TO THE MOST SACRED AND INVINCIBLE PRINCE, RODOLPHE THE II. BY
GODS CLEMENCIE ELECT EMPEROUR OF THE ROMANES; KING OF GERMANIE, HVNGARIE, BOHEME, DALMATIE, CROATIE, SCLAVONIE, &c. ARCH-DUKE OF AVSTRIA, DUKE OF BVRGVNDIE, STIRIA, CARINTHIA, CARNIOLA, AND WIRTEMBERG, &c. EARLE OF TYROLIS, &c. AND TO ALL OTHER RIGHT HIGH AND MIGHTIE KINGS; AND RIGHT EXCELLENT FREE PRINCES AND STATES OF CHRISTENDOME; OUR LOUING
BRETHREN, COSINS, ALLIES, CONFEDERATES AND FRIENDS:
 IAMES by the Grace of God, King of Great Britaine, France and Ireland; Professour, Maintainer and Defender of the Trew, Christian, Catholique and
Apostolique Faith, Professed by the Ancient and Primitiue Chvrch, and Sealed
with the Blood of so many Holy Bishops, and other faithfull crowned with the
glory of Martyrdome; Wisheth euerlasting felicitie in Christ our Saviovr. 
 To You Most Sacred And Invincible Emperovr; Right High And Mightie
Kings; Right Excellent Free Princes And States, My Loving Brethren And Cosins: TO you, I say, as of right belongeth, doe I consecrate and direct this Warn-
 ing of mine, or rather Preamble to my reprinted Apologie for the Oath of
Allegiance : For the cause is generall, and concerneth the Authoritie and priuiledge
of Kings in generall, and all supereminent Temporall powers. And if in what-
soeuer Societie, or Corporation of men, either in Corporations of Cities, or in the
Corporation of any mechanicke craft or handie-worke, euery man is carefull to
maintaine the priuiledges of that Societie whereunto he is sworne; nay, they will
rather cluster all in one, making it a common cause, exposing themselues to all
sorts of perill, then suffer the least breach in their Liberties; If those of the baser
sort of people, I say, be so curious and zealous for the preseruation of their com-
mon priuiledges and liberties, as if the meanest amongst them be touched in any
such point, they thinke it concerneth them all: Then what should wee doe in such
a case, whom God hath placed in the highest thrones vpon earth, made his
Lieutenants and Vice-gerents, and euen seated vs vpon his owne Throne to exe-
cute his Iudgements ? The consideration hereof hath now mooued mee to expone
a Case vnto you, which doeth not so neerely touch mee in my particular, as it
doeth open a breach against our Authoritie, (I speak in the plurall of all Kings)
and priuiledge in generall. And since not onely all rankes and sorts of people in

 

 all Nations doe inuiolably obserue this Maxime , but euen the Ciuil Law, by which
 the greatest part of Christendome is gouerned, doeth giue them an interest, qui
 fouent consimilem causam ; How much more then haue yee interest in this cause,
 not beeing similis or par causa to yours, but eadem with yours ? and indeed yee
 all fouetis , or at least fouere debetis eandem causam mecum . And since this cause is
 common to vs all; both the Ciuill Lawes, and the municipall Lawes of all Nations,
 permit and warne them, that haue a common interest, to concurre in one for the
 defence of their common cause; yea, common sense teacheth vs with the

 Poet, Ecquid Ad te pòst paulò ventura pericula sentis ? Nam tua res agitur paries cùm proximus ardet. 

 Awake then while it is time, and suffer not, by your longer sleepe, the strings
 of your Authoritie to be cut in singulis , and one and one to your generall ruine,
 which by your vnited forces, would rather make a strong rope for the enemie to
 hang himselfe in, with Achitophel , then that hee should euer bee able to breake it.
 As for this Apologie of mine, it is trew, that I thought good to set it first with-
 out putting my name vnto it; but neuer so, as I thought to denie it, remembring
 well mine owne words, but taken out of the Scripture, in the beginning of the
 Preface to the Reader, in my *B*A*S*I*L*I*K*O*N *D*W*R*O*N , that nothing is so hid, which
 shall not bee opened, etc .: promising there, which with God his grace I shall euer
 performe, neuer to doe that in secret, which I shall need to be ashamed of, when
 it shall come to be proclaimed in publique.
 In deed I though it fit, for two respects, that this my Apologie should first
visite the world without hauing my name written in the forehead thereof. First
because of the matter , and next of the persons that I medled with. The matter, 
it being a Treatise , which I was to write, conteining reasons and discourses in
 Diuinitie , for the defence of the Oath of Allegiance , and refutation of the con-
demners thereof; I thought it not comely for one of my place, to put my name to
bookes concerning Scholasticke Disputations ; whose calling is to set forth
 Decrees in the Imperatiue mood: for I thinke my selfe as good a man as the Pope,
by his reuerence, for whom these my Answerers make the like excuse; for that his
 Breues are so summary without yeelding any reason vnto them. My next reason
was the respect of the persons whom with I medled: Wherein, although I shortly
answered the Popes Breues ; yet the point I most laboured, being the refutation
of Bellarmines Letter, I was neuer the man, I confesse, that could thinke a
 Cardinall a meet match for a King : especially, hauing many hundreth thousands
of my subiects of as good birth as hee. As for his Church dignitie, his Cardinal-
ship I meane, I know not how to ranke or value it, either by the warrant of God
his word, or by the ordinance of Emperours or Kings ; it being indeed onely a new
 Papall erection, tolerated by the sleeping conniuence of our Predecessours (I
meane still by the plurall of Kings .) But notwithstanding of this my forbearing
to put my name vnto it, some Embassadours of some of you (my louing Brethren 

 

and Cousins ) whome this cause did neereliest concerne, can witnesse, that I made
Presents of some of those bookes, at their first printing, vnto them, and that
auowedly in my owne name. As also the English Paragraphist , or rather peruerse
Pamphleter Parsons , since all his description must runne vpon a P . hath trewly
obserued, that my Armes are affixed in the frontispice thereof, which vseth not
to bee in bookes of other mens doing; whereby his malice in pretending his
ignorance, that hee might pay mee the soundlier, is the more inexcusable. But
now that I finde my sparing to put my name vnto it hath not procured my spar-
ing by these answerers, who haue neither spared my Person directly in naming
me, nor indirectly by railing vpon the Author of the Booke: it is now high time
for me no longer to conceale not disauow my selfe, as if I were ashamed of my
owne deed. And therefore that ye may the better vndeistand the nature of the
cause, I will begin at the first ground thereof.
 The neuer enough wondered at and abhorred Powder-Treason (though the
repetition thereof grieueth, I know, the gentle hearted Iesuite Parsons ) this Trea-
son, I say, being not onely intended against mee and my Posteritie, but euen
against the whole house of Parliament, plotted onely by Papists, and they onely
led thereto by a preposterous zeale for the aduancement of their Religion; some
of them continuing so obstinate, that euen at their death they would not acknowl-
edge their fault; but in their last words, immediatly before the expiring of their
breath, refused to condemne themselues and craue pardon for their deed, except
the Romish Church should first condemne it; And soone after, it being discouered,
that a great number of my Popish Subiects of all rankes and sexes, both men and
women, as well within as without the Countrey; had a confused notion and an
obscure knowledge, that some great thing was to bee done in that Parliament for
the weale of the Church; although, for secrecies cause, they were not acquainted
with the particulars; certaine formes of prayer hauing likewise beene set downe
and vsed for the good successe of that great errand; adding heereunto, that diuers
times, and from diuers Priests, the Archtraitours themselues receiued the Sacra-
ment for confirmation of their heart, and obseruation of secrecie; Some of the
principall Iesuites likewise being found guiltie of the foreknowledge of the Trea-
son itselfe; of which number some fled from their triall, others were apprehended
(as holy Garnet himselfe and Owldcorne were) and iustly executed vpon their
owne plaine confession of their guilt: If this Treason now, clad with these cir-
cumstances, did not minister a iust occasion to that Parliament house, whome
they thought to haue destroyed, courageously and zealously at their next sitting
downe, to vse all meanes of triall, whether any more of that minde were yet left
in the Countrey; I leaue it to you to iudge, whom God hath appointed his highest
Depute Iudges vpon earth: And amongst other things for this purpose, This Oath
of Allegiance , so vniustly impugned, was then deuised and enacted. And in case
any sharper Lawes were then made against the Papists, that were not obedient
to the former Lawes of the Countrey; if ye will consider the Time, Place and

 

 Persons , it will be thought no wonder, seeing that occasion did so iustly exasperate
 them to make seuerer Lawes, then otherwise they would haue done. The Time, 
 I say, being the very next sitting downe of the Parliament, after the discouerie of
 that abominable Treason: the Place being the same, where they should all haue
 bene blowne vp, and so bringing it freshly to their memorie againe: the Persons 
 being the very Parliament men whom they thought to haue destroyed. And yet
 so farre hath both my heart and gouernment bene from any bitternes, as almost
 neuer one of those sharpe additions to the former Lawes haue euer yet bene put in
 execution.
 And that ye may yet know further, for the more conuincing these Libellers
 of wilfull malice, who impudently affirme, That this Oath of Allegiance was
 deuised for deceiuing and intrapping of Papists in points of Conscience; The
 trewth is, that the Lower house of Parliament at the first framing of this Oath,
 made it to containe, That the Pope had no power to excommunicate me; which
 I caused them to reforme, onely making it to conclude, That no excommunication
 of the Popes, can warrant my Subiects to practise against my Person or State;
 denying the deposition of Kings to be in the Popes lawfull power; as indeed I take
 any such temporall violence, to be farre without the limits of such a Spirituall
 censure as Excommunication is. So carefull was I that nothing should be con-
 tained in this Oath, except the profession of natural Allegiance, and ciuil and
 temporall obedience, with a promise to resist to all contrary vnciuill violence.
 This Oath now grounded vpon so great and iust an occasion, set forth in so
 reasonable termes, and ordained onely for making of a trew distinction betweene
 Papists of quiet disposition, and in all other things good subiects, and such other
 Papists as in their hearts maintained the like violent bloody Maximes , that the
 Powder-Traitours did: This Oath, I say, being published and put in practise,
 bred such euill blood in the Popes head and his Cleargie, as Breue after Breue 
 commeth forth, vt vndam vnda sequitur ; prohibiting all Catholikes from taking the
 same, as a thing cleane contrary to the Catholike faith; and that the taking
 thereof cannot stand with the saluation of their soules.
 There commeth likewise a letter of Cardinall Bellarmines to Blackwell to the
same purpose; but discoursing more at length vpon the said Oath. Whereupon,
after I had entred in consideration of their vniust impugning that so iust and law-
full an Oath; and fearing that by their vntrew calumnies and Sophistrie the
hearts of a number of the most simple and ignorant of my people should bee
misse-led, vnder that faire and deceitfull cloake of Conscience; I thought good to
set foorth an Apologie for the said Oath: wherein I prooued, that as this Oath con-
tained nothing but matter of ciuill and temporall Obedience, due by Subiects to
their Soueraigne Prince; so this quarrelling therewith was nothing but a late
usurpation of Popes (against the warrant of all Scriptures, ancient Councels and
Fathers) vpon the Temporall power of Kings, wherewith onely my Apologie doeth
meddle. But the publishing of this Booke of mine hath brought such two An-

 
swerers, or rather Railer vpon mee, as all the world may wonder at: For my Booke
being first written in English, an English Oath being the subiect thereof, and the
vse of it properly belonging to my Subiects of England ; and immediately there-
after being translated into Latine, vpon a desire that some had of further publish-
ing it abroad; it commeth home to mee now answered in both the Languages.
And, I thinke, if it had bene set foorth in all the tongues that were at the con-
fusion of Babel , it would haue bene returned answered in them all againe. Thus
may a man see how busie a Bishop the Diuell is, and how hee omitteth no diligence
for venting of his poysoned wares. But herein their malice doeth clearly appeare,
that they pay mee so quickly with a double answere; and yet haue neuer answered
their owne Arch-priest, who hath written a booke for the maintenance of the
same Oath, and of the temporall authoritie of Kings, alledging a cloud of their
Scholemen against them.
 As for the English Answere , my vnnaturall and fugitiue Subiect, I will neither
defile my pen, nor your sacred eyes or eares with the describing of him, who
ashames, nay, abhorres not to raile, nay, to rage and spew foorth blasphemies
against the late Queene of famous memory. A Subiect to raile against his naturall
Soueraigne by birth; A man to raile against a Lady by sexe; A holy man (in
outward profession) to insult vpon the dead; nay to take Radamanthus office
ouer his head, and to sit downe and play the Iudge in hell; And all his quarrell is,
that either her Successour, or any of her seruants should speake honourably of her.
Cursed be he that curseth the Anointed of God: and destroyed mought he be with
the destruction of Korah , that hath sinned in the contradiction of Korah . Without
mought such dogs and swine be cast forth, I say, out of the Spirituall Ierusalem.
 As for my Latine Answere , I haue nothing to say to his person; hee is not my
Subiect; hee standeth or falleth vnto his owne Lord: But sure I am, they two
haue casten lotts vpon my Booke, since they could not diuide it: the one of them,
my fugitiue, to raile vpon my late Predecessour, (but a rope is the fittest answere
for such an Historian;) the other, a stranger, thinketh he may be boldest both to
pay my person and my Booke, as indeed he doeth; which how iustly either in
matter or maner, wee are now to examine.
 But first, who should be the trew Authour of this booke, I can but guesse. Hee
calleth himselfe Mattheus Tortus , Cardinall Bellarmins Chaplaine. A throwne Being a proper word to expresse the trew meaning of Tortus. 
Euangelist indeed, full of throward Diuinitie; an obscure Authour, vtterly vn-
known to mee, being yet little knowne to the world for any other of his workes:
and therefore must be a very desperate fellow in beginning his apprentisage , not
onely to refute, but to raile vpon a King. But who will consider the carriage of the
whole booke, shall finde that hee writeth with such authoritie, or at the least tam
elato stylo , so little sparing either Kings in generall, or my person in particular;
and with such a greatnesse, Habemus P. 46. enim exemplaria Breuium illorum in ma-
nibus , and Decernimus : P. 63. as it shall appeare, or at least bee very probable, that it

 

is the Masters, and not the mans labour; especially in one place, where he
quarrelleth mee for casting vp his moralis certitudo and piè credi vnto him; hee
there grossely forgetting himselfe, faith, malâ fide nobiscum agit , Pag. 69.
 thereby making
this Authour to be one person with Bellarmine . But let it bee the worke of a
 Tortus indeed, and not of a personated Cardinall; yet must it bee the Cardinals
deed, since Master Tortus is the Cardinals man, and doeth it in his Masters
defence. The errand then being the Cardinals, and done by his owne man, it
cannot but bee accounted as his owne deed; especially since the English Answerer
doeth foure times promise, that Bellarmine , or one by his appointment, shall
sufficiently answere it.
 And now to come to his matter and maner of Answere: Surely if there were
no more but his vnmanerly maner, it is enough to disgrace the whole matter
thereof. For first, to shew his pride, in his Printers preface of the Politan edition
of this elegans libellus , hee must equall the Cardinals greatnesse with mine in
euery thing. For through hee confesseth this Master Tortus to bee an obscure
man; yet being the Cardinals Chapleine, he is sufficient enough forsooth to an-
swere an English booke, that lacketh the name of an Authour; as if a personated
obscure name for Authour of a Cardinals booke, were a meete match for answering
a KINGS Booke, that lacketh the name of an Authour; and a Cardinals Chapleine
to meete with the Deane of the Kings Chappell, whom Parsons with the Cardinall,
haue (as it seemeth) agreed vpon to intitle to bee the Authour of my Apologie. 
And not onely in the Preface, but also through the whole booke doeth hee keepe
this comparatiue greatnesse. Hee must bee as short in his answere, as I am in my
Booke, hee must refute all that I haue said against the Popes second Breue , with
equall breauitie, and vpon one page almost, as I haue done mine: and because I
haue set downe the substance of the Oath in foureteene Articles; in iust as many
Articles must he set downe that Acte of Parliament of mine, wherein the Oath is
contained: And yet, had hee contented himselfe with his owne pride, by the
demonstration of his owne greatnesse, without further wronging of mee, it had
bene the more tollerable. But what cause gaue I him to farce his whole booke
with iniuries, both against my Person and Booke ? For whereas in all my
 Apologie I haue neuer giuen him a foule word, and especially neuer gaue him the
Lye: hee by the contrary giueth mee nine times the Lye in expresse termes, and
seuen times chargeth mee with falsehood, which phrase is equiualent with a Lye.
And as for all other wordes of reproch, as nugae, conuitia, temeritas, vanitas,
impudentia, blasphemiae sermonis barbaries, cum eadem faelicitate scribendi, cauil-
lationes, applicatio inepta, fingere historias, audacia quae in hominem sanae mentis
cadere non potest, vel sensu communi caret, imperitia & leuitas, omnem omnino
pudorem & conscientiam exuisse, mala fide nobiscum agit, vt lectoribus per fas &
nefas imponat : of such like reproches, I say, I doubt if there bee a page in all his
Booke free, except where hee idlely sets downe the Popes Breues , and his owne
 1
 

 Letter . And in case this might onely seeme to touch the vnknowen Authour of the
Booke, whome notwithstanding he knew well enough, as I shew before; hee
spareth not my Person with my owne name: sometimes saying, that Pope 
Clement thought mee to bee inclined to their Religion : Pag. 47. Sometimes, that I was a
Puritane in Scotland, and a persecutour of Protestants . Pag. 98. In one place hee con-
cludeth, Quia Iacobus non est Catholicus, hoc ipso Hæreticus est . Pag. 87 In another place,
 Ex Christiano Caluinistam fecerunt . Pag. 98. In another place hee sayeth, Neque omnino
verum est, Iacobum nunquam deseruisse Religionem quam primò susceperat. Ibid. And
in another place, after that hee hath compared and ranked mee with Iulian the
Apostate, hee concludeth, Cùm Catholicus not sit, neque Christianus est . Pag. 97. If this
now bee mannerly dealing with a King, I leaue it to you to iudge, who cannot but
resent such indignities done to one of your qualitie.
 And as for the Matter of his Booke, it well fittes indeede the Manner thereof:
 for hee neuer answereth directly to the maine question in my Booke. For whereas
 my Apologie handleth onely two points, as I told you before; One, to prooue that
 the Oath of Allegiance doeth onely meddle with the ciuill and temporall Obedience,
 due by Subiects to their naturall Soueraignes: The other, that this late vsurpa-
 tion of Popes ouer the temporall power of Princes, is against the rule of all Scrip-
 tures, auncient Councels and Fathers: hee neuer improoues the first, but by a
 false inference; that the Oath denyeth the Popes power of Excommunication
 directly, since it denieth his authoritie in deposing of Kings. And for the second
 point, he bringeth no proofe to the contrary, but, Pasce oues meas : and, Tibi dabo
 claues regni Cælorum : and, That no Catholike euer doubted of it. So as I may
 trewly say of him, that hee either vnderstandeth not, or at least will not seeme to
 vnderstand my Booke, in neuer directly answering the maine question, as I haue
 alreadie saide; and so may I iustly turne ouer vpon himselfe that doome of ig-
 norance, which in the beginning of his Booke hee rashly pronounceth vpon mee;
 saying, that I neither vnderstand the Popes Breues , his Letter , nor the Oath it
 selfe: And as hee delighteth to repeate ouer and ouer, I know not how oft, and
 triumpheth in this wrong inference of his; That to deny the Popes power to de-
 pose Kings, is to denie the Popes Primacie, and his spirituall power of Excom-
 munication: So doeth hee, vpon that ground of Pasce oues meas , giue the Pope
 so ample a power ouer Kings, to throne or dethrone them at his pleasure (and yet
 onely subiecting Christian Kings to that slauerie) as I doubt not but in your
 owne Honours yee will resent you of such indignities; the rather since it concernes
 so many of you as professe the Romish religion, farre more then me: For since he
 accounteth me an heretike, and like Iulian the Apostate; I am consequently
 extra caulam , and none of the Popes flocke, and so am in the case of Ethnicke
 Princes, ouer whom he confesseth the Pope hath no power. But yee are in the
 Popes folde; and you, that great Pastour may leade as sheepe to the slaughter,

