The Baiting of the Pope_s Bull, Papal bull
✚ Vrbanus Papa 8.
Dilectis filijs Catholicis Angliae
DIlecti filij, ſalutem et Apoſtolicam benedictionem. Non ſemper terrena faelicitas eſt beneficium coeli, & Patrimonium pietatis; pacem enim peccatorum videns eccleſia, non rarò experta eſt potentiam mortalium eſſe ſtipendium ſceleris. Quare, catenas Martyrum anteferimus exuuijs triumphantium, & Rex ſempiternus principatus coeleſtes pollicetur, non ijs, qui ſuperbo pede jure proterunt, ſed qui perſecutionem patiuntur propter juſtitiam. Veritatem hanc è theſauris diuinitatis deductam in terras, contemplans Apoſtolus, non modo animum non deſpondebat, ſed ſuperabundabat gaudio in omni tribulatione fidelium. Qui enim digni habentur pro nomine Ieſu contumelias pati, ij tefferam diuini amoris videntur poſſidere, & eo precio abundant, quo ſuntvaenalia diademata aeternitatis. Mallerus equidem, humane imbecillitatis memores, gloriam & diuitias eſſe in Tabernaculis Iuſtorum. At cum veſtras contemplemur miſerias, dilecti filii, tantum veſtrae virtuti & Chriſto propugnanti fidimus, vt vobis audiamus gratulari ſegetem triumphorum. Sperauit quidem Eccleſia fore, vt potentiſſimi Regis animus, qui è catholica conjuge procreare optavit haeredes patrijs regnis imperaturos, delenitus ſuſpirijs vxoriae ✚ pictatis, peteretur regalis connubij dotem eſſe libertatem fidei; nunc autem formidantur vota, & concilia inimicorum veſtrorum; & cum religio orthodoxa regali diademate in optima regina coronatur, iſtîc tamen non deſunt, qui filis noſtris audeant carcerem & ſupplicia minitari. Credimus eſſe inter vos, qui mortificationem Ieſu Chriſti proprio corpore circumfeire cupiunt, & blanditias voluptatis, & ambitionis titulos poſthabeant lanienae carnificum, & vinculorum contumelijs: ſi qui tamen iſtîc ſunt, quos praeſentis Eccleſiae proſperitatis deſiderium teneat, eos certiores fieri cupimus, de co ſalute miriſice ſollicitam eſſe Pontificiam charitatem. Nullum a Nobis relinqnitur officium, quod ingruentis tempeſtatis menacem caliginem poſſit in optatam conſolationis aream conuertere: tamen ſi dilatet Infernus os ſuum, & Martyrum ſanguinem ſ…tiat impacata crudelitas, armari debetis ſcuto inexpugnabili bonae voluntatis, & coelum in carcere, coronam in equuleo, immortalitatem in morte cogitate. Inter Britannicos naufragantis religionis ſcopulos Crux Chriſti fuit Tabula, quae vos perduxit in portum voluntatis veſtrae. Hanc opus eſt amplexari, cujus virtute dulceſcit amarities paenarum. Cogitate dilecti filij, in qua ſtatione commoremini, & quorum oculis facti ſitis ſpectaculum; vos Angelicae Legiones circumvolitant, qui phialis aureis deſideria fidelium excipiunt. & ad ſanctuarum ferunt Miſericordiae Omnipotentis; patefactis coeli foribus, ſpectator idem, & remunerator Chriſtus vobis ſacros ciuium veſtrorum triumphos oſtendit, quos Anglia proprio ſanguine purpuratos intulit coelitum Concilijs. Anxiae preces ſuſpirantis Eccleſiae vobis a Deo petunt ſpiritum charitatis, & fortitudinis; veſtram ſalutem currant Conſilia Senatus Apoſtolici, & vota Chriſtianitatis, in tanto coeli terrarumque theatro, quem vobis conſtantiae veſtrae rigorem, quam animi triumphantis ſublimitatem ineſſe decet? Fuerunt in conſimili diſcrimine conſilia Maiorum veſtrorum, lumina ſpiritus ſancti & arma lucis ſint vobis veſtra oracula ſapientia, ſint veſtrae actiones exempla fortitudinis. Quod ſi coſque vis progrediatur, vt vos ad noxium illud, & illicitum Anglicanae fidelitatis Iuramentum adigat, mementote oratione veſtram ab vniverſo Angelorum ſpectaritium confeſſu audiri, & adhaereat lingua veſtra ſaucibus veſtris, priuſquā authoritatem B. Petri ea Iuriſiurandi formula imminutam detis. Non enim ibi id ſolum agitur, vt ſides Regi ſeruetur, ſed vt ſacrum vniuerſae Eccleſiae ſceptrum eripiatur Vicarijs Dei Omnipotentis; quod faelicis recordationis Paulus 5. Predeceſſor noſter in tam graui deliberatione decreuit, id omnino tanquam Decretum veritatis ſervare debeatis; dilecti filij, Tributum hoc Principi Apoſtolorum debitum nullae hominum minae, aut blanditiae a vobis vnquam extoequeant; qui ſecus ſuadent, ij viſionem mendacem, & divinationem fraudule tam prophetant vobis. Citius enim viro Chriſtiano debet potentium gladius vitam eripere, quàm