An apological Epistle: Directed to the right honourable Lords, and others of her majesties privy Counsel. Serving aswell for a preface to a Book entitled, A Resolution of Religion: as also, containing the Authors most lawful Defence to all estates, for publishing the same.  
The Argument of that Work is set down in the page following.  
Printed at Antwerp with licence, the five and twenty day of March, 1601. Stilo novo.   

The Argument of the book entitled, A Resolution of Religion, promised, and defended in this Epistle.  
THe Resolution of Religion being divided into two parts, entreateth in the first, of the absolute Necessity of a Divine worship, against all Atheists, Epicures, Doubters, or Deniers thereof: proving aswell the most infallible certainty and pre-eminences of this supernatural Reverence, as the manifold gross absurdities of that unnatural and profane People. Secondly, it demonstrateth against jews, Pagans, Mahometans, and all external Enemies of Christ, that only the Religion which he taught is true, and all others, blasphemous, and overwhelmed with manifest and intolerable errors. In the second part it showeth by above an hundred unanswerable Arguments, against all Heretics, and internal Adversaries, that among so many professions of Christ, only Catholic Roman Religion is true, and delivered by him, and all others, especially the protestancy of England, not only by all those Reasons, but by their own grounds and proceedings, false and damnable.   


IHS MARTINO    

To the right honourable Lords and others of her majesties privy Counsel.  
RIght Honourable and renowned Regent's: If the first created Ruler in earth, had not broken the Rule of his Creator and supreme Ruler in Heaven, unruliness had not entered, Superiors had not found so many disorders to reform; Inferiors had wanted so grievous causes of complaint. For when by that infinite, and inerrable power of God, 
Gen. c. ●. eccle. ● 39 Marc 7. Ge● 2 Gen. 3. Eccles. Iraen. li. 3. Haer. Chrysost hom. 1● in Gen. Basil. in psal 48. Gregor. Nazian. 4. de pasch. Hilar. hom● de job. Ambro● lib 6. exam. c. 7. ● Gregor. in c. 10. Luc. Ang. lib. 14● civit c 26. lib. d● quaest. vet. & nou●testam. q. 19  all creatures were framed in perfection; man, as he was made according to his similitude, and to be his Viceroy over this inferior world, so he was constituted far more perfect than the rest; replenished with all kinds both of spiritual and corporal favours, and had an especial Charter of privileged ability (had he not wilfully lost it) to be enfranchised from all defects of soul or body, defended from the first by the armour of original justice, and exempted from the second by refuge and sanctuary to the tree of life. In that happy condition and estate, no infirmity had been bewailed, no error in the understanding, no froward affection in the will, no King, Senate, Council, or Ruler had been entroubled with rules of Reformation; no subject had complained, no man had been injured; For, where no offence, either against God, or man, no disobedience of the inferior appetite to Reason, or of Reason against her Ruler had reigned, nothing could be amiss, to be complained of by the one, or corrected by the other.  

SECT. I. The frailty and proneness of man to sin, after the fall of Adam.  
But after our protoparent made forfeiture of that tenure, & broke conditions with God, our writ of Privilege was revoked, and City of refuge taken away, and human nature left to itself, naked, and disabled among so many enemies, and allurements of iniquity, came to that impotent and poor degree wherein we are; insomuch, that Philosophers, and such as were only conversant in natural affairs, proving by pitiful experience, the still continuing and uncured scars of that combat, ignorance, error, concupiscence, sin, sickness, death and other afflictions which they found in themselves, and unacquainted what they had lost in their first ancestor, 
Aug. lib. 4. contr. ●ulian. Cicero lib. ●. Reipubls. Clem. Alex. lib. 3. storm. Plutarch. ●b. nature. amor. ●a rent. & l. injust. animal. Plin. ●rooem. li. 7. hist. ●actant. firm. l. o●fic. c. 3. & 4.  deplored the state of man so much, that they affirmed Nature only in the production of him, behaved herself like a stepmother, and not as a natural mother; such were the complaints of Cicero, Homer, Empedocles, Heraclitus, Plinius, and others: and it was the primordial stumbling block to the blockish and beastly Epicures, (as Lactantius witnesseth) to deny the providence of God, and all religion of man unto him. And although this complaint was unjust, and proceeded of ignorance, yet the wound which was then inflicted, hath so festered in the whole posterity of Adam, 
1. Cor. 15.  that until this corruptible hath put on incorruption, and this mortal, immortality, and death, (whose companions they are) is swallowed up in victory, in the triumph of our glorious resurrection, there is no hope of cure. And touching sin and iniquity, which as it was the most deadly and deepest sore, so most to be bewailed: the transgression of the first lawbreaker was so venomous a seed, to bring forth wickedness, and disobedience in the race of man, that never any lawmaker, magistrate, or superior, 
job 9 Rom. 3. Rom. 2. Psal. 50 Rom. 5.2. Reg. 12. job 7. Philip. Bergom hist. fol. 7. josep l. antiq. Polidor Virgil. de inue● l. 2. c. 1. Diodor. l. 6. Virgil l. 4. ● ne●d. Plin. l. 7. Stowe, Grafton Fab. Foxetom  spiritual or temporal, either by example in themselves, as a precedent to subjects, or any law, ordinance, reward, or preferment for virtue, penalty and punishment for vice, or any other engine or instrument could root it out; no Bohemas among the Bohemians, no Tubal among the Spaniards, no Belus among the Assyrians, no Ceres or Rhadamanthus, no Draco or Solon among the Athenians, Mercurius among the Egyptians, no Minos, Lycurgus, Charandes, Phoroneus, Romulus, Pythagoras, or Apollo among the Cretensians, Lacedæmonians, Tyrians, Grecians, Romans, Italians, Arcadians, no Mulmutius Dunwallo, Alfrede, Edward, or any other politic or virtuous king, ruler, or lawmaker in England, or any other Nation could weed it up: 
Genes. 3. & 4, 7▪ 12, 19 job ● Exod. Leuitic Num. Deut.  neither any spiritual law promulged and delivered, either by Adam the first, which knew best the difference of the estates of innocency and sin, having proved both, and preached it first to the primitive world, or No to those that were drowned in the deluge, or Abraham, Lot, job, Moses to the Canaanites, 
●53. job 19 ●●b 2. & 4. Act. Hebr. 9 & 11. Timoth. 2.  Sodomites posterity of Esau, or others. And Christ jesus the son of God, wisdom of his Father, and God himself, the most prudent lawmaker, perfect exemplar, and precedent without all sin, and exception, although he became our Priest, sacrifice, and redeemer, and offered so rigorous a ransom, that the least drop of his immaculate and unvaluable blood, or the meanest of his so many infinitely meritorious operations, had been both able and worthy, to have washed away and cleansed, not only the malice and venom of sin, but the whole poison and infection of all other infirmities and defects, yet it pleased that divine wisdom to leave them as a perpetual penitential memorial of our former demerit, 
Corinth. 1. ●atth. 20. ●ar. 10. ●phes. 1. & 4.  to continue in this state of pilgrimage; and as they were contracted in our first fall from innocency in Paradise, so perfectly to be removed in our last resurrection to endless glory and happiness: so that all times and places more or less have been infected with infirmities, all sexes and ages, men, women, and children (except some one or few excepted by a special writing of divine exemption) little or much, originally and actually have been defiled. 
●m. 5. psal. 50. ●eg. 12. ●p 4. ●4. ●ab. in Gen. Thom Aqui. ●. q 61 magis. ●ist. 2. scholast. 〈◊〉. Gen. 3. 〈◊〉. 1.18, 19 〈◊〉 c. 8.  The law delivered to Angels was transgressed in heaven. If we follow the common opinion, that Angels were created in that imperial Palace; the Law given in the state of innocency was broken in Paradise, the unwritten Law under the patriarchs, the written Law of Moses the evangelical and most perfect law of Christ hath too oft been violated in earth. Of this all ages, times, and places have complained, God & Angels from heaven complained, 
Exod. 16. & 32 Gen. 13. Num. 2● Prou. 20. Is. 3.59 Hierem. 7.16. Amos 5. Ose 4. ● Rom. 5. Galat. 3 jacob. 1. Senec.  careful and virtuous Kings, Regent's, and Governors have complained, the patriarchs before the Law, the Priests and Prophets under the Law, Christ his Apostles, & all holy men in the time of grace, & remedy of original offence have complained. The first man complained, the last will make complaint; and (as Seneca saith) hereof our elders before us have complained, we complain, hereof they which live after us will complain.   

SECT. II. How this age of Protestants exceedeth all others, both in respect of errors, and practical impieties.  
YEt notwithstanding all this (most honourable Peers) the unfortunate deluge and inundation of manifold notorious impieties, that have surrownded and overflowed the manners and conversation of all men, estates, times, and places, where it made irruption, since the violent streams of strange doctrines Martin Luther broke out into the world, hath left so manifest unclean arguments in the lives of those it invaded, that I am bold to affirm, this unhappy age since then, hath hatched far more errors and heresies in the understanding, and brooded up more other sins and wickedness in the will, and executive powers of men, than ever any age or generation did in the school or regiment of Christ and those which professed him. I will pass over the complaints of Catholics in this controversy, lest they might be had in suspicion, and in the cause of Protestants use their own witness for evidence. 
●at. in parl. 1. Eli.  In England, the Protestants have a rule, the Court of Parliament, and her majesties Supremacy, to keep in some kind of unity, those, that will not be in double degree of disobedience; 
errors and sects ●ong Prote●ants.  first to the Catholic Church, which they have forsaken; secondly, their Princes proceedings, to which they have made submission. And yet I appeal in this question, 
●owe histor in ●e year 1551. ●554. & 1561. ●o●lensh. Graft. ●oxe & Regist. ●ondon. Norw. ●nod. Lond. anno ●62. stat. 13. ●iza. art. 1. art. 2. art. 3. art. 4. art. 5. art. 7. art. 26  to our Protestant historians, to the Records and Registers of London, Norwich, and other Cities, to the first Protestant Synod under our Queen Elizabeth, subscribed twice by all Protestant Archbishops, and Bishops of England, ratified by her Majesty, and confirmed in parliament to be authentical, wherein so many heresies and infidelities then reigning in our Country, are condemned; what Arrians, Eunomians, Vigilantians, Nestorians, Eutychians, Grecians, Donatists, Iouinians, Henricians, Wicklefists, Berengarians, Catharists, Anabaptists, Manichees, jalians, Aerians, Brownists, Barrowists, Ketists, Antichrists damned Crew, Pretenders of themselves to be Prophet yea Christ himself, Epicures, Atheists, and oth● have been disclosed in this time, and remain to this day, as justly may be suspected.  
What errors are like to be in Germany, the mother and nurse of this unlucky child, where both the temporal and spiritual regiment are diverse, having no common rule among them, every man may conjecture, 
●h. to. 3. jent. ●ma fol. 340 ●ol. 144 Nich. ●l in thesib. ●hol. Selnecc. come. in psal. 131. & praef. in catalogue. council. Alberus contra Carclo 1. Swing contra Luther. Tolsan Schutz 〈◊〉 serpent. antiq. Georg Hamfeld in mon●rat. Sle● dan histor. lib. 1● Mansieldens in confess fol. 89. & fol. 226. & ●7 Calvin ep. so. 57 See Casp Vlenb. l. 22. caus. c 9  and the Works of Luther himself, Nicolaus Gallus, Selneccerus, Alberus, Swinglius, Schutz, Hamfield, Sleidan, calvin, and other chief Protestants bear testimony, every one condemning other to hell for heresy & infidelity, in the greatest questions of justification, Sacraments, original sin, free-will, predestination, of faith, of the Law, of the Gospel, of the nature of Christ, his descension into hell, ascending to heaven, his glory there, properties of the divine and human nature, of penance, confession, resurrection of the body, mediatorshippe of Christ, and other essential things. Such be the Lutherans, Antinomians, Stancarians, Maierists, Flaccians, Synergists, Adiaphorists, Ubiquitaries, Substantiarians, Accidentarians, Anabaptists, Carolostadians, Swinglians, Oecolampadians, Puritans Caluinopapists, Clancularians, politics, Causarians, Consistorials, Nonconsistorials, Muncerians, Apostoliks', Separates, Catharists, Silentiars, Enthusiasts, Ectasists, Free brethren, Adamites, Hutites, Augustinians, Monasterians, Bocaldians, Hoffmanists, Georgians, Memnists, with the rest, amounting to the number of two hundred and three score known Sects, by the computation of Caspar Vlenbergius, 
Casp. Vlenber. 22. Caus. Rainold. Caluin● Pantal. in Oec● lamb & apud Cas● Vlenberg.  and others above twelve years ago; and who will doubt, but the number is far greater, than he, or any private man could gather together; especially if he considereth what Oecolampadius (that so highly esteemed Protestant, calling himself the light of the house, as his name in Greek which he took doth signify) writeth within nine years of the reue●. of Luther, that there were then about seventy seven divisions and dissensions among them? And no wonder, where every city, town, borough, and almost village, or particular person, hath, or may have at pleasure, a particular religion; which Luther himself was not ashamed to write to the Citizens of Antwerp, within eight or nine years of his new doctrine, 
Luther ep. ad Antuerpens. tom. ●. Germ. jent. fol. ●01.  in these words. There be almost so many Sects and Religions among us, as there be men: there is no Ass in this time, so sottish, and blockish, but will have the dreams of his own head, and his own opinion accounted for the instinct of the Holy-ghost, and himself esteemed for a Prophet. What the flood of practical impiety hath been in England, 
Practical sins among Prote●ants.  I appeal for trial hereof to the testimony of judges, Records of Courts, Indictments, judgements, & Executions, in most fowl & unnatural offences; for matters of dissensions, disagreements, and contentions between Lords, and Tenants, Tenant & Tenant, Lord & Lord, and other unkind proceedings among kinsfolks, brethren, parents, and children, and such unnatural suits and debates, to the courts of law, where they be still depending and increasing; to the newly and strangely increased number, and rich estate of so many Lawyers, grounded upon other men's losses, quarrels and unquietness; and your Honours far more often than your Catholic predecessors, have been molested with the hearing, examining, and condemning disordered riots, 
●ut. in Perliam. ●. 8. from an. 23 ●. Ed. 6. & stat. izab.  and misdemeanours. Lastly, I call for my record herein, the public statutes and acts of Parliament, since the revolt of king Henry the eight from the See of Rome, unto this day wherein, (without fear) I affirm that more vices and unsufferable abuses in all kinds of people, not only unknown heretofore in Catholic regiments, but intolerable in any Pagan, or Ethnic commonwealth, both for number and strangeness, have been recorded and condemned, then ever were in all the Parliaments of her majesties christian predecessors; the laws be extant, I have compared them, every man may examine my comparison. 
Edict. Geneu. Edict. Basil Wittember. Pet No renbergens. ad Carol. 5. Imperat apud Sot. 4. sent. & Diego de stell Com. in Luc. Luther colloq. mensal. Germa folio 224  For foreign countries I cite the Edicts, complaints, decrees, and provisions of the Protestant Princes, and free states of Germany, Switzerland and other places; or if the testimony of the prime Apostles of protestancy, Luther, calvin, Andreas Musculus, jacobus Andreas, john Rivius, and such may be admitted, you shall hear their own words. Luther affirmeth, that the scholars of his School, for the most part, are Epicures, and only seek to spend their days in pleasure. 
Calvin. ep. ad H●phel ser. 10 & serm. 30  calvin speaketh of his fellows in these terms, They are portents and wonders of Knaves, such as are nowhere else to be found, they are called reform, when they seem indeed rather to be devils incarnate. The saying of Musculus is this; 
Andrea's Musculus libro prophet Christ: 1  The matter is come to that pass among them (speaking of his fellow Protestant's) that if any man desireth to see and behold any company of knaves, usurers, dissolute persons, and deceitful men, let him enter into any city of Professors of the Gospel, and he shall find enough of such: among Pagan's, jews, and Turks, and other infidels, men can scarcely be found so disobedient or stubborn among whom all honesty, and whatsoever doth savour of virtue, is dead, and no reckoning is made of any sin. 
jacob Andreas conc. 4 de planet. fol. 140 141  jacobus Andrea's uttereth his opinion of them in this manner, among them no amendment or emendation is thought upon, they live an Epicurean, and altogether beastly life, in place of fasting, a custom of eating, and excessive rioting in banqueting, and bawdry hath succeeded; in place of alms, oppression and extortion over the poor; for prayer, blasphemy against the holy name of God. instead of humility, pride, elation, and most filthy exceeding superfluity. 
●ohn Rivius ep. And Mauric. Duc. ●. ●xon. in l. de ●oenit.  Io. Rivius saith, that the wickedness of them hath increased to the astonishment of all men; No man seeketh after God, no man blusheth at the violating of his commandments, every man's life is polluted with great sins, and wickedness. I dare affirm (saith he) that in this corrupt and wretched age of ours, all manner of vices have so increased, that hardly greater wickedness can be: for what sin or wickedness at this day is wanting, 
●t c. 4. sup.  which if it reigned, this age might be said to be more ungodly for that respect? and although to judge rightly hereof, in every age there hath been riotousness, sumptuous feastings, costly dinners and suppers, surfeiting, drunkenness, whoredom, adultery, oppression, injury, neglecting of well doing, and other such wickedness, which every man in his time hath found fault withal (as Seneca saith) and no age that hath been void of sin: yet looseness of life, neglect of order, and discipline, outrageous wickedness, hath in this our age so increased, and gotten strength, that it appeareth even Atheism and Epicurism hath invaded the life of man, 
●n Praefat. sup.  and as it were, beareth dominion among Christians, laws take no force, lust ruleth altogether: for what? think you they believe the soul is immortal, who live in manner as beasts? or be they persuaded there be either rewards for the godly in heaven, 
●en. Sim. de Lu●he● fid. pag. 324 ch●md. cont. Germ in verbo Christ. Luc. 21 ●uc li. 1. de Reg. Christ. c. 4. Wi● and in adm. bon. ● mal. Germ. 11. ●al.  or punishment in hell appointed for sinners, who in every thing dread not to violate the commandments of God, & run altogether headlong into sin, even as though they did either think, that God were but a vain and feigned thing, or believe, that when the body dieth, the soul likewise perisheth, and cometh unto nothing. such be the testimonies of Nennon, Simonius, Schinmideline, & others of the chiefest original Protestants, of their fellow professors. I will cite more hereafter, when I will prove those which give this evidence of the rest, to be worst of all themselves.   

