunt secundum opera mea, flagitiis enim multis coopertus sum. hoc ego dico et in suggestu sepe dixi. Quodcūque scriptum est in vete­riatque nouo testamēto firmiter credo si me ad ignem, autad pati­bulum lictores iam traherent, aliud non crederem, instar vmbrae est vita mea, à carcere Rothomagensi clamo ad te vir magne, & vir plene charitatis vt mihi succurras dum hac vitae vsura fruor. Si conquaereris de scriptis meis, quod falsum est retractabo, cau­sam indicabo cur sic scripseram, totam mentem meam iuxta veri­tatis limites satis abundè explicabo. D. Alane, etsi grauiter of­fenderam, tamen curam tibi committo animae meae.

Nescio quid de me consultum est, si Papa & Cardinales, & omnes alij qui autoritate praecedunt alios, consultius aestimant esse vt vindictam sumant iniuriae illatam illis immeritò, fiat vo­luntas Domini, sciunt vbi me inueniant: exequantur quod in mentem venit, sed aliter de illorum charitate spero. In his an­gustiis quibus constitutus sum D Alane, praesto mihi sis, & con­silio & labore & aliis omnibus charitatis operibus: & accumu­labis tibi magnum thesaurum in caelis, & me tibi in aeuum de­uinces.

Non sum obstinatus, cupio saluus esse, saluum me reddat Deus anima à corpore dissoluta. Scripsi. bene vale, oraque pro me peccatore maximo. Dum viuo, spero Redde bonum D Alane pro malo, & eris discipulus Christi: sic fecit Christus, sic docuit.

Per me Ioannem Nicolaum Anglum, tui amantissimum.

POst scriptum. Spiritus pugnat contra carnem, caro contra spiritum ad tempus spiritus diluuio peccatorum submersus carni succubuit, sed spero quod spiritus emergetur, & carnis vires mulalidabit Deus sit mihi propitius. Capituitas est medium per quod viam ad coelum inueniam D. Alane, partim quia Chri­stum agnoscis, & partim quia conterraneus meus es, consule mihi dum tempus est. Lego vestros libros, non taedet me legere, aliquam [Page]mihi legendo consolationem comparaui. Legam, & sermonem ba­bere cum Catholicis Romanis inficias non ibo. Scripsi, & expecto responsionem voluntatis tuae propensae, vt spero in meam salu­tem. 18. Feb. 1583.

Per me peccatorem grauissimum, Ioannem Nicolaum indignum hac vita quam dego.

DOctor Allen, Your charitie hath ouercome my impudencie. I wrote vnto you very sharpely, being led thereto rather through rashenes, then guided by wisdome. you for your owne part being nothing atal moued therevvith to anger, vvished al good vnto me promi­sing to me your enmmie such benefits as I could not haue looked for at your hands. your clemencie there­fore hath vvonderfully vanquished me. I would haue come from Paris to Rhemes, if my offence had not ben so haynous, as cannot be by wordes expressed. The cause why I came not to Rhemes, was, because I was ashamed of my self. Your Pacience is greater then my mallice. Your wordes proceeding from brotherly charitie, do declare with what spirit you are endewed. Laurence Caddey vvho deliuered my former letter vnto you, hath affirmed the fore said things to be true and that with an other he also can witnes into what speaches I burst forth vvhen I vnderstood this your charitie.

If it be true (M.D. Allen) that you haue so great care of my soule, that your Reuerence vvould not sticke to trauaile to what place soeuer, to saue it: do you your endeuour then to saue it. For if my soule be saued by your meanes, you shall saue your owne soule also, as holy writ saith: but if I doo perish bodie and soule by your carelessnes and negligence you are to render ac­compt thereof at the daie of Iudgement. I am empri­soned, and that worthely: and am fedd hitherto more delicatly then I haue deserued. I do appeale to your [Page 9]worship and not to the Popes Nunce. And if you will promis me by your letters that the faults vvhich I haue by any meanes whatsoeuer committed against any man, shalbe forgiuen me, and that no man shal pursue me to death for the crimes that I haue committed, I will come to Rhemes, & yeld my self into your hands: if you deny me this, my bloud shalbe required at your hands, and you shalbe the cause of the losse of my soule. I esteeme not this transitorie life, I am content to dye, and that euery daie. Oh if I felt once my soule to be endewed with vertue & religion staied vpon Gods holie word, no man vvould be more glad then I should be.

Many report that I haue no religion in me, and they saie truely in respect of my vvorks, for I am ouerwhel­med with many abhominable vices. I say thus much & haue often said it out of the pulpit. That I doo firmely beleeue whatsoeuer is vvritten in the old and new Te­stament. If the Sergants were drawing me to the fire or gallowes, I would not beleeue any other thing. My life is like a shadowe, I crie to you (worshipfull Sir and full of charitie) out of the prison of Roan, to assist me whiles yet I liue. If you complaine of my books, I will retract that which is false, I will shewe the cause vvhy I wrot so. I vvill open my mind aboundantly so far as the limites of truth will permit. M.D. Allen albeit I haue greuously offended, that notwithstanding I commit the care of my soule vnto you.

I know not vvhat the Pope, Cardinals, and others in authoritie ar determined to do with me: if they thinke it best to take vengeance on me for the iniuries vvhich I haue vniustly donne vnto them, the lords will be donne: they know where to finde me, let them put their designes in execution hardly: but for all that I hope better of their charitie. Being brought into these distresses, I beseech you D. Allen to assist me with coun­sel and al other works of charitie, and you shal thereby heape to your self a treasure in heauen, and shall binde me to be yours foreuer. I am not obstinate. God graūt I [Page]may be sauued after this life. I haue written. Fare you well, and pray for me a greuous sinner: for as long as I liue, I will hope. M.D. Allen, render good for euil, and by so doing you shalbe Christe his disciple. For so Christ did, so he taught,

By me, Iohn Nichols Englisman, your louer.

POst scriptum. The spirit doth fight against the flesh, and the flesh against the spirit: and for a time the spirit being ouer whelmed with the flood of sinnes, doth yeeld vnto the flesh, but I hope that the spirit will get the victorie, and weaken the force of the flesh. God be merciful vnto me. Imprisonment is a meanes by which I may finde the way to heauen. M. D. Allen helpe me vvith your aduice whiles time is: partely, be­cause you are a Christian man: partly also, because you are my country man. I reade your bookes and am not weary of reading, I haue gained great comfort & con­solation by reading them. I will reade still and will re­fuse no conference with any Roman Catholik. I haue written, and novv expecte your fauorable answere, as I hope, to my saluation. 18. Feb. 1583.

By me most greuous sinner, Iohn Nicols, vnvvorthy to liue.

DOctor Alane, contra Papam, Cardinales & Episco­pos quaecunque scripsi, scripsi ambitionis causa: & quae audiueram in Italia de moribus Papae, Cardi­nalium, Episcoporum aliorúmque inter agrestes & inopes homines, literis in Anglia mandaui: nullum librum aedi­dissem (Deus est mihi testis) nisi Praeses Castri Londinensis me ad scribendum prouocasset. Partim tunc temporis grandipro­missione delusus, partim appetens interituram gloriam, a me publicè scripta sunt ea, praesertim de moribus Papae, Cardina­lium, Episcoporum, totiusque ecclesiastici ordinis quae fama ac­ceperam [Page 10]à viris non fide dignis, libertate mihi eo tempore conces­sa paulo post resipui & me nequiter scripsisse Domino Lucae Kirbeo [...]am vita defuncto, cum in carceribus detentus fuerat, confessus sum.

Multa scripsi, multa feci, quae scribere aut facere negaui prorsus, antequam Praeses Turris Londinensis saepe minatus sit, Grauissimum torquaris tormentum, quam acerbam poenam pati meafragilis caro abhorruit. Illius igitur inuentionem atque vo­luntatem executus sum, quod imperabat scripsi, feci, sic locutus sum, non ex malitia, sed ex impulsu, non ex praua voluntate, sed ex satanica suggestione.

Multa scripsi falsò, quae scripsisse poenituit me antequam ex Anglia tanquam profugus ob enormia peccata mea quae con­scientiae meae magnam inquietem diu & noctu iniecerunt, disces­seram, Nun quam in Anglia steti coram Iudice, aut alio quouis magistratu tāquam testis cōtra quemuis Catholicum Romanum, quando in iudicium vocati sunt, ex proposito abfui Londino.

Papa, Cardinales, Episcopi, & alij Catholici Romani in me multa contulerunt beneficia, quae ingratitudine recompensaui, sed causa ostenditur, metus grauissimi supplicij, magnifica pro­missa me à Deo auocauerunt. si vos viri dignissimi, in eodem peri­culo versaremini, nescio quid faceretis.

Nihil aliud audire potui in carceribus quam has minas, Fac sic, aut satellites te ducent torqueri: maluissem si dixisset sus­pendi. Non bona res est, corpus isto cruciatu longius fieri per duos fere pedes quam natura concedit. Narratum est mihi modus torquendi, cum audiueram, timor & horror istiusmodi supplicij me omnino vicit in meaexaminatione. Quorum voluit ille Praeses aut sernus illius nomina scribi, scripsi. Georgius Peccam, aeques auratus in Catalogo fuit Papistarum, Iudex Southcotus, & alij multi mihi ignoti & ad nomen & ad personam (antequam ad castra Londini veneram) in meo Catologo, suggestu praedictorum locum occupauerunt inter caeteros Romanae religioni addictos.

Si captus non fuissem cunctis Papistis indicassem interrogā ­tibus me causam scribendi talia mendacia in mea examinatione. Ego fui scriptor, sed Deus scit, alios fuisse autores. Si mea fra­gilit as me non excusabit, appello ad misericordiam vestram qua munitos esse dicitis: ostendite tunc illam, & pro amore Dei li­berate [Page]me, & non vrgeatis me sicut caeteri, loqui & scribere con­tr a conscientiam meam: & postea cernetis sine impulsu, quod li­berè fatebor veritatem.

D. Alane grauiter te offendi, sed tamen dico, quod recumbo in tuam clementiam. De religione nihil dico quod scriptura do­cet (nullum excipio librum neque veteris neque noui) firmiter credo: nihil aliud credam, facite mecum quod vultis, comburite, suspendite, interficite, decapitate, ego idem sum: si veritatem nō habeo, Christus est veritas, ostendat mihi veritatem, & aper [...]at oculos meos.

D. Alane, Odovvenus Hoptonus Praeses Castri Londinensis minis iussit vt examinationem iuxta voluntatem illius scribe­rem. Quando nomina Papistarum patefeci (quorum quam plu­rima nomina nunquam ante audiueram) eos fautores Papae, Reginae Scotorum, acerrimos inimicos Regiae Maiestatis, virorum à conciliís, & omnium illorum qui defensores sunt religionis quae publicè in Anglia docetur asserere non vererer. Et omnes illi de quibus mentio facta est, nobiles & generosi fuerunt. Hoc si à te factum erit Regina promouebit te, inuenies me promptis­sim um fore ad te iuuandum. Cuncti proceres te magno prosequun­tur amore, & nihil indigebis. Mittam tecum seruum Oxonium, ibi sustentaberis, centum Marcas singulis annis dabo operam vt adipiscaris & sine dubio pingue sacerdotium tibi dabitur. Si hoc non praestabis grauissima poena mulct aberis, consule tibi igi­tur Et hanc ob causam, partim metu ductus, partim adulatione victus, hoc in me quadrauit adagium: Quid ipse aiebat, confir­maui: promissum illius iuramento perstrictum fuit. Haec quae exaraui adeò vera sunt vt nihil verius.

