[Page] AN EPISTLE OF THE PERSECVTION OF CATHOLICKES IN EN­glande. Translated ovvt of frenche into Englishe and conferred vvithe the Latyne copie. by. G. T. To whiche there is added an epistle by the translator to the right honorable Lordes of her maiesties preeuie coun­cell towchynge the same matter.

Psal. 105. Ver. 38.

They shed innocent blood, euen the blood of theyr ovvne sonnes and of theyr ovvne daughters.

Psal. 78. Ver. 2.

They lay the deade bodyes of thy seruantes (ô Lorde) for meate to the fovvles of the ayer and the fleshe of thy saintes to the beastes of the fielde.

Imprynted at Douay in Artois.

TO THE HONORA­BLE LORDES OF HER MAIESTIES PREEVIE COVNCELL.

FINDINGE this epistle of the per­secution of Englande, divulged in diuers foraine languages, Right honorable: I vvas moued bothe to translate it to my countrye men, vvhome properlye it concernethe: & to directe it to your Lordships, to vvhome principallye it appertaineth. My entent herein vvas simple and plaine: First to procure good mens prayers, by disclosinge our necessities, se­condlie, to moue your honours at lenght, (if it might bee,) to some fauorable & mercifull con­sideration of our calamities: vvhiche perhaps in some parte are more particulerlye declared in this discourse, then euerie one of your honours hathe ether knovvē or cōsidered of heretofore.

For albeit vve are not ignorant, that our af­flictions and persecutions do passe vppon vs, bothe in name & authoritie as from your Lord­ships: yet knovv vve also, that you are not alvva­yes precuie to euerye our particuler agreeue­ment and hard vsage, nor if you vvere, (beinge vvyse and honorable) vvoulde allovve of the same.

VVherefore seinge the treatise follovvinge [Page] ys vvriten by a man, bo the of greate modestie, as appeareth, by his style, and also of good intelli­gence in Englishe matters past, as it maye seme by the particulers by him alleaged: I doe most hum­blye beseeche your honours, to lend the labour of readinge ouer the same, and to consider in your ovvne cōsciences, before the dreadfull ma­iestie of our lord and Sauyour, to vvhose iustice bothe you and vve remaine accountable for our doinges in this lyfe, vvhether the sufferinges of Catholiques heere recited, deserue complaint of our syde and of your honours parte, considera­tion or no. It is a lavvfull and allovvable refuge deliuered vs by nature her selfe, to mourne and bevvayle in time of affliction, and to barre vs of this, ether by offence or punishement, vvere as harde as to prohibite the sicke man to grone, or the childe to pule vvhiche is greevouslye bea­ten. If vve grone vvithout greefe, or complayne vvithout cause: vve are vvnvvorthye of compas­sion, and deserue no redresse: but if our case be suche, as it moueth admiration to as manie as heare it, and no small horror to them vvhiche consider it: vve hope your Lordships, beinge our borne peeres and Nobles of our nation, vvil not alvvayes beare your selues more com­passionles tovvards our miseries, then straun­gers vvho haue lesse cause in nature to affecte vs.

Enter in (my good Lordes) I beseche you on my knees even for his sake of vvhome you also muste one daye craue mercye, enter in (I say) but to some small cogitation, vvhat you do: to vvhome: for vvhat cause to vvhat ende.

You persecute heauylye, and that in suche [Page] measure as the lyke hathe scarse ben mentioned in Christianitie before, albeit in some pointes Vvhat per secutiō Catholiques suffer. more couertlye then some other did. And as for the disciplyne of the Catholique Churche, vvhiche is commonlye accustomed to be laied againste vs, vvhereby she punishethe nevv fan­gled deuisers, and obstinate bringers in of nevv religion, it hathe no comparison at all vvithe this of yours: for first, that disciplyne is olde and aun­cient, and allovved by your ovvne practice of burninge other sectaries then of the parte of Caluine. VVhereby it follovvethe, that our Churche hauinge condemned as orderlie Iohn Calvine and his follovvers, in her late generall and most learned Councell, as she hathe donne other se­ctaries executed by your selues: yf she punishe also Calvinistes amonge other sectaries: she is no more to be blamed for the same in indifferē ­cie of reason, then your parte for burninge A­nabaptistes familians or the lyke.

Secondlye if vve compare the procedinges of Catholiques to protestantes generallie, or of Englishe Catholiques, tovvardes them of Cal­uins parte in Queene Maries tyme, (for that is The cōpa­rison of this perse­cution to that in Queene Maryes ty­me. most of all brought and vrged against vs:) vve shall finde that in all respectes, this far to sur­mounte and to ouer reache that, and to be bothe greater, and incomparablye more greuouse.

For first ether fevv or none vvere tovvched then, but suche as vvere ether obstinate, or ma­litiouse, or vvilfull to intrude them selues: and hovve infinite manie vvere tollerated, and vvincked at, although they vvere knovven, some of your honours (I thinke) vvill not denie to geue [Page 6] particuler testimonye. Secondlie they vvhiche vvere complained of, and attached, vvere ciui­lye dealt vvithall, disputed vvithe at large bothe publiquelye and priuatelye, made to see their vveaknes, though not to cōfesse the same: and if sentence passed against them for obstinacie, yet vvas their execution, vvithe all fauorable com­passion, vvhiche the lavve did permit, and mitigation of their paines vvithe shorte dispathe: the contrarie of all vvhiche is vsed tovvards vs. And as for tormentinge and rackinge and prohibi­tinge their frinds from sustaininge them, vvithe terrour to all those vvhiche shoulde bodilye re­leeue their pouertie: I thinke our aduersaries vvill not once charge vs vvithe it. It is not pra­ctized amongest vs, vppon the greatest hereti­ques that euer vvere: God for bid that it shoulde, it is to to cruell for Christian natures. VVe are Matth. 27. commaunded by our religion, to feede the hungrie, Esa. 58. as Christ him selfe, and muche more, not to barr them that vvoulde geue releefe, vvhen vve vvill not. Finallye, if vve confer numbers to numbers, men to men, prisons to prisons, vsage to vsage, there is no comparison. Differēces betvvixt the puni­shed protestantes and Catholi­ques.

And yet (good Lorde) vvhat kyn or liknes is there in the matter? they vvere punished by an auncient generall lavve, for brynginge in of nevv opinions, neuer hard of in England befo­re, and condemned by the highe Consistorie and parlament of Christiandome, gathered to­gether for the same purpose. Vve are persecuted by nevv nationall Statutes, for holdinge the aun­cient faithe of Christianitie, and onelie religion of our forefathers in England, vvithout either [Page 7] tryall or publique disputation in our doctrine. They dissented not onlie from vs, but also from the first beginners of their ovvne side, and vvere By Luther: ar. 28. cont. Louā. to. 2. Vvitten. fo. 503. also by the Edict of the princes of mās­filde anno 1560. and by others. solemlye condemned for heretiques by the sa­me. but no suche matter can be saied of vs. They agreed not amongest them selues vppon the pointes of anie one relygion, but eche man as he had receaued of some particuler teacher. So be­inge asked (for Example sake) of the number of Sacramentes: He holdeth three in apolog. confes. Au­gust. cap. de sacra. And fovver in editione vl. loco. cō. some helde tvvo, vvithe Caluini­stes, some three or fovver vvithe Melancthō. So me three or tvvo, or one vvithe So he holdethe in the begin­ninge and end of his captiuitie of. Babilō: Luther. And if they vvere demaunded of particuler sacramen­tes, as of penance: one vvoulde holde it no sa­crament vvithe Caluin, an other a sacrament vvithe Melancthon, an other onelye a sacramen­tall signe vvithe So he holdeth in lib. de ca. Babi. Luther in one place, and in an other, a verye So he holdeth ex­presselie ar. 35 cont: Louan: trevv sacramēt hauinge annexed vnto it, the promise of grace. If they vvere asked of holy orders: one vvoulde deny it to be a sa­crament vvith Luther and Melancthon in one place, and an other vvoulde holde it a trevv sa­crament vvithe Melancthon in an in edi: vl: locorū cō. other place. Some other vvoulde holde it an vnordinarie sa­crament vvithe li: 4: c: 14: Caluine, and thus as sheepe brought ovvt of their folde, and left amazed in the brode filde, not knovvinge vvhat vvaye or pathe to take, they stood giddie in their ovvne opinions, and yet vvith obstinacye euerie man to dye in the same: but vve stand all in one fai­the consonant to it selfe in euerie point, not deuised by our selues, but left vnto vs by the generall consent of all antiquitie in Christian dome, and yet are vve more afflicted for the [Page] same, then if vve vvere heretiques or deuisers of anie nevv religion.

The persons punished by your honours are The per­sons perse­cuted. of your ovvne bloud, and nation, borne subie­ctes of the lande, and commonlye of suche lyfe and conuersation, as are not vvorst lyked in the places vvhere they dvvell: of quiet and ciuill be­hauyour most readie bothe vvithe lyfe & goods to serue their Princesse, and your honours, vvith all devvtifull and faithfull good vvill. They nei­ther deale nor practise agaynst the state abro­de, nor offer iniuries to their neighbours at home. But are most readye and vvillinge to concurre vvithe your Lordships, for the preseruin­ge theyr Countrye in peace and quiet, eche man The cause of persecu­tion. accordinge to his povver & callinge. The onlie cause of their molestation, is their conscience in religion, vvhiche beinge setled vppon in­uincible grounds, as it semethe to them, is not in their povver to alter at their pleasure, neither is any persecution in the vvorde, able to change the same, but rather confirmethe it more & mo­re, bringinge alvvaies an argument vvithe it, of lacke of truthe in the persecutor, vvhiche see­kethe to supply by externall terror the thynge he is not able to proue by argument.

The ende therfore vvhiche your Lordships The ende of this per­secution. pretende by this rigourouse course of austeritie to vvitt, to bringe men to conformitie in mat­ters of religion, can neuer doubtles take effect by this meanes, but must nedes make greater dis­iunction, for the reasons by me declared befo­re. And if your honoure shoulde vppon terrour bringe any fraile man to conforme him selfe [Page] against his conscience, in suche externall actes, as you require: yet your vvisdomes can not but consider, that he is neuer the nearer gotten for this, but rather in his harte muche farther of then before, hauinge vvounded his sovvle and conscience vppon compulsion, vvhiche lyinge greuouse and festeringe vvith in his breast, must needes often put him in mynde of the iniurye receaued, and so more detest the thynge done, then before. VVherfore seinge there is nothinge gotten to your Lordships entent, by this mans dissimulation, but muche lost often tymes vnto him selfe, euen as muche as the price of his soule for doinge against his conscience and iudgemēt, vvherby he must be tried at the latter daye: the­re is no cause ether in respect of pollicie or re­ligion, vvhich maie persvvade vs, that your ho­nours vvill alvvayes holde this heauie and ex­treame rase tvvardes vs.

And because I fall into the mention here of polycie, vvherunto I knovve your honours, (as Polycie. very vvise,) to haue a speciall eye and particu­ler regarde, albeit I presume not to pretende a­ny part of that profounde iudgement, vvhiche your honorable vvisedomes by nature and lon­ge practise haue attained in the same: yet to say that, vvhich common reason layethe oppen to euerye meane vnderstandinge: it appearethe no vvaie to impeache polycie (if respect of con­science vvere laide a side) to proceede some vvhat mylder vvithe the Catholique parte in Englande.

I vvill not talke of intrinsecall and speciall by M: I: hovvlet: & M: D: Allen pointes, mentioned heretofore by some other, [Page 10] & easie to be considered of by your Lordships, as the counterpesinge of other sectes, and daun­gerous factions, grovvinge and confirminge by the quiet they enioye through our onlie mole­stations. I vvill speake onlie of the nature of our Catholique religion, vvhiche as it vvas first plot­ted ovvt by the most highe vvisedome of God him selfe, that is, by his Sonne our Sauiour, and founded by them vvhiche immediatlye recea­ued their spirite from him, that is, by his Apo­stles, and disciples: so standeth it substantiallie, vvith all right vvisedome and polycie,) beinge giftes of God and litle sparkles of his infinite vvisedome) and establisheth the kingdomes vvherein it is receaued and executed according­lie, in all honour, peace, tranquilitie and vveal­the, as may appeare by the longe continuance of other Realmes Catholique abrode, and espe­ciallie by our ovvne, vvhiche hathe continued from the beginninge of her conuersion, for the space of more then a Thovvsande yeres, in grea­te prosperitie, riches, and renovvne by the same. Vvhereas in the meane space, diuers greate kyn­gdomes, states, and principalities, haue ben ouer­throvven by the occasion of heresie and alte­ringe this religion, as Asia, Greece, Egypt, Affrica, Hungarie, and the like: and vvhat vvill finallie become of diuers other countryes neere vnto vs and as yet lyinge vnder the tryall of Gods han­de, though alreadie greately rased, spoyled, and impouerished, vve can not tell.

And the reason of these different effectes The diffe­rēt effectes of heresie and Catholique reli­gion to vv­chinge the vveale pu­blique. in heresye and in the Catholique religion, besy­des the particuler prouidence of God, stande­the [Page 11] principallie in this one pointe, that vve ha­ue a certayne and sure meane to kepe vnitie and consent thorovvgh ovvt the vvhole, by vnder­standinge scriptures accordinge to the exposi­tions of our forefathers from tyme to tyme, and by obeyinge the determination of one Supre­me pastor, vvith the generall Councells of Chri­stian prelates, in all matter of stryfe that may fall ovvt. VVheras the heretique in the cōtrarye parte, obevinge no pastor, but at his pleasure, nor receauinge anie mans exposition of scri­pture but his ovvne, must nedes rayse and main­tayne much contrarietie of opinions, and conse­quentlye muche deuision of people by the same: and then hauinge no place to rest, nor vvaye to end (for generall Councell or pastor he vvil not heare), also makinge the temporall prince hed of all, vvhiche often tymes is a childe, and may easelie be impelled to varietie of humours: must needes make greate innouations, vvhiche alvva­ies are greate hazardes to kingedomes and sta­tes. And this in generall is betvvixt our religion and others tovvchinge the matter of Common­vvealthe.

But novv, if vve looke into certayne parti­culer Particuler differences bettvvixt Catholi­que & pro­testant religion, for maintenance & conti­nuance of the cōmonvvealthe. commodities and helpes vvhich our reli­gion bringeth vnto a common vvealthe, and vvhiche the religiō of our aduersaries impug­nethe and ouerthrovveth: vve shall easelie, see that permission of the Catholique, can not any vvay preiudicate the vvealepublique of any state. And for examples sake, vve vvill make our comparison in Englande it selfe, vvhere the pra­ctise and effect of bothe religiōs haue byn novv [Page] experienced, and dyuers men yet alyue, that ha­ue seene and proued the consequence of bothe, and can the easyer geeue iudgement of the com­parison.

First therfore, our religion teachethe actuall restitution of all goods vvhat so euer, ether 1. Restitu­tion. vvrōgfullye or deceatfullye gotten, or taken by might or iniurye. And it teachethe this restitutiō in suche seuere manner, as no priest may absol­ue anie man from his sinnes duringe his lyfe, nor admitt him to any Sacrament, no nor at the ex­treame pointe of deathe it selfe, (vvhere not vvithstandinge all other matters are released) except he be content to make actuall restitution (accordinge to his abilitie) to the partie iniu­ryed: nether can anye mortall povver, or prelate of the Churche, dispense in this point, vvhere the vvill of restitution is not, but that suche a one dyinge, is accounted a reprobate and dam­ned person, and not to be praied for by our Churche, of vvhiche thinge doe ensevv tvvo greate commodities to the common vvealth. Tvvo com­modities of restitu­tion.

First that men knovvinge they must make this restitution againe, if euer they be able, are muche staied from extortion, thefte, bryberye, vserye, Simonie and the like offences, vvhiche temporall lavves of them selues can neuer tho­rovvghlie bridle. Secondlie that manie restitu­tiōs are made dailye to parties vvronged in our Churche, at leste vvise vvhen mē come to dye: & of this I could heere alleage bothe rare & mar­uelous examples.

But for the protestant, he troubleth hym selfe litle aboute this matter, nether hathe he [Page] any meanes in deed to do the same (confession beinge taken avvaie) and the practise is so stran­ge amongest them, as you shall reade in the sto­rye folovvinge, a good man punished fovver ye res in the Tovver of London, for restoringe of tvventie povvndes for an other man after his deathe.

Secondlie our religion teacheth the obser­uatiō 2. Obseruation of vovves. of vovves, that is, that vvhoe so euer hathe made a vovv to God, of a thinge, honest, lavvfull and possible: is bounde to keepe it, accordinge as the scripture biddeth vs: Vouete & reddite do­mino: Psal. 75. vovv and paye your vovves to God. Of vv­hiche our churche inferrethe, that seinge our promisse to our neighboure, is also a kinde of vovv, vve are bounde in like sorte to keepe that for cōscience sake: muche more then if vve stoode bounde to the same by obligation, and to make devve recompence and restitution, if vve breake the same. VVherof ensued suche The consequent of keepinge and brea­kinge of vovves. faithfull and trustie dealinges amongest our auncient forefathers. But novv the protestant teachinge, that vovves made to God may be broken, eche man inferrethe therof, if I maye brea­ke a vovv to god, muche more a vvorde or pro­mise to a man, and so vve see novv no promyse or bargaytne kept but onlie for commoditie, & there is no trust to mens vvordes any longer.

Thyrdlye our religion vse the abstinence of 4 Abstinence from fleshe. fleshe and some other meates at certayne times and dayes, not condemninge the creatures, but forbearinge the vse ther of, for punishinge our bodies for more feruent seruinge of God, at certaine tymes more thē other: as ī lent, frydaies, [Page 14] Saterdayes, and other, as is appointed by our churche, vvhiche daies beinge in number very neere 160. that is, almost the one halfe of the ye­re, besides the obseruances of religious people, vvherof many neuer eate fleshe at all, and besi­des the particuler deuotions of infinite priuate persōs vvhiche abstaine at certaine other times: doe brynge an inestimable commoditie vnto a vvealepublique. For that fishe, herbes, frute, and The publi­que cōmo­ditie by abstinēce frō flesh. the like, vvhiche Catholiques vppon these daies do vse, do not any vvaye impouerishe the lande, beinge taken the most parte from the vvater: But consuminge of fleshe dothe, beinge vvho­lye fed vppon the grounde, vvhiche fleshe, by thes daies of abstinence encreasethe greatlie, es­speciallie aboute the springe tyme, vvhen our lent fallethe out, at vvhat time, by the iudgemēt of skilfull men the forbearinge of fleshe for those onlie six vveekes, is sufficient for the mainte­nance of all the yere after. And vvhat auaile this abstinēce bringethe to a kingdome in one yere, it maie be gessed, if a man make but an estimate vvhat the fleshe is vvorthe, vvhiche vvoulde maintaine all Englande one daie, and then dou­ble the same eight score times in euerve yere, and consider vvhat it vvill amounte to in fevv­yeres.

And novv, albeit the protestant (for polycies sake onlie as he saithe) vvill seeme to commaun­de the like abstinence at some of thes daies: yet seynge it is but an externall punishment onlie, and no matter of conscience to breake the prin­ces lavve therin, as they affirme: hovve manye (trovv you) vvill breake the same? or hovv ma­nie [Page 15] protestantes them selues do obserue it? if you conuerse vvithe the preachers, you shall see them eate fleshe euerie daie, and inuite other men to do it, and iudge verie yuill of them, that vvyll not therin beare them companye. The temporall iudges also, vvhen in their lent circuite, thei pu­blishe this verie proclamation of abstinence, do eate openlye fleshe them selues. Hovv then shall the people obserue the same, vvhen they see bo­the their Ecclesiasticall and temporall gouer­nours to do the contrarye? the trueth is, that the exacte obseruinge of this lavv amongest higher estates, is onlie in Catholiques, as also amongest the common people, except some poore pro­testant that can get no fleshe, and therby is con­strayned to make of necessitie a vertue, for other vvise he vvill eate it euen in despite of the ty­me. So that this commonvvealthe point depen­deth onlye in deed of the Catholique parte. Fovverthlye our religion, besides this absti­nēce 4 Fastinge. aforesaide from fleshe, cōmaundethe also­many of the same dayes to be kept in fast, to the number at least of a hundred euery yere in En­glande. In vvhiche tymes there is but one meale to be made a daye, and the other to be spared, vvhiche one meale sauede beinge valued, but at alovv price thorough ovvt all the persōs aboue The sequel of fastinge. xvi yeres of age in Englande, (for after that ty­me they are bounde to fast), amountethe to a greate summe of monye, and beinge doubled a hundred tymes euerie yere, arysethe to muche more, vvhiche greate summe is vtterlye lost by the protestant that faste the not, and ys saued by the Catholique to the vvealpublique. VVhiche [Page] difference albeit it be not felt presentlye in a greate state (for greate palaces shrincke not at the beginnynge vvithe litle chvnkes:) yet in ti­me it vvill shevv his effecte, vvhen greate multi­tudes of people shalbe by the same meanes of protestancie increased (as shalbe shevved in the next reason folovvynge) & the olde prouision of the lande by litle & litle consumed, as alredie I thincke in parte vve see it fulfilled.

Fifthlye our religion commaundethe conti­nencie and sole lyfe to all cleargie men, and to 5. Sole lyfe of cleargye men. all sortes of religious people, vvhiche (to omite all other respectes) profitethe greatlie the com­mon vvealthe, and the libertie of marriage gy­uen by the protestante, bringeth infinite incon­ueniences. For first if vve make an estimate of the number vvhiche lyued vnmarryed in Ca­tholique tymes in England, allovvinge to euery parishe churche but tvvo pryestes one vvithe an other, vvithe other temporall offices de­pendinge of the spiritualtie, and therfore re­quiringe sole life: & if vve add to this, the grea­te numbers of all religious people, bothe men and vvomen in monasteries and other vvhere, vvhiche perhaps vvere tvvise as manye as the other: vve shall finde the number to arise verie greate. vvhiche all lyuinge then vnmaried and chast (or els shoulde haue donne) if vve novv allovv them to marye and accounte to euerye coople, but three or fovver children, and so consequentlye to their children, and childrens children? vve shall see that the encrease of peo­ple vvilbe huge in one age: and much more in manye ages follovvinge, vvhiche all beinge no­rished [Page 17] by the commō vvealthe, must needes pe­ster greatlie the lande, vvithe mayne multitude of people, and they, for the most parte ydle also (for so are clergie mens children commonlye) and consequentlye, muche empouerishe the same:

Besides this, if vve consider the necessitie of temporall prouisiō, cast vppon clergye men, by their mariage, as to prouide first for the present needes, and then for the tyme to come: as ioin­ter, dovvrye, or some portion for the vvife, ly­uinges for the children, and the like: vve shall finde that they can nether keepe that hospitali­tie for the poore, vvhiche vvas vvont, nor spa­re the leases, copieholdes, and other offalles of Ecclesiasticall lyuinges, to helpe other men, as in times past vvas accustomed: and muche lesse builde Colledges, Churches, and other suche monumentes of pietie, vvhiche their predeces­sours haue donne. Nay if the minister dye not, and leaue often a packe of orphanes vppon the poore parishe, it is more tollerable. So that vve see, that the mariage of the clergie men, dyuers vvayes spoileth the poore commonaltie and consequentlye impayrethe greatlye the vvealpublique.

Sixthlye our religion prohibiteth landlor­des to rayse their rentes, or anye other vvaie to 6 Raysinge of rentes. presse their tenantes, except it vvere vppon so­me greate cause and vvithe greate moderation, knovven and allovved of by spirituall men & learned diuines, and if they do it rashelie and immoderatlie, our Churche dothe solemly on­ce a yere accurse them. VVhiche vvas the cause [Page 18] that our good forefathers in tymes past, and es­speciallie In the bulle de caena domini, solemlye recited by the po­pe euerye yere on mā dy thursdaye, in the tytle, de pedagiis nou is non impo­nendis: 7 Deuorcementes. Math. 19. 3. 6. 7. 8. all religious men, vsed to let their lan­des at a reasonable rate: vvhereby infinite men vvere sustained and holpen., as appearethe by our Abbayes in tyme past in Englāde, the vvan­te vvhereof the poore countries vvhiche dvvell aboute them, do novv feele.

Seuenthlye our religion holdeth tovvchin­ge the state of mariage, that vvho so euer is once lavvfullye contracted in vvedlocke to another, albeit they maie be vppon cause deuor­ced from compaininge one vvithe an other: yet can the bāde of mariage neuer be so broken, as either partye maie marye againe, duringe the o­thers naturall lyfe. And therfore they must ether reconcyle them selues together againe, or els lyue chast. VVhiche is a brydell to manye mischeefes that must nedes ensevv vppon our aduersaries contrarie doctrine and practise in this matter, vvho allovve the diuorced to marye againe, the other partie yet lyuinge. VVhiche li­bertie layed open to maryed people, geuethe oc­casion of easie mislyke and diuorce betvvixt them, vppō hope to marye agayne vvhere they like better, to the greate disturbance of com­mon vvealthes in processe of tyme.

Eightlie, our religion teachethe a pointe 8 Of obe­dience to magistrates abovvt magistrates, vvhich greatlie concerne­the the common vvealthe, and the contrarye doctrine of our aduersaries, is very muche hurt full and daungeruose vnto the same. The point is this. That vve teache all lavves of magistrates (be the magistrate good or euill) vvhiche are of thinges ether good, or indifferent, or not ex­pressely [Page 19] against Gods commandement, doe bin­de the subiectes consciences to obedience, that Ro: 13. is, the subiectes are bovvnde in conscience, to obey them not onlie externallye, but also in priuate and secrete, and to accounte it as a syn before God, if they vvillinglye breake the same, for that the magistrate vvhat soeuer, is Gods mi­nister. VVerof it folovveth that the lavves of the cōmon vvealthe are obeyed trevvlie, & syn­cerelye, as vvell in secret as in open shevve, vvithe loue also, and vvithout grudge or con­tempt to the magistrate.

