A CAVEAT For the PROTESTANT CLERGY.  
Or, A TRUE ACCOUNT of the Sufferings of the ENGLISH CLERGY upon the Restitution of POPERY in the days of QUEEN MARY.  
Virgilio Malvezzi in his Tarquin.  
The calamity of others may be a Lesson to you: 'tis true, the good which is learned by what befalls one's self, is counterpoised by disasters: he knows much, to whom much hath befallen; But who can learn by another man's harm; Say he be less wise, he is for certain more fortunate.  
Printed Anno Dom. 1671.   

The Publisher to the Protestant Reader.  
THis Letter was sent to a Person of Quality, whose Learning and Prudence are such, that, but to know him, and that He recommended it to the Press, were enough to endear it to the perusal of any Man. But neither have I power to discover him that approved it; nor doth the Author desire the World should know what he thinks upon, or writes to his friends: He is confident this Age is so supinely negligent, and ignorant, that all this will pass for a Midsummer Dream, or some old foolish story, in the knowledge whereof this Generation is not concerned. But yet it is most certain, that they who are acquainted with the proceed of the Papists in Austria, Bohemia, or France, will think what He writes to be probable. They who examine things further, will find all to be exactly true: And they who by comparing past and present times, take a prospect of the condition of our Affairs, will think the Publication to be necessary: However, there is no hurt in being cautilous; and many events happen in the World that were as remote from the apprehension of them that suffer under them, as what the most jealous heads are perplexed at now in England: The Reading hereof will not take up much of that time which is now the least valued thing in this Nation; and 'twill be no evil effect, if the consideration hereof bring into any one's mind that Petition in the Lord's Prayer, Led us not into Temptation, but deliver us from evil, with which I conclude.   

Honoured Sir,  
Lest you should interpret my long silence to be a relinquishing of that Friendship which I have vowed unto You, I again renew that Correspondence which hath been so many Months discontinued: And because you expect from me somewhat more than Ceremony and Compliment, I shall here represent unto you an Account of the Condition of the Clergy under that revolution in the Reign of Queen Mary, when Popery was reestablished. It is well known how that Queen was promoted to the Crown by the sole aid and assistance of the Protestants, who flocked unto her in Suffolk, and offered to hazard their Lives and Fortunes in her defence against the Lady Jane, who was proclaimed Queen, and abetted by the Nobility. 'Tis known that She promised unto the Protestants, that She would make no alteration in the established Religion: and this She did so Solemnly avow, that none misdoubted her Reality. But after She was once advanced into the Throne, and had possessed herself of the Regal Power, She violated all those Promises, and being put in mind thereof, answered, Forasmuch as you being but Members desire to rule your Head, 
Acts & Monuments, p. 1279  you shall one day perceive that Members must obey their Head, and not look to bear rule over the same. And to terrify others from importuning her with solicitations of that nature, a certain Gentleman named M. Dob, dwelling about Windam side, for the same cause, that is, for advertising her by humble request of her Promise, was punished by being set three several times in the Pillory. At first She made alteration in the Church, but assumed the Practice of her Religion, as she allowed unto others the use of theirs: 
Ibid. p. 1281.  She declared no more by Proclamation, than teat being settled in the Throne she could not hid that Religion which God and the World knew She had ever professed from her infancy: which she was minded to observe and maintain for herself, during her time: and would be glad the same were of all her Subjects quietly and charitably embraced. Yet she doth signify unto all her Majesty's loving Subjects, that of her most gracious disposition and clemency, her Highness mindeth not to compel any her said Subjects thereunto, until such time as further order by common consent, may be taken therein. Forbidding nevertheless all her Subjects of all degrees, at their perils, to move Seditions, or stir unquietness in her People by interpreting the Laws of the Realm, after their Brains and Fancies, but quietly continue for the time, till (as before said) further order may be taken; and therefore willeth, and straightly chargeth and commandeth all her said good loving Subjects to live together in quiet sort and Christian charity, leaving those newfound devilish terms of Papist and Heretic, or such like, and applying their whole care, study, and travail to live in the fear of God, exercising their Conversations in such a charitable and godly doing, as their Lives may indeed express that great hunger and thirst of God's Glory and Holy Word, which by rash talk and words many have pretended: and in so doing they shall best please God, and live without the danger of the Laws, and maintain the Tranquillity of the Realm.  
After this, upon pretence of suppressing all factious praying and Libels, She prohibited all universally (except in the Universities) to preach or teach any Scriptures, or any manner of points of Doctrine concerning Religion, unless they have her Majesty's special Licence for the same in writing.  
