A cleare, sincere, and modest confutation of the vnsound, fraudulent, and intemperate reply of T.F. who is knowne to be Mr. Thomas Fitzherbert now an English Iesuite. Wherein also are confuted the chiefest obiections which D. Schulckenius, who is commonly said to be Card. Bellarmine, hath made against Widdrintons [sic] Apologie for the right, or soueraigntie of temporall princes. By Roger Widdrington an English Catholike.

TO ALL ENGLISH CATHOLIKES, who are of opinion, that the Pope hath power to depose temporal PRINCES, ROGER WIDDRINGTON their Brother and Seruant in CHRIST wisheth true zeale, knovvledge, and felicitie.

1 I Haue written here a Treatise in answere to M^r. Fitzherberts Reply, touching the POPES power to depose PRINCES, and the new oath of Allegi∣ance, which I thought fit to Dedicate to you, Deare Countrimen, those especi∣ally, who haue taken vpon you a charge to teach, and instruct others, for that the matter, which here is handled, doth as much concerne your soules, and con∣sciences, or rather much more, then my owne. Doe not you imagine, that when there is a controuersie be∣twixt his Holinesse, and your Soueraigne, concer∣ning your spirituall, and temporall allegiance, you may safely, and without danger of deadly sinne adhere to

his Holinesse, and forsake your Soueraigne, vnlesse you duly examine the right, and title which either haue: for that by the law of GOD, and Nature you are bound to giue to GOD, and Caesar that which is their due; that is, spirituall obedience to your spirituall Pastours, and temporall allegiance to your temporall Prince. Wherefore if the Pope should challenge, and exact from you not onely spirituall obedience, which is due to him, but vnder colour of spirituall obedience, should demand also temporall allegiance, which is not due to him, but onely to your temporall Prince, you should in obeying the Pope therein yeeld him that obedience, which is due only to your tempo∣rall Prince, and so transgresse the law of GOD and nature, and consequently it being a matter of so great moment, you should, according to the approued do∣ctrine of all Diuines, by yeelding such obedience in∣curre a most heinous deadly sinne.

2. For as there are but two only supreme powers on earth, to which all Christian subiects doe owe obe∣dience and subiection, to wit, spirituall, which doth reside speciallie in the chiefe spirituall Pastour, who in things spirituall is supreme, and temporall power, which doth reside in temporall Princes, who in things temporal are supreme, and subiect to none but God; So also there be only two subiections, and obediences answerable thereunto, to wit, spirituall and tempo∣rall: So that if such a power, or obedience be not spi∣rituall, it must of necessitie be temporall, and with the same certaintie or probabilitie, that one is perswaded such an authoritie not to be spirituall, he must be per∣swaded that it is temporall. That authoritie is spiritu∣all,

and due onely to the Pope, which Christ hath giuen to his Church, and the spirituall Pastours thereof; All other supreme authoritie is temporall, and due only to temporall Princes. And therefore if it be probable, as in very deede it is, and as you may see it in this Treatise clearely conuinced so to be, that the Pope hath no authority giuen him by Christ to depose Princes, it is consequently probable, that the aforesaid authoritie (if there be any such authoritie on earth to depose Princes) is not spirituall but temporall, and that therfore, whosoeuer granteth it to the Pope, doth giue to him that obedience, which is due to tempo∣rall Princes, and consequently he doth against the ex∣presse command of Christ, not render to God and Caesar, that which is their due.

3. Well then thus you see, that if the Pope should challenge that obedience as due to him by the instituti∣on of Christ, which Christ hath not giuen him, and which consequently is due only to temporall Princes, he should vsurpe that authority, which he hath not, & in so doing he should transgresse the law of God and Nature, and those subiects, who should adhere to him, and yeeld him that pretended spirituall obedience, should also transgresse the law of Christ, and be not only pretended, but true Traitors both to God and their Prince, in not acknowledging their Prince to be their true Soueraigne, by yeelding that obedience, which is due to him to an other, and so by taking from him his supreme power, or soueraingtie, and giuing it to an other Prince, which in very deed is to take the Diademe, which doth signifie his supreme authoritie, off from his head, and place it vpon the head of an other.

