NEWS FROM ROME, Spalato's doom.  
Or AN EPITOME OF THE life and behaviour of M. ANTONIUS de Dominis, first Bishop of Segnia, afterwards Archbishop of Spalato; who about some seven or eight yeeres since came from Venice into England: and from thence by the practise and persuasion of the L. Gundamar, departed to Rome: And of late was imprisoned in the Castle of Saint Angelo.  
HEREIN IS CONTAINED THE Reasons for which he was imprisoned, together with his miserable disastrous end.  
LONDON, Printed by John Haviland for RICHARD WHITAKER. 1624.   

TO THE READER.  
CHRISTIAN discreet Reader, by example of the Dalmatian Bishop thus impartially painted out in his colours, thou mayst perceive how easy a thing it is, for any man of the meanest capacity to build many wind-mills and castles in the air alone with himself: and how dangerous and uncertain to trust unreconcilable Rome: Crudelis matter magis, an puer improbus ille? I can hardly conjecture which may be the more observable, the cruelty of mother Rome, or the Impiety of her prodigal retired son. But I conclude, Improbus ille puer, crudelis tu quoque matter, Both a wicked son, and an adulterous mother. Yet( Lady Rome) let me here dispute the point, whether or no he died thy son: sure I am that since his return unto thee, he did never totally adhere to thy Religion; but as it shall plainly appear, did much dislike both thy doctrine and discipline: otherwise thou wouldest not have used him as a faggot for the fire, but have preserved him rather as a substantial Rafter for thy decayed building. But I must needs say, thy mercy is mere cruelty, and thy piety no less than barbarous immanity. The Iscocchi sent forth threats against their quondam Bishop,( I mean this same Dalmatian Bishop, M. ANTON. de Dominis) that if they could lay hands on him, they would make a bag of his skin( as they are accustomend to make of swines skins for wine and oil in those countries.) It seems the Pope and his shavelings, or chapmen, could make no use at all of him, but return him to his Ashes, as they do all heretics, whose cinders they use to sprinkle in the air, with these words, Colligat Deus, Let their God gather them, if he will have them. me thinks they might better have kept him as a Stale to publish more books in his name, or have sent him an Apostle to the Indies, for the conversion of Infidels, whither he would rather have been packing, than stay at home in Rome, there to be sacrificed to their flaming Aetna, or be broiling upon the hot coals. Caveat alter, Take heed Mr. Preston, let not the Ignatians prevail with you to carry a letter to Rome, lest you dip your finger in the same sauce. I have heard you may have a bishopric in Rome for the fetching: So had Spalato, procured by the Spanish Fistulado. But beside the Castle of S. Angelo, he could never recover any of his hoped revenues appendent to his said Promotion. Well, the old school verse shall end all that I intend to persuade in this preluding Preface, Foelix quem faciunt, &c. happy he whom others harms make to beware.  
T. H.   

news from Rome, SPALATO's doom.  

CHAP. I.  
showing how M. ANTONIVS de Dominis, Arch-bishop of Spalato, arrived in England, Anno Dom. 1616. and of the large protestation he made of his Conversion to the true and Protestant Religion.  
REctumest Index sui& obliqui: True level laid to a crooked work, discovereth what is out of order. The old proverb saith, It is good to expect the lame Post, and the last news are ever truest. We ought not to believe every spirit, but the spirits must be tried, according to S. John. For Truth is the daughter of Time. It cannot bee denied but that England hath been gulled by a Dalmatian Bishop, whom time hath discovered to be the only Ecebolius of our daies, unsavoury salt, a man of no Religion, a Run-away from the Truth.  
He came from Venice( where he had made some time of abode) into England, Anno 1616. where being arrived, he pretended he was sent from God to judge, to reform, and to reunite the Christian world. He likened himself to Abraham, in leaving at the voice of God his house, his parentage, and his country. He familiarly compared himself with S. Paul, in his former zeal against the true Religion, as he said, in the manner of his Conversion miraculously effected, in receiving his gospel, as he would have it seem, not from man, but immediately from God, in being an universal Apostle, as he pretended, and sent unto all Nations: and lastly, in that high degree of Love, whereby he offered himself to bee made an Anathema for his brethren. By tongue and pen, by word and writing upon his afore-said arrival, he expressed all these Characters of a miraculous inspired Convert. But this mountebank in fine proved as a gilded pill composed of these two Ingredients, Dishonesty and Dissimulation. The Herodians, and Pharisees servants came to Christ with many fawning insinuations, telling him that he was the plain truth, that he taught the way of God truly, that he regarded no mans person, when as indeed their thoughts were otherwise, their purpose was to entangle him in their words, that they might catch advantage against him,& so cut his throat. This aforesaid Dalmatian Bishop came into our kingdom with infinite protestations of sincere dealing, confessing that our Religion was the Truth and none other; professing that our Church of England was the most Orthodox and true Church in the world. But( saith Salomon) as if thou wouldest adorn an earthen vessel with drossy silver, 
Pro. 26.23.  so were his swelling lips joined with a most wicked heart.  
