The Four Principal Pillars of Papistry, Pillar 1

The Four Principal Pillars of Papistry · Pillar 1

p. 1The first Piller of Poperie, consisting of intemperate rayling, with shamefull slaunders and vntruthes.

WHat our purpose is in this treatise following, we hauehave alreadie partly declared in the preface: that our intent is not in this enterprise so much to charge our aduersaries with such matter, as may be iustly obiected against them, as to discharge our selues of such vniust crimes, as they doe burthen vsus withall: not to accuse, but to excuse: not to fight but to fense: not to dare them with our dartes, but to arme our selues against their venemous arrowes, which they shoot at vsus. Wheras therefore they euerie where almost in their bookes and pamphlets, doe lay sore vntounto our charge, that wee are raylers, reuilers, lyers, blasphemers, heretikes, cauillers, sophisters, deuided into many sectes & schismes, disagreeing amongst our selues: our best and sa…est way to free and deliuer both vsus and our cause from these so vniust, vntrue and vncharitable accusations, is to returne them vponupon them selues, to whom they do more properlie belong: and to cloth them with their owne liuerie, which wil sit more comely, without pleate or wrinkle vponupon their backe▪

First of al therefore according to that order which we hauehave set downe, we wil trie and examine the modesty, sobriety and tēp…rance of their spirite, wherewith they are enflamed against vsus. First of their reuiling & bitter speech: then of their malicious slaunders against vsus, & our cause: thirdly of their for geries: fourthly of the manifold vntruthes, which in plaine english are no better then lies, which they are not ashamed in heapes to vtter. First then concerning their contumelious and reprochfull speeches, and their adders tongues which they smite and sting vsus withall: I would we might say vntounto them, as Agustine sometime did vntounto Vincentius, a yongDe animae origine. lib. 1. cap. 2. malapart springal, that vnseemely taunted that reuerend father in his writinges: Si quid inter disputandum (saith Augustine) quod ad meam contumeliam redundat expressit, non eum conuitiantis voluntate crediderim, se… di…ersa p. 2sentientis necessitate fecisse: vbi enim hominis erga me animus ignotus est et incertus, melius arbitror meliora sentire, quam inexplorata culpare: If any thing fall out in disputation, which may redound vntounto my reproch, I thinke that he did it not so much with a minde to reuile me, as being enforced by diuersitie of opinion: for where a …ns minde is vntounto me vncertaine and vnknowen, I hould it better to thinke the best, then to blame what I knowe not▪ So if our aduersaries, were carried away onelyonly in the heate of their cause, and with a blinde zeale of superstition, when they spit such venemous wordes at vsus, and had not an especiall purpose as we hauehave but too much experience, in so doing to maligne the trueth, and disgrace the professors thereof, wee should be able better to brooke their speeches, and to beare their outrages, then now, knowing the contrarie, wee either can or will. This then is that, that sometimes thrusteth vsus forward, when wee see not so much our persons to be striken and gaulled with their tongues, as the trueth to be wounded through our sides, to speake home vntounto them and to tel them their owne, not reuiling but reproouing, not taunting but telling them their fault and follie. Cresconius an Archdonatist, doeth roundly take vp Augustine, because he vsed these words against them: Sicut nonpotest Satanas Satanam excludere, &c. As Sathan (saith he) can not driue out Sathan,2. Tim. 2. contra Crescon. lib. 3. cap. 78.2 Tim 2 so the error of the Manichees cannot ouerthrowe the errour of the Donatists. Augustine aunswereth very wel: Quasi (inquit) Petilianum Satan… comparauerim, ac non errorem potius: Apostolicaenim mansuetudo, cum quibus modestè agipraecepit, eos ipsos docet a diabolo captiuatos: nec tamen quam commendauit, amisit lenitatem, quiaeam▪ quam docebat tac…re noluit, veritatem: As though (saith he) I compared Petilian himselfe to Sathan, and not his errour rather: for so the Apostle doth say, that euen they, whom notwithstanding he wisheth to