Defense of the Watch-Word Against the Ward-Word, Part 5
Resistance to the fift Encounter, concerning the Iesuites.
THe sundrie occurrents in his last Encounter about Bishop Gardiner and Cardinall Allen, The grouud of this Encounter.did draw from mee moe lines, then either at the first entrie I purposed, or these two worthie Prelates were worthie of: Now for the ground and foundation of his long and tedious prattle in this fift Encounter, he saith he will set downe my accusation in mine own words which are these that ensue. I doe not heare that the Popes holines is so purged from ambition, or so reconciled to Religion, as he meaneth not to continue his clayme for the Supremacie, or will cease to settle the dregs of his poysonfull and superstitious doctrine amongst vsus. I cannot perceiue that the thirst of Parsons and his Pew-fellowes is yet quenched, for seeking the bloud of our deare Soueraigne, and in her the destruction of vsus all, the cause remaining still, for which heretofore they hauehave sought it, &c.
And here first like a right Hicke-scorner (as in deed scorning and rayling are the flowers wherewith hee doth garnish all his speech) hee noteth the fond and ridiculous manner of my fantasticall writing (as it is his pleasure to censure it) and because his note, if it were not worth noting, men would thinke it worth nothing: therefore hee also painteth his margent therewith, that ye might not faile to remember it, in these words [Sir Francis ridiculous.] Festus called Paul a madde man, who yet spake the words of truth and sobernes, the madnes was in Festus himselfe: euen so (gentle Sir) I doubt not, but to sober men I shall appeare to write soberlie, howsoeuer you iudge me ridiculous, and the follie shall rest in your owne bosome. And therefore I say againe, that I doe not heare, (nay more then that, I doubt I shall neuer heare) that the Popes holines is so purged from ambition,The Pope will not disclaime his title of vsurped Supremacie. or so reconciled to true Religion, &c. or that the thirst of Parsons and his Pew-fellowes is yet quenched, for seeking the blood of our deere Soueraigne, &c. And in the first you giuegive me a good satisfaction, for you assure me, that your holy Pope will neuer leaue his claime for Ecclesiasticall Supremacy; because when he doth that, he must leaue to be Pope. In this I easilie beleeue you, and for this I will neuer put you to your oath, for it is hard for the Pope to cease to vsurpe other mens rights: but if you should take a solemne oath vponupon your holie Masse booke, that your Popes Popedome or Supremacie was ordained by our Sauiour; I could not beleeue you. Therefore looke not that your bare word shall goe for a currant proofe with mee in this behalfe, seeing you hauehave no one title of the word of God to warrant it, it being manifestlie to be proued thereby, that he is wholie opposite to Christ, both in faith, manners, and gouernment, which long challenge of his, and leane proofe of yours, is largelie confuted, and ouerthrowne by sundrie learned.
The Pope will be no Protestant, but may be an heretike.Neither is it like (you say) that he will be so purged to become a Protestant: and I confesse this is rather to be wished, then hoped for; but if your reason be, for that the Pope cannot erre in doctrine, or become an heretike (such as you mistake Protestants to bee) your error is great in the Popes prerogatiue… wherein not onelyonly your owne friends, will bee your enemies: but the examples of sundrie Popes which fell into heresie will disproue you. For Marcellinus fell not onelie into heresie,Marcellinus. but into Idolatrie, for he sacrificed to Idols: Honorius held & taught the heresie of the Monothelites, and was therefore accursed by the sixt generall Councell, Honorio haeretico Anathema; Cursed be Honorius the heretike:Honorius. Liberius became an Arrian heretike:Liberius. Stephen fell into the error of the Donatists: Stephanus.and to be short, Iohn the 22.Iohan. 22. did so notoriouslie erre about the state of the Soules after death, that his error was by the Diuines of Paris, with sound of Trumpets openlie condemned, in the presence of the King himselfe, who beleeued rather the Parisien Diuines in that point, then the Court of Rome. I would they were not so prone to heresie, nay authors of heresie, but that they would returne from whence they are fallen, that is, to that truth of Christian Religion which we professe, which also many Bishops of Rome for the space of some hundreths of yeares after Christ, religiouslie professed. But though you thinke the Iesuites much honoured by mee, in that I ioyne them (as you say) in slaunder and calumniation with the Pope himselfe; yet you please not to ioyne them in defence with the Popes holines, whom for a prerogatiue you will handle by himselfe. And in deede I mislike not your method, for it were absurd to make the worke equall to the workeman, and to ioyne the Creator, and the creature together: for so a learned man writeth of the sect of the Iesuites, that it is Creatura Papae nouissima & nequissima, The last and worst creature of the Popes making.
The Iesuites.You therefore enter your plea for the Iesuites, deferring the Popes cause to the last saue one, that hee might bee accompanied with the King of Spaine following in the last: whom yet you might, if you had followed your Booke of ceremonies, hauehave sent before the Pope to leade his horse by the bridle, that the Pope in his pontificalibus might hauehave come all behinde. But your method be at your owne choice, for defence of your Iesuites you labour and sweate amaine, but it is like Sisyphus toyle;
Saxum sudans nitendo, neque proficit hilum.