To bee the better welcome into our kingdom, he bedecked himself with the partie-coloured feathers of all other modern Religions: yet before his departure, some worthy and learned men of our Church well observing his pidecoat, having plucked him like Aesops Crow, shewed him to be naked without any Religion at all; apt enough, upon occasion, to be circumcised and deny Christ Iesus. Yet I will not here pass by certain Dispositions of his, which he saith prepared his mind to the change of his former Religion, and to become a Protestant. Secondly, the Reasons which he laid down, moving him to a steadfast embracing of the said Protestant Religion.   

CHAP. II.  
certain dispositions that prepared the Arch-bishop of Spalato his mind, and strong reasons that moved him( as he protested upon his coming over into England) to become a Protestant.  
FOr the better unmasking of this egregious Hypocrite, and( as he after proved) impious Apostate, I will not omit those particulars, which he set down with his own hand, as occasioning his coming into this kingdom, and his change of Religion.  
Somewhat a far off( as he said) disposed his mind: As first, that from a Boy, he was much troubled with a vehement suspicion that the Roman doctrine was not true, which suspicion he ever resisted.  
Secondly, this suspicion was much increased in him, because he saw that neither Students were permitted to read such Writers, as were contrary to the doctrine of Rome( being enforced to believe, that the opinions of those Writers were truly delivered unto them by their masters) nor such as had heard their divinity, and were preferred to ecclesiastical dignity, could be allowed to read any such Authors.  
Thirdly, he saith, that from the first year of his clergy, he had nourished in himself an inborn desire of the union of all Christian Churches, enquiring what might be the cause of their schism, which did excruciate and torment his mind, and did still consume and waste him with such grief and sorrow as was wonderful.  
Fourthly, that being made a Bishop, and falling to read books of printed Sermons, Quadragesimals, and others, for the exercise of his episcopal function in preaching, he found great abuse of Scripture in them, apocryphal and ridiculous examples, Inventions of Avarice and Ambition, not without superstition, wherewith the people were deluded.  
Fiftly, that in reading the Fathers, he observed that his Masters had taught him many things against them, and that the ecclesiastical discipline of the Church of Rome, did differ very much from the ancient practise thereof.  
These considerations he called Dispositions, which somewhat prepared his mind( as well they might) to make mutation of Religion, because( as he said) they made him to see a far off, all was not well with the Church of Rome. It followeth to consider what( he said) moved him directly to leave the abomination of the Romish religion.  
He saith, that of a Bishop, being made an Archbishop, two accidents fell out that compelled him to study these matters more earnestly and eagerly than before he did, and made him turn over more than once or twice the Fathers, the Canons, the councils, and ancient Records of the catholic Church.  
The first was, that the Court of Rome and his Suffragan Bishops that were under him, began to perturb his metropolitan rights.  
The second, that after the Interdict of Venice, there came books from Rome, strangely taxing the Bishops of the Venetian state who did not obey.  
Thirdly, Bishops now adays under the Pope have but the name of Bishops, all their jurisdiction is taken from them, and are subject not only to the Pope, but also to Cardinals, Congregations, Legates, Inquisitors, and innumerable Orders of Religious men, who now have greater faculties than Bishops, and drown their authority.  
Fourthly, the Pope is now a temporal Monarch, and the Church is become a Vineyard, to make him drunk, and a flock to feed him with her own blood.  
Fiftly, his eyes being opened, he saw easily, plainly and perfectly, that the Churches whom Rome had made her enemies, did differ little or nothing from the pure doctrine of the ancient Church.  
sixthly, in Rome are coined every day innumerable Articles of faith, without any foundation, with extreme violence.  
Seventhly, Rome hath pulled out the eyes of the Church of Christ by suppressing the sacred councils.  
Eightly, the catholic Church is now confined to be made the Court of Rome.  
Ninthly, in the Church of Rome, nay in the Pope alone, the whole spirit of Christ, promised to the catholic Church, is believed to reside.  
Lastly, whatsoever hath been spoken heretofore in honour of the universal Church, is now most wrongfully enforced upon the Court of Rome alone, whereof it followeth, that the souls of men being thereby miserable deceived and blinded, they fall together with their blind guides into the pit of perdition.  
The aforesaid Motives were forcible enough to have drawn his feet out of the mire of Babylonish error, and to set him in the right path and way of godliness. And he began well to consider thereof: Who hindered him that he did not persevere? Praestat nunquam incepisse quam turpiter in medio defecisse: It had been better indeed he had never come from the fen of Rome, than to have returned as he did with the dog to his former vomit, and with the Sow to the wallowing in the mire. 