be gentlie delt withal, were captiued and snared of the Deuill: neither did he in so saying, offend against that lenitie, which he commendeth, while he vttereth the truth, which was not to be concealed. Thus Augustine defendeth himselfe, by S. Paules example, & sheweth though it be not lawful to speake euil or to reuile, yet freely to opē our mouthes, and to crie out against the enemies of the truth, it is not forbidden. Bernard a later writer, & one of their Catholike Doctors, vsed the like libertie of speech in his dayes, and thought he offended not: As inueying against the Cleargie of his time, he saith. Ministri sunt Christi, et seruiunt serm. sup. Cantic. 33.Antichristo: They are the Ministers of Christ, and yet serue Antichrist: yea of the Bishops themselues and the chiefe of the Cleargie, hee doubteth not to say, hauing first rehearsed those wordes of Christ to hisSerm. ad pastor▪ in Synod. Apostles. HaueHave I not chosen you twelue, and one of you is a Deuil? Sic facit Iesus hodie, eligens sibi multos diabolos episcopos: Euen so doeth Iesus saith hee nowe a daies, choosing many Deuils to be Bishops. He stayeth not here, but p. 3climeth vp euen vntounto the popes chaire. Tristes vidimus, tristes eloquimur honorem ecclesiae, Honorij tempore non minìmè laesum: Wee hauehave seene it withEpist. 45. griefe, and we speake it with griefe, that in pope Honorius time, the honor of the Church, was not a litle endamaged. And in an other place finding fault with the Cardinals of Rome: that they had fetcht Eugenius out of his cloyster, and of an Abbot, made him a Pope: he taunteth them in these wordes: Ascendit Iericho▪ incidit in latrones: He is gone vp fromEpist. 147. Ierusalem to Iericho, he is fallen among theeues: thus comparing Rome to Iericho, and the Cardinals to theeues. If Bernard then a Doctor of their owne, could assume vntounto himselfe such liberty of speech as to terme euill Ministers, the seruaunts of Antichrist, Bishops deuils, Cardinals theeues, in hatred & detestation of the corruptions of those times: I thinke we may be excused, if for louelove and zeale of the trueth, wee deale plainely manie times with our aduersaries, and doe not slatter them a whit: though I thinke few or none of vsus hauehave vsed like freenes of speech, as either Augustine against the Heretikes of that age, or Bernard… against the corruptions of his time. Therefore to conclude this pointe, wee say, as not longHarding. defens. apolog pag. 52. since a darling of their owne saide, yet with better right and more truelie, I am sure then he: Nowe the lawe of vpright dealing specially in Gods cause so requiring, ye must pardon vsus, if as among husbandmen, wee call a rake a rake, a spade a spade, a mattocke a mattocke: so among diuines, wee cal heresie heresie, and likewise falshood, lying, slaundering, craft, hypocrisie, blasphemie, euerie such crime by his proper name without all glosing.

But leauing off here in this place further to make apologie, or to seeke defence in this point for our selues, which were a needelesse and superfluous labour, the writinges of our learned and godly brethren are abroade to be seene and read: I trust they shalbe founde neither to sauoure of so enuious a spirite, nor to be mixed with such intemperate and vndigested humors, as our aduersaries writinges are sawsed and powdred withall. We will now proceede, (not further keeping the Reader in suspense) to collect some flowers of popish eloquence and Rhetorike, which their bookes are beawtified, and adorned withall.

First wee will be so bould as walke into our countrie man M. Hardings Garden, and there a little refresh our selues with the pleasaunt sent of his sweete smelling herbes. And here in the verie enterance, I find a nosegay alreadie gathered to my hand by that skilfull and cunning gardener, notPreface in defens. apol. in name but in deede, B. Iewell: let vsus take vp this posey, and smell a litle thereon: M. Harding therefore writing against B. Iewell cloyeth and ouerchargeth him with these and such like sweete speeches. Who euer heard 2such an impudent man? a most impudent lyer, awicked slaunderer: and all because he said with Laurentius Valla a Canon of Rome, that Pope Celesti…s p. 4was a Nestorian Heretike.