But the protestant theachethe that no lavv Caluin: l. 4. insti. c. 10. num. 5. of man byndeth the subiectes conscience to obedience, vvherof it muste needes follovv, that seinge the subiect obeyethe not of con­science but onelye for policie and in respect of externall punishement: vvhen so euer he is not in feare of that punishment, he vvithout scru­ple This is al­so the cau­se vvhye the prince is so infini­tely at this day decea­ued in her­custome of matchādise by all mar­chantes report. vvill contemne and breake that commaun­dement of his magistrate, as for example, he vvil eate fleshe in the lent, in suche places and companyes, vvhiche he is sure, vvill not accuse him, albeit the magistrates commaundement and proclamation be to the contrarie: and so in the lyke. VVhiche thinge is verye hurtfull & daun­gerous (as I haue saied) to the vveale publique. For besides the common breakinge of publi­que lavves in priuate, and secrete places, vvher­by the magistrate grovvethe into contempt, & the state hurted: if at anie tyme the subiectes or any faction of them, shalbe so stronge and har­die, a Dange­rous sequel as not to feare the magistrates punishement, vvhat shall cause them anye longer to obey▪ [Page 20] Feare of punishment there is none: In conscien­ce (by this doctrine) they are not bounde: vvhy then maie not they as vvell prescribe lavves to the magistrate, as he to them? In this pointe therfore, Catholique religion more vpholdethe the vvealepublique, then that of our aduersa­ries.

Ninthlye it is of no small importance vnto a Christian common vvealthe, (vvhose end is Of synne & concupi­scence. to keepe men vvithin the limites of vertue and honestie) that vvhiche our religion teachethe of the difference of synnes, and of the nature of concupiscence. For tovv chinge the first, as vve holde, that as some synnes are greeuons and mortall: so some are lighter, called veniall, that is, suche as of their nature and by rigour of iu­stice, deserue not eternall damnatiō, and expell Iaco. 1. 15. not alvvaye grace, but may stande vvithe the same. Mortall vve call (for exāples sake) as to be droncke: veniall, to drincke a litle more then a man shoulde. Mortall, to geeue consentin a mans harte to an euill cogitation: veniall, to be negligent in expellinge the same, though he cō ­sent not.

Our aduersaries holde that all synnes, be they neuer so litle, are mortall of their ovvne Caluin. in antid. con­cil. Tri. natures, and of them selues do deserue damna­tion. Secondlye tovv chinge concupiscence, vve holde, that in the regenerate, that is, in Chri­stians after baptisme, the naturall inclination of lustinge, lefte in man, ad agonem, as the auncient fathers doe terme it, that is, to stryue vvithall, is Augu. li. 2. cont. Iuliā. & li. 1. de peccat. me­rit. c. vlt. not synne of it selfe, except vve geeue consent to the motion. Our aduersaries holde that the [Page 21] verye motion it selffe though no consent be ge­uen vnto it, is syn.

Of this diuersitie of doctrine flovvethe greate diuersitie of effectes into the common vvealthe. For ovvt of our doctrine ensuethe this, that seinge the naturall motion of concupi­scence in me to euill, is not syn, except I yealde vnto it: I vvill striue against it, and not yelde consent, for sauinge of my soule. Againe, seinge there is a difference of synne, yf I should be ca­ried avvaye a litle further then I ought: yet vvill I at least, striue to refrayne mortall syn vvithe all diligence, consideringe that this synne, brin­geth damnation.

But out of our aduersaries contrarie do­ctryne, ensevveth in contraryvvise, that seinge concupiscence mouethe one vvhether he vvill or no, to matters vnlavvfull, as to adulterie, theft, murther, and the like: and seinge vvhether he consent or no, he hathe alredye synned by the verye naturall motion: againe, seinge all sinnes are mortall and none veniall: vvhat shall let him to consent to the motion, and to accom­plishe the same, at least in desire, seinge he can but syn mortallie, if he doe it, and so hathe he don alredye by the verie motion it selfe, vvhi­che is not in his povver to staye. And by this meanes, seinge he must needes syn mortally vvhether he consent or not consent to the syn: vvho vvill not rather consent to the lust, vvithe pleasure, then stryue against the same vvithe greate payne, and yet to sinne neuer the lesse. And so this openethe an infinite gapp to syn & all levvd lyfe: for that no mā vvill stryue aboute [Page 22] that vvhiche he can not auoide, that is, abovve the resistance of mortall synne.

Tenthlie tovvchinge the revvarde of euill 10. The re­vvard of good, and euill and paynes for synne in this lyfe. and good lyfe in the next vvorlde, and tovv­chinge expiation of syn in this lyfe, our religion teacheth, that a mortall syn, beinge once com­mitted after baptisme, is not so soone dispat­ched agayne, but besides faithe, there is requi­red first, hartie sorovv vvithe full purpose neuer to commit the same againe. Then humble con­fession Contritiō. of the same to the priest. Thirdlye, after the guylie of the synne remitted by the vertue Confession of Christes passion in the Sacrament of absolu­tion, there is required some temporall punissh­ment Satisfactiō. and penance, for satisfaction of gods iusti­ce: the vvhiche if a man fulfill not in this lyfe, he must paye it in the next vvith muche more payne.

After this, vvhen he commethe to heauen, Purgatorie vve holde, that he shall receaue his degree of glorye accordinge to his perfection of life in this vvorlde, as also accordinge to his demerite and measure of vvickednes, he shall receaue the quantitie of his tormentes in hell, if he go thither. VVherof follovvethe bothe feare to commit syn, seinge a man must take suche paynes for the release of the same in this vvorlde: as also diligence in all the three vvorkes satisfa­ctorie, to vvitt, prayers, almes, and affliction of our ovvne bodies, for preuentinge the paynes of purgatorie. Also zeale of perfection in good men, seinge their degree in glorye shalbe accor­dinge to their life heere. And finallye, some staye from ovvtrage in vvicked men, consideringe [Page 23] that their tormentes in hell shalbe but accor­dinge to the measure of their vvickednes.

But our aduersaries teachinge first, that there is no more payne to be taken for the ex­piation of synne committed after baptisme, but onlie to beleeue, vvhich is a verie easie poynte, especiallie to euerie man that vvill per­svvade him selfe that he beleeuethe vvell: also teachinge that there is no place of purgation in the next lyfe, and that no vvorkes of satisfa­ction are heere needfull on our behalfe: thirdly teachinge, that all glorye is equall to all that are there, and all paine in hell as muche to the least offender as to the greatest: must needes open a gapp to an infinite sea of vvickednes, and licen­tiousenes in the common vvealthe. For euerye man persvvadinge him selfe, that hovv euill so euer he liue, yet if he holde a faithe in Christ, and beleeue he shall most certainelie be faued: that he, vvithout all paines ether in this life or in the life to come, shall presentlye goe to hea­uen, and there be in as greate glorye as Peter & Paule and other Sainctes, vvhiche led the strai­test lyfe in this vvorlde. vvho vvill not let stan­de the painefull life of vertue, and take his plea­sures, vvhiche naturall concupiscence inui­teh hym vnto, consideringe that he maie be sa­ued as vvell vvithe them as vvithout? Againe vvhoe vvil spare (beinge once ouer the shoes) to runne in to any extremitie vvhat soeuer of vvickednes, vvhen he thinkethe that if he be damned, he must haue equall punishment vvi­the the vvoorst?

Eleuenthlie as thes opinions of our ad­uersaries, [Page 24] are greate fovvntaines in deede to all kinde of libertie and loose behauiour, conside­ringe 11: VVor­kes. Free­vvill. & predestination the mightie inclination of our corrupted fleshe to the same: so their doctrine abovvt vvorkes ad predestination, pluckethe vp by the verye rootes all foundation of good lyfe, beatethe dovvne the vvhole hedge of feare, and laiethe all open to most daungerous dissolution. For vvheras vve teache that albeit, all sainctes of God be predestinate before the vvoorldes vvere layed: yet that extinguishethe not the libertie of mans freevvill, but that he maie (beinge preuented and assisted by the gra­ce Eccl. 15: of god) doe anie good vvoorkes or refuse Luc: 13. them at his pleasure. VVhiche good vvoorkes Apoc. 3. beinge don for the loue of god, by a man that is in the state of grace, haue their revvarde and merit, euen to the least cuppe of vvater that a man can geeue, vvhiche is a greate pricke to Math. 5. & 10. & 12. incite men to the same, vsed by the holye Scri­ptures them selues. Heb. 13.

But our aduersaries teachinge first that a­man hathe no free vvill to thes thinges, and secondlie that if he doe them he shall haue no revvarde for them in heauen: mustes needes vt­terlie discourage all men from the doinge of good vvoorckes. For vvhoe vvill studie aboute a thinge that is nether in his povver, nor yet necessarie or profitable vnto him: especiallye vvhen the thinge is bothe harde of it selfe, vn­pleasant, and muche repugninge to our sensua­litie? vvho vvill geeue his goodes to the poo­re? his landes from his ovvne kinred, to builde hospitals and colledges for straungers? vvhoe [Page 25] vvill afflict his bodie vvithe fastinge and praier, vvhen he knovveth that he shall recea­ue no revvarde therfore in heauen? and that vvithout doinge the same he maye be saued by onlye faithe?

Tvvelfthlie and lastlie (for I vvill tovvche no more,) our Catholique religion teacheth 12. Priuate confession. priuate cōfessiō of our sinnes vnto the pryest vvhich thinge is the verie hedge and vvall of all vertuous life, and the cheefest brydle of Ly­centiousnes in a common vvealthe. For by this, infinite enormities are redressed, vvhiche by publique lavves can not be remedied. In con­fession Vtilities of confession: manye seruantes are made trustie to their masters, vviche before vvere false, and they are caused to make priuie restitution of manie thinges, vvhē their masters thynke not of it. Manye greate breaches betvvixt frindes, as vvife and husbande, father and sonne, and the like, are salued. Manye greate mischifes inten­ded ether against the magistrate, priuate persōs, or the common vvealthe, are staied. Many pro­vvde harte plucked dovvne and abated vvithe the exaggarations of his synnes to his face, by his ghostlye father. Many greatte synners bro­ught to hartie repentance, and full purpose of amendemēt, and to promise also, and sometimes and in some cases to svveare, neuer to commit vvittinglye and vvillninglye the like enormi­mities againe. Many afflicted persons comfor­ted vvithe particuler helpes for their greefes: manye desperate folckes mollified, and instru­cted in the vvayes of a nevv life. Manye Land­lordes and superiours, brought to deale more [Page 26] mildly vvithe their subiectes, and manye subie­ctes, to behaue them selues more obedientlie and devvtifullie tovvards their superiours: ma­ny restitutions made, many vvronges recom­pensed, many quarels ended: finallie, it is impos­sible to number vpp the infinite and singuler greate commodities vvhiche doe come to mans life, and consequentlye to the common vveal­the, by this spirituall courte & tribunall of God in earthe, that is, by confession.

The vvhiche beinge taken avvaye, as it is novv by our aduersaries in Englande, (albeit Lutherans in Germanie yet vse it,) there must needes follovve in successe of tyme, intollera­ble inconueniences. For vvhat vvaye is there novv to deale vvithe the conscience of a childe if he be disobedient to his parentes? Or vvithe a seruant, if he be false or prodigall to his ma­ster? if you accuse him, he vvill denye it: if you vrge him, he vvill fall out vvithe you for it: but if him selfe shoulde confesse it to you, as he vvas vvonte to doe to his ghostlie father, askin­ge absolution at his handes, and pardon at Gods for the same: there is offered bothe fitt place & occasion, to entreate vvithe him for it: and he in disposition to heare good councell.

So if a prince or greate personage, abuse him selffe in life, vvho vvill dare to tell him uerye fault in particuler, or rebuke him for the same? If a man (for examples sake) doe exceede in apparell, or other vanitie, vvho vvill goe and reprehende him for it, or vvithe vvhat hope of amendment? To conclude, this holye exerci­se of confession beinge taken avvaie, the verye [Page 27] locke of good lyfe (vvherof not onlie the sovv­le but also the vveale publique dependethe) is vtterlye burst and remoued from amongest Christians.

Thes differences therfore beinge betvvixt our religion and that of our aduersaries, (right honorable) tovvchinge the maintenance, con­tinuance, vvell doinge, and secure establishemēt of a common vvealthe: there appearethe no reasō in policie, that is, in respecte of the good estate of our countrie, (vvherof your honours haue the charge) vvhiche may prohibite your vvisedomes to shevv some more fauorable tol­leration to the Catholique parte, if it might please God to instill so good and gratious a motion into your hartes.

Nether is it for anye of our aduersaries to an obiectiō preuented. So D [...]ffulke hathe aun­svvered M. hovvlets reasons of refusall. Grauntin­ge the rea­sōs as they lye, but yet quarelinge at some matter of controuer­sie in the reason. stepp vp heere, and to impugne any of our for­mer opinions in religion, (as they are vvont commonlye to eschevv the matter in hande, and to deale vvith impertinent pointes not inten­ded in that place): for my purpose is not heere to handle matters of controuersie, vvhiche vve bothe offer dailye & desyer muche to trye vvi­the our aduersaries at other tymes ether in vvri­tinge or publique disputation: but my onlye meaninge is, to shevv, that the practise of our doctrine as vve holde it, and of our aduersaries as they teache it, vvhether it be trevv or false, (vvhiche at other tymes and places is to be dis­cussed): of ours (I saie) doe follovv infinite vtilities to a Christian commō vvealthe, vvhiche doe not from the doctrine of our aduersaries, but rather the cleane contrarye hurtes and dama­ges, [Page 28] and this is the state of our question in this place, vvhiche Ileaue open to anie of our aduer­saries that can, to improue by reason, in the pointes before recited.

Novv then, if our religion and the secret The kinge of Bungo in Iapan beinge a heathen hathe permitted & pro­tected the catholique religion in his coun­tries thes 28. yeres onlye for the commoditie he fee lethe his common vveal the to receaue thereof, in cp. Indic: the like dothe the greate Turcke and o­ther Prin­ces of Ma­hometes secte at this daye. exercise therof, be in no vvise hurtfull vnto your common vvealthe, (right honorable) but rather doe bringe greate commodities therun­to: it maie be one motyue vnto your vvisdomes (as it hathe byn, and is to some other councel­lers els vvhere of the contrary religion) to tol­lerate more, or at least, to shevv lesse extremitie against the same, hovve muche so euer you thinke vs deceaued in not conforminge our selues to the protestantes religion. Albeit to saye myne opinion also herein, vvithe your honorable fa­uours, I can not thincke but that your vvisdo­mes beinge suche as they are, bothe greate and grovvnded, doe easelye see that our standinge in this pointe, is not vvithout substantiall cause and reason in vs, albeit not sufficient to moue your honours to the same opinion that vve are of.

For first vvhoe dothe not see that the ve­rie proceedinge of our aduersaries is a stronge reason to make vs staie, if there vvere nothin­ge els, vvhoe dare not admit anye equall triall, of their cause, nether in vvritinge, preachinge, or lavvfull disputation, they beinge so often requested by vs to the same: But are alvvaies at your honours elbovves to sturre vpp the tem­porall svvoorde against vs, If vve make anie The proce­dinge of ministers vvithe vs. reasonable offer, or neuer so orderlie and de­vvtifull attempt, for the obtaininge of this [Page 29] thinge, euen at home vppon their ovvne gro­vvnde (for abrode they dare not apeare vvith neuer so muche securitie or curtesie inuited) to our ovvne greate toyle, labour, daunger, and disaduantage of our cause? And yet they are not ashamed for some colour of the matter, to Such vvas the disputation in the tovver vvith. M. campian & others vvher men vvere pro­hibited vvith billes & tipstaues to enter. And many a knock on the head receaued for offerīge to heare: and muche mony spent to geate places. creepe into a prison to some poore man mise­rablye racked, or othervvise pitifullie hand­led before, and there vvithout geeuinge the partie any vvarninge or tyme to forethincke him selfe, or allovvinge anie bookes, or per­mittinge equall notaries, or sufferinge hym to oppose one argument for his parte, to assault vvith iumpinge interrogátions, leapinge from pointe to pointe, from matter to matter, accor­dinge as they came prepared, or as anye litle shevve of aduantage vvas offered, vvith greate vvoordes, stearne countenance, bygg voyce, muche threatninge, and vnciuile reuilinge.

VVhich proceedinge of theirs, declaringe manifestlie their feare and nakednes and vt­ter vvante both of trueth charitie and mode­stie: must needes in the iudgementes of all vvise men, dispute as muche for vs, as any argument in the voorlde that vve can make for our selues.

Secondlye, hovv cleare so euer the matter The vncer­taintie of temporall fauour in matters of religion: be made against vs, in vvordes, and ordinarie speech of men, as that vve resist the Ghospell and manifest vvoorde of god, and the lyke: yet your honours can not but thinke, that these speeches (vvhen all indifferent triall is refused) can not moue vs muche, especiallye seeinge that in other contries, vvhere other sectes doe raigne, no lesse differinge from vs, then this of [Page 30] Caluine, they do orderlye saie the verie same of our Englishe protestantes, vvhich they doe of vs, vvherin I refer my selfe to a Lutherā Super­intendents booke, intituled, Confessio purae do­ctrinae Nicolaus Amffordiꝰ Euangelicae. A confession of the pure doctri­ne of the ghospell, vvhere he geueth sentence (as a bisshoppe) of the doctrine novv taught in Englande, by this vvorde Damnamus: vve con­demne it as dissonant from the pure ghospell. And I haue shevved ovvt of luther before, vvhere he saieth of the teachers and maintainers therof, Haereticos seriò censemus, & alienos ab Ecclefia dei. art. 28. con­tra louan. to. 2. vvittē. fo. 503. VVe doe censure them in earnest for heretikes, and remoued from the church of god. The like doe Anabaptistes, Trinitaries, and other sectes pronounce of them. So that in this common phrase and speeche of pure ghospell, there is litle importance that tovvcheth the matter.

And surely, if after kinge henryes death the noble man vvhich thē could doe most, con­sultinge vvith his frindes to bringe in a nevv religion, had pleased to bringe in, tovv Luthe­rans, Anabaptistes, or of any othersecte, as he did tvvo Caluinistes, to reade in the tvvo vni­uersities of Englande (as he might very easelye P. Martyr. M. Bueer. haue donne, for any resistāce or triall that then vvas vsed:) had not that religiō byn novv called the ghospell, the pure vvorde, the lavv of the lorde, the establissed religion, and the like, as novv this is called in Englāde, and as thes other sectes are called by their professors in the pla­ces vvhere they beare rule? And should not vve haue byn punished as muche for resistinge of them, as vve are novv for resistinge this? yes [Page 31] verelye, and no reason to the contrary.

VVherfore seinge a man may not alvvayes depende safelye of the seculer magistrate in re­ligion, nor make repose of his sovvle, vppon the fovvndation of a temporall lavv: vve are in iustice to craue pardon of your honours, for not conforminge our opinions to yours in this matter: vve can not doe it vvithout dissi­mulation and most greeuouse remorse of an ac­cusinge conscience. Yf your honours vvoulde graunte suche indifferent triall betvvixt the The peti­tiō of lavvfull disputation rene­vved. learned of bothe our sydes, as vve demaunde for our instruction and devv reformation in iudgement, if vve err: the matter perhaps might sone be ended: But that beinge denied, and the aduerse partye shevvinge manifest distruct ther­by, as it semeth to vs: vve remaine as before, of contrarye opinion in poyntes of beleefe: but in all other matters as becommeth devvtifull sub­iectes, most readie to serue her maiestie & your honours, to the vttermost of all our earthlye & mortall abilitie.

Our desyre vve haue to be rightlye infor­med, may appeare, not only by our often and earnest petitions of lavvfull tryall in poyntes of controuersie: but also by this, that vve require not anye longe or tediouse satisfaction in mat­ters, but onlye a demōstration of one necessarye pointe, vvherof our resolution in other thinges vvoolde soone ensevve.

And this pointe is, that seinge the religion of Christ and his Apostles, vvas (by all partyes confession) the verie trevv religion for vvhich vve stryue, and vvherby vve must be saued, and [Page 32] so for a hundred or tvvo hundred yeres after, vvithout contradiction of either partie, the re­ligion vvas pure vvhich vvas deliuered by the Christian churche ouer all the vvolde: lett de­monstration be made, vvhich of our religions beganne sence that tyme (for that must needes be false, hauinge not his beginninge from Christ and his Apostles,) and this maie be don (as it se­meth to vs) bothe easely, apparentlye, and sensi­blye in this manner.

VVhen anie religion is once publiquelye planted and receaued, as the trevv religion vvas by our aduersaries confession, in the first tvvo An easye, short, and euidēt vva­ie offered of tryall: or three hundred yeres after Christ: it is impos­sible to bringe in a nevv religion contrary to that, or any articles of faithe repugnant to these before, vvithout some cōtradiction or resistāce of them that then lyued, possessed in the former religion. This is a proposition euident bothe by experience and reason. For first, reason teacheth vs to be impossible, for one man or manye, to Reason. bringe in a nevv religion, contrarie to all, and to make it to be receaued generallie of all, vvith­out resistance of some, especiallie the thinge beinge a manifest falshoode to vvchinge matter of saluation, as they saye our opinions are. This (I saye) is impossible in common reason. For if one citie vvould receaue it, yet an other vvould not: if one countrye or kyngdome vvould allo­vve it, yet an other vvoulde make resistance, atleast vvise for a tyme. And if no Citie nor countrye nor kyngdome had controlled it, yet some good man or other vvould haue donne it in the vvorlde abrode. Secondlye the same appea­rethe experience [Page 33] by experience, for that there vvas neuer yet heresie or error that rose against any one clause or iote of the truethe before receaued, but it vvas controlled presently and resisted by voices and vvritinges of infinite men. And in Englande beinge but a litle corner in respect of the vvhole vvorlde there coulde neuer yet appeare anye one opinion contrary to the do­ctrine before receaued, but it vvas straight vvaie noted and rebuked: as the religion of Caluine, by the Catholiques before in possession: after that, the fansie of the puritane by the pre­testant: after that, the deuise of the familie of loue, by bothe protestant and puritane: and ge­nerally there vvas neuer yet heresye offered to the church, or to any peece of the same, but that it vvas straight vvaie knovven, vvhoe vvere the beginners therof, at vvhat tyme, vvhat multitu­de first left the former religion and followed the same, vvhoe resisted, vvhoe spake and vvro­te against it, and the like: and this is a trevvth more cleare than the Sonne it selfe.

This then beinge so, the issevv vvhiche vve A verye reasonable issue offe­red. desyre to ioyne, is euident and plaine: to vvitt that of these articles vvherin vve dissent from them and vvhiche they call heresyes, as inuen­ted by vs sence the Apostles tyme: as the reall presence, the sacrifice of the masse, purgatorye, prayer for the dead, intercession of sayntes, me­ritt of good vvoorckes, grace inherent, fyue sa­cramentes denyed by them, and the like: let thē shevve by anie one father, historiographer, or other autēticall testimonie, vvhen any of these pointes vvere brought first into the churche [Page 34] and resisted by them that then lyued, (as they must needes be if they vvere contrary to the vniuersall doctrine then receaued in christiani­tie) and vve remayne satisfied vvithout any furder particuler tryall.

This is a most reasonable demaunde, so one aunsvvered if the trevvth be vvith our aduer­saries. For vve take vppon vs to shevv all thes particulers before recited in euery pointe of doctrine vvherin they dissent from vs: that is, vvhen it began to be first knovvē in the church by vvhat man, vvho first controlled it, and the like: but let them doe the same by vs, and the matter is ended.

But if they can finde no one booke extant in the vvorlde against anie article of our differen­ce from them, at the first commynge of the sa­me into the church, nor can finde recorde of a­nye man that ether reprehended or controlled it vvhen it vvas first inuented (as they saye) by our forefathers, but that it vvas receaued vvi­the silence and approbation, not onlye in one countrye, but thoroughovvt the vvorlde, not in one pointe, but in many, and they most impor­tant: as for example, the fayninge of fyue sacra­mentes together, (although vve holde in our doctrine that none but Christ can institute a sa­crament, no not the vvhole churche together, nor all the Apostles vvhen they vvere alyue), if (I saie) they can finde no recorde at all, that any man resisted or controlled thes horrible & blas­phemous poyntes at their first entringe into the churche, (if it be trevv that they entred in since the Apostles tyme) then must thei thincke that [Page 35] men vvere senseles and madd at that time, that vvoolde suffer so manye, so grosse, & so impor­tant heresies, to passe vnchecked, and neuer to open their mouthes against them, vvheras at the verye same tyme, (that is, vvithin the first fyue hundred yeres after Christ, vvherin our aduer­saries graunte thes heresies to haue bene crept in to the churche) the fathers and doctors that then lyued, vvrote most diligentlye against eue­rie other litle error that appeared. But novv vvhether it be reasonable to thinke so of those holye learned and vigilant men or els to thin­ke our aduersaries some vvhat shameles, in charginge them vvithe suche absurdities, I leaue to the indifferent reader to consider.

And thus muche haue I bene bolde to laye dovvne to your vvisedomes, right honorable, both for the innocencie of our cause, the equi­tie of our demaunde, the reason of our offer, and the easie meanes of our satisfaction, if our aduersaries vvoolde agree to the same. VVhich all tendeth onlye to this end (as your honours right vvell can discerne) to mitigate the greate offence conceaued against vs, and consequentlie some parte of that extreame rigour vsed tovvardes vs and our cause of later dayes, vvhich bein­ge such, as in verie deed is intollerable: vve are constrained to make recourse to your honours to vvhome of devv our protection appertai­neth and to doe, as a certaine afflicted man did vvith an Emperour in times past, that is, to ap­peale from your selues vnto your selues: from your selues, as offended by the instigation of our aduersaries: vnto your selues, mollified [Page 36] vvith our iust defence and innocencie in cry­mes obiected.

If by the rackinges, stretchinges, vvrestin­ges, and dreadfull tortures, vsed so often and to so many of our innocent afflicted brethren, and that in so rigourous & mercilesse manner, there hath bene any one thinge vvrounge out from them, of treason, conspiracie, or practises against the state, vvhervvith our aduersaries, vvithout conscience, do vse dailye to accuse vs in their bookes and sermons, therby to sturre her maie­stie and your honours against vs: lett the partie guyltie be punished openly, vvith infamie also to our vvhole cause, albeit in this later, vve offer more than reason. But if after all this adoe, after all this fierse halinge, and pitifull pullinge of mē in peeces, nothinge hath bene founde at all, no one act, no vvorde, no cogitation of suche matters, but onlye innocencie and Zeale of reli­gion in the tormented: then is our case muche more hard at home, in our ovvne countrye, vn­der our ovvne Soueraigne, than it could be any vvhere els vnder the extremest aduersaries of our religion in the vvorlde.

For I knovv your honours can not but consider, that the greatest enimyes of Christia­nitie this daie liuinge, as those of the secte of Mahomet, and many gētles besydes, ar so far of, from tormentynge Catholiques, as they permit vnto them the libertie and exercise of their cō ­science, in respect of the antiquitie and conti­nuance therof. For vvhich cause also, the most of Christian princes, do tollerate vvithe the ve­rie levves: and suche as possesse the Indes and [Page 37] other places, vvhere gentiles inhabite, neuer vse to moleste, and muche lesse to torment them for their consciences, vvherī they vvere borne and bredd vp: for that, faithe beinge the guifte of God, and comminge by hearinge (as the scri­pture Rom. 12: saiethe) is not to be put in by tormentes & persecution. Rom. 10.