SECT. III. How all these errors and abuses proceed by disunion from the Catholic Church.  
WHerefore that which so many private and public writings affirm abroad, and at home, which every man seeth and feeleth to be true, and those principal Protestants recorded of their Disciples, in the prime and flourishing time, the very zenith and highest of their exaltation, when the reformers of others should have given some example and show of reformation in themselves, I trust it will not be offensive for me, a Catholic subject of England, after so many years of experienced increase of their impieties, and in their withering and decaying age, every thing with them growing worse and worse, to affirm to be true. Then (most Noble) as ordinary effects proceed from ordinary causes, so extraordinary and strange things (such as this kind of iniquity, so wicked, so universal, and erroneous is) must have some unwonted cause, more than is usual in christian men. I will not be so severe a Sentencer against them, as their confederate john Rivius is, to say, that they be Atheists, Epicures, and deniers of the soul's immortality, and thereby thinking there is no religion in the world, no life after death, no reward of virtue, or penalty for vice have given themselves over to all kind of sin. Neither will I enter to so bloody a judgement in this place (reserving it to be discussed hereafter) against these men, 
Conuoc. Lond. ●nno Dom. 1562 ●rt. 12. Qu. Eliz. ●etters pat. stat. ●n parl. 13. Eliz. art. a. resolute.  as their own general and common approved doctrine, especially in England, that true faith and good works are inseparable, condemneth such men for infidels, and misbelievers. But to reserve these and such arguments as may be enforced by that which is spoken, to their proper place, and prosecute my present intent; it is manifest by the babylon division, which is in the understanding of this people, that they have forsaken the true faith, religion, and rule thereof, which can be but one; and by the gross impieties which have taken so quiet possession of their lives, that they are so far from all interest, either of reforming errors of the mind, or abuses of life in others (by which in the beginning they claimed title to a new religion) that they have been the only cause of so many infidelities, Atheisms, Epicurismes, judaismes, Mahumetismes, and other intolerable sins, & offences which are daily by their own confession before, practised among them: for when and where the infallible rule and censure of supernatural difficulties is denied, and every man left to his own private deduction, and deceitful judgement, far unable to decipher supernatural mysteries, what hope can be had of truth? what probability of agreement? who will be encouraged to seek for verity, where it is impossible to be found? If it were in natural arts, and sciences, which be connatural, and proportionable to human capacity, if there were so many opinions, divers and contrary, as are among them in religion, so that before he could follow any, he must learn to confute all the rest, what man would willingly profess that art as true, though it were never so gainful, if it were obtained, about learning whereof there is such dissension, that three hundred to one he should be deceived? By that reason, in Arts, Alchemy of making gold is ordinarily refused, having brought so many to error and beggary, by the uncertainty thereof, although in itself it is wonderful commodious. For matters of antiquity, the diversity of opinions about the original of the Britain's in this land, hath caused many to think there never was any Brute at all. 
Hierom. lib. de vir illustr. l raen. lib. 3 c. 3. Euseb. lib. 2 hist. c. 14. Arnob l. 2. contra Gent. Epiphan. haer 27. Chryso. in psal. 48. Paul. Oros l 7. hist. 6. Leo ser. 1. de natal apost. Ignat. ep. ad Rom. Dionys. Corinth. apud Euseb. lib. 2. Egesip. lib. 3. exe. ca 2. Theodoret. epi. ad Leon. Ter tull. li de prae. script. Lact. lib. 4 Ambr lib. 5. ep. Sulpit. lib. 2. hist. lib. 7. etc. Synod. Lond. artic. 6.  It is as manifest both by all Histories and Monuments, that Saint Peter lived long and died at Rome, as that William of Normandy surnamed the Conqueror came into England, and subdued it, or as any such antiquity can be; and yet because (as Protestants say) there is difference between Saint Hierome, Orosius, and Fasciculus temporum, about the time of his coming thither, (although they agree with the rest, that he lived and died there) some Protestants are not afraid to affirm he was never at Rome. For a like cause, the whole Protestant Clergy of England in their authorized Convocation, deny the Books of Maccabees, judith, and Tobias, to be canonical scriptures. So it chanceth in Sciences, where controversy and multiplicity of opinions is. Then how much more true is it in things so elevated above natural understanding, as the mysteries of religion be? What a palpable provocation and allurement of delightful atheism, epicurism, and infidelity is it to carnal minds, to see so many divisions, and no agreement? For can any one particular voluptuous man or other in judgement think himself wiser than so many great companies and congregations as he is most sure are all deceived? And if he should adventure to believe, and be religious, as others do, there is odds, three hundred to one, he shall be brought into error, because he seeth so many religions erected & defended, against whatsoever he shall choose to follow, the pleasures he should forsake are certain, sensible, and forcible to move affection; that which he should believe is most uncertain, inevident, and without motive to be followed, as it is proposed in these men's proceedings. 
Barnard. Lutz. ●catol. haer.  Or if that man be of reading and judgement to consider former times, he shall find four hundred more religions contrary to any that is now professed in the School of Protestants; so that it will more than double the former danger: and the same man shall understand, that the Catholic Church, for whose election, calling, preserving from error, and consummation, the whole mystery of Christ was wrought, 
Concil. Florent. ●n union. Concil. Const. in Wick. Husse etc. Concil. Trid. john 3. Revel. 21. Luke 5 ●. Tim. 3. john 14. & 16.  hath condemned and utterly extirped all those four hundred, and by the same infallible authority, and censure in divers general Councils, where the whole christian world was assembled, reproved, and anathematized those that reign in Protestants: So that if a man in case of religion, will deny the voice of that spouse of Christ, that pillar of truth, and society assisted by the promise of Christ, from falling into error, it is evident, that a thousand to one he shall shallbe seduced & damned. Who then will wonder if many infidels & atheists are entered among these men, when at the worst their atheism, and that only in the end, can bring but to damnation; & in the mean time brings all pleasures and delights; and their professing of religion in such uncertain manner: first, most certainly depriveth of those pleasures, & 1000 to one brings to the same damnation? Or who will marvel if those that be not come to this, perfection of policy, & nullifidianitie (as I trust there be but few, one being too much in a christian nation) be far more careless, negligent, & undutiful in living well, than such as do live in the unity of the whole Catholic world, wherein there never was, or is any disagreement, or contradiction in matters of believing. For if (as I showed before) a man might, would, or should, in reason, doubt to give assent to any religion, where there was so manifest and apparent danger of a false election; if it be true in a speculative consent of faith, only exacting an agreement of the understanding, how much more doubt and difficulty will be made, for men of reason to adventure so great pains and labours, as holy Scriptures prescribe to be used for obtaining heaven, when by reason it is evident, before they begin, that a thousand to one, all their labours will be lost, and their endeavours rewarded with ever-during damnation in hell? Will any man now muse if the song of Epicures is so often tuned, and so much impiety put in practice? If it were in the execution of daily and ordinary affairs, no man would labour much for that, which so many affirm he could not get, but chose, every one in reason should and would contend for principal preferrment and commodity, which all men grant he might obtain: he that by consent of all, hath undeniable title to a kingdom, or meaner dignity, will refuse no adventure to win it; he, whom all, or most deny to have such interest, either will not at all, or faintly take it in hand, having little or no hope to bring his attempt to pass; even so in these spiritual affairs. For although the Crown and inheritance of heaven proposed to Christians, is incomparably more excellent, than such terrene preferments; yet being a spiritual and supernatural reward, and not so proportionate to the manner of human knowledge, and affection in this life, (depending of sense and imagination) as temporal advancements and pleasures are, and being so uncertain, unprobable, or rather unpossible to be obtained, as these men make it, it can be no matter of admiration, that so much wickedness doth rule, and so few adventure so certain and painful a work, for so uncertain and doubtful recompense. 
Lactantio firm. lib. 1, 2 ●iu. instit. Andr. de la cur. ●ist. Turc. ●eonic. Chal. scond lo Fab. ●arth. Georg. pe●egr. lib. de afflict. Christi etc. Mich. poirer. lib. 1. bell. ●anon. ma●.  Thus it always chanced in temporal things, so it ever did, and will come to pass in questions of religion, whether it be true or false. The Idolatrous state of the Gentiles when they were most divided for their diversities and placalities of gods rites, and sacrifices, were far more wicked, then when fewer pretended title to be worshipped. The mahometans, though ever lewd and impious, yet after the Persian schism and divisions among them, they daily fell to be more wicked than before; and the jewish people sometimes the true servants of God, and religious, 
Bact. lib. 2.3. Reg. 12, 13, 1●  so long as they remained in unity among themselves, after they were divided into Sects, became more careless of serving God, as is manifest, not only in the schism between the houses of Roboam and jeroboam recorded in holy Scriptures, but most evident in their last desolation. For at the coming of Christ (the time of the Messias being expleted) they were divided into many Sects and Religions, who should be he, and what they should believe. So that, besides Christians the true worshippers, there were, 
job 2. See Caes. Baron, tom. 1. joseph. li 17. antiquitat. 8 li. 18. c. 1. etc. 2 lib. 20. c. 26.  at that time, in that nation, Samaritans, pharisees, Sadduces, Essenes', Baptists, Herodians, Galileans, Ezechians, Atongists, Theudists, Egiptists, Barrownosbonists, Vespasianians, and other sects, whereby that nation so virtuous and religious, when it was united in true worship, was come to that carelessness of religion, and living well, that they were drowned and overwhelmed in such monstrous and erroneous iniquities, 
joseph. lib. 7. b● judaic. c. 7.  that their own Historian josephus affirmeth their sins to have been so great, that if the Romans had not come to take such extraordinary revengement upon them, he did think; Authiatu terrae deuorandam fuisse civitatem, That their City Jerusalem would either have been swallowed up of the earth, or drowned with some deluge and inundation, or be consumed with fire and lightnings as the Sodomites were. In like manner it always happened in all times, places, and persons polluted with heretical Sects and divisions, as all Antiquities and Historians witness.   

SECT. FOUR The scope and intent of the Author to teach a most undoubted certainty and unity in religion.  
WHerefore (right Honourable) as it is so evident that it can not be denied, but such troops of errors and impieties have embattled themselves in the camp of Protestants, and by ample reasons may be had in just suspicion, that many doubters, or rather deniers (at least in affection) of all Worship, as ever in like times have been, are entered in: So, seeing contraries are, and must be cured by contraries, and certainty and true unity in religion is the only remedy of such intolerable and profane abuses, as have proceeded from want thereof, I have written a complete confutation of all enemies to true reverence, of what condition soever, Atheists, Epicures, and such as be deniers of all worship; or external infidels and adversaries of Christ, Pagans, jews, Mahometans; or internal enemies as the heretics of all ages, either past, present, or to be hereafter, which I have named, A Resolution of Religion, because therein, not only all doubts and difficulties, either pretended by any of those misbelievers, or by any means to be imagined, or conceived, are loosed and resolved, but every article and question of that most holy and approved Religion, which I defend, is solved from all errors, and resolved to the most assured and infallible word and revelation of God, which by no possibility can either be deceived in himself, or be cause of error unto others. Whereby every point and proposition of religious duty will be proved to be so certain, that no infidel or false believer can make it doubtful. So certain as Saint chrysostom writeth, 
Chrysost. homi. 8 in ep. ad Rom. Augu. lib. 7. Confess. c. 10.  as any natural demonstration is; or to follow saint Augustine's phrase so undoubted, that a man in judgement should sooner doubt, whether himself doth live, than call any article of that faith into question. So that, as nothing can be more holy, credible, and worthy to be believed, than that doctrine which I am to teach; so nothing can be more irreligious obstinacy, and wilfulness, than to deny, and not embrace it: and as great madness to follow any other false profession, being as resolutely proved, that they are all most vain, false, erroneous, and resolved to the lying spirit of the Devil, and wicked deceivers and seducers.   

SECT. V. The certainty, excellency, and dignity of Catholic Religion.  
AND lest any Reader should marvel, that in a time of so great question and uncertainty of true Religion, I should so peremptorily undertake to so great personages, and with so much security, to show any Religion so undoubted and certain, as I have assumed: 
Resol. part 1. tract. 1. arg. 1, 2, 3 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Philip. Bergom. hist. Fox tom. 1. Mon. part. 2. chro.  I do not mean thereby, any of those erroneous professions, either affirming or denying reverence. Not the blasphemous impiety of Diagoras, Lucretius, Epicures, and Epicurians impugning all Religion, to whose sacrilegious lives and sentences, God and all creatures are so repugnant; to which all reasons descent; to whom no Argument or authority of any Country, City, Town, Villadge, or particular man, not mad with passions, or frantically distracted by pleasures, in so many thousands of years, as the world hath been, and in so many kingdoms and countries thereof, 
resolute. Relig. part 1. tract 2.1 argu 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Mahum. in Alcoran. Thal. jud. Pet. Maff hist. Ind. Lact. 7. firm. libt. diu. instit.  yet agreed. Neither any of those Infidelities of jews, Mahometans, brahmin's, and Pagans so often by that Religion I will defend, both miraculously and otherwise confuted and condemned by their own confessions; and withal, maintaining either pluralities, or corporeity, mutation, change, and dishonourable imperfections in God, to whom Religion is belonging, have in all reason spoiled him of all worship, and reverence, for none can be due to such a God or Gods as they imagine: beside so many irreligious errors against the light of nature itself, which are unpossible to be taught of God, and yet be rewarded in the chiefest Rules of these Religions. 
resolute. Relig. ●art 2 arg. 1, 2, 3 ●que ad 114. & ●tim.  Neither any of so many hundreds of expleaded, or now reigning heresies, or any that shall arise hereafter, not the Religion of Martin Luther so often professed, and both privately and publicly recanted, altered, changed, doubted, and redoubted by himself, 
Fox tom. 2. Monum. fo. 971, 972 Luther to. 2. Ger. jent. folio 9 & in colloq. mensal. folio 10. & to. 1. jent. Germ. fol. 4. colloq. mensal. fol. 244. fol. 158 & fol. 273. Sur of holy discipline. Hamelt. hist. Fox tom. 2. fol. 1486.  as his own works and all protestants do witness, neither of licentious calvin, and a few artificers of Geneva, or of Knekes that galley slave of Scotland, or of Edward Seymer duke of Somerset, or King Edward the sixth, a child of nine years old, without any assent or assembly, either of parliament or other (as Fox himself is witness (the will and testament of K. Henry the eight being violated, and his Bishops and Clergy committed to prison, or deprived. Neither of the Protestants of this time, which without disputation, or advise of any learned or parliamental divine (all such then deprived) by the consent of some unlearned Noble men, 
Stowe hist. anno 1. Elizab. statut. 1 Elizab. cap. 1  Knights of Shires, and Burgesses of the towns of England was enacted and decreed. Nor any other builded upon the deceitful deduction of any private man, or framed upon any such feeble and false foundation: for so I should commit myself, and bring my Readers to the same pitiful danger, whereof I complained in those professors. But I defend that Religion and Worship, 
Bellar. in Chron pantal. in chron. Philip. Barg. hist. Tom. Concil. Resol. Relig. part 2. per mult. arg.  which all most learned and virtuous men of the whole christian world, as well privately by themselves, as twenty times gathered together in general councils, have ever concluded out of holy Scriptures, which many thousands of national and provincial Synods, every one of far more authority than any Protestant assembly, all universities, colleges, schools, and places of learning, the Laws of all christian Princes, spiritual and temporal have decreed. For although we ordinarily defend the infallible definition of POPES in controversial questions of Religion, when councils and such Remedies cannot be called and used; 
stat. Elizab.  as in temporal, yea spiritual causes the Queen's Majesty by her new taken prerogative proceedeth without Parliament; yet all doubts and difficulties between Protestants and us, 
resolute. Relig. part 2. argum. scrip. trad.  we defend as defined in general Counsels out of holy Scriptures, and yet the definition of any Pope in such cases, by all moral judgement, is unpossible to be false: for never any did, or doth, or will define any sentence, but that that was, or shallbe the common opinion of all schools, & universities, with the assent of the best learned of the world, & such examination, as the difficulty to be adjudge requires. I defend that Religion, which only is ratified by all authority, all Scriptures, Traditions, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Sibyls, Rabbins before Christ, all holy & learned Fathers, Historians, Antiquaries, and Monum. all Synods, Counsels, Laws, Parliaments, Canons, and Decrees of Popes, Emperors, Kings and Rulers, all Martyrs, Confessors, & holy witnesses, by all friends & enemies, even Mahometans, jews, Pagans, Infidels, all former Heretics, Schismatics, & these Protestants themselves, when they were most probable to speak the truth, and all testimonies that can be devised, not only in this world, but of God, of Angels, and glorified souls, whose evidence cannot be untrue; of Devils and damned souls in hell, condemned for their contempt or negligence thereof, of souls in Purgatory, & whatsoever can be cited for witness in such cases; as willbe most evident in my particular arguments, not only of the Titles here recited, but many others. I defend that Religion which hath confuted all foreign adversaries, Atheists, Epicures, jews, Pagans, Mahometans, Magicians, 
Bernard. Lutz. ●atol. haer.  Philosophers, which hath conquered & left without memory, above four hundred Sects of internal and domestical heretics, subdued all nations, and brought to subjection, all that have opposed themselves against it: not any Religion builded upon the deceitful and vain conjecture, or blown abroad to be believed, with the whirling spirit of private men, 
Luther tom. 2. germ. jent. f. 101 part 2. resolute. arg. 18, 19, 20, 21 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 79, 80, etc. Sur. of holy discipline Peter Frarin. orat. cont. Sectar. Cocl. in vit. Luth. Stowe hist in H. 8 Fox tom. 2. Mon. in Henr. 8. Grafton in cod. Sleid. comment.  Quot capita, tot religiones, so many heads, so many religions, as Luther said, unlearned, deniers of Scriptures, and their sense, at their pleasure, liars, deceitful, false translators, corrupters and forgers of holy evidence, devisers of new Doctrines for temporal pleasures, and respects, to be exempted from obligation, and vow of obedience, chastity, poverty, to be obeyed, live in lasciviousness, and pomp of wealth, without any other argument at all, as those innovators did. But a Religion founded upon the most certain and infallible word and revelation of God, expounded by those undeceivable Rules before remembered, and that holy and ever-during society and Church of Christ, for which he gave himself, and ordained Religion; where so much virtue is practised, such obedience, chastity, poverty, and contempt of all impediments of heaven is vowed, and professed, which society, if it might err, no preservance of true Religion is to be hoped: for where none should truly believe, all should be in error. I defend that religion which in all times and places hath been witnessed and approved with such Arguments, as are disabled to be untrue, by infallible and undeceivable signs, by thousands of supernatural miracles and wonders, which by no means could be counterfeit, or falsely reported, So many naturally uncurable blind restored to sight, deaf to hearing, lame to going, sick to health, dead to life, by most famous and notorious known Catholics, or Papists, (as it pleaseth Protestant's) which all Philosophers agree, no natural cause or art of Devils themselves could bring to pass, neither God grant unto man, for confirming falsehood. Not that Religion, 
Luther saep. in dispute Lypsic. Luther l. de Miss. ang. tom. 6. lent. Germ. folio 281 c. 5 folio 485 to. 2 folio 77 colloq mens. Germ. folio 274, 275 Bed. l. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 hist. Greg. l. Dialog. Palad. l. hist. Fox tom. 1. Monum. Pantal. chr. Cocl. in vita Lutheri, vita Calum. Stowe in chron.  which as it was taught of the Devil, father of lies, as the Authors themselves shall witness, and certainly by all arguments of reprobation, condemned them, their fellows and followers to hell. But that which by all testimonies and undeceitfull arguments, brought the professors thereof to heaven, and the most earnest and zealous therein, as religious hermits, Monks, Freers, Nuns, Priests, Bishops, Popes, as all Calendars, Histories, and approved Records give evidence, to the greatest happiness. Not that Religion which made those that before were good, chaste, obedient, and contem ners of the world, to be wicked, and given to all impiety, as their own writings witness; but that Religion which those it reclaimed from false worships, 
Hier. in vita parr. Eusebius in histo. pantal. in Chron. Foxc tom. 1. Mo. Bed. li. 1, li. 2, lib. 3 lib. 4, lib. 5 hist. Greg. lib. 1, 2, etc. Dialog. Greg. tu● 10 Ruff. socr. Sozomen. tom. 2. Sleid. contra Fox Book of Articles anno 1562 stat. H. 8. Ed. 6. & Elizab. Reg. Iniun. stat. Book.  made them so holy and such Saints, that all creatures have done homage and duty unto them; the sea and waters against nature supported them, the wild, savage, and devouring beasts adored them, the ravening fowls in deserts nourished them, the winds, tempests, air, fire, earth, all elements, simple, compounded, sensible, and unsensible things, the devils themselves those triumphing and tyrannical enemies against human nature commanded and overruled by authority, with trembling obeyed them. Not a Religion tossed and tennised up and down, with so many bounds and reboundes, chops and changes, universally both in head & members, containing so many falsities by their own proceedings, so many contradictions in essential things, as there be essential questions. Neither, do what it could, having the temporal sword and all jurisdiction in itself, hath hitherto condemned us, such as I will prove the Religion of English Protestants, 
Resol. Relig. part 1. arg. 5, 6, 7.  and others to be; but a Religion which in this space of almost 1600. years, never changed one point of Doctrine, never admitted error in faith, or the least contradiction therein, either in Decree of Pope, or confirmed Council, but clearly condemned and confuted all misbelievers. Not a Religion, that contrary to the name, nature, and office of true Religion, separateth man from his God and Creator, by so many sins and iniquities, and yet hath no grace no Sacrament for men of reason and actual offences, no means or preservative to prevent them, no help or remedy to redeem them; but suffereth man to lie loaden under so mighty a mass of impieties, and to be drowned in hell (for that instrument of their justifying faith can be no benefit to them, 
Part 2. Resolu. Relig. arg. 1, 3, 4, 5.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 12  which as before by their own grounds have no faith at all; and as I will demonstrate hereafter, have not one property or condition of true believing, or matter tending to man's salvation.) But that Religion, which as it teacheth and counseleth the way of perfection unto all, by renouncing Honours, and wealth, 
1 Timo. 6.1. cor. 7. luke 9  the Temptations and snares of the Devil, as the Apostle calleth them, by professing Chastity, more perfect and better than the matrimonial state, as the same saint Paul witnesseth, and by abnegation of a man's own will, and forsaking terrene and temporal dignities, which might hinder his heavenly journey, such as our Saviour his Apostles, the Primitive Church, all reason and experience teacheth to be the path of perfection, and readiest way to Heaven; when, and where nothing is left to hinder it. 
Matth. 28. Mark 16. Rom. 6. Gala. 3.1. Peter 3. Acts 2.8.10. Coloss. 2. Acts 8 & 19 john 14, 15, 16 Art. 11. Concil. acel. 1. c. 8. Ar. 2 17. Concil. 6. gener. Floreut. Trident. john 20 Trid. sesi. 14. c. 1 6. Florent. in Bull. Eng jacob 5. Florent. in union. Arm. Trident. 5 14. 1 Acts 6. & 13 1. Tim. 4. Rom. 12 1 Cor. 12 Hebr. 6. Concil. Calce. c. 2 Concil. Bta. 2. cap 3 Concil. Triden. 5.23.2, 3 Ephesians 5 council. Trid. fess. 24 can. 1. Eucarist. ●p. 1. Tertull. lib. ●2. conc. Carth. 4 ●c. 13. Ambros. ep. ●70. Ciril. ep. 1. c. 4 Innoc. ep. 9  That Religion, which taking compassion of the frailty of man to sin, in every state hath a stay to keep from falling, and a remedy for those that have offended. For the state of all, until they came to such discretion and judgement, as may be cause of sin, the Sacrament of Baptism, both taking original offence away, and arming the soul against new and actual infection. To confirm the former grace of that tender age, and enable us against so many temptations and persecutions as Christians have, the Sacrament of Confirmation. To feed and foster all estates in the whole course and circuit of this life, the food of divine Eucharist, and Sacrament of the most holy body and blood of Christ: and (seeing all are subject unto sin) the Sacrament of Penance, for the cure and comfort of all offenders. And because the agonies and temptations at the time of death be urgent most against us; the Sacrament of Anointing, or extreme unction, to remove the relics of sin, and give strength in that extremity, And for the particular helps and assistance of particular states, particular Sacraments; the Sacrament of Orders to dignify the calling of Clergy men, and make them worthy and fit instruments to perform so many holy & supernatural functions, as are belonging to that pre-eminence. And lastly, for the consolation and defence of married people, such as encumber themselves with the cares of the world, and practical life, the Sacrament of Matrimony, giving grace and strength against the difficulties and cares of that condition. No state, no sex, no age, no time, no place, order, or degree among men is left unprovided of spiritual comfort, and protection. Not a Religion, whose grounds and principles overthrow all christian and true Religion, where God is made author of all sins, and thereby worthy no Religion, where the decision of spiritual doubts appertain to temporal and unlearned Princes, men, 
resolute. part 2. argum. 5.6. stat 1 Elizab. 13. Eliza. 5. Elizab. Com. Book. Conuoc. London. 1562.  women, or children; where such sentences, although never so much disagreeing even to themselves, and apparently false, must be obeyed for the infallible word of God, where man hath not liberty and freedom of will, where our good works are necessitate, where the predestination of God taketh away all election and indifferency; By which, and such like positions, as Protestants teach, it followeth, that no Article of Religion can be certain; no Religion can be; nothing is to be accounted sin, nothing reckoned for virtue. For who can certainly believe that, which most certainly is uncertain or false? or who can either praise or discommend, that which is done whether the doer will or no? How can such actions be rewarded or punished? How can that soul be immortal, and perform religion, which should want free and reasonable operations, the arguments and pledges of immortality? But I defend a religion so measured, as before, that by no possibility any Decree can be untrue, a Religion that so concordeth the eternal prescience and predestination of God, with the temporal cooperation of man, that it both leaveth the first infallible, and yet proveth the temporal action, appetite, delight or consent to any things, to be voluntary, free, and in the power of man, to be effected or omitted, praised or discommended, rewarded or punished, as the nature thereof deserveth. Not that Religion which hath raised such dissensions, that it hath taken all unity and communion of Saints away, divided the militant and triumphant Church, and dishonoured both, depriving Angels and glorified souls of that honour their excellency and dignity with God requireth, men in earth, the militant church of that help and assistance it needeth, and always had from them, as inferior causes from superior, all pity and compassion of those that live and be in state of merit, from the patient Church of the faithful departed, and spoiled them of that relief they ever received of those that live, and made such havoc and confusion even among the living, that no man regardeth other, every one almost of a different and divided mind from the rest in these things, and never at concord with himself, but upon every new conceit differing from his former assertion, in continual combat and controversy with his own will and understanding; and so no communion and participation one with an other, no care of offence, and injuries, no mind of satisfaction for wrongs and injustices, no combination of comembers, no penance, no restraint from sin, where the passion of Christ hath been so long vaunted and triumphed of, that except in most sacrilegious and blasphemous swearing by the instruments of our redemption, no memory at all thereof is left; no sign or token to put us in mind, no image or representation, no commemorative sacrifice, or signification of so many pains, miseries, and mysteries, as our Saviour endured and wrought for our redemption; where no order or hierarchical subordination, no consecration, or distinction of callings and vocations is, 
Statut. Elizab.  except the letters patents of a temporal Prince can give that to others, which is not, & cannot be in the giver. But that Religion, which as it is united, and one in itself, in earth consisteth of a most perfect hierarchical regiment, of Pope, patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Subdeacons', Acolathists, Exorcists, Lectors, and other Under-officers, every one in his room and dignity, and the meanest of all, by calling and consecration, of greater honour than any ministerial preferment among Protestants, being no real thing, but an ens rationis, an Idol of the mind, as the making of Pursuvants, Apparators, and such Officers appointed by others; where our POPE which is so odious in England, is so ample in jurisdiction in all the world, that no temporal Prince christian or infidel, no ruler or professor of regiment in ecclesiastical and spiritual causes, at this time; or any heretofore, either is, or was ' by many degrees possessed of so large a regiment And our private Priests, namely, the most reverend and learned Fathers of the Society of JESUS, (so contemptible in our country,) are honoured of the greatest Princes of the world, & by their preachings & pains have added so many kingdoms both to the spiritual regiment of Christ, and temporal government of Catholic kings. Our Catholic kings be most mighty, and they which regard us most, the most rich, puissant, and greatest Princes of the world. Our religion religeth and bindeth together, (as the name importeth) not only kingdoms and men in earth, but God, and his Catholic servants, the triumphant, militant, and patient Church; no duty is omitted, no compassion or pity wanting: where the mystery of our redeeming is so esteemed and remembered, that no festivity, no office or part of divine service is celebrated in the year, but representeth unto us one benefit or other, no ceremony is used in the holy sacrifice of Mass, no action of the Priest, no ornament or attire he weareth, no benediction he giveth, no sign of the Cross he maketh, but hath his religious signification, and preacheth unto us; his introite to the Altar, his actions there, his return from thence, the very vestments wherewith he is adorned, the putting of them on, the wearing of them in that celebration, his putting them off, his Amice, Albe, Girdle, Manciple, Stole, Vestiment, and all he useth, speak nothing but Christ crucified, the manner of his oblation, the cloth wherewith he was blindfolded, the white garment put on by Herode, the cords and whip wherewith he was bound and scourged, the purple vestment wherewith he was deluded, and that mystical and most holy sacrifice, his bloody and cruental oblation upon the Cross; no action, gesture, prayer, or the least ceremony, either in word or deed, silence, or otherwise, but bringeth a religious lesson and meaning, and tendeth to instruction; no benefit that Christ bestowed upon man, from the first instant of his conception, left unremembered, but one time or other celebrated. Not that Religion which denieth all things, and properties of Religion, as their opinions all negative do witness, that hath taken away and converted from common and spiritual religious uses, to private and temporal pleasures and preferments, all monuments, and foundations of devotion, and places of religious exercise, leaving, and using nothing necessary to man's salvation. But that Religion whose opinions against these men, are all affirmative, professing devotion, and one act of piety or other; that hath founded Churches, Schools, Colleges, Monasteries and places, where Christian learning ever was, or is exercised at this day: that observeth all things, and wanteth, or omitteth nothing belonging, 
resolute. Relig. part. 2.  or that can be required to true Religion. I defend that most holy and religious worship, which I will prove by above an hundred arguments, and all kind of invincible reasons, divine and human, natural and supernatural, to be the only true and lawful reverence which we owe to God, by which we were labij unius, 
Sleid. come anno 1517. Stowe hist. in H. 8. Pant. in Luth. etc.  spoke one language, and one Religion, until that confused Babel was begun in Germany, from whence so many different tongues, and confusions in Religion have proceeded.   

