POPE PAVLVS THE FIFT, TO THE ENGLISH CATHOLICKES. WELBELOUED Sonnes, Salutation and Apostolicall Benediction. The tribulations
 and calamities, which yee haue continually sustainedfor the keeping of the Catholike
 Faith, haue alwayes afflicted vs with great griefe of minde. But for as much as we
 vnderstand that at this time all things are more grieuous, our affliction hereby is
 wonderfully increased. For wee haue heard how you are compelled, by most grieuous
 punishments set before you, to goe to the Churches of Heretikes, to frequent their
 assemblies, to be present at their Sermons. Truly wee doe vndoubtedly beleeue, that
 they which with so great constancie and fortitude, haue hitherto indured most cruell
 persecutions and almost infinite miseries, that they may walke without spot in the
 Law of the Lord; will neuer suffer themselves to be defiled with the communion of
 those that haue forsaken the diuine Law. Yet notwithstanding, being compelled by the
 zeale of our Pastorall Office, and by our Fatherly care which we doe continually take
for the saluation of your soules, we are inforced to admonish and desire you, that by
no meanes you come unto the Churches of the Heretickes, or hear their Sermons, or
communicate with them in their Rites, lest you incurre the wrath of God: For these
things may ye not doe without indamaging the worship of God, and your owne sal-
uation. As likewise you cannot, without most euident and grieuous wronging of Gods
Honour, bind your selues by the Oath, which in like maner we haue heard with very
great griefe of our heart is administred vnto you, of the tenor vnder-written. viz. 
 I A.B. doe trewly and sincerely acknowledge, professe, testifie and declare in my
conscience before God and the world, That our Soueraigne Lord King IAMES, is
lawfull King of this Realme, and of all other his Maiesties Dominions and Coun-

 
treyes: And that the Pope neither of himselfe, nor by any authority of the Church
or Sea of Rome , or by any other meanes with any other, hath any power or au-
thoritie to depose the King, or to dispose of any of his Maiesties Kingdomes or
Dominions, or to authorize any forreigne Prince to inuade or annoy him or his
Countreys, or to discharge any of his Subiects of their Allegiance and obedience
to his Maiestie, or to giue Licence or leaue to any of them to beare Armes, raise
tumults, or to offer any violence or hurt to his Maiesties Royall Person, State or
Gouernment, or to any of his Maiesties subiects within his Maiesties Dominions.
Also I doe sweare from my heart, that, notwithstanding any declaration or
sentence of Excommunication, or depriuation made or granted, or to be made or
granted, by the Pope or his successors, or by any Authoritie deriued, or pretended
to be deriued from him or his Sea, against the said King, his heires or successors,
or any absolution of the said subiects from their obedience; I will beare faith and
trew Allegiance to his Maiestie, his heires and successors, and him and them will
defend to the vttermost of my power, against all conspiracies and attempts what-
soeuer, which shalbe made against his or their Persons, their Crowne and dignitie,
by reason or colour of any such sentence, or declaration, or otherwise, and will doe
my best endeuour to disclose and make knowne vnto his Maiestie, his heires and
successors, all Treasons and traiterous conspiracies, which I shall know or heare
of, to be against him or any of them. And I doe further sweare, That I doe from
my heart abhorre, detest and abiure as impious and Hereticall, this damnable
doctrine and position, That Princes which be excommunicated or depriued by the
 Pope , may be deposed or murthered by their Subiects or any other whatsoeuer.
And I doe beleeue, and in conscience am resolued, that neither the Pope nor any
person whatsoeuer, hath power to absolue me of this Oath, or any part thereof;
which I acknowledge by good and full authoritie to bee lawfully ministred vnto