Pitifull then and compassionable is our case (right honorable): if, of all other men, vve fin­de lesse rest and most extremitie, and that also there, and from those, vvhere, and from vvho­me, manie greate considerations shoulde yealde vs hope of fauoure and mercie. No protestant prince of any other countrie did euer vse the like: and it is quyte contrarie both to the prea­chinges and protestations of all those of that religion in other places, as also of our aduersa­ries in Englande, before they came to beare rule them selues.

Alas (my Lordes) vvhat impelleth your vvis­domes (for of nature I can not thinckc you sofiers & pityles) to exercise suche extremitie vp­pon poore people for that cause, vvherof your ovvne fathers vvere as guyltie as vve are, that is, for our conscience in the auncient religion? If you meane to vvīne mē therby to your opiniō, it is the cleane contrarie course, as I haue she­vved. If you thinke by terrour to make those desist, vvhich of meere zeale after the aposto­lique manner doe offer them selues to daunger for maintenance of that faithe: you knovv the vvise counsaile of honorable Gamaliel: if it be of man, it vvill sone be dispatched: but if it be of Act. 5. God, humane terrour can not lett it, as hit herto [Page 38] I am sure it dothe greatlie increase it.

Your honours haue procured libertie of conscience for those of your religion in some other countries, vvhich must proceede (as vve interpret from a mercifull disposition tovvar­des the afflicted, and that mens consciences are not to be constrained.

VVe beseeche your Lordships then, that vve your poore afflicted subiectes, maye tast some parte of that your honorable disposition, vvhe­rof straungers doe receaue so greate releefe and comforte.

Consider (my good lordes.) in most hum­ble manner I desire and requeste it, vvhat the end of all thes straininges, and most rigourous procedinges can arriuē vnto. In respect of the vvorlde, (I must speake playnelye) it can be ne­ther honorable nor profitable, nor of anye se­cure cōtinuance, beinge subiect to infinite hor­rour, obloquie, grudge, and hatred, as also to di­uers breaches and most daungerous vvoundes, as all extremities are vvonte to be. And in res­pect of God, hovv it is to be liked, eche man ma­ie gesse vvhiche readeth the scriptures, detestin­ge euerye vvhere all mercilesse procedinge of mortall men vvith their brethren, and commen­dinge, most carefullie, compassion one tovvar­des the other, vvith greeuous threates to them that vse the contrarie.

Remember (right honorable), that hovv different so euer our degrees be in this vvorlde, yet must vve all be equall before the common iudge, at the later daie, and all those afflicted persons, these tormēted, these imprisoned, these [Page 39] impouerished, these poore men, vvomen children, and seruauntes, vvhich lye novv in mi­serie by your meanes, ether lurkinge in corners or driuen from place to place, not daringe to appeare or shevv their countenance before your Lordships, must standby you vvithout fea­re at that daie, to geeue in euidence of thin­ges passed against them.

Good Lorde, vvhat comfort can it be to any of your honours, at the daie vvhen you must depart this vvorlde, to haue vsed suche rigour, to your ovvne fleshe and bloode, for matter of conscience, vvhich you haue not don to any other most impious, haynous, or detestable ma­lefactor. VVhat good or cōforte can the tormē ­ted members of your brethren, the stretched veines, the broken synovves, the dismembred iointes, the rented bovvels of your countrye mē, of your ovvne quiet subiectes, of most pea­ceable, modest, and innocent priests yelde vnto your soules at that daye? you must your selues crye for mercye in that dreadfull hovver, to hym vvhome these men, ether in trevvth, or in opinion do serue, and vvhy than may not vve aske some mercye at your honours handes novv, at the least, from thes horrible and seruile tormentes, vvhich Christian and ciuill hartes doe detest to thinke on? VVhat good can thes outragious meanes vvorke anye vvay vnto your cause, or vvhen you be dead, vvhat honour, esti­mation, loue, or securitie, can the eternall me morie of thes extreame dealinges, pourchasse vnto your posteritie.

The cause beinge gods, as vve presume: if all [Page 40] the earth shoulde rise against vs, vve may not geeue ouer, nor once shrincke in the confession and profession of this faith, though all vvrath of man vnder the cope of heauen shoulde rage and vvax tempestuous. For that, hauinge but one ly­fe to yelde: vve knovve the vttermost that can be donne vnto vs. And if our tormenters vvoul­de deferre the same, by longe, and often, and slovv tortures, to feede vppon our paines, as they seeme to doe: yet, at the last, they can affli­cte vs no longer, than our breath vvill holde in: and finallie, the matter must haue an end, and both they and vve be transposed to a nevv iu­dgment seate, vvhere matters must be nevv tra­uerst agayne, and nevv sentence geeuen, & nevv tortures appointed, of other qualitie and conti­nuance, Apoc. 21. than thes former vvere. At vvhat time, if vve suffer in a good cause, (as vve persvvade our selues vve doe) all our teares shalbe vvyped avvaye by our sauiour him selfe, all our mole­stations appeased, all our penuries releeued, all our paines assvvaged, all our racked members resetled, all our dispersed bovveles restored a­gaine, Apoc. 21. and vve placed ovvt of all feare, sorovv, & affliction, for the time to come,

In respect vvherof, and especiallye in con­sideration of the infinite paines and tormentes, vvhich our svveete Sauiour suffered for vs: vve are content to beare both this, and vvhat so e­uer further affliction, his holye hande shall please to lay vppon vs, beinge sorye that vve haue not moelyues than one, to leese in this his cause: for a thovvsande in eche man, can not be aunsvverable to his one deathe for vs, nor to [Page 41] his greate loue and diuyne consolation, vvhere vvith he assisteth dayely, and confortethe the hartes and spirites of our afflicted brethren, euen in the middest of their greatest tortures, penuries, and miserable calamities.

VVherfore, to conclude this vvofull mat­ter, The con­clusion. vvithout any further tediousnes vnto your honours, vve are in all humilitie and devvtifull submission, to beseeche and obtest your most honorable assemblye, euen for the loue of our Saueoure, in respect of our cause (vvhich vve protest before his diuine maiestie to be onlye our conscience in religion, and not any euill meaninge tovvardes his minister, our soueray­gne): that you vvill at length take notice of our distresses, consideration of our calamities, and finallie, some mercifull inclination, tovvards our afflictions. VVhich if your honours doe, hovv so euer othervvise you thinke vs amisse, in our cause of conscience: yet, no doubt but you shall receaue the revvarde devv to mercie and clemencie, both from God & the vvorlde. But if this our supplication of mercie, finde no mercye, nor place at all: yet shall not vve cease to pray stil for your honours, confortinge our selues vvith the hope onlye of Gods mercie, vvhen man forsaketh vs, and also vvith this co­gitatiō, that your Lordships are nether the first, nor the greatest, nor shalbe the last vvhich shall persecute this faith, & churche, for vvhich vve suffer. And hovv so euer the matter doe passe for our lyues and tymes, (vvherof vve make no greate accounte): yet our posteritie shall see, (as our auncestours haue seene before) that men [Page 42] doē alter, passe and fade, and their cogita­tions come to chaungeable and vnexpe­cted euentes, but the trevvth of our Lorde endureth for euer. Psal. 116.

Your honours humble oratour and vnfavned hartie Bea­desman. G. T.

AN EPISTLE TOVV­CHINGE THE PERSECV­TION OF CATHOLICKES IN ENGLANDE. To his verie louinge frinde. M. Gerarde at Bononie in Italie.

I Haue receaued diuers and sun­drye your lettres (my deare frinde) and all to lyke effecte and purpose. For you requyre most ernestlie at my handes, that I shoulde signifie to you the certa­intie of our Englishe persecution vppon Catholickes, wherof you saye there is a greate brute with you, but yet dyuerslye reported, and of no constant creditt. Ma­rye, to me you thinke it an easie matter, to write the verye trewth and the certa­intie of thinges: for that I lye neere to the place where they are donne, and may learne dailye bothe by lettres and reports of suche as come thence, how they passe. The which thinge albeit I shoulde gra­unte, (for in deed I lyeneere and doe at­tende [Page 44] with some diligence, bothe what is writen, or reported from thence:) yet whether I may put downe the same in writinge, and imparte it to our frindes there, most desyrous of the same (as you saye) especiallie withe the intēt it should be made publique: I can hardlye resolue my selfe. For you are not ignorant what a perylous point it is, to complayne of iniuries receaued from the mightie, who­se fashiō is, not to pmitt free the wailin­ges of the afflicted, but rather to take re­uenge of the very complaintes which are made of their doinges.

VVherfore leste I shoulde hurte them whome I vvishe best vnto, and by recoun­tinge their calamities, encrease the same, which I would rather ease if I coulde, though it were with the daunger of myne owne lyfe: I rest verie doutfull, not kno­winge well what were best to determine. And yet, to say the trevvthe, I must con­fesse, that I finde inclination in my selfe to the satisfyinge of your demaunde, both for that the thinge semethe iust, which you aske, and also the reasons by you al­leaged, sufficient to defend it from all ca­uill of the enemye. For thus you reason: [Page 45] vvhat? is it not lawfull to committ to pri­uate lettres that which is openlye and publiquelye donne? and if they wold ma­ke this a fault: yet is it onlye your fault, not to be layed vppon the poore men alreadye in affliction: punishable vppon you, and not vppon them.

VVhich reason of yours beinge ta­kē in deed from the verye sense of nature her selfe, encourageth me much to satis­fie your demaunde, seinge that the wise­dome of our aduersaries ought to yelde vs this hope, (for they are not vnwise accordinge to fleshe & blood) that they will not attribute other mens offences, (if it be an offence) to suche as are innocent of the same, albeit trewly my endeuour shalbe so to write eche thīge as (by their owne iudgements) I may not offende. For I will speake nothinge odiouslye, no­thinge bitterlye, but I will declare what hath bene donne: & yf the rigour of the matter dryue me at anye time into com­plaint: it shalbe without the reproche of any man.

For I deeme it not the parte of Ca­tholikes to recompence iniurie with in­iurye, The parte of Catholi­ques. or to requyte iniustice with acer­bitie [Page 46] of speche. For that we haue a merci­full and mightie lorde to whose onlye ar­bitrement all iniuries, are to be referred: he hath care of vs, (as the scripture saith;) 1. Pet. 5. to him let vs leaue reuenge. He him selff vvill Rom. 22. repaye: he vvill discerne our cause: he vvill deli­uer vs from the vnholye nation, frō the vniust & Psal. 42. Psal. 74. guylefull man: he, when time shalbe, vvill sit in iudgemēt vppon [our] iustice it selfe, & how muche more vppō the vniust psecutions, molestatiōs, & vexatiōs of his seruaūtes.

In the meane space if we be afflicted; if we be trodden downe, if we suffer the spoyle of our worldlye goodes, if we be subiect to reproches, if we be pressed with prisons, if we be tyed with chaines, if we pyne awaie with hunger, colde, and want of necessaries, if we be whipped and burned in the eares as roags, if we be dra­wen hanged and quartered alyue, if we be consumed with diuers kindes' of dea­thes. (for all thes thinges Catholiques in England do sustaine:) and if, (which is a matter yet of more greefe,) we sustaine thes thinges in the middest of our bre­thren, in sight and hearinge of other Ca­tholiques rownde about vs, they lookin­ge on, and takinge litle compassion of our [Page 47] case, nor helpinge vs with their worde, when as perhaps they may: yet must not we be discouraged, nor forsake the hol­some anchor of patience. For vve are not 4. Re. 19. (as the scirpture saith) better then our fa­thers Heb. 11. vvhich vvere hevved in peeces, racked, vvhipped, and imprisoned. And the Apostle addeth one thinge which I wolde haue you to marcke: and thesmen (saieth he) receaued no redemption: (that is, no ease of their afflictions in this lyffe) to the end they might finde a better resurrection. VVe beinge Scholers are not aboue our maister, vvhoe Luc. 6. 1. Pet. 3. doinge no iniustice in the vvorlde, yet vvas repu­ted amongest the vvicked, and suffered mu­che more crueltie for our sakes, and yet Esa. 53. did not he open his mouthe as the scri­pture Luc. 22. saithe before his persecuters. Esa. 33.

Let vs then retaine still this aunciēt The pro­pertie of heretikes. possession of holye sufferance, commen­ded vnto vs by our saueour and conser­ued by our forefathers. Let vs leaue vnto our aduersaries, that disloyall kinde of re­uenge, Rom. 9. Ep. iud. wherby they are woont to resist magistrates to sturre vp sedition, and wherby in thes our dayes they haue de­stroied partlye by violence and partlye by secret fraude, so manye noble men, [Page 48] valeant capitaines, Holye priestes, stron­ge cities, and most noble and renowmed common wealthes and states. Let them vse the arme of mā, let them trust in their Hier. 17. 1. Cor. 3. craft and subtiltie of witt, let them feede of wickednes as muche as they list, our hope Eph. 4. is in god our lorde, vvhoe vvill saue them that Psal. 61. 16. 113. hope in him: all our healpe is in the name of our lorde, vvho made heauen and earth, and forget­teth not our pouertie and tribulation. It maie Psal. 45. please his diuyne maiestie, perhaps, to deliuer vs ouer to be chastened for our syn­nes, for that the kinges honour louethe iudgmēt. Psal. 98. But certes he will not cast vs awaie, if we repent our synnes, and returne vnto hym, for that he is mercifull, and full of mercie, and there is no nomber of his mercyfull doynges. Psal. 49. 77. 140. 144. VVhat could be spokem by him more expresselye than this?

If his children for sake my lavv (saieth he Psa. 88. of David) & shall not vvalke in my iudgemen­ts: if they shall prophane my iustice, and shall not keepe my commaundementes:

I vvill visit vvith the rodd their iniquities, and their sinnes vvith vvhippes:

But yet I vvill not take my mercye from them, nether vvill I hurt them in my trevvth,

I vvill not prophane my testamēt, nor make fru­strate [Page 49] the vvordes, vvhich haue passed from my ovvne lyppes.

I haue once svvorne in my holye, I vvill not lye, to Dauid, his seede shall remayne for euer and euer.

This is the promisse, this is the firme protestation of god, to the seede of Da­uid, that is, to the Catholique churche of Christ, towchinge her euerlastinge con­tinuance, made by an othe, confirmed by his bloode, and establisshed by the expe­rience of manye ages. VVherefore we must not dispaire but confidentlie en­dure, for vvhoe so euer indureth our lorde, shall neuer be confounded. And if he do flaie Psal. 24. some vvhat longe, yet let vs expect him, for that cōminge he vvill come, & vvill not forslovve it. Abac. 2.

To this tollerāce of aduersitie, when we in this our banishement for religion, doe often cohort one an other for our comfort: there is nothinge which we can propose more forcible, ether for our cō ­solatiō or imitatiō, thē the sufferinges of our deare bethren in England, so muche more greeuous and sharper then ours, by how muche the woundes doe more af­flict, which are felt in a mans owne bo­die, then those whiche are made vppon [Page 50] externall temporalties. I meane that we whoe flyinge the handes of our persecu­tours, doe leade a banisshed life in strāge countries, albeit we are besett with manie incommodities, thorough lacke of our countrie and domesticall frindes, and by the losse of our goodes and pos­sessions at home: yet we enioie the li­bertie of these two thinges, which of all other are of most importance, that is both of bodie and sowle, neither of which is permitted vnto our Catholi­ques at home.

For first besides the taxes and aggra­uations, which are laide vppon their temporall commodities, theire very bodies are subiect to a thowsande vexations, both of bondes, imprisonment, and also of tormentes. But to theire sowls there is nothinge left free or at libertie, not their religion not their internall feelin­ge or opinion of God & their consciēce, for thow must say as other men say, doe as they sweare, yf thow lyue there albeit thow thinke the playne contrarie in thy conscience.

VVhich seruitude, and illiberall pres­sure and forcement of mynde, especial­lye [Page 51] in matters pertaininge to God, bein­ge the greatest and most greeuous affli­ction, that may be exercysed vppon man, maketh our state and conditiō, (albeit in other thinges very harde) to seeme much more tollerable than that of our brethrē at home. For whoe would not esteeme it more greeuous than all other incommo­dities, yea than death it selfe, to be wre­sted in conscience, to be forbidden all exercise of religion, to be enforced to sweare & make profession of new straun­ge opinions, which his hart doth reiect, detest, and abhorr: and yf by chance he should be taken seruinge god accordinge to his owne manner, and the manner of his fathers and auncestours, & of the most parte of Christianitie besides, (albeit it were alone, albeit it were preuilye, and in most secrete wise:) yet to be plucked owt, as an offender of the supreme maie­stie of the prince, as an enymie of the cō ­mon wealthe, as a wicked and flagitious caitife, vnworthie of life, or the compa­nye of mē? And that thes thinges doe so now passe in Englande (M. Gerard) it shall euidentlie appeare, by the narration followinge.

[Page 52] And first of all that the matter may The lavves of England against Catholiques. the better be vnderstoode, and you the easier coniect of the trueth of that I saye, it semeth to me no euill methode, to laye downe first, the publique lawes which England (borne, & instructed by Catholi­ques, in Christianitie,) hath now for their Christian faithe, set furthe againste Ca­tholiques. For by thes lawes may be ease­lye cōceaued what Catholiques are sub­iect vnto, in respect of the power, malice, & iniquitie of priuate aduersaries when they list, seinge that publique lawes do yelde so muche authoritie, to euerye mā almoste, that woold seeke a cauill or sclaunder against them.

To beginne therfore with thes lawes, it is first to be knowen that there are two kinde of lawes at dyuers times set furth in dissauoure and punishemēt of the Ca­tholique Tvvo kin­des of lavves. religion. The one which con­cerneth monye, possessions, and other goodes bothe of fortune & bodye, which I thinke maie be called penall or monye lawes. The other which maie rather be called bloodie or capitall lawes, for that thei inflicte deathe vnto the offenders. And to this diuision of lawes will I applye my [Page 53] speeche folowinge.

Amongest the penall lawes I will Penall lavves. put that as first, which was made amon­gest the last, for the punishement of those whiche for conscience sake refuse to co­me to the protestants churches. For this poynt the aduersarie vrgeth greatlie, that (all beyt the Catholiques be of an other religion, thoughe they detest Caluinisme in their harts, thoughe they abhorr all prayers and cōuenticles of the ministers, and accompt their seruice for most wic­ked & blasphemouse:) yet must they co­me to yt, they must assist and shewe them selues present, albeyt with a repynyng and resistinge conscience. And because Recusants. some do refuse to synn in such horrible wyse against god, and their owne consciē ­ces: therfore this lawe was made against these scrupulouse men for soothe: that 1. For refusing to go to chur­ches of protestants. who so euer should refuse to come to the protestants churche, to heare diuine ser­uice (as they call yt) yf he be aboue the age of sixtene yeres: shall forfeyte twē ­tye powndes Englishe euerye monethe: and he which can not paye, to lye in pry­sō vntill he be of better habilitie to paye. The rest of those lawes folowe here in [Page 54] order.

VVho so euer shall be conuicted to haue hearde masse, though it were secret­lye, shall fuffer imprisonement, the space of one whole yere, and so longe after, vn­til he paye a hundrede marke. 2. For hea­ringe or sayeing mas­se.

But as for the priest which celebra­teth masse, he shall neuer be lett owte of prison till he haue payde two hundred marks. And that somme of money must be payd so oft as any offendeth herein. 3. For abiuration of religion.

VVhat soeuer Ecclesiasticall persone shall not make publike detestation of the romane Religion, and openlie abiure the authoritie and iurisdiction of the bys­hopp of Rome: shall forfaite all his bene­fices and all his dignities ecclesiasticall what soeuer. 4. For othes in the vniuersities.

No Scholer or student maye haue any place with in the Colleiges of the vniuersities, or be preferred to any de­gree of Learning, excecpt such as at his fyrst entry in to the Colleige, and at the taking of euerye degree, doth by solemne othe, denie the byshopp of Romes au­thoritie, in all causes Ecclesiasticall.

None may haue any publique Office, 5. For othes of officers. or other ministerie, in the common wel­the, [Page 55] except he fyrst solemlye publishe, the self same abiuration of the byshopp of Rome.

No warde comyngeto full age may en­ter 6. For othes of vvardes. in to his inheritaunce, or enioye any cōmodities there of, except he fyrst take the same othe.

VVho so euer vnder degree of a Ba­ron, 7. For othes of perleya­ment: men. shall be called (as ostentimes it hap­neth) to be one of the parliamēt (in which courte voices were wont to be most free) must neuer the lesse haue no voice there, yf he will not take the sayde common othe against the Pope.

VVhat persone so euer (vnder degree 8. For re­cusants. of a baron) to whome this othe hath bene twyse ministered, doeth the second time refuse the same, shall for fait all his goods and possessions, & be condemned to per­petuall pryson.

VVho so euer denieth the quene to 9. For de­nienge of the quenes suprema­cie. be supreme heade of the Churche of England, in causes Ecclesiasticall, shall su­stein the same Penaltie of losse of all his goodes, and of perpetuall imprysonment.

VVho so euer receiueth or kepeth 10. For re­ceiuers of halovved▪ thinges: any Agnus dei Rosaries, halowed graines, medalls, or anie other thnig which is ha­lowed [Page 56] by the Pope and broght in to En­gland, shall endure the same punishement of losse of all his goods and of perpetuall imprysonment.

Yf any kepe a Scholemaster in hys 11 For ke­ping Ca­tholique scholema­sters. howse, to teache hys owne childeren or others, which dothe not haunt the churche of protestants, or is not by one of their by shopps alowed: he shall for that cause forfeit ten pounds for euerie month, vn­till he haue remoued him.

Yf anie do knowe one, whiche hathe 12. For cō ­cealers of reconciled Catholi­ques. reconciled another, to the vnitie and cō ­munion of the churche of Rome, and yf he doe by any waye or meane ayde, eyther the reconciler or the reconciled, or do conceale thone or thother, in suche wise as he doe not discouer them bothe, to so­me publique magistrate, with in the space of twentye dayes, then next folowenige: he shall forfait all his good, as well moua­ble as vnmouable, and all his possessions whiles he lyueth: and his bodie shall re­maine to be disposed, as pleaseth the queene.

VVho so euer dothe know any per­sone, 13. For cō ­cealing procurers. to haue procured an other, to be re­conciled to the faith and religion of Ro­me, [Page 57] thowghe he hymselfe be no recon­ciler, nor is reconciled, yet, yf suche a one doe by any way or meane releue or suc­coure the sayd procurer, or yf he doe conceall, or not discouer the same pro­curer to some magistrate (as is aboue say­de: (shall incurr the same punyshement.

VVho so euer dothe know any perso­ne 14. For cō ­cealing of counselers to haue counseled an other to be recō ­ciled to the Romaine Religion, thowgh he hym self dyd not procure it at all: yet yf he any way ayde such a counsayler, or cōceale or not discouer hym (as is before sayd:) he shall haue the same punishmét.

Yf one know any to haue persua­ded, 15. For concealing su­ch as obey the pope. procured, or counseled an other to obeye the byshopp of Rome, in causes Ecclesiasticall, and yet dothe ayde hym, cōceale or not bewraye hym (as is aboue say de:) shall endure the fame payne and punishement.

VVho so euer knoweth any, which 16. For cō ­cealing of promised obedien­tiaries. hathe suffered hym self to be perfuaded to obey the byshopp of Rome, in causes Ecclesiasticall, or which hathe promised, ani obediēce to him for the time to come, and yet dothe any way ayde, or conceale suche a one, or doeth not discouer hym [Page 58] within twentie dayes (as is aforesayde) he shall suffer the same penaltie of losse of all his goods and possessions, and of imprisonment.

He which knoweth anye priest, to haue absolued an other, and yet doeth 17. For conceling ab­soluors. ayde or conceale hym, or doeth not geue knowleige of hym, in sufficient tyme (as is aforesayd): shall be condemned in the same penaltye.

Yf any know a priest to haue autho­ritie 18. For concealing su­ch as haue authoritie to absolue. to absolue (albeit the priest exercyse not the same, nor absolue any) yf he ey­ther helpe or conceale hym, or do not discouer hym, (as is aforesayd) he shall abyde the same payne.

VVho so euer knoweth any to pretēd to haue authoritie to absoluet (hough 19. For concealing pretensed absoluers. in dede he haue none) and yet doeth ayde or conceale hym, or not discouer hym, (as is aforesayd) he shall suffer the same punishement.

Yf any knowe one to be absolued, were he willyngly absolued vppon his 20. For concealing the absolued. owne sute, or wittingly dyd but suffer hym selfe to be absolued, (thoughe he neuer desired it): yet yf he any waye suc­coure, or conceale hym, or do not geue [Page 59] notice of hym, (as is aforesayde) he shall haue the same punishement.

VVho so euer knoweth anie to haue 21. For concealing dissuaders, of caluinism, dissuaded an other frō the religiō nowe publiklie vsed in Englād, of intēt, to draw hym to the obedience of the bysopp, and religion of Rome: or knoweth any to haue bene a procurer, mouer or counse­ler, to such dissuadyng of any other: and doeth by any way or meane helpe, con­ceale, or not discouer hym to a magistra­te withein the space of twentie dayes, (as is a foresayd): he shall endure the sa­me penalties, punishements and paynes, so often now remembred, vvhiche is asmuche to saye in effect, as he shall lose all the ioyes, comforthes, & commodities which this mortall life can velde to mā.

And thus muche (for so farras I now doe remēber) towching the penall lawes. By these onelye (though ther were no capitall lawes,) a man may easilye conie­cture, in how hard termes, the Catholi­ques now in Englande doe stande, against whome, so many dredefull and moste perilous lawes are layed, lyke snares for their destructiō. who can haue a quiet mynde, whan he is withoute securitie to enioye [Page 60] but one houre the verye necessaries wher with he showld lyue, beinge on euerie syde hedged and listed yn with so many menasing lawes, the dawngers whe­reof he is not able to eschewe, except he wold be come impiouse? how great a swaye doe cauills beare among these Lawes? how great force hath malice here? how muche oportunitie is geuen to ini­quitye? Behold I praye you. Yf any persone do eyther ayd or cōceale the re­conciler, or the reconciled, the absoluer or the absolued, the procurer, counceler dissuader, or suche like: he is guiltie (saith the law) of an haynouse crime, & worthie to be punished, with losse of al his goods, yea and of his libertie allso. Let the mat­ter it selfe passe: consider but onelye how wyde open to all iniustice the Catholi­ques do lye by meanes of thes lawes, yf one by chaunce or vnwittingly should receaue in to his house, some of the a fo­resayd persones, and a quareling felow wold accuse hym, that he dyd yt wittin­glie: how cowld he be hable in this case to defend him selfe, or what supportatiō might he finde for his owne innocēcye? If one wold dissuade a man from the heresie [Page 61] of Caluin and neuer speake word at all of By the 21. Lavv befo­re mencio­ned. the byshopp of Rome: howe shall it ap­peare that he is not guiltie of treason? I meane, how shall he be able to bring in euidence, that he dyd not dissuade with this intent, that the other should reiect the phātasies of Caluin, and submitt hym selfe to the bisshopp & churche of Rome? Yes (yow will say) the perill may be ea­silie auoyded, if this felow showlde plain lye moue one to the religion of purita­nes, Anabaptists, Arians, or yet of A­theists: Eche here­sie is mo­re safely defended in Englād, than the Catholi­que faithe. In verie trueth I beleue it well: And surelie yt is not vnproblable that this same clause was so smothelye cou­ched to the rest by the penner of the lawe, in fauoure and maintenance of these and suche like heresies. Oh how miserable is the condicion of these owre dayes?

