THE CATHOLIKES SVPPLICATION.

Most puissant Prince, and orient Monarch,

1 SVch are the rare perfections
and admirable gifts
of wisedome, prudence,
valour and iustice, wherewith
the bountifull hand
of Gods diuine Maiestie
hath endued your Maiestie,
as in the depth of
your prouident iudgement, we doubt not but you
foresee what concerneth both the spirituall and
temporall gouernment of all your kingdomes and
dominions.
2 Notwithstanding your Graces most afflicted
subiects and deuoted seruants, the Catholikes of
England, partly to preuent sinister informations,
which happily may possesse your sacred eares, before
our answere be heard; partly almost as men
ouerwhelmed with persecutions for our consciences,
we are enforced to haue speedie recourse in
hope of present redresse from your Highnesse, and
to present these humble lines vnto your royall person
to pleade for vs some commiseration and fauour.
3 What alleageance or dutie can any temporall
Prince desire or expect at his vassals hands,
which wee are not addressed to performe? How
many Noble-men and worthie Gentlemen, most
zealous in the Catholike Religion, haue endured,
some losse of lands and liuings, some exile, others
imprisonment, some the effusion of bloud and life
for the aduauncement of your blessed Mothers
right vnto the scepter of Albion? Nay, whose
finger did euer ake, but Catholikes, for your Maiesties
present title and dominion?
4 How many fled to your Court offering
themselues as hostages for their friends, to liue and
die in your Graces quarrell, if euer Aduersarie had
opposed himself against the equitie of your cause?
If this they attempted with their Princes disgrace,
to obtaine your Maiesties grace; what will
they doe? nay, what will they do, to liue without
disgrace in your Graces fauour?
5 The maine of this Realme, if we respect Religion
setting pettie sects aside consisteth vpon
foure parts: Protestants, who haue dominiered
all the former Queenes daies: Puritanes, who haue
crept vp apace among them: Atheists or Polititians,
who were bred vpon their brawles and contentions
in matters of faith: And Catholikes,
who as they are opposite to all, so are they detested
of all, because Errour was euer an enemie to
Truth.
6 Hardly al, or any of the first, two, three can be
suppressed: and therefore we beseech your Maiestie
to yeeld vs as much fauour, as others of
contrarie religion to that which shall be publikely
professed in England shall obtaine at your hands.
For if our fault be like, or lesse, or none at all; in
equitie, our punishment ought to be like, or lesse, or
none at all.
7 The Gates, Arches, and Pyramides of France
proclaimed the present King Pater patriæ & pacis
restitutor, because that kingdome being well nigh
torne in pieces with ciuill warres, and made a pray
to forraine foes, was by his prouident wisedome
and valour acquited in it selfe, and hostile strangers
expelled; the which he principally effected by
condescending to tolerate them of an aduerse religion,
to that was openly professed.
8 Questionlesse, dread Soueraigne, the kingdome
of England, by cruell persecution of Catholikes,
hath been almost odious to all Christian
Nations: Trade and traffique is decayed, warres
and bloud hath seldome ceased, Subsidies and
taxes neuer so many, discontented mindes innumerable;
all which your Maiesties princely conniuencie
to your humble Suppliants, the afflicted
Catholikes, will easily redresse, especially at your
Highnesse ingresse. Si loquaris ad eos verba lenia,
erunt tibi serui cunctis diebus, said the sage Counsellors
of Salomon to Rehoboam. For enlargement after
affliction resembleth a pleasant gale after a vehement
tempest: and a benefit in distresse doubleth
the value thereof.
9 How gratefull will it bee to all Catholike
Princes abroad, and honourable to your Maiestie,
to vnderstand how Queene Elizabeths seueritie
is chaunged into your royall clemencie: and that
the lenitie of a man reedified that which the misinformed
anger of a woman destroyed: That the
Lion rampant is passant, whereas the passant had
been rampant? How acceptable shall all your subiects
be to all Catholike countries, who are now almost
abhorred of all, when they shall perceiue
your Highnes prepareth not pikes and prisons for
the professours of their faith, but permitteth them
Temples and Altars for the vse of their Religion?
Then shall wee see with our eyes and touch with
our fingers that happie benediction of Esay in this
land, that swords are changed into ploughs, and
launces into fithes. And all Nations admiring vs
will say, Hi sunt semen cui benedixit Dominus.
10 We request no more fauour at your Graces
hands, then that wee may securely professe that
Catholike Religion, which all your happie Predecessours
professed, from Donaldus the first conuerted,
vnto your Maiesties peerelesse Mother last
martyred.
11 A Religion venerable for antiquitie, maiesticall
for amplitude, constant for continuance,
irreprehensible for doctrine, inducing to all kinde
of vertue and pietie, disswading from all sinne
and wickednes. A Religion beloued by all primitiue
Pastours, established by all Oecumenicall
Councels, vpheld by all ancient Doctors, maintained
by the first and most Christian Emperours, recorded
almost alone in all Ecclesiasticall Histories,
sealed with the bloud of millions of Martyrs, adorned
with the vertues of so many Confessors, beautified
with the puritie of thousands of Virgines, so
conformable to naturall sense and reason, and finally
so agreeable to the sacred text of Gods word
and Gospell. The free vse of this Religion wee request,
if not in publike Churches, at least in priuate
houses; if not with approbation, yet with toleration,
without molestation.
12 Assure your Grace that howsoeuer some
Protestants or Puritanes, incited by morall honestie
of life, or innated instinct of nature, or for feare
of some temporal punishment, pretend obedience
vnto your Highnes lawes; yet certainly the onely
Catholikes for conscience sake obserue them. For
they defending that Princes precepts and statutes
oblige no subiect vnder the penaltie of sinne,
will little care in conscience to transgresse them
which principally are tormented with the guilt of
sinne. But Catholikes confessing merite in obeying,
and demerite in transgressing, cannot but in
soule be grieuously tortured, at the least preuarication
thereof.
13 Wherefore most mercifull Soueraigne, wee
your long afflicted subiects, in all dutifull submission,
protest before the Maiestie of God and all
his holie Angels, as loyall obedience and as immaculate
alleageance vnto your Grace, as euer did
faithful subiects in England or Scotland vnto your
Highnes progenitours; and intend as sincerely
with our goods and liues to serue you, as euer did
the loyallest Israelites King Dauid, or the trustie legions
the Romane Emperours.
14 And thus expecting your Maiesties customarie
fauour and gracious bountie, wee rest your
deuoted Suppliants to him whose hands doe manage
the hearts of Kings, and with reciprocate
mercie will requite the mercifull.