Aug. lib. de ●ita beata.  Multi usque ad virtutis ianua pervenêre& redeunt, nec domum virtutis intrant: Incipiunt said non perficiunt, sicut Moses qui terram sanctam è monte Nebonate viderunt, said non intrarunt▪ Many( saith S. Augustine) have come as far as the door of virtue, and yet forthwith become retrograde: Many like Moses see the holy Land a far off from the Mount Nebo, but will not enter; they had rather( as Spalato did) to return to the flesh-pots of egypt, than to remain in a land of peace.   

CHAP. III.  
Containing the life and behaviour of the said Archbishop of Spalato whilst he remained in England.  
THe Archbishop of Spalato having after his coming into England by the aforesaid pretended dispositions and motives made verbal profession of his true Conversion, it pleased our most gracious sovereign, the incomparable pattern and patron of piety and religion, to advance him to such ecclesiastical dignity in our Church, that his Adversaries might have no cause to scoff at his low dejected estate, or himself discouraged for want of competency to maintain his continued prelacy. he had therefore conferred on him the Mastership of the Savoy, the Deanrie of windsor, and the Parsonage of West-Ilslye in berkshire; The two former places of great honour and credit, and the latter of no less benefit. The worst of the three too good for this undeserving Mountebank; who hath since proclaimed himself unto the world a knave in grain, a man of cauterized conscience, prostituted honesty, and meretricious impudency.  
As for some turpitude of his( when he lived here, which was kept a while very covert) I had rather it should be butted still, than desile my pen, myself, and the world with the discovery of it, except I should be enforced to it. For alas, the the judgement of God hath overtaken him, and that which he feared is come upon him. Yet I will indite him as guilty of these four: An arrogant Impostor; an irreligious Sycophant; a luxurious glutton; a perjurd Apostate. Pride being linked with Imposture, Irreligion with Slander, Lechery with Gluttony, and perjury with apostasy.  
And first I arraign him for an arrogant Impostor, guilty of palpable lying, which was the very foam of his Pride and arrogancy. For proof of his lying, I allege these particulars.  
He became indebted to us, upon his coming over, ten great Volumes to be written by himself against the Romanists; yet he missed his time of payment, and hath since proved plain bankrupt. He boasted that the revenues of his Dalmatian bishopric amounted to the value of four thousand pounds per annum, and yet since have I conferred with one that well knows the place and profit of that bishopric, who affirms that Spalato might have cut off from his account three thousand& eight hundred pounds of his former reckoning. He reported he heard with great delight and content one of the Canons of Windsor preaching before the Kings Majesty, maintain, that there was no cause why every man might not turn himself unto his angel keeper, and say, Holy angel keeper pray for me, avowing that ridiculous roman doctrine and practise of praying unto Saints and Angels in time of need: which was as false an Imposture as this lying Impostor; who professeth to have heard that which he could not understand. The Sermon was in English, and he ignorant of that language; as much unskild in it as in Irish or the Virginian Mattoakan tongue, except carptim& sparsim, it may be now and then, here and there a word. Lastly, this idle Lozell would undertake Reconciliation betwixt Protestant and Papist, Rome and England; whereas what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? what peace can be had with wicked jebusites, profane Gibeonites, idolatrous Romanists, who have no peace with God? But these and many his like fabulous figments, which I could name, were nothing else but the very froth and foam of pride, which is said to be the tympany of the soul: Now it was observed by divers, that this Monster of men did swell, and was puffed up no less in heart and mind, than he was in body. 
Part. 1. qu. 63. art. 2.  Thomas Aquinas hath observed, that howsoever all sin may be said to be in the devil, secundum reatum; yet onely pride and envy is in him secundum affectum: and so though this titular Bishop were guilty( as is well known) of many other capital sins, yet this one only of pride came so near his soul, that it stirred up almost all the rest. Vna superbia excitat omnia. But alas, ( Pride going before destruction) his high aspiring thoughts have since bread his ruin; he being now miserorum miserrimus, lower than the lowest, as I shall hereafter show.  
2. This miscreant as he was guilty of Pride and lying, so likewise of Slander and Irreligion. Slander is Denigratio alienae famae, the smutting of a mans good name, or the wounding a man in his good name by a false report. As flattery dawbes white upon black, so slander sprinkles black upon white. This SPALATO was observed to have been of a very envious detracting mind. Had any learned man of our kingdom discoursed with him, and began to sift and sound of what spirit he was of( there being indeed always great cause of jealousy) he would smite them with the weapon of his tongue, and presently grow into passion, and say, That such a one were obesae naris, nullis disciplinarum ornamentis cumulatus, parum eruditus, with many the like keen and cutting reproaches. soon after his coming into England, he made a voyage to the university of Oxford, where he was received with much honour and respect; his conversion gratulated with the tongues and phrases of the most elegant perpolite Orators of that famous academy, saluted with the Stentorian voice and noise of Doctors; his great, greazie, filthy, foggy paunch cheered with the daintiest cates the time could afford: yet after this nasty lubber his departure, he shamed not to report, that the university knew not( forsooth) how to entertain such a worthy Gentleman as he was: he spake disgracefully of their Act, unworthily of those reverend Doctors, who as far exceeded him for learning, as a burning Torch outshineth a little candle, or the light of true fire, excelleth any false, foggy, vaporous Ignis fatuus whatsoever. As for Religion, I think he had never any in him: For one that lived in the house with him, and took special notice of his actions, reported that he knew not him go privately to his devotions in a half year together; but said he would often swear and curse fearfully: one of his oaths was, The precious blood of God poison me, as an Italian, who was often in company with him,  told me: And Let me never see Christ Iesus( he would say) if such a thing be not true, when oftentimes it was most false and untrue. And before his departure, 
Pro. 18.13.  being come to the profoundness of iniquity, he would familiarly speak blasphemy. Oh impious, irreligious wretch! How hath thy mouth abounded with evil, and thy tongue contrived fraud? Sitting thou didst speak against thy brother, and didst give scandal to the son of thy mother.  