And thus muche touching cauillation The vne­qualitie of the lavves aganist Catholiques. and surmise. Novv as to the vnequalitie of these lavves, what should a man say thereof, syth therbye at this daye in En­gland the father is bownde to accuse hys sonne, the husband hys wyfe, the brother his brother, the penitent his ghostlie fa­ther, the seruant hys master, as yf it were for a myschoeuouse crime? And wherfore [Page 62] I praye yow? forsoothe for the Catholi­que religion, vnder which we were bor­ne, with which we were brought vpp, and instructed, and the verie same, whiche all other princes doe embrace and defende. The like to this withoute doubt, no age past hath tasted, no memorie of oure forefathers hathe heard, no antiquitie of former worldes hathe sene. These are the braynsick phantasies onlie of oure dayes, the variable innouacions of parti­cular places, the flexible willfullnesse of mans mynde, the moste vaine cogitatiōs of fleshe and bloode, whereby men doe attempt to exchaunge the vnmutable tru­the of Christ for their owne phantasies to serue their owne turnes in respect of their owne commodities.

But let vs yet see mo of these seuere lawes, & that ys, the capitall lawes, whiche before, I haue called bloodye lawes, in The capi­tall lavves against the Catholi­ques of En­gland. this respect, for that they lye in wayte of bloode, and doe assaile, the verie lyfe of man. And in these lawes, first of all, there is one thing not vnmete to be noted, that all thes lawes, doe concern religiō onlye, and yet neuer the lesse they doe inferr not only the payne of deathe, but suche a [Page 63] payne, as ys prouided for offenses, com­mitted against her maiesties persone, whi­che of all other is a most greuouse & moste odiouse payne, as due for the most flagi­tiouse crime, and that ys treason or rebel­lion. And this course oure aduersaries doe take of speciall purpose, that the deathe of Catholiques, snoulde not seeme to be a martyrdome, but rather might be con­ueyed throughe the eares of the ignorāt people, vnder the infamouse blott of an haynouse crime: and to the intent allso that the prince might more easilie be per­suaded, the Catholique religion to stand styfflie bent against her roiall scepter, and daungerous to the securitie ofher regi­ment. Now when this foundacion was ones laied, yt was no hard matter for thē, to procure what lawes they lusted against Catholiques: Albeit in verye dede, she of her owne disposition, abhorreth suche violence, and effusion of mans bloode. But nowe I come to the lawes, & thus the first beginneth.

VVho so euer shall saye, write, affirme, 11. For ad­mitting. dissuason. or by any maner of ciphar shall vtter, or yet being demaunded, shall confesse, that the byshopp of Rome is heade of the [Page 64] churche of England, or hathe there anie Iurisdiction in causes ecclesiasticall: shall be reputed and taken for a traitor, and shall endure such pains of deathe, for fai­tures & penalties, as are prouided in cases of high treasō, cōmitted against the state.

He which for any cause doth hereafter 2. For ap­pellants to Rome. appeale to the Byssopp of Rome, and ob­tein from hym bulls or other instrumēts, and bring the same in to England: shall endure the punishement of highe treason.

Yf any persone do hereafter bringe 3. For bringers in of. halovved thinges. in to Englande any Agnus Dei, (as they call thē) rosaries, hallowed grains, medal­les, crucifixes, or any other thinge halo­wed of the Byshopp of Rome: shall be re­puted demed and taken for a traitor.

VVhat persone so euer beinge vn­der 4. For re­cusants of the othe. the degree of a baron, to whome the othe or abiuration against the popes au­thoritie, and in the behalfe of the Quenes supreme powre ī causes ecclesisticall shall be thryse tendred, doe at the third tyme refuse to sweare: shall suffer the pains or­deined for highe treason. 5. For sayeing the quene is an heretique or scismi­tique.

VVo so euer by anie waie or meane doethe from hensefourthe say, write, signifie, or beinge demaunded, doeth cō ­fesse, [Page 65] that the quene is an heretique, or a Shismatique: shall be subiect to the same pains for high treason.

If anie doe hereafter reconcile an 6. For recō cilers. other to the vnitie & communion of the sea of Rome: he shall suffer the same pai­nes & punishemēts prouided for treason.

VVho so euer shal wittinglle and wil­linglie 7. For the reconciled▪ be reconciled, to the same vni­tie and communion: shall endure the sa­me punishment.

VVho so euer doeth hereafter pro­cure 8 For pro­curers of reconcilia­tion. any persone to be reconciled to the same vnitie and communion: shall be cō ­demned to the same punishement.

VVhat persone so euer doethe from 9. For counsailers of reconcilia­tion. henseforthe but onelie geue aduise or counsaille to anie to be reconciled to the same vnitie and communion, thoughe he doe not procure the same: shall neuer the lesse haue the same punishement.

If anie persone doe hereafter persua­de 10. For persuaders of obediens to the po­pe. an other to obeye the byshopp of Rome in causes ecclesiasticall: he shalbe condemned of the same crime of highe treason.

If anie suffer hym selfe to be persua­ded 11. For ad­mitting persuasiō to suche obedience: he shall be de­med [Page 66] guiltie of the same crime of highe treason.

If anie doe procure suche persuasion to be vsed with an other, or geue counsaill 12. For procurers and counsailers of such persuasion. thereunto: he shall suffer the same payne of highe treason.

If anie do promise to vse in time to come, anie suche obedience to the sea of 13. For promisers of obediens. Rome in causes ecclesiasticall: he shall en­dure the penalties prouided for highe treason.

If a pryeste doe absolue anie of the 14. For ab­foluers. quenes subiects: yt shall be Iudged to be highe treason.

If anie haue authoritie to absolue in England, thowghe he neuer doe in dede 15. For su­che as ha­ue autho­ritie to ab­solue. absolue anie: yet shall he neuer the lesse be demed and taken for a traitor.

If anie doe make a pretense or showe that he hathe suche authoritie to absolue, 16. For pretenders of authoritie. though in truthe he haue none: yet shall he be reputed as a traitor.

If anie persone wittinglie be absol­ued 17. Admit­ters of ab­solution. of an other, be yt that he eyther made sute for the same absolution, or withoute making anie sute for it, suffred hym sel­fe to be absolued: he shall be punished as a traitor.

[Page 67] Yf anie do procure absolution for 18. procu­rers of ab­solution. an other, he shall haue the same punishe­ment.

Yf any persone doe aduise or counsell an other to be absolued, thoughe he do 19. Coun­sailers of absolution not procure yt to be done: yet shall he therfore suffer as a traitor.

Yf anie doe eyther procure or coun­sell an other generallye to be an absol­uer, 20. Procu­rers or counselers to absolue. all be yt that he doe not moue hym to absolue any speciall persone: yet he shall neuer the lesse incurr the same pu­nishement.

Yf anye doe hereafter dehorte or dis­suade an other frome the religion now 21. Disvva­ders of caluins reli­gion. publiklye vsed & professed in Englād, or doe procure any such dissuasion, of in­tent that the persone whiche is to be dis­suaded may be drawne to the obedience and religion of the sea of Rome: he shall be reputed demed and iudged guiltie of highe treason: and shall endure the same punishemēt, whiche is dewe for that cri­me. And that punishement is suche as foloweth. The paine of Catholiques con­demned as traitors for religiō

First, that the persone condemned, and drawne a lōge by land to the place of execution, be (for his greater torment,) [Page 68] halfe strangled with an haulter: then is he to be lett doune, that whyles he is cōmin­ge to hym selfe, his priuie members may be cutt of and brent in the fyre before his face: by and by his bellye is to be vpript with a knyfe, his gutts haled owte, and whiles he lyeth yet pantinge and stru­glinge: his hart, lungs, liuer, and all his bowells & intrales must be plucked four­the by the boucher, & throwne in to the fire there at hand: in thende, his bodye ys boyled, cut in peeces, & hanged by quar­ters at diuerse gates of the Citie. And as for his goods and possessions, they are all forfeited, and no parte thereof must descend to his vvyfe, children, or kynred: yea and they allso for this one mans sake are to be blotted with ignominie, and the whole posteritie of this dead creature vt­terlie attainted, and disteined in bloode for euer.

Are not these seuere enough? are they not (think yow my frinde Gerard) suf­ficient sharppe for the professors of a re­ligion which they receiued of their grand fathers and forefathers? And yet, for soo­the, The vnea­uen dea­ling of the ministers of Englād. oure ministers of Englād, those oure innouators, oure trōpett blowers of the [Page 69] euangelicall doctrine, and resemblers (for soothe) of Christian myldenesse, doe daylie exclayme for the of pulpits, redou­ble thicke and threefold through their writen bookes, and beate in to the ears of the magistrate, yea and of the prince allso in daylie speeche, that to muche lenitie is vsed: that clemencie is daungerouse: that the toleration and forbearance, which is vsed in the whole course of that regimēt towards Catholiques, is blame woorthye, and not to be suffred. See nowe the vnad­uised folie of spitefull and furiouse per­sones.

Is there anie haynouse offense, or dete­stable acte, that can be more sharplye pu­nished, than with these torments whiche here I haue sett downe? ys there anie forte of men so vngraciouse, as could be withe mo lawes lysted abowte, withe greater paines restreined, to mo perills subiected, to mo mischeues and inconueniences lay­de opē, than the Catholicks are in Englā ­de by theyse lawes? And yet, whan all is done, wherein haue these poore Catholi­ques offended? VVhat maner of crime ys to be imputed to the faithe and religiō of our grand fathers and auncestours? vvell, [Page 70] theyse aduersaries vvere ones of one societie vvith vs, but novv, vvhan they haue taken hold of Caluines faithe, for sa­ken Luthers religion, and contemned ou­res: they haue made them selues oure ma­sters, they haue banished vs ovvt of our ovvne houses, and thrusten vs frome all degrees of honor and estimation. But for oure part, vve make no complaint the­reof: let them take, and vse all at their mo­ste libertie. Then vvhye are they not he­re withall content? whye procede they further sely poore mē? vvhat meane they to assaile oure soules? whye are they so ri­gorouse against oure bloode? howe is yt, that nothinge can satisfie them but oure deathe, or oure extreme calamitie? yf the quarell whiche they haue against vs, be for no other thinge, but onelye for oure faithe: alas, there are other petye sects no lesse ennemyes to Caluine thā we are: yet can they be content very frindlie to en­tertaine them, and to vse their fauorable ministerye. But yf a paddlye hyddin the strawe: yf Varres be affrayed to be called to accompte by order of lawe: behold, we are contēt to delyuer them from that trouble, to seale them an acquitance, and [Page 71] to yelde of oure owne right and interest. Marye, this is the thinge which we one­lie desire, that this be not to vs an ouer­throw, and an occasion of theyre perpe­tuall displeasure against vs, for that ones we enioyed oure natiue soyle, whiche nowe we want: for yf this hadd not hap­ned, their publique weale hadd now bene none.

And thus muche of the lawes. Nowe, yow see how muche oure aduersaries are hable to doe against vs, vnder the pre­tense of theyse lawes: but how muche more they wolde fayne doe, the matter it selfe declareth euidentlye, in that they are not content with the seueritie now vsed, but earnestlie call for sharper & more painfull lawes euerye daye. And yet verylie I doe not thinke, that anie Chri­stian can haue so hard and yroned a harte (onlesse he haue lost bothe feelinge of humanitie and faithe) but might be moued to compassion with theyse extremities, which oure poore Catholiques doe suf­fer. The ter­mes vvhe­re in Ca­tholiques doe stand in Englād.

For no lamentable distresse can be imagined in anye kynde of calamitie, well nighe, which theyse men do not daylie [Page 72] beare, no trouble in anye condition of men, can be thought on, which they doe not continuallye susteyne. In so muche, as they may moste truelie say, with the A­postle: in tribulatiūs, in necessities, in distresses, in strypes, in prysons, in tumultes, in labors. And 2. Cor. 6. with, the same soldioure of Christe in an 2. Cor. 11. other place: in perills vvith in the Citie, in pe­rills in vvildernes, in perills in the sea, in perills amonge false brethren, in trauaile and miserie. Yea they may allso say further, as the Apostle saythe: euen in deathe oftētimes. Yet further, that same may be applyed vnto thē, and not vnaptlye, Skornefull moc­kes Heb. 11. and beatings haue they felt, ouer and besyde bothe fetters and prysōs, they haue bene racked, they haue bene cutt and mangled, they haue abydden temptations and trialls, they haue bene slayne vvith the svvoorde. And to conclude, that same allso verye fytlie agreeth vnto them, vve are made a spectacle to the vvorlde, to angels and to men: vve are euell spoken of, and 1. Cor. 4. vve say vvell of others: vve suffer and endure persecution: vve are blasphemed and vve pray, for them: vve are accompted the parings of the vvorlde, and the refuse of all to this daye.

But to make all theyse more euident, it shall not be (perhaps) farr from the [Page 73] purpose, yf I touche euerye thing yet more particularlie.

And fyrst (to speake of the last exe­cutiō, The last punishe­mēt of Ca­tholiques. whiche oure Catholiques do endu­re in the ende of all) yt can not be doubt­ful (I think) to anie, how manye men, and what maner of men, haue bene put to moste paynfull deathe, as strangled, bo­welled, cut in sunder, boyled, and disper­sed by peece meale in the ayre, and all for religion: and though our aduersaries (for more reproche) make a surmise of trea­son: yet the matter is manifest, and they them selues do not denye, that only re­ligion is the cause of this deathe.

I make no mention here, of the greate nōber of those moste reuerend bishopps, doctors, priests, and other confessors of Christ, whiche in pryson haue bene either choked with filthie stinkyng sauour, or cōsumed with sorowe and hungar, whose causes we referr to the Iudgement seate of Christe alone. I speake here of them onelye, whiche openly in the sight of all men, haue geuē testimonie to the truethe, with their owne bloode. VVho (besydes the verye torment of the executiō, & that common contumelie, where in they die [Page 74] (in the opinion of the people) as traitors to the state, and not as Catholiques, haue allso (for the moste part) this re­warde, and good turne geuen them whan they are deade, that they are slaundered Slaunde­ringe of deade mē. in dispersed libells with some notable false surmise throwne oute against their maners and doctrine.

In this wise verie latelie whan they had hanged on their common gallo­wes, Paradoxes falsely im­puted to M. HANSH. that godlie and zelouse priest Eue­rard Hanse, and were affrayed leste some perchaunce, wolde be moued with the martyrdome of that Innocent: they gaue owt in two contrarie bookes, thone im­pugnyng thother, certaine monstruouse errors and paradoxes, (I knowe not what,) and made this deade man theau­thor thereof: Suche as this: that the bishopp of Rome can not sinne: where as in trueth mai­ster Hanse dyd speake expresselye of the doctrine of faithe that is to be published to the vniuersall churche, and therin only he sayd, that the pope could not erre.

And this is an other: that no prince hath anye supremacie vvithin his ovvne dominions, sauing the byshopp of Rome onlie: where in dede he spake onlie of the supremacie of [Page 75] the Catholique churche in causes Eccle­siasticall. And this allso: that no treasō against the quene of Englād is a synn. VVheras being nowe at the point redie to be executed to deathe and repeting his owne woords diuers tymes before the people there present, he affirmed that he spake not of euery kinde of treason, but of that onlie, for the which withowt desert he was then in dyeing, and which his aduersaries vn­discretely call treasō, being in truethe no other thing, than a nedefull confession of the Catholique faithe. For now by the re­citall of the lawes before mencioned, yt is manifeste, how many cheefe points and Principles of faithe made treason. principles of oure faithe, they haue dra­wne to the case of hyghe treason.

In this point therfore, oure aduer­saries excede the malice of auncient per­secutors, that they do not make knowen the true cause why they martyre men, though them selues doe confesse the sa­me. And yet the deuell in those formoste tymes hade sowne muche seede of this iniquitie, whē S. Paule as pernicious & sedi­tious: yea & oure sauioure Christ: as one se­ducing Act. 24. the people, & forbyddinge to paye tribute Luc. 24. to Caesar: were moste īiuriously slaundered.

[Page 76] But nowe it is (I suppose) skant woor­the the laboure, to put downe here in Sauuage rudenes. writing, with how greate reproches, with what outcries, with how many mocks and skorns, with howsower and spite full skoffes, with how bitter and vnsauourye taunts, with what rustling noyse and dyn­ne of mutteringe male cōtents, and fowle mowthed detractors, theyse our martyrs were strangled, and in the sight of all the people rent and torne in peeces: for the thinge of it selfe is lothesome to the eyes, and terrible to the eares. O howe pi­tifull is owre case, whiche are fallen in to these tymes, whan we see so greate ri­goure practised by christians againste christians, for the christian faithe?

And thus muche for the paynes and punishements ordeined for Catholiques: Contume­lies against Catholi­ques. Nowe lett vs saye somethinge of the cō tumelies that they abyde before their deathes: but it is an infinit & endlesse matter, it can not be expressed in fewe woords. For I thinke verelie, that Catholiques no where in the world, no not amonge Moores, Gothes, Tartars, Saracens, Turcks, or whatsoeuer other confederats, or swor­ne enemies of Christe, could be more [Page 77] skornfullie, than they are by these con­tumeliouse and disdeinfull new gospel­lers.

Yf they take a priest at masse: a man Hovve a priest is entreated that is ta­ken at mas­se. wold marueyle to see, how impiouslye & how despitefilly they behaue them selues. First, for the sacred yea and consecrated hoste, they take it away with violence, treade it vnder foote, thrust it through with knyues and daggers, fasten it to a poste, and with great wounder showe it to Catholiques, insult and triumphe against yt in all skoffing and skornfull ma­ner, and call it (suche is their blasphemie (the wheaten or breadie god of papists. Now as to the priest, whan they haue (after their maner) first intreated hym yll withein doores, then they bring hym forthe abroade, and in the selfe same at­tyre wherein they fownde hym standin­ge at the aultar, they haile and chase hym abowte, throwghe stretes and villages, where all folke gase and stare vppon hym the whole multitude skorne hym, yea & some spytt in his face, but the moste part scolde, and raile against hym, and euerie one (well nighe) dothe practise some particuler spite and iniurie against this [Page 78] seruant of Christ. Then they lock hym fast in the counter, or laye hym vpp in so­me other prison: they bynde hym in yrō cheyns, loade him with bolts and shakles, and (yf it like them) they put hym to the rack, and torture: or else, whan they haue vexed hym in euerie part with the rodd of all maner of reprochefull punishe­ments: they hale hym fourthe to the pla­ce of Iudgement, and theyr, bothe hym, and all them which were present at his masse, they do condemne to prison, and to paye that summe of money for their fine or raunsome, whiche I tolde yow be­fore is to be payde for this so hainous a fault (God wote) of hearing masse.

And whan all this is done and past, (yf they thinke it may anie way further their affaires to dispatche the man quyte out of the waye, and kill hym) they exhibit vnto hym interrogatories touchinge some ar­ticles of the aforesayde capitall lawes: they appose hym with captiouse and sub­tile questions: they vrge hym vpon his allegeaunce to answere directlie & plain­lie. VVhat nede manie woords? Doe they not easelie (think yow) beate oute of the poore man some thinge that may suffice [Page 79] to serue their turne? yes in dede: for a staffe is euer at hande to beate a dogg.

And here because I haue made men­cion Of prisons. of imprysonmēts, and yow in yowre letters request aduertisemēt of some par­ticulars thereof by name: I will saye so­me thing allso of prisons: whereof this shall be the first: that they are all very full replenished and stuffed vpp with Ca­tholiques, in so muche as there is skante anie romthe for theues. Manie prisōs are Mistress Tomson. newe builded of late, but all doe not suffi­ce. The Tower of London, (in time past vsed for traitors,) is nowe fraught full of priests. Yea, oure Bridewell, an infamouse place of light houswyues & lewed folke, is not withoute some parte. For it is not longe synce a yong maide, a gētle woman borne, confessinge the Catholique faithe some what zelouslie, was thrust in to this dishonorable place by the Superintēdent of London.

Nowe to the wantes, distresses and inner troubles of prisoners I dare saye nothing, leste with my complaint I might afflict the afflicted more. This neuer the­lesse is common, that no frinde of theirs may visit them, all intercourse of speche [Page 80] and letters is forbidden, strayte watche is layde, & narroulie it is obserued who re­sorteth vnto them, in so muche as none withoute present perill, can eyther geue them any almes or other wayes releiue them with any woorke of charitie. And I heare of muche harder dealings, concer­ninge the order of their diet, speciallie in the prisons at york and hull. Yett becau­se those extremities may procede per­haps of some peculiar frowardnesse of Iailers: I will not touche them here as af­flictions common to all prisoners.

But yet the report of a rigoure vse [...] in a prison at Lanson in the countie of The prison at Lanson. Cornwale, is certeinlie true, and the fact more than barbarous. For whan syx (as I wene) or eight Catholiques were shoo­ueled together and piled vpp in to one hole: thoughe they were of good calling, and for more part gentlemen borne: yet had they neyther meate geuen them, nor allowed to them, other than vnsauorie and Lothesome, yea and begged of al­mes from doore to doore, nor vse of any water but of corrupt & filthie. And as for place of easement to theyre bodilie ne­cessities, they had none at all, other than [Page 81] the verie floore where on they dyd lye. A sauage parte of a layler. But of all other this exceded: that when theyse poore wreches beganne at last to complaine of this inhumaine and saua­ge crueltie: the layler threatned them further, that he wolde from thenseforthe tye thē to maungers, and feede them like brute beastes. Yet in the ende by lōgesute and continuall soliciting of fryndes, yt came to passe, that they were remoued from this prison abowte two hundred miles thense, and posted ouer to a prison in london, with a common garde. Of which pilgrimage this was the ceremonie & cir­cumstance. Hovv Ca­tholiques are led to prison in England.

Euery one of them was fett on a selie leane & bare horse, withoute bridle spurr, or other furniture for a horseman: the horses were fastned eche one to othera taile, marchinge in a long rewe one after an other. Eche mans feete were tyed vn­der his horse bellie, and his armes were bound hard & fast behinde hym. VVhen they came neare to anie citie or towne: one was appointed to ryde before, and to geue warning to the inhabitants, that the­re were cominge at hand, certein papifts, foes to the Gospell, and enemies in the [Page 82] common weale. Vppon whiche notice, the people beinge sturred vpp, dyd run­ne in flocks foorth of their houses in to the stretes, and welcome the commers with as spitefull contumelies as they could.

VVith a verie like pomp and solem­nitye Maister Edmund Cā ­pian of the Societie of Iesus, led ī triumphe. (fashioned and framed all together for reproche, & to euery tricke & toye of mockerye) dyd they latelie leade throu­ghe the citie of london, twelue catholicks, whereof fyue were priests, & the rest were of good estate and callinge. Theire fault forsoothe was this: they were fownde prayeing & at masse all in one house with maister Edmund Campian, of the Societie of Iesus, a greate lerned clerk, a harmeles­se and verie Innocent man. This good man, for offeringe to the ministers a most iust defense of hys faithe by waye of di­sputation, was by oure aduersarie slaun­dered as a sediciouse persone, and to that end and effect, a large paper was most spi­tefullie written with great letters, which they forced hym to beare vppon his hea­de in this triumphe. All this the good mā did beare (not vnlike as Christ dyd beare the title and superscription of his crosse [Page 83] Calmelye, myldlie, modestlie, with a glad­de mynde and a cherefull countenance.

At last after this tragedie was ended, Hovv Ca­tholiqnes be tormented in the tovver. when they were come to the tower of London: as they had before that tyme en­treated other of gods seruants, and spe­ciallie priests: so dyd they novv put Mai­ster Campian to the racke and to extre­me torments, and therby vvold haue vv­rested ovvte of hym, in vvhat places he Light causes of tortute. had seiourned, in vvhose houses he had bene enterteined, by vvhose frinde shipp and liberalitie he had bene mainteined, vvhere he had bated or inned: vvhome he had visited by the vvaie, vvhome he had made of his counsaile, vvhose help, and industrie he had vsed, and (to be shorte) vvho they vvere throughe oute all En­gland, vvhiche fauoure the Catholique religion, and vvho abhorre Caluianism in theyre harts. O haynouse crimes, suffi­ciēt (no doubt) to bringe free borne men to be turmoiled in so exquisite maner of examination, & that by torture too, euen, for a mere furmise, and but a suspicion there of.

Now (I praye yow) tell vs yf yow cā whē was this practise vsed anie where befo­re [Page 84] these dayes? In what barbarous Scy­thia was this asmuche as hearde of by anye report at any tyme, that freeborne men, of honest state & condition, lerned, of good education, well instructed and trayned vpp in gentlemanlye maner, de­dicated and vowed to the sacred functiō of priesthoode, should be for the testi­monie onlie of an auncient religion, of lōge cōtinuance left vnto them by theire auncestours, stauled vpp in cages to be racked on a payne banke (as bondslaues were wonte to be) and with dire and hor­rible paines, greeues, & afflictiōs wrested and writhen owte of their ioynts, vnlesse thei will appeache, & traiterously deliuer vp to the torture theyre owne cōpaniōs in faithe and profession: whiche to doe they are forbidden by the lawe of natiōs, by the rule of nature, by ciuile duetie, by common honestie, & by euerye religion? Ys this (think yowe) a verye iust cause of torture? ys this a reasō effectuall enoughe to bringe men to theire inquisition? spe­ciallye so extreme, so rigorouse, so serui­le a maner of inquisitiō for free born mē to endure? dyd Catholiques in any aige practise this, euen against the desperatest [Page 85] and peruersest heretiques?