SECT. VI What moved the Author to dedicate his Work to the Council.  
WHerefore, right Honourable, although the ends and offices of a religious & spiritual common wealth be distinct and diverse, from those of a temporal and civil government, wherein you are supreme Lieutenants under our gracious Princess; and in that respect, matters handled in the one, do not so properly appertain to the judgement and redress of those, which rule in the other, but are to be decided and reform by the governors of that profession, to which they are belonging; yet as the glory of the first cannot commonly be maintained, without the favour of the second, so this cannot rightly be ruled without direction from the former, for where there is no greater or more forcible motive to keep in order, but fear of temporal correction, (for no temporal magistrate can punish eternally or after death) which is only a bridle against public and notorious offences, which may be denounced and proved by witness, as every civil magistrate must proceed, secundum allegata & probata, as matters are, and can be alleged, and proved, and that which cannot so be determined, can neither be punished or condemned; but in secret men may practise all impiety without controlment, if no Religion and dread of a divine majesty by his infinite wisdom knowing, & by his immutable justice punishing secret sins, were to keep in awe. Therefore, as this cause I have in hand is the most honourable of all, that can be entreated, so I am bold to offer this introductory Epistle and defence thereof, to your honours, the most honourable and noble consistory of our nation; and as it is most necessary to be considered, in regard of duty to God and man, which it teacheth, so I tender it to you, the supreme Deputies of our gracious Sovereign, whose chief care and solicitude must be, in taking order for such causes; because you are Christian magistrates, and take upon you the defence of the law of Christ, which I here maintain; because you are sworn counsellors to assist our Princess, whose chief style and title is granted to her father King Henry the eight, by Pope Leo the tenth, (defender of the faith) for defending the Catholic Roman Religion against Luther, 
Fox tom 2. mo● mon. in Henr. 8. Stowe hist gest. Leon. 10.  that Archprotestant, which I here defend, and to prevent all suspicious censures, and conceits of such as will imagine, I go about to present a work unlawful by those laws, whereof you pretend defence, in that respect you are the highest, wisest, and most honourable patrons of the laws of our Country, I humbly pray pardon under your protection, to publish this work; because it is confirmed and demonstrated, not only by all ancient laws of England, all laws Papal, imperial, princely, national of foreign countries, and former times, but the present forcible laws of England, established by our Qu● Eliz. to which I will prove, 
resolute. Relig. part 2. arg. 5, 6, 7  only that Religion I defend to be conformable, & others repugnant, & thereby condemned. Wherefore most Hh patrons (for I must challenge this title at your hands) be my protectors, the piety of my cause and complaint inclines to mercy, our unjust persecution under your predecessors requireth amends; and I hope at least shall receive toleration, by you hereafter, the law of nature, the laws of all nations, of all Princes of England itself in that state it is. The law of God calleth upon you, and bringeth evidence of this obligation, to which you are bound, when you were new borne, and ruled by others, you vowed it in Baptism, now you are rulers of others, both them which so justly demand it, as those which should, (and many would) so willingly yield it, your promise to God, to his Church, to your Country, is to be performed, many, or most of you being of age, and discretion, in the time of Queen Marie, have practised and professed it, so many of your noble company, 
Book of the order of the Garter: the oath of the knights. Mag. Chart. Stowe hist. 1. Elizab.  as are admitted to the honourable order of the Garter, have sworn it, you are all sworn councillors to our Queen, which by title of inheritance, and at here coronation by the oath and fidelity of a Christian Prince, hath obliged herself to maintain it, of that which is her office, your place professeth performance, your vow to God, obedience and voluntary submission to his church, fidelity to Prince, promise and duty to Country, compassion to unjustly oppressed, calleth upon you to see it done. I demand but justice, by those laws, which my Prince, her nobles, and other subjects your predecessors, and you have enacted. For your wisdom you were chosen to govern; your mercy exalted you, where you may and aught to exercise most compassion; justice and equity have advanced you to that high seat of equal judgement: as you are wise, as you are merciful, and must be just, take pity upon just complaints. And by the same titles I humbly crave you condemn me not, before I have showed worthy cause of reproof. Never any Catholic subject of England hitherto, hath so much abused your Honours, dishonoured the cause of his religion, for which we daily undertake so many troubles, and disgraces, or disgraced and discredited himself, to make so bold a challenge, except he were able to perform it; and my confident assurance is, I shall not be the first unhappy and unadvised man to do it. Pardon noble Patrons, peremptorily without all exception I undertake, to prove directly, not only by all other arguments, but by the Parliament laws & proceedings of Qu. Elizab. that the Religion those men profess as confirmed by them, is false, even by them, & that we defend, to be true, even by those grounds and decrees. I will prove thereby, That Christ is really present in the blessed sacrament of the Aultare, 
resolute. part 2. argum. 5.6.  that Saints and Angels are to be reverenced, and prayed unto, that there is a Purgatory, that prayer, alms, and other good deeds are available for the faithful souls departed, which had not perfected penance and satisfaction in this life, that only faith justifieth not, that good works are meritorious before God, that there is an external Priesthood and sacrifice in the church of Christ, that we are not justified by an imputative justice, but grace and justice are inherent and internal things, that the Sacraments of Christ give grace, that there be seven Sacraments in number, Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme unction, Orders, and Matrimony, and all other matters of moment in controversy between them and us. Which when I have performed, no objection can be made against the allowance of my petition. And because I was sometimes demanded of your predecessors in that place, being convented before them for professing this Religion, I still defend, what reason should move me, than very young in years, borne of parents conformable to the time, in, and under the Protestant regiment of Queen Elizabeth, brought up in that University and other places which were always least favouring of that belief (all which things were either known before, or acknowledged by me to that assembly) to be of a different and contrary opinion, when if I would have been of the same profession, I might have been regarded as others of my condition: to whom (as I hope) my answer then was sufficient for my own private so doing. So now lastly, for that cause, I humbly entreat licence, to direct these reasons, which I have gathered in that question, both for the excuse of myself, and others, to your Honours, their successors in that court of judgement, although far more merciful moderators in such causes. And that I may give full assurance, I do it not to upbraid any of your Honourable society, but only to make my account and complaint to them, in whom I have reposed most hope of relief. There is not now one left alive, to my knowledge, that was then of the privy Counsel, or present there, except your poor suppliant, such is the variable course of earthly things. Wherefore my humble suit to your Honours, is, that you will, not only accept of this my poor present, which for those reasons I have alleged, your wisdom, piety, mercy and justice will not, may not, cannot refuse to do; but as you are in the highest degree of credit with my Sovereign, so to be a means to her, and as you can rule the rest, to give but indifferent and deserved defence against those which unjustly shall dislike it.   

SECT. VII. The Author's particular defence of his writing to all estates, and first to her Majesty.  
THen (noble Patrons) be my defenders, in this my so just and godly cause, excuse my attempt to my Princess and Queen, let not my doings be offensive unto you, & the rest of the Nobility, and protect me against the inferior controllers; I would be loath my endeavours should be misexpounded of any. Therefore I humbly crave favour by you to tender a particular excuse to all. And beginning with my catholicly christened, anointed, and crowned Queen Elizabeth, to whom I wish, both as much spiritual benediction, and terrene honour, as any subject may to his temporal Sovereign, or as I would, if she were of my own Religion. I desire her gracious leave in this enterprise: 
Stat. 2. Edward. 3. Magn. Chart. c. 1. Com. B. stat. Mag. Chart. folio 164. & 166. imprint. an. 1556.  I defend that Religion which the law of God, whereof she, and all christian Princes profess defence, defendeth, the Laws of the Church of Christ defend, whereto she hath vowed defence by the vow of a christian in baptism, by the promise and truth of a Catholic in profession, and life, by the promise, oath, and fidelity of a christian Catholic anointed, consecrated and elected Queen at her coronation: for defence whereof that most renowned and princely title the glory of her style was first granted to her father, and still used of her Majesty for that intent, and by the POPE'S donation. I defend that Religion, whereof she yet retaineth in her Princely person some reverent notes, which the piety of her Catholic education gave her, as the using upon sudden and strange accidents, to sign herself, or women with child, with the sacred sign of the Cross, the great character of our glory; and as it is reported in her own private opinion, not prevaricating in the main point of the real presence, and others of chiefest moment, evident hopes and tokens of no irrecoverable laps. I will teach nothing contrary to her princely dignity and prerogatives, nothing repugnant to her own truly interpreted proceedings. I will defend the lives, religion, fame and memory of all her famous and noble christian progenitors, Kings and Queens of England, many of them while they lived honourable in earth, and now glorious in Heaven, whom her wicked Protestant ministers must needs condemn all to hell and damnation, if they will leave any little hope for themselves to be saved, for one heaven can not possess them both: The law of God commandeth me, the law of nature enforceth me, humanity compelleth, gratitude obligeth, duty and reverence to my Queen Elizabeth their heir and successor, doth necessitate me, in this extremity, and desperate danger of their eternal noble fame & memory, to relieve them that be dead, and without relief of those, by whom they should be both relieved and reverenced in that behalf; and not permit them for want of just defence to be condemned of men in earth, that are so happily translated from corruptible to ever-during kingdoms. They were such as the condition of honourable Kings requireth, Historians write it, their yet living laws, and other monuments do prove it, it cannot be imputed folly to him that shall defend them. 

