# fulltext

id: A08075
fulltext:
   Newes from the low-countreyes. Or The anatomy of Caluinisticall calumnyes, manifested in a dialogue betweene a Brabander, and a Hollander Vpon occasion of a placcart, lately published in Holla[n]d, against the Iesuites, priests, friars &c. by those that there assume vnto themselues, the tytle of the high-mighty-lords, the States &c. Translated out of the Netherland language, into English. By D.N. Anatomie van Calviniste calumnien. English. Verstegan, Richard, ca. 1550-1640. 1622 Approx. 97 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 51 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A08075 STC 18443 ESTC S120471 99855667 99855667 21169 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A08075) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 21169) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1475-1640 ; 1689:11) Newes from the low-countreyes. Or The anatomy of Caluinisticall calumnyes, manifested in a dialogue betweene a Brabander, and a Hollander Vpon occasion of a placcart, lately published in Holla[n]d, against the Iesuites, priests, friars &c. by those that there assume vnto themselues, the tytle of the high-mighty-lords, the States &c. Translated out of the Netherland language, into English. By D.N. Anatomie van Calviniste calumnien. English. Verstegan, Richard, ca. 1550-1640. D. N., fl. 1622. Cresswell, Joseph, 1556-1623, attributed name. 100 p. English College Press], [Saint-Omer : M. DC. XXII [1622] By Richard Verstegan. A translation, possibly by Joseph Cresswell, of: Verstegan, Richard. Anatomie van Calviniste calumnien. 1622. Place of publication and press from STC. Reproduction of the original in the Emmanuel College (University of Cambridge). Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Jesuits -- Netherlands -- Early works to 1800. 2006-08 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-08 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-12 Celeste Ng Sampled and proofread 2006-12 Celeste Ng Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion NEWES FROM THE LOW-COVNTREYES . OR THE Anatomy of Caluinisticall Calumnyes , manifested In a Dialogue betweene a Brabander , and a Hollander . Vpon occasion of a Placcart , lately published in Hollād , against the Iesuites , Priests , Friars &c. by those that there assume vnto themselues , the Tytle of The High-Mighty-Lords , the States &c. Translated out of the Netherland Language , into English. By D. N. M.DC.XXII . THE TRANSLATOVR TO HIS FRIEND . SYR , you shall please to vnderstand , that this present yeare of our Lord 1622. came forth a Placcart in Holland ▪ there published by the authority of the States ▪ wherin the Iesuytes are accused of no lesse cryme thē to be the murtherers of Princes . Against which placart came foorth soone after an answere made dialogue-wise , vnder the title of The Anatomy of Caluinisticall Calumnies . And seeing this accusation of the Iesuytes to be the murtherers of Princes , is made by such as are knowne to be no friendes to Princes , I was desyrous to see what could be sayd agaynst it . And finding this answere to conteyne very serious matter , and so many proofes for the manifesting of this accusation to be but a meere Calumny , I considered with myselfe that euery man , in reason and charity , is obliged to preferre truth , & to excuse the falsly-accused . Heerupon I resolued to enforce so much tyme out of my other affaires , as to translate it into English , and chiefly for your sake ▪ because I know you to be a man curious , and desirous to penetrate into the truth of thinges , and not cōtented to be carryed away with vulgar noyses wherwith Idiots are soone satisfyed . This when you shal h●ue read it , I leaue vnto your owne iudgement to censure , & my selfe still to remayne at your comaund . From the Low-Countreyes , the last of Iuly 1622. Your euer louing friend D. N. THE WRYTER OF THIS DIALOGVE IN THE NETHERLAND LANGVAGE , VNTO his friend . MY Very especiall friend . I could not leaue to let you vnderstand , that being aryued heere in Cullen , this present moneth of Aprill , about my affayres , certayne merchants came to lodge in the same Inne where I am loged , that also intend to take their iourney to Franckford Mart , among these a Merchant of Brabant , and a Merchant of Holland , hauing one night supped togeather at the table wherat myselfe among others was present , they chanced after supper to fall into discourse : which seeming vnto me to be worth the wryting I haue taken paynes to pen it , and heere I now send it you , supposing you may be asmuch pleased with reading it , as my selfe & others were with hearing it , when we willingly sate vp late in the night to that end . It was then occasioned by this meanes . Whē ( according as the custome is , when men from different places happen to meete togeather ) we began to aske one another what newes there was stirring abroad . The Brabander demaunded of the Hollander what newes there was in Holland ? The Hollander as som-what dissembling , sayd he knew of no newes there . Heerupon sayd the Brabander . When a reformed Brother comming out of Holland , knowes no newes , it is a signe that the brethren there haue no newes to their liking . The Hollander . It is your pleasure so to say : but when there is no newes , then can none be told . The Brabander . Then must I tell you what newes I heare out of Holland . It is told me that your Holland-States , of what trades soeuer they haue byn heertofore , they doe now all of them practise Pressing-worke . The Hollander . What meane you by that ? I vnderstand not what you say . The Brabander . Then are you more fortunate then many thousandes , that both know it well , and feele it well , by reason that their very harts are in effect pressed out of their bodies , through the intollerable and vnsupportable taxations which are layd vpon them , in so much that many do now begin to say , God be with the good Duke of Alua , that demaunded no more but the tenth penny of our goods . And that which is yet more grieuous is , that of these most grieuous exactions no end appeareth , but to the cōtrary they do dayly increase more , as though they were but in their beginnings , which falleth out in a fit tyme for the comon people , when things are so good cheap , especially food & fuell , that the price is double as much as but a whyle since it was , and where traficke so flourisheth , that merchants , marryners , and artifices , are forced to keep more holy-dayes , ( or rather play-dayes ) then are set downe in the Almanacke . The Hollander . Concerning Trade , it may be compared vnto the tyde , which ebbes and flowes . If it be not so good now as it hath byn , we must haue patience vntill it mend . And as for the exactions , they are not ordayned without reason by our High-mighty Lords the States , who well know what they haue to doe . The Brabander . They know it well , and the poore comons feele it well : you comfort your selues with patience vpon hope of amendment of traficke , but the patience is much more certayne , then the amendment . I agree with you in opinion that the exactions are not ordayned without reason , for lawlesse necessity is the reason , and need it is that enforceth them . And therfore your high-minded Lords the States , that well know their heauy charge , their great debts , and their small in-comings , must consequently well know what they doe , & happy it were that they also well know , wherin they do not well . The Hollander . I note your words very well , you call our High-mighty Lords the States , The High-mynded Lords the States : you ought not so to abuse , & mis-name our Lords , and Land-rulers . The Brabander . I see not wherein I abuse or misname them , because in very right and reason the tytle of High-mynded , farre better befitteth them , then High-mighty , for Lownesse they haue inough , but Highnesse none at all , except in their myndes , which agrees but ill with such as liue so low that they should sit vnder water , if they did not hemme thēselues from it with walles of earth . Being then such as they are , and dwelling so low as they doe , the High-nesse of their minds appeareth the more in that they will needes assume vnto themselues the tytle of High-mighty , or High-powerfull Lords and States . The Hollander . They assume vnto themselues this tytle , in regard of their authority . The Brabander . Whence haue they authority ? The Hollander . From God. The Brabander . Haue they heeretofore byn Princes , or subiects ? The Hollander . Our Countrey was sometime belonging vnto the King of Spayne , but so is not now . The Brabander . God hath comaunded that subiects must be obedient vnto their Kings and Princes . Shew me where God hath graunted a priuilege vnto the States of Holland , to relinquish and reiect all obedience vnto their lawfull and soueraigne Lord the King of Spayne ; and to band agaynst him in publike rebellion , and to assume vnto themselues the Princely authority belōging vnto him . The Hollander . We haue obtained our freedome by the sword . The Brabander . Put the case that now in our intēded iorney to Frankford ( where by the leaue of God we meane to go ) we should happen to be set vpon by theeues , who with their swords should hurt & wound vs , and take our money & goods from vs ; I demaund of you whether they ought lawfully to possesse it as their owne , because they got it by their swords . The Hollander . I am not obliged to shape you an answere to euery tryfling question you may aske me . The Brabander . And I am of opinion that no man is obliged to answere vnto any questiō , whereunto he is not able to answere . But yet I know that if such robbers by the high-way-side should fall into the handes of Iustice , they should not be freed frō the hands of the hangman by excusing thēselues , that our money & goods belonged vnto them , because they had gotten it from vs with their swordes . The Hollander . Let it be , as be it may . Our high & mightfull Lords and States Generall of the Vnited Netherlands , haue power and authority : and because at the beginning of our discourse you asked me for Newes , know now that these our Lords and States , haue lately published a Placcart , wherein , in spite of all that are agaynst it , they haue shewed that they haue authority . This Placcart conteyneth a prohibition , that no Iesuytes , Priests , Friars , or other ordayned persons of Romish profession , shall come into these vnited Prouinces , or being there , may still remayne and continue . Moreouer that no man shall send any children to schoole , or to remayne in any Cittyes , Places , Vniuersityes , or Schooles vnder the commaund of the King of Spayne , in the enemies Countreys or in other Colledges of Iesuites . And that no gatherings or collectiōs of money , gold , siluer , coyned or vncoyned , or of other goods , or wares shal be made , to , or for the benefit or behoofe of any Churches , Hospitalls , Spirituall , or other Colledges , or Conuenticles . The Brabander . In this tytle of a Placcart , published by authority of such as haue not any authority all , I note three points . 1. The first is , the prohibition or forbidding of Priestes and Iesuytes the Countrey . 2. The second is , that no children may goe to Schoole in any place vnder the commaund of the King of Spayne , or in Colledges of Iesuytes . 3. The third is , that no money may be giuen to the vse or benefit of any Churches , Hospitals , Spiritual , or other Colledges . The Hollander . So it is , and so enacted and established in the assembly of the aforenamed High-mighty Lords the States generall , in the Earles-Hage the six and twentith day of February , in the yeare of sixteen hundreth & two and twenty , and there printed by Hillebrand Iabobson , sworne printer vnto the High-mighty Lords the States generall . The Brabander . Heerby I am brought to vnderstand that this Placcart of the High-minded Lords the States is printed in the Earles-Hage , Ergo , There is an Earle to whome this Hage appertayneth , & this Earle notwithstanding that he is lawfully issued and descended , and consequently the true heyre vnto those ancient Earles , that haue gouerned there ; yet is he of new States which are no Earles , wholy thurst out , who haue now made thereof a States-Hage , but must neuerthelesse suffer it to continue the name of an Earles-Hage in memory of the true claime , which the Earle & owner thereof hath vnto it . Heere then is this Placcart printed by Hillebrand Iacobson , sworne Printer vnto the High-minded Lords the states : wherby may be noted , that this sworne Printer vnto those States , is not to leaue out any lye that they shall please to giue him in any Placcart of theirs to print , for feare of being found periured . The Hollander . The Lords the States do giue him no lyes to print . The Brabander . Doe they punish him when lyes are found printed in their Placcarts ? The Hollander . He is not punished , because no such lyes are found . The Brabander . They that know not a lye from a truth or will not know it , fynd it not ; but they that can discerne vntruthes from truthes , can find them out , albeit they stand in established Proclamatiōs of highly named Netherland States . And surely , this must needes proue a more lucky Placcart then many forgoing haue proued , if no lyes were to be found in it , and especially where there is mention made of Iesuytes , and Ecclesiasticall persons . The Hollander . Indeed the Iesuytes in this Placcart are called a pernicious & murtherous sect ▪ & that they of this sect & other priests , Friars , and spiritual , or religious named persons , of the Romish Religion doe endeauour to bring the good inhabitants of these vnited Netherland Prouinces , by meanes of their fals doctrine & Idolatry , to an auersion from their lawfull Superiours , to the murthering of Princes and Potentates , & to instruct them in all kyndes of treason agaynst them , thereby to preferre the Tyranny and absolute Domination of the King of Spayne , and his adherents in worldly , and of the Pope of Rome and his dependants , in spirituall causes . The Brabander . Haue I not ghessed right ? I see now that this Placcart will not for lacke of lyes make any fore-going Placcart ashamed : for heere they fall so fast one vpon another , that I had need of some breathing tyme to note them . The Iesuytes are heere named a pernicious and murtherous sect , which is a shamefull lye . That the Iesuytes & other Priests , and spirituall named Persons , of the Romish religion , doe seeke to bring the inhabitants through their false doctrine to Idolatry , is a blasphemous lye . That they seeke to bring these inhabitātes to an auersion from their lawfull superiours , is a needlesse lye , for the Caluinian Preachers , and the States themselues , haue already done the same . That they seeke to bring them to the murthering of Princes and Potentates , is a Diuelish lye . That they instruct them to all kind of treason agaynst Princes and Potentates , is a horrible lye . That they seeke , in these Countreys to preferre the Tyranny of Spayn , is a villanous lye . The Hollander . It is not inough to say that these are all lyes , but they must be prooued so to be . The Brabander . How els ? Haue you but the patience that I may haue tyme to doe it . Seeing then , that the Iesuytes are heere put in the first place , and called by the Epithere of a pernicious & murtherous sect , and that they , and other spirituall persons , do seeke to procure the murthering of Princes and Potentates : this also being a common slaunder and Calumny which dayly rydeth on the serpētine tonges of your Holland Caluinian Ministers . It is then needfull to examine and call into consideration what murthers of Princes and Potentates , haue hapned in Christendome in this age of ours , and since the tyme that the order of the Iesuits by Saint Ignatius de Loyola was founded . The number of Princes and Potentates , that haue come to such violent and vnfortunate endes , I fynd to haue byn eight . The first of these was the most Reuerend and Illustrious Lord , Melchior Zobel Bishop of Herbipolis , and Duke of Franconia in Germany . This Prince was cruelly murthered , as he was going frō the bridge , ouer the riuer of Mayne , from the Citty of Herbipolis or Wirtzburge , to the Castle where he held his Court or Residence , which Castle is neere vnto the sayd Citty . His murther was caused by a Gentleman of the same Countrey of Franconia , called Grumbagh . What kynd of Iesuit this Gentleman was , resteth in consideration , for Catholike he was not , but a professor of the new pretended reformation , and so were also the actours which he imployed in committing of the murther . The second in this vnfortunate nūber was Henry , King of Scotland by his mariage with Mary Queen of Scotland , Father to his Maiesty King Iames , now King of England & Scotlād &c. This Prince was a Catholike , and was murthered by a conspiracy of Caluinists , and by Caluinists which thereunto were imployed he is thought to haue byn strangled . These then must needes haue bin Caluinisticall Iesuites , aswell those I meane that were of the conspiracy , as the executors of the fact , for there was not one Catholike among them . The third was Iames Earle of Murray in Scotland , bastard Brother vnto Mary Queene of Scotland before named . He was a rebell and a persecutour of the Queene his Soueraygne , and Sister by the Fathers side : He forced her to fly into England , and Tyrannically vsurped the Gouernment of her Kingdome , vntill the time that a Gentleman named Hamilton slew him with a gun , in the towne of Lithquo , when being on horsbacke he was accōpanyed with many Gentleman that came with him to make his entry into that towne . Hamilton notwithstanding escaped and fled into France . The Earle was in religion Caluinist , and so was Hamilton also that slew him . It may be that he afterward in France became a Catholike . If the Holland Caluinists wil make a Iesuyte of him , then must he haue byn a Caluinisticall Iesuite when he committed the fact ; for Catholike-Iesuite he neuer was . The fourth in this number was Francis Duke of Guyse . This valiant Prince seruing the King of France agaynst his rebells , was by one Iohn Poltrot , who came behind him , shot throgh the body with a pistoll , as he was on horsebacke in his iourney : & it is worthy the noting that this Poltrot being well horst , and hauing discharged his pistoll vpon the Duke , put spurres to his horse and made a way with all speed possible ; and hauing ridden the whole night , and not otherwise weening but that he was many myles from the place where he committed the murther , was in the morning apprehended neere vnto the place where the deed was done . If this Poltrot must now be made a Iesuyte , he must then be a Geneuian Iesuyte : for Geneua was his schoole , and Beza the Caluinian Rabbin , his schoolmayster that instructed him , to murther this Prince . The fifth in this nūber was William of Nassaw Prince of Orange , who being in open rebellion agaynst his lawfull Soueraygne Lord , King Philip second of Spayne , the which by all the lawes of the world is Crimen laesae maiestatis , was at Delfe in Holland slayne with a pistoll by one Baltazar Gerard , alias Seragh a Burgundian . Of what religion this Prince was , there is no certainty , but Baltazar , that slew him was a Catholike : that he was a Iesuyte was neuer knowne , but if Caluinistes haue gotten the skill to make him a Iesuyte eight and thirty yeares after his death , who in his life was neuer any , it may be registred for a Caluinisticall miracle . The sixt in nūber was Mary Queene of Scotland , Mother vnto his Maiesty that now is King of Scotland and Englād &c. This Princesse being an absolute and soueraygne Queene , & being enforced by her rebellious subiects , fled into England , vpon hope and promise to be by Queene Elizabeth succoured . She was with the Queene of England in good peace and amity , and was by her through her letters inuyted for her more defence and safety to come into England ; but so soone as she was there arriued , she was layed handes on , and detayned as a prisoner , directly against all right and reason , and so detayned about the space of twenty yeares . In all which tyme , Queene Elizabeth did neuer so much as once vouchsafe to see her , or heare her speake . In the end when she accepted of the meanes that was offered her for the escaping out of her vniust imprisonment , she was murthered with an axe , by the hands of the comon Hang-man ; which most foule and great murther was cōmitted to the euerlasting dishonour & shame of false Iustice , because it was done vnder the cloke and colour of true Iustice : for she being an absolute & Soueraigne Princes of herselfe , was no subiect vnto Queene Elizabeth , or vnto her lawes , and yet notwithstanding she was condemned as a criminall subiect . A most Tyrannous example , of very murther , and iniustice , vnto all ensuyng posterity . And most contrary to the doctrine of Caluinists that will haue Princes subiect to no authority or power vpon earth , but only vnto God , vnlesse they can heere make a God of Bul the Hangman . This act doth the more remain to the greater shame of the actors , because vpon the committing therof , great bonfyers were made in the streets , and the belles rung , in manner of a triumph , for ioy of obtaining some great victory . This Queene was a Catholike . The Hangman that murthered her was a Caluinian Protestant , whose handes had byn imbrued in the bloud of diuers Iesuytes & Priestes , in the raigne of the forsayd Queene Elizabeth . If Holland Caluinistes will now make a Iesuyte of of him , he must then be a Gewse-reformed Iesuite , & that can be no great disreputation vnto them , seeing that Mayster Paul Bafous a hangman in Liuonia or Liftland , left his office of hangmanship , and turned preacher of the Word , according to the Holland reformation . Vpō the death of this holy Queen , the Calumnies of Caluinists raised against Iesuytes , are contradicted in the ensuing Epigramme . OVR Caluinists of Iesuites complayne , That they of Kings and Princes killers be , But if heerin they did not falsely fayne , They must some such , the world let know and see : But since so much as one they do not show , To what end then serues this Calumniation ? To seeme to hate for sooth Prince-killing so , As hauing thereof no imagination . And that meane whyle they heerof others taxe , They as vnseene , may bring them to the axe . The seauenth in this number is Henry the third King of France , who after he had caused Henry Duke of Guyse & his brother the Cardinall to be muthered , was murthered himselfe by one Iacques Clement a lacobin or Dominican Friar . This King was a Catholyke & so was also the Fryar that killed him . If our Holland-Gewses wil now make a Iesuyte of him that dyed in the habite of a Dominican Fryar ( for he was presently killed by those that then were about the King ) they can do more then the French Hugenots , who would as fayne haue had him a Iesuite as the Holland-Gewses would , but they must notwithstanding be contented to let him be a Dominican Fryar , as he liued and dyed . Heere can I not omit also to note , that if so be , that for this fact of Iaques Clement , the Caluinists should giue vnto the Fryars of S. Dominikes order the name of a Pernicious and Murtherous Sect , or that they sought to bring subiects to the murthering of Princes , and Potentates , they had in all truth done the Religious men of this Order much wrong : for there can be no reason that a whole order should beare the blame , & reproach of the fault , that one of the same order hath committed , and wherin the others were innocent . How much lesse reason can then be found , that the Iesuites ( of whose order no one was euer knowne that euer killed Prince or other person ) should of slaunderous Gewses be calumniated with the name of a murtherous sect , and to be stirrers vp of the inhabitants of Holland to the murthering of Princes and Potentates : which were a greater pitty , for the inhabitants of Holland to doe , considering that Princes & Potentates are not among them in so great aboundance , vnlesse the meaning of the Placcart should be , that the Iesuites and Priestes , did intend to imploy the inhabitants of Holland to goe & murther Princes and Potentates in other Countreys The eight and last of this vnfortunate number and ranke , was Henry the fourth King of France , who was murthered by one Francis Rauaillac : and if so be the Holland Gewses will make of him a Iesuite also , yet the administers of Iustice in France , which are as far-seeing as those of Holland , and haue throughly enformed themselues of this mans condition and state of life , and done their vttermost endeauours to come to the full knowledge of all that might concerne the matter of the Kings death , could neuer find that he so was . And yet the sharp-sighted states of Holland , that can looke further into milstones then other men ▪ can better discerne who are the murtherers of Princes and Potentates , in other Countreyes , then the officers of Iustice themselues , in whose handes they happen to fall , that commit such criminall facts . The Hollander . But can there no Princes els be found that haue byn killed or murthered since the Iesuites haue had ther beginning , then only these you haue named ? The Brabander . I know not of any more , but of this number of eight . Marry heere by the way is to be noted , that fiue of this number haue byn murthered by Caluinists , and three by Catholikes : King Henry 3. King Henry 4. both Kings of France , & William of Nassaw Prince of Orange , by Catholikes : Melchior Zobell Bishop of Wirtzburge and Duke of Franconia , Henry King of Scotland , Iames Earle of Murray , Francis Duke of Guyse , and Mary Queene of Scotland by Caluinists . And if thinges had succeeded according to intentions , Caluinists had , had the honour to haue had six of these eight to haue byn murthered by them : for William Prince of Orange , before named , was in very great possibility to haue byn murthered by a Protestant also , and I wot not how many Zeland States with him , to haue borne him cōpany in the ayre , when he and they should haue byn blowne vp togeather with gunpowder , wherof I may take occasion to speake more anone . In the meane time behold whether in this odious busynesse of Prince killing , Caluinists haue not the precedence by oddes , Notwithstanding they cry out so lowd , and so falsely vpon Iesuites , giuing thē the name of a pernicious and murtherous sect , when themselues in this foule fact , fall foulest of all that therein are to be touched , & the Iesuites not found to be touched at all . Let all the world now iudge , to whome it is , that the odious Epithete of Prince-killing is best befitting , either to Iesuites or Calumists . Who might not laugh at this mad accusation , and thinke that reformed Holland-Gewses are turned fooles , not knowing what they say ? They seeme through the vehemency of their malice to be become blind , and giue occasion themselues of the manifestation of their owne shame which before lay vndiscouered . What strange kindes of Iesuites haue heere byn found , among the murtherers of Princes and Potentates ? The Holland Gewse-reformed brethrē may heere see what comes of lying . That their preachers continew their lying in their pulpits I can in some sort tollerate ; the poore fellowes haue charge of wife & children , their preaching is their trade to liue by , and to mayntaine their families . But the worshipfull Lordes the States to lye , and to publish lyes in Printed Placcarts , that indeed is somwhat to grosse : you may please to excuse me for beeing so free with your Lords and States , Because He that speaketh what he should not , Must heare for his answer what he wold not . Me thinkes they that practise lying , should in reason become more cūning , then to make lyes that are so grosse and palpable , and doe indeed bring credit and reputation to Iesuites , and shame vnto themselues that spred them : for alwayes it is found that when any one is accused and afterward found innocent , the accuser is cursed and hated , & the false accused pittyed , beloued , and belieued . These Caluinian Calumniatours will seeme by calling Iesuites & Priests the murtherers of Princes and Potentates , as if they ( poore innocent soules ) were becom great Care-takers for Princes & Potentates safeties . This surely is a very suddainly-growne-vp affection : they were not wont to be so , for me thinks it is not so long ago that Princes can haue forgotten , that at such tyme as their subiects rebelled against them , the good Hollād-Gewses were alwayes readier to assist their rebelles agaynst them , then them against their rebelles . I must needes acknowledge some reason why it so should be , & that is , that simile gaudet simili , & if at this day any Princes find this to be true , themselues know it best : But further to manifest their good affection to Princes , we are to note that it hath not only byn shewed in the fiue aforenamed , who they murtherously haue bereft of their liues , but also in some vnto whome euen after their deathes they haue shewed indignity and villany , as vnto William the Conqueror King of England who was buryed at Cane in Normandie ▪ where the French-Hugenotes in their Rebellion in the yeare 1562. vnder conduct of Chastilian , when they tooke this towne , and spoyled the Churches , they brake open the tombe of this great Cōquerer , and threw his bones about the streets . At Orleans , where they also committed their Church-robbery and Sacrilege , they brake open the tombe of King Lewys the eleuenth , and burnt his bones . The bones of Iohn Earle of Angolesme Father to King Francis the first of France , who for his vertue & deuotion deuotion was reputed as a Saint , they suffered not to rest in his sepulcher , but threw them out . This hate may haue proceeded of two causes , the one because he was a Prince , the other ( & posible the greatest ) because of his Sanctity , for to the bones of Saints or holy mē haue Caluinists shewed so great hatred , that at Towres they tooke the bones of the holy Bishop Saint Martin , and the bones of the holy Saint Francis of Paula , and ioyning vnto these bones the body of a dead Asse , they burnt all three togeather , to the end Catholiks should not saue any part of the bones or ashes for reliques , and yet to make more sure worke , they did cast all the ashes into the riuer of Loire . They would also haue broken down & wholy destroyed the Abbey of S Denis in France , withall the tombes of the Kings of France that there are buried , but that the Prince of Condy who then was their chiefe , was faine to preuent it , by appointing a Guard about the Abbey , which he did in regard that he was descended from some of the Kings that there lye buryed . The Caluinists of Scotland haue destroyed the Tombes of the Kings of that Countrey , aswell in the Abbey of Dunfermeling , as in the Abbey of the Holy Crosse . In Bruxelles , when the Caluinian Gewses had their domination there , they opened the vault in the Church of S. Godula , where some of the Dukes of Brabant were buryed ; and brake open the leaden chests , and threw out their bones . These are acts of Caluinian reformed louers of Princes , that not only rebell against them , and murther them , but when they are dead endure not that their bodyes may quietly remaine in their sepulchers . Are not these good testimonies of the great affection , that these reformed brethren beare vnto Princes and Potentates ? Surely Kings , Princes , and Potentates , may take notice , of the great change in these fellowes , who so suddainly are become so great Care-takers for their safties . But because there is no appearance that Princes and Potentates will send their Ambassadors into Holland , to thanke them for their care ; it seemes they can smell , it is but a dissembled care , and that they doe not heerin giue credit , vnto those reformed , or deformed Brethren . The Hollander . I see not for all this , that Iesuytes are welcome to all Princes and Potentates . The Brabander . They are welcome to all those that best know them , but it is no wonder that such as are misinformed by lying-teachers , and haue no good affection to Catholike religion , haue an auersion from Iesuites , for they neither know them , nor yet come to heare any right report of them , from the mouthes of those that truly know their piety , and vertuous conuersation . But to the end you may know whether the greatest Princes of Christendome do know and respect them or no , I will heere for the better knowledge of the ignorant , and in opposition to those that out of a resolued malice doe calumniate them , make it briefly to appeare , in what accompt and reputation they stand with those aforesaid Princes : that thereby their Caluinian Maligners , and all others , may see what they haue profitted by their so loud barking against them , in Placcarts , in pulpits , in pamphlets , & all kind of detraction . Yet with protestation before God , that I do this , and haue resolued to doe it , wholy of my selfe , without being thereunto desyred , moued , or counselled by any Iesuite in the world , or being a Iesuite my selfe . Let vs then begin with his Holines , Gregory the Fifteenth , now Pope , at this present , who chose for his Confessor Cardinall Bellarmyne of the Society of IESVS . The Emperour Ferdinand now raigning , hath to his Confessor a Iesuite . The most Christian King of France hath to his Confessour a Iesuyte . The victorious King of Polonia , hath to his Confessor a Iesuite . The Ecclesiastical Princes Electors , with the Duke of Bauaria , and almost all the Catholike Princes and Prelates of Germany , haue to their confessours Iesuites . And so haue in like manner the greatest Prelates and Princes of Italy . And albeit his Catholike Maiesty of Spayne hath no Iesuite to his confessour , but a Friar of the Dominicans according to an ancient custome , of some former Kings of Spayne ; yet is he very much affected to the Iesuites , of the which one was confessor to his mother ; and his Brother and Sister haue vnto their Confessour a Iesuite called Father Ieronimo de Florentia , whome King Philip the third , of glorious memory , Father vnto the present King Philip the fourth , caused to come vnto him for his consolation in his greatest sicknes , and to remaine with him till he gaue vp the Ghost . So haue also many of the greatest Prelates and Princes of his Court , Iesuites to their Confessours . In like sort haue the principallest Prelates & Princes in the Court of the Emperour , in the Court of the King of France , and in the court of the King of Polonia &c. Are the Iesuites murtherers of Princes and Potentates , and haue the greatest Princes and Potentates of all Christendome , no more feare of them , then to admit them daily in their presence ? To make choice of them as of those especiall persons vnto whom they reueale the secrets of their soules & cōsciences ? This is no signe that they beliue Caluinists , & hold Iesuites for Prince-killers , but a manifest token , that they hold Caluinists for false accusers , and Iesuites for true seruantes of Christ , whose great learning & vnderstanding , accompanyed with true religious deuotion , with a well tempered discretion , and all kinde of vertue , these Princes owne experience hath sufficiently taught them to discerne . I will neuer desire Caluinists to cease from calumniating Iesuites : they doe heereby make themselues the more knowne vnto Catholike Princes & Potentates for malicious Calumniatours . Caluinists cannot teach Catholike Princes to know Iesuites , because they are sure they know them better then Caluinists can know them , and Caluinists better then otherwise they should , by their calumniating them . Heere standeth it also to be noted , that some Princes who haue disposed themselues to abandon the world , and to serue God in religious state of life , haue become Iesuites . As the Duke of Gandia in Spayne , Aloisius Gonzaga , sonne & heyre vnto Ferdinand Marquis of Castillion , the Duke of Bouino in Italy . And now of late Charles of Lonayne Prince , and Bishop of Verdune , Prince of the Empire , and Cosin to his Maiesty of England , with sundry other great and noble persons . Now is it in all reason to be considered that if such noble Men and Princes , who for no other respect then the meere loue & seruice of God , entred into this Society , should not therin haue foūd the deuout & godly life of these Fathers , with such exercise of learning & vertue , not to be in all respects conforme to the good opinion , which they had conceaued therof , before they came among thē , there can be no doubt , but they wold haue departed frō thē , albeit they had made proofe of their conuersation for some yeares togeather , for that this Order doth not oblige profession to be made at the end of one yeares probation , but alloweth an vnlimited tyme of more yeares . Considering with my selfe what great persons in this our age ( notwithstanding all slaunders that calumniating aduersaries haue raysed against Iesuites , Priests , & Friars &c. ) haue abandoned the world , religiously to serue God in pouerty , chastity , & obedience , in sundry Orders , and that a Duke hath byn seene to become a Capuchin in Paris , and the Brother of a Duke to become of the same austere order in Bruxelles , I was mooued to thinke that it may belōg before we may see a Gewse or Caluinian Duke , or Prince become a Minister , albeit that condition of life obligeth not to the making and performing of any such vowes , or to any austerity at all , but to liue with ease , in the Ghospell of free liberty . There is a prouerbe in the Netherland language , that Herman did in tyme get on his dublet , after he had byn seauen yeares drawing on of one sleeue ; but I suppose Hermans dublet might wholy be gotten on , and quite worne out , before a man might see , such persons moued by the great piety they might obserue in Ministers , to enter with them into the seruice of the Word . But to returne vnto my precedent purpose , me thinkes it were not heere impertinent to see , and consider what cause there may be found of the great hatred which Caluinists beare vnto Iesuytes ( and not Caluinists alone but all other Sectaryes , ) for albeit they beare il will and hatred vnto all Catholikes , & especially vnto all Ecclesiasticall persons ; yet is it manifest vnto al the world that the Iesuites of all others haue the precedence in the malice of Caluinists . And seeing something there may seeme to be , that is singular in these religious men , more then in others I haue the more endeauored to discerne what this may be , and three thinges I haue obserued . 