A View of the Romish Hydra, Title page – Dedication
A VIEW OF THE ROMISH HYDRA AND MONSTER, TRAISON, AGAINST THE LORDS ANNOINTED: CONDEMNED BY DAVID, 1. SAM. 26. AND NOWE CONFVTED IN SEVEN SERMONS:
To perſwade Obedience to Princes, Concord among our ſelues, and a generall Reformation and Repentaunce in all ſtates: By L. H.
Pſal. 11
Behold the wicked bend their bowe, they hauehave made readie their arrowes vponupon the ſtring, to ſhoot in the darcke at thoſe, that are righteous in heart.
Pſal. 5
Deſtroy them O God, let them fal from their Counſels, caſt them out for the multitude of their iniquities: becauſe they hauehave Rebelled againſt thee.
AT OXFORD. Printed by IOSEPH BARNES, and are to be ſolde in Paules Church-yearde at the ſigne of the Tygers head, 1588.
The Dialogue, and talk of Dauid and Abiſhai touching King Saul, whether he being caſt into a dead ſleepe ſhoul… be killed or no? taken out of the firſt booke of Samuel and 26. Chapter.
8 Then ſaid Abiſhai to Dauid, God hath cloſed thine enemy into thine hande this daie: nowe therefore, I pray thee, let mee ſmite him once with à ſpeare to the earth, and I will not ſmite him againe.
9 And Dauid ſaid to Abiſhai, Deſtroy him not: for who can lay his hand on the Lords annointed, and be guiltleſſe?
10 Moreouer Dauid ſaid, As the Lord liueth, either the Lord ſhal ſmite him, or his day ſhal come to dy, or hee ſhall deſcend into battle and periſh.
11 The Lord keepe me from laying mine hand vppon the Lordes annointed: but, I pray thee, take now the ſpeare that is at his head, and the pot of water, and let vsus goe hence.
12 So Dauid tooke the ſpeare and the pot of water from Sauls head, and they gate them awaie, and no man ſaw it, nor marked it, neither did any awake, but they were al aſleepe… for the Lord had ſent a dead ſleepe vponupon them.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, THE LORD ROBERT DVDLEY, EARLE OF LEICESTER, BARON OF DENBIGH, KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER, OF HER MAIESTIIS moſt Honorable priuy Counſaile, & Chauncelour of the Vniuerſitie of Oxford: LAVRENCE HVMPHREY WISHETH GRACE, PEACE, AND MERCY FROM GOD THE FATHER & OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST.
THERE are, Right honorable, as farre as I can iudge,Two perilous poin… of popery. in the Romiſh Religion two principall parts, and peremptorie pointes, corrupt Opinions, and outragious Actiōs: both drawen and borrowed from our common Aduerſary: who one way ſoweth, in darkens and in the night, among the wheat of gods word, the cockle & darnel of pernicious doctrine: the other way he murdreth them from the beginning,Iohn 8. 1. Pet. 5. and roareth like a Lyon, and in his continuall and cruell circuite ſeeketh whom he may deuour: euerie way hunteth after blood, and our deſtruction ſpiritual and corporal. As Chriſt is humble and meek: as the cogniſaunce of Chriſtians is louelove: ſo the badge of Antichriſt is bloody, ful of cruelty, voide of charity.
To paſſe ouer the corruptions of doctrin, This ſecond Monſter of Rome, Hydra of Rome hath many headsthis Hydra is of many heades: Theſe Actions of Popes are diuerſe, both here ſeen and felt, and vnderſtood abroad, and eueryevery where practiſed. As Aſhur was Gods rod, and Ʋeſpaſian his ſeruāt againſt the Iews: ſo this reputed Vicar of Chriſt, hath been the whippe of Princes, the ſcourge of all Chriſtendome. By his opinion in Maſſe, he hath learned to offer an vnbloody ſacrifice: In his Actions, he is Pilat mingling ſacrifices with mans blood.Lu…. 13. By his opinion hee is guilty of that which is written:Pſal. 144. His mouth speaketh lies: In his actions, of that which followeth, His right hande is the right hand of iniquity. But ô that al Princes were of King Dauids mind, not to meddle, nor to communicate with ſuch bloody ſacrifices,Pſal. …. nor to hauehave theſe falſe cruel gods names in their lips.
