An apologie for the oath of allegiance first set foorth without a name, and now acknowledged by the authour, the Right High and Mightie Prince, Iames, by the grace of God, King of Great Britaine, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. ; together with a premonition of His Maiesties, to all most mightie monarches, kings, free princes and states of Christendome.

TO THE VERY RE∣uerend M^r. George Blackwel, Arch-priest of the English: Robert Bel∣larmine Cardinall of the holy Church of Rome, greeting.

REuerend Sir, and Brother in CHRIST, It is almost fourty yeeres since we did see one the other: but yet I haue neuer bin vnmindful of our ancient ac∣quaintance, neither haue I ceased, seeing I could doe you no other good, to commend your labou∣ring most painfully in the Lords vineyard, in my prayers to GOD. And I doubt not, but that I haue liued all this while in your memory, and haue had some place in your prayers at the Lords Altar. So therefore euen vnto this time wee haue abidden, as S. Iohn speaketh, in the mutuall loue one of the other, not by word or letter, but in deede and trueth. But a late message which was brought vnto vs within these few dayes, of your bonds and imprisonment, hath inforced mee

to breake off this silence; which message, al∣though it seemed heauy in regard of the losse which that Church hath receiued, by their beeing thus depriued of the comfort of your pastorall function among them, yet withall it seemed ioy∣ous, because you drewe neere vnto the glory of Martyrdome, then the which gift of God there is none more happy; That you, who haue fed your flocke so many yeeres with the word and doctrine, should now feed it more gloriously by the example of your patience. But another hea∣uy tidings did not a litle disquiet and almost take away this ioy, which immediatly followed, of the aduersaries assault, and peraduenture of the slip and fall of your Constancy in refusing an vn∣lawfull Oath. Neither truely (most deare Bro∣ther) could that Oath therfore be lawfull, because it was offered in sort tempered and modified: for you know that those kinde of modifications are nothing else, but sleights & subtilties of Sathan, that the Catholique faith touching the Primacie of the Sea Apostolique, might either secretly or openly be shot at, for the which faith so many worthy Martyrs euen in that very England it selfe, haue resisted vnto blood. For most certaine

it is, that in whatsoeuer wordes the Oath is con∣ceiued by the aduersaries of the faith in that Kingdome, it tends to this end, that the authori∣tie of the head of the Church in England, may be transferred from the successour of S. Peter, to the Successour of K. Henry the eight. For that which is pretended of the danger of the Kings life, if the high Priest should haue the same pow∣er in England, which hee hath in all other Chri∣stian Kingdomes, it is altogether idle, as all that haue any vnderstanding, may easily perceiue. For it was neuer heard of from the Churches in∣fancy vntill this day, that euer any Pope did command that any Prince, though an Heretike, though an Ethnike, though a Persecutor, should be murdered; or did approue of the fact when it was done by any other. And why, I pray you, doeth onely the King of England feare that, which none of all other the Princes in Christendome ei∣ther doeth feare, or euer did feare?

But, as I saide, these vaine pretexts are but the trappes and stratagemes of Satan: Of which kinde I could produce not a f••we out of Anci∣ent Stories, if I went about to write a book•• and not an Epistle. One onely for example sake I will

call to your memory S. Gregorius Nazianze∣nus in his first Oration against Iulian the Empe∣rour, reporteth, That he, the more easily to be∣guile the simple Christians, did insert the Images of the false gods into the pictures of the Emperor, which the Romanes did vse to bow dawne vn∣to with a ciuill kind of reuerence: so that no man could doe reuerence to the Emperours picture, but withall he must adore the Images of the false gods; whereupon it came to passe that many were deceiued. And if there were any that found out the Emperours craft, and refused to worship his picture, those were most grieuously punished, as men that had contemned the Emperour in his Image. Some such like thing, me thinkes, I see in the Oath that is offered to you, which is to so craftily composed, that no man can detest Trea∣son against the King and make profession of his Ciuill subiection, but he must be constrained per∣fidiously to denie the Primacie of the Apostolike Sea. But the seruants of Christ, and especially the chiefe Priests of the Lord ought to be so farre from taking an vnlawfull Oath, where they may indamage the Faith, that they ought to beware that they giue not the least suspicion of dissimu∣lation

that they haue taken it, least they might seeme to haue left any example of preuarication to faithfull people. Which thing that worthy E∣leazar did most notably performe, who would neither eate swines flesh, nor so much as faine to haue eaten it, although hee saw the great tor∣ments that did hang ouer his head; least, as him∣selfe speaketh in the second booke of the Macha∣bees, many yong men might be brought through that similation, to preuaricate with the Law. Neither did Basil the great by his example, which is more fit for our purpose, carrie himselfe lesse worthily toward Valens the Emperour. For as Theodoret writeth in his Historie, when the Deputy of that heretical Emperour did perswade Saint Basill, that he would not resist the Empe∣rour for a little subtiltie of a few points of do∣ctrine; that most holy and prudent man made an∣swere, That it was not to bee indured, that the least syllable of Gods word should bee corrupted, but rather all kind of torment was to be embraced, for the maintenance of the Trueth thereof. Now I suppose, that there wants not amongst you, who say that they are but subtilties of Opinions that are conteined in the