 

when it shall please him. And as the Asses eares must be homes, if the Lion list
so to interprete it; so must yee be remooued as scabbed sheepe from the flocke,
if so the Pope thinke you to be, though your skinne be indeed neuer so sound.
 Thus hath he set such a new goodly interpretation vpon the wordes of Christ ,
 Pasce oues meas , as if it were as much to say, as, depose Christian Kings; and that
 Quodcunque solueris gaue the Pope power to dispense with all sorts of Oathes,
Vowes, Penalties, Censures and Lawes, euen with the naturall obedience of
Subiects to their Souereigne Lords; much like to that new coyned glosse that his
brother Baronius Senten. Card. Baron. super excom. Venet. made vpon the wordes in Saint Peters vision, Surge Petre,
occide & manduca ; That is (said he to the Pope) Goe kill and confound the
 Venetians. 
 And because I haue in my Booke (by citing a place in his controuersies) dis-
couered him to be a small friend to Kings, he is much commoued: For whereas
in his said Controuersies, speaking de Clericis , Lib. de Cler. cap. 28. he is so bolde as to affirme, that
Church-men are exempted from the power of earthly Kings; and that they ought
them no subiection euen in temporall matters, but onely vi rationis and in their
owne discretion, for the preseruation of peace and good order; because, I say,
citing this place of his in my Booke, I tell with admiration, that hee freeth all
Church-men from any subiection to Kings, euen those that are their borne Sub-
iects: hee is angry with this phrase, and sayth it is an addition for breeding enuie
vnto him, and raising of hatred against him: For, sayth hee, although Bellar-
mine affirmed generally, that Church-men were not subiect to earthly Kings;
yet did hee not insert that particular clause [though they were borne and dwelling in
their Dominions ] as if the words of Church-men and earthly Kings in generall
imported not as much: for Layickes as well as Church-men are subiect to none
but to their naturall Soueraigne: And yet doeth hee not sticke to confesse, that
he meant it, though it was not fit (he sayth) to be expressed.
 And thus quarrels hee me for reuealing his Printed secret. But whose hatred
did hee feare in this ? was it not yours ? Who haue interest, but Kings , in with-
drawing of due subiection from Kings ? And when the greatest Monarches
amongst you will remember, that almost the third part of your Subiects and of
your Territories, is Church-men, and Church-liuings; I hope, yee will then con-
sider and weigh, what a feather hee pulles out of your wings, when hee denudeth
you of so many Subiects and their possessions, in the Popes fauour: nay, what
briars and thornes are left within the heart of your dominions, when so populous
and potent a partie shall haue their birth, education and lieulihood in your
Countries, and yet owe you no subiection, nor acknowledge you for their Soveraignes ? So as where the Church-men of old were content with their tythe
of euery mans goods; the Pope now will haue little lesse then the third part of
euery Kings Subiects and Dominions . And as in this place, so throughout all the


 

rest of his booke, hee doeth nothing but amplifie the Popes power ouer Kings, and
exaggerate my vnreasonable rigour for pressing this Oath; which hee will needs
haue to bee nothing but a renewed Oath of Supremacie in more subtill and craftie
termes, onely to robbe the Pope of his Primacie and spirituall power; making his
temporall power and authoritie ouer Princes, to be one of the chiefe Articles of the
Catholike Faith.
 But that it may the better appeare vnto you, that all my labour and intention
 in this errand, was onely to meddle with that due temporall Obedience which my
 Subiects owe vnto mee; and not to intrap or inthrall their Consciences, as hee
 most falsely affirmes: Yee shall first see how farre other Godly and Christian
 Emperours and Kings were from acknowledging the Popes temporall Supremacie 
 ouer them; nay, haue created, controlled and deposed Popes: and next, what a
 number of my Predecessors in this Kingdome haue at all occasions, euen in the
 times of the greatest Greatnesse of Popes, resisted and plainely withstood them
 in this point.
 And first, all Christian Emperours were for a long time so farre from acknowl-
edging the Popes Superioritie ouer them, as by the contrary the Popes acknowl-
edged themselues for their Vassals , reuerencing and obeying the Emperours as
their Lords , for proofe whereof, I remit you to my Apologie. 
 And for the creating of Popes; the Emperours were in so long and continual
possession thereof, as I will vse for my first witnesse a Pope himselfe; who (in a
 Synode Sigebert. ad ann. 773. Walthram. Naumburg. lib. de Episc. inuestitura. Mart. Polon. ad ann. 780. Theod. a Niem. de priuileg. & Iurib. Imperij & dist. 63. C. Hadrian.
 of an hundredth fiftie and three Bishops and Abbots ) did ordeine, That
the Emperour Charles the Great should haue the Right of choosing the Pope,
and ordeining the Apostolicall Seate, and the Dignitie of the Romane Principalitie:
nay, farther hee ordeined; That all Archbishops and Bishops should receiue their
Inuestiture from the Emperour , or else bee of no auaile; And, that a Bishop want-
ing it, should not bee consecrate, pronouncing an Anathema against all that should
disobey this Sentenice.
 And that the Emperours assent to the Popes Election was a thing ordinary for
a long time, Platina , See Platin. in vit. Pelag. 2. Gregor. i. & Seuerini. and a number of the Popes owne writers beare witnesse:
And Bellarmine Lib. de Clericis. himselfe, in his booke of Controuersies, cannot get it hand-
somely denied. Nay, the Popes were euen forced then to pay a certaine summe of
money to the Emperours for their Confirmation: And this lasted almost seuen
hundreth yeeres after Christ ; witnesse Sigebert In Chron. ad ann. 680. and Luitprandus , In vit. Agathen. & Anast. in vit. eiusd. Agath. & Herm. Contract. ad ann. 678. edit. poster. & dist. 63. c Agatho. with other
Popish Historians.
 And for Emperours deposing of Popes, there are likewise diuers examples. 
The Emperour Ottho Luitpr. Hist. lib. 6. ca. 10. II. Rhegino ad an. 963. & Platin. in vit. Ioan. 13. deposed Pope Iohn the twelfth of that name, for diuers

 

 crimes and vices; especially of Lecherie. The Emperour Henry Marianus Scot. Sigeb. Abbas Vrsp. ad ann. 1046 & Plat. in vit. Greg. 6. the third in a
 short time deposed three Popes; Benedict the ninth, Siluester the third, and
 Gregorie the sixt, as well for the sinne of Auarice, as for abusing their extraordinarie
 authoritie against Kings and Princes.
 And as for Kings that haue denied this Temporall Superioritie of Popes;
First, wee haue the vnanime testimonie of diuers famous Historiographers for
the generall of many Christian Kingdomes. As Walthram Walthram. Naumburg. in lib. de inuest.Episc. Vixit circa ann. 1110. testifieth, That the
Bishops of Spaine, Scotland, England, Hungarie, from ancient institution till this
moderne noueltie, had their Inuestiture by Kings , with peaceable inioyning of their
Temporalities whooly and entirely; and whosoeuer (sayeth hee) is peaceably
solicitous, let him peruse the liues of the Ancients, and reade the Histories, and hee
shall understand thus much . And for verification of this generall Assertion; wee
will first beginne at the practise of the Kings of France, though not named by
 Walthram in this his enumeration of Kingdomes: amongst whom my first witnesse
shall bee that vulgarly knowne letter of Philip le Bel See Annales Franciae Nicolai Gillij in Phil.Pulchro. King of France, to Pope
 Boniface the eighth, the beginning whereof, after a scornefull saluation, is, Sciat
tua maxima fatuitas, nos in temporalibus nemini subesse. 
 And likewise after that Lewes Anno 1268. ex Arrestis Senatus Parisiens. the ninth, surnamed Sanctus , had by a publique
instrument (called Pragmatica sanctio ) forbidden all the exactions of the Popes
Court within his Realme: Pope Pius Ioan. Maierius. lib. de Scismat. & Concil.
 the second, in the beginning of Lewes the
eleuenth his time, greatly misseliking this Decree so long before made, sent his
Legate to the said King Lewes , with Letters-patents, vrging his promise which
hee had made when hee was Dolphin of France, to repeale that Sanction if
euer hee came to bee King. The King referreth the Legate ouer with his
Letters-patents to the Councell of Paris: where the matter being propounded,
was impugned by Iohannes Romanus , the Kings Atturney; with whose opinion
the Vniuersitie of Paris concurring, an Appeale was made from the attempts
of the Pope to the next generall Councell; the Cardinall departing with
indignation.
 But that the King of France and Church thereof haue euer stoken to their
 Gallican immunitie, in denying the Pope any Temporall power ouer them, and in
resisting the Popes as oft as euer they prest to meddle with their Temporall
power, euen in the donation of Benefices; the Histories are so full of them, as the
onely examples thereof would make vp a bigge Volume by it selfe. And so farre
were the Sorbonistes for the Kings and French Churches priuiledge in this point,
as they were wont to maintaine; That if the Pope fell a quarrelling the King for
that cause, the Gallican Church might elect a Patriarch of their owne, renouncing
any obedience to the Pope. And Gerson was so farre from giuing the Pope that
temporall authority ouer Kings (who otherwise was a deuoute Roman Catholike)

 

as hee wrote a Booke de Auferibilitate Papæ ; not onely from the power ouer
Kings, but euen ouer the Church.
 And now pretermitting all further examples of forraigne Kings actions, I will
onely content me at this time with some of my owne Predecessors examples of
this kingdome of England; that it may thereby the more clearly appeare, that
euen in those times when the world was fullest of darkened blindnes and ignor-
ance, the Kings of England haue oftentimes, not onely repined, but euen strongly
resisted and withstood this temporall vsurpation and encrochment of ambitious
Popes.
 And I will first begin at King Henry Matth. Paris. in Henr. I. anno 1100. the first of that name, after the Con-
quest; who after he was crowned gaue the Bishopricke of Winchester to William
Gifford , and forwith inuested him into all the possessions belonging to the Bishop-
ricke, contrary to the Canons of the new Synod. King Henry Idem. ibid. anno 1113. also gaue the
Archbishopricke of Canterbury to Radulph Bishop of London ; and gaue him
inuestiture by a Ring and a Crosiers staffe.
 Also Pope Calixtus Idem. ibid. anno 1119. held a Councell at RHEMES, whither King Henry had
appointed certaine Bishops of England and Normandie to goe; Thurstan also,
elected Archbishop of Yorke , got leaue of the King to goe thither, guing his
faith that hee would not receiue Consecration of the Pope; And comming
to the Synode, by his liberall gifts (as the fashion is) wanne the Romanes 
fauour, and by their meanes obtained to bee consecrated at the Popes hand:
Which assoone as the King of England knewe, hee forbade him to come within
his Dominions.
 Moreouer King Edward the first prohibited the Abbot of Waltham Ex Archiuis Regni. and Deane 
of Pauls , to collect a tenth of euery mans goods for a supply to the holy Land,
which the Pope by three Bulles had committed to their charge; and the said
Deane of Pauls compeering before the King and his Councell , promised for the
reuerence he did beare vnto the King, not to meddle any more in that matter,
without the Kings good leaue and permission. Here (I hope) a Church-man
disobeyed the Pope for obedience to his Prince euen in Church matters: but
this new Iesuited Diuinitie was not then knowen in the world.
 The same Edward I . impleaded the Deane of the Chappell of Vuluerhampton, 
because the said Deane had, against the priuiledges of the Kingdome, giuen a
Prebend of the same Chappell to one at the Popes command: whereupon the said
Deane compeered, and put himselfe in the Kings will for his offence.
 The said Edward I . depriued also the Bishop of Durham of all his liberties, for
disobeying a prohibition of the Kings. So as it appeareth, the Kings in those
dayes thought the Church-men their Subiects , though now we be taught other
Seraphicall doctrine.


 

 For further proofe whereof Iohn of Ibstocke was committed to the goale by the
 sayde King, for hauing a suite in the Courte of Rome seuen yeeres for the Rectorie
 of Newchurch. 
 And Edward II . following the footsteps of his Father; after giuing out a
 Summons against the Abbot of Walden , for citing the Abbot of Saint Albons and
 others in the Court of Rome , gaue out letters for his apprehension.
 And likewise, because a certaine Prebend of Banburie had drawen one Beuer-
 coat by a Plea to Rome without the Kings Dominions, therefore were letters of
 Caption sent foorth against the said Prebend.
 And Edward III. following likewise the example of his Predecessours; Because
a Parson of Liche had summoned the Prior of S. Oswalds before the Pope at
 Auinion ; for hauing before the Iudges in England recouered the arrerage of a
pension; directed a Precept, for seasing vpon all the goods both Spirituall and
Temporall of the said Parson, because hee had done this in preiudice of the
King and Crowne. The said King also made one Harwoden to bee declared
culpable and worthie to bee punished, for procuring the Popes Bulles against a
Iudgement that was giuen by the Kings Iudges.
 And likewise; Because one entred vpon the Priorie of Barnewell by the Popes
 Bul , the said Intrant was committed to the Tower of London , there to remaine
 during the Kings pleasure.
 So as my Predecessors (ye see) of this Kingdome, euen when the Popes tri-
umphed in their greatnesse, spared not to punish any of their Subiects, that
would preferre the Popes Obedience to theirs, euen in Church-matters: So farre
were they then from either acknowledging the Pope for their temporall Superiour,
or yet from doubting that their owne Church-men were not their Subiects. And
now I will close vp all these examples with an Act of Parliament in King Richard II.
his time; whereby it was prohibited, That none should procure a Benefice from
 Rome , vnder paine to be put out of the Kings protection. And thus may yee see,
that what those Kings successiuely one to another by foure generations haue
acted in priuate, the same was also maintained by a publicke Law.
 By these few examples now (I hope) I haue sufficiently cleered my selfe from
the imputation, that any ambition or desire of Noueltie in mee should haue
stirred mee, either to robbe the Pope of any thing due vnto him, or to assume
vnto my selfe any farther authoritie, then that which other Christian Emperours 
and Kings through the world, and my owne Predecessours of England in especiall,
haue long agone maintained. Neither is it enough to say (as Parsons doeth in his
Answere to the Lord Coke ) That farre more Kings of this Countrey haue giuen
many more examples of acknowledging, or not resisting the Popes vsurped Au-
thoritie; some perchance lacking the occasion; and some the abilitie of resisting
them; for euen by the Ciuill Law, in the case of violent intrusion and long and
wrongfull possession against mee, it is enough if I prooue that I haue made lawfull
interruption vpon conuenient occasions.

 

 But the Cardinall thinkes the Oath, not onely vnlawfull for the substance
thereof, but also in regard of the Person whom vnto it is to be sworne: For (saith
he) The King is not a Catholique ; And in two or three other places of his booke,
he sticketh not to call me by my name very broadly, an Heretike, as I haue
already told. But yet before I be publikely declared an Heretike; by the Popes
owne Law my people ought not to refuse their Obedience vnto me. And (I
trust) if I were but a subiect, and accused by the Pope in his Conclaue before his
Cardinals, hee would haue hard prouing mee an Heretike, if he iudged me by
their owne ancient Orders.
 For first, I am no Apostate , as the Cardinal would make me; not onely hauing
euer bene brought vp in that Religion which I presently professe, but euen my
Father and Grandfather on that side professing the same: and so cannot be prop-
erly an Heretike, by their owne doctrine, since I neuer was of their Church. And
as for the Queene my Mother of worthy memorie; although she continued in that
Religion wherein shee was nourished, yet was she so farre from being super-
stitious or Iesuited therein, that at my Baptisme (although I was baptized by a
Popish Archbishop) she sent him word to forbeare to vse the spettle in my
Baptisme; which was obeyed, being indeed a filthy and an apish tricke, rather in
scorne then imitation of Christ . And her owne very words were, That she would
not haue a pockie priest to spet in her childs mouth . As also the Font wherein I was
Christened, was sent from the late Queene here of famous memory, who was my
God-mother; and what her Religion was, Pius V . was not ignorant. And for
further proofe, that that renowned Queene my Mother was not superstitious;
as in all her Letters (whereof I receiued many) she neuer made mention of Re-
ligion, not laboured to perswade me in it; so at her last words, she commanded
her Master-houshold, a Scottish Gentleman my seruant and yet aliue, she com-
manded him ( I say) to tell me; That although she was of another Religion then
that wherein I was brought vp; yet she would not presse me to change, except
my owne Conscience forced mee to it; For so that I led a good life, and were
carefull to doe Iustice and gouerene well; she doubted not but I would be in a
good case with the profession of my owne Religion. Thus am I no Apostate , nor
yet a deborder from that Religion which one part of my Parents professed, and
an other part gaue mee good allowance of. Neither can my Baptisme in the rites
of their Religion make me an Apostate , or Heretike in respect of my present pro-
fession, since we all agree in the substance thereof, being all Baptized In the Name
of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost : vpon which head there is no variance
amongst vs.
 And now for the point of Heretike; I will neuer been ashamed to render an
accompt of my profession, and of that hope that is in me, as the Apostle pre-
scribeth. I am such a Catholike Christian, as beleeueth the three Creeds; 
That of the Apostles, that of the Councell of Nice , and that of Athanasius ; the
two latter being Paraphrases to the former: And I beleeue them in that sense, as

 

 the ancient Fathers and Councels that made them did vnderstand them: To
 which three Creeds all the Ministers of England doe subscribe at their Ordination.
 And I also acknowledge for Orthodoxe all those other formes of Creedes , that
 either were deuised by Councels or particular Fathers, against such particular
 Heresies as most reigned in their times.
 I reuerence and admit the foure first generall Councels as Catholique and
Orthodoxe: And the said foure generall Councels are acknowledged by our Acts
of Parliament, and receiued for Orthodoxe by our Church.
 As for the Fathers; I reurence them as much and more then the Iesuites doe,
and as much as themselues euer craued. For what euer the Fathers for the first
flue hundreth yeeres did with an vnanime consent agree vpon, to be beleeued as a
necessary point of saluation, I either will beleeue it also, or at least will be humbly
silent; not taking vpon mee to condemne the same: But for euery priuate Fathers
opinion, it bindes not my conscience more then Bellarmines ; euery one of the
Fathers vsually contradicting others. I will therefore in that case follow S. Augus-
tines Lib. 2. cont. Cresconium. cap. 32. rule in iudging of their opinions, as I finde them agree with the Scriptures:
what I finde agreeable thereunto I will gladly imbrace; what is otherwise I will
(with their reuerence) reiect.
 As for the Scriptures; no man doubteth I will beleeue them: But euen for the
 Apocrypha ; I hold them in the same accompt that the Ancients did: They are
still printed and bound with our Bibles, and publikely read in our Churches: I
reuerence them as the writings of holy and good men: but since they are not
found in the Canon , wee accompt them to bee secundæ lectionis , or ordinis Lib. I. de verb. Dei. c. 4. 
(which is Bellarmines owne distinction) and therefore not sufficient whereupon
alone to ground any article of Faith, except it be confirmed by some other place
of Canonicall Scripture; Concluding this point with Ruffinus (who is no Nouelist,
I hope) That the Apocryphall books were by the Fathers permitted to be read;
nor for confirmation of Doctrine, but onely for instruction of the people.
 As for the Saints departed, I honour their memory, and in honour of them doe
we in our Church obserue the dayes of so many of them, as the Scripture doeth
canonize for Saints; but I am loath to beleeue all the tales of the Legended saints. 
 And first for the blessed Virgin Marie , I yeeld her that which the Angel
 Gabriel pronounced of her, and which in her Canticle shee prophecied of herselfe:
that is, That she Luk. 1. 28. is blessed amongst women, and That all generations Ibid. ver. 48. shall call
her blessed. I reuerence her as the Mother of Christ , whom of our Sauiour
tooke his flesh, and so the Mother of God , since the Diuintie and Humanitie of
 Christ are inseparable. And I freely confesse, that shee is in glory both aboue
Angels and men, her owne Sonne (that is both God and man) onely excepted.
But I dare not mocke her and blaspheme against God , calling her not onely Diua 
but Dea , and praying her to command and controule her Sonne, who is her God ;