3. But I must here likewise accuse him, and that justly, for a luxurious Glutton: His Guet I must needs say was a gulf, 
Laert. in vita Diog.  Charybdis, as Diogenes upon the like occasion spake very aptly. The Babylonians used daily to sacrifice to their Bell, he to his Belly, making it his god, Philip. 3.19. and his lungs the Temple, his paunch the Altar. Oh brutish Sacrificer. I could here speak much of this Belly-god; that he would often drink usque ad ebrietatem, till he were drunken. So that I cannot better compare him than unto a furnace, whose mouth is Gluttony, whose flamme Pride, whose steam luxury, the sparkles filthy words, the smoke an evil name, the ashes have been poverty, and the end of all, shane.  
4. Lastly, the end of him was a most perjured Apostate. apostasy is of three kinds, Perfidiae, Inobedientiae, Irregularitatis, of misbelief, of Disobedience, of irregularity. Whether with julian he were guilty of the former I know not, but I must and may not without cause accuse him of the two latter. He red the Articles of 1562. in West-Ilsly Church in Bark-shire, upon his Induction to that bnfice, and in the presence of divers witnesses subscribed to them: Since he professeth that he did it against his conscience( as also the taking of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy) the more dishonest, lewd, perjured knave he. Belike he thought still to make use of his jesuited tricks of Equivocation, Collusion, mental Reservation, &c. he having been once a member of that society; and as himself reported, he red mathematics, rhetoric, logic, and philosophy to them, preached often amongst them, and did other domestical service, for the which they were very sorry to leave him.   

CHAP. IV.  
showing how this Dalmatian Mountebancke, M. ANTHONY, came to be fully discovered by the practise of the L. Gundamar, ambassador from the King of spain.  
IT is an old saying, Proditoris proditor, one knave most commonly will find out another; Birds of a feather do not not always fly together, but egyptians will be set against egyptians; Moechus contra Moechum, Latro contra latronem, a thief against a thief, a destroyer against a destroyer, a drunkard against a drunkard, one mountebank against another. Right so it fared with Spalato and Gundamar, they always fought one against another, yet not always after the same manner: Sometimes they warred openly, sometimes covert and secretly.  
One while Gundamar shoots at Spalato with the great Canon of irregularity and Degradation, saying, that the Popes Holinesse had sentenced the Bishop for four notorious and capital Crimes, to wit, Incest, simony, drunkenness and bloodshed, Grandia quidem peccata.  
First, he accused him for having had three bastards with his sisters daughter; a business that might well make him( if any thing) inegular.  
Secondly, he charged him for Simoniacally attaining to, and leaving his two bishoprics of Segnia and Spalato.  
Thirdly, he urged against him, that the Religious men in Segnia, Dalmatia, and the city of Venice, had all written unto his Holinesse, that he was very scandalous, in regard of company keeping and usual drunkenness.  
Fourthly, he accused him for a most bloody treachery against the Isocchi, many of whom the Venetians by his means slay.  
The whole Information delivered under the L. Gundamars hand, translated into English, followeth.  

GVNDAMARS Jnformation against SPALATO.  
AForlorne fellow there is of late come into England, one MAR. ANTHONIVS de Dominis, who being adjudged by his brethren worthy to suffer death and to be burnt, suddenly and secretly fled to Venice, where he was impiously and unjustly protected. This said MARC. ANTHONIVS was first one of the Order of the society of Iesus, the most absolute Order of all others the judgements of God have been many and wonderful upon those that have Wrought themselves out of their Company, and yet this society may fitly becompared unto the Sea, that casteth forth the dead bodies, or to a vessel of new wine, which purgeth all the trash and corrupt matter which is mingled with it, and therefore they easily permit such as are not fit for them( such as Mar. Anthon. de Dominis) to depart from them, lest by staying amongst them, being stopped up like corruption close with the pure wine, they should break the vessel wherein they are enclosed. Marcus Anthonius was not more willing to leave them, then they of the society of Iesus desirous to be rid of him. For he having vowed Obedience and poverty, did notwithstanding aspire to a bishopric, and by Simony he at length attained to the bishopric of Segnia. You shall therefore understand that Segnia is a little city, but most impregnable upon the confines of Germany and Italy; the people whereof( commonly called Isocchi) do neither plow nor plant for their sustenance, nor carded nor spin for their clothing, nor trade with other Nations by way of merchandise, but live altogether vpon spoil, either of the Turks, which is their profession, or else of Christians, when they please to mistake the one for the other. In which respect it is easier to find those that would refuse( if they were either wise or honest) then such as would willingly accept the ecclesiastical government of this Ecclesiastical people. But howsoever Marc. Anthonius de Dominis cared not so he might but get the windy title of a Bishop, how he came to it, or what it cost him.  
