whereon to rest my salvation with any probable security, I should never have yielded to any change, all worldly reasons under heaven persuading me to the contrary, as friends, kindred, country, advancement, former education, and the rest; but I confess, that not finding this, the consideration of eternity struck deeply into me, hope and fear of endless future life did work effectually with me. For having descried so great unsincerity in so many your Majesty's chief and principal learned ministers, as in this Search I have discovered, and hereupon considered with myself how undoubtedly true it is that God's most holy truth and sacred verity of Christian religion hath no necessity (but abhorreth rather) to be founded, defended, or supported by such sinister and concised means; I began to distrust and suspect that it was not God's truth, which was thus maintained, nor the saving verity which with these men I had learned. 3. And, therefore, at length, dread Sovereign, after much travail and study herein, being compassed with a cloud of witnesses, so many ancient and most learned holy fathers and doctors of Christ's Church, now saints in heaven, and embarked on the forcible stream and current of all venerable antiquity, persuading me to believe them; I was constrained (notwithstanding all resistance of flesh and blood) to make earnest suit upon my knees to be received into the only saving ark of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church, ad quam perfidia non potest habere accessum, as I learned of that holy bishop and martyr St. Cyprian,* and out of which church the most holy father and learned doctor St. Augustine † assured me there was no hope of salvation. * Cypr. ep. 55, ad Cornel. Papam. † August. tom. 9, 1. 4, de Symbolo, c. 13, and ep. 50, ad Bonifac. 4. I will not here take upon me to be a suitor unto your Royal Highness for some indifferent trial of this truth between your Majesty's learned Catholics and Protestants, by a free and public disputation (so many years desired, though never yet obtained); for that I must confess myself destitute of those requisite talents wherewith so many your Majesty's learned subjects are furnished, which would readily undergo that charge. But might it only please your princely wisdom (imitating herein that memorable example of the Most Christian King in granting that public trial between the Bishop of Evreux (now cardinal) and the Lord Plessis Mornay) to ordain some indifferent trial to be made in some one or other of your Majesty's clergy (if not of him who styleth himself your Majesty's Minister of simple truth) of those manifold untruths objected daily against them by learned Catholics, as well of our own as other nations (for the fame of their infamous fidelity hath reached far and near), I am persuaded your most prudent Majesty, as a severe indagator of only truth, would receive far more content and satisfaction to sit as umpire and judge in such a conference of trial than by a hundred such fruitless contentions between your Highness's Protestant and Puritan ministry, as have been often graced with your royal presence. For that this trial would be most easy, brief, and pleasant unto your Majesty and whosoever present; seeing it would be sufficient herein, as the Bishop of Evreux saith, to bring only eyes, to open the books, and see whether the places be truly alleged. 5. And if, peradventure, your Majesty should resolve and first adjudge to make some trial of my religious mean * At Fontainbleau, the 4th of May, 1600. Mr. Thomas Morton. In his Answer to the Lord Plessis's Challenge. ing and true fidelity, in imputing this so heinous crime (prevarication in God's cause) unto so many and principal men, as in this search are attached, I shall ever be ready (God willing) to render such account thereof unto your Majesty, as if I shall be truly found (and I dare appeal unto the mature judgment of your Royal Majesty alone) maliciously to have wronged any one of them therein, I shall most willingly submit myself unto your Majesty's heaviest censure, yea, if it were to lay down my life prostrate at your Majesty's royal feet, to be rejected and cast forth from the society of men. And hereby, whereas your Majesty's noble ancestors have promerited that thrice worthy title to England's victorious crown, Defender of tHE FAITH, so your Highness shall, by consent of tongues and nations, purchase to your immortal fame this singular epithet or encomium, ZEALOUS REVENGER OF TRUTH'S CA LUMNIATION. 6. But if, contrariwise, your Majesty's judicious eye shall well discern and see that I have only made sincere relation unto your Highness of what I found to be most true, I would then crave no other award but this, that your prudent wisdom will give strict order and command, that never credit more be given unto these sort of men, or to their writings, especially in matters concerning men's souls; and also that your gracious Majesty will still acknowledge my unworthy self for your Highness's most loyal and devoted subject, though having made this change upon such grounds and reasons as might prevail with one that most carefully tendereth his eternal salvation. 7. Wherefore most humbly, on my knees, I beseech your Royal Majesty to pardon me this my resolution, whereunto I protest, upon my soul and conscience, that no earthly motive drew me, but only my love and obedience to him that is King of all kings, who saith and threateneth, that whosoever loveth father or mother more than him (wherein no doubt but kings and princes are also included as fathers of their subjects), he is not worthy of him. And, therefore, my trust and supplication is, that for obeying and following this my Heavenly King (in the truth of Catholic religion discovered unto me), I may not incur the displeasure of you, my earthly King, for whose prosperous life and happy reign to eternal felicity I shall be a daily suitor unto his Divine Majesty. Your Majesty's most humble and devoted subject, FRANCIS WALSINGHAM. |