1. This first is , that there was neuer any Order in the Catholik Church , that in so short a space hath dispersed it selfe so farre ouer the world , to make the name of Iesus Christ knowne vnto heathen and Pagan people . 2. The second is , that there was neuer any Order that in so short a tyme , hath written so many learned bookes , aswel in diuinity , as in al other laudable sciences . 3. The third is that there was neuer any Order , that in so short a tyme hath had so great a number of Martyrs , as well by the persecution of Pagans , as Apostata Christians . As for their exercises of deuotion , labour in preaching , hearing of confessions , instructing and bringing vp of youth in learning , without any recompence of their parents , making of attonements where there is dissention and discord , readines at all houres of the day and night , to visit the sicke , and to consolate their soules , is not now needfull heere to be spoken at large : but when I well consider their manifold deedes of Deuotion and Charity , I remember the wordes of Christ vnto the Iewes , when for his good deedes they would haue stoned him to death , I haue wrought many good workes among you : for which of those will you stone me ? Enuy is the deadly enemy of vertue and of wel-prospering . The Iesuites thankes be to God , do go well forward in al their works of piety ; and for these , Sectaryes will stone them : and beeing themselues the actual murtherers of Iesuytes , it is no maruell that they seeke to robbe & tak away the good name & fame of those , whose lyues they let not to take away : nor is it any wonder , that they to coulour their owne tyrannous murthering of Iesuites , giue out that Iesuytes are murtherers of Princes & Potentates : As if themselues did put Iesuites to death , therby to saue the lyues of Princes & potentates which Iesuites would els bereaue them off . But what loue Caluinists , and principally Holland-Gewse-Caluinistes do beare vnto Princes , themselues doe now adayes , the lōger the more , make better known vnto the greatest Princes of Christendome , then they can make knowne vnto them , that Iesuites are murtherers of them , and of Potentates . The Hollander . I must confesse , that you haue heere manifested vnto me much more then before I euer knew , or heard of . But yet , notwithstanding that it cannot be perceaued , that the Iesuites haue had any hād in the deaths of any of the eight Princes heere by you mentioned , it should seeme they haue had knowledge of intentions of murthering Princes , as of Queene Elizabeth of England , King Henry the fourth of France , before he was murthered by Rauaillac , his Maiesty that is now King of Great Britayne , by the gunpowder Treason , & his Excellency Prince Maurice in Holland . The Brabander . For the first , concerning Queene Elizabeth of England , if we well consider her abandoning of the Catholike Religion , which at her coronation she swore to mayntayne , and that beeing a woman , she tooke vpon her supreame authority in Ecclesiasticall causes ( which your Caluinian deuines in Holland do affirme to be Idolatry either in man or woman ) ordayning also by her Statutes , that those who should deny to confesse her Ecclesiasticall authority vpon their oathes , should suffer death as traytors : That she deposed and put from their places , the Catholike Bishops and Prelates , casting some in prison & forcing others to fly the realme . That she ordayned a forfayture of twenty poundes a moneth , for not comming to her Caluinian-protestant Church-seruice , with other lesser forfaytures for Catholikes of lesse meanes , who in regard of their consciences absented themselues from the sayd seruice ; by meanes whereof the prisons euery where became so replenished with Catholikes , that new prisons must be made for thē , because the old could not conteyne the number . Moreouer the putting to death of so many Catholike Priestes , as also the putting to death , and ruyning of some Gentlemen , and others that had harbored them . The question now is whether Gewses or Caluinists being to the contrary so treated by any Prince that had sworne to maintayne their Caluinian religion , they would with patience endure it ? Who can belieue this ? Seeing they haue not letted to rebell agaynst their Princes and Soueraignes that haue intruded no innouation , or change in religion vpon them , as agaynst the Kings of Spaine , & France , and against Mary Queene of Scotland : who I say can belieue this , when it is apparent that the very ground-worke and foundation of Caluinian religion is layed & setled vpon rebellion , as to all the world it is manifest . This Queene Elizabeth was so seuere and cruell , that she letted not to burne alyue some of our countrey-men , beeing Netherlanders , & not her borne Subiects , for their Anabaptisme ; and caused some Puritans which are directly concurring in religion with the Caluinists of Holland , to be hanged , and others to fly the realme , and lyue in exile , because they had sought both by wryting and preaching , to bring the religion of England to the iust forme and fashion of that of Geneua , & Holland . Punishing then , the Anabaptistes as heretikes , and the Puritans as seditious , she hath not letted to vse a greater cloke and colour for her persecuting of Catholikes , and this was , to cause to be giuen out at diuers times , that they meant to kill her . She imployed among other for one of her spyes , sometyme in France , somtyme in Italy one William Parry , This Parry coming vpon a tyme out of Italy , supposing to get more credit and fauour , came vnto her and told her , that at his being in Italy where he bare himselfe as a Catholike ( hauing leaue so to do ) he there demaunded of a Iesuyte , if it should be a deed well done to kill the Queene , and that the Iesuyte answered yea , & that thereupon he had promised the Iesuyte to do it . Parry being then demaunded , if he had not in his trauayles abroad , byn acquaynted with one Father William Criton a Scotish Iesuyte ( who at that tyme was prisoner in the Tower of London ) he answered yea . Being then demaunded if he had asked the same question of the sayd Father Criton , he answered he had , but that Father Criton had disswaded him from it : he thought belike that if he had answered yea , he should haue byn brought face to face with Father Criton , who might haue conuinced & shamed him , and therefore he thought it easier for him to bely a Iesuyte that was absent , then one that was present . Father Criton within a whyle after was deliueret out of the Tower , and the rather for that he was a Scotsman & no borne subiect , howbeit he was bannished out of the Countrey . Parry , because of his seruices in matter of spiery , solicited to haue a place and office that now was fallen vacāt : the place was giuen to another , Parry grew malecontent , and cast out wordes of murmuration . The Earle of Leycester loued him not , he was known and discouered among the Catholikes for a spy , & that he had broght diuers principall Catholikes in trouble : & being thus discouered he was grown out of date , and vnable to do seruices of the same kind , as he had formerly done ; Parry was apprehended , and charged he had an intention to kill the Queene : in fine he was hanged , and this was at last the reward he got for the good offices he had done . The reason why he was hanged , seemeth to haue byn , that if they had let him liue , & not giuen him liuing according to his desyre , he might haue discouered many secrets : he wrote a letter vnto the Queene out of the Tower , wherin among other things he sayd vnto her : Pitty poore Parry , and relieue him , for life without liuing is not fit for him . It is no custome that a criminall offender , and in so haynous a matter as the murthering of a Prince , shall not only wryte to be set at liberty , but to be prouided of meanes to liue by . He knew well that they knew , that the counsell which he said was giuen him by a Iesuite in Italy , was but an inuention of his owne head for the more conuenient persecuting of such , as might be found to haue receaued Iesuytes into their howses ( of the confiscation of whose goods Parry might haue had his share ) but it so fell out , that Parry played wily-beguyle himselfe . For when he came to the gallovves , and savv how the matter went , he grew so ill contented , that he plainly sayd , that the Queene after his death would say , that she had lost the best keeper of her parke . Some yeares after the death of Parry , one Edward Squyre was also hanged , who as it was giuen out , did meane to poyson the Queene & Earle of Essex , ( who afterward by the sayd Queene was put to death . ) This Equire came out of Spayne , and sayd that a Iesuyte there had coūselled him to poison the Queen , and the Earle . The poyson he sayd was deliuered him in a bladder in Spayne , & there with he should annoint the saddle wheron the Earle should ryde , and the chayre wherin the Queene should sit . This must haue byn a very wonderfull poyson , that a chayre & a saddle being but annoynted therewith , it would kill those who should sit in the one , & ride on the other . Who cānot thinke this to be a most palpable lye ? how must he then speed that must bring this forcefull poyson in a bladder ( if any bladder could contein it ) and anoynt it on the chayre and on the saddle ? But the lying foolish knaue that came with this tale in his mouth , vpon hope of reward , because he would not performe the busines , but discouered it , was notwithstanding rewarded at Tiburne with a halter , which was held necessary , because it might be thought the Queene had much reasō to sustaine the quarrell of the Hollanders ; seeing Spayne so much hated her , that murtherers were sent from thence for her destruction : for Squyre was ouerborne by the force and torment of the racke , to intend & meane the thing indeed that himselfe came to reueale , and so was hanged , notwithstanding he was a good Protestant . As concerning the constant and glorious Martyr Father Edmund Campian , who with others ( to wit thirteene in number ) was condemned for hauing in Rome , and Rhemes conspired the Queens death , as a couple of most false witnesses affirmed , is as shamefull and vniust a matter , as euer any did passe by way and course of Iustice : for after these false witnesses , had taken their oathes , that these thirteene persons had at Rome , and Rhemes on such and such days , of such & such moneths , of such a yeare , conspired the Queens death , one Mayster Thomas Lancaster a Gentleman , and one Mayster William Nicolson , being there present , and both credit-worthy persons , did offer to proue by diuers witnesses , that some of these thirteen persons had not byn out of England that yeare , wherin the false witnesses had sworne they conspired the Queens death in Rome , & Rhemes : & that they had not bin out of England in some yeares , both before that yeare and after it : and the prisoners themselues protested at the Barre , on their soules , that in all the dayes of their lyues they had neuer byn all togeather at one tyme in one place , but only there that very day . And albeit the protestation and offer of proofe made by the two persons before named , had byn sufficient in all law and iustice throughout the world to haue discouered these false witnesses , and to haue caused them to haue had their deserued punishment , yet proceeded the Iudges forward in iniustice , and condemned Father Edmund Campian , & almost all the rest to death , as being culpable of that conspiration , whereof by these false witnesses they were accused . But at this we need not wonder if we consider what the Iustice was of this Queene , who letted not to make a law , directly contrary to the law of God and all the world , that one witnesse only should be sufficient , for the condemnation of a man to the losse of life and goods , if it were in a case concerning herselfe : which without all doubt may cause wonderful iniustice in a coūtrey where such persidious people are inough to be found , as for reward will not make scruple to take any oath , agaynst whosoeuer it be , let the cause be what it will : and the more in the cause of the Prince , whereby hope of fauour and greater reward , is giuen . But because the history of this glorious martyr , and of those others also that were with him condemned , is published to the world in Print in the Latin tongue , I shall not need in this matter further to enlarge my selfe . That King Henry the fourth of Frāce was hurt by one Iohn Chastell at Paris who meant to haue killed him some years before he was killed by Rauaillac , is knowne to all the world . This Chastell , had somtyme byn a scholler in the schooles of the Iesuytes , Ergo say the Hugenotes , the Iesuytes instructed him to murther the King. Surely a very fayre conclusion : Many youthes go to other schooles , wherof some come afterward to comit criminall offences , as treasons , murthers , thefts , and the like ; is it not a good argument & great reason , that for this their School-maisters must be punished or defamed ? The fact of Chastell came to be iudged & looked into by certayne Politykes , and great enemyes of Iesuites , and in a fury the Iesuytes were commaunded out of Paris , a Piramide was erected in memory of this fact , and in accusation of the Iesuites , the Iesuites patiented this Calumny , vntill tymes daughter might be admitted to haue audience : which in the end so came to passe , that this King ( thankes be vnto God ) vnto whose view the Iesuites had byn by their Hugenotes and Politike backe-friends so vgly painted out , and described , receaued at their handes so great satisfaction of their innocency , that he not only caused the Fathers of this Society to be receaued agayne into Paris , and caused the scandalous Piramide to be raced downe to the ground ; but by many benefits done by him vnto these Fathers , besides the erecting for them the fayrest Church and Colledge they haue in all France , he shewed himselfe their very great affectioned & true Friend : yea he made choyse of thē , to be the preceptors and scoole-maisters vnto his owne Children , to declare vnto the world that he held them not for euil instructors of youth , as they had byn vniustly reported to be . Who can desire greater testimony of these Fathers acquyting , from this great calumny ? Let vs now come vnto his Maiesty the present King of great Britaine , concerning the acculation of Father Henry Garnet in the matter of the gun-powder treason . This treason was without all doubt , a most wicked intention of some Catholikes , that with patience would not endure the persecution which so many of their Catholike-brethren had so long , & so patiently endured , and as the good Christians in the persecutions of the Roman Emperous also did . But who wotteth , whether this might not be a deuice , first practised in the subtill brayne of the Secretary , Sir Robert Cecil , who by some subtill deuice might get it put into the heades of some Catholikes , aswell as the Secretary Sir Francis Walsingam had before , that imployed one Polie a favgned Catholik , to draw those Gentlemen into the conspiracy of deliuering out of durance Mary Queene of Scotland his maiesties mother that now raygneth : by which meanes of those Gentleman came all to lose their hues , and that good Queene also . But let that be , as be it might . One of those Catholikes that was priuy to the sayd powder treason , confessed on the torture , that he had in confession giuen Father Garnet knowledge of the matter . He sayd not that Father Garnet was one of the conspirators , or that he animated him , or any of them vnto it , but to the contrary , that he had earnestly diswaded him from it . They were put to death : Father Garnet was apprehended ; he was accused to haue byn priuy to the treason ▪ and that he had not discouered it . Father Garnet answered that he might not in any sort vtter ought that was reuealed vnto him in cōfessiō , for secrecy of all that which is vttered in cōfession must euer be an inuiolable precept in the Catholike Church : for the priest that should do the contrary is to be degraded , and to be shut vp , and put to pennance all the dayes of his life . But Father Garnet declared that he was so earnest in forbidding him to comit this foule fact , that he denyed to giue him absolution , vnlesse he would desist from this intention : what could the Father haue done more , if the conspiracy had byn against the Pope himselfe ? Thus then was this innocent Father put to death , not for that he was a conspiratour or actour in this treason , but because he would not violate the strong seale and obligation of the holy Sacramēt of Cōfession , which no Priest vpon earth can be licensed to doe . It hapned at such tyme as the Caluinian-Gewses had vsurped through their rebellion , the gouernement of the Citty of Antwerp , that a Spanish merchant there dwelling named Iaspar de Enastro , hauing vnderstood that King Philip the second of Spayne , had declared by sentence , that William of Nassaw Prince of Orange , of whome he was the Lawfull soueraigne Lord , was fallē in crimen laesae maiestatis ▪ for his publike rebellion agaynst his beforenamed Soueraygne , and did thereby deserue to suffer death , & that he had put the execution of the said sentence in the hands of any such person or persons as would vndertake it : He thereupon counselled and perswaded a young fellow that was his seruant , called Iohn de Iauregny borne in Biscay , to performe this act . But when this Iauregny was ready to goe about it , the aforesayd Enastro his mayster , got himselfe out of the way . Iauregny with a pistoll shot the Prince of Orange through the checkes , whereof he dyed not , but Iauregny was presently killed by some of the Prince his seruants : heerupon enquiry being made , it was vnderstood that Iauregny did vse to go to confession to one Father Antonius Timmerman , a religious man of the order of S. Dominicke . This Religious man was apprehended and asked what Iohn de Iauregny had vttered vnto him in Confession . The Religious Father well knowing the strict commaundement of the Catholike Church , that nothing that is vttered in confession must be reuealed , made answere that he knew not ; because that he indeed did know nothing , concerning this mans confession that he might vtter . His examiners then caused him to be hanged by his thumbes , with weightes fastned to his toes , to force him by this torture to reueale vnto them what had by Iauregny byn reuealed vnto him in confession ; but the Reuerend and resolute Father , would in no sort violate therein the law and commaundment of the vniuersall Church of God , but alwayes whyle he hung in this great torment , he called vpon God , saying out of the 140. Psalme , Keep o Lord my mouth and my lipps , that I sinne not with my tongue . Heerupon they sentenced him to death , and to the deuiding of his body into foure quarters : which death & martyrdome he constantly endured . Of the before-mentioned Powder-treason , was also accused Father William Baldwine , of the SOCIETY of IESVS . This Father as he trauailed in Germany was by Frederike the fourth , then Palsgraue of the Rhene , apprehended neere vnto Franckendale , & by him sent prisoner vnto the Ambassador of his Maiesty of England , then resident at Duyseldorp in the Countrey of Cleue . And worthy it is to be noted , that on the very same day that this Father was deliuered into the handes of the English Ambassadour at Duyseldorp , the sayd Palsgraue dyed at Heydelberge , & so came to tast of death himselfe , sooner then the Father , which he intended to send to the slaughter . The Father was carryed into England , where after he had remayned prisoner many yeares in the Tower of London , and not the least point in the world could be proued against him cōcerning the aforesayd Treason , ( notwithstanding that in some printed bookes it was published that he was culpable ) he was at last deliuered out of prison , and dismissed the Realme . Concerning one Peter Pan , sayd to be sent by the Iesuytes of Ipres in Flanders to kill Prince Maurice in Holland , the matter hath byn throughly examined , and the Calumny raysed agaynst those Fathers sufficiently refuted in a Printed booke , wherein is also set downe an attestation of the Magistrates of Ipres ( of whence this Peter Pan was ) wherin this accusatiō is shewed to be false . Peter Pan was knowne to be a fellow that was frantike , but the madnes of his braynes could not free him out of the handes of the Holland-hangman : for the Iustice of Holland found it wisdome , to put this poore foole to death . I trust I haue heere cleerly declared , how the Iesuites haue by their Caluinian enemyes byn most falsly calumniated : and albeit that themselues do in such cases recomend their cause to God , disposing themselues to beare with patience all iniuryes , for the loue of CHRIST IESVS , notwithstanding they well know how false they are : yet my selfe euen of zeale vnto truth and equity , could not omit to vtter thus much , vpon the occasion now giuen . The custome of giuing out , that Iesuites and Priests do intend to murther Princes , was first takē vp in England & put in practise by some of Queene Elizabeths Caluinian Counsellers , who to haue the better colour to persecute Catholikes , whome they feared might encrease to fast , as also to make them the lesse compassionate of the people , did seeke to make them odious by ordinarily giuing out that they went about to kill the Queen . But that the sayd Queen and her Counsellers themselues did not belieue this , reason maketh manifest : for whē is it found that a Prince or Ruler fearing that for some certaine notorious cause he is in dāger to be killed by any of his subiects , will notwithstāding continue the same cause , yea and daily more & more increase it , as this Queen did her persecution ▪ how can this agree with reason of State ? for through continuance and increase of persecution , those that are persecuted doe comonly also increase : and it might fall out that among the number of the persecuted , for all do not alwayes endure with like patience , some might be found , that being driuen to desperate termes might attempt some such thing ( for as the Philosopher sayth , the fly hath her splene ) but the patient suffering for religion is especially taught , and recomended by Catholike teachers , and the contrary by others of contrary Religions , and especially Caluinists , of whose hoat and reuengefull spirits the world hath already had testimony inough . Father William Criton the Scottish Iesuyte before named , being before some of Queene Elizabeths Counsell , a little before his departure out of the Countrey , sayd vpon occasion concerning this matter : My Lords , you vse heere a manner of giuing out among your subiects , that Iesuites and Priestes do go about to kill your Queene ; but in very truth , if we intended any such thing , she could not liue : for you must vnderstand , that there are a multitude of people of the Catholike religion , that haue wholy abandoned the world , and haue chosen to liue in all strictnes and austerity , sequestring themselues from all worldly pleasures , desiring and indeauouring nothing more then to leaue this world , and to liue with God in his Kingdome of heauen . Among these men that so little respect the world diuers may be found , who beeing perswaded that it were so meritorious a deed before God , that he who should deliuer the world from an enemy and persecutor of the Catholike religion , and therfore loose his life , should straightwayes enter into the eternall ioyes of heauen ; without all doubt this matter would not be left vnattempted . The counsellers hearing this had little to say to the contrary . The Hollander . To say the truth , I must needs confesse I haue heere heard much more thē I supposed could be sayd . I do now well perceaue a man can neuer come to the true vnderstanding of what standeth in controuersy , before he haue heard both partyes . The Brabander . I haue first recounted , what Princes and Potentates haue byn murthered , or made away in our dayes ; and after that , I haue spoken of intentions or meanings to make away Princes : It resteth that I now speake of the intentions of Gewses , or Caluinian reformed Brethren , about the murthering or making away of Princes ; those innocēt wolues I meane , that haue had their handes in the bloud of fiue of the eight Princes before named , to the end we may also see how pure and vnspotted they are in their good meanings & intentiōs , to haue put that busines in further practise . First then it is a thing cleere & notorious that the Hugnenots of France had a resolued purpose to haue murthered the most Christian King Francis the second , with his mother , and sundry of the nobility , in the Citty of Amboise . It is also most certayne that a Zeland Gewse or Caluinist , meant to haue blown vp William of Nassaw Prince of Orange , with some of the Holland and Zeland States , with gun-powder , in the Towne-house of Flushing , if it had not byn discouered by him that assisted him to conuey the powder into the seller or vault of the sayd Towne-house . And had this succeeded according to the purpose of the authour thereof , Baltazar Gerard , that afterward killed the sayd Prince of Orange , had saued his life , and his labour , and the Gewses reformed Brethren had , had the honour of murthering six of the eight Princes before named . When I consider this Prince , and these intentions of his death , me thinkes it must needes be a great signe , that he was not in the fauour of God , since as well Caluinists , as Catholikes , went about to kill him . Heerto may also be added the Earle of Gowry in Scotland , a Caluinist also . The history is publike in print , how he meant to haue killed the King , wherof yearly memory both in Scotland & England is continued , on the fifth day of August , for his Maiesties deliuery . The Hollander . You make me almost ashamed of my selfe , to consider that our people in Holland do make such exclamations agaynst Iesuytes and Priestes , and are shewed to be in those foule facts faulty themselues , and the Iesuyts and Priests whome they accuse , not faulty at all . The Brabander . I am well content , & thinke my labour well bestowed , when I fynd my selfe to haue to doe with such as wil affoard place vnto truth and reason , before passion and partiality . But heere are you also to vnderstand that , that which I haue sayd , concerning the cleering of the Iesuites of this Calumny , doth also serue for the cleering of other Catholike Priests , and spirituall persons , that secretly remayne in Holland , & in the adioyned Prouinces , or in any place els , where they are fayne to remayne in like manner , who haue not any charge , nor can haue any charge to commit , or endure others to comit such foule and euill facts , but are to meddle in matters concerning their Priestly function , as in administration of Sacraments , and instruction of Catholikes in all piety & vertue . The Hollander . The Placcart saith notwithstanding , that the Iesuytes and Priests do seeke to bring the good Inhabitants of these Prouinces with their false doctrine , to Idolatry , to an auersiō from their Lawfull Superiours , and to the murthering of Princes and Potentates , to preferre therby , in these Countreys the Tiranny and absolute domination of the King of Spayne &c. The Brabander . Heere haue we agayne a whole heape of Calumnyes togeather : Iesuites and Priests are heere accused for falfe doctrine & Idolatry . Of intending to bring the good Inhabitants of these Countreys to an auersion from their lawfull Superiors . To the murthering of Princes and Potentates , and to the furthering of the tyranny & domination of the King of Spayne . Let vs now vpon examining of these points , see what may be sayd , with truth and reason . Concerning the false doctrine wherwith Caluinists do accuse Iesuites and other Catholike Priestes : That is , that among other points , which they hold contrary to their heresyes , that God is not so vniust and tyrannicall , that he doth ( as Caluinists affirme ) take yoūg infants euen frō the brests of their mothers , and vndeseruedly cast them into the euerlasting fire of hell . The true doctrine then according as Caluinists do teach ▪ is , that God so doth ; and the doctrine of Iesuites and Priests which Caluinistscal false , is that God is so good , so iust , and so mercifull that he doth not so . Concerning their Idolatry , this especially is , as Caluinists affirme , that they belieue and teach ▪ that the body of Christ is really present in the Sacramēt of the Altar , that they adore it , and pray vnto it , and that in their Churches they haue Images . Now must I demaund of you , from whence it proceedeth that Catholiks belieue the reall Presence of Christ in this Sacrament ? The Hollander . I know it is true that Christ at his last supper taking bread , and blessing it , sayd vnto his Apostles , take and eate : This is body : but for all that , he did not so meane it . The Brabander . But withal you cōfesse that the cause of this beliefe commeth from the very mouth of Christ himselfe : if it come from the mouth of Christ , then taketh it not originall from the mouth of any Pope . Christ must haue lyed when he sayd it was his body , if it were not his body ; or Caluinistes must now lye , in saying it is not his body , notwithstanding Christ sayd it is . The Hollander . Neither of both do lye , Christ meant that it was the figure , or signe of his body . The Brabander . Where is it written , that Christ meant it so ? The Hollander . Our Preachers doe so interprete it . The Brabander . I perceaue your Preachers will not only take vpō them to reforme the Catholike Church , but they will also reforme Gods word it selfe , and make it vtter that which therein is not to be found . But shew me where it is written that aboue 1500 ▪ yeares after Christ had said it was his body , and that all Christians throughout the world did thereupon so beliue it to be ; he would then send new teachers into the world , to reforme this ancient Fayth , with teaching Christians to belieue , that it was not his body , and that he did not so meane as he spak , when he instituted this Sacrament . The Hollander . The oldest Christian fayth was , that it was not the body of Christ , and therfore our teachers do call themselues the reformers of religion , because they reforme and bring religion to the first & most ancient manner : for if this were not so , they could not appropriate vnto themselues the name of reformers of religion . The Brabander . They giue themselues the name of Reformers , but with their appropriating this name vnto themselues , they oblige themselues in the sight and iudgement of all men , of vnderstanding , of the whole world , & in al honour & reason , if they wil be accompted worthy to be belieued , cleerly to demonstrate two thinges . The first is , that they are expresly sent from God to reforme religion : for if so be that a reformation was needful , thē was it also needfull that God should thereunto send and imploy fit persons , that must be men of great holynes , and haue power from himselfe , to make it appeare to the world , that they were sēt from him . The second is , that they must be able to stop the mouthes of all others , that at the same tyme should also appeare in the world , pretending reformation of religion as well as they , albeit in diuers different manners , setting thē at defiance , and chalenging to combat with them , with the weapon of the Word , as long as they dare . If men of vnderstanding seeme to imbrace your Caluinian reformation without seeking such requisite satisfaction therein as heere is noted , they can be no other then Politikes , whose motiue is their owne particuler temporall end , or matter of state , and not matter of religion . But whereas you say that the most ancient Christian beliefe was , that the reall presence of Christ was not in the Sacrament ; whereas the wordes which Christ spake and wherhence this Faith is deriued , is the most ancient cause of this beliefe : There is then to be considered , if the Apostles themselues when Christ sayd , Take and eate this is my Body , did so belieue it to be or not : but certayne it is that they all belieued it , vnlesse it were the false traytor iudas : for if they had doubted thereof , the had without all doubt demaunded or proponed some question vnto him about it , aswell as when he sayd , that it was as easy for a camell to passe through the eye of a needle , as it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heauen for them , they straight wayes demaunded of him , who could then be saued ? Whereupon he answered them , that with God all thinges are possible . Is it possible with God that a camel , or the cable of a ship , can go through the eye of a needle ? Then can the body of Christ be in the Sacrament . But the Apostles among sundry other great miracles which they had seene our Sauiour doe , whereof we fynd some written ( though many of them were left vn written ) did also see him worke some great miracles in his owne body , when he so altered the naturall course therof , that he did sundry thinges therewith aboue the course and possibility of nature : and therefore it is no wonder that the Apostles , were all silent , and without reply belieued the wordes of Christ , which they knew to measure by his power . There is also to be considered , that if so be the first Christians , to wit those of the primitiue Church , haue belieued as Caluinists now do , that the body of Christ is not really in this Sacramēt , or that this Sacramēt is but a figure , signe , or token of the body of Christ , how & when began the beliefe in the world , that the body of Christ was really there ? Through whose ordayning was it so to be taken & belieued ? By whome was it taught ? By whom was it writtē ? At what time was it that Communion-tables were taken out of Churches , and Altars erected there in their places ? The Hollander . That know I not . The Brabander . Nor no man els . But all Christendome knowes where , when , and by whome , Altars in Churches haue byn broken downe , & Communion-tables there brought in : No lesse to be seene and noted to all the Christians of the world , must it needs haue byn , if in any foregoing age since the time of Christ , Communion Tables ( if they had byn in Churches ) had byn caryed out , and in place thereof , Altars had byn builded , and Masse then begun to haue byn said at them , & Christians then first taught that the reall Presence of Christ was to be belieued to be there . The Hollander . Verily you do now tell me much . The Brabander . I will yet tell you more , howbeit but in briefe : for I will leaue these matters that Concerne controuersies in religion to be debated more largely & learnedly by Catholike Deuines , but that which I haue to tell you is this : That besydes the Catholike Christians of the Roman Church , there are great numbers of Christiās of the Greeke Church : There are many Christians of the Abissine or Ethiopian Church : There are Christians of Malabar in the east Indies which were at first conuerted by Saint Thomas the Apostle , with sundry other sorts of ancient Christians aswell in Asia as in Africa : for the Apostles themselues haue byn in those Countreys , & first preached among their ancestors , and brought them to the fayth . These do differ in some points and ceremonies one from another , & also from the Church of Rome , but all these Christians can shew out of their Ecclesiasticall Annales and Church histories , that they haue had Masse euen from the very tyme of the Apostles , and haue alwayes belieued that the body of Christ was really in the Sacrament of the Altar : and albeit that these are sequestred from the Church of Rome , and all of them who vnto that Church haue not reconciled themselues , are by the same holden for Schismatikes ; yet will they all beare witnesse for the Church of Rome against all our European new & different sectaries , that they doe all of them falsely bely the said Church , in affirming those things to be corruptions , which they take vpon them to reforme . The Hollander . Doe they affirme that the Apostles themselues haue first planted the Masse in their Countreyes ? The Brabander ▪ All of them with one consent doe resolutly affirme it , assuredly knowing that the Masse hath not had among thē any other originall . The Hollander . I haue in Holland both read & heard somthing , but this that you now tel me did I neuer read , nor heare before : but how is it then , that the Apostles haue not mentioned this in their writings ? The Brabander . The Apostles well knew that they had no need to write that , which they instituted and taught to be daily in vse among Christians , seeing it could not then be forgotten , and therefore needed not for the preuenting of obliuion , to be putit dovvne in vvryting . Of the greatest number of the Apostles we haue no wrytings at all , and those that wrote , haue left many things vnwritten , aswell concerning Christ himselfe , as concerning their owne selues , not hauing written , when or by whome themselues were baptized , nor whether they were baptized or no , and yet were they without all doubt baptized . They knew that Christ had promised to send the Holy Ghost vnto his holy Catholike Church , to teach the sayd church all truth , and to remayne therewith to the end of the world , what necessity was there then for them to put downe all thinges in wryting , whereas their expresse charge was to go ouer all the world , and preach , and baptize , and this may well be the cause that but fiue of the twelue Apostles of christ haue written , and those but briefly neyther ; and the other seauen not at all , or not whereof we haue any notice . But neuer will I belieue , that any of the Apostles that haue written , haue euer intended , that their wrytings aboue fifteene hundreth years after their deaths , should then first come to be truly interpreted by a Iohn Caluin , or such like , who in our miserable dayes haue afflicted the whole Christian world . The Hollander . You haue heere told me so much , and with so cleere apparence of truth that I stand wondering thereat , and by Gods grace I will not leaue , to reflect well vpon it . The Brabander . Your Gewses-reformed , will also make Catholikes Idolaters , for hauing of Images in their Churches . They may make Moyses an Idolater also , who notwithstanding he forbad the making of Idols , erected Images in his temple , for he well knew the difference betweene the one and the other . The Heathenish Idolls , agaynst which the sacred Scripture inueygheth , so much , the