Search York

policy he hath used therin be profitable to the realm, or no,

leave that aside. Only shew you, whether if the first matri-

mony were to make, you would approve that then, or no, and

the cause why you would not. And thus weigh the thing in

it self, as it is in his own nature, and put apart fear of al

danger, hope of al good, which should succede, and hangeth

upon worldly policy : and so clearly, without affection either

of King or Queen, briefly give your sentence.
And this you shal first honor God and truth ; and,

second also, satisfy the King : which said to me these words,

That he would rather you "were buried there, than you

sJiouldyJbr any zoorldly promotion and profit to your self^

dissemble xvith him in these great and weighty causes.
This you have my mind, and the Kings plesure withal.

And if case be, that you reach to the judged truth, you

need not to fear, after my mind, that men should lay to you

lightnes of mind and changing of sentence. For, as far as I

can conjecture, you did offer me nothing in the cause, but

only put before his eyes the dangers that hanged upon

worldly policy. If I remember, this you did. I cannot

wel tel. For I never se nor read your book but once, as

?3^ APPENDIX OF

you know wel. At which time it seemed to me you wrot so

profitably, that it put me into a fear of dangers too. But, 1

trust, the goodness of God, and providence of our most wise

Prince, shal avert and turn al such calamities, by mans con-

jecture foreseen, from this our country.
Direct your knowledge, if you se need, by Master Gas-

pero, the Bp. of Chete, with other such men of high learn-

ing and judgment.
>»¦
Number LXXXI.

Starky to Pole ; expostulating icith him Joj- his book against

the King.

Cleopatra, MUCH I have mervailed. Master Pole, al this year past,

¦ ^' •*¦ ^''^' both of your seldom and short writing to me ; considering

the continual diligence used upon my behalf ever towards

you. And tho of late at the first coming of your servant,

when he brought your book, I judge, that you peradven-

ture wrot not, because you were so occupied in the first set-

ting out of your matter, in writing to the Kings Highnes,

wherin you had been before time somewhat slack ; and so

had little leisure : yet now at his second return, when you

wrot to divers others of your friends, I looked to have had

some one word written unto me. For that methought our

friendship required. Wherfore then I began plainly with

my self to judge your mind without causa alienate, as me-

thought ; and most justly I might accuse you of unkindnes,

which used toward me such continual silence. For this I

have ever reckoned, that diversity of opinion in such things,

which pertain not of necessity to mans salvation, should

191 never break love and amity betwixt them which have judg-

ment and discretion ; no more than doth dulnes or sharp-

nes in the sight of the ey : wherin one friend to be angry

with another, because he seeth further, or not so far as doth

he, is very smal reason. For as the one should cause no

anger, so the other should breed no envy. So that tho I

varied fro you in the judgment of the matter, yet your si-

lence declared much ingratitude towards me.

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 283

And this count I made before I read your book. But

after such time as I did read the same, and weighed your

judgment therin, I was nothing sory of this your silence,

but rather glad that you so used your self towards me. For

his letters to read, who hath so little regard of his masters

honor, and so little respect of his friends and country, (as

in your writings you plainly declared,) I have little plesure.

Wherfore though of late 1 had determined never to write to

you again, yet after I had read your book, I was so af-

fected, and with your ingratitude towards your Prince and

country so offended, that I could not temper my self, nor

satisfy my mind, without some declaration therof, by writing

to you, shewed. And so now even as you seemed to me,

ilia tua oratione Principem et patriam, tuo quidem judicio,

pereuntem^ extremis quasi verbis compellare ; so shal I te

i7isamenfem, viea sententia, amicum extrema quasi voce sa-

lutare. For this, I purpose, shal be the last letter that ever

I shal hereafter to you write, donee resipiscas. Wherin I

wil not enter to dispute the ground of the matter, which re-

quireth rather a book than a letter ; but only I shal a lit-

tle open to you the great imprudence and folly, the detest-

able unkinclncs and injury, shewed in your sentence, both

toward your Prince and country. By the reason wherof,

except you shal take heed and consider the matter in time

M-ith better judgment, you shal be utterly cast away your

self with this contempt of your country, and this arrogant

despising of al the judgments therin. Wherfore, Master

Pole, I shal pray you by al such love as I have ever born

to you, which I promise you is greater than ever I bare to

any natural brother, to hear me a little, and weigh my

words indifferently.
And first. Master Pole, how I was affected with reading

of your book, I shal a litde touch. At such time as your

letter was delivered to the King, tho you wrot not to me, I,

forgetting not the office of a friend, requested that your

book might Ix^ committed to the examination of them,

which both had learning to judge and to weigh the matter

indifferently. The which, I promise you, was done. And to

284 APPENDIX OF

them I, as your friend, was joyned also. In the reading

wherof, altho we loved you al intyrely, yet your corrupt

judgment in the matter, and your detestable unkindnes to-

wards your Prince, so offended us al, that manytimes our

ears abhorred the hearing. And as for me, I promise, at

the first reading I was so amazed and astonied with the

matter, that I could not wel judg, I wist not with what spi-

rit it was written withall ; and ever methought it should be

some dream, or at the least no oration of Master Pole.