In rouling vp the stone he takes great paine:
But all for naught, it tumbles downe againe.
Your tedious and irkesome prolixitie, I will recompence with all conuenient breuitie. You run a long course about the contradictors of the Iesuites, which you acknowledge to be not onelyonly those whom you account heretikes, but sundrie Pope-Catholikes, and to them you applie the saying of the Iewes against the Christians: That the sect of the Christians was eueryevery where spoken against, with a long idle discourse to the same purpose. But (Sir) all this is besides the purpose, and it is apparant that all this while you doe extra chorum saltare. If you had first by Scripture proued, and strengthned the originall of your Iesuiticall societie together with their doctrine and institute of life; these places might hauehave seemed to serue some turne: but to seeke to raise vp a building without a sure and sound foundation, is to climbe high for a certaine, and dangerous downefall. Therefore vnles you can fetch their foundation from the word of truth, these places of Scripture shall neuer be proued to concerne them any thing at all. A worthie sect it must needes be that was so lately sounded by Ignatius Loiola, a lame Souldiour, who when hee would tricke vp these Nouices (as the Beare licketh her deformed whelpes) and send them abroade into the world, offered by himselfe and his friends 3000. hoastes or propitiatorie sacrifices to God (so many horrible blasphemies against that alone true propitiatorie sacrifice of Christ Iesus, which was offered once, and onelyonly once for our sinnes) thereby to obtaine grace and fauour to his new erected societie.
Concerning the profession of these Iesuites, their doctrine, their life, name, and conuersation, what is to be obiected against them, whether they be seditious troublers of Common-wealths, and seekers of Princes deaths, I neede not say any thing, since they are by so many, so plainelie handled, and laide open, and almost all the Christian world seeth, and abhorreth their treacheries. The Sorbonists of Paris will tell you,The Sorbonists iudgement of the Iesuites. that their name is vsurped without warrant: for in deede, what presumption is it, that not being content with the auncient and honorable name of Christians, which was first giuen to the saithfull at Antioch, drawne from Christ the name of our Sauiours office, who hath made vsus Kings and Priests to God his father: they will speciallie bee called Iesuites, of Iesus, which is our Sauiours name of nature, and so (as much as in them is) diuide Iesus from Christ, or ouer presumptuouslie by a speciall priuiledge intrude vponupon that name: their profession they shew to be different from all others, consisting in practising as deepe politikes against Princes and States; their doctrine that it is lawfull in some cases for Subiects to kill their Princes,Iesuites practises. labouring by stirring vp seditions, and authorising treasons, to holde vp and strengthen the tyrannie of Spaine. This hath been by the way proued in part in my Resistance to the fourth Encounter, by the example of Cardinall Allen, who publikelie teacheth that there is no warre, whether forraine or Ciuill, so honorable, as that which is vndertaken for Religion. By whose perswasions Parrie confessed that hee was animated and encouraged to kill the Queene; as also by the cases of conscience, which the Iesuites brought with them into England, in which they teach that it is a point of faith, that if the Pope depose her Maiestie, she is no longer to bee obeyed nor acknowledge for our Queene.
Parrie hartened by Iulio Palmio a Iesuite.To which may be added, that Parrie was hartened and resolued likewise by Iulio Palmio a Iesuite, to put in execution his intended treason against her Maiestie. And besides this, Edmund Yorke, and Richard Williams (who being apprehended confessed the same) were by Iberra the King of Spaines Secretarie, hired to murther the Queene, the assignation for the payment of 40000. Crownes for the performance of this notable exploite, was deliuered (as in deposito) to one Holte a Iesuite an olde English Rebell:Yorke and Williams set on by Holte a Iesuite. Many were the conferences held about this villanie, in which Holte the Iesuite did sit in a sort as a President, or head of all these conspiracies, and did vehemently perswaded Yorke and Williams to enterprise the matter, not onelie receiuing of them both an oath to performe it, but also ministring to them the Sacrament thereupon (himselfe kissing it) and swearing to them solemnly for the assurance of their reward; shewing also to them the bill of assignation signed with the King of Spaine his Secretaries hand for the more assurance of the payment. Yea further, that the insatiable thirst in this Iesuite after her Maiesties bloud, may be more manifest; he tolde Yorke, that seeing the English had often failed to perfourme this enterprise, if now it should not be perfourmed by Yorke and his Companie, he would afterwards imploie Strangers in it: Which in deede before this he attempted, by perswading one Patricke Cullin an Irishman, Patricke Cullen.and a Pencioner of the King of Spaine, to come secretly into England to kill her Maiestie, and being his ghostlie Father gaue him absolution to this purpose: which Cullin being at his comming apprehended, and examined, confessed the whole, and was accordinglie condemned and executed. Whether Doctor Guifford be a Father amongst the Iesuites,Sauage perswaded by D. Guifford. or a simple Priest I cannot affirme; sure it is by Sauage his owne confession, that hee perswaded this Sauage to vndertake that most barbarous and sauage acte of shedding the innocent bloud of our gracious Soueraigne. The famous Iesuite Posseuine exhorteth the Souldiours of Pius Quintus, Posseuine.sent into France against those of the Religion, that it is their dutie to kill all Protestants, otherwise they breake their faith, and lose their saluation.