 

and her Saviour : Nor yet not I thinke, that shee hath no other thing to doe in
heauen, then to heare euery idle mans suite, and busie her selfe in their errands;
whiles requesting, whiles commanding her Sonne, whiles comming downe to kisse
and make loue with Priestes, and whiles disputing and brawling with Deuils. In
heauen shee is in eternall glory and ioy, neuer to bee interrupted with any worldly
businesse; and there I leaue her with her blessed Sonne our Saviour and hers in
eternall felicitie.
 As for Prayer to Saints ; Christ (I am sure) hath commanded vs to Come all
 to him that are loaden with sinne, and hee will relieue vs: Matt. 11. 28. and Saint Paul hath
 forbidden vs to worship Angels; Coloss. 2. 8, 23. or to vse any such voluntary worship, that hath
 a shew of humilitie in that it spareth not the flesh. But what warrant wee haue to
 haue recourse vnto these Dij Penates or Tutelares , these Courtiers of God , I know
 not; I remit that to these Philosophicall Neoterike Diuines. It satisfieth mee to
 pray to God through Christ as I am commanded, which I am sure must be the
 safest way; and I am sure the safest way is the best way in points of saluation.
 But if the Romish Church hath coined new Articles of Faith, neuer heard of in the
 first 500. yeeres after Christ , I hope I shall neuer bee condemned for an Heretike,
 for not being a Nouelist. Such are the priuate Masses , where the Priest playeth
 the parth both of the Priest and of the people; And such are the Amputation of 
 the one halfe of the Sacrament from the people; The Transsubstantion, Elevation
for Adoration , and Circumportation in Procession of the Sacrament; the workes of
Supererogation , rightly named Thesaurus Ecclesiae; the Baptising of Bels , and a
thousand other trickes: But aboue all, the worshipping of Images . If my faith
bee weake in these, I confesse I had rather beleeue too little then too much:
And yet since I beleeue as much as the Scriptures doe warrant, the Creeds doe
perswade, and the ancient Councels decreed; I may well be a Schismatike from
 Rome , but I am sure I am no Heretike.
 For Reliques of Saints ; If I had any such that I were assured were members of
 their bodies, I would honourably bury them, and not giue them the reward of
 condemned mens members, which are onely ordeined to bee depriued of buriall:
 But for worshipping either them or Images , I must account it damnable Idolatrie.
 I am no Iconomachus ; I quarrell not the making of Images, either for publike
decoration, or for mens priuate vses: But that they should bee worshipped, bee
prayed to, or any holinesse attributed vnto them, was neuer knowen of the
Ancients: And the Scriptures are so directly, vehemently and punctually against
it, as I wonder what braine of man, or suggestion of Sathan durst offer it to
Christians; and all must bee salued with nice Philosophicall distinctions: As,
 Idolum nihil est : and, They worshop (forsooth) the Images of things in being, 
and the Image of the trew God . But the Scripture forbiddeth to worship the
Image of any thing that God created. It was not a nihil then that God forbade
onely to be worshipped, neither was the brasen Serpent, nor the body of Moses a 

 

 nihil ; and yet the one was destroyed, and the other hidden for eschewing of
Idolatrie. Yea, the Image of God himselfe is not onely expresly forbidden to bee
worshipped, but euen to bee made. The reason is giuen, That no eye euer saw
 God ; and how can we paint his face, when Moses (the man that euer was most
familiar with God ) neuer saw but his backe parts ? Surely, since he cannot be
drawn to the viue , it is a thankelesse labour to marre it with a false representation;
which no Prince, nor scarce any other man will bee contented with in their owne
pictures. Let them therefore that maintaine this doctrine, answere it to Christ 
at the latter day, when he shall accuse them of Idolatrie; And then I doubt if hee
will bee payed with such nice sophisticall Distinctions.
 But Christs Crosse must haue a particular priuiledge (say they) and bee
worshipped ratione contactus . But first wee must know what kinde of touching of
 Christs body drew a vertue from it; whether euery touching, or onely touching
by faith ? That euery touching of his body drew not vertue from it, is more then
manifest. When the woman Luke 8. in the bloody fluxe touched him, she was healed of
her faith: But Peter then told him that a crowd and throng of many people then
touched him; and yet none of them receiued any benefite or vertue from him.
 Iudas touched him many and many a time, besides his last kisse; so did the vil-
laines that buffeted and crucified him; and yet I may safely pronounce them
accursed, that would bestow any worship vpon their reliques: yea wee cannot
denie but the land of Canaan it selfe (whereupon our Lord did dayly tread) is so
visibly accursed, beeing gouerned by faithlesse Turkes , full of innumerable sects
of hereticall Christians, and the very fertilitie thereof so farre degenerated into a
pitifull sterilitie, as hee must bee accursed that accounteth it blessed. Nay,
when a certaine woman Luk. 11. 28. blessed the belly that bare Christ , and the breastes
that gaue him sucke; Nay, rather (saith hee) Blessed are those that heare the Word
of God, and keepe it . Except then they could first prooue that Christ had re-
solued to blesse that tree of the Crosse whereupon hee was nailed; they can neuer
proue that his touching it could giue it any vertue. And put the case it had a
vertue of doing miracles, as Peters shadow had; yet doeth it not follow, that it is
lawful to worship it, which Peter would neuer accept of. Surely the Prophets that
in so many places curse those that worship Images, that haue eyes and see not,
that haue eares and heare not, would much more haue cursed them that worship
a piece of a sticke, that hath not so much as any resemblance or representation of
eyes or eares.
 As for Purgatorie and all the trash Iubilees, Indulgences, satisfactions for the dead, &c. depending thereupon, it is not worth the
talking of; Bellarmine cannot finde any ground for it in all the Scriptures. Onely
I would pray him to tell me; If that faire greene Meadow that is in Purgatorie, Lib. 2 de Purgat. cap. 7. 
haue a brooke running thorow it; that in case I come there, I may haue hawking
vpon it. But as for me; I am sure there is a Heauen and a Hell, praemium & 



 

 poena , for the Elect and reprobate: How many other roomes there be, I am not on
God his counsell. Multæ sunt mansiones in domo Patris mei , Iohn 14. saith Christ , who
is the trew Purgatorie for our sinnes: But how many chambers and anti-chambers
the diuell hath, they can best tell that goe to him: But in case there were more
places for soules to goe to then we know of, yet let vs content vs with that which
in his Word he hath reuealed vnto vs, and not inquire further into his secrets.
Heauen and Hell are there reuealed to be the eternall home of all mankinde: let
vs indeauour to winne the one and eschew the other; and there is an end.
 Now in all this discourse haue I yet left out the maine Article of the Romish
faith; and that is the Head of the Church or Peters Primacie ; for who denieth this,
denieth fidem Catholicam , saith Bellarmine . That Bishops ought to be in the
Church, I euer maintained it, as an Apostolique institution, and so the ordinance
of God; contrary to the Puritanes , and likewise to Bellarmine ; Bell. lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. cap. 25. who denies that
Bishops haue their Iurisdiction immediatly from God (But it is no wonder he
takes the Puritanes part, since Iesuits are nothing but Puritan-papists .) And as I
euer maintained the state of Bishops, and the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie for order
sake; so was I euer an enemie to the confused Anarchie or paritie of the Puritanes, 
as well appeareth in my *B*A*S*I*L*I*K*O*N *D*W*R*O*N . Heauen is gouerned by order, and
all the good Angels there; nay, Hell it selfe could not subsist without some order;
And the very deuils are diuided into Legions, and haue their chiefetaines: how can
any societie then vpon earth, subsist without order and degrees ? And therefore
I cannot enough wonder with what brasen face this Answerer could say, That I
was a Puritane in Scotland, and an enemie to Protestants : Page 98. I that was persecuted by
 Puritanes there, not from my birth onely, but euen since foure moneths before my
birth ? I that in the yeere of God 84. erected Bishops, and depressed all their
popular Paritie, I then being not 18. yeeres of aage ? I that in my said Booke to
my Sonne, doe speake tenne times more bitterly of them nor of the Papists;
hauing in my second Edition thereof, affixed a long Apologetike Preface, onely in
 odium Puritanorum ? and I that for the space of sixe yeeres before my comming
into England, laboured nothing so much as to depresse their Paritie, and re-erect
Bishops againe ? Nay, if the dayly Commentaries of my life and actions in Scot-
land, were written (as Iulius Caesars were) there would scarcely a moneth passe in
all my life, since my entring into the 13. yeere of my aage, wherein some accident
or other would not conuince the Cardinall of a Lye in this point. And surely I
giue a faire commendation to the Puritanes in that place of my booke, Where I
affirme that I haue found greater honestie with the highland and border theeues,
then with that sort of people. But leauing him to his owne impudence, I returne
to my purpose.
 Of Bishops and Church Hierarchie I very well allowe (as I said before) and
likewise of Ranks and Degrees amongst Bishops. Patriarches (I know) were in the
time of the Primitiue Church, and I likewise reuerence that Institution for order

 
 sake: and amongst them was a contention for the first place. And for my selfe
 (if that were yet the question) I would with all my heart giue my consent that the
 Bishop of Rome should haue the first Seate: I being a westerne King would goe
 with the Patriarch of the West. And for his temporall Principalitie ouer the
 Signory of Rome , I doe not quarrell it neither; let him in God his Name be Primus Episcopus inter omnes Episcopos , and Princeps Episcoporum ; so it be no other-
 wise but as Peter was Princeps Apostolorum . But as I well allow of the Hierarchie
 of the Church for distinction of orders (for so I vnderstand it) so I vtterly deny
 that there is an earthly Monarch thereof, whose word must be a Law, and who
 cannot erre in his Sentence, by an infallibilitie of Spirit. Because earthly King-
 domes must haue earthly Monarches ; it doeth not follow, that the Church must
 haue a visible Monarch too: for the world hath not One earthly temporall
 Monarch . Christ is his Churches Monarch , and the holy Ghost his Deputie:
 Reges gentium dominantur eorum, vos autem non sic. Luke 22. 25. Christ did not promise
 before his ascension, to leaue Peter with them to direct and instruct them in all
 things; but he promised to send the holy Ghost vnto them for that end. Iohn 14. 26. 
 And as for these two before cited places, whereby Bellarmine maketh the Pope
 to triumph ouer Kings: I meane Pasce oues , and Tibi dabo claues : Matth. 18. 18. the Cardinall
 knowes well enough, that the same words of Tibi dabo , are in another place
 spoken by Christ in the plurall number. And he likewise knowes what reason the
 Ancients doe giue, why Christ bade Peter pascere oues : and also what a cloude of
 witnesses there is, both of Ancients, and euen of late Popish writers, yea diuers
 Cardinals, that do all agree that both these speeches vsed to Peter , were meant to
 all the Apostles represented in his person: Otherwise how could Paul I. Cor. 5. 4. direct the
 Church of Corinth to excommunicate the incestuous person cum spiritu suo , 
 whereas he should then haue sayd, cum spiritu Petri ? And how could all the
 Apostles haue otherwise vsed all their censures, onely in Christs Name, and neuer
 a word of his Vicar? Peter (wee reade) did in all the Apostles meetings sit amongst
 them as one of their number: And when chosen men were sent to Antiochia from
 that great Apostolike Councel at Ierusalem Act. 15. 22, 23. (Acts 15.) The text saith, It seemed
 good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church, to send chosen men, but
 no mention made of the Head thereof; and so in their Letters no mention is made
 of Peter , but onely of the Apostles, Elders and Brethren. And it is a wonder, why
 Paul rebuketh the Church of Corinth for making exception of Persons, because
 some followed Paul , some Apollos , some Cephas , Cor. 1. 12. if Peter was their visible Head!
 for then those that followed not Peter or Cephas , renounced the Catholike faith.
 But it appeareth well that Paul knew little of our new doctrine, since he handleth
 Peter so rudely, as he not onely compareth but preferreth himselfe vnto him. Galat. 2. 
But our Cardinall proues Peters superioritie, by Pauls going to visite him. Galat. 1. 18. In-

 

 deed Paul saith, hee went to Ierusalem to visite Peter , and conferre with him;
 but he should haue added, and to kisse his feet.
 To conclude then, The trewth is that Peter was both in aage, and in the time of
 Christs calling him, one of the first of the Apostles; In order the principall of the
 first twelue, and one of the three whom Christ for order sake preferred to all the
 rest. And no further did the Bishop of Rome claime for three hundred yeeres
 after Christ : Subiect they were to the generall Councels, and euen but of late
 did the Councell of Constance depose three Popes, and set vp the fourth. And
 vntill Phocas dayes (that murthered his master) were they subiect to Emperours.
 But how they are now come to be Christs Vicars, nay, Gods on earth, triple-
 crowned, Kings of heauen, earth and hell, Iudges of all the world, and none to
 iudge them; Heads of the faith, Absolute deciders of all Controuersies by the
 infallibility of their spirit, hauing all power both Spirituall and Temporall in their
 hands; the high Bishops, Monarches of the whole earth, Superiours to all Em-
 perours and Kings; yea, Supreme Vice-gods, who whether they will or not cannot
 erre: how they are now come (I say) to the toppe of greatnesse, I know not: but
 sure I am, Wee that are Kings haue greatest neede to looke vnto it. As for me,
 Paul and Peter I know, but these men I know not: And yet to doubt of this, is to
 denie the Catholique faith; Nay, the world it selfe must be turned vpside downe,
 and the order of Nature inuerted (making the left hand to haue the place before
 the Right, and the last named to bee the first in honour) that this primacie may
 bee maintained. Bellar. de Rom. Pont. li. 1. cap. 17. 
 Thus haue I now made a free Confession of my Faith: And (I hope) I haue
 fully cleared my selfe from being an Apostate; and as farre from being an Here-
 tike, as one may bee that beleeueth the Scriptures, and the three Creedes, and
 acknowledgeth the foure first generall Councels. If I bee loath to beleeue too
 much, especially of Nouelties, men of greater knowledge may well pitie my
 weakenesse; but I am sure none will condemne me for an Heretike, saue such as
 make the Pope their God; and thinke him such a speaking Scripture, as they can
 define Heresie no otherwise, but to bee whatsoeuer Opinion is maintained against
 the Popes definition of faith. And I will sincerely promise, that when euer any
 point of the Religion I professe, shalbe proued to be new, and not Ancient,
 Catholike, and Apostolike (I meane for matter of Faith) I will as soone renounce
 it; closing vp this head with the Maxime of Vincentius Lirinensis , Libello aduersus hæreses . that I will
 neuer refuse to imbrace any opinion in Diuinity necessary to saluation, which the
 whole Catholike Church With an vnanime consent, haue constantly taught and
 beleeued euen from the Apostles dayes, for the space of many aages thereafter
 without any interruption. But in the Cardinals opinion, I haue shewed my selfe
 an Heretike (I am sure) in playing with the name of Babylon , and the Towne vpon
 seuen hilles ; as if I would insinuate Rome at this present to be spiritually Babylon. 
And yet that Rome is called Babylon , both in Saint Peters Epistle, 1. Pet. 5. 13. and in the

 

 Apocalyps , our Answerer freely confesseth. As for the definition of the Antichrist, 
 I will not vrge so obscure a point, as a matter of Faith to bee necessarily beleeued
 of all Christians; but what I thinke herein, I will simply declare.
 That there must be an Antichrist , and in his time a generall Defection; we
 all agree. But the Time, Seat , and Person of this Antichrist , are the chiefe Ques-
 tions whereupon wee differ: and for that we must search the Scriptures for our
 resolution. As for my opinion; I thinke S. Paul in the 2. to the Thessalonians 2. Thes. 2. 
 doeth vtter more clearely that which Saint Iohn speaketh more mystically of the
 Antichrist. 
 First, that in that place hee meaneth the Antichrist , it is plaine, since hee saith,
 There must bee first a Defection ; and that in the Antichrists time onely that eclipse
 of Defection must fall vpon the Church, Verse 3. all the Romish Catholikes are strong
 enough: otherwise their Church must be daily subiect to erre, which is cleane
 contrary to their maine doctrine. Then describing him (hee saith) that The man
 of Sinne, Filius perditionis, shall exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God . Verse 3, 4. But
 who these be whom of the Psalmist Psal. 82. 6. saith Dixi vos Dij estis , Bellarmine can tell.
 In old Diuinitie it was wont to bee Kings; Bellarmine will adde Churchmen ; Let
 it bee both. It is well enough knowen, who now exalteth himselfe aboue both the
 swords.
 And after that S. Paul hath thus described the Person , he next describeth the
 Seat , and telleth that He shall sit in the Temple of God , 2. Thess. 2. 4. that is, the bosome of the
 Church; yea, in the very heart thereof. Now where this Apostolike Seat is, I
 leaue to bee guessed: And likewise who it is that sitting there, sheweth himselfe
 to be God ; pardoning sinnes, redeeming soules, and defining Faith, controlling
 and iudging all men, and to be iudged of none.
 Anent the Time, S. Paul is plainest of all: For hee calleth the Thessalonians 
 to memorie, That when hee was with them, hee told them these things; Verse 5. and therefore
 they know (saith hee) what the impediment was, and who did withhold that the man of
 Sinne was not reuealed , Verse 6. although the mysterie of iniquitie was already working. Verse 7. 
 That the Romane Emperours in Saint Pauls time needed no reuealing to the
 Christians to bee men of Sinne or sinfull men, no childe doubteth: but the reuela-
 tion hee speaketh of was a mysterie, a secret ; It should therefore seeme that hee
 durst not publish in his Epistle what that impediment was. It may be he meant
 by the translating of the Seat of the Romane Empire, and that the translation
 thereof should leaue a roume for the man of Sinne to sit downe in. And that he
 meant not that man of Sinne of these Ethnicke Emperours in his time, his intro-
 duction to this discourse maketh it more then manifest. For he saith (fearing
 they should be deceiued, thinking the day of the Lords second comming to bee
 at hand) he hath therefore thought good to forewarne them that this generall
Defection must first come: Whereby it well appeareth that hee could not meane

 

by the present time but by a future, and that a good long time; otherwise he
proued ill his argument, that the Lords comming was not at hand. Neither can
the forme of the Destruction of this man of Sinne agree with that maner of spoile,
that the Gothes and Vandals made of Ethnick For so doeth Tortus call Rome when it was spoiled by them, though it was Christian many yeres before. 5 10
 Rome : For our Apostle saith, That
this wicked man shull bee consumed by the Spirit of the Lords mouth, and abolished by
his comming . Verse 8. Now I would thinke that the word of God and the Preaching
thereof, should be meant by the Spirit of the Lords mouth , Verse 8, 9. which should peece and
peece consume and diminish the power of that man of Sinne, till the brightnes of
the Lords second comming should vtterly abolish him. And by his expressing
the meanes of his working, he doeth likewise (in my opinion) explane his meaning
very much: For he saith, It shall be by a strong delusion, by lying wonders, &c. Bellar. lib. 3. de Eucharist. cap. 8. 
Well, what Church it is that vanteth them of their innumerable miracles, and yet
most of them contrary to their owne doctrine; Bellarmine can best tell you with
his hungry Mare, that turned her taile to her prouender and kneeled to the Sacra-
ment: And yet (I am sure) he will be ashamed to say, that the holy Sacrament is
ordained to be worshipped by Oues & Boues, & caetera pecora campi. Reuel. 17. v. 1. 
 Thus haue I prooued out of S. Paul now, that the time of the Antichrists com-
ming, and the generall Defection was not to be till long after the time that he
wrote in; That his Seat was to be in the Temple and Church of God; and, That
his Action (which can best point at his Person) should be to Exalt himselfe aboue
all that were called Gods. S. Iohn indeed doth more amply, though mystically
describe this Antichrist, which vnder the figure of a monstrous Beast, with seuen
heads and ten homes, he sets forth in the xiij. chap. and then interpreteth in the
xvij. where hee calles her a Whore sitting vpon many waters , Vers. 3. and riding vpon the
sayd monstrous Beast; Vers. 18. concluding that chapter with calling that Woman, that
great City which reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth . Vers. 5. And both in that Chapter,
and in the beginning of the next he calles that great Citie, Babylon. Cap. 18. v. 2. 
 So as to continue herein my formerly purposed Methode, of the Time, Seat,
and Person of Antichrist; this place doth clearely and vndenyably declare that
 Rome is, or shalbe the Seat of that Antichrist. For first, no Papist now denieth
that by Babylon here Rome is directly meant; and that this Woman is the Anti-
christ, doeth clearely appeare by the time of his working (described by 42.
moneths in the xiij.Chap. Vers. 5. ) which doeth iustly agree with that three yeeres and a
halfes time, which all the Papists giue to the Reigne of Antichrist. Besides that,
the Beast it selfe with seuen heads and tenne horses, hauing one of her heads
wounded and healed againe, is described iust alike in the xiij. and xvij. Chap.
being in the former prooued to be the Antichrist by the time of her reigne; and
in the latter Rome by the name of Babylon , by the confession of all the Papists;
So as one point is now cleare, that Rome is the Seat of the Antichrist. 