Wherefore the Bishop of Segnia being slain in some enterprise of war, amongst certain souldiers of the Emperour, with whom he was in company, Marcus Anthonius de Dominis, who was then a Iesuite in profession, though not in purpose, but desirous to be at liberty, forged letters from the friends and kindred of the late Bishop to himself, as to their kinsman,( which he was not) signifying, that the Bishop was not slain, but taken prisoner, and entreating him to come to Segnia, from whence he might work some means to set him at liberty. Vpon the credit of which letters, his superiors being willing enough to be rid of him, gave him leave to go thither; where first he obtained to supply the place of the late deceased Bishop, and afterwards by a great sum of money which he stolen from the jesuits, he came to be made Bishop himself. Which episcopal function, as he got by simony, forgery, and apostasy from his own Order; so he behaved himself accordingly in the Administration thereof. For he carried with him to Segnia his Sisters daughter, by whom, within short time, he had no less than three bastards: he became a pot-companion with them of the city, and in bousing and gormandizing was nothing behind any of them. Being then their pastor and spiritual Father, he defrauded them of four or five hundred crownes, which he got from them, under pretence of building a choir in their Church, but converted the money to his own use. And taking occasion to go to Venice, he wrote back to the Isocchi, his ghostly children, that he had made their peace with the Venetians, and that they might safely fail in the Venetian Seas: vpon which assurance forty of them sailing towards turkey, were entrapped and slain by the Venetian souldiers, at a certain island, where they fell into the Snare, which their Reverend Father in God had laid for them. In recompense of this his service to the Venetians, the Church of Spalato was gotten for him by the State of Venice, though it cost thē dear in some respects. This said bishopric was but poor in revenues, worth but about some two hundred pounds per annum, yet in respect of the Metropolitan dignity, was fit to satisfy his ambition. This bishopric he kept but a little while, till he Simoniacally partend with it again for a great sum of money, to a kinsman of his; having had some intelligence that His Holinesse the Pope would proceed against him for his lewd life, and degrade him, which accordingly was done; and if the Venetians had not protected him, he had tasted of the fire according to his desert. This wicked wretch is since come into England, where he will ere long begin to show himself in the same colours as he did at Segnia, Spalato, and Venice. In the mean while he will serve for a wonder to be shewed up and down the streets for fools and children to look on.  
Here was one volley of shot discharged against Spalato in this Information of the L. Gundamar. With many other horrid and horrible enormities did the L. Gundamar, openly in every place where he came, charge the new-arrived, much admired Spalato. Yet all this was supposed to be nothing else but Iniquorum individua comes calumnia, the idle ejaculations of envy and detraction; and therefore Gundamars word proved hitherto no Slander, though he laid on load boldly: but 〈◇〉 was believed that only the relinquishment of Romish Idolatrous impiety had gained the Dalmatian Bishop all these Reproaches.  
But as he that layeth siege to a city, when he findeth that one stratagem will not avail his Invasion, presently deviseth another, or perceiving that open hostility will purchase him nothing presently, practiseth secret suffocation. So fared it with L. Gundamar( a shrewd Machiavillian) when one assault could not a vail him, he presently putteth in practise another: when Martiall belligerating thundering Invectives served not the turn, forth with he falls to secret undermining, and then acted his part, displayed his colours in manner following.  
