IN the two first sections & pages of your Epistle (M. Howlet) are two causes al­leadged for the dedication of the whole treatise to her Maiestie, taken from the Authours person, and the matter, cun­ningly to get thereby good will, to pre­pare and stirre vp attention, which to­gether with the amplifications of your pretended extremi­ties, and the like necessitie of complaint you are brought vnto, your exaggerations on the one side, and extenuations on the other, with such ornaments and floures to mooue pitie, if they were true, and in a good and iust cause, might for their pretie handeling delight, & haue some vse, sauingPersuade not before you teach as heretikes do, [...] Tertull. they bee somewhat too open. As schoole furniture to moue with, they may be kept for the exercise of youth, or to sporte and refreshe mens mindes withall. This floorishing greatly beseemeth not the profession and persons of Di­uines. In a word to say, euery thing considered, there is no cause why you should haue troubled her Maiestie with such paltrie, whereof let the Christian Reader after examinati­on iudge. The Authours dutifull respect euery way, and M. Howlets too, to her Highnesse, her honourable Lordes of the Councell, and the whole state of her noble Realme, might without vaunt, haue been left to haue been iudged by her Maiesties wisedome and theirs, and to haue had cōmendation by other, whē it should haue been found bet­ter then it is. These men seeke by all meanes & wayes they can to disioyne her Maiestie from her lawes, and the Mini­sters thereof, & from her loyall subiects to: they go about to withdrawe with themselues other her subiects from o­bedience to God and her Maiestie, and when this dealing is by order of lawe but somewhat crossed, then is outcrie [Page 8] and complaint of tyrannie and crueltie greater then euerIn the second & xii. section of his Epistle de­dicatorie, &c. Or in the rea­sons of refusall. hath beene hearde of in England before, or is in any prince in Christendome, or than is vsed among the Turkes at this day. This comparison is not M. Howlet ashamed to make, and therein agreeth with his authour. This is [...]. 5. 57. &c. great dutifulnesse sure. Like is the modestie and humilitie of both your spirites, sauing that if there be any difference, M. Howlets in a diuers kinde of writing sheweth it selfe to bee more shamelesse, as through the whole too much ap­peareth, dealing especially with the Queenes most excel­lent Maiestie. Hee may not thinke the Oratours rule, (that an Epistle biusheth not) wil serue his turne heere, it isCicero. out of place to excuse thereby impudent vntruthes, and slaunders. In perusing this writing let the Christian Reader still iudge whether M. Howlet bee not a sectarie, if this be a note of a sectaries spirits proceeding, as he here tels vs, what modestie and humblenesse of spirite may this bee called in the Authour of this treatise, who is so highly in this respect commended heere by M. Howlet. When not contented through his whole discourse to compare and liken the profession and professours of the Gospell to theFol. 41. pag. 2. Heretikes both olde and newe, hee chargeth Gods seruice heere nowe vsed with falshood, and blasphemie also, and pronoūceth vs to bee condemned yet aliue, but no mar­uell, when hee chargeth some Catholikes at this day in England of his owne Religion to sinne euen now against the holy Ghoste and damneth the same in Hell, being yetFol. 4. & 5. quicke on the earth, &c. I giue the Reader but a tast of this Luciferian spirite, till wee may come further into the examination of things: M. Howlet excuseth this with zeale and the writers opinion in religion, a hot & too immode­rate a zeale, destitute of knowledge, It may well be called his discoursers opinion in religiō, which carrieth w^t it nei­ther religion nor conscience. Such zeale might haue regar­ded better and spared the Princes eares, and might haue been forborne in our Soueraignes presence. What [Page] want of duetifull respect soeuer it carry towarde other. You take your selfe by the nose while you think to charge vs to bee sectaries; for the vntemperate spirite of sectaries resteth in none more than in the hot sect of your puritane Jesuits, and such as you are, who taking vnto you mens names, and orders to be called Religious men by, declareThe founda­tion of our reli­gion. your selues to be sectaries in Christes Churche, whereas wee for our Religion, holde of God, Christ, and the holy Scriptures which al agree and goe one way. We deuide not Christ, neither are wee Franciscans, Augustines, Iaco­pines, no Scotistes, Thomistes. &c. Nor yet Lutheranes, Caluinistes, &c. which names you odiously put vppon vs, and wee condemne and refuse the same. These be names of sects, I leaue the further consideration heereof to the discreete reader, and proceede. It is to great a bragge made of M. Howlet, when in praysing his writers priuate opinion in religion, hee saith: It hath bene from time to time the common receaued religion of vniuersal Christendome. This should haue been prooued or let alone, more modestie of speeche euen heere woulde haue better beseemed, til trial [...]. might haue beene taken thereof: but he telleth vs, but what seemeth to himself in praysing his fellowe. Wee say it is a great vntrueth if he and his discourse bee of one opinion in religion, and as easily as it is spoken, so easily may it bee reiected, though as one of the principles of their Catholique Religion, they would haue all men suppose it. But wee can suppose no suche grosse ab­surdities in this cleere light of the Gospell, nor admit the same. Besides there bee a great many Catholiques, as they call them at this day in Christendome, that bee not of that opinion in Religion, that this discourse setteth vs downe in his lettre and treatise, as they that lift to reade, may vnderstand, yea euen those, for whome this treatise was made, dissent from the Authours opinion in Religion, as hee himselfe confesseth: so as this writers zeale and opi­nion [...] hardly be counted The common receiued religi­on [Page 9] of vniuetsall Christendome. There bee also as thisFol. 20. page 1. man speaketh, good Catholiques, and bad Catholiques:Fol. 6. page 1. true Catholiques, and false Catholiques: colde Catholi­ques, and hot Catholiques. And if among protestantesFol. 28. page. 1. M. Howlet can make these termes (hot, and colde) &c. to seuer religion, as for his vauntage hee doth in the nextFol. 60. In this point whether it be lawfull for these Catholikes to goe to prote­stantes Chur­ches or no? section of his epistle, let his Authours description and con­fession be iudge of the men and their profession there men­tioned, called Protestantes, and Puritanes which his au­thour sayth are the hotter sort of protestants: then let them giue vs leaue also to say their hot and cold Catholikes. &c. be of diuers religions, and by their own rule let vs call that colder sort or the false and the worser by the common name of Catholikes: & y^e hotter sort of Catholikes let vs cal PuriSect. 3. tanes, because they are precise in y^e religiō, & shew thēseluesFol. 39. pag. 2. a Looke the [...] discourse. vnspotted seruants and irreprehensible, as this discourser spaketh.Fol. 65.

M. Howlet talketh of speaking and writing in defēce of their religiō, how māfully it shall be done, as long as there is either head or hād remaining loosein the worlde: but let thē leaue fire & faggot, and their blooddy lawes, and they shall be written and talked with, well ynough, I doubte not, yea and easily inough entreated too, as God bee than­ked and her Maiestie, their handes be tied nowe, when they were loose they had shrewde argumentes, suche as I euen nowe spake of, and yet God to his glory and their shame, gaue them that matched with them euen then, receiued their argumentes, and soluted them, remaining themselues still by Gods power inuincible. Since that time their reli­gion hath gained but litle by speaking and wryting, and I hope shall euery day lesse then other, so mightie is the [...] of trueth, and preuayleth. I see not why wee here may not make as great accoumpt of Christes Religion professed in this Church as you doe of your friendes priuate opinion, and thinke and say as well of it and without bragge tell you, [...] religion hath been from time to time, The com­mon receiued religion of vniuersal Christendome, & so can [Page] [...] so soone be abandoned, for you and your fellowes, [...], and disliking, &c. We (who set no newe religion abroch, nor confesse & acknowledge any other then the on­ly true religion of [...] Christ, grounded on the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, and taken thence) may better auow & proue our religiō, then you can your friendsopiniō, which vpō brag without proofe, you so confidētly boast of.

The matter your Authour treateth of, seemeth to you, great, waightie, and important, to Godward, to her Ma­iestie, and to many a thousand of her Maiesties best sub­iects. This is the other and second cause of your dedica­tion of this peece of worke to her Maiestie; heere want no wordes to amplifie that withall, which wanteth matter to vphold it, and is nothing but wordes. You tell vs what see­meth you, both of your freende and the matter, you can doe little; if in wordes you cannot commend them both, if that will serue the turne; you haue saide your minde, and gi­uen them your good word, your opinion is not rested vpon; the coloures of your Rethoricke carry shew, but moue not. One must trie, prooue, and looke into the thing, as into the man also, that you praise. First we wishe the matter were important to Gods cause, to her Maiesties soule, estate, and Realme, and to the estate of her graces faithful subiects. Then were it in deede a thing meete to be presented to such a Prince as is our dread Soueraigne, and to come into her royall presence. But al is cleane contrary, there is as much as you can perfourme in this discourse to hurt & hinder gods cause, her Maiesties soule, estate, & Realme, & to poy­son and infect, and thereby to alienate the mindes of y^e good subiects of this land, from their dutifull obedience to God, & their lawful and most louing dread Soueraigne & ours, if you could do more hurt, we should be sure of it: but we [...] God against you for our defence, whom we humbly beseech either to turne you; or to preuent & ouerthrow all your wic­ked deuises. For particular proofe of things we referre it to triall vpon reading that both partes write, & in a worde, denie heere still that you say, and but say in wordes.

In this second sectiō of your Epistle, you increase y^e trou­bles [Page 10] too much, y^e you imagine to bee heere, & therein too vn­dutifully also vse your self towards our Soueraigne, her lawes, councellers, & ministers. After you haue once men­xioned it only, you leaue quite out (without prosecuting) gods cause, her maiesties soule, estate, & realme, which were your principall cōmendations of y^e matter, before you folow & set out like an Oratour for your cōmoditie, the pretended afflictiōs of your self, & other your friends y^e papists heere. This matter you amplifie, heere you are carried with full wind & saile, (as they speak) What: Such afflictiō & extre­mitie of many a thousād of her graces most louing, faith­ful, & duetiful subiects, as neuer was hearde of before in England, & that for their consciēces. (Thus you too oftē cal Popish [...] & treason.) You write of a great mat­ter nowe, if it were true. There is no doubt, but you & your fellowes giue this foorth in speeche & wryting where euer you become, that dare so boldly auouch it in printe & before her Maiestie. I remēber besides other, what your seditious Sanders in an Epiftle before his visible Monarchie of the Churche reporteth of the crueltie of this his countrey, as though there were some mafsacre, or the shedding of many martyrs blood, heere in her Maiesties most milde gouerne­ment: as I remember also his too vile, lewde, & slanderous report in y^e same booke, for y^t her Maiesty hath bin forced to execute some vile traitors for their too iust deserts, which I here only touch by the way: because I treat thereof at large els where. You wold make the world beleeue that all your stirres here haue not risē of nothing, as though you had had great occasion ministred for your seditious & rebellious at­tempts, frō time to time. I blame you not in respect of your selues & your epistle that can not blush, but I blame you for sclandering her Maiestie, & the state, & realme, you woulde make many thinke y^t we are not our selues, or very fooles y^t can not see nor vnderstande of that at home, whiche you by here say, being so farre off, can tell vs vpon report: but fame and reporte, you must remember, goyng farre gai­neth in cariage, and euil will was neuer giuen to say well, [Page] you woulde enduce other, and her Maiestie also to thinke there were yet some bloody and butcherly Bishops, like (ye wote whome) yet in her Realme, vnknowen vnto her high­nesse vnlesse to the great reioycing of her subiects heartes, she went often and often among them both farre & neere, and had better intelligence of the estate of her whole Realme and all her subiects, than you can giue her, & better opinion and liking also of the Ministers of her Maiesties lawes, than you woulde she had, massacres, and hot burning execution haue bene and are the weapons of your side, know the Authours and make much of the executioners. You should remembre, me thinketh in what you deale, and with whome, our soueraigne is merciful, milde, & pitifull, where she is not to much prouoked, as (swelt your harts) you can­not denye, nay you graunt it, though it bee to your owne shames y^t so farre & so much prouoke her gētle nature: but shee is (you must vnderstande) with other qualities, godly, wise, and vpright, way what that and the royall estate and dignitie of her crowne and authoritie require at her hands, your conceiued griefs and necessitie shoulde not make you roue so farre without the compasse of the trueth, as impu­dētly to suggest so manifest false things, such Hyperboles, that is, excessiue speeches are scarsely currant, and yet your writing is full of them. Righteous lippes are the delight of Kings, and the King loueth him that speaketh rightProu. 13. 16.things, saith the wise man.

Surely M. Howlet, if you marke your vsage thorowe your whole Epistle this way, you may thinke your selfe very gently dealt withal, if you leese but your [...]: Theodor. & Va­bentinian. con. [...]. lib. 1. Tit 25. request, and that you seeke: for the lawe is that a lying pe­titioner or suiter shoulde bee frustrate of the thing hee had obteined, and thereupon another sayeth: That it is good right in plea of Court, that hee that is founde to suggest a lye, shoulde take no profite by that hee getteth that way, & you in thus dealing deserue no better. Your matter is not onely false: but a great slaunder, her Maiestie and her [Page 11] lawes to afflict any for their consciences': If it were any, [...] forensis est vt qui in precib. mentitus fuerit, non ills prosit quod [...]. Aug. in [...]. [...]. 7. sure it were not you, whē in your respect shee is so farre of, that many insolences hauing bene cōmitted openly by your Catholikes to the disturbance of her quiet estate, and the Church and common wealth, haue yet beene pardoned & let goe. Except, you may lawfully and at pleasure doe what you list, without check or controlment, ye are afflicted. A­lack their while: But looke into the former gouernement, when they of your side cōmanded. The dealings of your sect haue of late bene so violent, that her Maiestie to her great charges & trouble (we confesse) hath bene enforced to looke narrowlier vnto you than hitherto, as wel to represse rebels that came frō your holy father y^t Pope, as to cut thē shorter, y^t to confidētly & openly goe stil about to kindle a new fire, prouiding as much as conueniētly may be, y^t they shal do no harme: to tendre moreouer her simple poore subiects y^t are sought to be poisoned with the Romane & Popish religion. If there be any straightnes herein, who hath procured & in­forced it? Looke to that M. How. & on that side. Of il vsages & doings spring many times good lawes. Ye talke of many a thousand: but if with your Author you auowe none but such as wil not come to Church here, nor take the othe of obediēce to her Maiestie condēning other, euē of your own religiō, some to hel, some other wise; ye may spare this exces siue speech of: Manye a thousand: it may be & is likely, yee haue infected some few, which are to many, with your late reconciliation ioined with subtil perswasiō, which was the end of your cōming frō the Pope into Englād, & for which disturbance ye iustly suffer. Rude, simple, & ignorāt people, womē especially are easily seduced in Parishes where there is litle or no preaching of the Gospel, her Maiesties godli­nes & wisedome, and the States, will of pitie I doubte not, prouide they may be better instructed, & submitting them­selues to God and her Maiestie quietly, wil not only gene­rally sende abroade such as shal breake vnto thē by doctrine and preaching the bread of life for their soules confortably [Page] to feede on, & like good Pastours dwel among thē, to helpe them in neede, & to driue al Popish wolues & the like away: But like a tendre mother also, she wil beare more with their imperfections, than the Pope and you Catholikes doe, that send thē quicke to hel. And in deede heere, & with these & the consciēce of such weakeones, is the place & time of bearing, til they may be aduanced, who (for comming to church here, & simply & vnfainedly seeking the comforte of their soules, though possibly, not so throughly yet & fully perswaded in al points of religion, for lacke of instruction, as were to bee wished) are so hardly handled by you false Catholikes. A weake conscience in these, keeping quiet, may be tendred & a time borne with, & by instruction further aduāced. If after so long preaching of the Gospel among vs there be any such founde, as in out quarters of her Maiesties dominions, I feare there be to many. With you fiery, stubborne, & rebelli­ous Catholikes, pretend what you wil, you are so grosse, & your matter so open & plaine, yea so violent &, vnreasonable as neither time, place nor reason can beare with you, except you repēt & amende. Remēber this Church & state may an­swere you, with that holy father cited & allowed by your D. Thomas. Who would not haue you nor any heretiques pe­rish, [...]. Epist. 50. D. Thom. 2. 2. 9. 10. act. 8. but the house of Dauid (as he saith) otherwise deserued not to haue peace, except his sonne Absolon had perished or been slaine in the battaile, that he moued against his father, so the Catholike church (that is not you that wil needs take y^e name, & haue but y^e bare name) but y^e true church of Christ if it gather y^e rest, by destroying some, it healeth y^e sorrow of a motherly hart, by deliuering & sauing so great & mighty a people. Of [...], how farre your corrupt and obstinate dealing is frō it, I speake in place. Put case thē, of y^e worser sort for their naughty deserts, some fewe haue been restrai­ned of libertie, or licētiousues rather, some committed to bi­shops & other church men, or to good, wise, & godly Gentle­mēs custodie, some also imprisoned, as y^e case requireth, they fare wel cōmonly, & lie soft, only the loose libertie of a fewe in respect, hath been vpon great consideratiō I am assured, [Page 12] restrained: to foresee & preuent euil & dangerous attempts (as good wisedome and a great blessing of God.) We haue tasted but too much of the bitter fruite that your late recon­ciltatiō to the Pope bringeth forth. Remember I pray you (as oft as ye hot Catholiks plaine of hard dealing in these dayes) the cruell vsage of God his faithfull seruantes in times past and of late yeres, and yet still in many places a­mong you: and ye shall see lesse cause to make such tragical a doe vpon a litle and gentle seueritte towardes a certaine here, rather haled vpon them selues, then offred, as all the worlde may see. If further, some few traitors haue felt any sharpnes and smart of death, their traiterous and seditious dealing by rebelling against our dread soueraigne, and the state, hath procured it, & some notorious traitours had neede to be made an example to terrifie and stay others attempts, when they growe perilous to the good and setled state. This is the great extremitie that you plaine some endure, being iustly and orderly proceeded withall by lawe, for their offences, and that very mercifully too, as (say the worst yee can) ye must needes confesse. There is a milde seueritie, as there is a cruell pitie. One might recken how many things her Maiestie, hath borne and for [...], howe many matters shee hath put vp, and pardoned both them and the persons. This it might please you to consider of. You say: ye haue no other meanes to redresse and ease your miseries, but only as confident children, to come to the mercy & cle­mency of her highnes your mother & borne soueraigne Princes, &c. Faire words & good. I wold ye had in deed no other meanes, & would seeke & vse no other: But why run ye so fast to Rome then: Why seeke ye helpe at stepfathers and stepmothers: why procure and bring you in strangers and Italian souldiers: why be ye not ruled by your natural Mothers, & borne soueraigne Princes wisedome, bearing and abiding her gentle correction with a rod for your deme­rites and insolencies: Is not this, to take the rod out of her hand: nay, the [...] and authoritie quite from her, to ease your selues if ye can: To be playne, if the Popes [Page] vnholinesse be your father. If you be his children? Seeke your mother where ye can finde her, her Maiestie is none of your Mother, yee are not her natural subiects and chil­dren. If ye bee her Maiesties children & subiects, renounce with her that vnholly father, y^t most diuelishly seeketh her Maiesties ouerthrow, & y^e destructiō of this noble realme and all the faithfull subiectes therein. Commit your selues vnto God & her Maiesties holy gouernment: Sticke not to sweare obediēce to your mother, against Pope, Turke, and all forraine power whatsoeuer. If you sticke at this, & wil needs cleaue to this Antichrist your father, following the Pope and his becke, her Maiestie is so farre off from be­ing your mother, or accounting you her naturall subiectes and children, that Shee and the State here denounce you, with him, her, & their woorst enemies, ye wot what they he in plaine English? and hath she not good cause if his doings & yours be considered: yours euery body of the meanest sort heare knoweth: & his, though first done in a corner, yet hath been published to all the world. I thinke you will call it worse then a bill of diuorcement frō mother Church here? I meane your Popes excommunicatiō & great curse with such like stuffe, may not her Maiestie iustly cōplaine w^t thatPsal. 22, 12. 13. heauēly Prophet & gods holy anointed, king Dauid, and in resepect of your Popes bellowing Bulles, say: Many yong Buls haue compassed me, mighty Bulles of Bashan haue closed me about, They gape vpon mee with their mouthes as a ramping and roaring Lion. &c. Your grea­test hope is in this father, in his deuilishe bulles, and in your [...] 13. 17. [...]. &c. blooddy stepmother the Popish Church and Sea of Rome, who are liuely described by S. Iohn in his Reuelatiō. God, we dout not shall disapoint you of your hope, as hereto­fore, and her Maiestie by her lawful authoritie, shall I trust frō time to time be able to represse all vnlawfull, seditious, & rebellious attēpts. God, of his goodnes indue her Royal minde and more more with goodly wisedome and courage accordingly, and long preserue her Maiestie against her e­nemies, [Page 13] y^e shee may be an old mother in Israel. Practises of prelates & other popelings, haue long enough been knowē, they are no changelings, such consciences they haue. The subiects yee speake of, must either renoūce God, yee say, or susteine intollerable molestations. A harde Dilemma, or straight that you are brought into: But you know M. Howlet the solution of y^t argument, by finding out a meane betweene those two extremities.

Wherefore mende your iudgement, and that you pretend, and call conscience, as right religion woulde, and all is holpen: rather you renounce God, and being obstinate will buie it with troubles, then by any godly meanes be remoo­ued from that Diuelishe persuasion. All her Matesties trauell hath been and is with mildnesse and gentlenesse to bring her Subects to God by such meanes as hee hath ap­pointed in his worde. To this ende labour the Preachers. To this end tend her Maiesties wholesome lawes, where­of yee so plaine, as seconde meanes and helpes which haue beene a great while executed with great fauour towarde those of your side. And yet this is the thankes yee giue, as they had beene most extreemely laide vpon you, which is false. It is possible her Maiestie seeth her lenitie abu­sed, as in deede: hope to escape punishment, is a traine andMagna [...] illecebra [...] spes. [...]. baite alluring to doe amisse. And being too much prouoked she is inforced to change her course, and in a maner her na­ture, and against violent and disorderly dealings, to oppose iust violence and punishment by the sworde, wherwith God hath armed her royall Maiestie.

You talke of conscience, as though yee indured for it. You doe her Maiestie, and the honourable estate great wrong, it is false yee say. Tell vs where and howe you grounde your conscience, that try all may bee taken whe­ther it bee conscience in deede, or but a pretence and words. All haue not conscience that say so, your conscience is not well and rightly grounded, if you haue any heerein. There is yee know a good conscience and a bad. Ignorance, the [Page] mother of your superstitious deuotion, [...], and ob­stinacie, are the greatest enimies that conscience hath, and quite ouerthrow y^e same. A good conscience, is that keepeth vs in God & with him, which must be alwaies directed by God his holy worde. The Apostle ioyneth: Faith and a [...]. Tim. 1. 5. 19.good conscience together, which he saith, Some haue put away, and as concerning faith haue made ship wracke. Wordes make not a good conscience, there bee more cir­cumstances required in it then so: Is not this conscience, you speake of, it, that set them a worke in the North against her Maiestie, when it was. Is it not it, that doth the like in Irelande, haled in by those of the Popes Seminaries, Ie­suites, and such like. Summa Summarum? Is not this the Popes conscience expressed in his bull that hee sent hither to discharge English subiectes of their bounden duetie to­wardes our liege Lady & most dread soueraigne, Noble Queene Elizabeth, our most lawfull, naturall, and godly Prince, whom God, God (I saie) long preserue, from such helllike consciences. Uerily this is the conscience, you must all bee ruled by, when it pleaseth your vnholie father. Naughtie fruites of a noghtie conscience. Your conscience M. Howlet, and your fellowes too, was better [...] you li­uid here as duetiful subiects to her Maiestie, before your re­conciliation to the Pope. You haue made an euill change for the worse, if you can consider it well.

After this preamble. M. Howlet, you begin to disclose and laie downe at large to her Maiestie, your griefes and grieuous afflictions in particular; whereof the first is, that the Catholike religion, as ye terme it, that is whiche wee here call the Popish religion, hath great wrong, in that it and the professors thereof are no more fauoured. What fa­uour woulde you haue: ye clayme that of dutie that yee ne­uer deserued, it woulde goe harde with you Catholikes if you had that you deserue, but you are before hande, so as if there were a great deale more seueritie vsed then nowe is towarde those of your side, yet were it hardly quit with you, [Page 14] as beneficiall as you wold seeme to be to Gospellers amōg other afore time: But God forbid the Church of God shouldSect. 9. followe you in crueltie and sucking of blood. You loue to reuenge & to quite, as you speake else where. It is the diui­nity you haue learned out of your Philosophers, and out of Aristotles Rhetorique. Againe, your other proceedingsArist. lib. 1. [...]. by your owne confession here, procure rather disfauour, [...]. thē fauour in being so beneficiall to them that you accompt Heretikes and sectaries, as you here report. What fauour I praie you deserueth it at y^t Queene of Englands hands, if this bee true to haue filled her realme with [...], and sectaries: You plaine next of the good and wholsome lawes here made against poperie, and of the execution thereof: great cause I trowe, if that were true ye falsly and sclan­derously say, & more too. Hereto you adioine for proofe cer­taine particular matters, auowing, the Loyaltie and obe­dience of you Catholikes towardes ciuill Princes, and sharplie, yea leawdlie by sclander, charging other w^t disobe­dience. This is the some of that you write, for the most part in eight of your next leaues. A worthie matter to be treated of, before her Maiestie, when all is well waied. But I must somewhat examine, there is no remedie, what you say a part and in order. First you compare diuers religiōs toge­ther, and shewe that poperie fareth hardely and the woorst. Hardly sure: can there be founde a worse religion and more contrarie to the sincere Gospell of Christ here professed, or that so much troubleth the good and quiet estate of Christs Church in this lande and Realme, and therefore needeth most looking too.

FIrst let mee aske M. Howlet, where you were when [...]. 3. you wrote thus to her Maiestie, you say in the begin­ning of these wordes, in this your Maiesties Realme, and in the latter ende againe, this Realme. Were you at Do­way printing your book, or occupied in Londō, or els where in England about it, the booke possible might be sēt to Do­way, Sect. 16. &. 18. or you bee printing it there another time, shift it ouer I pray you. Heere your wordes importe you were in Eng­lande when you wrote this preface, elsewhere in the same preface, they import you were beyond Sea. Alyar had neede haue a good memory, sauing that you Catholiks can worke wonders, and by coniuring make one, and the same humane body to bee in many and diuers places at one time. A man might make a doubt of this question, but let y^t passe. [Page 15] When you would perticularly reckō vp y^e seueral knowne religiōs not all approued nor allowed (nay all disallowed & condemned, sauing that only one which is Iesus Christes) but being onely in this Realme: ye bring them into foure heads, as for the petie sects that you are so priuie of, as birds of your own hatching, till they be fledge, and come abroad, that we may knowe them, we can say little: But your Po­pish religion M. Howlet, were lesse vnhappie, and both we & the world should be lesse troubled with you nowe a daies, (if to speake but of religious men besides seculer priests, among regulars) it had but foure distinct religions and or­ders of beggerly fryers, euery one stoutly standing against other in defence of his Patron and order of religion. TheseDomini, Francis. Augusti. Carmel, Aposalip. 9. 3. be to to many, and yet is the worlde troubled with a great many moe: for besids the great swarines of these Locustes, there be I wot not how many sectes or religions crept in, so as the Popes them selues haue bin faine to restraine frō rashnes in instituting mo or newe religions, for bringing in confusion. And yet obserue (gentle reader) that the Pope hath authoritie to institute newe [...], and none with­out his authoritie may doe the same: obserue also that there be in Poperie old religions, and newe religions, &c. It were [...] long to speake of Canonists, Schoolemen, Tho­mists, Scotistes, and such other and the seuerall & different opinions they holde: but in the late dayes of Poperie here, were there not, sir, as many religions and moe to, besides your owne sectes, Arrians, Anabaptistes, Libertines, &c. Though none in effect were persecuted but the poore Protestantes as ye call them. These mens peculiar here­sies in examinatiōs were commonly neuer touched, peruse the recordes, of these, there was little or no accompt made in those dayes of ignorance and darkenes, while men slept the enemy was busie in sowing his tares. As you [...] giue here names of sects, to bring these times into hatred, so all ambiguitie & spitefulnes laid aside, first take to your selues & your religion some fitter name, for true Catholiks [Page] we btterly denie you to be. All are not Catholiks, that take the name of Catholikes: for so should the Arrians, and other herettques in their time haue been Catholikes, & true Ca­tholikes, heretiques & sectaries, as antiquitie reporteth. Un­der the name of Protestants, ye comprehende all those y^t for­saking the Pope, & Popish religion haue betaken thēselues to Christ and his holy Gospel, grounding their religion vpō Gods word & his heauenly truth, comprised in the Canoni­cal scriptures, of the old & newe Testament, written by the Prophets & Apostles, and thereuppon are called in these tyntes Gospellers, a fitter naine than that you call them by Protestants: Of which religion and number wee acknow­ledge our selues to bee, and thanke God for the same. Ca­thari,Fol. 39. pag. 2 or Puritan heretiques, I knowe none heere, God bee thanked, but I ghesse whome you meane. Your Au­thour [...], the whotter sorte of Protestants are called Puritans. Nowe supposing their religion that you call the Protestants, to bee the trueth of God, as it is indeede: and that you that will bee called Catholikes, like not but con­demne colde Catholikes as badde ones, and require zeale and feruentnesse, I pray you tel vs euen in your consciēce if Protestants bee to bee allowed: whether sorte of [...] are to be liked, the whotter or the colder, yet such still, (that ye abuse not your self) as with their zeale carry & ioine godly knowledge. It is good to bee zealous in a goodGalat. 4. 18.thing, alwaies saith the holy Ghost. And you wot what is said to them of Laodicea in the Reuelat. for that they wereApocal. 3. 16 luke warme & neither cold nor whot, that they shoulde bee spued out. We hope that if you whot Catholikes wil allow any Protestāts, y^e poore Puritās will finde grace with you. We once make but one religiō of those y^t you cal protestāts & Puritās (meaning yet such stil, that yee abuse not your self (I say) & others, as ioine godly knowledge with their zeale) except we may do y^e like with you whot & cold Catholikes, as ye cal them, & wee are troubled with so many sorts of you false Catholikes already, that wee are lothe to make any [Page 16] more, except yee needes will your selues. Housholders of loue, as better agreeing with your religiō, thā with Christs Gospel, we cast to your heape, as we doe al other false reli­gions which we condēne, & acknowledge no other than that I haue [...] described you. Summe, The true religiō, or the religion of Christ, heere professed, is but one, your reli­gion is not only one, but many distinct religions, saith euen your Angelical Doctor. Talke no more therefore of foure2. 2. q. 188. Ar. 1.religions, in this Realme, when but one is auowed heere: & there bee moe then foure or fiue either, diuers religions, and distinct in name, [...], &c. not in a Realine but in one Citie & Towne with you: this is your glorie. I trust you wil not charge y^t religiō I haue shortly described, to be a sect, nor the professors therof to be Sectaries. I am sure [...] ye can not, considering that neither it nor they, holde of men, nor of names by them deuised, or by you put vppon them. That hath been hitherto proper to you & them of your reli­gion. If you impugne this Religion, Take what name you will, yee shal shewe your selues to bee neither true Chri­stians, nor good subiects. Take heede vnto it, it lyeth vppon you. And let not that moue you, because in the day and cleere light of the Gospel, when you M. How­let are gone, Heresies appeare and bee espted, that for the most parte were sowen in your tyme before, & in the night, that is in the tyme of Ignorance and darkenesse: It is the nature and propertie of the light to disclose and shewe things that otherwise lie hidde, It is a blessing of God.

Againe, you knowe where G O D hath a Churche, the Deuill will haue a Chappell harde by. And taresMatth. 13.in the night are sowen in the same field, euen among1. Cor. [...]. &. 9.the good seede. Heresies also must be euen among you, saith the Scripture, &c.

You say: Of these foure sorts of men, the Catholikes are the first, the auncientest, the more in number, & the most beneficiall to al the rest, (whome you accompt Here­tiques & Sectaries) hauing begottē & bred vp the other [Page] and deliuered to them this Realme, conserued by Ca­tholike religion these thousand yeres and more, &c. Here, haue I to aske you who then be the fathers to all those sup­posed Sectaries, and men of diuers religions, that you say are at this day in this Realme: Who? but you Catholikes y^t haue begotten them? Whose children be they, & of whose bringing vp, that are accompted to be of so diuers & naughty religions: whose? but yours y^t will be Catholikes, who haue begotten and bred them vp. Howe come these yee accompt Sectaries, here, and by this Realme, howe you Catholikes deliuered it them, if al the sortes of men yee recken vp were such Sectaries, and naughty men in deede as yee accompt them to be, they might wel bee accompted your broode, butMat. 23. 9. first, syr, wee must desire you to take out of your heape, those that you cal Protestants and Puritans. They wil call no man their father, I tell you vpon earth, as they be taught by their onely Maister Christe: for there is but one father which is in heauen, for the rest, the more we looke vpon thē the better wee knowe them by the face, and confesse them to bee the Ghostly children of you false Catholikes, they bee so like you: you bee the first yee say, and the auncientest: But the great Dragon (syr) that old Serpent called theRenela. 12. 9Deuil and Satan, as the holie Ghost speaketh, is elder and before you, againe. You bee the more in number, The [...]. 3. 15.serpents seede is greatly multiplyed, but the womās seede, I doubte not, shal matche you wel ynough, not shee, that is the woman herself, as your [...] translation, to com­monly corrupt, lewdly translateth the wordes, and so ouer­throwes the true sense. Of the battaile, victorie, and this whole matter reade the Reuelation of S. Iohn, namely: the 12. and 13. Chap. &c. In Catholikes and Sectaries wee see the Ghostly fathers and their children. Goe no higher to Grandsire, and great Grandsire, stay your wisedome I ad­uise you, for opening your Pedegrue to much. Onely as you Catholikes haue begotten & bred vp Sectaries, so I pray you at this time tell vs of whome ye begate them? That is, [Page 17] let vs learne who was their mother & nurse whose breasts they suckt, and vnder whome so vntoward impes, were brought vp: To saue your honesties, and to make all alike father, mother, & children, Babylon or Rome, in one word, I thinke will serue all, if not, helpe me and teach me better, I speake as your Doctours teach mee. Howe benefici­all you Catholikes are to Protestantes or Gospellers, amongest others, your hot burning charitie, where they stande to your curtesie, sheweth: and the bloodie daies here in Christes Martyres, &c. did sufficientlie expresse. The more beneficiall you are to all the rest that are Sectaries, the worse yee deserue of this Churche. You plaine in another place of lawlesse proceeding, and crie out of Riot: Section. 13. heere you say, you deliuered the Realme, to them that [...] it. They tooke it not then by violence nor against your willes, they did you no wrong.

Howe this Realme hath been conserued by Catholike religion [...] thousand yeeres and more, that should you haue shewed & made plaine; your wordes carry an ambigui­tie. Poperie once, and your religion, as it is professed and exercised at this day, is not (wee tell you) so olde. Againe, Christians, as wee professe our selues to bee, holding of Christe, and builte vpon the Prophets and Apostles, &c. Fetch the antiquitie of their religion, not from a thousand yeeres agoe, as you pretende to doe: but from a very long tune before your 1000. yeeres, and so may iustlier then yours hee called the olde religion. This Realme hath from time to time been conserued by Gods mercifull and fatherly prouidence, and blessing, by wise and vertuous Princes, and their good and wholesome lawes, not by your blinde superstition rather then religion. Gods Churche and true Christians sometime moe, sometime fewer, not in this Realme, but throughout the whole worlde, haue recei­ued and conserued Christes religion heere now professed, and by mee more shortly described, these fifteene hundred yeeres and more, that I may goe somewhat aboue your [Page] thousande yeeres, euen since the Ascension of the Lorde Iesus, though after a diuers manner, sometime and most commonly shrouded vnder the crosse, some­time otherwise, according to the dispensation and wisdome of the immortal God. It is wisedome & safetie for you not to goe aboue a thousand yeres, but to descende: for since that time Antichrist and his corruptions haue growen apace in the Churche, shewed themselues and preuailed much, God so punishing mens ingratitude: But if yee ascende from a thousande yeeres, if ye list to the beginning of the world, and let Gods booke bee iudge (wee shut out Aristotle, your Philosophers, and prophane men, in this case) you will finde [...] vantage, not in Auncientnesse, though without trueth that were no great matter, yet you will stil be found to come after & behind, giue vs leaue to say as he in old time said: christ is my ātiquity. Thus if you [...] of y^e old & trueIgnatius [...] Phi­ladelphiens. religion, thus must ye think; thus must ye do. Thus for trial [...] antiquitas Christus. we wish you to do, ioining gods booke euer with antiquitie. And so, Let that that is first be true: & let that that is after­ward [...].brought in, be false. As one speaketh. Gods holyFol. 16. pag. [...]word is afore al, is aboue al, & [...] than al, that yee al­ledge or can do, for proufe of your religion, carying any good shew with it, & this is y^e touchstone y^t we woulde haue our religiō, your religiō, & al religiōs in the world tried by. It is a lowd lie & a vile slander to reporte & crie in her Ma­iesties eares, y^t such [...] & fauour is here shewed on y^e one side, as that other religiōs, thā Christs, haue been [...] to put out their heads, to grow, to aduance them­selues in cómon speech, to moūt to pulpits without con­troulmét, & such extremitie on the other side, that the verie suspicion of your religion, hath not escaped vnpunished by terror of Lawes & rigorous execution therof. For one part: those of your side and godles men among vs by raising slanders haue done what they can from time to time as you do, to bring diuers godly men into discredite, & haue but to much preuailed with some, though God hath alwaies giuen [Page 18] [...] to the truth & cleered innocencie. What y^t smart of some the whilest hath beene you dissemble, euery body knoweth best where their shoe pincheth them. I write not An Apologie nowe, nor take not vpon mee to enter into e­uerie mans particular cause, to maintaine or defend y^t same, much lesse to diffame & accuse our Lawes and the executiō therof by her Maiesties Ministers (I owe more reuerence to the state than so to do) I only shew the vanitie of your re­porte: you can for your vantage finde out & tel her Maiestie in this epistle of, one whom Newgate possessed long timeSection. [...].for his fantastical opinions, as you [...] & speake: wher­fore soeuer the matter were in deed: you vtter your choler, nay your malice & spight, you cannot finde out one of your owne side so brainesicke, that euen nowe writing an Apo­logy, on your behalfs taketh vpon him by expresse tearmes, to confute her Maiesties late proclamations &c. You cānot finde one so brainesicke that euen now being obstinately gi­uen to poperie, [...] one of his owne fellowes in his heate or rage rather. Againe (syr) may you not remember, if it please you, of executiō done by fire vpō some in London & abroade not long since, for heresie, which were no Papists, nor of your Catholike religion, as you define & deuide things? Was this litle or no controlement? Litle surely or none in your opinion, so long as it is not vpon your selues.

But what tragedies make you vs of fleabitings vpon any of your side, which yet deserue worst both of church and cōmon wealth? Ye thinke to winne by exclamatiō & outcry. Neuer was there any of your side yet, that in her Maiesties daies, and happy raigne euer suffred death, or was executed for this religiō, nor any other that I know for, but these few I haue named, & yet this is y^t string ye heere so much harpe on, this is your argument, that your religiō hath found lesse fauor & tolleratiō thā any other newer sect or religiō what­soeuer, yea that the tempest hath been so terrible, & your per­secution so vniuersal, as the like was neuer felt nor heard of in England before, &c,

ANd because to verifie your infamous, lie, and sclan­der in this behalfe, you adioyne hereafter parti­cular examples of two learned Bishoppes that are prin­cipall dealers in the high Commission for Ecclesiasticall causes vnder her Maiestie: thoughe they need not my clee­ring to her Maiestie, and the state that put them in trust, yet to open your impudent vanitie, and to satisfie such as be not to muche affectionate to your side for the dealing both of the state and them, let vs heare what your Authour and friende in this Treatise, ye present to her Maiestie, saieth hereof. When a Catholike doth come before the Com­missioners,Fol. 16. page 2.there is nothing asked of him, but when hee was at Church? and if he will promise to goe to Church, commonly they accompt him a sufficient conformable man, that is to haue yeelded sufficiently vnto them. Here is rigorous execution; Is there not I pray you? here is great extremitie, & cause hatefully, and contemptuously to quote in your margēt M. Couper, & M, Elmer. Ah M. How­let, what shoulde I say, God giue you his grace, and make you an honest man. Againe, sediciously and deuilishly, com­paring the high Priests and Magistrats of Iurie with this state, and likening their proceeding to a sweete charme. Thus he writeth in text and margent. What if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde haue saide vnto them: well, we are content that you liue with your conscience, so you kepe it to your selues, and trouble not the state,Marke this sup­position and ap­plie it to our time.& so that you will (for obedience sake) some time come to our Synagogues shewing your selues, comformable [Page] men to our proceedings. Nay what if they shold haue said: some of youThe maner of dissē ­bling Schis­matiks liuely expres­sed.also, for outward shew, (keeping alwaies your cōsciēces to your selues) must flee this odious name of Christians, & seeme to cōmunicate now & thē with vs, in our sacrifices & ceremonies: we are cōtēt also, that som of you shalbe our officers & iustices of peace, coūsellers & the like, so that you will somtimes (for orders sake) punish some of those indis­cret fellows of your religiō, which can not be contēted to keep their cō ­sciences to thēselues: so you wil also giue some prety, sharpe charge inO dāna­ble dis­sēbling this is done by many in englād. Liuing to a mās own cō ­sciēce, by leauing him selfe [...] con­science.your circuites, sessiōs, & assēblies (alwais keping your cōsciēces to your selues (& if some of you also wil somtimes, step vp into the pulpet, and speake, three or foure earnest words against this religion, it shalbe very gratful vnto vs, especially if you wil affirme it with an othe which wee haue deuised for y^e same purpose, & this doing we assure you that you shall liue quietly to your own cōsciēces, & we shal accoūt you for good subiects. If I say, y^e Magistrats of Iury at that time shold haue giuē to the apostls & other christiās this sweet charme, do you think that they cold haue abidē to heare it al out, whose hearts did rise & swel at two words only that they spoke, for the intreating of them to holde their peace.

