Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

*The Oration of the kynges ambassadour.

WHeras there is nothing after the glory of almighty God,* 1.1 in this world so much to be tendred by kings, Princes, or any honest persons, or so highly to be regarded and defended, as their honor, estimatiō, good fame & name, which whosoeuer neglecteth, is to be esteemed vnnatural, and vnlesse a man labor to auoide and extinguish the false reportes, slanders, and diffamations made of him by ma∣litious persons, he may wel be suspected, in cōscience to cō∣demne himselfe: the king your vncle considering y^e same, and hearing of sundry ballets, criminations, and famous libels, made and vntruly forged and deuised in Scotland against his grace, by your graces subiectes, not only vpon trust to find with your grace such natural affection, frend∣ship and amitie, as the nerenes of bloud betweene vncle & nephew, necessitude of reuerence, proximitie both of kinne & of dominions together doth require: but also vpon assu∣rance, that your grace and wisedome will consider howe these slaunders and diffamations, although they were but against a priuate person, whatsoeuer he were, moste com∣monly redound and are imputed to the whole degree and estate: as the diffamation of kinges toucheth kinges, and so of other degrees and dignities: doth send at this time to your grace, his nephewe (other he might haue sent more worthy, but me at this time, for lacke of a better hath he sente) to desire, pray, and require your grace, that accor∣ding as the nearenes of bloud, connexion of estate, & other things before expressed, of right and iustice do require: be∣seeching your grace, gently to weigh and balaunce, & wel to ponder the malice of these the saide slaunderers, and to call in againe all the saide diffamatorie ballets, libels, and other writinges, punishing the authours and setters forth thereof according to their demerites: and furthermore to cause open proclamatiōs to be made through your realm, that none of your inhabitantes there shall in any manner wise so misuse himselfe hereafter, vpon such great payne and punishment, as to your grace and your Counsaile shal be thought conuenient for the transgression thereof: so that other by their correction, and by the fearefull exam∣ple of the penaltie, may beware howe to commit the like offence in time comming.

The example of such slaunders is very pernicious to all kinges. For by such slaunders of other princes, y^e slaun∣derers take boldnes so to deale afterward with their own king, as they haue done with other,* 1.2 and the next step from such slaunderous words, is to attempt deedes, and so to fal to sedition: of the importance and danger wherof no man is ignorant.

Wherefore, your grace, at the comtemplation of your deare vncle, in tendering his proceedinges, shall doe well to follow therin the louing steppes of his good brother and all ye the French king, who hath already at Roane and sundry places els, caused certaine slaunderous preathers to before punished: and further directed commissions tho∣rowe his Realme for repressing the same: As also other Princes shalbe readye (his Maiestie trusteth) to doe the like in their dominios, if like occasion shalbe giuen to re∣quire the same of them. In which in so doing, your grace may be assured in this your gentle dealing in that part, to winne your vncles most sincere & kind hart, to y^e encrease of your amitie and alliance, which, as to you shalbe moste honorable, so shall it be no lesse profitable vnto him.

And thus to conclude with the first part of my narrati∣on concerning the slaunderous and diffamatorie libelles,* 1.3 leaste I shoulde seeme with prolixitie of matter more then needes, to abuse your graces silence: I will nowe des∣cende to the other point of that which I haue to vtter vn∣to your grace, as touching the Popes Nuntio or messenger. Of whose late arriuall, the kinges Maiestie your vncle hauing partly intelligence, but not certainly knowing the speciall cause of his comming from Rome, and yet fearing by the common bruite and talke of your subiects, what his arrande should be,: that is to practise some annoyance by his pretended censures against the kinges Maiestie your vncle: he therfore premonishing your grace before, as fea∣ring the woorst, most iustly maketh his complaint thereof vnto your grace his nephewe, requiring you, that for as much as the foresaide bruites and reportes are slaunde∣rous to his Maiestie: and seeing that neyther the Empe∣rour, nor the Frenche king, nor any other Princes haue consented therto, or vnderstood thereof, the kings maiestie therefore your vncle willing to stop those brutes & talkes, desireth & most hartily praieth your grace at his instant re∣quest, to vouchsafe, to consider & way. First,* 1.4 the supremacie of princes by the holy scripture graunted vnto him & other princes in earth vnder Christ, vpon their churches.

Secondly to weigh what the Gospel and Gods word calleth a Church.

Also what superstitious, idolatries, and blinde abuses haue crept into all realms, to y^e high displeasure of almigh∣ty God by reason thereof.

Fourthly, what is to be vnderstanded by the true cen∣sure or excommunication of the Church, and how no such

can be in y^e power of the Bishop of Rome, or of any other man, against his Maiestie, or any other prince hauing so iuste grounde to auoyde from the roote, and to abolish that execrable authoritie, which y^e Bishop of Rome hath vsur∣ped and doth vsurpe vpon all princes, to their great detri∣ment and dammage.

