THE ANSWERE TO THE SECOND BREVE.
Now for this
Breue, I may iustly reflect his owne phrase vpon him, in tearming it
to be
The craft of the Deuill. For if the Deuill had studied a thousand yeeres, for
to finde out a mischiefe for our Catholikes heere, hee hath found it in this: that
now when many Catholikes haue taken their Oath, and some Priests also; yea,
the Arch-priest himselfe, without compunction or sticking, they shall not now
onely be bound to refuse the profession of their naturall Allegiance to their
Soueraigne, which might yet haue beene some way coloured vpon diuers scruples
conceiued vpon the words of the Oath; but they must now renounce and for-
sweare their profession of obedience alreadie sworne, and so must as it were at the
third instance forsweare their former two Oathes, first closely sworne, by their
birth in their naturall Allegiance; and next, clearly confirmed by this Oath, which
doeth nothing but expresse the same: so as no man can now holde the faith, or
procure the saluation of his soule in England that must not abiure and renounce
his borne and sworne Allegiance to his naturall Soueraigne.
And yet it is not sufficient to ratifie the last yeeres
Breue, by a new one come
forth this yeere; but (that not onely euery yeere, but euery moneth may produce
a new monster) the great and famous Writer of the Controuersies, the late
vn-Iesuited Cardinall
Bellarmine, must adde his talent to this good worke, by
blowing the bellowes of sedition, and sharpening the spurre to rebellion, by send-
ing such a Letter of his to the Arch-priest here, as it is a wonder how passion,
and an ambitious desire of maintaining that Monarchie, should charme the wits
of so famously learned a man.
The Copy whereof here followeth.
