Reproof of Howlets Untimely Shrieking, Part 1 · Section 7

Reproof of Howlets Untimely Shrieking · Part 1 · Section 7

p. 8813 Nowe proceede I with your wordes: Besides this, (say you) as no wise Noble man, after many Ages of quiet possession, would suffer another to recouer his Barronie, without shewinge of verie good euidence: So wee in reason are not to bee blamed, if wee (… helde the possession of the Catholike Churche in Englande for these thousand yeres, by our aduer saries confession): do stande with them yet, and require some euidence, before we consent to giuegive vp the same, Hereto they hauehave shewed vsus none, but onelyonly woordes and forgerie: Lawlesse proceeding.they entred into possession, without tryall of the tytle: they thrust vsus out before sentence or proofe: wee crye out of the ryot, and complaine of the wrong, and desire still that the matter may come to lawfull pleading. And euen nowe os late since our new persecution beganne, wee hauehave made vntounto them diuers offers with great oddes, not pretending thereby any recouery of our losses (for that wee suppose to bee vnpossible) but onelyonly for the iustifiyng of our cause, whereupon the honour of God dependeth, and wherein wee knowe wee can not bee vanquished.

THus you amplifie iolilie, w^t similitude & example, your long possession; as ye say, of the Catholicke Church here in England, our ryot also, and violent intrusion, & vniust, as you pretende, which you call: Law lesse proceeding. You will by processe, seeme to call vsus afresh into the kings Bench, when wee appeare, your action will beare no lawefull plea against vsus, you accuse vsus hotly (M. Howlet) but as good an Attorney, or proctor, and solicitor, or man of lawe, and counsellor, as you are taken to bee in the Popes cause, you shewe and proue nothing against vsus in Gods or the Princes court, we thanke God. Ye suppose altogether: for you say, by our aduersaries confession, that is for one part: But wee say, you say as yee are wont, that is vntruly, for your Church and religion, as they bee at this day, are not of a thousande yeeres antiquitie. Some part of your corruptions may be so old, we denie it not, some part againe are of later time. And heresies, we tell you out of Tertullian, doth not Newnesse so much argue, as Truth: whatsoeuerTertulliā de virginibus velandis. sauoureth against the truth, that shall bee heresie, euen olde Custome, (saith hee.) Againe, your Iesuites, a newe order of Religion, instituted about fortie yeeres agoe, or such p. 89such a thing, seeme amōg vsus at this day, to be your greatest pillers and staies, in this your new and strange proceeding, and wee here can scarcely yet well tell, what their religion is, nor where it is grounded, so lately, though suddēly come they among vsus: but vponupon an obscure fellowe, & your Pope, Paul the thirde, you tel vsus is their foundation. And in deed your Popish religion is such a confused Chaos, and heape, or a hotche potche, that wee can not tell certainly what to make of it, nor where to fetche a proper and full summe of the Popishe doctrine at this day, and a confession of your fayth: For, leauing the Scriptures to bee the rule of your fayth, and coyning vsus still so many newe Articles, vnderunder the name of vnwritten verities, traditions, the Churche, &c. Which the first and auncient Apostolique Church was ignoraunt of; and referring vsus for all to your Popes brest. To bee playne, we can finde no footing.

