England's independency upon the papal power historically and judicially stated by Sr. John Davis ... and by Sr. Edward Coke ... in two reports, selected from their greater volumes ; with a preface written by Sir John Pettus, Knight.

To the Right Honourable, JAMES Earle of SUFFOLK, Lord Lieutenant of that County, &c.

MY LORD,

I Have the honour of being one of your De∣puties in the County of Suffolk, which I hope will admit me to the freedome of placing your Lordship in the Front of Two Reports cull'd out from the many other Reports of two as Learned persons in our Laws as that Age did afford.

I have perswaded the Stationer to reprint them, as fit at this time to be generally perus'd. For Sr. John Davis, in his Report of Lalor's Case, gives an Historicall Account of the Pope's Invasions upon us from Edward the Confessor's time in matters Civil; and the Lord Chief Justice Coke gives also a full and clear Account of the Pope's Intrusions upon us in matters Ec∣clesiasticall. Neither of them do meddle with the Cavills of Religion between us and the Papal Power, but what concerns their State and ours, and that deduced from Antiquity; how we ought to pay our single Obedience both to Church and State, (as our Predecessors have done, or endeavour'd to doe, for many Ages, to their respective Kings.) And though there have been many Invasions or Intrusions upon us by the Power and Policy of the Pope and his Agents, yet we were al∣waies struggling to get out: Sometimes we mastered them, and sometimes we were maste∣red by them; according to the Resolution or Weakness of those our former Kings who were to maintain their inherent Interests. And how∣ever some Papal Pretences seem to be, yet we may clearly see (when they got the upper hand)

what Subjection they intended to impose upon us, as they did on King John; and they nick'd the time when he was imbroyl'd and even totally immerged in the Distempers of his untruly Sub∣jects, and inraged Forreiners: and then, by the opportunity of those Factions and Forrei∣ners they did subjugate this Kingdome to his Principality in Italy, and made it its Vassall more then ever any Emperour of Rome did pretend to, or could accomplish. And though after King John, there were various Contests by our successive Kings, yet none did so effectually rout the Papal Interest here as Henry the VIII. for which the Romanists do rip up all his Vices, to make him as odious to the world as possible: and among other things they affirm, that He was the man that rebell'd from their Church. (Whenas their Histo∣rie and ours tell us, and them, that he lived and died a Roman Catholick.) And they farther say, that it was He that brought in our Religion; which they now call Heresie, and is but a Reformation of theirs: and even, that Reformation was begun and prosecuted (though but in parcells) by former Ages, but not establisht till Henry the VIII. had first

broke their Civil Interest here, and then it went on with ease by King Henry's Succes∣sours.

But by their Railings on Henry the VIII. Luther, Calvin, and I know not whom, (whose Doctrines we do not altogether follow) the Papal Agents do most wonderfully deceive the unfixt and wavering minds of men, who do not know the true Foundation of our Church and State here in England, clearly and through all Antiquity independent upon any Church or State but its own, or on any person but the Monarch thereof; as is most fully set forth in these excellent Reports, wherein your Lordship and others by an hour's reading may see what is our Right, and how it hath been maintain'd, and lost, and regain'd by that most resolute Prince, then owning the whole Body of the Papal Doctrine, but not the Pope's Superi∣ority or power to establish any thing in these Kingdomes.

It is true, this Prince had Discontents, and was crost in his Designs, which it may be did either provoke him, or upon this it is likely he

did take occasion to pick a quarrel, that he might the more speciously accomplish what his Predecessours could not effect. However, God doth often produce good Events by such as we call evill Mediums: as the Beams of the Sun make their way through Darknesse and Vapours; which now again begin to spread o∣ver our heads like thick Clouds contracted by long Exhalations, ready to break and send forth Lightning, Thunder and Storms upon this Nation. And thus I apprehend their contraction.

When Henry the VIII. had thus restor'd us to our Liberties and ancient Rights, and dis∣banded the Papall Power and Interest here, it was time for the Pope to contrive some other Stratagems; and therefore what he could not doe by the power of Bulls, &c. he tries to effect by a long and continued Art. And first, he infuseth into his Catholick King of Spain, how fit a person he was to be Universal Mo∣narch of Christendome: which the King of Spain's Ambition readilie embraced, (the whole Design whereof may be read in Campa∣nella the Jesuite, in his Discourse of the Spa∣nish

Monarchy.) About the same time the Pope also inveigles his most Christian King, Henry the IV. of France; telling him also how fit a person he was to be Universal Moderator of Christendome: which Bait this King's Am∣bition did also readily embrace, (the whole Mo∣dell and Platform where••f is also set down by the Bishop of Rhodes in his History of the said Henry the IV.) And in all this time, while both these Kings were driving on these De∣signs, it is observable (by the Confession of those Historians) that neither of them were privy to each other's Intentions, the business was so cunningly managed by the Pope, whose great Art it was to keep their Designs secret, and put both their Wheels in motion at once; yet to keep his Spoak in that Wheel which tur∣ned most to his advantage.

In both these cited Books (of Rhodes and Campanella) your Lordship will find that their chief aims and directions were to wea∣ken the English: and therein they say in these words, That there was no better way then by causing Divisions and Dissensions among the English, and by continuall keeping up

the same; and that as for their Religion, it could not be easily rooted out unless there were some certain Schools erected in Flan∣ders, &c. by the Scholars whereof there should be scattered abroad the seeds for Di∣visions in the Natural and Theologicall Sci∣ences, which would distract and discompose their opinions and judgments: and that the English, being of a nature still desirous of No∣velties and Changes, are easily wrought over to any thing.