This Proclamation being made, she proceeded to trouble such Ministers as did oppose the Popish Doctrines preached by Mr. Bourne: several were summoned before the Council, and cast into Prison, who had either preached or talked against the Queen's proceed.  
Divers Bishops suspended in the days of her Brother Edward, were restored, viz. 
Dr. Heylin doth call him Bishop Poinet; I know not why; for he writes his own name Poynett.  Dr. Gardiner to Winchester, and John Poynec put out; Dr. Bonner to London, and Nicholas Ridley confined; Joh. Day to Chichester, and J. Scory excluded; Dr. Torstal to Durham; Dr. Heath to Worcester, John Hooper excluded, and committed to the Fleet; Dr. Vesey to Excester; and Miles Coverdale cashiered. And in the beginning of the Parliament, before any Laws of K. Edward VI. were repealed, Mr. Harley Bishop of Hereford, was excluded from the House of Peers for being married; and of those which should adhere to the Laws in being (till they were repealed) some were marked, and others presently apprehended.  
The Universities were severely vifited, and many either expelled or forced to retire: 
Acts & Monuments, p. 1341.  in our College of S. John's in Cambridge, 24 places were vacuated; and no less miserable was the state of Oxford, by reason of the rigorous and strict dealing of the Visitors, that to set forward their Papistical proceed, had no regard to the ingenious or learned.  
Our Records show, that Five Bishops, and twenty one Divines were put to death in those days: But the particular usage of the Clergy is not so related in any Chronicles I have yet seen, 
It was Dedicated to K. Philip, and Q. Marry, and all the Estates in Parliament.  as in a Defence of the Married Clergy, whose Author I know not; (my Book being imperfect) and because I think it may be somewhat new unto you, as it was to me, I designed the sum of it for the Subject of this Letter.  
There were twelve or sixteen thousand Clergymen turned out in those days, at one time, and reduced to great poverty; this was done and executed to the uttermost, and against all Justice upon a number of them, even after the charge of the Cure served, the Tenths and Subsidy paid, 
N.B. In this relation I generally retain the Language, and even the Orthography oftentimes of my Author  and they at the point of receiving that which was before laboured for, and deserved, all was snatched out of their mouths by preventions. Some were deprived, and never convict, no never called. Some called, that were fast locked in Prison, and yet nevertheless deprived immediately. Some deprived without the case of Marriage after Orders. Some induced to resign upon promise of Pension, and the promise never performed. Some so deprived, that they were spoiled of their wages, for which they had served the last half year before, and not ten days before the receipt sequestered from it. Some prevented from the half years receipt, after charges of Tenths and Subsidy paid; and yet not deprived till sir week's after. Nay, they stood chargeable in Law for their first Fruits, notwithstanding their deprivation. Nor were they only divorced from their Live: But the Orders of Bonner are extant whereby they were appointed to bring their Wives within a Fortnight, 
Acts & Monuments, p. 1334.  that they might likewise be divorced from them  
The Queen's Articles sent into every Diocese with Letters writ unto the several respective Bishops, were of the same import, though in some things better qualifyed, than those that were to put them in execution would have regard unto: But 'tis no nnusual thing in so great revolutions for the Instruments to exceed their Commission; and to comply more with their private instructions or intentions, than the public Declarations of their Prince. Whatsoever there is of mitigation in them, was not taken notice of, but such rigour practised, as I relate. The Articles relating to this Subject were.  
That every Bishop and his Officers, 
Dr. Heylin's History of the Reformation. Ann. Reg. Mar. 1. 1553  and all others having Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, proceeding summarily, and with all celerity and speed, may, and shall deprive, or declare deprived, and remove according to their learning and discretion, all such persons from their Benefices and Ecclesiastical Promotions, who contrary to the state of their Order, and the laudable custom of the Church, have married, and used Women as their Wives, or otherwise notably and slanderously disordered or abused themselves, Sequestering also, during the said Process, the Fruits and Profits of the said Benesices and Ecclosiastical promotions,  
That the said Bishop, and other Persons aforesaid, do use more lenity and clemency with such as have married, whose Wives be dead, than with others whose Women do yet remain alive. And likewise such Priests, as with the consent of their Wives or Women, openly in the presence of the Bishop, do profess to abstain, to be used more favourable. In which case, after Pennauce effectually done, the Bishop according to his discretion and wisdom, may upon just considevation, receive and admit them again to their former administrations, so it be not in the same place, appointing them such a portion to live upon, to be paid out of their Benefice, whereof they be deprived, by the discretion of the said Bishop, or his Officer, as he shall think may be spared of the same Benefice.  