mee, and doe renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrarie. And all
these things I doe plainely and sincerely acknowledge and sweare, according to
these expresse words by me spoken, and according to the plaine and common sense
and vnderstanding of the same words, without any Equiuocation, or mentall
euasion, or secret reseruation whatsoeuer. And I do make this Recognition and
acknowledgment heartily, willingly, and trewly, vpon the trew faith of a Christian.
So helpe me GOD. 
 Which things since they are thus; it must euidently appeare vnto you by the words
themselues, That such an Oath cannot be taken without hurting of the Catholike Faith
and the saluation of your soules; seeing it conteines many things which are flat con-
trary to Faith and saluation. Wherefore wee doe admonish you, that you doe vtterly
abstainefrom taking this and the like Oathes: which thing wee doe the more earnestly
require of you, because wee haue experience of the constancie of your faith, which is
tried like gold in the fire of perpetuall tribulation. Wee doe well know, that you will
cheerfully vnder-goe all kinde of cruell torments whatsoeuer, yea and constantly endure death itselfe, rather then you will in any thing offend the Maiestie of God . And this
 our confidence is confirmed by those things, which are dayly reported vnto vs, of the
 singular vertue, valour, and fortitude which in these last times doeth no lesse shine in
 your Martyrs, then it did in the first beginning of the Church. Stand therefore, your
 loynes being girt about with veritie, and hauing on the brest-plate of righteousness,
 taking the shield of Faith, be ye strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might;
 And let nothing hinder you. Hee which will crowne you, and doeth in Heauen behold
 your conflicts, willfinish the good worke which hee hath begun in you. You know how
 hee hath promised his disciples, that hee will neuer leaue them Orphanes: for hee is
 faithfull which hath promised. Hold fast therefore his correction, that is, being rooted
 and grounded in Charitie, whatsoeuer ye doe, whatsoeuer ye indeuour, doe it with one
 accord, in simplicitie of heart, in meekenesse of Spirit, without murmuring or doubt-
 ing. For by this doe all men know that we are the disciples of Christ , if we haue
 loue one to another. Which charitie, as it is very greatly to be desired of all faithfull
 Christians; So certainely it is altogether necessary for you, most blessed sonnes. For
 by this your charitie, the power of the diuel is weakened, who doeth so much assaile you,
 since that power of his is especially vpheld by the contentions and disagreement of our
 sonnes. Wee exhort you therefore by the bowels of our Lord Iesvs Chirst , by whose
 loue we are taken out of the iawes of eternall death; That above all things, you would
 haue mutuall charitie among you. Surely Pope Clement the eight of happy memory,
 hath giuen you most profitable precepts of practising brotherly charitie one to another,
 in his Letters in forme of a Breue, to our welbeloued sonne M. George Arch-priest of
 the Kingdome of England, dated the 5. day of the month of October 1602. Put them
 therefore diligently in practise, and be not hindered by any difficultie or doubtfulnesse.
 We command you that ye doe exactly obserue the words of those letters, and that yee
 take and vnderstand them simply as they sound, and as they lie; all power to interpret
 them otherwise, being taken away. In the meane while, we will neuer cease to pray to
 the Father of Mercies, that he would with pitie behold your afflictions and your paines;
 And that he would keepe and defend you with his continuall protection: whom wee
 doe gently greet with our Apostolicall Benediction. Dated at Rome at S . Marke,
 vnder the Signet of the Fisherman, the tenth of the Calends of October, 1606. the second
 yeere of our Popedome.