Pantal. in Chron. in S. Edm. S. Ed. Fox tom. 1. Monum. in many kings.  
Stowe in histor. Graft. hist. Hall.   Many of them were holy Saints, and miraculously witnessed of God to be in heaven, even by Protestants testimony and confession. Therefore it cannot be impiety in a subject to the heir of their Sceptre, to defend their Religion, but wickedness and heresy in those, which shall deny it; for false Religion can neither be approved by miracle from God, neither bring the professors thereof to their felicity. Of what degree soever we are, all that live in England are indebted to those Princes. If we be Clergy men, for learning, schools, and educations; if noble, for nobility; if soldiers and men of arms, for fortitude and heroical acts; if peaceable and civil governors, for matters and precedents of regiment; if of the commonalty, for common peace and tranquillity: they were prudent, potent, religious, magnificent, and triumphant Princes; by their wisdom they ruled us, by their victorious gests in arms they subdued and conquered unto us mighty strange and foreign Nations; Scotland will witness, Ireland can make report, jerusalem, jewrie, France, Britanny, Normandy, and other Countries made tributory and subject unto us, will bear me record; the Princely style of my Sovereign (Queen of England, France and Ireland) to this day avoucheth it to be true; if we be men of arms, the order of Martial discipline, munitions, ordnance, artillery, victuals, towns, walls, gates, castles, fortresses, garrisons, musters, tributes, services, lieutenants, generals, captains, soldiers, their rewards, honours, maintenance, and pensions were provided by them. If we affect the quiet and peaceable life, all possible means of procuring, and preserving thereof, hath been their study and invention: they spared no cost, omitted no labour to perform it; they personally sat in judgement, 
Brirton. Bract. Glanuile de leg. Natura breu. Guil. Malmes b. ● guessed. Hen. Hun●ng. hist. Stowe Cron. Hall. Cron. Graft. Hollensh. ●ist. Fox tom. 1. ●on. Fab. hist.  and heard the complaints and causes of their subjects, comprimitted matters without expenses, divided counties and provinces, privileged cities, towns, and boroughs; to that purpose constituted courts, assigned judges, ordained pensions, provided Magistrates, gave directions, freed from taxes: so established a kingdom, that neither any community or private person can justly make complaint against them: touching the spiritual and religious, they gave us schools, colleges, and universities for learning, and instruction, founded churches, monasteries, altars, for professing Religion, and devotion. There is no grace, privilege, or prerogative needful or belonging to an honourable and absolute christian kingdom, which either Prince or subject from the greatest to the least enjoyeth, but we received it by them, if it be temporal; and by their help and means, or allowance and consent; if it be spiritual, as from the first conversion of the British, Saxon, and Danish Nation to the faith of Christ, all antiquities will witness; her royal Majesty hath received life, being, her crown, kingdom, and diadem, won and converted under Kings, Ethelbertus, Adelwaldus, 
Bed. lib. 3.4. etc. histor. Angl. Fab. hist. Stow histor. Fox tom. 1. mon. fol. 149, 150, 151 Hollensh. hist. Camb. in Britan.  Kingylsus, Edwine, Peda or Wiferus, Sygebertus, and Redwalde, her most noble and renowned christian catholic Predecessors, Kings of England; united by king Egbertus, augmented and enlarged by so many Henry's, Edward's, and others, known Catholic Kings: by whom so many immunities, favours, and privileges were granted to our religion. So many altars, churches, chapels, monasteries, and places of professing Papistry (as Protestants name it) were founded and provided, in the first time of our conversion from Idolatry, and the very Primitive days of christianity in England. The Churches of saint Paul in London, of Canterbury, Winchester, 
Bed. histor. Angl. l. 2. etc. Fox tom. 1. mon. fol. 177. Guil. Malmesb. l. de gest. pont. Angl. Bed. & Fox sup. Stow hist. in K. Elfred. Cestren Cambd. in Britan. Math. Westm.  Lincoln, Westminster, and others; the common Schools of Cambridge by king Sigebert, the university of Oxford, by king Alfrede, the monastery of Gloucester, by king Ofricus, the monastery of Hetesey, by king Oswye, who assigned possssions for twelve more monasteries in Northumberland, the monastery of Saint Martin in Dover, by king Whitred, the abbey of Lestingey, by king oswald, son to Saint oswald, the abbey of Abington, by king Cyssa, the monastery of Ely, by Queen Etheldred, wife to king Elfride, the monastery of Chertsey, by king Edgar, the abbey of Peterborow, by king Ethelwalde, the abbey of Bardney, by king Etheldredus, Glastenbury by king I●a, the monastery of Winchcomb, by king Kenulfus, the abbey of Saint Albon, by king Offa, the abbey of Ethelingsey, and nunnery of Shaftersbury, by king Alfrede, and forty monasteries by king Edgar; 
Fox tom. 1. mon. folio 177.  all which were edified and founded in the time of our Primitive Church, and within two hundred years of our first conversion, as Fox himself acknowledgeth. What donations and free gifts were granted to the English Clergy, 
Donat. Reg. Ethelwal. Clero facta apud Fox tom. 1. mon. folio 181. & folio 178 Guil. Malmesb. l. 2. Chron.  by those first christian kings? the donations of king Ethelwulfe, Ethelbalde, and others were, to be free in their lands and territories, from secular services, and payments, tributes, and taxations to Kings etc. that all churches and monasteries should be absolved from all public vectigales, works and burdens, that they might thereby more diligently serve God, by how much they were more alleviated of those services. Such likewise were the grants of Kings, Sigebertus, 
Fox tom. 1. Monum. Artic. Cler.  Cissa, Edgar, Etheldredus, Offa, Aluredus, for the praying to God, and Saints, for the souls of them and their posterity. So that no man can doubt of what faith they were, except it be a question, whether he that prayeth to Saints, prayeth for the dead, offereth sacrifice of Mass, granteth church liberties, honoureth the See of Rome, buildeth altars, monasteries and nunneries for Monks and Nuns, and foundeth these things, be a Papist or a Protestant. And it is so manifest, that these holy and sanctified kings were popish and moonkish men (as they term them) and of our religion, that presently upon their believing in Christ, the greatest care and study they had, was to provide ornaments, and necessary furniture for that profession. 
Fox tom. 1. mon. folio 154.178. Bed. l 3. hist. angl. & l. 4. & 5. stow in chr. Gui. Mal l. gest. Pantal chro. Cambd. in Brit. Lypp. & fur. in vita sanct.  And among the Saxon Kings, within the space of two hundred years, as Fox himself with others reporteth, in the English Primitive church, nine Kings at the least, King Kingylsus, Ive, Colulfus, Eadbertus, Ethelredus, Kenredus, Offa, Sebbi, and Sigebertus voluntarily forsook their kingdoms, professed monastical life, and lived monks in vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience: and for that most religious action, as our enemies themselves acknowledge, were most highly honoured, and commended of all historians; and still to this day, for that cause, are more glorious both to themselves, and our nation, than the other of our Kings, how honourable soever. The words of that history which Fox in his Monuments citeth to that end, are these; Religion did most clearly shine, insomuch that Kings, Queens, 
Fox tom. 1. monum fol. 185.  Princes, and Dukes, Consuls and Barons, and rulers of Churches, incensed with desire of the kingdom of Heaven, labouring and striving among themselves, to enter into monastical life, into voluntary exile and solitary living, forsook all, and followed God. And no man can deny it to be true, all Historians report it, all Monuments & Antiquities avouch it. Wherefore my assurance is, that my gracious Sovereign, and prudent Princess claiming all things by their title, 
Gyld hist. Bed. hist. Fox tom. 1. fol. 145.152. Bed. hist. Angl. li. 3.4.5. Mat. West min. in Chron. Hen. Hunt hist. Gui. Malm. l. gest. Stowe hist. Fab. hist. Foxtom. 1. mon. fo. 149, 150  cannot be offended for defence of the faith of all her noble christian progenitors and ancestors until now. Besides so many christian kings of the Britons about thirty in number, from Lucius the first, to Cadwall ader; and of the English or Saxon, Danish and Norman nation, a hundred and fifty kings, from the conversion of Ethelbertus, Adelwaldus, or Ethelwaldus, Kingilsus, Edwine, Peda or Weda, or Wiferus, Sigebertus, and Redwalde the first christian Kings of the Saxonish Septarchie, most wise, prudent, virtuous, and triumphant Princes, which both they themselves embraced and maintained with all zeal and devotion, and promulged and delivered by all laws and constitutions to their posterity, Kings and subjects to be believed. Which her majesties father K. Henry the eight (although denying the Roman jurisdiction) observed in all his life, 
Stow hist. in Qu. Mary Fox tom. ● Mo. Mag. Ch●t. praerogat. Reg. ●at. Westm. c. 49 ●raerog. Reg. stat. Alien. san. lic. 1.2. Auous. 2. Citat. 2. Corporat. 2. Echet. 1. Esch. 15 ●ooles 1.2.  and of denying that jurisdiction at his death repent, (of king Edward the sixth an infant; more needing to be taught, than to teach, I say nothing) and my Sovereign that is, in the time of her sister Qu. Mary, professed with much devotion, and after her death, at, and after her own coronation, in the fidelity, oath, and promise of a Prince, according to our ancient laws and titles of Kings of England, hath obliged and indebted herself to protect and defend. And for defence whereof, as appear by the statute of Westminster the first, and other authentical Records, 
Forfeit. 4.5. Franchis. 20 Intiusion 1. Mortdamr. 1. partic & parcen. 1 1. patent. 1. Prim. seisin 1 provis. 21 tenure 2. ward. 3.13, 14, 15. women 2. wreck 2.  all those regal and princely prerogatives which were granted by the free subjects of England to their Kings, her Catholic predecessors, and which she still enjoyeth by that title, were granted and confirmed, as every one may read in the king's prerogatives and statutes, in the titles of such principalities, as were then, and for that reason and intent given unto them; as the privileges of alienations, avowsons, citations, corporations, escheats, fools, forfeitures, franchises, deodands, intrusions, mort dauncestries, partitions, patents, primer seisins, provisions, tenors, wards, services, reliefs, wrecks, and other pre-eminences. Therefore this defence of those holy and ever most honourable kings can not be offensive to my wise and prudent Princess, having, claiming, and pretending all tide and interest she hath, either to temporal or spiritual dignity, as heir and successor to their regal right and authority. And to descend lower to those which have been benefited by those Princes: you first, (my noble Patrons) that possess those honourable offices and dignities, you enjoy them by their institution, they the first donors and founders of those preferments, that life and being, which you have, I mean, not only your honourable, orderly, and peanceable life, and living in government, of their provision, but that very natural life itself, wherein you communicate with all other reasonable men, in some sort you possess by them, for if those Princes had not advanced your ancestors to honours, and nobility, those parents of whom you are descended, and have received being, had not been matched together, for so great disparity between them: and so you had neither enjoyed honour, dignity, life, or any being at all. So that, how much, or whatsoever you can challenge to have, you are indebted unto them. And the rest of the nobility of England, though not chosen to that high credit and favour of our Princess, yet whatsoever it is they have, lands, castles, manors, titles of dignity, they possess it by their ordinance; as every Citizen his privilege, and immunity, every country uplandish man his quiet and orderly government and protection. And that miserable people of England, that untruly challengeth the name of Clergy among Protestants, whatsoever honour Archbishop, Bishop, Deane, or inferior order, or degrees and titles in Schools, as Doctors, Bachilors, and Masters, and places of learning, Universities, Colleges, or Learning itself, or their Bishoprics, Benefices, Churches, Houses, Donations, Privileges, or any other thing they can name, was derived from our Catholic Kings & Princes, 
Fox tom. 1. f. 177 Gui. Malm. l. gest. Cestr. in hist. Bed. l. 2.3.4 hist. angl Fab. hist. Stowe hist. Graft. hist. Cambd. in Brit. Hen. Hunt. histo. Caxton hist. Hall hist. Flor. hist. Fox 10.1. fo. 178.181. ●14. 215.  and those that were of that Religion, Sigebertus, Kingylsus, Ethelbert, Ofricus, Wiferus, Etheldredus, Oswye, Wbykred, Oswalde, Cissa, Edgar, Ethelbalde, Iua, Kenulfus, Offa, Aluredus, Ethelwulfe, Edward, and others before the conquest, and such as reigned after to the Protestant regiment, no Protestant Prince enriched, many spoiled churches. Wherefore seeing all estates in England, Sovereign, and subjects of every condition, and calling, have received, and do enjoy, so many and irrecompensible favours from those Catholic Kings, and by as many obligations are bound and indebted to so honourable and immortal benefactors, no person can be so unmindful of duty, or irregardfull of gratitude, to be displeased with my defence of them, which every Englishman is so much obliged to defend. 
Stat parlam. 1. Hli. Conuocat. c. 1. Lond. 1562. parl. 5. Elizab. 13. Eliz. Will. synops. Pap.  And if it appertain to the title and jurisdiction of christian Kings, (such as no man can deny them to have been) to determine matters and questions of Religion, as the English Protestants maintain, then if I should bring no other argument, but the decrees and constitutions of those holy and learned Kings to prove my intent, it ought to be admitted; especially joining therewith the authority and consent of the still forcible laws of my ever honoured Princess: for in so doing, I shall prove my Religion by that ground, whereby only it is impugned by the Protestants of England, 
Parliam. 1. Reg. Elizab. cap. 1.  assigning the temporal prince, for the time being, to have supreme authority in that cause: and of what credit soever the Statutes of the Protestants are in this question, touching her majesties catholic predecessors, it was in all upright judgement unpossible they should be deceived. For if God giveth ordinary or extraordinary assistance to Kings and Princes, either for their own virtuous endeavours, and sanctity, or for the piety, learning, and number of them, by whom they are counseled and advised; there is no comparison, but rather Protestant princes should err, than they; the zeal and devotion of those King's catholic I have cited before, and Protestant writers Pantaleon, 
Pantal. Chron. Fox tom. 1. mon. in 1. Oswal s. Edm stowen hist. Graft. hist. Phi. Bergom. hist. fol. 172. stowe histor. in king Ellrede.  Fox and others acknowledge many of them to be glorious Saints in heaven, whither false Religion could not bring them. And to give example; it is written, not only by English, both Catholic and Protestant, but foreign Historians, that king Aelfred builded the monastery of monks in Ethelingsey, and that of nuns in Shaftesbury, he founded the university of Oxford, he translated the laws into our English tongue, and diverse other profitable Books, for the instruction of his subjects; he divided the four and twenty hours of the day and night into three equal parts, eight hours he spent in writing, reading, and praying; eight hours in sleep, and other bodily provision; and the other eight hours, in hearing and dispatching the causes and complaints of his subjects. Such was the exercise of Kings in those catholic times, as all Historians and Registers are witness, 
Fox tom. 1. mon. fol. 216. in leg. s. Edward. Regist. antiq. of Guild Hall in Lond.  and their constitutions themselves contained among the Laws of Saint Edward, reported by Fox, and yet to be seen in Guild Hall give evidence, wherein is contained, that King which doth not such things in his own person, is not worthy the name of a King, and that he ought to take his solemn oath upon the Evangelists, and blessed Relics of Saints, before the whole state of his realm, to execute such things, and maintain the holy Church, with all integrity and liberty, according to the Constitutions of his Ancestors and Predecessors, before he be crowned of the Archbishops, and Bishops, and that he ought to have under him three servants as vassals, fleshly lust, avarice, and greedy desire. This was the integrity, exercise, and profession of those Princes; so that if these ●ters must be referred to Prince's judgements, in regard of themselves, it is not likely they were permitted by God to be in error, which performed all things, both for the advancing his honour, and the public peace, which was the rigorous execution of their duty. If we considder what counsel and advise they used, as in matters of war, they consulted with such expert and valiant captains, as were both a security at home, and a terror to foreign Nations; and in causes of peace and public government with the most prudent, wise, and sage men, judges and others of our nation, 
Donat. Reg. Ethelw. fox tom. 1 mon. f. 181. stow● in Chron. Berg. Chron Fortesc I de laud. leg. Angl● Natur. bre●. Registr.  as the words of the ancient donations of our Kings (Cum consilio Episcoporum & Principum, by the counsel of Bishops and Princes) and as all Monuments, and the teste of every Writ in law to this day will declare; so concerning matters of practical conscience, the greatest offices, as Chancellor, privy Seal, and Treasurer, which be the chiefest places of confidence and conscience, were always executed in those days, as Master Fox reporteth, by the Claergie and Bishops of England. And touching matters of Faith and Religion they had always of their privy Council, the most holy, 
Fox tom. 1. mo●  virtuous, and learned Bishops of their time, such were Saint Cedde, Saint Anselm, Saint Dunstane, 
stowe hist. G●f● hist. Fox tom. 1. Monum.  Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Saint Thomas of Hereford, Lanfrancus, and others to their Kings: and whatsoever any public decree of religious causes was to be enacted, or received in parliament, the whole Clergy of England in their Cardinals, Archbishops, 
stat. parliam. Ric. 2. Edw 3. Henr. 3. Magna charta. Articl. Cler.  Bishops, Suffragans, Abbots, Priors, and other chief ecclesiastical persons, ten to one in number to the parliament ministry of this time, was always present; and no decree of faith ever concluded, but by the general consent of the whole christian world, general councils, and the universal Church of God, which can never be seduced, so that no possible place of error was left for those kings, except God would (which he could not) permit the whole world to be deluded. To which if we add so many supernatural signs and miracles, as are written & confessed by Protestants themselves, 
Pantal. in Chron. in S. Edm. S. Ed. Fox to. 1. mon. in ●s. Oswal. s. Edm. ●s. Edw. stowe hist. Cambd. in Brit. Graft. hist. holen sh. hist.  in the lives of Saint Oswable, Saint Edmunds, Saint Edward's, Lucius, Kingylsus, jua, Ceoluisus, Offa, Sigebertus, and other known catholic kings of England, showed by God, to testify the truth of their Religion in earth, and the greatness of their glory in heaven, and whereof some, for the sanctity of those Princes are hereditary to their posterity, not by any desert of Protestants, as the miraculous curing of that naturally uncurable disease, thereby called the Kings or Queen's evil, 
Stowe histor in ●s. Edw.  obtained by the holiness of Saint Edward; every man must say, that either God immutable and undeceivable, hath given testimony to falsehood, which is unpossible; or else, that their Religion was true, which is most certain.  