Your sacred Maiesties most
deuoted Seruants,

The Catholikes of
England.

THE PROTESTANTS COVNTERPOYSE.

Most puissant Prince and mightie Monarch,

1 SVch are the rare perfections
and admirable gifts of wisedome,
prudence, valour, iustice,
religion and godlinesse,
wherwith the bountiful hand
of Gods diuine Maiestie hath
endued your Maiestie, as in the depth of your prouident
iudgement, we doubt not but you foresee
what concerneth both the spirituall and temporall
gouernment of al your kingdoms and dominions.
2 Notwithstanding your Graces most faithfull
subiects and deuoted seruants, the Protestants of
England, partlie to preuent sinister suggestions against
the peace of our Church and Common-wealth,
which happily might importune your sacred Maiestie:
partly almost not long sithence as men in danger
to be exposed as a pray vnto the enemie, to be ouerwhelmed
with persecutions for our consciences,
we are inforced to haue speedie recourse for present
redresse from your Highnesse, and to present
these humble lines vnto your royall person, to
pleade for vs your Maiesties gratious fauour and princely
patronage.
3 What alleageance or dutie can any King or
earthly Prince desire or expect at his vassals hands,
which we either doe not presently yeeld, or are not addressed
to performe? How many Noble-men and
worthie Gentle-men, most zealous in the true Christian
Religion, haue euer specially respected your Maiesties
sacred person? How many haue most carefully & religiously,
for conscience sake, in our late soueraigne Queene
Elizabeth, of blessed memorie, her happie dayes, for the
satisfying of their owne dutie, and the establishing of the
ignorant and doubtfull mindes of their friends and fauourites,
priuately without contention, breach of law, or
disloyaltie to their Prince, conferred together and explicated
your highnes iust and lawfull title, for the aduancement
of your successiue right vnto the Scepter
of Albion. Nay, who euer trauersed, but Protestants,
for your Maiesties present title & dominion?
4 If this they did in the life of our late Soueraigne,
not to flatter and dissemble with your Grace, but for
iustice and equitie, for truth and conscience cause: what
will they doe? nay, what will they not doe, to
liue in grace, without molestation or disgrace in your
Graces fauour? Now therefore the hereditarie right
of the Scepter, being lawfully deuolued vnto your Maiestie,
who is he amongst vs, that will not flie vnto your
Court offering himselfe as hostage for his friends,
to lose lands and liuings, to the effusion of his dearest
blood, to liue and die in your Graces quarrell, if euer
aduersarie shall once dare to oppose himselfe against
the equitie of your cause?