4. Now there is none of you, as I suppose, of so meane vnderstanding, that can imagine, that the Pope is so infallible in his opinion, iudgement, or any declaratiue command grounded thereon, as that he can not possibly erre therein, and challenge that authori∣ty as due to him by the institution of Christ, which neuerthelesse Christ hath not giuen him, but it belon∣geth only to temporall Princes. This you may see by ex∣perience in Pope Boniface the eight, who pretended, that Philip the faire the most Christian KING of France, was subiect to him in spiritualls and temporalls, and declared them to be heretikes, who should beleeue the contrarie: and that he was a tempo∣rall Monarch of the Christians world, and therefore that the kingdome of France by reason of the diso∣bedience, and rebellion of Philip their King, was falne into the handes of the See Apostolike: for which cause Pope Boniface was taxed by many learned Catholikes of great impudencie, pride, and arro∣gancie: and his extrauagant, Vnam Sanctam, which he made to curbe the said King of France, de∣claring that the temporall sword is subiect to the spirituall, and temporall power to spirituall authoritie, was reuersed by Pope Clement the fift, the next Successour but one to Pope Boniface, who declared, that by the definition, and declaration of Pope Boniface in his extrauagant, Vnam Sanctā, no preiudice should arise to the King, and king∣dome of France: and that by it neither the King, kingdom, or inhabitants of France should be more subiect to the Church of Rome, then they were before, but that all things should be vnderstood

to be in the same state, wherin they were before the said definition, as well concerning the Church, as concerning the King, Kingdome, and Inhabitants of France. The like temporall authoritie Pope Sixtus the fift, if he had liued, would also haue challenged, for that as I haue been credibly informed by diuers Iesuites of good account, who then liued at Rome, hee did intend to suppresse Card. Bellar∣mines first Tome of Controuersies, because he did not with the Canonists grant to the Pope this di∣rect temporall Monarchie ouer the whole Christian world.

5 So that the onely controuersie now is, whether the Pope hath de facto erred or no, in declaring the oath of allegiance to be vnlawful, and to containe in it many things flat contrarie to faith and sal∣uation, vpon this supposall, that it is a point of Faith, that the Pope hath authoritie giuen him by Christ, to depose Princes, which is the substance of the oath, as Fa: Suareza 1.1 acknowledgeth, and the maine question betwixt my Aduersaries and mee, as M.^r. Fitzherbertb 1.2 in expresse words confesseth. Now you may see, if you please to reade, that I haue cleerely proued in this Treatise, that it is probable, that the authoritie, which the Pope claimeth to de∣pose Princes, is not true, but vsurped, not granted him by Christ, but giuen him by men contrarie to those expresse words of CHRIST,c 1.3 Render the things that are Caesars to Caesar, and the things that are Gods, to God. And therefore consi∣der, I pray you, in what danger you stand, of doing great iniury to your Soueraigne, and committing flat

treason against his Royall person and Crowne, if you rashly, and without due examination follow the Popes opinion, iudgement, or also declaratiue com∣mand grounded thereon, who, vnder pretence of de∣manding of you a profession of his spirituall authori∣tie, and your spirituall obedience, exacteth in very deede not spirituall allegiance, but that obedience which is probably thought by many learned Catho∣likes to be a meere temporal allegiance, and due onely to your temporall Prince.

6 But obserue, deare Countrimen, a more ma∣nifest, and dangerous gulfe, into which for want of due consideration you may easily cast your selues. For if once you grant, that it is probable, that it is a controuersie, that it is a disputable question, as in very deed it is, and as I thinke very few of you, who haue studied this question, are perswaded to the con∣trarie, that the right, title, power, and authoritie, which the Pope challengeth to depose Princes, is no true title, but pretended, a meere temporall, and not a true spirituall authoritie, although I should grant you also for Disputation sake, of which as yet I doe not dispute, that it is also probable, that the said title is good, and that the Pope hath such an authoritie to depose Princes giuen him by Christ, yet there is none of you so simple, but if you will duely consider, will presently perceiue, that this title, so long as it is in con∣trouersie, is titulus sinere, a meere title, which so long as it is disputable, and debated on either side, can neuer be put in practise by any man; what opinion so euer he follow in speculation, without doing the Prince, who is deposed by the Pope, manifest wrong,

and if he be a subiect, by committing that detestable crime of treason in a most high degree.