Videte homines, qua mecum Tragedia vsus est ille Praeses. Quamprimum veneram in conspectum D. Odovveni Hopton, du­ctus cum satellite, confessus sum me illius religionis fuisse, & tamen hypocrisi maxima me vti voluit, paratus eram in die Do­minico istius hebdomadae qua captus eram in ecclesiam venire mea sponte, & tamen iussit vt apparerem reluctari, & seruus illius iussus fuit trahere me ad ecclesiam quasi inuitus fuissem: ex his paucis colligite plura.

De bulla affix a parietibus Rhemis, hoc nō audeo consirmare, sed ita fama volauit inter alummos Papae in Collegio Angli­cano [Page 11]Romae sito, vtrum ista excommunicationis bulla contrae no­stram [...]eginam Elizabetham renouata fuit, & ex integro im­pressa Romae prorsus ignoro, sed ignoscite mihi quae tali modo te­mere & falso scripsi & feci.

Quae literis mandantur, me libera sponte sine compulsione vlla, vt conscientiam meam liberam redderem in praesentia Gu­lielmi Iohnson & Georgij Robinson mand at a sunt in carcere Ro­thomagensi in die Sabbati. 19. Februarij. An. 1583.

Ioannes Nicolaus.

DOctor Allen what things soeuer I haue written against the Pope, Cardinals and Bishops, I wrote them through ambi­tion: and such things as I printed in England, touching the manners of the Pope, Cardinals & Bishops, I had heard them in Italie of peisantes and poore men. I had neuer published any booke (God is my witnes) if the Lieu­tenant of the Tower of London had not prouoked me to write: for I vvas partly deluded at that time vvith great promises, partly also pricked forward with desire of vaine glorie. Such things haue ben vvritten by me pubickly, cheefly touching the manners of the Pope. Cardinals, Bishops, and of the vvhol Clergie, vvhich I had by report of men of no credit. But as sone as I had obteined my libertie, incontinent I amended my former fault, and cōfessed to M. Luck Kirby novv executed, but then a prisoner, that I had vvritten very lewdly.

I wrote many things, I did many things, the which I vtterly denied either to write or to do, before that the Lieutenant of the Tovver threatened me, and that often, to rack and torment me, vvhich greuous punish­mentes my fraile flesh did abhorre. And therefore I did but execut his vvill and inuention. Whatsoeuer he com­maunded, that I wrot, that I did, so I spake, not of mal­lice, but by constraint, not of euell vvill, but of deuel­lish [Page]suggestion I vvrote many things falsly, and it re­pented me that euer I vvrote them before I departed out of England as a runnegate for my enormeous sinnes, vvhich vexed and disquieted my conscience daie and night excedingly.

I neuer appeered before any Iudge or other officer in England as a vvitnes against any one Romane Ca­tholick: in so much that vvhen they vvere araigned, I absented my self from London of purpose. The Pope, the Cardinals, the Bishops, and other Catholick Ro­manes, haue bestovved many benefits vpon me, and I haue requited them vvith ingratitude, but I haue she­wed the cause: feare of greuous punishement and ma­gnificall promises withdrew me cleene from God. If you (vvorthie men) had ben in the like danger, I knovv not what you vvould haue dōne. I could heare nothing els vvhiles I vvas in prison, but these threates: Do so or els the Officers shal carry-thee to be racked: I had leuer he had said to bee hanged. It is an euel thing to haue my bodie by these tortures to be made two foote longer, then euer God made it. They recompted vnto me the manner and order of racking, vvhich vvhen I heard, the feare and horror of this kinde of punishement did quite ouercome me in mine examination.

I vvrote dovvne into my booke the names of such as the Lieutenant or his seruant vvould haue me write. Sir George Peckam knight vvas in the rovvle of the Pa­pists. Iudge Suthcot, and many other (whose names and personnes vvere vnknovvne to me before I came to the tovver) occupied a rome in my rovvle among the rest that vvere addicted to the Roman religion, and that by the suggestion of the forenamed. If I had not ben ap­prehended, I vvould haue answered all Papists that vvould haue asked me for vvhat cause I vvrote so many lies in my examination: That I vvas the writer in deede, but (God knovveth) other men vvere the Authors.

If my frailtie vvill not excuse me, I appeale to your mercie: vvhere with you say, you are fenced: shevv it [Page 12]then, and for the loue of God set me at libertie, & after­wards you shall see, that I vvill confesse the truth freely vvithout all constraint. I haue greeuously offended you D. Allen, yet I saie thus much, I do cōmit my self wholy to your clemeneie. I saie nothing of my religion, what­soeuer the scripture dooth teach (I except no booke of the old or new Testamēt) I do firmely beleeue, I beleeue no other thing. Do vvith me vvhat you list, burne me, hāg me, kill me, behead me: I am the same man, if I haue not the truth, Christ is the truth, let him shevv me the truth and open mine eies.

D. Allen, Sir Ovven Hopton the Lieutenant of the Tovver commaunded me vvith threates, to vvrite mine examination according to his will & pleasure, & willed me (when I published the names of the Papists, many of vvhose names I neuer heard of before) not to be afraid to affirme them to be fautors of the Pope, of the Queene of Scots, to be mortal ennimies to the Queenes Maiestie, to her Counsellers, & to al those which were defendors of the religion vvhich is novv publickly taught in England. And they vvere al noble men or gentlemen, that vvere there mentioned.

If thou vvilt do this (quoth he) the Queene vvill promote thee, and thou shalt find me most ready to helpe the: al the nobilitie vvill loue thee excedingly, and thou shalt vvant nothing: I vvill send my man with thee to Oxford, and thou shalt be mainteined there: I vvill find the meanes that thou shalt haue one hundred Marks yerely: and vvithout all doubt, thou shalt haue a fat benefice. If thou vvilt not do this, thou shalt be tor­mented and that greeuously: therefore take good ad­uice vvhat to do. And for this cause, partly led vvith feare, & partly ouercome with flatterie, the old prouerb vvas verified in me: vvhatsoeuer he did saie, thesame I did sooth: al his said promises were bound with an othe.

These things that I haue vvritten are so true, as no­thing can be more true. See (ô men) hovv tragically the Lieutenant of the Tovver delt vvith me. Assoone [Page]as euer I came in Sir Ovven Hopton sight, being brought by an officer, I confessed my self to be of his religion, yet for al that he vvould needes haue me play the hypo­crite I vvas reddy to go to church on mine ovvne ac­corde the next sondaie after I vvas apprehended, yet notvvithstanding he commaunded me to seeme to re­siste, & his man vvas vvilled to dravv me to the church, as though I vvent against my vvill: of these sevv you may gather many things.

Concerning the Bull vvhich vvas fastened vpon the vvals at Rhemes, I dare not affirme it, but there vvent such a report among the Popes schollers in the English Col­lege at Rome: whether this Bull of excommunication against our Queene Elizabeth vvas renevved and printed againe at Rome, I am vtterly ignorant: but forgiue me that haue after such sort vvritten and donne, both rashly and falsely.

Such things as I haue vvritten at this present, I haue vvritten them of mine ovvne free vvill vvithout any constraint to vnburthen my conscience, in the presence of VVilliam Iohnson and George Robinson, in the prison of Roan, on Saterdaie being the 19. of Februarie in the yere of our Lord 1583.

Iohn Nichols.

MAKING SVTE FOR A VVARRANT TO ATTACH THE SAID IOHN NICOLS, demaund vvas made vvhether any thing could be layd to his charge sauing matters of religion: it was ansvvered yea: and therevpon these articles and ac­cusations following were dravven out against him, vpon vvhich the prisoner being examined he an­svvered to euery one seuerally, as is here set downe first in Latine, aftervvard in English.

1 ACcusamus Ioannem Nicolaum, primum quod famo­sos libello fecerit, & praelo mandauerit contra Prin­cipes & publicas person as atque collrgia, qui famosi libelli etiam in ditionibus suae Maiestatis Christia­nissimae in multorummanus venerunt & famam multorum le­serunt.

Respondeo vt sequitur. Ego Ioānes Nicolaus, pro­testans in religione, 20. Februarij anno Domini 1583. neque metu, neque fauore cuiusquam hominis, aliquid à me respondebitur. Quantum ad hunc primum articu­lum, fateor me ture recteque accusatum esse.

2 In his libris, turpissimorum criminum mendaciter & ca­lumniose insimulat nominatim certos Cardinales, obiiciens eis stuprum & scelera pessima, ex mera contra sacrum ordinem malitia.

Ad secundum sic respondeo. Fateor me sic scri­psisse, sed fama atque relatione hominum prauorum, vt opinor.

3 Sanctissimum Dominum nostrum Papam seditiosè & male­di [...]è in iisdem scriptis incusat iniustitiae furti, rapinae, & omnis iniquitatis, particulatim nominans quasdam rapinas quas eum fecisse fingit.

Respondeo, me sic scripsisse, sed magis ambitionis & malitiae causa, quam veritatis, nifi vt acceperam illum [Page]fecisse aliquid quod à me literis mandatum sit à viris illius conatibus minimè fauentibus, quod nunc non om­nino à me approbatur.

4 In suis libris praedictis iniquissimè, & (quod postea con­fessus est) falcissimè accusauit, proditionis & laesae Maiestatis homines sanctissimos, & innocentissimos, per quod ipsius & alio­rum suorum complicum falcissimum testimonium, plurimi, id est 12 religiosissimi viri aut plures fuerunt crudelissima morte sub­lati. Eumque interrogari cupimus, an aliorum inductione vel sua sola malitia, eos falsò accusauerit, & qui eum induxerunt ad hoc.

Ad quartum sic respondeo. Me semper negasse ali­quod testimonium in ducturum contra quemcunque ho­minem qui ob religionem passus est: sed in libris meis insinuaui, quod multi in Collegio Anglicano Romae si [...]o, optauerunt mortem Reginae, & multorum aliorum vt scribitur isto libro: & in illo articulo addidi plus quam veritas concessit. Et quantum ad nomina illustrissimo­rum virorum, vt nomen Domini Leicestriae, vt nomen Domini Burleighi, Reginae conquaestoris, Domini Fran­cisci Vvalzingham &c. quos viros neque accusatos, neque minatos ab aliquo in isto Collegio audiui, sed hoe ambitionis & lucri causa finxi.

5 Accusauit mendaciter & malitiosè Anglorum Collegium (suae Maiestatis fauore Rhemis residens) quod Bullam Pij V. contra Reginam Angliae datam, Rhemis publicauerit, & valuis & postibus illius vrbis affixerit, ex quo iniquissimo mendacio, & calumnia, illius collegij alumni, magnam posteà incurrerunt Re­ginae suae indignationem.

Ad quintum articulum sic respondeo. Quod iunio­res studentes retulerunt mihi quod Bulla anaihematis per Pium V. facta contra Reginam nostrā Elizabetham, renouata fuit per Gregorium Papam XIII. & retu­lerunt mihi quod illa Bullae Pij V. publicata fuit [...]he­mis & valuis & postibus illius vrbis affixa. Hoc leui [Page 13]illorum relatione scripsi: sed hac dere, non melius sciui, quam infans vnius diei, quia Rhemis tunc temporis non fui.

6 Nuper etiam in Galliis existens scripsit ante 10. dies, aper­tas literas ad quendam grauem virum, in quibus famam & ho­norem Collegij Anglorum multiplici mendacio, conuitio, calum­nia, & detractione grauissima, laesit: dicens praedictum Colle­gium docere & committere omnia mala, & quod viderit oculis suis continuo in Collegio fieri quae nimis sunt dictu turpia & hor­renda, vt ita falcissima calumnia & patres societatis Iesu, qui illud Collegium Romae regunt, & ipsorum discipulos collegij a­lumnos infamia notari.

