The envy of the Popiſh Prelates.
H. Stalbridge h•s Epiſt: printed at Baſill.1. AS the preſtigious Prieſts in their Woolfe-like ravening under Romes crueltie, Ann. 1530. were as deceitfull as craftie foxes; in whoſe dens were bred ſuch cruel Adders as have ever ſince carried ſtings in their tails to oppreſſe the Church of God, So are thoſe Foxes whelps now become not onely as ſubtile as their Dammes, but as cruell as their Sires in their ſubtilties.
2. In that Reforming Parliament,Rho, Mors his Lamentation, title of Ch. 23 B. Hall his Remonſtrance, & Replies, and any of them all will now confeſſe it. the Prelates pretended to be fearfull of the deſtruction of the Church, and the ceaſing of that glory in which this Kingdome then was, and therefore pretended to take great care for both. And thus do our Prelates imitate them; if we remove them and their Diſcipline, they traduce us to beleeve, there will never be any ſettlement in the Church of England, and if they be taken from their palaces, and dignities, all the glory of this Nation will be eclipſed.
Hol. Chronicle Prelates like Satan can transform themſelves in•o Angels of light.But for all the crueltie of thoſe Romiſh Woolfes that were then reſident in this Iſland, yet were they ſuch ſubtile foxes, that when they ſaw that the Romane juriſdiction was contemptible, they then put upon them the skins of thoſe Lambes which before they had devoured, as if2 they had been thoſe harmleſſe ones: they joyned, a…they had been both aſſociates, and aſſiſtants in the work; and therefore pretended not onely to write, but to ſwear ſolemnly againſt that Romane juriſdiction; nay they would pretend any thing, and transform themſelves into any ſhape, ſo they might but hold their livings, and be permitted in their dominions, and dignities, as they did Anno 1534. And juſt of their diſpoſition are our Prelates now,Th•y are apparant by the Proteſtation, enemies. for whereas (as who will may clearly enough perceive) that they are more cruell now againſt the poore Proteſtants, then any woolfes: witneſſe their crueltie (to their power) executed in their Courts, their forwardnes againſt the Proteſtants in Scotland, to work their overthrow;The Pr•l•tes were willing to help againſt Scotland, but have no pi•y to the poore Proteſtants in Ireland to help them H. S••Epiſt. their backwardneſſe to have the poore diſtreſſed Proteſtants in Ireland relieved, or the Rebels there ſubdued: they would give great ſummes to devoure the Proteſtants in Scotland or England, or any where indeed; But where is one of them now, that will part with any thing to haſten the expedition againſt the cruell Adders, and viperous Rebels in Ireland, that have crept from under the Rubbiſh of their heaps, that have been bred in their dwellings, And yet now they ſee the whole Land to lament for theſe poore diſtreſſed Proteſtants in Ireland, they dare not be ſo bold as to make a ſhew of ſiding with the Rebels, but we may eaſily perceive what lies at their hearts, when the Scots roſe, they ſoon procured them to be proclamed Rebels; but now the Devill and Rome, and Prelates, and Papiſts, and Rebels, riſe in Ireland, they never ſollicite the King for any ſuch matter (I warrant you.) They ſit in Parliament, and they will make a ſhew to the world to joyn with the Parliament in the great work they are about. But have we not juſt cauſe to complain againſt them, that they are but as knots in the thread that ſhould ſew up the Seames and Rents of theſe Kingdomes, and yet they ſit as Agents in the work; And what hath been done there, they (but how unwillingly who doth not know) have aſſented to? Nay, they3 have taken the Oath too,Prelates took the Proteſtation onely to colour and daube over their Popery and Innovations. in which they have proteſted againſt all Popery, and Popiſh Innovations; they have grown braſen faced ever ſince, they are hardned now, they have got whores foreheads; and inſtead of ſcarlet bluſh (which they affect well enough too) they have got black and white obſtinacy, and will be daunted with nothing. And yet indeed now as the caſe ſtands, they are willing a while to preach, they will be ruled by the Parliament, they will forſake their Canon Law, they will be the Kings Biſhops, they will ſtoop to any thing now, ſo they may abide in their livings, and enjoy their dominions and dignities, which if they be let alone, they hope in ſhort time to riſe up again as high as ever.
4. Now if we do but examine the matter,B. of Martyrs, Rh. M•. Ch. 23 we ſhall finde how deceitfull thoſe Prelates were. For after they had thus bound themſelves by their own cords,Foxes Acts and Monuments. See Tho. W•lf. Ypodigma Neuſtriae, Ann. 1371.1.132. and paſt it over as before, which they did to make the King and State beleeve, that the Popes juriſdiction, and all Popery was utterly baniſhed out of England, and that all was now ſetled for the conforming of the Proteſtant Church here; But ſee how both the King and the State was deceived by them; a company of baſe diſſembling Prelates (that they were) for the very ſame day they both by word and letter, at home, and abroad, took all occaſions to draw back King Hen. the 8. his Highneſſe from Reformation.