Heere is good & gentle stuffe: But sweet charmes, terrible tem­pests, & such persecution as neuer was felt nor hearde tell of in Englād before. Her royall Maiestie, her vpright laws against po­pery, & other such false religiōs, her graue, wise, & godly Coun­sellors, & y^e ministers of her Maiesties Iaws, with other of the state here, neither feare nor regarde your false accusations, nor your impudent slanders, they can not reach to come nere thē, they pitie rather your wāt of discrettō & modestie y^t I say no more. You can not accuse or charge her [...] Iaws or y^e ministers therof, but you touch her honour too nere, who giueth her royall assent to all lawes here made: her Maiesties Iawes, counsellors, & ministers w^t better accord draw all in one line, & one way then you seeme to allow or like of. That her maiestie in y^t sight of all y^e world (as you confesse) hath shewed you so great mercy & clemency, that doeth but encrease your debt & dutie, and aggrauate your fault y^e more, who so vnkindly & vnnaturally recompence her highnesse great goodnes, by withdrawing your selues from y^e alleagians & obedi­ence which you owe to God & her Maiestie, which shee requireth also at your handes, & duty bindeth you to perfourme: you pay & couer all w^t faire flattering wordes & dissimulation, nothing else commeth from you to her Maiestie. It hath bin of her Maiesties [Page 20] godly inclination and good nature, not of your deserts, y^t [...] hath so oftē pardoned & so long forborne you. She hath not nor doth not ouerthrow, nor alter her good laws prouided against poperie and treason. If you be not too too obstinate & miserable, let former cle­mency moue you to amende, els, take things as they fall out: her Maiesties laws & the penalties thereof stand not for [...]. Abuse not your self & other M. Howlet. To sean pollitique lawes & y^e execution therof is not our profession, yours I meane, as I take it, & mine, Their godly wisedomes y^t make & execute y^t lawes ye now plaine of, are aboue our reach: you take too much vpō you, being a priuate man & not of counsel of making these lawes so vn­dutifully to checke & cōtroule y^e same, you might like a good obe­dient subiect, take heede of incurring the penalty, & consider by y^e execution therof, y^t the end was to represse popery, massing, &c. If you will not heare my counsell, you might heare your owne fel­lowe in his discourse, or your selfe in y^e latter ende of the discourse: which, for y^e most part thereof is twise set down for failing: That the catholike Church hath alwaies taught her childrē that (how hardly so euer their prince shold deale with them) yet are they boūd to beare it patiently, & to obey him for consciēce sake, as substitute of God, & placed in that roome for their punishmēt, if they rule not wel, w^e [...] not to the subiect to iudge of. You loue to tel what y^e catholik church [...], & therby shew y^t y^e Popish church is not y^t true ca­tholike church: you come not frō the Pope of Rome hither w^t this lesson, you haue another cōmission. There was little space of time betweene the ariual of the Italian & Romish souldiers in Ireland and the flight hither of such spirituall birdes [...] the Pope, as you are, your chalenges and bookes were [...], & this treatise, as fast as mightbe, afterward published: iwis you might, if it so pleasd you aforde as much reuerēce in truth to her [...], & the ciuillPopish Vbi [...] i­bi & mā dandi [...] caeteros manet [...] di nece [...] state vnder God in gouerning y^e cōmon welth outwardly, as you doe in the false Hier archie to your Popish [...] &c. with com­manding authoritie, & laying vpon [...], obedience with necessi­tie. Your malapert importunitie hath drawen and [...] mee of duty & zeale, to speake thus farre for clearing & defence of her ma­iesties wholsome iawes, & the execution thereof by her ministers, rather then y^t any need required the same, except it be in respect of y^e simpler sort. And yet M. Howlet, let me be bold to tell you that euen in this place where you so inueighe agaynst the terreur [Page] of lawes against your religion, yee iustifie greatly the mo­deration and equitie of her Maiesties lawes, and cannot de­nie but there hath been to great mildenesse vsed towards you in respect of the naughtines of your religion, thus you say: the Law made by Protestants prohibiting the practise of other religions besides their owne, allotteth out the same punishment to al thē that do any way varie from the pub­like Communion booke, or otherwise say seruice than is appointed there: as it doeth to the Catholikes for hea­ring or saying of a Masse. What haue you to plaine of in y^t fauourablenes of this law towards you; Is this straight­nesse to Catholikes; what more equitie and bearing with? woulde you in these times haue an Immunitie, to be exemp­ted from all lawes and penalties? I blame you not, yee so fast and so many waies indanger your selues by breache of lawes, that yee neede this remedie greatly: but yee deserue it ill; the penaltie and the execution of the lawe is that yee plaine of, and yet is no more done than lawe, if alwaies so much. It grieueth you, that other fare not as hardly as you. The comparison is odious, the cause is not equall, your minde also is enuious, your opinion and affection parciall. An enuyous man, they say, pyneth away at another mans welfare, Is your eye euil, because her Maiestie is good? Murmure not, you haue no wrong. They that are iustly punished, when other of grace and fauour are spared, can­not plaine of Iniustice, as though they had wrong. It is a priuiledge that God in his matters, and Princes, States, and other ciuile Magistrates, haue in iniuries done vnto them, by iustice to exact and execute penalties where they bee due, and by mercie sometime, to pardō and release offen­ces done against their Persons, vpon great consideration to some certaine, without doing any iniustice. Iustice & mer­cy, may goe & stand together, and both of them are seuered from extremitie and parcialitie. You might spare well y­nough many of your exoruations and [...] figures; you neede not make such exclamation as you doe. [Page 21] You thinke that saying, and hearing of Masse is too hardly handled by our lawes heere. You weigh not the matter aright nor indifferently. First, what is the Masse? Next, what meane you to buy such Deuilishe tromperie so deere? Your Masse for both saying and hearing is iustly abroga­ted heere, as a thing, that in respect of the sacrifice thereof containeth blasphemie against God, is iniurious to Christs death and Passion, is an Idoll, erected directly contrarie to the institution of the Supper of the Lorde, and a meere profanation thereof, farced and stuft full of grosse superstiti­ons, to poison mens soules with, so farre from edifying that it destroieth: that I speake nothing of the Apishe toyes therein containing great mysteries with you, fitter indeede for a stage then for the holie house of GOD. You heare briefly and in summe our opinion of your Masse. If you can say better for it out of Gods booke, let vs heare that, and yee shall, God willing, heare of vs againe. In the meane while for breuitie, because you do but touche it in pas­sing, I surcease also, from doing that nowe which is so of­ten and well done already, and rest thervpon, and to answere you, I denie your suppositiōs, till you bring vs some proofe, which you doe not heere. If ye cannot liue without saying and hearing this abhominable Masse, plaine no longer of the miseries that yee willingly runne headlong into, the punishement is very moderate and gentle, nothing so harde as your desert is in this behalfe. It is your honour, as seemeth, you trauell to recouer your Helena, a rare perle, a precious iewell, mych good dite you with it, draffe is good inough for Swine. Refuse neither heate nor colde. Runne I pray you thorowe fire and water, to come to it, if yee needes will: but yee were better bee admonished and aduised: At least all the godly wise will, if it bee but for so hainously dishonouring God, and deadly wounding their owne soules.

Thus writeth your Authour in his booke, the hearingIn the [...]. of Masse is not onely woorth the ventering of a hundred [Page] Markes or sixe moneths imprisonment, but also of an hun­dredThe hearing of Masse how well worth a hūdred Markes. thousand liues, if a man coulde loose euery one for that cause sixe tymes: and an hundred tymes miserable is that man which for any worldely respect doeth depriue himselfe of so great a benefite, as the participation of this sacrifice is.

The lyke to this I say of the practise of the other particulars, that ye mention, and the penalties layed there­on, yet is it not harde to spye out your cloaking and co­louring of thinges in speeche. It is vnnaturall, vnrea­sonable, vnconscionable, vnduetifull: It is against the lawe of GOD and man, and namely of this our Coun­trey, that an Englishe man shoulde refuse the othe of alle­geance and obedience to our most naturall and dread So­ueraigne, and vnder pretence of Religion giue it to that proude Prelate of Rome. If you haue any thing to say to the contrary bring it foorth, our answere you heare, our grounds and proofes are so pregnant, as if yee considered them wel, they might shame or winne you: but your reli­gion possible hindreth you from reading the bookes on that side, as your Authours opinion is, least indeede that good shoulde come therof, and therefore it auaileth litle to wryte for you. What mischiefs haue beene wrought by your deui­sed eareshrifte? What is nowe sought thereby in your re­conciliation? what the foundation and vse thereof hath afore time been? What a [...] and slaughter house to mens consciences? Is to well knowen at this day, to thinke it may bee set out with colours to commende it, the worlde waxeth too wise, to bee abused with such grosse absurdi­ties, yee talke of a reconciling to God. I [...], to say in trueth, to whome?

Yet in your reconcilement by your Ghostly father, your confiteor must go before his Misereatur. In reconcilemēt of your selues to her Maiestie and the State, take (at least­wyse if yee will followe no better) the worldly wise mans [Page 22] counsaile, if your stomackes bee come downe, confesse and submit your selues to mercie.

Yee talke much of death, as though yee suffered paineErranti, [...] medi­cina [...]. Cic. of death heere for your religion, yee repyne, are grieued, and offended that other haue not beene put to death, for practise of their religion, and yet doe I not knowe any of your side that hath suffered the same, as I sayde for his Religion, in all her Maiesties most happy raigne, vn­lesse there haue beene founde besides seditious and trayte­rous dealing in the partie against her Maiesties RoyallAristotel. Salus [...] sita est in [...]. dignitie and personne, and the State of this [...], which by wholesome lawes it behoueth her Maiestie to conserue as lyke a good mother of her Countreys, shee hath hithertoo done and still doth.

Yee say among other thinges it is death heere for ge­uing the supreme Pastour, supreme authoritie in causes of the Churche, Speake plainely, wee say it is for ge­uing away to the Pope, GOD his, and Christ his right and tytle, and for denying vnder them her Maiesties soue­rainety in her dominions. Wee say yee say vntruelie, as the woordes lye, It is so farre of from beeing death to giue to the supreme Pastor, supreme authoritie in cau­ses of the Churche, that without checke of our Soue­raigne, yea with her Maiesties good lyking wee doubte not, we heere maintaine and defende the same by the scrip­tures and ouerthrowe your proude Prelates vsurpation thereby. Yee shoulde therefore haue done that heere, dea­ling with her [...] at least, which you and your Au­thor going by supposition lightly neuer doe, to wit: haue shewed who this supreme Pastour is, and haue proued the Pope to bee hee. In the meane whyle as we graunt the su­preme & chiefe Pastor in Christ his Church, supreme and chiefe authoritie in causes of the same; so insteede of your Romame Pope; wee ascribe that title and office to Jesus Christe alone, by the warrant of GOD his ho­spirite [Page] and word, which call him Archpastor, or chiefe and Supreme Pastour, and finde not that title imparted in the newe Testament, to any in Churche Ministerie, much lesse to the Pope of Rome. If you nowe finde as good war­rant for your Pope in God his booke, lay it vs downe, and wee wil yeelde: But that neither haue you hitherto done, neither yet shall yee be able to doe, wrangle as long, and as much as yee will, your best daies are past.

For the rest wee reporte vs to any indifferent bodie whether it bee more to God his glorie, and beseeming God his people, the Churche, to holde with the Scriptures that Iesus Christe alone, the sonne of God is the Arche and chiefe Shepheard, or without warrant of Scripture to giue the same to the Pope.

Nowe Syr, and when the Lawes of this Realme giue to the Princes heere their Soueraigntie, and require the subiects to acknowledge the same in this Church and Realme, and the Kinges and Queenes from time to time, challenge and accept the same, neither doe the one professe to giue, nor the other to take, Gods place or Christes from them, nor yet so much as to incroch vpō the Church mini­sterie, in taking authoritie to Preache, administer Sacra­ments, and execute other Church Ministeries & functions, yea by meanes of your malicious interpretation, the contra­ry is protested, but according to dutie from God, to main­taine and see those thinges doone by Pastours, and suche as to whome those charges likewise from God do appertaine, not admitting therewhilest, which is your griefe the im­munities that the Popes aforetime haue giuen Cleargie men, in exempting them from the ciuil authoritie and iuris­diction. What haue faithfull subiects heerein to repine at? What haue they to plaine of? Yeelde with vs vnto it and yee shall finde wee haue all great cause to praise God for her Maiestie, and for ciuill authoritie, wee denie then that any forraigne Prince and Potentate, Ecclesiasticall or Ciuil (if yee will) is aboue her Maiestie and her people, [Page 23] in these her dominions, in any manner of causes, or haue to deale here, but vnder her, & by her leaue & liking. And to God his glory & our cōforts, haue we still w^t all thākfulnes to obserue that her Maiestie doeth not sit in mens conscien­ces, nor professe to make lawes to binde the same, as your supreme pastour doth: but leaueth cōscience to God, Christ, his spirite and worde, to be ruled and framed thereby, with­out further pressing the same, then the expresse woordè of God doth, in so much that for her Maiesties owne respect, in matters [...] vnto her soule and conscience, she yeeldeth her selfe obediently, to heare, receyue, and obey, as euery other christian, the voice of God and Christ speaking vnto her in y^e holy scriptures, by true pastours, and other mi­nisters meere Church gouernours, leauing to them there seuerall charges whole, without diminishing any part ther­of, as reason is.

Nowe sir, if the Pope and Popelings, namely her Ma­iesties natural borne subiects, especially by their vnnatural styrres, to the danger of her Royall person, and the state of the Church and Realme, haue caused any lawes to be made that be preiudiciall to their attempts, let them thanke them­selues and leaue their busie and perillous practises, & ney­ther pretend conscience where no good consciēce cā be, nor thinke y^t the Prince hath to giue ouer her Royal prerogati­ues, or to altar the state for their pleasure, this is the very state of this matter. If this can not call you home nor con­tent you, we say further, that the supreme pastour yee haue made choise of (for it is not hard to guesse at your meaning, though your wordes be doubtfull) is a woolfe, or woorse then a wolfe. To giue your Pope supreme authority in this Church, besides that it is treason against her Maiestie and the state, it is to commit the poore lambes to no better then the rauening wolues keeping. Howe many good lambes, hee and his whelpes deuoured here in a very fewe yeeres, when he had last to doe with this sheepefolde, the memory and smart is yet freshe, and before [...] eyes. The [Page] more haue we to praise God for our dread soueraigne, y^e in tender care of God his sheepe and lambs, and her maiesties, shee hath eased our neckes and shoulders of that yoke and hell like bondage. Besides this M. Howlet, where you giue to the Pope as supreame Pastour, supreame authoritie in causes of the Churche; yee had neede to explayne this some what playner for your owne religions sake and those of your side: as whether the Pope bee aboue the Coun­sell, or the Counsell aboue the Pope; Also, what ye call Churche causes; and whether yee denie his supremacie aboue Emperours, Kinges, and so foorth in other then Churche causes, or yee subiecte him to them? Whether as Peter his Successour yee giue him all Peter his Pa­trimonie and priueleges &c. and so because, as one Pope sayeth and your Cannon lawe approoueth, Christ commit­ted to blessed Peter (no where) in deede, the right both of worldly and heauenly Empire, will yee abridge that or no?

What should I speake of your Reliques, yee may say of all as yee doe of one (a seely paire of beades) seely and single stuffe surely. Why make yee such accompt of this seely ware, that is but tromperie and trashe, cast such bag­gage from you, and there is an ende of all troubles for that.

Yee talke of the Catholike religion, and of your owne religion, saying: my religion. Lieth the Catholike religi­on and yours in these pointes, in deede M. Howlet, yee heere name; will yee needes lie in perpetuall prison, leese goods, landes, and life for the same; After by eare­shrift to your Ghostly father, yee bee discharged of lawfull and duetifull obedience to our Soueraigne as vice gerent in God his place, to whom yee owe obedience for con­science sake, as to God him selfe, whose roome she pos­sesseth, as the substitute and Angel of God (thus speake ye some tymes) to yeelde the same to a Priest and proude pre­late, to a forrainer, and forerunner, to Antichrist, if not him­selfe, rather to the Pope of Rome that hath nothing to doe with Englishe subiectes (after this inuerted and peruerted [Page 24] othe and bowe: You call it your reconciliation) Lieth your religion, I say, in a masking Masse, in a crucifixe, Medall, agnus Det, and such other images; yee call them lay mens bookes, in a seely payre of beads (so you speake your selfe) and such other reliques? then woulde I surely haue all men consider well the dayly exercises of our Religion which is Catechising and instructing of youth and the ruder sort in y^e Articles of the beliefe, the tenne cōmandements, the Lord his prayer, and other the principles of christian religion: preaching and hearing preached God his holy woorde, mi­nistring and receiuing the Sacramentes of Baptisme, and y^e Lord his supper, according to Christ his holy institution in the Gospel; prayers to God for necessities, and thankes­giuing for benefites, with confession of sinnes, and of our faith also: and singing of Psalmes, &c. These are the vsuall and ordinarie exercises, and the principal of our reli­gion in our dayly meetings, kept among Englishe men in the Englishe tongue. Nowe let these be compared with your exercises that you set vs heere downe, and with the other ceremonies of your Catholique Romane Churche, and their Latine seruice at this day, and then let iudgement hardly bee giuen whether of the two bee more to God his glorye, the Churches, that is, God his peoples edification to heauenwarde, and as God his religion best grounded on his holy worde, as comformable thereto, and so consequent­ly to be receiued and imbraced with all thankfulnesse to God and our soueraigne. I am perswaded (M. Howlet) that as in your motiues for alteration, in so bad and cor­rupt a religion as yours is, you moue very litle her Maie­sties resolute and setled conscience on better groundes then yours, for all your cunning and sugred speeches: so this well weighed and rightly, your friendes reasons, and your glosing will gaine as litle to your side.

I can not followe particularly all your impudent [...] [Page] & slāders without vsing to much vnseemely tearms, in geuing you that you deserue, I will but touche so much as I shall thinke requisite, the things that seeme needefull vnto me, for the readers satisfaction and admonition. I can­not let passe that ye say heere, we were borne, baptized, & bred vp &c. in the Catholike Religion: still ambiguitie of speeche: but I guesse at your meaning, you meane your selfe and your fellowes I suppose: for we renounce and vt­terly denie, with thankes to God, that wee or any of vs were baptised in Popishe, or in any man his religion. Wee were baptised, In the name of the Father, of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost, in the name of Christ and into Christian religion: and therefore is Baptisme called Christening and Christendome, not Popening and Popedome. I will not calculate your age M. Howlet, and yet it may bee, you were borne and bred vp in the time of the Gospel, and profession of this religion, many of your side I am sure were, & yet shal not neede to be rebaptised, as though yee had been bapti­sed, in heretical religion, by your opinion. You were bapti­sed, wee hope, In the name of the Father, & of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoste: for euery Popishe Priests forme in baptising, wee haue not to answere, looke you vnto it.

We finde in your owne decrees, among other your corrup­tions of Gods holy orders & his Institution recorded euen in the ministring of this sacrament of Baptisme in the La­tine tongue: that a Priest in Pope Zacharies time, baptised a childe, in too too barbarous, vnto ward, and vile, a forme, as is set downe in the margine:In nomine Pa­tria, & Filia, & spiritua sancta. Therefore not withoutDe Consecrat. cause, bid I you looke to your Priestes and their doings a­foreDist. 4. ( [...] Baptizote. time. One may iudge there bee many holy things euill fauouredly [...] vp among you. I haue tolde you, the order of Baptizing in our Churches: for the circumstance of tyme, when; it is no great matter in this case, looke to the substance. Antichrist with all his corruptions and mischief coulde neuer ouerthrow the forme & substance of Baptisme hithertoo, not in the tyme of Poperie. Let your Antichrist [Page 25] take his corruptions, y^t is his religiō. Let vs thāke God for the substance of our Baptisme, that wee neede not be Bap­tised againe, reserued by God for vs, and vnto vs, in spight of Antichriste and the diuell in all ages. To God greatly, yea wholly: To these wee are nothing beholding for the same, and as litle or lesse for the corruptions they mingled therewith. What ye meane when ye say: we were borne in the Catholike religion, is somewhat darke, in a thing is diuersly taken: consulte with your M. Aristot. we were borne, and you too in iniquitie, dead in trespasses andPsal. 51.sinnes, and are by nature the children of wrath aswell asEphe. 2.others. Thus speake the Scriptures. If you meane as I thinke yee doe, that wee were borne, your selfe and all, and Baptised in the tyme of Poperye, wee graunt it. But in or into Popishe religion, wee denie it. It is one thynge to bee Baptised in a Popishe tyme, and another in Popishe religion: keepe the woordes wherewith we were baptised. In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. This is neyther Poperie nor Popishe religion. Here vpon, wee say your argu­ment and your fellowes is taken from Sophistrie, and is a Sophisticall and brabbling quarrell. You may easily finde the fallacion. Thus falleth the Bulwarke alone, and of it selfe, or is taken very easily, that yee imagine impregna­able, till it bee tryed or assaulted, wee see and heare well i­nough what accompt yee make of this argument abroade, to deceiue the simple. Distinguishe, whiche is not harde to bee done. Betweene God and the Diuell, Christe and Antichriste, Poperie and True Religion, Gods holy word,Looke better to your abrenun. cio say yee, Cre­do say ye, & [...] lo say [...]. and mens Inuentions. Let eche one haue that is proper to him, and it: And this argument (of being Baptised in the Catholike Romane religion, as these men speake, that is Popishe religion, as wee truely speake) will easily bee answered.

Her Maiesties clemencie, that yee talke of, and great [Page] mercie, as it hangeth not on your commendation, as nee­ding the same; so both it, and the cares wherewith you dis­quiet her peaceable and quiet estate, and perce her tender heart (so much as in you lieth) should make your hearts to bleed in your bellies, rather then hers, if they were not har­der then flint: neuer praise your loue to her Maiestie, you are litle beholding to your neighbours, that neede to praise your selues: for no body els can. Say not, to excuse your peruerse wilfulnesse, that ye are not able to remooue the cause, because it is your conscience & iudgment in reli­giō. You haue framed your selues a conscience; ye may as well remoue it. Ye haue freewill [...], yee say, on both sides. Yee could freely enough fall, arise as freely I pray you by reforming your conscience and iudgement. Lie not still in your owne myre, and say yee bee perplexed, because some of your doctours talke, and teache perplixetie that men are sometime brought into, whiche is but a foolishe opinion. We will pray to God, yee may remoue it or come out of that diuelish conscience, ye seeme nowe to pretende: but this therewhilest we warne you of, that yee take not the way, by abstayning from holy Church assemblies, where the pro­per meanes to winne you to God, is to be had.

NOwe (leauing the bragge you make of your resolute readinesse to spende your liues in her Maiesties ser­uice (which as hitherto she hath not, so God graunt shee ne­uer neede to proue your fidilitie) and of your patience in your troubles: dreamed of, rather then founde) proceede I, M. Howlet, to your newe persecutions and extremities, as yee call them, in deede to your shamelesse slaunders, charg­ing particular personnes before her highnesse, whose chaste eares, vnwonted to such impudencie, you shold at least haue [Page 27] spared, but yee make no accompt of that; The other dea­ling beseemeth you well ynough, whereupon making your entraunce vppon generalles still, as true as the [...], you talke of casting into Geales, both of men, wo­men, and children of your religion throughout all partes of her Maiesties Realmes. Fye for shame, are yee not ashamed; tell trueth, and expresse the cause wherfore, or else peace, Lying lippes are abhomination vnto the Lorde: but they that deale truely are his delight. Prou. 12. 22. Hee that dissembleth hatred with lying lippes, and he that inuenteth slaunder, is a foole, &c. Prouer. 10. 18. It is possible to bring some examples of imprisoning, whip­ping, and burning too, of some children and infants of our mens in your kingdome, besides women and men, young and olde. Let Bonner that dead is goe, and other his mates. Heere I remember what befell a woman in the Isle of Guernezey and her infant, in the late dayes of persecution vnder Queene Marie, howe both were cruelly burned, the storie is to bee seene, the people of the Countrey testifie of y^t crueltie and the truth of the matter, the deane and other that gaue the sentence, aliue very lately and I thinke still, and diuers of the executioners in her Maiesties dominions, and out of prison too. The profession of y^e Gospel followeth not your Romaine Catholikes in thirsting after blood, her Ma­iesties royall brest and her people and Realme; except it bee a fewe that; growe out of kinde, are free from such bar­barous and sauage crueltie. Her Maiesties wil is it shoulde be so, God be thanked therfore.

Leauing generals which yee plaine of, but proue no­thing, yee come with like proofe, that is none at al, to parti­culars, reported heere, say you: but by whome & vpon what credit you say not, of you and vpon your owne credit whol­ly. At first clap you charge two, not of the meanest bishops in this lande: what dare not you doe to meaner personages? but the best is you shewe what you are and what credit is to be giuen to you. Your reports are lies and too shamelesse, [Page] yeedeclare at pleasure in your Epistle of disioyning of man and wife in sundrie prisons, &c. What were your, not disioynings in sundrie prisons; but violent diuorcements of man and wife, pronouncing the same without all warrant of God his worde to bee whoredome and worse then whore­dome, when it was. Your hote burning, if not both the ma­ried couple, yet one leauing the husband a widdower, the wife a widdowe, the children fatherlesse and motherles, your killing diuers in prison, &c. This was nothing, it was worth neither the noting nor the quoting: yee quote vs. M. Dimmocke, in your margent and M. Couper. But syr, the Bishop of Lincolne whome yee name, is aliue, and able to answere your slander, God bee thanked, and hath already o­penly done the same to your shame. M. Dymmock, as I vn­derstande beeing orderly called before her Matesties high Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical, whereof the B. of Lincolne is one, was for his demerits restrained, not com­mitted to any prison or common iayle: but wild to chuse him a house, as hee did a friende of his, in the Close at Lyn­colne, where he was (during his restraint) well ynough v­sed, his wife resorted to him, and hee sundrie tymes to the Bishops table; beeing there, hee might per aduenture some­time be displeased at the Bishop his talke after dinner, who carefully and painefully trauailed to winne him to Christe. This was the harde vsage yee make so Tragicall adoe a­bout. I am ashamed to rippe vp your words of compelling such to dye in prison which coulde not stande or goe in their owne houses. If not all, the one halfe of the sentence is a Paradoxe, or strange kinde of speach. From Lincolne, you leape or flye rather to London, and talke of sending of virgines to Bridewel for their consciences, yee quote vs only one, as (say you) young Mistrisse Tomson by M. Elmer. Yee hearde by report, belyke, of some thing, wherof you make more, as is your manner. The thing, as is repor­ted is false and vntrue as the rest: for neither was she sent to that place by the B. of London, but by the Queenes Ma­iesties [Page 28] high Commissioners and the appointment of the whole benche, neither was it for her conscience, but for her flering, mocking and such vnmaydenly vsage towards au­thoritie, that shee was committed to Bridewel, and that to the ende she might thereby the rather, get by her handes and labour somewhat towardes her maintenance. How euer it were, we haue to thinke reuerētly of the proceedings of au­thoritie, and to iudge she wel deserued the punishmēt layde vpon her, & that the Cōmissioners had reason & good cause to take that course with her they did. The cōmitting of her to Bridewel, why shoulde it be thought so great an offence as H, makes it, seeing the place is ordeined not to make of honest women Harlots, but of Harlots honest women, by punishment and repentance: Therefore the Cōmissioners seing the intollerable vnshamefastnesse, the boulde [...] countenance of the woman without blushing, the immodest speeches and flowting laughters in the place of Maiestie and Justice: suspected that chastitie could not bee there entier, wher so ill, so bould, and impudent behauiour was, in so open, and so honourable a place. Therefore they thought it good to commit her to that place, where though not her chastitie, yet her modestie, and maydenly behauiour might bee recouered. The time was, when Howlets brood thought it no fault to racke Anne Askue (a gentlewoman of a good house) nor to burne the handes of maides before they burned their bodies, nor to vse other most hellishe tor­ments against the seruants of God: but nowe (forsooth) the Papists being sufferers (as they thinke) and not dooers (as they wishe) can make of euery molehill a mountaine, and of euery fillip a mortal and deadly wounde. Are they not asha­med to cry out against carying to Bridewell, where the of­fenders bee kept aliue, lie, and liue well, and be made better (if they haue any grace) and not worse: where they carried the saints of God to Smithfielde, to fire, and (as they them­selues were not ashamed to say) from that fire to hell fire: Such was their mercie. If God [...] accompt [...] to [Page] be the most abhominable [...] of the soule, & much fouler then the defiling of the bodie: then what wrong had that idolatrous wench, who had prostituted her selfe, and her soule to the worse sorte of filthy fornication, if shee were carried to the house of reformation, where shee coulde take no euill example, neyther of life, nor beliefe: If such as bee sent to Bridewell returned thereby defiled ey­ther in body or soule, or both, as those commonly bee, whome Sathan sendeth on his errand to Rome: then were it a fault indeede to thrust them to such a Prison. I take this an honester imprisonment, then your Cano­nicall intrusion into Monasteries was, where what they sawe, what they heard and learned, the worlde is not igno­rant.

I haue to craue pardon that vppon this raylers slanders I make so bolde as to speake in their defences, whose cre­dite with her Maiestie and the State is so good, that it no­thing needeth my pleading or others such as I am, and that maketh mee not to stande long in their purgation: but onely to note the aduersaries craftie and naughtie dealing. If hee were heere to answere it, the parties bee such and their cause, as by trial before other Judges, or in any Court in Englande, it woulde [...] him deere if they shoulde but pursue the cause. You speake M. Howlet of racking, tormenting, &c. for Religion (all must bee cloaked vnder Religion forsooth) you might bee ashamed, if ye had any, wryting to her Maiestie, to touche her honour so neere, and the highest authoritie in this lande, to whome these pu­nishments are reserued, you wil neuer leaue your common rule: An Epistle blusheth not, Pro. 24. 21. My sonne (saith the wise man) feare the Lord and the King, and medle not with thē that are seditious. I will not as you doe, make my selfe more busie than needeth about her [...] affayres, and her honourable Counsailes, whereof I am not pri­uie, no more are you: though impudently yee rushe into euery thing, that I may [...] charge you with your owne [Page 29] phrase, they bee thinges M. Howlet aboue our reaches, they are to well handled to bee stayned by our reproches, let vs deale wysely and let them alone, or else learne to speake more reuerently of authoritie as becommeth vs. Yee knowe who and what presumptuous [...] and false teachers they bee that standing in their owne con­ceipte, despise gouernement and feare not to rayle on2. Pet. 2. 10.them that are in dignitie. Iude. vers. 8.

From publike and great personages and such as haue commission and authoritie from her Maiestie, whose names yee might haue spared for your owne honesties sake, you come lower, yee care not where yee roote, nor where yee byte. First yee catche holde of one whome ye cal a strange brainesicke fellowe, whome Newegate possessed a long tyme for his phantasticall opinions (onely Papists then haue not suffered for their Religion) wherein hee is so pregnant if men reporte truely (all goes vppon reporte) as he can deuise any newe religion vppon a weekes [...] giuen him at any time. Gentle stuffe, This [...] affirmeth in printe, say you, that all Papistes are Ene­mies to GOD and to your Royall Maiestie, and this is aboue all other things most grieuous, iniurious, and intollerable that the crime of Disloyaltie, is obie­cted vnto you, &c. Heereuppon you puffe and fume, or woulde seeme to bee angry: yee amplifie the matter, yee apeale, yee protest, yee bestirre you euery way, heere is praeda Mysorum, expounded and set out with dogge Rhetorike, and much adoe: The thing might haue been [...] taken and vttered with more [...] and mo­destie; and your deedes, if yee had any, might better cleere you with wyse men than wordes will. Your iudgement of the man in this passion and in your owne case will hard­ly bee esteemed. This vpbrayding of imprisonment, this charging with phantasticall opinions and shewing none, and saying that the man with whome yee are [...] [Page] can deuise any newe Religion at any time vppon [...] weekes warning giuen him; grounded but vppon this: if men reporte truely. This vncharitable and naughty dea­ling I say, may sauour of immoderat choler and heate: but of litle trueth or honest modestie, you would scarsely be con­tent to bee so vsed your selfe.

Though it bee no parte of the matter, to stande in de­fence of particular men and their [...], neither take I great delight in that course, yet if that be the partie ye quote in your margine (M. Howlet) I answere not by re­porte and heare say, as you too lightly doe; but vppon better knowledge: that it is very vntrue & a slaunder that you reporte of his deuising of any newe Religion vppon a weekes warning, &c. And that hee hath beene knowen neuer to haue altered his iudgement in Religion, since hee first entred the profession thereof, and at this day also, thankes bee to God, keepeth the true paterne of the whole­some doctrine of saluation, and constantly trauaileth for the mainteynance of the Fayth against you and such other as fallen into Heresie impugne the same. It ma­keth no great matter what you reporte of him or such other; when almost yee can say well of no good man, the worse hee heareth of you in this case, the better wil hee bee liked among the godly.

Touching the matter I would your deedes M. Howlet, and your fellowes did not plainely confirme and approoue that hee writeth, if you bee so stifly addicted vnto Popishe heresie, as yee seeme to professe, and so obstinate in refu­sing by othe to acknowledge her Maiesties Soueraigntie giuen of GOD, and by lawe propounded to her subiects heere: Thinke not that it is this man his singular opinion in wryting and printing, but the common opinion heere of the best, that in the case you are ye be enemies to God & her Royall Maiestie and the State, & that worse tearmes also may beseeme you & your deserts wel ynough. Bee not an­grie therefore at this, your to much stirring, will but in­crease [Page 30] the opinion of you. Haue you beene all this while in laying downe your griefes, in disclosing your miseries, and vnfolding (at large nowe) your pittifull afflicted case, and such intollerable molestations as you cannot beare, brought into such extremitie as neuer was hearde of in Englande before. And is all come to this? that the geuing out publikely in print of these woordes; that al Pa­pists are enemies to GOD and her Royall Maiestie is aboue all things the most grieuous, iniurious and in­tollerable? Is this the deepest wounde, and the greatest hurte yee haue; Is this such extremitie as was neuer hearde of in England before; Alas seely mouse that appeareth after the mountaines great trauaile, I woulde, when your side commaunded, wee had beene persecuted but by tongue and penne. Is that bloody persecutiō forgot­ten nowe; these [...] man, but wordes, and in your owne estimation but the wordes and opinion of a straunge brain­sicke fellowe, holding phantastical opinions, and vyle in the reputation of the worlde, what neede you bee so much moued thereat; Yee are of a noble courage, file not your handes vppon euery one yee meete. I see (M. Howlet) your choise and meaning heerein, cunningly to seeke to treade vpon the hedge where it is lowest, you are common­ly in extremities, either with the greatest, or the least: you can hardly keepe the golden measure and meane in any thing.

This renteth your Catholique hartes forsooth, which are priuey of your owne trueth and duetifull affection to­wardes her highnesse, estate and personne, woulde to God that that is so priuey to your selues & vnknowen to others, her Maiestie at least, to whome it appertaineth, might bee made priuey to in deede; by your submissions, to her autho­ritie renouncing all foreigne power. I woulde yee woulde haue made her Maiestie priuey, before yee ran away & made your selues slaues to that Beast of Rome, I woulde before you had thus dealt with her Subiectes and Printed [Page] your booke without her leaue and against her minde, you would haue made her Maiestie priuey of y^e matter, I would you would yet now at the lēgth returne home vpō her Ma­iesties commandement and intimation giuen vnto you of her pleasure, and doe as some of your fellowes & companie doe, repent and stande to her Maiesties mercy. Ye need not be ashamed nor afrayde, you shal haue examples here before your eyes, of honester men, I feare than some of you will prooue, except you doe the lyke: This is good sooth and trueth, and the duetifull and bounden affection of subiects, this is good plaine English dealing man without Romish farded [...], or deepe Italian fetches: if yee bee so desirous to cleere your selues, as yee pretende, yeelde to this motion in time, Otherwise your Rhetorique is but colde, it perswadeth not, all that you say or can say for your selues, hath been & is considered; it is hardly worth the hea­ring. Hee that prayseth him selfe is not allowed, but hee whome the Lorde prayseth. How if her Maiestie reply &1. Cor. 10. 18 relie (as you speake) vpon her iust interest: how if shee say ye plaine more than ye neede, or haue cause for, if this mans wordes be the worst is done vnto you, that you make much adoe of a litle or nothing in comparison? howe if her Maie­stie tell you where the trueth of the matter is to bee tryed, in deedes and good euidence, words are in vaine and preuaile not, howe if therefore shee [...] you leaue flourishing, that is a vaine praysing and vaunting your Loyaltie in glorious wordes, set out with colors of petre Rhetorique, & [...] you, for her satisfaction and assurance, goe to the matter, and by taking the othe of submission testifie and approoue your o­bedience, and shame your aduersaries that way. Let another man praise thee, saith the wise man, and notProuer, 23. 2thyne owne mouth, a stranger and not thyne owne lippes. Namely, wee are bidden there, Not to boaste ourProuer. 25. 6selues before the King. You keepe no measure [...] M. Howlet. And in refusing conformitie to take the othe of obedience, and to goe to Church, vpon the reasons of the [Page 31] treatise folowing. Ye maintaine a very corrupt conscience, if it may beare the name of conscience, which is so ill staied: If words may be receiued, your pay verely is good; if deeds bee required your money is not currant.

That is a great blocke in your waye, that you can ne­uer prayse your duetifulnesse to her Maiestie, but you must euer with all, craue pardon for your vndutifulnesse in the greatest matters: as you here doe for not leauing Pope and Poperie, and conforming your selues to religion &c. And yet yee doe the same cunningly, and vnder couerte of conscience forsooth grounded on the reasons that are in the treatise, which must stande in steade of al satisfaction to her Maiestie: where-of in place, God willing wee shall see. I am sorie I am enforced to followe and examine your wordes: I woulde there had been some grounded matter, for I am afraide as I wearie my selfe, so doe I some wise and discreete readers, but I must craue pardon in respecte of other that are more simple and rude, who it were pitte shoulde be by glosing, seduced or deceiued.

BEcause you Catholiques are touched, and that iustly with the crime of disobedience and rebellion towardes our soueraigne, and that the whole fault hereof proceedeth [Page 33] from you that teache and leade the rest hereunto, yee take some paines and seeke heere to cleare Poperie of that note, but ill fauoredly and to little purpose; for when you haue all sayd, the matter is where it was, you neither cleare your selues, nor satisfie other, you giue vs still faire wordes, and make odious cōparisons besids the matter: taking occasion in the most of this part, to slander & charge mē at home, here and abroade, aliue and dead, one and other, and still to vaunt and praise your selues, and so make all things to serue your turne. Herein spende you nowe sixe or seuen pages in this your Epistle to her Maiestie: Whereof I must particular­ly speake some thing. In the very entrye, yee say yee medle with no mans particular fact, but speake of the Catholik religion in generall. So ye leaue vs a generall, that can bee vndermined and ouerthrowne by no particulars. Take a­way particulars, and whereof will your generall consist. Thus prouide you a salue for all the trecheries & attempts, taught and committed by any person of your side in any tyme: So you salue vp the Popes bulles, if you accompt him a man among other, and his doing a particular facte. So, to make an ende, yee salue vp all other libelles and writings made by any of those, of your side, what treason so euer they containe. So yevantage your selfe greatly (as ye weene) and no lesse seeke you to disaduantage vs: for what bryng you against vs, and our religion in this case, but par­ticular mens writings, and particular, not factes, but words of men. Thus can you to charge in generall our religion, both in doctrine and demeanour, conclude without all rea­son. A generall affirmatiue against vs, by one or two par­ticular examples: but no particulars (as. I haue saide) how contrary so euer they be in doctrine and behauiour, to your Catholike religion in generall, may ouerthrowe that you generally denie, to fall into that religion. Me thinketh you shoulde giue vs the same libertie ye take to your selues, you medle, you say, with no mans, particular fact, and yet you will driue vs to answere for particulars.

1 Your position hath two partes: one to cleare your selues, and your religion, to wit, you say, that the Catholike religion in generall is vniustly touched by any secte of our time for teaching disobedience or rebellion against their Princes, or as your note hath: The Catholike faith, tea­cheth obedience more then other religions. This is for you. I well wote not what you meane by your Catho­like religion in generall, nor howe you may vnderstande your note, to bee some way true, that your Catholike faith teacheth slauish obedience, more then any other religi­on. In that it maketh Emperours, Kinges, Potentates, of the world, and ciuil Magistrates, so subiect to the Pope; as to [...] on their neckes, to set them to holde his Stir­rop, his brydle, to leade his Palfrey, to kisse his foote, &c. Which al be but duties of obedience on their behalfes, to set vp his creatures, the Prelates of the Clergie, to be Lordes ouer Gods Church, whose seruantes they ought to bee. As your very Pope also professeth himselfe to bee, the seruant of the seruantes of God: But as Salomon saith. When aProu. 30. verse 21. 22.seruāt raigneth, or is Lord, it is one of the things of three or foure for the which the earth is moued, & can not su­steine it selfe: So this, and such like slauishe obedience, is nothing to the commendation of your Popishe religion: which in too vile speeche and maner, subiecteth into it those that yee call of the Laytte. For obedience of subiectes to Princes, it teacheth it so farre, as may serue the turne of that religion, and their ambitious mindes that I haue spo­ken☞ of. 2. The other part of your position here, is, to charge vs & our religion, to wit, that the finall ende of our doctrine & doing, is to haue no gouernours or ruler at all; that all heretiks and sectaries of our time (such you call vs) in e­uery coūtrey where they are contraried, seeke to disturbe and molest by rebellion their Lordes and Princes, tea­ching the same to be lawfull, that they rushe into euerye thing with inordinate violence, and like of nothing that order and obedience layeth downe vnto them: whiche howe Clarkelike you proue, wee shall, God willing, see in [Page 34] his place: for first haue I to speake of you, your faith, doc­trine, religiō & demeanor, touching obediēce, & disobediēce w^t is y^t marke you shoote at, or should be at least, if ye right­ly handled or perfourmed that yee take in hand. Thus muft I stil put you in remēbrance of, that where you shold proue and shewe that your faith and your religion, that is, the po­pishe faith and religion at this day, is the Catholike fayth and religion, as you terme it: there you faile in your proofe. It must needes bee supposed you are, Catholikes, and wee Heretikes and Sectaries, because you say so without all proofe: but the truth is farre otherwise. False Catholikes or Catholikes in name, may goe in opinion of men for Catholikes, but true Catholikes shall they neuer be. Leaue this equiuocation and ambiguitie of woordes and speeches, and giue vs a sounder proofe then hitherto, if ye haue it; that Papistes bee true Catholiques, and we Heretiks and Sec­taries: els giue vs leaue to beleeue, that all ye say is not Gospell. Our controuersie is not with the Catholik religi­on in general, but with your Popish religion in particular. The profession and fruites of your Popishe religion, and disobedience to our Soueraigne, the State, and lawes here: (if we goe not without the compasse of these times) will alwaies stoppe you from making a good argument, to cleare your religion from rebellion; namely, when you deale with her Maiestie, who is priuie of your whole doc­trine and practise. Yf you make a perfect argument, eyther will one of your sentences be flatte false, and so must be de­nied, and you put to a harde prufe; or els there is no remedy but ye must run, for a poore helpe to an Elench, and fallatiō which is a bad kind of reasoning: You y^t can not be reduced to conformitie prescribed by your Superiours: Inducing you to your soules healthes, to godlines, & to the cōmon good & quiet of the countrey; had not need to brag of your obedience towards your superiors. But while you frame a good scholasticall argument, to mainteine your Po­pish religion, that teacheth and practiseth disobedience and rebellion against our common Soueraigne and Queene, [Page] which will be a good while to: I hauing spoken thus much in generall, will further and more particularly there­whilest enter to speake of your doctrine and demeanour heerein: Then will I, (so much as shall be necessarie) an­swere to those particulars ye obiect here against vs, & our religion. And yet here entring into a large fielde, to rip vp your corrupt doctrine and rebellious demeanour towardes princes; there is so much matter to treate of, that in suche plentie, it is harde to keepe measure, to giue ouer, and come out againe, wherof notwithstanding I must haue special re­garde, and minde so to doe. This haue I to desire you not to bee offended with all: If I be any where founde in the matter, to vse the same lawe towardes you, that you doe to­wardes vs. For your doctrine therefore of obedience, and demeanour also: first I must admonishe, without you were better, that we may not call you that bee the children of the Pope and Popishe religion at this day, to the Apostles doc­trine and their rule and practise, set vs downe in the scrip­tures at the beginning; the things bee too vnequall, and we may be no bolder with you, then so farre as your Churche teacheth you, and your supreme Pastors voyce, that is the Pope calleth you herein, and yet here fal some good words from you contrary to the rest of your doctrine, set vs down in your bookes, and your demeanour at this day towardes our soueraigne. I heare what glorious shewe, your words haue, and I see; you set vs downe in your margin. Rom. 13. Which heauenly doctrine we receiue, we teach, we stedfast ly holde, and practise. The Scriptures are the foundati­on and grounde of our profession, we can not, we may not, we will not refuse them: our bookes as publique recordes testifie the same. Euery soule must bring euery mothers child of yours to be subiect to our Soueraigne & Queene, as to the chiefe, it is not spoken to lay men, as your glose vpō the decretals, expoundeth it*. But I see you sende vsExtra decretal. de censibus. cap. 2 omnis anima. further in your margin to Saint Thomas, and om. Doct. that is all your doctors, & there is a Vide afore it, that is a watche worde to looke vpon the matter.