Strange punishments imposed by God upon all English Kings that opposed yourselves against the ●oman See.  And if it should not be tedious to your Honours, I would crave to enlarge this Argument, by the unhappy success of those Princes, which in any sort have opposed themselves to that holy See of Rome, where the Vicar of Christ, and his viceregent in religious causes liveth: and as we have seen before, all those kings of England that have been the greatest favourers of that faith, and most obedient to that See, to be most happy and glorious, so chose, we shall perceive, all Kings that have showed repugnancy to him (for that religion no christian King of England before this time denied) to have had the most unfortunate and dishonourable life and end, and that Apostolic governor to have always been conqueror. That holy See from the first Bishop thereof Saint Peter, 
Pantal. chro. Platin. de vit. Pont. Fox to. 1. & 2. monum.  to Clement the eight, that now reigneth, hath had two hundred thirty and six Popes, and hath been assaulted by all foreign and domestical enemies, the gates of Hell have been set open against it, and yet never any prevailed, and because Christ hath spoken and promised it, 
Matth. 16.  they shall never prevail. In the Primitive age of Christianity, 
Euseb. hist. Ruffin. Socrat. Zozom. Theod.  it was assaulted by the Pagan Emperors, such as were Conquerors of the world, and commanded all things, and yet they could neither conquer, nor command it; although they had put the greatest part of the first Popes to death, but it subdued them in the end, and their ends were miserable; and the prophecy of Sibylla, that the Fisher's Hook should subdue the Roman Empire, 
Lacta. fir. l. divin. Institut. ● Blond. 1. Decad. 1. Osor. l 7. c. 39 Eutrop. l. 13. Socrat. l. 7. c. 10. get Leon. Blond. l. 6 proc. l. 3. bell, Goth. Volat. Pantal. in Chronol. i●  and conquer the world, was fulfilled in the successors of S. Peter. Rome was sacked & spoiled by Halaricus, Huns, Goths, Vysegothes, but that holy and indefectible See prevailed, and vanquished. Attila that surnamed scourge of God and unconquerable captain was miraculously caused to retire at the voice of Saint Leo then Pope. Rome was besieged by Limprandus, 
Zacbar. fol. 60.65 Blond. 2. decad. 2.  but the very countenance of Pope Zachary enforced him to desist, as Pantaleon himself confesseth. The Saracens twice subdued Theophilus, Emperor of the East, and made Nicephorus his predecessor tributory unto them; conquered Candy, persecuted Africa, a great part of Europe, and Asia, destroyed Italy, burned the suburbs of Rome, and yet Pope Gregory the fourth without force repelled them. In the time of Luther the Duke of Bourbon besieged Rome, but being excommunicate the saturday before his desperate attempt, he was miserably slain at the assault, 
Fox to. 2. f. 1122 Pantal. Chr. f. 124  and died censured, as Fox reporteth; and since such time many Protestants affirm Papistry entered in, that invincible See hath been oppugned and resisted with all the might and endeavours of the Kings, Princes, and supreme Regent's of Germania, Bavaria, 
Munster. in chro. jacob. Meier. Paul Diac. l. 4. ca 17. platin. in Serg. Babel. Aen. 9 li. 9 Bed. li. 5. hist. Angl. c. 10. Platin. in Nich. Blond. lib. 2 Hec 2. Bonfin. dec 1. l 10. Aen. Sylu. ●. 3. Munster. in Chro. Vitichund. ● Saxon. Platin. ● steph. 7 Krants ●. 3 c. 25. Aen. Sylu. c. 16. Krants 14. Blond. l. 2. ●ec. 7. Volater. petr. Maff. hist. ●nd. Osor. histor. indic. epist. indy. Concil. Flor. in union. Ph. Ber. hist.  Persia, Caesarea, Saxonia, Frisia, Bulgaria, Dalmatia, Slavonia, Moravia, Normandia, Dania, Vandalia, Polonia, Prussia, Hollandia, Zelandia, Hungaria, Pomerania, Noruegia, Liflandia, Lithuania, Maiorica, Granata, Graecia, Armenia, the east and west Indies, japponia, and so many vast Nations in those parts of the world, yet that little See of Rome, and the faith thereof hath subdued them all, and the poor monks, Freers, and religious Priests sent from thence, and that authority, have miraculously overthrown them. That See was assaulted by julian the Apostata Emperor, but how miserable was his end? Valens and other Arrian and heretical Emperors persecuted it, but they were confounded. The Grecians, Armenians, and jacobines denied their obedience unto it, but were both in disputation condemned, and after made vassals to the infidel Turkish Empire. In the primitive Church before Constantine, almost a hundred Pagan Emperors, either truly elected, or reputed, persecuted it, and all of them, except ten or eleven died miserably; when the persecuted Popes put to death by them, came not to the third part of that number. 
Bernard. Lutzenb catol. haerer.  Above four hundred Archheretikes and their associates with all craft and subtlety before Luther, and the Protestant rebellion, rebelled against it, but they are so blotted out of memory, that no mention is made of them, but by Catholic writers, impious, politic, and ambitious christian Kings and Emperors, although not in matters of doctrine and faith, yet in cases of jurisdiction have wrestled with it: but they all were maugre all their might and power put to foil. 
Buccan. l. 5. hist. Scot pag. 157.  Frecardus king of Scotland warred against it, but he had been deposed of his nobility, if Colmanus their Bishop had not forbidcen them, wishing they should expect the vengeance of God upon him for his disobedience; which soon after came to pass, for he died morbo pediculari, eaten with louse: and his grandfather before him, for the like disobedience, was apprehended and imprisoned by his nobles, 
C. 2. de supplic. negl. praelat. in 6. Duard. non. hist. Reg. Portugal. Crom. l. 4. de reb● Polon. krant's li● 3 c. 13.14. Munster. l. 4. Cosmograph pag. 895. et 890. crumb. l. 1●  and desperately killed himself. Such was the end of Sanctius king of Portugal, for his contempt to Pope Innocentius the fourth. Bolislaus King of Polonia strived with Pope Gregory the seventh, but his body was cut in pieces by his own soldiers, and cast to the dogs, and no successor of his for the space of two hundred years could ever obtain to be called a King, 
Navel. ge. 3. pag. 157. Emil. l. 3. Reg. 38. s. luo ep. 28.49.81 & 134 Emil. l. 3. Reg. 33 Paul. Langr. chro. Magdeb. 100.11. c. 10. Fox tom. 1. mon. Genebrard. chr. anno 1254. Pig. l. 5. c. 14, 15  except Vladislaus his next successor, which could never procure his coronation. Like was the success of King Philip of France, with Pope Vrbanus the second; such was the end of the Emperors with their empire, for disobedience to that See, it was translated from the French to Otho the third; and the case of the Emperor Henry the fourth, Frederick the second, with Pope Gregory the seventh, Honorius the third, and Gregory the ninth was not unlike, the first being lamentably deprived of his imperial dignity, and the second both spoiled thereof, and pitifully strangled to death by Manifredus the bastard, and left the Empire void by the space of eight and twenty years. Such was the recompense of Otho the fourth or fifth, and Lodowick the fourth, for their contention with Pope Innocentius the third, and Clement the sixth: 
Phil. Berg. histor. Stowe Graft. hist. Fox to. 1. mon.  how long the East Empire favouring the Grecian Schism against the Church of Rome, hath been drowned in the Turkish regiment, every one knoweth; as how their Emperor was miserably put to death, and their imperial city Constantinople sacked, and taken in the very festivity of Pentecost, and the holy ghost, concerning whose procession they are in error. john Alibrettus king of Navarre contended with Pope julius the second, and the two Henries of Bourbon with Sixtus the fourth, but the kingdom of the first, was taken away, and given to Ferdinando of Arragon, and the two others were also deposed, and deprived. Thus I might write of other Kings and inferior Princes, that have encountered with that See. 
Cocl. in vit. Luth. Beza in vit. Calu. Sleid. come. Petr. frar. orat. cont. sect. Fox tom. 2. mon. Stowe hist. in reg. Mar.  And concerning Protestants, to omit the more than miserable lives and deaths of Luther, Oecolampadius, calvin, Swinglius, Cranmer, and others of their Clergy, and speak only of Princes. The first Protestant Duke of Saxony and Landgrave of Hesse were dispossessed of their regiments, and committed to prison. The Prince of Condie in France, and the Admiral there, the one pitifully put to death, the other like jesabel, cast down headlong, his legs broken, his body cut in pieces, drawn like a dog through the streets, and hanged up for a spectacle, 
Buccan. histor. Scot in jac. spur. iovius l. 7. vir. illustr. Stowe hist. in Henr. octau.  at the place of common execution. For Flaunders, the Prince of Orange miserably slain by a private man, and in the time of his greatest triumph and joys. For Scotland, james the bastard dishonourably put to death. In Denmark, Christine their king deposed of his kingdom, enclosed in a cave with iron bars, and consumed to death. And lest any man may fond persuade himself, that the Kings and Rulers of England have a Charter of immunity from such vectigalles, and impositions, as God hath laid upon those Princes, I will recite all the Kings of our Nation, that presently occur to my memory, that have opposed themselves against it, and what effect their opposition had. 
Bed. l. 3, 4, 5. hist. Angl. Stowe in chron. Fox tom. 1. mon. Fab. hist. Flor. hist. Caxto● hist. Fox tom. 1. ● 163. Bed. l. 3. hist. Angl.  In the beginning, these Kings, Ethelbertus, Adelwaldus, Kingilsus, Edwine, Peda, Sigebertus, and Redwalde opposed themselves against the faith and jurisdiction of that See, and the doctrine of religious Monks sent from thence; but they were all conquered and subdued, without any force of arms, & so submitted themselves, that Kingilsus and Sigebertus became religious & monastical men; king Ofricus and Eanfridus were apostates from the Roman faith, but they were miserably put to death. And those three Kings whereof Saint Bede writeth, for their apostasy, besides other manifold temporal punishments, were blotted out of the Genealogy and Catalogue of the Kings of England, & never remembered or numbered among them. Such was the wonderful desolation of the disobedient British Kings, and their nation, for their disobedience to the Roman See, only in the paschal observance, and manner of shaving the crowns of Priests, as Saint Bede doth witness, prophesied against them, by Saint Augustine, and recorded by the same Saint Bede, Galfridus, Guilielmus Malmesburiensis, 
●ed. hist. angl. li. 3 ●alf. mon. hist. ●olychron. li. 5. c. ●0. lib. Biblioth. anal. Guil. Mal. 1. de Reg. Fab. ●r. 5. c. 109, 120. ●oxe tom 1. fol. ●50. stowe chro. anno 1070, & ●087. Osber●. in ●. s. Dunstan.  Fox, and others, that at one time eleven thousand of their Monks defending that repugnance, were slain, by the Pagan soldiers, their whole nation distressed, and deprived of all regiment in their own country, by their own hired soldiers; their kings despoiled of principality to this day, and made subjects to them, whose Sovereigns they were. King Edwine before the conquest opposed himself to some juridical proceedings of the Popes of Rome, and banished Saint Dunstane his Archbishop of Canterbury, but he was deposed, died miserably with infamy, and in his life, his brother Edgar was chosen and crowned King. 
●owe histor. in ●il. Conq. Graf. ●t. in cod. Caxt. ●t.  William surnamed the Conqueror spoiled all the monasteries of England of their gold and silver, neither sparing Chalice, nor Shrine, and in his last voyage in France, burned our Lady's Church in Meux, & two Anachorets, which were enclosed therein, but he encouraging his men to maintain the fire, was suddenly stricken with sickness, his entrails were strangely broken, and he died with misery, and to him that had been so great a conqueror in his life, after his death a private gentleman drawing his sword, denied burial, in his own Country and Town, Cane of Normandy, and in the very house himself had founded, and in his life there was such famine and dearth in England, that men were enforced to eat horses, cats, dogs, and that which nature abhorreth, the flesh of men, such outrageous floods and inundations destroyed the country, that not only towns were overflown, but the very high hills themselves were surrounded, made soft, and consumed. And after him, his next successor and son William called Rufus, 
stowe histor. in Will Ruf. Caxt. and others, Ediner. in vita s. Anselm. lippol. in s. Ansel. Sur. supr. Stowe in K. Will. Rufus.  afflicted the Churches and Monasteries of England with grievous oppression, maketh a decree against some jurisdiction of Pope Urban in England, and exiled Saint Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, for his defence thereof, but he was not left unpunished; his natural brother Robert duke of Normandy, and others his nearest kinsmen and Nohility, raised and maintained wars against him, the Welshmen invaded and spoiled Gloucester, Shrewsbury, and other parts of England, and took the I'll of Anglesey, and the very insensible creatures rebelled against him, and called for vengeance, the earth at Fynchamsteed in Berkshire flowed forth with blood: the wind in one tempest overthrew six hundred and six houses in his chief City of London, the sea surrounded and overwhelmed all the lands that belonged to his friend, the earl of Goodwin, and is called Goodwin sands to this day: and that the death of such a Prince might be answerable to his life, and deserts, the morrow after the feast of Saint Peter in August, whose successor Pope Vrbanus he had so persecuted before, he was slain by his servant and friend sir Walter Tyrrell shooting at a Deer, and being wounded in the breast, fell down dead, never spoke word, and his own men and retinue presently forsook him, scarcely any remaining to take care of his body, but it was laid upon a Collier's cart, and so drawn with one silly lean beast, from that place of the forest where he was slain, to Winchester. 
Stat. in parliam. 24. Herald 8. Parl. 1. Edw. 6.1. Elizab. Edmer. in vita sancti Anselmi.  Mention is made in the statutes of the supremacy of king Henry the eight, King Edward the sixth, and Queen Elizabeth, that title to be the ancient right of the Kings of England, and yet never any king or governor before king Henry the eight challenged any such prerogative, except in the investure of Bishops, as Edmerus seemeth to insinuate of this king William Rufus, and his next successor was enforced to revoke, as the same Author doth witness. Then that which was so strangely punished of God in the first challenger, and refused by his whole posterity, let others judge, whether it was a right or a wrong. And his next successor and brother K. Henry the first, so long as he persevered in his brother's steps, & let those decrees of his to be in force, was tossed and turmoiled with manifold afflictions, both of unnatural wars, seditions, and unwonted punishments, so that he was conquered with the very prick of his own conscience to make his submission, and revoke those former constitutions of his brother King William enacted, 
Edmer. sup. lip. in vit. s. Anselm.  and brought in against the Ecclesiastical liberty, and was never quiet, either in body or mind, until he had effected it. Like was the case of king Henry the second, challenging to himself jurisdiction in the criminal causes of the Clergy, 
stowe histor. in H. 2. Caxt. in H. 2 M. Edward. in s. Th. Caxt. lip. sur. & all in vit. s. Th. archiep. Cant.  contrary to the prerogative of the Constitutions of the Apostolic See of Rome, under whose time Saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury their earnest patron, was put to death, and after the excommunication promulged against the king; for those proceedings, he was most pitifully scourged and afflicted, both with external and unnatural domestical wars, and other miseries; his own natural son taking Arms against him, the father against the son, and son against his father, that as Edwardus living at that time doth write, 
M. Edward in s. though archiep. Cant. supr.  all England did quake and tremble, looking for nothing but extreme confusion and desolation; for preventing whereof, no human help, either of wit or force could prevail, until the king admonished in a vision, that no help was to be expected, or had, but to be reconciled to the Catholic Church (which also his proved experience that had tasted all, & to no purpose, taught him to be true) was enforced to humble himself, revoke his decrees, seek reconciliation, & undergo that penance, which the See of Rome enjoined, which every man may read in the history of Grafton, a Protestant writer, and such, 
Graft hist. in H. 2  as such a Prince as Henry the second was, would have scorned to do, if any other remedy could have prevailed. And to give evidence to all posterity, that these afflictions were laid upon him of God, for his disobedience to the Bishop of Rome; upon his submission & reconcilement, all his miseries had their end, and ceased the very same day he was reconciled to the Church of Rome: 
stow histor. in H. 2. Lippol. in ●it. s. Tho. Cant.  the earl of Flaunders, which with an huge Army (cum immenso exercitu) had appointed to invade England, presently, & strangely changed his mind, and retired, and the next day after, the king of Scots that had made invasion, was taken prisoner in the field, and put to ransom. King Henry his son (for he had crowned him king before) and his brethren were reconciled unto him; his subjects became obedient, and he was restored to his pristine tranquillity, both of mind and body. 
stowe histor. in K. joh. Caxt. in ●od. Graft. Fab. ●b●d.  Like controversy had K. john with the See Apostolic, but how he was punished of God, every man may know; the Welsh men took his castles, destroyed his towns, beheaded his soldiers; his own barons made war against him, his treasure was drowned, the French men invaded both Normandy and England, he was deposed and deprived of his crown, as Peter the Eremite had prophesied before, he died miserably, as all Historians write, and was so odious after his death, that his own servants spoiled him of his very clothes, leaning his body stark naked, and unburied, had not the Abbot of Croxton, 
Radulph. Cicest. ●ppol. in vit. s. Ri. Cicestr. stow hist. ● Hen. 3.  of charity, given it burial. His son king Henry the third opposed himself against Pope Innocentius the fourth, but what plagues, penuries, and strange punishments, he and his country were oppressed with, what prodigious and portenteous apparitions both by sea and land were seen, what inundations of waters, tempests of winds, & other torments were inflicted upon him and his nation, all Historians can witness; what rebellious wars and invasions was he infested with, how subdued by his own Barons, he and his sons taken prisoners, and brought in subjection to their own subjects? and he that by his kingly office was to govern others, enforced to be a pupil to those he should have ruled; for twelve Rulers were assigned, which were called the douze peers, to correct, rule and govern, and the king with his brethren, were sworn to be obedient to that law. It seemeth by some, that king Edward the second meddled too far against that See of Rome, 
stowe histor. in Edovar. 2. Graft. Fabian. histor.  restraining the executing and exercise of the jurisdiction thereof in England; but he wanted not his punishments; his people were afflicted with strange and extraordinary plagues, his countries invaded, his barons & subjects arose in arms against him, such spoilers and thieves infested his nation, that noble men with their force could not travail with security, such famine and hunger reigned, that horse flesh was accounted for delicates, dogs were stolen to be eaten, and the parents did eat their own children; the thieves that were in prisons pulled in pieces such malefactors as were newly committed, and devoured them, (to use Stows words) half alive; Such diseases and death ensued, that the living were not able to bury the dead; his own wife Queen Isabella, and his own son (after king Edward the third) and his natural brother Edmund of Woodstock, made war against him, put him to flight, subdued him, and by common consent of parliament deposed him, and elected Edward his eldest son to govern. 
stowe hist. in Ric. ●. Caxt. in cod. Hall in praesat. ●ist. Fab. Pa●l. 24. H. 8. 1. Elizab.  Like was the case of King Richard the second, interposing himself too far in those causes, although he never challenged any title of supremacy, as the statute of king Henry the eight, and Queen Elizabeth seem to insinuate. For by express statute, as is yet to be seen among our Laws, 
Parliam. 2. Ric. 2. ●. 7.  he decreed, that Pope Urban was the supreme head of the Church, and so to be obeyed in England, yet because he meddled too much in Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, what a troublesome and unquiet regiment did he find? What civil insurrections of base persons, as Wat Tiler jack Straw, and others, in diverse Countries, at sundry times, what extraordinary and strange quake & tremble of the earth? Was he not so odious, that his own uncle Thomas duke of Gloucester, and the Earls of Arundel, Warwick, Derby, and Nottingham raised an army of forty thousand men, and brought him to some conformity, and after was resisted, vanquished, taken prisoner, and imprisoned in the Tower, by Henry duke of Hereford, (afterward king Henry the fourth) deprived of all kingly dignity, and miserably put to death? What hath been the history of these things, which our Protestant Princes, since the new title of supremacy, brought in by K. Hen. the 8? what crosses the said king suffered after, in his life, at his death, & after his death, & what befell to king Edward the sixth (though an infant, yet not unjustly punished in his father's fault,) and what is like to be the event thereof hereafter, I had rather others should write and show their conjecture, which I for reverence to my Sovereign will here omit, though our own Protestant Historians have already committed much to writing, which many may remember, and every man know to be true. And my hope is, my prudent Princess, will rather, in her latter days imitate the examples of her noble predecessors king Henry the first, and king Henry the second, in recalling that which they did in their inconsiderate times, and lived and died with honour, than any, or all of them, that still persisting in their former course, were punished both in themselves, and their country, which they should have tendered equally, or more than themselves, in such order as I have recounted. 
Parliam, 1. Eliz● c. 1.  All the title she claimeth in religious causes, her statute of Supremacy pretendeth to be derived from her former ancestors, neither can any man imagine how she can challenge by any other; what interest was in them, what success they had, that ever advanced any; we have heard it to be such, that no Prince either in prudence, or policy, can follow their example, being all that persisted therein, both strangely punished of God, and accursed of men, in this life, and by all arguments of reprobation, perseverance in sin, final impenitency, obstinacy, and the like, after death damned in hell for ever.   