Although your Lordſhippe knoweth his dooings in this realme better then I can deliuer: yet I purpoſe, by your good leaue and licence, to ſet down the proceedings of this Hydra, and his actions by degrees and ſteps for ſome Inſtruction, and a Caueat to my countrymen.
The firſt Act and head.The firſt head of this Romiſh Monſter is a Temporal ſword, open defiaunce againſt kings and kingdomes, miſliked by him: He wil be not onelyonly a Biſhop of Biſhops, but a king, nay a Conquerour of kings: Hee hath in his hande the wheele of fortune to make kings goe vp, and goe downe, according to his pleaſure, in driuing & guiding the chariot, and maketh them thus to ſay: Regno, regnabo, regnaui, ſum ſine regno. One ſaith: I doe raigne, another: I wil raigne, another: I hauehave raigned, another: I am put from my raigne. He maketh Apollo to giuegive ouer the chariot of the Sunne, and to reſigne it to any rechles & raſh Phaeton, though he ſet on fier heauen and earth. Hee wil win the horſe, or looſe both horſe and ſaddle. He can be content that Dauid or any other godly Prince bee vnhorſed, and vnſeated: and that wanton and rebellious Abſalom bee placed and ſetled. This bloodie action of warring is performed ſometime in their owne perſon: as Iulius the ſecond that fought againſt the French with Paules ſword, and others both Popes and Cardinals may bee witneſſes: ſometime by inciting, and ſetting on other Princes againſt a Realme or Seignory. As Pippin & Charles were imploied againſt the Lombardians by the commaundement of Adrian: Cau. 23. q. 8And Gregory the great willeth the Tuſcans to doe the like.Thom. walſing. in Ed…ar: 1. Boniface by letters ſollicited the King of England againſt the French King, and promiſeth aide. And another time Kings of Fraunce are ſet vp againſt England. Al theſe experimentes fal out in our time by a Catholick cōſent in the councel of Trent: that all Catholicke Princes ſhould prepare againſt England, and others of the reformed religion. This cannot be good: for euen the Pope himſelfe ſaith that it is not good.Cau. 23 q. 8 …. Tim. 2. Pope Nicolas ſaith to Charles the Emperour: No man that is a ſouldior to God entangleth himſelfe with ſecular buſineſſe. And if the ſouldiours of the woorlde apply themſelues to warfare, what hath the Biſhoppes and ſouldiours of Chriſt to doe, but to goe to their praiers? Quid ad Epiſcopos & milites Chriſti, niſi vt vacent orationibus?
If this head of Hydra by Gods mightie & mercifull hand bee cut off, ſo that forreiners wil not, nor cānot ſatisfie the turn, & his luſt,The 2. head a trumpet of ciuil warre beholde another head riſeth, A Proclamation of Rebellion to al Catholickes againſt their dread Soueraigne, for he will ſet all at ſix and ſeuen, and mooue eueryevery ſtone, he wil goe thorough thicke and thinne. Examples wee hauehave in England and Ireland with banners of ciuill diſſenſion diſplaied to the offence of Almighty of God, to the diſturbance of our publicke and godlie peace, & to the vtter ouerthrowe of noble families.
Yet, there is another heade ſpringing as a ſupply to the reſt, The ſpiritual ſword, Excommunication of Princes,The 3. Excōmmunication. interdictment of Realmes, condemning all that bee not at his beck to the bottomleſſe pit of hel. As Boniface the eighth excommunicated Philip King of France, becauſe he would not honor & worſhip him nor acknowledge him to be his Land Lord in the Kingdom of France. In this action, he curſeth and banneth, hee abſolueth and bleſſeth, and yet this abſolution is not woorth a ſtraw, nor his curſe more to be feared of a wiſe King, then the noiſe of a tumbrel or a rattle, as that Noble Prince of Orenge did wel account, and boldly proteſt.Jn Apolog.
Beſides theſe,4. Depoſing of Princes. another cruell Buls heade groweth out, forthwith by a Bull to depoſe, ex officio & pro imperio, a Chriſtian Prince. So it pleaſed Pope Zachary to throwe out King Childerick and Pope Gregory the fourth, King Ludowick:…ug. Steuc. contra Vall. Pope Pius the Queenes Maieſty, releaſing the people from al bands of loyalty and ſubiection, with a full licence of rebellion: but this was but a word, no blow.