As for Augustin, Chrysostom, & Ambros. that come after your D. Tho. & om. Doct. They teache all one doctrine heerein with the Apostles, and therefore trying that they say by that rule, & finding it conformable, wee receiue it w^t their iust cōmendation. They are no Popishe teachers, but better expoūders of the scriptures, & morefaithful & sounde in this point, the your late schole Doctors, bicause M. How. bidsvs looke: I wish the reader that vnderstandeth Latin to looke and see their Popishe doctrine of the authoritie of aExtra de Maio­ritat & obedi­ent. Tit. 1. tit. 33 ca. 6. solite. King or Emperour in the Decretalles, hee shall see howe the Pope playeth legerdemain, falsefieth the Scriptures, and doeth worse if worse may bee, shewing what spirite hee is ledde with. If that chapter and the glose were in English it would lothe any Christian eares. And again looke Dist. xcvi. And yet many of that age are somewhat more indif­ferent teachers and dealers, than you whot and bad Catho­likes bee, for the most parte nowe adayes, that so grossely folowe the Pope, and Poperie that by writings & dooings ye stirre him vp, and raise sedition against our natural So­ueraigne Prince, and yours, and this State and Realme, too vnnaturally, vnduetifully, and vnchristianly Iwis. I haue looked syr, as your Authour whome you followe wil­lethVide D. [...] q. 2. 2. a. q. 90. & om. doct. ibid. vpon the place of your S. Tho. wee are sent vnto: In seeking I finde neuer a word of this matter of Magistrats and obedience there, as which deuided into three Articles treateth of the vsing of Gods name, in adiuring: which be­longeth to the thirde commaundement, but you following your Authour in citing and quoting places, who, for his greate haste in wryting had not tyme to suruiew or reede any parte of his treatise ouer againe, and is therefore ac­cording to his request to bee borne withall, it may bee you were deceiued also with him: But let that goe as a small matter. Tell vs your selues, to what place of D. Thom. you sende vs rather than to that you name. In the meane while, as you and your Authour say and set vs downe one and the selfe same thing, So your D. Thom. by your leaue where [Page] in his summe he treateth of, that argumēt disagreeth from you both: which, that the reader may some what perceiue, (thogh I lyke not to be so occupied) I wil shortly set down both your words, & some parte of his also. Thus your Au­thour whome you follow: The Catholyke churche hath al­wayes taught her children that how hardly soeuer their Prince should deale with them, yet are they bounde to beare it patiently & obay him for conscience sake as sub­stitute of God & placed in that roome for their punishe­ment, if he rule not wel, which apertaineth not to the sub iect to iudge of. Good wordes, howe cōmeth it to passe that you Catholikes vse not your selues thus towards her Ma­iestie then: how commeth it to passe, that your fellowes in their bookes printed abroade teache otherwise, & stirre vp sedition here then: Ye shewe your selues to bee another Ba­alams, or Cayphas. children, whose mouths must serue the holy Ghost at this time, to vtter y^e trueth, though the instru­ment & meanes be very vnfit, & the whole serue your side to [...] Balaam [...] significātur. 2. 9. 7. Nos. Vide M. Har­dings [...] to M. Iuel. Art. 4. Diuis. 22. De Anna & Caiapba. Vide Hot. lib. 2. contra [...] & Hard. confulat. Apolo. par. 6 cap. 6. [...]. 3. 1. 2. Q 96 Art. 4. in fine. litle purpose, who elsewhere teache & practise the contrary. Be not angrie at the comparison, your owne side [...] Popish Prelates to Baalam & Cayphas. But your D. Thom. to whom you send vs, disputing whether mans law put necessitte on vs in the Court of conscience, and hauing obiected to the contrarie (as his manner is) out of the tenth of Esay: Wo be to them that make vniust lawes. &c. Hee answereth and saith, that that place speaketh of a lawe that laieth an vniust burden vpon subiects, whereunto the order of power graunted of God streacheth not it self. Wherfore in such cases man is not bounde to obay the lawe, if hee bee able to resist without Scandale (that I may keepe his word and your treatises) or greater detriment. And againe, wee must say: that a man is bound so farre to obay secular prin­ces as the order of Iustice requyreth. And therefore if they haue not iust but vsurped principalitie, or if they commande2. 2. Q. 104. [...]. 6. vniust things, their subiects are not bounde to obay them; except peraduenture by some accident, for the auoyding [Page 36] of scandale, or danger: and can yee make that obedience for conscience sake? Againe in another place, agreeing with the Decrees, and alledging the authoritie of Pope Gregory the seuenth, hee wryteth as perillously for her2. 2. Q 12. Art. 2. Maiestie and this state, and all one with that which y^e wic­kedVide causa 15. Q 6. cap Nos sanctorum, & in. cap. [...], &c Pope in his wicked Bulls hath at this day most wic­kedlie published and set abroade, contayning a most diuelish Doctrine of Disobedience and a lyke practise, what euer you nowe tel in faire wordes, to flatter withall, in opinion you agree with these woordes of D. Thom. and apply all to and against our noble Queene and this State, as [...]. 26. 24. 25. 26. your practises too much prooue. The wise man saieth: Hee that hateth wil counterfaict with his lippes, but in his heart he layeth vppe deceite. Though hee speake fa­uourably beleeue him not: for there are seuen abho­minations in his heart. Hatred may bee couered by deceit: but the malice thereof shalbee discouered in the Congregation. And that this, that I tell you of, is true among you, hot Catholikes, as you wil be called. I wil at this tyme wade no farther in your S. Thomases summe, nor in your Popes Decrees and other wryters of your side in former times: But let me be bold as you doe obiect vnto vs the doctrine of one or two of our men: so for all, to set you downe y^e words at least of one of your cōpaniōs or great pillers & doctors rather of your present Popishe church, that is fled from his Countrey, Prince, & vs here, to Rome and abroade; there & thence, like a Popish Priest by practises & wrytings seeking to stirre vp among other seditious rebel­lions and treasons against her Maiestie, and this State; which partly by wryting, partly by posting betweene, is ac­cording to Commission and trust performed by him soN. Saunders opi­on and dealing. farre as hee may to the vttermost. Saunders trauaile more laborious and [...], then sounde, Godly, or wise, in his huge peece of woorke of the visible Monarchy of the Church; is against the present state of [Page] this Churche and Realme of Englande, there needeth noHe calleth Mo­ron the protector of England: hee was the Popes Legate, & chiefe President of the [...] Councel of Trent. other applier of the whole then himselfe; I suppose all you hot Romaine Catholikes agree and bee all of one minde in this behalfe, & in the name of you all, he speaketh for the rest, especially seing their voices being asked, they disagree not, any I know for, but [...] y^e same rather in their wry­ting. In Saunders Epistle therefore (To the most vnre­uerendN. Sander. in E­pist. Ad Cardin. Moron.Cardinals, Iohn Moron and twoo other) before his visible Monarchie, not only Iyingly and slaunderouslyLib. 7. De visib. Monarch. Eccles. Fol. 732. & ante a fol. 688. ad. fol. 712' &c. chargeth he the godly lawes of this Realme with impietie & tyrannie, and that this I [...] almost alone at this day in all Christendome plentifully yeeldeth foorth Martyrs, (so hee calleth the Traytours that haue been and a litle be­fore the wryting heere of were, executed heere for their tray­terous attempts, and other English Romaine Catholikes, whereof in [...] beaderoll hee reckeneth vs vp a rable.) But furthermore also, [...] stirreth vp the saide Cardi­nals (as though it were very earnestly from hence sued for vnto them) to trauaile by such meanes as they can, to deli­uer the people heere (hee meaneth such as himselfe is) from this so great and cruel tyrannie, so hee calleth the most mo­derate and peaceable gouernement of her Maiestie: where­unto also, after congratulation and commendation for hisSand. in Epist, de­dicat. praefixa lib. De visib. [...]. former late dealing with this Realme, her Maiestie, and the State, hee exciteth the vnholinesse of the Pope in his Epi­stle Dedicatory to him, cōforting himself, & feeding other, and namely his Pope, with vaine hope (this was about tenPope [...] 5. yeeres since) that very shortly after, the runnegate Catho­likes, and their fellowes, shoulde bee restored to their Reli­gion and places heere againe, hee dreamed of a drie som­mer: Wee may easily gather, howe and whence all the stirres here, since, arise and growe, and what the drifte of al is. If this bee not seditious doctrine and demeneanor re­bellious and trayterous, what is I pray you. God lōg blesse and keepe her Maiestie among vs. Proceeding furder in his visible Monarchie thus mryteth he amōg other things: [Page 37] It belongeth vetily, to the Bishoppes especially both toDe visib. [...]. Eccl. lib. 2. cap. 4. fol. 98. 79.pronounce the king himselfe an Heretike, or an Aposta­ta, and also to declare that his subiects are afterward free from geuing him any obedience, and that they ought to doe their endeuour, that another bee out of hande put in his place. Nowe if the subiects doe not looke to their office in this behalfe, it longeth to the Pastors, to prouide by any meanes they can, that he that sitteth in the chaire of Pestilence raigne not in the Church of God: this is the true obedience your Catholike Churche teacheth her chil­dren to yeelde to their Princes for conscience sake. Is not saith Saunders the matter so, &c? do not the Pastors watche for the soules, as wel of kings as of those which obay kings. It is their duetie therefore to omit nothing that they shall knowe to bee expedient for the soules health: & who seeth not that it is cleane contrarie to the soules health: that hee should bee suffered to raigne ouer the Faithfull, which is himself vnfaythful, &c? Shal he then be worthie the name of a man that shal affirme that a wicked king ought not to be compelled, to cleere and put himselfe out of his publique charge. If at al, surely hee must bee put out for Heresie. How shal that controuersie be iudged without the reso­lution of the Doctors of the church, &c. Now Pastors & Teachers of the churche can bee no Iudges of a king, ex­cept the king be in that thing lesse and inferior vnto thē: For neither hath an equal power ouer an equal, nor an inferior ouer his superior. We affirme therfore iustly that al Christian kings in matters appertayning to Fayth are so subiect to Bishops & Priests: that obstinately continu­ing in offending against Christian religion; after one or two admonitions for the same cause, they may & ought, by the sentence of the Bishops to be put from other tē ­poral gouernement, which they haue ouer Christiās. And yet againe after in the same chapter, out of a great many, I take but a fewe sentences. Since therfore the wisedome ofIbid. fol. 83.God hath not left his churche (which is a Citie very well [Page] built & defensed) without a medicine for such a disease, ne yet can any other medicine helpe, than that may take away so euil a king from among the people, and giue his kingdome to a better man. Wee must beleeue that such power at least was graūted to the supreme pastour of the church (hee commeth nowe from meaner Bishops to the Pope of Rome, whome hee meaneth by that tytle) in these words: Feede my sheepe, & whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shalbe bounde also in Heauen. (To foule and shamelesse [...] of the holy woorde of God) That the supreme Pastour may not onely excommunicate a wic­ked king, but also free and set his subiectes at libertie frō all obedience vnto him: For if so bee whatsoeuer Peter, or Peters successour vppon earth loose, bee also loosed in heauen, then truely when rightly and orderly hee set­teth faythful subiects at libertie from the obedience of a wicked king vppon earth, the same subiects also are freed in heauen from the obedience of the same king. Againe, if whatsoeuer peter, or Peters successour, binde vpon earth bee also bounde in heauen, whensoeuer Pe­ters successor of right and equitie commaunde any king eyther to leaue his Royall dignitie which hee (so affe­cted) vniustly holdeth, or to stoppe and hinder another king by all the meanes hee can, which hindereth a fayth­ful people from eternal life, least hee perishe in doing wic­kedly:I thinke hee would say: that the king proceed not in dooing wickedly.that king is also bounde in heauen, that is before God and his Angels, to obay the chief Pontifical bishops decree, except hee will haue his sinnes holden & not for­giuen before God, &c.

Heere is in general tearmes your Catholike doctrine truly set downe by Saūders, who sent I trowe, frō y^e Pope, tooke a long iourney into Ireland, where of late it is [...], hee was and still is: to stirre vppe lyke a Capitaine, and in­courage the Trayterous hearts that he might meete with, and to see this doctrine of Pope holines reuerently obayed [Page 42] and put in practise so farre as hee might, against this state: for the which purpose serued also your late flocking hether in sholes from beyonde Sea, much about the same tyme, and your more publishing of sedicious libelles than a goodDe visib. [...]. Lib. 7. fol. 730. 732. &c. while before. As lykewyse in the yeere 1569. Nicholas Morton an Englishe rennegate Priest, the Popes Peni­tentiary at Rome, was sent (sayth Saunders) by the Pope into England (where hee deserued ywis to [...] crackt a rope) to stirre vp the Nobilitie against our Soueraigne, & to doe such other most vile offices, &c. Whose counsaile they that folowed in the North, felt the iust rewarde & smarte of rebels for their rebellion, as the Romishe Irlanders did, in folowing Saunders and his fellowes coūsailes of late. Here the Popish obedience your Catholike Religion teacheth & practiseth, commeth in fitly and hath his proper place.

Now that this Popish merchants opiniō & meaning to­wards her Maiestie & this state, in particular, may be y^e bet­ter knowē out of his general doctrine before deliuered. Let vs heare yet furder himself in this one place only & no more speake therof: When the Apostolique sea sawe that Eliza­bethWhat had the pope to do with this Realme. More busie than he had thankes for his labour. What Legats talke you of, and who stopt them. A [...] medicine of the Pope of Rome: to depriue prin­ces of their king domes, & to dis­charge subiects of obedience.was fallen from the Churche, and that the whole Realme of England was therby become Schismatical, it sent once or twise Legates into England to recal that na­tion backe againe to their duetie, but there was not so much as a way open for those Legates to enter into the Island, so farre were they of from obtayning any thing, which being thus, after ten yeeres amendement looked for, and now almost despaired of: Pius the 5. the chief bi­shop turning to that only medicine which could bee ap­plyed to so great a disease. In the yeere of our Lorde 1569. hee sent into England the reuerende priest Nicho­las Morton an Englishe man, a Doctor of Diuinitie, one of his Penitentiary priests, solemnely by Apostolique au­thoritie,Lyke Pope.to declare to certaine noble and Catholike mē,Lyke [...].that Elizabeth which then gouerned was an Here­tique, and for that cause was by the very lawe fallen from [Page] al superioritie and power, which shee then vsed ouer Ca­tholikes, and that she might lawfully be taken of them as an heathen & Publican, & that they were not hēceforthMore pompe & solemnitie in the Pope then good diuinity or honestie.bound to obay her lawes or commandements. By which solemne declaration many noble men were brought so farre that they prouided not onely for themselues, butThe ground and cause of the in­surrectiō in the north truely de­scribed.tooke vpon thē also to deliuer their brethrē frō the tyrā ­nie of heretikes. May not we here iustlier charge M How­lets Catholike Religion, his Pope, & his Bul. N. Morton, Saunders, & their doctrine, with teaching & practising re­bellion, than he doth Luther and his doctrine. Your floures of Rhetorique (M. Howlet) will hardly washe this geere a­way: reade, marke, and iudge of the whole vprightly. Now they hoped (saith Saunders) that al Catholikes woulde w^t Godly treason with great rea­son. all their force haue assisted so godly a purpose. But althogh the matter fel out otherwise than they looked for, eitherIure publico. For omnia [...], bee in scrinio pectoris Papae.because all Catholikes did not yet well knowe that Eli­zabeth was by publike Lawe declared to bee an heretike, or else because God had decreed more sharply to punishWel bould Tur pin, & wel guest. Heere is a right & true confessiō of a Romain catholike or Po­pish fayth.so great a defection of that kingdome: yet not withstan­ding those noble mens counsels or enterprises were to be commended, which wanted not their sure and happy successe: for although they coulde not bring al their bre­threns soules out of the pit of Schisme, yet both they thē ­seluesTreason, a con­fession of Ca­tholike religion Grosse abuse of Gods holy scriptures.did notably confesse the Catholike religiō, & many of them did giue their liues for their brethren. (But very fewe noble men by your leaue, & those taken rather through Gods prouidence by force, than willingly yeelding them­selues) which is the highest degree of loue (to doe as tray­tors) & the rest rid thēselues frō the bondage both of he­resie & sin into that libertie wherewith Christ hath freed vs, (y^t they are become Satans & sins slaues al the dayes ofA Fable of a [...] myracletheir life) In old time S. Bernard had exhorted the Chri­stians to goe to Ierusalem: and yet was not the East Churche deliuered by that voyage, but they rather which went about to deliuer their brethren from the yoke of the Saracenes died themselues a glorious death.

Nowe after he hath rehearsed at large a Munkishe myra­cle out of Godfry, a Munke, to shewe that that voyage to Hierusalem, was approued of God, Antichristes newe Gospel must, and needeth to be confirmed by new my­racles. Thus he speaketh of the rebelles in the [...] against her Maiestie and the State. Who nowe, but hee that is ignorant of Gods counselles (whereof belike this good fellowe is very priuie) dare say that that confession of faith proceeded not from God, which certaine NobleStill a Popish traiterous cōfes­sion of a Popish faith.men of Englande made in armes: He meaneth the late Earles of Westmerland, Northumberlande, and their ad­herentes. Surely that must needes bee counted a myra­cle, A popish myra­cle to confirme Popish religiō, it needes it greatly. saith hee, that being almost fiue hundred of them, which tooke armes for the fayth, (so reporteth hee of the Northren traytours) which taken by the heretikes, and put to death (so calleth he the State and her Maiesties mi­nisters of iustice there.) None of them was foūd which ei­ther forsooke the Catholike faith: or accused the Authors of that warre of any fault: They were very innocent and blamelesse sure, vnder pretence of their popishe faith and religion, to take the sword in hand against their dread soue­raigne and ours, they must be so supposed, though this be iu deede most lewde in the highest degree. (And this man either was among them, and verie priuie to euery one of their deathes, or els which is most likely, hee tooke thē re­port at their friendes mouthes and his, at seconde or thirde hande at least.) But many of them, being a litle before re­conciled to the vnitie of the Church: were well apayed, and greatly reioysed in themselues, that they shoulde de­part this life, before they shoulde with newe wickednesse, defile the peace (hee meaneth) their reconcilement to theThey are [...] gone, you may begin Placebo, and [...] a [...] for their [...].Romishe Church, newely receiued, and they wished not to liue any longer in that kingdome, which nowe a good while had ceassed to liue in Christe. It had been better you had been hanged with them. All of them at their death praied that the restitution of the Catholike fayth begun, [Page] might be happily atchieued. They reioyced by this tale in their owne miserie, and wee in Gods blessing, and the happinesse of our countrey, deliuered and eased of such trai­tours. So both sides were pleased, and all was well. Let Saunders himselfe nowe in Irelande doe the like, and his complices, and if it like him: it shall not offende vs. But I thinke he, & they wil rather trust to a payre of heeles, when they haue kindled the fire of rebellion, if they see thinges prosper not, as N. Morton, and the Captaynes in that re­bellion, lefte the people, when they had thrust them ouer the [...] in rebelliō. This is their manhood, for all their great bragges. A note of an euill conscience, and an euill cause. God sende vs better, and more resolute Captaines, in de­fence of Gods truth, our Prince and Countrey; He hath done it; Thankes be to his Maiesties therefore. I thinke the poore people of the North, that were then seduced by N. Morton, and induced by other that ran away, and left them in the bryars when they had brought them into rebellion, be sufficiently warned to take heede of suche mates, a good while againe. I pray God they be; And he vouchsafe to giueSomma Summa­rum. all good subiectes grace to be warned thereby. After he hath1 A new popish Antichristian Gospel. Looke Math. 24. 24. 2. Thes. 2. 9. 10. &c. 2 Lieng mira­cles, & wonders, to confirme the same. 3 A strāge tray­terous confessiō of a Popish ca­tholike faith. 4 A bead roll of Popish con­fessors & Mar­tyrs, al traitors and rebels. thus set vs downe a popishe Gospell, and doctrine, confir­med by like myracle or lying wonders &c. Told vs also of a right confession of the Popish Catholike faith and religi­on, indeede high Treason, and rebellion, and so was puni­shed: He reckeneth vp neere halfe a hundred by name, of the most famous traitors, & rebels that were in the North, po­pish confessors & Martires must we needs repute thē as he doth &c. I forbeare to enter any further in laying abroade the dirtie mire that this filthy varlet, made a priest at Rome it selfe, forsooth, hath cast vs from him in his foresayde ser­pentine booke, woorthylie Dedicated to Pope Pius 5. Hee may bee called Impius well ynough, for his dealing towardes her Maiestie, and this State, about that verye [Page 44] tyme, euen as his Successor since, this very Pope, lately also, and still dealeth. They can now a dayes treade in no other steppes. M. Howlet commendeth the nuyete and modest proceedinges of the Catholique parte. But hee that shall obserue the vnquiete and vnmodest wryting and proceeding but of this one Englishe Romane Catholike of his, whiche is a chiefe Ryngleader among them, shall ea­sily in him learne by the stampe and marke, to knowe an vncatholik, or rather to vse M. Howlets phrase a Popish ca­tholike and Sectarye, euen As a Lyon is knowne by his Clawes, so liuely sheweth hee hym selfe in his colours.

It seemeth they haue of late taken a newe course in wrytinge, differing from the common sorte of their prede­cessors afore tyme, for their writinges nowe a dayes, besids the mingling of poyson and diuilishe doctrine of Poperie, are farced full of sedition and treason, as which seemeth, to be their principall intent and purpose, where vnto they driue in their traiterous bookes whiche they set abroade, and bryng hither among vs. All lightly drawe in one line, all agree in one, and with the Pope and his wicked Bulles iumpe, as the fitte foundation and meete matter to staie and feede all trecherye and Treason on. Wee must needes haue recourse to some mens wrytings and bookes at least, to shewe that they of M. Howlets secte and religion, teach disobedience and rebellion against their Princes. In some men likewise must we needs note demeanour & behauiour, else can we not perfourme that which hee so greatly heere prouoketh vs vnto. Againe, M. Howlet doth the like in char­ging aforehand, the professors and profession of our Religi­on particularly and by name. I trust therefore I shall bee borne with, in taking the like course heere, whereas other­wise I protest, I had rather in silence haue passed ouer this matter, then to haue entred so farre, and in particulars. The thing thogh abominable & lothsom to all godly minds [Page] and to be [...] and spit at of all faithfull subiectes in this Realme, is yet too too notorious. I omitte here Bristowes seditious motiues approued by Doctor Allen forsooth, and such other Traiterous bookes, all agreeing in one. The answeres made vnto them by Godly and learned men, may be seene of them that liste to vnderstande more hereof. Let it suffice for doctrine, by this taste out of their Popishe writers, to haue shewed howe shamelesly M. Howlet heere entreth this common place of his Catholikes teaching obe­dience to their Princes, and their quiet and modest procee­dings, and that to and before her Maiestie, whom of all o­ther Christian Princes at this day, they most vilainouslye, and spitefully deale with all, setting downe in bookes thus expresly their doctrine and minde, cleane contrarye to that they will here seeme to affirme. Yet, before I leaue this place of doctrine, I wishe the reader among other the testi­monies (M. Howlet) out of the old fathers, quoteth here in the margin of his booke, diligently to note and obserue Chrysostoms wordes; in this very place that he sendeth vs vnto, whereunto agree the wordes of Theophylact. a later writer of their side, also vpō these words Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers. &c. Although thou be an A­postle, Rom. 13. (saith Chrysost.) although thou be an Euangelist, al­though a Prophet, or whatsoeuer thou be els: for this sub­iectiō ouerthroweth not religion godlines. &c. Why thē should not your Pope himselfe be subiect to the Magistrate, & ciuill powre: He is belike none of the children of the Ca­tholike Church, or els the Catholike Church teacheth not all her children without exception, true obedience with the Cpistle, &c. Which you yet affirme by this fathers testimo­nie, that you bring vs foorth. We holde to this doctrine of Saint Paul: Let euery soule. &c. And of Saint Peter also, who calleth the king, the Highest: and it is well and truly [...]. [...]. 2. thus explayned by Chrysostome, without exempting any, and in this point, do you and wee disagree: you see whome wee followe.

Now let vs come to see somewhat more of your Po­pishe demeanour towardes Princes. The practise of Prelates and Popelinges, and their whole studie, and life at this day is almost nothing els, but a putting in vre ofseditious doctrine, and so hardly can the one be seuered from the other. I will yet shortly touch two or three home matters of former times, besides that I haue said, leauing forraigne dealings abrod with Emperors, & kings, of other countries &c. What but naughtie demeanour of the Pope [...]. [...] An. 1094. made King Williā in his time alleadge: y^t no Archebishop nor Bishop of his Reahne should haue respect to the Court of Rome, or to the Pope; what but that mooued the Empe­rour to reprooue King Henry the thirde for suffering his Countrie to bee so impudently impouerished by the Pope as it was; Himself also to plaine of that matter by his Em­bassadour1240. in the Councell at Lions, & to represse the Popes Legate in this land [...] were the Popes exactions here then; What demeanour of Pope and popelinges1215. was that towardes King Henrie the second before: to take his Crowne from his head, and so villanously to vse him in maintenance and defence of a villanous traitours cause, as is reported; I doe but occasion the Reader to consider of the hurly burlies, of this false Catholike Churche andThomas [...]. religion. What was that demeanour, to excommunicate1211. King John, & to discharge his subiects; of the oth of alle­geanceHee that list to see heereof more particularly, be­sides the Actes & Monum ētes, and our English Chronicles, and stories, let him looke on the A­pologie of the Church of Eng land, the 6. part and last chapter and M. Iewels defence thereof. to stirre vp warre against him, and at lengthto be­reaue the King both of kingdome and life, after hee had gi­uen his wicked definitiue sentence, that hee shoulde bee de­posed from his estate, and had enioyned the execution there­of to y^t French King for remissiō of his sinnes, & tohaue for his rewarde, the kingdome of Englande, he and his succes­sours for euer. Hee called this king Iohn his Vassall or te­nant: for y^t after the Pope by his Legate [...] phus, had taken the Kinges Crowne into his hande once, the good King coulde no other wise after inioy it, but that hee must [Page] acknowledge that hee and his heires must receiue the same from the Pope. This dealing of Pope Innocentius against King John, may not bee thought strange: for that in a so­lemneConcil. lateran. sub Inno. 3. cap. 3 de [...]. Councell helde vnder him at Rome, we finde it de­creed, that if a Temporall Lorde being admonished by the Church, doeneglect, to purge his lande from heresie (wee knowe what they called heresie then) he shoulde bee ex­communicated by the Metropolitane, and the other Bi­shops of his Prouince, and if he refused to make satisfacti­on within a yeere, it shoulde bee signified to the Pope that hee from thence foorth shoulde pronounce his Subiectes to be free from keeping or yeelding fidelitie to such a tem­porall Lorde, & should expose his land to be inuaded by Ca­tholik es.

To come nearer home, and to speake of that most migh­tie Prince of famous memorie King Henrie the eight, within mans remembrance, what demeanour and procee­ding was vsed in cursing, excommunicating, and suche like styrre keeping, to disturbe, that victorious King of Eng­lande, and the State of the whole Realme; For our liege Ladie and dread Soueraigne, most high and noble Queene Elizabeth, what and howe many thinges haue beene attempted, and howe many wayes also, and yet still are, the thing is freshe and common, the rebellions so late in memorie, the dayly practises, and attemptes by Gods Prouidence so reuealed and met withal, as I think yee can haue no face to stande in the deniall, though your Epistle blushe not: Shortly to say, What Englishman soeuer, borne in this Realme, shall denie the superioritie (or refuse to submit him selfe, vpon the grounde of his faith giuen to the Pope, & of his Popish or Romane religion vnder the power, authoritie, and ciuill gouernement) of our dread Soueraigne and Iawfull Queene Elizabeth, as Gods Lieuetenant or chiefe minister, be he Apostle, Euangelist, Prophet, or whosoeuer and howsoeuer els yee list to call [Page 42] him: in resisting the order and ordinance of G O D, hee is to bee reputed of all men Gods enimie, and no good Christian, but a very naughtie man in so doing, &c. But suche are your English Romane or hot Catholikes, as her Maiestie, and the State chargeth you, and all the worlde seeth, and you your selues dissemble not, in allow­ing your Popes Bulles, and other writinges therevppon grounded, & agreeable thereto, and in your ouuert and open dealinges: whereof may easily bee gathered, what maner of men, yee are to be reputed towards God and the world, although I hope well in God that there bee not many such heere in England.

Yf, because you bee disputers yee aske Scholasticall ar­gumentes, and yet if one argue with you out of the scrip­tures, you make little account thereof, thinking the bare Scriptures (so can yee speake) too sclender stuffe to con­uince you withall: Therefore grounding vpon your owne doctrine, which is of more waight with you, and vppon the lawe of this Realme, which decideth cases of Treason here, I purpose (God before) to prooue some what further this way. Albeit I must suppose that you bee not ignoraunt of the pointes of your owne doctrine, and that true hearted Englishmen knowe the Soueraigntie of our Prince and Queene, and so their duties towardes her Maiestie, taught them first in Gods worde; and afterwarde expressed heere further by the lawes of this Realme in Acts of Parliament &c: Yet hauing layed the one and the other as the founda­tion of the arguments that I minde to make you: Let mee, so much as shalbee necessarie heereunto, note in summe the the wordes of your doctrine and our lawe, and then from both see, if I can frame some fewe Scholasticall ar­guments, that yee may thereby perceiue, that it is not hard, for him that list y^t way to exercise himselfe, to bring many & substantial argumēts against you in this case of doctrin, & [Page] demeanour of disobedience, and Treason towards supe­riours

Thus is it written in your popish decrees, and thence taken and repeated by your D. Thomas in his summe, where he treateth of subiects discharge frō the gouernemēt of their princes, and from their othe, and fidelitie towardes them. Wee holding the statutes of our holy predecessours byThe places are quoted before in your decrees & D. Thomas caus. 15. q. [...]. cap. Iuratos vt supra. & decretal. [...]. de hereticis, ad abolendam. Vide [...]. extra, in ca. cum non ab homine Felin de rescript cap. Rodolpbus. Demaioritate & obedientia vnam, sanctam. glos. ibidem.Apostolique authoritie, doe absolue them from their bonde, which are bound by fidelitie or othe to them that be excommunicated, and by all meanes forbid that they keepe not fidelitie to them till suche time as they come to satisfaction. Now adde to this, your Popes late traiterous Bulles in her Maiestics case, and this Realmes, wher with you are but too wel acquainted: & for­get not your owne profession and doing at this day. And so let the perpetuall doctrine of your supreme pastour and his supreme authoritie acknowledged, receiued, and in prac­tise followed by you, bee for one parte, the grounde and proofe of the Arguments that I shall propounde vnto you, Or if you [...] furder: let N. Saunders, a principall piller of your Popish English Synagogue beyonde Sea, speake particularly for all. Of whose speache in this case I haue giuen you a taste before, out of his visible Monarchie. On the other part let those that bee presently of that state, heere, (to go no furder of) speake on the other side, and reporte vs whether you hot Catholikes bee traitours &c, or no? Fume not, fret not, at my wordes nor at any other priuate mans: but examine y^e matter & your owne cōscience herein. And because yee talke of the renting of your Catholike hearts at these wordes and the like: which being double, may with murmuring and grudging possible bee vexed to. litle pur­pose and sone rent a sunder. Therefore for your good, this way, here Gods counsaile, rather by the holy Prophet. [...]. [...]. 13. Rent your heartes and not your clothes, and turne to the Lorde your God: for hee is gracious and mercifull, flowe to anger, and of great kindnesse.

Nowe these are the wordes of the Acte of Parliament that is not yet dissolued, in the last Session holden at West­minster from the xvi. day of January last past, vntill the xviii. of Marche following. I leaue the former Statutes and lawes.

Be it declared and enacted by the authoritie of this pre­sentAnno. xxiii. Re­ginae [...]. Parliament, that all persons whatsoeuer, which haueAn act to retain the Queenes Maiesties sub­iects in their due obedience. or shall haue, or shall pretend to haue power, or shall by any waies or meanes, put in practise to absolue, persuade, or withdrawe any of the Queenes Maiesties subiectes, or any within her Highnesse Realmes and dominions, fromCap. I. their naturall obedience to her Maiestie, or to withdraw them for that intent, from the religion, now by her highnesse authoritie, established within her Highnesse Dominions, to the Romish religion, or to mooue them or any of them to promise any obedience to any preten­ded autoritie of the Sea of Rome, or of any other prince, State, or Potentate, to bee had or vsed within her Domi­nions, or shall doe any oucrt Act, to that intent or pur­pose and euery of them, shalbe to all intents adiudged to bee traitours: & being thereof lawefully conuicted, shall haue iudgement, suffer & forfaite, as in case of high treason. And if any person shall after the ende of this Session of Parliament, by any meanes bee willingly ab­solued or withdrawne as aforesaid, or willingly be recon­ciled, or shall promise any obedience to any such preten­ded authoritie, Prince, State, and Potentate, as is afore­saide: that then euery such person their procurers and counsellers there unto, being thereof lawfully conuicted, shall bee taken, tryed, and iudged, and shall suffer & for­faire, as in cases of high treason.

Heereupon may one hardly and heauily, as me thinketh reason against you is this case of treason. And if I may bee so bold, as to deale with so great Clarkes: thus after my rude maner make I my blunt arguments.

Whosoeuer at this day by profession hold, y^t our dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth is an excommunicate per­son, and the present state hereticall or schismaticall, and so to be abhord, are reputed traitours, and so ought too be taken.

But all English Romanistes that call themselues Ca­tholikes are such, that is: at this day by profession hold, that our dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth, is an ex­communicate person, and the present state hereticall or schismaticall and so to be abhord.

Ergo. All English Romanists that cal themselues Ca­tholikes are reputed, traitours & so ought to be taken.

No religion that approoueth the Popes authoritie, do­ctrine & practise in excommunicating and depriuing of Kings, Queenes, &c, of their estate, whom he calleth he­retikes, is vniustly touched by vs English men, to teache disobedience and rebellion against their Princes.

But all Catholike Romane religion approoueth the Popes authoritie, doctrine, and practise in excommuni­cating and depriuing of Kings, Queenes, &c. of their e­state whom he calleth heretikes.

Ergo No Catholike Romane religion, is vniustly tou­ched by vs English men, to teach disobedience and rebel­lion against their Princes.

Al persons that by writing, or otherwise, persuade any within her Maiesties Realmes and Dominions from the religiō now by her Highnes authoritie established, to the Romish religion, thereby withdrawing them from their obedience to her Maiestie to yeeld the same to the Sea of Rome: are by the law heere reputed traitours.

But you M. Howlet, your authour, N. Mortone N. Saunders, Allen, Bristowe, with other like doe so, that is: by writing, or otherwise persuade within her Maiesties Realmes and Dominions from the religion nowe by her highnes authoritie established, to the Romishe religion, thereby withdrawing them from their obedience to her Maiestie, to yeeld the same to the Sea of Rome.

Ergo M, Howlet, your authour N. Saunders, Allen, Bri­stow, with other like, are by the lawe heere reputed trai­tours.

No religion that condemneth Queene Elizabeth our Soueraigne of heresie, & so foorth, to the great preiudice of her royall estate and person and so the common hurt of vs all, is vniustly touched for disobedience or rebelliō against her maiestie.

But your pretended Catholike religion condemneth Queene Elizabeth our Soueraigne, of heresie, & so forth, to the great preiudice of her royall estate and person, & so the common hurt of vs all.

Ergo Your pretended Catholike religion is not vniust­ly touched for disobedience and rebellion against her Maiestie,

If these arguments, in zeale & defence of our soueraigne and the state presse you, or be thought sharpe & to touche the quicke, thanke your selfe, that by entring your commō pla­ces & odious cōparisons, forcibly drawe the same from vs. Once the Syllogismes or arguments be scholasticall, y^t is: good & perfect enough, in the perfectest moodes & per­fectest figure. You heare now the opinion y^t is of you, heere, not of one man, or spightfully vttered, but commonly, & too well grounded for you to deale with: either repent, craue pardon, come home, and liue like dutifull Subiects, y^t such [Page] violent arguments proceede no further, which with all my heart I wish you to doe) or els, if you like that best, prouide answere to solute such like arguments, which will be ve­ry harde for you to doe, I will say no more heerein: but a parls Dilemma or streight, are your Romane Catholikes, brought into, if you bee argued against in the pointes of doctrine and demeanour for obedience to our dread Soue­raigne Queene Elizabeth out of your owne Popish schole doctrine, and practise of old & at this present, and out of the lawes of this Realme nowe in force, and withall bee put to make a direct answere thereunto. Presse vs no fur­ther in the matter if you bee wise; rather take heede that by your doctrine and demeanour towardes her Maiestie, and the State, yee bee not brought within the compasse of the lawe, and there an ende: But that cannot bee vnlesse you alter the course you haue of late taken, and still doe, or the whole state for your pleasures only bee altered. I wishe and desire, for your owne sake (M. Howlet) though I know you not, that you bee not of the opinion and vsage of suche Catholikes as I haue set downe, that yee take heede there­of, or leaue the same in some time, that yee may bee [...] & taken in the number of good & dutifull subiects you & your author w^t others. So as, y^t which I haue spokē vpō supposition onely, of your agreement with the rest of your fellowes at Rome, Rhemes, &c. and namely, N. Saun­ders, may not bee vnderstanded of your owne persons: but of those and suche Catholikes onely as seditiously from beyonde Sea write, and accordingly practise against her Maiestie, and the State heere, & further woulde I not haue my woordes stretched to touche any particu­lar person vnlesse his owne Conscience tell him hee agree with them, or her Maiestie, the State, and his owne doinges finde him culpable. This may serue to checke the great and waightie Motiues that you heere make mention of, and suche as your Authour or you seeme to promise shall followe, and to shewe that [Page 45] the proceedings of your Catholike part bee not so quiet & modest as is in wordes to her Maiestie heere pretended: neither they such important a stay in euery of her Maiesties Countries as is heere iollily bragged. Though vppon occasion I haue beene rounde in this matter, and it may seeme sharpe that I here vtter: yet let the matter bee well wayed, and I shall not bee founde I trust to haue exceeded the bounds, of truth and charitie. I protest that I meane not to excite, or stirre vp my Soueraigne to any crueltie, or the State, or any of authoritie heere: though on the other side I bee so farre of from disliking of iustice and execution of wholesome lawes, that though the same turne to the hurt and mischiefe of some; yet I like that better, then that an inconuenience should grow to the publike state. Let mē looke to themselues: but that it is not requisite or needefull nor my part to deale in prescribing nor yet in aduising the wisedome of those that rule this State. I am so farre of from hastening any particular mans vndoing, that I wold wishe, which I am assured is without mee thought of, and sought: that all meanes might bee vsed, to the recalling of men home, conferrence and other, before execution especi­ally of death. And is it not so? I doe but preuent the aduer­saries cauill, and shewe my purpose and meaning. I neede not, nor list not to wade any further heerein. The particu­lar rebellions in the North, Irelande, and such other sturs, from time to time, by your Catholike part, (as to well knowne to all men) I here omit.

Further to diduct, and come now to answere, that which is obiected in this behalfe to vs by the aduersarie; whiche generally consisteth, as the former in doctrine and demea­nour. For our doctrine of Magistrats & obedience (as weAs the Apology of the Church of England. Articles, set forth by [...] authoritie. Homilies, &c. professe no other then that which is set vs foorth, and plain­ly layed vs down in the holy scriptures:) So I marueile a­gayne, that (M. Howlet,) beyng an Englishe man, leaueth out those publique testimonies and wrytinges of our [...] in this matter: whiche to the viewe of the worlde are [Page] published by this Church, both in Latine and Englishe, to expresse their iudgement herein; and chargeth our doctrine with particular mens bookes, and teachings of late yeres, to bring hatred and displeasure, or spitefully to wrecke and reuenge himself vpon some one man, if he can doe no more: where of though some be aliue, yet others are dead, & so can not answere for thēselues: but their books must be their cle­ring to all y^t world: If the godly doctrine, we professe here, had bin by you read with a single heart, & (before rash iudge­mēt) wel weighed, as in y^e bookes aforesaid is declared, you would haue forborne, I take it, these words y^t: our final end is, as our doctrine declareth: To haue no gouernour or ruler at all. Whence you tooke this doctrine, you y^t are so ful of quotatiōs, here quote vs nothing. And we tell you plainly, y^t things deuised by your brame, or picked out of your fingers ends, be none of our doctrine, wee say it is a great and vntrue slander ye charge this Church with. Her Maiestie (though diuers times disturbed in her State, by you false Catholiks) hath raigned in a Gospelling time, nowe aboue twenty yeres, as chiefe gouernor by y^t doctrine of y^t Gospel, & ruler ouer y^t professors thereof, in much honor & great quiet, highly to Gods glory, her Maiesties singular cōmendation, & y^t exceeding comfort of all true harted eng­lishe mē, her Maiesties natural & most bonden subiects: and many moe yeres may shee raigne we dayly do beseech y^t al­mighty, to y^t promoting of Christs holy Gospel, y^t benefit of his Church, & her own comfort & honor: Though it be to y^t regret & renting of all popish Catholike hearts in Chri­stendome. To charge our doctrine about Magistates w^t ­all, you set vs down three or foure sentēces, takē out of three worthie men. Christes faithfull souldiers, and seruantes in their time. The first is, M. John Wickliffe, one of our pro­genitours, say you, one of the singular instrumentes, that it pleased God, in his time to vse, for the aduauncement of his Gospel, say we: and so rare a one, that hee might iustly bee counted among the rest, a bright starre, shining, and giuing light to a great many, to their inestimable comfort; he ope­ned [Page 46] long since, such a wicket as greatly profited the poste­titie in Gods matters. The seconde whom you alleadge, is Doctor Martin Luther, whose rare and excellent giftes euery way, mightily, both astonished the highest of your side in state Ecclesiastical and [...], and no lesse furthered and profited Gods cause, and encouraged all the godly, by his godly and learned writings, and otherwise. The thirde is, that odde and incomparable man of our time: The reue­rende Father, and most painefull and faithfull Pastor and Teacher in Christes Church, M John Caluin; Whom, thogh your heart swelt, you can not discredite among Gods seruantes,, nor iustly staine his trauailes and writings, left among vs for the benefite of Gods Church, so hath it plea­sed his maiestie, to blesse this good mans labours: The Diuell, I confesse, as in other, hath beene very busie in his instruments, to deface, and disgrace this excellent man di­uers wayes, but euer their mischiefes returned vpon their owne pates, and they, euen as many as haue risen and bent thēselues against him, haue had the foyle to their shame: Al­though, wee highly prayse God for these men, and for his great gifts in them, as in others, giuing them likewise their due cōmēdation, as reasō is, yet would I y^t you M. Howlet, and your fellowes shoulde knowe, we make none of them, nor them all, our Pope, to depende of them and their au­thoritie, ne yet the Authours of our religion, as you do the man of sinne at Rome: But we reserue this priuiledge to Jesus Christ alone, w^tout being addicted to any mans doc­trine or writings, for faith and religion, further then he shal teach vs by canonicall scriptures. All these men are dead & gone, & ye might haue let them rest in peace w^tout slande­rously charging them, if it had so pleased you, M. Howlet.

But it shall not be amisse to enter into particular exami­nation of that ye say: first therefore let vs see, what it is yee charge M. Wickliffe withall, and howe you doe it: Iohn Wickliffe say you, one of their progenitors teacheth: that a Prince if he rule euill, or fal into mortal sinne, is no lon­ger prince, but that his subiects may rise against him and punish him at their pleasures.