 
 Neither will that place in the eleuenth Chapter serue to shift off this point,
 and proue the Antichrists Seat to bee in Ierusalem; where it is saide; That the
 Corpses of the Witnesses shall lie in the great City, spiritually Sodome and Egypt, Chap. 11. 8. 
 where our Lord also was crucified . For the word spiritually is applied both to
 Sodome, Egypt and Ierusalem in that place; And when hee hath named Sodome 
 and Egypt , hee doeth not subioyne Ierusalem with a single vbi ; but with an
 vbi &, as if hee would say; and this Antichrists abomination shall bee so great, as
 his Seate shall bee as full of Spirituall whoredomes and Idolatries, as Sodome and
 Egypt was; nay, and so bloody in the persecution of the Saints, as our Lord shall
 be crucified againe in his members. And who hath so meanely read the Scriptures
 (if he haue euer read them at all) that knoweth it not to be a common phrase in
 them, to call Christ persecuted and slaine, when his Saints are so vsed ? So did
 Christ say, Matt. 25. 40. speaking of the latter day; and in the same style did hee speake to
 S. Paul at his conuersion. Acts 9. 4. And that Babylon , or Rome (since Bellarmine is con-
 tented it bee so called) is that great Citie where our Lord was crucified, the last
 verse of the xviij. Chap. doeth also clearely proue it: For there it is said, That in
 that City was found the blood of the Prophets, and of the Saints, and of all that were
 slaine vpon the earth; Reuel. 18. 24. and I hope Christ was one of them that were slaine vpon
 the earth. And besides that it may well bee said that hee was slaine in that great
 Citie Babylon , since by the Romane authoritie hee was put to death, vnder a
 Romane Iudge, and for a Romane quarrell: for he could not be a friend to Caesar, 
 that was not his enemie.
 This point now being cleared of the Antichrists Seate , as I haue already sayd;
we are next to find out the Time when the Antichrist shall reigne, if it be not
already come. In the xiij. Chapter S. Iohn saith, Cha. 13. 3. that this Beast with the seuen
heads and tenne homes, had one of his heads wounded and healed againe ; Chap. 17. 10. and
interpreting that in the xvij. he saith, that these seuen heads are also seuen Kings,
whereof fiue are fallen, one is, and an other is not yet come, and when hee commeth
hee shall continue a short space. And the Beast that was and is not, is the eight, and
yet one of the seuen . Verse 11. By which Beast hee meaneth the Antichrist , who was not
then come, I meane in the Apostles dayes, but was to come after. So as betweene
the time of the Apostles and the ende of the worlde, must the Time of the Anti-
christs comming be; and with this the Papists doe also agree. Whereby it ap-
peareth that Babylon , which is Rome , shall bee the Seate of the Antichrist ; but
not that Ethnicke Rome which was in the Apostles dayes (for Iohn himselfe pro-
fesseth that hee is to write of nothing, but that which is to come after his time.) Reuel. 1. 1. & chap. 4. 1. 
Nor yet that turning Christian Rome while shee was in the conuerting, which
immediatly followed the Apostles time, glorious by the Martyrdome of so many
godly Bishops: But that Antichristian Rome , when as the Antichrist shal set
downe his seat there, after that by the working of that Mysterie of iniquitie,

 
 Christian Rome shall become to be corrupted; and so that deadly wound, which
 the Gothes and Vandales gaue Rome, shall bee cured in that Head or King,
 the Antichrist , who thereafter shall arise and reigne for a long space.
 But here it may bee obiected, that the Antichrist cannot reigne a long space;
 since S. Iohn saith in two or three sundry places, that the Antichrist shall worke
 but the space of three yeeres and a halfe. Surely who will but a little acquaint
 himselfe with the phrases and Stile of S. Iohn in his Apocalyps , shall finde that he
 doth ordinarily set downe numerum certum pro incerto . Chap. 7. So doeth hee in his
 twelue thousand of euery Tribe that will bee safe; so doeth he in his Armie of
 two hundred thousand, that were sent to kill the third part of the men; Chap. 9. 16, 18. and so
 doeth he in diuers other places. And therefore who will but remember that in all
 his Visions in the said Booke, hee directly imitates the fashions of the Prophet
 Ezekiels, Daniels , and Zacharies Visions (borrowing their phrases that prophecied
 before Christ , to vtter his Prophecies in, that was to speake of the last dayes)
 shall finde it very probable that in these three dayes and a halfe, hee imitated
 Daniels Weekes, accounting for his Weeke the time betweene Christs first and
 second comming, and making Antichrist to triumph the halfe of that time or
 spirituall Weeke. For as to that literall interpretation (as all the Papists make it)
 of three yeeres and a halfe, and that time to fall out directly the very last dayes,
 saue flue and fourtie, before Christ his second comming, it is directly repugnant
 to the whole New Testament . For Christ saith, That in the latter dayes men
 shall be feasting, marrying, and at all such worldly businesse, when the last houre
 shall come in a clap vpon them; One shall be at the Mill; One vpon the top of the
 house, Matth. 24. 41. and so foorth. Christ telleth a Parable of the flue foolish Virgins, Matth. 25. to
 shew the vnlooked-for comming of this houre, Nay, hee saith, the Sonne of man,
 nor the Angels in heauen know not this time. S. Peter biddeth vs Watch And
 Pray , euer awaiting vpon that houre. And S. Iohn in this same Apocalyps 
 doeth Reuel. 3. 3. and 16. 15. twise tell vs, that Christ will come as a thiefe in the night; And so doeth
 Christ say in the Euangel . Matth. 24. 44. Whereas if the Antichrist shall reigne three yeeres
 and a halfe before the Latter day, and that there shall bee but iust fourtie flue
dayes of time after his destruction; then shall not the iust day and houre of the
Latter day, bee vnknowne to them that shall be aliue in the world, at the time of
 Antichrists destruction. For first according to the Papists doctrine, all the world
shall know him to be the Antichrist , both by the two Witnesses doctrine, and his
sudden destruction; And consequently they cannot be ignorant, that the Latter
day shall come iust fourtie fiue dayes after: and so Christ shall not come as a
thiefe, nor the world bee taken at vnawares; contrary to all the Scriptures before
alleadged, and many more. And thus haue we proued Rome to be the Seat of the
 Antichrist , and the second halfe of that spirituall Weeke betweene the first and
second comming of Christ , to be the time of his Reigne: For in the first halfe

 

thereof the mysterie of iniquitie began to worke; but the man of Sinne was not
yet reuealed.
 But who these Witnesses should be, is a great question. The generall conceit
of the Papists is, that it must bee Enoch and Elias . And heerein is Bellarmine so
strong, as hee thinketh him in a great errour (if not an Heretike) that doubteth
of it. But the vanitie of the Iewish fable I will in few words discouer.
 The Cardinall, Bellar. de Rom. Pont. lib. 3. cap. 6. in his booke of Controuersies, bringeth foure places of Scripture
for probation of this idle dreame: two in the Old Testament, Malachie and
 Ecclesiasticus , and two in the New, Christ in Matthew (hee might haue added
 Marke too) and Iohn in the xj. of the Apocalyps . First, for the generall of all
those places, I dare boldly affirme, That there is not a word in them, nor in all the
rest of the Scriptures that saith, that either Enoch or Elias shall returne to fight
against Antichrist , and shall bee slaine by him, nor any such like matter. Next
as to euery place in particular, to begin with Malachie , I know not who can better
interpret him then Christ , who twise in Matthew , Matt. II. 14. and 17. 12. Chap. xj. and xvij. and once in
 Marke , Mar. 9. 13. tels both the multitude, and his owne Disciples, that Iohn Baptist was
that promised Elias . And heerein doeth Bellarmine deale most vnfaithfully
with Christ : for in his demonstration that Antichrist is not yet come, because
 Enoch and Elias are not yet returned; hee, for his probation thereof, citeth these
wordes of Christ in the xvij of Matthew, Elias shall indeed come, and restore all
things ; but omits his very next wordes interpreting the same, That hee is already
come , in the person of Iohn Baptist . Nay, whereby hee taketh vpon him to an-
swere Biblianders obiection, that Christ did by Iohn the Baptist , vnderstand the
prophecie of Elias comming to be accomplished, he picketh out the words, Qui
habet aures, audiat , in the xj. of Matthew , immediately following that purpose of
 Elias , making of them a great mysterie: and neuer taketh knowledge, that in the
xvij. by himselfe before alleaged, Christ doeth interpret Malachie in the same
maner without any subioyning of these words, Qui habet aures, audiat ; adioyning
shamelesly hereunto a foule Paraphrase of his owne, telling vs what Christ 
would haue said; nay, in my conscience, he meant what Christ should and ought
to haue said, if he had bene a good Catholike, setting downe there a glosse of
 Orleance that destroyes the Text. Thus ye see: how shamefully he abuseth
 Christs words, who in three sundry places (as I haue said) interpreteth the second
comming of Elias to be meant by Iohn the Baptist . He likewise cauils most dis-
honestly vpon that word Venturus . For Christ vseth that word but in the re-
peating their opinion: but interpreting it that he was already come in the person
of Iohn Baptist . As if hee had said, The prophecie is indeed trew that Elias shall
come; but I say vnto you, that Elias iam venit , Matt. 17. 1. meaning of Iohn Baptist : and so
he first repeats the words of the prophecie in the future time, as the Prophet spake
them; and next sheweth them to be now accomplished in the person of Iohn , in


 

the present time. Neither can these words of Malachie [ Dies magnus & hor-
ribilis Malach. 4. 5. ] falsifie Christ S Commentarie vpon him. Matth. 27. For if that day whereupon the
Sauiour of the world suffered, when the Sunne This obscuring of the Sunne was so extra-
 ordinary and fearefull, that Dionysius,
 onely led by the light of Nature and
 humane learning, cried out at the sight
 thereof, Aut Deus patitur, aut vices pa-
 tientis dolet. was totally obscured from the
sixt houre to the ninth; the Vaile of the Temple rent asunder from the top to the
bottome; and the earth did quake, the stones were clouen, the graues did open
themselues, and the dead arose: If that day (I say) was not a great and horrible
day, I know not what to call a horrible day. Which day no doubt had destroyed
the whole nation of the Iewes without exception by a iust Anatheme , if the said
 Iohn the fore-runner had not first conuerted many by the doctrine of Repentance 
and by Baptisme . But why should I presume any more to interprete Malachie, Mala. 4. 6. 
since it is sufficient that Christ himselfe hath interpreted him so ? And since
 Ipse dixit ; nay, ter dixit, per quem facta sunt omnia , what mortall man dare
interprete him otherwise; nay, directly contrary ?
 Now for that place of Ecclesiasticus ; Ecclus. 48. 8. as the son of Sirach onely borroweth it
 from Malachie (as appeareth by these words of his, of conuerting the sonnes hearts
 to their fathers , which are Malachies Mala. 4. 6. own words) so doth Christ S Commentary
 serue as well to interprete the one as the other: it being no shame for that mortal
 Iesus , to be commented & interpreted by the immortall and trew Iesvs , though to
the shame & confusion of the Iesuits heresies herein.
 But Enoch must be ioyned to Elias in this errand, onely to beare vp the couples,
 as I thinke. For no place of Scripture speaketh of his returning againe, onely it is
 said in Ecclesiasticus Ecclus. 44. 16. the 44. that Enoch pleased God , and was translated to
 Paradise, vt daret Gentibus sapientiam , or paenitentiam ; since they will haue it so.
 And what is this to say ? marry that Enoch shall returne againe to this world,
 and fight against the Antichrist . A prettie large Comment indeed, but no right
 Commentary vpon that Text. When Bellarmine was talking of Elias ; he in-
 sisted, That Elias must come to conuert the Iewes principally, restituere tribus
 Iacob . But when he speaketh here of Enoch , he must dare Gentibus pænitentiam , 
 and not a word of Iewes. Belike they shall come for sundry errands, and not both
 for one: Or like Paul and Peter , the one shall be Apostle for the Iewes, and the
 other for the Gentiles . What need such wilde racked Commentaries for such three
 wordes? Will not the sense stand well and clearely enough, that Enoch pleased
 God , and was translated to Paradise ; that by the example of his reward, the
 Nations might repent and imitate his Holy footsteps ? For what could more
 mightily perswade the Nations to repent; then by letting them see that holy
 Man carried quicke vp to Heauen, for reward of his vprightnesse; whereas all the
 rest of the people died and went to corruption ? And where Scripture faileth, the


 
 Cardinall must helpe himselfe with the Fathers, to prooue both that Enoch and
 Elias are yet aliue, and that they shall hereafter die; but with the like felicitie, as
 in his alledging of Scriptures; to vse his owne words of mee in his pamphlet: Pag. 27. 
 For which purpose he citeth flue Fathers; Irenæus, Tertullian, Epiphanius,
 Hierome and Augustine . Vpon this they all agree in deed, that Enoch and Elias 
 are still aliue both, which no Christian (I hope) will denie: For Abraham, Isaac, 
 and Iacob are all still aliue, Matt. 22, 32. as Christ telleth vs; for God is Deus viuentium, non mortuorum . Much more then are Enoch and Elias aliue, who neuer tasted of
 death after the maner of other men. But as to the next point, that they should die
 hereafter, his first two witnesses, Lib. 5. Irenaeus and Tertullian say the direct contrary:
 For Irenaeus saith, that they shall remaine in Paradise , till the consummation,
 conspicantes incorruptionem . Now to remaine there till the consummation, and to
 see incorruption is directly contrary to their returning to the world againe and
 suffering of death. Tertullian Lib. cont. Iudaos. cap. 2. likewise agreeing hereunto, saith most clearely,
 That Enoch hath neuer tasted of death, vt æternitatis candidatus : now he is ill
 priuiledged with eternitie, if he must die againe. As for his places cited out of
 the other three Fathers, they all confirme that first point, That they are stil aliue;
 but that they must die again, they make no mention.
 But he speaking of the Ancient Fathers , let mee take this occasion to forewarne
you concerning them: That though they mistake and vnderstand not rightly
many mysteries in the Apocalyps , it is no wonder: For the booke thereof, was
still sealed in their dayes. And though the mysterie of iniquitie was already work-
ing, yet was not the man of Sinne yet reuealed. 2. Thess. 2. And it is a certaine rule in
all darke prophecies; That they are neuer clearely vnderstood, till they be
accomplished.
 And thus hauing answered his two places, in the Old Testament , by his third
in the New Testament , conteining Christs owne words: which being luce clariora, 
I need speake no more of them. I am now to speake of the fourth place of
Scripture, which is in the xj. of the Apocalyps : Reuelat. 11. For the two Witnesses (for-
sooth) there mentioned, must be Enoch and Elias . But how this can stand
with any point of Diuinitie or likelihood of reason, that these two glorified Bodies
shall come downe out of heauen or Paradise, (make it what you will) preach, and
fight against the Antichrist , bee slaine by him after many thousand yeeres ex-
empted from the naturall course of death, rise againe the third day in imitation of
 Christ , and then (hauing wrought many wonders) to goe vp againe to Heauen,
making an ordinary Poste betwixt Heauen and Earth: how this (I say) can agree
either with Diuinitie or good Reason, I confesse it passeth my capacitie. And
especially that they must be clad in Sackcloth, whose bodies (I hope) haue bene
so long agone free from sinne, as I thinke they shall neede no more such macera-
tion for sinne: For they must be now either in Heauen or Paradise : If in heauen,

 

 (as doubtlesse they are) their bodies must bee glorified; for no corruptible thing
 can enter there; Reuel. 21. 27. and consequently they can no more bee subiect to the sensible
 things of this world, especially to death: But if they be in earthly Paradise , we
 must first know where it is.
 Bellarmine Lib. de Grat. primi hominis. indeed in his Controuersies is much troubled to finde out the place
 where Paradise is, and whether it bee in the earth, or in the ayre. But these are
 all vanities. The Scriptures tell vs, that Paradise and the garden of Eden therein,
 was a certaine place vpon the earth, which God chose out to set Adam into, Gen. 2. and
 hauing thereafter for his sinne banished him from the same, it is a blasphemie to
 thinke that any of Adams posteritie came euer there againe. For in Adam were
 all his posteritie accursed, and banished from the earthly Paradise : like as all the
 earth in generall, and Paradise in speciall were accursed in him; the second Adam 
 hauing by grace, called a certaine number of them to bee Coheritours with him
 of the heauenly Paradise and Ierusalem. And doubtlesly, the earthly Paradise 
 was defaced at the Flood, if not before: and so lost all that exquisite fertilitie and
 pleasantnesse, wherein it once surpassed all the rest of the earth. And that it
 should be lifted vp in the ayre, is like one of the dreames of the Alcoran . Surely
 no such miracle is mentioned in the Scriptures, and hath no ground but from the
 curious fancies of some boyling braines, who cannot be content, Sapere ad
 sobrietatem . Rom. 12. 3. 
 In heauen then for certaine are Enoch and Elias : for Enoch (saith the Text)
 walked with God , Gen. 5. 24. and was taken vp, and Elias was seene caried vp to heauen in a
 fierie chariot. 2. King. 2. 10, 11. And that they who haue beene the In-dwellers of Heauen these
 many thousand yeeres, and are freed from the Lawes of mortalitie; that these
 glorious and incorruptible bodies (I say) shall come in the world againe, preach and
 work miracles, and fighting against the Antichrist be slaine by him, whom naturall
 death could not before take hold of: as it is a fabulous inuention, so is it quite
 contrary to the nature of such sanctified creatures. Especially I wonder, why
 Enoch should bee thought to bee one of these two Witnesses for Christ : For it
 was Moses and Elias that were with Christ , at the transfiguration; signifying the
 Law and the Prophets: which would be the fittest witnesses for conuincing of
 Antichrist . But why they haue exempted Moses , and put Enochs head in the
 yoake, I cannot conceiue. So as I haue too much laboured in the refuting of this
 foolish, and indeed childish fable; which I am so farre from beleeuing in any sort,
 as I protest in God S presence, I cannot hold any learned Diuine (in our aage now)
 to be a Christian, that will beleeue it; but worthy to bee ranked with the Scribes
 and Pharises, that raued and dreamed vpon the comming againe of Elias , though
 Christ told them the contrary. As for some of the Ancients that mistooke this
 matter, I doe not censure them so hardly; for the reason that I haue already
alleaged concerning them.

 
 And hauing now refuted that idle fable; that those two Witnesses were Enoch 
 and Elias : it falleth mee next to guesse, what in my opinion should bee meant by
 them. I confesse, it is farre easier to refute such a groundlesse fable as this is,
 contrary to all grounds of Diuinitie and Reason; then to set downe a trew inter-
 pretation of so high and darke a Mistery. And therefore as I will not presume to
 bind any other man to my opinion herein, if his owne reason leade him not there-
 unto; so shall I propone such probable coniectures, as (I hope) shall be free from
 Heresie, or vnlawfull curiostie.
 In two diuers fashions may the Mysterie of these Witnesses be lawfully and
 probably interpreted, in my opinion. Whereof the one is, that by these two
 Witnesses should be meant the Old and New Testaments: For as the Antichrist 
 cannot chuse but bee an aduersary to the Word of God aboue all things; so will
 hee omit no endeuour to disgrace, corrupt, suppresse and destroy the same. And
 now whether this Booke of the two Testaments, or two Witnesses of Christ ,
 haue suffered any violence by the Babylonian Monarchie or not; I need say
 nothing; Res ipsa loquitur . I will not weary you with recounting those Common
 Places vsed for disgracing it: as calling it a Nose of waxe, a dead Letter, a leaden
 Rule , a hundreth such like phrases of reproch. But how farre the Traditions of
 men, and authoritie of the Church are preferred to these Witnesses, doeth
 sufficiently appeare in the Babylonian doctrine. And if there were no more but
 that little booke, with that prettie Inscription, De l'Insuffisance de l'Escriture Sainte ,
 Cardinall Peron. it is enough to proue it.
 And as to the corrupting thereof; the corruptions of the old Latine translation
 must not be corrected, though it bid euertere domum in stead of euerrere , for seek-
 ing of a penie; Luke 15. 8. and though it say of Iohn, Sic eum volo manere donec veniam, Iohn 21. 22, 23. 
 in place of Si , though it be knowne a plaine Lie, and that the very next words of
 the Text disproue the same. Nay, so farre must wee be from correcting it, as
 that the Vulgar Translation must be preferred by Catholikes, to the Bible in the
 owne Originall tongue. And it is a small corrupting of Scriptures to make all, or
 the most part of the Apocrypha of equall faith with the Canonicall Scriptures,
 contrary to the Fathers opinions and Decrees of ancient Councels ? And what
 blasphemous corrupting of Scripture is it, to turne Dominus into Domina 
 throughout the whole Psalmes ? And thus our Ladies Psalter Made by Boneuentura Doctor Seraphicus. was lately re-
 printed in Paris . Is not this to confound Christ S person with hers ? And as for
 suppressing of the Scriptures; how many hundreth yeeres were the people kept
 in such blindenes, as these Witnesses were almost vnknowne ? for the Layicks
 durst not, being forbidden, and the most part of the Cleargie, either would or
 could not meddle with them.
 Thus were these two Witnesses of Christ , (whom of himselfe saith, Scrutamini
Scripturas, illae enim testimonium perhibent de me ) Iohn 5. 39. These Reuel. 11. 4. two Oliues bringing