Assuredlie, yf there were nothing elles The diffi­mulation of heresie. to admonishe a circūspect and attentiue persone of the fraude of heresie, and of that desperate wickednesse, vvhich lyeth lurkinge vnder her hypocrisie: thowghe the noueltie of theire opimons, the con­trarietie amonge thē selues, the variable vncertaintie of their assertiōs, theyr licē ­tiouse dissolution in conuersation of lyfe coulde saye nothinge to the matter: yet this one thing wolde (to hym I saye that hathe good eyes & eares) sufficiētli discouer the whole frame of all theyre dissimulatiō: to wytt: that these self same felowes which of late so freshelye professed all kinde of humanitie and courtesie, & haue so fiercelye inueihed against the Catho­lique churche of Christe for her most eauen and most indifferent discipline, by moste iust and moste auncient lawes or­deined, doe nowe vse suche sauage cruel­tie vpon light and tristinge causes, as the very churlish, rude. and barbarouse dyd skante practise for moste haynouse of­fences.

VVell, he must beare with my greefe and sorowe, who so euer thinketh my [Page 86] woordes to be ouer sharpp. For I am dis­pleased in dede and not well content: but not so muche with these men, which ha­ue committed these owtrages (for I be­seche God forgeue them): as I am with heresie, by whose meanes these men (not cruell of their owne nature, but muche disposed rather to lenitie and mekenesse) are dryuen in to so greate (I will not saye woodenesse, leste I shoulde offend them, but) sharpp angrinesse in dede, and fore displeasure against their owne: as, neither for neighbourhoode of one natiue soile, nor for integritie oflyfe, ornamēt of learnyng, or flower of aige they can be indu­ced, nor in respect of the prerogatiue of freedome, nor in regarde of the priuilege of priesthoode, nor by intreatie of woor­des, nor by abundance of teares they can be moued to take pitie and compassion vppon innocents and guiltlesse men, nor can be stayed backe frome doing extre­me and outragious violence. I humblie beseche oure most mercifull and moste mightie God, that this huge offence be not imputed vnto them, but raither that they may finde mercie in the day of oure Lorde, who in their owne day, that is, in [Page 87] the daye of man, haue showed no mercie to theire bretheren. Esa. 13. 1. Cor. 4.

But now I omit to speake of the other outrages, whiche in this Tower of Lon­don are perpetrated, and patientlie endu­red. The straite vvarde & euell en­treaty Ca­tholiques in the to­vver. For thoughe they be manie and verie greuous: yet can they not easilie come to oure knowleige, by reason of that close and straite warde, wherein the sound of all speche, and mourninge of the afflicted is shutt vpp frome the eares of them that are abroade. Nay, oure aduersaries be­stowe no small diligence in this point: that the aflictions and torments whiche are there practised withein doores, be not browght to the knowleige of them that are witheoute: but buried rather in darknesse, and cleane hyd in blynde and obscure dungeons. But yf these break foorthe at any time, & the doolefull voi­ce of the aflicted be plainelie hearde: then are those felowes greuouselye offended, and either flatlie denie all that was done, or with pleasant woords extenuate the matter.

For twyse nowe of late Maister Cam­pian hathe bene pulled on the rack. And what aduersarie dyd not vtterlie denye [Page 88] yt? Yet at lengthe the truthe of the mat­ter came to light, when maister Campian him selfe dyd vtter it in an open audien­ce, & in the hearinge of oure aduersaries: twit, (say de they) yt was a mery pastime: he was cramped or pulled a lytle, not in ernest, but in ieaste. After the same maner they Ieasted of others, whiche had bene racked before. So greate delite these me­rie conceited felowes doe take, in makin­ge skosses and sports of the afflictions of forie poore men. Oure ad­uer saries accusto­med to lie.

But they haue yet an other stratage­me or politike shyst, familiarlie acquain­ted in this tower: that is, to surmise and forge what they lust of the prisonner, & to publishe it to his shame, and for a trapp to beguile other Catholiques. The thing is euident, and hathe plenty of examples: but because I purpose to be breefe, I will touche but a few.

VVhen maister Campian had bene afflicted wyth torments: it was reported that he had confessed what soeuer they had demaunded of him: specialie at who­se howses, & in what places he had bene. And (to geue to the lie his right shape and perfection) it was further bruted a­brode, [Page 89] that he had promised a recanta­tion of I know not what. But that tale no man thowght to be probable: yet there were that doubted thereof, because the aduersaries had so earnestlye affirmed it. For many gentlemen, and some of the nobilitie were called vp to London, fro­me their owne howses, and charged with a supposed confession of maister Cam­piā: And yet in verie truthe (as afterward it well appeared) he neuer yeelded one worde to his torments.

A like shyft the lieutenant of the In the guildhall at London tower vsed, & (of purpose to laye a bate to seduce others, by some example) affir­med openlye at a common session, that there were no catholiks vnder his warde, whiche refused to goe to the churche of oure aduersaries: yet it was well knowen to all there, that euen they whome he ment of, went not willinglie to the chur­che, but vppon compulsion and drawne by violence had bene present at a few sermons, yet they allways openly spake against the same, called the preacher from his rayling speche, and chalenged hym to disputation, euen in the presence of the same lieutenant albeit angerlie he thret­ned [Page 90] them often with heuy bolts & shak­les. But it is harde by writing to discour­se through all the particulers in euery kynde of affliction, whiche the prisoners in that tower doe endure: yet such as haue some tyme bene present vewers of the matter doe tell vs parte: vppon whose faithefull relation I will putt downe this one to geue a coniecture of the rest.

Ther was a yonge man, of honest Conper. parentage, well entred in learninge for he had bene Scholar & seruant to Doctor harpesfeild a verie lerned man, that dyed in pryson for christs cause. This yonge man, for religion and learning sake, had appointed a Iourney in to these parts: And being redie for it, made his repare to the hauen (with the wealthe that he had got together in money or other things) of purpose to passe ouer the sea. But by some chaunce the matter was disco­uered, the yonge man was apprehended by an officer, and sent backe to London: where first he was spoiled of all his goods and caste in to the Tower of London: Beauchāp, tovver. there he was verie straitelie kept in that part of the prison whiche, ys called Be­cheams Tower, destitute of all comforte [Page 91] and consolation nedefull for man, sa­uing one sorie bedd, that his frindes sent, and yet hardlie coulde he be allowed to haue yt. VVithin a while after, this yon­ge man (beinge but of a weake comple­ction, and accustomed to open and cleare ayre) partlie throughe Hungar and colde, partlie through the filthie sauoure, and lothesomenesse of the place, and corru­ption of the aire, dyd fall in to a sicknesse, and semed to be vexed with an ache, or giddinesse of his heade. The lieutenant Nevv founde phisick. hearinge hereof, deuised a meruelouse straunge medicine for this disease. For he commaunded the bedd to be takē awaye, that for the better recouerie of his heal­the, he might lie vpon the bare floore. To be short: within fewe dayes the poore mā dyeth, sterued, wasted, & pined awaie by extremitie of colde and Hungar: and thereof remained this euident testimonie and proofe, that when his clothes were to be taken of, that he might be buried: his flesh being putrified and rotten by cold, dyd sticke fast to his hose, and was with the hose pulled of from the bare bones, & fell in gobbetts vppō the grownd: a pitifull sight of a churlishe barbarousnesse [Page 92] and of an odd kynde of crueltie. Neuer thelesse there be men yet lyuinge whiche dyd see this with their eyes. And (were it not for their perill) I coulde name thē.

And because I am entred in to this kinde of talke: I will be some what more liberall than my promisse. And one other example I will laie downe, to let you see what good store I haue, yf I lyst to set it forthe to the showe.

An other yong man not vnlike the Shear vvoode. The ladie­tregonell. Martin her sonne. former, the sonne of a Catholique cōfes­sor dyd frequent the house of a right woorshipfull ladie, who had a sonne clea­re opposite and contrarie to the mother, and one full gorged with Caluine. This man dyd fume and freate in his mynde verie much for that he demed his mother had masse oftē times in her house by this yong mans helpe and procurement. On a time therfore, as he by chaunce dyd mete the yong man in a strete in London: he crieth verie outragiouslie, O rebell and traiter: take holde on the traiter, for by this terme they name vs, to make vs mo­re odious: and with this kynde of moste vniust ignominie they vexe vs. The they of the citie hearing these woordes, trai­ter [Page 93] and rebell, leape forthe of their shop­pes, laye hands on the man, and hale hym to the Iustices or commissioners. And at their next session when he came before them: the exclamer had nothing whereof to accuse the yong man, nothing where with to charge hym, saue onlie à bare su­spition of the Catholique religion: for he was not hable to conuince hym of the fa­cte. The commissioners not withstan­dinge wolde not geue hym leaue to departe. For a presentment of religion is of all other moste adiouse. And yf the pre­senter want sufficient matter: the present­ment is helped and set forwarde by in­terrogatories and questions, to be mini­stered by the commissioners them selues.

The Iustices therfore examine the yong man, what he dothe beleeue, or thinke touching the chefe points of faithe. And at last by way of argument they wreste oute, that he supposeth the byshopp of Rome ought to haue chefe authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall, yea, and in England allso. Vpon the hearing hereof: there fo­lowed a like sentence as was geuen in an other session of Iustices. VVhy require vve Marc. 14. any further proofe? yovv haue bearde blasphe­mie, [Page 94] vvhat thinke you? all they cōdemned hym to be giltie of deathe.

Then was he remoued ouer to the tower of London, & there Layde vp in a priuye chamber neare to the place where the Ingines for torments do lie. In the meane season his chamber which he had in the citie, was ryfled and ransacked, and all his goods snatched vp, & therewithall aboute thirtie pounds english more, (whiche he had taken vp of other men for debtes oweing to his moste miserablie afflicted father) were allso stolen & ca­ried away. VVell, the poore man in prisō was sore afflicted with torments, to en­force hym to discouer the places where he had heard masse: for being but a laye man he coulde not hym selfe say masse. Then, after verie greuouse torments, which he endured with greate courage (for, so much an aduersarie that had bene there presēt dyd cōfesse:) he was throwen in to a verie obscure doungeon, that was bothe darke & dredefull, withoute light, withoute bedding, withoute nedefull apparell. And of his dyet you may ea­silie coniecture, when he coulde not be allowed to haue anie peece or paringe of [Page 95] his owne goods, no not for the necessarie sustentation of his owne lyfe: Nay, there is an other thing that doeth looth me to M. vvilliā Roper. tell. For when a certein deuoute and cha­ritable man being (vppon the common brute of this yong mans extreme calami­tie) moued to compassion, had sent a Sum of money to be conueyed vnto this poo­re man for his releefe, and by the mean of an other prisoner had deliuered the same to his vnder keper (for here eche priso­ner hathe his vnder keper): the vnder ke­per receiued the money, and brought it againe the next day to hym of whome he had yt, and tolde hym that the lieutenant of the tower wolde not suffer the poore man to enioy the benefit of that almes. And when the keper was verie earnestlie requested to take parte thereof & besto­we it in some thinge for the poore mans releefe he denyed to take yt, and sayd that he might not in anie wise take apen­ny, except it vvere six pence to bye hym stravve to lye vppon. So malitiouselie bent vvas that lieutenant against the selie poore man.

In the ende after six moneths (as I thinke) vvere ouer passed in this moste [Page 96] greuouse kinde of Martirdome they draw hym forth along throughe the stretes on a hurdle, and hang hym vp a litle, let hym dovvne againe, and then as he is in reui­uing, they afflict hym vvith the other kinde of tortures, vvhiche they vse to practise vppon suche as are traiters to the state, but in farre more terrible maner than they handle those traiters. For oure aduersaries are more rigourouse and mo­re Protestāts are merci­lesse to Catholiques mercylesse against vs, than they are againste anie sort of malefactors, howe vngratiouse naughtie so euer they be. For when these by order o flawe are to suffer the same kynde of deathe, they fynde suche fauoure, as either they are, by compassion and pitie of oure ad­uersaries, full deade before they be cut downe from the galowes: or in dede the execution is so handled according to the prescript rule of the lawe, as they are suffered to hang till they be halfe deade at the least, to dull the sense and felyng of payns in the torments foloweinge. But farre otherwise it is in the case of Catho­liques. For they are no soner hāged, than the hangman enforceth hym selfe in a furiouse maner of haste to cut the haul­ter [Page 97] in sunder, & whiles thei are yet aliue, and alyue lyke, yea and of perfect sense and felyng: he bringeth them to the other torments: and this oftentime he doeth so readilie, and with such dexteritie and nimblenesse: as not onlie their senses for moste parte are perfect, but they speake allso distinctlie and plainlie after their bowells be digged vp, yea and whiles the bouchars fyngars are scratchinge at their verie harts and intrailes.

And yet this bloodie sight woorketh no compassion in the harts of oure ad­uersaries: but they deride and skorne the sorie poore wights, yea and spitefullie raile against them, euen whiles they are yet in dyeing, and specially yf anie being ouercome with payne doe grone, or hap­pen (whiche is verie rare) to make anie lamentable noyse. For thus a certein preacher of theirs (and not a mean one) in a printed booke doeth collect & con­clude, that oure verie Martyres, are not Martyres, because forsuthe (saith he) one Fulk. of them cried oute in his torments, and (that I may vse his owne woords) dyd yell and hovvle like a hell hovvnde. O good­lie sentence well besemyng suche a prea­cher. [Page 98] O new fownde charitie of a new fo­wnd gospell: what euer hacker or ruffian wolde haue vttered such a woorde wi­thoute blushing? what euer cutthrote ha­the shewed so sauuage and barbarouse a mynde?

But trulie these felowes seme to de­generate cleane from all sense & felyng of humane nature, and to be quite trans­formed in to (I can not tell what) vnna­turall wildenesse, vtterlie forgetfull of that sentence: Iudgement vvithoute mercie to hym vvhich hathe not shevved mercie: And Iac. 3. speciallye of this sayeing. A hard hart shall fele sorovve in the last day: This appea­reth Eccle. 2. not onlye by these examples whi­che I haue allredy put downe, but by in­finite other allso, whiche now I may not prosecute, leste I should be longer than an epistle may suffer. Yet I will note vnto yow some suche things by way of exam­ple, as may make the matter moste cleare and euident.

A certein yong gentleman, of an aun­cient M. Tirvvit sonne to Sir Robert Tirvvit. and right woorshipfull familie, was accused for hearing of a masse celebrated (as it was reported) at the mariage of his sister. VVhere vppon he fled from his fa­thers [Page 99] house, and kept hym selfe secret in London the yere last past. And there, by reason of his trauaile in flyeing awaye, and (as I think) through the intempera­ture of the sōmer, he fell in to a greuouse feuer. The aduersaries hearing hereof, doe runne vnto him by and by, and in all haste will nedes pull hym oute of the house, and throwe hym in to prison, euen as he then was, feble, faynt, and greuouslye si­cke. This semed to the beholders thereof to be a maner of dealing bothe churli­she & detestable. They pray, they intrea­te, they make intercession, they vse all the means they can, to moue the aduersarie to haue consideration of the sick, not to heape sorow vpon sorow, nor affliction vppon an extremely afflicted man, not to take away the lyfe of so comelie a yong gentleman: they proffer as sufficient assu­rance for his forth coming, as his aduer­saries wolde demaund, and to vnder take for his appearance before the iustices immediatlie vpon the recouerie of his healthe: but it will not be accepted. The phisitions come, they affirm for certein, that he is vtterlie vndone and castē away, yf he shoulde be remoued forthe of that [Page 100] place in to the inconueniēces of a prison. All this is nothinge regarded: they layd hands on the sickeman, haled hym away, shut hym vp in prisō, & with in two days next after he dyed: they burie hym, and make no bones of the matter, nor scru­ple, or anie regarde at all.

Euen so yt feel oute against a right M. Dim­mok. woorshipfull and valyant gentleman, one (for a peculiar honor in the Armurie whiche he dyd beare) verie famouse, and sonne in law to the right honorable Erle of lincolne. This gentleman had bene troubled many yeres with a vehement palsey, & suche a resolutiō of his sinewes, as he was not hable to goe forth of his owne house, or moue a foote oute of his place, but as he was lyfted or holden vp by the hands or armes of his seruants. At the last vpon an informatiō touching the Catholique Religion, preferred against hym to the superintendent of that pro­uince (for by that terme wolde they be named whiche now detein the possessiōs of auncient byshopriks:) he was noted & appeached as suspected to holde the fai­the of his aunceters: and thereupon he was summoned to appeare before the cō ­missioners [Page 101] as euidentlie giltie of Catholi­cisme or Catholicque Religion, which they in contempt call papistrie. But this palsey sickeman appeared not. Neuerthe­lesse he made his owne excuse verie ad­uisedlie by letters. Yet is it not accepted: for the superintendent hym selfe cometh with all spede to the diseased mans house, & throwghlie veweth with his owne eyes the impotencie of the gentleman: but no motion of cōpassion entereth in to this snperintendents breeste: he cōmaundeth hym to be caried to the Iaile. VVhat nede manie woords? Nether the age of that man, nor his degree in callinge, nor the woorshipp of his kynred, nor the noble­nesse of his affinitie, nor the resolution of his limbs coulde delyuer hym from the present trouble and mischefe of impri­sonment.

VVhat folowed? by these inconue­niences in verie short space after, he dieth. And yet they leaue hym not when he is dyeing: yea then they vexe and afflict hym more. For they come when he is extreme sick, they come whiles he is wrestling with the pangs of deathe, they come as he is passing oute of this lyse, they come [Page 102] whiles he is yeelding vp the Ghoost: then they trouble hym: thē they doe not suffer hym to rest, nor permit hym to die in su­che sorte as he desired to die: (for his de­sire was to die according to the custome of the vniuersall christian churche:) but then the ministers flocke aboute hym: thē they intrude them selues vpon hym: then they vrge him to praye such sorie prayers of their owne making, as in healthe he cōtemned, in sicknesse with open voice he reiected, and (nowe dum & halfe deade,) by his countenaunce, by signes & tokens, & by gesture of his bodie he dyd vtterlie detest and abhorre. VVhat greater vn­courtesie, or crueltie rather, can be ima­gined than this?

But here I may not passe ouer in si­lence Mistresse Thimilbie an other matter which happened at the same time, and in the same citie. For a yonge gentle woman, vpon licence first obteyned, dyd goe for deutie sake to vysit her husbād, & entered in to the pri­son where he lay for religion. VVhen this was knowne: the superintendent (as one redie to catche holde of a pray fallen in to his owne snare) geueth cōmaundemēt to shut her vp allso in prison. The gentle [Page 103] woman shortlye after (either vpon some greefe conceiued for this inhumane dea­lyng, or through terror of some further treacherie, or elles vpon some annoyance taken by the distemperature and lothe­somenesse of the place) is possessed with a verie greuouse sicknesse, and falleth into a manifest perill of her lyfe. And when yt Greate in-humanitie was looked for euerie houre that she wolde die: her sorowfull husbande made humble sute that she might be en larged alitle, & remoued (yf it were but for one daye) forth of the prison, to some other place, where she might vse the helpe of skillfull women. But his sute wolde not be hearde. O harts of yron.

I haue nowe bene long enoughe in prisons (my deare frinde Gerard,) & my speche (perhaps) may seme to haue taried ouerlong in this kinde of discourse. But where (I pray you) shoulde I be with better will, than with oure owne fryndes? why do I saye oure owne fryndes? Nay rather with the moste deare fryndes of Christe oure God and Sauioure? for the lyfe of these fryndes is oure lyght: their constancie is oure example: theire forti­tude is oure woorshipp and honoure: and [Page 104] theire deathe is oure glorie. VVherfore, I cōfesse, that thoughe in bodye I am ab­sent: yet in spirit I doe cōuerse continual­lie with them, & they shall neuer slyppe oute of my mynde. For I preferre their bolts and shackles, I extoll their prisons, I exalte their reproches and contumelies farre aboue the riches, welthe, & diademe of any Cresus, who so euer he be. Yet notwithstanding I wolde leaue these ca­ptiues for a time, and goe forthe to visit thē which are toiled & turmoiled abroo­de, were it not that the fit occasiō of this place admonisheth me (before I departe) to make mention of a certein bare shyft, or poore starting hole, whiche owre ad­uersarie (vpon the oportunite of impri­sonment) taketh hold of, and fortifieth: I meane that deceitfull pretence of a dis­putatiō, A pretense to dispute. whiche he wolde be thought to profer to captiues in prifon: but to suche as are at libertie he will not yelde the­rein, no not when he is requested, or be­called and chalenged there vnto: Nay, nor yelde therein to the selfe same captiues vpon any indifferent or reasonable con­dition or lawe. And thus the case standeth.

Aboute twentie yeres past, whan oure [Page 105] aduersaries had expelled vs, before we were called to oure answere: and when thei were in full possession of oure rom­thes and habitations: then loe, (vpon a practise to geue a showe to the people, that they holde by Iustice that which they haue vsurped by violēce) they pro­fered a cōbate, by way of writing, in the whole matter of controuersie. And here Protestāts prouoke Catholiks to vvrite. And yet forbydd their boo­kes. vpon they becalled vs forthe to write, & they challēged so many of oure partie, as were either learned in dede, or so accom­pted, with this condition annexed to the challenge, that who so euer shall wynne the victorie in writing, shall be accōpted, sounder in truthe of teaching.

Oure Catholiques moste willinglie take holde of the condition. Manie verie greate learned mē (though troubled with the discommodities of exile) dyd neuer thelesse write muche in the Englishe tō ­gue, for the defense of the Catholique faithe: as those famouse doctors & Lear­ned clerckes, Saunders, Harding, Fekenā, Alan, Stapletō, Heskin, Marshall Dormā, Rastall, and others. They set forth the sta­te of the whole controuersie verie plain­lie: they shew what reason, authoritie and [Page 106] truthe we haue on oure syde: And they laye wydeopen the greate fraude, false­hoode, lapse, fall and error, on oure ad­uersaries syde.

But when they on the other syde per­ceiued them selues to be ouer reached by their owne cunnyng, & in a maner beaten downe in this open cōbate: then they de­uised an other shyft, such a one in dede, as indesperate cases were necessarie, albeit no discrete nor skillfull meane for the safetie of their estimatiō and credite. For they procured the Quenes verie sharppe and threatnyng iniunction to be procla­med against all those persones whiche shoulde haue, reade, receiue, bring or cō ­uey in to England anie such booke as those, whiche they thē selues before had vrged the Catholiques to write. Here vpō what greate vexations from hense for­th oure Catholiques haue endured for these bookes. It is no easie matter to Iud­ge. For manie haue bene haled to the ra­cke Persecu­tion for Catholike bookes. & painbank: manie haue bene streict­lie examined vpon their othes: some ha­ue bene depelie fined: verie manye haue bene chased away, and for feare forced to flye into exile: An infinite numbre of [Page 107] houses haue bene by night searched, na­rowlie perused, ryfled and ransacked in euerie corner: And all, but vpon a light suspition onlie of these bookes. And yf anie of these books happened to be found in a searche: it was (be ye assured) a matter sufficient for a greuouse presentment. If a man should byd an aduersarie answe­re one of those books: it were a vehemēt presumption (forsothe) of no good sub­iect. If one shoulde speake but a woorde in defense of such a booke: oh, that were a plain euidence, yea and a flat verdite of a traiterouse hart.

Nowe, when oure men see them sel­ues driuen in to these streicts and difficul­ties, that they coulde not (withoute verie greate inconueniences and molestations) eyther write or speake in the defense of the cause of God, and of his churche vni­uersall: what dyd they then think you? trulie (euen as it besemed good & Catho­lique Christians to doe) as occasions of matters required, they submitted their bodies to prisons, their hands to giues & manacles, their feete to bolts & shackles, their goods to rauine and spoile, yea and their liues to perills of deathe. In the [Page 108] meane season (leste they might seme to distrust their owne cause, and by silēce to betray gods businesse) thei made a petitiō quietlie and calmelie, for to haue indiffe­rent conferences with their aduersaries: and (with as muche submission & earnest fute as might be) they humblie sued to euerie magistrate, that eyther publick di­sputation, or at the least priuate conferē ­ce touching the nowe litigiouse points of religion might be admitted, vnder rea­sonable and indifferēt lawes & cōditions.

Manie at home, and mani abrode dyd The ear­nest sute of Catholiques for libertie to dispute. solicit this sute by way of petitiō: some applied it earnestlie by fauour of fryn­des: other pursued it by authoritie and credit as they might: and verie many pre­ferred yt by other wayes & meanes. Oure men for theire parts (thoughe by the way of greate disaduauntages, yet leanyng to the woorde of the prince, and for truthe sake) offred them selues willinglie and gladlie to enter in to this combate, with this onlie hope and confidence, that they trusted, many sowles, which were rede­med with the pretiouse bloode of oure sauiour Christe, & now are defiledd with heresie, might with disceptation by gods [Page 109] grace be recalled and recouered. VVhe­rupon they gaue to the aduersaries the whole libertie and choyse, eyther to vse their owne homemates, or to call for others forthe of forraigne countries, for the defense of their cause: yea and to ap­point the day, to chose the place, to moue the question, to prescribe the order and forme, to beginne, to ende, and to doe all things after their owne will & phantasie, so allwayes, and vpon such condition, as some lawe, rule, forme and order of a di­sputation might be obserued and kept. Protestāts distrnst their ovvne cause.

But (to make a short tale) the aduer­sarie will none of these. For he did foresee (and not vnwiselye) that his partie wolde go to wracke, yf the matter were once to be tried by combate, hāde to hande in open fielde. And therfore he refused this open cooping at barriers in Scholes, as to lightsome a place for their dark dealings, and to famouse a triall of their deceit and guile, according to the sayeing of oure Saluioure: euerie one that doeth euill, hateth Ioan. 3. the light, and cometh not to the light, to the end that his vvorkes be not reproued: but he that vvorketh truthe, cometh to the light: that his vvorks may be manifest, for they are vvrooght [Page 110] in god.

Yet in fine, two practises oure aduer­saries (lest they might seme to doe not­hing) dyd put in executiō for their more securitie and estimation sake. First, they sturre vp sharper persecution against all Catholiques, but speciallie against the more learned, and against suche as were thought able in this conflict to annoye them with reasonyng. Therfore they re­moued from london the Lorde bishopp of lincolne, & the Lorde Abbot of west­minster, with others of sownd learning, profownd knowledge, verie muche gra­uitie, & greate vertue, not a fewe. All these The ca­stell of vvisbiche. they cast into an vplandisne dongeon, spoile them cleane of all their bookes, de­barre them from all intercourse of talke and cōference one with an other, (except at meale time) and shutt them vp close & seuerallie in darke corners. And yf anie besydes of name and accompt were left oute, them allso they call vnto these Iron grates of prisons, that this waye, at the least, they may put all to silence.