And to leaue forraine matters, and to ende with our owne (because to prosecute all particulars in this kinde were infinite) Wal-poole a Iesuite did by oath latelie binde Squyre, Stanley, Wal-poole.and others, either by poyson or stabbing to kill her Maiestie: By which and sundrie other examples it is euident, that this Iesuiticall broode is of Caines humour, who had a bloudie heart and hand to shed his brothers bloud, and that they follow, nay runne farre before Chore in conspiracie:France iudged the Iesuites. For farther insight into this new foundation, I referre the Reader at his leasure to the Bishop of Winchesters booke before named, to Doctor Humfreyes Iesuitismus, to Kemnicius, &c. The profession, practise, and vertues of this sect was so fully sifted, and tried by the Catholikes of France (that it may not be thought to be done by enemies) that the vniuersity of Paris wholy opposed it selfe against them, and by the mouth of their aduocate, pronounced thē worthy of Banishment; and after that, vponupon farther search into them, the Parliament of Paris by a publike decree condemned them and cast them out of the whole Kingdome of France into perpetuall Banishment. A worthy example of the wise and politike Kingdome of France, to try out their treacheries, which I wish all Christian Kingdomes would follow, that so all Iesuites might be perpetually banished, into Terra Virginea, or Terra Florida (with which this fellow in the entrie of his libell disporteth himselfe) from whence no daunger of them might redound to any Christian Monarch.
The chiefe vow of Iesuits.Whereto the consideration of the principall vow of this new-found sect might serue to perswade. Their principall vow is (as a Catholike Frenchman setteth it downe) to obey their generall or superiour, who is alwaies a Spaniard, or one of the King of Spaynes Dominions) the words of which vow are set downe to be these. That in him they must acknowledge Christ to be present (as it were,) and if Iesus Christ should commaund to goe kill, they must doe so. In which vow to omit the intollerable blasphemie, that they make a sinfull man equall with God: for Gods will is the Rule of Iustice, and God doth not commaund things, because in themselues they are good; but they are therefore good and lawfull, because he commaundeth them; so that if God commaund Abraham to kill his owne sonne, he must yeeld simplie obedience, and be content to doe so:Sacriledge to vow simple obedience to man. but it is high sacriledge for any man to vsurpe this piuiledge of God; all men may and oftentimes doe erre. So that we may not thinke any thing lawfull to be done, because our superiours commaund it, but we must examine all their commaundements whether they be consonant to the reuealed will of God, which is the Rule to trie right and wrong, good and euill. Cicero an heathen man, and ledde onelyonly by the light of nature, condemneth as most wicked the resolution of Blasius, who professed that he so highly esteemed Gracchus, that he held himselfe bound to doe whatsoeuer he badde him, who being asked (as before is noted) whether if he should bidde him set the Capitole on fire? answered he would neuer bid me do so, but if he would, I would hauehave done it. But (I say) to omit this blasphemie, is it obscure by the example set downe in this vow,The scope of their vow. (if Iesus Christ should commaund to go kill, they must doe so) whereto this sect tendeth? If Christ commaund to kill, we must doe so; they must acknowledge Christ to be present in their superiours, and yeeld obedience to them as to Christ: If then the superiours please for the enlarging of the Spaniards territories, or for other reasons pleasing themselues, to commaund to kill, where is the safetie of Princes liues? The Iesuites are sworne men to stirre Rebellion, yea and to execute murther vponupon Princes, if their superiours bid them: Is not the Princes safetie made to hang vponupon the slender twine-threed of the fauour, and good liking of the superiours of this sect? And do not the Punies teach to our English Papists for a point of faith, in their cases of Conscience, that the Queene is no longer to be obeied as our lawfull Soueraigne if the Pope depose her?
The conclusion.Therefore leauing your Iesuites branded with Cains bloudie worke, which is proued (not by my words) but by their owne, out of their speciall vow, and by their many bloudie practises: I wish that as England breedeth no Wolues, and Ireland will beare no Snakes & venemous Serpents; so these two kingdomes may neuer harbor, or foster Iesuites: who pretend the sweet name of Iesus, and come in sheeps cloathing; but inwardlie are rauening wolues, and as serpents doe hisse into the eares of Subiectes sedition and rebellion against their lawfull Soueraignes. As for Parsons, because I obiected not against him any speciall, or personall matter, but the generall imputation of English Iesuites, I will in that generall conclude him, without spending any more words about his person.