As touching the consideration of which foure pointes, although the kinges maiestie your vncle douteth not your grace to be furnished & prouided with sufficiēt knowlege, rightly to discerne and iudge vpon the same, yet if it shal so please your grace further to know your vncles mind tou∣ching the said points, I assure your highnes in the behalfe of your foresaid vncle his maiestie, that he wil not stick to send vnto you such learned, wise, and discrete men as shal amply enforme you thereof, and of such other thinges as your grace hauing once a smacke therof, shall thinke most worthy for a prince to knowe.

His request therefore to your highnes is, that you wil consider of what moment and importance it shall be vnto your grace (hauing the Scottes your subiects so euill in∣structed in the premisses) for you to assent and agree to a∣ny such censure, and so by such example to giue such an vp∣per hand ouer your self and other princes, to that vsurper of Rome, as is very like hereafter to happen in other pla∣ces of Christendome, wheresoeuer y^e true declaration of y^e truth and word of God shall haue free course, to scourge them, vnlesse they will adore, worship, and kysse the feete of that corrupt holinesse, which desireth nothing els but pride, and the vniuersal thral of Christendome vnder Romes yokes.

But because the censures of that Nuntio be not yet o∣pened, but lye secrete and vncertaine vnder muttering, I shall cease further to proceede therein,* 1.5 tyl further occasion shall minister to me more certaine matter for to say and to iudge. In the meane time for so much as it is most certain∣ly come to the intelligence of the kings maiestie, that y^e Ab∣bot of Arbroth shoulde be chosen of late and elected to be a Cardinal in this your Realme of Scotlande,* 1.6 his maiestie therfore for the good loue & harty good wil he beareth vnto your grace, as y^e vncle is boūd vnto y^e nephew, knowing y^t you as yet perceiue not so wel the hypocrisie and deceitfull guile and malice of the Romains and their practises, as he himself doth by his long experience: could not but hearing therof, aduertise your grace, that his aduise is, you should not suffer any of your subiectes to take vpon him that red hatte of pride: whereby he shal incontinently, the same be∣ing receiued, (vnles he be of a contrary nature to any man that euer was yet of y^t sort) not only be in maner dischar∣ged of his obedien••, and become the bishop of Romes true liege man: but also shall presume of his Cardinalshyp to be your fellow, and to haue the rule as well as you. Then shall the Bishop of Rome creepe into your owne very bo∣some, know al your secretes, and at last, vnlesse you wil be yoked,* 1.7 and serue their pleasure in all points, your grace is like to smart for it. The thing perchance in the beginning shal seeme to your grace very honorable and pleasant: but wisdom would to beware of the taile, which is very black and bytter.

His maiesties father, and Grandfather to your grace, had a Cardinal, whereof he was weary, and neuer admit∣ted other after his decease, knowing y^e importable pride of them. In like maner also his highnes by the experience of one, hath vtterly determined to auoid al the sort: So wel his grace hath knowen & experienced their mischief, yoke, and thraldome▪ that thereby is layd vpon princes. By rea∣son wherof, as his highnes is the more able by his owne experience to informe your grace: so of good will & meere propēsitie of hart, caused partly by nature and kinne, part¦ly by coniunction and vicinitie of dominions adioining so neare together, he is no lesse ready to forewarn your grace before, wishing that God will so worke in your princely hart and noble stomake, that his maiesties monition & frendly warning, as it proceedeth from a sincere affection and tender care of his part vnto his nephewe, so it maye preuaile and take place in your mind, that your grace wise∣ly in weighing with your self, what supreme right princes haue and ought to haue vpon their Churches and landes where they gouern, & what litle cause the bishop of Rome hath therto, to procede by vniust censures against thē: your grace may therin not only stand to the iust defence of your deare vncle, but also may endeuor to folow his steps ther∣in, & to take his counsel, whiche he doubteth not, but shal redound not onely to your graces honour, to the benefite, weale, & profit of your realm & subiects, but especially to y^e glory of almighty God, and aduancement of his true reli∣gion.

And thus haue I expounded to your grace, the summe of my errand and message from the kings maiestie your vn∣cle, who as he would be glad to be aduertised by answere, of your graces purpose, mind, and intention in this behalf so for my part, according to my charge and duetie, I shall be prest and ready with al diligence, to giue mine attendāce vpon your pleasure for the same accordingly.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Oration of Sir Raffe Sadler to the Scottish king.
• * 1.2

  Euill exam∣ple a perni∣tious thing in a commō wealth.
• * 1.3

  The second poynt.
• * 1.4

  Supremacy of Princes.
• * 1.5

  Romes yokes.
• * 1.6

  The Abbot of A••broth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Car∣dinall of Scotland.
• * 1.7

  Inconueni∣ence that commeth by Cardinalls.