Whom I ever noted to be the most addict to the honor of

the Prince and wealth of his country, that ever yet I knew.

Wherfore I obtained your book to over-read my self alone :

yea, and after yet with my Lord of Durham, I read it most

diligently, observing and noting the whole order and pro-

cess therof. And when I had read it after this maner, I

1 92 was more astonied than I was before. For the comparing

the head to the end, and considering the whole circum-

stance of the matter, plainly to say to you ever as I think,

therin appeared to me the most frantick judgment that ever

I read of any learned man in my life. For herein lyes the

sum of yoiu- book : because we are slipped from the obe-

dience of Rome, you judg us to be separate from the unity

of the Church, and to be no members of the catholic

body, but to be worse than Turks and Saracens. Wherfore

you rail upon our Prince, to bring him ad pcenitentiam,

more vehemently than ever did Gregory against Julian A-

postata, or any other against such tyrants, as persecuted

Christs doctrine. Upon this point you have pretended al

that sharpnes of your oration to spring of love. Yet be

you assured, none are so blinded but to judge it a very

foolish love, which bringeth forth against a prince such a

bitter, sharp, and slanderous oration.

Wherfore, Master Pole, weigh this cause yet a little, and

despise not the consent of your country, and of al the

learned men therin, with too much arrogancy. Byld [Pon-

der] your vehement and frantic oration. But alas! Master

Pole, what abhndnes is this in you thus to judg your master

upon so light an occasion ? For tho we be slipt from the

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 285

obedience of Rome, denying any superiority to be due

therto from the law of God, yet we be not slipt a Jide Ro-

mana, nee a Petri cathedra. We observe and keep the

same faith, which from the beginning hath been taught

in Rome. The which whosoever keepeth, never shppeth a

sede Petri, tho he never hear of any higher power or su-

periority to be given to the Bp. of Rome. You therfore

abuse your self mervailously, to judg us to be separate

from the unity of the Church, because we have reject this

superiority. I mervail that you consider it not, how the

very Christian unity stands upon S. Paulys doctrin, in the

unity of faith and of Spirit, and in a certain knitting toge-

ther of our hearts by love and unity : which may rest in al

kind of policy. For doubtless this superiority of Rome

sprang first of policy, as it is evident by old story. And

Constantine was he that gave therto first authority of al

- - - power to superiority - - - which by others was

confirmed, increased. So, as it began by mans wit and in-

stitution, I think it should end by like reason. For in the

express wil and word of God it hath no such root and

ground, as to you it appeareth, following and cleaving more

to the consent of the Church than to the words of Scripture,

or to any reason drawn out of the same. Wherin I won-

der much at your simplicity, to think that the consent of

the Church maketh things necessary to salvation. For

hereby you might confirm al the rites and customes of the

Church used from the beginning, to be grounds of our

faith, and of necessity to be received to our salvation. For

by one consent many of them have been approved this

thousand years, I think, and more. Wherfore by your

ground the alteration of any one of them shal cause separa-

tion fi'om the unity of Christs Church. The which to af-

firm, I trow, be an extreme raadnes. And so tho the Bp.

of Rome hath been head of al Bishops this 500 years, c&n-

sensu totiusjere. Ecclesice occidentalis ; yet, I suppose, that

this consent can no more make him Caput univeisalis Ec-

desicBy than the consent of us in England hath made the Bp.

of Canterbury to be the Head and Primate of all other

286 APPENDIX OF

193 Bishops with us, by Gods law. The which primacy, I think,

you judg not to be grounded in Gods word. But even as

this primacy, for an order of synods and councels among

us, was by man devised ; so was the primacy of Rome, by

man ordered and invented at such time as a councel general

of al Christian nations was first convocate and assembled.

Wherfore by this reason 1 wil as wel confirm the one, as you

shal the other.