Againe, who euer saw so impudent a man, what shal I say to this fellow? fiefor shame man, a minister of fables, a minister of lies? foolish ignorance, shamelesse malice, so ignorant, so witlesse, lewd wretches, Iewish, Heat henish, shameles, blasphemous villaines, false ministers, false harlots, yee lie falsely, yea yee lie for aduantage, yee are impudent liers, lewd liers, heapes of lies, nothing but lies, and al is lies. But what is the cause thinke you, that this meeke spirited man should be so disquieted and make such outcryes against liers? forsooth because Maister Iewel, in one place leaueth out (enim) in a nother place (hoc) in an other place, the Printer set downe schemate, for schismate and such like: is not here great cause thinke you, to make a man thus to take on and to run out of his wittes?

Is not this asweete nosegay (thinke you) and is it not compounded of choice flowers? the sent is so strong to my smell, that I cannot choose butEpist. 57. stop my nose: Nisi, as Bernard saith, omniū passim naribus iniecto foetore, solus dissimulē pestem, nec audeo manum contra pessimum putorem propria manu munire: Vnlesse, as he saith, the stincke smelling strong in eueryevery mans nose I only should dissemble the matter and not dare to sense my nose with mine owne hand against the contagious smell. But let vsus hauehave patience a litle, and passe along, to see what store of such sweet smelling flowers. M. Hardinges garden wil afoord vsus.

Pag. 40. Thus your vaine boast in wickednes wrought by the power of Sathan Defens. Eccl. Angl. 3.is put to silence, because M. Iewel saith, that many kings & princes are fallen away from the Sea of Rome, & hauehave ioyned them selues to the church of God.

Pag. 42 This is his heat henish hart, what could Purphurie, or Iulius, or Celsus 4say more? because M. Iewel had said, that men euen by light of nature, though thereby alone they cannot bee led to the perfection of faith, yet may somwhat discerne what is likely or vnlikely in religion, according to S. Paule Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible thinges of God, his euerlasting power & Godhead are seene by the creation of the world.

Pag. 85 We take you to be mad: would God you were not worse then mad: were 5you mad, you should be tied vp: Els were you suffered to goe abroad, for feare folk… would flye from you, and then should you doe litle hurt.

Pag. 145 How say you sir Minister Bishop, ought the minister to be lawfully 6called?

Pag. 146 Touching the exercise of your ministerie, you doe all thinges without 7order: vnlesse ye meane such order, as Theeues obserue among them selues in distribution of their robberies.

Pag. 153 If he were, so folish to thinke so, yet you M. Iewel in that behalfe 8should not beare the bable with him: speaking of Nilus a Greeke writer, a learned man and a reuerent Bishop.

p. 5Pag. 162. You shew your selfe to be a man of euill disposition, no man euer said 9it, but Illyricus or bawdy Bale: Namely that pope Zosimus corrupted the councel of Nice, the trueth where of notwithstanding is proued by B. Iewel out of the Aphricane councel. cap. 101. 102. 103. Concil. Carthag. 6. cap. 4. Concil. Florentin. sess. 20.

Pag. 164. You are errant slaunderous liers: how seemeth not this wicked generation 10to spring of the deuil: because M. Iewel saith, by the testimonie of Alphons. de castro, Sabellic, Platina, & others, that pope Liberius was an Arian heretike.

Pag. 189. This sir defender learned in the schoole of Sathan, and now lieth 11bound in Sathan fatters.

Pag. 201. Their Bishops for custody of their chastity after their former olde 12yokefellowes decease, solace them selues with new strumpets.

Pag. 209. Of what small substance this reason is, the veriest Coblers of all 13their Ministers, if they can reade any english beside their communion booke, may easely perceiue. B. Iewell telleth Harding, he might hauehave remembred, that not long since Iulius the 2. of a wherrislaue was made Pope: but wee hauehave no coblers in the ministerie.