7 For if any one of you should be inlawfull pos∣session of a house, iewell, or any other thing, where∣vnto an other man pretendeth a title, and claimeth a power to dispose thereof, and perchance it is also pro∣bable, that his title is in very deede the better, and his Lawiers doe bring strong reasons, and euidences to confirme the same, would not you thinke, that it were a manifest wrong, as in deed it were, and against the knowne rules of iustice grounded vpon the light of reason, that your Aduersarie, or any other in his behalfe, notwithstanding the probabilitie of his ti∣tle, should put you out of possession, and take it away from you by violence, before the Iudge had decided the controuersie?

8 And if any one should Reply and say, that the Pope is our Soueraignes Iudge; to whom also all Christian Princes are subiect, and that hee hath de∣cided this controuersie betwixt him and our Prince, and defined, that this his title to depose our Prince and all other Christian Princes, is a true and not one∣ly pretended, a spirituall, and not a temporall title, he is manifestly deceiued. For neither is the Pope the Iudge of temporall Princes in temporall causes, wher∣in they are supreme, and subiect to none but God; neither hath the Pope as yet decided this controuer∣sie, or defined by any Generall Councell, or any other authenticall instrument (for I will not at this time contend what authority the Pope hath to define mat∣ters of faith without a Generall Councell) that this title, and authoritie which hee challengeth to depose

Princes, is a true spirituall title, and an authoritie granted him by the institution of Christ. For concer∣ning this point Popes, and Emperours haue euer beene at great variance, as well said Fa: Azor,d 1.4 and it is in controuersie among Catholike Doctors, as I haue conuinced in this Treatise, and as yet the controuersie is not decided by the Iudge, as Abbot Trithemiuse 1.5 doth well affirme.

9 And if any one should perchance imagine, that his Holinesse that now is, hath by his late Breues decided the controuersie, and defined, that hee hath authoritie to depose Princes, hee is also most grosely mistaken; both for that there is not so much as one word mentioned in any of his Breues concerning his authoritie to depose Princes, but onely in generall words he declareth, that Catholikes ought not to take the oath, for that it containeth many things flat contrarie to faith and saluation, but what those many things be he doth not expresse (and perchance he might imagine at the first sight, as Card. Bellar∣mine did, that the Popes power to excommunicate, to binde and loose, to dispence in oathes is denyed in the oath, and that it was framed to make a distinction be∣twixt Protestants and Catholikes touching points of Religion, al which how vntrue they are I haue cleerely shewed in my Theologicall Disputation) but espe∣cially for this reason hee is fowly mistaken, because there is not in the Breues any one of those words, which, according to the doctrine of Card. Bellar∣mine, and other Diuines related by me in the afore∣said Disputationf 1.6 are required to make an infalli∣ble definition, and finall decision of a point of faith.

Neither is euery Breue, or Apostolicall letter of the Pope, although it be registred in the body of the Canon Law among the Popes Decretall letters, a sufficient instrument to define matters of faith, for that in them is commonly contained onely the Popes opinion concerning some doubtfull case, or question, and not a finall decision or definition, which all Ca∣tholikes are bound to follow. Otherwise it must needes be granted, that Popes haue defined in their Breues false doctrine, and also heresie, as may bee seene in the Decretall letters, and Breues of Pope Celestine the first, Pope Nicolas the third, and Pope Boniface the eight, as also I obserued in the aforesaid Disputationg 1.7