And as touching places of Scripture, wherby you confirm

the primacy, you follow the vulgar train of the latter Doctors,

which violently draw them to the setting forth of the see

of Rome : forgeting the purpose of the antient Doctors of

our religion. The which exalting sedein Romanam et ca-

thedram Petri, ever meant therby fdem, quoe Petrus prcB

ccBteris prqfessiis est, et RomcB docuit : and for because the

faith of Christ there took most notable increase, and from

thence was derived to the west parts of the world: ther-

fore was thither in al doubts chief recourse, and that see

was most praised and preferred above others, as a place of

counsil, and not of higher power and authority. This testi-

fieth Jerome, Cyprian, with al the antiquity. But I wil not

now further enter to dispute. Howbeit I cannot but mer-

vail, how you could (letting these things fal out of your con-

sideration) suffer your self to be blinded by such simple and

slender grounds, neither rooted in Scripture, nor reason de-

duced of the same. But run out with tragical exclamations

against the Prince, as though he were a Turk, because he

taketh upon him to be Head of the Church of England.

Wherin also you deceive your self by a false ground won-

derfully. For in the comparing of the office of a prince

and of a bishop together, you appoint the prince to the cure

of civil things and worldly alone ; leaving Christs doctrine

to the bishops only ; as tho the prince were no Christen

man. You consider not, how the office of a Christian prince

is to build al his policy upon Gods word, directing al his

actions to the setting forth of his glory ; and is a minister of

Gods word no less than the bp., and rather more, to say

truly. For wheras the bp. hath no further power by the

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 287

vertue of the Gospel, but only to exhort men to follow the

same diligently, the prince may not only exhort, but also

compel his subjects, to the order of Christs doctrin, vio-

lently.
Wherfore when I read your slanderous and abhominable

words against our Prince in this behalf, as tho he liad sub-

verted, Iby tliis title, al the whole order of Christs law, pre-

ferring worldly things above spiritual; I judged you either

to be mad or frantick, forgetting to whom you wrot ; so to

slander your Prince most unkindly ; or very ignorant, which

could not consider, how that a Christen prince, by his very

office and duty, hath not only cure and charge and oversight

of things pertaining to the worldly life and civil order, but

also of the heavenly doctrin and spiritual policy. For in the

joyning of these two lives together, which you seem to sepa-

rate, stondeth the chief point of true Christian civility. And

blinded they be, which judge in Christendome to be binas

quasdam poUtias : wherin as bps. reign in one, so do

princes in the other. This division deceiveth many one.

For in Christs religion there is no siich necessary distinction.

For albeit that I think it nothing convenient, that a pnnce

should exercise the office of a bp., but leave that to his sub-

jects, which profess themselves therto; nor meet it is that a \^i

bp. should exercise the office of a prince, but wholly to be

intent to the setting forth of the truth of Gods word : yet

I se no such repugnance nor contrariety in this matter by

the law of God, but that a bp. might be a pi-ince, and a

prince a bishop, as you know it was in the old time before

Christs coming. And at the least this I dare boldly affirm,

that it is nothing against Gods word, a Christen prince to

take upon him, as an head of the common wealth, to over-

see his bps., and to procure that they do execute their office

truly. The which thing only our Prince, Master Pole,

taketh upon him by his new title, the which you so abhor

by your folly.

So that al your sharp words used in this matter, contrary

to your masters honor, declare in you a marvellous blind,

and a corrupt judgment, with wonderful ingratitude to-

288 APPENDIX OF

wards your Prince and country. Wherof, Master Pole,

what sorrow I have conceived, if I should here be about to

open unto you, I should, I think, labour in vain, and of you,

peradventure, be little believed. Howbeit yet this I wil

say, that few there be among al your lovers and friends,

which are privy of your judgment, (tho I promise you they

al sore lament,) that hath conceived more sorrow than I

have. For besides the private bands of love, wherby I have

been long above others knit imto your friendship, I have

openly, sith I came home, at sundry times so praised your

learning and judgment, not only to our Prince, but to many

others, which therof were not fully persuaded, that now, the

contrary being shewed, my sorrow above others is much en-

creased; yea, and al such hopes, which I had of your

vertues, almost vanished away. , The which I assure you,

for our friendship, grieveth me sore. For ever as methoughts

I saw in you a desire to the ensearching of the truth and

verity, so such constant love towards your Prince and coun-

try, that I could not but think that these vertues (which I

esteemed to be in you) should at the last bring forth some

noble fruit to the honor of your Prince, and to the ornament

of our country. This hope I had, wherwith, I testify God,

I comforted my self as much as I did with few other worldly

things.
And this. Master Pole, was not my hope only, but it was

common to many other, your lovers and friends, which

knew you beside me. Wherfore what sorrow both they

and I have taken, by the drowning of this our hope, sith

we have perceived, how that by a foolish ground, foolishly

of you conceived, you have turned al your learning and elo-

quence to the dishonoring of your master, slandering of

your country, and, which is most of al, to the obscin-ing of

the truth ; I shal leave. Master Pole, to your consideration,

because my pen serveth me not to express the thing fully.