Pag. 290. Mauger the malice of the deuil and of all the sacramentaries, the old trueth shall preuaile: he meaneth the conuersion and transsubstantiating 14(as he calleth it) of the bread and wine in the sacrament, into the verie body and blood of Christ. But this is no trueth at all, neither old, nor auncient: confussed by D. Tunstall to hauehave come in twelue hundred yeres after the gospell: as in that place it is manifestly prooued.

Pag. 297. Now sir, I report me to euerie man that hath sense, whether I 15may not lawfully giuegive you the Menti, as for manners sake I may vse the Italian terme, and chalenge you in plaine termes of a lie, for vttering this vntrueth: and yet there is no vntrueth vttered: see the place.

Pag. 313. It liked your filthie spirite, with vile wordes, to bring that holy mysterie into contempt: wherein you do the Deuill author of all heresies, the greatest seruice that may be deuised: because with Origen he had affirmed that the bread in the sacrament, as touching the material substance thereof goeth into the bellie, and is cast into the priuie.

Pag. 342. The thinges, which it liketh your Sathanical spirite, with blasphemous 17wordes to dishonor: he meaneth the sacrament, which indeede is by them most of all abused and dishonored.

Pag. 359. He calleth vsus cursed Chananites.

Pag. 187. Ye falsely and wickedly lead the people, ye are Apostataes, ye are heretiques 19ye are impudent and rebellious children.

Pag. 404. These defenders in conditions be like such honest women, 20as commonly we call Scoldes.

Pag. 409. Loe a grieuous and an heauie case, that the world calleth you p. 621wicked and vngodlie men: I wis, they be too blame for it, and so be they that call them theeues, which come to be promoted to Tibor…e.

Pag. 446. Your impudencie of lying hath no measure nor end.

Pag. 459. The fiendes of hell were not yet let loose, that begat Lutheranes, 23Zuinglians Caluinistes: and here of we vnderstand the youth of your Church, which is no other but the malignant Church, and Synagogue of Sathan.

Pag. 465. Though the defender feare not to be accounted a lyer, yet should 24he be loth to be accountedan vnhonest man, yea and specially a foole.

Pag. 502. We recken not, what Luther saith, what Zuinglius, what Caluine, 25what Antichrist, what Sathan saith.

Pag. 506. If this defender were compared to a mad dog, some perhaps 26would thinke it an vnmanerlie comparison, let the man be as he is, verilie the maner and fashion of both is alike.

Pag. 510. He calleth vsus light preachers, wicked vowbreakers, lewde leacherous 27lurdens, detestable blasphemers: such is your deuilish rabble, saith he: This is M. Hardinges eloquence.

Pag. 524. O thou captaine lyer: O most worthie not the reward of a whetstone, 28but the iudgement of a backbiter, of a slaunderer, of a cursed speaker, of the accuser of the bretheren, of a blasphemer. Canst thou perswade thy selfe to get credite by lying, to seeme sober by rayling, honest by villanie, charitable by slaundering? And al this stir is, because we charge them with burning of scriptures: which their vngodly practises here in England, do notoriously shew to be true.

Pag. 549. He sheweth himselfe a foole, a slaunderer, an vnlearnedman.

Pag. 576. Here pricketh forth this hastie defender, as peart as a pearemonger, 30and faine would talke with the pope himselfe.

Pag. 602. Ye cannot abide salt water, oyle, the crosse: And no maruel: 31No more can not the deuill, who possesseth you, and rideth you.

Pag. 607. It shoulde hauehave become Scoggin, Patch, …lle, Harry Pattenson, 32or Wil Sommer, to hauehave told this tale much better then your superintendentship's: And if ye would needs hauehave plaied the part your selues, it had bene more conuenient to hauehave done it vponupon the stage, vnderunder a vices coate, then in a booke, &c.