B

5 The maine of this Realme, if we respect Religion,
consisteth vpon two parts: Papists, who in the
latter yeares of our late Queenes time, by generall
neglect in executing of good lawes and the slumber of
iustice, haue crept vp apace amongst vs: And Protestants,
who as they are opposit to the Papists; so are
they detested of them: because Errour was euer an
enemie to Truth.
6 These two cannot possibly stand together; For
what fellowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes?
And what communion hath light with darknes? what
concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath the
beleeuer with the Infidell; the Christian Protestant, with
the Popish Idolatour? And therefore we beseech
your Maiestie to affoord vs as much fauour, as other
Princes of contrarie religion to that which is publikely
professed in England doe yeeld vnto their
Subiects. Other Princes tolerate no Protestants to liue
and serue their God in spirit and Truth, amongst their
Popish Subiects: And we hope your Maiestie will tolerate
no Papists to liue and to blaspheme our God with Idolatrie
and false worship among your Christian Subiects:
For if our case be like, or better then theirs is; in equitie,
our vsage ought to be like, or better then theirs is.
7 The Gates, arches, and pyramides of Fraunce
proclaimed the present King Pater patriæ & pacis
restitutor, because that kingdome being welnigh
torne in peeces with ciuill warres, and made a pray
to forraine foes, was by his prouident wisedome
and valor, acquited in it selfe, and hostile strangers
expelled; the which he principally effected, by
adiudging the Iesuites, the firebrands of sedition and

B2

rebellion, to perpetuall exile out of his kingdome. So shall
your Highnes be truely called Pater patriæ & fidei defensor,
if you vindicate your owne sacred Person from
the treacherous attempts of hollow hearted Subiects, your
Realmes from the inuasions and assaults of forraine foes,
and the Maiestie of the euerliuing God, from being blasphemed
and profaned by vile Idolatours: all which
you shall wisely and valorously effect, by adiudging seditious
Iesuites, treacherous Priests, and all their Schollers
the stirrers vp of commotions and broyles, to perpetuall
banishment out of your kingdoms and dominions.
8 Questionlesse, dread Soueraigne, the kingdoms
of England and Ireland, by vnnaturall, disloyall
and traiterous practises of cruell Romish Catholikes,
haue been almost wasted, and made a spectacle to all
Christian Nations. Trade and traffike is much decayed,
warres and blood hath seldome ceased, subsidies
and taxes neuer so many, discontented
mindes innumerable; all which your Maiesties
princely regard of the humble sute of your deuoted
Suppliants, the faithfull Protestants, will easily redresse,
especially at your Highnes ingresse. Si Iehouah
sit Deus ipse, sequere eum; sin autem istorum Baal,
sequere eum, was the wise counsaile of holy Eliah vnto
the people of Israel. But to admit of two contrarie Religions,
were to halte betweene two opinions.
9 How gratefull wil it be to all Christian Princes
abroade, and honorable to your Maiestie, to vnderstand
how Queene Elizabeths sinceritie is continued
by your royall constancie, and that the courage of
a man reedified that which the not-informed Iustice
of a woman winked at? That the Lyon rampant

