Confutation of the Popes Bull, Part 17
¶That it is no monstruousnesse at all for the Queene of England to be called supreme head of the Realme of England vponupon earth.
ANone after, among the haynous offences neuer able to be purged with any sacrifice, and which most of all moueth the choler that boyleth inwardly in the brest of the vniuersal bishop, and souerein Lord (as he him selfe will séeme to be) as well in cases spirituall as temporall, bycause that power can abyde no partnershyp: the foresayd thyng is bitterly recited in the Bull, euen in these wordes. Which will hauehave her selfe acknowledged alone for souerein Lady in cases spirituall and tēporall, by vsurpyng monstruously the place of supreme head. And finally which hath presumed to dispose parsons of churches & other Catholicke Priestes, and to make constitutions in cases Ecclesiasticall deposing and oppressing the Catholike Byshops, and aduauncing or restoryng wicked preachers and ministers of vngodlinesse to the roomes of those that be deposed &c.The striuyng, of ye bishops of Rome for the supremacie. This (ye may sée) is the fayre Helene, for the winnyng of whom, the Romish Byshops hauehave made warre in Christendome now these certeine hundred yeares agaynst all Christen Kinges and Princes. This is the ground of all their grief, verely this is ye onelyonly cause for which they hauehave turmoyled the whole world, and cease not to turmoyle it euen at this day, that is to wit in so great light of the Gospell, which now shyneth bright, and triumpheth through the whole world: a most assured proofe of inuincible shamelesnesse and wilfulnesse. For the Lord without any parable and most manifestly in the Gospell sayth to the pastors of Churches, The kings of the Gentiles reigne ouer them: but so shall not you. Neuerthelesse the Byshop who will séeme to be the Prince of pastors, despising or rather trampling that so manifest commaundement of the Lord vnderunder his féete, is not ashamed to take vppon him all power as well in spirituall as temporall matters. And what els is that, but to wype away all shamefastnesse, and openly and wickedly to rebell agaynst God, and to outface him, with saying to him, but we will do so, and not simply, but also farre further, yea and more to. But I hauehave shewed euidently inough afore, that all pastors of Churches are called and ordeined by Christ, not to beare rule, but to serue in all thinges.
Monstruously therfore doth the seruaunt of seruauntes which is excluded from all Lordship,What monstruousenesse is. and appointed onelyonly to do seruice, vsurpe to him selfe the thyng that is peculiar onelyonly to souereines, whom God hath set in authoritie. For if the thyng be sayd to be done monstruously, which is done either agaynst nature or Gods expresse ordinaunce: I pray you what can be deuised more monstruous, than that he whom the Lord of all thinges, of whom commeth all power and dominion, hath cast downe as the basest seruaunt of all, and put farre vnderneath the footestooles of all Lordes, should not onelyonly take vponupon him the chayre of estate which God hath graunted onelyonly to kynges: but also moreouer, deuise himselfe a throne which he will hauehave séeme to be exalted aboue the thrones of all kinges: and mountyng vp into the same without remembraunce of his own base estate, deuilishly vaunt himselfe to the whole world, not now as a King or Emperour onelyonly, but also as chief Byshop that obteineth both the swordes and all power both in heauen and in earth? Here is that dubbleshapped monster, here, here is séen that deadly and detestable, that horrible also and wonderfull monster, which is blased in the holy Scriptures by the title of the great whore which fitteth vppon many waters,Apoc. 17. and vppon the scarlet colored beast full of names of blasphemie. But for a kyng or a Quéene to be called a head as well in spirituall as temporall matters within their owne Realme, it is no monstruousnesse at all, bycause the Lord hath so ordeined it, & in Gods word Princes be called the heades of the people, & so the thing can not be sayd to be done mōstruously agaynst nature,That Quenes although they be women, doe reigne lawfully which is done according to Gods will & word. With Kyngs I ioyne Quéenes also, and not without cause, least the Pope perchaunce might surmyse, that women are excluded from reignyng, or that it is a monstruous thyng if a woman should reigne. For we know that the thinges which the Apostle speaketh concernyng the obedience of wiues and the silence of women in the congregation of God, are not to be wrested vntounto reigning. For it is certein that the Lords Apostles impeached not the successions in kyngdomes, ne disordered not the accustomed maner of inherityng in kyngdomes. Also we know that mention is made in the Bible, of the noble Quéene of Saba to her great prayse for her much conference with Salomon. Neither will I now say any thyng of Delbora that Iudged Israell, & of other Princely Ladyes. Truly Esay, not onelyonly sayd. And Kynges shalbe thy fosterfathers, but also added, And Quéenes shalbe their nurces: they shall bow downe themselues before thée &c. Esay. 49.