Quantum ad sextum, hoc respōdeo. Istiusmodi lite­ras scripsi, sed superbia, & animus cupiens in Anglia pro­moueri, ad scribendum me duxit. Et quantum ad Colle­gium Rhemense, hoc dico: quod plus ex malitia, quam ex veritate dixi. & sic alterum Collegium quod est Ro­mae falsò à me accusatum est. Et de Doctore Alano, in conscientialoquor, nihil aliud scio aut audiui quam in­nocentiam, sua religione excepta.

7 Praeterista, periurij crimen ipsum incurrisse, probabimus. non solum ex eo, quod post publicam, solemnem & voluntariam haereseon abiurationem Romae ante quadriennium factam, rela­psus sit in abiuratas haereses: sed ex eo quod interposito tureiu­rando promiserit (cum Collegij Romani alumnus esset) se susce­pturum sacros ordines, & in Angliam profecturu ad propagan­dum fidem Catholicam, quandocunque à superioribus id esset sibi mandatum. Quod promissum iureiurando confirmatum, iam ipse eum ing enti scandalo irritum fecit.

Ad septimum articulum respondeo. Illum arti­culum esse verum, & incurri periurium, quia Romae vixi vt hypocrita, nunquam existens in religione Cathe­licae Romana, praesertim corde.

8 Porro, obiicimus illi, quod Pontificem dolo male frauda­uerit, [Page]quando sub pretextu aduersae valetudinis, & quod aërem Romanum ferre non potuerit, petiit à sua Sanctitate veniam eundi ad Collegium Rhemense, vt ibi studia prosequeretur, & sacerdotium susciperet, in eum finem postulans & accipiens à sua Sanctitate 50. aureos, cum ille accepta per fraudem hac pecunia recte profectus est in Angliam.

Ad octauum articulum respondeo, me defrau­dasse Papam 25. aureor um, quos mihi dedit in via via­tici vt Rhemos peruenirem, sed Rhemos non veni, re­cta in Angliam profectus sum.

Ob omnes praedictos articulos sic à me Ioanne Nicolao concessos dolor magnus me tenet, & sub pedibus cuiusque quem sic malitiosè & grauiter offendi, me ipsum prosterno & subiicio. Deus scit, animo euadendi fortunatus promotionibus, quam desi­derio veritatem loquendi ductus. Deus sit mihi misericors, & propitius, & ignoscat mihi pariter cum illis quos sic temere & impieo ffendi. Peto vt omnes illi qui per me offensi sunt, pro amo­re Christi, tantae iniuriae immerito illis illatae, obliuiscantur. partim hanc tetigi culpam Satanae suggestu, & partim quod multilaudauerunt ea quae sic impudenter scripseram.

Per me Ioannem Nicolaum Anglum.

1 WEe doo accuse Iohn Nicols, first, for that he made infamous libels, and set them downe in print, against Princes, publicks persones, and Colledges: vvhich infamous libels came to the handes of many in his most Christian Maiesties Dominions, and haue ble­mished the good name of many a man.

I Iohn Nicols Protestant, the xx. of February An. Domini 1583. doo answere as followeth: That I meane to do nothing for feare nor fauor as [Page 15]touching the first article, I confesse that it is a truth that I am accused of.

2 In these bookes he doth accuse falsely and slander­ously many Cardinals by name, of most filthie crimes, obiecting vnto them vvhoredonne, and most wicked acts, and that of meere mallice against the sacred fun­ction.

As touching the second, I confesse that I wrot so, but vpon the report of levvde persons.

3 In the same vvritings, he dooth accuse sediciously and reprochfully the Popes holynes of iniustice, theste, roberye, and al iniquitie, naming certen roberies parti­cularly, vvhich he hath fained him to commit.

To the third article I agree, that I haue written so, but of ambition and mallice: but euen as I haue receiued (by reporte that the Pope did somevvhat as is vvritten of him by me) of men that sauored not his proceedings: which things aftervvard vpon better aduisemēt, I did not, nor do allovve.

4 In his foresaid bookes he hath accused most holy and innocent men, most vniustly and (as him self con­fessed aftervvards) most falsely, of treason and conspi­racie against their princes persone: so that through his, and his companions false witnes: many, that is to saie, xij. most religious men or more, were put to most cruel death. And vve desire you to enquire of him, vvhether he falsly accused them of his ovvne mallice, or induced therevnto by others, and vvhat they vvere that there­vnto induced him?

To the fourth thus I answere: that I alvvaies denied to bring forth any euidence against any one persone that suffered in England for reli­gion: [Page]but I insinuated in my booke that diuers in the College at Rome, vvished the death of the Queene and diuers others as is specified in that booke. and in that article I added more then truth is. And as cōcerning the names of honora­ble personages, as my Lord of Leycester, my Lord Burleigh, Sir Frauncys Vvalzingham &c. which men I neuer heard accused or threatened, by any of the College, but vvere for ambition and pre­serment sake forged.

5 He hath falsly and maliciously accused the English College (now by his maiesties fauor residēt in Rhemes) that they did publish in Rhemes the Bull that Pius V. set forth against the Queene of England: and that they did fasten it vpon the gates and vvals of that citie: by occasion of which wicked lye & slaunder, the studentes of that College, did incure the highe indignation of their Queene.

As touching the fifth article, this I saie: that by light reporte of the yonger studentes, I reported in my booke that the Bull of Pius V. was renued by the Pope Gregorie the thirteenth, & vvas fixed vpon the posts at Rhemes, vvhich thing I knew asvvel as the infant of one daies age.

6 And novv of late being here in Fraunce, he vvrote not ten daies since, open letters to a certain graue man: in vvhich letters he did vvith many a lie, reproche, slaunder, and greeuous detraction, empaire the good fame and honor of the English College: saying that the foresaid College dooth teach and commit al euels, and that he hath seene vvith his eies that to be dōne con­tinually in that college, which are horrible things, & to filthie to be spoken, so that by this most false slaunder, he dooth defame, both the fathers of the societie of Iesus, vvhich gouuerne that College at Rome, as also their [Page 16]schollers the studentes of that colledge.

As touching the sixth article, this I ansvvere, that I wrote such a letter, but of pride, & a minde to be preferred in England. And as touching the College of Rhemes, this I saie, that I spake more of mallice then of truth: and so in like­vvise the College of Rome vvas falsely accused by me. And as concerning M. Doctor Allen, I say in conscience, that I knovv or haue heard by the man nothing els but innocencie, his religion excepted.

7 Besides these vve vvill proue him to be a periured person, not onely for that he is in relapse, & falne againe into those heresies, vvhich he abiured publickly, so­lemnely, & voluntarily at Rome 4. yeres since: but for that he promised vpon his othe (when he was a student in the English College at Rome) that he vvould take holy orders, and go into England, and there to teach the Catholick faith vvhensoeuer he should be sent by his superiors. which promis (confirmed vvith an oth) he hath broken, not vvithout great scandall.

The seuenth article is true: and I haue incurred periurie, for that at Rome I liued as an hypocrite, being neuer in hart of the Romane religion.

8 Moreouer vve obiect to him, that he abused the Pope vvith craft and deceipt, vvhen vnder pretence of sicknes, and that he could not awaie vvith the aier of Rome, he desired leaue of his holynes to come to the College at Rhemes, there to follow his studie, and to be made prieste, and to that ende requesting and receiuing of his holynes 50. crovvnes of gold, but assoone as he had gotten the money thus fraudently, he vvent straight into England.

As concerning the eight article it is graunted, I defrauded the Pope of 25. crownes giuen vnto [Page]me in vvay of Viaticum to bing me to Rhemes.

For al these articles being thus graunted by me Iohn Nicols, I am right sory, and submit me self vnder the feete of any such as I haue maliciously and greuously offended. God knovveth I spake these things vvith a desire to be promoted, rather then vvith a minde to vt­ter the truth. God be merciful vnto me and pardon me, and al those vvhom I haue thus offended vvilfully I crie mercie: and beseech them for Christ his sake to forget such iniuries so impudently committed against them, partly by Sathans prompting, partly by the countenāce of others in commending such stuf.

By me Iohn Nicols Englishman.

M. Stubs gaue me the matter of my booke in the Tovver, intituled: The recantion of Iohn Nicols, &c. M. Vvilkinson did vvrite in the margent the notes: and also added to that vvhich I vvrote, and corrected the faults by me escaped.

Moreouer I told my Lord Treseurer about alhallow­tide last past Anno Domini 1582. these vvordes that fol­lovve: If it may pleas your honor, I am right sorie that I haue such bookes put forth, that conteine more falsehood then truth. My lord ansvvered, that the Papist found out that I lyed.

Vvhen I confessed to M. Kirkby in the tovver that it repented me in vvriting such bookes as vvere contrary to the truth, M. Lucas Kirkby reported these my vvords to M. Reignolds of Oxford, vvho made reporte thereof to Sir Frauncys Vvalzingham vvho being certified of this thing vvrote or sent to M. Lieutenant of the Tovver of London, that I should be sent for, and examined face to face before M. Kirkby to knovv vvhether it vvas so or not as Sir Frauncis vvas certified. Vvhen I came to the Tovver, M. Kirkby vsed these vvordes to me vvhen he [Page 17]saw me. Speke the truth (quoth he) and shame the Diuel. So I vvill (quoth I) doubte not thereof: M. Kirkby was examined apart, and I ansvvered truly, if I had been per­mitted by M. Lieutenant so to do. For vvhen I said so, I told M. Kirkby that I vvrote those bookes for ambition, say not so (quoth M. Lieutenant) vvrite (quoth he to his Se­cretary) after this manner: That he vvas sorie that he vvrot his bookes so rudely as he did.

Vvhen M Reignolds in the presence of Doctor Hum­frey told me that he vvould proue to my face before M. Doctor Humfrey (M. Kirkby being called before them) that I had vttered such vvords, as that I vvas sorie that my bookes were published conteinning more vntruth then veritie, and that I said I vvould forge no more against the Papists neither in print nor pulpit. Vvhich thing vvhen M. Lieutenant heard, he had him hold his peace. and talke no more thereof.

By me Iohn Nicols.

THE SATISFACTION. OF LAV­RENCE CADDEY, TOVCHING his frailties, and fall from the Catholike Church, at his retorne into England.

IF there be any Catholicks in England or out of England, that heard of my speach or recantation at Paules crosse, which was in the yere of our Lord 1581. These are to certifie them that it vvas directly against my conscience, and that I vvas neuer of that Religion that then I pretended, as God shal saue me at the general day of Iudgement.

For I will shew plainely and manifestly that of my inward defection from our Mother the Catholick Church there were neuer any effectual causes, vvhereby it may most cleerely appeere that invvardly I vvas neuer since my first reconciliation to the Catholick Church an here­tick. For either I invvardly separated my self from the Catholick Church, because I thought some points of the Churches doctrine to be false, or for the euel life of the Catholicks.

For the first, although I neuer studied diuinitie, but as much as some Cathecumini do, and the yonger schol­lers that are yet in the course of Philosophie, or other prophane sciences, yet I am not (I thanke God) so dull of vvit, but I can Iudge somewhat of Religion and of the difference betwene the Catholicks and the Protestants, by the sermons of learned men which I haue here to fore frequented, by the cōuersation I had vvith learned Fathers, vvhich daily did expound the harder points of [Page 18]Religion, and often did dissolue diuers folish and chil­dish Sophismes of hereticks.