fidem. Quod ſi Angelus etiamè coelo deſcendens vos aliter, quam veritas Apoſtolica, doceat, Anathema ſit. Nos interea Patrem luminum orabimus, ne excaecari patiatur cor Regis Anglicani, qui certò diſcere debebit, quanta in ijs quae polliceri poteſtis, fides habenda ſit Catholicis ſubditis, qui ne ſe perjurio alligent, malunt ſpiritum emittere, quàm vocem. Vt autem virtus veſtra inueniatur pretioſior auro, quod igne probatur, docete regnum iſtud tantam non ineſſe vim hoſtium ſaeuitiae, vt in cordibus veſtris poſſit aeternum charitatis ignem extinguere. Orate pro perſequentibus vos; humilitas, patientia, concordia, jeiunium, oratio arma ſunt, quae in ſaeua dimicatione debetis diſtringere, vt palmae coeleſtium triumphorum floreant in manibus vectris. Cum enim ipſius etiam Chriſti carnifices vetitus ſit B. Petrus gladio vulnerare, hortamur vos, preſens eccleſiae bonum prae oculis habentes, vt cogitetis interea cogitationes pacis, & Regietiam, dum mortalem vitam adimit, aeternam vitam expetatis. Ita belligerare fas eſt milites Chriſti, ſub vexillo Crucis confundetur os loquentium iniqua, cum odiſſe neſciatis qui vos excruciant. Caeterùm Dominus, qui poteſt triſtitiam veſtram in gaudium vertere, erit a dextris veſtris, ne commoueamini, et illius Teſtamenti nunquam obliviſcamini, quo haereditatem regni coeleſtis imitatoribus ſuis legauit. Complectamur vos Apoſtolicae charitatis brachijs dilecti filij, quibus paternum patrocinium pollicemur, & benedictionem noſtram peramanter impertimur, Dat. Romae S. Petri, ſub Annulo Piſcatoris, die 30. Maij. 1626. Pontificatus noſtri anno 3.
✚ Pope Ʋrban 8.
To his Beloued Sonnes, the Catholiques of England.
BELOVED Sonnes, greeting and Apoſtolique benediction. Terrene felicity is not alwayes the benefit of heauen, and the patrimony of piety. For the Church, ſeeing the Peace of ſinners, hath often found by proofe, that the power of Mortals is the ſtipend of impiety. Wherefore we preferre the chaines of Martyrs, before the ſpoyles of the triumphant, and the King eternall promiſeth heauenly Principalities, not to them, that trample the Lawes vnderunder their proud foote, but to thoſe, that ſuffer perſecution for righteouſneſſe ſake. This truth deriued out of the treaſures of antiquity, into the earth, the Apoſtle conſidering, did not onelyonly not caſt away his hope, but was ſuperabundantly ioyfull in all the tribulation of the faithfull; for they which are accounted worthy to ſuffer reproches for the name of Ieſu, thoſe ſeeme to poſſeſſe the Bill of Exchange of Gods louelove, and abound with that price, wherewith they purchaſe the Diademe of Eternity. Indeed we had rather (being mindfull of humane frailty) that glory and riches were in the tabernacles of the righteous: but when we contemplate your miſeries, Beloued Sonnes, wee put ſo much confidence in your vertue, and Chriſts defence, that we dare congratulate vntounto you plenty of triumphs. The Church well hoped indeed, that the minde of the moſt potent King, who of a Catholique wife wiſhed to beget heires, that might rule his Countrey Kingdomes, being mollified by the fighes of his Wiues ✚ piety, would permit the dowry of royall wedlocke to bee the liberty of faith: but now the vowes and counſels of your enemies are feared; and whereas the Orthodox religion is crowned with a royall Diadome in that moſt excellent Queene: yet there are not wanting thoſe, which dare threaten impriſonments and puniſhments to our ſonnes. We belieue there are among you thoſe, who deſire to carry about in your owne body the mortification of Ieſu Chriſt, and would contemne the blandiſhments of pleaſure, and titles of ambition, in compariſon of the butcherie of hangmen, and ignominy of bonds: yet if any be there, who are poſſeſſed with a deſire of the proſperity of the preſent Church, we deſire they ſhould take notice, that the Pontifician charity is wonderouſly ſollicitous of their ſafety, No one duty is of vsus omitted, which may conuert the menacing cloud of the growing tempeſt, into a wiſhed calme of conſolation: yet if Hell inlarge her mouth, and mortall cruelty thirſt after the blood of Martyrs, yee ought to bee armed with the inuincible buckler of a good reſolution, and meditate of Heauen in the priſon, of a Crowne in the