If Wyckliffe should haue holden any errour, the times wherein he liued considered, it were not greatly to be mar­ueyled at: God rather is highly to be praysed, that in so cor­rupt and blinde times, he sawe and helde the truth in many pointes. We are not, we may not, nor no reason why wee should be y^e mainteiners of any mēs errours. This article, as it is set vs downe here by you, is (That I may say what seemeth to me) not only false, but also seditious, & so is it re­puted amōg vs; & y^t which ye father vpō M. Wickliffe here, agreeth better with the Pope and your Popishe religion, then with the Gospell of Christ, and our religion. Doth not your Pope and Popishe religion disable, and seeke to dis­possesse any lawfull prince: onely supposed by those of your side to fall into the mortall sinne of heresie, and arme his subiectes against him; Your selues also must define both mortall sinne and heresie too, full euill fauouredly ywis, as al men may easily see. Did not Wickliffe in his life time write that the Clergie, moued by the Fryers, went aboutWickliffe in his Trialogue. that matter here in Englnade; hath not the Pope your fa­ther, claymed the ryght of disposing all ciuill and earthly Kingdomes; hath he not called the King of England (to omit other) his vassall; as though he held his kingdome, but as his tennant, and at his pleasure. I haue shewed you before, where you shall finde our doctrine and profession of Magistrates more sounde, holy, and reuerent then yours, els woulde I be ashamed of it. But you will say you sende vs to the places, where we shall finde that this was Wick­liffes doctrine; howe say wee to that; I say you doe it full ilfauouredly, you quote vs in deed three places, whereof two are pretended to bee taken from the lying spirites and wry­tings of Gods aduersarie, and Wickliffes. The third vn­truly, as farre as I can see, out of his owne workes, whiche are very hardly come by nowe a dayes, and yet as I coulde, recouered I [...] Trialogue. And I haue read, & read againe, the thirde Chapter of the fourth booke of Wickliffes Tri­alogue, where you sende vs to seeke, that yee impose vpon [Page 47] Wickliffe, whereof I praye you entreateth, hee there; for sooth this is the argumēt. To shew in this speech of Christ: This is my body. What is signified by this woorde, This. wherein (establishing the truth) he mightely ouerthroweth your Popish corrupt doctrine of this Sacrament. Now for M. Wycklyff, to teache in that place the article you set vs downe, were nothing to the purpose. And this I say: if any such worde as ye reporte be in this place ye send vs vnto, let me leese my credite for euer, if not, let y^e Christiā reader take heede for euer howe hee trust your lying spirite in quoting things. Howe can you reporte trueth of vs when your reli­gion forbiddeth to reade our wrytings, vnlesse it bee to re­prooue them: yee knowe your owne tearmes best. Yee take al one from anothers reporte, and beeing our sworne ene­mies, howe is it to bee thought you will reporte truely of vs, and of our opinions and wrytings: but the fault may possibly bee in the Printer; or you taking this from your Authours second promised parte, vnperformed yet, might bee deceyued; as indeed you or hee set vs downe in another place this article to bee in the 36. chapter of the 4. booke of Wycklyffs Trialogue. Thus your Authour and you leadeFol. 68. pag. 2. about the reader vncertainly, not knowing where to seeke y^t you alledge, There is as much to be had of this article in the 36. chapter of that booke, as in the place before allea­ged, which is nothing at all. The matter hee handleth in this 36. chapter is, how Fryers so greatly poysoned king­domes wherein they dwelt, as in those dayes they did: So, wee send you still to seeke vs a newe place for this article in Wycklyff. Marke your wordes, Cogge not, foyst not, Tell vs where the wordes, as you set them downe be to be had? Tell vs not what begging and lying fryers may haue deuised, or your enuyous Papisticall wryters of this mans doctrine: you set vs the article downe as though it were his owne woordes: I am not ignorant that in Wycklyffs life time, not much an vnlike slaunder (as the latter part of your article containeth) was raysed against the profession [Page] of the Gospel by the wicked fryers, that then liued.

Nowe come I to the two other places you send vs vnto in your marginall quotation. I meruaile you bee not asha­med to sende vs for the report of Wickliffes doctrine, to his so deadly enimies: one of the testimonies is fetched but from a yesterdayes byrde to speake of, who was vnborne many yeeres after Wickliffe was dead, I meane that ob­stinate enimie to Christes Gospell, brawling and rayling Cocleus, who is saide to haue died 1552. well toward 200. yeeres after Wickliffs daies, whose bookes long before y^t time, being condemned to be burnt, were then hardly to bee gotten & neither sought after but to that end, nor regarded by those of your side; but let that enimies testimonie of Wickliffs doctrine goe, as not worth the examining. The Councell of Constance remaineth as the thirde testimony herein. It seemeth yee make great account of that, for you set it in the first place, you will say peraduenture it is a publike testimonie, & is grounded vpon moe testimonies also. I reade Wickliffes articles set downe by diuers and confuted by some of your side, yet doe I not finde by the former reporters, no not Popes and Papistes that liued a­bout that time this article, as you set it vs downe, and in this Coūcel of Constance, you [...] not this article you charge him with heere, so are you a false reporter of the Councell too. Which I say not, to [...] their spight and hatred that were there assembled against poore Wickliffe, and suche o­ther: Wickliffes bookes [...] then & before that time were condemned to bee burnt, so [...] no man might reade, keepe, haue, or vse any of them but to their reproof: hee also was before the assembly of that [...], many yeeres dead, and was by the vnholy fathers [...] assembled, appointed to bee taken vp againe, and his bones to bee burnt, so feruent and hot was their Popish charitie or rage rather according to their custome in these later tymes. Nowe when Wycklyff was dead and his bookes thus consumed by fire, no mastrie [Page 48] for them that had al the world at will and commandement, to make men beleeue Wycklyff wrote that, which they his mortal enemies listed to charge him with: but let thē beleue it that list, we are not bound to their report. And yet syr, though that conncel, set Wycklyffs articles downe to ma­licioussy, we finde not this article in y^t Sessiō of y^t coūcel, y^e [...]. 8. you set vs downe. If you referre vs to y^e 15. article there set downe against Wycklyff, you take away for your vaūtage; you spightfully adde as good as halfe in this article you set vs downe; other enemies to y^e Gospel & to Wycklyff afore tyme haue delt lesse shamelesly in setting downe this ar­ticle then you doe: so doeth at this day Saunders your owne man, which gathereth all he can, wherein Wycklyff may seeme to disagree from other profefsours of the Gospel, and writers of these times: your article I finde not there. But let mee be bold M. Howlet to goe a litle further with you for your councell of Constance (whence one part of your article may seeme to be deriued) because councels bee of so great moment with you & carie a great shew, & this is your first and principall testimonie heere against Wycklyffs doctrine. I demaunde of you howe you like the resoiu­tion of Constance councell in subiecting the Pope to a councell: howe their proceeding against Hus, and Ierom of Prage, contrary to all equitie, and the Emperours safe conduit then giuen? To leaue other matters, the councell of Constance you will say, was a notable and famous coū ­cell and yet was it but a branche of Pysan councell, [...] Pope Alexander, and of the councell, holden at Rome [...] Iohn the 23. where one of your predecessours, a foule Madge howlet presided, frō whom possible by traditiō you receiued this article you charge M. Wycklyff withal here, as the councel of Constance it selfe sendeth vs thither: but, to returne to your testimonie out of the councell of Con­stance, who I pray you called that councel? Who was then head of your Church and councel when it was called; [Page] Who was President in it? forsooth say they in the inscripti­on and title of that councel in the very entrance: our most holy father in Christ and Lord, Lord Iohn, by Gods pro­uidence the 23. Pope. This holy father and Lorde, this worthy presidēt in the same Councel, was not supposed to bee lawfull Pope, his title was not taken to bee good: but Gregorie the 12. rather as is by diuers of your greater Clarkes decided: if anyes title that then occupyed that seat were good. Againe, he was condēned & deposed for heresie, symonie, incest, & a heape of sins moe, wherein hee waltredSessione. 11. from his youth vp, which are there charged & prooued at large in aboue 50. seueral articles: a meet presidēt for such a coūcel. Furder, syr, this coūcel of Cōstāce & y^t of Rome to, was kept, whē there was a great & horrible schisme in your Popish Church: not as had nowe of many yeeres continu­ed betweene 2. Popes, but betweene three: for there were then 3. Popes at once: this Iohn, one Benedict, and Gre­gorie, and all three were put out, or remoued by thisIoan. 23. councel of Constance as vnlawfull I trowe, and the 4.Gregori. 12. Martyn the 5. put in and made Pope for all. Besides, syr,Benedict. 13, Martin. 5. it is not vnlykely that the same spirite cōducted this coun­cell that had begunne to doe the same at Rome afore; ForRemember the story of the [...] Howlet. this councel was but a prorogation of the general councel begunne before at Rome, as the Popes Bull, for the cal­ling of this Constance Councel doeth witnesse. The coun­cel also and Cocleus referre to the Roman general coun­cell, and at the entring of their councel after their Hymne: Come holy Ghost, &c. was soung; there was answere made to the vnholy Fathers request, by whomesoeuer it were, and publiquely set vp in the Temple, thus. BE­ING OTHERWISE OCCVPIED, WE CANNOT NOW BEE PRESENT WITH YOV. Lastly (syr) that I may at length come out of this filthie puddle, Aske but euen your owne felowe N. Saun­ders, and hee will tell you, as I take it, as hee wryteth, that the councel can neuer well bee counted General, that was [Page 49] called of one only bishop of Rome of y^t three y^t then were, & y^t [...] Lib. 7. De Concil. [...]. [...]. 539. & 538. was kept by the Prelats of one part only, &c. These be Saū ­ders owne words: And no man (saith hee furder) denieth that a councel, which is not vniuersal, may erre in decree­ing any thing. And so (by your leaue M. Howlet) doth this particular councel of your diuelishe Pope, in condemning Wycklyff, & other professors of the Gospel. Giue vs leaue to be as bolde with the decrees of it, as your owne men are. The summe of the answere to this article obiected against vs, in M. Wycklyffs person is this, that the article it selfe whose soeuer it be, is diuelishe and vngodly, & if Wyckliff should haue held it, it had been but the remnants of y^e dregs of Popery that he had aforetime sucked, and was not then yet wel cleered of: which I may iustly doubt of, & deny to be his, til you bring more sufficient & soūde testimony thē heere you do for proof of it: & so turning y^t doctrine & article home to you where it was first bred: I leaue it.

For y^t worthy man of God M. Luther, whose wordes (to quarel against him as though he should condēne or cōtēne Magistrats) out of Pope Leo his Bull, Popish Cocleus, a­gaine & Surius a Charter house Monke of Coolen, are said to be these: that Christians are free & exempted from all Princes lawes, first, though I be weary nowe in folowing you to examine your Authours, & false allegatiōs, and these heere brought, to report vs Luthers doctrine, were all Pa­pists, and so his mortal enimies, & therby not to be regarded what they say of him & his doctrine, yet heere somewhat to note your impudencie stil, I tell you (M. How.) in fetching light at other mens candles, ye trust your friēds too much, &Tom. 4. Concili­orum. Bulla A­postolica Leonis [...]. aduersus [...]. are too oftē deceaued; you send vs here to Pope Leo the 10. Bull: it may be some of the Popes vnwrittē verities, wher­unto you (M. How.) as his spirite (being more priuey than we) may suggest vs y^e same by tradition: for I say perusing his printed Bul, euen as the same is set vs downe by yourPrimae lutberi baereses. selues: I find neuer an article there, like vnto this, you here set vs downe. There be I confesse diuers articles imposed [Page] vpon Luther, by the Pope and in the margin noted: Lu­thers chiefe Heresies. Why did not you take some of them there recited that it might haue appeared you had looked at least vpon the Bull that was written by your Pope against Luthers errors, as he saith, & that we might haue there foūd y^t, where you sēt vs to seeke it. Ye walke (M. Howlet) too confidently, dealing especially w^t her Maiestie, Now as this your article is not founde in the Popes Bull whether you sende vs: so, much lesse is the same to bee sought for or loo­ked to be founde, in the assertion of the articles there con­demned. But I must take another course; I will suppose the wordes to be Luthers, leauing your credite and your Popishe wryters: And therefore I say next, that hee mea­neth touching matters of the soule, conscience, and the life to come. And speaking thus, saith hee, I pray you, any more than the blessed Apostle, when hee saith, There is neytherGalat. 3. 28.Iewe, nor Graecian, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female: for yee are all one in Christ Iesus, &c. And yet the Apostle meaneth not thereby to take away the di­stinction that God hath put in mans nature, nor the states of this present life, but speaketh only in respect of Christ, and his spiritual kingdome: euen so doeth Luther, in some respect onely, euen touching their soules, & things proper­ly belonging to the heauenly kingdome and euerlasting life, teache that Christians are free and exempted from all Princes Lawes, and not simply & euery way, or for this life and ciuile gouernement. The collection therfore that pickt out of your fingers ends, you and your Pope, & Po­pishe wryters, to whome you heere sende vs, of your selues may and would faine gather: as though Luthers doctrine Ab eo quod [...] est secun­dum Quid, ad id quod est simpli. citer. were the cause of the famous rebellion that followed in Germanie, or such lyke, is not worth a halfe penie: you may keepe it to your selues. It is, as if one shoulde reason:A non causart [...], &c. immediatly after a storme foloweth fayre weather: therfore the storme is cause of the faire weather, &c. here in very few [Page 50] lines, besides forgery, are at the least two grosse deceyts or fallacions (as they cal them in the schooles) And if yee thus gather: whose doctrine was the cause of thecalled: [...]. like famous rebellion of the countriemen there, aboue twētie yeeres be­fore? and so some nombre of yeeres ere Luther professed the Gospel: Luthers doctrine was the cause of that rebel­lion: euen as Christ; A stumbling stock, and a Rock to make men fall, is cause of the destruction of the wicked: & he; and his Gospel, of the sword, and diuision in the world. Howe Luther misliked their sedicious proceeding, Can it better appeare than by his godly and earnest wryting vnto them and against them euen at that very tyme? Wherof, see in the beginning of the fifth booke of Sleydans Commen­taries at large, But let me bee bolde, leauing other heere, and matching one with one, to set downe your gloses woordes and the collection that is made therevppon in Commentarie vpon Commentarie, which at length cor­rupteth the Text: As you doe Luther and his woordes by your [...] and false collection. In the Gospell af­ter S, Matthewe, where our Sauiour Christ, speaking ofMat. 17. 25. 26. paying tribute to Ciuile Magistrats, saith: to Peter: Howe seemeth it to thee Peter: the kings of the earth of whom doe they take tributs or custome, of children, or of stran­gers? Then Peter saith vnto him, of strangers, then Jesus sayth vnto him, then the children are free, &c.

Your glose taking the same from another hath: If2. 2. q. 104.in euery kingdome, the sonnes of that king which is* Seruitus qua bomo bomini subiicitur ad cor­pus pertinet, now ad animam [...] libera manet, & paulo ante ex [...] in 3. de be­neficiis. Errat [...] quis [...]ouer the same kingdome, bee free: Then the sonnes of that king to whome all kingdomes are subiect, ought to bee free in euery kingdome, Hence is col­lected: Because Christians bee Gods sonnes. To whome all kingdomes bee subiect, that therefore they are free frō paying tribute to any Ciuile power? so seeme the woordes of the glose literally expoūded, to importe. Others expoūd the words of the glose of the childrens freedom, concerning y^t soule, which abydeth free as euē your S. * Tho. speaketh, [Page] and not concerning the body and bodily subiectiōn which is due to superiours. [...] in totū bominē descēdere, pars enim melior excepta est, Cor­pora obnoxia sunt & ascripta Do­minis. Mens qui­dem est sui iuris; & ideo in his quoe pertinent ad interiorem motü voluntatis homo non tenetur homi ni obedire sed so­lum Deo, &c.

Giue vs then like libertie and leaue, or Luther himselfe to expounde howe, and howe farre, Christians are free and ex­empted from Princes lawes, as you take your selues, for to salue your glose, & you nor any shal haue iust cause to plaine of his doctrine. D. Luthers words I am sure wil better beare a good and honest exposition for the soules and consciences of men than your gloses: and sommes collection of your side vpon the same will doe, for your Popishe clergies im­munities; he is no smal one of your sort (to omit other at this time) that in a third commentary, gathereth thus vppon the words of the glose before mēcioned, after he hath cited Tho­mas his exposition. The glose might notwithstanding be o­thcrwise expounded (saith hee) in saying that by the sonnes of the eternal king or kingdom, hee vnderstandeth not all Christians, but those that rule in the kingdom as childrē orThom. A Vio Caietan. Cardin. in summa D. Thom. 2. 2. Q. 104. super. art. 6. sonnes. And these are bishops, priests, & those y^t forsaking al, folow Christ which shal iudge the world: for these in this world as the kings sonnes, by their state must set foorth and cherish the kingdom of God, & ought also to be free, from y^t bondage or seruice of temporall Lords. And this agreeth (saith he) with the doctrine of our Sauiour, whilest hee in­sinuateth that Peter the Apostle is free, adioyning least we offēd thē; pay for thee. And w^t y^e glose, speaking of freedom, in this life, while he saith: the childrē of the kingdō vnder which al kingdoms are, ought to be free in euery earthly kingdom. Here is much a doe: for here is first the Glose vp­on the text, somewhat obscure, then here is Thomas expoū ­ding the glose, to salue it, & hold it vpright, y^e rather bicause it is taken out of Augustin, then heere is yet furder Car­dinall Caietan, commenting vppon Doctor Thomas. who vpon the glose still (for there is all the matter) plea­deth, [Page 51] for the immunitie of the Clergie, and concludeth full ill fauouredly: for by this Doctors exposition, both Christ and the glose, serue to exempt Bishoppes, Priestes, Fryers, and y^e rest of the Popish Clergie, from paying tributes, and from other bodily subiection to ciuill Magistrates, accor­ding to the immunities giuen them by their Pope. Nowe let the reader scanne, matching this Popishe doctrine with Luthers, whether teache more loosenes from obedience to ciuill Princes, this doctrine of the Gospell thus deliuered by Luther, or y^e contrary deliuered by your Pope & his chā ­pions. This may serue for the clering & opening of these words of Luther here set down, & y^e right expositiō & taking therof, according to y^e Authours meaning, especially, seeing they stand as words culd out of his bookes vpō y^e report of y^t Pope only & Papists. If any list to see more for D. Luthers Defence of the Apology, 4. part, chap. 5. Diuis. 1. &c clering, let him looke vpon other which answere Popishe sclanders, wherewith they goe about to charge this holy man of God, and namely vpon that worthie and learned fa­ther M. Iewel, against Harding, euen in this matter of Ma­gistrates and obedience.

Because M. Caluin is saide by M. Howlet, to agree with the doctrine of M. Luther, as in deede hee doth, where­vpon hee might haue easily vnderstood the meaning of the sentence, taken out of M. Luther, (If it had so pleased him) and with his Pope, haue left it out of the number of Lu­thers heresies, as it pleased them to call his doctrine: Therefore come I nowe to that diuine and learned father, M. Caluin. This I like, for M. Caluin in you, better than in that is before, that ye sende vs to his owne workes: the first place ye charge this godly man withall (Though yee bastarde and corrupt the same by your glose) ye take out of the 10. Chapter of the fourth booke of his Institution, the 2. and last out of the 19. Chapter, of the 3, booke of the same Institution: But sir, in neyther of both doeth hee make any large or further discourse of Princes, and Sub­iectes: [Page] If ye woulde haue knowen, or described to other his iudgement in that matter, ye should haue repaired, and sent vs to y^e place where at large, & of purpose he ētreateth there­of, which he doth in the twentie or last chapter of the fourth booke of his Institution; expressely handlyng there the hea­uenly authoritie of Magistrates, and the duetie of good and obedient subiectes, whiche Chapter is written wholly of Politique gouermnent: Wherein (M. Howlet) prooue him, if you can, to haue written vngodly, seditiously, or vn­truely, No, as hee writeth very godly, and with great au­thoritie of scriptures and reason, so doth he very reuerent­ly and modestly also, if any other writer old or new (as they say) doe so; after another manner and sort, then eyther you here doe to her Maiestie, for all your flattering floures, or then your sort haue of late, or now doe of Princes and [...] els where. I woulde wishe the godly and christi­an reader, to bee well acquainted with this M. Caluins writings, and I doubt not to affirme to bee true here, that was else where saide. Let him thinke he hath greatly [...] in matters of religion: who is brought into a loue and liking of Caluins writings. And yet I make neither him my God, nor his writings my Byble, for all this reuerent thinking and speaking of him and his writings. Euen in this matter of Magistrates: I praye thee gentle reader, looke but into that last Chapter, and thou shalt see, it shal be hard for thee to read else where, [...] or profoūder iudge­ment of a diuine, for the excellent dignitie of ciuill Princes and Magistrates, or for subiectes, and priuate mens obedi­ence, to thy satisfaction and contentmēt, and to be able with all, to confute, whateuer M. Howlet, or his side can cauill a­gainst this seruaunt of GOD, or Christes religion here [...]. I will not nowe stande in diducting this matter but note thus much by the way, and nowe come M. How­let, to answere your glenings and pyckings out of his wri­tings. In the 10. Chapter of the 4. booke of his Instituti­on, [Page 52] he treateth of the authoritie of the Churche in making lawes, and of the Popes and popishe Prelates tyrannie o­uer mens consciences in that behalfe: and namely, hand­ling this question, whether it be lawfull for the Church by her lawes, to binde mens consciences, he freely inueigheth against your popish Churches, licentiousnes in that behalf, without any whit preiudicing politique order, onely reser­uing mens soules and consciences free, to bee spiritually guided by God, Christ, and his holy woorde, in the matters appertayning to the soules health and saluation Nowe, M. Howlet, if this doctrine mislike you, that mens soules and consciences should be aboue the cōpasse of mens autho­ritie and lawes, then condemne our [...] Christ, the Prophetes, and Apostles, with M. Caluin, who make one spirituall Judge, King, Lorde, and Lawgiuer ouer mens soules, that is able to saue and destroy, willing vs so to giue to Ceasar, those thinges that are Caesars, that we giueEsai. 33. 22.to God the thinges that are Gods, to feare him that hathIam. 4. 12.authoritie to cast into hell, and to destroy both soule andMath. 22. 2.body there: Whereas men, what power soeuer they haueMat. 10. 28. ouer the body, afterwarde can doe nothing more, nor areLuk. 12. 4. 5.not able to kill the soule. Againe, Yee are bought with1. Cor. 7. 23.a price, be not the seruantes of men. Stande in the libertyGal. 5. 1.wherewith Christ hath made vs free: and be not intang­ledGal. 3. 28.agayne with the yoke of bondage. In the kingdomeColo. 3. 11.of God, there is neyther Iewe nor Grecian, circumcision nor vncircumcision, bonde nor free, male nor female, but ye are all one in Christ, & he is all in all thinges. And yet in place, may this distinction bee made and, must also be as I noted before. Your faulte herein is, that yee distinguishe not aright betweene the ciuill and out­warde Courte: and the Spirituall Courte of consci­ence, as they speake, and Maister Caluin here no­teth, and else where also, howe euer your Fa­father, [Page] and Church haue taken vpon them, to deale with mens consctences, which is Gods seat, to sit and rule there, wherein they shewe what they bee, yet neither our [...]; nor other ciuill Princes, vsurpe so much ouer Gods right, that is proper to Antechrist, and your faction.

Concerning the first Article, your corruption, and false collection therein are so shamelesse, that they may be easily espied. I wishe the reader to haue but recourse to the placeIn the wordes is there that, which in the schooles is cal­led: A fallation of the Accent. ye quote, to finde out your trecherie or false allegatiō in per­uerting the authours woordes and sense to be able to an­swere the same. Excellently well doth M. Caluin in that place, defining and treating of conscience, reconcile these two pointes togethcr. First, that mens consciences, for their spirituall gouernment, are aboue mens reaches reser­ued only to God, which also in time of ignorance (as y^e said M. Caluin, sayth) was seene and obserued by your Popish writers, though practise were to the contrary, as may name ly be seene in your Saint Thomas. Next that, we must2. 2. Q. 104. Art. 5. &. 6. &c. bee subiect to our ciuill Magistrates, and that for consci­ence sake, according to the doctrine of the Apostle, not so much respecting the thinges commaunded or forbidden byRom. 13. 5. them, which of them selues touche not conscience: as the generall ende and commandement of the eternall God, that hath appointed this order, and willed vs by his com­mandement to be subiect to autoritie. And this is it, the Apostle tendeth to, in his epistle to the Romanes: so as lea­uing your caueling in wordes and syllables, if you couldeRom. 13. 1. &c. and woulde distinguishe betwene the ciuill Courte, and theStill a fallaciō from that which Aristo­tle calleth [...], to that which he calleth [...]. court of conscience, and betweene generall and particular, as M. Caluin speaketh; All scrupule auoyded, this matter might bee eased, and better matter gathered from this god­ly wryter: then you, too [...] pretende to bee there. The booke being both in Englishe and in Latine, let the re­der iudge of the whole, you M. Howlet, and your fellowes shall neuer be able to stayne M. Caluin and his doctrine, nor cleare your selues from malice &c. while you liue, [Page 53] if you deale plainely. Set vs downe the booke, Chap­ter, Section and Caluins wordes: for we haue no cause other wise to trust you, as you doe your fellowes.

The second place or article that yee take out of Caluin is so plaine & true, as I maruell what yee meant to charge him therewith, for speaking of Christian libertie, hee saith: That the consciences of the faithfull are exempted from [...] 3. Cap. 19. sect. 14. &c.the power of all men, by reason of the libertie giuen thē by Christ, so as they are not to be intangled in the snares of constitutions, in those things wherein the Lord would haue them free: But adde I pray you, as hee doth there, That as the matter is very worthie and meete to bee knowne, so needeth it a large and plaine declaration by reason of the adoe, that partly seditious persons, partly quarell pickers make, as though all obedience of men, which is not meant, were thereby also taken away and ouerthrowne. To preuent this inconuenience, doth mai­ster Caluin there a large entreate of Christian libertie, & the consciences of the faithfull, as he doth in the other place of maister Caluin cited by you before, and by this your mis­dealing, doe wee see how necessary it was, often and much to beate in that point. In summe, we say: spirituall li­bertie in Christe, and Politike subiection to Magistrates and Supertours, may and doe very well agree, and both are taught vs in the Scriptures, and haue their place of practise.

From slaundering of these men that are dead, commeth M. Howlet to those that are aliue. Whose names hee quo­teth downe in his margin, mentioning a writing made in the dayes of Queene Marie, which he doth but touche, and I thinke needelesse to stay thereon, considering the thinge being aforetime obtected by M. Harding, hath beenDefence of the Apologie I part Cap. 4. Diuis. 1 &c. fully answered vnto by y^e reuerend father of blessed memo­ry. Maister Iewell late Bishop of Sarisburie, as is that of maister Luther before: I perceiue that M. Howlet. goeth all by report and heare say, and seeketh to winne. grace by [Page] [...] other. And where wisemen are wont diligent­ly, to respect circumstances in all doings, he, such is his hu­mor throughout his Epistle, careth neither what, when, nor in whom he reprooue, so he may finde somwhat to carpe at, in any professours of the Gospell. I woulde M. Howlet. for his owne sake were but so faithfull a seruant of God and her Maiestie, and did but halfe so vprightly walke in his calling, in zelously aduauncing the Gospell of Christe, and dutifully obeying our Soueraigne, as the men he nameth, to their great commendation, in singular modestie, and vp­right conscience at this day trauell to doe, with no small fruite to the Churche and people of God among vs, howe euer he obiect old matters to so worthy fathers, M. howlets conclusion of this part, of charging master Wickliffe, ma­star Luther, master Caluin, and the rest is, that the Catho­like Churche vtterly condemneth all these errours, and teacheth her children otherwise and the contrary. Nowe I aske M. Howlet if he exempt not the consciences of y^t faith­full from Princes lawes, and the power of all men with master Luther, & master Caluin, how it commeth to passe, that he and his felowes exempt themselues from her Maie­sties obedience vnder pretence only of conscience, as euen in the leafe before this we haue in hand, in the name of y^t [...] he craueth pardon at her Maiesties hands, for not yeelding to such conformitie in matters of religion as is demaunded at their hands, which they cannot doe but by offence of their cōsciences, &c. And the end of all in him & his authour is, y^t her Maiestie must take their disobedience & refusall of con­formitie for a ful satisfaction: because they alleadge consci­ence. Nowe if this among other bee an errour condemned by the Catholike Churche: that the consciences of y^t faith­full be exempted from the power of all men, &c. Why doe you being Catholikes, as yee say, follow it; Why doe you make that your pretence; Why doe you dwell therein; If Princes lawes binde subiects to obedience in conscience, so as they may not be exempted for their consciences: but y^t [Page 54] they must obey them, as God himselfe, whose roome they possesse, and that vnder paine of mortall sinne and eternall damnation, how hardly soeuer their Princes deale with thē in their gouernment, &c. Why learne you not that lesson; Why reforme you not your consciences by Gods word, that God and her Maiestie may haue due obedience of her Subiects: which shee requireth and no more without com­plaining, murmuring, & this bitter accusing: ye tel her Ma­iestie of errors, & your selues run into thē headlong; Ye wil by no meanes with Luther haue Christians free & exempted from Princes lawes; no not in their conseiences, and yet by meanes of conscience you will exempt your selues, what shoulde I say: like not that in your selues, yee con­demne in other. The difference (gentle Reader) betweene vs and them is, as thou mayest perceiue, that wee exempt mens consciences from all mortall men to giue them to God aboue alone, to be guided by his holy worde & no other wise, which in deede her maiestie alloweth well of, slaunder these fellowes what they can herein, for her title of supreme gouernour ouer her subiects. They without any warrant of Gods worde exempt, not conscience, but pretended, or that they call conscience, from dutifulnes to God and their lawfull Prince and Soueraigne in God, to giue it to the Pope, induced therto, because they see her Maiestie to leaue mens consciences free & vntouched, hauing a tender care & great respect therof. Where conscience is in deed, though it be but weake, according to the doctrine of y^t Scriptures & Gospell where shee learned this: & not frō popery & Pope, to whose supreme authoritie grounded vpon suppositiōs & false principles, these coūterfeited Catholiks haue by recon­cilement and oth betaken thēselues according to their rottē religion, so defrauding God & her Maiestie of their due, a­busing their Soueraigne authoritie, & themselues greatly. After this commeth M. Howlet to note our demeanour, & heere passing other, as hee saith, hee setteth vs downe at large a matter doone the last Sommer at Stamforde, [Page] and dwelling therin, he reprooueth both the doctrine of cer­taine Preachers there, and their demeanour also, whereof he maketh no small a doe, seditious, pretendeth he, was the doctrine there taught, seditious was the vsage, and yet, I trowe, nothing like to that of theirs in the North, in Ire­lande, nor that which I haue described before. It is hap­py, God made not him the Prince of this lande, nor any of the State, otherwise I perceiue the poore men had beene trounced: he giueth sentence as though the matter were his owne, when nothing was there doone against him, and as for her Maiestie and the State, they call not for his help in the gouernment heere. But I see M. Howlet is still like himselfe, that is past shame, els woulde he haue blushed to haue spoken so vntruly of a matter so lately doone and so publikely in the face of all the worlde: but let vs see what hee saith: first he entreth into this matter, to quitte, as hee speaketh, the Puritan that hath so infamed the Catholiks. Therefore he thinketh good to diffame him againe. Hee hath slaundered you M. Howlet, with a matter in trouth, as wee haue seene: And you cannot forget an iniurie, if it were one, yee must needes bee quite with the Puritan. Alas poore Puritan: but it is happie your handes bee bound that yee can doe him no more harme, haue you not powred out your spight enough against him, before to be quitte with him. You play as the Dogge doth: that when a stone is flung at him, runneth after the stone, and for reuenge, cat­cheth the same in his mouth. When yee can finde no more matter in the man to raile vpon, you immagine he sendeth out Preachers, yee call them at Stamforde his Preachers. Preachers at this day, the more is the pitie, are with you, and to many such, Praeda Mysorum, it is your owne Pro­uerbe taken out of Aristotles Rethoricke and Rethorical­ly amplified and handeled, speaking against this man that yee will now needes quite, but this man that you reuenge your selfe vpon: First telleth you those Preachers you talke of were none of his, he sendeth out none. Next, that [Page 55] hee is not bounde to answere for them, though in so [...] a cause, that be not harde to bee doone. This might M. Howlet easily thinke, considering that euill will is not gi­uen to say well; That her Maiestie, and all other that shoulde reade that he setteth foorth in printe, woulde hard­ly beleeue amongest so many vntruthes, this report of his proceeding from such a reuenging stomack as seeketh ther­by to quite his enimie, which doctrine he taketh out of Phi­losophie, and from his Maister Aristotles Rethoricke, ra­ther then from good diuinitie and the Scriptures; yet it may agree with his Catholike religion, well enough. A­gaine, hee might thinke the grounde and truth of the matter woulde bee looked into, which is not hard heere to bee doone.

Next, he alledgeth a Minister to be his Authour in the report of this matter: but that is for his vantage, he nameth him not, neither thinke I, he can name any such, hee were too notorious an hypocrite and false brother, so lewdly to belie and betray his brethren. Neuerthelesse that is pos­sible: for among Christes Apostles, there was a Iudas. This dealing might haue much impayred his credite with you, sauing that you lye in awaite to trappe the innocent, with all godly and honest men that list to vnderstand heere­of, if there were any such man. Whereof giue vs leaue to doubt, till we heare more, hee will be abhorde for his double dealing, & you for your impudent reporting of so manifest a sclander. Did the Minister tell you the matter himself; Or did some other that hearde it of him, or some bodie els, tell it you from him; You were not, we must suppose, at the exer­cise your selfe. Take heede of too light crediting reports M. Howlet and especially of reporting them againe, and that to her Maiestie, and of putting them [...] in print too the viewe of the worlde, that is your foundation and entrie. Proceeding, yee obiect disobedience to the Preachers that woulde not obey the Bishops letters prohibiting the fast at Stamforde. There are but too many such as you be, that [Page] by sinister informations and sclaunders, goe about to hinder godly and holy attempts, fishing out some thing whereby to stay y^t same, by all meanes they can: But God be praysed such false and light reportes, such naughtie dealings, haue turned and doe commonly turne to the beginners shames, and to Gods glory the more, and his peoples good and comfort, as in deede this did: for though this godly exercise were a time stayed, by misreportes, yet at length was it ta­ken in hande, with the good countenance and liking of au­thoritie, whereof you and such might learne, to giue ouer such rustie cankered practises, and to take a new and better course; if ye had any grace.

It fareth now adayes (gentle Reader) in the building of Gods spirituall house and Citie, which is his Church here vpon earth euen as it did in old time (which conformitie and likelihood may serue greatly to our instruction, admoniti­on and comfort) when at Gods appointment, the house and temple of God, and the Citie Ierusalem were to be reedifi­ed, God stirring vp for that purpose King Cyrus, and Dari­us, & preparing the heartes of other of his people to further and aduaunce that worke, as we may see in the holy stories of Ezra, and Nehemiah, the thing [...] well begun, was greatly hindred, somtime by colourable vndermining after a politik maner, & by false accusation, making cōplaint euē to the king, somtime by conspiracie & open force & violence; yet notwithstāding (all preparatiōs and subtill deuises cō ­ming to naught) the work, though with much a do, by gods meruellous prouidence; went lustily & luckely forward, and was at y^e last happily finished. There was on the one & bet­ter side, though lesser & weaker in the sight of man Zerub­babell, Ieshua, Ezra, Nehemiah, y^t prophets, Haggai, & Ze­chariah &c. as chiefmen amōg the people of God w^t their band & cōpany. There were on y^t other side. Rheū, Shim­shai, Tatnay, Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, & their cōpaniōs in Samaria, & the people beyond the riuer mighty & enuious Cheeneth, Arabians, Ammonites, Ashdodims, & other, w^t [Page 56] Shemaiah, Noadiah. &c. false Prophets, hirelings, and hy­pocrites, many & great ones. The kings, with whome both parties had to deale, being Heathen men, were somtime, no maruell, against the matter, especially being stirred vp by the malice of the aduersaries to this building, & their often and many complaints, handeled with great cunning & pol­licie, which more troubled and hurt the seruants of God, and hindred their godly proceeding, as hypocrites alwaies doe, than any open violence: but which was to be maruelled at, euen those Heathen kings were sometime fauourable, for­ward, and with the matter, Gods prouidence and blessing so ordering the whole worke till it were atchieued, as namely wee see vnder the good kinges Cyrus and Darius. Now to leaue the state of the Churche in other Realmes, by Gods maruellous goodnes, we haue at this day raysed vp vnto vs for one & a principall parte not a heathen king, or a Cyrus, & Darius: To fauor & set forward y^t building of gods house among vs: but a Christian Soueraigne & Prince, herselfe professing y^t Gospell of Christ Iesus, who doth not stand by & looke on y^t builders: but bending her royal authoritie and wisdom to y^t defence & maintenance of y^e truth, & repressing of error & falshood; so moderateth the whole, that she great­ly encourageth all gods people her obedient subiects, & ter­rifieth the aduersaries: her maiesties Counsellers, the No­bilitie, the spirituall Pastours, & the other officers & Mini­sters of y^t lawes are likewise professors & setters forward of this busines in their degree & calling, to the great cōfort of the common people, & those of the lower sort: whereupon the aduersaries, how many and how mightie soeuer they be, may be the lesse able to doe hurt. Yet to waken vs, & to keep vs frō securitie; we shal not lacke (neither haue we to maruel therat, or be discouraged) enimies as lōg saith M. Howlet, as ther is either head or hand remaining loose in the world. We shal not lacke hypocrites, false accusers, conspirers, violent dealers, seditious persons, &c. we shall not lacke stinging Hornets, like the Horonites, Ammo­nites & Arabians, we shall not lack a Rehum, a Shimshai, [Page] a Tatnai, a Tobiah, a Schemaiah, &c. that in a rout will vn­dermine, and oppose themselues to the Gospell: But, God bee thanked, we neede little feare them, hauing that migh­tie God, so mightily standing on our side, and blessing vs with such a Soueraigne, and state as he doth. Wherefore; let vs now M. Howlet be bolde to vnfolde and lay abrode your false accusations and slaunders and to aunswere the same.

Ye say, that the Preachers would not obey the prohibi­tion but stept vp into the Pulpit, &c. As though they ran before they were called. First, I answere, that both the first and seconde Preacher whom yee charge, were by pub­like authoritie licenced, both were by the Magistrates and Assistants of y^e town requested thither, both their doctrines and vsages, in that solemne and notable assembly are not on ly cleered from your vncharitable slaunders M. Howlet, but very well reported of by those of honourable and wor­shipfull calling that were present, and haue giuen testimo­nie thereof vnder their hands to bee seene of any that list. It is supposed by some M. Howlet, that if you be not a husband mans sonne of y^t quarters, Yee are some night bird, whose hauntes may possibly be spied out, they were best looke to it in whose barnes or out houses ye lodge, if yee chaunce to be spied, men loue an Owle so ill, I will say no more, you wote what befel one of your ancestors at Rome aforetime? This (being in those quarters) is likely enough to be your grief, to see or heare, that this assembly was so assisted, and things therein so well performed: but you fret & are angrie without cause, it quites your Puritan neuer awhit, it slaun­dersThe Alderman of Stamford, the Combur­gesses and the Recorder of the towne, & mini­sters and other of the countrey such as I haue [...]. Stamford, the assembly, & those that had dealing ther­in, &c. You take the report of the matter, as you would haue vs beleeue at least, at one mans handes, a minister presente there. I, as you see oppose to this vaine report, for the truth of y^e matter, many to one, & that those of calling, honorable, & worshipful, magistrates, & other in the town & abrod, besides diuers godly, & learned ministers & Preachers whose hāds [Page 57] and markes I haue seene, which carry great credite, & haue talked with diuers therin, to the reproouing of that you so rashly affirme, & falsly, & slaunderously heere enforme her. Maiestie of, & to the testifiyng of the contrary, & the iust cō ­mendation both of the exercise, and the godly Preachers e­uery way: who there present writing diligently tooke the notes, & are readie to auow the same, vpō oth if need be, to your discredit and shame. The credit of these mē, as those that had cause, best to vnderstand of the whole matter, will weigh downe the single credit of the single sowld Minister you talke of, without any indifferent men, to shew that the eight articles set down by you are not true, but most falsly and maliciously deuised by your selfe, or by some other eni­mie no better then your selfe, and that the doctrine & other vsage at that exercise was godly and comfortable. In the meane while it is neither newe, nor to be wondred at, that Preachers & professors of Gods truth be euill spoken of for well doing, it is the reward our Maister had when hee was here, it is y^t he hath willed vs to looke for. For the dealing in that godly exercise of preaching, praying, & fasting ioyned with almes, authoritie, & proceeding, The Alderman & Cō ­burgesses were peticioners therein, both for allowance at the Bishop of Lincolns hand, and also for assistance of prea­chers as their letters therein declare, to their great com­mendation, for their Godly forwardnesse in so good a matter, being the chiefe of that corporation, wherein they stayed and forbare, till they had both allowaunce and direc­tion also for the fourme and order of proceeding, set them downe in wryting particularly, as the saide Bishop of Lin­colnes letters of the fifth of August, in answere to the let­ters of the Town of Stamforde of the xxx. of July before, doe declare: But hee and his letters will carrie no credite with you, and yet in this matter, being by you alleadged, must and iustly doth, and ought to doe: Besides this they had the good and fauourable allowance of one, not of the meanest of the Lordes of her maiesties honourable priuie [Page] Counsell, to whom vnder her Maiestie, y^t Borough apper­tayneth, as three of his honourable letters of the xxv. of July to the Bishop of Linclone, the Alderman, and Bur­gesses of Stamforde, and to one of the preachers, that you here charge, do v̄eare witnesse: that I speake nothing of the publike order set downe by authoritie, to moue vs all gene­rally to repentance, ioyned with fasting, prayer, and relie­uing of the poore The Camets & strange sights that were seene in the heauenes, the Earthquakes heere beneath among vs, the disturbances and disquietnes of neyghbours rounde about this Realme, the monstruous and vnnaturall dealings of those of your side with her Maiestie, and this peaceable State, the great miseries of God his faithfull congregation and people almost euery where, and the like miseries: whereby God as it were shaketh his rodde ouer mens heades, seemed sufficient occasions to her [...], the graue, wise, and godly here; to cal to these extraordinary exercises of fasting, prayer, &c. the practise whereof also was seene in diuers places of this Realme, and namely in the Diocesse of Lincolne to giue example, and stirre vp the godly minde of them of Stamforde, which ex­ample they very well folowed and perfourmed the like, the fourteenth of September last, highly to Gods glorye, their due prayse, & the ioy and comfort of y^e godly, that were pre­sent, & such as heare of the same abroade. This that had such approbation, and proceeding with consent of all, to whome the same vnder God and her Maiestie, doth any way apper­taine, can not iustly be charged by you: Turning therefore your standerous reporte for the doctrine in your eight pro­positions set down, and for other behauiour, home vnto you againe where it was first bredde, as vtterly false, and not to be founde eyther in preachers or people at the publique fast at Stamforde, I haue set downe the trueth of the whole.

But what sir, if all these circumstances had not bin pre­cisely kept, no contempt towardes superiour authoritie be­ing, the godlines and reuerence of the matter of it selfe, [Page 58] would sufficiently haue excused and commended it in these dayes of the profession of the Gospell vnder so godly and vertuous a Prince, and other Magistrates. The more god­ly the exercise was, the more it seemeth to offende you: the more it misliketh you, the better is it to bee esteemed of the godly; raile, reuile, and fret, till your heart ake, yet shall this godly order of publique and extraordinarie fasting, vppon occasion incident ioyned with preaching, meditation, pray­ers, and charitable reliefe of the poore and miserable, practi­sed & vsed in this Church, & recommended by her Maiestie, and other of the State long agoe in the great plague here, and since, and yet still in these dayes, as very necessary: this I say, is so farre of from disorderly, or seditious dealing, as it shall neuer be iustly founde fault with by you, grounded sufficiently vpon Gods booke, and better tenne thousande times (if such cōparison may be) than eyther your blasphe­mous precessions, your running to Churche to toll a bell, your casting of coniured water, &c. to fray away spirites, or than your Popishe fast, consisting in superstitious choise of meates and dayes, ioyned with hypocrisie, opinion of me­rite, &c. It is happie ye can finde out fasting at the length in the Gospelling Churchs, among those that ye call Prote­stantes, you might haue done it sooner if it had pleased you. You were wont to say: wee quite ouerthrowe all fasting and prayer, because we went about to correcte and take awaye the abuses that Poperie had brought into both: e­uen as wee see our Maister Christe in his tyme to haue done the lyke. And heere you say there hath beene continu­all rayling against fastyng for these xxi. yeeres paste. Math. 6. Untrueth still: It hath beene but against your superstition and abuse, whiche wee take not, I tell you still to bee Gos­pell, wee haue commended, and recommended alwaies in place, true fasting, wee haue practised, and vsed the same according to the pure vse deliuered vs in the Scrip­tures, and of late, more vppon occasions then aforetime [Page] and more generally with doctrine adioyned, from whiche doing your corruptions, wherwith you had filled y^e Church a long time, helde vs: but we hope well, it shall dayly more and more be purged, and such dust swept away out of Gods house heere, and both this and other godly orders also grow from good to better, among the faithfull people of this English Church, with the furtherance, good liking, and de­light of her Maiestie, our Soueraigne, we doubt not in be­holding her people and subiectes, to profite dayly in all godlines, howe euer you [...] and repine thereat: HereMat. 11. 16. 17. 18. 19. ye call this godly exercise a litle fantasticall rage of fast­ing, &c. You raue and rage too. But whereunto shall wee liken this generation, but with our sauiour Christ to lit­tle children sitting in the marketts, &c. For as Iohn came neither eating nor drinking & they sayde, he had a diuell: and the sonne of man came eating and drinking, and they say de: Beholde a glutton, and drinker of wine, a friende vnto Publicanes and Sinners. Euen so doe our Pharisaicall Papistes deale, and say nowe: No way can please and content them, neyther vsing the libertie of Gods good creatures, sanctified by the worde of God, and prayer, as y^e Apostle speaketh, neyther yet absteyning there­from. But wee answere with our good Maister and Sa­uiour,Luke. 7. 35. wisedome is iustified of all her children.

