Reproof of Howlets Untimely Shrieking, Part 1 · Section 4
7 BVt nowe, these afflictions, howe grieuous and heauie so euer they were, yet were they hitherto more tollerable,General cros ses of Catholikes. because they were not common, nor fell not out vponupon eueryevery man: and if there were any common crosse layde vponupon them, (as there wanted not) they bare it out with patience: as their discredite in their countreyes, who were borne to credite and countenaunce in the same: distrustfull dealing with all of that religion, notwithstanding their resolute redinesse, to spende their liues in your Maiesties seruice, and other the like afflictions, which they shifted out with, as they might. But at this time present, and for certaine monethes past, the tempest hath beene so terrible vponupon these kinde of men, and their persecutions so vniuersall, as the like was neuer felt, nor feared before. For besides the generall molestation, and castingParticular extremities. into geales, both of men, women, and children, of that religion, throughout all partes of your Maiesties Realmes: there are certayne perticulars reported here, which make the matter more afflictiue. As the disioyning of man and wife in sundrie prisons: The compelling of such to die in prison, whicheAs M. Dimmocke was by M. Couper. could not stande or goe in their owne houses: The sending of Virgins to Bridewell for their consciences: The racking and tormenting of diuers, which was neuer heard of before in anyAs young Maistrisse Tomson was by M. Elmer countrey for religion. And that which aboue all other things is most grieuous, iniurious, and intollerable, is, the giuing out publiquely, that all Catholiques are enemies and traytours to your Royall Maiestie: and this not onelyonly to vtter in speach, but also to let it passe in print, to the vewe of the worlde, and to the renting of Catholikes heartes, which are priuie of their owne truth and duetifull affection towardes your highnesse,Iohn Field in his epistle dedicatorie of Phillip of Morneis booke to the Earle of Leycester. estate, and person. This was written and put in print this Sommer past, to a Noble man of your Maiesties priuie Counsell, for the exciting of him to the persecution of all Catholikes, by a strange braynesike fellowe, whome Newegate possessed a long time, for his phantastical opinions: wherein he is so pregnant (if men report truely,) as hee can deuise any newe religion, vponupon a weekes warning giuen him at any tyme. This fellowe affirmeth there, that all Papistes (as he termeth them) are enemies to God, and to your Royal Maiestie. The which in his meaning, toucheth so neere, so manie thousande good subiectes in this Lande, as I marueile that eyther his audacitie serued him to write it, or M. Elmers officers woulde allowe to print it. But it seemeth that Catholiques at this day, are made according to the Philosophers prouerbe. Praeda Mysorum. That is, laide open to eueryeveryArist. li. l. mans iniurie, a pray for eueryevery one to bayte vponupon: and aRhetor. common place for eueryevery rayler to ruffle on, and to rubbe his cankered tongue in their slaunder. In all which great wrongs, they hauehave no appeale but vntounto God, and to your Maiestie as Vicegerent in his place: before whome they desire, aboue all other things, to cleare themselues, from this greeuous obiected cryme of disloyaltie, by protesting, and calling, the omnipotent knowledge of our great God and Sauiour to witnesse, that they are deepely slaundered in this point, and that they are as readie, to spende their goodes, landes, liuings, and life, with all other worldly commodities whatsoeuer, in the seruice of your Maiestie and their Countrey, as their auncitours hauehave beene to your Noble progenitours before this, and as duetifull subiects are bounde to doe vntounto their Soueraigne Princesse and Queene: only crauing pardon, for not yeelding to such conformity in matters of religion, as is demanded at their handes: which they cannot do, but by offence of their consciences, indu ced by those reasons, which more at large are declared in this Treatise following.
