A Checke or reproofe of M. Howlets vntimely shreeching in her Maiesties eares , with an answeare to the reasons alleadged in a discourse therunto annexed , why Catholikes ( as they are called ) refuse to goe to church :

Wherein ( among other things ) the Papists traiterous and treacherous doctrine and demeanour towardes our Soueraigne and the State , is somewhat at large vpon occasion vnfolded : their diuelish pretended conscience also examined , and the foundation thereof vndermined . And lastly shewed that it is the duety of all true Christians and subiectes to haunt publike Church assemblies .

I Imprinted in London , at the three Cranes in the Vintree , by Thomas Dawson , for Toby Smyth . 1581.

IT is no maruell , though that Antichrist the Pope of Rome ( seeing his kingdome of darknesse decay apace in these dayes , and fearing the vtter ouerthrowe of it for euer ) being rowzed , bestirre himselfe as hee doth . He is in high place , & hath of some yeres growen too mightie in this world by his owne ambitious pride , and the grace hee hath founde in the eies of great princes and their people : God so iustly punishing mens ingratitude , towardes his maiestie . This lawlesse man therefore , of whom I speake , will no doubt leaue no meanes vnattempted , so long as hee may , to vpholde this his pompe and estate , whiche thing will not in these daies be perfourmed without much ado , especially when he cannot bee content to keepe himselfe within boundes , that is , as a Romane at home in his owne Citie and Countrie , where hee dwelleth , or as a Churche man in Church matters : but will needes roue ouer the worlde , sitting in Gods seate , and hauing ; an Oare in euery mans boate ( as they say ) yea and ruffle , euen among Monarques and great Princes , and that in , and for their kingdomes : giuing the same , taking , placing , displacing , disposing , &c. at his will and pleasure .

But playing thus his parte like himselfe , that is , so impudently and Godlesly , in the sight nowe of all the worlde bewraying himselfe to bee in deede that man of sinne that is prophesied of : Gods spirit on the other side , detecting and reuealing dayly 2. Thes. 2. vnto vs , by the cleare light of the Gospell , the treacherie and sleightes of this sonne of perdition : some , possible , may maruell howe hee shoulde finde fauour grace , and good liking , with any that beare but a shewe of godlinesse and honestie , sauing that , wee are sufficiently admonished afore hande , that the God of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of them that belesue Cor. 4. 4. not , that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christe Iesus , which is the image of God , should not shine vnto them . And againe , because they that perishe , haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued , therefore God will 2. Thes. 2. 10. 11. 12. sende them stronge delusion to 〈◊〉 lyes , that al may bee damned , which haue not beleeued the truth , &c. A necessary caueat , to stay vs in these troublesome dayes on Gods truth immoueable , and a iudgement of God with feare and trembling to be reuerensed of all .

So then , such thinges as wee see come to passe at this day , and set abrod for the vpholding of that beast the Pope of Rome and his rotten religion , ought so little to seeme strange vnto the faithfull , that being assured the Lorde will destroy that lawlesse 2. Thes. 2. 8. man , with the spirite of his mouth , & take him away by the appearing of his comming : We should take confort & incouragement therby , & manfully rather oppose our selues against him & his ministers , euery one in our calling , then bee any whit weakened by such accidents , & putting difference ( as we are taught ) Iude. ver. 22. 23. haue compassion of some , and saue other with feare , plucking them out of the fire , and hate euen the garment spotted by the fleshe . The moe stumbling blockes wee see Satan and his suppostes to cast before men , the more diligent and paineful ought we againe to be in setting our hands & shoulders to the worke for the remoouing thereof out of mens way , if God at any time will giue suche , as are intangled in the snares of the Diuell repentance to knowe the truth , leauing euer in good hope the successe to God and his blessing .