Oath that is offred to the Catholikes, and that you are not to striue against the Kings Authori∣tie for such a little matter. But there are not wanting also amongst you holy men like vnto Basil the Great, which will openly auow, that the very least syllable of Gods diuine trueth is not to be corrupted, though many torments were to be endured, and death it selfe set before you. Amongst whom it is meete, that you should bee one, or rather the Standerd-bearer, and Gene∣rall to the rest. And whatsoeuer hath beene the cause, that your Constancie hath quailed, whe∣ther it bee the suddennesse of your apprehension, or the bitternesse of your persecution, or the im∣becillitie of your old age: yet we trust in the good∣nesse of God, & in your owne long continued vertue, that it will come to passe, that as you seeme in some part to haue imitated the fall of Peter, and Marcellinus, so you shall happily imi∣tate their valour in recouering your strength, and maintaining the truth. For if you will diligently weigh the whole matter with your selfe, truely you shall see, it is no small matter that is called in question by this Oath, but one of the principall heads of our faith and foundations of Catholique

Religion. For heare what your Apostle S. Gre∣gory the Great hath written, in his 24. Epistle of his 11. booke. Let not the reuerence due to the Apostolique Sea, bee troubled by any mans presumption: for then the estate of the members doeth remaine entire, when the head of the faith is not bruised by any iniu∣ry. Therefore by S. Gregories testimonie, when they are busie about disturbing or diminishing, or taking away of the Primacie of the Apostolique Sea: then are they busie about cutting off the ve∣rie head of the faith, and dissoluing of the state of the whole body, and of all the members. Which selfe same thing S. Leo doth confirme in his third Sermon of his Assumption to the Popedome, when he saith, Our Lord had a speciall care of Peter, & prayed properly for Peters faith, as though the state of others were more stable, when their Princes minde was not to be ouer come. Whereupon himselfe in his Epistle to the Bishops of the prouince of Vienna, doeth not doubt to affirme, that he is not partaker of the diuine Mystery, that dare depart from the so∣lidity of Peter, who also saith, That who thin∣keth the Primacy to be denied to that Sea,

he can in no sort lessen the authority of it: but by beeing puft vp with the spirit of his own pride, doth cast himself headlong into hel. These & many other of this kind, I am very sure are most familiar to you: who besides many other bookes, haue diligently read ouer the visible Monarchie of your owne Saunders, a most dili∣gent writer, and one who hath worthily deser∣ued of the Church of England. Neither can you be ignorant, that these most holy & learned men Iohn Bishop of Rochester, and Tho. Moore, within our memorie, for this one most weightie head of doctrine, led the way to Martyrdome to many others, to the exceeding glory of the Eng∣lish nation. But I would put you in remem∣brance that you should take hart, & considering the weightines of the cause, not to trust too much to your owne iudgement, neither be wise aboue that is meete to be wise: and if peraduenture your fall haue proceeded not vpon want of con∣sideration, but through humane infirmity, & for feare of punishment and imprisonment, yet doe not preferre a temporall liberty to the libertie of the glory of the Sonnes of God: neither for esca∣ping a light and momentanie tribulation, lose an

eternall weight of glory, which tribulation it self doth worke in you. You haue fought a good fight a long time, you haue well neere finished your course; so many yeres haue you kept the faith: doe not therefore lose the reward of such labours; do not depriue your selfe of that crown of righte∣ousnesse which so long agone is prepared for you, Doe not make the faces of so many yours both brethren and children ashamed. Vpon you at this time are fixed the eyes of all the Church: yea al∣so, you are made a spectacle to the world, to An∣gels, to men; Do not so carry your self in this your last acte, that you leaue nothing but laments to your friends, and ioy to your enemies. But ra∣ther on the contrary, which we assuredly hope, & for which we continually power forth prayers to God, display gloriously the banner of faith, and make to reioyce the Church which you haue made heauie; so shall you not onely merite pardon at Gods hands, but a crowne. Farewell. Quite you like a man, and let your heart be strengthened. From Rome. the 28. day of September, 1607.

Your very Reuerendships brother and seruant in Christ, Robert Bellarmine Cardinall.