A01130:120
The Pope confuted The holy and apostolic Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…The Pope confuted The holy and apostolique Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…
The Pope confuted The holy and apostolic Church confuting the Pope. The first action. Translated out of Latin into English, by James Bell.The Pope confuted The holy and apostolique Church confuting the Pope. The first action. Translated out of Latine into English, by Iames Bell.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Richard Sergier, 1580
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
With infamous slanders laid unto our charge by you (to speak no more now as of my •elf, but in the person of her highness:1 for so take it now as though not I, but the Queens Majesty called you too account for your shameless impudency against her) if we had received of any other besides this Roman Antichrist: we would think it not amiss to frame some more special speeches in defence of our innocency. But as now what could have been more excellently applied, to the right commendation of our renown, what could have been more effectually added to the increase of our everlasting honour, then to be thus accursed of you, being the most cursed enemy of Christ above all other, with whom no man can possibly be in league, unless he be a sworn enemy unto you: neither can any man be otherwise acceptable unto him, except he be at deadly feud with you? So that for this cause chiefly above all other, we do yield most hearty and humble thanks too the high and everlasting Majesty, in that it hath pleased him •o vouchsafe us this so great and unspeakable honour. ⟨image 47⟩For why should we not Judge our self too be highly honoured in this behalf, more then in any thing else together with other godly and holy ones of my Lord God for this, that t•is Sebah doeth so unmannerly rage against us, persecuting us so uncivilly with his bulls, not so much for any our desert, as for the defence of Christ and his Gospel which we do prof•sse. In which kind of cross, whereas two things occur to be duly considered of each godly Christian: not only what injury is offered, but also by whom, and for what cause it is sustained: Then as often as we have recourse to this last point, we are not a little recomforted against your choleric curses, by the sweet speeches of the gladsome Gospel:2 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake: and when men curse you, speaking all evil against you, belying you for my sake• &c. With which kind of persecution sithens ye are now purposed to proceed• against us, you could not by any means have uttered any one more manifest a token of true consolation, and certain assurance of infallible comfort, then by this gross rancour of mind conceived against us: which doeth assure us of Christs undoubted benignity, high favour & grace poured forth upon us for the same.