Heathen did offer sacrifice vnto , which is the highest and greatest honour that is done vnto God himselfe . The belyers of Catholikes may put on their spectacles to see what sacrifice , or Godly honour is done by them vnto Images , albeit they be Images of Christ , of his blessed Mother , and of his Saints , not of the Gods of the Heathen , which were all Diuells . No Catholikes offer sacrifice to any Images : no Catholikes pray to any Images , for so to doe were not only a most grieuous offence vnto God , but a great folly & madnes in humayne creatures . A dog will neuer run at a carued or painted hare . Doe Sectaries weene that Catholikes haue lesse sense then brute beasts ? can they not vnderstand as well as vnreasonable beasts that they are things without life ? Catholike Christians haue them in vse , for memory of God and of his Saints , and in reuerencing them , the reuerence is meant and referred vnto those they represent : as when at hearing the name of IESVS , we doe not reuerence the sound , but our thoughts are straightwayes by that sound transported to Christ himselfe , as by the sight of his Image they also are . But your Caluinian pulpit-fellowes , to seduce & bring the people in false conceyts of Catholikes ▪ will perforce make them Idolaters , and belye them , in despyte of truth . But let vs now proceed to to the rest . The Hollander . So I pray you do , for I haue heard inough of this wrong-named Idolatry . The Brabander . Concerning the point that Iesuites and Priestes , do go about to bring the good inhabitants of these vnited Prouinces to an auersion from their lawfull superiours , is in troth , as good a iest to be laught at , as it were , that a thiefe hauing cut a purse , should cry out among the people to looke well vnto their purles , for being cut by the Cut-purses . The Gewses themselues of Holland haue long since brought the inhabitants of those partes to haue an auersion from their lawfull Superiours ; and now they say , that Iesuytes and Priests do go about to do it , as though it were not by themselues done already , and as though the present rebellious Vsurpers of superiority there , were true and lawfull Superiours . But what goodly fellowes will heere be lawfull superiours ? Doth this lawfull Superiority belong vnto them , because they haue by fraud and violence made themselues the maysters of Cittyes and Prouinces , & chased the lawfull superiours away ? Why was not then Iohn Buckleson , the Tayler of Leydon , a lawfull King of Munster in Westphalia , when in like sort he had chased the lawfull Superiours thence ? And why haue your Holland-States by strong and forcible opposition hindred the Arminians from making thēselues maysters of some Cittyes , that so they might become the lawful Superiours in them , as well as they in others ? But how greatly are the poore Hollanders all the world ouer pittyed , because the King of Spayne doth so much trouble them , to put them out of their lawfull superiority ? They haue vnderstood that Catholike religion obligeth to the restitution of ill gotten & detayned goods , and therefore they are in feare , as if they also knew that they are the vniust detayners of that which belongeth vnto another . But considering that Caluinists or Gewses , that haue the power and authority in their hands to make restitution , are not such as goe to Cōfession to Iesuites or Priestes , they may therefore haue the lesse feare . As touching the murthering of Princes and Potentates , there hath already sufficiently byn spoken : but it seemeth by the wordes of the placcart that the Iesuytes and Priestes doe seeke to bring the good inhabitants of Holland to become the murtherers of Princes & Potentates ; as if Iesuytes and Priestes went into Holland , to seeke to make prouision of murtherers among the good inhabitants there , to the end they might employ them where need should be , in the murthering of Princes and Potentates , in other Countreyes ; as though none els for such purpose could be found more fitting , then among the good inhabitants of Holland . That they there should also further the Tyranny & domination of Spayne , are two lyes . No subiects of the King of Spayne are by him tyrannized , neyther haue the Iesuites or Priests in Holland medled , or haue had charge to meddle in matters of State or Gouernment , as thinges beeing out of their profession . The Hollanders cry out , and take on very much about the Tyranny of Spayne : but if it were so , that the King of Spayne had no subiects out of Spayne but only Hollanders , the Hollanders might perhaps be better belieued : but he hath other subiects also in Europe , and out of Spayne , and of seuerall nations . He hath Portugeses , Neapolitans , Sicilians , Milaneses , Burgundians , Germans , Walons , and Netherlanders , that are not vnder Holland gouernement . And which of all these Nations is it , that liueth not now in a more free and better state , then in former tymes vnder the comaund of their particuler Kings , Princes and Lordes ? And where among all these differēt nations is there any one found , that is so Tyrannized ouer at this day , as are the subiects of Holland , with so great and so intollerable exactions and taxations . And whereas they haue alwayes made profession , to leaue people to the liberty & freedom of their consciences , they do notwithstanding forbid some of their good inhabitants vpon great paynes , the exercise of their religion according as their consciences do require , which they deny not vnto Anabaptists , nor Iewes . They cry out , and take on about the Tiranny of Spayne , to make the inhabitants afrayd of a faygned Tiranny , that in the meane tyme they may the better goe forward , as vnseene , with their owne true and great Tiranny indeed . No children may be sent to schoole in any places vnder the comaund of the King of Spayne , or in Colledges of Iesuytes &c. Belike there is no good Gewses-Latin , or caluinian-reformed sciences there taught . Neyther may any children of Holland be sent to schoole in any enemyes Countrey : but this being obserued I do scarsly see where any youth of Holland may out of Holland be sent to schoole ; seeing the Hollanders haue behaued themselues so well , and do so continew to behaue themselues , that they make all the world their enemyes . All collections of money , gold , siluer , goods &c. for , or to the vse of any Churches , Hospitailes , Spirituall or o●●er Colleges or Conuenticles , are pro●●bited . Heerby may be perceaued that they 〈◊〉 ●etayne memory of their Church-robbing . They know Catholike religion teacheth to make restitution of ill gotten or wrongfully detayned goods , and now they feare that some of their good Inhabitantes Iesuyts or Priests to haue some scruple in conscience about the restoring agayne of some such goods , & therefore they haue held it necessary to settle their consciences in quiet , by prohibiting them to come among them ; & so not to come to know that for any Church-robbing they ought to make satisfaction , nor yet to extend any charity insteed thereof to any Hospitalls , spirituall or other Colledges &c. for the worth-full Superiors of Holland , haue occasion inogh to vse money , gold , siluer , and other goods themselues , or can fynd occasion to make vse thereof , rather then it should , by collections , be transported out of those prouinces to other places . The Hollander . When I well consider of all that you haue heere recounted , I am not farre from belieuing , that it may all be true , but in Holland we may not speake so . The Comons in Holland are made belieue that all thinges are there as they ought to be , that they do well , and also prosper well . The Brabander . Those neuerthelesse in Holland that beare the heauy burthen of those great taxations , must needes feele the contrary . And they that do not y●● feele it though , do stand in good po●●●●●lity to feele it better : for the States without all doubt , will from hence-forward be more and more carefull to employ all their vnderstandings , so to inure their subiects to the burthen of pressures and taxations , that they shall not easily by any Apoplexies loose their sense of feeling . Heere will I make an end , for it is now late inough to go to bed . The Hollander . I thanke you much for your discourse , I will not forget to thinke vpon it . And therfore thinke not I pray you , that your wordes haue byn vttered to deafe eares . The Brabander . Then I hope I haue not strawed Roses before swyne , but haue shewed reason to reasonable creaturess . ¶ The rest of the company who with silence had listned to that which was spoken , did giue thankes to the Brabander for his discourse ; & so euery man went to his rest . And heerewith wil I also rest from writing for the present : and recomending my selfe vnto the continuance of yours good fauour ▪ leaue you to God. From Cullen the eight of Aprill 1622. Yours , vnto whom my handwryting is sufficient to let you know my Name . FINIS . 


id: A08697
fulltext:
   A letter of a Catholike man beyond the seas, written to his friend in England including another of Peter Coton priest, of the Society of Iesus, to the Queene Regent of France / translated out of French into English ; touching the imputation of the death of Henry the IIII, late K. of France, to priests, Iesuites, or Catholicke doctrine. Owen, Thomas, 1557-1618. 1610 Approx. 59 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 25 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A08697 STC 19000 ESTC S1326 22122544 ocm 22122544 25107 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A08697) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 25107) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1732:28) A letter of a Catholike man beyond the seas, written to his friend in England including another of Peter Coton priest, of the Society of Iesus, to the Queene Regent of France / translated out of French into English ; touching the imputation of the death of Henry the IIII, late K. of France, to priests, Iesuites, or Catholicke doctrine. Owen, Thomas, 1557-1618. Coton, Pierre, 1564-1626. 47 p. English College Press], [St. Omer : M.DC.X [1610] Signed at end: T.A. [i.e. Adonenus or Owen]. Signatures: A-C⁸. Marginal notes. Reproduction of original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Henry -- IV, -- King of France, 1553-1610. Jesuits -- France -- Apologetic works. Catholic Church -- Apologetic works. 2006-08 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-09 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-08 Taryn Hakala Sampled and proofread 2007-08 Taryn Hakala Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A LETTER OF A CATHOLIKE MAN Beyond the seas , written to his friend in England : INCLVDING Another of Peter Coton Priest , of the Society of Iesus , to the Queene Regent of France . Translated out of French into English. TOVCHING The imputation of the death of Henry the IIII , late K. of France , to Priests , Iesuites , or Catholicke doctrine . Cypr. Epist . 55. ad Cornel. Haec est vera dementia , non cogitare , & scire , quòd mendacia non diu fallant . This indeed is madnes , not to thinke and know that lyes do not long deceaue . Permissu Superiorum : M. DC . X. DEARE Syr , hauing vnderstood by one of yours , that both you & other of our friendes there , haue byn much astonished of late with the suddaine newes of the execrable slaughter of the Great and Potent Monarch Henry the IIII. King of France : I nothing meruailed , the same astonishment being common to vs heere , and I thinke to all the Christiā world . But hauing further vnderstood by the reading of yours , that there with you , the same so detestable a parricide was imputed commōly to Priests , or Iesuites , and by some to the Pope himself , but by the most part to Catholick Doctrine : for answere of yours , I sent you first the Copy of a letter of a principall man , no lesse then a Counseller of France , namely Monsieur du Wick the Gouernour of Cales his brother , writtē by his own hand to a friend of his in Italy , which I my selfe turned into English , word for word , as it was set downe by him in French ; where he writeth , that the miserable wretch that killed the sayd King , affirmed that neuer any man perswaded him to that enterprize of his : the which ( sayth he ) we all belieued , because in all his examinations , & interrogations , euen vntill he was put to death , he perscuered still cōstant in the same assertion . Besides I certified you of a certayne Booke which was written heere in Italy in answer of our Kings Booke about the Oath , which being presented to his Holines , as it is sayd , was not permitted to be printed , because of a rash assertion therin contayned about the question of killing of Kings . For which cause the Authour therof seeking to print his sayd booke in Germany , was through the prudency ( as I vnderstād ) chiefly of an English Gentlemā remaining in those parts , forbidden likewise there to print it . But things which since haue hapned , haue made me lesse to meruaile , that there with you such things were spread : when as in Frāce , yea in Paris it selfe in the middest of so Noble and Catholike a Citty , in the eyes & eares of thē that knew the contrary , and in the cleare shining light of the truth it selfe , the cōmon enemy of truth hath had so much power , as to find some impudent instrumēts , to affirme & publickly to preach the same calumnie . But truly was it sayd , Fortior est omniū Veritas , & vincit : Truth is strongest of all things , and will ouercome at length : although for a while by some violence it may remaine oppressed , or disguised . For so euen now in France , in the sayd Citty of Paris , it is come to passe , that Iesuites which were in part , although far of , calūniated about that matter , being afterwards heard , and the truth knowne , not only haue byn iustified & deliuered frō such a false & iniurious slaūder : but also honoured & esteemed more thē before , as most louing & loyall subiects to that Noble Monarch , which had beene in his life time alwaies so louing & affectionat towards thē , as all the world knoweth : And who at the very instāt of so vnworthy a calumniation , imployed thēselues to honour the same King , as their most deare Father , in trāsporting with great solēnity his own hart , bequeathed to thē by himself in his life time , & deliuered thē after his death by cōmandmēt of the Q. Mother , Regent of Frāce , to the Noble Vniuersity de la Flesche , built for thēselues of late years by the said King of glorious Memory . And because I haue by good hap gottē the fight of a little Treatise writen in the Frēch tongue , expresly in Cōfutatiō of the falsity , begō to be spread in Paris , against the Iesuits , the w ch also doth fully answere to the like calūnious oppositiōs , & false obiectiōs spread abroad by the treachery of the common enemy of truth there in your parts : I thought it necessary to turne it into the English tōgue , that so the truth may there also be known to the honor & glory of the author of all truth , & cōfort , not only of the īnocēt , but also of al thē , that with true charity desire to know the truth , & maintaine the same . A LETTER DECLARATORY OF THE COMMON Doctrine of the Fathers of the Society of Iesus , conforme to the Decrees of the Coūcell of Constance : VVritten to the Queene , Mother of the King , Regent in France . By Father Peter Coton of the same Society , his Maiesties ordinary Preacher at Paris . 1610. MADAME , GOD ordained in the old Testament that the kidd should not be boiled in the milke of his damme , to signify , as Philo the Iew doth expound it , that one which is already afflicted , is no more to be oppressed with new affliction . According to the which rule , deriued from nature it selfe , those of our Society did hope , that with this dolefull accident , the terrour wherof hath shaken the two poles of the Christian world , they might haue had at least their breath free to sigh , after their incōparable losse : A losse , which is as particuler to them , as generall and cōmon to all . But it hath happened to them as to men which find themselues vnder the ruine of a house , where one stone doth not expect the other to couer and ouerwhelme them , vpon whome it falleth . We were both in mind & body occupied about the transporting of that precious gage , and remarkable pledge , which it hath pleased your Maiestie by the hands of the Prince of Conty , to giue consigned vnto vs , and to the which the Chiefe Lords of France rendred the last honours : when some no welwillers of the Catholike Religion , and of thē of our profession , to purchase vs in famy , and to make their gaine of our absence , spread abroad certaine rumors , so farre from all likelihood and probability , that a man would neuer haue thought , that such ca-Iumnies could euer , euen in any mad mood , enter into the thought of a resonable soule . All this began by the occasion of a naughty booke , the doctrine wherof hath byn rightfully condemned by the Court of Parliament ; some maintayning , that the doctrine of the Booke was the common doctrine of all Iesuits ; others , that the doctrine was so proper to his Author , that many of the same Society had written the contrary , and altogeather had condemned it some yeares agoe in the body of a Prouinciall Congregation : the which controuersy men without passion did straight determine , cōcluding that this would be knowne by disauowing therof , and therefore that it was to be expected what we would say therin . Wherupon I my selfe hauing beene named particulerly , haue taken occasion at this present to take pen in hand , briefly to represent vnto You ( Madame ) as to Her , who is singulerly affectioned to the true Religion , most interessed in the good of this whole State , and the most assured refuge that innocencie can haue , that which the Doctors of our Society haue written vpon this subiect . Knowing that nether the greatnes of busines would easily permit you of your selfe to seeke them out , nor the small affection which backbiters do beare vnto vs , would permit them to make you the true report . And after that , I will shew with the same breuity , what is the common sense and opinion of our Society , spread through the whole world , touching the matter wherof we speake : Laying for a ground of all , such verity as cannot be called into doubt , no not by them which may be foūd most hatefull and enuious of this florishing Crowne . I meane that the matter which was debated in the Councell of Constance , & which afterward hath beene declared more at large by the Catholick Doctors , touching the expulsion of Tyrants , doth not at all touch the happy , renowned , and most honorable memory of him , of whome now we be waile the death ; his life hauing byn as farre from all blame of Tyranny , as it hath beene , and shal be alwaies to all the Monarches of the Earth , a modell of piety , iustice , clemency , valour , benignity , and fatherly affection towards his subiects . First of al presenteth himselfe the most Illustrious Cardinall Tolet , a man of rare learning , Spanish by nation , and French by affection , who in the 5. booke and 6. chapter of his Summe , teacheth in expresse tearmes , That , it is not lawful to attempt any thing against the life of a Prince , allthough he abuse his Princely power : adding therunto that to maintaine the contrarie , is an hereticall doctrine , condemned by the Councell of Constance . The most Illustrious and most learned Cardinall Bellarmine , answering to the very same obiection in the thirteenth chapter of his Apologie to a Booke of the king of Great Britany , speaketh thus : I haue neuer read , nor heard it sayd , that euerlasting life hath beene promised to them that attempt against the life of kings : but rather to the contrary I haue read , that this proposition , Euery Tyrant may , and ought lawfully to be killed , was long since condēned in the fiftēth session of the Councell of Constance . True it is , that Iohn VVickliffe an Englishmā whome the Protestantes doe so much esteeme , and haue put forth his prayses in the fore-front of their Histories , taught , That no temporal , nor Ecclesiasticall Prince retayneth any longer his power and authority , after he is fallen into any mortall sin : the which error of his , the sayd Councell condemned in the eight session . Gregorie of Valentia , a man of eminent learning , as is manifest by the publique testimony of Italy , Spayne , and Germanie , writing vpon the sixtie foure Question of the second Part of S. Thomas , and conforming himselfe therin to the doctrine of other Schoole-Deuines , determineth , in no wise to be lawfull to attempt against the life of the Prince , although he abuse his authority . Alsonsus Salmeron in the thirteenth Tome of his workes , expounding the thirteenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans , affirmeth the same , citing the Councell of Constance , and referreth the fact of Aöd , against Eglon King of the Moabites , to the expresse & manifest commandement of God , whereof of no man ought to be iudge in his owne cause . Martin del-Rio , a famous man likewise in all kind of learning , in his Commentaries vpon Hercules Furens of Seneca , the 920. number , sayth ; That , that saying of the Poet is dangerous : and there alleageth to the contrary , the decree of the Councell of Cōstance , which decree vpon this subject cannot to often be inculcated , repeated and declared to the People . Sebastian Heissius in his Apologeticall declaration of the Aphorismes attributed to the doctrine of Iesuites , sheweth by Mariana's owne wordes , that he hath spoken out of his owne opinion . And he himselfe perceauing that he did exceed the Iimits of the common doctrine , acknowledged his doctrine to be subiect to errour , and submitted himselfe to the censure of whome soeuer . And by and by after he setteth down his owne , and the common opinions of all Deuines of our Society , the which he opposeth against the opinion of the sayd Mariana . Martin Becanus in the answere to the ninth Aphorisme , remitteth the Reader to the Councell of Constance , shewing that the lawfull Princelooseth not his superiority , although he become a Tyrant , Iames Gretser Reader of Deuinity at Ingolstad , in his Booke intituled Vespertilio Haretico-politic ꝰ , answering to the obiectiōs which were made him out of the opinion of Mariana , saith with Heissius , That the common opinion is to be followed , leauing that of Mariana , which he himselfe submitteth to other men . Leonard Lessius Reader of Deuinity at Louaine , in the ninth Chapter & fourth doubt of his second booke de Iustitia & Iure , affirmeth likewise , according to the common sentence , That it is not lawfull to enterprize against the person of the Prince , although he should abuse his authority , grounding his saying vpon that aduertisement of the Prince of the Apostles : Seruants be subiect to your maisters , and not only to them which be good and modest , but also to the froward and ill conditioned . And after that he alledgeth the decree of the Councell before mentioned . Nicolas Serarius writing vpon the thirteenth chapter of the booke of Iudges , in his first question , doth shew that the fact of Aod cannot , nor ought to serue the detestable Assassines , parricides , and murtherers of their kings , for their defence or example . Iohn Azor in the second part of his morall institutions , the eleuenth booke , fifth c●apter , and tenth question , doth shew him self yet a more rigorous enemie of the bould and sacrilegious enterprizes of them who attempt against the 〈…〉 e of their Princes : where he teacheth , that it is not lawful to go about to kil , no not thē who should haue vniultlie inuaded any state : grounding his doctrine chifely vpon this , that no man ought to be condēned before he be heard , & without discussiō of his cause , of the which noe particuler man can be a cōpetēt Iudge . As for Lewis Richeome , his Apologie makes perētory proofe of the irrecōciliable hatred which he beareth to the doctrine of them , that teach against the authoritie of kings : in so much that the L. Pasquier himselfe a Criticall Censurer of his works , hauing repeated his wordes in his third booke , and fifth chapter , praiseth him , and sayth , he cannot but loue him , adding these words : Yet I must needs honour thee seing thee so to paint the Idaea of obedience of a subiect towards his King. A praise which he might haue giuen to many others of the same Society , who hauing examined this matter with S. Thomas , and all the Schoole deuines , do all conclude conformably to the Sorbones , and to the Decree of the Councell of Constance . These then being the opinions and the determinations of these doctors , graue , and principall men of our Society ; what preiudice can the particuler opinion of one Mariana bring to the reputation of a whole Order ? the which being , according to the Institute , most carefull to maintaine all holy ordinances of the Church , and bearing respect to the power and authority of Kings , who for the temporal , depend on God only , hath long time since disauowed the lightnesse of this rouing pen : and namely in the Prouincial Congregation of France , held in the Citty of Paris the yeare 1606. where more then this , the Reuerend Father Claudius Aquauiua General of our Society , was requested , that those who had written in preiudice of the Crowne of France , should be repressed , and their bookes suppressed . Which the sayd Reuerend Father did afterward very earnestly and exactly , being most sory that by ouer-sight , he being absent and knowing nothing , nor hauing seene the workes , one should vse therin his consent : the words which he vseth in his answere are these . VVe haue approued your Congregations iudgment , and carefulnes , and haue byn very sory , that no body perceaued the fault , vntill the bookes were printed : the which notwithstanding we haue presently commanded to be corrected , & will vse great care herafter , that such things happen no more . And so it is , that now you should scarce haue found so much as one copy of Mariana , if it had not beene for the pernicious liberality of the heyres of VVechell , who are knowne to be of the pretended reformed Religion , and haue printed the same booke at their owne costes and charges : moued not so much , as it is to be presumed , with desire to serue the publique , as to hurt in particuler our Society . Some haue thought that they haue added somewhat of their owne , others haue iudged that the bookes of the first impression were yet worse , but this controuersy serues to no purpose : for although it were so , and that no body had holpen the first so imprudent pen , yet is there no cause , why that one mans pen should more hurt the body of our Society , then the writings of Iohn Petite , and others his like , should hurt the Vniuersities and Orders of which they were Schollers , Bachelers , Maisters , and Doctors . But , Madame , seeing that I haue heere aboue promised to expound clearly and distinctly , what is our opinion touching the question we haue proposed : now I come to it , which shal be the second part or this discourse . 1. All the Iesuites generally and particulerly will confirme , euen with their own bloud , that they haue not in this matter , or any other , any beliefe , doctrine , or opinion , then that of the Catholike Church . 2. That amongst all sorts of gouernement and publicke administration the Monarchie is the best . 3. That such is the spirituall gouernmēt of the Church , which is vnder the Vicar of Iesus Christ successor of S. Peter : such is the temporall gouernment of the State and Realme of France , which dependeth of the person of the King our Soueraigne Lord and Maister . 4. That the Kinges are , as Homer calleth them , the children and fosters of God , or rather his own liuely Images as sayd Menander : 5. That they are annointed , and therfore called the Christs of our Lord , to the end ( as sayth Simeon the Archbishop of Thessalonica ) that euery one may vnderstand that they be inuiolable , and should be respected as holy and sacred things . 6. That it is a damnable heresy , as holy Irenaeus noteth 1400. yeares agoe to thinke that Kings are giuen to men casually : seeing that all power comes of God , and therfore sayth S. Isidore of Damieta , in the most ancient pictures we see a hand put out of heauen , which setteth the Crowne vpō the head of Kings . 7. That he which resisteth kinges or rebelleth against them , purchaseth to him selfe his owne damnation , according to the doctrine of the Apostle . 8. That obedience is due vnto them , not for that they are vertuous , wise , potēt , or indued with any other laudable qualitie , but because they are Kings , established by God himselfe . 9. That our Kings of France are the eldest children of the Church , enioying rare and singular priuiledges , aboue the common , of other Kinges of the world . 10. That it is not lawfull to denie to thē obedience , & much lesse to reuolt against them , although they were vicious , froward , hard to suport , as the same Apostle speaketh . 11. That being such , we ought to pray for them as the Prophet would haue to be done for the prosperity of Nabuchodonosor , and his sonne Baltazar , & that the afflictions , losse of goodes , persecutions , and other in commodities which are endured patiently , not rebelling therefore against their Superiours , are things very acceptable to God , & conforme to the praise which in like case S. Paul giueth to the Hebrews , and to that ordināce w ch he hath published in the Church , saying : Euery soule be subiect to the Superiour powers . 12. And therfore that not onely it is not lawfull to lay hands vpon their Persons , but that it is an execrable parricide , a prodigious trespasse , and a detestable sacriledge . 13. That the decree of the Councell of Constance in the 15. Session ought to be receaued of all and maintayned inuiolably . 14. That the declaration of the Sorbon of the year 1413. & that also of the 4. of Iune of this presēt yeare is good , wholsome & holy . 15. That euery one should stand vpon his guard , and take heed of diuers bookes that are spread abroad , contrary to the Lawes , the reading of the which is not onely in this matter very dangerous , but so much the more to be feared , by how much the Authors of them being to our great griefe separated from the Catholike Church , make no accompt neyther of the Councell of Constance , nor of the Catholike Censures and Doctors aboue mentioned , yea rather ( which is to be lamented ) they are the more obstinate in their opinions by opposing themselues , and thereby they thinke to get the greater praise and admiration from others . I would cite bookes , quote the places , and alleadge the words , were it not that it is farre better that such thinges remaine swallowed in the bottomlesse pit of forgetfulnes , and that it is more to the purpose to make knowne , that innocency is far stronger then recrimination . And for the same cause also I would haue abstained altogeather from this aduertisment , had it not beene to shew thereby , that the body of our Society cannot be infected by the opinion of one only person , the which hath beene so authentically disauowed by the same : no more then those of the pretended reformed Religion doe not hould themselues any whit interessed by the erroneous Doctrine of some of theirs , whome they reiect , difauow , and condemne ; being willing to liue with vs vnder the Lawes of our Realme , and with the obedience and voluntary submission which we do render to the Scepter of our Kinges ; perswading my selfe , that if they had the pen in hand which I haue , they would speake with vs & thūder out Anathema , with one common voice against those infamous Authors . Which being maturely and wisely considered , as well by the Court of Parliament , as by the sacred Colledge of Sorbon , they haue not made any mention in their arrest and decrees of the Doctrine of Iesuits , knowing very well as iust iudges and Doctors , that faultes are personall , and that there would be no innocency in the world , if the fault of one were imputed to another : and that this hath beene a lamentable and incommunicable property of the sinne which the first man committed to haue byn extended vpon others , because his posterity was represented in his person , knowing also on the other side by the frequent deposition of the malefactor , that Mariana had not in any thing holpen to this execrable parricide , nor could help , considering the malefactour had not sufficient knowledge of the tongue in which his booke was written . Wherein is discouered the vncharitable intentiō of those which spread abroad that he knew all the booke by hart , thereby to cast the publique hatred of all this mischeefe vpon others , then vpon the guilty . This is it , Madame , wherein we do most humbly beseech you to imploy your Soueraigne authority , and to ordaine that all those writings , which are in their beginning matches to kindle rebellion and within few howers become fire brāds of seditiō , be taken away from before the eyes of the French : you are our Soueraigne Lady endowed of God with high vnderstanding , & with such vertue as you haue but few your equals , who doth see clearely of what importance it is , that we liue all vnited , if not in one faith ( such being these iniurious times ) at least in fidelity , obedience , and mutuall affection , to the conseruation of peace . We haue a King which doth represent vnto vs in his yong age , the wit & substance of the great Henry his Father your husband , and the which with the increase of yeares will haue ( if it please God to continue vpon him his benigne influences ) his valour , his prudence , his happines , & his experience : it pertayneth to vs to cherish this treasure ; to serue with al our harts this great & litle Maister ; to obey willingly You his most worthy Mother , our Regent , & Mistresse . And to the end that nothing do trouble the vnion which only after God can conserue this potent Monarchie , and make it all wayes dreadfull to her enemies ; how much were it to be desired , Madame , that none could perceiue amongst vs any backbytings , that the impostures were banished , and the impostors receyued their recompence due to their calumnie ; that hatreds were rooted out , and when any sinister report is made , that each one suspended his iudgement : and in a word , according to the coūsaile of the Apostle , that all maintayne inuiolably the band of Charity . The Otacoustes & Prosagogides of this time are greatly to be feared : men know also that your Maiestie would willingly haue such tongues receiue their recompence , of the anciēt Quadruplators : but if they receiue it not of mē , they must expect it of the incuitable iustice of him , that is the author , protector , & at length remunerator of Innocency . Our little Society is amongst , and aboue all the religious families , the most exposed to the hatred and calumny of them that will not take the paine to know it : you know Madame how often the late King our good Maister hath fauourably defended it : & made it respected . You cā beare witnesse , and none better then you , that wheresoeuer was that great Prince , there had we a King , a Father , and a Protector : but alas he is here no more , that great Henry hath beene violently taken away from vs. Oh France , the eye of Christendome , the rose of Empyres , the pearle of the world , how great is this thy losse ? how horrible is this thy ship wracke ? France the fauorite of heauen , the wellbeloued of God , who hath taken from thee the mantle of glorie , which did couer thee ? the Crowne of honour which stood so high ouer thy head ? Who hath so ( oh chosen of God ) who hath so afflicted thee ? But thou our poore Society which didest not subsist but by the benefit of that Monarch , who hath made thee so desolate ? Who hath abased thee so lamentably ? who hath ouerwhelmed thee so miserably ? The mischiefe is cōmō to al , but it is in singuler manner proper to thee . The blow hath strooken the whole bodie of the kingdome , but it wounded thee almost to death : oh how true is it , & how sēsibly dost thou feele it , that the sorrow that can be expressed is not to be called sorrow , and I which write these things , how iust cause haue I , yea more then any other to let my selfe run into the accents of a doleful voyce , & to say , farewell the wonder of Kings , farewel the ornament of the world , our ioy , our glory , our honour ; farwel the Father of the cōmonwealth , the restorer of the State , the secōd foūder & chiefe benefactor of our Society ; farewell my King , my Prince , my defēder , you had giuē vs in this vale of miseries the repose that here could be had : rest you then in peace and remaine for euer amongst the lilies and the roses , free from the thornie care and solicitude of this Monarchie : enioy happily not earth but heauen : here you haue beene the most eminent subiect of the fauour of god , be now there aboue , and for euer the obiect of his mercyes ; the Lawrells of this base earth were to much subiect to withering , your head expected others more fresh and flourishing : the victories , the triumphes , the Empyres , which pertained to you here beneth , were to be chāged into a glorie much more eminent ; liue then for euer enioying that possession so much desired : your happinesse will make vs breath , your absence wil make vs sigh , & the place where we esteeme you to be , will make vs seeke after you : for relying vpon the mercie of God , the wofull circumstances of your decease haue not depriued vs of the hope to see you againe in the shining splendor of one common day , where we shall find the principall himselfe and all the circumstances of this wofull diuorce of ours : and during the irckesomenes of this expectation , you , Madame , with the King his liuely image wil wipe away some part of our teares , we will acknowledge his person in your persons , his Crowne in your Crownes , his Kingly authority in yours ; and although all your Subiects be obliged thereunto by all sort of dutie , our Society being therto boūd extraordinarily hath giuē me charge to present before your Maiesty the most sincere vowes of her fidelitie , and the most affectioned offers of her most humble seruice , the which ( Madame ) I doe as willingly , as I can with singuler affection . Your Maiesties most humble Seruant , most obedient , and most faithfull Subiect , PETER COTON of the Society of IESVS . BY this letter is sufficiently layd open to the eyes of the whole world , the iniquity of all those , that now a dayes are so desirous to find some kind of fault or suspicion thereof in some one Iesuite or freind of theirs , therby