The consideration heereof , in confidence of Gods mercifull 〈◊〉 , mooued mee , though among his seruants of a thousande the vnfittest , whyle other bee otherwise occupied , to take in hande vppon request of diuers godly and well disposed , to answere a certaine seditious booke of late imprinted and set out to the viewe of the worlde , by I. Howlet the title whereof is : A briefe discourse containing certaine reasons , why Catholikes ( so hee calleth the earnest and hot Papistes heere in Englande , reconciled of late yeeres vnto the Pope ) refuse to goe to Churche , written by a learned & vertuous man , ( as hee saieth , ) to a friend of his in Englande , Whome hee nameth not , neither the one nor the other . Why not to her Maiestie : as these men vse to suppose , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . I. Howlet the madge How let highly schritchith an maketh an yll fauoured noyse to the Nightinghale whose melodie & pleasant note is knowen . and wee must beleeue what they say . The whole ( for the woorthinesse thereof forsooth , with a long Epistle Dedicatorie ) is offered by I. H. To the Queenes most excellent Maiestie : and printed as is pretended , at Doway , By Iohn Lyon with priuiledge . Though wee knowe it was printed , not at Doway , but in Englande , without priuiledge , or good leaue : yet wee may not say so , nor doubte of the other , such suppositions bee these Catholiques principles , wee may not cal them in question , nor iudge of them , they be aboue our reache .

For the Authours name of these reasons , because they list not to vtter the same , I am not curious , whether the same proceed from him that wrote the Dedicatory Epistle to her Maiestie or no , it is not greatly material , sauing , if they did not ; M. Howlet seemeth to doe his fellowe some iniurie , in taking out of his handes that which hee promiseth , in his booke in the second place to performe , and nowe omitteth , to wit : to shewe 〈◊〉 . 30. 68. 〈◊〉 . the way and meanes that Catholiques , ( as he calleth them ) haue , to remedie or ease themselues of this affliction now laide vpon them for their consciences , with reasons and motiues to induce her Maiesty the rather to tollerate them in their religion , in respect of God , her selfe , and her whole Realme . This peece of dealing with her Maiestie shoulde haue come after the treatise , sauing that M. Howlet , either doubting of the performance , or seeking that glorie , as one , loth to tarie so long , or for some other respect gleaning as appeareth from his friend , setteth the same out afore hande , and putteth it in the forefronte .

For I. Howlets person , who hath the chief dealing in publishing , & deliuering this whole matter vnto vs , as one supposed to be a good , faythfull , and stout proctour for the Popish Church , and a fit instrument to bring vs such an vnto warde and like a shrich Owle , sodenly and vntimely to make a great noyse in her Maiesties eares , or as hee in his fellowes names and vnluckie message vttereth it with his owne wordes . Wee crye out of the ryot , &c. Hee may issue from Pope Iohn the three and twentiethes spirit well inough , as one of that broode for the agreement that is betweene both . As for vs , wee may not dislike , nor maruel at this choyse of these fathers ( like Pope , like spirite ) the rather , for that wee reade , that this foule and vnluckie birde , I meane madge Howlet , hath aforetime waited vpon the Pope , and serued his vnholy holynesse , euen in counsell , as his familiar spirite , whiche is as worshipfull an office I tell you , as this carrier and letter bringer , serueth in now , howeuer the ill fauoured madge Howlet be wondred at among men , or other birdes , or be taken to be but an vnluckie messenger .