Whereby I knovv, and truly euer since my first con­uersion did knovv, that euery point of the Catholick religion is conformable to the vvord of God, although the hereticks do falsely say that they are grounded vpon the bare traditions of men: and to me it is euident that there is no article of the Catholick faith novv called in doubt, which may not be proued by diuers places of the scriptures, or by most cleere sequell inuincebly deduced and gathered of the same.

And where the aduersaries say, that either the Ca­tholicks do recite places out of the scriptures, vvhich are not authētical, or els if they do allege places out of the true scriptures that they expound them falsely ac­cording to their ovvne fancies, I vvas neuer since my first reconcilement so simple or necligent of my salua­tion, as not to see, that to be an vsual stale euasion of al old hereticks.

For this I knovv, that Luther that provvde Lucifers Primogenitus, or vvhat other singular sectarie soeuer, being but one man, although he had ben most holy in the sight of men, as in deede he vvas most vnholy and vvicked both before God and man, ought not to iudge scriptures to be authentical or not authentical by his owne priuate, vnconstant and variable spirit, and re­fuse the Iudgement of the Church and General Councel vvhich determineth such things by the spirit of truth, promised by Christs expresse vvord, and so cleerely te­stified in scriptures, to abide vvith the same to th'end of the vvorld.

And in truth, it vvas a note sure enough for me to confirme my self in my forefathers faith and to con­demne in my conscience the contrary sect of the Pro­testants, that I heard by men of full credit (howsoeuer th'English sectaries vvrith and vvrangled in the matter of late to saue their honesties) that one heretick, as Lu­ther, by his spirit denieth some bookes that our Cal­uinists [Page]accept to be Gods word by the iudgement of their spirit. and I savv it plainely by mine owne late experience of them, that they receiue and condemne, admit or repell, euen as they thinke good for the van­tage of the cause, and as may best serue for the defence of their deuellish doctrine. Wherein truly (I say for the reuerend respect and honotable dealing with the diuine booke of Gods word) not withstanding the aduersaries pretending al reuerence towards the scri­ptures, and tedious vaunting, talking, and tossing of them, the Catholicks yet do so farre passe them in Reli­gious keeping, preseruing, interpreting, translating, al­leaging, & al other vse of holy vvrit, as the true owner and occuper of any thing, passeth the theefe and vsur­per. I beleeue it, and haue had experience of it in both sides, and therefore I speake it.

For the second, that is, th'exposition of scriptures, I knew it was the property of al hereticks to abuse, wrest and vvring them, to vvhatsoeuer them selues list, and particularly to the priuate sence of euery secte maister, ech one for his owne erronious doctrine and the con­demnation of his fellowes. I haue heard vvith mine owne eares, and seene vvith mine owne eyes: that the scriptures sound al for Luther and against the Sacramen­taries in Germany: and in England and some other pla­ces, al the Bible is at Caluins and Bezas beck, and soundeth vvhatsoeuer they say, against not onely the Catholicks or Lutheranes, but against their ovvne booke of com­mon praier, actes and iniunctions published by autho­ritie: the Puritanes there hauing reconced aboue an hundreth and sortie errors in th'English seruice against the scriptures, & vvhich I noted in the time of my being in England especially in London and Cambridge, aswel the writers, Preachers, Readers and Disputers, as most other schollers and prentises be puritanes, condemning by Gods word that same seruice & administration vvhich them selues daily resort vnto.

For vvhich who soeuer shall reade the writings of [Page 19] M. Vvhittakers, or the disputes of Fulke, Charke, Vvalker, and such other Ministers lately had in the Tower, they shal find my vvords and obseruation true, and shall see many points of puritanisme decided by them by coulor of scriptures, against their ovvne authorized seruice, & all those things set out by authoritie.

I neede not stand to tell you now the Lutheranes ex­pound this notorious text, Hoc est corpus meum, so farre othervvise then the Zuinglians and Caluinists, that they haue prooued these, by Gods expresse vvord hereticks: and these, them for the reciproke, plaine carnal men and Idolaters: both th'one and th'other vvrithing the sa­cred words to their owne erronious and damnable sect against the proper nature and plaine sense, vvhich the letter, the circumstance, the conference of places, the auncient fathers, Councels, and the vvhole Church ex­presly setteth downe. Vvith this I haue marked that the Sectaries of our countrey and al other places, being sin­gular, vaine-glorious, louers of them selues, and che­risers of their ovvne fantasies, seeke for nothing but nouelties, and in th'exposition of scriptures to finde out that which neuer neither foole nor wiseman found out before them, and al this vvith a ridiculous boast of euery mans seuerall spirit, gifte and knowledge, vvhich to me and others that see their liues and lear­ning, and partly know their intention, is a straunge case.

Hovv soeuer it be, their exposition so nevv, so im­probable, so inconstant, so various, so farre differing from the commētaries of al the fathers, passing al these men in al grace and knowlege, from the general Coun­cels, that not by particular fansie of a few, but by vni­forme consent of the most learned in the vvorld, haue by Gods vvord (truly through th'assistance of the holy Ghost vnderstood) defined these things to our hands: this consideration I say of their vngodly behauiour towards the holy scriptures, the glorious Doctors, & the vniuersall Church of al ages and nations, of which [Page]by my late being among them, I haue enformed my self better then euer I could haue dōne by reading of bokes or here say, hath fortified my faith against them, I trust in God, during life. But because I professe not in this breif satisfactiō to dispute of the matter, or arrogate to my self any profound knowlege in these things, I for this point say no more but this, that if I had ben partly bent to heresie when I vvent into Englād, as I was not (I speake it as before God) the more I had ben cōuersant with the Protestāts, yea with the learnedsts amōgst thē, the soner should I haue ben reclaimed frō that heresie.

For in other things though I may bouldly saie they haue the gifts of the mind as plentifully as any nation, yet in diuinitie & specially in these controuersies, they are so bewitched, that through the common malady of heresie, vvhich by Gods iust iudgement of sinne and for saking th'obedience of his Church, is euer ioyned vvith pitifull darkenes of vnderstanding, especially in such as brag most of the light, that when they bring but Sophismes to proue their religion, they both thinke and bouldly aduouch, that they are demōstrations. But here they wil exclaime after their manner and say they bring places of scripture, & wil charge me that I cal the scrip­tures Sophismes. No God forbid, for that were blasphe­mie, but I call the false and childish exposition, or the place (either by false translation or exposition wrested) a Sophisme, the vvhich may sone be espied of him that hath any iudgement or common sense, especially if God hath lightened his vnderstanding by the doctrine of the Catholick Church.

Besides, if I had fauored heresies, this would haue reuoked me, to see some of those that on this side the scas were both counted & know to be void of all good gifts and qualities of the minde, not capable of any science, yet at their retorne home, to be admitted to be publick preachers, and their vvords, being nothing but knowne forgeries & blasphemous lyes, to be compted [...]s Oracles and conclusions deduced out of th'expresse [Page 20]vvord of the Lord, as they speke in our countrey.

One saith very vvisely of Aristotle, that he vsed hard and difficult termes in Philosophie to driue awaie from the reading of his bookes those that vvere simple and vnlearned, lest saith he, Omnia harpiarum more immundo contactu conspurcarent: that is to say: lest they should diminish and abase the reuerēd maiestie of philosophie by their foolish and doting expositions. How soeuer it is in that facultie of Philosophie, sure it is, that the written vvord of God is full of profound mysteries, & yet is confidently, bouldly and malepertly expounded now in England, as vvel priuatly at euery table and ta­uerne, as in the pulpits and common assemblies of sim­ple and vnlearned artificers, so that the lay people, pren­tises especially and yong schollers, assone as they can bid Caesar good morrow in Greeke, or reade th'English Testamēt, yea the women dare presume to dispute with the Clergie of the cheefest points of Religion, and bouldly condemne the cheefest clercks in the vvorld.

Is not this I pray you a great abasing of th'excellēcie of the vvord of God? surely if I had fauored heresies: this would haue ben a sufficiēt motiue to haue reuoked me. I could bring many moe strong reasons to this pur­pose, but because I am a yong nouice in learning, and because I thinke this vvhich I haue brought will suffice to proue that there vvas no cause of my invvard defe­ction in respect of my particular knowledge, I vvil here end this first point.

For the second, that I had no cause to seperate my self from the Catholick church for the euel life of the Ca­tholicks, and to come to be a Protestant for their ho­lynes, I vvil shew it manifestly, and yet no great profe vvil be loked for at my hands therein. First, suppose the Catholicks liued very euel, & as ill as their aduersaries (purposely to deceiue the people) faine them to do, if I thinke the Religion to be good, their euel life should neuer cause me to for sake it, if a man should measure truth & faith by the elle of vertu and innocencie in the [Page]professors & follovvers of any sort, in mans frailtie & miserie of this life, God should haue no people nor part in this world al being subiect to sin and danger in this mortal state. But surely if wee should docide the matter by the difference of life, behauiour, and conuersation of both sides, I vvere vvorse then an asse to determine for the Protestants against the Catholicks, amongest whom the first Professors vvere Saincts, and the cheef leaders and teachers aftervvard most holy, and al these follovvers though fraile and sinfull men, yet finding remedy by the medicinable Sacraments, penaunce and discipline of the Church, for their daily offences.

Where contrary vvise the very first authors of this Protestancy, Luther, Caluin, Beza and the like, or as them selues call them, the restorers & reformers of Religion, vvere not onely vulgarly nought, but of notorious in­famous wicked life: as their Ministers be in al coūtreies, and their zelous followers not good in any place, spe­cially in Englād, where they haue notoriously betraied their false faith, by their foule fruicts. Yea and vvhere it is knowne that their doctrine it self, hath só altered to the vvorse al kinde of States: and that their pulpits are nothing els but a schoole of sinne, licentiousnes, lust and liberty, that al wisemen wonder at it, and good men lament the case.

Who knoweth not that vertue, deuotion, & godly life it self is bourthenous and hateful to the Protestants, so far surely that they seeke as I haue seene not onely to abolish, deface; and destroy, the bookes now or of ould written for defence and proofe of the Catholick faith, which they may do vpon some pretence of errors con­teined in the same, but they burne vp al godly treatises and bookes of contemplation, meditation, and instru­ction of Christian life and manners, conteining no dis­pute of religion at al, as long sith they vsed a deuout treatise, of the life and Immitation of Christ: and now of late they openly burned a number of the bookes of prayer and meditation of prayer made by Levves of Granado [Page 21]together with the new Testament. Assure your selues that they cānot abide such bookes of al others, knowing that deuout praier onely, penaunce and amendement of life, vvill easily bring men from their pretēded Reli­gion, in which no such deuotions are found. Neither, if you marke vvell, shall you euer finde that the learned of the Protestants writ or treat of any such argument, al their doings are in pugnis verborum, in strife, emulation, contention, contradiction, destruction. They stand vpon quick dispatch, and attribute al to Christ his pas­sion, without ether much meditation of it, or confor­ming them selues vnto it. Finally they haue turned the grace of Christ into carnal lust and licence.

To see these things which in England are so open and euident, not so much profound learning is requisite, as due consideration, and some experience of other places, vvhich if our Gentlemen, students and others, ether of the ynnes of Court or vniuersities, or of what other place or calling soeuer might haue: as diuers by trauelling ouer the seas to ether of the Seminaries or other Catholick schooles haue happely proued, they should see vvhat difference of life, manners, education, and behauiour there is betwixt the one and th'other.