And are not our Prelates now as falſe as they? who for all they have paſſed the Oath, and proteſted againſt Popery, and entred into Covenant with the Lord by the ſaid Proteſtation, to make the King and State beleeve,Prelates are Juglers, even the moſt moderne of them are faultie therein. B. Hal Arch. B. of York, &c. that all Popery was baniſhed from their hearts, yet how have they juggled in the buſineſſe, and dealt deceitfully with us already, even ſince their Proteſtation. Themſelves ſtill maintain their former Popiſh dominions, and government, and diſcipline; many and great points of Popiſh doctrine, labouring to binde mens conſciences to obſerve their Liturgie, and many of their Innovations;4 and thoſe of them in whom was the greateſt hopes (if any:) One hath ſince purchaſed an Archbiſhoprick,How notorious is their Proteſtation againſt the high and hono••ble Aſſembly in Parliament, Decemb. 30. 1641. and what his Adherents be, the exploytes of his Abbey-lubbers can teſtifie: And is it not too apparantly manifeſt to us all, how active the whole body of the Popiſh Prelates have been againſt Reformation: Have not they beene the greateſt trouble both to his Majeſty, and both the Houſes of Parliament hitherto in the great Work they are about.
5. On the other hand,8. Martyrs, Ep•ſt of Gr. F. La Iſ. Cr. thoſe Prelates, Anno 1540. did procure Injunctions and Articles, with penalties attended; and themſelves ſate in Commiſſion, and were the chief proſecutors of ſuch as withſtood them. And is not the ſpirit of our Popiſh Prelates at this day ſo qualified alſo?
The Prelates labour to hinder Reformation all they can.Have they not alreadie procured votes in the Vpper Houſe for the ſtrict obſervance of their Liturgie, and a Proclamation from the Kings Majeſtie alſo, have they not taken all the pains, and made all the friends they can, and uſed all the policy that they can invent, to have Reformation broken off, and their tyranny to be brought on foot again; have they not (even at this day) ſet the Land in a great fear of them? Witneſſe Decem, 30. 1641.
6. Their attempts afterward appeared more plain, to be both againſt the King, the Queen, the State, the Church:Queen Katherine Par, Earl Cromwel, &c. yea and the whole Land too; for all their pretences, and deceitfull boaſtings: They appeared to be but Woolfes in Fox skins, for they were the chief cauſe then in attempting of the death of the Queen, of ſome good Nobles, and many faithfull ſubjects beſides.
They by their dealings with us expoſe both King, Queen, Prince, Parliament. &c. to danger.And our Prelates are their right ſhapen ſons, qualified with as blood thirſtie ſpirits as they; Do they not to this day expoſe the whole Land to danger for them, ſparing neither King, Queen, Prince, States, Parliament, Church, nor the whole land? Do they not more earneſtly ſolicite for ſeven condemned Ieſuites, then for the poore diſtreſſed Kingdome of Ireland? nay doth it not eaſily appeare,5 that they had rather expoſe us all to the mercileſſe cruelty of the Popiſh, then themſelves to be bereft of their Pope-like domineering.
They are blood ſuckers.In a word, how do the Papiſts Prelates in Ireland ſuck the Engliſh Proteſtant blood there? And how do the Engliſh. Prelates labour daily to make England to become a ſlaughter houſe to them, that therby they may ſhare our blood amongſt them, and ſo we become their prey.
7. King Henry his Prelates cauſed divers godly Citizens of London, and other Miniſters,Engliſh Cro. B. Martyr. and godly people to bee impriſoned; caſt into the fiery flames, and ſtirred up the State againſt them, even at the ſame time, when others died for executing their office under the Pope, and adhering to the Biſhop of Rome.
They are Jeſuites friends, but Proteſtants enemiesAnd at this day when ſuch care is taken againſt Popiſh Prieſts and Ieſuites (as God be thanked there is) and ſome have ſuffered: and if it were not for the Prelates, doubtleſſe the others would alſo: yet how doe our Prelates enveigh againſt the City, and divers godly Miniſters, and people of God, witneſſe Ireland, who hath been the cauſe that Kingdom had relief no ſooner: Was it not the Engliſh Prelates? Who was it that ſtirred up the Conſtables about Weſtminſter, to withſtand the City, was it nor they? Do not they agree in Parliament with the votes of the Popiſh Lords againſt Reformation?
They would take upon them to ſettle the Land, a fine way to bring in Popery, if they could obtain it.Oh how they take upon them, how they could ſettle the Land in quietneſſe, when as themſelves have beene the boyſterous winds that have ſo diſturbed our waves; yet they boaſt, that if the Puritans, and Browniſts, and ſome Sectaries, as they call them, were cut off, and ſome of the Citizens, oh then the Land would be quiet. And this they do to the end that they might gain an opportunitie againe to ſhare the Romiſh government of the Land amongſt themſelves; which could they obtaine, they would ſo reduce us, that they would ſoon reduce the Land to Popery, and (we may juſtly fear) bring us under as much cruelty as ever Queen Maries Prelates, or King6 Henry 8. his Prelates ſubdued them. Therfore I conclude with Rodericke Morſe in his Lamentation, Oh England England,The Concluſion. if thou wilt baniſh Antichriſt, and the Pope out of this Realm, thou muſt fell downe to the ground thoſe rotten Poaſts the Biſhops: (which be clouds without moiſture) and utterly aboliſh all and every his ungodly Laws, Decrees, Traditions, and Ceremonies, without ſignifications;No ſ•curity can be expected till they be removed. for they do but wait for a time, to rob ſome Nobleman of his wit. And this is certain, that as the Pope is enemie to the Goſpel, ſo be his children the leſſer Biſhops; therfore they cannot be ſuffered thus to reign, except we be partakers of their iniquitie•and ſpillers with them of the blood of the Righteous.