NOwe (leauing the bragge you make of your resolute readinesse to spende your liues in her Maiesties seruice (which as hitherto she hath not, so God graunt shee neuer neede to proue your fidilitie) and of your patience in your troubles: dreamed of, rather then founde) proceede I, M. Howlet, to your newe persecutions and extremities, as yee call them, in deede to your shamelesse slaunders, charging particular personnes before her highnesse, whose chaste eares, vnwonted to such impudencie, you shold at least hauehave spared, but yee make no accompt of that; The other dealing beseemeth you well ynough, whereupon making your entraunce vppon generalles still, as true as the …, you talke of casting into Geales, both of men, women, and children of your religion throughout all partes of her Maiesties Realmes. Fye for shame, are yee not ashamed; tell trueth, and expresse the cause wherfore, or else peace, Lying lippes are abhomination vntounto the Lorde: but they that deale truely are his delight. Prou. 12. 22. Hee that dissembleth hatred with lying lippes, and he that inuenteth slaunder, is a foole, &c. Prouer. 10. 18. It is possible to bring some examples of imprisoning, whipping, and burning too, of some children and infants of our mens in your kingdome, besides women and men, young and olde. Let Bonner that dead is goe, and other his mates. Heere I remember what befell a woman in the Isle of Guernezey and her infant, in the late dayes of persecution vnderunder Queene Marie, howe both were cruelly burned, the storie is to bee seene, the people of the Countrey testifie of yt crueltie and the truth of the matter, the deane and other that gaue the sentence, aliue very lately and I thinke still, and diuers of the executioners in her Maiesties dominions, and out of prison too. The profession of ye Gospel followeth not your Romaine Catholikes in thirsting after blood, her Maiesties royall brest and her people and Realme; except it bee a fewe that; growe out of kinde, are free from such barbarous and sauage crueltie. Her Maiesties wil is it shoulde be so, God be thanked therfore.
Leauing generals which yee plaine of, but proue nothing, yee come with like proofe, that is none at al, to particulars, reported heere, say you: but by whome & vponupon what credit you say not, of you and vponupon your owne credit wholly. At first clap you charge two, not of the meanest bishops in this lande: what dare not you doe to meaner personages? but the best is you shewe what you are and what credit is to be giuen to you. Your reports are lies and too shamelesse, yeedeclare at pleasure in your Epistle of disioyning of man and wife in sundrie prisons, &c. What were your, not disioynings in sundrie prisons; but violent diuorcements of man and wife, pronouncing the same without all warrant of God his worde to bee whoredome and worse then whoredome, when it was. Your hote burning, if not both the maried couple, yet one leauing the husband a widdower, the wife a widdowe, the children fatherlesse and motherles, your killing diuers in prison, &c. This was nothing, it was worth neither the noting nor the quoting: yee quote vsus. M. Dimmocke, in your margent and M. Couper. But syr, the Bishop of Lincolne whome yee name, is aliue, and able to answere your slander, God bee thanked, and hath already openly done the same to your shame. M. Dymmock, as I vnderstande beeing orderly called before her Matesties high Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical, whereof the B. of Lincolne is one, was for his demerits restrained, not committed to any prison or common iayle: but wild to chuse him a house, as hee did a friende of his, in the Close at Lyncolne, where he was (during his restraint) well ynough vsed, his wife resorted to him, and hee sundrie tymes to the Bishops table; beeing there, hee might per aduenture sometime be displeased at the Bishop his talke after dinner, who carefully and painefully trauailed to winne him to Christe. This was the harde vsage yee make so Tragicall adoe about. I am ashamed to rippe vp your words of compelling such to dye in prison which coulde not stande or goe in their owne houses. If not all, the one halfe of the sentence is a Paradoxe, or strange kinde of speach. From Lincolne, you leape or flye rather to London, and talke of sending of virgines to Bridewel for their consciences, yee quote vsus only one, as (say you) young Mistrisse Tomson by M. Elmer. Yee hearde by report, belyke, of some thing, wherof you make more, as is your manner. The thing, as is reported is false and vntrue as the rest: for neither