 

 peace to all the beleeuers, euen peace of Conscience: These Ibid. two Candlesticks
 standing in the sight of God , and giuing light to the Nations; represented by
 Candlesticks euen in the very order of the Roman Masse : See Expositio Missae, annexed to Ordo Romanus, set forth by G. Cassander. Thus were these two
 Witnesses (I say) disgraced, corrupted and suppressed (nay, so suppressed and
 silenced, as he was brent for an Heretike that durst presume to looke vpon them)
 kept close in a strange tongue, that they might not be vnderstooff, Legends and
 lying wonders supplying their places in the Pulpits. And so did their Bodies lie
 in the streets of the great Citie, spiritually Sodome , Verse 8. for spiritual fornication which is
 idolatrie; spiritually Egypt , for bringing the Saints of God in bondage of humane
 traditions Coloss. 2. 20. [ Quare oneramini ritibus .] So did their bodies (I say) lie 3. dayes and a
 halfe ; Verse 8. that is, the halfe of that spirituall Weeke betweene Christ his first and
 second comming; and as dead carkases indeed did the Scriptures then lye with-
 out a monument, being layed open to all contempt, cared for almost by none,
 vnderstood by as few; nay, no man durst call for them for feare of punishment, as
 I haue already said. And thus laying dead, as it were, without life or vigour (as
 the Law of God did till it was reuiued in Iosias time 2. Chro. 34. 14. ) The Inhabitants of the
 earth , that is, wordly men reioyced and sent gifts to other , Verse 10. for ioy that their fleshly
 libertie was now no more awed, nor curbed by that two edged sword, for they were
 now sure, that do what they would, their purse would procure them pardons from
 Babylon. Omnia vaenalia Romae ; so as men needed no more to looke vp to heauen,
 but downe to their purses to finde Pardons. Nay, what needed any more suing to
 heauen, or taking it by violence and feruencie of zeale; when the Pardons came
 and offered themselues at euery mans doores ? And diuers spirituall men vanted
 themselues, that they neither understood Old Testament nor New. 
 Thus were these 2. Witnesses vsed in the second halfe of this spiritual weeke; 
 who in the first halfe thereof were clad in sackcloth ; Verse 3. that is, preached repentance
 to all nations, for the space of 500. or 600. yeres after Christ : God making his
 Word or Witnes so triumph, riding vpon the white horse Reuel. 6. 2. in the time of the Primi-
 tiue Church, as that they ouercame al that opposed themselues vnto it, beating
 downe euery high thing, as Paul I. Cor. 10. 4. saith; excluding from heauen al that beleeue not
 therein: as strongly with the spiritual fire thereof, conuincing the stif-necked
 pride of vnbeleeuers, as euer Moses or Elias did, by the plagues of Egypt and
 famine, conuince the rebellious Egyptians and stif-necked Israelites. 
 Neither shall it be enough to disgrace, corrupt and suppresse them; but
 Killed must they be at the last. Reuel. 11. 7. To which purpose commeth forth Printed at Venice. Anno 1562. Censura generalis, vt mucrone censorio iugulare eas possit ; and cutteth their throats indeed:
For the author ordaineth al translations, but their owne to be burnt, which is


 

 yet commonly practised: nay he professeth, he commeth not to correct but to
 destroy them, controlling and calling euery place of Scripture Heretical , that
 disagreeth from their Traditions (with almost as many foule words and railing
 epithetes, as the Cardinal bestoweth on my Apologie ) not ruling, nor interpreting
 Scripture by Scripture, but making their Traditions to be such a touchstone for
 it, as he condemneth of Heresie , not onely those places of Scripture that he citeth,
 but layeth the same general condemnation vpon al other the like places where-
 soeuer they be written in the Scriptures. And yet (praised be God) we beginne
 now with our eyes, as our predecessors haue done in some aages before, to see
 these Witnesses rise againe, Verse 11. and shine in their former glory: God , as it were,
 setting them vp againe vpon their feete , and raising them to the Heauens in a tri-
 umphall cloud of glory, 12. like Elias his fiery chariot. Which exalting of the Gospel
 againe, hath bred such an earthquake 13. and alteration amongst many Nations: as
 a tenth part , or a good portion of these that were in subiection to that Great Citie, 
 to wit, Babylon , are fallen from her; seuen thousand , that is, many thousands
 hauing bene killed vpon the occasion of that great alteration; and many other
 conuerted to the feare of God , and giuing glory to the God of heauen . This now is
 one of the wayes, by which (I thinke) this place of Scripture may be lawfully and
 probably interpreted.
 The other is more common, and seemeth more literally to agree with the Text.
 And this is to interpret, not the word of God , but the Preachers thereof to bee meant
 by these Witnesses . Few they were that first began to reueale the man of Sinne, 
 and discouer his corruptions; and therefore well described by the number of two
 Witnesses: Deut. 19. 15. Nam in ore duorum aut trium testium stabit omne verbum . And in no
 greater number were they that began this worke, then the greatnesse of the errand
 did necessarily require. They prophesied in sackecloth , Reuel. 11. 3. for they preached re-
 pentance. That diuers of them were put to cruell deaths, is notorious to the
 world: And likewise that (in the persons of their Successours in doctrine) Sanguis Martyrum est semen Ecclesia. they
 rose againe ; and that in such power and efficacie, as is more then miraculous:
 For where it is accounted in the Scriptures a miraculous worke of God wrought by
 his holy Spirit, Verse 11. When the Apostle Saint Peter , conuerted about three thousand
 in one day; Actes 2. 41. these Witnesses I speak of, by the force of the same Spirit, conuerted
 many mightie Nations in few yeeres, who still continue praising God , that hee
 hath deliuered vs from the tyrannie of Antichrist, that reigneth ouer that great
 Citie; and with a full crie proclaiming, Goe out of her my people, lest yee bee partaker
 of her sinnes and of her plagues . Reuel. 18. 4. Let therefore these Miracle-mongers that surfeit
 the world, and raise the price of paper daily, with setting foorth old, though new
gilded Miracles and Legends of lies; Let such (I say) consider of this great and
wonderfull Miracle indeed, and to their shame, compare it with their paultry
wares. Thus hauing in two fashions deliuered my coniecture, what I take to bee

 

meant by these two Witnesses in the xj. of the Apocalyps , there beeing no great
difference betweene them: In the one, taking it to bee the Word of God it selfe;
In the other, the Word of God too, but in the mouthes of his Preachers: It resteth
now that I come to the third point of the description of Antichrist ; which is
anent his Person. 
 That by the Whore of Babylon that rideth vpon the Beast, is meant a Seate of
 an Empire, and a successiue number of men sitting thereupon, and not any one
 man; doeth well appeare by the forme of the description of the Antichrist thorow-
 out all the said Booke. For in the last verse Cap. xvii. Verse 18. of the xvij. Chapter, the Woman is
 expounded to bee, That great Citie that reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth ; which
 cannot signifie the onely Person of one man, but a successiue number of men (as
 I haue already said) whose Seat Verse 9. that great Citie must be: like as in the same
 Chapter, The seuen heads of the Beast are two wayes expounded. First, they are
 called seuen Hils , which is plaine; and next they are called seuen Kings , which
 cannot bee meant by the Kings that shall giue their power to the Beast , Verse 13. and bee
 subiect vnto her, which is immediatly after expressed by the tenne hornes : Verse 12. But
 rather appeareth to be those seuen formes of gouernment of that Seat: flue of
 which had already beene and fallen; As Kings, Consuls, Dictators, Decemuiri and
 Tribuni militum . The sixt was in the time of S. Iohn his writing of this booke,
 which was the Gouernement of the Emperour . The seuenth which was not yet
 come, and was to last but for a short space, was the Ecclesiasticall gouernment by
 Bishops , From the time of Constantine the Great, his remouing of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople, till the time of Bonifacius the third, to wit, about 276 yeeres. which was not come vpon the translation of the Empire from Rome to
 Constantinople ; though their gouernment was in a manner substitute to the Em-
 perours: For though that forme of Gouernement lasted about the space of 276.
 yeeres; yet was it but short in comparison of the long time of the reigne of the
 Antichrist (not yet expired) which succeeded immediatly thereunto. And the
 eight, which is the Beast that was and is not, and is to goe to perdition , Verse 11. is the Antichrist : the eight forme of Gouernment indeed by his absolutenesse, and yet the
 seuenth, because hee seemeth but to succeed to the Bishop in an Ecclesiasticall
 forme of Gouernement, though by his greatnesse hee shall make Babylons Empire
 in glory, like to that magnificence wherein that great Citie triumphed, when it
 most flourished: which in Saint Iohns time was much decayed, by the factions of
 the great men, the mutinies of the armies, and the vnworthines of the Emperours.
 And so that flourishing state of that great Citie or Beast, which it was in before
 S. Iohns time, and being much Not in respect of the extent, and limites of the Empire: but in regard of the gouernement thereof, and glory of the Citie. decayed was but in a maner in his time, should be
 restored vnto it againe by Antichrist : who as he ascendeth out of the bottomless
pit , so must he goe to Destruction . And likewise by that great lamentation that is

 

 made for the destruction of Babylon in the eighteenth Chapter, both by the Kings,
 and by the Merchants of the earth; where it is thrice repeated for aggrauating
 the pitie of her desolation, that That great Citie fell in an houre : By that great
 lamentation (I say) it well appeareth, That the raigne of Antichrist Reuel. 18. Ver. 9. & 11. Ver. 10, 16, 19. must con-
 tinue longer then three yeeres and a halfe, or any one mans time: For the Kings
 that had committed fornication Vers. 9. with her, & in delicijs vixerant , behoued to haue
 had a longer time for contracting of that great acquaintance: And the Merchants
 of the earth Verse 12. set her forth and describe her at great length, as the very staple of
 all their riches; which could not be so soone gathered as in one mans time. And
 to conclude now this description of the Antichrist ; I will set downe vnto you
 all that is spoken of him in the Apocalyps in a short methode, for the further
 explaining of these three points that I haue already handled.
 The Antichrist is foure times (in my opinion) described by Iohn in the Apo-
calyps , in foure sundry visions; and a short Compendium of him repeated againe
in the xx. Chapter. He is first described by a pale Horse 1. Description of Antichrist. in the vision of the
Seales in the sixt Chapter: For after that Christ had triumphed vpon a white
Horse Reuel. cap. 6. in the first Seale, by the propagation of the Gospel; and that the red
Horse Verse 2. in the second Seale, is as busie in persecution, as Christ is in ouercom-
ming by the constancie of his Martyrs; and that famine and other plagues signi-
fied by the blacke Horse Verse 4. in the third Seale, haue succeeded to these former
persecutions: Then commeth forth the Antichrist vpon a pale horse Verse 5. in the 4.
Seale, hauing Death for his rider, and Hell for his conuoy; which rider fitted well
his colour of palenesse: and he had power giuen Verse 8. him ouer the fourth part of the
earth (which is Europe ) to kill with the sword , and vse great persecution; as
 Ethnick Rome did, figured by the red horse : and to kill with spirituall hunger or
famine of the trew word of God; as the black horse did by corporal famine & with
death , whereby spiritual death is meant. For the Antichrist , signified by this pale
horse , shal afflict the Church both by persecution and temporal death; as also by
alluring the Nations to idolatry, and so to spiritual death: and by the beast of the
earth shall he procure their spiritual death; for he shall send out the Locusts 
(ouer whom he is King) mentioned in the 9. Chap. of this booke; and the 3. frogs, 
mentioned in the 16. of the same; for intising of al Kings and nations to drinke of
the cup of her abominations. That that description now of Antichrist endeth
there, it is more then plaine: for at the opening of the first Seale, the soules and
blood of the murthered Saints cry for vengeance and hasting of iudgment; Or them, after other Translations, whereby is ioyntly vnderstood the said pale horse together with his rider and conuoy, Death and Hell. 
which in the sixt Seale is granted vnto them by Christ S comming at the Latter
day: signified by heauens departing away, like a scroll when it is rolled : Verse 9; verse 10; verse 12. with a
number of other sentences to the same purpose.

 

 But because this might seeme a short and obscure description of the Antichrist, 
he describeth him much more largely and specifikely, especially in the vision of the
 Trumpets Reu. Chap. 9. Verse 1. in the 9. Chapter. For there he saith, at the blowing of the first
Trumpet , Heresies being first spread abroad in three of the foure former blasts;
to wit, in the first, third, and fourth blast (for I take temporall persecution to be
onely signified by the second blast) he then saw a starrefallfrom Heauen, to whom
was giuen the key of the bottomles pit; Verse 2. which being opened by him, with the smoke
thereof came foorth a number of Locusts , Verse 3. whom hee largely describeth, both by
their craft & their strength; and then telleth the name of this their king, who
brought then out of the bottomles pit, which is, Destroyer . Verse 11. By this starre fallen
from heauen , being signified, as I take it, some person of great dignitie in the
Church, whose duetie being to giue light Matth. 5. 14. to the world (as Christ saith) doth
contrary thereunto fall away like Lucifer , and set vp a kingdome, by the sending
forth of that noisome packe of craftie cruell vermine, described by Locusts : and
so is the Seat of the Antichrist begun to be erected, whose doctrine is at length
declared in the second woe , after the blast of the sixt Trumpet ; Verse 13. where it is said,
That the remnant of men which were not killed by the plagues, Verse 20. repented not of the
workes of their hands, that they should not worship diuels, and idols of gold, and of
siluer & of brasse, and of stone, and of wood, which neither can see, heare, nor goe. 
(As for worshipping of diuels ; looke your great Iesuited doctour, Vasques : Lib de Cultu Adoratio. lib. 3 disp. 1. cap. 5. and
as for all the rest , it is the maine doctrine of the Roman Church .) And then it is
subioyned in this Text, that they repented not of their murther, their sorcerie, their
fornications, nor their theft. Vers. 21. 
 By their murther , their persecution is meant, and bloody massacres. For their
 Sorcery consider of their Agnus Dei , that will slocken fire; of the hallowed shirts,
 and diuers sorts of Reliques; and also of Prayers that will preserue men from the
 violence of shot, of fire, of sword, of thunder, and such like dangers; And iudge,
 if this be not very like to Sorcerie and incantation of charmes.
 By their Fornication is meant both their spirituall fornication of Idolatry, and
 also their corporall fornication; which doth the more abound amongst them, as
 well by reason of the restraint of their Churchmen from marriage, as also because
 of the many Orders of idle Monastike liues amongst them, as well for men as
 women: And continuall experience prooueth, that idlenesse is euer the greatest
 spurre to lecherie. And they are guiltie of Theft , in stealing from God the titles
 and greatnes of power due to him, and bestowing it vpon their head, the Antichrist: 
 As also by heaping vp their treasure with their iuggling wares and merchandise
 of the soules of men, by Iubiles, Pardons, Reliques and such like strong delusions.
 That he endeth this description of Antichrist in the same ninth Chapter may
 likewise well appeare, by the Oath that that Mightie Angell sweareth Cap. 10. ver. 6. in the

 

 sixth verse of the tenth Chapter: And after the blast of the sixt Trumpet , that
 time shall bee no more , and that when the seuenth Angell Verse 7. shall blow his Trumpet,
 the mysterie of God shalbe finished, as he had declared it to his seruants the Prophets. 
 Onely in the eleuenth Chapter he describeth the meanes whereby the Antichrist Cap. 11. 
 was ouercome, whose raigne he had before described in the ix. Chapter; and
 telleth vs that the two witnesses , Verse 3. after that they haue beene persecuted by the
 Antichrist shall in the end procure his destruction. And in case any should thinke,
 that the Antichrist is onely spoken of in the xj. Chapter, and that the Beast
 spoken of in the xiij. and xvij. Chapters doth onely signifie Ethnicke Rome ; there
 needeth no other refutation of that conceit, then to remember them, that the
 Antichrist is neuer named in all that xj. Chapter, but where he is called in the
 seuenth verse thereof the Beast that commeth foorth of the bottomless pit : Cap. 11. Verse 7. which by
 the description of the place he commeth out of, prooueth it to be the same Beast
 which hath the same originall in the xvij. Chapter, and in the very same words;
 so as it is euer but the same Antichrist repeated, and diuersly described in diuers
 visions.
 Now in the xij. and xiij.Chapters and so foorth till the xvij. he maketh a more
 large and ample propheticall description of the state of the Church, and reigne of
 the Antichrist : For in the xij. Chap. he figureth the Church by a Woman Chap. xii. Verse 6. flying
 from the Dragon (the Deuill) to the wildernesse; And when the Dragon seeth hee
 cannot otherwise ouer-reach her, hee speweth foorth waters like floods to carry her
 away ; Verse 15. which signifieth many Nations, that were let loose to persecute and vexe
 the Church. And in the xxiij. Chapter, Chap. xiii. out of that Sea of Nations that persecuted
 her, ariseth that great Citie (Queene of all the Nations, and head of that persecu-
 tion) figured by a Beast with seuen heads and tenne homes , Verse 1. like a Leopard ; Verse 2. as well
 for the colour because it was full of spots, that is, defiled with corruptions; as
 also vsing a bastard forme of gouernement, in shew spirituall, but in deed tem-
 porall ouer the Kings of the earth; like the Leopard that is a bastard beast be-
 twixt a Lion and a Parde: hauingfeete like a Beare , to signifie his great strength,
 and the mouth of a Lion , to shew his rauenous and cruell disposition.
 This Beast who had his powerfrom the Dragon , and had gotten a deadly wound
in one of his heads , Verse 3. or formes of gouernment (by the Gothes and Vandals ) and yet
 was healed againe; opened his mouth to blasphemies, Verse 6. and made warre against the
Saints : Verse 7. nay, all the world must worship him; which worship Ethnicke Rome 
neuer craued of any, being contented to call their neighbour Kings Amici &

 socij populi Romani . And whether worship or adoration, euen with that same
title, he vsed to Popes at their creation, our Cardinall can best tell you.
 But then commeth another beast vp out of the earth, Verse 11. hauing indeed a more
firme and setled originall: for she doeth visibly and outwardly succeed to the trew


 
Church, and therefore she hath two homes like the Lambe , in outward shew repre-
senting the spouse of Christ , and pretending Christ to be her defence: But she
 speaketh like the Dragon , teaching damnable and deuilish doctrine. And this
 Apostatike (I should say Apostolike) Church , after that she hath made her great
power manifest to the world, by doing all that the first Beast could doe, Verse 12. In con-
spectu eius ; that is, by shewing the greatnesse of her power, to be nothing in-
feriour to the greatnesse of the former Ethnicke Empire : she then is mooued with
so great a desire to aduance this Beast, now become Antichrist , as she causeth the
earth and all that dwell therein, to worship this former Beast or Roman Monarch;
transferring so, as it were, her owne power in his person. Yea, euen Emperours
and Kings shall be faine to kisse his feet. And for this purpose shall shee worke
great Miracles, wherein she greatly prides her selfe, deceiuing men with lying
wonders and efficacie of lyes, as S. Paul 2. Thes. 2. 9. saith. And amongst the rest of her
wonders, she must bring Fire out of heauen, Verse 13. Fulmen excommunication[i]s , which can
dethrone Princes: So that all that will not worship the image of the Beast , Verse 15. that is,
his vnlimited Supremacie, must be killed and burnt as Heretikes. Yea, so peremp-
tory will this Beast or false Prophet be (so called in the xvj. Chapter of this booke)
for the aduancement of the other Beast or Antichrist ; as all sorts and rankes of
people must receiue the marke Verse 17. or name of that Beast in their right hand, or in their
forehead; without the which it should be lawfull to none to buy, or sell : Verse 16. by the Marke
in theforehead , signifying their outward profession and acknowledgement of their
subiection vnto her; and by the Marke in their right hand , signifying their actuall
implicite obedience vnto her, who they thinke cannot erre, though she should
commaund them to rebell against their naturall princes; like that Caeca obedientia 
whereunto all the Iesuits are sworne: and like those Romish Priests in this Coun-
trey, that haue renounced and forsworne againe that Oath of Allegiance , grounded
vpon their naturall Oath; which though at their taking it, they confessed they
did it out of conscience, and as obliged thereunto by their naturall duetie; yet
now must they forsweare it againe, for obedience to the Popes command; to
whose will their conscience and reason must be blindly captiuated. And who euer
denied this absolute power, might neither buy nor sell ; for no man was bound to
keepe any faith, or obserue any ciuill contracts with Heretikes: yea, to aequiuo-
cate and commit periury towards them, is a lawfull thing in a Catholike.
 Now as to the Mysterie anent the Number of his name; Verse 17. whether it shalbe vnder-
 stood by the number composed of the Letters in that Greeke word *L*A*T*E*I*N*O*S ; Irenaeus aduersus Hares. lib. 5. 
 which word well sutes with the Romish Church, Romish Faith, and Latine Ser-
 uice: Or whether in respect that in the Text it is called the number of the man , ye
 will take it for the number or date of the yeere of God , wherein that first man
 liued, that first tooke the title of the Antichrist vpon him; I leaue it to the Readers
 choice. By that first Man , I meane Bonifacius tertius , who first called himselfe

 