Racke, of immortality in death. Among the Britiſh Rockes of their ſhipwracke religion, Chriſts Croſſe hath beene a Planke, and hath brought you into the hauen of your deſire. This Croſſe you muſt imbrace, by the vertue whereof the bitterneſſe of puniſhments is ſweetned. Conſider beloued Sonnes in what ſtation ye ſtand, and to whoſe eyes you are made a ſpectacle; the Angelicall Legions do flutter about you, which receiue in their golden violls the deſires of the faithfull, and preſent them at the ſanctnarie of the mercy of the Omnipotent; heauen gates being ſet open, Chriſt not only a beholder, but a Rewarder, ſheweth you the ſacred triumphs of your Citizens, whom purpled in their owne blood, England hath brought into the heauenly aſſemblies. The anxious prayers of the mournefull Church deſire of God for you the ſpirit of charity and fortitude. The Counſels of the Apoſtolique Senate, and the prayers of Chriſtendome, take care of your ſafety in ſo large a theater of heauen and earth; what rigour of your conſtancy, what ſublimity of a triumphant minde becomes it you to hauehave in you? The Counſels of your Predeceſſers hauehave beene in the like ieopardy, the lights of the holy Ghoſt, and the Armor of light be your wiſe Oracles, and your actions the examples of fortitude. And if violence preceed ſo farre, as it compell you to that permitions and vnlawfull oath of Alleagiance of England; remember, that your prayer is heard of the whole aſſembly of the Angels beholding you, and let your tongue cleane to your gummes, before you cauſe the authority of bleſſed Peter to bee diminiſhed with that forme of Oath. For that is not all, that fidelity be kept vntounto the King: but that the ſacred ſcepter of the Catholique Church be wrung from the Vicars of God Almighty; that which our Predeceſſor Paul 5. of bleſſed memory, in ſo graue a deliberation decreed, that ought ye altogether to obſerue, as the Decree of truth. Beloued ſonnes, this Tribute, due to the Prince of the Apoſtles, no threates of men, or flatteries, ought at any time to extort from you; they that perſwade you otherwiſe, thoſe propheſie vntounto you a lying viſion, and a fraudulent Diuination. For ſooner ought the ſword of the mighty to take away from a Chriſtian man his life, tken his faith. Yea if an Angell from heauen teach you otherwiſe, then the Apoſtolique truth, let him be accurſed. We in the meane time will intreate the Father of lights, that he ſuffer not the heart of the Engliſh King to bee blinded, who ſhall certainly learne, how great credit is to be giuen to the Catholique ſubiects, in thoſe things, which you may promiſe; who leaſt they ſhould make themſelues liable to periury, they had rather breath out their ſpirit, then their voice. But that your vertue may be found more precious then gold, which is tried in the fire: teach that kingdome, that there is not ſuch force in the cruelty of enemies, that it is able to extinguiſh the eternall fire of charity in your hearts. Pray for them that perſecute you; humilitie, patience, concord, faſting, praier, are your weapons, which in the cruell conflict ye ought to draw forth, that the Palmes of ecleſtiall triumphs may flouriſh in your hands. For ſeeing Bleſſed Peter was forbidden to ſmite with the ſword, the cruell aſſailants of Chriſt: we exhort you, hauing the prejent good of the Church before our eies, that in the meane time you thinke the thoughts of peace, and that yee praie for eternall life euen for the King, while he takes away your mortall life. So muſt the ſoldiers of duplicate page duplicate page Chriſt make warre vnderunder the banner of the Croſſe, the mouth of them, that ſpeake wicked things, ſhall be confounded, ſeeing yee know not to hate thoſe, who torment you. But the Lord, who is able to turne your ſorrow into ioy, ſhall bee at your right hand, that ye be not moued, and may not forget his Teſtament, wherein he hath be queathed the inheritance of the Kingdome of heauen to his imitatours. Let vsus imbrace you in the Armes of Apoſtolique Charitie. Beloued ſonnes, to whom we promiſe the Fathers patrocinie, and moſt louingly beſtow our benediction. Giuen at Gome: St. Peters. vnderunder the ſignes of the Fiſher. May 30. 1626. the third yeare of our Popedome.