You take a similitude from a wise noble man, and quiet possession of his Baronie many ages. Bee as wise as yee may bee, yet a similitude and example of a meaner and a more base and vile person than a Noble man, of a Barne (M. Howlet) rather than a Baronie, might fitlier serue to compare so corrupt a Church, and rotten religion withall, as is Poperie and the Popish Church: But wee muste take suche as you offer vsus. Your Prelates of the Cleargie that rule the Church, are Lordes euen ouer Gods heritage, they are Barons, they must needes hauehave a Baronie. No maruell, therefore though in respect of thē and their vsing of the Churche, yee liken it to a Baronie of a Noble man that hath many ages helde the same in quiet possession: Extrav. Ioan, 22 Cum inter, in … Credere Dominum Deum … Papam, non potuisse statuere prout statuit … censeretur, &c.Or if you speake of the whole Catholike Churche, in respect of the vnholy holinesse of the Pope of Romes fatherhood, the matter is brought to a higher degree then a Noble man: he is called our Lord God the Pope. For quiet possession, in deede I graunt yee helde that yee had in possession very quietly, & made as sure as you coulde, not to bee vnquieted in your Palaces. But a stronger, thanksLuke. 11. 21. 22Luke 11:21Luke 11:22 be to god, came vponupon you, & your god & Prince to, I meane the Pope & Satan, & ouercame you, & took away your armour, wherein you trusted, &c. For the vnfitnesse of your similitude, I tell you first, that if you liken your selues to a Noble man, you must then liken the true Church to anothers, and not to the Noble mans owne Baronie: for that wee holde agreeable to the Scriptures, that the Churche so likened, can bee called no mans, but Gods or Christs Baronie onelyonly. In title of lande Sir, &c. where prescription of time beareth great sway; many ages of quiet possession, be a great stay to Noble mens Baronies, or others holdes, especially where euidence and writinges by sundrie casualities may bee missing. In religion, (that I may giuegive a further taste of your vnlikelie likelyhood, andArnob. taduersus Gent. lib. 2. religionis autoritas non est tempore estimanda, sed nu mine, nec colere qua die, sed quid … intueri. &c. Aug. in quest. Vet & Nov. Test. quest. 114. vnproper example) the case is nothing like: For, authoritie of religion, is not to bee esteemed by time, saith one, That which is true, is not too late. And y^t good father again saith: y^e heathē say, That that is first, cannot be false. As though antiquitie & old custome may preiudice the truth: But (M. Howlet) in going no higher for the age of your religion thē a 1000. yeeres, and talking to vsus of quiet possessiō of many ages since that time, wee answere you first that our religion was aboue 500. yeere olde before yours came into the worlde, or your Pope were hatcht, supposing you kept quiet possession, as you pretende nowe a 1000. yeeres. For wee fetche ours from Christe and his Apostles, who had lawfull possession of the Baronie yee talke of, aboue halfe a 1000. yeeres before you came to possession thereof. And if you will marke well: those halfe thousande yeres before, were the beter, and more free from forgerie and corruption, and therefore woulde bee more regarded.

But nowe I pray you tell vsus how you entred into possessiō of y^e Catholike Churche, a thousande yeeres agoe. For by inheritance once, we denie that it came vntounto you or by discent. If there may be any lawfull conueighance p. 90thought of; the best … I see yee can with any probabilitie alleadge, for the possession that your Cleargie euer had of this Baronie, meaning thereby the true Church of Christe, was, that they helde the same but as Tenaunts, and that tenants at will too, standing vponupon their good behauiour, to continue, or to bee cast out. The Noble man himselfe. the only Lorde and Baron, that I may so speake of this Baronie: is aliue, & his Baronie only may the true Church bee called. If you meane that, in this similitude: neither yours nor any mortall mans besides. Howeuer therefore you hauehave holden the Catholike Churche that way, you hauehave beene but too long vniust possessors, and so lost you nothing that was your owne, when vppon misbehauiour you were by Gods lawfull Minister our dreead Soueraigne therein, thrust out of possession of this true Church here: as you were once before within mans remembrance about xl. yeeres since. So then, this Baronie the Church heere, is now the second time, to Gods glory, and our inestimable benefite, lawefully taken from you: and you being dispossessed thereof, it is restored or returned home to Jesus Christe the onelyonly true owner, Noble man, heire, and … if yee will, of this Baronie. The same, through the iust iudgement of God, vpō you for your too too intollerable vsage, is taken from you, and by his infinite wisedome let out to other …, who vppon their good behauiour also, and no otherwise holde the same of him, who is bound heerein, to no mens persons, place, Sea, &c. You are the first I confesse, the more to your reproche, that infeaffed the Pope and his Cleargie, into the titles and right that are proper to God and Jesus Christe in his spiritual kingdom, Citie, House, Uineyard, or Baronie, if you like y^t best. Yea you hauehave proceeded thus farre, that the Pope hauing taken possession, seemeth to challenge the bestowing of this Baronie, on whom it pleaseth him, to holde of himselfe in capite. Is it not muche that you write that the Pope and Christe make one Consistorie, so as (sinne except) the Pope may as it were, doe all things y^t god can do, he and he alone,…. de Tractat. Prelat. Cap. quarto, Abbas. Clemens. de Sent: & reiudicat. Past oralis. 2. Q. 6. Decreto. Decretal. lib. primo De translat Episc. …. 7. Ca. 2 & 3. & in Gloss. &c. hath fulnesse of power, he can dispence aboue the lawe who beareth the person not of a pure man, but of the true God vponupon earth: so that what is doone by the authoritie of the Pope, is said to bee doone by the authoritie of God, &c.