And all this, because their practises in seducing the people of God, are compared to Ieroboams, who entised the people from the true worship of God at Ierusalem, by setting vp two Golden calues.

Pag. 616. When were euer such theeues in the Church of God as ye are?

Ibid. If all iffes were true, then if heauen fell, we should catch larkes. And if 34a bridge were made between Douer and Caleis, we might go to Boleine a foote, as William Sommer once told King Henrie the eight. Because M. Iewel had said, if the Church of Rome can not erre, the good lucke thereof is farre greater then these mens pollicie: for such is their doctrine and life, that for all them the Church may not onelyonly erre, but be vtterly spoiled.

p. 5Pag. 617. By your Apostacie ye hauehave done more wickedly, then if ye committed 35Idolatrie.

Pag. 648. Sirs, would ye hauehave the common people to come to the generall 36Councels? Whom meane yee, I pray you? Tinkers and Tapsters, Fidlers and Pipers, such as your ministers be? Alas poore soules, what shoulde they doe there? for there is no **Yet in your late Trident chap. the… was such tinking of other mēs kettles, & tipling of their cups, that 2. adulterous popish Bishoppes came to & shamefull end▪ wherof one was slaine with a borespeare, being found with an other mans wife: the other was hanged in a grin laid for him in his mus… where he was wonte to creepe in at a win dowe. Fox. pag. 2107.tinking nor tipling, nor fidling, nor piping: there they may shut vp both budgets and mouthes. But here M. Harding neede not thus to hauehave vpbraided our ministers with such scoffing and iesterlike termes: if he had remembred (as M. Iewell telleth him) what Alphons. de Castro reporteth of the popes, Constat plures Papas adeo esse illiteratos, vt grammaticam penit us ignorent, That manie of them were so vnlearned, that they were ignorant of their grammar.

Pag. 680. As I cannot well take an haire from your lying beard, so wish I that 37I could plucke malice from your blasphemous hart.

Neither doth M. Harding heere content him selfe, thus spitefully to hauehave entreated the liuing: calling our Ministers Coblers, Tapsters, Tinkers: Ministers wiues, sober and graue matrons with him no better then strumpets: But he doth most vnhonestly snatch and carpe at the dead, & reuile Gods Saintes, terming the booke of Acts and Monumentes, a huge dunghill of 38stinking martyrs: Yea he presumeth to sitte in Gods chaire, wresting thep. 33 iudgment out of his hand, and giueth sentence of condemnation against vsus. The authors and professors of them be dead and rotten in hell fire, with weeping 39and grinning of teeth: the like iudgement looke ye and your fellowes to hauehave if ye repent not. And in another place: After ye hauehave fried and boiled (saithp. 26 pag. 63…. he) in rancour and malice against the Church, ye are like to leape into the furnace of hell: Thus wee heare M. Hardinges sugred eloquence: Iudge nowe (good Christian Reader) whether this man hauehave not beene well trained vp in Sathans schoole, as he slaunderously saith of vsus.

These and such like are M. Hardinges flowers, who liste to take a further view of them, shall finde them to be collected as into one bundle by B. Iewell: where these pleasant sortes shall be offered to his smell: Your deuilish spite, your deuilish wickednesse, your deuilish villanie, Sathan is your schoolemaster, your father the deuill: your new Church set vp by Sathan, you are the schoole of Sathan, children of the deuill. A page, a slaue, a clawbacke of the deuill, your reprobate congregation, your confused tentes of Sathan, the nouice of the deuill. Sathans broode, Sathan holdeth you captiue, ye are fast bound in Sathans fetters, loose apostates, prophane hel-houndes, your blasphemies & Sathanismes, Caluinistes, Sathanistes: your wicked Chams brood, your damnable side, your deuilish rabble, your congregation of reprobates, your Turkish doctrine. As craftie knaues in a comedie, they are Apes, they are Asses, with such like, Iewel. prefat. defens. Apolog.