Now that this hath been put in practice I think is obvious to every man; and as clear, that whilst all Christendom are in Arms and Confusions, onely the Pope sits quiet, and smiles to see what work he makes among us, resolving (if not prevented) to tire every man out of his Religion that shall withdraw, not onely a total, but even the least part of O∣bedience to his Chair.

And thus many poor souls are captivated, (especially those of our Nation, for whom this is intended) some being perswaded to acknow∣ledge the Doctrines of the Church of Rome,

but not the Power of the Court of Rome; and when they are plausibly got into the first, they do not consider how insensibly and inevitably they are ensnar'd into the other. For cer∣tainly the distinction of the Church and Court of Rome is so ridiculous, that it is a mere Irap for weak, unknowing and unresolved persons: for surely the Pope will never be per∣swaded to resign his Temporalties to those Princes from whom his Predecessors usurpt them, to take upon him meerly the duty of the Church. So that when one of them perswades you to turn to the Church of Rome, it is but to make you to turn or be subject to the Court of Rome, (and its Cardinalls, who are but a Combina∣tion of Temporall Princes) and to all its temporall Impositions, to maintain such Prin∣ces under the title of the Pope, and shrow∣ded under the Canopy of Ecclesiasticks and Piety. The truth is, the Questions about Religion are purposely rais'd and infus'd to intoxicate other mens brains: for the Court of Rome do but laugh at the things call'd Merit, Idolatry, Supererogation, &c. whilst many of their zealous Agents here (I perswade my self out of pure Piety) are rea∣dy

to die upon the spot in the defence of those Tenents; whereas, poor souls, they might see (if they would) that that Court is onely to imploy them under the shrowds of Piety to bring in Grist to the Mill by money and u∣surping other mens territories; so as the ancient and important question, why we should not give unto the King the things that are the King's, is quite laid aside, and the question is almost now, why we should not give to the Pope the things that are the King's, and subjugate this Kingdome to their Principalities. And thus by deceiving even their own Agents with a pretence of driving on Piety, (which is onely Sovereignty) even many of the Papists themselves are innocently betray'd, and so are become betrayers of o∣thers.

But to return to the Historicall part. After Henry the VIII. had cast off the Do∣minion of the Papal Court, Edward the VI. succeeded, in whose Minority his Coun∣cell were so wise, (though many of them of the Roman Church) that the resolution of

Henry the VIII. was re-assum'd in casting off the Pope's Power, and a Foundation laid for esta∣blishing a Church here, by a Form of Discipline and Doctrine free from the Power and Errours of the Papal Court and Church: and (though some Interruption was given by Queen Mary, yet) what was wanting by King Edward's short Reign, was compleated by Queen Eli∣zabeth, who in her very first year, by the full Consent of the Lords and Commons in Par∣liament, by example of many of her Prede∣cessors, did enact, That no forrein Potentate or person should exercise any power within any of her Dominions; and all Ecclesi∣asticall Jurisdiction should be annext to the Crown. And in the 5. year of her Reign in particular it was enacted, That whoe∣ver shall acknowledge any Jurisdiction of the Bishop or See of Rome within any of her Dominions should be guilty of a Praemunire, they, and their accessa∣ries.

And that the Principles of the Doctrine and Discipline of our Reformed Church might the better be known, the frame of it

made in Edward the VI. his time, was con∣firmed with some few alterations, and 39 Articles established as a Foundation and Standard of our Doctrine and Discipline, distinct from that of the Court, as also reformed from that of the Church, of Rome.

But since her time even to this, whilst we have thought our selves secure from the Pa∣pal Authority, their Religion hath slily crept in and incroacht among us: and be∣sides their many known ways, they have a par∣ticular art of incouraging and fomenting all publick and private Differences and Dis∣contents, pursuant to their secret Instructi∣ons for the advancement of the Papal Domi∣nion.

Now, as it is impossible for the art of Phy∣sick to reduce the 4 Humors of a man's Body into one; so no arts of Policy can reduce the temper of men into one Persuasion of Reli∣gion.

So that herein the wisdom of our Counsellors

is discerned, in contriving that their num∣ber may not come near the balance of the sta∣ple or establisht interest of this Kingdom, both as to Church and State, wherein we are to shew our selves (like our predecessors) true English-men, and not to Italianate our selves to the Dependency of any other State.

And that this may be the more charitably perform'd, they may be distinguisht into Actives, and Passives. By Actives I mean such as make it their whole business to pervert and captivate our Subjects to be subject to the Pope, under the notion of Religion; and by Passives I mean such as live innocently among us: and there is lesse caution and strictness requisite to those who are passive in respect bare∣ly of their Religion, then to those who are active in promoting it.

And therefore many ancient Laws have been made long before Henry the VIII. entituled Statutes of Praemunire; which word in Eng∣lish is, to fortify a place before enemies come, or to provide against any onset by them. And

all those Laws are intended against the Pope's Spirituall or Temporall Invasions upon us: and those Laws do impose Penalties on such as shall any ways endeavour to assist him in such Invasions; so that being forewarn'd, (as some would have the word from praemonere,) we may the better be fore-armed for prevention of all their future attempts upon us, which is heartily wisht by,

MY LORD,

February 18.1673/4.

Your Lordship's most humble Servant, John Pettus.