Ye talke at pleasure of speaking ten or twelue houres together, with all a lye a: Although the corruptions that your Popishe and Pharisaicall leauen hath many yeres in­fected fasting withall, sticking fast, require sometimes to purge the same before it can be well and profitably taken in hande: And againe, the right vse and ende thereof, and of prayer, humilitie, fayth, repentance, newenesse of life, libe­ralitie also to the poore &c. to be treated of, aske time, that this Christian exercise of fasting may be Christianly kept: among the ruder sort especially, yet M. Howlet, neyther bee so many houres prescribed, the preacher to talke, neither knowe or heard I it euer, any where so vsed. For time sir [Page 59] herein, we vse it and leaue it as an indifferent thing, to take more or lesse, according as occasion and necessitie of matter require, and in this and like circumstances say, as our [...] Christ saide of the Sabbath in his time, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. LetMark. 2. 27. time serue vs, and wee in time, and therewith, serue God. Both the Sermons at Stamford, forenoone & afternoone too, mounted not much aboue halfe the time of the least of your two numbers: but I will leaue this matter, and the quiting of your Puritane, because I vnderstande yee heare thereof another way.

After this, you tell her Maiestie, of a weightie motiue, so you set it downe in your margin. The effect you note a litle before, when you make Catholikes so important a stay in euery of her Maiesties countreys: As though the safetie and quietnesse of the whole realme rested on you Catholikes, that refuse to come to Churche heere, to re­nounce the Pope, and betake your selues as true Eng­lishe men to God and her Maiesties gouernment, &c. Of which number you take your selfe. M Howlet, to bee one. Though you for your part shoulde seeme to bee better ac­quainted with the barne, and the rude husbandmans cotage in the countrey, where your neste may also be founde, then with any good Towne or Citie, muche lesse with a Princes Pallace, whereby you shoulde bee meete to stay vp her Maiesty, and this common wealth with your shoulders: But are you or your fellowe Catholikes, the safetie of this whole Realme? God forbidde man, yet these are those that are here so commended, these are those y^e whole suite is for, that it woulde please her Maiestie to graunt that whiche it seemeth they will haue whether shee will or no: Obstina­ting themselues, and cloking all vnder vnconscionable con­science before they make her highnesse priute of their suite and dealing. A woorthie maner of suing, to abase & bring her Maiestie to their bende, that they may altogether [...] the roste heere. Because your framed consciences, be some [Page] what too weake reasons, to mooue her Maiestie withall alone. You bryng foorth your waightie motiue, where al­thoughe at the first yee speake of mercie and fauour, yet so soone as yee seeme to haue giuen some sope of milke, by & by, ye throw y^e whole down againe w^t your heele. For ye haue no sooner spoken of mercie and fauour, but straight­way with a commemoration, as it were an vpbrayding, &c. yee fall a clayming the thing ye would haue, in recompence of your seruice. I greatly marueile not to see you deale thus with her Maiestie here vpon earth, as though yee de­serued, that can chalenge merites at Gods handes in hea­uen: but say and thinke what yee will for that: Grace and merites can not stande together. Her Maiestie of her selfe, belike; can not conceiue, nor see what you and your felowes haue deserued and deserue at her highnes handes: Yee are litle beholding to your neighbours, that need thus to praise say, and speake for your selues. If you haue done nothing but your bounden dueties, nor in deede halfe that neither, as better subiectes and more duetifull doe, vnfainedly ac­knowledge from the heart, and needes must in respecte of her Maiestie, and the manifolde and great benefites that wee all dayly receiue from and by her Maiesties meanes (whome God long preserue among vs); why then claime you recompence for your seruice? What is it I pray you, you haue done;

First, forsooth you, (you know what catholiks you meane) were most readie at the beginning, to place her Highnes in her Royall Throne. I leaue to speake of her Maiesties disfauour, procured by you hot Catholikes in Queene Ma­ries dayes, of the straightnesse, and harde vsage that her Maiestie founde, among your Jaylors her highnesse kee­pers then. Wee, to our inestimable ioye and comforte, knowe by whose power and prouidence alone, her Maiestie was deliuered out of the Lions mouth, & placed in her Roy­all seat too well to ascribe y^t prayse vnto you hot Catholiks; Were you most ready to place her highnes in that royall [Page 60] roome, wherein now by the fauour of God she standeth? Indeed by the fauour of God, y^t ye say well & trulye, more than by your willes and help, els were it harde with vs all. You were so great helpes at y^t beginning y^t not being able to kepe in any longer the cankered poysō lurkinge in the heart, but opening y^t hiddē malice, euē (in honorable and o­pen meetinge, after her Maiestie was placed in her royall Throne, when the barbarous crueltie towardes her Maie­stie and other, vsed in the former dayes was obiected) one a­mongst other answered in y^e name of y^e rest: that there wasIohn Story in the first Parla­ment of Queene Elizabeth.no other fault but that leauing the roote standing, the brāches only were hakt of, whē rather the mightiest tares (so it pleased a champiō of yours to speake, of y^e professiō &This is repor­ted euen by N. Saunders in Sto ries life devisibi­li Monarchia ec­cles. some professors of the Gospell) should haue bene puld vp by the rootes, which if it had bene done, we shoulde not now see so many and so great wicked stockes (saide this stout Catholique) remaine euery where and flourishe. This was it that happelye greeued you, that by your wic­ked and trayterous dealinge, her Maiestie was not before that time made away: But if her Maiestie, & we all, were so beholding vnto you for this seruice, why dyd not you and your felowes make this sute, when the matter was fresh in memorie, the thing was not then ripe, haue you now firste gotten hart of grace. It is but of late M. Howlet, that most of you haue puld your neckes out of the coller of obedience to God and her maiestie, and therefore the recompence of that seruice that yee brag of, if there were any such, longeth litle to you young men Iesuites, and other late Byrdes of Rome: that which foloweth perhaps, you wyll saye doth: for ye recken not vp onely what yee haue done, whiche in truthe yee neuer dyd, but what proper men yee presentlye bee and wyll bee; to spende the vttermost drop of your blood to defend her Maiestie in all safetie, peace & quiet­nesse to the ende, yf it lyke her Highnesse to beleeue pour tale, or truste to the broken reede of your defence, [Page] Your dealinges heretofore, in both her Maiesties Realmes of Englande and Irelande, to leaue olde practises, and to remember but her dayes; confirme this promise of yours. The stirres ye nowe afreshe goe about to make, continu­ing the old rebellions till ye may ioyne them to new, vtter your good meaning hearts, remember whēce you come? frō whome? and in whose name? This seruice to her Maie­stie, and the State, had neede bee recompenced, it were pitie els. I thinke certainely your affections at the beginning towardes her Maiestie were euen such as yee nowe shewe them, and will hereafter to the ende approoue them, while her Maiestie liueth. Can the blacke MooreIere. 13. 23.change his skinne or hue, or the Leoparde his spottes. Then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to euill. Your great fathers stomackes in the beginning, were to high, to become Petitioners; popishe Prelates coulde not, or woulde not submitte them selues to her highnes. One White, in his rochet, after Queene Maries death at Paules crosse, speaking of alteration of religion from Poperie to the Gospell &c. openly sayde: It can not be, it may not bee, it shall not bee; yee holde one course, yee are I perceiue no changelings.

But there is, sir, an oddes between doing a thing in deed, and pretending to doe a thing, betweene doing of consci­ence, affection, duetie, & loue, heartily; and betweene rhe­torically doing, (that I may so speake) that is: Italian and Romanlike, with colour and great cunuing, or if you will, [...] of our Englishe mens doing now, that come thence: if her Maiestie therefore spie your drift, and rewarde you with fourtie stripes, as the frenche king once did, (in not much an vnlike case) a dissembler, for pretending in hope ofLewes. 11. rewarde, (with termes and [...] of great reuerence) to take a [...] from him, after another [...] of his had recei­ued rewarde, for a very like seruice and office done to the king his M. before: Are yee not well ynough serued: Or at least, if her Maiestie, comparing you with other, consi­der [Page 6i] her faithfull subiectes in deede, which aske nothing, nor brage of their seruice, but acknowledge they haue receiued more then they haue deserued, and desire nothing more, then that they may in all thankefull dutie, answere their Soue­raignes bountie towardes them, as the Chauncellour, to the said French king somtime did, stāding amongst such ga­ping and rauening Crowes, Cormorantes, or Owles, call thē what ye will. As you in words set out your [...] byrdes here to bee, if I say she shall in the end reward those good Subiectes, as King Lewes did his Chauncellour, and send you emptie away that gape so fast afterward & answer you: that you must waite for an other occasiō as y^t King did, &c. What haue you to plain of; It is said that y^t king toke a delight to mocke the gaping byrde, were it Crow or Daw. Is this your waightie motiue, ye so glose in the margin ofPulcbrū est [...] deludere Hy­antes. your booke; If your Authour haue no better in store to come hereafter, as in this your treatise promised shall come, both he & you may put vp your pypes for ought I see.It is a pretie sporte to mocke the gaping Chaugh.

But yee runne backe to your starting hole, and alleadge conscience, this is a poore helpe. And yet this must bee a sa­tisfaction for all if the rest faile: howe hollowe soeuer your consciences bee, if there remaine any at all, the bare name of cōscience, must be your defence, whē you haue nothing els to say. Heere make yee now a Rampeere. Conscience, you say, dependeth of iudgement, and vnderstanding & not of affect and will. It cannot be framed at pleasure, nor consequently reduced to such conformitie, as is prescri­bed by Superiours. Conscience, no doubt, where it is in deede, and not in fancie and wordes pretended onely, is a great matter, and woulde by any meanes be respected and tendred of all. And so doth her Maiestie heere, God be prai­sed, why did yee not heere M. Howlet set downe the groūd of your vnderstāding & iudgement, or forbeare this brag of cōscience, till we had seene & examined the groūd thereof, y^t which, w^tout all proofe, ye here bring forth in wordes only, that do we returne vnto you againe, as a thing vnproued, & therfore reproueable, to wit, y^t the persuasiō you are entred into, of not comming to the Churche among vs at this day [Page] and refusing the oth of alleageance to her Maiestie; is not onely not grounded on the scriptures, but is contrary ther­vnto, and thereupon dependeth altogether of affect and will & not of iudgement and vnderstanding; is framed at your pleasures, without good warrant or ground, and so may be reduced to cōformitie prescribed by superiours. Your owne S. Thomas in his summe saith, Q. 79. art 13. that con­science is no speciall facultie or power of the soule, be­cause it may bee laide away, which the other cannot: but bee that as it wil be: A corrupt conscience such as yours is, may and ought to bee laide away. The reasons in your treatise as in place we finde, deale little or nothing to proue the contrary to this I tell you or deale (as you doe) very hol­lowly, being grounded altogether vpon supposition, which not grounded on Gods truth in matters of Religion, is a rotten post, for conscience, to leane vpon. Trye your con­sciences in religion by right iudgemēt and good vnder­standing, taken out of Gods booke: runne not vpon false suppositions, and we shalbe soone at an ende. I still mar­uell M. Howlet how you can exempt your cōsciences from [...], and so from her [...], that before condem­ned these sentences as errours That the consciences of the faithfull are exempted from the power of all men, that Chistians are fre and exempted from all Princes lawes, as touching their consciences, &c. For you admit this expo­sition of the former sentence, in saying: that Caluin and Luther, holde therein one doctrine, whereof I haue spokē in his place. The matter is, that your Secondary faith, and alleageance sworne vnto her Highnesse, as to the sub stitute of God (thus yee speake) is at the Popes plea­sure broken, and nowe discharged of that faith by his war­rant, and the same bestowed vpon him, and such as hee wyll appoint without good warrant from God or her Maie­stie. In the meane while we will take, as graunted by you this Maxime, or supposition: That conscience depen­deth of iudgement & vnderstanding, and not of affect & [Page 54] will, albeit in your case this wholy raignethin you, & there­fore seemeth not be conscience.

But because pretended conscience is the grounde of these mens whole matter and the only shift of excuse that both M Howlet and his authour haue to cloke their disobedience, withal, let mee be bold with thee gentle Reader somewhat at large to vnfolde some parte of their Popish [...] in this case of conscience, which that I may the better doe, I will first set downe some of both their wordes agreeing in this point together. Then examining in generall the po­pish doctrine whereon they grounde themselues without all Scripture, yea contrary to Scripture, common reason, and hon estie also, as the same is deliuered vnto vs in their bookes, by the principall [...] of their religion, I will shewe howe godlesly and howe hollowly they may be found to speake, write, and thinke in the whole: enough in my o­pinion, to bring their religion into vtter [...] detestati­on, and hatred: for broching vs such abhominable abhomi­nations. Afterwarde, God willing (returning to M. Howlets wordes againe, and comparing them with the doctrine of the Scripture) will I, so much as I shall thinke needefull answere the same particularly. Thus writeth M. Howlet of this matter heere at large.

HEnce yee gather y^t because ye alleadge your consci­ence, in this cause of yours. Therfore neither may ye do there against vnder paine of damnatiō, neither be enforced to doe otherwise then you doe vnder like paine to the enforcers, and because yee sawe you shoulde be excepted vpon two wayes, yee prouide answere for the same first. If it bee alleadged against you, as is by vs ve­ry truly alleadged, that the thing yee are called vnto is, godly, honest, and good, and seemely to bee yeelded vnto, and therefore no reason you shoulde in this case bee left to your pretended conscience, to followe that whiche is euill, but that you shoulde giue ouer and take a newe course: Yee affirme, howe good soeuer the action in it selfe bee, wher­vnto yee are called, yet the yeelding is damnable sinne to the doer, because it seemeth naught in his iudgement and conscience, and therefore to him it shall bee so ac­counted at the last day. So he must bee left to his pre­tended consicence in very bad thinges. Heereto yee bring (so had yee neede, & yet all will not serue) the examples of all Princes and Potentates of the worlde before Christe and since, and of the very Turkes themselues and other Infidels. To shewe that her Maiestie, and the State deale more cruelly by Lawe heere, with you then any other State, bee they neuer so barbarous, doe with their people, and that this will bee damnable vnto them. You are in great and high matters, you had neede remember your selfe, and you neede to haue beene [Page] beter acquainted with Kinges and Princes, Estates & their affaires, then may be thought you be, or els haue let this far fet stuff alone. This geare beseemeth you & your spirit wel; M. Howlet, and that to & with her Maiestie her selfe, doth it not; Next, if any testimonies and examples of practise bee alleadged against you of temporall punishment, you turne them all ouer, in saying such proceeding was against Here­tikes onely, which make dissention in Christ his bodie. And although you prooue not the Papists to be out of that num­ber, but that they may iustly bee counted Heretikes, as they bee in deede, and therefore by your owne doctrine of the Princes and States that iustly so take them, to be recalled and inforced by temporall punishment, or restrained at the least, yet to helpe your selfe as you may, as though po­pery were the true and right Christian religion, ye suppose that you haue no whit swarued from the truth: but that we whom yee call Protestants, haue gone from you & set vp a newe religion as though we, what shoulde I say wee; her Maiestie & the state, professed or called you to any other than to Iesus Christe onely true and most auncient religi­on, comprised and expressed in the holy scriptures; or from that. The end of all [...], y^t you must still doe as ye now do in abstayning from the Churche assemblies, &c. And by no iustice be inforced to the contrary. For that if your [...] conscience be persuaded herein, ye may not doe against that, though it be euill.

Nowe thus writeth M. Howlets authour heereof inFol. 17. the latter ende of the nienth reason of his treatise: Nei­ther sufficeth it to say: Those suppositions are false & that there are not such thinges committed against God at the Protestantes Churches and seruices: for howsoeuer that bee (whereof I dispute not nowe) yet I being in my hearte of another religion, must needs thinke not onely them but also all other religions what soeuer, to commit [Page 64] same, as I knowe they also thinke of mine. [...], how good and holy soeuer they were, yea if they were angelsHaynous sin to enforce another man to do a­gainst his con­science.yet shoulde I be condemned for going amongst them: for that in my sight, iudgement, & conscience (by which only I must bee iudged) they must needes seeme enimies to God being of the contrary religion. By this it may ap­peareHow they did in Q. M. time compell men.howe greeuously they sinne dayly in England and cause other to sinne with them, whiche compell men byLooke Fol. 54. 58.terrour to doe actes of religion against their consciences. As to take othes, receiue Sacraments, goe to Churches, & the like, which being done (as I haue saide), with repug­nant consciences, is horrible mortall sinne, as hath byn alreadie prooued, and consequently damnable both to the doers and inforcers ther of. And again, in the same ix. reason, speaking of the consciences of Infidels, and Here­tikes amongest many thinges, hee thus writeth generally of all sortes of men. If there bee no man either so foolish or impious in the world, but must needes think that one only religion amongest Christians is true, and all other false. And if euery man which hath any religion and is re­soluedOne only [...] true, and all other [...].therin, must needs presuppose this onely truth, to bee in his own religion, then it followeth necessarily that hee must likewise persuade him selfe that all other religi­ons besides his owne are false and erronious, and conse­quently all assemblies, Conuenticles, and publike Actes, of the same to bee wicked, damnable, dishonourable to God, contumelious to Christe, and therefore to his con­science (which thinketh so) detestable. And in another place before, his reasons, agreeing yet more fully & plaineFol. [...]. ly with M. How let: Surely as I am now minded I woulde not for tenne thousand worldes, compel a Iew to sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie: For albeit the thinge bee neuer so true, yet shoulde hee bee damned for swea­ring against his conscience and for compelling him to commit so haynous and greeuous a sinne, &c.

I may heere charge these men that they speake of consci­ence very doubtfully and diuersly, yea wickedly and dange­rously: in that they make no better distinction betweene truth and falshood: good, and bad: a right and a wrong con­science, or erronious, as these men speake: the resolution of God in men, for their doinges, and mens false persuasions, reasons, and resolution, to common lower, & mens fansies and imaginations.

Conscience, as the very worde importeth, is a knowlege in vs with an addition, or to speake plainer if I can, it is an [...]. God hir testi­monie concur­ring with mās knowledge ma­keth conscience. inward sense or feeling of god his iudgement cōcurring w^t our knowledge: Whereof ariseth this, the testimonie of conscience, or our conscience bearing vs witnesse, &c. Of which cōscience, what force it hath, to take away all excuse from men, before God, the Apostle disputeth, Rom 2. If yee like not this, I say, yee shall finde that some of your owne writers take conscience doublie or two wayes,Called [...]. sometime for that part or power of the minde that is al­wayesOne father ca­leth conscience, the light of our vnderstanding: [...]. other otherwise. contrary to vice and euill, or alwayes accompaning that parte, and then it is euer right. Sometime is consci­ence, taken for an applying of our knowledge to some acti­on, and so is it not a qualitie but an action, And thus is it not alwayes good or right say they. But for the pur­pose and matter wee haue in hand, and for our instruction and guiding, Besides that the very woorde and the E­tymologie or discription thereof, teacheth vs that consci­ence differeth from opinion, immagination, fancie, vaine conceipt, &c. As beeing a more high and hea­uenly gift especiall when it is directed by God his ho­ly worde and Spirite. Wee haue further to marke, the generall doctrine of the holy Ghoste, set vs downe in the scriptures, in vsing to our benefit or abusing to our hurt, euen Gods good creatures, and the note hee giueth of the [Page 65] force of conscience therin: vnto the pure, al things are pure, but vnto them that are defiled & vnbeleeuing, is nothing pure: But euen their mindes and consciences are defiled, Tit. 1. [...]. saith the Apostle, and in particular, he saith further. That in the latter times some shall departe from the fayth, and shall giue heede vnto spirites of errours, and doctrines of diuelles, which speake lies through hypocrisie, and haue1. Tim. 4. 2.their consciences burned with an hot iron, or be past fee­ling, Ephes. 4. 19. as hee saith elswhere. And in an other place yet: some1. Tim. 1. 19.hauing put away good conscience as concerning fayth, haue made Shipwracke. And yet furder cōcerning naugh­tie men, andtheir pretended naughtie consciences, as they speake, not to be flattered or borne w^t in dealing naughtily, the doctrine and practise of our Sauiour Christ, is notableLooke [...]. 15. 2. 3. 12. &c. for vs to followe: as is expressed in the Euangelistes. For our Sauiour Christ themaccuseth, and taketh vp the Scri­bes and Pharisees very short, who woulde seeme to make conscience of the traditions of the Elders, defendeth or ex­cuseth his disciples in breaking thereof, and regardeth not the offence taken at his doctrine, and doing therein by the Pharisees, reade the place, and marke the whole. Nowe for the Conscience of the faithfull, we holde with the holy Ghost, that it is purged by the blood of Christe from dead workes, to serue the liuing God: and the hearts are purified, by fayth, &c. And that phrase of the holy Apostle,Heb. 9. 14.myconscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost, and the like woulde diligently bee obserued of Christians, notAct. 15. 9. to seuer in them selues the testimonie of conscience, fromRom. 9. 1. that heauenly testimonte of Gods spirite, as in deede not a conscience, but a good conscience is required of vs by God. Herevppon say I to these men, and to their like, and to all such euill consciences of Infidelles, and other, as they bryng vs in, that wherevpon so euer they gounde their pretended Consciences and what course soeuer they bee entred into: for religion and spiritual exercises in gods seruice, that as this doctrine of the scriptures is sound, true [Page] and safe so theirs is hollowe & vntrue and the thing is not godly nor good. Great is the iudgement of God amonge them that perish, because they receiued not the loue of the truth, that they might be saued: Therefore to send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes, that all they might be damned which beleeue not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes. Ye did run wel, saith s. Paul to the Galat. who did let you that you did not obeyGala. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10.the truth. It is not the persuasion of him that calleth you. A little leauen doth leauen the whole lumpe. I haue trust in you through the Lord, that you wilbe none otherwise minded, but hee that troubleth you shall beare his con­demnation, whosoeuer he be, &c. I woulde to God the very first wordes of this Apostolike sentence might bee ve­rified in all that call themselues Romane Catholikes, and continued still in vs, and that with the Apostle in the last sentence wee might trust well of them, as wee are assured the midle part may too truly bee applyed vnto M. howlets persuasion & such like.

Where they holde both (M. Howlet) and his Au­thour this generall doctrine: howe good soeuer the action in it selfe be, or how true soeuer y^t thing y^t is affirmed be, as for example in case of religion, &c, that which is done affir­med by a Iew, an Infidell, or such like, yet if it be otherwise thought of in his sight, or if it be agaiust his vnderstanding, iudgement, and conscience, as they speake, the doer, af­firmer, & inforcer thereto, shalbe damned for committing a deadly, haynous, and greeuous sinne.` This as it is dedu­cted seemeth to me a strang Paradoxe in diuinitie, groūded (gentle Reader) possible on some mans diuelish wisdome, & reason: but surely vpon a very false and dangerous Catho­like principle of Popery, & sauouring altogether of y^e stin­king puddle of that diuelish religion, yea of the Diuell of Hel himselfe the father and authour of that religion, which thus I represent vnto thee out of the writings of the grea­test doctours of that side: And yet sauing that they haue o­pened [Page 60] this filthie caue, or styrred the [...], for the diue­lishe wickednesse & filthinesse thereof, would I haue spared thy Christian eares: but that necessitie and the indignitie of the matter, to vtter their shame and villanie wherwith they staine both heauen & earth, enforceth, seeing the matter is thus farre brought, to speake thereof,

There be two cases of conscience, or conclusions of their Popishe writers: the one of an erroneous or naughtie conscience, and the bond thereof: the other of perplexitie, wherinto men as into a straight are driuen by this doctrine and religiō, whilest of necessitie they must do euill & cannotLooke [...]. 13.. Item, Concil. To­letan. choose: whereupon (M. Howlet and his Authour grounde their Paradoxe, or strange opinion, of which the one depen­deth on the other. And both vpon that sentence of Gratian 28. 91. par. 1. & par. Ex [...] quod contra [...] fit, [...] ad [...]. in his golden decree: All that is done against conscience buildeth to hell fire: which being well expounded, might stande though: but by the Popish doctrine, for som to abstain from euill be it neuer so villanous, to doe good be it neuer so precious, is or may be against conscience, in them or a­gainst their erroneous & lying conscience, this position is theirs and vtterly false.

Therefore for some say they to abstaine from euill bee it ne­uer so villanous, to doe good, be it neuer so precious buil­deth to hel fire. Againe the lawe of nature may bee dis­pensed with (if two euils so presse as of necessitie y^t one must bee chosen:) for such cases their perplexitie maketh, &c. Po­pery can intangle and snare mens consciences, it can trou­ble, disquiet, yea prouide a slaughter house for them, relieue and quiet them it cannot. Though it be not so hard to enter this perplexed Labyrinth or Maze, as to get out of it a­gaine when one is once entred, so deepe are the quiddities I tel you, and the questions greatly doubtful, the examples also many and straunge, that in this case are brought to holde men occupied with all, yet get out or helpe other therein as I may, by Gods goodnesse, I will enter by the [Page] Angelicall doctour D. Thomas, whose doctrine and Com­mentaries haue the allowance of the highest and greatest of that side, as a truth falling from heauen, confirmed also by heauenly visions, as approued aboue; Upon the Epistle to the Romanes, and the fourteenth Chapter, whiche place (M. Howlet,) and his fellowe woulde seeme to grounde vppon, and to whose writinges herein wee are sent, the willinglier doe I propounde him, thus writteth, D. Tho­mas, vnder questions propounding after his manner, his subtile doctrine by obiecting, answering, and resoluing:D. Tho. in Comentar. in 14 ad Ro. It may be doubted (sayth hee) whether if a man haue an erronious or naughtie conscience that he beleeue that y^t which is mortall sinne, is necessarie to saluation, whether such a conscience binde him: So as if he doe against the same, he commit damnable sinne: He resolueth not one­ly vpon the Epistle to the Romanes, but also in his Summe or common Places, and elswhere: that an erroneous or ly­ing conscience in thinges of themselues simply euill bindeth a man; so that hee that doth against it highly displeaseth God, or as they speake, sinneth mortally or deadly, or to vse our mens wordes: it is to the doer and enforcer, a damnable sinne, or horrible mortall sinne, & the one and the other shalbe damned therefore. Here­vpon riseth y^t second doubt or question of perplexitie in this case, whereinto men are brought of sinning damnably e­uery way, in following their erronious conscience, or in doing against the same, and by implication at length, the Magistrates and ciuill Authoritie, Kinges and Princes themselues are wrapped in like perplexitie and damnation, for dealing with such by enforcement to doe against their wicked and diuelishe conscience.

These are the perplexed questions and resolutions in the case of conscience whereinto these prophane questio­nists and schoolemen tumble such mens consciences as be­leeue and followe them, without euer being hable well to help them out againe. They make of the sacred scriptures. A tennis ball to tosse, and to play withal, they greatly dis­grace & obscure the same in troubling the pure fountaines [Page 67] therof: And hauing entangled, troubled, & snared mens con­sciēces w^t their quidities, by abusinge gods gifts, they highly please and pleasure the Deuill, and highlye displease and dishonour Gods maiestie, leauing a testimony and example to all posteritie of Gods heauy iudgement, against all such as with vnwashen handes (as they speake) that is vnreue­rently handle the holy word of the eternall God: But let vs prosecute their question, & answer whether an erro­nious conscience in thinges simply and of themselues e­uill doe binde a man, so as if hee doo against the same he commit damnable sinne: be it in commaundinge to doo euill or forbidding to doo good, all is one. D. Thomas his answer you heare, is alwayes one and like him selfe affir­matiue and yea: The reaso why, is rendered in his summe:1. 2. [...] 19 Art. 5.because will followe the direction of reason and vnder­standing, or conscience, as hee speaketh: for hee maketh conscience the prescriptiō of reason, be it right or wrong,Omnis voluntas discordans a rati­one siuerecta siue errante semper est mala. which reasō whē it doth erre propoūdeth to the will good for bad, and bad for good, or telleth vnder a shewe that that which is good is naught, and that whiche is naught is good: & so will accepteth, alloweth, & followeth the same, and thereafter is the wyl good or bad: for the good­nes & badnes of the wil dependeth on the obiect y^t is on y^t which is propounded vnto it of reasō: whereupō he con­cludeth that wee must say that euery wyll is simplye or vt­terly euil alwayes, which disagreeth from reason: be rea­son right, bee it wronge, be that it propundeth true, bee itArist. [...]. lib. 7false. And all this is grounded forsooth by D. Thomas vp­pon Aristole, who sayeth that, simply to speake: hee is in­continent that foloweth not right reason: but acceden­tally or after a maner, he that followeth not false reason. Here is false and lying reason, vnder title of good & truth, prescribing euill and falshod, and contrarilye vnder title of euill & falshod forbidding good and truth: Heere is wyl following false reasō accordingly in accepting or refusing that y^t is thus offered. Heere is lastly man hymselfe bounde vnder payne of damnation neyther to wyll, nor to doo [Page] against y^t which is by this false reasō or conscience thus pre­scribed. What vsually nowe followeth but execution, or ac­tion, & doing therafter: we may here iustlier cry out I trow with the holy Ghost and Gods worde, than M. Howlet, and his Catholikes doe of his pretended Riot: woe bee vnto you that say, euil is good and good is euill: Woe be to that conscience, wo be vnto that man that thus is guided, yea, that is boūd vnder paineof damnatiō, not to do against the euill that false reason, propoundeth him vnder the shew of good, but to reiect that good, that it propoūdeth him vnder the shewe of euill: Or which is all one, not to leaue in this case that which is euill, not to accept that which is good. Such blind leaders of the blinde, must needes at the length fall both into the ditche.

But for better explanation of this whole matter, let vs see some of their examples giuen vs in this case, of an erroni­ous or lying conscience that bindeth. There wante not I warrant you in these mens examples taken from mens doings, according to this erronious conscience against both the Tables of Gods commaundements, the first, and the seconde. M. Howlet, and his fellowe gaue vs two exam­ples, against the first Table, of a Iewe and an Infidel in de­nying the Trinitie, & the Messias, or Sauiour of the world. Looke vppon their wordes afore set downe, and there may you finde the same: Adde to them another example set down in their Popishe decrees, in the margin in great letters, [...] is called the marrowe of the glose: The Iewes had sinned mortally or deadly, if they had not crucified Christ, whiche riseth vppon this question, whether the Iewes were bound in conscience to crucifie Christ, yea, or no; a deepe and worthy question among these men. And be­cause [...]. 13. D. Thomas is so great a man in their bookes, to make euen with them, ioyne to this, one example more of him agaynst the first Table in his Summe in the place be­fore [Page 58] alleaged. If to beleeue in Christ bee propounded to a man as an euill thing by false reason, the man that will beleeue in Christ doth naughtily, or the will accepting to beleeue in Christ is naught, because the thing is euill in the apprehension of Reason, albeit simply and in deed it be good: clarkely resolued, and like an Angelicall Doc­tour. Nowe if you will haue a Corollarium, or a conclu­sion, for a Surplusage in this first Table: Take the que­stions, that vpon this errour of fayth and conscience in mat­tersLib. 4. dist. 30. Caus. 29. 9. [...]. glos. ibidem. of the first Table are mooued, and determined in other subtill schoole wryters, as namely this is one, in y^e Maister of the Sentences, and repeated in the golden decree, and allowed. If the diuell transfiguring him selfe into an An­gell of light be beleeued to bee good, when he faigneth him selfe to bee good, it is no dangerous errour, and if the diuell shoulde then demaunde of some simple body: whether hee woulde bee partaker of his blessednes, and hee shoulde an­swere that hee woulde passe into the diuels fellowship whe­ther shoulde hee being thus deceiued, be saide to haue con­sented into the fellowshippe of diuelish damnation, and not rather into the fellowship of eternall brightnesse: It is true, that this man sinneth not (sayth the glose) wherevp­on going yet further, it is demaunded by Fryer Holcot, Holcot. Mai. [...]. super. lib. 3. [...]. 1. Art. 5. whether one worshipping the diuill transfigured into the shape of Christe, being deceiued by inuinsible errour or ignorance, as hee speaketh, bee excused from Idolatrie; Answering, hee sayth: I sayde that not onely hee is ex­cused from sinne, but he meriteth as much as hee should merite if he shoulde worshippe Christe, if he did that lay in him to discerne whether hee were Christe or no; proofe and reason why, one among the rest is, bee­cause the prescription of Conscience, when it is erroneous byndeth as muche as when it is true. [Page] But Iohn (vnder whose name this case is put) hath the pre­scriptiō of conscience though erronious that that which appeareth vnto him is to bee worshipped as God: ergo, if hee worship not, he sinneth mortally. In summe Iohns worshipping of the deuill as God in this case: as not sin­ning in following his erronious csōcience & sinning if he do not according to the same, is besides reasō warrāted of this man by y^e M. of y^e Sentences, by Austin & the common glose. In the next article is demaunded agayne by M Hol­cot [...]. 6 [...].whether any man may merit by a false faith; In this article hee answereth and saieth shortly that one may me­rite by a false faith in many cases. It is a common case among the people: he putteth many cases to proue his say­ing, and that some taken out of the Scripture, very clarkly you must suppose, amonge other hee sayeth: Put case that some olde wife heare her prelare (a great matter I tellDc quo ipsa [...] habere [...]. you) preache some hereticall article whereof shee is not bounde to haue any faithe perticularlye, I expresse his worde as well and as playnely as I can: yet she for the o­bedience she beareth and good wyll to beleeue whatso­euer the Church beleeueth, agreeth willinglye to that he sayeth, (which is heresie) thinking that the Church belee­veth it, the case being thus, wee must say, sayth this Robert Holcot, that this olde woman in beleeuing heresie doth merite or doo a meritorious woorke, as they speake in Schooles, because she beleeueth an errour which by no meanes can be imputed vnto her, that that is to be belee­ued which is condemned, and therefore by implication she beleeueth the contrarie, because she beleeueth that this is the true faith: Nothing is true but that which the Churche beleeueth to be true, And therefore because the implicate faith is true, although the explicate be [...]. Implicita.not true whereunto she is not bounde, but she is decei­ued [...]. Explicita.by simplycitie, therefore is there no daunger to her of error. Not much vnlyke to this, hath Peter Lumbarde the M. of y^e Sentences a question & answer, which also is [Page 58] repeated with approbation by Gratian, whiche possible gaue occasion to Holcot, to moue and decide his. If an he­retique (saith the M.) shoulde vnder the name of Austin or Ambrose &c. offer himselfe to some Catholique, andLib. 4. [...]. distinct. 30 29. [...].call him to the following of his faith, if he should agree: into whose fayth shoulde he be sayd to haue consented? Not into the Sect of her etikes, but into the sounde vp­rightnes of the Catholike fayth, which the heretike lying­ly sayd he had. Much more I trowe if a Catholike pre­late propound heresie. Here is heresie propounded by a Ca­tholike teacher, and by an heretike, here is the same hearde, receiued, beleeued, and consented vnto, without danger, heere is the partie excused, naye defended to doe well, and to merite, or to doe a meritorious woorke. What can be sayde more in commendation of the best woorkes that men can doe, the best woorkes that men doe, come in deed short of this degree. In this diffuse and intricate dispu­tatiō of Erroneous cōscience, in matters of Fayth, religiō, and doings of men, in the first table of Gods commande­ments, mooued and resolued by questions and answers hast thou, in these men, a viewe (gentle reader) of some of the deepe misteries of the popish religion, which, what sounde matter of godly edification they containe, I referre to thy godly [...] and iudgement furder to examine: and [...] to examples in the Second Table, wherein their veastly [...] in this case of erronious cōscience is yet bet­ter and more easily seene; in cloking, & excusing [...] sinne.

Let vs take but the seuenth commandement onely: Thou shalt not commit adulterie. To note howe the breach thereof, vnder y^e pretence of error and conscience, is [...], which example is common, and commeth of­ten with these virginlike Friers. Thus saith your Maister: if a mā leauing in his coūtrey his wife, & going into a far countrey matrie another, & afterwarde repenting would leaue her, affirming that he had another which is aliue: and the Church suffer him not, being ignorant of that he [Page] affirmeth: Heere is demaunded whether in this seconde knot there bee marriage; Surely it may bee said; that it is not marriage, and that the woman is excused of crime by ignorance but that the man hath committed adulterie: It is wel, thus much is cōfessed, marke that wel: But that,Lib. 4. Senten. distinct. 38.since the time, that being willing & not able to returne to his first wife) hee is compelled by the Discipline of theHug. 4. sētent. cap. 4.Churche to retaine and keepe this seconde woman: hee beginneth to be excused (mark this stuffe) by obedience & feare, for this, that he, if this second woman require it, lye with her, of whome hee neuer ought to demaund the same: And so haue wee to iudge of other like cases, thus farre the Maister. Heere where the parties consci­ence mooueth him to leaue sinne and euill and to doe well, must he sinne and doe against his conscience beeing good; & ye see why & how, the authoritie of the Church, & the Po­pish discipline is great, I tel you, & in perplexitie he may be dispensed withall. If his conscience bee naught he may not do against it vnder paine of damnation. Againe, heere is whoredome confessed, and yet marke howe the partie that committeth it, is excused. Thus is the mans consci­ence in perplexitie for the sinne of whoredome clarkly releeued in excusing his continuance therein. But theLib 4. senten. distinct. 30. caus. 29. q. 1. & 34. Maister is some where holden, some where not of all, whiche though in this case, wherein I shewe what hee holdeth it make no great matter, if some followe as hugo or who yee will; some followe not: yet [...] will they [...] C. Si Virgo. Ignorantia excusat eum qui nesciens dormiuit cū sorore vxotis suae. swere for him in another place, wherein hee is holden and followed: That a man lying with his wiues [...] by ig­norance is excused, if shee come to his bed at vnawares, it is called the ignorance of the person, for hee tooke her for his wife, and lay with her with an husbandly affection as with his wife. It is made Jacobs case with Lea forsooth &c. But with what conscience shall hee bee excused herein;1. 2. q. 19. Art. 6. with the very same I trow that the maister, the Councell, [Page 70] and the Cannon law, & pronounceth him to bee excused, y^t [...] with a naughtie and erroneous conscience, as they speake: For I am sure by a right conscience, hee neuer shall bee excused before God, from committing incest. The Similes that they goe about to prooue this matter by there, are euen like stuffe, and the same wee haue hearde be­fore. The glose and the marrowe set downe more: If aQ c. Illud re­larum. par. par ex vtra (que).married wife bee lyen withall ignorantly, there is no whooredome committed. And againe, whooredome is not committed without guile, &c, And yet a little be­fore, If a womans husbande bee dead, and shee beleeue hee be aliue, if shee marry shee is giltie of whoordome though she haue not committed whooredome, sayth the glose, suche I tell you is the force of an erroneous and ly­ing conscience vpon this excuse of Whoredome, and the dentall y^t it is any, is grounded on that which Gratian els­where telleth vs: That if a blinde man beleeuing hee ly­eth with his wife, defile another woman hee is not guil­tie of whooredome, because blindnesse is like ignorance: but if casting a Darte, or shutting, hee hap in play, &c. to kyll any man, he is guiltie (saith hee) of murther. This is good Diuinitie among our Englishe Romane Catho­likesSee the defence of the Apologie, part. 4. cap. 1. divis. 1. at this day, as besides those that nowe write may bee seene in M. Harding a Proctor euen for the Stewes, and a mainteiner and enlarger of that filthie common saying: IfHarding in his detection.ye liue not chastly. doe it charily, which hee ralleth good counsell, and pertaining to layefolke aswel as to Clarkes,Si non castè tamcu cautè. Oh gentle companion. But to keepe mee to the Angelicall Doctour Fryer Thomas our mens great Authour, Thus in this matter of an erroneous conscience not disagreeing from the rest writeth he in his summe, If reason or consci­ence erre in this, that a man thinke some woman com­ming vnto him in his bed, is his wife, and shee demaun­dyng it, he will ye with her, his will is excused, and is not will, because this errour proceedeth of a circumstaunce which excuseth and causeth the thing to be inuoluntary, [Page] In these examples; may a man liuely beholde, as in a [...], the foundation and grounde of M. How lets doctrine, and his fellowes in this matter of conscience, whiche is e­uen by their doctrine, profession, and religion, to thrust for­warde their Catholikes or Schollers and followers, for want of helpe, that way belike headlong into hell fire: I am weerie and ashamed of these beastes villanies, I will there­fore conclude, and ende this diuelishe doctrine, for this point, where I began it with D. Thomas, vpon that text of Scripture, that these men vse to proue this matter by, euen the +. to the Romanes, that we may see their faithfull and holy expositions, the abusing of the text it selfe, I examine in his place. For the Question and resolution of an erroni­ous conscience binding, let the reader remember what I haue before set downe out of D. Thomas. His examples [...] bee: If a man thinke he sinne mortally, except hee steale, or commit fornication, whether he may do against that hee thinketh, or against this his erroneous consci­ence, (as he nameth it) without mortally sinning or no? Hee obiecteth after his maner, first, the Lawe of GOD, which forbidding fornication and [...], bindeth streng­lyer then conscience: next hee [...] perplexitie in sin­ning euery way, in committing fornication against Gods lawe, and in not committing fornication against his con­science: But hee resolueth generally euen like him [...], as yee [...] before, and for fornication particularly [...]: If a man beleeue that not to commit fornication is mortall sinne, or to absteine from that vice: whilest hee choseth not to commit fornication, or to abstaine from it, hee choseth (they bee his woordes) to sinne mortally, or deadly, and so doth he finne mortally. And hereto ma­keth that ( [...] hee) which the Apostle here speaketh. [...] lying spirite.