Pope Clement the eight( who Excommunicated Spalato) being dead, Simonaically succeeded him Paul the fifth, who in former times had been of Spalato's familiar acquaintance, and from whom he might hope for extraordinary favour and preferment if he should return to Rome. Gundamar full of diabolical craft and policy, thought he might best work upon this advantage, saying to himself,( as did sometimes another his satanical brother) Plus lingua quam gladius, my tongue shall at length conquer, where my sword could not; and so comes to Spalato, and tells him, that though some unkindness had passed between them, yet at length he would be his friend, and was sorry, considering his Learning and uncomparable deserving he should live here in England, where bee assured him he was much maligned, and used but as a Stale, hereafter to publish store of books in his name. He said he would undertake he should be made a cardinal upon his return into his own country, where many his friends bemoaned him, and Paul, the then Pope, would think it a great happiness to see him. For saith he) I can show you a letter lately come to my hands from his Holinesse, who writes unto me, desiring to be certified what is become of you, and if I speak with you, to signify how much he desires your Good, and that he will exceedingly further your preferment, if you shal come unto him; and for Gundamar draws out of his pocket the pre●e●ded Letter sent him from the Pope, and bids him read it; which containing many sugared promises of preferment, if Spalato should come to him to Rome: the Sun-shine thereof presently dazzled his eyes, and the titular Dalmatian Bishop, who before like another Leviathan would drink up jordan, and overthrow the Popes supremacy, now presently promiseth to join forces with him: and  told the L. Gundamar that if he meant well toward him, he would return ho me to Rome. Gundamar all this while, like a crafty Hiaena, though he spake like a friend, devoured like a so, and like joab the captain of the host, though he spake kindly to Amasa, and kissed him, yet presently stabbed him; like the harpy, though he carried a faire Virgin face, yet he had Vultures talons. His plot was to bring him in disgrace here in England, and then to pack him over to Rome in a cloake-bag, where he might live near the fresh air of the Inquisition. So that here was a dangerous rock hide under a calm sea, the Syrens song became the Sailours wreck, the Fowlers whistle was the birds death, a hidden bait was the great Dalmatian fish his bane.  
Gundamar, that he might yet better unmask this titular Bishop( who had all this while stalked up and down in our kingdom, with the visard of hypocrisy on his face) caused him to writ a letter to the Pope intimating his resolution to leave England, and come to Rome, which accordingly Spalato did; and no sooner had he delivered his letter to Gundamar, to be sent to Rome, but Gundamar shewed the same to such of our kingdom as he thought fit the same should be discovered unto. Thus it happened Episcopo tepido, to this lukewarm Bishop; and thus,( as I  told you before) Proditoris proditor, one crafty Impostor laid open the other.    

CHAP. V.  
showing how that SPALATO being discovered, he desired leave of his majesty to return into Italy, upon pretence to reform and reunite the Christian world.  
THe titular Dalmatian Bishop, M. ANTONIVS de Dominis, after his abode in England some three or four yeeres, though much suspected, was not yet fully detected, till by his aforesaid friend, the L. Gundamar, who warily laying his bait, soon caught and entangled him like a Salmon in a net, which he would have broken thorough, but wanted might and slight. Perceiving at length how he was circumvented, he went unto his majesty, desiring leave to return unto his own country, assuring him he was the same in mind, opinion, and judgement, as he professed himself to be at his first arrival in England. His majesty, prudenti pectore& rerum usu longê maximus, being assuredly most wise, and knowing how to carry himself in this business, without any Italian or Spanish compliment of inviting him to an Inquisition, gave him leave, so soon as he pleased, to be gone; and finding his levity, was willing to be quit and freed of him; yet asked him what occasioned his so sudden desire of departure, and how he durst( if not altered in opinion) trust unreconcilable Rome,( his majesty in truth plainly perceiving what would be the end of him.)  
SPALATO his answer was thus, That no unbridled affection, no temporal necessity, no strange event, nor grievous mischance did compel him to depart, but for that the then Pope was his former acquaintance& friend, he feared not the Ignatian fury, but would venture to visit Rome, or the Italian adjacent parts; his project being sage and considerate, his designment of no ordinary consequent, but of this nature as followeth, viz. That he meant to reconcile and reunite the Christian world, which he was sure he could perform, having had a natural and inborn desire of unity from his infancy: Herculeum opus; sure a hard task. This Spirit of his being so contrary to the Spirit of the Church, to the Spirit of Christ himself, and in fine contrary to the very light of reason and human understanding. What union and conjunction can there be of the East and West, North and South? Our Mother Eve, out of a vain curiosity, 
Gen. 3.2.  conferring with the Serpent, whom shee might think to be an angel, fell into heresy; but this man out of a curiosity more than monstrous, 
joh. 10.3.5.  would persuade the sheep of Christ to hear the voice of a stranger, and to confer with that Serpent of Rome, whom in his books he said he knew and confessed to be the devill: But it appeareth sufficiently that he hath not followed those rules of discerning spirits, which with a little humility he might have learned in Scripture. For the Spirit which giveth true faith, is the Spirit of humility; which is testified by our Saviour, Matth. 18.3. The spirit of Pride, is the spirit of heresy. The fairy which lead away the Dalmatian Bishop, was the spirit of Pride, which made him undertake that task which is too hard for him, or for any the wisest man this day alive. But according to S. Bernard, Multi student plus alta, quam aptaproferre. The Wise-man therefore gives this counsel unto those fools, whose curiosity transports their spirits after needless and unprofitable Inquisition: Altiora te ne quaesieris,& fortiora te ne scruteris. seek not for things that are too high for thee, nor search after things that are too mighty. Many( according to that of S. Paul, 
1 Tim. 1.17.  and it may well be applied to the Dalmatian Bishop) will be the Doctors of the Law, neither understanding what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 
Fulbert. Carnotensis epist. 1.  In which sense, true is that of Fulbertus Carnotensis, that while they refused to become disciples, or schollers of the truth, they make themselves the Masters of error.   