Secondlie, when they had contriued The shift & craft of ministers in their all these things according to their owne desires: thē they conuey them selues with [Page 111] greate secrecie in to prisons. There they sett vpō the captiue Catholiques sodain­lie pretense to dispute. ere they be aware, and call them in all haste to dispute of faithe, withoute anie time before hād to thinke on the matter, or libertie to talke thereof among them selues, And leste they might help or cō ­fort one an other, or testifie one for an other: they assaile them (for the moste parte) seuerallie, euery man alone by him selfe. And yfanie of oure partie dyd ob­iect their vneauen dealing, or desire time to consider, bookes for studie, or speche with his companions for instruction, and other things requisite for his defense: and yf anie alleiged further (as some dyd) that there wanted an indifferente Iudge to geue the sentence, cōuenient auditorie to beare witnesse, and faithfull notaries to sett downe the arguments in writinge: then loe, oure aduersaries exclamed that we refuse the combate, that we stand vpō bare shyfts of woords, that we seke for ex­cuses, and flye in to holes and corners: In so muche as manie on oure syde moued with the importunate clamoure of these felowes dyd yelde them selues to all ma­ner of conditions that were offred, put­tinge [Page 112] their on lie confidence in the good­nesse of their cause.

But what so euer oure men alleiged, yt serued to small purpose there. For either dyd oure aduersaries cōtumeliou­slie reiect it, or odiouslie drawe and wrest it to treason, or else moste vniustlie de­praue, peruert, and misreporte yt to the people. And thereof I haue many exam­ples: but here a fewe maye suffise.

First yt fell oute of late, that after the sētēce of deathe was pronounced against Diuerse examples of cauills & vntrue surmise of mini­sters. Maister hanse (the good priest) for the Catholique faith, and he nowe in prison preparing hym selfe to die: there came vnto hym a certein minister vnder co­loure of frindeshipp, with a counte­naunce setled and framed to an hipocrisie of holynesse, but the yssewe of the matter proued hym to be full of bitter malice, and of euerye subtile shyft to deceiue the poore man. For in speche betwene them two, this minister, besides many other re­prochefull woords, dyd charge that mar­tyr of Christe with treason against the Quenes persone: where vpō when the sa­me martyr had made this answere, that he had neuer offended against the Quenes [Page 113] Maiestie, that he had but onelie made a profession of the Catholike faith and re­ligion, whiche cannot betraie nor hurt the Maiestie of anie humane creature, for so muche as aboue all other things it moste pleaseth the Maiestie of God. VVhen good maister hanse (I say) had spoken these and other like woords: and said fur­ther that he moste willinglie wolde embrase this deathe, sithe he was then cleare in his conscience, that he had neuer com­mitted anie haynouse crime against her maiestie: but rather (according to his du­tie) hade commended her to God in his prayers: and that this crime of treason against her maiestie, imputed vnto hym, by his aduersaries, is in truthe neyther anie crime of treason at all, nor any synn in the sight of God: Loe this goodlie gos­peller (as one that had catched plenty of matter, wherevpon to forge a malitious surmise) passeth forth of the prison, bru­teth abrood to the people & publisheth in a libell writen and printed, that hanse affirmed no treason to be a sinne before God: Maister hanse hauinge intelligence hereof, complained of this iniurie open­lie to the people when he was brought [Page 114] to the place of execution: and there he opened his meaning towchinge his for­mer woords, and besought god to perdō the accuser, for so vniust, and so odious an vntruthe.

Likewise two ministers for conferē ­ce sake came into a prison, to a gentle­man Tripp & Crovvley against M. Thomas pounde. whiche had bene some tyme a cour­tier, and then was become a prisoner, & so had bene many yeres, for his faith. And when they had onerworne and waisted all their matter with contumeliouse and le­wed woords, and had wearied the gentle man with blasphemies (as he him selfe by letters complayned), and yet for their parts had not eyther concluded vpon any matter, or refuted any thinge by argu­mēt: then this gentleman (lest their talke should haue bene alltogether ydle and vnprofitable) moued them at length to conclude vpon some certein principall points whervpon they might afterward procede to discusse the rest. And the poīt was this: whether the priuate spirit of eche The con­trouersie. particular persone, or the common spirit of the vniuersall churche ought to iudge of the sense of holie scripture? For when he had heard them alleige scripture oute [Page 115] of all places, and wrongfullie: he affirmed that in these matters of controuersie, a man shoulde not runne to the bare letter of scripture, in suche sense as euerie par­ticuler man lyst to take yt: (for by this A necessa­rie princi­ple for de­ciding of controuer­sies. mean all heresies are defended:) but that we ought to resorte to the moste certein Iudgement of the churche vniuersall, at the least way moste auncient: which being directed by the spirit of God, doeth laye downe before vs the true & naturall sen­se of scriptures. And because the mini­sters dyd not admitt this grownd, nor yet refell yt: but (as theyr fashion is) run­ne into corners, creakes and starting ho­les: he put downe in writing (being but a lay mā, & not muche trauailed in scriptu­res) six strong reasons to fortifie his opi­nion: whereunto he desired that the mi­nisters wolde answere, & there with all requested that it might be lawfull for him, by speche or penne to confute their an­swers, yf they shoulde seme to hym ey­ther impertinent and doubtfull, or other­wyse weake and insufficient.

VVell, when these ministers had got the writinge: thense they packe in haste, & to the superintēdēt of londō they go: & to [Page 116] hym they cōplain of the mans pertinacie, how, notwithstanding their aduises and motions, he refused to be a Caluinian, yea and that he durst take vpō hym to defend his opinion by writing. This superinten­dent (as in verie dede he is a fumish hasty man, and by nature cholerick) being ou­tragiouslie incensed with ire, desineth the gentleman by and by in his mynd to some speciall payne, purposing to punish hym throughlye: And thereupon he thrusteth him so delulie oute of lōdō īto a streicter kynde of imprisonment: he locketh hym Strateford castell. vp in an olde decayed castell, a raw, vnha­unted and obscure place, vhere he could neyther haue the sight of the Sunne or other light, nor yet of men: he loadeth hym wyth yrons: and (not to recite all particulars) he afflicteth hym with cala­mities meruailouse & withoute all mea­sure. Now these ministers (being thus put owte of all doubt & feare of their aduer­sarie) do sett forth a booke, and make a kinde of answer to the reasons by hym before layde downe vnto them: and as in other things, so especiallie in this, they delt moste iniuriouslie with him: for they conceale and dissemble the verie state and [Page 117] principall point of the question and con­trouersie, charging hym to haue sayde that the scriptures are (in his opiniō) of lesse authoritie than the churche: where in truthe he talked not of the authoritie of suche scriptures as are euidentlie knowne to be diuine scriptures: but his talke was eyther touching the knoweing and discerning of such vncertein scriptu­res as haue bene called in question and doubted of: or touching the vnderstan­ding of the sēse & true meaning of dar­ke & obscure places of diuine scripture. VValker. In the marshalsey.

Moreouer, a certaine diuine doctor, and one of some authoritie among oure aduersaries, came one day (with no small ostentation, nor light traine of folowers) to a certain prison for disputation sake, as he pretended: (for these felowes wold gladlie beare the people on hand & make them belieue that they do offer to oure men disputations thick and threfolde,) there, this gloriouse doctor calleth to ge­ther in to the halle euery prisoner which whas shut vp in that prison for religion, bothe yong and olde, priests and lay folke: he telleth them that he is come to dispute: he and his associates take their [Page 118] seats on the benche, & sitt downe solem­nelre. And first of all, though the priso­ners were in nūber manye: yet he dema­undeth of eche man his name, & dwelling place. Yf any answer not readilie: the di­uine So he railed against M. Cotton a priest, for telling his surna­me & not his proper name. by and by wolde fall in a terrible chafe, and shake vp the prisoner outra­giouslie. Then before the disputatiō dyd begynne, one of the prisoners vpon oc­casion dyd alleige forth of holie scriptu­re some thinge whiche the doctor had denied: whervpon, the sely old man waxeth verie augrie, & in no case will ad­mitt that any suche thing is to be found in scripture: the booke is brought for­th, and the thing is recited verie clearlie worde for worde as it had bene alleged. The olde man taketh his spectables and readeth: but for that the booke was an other mans booke, he wold not credit ye, but called for his owne: his cōpanions fall to laughing. And (to be short) withoute further proceding they all arose & departed: and thus the disputation was ended before it beganne. Then the sorye olde felow (when he seeth that he could not preuaile) falleth a cursing, & wisheth mis­chef and destruction to the howse and to [Page 119] all the prisoners there. And all this fell oute thus, the keper of that prison be­ing present, and ashamed of the matter. Now, what can be sayd more fonde or more ridiculous than this? And yet ne­uerthelesse yt was reported for certein and sure, that this mightie Hercules had ouerthrowen and beaten downe the Ca­tholiques: albeit in verie dede he neuer vsed argumēt: but onelie a bare brabling and contention in woords.

There is allso among oure aduersa­ries Fulk. one other odde minister, a bygge man in his owne opinion, yet in other mens iudgements he is but meane: how be yt in tongue not vnreadie, yet rashe and headlong, by reason that he knoweth not hym selfe. This felow not long agoe (ho­ping to pick owt some peece of estima­tion by contending with greate perso­nages) crept, vnlooked for, into a prisō, where the aforesayde learned and reue­rend vvisbiche castell. fathers, the byshop of Lincoln and▪ Abbot of west minister with others of good accompt are imprisoned for reli­gion: And at his first entree he gyueth in commaundement that they all appears personallie before hym: he telleth them [Page 120] that he his come to conferre aboute the chefe litigiouse points of religion: and si­gnifieth his will and pleasure, that they should beginne the dispision. But when those good fathers (as they are wise) dyd perceiue the man to doe all this wi­thoute warrant, and vvithoute anie cer­tein order or forme of conference, but onlie vppon a rashe and vndiscrete hea­de of his owne, and meerlie for vainglo­rie: they make smale accompt of him, but contemne such ridiculouse vanitie of the arrogāt yong felowe. And therfore when they had spoken something abowte the vnreasonable condition then offred, and of their want of bookes, tyme and other things: they leaue the man to his owne folies, & (as best besemed their grauitie) they lett hym passe away, as one by them contēned, rather than vexed. But yet the yong peacocke (as his maner is) aduaun­ced vp his tayle triumphed abroode with all brauerye, and publisheth a pamphlet of his great conquests and victories ouer captiues: In which pamphlet there are many vntruthes, very many friuolouse toyes, and nothing to serue his turne, nothing to make for his side, but mere [Page 121] vanitie, and that euen by his owne decla­ration, as he hym selfe telleth his owne tale.

But when suche huddling & shyfting of matters was knowne, so as manye euen of oure aduersaries, dyd mislike yt (for it had allmoste bredde a cōmon quarell, & had wellnigh putt into the peoples hea­des some suspition that theire cause was ouer throwen:) Some there were which (to salue this sore and to take away the infamie) made a certaine promise that within shorte space there should be a disputatiō with cōditiōs very indifferent and verie reasonable. And thereupon, the In Nouem­ber. 1580. knight Marshal writeth vnto the keper of the Marshallsey, and cōmaundeth hym to inquire and signifie, yf anie papists vnder his charge wolde mainteine their cause by A nevv di­sputation. appointed disputatiō: that they shoulde send to him in writing such cōclusions as they wolde defend, and shoulde subscribe their na­mes, make them selues redie to dispute: that he hym selfe wolde aduertise them verie shortly of the maner, place and ti­me of the disputation. M. Bosgra­ue. M Shyr­vvin. M. Hart.

This thyng pleased all men. Three of oure preists, thoughe yonger in yeres, & [Page 122] of lesse reading (for such as were of more abilitie & experience were all sent away from London as I told yow before): yet with a certein good assurance, trust and confidence in their cause, doe vnder take the charge: And therfore they close vp certain conclusions in writing, subscribe theire names, and send them awaye to the knight Marshall with greate thanks. But the conclusions please not oure aduersa­ries: they appoint others accordinge to their owne phantasie & send them back. Theese oure men doe allowe: the day for the disputation is appointed: greate is the expectation thereof. But what folowed? Forsothe, in the day (as I think) next be­fore they should dispute, the aforesayde defendants on oure syde were remoued from the prison of the Marshallsei, and conueyed to the tower of London to be racked: that sithe they wolde not be taught nor persuaded with reasons fett from authoritie, they might there be trayned vp and exercised with argumēts deriued from the rack and torture.

But yet all this coulde not terrefye oure Catholiks frō their sute touching a disputation to be had with an indifferent [Page 123] cōditiō. VVher vpō a noblemō, & one of the cheefe of her Maiesties moste hono­rable Thee Erle of Lecestre Councell, moued (as I think) with the vrgent petitiōs of some Catholiques, agreed thus farre at lengthe, that in this common sute, he wolde in a priuate ma­ner satisfye some principall persones that were then in prison for religion. For he called them vnto his chamber, and sayd, that vpon the loue he bare vnto them, he was moued to agree vnto their re­quests, and desired them to shew them selues indifferēt and diligent hearers, and not peruerslie obstinate in a desperate ca­se: And sayd further, that he putteth no doubt, but by this one conference of ve­rie well learned men, the truth of the matter might moste easilie be discouered. The gentlemen shew them selues willing to be conformable to that request, and humblie thanke his Lordeshypp for so greate a benefite. But they looke aboute yf they coulde see anie Catholique diui­ne to defend their cause by disputation D. Lauren­ce hūfrey vvith his felovves. (for there were foure ministers present to impugne it) yet they fynde none: they merueile muche: neuerthelesse they spea­ke not a woorde of yt: Because they [Page 124] wolde see the yssewe and ende of the matter.

And at the last vp riseth a minister Adam Squier. from the benche, and (with verie great commendatiōs of his associates before) downe he goeth as smothelie as may be among the prisoners, & offreth hym selfe to be oure spokesman, and to pleade oure cause. VVho cowlde forbeare laughing, yf the reuerence of the place wold haue admitted a skorne? who wold not haue pityed oure case, to see vs thus frustrate and disapointed of oure owne frendelye counsailers, and cōmitted to the defense of none but of oure foes? Yet forsoothe he geueth vs fayre woords, & will nedes beare vs on hand that he will support vs with his faithfull assistāce. And thereupō he steppeth furth, and vp he Ierketh his hands, & white of his eyes to heauē ward, (as his maner is) and (full deuoutlye lyke a good man) he there vndertaketh the defense of the cause: but of what cause I pray yow? forsoothe euen of that same cause, which before (like an apostata) he had betrayed and forsaken, and made his bragge thereof when he had so done. But who wolde beleeue a skornfull and light [Page 125] tryfeler? Ys there anie so madde (think yowe) as to cōmit so weightie a cause to hym that pleadeth in skorne? or to trust a Ieasting disputer with a matter of salua­tion vpon his bare worde: who (as it is re­ported) can not be trusted of his credi­tors in a money matter, no not vpon his othe when he sweareth moste depelie?

And these are all in a maner, that can be sayde of the disputations or cōferen­ces with ministers in matters of learning. For I doe not remember, that oure aduer­saries euer yeelded to graunt any dispu­tation to Catholiques, besides these whi­che here I haue mentioned: sauyng onlie The dispu­tatiō vvi­the father Campian. the late disputation whiche they graun­ted to maister Campian, being thē a pri­soner, & twise before that tyme racked, destitute of bookes, and vnprouided of And once again ra­cked syns the tyme here men­tioned. all things, sauing onlie of a good cause, & of a well willing mynde. But as for that disputation, we heare (euen by the testi­moni of thē which were present) of mu­che parcialitie, & iniurie therein vsed, yea & of mani such odd shyfts, as perhapps to learned men might seme skant credible: but we are so admonished by examples in experience of former tymes, as we are [Page 126] forced to mistrust any thing, beyt neuer so vnliklie, towching the indirect dealing of timourous and falseharted men in a naughtie cause. For who is ignorant, that nede maketh the naked man to runne, or that the swoorde of necessitie is of all other most daungerous? or who doeth nor verie well vnderstand that old pro­uerb, pouertie maketh many theues, and that error and want in a desperate case, leade many men into vnhonest wayes? but now let vs disgresse a litle while to other matters, for me thinks I haue spokē enough of prisoners. And though their condition seme harde and painfull: yet is the condition of those men eyther more painfull or more intricate, and more incumbred whiche liue abroade vn­der some colour of libertie and are ne­uerthlesse vexed and shaken with stor­mes and tempests. For they whiche are shutt vp close withein the limittes of prisons: though in other respects they se­me to be full of calamitie, yet in this one point seme verie happie, that in mynde they haue some quyetnesse and tranquil­litie. The affli­ctiō of Ca­tholiques ovvte of prisons. But the Catholiques which are a­brood I mean those that are dwelling di­spersed [Page 127] through England, are neither suf­fred to rest nor abyde any where: but are tossed and tormoyled to and fro, as it were with waues & wyndes in continuall vexatiōs and troubles. For where so euer yow wolde sett youre feete, what way so euer you vvold goe by streete or pathe, yovv may see lamentable sights: this man to flye awaye: that man to lye hydden in a corner: an other to conuey hym selfe priuilie in disguised apparell: some ap­prehēded and led to the lustice: others to be sought for & not taken: many to abyde amōg busshes and vvoods: agreate nom­bre to haunt the feilds in the daye tyme, and neuer to repaire home but at myd­night.

And yet when they are at home in Searching of houses by night. their owne houses: they can not so be in securitie one houre. For at midnight oure aduersaries oftentimes rushe in for­cibly vpō them, and sett a watche aboute the house, that none may escape: then they searche euery chamber, euen the bedchā ­bers of wiues and maidens: aboute they goe throwgh all the house from place to place, veweing, tossing, & rifeling in eue­ry corner, chests, coffers, boxes, caskets [Page 128] and closetts. And yf anie thing happen to be fownd that maye woorke some dete­ction of religiō, or may brede anie blame, or minister matter of surmise: as siluer chalices, patens, candlesticks, crosses, books, vestments, & other ornamēts whi­che are called churche stuffe: these they snatche away, by a priuiledge of rob­berie, and by the prerogatiue of their gospell: for other lawe thei haue none to mainteine these their doeings. And that these things may not goe alone, they cat­che holde oftentimes, for companie, of what so euer other thing lyeth bye. And lest anye thing els should be lost by ne­gligence, they stick not to ryfle the bo­somes, purses, and coffers of honest ma­trones, yea and to vncouer their verie in­nermost garments, & oftentimes to teare & rēt the a sunder with violence, to see yf anye Agnus del, crucifix, medalls, beads or anie halowed things doe lye hydd there. These pageants their sergeants doe play, their catchepoles I mean, whome they call pursyuants, those hungrye stor­uen beasts rūning moste fierslie on euery pray or bootye: And in the power of these felowes yt lyeth, whō so euer they [Page 129] do finde in the house eyther to commit to prison, or at theyr will and lyking to trouble with other vexatiōs, except they be annoynted with the oyle of the sinner, Psal. 140. and pacified with some gratefull sacrifi­ce of money.

This is the peace and rest which oure Catholiques do finde at home in their owne houses. Lett vs see alitle what inter­teinment they doe fynde abroade. I haue tolde you howe these pursyuants lyke theuysh night fyendes do runne withe deadelie hatred to doe displeasures in howses: we maye add herevnto hovv Psalm. 99. they besett the common wayes and cros­se stretes with ambushements lyke noo­ne daye deuills. For yf any of oure men, whose name is presented, doe happen to passe through eyther citie, towne or vil­laige: hym they apprehend in the commō strete. Yf anie enter in to anie citie yea by night, and be betrayed or bevvraied by the detectiò of some espiall, taleteller or pickthanke (vvereof vve haue grea­te store:) hym they hale and dravv forth of the common tauerne, or ynne: but thoughe one be neyther presented, nor bevvrayed, yet ys he not for all that in [Page 130] safetie, except he vtterlie eschevve all companie and conuersation vvith men: For by many vvayes and means, euen vpon a light suspition onlie may a man be brought in perill: As for example, yf a man doe refuse to eateflesche on dayes prohibited by the churche: yf he be sene to pray some vvhat earnestlie, and spe­tiallie in latin prayers: yf he blesse hym selfe vvith the signe of the crosse: yf he counsail anie to fast, or moue one to vir­ginitie or single lyfe: yf he some vvhat earnestlie commend the auncient fathers: yf he say or affirm any thinge on the be­halfe of the Catholique religion, or con­fute a verie manifest vntruthe of oure aduersaries: Nay, when others by course one after an other doe raile and speake reprochefully against the Catholique re­ligion, yf he (for his part onlie) holde his peace and speake neuer a woorde: anye of these is matter sufficient to bring a man in question for religion. And to be short, there is extant an edict and lawe, not In Nouember 1580. long a goe published, wherby euery man hathe power and authoritie to present, appeache, or accuse anie mā, who so euer­he be, vpon euerie leaste circumstance, [Page 131] whiche may induce anie suspitiō or sur­mise of the Catholique religiō. By mea­ne whereof, manye synce that tyme haue bene apprehended, and verie manie haue bene afflicted with diuerse vexations & aduersities.

But there is one maner of roughe dealing (for I vvill not vse a more gre­uouse terme) vvhich afflictetth more thā all the rest: I meane that, vvhiche oure men doe finde and feele in sutes of lavve, in triall and Iudgements before iustices, in priuate businesses; and in the common conuersation and entercourses of lyuing to gether one vvith an other. For this is a matter vvhiche in dede toucheth the verie veines and sinevves of the naturall societie of mankinde, that are nourished and preserued by Iustice & humanitie or gentle behauioure: &, doe detest all cruell barbarousnes. But for my parte, I doe neyther complaine, nor thinke it mete to complain, yf neyther fauour be shevved vnto oure persones, nor pitie nor com­passion to oure estate and condition, be yt neuer so afflicted or miserable, (for I can be content, sithe they will nedes haue yt soe, that such humanitie and ciuile cour­tesie [Page 132] as nature graunteth euen among ene­mies be denied vnto vs their bethren, for the hatred whiche they beare to oure re­ligion:) yet in verie truthe, for so muche as there be some, whiche are not satiate with the rigour of lawes, and greuous­nesse The grea­te rigoure of some Iudges a­gainst Ca­tholiques. of paines and punishments layed vpon vs all readie, but they will nedes add a bitter vexation of malice and euell will of their owne deuise and makinge: inso muche as eyther by pretense of lawe they vse rigoure against vs, where there is no lawe to warrant them: or elles they extēd the rigoure of the law, further than the mynde of the lawmaker dyd reache: and that in greatest, and moste weightie cau­ses, euen suche as concerne oure liues and oure bloode: no mā shoulde wounder, yt we mourne, yf we lament, yf we sighe and grone alitle vnder so great a bourden of calamitie.

Lett vs therfore see, what Catholiques doe endure allso in this maner of perse­cution, which ariseth vpō hatred and des­pite of the christiane religion. Fyrst, there is a certein law (which before I haue re­cited) that, who so euer shall obteine frō the by shopp of Rome bulls or publick Page. Nō ­ber 2. [Page 133] instruments, or bring the same in to En­gland: he must be reputed guiltie of hyghe treason. Nowe admit this to be a moste Iuste lawe: (for I doe not here entreate of the equitie and indifferencie of the lawe, but of the mynde and intent of the lawe:) VVhoe seeth not that the intent of this lawe was onlie to except, prouide & take order, that the pope shoulde not deter­mine or appoint anie suche thyng to be done, touching causes or affayres of En­gland, as he was wont to doe by way of bulls (as they terme them) or writts Apo­stolique? And yet not withstanding, not longe agoe, when a certein bare copie of 1575. the bull, conteinynge a denuntiation of a yere of Iubiley, then past, was fownde: albeyt the same perteined not to English men: allthough it was printed withe in an other princes dominions: allthowgh the force therof was determined more than a yere before: although it lay (as matter of no accompt) among onlie torne & cast A notable point of iniustice. papers: all this not with standing: the gre­uousenes of the matter was so vehement­lie enlarged, & aggrauated by the seueri­tie Iudge Māvvoode. M. Mayn priest. of a Iudge: as a priest in whose chāber the copie was fownd, was, for that same [Page 134] cause, put to a moste cruell deathe: and a M. Trugiō gentleman of greate woorshipp, though ignorant of the matter, yet beause he en­terteined the same priest in his howse, was by the sentence of the same Iudge turned owte of all his goods & possessiōs (which were very worshipfull) and cast in to perpetuall prison.

Again, before the same Iudge and pro­moter, (for he executeth bothe those At dorce­ster the fifth of Se­ptember. 1581. offices against Catholiques) a certein ho­nest man was arraigned of highe treason, vpon the one and twentieth capitall lawe before mentioned, because he had geuen page. 67. Nūber. 21. a reason to one of his neyghboures, whie he hym selfe might not goe to the chur­ches of protestants with a safe cōscience. Nowe, this Iudge dyd interprete the mās wordes in suche a sense, as yf by the reasō which he gaue, he ment to haue drawne his neighboure to his owne opinion, and cōsequentlie to haue dissuaded him from the Religion of England, and by an other A hard cō struction of a savve. cōsequence to bring him to the obediēce of the byshopp of Rome. So long are the snares which are sett to intrapp oure bloode. But ther is yet an other seuere practise of this Iudge, to geue more [Page 135] showe of his cruell mynde in this mattēr. For when yt was referred to a Iurie (as the custome of the countrie requireth:) and that the inquest could not fynde the offēce to be so greuouse as deserued dea­the: they were compelled by the authori­tie of the same Iudge to fynd it to be a matter of treason: suche a practise as was neuer wont to be vsed, nor ought to be vsed against any man, were he neuer so farr past hope of grace, neuer so dete­stable naughtie. The lavv against va­gabunds.

And where there is a law in England that suche slouthefull beggars as will not abyde ī one certain place, but idelie roaue abroad frō place to place like vagabunds should be whipped and burned in the ears with an hote yron: yt so fel owte that a Marck. syppet. vong man, born of honest and riche pa­rēts, sikillfull in humame learning, hauing left his studie for a tyme, and going from Londō to visit his fryndes was apprehē ­ded, and brought before a Iudge for reli­gion. VVhat affinitie is here with the persones noted to be punishable by this lawe? yet because the yonge man was thē latelie come forth of ffraunce, & had bene trayned vp in the popes Seminarie: ther­fore [Page 136] and hastie froward Iudge, in despite and malice that he beareth to the Chri­stian [...]lete­vvood. religion & Catholique cause, wolde not dimisse the poore man before he was whipped throughe Londō, and odiouslie burned in the eare. The like punishement touching burning in the eare was execu­ted verie latelye at the Citie of yorcke (as I haue hearde) & vpō a priest. And I could recken vp a great nomber of like strict Fulk. dealinges of Iudges against Catholiques: but this may suffice for a complaint. God which Iudgeth the poore in iustice, and requi­teth Esa. 11. the provvde abundantlye. Oure Lorde Psal. 30. vvhich is bothe Iudge and vvitnesse (as Iere­mie Ier. 29. saithe), & vvill Iudge in measure against Esa. 27. measure, vvhen measure shall be caste avvaye, pardone these Iudges for so wicked and so vniust iudgements.