This one thing I dare be bould to say, for the Semi­nary of Rome, where I most liued in mine absence from my countrey which therefore I knew best, and vvhich the vvicked calumniators haue most sought to slaūder, the youthes and students al, there, be as vertuous as any be in Christendome. And let both Oxford and Cambrige, giue me one such for hollynes of life and conuersation (so long as they be there vnder the Protestants regi­ment) as there be a number in the said Seminary, and I promis you I vvill say in S. Peters in Rome, al that I said at Paules crosse in London.

Not vvithstanding (as I said) al euel life maketh not nor proueth one to be an heretick, for I am an of­fendor as other men, and perhaps the cheef of many sinners, but I haue found remedy, mercie & saluation, in [Page]the Church, in vvhich onely the holie Passion of Christ the cause of al remission, is profitable, and out of the same, nothing but damnation though mans life seeme neuer so iuste and holy. For this his blessed passions sake I trust he vvill nether now remember the sinnes of my youth nor this my exterior reuolt from his holy Church, vvhich I professe as before to haue ben of frail­tie against mine owne conscience and knowlege. God that knoweth al things, knoweth that I did it not for any liking I had of the Protestants either life or reli­gion, knowing both to be starke nought, onely the Diuel by false and subtil persuasions vvas the cause of my outward defection. First I had a seruent desire to see my parents and freends, and because I vvas afraid, they neither durst nor vvould receiue me for seare of the sta­tuts. I thought it good to play the hypocrite (if that may be called hypocrisie, to put on the habit and resem­blance of wickednes) with the Bishop of London, that is, to faine my self to be an heretick, that thereby I might procure his licence, and so goe to my freends both without their danger & mine owne. The Bishop being a wily Fox straight waies commaunded me to signifie so much in publick audience, and then he vvould graunt me my request, then beganne the tragedie of my vvo & miserie.

I began to excuse my self of fearefulnes, & to wepe before him that taught the Bishops sonnes, and befote Iohn Dias the Bishops chaplen. Then I thought vvith my self, that if I should withstand the Bishop, a thow­sand worldly inconueniences should haue ensued the­reof, because I had said before, I vvas as he vvas in re­ligion, these and other such like causes of my miserable outward defection did the Diuel put into my hed: who although he had thought to haue throwne me downe for euer at that time, yet I hope to giue him and al his the ouerthrow, and neuer here after vvhile I liue to yeld to such like temptations, for the performaunce vvhereof, I beseech the blessed virgin Marie, and al the [Page 22]holy company of heauen, and al good Catholicks to pray for me. I could name some vvitnesses of the great passions and in ward strife I had vvith my self vpon the first consideration of my pretended reuoult, but that I dare not name them for putting the godly men in dan­ger: this onely I vvil ade therein, that al the world may see I neuer vvas theirs in hart sith my first reconcilemēt to the Catholick Church.

First when I was in prison in the Gatehorrse, I went euery daie to the dore of a Catholick which lay in the next rome to the chamber I lay in, & weeping bitterly, shevved him that I should do against my conscience, from vvhich he merueilous charitably and comfortably dehorted me, vvith great reasons and incouragement to be constant in confession of my faith: but the Diuel, his Ministers, and mine infirmitie preuailed, and I did that vvhich was required at my hands. After I had done that which euer since hath ben a naile in my conscience, in diuers places I vvas conuersant vvith the Catholicks, and neuer vttered or hurt any, nor vvould haue done for al the good in the vvorld, the persons and places I could name but for their endangering.

When I vvas at Cambrige, I counselled diuers to go ouer sea, and persuaded them so, that I had brought them ouer vvith me in deede, if it had not ben for feare of their Tutors-Many youthes there be (God be thanked for it) vvel bent to vertu and the Catholick Religion, I be­seech God bring them thence. Besides, vvhen my cham­ber fellowes especially, one Sir Hutton, Doctor Hutton his nephevv, vvould speke against F. Campion, I haue de­fended him so farre, that he called me often Papist, and defendor of Traitors, and threatened he vvould com­plaine of me to the Maister and the Seniors. I haue spo­ken the same, and hovv he vvas falsely accused, &c. in mine ovvne countrey to one, being both vvell learned and very catholickly bent as vvee vvalked by the Seas side.

But some vvil obiect I kept company vvith Io [...] [Page]Nichols, a feruent heretick: to vvhich Obiection I an­svvere, confessing that I kept him company to much, for if I had follovved him in al points, he vvould haue brought both him self and me to euerlasting destru­ction: for I am sure, that neuer vvoman brought out such a horrible and ougley monster in manners as he is. But if ye consider th'end vvherefore I vvas conuersant vvith him, I hope ye vvill not thinke me to be much blame vvorthie.

First I vvent about to knovv his lying spirite and his detestable manners, vvhich I am sure I knovv (al­though to mine owne discredit) as vvell as any: but especially I vvent about to get him out of England, from being the cause of shedding of Innocent blood, the vvhich I thanke God I haue obteined, & haue pro­cured his apprehension, not for hatred or hurt of his person, as God dooth knovv, but for desire of sauing his soule, and detections of his foule slaūders against the Church of God and her children. I vvas neuer (I thanke God, most humbly) of his malitious humor, if I had ben, I might haue vomited my poison against the Catholicks, I might haue gone to the priuie counsel, & haue enstauled my self as many do, I might haue recei­ued good conditions of liuing being offred, I might haue staide at Cambrige at the cost of my parents vvhich are able to keepe me in the schooles of learning: many commodious vvaies for vvorldly preferment I might haue follovved, if I had invvardly liked of that foule heresie, nether had I any neede to go into a strāge coū ­trey, vvhere I knevv, I should liue poorely.

To be short, vvhiles I was in England this last time, I vvas neuer quiet in conscience, because vvhatsoeuer I did, I did it against the same. Other reasons I could yeld, but because I vvilbe short, these shal suffice: one thing doth comfort me no litle, that many haue falne as grosely as I haue donne, and aftervvards haue become most firme and constant. It remaineth onely, that for this publick sinne and scandal, and al other offences, I [Page 23]craue pardō of God, of the holy Church, of Christ his Vicar here vpon earth Gregory the XIII. of that name, head of the said holy Church, and al other that I gaue scandall to thereby. And I request al good Catholicks to take me as their brother in Christ Iesu. And I beseech al good Christians for Iesus Christ his sake to pray for me, that I neuer become an heretick, but that I may liue and die in the Catholick and Apostolick Church, which is the Church of Rome, and that after this life I may enioy the kingdom of heauen: to the vvhich God bring vs for Iesus Christ his sake, to vvhom vvith the Father & the holy Ghost, be al honor, power, and glory, both now and for euer world without end.

Laus Deo ac deiparae virgini Mariae.
By me Laurence Caddey.

THE COPIE OF A LETTER vvritten by the said Laurence Caddey, to his Patron and frend.

I Thinke my self happy most worthy Pa­tron that your Fatherly affection towards me is not decreased, but wonderfully and more then I could looke for, augmented. I now see that first of al you haue a great loue to my soule, secondarily to your Countrey and to me your poore countrey-man, a great thing it is to bestowe vpon me my habit, but vvhat greater then to giue your vvord, and besides a testimoniall most neces­sarie in these perillous times, but you can do no other seing that the quallities of the trevv Church be in you eminentissimo quodam modo, the vvhich most aboundantly dooth bestow not onely interna Charismata, vpon those that penitētly doo runne vnto her for soccour: but also al exteriour graces necessary for them, you therfore be [Page]no stepfather nor shee no stepmother, but most louing and charitable nourishers both of the invvard and out­ward man, of your penitent and contrite children. As for the declaration of my faith it vvas abruptly in three howers donne by me, beside none at Paris either helped me or saw it as yet, therefore it must needes be childishe. I pray you let it come to light both for the honor of the Church and my credit also, and for the discharging of my conscience, besides I made a solemne oth, that there is nothing but that it is true, euery good Christian vvill thinke so, and I vvould you could learne his name that was in prison neere me in the Gatehovvse, & aske him, &c. as for the resolution of entring into religion, I haue chosen, meaning thereby to worke (by Gods grace) my saluation: I do it not for neede, for first I might & may be (but I vvill not) a Carthusian, although I neuer offred my self. besides going vvith a good Reli­gious Father to Says in Normandie, there in an Abbey of Sainct Martin, I vvas requested of most of the Bre­thren (as this Father can testifie) to enter into their or­der, but I neither offred my self there or to any other order but this: Nor minde to be of any but this of the Carmes, which I trust I haue made choise of by Gods suggestion, not condēning any other order, al doublesse being of God, neither yet enter I into religion for neede or for desperation, for I know that if the num­ber of my sinnes were more then the litle sandes of the sea, if I vnfainedly repent, by Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction as much as I can, that God will be mer­cifull vnto me: to be short, I vvill neither in any cal­ling dispaire or presume. for if in any thing, in this it is truely said, In medio consistit virtus. Briefly I will either attempt it vvith zeale, deuotion, and full desire of working my saluation and the seruice of God, or els Manum de tabula, that is, I will leaue of betime, and not take the habit and afterwards, Valedicere habitui & con­uentui.

As for the rest in your letter, if I study not to put [Page 24]them in execution to th'vttermost of my power, surely my hart is more hardened then euer Pharoes hart was, seing that one not much inferiour to Moyses, doth both by word of mouth and by writing speake vnto me so louingly & effectually. Thus leuing of to trouble you, I request al your prayers for me, and as my bound dutye is, I will whiles I liue be your beades man. At Paris.

Your daily Oratour, Laurence Caddey.

THE CONFESSION OF RICHARD BAINES PRIEST AND LATE STV­dent of the Colledge of Rhemes, made after he vvas remoued out of the common gaile to his chamber.

AS my miserie & vvickednes vvas greate which I vvill now set downe to the publishing of my ingratitude to God, the Church, and my superiors, so vvas Gods iustice, mercy and prouidence meruelous towards me to saluation as I verely hope. Of al vvhich to the glory of Christ, and satisfaction of the holy Church and all her children whom I haue offended or scandalized, & to mine owne vvorthy confusion temporall, I intend to make this my publike confession, that al that stand, may by my exāple beware of a fall, and such as be fallen may thereby make hast to aryse againe.

The very ground of my fall and of al the wickednes ether committed or intēded, was my pride which droue me to a lothsomenes to liue in order and obedience, to conceipts of mine owne vvorthines and manifold dis­contentement of the schollarlike condition vvherein I liued, to an immoderat desire of more ease, welth, and (which I specially also respected) of more delicacie of diet and carnal delits then this place of banishment was like to yeld vnto me, though (vvo vnto me that could not see so fare before) the studēts state in the Seminarie, [Page 25]vvhere I vvas in very honest compt and calling is in all points so good and happy, that most vvise men wonder at Gods so mercifull and plentifull prouision for the competent maintenance of so many in such a blessed trade of life and education.

Besides this, though I vvas not onely a student in di­uinitie, but also a priest (though many vvaies I shewed and made my self most vnworthie of that high degree) pretēding in dede in the sight of my superiors the study of holy scriptures as dewly required: yet in truth I most delited in prophane writers and the vvorst sort of them, such as ether wrot against the truth or had least tast of religion, vvhereby the holy vvriters of my Christian profession & priesthood, began daily to waxe more and more tedious and lothsome vnto me, in so much that in the doing of such publike exercises as by my course of study or my superiors appointmēt I often made, I had a delit rather to fil my mouth and the au­ditors eares with daintie, delicat, nice and radiculous termes and phrases, then vvith vvholsome sound and sa­cred doctrine.

