(Vol. iv., p. 257.)
_Audi alteram partem_ is too excellent and equitable a rule, not to find
ample scope given for its exercise in "NOTES AND QUERIES," especially
where the memory of a foreigner is concerned, who, after dwelling awhile
among us under the protection of our hospitality, and in the communion
of our Church, was content eventually to sacrifice his life, rather than
forsake the truth, or repudiate the Church of England.
I am led to this remark by observing the tone of depreciation in which
Chalmers speaks of Antonius de Dominis, Archbishop of Spalatro, in the
extract produced at p. 257. out of the _Biographical Dictionary_, for
the satisfaction of MR. W. FRAZER.
The words of Chalmers, which I conceive to be objectionable, alike
ungenerous and inaccurate--such as Fuller might rejoice in (conf.
_Church History_, book x.)--are:
"He returned to Rome in 1622, _where he abjured his errors_; but
on the discovery of a correspondence which he held with some
Protestants, he was thrown into prison, where he died in 1625. He
was a man of great abilities and learning, _although remarkable
for a fickleness in religious matters_."
This reproach against the good archbishop, of having renounced the
English communion (for that is doubtless what is meant), is clearly an
unjust accusation, and appears to be based upon no better authority than
a spurious book, published in the Low Countries under Spalatro's name,
but without his knowledge or sanction, and bearing the following title:
_Marc. Ant. de Dominis sui reditus ex Anglia concilium exponit_, 4to.
Dilingae, 1623. This book at the time of its publication deceived Bishop
Hall, and gave occasion to the _Alter Ecebolius M. Ant. de Dominis,
pluribus dominis inservire doctus_: 4to. Lond. 1624.
It is only fair, certainly, to Spalatro's memory, that the calumnies
thus raised against him in his lifetime should not now be perpetuated by
the inadvertency of modern writers, for so far at least the means are at
hand to refute them. Now there is one writer especially who has done
much to vindicate the name of Ant. de Dominis from this charge of
"fickleness in religious matters." That writer is Bishop Cosin, whose
testimony herein is of the more value from the fact of his having been
present (as Bishop Overall's secretary) at the "Conference between
Spalato and Overall," which "Conference" the following particulars were
collected by Mr. Gutch, _e Schedis MSS. Cosini_, and are preserved in
the _Collectanea Curiosa_, vol. ii. p. 18.:
"A. Spalato came into England in 1616, being desirous to live
under the protection of King James, having before been recommended
by Padre Paolo. By King James's bounty and care he was safely
conveyed through Germany into England, and lodged in Lambeth
Palace: Abbot thinking fit to retire to Croydon, till either
Bishop Andrewes or Bishop Overall had conferred with him. The king
sent Bishop Overall to him, who took in his company his secretary,
and commanded him to be near him the same morning Spalato arrived,
to hear what passed between them. After dinner, some other being
present, the discourse began about the state of the Church of
England; of which Overall having given a large account, Spalato
received great satisfaction, and made his protestation that he
came into England then to live with us in the union and profession
of that Catholic religion which was so much obstructed in his own
country, that he could not with safety and peace of conscience
live there any longer. Then he added what satisfaction he had
received from the monitory preface of King James [Vid. _Apol. for
the Oath of Allegiance_, ed. 4to. Lond. 1609] to all the estates
and churches of Christendom; wherein the true ancient faith and
religion of the Catholic Church is set forth, and no heterodoxies
or novelties maintained: to the defence of which faith, and
service of which Church, as he had already a long time applied his
studies, and wrote ten books, _De Republica Ecclesiastica_, so, by
the favour of God, and King James, he was now come into England to
review and publish them, together with the _History of the Council
of Trent_, which he had brought with him from Padre Paolo of
Venice, who delivered it into his hands; by whom he was chiefly
persuaded and encouraged to have recourse to the king and the
Church of England, being the best founded for the profession of
true Catholic doctrine, and the freest from error and novelties,
of any Church in all places besides. Then they descended to the
particular points of doctrine," &c.