But what might a man say to the wickednesse of this tyme? whether now (good God) whether now haue these exulcerate and rancorouse controuersies towching matters of faith and religion thruste vs? how haue they plucked vs downe? no nation in the worlde adourned with ciuil maners: no countrie indued with the holie lighte of Christs Gospell: [Page 137] no people īstructed with Christiā lawes & customes, was euer eyther better framed to courtesie and humanitie, more dispo­sed to beneficence and fryndelie behaui­oure, more inclined to the loue of equi­tie, more bent to pitie and mercie, than this English people and nation was, befo­re suche time as this vnluckye, detestable and pestiferous heresie had hardened the hart, and intrailes of loue, infecting them with deadelie poysons of malice. For this is she that hathe shaken in sunder the bolts and bares of right and equitie: this is she that hathe dissolued the bonds of loue and amitie: this is she that hath blo­wen vpp the fowndations of mercie and beneficence: this is she that hath cutt in sūder the veines & sinewes of the cōmon societie of men, and with a fyendelie for­ce and tempestuous violence hath kno­cked together the membres thereof and beaten them one against an other into miserable disorder & confusion.

But now perhaps (frinde Gerard) the time wolde require me to make some en­de of this epistle: for me thinks I am verie long: and I owght to haue care that I wea­rie yow not with a reporte so greuouse [Page 138] and lamentable, as in truth it can not but vehemently trouble yow (I think) whils youe are reding it, seing yt woorketh suche passions in my selfe in writing it, as some times I can not refraine frō weping, whiles I considre, eyther what I haue wri­ten, or what I haue omitted. For there be farr moe things that ought to be sup­pressed and passed ouer in silence, rather than here to be cōmitted to writing: par­tly for that I should charge my selfe with an infinite laboure in reciting all the particulars: partly, because the certain know­lege of very many things in these diffi­culties and troubles of tymes and causes, can not be had: but moste especiallye, for that the explication & notice of the prin­cipall matters, and the discouerie of the persones whome they concern, do runne to gether in such sort, as they can not be so seperated that the matters may be well vnderstoode, nor so annexed as the persones may not be damnified. For the things can not be committed to publick speche or writing, but that the persones may be drawne therby in to priuate pe­rill. Lett vs ther fore leaue these things to them which are to come after vs, that they [Page 139] may eyther cōmit them to writing whan oportunitye shall serue: or elles in the meane time, with inward amasednesse, & secret sorow meruaile and be waile the case.

Now these things whiche I haue tol­de may suffice to minister matter, eyther for sorow and heuines, or for a lesson and example. For oure calamitie ought to be a perpetuall lesson, not onlie to oure sel­ues and oure posteritie but to all Catho­liques allso through the woorlde: howe terrible a thing it is (as the Apostle sayeth (, to fall in to the hāds of the liueing god: And to refuse to doe the vvoorthie vvoorkes Heb. 10. of pennance: yea, after mē haue bene therū ­to admonished. For oure owne synns and the synns of oure parents and auncetours haue layde vpon vs this moste heuye and painfull scourge of God, whiche will wax heuyer withowte doubt, and reache fur­ther, yf the Iustice of God, (by due repē ­tance of Catholiques, and amendement of their sinfull lyues) be not preuented.

And as for sorow, particular or com­mon, (frind Gerard,) who wolde not iud­ge that the things now by me recited may procure sorowe, and heuynesse [Page 140] enough, eyther to yow or me, or to anie Catholique who so euer: for as they be verie manye, moste greuous, and haunt vs daylie: so in respect of the cause, they are moste vniust: for their maner of dealing, they are moste adiouse, and for the Inno­cencie of the persones wich suffer, they are moste vnsemelie & full of indignities. The straite examina­tion of Ca­tholiques. Neuerthelesse (as I haue sayde before) I coulde not touche euery speciall matter, nor yet the chefe and principall points: then muche lesse is any man able to putt downe in writing the particularities of matters moued in that strict maner of examination, practised by oure aduersa­ries against vs, with interrogatories so drawn in length by peece meale, with su­che searching and siftyng euen in to the smallest motes that may be discerned, so curiouslie, so circumspectly, with so ma­ny eyes caste vpon a man, and with so many notes, and obseruations as nothing can escape them. And yf a woorde, yea a peece of a woorde slipp forth of a mans mouthe at vnwares, or that he happen to geue but a wink with his eie, or a nod with his heade, whereby anie suspition may arise, that he fauoureth oure cause: there [Page 141] is then matter enough, wherupon eyther to accuse hym, or to cast hym in prison. As of late (by report) some were put in prison for speaching afew words in commendation of Catholiques touching the late disputations.

But beholde a more straūge practise putt In August. 1581. in executiō by oure aduersaries, not many dayes a goe. For all the students abyding withe in the vniuersities, were by thē en­forced vpon their othes, to discouer and appeache euery persone, whome so euer they knewe or suspected to fauour the Catholique religion in hart: to this intent and purpose (with oute doubt,) that they might driue away all suspected Catholi­ques forthe of the vniuersities. Nowe I praye yowe looke well in to this deuise. This matter of suspecting, how farr dothe yt reache think yow? howe easilie is it co­uered vnder the cloke of dissimulation? how redily dothe yt attend vpon hatred and enuie? what licentiouse scope doeth it geue to ambition? how much force dothe it bring to yll will & malice? & how shar­pe spurre is it to pricke forwarde euerie kind of reuenge? See then an experiment fallen oute euen of the present occasiō of In Oxford. [Page 142] this depe deuise. A minister forsoothe did accuse one vpon suspitiō of the Romaine religion. The persone accused dyd aske the minister what he had for hym to in­duce that suspition: because (sayd the mi­nister) I doe not see yow resorte so much to sermons, as yow wolde doe, yf yovv A folish surmise of a minister. vvere feruent in the zeale of oure reli­gion. How weightie and strong is this cō ­iecture, to enforce an accusation? Alas full greuous and troublesome is the state & cōditiō of them vvhich euen by lawes and publick authoritie are subiect to the­se stormes of malice, and to these tem­pests of the surmising forgerie of syco­phants.

And because I am talking here of that prōptnesse, facilitie and rashe dispo­sition to accuse, whereby oure aduersa­ries vsuallie do charge vs with offenses, and do surmise slaunderous tales, & mee­re cauills against vs, and that vpon moste friuolous and impertinent occasiōs: And albeit for hast I thought to haue omitted this point: yet one example I will leaue for this place: whereby youe maye per­ceiue, that we are not onele accused for small and tryfeling matters, but blamed [Page 143] and punished oftentimes for the benefits whiche we bestowe vpon them. The hi­storie is notably well knowne, pleasant allso, and yt will geue to youre Italians there (beside matter to maruaille at) some patern allso of the estate and condition of oure affairs and troubles. And thus it is.

A courtlike gentlemā of good vvelth, An histo­rie tou­ching restitution. that had liued in much brauerie, hapened to fall sick. And vvhiles he vvas lyeing in great pain: he dyd fall (as at that tyme ytt happeneth often to the most rechelesse) in to a vehement cogitatiō & depe studie of the lyfe to come. VVherevpō he called for a priest (for in mynde and opinion he vvas Catholique) that by his aduise and counsaile he might learne to dye vvell. The priest (according to his deutie, and the custome of the Catholique churche) admonished the sickman amonge other things that yf he had anie vvaye hurt or iniured any man, or vniustlie possessed other mens goods: he shoulde go aboute by and by to make restitution accordinge to his abilitie. The sick man dyd agree to doe so, and called to remembrance that he had taken awaie somewhat from a cer­tain Caluinian vnder colour and pretense [Page 144] of law in dede, but not vnder anie goode assurance for a Catholique conscience to trust vnto: therfore he tooke order for re­stitution to be made, & died. The widow, his wyfe being verie desirous to accom­plish her husbands will, and affraied to committ the matter to an heretique, was in verie greate perplexitie of mynde, and coulde not ridd her selfe out of it. Now whiles she was thus intangled in the bre­res of dowbtfullnesse: by good happ a priest cometh to her she declared her M. Alvvai. greefe vnto hym, and besecheth hym for gods sake to helpe her, eyther with his trauaille or with his counsaile.

Now the good man, whā he perfectlie vnderstoode the deuoute and holie desire of the gentlevvoman, being hymself a verie zelouse and charitable man, vvillin­glie profered to put hym selfe in all pe­rill that might befall in doeing the thing which she desired, persuading hym selfe that no man wold be so cruell and barba­rous as of a benefit to desire reuēgemēt. Therfore first he commended the matter The thyrd day in Ea­ster vveke. to God, then he mounted on horseback & awaye he goethe on his Iourney. And when he came to the towne vvhere the [Page 145] mā dyd dwell to vvhome the monie vvas to be deliuered: he setteth vp his horse in the next Inne, that he might be readier at hand, for scaping immediatlie after his Fisher of vvarvvick businesse vvere dispatched: he goeth hym selfe to the creditors house, he calleth the man forth alone, taketh hym by the hand, and leadeth hym a side from the compa­nie Tvventie poūds en­glish. of others. Then he declareth that he hath money for hym, vvhiche he vvolde delyuer to hym vvith this condition, that he inquire no further, eyther vvho sent yt, vvho bringeth yt, or vvhat the cause or matter is, but onlie receiue the money, and vse yt as his ovvne. The olde felovv promiseth faire, and with a good will ge­ueth his woorde faithfulli to doe so and with many thanks he dimisseth the man, and sendeth hym away.

The good priest with all the speede he was able to make hastneth to his ho­stes house, for to catche holde of his hor­se & flie away: but all in vaine. For forth­with Tvvo of the sayd fy shers bre­thren. the deceitfull old felowe betrayed the priest, and sent men after to apprehēd hym. And first to begynn with all, they made this surmise against hym, that for­sothe he is not a man but a deuill, whiche [Page 146] had brought money of his owne making He is takē for a deuill vvhich maketh resti­tution of ill gotten goods. to bewitch the olde man. And for a proo­fe there of, they vsed this argument among others, that he had a blacke horse. And this horse they dyd obserue & wat­che diligentlye whether he dyd eate haye as other horses eate or no. And as for the priest, they put a horse lock aboute his legg, shutt hym vp close in a strong chā ­ber, and appointed a felow to be with hym continually bothe day and night, which shoulde watche yfhe dyd put offe his bootes at any time, & if his feete were like horsefete, or that he were clouē foo­ted: or had fete flytand forked as beasts haue. For this they affirmed to be a spe­ciall marke whereby to know the deuill, vvhen he lyeth lurking vnder the shape and likenesse of a man. Then the people assembled aboute the house in greate nū ­bres, and profered money largelie that they might see this monstre vvith their ovvn eyes. For by this time, the people are persuaded that he is in dede an yll spi­rite or a verie deuill. For vvhat man vvas euer heard of (say they) vvhiche (yfhe had the mynde, vnderstanding and sense of a man) vvoolde of his ovvn volunta­rie [Page 147] vvill and vvithoute anie respect or consideration at all geue or proffer suche a summe of money to a man vtterlie vn­knovven, of no acquaintance vvith hym, and a mere straunger of an other coun­trie.

Novv vvhen they had thus contumeliou­slie vexed Christs seruant a vvhile: they pretended to sett the man at libertie, and licenced hym to depart and goe avvay vvhether he vvolde: yet all vvas but a de­ceiptfull practise to vvork him more spi­te and iniurie. For loe, the vngratefull & The bro­ther of the said fisher churlishe Caluiniā, vvhiche had receiued the monei, sent oute priuilie a suborned felow to stay the good priest as he vvas goeing forth: to with holde him from es­caping away: and to accuse hym of high treason. This was no sooner done than the man was all ryfled, and spoyled: his horse ridden and vsed as pleased them, his money all taken from hym, sauing a litle portion to serue for his expenses to the citie of London, whether shortly after they sent hym as a prisoner with a strong and curiouse garde, And when he came thither, and had opened the matter to her maiesties Councell (or rather to one of [Page 148] thē, that the matter might not be vttered abroade to the reproche of the deade:) he was by them casten of, and put ouer to the Superintendent of London, and by hym throwne, first into one prison, then in to an other, and thyrdlie in to the To­wer That is, first in to his ovvne porters lodge: thē in to the gate house at vvestminster. of Londō, vvhere the space wellnigh of a quarter of a yere (hardlie escaping the racke and tortures) he was sore puni­shed for that heinouse offence (forsuthe) of restitution.

And here the recitall of this historie putteth me in remembrance of that ridi­culous and wanton maner of chatting of oure aduersaries (as oure moste auncient enemies were wont to doe) in slaunde­ring Catholiques to be of familiar ac­quaintance vvith deuills. And I might sooner lacke time thā matter, yf I should recken vpp all the surmises, and fables w­hiche they haue forged, touching this point. But among many this is one. Pou­les Poules steple bur­ned. steple in London was meruailouslie (a fewe yeres synce) blasted with lightning, and sett on a light burning fyre ragiouse hoate and skant extinguishible: Oure ad­uersaries layde the fault and blame the­reof vpon vs, & were not a shamed to say [Page 149] that it was done by Iuglings and coniu­rings practised by Catholiques. Again, it hapned that certein charmes or inchauntments, and deuises of witchecraft wound vp together in peeces of parchement with figures, characters & suche like fond toyes, and hydde in the grownde, were at lengthe fownd by certain persones: The matter was supposed to haue bene con­triued for some mischefe or destruction to the Quenes Maiestie. But who was he among all oure aduersaries which did not charge Catholiques with that fact? yet loe, not long after, yt was fownd owt and proued, that a certein minister was the The mini­ster of Ne­vvington. Author and principall of this sorcerie, & had diuerse complices & accessaries whi­che were verie zealouse gospellers: whe­reupon all was huysht sodainlie: vea (as busye as they were before) now they say not one woord of the matter, sauynge that some (to turne the fault frome one to an other, that the blame might fall som way on Catholiks) sayde that this mi­nister had perhaps dissembled his religion and was a verie papist in his hart. A like surmise was deuised vpō an accident that hapned in a citie and vniuersitie. VVhere Oxford. [Page 150] a booke bynder for speaking some woords in the fauoure of the Catholique religiō was arraigned at the assises, before the Iudges, and roughlie handled by all the benche. For besyde muche griefe and vexation whiche he endured in prison: the matter fell owt thus at the last, partlie by the verdit of the Iurie, and partlie by the rigoure of the Iudges: that the poore man was fyrst made to stand openlie in the market place to his reproche and infa­mie, then were his eares nayled hard and fast to a poste and a knyfe was put into hys owne hand, there with all to cutt his owne ears in sunder & so to delyuer hym selfe. This was a feuere sentence aboue measure as many men then dyd think. But what folowed? A wonder full Iudgement of God vndowbtedlie. For withein few dayes after, the two Iudges, and well nigh all the iurie, many of the iustices & free­holders, with verie many other of them whiche had bene present there, dyed all of a straunge kinde of disease, some in the sayd citie, and some in other places. But all the blame for this was layd vpon Ca­tholiques: all this was imputed to magike and sorcerie, as practised by Catholiques.

[Page 151] VVhat safety then or securitie (frind Gerard) is there for vs? In how hard ter­mes stand we think yow, when not onlie other mens faults are layed vpon vs, but the manifest Iudgements of allmightie God are peruerslie interpreted to oure inconuenience and infamie?

I could neuer make ende yf I shoulde prosecute all the other means whiche our aduersaries woork to the dishonoure and slaunder of oure cause. For yf they may find one (be he neuer so base & so badde) which can tell anie reprochefull tale a­gainst Rome: or bringe anie tydinges sownding to the rebuke thereof, or of any others which are thought to fauoure our faith and religion: albeyt that the stuffe which he bringeth, or the tale whiche he telleth be either nothīg but verie rakinges of the sinke & cānells of filthie detractiō, or else voyde of all probabilitie or ap­pearāce of truthe: yet such a felow is for theyr toeth: hym they take holde of as affectuouslie as they can, and obtrude him to the people as a prophet: to hym they geue free leaue, and libertie to talke, to So vvas 10. Nicols a gramma­rion, and minister coming from Rome & lye­ing of Ro­me. Set vp in the pul­pet & ho­nored vvith an hono­rable pre­sence. dispute, to preache, and to write what so euer he lusteth according to his owne [Page 152] phantasie & pleasure, so he doe it by way of despite and contumelie against the Ca­tholique religiō. Now whence cometh so great rancour and hatred? wherof sprin­geth so muche displeasure and malice? what may be the cause of ali this spite and enuy? can ye tell? Yea but they rest not thus: they stay not with in this degree of immodestie: nor are content to be kept with in these limits of folye: they run headlong much further: for yf there be none to be fownde, which can tell skorn­full and scoffing tales, nor throw vp on heapes any filthynesse, nor obserue and note any milbehauiours against Rome: then doe these felowes forth of theyr own forge coyne and create new miracles and wondres of Rome, to doe them selues some pleasure or seruice in pulpets, ta­bles, The 23. 24. 25. daies of Ianuarie. 1580. This fa­blingbook vvas prin­ted by 10. charlevv­ood and Ed. vvhi­te vvith approba­tion vnder noted. & books. And to such an effect they haue latelie settforth in a printed pāphlet mani meruailous things to haue happened the last yere at Rome, & that by the space of many dayes. VVherby they woulde make vs beleiue that God by greate and straunge signes and tokens doeth shew his wrath and indignation against that citie, for they tell vs of two Sunnes and two [Page 153] rainbowes that appeared at one time: that saint Peters great gate dyd fall downe, and kill fourtene persones with eight sol­diours. That two towers allso of Saint Peters churche were fallen, had beaten downe the churche and crushed in pieces much people, amonge whom were eigh­tene preests: further more, that the chur­ches of the franciscanes, saint sames, & of saint Bartilmew, with oure ladyes churche, the whole Monasterie of Marie Magdalen, the whole Armorie of the citie of Rome, the hospitall of an hundred and fiftie persones with an infinitie number of other houses and buyldings fell downe all at once: And all this happened (say they) to the intent that the world might vnderstand the Roman Religion to dis­please God. I passe ouer and omitt verie manie such artificiall shiftes and deuises which oure aduersaries doe leane to, of purpose to make oure cause more od­iouse in the open sight of the people.

Now therfore (to come at the last to an end) yow know the state of oure case, in what termes vve stand, and to vvhat Issue oure matters in England are gro­vvē. All is on a hotefire vvith the light [Page 154] burning flames of pesecutions: Catholi­ques and right belieuers are euerie where afflicted with all maner of discōmodities, with hatreds, with reproches, with bōds, with imprisonments, with iniuries, and with what else soeuer serueth to an affli­cted lyfe or helpeth to make vp a calami­tie, full, absolute and perfite: And yet for all this oure aduersaries are not moued at all with any affectiō of pitie or cōpassion: but their wrathe waxeth fierce, and their malice groweth fresh dailie more & mo­re: In so muche as now they seme to be come to that point whereof oure Sa­uioure foretolde: that euerie one that killeth yovv, thinke he doeth a seruice to God. Ioh. 16. But the Catholiques doe comfort them selues with the woords of oure Sauioure foloweing in the same place: These things they vvill doe to yovv, because they haue not Io. 16. knovvne my father nor me: but these things I haue spoken vnto yovv, that vvhen the houre shall come, ye may remembre them, for I haue spoken to yovv. That sayeing allso of Saint paule they doe often recite for their cō ­sort. God is faithfull, vvhiche vvill not suffer 2. Cor. 10 you to be tempted aboue that you maye, but euen vvith temptation he vvill make an encrea­se, [Page 155] that ye may ondure.

This encreasse of the faithfull, thus promised before hand as a recompense for patient sufferance of persecution, the Catholiques in England doe sēsiblie feele The increase of Ca­tholiques in Englād. to be passinge good: And thereupon yt falleth owte, that beside the inward swe­tenesse of the holie ghoste, they are allso not alitle animated and confirmed with this externall comfort and consolation, whiles they vnderstand and see with their eyes the number of right belieuyng Ca­tholiques to be so maruailouslye encreased, syns the rigour of the persecutors haith bene doubled and redoubled vpon them. For this is a manifest signification of gods loue, whereby he doeth assure and certifie vs that he will neuer forsake this oure cause, or rather I might say his own cause, yf we for oure parts doe fullfill and kepe the rules and precepts of humilitie, meknesse, longanimitie and patience. And withoute doubt yf in mynd and memorie we wolde runne ouer & vewe the trou­bles whiche Catholiques haue suffered allredye: or measure & esteme by conie­cture the vexatiōs which may hang ouer their heads to be yet suffred: we shall [Page 156] finde, how yt can neyther be imputed to the power or habilitie of man, that hither to they haue susteined the same: nor may be looked for that hereafter by mans power they may perseuere stedfastlie to the ende. This must be begged and craued of God alone, and must by cōtinuall pra­yers be obteined of the father of lights, from vvhome euerie best guyst and euerie per­fect Iac. 1. guyft procedeth.

Now, what puissance and valew of mynd think yow might suffice? what no­blenesse of courage wer nedefull? what strong and steadfast constancie do yow iudge requisite to make mē hable to bea­re and endure those vexations whiche before I haue reported? those contume­lies (I mean) and those despites? those re­bukes and dishonors? those prisons, bolts and shakles? those deformities and disor­ders? those loothsome and ill fauored sights? those stinking sauours? those pu­trifactions for want of good lodging? those consumptions, waistings and pi­nyngs away for lacke of naturall susti­nance? those torments? those deathes? And neuerthelesse that same whiche before I haue sayde, I must here eftsones repeate [Page 157] and yow must kepe yt in memorie, for it is true, that I haue skant touched the hundreth part of those afflictions whi­che oure Catholiques dailie sustein in prison. But yet yf Catholiques might fynde such fauour as they might be entrea­ted and vsed in suche maner as theeues, man murderers, parricides, and hainouse offenders are vsed, or might be releued with their owne goods, or refreshed with the benignitie and almes that other men wold bestow of them: we showld haue no cause to grudge, and we might well think that we were not hardlie delte withall. For I know there will be fownd in En­gland many, aswell of honest calling, as of the degrees of wooshipp and honor, whi­che willinglie woolde be content to sell away all their goods, lands and possessiōs, and to yelde them selues to become seruants to the afflicted Catholiques, rather than the same Catholiques should suffer so vnsemelie and dishonorable misehie­fes and inconueniences of hungre, fami­ne, pouertie and want of necessaries as they doe dailie suffer and endure: but it will not be allowed nor permitted.

Yet I wold not yow should take me [Page 158] other wise than I meā. I speake not of those principall persones of honor or woor­shipp, whiche are in prison for religion: who (I deny not) haue libertie to vse their ovvn goods. But I speake of the great multitude of most miserable poore captiues, and speciallie of priests, vvho at this daye are kept so straitlie, as no man hathe accesse vnto them: and vvho so euer desireth accesse, he is called in suspition: and except he can purge hym selfe, he is apprehended by and by. So Maister hanse of late, vvhen he desired to speak vvith some prisoners (bicause he had almes to delyuer to them) vvas attached as suspe­cted for religion, and in short space after hanged on the galovves. In like sort ma­ny other, for the same cause, haue bene arreasted vpon suspitiō, and clapt in pri­son. And by these means oure aduersaries do terrefie Catholiques, that none should dare to bring any almes for prisoners.

And it is no lesse perill to the geuers than to the bringars, yf the matter be on­ce knowne: But it hapneth to be knowne manie wayes: and oure aduersaries, to get the knowleige thereof, doe oftentimes putt priests to the racke, or other tortu­res, [Page 159] and examin thē who they are whiche M. Iohnsō M. Briant an others racked for the same cause, all moste to deathe. haue geuen them almes? and who hathe bestowed vpon thē other woorks of pie­tie? And yf anie by force of torment should confesse anie such thing (whiche to this day, by gods help, none hathe do­ne:) then wolde oure aduersarie thereupō two maner of wayes anoye vs. First, he wold vtterlie discredit the mā, as a traitor to his own frinds: then wold he so afflict the geuer of almes, as for drede of puni­shement he wold driue away others from exercise of like works of pietie.

Now, sithe oure aduersaries by this cunnyng deuise haue brought this to passe, that none dare geue almes, nor anye dare carie to a prison the almes whiche is geuen: yt must medes hereupō folow (as plainlie with oure eyes we see haith fo­lowed) that oure Catholiques in prison through penurie, nedynesse, and want of necessaries must languish & weare away, and at the last for verie pinyng hungar & nakednesse pitifullie perishe in prison I suppose yow haue heard of a certein nū ­ber of persones latelie extinct and dead in prison at york: I will not take vpon me to auouche or suspect more hardlie the­reof, [Page 160] than as I haue sayd: albeit there be some whiche do suspect somewhat be­cause [...] of hū tingdon. that president there beareth suche mortall and inconsiderate hatred against vs, as he semeth to couet nothing in the world so much as oure vtter ruine & de­struction. God be gratiouse to hym, geue hym a better mynde, and send hym a mi­leder spirit toward miserable captiues, that he hym selfe allso, once at the length when the tyme will come, may for hym selfe obtain mercie at the hands of the ge­nerall and common Lorde and Iudge of vs all.

Yf I wolde recite the bitter affliction and inhumanitie which Catholiques in that prison at york the yeres by past haue felt and suffred, or at this tyme do fele and suffer more than euer before: I should ne­uer make ende. But by this one we may coniecture of the rest. A certein minister M. Bell. competenlie learned, whiche had stode a great while on our aduersaries side, and had verie earnestlie to the vttermoste of his power defended the same: came at the length to such intelligence by reading of the holie fathers, as he dyd see verie clear­lie that his companions had no truthe to [Page 161] leane vnto, but that all was on oure side, and that, with out all doubt. The zealouse yong man could not stopp the conceiued light of truthe, nor suppresse the flame thereof burning within his brest. VVhen this was knowne abroad to the worlde oure aduersaries apprehend the man, they seke by threathinges to putt him in feare: But he for all that is not terryfied: they sett vpon hym vvith arguments, but he was to hard for thē: they vvold vvynne hym vvith faier vvoords, but he is not allured. VVhat then? they thrust hym in­to prison, they handle hym sharplie: yet is he nothing relented. At the last they hang hym vpvvard are in suche maner, as his feet being put in a payre of high stocks, he lay vvith his shoulders onlie vpō the floore, and that vvithoute either bedding or any thing to leane vpō other than the bare floore, the space of very many daies together, sauyng that they shewed hym suche fauour onlie; as at certein times thei eased him some vvhat, for his bodilie ne­des. VVhat can be more cruell than this?