10. Yea both the very manner of his Holinesse proceeding in condemning the oath in such gene∣rall words, for that it containeth many things flat contrary to faith and saluation, not declaring any one of those many things, although he hath been in some sort vrged therunto by his Maiesty,h 1.8 & we also his Catholike subiects, whom it most concernes, haue most humbly and most earnestly requested it at his hands,i 1.9 and the forbidding of my bookes also in such generall words, not declaring whether they are forbidden, for the matter which they handle, or for the manner, or in respect of the persons against whom they are written, or for some other cause, but especi∣ally, and which is more strange, and contrary to the practise of all tribunals, the commanding of mee to purge my selfe forthwith, and that vnder paine of Ecclesiasticall Censures, without signifying any crime at all, either in generall or particular, whereof

I should purge my selfe, are manifest signes to a pru∣dent man, that latet anguis in herba, and that they themselues doe distrust their owne cause. Can any prudent man imagine, that if his Holinesse, or the most Illustrious Cardinals of the Inquisition, were fully perswaded, that the Popes power to depose Princes is a point of faith, & defined by the Church so to be, as Card. Bellarmine, and some few other especially Iesuits would enforce the Christian world to beleeue, and that they were able to conuince the same either by holy Scriptures, Apostolicall tradi∣tions, decrees of sacred Councels, or any other con∣uincing reason, they would forbeare to signifie the same, especially being so greatly vrged thereunto?

11. Besides the manner also of my Aduersaries handling this cōtrouersie, in corrupting my words, peruerting my meaning, concealing my answers, al∣tering the true state of the question, confounding the Readers vnderstanding with ambiguous words and sentences, and being requested to insist vpon any one place of holy Scripture, authoritie of sacred Coun∣cell, or any other Theologicall reason, which they shall thinke to be most conuincing, that thereby the controuersie may quickly bee at an end, their flying from one place of holy Scripture to another, from one Councell to another, from one Theologicall reason to another, their fallacious arguing from the facts of the Apostles, yea also and of those Prophets, who were no Priests, which were done miraculouslie, and by an extraordinarie power, or by the speciall com∣mand of Almightie God, to prooue the like ordina∣rie power to be in spirituall Pastours, from the pra∣ctises

of certaine Popes, who were resisted therein both by Christian Princes and people to inferre the practise of the Church, which is a congregation of all the faithfull &c. from the opinion of very many Doctours, or also of the Church onelie probably iudging or thinking, to conclude the faith of the Church firmely beleeuing or defining, from the Popes power to command temporals, to gather the Popes power to dispose of temporals, from the Popes power to impose temporall punishments to deduce a power in the Pope to inflict or vse temporall punish∣ments, or which is all one, to constraine with tem¦porall punishments, & from a power which is gran∣ted to the Church, as the Church is taken for the Christian world consisting both of temporall and spirituall power, to conclude the said power to be in the Church, as the Church is taken for the spiritual Kingdome of Christ, which consisteth only of spiri∣tuall power, and such like pittifull shifts to confound therby their Readers vnderstanding, & at the last, in regard either of their presence or preheminēce in the Court of Rome, to cause by their euill informa∣tion his Holinesse to consent to the forbidding of their Aduersaries bookes, that thereby neither their legerdemaine and fraudulent dealing may bee laid open to the view of the world, nor the Reader may see what we alledge against them, or in defence of our selues, but in that lame and corrupt manner, as they shal please to deliuer it, doth euidently shew, that they are not desirous to satisfie mens vnderstan∣dings, and to search and finde out the truth by a sin∣cere debating of this dangerous and difficult contro∣uersie,

but rather that they themselues doe suspect their owne cause, which because they haue once ta∣ken in hand to defend, they will per fas & nefas, by fraud and violence seeke still to maintaine. But truth will neuer be ouerthrowen, it may for a time by fraud and violence be suppressed, but maugre all the sleights of the impugners thereof, it will in the end preuaile.

