The Birth, Purpose, and mortall VVound of the Romish Holie League.
THe Antichristian intrusion into the Empire, hauing manifested the Pope to be that man of sinn whereof S. Paule speaketh to the Thessalonians; and the innumerable deceiuing fantasies, traditions and vaine inuentions, wherewith the erronious Church of Rome hath made dronke the Nations of the earth, discouering her to bee that purple Whore sitting on the Beast with seauen heads, or rather (as the Angell interpreteth in the Reuelation) on the Citie with seauen hills: hath (through the mightie working of Gods spirit by his zealous Ministers) so laid open the skirts of their filthines, that the most part of Christian Princes with their people haue imbraced the free libertie of the Gospel, and freed themselues from her Antichristian yoake. Whereupon Sathan (chiefe Patrone of that Regiment) seeing the decaie of his Empire, the discredite of his Vice-gerent, and the open defamation of his infamous Spouse (the Romish Church); thought it high time to set too his helping hand, the rather for that his kingdome draweth so neere an ende. Therefore in the silentst time of night (a fit houre for the Prince of darknesse to take in hand a hellish enterprise) he posted to his terrestriall Pallace at Rome; where seating himselfe in the secret chamber of his Papall Vicar, heethus began: The care (right trustie and welbeloued) of infinite thy predecessors, together with thy approued diligence for the suppressing of Christian veritie, (the onelie obstacle and hindrance of my happinesse) is to me no lesse knowen, than graciouslie accepted: but thou seest that notwithstanding all your trauells (being my deuice) as giuing indulgences and promising heauen to traitrous subiects for the dispatching of their naturall but our aduerse Princes, or the dailie excommunications thundred against the said Princes, we canneither by the cursing of the one, or the blessing of the other so preuaile, but that the disciples of Luther, Caluine, Beza, and such like back-sliders from our Church of Belial, do openlie & hourelie preach and publish his Almightinesse, whose name I tremble to rehearse; attributing to him, and none but him, all power to forgiue sinne: whereby my kingdome (founded vpon [Page]me the chiefe corner stone, and laide together by diuers Popes, Cardinals, Abbots, & other Cloisterers is so sorelie shaken, our pardons, pilgrimages, and purgatorie so little feared, that as the walls of Iericho, so fall our principals at this Euangelicall sound. This therefore is my will, (which may in no wise bee delaied) that seeing there is yet some hope, by reason euerie Christian Prince is not fullie disswaded from our faction, there be foorth-with a vniforme League of fatall confederacie by such as fauour vs, against our foes; especiallie our Arch-enemies, Elizabeth Queene of England, & Henrie King of Nauarre: This League proceeding from my spirite of malignitie, (as a Daughter worthie no other father) I would haue thee beautefie with some hypocriticall stile of outward holinesse, and if thou list call it the Holie League. Touching the Princes thou shalt confeder, I need giue small instructions: onelie this I charge that thou be sodain and circumspect to assemble thy Synode, among whom I will as a chiefe Compeere sit. The Diuell had no sooner saide these words, but a Senate of sacriligious Shauelings were assembled, and Sathan himselfe by the Popes high Chaire proudlie seated? ( as appeareth in the Mappe at the letter A.) Here was it concluded, how this League now named Holie, shuld also proue mightie in operation against the Princes professing the Gospell. First it was ordeined, that the Duke of Guise (being by nature ambitious and bloodie, yet through riotous excesse vtterlie vnable) should haue his necessitie supplied with Spanish & Romish superfluitie: prouided that hee fill France with inhumane massacres, ( explaned in the letter B.) thereby to weaken the King of Nauarre: to which he was animated by the Popes Messenger, who to whet him on powrde treasure at his feete ( letter C.) perswading him also to stir vp such ill affected English as he might against the person of their Royal Souereigne. But Nauarre fortefied from heauen, armed at all points like a Christian Cheualier defended the Gospel ( letter D.) & England happie through her Elizabeth, sate crowned with a wreath of peace (making Christ her hope) as a Rocke vnmooueable ( letter E). This fretted the Pope; and Philip King of Spaine made drunke and deceiued with the superstitious cup of Romish abhomination, was [Page]whetted on according to his promise in the Holie League, chā pion-like to prepare his people, and discharge his abundance of Indian earth: in satisfaction of which I warrant yee, hee had no small rewards, for his verie Horse was trapt with Bulls and pardons ( letter F.) Allen also that caitiffe Cardinall, and English Arch-traitor, from his Cannon of corrupt conceipt dischargeth two seditious Libels against his Souereign: to which the English Friers and Seminarie Priests giue fire ( letter G). Now to make this League an able Bodie, to beare downe the aduersaries of Antichrist both by land and sea, her head was beautified with a horned Moone ( letter H) of huge and mightie shippes, readie to ioyne with the bloodie Guise, and also to vnite them to the Prince of Parma, that in a moment they might swallow vp little England, as the rauenous Crocodile dooth the smallest fish in the seauen mouthd Riuer Nilus. But God the onelie Patrone of England and our Elizabeth dismaied first the appointed Armie of the Prince, so that like the Syrians that besieged Samaria in the daies of Eliseus the Prophet, they fled away vnsought with from ioyning with their fellowes at Sea, and woulde not by the gentle intreaties nor seuere threatnings of the Prince their Generall ( letter I) be anie waie perswaded to set foote aboord the smal Skiffes, appointed to transport them to their holie or rather vnhallowed mates: their feare arising (as it euidentlie appeared) from that Fleete whereof the Lorde Seymor was Generall ( letter K) which with the Hollanders was readie to giue them their deserued welcome. This Fleete and all the rest of their worthie warre-fellowes ouershaddowed with the wings of the Almightie, honorablie vowed to sell their worthie liues in the defence of this Iland, (his little Israel, and their natiue Nourse) animated couragiouslie euerie man his mate, with resolution to attempt the ruine of this vnhallowed League: whose Mooned Cronet was deckt with sundrie pendants, of painted Saints, (sufficient guides for superstitious sotts full gaudelie adornde with the finest golde, rakte out of wretched Indiaes Wombe, whose senselesse bowells the Spaniards (slaue-like) ceaselesllie teare out ( letter L), onelie to satisfie the rauenous appetites of their Wooluish Inquisitours, who submit forthwith at the feete [Page]of their Papall God, the trauailes both of Prince & people, making them vassals to an vnworthie Priest: and applying their labours gained with venter of their liues, & hazard of their soules to the strengthning of the forenamed League. But all is vaine: for the breath of the Lords mouth hath dimmed the brightnesse of her Moone, and scattered those proud shippes, whose masts seemed like Cedars to dare the Sunne, the treacherous Libels of traiterous Allen, are with himselfe helde infamous to the world: The Guise also (one of greatest helpes) is dead deserued lie. She being with these sorrowes surcharged, and mangled with manie maimes, she languisheth in a consumption on her bed ( letter M.) The Pope (on earth her cheefe Patrone) promiseth his helpe in what he maie, & feeling her pulses, assureth her there is yet good hope. But the Deuill belike being the better Doctor, and not louing to dissemble where his daughter was Patient, protests after he had cast her water, there was euident signe of death. Thus is this diuelish League deuised by the Diuell, and confirmed by the Pope, weakned and wasted through the Spirite of Truth, & power of our Lord Iesus Christ: To whome let England sing so all her victories; Not vnto vs ô Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy Name be praise.