A Looking Glass for All Lordly Prelates, Letter
The … of a certaine letter fained u…der t…e name of Lucifer Prince of darkenesse, writing to the persecuting Prelates of the Popish Clergie.
I Lucifer Prince of darkenesse and profoundThe Epifile of Lucifer, to the proud Prelates of the Popes Clergie. heauinesse, Emperor of the high Misteries of the King of Achar…nt, Captaine of the dungeon Erebus, King of hell, and controller of the infernall fire: To all our children of pride, and companions of our Kingdoome, and especially to our Princes of the Church of this latter age and time (of which our aduersarie Iesus Christ, according to the Prophet, saith: I hate the Church or congregation of the wicked) send greeting, and wish prosperity to all that obey our commandments, as also to all these that bee obedient to the Lawes of Satan alrea…y enacted, and are diligent … of our behests, andTo difference betwene the Bishops of primitive Church & of the latter Church the precepts of our decree. Know ye that in times past eertaine vica…s or vicegerents of Christ, following his steps in miracles and vertues, living and … in a beggerlie life, conuerted (in a manner) the whole world from the yoake of our tyrannie unto their doctrine and manner of life: to the great de…ision and contempt of our prison house and Kingdom…, and also to the no little prejudice and hurt of our Iurisdiction and authoritie, not fearing to hurt our fortified power, and to offend the Majestie of our estate. For then receiued we no tribute of the world, neither did the miserableHumilitie edifieth. sort of common people, rush at the gates of our deep dungeon as they were wont to doe, with continuallPride destroyeth. pealing and rapping, but then the easie, pleasant and broade way, which leadeth to death, lay still without great noise of trampling travellers, neither yet was …rod with the feet of miserable men. And when all our Courts were without suters, Hell then began to houle. And thus continuing in great heauinesse and anguish, was robbed and spoiled. Which thing considered, the impatient rage of our stomack could no longer suffer, neither the vglie rechlesse negligence of our great Captaine generall could any longer indure it. But we, seeking remedie for the time that should come after, hauehave prouided us of a very trim shift: for in stead of these Apostles and other their adherents which draw by the …ame line of theirs, as well in manners as doctrine, and are odious enemies to vsus: we have caused you to bePlacing of all mischiefe. their successors, and put you in their place, which be Prelats of the church in these latter times, by our great might & subtiltie, as Christ hath said of you: They haveThechurch never well governed since the divells …ere taken of the Churchmen. reigned, but not by me. Once we promised unto him all the Kingdomes of the world; if he would falldowne and worship us; but he would not, saying, My Kingdome is not of this world, and went his way, when the multidudewould have made him a temporal King. But to yo… truly which are fallen from the state of grace and that serve us in the earth, is that my promise fulfilled: and all terrene things by our meanes which we bestowed upon you, are under gov…rment. For he hath said of vsus ye know: The Prince of this world cometh, &c. And hath made us to reigne over all children of vnbeleese. Therefore our adversaries before recited, did patiently submit themselves unto the Princes of the world, and did teach that men, should doe so, saying: Be ye subject to every creature for Gods cause, whether it be to the King as most chiefest. And againe: Obey ye them that are made rulers over you, &c. For so their Master commaunded them saying: The Kings of the heathen, have dominion over them, &c. But I thinke it long till we have powred our poyson upon the earth, and therefore fill yourselves full. And now bee ye not vnlike those fathers, but also contrary unto them in your life and conditions, and extoll yourselves above all otherPride in Prelates noted. men. Neither doe ye give unto God that which belongeth to him, nor yet to Caesar that which is his: but exercise you the power of both the swords, accordingPopish Pre lates neither give to God no… Caesar that which belongeth to God and Caesar. to our decrees, making yourselues doers in wordly matters, fighting in our quarrell, intangled with segular labours and businesse. And clime ye by little and little frō the miserable state of povertie, unto the highest seats of all honours, and the most princely places of dignitie by your devised practises, and false and deceitfull wiles and subtiltie: that is, by hypocrisie, flatterie, lying perjurie, treasons, deceits, simonie and other greater wickednesse then which our infernall suries may dev…se.Thedouble Iurisdiction of the Popes tw… s…ords cometh of Lucifer. For after that ye have beene by us advanced thit…er where ye would be, yet that doth not suffice you, but as greedie starvelings more hungrie then ye were before, ye suppresse the poore, scratch and rake together all that comes to hand, perverting and turning every thing topsie …: so swolne, that ready ye are to burst for pride, liuing like Lechers in all corporall dilicatenesse,Dominus. Sanctus. Sanctijimus. and by fraud directing all your doings. You challenge to yourselves names of honour in the earth, calling your selves lords holie, yea and most holie fathers.