Whereas my plaine, sincere, and perspicuous handling this question, and requesting my Aduer∣saries, that they will insist vpon any one text of holy Scripture, which shall seeme to them to be the most pregnant place, whether it be, whatsoeuer thou shalt loose, &c. Feed my sheepe. If you shall haue Secular iudgments &c. or any other; or vpon any one decree of Popes, or generall Coun∣cells, whether it be, can: Nos Sanctorum, Iura∣tos, Absolutos, or any other, whether it be the Councell of Trent, of Lyons, of Laterane, (which now of late is so greatly vrged by some, whereof in former times was made so small account for the proofe of this point,) or vpon any one Theologicall reason, which shall seeme to them to be the most vn∣answerable, whether it be taken from the subor∣dination of the temporall power to the spirituall, or from the necessitie of defending the Church, repressing haeresies, punishing wicked Princes, de∣fending innocent people, or from the promise which Christian Princes make to the Church, either in Baptisme, or at their Coronation, or any other which shall like them best, protesting withall,k 1.10 that if any man shall shew by any convincing reason

that the doctrine for the Popes power to depose Princes is a point of faith, and consequently the contrary not probable; I will presently yeeld, nei∣ther shall any hope of gaine, or feare of punishment withdraw me from embracing forthwith and pub∣lishing also the truth, doe sufficiently demonstrate, that my only desire is to finde out, and follow the truth in this controuersie, which doth so neerely touch our soules and saluation and our obedience due by the law of Christ to God, and our temporall Prince.

13 Wherefore my earnest request at this time, and vehement desire onely is, Deare Country∣men, that you will be pleased to examine diligently your spirituall, and temporall obedience, your dutie to GOD & CAESAR, and that you will be led and guided by true reason, and not caried away by blinde affection, hope of preferment and credit, or feare of disgrace and want, and not to be desirous so to please the Pope, as to neglect your dutie, and obedience, which by the command of Christ, and vnder paine of eternall damnation you owe to your temporall Prince. Be not deceiued, God is not mocked. Coeca obedientia, blinde obedience in this case is dangerous, and damnable, and your ignorance herein, you hauing now so iust cause to doubt, and therefore, according to the doctrine of all Diuines, are bound to examine the truth, will be affected, grosse, wilfull, and culpable, like to that, whereof the Prophet spake,l 1.11 Noluit intelligere vt bene ageret, hee would not vnderstand that he might doe well. For although it be lawfull,

and also very commendable to obey your Superi∣ours command, without examining what authoritie he hath to impose vpon you such a command, when by obeying, you incurre no danger of disobeying God, of wronging your neighbour, whom by the law of God you are bound not to wrong, or of diso∣beying another Superiour, whom by the law of God you are bound also to obey, yet this is also certaine, that when there is a controuersie, that your obey∣ing an earthly Superiour is a disobedience to God, or a rebellion against another supreme Superiour, whom God hath commanded you to obey, vnlesse you duely examine the matter, and in what manner by obeying that earthly Superiour, although it be the Pope, you doe not disobey God, nor commit rebellion against your Prince, whom God com∣mandeth you to obey, no pretence of aduancing Ca∣tholike Religion, of deuotion to the See Aposto∣like, or of any other good end whatsoeuer can ex∣cuse you from committing a mortall sinne.

14 The pretence of furthering the common good, of aduancing Catholike Religion, of depres∣sing haeresies, of punishing wicked Princes, of de∣fending innocent people, and such like, may be co∣lourable clokes to excuse many damnable and deui∣lish attempts, many wicked backbytings, slāderings, and other wrongs both by words and deeds, as by late experience may be seene in the execrable mur∣thers of the two most Christian Kings of France, in the abhominable Conspiracie of the Powder Traitours, in the vncharitable proceedings against the Appellants, and those who fauoured them, and

and now against those Catholikes, who do any waies fauour the Oath, (to omit many other exorbitant dealings vnder this pretence of furthering the common good, which if it were needfull I could make manifest) but assure your selues that neither good ends are sufficient to excuse bad practises, nor the zeale of the person is a sufficient warrant to iu∣stifie all his actions, nor iniustice is to be done to any man be he neuer so wicked.