Whereby at leinght I had such a liking of my self, that through nouelties of wordes ioyned vvith pretty prouerbs, termes and mocking taunts, wherevnto by natural inclination and by my said prophane vsage I vvas much giuen, I found meanes to insinuat my self to the familiaritie of some of the yonger sort that me thought might easely be caried into discontentment & to mislike of rule and discipline and of subiection to their maisters and gouernors: for vvhich purpose I vsed ordinarily some prety skoffes against euery of the elders of our howse. Vndermining by art also, but in pretence of great playnnes and holy simplicitie certen very honest men, vvhom I thought knevv somewhat of my superiors secrecie, the knowledge whereof (our lord God forgiue me) I purposed to abuse as occasion afterward should be giuē, to the annoyance and great hurt as wel of the Catholike cause as of the Seminaries, [Page]our President and other principal persons, to whom by the lavv of God, nature, and by singular benefits donne to me I ovve all duety.

With this I began by litle and litle to the scandal & ruyne of diuers of the youth and other my fellovves, if God had not preserued them by his singuler grace as vvel by my example of licentious life, as by vvicked words, to shew my mislike of fasting and praying, cal­ling for flesh pies or pasties in my chamber on fry daies at night, and omitting the diuine seruice prescribed to men of my calling, often iesting and skoffing thereat before some of my companions in vvhose secrecie & loue toward me I had some affiāce. And then proceding farther and farther in vvickednes I began to mocke at the lesser points of religion, vvhich is the high vvay to Heresie, Infidelitie & Athisme. as to my great daunger I haue experience in myne owne case, so lamentable. desiring al Christian people to take head by my exam­ple. Protesting to al the vvorld, that it is not reason, nor scriptures, nor the spirit of God, which are so much pre­tēded by protestants, that leadeth any man to that dam­nable sect, by vvhich one countrey is perished, but it is voluptuousnes, sensualitie, pride, ambition singularitie delite and loue of mans selfe, that driueth downe per­sons laden vvith sinne to this heresie of the Protestants, and that the next dore, yea the next steape of this staire is atheisme and no beleefe at al. A fevv vvordes vvil serue a vvise man.

Wel when I had thus entangled my self, & for some daies proued that such as I had vttered my euel heretical speaches vnto kept al things close, I bouldly aduētured vpon their familiaritie and secrecie to vtter diuers hor­rible blasphemies in plaine termes against the principal points of religion, specially to one person of myne owne calling vvho aftervvard (as I must needes con­fesse to the shame of th'ennemy) godly and trewly for both our good and saluations vttered the vvhole mat­ter vnto our superior vvhich vvas Gods great mercy to [Page 26]me, for othervvise I had doubtles perished for euer more.

For a moneth space or there abouts I delt vvith my said fellovv bouldly not only by arguments and often communication to drawe him to heresie, but also vt­tered to him my intention to goe into England, there to preach heresie: and to annoye the common cause of Christs Church, and specially this Seminary, the Presi­dent and superiors thereof, as much as I could possibly: discoursing with him and declaring that there vvas no remedy, but the counsel must needes seeke the dissolu­tion of the Seminary, or els sustaine their state to be ru­yned in time by it.

Therevpon I vttered sondry meanes vnto him, how first the president him self might be made avvay, and if that missed, how the vvhole company might easely be poysoned or othervvise dispersed further more offe­ring my hand to gage, that the president should not be a liue that daie tvvo yeres that I spake it, one of the yeres being now gone and yet he aliue: as I desire God he may be many. This vvas often my deuilish communi­cation, and whether I should not haue giuen this ouer­ture to the counsel vvhen I came into England for di­spatch of him and the said Seminarie my derest nurce, my self knovv not (to say he lest) hovv farre the deuil vvould haue driuen me, vvho novv holy occupied my hart in hope of aduauncement in England by these pra­ctises. For vvhich purpose I had also fraudulently dis­couered certaine points of secrecie & set them dovvne in vvriting with intent to giue the note of the same to the counsel, vvherein I rather detected my ovvne ma­lice then any other thing, for the matters vvere of no importance in deede.

In breefe this I must needes acknovvledge that I vvould haue done any of these impious iniuries rather then haue fallen from the preferment I hoped & gaped after so inordinatly, our Lord of his infinite mercies for giue me that detestable treason against him and his [Page]Church: and the abhominable periurie dissimulation & fiction, vvhen for a vvhole moneths space after I had discouered my minde to my fellovv, yet I said Masse daily, sought for leaue and viaticum of M. President to goe home to encrease by preaching and al endeuours the Catholick cause, and toke an oth vpon the Euan­gelists that I beleeued al points of the Catholick faith, and had no other purpose of going into England but for the aduancement of the same. And I desire good M. Presidēt & the whole howse euen for the blessed death and vvoundes of our Sauiour for vvhose sake they su­staine al this contradiction of me and other sinners, to pardon and healp me by their praiers to true repentāce and remission.

And that good Priest my deare louing fellovv, whom I vvould haue had partaker of my vvicked and damnable reuoult I cry him mercy euen vpon my knees, and thanke him (though to the carnal vvordly man it might be compted an iniury that he discouered al my counsel vnto his superiors and myne. for els I had been vvith out doute damned for euer more.

But al this came of the sweet mercies and disposi­tions of our Lord God and Sauiour vvho ouertooke and ouer raught me happely in the very course of my malice and damnable designements, and hath by his vn­speakable wisedom, caused not onely my imprisonmēt, and other my bodely afflictions vvhich he procured for me at the very same time that I had thought to haue been in my ruffe and iolitie amongest his ennemies, but turned my very sinnes and vvickednes to the good of his honor and my saluation: at the same time both deliuering his trevv and innocent seruaunts of the Se­minarie and others vvhom my malice might haue an­noyed, and me also, in most gracious & miraculous sort, his name be blessed therefore for euer more.

And it is his goodnes that hath deliuered me from the accomplishment of my vvicked desires as powrably and miraculously al most as he did Saul persecuting the [Page 27]Christians, but vvith much more mercie then him, for that he found grace because he did it of ignorance in incredulitie: vvhere I did al against my ovvne skill and conscience: neuer doubting but the Catholick Romane re­ligion vvas the onely true, Christian, auncient and Apostolick faith, and vvorship of God: though I fained my self for the atchiuing of my detestable designemēt to doubt thereof and to haue some reasonable motiues against the same, and sought by al meanes possible to haue en­formed my conscience against that truth vvhich other­vvise I in hart beleeued.

Novv therefore for the poore amends that lieth in me to make vnto Gods Church. I protest before the blessed Trinitie, and al the glorious company in heauen and by this publike vvriting vvhich I voluntarily make and subscribe vvith mine ovvne hand: That I beleeue in al points the holy, Catholick, Apostolick & Romane Church, submitting my self to her and the cheefe gouernor the­reof our Lord and Maister Gregory the xiij. Christs supre­me Minister in earth: and do Detest, Accurse, Anathe­matize and Condemne from the botome of my hart, al Heresies, Schismes and Sectes, and specially the heresies of Luther, Caluin, and al others vnto vvhich I might seeme by my outvvard wicked behauiour and dissimulation to haue been enclined vnto: Desiring God and our holy mother the Church, no othervvise to haue mercie on me to saluation, then so long & so farre as I keepe, pro­fesse and mantaine, to my povver the said faith of our holy forefathers, taught & set furth by the See Apostolick.

Giuen in my chamber at Rhemes the xiij. of May 1583. in the presence of M. Thomas Bailly Priest, M. Humphrey Ely Doctor of the Lavves. and M. Seth Foster Priest.
I acknovvledge this to be mine owne act, Richard Baines Priest.

THE SATISFACTION OF EDWARD OSBERNE PRIEST, TOVCHING his frailties, and fall from the Catholike Church, at his being in England.

IT is almightie Gods great wisedom & mercy, that he hath besides his other iu­ste iudgements either tēporall or eter­nall vpon sinners, ioyned also for most parte some great affliction and tor­ment of minde for a continuall inward checke and chasticement of their offences euen in them selues, and in this life. which caused a great Clearke to saie, Thou haste commaunded good Lord, and so it is, that eue­ry vnordinate appetite should be a punishment to it self.

But no sinne breadeth this internall vexatiō so much, as that which is committed against a mans owne skill and conscience, specially the voluntarie forsaking of that faith, truth, and religion vvhich God by his spirit in the Holy Church, and sacred word, hath made him par­taker of. I speake not of his case that impugneth of ma­lice the knowne truth, as many arch-heretikes haue done, & wickedly do, for that is a sinne against the holy Ghost, & such often carieth about with them such hel­like torments of conscience and desperation, that they may be thought to beginne their dānation euen in this life▪ but I meane of others only, vvho by frailtie of the flesh, feare of worldly distresses, doubte of temporall torments, and disgraces, or somme other humane infir­mitie, be often driuen to yeld in somme points to the [Page 28]threates, perswations, or allurements, either of worldly freends, or gostely enemies: euen these also, for that they haue denied Christ before men, preferred the body before the soule, hazarded heauen and their saluation, for the breefe, vncertaine, and miserable state of this transitorie vvorld, cary about with them in their brest, farre vvorse torments, then any are in the Tovvre, for the auoiding of vvhich, many times men make that vn­happy choise, vvee see them doe.

Of this miserie (vvoe to me and my sinnes there­fore) I haue made to much experience: but I trust to my euerlasting saluation, as my mercifull Lord God hath now vsed the matter towards me. Who after I had de­nied him, forsaken him, foresworne him, wickedly sub­scribed to certen blasphemous articles, and made a pri­uate abrenūciation of the pereles power and soueraine auctorite of Christs Lieutenant vpon earth, a flat denial of the Catholike faith, a plaine abiuration of my Priest­hod, yea & by the subtile crafte of the Churches deadly enemies, was induced, or rather driuen, to accuse most traiterously and vniustly certen his holy, honorable, & renoumed confessors, and to beare vnhappy vvitnesse against them: after al this, yet loked vpon me from hea­uen vvith those eyes of grace, by vvhich he conuerted Paule, restored Peter, pardoned Marie Magdalen, & others not onely his fraile freends, but many his plaine perse­cutors, and by skourging my conscience vvith contr­nuall remorse, and dovvleful consideration of my soule fall, and damnable condition, hath a leingth brought bitter teares out of my stonie hart, and called me againe out of that Sodom of our loste countrey: and put me into the holy societie, and communion of his body mi­sticall, vvhich is his Church Catholike, th'only true mother of al the faithfull, the hovvse of God, the pillar and establish­ment of al truth. In vvhich only is al comfort, al grace, al benediction, and out of vvhich, as I novv knovv by mine owne experience, and by the certen vew of other mens cases, with whom I haue of late in England con­uersed, [Page]there is nothing but error, blindnes, doubte, or plaine desperation.

His name be blessed for euermore, that hath so povv­rably and mercifully deliuered me his poore vnworthy seruant out of these and like miseres, & from the snares of such, as doe nothing but seeke hovv by terror, or ma­chiuillian practise and pollicie, to driue men not to be of their religion (for such as be the cōmon dealers in these cases, God vvot haue none) but to seeme to be of that secte vvhich they would be counted of. Surely I can not for the honor of our countrie, and the dew respect I haue to office, and auctoritie (though to saie truth, they be not of any high function that vvorke vs these woes commonly) discouer their foule vncharitable, & vn­christian abuse of my frailtie, in procuring my fall from God, and reuolt from the trevv Catholike Church. vvhich other vvise to the shame of that irreligious he­resie, and mine owne confusion in this vvorlde, that I might finde more mercie for the next, I vvould wil­lingly lay open to the Christian reader.