I omit here the rigours which are vsed against women there imprisoned for re­ligion; to whom ouer and besydes the [Page 162] yexations that are incident to prisons: this further greefe is added, that albeit their husbands do yelde, and are confor­mable (as they terme it) to oure aduersa­ries: yet are they all punished, except they will eyther compell their wiues to doe as they them selues doe, or elles will take a­way from them their necessarie foode & sustinance. VVhat then shall these mise­rable afflicted vvomen do, when they cannot be permitted to haue the neces­sarie releefe of lyfe, no not at their hus­bāds hāds? must they not perish through the inconueniēces of penurie and nedye­nesse? and yet oure gospellers are not mo­ued with any compassion or pitie for all these.

And as to other prisons vvhiche are in London, I coulde reporte to yovv many lamentable cases asvvell of suche as late vvere extinct therein, as of them vvhiche yet liue there in miserie, but that I feare lest my complainte vvold be an occasion of more greuouse affliction yet this is moste certein, that many haue endured verie greate extremities throu­gh penury, and yet dailie looke for more greuous vexation, yf that moste seuere [Page 163] lavv touching going to churches be put Before mētioned. in execution. For it vvill so vtterlie beg­ger exhauste and oppresse Catholiques: as they shall not be able to releiue either thē selues or their families, and muche lesse to succeure others that are afflicted. And therevpon the state and conditions of Catholiques in England semeth likely to fall in to extreme calamities, and incon­ueniences, neuer heard of before with christian ears, in such wise, as Innocents shall be spoyled of their own goods, yea and pine away perish and be consumed with famine: and all for their conscience onlie, towching the faith and religion of their aunceters.

But when I beholde & earneslie looke into that passing excellent, singular and in dede princelie no blenesse of hart, with the exceding great clemency and milde disposition whiche nature hathe planted in oure Quene: I am hardlie induced to beleeue that her maiestie will permit such a straite and extreme law to be putt in execution, to the vtter ruine of men affli­cted with miserie, to the ouerthrow of her owne subiects, to the disturbance of her kingdome, and to driue all the whole [Page 164] worlde besides, in to a mase with the wō ­der thereof. Yet neuerthelesse on the othersyde, when I depelie consider how her grace is incensed against vs with the continuall clamours of oure aduer saries, and by how subtile means and cunnyng shifts, dailie incited and stirred vp to oure persecution and destruction, whiles the­re is not one in the waye eyther to excu­se or defend vs, or yet in oure behalfe, by waye of hūble sute, to procure some cō ­passion for oure afflictions: then I see yt to be possible, that not onely these extre­mities, but greater allso, and farre harder extremities may be permitted against vs.

The con­clusion.Nowe therfore (to conclude all in one woord) two things onlie remain for vs to doe in these straite distresses wherein we stand. One, that with seruent vowos, and deu oute prayers we humblie call and crie vpon oure Lorde and Sauioure Christ, to mollifye the harts of oure persecutors. The other, that we remaine in a steadfast sure and resolute minde to suffer, & beare for his sake, what so euer happeneth to vs, referring all the rest to his moste ho­lie prouidence, vvith this moste certein persuasiō, trust & beleefe, that yf we stād [Page 165] fast in this mynde, and laye oure selues whollie vnder his custodie and protectiō, he will directe vs the safest waye into the hauen of oure soluation.

And yf we persist firmly in this mynd and purpose, yf we putt on this armoure of hope, faithe, and seruent charitie, with the contempt of all mortall and wordlie things: yf we be (I saye) once fast planted and depely rooted in this moste firm and vnmouable roole, which is oure Christe crucifiede VVe shall be able with greate ease, and withoute trouble to endure, and abyde what rigoure or crueltie so euer oure aduersaries shall practise against vs. For we shall peaceably enioye the passing greate securitie [...] quietnesse of that man, whome oure Sauioure in the gospell cō ­mendeth as a right wyse man vvhich buil­ded Matth. 7. his hovvse vpon the rocke, and the raine dyd fall and the floodes came, and the vvinds dyd blovv, and rushed against that hovvse, and yt fell not for yt vvas [...] vpon a rocke: yea we shall sensibly feele in oute harts, and professe by mouth, as Saint Paule did, that moste holy and moste valiāt capita [...] of oure religion and champion of Christ oure Sauioure: VVho shall separate vs from Rom. 8. [Page 166] the loue of Christe? shall tribulation? shall ad­uersitie? shall nakednesse? shall perill? shall per­secution? shall the svvorde? As who should say none of these: for by and by he ex­powndeth hym selfe: Neyther deathe, nor lyfe, nor angells, nor principalitie, nor povvers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor stren­gthe, nor highenesse, nor depenesse, nor other creature can separat vs from the loue of God, vvhiche is in Christ Iesus, oure lorde.

O passing noble sayeing, and woor­thye to procede frō so greate an Apostle as Saint Paule was. VVhat can be spoken or imagined more couragiouse? VVhat can be thought in mans mynde with mo­re assured trust and confidēce? This ther­fore must be depelie cōfidered of vs who are persecuted for the same cause for whiche he was persecuted: this must we imitate, whiche wrestle in the same bar­riars where he wrestled, and contend for the same game for which he contended: which hope for the same garland whiche he hoped for, and expect the same recompenser whiche he expected. Hither must all oure cogitations and studies tende: hi­ther must oure forces and powers be ap­plied all together: that in all troubles, [Page 167] and aduersities, we retein fast this sure ho­pe and confidence, whereof, in dede, so exceding greate fortitude will spring: & in all distresses (be they neuer so greuou­se, hard & doubtfull) suche passing good comfort will arise and grow: as may suffi­se to bring vs through by fyre and vvater Psalm. 65. in to the refrigerie (as the prophet saith [...] that is, by the painfull troubles and cala­mities of this worlde, in to the euerla­sting rest, glorie, and felicitie of God and all Saints. Amen.

AN ADMONITION SENT BY GERARD TO THE READER touching the former epistle.

VVhen I imparted vvith some of my familiars this epistle, vvhich vvas sent vnto me from a fryend ouer the Alpes: vpo their earnest request and certein kinde of de­uoute [...]. I vvas comēt to let it pas­se further in to the hands of some noble and principall persones, by vvhole persuasion, or rather commaundement it vvas put in printe. For I thought it to be muche auailable to the common estate of Christendome, that this so notable a persecution of Catholiques in En­gland should be not onlie communicated to the knovvleige of this present age, but put ouer allso to the mynde and memorie of oure poste­ritie. For it hathe matter enough to sturre vp them novv liuing to compassion and pitie, and to instruct them that are to come, of vvhat thīgs they ought to take hede & bevvare. But of one thing I vvoolde aduertise the reader (as my freēde in other letters hath aduertised me) that among many matters not mētioned in the other parts of his Epistle this one in the rehearsall of lavves he hathe vvillinglie omitted: that is, hovv by many statuts, and proclamations such order is taken in England as no Catholique, ei­ther by exile, or by forsaking of his countrie, [Page] can escape, or vvith dravv hym selfe from tho­se paines or persecutions vvhiche folovv hym for religiō For it is prouided (to this effect) that no Catholique may goe forth of the [...] wi­thout leaue and licence first obteined And that yf anie do go forth vvithoute licence he shall forfait all his possessions during his life was and further, that none before his departure forth of the realme may geue avvay his possessions no not to his vvyfe, childeren nor fryend [...] doe: it shall be taken as done of [...] de­fraude the quene of her for [...] for such forfaitures, they [...] by information of couen. But this statute of fugitiues (for so it is called) is so strictlye and seuerelie obserued against Catholiques, as none vvithin the realm, dare by anie vvay or mean help, succoure, or releeue eyther father, mo­ther, husband, bretheren, or children, vvhich are Catholiques, and vvithoute licece abyding ou­te of England. And as for this licence to be ab­sent oute of the realme, as it is hardlie obteined for others: so is it neuer or seldome, and vvith verie muche difficultie graunted to Catholi­ques. Yea further, (vvhiche is more seuere) all those parents (vvhose childeren are abyding in these parts, or else vvhere oute of England, for studie sake, are compelled to enter in bond, vvith good assurance, eyther to dravve their childeren home again by and by vvithoute ta­rieng, or to depriue them vtterlie of all exhibi­tion and releefe. All vvhiche things do tende to this ende, that no part nor portion of anie re­loose [Page] or comfort, be it neuer so litle, might fre­lye come to the English Catholiques, either at home or abroad. And these be the matters vv­here of I thought good to admonish yovv, be­cause they are not spoke of in the epistle. The­re remaineth novv no more but that all true Christians vvold thorovvlie vevve and cōsider the great distresses of their bretheren & of their ovvne [...], and vvith moste feruent pra­yere, for the common bond sake of Charitie, vvhiche passeth thorovvgh the vvhole corps of Christendome, to commend their case to the common [...] ouer all.

THE COPIE OF A LETTER SENT frome a priest, being prisoner in the Tovver of London, to the fathers of the Societie of Iesus in England.
To the deuoute reader.

ALthoughe it be true, that Ca­tholiques imprisoned in the tower of london, are kept so straitlye, and vncourteouslie in warde: as neyther friends maye haue accesse vnto them, nor they permitted eyther to haue company or to speake with other men, and muche lesse to haue books, paper, or penne and ynke: Yet during the late disputatio there with father Campian the prisoner, some of them whiche were entred in to heare the disputations, finding oportunitie, stepped a syde vnto the holes of some seclused priests, to visit and salute those seruants of Christe: by whiche means, as by gods holie prouidence, some thinges were vnderstoode and knowne, touching their state and passing greate comfort, where whith God of his goodnesse doeth refreshe and recreate them, in the myddes [Page] of their extreme troubles and distresses. And among other things, this epistle fo­loweing, written in haste, (euen foorth of the mouth dowtlesse, as it semeth, of the holy ghooste) by a good preist, which had bene miserablie tormented, and sun­drie times racked, came to my hands fro­me the reuerend fathers of the Societie of Iesus, to whome it was sent. And here I thought good to place yt woord by woord taken oute of the Authors owne handwriting, that all mortall men may vnderstand gods hand not to be abbri­ged, but that aswell now, as in old time, he aydeth his confessors in their necessi­ties, Esa. 56. and assisteth them with in those dark and close prisons.

TO THE REVEREND FATTERS of the Societie of Iesus.

AS often as euer I consider vvith my selfe (reuerend fathers) hovvfer­uentlie, and by hovv many vvayes and means allmighty God seekeeth our saluation, desireth oure loue, vvisheth to possesse oure hart, and to raigne vvith in vs: euē so many tymes, am I ashamed & abashed, that neyther benefits do moue vs, nor revvardes all ure ys, nor terror of Gods Iudge­ment do the prouoque vs miserable men, to ser­ue and obey hym vvith all force and indeuour, yea and most freelie to present our bodies as a liuing sacrifice, and perfect offering to his diui­ne maiestie. For beside those his passing greate benefits of creation, redemption, preseruation, iustification, and expected glorification beside these (I say) and infinite other his benefits, be­stovved vpon vs: he exhorteth vs vvith moste svvete vvoords to haste apace tovvards hym. I loue them (sayth he) vvhiche loue me: & he vv­hiche earlie in the morning vvaketh to me, shall fynde me: blessed is the man vvhiche hea­reth me, vvatcheth at my gates dailie, and attē ­deth at the postes of my doore: he vvhiche fyn­deth me, shall fynde lyfe, and obtein saluation at the hands of his lorde.

Novv, vvhere he is to be sought, he hymselfe teacheth vs by these vvoords; vvhere so euer tvvo or three are gathered together in my name (saith he) there am I in the myddes of the. [Page] VVe must then think Christe to be trulie in that place, vvhere many being fast ioyned in loue and charitie, do assemble together to this en­de that they may honor God, serue god onlie, kepe his commaundements and enlarge his mo­ste gloriouse kyngdome. VVho so euer heareth hym, shall learne truthe and shall not vvalk, in darknesse and in blyndnes of errors, but shall goe safe and sure to the fountains of vvaters.

In such sacred congregations, dedicated to god, lyeth the right vvay to heauen: avvay not planted aboute vvith breers and brembles, not haunted of levved liuers, but continuallie trod­den vvith the feete of deuout people, A vvaye not abounding in vain delites; nor in faire flat­tering enticemēts: A vvaye not adourned vvith the fading flovvers of this vvicked vvorlde, but fenced and fortified vvith moste holie la­vves and rules, that the simple and ignorant can not erre therein, nor anie other go a stray oute of that vvay: except suche as viterlie neglect their ovvne saluatio. Here things are aptlie di­sposed in number, vveight, and measure, in so much as it may vvell be sayd, that true vvisdo­me in dede dvvelleth here, by vvhose me is all things are sett in good order meruailouslie. He­re is vsed and exercised a certein heauenlie re­formation of brethren, a svvete correction and amedment of stovvard affectiōs vvith a vvon­derfull procurement and inuitation to mutuall loue and charitie.

For these or such like respects, I had deter­mined vvith my selfe novv tvvo yeres agoe to entre in to this kinde of lyfe, yf god so vvold: & [Page] I had some speche vvith a learned and deuoute man, then my Ghostlie father to this effect: vvhether there vvere any hope, that the fathers of the societie vvold receiue me vnder their holie rule and obedience, yf I shovvlde vpon reasonable cause returne forth of my naturall countrie againe; for then I vvas in the parts beyond the seas: his opinion vvas cleare that I had no nede at all to doubt thereof, Hereupon my hope encreased, my courage vvas augmen­ted, and in these tvvo yeres, vvhiles I haue bene in England, I haue oftentymes renevved this purpose. But vpon hope and trust that my tra­uaile and industrie here, in the haruest of oure, Lorde, is not altogether vnprofitable, I haue differred the execution of my sayd purpose. Yet novv, seeth I am by the appointemēt of god depriued of libertie, so as I can not any longer employe my selfe in this profitable exercise: my desire is estsones reuiued, my spirit vva­xeth feruent hote, and at the last I haue made a vovv and promise to god, not rashlie (as I hope) but in the feare of god, not to anie other ende, than that I might therby more deuoutlie, and, more acceptablie serue god, to my more cer­tain saluation, & to a more gloriouse triumphe ouer my ghoostlie enemye. I haue made a vovve (I say) that vhen so euer it shall please god to deliuer me (so that once at the length yt like hym) I vvill vvith in one yere then next folovving, assigne my selfe vvholie to the fa­thers of the societie, and that (Yf god inspire their harts to admit me:) I vvill gladlie, and vvith exceding great ioye thorovvlie, and [Page] most vvlie, from the bottom of my hast geue vp and surrender all my vvill to the seruice of god, and in all obedience vnder them.

This vovve vvas to me a passing great ioye, and consolation, in the myddes of all my di­stresses, and tribulations. And therfore, vv [...]h greater hope to obtein fortitude and patiēce p­drevv neare to the throne of his diuine maie­stie, vvith the assistance of the blessed and per­petuall virgin Marie, and of all Saincts. And I hope verifie this came of God, for I dyd it euen in the tyme of prayer, vvhen me thought, my mynde vvas setled vpon heauenlie things. For thus it vvas.

The same day that I vvas first tourmented on the rack, before I came to the place, geuing my mynd to prayer, and commending my selfe and all myne to oure Lorde. I vvas replenis­hed, and filled vp vvith a kinde of super natu­rall svvetenelle of Spirit. And euen vvhile I vvas callyng vpon the moste holie name of Ie­sus, and vpon the blessed virgin Marie (for I vvas in sayeing the Rosarie): my mynd vvas cheerefully disposed, vvell comforted, and rea­dilie prepared, and bent to suffer, and endure those torments, vvhich euen then I moste certe­inlie looked for. At the length my former pur­pose came in to my mynde, and there vvith all a thought to incidentlie fell vpon me to ratifie that novv by novve vvhich before I had deter­mined. VVhan I had ended my prayers. I reuol­ued these things in my mynde depelie? and vvith reason as vvell as I could) I dyd debate and discusse them thorovvlie: I Iudged it god, [Page] and expedient for me: I accomplished my desi­re: I put forth my vovv and promise freelie, and boldlie, vvith the condition a fore sayde.

VVhich acte, (me thinketh) god hym self did approue and allovv by and by. For in all my af­flictions and tourments, he of his infinite good­nesse, mercifully and tenderlie, did stand by and assiste me, cōforting me in my trouble and ne­cessitie. Deliuering my soule from vvicked lipps, from the deceitfull tongue, and from the roring lyons, then readie gaping for their pray.

VVhether this that Ivvill say, be miraculous or no: God he knovveth: but true it is, & there­of my cōscience is a vvitnesse before God. And this I say: that in the end of the torture though my hands & feete vvere violently stretched & racked, and my aduersaries fullfilled their vvic­ked lust, in practisynge their cruell tyranny vpō my body yet notvvitstanding I vvas vvith ovvt sense and feling vvell nigh of all greefe, & payne: and not so onlie, but as it vvere com­forted, eased and refreshed by the greeues of the torture by past, I cōtinued still vvith perfect & presēt senses, in quietnesses of hart, & trāquili­tie of mynd. VVhich thing vvhen the commis­sioners dyd see, they departed, and in goeing foorth of the doore, they gaue order to rack me againe the next day folovveing, after the same, sorie. Novv vvhen I hearde them say so: It gaue me in my mynd by and by, and I dyd ve­relie beleue & trust, that vvith the help of god, I should be able to beare & suffer it patientlie. In the mean tyme (as vvell as I could) I dyd mu­se and meditate vpon the moste bitter passion [Page] of oure Sauioure, and hovv full of innumera­ble paines it vvas. And vvhiles I vvas thus occu­pied: me thought, that my left hād vvas vvoun­ded in the palme, and that I felt the blood run­ne out: but in very dede, there vvas no such thing, nor any other payne than that, dyd then greeue my hand.

Novv then, that my sute and request may be vvell knovvne vnto yovv: for so muche as I am oute of hope, in short time to recouer & enioye my former libertie, so as I might personalie speake vnto yovv, And vvhether happilie I shall once at lengthe speake vnto yovv in this vvorld, no mortall man doeth knovv: In the meane season I humblie submitt my selfe vnto yovv, & (suppliā the kneeling) I beseche yovv, to doe, and dispose for me, and of me, as shall seme good to youre vvisdoms And vvith an hū ­ble mynd moste hartilie I craue, that (yf it may be in my absens) it vvold please yovv to admit me into your Societie, & to regester and inrole me among yovv: that so, vvith humble men I may haue a sense and feling of humilitie, vvith deuoute men I may sounde out a lovvde, the lauds and prayses of God, and continually ren­der thanks to hym, for his benefits: and then after, being ayded by the prayers of many, I may rūne more safelie to the marke vvhich I shoote at, and vvith oute perill attaine to the price that is promised.

And I am not ignorant that the snares & vviles of oure aunciēt enemie are infinite: for he is the slye serpēt, vvhich lyeth in the shadovv, of vvoods, vvyndyng, vvhirling, & turning aboute [Page] many vvayes: and vvith his vviles & subtil shifts, he attempteth meruailouslie to delude & abuse the soules of the simple, vvhich vvant a faithfull guyde: in so much, as it is not vvithoute cause, that vve are admonished, to trie the spirits, yf they be of God. To yovv therfore, bicause you are spirituall, and accustomed to this kinde of conflict, I commend all this businesse: beseching yovv euen by the bovvelles of gods mercy that you vvold vouchesafe to direct me vvith your counsaile and vvisdome. And yf in youre sight yt seme profitable, for more honor to God, mo­re cōmoditie to his churche, and eternall salua­tion to my soule, that I be preferred to that So­cietie of the most holie name of Iesus: then pre­sently before god, and in the court of my con­science, I do promise obedience, to all and sin­gular rectors, & gouernours established all re­die, or to be hereafter established, and likevvyse to all rules, or lavves receiued in this societie, to the vttermoste of my povver, and so farre as God doeth geue me grace: God is my vvitnesse, and this my ovvn hand vvriting shalbe a testi­monie hereof in the day of Iudgement. As for the healthe of my bodye, yovv haue no cause to doubt, for novv vvell nere I haue recouered my former strengthe and hardnesse by gods help, & I vvax euery day stronger than other. Thus in all other things cōmending my selfe to youre prayers, I byd yovv farevvell in oure Lorde, ca­refullye expecting vvhat yovv thinke good to determin of me.

Vale.

THE TRANSLATOR TO THE gentle reader.

SInce the printing of this epistle last rehearsed, I haue heard that the Au­thor thereof vvas one Maister Briāt, vvho latelie suffered (as is sayd) vvith Maister Campian, and Maister Shervvyn, three moste blessed and fortunate men: vvhose happ hathe bene after so many torments and tortures suffred for gods cause, to seale vvith their inno­cent blood, the truthe, vvhiche they taught vvith so much payn and daungers before. Novv Maister briāt hathe more than his desire, being ioyned ī societie vvith Iesus hym selfe, to vvho­se holie name he so muche coueted to dedicate his lyfe in this vvorlde, as appeareth by this his epistle. And I dovvbt not, but that it vvas a sin­gular comfort vnto hym to suffer in the com­panie of good father Campian, so rare a man of that Societie, vvhereof he desired so greatlie to be a member vvhiles he liued.

Hovv farr all treason, and other disorder of lyfe, vvas from the harts, hands, and vvoords of these Innocent men, and the rest vvhich vve­re condemned vvith them, all they can testifye vvhiche euer knevv them, or liued vvith them: for that their vvoords and exhortations, vvere allvvays to the cōtrarye, in detestation of all vi­ce, and in commendation of vertuouse lyfe, vvith contempt of the vvorld, and humbly suf­fring all troubles and persecutions for Chri­ste his sake, adding alvvayes, that Catholiques must rather loue, & hartilie praye for their per­secutors, [Page] than seeke any vvay to hurt them, or to reuenge theire selues vpon them, if it lay in their povver. This haue I hearde, and so haue thovvsands moo in Englād besydes me, and no mā liuinge (I knovv) dyd euer heare from their movvthes the contrarie. Their lyues allso vve­re suche in all secret austeritie of discipline to them selues: as he that had knovvne thē, vvolde litle beleeue, that they vvere men to attempt suche matters, as they vvere charged vvithall.

Yf these men had bene guiltie of suche horrible treasons: they should neuer haue bene so dallied vvithe all, first in disputatiōs, and mu­che lesse should they haue had lyfe, libertie, and fauour offred them, for onelie yeelding to goe to churche, as maister Campian opēlie affirmed that they often had, and amongest many, named one of some accompt there present (as it vvas crediblie told me) vvhich had offered the same to hym vvith terrible threates, not onelie of deathe, but allso of renting of his nayles from his fyngars vvith pynnes, yf he yeelded not thervnto.

Again, their ioyfull acceptation of Iudge­ment, and thankes geuing to God for the same, vvith their seuerall and moste vehement prote­station, there made at the barre, after their con­demnation, doeth declare sufficientlie the cle­arenesse of their cōsciēces. For then, and there, Maister Campian protested before God and his angells, heauen and earthe, the vvorld and that Iudgement Seate there present, vvhiche (as he trulie sayde) vvas but a litle figure of the moste dredefull Iudgemēt seat of God, before vvhich [Page] he to his greate ioye expected shortlie to be presented: he protested (I say vpon eternall per­dition of his Soule, that he vvas moste innocēt, guiltlesse, and vnvvitting of all and singular the matters in that inditement alleiged, and of euerie part and parcell thereof. Maister Sher­vvyn protested vvith like vehemencie, that yf euer his heade did imagin, or his hart cōceiued, or his tongue vttered, or his hand attēpted, any thing against his soueraigne ladie Quene Eliza­beth, or against any of her honorable Councell, or against the common vvealthe, or realme of England: he renounced there his portion in heauen, and desired God, as a iust Iudge to dāne hym bothe in bodie and sovvle to the eternall darknesse and torments of hell fire And vvhen he had done, he cried oute: O happie and blessed day that euer he vvas borne. The like dyd the rest, vvhich vvere condemned vvith hym, for­geuing openlie their false accusars there pre­sent, and prayeing to God for them.

Novv lett anie man shevv to me, that euer traitour dyed so, or that a guiltie conscience, dothe yelde suche cōfidence, vvhen they knevv novv that there vvas no vvaye vvith them but deathe.

VVell, God be blessed for them: and sure­lie his holye name hathe bene greatlie glori­fyed by them.

VVhat straunge torments and other extre­myties they haue suffred before they came to die, he alone knovveth, and vve heare onlie of some part thereof, for vve see they vvere not men to complain of euery thing done to them, [Page] but vvere content to put it vp in secret, vvith hope to receiue theire revvarde at his hand.

Yet yf vve had not heard of their seuerall & often rackings: maister Campian his cōming to the barre vvith his handes folden in lynnen clothe, and vvith that feblenesse, as he vvas neyther able to pluck of his ovvne mytton of freése nor lyft a cupp of drink to his mouthe vvithoute helpe, may vvell shevv hovv he had bene handled. Oure sorde shevv his tourmen­tours more mercie at the day of his Iudgement, than they haue shevved hym. Hovv mans natu­re had bene able to beare ovvte so great rigour & extremities, as they haue passed, (except Gods holie grace had bene plētifull vnto them) I doe not see. And that oure lorde dyd concurr vvith extraordinarie comfort, in their torments, it may appeare in this epistle goinge before of Maister Briant: vvhom Maister Norton the Rackem aister (yf he be not misreported) vaunted in the court to haue pulled one good foote longer than euer God made hym and yet in the myddes of all he semed to care nothing, and therfore ovvte of dovvbt (sayth he) he had a deuill vvithein hym. But vvhether it be a more propertie to the deuill to suffer patiently, or to torment other men mercyleslie, maister Briant and maister Norton shall dispute the matter one day, vvhen deuills shall be at hand to beare vvitnesse, and the Iud­ge bothe of deuills and deuelish men, shall be at hand to geue sentence. In the meane space I beseche God to accept the Innocent bloode of his vertuouse preests, for some part of pacifi­cation [Page] of his vvrathe tovvards vs, and tovvards oure persecutors, that they hauing the miste of errour taken from their eyes, may see the tru­the of Christs Catholique religion, for pro­fessing vvhere of, they afflict vs so gre­uouslie as he seeth, to vvhose eyes al iniuries do lye open, and to vvhose onelye Iudgement, vve leaue oure cause and doeings to be tryed and discerned, vvhen it shall seme moste conuenient to his diuine maiestie. Amen.

FINIS.

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