God ſometime giueth that ſpirite to Prince and people, that theſe proceedings take no place: then an other heade ſtarteth vp,5. Priuie practiſes. Priuie murdering, authoriſed as lawefull by this Antichriſtian Prelate. Secretlie and ſubtillie this Popiſhe Hydra woorketh with poiſon, with piſtol, with gunne, with ſword, with tooles of Death, all framed in the ſhoppe of the lame Smithe Vulcan, Vaſa mor…ia.nay rather in the fornace of the Diuel, as the Maſſacres and murders of manie Honorable, & worthie men in manie places do teſtifie: In fraunce the murder of Prince of Conde, after he was taken priſoner, contrarie to the law of armes: of the Admiral Chatellion ſhot thorowe in the ſtreats and murdered in his chamber: of Dandalot: of Ramus after he had giuen a certain ſumme of crowns to ſaue his life: of Marlorate walking in his gardē: of an other preacher killed in the pulpit: In Scotlande the murder of the King: of the Lorde Iames: of the Lord Ruſſell: In the lowe cuntries the murder of the Prince of Orenge, who firſt was perſcribed, and proclaimed a Traitor and an hereticke, with this large promiſe, that whoſoeuer could bring him quicke or dead, or kill him,In …, ſe… proſcription…. ſhould hauehave fiue and twentie thouſand crowns in money or land. And if he were meanly borne he, ſhoulde be made a gentleman, and if he had committed any faulte, neuer ſo heynous, he ſhould be pardoned. Theſe be horſe-leaches that drawe bloude,Prou. 30. and hauehave neuer enough.
Al theſe actions hauehave been here attempted: in theſe ſteppes hath this Monſter walked among vsus: which all ſauour of violence, oppreſſion, murdering of the Lordes annointed, and of his Saints. The reaſon of this Action is ſet downe by Auguſt. Steuchus, Contr. La… Vall.deſcending from the roote of an erronious opinion: Contra Haereticos opus eſt fuſtibus, non Anathematis, quae contemnunt. The Hereticks contemne the Popes curſes, they muſt be beaten downe with clubbes.
To accompliſh theſe fierce,6. Heade …f craft and peri…, Original of the reſt. and forcible actions, there is ioined another craftie head of this monſter, and now lately and principally by Ieſuits, hauing Commiſſion from Rome to teach periury, and diſobedience to Princes, to promiſe faire, to performe nothing, to diſpraiſe the ſtate, to magnify the Pope, to tell the ſubiects in their eare a tale of a tub, of a Catholicke Church, and a Catholick faith, of pardons by their Agnus Dei, maſſes, Confeſſions, and of many other goodly bables, of ſaluation by their tradition, of damnation by our religion, which is nothing, but lying, cogging, and deceiuing the ſimple. This quality and counterfaite Religion hath bin told before in an exhortation to Princes: It is moſt euident, that there is no part of the Chriſtian woorlde, In faſ…ic. rer. expe…ēdar. cōtra decimas.which hath not bene craftily tempted by theſe kind of Monſters: & that many Kings and Princes hauehave been fraudulently circumuented by them. And againe: They know how to deceiue notably, to circumuent, to forſwear, to forge teſtaments, to prophane diuine and humane thinges, to make ſtrife, to trouble the quiet, to confoūd heauen with earth.
There is yet to make vp 7 deadly ſins, the ſeuenth head, a Magical head,The 7. the heade of witchcraft. woorking by witchcraft & ſorcery: for as he wil cōſecrat, ſo hee can inchaunt, as bleſſe, ſo poiſon the creatures of God for the diſpatch of Princes,Alphonſus a learned Prince. but God is aboue Belzebub. Alphonſus, whē his enemy Coſmas a Florentine ſent him for a preſent the books of Titus Liuius, and his Phiſition counſailed him not to handle them, as ſent from an enemy, for fear of poiſon or infection: Doe you not know (ſaith he) that the ſouls and liues of kings are not ſubiect to the will of priuate men,Aeneas ſylde dictis Alpho…. but ſafe and ſecure vnderunder the prouidence and carefulnes of god? Cor & corpus Regis in manu Domini: Prou. 21.The heart and the body of a king is in the hand of the Lord.