No we [...] that which is obiected to the contrarye [...] out of the lawe of God, hee [...] vp the matter [Page 60] and cuttes it of very shortly thus: that hindereth not, that is first obiected of the lawe of God, because there is one,S. Paul (being demaunded we must suppose whether this Thomas had at­tained to his meaning in his Cōmentaries) in vision answe­red him, yea, as much as mans sight can con­ceiue, the Cru­cifixe also answe red, thou hast writtten well of mee Thomas: the church bele­ueth and sayeth so. It is as true as the Gospell with Papistes.and the same bonde of a conscience, euen erronious, and of the lawe of God: for conscience doth not appoint any thing to bee done or auoyded, but that it beleeueth, the same is the lawe of God: for the lawe is not applied to our doinges, but by meanes of our conscience. And yet gentle D. Thomas, as litle account as yee make of the lawe of God the authoritie thereof, and bonde ouer mens consciences, here equalling the bonde of a noughtie and lying conscience therewith: if it bee the commandement of your Church, of Prelate, it bindeth, though conscience be to the contrarie. Besides, if a Prelate commaunde a­ny thing that your Subiectes conscience telleth him to be contrary to the lawe of God. It is answered accor­ding to Bonauenture, that he is bound to lay away his con­science. &c. and obey, yea, if hee haue probable, and discreet, though not manifest and euident beleefe: for obedience, let him doe that which is commanded him, because he is bound in suche a doubt so to doe, and is excused for obedience sake, but let him by no meanes doe it of his owne will, because he may not for that he should sinne mortally &c. As for per­plexitie of sinning, euery way whereinto we are brought by this doctrine, which (as they teache) is while men bee in the bryers: sometime betweene two mortall sinnes, sometime betweene two veniall, sometime betweene a mortall and a veniall sinne, thus they speake. D. Thomas saith, that also is no hinderance to this doctrine: for it is no matter though one be perplexed by some suppositiō, though no man be simply perplexed: that is vpon con­dition vnlesse he put away that erronious conscience, or he is perplexed while that cōscience remaineth. But here is playne contradiction and falling out betweene these doc­tors, as there is not sounde agreement, in that they write of an erronious, or lying conscience binding: for the case [Page] being thus supposed that they may not doe against their conscience though it be Erroneous and euill vpon paine of damnation. Then commeth in M. Howlet, who [...] with his authour, sometime sayth of him selfe and o­ther such Catholiks here, y^t eyther they must renounce God by doing that which in iudgement and conscieuce they con­demne: be their consciēce right or wrong it is no matter: all is one: or els sustaine such intollerable molestations as they cānot beare. A hard strait, especially seeing, as he saith else­where Conscience dependeth of iudgement and not of wil, and so cannot be framed and reduced to conformi­mitie, &c.

Heere is a diuers aud doubtfull speech of conscience, and a greate extremitie that men be nowe brought into, as seemeth by this doctriue, what shall they doe; shall they, to burst out or come foorth of this maze, choose the lesse euill as they are willed in their canon, & by Gregory, which isDistinct. 13. contrary to that: wee may not do euill that good may comeBonauentur. Summa An­gelica. &c. thereof: or shall they change their pretended consciences, y^t surely is the best, & so are they willed to doe, enen by some of their owne writers: As for that bonde of erroneous con­scienceAugustin. D. Thomas. 1. 2. Q. 19. Art. 5. that they pretende it is none at all, nor of conscience simply, other wise then with God, and vnder him: Augustin sayth well (as D. Thomas, can alleadge) that the comman­dement of the inferiour power bindeth not, yf it be contra­ry to the commandement of the superiour power, as if [...] vnder gouernour of a Prouince, &c. bid that which his Em­perour or head gouernour forbid: why did hee not answere that obiection so, where the Lawe of God, and conscience commaunde contraries: For I pray you in all reason, is not God, and our bonde of duette to him expressed in his worde written, aboue our conscience, and all dutie to man, if comparison be made, namely the same being confessed [...] erroneous and lying; But (M. Howlet saith) that can not be in him, & his fellowes, without [...] of God, but that say wee is false, we vtterly denie it: as that also is, that [Page 72] such a conscience dependeth of iudgement and not of will, when it is their owne meere wilfulnesse, and a foolishe, and false opinion and perswasion, or else if they needes will re­fuse counsaile, vnder hope to deceiue the Prince and State heere, and by their Rhetoricall and cunning lying, to bring them to their bende at last, where they she we themselues ve­ry confident and bolde. Let them sticke still in their sup­posed and condition all perplexitie, that is, in their filthie myre, which is but a vayne opinion of their owne, as their owne wryters alsosay: So wee may bee free from sucheGlose. in dist. 13. &c. naughtie, vayne, and diuelishe doctrine: Let them call vn­to them a heape of Heretikes, Idolatours, blasphemers, fleshly men, drunkardes, villaines, tagge and ragge, yea, the diuels of hell, themselues, to acknowledge and embrace this doctrine of theirs, and to professe this religion. Let them, if they needes will, ioyne heartes and handes together. Let them carry with them multitude, antiquitie, consent, their well meaning mindes, as they call them, aud what they wil besides, Let vs crie: Heare ô heauen, heare ô earth, and be astonished: Heare ô Christians, Princes, and people, high and lowe, detest and abhorre this religion, and suche Saintes and Maisters. Let vs followe Christ Iesus, the Prophetes, and Apostles, their doctrine, and the profes­sion of the Gospell. I speake [...] this while but of Popishe profession, religion, and doctrine: I speake not of their life, behauiour, and conuersation, as fruites of their doctrine. There remaine in men infirmities: but such profession and doctrine, or teaching in religion and life, I crie out vpon, I defie this religion, as moste abhominable abhomina­tion before GOD and man, and crying for vengeance from heauen. And yet touche I but one parte, and one braunche that these men pull mee into, taking but their owne examples in the firste Table, and in one cōmandement of the second Table only. I assure thee, ( [...] reader) that I lothe, and forspring thy eares [...] in this argumētto enter into some cases of consciēce, [Page] so they entitle and crowne their beastly filthynes, that these religious, maydenly Fryers, and saintes, as they must bee called, propounde and set vs downe in their bookes, vnder questions and answears. Thine eares woulde glowe, if in this point, thou shouldest heare some of the meditations and stuffe, euen of a booke intituled, the Angelicall Summe, ofSumma An­gelica, de ca­sibus consci­enciae. the cases of conscience, written by Fryer Angelus in deede and name, as he is reported: But away with this Popishe religion, Fye on the Diuell & his doctrine & impes. Our English Romanists haue at this day, as they tell vs three1 Pet. 2. 2. readers among them in the cases of Conscience beyonde [...] Sea; But if that great Romishe Harlots brestes, yeelde her children suche sustenance, in steade of the syncere mylke ofErasmus in vita August. the woorde of God, or as Saint Peters very wordes are reasonable mylke, and without guyle: for all their great braggs, for all their baites to catche simple soules; we wish all men as they tender their owne saluation, to take heede of these Maisters & their religion. It is written (gentle reader) of Augustine, that hee opened and set abroade the [...] of the Manichee Heretikes, because the very opening thereof, was ynough to [...] and foyle them. This I hope wil serue the reader both for his profite to this ende, and for any iust defence vpon the occasion mi­nistred here.

Yet some what more for the matter, and our Soue­raigne, and this States iust defence in the execution of the holesome lawes here established for the abrog [...] of [...], superstition, treason, rebession, &c. and the good [...] of Christes true religion, godlinesse, and honestie. Against these quarell [...] let me say in generall, first to you Papists, whilest that vnder pretence of conscience, yee thus prouide for your selues in this per [...], imagi­ning that no iustice can inforce you to doe any acte of our Religion: yee prouide in the meane while very selenderly, and very euill for the common [...], and for her Maiestie: for if this doctrine whereon your [...] exam­ples [Page 73] are grounded bee generally true, That not in the doer only, but in the inforcer also nothing may bee at­tempted vnder paine of deadly sinne, and damnation, a­gainst any mans conscience, though it be erroneous, iud­ging that which is mortall sinne, to bee good and neces­sary: as infidelite, heresie, theft, whooredome, &c. Why not murther also with the rest: Howe then shall her Ma­testie and the State make and execute lawes, to restraine lewdnesse; If they say: It is against their conscience, not to doe the things by law forbidden them, or to abstaine from the same as you doe, they may not in iustice be inforced to doe against their conscience, that is, leaue robbing and o­ther villanie: they may not be hanged, punished, or so forth, for the same. Will you haue thē punished that vnder paine of deadly sinne and damnation are bounde not too doe otherwise then they doe, or contrary thereunto at least. A great burden lyeth vpon them, and will cannot bee forced, nor they may not be enforced to doe against their conscience, though it be naught, Againe, sir, necessi­tyDe consecra. distinct. 5. di­scipulosin glosa. excuseth both a theefe, & a murderer by your Canon law and Doctrine, and that more then for Whooredome, be­cause necessitie hath no law. Againe, in necessitie all things ought to bee common, &c. Thus seemeth her Maiestie, and the State likewise to bee brought into perplexitie, by these mens doctrine, that either they must leaue of making and executing wholesome ciuill lawes: or els be founde en­forcers of some men, to doe against their conscience: Whereof, as this is by them accounted wicked and dam­nable, so the other must needs be to the State and common wealth at least very dangerous. But this with them is no great matter, where perplexitie is, they must choose y^e lesse euill, they wel deserue, these gentlemen, and the religion of God and his people; of Kinges, Princes, Ciuill Magi­strates, and common wealthes also. There is talke of Li­bertines, Anabaptists, Householders of Loue, and I wote not who els: But Popery surely is a hotchpotche of all [Page] wickednesse, the mother of all sectcs and heresies, and the nurcerie of all mischiefe: Thus doe they seeme to reason, who so inforce men to doe against their erroneous con­science, commit heerein horrible mortall sinne, and are in a damnable case: But Magistrates by making and exe­cuting penall lawes vpon traitours, theeues, murde­rers &c. pretending conscience enforce mē to do against their erroneous cōsciēce: therfore magistrates by making & executing penall lawes vpon traitours, theeues & mur­derers, &c. pretending conscience commit horrible mor­tall sinne, and are in a damnable case.

Thus as in teaching that hee falleth and faulteth horri­bly that doth against that which his vnderstanding, reason, or erroneous conscience, as they speake, telleth him to bee good, though it bee mortall sinne: M. Howlet, and the Pa­pistes open a windowe by their doctrine to the Libertines, and them that are leade by inspiration, and pretende the motion of the spirite altogether to cloke their filthie sinne, & wickednes vnder, if they yet y^t say; they may not resift the motiōs of y^e spirit, haue not a better or not so bad a pretence, but more religious then they that say: they may not vnder paine of damnation doe against reason, bee it right, be [...] wrong, which is Philosophical, and seemeth to be pro­phane: So againe by their doctrine of inforcement, and their threat of damnation against the enforcers of naugh­tie men to do against their naughtie conscience; they vnder. mine the lawfull authoritie of Ciuil Magistrates and their wholesome lawes, made and executed against sinne and wic­kednesse, and agree too well with the Anabaptistes, and suche other as allowe not of Magistrates: but as we high­ly thanke God for her Maiestie and this Gospelling state, of whome wee receiue this double benefite, first of heauenly doctrine and religion; whereby mens consciences out of Gods worde are rightly instructed and informed, and these vices and transgressions reprooued, and they enforced to haunt publike assemblies, & heare their dutie there shewed them that either are ignorant or wilfull: Next, of publike honestie and peace, maintained among vs by lawes, and the [Page 74] [...] of the same, pretende they conscience or whatso­euer, condignely restrained, and by seueritie punished: So againe, doe I tell them in a worde that Christes religion taken out of Gods booke, if they haue grace to enter the profession thereof, will ease all this matter, and voide and cleere that which they defusedly, and darkely, and dange­rously teache, of an erroneous conscience and the bonde thereof, and of perplexitie: for in Gods booke, they shall [...] no such stuffe. But the matter being well & duly exa­mined their persuasion will bee founde by that booke, to bee nothing lesse then conscience, and there wee are commaun­ded to doe that onely that is good, and forbidden to doe that is euill, wee may not doe euill, no not that good may come thereof. Or if that like them best, let it beare the name of adiuelishe conscience, and so to bee refourmed, or otherwise to abide the smart which such wickednesse iustly deserueth, [...] out especially, to the hurt of Churche and com­mon wealth. Grounde therefore gentle (M. Howlet) your conscience hence foorth vpon Christe the true rocke, and his heauenly doctrine, and let Poperie goe: Or els bee content to reforme the same by that rule, wheresoeuer you haue grounded it afore time. Heare (if not mee in this case) yet some of your owne side, to induce you heere­to. Bee not too much addicted to your D. Thomas, and your owne conceite, stay not obstinately on the text of your Canon Lawe. Be content to heare the glose, if he mend the text & say better. Though there be of your side that say: An erroneous conscience bindeth as strongly as a goodRob. Holcot. super senten. lib. 3. q. 1. art. 5.00.conscience, and that in the worst degree it bindeth a man to doe according vnto it, So as if hee doe contrary to it, hee sinneth, so as his conscience abiding such, the man is perplexed, till he put it away, and an other way his erro­neous1. Doyng con­trary to [...] conscience is sume. 2. Doyng ac­cording to erro­nious consci­ence is not [...].conscience bindeth him so, as if hee doe not accor ding vnto it, hee sinneth, If hee doe according vnto it, he sinneth not, which is Iohns case of worshipping the Diuell: Yet is there againe some euen of your side that say [...]: Where a mans cōscience biddeth him, that [Page] is contrary to the lawe of God, it bindeth him not to doe it, but bindeth him to lay away his conscience, which if (M. Howlet) and his authours, and other our Romane Catholikes at this day woulde haue consulted withall, or hearkened vnto, they woulde I suppose, not haue made so e­uill a choyse as they doe, but haue written otherwise then they vsually nowe doe, following heerein the worser sort of their Doctours. The wordes of their owne glose in Com­mentarie vpon the text of their Canon, not bearing the vn­truth therof in the matter of perplexitie, correcteth y^e same, so forcible is Gods truth in some, euen in most popish daies: the wordes of your glose contrary to the text are these.

But wee must say no man, can bee perplexed betweeneGlose. in di­stinct. 13. two euils: because thence it woulde followe that some man of necessitie shoulde bee bounde to doe euill: but the Canon saith, that God would neuer render distruc­tion: except a man were founde willingly to haue sin­ned, as 23. q. 4. Nabuchodonosor ver. vasis irae. Moreouer if, of necessitie wee were bounde to doe any thing: the lawe that forbiddeth it shoulde bee impossi­ble, where as notwithstanding euery lawe ought to bee possible, as before distinct. 4. erit. Perplexitie therefore as touching the thing it selfe is nothing but as touching the minde and foolishe opinion of some man, there is some perplexitie. Wherefore the Iewes were not perplexed vnlesse in mind, and therefore shoulde haue asked coun­saile of the wiser and better learned: as of the Apostles or holy scriptures, &c.

Nowe returne I. M. Howlet, to the particular exami­nation of your woordes, which that I bee not driuen to re­peate, I desire the reader to peruse a part as I haue before set y^e same down: You make your entrāce into this great & religious matter of consciēce, by a prophane sentence takē out af Aristotles Rhetorique, but howe euer this maye serue Philosophicall, and your Schoole diuinitie: where­with the [...] of Christes Gospell hath of some time [Page 75] beene too much bastarded, yet thankes be to God, hee hath opened our eyes to see and discerne betweene mans wise­dome, [...] are Heretikes, Patriarches: sayth Tertussi­an, against Her, mogenes, [...] rome, &c. and the heauenly trueth, so as being forewarned by the holy Ghost, to beware least any man spoyle vs through Philosophie and vaine deceite, according to the traditi­on of men, according to the rudimentes of the worlde, and not according to Christe, &c: We meane to take as good heede of your vayne speculations, as God shall giue grace: that is only good to euery man (say you out of your Philosopher) which ech mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good, vnto which the Scriptures & diuines [...]. Howe then, are the counselles and wayes of the Lorde, and those of men so opposed in the scriptures: the one approued and allowed, the other reiected; Howe is it so muche and so often cryed out vppon in the Scriptures, and men se­uerely forbidden to followe their own wayes, or to doe that which seemeth good in their owne eyes: but that alwayes, and alonely, which is agreeable vnto the Lord, vpon whose direction, if we bee his, we wholly depende. There is hard­ly any thing more dangerous and hurtfull for men to fol­low, then that which is here made the fountaine of all good vnto thē: Did not God, to draw frō following y^e direction of mans vnderstanding in this life, giue his people holy lawes and commandementes, to distinguishe betweene good and euill, and continually to direct them by, that they myght serue him in holinesse and righteousnes, in his presence,Luk. 1. 74. 75.in his sight, or before him all the dayes of their life, that is: so, and in such order as hee in his holy worde appoynteth and auoweth; If any bee in Christe, he is a newe creature: Saith the Apostle, &c. How far differeth this holy doctrine2. Cor. 5. 17. of God, (as meeter and better for Christians to receiue) from that prophane sentence of M. Howlet; that is onely good to euery man which eche mans vnderstanding tel­leth him to bee good, &c. Is it euen so in deede; fie of that diuinitie: the holy Ghostes diuinitie, you see is cleane contrarie; It is yet further written. There is none that vn­derstandeth,Rom. 3. 11, 12. &c.[Page] there is none that seeketh God, all are gone1. Cor. 1. 19.out of the way, &c. And againe, I will destroy the wise­domeEsai. 29. 14.of the wise, and wil cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent. Hath not God made the wisdome of the world foolishnesse; &c. The wisedome of the flesh is enimitic a­gianstRom. 8. 6. 7.God: death, &c. O Lorde I knowe (saith the Pro­phet) that the way of man is not in him selfe, neither is itIere. 10. 23.in man to walke, and to direct his steppes. And there­fore the heauenly wise man sayth further also: All theProu. 16. 2. & 21. 2.wayes of a man are cleane or right in his owne eyes: But the Lorde pondereth the Spirites. And this made the heauenly Prophet and king, though hee were very wise, yet leauing his owne vnderstanding to haue recourse here­in to GOD by prayer: Thy handes haue made mee, andPsal. 119.fashioned me, giue me vnderstanding that I may learneIud. 7. 3.thy commandements, the steppes of a man are ruled by the Lorde: howe can a man then vnderstande his owneProu. 20. 24.way; sayth Salomon. And the reason is rendred else­where: All the imaginations, or deuices of the thoughts of mans heart (sayth God in Moses) are onely euill con­tinually. And againe, The Lorde knoweth the thoughtesGen. 6. 5.of man, that they are vanitie. And the Apostle yet further:&. 8. 21. The Lorde knoweth that the thoughtes of the wise beePsal. 94, 11.vaine: The hearte is deceitfull and euill aboue all thinges, who can knowe it? &c.

Better a great deale and more consonant to the doc­trine of the scriptures than you, spake that olde father of the1. Cor. 3. 20. Greeke Church when comparing mans vnderstandingIerem. 17. 9. w^t diuinity & diuine matters, he said. There can be nothing [...]. in 2.worse than to goe about to discerne & measure GodsTim. 1. bom. 2.matters with mans reason: for so falleth euery one from [...]. in 1. Tim 1. [...] 5.the foundation of faith, and is caried farre, wandering about with errour and is forsaken of the light. &c. You see it is blasphemie (sayth he in another place) to go about to discusse diuine matters with reasō, so hath mans reasō compared to Gods matters, nothing common or a­greable, [Page 76] If we shal finally consider (sayth he in y^t former pla­ces)Idem [...]. 5. [...]. 1. Tim. in [...] verba: [...] Satana vt [...] non [...]. that Marciō, Manes, Valētinus & other that brought in wicked heresies & pernicious doctrins into the church measured diuine thinges with humane reason (looke vp­on your owne fathers M. Howlet and take them by the hand) We shall finde that so at length they became asha­medChrisost. in. 12. Ioan, Hom. 65.of the misterie of the holy incarnation, &c. Whose heresies also elsewhere he fathereth for their beginning vpon the Gentiles & Philosophers. Augustine also a latin doctor retracting that which he had aforetime too phi­losophically written hereof against the Academikes saithlib. 1. [...]. [...] 1.thus: as touching mans nature there is nothing better in him then vnderstanding and reason, but he that will liue a blessed life must not liue according to that, for so liueth he after the manner of a man, where he should liue agre­ablie to God, to attaine to happines; to come whereunto the vnderstanding or minde may not be contented with it selfe, but must be subiect to God. &c, Amongst ma­ny other, let this here suffice, to shewe generally how well mans reason or vnderstanding agreeth with God, good di­uinitie and religion.

For your Philosophers sentence, taken out of Aristotles Aristo. li. 1. [...] Rhetorique, which you make so great account of in diuini­tie. Let vs examine it yet a little more. First M. Howlet which hath beene and is your common fault, you cite not your sentence truly out of the Philosopher, if ye read it not there your self, be better aduised another time: if you knew the matter & willingly peruerted it, your fault is the grea­ter. Leaue therefore both these faultes, or else giue vs leaue to reprooue both in you. Looke vpon your place in Aristo­tle, [...] consider his purpose, which is to shewe whence a man may take his proofes in consultation, referring the same to profit, which is his drift, and this profite he calleth good. Then let the reader hardly examine and confer Aristotles wordes with M. Howlets. Thus finde I Aristotle in this matter: amongst diuers other things that profit and help in doing matters wherof me consult, some simplie and [Page] acknowledged amongst all, some in parte for certaine re­spect & allowed of some men, al which he calleth good, as w^t him; good is diuided, into honest, profitable and pleasant thinges. Whatsoeuer thinges (sayth hee) vnderstanding would deliuer to euery one & whatsoeuer things the vn­derstanding, of, in, or about, euery thing, deliuereth, that is to euery mā, or to euery thing good, he doth notsay, that onely is good, which reckoneth vp a great sort of markes to knowe good by. Besides neither doth he say, eche mans vnderstanding, and so include corrupt mens vnderstanding, how bad soeuer it be, as in religion, you doe heere Heathen men, Turkes, Infidels and your selues Papistes, &c. In ci­uilRecta ratio, mens [...]. Orandum vt sit mens sana in corpore sano. &c. things vnderstanding needeth to be ciuill, & you knowe Aristotle in the matter of vertue and good, speaketh oftē and much of right and good reason: and yee heare of a sounde minde in a sound body among the very heathen. Neither yet doth he confound a mans vnderstanding with the testimony of Conscience. Furthermore, Aristotle, can distinguishe this word good, as ye know, not into honest, pleasant, and profitable thinges onely, but into thinges good indeede and apparantly good, simply and generally, and of it selfe good, and sometime particularly, and good to vs, &c, these thinges and such other circumstances are necessary to bee knowne, to vnderstand rightly euen in philosophie the sen­tence ye fetch out of Aristotles Rhetorique. Agayne, wee must knowe hee speaketh of good in his rhetorique as it is the subiect or matter of an Oratour. And what is that, to speake of good, as it belongeth to diuinitie and a Diuine, or to a Christian, who for his actions or doinges must fetch from God, and his will and approbation, that that is good, and trie it by the Touch of his worde and Lawe, which is our only rule to know good and bad by, & not our owne vn­derstanding. It were not to be maruelled at then though Aristotle, as a philosopher and wise heathen man, making vnderstanding and reason as it were a Queene or Prince in this little world man, to sit in his minde for doing ciuill [Page 77] thinges to rule, prescribe, command, order and make lawee, to the inferiour partes as the will and affections shoulde speake thus, and more too in morall philosophie. And yet y­wis this Prince is many times but ill fauouredly sighted, and worse followed and obeyed: the truth and experience al­so telleth vs farther y^t mens mindes are corrupted, their vn­derstanding blinded, and become so weake and dull, in hea­uenly thinges in deede, to speake no more; that too [...] nowe, can they or will they tell what is good and godly: one that is pooreblinde, hath but an euill eye: to direct and guid a mans body aright. A blinde eye guideth yet woorse or no­thing at all: and yet this is of it selfe mans reason and vn­derstanding to leade him in good & godly thinges. I thinke your selfe wil graunt me, for the most parte; vnlesse the eyes of our vnderstanding be lightened by Gods holy spirit; and framed frō aboue. The light of the body is the eye, (sayth our Sauiour Christ) if thē thine eye be single thy wholeMat. 6. 22 23.body shalbe lyght: But if thine eye be euil thē thy body is dark. Wherfore if the light which is in thee be darkenes, how great is that darkenes; If therefore thy whole body shal be light hauing no part darke, saith he, in S. Luke) thenLuke. 11. 36.shall all be light, euen as when a candel doeth light thee with the brightnes. Your D. Thomas halfe a Philoso­pher, & halfe a Diuine could yet decide the matter thus outPsal. 4. 7. of the Psalme. Many say who shall shew vs good thinges; the light of thy countenance Lorde is marked vpon vs; as though he should say: the light of reason that is in vs, can so farre shewe vs good thinges and rule our will, as1. 2. q. 19. art 4.it is the light of thy countenance, that is, taken from thy countenance: the naturall man is not capable of the1. Cor 2. 9. 10thinges of the spirit of God: for they are foolishnes vnto him; neither can he know thē because they are spiritually descerned (sayth the Apostle.) And againe: the thinges whiche eye hath not seene, neither eare hath hearde, neither came into mans heart, which God hath prepa­red for them that loue him: but God hath reuealed thē [Page] vnto vs by his spirit, &c. Doe not the contrary opinions that be in mens mindes, not of the common sort only, where as the common saying is verified. So many men so many mindes, but euen in the wisest and grauest PhilosophersQuot capita tot sensus. Quot bo­mines tot [...]. themselues, declare the defect that is in mans vnderstanding to guide him by. What Philosopher euer knew himselfe a­right; not knowing the corruption of mans nature. Did not one of the greatest of them professe that hee knewe thisStoikes, Peri­patetikes. onely: that he knewe nothing: was not the name of wise­dome and wise men refused among the wisest of them. AndAcademikes, Epicures. &c. they content to be called but philosophers, that is louers of wisedome onely, Did not the Academikes confesse and professe the vncertaintie and weakenes of mans mind [...] and vnderstanding; What vnderstanding of man euer con­ceiued the mistery of Christes incarnation: that the word was made flesh, or that one should be borne of a virgin, & such other misteries of our religion; In deede they were no Mysteries, if mans vnderstanding coulde reache and attaine vnto them. Fleshe and bloode hath not reuealed this vnto thee, but my father whiche is in heauen, sayth our Sauiour Christ vnto Peter confessingMat. 16. 17.him. Is that onely good to euery man which ech mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good? then farewell in effect all goodnesse in Christes religion, Did not the ima­gination and opinion that there are many Gods, grea­ter and lesser. &c proceede from this puddle of mans vnder­standing; whiles he would thereby measure the nature of God: Whence grew al the superstitions y^t euer were in the world: but frō y^t vanitie of mens minds, their vnderstāding,Rom. 1. 21. 22. & reason. Well sayth the Apostle that men became vaine in their reasonings & their folish heart was darkned whē [...]they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles &c. Is that onely good vnto euery man, which ech mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good: How if mans vn­derstanding and the worde of God disagree as they doe too too often, shall that onely be good for him, that his vnder­standing telleth him to be good. In the Infidels iudge­ment [Page 78] and conscience, it seemeth good to saye: there is no Messias, it must be good for him, by your doctrine to holde that, and to yeeld [...] doe thereafter is not wicked. The doctrine of the Libertines and such as hold and teache that hand ouer head, men should follow the motions of the spi­rit, lesse absurde then yours heerein; you saye that is onely good to euery man which each mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good: they say the spirite mooueth me to this or that therefore I must doe it: goodly wordes of youres in A­ristotles philosophie and so foorth, theirs in diuinitie, with better shewe then youres, which yet you would make vs beleeue, that scriptures and diuines agree. But leauing the rule of the scriptures & Gods law, both are very dangerous and euil to rule men by. How far are ye of, from that perniti­ous doctrine: that euery one shalbe saued by his owne reli­gion, vnlesse possible you will haue all men saued without any religion, if that onely be good to euery man, which eche mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good. The Idolaters vnderstanding telleth him that idolatry is good, the blasphe­mers that blasphemie. &c. here is a confusiō of good in deed The wiseman sayth that the way of a foole is right in his owne eyes, is that and that onely good to him; neither of both surely: for hee addeth. But he that heareth coun­sailePro. 12. 15.is wise. What is to say: euill is good and good euill: If this be not; to say, that is onely good vnto euery man which ech mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good.

But let me giue you an example out of the same booke of your Maister Aristotle, that you here alleadge, because that possible may more preuaile with you, speaking of ma­ny honest and commendable thinges, in praysing as he doeth in your place alleadged of many good and profi­table; in counsailing hee teacheth, that to bee reuenged of ones enemies, rather then to be reconciled is commen­dable, & rendreth the reason: for (sayth hee) to render e­uil for euil, or to requite, is a iust thing, & euery iust thing is cōmendable. The Doctrine I ween, learned out of this [Page] your Maister Aristotle the Philosopher, made you to in­uentVim vi repellere. you know what it meaneth. lyes of the faft at Stamforde, to quite, as you say the Puritan, and to write many such like thinges, as wee reade in this your Epistle dedicatorie. To be euen with one, is a iust and a commendable thinge: but howe euer this quite the [...], it is quite contrary to the Scriptures and heauenly doctrine of Christ and his Apostles. Your Mai­ster Aristotle, also in the same place you cite, sayth: those things are good & profitable, which euery mā is most af­fected and dilighted withall, as the Warriour with victo­rie,Math. 5. 38. 39. 40. 41. 44. &c.the ambitious with honor, the couetous with monie, &c. scripture & diuines to agree with this hellike doctrine; God forbidde: Wee haue better Schoole maisters then so,Rom. 12. 17. 19. &c. thankes bee to God. Euery good giuing, and euery per­fect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from theIam. 1. 17.Father of lyghts, &c. euen to this father of glory must we pray for this gyft of wisedome, and reuelation, through the knowledge of him, that the eyes of our vnderstan­ding may bee lightened, that wee may knowe what the hope is of his calling, &c. It is a seconde grace and gyfte, that I may so speake, aboue and beyonde nature, and the lyght thereof, or eche mans vnderstandyng? Your Saint Thomas, if you woulde haue consulted but with him, would haue tolde you as muche. Searche the Scriptures: Are yee not therefore deceyued, because ye knowe not the Scrip­tures,Iohn 5. 39.&c. sayth our Sauiour Christ, heare him. As allMar. 12. 14. poyntes of Diuinitie and Religion woulde bee grounded on Gods booke, and the Scriptures, not vpon the Philoso­phers, and Rhetorique: so especially, when there is question of conscience, or of doing or not doing thereafter, in matters of religion, shoulde wee haue recourse vnto that heauenlye [...]: but yee say, The Scripture and Diuines agree to this sentence of the Philosopher, when they say: That we shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimo­nie our of conscience. Make this sentence playner, and ex­pound it not by the first, least both fall out to be very false, & [Page 79] very pernitious; the better of the two, make of it what you can, is very perplexed, darke, and doubtfull, at least as you set it downe and followe it. This may be propounded in lec­ture among you by him, that is your publike reader in the cases of conscience, but wee haue seene to muche of your Schoole diuinitie and diuelishe doctrine in conscience, to haunte your Romishe lectures, or receiue that is therein taught, and professed. Our senses are better acquainted with the phrases of the Scriptures. If this latter sentence be all one with the other, and first cited out of Aristotle, thē might you haue spared your Philosophers Rhetoricall sentence, and rested vpon this whiche yee pretende, to take out of the Scripture and Diuines. The heauenly Scripture hath no neede of mans wisedome, to bee vnderstood sayth one, but [...] y^t reuelation of y^t spirit: but first I tel you, I find not y^t wordsChristom. in Gen. cap. 5. ye set vs downe in those Scriptures, whiche yee quote vs in the margin, yee tell vs of beeing iudged at the last day,Hom. 2.according to the testimonie of our conscience, yee sende vs to 2. Cor. 1. and to 1. Iohn 3. The Apostle in the place ye poynt vs, speaketh more particularly, of the testimony of a good conscience, onely, and of his owne that hee had in this worlde, his wordes bee these: Our reioycing is this, the testimony of our conscience: that in simplicitie and god­ly purenes, not by fleshly wisedome, but by the grace of God, we haue had our conuersation in the worlde, &c. Marke here, that Saint Paul had his conuersation in the worlde, not directed by his owne vnderstanding, As your Philosophical sentence pretendeth, not by fleshly wisdome, but by the grace of God in simplicitie, and godly pure­nes. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 3. The testimonie of suche a conscience, is a goodly mat­ter, and to bee reioyced in, in deede let it bee, if you will a [...] feast, &c. And this is the oddes here, betweene a heathen and a Christian life, yet doth not the Apostle in this place saye generally: that wee shall bee iudged at the last day, according to the testimonie of our consci­ence, neither yet of him selfe sayth hee so muche, speaking [Page] of the testimonie of his own conscience. Though I deuy not, but y^t faithful being receiued [...] by gods mercy, & ingraffed into Christ by faith, shall haue matter of [...] in a good conscience, & in wel doing, euen at the last day, But you carry it further. The Apostle, in another place, speaking of his fidelitie in his Ministerie, and of a better conscience still, then you seeme hereto note, sheweth yet a higher Iudge rather and more sharper of sight, who will iudge him more thoroughly, then according to his owne vnderstanding and conscience: Nay, as one that durste not iustifie him selfe, though his conscience char­ged him with nothing in his function, hee reiecteth that iudgement from himselfe, and from all men also, as vnfitte and vnsufficient: vnto the Lorde himselfe, who at his com­ming [...]. Cor. 4. 3. [...]. 5.will lighten thinges that are hidde in darkenesse, and make the counsailes of the hearts manifest. The o­ther place yee cite, to shewe wee shall bee iudged at the last day, according to our conscience, is, out of Saint Iohns E­pistle, where thus it is written: (I must ghesse, because yee neyther set downe the wordes, nor the verse) For thereby [...]. Ioh. 3. 19. 20. 21. (that is by louing in deede and truth) wee knowe that we are of the truth, and shall before him assure our heartes: For if our heart condemne vs, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloued if our heart con­demne vs not, then haue wee boldnesse towarde GOD. Here the Apostle speaketh of that boldnesse, and enterance with confidence, that the faithfull here haue towardes God, by Christ Iesus, and by fayth in him, & of the benefite there­of:looke S. Paul. Ephe. 3. 12. whiche, as by a certaine marke is expressed by true and vnfaygned loue, and of the lacke of this full perswasion, againe, what a losse it is: here is nothing spoken of our be­ing iudged at the last day, according to our conscience. And this is all I finde of this matter, in the places of Scripture here alleadged.De doct. chri. lib. cap. 10. & lib. 1. cap. 40.

For the Diuines that ye talke of, because yee quote vs Augustin alone for all, & sende vs to two places [...] him, and [Page 80] the matter is not great what is there saide, I referre it to the learned Readers iudgment, that is disposed to examine the places. You report heere & bring in Austin for proofe that wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience. Where Austin speaketh not of the iudgement of the last day, in neither of both the Chapters. Consult therefore with them, from whome ye tooke these places, that they may appoint you fitter for the purpose; or you better followe the simplicitie and since­ritie of the sacred Scriptures. If yee say Austin, name conscience, or speake a worde thereof in both the Chapters. I graunt you: [...] you must remember with all: that euery thing may not be gathered of euery worde: The two pla­ces much agree, & the first yee recite hath relatiō to the lat­ter; hee saith not that whiche you speake heere. Againe, spea­king very briefly, as for a conclusion of his first booke of Christian doctrine Of this sentence of S. Paul, The end [...]. Tit. 15.of the commaundement is loue, out of a pure hearte and of a good conscience, and of faith vnfained; hee sheweth wherefore the Apostle put in that clause, of a good consci­ence Aug. de. doct. chri. lib. 1. cap. 40. which hee putteth for hope saith, Austin. Learne you also saith M. Howlet to adde this worde good to con­science: ioyne it with faith, and keepe that bonde or knot that the Apostle maketh in this sentence. And so if you can apply it to your selfe, yee shall not onely haue great mat­ter of reioycing: but her Maiestie, and the lawes also I doubt not, to beare with your conscience, and to tender the same as reason and equitie woulde: and besides because the same shalbe found to agree with Gods word, & to be groun­ded thereon, wee shalbee as readie to auowe and allow ther­of, as we now are to [...] the same, for y^t it is so direct­ly contrary to the worde, and therefore neither for you to flatter your selues in, nor meete for the State to allowe or beare withall. Wee doubt nothing but that the testimo­nie of a good & vpright conscience is of great waight and force and to be respected and hearkened vnto: So that we [Page] remember still [...] a pure heart therewith, and an vn­fained faith, which must euer haue the light of Gods worde goe before or accompanie the fame, in the faithfull, that vn­der the colour of conscience, other persuation, or the rule of reason deceiue vs not. The [...] of all is: I would haue you know conscience a right, and distinguish wel betweene a good and a naughtie conscience by the Scriptures. For the accord or agreement betweene your two sentences, one, and the first, taken out of Aristotles Rhethorike: that is onely good vnto euery man, which eche mans vnder­standing telleth him to be good. The other, as is sup­posed out of diuinitie: that wee shall be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience. Make them you agree, as you can, I cannot see the a­greement betweene them. Vnderstanding is one thing, and the testimonie of our cōscience is another thing, good to euery man nowe, and [...] at the last day bee two: Finally, the two sentences, as in wordes, so in substance and meaning, seeme vtterly to disagree, I woulde therefore, whereas you say: the scriptures and diuines agree vnto the Philosophers saying: you woulde or coulde haue made the Philosophers saying agree with the scriptures rather, whiche though yee shall trauell, as yee doe, by enticing speache of mans wisedome, to performe: Yet all is but inD. Thom. 1. 2 q. 19. arr. 4. vaine, the thing will neuer come about. Let Philosophie goe therefore, and the Philosopher in testing the fountaine & rule of good [...] vs Christians. Let Gods word and law, or the holy Scriptures bee our rule there in alone: according to that: there is one rule and measure for one thing: let rea­sonVnius vna est regula & mē ­sura. in [...], & with your S. Thomas if ye will be the [...] of [...] actions: let y^t spirit of god be y^t beginning of all good in vs that be [...], [...], and other. Augustin, a Diuine whome yee [...] in this matter,Tomo. 3. Sen­ten. excerpt. ex August. saith very well against your first sentence of Philosophie in this sentence of his: Faith openeth the way to vnder­standing, and [...] it. And againe, as is [Page 81] alleadged in your owne decrees: All the life of the vn­faithfull is sinne: neither can it bee good, that is doone28. q. 1. [...]without God: for where there lacketh the knowledge of the enternall, vnchangeable truth, there is false vertue e­uen in the best behauiour and manners. And concerning the phrases & maner of speaking of Philosophers and di­uines howe different they ought to bee, thus saith Austin: Philosophers speake with wordes at will, and in matters very harde to vnderstande, feare not the offence of re­ligious eares: but we that are Christians and [...] haueAugu. de Ci­uitate Dei. [...] 10. cap. 23. a lawe to speake after a certaine rule, least libertie of speech or wordes, breede wicked opinion of those things which are signified thereby. And thus muche concerning your two sentences and the agreement thereof, wherevpon all the rest, that followeth here of this matter seemeth to be groun­ded.

Of your propositions thus taken from Philosophers & Diuines, yee say it followeth that whatsoeuer wee doe contrary to our iudgement and conscience, is according to the apostle, damnable, because wee decerne it to be e­uill and yet doe it, But that which the Apostle heere saith, for all your whatsoeuer & false glose, must bee vnderstood in those things, which are lawfull, saith your owne D. Tho­mas in y^t very next sentence & verse before y^t last; vpon these wordes, which are y^t groūd of that that followeth, Blessed is hee that condemneth not himselfe in that he alloweth. That moderation shoulde yee haue kept, but yee doe not: for yee say, bee the action in it selfe neuer so good, and the man that doth it neuer so bad (as seemeth) for you name vs a Gentile or Heathen man, and to confesse there is mes­sias, yet because it seemed naught in his iudgement and conscience, therefore to him shall it be accounted a dam­nable sinne at the last day. Heereby it appeareth yee holde: that at the last day the testimonie of a [...] iudgement and naughtie conscience; euen of an Heathen shalbe admitted to cleere him from euill, and to condemne him for doing good, or that any man shalbe damned at the [Page] day for acknowledging there is a Messias, against his wic­ked iudgement and conscience at least; will there not bee other matters sufficient and I nowe thinke you, to con­demne such men for: but that such cases and causes as these vnwonted and vnmentioned in the Scriptures, shoulde af­ter they bee by your heades deuised and moued, then also be alleadged; This is prophane and vaine babbling and brawling which breedeth questions, rather then godlye edifiyng which is by faith: which thing the holy Apostle S. Paule so carefully warneth his schollers Timothie and1. Tim. I. 4. 7. & 6. 4. 5. 20. 2. Tim. 2. 16. 23. Titus in many places to take heede of, & to auoide, they may beseeme your scholding disputes, your subttle schooles and readinges, they beseeme not her maiesties eares, they agree not with the diuinitie schooles of the holy Ghoste. DidTit. 3. 9. & ep. your testimonies of Scriptures and Diuines you set vs downe, teathe you this; or whence had you it; shall wee be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of ourTreatise Fol. 57. pag. 2.conscience be it good, bee it bad, must wee bee iudged by that onely? Shall it bee now good, and then good and so alwayes good, to the Gentile to denie the Messias; because his vnderstanding, iudgemēt and conscience tel­leth it him to bee good? &c. This is a maruellous and strange Paradoxe, the foundation & building thereon are muche alike. Is there no difference nor oddes; Before I further examine the matter you tell vs: Let mee a litle con­sider howe you handle the holy Scripture with your foule handes, or our euill fauoured clawes, and how vnto­wardly you alleadge your testimonies still; because wee decerne it, to bee euill, and yet doe it: Yee quote vs for it: Rom. 14. though yee name no verse, yet your words seeme to sende vs to the last verse of the Chapter, which hangeth on the wordes before, & are a reason rendered. Yee cite the wordes falsely & corrupt the sense: Which that it may the better be perceiued, I will set downe both your wordes and also the Apostles. Thus you: Whatsoeuer we doe con­trary to our iudgement and conscience, is according to [Page 74] the Apostle, damnable, because we decerne it to bee [...] and yet doe it. The Apostle thus: He that doubteth,Rom. 14. 23.if hee eate, is condemned, because he [...] not of faith. And whatsoeuer, is not of faith is sinne. The Apostle speaketh particularly, and of a certaine matter whiche re­straineth his note of vniuersalitie: You generally with­out any restraint or obseruation of the circumstance of the text, and matter treated of: hee of a faythfull man and of fayth: You giue vs an example of a Heathen man, and talke at randome of our owne iudgement and conscience, he spea­keth of eating, which is an outwarde action, and of it selfe as they speake, indifferent: You in a far otherkind of things of their own nature good or euill. We acknowledge, in sum the holy Apostles words and sense, we find not yours in the text ye sende vs too. And it is an ill commentary that corrupteth the text. The Apostle saith, because not of faith.

Nowe because you haue set downe, in steade thereof, iudgement and conscience, you foyst also into the text, the woorde: decerne, Because wee decerne it to bee euill, and yet doe it. If you say you followe the Author of this your discourse, with whom yet in citing this texte, yee altogetherQuod. enim exfide non est. peccatum est That according to his conscience, hoc est secun­dum conscien­tiam. agree not, though yee both corrupt the same foully: As of him I speake in his place, so let me here tell you (what o­pinion soeuer, greater then reason you haue, of your Mai­ster) wee are not bounde I tell you, to followe neither him nor you in corrupting of the holy Scriptures, yee both put in the worde decerne, of your owne, and yee put our iudge­ment, conscience, or knowledge for fayth: which it seemeth,As S. [...] expoundeth it, &c. saith, Gregorie Mar­tin, whence pos­sible all, or the most of this stuffe was fet­ched by your Authour and you. ye take out of your Schoole mens Commentaries: But I woulde you woulde not change the wordes of holy scrip­ture, into your Scholasticall wryters expositions, and termes, and set vs the same down for scripture stil: Yf your parenthesis here, (according to the Apostle) were thus, (according to our D. Thomas, or Schoole Doctors, &c. or according to our notes, taken at the Lecture in cases of [Page] conscience, then might it paraduenture stande right: but the Apostle and your D. Thomas, or Schoole doctors, &c. not1. 2. q. 19. Art. 5. being one, you take to muche vpon you, and wee can giue you no such licentious libertie, to vse the ones name for the other, I see [...] you driue: It is a principle with you that Byrdes of one feather, must flie and holde together. Errour agreeth very well (commonly) with errour and falshood: Your common translation of the Byble, (like as your Scholemen) must bee kept and followed inuiolably, not to be checkt nor corrected by the [...] or Greeke text vnder paine of the Popes great curse, hence belike you and your fellowe, woulde seeme to take your woorde: decerne, But sir, there is falshood in fellowshippe, though your eyes, M, Howlet, coulde not possibly discerne, neyther by day nor by night, euery letter & sillable, and therfore might easily be deceiued, in taking one word for another, y^t were somewhat like; yet y^e Autor of your treatise, mee thinketh, might haue lookt better to y^e matter, if it had bin but for deceiuing of you herein, & many other y^t follow him. Where both of you haue it decerne, euen your common translation, if ye looke well on it, hath discerne, Now Gramarians y^t shew y^t etymologyDiscernere, Verbum fo­rense. of words wil tel you, y^t discerne, & decerne, be two wordes different in signification: discerne: is to put difference bee­tweene thinges: decerne, is a higher woorde of iudgement and authoritie, whereof wee call A decree, &c. And your Pope decernimus statuimus, &c. They that leaue both your woorde of decerning or iudging, deuised by your selues, and discerning, which the worde of your vulgar la­tine Translation, in this last verse of the 14. chapter to the Romanes, and translate it by the woorde of doubting, as both in Latine and Englishe is done, haue both better, and [...] rendred it, and expressed by a fit woorde, the mea­ning of the holy Ghost also. Cauell not here at, nor barke not at our translation, for leauiug heere your vulgar, and common translation, he leaueth himselfe in another place, and translateth this very worde, as our men doe heere. But [Page 83] dogges will barke, euen at the Moone. You must bee con­tent to [...] your owne lawe, and to giue vs leaue to dealeIam. [...]. 6. with you truly in that, wherein you vntruely take to your selues libertie against vs, you so prie into our translations, and translating of the Scriptures, that the least fault must be espied, yea, where there is none, fault must bee imagined and deuised, and we roundly taken vp, and compared to aTrea. Fol. 40. Page. 2.boy in a Grammer Schoole, that shoulde bee brecht, so yee speake, and further, and worse to, whereof in his place. Leaue your decerning, iudging, and discerning: leaue (for shame) your corrupting of the holy Scriptures, in woorde and sense: leaue your caueling, and carping at our transla­tions of the Byble: vse in all, a better, and more vpright con­science, then hitherto.