 THE ANSWERE TO THE FIRST BREVE. FIRST, the Pope expresseth herein his sorrow, for that persecution which the
Catholiques sustaine for the faiths sake. Wherein, besides the maine vntrewth
whereby I am so iniuriously vsed, I must euer auow and maintaine, as the trewth
is according to mine owne knowledge, that the late Queene of famous memory,
neuer punished any Papist for Religion, but that their owne punishment was euer
extorted out of her hands against her will, by their owne misbehauiour, which both
the time and circumstances of her actions will manifestly make proofe of. For
before Pius Quintus his excommunication giuing her ouer for a prey, and setting

 
her Subiects at libertie to rebell, it is well knowne she neuer medled with the blood
or hard punishment of any Catholique, nor made any rigorous Lawes against
them. And since that time, who list to compare with an indifferent eye, the mani-
fold intended inuasions against her whole kingdome, the forreine practises, the
internall publike rebellions, the priuate plots and machinations, poysonings,
murthers, and all sorts of deuises, & quid non ? daily set abroach; and all these
wares continually fostered and fomented from Rome ; together with the con-
tinuall corrupting of her Subiects, as well by temporall bribes, as by faire and
specious promises of eternall felicitie; and nothing but booke vpon booke pub-
likely set foorth by her fugitiues, for approbation of so holy designes: who list, I
say, with an indifferent eye, to looke on the one part, vpon those infinite and intol-
lerable temptations, and on the other part vpon the iust, yet moderate punish-
ment of a part of these hainous offendors; shall easily see that that blessed
defunct LADIE was as free from persecution, as they shall free these hellish
Instruments from the honour of martyrdome.
 5. But now hauing sacrificed (if I may so say) to the Manes of my late Pre-
decessour, I may next with Saint Pavl iustly vindicate mine owne fame, from
those innumerable calumnies spread against me, in testifying the trewth of my
behauiour toward the Papists: wherein I may trewly affirme, That whatsoeuer was
her iust and mercifull Gouernement ouer the Papists in her time, my Gouerne-
ment ouer them since hath so farre exceeded hers, in Mercie and Clemencie, as
not onely the Papists themselues grewe to that height of pride, in confidence of my
mildnesse, as they did directly expect, and assuredly promise to themselues
libertie of Conscience, and equalitie with other of my Subiects in all things; but
euen a number of the best and faithfulliest of my sayde Subiects, were cast in
great feare and amazement of my course and proceedings, euer prognosticating
and iustly suspecting that sowre fruite to come of it, which shewed it selfe clearely
in the Powder-Treason. How many did I honour with Knighthood, of knowen
and open Recusants ? How indifferently did I giue audience, and accesse to both
sides, bestowing equally all fauours and honours on both professions ? How free
and continuall accesse, had all rankes and degrees of Papists in my Court and
company ? And aboue all, how frankely and freely did I free Recusants of their
ordinarie paiments ? Besides, it is euident what strait order was giuen out of my
owne mouth to the Iudges, to spare the execution of all Priests, (notwithstanding
their conuiction,) ioyning thereunto a gracious Proclamation, whereby all Priests,
that were at libertie, and not taken, might goe out of the contrey by such a day:
my generall Pardon hauing beene extended to all conuicted Priestes in prison:
whereupon they were set at libertie as good Subiects: and all Priests that were
taken after, sent over and set at libertie there. But time and paper will faile me
to make enumeration of all the benefits and fauours that I bestowed in generall
and particular vpon Papists: in recounting whereof, euery scrape of my penne
would serue but for a blot of the Popes ingratitude and iniustice, in meating me

 
 with so hard a measure for the same. So as I thinke I haue sufficiently, or at least
 with good reason wiped the teares Magno cum animi moerore , &c. from the Popes eyes, for complaining vpon such
 persecution, who if hee had beene but politickely wise, although hee had had no
 respect to Iustice and Veritie, would haue in this complaint of his, made a dif-
 ference betweene my present time, and the time of the late Queene: And so by
 his commending of my moderation, in regard of former times, might haue had
 hope to haue mooued me to haue continued in the same clement course: For it is a
 trew saying, that alledged kindnesse vpon noble mindes, doeth euer worke much.
 And for the maine vntrewth of any persecution in my time, it can neuer bee
 prooued, that any were, or are put to death since I came to the Crowne for cause
 of Conscience; except that now this discharge giuen by the Pope to all Catholiques
 to take their Oath of Allegiance to me, be the cause of the due punishment of
 many: which if it fall out to be, let the blood light vpon the Popes head, who is the
 onely cause thereof.
 As for the next point contained in his Breue concerning his discharge of all
Papists to come to our Church, or frequent our rites and ceremonies, I am not to
meddle at this time with that matter, because my errand now onely is to publish
to the world the Iniurie and Iniustice done vnto me, in discharging my subiects
to make profession of their obedience vnto mee. Now as to the point where the
Oath is quarrelled, it is set downe in few, but very weighty words; to wit, That
it ought to be cleare vnto all Catholiques, that this Oath cannot bee taken with safetie of
the Catholique Faith, and of their soules health, since it containeth many things that
are plainely and directly contrarie to their faith and saluation . To this, the old
saying fathered vpon the Philosopher, may very fitly bee applied, Multa dicit, sed
pauca probat ; nay indeed, Nihil omnino probat : For how the profession of the
naturall Allegiance of Subiects to their Prince can be directly opposite to the faith
and saluation of soules, is so farre beyond my simple reading in Diuinitie, as I
must thinke it a strange and new Assertion, to proceed out of the mouth of that
pretended generall Pastor of all Christian soules. I reade indeede, and not in one,
or two, or three places of Scripture, that Subiects are bound to obey their Princes
for conscience sake, whether they were good or wicked Princes. So said the people
to Ioshua, Iosh. 1.7. As wee obeyed Moses in all things, so will wee obey thee . So the Pro-
phet Iere. 27. 12. commanded the peoples to obey the King of Babel, saying, Put your neckes
vnder the yoke of the King of Babel, and serue him and his people, that yee may liue. 
So were the children of Israel, vnto Pharaoh , Exod. 5. 1. desiring him to let them goe: so to
 Cyrus , Ezra 1. 3. obtaining leaue of him to returne to build the Temple: and in a word, the
Apostle willed all men to bee subiect to the higher powers for conscience sake. Rom. 13. 5. 
Agreeable to the Scriptures did the Fathers teach. Augustine August. in Psalm. 124. speaking of Iulian, 
saith, Iulian was an vnbeleeuing Emperour: was hee not an Apostata, an Oppressour,
and an Idolater ? Christian Souldiers serued that vnbeleeuing Emperour: when 