But least we should thinke, that M. Harding onelyonly hath profited in this p. 8blacke and popish Rhetorike, let vsus see also the modestie of other mens spirits, out of that schoole. We shall easely finde that they are all one womans children, and hauehave had all one schoole maister, their stile and speech is so alike.Fox. p. 883. 40.

Bonauenture, a frier of Loraine disputing with Wolfgangus, vsed these as his best argumentes: Thou heretike, Iudas, Beelzebub.

Bellarmine, the mildest and most modest childe of that crue, yet sometimePraefat. in 2. controu. de Christo sheweth the badge of his profession: Ab alio spiritu Caluinus agitur (saith he) vt se Valentino opponat, sic inter se daemonibus colludentibus: Caluine being moued of an other spirite, doth set him selfe against Ualentinus, the Tritheist, who affirmed that there were 3. goddes: one deuill thus mocking with another. Is not here (thinke you) a gentle reward for Caluine, for opposing him selfe against that vile heretique, and maintaining the doctrine of the Trinitie? Is not this to blaspheme the spirit of God, speaking and writing in Caluine in the defense of the truth?

But what say ye to our Rhemistes, those iolly Iesuites? if any man be desi rous to know their pregnant wittes, & eloquent tongues, thus they write:

Annot. in Act. 8. sect. 10. Simon Magus that sorcerer had more true knowledge 42of religion, then the protestants hauehave: he blasphemed not, as they blaspheme.

They call vsus Miscreantes. Iam. 5. sect. 5. and compare vsus to the impious 43sonnes of Cham. Galath. 2. sect. 8. to Cain, Balaam and Core. Iud. v. 11.

Yea with a foule blacke mouth, they are not ashamed to call Caluine, 44Beza, Verone, reprobates. Rom. 11. ver. 33.

Thus at the burning of M. …rith, that worthie seruant of God and blessed 45martyr, D. Cooke most vncharitablie admonished the people, that they should pray no more for him, then they would for a dog. Fox. pag. 1036

Now commeth in rayling Cochleus, and filleth vp the measure of this 46iniquity, writing thus most wickedlie of Iohn Hus, I say therefore Iohn Hus is neither to be counted holy nor blessed, but rather wicked & eternally wretched: in so much that in the day of iudgement, it shal be more easie, not onelyonly with the Infidel Paganes, Turkes, Tartarians, and Iewes, but also with the most sinful Sod… mites, and the abhominable Persians, which most filthilie do lie with their daughters, sisters, or mothers: yea also with most irapious Cain killer of his owne brother, with Thyestes killer of his owne mother, and the Lestrygones, & other Anthropophagi which deuoure mans fleshe yea more easie with those most infamous murderers of infantes, Pharao and Herod, then with him. Cochle. lib. 2. histor Hussitar. translated by M. Fox. pag. 6…1.

I maruel at my heart, that they without horror of conscience could thus speake or write of the seruants of God, or that the earth did not open vnderunder them to swallow vp such blasphemers. We neede not nowe thinke it strange that the Rhemistes charge vsus with blasphemie, Reuelat. 13. sect. …. And Harding with sinne against the holy ghost, because we speake against p. 9the pope: This fellow goeth further, making the holy seruant of God worse then Caine, thē Pharao, then infidels, or paganes: I pray God it bee not laid to their charge: yet they stay not here, neither are content thus to reuile our persons, which might better be borne at their hands, but they opē their mouth euē against heauē, & spare not to blaspheme the trueth, which we professe. The holy cōmunion, which we obserue according to Christs… institution, Harding spitefully calleth a leane and carrien banquet. pag. …20

The Rhemistes say, that Caluins supper with his bread and wine, which is… not his supper but Christes, is like at length to come to the sacrifice of C…es and Bacchus. Iohn. 4. sect. 4.