Let mee bee bolde with thee ( 〈◊〉 Reader ) for the satisfaction of some here , vpon such resemblance and agreement betweene the parties , and other circumstances : to set downe the olde storie of the madge Howlet , not taken out of newe writers 〈◊〉 . Flac. 〈◊〉 , De testibus 〈◊〉 . of these dayes , which yet haue faithfully and truely deliuered vs the same in wryting : as to leaue other , those reuerende and learned fathers Maister Iohn Bale in Latine , and Maister Iohn Foxe in Englishe our owne Countrey men haue done : 〈◊〉 . Baleus . De illustr. 〈◊〉 . Britan. Actes & 〈◊〉 . Tome , 1. 〈◊〉 . 705. & 706 Neuerthelesse , though I agree with them , and namely with Maister Foxes storie , and allowe the same , as fully agreeing heerein with the first Authour and truthe ( wrangle the aduersarie against those woorthie fathers worthye woorkes , as much as he list ) yet haue I thought good , to fetch this nowe , out of a worthye Doctour and Archdeacon of our aduersaries owne Church , called Nicholas de . Clamengiis , to whom maister Foxe honestly and truely sendeth vs , and with whom also I sawe the booke . This Nichol de Clamengiis , liuing in the time when the thing happened wrote the same . His booke also was since printed & publishd in a Popish time , a popish place , &c. That I say nothing of Orthuinus Gratius censure thereon , who being a popish priest , yet in setting this forth , among 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , in fasciculo rerum expetendarum 〈◊〉 fugiendarum . other things denieth not the truth heereof : So as the aduersarie cannot easily cauil . After this Archdeacon had declared the notoriousnesse of the matter , and the good testimonie hee had 〈◊〉 . De Clamengiis in collatione 2. 〈◊〉 per scriptum super materia Concilii Generalis , 〈◊〉 Scholasticum 〈◊〉 . thereof , thus setteth he vs downe the storie , aboue eight score yeeres since : Balthasar Cossa , sayth hee , about foure yeeres since , called a Councel at Rome &c.

Nowe ( at the entrie or before the first session of the 〈◊〉 ) when Masse for the holy Ghost , as the manner is , was done : and the Councel nowe were set , and Balthasar himselfe This was Pope Iohn the 23. in a chayre prouided for him on high aboue the rest , behold , a foule , vnluckie Owle , which is alwayes a messenger of Hee wrote this in the 〈◊〉 of the Councel of Constance about the yere of our Lord . 1414 Masse of the holy Ghost , at the beginning of the Councel . some corps , or other misfortune , as they say , commeth out of his hole , and flickering about with his shreeching noyse , stayes himselfe vpon the midle beame of S. Martines temple , where they sate in the Councell : casting his brode eyes directly vppon Balthasar . All there present , fel in a wonderment , that a night birde which shunneth the light , came in the middes of the assembly at brode day light , by which wonder and strange sight they did ( not without cause ) thinke some mischiefe to bee foreshewed . Behold , saide they , one to another softly , the spirit is come in the shape of an Owle . And when the rest looking one on an other , & vpon Balthasar , could scarsely forbear laughter , Balthasar himself ( vpon whome alone this madge Howlet , casting his eyes , stedfastly looked ) did blushe for shame , sweate for anger , and fretted in his minde : and at length , not knowing how to helpe otherwise this his so great disgrace , breaking vp the councell , arose , and went his way . There followed after another session wherein againe after the same maner , the madge Howlet , ( though as I thinke not called ) failed not to bee present , casting still his foule eyes vpon Balthasar , which m. Howlet , he seeing to be returned , was not without iust cause , more troubled and striken with shame than afore , and not being able to abide the sight of the madge Howlet any longer ; he commanded him to be beaten away with libbets and clubbes , and with crying noyse , but M. Howlet neuer a whit disquieted either with their shreeching noyse or other disturbaunce woulde not flie away , till with muche cudgeling at him , being very sore beaten , hee fell . downe dead before them all . These things ( saith our Authour ) learned I of a certaine faithfull , and trustie friende , who , at that time came straight and directly from Rome , of whiche I making doubt , by reason of the strangenesse thereof , my friende being very earnestly sworne ; Assured me , hee told mee that was moste true , and added further , that all that were present , were hereby brought into an vtter contempt , disdaine , and mocking of that councell , and the whole companie by little and little falling away , hee affirmed there was nothing at all there doone to any purpose . Thus farre Clamengius , cited very truely by maister Foxe .