That every Bishop, and other Person aforesaid, do foresee that they suffer not any Religious Man, having solentnly professed Chastity,, to continue with his Woman or Wife, but that all such persons after Deprivation of their Benefice, or Ecclesiastical Promotion, be also divorced from his said Woman, and due punishment otherwise taken for the Offence therein.  
In these Articles 'tis to be observed, that the Queen seems more inclined to call the Wives of the Married Clergy rather Women, than any other name: and matters were so ordered, that not only the Regular Clergy, which do vow Chastity, but the Seculars, (who promise at their Ordination only castitatem colere & docere; which was the old Form, and obligeth them directly no more to refrain Marriage, than to teach others so to do,) were divorced from their Wives, and deemed to have made a solemn profession of Chastity, according to those Verses, 
Ordo, Sacer, vestis, professio Religionis  
Quae sit facta palam factunt solemnia vota.   
The Married Clergy were in all places represented as Lewd Fellows; Nay, it came to that pass immediately, as that they were imputed such an unworthy sort of Men, that they ought not to be said Ave unto in salutation: not fit to come to their Tables or Presence, for disteining their Holiness and mystical vows of Chastity. Whereas in truth the Secular Priests of the English Church were never under any such Vow, nor did our Pontifical oblige them to any such thing: as Dr. Redman attested in the Convocation-house; professing they were not bound by reason of any Vow, which (in as far as his Conscience was the Priests in this Church of England do not make. But all Pleas were rejected; it was in vain for them to say they did nothing but what was warranted by the Laws of the Land, the Convocation, or Scripture, and Fathers: they were condemned for breach of Vows, as if they had been Ordained by Romish Poutifical and not that of England. The Popish Clergy told them, that upon the repealing of the Laws in being, the old Laws and Canons did ipso facto take place, and oblige, though there was no express Statute for it, and though the Queen's Commission was, that they should proceed according to Learning and Discretion in this weighty matter: and that they should not put any other Canons and Constitutions of the Church in exercise, than such as might stand with the Law of the Realm. Yet for all this grave and gracious Advertisement, divers of the Officials proceeded so far against Learning, discretion, and Laws of the Realm in most places, so that the poor Subjects and Orators were far otherwise used than one would have imagined, considering the trust committed to them. In truth it appears that all Pleas were invalid against the Arbitrary proceed of those times; and whatever was alleged out of the Laws and Constitutions of England, though never so old, and made in the times of Popery, (and who is safe, if such a defence be invalid:) were defeated by this general assertion of Dr. Martin, and others, that no Laws bind against the Church, but are ipso jure & ipso facto unlawful, void, and of none effect; That a particular Church, a little Member of the whole, cannot derogate the universal Law of the Church. They proceeded so far as to tell Men, that the Acts of K. Edward VI. did not take away the penalty of the Canon Laws: and interpreted that Act of Q. Marry, which barely repealed the Statutes of K. Edward, as it had annulled the Marriages of Priests. Nay, though there were a Statute in force then, made tricesimo secundo of Henry the Eighth, that no Reservation or Prohibition (God's Law except) shall trouble or impeach any Marriage, without the said Levitical Degrees: and that all such be lawful persons to contract, which be not prohibited by God's Law to marry Yet did they proceed to annul the Marriages; and argued, that the Priests could take no advantages of the Law, any longer than it continued: and that the ancient Laws of the Church were never extinguished, but only for a time shadowed, and brought asleep. It was further argued by the married Clergy thus: But to return again to Dr. Martin's assertion, wherein he defineth, that the Church-Canons be ready, watching straightways to fall into men's necks, upon repeal of such Statutes as kept them back: which he doth so boldly, that belike the wise and well learned Commissaries, in divers places, without further advisement, taketh upon them wondrous stoutly, to separate, not only Regulars, but Seculars too, against their wills and consents. Upon which their do, I would ask them a question: How they can gloze the words of K. Henry's Statute in the XXVII. year of his Reign, where it is plainly decreed in Law, that all manner of Licenses, Dispensations and Faculties obtained of the Archbishop of Canterbury, in matters not repugnant or contrary to the holy Scriptures, and Laws of God, shall stand in full Authority and strength, without any revocation or repeal hereafter to be had of any such Licence. And I know divers married Priests, which have such Dispensations, some corroborated by the King's Broad Seal, and some by the said Arch-Bishops Seal. I would fain learn, how they understand these weighty Laws of the Realm. Belike, as they have proceeded in Deprivations of many Men, never called, or cited, never convict, nor confessed; and some called on one day, and slat deprived on the next day, not examining whether he were Secular or Regular, married before Orders, or after, without all manner of inquisition: So belike they desire to proceed in Separations, against both God's Law, and their own. And as for the Laws of the Realm, they make but washway of them, so little counting of them, that if a Lord should see his Tenants in his Court-Baron so little regard the by-Laws of his Courts, he would think them not unworthy, to lose their Copies.