This only which is the least of thousandes of their sinfull, and craftie collusions, I may not omit, to warne you, that they giue out, as often as any man of feare, pu­sillanimitie, or any other worldly respect, yeldeth to their desires, that it is Gods owne hande, & miraculous vvorcke, proceding of the inuinceible force of their spirit, gospel, and doctrine, against which, no learning, nor other obstinacie of man may resiste. So surely they behaued them selues in my case, vvhē they knew it best them selues in their conscience to be othervvise, being the craftie procurers of my fall, and that they had not in my invvard opinion or iudgement (which vvas neuer I take God to vvitnesse altered) though in outvvarde shevv ouerthrowen me.

Novv my dearely beloued bretheren and vvho so­euer els shall happe to reade this my pitiful complainte of my late distresses and tragicall actes, I doe protest vnto you before God, and al his sainctes, and holy An­gels, [Page 29]that my yelding to their damnable desires came not of any motion of the holy Ghost, by any probabilite of argument, or auctoritie ether of holy scripture, do­ctor, or any other reasonable motiue, or for that I had any doubt vvhether the Catholike Romane religion vvere the trevv, and only sauing faith and vvorship of God or no, for though I be neuer so simple, yet being in common sence, and taking triall of both, in such places, as I haue liued in, it is not possible that I, or any man should in deede, and hart, preferre the protestants pre­tensed religiō, to the Catholike faith, but to tell the plaine truth, and shame the Diuel, and my self to, so farre as I follovved his peruerse suggestions, al came of mine ovvne concupiscence, euil desire, and delicaces, which vvarred against me in my members, as th'Apostle saieth, and so did ouer rule in my spirit, captiuated, and caused me to yeld to flesh and bloode, making me to feare to suffer any paines, or abandon my pleasures for my Lord and masters sake, vvho had suffered so much, sheade so many teares, so great abundance of innocent and pre­tious blood for me.

The aduersaries threated me vvith Phalaris bull (so to call their torments) or as in truth, them selues termed it vnto me, Sir Ovven Hoptons schole, vvith dungeons and death also, except I vvould admit an vngodly oth, to answere truely to their captious and cursed interroga­tories, confesse such things, as the feare and reuerence of God prohibited me, accuse my self, & appeache the chosen seruants of God.

Our Lord God gaue me many goodly motions at the very time of that combat, to resiste their terrors, and temptations, as he did also his manifold graces, & good inspiration, to contemne their swete promises of good benefices and other liuings, if I vvould conforme my self vnto them: but (a lasse) through my great sinne & frailtie, the aduersaries for the time preuailed, and spe­cially my carnal freends, vvho, by I cannot tell vvhat se­cret swete poyson of fleshly loue, and pretense of na­turall [Page]kindnes, do more deepely vvound and enchaunte their dearest freends, then other men can doe their deadly enemies.

These lo are the arguments, and not any colour of scriptures, any learning of the heretikes, or any other probabilitie in the vvorld, that can moue any man to be of their religion: the same reasons vvill as easely make one a Turke (I doe speake it before God) as a protestāt. For though those, that be from their childehod brought vp in their Vniuersites, or other their Scholes, and Chur­ches: vvithout a special miraculous grace of God, can not lightly be of any other religion, because they can not ordinarely beleeue excepte they heare, or reade some catholike trew teachers or vvriters, vvhose wri­tings therefore the protestants hide from them with all diligence: yet none that euer hath ben a brode in the vvorld, and seene th'other, or that hath the good lucke to looke to the faith of our forefathers in our countrie, or any other Christian countrie, can be in hart a pro­testante.

And would God al the youthe of both vniuer­sites, especially my deare Brethren (whom God hath blessed vvith vvit, learning, and good nature) saw what loue, sinceritie, sweete and plaine dealing, is vsed in the Seminarie of Rhemes (vvhere I now by God his grace am) and how easely vpon a fevv daies conference and hearing, vvith out al Rackes, Feares, Forces, Tormentes, vvorldly allurementes, or presermentes, by the only force of truth, and euidence of holy scriptures, and such other plentiful proofes, as the Church of God, and al Catholike scholes haue, for al the articles in contro­uersie, besides the great difference betwixt the life, or­der and manners, seene here in Churches and scholes, and the wilde behauiour of our maisters and Scholers in England. Or at least, it vvere to be vvisshed, that our fellow students in both the Seminaries, or other Catholikes, might haue the like fredō to come to those vniuersites, as theirs do hither, and there to trie, with [Page 30]out threates of imprisonmēt & death, or terrifyinge, by calling men traitors, rebels, and I can not tell vvhat, to see then, vvhether their spirit or vvord (vvhereof they so childisly vaunte them selues) could conuert any of this education in the holy Church, to their improba­ble secte.

At the beginning I knovv, vvhen their vvares were fresh, and their nouelties ioyned to the promises and doctrine of luste and licentiousnes, they found some schollers, and may yet finde some, to follovv their con­cupiscences, but none trevvly (I thinke) either yong, or olde, that can be perswaded by their arguments.

They make much a doe, vvhen they gaine the ex­terior assent of infirme persons, vvhich in deede, are (thankes be to God) very fevve in comparison of the great number of those, that gloriously and constantly contemne their terrors & perswasions, through whose forcible praiers, and merits, I verely thinke, God hath giuen me now at this time, and in manner al the rest of their feeble brethren, grace & mercy, that th'enemies there may haue confusion by vs, where they looked for glorie, the vveake that fell, or vvere scandalised by vs, may rise and repent vvith vs, and those that stande may be vvarned by our frailtie, and by the admonition of the holy Apostle, to take head they fall not.

For mine ovvne part (God knoweth) since I knevv vvhat religion ment, I vvas neuer (and least of al, of late, vvhen they caused me to subscribe to them) of their meaning. I subscribed (our Lord God forgiue me) to that, which one Vvilliam Harte parler-preacher to my vncle Sir Robert Lane deuised, & vvhich I neither knew of before, vvrote my self, nor beleeued my self.

The very truth is, one Richard Levvis a minister, Per­son of the Parish vvhere I vvas bred vp, & where I then abode, a famous preacher in deede, but (as I am able to iustifie) a most infamous liuer, brought me to that vnlucky bargaine, as he vvas before the procurer of my first relenting, vvhich he may remember, by this token, [Page]that his energumicall spirit could not abide the signe of Christs Passion, portred in a glasse vvindow, in my Fathers Parler, vvhich vvas the Crosse and vvoundes of our Re­demer, vvith this sentēce vvritten about the same, Pittey his passion, that caused our redemption, this goodly speach he scraped out: & let the rest alone vvhich his diuisishnes, no Christian (I suppose) will allow, nor I, though fallen before, could like in him, but once fell into hote dispute vvith him about the same, vvhose foolish de­fence (vvhich vvas, for that Christ is omnipotent, and a glorious God) I can not novv stande to reporte.

Surely the very acquaintance with such mens actiōs, and vvordes vvhich they often lett fall in familiar com­munication, among such as they deale vvith all se­cretly, would make a man abhorre them: one example may be of Fox, the auctor of the volume of Crackes & many lies (I vvould saie, Actes & monuments) to whom vvhen I had of late in cōference, alleaged a place of S. Peter, 2. Pet. c. 1.11. for proofe that our good vvorkes vvere cause of our iustification, and saluation, the fel­lovv answered flatly: such vvordes I doe not remember, but if S. Peter say, that wee are iustified or saued Per prae­sidia bonorū operum (for so he is vvont to interlace his En­glish speaches, with latten vvordes) I would say that he lied, because Iame sure that Paul hath the cōtrary. whe­reby, and by diuers like thinges, I vvel perceue those good fellovves measure all religō by their owne meere phansie, caring in truth, nether for Peter, nor Paul, nor Christ, further then their can vvrith they vvordes to their lust. I am sommething beholden to this man not vvithstanding, for that, at our very first acquaintance of al, he made me partaker of a certen secrete, vvhich he said he had not reueled to any man els, vz. That he vvas called by God him self to make his nevv latten booke of iusti­fication. Againe, at the same time very impertinently to our talke, he told me, that he had sent an angell to al­derman Martin to change into single pense, for to im­ploye them in almees: verely I laughed in my sleue to [Page 31]heare this vaine hypocrite talke: thought I vvith my self, Hypocrita cupit videri iustus. These vvicked ministers of Satan vvere they, that by their craft, pollices, & pro­mises, procured my subuersion, and subscription of the said articles, and other vniust actions.

All vvhich articles, vvhich vvere seuen, I novv by this publike testimony doe reuoke, and recant of mine ovvne free wil, as before in hart, so novv openly be­fore all the vvorld, protesting, that I vvill by the grace of God, liue, and die, in the communion, and felloship of the Catholike and Apostolike Church of Rome, and during life vvill obey in al spiritual causes, our holy Father Gregory the XIII. and his successors in th'Apostolike seate Christs vicars in earth, the reuolte from vvhom, hath bene the cause of al these errors, sectes, and diui­sions, and that vvee can not liue in rest and peace of conscience in our vnhappy daies, and countrie, as our auncetors in times past did, but be thus spoyled, & mas­sacred, for no fellony, trespas, or treason, but for hol­ding that faith, which al our happy forefathers, and our selues vvere baptised in, and out of vvhich, I knovv there is no saluation in the next vvorld, nor grace in this. Beseching Christ our merciful Sauiour, to pardon me that I denied him, and his truth, for feare of man and mortall paines.

As I also humbly (for his sake) desire al Catholikes, vvhom I haue vniustly offended in this my fieblenes to forgiue, and pray for me, that I neuer fall to the like tentation againe: namely those glorious confessors, vvhom I loue as mine ovvne soule, and honor as the chosen vessels of God, vvho vvere iniured by my vn­dew dealing. For I confesse, and acknowledge in my conscience, that I should haue suffered any torments in the vvorld, rather then haue vttered any their godly religious actes, to their dommage, vvhether it vvere trew, or false: and that I should not, nor ought by Gods word, haue disclosed any such thing, though I had takē an oth to doe it, and to ansvvere to al interrogatories [Page]concerning the same: being assured that al such othes, be vnlavvful, and ought not to be taken, nor be kept, if of frailtie they chaunce to be taken. Because no man can binde him self, neither by oth, vow, or any other obligation to God or man, to accuse, or be wraye any innocent to the persecutor: no such othes (I say) binde, being one sinne to take them, and an other, and that greater, to keepe them.