For the Gentleman , the authours worshipfull friende ( as hee speaketh ) if there be any suche , and he not too farre gone , I wish him to bee aduised , and take heede , what scholemaisters hee betake his conscience to be framed by , the matter is of no small importance , let him at leastwise without preiudicate opinion heare and reade both sides before hee iudge , or thruste himselfe too farre ouer the shoes : for our part ( what euer opinion the aduersaries bee of , ) leauing the rest to hym that is aboue , wee desire no more at his handes : this is it wee haue from the beginning , and many a day sought and requested . If hee will heare this counsell , hee shall first see that wee drawe him not from the Pope and Popishe religion , to carry him to depende vppon any mortall man in the case of religion and conscience , bee he neuer so high or mightie : but only vppon the true and immortall God of heauen , and his sacred mouth : Next , that wee propounde him not doctrines deuised by mans braine , and after recommended vnder title of the Church , to intangle his conscience , and without eyther grounde or good reason , make him perplexed and doubtfull by subtill quidities and questions , as these men doe , but after we haue brought him to feede in the pleasant and sweete pasture , and to drinke of the pure and liuely fountaine of Gods holy woorde , which is the trueth , hee shall see , wee endeuour to vnwrap and vnfoulde his conscience from snares , to quiet the same with the true peace of God , teaching him to make conscience where God and his woorde woulde , and no where els , and to looke well to these two points in the case of conscience . God may and doth make lawes to bynde conscience withall , and onely God may deale therein and no mortall man , muche lesse that man of sinne the Pope .

In summe , the more precisely in these matters pertayning to his soules health , he shall cleaue to God and his holye truth contayned in the Scriptures , renouncing all sectes and partes of whomesoeuer , aswell Pope as other , the better shall he please , I will not say vs , but first God , and next to God , satissie her Maiestie our dread soueraigne and his , who pretendeth not by her selfe , nor her lawes , to make any of her subiectes to be of her Religion , but vs altogether with her selfe , of Gods true , certayne , and most holie Religion . Shee sitteth in no mans conscience as doth the Pope ywis , in doing this , shortely to say , he shall shewe himselfe to bee a faythfull and good seruaunt to GOD , and her Maiestie , bearing a duetifull minde , lyke a true subiect , to her godly lawes in euery respecte , a profitable member also shall hee shewe him selfe to bee in Church and common wealth , and most of all ( which hee hath to consider of ) his owne friende ; all which benefites , hee quite spoyleth himselfe of , in following the course these men sette hym in who as blynde guydes conducte him in the darkenes by bywayes of traditions , forefathers , custome , multitude , good intentes , and meaning , as they call them , and all without the light of Gods holy woorde , or any good warrant .