was she sent to that place by the B. of London, but by the Queenes Maiesties high Commissioners and the appointment of the whole benche, neither was it for her conscience, but for her flering, mocking and such vnmaydenly vsage towards authoritie, that shee was committed to Bridewel, and that to the ende she might thereby the rather, get by her handes and labour somewhat towardes her maintenance. How euer it were, we hauehave to thinke reuerētly of the proceedings of authoritie, and to iudge she wel deserued the punishmēt layde vponupon her, & that the Cōmissioners had reason & good cause to take that course with her they did. The cōmitting of her to Bridewel, why shoulde it be thought so great an offence as H, makes it, seeing the place is ordeined not to make of honest women Harlots, but of Harlots honest women, by punishment and repentance: Therefore the Cōmissioners seing the intollerable vnshamefastnesse, the boulde … countenance of the woman without blushing, the immodest speeches and flowting laughters in the place of Maiestie and Justice: suspected that chastitie could not bee there entier, wher so ill, so bould, and impudent behauiour was, in so open, and so honourable a place. Therefore they thought it good to commit her to that place, where though not her chastitie, yet her modestie, and maydenly behauiour might bee recouered. The time was, when Howlets brood thought it no fault to racke Anne Askue (a gentlewoman of a good house) nor to burne the handes of maides before they burned their bodies, nor to vse other most hellishe torments against the seruants of God: but nowe (forsooth) the Papists being sufferers (as they thinke) and not dooers (as they wishe) can make of eueryevery molehill a mountaine, and of eueryevery fillip a mortal and deadly wounde. Are they not ashamed to cry out against carying to Bridewell, where the offenders bee kept aliue, lie, and liue well, and be made better (if they hauehave any grace) and not worse: where they carried the saints of God to Smithfielde, to fire, and (as they themselues were not ashamed to say) from that fire to hell fire: Such was their merciemercy. If God … accompt … to be the most abhominable … of the soule, & much fouler then the defiling of the bodie: then what wrong had that idolatrous wench, who had prostituted her selfe, and her soule to the worse sorte of filthy fornication, if shee were carried to the house of reformation, where shee coulde take no euill example, neyther of life, nor beliefe: If such as bee sent to Bridewell returned thereby defiled eyther in body or soule, or both, as those commonly bee, whome Sathan sendeth on his errand to Rome: then were it a fault indeede to thrust them to such a Prison. I take this an honester imprisonment, then your Canonicall intrusion into Monasteries was, where what they sawe, what they heard and learned, the worlde is not ignorant.
I hauehave to craue pardon that vppon this raylers slanders I make so bolde as to speake in their defences, whose credite with her Maiestie and the State is so good, that it nothing needeth my pleading or others such as I am, and that maketh mee not to stande long in their purgation: but onelyonly to note the aduersaries craftie and naughtie dealing. If hee were heere to answere it, the parties bee such and their cause, as by trial before other Judges, or in any Court in Englande, it woulde … him deere if they shoulde but pursue the cause. You speake M. Howlet of racking, tormenting, &c. for Religion (all must bee cloaked vnderunder Religion forsooth) you might bee ashamed, if ye had any, wryting to her Maiestie, to touche her honour so neere, and the highest authoritie in this lande, to whome these punishments are reserued, you wil neuer leaue your common rule: An Epistle blusheth not, Pro. 24. 21. My sonne (saith the wise man) feare the Lord and the King, and medle not with thē that are seditious. I will not as you doe, make my selfe more busie than needeth about her … affayres, and her honourable Counsailes, whereof I am not priuie, no more are you: though impudently yee rushe into eueryevery thing, that I may … charge you with your owne phrase, they bee thinges M. Howlet aboue our reaches, they are to well handled to bee stayned by our reproches, let vsus deale wysely and let them alone, or else learne to speake more reuerently of authoritie as becommeth vsus. Yee knowe who and what presumptuous … and false teachers they bee that standing in their owne conceipte, despise gouernement and feare not to rayle on2. Pet. 2. 10. them that are in dignitie.Iude. vers. 8.
