The Brutish Thunderbolt, To the reader – Declaration
To the Reader.
CHriſtian Reader, my onelyonly drift and purpoſe in tranſlating this Treatiſe, was, to acquaint my countriemen, who are not skilfull in the Latine toong, with ſuch papall practiſes as are heerin deſcribed. The title wherof being in the Latin copie, BRVTVM FVLMEN, I was firſt of opinion that I might well engliſh it, THE BRVTISH THVNDERBOLT. But when I remembred with my ſelfe that words are no otherwiſe currant than as they are allowed by vſe; and the philoſopher giueth good aduiſe when he ſaith, Loquendum Arist. Top. 2.cum vulgo, ſentiendum cum ſapientibus: Our ſpeech muſt be ſuch as is commonly vſed, howſoeuer our thoughts be the thoughts of the wiſer ſort; and it hath not bin lawfull for the emperors themſelues to giuegive as it were freedome of citie to words in Rome, when they might enfranchiſe what perſons they liſted without controlement: I would not aduenture to be the firſt coiner of ſo ſtrange a terme (ſtrange indeed in reſpect of that ſenſe to which it was to be applied) without better warrant, than I hauehave anie; and therefore I hauehave expreſſed the authors meaning in ſome other maner, thus, THE FEEBLE FIER-FLASH that is *Bruta fulmina & vana, vt quae nulla veniant ratione naturae. Plin. lib. 2. cap. 43.dull of force, vaine, and whereof no ſufficient cauſe can be giuen in reaſon. For ſuch now a daies (who knoweth not?) are thoſe ordinarie anathematicall lightenings that breake foorth from the ſee of Rome, as the Poet in his Aeneis attributeth to king Salmoneus, Virgil. Aeneid. 6.which may happely amaze and ſeduce the harts of them that hauehave bin all their liues long nooſled vp in ſuperſtition & error: but as manie as God hath enabled by his grace to trie ſpirits, they make no more reckoning of ſuch fooliſh flames, than they that walke in the night do account of that fire which is commonly called Ignis fatuus, by which no wiſe man would ſuffer himſelfe to be miſled. For the reſt: I ſubmit all my trauell to thy gentle and curteous inte…pre…on. I hauehave done what I might, ſeeing what I would, I could not, by reaſon of ſicknes … vponupon me. In which reſpect, I ſhall the … pardon for thoſe ſundrie ouerſights which hauehave eſcaped me, for want of ſufficient conference with my friends. OnelyOnly I praie thee, let not the tedious narrations of Dominick and Francis ſetdowne almoſt in the firſt entrance, keepe thee backe from wading through the whole worke. No doubt, but the author himſelfe was halfe aſhamed to make recitall of ſuch groſſe ſtuffe, and abſurd follies, ſauing that he had good reaſon to do that he did, partly in reſpect of the preſent Pope, and partly bicauſe ſuch beaſtly vanities are highly eſteemed in the church of Rome. I confeſſe that the Ieſuits are not altogither ſo palpablie groſſe in outward ſhew, (howbeit, he that liſteth to take a taſte of their extreem impudencie in lying, may read *To which Melch. Canus applieth their common countrie prouerbe, De luengas vias, luengas mentiras.their letters written from Iapan, and the Indies, with many other reports ſet downe in the life of their father Ignatius Lay…, full of like vanity.) They hauehave learned to lay fairer colors on their filthie corruptions to dazell the eies of the ſimple and ignorant. But remooue thoſe colours, and they will quickly appeere to be birds of the ſame neſt. Their firſt Founder was neuer yet of greater name and fame, than Dominic & holie S. Francis. Their doctrine, vowes, rules, & profeſſion, either the ſame in ſubſtance, or not very much differing. The other had their time of floriſhing in the world, and ſo muſt theſe hauehave likewiſe, till they returne backe againe to the bottomles pit, out of the ſmoke wherof they aſcended, (Reuel. 9. 2. 3.) to giuegive place (peraduenture) to ſome other new vpſtart progenie of Locuſts, by whom the light of their credit alſo ſhal be obſcured & quite extinguiſhed. The Lord make vsus thankfull for all his mercies towards vsus, and either conuert or confound the enimies of his euerlaſting truth.
Thy brother in Christ Christoph. Fetherstone.
The bleſſings of our moſt holie Lord Pope Sixtus the fift, againſt the King of Nauarre, and the Prince of Condie.
Pag. 2.
We exerciſe the weapons of our warfare against two ſonnes of wrath, Henrie Borbon ſometimes King of Nauarre, and alſo against Henrie Borbon ſometimes Prince of Condie. The former hauing from his youth followed hereſies, hath ſtood ſtubbornely in defence therof.
Pag. 4.
The ſame lieng wallowing in filth, being the head, captaine, and patrone of heretiks and rebels, hath borne weapon against his most Chriſtian king, against him and the rest of the catholiks: he hath with violence inforced his ſubiects to become partners in his impietie: he hath cauſed conuenticles of heretiks to be kept.
Pag. 6.
The Prince of Condie hauing two heretiks for his parents, hauing followed the hereſies of his father and mother, entring the way of his father being a most wicked perſecutor of the catholike church, ſhewed himſelfe an author of ciuil war and ſedition, he vſed alkind of fiercenes and crueltie: being the detestable and degenerate iſſue of the houſe of Borbon.
Pag. 8.
We pronounce them to be heretiks, relapſed into hereſies, to be impenitent, captains and fauorers of heretiks, & guiltie of treaſon against God, and alſo to be enimies to the Christian faith, that they are depriued and put from, the former of and from the kingdome of Nauarre, that the other, and the posteritie of either of them are depriued of all principalities, dukedoms, lordſhips, and fees, honors and princelie offices: that they were and are vnfit and vncapable to retaine the ſame.
In the ſame Page.
And in like ſort that they are depriued, vncapable, vnfit to ſucceed in dukedoms, principalities, and kingdoms, and ſpecially in the kingdome of France: and moreouer and beſides of that high authoritie we hauehave, we do depriue them and their posteritie for euer, and we make them vnable to ſucceede in dukedoms, principalities, lordſhips, and kingdoms, & namely, in the kingdome of France.
Pag. 9.
We abſolue & ſet free the Nobles, feodaries, vaſſals, and al other which by any maner means are ſworne to them, from all ſuch oth, and dutie of faith and alleageance: we forbid them that they preſume not to obeie them.
In the ſame Page.
We admoniſh and exhort the most Chriſtian king of France, that he be diligent in executing our ſentence. Giuen at Rome the fift of the Ides of Septemb. Anno 1585.
Pſalm. 109.
O Lord, they ſhall curſe, and thou wilt bleſſe: thoſe which ſhall riſe againſt me ſhall bee confounded, but thy ſeruant ſhall reioice.