It is, however, _not_ with the _doctrinal_ question which would, of
course, be inadmissible in "NOTES AND QUERIES," but with the historical
_fact_, that we have to do; the question being, whether Antonius
Spalateasis was "fickle" in respect of the Church of England.
There is an interesting sketch of Spalatro's _after_ history in Cosin's
_Treatise against Transubstantiation_, chap. ii. [section] 7.; from Luke de
Beaulieu's translation of which (Cosin's _Collected Works_, vol. iv. p.
160., Oxford, 1851) I quote the following:
"Antonio de Dominis, Archbishop of Spalato, (was) a man well
versed in the Sacred Writings, and the records of antiquity; who,
having left Italy (when he could no longer remain in it, either
with quiet or safety) by the advice of his intimate friend, Paulus
Venetus, took sanctuary under the protection of King James of
blessed memory, in the bosom of the Church of England, which he
did faithfully follow in all points and articles of religion. But,
being daily vexed with many affronts and injuries, and wearied by
the unjust persecutions of some sour and over-rigid men, who
bitterly declaimed everywhere against his life and actions, he at
last resolved to return into Italy with a safe conduct. Before he
departed he was, by order from the king, questioned by some
commissionated bishops, what he thought of the religion and church
of England, which for so many years he had owned and obeyed, and
what he would say of it in the Roman court. _To this query he gave
in writing this memorable answer, 'I am resolved, even with the
danger of my life, in profess before the Pope himself, that the
Church of England is a true and orthodox Church of Christ.' This
he not only promised, but faithfully performed_; for though, soon
after his departure, there came a book out of the Low Countries,
falsely bearing his name, by whose title many were deceived, even
among the English, and thereby moved to tax him with apostacy, and
of being another Ecebolius; yet, when he came to Rome (where he
was most kindly entertained in the palace of Pope Gregory XV., who
formerly had been his fellow-student), _he could never be
persuaded_ by the Jesuits and others, who daily thronged upon him,
neither to subscribe the new-devised tenets of the Council of
Trent, or _to retract those orthodox books_ which he had printed
in England and Germany, or _to renounce the communion of the
Church of England, in whose defence he constantly persisted to the
very last_. But, presently after the decease of Pope Gregory, he
was imprisoned by the Jesuits and Inquisitors in Castle St.
Angelo, where, by being barbarously used, and almost starved, he
soon got a mortal sickness, and died in a few days, though not
without suspicion of being poisoned. The day following, his corpse
was by the sentence of the Inquisition tied to an infamous stake,
and there burnt to ashes, _for no other reason but that he refused
to make abjuration of the religion of the Church of England_, and
subscribe some of the lately-made decrees of Trent, which were
pressed upon him as canons of the Catholic faith. I have taken
occasion (Cosin adds) to insert this narration, perhaps not known
to many, to make it appear that this reverend prelate, who did
great service to the Church of God, may justly (as I said before)
be reckoned among the writers of the Church of England."
In the first collection of Lord Somers's _Tracts_, vol. iv. p. 575.,
there is a curious paper bearing the title: _A relation sent from Rome,
of the process, sentence, and execution done upon the body, pictures,
and books of Marcus Ant. de Dominis, Archbishop of Spalato, after his
death._ There are some notices of De Dominis, also, among the Birch and
other MSS. in the British Museum.
MR. FRAZER might possibly ascertain the other particular about which he
inquires, viz. whether Spalatro "_acted_ as a bishop in England," by
consulting some of the numerous tracts written at the time, both against
and in vindication of the archbishop; and, more particularly, a tract
entitled: _De pace religionis M. Ant. de Dominis Spalateus. Archiepisc.
Epist. ad venerabilem virum Jos. Hallum, Archipresbyterum Vigorn_, &c.:
edit. Ves. Sequan. 1666.