SECT. VIII. His defence to the honourable Council, and all other men of Nobility.  
COncerning you (my honourable Patrons) that wisdom and prudence which hath exalted you to that type of dignity, doth tell you, that you are not wiser in these causes, than thousands of so wise, learned, virtuous, and honourable predecessors in that place, councillors to those holy kings; suppose you might contend in politic government with many, or most that went before you, let it be, some might be admitted fellows in arms with so many martial and victorious men, because in such cases you have been experienced; yet to that which is most, or only material in this question, and controversy of learning, religion, and divinity, you are too wise to make so unequal a comparison, to balance yourselves, untrained and unskilful in such faculties, with so many Saints, most holy, learned, and professed Divines, Bishops, and others, famous in the whole christian world: such as great numbers of the councillors of those Princes were. Therefore, seeing it is the same virtue of prudence which teacheth and directeth what to do, and admonisheth what we are not able to perform, it must needs put you in mind, of the place you possess, the charge you have undertaken, promise and fidelity you have given: and I remain assured the piety, mercy, justice, and heroical munificence, which be the undivided companions of that virtue, & the natural gratitude you owe to so many descents of your noble predecessors, benefactors and most zealous professors of the religion I defend, will both conquer your wits, and move your wills. As I have proved of the Kings of England in all former times, those that were our greatest friends, still enjoy the greatest honour, both in heaven and earth, those that frinded us least, have the least interest therein; and those which were our enemies, heaven & earth are still at enmity and variance with them, so it was with your predecessors in that place, and the ancestors of our whole nobility: the examples are too many to be cited, if any man desireth the view, he may have it in the catalogue of our unfortunate Nobles: and for Protestant councillors, let him call to mind, 
stowe histor. in H. 8. in Tho. lor● Cromwell. Gra● hist. Fox tom. monum. stat. H●  what an Agent Thomas Lord Cromwell was in these affairs, how he was advanced thereby, what spiritual lands, yea offices he had, what favour with Prince, how potent over subjects; yet by that law which he had provided for others, himself was first that was thereby condemned, not admitted to the presence of his Prince. 
stowe & Graf● in Edw. 6. Fo● eodem.  What was the tragical and mournful interlude of the two Protestant Protectors of king Edward the sixth, the chief pillars and first originals of English protestancy, the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland, so basely disgraced & put to death? Who in the time of her Majesty that is, so violent an enemy against us as Robert earl of Leicester, yet the professors of that faith do live, and he at the very time when he had designed the most bloody persecution against us, miserably died, terrified with monstrous visions of devils, and now his name is not alive. Sir Francis Walsingham his dear friend, was the mast cruel adversary, for his degree, which this time hath maintained against us; yet his miserable death, his despairing words, Lay me aside, and let me be forgotten, the illusions he had at the same time, and the filthy stink and corruption of his body, wanting all funeral pomp, basely buried in the night, will be an eternal infamy against him. I could easily exemplify in others, both of the peaceable and martial condition; but I will not be offensive to any of their families; these which I have recounted have left few heirs, either of honour, or their names behind them. Wherefore, most honourable Patrons, and you the rest of the wise and noble gentry of England, Honour is the crest of your endowments, Glory is that you desire, true honour and glory are only, or chiefly belonging to that honourable state which I defend: this glory is truly in him that is religious, he is honoured here of God by grace, and in heaven by glory: other honours be rather in men that honour, than in them that be honoured. And yet if your immortal appetites must needs possess these mortal honours, there is none you now enjoy, none you can desire, which ever any of our Nation had, but was derived from the gifts, donations, and bounties of our Catholic Popes, and Princes, to your ancestors and predecessors, and so to you by inheritance from the one, and succession from the other. It was never hitherto accounted dishonourable to any, to be professor of that religion, which made him glorious. There have been many renowned families in England, which have brought forth many glorious men: and yet they which were most religious in our profession, always were, and ever will be the chiefest honour of their houses. 
Guil. Rams. hist. S. Guthl. Foelix Crol. in codem. Caes. Baron in S. Tho. Heref. Sur. in vit. eius lippol. in vit. eius.  Saint Guthlach the poor Eremite of Crowland was son to the noble Penwalde, of the lineage of king Ethelred, and yet far more honourable for his religion than nativity, and now chiefly honoured for that cause. So S. Suitbert son of the Earl of Nottingham, and his Lady Berta, whom Saxony honoureth for the Apostle of that nation. So S. Thomas Bishop of Hereford, Chancellor to King Henry the third, son of the noble Cantilupus and Millicent Countess of York, and Saint Ceadda councillor to King Alchfride, Saint Dunstane, and other religious councillors to our catholic Princes, before named, 
Bed. hist. in lip. in S. Dunstane. Edmer. in S. Ans. Taith. de script. in S. Ben. M. Edwar. in s. Tho. Cantuar. Stowe hist. Fox tom. 1. Monum.  are now in all Histories and memories more honourable, than any of that place, that were not of their profession. The only order of S. Benedict, so renowned in our Nation, hath had about twenty Kings and Emperors, above an hundred great Princes, many Popes, sixteen hundred archbishops, four thousand bishops, fifteen thousand famous men, and fifteen thousand and six hundred most honourable canonised Saints. And such was the continuing and never fading honour that our religion gave, that our Kings, Queens, and greatest Princes thought it more honourable to be religious, than to seek honour in temporal regiments, It will be no easy thing for any Protestant to single forth one ancient family of England, of which there have not been many Bishops, Abbots, or religious rulers in our Country, and yet those by all Records and Monuments are, and ever will be more renowned, than the others of their descent. And to exemplify these names and houses following, either still now are, or heretofore have been great in England; 
Cambd in Britan. l. H●al. Graft. in catalogue. Nobil. Norm. in G●ul. Conq. Registr. Cantuar. catalogue arc●. Cant. Fox tom. ●. monum. Graft. hist Fab. hi●. Ma●. West. S. Ludger. in vita ●. suitbe●t.  Baldwine, Hubert, Kylwarby, Peccam, Stratford, Offord, Braidwarden, Islepe, Langhton, Witlesey, Sudbery, Courtney, Arundel, Chichelsey, Burchier, Morton, and yet those archbishops of Canterbury which were of these names and families, when they lived, were the most honourable of their lineage, their place of dignity highest among subjects, and next unto our Kings, and now so long after their deaths, they are more honoured and remembered with glory, than any of their lines. Thus I might allege of other persons and places. And it is written in the life of that noble Saint Suitbert, that the children of the greatest Princes and Nobles of England were Priests and Bishops. 
The conformity of Catholic religion to all true and lawful civil policy and regiment, and the repugnancy of Protestancy unto the same.  But, most Honourable, as by name, place, office, and calling you are chief Councillors to our Prince, Comites, even companions to Kings, Barones, Milites, the bulwark and patrons of our country, whose principal pillars and members, under our Queen, you are, so your honour and glory consisteth much in defence thereof. And it might seem more than a blemish in you to be defenders of that which is offensive to that kingdom, and common state, wherein you are advanced to Regiment. Then seeing this matter must be disputed between Protestants and us: so many hundred years of the flourishing estate of this Nation under our Religion, in the days almost of two hundreed Kings, when no other. 
Catal. reg. Britan. & Angl. Fox tom. 1. monum. stowe histor. Grafton. histor.  Religion was known among us, will plead for our pre-eminence: or if we must needs descend to particulars, although my condition is not to entrouble myself with politic affairs, further than they are subordinate, and belonging to that high faculty of divinity, whereof I may be supposed a student; yet if it may be lawful for me to take notice of that, which the law of God, the law of nature, and the laws of all nations, and the word Respublica itself teacheth to every man, that it signifieth a public, and not a private wealth, being a congregation of many, and not one particular person to be ruled, maintained, defended, and preserved, and not be destroyed: and if either the testimony of Catholics, or Protestants in their own cause may be admitted, and trial may be made by the opinions which be defended on either part, or by the effect which have proceeded from thence, 
Doctrine and proceedings of Protestants against commonwealth.  this question will be soon at end, and your honours will be double honoured to be Patrons of that Religion, whereof I profess defence. And to begin with him, that was the first beginner of this innovation, 
Georg. Wiccl. de retect. Luth. Luth. ep. ad fratr. inferior. German. Luther. l. de potest secul. l. cont. edict. 2. Caesa. l. de bell contr. Turc. Luth. l. captiu. Babyl. Claud. de sanct. l. de Saccad. englise fol. 58.55.  the holy politic and peaceable propositions of Martin Luther are these. Their (Protestants) hands must be imbrued in blood, it is the nature of the gospel to raise wars and seditions among Christians, there is no magistrate, no superior, it is to be entreated by many prayers, that the countrymen obey not their Princes, that they go not on warfare against the Turk, no contribution must be given to Princes, for their wars against him: no law, neither any syllable of a law can be imposed upon Christians, more than themselves will, either of men or Angels, there no hope of remedy, until all human laws be taken away. Which positions utterly destroy all governments, and common wealths, yet such was not only the doctrine of Luther, which exercised in act to his power, what he taught in word, as not only all histories, 
Cocl. in vit. Luth. Petr. Frat. orat. cont. sectar. Staphil. apolog. Fox tom. 2. mon. Test. t● ord Burgund. in remonstrate. supr. edict. reg. Gal. part. 2. Petr. Fr. orat. cont. sect. Defence. reg. & relig. Erasm. Albert. & Conrade. Wimp l. contr. Swingl. Cocl. in Art. Luth Melancth. come. ad Coloss.  but the ruins of Germany are witness to this day: but it was both the word and work of calvin, Beza, Othomanus, Spiphanius, and others in Switzerland, and France, which taking all authority from Kings, and magistrates, decreed in their conventicles, not only that all ancient and noble families, but civil government, lawful policy, and jurisdiction must be taken away, and kept a council to destroy the King of France, his wife the Queen, his children, Queen mother, and all good magistrates in that Kingdom, and not content with this, the basest people (as a Tailor and Cobbler at Franckeforde) instituted new Courts, new Senators, and other officers of the meanest conditioned men, expelling and putting to death all ancient rulers. Whereupon ensued so many outrages, and desolations in those countries, the intolerable seditions, rebellions, disobediences, and violence, in deposing and expelling lawful Princes, abrogating laws, spoiling Innocents', and other enormous crimes, against a common wealth, which have been practised by the Protestants of Denmark, Sweveland, Scotland & Flaunders, are so famous, they need no recital. And lest English Protestant's, which so much in words, and little in deeds, contend for a Common wealth, should be exempted from this general proposition; who in England was so famous a Protestant in the beginning, as Tindal their great apostle; and who in the time of our Q. Elizabeth, so great a writer and monumenter, as Fox, and whose works more generally applauded, than his acts and monuments and yet tindal taught and Fox defendeth in his publicly allowed and approved books, these propositions following. It is unpossible for us, to consent to the will of God, 
Fox tom. 2. monum. in Tyndall. haer. arti. 3. artic. 2 artic. 18.19. Fox sup. Tynd. obed. art. 18.  the law requireth unpossible things, the law maketh to hate God, every man is Lord of other men's goods, the children of faith are under no law? What common wealth can be, where these doctrines are published and proposed to be true? Did not their Protestants write a book against the temporal regiment of women, entitled, Contra monstrosum regimen mulierum, against the monstrous regiment of women? What monstrous doctrine, 
Goodm. l. cont. monstr. reg. mulier.  and pestiferous were this now in our nation? What Common wealth men were those, which were the greatest and chiefest promulgers of this Protestancy in England? 
Stowe hist. Graft. hist. Fox to. 2. more.  The Lord Thomas Cromwell so exalted by King Henry the eight, john duke of Northumberland, father to the late Earl of Leicester, Cranmer and others, I refer to their deaths for treason against their Princes. Who are chiefest actors in affairs of a Common wealth in England, but the privy council of our Sovereigns, and yet how far unlike Commonwealth men did the council of King Henry the eight (only the Lord Chancellor Wriothesly excepted) behave themselves, 
Graft. ult. H. 8. Stowe hist. Anno 1. Edw. 6.  presently violating their King and masters last will, in which they were also constituted executors? 
Graft. & stowe Ann. 1. Mar.  Would not the Protestant council of King Edward the sixth have disinherited her Majesty that is, and Queen Mary? The Protestants of England testify that the Puritans platform tendeth to the overthrow of the whole state, and government of the common wealth: 
Respons. adm. parliam. Adm. parl 13. Eliz.  the Puritans affirm as much of their doctrine. I will pass over so many Protestant positions, which as they be all negative, denying Religion and duty to God, so in things concerning temporal government, subject to Religion, they must needs be repugnant to civil regiment. I will only crave leave to exemplify in three or four questions, it is a common opinion with this people, 
Calvin. Instit. Andr. Will. synops. papism. c. Laws.  that the laws of magistrates do not bind in conscience, and secret, but only in public and open show, for avoiding scandal. What treason and treachery may not privately be plotted, practised, and put in execution by this doctrine? What Realm can be secure, what Kingdom is not in hazard to be overthrown, where every rebellious vassal shall be made a judge of his Prince's laws? 
Conuoc. Protest. Lond. 1562. parl. 5. & 13. Elizab.  What other thing doth their approved doctrine of sole faith portend to the world, but a desolation of all order, obedience, and regiment? If a man is only justified by faith, he cannot be unjustified and condemned, but for wanting faith, and so treason, felony, murder, rapine, perjury, and all offences against a common wealth, 
Protestant English doctrine against a common wealth.  even to take away the crown and sceptre of a prince, may securely be put in action, as not destroying the virtue of faith, and so not able to condemn the workers of such impieties. Let us speak a little of marriage: 
statut. in parl. 32. H 8. c. 38.  it was enacted by parliament of K. Henry the eight, that all contracts of marriage whatsoever, were void by a second marriage consummate, hereupon ensued not only such shame and dishonour to that law, against the light of nature, and civil contracts, 
Parl. Ed. 6. tit. Maryag.  but to use the words of King Edward the sixth his Protestants in open parliament; such incontinences intolerable to Christian ears, men and women breaking their promises, and faith made by the one to the other, taking new husbands, and wives at their pleasure, even as it pleased them, that it was revoked by King Edward the sixth; 
Parl. 1. Elizab.  yet by the first parliament of our Queen it is revived, and now in force, from which opinion, and the doctrine of remarrying, for the incontinency of the first husband, or wife, what devorcements, dissensions, remarrying, breaches of wedlocks, false accusations, translations, and lamentable decays of ancient and honourable houses by adulteries, and most wicked suppositions of unlawfully begotten children, have ensued? And because I have spoken of marriage; 
Marriages of Priests and Ministers how much against a commonwealth.  I with the indifferent Reader to consider, whether the marriages of Priests and ministers consist with a common wealth or no: let him but look into this one article, and he shall perceive, that even by the nature of the thing itself, so many wants, miseries, distresses, and hungers as have been since, in this kingdom, and other floods of dangers to a civil regiment, have flowed from that fountain. 
Graft. hist. an. 15. H. 5. Cambd. in Britan.  The ancient number of parishes in England (every one having at the least one Priest, or Minister) have been accounted forty thousand; (though Camden and later Writers muster a meaner reckoning) beside bishoprics, Deaneries, Archdeaneries, Prebendaries, petty Canonries, and almost as many Chapels more, many of them having their particular ministers, and diverse richer Protestant parsons their subcurates: and among all these it is a dishonour at this day, for a man to be unmarried. Then to make some conjecture in this case, because a certainty can not be surveyed, let us compare this new married brood so given to generation, to the first inhabitants of countries, which of a far fewer number, in process of time have grown to so great and populous Nations; and because the increase of the people of Israel in Egypt is most exactly above all others remembered, and registered in holy Scriptures, which these men receive, I will take an example from them, and yet to the Protestant advantage; for the Israelites in Egypt were persecuted, and their children put to death, when chose the generation of Ministers in England hath flourished, and been defended. The number of the Israelites, men, women, and children, 
Gen. 46. acts 7.  entering into Egypt, were only 70. as is written in Genesis, or 75. as it is expounded of saint Stephen: if the first survey of English parishes, and ministers is admitted, although we allow many of them to have lived, and unmarried, yet numbering their wives, which by chastity in catholic times also were unmarried; it is probable, that for every married Israelite, there were more than two thousand married ministers: 
Gen. 46, 47.  for the grandchildren of jacob were not married at that time: and if we admit the least survey of thirteen thousand, fifteen thousand, or sixteen thousand parishes, yet for every married Israelite, there was a thousand married ministers. Within the space of four hundred years, the number of Israelites, from the age of one and twenty years upward, besides many more thousands of women, children, and young people, and the whole tribe of Levi, one of the twelve which was not numbered in this account, 
Numer. cap. 1.  the number of such men amounted unto six hundred thousands, three thousands, five hundred, and fifty. Now let my Protestant Arithmetitians make a calculation of the Ministers offspring; if we take my least account, if their religion should last four hundred years, which is but so long as the true Church of Israelites lived almost pilgrims or captives: yet a true Religion must be such that it carry no destruction to commonwealths, though it last for ever, as the worship of Christ was instituted to do then by my meanest reckoning, the number of men increased in that time, will be 603550000, six hundred thousands of thousands, three thousand thousands, five hundred thousands, and fifty thousands, which is a greater number to be added in our nation, than many England's are able to maintain, though we neither reckon woman nor child. What then will the apparel and other expenses of this generation be to a little country? yet I have not counted how many since Protestant Religion, have multiplied in this order, which before lived in monasteries and religious houses, in chaste and single life, by common judgement, little, or not inferior to the former multitude; which as it doubleth, the number of people increased, so it doubleth the miseries and perplexities of this kingdom. Such chargeable, bloody, and continued wars as England in this time hath had in France, Flaunders, and other places, both at sea and land, are neither easy, nor secure to be maintained: And to ordain or permit multiplication of men to such ends, to utter them by slaughter, is wholly Turkish, and more like to cannibals, than to Christians. And yet, if they had not been, to prevent so many marriages, and kill so many thousands of men, how could this nation have provided for so many? 
Protestant's doctrine and practice of Neglect, of Abstinence, and Fasting in England, how prejudicial to a common wealth.  or how will it deal hereafter, when the present inhabitants have tasted so many wants? Let us make an other trial, what damage the taking away, or neglect of fasting and abstinence in this religion hath brought to our common wealth. In Catholic times, beside so many days of abstinence, whereby many thousands of fishers were maintained, and much cattle and flesh preserved, there were observed above an hundred fasting days, with only one meal in the day, if we account the several days of Lent, Fridays, Ember days, Vigils, and evens of Saints, that were fasted; the number of the eaters than were fewer by much, as is reckoned by ministers marriages, the diet was not so delicious, as protestancy teacheth; then let us give all advantage to Protestants in this commission of inquiry, and suppose contrary to all judgements, that there be but twelve thousand parishes in England: let us allow that there be only in every parish one with another, but an hundred persons, men and women, which were wont to fast, though this number is much too little: let us further imagine, that the expenses of every one's supper would only be the value of one penny, which is no dear ordinary; yet by this favourable reckoning, every person in these hundred days, spareth one hundred pence, which is ten shillings, and the hundred persons of every parish one hundred times ten shillings, which is fifty pounds; which together amounteth yearly to six hundred thousands of pounds, besides the consumption of so much victuals, original of so many wants: and yet it hath been credibly reported, that of late years upon general musters in England, the muster books have amounted unto thirty hundred thousands of able men, to which if we add so many women, making the number of threescore hundred thousands, the sum will be five times so much, that is, thirty hundred thousand pounds by the year, and to make a better esteem of the Ministers progeny in expenses; let us suppose, that in so many years, they have only amounted unto one hundred thousand of people; and that every person of that increased tribe, spendeth but three pence in the day, penny halfpenny a meal; and to help this reckoning, let us forgive their apparel, and all other costs for nothing, which is no unequal dealing, yet their expenses in the year do make 547500. five hundred thousands, seven and forty thousands, and five hundreds of pounds; which is more than any victorious king of England spent in the continual maintenance of a royal army, and will discharge more and greater wars, than ever her Majesty had, and spare so many taxes, raised upon better subjects: thus I could exemplify in other Protestant excesses; But to urge many of these doctrines, would be too tedious, therefore I will pass them over. How their other actual proceedings have been conformable to their words and teachings, hath been somewhat declared before, 
Supr. § 2. resolute. Relig. part. 2. Arg. 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 80, 81, 82.  and I may remit the Reader to the second part of my Resolution in many chapters, where I have proved even by the Protestants own confessions, and testimonies, that their behaviour, and disobedience in commonwealths is worse, then among jews, Turks, Pagans, or any Infidels, and whosoever at this time entereth into view of the manners of all conditions of Protestants, both of this and other nations, can not call it in question, neither can it be imagined how amendment can be had, except a reformation of the original of these abuses, Protestant disobedient doctrine be made, for like causes must have like effects.  