15 Call to minde, I beseech you, the doctrine of the ancient Fathers, and the practise of the pri∣mitiue Church, obserue the causes of the beginning and increase of this practise, and doctrine for the Popes power to depose Princes, and the continuall contradiction thereof, and you shall finde, that no man of any learning can perswade his conscience, that this doctrine is certaine, and of faith. For the zeale of Pope Gregorie the seuenth, the wicked∣nesse of Henry the fourth Emperour, the discord of the German Princes, the riches of the Countesse Mathildis, the warlike forces of the Nortmans, and the desire of all men that the Emperour might be restrained from doing such euills, were the first occasions,m 1.12 that this doctrine began first to bee practised by the said Pope Gregorie, and after∣wards, it being in regard of the strangenesse there∣of, so greatly contradicted, iustified by him to bee lawfull, for which cause it was by Onuphriusn 1.13 cal∣led, a thing not heard of before that age, and by Sigebert a learned, and vertuous Catholike, and no Schismatike, as I will proue beneatho 1.14, it was taxed of noueltie, not to say of heresie, and confu∣ted

by him at large.

16 Secondly, the aduancing of them, who did maintaine this doctrine, the depressing of those, who did impugne it, the suppressing of Bookes, and the threatning of Ecclesiasticall Censures, which neuer∣thelesse if they be vniust, are not of force in thep 1.15 Court of Conscience, and the indiligence of tem∣porall Princes to maintaine their Soueraigntie (the causes whereof I dare not presume to examine) be∣sides the former reasons, and pretence of aduancing Catholike religion &c. were the chiefe causes, why the defenders of this doctrine, did so increase in number from the time of Pope Gregorie the 7. in comparison of those who did impugne it. But if temporall Princes would yet be pleased, to vse here∣after those meanes to defend their right, and Soue∣raigntie, which Popes haue heretofore, and doe continually vse to maintaine their pretended tem∣porall authoritie ouer Kings and Princes, to depose them, to dispose of their temporalls &c. in order to spirituall good, I do not doubt, but that the streame of Doctors would quickly turne backward, and my Aduersaries would haue small cause to brag (consi∣dering especially the weaknesse of their grounds, and that their doctrine is ouerswaied by authoritie, and not by reason) that so many Authors fauour the Popes power to depose Princes, and so few the right of Princes not to bee deposed by the Pope.

17 Neuerthelesse it is also manifest, that it hath euer been contradicted by Christian Princes and people, and notwithstanding the foresaid motiues,

and also the feare that some might haue, lest wicked Princes might be in some sort incouraged to perse∣uere in euill by impugning that doctrine, which see∣med to be a bridle to restraine their bad purposes) it hath continually been impugned, disproued, and con∣futed by learned Catholikes, as I haue cleerely proued in this Treatise. And therefore remember, into what danger of soule, bodie, and temporall fortunes, you (for want of reading and due examining,) doe throw headlong your selues, and many innocent men, who doe follow your example and counsell, for the which at the day of iudgement you are to make a most strict account, where no fauour of Man can helpe you, and willfull ignorance will not excuse you, but condemne you, and it will be too late to say then Non putaram, vnlesse you doe now, abstracting from all humane affection & respects, examine duely what dutie you beare God and Caesar, what obedience you owe to the Pope, and your temporall Prince.

18 But perhaps some of you will demand, how can you by reading examine this controuersie, seeing that the Bookes, which treate thereof are forbidden by the Pope? In answer to this I will onely pro∣pound at this time to your prudent considerations, whether if there should arise a controuersie betwixt the Pope, and a temporall Prince concerning the title to any kingdome, especially which that temporall Prince hath in his possession (as there is betwixt the Pope, and the King of Spaine touching the King∣domes of Naples, and Sicilie) the Pope hath au∣thoritie to command that temporall Prince, and his Subiects not to read, and pervse those euidences,

which doe make in fauour of his owne title, but onely those euidences, which doe proue the Popes title?