And thus I shal - - - requiring you by that infinite love,

which you say you bear towards your Prince and country,

to consider the matter with your self a little more groundly.

And to cal to remembrance vet once again a little more di-

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 289

ligently the tenor of your coniniission : which was, " that

*' you should, al worldly respects set aside, and al danger-

" ous success, which might succede of the same, ponder the

" nature of the tiling indifferently ;" and then, I doubt not,

but that you shal yet see how far wide from the matter you

have shapen your oration, which have here right slenderly

touched the ground of the matter, filled your book with la- 195

mentable complaints of false grounds conceived : as, that we

be slipped from the unity of the Church ; that we be here-

tics; that we unworthily put to death the best men in the

realm. Upon these grounds moved, you make marvellous

digressions, ful of venomous words and great vehemency ;

as tho they were as true as any word in the Gospel : the

which be al false ; and by light credit of you believed.

For nother we be slipt from Christian unity, which depend

upon our Head Christ, coupled together by perfect love,

faith, and charity : nother we be infected, as you think, with

heresy, which stond in al the grounds of Scripture stedfastly :

nother yet have unworthily put to death the best men of

our realm, tho More, Rochester, and Raynolds, with divers

others, suffered by their own folly. Which dyed nother for

their vertues, nor for the profession of any such matter,

which pertaineth to Christ's glory ; but only for the super-

stitious defence of that thing, for the which, I think, here-

after never wise man wil do ; and I would to God they also

might have been induced, as the goodnes of the Prince

greatly desired, to leave their foolish and superstitious ob-

stinacy. Whose example, as I perceive, hath also blinded

you as much, peradventure, as any one thing besides, and

caused you to fal into this abhominable rayling against your

Princes actys ingratfuUy.
But, Master Pole, lift your eyes a little higher in this

matter, and regard the order of the primitive Church at the

beginning. Wherin you shal find, contrary to these mens

judgments, that Rome never had the primacy of the uni-

versal Church through the world, but from Constantines

time only it hath beginning. And have not your eyes so

much fixed to the trade of the Church in these latter dayes,
VOL. I. PART II. u

290 APPENDIX OF

and to the sentence of these latter men, which have drawn

Scripture therto violently. That which if you had done,

and prudently compared the one time with the other, I

think you could never have run so headlong to this extreme

sentence, and never should have stond so stiff in the defence

of that which in Gods word hath no sure ground. But

you have shewed your self. Master Pole, to be led prcyudi-

ciis ; and by the example of them, which were in the world

in great reputation, you have suffered your heart to be

over-run with affection. The which is plain by the vehe-

ment lamentation which you make of the death of those

men, which foolishly did chuse rather to dy than to live in

their country delivered from the Popes cloaked tyranny.

Methought, when I read that part of your oration, I saw

your heart so opprest with sorrow, that you considered not

wel wliat you said. Yea, al the process of your oration,

methought you forgot to whom you spake and directed

your oration ; tho you oftimes called him Prince, you re-

membred not, I think, how that he was your Soveraign

Lord and Master, which hath confirmed to you such in-

comparable benefits, as hitherto don to no other of his sub-

jects. You never considered, how that he is a Prince of high

judgment and great experience. You never set before your

eyes his princely stomac and noble courage. For if you

had, I can never think that ever you could have showed

such detestable ingratitude, nor have ever been so blinded

with affection, as to think that by your words and sudden

196 oration, you might induce such a King to abrogate al such

actys and deeds, before don with mature counsil and de-

liberation, with such railing, and declaring so corrupt a

judgment by affection, to move a Prince from his stabled

purpose. Then you were plain mad and frantic. And espe-

cially now at this time, when al things were settled in quiet-

ness: that woman being taken away by the providence of

God, by whom was feared of wise men much trouble and

adversity. For at such time as your book was brought to

the King, I promise you al men rejoyced in the present

state, putting the Pope in utter oblivion. There was of him

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 291

here no regard or mention, but al things brought to good

order with conformitie.

Alas ! Master Pole, what lack of learning and prudence

was this, so corruptly to judg the matter; without all re-

spect of time and person, so foolishly it to handle ? For if

you had but considered a little your own person, how much

you are above al others bounden to our Prince for your edu-

cation, you could never have distorned your wit and elo-