A detection of sundrie foule errours, lies, sclaunders, corruptions, and other false dealinges, touching doctrine, and other matters vttered and practized by M.Iewel, in a booke lately by him set foorth entituled, a defence of the apologie. &c. By Thomas Harding doctor of diuinitie.

Item there. Iewel.

Novv touching your Maiesties noble Progenitours, the kinges of this realme, vvhere as vve, as our loialtie, and allegiance bindeth vs, iustly cō∣plaine, that Pope Alexander. 3. by violence, and tyrannie forced king Hē∣rie the second to surrender his crovvne Emperial into the handes of his Le∣gate, and aftervvard for a certaine space to contente him selfe in priuate estate, to the great indignatiō and griefe of his louing Subiectes: And that likevvise Pope Innocentius the third sturred vp the Nobles, and Com∣mons of this realm against King Iohn, and gaue the inheritance, and pos∣session of his dominions vnto Ludouicus the French king (as for the mis∣using of your Maiesties most deere Father of most noble memorie, king Hē∣rie the eight, for asmuch as the smarte thereof is in fresh remembrance, I vvil say nothing) to these, and al other like tyrannical iniuries, and iuste causes of griefe, M. Harding shortely, and in light manner thinketh it sufficient to ansvver thus: vvhat though King Henrie the second vvere il entreated of Pope Alexander 3.? vvhat though king Iohn vvere il entreated of that zelous, and learned Pope Innocentius Tertius?

VVhat though King Henrie the eight vvere likevvise entreated of the Popes in our ti••es? Confut. fol. 340. a.

Harding.

* 1.1Here al thinges are laid forth with Rhetorical ampli∣fications to the most aduantage, withal, many vntrue partes be practized. The Popes are falsely belyed, The wicked deedes of the Kinges are craftily conceeled, My wordes are impudently falsified, My whole purpose and meaning is misconstrued, The ende, for which I spake thereof, drawen therevnto by special occasion ministred by the Apologie, which was chiefely to be treated of, is not so much as with one word touched, My tale is cut of in the middes, and may not be suffred to be tolde out to the end. Now bicause there is no dealing with M. Iew∣el, but the bookes, whence euery thing is alleged, being laid open, and euery place, that is handled turned vnto (for there was neuer Iuggler that begyled mennes eyes, more with legierdemaine, then he begileth mennes mindes with his false sleightes, if his wordes be simply beleeued) let my Confutation of the Apologie be vew∣ed, and there I shal be founde, touching these odious pointes of these princes Variance with the Popes of their time, to haue vttered these woordes, farre other∣wise, then he here reporteth.

* 1.2Concerning the case between these three Kinges of England, and the Bishoppes of Rome for the tyme being, I say litle. If they did wel, and the Bishoppes euil, they haue their rewarde, the other, their punishment. If other∣wise, or how so euer, ech one at Gods iudgement shal haue his deserued measure. But be it graunted, al were

true ye say, though we know the more parte to be false.* 1.3 What though king Henrie the Second were euil entrea∣ted of Pope Alexander about the murthering of S. Thomas the Archebishop of Canturburie, and King Iohn likewise of that zelous and learned Pope Innocentius the thirde, about the stirre he made against the Church for cause of Steuen Lankton Archebishop of Cantur∣burie,* 1.4 King Henrie the eigth likewise of the Popes in our time, about matters yet fresh bleeding? Is this a good cause why ye (who haue nothing to doo with Princes matters now ended and buried) should forsake the Churche, change your Faith, change the whole or∣der of Religion, and condemne al before your time for a thousand yeres?

Bicause the Bishoppes of Rome haue done euil, wil ye geue ouer the Faith of the Churche of Rome? Bi∣cause the Popes did wronge to Princes, wil ye doo wrong to your selues? Bicause the Popes were at Va∣riance with these three Kinges, wil ye be at Variance with God? Bicause they excommunicated them, wil ye excommunicate your selues? I haue heard of a foole, that being striken of one standing a looffe of, would eftsones strike an other, that stood next him. But I ne∣uer heard of any so foolish, that seeing an other striken, would therefore kill him selfe. Verely your Aposta∣sie, and departing from the Catholique Churche, is to weightie a matter, to be defended with so light a reason.

Thou maist see good Reader, that here I take not vpon me in Defence of those Popes to answere vnto these matters, nor shortely, as M. Iewel saith, nor at

length, nor in light manner, nor in sad manner: which matters he calleth Tyrannical iniuries, and iuste causes of griefe. The more cleerely to shewe, how litle good matter our new Vsurping Clergie haue to bring for the excuse, and Defence of the Alteration they haue made in Religion, and of their Schisme, and de∣parting from the Catholike Churche, bicause in their Apologie they alleged these Practises of the Popes: on∣ly I demaunde (their tale for their better aduantage being graunted to be true, whiche yet I saied expresse∣ly was knowen to be false for the more parte) what reliefe their cause could haue thereby, and how the euil doinges of the Bishoppes of Rome (if it were graun∣ted they did euil therein) could be drawen to Defence of their owne worse doing. To whiche demaunde M. Iewel by his silence in his pretensed Defence ma∣keth al the worlde witnesse,* 1.5 how vnhable he is to answere. Howbeit in that place he vseth his common sleight, by cutting awaie the chiefe parte of my tale, wherein lyeth the weighte, and so dischargeth him selfe of the paines of answering. Any booke may so sone be answered.

Touching these Popes, and these Kinges, when M. Iewel, or any of his felow Ministers, shal truely, and with sufficient reason proue vnto vs, that Henrie the Second did wel, when he gaue occasion that the bles∣sed Martyr S. Thomas Archebishop of Canturburie was murdered, that al King Iohns attemptes against the Churche for cause of Steuen Lankton Archebishop and primate of the same prouince were iuste and right: and that King Henrie the eight did wel, and according

either to the holy Scriptures, or doctrine of the auncient, and learned Fathers, when he tooke vpon him to be Su∣preme Head in earth of the Churche of England, im∣mediatly vnder Christe, whiche no temporal prince euer tooke vpon him before: and likewise when for maintenance of the same title he hanged, headded, and quartered so many holy and learned men of al degrees, now blessed Sainctes, and crowned Martyrs in heauen: when I say, either he, or they, or any of them shal proue this much vnto vs, in such sorte, as I said before: then wil we say with them, ô worthy Kinges, ô naughty Popes, yea then wil we saie too, ô the crowe is white. Ne∣uerthelesse I doo not here iustifie al the deedes of the Popes. But what so euer they did, that is no sufficient cause, why these menne should forsake their Faith, and departe from the felowship of the Churche.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Many, and sun∣dry false partes practized by M. Ievvel at once.
• * 1.2

  Confut. fol. 339. b.
• * 1.3

  Henrie the secōd. S. Tho∣mas Arch bishop of Cantur∣bury. King Iohn.
• * 1.4

  Henrie the .8. This is no iust cause to forsake the Chur∣che.
• * 1.5

  Defence Pag. 733.