Theſe and ſuch like heady actions are in this realme continually practiſed: which may witneſſe to the world what monſtrous religion the Pope bringeth and brocheth to vsus. No maruel if the firſt part be naught, and his faith corrupt, ſith the ſecond, his fruites and actions be ſo abhominable.The Pope is like Martiall Marius. Marius the great Captaine of Rome was woont to ſaie: That he could not hear the voice of Lawes, among the peales of gunnes, the noiſe of drumſlats, and ſound of trumpets. The Pope, that is ſo buſie, ſo occupied in bloody and Martiall matters and cōſpiracies, hath no leiſure to ſtudy or hear or preach the Law of God, or to aduaunce the Goſpel of Peace in Chriſt Ieſus.
I hauehave, Right Honorable, entred into the conſideration & confutation of both theſe parts of popery in other books: but now ſeing daily the preſent & perilous practiſes of the later, both here & elſwher: ſetting aſide for the time the firſt concerning the Pope & his Ieſuitical doctrin, I hauehave lately trauailed ſomewhat in the ſecond, opening to my countrimen their frontick and bloody dealings, and calling them by al meanes of perſuaſion, as I could, to conformity and due obedience to the Prince, and to the louelove of their owne country, for the common ſafety and preſeruation of vsus all, in body and ſoul. Alas, who would hauehave thought that there ſhould hauehave beene any need to hauehave either ſpoken or written of this matter to Engliſh Subiects, liuing ſo long vnderunder a gratious, & peaceable gouernement: farre paſſing the times paſt, and the like not to be hoped for after it? Who would hauehave thought that any Engliſhe and Chriſtian man woulde hauehave once muttered or murmured againſt ſuch a Prince? for countries ſake to bee loued, for religion to be obeied, for ſundry graces and gifts to bee woondred at, for all theſe good bleſſings of God by hir to vsus, to be honored? Are there yet fooliſh frogs, begging of the Romiſh Capitoline Iupiter either a blocke to cruſh them, or a Storcke to deuoure them? Though by Gods appointment the Oliue is content to be ouer vsus with her fatnes, & the fig with her ſweeteneſſe, and the vine with her fruitfulneſſe: yet wee are not content to hauehave them, but only Rhamnus, or a bramble good for nothing but to burn and conſume vsus.Engliſh Iewes. Are there yet remaining the Offpring of Iewes, deſiring a Saul for a Samuel? Profeſſing & proteſting, Nolumus hunc regnare, We wil not hauehave him raign ouer vsus? & that cannot abide the title of Chriſts croſſe, Ieſus of Nazareth, King of Iewes? Or can there be found yet an Eſau, that will ſay in his heart,Gen. 27. The daies of mourning for my father will come ſhortlie: then wil I ſlaie my brother Iacob? I will make awaie with the mother of the Lande, and the godly brethren too? And muſt wee after the inuention, yea the fruition of wheate, and ſweet corne, returne with the old world, ad glandes, to Akornes: as in the late time of Queene Marie? The Religion publiſhed by her Maieſty offendeth them: And can this Romiſh Religion being ſo ſtained with bloode, as I hauehave declared, pleaſe them? Is there no remedy, but to turn the bleſſing of the Prophet Eſay, by a contrary Text into a curſe?Eſa…. For our gould, to receiue braſſe: For our ſiluer, iron: and for this gouernement of peace, the tyranny of Exactours and Taskmaſters?
For remedy, and ſome redreſſe againſt theſe bloud-ſuckers of Rome, The …ſſe… of the Sermons following.and our rebellious mutiners at home, I hauehave eft ſoones called to the memorie of our countrimen, their duety towards God and their Prince, and Country, and then doubtleſſe God wil be a Buckler, and ſhielde to them and to vsus all.
In this copulatiue,An exhortation to a true vnity. in this double dutifulnes towards God & the Prince, we muſt be ioined with a full conſent altogether, as one man, or as the twinnes of Hippocrates, who were ſicke together, and hadde their fits together, and recouered together, as Auſtine reciteth out of Cicero: So we, head and foote,De ciuit. Dei lib. 5. cap. 2. and al the body muſt conſent in the true worſhip and ſeruice of God: we al, high and low, with hart & hand muſt agree in this duety towarde the Prince againſt all forreine or domeſticall aduerſaries. Theſe two dueties are recommēded to vsus by Ambroſe. This becommeth Chriſtians to wiſh for the tranquillity of peace, Ambroſe Epiſt. 33.and for the conſtancy in the faith and in the truth. And in the ſame place: Rogamus, Ibidem.Auguſte, non pugnamus, We beſeech O Emperour, we fight not.