to traduce & calumniate the body of the whole Order , although otherwise innocent and wholy detesting the same , as if the will of the whole Order were represented in the person of each one of them , no lesse then , in the person of Adam only , was represented all mākind . The absurdity whereof is so manifest that it requireth not any further explication : for so scarce any community , linage , or ancient familie should now be found in England , or France , or any Countrey whatsoeuer , which hath not often beene ruined by one crime or other , of true or false imputation , to some one of their body , contrary to that indgement of God : Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris ; & anima quae peccauerit ipsamorietur . This only was sufficient in that Catholike Countrey , not only to discouer the malignity and iniustice of such far-fetcht accusations , but also to obtayne for satisfaction of so publike an iniurie publike fauour of the Prince , and loue of the people , with whose great applause the sayd Iesuits are now by especial grace incorporated into the body of the Vniuersitie of Paris , and begin to open their Schooles , which may be accoūted a very iust remuneration : seeing their first leauing of teaching came by a like fact of one mā imputed to their whole Order ; although the same man was not so much as of their Order , nor then , any of their schollers , but one that before in his life time had only frequented their schooles , chiefly because that it was found , that not only they deserued not any such imputation for any fact or fault of theirs ; but contrariwise for their great affectiō and seruice , which alwayes they shewed towards their King and Countrey , deserued all contrary commendations and fauour for that also besides their house wherein they dwelt before , besides the Colledg in which they began againe to teach , they haue begun to build the third house for their Nouitiate , and that not only by the Princes graunt , permitting the same , but also with his owne liberality allowing for the charges therof . This is the nature of vertue , the more to increase & flourish , the more it is resisted and kept downe . Wherin it is to be obserued , that although for defence of the Iesuites in Paris , it sufficed ( as by the fore said letter only it appeareth ) that the opinion of Mariana was not the opinion of the Society : which , as by the place there quoted , and by experience through the whole world is euident , is , as much as any Order or Congregatiō may be , addicted to all due obedience towards Magistrates , Princes and Kings ; & do instruct their schollers and hearers , and all that any wayes depend on them , in the same obedience , subiection , and reuerence towards all sortes of Superiours , and especially towards their Soueraignes . Yet that , which either for modesties sake in defending thēselues , or els for breuity in such a letter semed best to thē to omit , as not so much needfull at that time ( they hauing all the reason on their side , ) I thought good not to neglect , seeing it maketh not a little more for the full answere to yours about Iesuites and Catholicke Doctrine ; and this is : That Mariana himselfe , who by the aduersaries was chosen amōgst al the Iesuits , as only guilty of that great trespasse of killing of Kings , saith nothing but by manner of probleme , examining the question pro & contra , bringing the proofes of both parts : which being done , as he inclineth more to the one side then to the other , so doth he not precisely determine any thing on either , as absolutely true & certayne , but as seeming to him more probable , & therfor perswadeth not any man to follow one or the other opinion , but contrariwise submitteth & offereth himselfe ready to follow other mens better iudgement , & to thanke them for it : his words being these , which euery mā may read in the Author himself , Haec nostra sentētia est , sincero animo certe profecta , in qua falli possum vt humanus : si quis meliora attulerit , gratias hab●am . And this opinion that there Mariana doth propose as indifferent , to be proued or disproued by other men , what opinion is it ? Is it of killing of Kinges wherof now the question is ? Nothing lesse , he handleth no such question ▪ there is no such doctrine in the Catholicke Church . Wherof then speaketh he in that place ? Of killing of Tyrants : for the which question the King of Spayne to whome the booke was dedicated , and by whome it is both praised and priuiledged , was neuer offended with the Author : nor yet Henry the IIII. late King of France , as if such thinges had beene written against them , they most worthily thinking themselues farre from any suspicion of Tyranny : for the which cause also the Emperor Charles the fifth , was neuer angry with Soto , his Confessarius , nor any other Kinges haue beene offended with other Authors , who heretofore haue written an hundred times more , and more resolutely then Mariana , in defence of the same opinion . Neyther are they indeed to be esteemed eyther true subiects , or wise men that find any fault with such mens writings , as written against their Kinges , thereby esteeming their owne Kinges Tyrants , or such as worthily may feare to be taken for such . Finally wheras Mariana about this matter affirming the least of all men , is yet most of all , yea only amongst all accused , and his writinges therefore condemned and burnt with such seuerity & rigour ; it is manifest they could not be cōdemned for the doctrine they did cōtayne , but for the Authors sake that wrote them : nor the Author himself so iniuriously vsed for his owne sake , but for the coate he weares , & for the badge of the name of Iesus , which both he and his booke doth carrie . They are enemies of that holy name , that condemned Mariana for any such Doctrine . They are only the enemies of Iesuites , that so calumniously deriued the crime from one Mariana to all Iesuites . They are enemyes to Catholike Religion that accuse the Catholicke Church of any such doctrine . And hereby we may easily come to find the first ofspring of all these calumnies : the first & only author and teacher of all calumniators , is Satan the head calumniator himselfe . Who knoweth not this ancient fraud & accustomed fetch of that cōmon enemy both of God , & all mankind , who hath no more potent meanes to resist the honour of God , to oppresse his seruants , and hinder the progresse of true vertue and religion , then to bring all good men , as opposite to him , and his endeauours , into suspicion with Kings , and Emperors , calling them in question for matters of State ? So did he vse Aman in the old Testament as an instrument to bring into disgrace with King Assuerus the people of God , dispersed throughout his Prouinces , slaundering them for seditious and contrary to the lawes of his Realme . So Daniel was cast into the Lions den , because he had done against the lawes of the Medes and Persians , forsooth he serued and adored God almighty , whome they acknowledged not for God. Likewise Antiochus held all for traytors , and violators of his Law , whosoeuer vnder his Dominions kept & obserued the law of God. Samuel therfore had good cause when he was sent of God to annoint for King , Dauid the sonne of Iesse , to be afraid that Saul would kill him , as guilty of treason against his Crowne , who already had the possession therof , and who afterward being possessed with a Diuell sought continually to make away Dauid , although a true seruant of God , and him , only vnder pretence of state . And in the new Testament what other meanes had the Diuell to batter the Ghospell , and oppugne our Sauiour him selfe , then by the Iewes , as his instrumēts to accuse him before Pontius Pilate , to call him in question of state , as seditious , and forbidding to pay tribute to Cesar , and calling himselfe King ; the which bare accusation without any proofe is of such nature , so potent , and soe odious amongst worldly men , that be the fact neuer so false , wherof a man is so accused it sufficeth to discredit and opresse him , be he neuer so innocent , as may appeare by that example of Christ our Sauiour , who was the most innocent of all men , yea innocency it selfe . For although Pilate seeing him guiltlesse , endeauoured to deliuer him : yet the malicious redoubling that accusation , & therwith threatning Pilate himselfe , saying if thou let him go , thou art not a friend to Cesar , they so terrified him with the only name of Cesar , that straight he let himselfe be carried away , to the greatest act of iniustice that was committed since the world began . Wherin the Diuell hauing had so good successe , as to haue condemned Christ , and put to death the Author of life ( but yet so , that in fine all fell vpon his owne head , our Sauiour therby being exalted in glory , and all mankind deliuered from the Diuells tyranny ) hath still continued by the same way , as most assured & effectuall to persecute all Gods seruants , and true followers of Christ . And therfore the Apostles following straight after , were forced also against such calumnies opēly to teach and commād Christians to obey their Soueraigns , and magistrates , to pray for them , to render them tribute to whom tribute appertaineth , and honour to whome honour . After the Apostles the ancient Doctors of the Church were also forced often to imploy their pennes , and shew that true Christians were not enemies of Emperours , but did offer sacrifices for their state and prosperitie : and yet because those Emperours , as worldly and wicked men , preferred the least thought of their owne estate before the greatest reasons that might be alleaged for the defence of innocency , alwayes such calumnies haue preuailed , as first against the head himselfe , so after against his members and followers . Although at length by the almighty power of God , truth hath alwayes had the victory , & the Diuell togeather with his instruments haue byn confounded . As is notorious first in the old Testamēt by Aman , by the enemies of Daniel , by Saul , and Antiochus their deathes : and in the new , by Pilate who died in banishment , and by the whole nation of the Iewes , who were first so miserably destroyed by Titus and Vespasians armie , & haue alwayes since remayned as vagabonds vpon the face of the earth . Afterward what miserable deathes haue befallen all those Emperours that by such vniust wayes haue persecuted the Church of God , vnder colour of state , it were too lōg here to rehearse : it will shortly come to your view fully set down in the secōd part of a learned Treatise cōcerning Policy and Religion . So that allwaies they haue byn inexcusable before God & mā , who haue concurred by power of Princes , to the oppressing of good men , vnder the calumnious pretext of dealing in State matters . But most inexcusable in this our dayes , is this calumniation obiected by Heretickes to the Catholicks , and Catholicke doctrine , it being on the contrary side proper to Hereticks to impugne their Princes , and to Hereticall doctrine to maintaine it as lawfull , yea the only meanes wherby heresies haue sprong vp , & Hereticks first entred into the world , haue beene their rebellions against their Magistrates , their lawfull Kings , and Princes . The reason wherof is manifest ; Heresie being of her owne nature a separation and diuision from the body of the Catholicke Religion , and therfore must needes begin with rebelling against the Catholicke Church , and consequently against their Catholicke Kings and Soueraigne Princes . But the experience hereof is much more manifest : for as Luthers , Zuinglius , Caluins , and all other hereticks beginning of innouation , came by teaching all their followers , that Princes may be restrayned by force , pursued , iudged , & punished by the people , excommunicated , depriued , deposed , and cast into hell by the Ministers , condemned and put to death by inferiour Magistrates , whensoeuer in their opinion , they become Tyrants , and opposite to the Ghospell , as writeth the Author of the booke of Dangerous positiōs , in his fourth and fifth chapter , and the Author of the Suruey of pretended discipline . Their practice of the foresaid doctrine hath byn too too well knowne through the whole world . For first in Germany , Luthers followers incited by such doctrine of his , tooke armes and rebelled with such violent headines throughout all that Countrey against their owne Prince , that , as Sl●ydan a Protestant Author affirmeth , at that only time besides the euersion of infinite numbers of fortresses , and Castles , aboue an hundred and thirty thousand people were slaine . And afterwards the followers of Luther deuiding themselues into different sects of Luther anisme , Zuinglianisme , Caluinianisme , Anabaptisme , new Arianisme , and the like , with ech of them followed euery where new rebellions against their Princes : as you may see , which way soeuer you looke , either towardes the North , where you shall find fresh memory of their rebellions in Saxony , Denmarke , Sueueland , Polonia , and Transiluania : or towardes the South in Zwitzerland , Grisons , Sauoy , and their Confines , where Zuinglius himselfe in the Cantons of Switzerland his owne countrey was the chiefe stirrer of rebellion , and was slayne himselfe in the field . And at Geneua , Caluin , Beza and other Ministers incited the Subiects against the Duke of Sauoy , and other their naturall Princes . Towardes the East the Heretikes ioyned their forces with the Turke himselfe , against the Emperour their Soueraigne : and so Boscaine that famous Caluinian Rebell , forced the said Emperour to leaue him for his life tyme the Princedome of Transiluania . Towards the west , to wit in France through the which I haue trauailed some time , and there haue spent some yeares of my age , I haue seene in all places where I haue beene , such pittifull ruines of Townes , and Fortresses , and haue heard recounted such Barbarous , yea rather Beast-like cruelties committed in their rebellions , that the only memory therof sufficeth euery where for a perpetuall infamy and confusion of those that are there of the pretended reformed religion . In Flanders also , what part therof hath beene free from the like ruines , & massakcres effectuated by thē that there rebelled against their natural Soueraigne , of whome as yet remayneth one part in Holland and Zeland ? in Scotland what seditious rebellious were stirred vp first against the noble Queene Marie Regent of Scotland , Grandmother to our Soueraigne that now raigneth , by those stirring Ministers , Knox , Goodman , Dowglasse and others : & afterward against Queene Marie Regnāt , Mother of our Soueraign by the Lords of the Cōgregation as they called themselues , indeed Hereticall rebells , with direction of their Ministers , assisting them in person and all according to the rules of their Ghospel , that is of Heresy , whose substance and nature is , as before is sayd , to be of it selfe a rebelliō against the Catholike Religiō , & Catholike Kings , & Princes . And to cōclude with England , we haue seene that in fiue yeares time , or therabout of the Catholike raigne of Queene Marie , were broached and set on foote more Rebellions by proportiō , then in fortie yeares of her Protestant Sister Queene Elizabeth next following her . And this is the cause why in these Coūtreys wise men discoursing of this matter , esteemed it a most ridiculous thing that Lutherās or Caluinists or any other Hereticks should obiect to the Catholike Church the doctrine of rebellion , and killing of their Kings and Princes , which is a thing so contrary to al Catholike Religion , and so naturall to heresy it selfe as appeareth by the Coūcell of Constance Sess . 15. where they are condemned for heretikes that doe obstinatly hould any such propositions : that euery Tyrāt ought to be killed : and that he may be killed both lawfully and meritorously , by any vassell or subiect of his : and that by any deceiptfulnes , or subtilitie : notwithstanding any oath or agreement made to the contrary : & that without any sentence or iudgment . These were the propositiōs of Wickliffe then cōdemned by that Catholike Councel : these are the propositiōs of the hereticks of our time , Luther , Caluin , Beza , Buchanan , & others their companions , & by thē most iniuriously restrained in particuler to the Princes thē liuing , as namely to Charles the 9. King of France , yea to the Q. Mother & al her whelpes , as they tearmed thē , that is , all her honorable Childrē , the sayd King Charles with al his brethren : likewise Q. Mary of Englād , & other Princes of Germany : which doctrine , & practice of the hereticks of our time , is condemned by the doctrine and practice of the Catholike Church at this time : so that the hereticks obiecting to Catholikes any such doctrine or practices , do but vse the way of preuention , like naughty womē who knowing what is to be obiected to them , will first of all in scoulding obiect it to others . And here comming to make an end of my Letter , I haue thought good to ad one thing in steed of newes , and in few wordes let you vnderstand , what is the iudgement here about the Oath that you cal of Allegiāce , the rumor wherof is now spread through the whole world , & many books are abroad about that subiect : the wisest sort of men heere , leauing a fide their iudgements about the questions themselues set downe in that oath , to wit about the Kinges lawfull right & title to the Crowne , & of other forraine Princes authoritie , as they say : leauing I say the discussing of them aside , they doe much disproue the only proposing therof to subiects , to be by them confirmed by oath . For say they , a King already in peaceable possessiō of his Crown , should no more propose to his subiects the discussion of his rights and titles , for that no mā of any consciēce can sweare any such thing whithout perfect examination , triall , and knowledge therof , by the which he may be sure in Conscience of swearing truly , and so the subiects are forced to enter into diuers considerations of many circūstances which were more cōuenient for thē to belieue , thē to examin , being such oftētimes that learned Lawiers cōming to discusse thē , are so doubtful , that neither they , nor the Princes thēselus wil be so bould to sweare them ; being content to remaine in Lawfull possession against any pretender that shall oppose himselfe . Yea if by any such occasion of questiō made about any such right , or title , warre should chance to be waged , the subiects are to belieue their Princes and Countreis cause to be iust , & may without any preiudice of their saluation , yea are bound to shed their bloud in such a cause : yet are not they bound , nor the Prince himselfe , to take an oath , that his cause is iust ; and therfore it were great imprudency for a Prince in such a cause , to tender such an oath to his souldiers : for so he should find his companies much diminished , and therof would follow that euident absurditie , that if the souldiers of ech side should sweare their owne Kinges cause to be iust , all the souldiers of one side must needes be forsworne , it being as Deuines do hold , impossible , that any warres should be iust on both sides , no more then in law that ech part should haue truth and iustice on his side , because that such questions that eyther by warre , or by Law are to be decided , doe alwayes consist in a contradiction , by affirming , and denying one and the same thing : and by such oathes , as the one side must alwayes needes bee forsworne , so the other must needes do ill in swearing rashly such doubtfull things . Much lesse is it thought conuenient to propose to subiects the examining of the power & right of any forraine King , or of the Authoritie of the Pope himselfe aboue Kings and Princes , not only for the same reasons , but also because therby many learned men which before were quiet , and without any question yealded obedience to the prince , are not only forced openly to refuse such an Oath pertaining to faith , about the Authority of Christ his Vicar vpon earth , but also openly to professe the contrary , both by word and writing . And such sort of Oathes that are taken by force , with doubt of mind , and scruple of conscience , doe rather hurt then good , euen to that end to the which they are giuen . For whensoeuer any occasiō should happē of shewing their loue and affection towards their Prince , they would allwayes be found most backward that haue beene so iniuriously forced to take such Oaths against their wil , and peraduenture would dispense with themselues for the performance of them , as vniustly exacted , and rashly made : and they would alwaies be found most faithfully in keeping all loyalty towards their Prince , who do offer themselues most ready to sweare the same , and do plainely refuse to sweare any more . For as this , they do refuse for their duty towards God : so that , they will performe for their duty towardes their King , and towards God that gaue them him : Quia omnis potestas à Deo est : and this is according to our Sauiours prescript , Reddere quae sunt Caesaris Caesari , & quae sunt Dei Deo. This only all wise men in these parts do agree vpon , wherin I assure my selfe no man with you of any wisdome , will any way contradict , that euery subiect is bound in Conscience to obay his lawfull Prince , and that also to promise by Oath when it shal be exacted . And such an Oath although in other Realmes through the whole world is not wont to be exacted of all subiects , but only of the Magistrates and Gouernours of others ; yet such occasion may fall out , that it may stand with prudence to tender it to euery one in particuler : and such an Oath of obedience towardes his Prince and Soueraigne , no good Catholicke will refuse , nor Catholicke Doctrine doth disallow . Yours euer T. A. Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A08697-e140 The occation of writing this letter . The Iesuits iniuriously slaundered . Mariana his opinion cōdemned by all other writers of the Society , and the Court of Parlament in Frāce . The Authors intentiō . Tolet. Bellarmine . Valētia . Salmer● Del-Rio . Heissius . Becanus . Gretser . Lessius . Serarius Azor. Richeome . The opinion of Mariana condemned in a Cōgregatiō of the Society in Frāce and mis liked by the Generall of the same order . Malice of Protestants . The generall opinion of Iesuites touching Kings . Tren . l. 5. c. 24. Rom. 13. 1. 3. Pet. 2. Baru . 1. 11. The pious intentiō of the Authour . Malicious dealing . The Society most exposed to hatred . An Apostrophe to Frāce . God hath turned this slāder raised against the Society to the best . The Society in fact and doctrine as obsequious to Kings as any other Order . Mariana not resolute in the opinion for which he is cōdemned by the Aduersaries . Mariana speaketh only of Tyrāts . Mariana his book and doctrine cōdemned for hatred to the Society . Sathan the Author & Father of all Iyers & slanderers . An ancient deuise to draw matters of religion into crims of State. Exāples in the new testament Our Sauiour called into questiō for matter of state against the Emperour , & condemned for the same . Gods seuere punishment vpon vniust iudges . Heresies haue first sprōg vp in our dayes by rebellion . The practise of Protestantes in matters of rebelliō . Rebellious doctrine proper vnto Protestants , and condēned by Catholicks . What strangers doe iudge & speake of the oath of allegiāce and the proposing therof ▪ The discussing of the Popes Authority not conuenient . Forced swearing more hurtfull then profitable . Matt. 22 ▪ 


id: A08925
fulltext:
   A copie of the first arrest or decree of the Parlament [sic] of Paris, against the booke of Santarellus the Iesuite commanding it to be burned, and the provincial of the Iesuites, with others, to come to the court the next morning to be heard. With, the Parlaments [sic] demands, the Iesuites answeres, their declaration of their detestation of the said booke, with the censure of the Sorbon doctours against the same. Translated into English, according to the French copies, printed at Paris with the Kings priviledge. France. Parlement (Paris) 1634 Approx. 17 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 6 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A08925 STC 19203 ESTC S120128 99855328 99855328 20815 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A08925) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 20815) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1553:27) A copie of the first arrest or decree of the Parlament [sic] of Paris, against the booke of Santarellus the Iesuite commanding it to be burned, and the provincial of the Iesuites, with others, to come to the court the next morning to be heard. With, the Parlaments [sic] demands, the Iesuites answeres, their declaration of their detestation of the said booke, with the censure of the Sorbon doctours against the same. Translated into English, according to the French copies, printed at Paris with the Kings priviledge. France. Parlement (Paris) Bouvot, Ph. Université de Paris. Faculté de théologie. aut 8, 10-12, [1] p. Printed by R. Badger, and are to be sold [by R. Allott] at the Black Beare in Pauls Church-yard, London : 1634. Bookseller's name from STC. Signed at end: Ph. Bovvot. Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Santarelli, Antonio, 1569-1649. -- Tractatus de haeresi. Jesuits -- France -- Early works to 1800. 2006-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-05 Ali Jakobson Sampled and proofread 2007-05 Ali Jakobson Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A COPIE OF THE FIRST ARREST OR DECREE OF THE Parlament of PARIS , against the Booke of Santarellus the Iesuite ; Commanding it to be burned , and the Provincial of the Iesuites , with others , to come to the Court the next morning to be heard . WITH , The Parlaments demands , the Iesuites answeres , their Declaration of their detestation of the said Booke , with the Censure of the Sorbon Doctours against the same . Translated into ENGLISH , according to the French Copies , Printed at Paris with the Kings Priviledge . LONDON , Printed by R. BADGER , and are to be sold at the Black Beare in Pauls Church-yard 1634. A COPIE OF THE FIRST Arrest , or Decree of the Parlament of PARIS , &c. THe Court of the great Chamber , Criminall , and of the Edict assembled , having seene a booke printed at Rome in the yeare 1625. intituled , Antonij Santarelli , &c. containing in the 30. and 31. Chapters many propositions against the Soveraigne powers of Kings , ordained , and established by God , the peace and tranquillity of their States . Conclusions of the Kings procuratour Generall , and all considered . The Court hath declared , and doth declare the Propositions , and Maximes of the said booke , to be false , scandalous , and seditious , tending to the subversion of Soveraigne Powers ordained , and established by God , to the insurrection of Subjects against their Prince , withdrawing them from their obedience , inducing to attempt against their Persons , and States , to disturbe the publike peace , and tranquillity ; and the said Booke , as such , to bee torne , and burned in the Court of the Palace by the Executioner of High Iustice . Injoyneth , and forbiddeth under paine of Treason all Booke-sellers , and Printers to print , sell , utter , and all Persons of what state , and condition soever they bee , to have , keepe , retaine , and communicate , to print or cause to bee printed , or to publish the said Booke . Commandeth all those ; who have Copies thereof , or shall have notice of those , who shall have them in their hands , to notifie forthwith to the Ordinary Iudges , to the end that Inquisition be made by the diligence of the Substitute of the Procuratour Generall , and to proceed against the offenders according to Iustice . Ordaineth , that this present Arrest shall be sent to the Bailywikes , and Stewardships subject to the Iurisdiction of this Court , to be published , kept , and observed according to the forme , and tenour thereof . And to be signified to the Syndicke of the Booksellers to make it knowne to the rest , to the end that they pretend not cause of ignorance . Ordaineth , that the Provinciall , three Rectours , and three Ancients of the Iesuites shall bee commanded to come to morrow betimes in the morning to the Court for to bee heard , Made , and executed the thirteenth of March , 1626. Articles of the Parlaments Demands to the Iesuites , with their Answers . THe twenty fourth of March 1626. the Iesuites being present in the great Chamber , the Parlament asked them , Doe you approve the wicked Booke of Santarellus ? P. Coton , Provinciall of the province of Paris , accompanied with three others , answered : Messieurs , it is so faulty , that we are ready to write against it , and to disprove all that he saith , and in effect there are come to our Houses ten Copies of them , all which we have suppressed . The Parlament , Suppressed , Is it your duty to deale so ? The Iesuites . We thought , that we could not doe otherwise then so . The Parlament . Why brought you not them to Monsieur the Chancellour , or to Monsieur , the First President ? The Iesuites . Messieurs , we are obliged , and bound to many other obediences , then are other Religious . The Parlament . Doe not you know very well , that this wicked Doctrine is approved by your Generall at Rome ? The Iesuites . Yea Messieurs , but we that are heere can not be so imprudent , but we disprove it with all our might . The Parlament . Well then , answere to these two things , Do you beleeve , that the King is all Powerfull within his Estates , and do you thinke , that any forraigne Power can , or ought enter in , or any then in the Person of the King can disturbe the peace of the Gallican Church ? The Iesuites . No , Messieurs , we beleeve him all Powerfull , as for Temporall . The Parlament . As for Temporall , speake plainly , and tell us , if you beleeve , that the Pope can Excommunicate the King , free his Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance , and expose his Kingdome to spoile ? The Iesuites . O Messieurs , to Excommunicate the King , he that is the Eldest sonne of the Church will be carefull to doe nothing , which may oblige the Pope to that . The Parlament . But your Generall , who hath approved that booke , doth hold for infallible as above . Are you of a different beliefe ? The Iesuites . Messieurs , Hee who is at Rome , could doe no otherwise , then to approve that , which the Court of Rome approveth . The Parlament . Is it your beleefe ? The Iesuites . It is quite contrary . The Parlament . And if you were at Rome , what would you doe ? The Iesuites . We would doe , as they doe there . The Parlament . Well then , answere to that , which we have demanded of you ? The Iesuites . Messieurs , we humbly beseech you , to give us leave to conferre together . The Parlament . Goe into that Chamber . They being there halfe an houre returned backe againe to the Parlament . The Iesuites . Messieurs , we will bee of the same opinion with the Sorbon , and will subscribe to the same things with the Messieurs of the Clergie . The Parlament . Make your Declaration there beneath . The Iesuites . Messieurs , wee most humbly entreate you , to give us some dayes to conferre among our selves . The Parlament . Goe your wayes , the Court giveth you three dayes . A Copie of the Iesuites Declaration against the Doctrine contained in the book of Santarellus the Iesuite , in that which concerneth the Person of Kings , and their Authority , exhibited to the French King two dayes after . VVE underwritten doe declare , that we disallow , and detest the wicked Doctrine contained in the book of Santarellus , in that which concerneth the Person of Kings , their Authority , and their States , and that we acknowledge their Majesties to depend immediately upon God , that we are ready to shed our bloud , and expose our lives in all occasion for the confirmation of this Truth . Promising to subscribe to the Censure , which shall be made of this pernicious Doctrine by the Clergy , or the Sorbon , and never to professe opinions , or Doctrine contrary to that , which shall be held in this matter by the Clergie , and the Vniversities of the Realme , and the Sorbon . Made in Paris by the undernamed Religious of the Company of Iesus , the sixteenth day of March , 1626. P. ●oto . Ign. Arman . Ch. de la Toure . I. Souffren . F. Garasse . F. Godullon . Dion . Gaiatrin . Fr. Grandillon . Dion . Petau . I. Fillault . I. Brossault . Est . Guerry . Lud. Neyran . Iac. Alemant . Pierre Royer . Est . Louys . A Copie of the censure of the Sacred Theologicall Facultie of Paris , of a booke intituled Antonii Santarelli , &c. IF any one perchance make doubt , that the ends of the world are come upon us , as the Apostle speaketh , let him but consider these latter times , and compare them with the former , and hee will then acknowledge , that the enemy of mankinde hath left nothing unattempted , which might serve not only to hurt , but also to cleane overthrow both the Ecclesiasticall , and also the Civill policie . There have beene wicked men , who presuming to blaspheme against Heaven , have imployed their pens , and swords against the Church , the Spouse of CHRIST IESUS . But some witlesse men perceiving , that it is not without reason , that the Secular power be armed with the sword , have assaulted the Civill Policie by an other way ; and have attempted to extirpate , and annihilate hereby execrable bookes , putting in execution by such ambuscado's more covertly their pernicious designes . The marke which S. Iude propoundeth to us to know these men by ; is , that they despise Dominion , and blaspheme Majesty . And would to God , that they had rested content only with despisall , and reviling speeches ; but so great is their fault , that contrariwise these damnable Writers , under a pretence of establishing in the Church , a certaine temporall power , doe teach , and affirme ; that it is in the power of those , who have in their hands the government of Ecclesiasticall affaires , to depose Kings from their Thrones , and the same for very small and ridiculous causes , and to put in their places other Supreme Magistrates either Annuall , or Iournall ; as they shall thinke good . For this cause the Theologicall Facultie of Paris perceiving , that they intend to overthrow by this meanes all Civill Policies , especially this of the French Monarchie , which is governed by our most Christian , most Clement , and most Iust KING , Lewis the XIII . To follow the steps of Her Predecessour , in testifying the affection , which Shee beareth to His Majesty , and the whole Realme , and to satisfie also the generall desire of all good men , hath chosen out among other bookes one newly come forth , intituled , Antonii Santarelli Iesuitae de Haeresi , Schismate , Apostatia , &c. And in the Generall Congregation held extraordinarily the sixeteenth day of March last past Shee committed to certaine Doctours , whom Shee particularly named , to read , and examine the same . But for as much as it treateth of many things , which doe no way appertaine to that , which principally is now questioned , Shee thought good , that they should examine only two Chapters , to wit , the thirtieth and thirtie one of the Treatise de Haeresi . Therefore the first day of April , 1626 after Masse of the HOLY GHOST the Assembly being kept after the accustomed manner in the Hall of the Sorbon Colledge , hath read the relation of the Doctours appointed by the Facultie , who have declared , that in those two Chapters are contained these propositions following : That the Pope can punish Kings , and Princes with temporall punishments , depose , and deprive them of their Kingdomes for the crime of Heresie , and free their Subjects from their obedience , and that this hath ever been the custome in the Church . And not only for Heresie , but also for other causes ; to wit , for their sinnes . If also it be expedient : If Princes be negligent : If they bee unable , and unprofitable . Moreover , that the Pope hath power ouer spirituall things , and also over all temporall . And that by the Law of God there is in him both spirituall , and temporall power . That we must beleeve , that to the Church , and her Supreme Pastour power is given to punish with temporall punishments , Princes who offend against divine , and humane lawes , especially if the crime be Heresie . They said also , that the same Santarellus affirmed in that booke . That the Apostles were subject to Secular Princes de facto , but not de iure . And also , that as soone as the Pontificall Dignitie was ordained , all Princes began to bee subject to it . To be short , they related , that he expoundeth those words of CHRIST , Whatsoever thou shalt binde upon earth , &c. Not only of spirituall , but also of temporall power . And that he corrupteth the text of Saint Paul in cutting of the negation [ Not ] and imposeth upon Authours things , which they never thought of . And they concluded , that as well these things , as many others , which they related , doe worthily deserve the Correction , and censure of the Facultie . Wherefore the matter being by Monsieur the Deane brought into deliberation , after the opinions of all the Doctours were heard , and their voices collected , the Facultie hath disproved , and condemned the doctrine contained in these propositions , and the conclusions of the said heads , as new , false , erroneous , contrarie to the word of God ; making the Pontificall dignitie to be odious ; opening the way to Schisme ; which dependeth only upon God , hindering the conversion of Infidell , and Hereticall Princes , disturbing the publike peace , and overthrowing Kingdomes , States , and Common-wealths , and in briefe , with drawing Subjects from the obedience , which they owe to their Soveraignes , and inducing them to Factions , Rebellions , and Seditions , and to attempt against the lives of their Princes . Made in the Sorbon , the day , and yeare above named , and reviewed the fourth of April , 1626. By the commandement of the Messieurs , the Deane , and Doctours of the sacred Theologicall Facultie of Paris . Ph. BOVVOT . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A08925-e220 See the French Mer. tom . 11. ad Ann. 1626. p. 87. & seq . Notes for div A08925-e810 See the French Mer. p. 8. & seq . See the French Merc. pag. 92. Notes for div A08925-e2330 This Censure is printed at Paris in Latine by Ioseph Bovillerot , and see it in French in the French Merc. ubi supra pag. 95. 1 Cor. 1. Matth. 16. 2 Cor. 10. Our Lord hath given us power to edification , and not to destruction . 