I leaue heere to put you in remembrance of Shilo, the temple of the Lorde, the temple of the Lorde, Ierusalem, &c. in the olde Testament. May it please you to remember the parable of the wicked husbandmen in the Gospell, to whome the Vineyarde was let out, and what Christ pronouncedLooke Ierem. 7.Jer 7 against them to their hurt, for taking the inheritance into their owne handes, keeping possession therof as it had been theirs, without yelding fruite to the owner. To be plaine, this is feareful for both you and vsus to remember, they to whome Christe spake, being builders, refused the head corner stone. What came there of y^t: What gayned they by it: Put case your priuileges & titles were as good as theirs, and yee had the highest offices in Christes Church in deede: Hee by his eternall prouidence taking from you this Vineyarde or baronie, and letting it foorth to otherMat. 21. 33. &c.Matt 21:33 Husbandmen, doth you heerin no iniurie. Againe, (M. Howlet) because you talke of a Noble man and his baronie, remember well what befell those Citizens, that after the Noble man was gone into a far countrie, yet to comeLuke. 19. 12. 14. 15. 27.Luke 19:12Luke 19:14Luke 19:15Luke 19:27 againe, sent an Embassage after him, saying: We will not hauehave this man to raigne ouer vsus. But he againe said, at his returne, which surely wilbe: Those mine enimies whiche woulde not that I shoulde reigne ouer them, bring hyther and slay them before mee. These wordes are so plaine, as it booteth you not for the auoyding thereof, and your excuse to alleadge: that you say not so. Hee speaketh of the will and deed. Againe you knowe what the Psalme saith, The foole hath said in his hearte, there is no GOD. Psalm. 14.Ps 14No cauil will serue, al excuse and pretence is put to silence, before this Noble man, of whom I talke. This way may you more …, and with better religion and conscience, yea, p. 91and more profite also apply your Simile. I pray God geue both you and vsus grace by these examples to be warned, and in time to take heede to our selues.

But leauing the generall account thereof to God and to Christes returne thereto: further then, y^t you are as wee all, bound to render accoūt here to gods substitute, as ye call the Prince and ciuill Magistrate, if yee or wee be in the meane while called. Let vsus stande vponupon this point now that you say: you hauehave helde the possession of the Catholike Churche in England for this thousand yeeres, &c. In calculating y^e time, I perceiue partly what you meane, you hold from Pope Gregorie the great, a Romane Monke, who sent hether Austen a Monke also, called of some the Apostle of England, as also Gregorie is of some, applying this Apostolike sentence to him. If hee bee not an Apostle to other, yet is hee to vsus English men, &c. According to this computation M. Harding some where writteth: Thus the faith hath continued in this lande among the English people, from the fourteenth yere of the raigne of Mauritius the Emperour, almost these thousand yeres. Here is the foundation of your thousand yeeres possession, & of the English Catholike Church, ye talk of. Now what titles soeuer be ascribed to these Monkes, & in what price soeuer they bee with the Papistes, wee denie them to hauehave beene the first planters of the true Christian faith in this lande, and vtterly vnworthie to be therefore called the Apostles of England: Of one and the greater it is saide, hee was the last of the good, and the first of the bad Popes. The others entrance was with such pride and disdaine, and his vsage such as made the Bishops of this lande, not to doubt onelyonly whether to receiue him, but vponupon tryall to refuse him as no man of God. Superstitions might heere bee much aduaunced by this Pope, and his Archbishop, and so might they be fit pillers for the Popish Churche to stay vppon. But Christes true, and sincere religion gayned nothing by that. Briefly, if by the Catholike Church, which you say you helde possession of, so long and many yeeres here, as of your Baronie, you meane Christes true Churche and spouse, because the same is his Baronie and not yours: for your iniurious sacriledge you are … thrust out of possession. If you meane y^t Churche to be like a Baronie, so many yeeres heere possessed of you, that wee call at this day the Popishe Churche: then, as we hauehave taken no possession thereof, so because there is no good and sufficient warrant in our heauenly kings recordes, for the erecting of any