The Conformity and Honour of catholic Religion to England, or any well ordered Commonwealth.  Now let us examine whether such disobedience in doctrine, or disloyalty of behaviour to commonwealths can be noted in Catholic religion; do we not teach all duty unto Princes and superiors? what office, either of Prince, or inferior Magistrate, what estate, or condition of men, clergy or laity, what time, peace, or wars, or any thing that can be said belonging unto government, is not most sincerely delivered by the Casnysts and Canonists of our religion, and that consenting to the regiment of the most famous and honourable Kingdoms of the world, governed by such constitutions? Or is there any thing we teach, different, or not agreeing to the ancient and most politic regiment of all christian Nations? To begin with that most reverend function of Priesthood, now treason by the proceedings of England (as some Protestants allege) what is there in that most sacred Religious dignity, that can be guilty of so great a crime? Treason is the greatest offence that can be committed in England, and is called with us, Crimen laesae maiestatis, an offence that hurteth the Kings or Queen's Majesty; 
Stat. 25. Ed. 3. c. 2 5. Ric. 2. c. 5 stat. 1. Hen. 4. c. 10.  and Proditio, a betraying, because, as appeareth by our ancient Laws of King Edward the third, where it is set down, what shall be treason, nothing is remembered, but that which tendeth, either to the betraying of the King, or country; and so it is provided by other laws. Alas what is in Priesthood now, that was not in former times, that it must be so accounted in the days of one Queen, 
Catal. Reg. Brit. & Angl. Fox to. mon. Stowe hist.  which in the regiments of almost two hundred Christian Kings within this kingdom, hath ever been reputed both in parliament, and elsewhere, the most honourable calling, next to the prince, as the places of our great Priests or Archbishops are evidence. Nothing is, or can be changed in that sacrament, howsoever the minds and proceedings of Protestants do change. The same priesthood which was given to Saint Peter, and the Apostles, the same which saint Augustine, and his associates had that converted England, the same which hath been so honoured of all English Kings since then, is the same, which this people is not ashamed thus to term. The same Sacrament unchangeable, the same power of order, the same jurisdiction; then except the state of England be not the same it was, Priesthood must be honorarable, & not treacherous. There is not any point of civil regiment in that sacrament, being wholly spiritual and supernatural, nothing concerning a temporal common wealth, no renouncing or denial of any authority in England, no conspiracy to Prince, no betraying of a kingdom, of whom no one word or mention is made, or can be intended; no matter given in charge, no authority communicated, but to offer sacrifice, to pray, to preach, minister Sacraments, 
Pontifical. Rom. ●n ord.  and such priestly functions, as the Pontifical will witness, which are not prejudicial to a commonwealth, but such as the Ministers of England imitate the like, as I have proved in other places. 
Part. 2. Resol. ●rgum. 5.6.  That Priests do absolve from sins, and excommunications, which they pretend, the cause is no temporal thing, and yet it cannot be the cause of this treason, 
●tat in parliam. ●7. Elizab. c. 2. resol. part. 2. ●rgum. 5.8.  for Deacons which have no such authority, be traitors by the same statute. That our Priests be consecrated in foreign countries, neither can be, or is the cause, that this dignity is now so unworthily reputed: 
●ed l. 2.3. histor. Angl. Fox tom. ●. monum.  for in former times it hath been the greatest honour to our Clergy, to be consecrated in those famous Countries; and all our Primitive archbishops of Canterbury were so sacred; & at this time Priesthood given in France, to which we be friends, and in England itself, to which England must not be enemies, 
Parliam. 27. Elizab. sup.  is equally treason with these men, as to be ordered in Rome, Spain, or any place most offensive to our state of England. And yet I would desire all States men to consider, that the Grecians, Germans, and other people, having their doctrine divers to the Church of Rome, have their Seminaries in the same City, and their Priests maintained by the same Popes, and ordered by their authority; and yet the Princes of those Nations being Infidel Turks, for the greater part, condemn not their Priests for Traitors, but suffer them to be quiet, without encumber, admitting the exercise of their function as agreeable to common wealth. And as it were a great absurdity to say, that the Pope in relieving the Catholic Students of Palestina, Graecia, Armenia, and such nations, should do it in hope to be temporal Lord of those Countries, but only for love to true religion, so it is as improbable he should have any such intent to England, as unprobable as the others to be under his temporal regiment; or, how can those religious schools be such adversaries to our English government, where neither Reader, Professor, or Student of Policy is, or by the foundations and statutes of those places may be maintained? No law, order, rule, exercise, lecture, or disputation in any of those Seminaries that hath affinity with such affairs; where no one point or opinion in doctrine against our English, or any other well governed commonwealth (as is proved) is practised. But all those Schools by institution, offer weekly or daily sacrifice for our nation, where prayer is continually made by deputed persons for her Majesty, where so many public prayers, processions, fasting, disciplines, and austerities are used to that end. The rules and government there consent with the ancient foundations of our Cambridge and Oxford, the Religion there used, the doctrine there taught, the Priesthood, and other Orders there taken, sacrifice offered, prayers that be made, Sacraments that be frequented, Laws that be observed, all things there practised, be the same which so many renowned Kings of England ever professed and defended, as conformable to their temporal regiments: and to which our Qu. Elizabeth, by the fidelity of a Prince, by solemn oath, and all greatest security an absolute Ruler can give, hath indebted herself to observe at her Coronation. And what disobedience or want of duty can it be, to deny to her, or any temporal Prince, Supremacy in ecclesiastical causes, a pre-eminence so distinct and independing of the civil government? And it ever was so far fro treason, to deny it to any of our Kings or Queens, that not only all English subjects, but our Kings themselves ever approved it in the Roman See. And never any temporal Turk, Tartarus, Goth, Vandal, or impious enemy of Christ, heretic, or infidel challenged it as belonging to their temporal style; and no Protestant Prince at this day, except in England, either claimeth to himself, or maketh it treason to give it to the Pope of Rome. Neither doth, or ever did, any or these professed enemies to that See, condemn for a temporal disobedience, to appeal thither in spiritual causes; or maketh it a matter of state, to go on pilgrimage to Rome, or bring a Crucifix, Picture, or any hallowed thing from thence, which can be no business of a commonwealth. But all other Christians of the world, even such as be under the Turkish regiment, or any other, whether they be jacobites in above forty kingdoms, 
§ 6. supr. Septeme. l. de m● rib. & Rel. Turc. Fran. Aluar. hist▪ Ethiop. Belfor. Cosmograph. l. 6. liturg. Ethiops to. 4. Bibliothec. patr. Osor. histor Eman. l. 3. Thevet. l. 11.  Nestorians, Maronites, in Libya, and Phoenitia, Armenians, Georgians, Suryans, Mozarabes, Indians under Peter johannes in seventy and two kingdoms, or any others, besides all Catholic and Christian kingdoms, in this, or other parts of the world, have free access, without prohibition of their Princes, either to Rome, jerusalem, or any place, where Christ, is, or hath been reverenced. And in the days of the greatest temporal honour and renown of England, under the most glorious English Princes, it hath been so far from disturbance, or indignity to our temporal state, to go that journey, and fetch, or receive such things from thence, that our most puissant and triumphant Kings themselves have performed those offices, 
Fox tom. 1. mon. Stowe his● Graft. histor.  in their own princely and royal persons, as our Protestant Writers be witnesses. How honourable those Princes were for those and such offices, as also how dishonourable with men, and strangely punished of God, not only all Kings of England, but of other nations, which practised any thing offensive to that Roman jurisdiction, I have declared before. If we should enter into comparison of this kingdom now Protestant, either with itself under Catholic regiment, or with foreign Catholic kingdoms, my sentence is true: whether we consider the glory of king Henry the eight, and this kingdom before his fall, or their infamy and dishonours after: or the short or turbulent season of king Edward the sixth, or for this present time what it is, and what like to be, which, duty to her Majesty chargeth me to leave to the lamentable consideration of all men now, and the pitiful experience of those which shall prove it hereafter. When chose, if we enter into conceit of Catholic kingdoms, ruled by that Religion and law which we defend, they will be named the flowers of the world; our neighbouring countries, France, Spain, Italy, and others may be given for instance. And to particularise in them that be most hated of English Protestants, the Pope of Rome for a spiritual person, and the Spanish King for a temporal Prince. Is not the power and jurisdiction of the first extended by many degrees, and whole kingdoms, further, and more glorious than ever was the Regency of any spiritual superior, high Priest in jewrie, Caliphe of the Turks, Archflamine of the Pagans, Archbishop of the Protestants, or any their supreme head or governor in Ecclesiastical causes, in this or any other Nation? never allowed further than one country, and no man can question, but the kingdoms, riches, and revenues of the king Catholic are the greatest of any Monarch, or Emperor in the world. How the glory of all kingdoms was ever most, when they most religiously embraced and maintained our doctrine, I have demonstrated at large in my Resolution: no Article we defend, 
resolute. Relig. part. 1. c. 14.  prayer and adoration to Saints, prayer for the dead, restitution for wrongs and injuries to those that live, obedience to Princes, their just and equal regiment, the validity of their laws, the force of good works, and their working, the number, grace, and reverence of Sacraments, other holy things, penance and punishment for sin, both in life, and after, with the rest, being all affirmative positions, teaching duty to God, honour to Magistrates, equality to all, injury and oppression to none, the chiefest points of true regiment, cannot be offensive to a well ordered kingdom. What quarrels and contentions between Princes, Kings, and Subjects, Nobles and Nobles, and all estates, have been comprimitted in England, by the spiritual Roman authority now so hateful among us, which could by no other means be appeased, the turbulent dealings in the time of King Henry the second so pacified, the Baron's wars quieted, 
D. Edward. in vit. S. Tho. Cant. Stowe histor. in Henr. 2. Graft. hist. sup. Stowe in K. john. Caxton. in eod. Hall hist. in H. 5. Fox tom. 1. & 2. Monum.  rigorous onerations imposed by Princes eased, contentions and unappeasable wars of this kingdom with France, and other Nations, & the like, appeased and brought to end, will witness. What peace, concord, amity, and agreement in all estates, the Protestants denial of Restitution and Confession hath taken away, what wrongs, enmities, and abuses it hath wrought, the ancient love, neighbourly friendship, christian charity, and peaceable agreement generally since then exploded among Protestant people, are evidence; for those bridles being broken, what so convenient means is either left, or invented by this generation, to tame the inordinate passions of unruly people? How can the beginning of sins, first inwardly hatched in the mind, before they proceed to outward action to be controlled by civil Laws, be stayed and prevented? How can secret offences, the mother and nurse of public disorders, be punished and destroyed? Who can keep Subjects from devising against Sovereigns, these from plotting against Subjects, Subjects against themselves? Who can now umpire so many quarrels, even with extraordinary and intolerable charges and abuses, which the Consistory of Confession in every parish, so freely, without bribe, trouble, or contention decided and rooted out? For want whereof, so many suits and actions in law, such multitudes of Lawyers, and their lately obtained riches have ensued. What abuses in their proceedings, what unjust causes defended? What just and pitiful complaints of the poor forsaken? What dilatory pleas, nonsuits, unnecessary essoines, wagers of law, false plead, unlawful arrests, wicked impannelling, suborning, and corrupting jurors, delayed false and corrupt judgements, and executions, unconscionable Writes of error against right, such remooveings of suits, appeals, and I know not how many shifts to defraud, avoid, and withhold true titles, have been, and are practised and uncontrolled by these Protestant doctrines, which catholic Religion condemneth, binding the wicked practisers of such injustices to an equal amends and restitution to the parties grieved. These and such abuses the law of Nature, the law of Nations, Canon, imperial, Provincial, in all christian Nations do condemn, & not only in countries and kingdoms professing Christ, they are disabled, but exploded in all heathenish regiments of jews, Turks, Tartars, Persians, Indians, and all ancient law makers among the Romans, Grecians, Lacedæmonians, and others, only practised, and not disallowed in Protestant regiments.  
That portion of wealth, which the religious Clergy of England enjoyed in Catholic times, (if Fox may be believed) amounted to the third part of the substance of our nation, 
Fox to. 2. monn. in Henr. 8.  and was then employed concerning them, to the necessaries of their poor, chaste, and single life: the remnant was bestowed, some for maintenance and defence of our Kings, and country: 
Caxt. histor. Hall in H. 5. Stowe & Graft. in Henr. 8.  the Catholic Clergy was then able, and often did furnish main armies to that end, more than all the ministers of England, and Abbey gentlemen are able or will perform, the rest was in Religious uses: the poor were relieved, so many statutes against them, and to burden the country, were not known, strangers were lodged, pilgrims entertained, the sick and maimed provided for, orphans kept, widows defended. Was not this so offensive part of religious goods in Protestants judgement, better bestowed, then in hunting, hawking, cardings, court, and such like alms, to which the Protestant possessors have disposed it? Let us speak of friends at home, and abroad; Catholic Religion kept, and left England in friendship and amity, with the Popedom, Empire, Spain, and all countries in the world: protestancy hath either set us at open variance, or suspicious peace withal. Quarrels among countries and kings, are ever grounded from behaviour of Princes, public magistrates, and persons of regard in those states: Protestants of England ever since their entrance have supplied those places private, persecuted and rejected men, such as Catholics of England have been, and are there esteemed, cannot be the origin of such contentions. What should I speak of honours, or other public profits wherewith England was adorned by our Religion, and whereof Protestancy hath despoiled it? Was it not an honourable, quiet, and secure pre-eminence, to be at league with so many and mighty christian Princes? Were not all communions with them and their countries as ordinary to England, and all estates thereof, as to themselves, had not our kings their legarde, and continuing ambassadors in those dominions, whereby peace was preserved, quarrels prevented, perils avoided, the country in security, wars but seldom, and never of such continuance? What history doth make relation of so chargeable and prolonged wars of this kingdom, with other nations, as our late and present Spanish, Flemish, and Irish be? What Nobleman ot Gentleman of account did not then, and would not now desire, both for his own and country's honour, and reputation, to know other nations, to be present in the Courts of foreign potent Princes, to learn language, to see diversities of people, and manners, to know their order of Regiment, to win experience? What learning, nurtriture, and knowledge have our gentry and nobility lost by that separation? What a blemish it is, even in some of highest order, and in the greatest affairs of common wealth, England findeth, and foreigners are not ignorant, and the great advantage and highly esteemed pre-eminence of him or them in that place, which hath enjoyed it, will witness. Would not a soldier, for his skill and honour in arms, affect to know the order and discipline of their wars, especially against Infidels, and misbelieving Princes? What scholar for his instruction in learning, might not covet those universities, wherein for an Englishman to have been student, or consecrated Priest (now so odious) was ever had for high honour and reputation? Would not the merchants of England esteem it both a private help to themselves, and a public profit to our nation, to have free trade and traffic in their dominions? Should not all England, Nobles, gentlemen, meaner people, and all estates of men, Catholics, Protestants, and whatsoever be desirous, that we might always be free, both from foreign and domestical wars? or if by any necessity, not in time prevented, we should by probability be infested with the one, could, or would he wish to be afflicted with both? Peace is to be desired, strife to be avoided, friends esteemed, many and potent enemies to be feared. If any man of indifferent sentence entereth into judgement, to consider the time of protestancy, which is past, the present estate wherein England is, and what we are like to taste hereafter, by such proceedings, I doubt not but he will be of my opinion, that it were better to be in such condition, 
Stow hist. in H. 8.  as it was in the two and twentieth year of King Henry the eight, when this reformation, or soon after began, then ever it was by protestancy since, now is, or by probability will grow to be in time to come. For avoiding offence, I will voluntarily omit particulars of comparisons, as also the conformity of our catholic Religion, to the true and equal interpretation of our present laws, both in the same regard, as that it demandeth a larger treaty than this place alloweth. These may now suffice for excuse, not only to your most Honourable Company, but to all inferior and subdepending Magistrates, principally such as persecute us under the false pretence of our repugnancy to a lawful and civil regiment: for whose cause I have both been longer in this question, 
Resol. Relig. part. ●. Argum. 5, 6, 7.  and must be enforced hereafter to use more speech of our obedience to the English laws of this time, than I otherwise had intended.   

SECT. IX. The Author's defence to all honourable Ladies and Gentlewomen.  
AND as I must not be ungratefully undutiful to so many Catholic Ladies, and noble Gentlewomen of England our nurses and foundresses in former times, so I desire pardon of that present sex and condition, not to be offended with my writing; for I defend the faith and religion of all honourable, holy, and virtuous English Queens, Princesses, 
Bed. hist. Angl. l. 2, 3, 4, 5. Math. Westm. Henr. Hunt. Caxt. hist.  Ladies and Gentlewomen. I may not permit the Foundresses of so many Churches, chapels, altars, Monasteries, Nunneries, Colleges, and Religious places, to be reproved for that piety. I cannot in conscience suffer such a triumphant and victorious company of that calling, so famous for miracles, and renowned for sanctity, 
Fox tom. 1. mon. Pantal. Chron.  as our greatest enemies, Fox, Pantaleon, and others acknowledge in them (an evident argument of true Religion) to be condemned; nor the immortal fame of the souls of such to be defiled by false accusers, whose bodies many years after their death, 
Bed. hist. Angl. l. 3.4.5. Guil. Malmes. l gest. Fox tom. 1. mon. Stowe histor.  to witness the innocency of their Religion and life, remained uncorrupted: nor those whom so many testimonies from heaven and earth have confirmed to be most happy Saints, to be rejected as impious. I am out of doubt, no Protestant Lady of England, will, or dareth to compare herself with the meanest of many, which, for the love and honour of our Religion, forsook all temporal pleasures, and princely honours, and preferring the poor, chaste, and obedient religious life, before all dignities, became sacred and consecrated Nuns, 
Fox tom. 1. mon. fol. 178. Bed. l. 3, 4, 5. hist. Angl. Guil. Malm. l. guessed  such (as Fox is enforced to consecrated were Queen Edelburge, wife and Queen to King Edwine, and daughter of King Anna. Saint Etheldrede wife to King Elfride, and married before, and yet a perpetual Virgin, as Saint Bede, Fox, and others do witness: Sexburga, daughter of King Anna, and wife to King Ercombert: Kineburga wife to King Alfride, daughter to King Penda & sister to king Ofricus. Elfloda daughter to King Oswy, and wife to King Peda, and Alfritha wife to King Edgar. Hylda daughter to the nephew of King Edwine. Erchengoda and Ermenilda daughters of King Ercombert. Werburga daughter to King Vlferus. & Kinreda & Kinswida his sisters. Elfrida daughter to King Oswy, Mildreda, Milburga, and Milginda, daughters of King Mirwaldus. Saint Editha, daughter to King Edgar, and others, most holy, religious, and miraculous Princesses, the glory of our English Ladies. Or if the glory and happiness of Catholic Princes will not move, yet let the fearful examples of the principal Protestant Ladies of England, chief Agents in this quarrel, grievously afflicted of God, and made dishonourable to the world, put us in mind what we ought to do, 
Stowe & Graft. in hist. Henr. 8. Argum. 87.88. 2. I art. Resol.  which though Stowe and Grafton have too bluntly set down, myself, for some reverent respects, will here omit. Think it (you Protestant Dames of England) no disparagement in honour, to be followers of those renowned Princesses, which in all Antiquities are recorded to be the glory of your kind, and the supreme womanly honour of our Kingdom; That RELIGION (the greatest honour) which hath given to them such eternity of honour in Heaven, can not make you dishonourable in Earth. It is the nature of your sex to imitate, and in some things you will sometimes imitate too much: If you that live in Court, did but know the guise of attires, which those holy Queens and Ladies used, before they were Religious you would follow it, in the highest degree; although therein you should consent with the Dames of Italy, France, Spain, and Rome itself, or any other place or person, to which you profess yourselves most distasted. And in such things though never used of Queen Sexburga, Etheldreda, Edelburga, or any of those, or other Saints, your daily and new devices are evidence against you, that you esteem it not dishonourable, to learn of the Ladies of those Nations. These agreements are not so worthy praise, and yet therein you will not be at variance. Then, seeing the Religion of those Countries, whose Ladies you allow in matters so little deserving imitation, is that which maketh so honourable with God and man, and not for a short courting, but an ever-continuing time, fear not to be French, Spanish, Italian, and Roman, in that, wherein the type and diadem of true honour consisteth; or if you have chosen to be wedded only to terrene and debased honour, yet you may not think so basely of that Religion I defend, to disallow it. For all your earthly honours, titles, names, and ensigns of dignity, were either first founded, or after allowed and confirmed to your ancestors, and in them to you, by the Popes, Emperors, Kings, and Regent's in Catholic reverence. England Protestant wanteth many degrees of chiefest place, which England Catholic enjoyed. England Protestant hath diminished, and added none to those, which were before. And those Countries I named, and whose Religion I commend unto you, have many of that condition, which never any England had. Catholic Religion never denied any thing unto you, which was truly honourable: it gave you your dignities, honourable places, and privileges; it gave you credit with our Princes, and for their and your honour, ordained you estates; it defendeth your marriages to be honourable, and a sacrament, by that Religion your matrimony was not in the pleasure of your Lords; repudiations and devorcements at their wills were not known; remarrying to a second wife (the former living) was ever most unlawful. Concubine's could not possess the maintenance of your honours, their bastards might not enjoy the inheritance of your legitimate, for fear of offence, I will be silent in most honourable favours, which your Catholic ancestors had, and you might have by that Religion, and protestancy cannot give; and refer that cause to your more serious examination, and favourable construction; which, for my promise of writing nothing offensive to our English state, I must willingly, in this, and other places, leave naked and unfurnished of many and greatest arguments of defence.   

SECT. X. The Author's defence to all inferior subjects.  
IF I should entreat what benefits and preferrements, so many diverse orders and conditions of inferior subjects enjoyed, by enjoying our Religion, and what they lost by loss thereof, as I should make my cause too popular and pleasing unto them: so I fear I might be offensive to some, to whom I have promised to give no occasion of offence. Therefore I will only put them in mind, that as all their ancestors and predecessors were of the same RELIGION with us, so an innumerable company of their kinsfolks were religious men, and women, and in them, the care of their parents ended, and they became Fathers and mothers to their parents, and families; others were attendant, instructed, and maintained by pensions, corrodies, farms, annuities, leases, and tenements of our religious houses; the poor were relieved in our Hospitals, and by our alms; others living upon our lands without fines, or enhanced rents; every temporal man and woman enjoying more for them and theirs, by how much so many hundred thousands of religious persons claimed and needed less, by their poor and single life. No wife to provide for jointure, no daughter to endow and give in marriage, no elder son to enrich with new inheritance, and spared purchases, no younger son to be advanced by emprooved rents, toils or turnings out of Farms, no tenant changed, no fines, no forfeitures taken, no woods destroyed, no privilege or freedom withdrawn, many new and greater granted by Kings, and Noble men, to religious persons, their tenants and tenors: not so many jars and quarrels in law, contentions and debates of the poor subjects, comprimitted by ghostly confessors, religious persons, and kings themselves.   