For the matter of an action good in it selfe, and the ex­ample yee bring vs in, deuised of a Gentile, that shoulde for feare, say or sweare that there were a Messias, it is al­together impertinent, and besids the Apostles purpose, who as I sayde, treateth not in that place of things simply good, or euyll, or of bearing with a thing euill in it selfe, and of the owne nature, muche lesse with impietie or superstition, he speaketh but of outwarde thinges, hee speaketh not of Gentiles, or Infidels, nor yet of obstinate Christians, that walke stubburnely, vtterly condemning the profession of the Gospell: but of a brother, a faithfull man, and one that hath receiued and embraced the profession of the Gospell, and is weake through ignorance of some one point, partai­ning to Christian libertie, in the outwarde vse of Gods cre­atures, wherin he is not yet thorowly instructed: of bearing with such a one, by those whom God hath called to more plentifull knowledge of his heauenly truth, speaketh hee. Againe, the maner and the end of bearing must be con­sidered, which is not to nourish errour, or to obstinate & har­den the weake in their opinion and doing: but rather to drawe them by all meanes we may from errour, and to ad­uance them more and more in the knowledge of the truth. [Page] The Apostle calleth it beefore in this chapter edification when he biddeth vs followe the thinges which concerne peace and wherwith one may edifie another, or as he spea­keth in y^e beginning of y^e next chap. Let euery mā please his neighbour in that which is good to edificatiō. Lastly, the matters y^e Apostle here speaketh of particularly, would bee cōsidered, which are not al outward things, but such as God himselfe was authour of in his Lawe. As distinction of meates and dayes, which while the Iewes, being wonne to the Gospel did in those dayes retaine, though they did it ignorantly not knowing the libertie of the Gospel, yet (till they might be fully perswaded therin by fayth, which is grounded on doctrine and the word, they were vounde to keepe by the commandement of God himselfe.

These circumstances considered, it will not be harde to spy out M. Howlets and his fellowes ill dealing in this place, & to haue the true sense & meaning, which if it be not wrap­ped and obscured with subtill quidities taken out of schoole questions, will playnely enough fall out of it felfe thus: that the faythfull for his particular regarde being in doubt or lacking the ful persuasion of Faith (whiche is giuen by measure, and hath his time of growing and encreasing) can not without danger, nor shoulde not attempt to doe that wherin he is not by the word of God and faith, yet through­ly resolued, when he may without danger of offending, ab­staine from the outwarde action, not stiffely standing nor flatering himself in his opinion: but moderating his doing by the gifte and measure of faith, which he hath, readie vpon further instruction and knowledge to growe forwarde and to profite. A thing verily in his kinde much to be commen­ded, and greatly to be borne with, is this respect of consci­ence, not to rushe into the doing of euery thing without all sense or remorce of conscience, not to attempt things, or presume to doe the same, except the minde be thorowly per­suaded that God is therewith pleased, which it cannot bee but by faith, and faith is grounded on the woorde of God. [Page 84] Christ shall not breake a brused reade, nor quenche the smoking flaxe, saith the holy Ghost. I would we all con­sidered this point better then we commonly doe, both in ourEsay. 42. 3. selues, and in those with whom wee dayly and vsually liue,Math. 12. 20

But what maketh all this doctrine of the Apostle ey­ther for Gentiles and Dogs, that neuer were in the church or for papistes, and other obstinate and wilful heretikes that breake out of Christes true church; doe flatter them­selues in there follyes; vnto them that are defiled and vn­beleeuing is nothing pure (saith the Apostle,) but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled. &c. What ma­kethTit. 1. 15. it against her Maiestie and her vpright and equall lawes to stay the execution thereof; against superstitious & sedicious persons bursting foorth into violent actes and attempts against her Maiesties royall person and the state, and her most peaceable and quiet gouernement, to followe that man of sinne, the Pope of Rome, it maketh greatly. A­gainst you M. Howlet and your felowes that abuse so great lenitie, much to the cleering of her Maiestie, and the state in meeting with your obstinacy maketh it greatly. M. How let telles vs here of an Insidell that should say there were a Messias. &c. And his fellow in his discourse of a Iewe too sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie against their cō ­sciences. What a sinne it were to the doer and to the in­forcer. But this is none of their case, nor her Maiestie or her lawes in dealing with thē. They haue had now aboue these twentie yeeres the preaching of the Gospel. And I trust, if not they that too vnchristianly and vnnaturallye of late haue withdrawne themselues from God & prince, to betake themselues to the Pope, yet those that liue vnder her Ma­iesties gouernment, and in her dominions, shall more and more (which God also graunt) haue the same dayly to in­forme and direct their consciences aright in all godlinesse and honestie Such is her highnes godly and tender care ouer vs al. She like our good Prince forceth nones con­sciences, but very mildely proceedeth by order and lawe, as [Page] she needes must, to restraine the fury and pride onely of such as make dissention in Christ his bodie, corrupt his sincere religion, and growe perillousto her royall estate and the realmes. If this touch you M. Howlet, or your fellow hot catholikes, thanke your selues, you teach here that it is lawful to restraine by temporal punishment such felowes, and her Maiestie taketh it so to, Not as allowed by the church (which is your popish opinion) but as geuen of God and warranted by his word. For heerein also I tell you, we differ from you, that you make the ciuill magistrates autho­ritie; to hang of the churches allowance, as you here insinu­ate, so to bring princes vnder the popes check. Wee goe higher and say that the autoritie is immediately geuen them of God, and from him ouer euery soule within their gouern­ment, and so dependeth on the ordinance of the eternal God and his woord. We say your church challengeth too muche and haleth things too fast to it. Magistrates waxe euery day more godly wise than other, and will not be easily abused as afore time.

Yee speake of recalling home by temporall punishment such as you accoūt heretikes to y^e vnity of Christ his body, a­gayn, Your doctrine herein, & your violent practise scarce­ly agree; when you get the temporall swoorde on your side. Is that to recall them home; By fire and fagot to con sume them to asshes, which is your manner: These are two diuers endes ye know, learned, vnlearned, young, olde, men, women, no sort and degree spared. If her maiestie and her lawes repute you papistes for heretikes (as iustly yee may be reputed) what haue ye to say for your selues; A bare deniall onelye: retaining still poperie and heresie in opinion, and broching the same still among vs, will hardly serue your turne, if you be put to it Be more equall & milde towardes other vnlesse yee looke to haue the same measure measured to you that yee meat to others and that with a great deale more vprightnes and better conscience. But I am in doubt your, Catholike Church will neuer leaue [Page 85] the trickes of a Stepmother or a strumpet rather. Ye know y^e story of y^e two womens pleading before king Salomō, for a childe, eyther alleadging her selfe to be the mother: but whē the liuing child should haue beene killed and deuided at the Kinges commandement, the true mothers heart was moo­ued with compassion: and could by no meanes yeelde or a­bide1. King. 3. 26 to haue the childe killed, but the other that pretended onely and was not indeede the mother, was very forwarde to haue it killed and deuided. I will saye no more: but I woulde you hot Catholikes and your popish church, had but halfe that compassion, and tendernes of hearte, and re­spect to mens liues, that the profession and the professors of the Gospell haue. But it is not in you, there is a contrary nature and a contrary dealing in the wolfe, and in the shep­herd & the sheep, Your handes haue been too lōg imbrued in the. blood of Gods saintes, & it is the proper marke of your bloodte Antichristian church. It is that, ye glorie in; God, amend you, if it be his blessed will, or else cut you shorter, Be your selfe iudge herein, M. Howlet. If you tell vs your conscience in deed: or let the world tel. To whom you refer vs, in comparing her maiestie our most dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth, and her peaceable and milde gouern­ment (hauing beene so greatly disturbed and prouoked to the contrary) and other princes, and the former times, that haue not been acquainted with the profession of the gospel. And againe you say, and truely that her maiesties noble &Sect. 6.mercifull disposition is knowne and renowmed, through out the worlde, The world (you say) doth know how that the great mercie and clemencie of her Maiestie, hath stai­ed oftentimes and restrained penalties from their exe­cution and from the ouerthrowing of diuers men &c. It doth so indeede, and so doth it by experience of the sharpe executions done aforetime by your procurements, and the ouerthrowe of diuers both men and families, which feele the smarte, at this day. As you call your selues Catholikes and vs protestantes, yea heretikes at pleasure, so in like [Page] manner say you, and say only; your religion is the old & so ours must be the newe religion, wee are gone out from you, and not you from vs. &c. But leaue these (enuiously deuised) doubtfull and rackt tearmes of yours & vs. &c, and haue recourse to the scriptures: Let vs there and thence make our plea, and then you shalbe founde to be that ye call vs, & we to be that you would so fain chalēg to your selues, to beautifie your euil cause: as it needeth. Else let the word of God be iudge between vs: and look who be found to haue swarued from the Prophets & Apostles doctrine; or [...] haue gone and fallen from that and them, let those be heretikes, Spare not, In the meane while, in our iust defence let our denial suffice to answer the vniust [...] and accusations bringing onely words without any proofe.

Concerning the comparison ye make of her [...] & this state, with other princes and states, not Christian onely, but Turkes and Infidels, your meaning and drifte therein may easily be espied. It deserueth another answer than my words, & yet to clere herein both our soueraigne & the state towardes the world, I tolde you before that your case is not like to Turkes and Infidels: Besides, her maiestie and this state, are not bounde to follow other Princes examples, she being as free as they are, in y^e gouernmēt of her people; whē doubt may be made: First whether that be true you tell vs of Princes and their order of gouerning Infidels: Haue you beene brought vp among the Turkes: haue you trauai­led into the Indies and farre partes of the worlde that you tell vs of, to know this you report vs of the Infidelles &c? Know you of your selfe that this was neuer yet practised; Or goe you by report onely, I think you take it at other. Next doubt may be made by Princes and states, whether they you talke of, vse those Infidels that be vnder their go­uernement well and vprightly, and whether euen in this point they doe well or no; that being supposed which you af­firme of them, which thing they had neede and will vnder­stand too, before they [...] bounde to follow their example [Page 86] in gouerning the people subiect vnto them. This is rea­son, and princes ouer other princes and states, chalenge no such superioritie of prescribing, in order of gouernment as you here too vnaduisedly doe. Neyther are princes too cu­rious to enquire, examine and iudge, how the rest order their subiectes in such cases, but content themselues with ruling their own people in y^e feare of God, according to their owne dutie and Gods worde. I adde yet further, that whereas you alleadge, It was neuer yet practised, nor euer thought lawfull by the Catholike church, that Infidelles should be enforced to any one act of our religion. And running stil to your D. Thomas, say vide D. Thomas. &c. I answer2. 2. q. 10. [...]. 8. and say, that Thomas his question is, Whether Infidelles are to be compelled to fayth or to beleeue. Which be­cause it is aboue mans power to doe, as beeing the gift of God, or as he speaketh, To receiue fayth, pertaineth to the will, and the will cannot be forced. Therefore no mortall man may as seemeth, take vpon him to force that which he cannot perfourme: But your question is of perfourming any acte of Christian religion, & comming to Church, the one, that is faith is a heauenly inward gift, and is in the hearte, the other, that is comming to church &c. is an externall and outwarde acte, and a profession of religion, or an inducement and outward exercise and means to bring vs to fayth, and to encrease and continue the same in vs. Now we say that the ciuill magistrate hath not onely authoritie frō God, but is of dutie bound to maintain Gods honour, and as a principall parte of his charge, to see the cōmandements of the first Table of Gods lawe outward­ly kept and perfourmed by al his subiectes, without excep­tion, so much as he may: punishing the trāsgressors also: vn­to which honour of God, and first Table of his commande­mentes pertaine the actes and outward exercises of Gods true seruice and christian religion. As then wee highlye praise G O D dayly for her maiestie in this behalfe, and for the singuler care she hath ouer vs her poore subiectes, [Page] to prouide vs of preaching, and other meanes to bring vs to God, and to furder vs in all godlines: So doe wee tell you plainly, that her Maiestie by authoritie may (& doth therein, but her duetie) enforce you to haunt Church Assē ­blies, to heare the preaching of the Gospell, &c. Which bee the proper meanes to beginne, encrease and continue faith and godlines in you and vs. Her part, her care, and charge it is, to prouide and take heede nothing bee put vppon her people in Gods matters, & his seruice, but y^t which is war­ranted by his holy word, which whilest her maiesty is occu­pied in, you disturbe her Godly proceeding too much out of season & time, & too vndutifully, D. Thomas euē in his que­stion of Infidelles, sayth. They are to be compelled yet, of the faythfull if they haue power, not to hinder Chtistes fayth or religion eyther by blasphemies and rayling, or by naughtie persuasions, or else by open persecution and violence, &c, Marke well your D. Thomas his poyntes. Now if Infidelles, which were neuer Christened, maye bee compelled in these thinges by your Thomas his iudge­ment, much more maye you be restrained in your rages, and violente and vnreasonable dealings: punished for your disturbances, and printing and spreading of seditious libels and bookes, to the hinderance of the course of Christes Gos­pell amongest vs, and the peruerting and poysoning of di­uers; especially such as are of the simpler sort, and therfore easily seduced. And this is not disagreeing from Thomas his wordes, though you cannot abide, to haue the same appli ed to you, be it neuer so true, in you, This is your faulte, D. Thomas telleth expressely. Yee may bee compelled toAdVincen. sium contra epistolā Par­meniani ad Bonifacium. episto. 50.perfourme that ye haue promised, and holde that yee haue once receiued,. And bringeth good testimonies against you out of Augustine. You I say, that haue been baptized into the fayth of Christ, not of Rome nor the Po­pish church, and hardely any one of you founde, within this Realme or among you English Romanistes, that being of age now leaue this Realme, that haue not in the time of the [Page 87] profession of the Gospel here, gone to Church, and done other actes of our religion at one time or other in blessed king Edwards dayes, now, or both. Againe yee know that your D. Thomas his manner in his summe, commonly is after he hath obiected agaynst the truth, to set on the contra ry side, that he taketh to be the truth, & in this question, after he hath out of other men obiected: That Infidelles are by no meanes to be compelled to the fayth, he addeth as it were of his own. But of the cōtrarie side is y^t which is sayd in the. 14. of Luke, Goe out, into the wayes and hedges & compell them to come in, that my house may bee filled: But men enter into the house of God: that is into the ho­ly church by fayth, Therefore some saith he, are to be com pelled to the fayth. This haue I set downe that you may see what vātage you haue by sending vs to your S. Thomas and your other doctours, for indeed sir, to shew you might here haue spared wel enough in your margin Omnes doct. I could further alleadge to the contrary your subtil Doc­tor.In. 4. distinct. 4. quest. 9. vltim. Iohn Scot, who had great followers. He holdeth here­in, that it were godly and well done: If Infidels were com­pelled of their Princes with threats & feare, to faith & reli­giō: Euen against your D. Thomas, & that you here set vs downe; You knowe or may knowe, howe common a thing it is in your religion (not in this Article onely) to finde the Scotists against the Thomists: Doctor against Doctor &c. But I had rather vnfoulde my selfe and the reader out of these contradictions and braules of your Popishe wry­ters, then sticke therein. Her Maiestie, besides that she sim­ply and vtterly taketh not vpon her by force and violence, to compell to fayth, as though shee coulde giue and imprint the same in mens heartes, though shee set forth, maynteine, and binde all her subiectes to outwarde meanes and exer­cises of religion, as I haue sayde, thereby shewing what shee wisheth and driueth vnto, which shee also vseth her self, neither sitteth shee in the conscience of any, which is pro­per to your Pope, his lawes, and your religion: besides that [Page] her Maiestie is free herein I say: Shee moreouer vseth her selfe in this case so godly, so wisely, so vprightly, and so mo­derately towards you, that deserue so ill, as if any faulte, may iustly bee founde, it is in this: that some of you are notConc. Tolet. Iohn. Scot. vt super. straightlier lookt vnto, and more roundlier proceeded with­all: But her Maiestie is wise ynough. Zizebutus a prince, is commended in one of the councelles, and in your owneDistin. 45. ca. de Iudaeis. Decrees, and counted very religious, in compelling to Christianitie.

This is that in summe I woulde say vnto you, for an­swere in this matter: For as much as there is no societie of people, so barbarous lyghtly, that liue without some outwarde exercise of Religion, and God hath beautified and commended Ciuill Magistrates in kingdomes, Com­mon wealthes, and Cities vnder the tytle of Gods, and hath ordayned them as his Ministers for our good, that we may receiue prayse frō autortie in doyng well, and in doingRom. 13. otherwise, stande in feare, as who beareth not the swoorde in vayne: for hee is the Minister of God, to take vengeance on him that doth euill. Againe, forasmuch as this Image of God, is in nothing more seene, namely, in publike persons, & those of Autoritie then in procuring, promoting, & aduan­cing dayly of Gods honour and seruice, by their power, and by giuing & shewing good exāple to others: for which cause principally they are aduanced, & as on a mountain placed in Royall chaire, that therefore I say, those Christian Kings & Queens, whō God hath called to this honor, to be Foster Fathers and Nurses to his Churche and people, doeEsai. 49. 23. well, and very acceptable seruice to GOD, (and are high­ly & highly, to bee commended, and heartily and continu­ally to bee prayed for of all, for that the aduersarie on the other side, is mightie and suttle, not onely for ranging them selues to Gods holy and true Religion, taken out of the sa­cred Scriptures, and the outward exercises of the same, but for inducing also by the wisedome and power giuen them of GOD, all people and personnes subiect to them vnto [Page 88] the like, by making good and wholsome lawes, by encou­ragement, and by feare, according as the qualitie and cir­cumstance of place, tyme, and person, require without all tyranny, and vsurpation of the roome, and place of the most high God of heauen, ouer mens consciences on the one side; and yet without all loosenesse on the other side, in o­mitting such oportunitie and meanes, as God offereth for the benefite of the holye people, the Saintes of the moste High. I speake of these, and of suche as are by office cal­led to publique and high charge among them, in Churche & cōmon wealth, euen christian Kings, Queens &c. Of whō thus it is prophecied: The kingdome and dominion,Daniel. 7. 27and the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole hea­uen shall be giuen to the holy people, of the most high, whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome, and all powers shall serue and obey him. This seemeth to bee spoken of Christ his kingdome, and the time of the Gospel. &c. Nowe this consecrating of her selfe, and her authori­tie wholly to GOD and his seruice, to the benefite of his Church is it, and it alone which her Maiestie, in this case, of many yeeres hath, & stil doth, to Gods glory, & her singu­lar cōmendation, put in executiō amōg vs her people, grow­ing, I hope, dayly from good to better: And this is that also, which no honest, faithfull, good man, can iustly bee offended withall. This haue I, if not ouerthrowne, in your opinion perhappes, your bulwarkes: yet sufficiently for this mat­ter cleared the trueth, I trust her Maiestie also, and the state against your vniust quarrels and slanders.

THus you amplifie iolilie, w^t similitude & example, your long possession; as ye say, of the Catholicke Church here in England, our ryot also, and violent intrusion, & vn­iust, as you pretende, which you call: Law lesse proceeding. You will by processe, seeme to call vs afresh into the kings Bench, when wee appeare, your action will beare no lawe­full plea against vs, you accuse vs hotly (M. Howlet) but as good an Attorney, or proctor, and solicitor, or man of lawe, and counsellor, as you are taken to bee in the Popes cause, you shewe and proue nothing against vs in Gods or the Princes court, we thanke God. Ye suppose altogether: for you say, by our aduersaries confession, that is for one part: But wee say, you say as yee are wont, that is vntruly, for your Church and religion, as they bee at this day, are not of a thousande yeeres antiquitie. Some part of your corruptions may be so old, we denie it not, some part againe are of later time. And heresies, we tell you out of Tertulli­an, doth not Newnesse so much argue, as Truth: whatso­euerTertulliā de virginibus velandis. sauoureth against the truth, that shall bee heresie, euen olde Custome, (saith hee.) Againe, your Iesuites, a newe or­der of Religion, instituted about fortie yeeres agoe, or such [Page 89] such a thing, seeme amōg vs at this day, to be your greatest pillers and staies, in this your new and strange proceeding, and wee here can scarcely yet well tell, what their religion is, nor where it is grounded, so lately, though suddēly come they among vs: but vpon an obscure fellowe, & your Pope, Paul the thirde, you tel vs is their foundation. And in deed your Popish religion is such a confused Chaos, and heape, or a hotche potche, that wee can not tell certainly what to make of it, nor where to fetche a proper and full summe of the Popishe doctrine at this day, and a confession of your fayth: For, leauing the Scriptures to bee the rule of your fayth, and coyning vs still so many newe Articles, vnder the name of vnwritten verities, traditions, the Churche, &c. Which the first and auncient Apostolique Church was ignoraunt of; and referring vs for all to your Popes brest. To bee playne, we can finde no footing.

You take a similitude from a wise noble man, and quiet possession of his Baronie many ages. Bee as wise as yee may bee, yet a similitude and example of a meaner and a more base and vile person than a Noble man, of a Barne (M. Howlet) rather than a Baronie, might fitlier serue to compare so corrupt a Church, and rotten religion withall, as is Poperie and the Popish Church: But wee muste take suche as you offer vs. Your Prelates of the Clear­gie that rule the Church, are Lordes euen ouer Gods heri­tage, they are Barons, they must needes haue a Baronie. No maruell, therefore though in respect of thē and their v­sing of the Churche, yee liken it to a Baronie of a Noble man that hath many ages helde the same in quiet posses­sion: Extrav. Ioan, 22 Cum inter, in [...] Credere Do­minum Deum [...] Papam, non potuisse sta­tuere prout sta­tuit [...] censeretur, &c. Or if you speake of the whole Catholike Churche, in respect of the vnholy holinesse of the Pope of Romes fa­therhood, the matter is brought to a higher degree then a Noble man: he is called our Lord God the Pope. For quiet possession, in deede I graunt yee helde that yee had in possession very quietly, & made as sure as you coulde, not to bee vnquieted in your Palaces. But a stronger, thanksLuke. 11. 21. 22 [Page] be to god, came vpon you, & your god & Prince to, I meane the Pope & Satan, & ouercame you, & took away your armour, wherein you trusted, &c. For the vnfitnesse of your similitude, I tell you first, that if you liken your selues to a Noble man, you must then liken the true Church to a­nothers, and not to the Noble mans owne Baronie: for that wee holde agreeable to the Scriptures, that the Churche so likened, can bee called no mans, but Gods or Christs Ba­ronie onely. In title of lande Sir, &c. where pre­scription of time beareth great sway; many ages of qui­et possession, be a great stay to Noble mens Baronies, or others holdes, especially where euidence and writinges by sundrie casualities may bee missing. In religion, (that I may giue a further taste of your vnlikelie likelyhood, andArnob. taduersus Gent. lib. 2. religi­onis autoritas non est tempore estimanda, sed nu mine, nec colere qua die, sed quid [...] intueri. &c. Aug. in quest. Vet & Nov. Test. quest. 114. vnproper example) the case is nothing like: For, authori­tie of religion, is not to bee esteemed by time, saith one, That which is true, is not too late. And y^t good father again saith: y^e heathē say, That that is first, cannot be false. As though antiquitie & old custome may preiudice the truth: But (M. Howlet) in going no higher for the age of your religion thē a 1000. yeeres, and talking to vs of quiet possessiō of many ages since that time, wee answere you first that our religion was aboue 500. yeere olde before yours came into the worlde, or your Pope were hatcht, supposing you kept quiet possession, as you pretende nowe a 1000. yeeres. For wee fetche ours from Christe and his Apo­stles, who had lawfull possession of the Baronie yee talke of, aboue halfe a 1000. yeeres before you came to possession thereof. And if you will marke well: those halfe thousande yeres before, were the beter, and more free from forgerie and corruption, and therefore woulde bee more regar­ded.

But nowe I pray you tell vs how you entred into pos­sessiō of y^e Catholike Churche, a thousande yeeres agoe. For by inheritance once, we denie that it came vnto you or by discent. If there may be any lawfull conueighance [Page 90] thought of; the best [...] I see yee can with any probabilitie alleadge, for the possession that your Cleargie euer had of this Baronie, meaning thereby the true Church of Christe, was, that they helde the same but as Tenaunts, and that te­nants at will too, standing vpon their good behauiour, to continue, or to bee cast out. The Noble man himselfe. the only Lorde and Baron, that I may so speake of this Baronie: is aliue, & his Baronie only may the true Church bee called. If you meane that, in this similitude: neither yours nor any mortall mans besides. Howeuer there­fore you haue holden the Catholike Churche that way, you haue beene but too long vniust possessors, and so lost you no­thing that was your owne, when vppon misbehauiour you were by Gods lawfull Minister our dreead Soueraigne therein, thrust out of possession of this true Church here: as you were once before within mans remembrance about xl. yeeres since. So then, this Baronie the Church heere, is now the second time, to Gods glory, and our inestima­ble benefite, lawefully taken from you: and you being dispossessed thereof, it is restored or returned home to Je­sus Christe the onely true owner, Noble man, heire, and [...] if yee will, of this Baronie. The same, through the iust iudgement of God, vpō you for your too too intollera­ble vsage, is taken from you, and by his infinite wisedome let out to other [...], who vppon their good behauiour also, and no otherwise holde the same of him, who is bound heerein, to no mens persons, place, Sea, &c. You are the first I confesse, the more to your reproche, that infeaffed the Pope and his Cleargie, into the titles and right that are proper to God and Jesus Christe in his spiritual kingdom, Citie, House, Uineyard, or Baronie, if you like y^t best. Yea you haue proceeded thus farre, that the Pope hauing taken possession, seemeth to challenge the bestowing of this Ba­ronie, on whom it pleaseth him, to holde of himselfe in capi­te. Is it not muche that you write that the Pope and Christe make one Consistorie, so as (sinne except) the Pope [Page] may as it were, doe all things y^t god can do, he and he alone, [...]. de Tra­ctat. Prelat. Cap. quarto, Abbas. Clemens. de Sent: & reiudicat. Past oralis. 2. Q. 6. Decreto. Decre­tal. lib. primo De translat Episc. [...]. 7. Ca. 2 & 3. & in Gloss. &c. hath fulnesse of power, he can dispence aboue the lawe who beareth the person not of a pure man, but of the true God vpon earth: so that what is doone by the authoritie of the Pope, is said to bee doone by the authoritie of God, &c.

I leaue heere to put you in remembrance of Shilo, the temple of the Lorde, the temple of the Lorde, Ierusalem, &c. in the olde Testament. May it please you to remem­ber the parable of the wicked husbandmen in the Gospell, to whome the Vineyarde was let out, and what Christ pro­nouncedLooke Ierem. 7. against them to their hurt, for taking the inheri­tance into their owne handes, keeping possession therof as it had been theirs, without yelding fruite to the owner. To be plaine, this is feareful for both you and vs to remember, they to whome Christe spake, being builders, refused the head corner stone. What came there of y^t: What gayned they by it: Put case your priuileges & titles were as good as theirs, and yee had the highest offices in Christes Church in deede: Hee by his eternall prouidence taking from you this Vineyarde or baronie, and letting it foorth to otherMat. 21. 33. &c. Husbandmen, doth you heerin no iniurie. Againe, (M. Howlet) because you talke of a Noble man and his baro­nie, remember well what befell those Citizens, that after the Noble man was gone into a far countrie, yet to comeLuke. 19. 12. 14. 15. 27. againe, sent an Embassage after him, saying: We will not haue this man to raigne ouer vs. But he againe said, at his returne, which surely wilbe: Those mine enimies whiche woulde not that I shoulde reigne ouer them, bring hy­ther and slay them before mee. These wordes are so plaine, as it booteth you not for the auoyding thereof, and your excuse to alleadge: that you say not so. Hee speaketh of the will and deed. Againe you knowe what the Psalme saith, The foole hath said in his hearte, there is no GOD. Psalm. 14. No cauil will serue, al excuse and pretence is put to silence, before this Noble man, of whom I talke. This way may you more [...], and with better religion and conscience, yea, [Page 91] and more profite also apply your Simile. I pray God geue both you and vs grace by these examples to be warned, and in time to take heede to our selues.

But leauing the generall account thereof to God and to Christes returne thereto: further then, y^t you are as wee all, bound to render accoūt here to gods substitute, as ye call the Prince and ciuill Magistrate, if yee or wee be in the meane while called. Let vs stande vpon this point now that you say: you haue helde the possession of the Catho­like Churche in England for this thousand yeeres, &c. In calculating y^e time, I perceiue partly what you meane, you hold from Pope Gregorie the great, a Romane Monke, who sent hether Austen a Monke also, called of some the Apostle of England, as also Gregorie is of some, apply­ing this Apostolike sentence to him. If hee bee not an A­postle to other, yet is hee to vs English men, &c. Accor­ding to this computation M. Harding some where writ­teth: Thus the faith hath continued in this lande among the English people, from the fourteenth yere of the raigne of Mauritius the Emperour, almost these thousand yeres. Here is the foundation of your thousand yeeres possession, & of the English Catholike Church, ye talk of. Now what titles soeuer be ascribed to these Monkes, & in what price soeuer they bee with the Papistes, wee denie them to haue beene the first planters of the true Christian faith in this lande, and vtterly vnworthie to be therefore called the Apo­stles of England: Of one and the greater it is saide, hee was the last of the good, and the first of the bad Popes. The others entrance was with such pride and disdaine, and his vsage such as made the Bishops of this lande, not to doubt onely whether to receiue him, but vpon tryall to refuse him as no man of God. Superstitions might heere bee much aduaunced by this Pope, and his Archbishop, and so might they be fit pillers for the Popish Churche to stay vppon. But Christes true, and sincere religion gayned nothing by that. Briefly, if by the Catholike Church, which you say [Page] you helde possession of, so long and many yeeres here, as of your Baronie, you meane Christes true Churche and spouse, because the same is his Baronie and not yours: for your iniurious sacriledge you are [...] thrust out of pos­session. If you meane y^t Churche to be like a Baronie, so many yeeres heere possessed of you, that wee call at this day the Popishe Churche: then, as we haue taken no possessi­on thereof, so because there is no good and sufficient war­rant in our heauenly kings recordes, for the erecting of any such Baronie as holdeth of the Pope of Rome in capite, as this your Baronie doth. And this Baronic besides hath been found greatly preiudiciall & hurtfull not only in spirituall matters tò our heauēly king & his spiritualkingdom, but in ciuill pollicie also to our dread Soueraignes; the Noble Kings & Queenes of this land: good & great cause both for y^t one respect & the other hath there been, & is, of the dissol­uing of this Popish Baronie in this Realme. There can no such Tenure bee iustly borne in this lande, that holdeth of the Pope in Capite. There is of your side (M. Howlet) that writeth you holde in capite of the Pope: Whereup­on you are iustly retected hence, this is none of his king­dome. If you will needes haue suche a Baronie so hol­ding in Capite, you must auoyde hence, and goe dwell in his kingdome and Dominions. And so you doe, and as seemeth are agreed and at a point: for the Pope hath nowe of late erected Nurceries to bring vp his Englishe fugi­tiue wardes in, you call them Seminaries: In that courte haue you your Officers accordingly, and your rules and orders to bee guided by, you haue made a very euill change, if yee can consider it well: heereuppon possible, be­ing wearie you woulde faine come home againe into this lande: But you woulde not chaunge the Tenure of the Pope in Capite, whiche you must doe, or els the other is not graunted you, aduise better of the mat­ter.

You playne of our intrusion vpon you without eui­dence. [Page 92] Our euidence is better then euer you [...] to shewe, or well to auoyde: wee, and all the worlde see, your euidence is litle worth, as which is grounded on man, and mayntayned with violence, and force, or with entising speech of mans wisedome, where that fayleth, as nowe here, thankes bee to God therefore. Our euidence are The Scriptures, and the written worde of God, say you as long as you will, It is the Heretikes euidence: Wee are assured that in Gods matters, it is the best euidence that can be she­wed, and the euidence of the Spirite, or, of the holy Ghost, who is the Authour of the Scriptures, We followe not de­ceiuable fables cunningly and colourably set out, but a most sure worde of the Prophetes, whereunto wee take heede, as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place, vntill2. Pet. 1. 19.the day dawne, and the day starre arise in our heartes, &c. As blessed Peter speaketh: you neede not therefore crye out of Ryot. This worde Ryot, you thinke serueth your allusion pretily: But you neede not shritch and crye out so lowde, especially in her Maiesties eares, quieter dealing might serue: Yee complayne of the wronge, which is none, you call for tryall of the tytle: After you haue let fall your Action, and your matter is come to A Non Sute, you tell of lawfull pleading, and paint out your margin with Lawe­lesse proceeding, which is all and wholly of your side. All these be but your Rhetoricall floures: Your Similitude, and example, for all this flourishe and a doe, proueth litle or nothing. The Plea hath been lawfully entred, euen heere a great while since, your tytle hath been not onely seene and perused, but well weighed and tryed, and after all your wrytings seene, and what euer else you can say for your selues, euen tyll you were wearie, and gaue ouer the other part also, being indifferently heard, their proofes alleadged, seene, and weighed, Definitiue sentence', hath vpon great deliberation been giuen against you, of God by his woorde, and the same ratified by the highest authoritie, and in the highest Court vpon Earth in this lande, and there Inrould [Page] [...] Possession here quietly deliuered and taken: whiche, thankes be to God and her Maiestie, wee likewise peacea­bly holde at this day, so that you may leaue your tragicall crying out of the matter. Disputation, when it was offe­red and required, was of your part refused, what woulde you more; It seemeth they remaine the same men still, els woulde they bee hearde of. In another place of your Epistle Dedicatorie before, commending your selues, and seeking to get grace at the States handes you say, you deliuered vs this Realme, that is no violent taking, whether onely wordes and forgerie bee of our side or yours, let the worde of God be iudge, and so many as can and list to iudge there­by, betweene vs both. And thus much of your Similitude or example, taken from A Noble man and his Baronie, your long possession of the Catholike Church, and your tytle, and right pretended thereto.

You bragge after this of diuers offers, of late, since your newe persecution, as it pleaseth you to wryte, made vnto vs with great ods. Yee charge vs that wee are entred into possession without tryall of the tytle, that wee haue thrust you out before sentence or proofe, and yet both (as I say) haue past: You crye out of the ryot, you complaine of the wronge, ye desire that the matter may come to lawful pleading. &c. And yet here agayne you say: yee pretende not thereby any recouery of your losses: for that you suppose to bee vnpossible. Wherefore make you suche sturre and busie adoe then; why cry you out so loude in her Maiesties eares; why playne you; I take it that the losse of your Baronie, your Catholike Church in Englande, as you cal it, that ye so many yeres quietly possessed, is your greatest losse, & y^t which greeueth you most, & maketh you to houle & scriche. If you suppose it bee vnpossible to reco­uer it: If you pretende not any recouerie of your losses, make then lesse a doe, about that which yee take to bee in so desperate a case: but it is harde trusting of you: for the con­ceipt yee haue of the recouery of your losses, maketh you [Page 93] so importune and forwarde; say and pretende what ye wil; you pretende the iustifying of your cause: But if you reco­uer not your Baronie, and other your losses, before you be able to iustifie your cause, it will bee a great while to that day: And wee shall bee sure to holde a long terme. Be­cause your side founde the State and people very desi­rous of alteration of religion at her Maiesties first ente­raunce to the crown, & that swaied mightily against you, in so much as vpon disputation, & conference of those of both religions, by the marueylous prouidence of almighty God, and her Maiesties godly affection, singular wisedome, and dexteritie, to whome ouer and aboue the rest, wee are in this case, passingly beholding; your religion [...] out of the doores, was sent packing, and the true religion of Christe restored. You thinke that, after long profession nowe of the Gospell heere, they will likewise lothe the heauenly Man­na, and waxe wearie thereof, and bee desirous to goe backe agayne to the fleshe potts of Egypt, &c that I may so speake. It is possible that in your trotting vp and down, heere vppon your Popes messages, yee may haue founde some bent but too muche that way, and thereby coniectu­ring, yee set downe in your bookes of accomptes, thou­sands: But ye may, and I trust well in GOD, shall be de­ceiued, in your expectation and reckening as yee hitherto haue been. And because Allen, one of your mates, in his Apologie, euen nowe sent ouer, still calling for Disputati­on, seemeth to grounde much vppon this Philosophicall Thucidides. [...]. hope or ghesse rather, that is, takē from worldly wisedome, and experience onely: I will giue this short answere to you both herein: Though you may finde the common people,The present state, euer lightly mistiked. but to moueable and inconstant, commonly to speake: Yet is not the case then, and now alike: for first, sir: As truth and falshood be contrary, so be the operations of them, both in men farre different; and mightie and effectuall is the force of the Holy Ghost, in his heauenly truth, and in their hearts in whom he stirreth vp a loue, and liking thereof, so that [Page] mans nature it selfe is quite altered thereby, rather then a­ny lothsomnesse, or wearines is gathered. Againe, sir, the greatest stay of your religion here, was thē taken away by the change of the prince: Her Maiestie, y^t thē first restored y^t publike exercise of religion here, liueth, God be thanked, and long may shee liue. None of you haue seene any suche in clination to Alteration, in her Maiesties constant setled minde, as you in fancte imagine: besides this, her Maiesties [...], most milde, and quiet gouernment, in the time of y^e Gospel (to all our great comfortes) doth not procure nor deserue any such thing at her faythfull subiectes hands, nay besides dutie, this dealing purchaseth the contrary, and kee­peth the subiectes in merueylous contentment commonly, and liking; where as the intollerable yoke and insupporta­ble burden, that you put vppon this lande, more then haled wertsomnesse, and desire of alteration, in the time of super­stition. When you talke of your newe persecution, if you meane thereby the committing of such to warde, as of late came from the Pope, & Rome, for their seditious attempts heere in Englande, or the repressing of the violent rebelli­on against her Maiestte, and the State in Ireland, we an­swere y^t ye might better haue sit stil like good Christians, & true hearted Englishmen and subiectes, or haue chosen an honester course, then by rebellion & treason, so to haue trou­bled the peaceable state of [...] Church and Realme, prouo­king and enforcing her Maiestie, (who beareth not the swoorde for naught) to drawe out the same, to crosse and stay your violent disorders. You offer to enter by sedi­rion, her Maiesties dominions violently: You offer to poy­son and corrupt, the mindes of the good and simple sub­iectes. This, and such offers of yours, wee are too well ac­quainted withall, other your offers, and oddes, wee com­monly know no more of, then you reporte vnto vs: you pre­tende not by your offers, any recouerie of lofses, &c. (If they bee any) who put you to them, but your selues; that will needes runne into them headlong. You tell [Page 93] what you pretended not, I woulde you had in time, as well tolde what your pretence and meaning was, that it might haue beene with lesse adoe preuented; you haue long hoped after a day, ye thought it had beene nowe come: But as God would, you hope without your hope, your end is to iustifie your cause. Whervpō the honor of god depēdeth. If Gods honour depēded on the iustifiyng of your cause, it should hang but vpon a weake twined threed, but he hath not put it into your hands sirs, it is better grounded and stai­ed than so. There is no profession at this day in Christen­dome, wherein God is more dishonoured thē in yours: Ye tell vs, ye knowe yee can not bee vanquished, yee tell vs also of our weakenes, a [...], shewing greater pride thē modest wisedome; You knowe more of your selues then all the worlde doth besides; yee are deepely seene in your owne cause: Either you neuer felte, or neuer well considered the forces of your aduersaries, at least you are blinde, and ther­by cannot well iudge of them: As God be thanked you gaine little nowe a dayes, where vpon vsurpation you violently inuade lawfull princes countries, with sworde, vpon confi­dence of the Popes authoritie that way; God so mightily de­fending and maintaining his seruantes & ministers, Prin­ces and ciuile Magistrates, and looking with a watchfull eye to his Institution and ordinance. So gaine you as lit­tle2. Cor. 10. 2. or lesse the other way because you stay altogether vpon Sand, vpon fleshe, worldely pollicie, man, &c. And the weapons of our warfare; are not carnall but mightie, YetEph. 6. 17.through God to cast down holds, &c, Ours is the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God: liuely and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword [...]Hebru. 4. 12.through, euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite, and of the ioyntes and the marrowe, and is a descerner of the thoughts & the entents of the heart. &c. Your Fortes are not imprennable, nay they fall of thē ­selues and moulder away. They are weake, They are rot­ten, your walles be but of Broune paper, The best and [Page] surest fort in this that ye call your newe persecution, was in Ireland, wherin (after rebelliō there stirred vp by you) ye much trusted. That, God be thanked through his blessing was by her Maiesties prouident care & forces, soone destroy­ed, &c. If the secular arme, and forces faile you, if fire and fagot be taken out of your hands, or your cōsuming flames quenched, yee can long holde in no place, God haue the glo­ry, for both taking those weapōs, from you, and so glorious­ly by his heauenly Gospell triumphing ouer you in these latter daies, & among other princes: let her maiesty our dread soueraigne haue her singular and due commendation in this work, as Gods speciall minister to al true englishmens vnspeakeable comforte, we haue had good triall of you by experience, and that maketh you to bring the authoritie of Kinges, and other vnder the pope, to be at his deuotion, but all in vaine: for ye resist against God and his eternal truth; you should doe well not to boaste nor triumph before the victorie, you know how the king of Israel answered y^e proud1. King. 20. I [...]. threat of Benhadad y^e king sometime of the Syrians. Let not him (saith he) that girdeth his harnes boast, himselfe, as he that putteth it off.