From publike and great personages and such as hauehave commission and authoritie from her Maiestie, whose names yee might hauehave spared for your owne honesties sake, you come lower, yee care not where yee roote, nor where yee byte. First yee catche holde of one whome ye cal a strange brainesicke fellowe, whome Newegate possessed a long tyme for his phantasticall opinions (onelyonly Papists then hauehave not suffered for their Religion) wherein hee is so pregnant if men reporte truely (all goes vppon reporte) as he can deuise any newe religion vppon a weekes … giuen him at any time. Gentle stuffe, This … affirmeth in printe, say you, that all Papistes are Enemies to GOD and to your Royall Maiestie, and this is aboue all other things most grieuous, iniurious, and intollerable that the crime of Disloyaltie, is obiected vntounto you, &c. Heereuppon you puffe and fume, or woulde seeme to bee angry: yee amplifie the matter, yee apeale, yee protest, yee bestirre you eueryevery way, heere is praeda Mysorum, expounded and set out with dogge Rhetorike, and much adoe: The thing might hauehave been … taken and vttered with more … and modestie; and your deedes, if yee had any, might better cleere you with wyse men than wordes will. Your iudgement of the man in this passion and in your owne case will hardly bee esteemed. This vpbrayding of imprisonment, this charging with phantasticall opinions and shewing none, and saying that the man with whome yee are … can deuise any newe Religion at any time vppon … weekes warning giuen him; grounded but vppon this: if men reporte truely. This vncharitable and naughty dealing I say, may sauour of immoderat choler and heate: but of litle trueth or honest modestie, you would scarsely be content to bee so vsed your selfe.
Though it bee no parte of the matter, to stande in defence of particular men and their …, neither take I great delight in that course, yet if that be the partie ye quote in your margine (M. Howlet) I answere not by reporte and heare say, as you too lightly doe; but vppon better knowledge: that it is very vntrue & a slaunder that you reporte of his deuising of any newe Religion vppon a weekes warning, &c. And that hee hath beene knowen neuer to hauehave altered his iudgement in Religion, since hee first entred the profession thereof, and at this day also, thankes bee to God, keepeth the true paterne of the wholesome doctrine of saluation, and constantly trauaileth for the mainteynance of the Fayth against you and such other as fallen into Heresie impugne the same. It maketh no great matter what you reporte of him or such other; when almost yee can say well of no good man, the worse hee heareth of you in this case, the better wil hee bee liked among the godly.
Touching the matter I would your deedes M. Howlet, and your fellowes did not plainely confirme and approoue that hee writeth, if you bee so stifly addicted vntounto Popishe heresie, as yee seeme to professe, and so obstinate in refusing by othe to acknowledge her Maiesties Soueraigntie giuen of GOD, and by lawe propounded to her subiects heere: Thinke not that it is this man his singular opinion in wryting and printing, but the common opinion heere of the best, that in the case you are ye be enemies to God & her Royall Maiestie and the State, & that worse tearmes also may beseeme you & your deserts wel ynough. Bee not angrie therefore at this, your to much stirring, will but increase the opinion of you. HaueHave you beene all this while in laying downe your griefes, in disclosing your miseries, and vnfolding (at large nowe) your pittifull afflicted case, and such intollerable molestations as you cannot beare, brought into such extremitie as neuer was hearde of in Englande before. And is all come to this? that the geuing out publikely in print of these woordes; that al Papists are enemies to GOD and her Royall Maiestie is aboue all things the most grieuous, iniurious and intollerable? Is this the deepest wounde, and the greatest hurte yee hauehave; Is this such extremitie as was neuer hearde of in England before; Alas seely mouse that appeareth after the mountaines great trauaile, I woulde, when your side commaunded, wee had beene persecuted but by tongue and penne. Is that bloody persecutiō forgotten nowe; these … man, but wordes, and in your owne estimation but the wordes and opinion of a straunge brainsicke fellowe, holding phantastical opinions, and vyle in the reputation of the worlde, what neede you bee so much moued thereat; Yee are of a noble courage, file not your handes vppon eueryevery one yee meete. I see (M. Howlet) your choise and meaning heerein, cunningly to seeke to treade vponupon the hedge where it is lowest, you are commonly in extremities, either with the greatest, or the least: you can hardly keepe the golden measure and meane in any thing.