Thus, either by violence ye raven, orelse by ambition, subtillie ye pi…ter away and wrongfully wrest, and by false title possesse those goods which for the sustentation of the poore members of Christ (whom from our first …all we have hated) were bestowed and given, consuming them as ye yourselves list, and wherewithThe lasciuious and … life of the Romish Clergie. ye cherish and maintaine an innumerable sort of whores, strump…ts, and … with whom ye ride pompous…ie like mightie princes, farre otherwise going, then those poore beggerlie Preists of the primitive Church. For I would ye should build yourselves rich and gorgeous palaces: ye farelike princes, eating and drinking the most daintiest meates, and pleasantest wines that many be gotten; yee hoord and heape together an infinite deale of treasure, not like to him that said, Gold & silver have I none; yee serve & fight for us according to your wages. O most acceptable society or fellowship, promised unto us of the Prophet, and of those fathersVhe whorish latter Church of Rome. long agoe reproved: whilest that Christ called thee the Synagogue of Satan, and likened thee to the mightie whore which committed fornication with the Kings of the earth, the adultero is spouse of Christ, and of a chastPope Successor not of Simon Peter, but of Simon Magus. person made a strumpet. Thou hast left thy first love & hast cleaved unto us, O our beloved Bab…lon, O our citizens, which from the transmigration of Ierusalem come hither: we love you for your deserts, we rejoyce over you, which contemne the Lawes of Simon Peter, and imbrace the Lawes of Simon Magus our friend, and have them at your fingers ends, and exercise the same publickelyWicked & vnworthie Ministers admitted in the Popes Church Vnworthy bestowing of benefices. buying and selling spirituall things in the Church of God, and against the Commandement of God. Ye give benefices and honours by petition, or else for money, for favour, or else for filthie service. And refusing to admit those that bee worthy, to Ecclesiasticall dignity, you call unto the inheritance of Gods sanctuary, bauds, liers, flatterers, your nephewes, and your owne children, and to a childish boy, yee give many prebends, the least whereof yee deny to bestow upon a poore good man: ye esteeme the person of a man and receive gifts, yee regard money and have no regard of soules. Ye have made theExtorsion. house of God a denne of theeves. All abuse, extorsion, isPerverting of Iustice. more exercised, a hundreth fold in your judgement seats, then with any secular tyrant. Yee make lawes and keepe not the same, and dispence with your dispensations as it pleaseth you; you justifie the wicked for reward,Acception of person. and take away the just mans desert from him. And briefly, yee perpetrate or commit all kinde of mischiefe,Bribery. even as it is our will yee should. And yee take muchLove of lucre. paines for lucres sake in our service, and especially to destroy the Christian faith. For now the lay people areDstructio of true faith. almost in doubt what they may beleeve, because if ye preach any thing to them at sometimes (althouhg it be but seldome seene, and that negligently enough, even as we would hauehave it) yet notwithstanding they beleeve you not, because they see manifestly that ye doe cleane contrarie to that ye say. Wherevpon the commonThe life of Papists contrary to their teaching. people doing as ye doe, which have the goverment of them, and should be an example unto them of well doing: now many, of them leaning to your rules, dee runne headlong into a whole sea of vices: and so continually a very great multitude flocketh at the strong & well fenced gates of our dungeon. And doubtlesse, ye send us so many day by day of eueryevery sort and kind of people, that we should not be able to entertaine them, but that our insatiable (Choas with her thousand rauening jawes is sufficient to deuour an infinit number of soules. And thus the soueraigntie of our empire, by you hath beene reformed, and our intollerable losse restored.The Pope increaseth hell. Wherefore, most specially we commend you, & giuegive you most heartie thanks; exhorting all you, that in any wise ye perseuere and continue, as hitherto ye hauehave done: neither that you slacke henceforth your enterprise. For why? by your helps we purpose to bring the whole world againe under our