If wee deale thus duetifully towardes God, and obediently towardes our Prince, then will God mercifully and mightily defend both Prince and vsus. No diueliſh witchcraft, no Ruffians dag or dagger, no inuaſion of forreiners, no craft or art of any enemies, no nor this ſeuen-headed beaſt ſhall annoy Prince, Peare, or People. He can, he will ſend twelue legions of Angels.Matth. 26. Pohd…h. 8. Hiſt. Ang. Then ſhalbe truly verified that which long a go was prophecied: The Kingdome of Englande, ſhalbe the Kingdome of God: and that God is alone, & muſt be the Protector & King of it. If our Prince and Nobles, and Subiects wil ſincerely ſerue him: we ſhall hauehave the protection of our lord,1.5. in ora…. cont. …. Seruum Chriſti non cuſtodia Corporalis, ſed Domini prouidentia ſepire conſueuit, ſaith Ambroſe. No guard of men or bodies, but the prouidence of the Lord is the hedge and defence of the ſeruants of Chriſt. It may be for our ſinnes, that the great ſhips of Tharſhis may come:Ieſ. 2. but vppon our repētance,De …heneide ſo… Remora, Pl. l. 9. c. 2… God wil ſend Remoram euen a litle fiſhe that ſhall ſtay the ſhippes though vnderunder ſaile. It may bee, that ſome Load ſtone may drawe ſome Iron vponupon vsus, but the Lord will prepare a Diamond that ſhal with ſtand the Load-ſtone,Lib. 13. c. 4. that it ſhall not hauehave power to drawe any at all. It may be that Catiline wil make a coniuration, but god wil ſend one Cicero or other to eſpy it & ouerthrow it. Al the Traitors againſt Iulius Caeſar within three years periſhed,Sue…on in Julio Caeſare. ſom one way, ſome an other way, ſome by Iudgmēt, ſome with ſhippe wracke, ſome in battell, others with the ſame poinadoe, wherewith Caeſar was ſtricken, none of them had a naturall death. Calippus, becauſe he would ſtab in and ſticke Dion his friend, was ſtabbed, and killed with the ſame dagger himſelfe by his owne frinds. This ſhalbe the reward of al thoſe that conſpire againſt the Lordes annointed.
I hauehave troubled your honour with many words, vttering my wiſhes to my countrimen, and declaring to you the argument intreated of in theſe Sermons. I hauehave diſplaied the new Monſter lately receiued, & daily riſing and raging againſt vsus. And as in this generall diuiſion of Chriſtendom, eueryevery nation and faction prouide their Armour: And as your L. and the whole body of the right honorable Counſel make eueryevery way a politick preparation, and eueryevery man ſeeketh his piece, & his furniture: So I, hauing no weapon, but only my tongue and pen, hauehave thought good in my calling, after my weak & ſimple ſort, to fight with the helpe of them both, againſt this huge Monſter, and againſt all enimies. When I beganne firſt to expound this Text of Scripture in Ianuarie laſt, at Oxford, and proceeded in it there and in ſome places of Hamptonſhire, & ended it at London, at the Croſſe in May: I little thought of printing it: and ſo the matter out of my heade, and almoſt out of my papers, I fear my ſhort, and vnperfect notes hauehave brought foorth an vnperfect, & vntimely fruit. Howeſoeuer it is, I muſt commit it now to the world, and appeale to your Lordſhips patronage for it. I had rather offend by this temerity and negligence, than to incurre the ſuſpicion of ſilence and neutrality, knowing the danger and penalty of Solons lawe, if in this common trouble;Plutarc… Solone. and turmoile I ſhould ſhewe my ſelfe to be idle and of no part.
I am bold to offer to your Lordſhip as a poore ſcholaſticall New-yeares-gift, & as a gratulation of your proſperous returne, and as a ſmal ſignification of my bounden duty to you, my very good Lord, and a ſpeciall Patrone of our Vniuerſity, and a friend of this cauſe which Dauid began, and I hauehave rudely proſecuted and ended. The Lord Ieſus protect our noble Dauid, your honor, the honorable Counſaile, & the whole Realm, & graunt vntounto vsus all many good new-years, to his glory, and to the commodity & comfort of his Church, Amen.
Oxon. Decemb. 28.