But the thing a lasse is novv past, and can not be amended in it self, but only may be forgiuen, as I verely hope, it is both at God and mans hand, by this my sin­cere confessing, humble crauing pardon, and poore pu­blike satisfaction, till the vvhich vvas done, I could neuer finde reste in my vvounded conscience, nor durst approche to the holy Altar, to offer the deutiful giftes of my priesthod: made much vnworthy of that high fun­ction, through my said greuous offence, and scandal. Which being now (as I hope) in our Lords mercy, and their great charitie, remitted, I shal daily vvith great comfort doe, during life, these soueraine duties of religion for them, as also (as I am most bound in deutie) for my deare Mother and al her Christian offpringe, my dearely beloued Brethren and Sisters according to the flesh, desiring God, to reliue their zele vvith trew vn­derstanding, humbly beseeching my louing Brother, & Sister, vvho bound them selues in a certen somme of mony for my good behauiour (so they cal the confor­mitie to their English procedings) not to impute my departure to any vnnaturall carlesnesse of the losses, & dangers that may fall vnto them by forfaiting their bande, by my retire ouer sea: for God knovveth, it is the speciall vvordly thing, that greueth me: but rather to accompte it a supplie of my patrimonie (vvhich vvould haue surmonted it much in valewe) & a case of such meere necessitie, both of my soule and body, as no interest of temporall goods vvhatsoeuer, may coun­teruaile it: and of their singuler brotherly and sisterly affection (if any extremitie should be vsed towards [Page 32]them in the matter) as I trust verely their innocencie vvel knovven to the Counsel, & their great earnestnes, and diligence to gaine me to that religion (vvhich they of error and ill education thinke to be true) shal pro­cure them al courtesie, & fauour therein, not to accom­pte the losse of monye, which one daye, either in this, or the next vvorld, may be redered by God, or man againe, for the health & saluation of their owne flesh & blood: or at least, if they thinke this not the waie to saluation, yet for quieting of his conscience, against vvhich what soeuer a man doth, must needes be sinne, and dam­nable.

Thus I ende desiring them, and al Catholikes, my louing brethren in Christ, to pray and thanke God vvith me, for al his mercies, that he hath done to my soule, as it shal laude and blesse his holy name for euer more. Giuen at Rhemes this 19. of May, being the Ascen­sion of our Lord IESVS, to vvhom be al thankes and eternall glorie, for euer and euer. Amen. 1573.

By me a poore sinner, your Brother in Christ, Edvvard Osberne Priest.

THE SATISFACTION OF M. IAMES BOSGRAVE THE GODLY CONFESSOR of Christ, concerning his going to the Church of the Protestants at his first com­ming into England.

To al Christians and al that professe the Catholike faith, to al such as are chained, Imprisoned, or othervvise afflicted for the faith and religion of Iesus Christ, peace and saluation.

BLessed be the God and Father of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, the father of mercies and God of al comfort, vvho comforteth vs in al tribulation. I am merueilous heauy and sorrow full at the hart, for that I vn­derstand that there is a certen sinister opinion sprong & spred abroade euery where of me, as though I had re­nied that faith & religion which had her beginning of our Lord Iesus Christ, vvas receiued of the Apostles, and Doctors, & hath ben perfited & sealed, not onely with the blood and death of the vvorthy Martyrs, but prin­cipally with the blood and death of Christ our Lord.

Would to God that I had either neuer ben borne, or els that I had ben buried immediatly after my death. If I (borne of Catholike parents, nourished & brought vp vnder Catholike scholmaisters, trained vp in learning in those countries vvhere the Catholike religion dooth greatly prosper and florish) now at the length after my retorne into my coūtrey to mine owne and my parents comfort: should depart from that Church vvhich S. Paul calleth the piller & ground of truth, should deny Christ [Page 33]our Lord, and breake my faith plight in baptisme, and vvhereas al men did expect, that I should haue borne grapes, to bring furth weedes.

My deere and vvelbeloued brethren, to vvhom I write these fewe, vvhose glorie and saluation I seeke, and vvhom I beare in my bowels. I forsake my part of heauen, and vvish neuer to see the good of God in the land of the liuing, and would that my name were blot­ted out of the booke of life, if I euer either did or at­tempted, or as much as thought any such thing, let me al­so be accursed and a Maranatha, if I vvould either cru­cifie Christ our Lord againe, or make void and frustrate the blood that the holy Apostles, and vvorthie martyrs haue shed: vvho al vvere slaine for that religion & faith which Christ our Lord hath communicated & reuealed vnto vs gratis: of the vvhich (religion and faith) I my self am partaker and for the vvhich I am readie to suffer death.

O wretch that I am, & of al men the vnhapiest, what hope of saluation could I haue, how durst I lift vp mine eies to heauen, vvith vvhat face might I call Christ our Lord, Father, if I should forsake his spouse, the Church our Mother? I knovv (most louing brethren) that there is no more saluatiō to be looked for out of the Church, in the which I beleeue my self to be vvith you: then there was out of the Arch of Noë, which bare the type & figure of the Catholike & Apostolike Church. Do not yee therefore giue ouer light credit to euery flying tale, for I know that the ende shall proue al these rumors that haue ben spred of me, to be false and fayned.

For I hope brethren (and this is my desire) that I shalbe bound vvith the same chaine, and for the same faith, that you are, & I trust to be partaker both of your tribulations & your rewards. God forbid that I should glorie (to vse the speach of the vessel of election, and of the Doctor of the Gentils, vvith out al arrogancie and pride) sauing in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. I beseech you therefore (as yet not being bound, but per­adventure [Page]to be bound in our Lord) that you remaine, and walke vvorthily in the vocation religion and faith to vvhich you are called: and that you be ready to shed your blood for the same.

You haue heard, that I vvas become a Protestant, I call God and his Angels to vvitnes (brethren) that this hath ben mine election and that full often (if I ly, then I praie God, I neuer speake more) that I had rather be a Turke or a Ievv, then a Protestant, that is, to be en­rouled among those that haue renied the faith of Christ. There be many I knovv vvhich haue heard me (albeit vvith murmuring and indignation) vtter these vvords. For it were better for me in deede, neuer to haue knowē the vvay of truth, then after the knowledge thereof to start back from it. If therefore (my freends) the fame of my retorne into my countrey be come vnto your eares, if peraduenture these naughtie reports of me be cōmonly talked of amongst you: if you do ouer expect any thing of me that perteineth to the duty of a brother, freend or kinsman of yours, & that vvhich the name of a Christian mā dooth require, vvhich is borne, brought vp, and by the space of many yeres as it vvere confirmed in the Catholike Church and faith, perswade your selues for certain, that I will (by Gods assistance) satisfie your expectation.

You haue heard peraduēture, that I vvould go to the Church. God almightie (in vvhose sight I am, & speake, and vvho is the searcher of the hart and reines of men) dooth know, that I neuer went to the Protestāts church vvith the mind to pray, or to allow and professe their sect, neither by cōstraint or free accord, to seeme by any meanes to approue by consent and liking this religion, which they terme, reformed: but I vvent sometimes & that but seldoome, vvhen I thought it good, only for to see their rites, and then manner of preaching and doing, and to make mine English tong more prompt & ready. Nor do you not thinke, that, that vvhich is lavvfull to some one for certen causes, is conuenient to al men, [Page 34]for I vvould not counsel other men to go to the prote­stants church, yea I haue diswaded men from it aboue a thousand times: and haue shewed them, that it was in no case lawful: because, that he that loueth danger, shall fall into it: neither vvould I haue gone to their conuē ­ticles for any thing, if I had know that I should haue giuen occasion of scandall.

You haue heard (and do maruel at it) that I am at liberty, and therefore you suspect that I am retorned to my vomit. Deerely beloued, I am of al lyers the va [...] ­nest, if I do not enuie you your chaines, your prison, your banishment, your gard, your losse of goods, your tribulation for Christ: and perswade not your selues I praie you, that I do reioyce in this my fortune and li­bertie, but rather that it is sorrovvful & loth some vnto me, that I am not vvorthy to suffer contumely for the name of Iesus. Therefore I attribut my liberty to the clemency of God almightie, to the courtosie of the Q. Maiesties honorable and vvise Counsellers, I impute it to mine owne mishap, & to my great sinnes: but that which is differred is not altogether taken avvaie. If I vsed doutfull words before the Q. Maiesties counsel, for the vvhich they set me at liberty, I haue interpreted them more plainely by my letters, which I haue novv sent to the Q. most honorable & sage Counsellers. But put the case I yelded vnto them: vvhy brethren, ought I to attribute more to my self, then to most blessed Pe­ter, most holy Marcellinus, most stout Thomas of Canter­bury, of the vvhich, the two former were Popes, and al after the denial of Christ, obteined pardon, and shed their blood for the Catholike faith. Be you not therefore seduced, vvith the vvicked example of one man, but stād stoutly & dwell in this church, in which wee haue ben borne and bred: the vvhich Christ our Lord hath built and brought forth vpon the foundation of the Apostles and their Successors: vvhose ruines do begin now after a sort to be repaired and restored.

But to draw to an ende, I beseech you brethren by [Page]by the bowels of the mercie of Iesus Christ, by that charitie vvherewith he so loued vs that he vouchsaued to be hanged on a tree for vs, by his crosse, his wounds, by the nailes and speare (vvhich are the badges of our Sauiour) that you, be not frighted nor moued vvith false reportes, th'end wil proue al: and perswade your selues, that as I am partaker of one countrey with you, so am I partaker of one Church, one faith, one religion, one doctrine, vvith you. I thought good to write this letter, to witnes thereby vnto you, that I am of the same religion, in vvhich I vvas borne againe by baptisme and for the vvhich I am most ready to dye vvith you. I desi­re you also to pray vnto Christ Iesus crucified for me, to giue me grace to direct al my thoughts, vvords and works, to the glory of his most holy name, to mine ovvne saluation and to the profite and commoditie of my countrey. Let vs also pray continually and vvith a common accord, that Christ our Lord would preserue the Queenes Maiestie, and her sage Counsellers, and il­luminate them vvith al truth, that al their beginnings & proceedings tēde to the glory of almighty God. Christ Iesus embrace vs al in the bowels of his mercies, con­firme vs and make vs al in one agreement in the Church which he hath founded vvith his most precious death.

Fare yee vvell.

AN ADMONITION TO THE READER.

THere are no more of regard, as farre as vve yet heare, that haue relented al this long & perilous time of practize and persecu­tion, sauing M. Aufild, and M. Govwe, the former in England, through extreeme feare of torments yelding onely to goe to their church once, and that vvith many qualifications: the other in Fraunce, vpon other frailtie, specially for desire to retorne home and enioye the commodities temporal that God had giuen him in his countrey: vvho both streight vpon their fall (being in regard of humane frailtie not great) vvept bitterly, haue done penaunce accordingly, vvritten their letter to [Page]our Presidet in Rhemes of th [...] readines to doe any satisfaction for the scandal and offence committed, and so be re­conciled to Gods Church againe, and haue done since that, and doe, al they can possibly for th'aduauncement of the Catholike faith. Vvhose like pu­blike acknovvledge of their offence should here haue been set furth, but that the same could not be so speedely sent hither as the dispatch of these other vvas compted necessary.

Onely in al this (gentil reader) I desire the to marke for thy cōsolatiō, the mercies of God: hovv in this lōg combat vvith so forcible and povvra­ble ennemies according to the flesh, vvho vvāt no meanes vvorldly, either to force by feare of death & torments, or to tempt by pleasure proffit & pre­ferments, or to entangle by art and pollicie, he hath giuen vs his poore [Page]seruaunts and souldiars, not onely to fight, stand, hold out, & haue assured hope of victory ouer the aduersaries, but to haue it vvith so small a losse, by the death of so fevv, vvith the fall or vvounding of so fevv, so easely reco­uered againe to farre more aduantage of the cause, as our Lord hath of his grace vsed the matter, then if they had neuer had experience of their ovvne infirmitie, and of the necessitie of his holy ayde, by vvhom onely vve are vpholden in this spiritual fight for our faith, and defence of his deare Spouse our Mother the Church, vvhich by no povver of man or Di­uel can be ouerthrovvne.

Fare vvel gentil reader, and make thy profit to saluation, of these ex­amples of our frailtie, vvhereby thou seest Gods streinght to be perfited in our infirmitie, and our vveakenes to [Page]be sustained by the force [...] his grace, to him be al honor and glorie. Amen▪ The first of Iune 1583.

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