19 Now if the reason, why my bookes are forbid∣den by the Pope, (or rather by the euill information, importunitie, and iudiciall sentence of Card. Bellar∣mine, against whom, as my principall Aduersa∣rie in this cause, I did write both my Apologie for the right of Princes, and also my Theologicall Disputation concerning the oath of Allegiance, which two bookes are onely forbidden, and who ther∣fore was pleased to bee an Accuser, Witnesse, and Iudge, in his owne cause) be, for that they doe fauor the oath of Allegiance, and impugne the Popes power to depose Princes, (as all my Aduersaries confesse, that for this cause they are forbidden to bee read) then you may cleerely perceiue, that therefore my bookes are forbidden, for that they doe shew, and declare the euidences, which doe make for the right and title of temporall Princes, and their right not to be depriued, or thrust out of their kingdomes by the Popes pretended authoritie, but especially of our So∣ueraigne, whose case concerning this point is more singular, and concerneth him more neerely, conside∣ring the opposition betwixt him, and the Popes Holi∣nesse, with whom he is not linked in vnitie of religi∣on and friendship, then it doth concerne other Chri∣stian Princes, who haue not the like reason to feare tumults, rebellions, and Powder-treasons, vnder pre∣tence of restoring Catholike religion in their Coun∣trey, and of hauing the Popes expresse or virtuall li∣cence for the same; which prohibition of the Pope

to forbid such kinde of bookes, how far it can binde either those Princes, to whom it belongeth by the law of God and nature to defend their Soueraigntie, or else their Subiects, who also by the same Lawe of God and nature are bound to examine the reasons and euidences of their Princes title, authoritie, and Soue∣raigntie, least that for want of due examination they should deny to God, or Caesar, that which is their due, I remit to the prudent consideration of any iudi∣cious Catholike man.

20 Lastly, consider, I pray you, the manifold wrongs, which for the loue and paines I haue taken for your sakes, I haue receiued from diuerse of you, whom I could name, if it were needfull, both in re∣prochfull words, and vncharitable deeds, not besee∣ming, I will not say, Religious Priests, but morall honest men. For long before I did put pen to paper, I had throughly examined this controuersie, and all which in my iudgement could bee obiected on ei∣ther side, and for my owne part I was fully settled in my opinion; but perceiuing all men to bee silent in a matter of such importance, and necessitie as this is, and which also concerneth vs all, the zeale, affection, and dutie, which I bare to Catholike Religion, to the See Apo∣stolike, and to my Prince and Countrey, with a vehement desire, that the truth in this impor∣tant controuersie, which concerneth our obedi∣ence, which by the command of Christ, wee owe to GOD and Caesar, to the Popes Holinesse, and to our temporall Soueraigne, compelled mee first to write, and now also to continue, for which

although I shall hereafter suffer, as hitherto I haue done, reproch, infamie, disgrace, losse of friends, and other euils, yet I will still pray for my persecu∣tors, and remit my cause to GOD aboue, assu∣ring my selfe, that in time conuenient he will in this world, or the next, or both, be a iust Iudge reuen∣ger, Protector, and re∣warder of the Innocent.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Lib 6 De∣fens. Fidei fere ••er totum.
• b 1.2

  In the end of his Preface.
• c 1.3

  Math. 22.
• d 1.4

  Tom. 2. lib. 11 cap q. 5.8.
• e 1.5

  See beneath part. 1. cap. 1.
• f 1.6

  Cap. 10. sec. 2. nu. 32. & seq.
• g 1.7

  Cap. 10. sec. 2 nu. 47.48.
• h 1.8

  In his Apo∣logie pag. 7. num. 5.
• i 1.9

  Disput. The olog. in the Epistle to his Holinesse.
• k 1.10

  In Resp: A∣pologet. nu•• 1.
• l 1.11

  Psal: 35.
• m 1.12

  See beneath part: 1. cap: 6. nu: 24.
• n 1.13

  See in the place aboue c••ted.
• o 1.14

  Part: 1. cap. 6. num. 20. & seq.
• p 1.15

  Suarez de Censuris Disp. 4. sec. 7. nu. 2. 4. 23. & seq.