Nowe as there are two partes of this booke , the Epistle dedicatorie to her Maiestie , and the treatise or reasons , where vnto accordingly I haue to answere , so for the matter , the drift wherto this booke tendeth , & the manner of handling the whole , generally to speake , it so bewrayeth it selfe as the indifferent Reader may and will ( I doubt not ) easily espie out the treacherie . Poyson to infect deadly , couered , and as it were sugured , that is : with faire wordes glosed and recommended , is the whole matter : for what haue wee els to iugde of reasons , not grounded on any art of reason , and of persuasion , without all foundation . The whole that so great account is made of , was a letter from a friend to a friende , shuffled vp in hast , as the writer confesseth . Why then did not the same rest in the friends handes , or in the writers custodie , among other common letters and papers : vnlesse those of wisedome and authoritie heere ; vppon knowledge , sight , and perusing , it had beene called for , and as other things that passe abrode , it 〈◊〉 beene orderly allowed of ; if it should haue been found meet . Forsooth , madge Howlet and his fellowes opinion must rule heerein , to make a Treatise and discourse thereof , and at length to publish the same in print , wherby besides the rest , they may shewe what great reasons they stay their consciences vppon ( as they speake ) to the condemning of others , yea of their own side that thinke not and do not as they doe , and what weightie motiues also they haue to moue her Maiestie withall , and what inuincible Scholasticall argumentes wee must looke for at these terrible fellowes handes . Of all which that I may heere briefly and in summe , giue a note , I say if their store behinde , bee no better then this they nowe sende vs , for all their great bragges , wee may turne them ouer to Sophisters and laddes in the Schooles to answere them , so little neede wee surely feare their hie woordes and threates . Well , what opinion and liking so euer maister Howlet and his fellows haue of this worke of theirs , and what fruite they may looke for it to bring foorth among suche as are wedded to 〈◊〉 , & therby inclinable to moue sedition and rebellion in this state : which appeareth to bee their meaning , what euer they pretende , we once in considering thereof see their purpose and drift not to bee good , for in going about , to confirme and encourage suche to goe on forwarde in their deuilishe and stubborne opinion , which abstaine from publique Church assembles here ( wherein to Gods glorie are vsed the preaching of Christes Gospell , the administration of his sacramentes , godly prayers , & ct. ) And againe , to refuse the othe of alleageance to her Maiestie , alluring other to the like : they drawe men ( as much as in them is ) from the ordinarie meanes whereby God beginneth , aduaunceth , and continueth faith and Religion in his , they dishonour his Maiestie , in swaruing from the rule of his holy woorde , they pine away and slaye their owne soules , and theirs that hearken vnto them . Besides this offence to God , and priuate hurt to them selues and others , they induce them further to disobey in the highest degree , their gracious Soueraigne and ours , and to break her wholsome lawes made for the aduauncement of Christes syncere Religion , and the suppressing of Idolatrie and superstition , and for the maintenance of her Royal estate and most lawfull dignitie among her subiectes , they offend moreouer all the godly minded , & weake ones also , by their euil example and dealing . That I speak nothing of vtter enemies to the truth , which can learne no good hereby . Finally , they seeke to make a schisme , and to maintaine heresie in this holy Congregation , and seditiously disturbing the peace and quiet here , they make a way to a newe rebellion , if it bee possible for them , infecting other with the same opinion and obstinacie , whiche are not hitherto so hot and forward , or peruerse and frowarde in this matter .

These and such like things are sought to bee iustified , maintained , and defended , by coloured reason and false perswasion , and all vnder pretence of conscience , in this booke . They must be tollerated in these doings , her Maiestie , and the state must be satisfied therewith , otherwise , they playne of the state and publique authoritie here , they deuise and inuent sclanders , they chalenge and threate , they bragge and vaunt , they whine and repine , and what not ? They are loth to let goe their holde , and to leese all their labour , being come so farre as from Rome , the poore helpe of Italian and Romane souldiers , which our English Italianated Romanistes , had by suite procured from the Pope traiterously , by force of late to inuade her Maiesties dominions , thorough Gods prouidence , nowe failyng and deceiuing their expectation : these spirituall doues of the Pope , I meane the Iesuites , byrdes once of the Popes Seminaries , and other such sollicitors , and procters of Poperie , as comming like postes from beyonde the seas , flie here vp and down , among vs , applying them selues to the time , haue thought good to holde another course , till they may be able to make such head againe , as in her Maiesties raigne they did first in Englande , and afterwarde of late in Irelande . For , least those of their companie that are left , after the suppressing of the rebelles among vs , shoulde be dismaide and discouraged , setting a good face on the matter , they comfort them with such wordes and motiues , as they may in so bad a matter , and least when they can not openly in person goe abroade , their well willers and friendes , whereof they bragge of moe here , then I trust they shall finde , shoulde want their ayde in aduauncing the proude prelate of Rome , and his religion against the eternall God of heauen and her Maiestie , our naturall and dread soueraigne and Prince : here vpon they print and cast abroad this and such like libels , full of holownes and vauntes , contayning litle or no other matter , as such doe easily and at first fight perceiue , which vntaught by them , are none of their disciples , but through Gods goodnesse vnder her Maiesties happie gouernement , haue been now many yeeres trayned vp in the schoole of the holy ghost , where ( if wee haue grace ) wee haue learned ynough to confirme and stablishe our mindes in the trueth of God , and to repell and ouerthrowe all deuises of men .