 Vniuersall Bishop ; which S. Gregorie , that liued till within three yeeres of his
 time, Epist. lib. 6. cap. 30. foretold would be the style of the Antichrist , or his Præcursor : for though
 he died threescore yeeres before the 666. of Christ ; yet was that Title but fully
 setled vpon his Successors, sixtie yeeres after his time. Or if ye list to count it
 from Pompey his spoiling of the Temple, to this same Mans time; it will goe very
 neere to make iust vp the said number 666. 
 Now the raigne of the Antichrist being thus prophetically described in the
 xiij. Chapter, his fall is prophecied in the xiiij. First by the ioyfull and triumphall
 New song Chap. xiiij. Verse 3. of the Saints in heauen: And next by the proclamation of three
 Angels; whereof the first hauing an euerlasting Gospel Verse 6. in his hand to preach to all
 Nations (the trew armour indeed wherewith the Witnesses fought against the
 Antichrist ;) The first Angel, I say, proclaimed Feare and glory to God , since the
 houre of his Iudgement was come . Verse 7. And the second proclaimed the fall of Babylon, Verse 8. 
 which is the destruction of the Antichrist . And the third prohibited vnder great
 paines, euen the paine of eternall damnation, that none should worship the Beast, Verse 9. 
 or receiue his Marke . But though that in the rest of this Chapter the Latter day
 be againe prophecied, as a thing that shall come shortly after the reuealing of the
 man of Sinne : yet in the xv. Chap. he telleth of seuen plagues , Chap. xv. Verse 1. vnder the name of
 Vials , that shall first fall vpon the Antichrist and his kingdome; which, being
 particularly set downe in the xvj. Chapter, he reckoneth among the rest. In the
 fift viall , Chap xvi. Verse 10. the plague of darkenesse; yea, such darkenesse as the kingdome of
 Antichrist shall be obscured. Whereby at the powring foorth of the sixt Viall 
 the way of the Kings of the East shall be prepared ; Verse 12. the man of Sinne being begun
 to be reuealed, and so all impediments remooued that might let the inuasion of
 that Monarchie: euen as that great riuer Euphrates that runneth by the literall
 Babylon , guarded it from the Kings of the East , the Medes and Persians , the time
 of the Babylonian Monarchie, till by the drying thereof, or vnexpected passage
 made through it by Cyrus, Dan. 53. Babylon was wonne, and Baltasar destroyed, and his
 Monarchie ouerthrowne, euen while hee was sitting in that literall Babylon, 
 corporally drunken and quaffing in the vessels ordained for God S Seruice; and
so sitting as it were in the Temple of God , and abusing the holy Mysteries thereof.
 For remedy whereof, at the powring forth of the sixt Viall, three vncleane
spirits, like frogs, shall then come foorth out of the mouth of the Dragon, that beast,
and of the false prophet ; Verse 13. which I take to be as much to say, as that how soone as
the kingdome of Antichrist shall be so obscured, with such a grosse and a palpable
ignorance, as learning shall be almost lost out of the world, and that few of the
very Priests themselues shall be able to reade Latine, much lesse to vnderstand it;
and so a plaine way made for the Destruction of Babylon : Then shall a new sect
of Spirits arise for the defence of that falling Throne, called three in number, by

 

 reason of their three-fold direction; being raised and inspired by the Dragon
 Sathan, authorized and maintained by the Beast the Antichrist , and instructed by
 the false prophet the Apostatike Church, that hath the homes like the Lambe,
 but speaketh like the Dragon. These Spirits indeed, thus sent foorth by this
 threefold authoritie for the defence of their Triple-crowned Monarch, are well
 likened to frogges; for they are Amphibions , and can liue in either Element, earth
 or water: for though they be Churchmen by profession, yet can they vse the trade
 of politique Statesmen; going to the Kings of the earth, to gather them to the
 battell of that Great day of God Almightie. Verse 14. What Massacres haue by their per-
 swasion bene wrought through many parts of Christendome, and how euilly
 Kings haue sped that haue bene counselled by them; all the vnpartiall Histories
 of our time doe beare record. And whatsoeuer King or State will not receiue
 them, and follow their aduise, rooted out must that King or State be, euen with
 Gunpowder ere it faile. And thesefrogges had reason indeed to labour to become
 learned, thereby to dissipate that grosse mist of ignorance, wherewith the reigne
 of Antichrist was plagued before their comming forth. Verse 17. Then doeth this Chapter
 conclude with the last plague that is powred out of the seuenth Viall vpon the
 Antichrist , which is the day of Iudgement: for then Babylon (saith he) came in
 remembrance before God. Verse 19. 
 But in the 17. Chapter is the former Vision interpreted and expounded; The fourth description. Chap. 17. Verse 3. and
 there is the Antichrist represented by a Woman, sitting vpon that many-headed
 Beast ; because as Christ his trew Spouse and Church is represented by a Woman 
 in the twelfth Chapter, so here is the Head of his adulterous spouse or false
 Church represented also by a woman, but hauing a cup full of abominations in her
 hand : Verse 4. as her selfe is called a Whoore , Verse 6. for her spiritual adulterie, hauing seduced
 the Kings of the earth to be partakers of her Spirituall fornication: Verse 1. And yet won-
 derful gorgious and glorious was she in outward shew; but drunken with the blood
 of the Saints , Verse 2. by a violent persecution of them. And that shee may the better
 bee knowen, hee writeth her name vpon her forehead agreeable to her qualities:
 A Mysterie , Verse 5. that great Babylon, the Mother of whoredomes and abominations of the
 earth. A Mysterie is a name that belongeth vnto her two maner of wayes: One,
 as shee taketh it to her selfe; another, as shee deserueth indeed. To her selfe shee
 taketh it, in calling herselfe the visible Head of the mysticall Body of Christ , in
 professing her selfe to bee the dispenser of the mysteries of God , and by her onely
 must they bee expounded: This great God in earth and Head of the Faith, being
 a Mystes by his profession; that is, a Priest. And if the obseruation of one be
 trew, that hee had of old the word Mysterie written on his Myter; then is this
Prophecie very plainely accomplished. Now that indeed shee deserues that
name, the rest of her Title doeth beare witnesse that sheweth her to bee the Mother 

 

 of all the whoredomes and abominations of the earth : Verse 5. and so is she vnder the pretext
 of holinesse, a Mystery indeed of all inquitie and abominations; vnder the maske
 of pretended feeding of Soules, deuouring Kingdomes, and making Christendome 
 swimme in blood.
 Now after that this scarlet or bloody Beast and her Rider are described, by
 their shape, garments, name and qualities: the Angel doeth next interprete this
 vision vnto Iohn , expounding vnto him what is signified both by the Beast and her
 Rider ; telling him, the seuen heads of the Beast are seuen Hilles , Verse 9. meaning by the
 situation of that Citie or seat of Empire ; and that they are also seuen Kings or
 formes of gouernment in the said Citie, whereof I have told you my conceit
 already. As for the ten Hornes, Verse 12. which hee sheweth to be tenne Kings, that shall at
 one houre receiue their power and kingdome with the Beast , I take that number of
 ten to be Numerus certus pro incerto ; euen as the number of seuen heads and ten
 homes vpon the Dragon the Deuill, cannot but be an vncertaine number. And
 that hee also imitates in those ten homes, the ten hornes of the seuen headed
 Beast in the seuenth of Daniel : and therefore I take these ten Kings to signifie,
 all the Christian Kings , and free Princes and States in generall, euen you whom to
 I consecrate these my Labours, and that of vs all he prophesieth, that although
 our first becomming absolute and free Princes, should be in one houre with the
 Beast: (for great Christian Kingdomes and Monarches did but rise, and receiue
 their libertie by the ruines of the Ethnicke Romane Empire , and at the destruction
 thereof) and at the very time of the beginning of the planting of the Antichrist 
 there; and that we should for a long time continue to worship the Beast, hauing
 one Catholike or common consenting minde Verse 13. in obeying her, yeelding our power
 and authoritie vnto her , and kissing her feete, drinking with her in her cup of
 Idolatrie, and fighting with the Lambe , Verse 14. in the persecution of his Saints, at her com-
 mand that gouerneth so many Nations and people: yet notwithstanding all this,
 wee shall in the time appointed by God , hauing thus fought with the Lambe, but
 being ouercome by him , that is conuerted by his Word, wee shall then (I say) hate
 the Whore, Verse 16. and make her desolate, and make her naked , by discouering her hypo-
 crisie and false pretence of zeale; and shall eate her flesh, and burne her with fire. 
 And thus shall the way of the Kings of the East bee prepared , Reuel. 16. 12. as ye heard in the
 sixteenth Chapter. And then doeth hee subioyne the reason of this strange
 change in vs: for (saith hee) God hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will, and
 with one consent to giue their Kingdomes to the Beast, till the words of God be full
filled , Verse 17. according to that sentence of Solomon ; That the hearts of Kings are in the
handes of God , to bee turned at his pleasure . Prou. 21. 1. And hauing thus interpreted the
Beast or Empire; hee in a word expounds, that by the Woman that rode vpon her,
or Monarch that gouerned her, was meant that great Citie Verse 18. that reigned ouer the 


 
 Kings of the earth : by the Seate of the Empire pointing out the qualitie of the
 persons that should sit and domine there.
 Then is the greatnesse of her fall, and the great lamentation that both the
 Kings and Merchants of the earth shall make for the same, proclaimed by an
 other Angel in the eighteenth Chapter. The Kings lamenting her fall, Chap. 18. Verse 9. 10. because
 they lied in pleasure with her ; which no Kings could doe with Ethnicke Rome, 
 who conquered them by her sword: for shee honoured them with Titles, and
 dispensed with their lustes and vnlawfull marriages. And the Merchants of the
 earth, Verse 11, 15, 16, 17, 18. and all Shipmasters, and traffikers vpon the Sea , shall lament the fall of that
 great Citie, which neuer had a fellow , for the losse of their riches and traffique,
 which they enioyed by her meanes. And there he describeth all sorts of rich
 wares , Verse 12, 13. whereof that great Citie was the Staple: for indeed shee hath a necessary
 vse for all such rich and glorious wares, as well for ornaments to her Churches and
 princely Prelates, as for garments and ornaments to her woodden Saints; for the
 blessed Virgin must be dayly clothed and decked in the newest and most curious
 fashion, though it should resemble the habit of a Curtizane . And of all those rich
 wares, the most precious is last named, which is the Soules of men : Verse 13. for so much
 bestowed vpon Masses, and so much doted to this or that Cloyster of Monkes or
 Friers, but most of all now to that irregular and incomprehensible order of
 Iesuites ; shal both redeeme his owne Soule, and all his parents to the hundreth
 generation, from broyling in the fire of Purgatory . And (I hope) it is no small
 merchandise of Soules, when men are so highly deluded by the hopes and promise
 of Saluation, as to make a Frier murther his Soueraigne ; Henry 3. K. of France. a yong knaue attempt
 the murther of his next Successour ; Henry 4. many one to conspire and attempt the like
 against the late Queene ; and in my time, to attempt the destruction of a whole
 Kingdome and State by a blast of Powder: and hereby to play bankerupt with
 both the soules mentioned in the Scriptures, Animus & Anima. 
 But notwithstanding of this their great Lamentation, they are commanded
 by a voyce from heauen to doe two things: One, to flee from Babylon, lest they bee
 partakers of her sinnes, Verse 4. and consequently of her punishment . Which warning I
 pray God that yee all, my Beloued Brethren and Cousins , would take heed vnto in
 time, humbly beseeching him to open your eyes for this purpose. The other com-
 mand is, to reward her as shee hath rewarded you; yea, euen to the double . Verse 6. For as
 she did flie but with your feathers, borrowing as well her Titles of greatnesse and
 formes of honouring her from you; as also enioying all her Temporall liuing by
 your liberalities; so if euery man doe but take his owne againe, she will stand vp Cornicula Aesopica. 
 naked; and the reason is giuen, because of her pride: For shee glorifieth her selfe
 liuing in pleasure , and in her heart saith, shee sitteth as a Queene (outward pro-
 speritie being one of their notes of a trew Church) and is no Widow ; Verse 7. for her

 

 Spouse Christ is bound to her by an inuiolable knot (for he hath sworne neuer to
 forsake her) and she shall see no mourning : for she cannot erre, nor the gates of
 Hell shall not preuaile against her.
 But though the earth and worldly men lament thus for the fall of Babylon in
 this eighteenth Chapter, yet in the nineteenth, Heauen and all the Angels and
 Saints Cap. xix. Verse 1. therein doe sing a triumphall Cantique Verse 2. for ioy of her fall, praising God
 for the fall of that great Whore : Great indeed, for our Cardinall Bellar. in Res. ad Gerson, consid. 11. confesseth, that
 it is hard to describe what the Pope is, such is his greatnesse. And in the end of
 that Chapter is the obstinacie of that Whore described, who euen fought to the
 vttermost against him that sate on the white Horse, Verse 19. and his armie ; till the Beast Verse 20. 
 or Antichrist was taken, and the false Prophet , or false Church with him, who by
 Miracles , and lying wonders deceiued them that receiued the marke of the Beast ; and
 both were cast quicke into the burning lake of fire and brimestone; vnde nulla re-
 demptio . Like as in the ende of the former Chapter, to describe the fulnesse of
 the Antichrists fall (not like to that reparable wound that Ethnicke Rome gate)
 it is first compared to a Milstone cast into the sea , Cap 18. 21. that can neuer rise and fleete
 againe: And next it is expressed by a number of ioyfull things that shall neuer
 bee heard there againe, where nothing shall inhabite but desolation. Ibidem. Vers. 22. 23. But that
 the patience and constancie of Saints on earth, and God his Elected may the
 better bee strengthened and confirmed; their persecution in the latter dayes, is
 shortly prophesied and repeated againe, after that Satan hath beene bound , Cap xx. Verse 2. or his
 furie restrained, by the world enioying of peace for a thousand yeeres , or a great
 indefinite time; their persecuters being named Gog and Magog , Verse 8. the secret and
 reuealed enemies of Christ . Whether this be meant of the Pope and the Turke,
 or not; (who both began to rise to their greatnesse about one time) I leaue to bee,
 guessed; alwayes their vtter confusions Verse 9. is there assuredly promised: and it is
 said; that the Dragon, the Beast , and the false Prophet , Verse 10. shall all three bee cast in
 that lake of fire and brimstone, to be tormentedfor euer. Verse 11, 12, 13. And thereafter is the latter
 day described againe (which must be hastened for the Elects sake Matth. 24. 22. ) and then for the
 further comfort of the Elect, and that they may the more constantly and patiently
 endure these temporall and finite troubles, limited but to a short space; in the
 last two Chapters Cap. xxj. xxij. are the ioyes of the eternall Ierusalem largely described.
 Thus hath the Cardinals shamelesse wresting of those two places of Scripture,
 Pasce oues meas , and Tibi dabo claues , for proouing of the Popes supreame Tem-
porall authoritie ouer Princes; animated mee to prooue the Pope to bee THE
ANTI Christ , out of this foresaid booke of Scripture; so to pay him in his owne
money againe. And this opinion no Pope can euer make me to recant; except
they first renounce any further medling with Princes, in any thing belonging to



 

 their Temporall Iurisdiction. And my onely wish shall bee, that if any man shall
 haue a fancie to refute this my coniecture of the Antichrist ; that hee answere mee
 orderly to euery point of my discourse; not contenting him to disprooue my
 opinion, except hee set downe some other Methode after his forme for interpreta-
 tion of that Booke of the Apocalyps , which may not contradict no part of the
 Text, nor conteine no absurdities: Otherwise, it is an easie thing for Momus to 
 picke quarrels in another mans tale, and tell it worse himselfe; it being a more
 easie practise to finde faults, then amend them.
 Hauing now made this digression anent the Antichrist , which I am sure I can
 better fasten vpon the Pope, then Bellarmine can doe his pretended Temporall
 Superioritie ouer Kings: I will returne againe to speake of this Answerer; who
 (as I haue already told you) so fitteth his matter with his manner of answering,
 that as his Style is nothing but a Satyre and heape full of iniurious and reproch-
 full speaches, as well against my Person, as my Booke; so is his matter as full of
 lyes and falsities indeed, as hee vniustly layeth to my charge: For three lies hee
 maketh against the Oath of Alleagiance, conteined and maintained in my Booke;
 besides that ordinary repeated lie against my Booke, of his omitting to answere
 my lyes, trattles, iniurious speaches and blasphemies. One grosse lye he maketh
 euen of the Popes first Breue . One lye of the Puritanes, whom he would gladly
 haue to be of his partie. And one also of the Powder-Traitours, anent the occa-
 sion that mooued them to vndertake that treasonable practise. Three lies hee
 makes of that Acte of Parliament wherein this Oath of Allegiance is conteined.
 Hee also maketh one notable lie against his owne Catholike Writers. And two,
 of the causes for which two Iesuites haue beene put to death in England . And he
 either falsifies, denies or wrests flue sundry Histories and a printed Pamphlet:
 besides that impudent lye that hee maketh of my Person; that I was a Puritane
 in Scotland , which I haue already refuted. And for the better filling vp of his
 booke with such good stuffe; hee hath also flue so strange and new principles of
 Diuinitie therein, as they are either new, or at least allowed by very few of his
 owne Religion. All which lyes, with diuers others, and fiue strange, and (as I
 thinke) erroneous points of Doctrine, with sundry falsifications of Histories; are
 set downe in a Table by themselues in the end of this my Epistle, hauing their
 Refutation annexed to euery one of them.
 But as for the particular answering of his booke; it is both vnnecessary and
vncomely for me to make a Reply. Vnnecessary, because (as I haue already told
you) my Booke is neuer yet answered, so farre as belongeth to the maine question
anent the Oath of Allegiance: the picking of aduantages vpon the wrong placing
of the figures in the citations, or such errors in the Print by casuall addition, or
omission of words that make nothing to the Argument; being the greatest weap-
ons wherewith hee assaults my Booke. And vncomely it must needs be (in my
opinion) for a King to fall in altercation with a Cardinal , at least with one no
more nobly descended then he is: That Ecclesiasticall dignitie, though by the