id: A09551
fulltext:
   An ansvvere made by one of our brethren, a secular priest, now in prison, to a fraudulent letter of M. George Blackwels, written to Cardinall Caietane, 1596, in commendation of the Iesuits in England Philalethes, Andreas. 1602 Approx. 61 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 22 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A09551 STC 19830 ESTC S120908 99856101 99856101 21623 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A09551) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 21623) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1181:10) An ansvvere made by one of our brethren, a secular priest, now in prison, to a fraudulent letter of M. George Blackwels, written to Cardinall Caietane, 1596, in commendation of the Iesuits in England Philalethes, Andreas. Copley, Anthony, 1567-1607?, attributed name. Charnock, Robert, b. 1561, attributed name. Blackwell, George, 1546 or 7-1613. [48] p. Newly imprinted [by Adam Islip], [London] : 1602. Signed at end "Andreas Philalethes", a pseudonym. Sometimes attributed to Anthony Copley and to Robert Charnock. Includes text of Blackwell's letter. Printer's name from STC. Signatures: [par.]⁴ A-E⁴. The first leaf and the last leaf are blank. Outer forme of quire [par.] in two settings: [par.]4v line 21 has (1) "Arch" or (2) "Arche". Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Blackwell, George, 1546 or 7-1613. Jesuits -- England -- Early works to 1800. 2003-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-12 Ben Griffin Sampled and proofread 2004-12 Ben Griffin Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion AN ANSVVERE MADE BY ONE OF OVR BRETHREN , A SEcular Priest , now in prison , to a fraudulent Letter of M. George Blackwels , written to Cardinall Caietane , 1596 , in commendation of the Iesuits in England . Newly imprinted . 1602. The Preface . I Here commend vnto you , ( good Catholicke Reader ) this Treatise following , penned by a Catholick Priest , in answere of a letter written by M. Blackwell , about fiue years since , to Cardinall Caietane . In which treatise , the authour amidst many of his greefes , a little to sollace himselfe , doth play with the said M. Blackwel ; but vvith such modestie as well becommeth his calling , the vanitie and falshood of the partie he dealeth vvith , considered . Which two qualities , together vvith his rude presumptuous Epistolizing to Graces , doe so anatomize the man , as I could not let him passe vncoated vvith a Preface , agreeing to the treatise : as not knowing , neither hauing euer been taught , to call a tree by any other name than a tree ; a gull , a gull ; a Coridon , a Coridon , Et sic per omnies casus cum stultorum plena sunt omnia . I can say no more , but that of Iesuitisme there is too great plentie in England , the more is the pittie , and the greater is like to be our miserie . For as I hear say , Tom Long Carier is comming on his iorney ( in the vvide vvay to perdition ) vvith Antichrist : and it is further reported , That the Iesuits , Puritanes , Iews , Turks , Mahometans , & others of that rable , striue for the supremacie , vvhich of them should first own him , to make him the great Muster-maister vnder Damp-Sathanas , in his dismall march to make the conquest ouer the kingdom of Iesus : which is the mark al these do shoot at . Well , it is a strange case , that the Iesuits should bee such fellowes ; but much more strange , that good M. Blackwell is become so rude ruricall courtly , insalutatiue scribling to princes : or rather Caesar-like take vpon him vvith Vene , vide , vici , to send abrupt apostrophall congratulations to Cardinals : but most strange of all , is this , That a condensed multitude of populorums , vvil not or cannot see vvood for trees ; but vvill still call chalke , cheese ; beasts , men ; moldhils , mountaines : and so backward againe , and all by contraries . But seeing it is so , Pian piano , I haue here laid down before your eyes the Crow Black well suited in sables , set vpon a stake , in pale proper , pinyoned , as it vvere the vvhile , vntill you may blazon the Cras croaking foule in her owne pure naturals . And to complie a little more formally with the text , you shall ( gentle Reader ) vnderstand , that this Black-wel-mand-Statist in comporting of Cardinals vvith vncourtly complements , was ( as it seemeth ) in such a sweuen vpon the suddain , of an odde cōceited Monarchie , as he imagined himselfe to be Monos ; though in very deed hee is but a Iesuits Spanified Monopolos : that is in plain English ( abstract from all Hyperboles and Rhetoricall figures ) the extortionall tythes and imposts , or rather the very dregs , or a grosse Chaos , Rudis indigestaque moles , non bene iunctarum discordia semina rerum of all the Iesuits Machiauelian drifts , Prothenian plots , and Catelinian countermined conspiracies , for a conquest . Which vaine conceit of that matter in these men , is now made so apparent , as a very Ninnie cannot but perceiue it , and the blind tankerd-bearer , with helpe of his dogge and his bell , may smell it out at midnight . For otherwise why doe they of the Spanish faction gape so much after newes out of Ireland ? Why doe they linger and dally off the time in the Low countries , without comming to any serious parle , or consent to make satisfaction for their misdeeds , and restitution of Priests and Princes good names , and other wrongs done by them ? Why doe they band it out with Spanish souldiors at Kinsale and other places , new fleets stil flocking afresh thither ? yea , and giue it out in plaine tearmes both by vvord and vvriting , That they vvill neuer come to anie agreement , peace , and concord , vntill they heare an end of the Irish vvarres ? Why should they bend all their vvits to these desperate traiterous courses , vnlesse their stratagemicall instigators , vnderstanding that M. George Blackwell is of late summoned to appeare vvhere he vvould not ; they thereby saw their Arche readie to fall , and their Top-gallants in daunger to break their necks from off their loftie stand : the verie imaginarie opinion vvhereof , hath amated them with so desperat amazements ; on the one side , their guiltie conscience tormenting them , for banding a bad cause ; and on the other side an enuious feare of a happie successe to the secular cleargie , in their appeale to the supreme Patriote of the Apostolick See , and mother citie ; causing them in defence of the Catholick Roman church and Common-wealth of Christendome in generall , and of Englands little church Catholicke , and vveale publicke , in speciall : as that hereupon , and for and through their many other practises their heads are stuffed vvith so many quiddits , as they quarter and braue it out euery where ( but especially beyond the seas ) with the great hopes they haue of making England a Iaponian Island by conquest of Ireland , according to the old prophecie , He that England will win , through Ireland he must come in . What man , Ireland ? Yea , I say Ireland . What , Ireland woon from her Maiestie ? yea , and from Teron too ? Tush man , it is a ieast . Well , a ieast it may be tearmed , in respect of the Iesuits fantasticall assurance : but they goe about it in such sad earnest , as all the vvorld may now discerne them to bee ranke traitours : and they so persuade their fautors , as all the Iesuited faction stand so much vpon their puntoes , in hope of these Lucian towers , that they vvill neuer yeeld to the appellants ( as some of thē haue alreadie blabd it abroad ) vntill Ireland be vvholly theirs , or else all the poore Spaniards haue an Irish tricke plaied them in a triple turne betwixt their heads and their shoulders . But vvhat said I , will they be desperate ? Yes verily , for they haue no other meanes in the vvorld to feed their faction with , but the hope of Ireland onely , as their case now stands . O huge ! be these religious Iesuits ? Well , well , I see all is not gold that glisters , nor all pure Saints that haue Puritanes faces : but , &c. and there leauing these martiall Iesuits to their pikes , let me returne my pen vpon good Maister George his Epistle to Cardinall Caietane ; vpon which , according to the ensuing Commentarie , I haue made a Preface as you see , from point to point vnlacing it in forme following . I haue deducted , or rather reducted , all the lines of this spruze Black-well-beseene-Oratours Letter , gradatim ; not oblique , but direct , comformable to the Epistle it selfe ▪ euen from the circumference thereof , to the centre : that by the exenterating of it , you may peruse and see ( as it were in hearing the Anatomie lecture of this new Legifer , read vnto you , brought forth to be vncased and bowelled before your eyes , in open sight ) from vvhat manner of braine and vaine the stately stile of this vvorthie Vlisses dooth proceed ; as also the Longum , Latum , & Profundum of this tropicall Rhetoricians capacitie , and by consequent the Quantum of the whole Compositum , I meane good master Blackwel the protonotorious Arche of England . The Longum doth consist in this , viz. That he thinketh it long , long , long , & euery minute a summers day long , vntill he be such another State , as to whom he writeth : the Latum is limited to this , viz. That al must thinke him worthy of so princely a dignitie , far and neere ouer the whole latitude of Albion : the Profundum is the ditch that Thales slid into by gazing too much vpō the stars : Into this ditch his admirators are suncke downe dead like stones , by staring on Medusaes head too too profoundly : and by consequent ( as a man might say by meere chance ) they there haue foūd out the Quantum of the man , in , O quanta est inscitia viro. But will you know the Quantum of the man indeed : or rather , his Tantum by his Quantum : or his Tantillū by his Quantillum : at a word , he is a quilibet to a Iesuits quodlibet , vvherein he doth so quadrate with them , as Tantum deest quantum est : and so shall you see the Tantillum of his mind , in the Tantum of his fellow-like tearmes to so great a magnificall Mecaenas and princely Prelate in the church , as is a Cardinall . And by inference of corolaries , himselfe being no better than a Pewterers son , and but the Apostolick Notarie or Scriuener ( of matters from England to Rome ; or els , where the great Emperors , Parsons , Creswel , and other Presbiter-Iohns or great Chams or Mogors do soiourne & abide ) besides his Priesthood , you shall onely find the Iesuits sauors extended towards him , to consist in this , scil . in erecting to his function a goodly new glorious-seeming Arche ; vpon which they meane to set a stately Pyramis of Pan , with a dedication , not to that Paxium god ( as I imagine ) but to their owne popular societie with the Ariopagians inscription , Ignoto deo ; or vvith this Imprese , Sic pro Iesuitis . And last of all , you may hereby see , the Quantum of the Iesuits pride ; the Quantillum of the Archpriests vvit ; and the Quantunculum of both their drifts , practises , and deuises . Now read on , and Iesus blesse you from Iesuits and Arches . Amen . Reuerend Sir , A Letter of yours written 1596 , to Cardinall Caietane , came not long since to my hands . At the writing of it , you were not so great a person as now you account your selfe : a man might then haue ben acquainted with you vnder a couple of Capons : Fellow and fellow-like you were that yeare , with as meane a man as my selfe . And therefore hauing something to talke with you of , concerning the sayd Letter ; I will deale with you , as then you were , Maister George Blackwell , a good ordinarie plaine Priest , and an English man. As for that great Monsignor , Multarum literarum homo , Georgius Blackwellus Archipresbiter Angliae , & Protonotarius Apostolicus , borne in Latium , I will admire his shadow : It were sacriledge no doubt , to inter-meddle with him , except it were to fall down before his footstoole , and to worship his excellencie . Marry for you , my old acquaintance , and fellow Priest , gentle maister George Blackwell , if I may intreat you to forget your greatnes for a time , and to remember with me , what you writ to the sayd Cardinall ; I shall be much indebted vnto you . May it please you therefore now , to heare your selfe what you writ then . B. LEt your amplitude pardon our iust greefe ; we confesse surely , that it is a regall thing to heare euill , when thou doest well . We know notwithstanding ( which is to be lamented ) that verie great detriment may come to our progresse in the businesse of religion , by the fayned calumniations of euill willers towards vs. Let it be lawfull therefore vnto vs , to stirre the hornes of the false accusation made against vs. For if it be sufficient to accuse , who shal be innocent ? P. It seemed strange to me , when I saw so loftie a stile , to so great a Cardinall , subscribed with your name . You and I might haue written our hartie commendations to our friends in England , for some releefe , and neuer troubled our heads with the cogitation of so worthie prelates . But I see , that euery man falleth out according to his owne mould . It should seeme , that my father was of kinred to some Plummer , who dealt but with lead : that is a heauie mettall , and yeeldeth but little sound , which maketh me so heauie headed . But your father was indeed a Pewterer by Newgate in London , a man of an honest occupation , it is most true , but not the best neighbour to dwell by . Now ( as it is commonly said ) That he is a loud speaker , who is brought vp in a Mill ; so may it bee affirmed of you , that being nourished in such an vnpleasing dinne , no meruaile if remoter places ring of you . It may bee said , That this scornefull jeasting becommeth not a priest , and I would confesse it ( were it not for some circumstances ) to bee true . But wormes when they are troden on , will looke backe ; loosers ( we say ) may haue their words ; and it is not amisse to put sometimes a Peacocke in minde of his feet . Your Letter soundeth better in Latine , than as it is in English. I found it translated to my hands , and I ought you not so much seruice , as to amend it . I suppose the Translatour tyed himselfe to your words , least you shold haue charged him to haue peruerted your meaning : For a verie small occasion , ( as the world goeth with you ) will put you into a chafe . You begin your Letter with some maiestie : Iusto dolori nostro : Pardon our iust greefe . Whose greefe I pray you ? yours and the Iesuites ? or your owne alone ? or ours the secular Priests , and yours together ? If you meant the first , you were partiall ; if the second , you shewed your arrogancie ; if the third , you did vs great injurie . For the reports you dislike of , they were made by some of our selues , and will be justified against you , or any Iesuiticall Proctor whosoeuer . It was but a bad , and a sawcie part of you , to make your selfe our Proctor , before we entertained you : such dealing in Westminster hall , deserueth sometimes the casting ouer barre . Regium est : It is a Regall thing or accident ( you say ) to heare euill when thou doest well . A platter for a pewterers Son to talke of : Must you be medling with kingly prouerbs ? was it not conuenient to tell you of your parentage ? How like a Prince you proceede in your matters ? The saying we acknowledge to be true , and fit for Kings , when they see cause : but if the Iesuites may haue their willes , and shall be suffered to goe on forward as they haue begun , they will altogether turne it top-side-turuey . For the King that pleaseth them , and serueth their turnes , bee hee neuer so wicked , they will make him a Saint ; whereas another , if he crosse them , let him bee as religious and sincere as the Pope himselfe , they will make him a Lutheran . So as alreadie , by the rules of Iesuitisme ( which tend to blood , and confusion , wheresoeuer they come ) Kings that doe worst in following their designements , must bee most commended ; and the rest are to bee slaundred , murthered , and assayled with violent hands by their owne subiects , for neglecting , or discountenancing of their right worshipfull Maisterships . Novimus , We know , quod est dolendum , which is lamentable . If you had here broken off your sentence , you had done well . It is great folly to put a sworde in a mad mans hand . Better had it been , that you had neuer been borne , and so haue knowne nothing ; than to haue employed your wit , and pen , as you haue done . The Reports made in Rome against the Iesuites are true , and no calumniations . No man liuing ( to speak for my selfe ) was more greened ( as I thinke ) with their insolencies amongst vs : and where should we haue complayned with lesse offence , than in Rome ? If wee had been better regarded , when some of vs complayned there ; the great mischiefes which since haue ensued , had been preuented . The detriment therefore that you mention , is wholly to bee ascribed to you , and to such like Parasites ; who in hope of preferment haue sould your selues , as bond slaues to the Iesuites , and by fostering them in their follies , and applauding to their enterprizes ( be they neuer so vile , and vnpriest-like ) haue set them so agogge , as they are readie to burst with pride . It is true that you say : Si accusare : If it be sufficient to accuse , who shall be innocent ? But by your leaue it is as true , that if all lewd persons ( such as our English Iesuites are ) shall euer meet with such a consciencelesse Proctor , as you your selfe haue been to them , what wicked men should be punished ? B. There are ( as I heare ) little aequall , or altogether ignorant esteemers of our matters , who haue not gently whetted the edge of their wit , and stile , and the sharpnesse of their voice against vs. P. Sunt vt audio : There are ( as I heare . ) God blesse vs from all Bugs . What man , as you heare ? Why , durst any man report that , which might bee offensiue to your great eares ? Alacke , alacke , I per se I , doe heare . There are ( as I heare . ) Good Sir , things will be whispered of ( as you know ) in any family , sometimes amongst the seruants , before they can come to their masters eares . They were much too blame , that did not acquaint you at home with their complaints : but that you should bee driuen to write to a Cardinall vpon heare-say . And yet to see , how all things sort themselues for your reputation . For whence must this your intelligence come ? forsooth from Rome . Who doth not presently then admire the man , that is daily fed with occurrents from Rome ? But yet Master Blackwell , out of question your phrase of speech was much too blunt . The world now adayes aboundeth with more Italian , and courtly speeches than these are ( as I heare ) to so eminent a person in the Court of Rome . Indeed , I am sorie to heare your simplicitie , I had almost sayd your folly . It might haue become wel inough a man of your state , then , to haue written after this , or such like a manner : It may please your excellencie to giue mee leaue , a poore simple Priest to shew my smal discretion in presuming to signifie vnto one of your high place in the Church , that there are news in England , of a report made in Rome . Sunt vt audio : There are as I heare . A style for King Phillip ( while he liued ) to such a Cardinall . But what is it that you heard ? Forsooth : parum aequi , Men of little equitie , or at the least ignorant of our affaires . Name them Sir , if it may stand with your good discretion : or if you will not , yet this I can say for them , that if you know them , you are not ignorant , that they are men euerie way as learned , and honest , as your selfe ; and at the time , when you writ this Letter , by some degrees , in age , in paines , in sufferinges , and in many other respects , much your betters : and such as through their graue and great experience , both at home and abroad , did vnderstand the affaires amongest vs heere , much more throughly than you could possibly doe , liuing in such priuat sort , as then you did . You did them therefore great jniurie in writing so of them , as if they had been men void both of conscience and consideration . There is a certaine saying , auoyd it as you can : abominatio est Domino , labia mendacia . But what did these simple light fellowes ? Tell vs Master Blackwel , without any allusion to a whetstone , the fittest reward that I would afford you for this your Letter . Exacuerunt : They did throughly whet the edge of their wit , and style , and the sharpnesse of their voice against vs. Well , by the way whilest you played in this sort like a iolly Warriour , with your Martiall metaphores , you remembred the instrument that men sharpen their tooles with . You are much beholding vnto me , Master Blackwell , that I am disposed to be merrie with you , but in this sort . For I could trace you by the hot sent of your bitter gall , and malice , or rather indeed of your folly , through a certaine Psalme , where the spirit of God that cannot erre , ( speaking of the wicked , and of their hatred against the godly ) telleth vs , That they whet their tongues as if they were swords , and shoot bitter words for their arrowes . Such translations , and insinuations , from a man of your corruptions , thereby to guird at your brethren , ( who I dare sweare for them , neuer thought vpon you , when they complained in Rome of the Iesuites ) become you not assuredly , good Master Blackwell . But still it sticketh in my teeth , that you say against vs : did any of vs that were secular Priests write against our selues ? or will you seperat your selfe from vs , and become a Iesuit ? If I could haue conceiued by your Letter , that some heretiques had written to Rome of purpose to haue slaundered vs all , whether Priests , or Iesuites ; your wordes had been verie well mustered together , and might haue marched on for me , like verie tall Souldiers . But there being no such matter I would be right glad to vnderstand , how farre the word ( vs ) extendeth it selfe . B. They say ( but rashly ) that we Priests in England are tossed with diuers dissentions amongst our selues , and with the Fathers of the societie of Iesus : and that more freely in lying they might wander , they report the sayd Fathers to seeke no other thing almost amongest vs , than how by the contempt of the rest of the Priests , greater authoritie & dominion in the Cleargie might dayly grow vnto them . A heauie accusation , but most full of falshood , and therefore ( as I trust ) it will be silent , being ouercome with this my testimonie , although verie slender . I , hedged with the diuine mercie , haue now fulfilled more than 20 yeeres in the cure of soules amongst vs English men , and in preaching the Catholike Romane truth : and hetherto I remember not any dissention amongst vs , the breath wherof did at any time a little more grecuously mooue vs. Men surely we are , compassed with many infirmities : but ( praise be to God ) in so great a course of most wicked time , we haue been so couered with diuine grace , that nothing ( that I know ) hath hapned which at any time hath cast vs from the state of mutuall peace , and brotherly concord . P. Deinde expergiscebar . And then I awaked . A man might dreame as here you write Master Blackwell : because for the most part dreames goe ( as they say ) by contraries . But for a Catholike priest broad-waking to write in this sort to a Cardinal , & to Rome , the citie of God , it is most abhominable . Is all your whetting come to this ? If in so many materiall points as here you haue touched , any one had been true , I could haue borne with you more willingly : but all of them being so notoriously false , I blush on your behalfe to consider your impudencie . First therefore , whereas you say in such generall tearmes , That some of vs , that bee secular Priests ( for I cannot see how you can meane any other ) men ignorant of the state of things here , haue affirmed ; that wee ( the secular Priests in England ) are at warres amongst our selues : I dare be bold to say it , that you write therein vntruly . I am somewhat better acquainted with this matter , than many of my Brethren , being peraduenture my selfe then in Rome ; or knowing at the least , whom you did then ayme at . If any did so write or report , as here you affirme , hee was either a Iesuit , or such another hyreling as your selfe , suborned by the Iesuits to write in that maner , of purpose to work their designments , against our credits , vtterly to subuert vs. Of which kind of persons , we hold this opinion , That they haue separated themselues from vs , and continuing in their Iesuitisme , are no right secular Priests , but Mongrels betwixt both , and therefore to be no better esteemed , or beleeued in their speeches , than the veriest Iesuit amongst vs. Againe , if you meane by your words , Sed temerè aiunt , They speake rashly &c ▪ that there was then no contention at all amongst sundry of vs , that were Priests imprisoned then ; that is also most false . For you know the stirres that were then at Wisbich ( few men better ) amongst the secular Priests , for the setting vp of a certain Geneua platforme , tearmed an Agenage . So that , if any of vs about that time did write to Rome , how the Iesuits laboured to set some of vs together by the eares , amongest our selues for their aduantage ; hee writ therein most truly , and you haue not any sparke of grace left in you , if you denie it . Furthermore , in that you denie , that wee the secular Priests were then at a iarre with the Iesuits , you are therein so false , as I want a fit word to taxe you for it . Had not Master Garnet , and Master Weston attempted then to haue brought all our necks vnder their yoaks ? Did they not tell vs plainly , that they saw no reason , why the Iesuits in England , should not as well rule vs all here , as the Iesuits in Italy did rule the English Seminarie in Rome ? Were there not most vntrue reports made by them against vs , of purpose to withdraw all the Catholikes hearts from vs ? Was ther not in this our contention , great partaking , some holding with vs , and some with the Iesuits ? You know it full well , and thrust your selfe as a stickler amongest vs , with great hypocrisie God he knoweth . Whereas therefore you further say , that the Fathers sought not to bring vs seculer Priests into contempt , whereby they might beare all the sway ouer vs , and that for 20 yeeres , you knew of no such contention amongest vs , Priests with priests , or Priests with Iesuits , as tended to the breach either of peace , or concord : you are in danger to become one of his crue , who is tearmed by the Apostle , to be the father of all lyes . Homines sumus , We are men you say : but you might herein more truly say , Daemones sumus , we are Diuels ; vnderstanding your selfe and them that set you to this shamefull worke . I protest before God , that I was at the writing hereof , in a kind of agonie , to thinke that euer a Catholike Priest of my reputation , should dare to write in this impudent maner . Why Master Blackwell , how commeth this to passe ? If men saw you not , yet God you know is not ignorant of this Machiavelisme . Shake hands therefore with Iesuitisme , repent you of these courses , and returne againe vnto vs. You were not wont , ( when you and I were first acquainted ) to be so immodest . Let me obteine of you for our old acquaintance , Master Blackwell , to tell me here this one thing : With what face durst you write , that you hoped the sayd accusation of the Iesuits insolent pride , in seeking dominion ouer vs , would for euer be dashed hereafter , as conquered and suppressed , tuo valde exiguo testimonio , By your verie slender testimonie ? Or if your face was hard inough : what said your conscience ? Or if that were seared , where was your wit , learning , judgement & common sense , were they all gone a wooll gathering : you might haue remembred , that you your selfe did tax them , for seeking dominion ouer their brethren at Wisbich . But a man puft vp with pride , hath no vnderstanding : but is become like a beast of the field . Your testimony ? If the Cardinall had knowne you indeed , as we doe , hee would not haue esteemed your testimonie worth two chips . B. As touching the other part of the Accusation , which is built vp more iniuriously , against the reuerend Fathers of the societie of Iesus : that surely will most easily shrinke , being pressed with it own waight of falshood . nesse , & charitie than Master Parsons : and I warrant you , he will giue you a low beck , and with his eyes & hands lift vp to heauen , yeld by many degrees to that worthies perfection . And then remember I pray you , good Master Blackwell , the old saying ; Caelum non animum mutant , qui trans mare currunt . If Maister Parsons bee the best of that crue , then assuredly bad is the best . And howsoeuer now you flourish for a time , through his good fauour , yet when hee shall know , what once you thought , and spake of him , since hee was a Iesuit , downe you must as fast , if he himselfe can keepe his owne footing . Although indeed he neuer preferred you to your high estate for any other true cause , than that knowing your weaknes , hee was sure you would bee at his commaundement : so as the preferring of you to your Archpresbitership , was in effect , as if hee had preferred a Iesuit . But yet downe you must . If the waight of your owne folly break not your own neck , by the insolent abusing of your place , yet the blasphemie , which you haue vsed against him , will neuer be forgiuen . B. Surely we should bee verie vnthankfull , if wee should not prosecute them with honour , as our Fathers ; embrace them with loue , as our friends ; worship them with dutie , as beneficiall ; imitate them by studie , as Masters ; acknowledge them with affection of godlynesse , as the chiefe helpers , and most fierce defenders of the health of our Countrey , and of the Church tossed with vs by diuers tempests . P. Mentiuntur multa Cantores . If I had not knowne your parentage & bringing vp , I should haue gessed by this your Letter , that you had ben apprentise with some of our common fidlers , that haue certain old & long songs in commendation of Flodden field , and Cutty Musgraue ; what noble fellows were then in those dayes , and how they fought in blood vp to the knees . All shame to the Diuell , Maister Blackwell , of proud wretches , you will make them mad men , and prooue your selfe no better in the end , if you hold on this course . Our Fathers ; our Friends ; our Benefactors ; our Maisters ; louers of their Countrey , and cheefe Bulwarks of the Catholike faith ? Fathers of mischiefe , friends to themselues , benefactors to seditious persons , Masters of Machiauelisme , Traitors to England , and to their Prince : & the chiefe impediments , wherby I am persuaded , that both the common cause of