A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.

M. Hardinge.

Towarde the ende of your Apologie, Syr Defender, who so euer you be, that pieced it togeather, you doo but trifle. Of like your stuffe is spence. For here litle saie you, that you haue not saide already. VVherefore I craue Pardon of the Reader, if accordinge to the slendernesse of matters obiected, my* 1.1 confutation seeme also slender. Sir you doo now but patche peeces togeather, whiche you haue gathered out of your note Bookes, into the same infar••ed, some out of the Canonistes, some out

of the Scoolemen, and them not of the greatest estimation, most of al out of Humanitie bookes, wherein you be pretely seene. And that seemeth to be your chiefe profession. As for Diuinitie, there appea∣reth no greate knowledge in you. VVhat ye rehearse of the Lacedemonians, it perteineth to your owne companies, no lesse, then to them, I meane onely your Apostates, Monkes, and Friers, Priestes, and Nonnes.

You finde greate faulte in the Canonistes that be at this daie, and name in your Margent Sum∣ma Angelica, the Author whereof died many yeeres paste. If he, Theodoricus, what so euer he was, or any other Canoniste offende you, as for his bellies sake, speakinge of the Pope, that should sette your teeth anedge: what pertaineth that to vs, who defende the Catholike Faithe, not the saieinges of euery Canoniste? You were beste, seeinge you make so muche adoo with them, to Article their er∣rours, and either write a railinge Booke against them, which ye‡ 1.2 can easely doo, or sende one of your best learned superintendentes to Bononia, there in open scoole with disputations to confute them. And so doubtlesse ye shal either conuerte them, whiche were a woorthy acte: or proue your selues fooles, whiche were greate pitie.

But to answeare your obiection, we saie, firste, that you alleage Summa Angelica falsely. Nothing is founde soundinge to that you burthen the Pope withall in the place by you quoted, in dict. Papa. Nexte, whereas it is written in Summa Angelica, In curia Romana titulus de Simonia non habet locum,* 1.3 you, Syr Defender, either nor knowinge what folowed, or of malice abusinge the place, haue reported the same, as if it were precisely saide without any distinction. VVhereas in deede the selfe same Summe vseth this distinction, saieinge,* 1.4 Verum est in ijs quae sunt Simoniaca de iure positiuo solùm: sed non in ijs quae sunt Simoniaca de iure diuino. VVhereby he meaneth that the Pope is not vnder the rules of Simonie concerninge* 1.5 suche lawes and paines, as he himselfe, or his predecessours haue made in that behalfe. For they haue made many thinges belonginge thereto, as you may well knowe your selfe, who are so pretely seene in the Canon Lawe, as it may appeare by the often and cunninge allegations whiche you bringe out of the Gloses. But concerninge‡ 1.6 that Simonie, whiche properly is so called, the Pope is nolesse subiecte thereto by the true iudgement of Summa Angelica,* 1.7 whiche you haue shamefully belied, then any other man.

You iest at Gods blessed Truthe alwaies remaininge in his Holy Churche, and prophanely resem∣ble it to a birde proined and pinyoned, that it flie not a waie. As though the Churche kepte truthe with suche policie, as the olde Romaines are fained, to haue kepte their Goddesse Victorie. VVell Syr, we tell you in sadnesse, we are assured of the Truthe, that it is in the Churche, and that it shall neuer departe from thence. And if ye call this, cuttinge away of her winges, that it neuer flie from the Churche: wee graunte they be cut in suche sorte, as shee shall keepe the Churche for euer as her owne neast. And will you knowe who telleth vs this? Euen God him selfe, saieinge in his Prophete Esaye to Christe of his Churche:* 1.8 I will make this couenaunt with them, saithe our Lorde: My spi∣rite whiche is in thee, and my woordes whiche I haue put in thy mouthe,‡ 1.9 shall not departe from thy mouthe, and from the mouthe of thy seede, and from the mouthe of thy seedes seede, saithe our Lorde, from this time foorthe, for euermore.

Againste this truthe, what so euer ye bringe in reproufe of Popes liues, whom not withstandinge moste impudently ye belie, what vndiscrete saieinges, or flateries so euer ye burthen the Canonistes with, all tourneth to nothinge. The Truthe remaineth vnshaken: your spirite of lieinge, scoffinge, and malice thereby is discyfred.

Notes

• * 1.1

  This is good plaine dealinge. For in deede this Ansvveare is very sclender.
• ‡ 1.2

  VVith M. Hardinges good instructions.
• * 1.3

  In dict. Si∣monia.
• * 1.4

  Ver. vtrum actoritas.
• * 1.5

  A vvoorthy di∣stinction. Here∣by the Pope maie selle Bi∣shoprikes, and Benefices vvith∣out Simonie.
• ‡ 1.6

  This kinde of Simonie stan∣deth onely in, sellinge of Or∣ders, and Sacra∣mentes, &c.
• * 1.7

  Vntruthe shamelesse, as shal appeare.
• * 1.8

  Esai. 59.
• ‡ 1.9

  Ful discretely, and vvel applied: As if these vvoordes had benne meante of the Pope, and his Successours.