CHAP. VI.  
showing what entertainment marcus ANTONIVS de Dominis, the nominal Bishop of Spalato found upon his late return to Rome.  
SPALATO being on his journey between England and Italy, was so gogged with assured hopes of what supereminent preferment he should have conferred on him by his old acquaintance, the Pope, upon his arrival to Rome, that lower than a Cardinallship his aspiring thoughts could not or would not descend. But according to Aristotles rule, Frustra est illa potentia quae non reducitur ad actum, vain is that hope which endeth in nothing. 
Oft over-bold Ambition fires her nest,  
And burns her wings with shane, or ends in jest.  whilst the tide of this Bishops Ambition carried him head-long into an Ocean of hoped preferment, he suddenly became drowned in a very gulf of distress. For as he was about to land, and set footing within the city of Rome, he was received into a close Cell near the Church of S. Laurence without Porta Esquilina: And there continued fourteen daies without receiving any message at all from his Holinesse. A could welcome it was; but this was done to ease his heart after so tedious a journey. If he had presently come amongst his old acquaintance, their many greetings might have done as much hurt as his travails.  
After this he was sent to a cloister within the Church of S. Sebastian and Fabian, where there was appointed to attend on him for a week a Confessor, and he had certain Articles delivered him, which he was advised to consider of, and to subscribe to them within three daies following. Then was sent unto him from his Holinesse the Bishop of Ancona, who was appointed to confer with him about his voyage into England, and to signify unto the Pope his sorrow and repentance for the same. This Bishop became his great friend, and soon after got leave of the Pope that Spalato himself might have access to him, and confer with him.  
Spalato being brought before the Pope, was not whispered in the ear with another archbishopric or Cardinall-ship, as he expected, but advised by his Holinesse to make his peace with God and the Church, and then he should find all lawful favour at his hands. And so the Pope commanded him for a time to live a retired contemplative life in one of the Monasteries of Rome, and there betake himself to some Religious order. Accordingly, like a brute beast or Swine they shut him up in a sty, and immured him within the walls of a Cloister, near the Church of S. John de Lateran, and enjoined him, as part of his penance, to writ a book, wherein to give satisfaction for his former apostasy and Revolt from them. Accordingly he performed his task, and his spurious Pamphlet hath( I am sure) been seen and red by divers in our kingdom: wherein, without all modesty, he belieth our Church in general, which he hath often publicly and privately commended and admired; and like a very loose Lozell, he causelessly complaineth of divers of most eminent place in our kingdom. Lastly, without wit or judgement, he bringeth a many base Invectives bombasted out with foaming malice against himself: And he graspeth together such an heap of confused matter, spun out and patched together in a company of dark sentences, that it will dazzle any mans understanding to hear or read it. For my part I had compassion of the poor mans simplicity, when I beholded his book fraught with so many disadvantages against himself, wherein without further help he hath overthrown that fantastical tower of Babel, which before he was a building: and no nearer is he to the knowledge of the truth, from which he is fallen by his revolt from our Church, than the fall of Lucifer could end in heaven.  
Besides the Penance enjoined him, of writing his said selfe-accusing-condemning book, he hath since endured many mortifying passions, flagellant diseases which terminated in a mortal incurable consumption, he having( as is supposed) of late breathed his last in the Castle of Saint Angelo, near the Popes Palace of S. Peters, where he found the case strangely altered, in regard of what his friend, the L. Gundamar, promised him here in England.   

CHAP. VII.  
showing the manner of the titular Arch-bishop of Spalato his commitment to the Castle of S. Angelo within the precincts of Rome, and the reasons of his said imprisonment.  
I Could here express a whole Iliad of troubles that attended the Arch-bishop of Spalato upon his coming to Rome, Mala malis succedentia& agminatim ingruentia, One evil treading upon the heels of another; Et dum advenit vnum non advenit solum. But of all terribles, the most terrible was his Commitment to the Castle of S. Angelo,( a place somewhat worse than the Inquisition) of which it may be said in some sort, as of the Lions den.  
Multi te adversum spectantes, nemo retrorsum: Of those that are committed to this said Castle, few or none ever after see the sun-shine. They have an old saying in the northern parts of England, which is this, From Hell, Hull, and Holifax, good Lord deliver us; but at Rome the common saying is, From the Tower in Saint Angelo save us good Lord.  