powe… and dominion. Over and besides this, we commit unto you no small authoritie, to supplie our places in the betraying of your brethren; and we make and ordaine you our vicars, and the Ministers of Antichrist our son, now hardAntichrist at hand, for whom ye have made a very trim way and passage. Furthermore, we counsell you which occupie the higest roomes of all other, that you worke subtillie, and that ye (fainedly) procure peace between the princesThe Pope a fained procurer of peace between princes. of the world, and that ye cherish and procure secret causes of discord. And like as craftilie ye have destroyed and subuerted the Roman Empire: so suffer ye no kingdome to be ouermuch inlarged or inriched by tranquillitie and peace; lest perhaps in so great tranquillitie (al desire of peace set aside) they dispose themselues to view and eonsider your most wicked works, suppressing on eueryevery side your estate: and from your treasures take away such substance, as we hauehave caused to be reserued and kept in your hands, vntill the comming of our wel beloued son Antichrist. We would ye should doe our commendations to our intirely beloved daughters, pride, deceit, wrath, auarice, bellicheere, and lecherie, and to all other my daughters; and especiallie ho ladie Simonie, which hath made you men, andSimony the Popes nurse inriched you, and hath giuen you sucke with her owne breasts, and weaned you, and therefore in no wise see that ye call her sinne. And be ye loftie and proud, because that the most high dignitie of your estate doth require such magnificence. And also be ye couetous, for what soeuer ye get and gather into your fardell, it is for St. Peter, for the peace of the Church, and for the defence of your patrimonie and the Crucifix; & therefore ye may lawfully doe it. Ye may promote your CardinalsPromoting of provd and rich Cardinals to the higest seat of dignities, without any let in all the world, in stopping the mouth of our adversarie Iesus Christ, and alleaging againe, that he preferred his kins folks (being but of poore and base degree) vntounto the Apostleship; but doe not you so, but rather call, asCloked holinesse. ye doe, those that live in arrogancie, in haughtinesse of mind, and filthie lecherie, unto the state of wealthie riches and pride; and those rewards and promotions, which the followers of Christ forsook, do ye distribute unto your friends. Therefore as ye shall have better vnderstanding, prepare ye vices, clocked under the similitude of vertues. Alleage for yourselues the glosses of the holie Scripture, and wrest them, directly for to serueWresting of Scripture. for your purpose. And if any man preach or teach otherwise then ye will, oppresse ye them violently. With the sentence of excommunication, and by your censures heaped one upon another, by the consent of your brethren; let him be condemned as an heretike, and let him be kept in most strait prison, and there tormentedTyranny and cruelty by the P pe. till he die, for a terrible example to all such as confesse Christ. And setting all favour apart, cast him out of your temple, lest peradventure the ingrafted word may save … soules, which word I abhorre as I do the soules of o her saithfull men. And do your indeuour, that ye … deserue to hauehave the place which we have prepared for you, under the most wicked dw…lling on of our dwelling place. Farre ye well with such felicitie as we desire and intend finally to reward and recompence you with.
Given at the center of the earth, in that darke place, where all the rablement of divels were present, specially for this purpose ca…led unto our most dolorous Consistorie, under the the Character of our terrible seale, for the confirmation of the premisses.
Ex Registro Herefordensi ad verbumEx Registro Hereford.
This letter of Lucif…r to your Lordly Predec…ssors, then, will I trust, excuse my Epistle and Parallels here dedicated to your Lordships, now; both from the unjust imputation of calumnie, slaunder, or reviling. And so leaving your Lordships to Ve…we and reueiw your selves in this new Looking-Glasse made purposely for your sweet holy faces, I take my leave of you (as I trust you will now doe of all your Lordlinesse, worldlinesse, pride, and other vices, here discovered) till you have exactely trimed yourselves thereby, to make yourselves more amiablc both to God and man, then now you are.