And yet more wickedly they say, that our communion is the very table and …cuppe of deuils, wherein the deuil is properly serued. 1 Corinth. 10. sect. 9. But alas seely men, we pitie their case: They speake euil (as Saint Iude saith) of things they know not. If they vnderstood (what these holy mysteries were) they would, I thinke be more sparing in blaspheming. We wil not requite them againe with euill speech, Michaell durst not doe it to the deuill, but the Lord rebuke them and amend them.

Now in the last place I will adioine certaine flowers of stout sturdye Stapletons eloquence, collected out of his late booke set forth against our worthie & learned countrie man D. Whitakers, that it may appeare what spirit they are of, that with such bitter speech and vile termes do taunt and reuile the professors of the Gospell.

To omit how odiously and proudly he chargeth him with ignorance & want of learning: calling him euerie where, Doctorem indoctum, vnlearned Doctor, & professorem indignum, vnworthy professor, not worthie to be admitted to the least degree in schooles. lib. 1. cap. 2. sect 4. Whitakerus quonis tyrone ineptior: more foolish then any boy scholler or new beginner lib. 2, cap. 1. sect. 3. yea he blusheth not to cal him scriptorē barbarū, a barbarous writer. To let passe these & such like arrogant challenges, which are common with all papists who boast of them selues, as of the onelyonly learned and eloquent men, but alas, poore soules, it seemeth they dwell by euil neyghbours, when they are faine to praise them selues. But as for M. Stapleton, he is fowlie ouerseene, in charging so worthy a man with want of learning, whose bookes he is scarce worthy in respect of true learning to carrie after him. And if the questiō be of eloquēce, this Louanian Doctors writing is but a kind of barking in respect of the others, either for smoothnesse of stile, or good phrase of speech.

But to let passe these, as the most milde & courteous termes he hath, this eloquent Louanian professor thus setteth vponupon that reuerent and learned man, thus saying vntounto him, Minister Sathanae effectus, professor per…, magister mendax & impudentissimus: Thou art become a minister of Sathan, a faithlesse or forsworne professor, a lying and most impudent teacher. … ▪ …. p. 10monit ad Whitaker. professor asinine, Asse-head professor, lib. 1. cap. 1. sect. 12. Hee lyeth for the whet-stone, Facis mendacium cote dignum, cap. 2. sect. 6. absurditas Asinina aduersarij, His asinine absurditie. lib. 1. cap. 7. sect. 3. Ineptissimus disputator, Most foolish disputer: ibi. sect. 9. Fatuus rusticus, A clownish or rusticall foole. cap. 12. sect. 4. Stultissimus, A verie foole. ibid. Sophista impudens, An impudent sophister. lib. 2. cap. 5. sect. 10. Barbara impudentia, His barbarous impudency. cap. 7. sect. 6. Hee playeth the sycophant. cap. 8. sect. 4. Stultissime sophista, Most foolish sophister. cap. 9. sect. 1. Disputator absurdissime. Most absurd disputer. Ibi. sect. 8. Mentiendi consuetudo in naturam tibi versa, Your custome of lying is become your verie nature. cap. 10. sect. 1. What could be said more of the Deuil? Hebitudinis tuae et tarditatis, &c. Your dulnesse and blockishnesse, &c. sect. 10. Mentiendi libido vel necessitas. Hee hath either pleasure or necessitie to lie, sect. 13. Mendacium rotundum. Hee maketh a round lie. sect. 16. Crassa ignorantia, Grosse ignorance. lib. 3. cap. 7. sect. 3. Mendacium ridiculum & morione dignum, A ridiculous lie and fit for a foole, lib. 3. cap. 13. sect. 1. Mendaciū nobile, A noble lie. cap. 14. sect. 5 mendacium splendidum: sect. 8. A notable or lewd lie. Mendacium stupidū. A blockish lie. cap. 16. sect. 7. Crassa stupiditas, Grosse blockishnes, ibi. Stul…itia & hebetudo prorsus asinina, Asinine foolishnesse and dulnesse, cap. 19. sect. 11. These and an hundred such like proper Rhetoricall speeches our good countri-man hath sent vsus from Louaine, to shew how he hath profited in popish eloquence: and to make vp our mouthes, after he hath long dallied in wordes, in good sober sadnes, he speaketh thus friendly vntounto vsus: Omniū quidem haereticorū & caecitas magna est, & pertinacia singularis, sed vestra hodie Whitachere, tua inquam, tuorum que con…enarum haereticorum tum caecitas tum pertinacia longè maxima est, In all heretikes, there is both great blindnesse and singular obstinacie, but thy blindnes Whitakers, and wilfulnes, with the rest of thy fellow-heretikes, passeth all. lib. 3. cap. 7. sect. 5. Wee are much beholding to you, good countriman, Father, Thomas Stapleton, that worthie Louanian professor, (for we will giuegive you your titles) though that worthie man, be but plaine whitakers with you, that you can finde in your hart to giuegive vsus the vpper hand in blindnes and wilfulnes, of all heritikes that euer were: But cursed and confounded bee all such heretikes, as are more wilfullye blinde and obstinate against the truth then papists be.