such Baronie as holdeth of the Pope of Rome in capite, as this your Baronie doth. And this Baronic besides hath been found greatly preiudiciall & hurtfull not only in spirituall matters tò our heauēly king & his spiritualkingdom, but in ciuill pollicie also to our dread Soueraignes; the Noble Kings & Queenes of this land: good & great cause both for y^t one respect & the other hath there been, & is, of the dissoluing of this Popish Baronie in this Realme. There can no such Tenure bee iustly borne in this lande, that holdeth of the Pope in Capite. There is of your side (M. Howlet) that writeth you holde in capite of the Pope: Whereupon you are iustly retected hence, this is none of his kingdome. If you will needes hauehave suche a Baronie so holding in Capite, you must auoyde hence, and goe dwell in his kingdome and Dominions. And so you doe, and as seemeth are agreed and at a point: for the Pope hath nowe of late erected Nurceries to bring vp his Englishe fugitiue wardes in, you call them Seminaries: In that courte hauehave you your Officers accordingly, and your rules and orders to bee guided by, you hauehave made a very euill change, if yee can consider it well: heereuppon possible, being wearie you woulde faine come home againe into this lande: But you woulde not chaunge the Tenure of the Pope in Capite, whiche you must doe, or els the other is not graunted you, aduise better of the matter.

You playne of our intrusion vponupon you without euidence. p. 92Our euidence is better then euer you … to shewe, or well to auoyde: wee, and all the worlde see, your euidence is litle worth, as which is grounded on man, and mayntayned with violence, and force, or with entising speech of mans wisedome, where that fayleth, as nowe here, thankes bee to God therefore. Our euidence are The Scriptures, and the written worde of God, say you as long as you will, It is the Heretikes euidence: Wee are assured that in Gods matters, it is the best euidence that can be shewed, and the euidence of the Spirite, or, of the holy Ghost, who is the Authour of the Scriptures, We followe not deceiuable fables cunningly and colourably set out, but a most sure worde of the Prophetes, whereunto wee take heede, as vntounto a light that shineth in a darke place, vntill2. Pet. 1. 19.2 Pet 1:19 the day dawne, and the day starre arise in our heartes, &c. As blessed Peter speaketh: you neede not therefore crye out of Ryot. This worde Ryot, you thinke serueth your allusion pretily: But you neede not shritch and crye out so lowde, especially in her Maiesties eares, quieter dealing might serue: Yee complayne of the wronge, which is none, you call for tryall of the tytle: After you hauehave let fall your Action, and your matter is come to A Non Sute, you tell of lawfull pleading, and paint out your margin with Lawelesse proceeding, which is all and wholly of your side. All these be but your Rhetoricall floures: Your Similitude, and example, for all this flourishe and a doe, proueth litle or nothing. The Plea hath been lawfully entred, euen heere a great while since, your tytle hath been not onelyonly seene and perused, but well weighed and tryed, and after all your wrytings seene, and what euer else you can say for your selues, euen tyll you were wearie, and gaue ouer the other part also, being indifferently heard, their proofes alleadged, seene, and weighed, Definitiue sentence', hath vponupon great deliberation been giuen against you, of God by his woorde, and the same ratified by the highest authoritie, and in the highest Court vponupon Earth in this lande, and there Inrould … Possession here quietly deliuered and taken: whiche, thankes be to God and her Maiestie, wee likewise peaceably holde at this day, so that you may leaue your tragicall crying out of the matter. Disputation, when it was offered and required, was of your part refused, what woulde you more; It seemeth they remaine the same men still, els woulde they bee hearde of. In another place of your Epistle Dedicatorie before, commending your selues, and seeking to get grace at the States handes you say, you deliuered vsus this Realme, that is no violent taking, whether onelyonly wordes and forgerie bee of our side or yours, let the worde of God be iudge, and so many as can and list to iudge thereby, betweene vsus both. And thus much of your Similitude or example, taken from A Noble man and his Baronie, your long possession of the Catholike Church, and your tytle, and right pretended thereto.