— To this the only answer I can find, is, The marriages of the Clergy be so great offences, that they cannot be forgiven by no manner of means, no not by Christ's Blood, but only by a Separation. And Dr. Martin saith furthermore, that Bishops and Priests have so great deformities and scars yet remaining in their Bodies and Souls, for their old Incests, (as he calls them) that they cannot be mitigated by any gentle Medicine, Christian Clemency, no not purged yet, nor sufficiently punished, with the deprivations of all their Live, but must look for much more yet, Curses, Excommunications, Excoriations, Confiscations, open Penance, yea, the Devil, Hell, and all.— And Dr. Martin assures the Clergy that they were dealt with very favourably in being turned out of their Ministrations, and no further Penalties inflicted on them. 'Tis not to be denied, but that after they were turned out of their Live, the Church did mercifully open her lap to receive them into new Benefices and Live, though they had lost their old, where they had done cost. But such was the Churches merciful lap, in receiving her own begotten Children to ministration again, that yet first they must speak their own shame in Bills of their Penance, lying against themselves, most vilely & shamefully disabling their credit and estimation for ever. They must profess an earnest and hearty repentance of that foul sin of unchastity by marrying, relinquish their Wives for the future, and bear such a part in Procession, as Jane Shore doth in the Puppet-Plays, carrying Tapers in their hands: I could wish all our Clergy would resor to Bartholomew Fair, and behold that spectacle, and judge of that happy condition into which their supinity will precipitate them. Some did undergo it in the days of Q. Mary: and, Surely in some places the Church's mercy was so sore extended, that whose Wives were two or three years passed before departed, yet they could not be admitted again to ministration, but must do open Penance, and go before the Cross, without any redemption or entreaty that could be made; and the parties such as by whom the Commissaries themselves could allege not one point of dishonesty, or evil opinion in all their conversation besides forth. Shall Laymen hereafter trust well of the Church's Mercy, if they come within their claws, when the Clergy are thus dealt with? Of whom some dissented in no Point at all from the Papists, but only in this fact, which the Law made them bold to adventure on.— Thus, Sir, were those Clergymen served, who before that fatal change, were in as good and lawful possession of their Wives and Live, as any Subject ever shall have of any thing hereafter. Nor is there any way for the present Clergy to avoid the like inveniencies should such a Revolution happen (from which the greatest security we have, as to humane and Political Affairs, is the great Zeal which our Prince continues to show for the Church of England, and that unquestionable unshaken constancy with which His Majesty persisted to be a Protestant during his Exile) except it be confessed that they are not in Orders, and that the Succession did cease in the Election of Matthew Parker to be Archbishop of Canterbury: this is a thing the Papists do commonly say: and Dr. Champney hath writ a plausible Book to prove it: and if it be true, that He which makes arbitrarily Bishops in Greece, of Chalcedon, Corinth, etc. hath ordained some for England, and Ireland; 'tis easy to judge what courses will be taken, should Protestancy lose its Legal force, and power. Perhaps you will say that such a revolution would endanger the Laity also, and bring the Crown of his Majesty into Question, whether it be feudatory, or no: 'tis true indeed, that the Papists do now entitle some of their Clergy to our old Abbeys and Monasteries; and in France there is a Nunnery that lays claim to Zion house, and they are called the Nuns of Zion. 'Tis most true that the Pope doth reckon upon our Kingdom as held in Fee of the Papacy, and to this purpose did Bellermine produce unto K. James other Arguments than the Donation of Constantine. Bu● I am resolved not to doubt the integrity or prudence of his Majesty, or our Parliament; 'tis not to be doubted but the intellectuals of Statesmen are as elevated as their condition is above others, and their prospect greater into Affairs: what passed in the days of Q. Elizabeth, and K. James is not effaced out of our knowledge: and 'tis only the intent of this Letter to acquaint you with the condition of the Protestant Clergy in the days of Queen Mary. Dr. Heylin hath not treated so fully of this matter as I have here: and I think it would be a seasonable Work to publish Dr. Martin's Book about the proceed against the Clergy then; and the Defence of Priest's Marriage, (which is the Book I follow, and 'tis a learned piece, written by some eminent Man, but mine is defective in the beginning, and wants a sheet in the middle.) Nothing informs us so much as History, and to be forewarned, is in a manner to be fore-armed. I am  
Your most devoted Servant, Y. E.   
FINIS.