The Romanists speak much of their feigned dreamed Purgatory, but where the place thereof is, none of their Purgatory Rakers or Proctors is able to declare: But I believe if there be any purgatory any where, it is in the vault of the Castle of Saint Angelo, which hath swallowed up many a man, who shall never be more heard of until the day of doom. This vault is reported to be twelvescore yards in depth, and into it are tumbled many men alive; there being a room over it which hath a trap-doore or drawing floor: the person condemned to be thrown into this Purgatorian Vault, hath prepared for him, in the room over, a kind of little cage or box into which he is shut, and in which he may hardly turn him. Being once put into this coop, he hath a Confessor that comes to him some half dozen times, and then when he little suspects or dreams of it, the forged floor or trap-doore is let down by a device which they have, and then down tumbles the poor prisoner into this almost on plummettable hole or gulf; the box into which he was shut remaining his coffin. And of the time when the condemned is thus let fall, none of his friends ever know, nor once hear of, but yet are assured that ab eo Purgatorio 〈◇〉 est redemptio, from that not fiery, false and feigned, but truly real purgatory there is indeed no redemption; and therefore I conclude, istinc ut ab inferno libera nos Domine, from hell and thence good Lord deliver us. The Dalmatian Bishop hath( as some say) already had his penance there: His persuaded assured hopes ended in a personal censure, to sink in that bottomless, breathless Vault or gulf.  
Yet within these few daies have I seen certain letters from Rome, wherein was signified, that the Archbishop of Spalato hath had( since his former censure) another sentence pronounced against him, which hath been put in execution, viz. to fry in the fire, and to be burnt flesh and bones to cinders, in the sight of many thousands of people.  
The reasons of which condemnation and sufferings of his, were these that follow.  
1. Spalato having been for the space of a year shut up in a Monastery at Rome, petitioned unto the present Pope to have his enlargement, and for his health sake desired to travel to Naples. But the Pope perceiving how willing he was to slip coller, and be ranging after his old guise and fashion, by no means would yield unto his said request, but became jealous of him. Whereupon Spalato full of discontent, uttered words against the discipline of the Church of Rome, preferring the discipline and government of the Reformed Churches, far before that of the Roman catholic chair. This news came to the Holy Father the Popes ears.  
2. Then the Pope sent unto Spalato, Pater Lodozasques, to demand of him when he would give satisfaction to the Church for the books that he wrote in England, in which he accused his Mother, the Church of Rome, for a very Strumpet or Harlot. Spalato replied that he grew ill and sickly, and was altogether unfit, in that regard, to undertake such an hard task, as to answer those great Volumes of his own, except the Pope would give him leave to travel to a better air than that of Rome,( which belike was too near the Inquisition, which he doubted would at length stifle him, except he could by some wile get further from it.)  
3. Vpon these passages and answers of his, the Pope& Conclave of Rome resolved they would soon sift& find out Spalato's meaning, as concerning the premises. To which end they cunningly plotted and practised with one Camelo, a monk, who had been with Spalato here in England. They so tempered and wrought with this said Camelo, that he soon betrayed his Master Spalato unto them, which he performed in this manner.  
First, he discovered unto them certain Lutheran doctrines, which Spalato persisted to maintain.  
Secondly, he got from Spalato certain papers of his, lately written with his own hand since his coming from England, in which he seemed, like a lusty stout valiant Pugill, by argument to maintain his former Lutheran quarrel.  
Thirdly, Camelo declared that Spalato had often plotted an escape from Rome, and had  told him, there could be no safety for him so long as he continued so near the Popes nose.  
These businesses thus informed against Spalato, wrought his destruction, and without more ado, was upon the six and twentieth day of February last committed to the Castle of Saint Angelo, where he remained till the day that he was brought unto the stake to bee burned. Where, if his last end were no better than his former course and trade of life; he might well curse the womb that bare him, and the paps that gave him suck.  
Surely the infamous shipwreck whereinto he fell, first of all virtue, which is the merchandise; and secondly of Faith, which is the ship of eternal life; and lastly of all good name and common honesty( without the which this present life is far worse than any temporal death) hath made him a perpetual and a most dreadful example for all honest men, to take heed how they dally with God almighty, and be but lukewarm gospelers, was this miserable titular Bishop at the best was. again, let men beware of Ambition, which was the morsel that choked him, when he might have fared otherwise well enough here in England. Lastly, let every good Christian above all things care to keep a good conscience, which he neglecting, made shipwreck of his faith, and was therefore given over by almighty God unto impenitency and hardness of heart, to heap or store up wrath to himself against the day of wrath, and to increase the weight of his own damnation, against the time of the revelation of Gods just judgement, who shall render unto every man according to his works.  
Though this be a world of shadows, a theatre of disguises, a map of colours, a shop of complexion, a school of hypocrisy: yet a time will come when in the court of heaven, all masks shall be put off, save the veil of righteousness, no sucus shall stay on, but the tincture of Christs blood, no habit shall be in fashion, but a rob of innocency, no crafts-master shall get in, but a plain Christian. And as for Rome, whosoever thou art, having separated thyself from her, mayst yet be persuaded with Spalato, to return unto her; assure thyself that it is most true which Theodoricus of Niem long since affirmed of her, that she is a cruel Dame, unjust, impious, unreconcilable, to be compared with Nilus, which bread monsters, and nourished Crocodiles.  
FINIS.