Religion , and of all that truly seeke the promoting of it , are so hatefull and odious to the present State. Some of vs ( to say nothing of my selfe ) are all their ancients , and were spirituall Fathers of many ghostly children , before their name was knowne in England : they thrust their sickles into our haruest , & haue reaped where they neuer sowed . And the brood which since they haue hatched , I feare will proue too monstrouse , if it proceed to a head . And for their friendship towards vs : we may say with the Poet , That they loue vs so derely as they cannot endure vs. They haue sought to cast vs out of the dores , wheresoeuer they haue found vs placed : we haue nothing ( forsooth ) in vs , worthy to be accounted of ; the spirit of guiding of soules is gone from vs to them . They laugh vs to scorne , and doe set vp their puppets , to giue vs Three farewels . Call you this frendship , louing Maister Blackwell ? Assure your selfe , if wee bee driuen to bid England farewell ( as they by their farewels to vs would haue it ) you may shortly after bid your Country farewell , the Catholike saith , and all your comfort farewell , farewell . Of their bountie towards vs , you shall heare anone . But they are you saie , our Masters . Wherein Master Blackwell ? I praie you peruse Master Charles Pagets booke against Fa. Parsons , & there you shall find the rules of their schoole : such ( I am sure ) as neuer came out of Gods sanctuary . If dissimulation , lying , perjurie , disguised with equiuocations , deprauing of Princes , instigations to Rebellion , stirring vp of subiects against their Soueraigns , extolling of the people to lewd purposes , oppositions against lawfull authoritie , and many such prodigious monsters be good Diuinitie , and agreeable to the Catholike saith : ( as they are wicked wretches that affirme it ) then honour them , worship them , imitate them , let them be your Masters , & do what you will with them . But yet I tell you plainly Master Blackwell , if you bee one of their schollers , and seasoned with these documents ; I wish with all my heart , that you were honestly in your graue . And where you tell the Cardinall of their loue to our Country , except you meane such loue , as Puttocks haue to their prey , wee vnderstand you not . Haue those men loue to their Countrey , that for many yeeres haue sought the vtter subuersion of it ? What rebellions , inuasions , secret complots of murther , and most barbarous crueltie , haue ben executed or attempted since her Maiesties raign almost , whereof the Iesuits haue not been the chiefe instigators ? Their books and writings doe partly testifie it , the Kingdome knoweth it , & we poore Priests ( that doe most condemne all such Iesuiticall designments ) doe most feele the smart of it . It is true that some of our Iesuits are commendably learned , but name the man in England , and joine Master Parsons , and all the English Iesuits , either in Rome , or Europe with them , and yet I dare be bold to match them with some of our number , that be no Iesuits , nor any way Iesuited . I will not thinke or say , but that they haue a good intent , to aduance the Catholike sayth : but surely they take a wrong course ; nay a most prophane and heathenish course , or rather a more prophane and wicked course , than euer the heathen approoued or liked of . And therefore being persuaded that God will neuer blesse it , I wish they would leaue it ; & that you , Master Blackwel , should either professe yourselfe a Iesuit , that wee might account of you accordingly : or else renounce Iesuitisme ( as I sayd before ) and become in your doctrine , and practise , a right secular Priest , that we may conceiue some little better hope of you . But Perge mentiri , tell on your tale . B. They that discommend them , know neither themselues , nor them . For who are they amongst vs , which helpe priests comming from beyond the seas , but the Fathers of the societie of Iesus ? Being cast without the dores , by them they are receiued : being in ragged apparell , by them they are cloathed commodiously , and trickly : wanting both meat , and drinke , and money , by them they are vpheld : and not knowing where to remaine , ( because they are strangers ) they haue from them horses , and other things necessarie for their iourney , most readily prepared , and places also most prudently appointed , where , in recouering the lapsed , in confirming of Catholikes , and in spreading abroad the worship of God , they may labour laudably . P. As it is sayd in the Schooles , That one absurditie graunted a number will follow ; so it falleth out with you , M. Blackwell ; one vntruth begetteth another . That which is false , you affirme to be true : and that which is true , you say it is false . You might remember who pronounceth a Woe against euerie one , that shall call good , euill ; and euill , good ; light , darknesse ; or darknesse , light . It is a great offence to slaunder any man , be he neuer so euill : and you know the flatterer , is likewise verie detestable in Gods sight . Vir impius lactat amicum suum , & ducit eum per viam non bonam . A wicked man doth flatter his friend , & draweth him along in the way that is not good . Woe be to them ( sayth the Prophet ) that sow pillowes vnder mens elbowes : which place St. Gregorie applyeth vnto flatterers , and addeth this rule : Nihil est quod tam facile corrumpit mentem , quam adulatio . There is nothing that doth so easilie corrupt a mans mind , as flatterie . And it is tearmed by another , the Nurse of Sathans children . I know you can say these , and many other sentences by heart : but you should not wilfully oppose your practise against them . For therein you hurt the Iesuits , by increasing their pride . You abused the Cardinall ; and your end ( for ought wee coniecture ) was either malice , or gaine , or both . That which you write of their liberalitie , is little truer than the rest , concerning their former vertues . You are not ignorant , that by our meanes these fellowes had their first credit here : and that now they haue so supplanted vs , as all contributions and almes commeth into their hands , to be distributed amongst vs at their discretions . Now ( say you ) when any Priests come from beyond the seas , who doe receiue them , cloath them , hyre them horses , prouide them places to remaine in , but the Iesuits ? whereas indeed , they are but collectors ( as I may tearm them ) or deacons , that carie the purses of charitable Catholikes , to our vses : and if they should not so dispose of these goods , they were no better than theeues and robbers . Vnto the mercifull Catholikes therefore , of right this commendation is to be ascribed . Their almes maintaine vs : and we doubt not , but God will repay all into their bosomes againe , with a most joyfull increase , and blessed reward . You deale therefore with our true benefactors indeed , as if the bountie of a great house-keeper , should be attributed to his Steward , who dispenseth his Masters goods , but as he is directed . Nay wee wish with all our hearts , that the Iesuits dealt no worse with our sayd deere friends , or rather ( through their goodnes ) with vs. For besides that the bestowing of other mens almes , is made an argument of their singular liberality , & the contributors are neuer mentioned : the truth is , that they deceiue both them & vs. For notwithstanding all that here you say of them : that which they doe is performed verie beggerly , except it be to one of their owne societie , or vpon such a Parasite , as you are , that is made an instrument to set forward some of their deuices . The chiefe part of the liberalitie and bountie , that is bestowed for our vses , is either sent beyond the seas , to make friends for the better maintenance of their tyrannie , and ambition here amongst vs : or spent vpon themselues , some one of them bestowing more vpon himselfe , and his seruants in one yeere , than would serue twentie of vs poore men , either in prison , or at libertie . And touching the placing of such as come ouer , they do therin but their duties , part of the said contribution being committed vnto them for that purpose . Howbeit for ought I see , they rather trouble themselues with displacing of good men ( as it is before expressed ) than otherwise . For be he neuer so graue , honest , and religious a man ; placed alreadie with any Catholike , yet if he will not depend vpon the Iesuits , he must be gone , if they may haue their wils . Some false accusation or other must be deuised against him ; either he wanteth pollicie , or zeale , or learning , or certaine illuminations , or something is amisse , that another ( peraduenture a verie silly man God knoweth ) must haue his place , and all is well , if he haue a relation ( as they tearme it ) to the holy Fathers . You may knowe ( Master Blackwell ) by some circumstances , that I were able , if I were disposed , to giue you some examples hereof . And for your wise axiome following ( that justifieth Master Charles Pagets report of the Iesuits ) the Vicar of Saint Fooles ( as the merrie saying is ) be your ghostly Father . Must you at vnawares bewray their secrets ? Master Paget telleth vs , that they labour chiefely , to beat this ground into the heads of their disciples , and such as will beleeue them , That whosoeuer disliketh , & opposeth himselfe to Fa. Parsons , and his societie , is to bee eschewed , as a man inclining to Lutheranisme , and no sound Catholike . And now it pleaseth you to say in effect , as much your selfe . Qui illis detrahuut , nec seipsos , necillos norunt . Hee that discommendeth them , doth neither know them , nor himselfe . If your rule will hold backward , what a man are you , M. Blackwell ? we haue then the sage , and great wise person , that knoweth himselfe ; for you can well commend them . But in good sooth Sir , are you persuaded that none , which haue blamed and reprooued the Iesuits , did know them ? What say you by Card. Alane , and by the Bishop of Cassane ? Did neither of these two worthy persons , know either them , or themselues ? Surely the one was much grieued , that euer the Iesuits came into England ; and the other ( as some of you say ) that euer they obtained the Rectorship of the English Seminarie in Rome : & this was not for their vertues , as I suppose . To put you in mind of the Vniuersitie of Paris , will litle auaile , your own graue censure is able to ouer-weigh two or three such witnesses . Surely you blest your selfe well that morning , and rise vp vpon your right side , when first you knew the Iesuits : they haue made you now , so absolute a person . They know you , and you know them : you commend them , and they commend you : here is , Claw me , and I will claw thee : virum vir : men confederate together , by facing and falshood , to aduance themselues , and oppresse their brethren . B. Neither is their charitie concluded within these bounds : for we our selues ( who now for many yeeres , haue borne the waight of the day , and heat ) liberally professe , that wee haue had much ease and consolation out of their Fountaines , in our necessitie . If your amplitude knew , how much money these Fathers haue spent of their owne patrimonies ( for most little things those are , which come vnto them by almes ) in such and other offices of godlynesse ; and how promptly they alwaies run to refresh the Saints that are kept in prison , & others inwrapped and oppressed with diuers difficulties of thinges , and times : I doubt not but the same would presently restraine the vnbridled boldnes of these men , who being tossed with the pricks of enuie , haue diminished any thing from the estimation and charitie of the Fathers . P. Qui semel verecundiae sines . Hee that once exceedeth the limits of modestie , will easily grow to be impudent . I would I were in debt of a Crowne , as poore a man as I am , ( M. Blackwell ) that you would tell me truly , whether you shewed not this Letter to Fa. Garnet , before it was sent to Rome . I doe verily suppose , that he had first the perusing of it : & that thereupon the good Prouinciall did stroake your wise head for your paines , you haue set them out so gloriously . If the Iesuits had not this pollicie , to procure by their sleights , certain woodcocks from amongst our selues , that bee secular Priests , to extoll and magnifie them in this manner ; that so by our credits their most intollerable insolencies , & Machiauelian fetches , might bee the better cloaked ; it had not been possible in mine opinion , that their reputation should haue continued so long . But touching their charitie . To be liberall of another mans purse is no great matter , you know M. Blackwell : marrie to be so exceeding bountifull , as to sell their owne patrimonies for our releefe , that are captiues , & in bonds for the Catholike faith , I must needs admire it , and if there be any such , adore them with you . I know what Iesuits of any name haue been yet in England , and I am much deceiued , if you can tell me of any one that had any great patrimonie left him . Such a matter must needs haue been notorious . It was not your great Master Fa. M. Parsons , as I suppose ; how say you was it ? If not he , who then ? Let the man bee knowne , that Gods name may bee thereby glorified . Those great works would not bee concealed . I haue heard indeed of a certaine verie admirable excercise , which the Iusuits haue , to cousen young Gentlemen , and get from them that which their friends haue left them , & I could name the parties ; but you meane not them , M. Blackwell , doe you ? Surely except you haue the parties names on your fingers ends , you were much to blame to write thus to the Cardinall . Or otherwise M. Garnet of likelihood told you such a tale , & you verie wisely beleeued him . But that will not serue the turne ; for you pretend to write the matter vpon your owne knowledge , and professe , that you your selfe haue receiued much ease , & consolation out of their fountaines ; and that many other Saints in prison , haue been refreshed by them . It was surely well done of them . I , and some others , could say somewhat for the secular Priests that haue ben long in prison , now here , now there ; and yet I do here avow it vnto you , M. Blackwell , in the word of a priest , that I neuer heard of , or receiued any one penny , of any Iesuits patrimonie vnder that name , or as giuen out of a Iesuits owne purse , to me , or any other , for ought I know , or can remember : and ( I thank god ) I haue not hitherto forgotten in my praiers , my good benefactors . I , and others with me , haue oftentimes felt some want in prison , and were assuredly verie vnfortunate , Sitam adsanctos refocillandos in carcere detentos occurrerint , if they were euer so readie to helpe vs ( as these your words import ) that they neuer came by our dores . Out of question , if the Iesuits haue been so liberall , as you informed the Cardinall , you that were abroad still in the sunne-shine , deuoured it all ; we that were in the shadow of prisons receiued nothing . But in good sooth , M. Blackwel , to commune a word or two with you , as concerning the great burthen of the day , and heat you speak of ; What hath your burthen beene , that you should thus brag of it ? About 20 yeeres since , to my remembrance , you were imprisoned in London : but your brother , being the Bishop of Londons Register , by fauor procured your release verie shortly after . Since which time , the greatest heat that ( for ought I know ) you haue endured , hath ben by the Sunne in the heat of Summer , in troubling your walkings ; and by the fire in winter , when you sat too neer it ; or by your soft bed , when you had too many cloaths vpon you : For many Priests that way ( M. Blackwell ) haue not had your good fortune : such hath been the liberalitie of a right good Gentlewoman towards you . I write not this to diminish their merits , who haue had their measure of afflictions heaped vp vpon them , though they haue escaped imprisonment : but of all that number , none haue had lesse cause ( as I thinke ) to complaine , than your selfe . And therefore if you that had no greater need , did draw from the Iesuits Fountains such store of comfort : you did poorer men great injurie , and it was surely Beneficium male collocatum : Almes euill bestowed . But all you write hereof , are meet fictions , and shamelesse vntruths , such as few men but your selfe in England , would haue presumed to haue vttered , much lesse to haue written to Rome : where many wise men could easily discerne your folly , or rather dishonestie , or at the least could not bee long deceiued by you . Wee know you are a man , that if you bee clapped on the backe , and encouraged , you dare write anything ; but otherwise a checke doth daunt , and deject you . We doe therefore beshrew the Iesuits , that haue put this lying spirit and this audaciousnesse into you . Marrie , I doe much marvaile , that you should bee so grossely bewitched by them , as not to spare the Catholikes generally throughout England , and involue them also within the compasse of your childish calumniations . It might haue been sufficient for you ( M. Blackwell ) to haue defamed vs , and magnified the Iesuits at your pleasure , though you had not pinched at them . Alas , if they forsake vs , what shall we doe ? It seemeth , that the Iesuits with their owne patrimonies will be good vnto you , but what will become of vs ? Wee must sticke to the lay Catholikes , and relie vpon their pitifull compassion of our necessities , or else we must perish . After you haue amplified the Iesuits liberalitie in receiuing of Priests from beyond the seas ; in feeding , cloathing , horsing , and placing them ; and therevpon doe further adde , how they releeue all sorts of distressed poore Catholikes , both in prison , and out of prison : you doe by the way in a short parenthesis , preuent this obiection , which might haue been made to the no small blemishing of your ridiculous commendation of their said supposed liberalitie . For simple men might haue said , or thought , that by the exceeding bountie of the laie Catholikes , there were dailie supplies of money for such godlie vses , and that all the Iesuits commendation is , or can bee , that they deale faithfully in the distributing of it without anie partialitie , but as euerie mans necessitie doth require . All this you wisely foresaw , and therefore you prepared an answeare readie to meet with any such ignorant men of the affaires in England , and with their dull conceits , that should so much as dreame of anie such matter . Tush it is a toy . Nam minima sunt , quae ex eleemosynts illis obueniunt . for they are scarce mites , that by almes doth come to their hands : it is their owne patrimonies which they imploy to these good purposes . It is verie well saide of you ( good Master Blackwell ) and like a tall champion . And yet shall I be a little bold with you ? I knew one Catholike , that delivered to the Iesuits for such vses as is before expressed , 2200 pounds at the least , at one time ; set me such another Iesuit by him , gentle Master Blackwell . There bee of our companie ( as I heare ) that would proceed in this course with you , to the value of ten thousand pounds almost , within few yeeres , which the godlie Catholikes haue deliuered vnto them . And could you answere them , summe with summe , man with man , a Iesuit for a Catholike , to so great a rate ? It is wel known , that not long since , the Iesuits sent for Flanders 2200 pounds , which argueth , that if you say trulie , that they are but mites which they receiue of the laytie here ; & that besides all their said gifts in England , they are able to send so round a summe into Flanders ; their patrimonies thus imploied , were exceeding great . I praie you Sir , in what Countries lay they ? But you are so hard harted , as I maie aske you what I will , for you will be sure to answere me nothing . These grosse lies serued in Rome for the time , and that was all that your Abettors expected : leauing you in the briers ( poore fellow ) to scamble out as you can . B. Enuie is the companion of vertue : but as smoake , so shee preuaileth indeede in the beginning , and by and by vanisheth , the things being lightened , wherby she was enuied . Therefore I am led into great hope , that it will come to passe , that the beames of your amplitude , will most willingly dissipate ( by the truth of things now opened ) those clouds which malitious men haue cast vpon the shining brightnes of our Countrey . In explicating of these our iniuries , these my silly letters haue proceeded further thā I had determined , but not more sharply than I ought . I am made vnwise , but they that are accusers of their brethren haue compelled me , for we should rather haue been commended of them : but we goe not a birding for humane praise , he shall bee allowed whom God shall commend . That vvhich resteth , is , vve submit vvith the greatest humilitie of mind that vve can , the defence of our cause , against all assaults of men that thinke not vvell of vs , to your protection : hoping that your amplitude vvill 〈◊〉 , that the licence of slanderers , may not so freely run vp and dovvne vn punished , as hetherto it hath done , to our ignominie , the offence of good men , & the losse of the Catholike faith ; whose immouable strength ( that I may vse S. Cyprians words ) hath hether to rema●ned by Gods grace amongst vs , and her stable and vnshaken vertue against all the incursions of b●●king floods against it . God preserue your amplitude most long in safetie and health . At London the tenth of Ianuarie , 1596. The most humble seruant of your most illustrious Lordship , George Blackwell . P. Vanitas vanitatum , & omnia vanitas . You are in great hope ( you say ) that by this your relation , the Cardinall will rest satisfied , as well concerning the deserts of the Iesuits , as also the aforesaid injurious reports , made by some against them . Why ( Maister Blackwell ) who were you then , that you should once imagine , that your letter should bee of such credite with his excellencie ? If you had then been aduaunced to the Archpriestdome , such a conceit had beene more tollerable . Shall wee thinke so basely of the Cardinals in Rome , as that they will be led this way , and that way , vpon euerie simple priests letter ? It is certainely a verie shallow imagination , or rather ( if you were a man of any substance ) verie injurious and scandalous . Hope , you know ( Maister Blackwell ) is fed with promises : Either then you had no such hope , as you write of , or a vaine hope , or els you were told of some promise , that the Cardinals mind was so vnderstood alreadie , that whatsoeuer you should write vnto him in commendation of the Iesuits , hee would beleeue you . But that which followeth , passeth all the rest . Consider with me , I pray you , how discreetly you allude to the Apostles words . S. Paule 2. Cor. 12. after his painefull preaching amongst the Corinthians , was in his absence greatly depraued by certaine false Prophets , who blaming him and his doctrine in sundrie points , hee justifieth both , and thought it conuenient ( in respect principally of the weaker sort in that citie ) to enter into a discourse concerning some mercies of God , bestowed vpon him for their good . I know a man ( saith he ) that was taken vp into the third heauen , and into paradice , and heard secret words ; which are not lawfull to bee vttered : and thereupon , after some other speeches , hee commeth to these words , Factus sum insipiens , vos me coegistis , ego enim a vobis debui commendari . And now let vs see ( Maister Blackwell ) how substantially you knit your matters together , that so you might bee countenanced a little with the Apostles words . I am become vnwise , say you : and indeed ( to take away your allusion ) they are the truest words in all your letter . But you should rather haue said , I am become a mad man , or a dishonest man , or a man bewitched by the Iesuits : and not to excuse your bad dealing , so grossely , to haue abused the Apostles words . When Saint Paule vsed that speech , he did not taxe the spirit of God ( which was the authour of them ) but a little reproueth thereby the weakenesse of some , who by his former speeches hee foresaw might deeme amisse of him . Now it might be demaunded , whether you ( Maister Blackwell ) ascribed the like weakenesse to the Cardinall , as suspecting that hee might by your letter think you not the wisest man in the world , whereas all that you haue said , did proceed from the Holy ghost : which were a great imputation , and to the Cardinals discredite . And yet if you did not wilfully or foolishly abuse the Apostles words , you could haue no other apt meaning . Sed illi me coegerunt : But they compelled me . Who ( Maister Blackwell ) dealt so roughly with you ? Speake the truth man , Was it not Master Garnet that vrged you to write this letter ? or did some other Iesuit in his name , or by his procurement , so greatly misuse you ? If you mean that some of vs ( the secular Priests ) had so written of the Iesuits ; wee confesse it ( as I haue said before ) we did so , and that most truly . But then you doe vs great injurie to say , that we compelled you . For wee haue beene euer so farre from vrging you to commend the Iesuits , as in truth , now that you haue done it so eagerly , we condemne you for it , as hauing lent your penne all the while to Sathan , who is the authour of all those glauering vntruths , wherewith you meant to haue adorned them . But who they were that compelled you , it is a point wee care not for , and therefore wee will omit it . Onely giue vs leaue to conjecture how it came to passe , that you amongst all the secular Priests in England , should be compelled to take this office vpon you . There was nothing laid to your charge ( for ought wee know ) that might haue drawne you vnto it . You were not then ( in our opinions ) a man worth the whistling , and a little otherwise regarded of , than as of an ordinarie priest amongst vs. Besides , you write nothing in your owne defence , as of your beeing in any supercoelestiall places , or of any such your diuine illuminations , wherewith your wise friend hath told you ( in his Metaphisycall Treatise of his Three farewels ) that the Iesuits are so fully replenished . Againe , you were not then our Apostle , nor any mans else ; the paines you haue taken for twentie yeares , hath been cheefely with a Gentlewoman or two , which cannot demerit the name of an Apostle . But peraduenture we haue found you . In turning ouer a chapter or two of Saint Paule , to find some vaile to couer your folly with , you did out of doubt , light on that place where hee saith , That the care of the whole Church did lie vpon his shoulders : Instancia mea quotidiana , solicitudo omnium ecclesiarum : and so you tooke vpon you ( as a most principall person , that stood in the gap against our enemies ) to commend the Iesuits , euen for conscience sake . If still we misse your intent , then tell it vs plainly , to ease vs of further trouble , for we will haue it out before we leaue you . Why should you bee compelled to this lying course , more than any other ? Did either 〈◊〉 , or any for him , promise you for your paines the the place , that now you haue attained vnto ? Well , to trouble you ( good man ) with no more questions at this time . Out of doubt the Iesuits finding you a fit man for their purpose , did put courage and spirit into you , assuring you , that they would by their priuate Letters to the Cardinall , so magnifie and extoll you , as that you should be iudged in Rome , the onelie worthie Priest in England to be had in principall estimation . And it stood them vpon at that time so to doe , for their credits then were greatly cracked , except they had gotten some singuler person of name , to haue written in their behalfe : such a man as they made the Cardinall to beleeue that you were . Whervpon it pleased your Mastership to write to the Cardinall , in so stately a manner , and with so high a stile : There are as I heare : I hope by my relation : Factus sum insipiens sed illi me coegerunt : and most grauely : Nos debuimus ab illis commendari . We ought to haue been commended by them . Indeed Saint Paule deserued singular commendations ; therefore you M. Blackwell ? He was compelled to speake for himselfe ; therfore you for the Iesuits ? The Apostle excused by those words , Factus sum insipiens , the commending of himselfe , and the mercies of God towards him : but you by the same , the length of your lying and foolish Letter ? And yet you shall not loose all by your Apostolicall allusions : for I will giue you this commendation , and doe thinke indeed that you haue deserued it . If your wisedome and pollicie were answerable to your pride , boldnesse , and lying ; you were in mine opinion a verie fit man to be an ordinarie English Iesuit . For the rest of your Letter , when I find you harping still vpon one false string , Non bene de nobis sentientium : Not thinking well of vs : we submit our selues : the defence of our cause : Ad nostram ignonimiam : To our dishonour . Were I a man of a collericke or a queasie stomacke , had I not just cause to crie out , as it is in the proverbe , Date mihi peluim ? We haue a saying in England , that when men speak to no purpose , at Randon , and besids the matter , they talke ad Ephesios . But I cannot say so of your Letter , ( Master Blackwell ) you had counsell inough , ( I doubt not ) to prosecute your instructions , which were to abuse our names that were secular Priests , for the Iesuits aduantage , and our owne disgrace : as though we had spoken by your spirit , ( according to that which here you haue written ) these intollerable falshoods , which in our hearts wee abhorre . And therefore although I will not say , you write ad Ephesios , yet I may justly call your Letter , litteras Ephesias , Ephesian Letters ; that is , a scroll of jugling , and incantations , a packe or fardell of fictions and vntruths . I told you in the beginning ( Master Blackwell ) that I would not know you in the answering of your Letter , as now you are aduaunced , and frankely rewarded for your writing of it : but deale only , not with the Latinus Georgius , but with my old companion , plaine Master George ( according to the scottish phrase ) and with those bad humours that raigned then in you . Since that time it may be , that you are changed , and are become another man : Honores mutant mores , sed raro tamen in meliores . And so I commit you to God , desiring his divine Maiestie , from the bottome of my heart , that hee will pardon your course thus begun , and still continued by you , amongst vs poore Priests , and other Catholikes , our Consorts in England . Your ancient acquaintance and louing Friend , Andreas Philalethes . FINIS . 