 

sloath of Princes (as I said before) it be now come to that height of vsurped
honour, yet being in the trew originall and foundation thereof nothing else, but
the title of the Priests and Deacons of the Parish Churches in the towne of Rome; 
at the first, the stile of Cardinals being generally giuen to all Priests and Deacons
of any Cathedral Church, though the multitude of such Cardinal Priests and
Deacons resorting to Rome , was the cause that after bred the restraining of that
title of Cardinall Priests and Deacons, onely to the Parish priests and Deacons of
 Rome . And since that it is S. Gregorie , who in his Epistles sixe hundreth yeeres
after Christ , maketh the first mention of Cardinals (and so these now Electours 
of the Apostolike Sea, beeing long and many hundreth yeeres vnknowen or
vnheard of, after the Apostolik aage; and yet doeth hee speake of them but in this
sence as I haue now described) I hope the Cardinall , who calleth him the Apostle 
of England , cannot blame mee that am King thereof, to acknowledge the Cardinall 
in no other degree of honour, then our said Apostle did. But how they should
now become to bee so strangely exalted aboue their first originall institution, that
from Parish-priests and Deacons (Priests inferiours) they should now come to
bee Princes and Peeres to Kings; and from a degree vnder Bishops (as both
 Bellarmine Lib. de Clericis, cap. 16. and Onuphrius Lib. de Episcopatibus, Titulis & Diaconijs Cardinalium. confesse) to bee now the Popes sole Electours,
supplying with him the place of a Generall Councell; whereby the conuening of
Generall Councels is now vtterly antiquated and abolished; nay, out of their
number onely, the Pope to be elected; who claimeth the absolute Superioritie
ouer all Kings: how this their strange vsurped exaltation (I say) should thus
creepe in and bee suffered, it belongeth to all them in our place and calling to
looke vnto it; who being God his Lieutenants in earth, haue good reason to bee
iealous of such vpstart Princes, meane in their originall, come to that height by
their owne creation, and now accounting themselues Kings fellowes. But the
speciall harme they do vs, is by their defrauding vs of our common & Christian
interest in General Councels; they hauing (as I said) vtterly abolished the same,
by rolling it vp, & making as it were a Monopoly thereof, in their Conclaue with
the Pope. Whereas, if euer there were a possibilitie to be expected of reducing all
Christians to an vniformitie of Religion, it must come by the means of a Generall
Councel: the place of their meeting being chosen so indifferent, as all Christian
Princes, either in their owne Persons, or their Deputie Commissioners, and all
Church-men of Christian profession that beleeue and professe all the ancient
grounds of the trew, ancient, Catholike, and Apostolike Faith, might haue tutum
accessum thereunto; All the incendiaries and Nouelist fire-brands on either side
being debarred from the same, as well Iesuites as Puritanes. 
 And therefore hauing resolued not to paine my selfe with making a Replie for
these reasons heere specified, grounded as well vpon the consideration of the
matter, as of the person of the Answerer; I haue thought good to content my selfe


 
with the reprinting of my Apologie : hauing in a manner corrected nothing but the
Copiers or Printers faults therein, and prefixed this my Epistle of Dedication and
Warning thereunto; that I may yet see, if any thing will be iustly said against it:
Not doubting but enow of my Subiects will replie vpon these Libellers, and an-
swere them sufficiently; wishing Yov deepely to consider, and weigh your com-
mon interest in this Cause. For neither in all my Apologie , nor in his pretended
Refutation thereof, is there any question made anent the Popes power ouer mee
in particular, for the excommunicating or deposing of mee: For in my particular;
the Cardinall doeth mee that grace, that hee saith, The Pope thought it not ex-
pedient at this time to excommunicate mee by name; our question being onely
generall, Whether the Pope may lawfully pretend any temporall power ouer
Kings, or no ?
 That no Church-men can by his rule bee subiect to any Temporall Prince, I
haue already shewed you; And what Obedience any of you may looke for of any
of them de facto , hee plainely forewarneth you of, by the example of Gregory the
Great his obedience to the Emperour Mauritius ; not being ashamed to slaunder
that great Personages Christian humilitie and Obedience to the Emperour, with
the title of a constrained and forced obedience, because hee might, or durst doe no
otherwise. Whereby he not onely wrongs the said Gregory in particular, but euen
doeth by that meanes lay on an heauie slaunder and reproach vpon the Christian
humilitie and patience of the whole Primitiue Church, especially in the time of
persecution: if the whole glory of their Martyrdome and Christian patience shall
bee thus blotted with that vile glosse of their coacted and constrained suffering,
because they could or durst doe no otherwise; like the patience and obedience of
the Iewes or Turkish slaues in our time, cleane contrary to Saint Paul Rom. 13. 5 and Saint
Peters I. Pet. 2. 13. doctrine of obedience for conscience sake; and as contrary to Tertullians
Apologie for Christians, and all the protestations of the ancient Fathers in that
case. But it was good lucke for the ancient Christians in the dayes of Ethnicke
Emperours, that this prophane and new conceit was then vnknowen among
them: otherwise they would haue beene vtterly destroyed and rooted out in that
time, and no man to haue pitied them, as most dangerous members in a Common-
wealth; who would no longer be obedient, then till they were furnished with
sufficient abilitie and power to resist and rebell.
 Thus may ye see, how vpon the one part our Cardinall will haue all Kings and
Monarchs to bee the Popes Vassals ; and yet will not on the other side, allow the
meanest of the Pope his vassals, to be subiect to any Christian Prince. But he
not thinking it enough to make the Pope our Superior, hath in a late Treatise of
his (called the Recognition of his bookes of Controuersies ) made the people and
Subiects of euery one of vs, our Superiors. For hauing taken occasion to reuisite
againe his bookes of Controuersies, and to correct or explaine what he findeth
amisse or mistaketh in them; in imitation of S. Augustine his retractions (for so he

 

 saith in his Preface ) he doth in place of retracting any of his former errours, or any
 matter of substance; not retract, but recant indeed, I meane sing ouer againe, and
 obstinatly confirme a number of the grossest of them: Among the which, the
 exempting of all Church-men from subiection to any Temporall Prince, and the
 setting vp not onely of the Pope , but euen of the People aboue their naturall
 King; are two of his maine points.
 As for the exemption of the Clerickes; he is so greedy there to proue that
 point, as he denieth Cæsar to haue beede Pauls lawfull Iudge: contrary to the
 expresse Text, and Pauls plaine Appellation, Acts. 25. 10. and acknowledging him his Iudge;
 besides his many times claiming to the Roman priuiledges, and auowing himselfe
 a Roman by freedome; Acts 22. 28. and therefore of necessitie a Subiect to the Roman
 Emperour. But it is a wonder that these Romane Catholikes , who vaunt them-
 selues of the ancientie both of their doctrine and Church, and reproch vs so bitterly
 of our Nouelties, should not be ashamed to make such a new inept glosse as this
 vpon S. Pauls Text; which as it is directly contrary to the Apostles wordes, so is
 it without any warrant, either of any ancient Councell , or of so much as any one
 particular Father that euer interprets that place in this sort: Neither was it euer
 doubted by any Christian in the Primitiue Church, that the Apostles, or any
 other degree of Christians, were subiect to the Emperour.
 And as for the setting vp of the People aboue their owne naturall King, he
 bringeth in that principle of Sedition, that he may thereby proue, that Kings haue
 not their power and authoritie immediatly from God, as the Pope hath his: For
 euery King (saith he) is made and chosen by his people; nay, they doe but so
 transferre their power in the Kings person, as they doe notwithstanding retaine
 their habituall power in their owne hands, which vpon certaine occasions they
 may actually take to themselues againe. This, I am sure, is an excellent ground
 in Diuinitie for all Rebels and rebellious people, who are hereby allowed to rebell
 against their Princes; and assume libertie vnto themselues, when in their discre-
 tions they shall thinke it conuenient.
 And amongst his other Testimonies for probation, that all Kings are made and
created by the People; he alledgeth the Creation of three Kings in the Scripture,
 Saul, Dauid and Ieroboam ; and though hee bee compelled by the expresse words
of the Text, to confesse, that God by his Prophet Samuel annointed both Saul I. Sam. 10. 1. 
and Dauid ; 1 Sam. 16. 12. 13. yet will he, by the post-consent of the people, proue that those
Kings were not immediately made by God, but mediatly by the people; though
he repeat thrise that word of Lott , by the casting whereof he confesseth that Saul 
was chosen. And if the Election by Lott be not an immediate Election from God;
then was not Matthias , Actes 1. who was so chosen and made an Apostle, immediatly
chosen by God : and consequently, he that sitteth in the Apostolike Sea cannot
for shame claime to be immediatly chosen by God, if Matthias (that was one of the


 
 twelue Apostles, supplying Iudas his place) was not so chosen. But as it were a
 blasphemous impietie, to doubt that Matthias was immediatly chosen by God ,
 and yet was hee chosen by the casting of Lots, as Saul was: so is it well enough
 knowen to some of you (my louing Brethren ) by what holy Spirit or casting of
 Lots the Popes vse to be elected; the Colledge of Cardinals , his electors, hauing
 beene diuided in two mightie factions euer since long before my time; and in place
 of casting of Lotts, great fat pensions beeing cast into some of their greedy
 mouthes for the election of the Pope , according to the partiall humours of Princes.
 But I doe most of all wonder at the weakenesse of his memorie: for in this place
 he maketh the post-consent of the people to be the thing that made both these
 Kings, notwithstanding of their preceding inauguration and anoyntment by the
 Prophet at God S commandement; forgetting that in the beginning of this same
 little booke of his, answering one that alledgeth a sentence of S. Cyprian , to
 prooue that the Bishops were iudged by the people in Cyprians time, he there
 confesseth, that by these words, the consent of the people to the Bishops Election
 must be onely vnderstood. Nor will he there any wayes be mooued to graunt,
 that the peoples power, in consenting to or refusing the Election of a Bishop,
 should be so vnderstood, as that thereby they haue power to elect Bishops : And
 yet do these words of Cyprian seeme to bee farre stronger, for granting the peoples
 power to elect Churchmen, then any words that he alledgeth out of the Scripture
 are for the peoples power in electing a King. For the very words of Cyprian Cyprian. lib. 1. Epist. 4. 
 by himselfe there cited, are, That the very people haue principally the power, either
 to chuse such Priests as are worthy, or to refuse such as are vnworthie : And, I hope,
 hee can neuer prooue by the Scripture, that it had beene lawfull to the people of
 Israel, or that it was left in their choise, to haue admitted or refused Saul or Dauid 
 at their pleasure, after that the Prophet had anoynted them, and presented them
 vnto them.
 Thus yee see how little he careth (euen in so little a volume) to contradict
 himselfe, so it may make for his purpose; making the consent of the people to
 signifie their power of Election in the making of Kings; though in the making of
 Bishops, by the peoples consent , their approbation of a deed done by others must
 onely be vnderstood. And as for his example of Ieroboams I King. 12. 20. election to bee King;
 hee knoweth well enough, that Ieroboam was made King in a popular mutinous
 tumult and rebellion; onely permitted by God, and that in his wrath, both
 against these two Kings and their people. But if he will needs helpe himselfe,
 against all rules of Diuinitie, with such an extraordinary example for proofe of a
 generall Rule; why is it not as lawfull for vs Kings to oppose hereunto the ex-
 ample of Iehu 2. King. 9. 2, 3. his Inauguration to the Kingdome; who vpon the Prophets
 priuat anointment of him, and that in most secret manner, tooke presently the
 Kings office vpon him, without euer crauing any sort of approbation from the
people ?


 
 And thus may ye now clearely see, how deepe the claime of the Babylonian
 Monarch toucheth vs in all our common interest: for (as I haue already told) the
 Pope , nor any of his Vassals, I meane Church-men must be subiect to no Kings
 nor Princes: and yet all Kings and their Vassals must not onely be subiect to the
 Pope, but euen to their owne people. And now, what a large libertie is by this
 doctrine left to Church-men, to hatch or foster any treasonable attempts against
 Princes; I leaue it to your considerations, since do what they will, they are ac-
 countable to none of vs: nay, all their treasonable practises must be accounted
 workes of pietie, and they (being iustly punished for the same) must be presently
 inrolled in the list of Martyrs and Saints; like as our new printed Martyrologie
 hath put Garnet and Ouldcorne in the Register of English Martyrs abroad, that
 were hanged at home for Treason against the Crowne and whole State of England: 
 so as I may iustly with Isaiah , Isai 5. 20. pronounce a Woe to them that speake good of euill,
 and euill of good; which put light for darkenesse, and darkenesse for light; which
 iustifie the wicked for a reward, and take away the righteousnes of the righteous from
 him . Verse 23. For euen as in the time of the greatest blindnesse in Popery, though a man
 should find his wife or his daughter lying a bed in her Confessors armes; yet was
 it not lawfull for him so much as to suspect that the Frier had any errand there,
 but to Confesse and instruct her: Euen so, though Iesuites practising in Treason
 be sufficiently verified, and that themselues cannot but confesse it; yet must they
 be accounted to suffer Martyrdome for the Faith, and their blood worke miracles,
 and frame a stramineum argumentum vpon strawes; when their heads are standing
 aloft, withered by the Sunne and the winde, a publike spectacle for the eternall
 commemoration of their treacherie. Yea, one of the reasons, that is giuen in the
 Printers Epistle of the Colonian edition of the Cardinall or his Chaplains pam-
 phlet, why he doth the more willingly print it, is; because that the innocencie of
 that most holy and constant man Henry Garnet , is declared and set forth in that
 booke; against whom, some (he knew not who ) had scattered a false rumour of his
 guiltinesse of the English treason.
 But, Lord, what an impudencie or wilfull ignorance is this, that he, who was so
publickely and solemnely conuicted and executed, vpon his owne so cleare, vn-
forced and often repeated confession, of his knowledge and concealing of that
horrible Treason, should now be said to haue a certaine rumour spred vpon him
of his guiltinesse, by I know not who ? with so many attributes of godlinesse, con-
stancie and innocencie bestowed vpon him, as if publike Sentences and Execu-
tions of Iustice, were rumors of I know not who . Indeed, I must confesse, the
booke it selfe sheweth a great affection to performe, what is thus promised in the
Preface thereof: for in two or three places therein, is there most honorable lying
mention made of that straw-Saint; wherein, though he confesse that Garnet was
vpon the foreknowledge of the Powder-Treason, yet in regard it was (as he saith)
onely vnder the Seale of Confession, he sticketh not to praise him for his conceal-


 

ing thereof, and would gladly giue him the crowne of glory for the same: not
being ashamed to proclaime it as a principall head of Catholique doctrine; That
the secret of Sacramentall confession ought not to be reuealed, not for the eschewing of
whatsoeuer euill . But how damnable this doctrine is, and how dangerously
preiudiciall to all Princes and States; I leaue it to you to iudge, whom all it most
highly concerneth. For although it bee trew, that when the Schoolemen came to
be Doctors in the Church, and to marre the old grounds in Diuinitie by sowing
in among them their Philosophicall distinctions; though they (I say) do main-
taine, That whatsoeuer thing is told a Confessor vnder the vaile of confession,
how dangerous foeuer the matter be, yet he is bound to conceale the parties name:
yet doe none of them, I meane of the old Schoolmen, deny; that if a matter be
reuealed vnto them, the concealing whereof may breed a great or publike danger;
but that in that case the Confessor may disclose the matter, though not the per-
son, and by some indirect means make it come to light, that the danger thereof
may be preuented. But that no treason nor deuilish plot, though it should tend
to the ruine or exterminion of a whole Kingdome, must be reuealed, if it be told
vnder Confession, no not the matter so farre indirectly disclosed, as may giue
occasion for preuenting the danger thereof: though it agree with the conceit of
some three or foure new Iesuited Doctors, it is such a new and dangerous head
of doctrine, as no King nor State can liue in securitie where that Position is
maintained.
 And now, that I may as well prooue him a lyar in facto , in his narration of this
 particular History; as I haue shewed him to be in iure , by this his damnable and
 false ground in Diuinity: I will trewly informe you of Garnets case, which is farre
 otherwise then this Answerer alleadgeth. For first, it can neuer be accounted a
 thing vnder Confession, which he that reueals it doth not discouer with a remorse,
 accounting it a sinne whereof hee repenteth him; but by the contrary, discouers
 it as a good motion, and is therein not dissuaded by his Confessor, nor any pen-
 ance enioyned him for the same: and in this forme was this Treason reuealed to
 Garnet , as himselfe confessed. And next, though he stood long vpon it, that it was
 reuealed vnto him vnder the vaile of Confession, in respect it was done in that
 time, while as the partie was making his Confession vnto him; Yet at the last hee
 did freely confesse, that the party reuealed it vnto him as they were walking, and
 not in the time of Confession: But (he said) he deliuered it vnto him vnder the
 greatest Seale that might bee, and so he tooke that he meant by the Seale of Con-
 fession; And it had (as he thought) a relation to Confession, in regard that hee
 was that parties Confessor, and had taken his Confession sometimes before, and
 was to take it againe within few dayes thereafter. He also said, that he pre-
 tended to the partie, that he would not conceale it from his Superior. And further
 it is to be noted, that he confessed, that two diuers persons conferred with him
 anent this Treason; and that when the one of them which was Catesby , conferred
with him thereupon, it was in the other parties presence and hearing: and what a

 

Confession can this be in the hearing of a third person ? And how farre his last
words (whereof our Answerer so much vaunts him) did disproue it to haue bene
vnder Confession, the Earle of Northamptons booke doeth beare witnesse.
 Now as to the other parties name, that reuealed the Powder-Treason vnto
him, it was Greenewell the Iesuite; and so a Iesuite reuealed to a Iesuite this
Treasonable plot, the Iesuite reuealer not shewing any remorse, and the Iesuite
whom-to it was reuealed not so much as enioyning him any penance for the same.
And that ye may know that more Iesuits were also vpon the partie, Owldcorne 
the other Powder-Martyr, after the misgiuing and discouery of that Treason,
preached consolatory doctrine to his Catholique auditorie; exhorting them not to
faint for the misgiuing of this enterprise, nor to thinke the worse thereof that it
succeeded not; alleadging diuers Presidents of such godly enterprises that mis-
gaue in like maner: especially, one of S. Lewes King of France, who in his second
iourney to the Holy-land died by the way, the greatest part of his armie being
destroyed by the plague; his first iourney hauing likewise misgiuen him by the
 Soldans taking of him: exhorting them thereupon not to giue ouer, but still to
hope that God would blesse their enterprise at some other time, though this did
faile.
 Thus see ye now, with what boldnesse and impudencie hee hath belied the
publiquely knowne veritie in this errand; both in auowing generally that no
 Iesuite was any wayes guilitie of that Treason, for so he affirmeth in his booke;
and also that Garnet knew nothing thereof, but vnder the Seale of Confession.
But if this were the first lye of the affaires of this State, which my fugitiue Priests
and Iesuits haue coyned and spread abroad, I could charme them of it, as the
prouerbe is. But as well the walles of diuers Monasteries and Iesuites Colledges
abroad, are filled with the painting of such lying Histories, as also the bookes of
our said fugitiues are farced with such sort of shamelesse stuffe; such are the
innumerable sorts of torments and cruell deathes, that they record their Martyrs
to haue suffred here, some torne at foure Horses; some sowed in Beares skinnes,
and then killed with Dogges; nay, women haue not bene spared (they say) and a
thousand other strange fictions; the vanities of all which I will in two words
discouer vnto you.
 First, as for the cause of their punishment, I doe constantly maintaine that
which I haue said in my Apologie : That no man, either in my time, or in the late
 Queenes , euer died here for his conscience. For let him be neuer so deuout a Papist,
nay, though he professe the same neuer so constantly, his life is in no danger by
the Law, if hee breake not out into some outward acte expresly against the words
of the Law; or plot not some vnlawfull or dangerous practise or attempt; Priests
and Popish Church-men onely excepted, that receiue Orders beyond the Seas;
who for the manifold treasonable practises that they haue kindled and plotted in
this countrey, are discharged to come home againe vnder paine of Treason, after
their receiuing of the said Orders abroad; and yet, without some other guilt in

 

 them then their bare home-comming, haue none of them bene euer put to death.
 And next, for the cruell torments and strange sorts of death that they say so
 many of them haue bene put vnto; if there were no more but the Law and con-
 tinually obserued custome of England, these many hundred yeeres, in all criminall
 matters, it will sufficiently serue to refute all these monstrous lies: for no tortures
 are euer vsed here, but the Manacles or the Racke, and these neuer but in cases of
 high Treason; and all sorts of Traitours die but one maner of death here, whether
 they be Papist or Protestant Traitors; Queene Maries time onely excepted. For
 then indeed no sorts of cruell deathes were spared vnexecuted vpon men, women
 and children professing our Religion: yea, euen against the Lawes of God and
 Nature, women with childe were put to cruell death for their profession; and a
 liuing childe falling out of the mothers belly, was throwen in the same fire againe
 that consumed the mother. But these tyrannous persecutions were done by the
 Bishops of that time, vnder the warrant of the Popes authoritie; and therefore
 were not subiect to that constant order and formes of execution, which as they are
 heere established by our Lawes and customes, so are they accordingly obserued
 in the punishment of all criminals: For all Priestes and Popish Traitours here
 receiue their Iudgements in the temporall Courts, and so doe neuer exceed those
 formes of execution which are prescribed by the Law, or approued by continuall
 custome. One thing is also to bee marked in this case that strangers are neuer
 called in question here for their religion, which is farre otherwise (I hope) in any
 place where the Inquisition domines.
 But hauing now too much wearied you with this long discourse, whereby I
 haue made you plainely see, that the wrong done vnto mee in particular first by
 the Popes Breues , and then by these Libellers, doth as deepely interest you all in
 generall, that are Kings , free Princes , or States as it doth me in particular: I will
 now conclude, with my humble prayers to God, that he will waken vs vp all out
 of that Lethargike slumber of Securitie, wherein our Predecessors and wee haue
 lien so long; and that wee may first grauely consider, what we are bound in con-
 science to doe for the planting and spreading of the trew worship of God, accord-
 ing to his reuealed will, in all our Dominions; therein hearing the voice of our
 onely Pastor (for his Sheepe will know his Voyce , Iohn 10. 27. as himselfe sayeth) and not
 following the vaine, corrupt and changeable traditions of men. And next, that
 we may prouidently looke to the securitie of our owne States, and not suffer this
 incroching Babylonian Monarch to winne still ground vpon vs. And if God hath
 so mercifully dealt with vs, that are his Lieutenants vpon earth, as that he hath
 ioyned his cause with our interest, the spirituall libertie of the Gospell with our
 temporall freedome: with what zeale and courage may wee then imbrace this
 worke: for our labours herein being assured, to receiue at the last the eternall
 and inestimable reward of felicitie in the kingdome of Heauen; and in the meane
 time to procure vnto our selues a temporall fecuritie, in our temporall Kingdomes
in this world.