Now , because they haue by their euill desertes , iustly brought themselues farre into hatred , least they shoulde seeme common enemies , all their cunning of Rhetorique and persuasion muste be applied for the auoyding of this blot , hence commeth the dedication of this treatise to her Maiestie , and the allegation of conscience . But if they can blushe , mee thinketh surely they should haue beene ashamed for all their collours to haue offered suche stuffe to her highnesse . Princes woulde be reuerenced , and their presence & eares forborne and spared , especially such a Prince as her Maiestie , our Queene and Soueraigne is , who is after a rare and singuler manner , discreete , wise , and learned , whereby shee is able thorowly to discerne and iudge of things : shee is godly also , and from her infancie , a fauourer , pro fessor , and setter foorth of the Gospel of Christ in her dominions . A religion as contrarie to Poperie , as God is to the Deuil . Bee al former attempts and practises against her Maiestie , & the state by Pope and Popelings forgotten nowe ? Or will the bare name of Conscience couer and blot out al ? Or else bee their stomacks at length come do 〈◊〉 when they haue gone as farre as they can with violence of sworde , and such mischieuous dealing to prooue if they can gaine any thing by woorde and fayre speeche in a coloured supplication ? May there not bee thought lyke poyson to bee offred therein as hath beene founde in former vsage ? This parlè with her Maiestie , if it had gone before violent attempts , and shamelesse and villainous writings against her Maiestie , might haue caried some shewe or lesse fuspition , which nowe is quite otherwise . Where is also submission and confession of former misdemeanor , to moue pitie ? Neuer a worde of this , nay the whole must be iustified , and her Maiestie ( as I haue saide ) must take these reasons for al satisfaction , though shee haue neuer so great occasion offered her to plaine of vnnatural and naughty vsage of subiects , and their trayterous dealing . But howe euer things appeare to M. Howlet , who is of the night and of darknesse , yet may he not in this cleere light of the Gospel , to her Maiestie and others , speake , good Esay . 5. 20. of euil , and euil of good , put darkenesse for light , & light for darknesse , sowre for sweete , & sweete for sowre , and thinke so to preuaile . Wee must not beleeue euery spirite , but wee must try the spirites whether they bee of GOD , It is the light 1. Iohn . 4. 1. that maketh all thinges manifest . And wee bee , the Ephes. 5. 13. children of light & the children of the day , &c. Great iniurie 1. Thes. 5. 5. therfore doth M. H. so vntimely & out of season to shreche in her highnes eares , as though her Maiestie were a meete patrone for their naughty causes , which common sense and reason , if hee coulde harken thereto , would tel how vnfit she is for , or rather how greatly shee is sought heerein to bee abused by this lewde dealing . Howe the breache is made vp againe among the Papists herewith , or howe this salue and plaster serueth to cure them . I wote not , but after their reasons and persuasions haue long flown among their companions , to dedicate the same at seconde and thirde hand to her Maiestie , and that with such an impudent Epistle in so base and meane a subiect as M. Howlet is , is vtterly intollerable : her Maiestie can iudge wel ynough , betweene entising speeches of mans wisedome , and the plaine euidence of 1. Cor. 2. 4. the Spirit , whereof the Apostle speaketh . These mens motiues , reasons , and persuasions being but a fardel of vntruthes , neede not to be brought into hir highnesse presence , nor be opened to her maiestie . That I write in answere hereof , is for the simpler sort , that they may not bee abused by colourable deceit and onely pretence of conscience , to whome I attempter my selfe so much as I may . It hath beene an old policie of heretiques to perswade before they teache , whereas trueth perswadeth by teaching , and teacheth not by perswading , as one of the auncient fathers reporteth . Howe they teache that Tertul. aduersus 〈◊〉 . they are led in this cause by conscience , and how lewdly and diuelishly they and their Popishe Authours , whome they followe heerein , write of Conscience , abusing themselues , and their readers , but most of al God , and his heauenly doctrine , because this point is the grounde of the whole discourse , and I vnfolde the same at large , to auoide too tedious prolixitie . I heere leaue it , and desire the Christian reader euen for Gods sake , but to reade and ponder wel this matter , and I greatly meruaile if hee afterwarde abhorre not Popery for euer .