id: A14830
fulltext:
   A sparing discouerie of our English Iesuits, and of Fa. Parsons proceedings vnder pretence of promoting the Catholike faith in England for a caueat to all true Catholiks our very louing brethren and friends, how they embrace such very vncatholike, though Iesuiticall deseignments. Bagshaw, Christopher, d. 1625? 1601 Approx. 159 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 43 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A14830 STC 25126 ESTC S119548 99854755 99854755 20199 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A14830) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 20199) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1015:7) A sparing discouerie of our English Iesuits, and of Fa. Parsons proceedings vnder pretence of promoting the Catholike faith in England for a caueat to all true Catholiks our very louing brethren and friends, how they embrace such very vncatholike, though Iesuiticall deseignments. Bagshaw, Christopher, d. 1625? Watson, William, 1559?-1603. [16], 70, [2] p. Newly imprinted [by Felix Kingston], [London] : 1601. By Christopher Bagshaw. Editor's preface signed: W.W., i.e. William Watson. Printer's name from STC. The first leaf is blank except for signature-mark "Aj"; the last leaf is blank. Reproduction of the original in the Folger Shakespeare Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610. Jesuits -- England -- Early works to 1800. Catholic Church -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800. 2000-00 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2001-07 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2001-09 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2001-10 Apex CoVantage Rekeyed and resubmitted 2001-12 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2001-12 TCP Staff (Michigan) Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A SPARING DISCOVERIE OF OVR ENGLISH IESVITS , and of Fa. Parsons proceedings vnder pretence of promoting the Catholike faith in England : For a caueat to all true Catholiks , our very louing brethren and friends , how they embrace such very vncatholike , though Iesuiticall deseignments . Eccles. 4. Vidi calumnias quae sub sole geruntur , & lachrymas innocentium , & neminem consolatorem . Newly Imprinted . 1601. The Epistle to the Reader . WIse was the painter in his amorous conceit , who in pourtraying out the pourport of Venus , drew her picture with so great arte , sleight , and significant resemblance of her naturall blazon , as the pourtraict of her foreparts all ouershadowed with the porch where she entred in , posteriora eius on the back , being only seene going into the Temple , presented an abstract to the beholders of so rare excellencie , as the type of the prototypon by signes and symptons seemed to say : Giue back enamorades of Ladies bewties : seeke not to see the face of the peerelesse : content your curious eyes with this , which though the meanest part of the delightfull obiect , yet of that perfection , as wherein you may behold the works of Dame Nature to be so farre aboue reasons reach , as wit and arte should skip beyond their skill , if they should attempt to set forth the worthiest parts of this goddesse paragon sance pere . And yet was Venus but a very strumpet : a common queane , fitter for Vulcane the black Smith , then for Mars the Captayne , and more admired at , talked of and followed for her want on tricks , insatiable lust , and shape to frame an eye to vice , then for any complement all perfection to be found in the purest parts of her filthie carcasse , or lineaments of her vading , though seeming faire sweete blesfull cheekes , shrowded in the auriflame of carnation dye , dropt in euery line mathematicall with argent and Gules , milke white and scarlet red . This I haue sayd , to bring into discourse the matter whereupon I meane to treate : and whereunto the treatise following doth wholy tend in chiefe , as intituled : A sparing discouery of our English Iesuites , and of Father Parsons proceedings , vnder pretence of promoting the Catholick faith in England , &c. For if wise were Apelles , or whosoeuer the Paynter was , in conueighing of his pensill , by such cunning to shew Venus on the back , as all men did deeme her face , and foreparts to be of such exquisite perfection , as impossible by arte to counterfeit her beauty , and therefore in policie thought it meetest to ouer-vaile her in a Temple : this glimpse of her seeming glory , being the only way to procure alonging desire of a full view to be had of her ; a loue in such fondlings , kernes , lobcocks , and lewde priuadoes as had neuer seene her , and a concealement of what soeuer was amisse in her , or might breede lothsomnes in her followers : Then sure no fooles were the first Panegyricks of the Iesuites prayses in the vse of their wits , heads , hands , and pennes ; by setting forth to the worlds theater in many strange proiects , antique stewes and emblemes , the hinder parts of the Iesuiticall perfection , leauing out the fore-parts ( scil . their drifts , practises , and deuises which are first in intention and framing of platformes ) ouershadowed with hypocriticall zeale pharisaicall pretence , and catholick shew of so true religion , as impossible for any one to equall them in any degree of perfection : whereas in very deede they are men of the most corrupt manners , imperfect life , and stayne of religion , that liue in the Cathol . Rom. Church this day , as this ensuing discourse will in part declare . And yet they stand so much vpon their pumptoes in the euerweyn'd conceit of their puritanian perfection , partly by meanes of fame , which following false reports hath made them famous : partly by folly , which hath made their followers dote Pigmaleon-like vpon their shrines , and shadowes of vertue and deuotion ; and partly , ( and most of all ) by cousening policy in the paynter , or her aults of their blazon , in setting forth a counterfeit of morall perfection , concealing the essentials of christian Cathol . religious pietie , because these are not in them to be found . Insomuch as one ( and he their chiefe Polypragmon ) Father Parsons by name , scorneth to haue any secular Priests witnesse of the Iesuiticall worthinesse , and of his owne worthie deserts : but thinketh it inough to merit the honor , point of all excellencie , worth , praise , and perfection , by possessing the minds of the mobile vulgus with an opinion of their hinder parts , to be such as themselues are ( forsooth ) peerelesse , matchlesse , and none to be compared with the meanest puny father of their societie . And hereupon in one of his letters like a prowde Nemrod , taking vpon him to be the holy Apostles peere ( if not aboue him ) he writes , and in this manner : What ( sayth he ) an indigemus iam cōmendatitijs literis : an non vos estis literae nostrae ? who are priests and laborers in Gods Vineyard by our hands , and without our helps , and labors , and loue towards you , you neuer had bin such ; no , nor these that are our most contradicters or maligners there &c. Least therefore we should but incurre a scoffing contempt , and receiue but a flap with a foxtaile for commending of these peerelesse perfectiues : for my part I will promise good Father Parsons faithfully , that hereafter he shall neuer haue my worthlesse commends , nor any of his remayning Iesuites . And further , in the same letter he accounts the secular priests ingratefull , for not applauding to their owne destruction , contempt of priesthood , abuse of Pope , and Prince , and ruyne of all Catholicks , and Catholick religion , in prowdly arrogating to his societie that all we haue , comes from them . Which is as false , as contradiction can make it : for all their credit , and what else they haue worth the naming , commeth from the secular cleargie and priestly prerogatiue . So then , this admonition of his giuen ( though with many absurdities ) is to be taken for a gentle caueat for all reuerend priests , and other Catholicks , to beware how euer they admit , accept , or receiue from henceforth any fauour at a Iesuites hand ; or yeeld them any countenance , or affoord them any furtherance in attayning to any place , office , or calling of credit , gayne , or other aduauncement : being sure by the former to be vpbrayded euer after with disgracefull speeches , making a mountayne of a molehill ( if any good be gotten by their meanes : ) and by the latter , as certayne to make a rod for their owne tailes ( as the tearme goeth ) lesse or more sharp , agreeing to the qualitie of the profit , or preferment that any one shall enfeoffe , enrich , or possesse a Iesuite with thereby . And by both manifest it is , that whether you giue any thing to , or receiue any thing from them : the very gift , receit , contract , bargaine , condition , familiaritie , or act of intermedling with them ; is a plague infectiue , a poyson remedilesse , and a pitch that floods of watery teares ( nay what if I sayd bloudy ) will not wash away : so dangerous are their inchauntments and charme . For giue them but an inch , and they will take an ell . Admit them to parlee , and straight they fall to practise . Affoord them but a fauor in ciuill curtesie , and they incroch vpon a freedome by absolute authoritie . And once comply , comport , combine your selfe with them ; and they pray vpon you . Aliene , sequester , or disioynt your selfe once from them , after acquaintance made with them , and you are sure to be deuoured by them : their baytes of calling to their lure are so sweete : their backbitings in giuing of gorges for off castings , so cruell , ( gladij enim ancipites linguae eorum : ) and their familiaritie so fatall , as like Seians iade they are infortunate , mischieuous , and worke the heauie downe-fall of those that deale with them . So as some haue wished that those priests who first ( of meere charity I dare say ) procured and were meanes of the Iesuites comming into England , as also of their preferment to secular priests offices in the same : had bought their absence with their dearest bloud out of the one , and the other , the English Colledges , and the English Dominions . But seeing the dismall dayes of our heauie calamities haue calculated to our hard fortunes , to bring those amongst vs that should augment our miseries : Let Father Parsons and his associates from henceforth spare their pennes , and ( if they please ) their liplabor besides , from reiecting our witnes of their good names ; and receiue with gratefull minds this testimony ensuing , by a discourse of their owne words , acts , and proceedings , as letters commendatitiats of the vnsauory fruits of their lucklesse labors . And because their face and foreparts ( vnderstood by their intention , which should make their acts perfect indeed : for intentio non actus perficit actum ) are masqued with a vaile of policie in externall shew of pietie , so as the ignorant sort of their foolish Enamorades haue nothing but their backs , or posteriora , that is , the fruits of their labors to iudge them by : therefore say I , by a demonstration à posteriori , or of the effects , the testimony of their owne hand-writings and deedes done , will we , or nill we , will be such letters of commendations for them , and on their behalfe , as we are vnwilling to open , were we not forced thereunto ; their friends will be sory ( for their aduersaries will put them thereby to their trials : ) Angels will blush at them : feendes will laugh them to scorne : and they themselues ( if any grace , remorse , or shame be in them ) will hide both their backs and faces for euer hereafter : neuer vaunt of their vertue , of their learning , of their wisedome , of their gouernment , of their graces : neuer pluck vp their plumes againe , neuer seeke to ouerpearke , ouercrow , ouertop their betters , their ancients , their independents , of whom they do & must depend in their priestly function , their highest dignities , their whole authoritie , and the chiefe flower of their garland : spite of their pride , maugre their malice , though Don Lucifer be their Captaine . I might ( gentle Reader , deare Cathol . Engl. Recusants , of all degrees and both sexes ) heere enlarge my selfe with a long discourse of the Iesuites to too great impietie by application of the example brought out of the picture of Venus : what foule , loathsome , and fearefull vices are amongst them , pharisaically ouershadowed with a pretence of a religious zeale . I could here touch 20. sundry persons in particular manner , if confession-reuealers , if murders , if extortions , if cousenage , if what not more dreadfull offences worse then these ( if worse may be ) can touch them ; and with witnesses of speciall credit , with more odious crimes then euer they can iustly lay ( as most falsely , iniuriously , and vniustly they haue already layd them ) to any of these secular priests charge : who now do stand in opposition against them . I could here set downe in a positiue discourse an historie of a great part of their whole life , euen from the beginning of Ignatius Layola a Span. Captain their first founder , to this present hower ; all within one age of a man : how they are gone from their first institution , and haue corrupted and broken the rules of their order or societie : for they are so farre out of all order , as they must needes haue a new name , scz . to be called the Fathers of the societie ( euen as the Puritanes haue such a like name ) scorning to be called or sayd to be of the order of this , or that man , as the Benedictines are of the order of S. Bennet : the Dominicans of S. Dominicks order : the Franciscanes of S. Francis , because the Iesuites are of the societie ( forsooth ) or fellowship , and that of no meaner person then Christ Iesus : how of all other religious orders ( for religious they would be counted , though not of or in any order ) they haue the soonest failed and fallen from all religious pietie in generall ( for some of them no doubt are good men in speciall , but I doubt those are not Engl. ) of any one order of religion that euer was confirmed ( as theirs was ) to this day . How many signes , demonstrations , and morall certainties there are , that their best dayes are past : their rare , memorable , and worthie fame , at the highest pitch : their haughtie-aspiring-towring-wits at a shamefull non plus : their prowde-ambitious-mounting-thoughts in the next turne to a Luciferian fall . I might take occasion heere to descry in the anatomy lecture of the Iesuiticall ghosts , the diuersitie of such wicked spirits , as transforming themselues into angels of light , leade more soules to hell with them , then the feends of most vglie shape appearing in their owne proper colours . I might from hence deduct a triple alphabet intire of Machiuilian practises vsed by the Iesuites , setting downe their rules atheall in order of their platforme layd for a perpetuity of their intended gouernment despoticon , and mock-weale publick oligarchicall : how , when , amongst whom , and by whom , this & that stratageme is to be practised : what maximes , axiomaes , or rules are generall or common to all : and which are speciall , and but proper to some in particular : how that vtiscientia , omnia ordine ad Deum , omnia propter bonum publ . societ . omnia pro tempore nihil pro veritate , with many the like , makes ( by their interpretation ) all lying , periury , swearing , for swearing , murther , incest , sacriledge , simony , idolatry , and whatsoeuer else , lawfull , profitable , commendable & necessary . How this polititian or state-father is to be imployed in Princes Courts as a lieger for aduice : how to canton a Kingdome : how to refine a Monarchie into the forme of a Prouince : how to insinuate himselfe in proper person or by his agents into his Soueraignes fauour , or some neerest about the seate of Maiesty , to know all the secrets of the land : how to alien the mindes of most loyall subiects , and draw them to consent to what vnnaturall inuasion , rebellion , conspiracie , riot , or what else , and when , and as he pleaseth : how to know the occurrents of chance and change in state affaires : and when and how to colour treacheries , treasons , and popular tumults , vnder glorious stiles of common wealths , and zealous actions . I might here dilate vpon the manifold iniuries , calumnies , and slaunders , breathed out by them against Popes and Princes , against the Cathol . Rom Church and common wealth of England : nay of euery Christian Kingdome : against the Mother Citie , where stands inuiolate the fortresse of our faith and religion : against all monasticall and religious orders : against the secular Clergie , and especially Seminary Priests : against all noble and generous blouds , titles , honors , and princely prerogatiues from the regall Throne of Maiestie to the seate of worship against the right of inheritance to armes , lands , and honors , euen from the Soueraigne to the Freeholder or Tenant in fee simple of all degrees : against all and euery parcell , part , and member of the publick weale , molested , endaungered , infested by them . I might here set downe the finall conclusions of their intention , for , and to what end , they do these things : scil . to aduance themselues , and pull downe all that are not they . For this cause it is that all their cormorant crowes , are milke white doues : their black birds , swannes : their haggardhawkes , gentle fawcons of the Tower . For this cause it is that their sots are Salomons : their preuadoes , saincts : their silents , politicks : and all amongst them rare , matchlesse , peerelesse . For this cause it is , that they haue a more neere familiaritie with God , greater skill , and more aboundance of grace giuen them , for edifying , directing , and instructing of soules , then any other Priest. For this cause it is that they dare presume to call the Pope himselfe an heretick : the Kings of Fraunce and Scotland reprobates : and to giue her Maiestie and the State heere names so odious , as too oft it is once to repeate them after them . No maruaile then if the secular afflicted Priests be subiect to their torturing toongs in all extreamenes that may be thought vpon . For this cause it is that they ( the Spanish faction I meane ) haue labored these 30. yeers space and vpward ( for so long it is since the Bull of Pius Quintus came out by the Iesuiticall humorists procurement ) for depriuing her Maiestie of her life , Kingdome , Crowne , and all at once : for setting this flourishing common wealth on fier and flame : for establishing their owne Allobrogiall conceited soueraignty , vnder pretence of restoring this whole I le to the auncient Cathol . Rom. faith and Religion . For this cause it is , that no Religion , deuotion , pietie , charitie , no nor any face of a true reformed Cathol . Church ( as they tearme it ) must be spoken of , or thought to be any where , but amongst the Donatistiall-Africanian-Spanish-Iesuites : No not in Rome it selfe , without the Iesuites residence were any true religion to be found . For this cause it is , that all secular Priests or other Catholicks must be censured , iudged , and condemned by these arrogant Iesuites for irreligious malecontents , atheall polititians , apostataes : and what not vile tearmes are giuen vnto them , that fauour not , nay , that will not applaude , further , and sweare to the Ladies Infantaes title to the English Crowne : or that will seeme any way to defend , wish , or shew any fauour in their poore and worthles conceits , ( as what other opinion can afflicted subiects haue ) to the line of King Henry the seauenth , or any one of the bloud royall of our owne Nation , borne and liuing within the I le of Albion . For this cause it is , that the secular Priests must be holden for men infamous , detected of most notorious vices , scandales , passionate , ignorant , vnlearned , and vnfit for gouernment . For this cause it is that an innouate or new authoritie must be gotten and giuen to one Maister George Blackwell , ( a man by so much the more fit for to serue their turne , by how much as he is the most vnfit of an 100. secular Priests within the Realme , for the purpose in shew pretended by them ) for to extend ouer all England , Scotland , and Wales , with a premuniriall stile and title of regall dignity , derogating as well to the see Apostolick , as to the seate of Maiesty . And yet he thus authorized standeth at the deuotion of the Iesuites to runne and turne like a lackey boy in a french Ioupe , and is to attend on his good Lord and Maister Fa. Garnets will and pleasure , being but aduaunced to the dignitie , honor , or office of a viceroy , nay but of a viceregent , nay but of a vice-president , nay but of a viceprotonotary , nay but of a viceuiridary : nay but of a meere spirituall rackmaster at the most . For he hath nothing to do with any Iesuite , among whom there is a subordinate authoritie by degrees ascendent euen to Emperour Robert Parsons , or their Generall ; but is at the commaund of the meanest puny father amongst them , to strike with ecclesiasticall censure , whomsoeuer any of them willhaue smitten downe : and therefore he must needs be said to be in some inferior calling vnder them , as the word Archpriest importeth . For the meanest Iesuit ( though a lay brother ) being accounted far better , and to be preferred before any ordinary Seminary , or secular priest ; it followeth then , that any Iesuite priest is to be preferred before an extraordinary secul . priest , that is to say , before an Archpriest or chief maister & head-priest ouer the rest of the seculars . For this cause it is , that the seeming to take notice of the Iesuits falshood , treacheries , & treasons against the Cathol . Church , and commonwelth , intended by institution of this new puritanianlike superintendency , or authority , and thereupon resisting it ( as the secular priests did , first by non-acceptance of him , and then by appealing from him ) is tearmed schisme , disobedience , disloyaltie , rebellion , and what not offence , committed against Pope Clement , or Q. Elizabeth , ( for the words schisme , rebellion , &c. must needs haue a relation to some supreme Maiestie ) and seeing the secular priests haue only ( if against any ) schismatiz'd & rebelled against M. Geor. Blackwell and his Iesus masters : ergo by necessary sequel it must ensue ; that he is the Pope in respect of the schism , & the Prince in respect of the rebellion incurred and committed against him . But then withal I do infer , that he is an absurd vsurper and traitor to them both alike , by his dotage in suffering such vaine Iesuiticall applauses to his owne destruction . For this cause it is , that he the said M. Blackwell must by the Prouinciall , or other superior or inferior Iesuits , commaund , excommunicate , suspend , and take away faculties from what priest they please ; yea , and their goodnames besides . Nay which is not more cruell , tyrannicall , barbarous , & monstrous , then childish , ridiculous , peeuish , & indiscrete , void of all wit , sense , learning , religion , conscience , ciuility , humanity , or honesty ; he must and doth forbid men to defend their good names , to say , or thinke they are wronged by him , or the Iesuits : to seeke for any iustice : to appeale from him in any thing . And in few , such absurdities are desperately diuulged by him , as neither Prince nor Pope in like cases can make lawfull : being against the law of God and Nature , wherein the Pope cannot dispence , much lesse M. George Blackwell suspend , inhibite , or abrogate , at a Iesuites pleasure . For this cause it is : that all manner of bookes , writings , or other passages of speech are contemned and condemned that fauor not Fa. Parsons popularitie in his bookes of titles , or his treasons and slanders against our soueraigne and state in the late Bull of Excommunication 1588 set out against her Maiestie &c. or other rayling bookes of Philopater , the scribe , the wardword ( derogating to secular priests in sundry places ) especially his high counsell of Reformation &c. For this cause none but Span. and Iesuites are secretly nominated to rule the roast in England , vpon the pretended Span. inuasion for restoring of religion : all the english that are not Iesuits being but fooles or atheists , and libertines , vnfit for gouernment . For this cause it is , that they ( the Iesuits ) haue bin plotting about this monarchie , how to bring both states ecclesiasticall and temporall vnder them aboue these 20. yeeres space : first beginning to tyrannise ouer the students and secular priests at Rome : then at Wishich ; after that , throughout England : and now in euery place where any of them are opposite to their ambitious designements . For this cause it is , that Fa. Parsons was so beneficial to some engl . soldiers though hereticks , taken prisoners in Spain , that he so spedily obtained of the King Cathol . there to institute three Seminaries on his Maiesties costs and charges : that graynes and indulgences must be published in England on the Span. behalfe , for all that take his part : that all who come out of Spayne , must sweare , vow , professe , or at least acknowledge an obedience to Maister Blackwell in all things ; yea euen to become ranck traytors against their Prince and Countrey , for that is principally intended . In few : for this cause it is , that the Iesuites labour in all things to be holden for peerelesse , and to haue all the secular Priests to be accounted of as abiects vnworthy the naming . These with many the like particular points are here and in other bookes handled more at large : of all which , as I might enlarge my selfe beyond the limits of an Epistle : so desiring the gentle Cathol . charitable , and friendly Reader to peruse these , with this ensuing discourse aduisedly , voide of passion , affection , or other partiall doome : I craue only in recompence of my paines taken for their sakes to bring them out of error , a kinde censure of my well meant indeuors , with a charitable remembrance of my poore sinfull soule in their Cathol . religious deuotions , and at the time of their best remembrance : as one that can not let passe any of my brethrens works that haue hitherto , or shall hereafter come into my hands , without an exhortatiue Epistle vnto all true English hearted Catholicks , to beware of the Iesuiticall poyson . Dixi. Yours as you loue our holy auncient , Apostolicall Cathol . Rom. Church . W. W. A sparing discouerie of our English Iesuits , and of Fa. Parsons proceedings vnder pretence of promoting the Catholicke faith in England . OMnis Christi actio est nostra instructie . Our Sauiour Iesus his deedes are to all true Catholickes so many documents . The Scribes and Pharisees religious men had in processe of time through their hypocrisie vtterly discountenanced the ordinary Priesthood . It is strange by Iosephus report , into what credit they were growne with the people , and especially with women . But ficta non diu fallunt : dissemblers for a time may beare a sway : but being like the apples of Sodome , touch them , and they turne into ashes : their continuance willnot be long . Christ our Lord the truth and the light , finding these maskers ietting in his Church , plucked off their vizards , and with many woes disclosed their dissimulation : leauing vs an example to imitate , when we perceiue any religious persons countenanced with neuer so high titles , to shift and practise by the like fraude , how for their owne aduancement , they may discredit the secular Priests , on whose shoulders , and not vpon religious mens , the cure and charge of all christian mens soules are chiefly layd by the institution of Christ , and by the continuall practise of the Catholick Church . We do not make this mention of religious men , as disliking of those most holy and religious orders , we are verily perswaded that they were deuised and founded by the spirit of God : some of them especially to contemplation , and some to ioyne therewith their paynes and trauell for the assisting of vs that be secular Priests in so great a worke committed vnto vs : but not to deale with vs , as these our new maisters the Iesuites do , to oppose themselues against vs factiously , or to calumniate and slaunder vs falsely , or to allure the peoples hearts frō vs hypocritically , or to insult and tyranize ouer vs most prowdly and disdainefully . For this is plaine Pharisaisme , and may not any longer be well endured : it hath already taken deeper roote in short time amongst vs then many men deeme of : and will grow to be pernicious to the Catholick Church , if with the greater foresight and diligence as pestilent weeds they be not plucked vp . Some of their followers haue presumed by their directions to affirme in writing , that the Iesuites are more free from error , more familiar with God , more particularly illuminated in all their meeds , and more specially indued with the spirit of guiding soules , then are the secular Priests in the haruest of God : and thereupon an admonition is giuen to all Catholicks to take diligent heed , and beware of all Priests in generall , that are not either them selues Iesuites , or such else , as haue relation to them , and are in all their proceedings aduised and guided by them . And concerning women , some of them are admitted by our Archpriest and the Iesuites into their secret Counsels : and both there and elsewhere amongst their gossips , they censure vs in the depth of their great iudgement very wisely : they rayle vpon vs of their charity very deuoutly , and they condemne vs before they heare vs very iudiciously : their seducing guides do fawne vppon them , flatter , and magnifie them , and that makes the poore soules to be so fond of them , and to doate as they do , and runne ryot after them . We confesse and thanke God for it very heartily , that as yet there are many sound and graue Catholicks both men and women , that are not bewitched with the Syrens songs of these new inchaunters . Marry the infection of this sore doth dayly as a Gangrene so spreade it selfe , as we haue thought it our duties a little to seare it , vntill the disease may be vndertaken hereafter , by some more skilfull Chirurgions , that may , if it mend not , haue power to cure it . In the applying of our remedy for the same , we will not tell you of the bones and rottennes that are in these graues or sepulchres , or of the inward filthines that remayneth within their pots and platters , or of any such inward vncleanes and iniquitie . For except the very out sides of their monuments and of their vessell , notwithstanding all their cunning paynting and scowring be foule inough , and loathsome to any that will not foolishly shut their eyes , we shall very greatly meruaile at it when we know it . For our parts the truth is , that brag the Iesuites and their adherents neuer so greatly of their familiarity with God , and of their particular illuminations : yet we professe and glory in our calling , that we do not hold it necessary for the better credit of our functions to vaunt of our more neere acquaintance with the Almighty , then our predecessors and brethren haue had : and that we are most confident , not only in the excellencie of our Priesthood , but also in assurance that we in the execution of our functions haue a sufficient direction of Gods holy spirit , although with the Zuinckfeldians and Anabaptists we neither brag nor boast of any particular illuminations . Nay if the fruits that ensue from our English Iesuitisme do proceede from their supposed familiaritie with God , and from what we know not more secret inspirations : we do greatly feare that their said familiaritie hath bred some great contempt in them : and do pray with all our harts that God will euermore deliuer vs poore secular Priests from such familiaritie with his diuine Maiestie ; and from their phanaticall dreames of extraordinary illuminations , inspirations , insufflations , or what else you will call them . We as we trust shall alwayes content our selues with the graces of God bestowed vpon vs at the imprinting into our harts of the indeleble character of Priesthood , and multiplied as we trust by Gods assistance in the discharging of our duties by winning of soules , and our diligent indeuour to propagate and defend the Catholick faith : without any further expectation of these Hispanicall conceits to winne or continue our credits and estimation with you . In this our rough draught to shadow out in some sort vnto you the contagion and practises of our English , Iesuitisme and Iesuites , we do first intreate of them and such like as they are more generally , and then we will be bold a little to claw Father Parsons where he itcheth not , as the man that hath bin and still continueth the chiefe firebrand that hath and doth inflame so many both mens and womens hearts with pride , disdayne , and malice against vs , their auncient , most louing , and faithfull ghostly Fathers : who notwithstanding their vnkindnes towards vs , do loue them still vnfeinedly , and praying for them continually , are euery day ready to offer our liues for the honor of the Catholick Church , and for the confirmation of their faith . Now for the first point , that you may more truly discerne what manner of fellowes the Iesuites are , that thus haue bewitched many of you : we do referre you ( the better to ease our paines herein ) vnto certaine treatises which haue bin published to the world by sundry good Catholicks , as they haue professed them selues to be against these kinde of men and their enterprises in other Cuntries . A Gentleman of Polonia hath set them downe at large in their colours : his discourse is thus intituled : Equitis Poloni in Iesuitas actio prima . We haue seene two treatises : and there is a third also conteyning their practises in France , and the causes of their banishment out of that Kingdome . The parties that made them were the Kings Aduocates : men of great estimation : Maister Anthony Arnold , Maister La. Dolle , and Maister Symon Maryon . The first of these treatises is in Latine , and the other two are in French : which you that vnderstand that language may easily procure . But what is this to our English Iesuites ? You sayd truly , were they not all in a manner birds of one feather : and that by one you might in effect discerne the rest : yet are there also some other particular treatises that come neerer home vnto vs. Maister Cecill a Catholick Priest hath written a discourse against Fa. Criton a Iesuite , and Maister Charles Paget an other against Fa. Parsons , they are both in print , and in english . Get them if you can : for in the perusing of them , although sometimes you will be much grieued , yet there are many occasions ministred now and then of some little disdainefull mirth , to see the folly of those Fathers , how they thinke they can play at tennis with kingdomes . Foure other treatises haue also lately bin made by our Countreymen and Catholicks : and three of them by the most auncient and grauest Priests in England : such as haue endured the greatest affliction for the Catholick faith of any that now liue amongst vs. One of these treatises is in english , written of purpose to satisfie all true Catholicks concerning the garboyles amongst vs : the other three are in Latine , two of them dedicated to the Popes Holynes , and the third to the Inquisition at Rome . One of them is called a Memoriall , penned Anno 1597. and the other is intituled Declaratio motuum & turbationum : and the third , Relatio compendiosa &c. the two last being set out this yeere with the sayd english treatise , are all of them in print . They do all foure discourse at large of the Iesuites of our Nation , and of their Machiuilian practises . But because as we suppose you will hardly come to the sight of them ; and for that sundry things were omitted in them as impertinent to the matters there intreated of , or auoyded purposedly , least they should haue bin tedious , as also peraduenture because you haue seene none other of the treatises before specified : we haue heere described many ofthem after a sleight manner , vntill you may hereafter know them better , as well by the sayd treatises when they shall come to your hands , as by our small paines vndertaken of conscience ( God he knoweth ) for the benefit of y e Church , that either they may be in time reformed , or with speede