 

 they came to the cause of CHRIST, they would acknowledge no Lord, but him that is in
heauen. When hee would haue them to worship Idoles and to sacrifice, they preferred 
GOD before him: But when he said, Goe forth to fight, inuade such a nation, they
presently obeyed. They distinguished their eternall Lord from their temporall, and
yet were they subiect euen vnto their temporall Lord, for his sake that was their
eternall Lord and Master . Tertullian Tertull. ad Scap. fayth, A Christian is enemie to no man,
much lesse to the Prince, whom hee knoweth to bee appointed of God; and so of
necessitie must loue, reuerence and honour him, and wish him safe with the whole
Romane Empire, so long as the world shall last: for so long shall it endure. Wee
honour therefore the Emperour in such sort, as is lawfull for vs, and expedientfor him,
as a man, the next vnto God, and obtaining from God, whatsoeuer hee hath, and onely
inferiour vnto God. This the Emperour himselfe would: for so is hee greater then all,
while hee is inferiour onely to the trew God. Iustine Martyr; Iust. Martyr. Apol. 2. ad Ant. Imperat. Wee onely adore the
Lord, and in all other things cheerefully performe seruice to you, professing that you
are Emperours and Princes of men . Ambrose; Amb. in orat. cont. Auxentium, de basilicis traden. habetur lib. 5. epist. Ambr. I may lament, weepe, and sigh: My
tears are my weapons against their armes, souldiers, and the Gothes also: such are
the weapons of a Priest: Otherwise, neither ought I, neither can I resist . Optatus; Optat. contra Parmen. lib. 3. 
 Ouer the Emperour, there is none but onely God, that made the Emperour . And
 Gregory Greg. Mag. Epist. lib 2. indict. 11. Epist. 61. writing to Mauritius about a certaine Law, that a Souldier should not be
receiued into a Monasterie, nondum expleta militia, The Almightie God , sayeth hee,
 holdes him guiltie, that is not vpright to the most excellent Emperour in all things that
hee doeth or speaketh . And then calling himselfe the vnworthy seruant of his
Godlinesse, goeth on the whole Epistle to shewe the iniustice of that Lawe, as hee
pretendeth: and in the end concludes his Epistle with these wordes; I being
subiect to your command, haue caused the same Law to be sent through diuers parts of
your Dominions: and because the Law it selfe doeth not agree to the Law of the
Almightie God, I haue signified the same by my Letters to your most excellent Lord-
ship: so that on both parts I haue payed what I ought; because I haue yeelded
obedience to the Emperour, and haue not holden my peace, in what I thought for God. 
Now how great a contrarietie there is, betwixt this ancient Popes action in obey-
ing an Emperour by the publication of his Decree, which in his owne conscience
hee thought vnlawfull, and this present Popes prohibition to a Kings Subiects
from obedience vnto him in things most lawfull and meere temporall; I remit it
to the Readers indifferencie. And answerably to the Fathers, spake the Councels
in their Decrees. As the Councell of Arles , Concil. Arelatense sub Carolo Mag. Can. 26. submitting the whole Councell to the
Emperour in these wordes; These things wee haue decreed to be presented to our
Lord the Emperour, beseeching his Clemencie, that if wee haue done lesse then wee
ought, it may be supplyed by his wisdome: if any thing otherwise then reason re- 