This doubtie Doctor, sturdie Stapleton, chargeth, as wee hauehave seene, this godlie learned man, with foure especial crimes, ignorance, follie, impudencie, lying. But you M. Stapleton therein shew your selfe neither so deepe a clarke, nor so wise a man, or of so sober a spirit as you would be taken for. As for the first, his, which you cal ignorāce, shal be able by Gods grace to match & ouermatch your Louaniā learning or sophistrie rather. The folishnes of the Gospell, & simplicity of the truth in him shal not giuegive p. 11place to your humane and serpentine wisedome. In deede he is too modest, too milde and humble a man to deale with so proud, vainglorious, and spitefull boasters. A wrangling Sophister were fitter to answere your intemperat and immodest rayling, than so graue and reuerend a Diuine. But as for lying, take it to your selues, both it and the father therof. There shal be more trueth found in fewe of his lines, than manie of your leaues: and more good diuinitie in one page, than is in your whole booke. And hauehave you beene these foure yeres in hatching so goodly a bird, and bringing foorth a Cockatrice egge? Surely you hauehave spent your time well. And be these the frutes of your studies? Wel, ex vnguibus Leonem: by such fruits we know what the tree is; what neede other arguments? your vsual and customarie railing bewraieth your malicious spirite. And tell me you wretched miserable men, which hauehave nothing more common in your mouthes, than to call vsus asses, doults, fooles, how can you escape that heauie sentence of our Sauiour which saith, that who so calleth his brother foole, is in danger of hell fire: Math. 5. But it is no newe thing for Heretikes to raile and reuile: it hath euer beene their custome and guise: The Pelagians called Augustine, Cultorem daemonum, a worshipper of diuels: August. cont. Iulian. lib. 3. cap. 18. The Donatists accused Cecilian a Catholicke Bishop, of sinne against the holie Ghost: August contra Crescon. lib. 4. cap. 17. So it is true as Maxentius saith: Haeretici, cum peruersitatis suae non possunt reddere rationem, ad maledicta conuertuntur: Heretikes, when they finde them selues not able to yeeld a reason of their wilfulnes; then they fall to plaine rayling. Such plentie of scoffes & taunts, of cursings & reuilings, is an euident signe of an euill cause, & bewraieth a cankred stomacke. We will not answer them in the same kinde; for our cause is better, & our malice & hatred much lesse. It grieueth not vsus to be euill spoken of without cause. We are sorie for them: they hurt not vsus, but blemish their owne credit before men, and make their account more heauie before God. I wil shut vp this place with that good saying of Bernard, Bonum mihi si me dignetur Deus vti pro Clypeo, libens excipio in me detrahentium linguas maledicas, vt nō ad ipsum perueniāt: It is good for mee, if God vouchsafeDe co… derat. li. 2. to vse me in steed of a buckler, I willingly do latch in my selfe the dartes of slaunderous tongues, that they light not vponupon him.