SECT. X. His defence to the ministery of England.  
LAstly, to come to the Protestant Ministry of England, whose anger and displeasure, as I esteem it least, so I name them last. I appeal to all those estates I have recounted, for judgement, whether in accusing them of ignorance, or wilfulness in error, I offer them wrong or no: It is more agreeing to the law of God, of nature, nations, reason, human civility, conscience, or whatsoever may be termed and taken for a law, when it doth so chance, that either all learned and holy men in the christian world, that ever were in so many hundred years, in all times and places, should be condemned, or else a few, neither learned nor virtuous, but ignorant and wicked, should be reproved and disallowed, that the most and first must be freed, and the least and last condemned. Then let the Ministerial Clergy of England yield me patience; for I defend the doctrine and opinion of all godly and famous professors of Divinity, all Popes, Fathers, and Doctors that ever were in the Church, all Councils particular and general, all foreign & domestical Universities, Schools, Colleges, and places of christian learning, since the time of Christ, to Martin Luther: where so many thousands or millions of miraculously approved holy Saints, have lived and died, in this profession, and only impugn a new, poor, lewd, licentious, and unlearned company of Ministers, of one Kingdom, or age, and such as in particular reasons I will demonstrate to be evident wilful, 
Part. 2. resolute. Argum. 72, 73, 74, 75, 79.83, 84, 85.  and ignorant mis-expounders, false translators, and alleadgers of holy Scriptures, liars, deceitful, heretical, maintainers of old condemned heresies, actually erring, and reerring in greatest questions, and matters of Faith, ensigned and marked with all tokens and badges, which holy Scripture portraiture, Heretics, Seducers, and Reprobate persons by, that they learned their religion of the devil himself; that it was first devised, and after maintained for carnal liberty, and wicked ends, that they teach they know not what themselves, contrary to holy Scriptures, although we expound them by their own rules of exposition, contrary to their own proceedings, contrary to all authority, human and divine, contrary to all Laws of God, of nature, nations, particular Countries, of all civil and politic government, having nothing conducing to man's salvation, or that can bring to heaven; that by all judgement of Christianity, those that died in that state, without repentance (except invincible ignorance could excuse some simple Souls) are condemned in hell: yet, seeing in this I shall dispute chiefly against the private Religion of one Nation, in one only time, if I should leave out the rest of the christian world in all ages; and because England now hath a particular Religion to itself, compare the sanctity, learning and authority of former Catholic English Bishops and Divines, with our present Ministers, I shall justify my cause to their great confusion.  
As to give example in our chiefest Metropolitan See; Whether is it more equal, and consonant to reason, to give credit (for either the one or the other must be utterly discredited) to Thomas Cranmer the first Protestant Regent there, Parkar, and Grindal, notoriously known, 
Fox tom. 2. mon. in H. 8. Edw. 6. Qu. Mary. parl. 24 H. 8. c. 12. parl. 25. c. 14.20. parl. 26. c. 1.3.14, parl. 27. c. 15. parl. 31 e. 9.14 parl. 32. c. 15.26. parl. 35 c. 5. parl. 1 Ed. 6 c. 1.2 parl. 2.3. Edw. 6. c. 1.21. parl. 3.4. Edw. 6. c. 10. parl. 5.6. Ed. 6. c. 1.3.13. parl. 1. Eliz. c. 1. parl. 5 c. 1.28. parl. 13. c. 1. Conuoc. Lond. 1562. artic. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. Fox tom. 2. in Cranmer.  not only to have been of three diverse Religions, in substantial points, one against an other, but every one of them at diverse times to please their Princes often in the greatest questions, to have differed from himself, and they to have been of seven or eight diverse Religions, for none of them was either burned for protestancy, or quartered for denying Supremacy, or a Saint for life (to speak the best) renowned for learning, for any monument or argument I could ever find. And to exemplify in Cranmer their first and principle, that was to condemn so many learned and holy Saints, that had been in that archiepiscopal See, and be a pattern to all his successors: he was condemned of high treason against his Prince, proved publicly perjured, and to have counterfeit the hands and consents of fifty Clergy men, for the advantage of his cause, he recanted his error, was in case of relapse, and for ignorance was hissed, and exploded in the common Schools of Oxford, in public disputations; all which Fox himself is enforced to grant, and can not deny. Then whether is it more equal to give credit to these, than to Saint Augustine, 
Bed. l. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. hist. Angl Admer in vita sancti Ans. Guil. Malmesb. 〈◊〉. gest. pont. Angl. Math. West. hist.  the Monk, first archbishop there, Saint Laurence, Mellitus, justus, Honorius, Deusdedit, Theodorus Berctualdus, Tacuinus, and others, three score and eight in number, almost twenty to one, many, or most holy and learned men, miraculously approved of God, and for piety and learning admired of the whole world? If they pretend the decrees of any Protestant Prince, for exposition of holy Scriptures, and proposition of Religion, 
Fox tom. 1. mon.  I have cited almost two hundred to one before, and in the laws of that Prince, which soever any Protestant will assign, either King Henry the eight, King Edward the sixth, or our Queen Elizabeth, I will overthrow them; and prove how every one of them hath defined false and contradictory things to themselves, 
Part. 2. Resol. Redig. Argum. 5.6  which (in some part) already appeareth in my last citations of Statutes. If they allege their Universities, they are overmatched: 
Fox tom. 1. mo●um. Armar.  in Catholic times at once Oxford hath had thirty thousand Students, all ever of the same mind with us. For other Clergy men, England Catholic had at the least, if we will conjecture by Fox his computation, above a hundred thousand more, than England Protestant is able to show. If they speak of synods, our synods were greater in number of men, ten to one, in number of assemblies, two hundred to one. If they speak of Parliaments and Laws decreed there, the excess is more, in both respects. If they urge Scriptures, 
Syn. Lond. pro● 1562. articul● parliam. 5. Eliza. & 13. Eliza. Will. Synops. Pap.  and true sense of them by deduction, by resorting to the original tongues, the Hebrew in the old, and Greek in the new Testament, comparing of places, and examining circumstances, which be their own rules of exposition, and the ground of their profession, or howsoever the comparison is made, the victory is ours. We use more Scriptures for numbers of Books, 
Council, Flor. in un. Arm. Concil. Trid. c. de script. Syn. Lond. Prot. 1562. art. 6. Trithem. l. script. Zuit. Sen. Bibl· sanct. Pantal. Chronol.  more for diversities of tongues, than they, and yet refuse none which they admit. All our expositors of Scriptures have been continual professed Students in divinity, expert and acquainted with all Rules, and means of true exposition, diverse of them most excellent Linguists, and many natural borne greeks and Hebrews; and we never received or believed any thing as a matter of Faith, but that which the whole Catholic Church (which cannot err) had defined and received. Their expositors of Scriptures were never to be compared unto these: and at that time when their Religion was decreed and established (out of Scriptures they must say) there was not one person present, which either understood Greek or Hebrew, or could use any other of their Rules. 
Stowe hist. an. 1. Eliza. parliam. 1. Eliza. ca 1. Graft. hist. an. 1. Elizab.  For their religion was first approved in the first Parliament of our Queen Elizabeth, where, not one man learned in Divinity was present, and had parlamentall voice.  
That we Catholics would wilfully err, is too wilful impudency to affirm it; the profession of that Religion we defend, is severe and strict, in regard of that we do deny: the punishments and penalties we undergo for our profession, are many and greatest; the temporal preferrment is none at all. The contrary Professors are in the contrary case; their Religion is pleasant, and by professing it, they live in honours and delights, which have enticed, not only many Catholics to follow protestancy, 
Casp. Vlenb. l. 22 cause. Rain. Calu. Sleid. come.  but Protestants to be Mahometans, or of no Religion. That by ignorance we should be seduced, such sentence cannot proceed but from ignorance, or malice. We have all authorities, times, and places for our defence: our enemies have none at all, we were borne in the same Country of England, bred up in the same Universities English, where, and whence, those Protestants be; we have travailed all Countries; studied in all christian Universities; we have learned Divinity of the most famous Professors of the world: we have disputed in all Schools, and enjoyed the best means of study; we want wives, riches, honours, pleasures and all impediments of true divinity and study thereof. Our adversaries are snared and entangled with all these, and other lets to hinder them. That rather they than we would be more careful, to examine any authority or argument belonging to these questions, no man can imagine, it concerneth us most, and the reasons be evident before. If Religion can be tried in this world, we have sought and found all means; they have not far sought for any, and found none at all: their daily doubts, changes, and uncertainty prove it. If they would stand to any trial, we know the order of all, and will accept of any one, with equal conditions. 
Conuoc. Lond. 1562. arti. 6. parl. 5. Eliz. & 13. Eli.  If they will appeal to Scriptures, as their highest Convocation doth, or to any other authority, so many Catholic Divines of England; And the poor Author hereof (because I have taken this Work in hand, and must justify my writing, and not feed my Readers with vain reports, and heare-sayes, as Protestants do) have read and studied them all, and more than Protestants use. If they contend to credit the Hebrew Text in the old Testament, and the Greek in the new, 
Fulke, Charke, Hanmer, Andr. Will. Synop. Pap. Rain. contr. Bell. Whitak. contr. Campian.  as the common opinion of their Writers is, I have studied them in those languages, and the ancient Glosses and Scholies Latin and Greek, for their Exposition. If they will stand to the report of the most ancient Historians, Eusebius, Ruffinus, Socrates, Sozomenus, Palladius, Saint Hierome, Saint Bede, and others, what was the practice of the Primitive Church, and believed in the unspotted time of Christianity, I have perused them. If they will be judged by the decrees of the first POPES, 
Contr. Adm●nit. parliam.  that were Saints, and be in Heaven, as they confess, and ruled the Church in those times, as their archbishop of Canterbury doth acknowledge, I have often with diligence considdered the Decrees, both of all that were before the Council of Nice, and after. If they will be arbitrated by the present Schools, and scholastical reasons, I have been a poor Auditor both of scholastical and controversial Questions, where all doubts and difficulties that wit or learning can devise and invent, are handled, and most exquisitely debated. If they admit the first four general councils of Nice, Constantinople, 
Parlam. 1. Eli. c. 1  Ephesus, and Chalcedon, which the highest judicial authority of England hath expressly approved by name, or any of the rest, to which, the same, and her majesties consent also giveth approbation, I have seen and read them all, from the first of Nice, to the last of Trent, as all approved particular and provincial councils, which be extant or ordinarily used. If they think there ever was true Religion among Christians, and that it was exercised in the first six hundred years after Christ, and that those ancient Fathers which were the most famous in those days, and ruled the Church as Bishops and Doctors thereof, were acquainted with it, or Professors of it: I have carefully read over all the works and writings which be to be had, of Dyonisius the Areopagite Scholar to Saint Paul, Saint Ignatius, Saint Polycarpus, Saint Clement, Martialis living in the Apostles time, Saint justine, Origen, Saint Basill, Saint Athanasius, Saint Gregory Nazianzen, Saint Gregory Nissen, Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Irenaeus, Saint Cyprian, Fulgentius, Pamphilus the Martyr, Palladius, Theodoretus, Ruffinus, Socrates, Sozomenus, Euagrius, Cassianus, Lactantius Firmianus, Vincentius Lyrenensis, the most famous and learned Fathers of those uncorrupted ages, all the works of all these I have read and examined, and conferred them with Saint Augustine, Saint Hierome, Saint Ambrose, Saint Leo, Papias the scholar of Saint john the Evangelist, Theophilact, Tertullian, Eusebius Cesariensis, Prudentius, and others, most excellent Divines, living when all Protestants agree, true faith was universally preached, and believed. And yet I take God, and the whole Court of Heaven to witness, before whom I must render an account of this protestation, my belief, and all my actions (my constant writing in defence of this Faith, myself voluntarily in disgrace and persecution professing it, will be my warrant of sincerity.) That the same Faith and Religion which I defend, is taught and confirmed by those holy Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, those Historians, Popes, Decrees, Scholies and Expositions, Counsels, Schools, and Fathers, and the profession of Protestants, and all other Sects by the same condemned. I have examined, and with diligent advise read over many Books and Writings of the best learned Protestants (the Work to which this Epistle is a Preamble will be my witness,) and not any that ever came to my hands, containeth any argument or reason, in my judgement, worthy, or able to withdraw a reasonable and indifferent mind, not blinded with pleasure, or seduced by affection, from embracing that Catholic Faith which I defend; or that can establish or prove any other Religion to be true. That I should not be able to judge what maketh for us, what against us, I hope no man will challenge me of so great ignorance. That I would willingly err and persist in error, (if my religion were error) to follow a profession so austere and rigorous to sensual appetite, and desire, if it be compared to Protestant doctrine, and obstinately heap disgrace and affliction upon myself, to profess it, when by reforming my opinion or conscience to the contrary, I might both avoid the penitential life of Catholic profession, and the perils and penalties which the Parliaments of Protestants have imposed upon us, and enjoy the liberties and delights which protestancy yieldeth, and the preferrements wherewith their Scholars are rewarded. I am out of doubt no Reader can be so partial and unequal judge against me, or any one of so many English Catholic Students, which are in the same case, and defend the same cause.   

SECT. XII. The Conclusion: how dishonourable and unreasonable it is, to persist in protestancy: how honourable to grant a Reformation.  
WHerefore (noble patrons) seeing so many worlds of witnesses give evidence against the profession of Protestants, and every age, time, place, person, and thing of worthy and credible authority, yield testimony to my defence, I will recomfort myself, that by your gracious and just protection, no man will be so wilful to impugn that which God, and all reasonable creatures, and reason, have always, and by all means propugned. I know your Honours are wise, and I trust no man will so much condemn himself, in obstinacy, to be of Luther's mind, (and if he be not, he cannot be a Protestant) which although he evidently perceived in his own judgement, and manifestly confessed in his own writings, the whole christian world, all times, places, persons, and Authorities to be against him, yet he obstinately proceeded in his singularity. The words of that graceless Luther are these: 
Luther. tom. 2. Germ. jentac. fol. 9 & Praefat. l. de abrog. miss.  How often hath my heart panted, and reprehended me, and objected against me? What? art thou only wise? can it be credible, that all others do err, and have erred so long a time? Have all Generations so often ever been deceived? What if thou dost err, and bring so many into error, that shall be damned for ever? 
Luther. in colloq. mensal. fol. 10. & praefat. sup.  Art thou only he which hath the true pure word of God? Hath no man in the world the same, but thou? That which the Church of Christ hath hitherto defined, and so many years observed as good, dost thou overthrow it, as though it were evil, and so dost dissipate by thy doctrine, both Ecclesiastical and Civil Commonweals? Thus, in those, and other places, his own conscience and judgement did accuse and condemn him, of singular obstinate rebellion, and disobedience, to the Church of God, as appeareth, and he further declareth in these words: 
Luther. tom. 1. Germ. ●entac. fol. 4 colloq. mensal. fol. 158. & 273.  I never put those thoughts and cogitations forth of my mind, that is, that this work and business (he meaneth his Apostasy) had never been begun by me: For, what a great multitude of men have I seduced by my Doctrine? I never had a greater and more grievous temptation, than for my preaching, because I thought with myself, thou hast stirred up all this tumult, in which temptation oftentimes, I have been drowned even to Hell itself. Thus, his conscience, so long as he had any, condemned him; thus, he repented his disobedience, and said, that he hoped, 
Luther. in Praefat. in tom. 1. Germ. jentacul.  the Books which he had written would be burnt, and infect no more. But when the bridle of Obedience was altogether broken, his Conscience extinguished, and plumes of pride and sensuality had mounted him so high, and carried him so far, he behaved himself in his spiritual apostasy, as by the testimony of Suetonius, 
Sueton. in vita jul. Caesar.  julius Caesar did in his temporal rebellion against the Roman state; which in the beginning, doubted whether he should go forward, or no; but when he had cast off shame, broke out into this speech, jacta est alea; My chance is thrown, the matter is gone so far, that I can not retire, therefore I must go forward, howsoever it falleth out. Even so Luther (as you have heard) did in the beginning; but when shipwreck was made of all shamefastness, he uttered his desperate and unreasonable resolution of obstinate perseverance in these terms; Because I have entered into this cause, 
Luther. in colloq. mental. fol. 241. to. 5. germ. fo. 141  now I must look unto it, and of necessity say, It is just. If you ask a reason, Doctor Martin Luther will have it so. Sic volo, sic jubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas; So I will, so I command, let my pleasure stand for a reason: for we will not be Scholars, but Masters and judges of Papists, yea we will once (Proteruire & insultare) be malapert and insult over them. I Doctor Martin Luther, an unworthy Evangelist of our Lord jesus Christ, do say and affirm this Article (faith alone without works doth justify before God) the Roman Emperor shall suffer it to stand and remain, the Emperor of the Turks, the Emperor of the Tartars, the Emperor of the Persians, the Pope of Rome, the Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, monks, Nuns, Princes, Lords, the whole world, with all devils, and they shall further have hell fire over their heads, and I will give them no thanks for their pains: let this be my instinct from the holy ghost, of Doctor Luther, and my true and holy Gospel. This (right Honourable) was the spirit and ground, whereupon you see protestancy was first founded, by this it was builded, by this it was and is continued. 
Eccles, c. 10. c. 1  As the Scripture witnesseth, Pride, Wine, and Women are the originals of Apostasy; and so it was in Luther, so it was in all these Authors of this innovation. If Pride had not been, they had kept their vow of obedience: If wine, delicacies, and riches had not borne a sway, they had continued their vow of poverty: if women, wantonness, and carnal pleasures had not carried them away, their vow of chastity had not been broken, protestancy founded upon those three pillars, had not been known; true Religion had not been forsaken. And yet experience hath proved, that all the pride and glory of the world, all the riches, pomps, pleasures and sensible delights, that have moved carnal men, to oppose themselves against it, cannot overthrow it, but Truth is stronger than all: and the Problem which the nobles of Darius put under the pillow of their Prince, 
L. 3. Esdr. c. 3.  to be disputed and argued, when he should awake, is performed, Wine is strong, the King is stronger, Women are stronger: above all things Truth doth overcome. For, whatsoever pleasures, riotous and banqueting delights, honour, ambition, preferrment, or the power, potency of King or Potentate could ever do, or wantonness, and carnal solace, or any thing else King or Queen, man or woman could hitherto effect, or bring to pass; the verity of this Religion, and only of this, hath still prevailed. My Honourable Patrons, let this Schedule and Conclusion of the Persian Nobles, be put under the pillow of our Princess; 
Stowe in Comp. hist. in aetat. Reg. Angl. Graft hist. Tom. Concil. Stat. parl. Reg. Angl. Resol. Relig. part 2. per mult. arg.  if she sleep and slumber too long, (she is the oldest Prince since the Conquest) awake her forth of dream, and let this question of Religion be now at last disputed in her time; let equal audience be had, the whole Christian world twenty times in Gennerall Councils hath given sentence for us, many thousands of Provincial Councils have pronounced judgement, that our cause is right, all Christian Kings of England, and other Nations in their Laws and Parliaments have ratified it to be just, all Popes, Fathers, Schools, Universities, Colleges of all ages have pronounced their opinion on our side, all Arguments human and divine, 
Bernard. Lut●. Catalogue. haeret.  miraculous and ordinary; yea all former Heretics four hundred in number, all differing from Protestants, in all, or most matters, wherein they disagree from us, have approved it, and all these condemned Protestants Religion. 
Salu. conduct. fact. protest. in Concil. Trident. Fox tom. 2. mo●. in Cranm. Lati●.  We have offered them all trials, given them as great security and safe conduct, as Popes, Emperors, and Kings could give, to come to disputation: their own Schools condemned them, and if clapping hands, hissings, and exclamations, in place of disputation, be arguments of condemnation. Fox himself beareth me witness, that their prime Protestants, archbishop Cranmer, and Bishop Latimer, their principal Disputants, were thus exploded and condemned in Oxford. We never had so much as a piece of promise of our Princess, for any equality of Disputation: what that in the time of her first Parliament was, our Protestant Chronicles will tell, and many remember, to their little glory. What the latter in the Tower was, no man is ignorant how much it did disgrace them. No law of God, of Nature, of any Nation, doth, or can judge, convict, and condemn the vilest Subject in the meanest matter, if he be absent, but where by contempt he refuseth trial. The Question whereof we contend, is the greatest, the means we have made for audience, be all that can be deui●, those that have sought it, are not to be contemned, the judgements that have been pronounced for us, be innumerable, and of highest authority, if ever any was given against us, you see how unequal and unjust it was: and yet I offer to prove that no Law or Parliament of England hath or can condemn us, even by her majesties proceedings.  
Then my Lords and patrons, as you are wise, you know what to do, as you are gracious with our Queen, in whose hands the redress of this matter lieth, as you are masters of yourselves, potent and beloved with the Nobles, and powerable with all her people, you are able to perform what is to be done; as you are merciful, you must take compassion; as justice belongeth to your place, you can not make denial. The matter itself, all circumstances of persons, places, and time, bid me be secure, you will hear my petition. The matter is, the cause of God, and his highest reverence: your Honourable persons may not be unmerciful, the persons of our greatest persecutors be impious, the persons of us your poor suppliants are your most dutiful, religious, and unjustly afflicted Countrymen, of your flesh and blood; for place, of that nation whereof you be chief members, and we little limbs, to deny influence unto us, is to bereave yourselves of life, being of the same body: If I will plead by time, as Daniel did, 
Dan. c. 9.2. Esa. 1 jerem. 25.29. Stowe histor. in Herald 8. parl. H. 8. Leuit. c. 25.27. Numer. 36. Ios. 6.  we have suffered a long persecution, as he disputed with God, concerning his promise of Redemption of the captives of Israel, Septuagesimus iam annus est, it is (or almost is) the seaventieth year of our desolation, since King Henry the eight began to impose this heavy burden upon us. The time biddeth me go forward, for the year of jubilee centesimus annus is begun, when all exiles were to return, old privileges to be enjoyed, all favours and graces to be granted. This is the time when all christian Countries in the world, but we, and such as depend of us, are at peace among themselves. Your Honours know better than I can inform, 
Articul. & Could. pacis 1598. proaem articul. artic. 1, 2, 3. ait. 31.32.  what a general amity and friendship Clement the eight POPE that now is, hath concluded among them, wherein are comprehended the POPE himself, the Emperor, Electors, all Kings, Princes, Dukes, Commonweals, States, Rulers and Regiments of the Popedom, Empire, Bohemia, Spain, France, Germany, Polland, Sweede, Scotland, Denmark, Venice, Lorraine, Thuscane, Genoa, Luca, Parma, pleasance, Austria, Mantua, Urbine, Salamoneta, Monaco, Final, Massa, Plombin, Sola, Carolino, Palatine, Brandenburge, Wittenbergh, Hessen, Hamsbach, East Freesland, Cantons of Switzerland and many others. Noble patrons, your office is to seek for peace, and maintain it, the estate of our Princes, and all her people is to wish it, that favour I entreat, is the way to perfect peace, to peace with heaven, to peace with earth, with all others, with ourselves. All things desire peace, and seek for rest, and your wisdoms are not, will not, cannot be against it. And to know the way of peace, there is a ground in Arts, upon which all knowledge is grounded; Quae conveniunt unitertio, conveniunt inter se, etc. Those things that agree in a third thing, agree among themselves, and such as disagree in a third, disagree among themselves. For if things agree, they must needs agree in something, if they agree not in that wherein they should agree, of necessity they must be at variance; and at greater difference, by how much their difference is greater, in that wherein they should consent; this is evident in all communities and agreements. That which maketh peace and unity with God and man, is true Religion, that bindeth them together. That which uniteth Christians, is the one certain rule and promulgation of that faith; that which concordeth man with himself, and the inferior appetites to reason, is the grace which that Religion giveth, and by how much we differ most in these things, by so much our disagreement with God, with men, with ourselves is greater. The Kingdoms, and Countries, Kings and Rulers of Spain, France, Italy, Polonia, Suevia, Transiluania, Bohemia, Austria, Bavaria, Savoy, Lorraine, Brittany, Burgundy, and other Countries agree in these things, and they are at perfect unity and peace; and until they did agree therein, they were not. And all other Countries and Kingdoms agree more or less, as they agree herein; there is no Religion wherein England can agree with any, because the Religion thereof is different from all; neither can any two Protestant Nations have this peace together, because no two of them be of one Religion. If we will agree in this point with Catholic Nations, we shall agree with God, because true Religion is our union with him, we shall agree with Angels, for the same is approved with them, we shall agree with all glorious souls in Heaven, for this is necessary to the communion and communication of Saints; we shall be at concord with the happy patient Christians in Purgatory, we shall have peace with ourselves, with all Catholic Christians in the world, that be, that ever were before us, or shall be after. We shall agree with all, with whom atonement must and aught to be made, and disagree with none, but with devils, damned spirits, and such as do, will, and can agree with none, and with whom no good man, in conscience, can agree in such things. And our agreement shall be perfect, indssoluble, general, and for ever, because the e●fect and union of Religion is not for one famili● country, city, time, and place, as the combinations and carnal unions of kindred, country and such temporal conjunctions are, but forever, and all, and so is the greatest that can be. If it be in your powers to procure this atonement, if you perform it, you shall effect the most honourable and renowned thing our age hath seen, and they which so much desire it, and justly deserve it, will not, can not be ungrateful in their lives and words, and in their writings, will make you honourable to all posterities. If you can perform it, and neglect it, although you be no formal persecutors, yet because you suffer others to do it, and leave it in their power, when you may amend it, you will be in the degree of dishonour both with God and man, as those enemies which I remembered before, and except you recall your minds, like to taste of the same vengeance they have done; it is the cause of God, which is powerable to punish, that is, just, and will take revengement. What is best to be done, your Honours know, and no man can be ignorant; what you will do, I commit to your honourable and prudent consideration, and your Honours to God's protection. And crave leave to give my lawful charge upon these impious and irreligious enemies of Christ, and rebellious traitors to his holy Catholic Church, and ever-during Inheritance. 25. Mar. 1601.  
Your Honour's poor afflicted Catholic Countryman. R. B.    


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At antwerp Printed by Arnold Coninx 1601.