 
 quireth, it may be corrected by his iudgement: if any thing be found fault with by vs
 with reason, it may be perfected by his aide with Gods fauourable assistance. 
 But why should I speak of Charles the great, to whome not one Councell, but
 sixe seuerall Councels, Frankeford, Arles, Tours, Chalons, Ments and Rhemes did
 wholly submit themselues ? and not rather speake of all the generall Councels,
 that of Nice, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon , and the foure other commonly
 so reputed, which did submit themselues to the Emperours wisedome and piety
 in all things ? Insomuch as that of Ephesus repeated it foure seuerall times,
 That they were summoned by the Emperours Oracle, becke, charge and command, and
 betooke themselues to his Godlinesse; beseeching him, that the Decrees made against
 Nestorius and his followers, might by his power have their full force and validitie, Vide Epistolam generalis Conc. Ephes. ad August. as
 appeareth manifestly in the Epistle of the generall Councell of Ephesus written
 ad Augustos . I also reade that Christ said, His kingdome Iohn 18. 36. was not of this world, 
 bidding, Giue to Caesar what was Caesars, Matt. 22. 21. and to God what was Gods . And I euer
 held it for an infallible Maxime in Diuinitie, That temporall obedience to a tem-
 porall Magistrate, did nothing repugne to matters of faith or saluation of soules:
 But that euer temporall obedience was against faith and saluation of soules, as in
 this Breue is alledged, was neuer before heard nor read of in the Christian Church.
 And therefore I would haue wished the Pope , before hee had set downe this com-
 mandement to all Papists here, That, since in him is the power by the infabillity
 of his spirit, to make new Articles of Faith when euer it shall please him; he had
 first set it downe for an Article of Faith, before he had commended all Catho-
 likes to beleeue and obey it. I will then conclude the answere to this point in a
 Dilemma. 
 Either it is lawfull to obey the Soueraigne in temporal things, or not.
 1. If it be lawfull (as I neuer heard nor read it doubted of) then why is the
 Pope so vniust, and so cruell towards his owne Catholikes, as to command them
 to disobey their Soueraignes lawfull commandement ?
 2. If it be vnlawfull, why hath hee neither expressed any one cause or reason
thereof, nor yet will giue them leaue (nay rather hee should command and per-
swade them in plaine termes) not to liue vnder a King whom vnto they ought no
obedience ?
 And as for the vehement exhortation vnto them to perseuere in constancie, and
to suffer Martyrdome and all tribulation for this cause; it requireth no other
answer then onely this, That if the ground be good whereupon hee hath com-
maunded them to stand, then exhortation to constancie is necessarie: but if the
ground be vniust and naught (as indeed it is, and I haue in part already proued)
then this exhortation of his can worke no other effect, then to make him guilty of
the blood of so many of his sheepe, whom hee doeth thus wilfully cast away; not
onely to the needlesse losse of their liues, and ruine of their families, but euen to

 

the laying on of a perpetuall slander vpon all Papists; as if no zealous Papist
could be a trew subiect to his Prince; and that the profession of that Religion,
and the Temporall obedience to the Ciuill Magistrate, were two things repugnant
and incompatible in themselues. But euill information, and vntrew reports Famavires acquirit eundo . 
(which being caried so farre as betweene this and Rome , cannot but increase by
the way) might haue abused the Pope , and made him dispatch this Breue so 
rashly: For that great Citie, Queene of the World, and as themselues confesse, Eusebius, Oecumenius and Leo hold, that by Babylon, in 1. Pet. 5. 13. Rome is meant, as the
Rhemists themselues confesse. 
mystically Babylon , cannot but be so full of all sorts of Intelligencies. Besides, all
complainers (as the Catholikes here are) be naturally giuen to exaggerate their
owne griefs, and multiply thereupon: So that it is no wonder, that euen a iust
ludge sitting there, should vpon wrong information, giue an vnrighteous sentence;
as some of their owne partie doe not sticke to confesse, That Pius Quintus was too
rashly caried vpon wrong information, to pronounce his thunder of Excommuni-
cation vpon the late Queene. And it may be, the like excuse shall hereafter be
made for the two Breues , which Clemens Octauus See the Relation of the whole proceedings against the Traitours, Garnet and his confederates. sent to England immediatly
before her death, for debarring me of the Crowne, or any other that either would
professe, or any wayes tolerate the professours of our Religion; contrary to his
manifold vowes and protestations, simul & eodem tempore , and as it were, deliuered
 vno & eodem spiritu , to diuers of my ministers abroad, professing such kindnesse,
and shewing such forwardnesse to aduance me to this Crowne. Nay, the most
part of Catholikes here, finding this Breue when it came to their handes to bee so
farre against Diuinitie, Policie, or naturall sense, were firmely perswaded that it
was but a counterfeit Libell, deuised in hatred of the Pope; or at the farthest, a
thing hastily done vpon wrong information, as was before said. Of which opinion
were not onely the simpler sort of Papists, but euen some amongst them of best
account, both for learning and experience; whereof the Archpriest himselfe was
one: But for soluing of this obiection, the Pope himselfe hath taken new paines
by sending foorth a second Breue , onely for gluing faith and confirmation to the
former; That whereas before, his sinne might haue beene thought to haue pro-
ceeded from rashnesse and mis-information, he will now willfully and willingly
double the same; whereof the Copy followeth.