YOU tel further of meanes made, of challenges, peti­tiōs, writing, disputing, prohibitiō, & I wot not what, neyther truly nor to purpose greatly (writing vpon the oc­casion of chalenge at Paules Crosse, that ye mencion) hath since geuen your side such a woūd as I think you wil neuer be able to recouer it. Notwithstanding any prohibition of her maiesties by proclamation &c, yee can and doe write. print, publishe, and scatter your bookes and sedicious libels still although with little vantage, and I hope shall with lesse still euery day then other, for now you beginne to take in hand not so much to improue our religion, or to proue your owne, as to inueigh against the ciuill state, to confute her Maiesties lawes, Actes of Parliament, proclamations &c. These be fit argumēts for your wise politike head to treate of. Such is the respect ye haue to her maiesty, y^e state & your dutie of obedience herein. Thinke not (M, Howlet) they be afrayde of you without all cause nowe, that when the time was, if euer, offered your side disputation, which your men then refused, as I sayde howe and vpon what occasion not they onely but her Maiestie, the state, and honorable here, can very well tell, the thing was not done in hucker mucker. It seemeth now aboue twentie yeres after that [Page] time out of season to craue disputation: yet tel me I pray you (M. Howlet) one thing, whether, if your request and your fellowes were graunted of Disputation before her Maiestie, or such as her highnes should please to appointe thereto, if it should so fall out, by Gods prouidence, that yee should take a fayre fall in the wrestle at your aduersaries hands, her maiestie or the other appointed, geuing sentence against you, would yee acknowledge yee had a fall, no nor yet that yee were foyled, would yee yeelde and geue ouer your romish profession; it is no parte of your meaning, I feare me you would plaine of disorder, and want of indiffe­rencie and competent iudges, &c. Some thing or other you would finde to shift of the matter, as yee did in the former conference, would yee, or would yee not; What gayned you by that; you say, You knowe you cannot bee vanquished herein, you make no doubt but that Gods truth is clere on your side. Indeede there is the matter; it is easier to cast you downe than to stop your mouthes: If yee cannot dispute, yet can you braule and wrangle; that is not harde to be done, it is an arte easily learned among you, For dispu­tation,Almar. sirs, to leaue the disputation in the happie dayes ofPhilpot. her maiesties raigne and other: long ago, to note onely oneHaddon. time, were they not of our side, that in conuocation in queenElmer, &c. Maries dayes disputed with the greatest clarkes of your side, when your men ruffled and ruled the rost; was not the like agayne done at Oxenford by those reuerende fathersCranmer. of our side which neuer came thence after, but sealed in yourRidley. vniuersitie, after disputation that truth with their bloodes,Latimer. which they had before preached and taught, why set you vs not out these disputations truely, that the worlde maye see them; You are ashamed, as seemeth, Seeing you write and printe dayly, If Gods truth be so clere on your side, Why haue ye not al this while, set it vs downe in steed of your se­ditious pāphlets; Or why doe ye not yet set it vs downe in your books ye sēd so fast ouer amōg vs? cōtaining in maner now a daies nothing but braules, grēning, groining & snar­ring against the state, and her [...] wholesome lawes, [Page 95] proclamations &c, for repressing of poperie, superstition, se­dicious and rebellious vsage and dealing, that we might haue some fit matter for our profession to answeare more than hath beene alreadie seene, wayed and answered, furbu­shing nowe and then vp as hādsomely as you can your rusty stuffe, you geue vs but woordes onely without matter, your coine that carrieth the Popes marke being brought to the touch and waightes, is by long and often triall found to bee a counterfaited coine, in steede of good siluer it is knowne to be baser than copper, when we waigh and trie by Gods truth, that you would haue vs takefor good gold, in al the of­fers yee make vs, we finde nothing but drosse. Let vs not bring guilefull ballances (sayth your cannon Lawe out of Ierome) where to weigh that we wil after our owne plea­sure, saying this is heauie, this is light, but let vs bring gods ballance of holy scriptures as out of the Lordes treasures, and let vs therein weigh what is heauier. &c. Your reasons,24. Q. 1. Non afferamus ex Hiero. in sumine thus waied, are nothing but colourable wordes and shewe, which in this cleere light of the Gospell, wil not satisfie nor serue. In vaine therefore seemeth to be your petition, your replication, explanation, supplication, your earnest vrging by frendship, by request, by letters to diuers preachers, &c. which I thinke is as false as that you report here, of the dealing therin, with the Byshop of London, and thereupon you did well to put it in that parenthesis (Ifye be not deceiued) As in little or nothing yee be otherwise. You forget greatly M. Howlet with whom you deale, and to whome you write: You make great vauntes, and in words offer much, you perfourme in deed nothing. In your mar­gin is quoted An humble demande of disputation. You bring vs that foorth often; we know this geare so well at the first sight now, as we cannot easily be deceiued. It is not the setting on of a fayre glosse or glosing the matter, that will nowe serue. Is the trueth cleere on your side; Why call you it in controuersie then; why so earnestly demand and seeke you for disputation for re­solution of mens doubtes, &c. If yee demand conference [Page] for your satisfaction, or to resolue your doubtes; you haue not beene refused, nay you haue beene and are still offred it, yee are sought vpon, and the best of your side here refuse it. That may be priuately done, if that be your end, and some good come thereof.

But ye demaunde publike disputation, yee are ear­nest therein ye demaunde it againe and againe: what is the reason; Why woulde you so faine haue publike disputa­tion; There must be some honest and necessary end al­leadged, there must be also by her [...] appointmente, some Moderators, and some order lawefully to proceede therein First, haue you talked with the rest of your side; are yee all ageed vpon the sute to her Maiestie, humbly to desire publike disputations; Next, if this bee the ende of disputation (as you say) for the tryall of Gods truth, that mens doubtes may bee resolued, most necessary for you all, to your eternall saluation? Will ye then being requi­red: yeelde to Gods truth when your doubtes shall bee re­solued, and sufficiently resolued by the Scriptures, and y^t in the iudgement of her [...], who by Gods appoint­ment hath the moderating of the whole in this realme. And in the iudgement of the State here: wil you of that side, not stand any longer obstinat in your former opinions, but giue ouer as Gods faithfull seruants to his truth & become pro­fessors of the Gospell of Christ, abiuring all erroneous, and Popish fancies; Rearing your religion out of Gods holy booke, the sacred scriptures, directing & ruling your con­sciences thereby; On the other side againe, wyll you, as honest dutifull Subiects, renouncing all forraigne power of Prelate, Prince, or Potentate whatsoeuer, betake your selues hence forwarde to bee gouerned by her Maie­stie, and the temporall lawes of this lande, and such Sta­tutes, as for the good and peaceable guiding thereof be by her Maiestie, & the State, made & agreed vpon in the high court of [...], according to the order of this Realme? What say you to this condition; I aske you because I am in doubt, whether you will in the ende stand to the reso­lution [Page 97] and iudgement of her Maiestie, & the State herein. Nor to any in deed but vnto your Pope, & your selues, and yet had yee neede I tell you, resolue & be resolued in this point before you make sute to her maiestie, & so earnest sute to haue publike disputation, as wherevpon your eter­nall saluation dependeth, &c. And to this point answere hardly in your next writing: for in this Epistle DEDI­CATORIE, your wordes hetherto, seeme to imploy som cōtradictiō in this matter, or els your sute seemeth, yf not hollowly, yet cunningly made to your vantage, but preiudiciall, and perillous to this quiet and peaceable state, setled nowe aboue these xxii. yeeres together in this kind of gouernement, of reiecting the authoritie of the Pope of Rome, and Popish religion, and receiuing the profession of the Gospel, and acknowledging her Maiesties Royall so­ueraigntie ouer all States and degrees: All which is wel and sufficiently warranted, and maintained, by the expresse testimonie of Gods holy worde, and the wholesome lawes of this Realme, as hath beene and is still both for the one & the other by proofe published to the viewe of all the worlde. You (M. Howlet) and your late start vp Iesuites, and other English Romanistes, or Rhemistes, to be plaine with you, are too weake in the shoulders (God haue the glory) to take in hande by disputation, or otherwise to vndermine or shake this Godly State, or to prooue your owne cause good. Yee are but princockes and babes for the most part, in compa­rison of those of your side aforetime, that stoode in the front of the battaile, whose force yet God be thanked, haue beene well tryed and met with all. It is vnto you a harde [...] of the decay, and vtter ruine shortly to fall vpon your huge Antichristian kingdome, as that was an after demon­strationCicero in [...] Maior. Proueni­ebant Oratores noui, [...], [...]. in the Poet Naeuius, that Tullie mencioneth: when newe Oratours, foolish young men arise and take in hande the administration of the common wealth, who were wont so to bragge of gray haires, olde men, &c. Yea, [...] is that, that hath alreadie beene a great part of the vndoing ofit on [Page] your behalfes. Young men (I speake not to reproch age, nor to touche towardly youth) may haue good heades, fresh memorie, quicke sight, sharpe wit, ioly art, and prompt and readie tongues, and wordes at will: which thinges if they bee well applyed, wherein is all, haue their commendation as in young men: But in heauenly matters Gods truth reuealed in his written worde, his feare, a setled vnder­standing and iudgement, framed by Gods holy spirite, ioy­ned with simplicitie and sinceritie in Christes religion, and a reuerent humble minde to Godwarde, directed alwayes by the sacred Scriptures, in young or olde, are a great deale more worth, and yet by your vaunt, you seeme to trust much to the other, and thereupon are you so earnest for disputati­on. Of your vaine Scholasticall disputations and argu­ments pro & contra, that can make quidlibet ex quolibet, or as wee speake Make men beleeue that the Moone is made of greene cheese: or that the Crowe is white by your sophistrie. The Churche of God, to the hurt there­of hath had too great experience afore time, and the faithfull at this day see but too muche of this stuffe in your subtill Doctor Scotus, your Angelicall Doctors Quodlibe­tal questions, and in numbers of bookes of that stampe.

We haue beene faithfully warned by the holy ghost to take heed of admitting that kind of dealing, a great while since,1. Tim. 1. 4. & 6. 4. 5. & 4. 7. 2. Tim. 2. 16. 23. &c. namely in Saint Paules Epistles to Timothie. And in deed by tryall we find dayly that by wrangling, iangling, and vaine disputiug, the truth commonly goeth to wracke and is lost, besides other inconueniences that arise thereby: There be other meanes to try out the truth by, then this: This kinde of exercise, vnlesse it bee very soberly kept, and vsed with great moderation is very dangerous in matters of diuinitie. And yet God be thanked for his gifts you may be and are euen in this exercise matcheable, and to bee matched, if neede were, with your equals heere at home. You that make these great bragges, were but yesterday to talke of in Oxeford, you haue left your fellowes and your [Page 98] betters too, behind you in Oxeford, Cābrige, & abrod also; if you will giue other, besides your selues, leaue to iudge: but let vs heare what you tell vs more of y^e particulars: for you offer also of your liberalitie two other wayes of dea­ling besides publike disputation. These are your wordes.

YEE talke vnto vs of three wayes of conference both ioyntly and seuerally, as yee speake, but all must be had in wordes and speeche. Flying and flowing wordes are rife, with Dratours, & Logicians, there profession requireth it: but how well soeuer you haue heretofore sped by words in dispute or persuasion, ye are not yet come to that value, that with Caesar yee may say: veni, vidi, vici, as though all were in your handes, and your owne. Yee talke of brief scholasticall arguments, where may a man seeke them, where shall we finde them: Your authours reasons that you make so great account of, shewe very litle skill in Logicke, what euer the matter be, and yet there seemeth to haue been the proper place where that cunning, if there had been any, shoulde haue bee shewed. We wonder in what Schoole you or he learned to frame the maimed arguments, y^e weake and sclender reasons yee set vs downe, which leaue out ne­cessarie proofes of thinges in controuersie, & vnnecessarily [...] in proouing things not in controuersie. This ar­gueth poore skill in the art of disputing. Strengthen your weake arguments, that are set downe in this discourse whereof yee make so great account. Of his nine reasons, make vs of all but one good, sounde, and substantiall briefe scholasticall argument, to make vs see our owne weake­nesse, &c. as you speake. It is an easie matter to conuince them y^e are your owne men alredie: But reprooue our doc­trine, or prooue your owne, to our shame and confusion once. Let it be your labour (M. Howlet) to ease your frend, if you wil, that brag vs so greatly of disputation aud scho­lasticall arguments: But sir, leaue out I pray you Para­logismes, leaue captious arguments, that is, [...] not you [...] Catholikes, set vs downe counterfet principles [Page 99] agreeing with your name and matter, and so reason [...] supposittons, quite false, and [...] grounded: doe not when you make an argument, occupie your selfe in prouyng, that wee denie not, and passing ouer without proofe, that we de­nie, which I admonishe you of afore hand, because it is your Authours common maner, in his vnreasonable Reasons, set vs downe in his discourse: howe Scholasticallie, or like a Disputer, if you knowe not: Let Aristotles Elenchs tell you: But I say, mende these faules, or bragge not of your Scholasticall arguments, which are full of faultes.

2 Your seconde way of conference, is continuall speech, wherein like a babling Orator, you wil seeme so to excell, thinking that you haue marueylous great vauntage of all the worlde besides, that yee dare giue your aduersa­ries leaue to answer you eyther presently, or vpon studie: But sir, yee had not neede to staie vpon your three places, taken out of the firste booke of Aristotles Rhetorique, wherwith, as with floures, ye decke this your Epistle dedi­catorie to her Maiestie. You may be better seene in Aristo­tles Rhetorique, that is (as seemes) you make of it in cun­ning of pretie words and sentences, to delight and perswad withall, then in Gods booke, that is: in heauenly matters and thinges appertayning to conscience. But if you will looke no further of, looke at least on your foule talons, and bee not proude of a Peacocks tayle. A man woulde haue thought, that your dainty or quaize stomacke, shoulde not well digest long speeche, that could so euill brooke the god­ly Sermons made at the publike fast at Stamforde, the last Sommer: that yee lothed the length of them, onely vp­on a hearsay, insomuch, that yee imagine, the continuall speech, to haue lasted tenne or twelue houres together. Whereas the longest Sermon then made, was (as I vn­derstande) two houres and a halfe, or somewhat aboue, in an extraordinarie Exercise. You say of them with a disliking and vntruly also, that they haue a desire to heare them­selues speake, ten or twelue houres together. These are [Page] your Rhetoricke termes, I coulde vse an other worde, as you deserue, but I forbeare. Here now, like a Declaymer, or an Orator, you woulde haue a continuall speech, to be allotted out, tell howe many houres together you desire to heare your selues speake, or howe long ye will declame, that the certaine space may bee considered of them, to whom it doth appertaine. In the meane space: Thus mar­king thinges with your chalke and cole, as they say, you al­lowe, and condemne as pleaseth you, sometimes as it were Chilo, or as Menelaus in Homer. The Lacedemonians short speeche, seemeth to like you: sometimes like the Ioni­ans or Battus, you loue to haue your tongue runne at ran­don pleasurably: You are the Newe Orators, &c. that I spake of before.

3 From Rhetorique, and Logique, you come at length to the holye exercise of religion: For the last of your three wayes, not of wryting, but of talke still, is preaching. That vsual and ordinarie exercise, is taken vp but of late, as new­ly begunne among you, by your newe religious Iesuites: As I take it, or else taken from the beggerly Fryers. I praye you [...] often, and howe vsually doe seculare Priestes vse to preache beyonde the Seas, that for beyng to bolde ouer you, I aske you nothing of the matter yee preache of, wherein you are too prophane; As you measure other men, so to measure your selues, by your owne foote, shall wee say that when you woulde dispute, vse continu­all speech, or preache before her Maiestie, &c. It is for a desire you haue to heare your selues speake, &c A dumme masking Masse secretely saide, as your Priestes occupati­on, to blaspheme God in, is a meeter exercise for you & your fellowes: If you bee [...] & shauen, as it may be, you be but some Schoolemaister: But for preaching sir, pulpittes serue not for Orators heere nowe a dayes, neither bee her Maiesties eares, acquainted to heare blasphemies out of pulpits, nor yet inuectiues. What we haue to hope, or looke for from you; if you may get into pulpits, is not harde [Page 100] to ghesse. Your Sorbonne, or the like, is a fitter place for scoulding [...]. Pulpits, thankes be to God, are ap­pointed to better, and more religious vses among vs: which haue been, and are too badly prophaned, by those of your side.

But forwarde; as boasters and braggers, be not alwayes the greatest doers, when it commeth to the pushe: so [...]. Howlet, you shewe your selfe a very cowardly Thraso, that euen in the beginning, after so great bragges and sute for combate, before you performe any thing, you take so great care for your person and safetie, and for your fellowes also: for you will needes condition with your dread and liege Soueraigne, and gracious Prince, and ours, before you will appeare before her highnesse, you will not come hither I perceiue vpon the gage of your heades, if yee bee vanqui­shed, yee will not giue them for washing, and yet our men were brought to your disputation, as Prisoners, and knewe before what should become of thē after: What; are all your faire flattering speches. &c. come to this now; euē now you were most humbly on your knees, asking at her Maiesties hāds, disputatiō. All I perceiue is but Crocodyles teares, as the prouerbe is. You brage before of your patient obe­dience in doctrine and demeamour, where is that now; here you demaunde a safe conduct, before you will come into your Princes power and presence, A token of an euill conscience: What haue you done man; that you are so afraide of her Maiestie, that you dare not come home into your natiue Countrey, to your naturall Prince, and Mo­ther, as yee pretende in speech, without good warrant for your safetie. This is a strange and vnwonted kinde of dea­ling, of good and honest subiectes, with their Soueraignes and Princes. Her Maiestie is vpright, shee will doe you no wrong, shee is compassionable, and mercifull also: you confesse it, why doe you not put your selfe into her gracious [...] handes; Is this a louing and dutifull childes dealing, with his naturall Mother; Is this your Catho­like [Page] obedience in deede; towards our Queene and Prince, when shee commandeth you to come home; who when you list your selues, can not by any prohibition bee keept hence: Here here M. Howlet, commeth in fitly the tryall of con­science, you talked of afore. Here commeth in the place of scripture, for you to cōsider of, y^t I take you cited out of S. Iohn before: Yf our hearte condemne vs, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things. Here in summe commeth in the doctrine of Obedience to Princes, for con­science sake, as to God himselfe &c. That you before said your Mother, the Catholike Church together with the Apostle, teacheth her children. If you bee a naturall child and not a bastarde, shewe your selfe nowe, and heare when you are called: For a childe honoureth Father and Mo­ther: where is this honour, reuerence, loue, duetie; &c. All is to seeke: you minde not to come before her Maiestie, but vpon sure grounde once. You can prouide for one, I per­ceiue, to keepe your selfe out of gunne shot, you will bee a right Thraso, and set your selfe behinde rather, then bee in the front, or forewarde, when there is any danger to your person, you will abide no brunt by your will: you loue to talke of the matter, but it shall bee a loofe, and with condi­tion: What I say; Be not too cowardely, and too fearefull, doe somewhat like to that yee talke, Some deale answere your hie wordes, else all the worlde will crye shame on you, that so instantly craue disputation, as a Suter for it, and then will not vouchsafe to come to it, but vppon fur­ther warraunt from your Prince. Her Maiestie hath pardoned as great faultes as you haue committed. Bee sorie in deede for former offence, and put your selfe at least into her mercifull handes to whom you so smoothely write. I pray God I spend not woordes vpon you in vain, I am in doubt it is no parte of your meaning, openly to come home, except you may haue proclamation or letters patēts or some such stay for your safetie. This is y^e testimo­ny & terrour of an euil conscience, you must for your safety [Page 101] haue her maiesties safe conduct in as ample manner as it was offered to those of our side by the councel of Trent. A high point wherein there is great reason and wisdome sure, that the Pope and Popish Bishops beeing stran­gers and our mortall enemies, who not themselues on­ly breake all faith and promise, but teach and persuade prin­ces and all other to doe the like, with those of contrary re­ligion, whō they call heretikes; that these men I say, should haue as great credit with englishmen in her maiesties do­minions, as her selfe (who is our naturall and most honora­ble louing Princesse and Queene) shal haue with her eng­lish subiects? wher at can you blush. M. Howlet. y^t dare thus impudently write to our dread soueraigne. Me thinketh it should haue made penne, ynck, paper and al, to haue blushed, if there had been any blushing in them; we refused to accept that offer frō the Pope & his councell of Trent. Great rea­son M. Howlet & answered why, a good while since: But you will not refuse her maiesties warrant for your saftie. I am ashamed, though you be not, of your ouergrosse cōpari­son. Is the case alike; you say you would haue her maiesties onely worde set downe vnto you, in no ampler maner, then the Councell of Trent made the safe conduct to your aduer­saries. Those that you call your aduersaries; to whome your Popes bull or safe conduct, as you call it, was directed by name, or with whom it had principally to deale, were protestant or Gospelling Kinges, Princes, states, or pub­like persons, commonly if any of that profession, rather then priuate and obscure persons, such as you and we are; who without leaue of superiours, coulde not go thither, name­ly out of England. It is sayde your Popes safe conducte was that the libertie of comming to that councell, pertained but to them onely of our men, that would repent and return to the boosome of your churche, whereof hee that in eng­lish1. part. cap. 6. diuision. 1. list to see more, let him reade the Defence of the Apo­logie wil you now accept her maiesties offer in like maner6. part. cap. 8. diuision. 2. on this churches behalfe; ye say you desire it in no ampler maner than the counsel of Trent made the safe conduct to [Page] your aduersaries. Whether it were the councels safe con­duct, & the Popes Legates, or the Pope of Romes himself, who summoned the councell, or which of the 3. Popes it was, vnder whom that councell was, Al is one, Hee was, and needes must be the iudge in the Councell, who is the aduersarie parte, and hath himselfe to answeare and yet the Lawe is, that he that is cheefe in iurisdiction, ought not to geue iudgement to or for himselfe. Lastly, sir, vppon whose safe conduct soeuer our side had come to Trent Councell, they had beene required, either to haue yelded when theyF. De iurisdi. omnium iu­dicum. had come and conformed themselues, or to haue been excom municated, accursed, and condemned for their labour. Tell vs whether you list to come hether on like condition. Thus writeth Harding your owne man of going to the CouncelNon ab re quoque puta uimus esse omnes qui in hereses quas cunque lapsi sunt, & adhuc irretiti sunt ad penitenti am inuitare, cum salui con­ductus ampla concessione ac promissione magnae & sin gularis clemē tiae & benigni tatis, modo re deant ad cor, & sanctae Ec [...] catholi cae [...] agnoscant. Concil. [...]. sessio. xvii. prima sub Pio. [...]. of Trent. In deede (sayth he) had ye gon thither your he­resies had beene confuted, your selues required to yeeld, and to conforme you, to the Catholik church, or else you had beene Anathematized, accursed & condemned. For that was the foundation and condition of the safe conduct, which was neuer willingly graunted as seemeth, but ex­torted by the Germanes importunitie, the fathers of [...] Councell hoping as they pretended their recouerie and re­turne to their Catholike religion; wherein they were decei­ued. And this safe conduct was first graunted not by the Councell vnder Pope Paule the third, but vnder Iulius the third, his successour after many sessions and yeeres passed too, as seemeth: and repeated by the Councel vnder Pius the fourth many yeeres after againe. Now that the foundation and purport and meaning of this safe conduct, that. M. Howlet here mencioneth may appeare and be the better knowne to the Reader; I set downe these words fol­lowing as they were propounded in the first session vnder Pius the fourth, immediatly before the safe conduct graun­ted to the Germanes in the generall congregation: Wee haue not thought it also to be amisse to cal to repētāce al [Page 102] those that are fallen into any heresies and are yet entang­led therein, with a large graunt of a safe conduct and promise of great and singular clemencie and Gentlenes; so that they returne to hearte, or repent and acknowledg the power of the holy Catholike church. If you desire so greatly to be solemnely called home, Construe of this condition then by your owne rule.

Yee talke of her Maiesties woorde, and you say, you will aske onely her Maiesties worde. And yet to goe fur­ther, by your leaue, you being subiectes, will see her Maie­sties worde set down by Proclamatiō, y^t al y^t world may be witnesses of it: such trust you repose in her maiesties word, or letters Pattents. Her Maiesties becke might serue suche as you bee well enough in this case: ye seeme too distrust­full to be plaine meaning and dealing men. It is a harde case when her maiesties commandement cannot serue with those, that will pretende to be subiects; with whom the least signification of her highnes pleasure shoulde be enough and enough againe, without prescribing an order for her maie­sty to deale by, in a mere ciuil case too, as this is, to cōmand her people to carry at home or to return home being abroad. And yet more you must appoint your selues y^t time to, of cō ­ming home before you will stir. Foure score dayes iust, no lesse wil serue you. You are honorable men and long a ma­king readie, & many things to take order in, before you can set your selues into your voyage, & yet your best & surest pillers that of englishmen ye haue to trust in; be here in eng­land among vs. If neede were, and it were for your van­tage three or four dayes would serue your turne to [...] before her maiestie. Her maiestie hath nothing else to doe, you thinke: but to attend and hearken after you and your sutes, cunningly made for your aduantage. Unlesse you ca­ried better & more duetifull mindes, yee may tary where yee bee still. Your roome is better then your companie: [Page] When you haue afore hande prouided for the safetie of your persons, more then reason and honestie can aske, bee­ing subiectes. Then you tell vs what danger you will put your selues into for the trial of Gods trueth, &c, Babling and vaine folly as all the rest. This is the matter, eyther you would haue a furder ouverture to doe more hurte then you now doe, or can doe, while you craue disputation. &c. not for to haue your own doubtful consciences satisfied, but to bring moe into perplexity w^t you, & to more cōfirme such as bee too obstinate alreadie in errour, or else it may be, you are weary of being beyonde the Seas and would fain come home, and after many attemptes you thinke at last you haue found out a way whereby you may bee honourably called home. Ah craft: But peace for shame, no more of this. Is all the labour, peril and disaduantage on your partes as ye say, on the other part nothing at all, let her maiestie the state & other here say for themselues and not you. It is enough for you to speake for your owne side, leaue the rest to bee waied by them whom it toucheth neerer then you, you are but in a dreame. The best and enowe of your side to take this mat­ter in hād, be here in england, that there needeth no sending ouer sea for helpe to be had at englishmens handes thence, You M. Howlet and your companions for the most parte, haue your sires and dammes heere, of whom you suckt your poperie.

From this you come to shewe, If your offer be refused by vs, that is: with your so great labour, perill, and disad­uantage, wee shall shewe our selues too much distrustfull in our owne cause, &c. Of your perill and safetie, wee haue seene before: for your so great labour. Take no more paines to leese your labor I pray you, thē you need. When there is any vse thereof, it will bee called for, profered ser­uice, &c. If ye finde disaduantage, thanke your selues that make the match, wee haue not to regarde that, Yee make many offers we see, and hide you in corners when you haue [...], or like proper fellowes betake you to your heeles, & [Page 103] runne away, that one cannot tell where to haue you, nor where to seeke you, sauing that some of you by Gods pro­uidence are sometime ouertaken ere yee bee aware, and ta­ken napping as they say. You haue alwayes some let, or some excuse or other, why you keepe not touche when your matters goe not forwarde according to your expecta­tion and mynde. This is playne double dealing: you cast vs the gloue of defiance, I am not disposed to contende with you in bragging and vaunting: yet let me warne you M. Howlet, and the proudest of your fellowes, that yee take heede if you be wise: Little Dauids bagge hath a stone in it, that flung at you before you come to hande strokes, will make you grouel on the grounde, if ye abide it, were ye as1. Sam. 17. stoute as euer was great Goliah. Yee dare vs, and would haue vs come ouer the Sea, to make offer to you. It is not in our handes, neither conuenient to accept offers made by you at pleasure, nor to go ouer Sea vnto you to make you offers. Haue yee not enow beyonde the Seas to dispute withall: Is all the worlde there one your side: Ywis, there be moe M. Howlet, and y^t singular men thē you well woulde there were, and then while you liue, you shalbe able to deale withall, but to your shames. Neuer crye hoo hoo, at the matter like an Owle, there will be no lacke of them I tell you, whose faces yee dare not abide, neither are yee a­ble to stande in their handes, let it without bragge bee spo­ken to Gods glory: either you dissemble egregiously, orAudax Insci­tia. yee knowe not the greate power and giftes of God in the learned professours of the Gospell, beyonde the Seas: but who is more bolde then blinde Bayard: As though there were not heere to be talked dayly withall, as profound lear­ned English men of your side, as any of you that (hauing for the most part beene of late young men in Oxeforde and some in Cambridge) haue since fled beyonde Sea. Doth the very name and sight of Rome, and those quarters make now a daies so great Clarks: I weene not, A cocke I'per­ceiue on his dounghill. The not accepting of your proud [Page] bragges is no distrust in our cause, but a great pride in you, ioyned with a dastardly cowardlinesse, who putting fire in­to y^t house runaway (as they say) by the light, plucking your neckes out of the collor, most of all of obedience to her ma­iestie. No dealing with you, except you may haue your own offers, your owne oddes, and your owne lawes. You say that our comming ouer vnto you is not to bee ho­ped: and therefore you relie vpon disputatiō to be graun­ted; Which you very instantly seeme to demaund, but with your after parle & conditional indenting with her ma­iestie, yee seeme againe to flie touche: that I say nothing heere of the vntimely asking of disputation at her maiesties handes, after you haue a litle before, twise doone the same: When wee see greater cause than hytherto, or any good to be gotten by going ouer Sea, then may that voyage bee thought of, or soone enough taken in hande, of vs English Subiectes at her Maiesties appointment. When yee haue ouerthrowne those of our side in the low Countries Germanie, Fraunce, &c. that they shoulde neede helpe in the cause of the Gospell, whiche will neuer bee while you liue. Then were soone enough, to make your bragges and to call vs, to combate. In the meane while what shoulde I say: but whether you lie or relye, it is all but vp­on wordes and talke, shifting of thinges by cunning. This you haue Rethoricke enough to inforce: But alack where truth and matter faile, there are wordes and Rethorick little worth. You that can handle an ill cause so handsom­ly,Athenaeus. would I wishe to try what you can doe in a good, but [...]. that in deede needeth not so much a doe: speaking well one may soone persuade wise men, saith one, which opinion (M. Howlet) it might haue beseemed you to haue had of her ma­iestie at least.

After all this a doe, you will seeme at length to craue pardon at her Maiesties handes, or rather because you will seeme to be in no fault, but to excuse your presump­tion, you request that her Highnes will not take in euill part, this your bolde attempt, Clarkely spoken, and like an Drator: where vpon you alleadge reason, that hath induced you hereto, taken partly from the bonde and knot, whereby her Maiestie, and her subiectes are narrow­ly linked together, partely from necessitie, and extreame [Page 105] miseries, that yee pretende, you are brought into. This is the [...] of your long, boasting withall, howe readie you and other of your side are, to spende your bloodes in defence of your religion, and Church. This is in summe, the effect of the three next Sections, and that which remayneth for a Conclusion of your Dedicatorie Epistle. your ouer rashe boldenes, in thus dealing with her Maiestie, needeth great­ly of crauing pardon: Howeuer you craftily cloude it vp, and put a false vizarde thereon, that I may turne to you, your owne phrase, not so much for hauing recourse to her highnesse, in your pretended miseries, which either are not so great, or else easily releeued, if ye so will your selues: but in respect of your double dealing, rather in pretending one thing, and doyng the cleane contrarye, not contayning your selfe within the bounds ye talke of. You might with good leaue of her Maiestie, haue propounded your case, and haue had recourse vnto her Highnesse, if her Maiestie had been ignoraunt thereof, as I thinke none in the land know­eth it now better, such is her wisdome, and godly, and great care ower her Subiectes: wherein, you doe her highnesse the more wrong, in supposing shee liueth here among her Subiectes, as a stranger without vnderstanding, and piti­yug the harde case, of any of her Maiesties naturall, honest, and dutifull subiectes: bearing, or forbearing your vntrue perswasion. It may please her maiesty to pardon that folly: but to feed her highnes eares, w^t bare words, without deeds, (nay your deedes being cleane contrary and very naught) how should her Maiestie take this in good part: for you are a Proctor for your selfe, and other that you call Catholikes, that haue giuen your faith to the Pope, and Sea of Rome, her Maiesties sworne enemie, and the Realines: you goe a­bout with slaunder, to seuer and make dissention, betweene her Maiestie, her Lawes, and the Ministers thereof: bee­tweene her, and her faythfull people and subiectes: Ye [...] and reporte tales, to impeche the credite of particular persons. In summe, ye take too much vpon you, ye woulde [Page] be credited in euerie thing with her Maiestie, as though your saying were some heauenly Oracle. Wilfully funne not headlong into moe, and greater afflictions, and calami­ties, then her Maiestie, and lawes will laye vppon you, and you shall haue little, or no cause to complaine; suche is her Maiesties plentifull wisedome, and goodnes, and the great moderation, that is vsed in making of lawes in this realme. Great, and narrowe is the knot, thankes bee to God, and harde and faste tyed betweene her Maiestie, and her good and faithfull subiectes, as your Pope, and you to your re­gret, haue tryed, in seeking manie waies to dissolue that bande, and yet hitherto neuer coulde preuaile, nor neuer I trust shall. If her Maiestie bee borne your Soueraigne Princesse, and Mother, and you bee her naturall Subiects, and Children: As in deede, shee is all true hearted English­mens, and wee all her Maiesties more bounde, if more may bee, in respect of the Gospell among vs, then euer to any Princes or Kinges before. If your case be common with ours, why then doe you hot Catholikes, growe more out of kinde, then the rest ofher Maiesties naturall subiects do? Why before you neede, runne you so fast, and so hastily to Rome, and to the Pope, and thence seeke to make head, to disquiet this State, and your brethren, and countrey men at home. This is not onely no part of a Loyall subiect, to­wardes his Prince and Countrey, but hardly the part of a true hearted Englishman: so vnnaturall is the dealing.

The better her Maiesties noble disposition, and ver­tues are knowen, and renoumed throughout the world, the moremonstrous a great deale, is this your wicked dea­ling, with so gracious a Soueraigne, and most naturall, godly, and carefull a Prince. You can haue no greater condemnation, or testimonie against you, then your diue­lishe betaking of your selues to the Stepmother, that you haue chosen, leauing her that God had appointed you: whi­ther yee list to take it of conscience, or pollicie. Runne whither yee shall, seeke [...] and neare, you are not like to [Page 106] finde such a mother againe abroade: Your stepmothers affection, that you haue chosen, lift her vp to the skie, if you can with your prayses, is in no comparison like: shee is too harde hearted, and too bloodye, wee knowe her well e­nough, and but to well: Leaue her therefore, leaue her. Come out from that Babylon, &c. And like naturall and obedient children, returne home to your owne deare Mo­ther and Countrey, whome ye haue so vnkindely, and so undutifully forsaken. Put your selues againe with submis­sion into her handes, so it seemeth you will: but when you can not otherwise chose, and yet hardly then too, your fault here in is such, as I hardely finde wordes, to expresse the in­dignitie thereof. If all bee well considered, you haue very great cause of recourse, and submission to her Maiestie: and from her, to forrainers and other, no cause at all: Leaue it therefore in time, leaue it and come home. At least for your part, M. Howlet, doe so, if you bee abroade and beyond Sea, without her Maiesties leaue: But come with a single heart and a good conscience, that is, a changed man. Put your selfe in deede without all dissimulation, to her Maiesties mercie, and to vs you shall bee moste welcome. If miserie presse you, with the prodigal Sonne, hearken to this aduise the rather: Better to learne by affliction, and in it; then ne­uer; If your State be other, by your returne let it appeare, with howe franke a heart, and well meaning minde you come home, which will bee, when God shall first touch your heartes, to returne vnfaignedly and in deede, from Poperie and superstition, to that most mercifull heauenly father, or else neuer. This is the best Counsell I can at this time giue you.

For her Maisties being abroade among her Subiects, in many partes of her Realme. It is, thankes bee to God, and long may it continue, much and often, to our great ioy. Shee needeth not be tolde of the State of her subiectes by you, or goe by here say onely, and receiue the reporte thereof, from beyonde Sea. Besides, reportes gather, and [Page] goe much by mens affections; This that you report of such hurly burley, and disquietnesse to bee in this Realme, is as true as other reportes, that come to you of thinges done here, and all a like, you are too light of credite: Your repre­sentation of the miseries, is but wordes, yee make more a doe then yee neede a great deale: If her Maiesties most moderate lawes against Poperie and Treason, if her milde proceeding in the iust defence of her selfe, her royall estate, and the Realmes presse you: will you doe well: Giue ouer that dealing then, that hath procured all this, and liue quiet­ly at home as Gods true seruauntes, in the profession of the Gospell of Christ Jesus, and in duetifull obedience to our Soueraigne: Pray for her Matestie, and the State with vs, as wee are willed, that wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie, and all for­mer quarrelles betweene you and vs in religion, forgotten and forgiuen, wee will liue in peace and charitie with you, howe euer you thinke otherwise of vs. You make an If, and doe well so to doe, When you talke of her Maiesties dispo­sition, to delight in your calamities, & of others cruel ap­petite to desire blood: which is as far frō her maiestie, & those of y^t side; as y^e same is familiar vnto your popish religi­on: It is happie, howe euer yee thinke of other that yee cleare her Maiestie herein, which testimonie from the ene­mie hath some force. But howe euer ye brag of A readines to accept the offer of suffering death for your religion: yet thanke God, if yee be wise, and her Maiestie that that of­fer hitherto hath not been made you, nor them that ye be as­sured to bee so readie to accept thereof. This I tell you for all; your troubles are not delighted in heere, much lesse bee they or your blood sought after. These [...] but your dreames, You might well enough haue spared therefore that brag either of your selfe bing beyond sea, or of your fel­lowes readines to suffer and to die in so euill a cause espe­cially, how euer you call it Catholike. It is a question of [...] (man) and of treason, [...], and rebellion, & [Page 107] not other, that you call the Catholike cause, Again you can at the most, but warrant for your selfe. Let other men alone hardely in this case. And yet talking of suffering death, you doe wisely (in my opinion) when yee ioyne those fewe that be here of your side in prison with your selfe, and those that are fled beyond Sea, and put them first in the forewarde, and followe your selues aloofe and a farre of, [...] this condition: that if y^t number will not suffice, where by seeing how they speede, and will stand to their tackling as stāders by, & out of danger ye may after they be gon, con­sult what is best for you: whether to come home and take such parte as they, which euen now ye are not very hastie to doe, or to tarie there still, vnlesse you may come in safetie, for which ye meetely well prouide, as we haue seene a little be­fore. I pray God make both you and vs al readie to beare the crosse, and whatsoeuer afflictiō here for Christes sake & his Gospell, when it shall please him to call vs to that trial. And let the catholike cause goe, of which you so much talke, all without booke. For the other I meane the profession of Christes gospel, our brethren in Queene maries dayes (to keepe home, and to goe no farther of) being in the hands of those of your side, haue to Gods glorie alreadie geuen ample and sufficient testimonie of the truth. And yet I am in doubt that the bloode then shed, would not satisfie your bloody church, if you had the sword in your handes which God keepe you from if it please him.

Heere I finde now cited the third time, the first booke of Aristotles Rhetorique, to adorne this your Epistle withall and you note, both in your text and margin the Law of Are­opagus, It had beene more wisedome for you M. Howler to haue set that rule or lawe before your eyes in the begin­ning, At your entrie into your Epistle, as you found it at the beginning of the first booke of Aristotles Rhetorique, that ye might still haue beene put in remembrance, to haue kept the same better than you nowe haue done, or to left it quite out, when you haue vsed all your skil, to moue h̄er ma­iesties [Page] to the affections of pitie, hatred, and so foorth, and haue tolde a greate deale more than troth. You saye nowe out of place in the ende that you will keepe the Law of Areopagus. The learned reader in perusing the verye first leafe of Aristotles Rhetorique and comparing it with this your manner of writing, will by & by see your vanitie & what credit there is in your word, how well you kepe the rules of your profession. You [...]. haue taken an euill cause in hand: Aristotle in his Rheto­rique sayth, you should perswade no such matter though you could. It is an abuse of your arte, supposition deceiued you. Aristotle would haue you pithie, or bring matter & stuffe for [...]. proofe & not be occupied in cunningly stirring vp affections with wordes, which is the substance of your writing. For that (saith he) an argument or reason is a Rhetoricall de­monstration, [...]. and the cheife in perswasion. Concerning the Law of Areopagus at Athens in Greece. There were cer­taine iudges of capital matters of great authority and fame called Areopagites, of y^e place where they sat in iudgmēt. In this courte were there diuers good lawes and ciuil orders to keepe the court and iudgement therein from [...] dea­ling, and other corruptions as to such cases apertaineth, some concerning the iudges themselues, some concer­ning those that had to deale there: Among which this was one, that M. Howlet alleadgeth here out of Aristotles Rhe­torique, to wit, that none that pleaded in that courte should speake any thing out of the matter, or frō the purpose, to stir [...]. vp the affection of the iudges, and thereby to seduce them and to peruert iudgement. This is commended of Aristotle in his Rhetorique, as an order to bee followed of Ora­tors and was practised in Athens, as a good and wholesome lawe, the cryer forwarning and forbidding him that was publiquely to speake to vse any preface, or to stirre affecttiōs onely to propound his matter. And I would M. Howlet, as bee heere professeth, had in time better regarded and obser­ued the fame, than he doeth through his epistle dedicato­torie, [Page 108] so shoulde we haue had lesse cause to haue plained of cor­rupt dealing, and her maiestie and this church also haue been lesse troubled. Aristotle (finding faulte with Rhetoricians before his tune, for treating in artificiall speech, but of a little portion of that arte, and that the lesser and woorse to stirre vp affections, where in they were most occupied (as M. Howlets practise is in this his Epistle to her maie­stie) omitting there whilest matter, substance, and sounde proofes, whiche is eyther all or the principall) writeth thus: Argumentes or reasons to prooue with­al, pertaine onely to arte, other thinges are accessarie but these Rhetoritians speake nothing of argumentes which is the body of proofe and perswasion, but busie themselues most in thinges that are without the com­passe of the matter for tantes or reproch, pittie, anger, and perturbation of the minde, bee not of the matter it selfe: but pertaine to the iudge so as if it were in all iudgements as it is in some Cities nowe, and in suche as haue good Lawes, they shoulde haue nothing to speake: For all men partly think that the Lawes ought so to prouide, partely vse it, and forbid anye to speake out, or from the matter; as it is also in Areopagus iudging rightly hereof: For wee may not peruerte the iudge or carie him out of the way by drawing him into anger hatred or compassion: For it were euen as if one should make the measure or rule, that he were to vse, crooked to deceiue withall. Thus farre Aristotle, enough for this matter, that the reader may see what dealing we may look for at M. Howlets handes in other thinges, when wee finde him so hollowe in his owne facultie, and so yll to keepe the Lawe that hee professeth to keepe, taken out of his maister Aristotle, Hee that list to see more let him looke in the Authour him selfe who declaimeth at large a­gainst this abuse of Rhetorique.

The rest of your Hyperbolicall, that is rauing and ro­uing speeches without all truth I omit, and come to toucheInterp. Her­mogen. shortely your Epilogus or conclusion. One saith that in A­reopagus, there was neither preface nor Epilogus, but as in [...] your preface at y^e beginning likewise so here in the end you freely break the law of Areopagus, that euen a little beforeStatuimus, id est abroga­mus. ye so promised to keep; so that your keeping is euery where a breaking, as wee decree; is we abrogate; you know w^t whō, and by whose expositiō, if not worse. Your Epilogus or con­clusion is mixed with wishes, fawning, false perswasion condemnation of other and cleering of your selfe and your fellowes. Good M. Howlet, let words and deedes goe once together, doe not tel vs (while yee serue in the rampe of Gods, her Maiesties, and the realmes enemie vnder the Pope of Rome) of y^e affectiō you beare to her [...]. She beleeueth you not, neither can we beleeue you. You haue brokē the after othe geuē to her maiestie before time, & haue taken a newe othe to the Pope, the banner being now dis­played on both sides and the field pitched. Ye are seene and found comming in the fight with weapon in hand from vn­der y^e enemies standerd, & to presse as hard as ye can against the religion her maiesty professeth, & the state. What would yee haue her maiestie or the state that lead the contrarye Campe iudge of you: ye carie a wrong cognisance, and that bewrayeth you. God in abundance of mercie long blesse her maiestie, with all kind of blessings spiritual and tem­porall to Gods glory dayly more and more, her maiesties honour, the benifite of Gods church, and the conuersion or confusion of al her enemies, and specially to the confusion of that Antichrist of Rome, that hath and still doeth, so ma­liciously and spightfully, seeke the subuersion of Gods holy Gospel, and her maiesty, and this state the professors therof: God againe of his goodnes long continue with increase the sincere profession of Christs holy Gospel & religion a­mong vs vnder her maiestie, and in all make vs thankfull for so great benefites.