You bragge after this of diuers offers, of late, since your newe persecution, as it pleaseth you to wryte, made vntounto vsus with great ods. Yee charge vsus that wee are entred into possession without tryall of the tytle, that wee hauehave thrust you out before sentence or proofe, and yet both (as I say) hauehave past: You crye out of the ryot, you complaine of the wronge, ye desire that the matter may come to lawful pleading. &c. And yet here agayne you say: yee pretende not thereby any recouery of your losses: for that you suppose to bee vnpossible. Wherefore make you suche sturre and busie adoe then; why cry you out so loude in her Maiesties eares; why playne you; I take it that the losse of your Baronie, your Catholike Church in Englande, as you cal it, that ye so many yeres quietly possessed, is your greatest losse, & y^t which greeueth you most, & maketh you to houle & scriche. If you suppose it bee vnpossible to recouer it: If you pretende not any recouerie of your losses, make then lesse a doe, about that which yee take to bee in so desperate a case: but it is harde trusting of you: for the conceipt yee hauehave of the recouery of your losses, maketh you p. 93so importune and forwarde; say and pretende what ye wil; you pretende the iustifying of your cause: But if you recouer not your Baronie, and other your losses, before you be able to iustifie your cause, it will bee a great while to that day: And wee shall bee sure to holde a long terme. Because your side founde the State and people very desirous of alteration of religion at her Maiesties first enteraunce to the crown, & that swaied mightily against you, in so much as vponupon disputation, & conference of those of both religions, by the marueylous prouidence of almighty God, and her Maiesties godly affection, singular wisedome, and dexteritie, to whome ouer and aboue the rest, wee are in this case, passingly beholding; your religion … out of the doores, was sent packing, and the true religion of Christe restored. You thinke that, after long profession nowe of the Gospell heere, they will likewise lothe the heauenly Manna, and waxe wearie thereof, and bee desirous to goe backe agayne to the fleshe potts of Egypt, &c that I may so speake. It is possible that in your trotting vp and down, heere vppon your Popes messages, yee may hauehave founde some bent but too muche that way, and thereby coniecturing, yee set downe in your bookes of accomptes, thousands: But ye may, and I trust well in GOD, shall be deceiued, in your expectation and reckening as yee hitherto hauehave been. And because Allen, one of your mates, in his Apologie, euen nowe sent ouer, still calling for Disputation, seemeth to grounde much vppon this Philosophicall Thucidides. foreign.hope or ghesse rather, that is, takē from worldly wisedome, and experience onelyonly: I will giuegive this short answere to you both herein: Though you may finde the common people,The present state, euer lightly mistiked. but to moueable and inconstant, commonly to speake: Yet is not the case then, and now alike: for first, sir: As truth and falshood be contrary, so be the operations of them, both in men farre different; and mightie and effectuall is the force of the Holy Ghost, in his heauenly truth, and in their hearts in whom he stirreth vp a louelove, and liking thereof, so that mans nature it selfe is quite altered thereby, rather then any lothsomnesse, or wearines is gathered. Againe, sir, the greatest stay of your religion here, was thē taken away by the change of the prince: Her Maiestie, y^t thē first restored y^t publike exercise of religion here, liueth, God be thanked, and long may shee liue. None of you hauehave seene any suche in clination to Alteration, in her Maiesties constant setled minde, as you in fancte imagine: besides this, her Maiesties …, most milde, and quiet gouernment, in the time of y^e Gospel (to all our great comfortes) doth not procure nor deserue any such thing at her faythfull subiectes hands, nay besides dutie, this dealing purchaseth the contrary, and keepeth the subiectes in merueylous contentment commonly, and liking; where as the intollerable yoke and insupportable burden, that you put vppon this lande, more then haled wertsomnesse, and desire of alteration, in the time of superstition. When you talke of your newe persecution, if you meane thereby the committing of such to warde, as of late came from