Page 1895
CHAP. XI.
Octagesimus Octauus mirabilis Annus.
The Popes Bull, the King of Spaines preparations, the Duke of Medinas Expe∣dition, the Duke of Parmas Forces, for the inuasion of England: diuers Sea-fights twixt the English and Spanish Fleets, the Sea flight of the Spanish, and miserable disasters in their returne. Their lies. The Queens Religious Triumph.
SIxtus Quintus, by diuine prouidence, vniuersall Pastor of the Flock of Christ, to whom by continued and lawfull succession, the administration and charge of the Catholike Church * 1.1 [ 10] pertaineth; taking into consideration the miseries and calamities whereinto the famous Kingdomes of England and Ireland had falne, which in times past were commended so much for Vertues, Religion, and Christian Pietie and Obedience, and now by the im∣pious and vniust Empire of Elizabeth pretended Queene, and a few adhering to her, not onely to haue come to a dissolute estate and dangerous to it selfe, but also as infected and venemous mem∣bers are wont to cause infection and disease to the whole body of Christians: and wanting there the due re∣medies which elswhere by help of Christian Princes he vseth, to preuent abuses & to maintaine Ecclesiasti∣call discipline: For asmuch as Henry the Eight, late King of England, a Rebell and forsaker of the Sea Apostolike, separated himselfe and his from the communion of Christians by force, and Elizabeth the pre∣sent Vsurper perseuereth therein, not without great commotion and danger of the Neighbour Regions, [ 20] shewing her selfe obstinate and impenitent, so that there is no hope that those Kingdomes may at any time be reformed and reduced to the exercise of Christian Religion, true peace and quietnesse, except shee be de∣priued of the administration of the Kingdome.
Therefore our most holy Father desiring (as his Office requireth) to prouide for this euill, with pre∣sent and strong remedies inspired to him from God, to the health of the vniuersall Church, incited as well by his owne, as his predecessors affection and zeale, alway borne toward England; and moued by the con∣tinuall sollicitation, vehement and importunate exhortation of very many, and those principall men of the said Nation; hee hath vsed great diligence with diuers Princes, and especially with the Mightie and Ca∣tholike King of Spaine, imploring his aide hereunto, by the reuerence which hee beareth the Roman Sea, by the old friendship and consanguinitie which his Family hath had with the Kings of England, by his singular [ 30] charitie and beneuolence formerly shewed to the Catholikes of that Countrey; for obtaining by that meanes his desire of peace and quietnesse in his Neighbour Prouinces, for his studie and readinesse towards the propagation of Catholike Religion, and lastly for the furtherance of the common good of Europe; hath besought him to confer all the Forces which God almightie hath giuen him hereunto, that that Wo∣man may bee deiected from her degree, and that the euill men and hurtfull to mankind, which adhere to her may be punished, and that Kingdome may bee reduced to certaine reformation and quietnesse, from which great good and many commodities to the Common-wealth might be to be expected. Wherefore that bee might make knowns to all the world the Iustice of this Cause, and the Subiects also of that Kingdome might fully he satisfied, likewise that hee might denounce the iust iudgement of God against her; It hath seemed meet to his Holinesse, with the Declaratory Sentence made against this Woman, to shew the cause [ 40] also why he had so proceeded against her.
First, because shee is an Heretike a 1.2 and Schismatike b 1.3 and therefore excommunicated of two Popes, his predecessors, contumacious, disobedient to God and the supreme c 1.4 Sea: Also shee tooke to her selfe with presumptious vsurpation supreme Authoritie and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ouer the Soules d 1.5 of Men, against Nature, Reason, against all Lawes Diuine and Humane; and that as well by vertue of the sentences giuen by Clement the Seuenth, and Paul the Third, as of the publike declaration of King Henry her Father. Thirdly, because shee vsurped the Kingdome against all right, not onely in regard of the impediments aforesaid, but also against the old Contracts in times past made betwixt the Sea Apo∣stolike and the Kingdome of England in the time of Henry the Second, when the said Kingdome recon∣ciled if selfe to the Roman Sea, for the murther of Saint Thomas of Canturbury. At which time it [ 50] was agreed e 1.6, that none should bee taken for lawfull King of England without consent of the Great Bi∣shop; which conuention or contract was after renewed by King Iohn, and confirmed by Oath Which thing was most profitable, and so established by the request of the Nobilitie and People.
For many and grieuous iniuries f 1.7, extorsions, and other wrongs perpetrated by her and by others, through her permission, against the distressed innocent Subiects of both Kingdomes.
For seditions and rebellions betwixt the Inhabitants of neighbour Prouinces, raised against their lawful Magistrate and g 1.8 naturall Prince, by which shee seduced innumerable Soules and many potent Regions.