This renteth your Catholique hartes forsooth, which are priuey of your owne trueth and duetifull affection towardes her highnesse, estate and personne, woulde to God that that is so priuey to your selues & vnknowen to others, her Maiestie at least, to whome it appertaineth, might bee made priuey to in deede; by your submissions, to her authoritie renouncing all foreigne power. I woulde yee woulde hauehave made her Maiestie priuey, before yee ran away & made your selues slaues to that Beast of Rome, I woulde before you had thus dealt with her Subiectes and Printed your booke without her leaue and against her minde, you would hauehave made her Maiestie priuey of ye matter, I would you would yet now at the lēgth returne home vpō her Maiesties commandement and intimation giuen vntounto you of her pleasure, and doe as some of your fellowes & companie doe, repent and stande to her Maiesties mercy. Ye need not be ashamed nor afrayde, you shal hauehave examples here before your eyes, of honester men, I feare than some of you will prooue, except you doe the lyke: This is good sooth and trueth, and the duetifull and bounden affection of subiects, this is good plaine English dealing man without Romish farded …, or deepe Italian fetches: if yee bee so desirous to cleere your selues, as yee pretende, yeelde to this motion in time, Otherwise your Rhetorique is but colde, it perswadeth not, all that you say or can say for your selues, hath been & is considered; it is hardly worth the hearing. Hee that prayseth him selfe is not allowed, but hee whome the Lorde prayseth. How if her Maiestie reply &1. Cor. 10. 18 relie (as you speake) vponupon her iust interest: how if shee say ye plaine more than ye neede, or hauehave cause for, if this mans wordes be the worst is done vntounto you, that you make much adoe of a litle or nothing in comparison? howe if her Maiestie tell you where the trueth of the matter is to bee tryed, in deedes and good euidence, words are in vaine and preuaile not, howe if therefore shee … you leaue flourishing, that is a vaine praysing and vaunting your Loyaltie in glorious wordes, set out with colors of petre Rhetorique, & … you, for her satisfaction and assurance, goe to the matter, and by taking the othe of submission testifie and approoue your obedience, and shame your aduersaries that way. Let another man praise thee, saith the wise man, and notProuer, 23. 2 thyne owne mouth, a stranger and not thyne owne lippes. Namely, wee are bidden there, Not to boaste ourProuer. 25. 6 selues before the King. You keepe no measure … M. Howlet. And in refusing conformitie to take the othe of obedience, and to goe to Church, vponupon the reasons of the treatise folowing. Ye maintaine a very corrupt conscience, if it may beare the name of conscience, which is so ill staied: If words may be receiued, your pay verely is good; if deeds bee required your money is not currant.
That is a great blocke in your waye, that you can neuer prayse your duetifulnesse to her Maiestie, but you must euer with all, craue pardon for your vndutifulnesse in the greatest matters: as you here doe for not leauing Pope and Poperie, and conforming your selues to religion &c. And yet yee doe the same cunningly, and vnderunder couerte of conscience forsooth grounded on the reasons that are in the treatise, which must stande in steade of al satisfaction to her Maiestie: where-of in place, God willing wee shall see. I am sorie I am enforced to followe and examine your wordes: I woulde there had been some grounded matter, for I am afraide as I wearie my selfe, so doe I some wise and discreete readers, but I must craue pardon in respecte of other that are more simple and rude, who it were pitte shoulde be by glosing, seduced or deceiued.