 

 As for so many of you as are alreadie perswaded of that Trewth which I pro-
fesse, though differing among your selues in some particular points; I thinke little
perswasion should moue you to this holy and wise Resolution: Our Greatnesse,
nor our number, praised bee God , being not so contemptible, but that wee may
shew good example to our neighbors; since almost the halfe of all Christian people
and of all sorts and degrees, are of our profession; I meane, all gone out of Baby-
lon , euen from Kings and free Princes, to the meanest sort of People. But aboue
all (my louing Brethren and Cosins ) keepe fast the vnity of Faith among your
selues; Reiect 1. Tim. 1. 4. questions of Genealogies and Aniles fabulas , Ibid. c. 4. 7. as Paul saith; Let
not the foolish heate of your Preachers for idle Controuersies or indifferent things,
teare asunder that Mysticall Body, whereof ye are a part, since the very coat of
him whose members wee are was without a seame: And let not our diuision breed
a slander of our faith, and be a word of reproch in the mouthes of our aduersaries,
who make Vnitie to be one of the speciall notes of the trew Church.
 And as for you (my louing Bethren and Cosins ) whom it hath not yet pleased
 God to illuminate with the light of his trewth; I can but humbly pray with
 Elizeus , that it would please God to open your eyes, that yee might see what
innumerable and inuincible armies of Angels are euer prepared and ready to
defend the trewth of God : and with S. Paul Actes. 26. 29. I wish, that ye were as I am in this
case; especially that yee would search the Scriptures, and ground your Faith
vpon your owne certaine knowledge, and not vpon the report of others; since
euery Man must bee safe by his ownefaith . Abac. 2. 4. But, leauing this to God his mercifull
prouidence in his due time, I haue good reason to remember you, to maintaine the
ancient liberties of your Crownes and Common-wealthes, not suffering any vnder
 God to set himselfe vp aboue you; and therein to imitate your owne noble prede-
cessors , who (euen in the dayes of greatest blindnesse) did diuers times coura-
giously oppose themselues to the incroaching ambition of Popes. Yea, some of
your Kingdomes haue in all aages maintained, and without any interruption
enioyed your libertie, against the most ambitious Popes. And some haue of very
late had an euident proofe of the Popes ambitious aspiring ouer your Temporall
power; wherein ye haue constantly maintained and defended your lawfull free-
dome, to your immortall honour. And therefore I heartily wish you all, to doe in
this case the Office of godly and iust Kings and earthly Iudges: which consisteth
not onely in not wronging or inuading the Liberties of any other person (for to
that will I neuer presse to perswade you) but also in defending and maintaining
these lawfull Liberties wherewith God hath indued you: For yee, whom God 
hath ordained to protect your people from iniuries, should be ashamed to suffer
your selues to be wronged by any. And thus, assuring my selfe, that ye will with a
setled Iudgement, free of preiudice, weigh the reasons of this my Discourse , and
accept my plainnesse in good part, gracing this my Apologie with your fauours,


 

and yet no longer then till it shall be iustly and worthily refuted; I end, with my
earnest prayers to the ALMIGHTIE for your prosperities, and that after your
happie Temporall Raignes in earth, ye may liue and raigne in Heauen with him
for euer.
 A CATALOGVE OF THE LYES OF TORTVS, TOGETHER WITH A BRIEFE
 CONFUTATION OF THEM. TORTVS. Edit. Politan. pag. 9. IN the Oath of Allegiance the Popes power to excommunicate euen Hereticall
Kings, is expresly denied. CONFVTATION. The point touching the Popes power in excommunicating Kings, is neither
treated of, nor defined in the Oath of Allegiance, but was purposely declined.
See the wordes of the Oath , and the Premonition. pag . 292.
 TORTVS. pag. 10. 2 For all Catholike writers doe collect from the wordes of Christ , Whatsoeuer thou
shalt loose vpon earth, shall be loosed in heauen, that there appertaineth to the Popes
authoritie, not onely a power to absoluefrom sinnes, but also from penalties, Censures,
Lawes, Vowes, and Oathes. CONFVTATION. That all Roman Catholike writers doe not concurre with this Libeller, in thus
collecting from Christ S wordes, Matth . 16. To omit other reasons, it may
appeare by this that many of them doe write, that what Christ promised there, 
that hee did actually exhibite to his Disciples, Iohn 20. when hee said, Whose
sinnes ye remit, they shall be remitted , thereby restraining this power of loosing
formerly promised, vnto loosing from sinnes, not mentioning any absolution
from Lawes, Vowes and Oathes in this place. So doe Theophylact, Anselme, Hugo
Cardin. & Ferus in Matt . 16. So doe the principall Schoolemen, Alexand. Hales
in Summa. part. 4. q. 79. memb. 5. & 6. art. 3. Thom. in4. dist. 24. q. 3. art. 2.
Scotus in 4. dist. 19. art . 1. Pope Hadrian. 6. in 4. dist. q. 2. de clauib. pag . 302.
 edit. Parisien. anno 1530. who also alledgeth for this interpretation, Augustine 
and the interlinear Glosse. TORTVS. Pag. 18. 3 I abhorre all Parricide, I detest all conspiracies: yet it cannot be denied but oc-
 casions of despaire were giuen [to the Powder-plotters.] CONFVTATION. That it was not any iust occasion of despaire giuen to the Powder-Traitours,
 as this Libeller would beare vs in hand, but the instructions which they had from

 

the Iesuits, that caused them to attempt this bloody designe: See the Premonition
pag . 291. & 335. and the booke intituled, The proceedings against the late Traitours. TORTVS. Pag. 26. 4 For not onely the Catholiques, but also the Caluinist puritanes detest the taking
of this Oath. CONFVTATION. The Puritanes doe not decline the Oath of Supremacie, but daily doe take it,
neither euer refused it. And the same Supremacie is defended by Caluin himselfe,
 Instit. lib. 4. cap. 20. TORTVS. Pag. 28. 5 First of all the Pope writeth not, that he was grieued at the calamities which the
Catholikes did suffer for the keeping of the Orthodoxfaith in the time of the late Queene,
or in the beginning of King Iames his reigne in England, butfor the calamities which
they suffer at this present time. CONFVTATION. The onely recitall of the wordes of the Breue will sufficiently confute this
Lye. For thus writeth the Pope, The tribulations and calamities which ye haue
continually susteined for the keeping of the Catholique faith, haue alway afflicted vs
with great griefe of minde. But for asmuch as we vnderstand, that at this time all
things are more grieuous, our affliction hereby is wonderfully increased. TORTVS. Page. 28. 6 In the first article [of the Statute] the Lawes of Queene Elizabeth are confirmed. 
 CONFVTATION. There is no mention at all made of confirming the Lawes of Queene Elizabeth, 
in the first article of that Statute. TORTVS. Pag. 29. 7 In the 10. Article [of the said Statute] it is added, that if the [Catholicks] refuse
the third time to take the Oath being tendered vnto them, they shall incurre the danger
of loosing their liues. CONFVTATION.
 There is no mention in this whole Statute either of offering the Oath the third
time, or any indangering of their liues. TORTVS. Pag. 30. 8 In the 12. Article, it is enacted, that whosoeuer goeth out of the land to serue in
the warres vnder forreine Princes, they shall first of all take this Oath, or els be
accounted for Traitours. CONFVTATION. It is no where said in that Statute, that they which shall thus serue in the
 warres vnder forraine Princes, before they haue taken this Oath, shall be ac-
 counted for Traitors, but onely for Felons. TORTVS. Pag. 35. 9 Wee haue already declared, that the [Popes] Apostolique power in binding and
loosing is denied in that [Oath of Alleageance.] CONFVTATION. There is no Assertory sentence in that Oath, nor any word but onely con-
ditionall, touching the power of the Pope in binding and loosing.
 TORTVS. Pag. 37. 10 The Popes themselues, euen will they, nill they, were constrained to subiect
themselues to Nero and Diocletian. CONFVTATION.
 That Christians without exception, not vpon constraint but willingly and for
conscience sake, did subiect themselues to the Ethnicke Emperors, it may appeare
by our Apologie, pag . 255, 256. and the Apologetickes of the ancient Fathers.
 TORTVS. Pag. 47. 11 In which words [of the Breues of Clement the 8.] not onely Iames King of
Scotland, was not excluded, but included rather. CONFVTATION. If the Breues [of Clement ] did not exclude mee from the Kingdome, but rather
did include me, why did Garnet burne them ? why would he not reserue them
that I might haue seene them, that so hee might haue obteined more fauour at my
hands for him and his Catholikes ? TORTVS. Pag. 60. 12 Of those 14. Articles [conteined in the Oath of Alleagiance] eleuen of them
concerne the Primacie of the Pope in matters Spirituall. CONFVTATION.
 No one Article of that Oath doeth meddle with the Primacie of the Pope in
matter Spirituall: for to what end should that haue bene, since we haue an
expresse Oath elsewhere against the Popes Primacie in matters Spirituall ? TORTVS. Pag. 64. 13 Amongst other calumnies this is mentioned, that Bellarmine was priuie to
 sundry conspiracies against Q. Elizabeth, if not the author. CONFVTATION. It is no where said [in the Apologie ] that Bellarmine was either the Authour,
or priuie to any conspiracies against Queene Elizabeth ; but that he was their
principall instructor and teacher, who corrupted their iudgement with such
dangerous positions and principles, that it was an easie matter to reduce the
generals into particulars, and to apply the dictates which hee gaue out of his
chaire, as opportunitie serued, to their seuerall designes. TORTVS. Pag. 64. 14 For he [Bellarmine] knoweth, that Campian onely conspired against He-
reticall impietie. CONFVTATION. That the trew and proper cause of Campians excution, was not for his conspir-
ing against Hereticall impietie, but for conspiring against Queene Elizabeth and
the State of this Kingdome, it was most euident by the iudiciall proceedings
against him. TORTVS. Pag. 65. 15 Why was H. Garnet, a man incomparable for learning in all kindes, and ho-
linesse of life, put to death, but because he would not reueale that which he could not
doe with a safe conscience. CONFVTATION. That Garnet came to the knowledge of this horrible Plot not onely in confes-
sion as this Libeller would haue it, but by other meanes, neither by the relation
of one alone, but by diuers, so as hee might with safe conscience haue disclosed it;
See the Premonition, pag . 334, 335, &c. and the Earle of Northamptons booke. TORTVS. Pag. 71. 16 Pope Sixtus 5. neither commanded the French King to bee murthered, neither
approoued that fact, as it was done by a priuate person. CONFVTATION. The falsehood of this doeth easily appeare by the Oration of Sixtus 5. TORTVS. Pag. 91. 17 That which is added concerning Stanley his Treason, is neither faithfully
nor trewly related: for the Apologer (as his manner is) doeth miserably depraue it, by
adding many lyes. CONFVTATION. That which the Apologie relateth concerning Stanley his Treason, is word for
word recited out of Cardinall Allens Apologie for Stanleys treason: as it is to be
seene there. TORTVS. Pag. 93. 18 It is very certaine that H. Garnet at his arraignement, did alwayes con-
 stantly auouch, that neither hee nor any Iesuite either were authors, or compartners,
 or aduisers, or consenting any way [to the Powder-Treason .] And a little after.
 The same thing hee protested at his death in a large speach, in the presence of in-
 numerable people. CONFVTATION. The booke of the proceedings against the late Traitours, and our Premonition,
pag . 334, 335, &c. doe clearely prooue the contrary of this to bee trew. TORTVS. Pag. 97. 19 King Iames since he is no Catholike, neither is he a Christian. CONFVTATION. Contrary: I am a trew Catholike, a professor of the trewly ancient, Catholike,
and Apostolike Faith: and therefore am a trew Christian. See the confession of
my faith in the Premonition, pag. 302, 303. &c. TORTVS. Pag. 98. 20 And if the reports of them which knew him most inwardly, be trew, when hee
was in Scotland, he was a Puritane, and an enemie to Protestants: Now in England
he professeth himselfe a Protestant, and an enemie to the Puritans. CONFVTATION. Contrary; and what a Puritane I was in Scotland : See my *B*A*S*I*L*I*K*O*N *D*W*R*O*N and this my Premonition, pag . 305, 306. HIS FALSIFICATIONS IN HIS ALLEDGING OF HISTORIES, TOGETHER
 WITH A BRIEFE DECLARATION OF THEIR FALSHOOD THE WORDS OF TORTVS. Pag. 70. It was certaine that he [Henry 4. the Emperour] died a naturall death. 
 CONFVTATION.
 It was not certaine: since sundry Historians write otherwise, that he died
vpon his imprisonment by his sonne Henry 5. either with the noysomnesse and
loathsomnesse of the prison, or being pined to death by hunger. Read Fasciculus
temporum at the yeere 1094. Laziardus epitom. vniuersal. Histor. c. 198. Paulus
Langius in Chronico Citizensi at the yeere 1105. and Iacobus Wimphelingus
epitome Rerum Germanic. c . 28. TORTVS. Pag. 83. 2 Henry 4. The Emperour feared indeed, but not any corporall death, but the
censure of Excommunication, from the which that he might procure absolution, of his
owne accord, he did thus demissely humble himselfe [before Gregory 7.] CONFVTATION. That Henry 4. thus deiected himselfe before the Pope, it was neither of his
owne accord, neither vpon any feare of the Popes Excommunication, which [in
this particular] hee esteemed of no force, but vpon feare of the losse of his King-
dome and life, as the records of antiquitie doe euidently testifie. See Lambertus
Schafnaburg . at the yeere 1077. Abbas Vrspergen . at the yeere 1075. The
Author of the life of Henry 4. Bruno in his History of the Saxon warre. Laziard.
in epitom. vniuersal, Histor. c. 193. Cuspinian. in Henr. 4. Sigonius de Regno
Italiae lib. 9. TORTVS. Pag. 83. 3 The trewth of the History [of Alexander 3. treading vpon the necke of Fre-
dericke Barbarossa with his foot] may be iustly doubted of. CONFVTATION.
 But no Historian doubteth of it; and many do auouch it, as Hieronym.
Bard. in victor. Naual. ex Bessarion. Chronico apud Baron. ad an. 1177. num. 5.
Gerson de potestate Ecclesiae consid. 11. Iacob Bergom. in supplem. Chronic. ad an.
1160. Nauclerus Gener. 40 Petrus Iustinian. lib. 2. Rerum Venetar. Papirius
Masson. lib. 5. de Episcop. vrbis . who alledgeth for this Gennadius Patriarch of
 Constantinople . Besides Alphonsus Ciacconius de vit. Pontif. in Alexand . 3. and
 Azorius the Iesuite: Instit. Moral. part. lib. 5. c . 43.
 TORTVS. Pag. 83. 4 What other thing feared Frederick Barbarossa but excommunication ? CONFVTATION. That Frederick feared onely Pope Alexander his Excommunication, no ancient
Historian doth testifie. But many do write, that this submission of his was
principally for feare of loosing his Empire and Dominions. See for this, Martin
Polon. ad an. 1166. Platina in vita Alexan. 3 Laziard. in epitom. Historiae vniuersal.
c. 212. Naucler. Generat 40. Iacobus Wimphelingus in epitom. Rerum Germanic.
c . 32. TORTVS. Pag. 88. 5 Adde heereunto, that Cuspinian. [in relating the history of the Turkes brother
 who was poysoned by Alexander 6.] hath not the consent of other writers to witnesse
 the trewth of this History. CONFVTATION. The same History, which is reported by Cuspinian , is recorded also by sundry
 other famous Historians. See Francis Guicciardin. lib. 2. Histor. Ital. Paulus
 Iouius lib. 2. Hist. sui temporis. Sabellic. Ennead. 10. lib. 9. Continuator
 Palmerij , at the yeere. 1494. THE NOVEL DOCTRINES, WITH A BRIEFE DECLARATION OF
 THEIR NOUELTIE. NOVEL DOCTRINE. Pag. 9. IT is agreed vpon amongst all, that the Pope may lawfully depose Hereticall Princes
and free their Subiects from yeelding obedience vnto them. CONFVTATION.
 Nay, all are so farre from consenting in this point, that it may much more
trewly be auouched, that none entertained that conceit before Hildebrand : since
he was the first brocher of this new doctrine neuer before heard of, as many
learned men of that aage, and the aage next following (to omit others of succeed-
ing aages) haue expresly testified. See for this point, the Epistle of the whole
Clergie of Liege to Pope Paschal the second. See the iudgement of many Bishops
of those times, recorded by Auentine in his historie, lib. 5, fol . 579. Also the
speech vttered by Conrade bishop of Vtretcht , in the said fifth booke of Auentine,
fol . 582. And another by Eberhardus , Archbishop of Saltzburge. Ibid. lib. 7, 
p. 684. Also the iudgement of the Archbishop of Triers, in constitut. Imperialib. a
M. Haimensfeldio editis. pag . 47. The Epistle of Walthram Bishop of Megburgh 
which is extant in Dodechine his Appendix to the Chronicle of Marianus Scotus, 
at the yeere 1090. Benno in the life of Hildebrand . The author of the booke De
vnitate Ecclesiae , or the Apologie for Henry the fourth. Sigebert in his Chronicle, at
the yeere 1088. Godfrey of Viterbio in his History entituled Pantheon, part . 17.
 Ottho Frisingensis, lib. 6. c. 35. & praefat. in lib. 7. Frederick Barbarossa. lib. 6.
Gunther. Ligurin. de gestis Frederici . and lib. 1. c . 10. of Raduicus de gestis eiusdem
Frederici. Vincentius in speculo historiali lib. 15. c . 84. with sundry others. NOVEL DOCTRINE. Pag. 51. 2 In our supernaturall birth in Baptisme wee are to conceiue of a secret and im-
 plied oath, which we take at our new birth, to yeeld obedience to the spiritual Prince,
 which is Christes Vicar. CONFVTATION. It is to bee wondered at, whence this fellow had this strange new Diuinitie,
 which surely was first framed in his owne fantasticall braine. Else let him make

 

vs a Catalogue of his Authors, that hold and teach, that all Christians, whether
infants or of aage, are by vertue of an oath taken in their Baptisme, bound to
yeeld absolute obedience to Christ S Vicar the Pope, or baptized in any but in
 Christ . NOVEL DOCTRINE. Pag. 94. 3 But since that Catholike doctrine doeth not permit for the auoidance of any mis-
chiefe whatsoeuer, to discouer the secret of Sacramentall confession, he [Garnet] rather
chose to suffer most bitter death, then to violate the seale of so great a Sacrament. CONFVTATION.
 That the secret of Sacramentall confession is by no meanes to bee disclosed,
no not indirectly, or in generall, so the person confessing bee concealed, for
auoydance and preuention of no mischiefe, how great soeuer: Besides that it is a
position most dangerous to all Princes and Common-wealths, as I shew in my
 Premonition, pag . 333, 334. It is also a Nouell Assertion, not heard of till of late
dayes in the Christian world: Since the common opinion euen of the Schoolemen
and Canonists both old and new, is vnto the contrary; witnesse these Authors
following: Alexander Hales part. 4. qu. 78. mem. 2. art. 2. Thom. 4. dist. 21. qu. 3.
art. 1. ad. 1. Scotus in 4. dist. 21. qu. 2. Hadrian. 6. in 4. dist. vbi de Sacramen.
Confes. edit. Paris. 1530. pag. 289. Dominic. Sot. in 4. dist. 18. q. 4. art. 5. Francis.
de victor. summ. de Sacram. n. 189. Nauar. in Enchirid. c. 8. Ioseph. Angles in
Florib. part 1. pag. 247. edit. Antuerp. Petrus Soto lect. 11. de confess . The Iesuites
also accord hereunto, Suarez. Tom. 4. disp. in 3. part. Thom. disp. 33. § 3. Gregor.
de Valentia. Tom. 4. disp. 7. q. 13. punct . 3. who saith the common opinion of the
Schoolemen is so. NOVEL DOCTRINE. Pag. 102. 4 I dare boldly auow, that the Catholikes haue better reason to refuse the Oath
 [of Allegeance] then Eleazar had to refuse the eating of Swines flesh. CONFVTATION.
 This assertion implieth a strange doctrine indeed, that the Popes Breues are
 to be preferred before Moses Law: And that Papists are more bound to obey the
 Popes decree, then the Iewes were to obey the Law of God pronounced by Moses. NOVEL DOCTRINE. Pag. 135. 5 Churchmen are exempted from the Iurisdiction of secular Princes, and there-
 fore are no subiects to Kings: yet ought they to obserue their Lawes concerning mat-
 ters temporall, not by vertue of any Law, but by enforcement of reason, that is to
 say, not for that they are their Subiects, but because reason will giue it, that such
 Lawes are to be kept for the publike good, and the quiet of the Common-wealth. 
 CONFVTATION. How trew friends the Cardinall and his Chaplen are to Kings that would haue
so many Subiects exempted from their power: See my Praemonition, Pag. 296, 
297. Also, Pag. 330, 331. &c. But as for this and the like new Aphorismes, I 
would haue these cunning Merchants to cease to vent such stuffe for ancient and
Catholikes wares in the Christian world, till they haue disprooued their owne
 Venetians , who charge them with Noueltie and forgerie in this point.