B3

trampleth vnder foote the enemies of God and his truth,
of their Prince and Countrie; whereas the passant had
been nothing lesse then rampant? How acceptable
shall all your subiects be to all Christian countries,
who lately feared the apostasie of your kingdomes, when
they shall perceiue your highnesse still maintaineth
true Religion, and permitteth not Idolatrous Papists to
perturbe & molest the sincere professors of the true faith,
or to prophane the worship of God, by profession and vse
of their superstition. Then shall we see with our eyes,
and touch with our fingers that happie benediction
of Esay in this land, that swords are changed
into ploughes, and launces into sithes: And all
Nations admiring vs will say, Hi sunt semen, cui benedixit
dominus.
10 We request no more fauour at your Graces
hands, then that you would compell all your Subiects to
seeke the Lord and his face continually; that you would
prohibit Idolatrie, represse blasphemie, abolish false worship,
and cause all, within your dominions, to embrace
that onely true religion which your happie predecessors
King Edward the sixt, & Queene Elizabeth of blessed
and famous memorie, constantly maintained; yea which
also your sacred Maiestie hath euer hitherto with singular
constancie, and doth now zealously and sincerely professe.
11 A Religion venerable for antiquitie, maiesticall
for comely order, admirable for power and vertue,
certaine for truth, irreprehensible for Doctrine,
inducing to all kind of vertue and pietie, disswading
from all sinne and wickednes. A religion approued
by God himselfe, allowed by his wisedome, and
confirmed by his holy spirit, rooted in the elect, beloued
of all primitiue pastours, established, by the best Oecumenicall
councels, vpheld by all ancient Doctours,
maintained by the first and most christian
Emperours, recorded in the holy Scriptures, sealed
with the blood of millions of Martyrs, and constantly
professed by all holy confessors, that neuer was
doubted of but by her enemies, neuer saw change but of
Heretikes, being the onely Religion that is taught in
Gods sacred word and Gospell. Popish Idolatrie it is
that we craue to be repressed, if not by a new decree, at
leastwise by strict execution of such good lawes that in
such cases are alreadie enacted.
12 Assure your Grace that howsoeuer some Papists
incited by morall honestie of life, or innated
instinct of nature, or for feare of some temporall
punishment, pretend obedience vnto your highnes
lawes; yet certainely the onely Protestants for
conscience sake obserue them. For they defending
these daungerous and damnable propositions. 1. That
the Pope hath power to excommunicate Kings. 2. That
he hath power to absolue subiects from their faith and
alleageance. 3. That the Pope may depose Princes from
their Scepter and Crowne, and giue the same vnto another.
4. That any priuate man may be made executioner
to murther or to poyson the excommunicated King.
5. That faith must not be kept with Heretikes. 6. That
whosoeuer is not within the communion of the Romish
Church is an Heretike, and consequently that your highnes
is such a one. 7. That no Cleargie-man can commit
treason against any temporall King, because he is not
the Kings subiect, but the Popes; and such like: care not
in conscience, at the Popes becke, nay thinke it high

C

merit, if he so commaund, not onely to transgresse your
lawes, but also to lay violent hands and to murder your
sacred Person, which God forbid. But Protestants, hauing
learned to giue vnto Cæsar the things of Cæsar,
and to God the things of God; and to obey the higher
powers, which are the ordinance of God, cannot but in
soule be grieuously tortured for the least preuarication
of the Magistrates iust, necessarie, or conuenient
lawes.
13 Wherefore most gracious Soueraigne, wee
your euer-faithfull subiects, in all dutifull submission,
vow and protest before the Maiestie of God
and all his holy Angels, as loyall obedience and as
immaculate alleageance vnto your Grace, as euer
did faithfull subiects in England or Scotland vnto
your highnes progenitors and predecessors; and intend
as sincerely with our goods and liues to serue
you, as euer did the loyallest Israelites King Dauid,
or the trustie legions the Romaine Emperours.
14 And thus, not doubting of your Maiesties constant
profession of true Religion, and godly care for the
rooting out of all Idolatrie, we rest your deuoted suppliants
to him whose hands doe mannage the
hearts of Kings, and with reciprocate Honor, will
honor them that honor him.

Your sacred Maiesties most
faithfull Seruants,

The Protestants of
England.