the Pope, & Rome, for their seditious attempts heere in Englande, or the repressing of the violent rebellion against her Maiestte, and the State in Ireland, we answere y^t ye might better hauehave sit stil like good Christians, & true hearted Englishmen and subiectes, or hauehave chosen an honester course, then by rebellion & treason, so to hauehave troubled the peaceable state of … Church and Realme, prouoking and enforcing her Maiestie, (who beareth not the swoorde for naught) to drawe out the same, to crosse and stay your violent disorders. You offer to enter by sedirion, her Maiesties dominions violently: You offer to poyson and corrupt, the mindes of the good and simple subiectes. This, and such offers of yours, wee are too well acquainted withall, other your offers, and oddes, wee commonly know no more of, then you reporte vntounto vsus: you pretende not by your offers, any recouerie of lofses, &c. (If they bee any) who put you to them, but your selues; that will needes runne into them headlong. You tell p. 93what you pretended not, I woulde you had in time, as well tolde what your pretence and meaning was, that it might hauehave beene with lesse adoe preuented; you hauehave long hoped after a day, ye thought it had beene nowe come: But as God would, you hope without your hope, your end is to iustifie your cause. Whervpō the honor of god depēdeth. If Gods honour depēded on the iustifiyng of your cause, it should hang but vponupon a weake twined threed, but he hath not put it into your hands sirs, it is better grounded and staied than so. There is no profession at this day in Christendome, wherein God is more dishonoured thē in yours: Ye tell vsus, ye knowe yee can not bee vanquished, yee tell vsus also of our weakenes, a …, shewing greater pride thē modest wisedome; You knowe more of your selues then all the worlde doth besides; yee are deepely seene in your owne cause: Either you neuer felte, or neuer well considered the forces of your aduersaries, at least you are blinde, and therby cannot well iudge of them: As God be thanked you gaine little nowe a dayes, where vponupon vsurpation you violently inuade lawfull princes countries, with sworde, vponupon confidence of the Popes authoritie that way; God so mightily defending and maintaining his seruantes & ministers, Princes and ciuile Magistrates, and looking with a watchfull eye to his Institution and ordinance. So gaine you as little2. Cor. 10. 2.2 Cor 10:2 or lesse the other way because you stay altogether vponupon Sand, vponupon fleshe, worldely pollicie, man, &c. And the weapons of our warfare; are not carnall but mightie, YetEph. 6. 17.Eph 6:17 through God to cast down holds, &c, Ours is the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God: liuely and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword … Hebru. 4. 12.through, euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite, and of the ioyntes and the marrowe, and is a descerner of the thoughts & the entents of the heart. &c. Your Fortes are not imprennable, nay they fall of thē selues and moulder away. They are weake, They are rotten, your walles be but of Broune paper, The best and surest fort in this that ye call your newe persecution, was in Ireland, wherin (after rebelliō there stirred vp by you) ye much trusted. That, God be thanked through his blessing was by her Maiesties prouident care & forces, soone destroyed, &c. If the secular arme, and forces faile you, if fire and fagot be taken out of your hands, or your cōsuming flames quenched, yee can long holde in no place, God hauehave the glory, for both taking those weapōs, from you, and so gloriously by his heauenly Gospell triumphing ouer you in these latter daies, & among other princes: let her maiesty our dread soueraigne hauehave her singular and due commendation in this work, as Gods speciall minister to al true englishmens vnspeakeable comforte, we hauehave had good triall of you by experience, and that maketh you to bring the authoritie of Kinges, and other vnderunder the pope, to be at his deuotion, but all in vaine: for ye resist against God and his eternal truth; you should doe well not to boaste nor triumph before the victorie, you know how the king of Israel answered y^e proud1. King. 20. I ….1 Kgs 20 threat of Benhadad y^e king sometime of the Syrians. Let not him (saith he) that girdeth his harnes boast, himselfe, as he that putteth it off.