auoyded . The order of that society being approued by the Pope is to be honoured of all good Catholicks , and the men them selues are to be reuerenced ; such we meane as liue according to their calling and first institution : which few of them do . For of late yeeres many of that order take such a course , as if religion were nothing else but a meere politicall deuise , conceiued , framed , and vpheld only by humane wisedome , and sleights of wit : and they were the men that by Machiuels rules are raysed vpto mayntayne it by equiuocations , detractions , dissimulation , ambition , contention for superioritie , stirring vp strife , setting kingdomes against kingdomes , raising of rebellions , murthering of Princes , and by we know not how many stratagems of Sathan , comming out of hell , and tending to confusion . The old saying was , let the Shoemaker meddle with his slipper , the Smith with his anuill , and the Priests with their prayers ; but the Iesuites like franke gamesters are in at all . He is not worth a rush amongst them that is not able to manage a kingdome . Matters of State , titles of Princes , genealogies of Kings , rights of succession , disposing of scepters , and such affaires , are their chiefe studies . Some feare that they are more cunning in Aretine , Lucian , and Macbiuell , then either in their breuiaries , diurnals , or portuise : assuredly they do not behaue them selues like any other religious men . He that should tell them of liuing in a Cloyster , were as good to go a myle about , as fall into their fingers : such a base kind of life is so farre vnworthie of their excellentnes . There are few kings Courts in Europe where some of their maisterships do not reside , of purpose to receiue and giue intelligence vnto their Generall at Rome of all the occurrents in these parts of the world : which they dispatch to and fro by secret ciphers ; hauing either a Iesuite or some one altogether Iesuited in the most of those Kings Counsels , who propter bonum societatis , must without scruple deliuer to them the secrets of their Soueraignes to their vttermost knowledge . It is true , that all orders of religion haue an especiall estimation of their particular founders : but the Iesuites are therein ouercarried with humour aboue all measure . For the Inuentor of their order being a Spaniard and a souldier , of what country soeuer any of his disciples are by their birth , in their harts and practises they are altogether Spanish , breathing little but cruelties , garboyles , and troubles . They haue by their writings , their Sermons , and by all their indeuors labored to perswade all Catholicks , that the King of Spayne and ourfaith are so linked together , as it is become a point of necessity in the Catholick faith to put all Europe into his hands , or otherwise that the Catholick religion will be vtterly extinguished and perish : which is a ridiculous , nay a wicked conceit , and like themselues , building the faith of Saint Peter and his successors vpon the King of Spaynes Monarchie , as if he haue not all , the Church must come to nothing . But these courtly Rabbies do thinke they may easily carry vs poore secular Priests after their shadowes , and make vs to admire whatsoeuer they will tell vs. How they laboured in Fraunce ( euen the French Iesuites thēselues ) to haue lifted the Spaniard into the throane of that kingdome , with the consequent ouerthrow of their owne natiue country , you are not ignorant : all Christendome to their perpetuall shame ringing so lowdly of it . With which prodigious , and more then heathenish practises , if they were only stayned , and that the contagion of them had not infected the Iesuites borne amongst vs heere in England , it would much lesse haue grieued all discreete English Catholicks , and especially vs the secular Priests . But to our infinite danger it is farre otherwise . For what stirre haue some of them kept in Spayne , to perswade the King to inuade this our Country ( a designement conteyning in it the very ocean of all desperat calamities ) yeelding vnto him many reasons why he was bound to vndertake that enterprise , and assuring him of great assistance heere , if once his forces were landed . Since which time , who almost is ignorant how they vrged him to a second , and to a third attempt , for the surprizing of Arwennick Castle , with y e hill Pendenice , two other stratagems tending to inuasion . Hereunto may be added ( though out of place ) how many they haue intituled to the Crowne of this Kingdome : as the Duke of Parma , the Earle of Darby , and others , exciting some of them by force of armes to assayle her Maiestie , and buzzing into their eares how easily the Scepter might be wrung out of her hands , and they obteyne it . But most pertinent to the purpose in hand is that their plotting and compassing how to set the Diademe of this Realme vpon the head of the Princesse Isabella the Infanta of Spayne . To this purpose they haue written a booke , and set out her title ( when none of the rest will serue their turnes ) wherein they giue her such an interest , as they make the Kings of this land for many yeares to haue bin vsurpers . I omit the paynes they haue further taken to procure men by indirect meanes to subscribe to this Ladies Soueraignty ouer vs , and how one Maister Midleton was driuen for feare to flye out of Spayne , because he refused so to do . If we the auncienter sort of secular Priests in England could haue bin drawne to haue runne this course , whereat the new gouerment ( now obtruded vpon vs ) aymeth altogether : we had not bin so traduced and oppressed with false calumniations , as we are by them at this present . We can say for one of vs , that offers haue bin made vnto him , that if he could haue eaten gold and would but haue giuen his countenance and assistance that way , he should haue had it . The particulars last mentioned , a man would thinke were very vnmeete for Priests to deale in : but what if these Fathers countenanced with so great a name haue proceeded further ? We are in an horror to mention it , and would hardly haue bin drawne thereunto , were it not that the things themselues are too manifest . What ( we say ) if some of them haue conspired among themselues , and with sundry other most wicked persons at diuers times , to haue layde violent hands vpon the Queene , and bereaued her thereby of her life ? It cannot be denyed , but that they haue done so : the circumstances haue shewed it , the parties themselues with whom they practised haue confessed it , and sundry Catholicks beyond the Seas doe very well know it , and haue charged in their writings fome of them with it . We know the Iesuits many of them haue a course that there is nothing so manifest which they will not deny , when things fall not out according to their plottings : whereas otherwise if they sorted to their desires , they would glory in them . And amongst many things that giue her Maiestie and the State very iust cause to thinke the more hardly of vs ( especially that be secular Priests ) this is one not of the least : in that these our pretended brethren of that society , and such as follow their steps , do in their writings so calumniate , or deny , or falsifie all the actions and doings of the State , be they neuer so iudicially and publickly proceeded in , neuer so apparantly proued true , and knowne of many to be most certayne . For either they do pretend that the parties that confesse such things were vrged thereunto with tortures , or that it was a plot of the State to make all Catholicks odious , or that there was no such matter , or we wot not what , but they haue alwayes some shift or other to bleare mens eyes with , to the discredite of all the proceedings in such cases within the Realme . If any of our brethren dye in prison , it is sayd , they were poysoned or famished : if any kill thēselues , it is giuē out they were murthered . Which we write not ( God is our iudge ) in any othersense , but to shew vnto you how much we think all good Catholicks ought to detest these kinds of dealings . We haue sufficient matter to charge our aduersaries truly with concerning their hard dealing with vs , though we take not this course , which cannot choose , but make vs very odious , and doth much impaire our credits in those things which we report truly ofthem . Let these men brag as much as they list of their pollicies , their foresights , and their pragmaticall wisedome , they shall neuer whilest we liue , haue in these courses our approbation . An other thing also is generally misliked in these our Fathers , and breedeth vs indeede very great hatred , besides the danger ; and it is their equiuocating , which you may tearme in plaine english , lying and cogging . For this amongst others is one of their rules : that a man framing to himselfe a true proposition , when he is asked a question , he may conceale thereof as much as he thinketh good . For example : One demaunding of you whether if the Pope should come in warlike manner to inuade this land by force of Armes , you would take his part , or the Queenes : you framing this answere in your minde : we will take the Queenes part , if the Pope will commaund vs so to do : may by their doctrine giue this answere lawfully : viz. we will take the Queenes part , and conceale the rest : whereby he that asked the question is playnely deluded . Much after this sort one Standish a Priest , but altogether Iesuited , abused the Popes Holynes not long since : who asking him whether the matter which he propounded vnto him , touching the setting vp of our now Hierarchie , was done by the consent of the rest of the Priests in England , sayd ( but most falsely ) that it was : reseruing ( as since he hath confessed ) this to himselfe as I presuppose or presume . Which lying sleights being knowne by our aduersaries , do worke vs much woe and discredit already , and we feare , will be more and more preiudiciall vnto vs. For by this meanes , they begin to giue it forth , that the Catholicks are not to be trusted in any thing they say . And besides , they may charge vs by this ground with any treason whatsoeuer , and we haue no way left vnto vs to acquit our selues from it . For be our answeres neuerso direct and true ( as honest men ought to answere their christian brethren , if they will at all giue them any answere , and so much more the Ciuill Magistrate ) our aduersaries may say vnto vs , that we keepe this or that to our selues , which ( as they can frame it ) is sufficient to hang vs. For example : they may aske vs whether we haue taught or affirmed , that her Maiestie hath no interest to the Crowne of England : and we answere : that we neuer haue either so taught or affirmed . Tush ( say they ) you equiuocate with vs : you keepe this in your mindes , viz. as long as the Bishop of Rome will suffer her , or some such like point . We answere , that we do keepe no such thing in our mindes . Oh ( say they ) you keepe no such thing in your mindes to tell vs : we know your shifts . And thus indeede the Iesuites doctrine giue them iust occasion ( not knowing our innocency ) to deale with vs , and euer 〈◊〉 suspect the worst of vs. Whereby you see into what a gulph of danger and discredit this double dealing of the Fathers with their heathenish position hath brought vs poore secular Priests , and other more honest and single harted Catholicks : such as cannot stoupe to their false lure . Againe , were it that these our Fathers bent themselues only against Hereticks , and to défend the Catholick faith , many of their imperfections might the better be borne with : but such is the intolerable pride and hypocrisie of many of them , as nothing is well done except they like it or do it themselues . No gouernment is well managed but by their direction : wheresoeuer they come they thrust them selues into our haruest : they euer will finde something amisse : either we haue wanted discretion , or zeale , or learning , or somewhat that they forsooth are able to reforme , as being of an other more excellent mould . By which their arrogant proceedings it is well knowne , that the rest of the Clergie for the most part both secular and religious in Spayne , France , and Italy , doe greatly dislike them , finding no meanes how to reforme them . For such and so ample are their priuiledges , as go whether they list , neither Chauncellor , Bishop , nor Archbishop may intermeddle with them when they do amisse : their owne pleasures are their guides . If they do but pretend whatsoeuer they take in hand that it is done ordine ad deum , they may not be reprooued nor called into question for it . This immunity of the Iesuites last mentioned , howsoeuer for a time his Holynes doth tolerate it : yet assuredly as it is now vsed by many , it cannot last long : except it shall be thought meete that the rest of the Clergie shall be subiect to them . Which if euer it happen ( as it is in good forwardnes at this day in England amongst vs that be Catholicks ) you shall peraduenture liue to heare newes . We will omit all the mischiefes that may grow by the pursuing of those points which before we haue touched , and offer to your consideration but their boldnes in maynteyning any follies that they themselues like of . These erroneous , temerarious , and hereticall assertions contrary to the Catholick faith , haue bin defended with great eagernes and vehemencie amongst our Iesuited brethren in Wisbich . The Stewes are in Rome cum approbatione . The Stewes are in Rome as lawfull as any Citizen : as lawfull as any Magistrate : as lawfull as any order of religion . The Stewes are at Rome cum approbatione , as lawfull as the Pope is himselfe . The Stewes are very good and very necessary . In that a Priest is made by tradition of the Chalice , Patten , and Host into his hands , they say it is but a toy . They hold that the auncient Fathers rem transubstantiationis ne attigerunt . Some other of their positions we haue touched before : but we pray you , how may we thinke of these ? If the Iesuites in other Countries do grow to such giddines , what will Religion come to in short time , they ruling the roast ? They say , that we the secular Priests are more subiect to error then the Iesuites ; but ( we thanke God ) they are not able to charge vs with any particulars , as we are able to charge them . In this last section , hauing acquainted you with some of their positions , there commeth an other to our mindes , which we accompt to be very odious and seditious : and it is ; that the people may depose their Princes , and choose others at their pleasures : haue they any or no right to the Crowne , that it is not materiall , so it be done ordine ad deum , that is ( by our interpretation ) as the Fathers shall appoint it . It had bin well if they had left this point to some of our enemyes to haue branded them with , for rebellious subiects when they cannot hauetheir wils ? but it hath pleased the Fathers to stayne both themselues and the Catholick cause with it . The issue whereof , if Kings will take the paines to vnderstand it , must needs be exceeding pernitious to the Catholick Church . For what Prince will indure such persons in his Kingdome , as vnder pretence of Religion , shall infect his subiects with such hatefull conceits , so dangerous to his estate ? We that haue long borne the brunt in this Realme for the Catholick cause , haue found some wofull experience of the vnseasonable exempting of subiects from their due obedience , though it proceeded from his Holynes : and what then shall we expect , if we leaue the Diademe to the disposition of the multitude , and inuest them to a right for their proceeding in that so wicked and detestable a course ? We are perswaded that no Catholick King liuing or dead , either did at any time , or will euer hereafter giue the authors of this doctrine any thanks for their paynes . Here we would haue you to note an other rule of our English Iesuites , which must concurre with that of ordine ad deum : and it is this : that all things must be wrought and framed as the times and occasions require . For example : if the King of Spayne , or the Infanta , can by no other practise obteyne the Crowne of England , then in that case the people are to haue a right to do what they list , so they will choose one of them for their soueraigne . But that done , a new doctrine quite contrary must be deliuered abroade , that there was a happy mistaking , which aduanced him or her into this throane : but hereafter the people must take heede of attempting the like : some check must be giuen to the publishers of such documents : a dispensation must be procured , and all shall be well hereafter . Of this course or rule Maister Charles Paget ( as it is thought ) discoursing at large , sayth , that the old prouerbe may be well applyed to it , omnia pro tempore , nihil pro veritate : they measure all according to the time , and nothing to the truth . We will not dispute against this rule , but referre you to his treatise printed and published against Fa. Parsons as it is before mentioned . This only we will say , that our pretended Fathers build Castles in the ayre , and feede themselues with their owne follyes : as though where the people do once get a head , it be not as hard a matter to suppresse them , as to stop the breach of the sea , when in fury it hath once mastered the banks . The experience hereof is more then manifest . Furthermore , we pray you obserue an other practise and course of our Iesuites here at home amongst vs , and tell vs what you thinke of it . Marke their behauiour well in such Gentlemens houses as they reside in , and you shall finde them that they will commaund and ouer-rule all , as knowing best how euery thing must be done ( forsooth ) ordine ad deum . No lease must be let , but by their aduise : the Tenants must please them or repent at leasure : such fines are to be taken as they thinke conuenient , and some part of them must be imployed as they shall prescribe ordine ad deum . In effect they do so rule and ouer-rule , as scarsly can the Maister or Mistres of the house giue a piece of bread at their doores , but it must be done with their approbation . And for the seruāts , they are much more at their commaundement , then at theirs whom they serue : we would be loth to tell you how all this commeth to passe . Only this vnderstand , that our Iesuites are most rigorous in their taking of mens confessions , whereby they know as well by the seruants as by their Maisters and Mistresses their seuerall confessions , all the secrets in those families : the wife 's against her husband : the husbands against his wife , and the seruants of them both : which if they abuse to tyranize ouer them , and to dispose of their ciuill affayres vnder a pretence of their ordo ad deum ; they deale not like true Catholicke Priests , but will in the end be found what they are . Is this their most speciall endowment with the spirit ofguiding of soules , that they brag of so much ? It is most manifest , to as many as know the course of many Iesuites , that although they pretend all their designements to be directed to the common good of the Church : yet their chiefest care is how to aduaunce and increase their owne society , hoping of likelihood by their number to bring one day some great matter to passe . For where they make such faire shewes and offers ; when they come into some Country to teach the youth : their principall drift therein is to finde out the aptest wits for their purposes , with whome they take extraordinary paynes , and so worke them by kindnes and cunning allurements ( especially if they be of good parentage , which is a chiefe point with them ) till they get them to promise , that they will be of their society , or somewhat to that purpose : which is sufficient to seaze vpon them , do their parents and friends what they can , except they will hazard an imputation to be inclined to heresie , or to some mischief , or to we wot not what : for so they vse to calumniate any that do crosse their proceedings . This course of alluring the fittest wits and ofthe of the best towardnes to their societie , they held in diuers Seminaries within the Duchie of Millan : which the good Cardinall Boromeo well obseruing , thought them no meete men to remayne there , and so banished them out of all those places : esteeming it farre more necessary to haue such apt men to become secular Priests , and to take vpon them the cure of soules , then to haue them intruded into any order of religion , which intermedleth not with any such charge , but liue after their owne fashion priuately to themselues , as religious men ought to do . It were to be wished , that other States would follow this Cardinals example , at the least vntill these Fathers were brought to some better moderation and knowledge of them selues . For our owne parts , it shall be our continuall prayer , that howsoeuer other States do , it may please God to moue the heart of his holynes to remoue all Iesuites out of the English Colledge at Rome , where there are other manner of practises , then were euer attempted by any Iesuites in the territories of Millan . All Europe talketh ( we suppose ) of the iarres in that Colledge : many secular Priests being honest men , haue bin sent home vnto vs , loaden till their backs cracked with the Iesuites calumniations : and none but such as will be Iesuited altogether may finde any fauour there . Well , of this matter you may peraduenture heare and see more hereafter . In the meane time it may be sufficient for you to know that Machiauell the Atheists rule diuide & impera , is as cunningly in practise by the Rector there , as in any place we thinke in Christendome , we had almost sayd in Turky . If the Iesuites when they came first hither , could haue bin content to haue ioyned with vs that were Priests , and to haue intermedled no further then with their Priestly functiōs , we should haue greatly honored thē still . But as now we perceiue , they were no sooner entertayned amongst vs , but they put in practise their diuide & impera . It seemed strange to some of vs how at their first entrance into our labours , they exalted themselues aboue vs. Father Parsons comming hither with Maister Campion , and another as their Prouinciall , they presently reekoned of vs but as their assistants , in helping them to administer the Sacraments : as though we could neither haue preached , nor done any thing else : and that they our great Maisters were to be further imployed in other matters of greater importance then we simple men were any way fit for : hereof you may reade in Fa. Campions letter out of England to their Generall at Rome . But this was then the imagination of a few : their drifts were deeper , then we euer dreamed of : for misteries are hardly knowne , vntill they fall out into practise . It is true , that when they came ouer with such ample faculties , larger then they had bin graunted before to any of vs , wee might haue foreseene the inconuenience of it : knowing how apt we are in England to admit of nouelties : and likewise what before we had heard of some Iesuites abroade . Nay to the aggrauating of our great ouersight , in that we did not at the first oppose our selues against them , or at the least seeke to haue them recalled from vs : we may not deny it but that it was foretold vs by that excellent Cardinall then liuing , that the Iesuites would proue but thornes in our sides , and be the cause of great troubles amongst vs. But for our sinnes , they and such of that order as came after them , did by their faire gloses , and pretence of zeale , so blinde and bewitch vs , as we gaue way vnto them : whereby and through their cunning cariage with the people , they haue by little and little caried all before them . No almes was thought sufficiently meritorious , except they were sanctified by the Iesuites distribution : so as in short time , the greatest part of our allowances that were in prison , came vnto vs through the Iesuites hands , pretending ( forsooth ) that they were but religious Collectors for vs and some others distressed Catholicks . But how faithfully they haue dealt with vs herein , when you shall happen to see the sayd Memoriall , it will appeare vnto you . Some one of them spendeth more yeerely vpon himselfe , then would maynteyne tenne of the best of vs : if we sayd twenty , we thinke there would be no exception taken vnto it . And to conclude , they haue so dealt with vs , as where before , we were honored for our works sake , and had many ghostly children that did depend vpon vs , as vpon their spirituall fathers and shepeards of their soules , we are now through their falshood , their calumniations and vntrue suggestions to our superiors brought into contempt : our sayd children ( as if we had bin but their stepfathers ) haue forsaken vs : their charitie towards vs is so cold , as we are very hardly able to liue , and what will become hereof , God himself knoweth , and we do greatly feare it . If they had bin hired by our common enemies to haue wrought vs mischiefe , and the cause we haue defended , they could hardly haue done it more artificially or effectually . And yet men will not see it : they will not vnderstand it . You haue heard how the Iesuites became our Collectors , or rather not ours , but their owne : to whome for their accompts the false Steward in the Gospell we suppose may giue place . One Iesuite ( as we can proue it ) hath taken at times aboue 500. pound that was giuen to the imprisoned Priests then at Wisbich , and imployed the same at his owne pleasure . Percye the Iesuite escaping from Wisbich , tooke fraudulently frō benefactors abroad 57. pound 17. shillings , and the yeere after stole 27. pound of the common money by the consent of the other his fellow Iesuites . They haue so fleeced their fauorers , as ouer and aboue their owne expences ( which are exceeding great ) they haue bin able to send not long since 2200. pound towards the Low countries : the prisoners then at Wisbich being in great want . Now if you will know how they scrape together so much money , you must vnderstand that they haue many sleights to that end , besides their apparant cousenages , fraudes , and thefts before mentioned . You are not ignorant of the meanes that Verres the Proconsull vsed in pilling and spoyling Sicilia , nor how odious it was amongst the Romanes : But the course that our Iesuites do take heere for their pillage both in England & Scotland , are so much more shamefull , as spirituall robberies passe all temporall pilferings , we will set downe vnto you three or foure of their tricks . They haue gotten ( as they say ) certayne faculties from the Pope to abstract from what Parsonages and Vicarages they list all spiritualtie ( for preuenting of simony ) thereby to make them meerely temporall and saleable , which done , they are to be sold at the highest rates vpon pretence that the money must be diuided betwixt Saint Peter and poore prisoners . What Saint Peter gets amongst them we know not , and we thinke but little : sure we are the poore prisoners haue not much : one good Father or other sayth , Dominus opus habet , and make alwayes the best part of it their owne cleere gaynes . Agayne , those that come to great wealth either by Vsury , or by buying or selling , and making gayne by anticipation or dilation of payment , or by iniustice , or by taking more of clyents that are suitors at the law then their ordinary and moderate fees , or by patronizing any euill cause , Landlords , Sheriffs officers , whosoeuer high or low that get any thing falsely or indirectly , all must make restitution . But forasmuch as oftentimes it falleth out , that the parties neither know how much nor to whom such restitution is to be made : therefore they must in those cases compound with the Fathers , giuing certa pro incertis , to the vse ( forsooth ) before expressed : sometimes one man hath giuen 500. pound to that end : but Saint Peter and the poore do still come short of their share : the Fathers themselues do swallow it vp , amounting yeerely to a mighty summe of money . Moreouer to the effect last mentioned , we haue a notable history to tell you . Amongst many deuises which the Iesuits haue inuented to enrich and increase their order , they haue one , whereof it is fit that the world should take notice . It is tearmed by them an holy exercise , and is put in practise when they finde any , that are meet to serue their turnes , either for their extraordinary pregnancy of wit and learning , or for their parentage and friends , or for their wealth and possessions , and cannot otherwise allure them to their society . The course which they hold in the sayd exercise is after this sort . When they finde one , whome they thinke fit for their turne ; they insinuate themselues into him , keepe him company , vse him with all kinde of sweete behauior and curtesy : and pretend to haue an especiall care of his well doing , but principally how he may attayne to be in high fauour with God. To which purpose they enter by degrees into certaine discourses of hell : wherein they omit none of their skill by authorities , fables , and large amplifications , to make the same as terrible as possibly they can . By which course they cast the party in time into great feare and pensiuenes ; which were well done , if it were to a good end . When they haue held on after this sort so long as they thinke conuenient , intermingling now and then some comforts , least otherwise the parties vnder their fingers should grow very weary of them , then they begin to be more plentifull in the setting forth of such comfortable promises as are made in the scriptures to the children and saincts of God. Heere they omit no part of their skill to describe the Heauens , the Maiestie and glory of God , the happy estate and ioyes of the Saincts in that euerlasting kingdome , which is prepared for those who in this life shall embrace the Christian faith , and become obedient children in their true calling vnto their holy Mother the Church of Rome . Hereunto they adde a discourse concerning the diuersitie of such callings as God hath ordeyned for his seruants and children to walke in : shewing how necessary it is for euery man to vnderstand and know what calling that is , which particularly belongeth vnto himselfe , and what danger ensueth , when men do rashly vndertake any occasion , either for profit or pleasure , to follow this or that course of life : as when great men , being borne to great possessions , do thinke it sufficient for them to follow the steps of their Auncestors : esteeming that to be the calling which God hath prepared for them : whereof it commeth to passe diuers times , that they make a shipwrack of all their estates , and fall into many calamities , God approuing of and sanctifying no calling , which is not entred into by the direction of his holy spirit . Many ( say they ) through their owne rashnes are spirituall persons , who ought by Gods ordinance to haue bin of the Layty : and many on the other side are ( as we tearme them ) Lay men , which ought to be Ecclesiasticall : both of them perishing in their owne courses through their owne faults , in that they had no care to learne and know their owne proper callings ordeyned for them , which God would haue sanctified , to their eternall comforts , if they would haue vsed the meanes to haue vnderstood and imbraced them . In the description of which meanes , the height , the depth , and the breadth of all their cousenage doth consist , being the exercise it selfe before mentioned . Of these meanes they do at the first speake only in generality , entring into a discourse of the louing kindnes of God , in that he hath prepared a way , whereby euery man that list , may know how to serue him : whereinto as many as will enter , may haue assurance in themselues by the testimony of the holy Ghost , what their seuerall vocations are , whereunto God hath called them : and which they must vndertake , if euer they meane to come into the ioyes and consolations of the Paradice of God. Thus after they haue layd these ginnes , no meruaile if the parties so kindly and cunningly caried on , do fall into their traps . Howbeit you must obserue that in all these discourses made to such parties , they carry themselues so aloofe , as that there may be no suspition of their intents to draw them by such their practises to be of their sócietie . So as when the poore soules ( as rauished with a desire to attayne vnto the sayd meanes or exercise so highlie commended , and so necessary as they suppose , for all that truly thirst after the kingdome of God and ioyes of Heauen ) do intreate the holy Fathers , that they may be receiued into that happie and blessed exercise ; their motion in that behalfe the good Fathers at the first seeme little to regard : saying , that peraduenture this their desire proceedeth of passion : and therefore their manner is to leaue them in this sort for the first time : adding , with what deliberation and iudgement that sacred exercise is to be vndertaken , as being the ladder of Iacob , whereby they may ascend into the third Heauen , and there see and behold the admirable mysteries of God. If the partie thus caught be of great possessions , wealth , or parentage , they are much the sooner intreated to admit him to this exercise : the manner whereof is as followeth . The partie at the time appointed , comming to the holy Father who must deale with him , is recluded from the speech of any body but the sayd Father for a certaine time . Vpon his first reclusion the Father commeth vnto him , and giueth him a meditation to study vpon for some foure or fiue houres : willing him in the meane while carefullie to remember all the cogitations that do come into his minde . The sayd foure or fiue houres expired , in commeth this good Father : and then the partie must be confessed , and is to reueale all his particular thoughts of what matter soeuer good or bad that came into his head , all the time of his aforesayd meditation . Which done , the Father giueth the partie an other meditation with the like instructions to the former : and after the like distance of time returning , heareth his confession . And thus the partie is exercised diuers times , euery day the space of nine dayes or thereabouts . In which time the holy Father hauing framed the sayd meditations according to his owne drift : for example : if the partie be rich , then of the contempt of the world , and the vanitie of worldly riches : and further perceiuing by his confessions , his disposition , and what effect the sayd meditations haue wrought , and are likely in the end to worke in him , which alwayes must be the forsaking of the world , as they tearme it ; and for the most part , if they finde him by this triall , a fit man for the entrance into some profession of religion : then he telleth him a long tale of the fruit of his sayd exercise , as that he well perceiueth by his sundry confessions , how the spirit of God hath wrought in him by the meanes of his sayd meditations , and that he now supposeth him to be fit to enter into the consideration and choice of that calling , whereunto God himselfe hath ordeined him , to leade his life and walke in towards the attaynement of euerlasting happines . Whereupon the partie hath time to consider with himselfe , whether he will be a Dominican , a Benedict , a Iesuite , a Frier , or what he list . Which time expired , the holy Father entreth into a new stratageme . The sayd partie so exercised ( as is before expressed ) comming thus vnto his election , hath peraduenture determined to be a Dominican , or to take some such other course as he himselfe hath thought of . So as when the sayd holy Father commeth vnto him , if he finde him bent to any other profession , then to be a Iesuite , he beginneth to cast many doubts , and collecteth at his pleasure by something that he hath confessed vnto him , that his sayd choice is not agreeable to such godly motions , as the spirit of God wrought in him in the time of his exercise , and therefore aduiseth him to consider with himselfe better of his choice , that the same may be sutable to the sayd motions of the holy Ghost . The conclusion is , that the holy Fathers by this meanes , hauing sundry poore soules in their hands to worke them by terrors , deuises , and perswasions ( as they list ) neuer leaue them , or suffer them to be quiet , vntill ( if it be possible ) they make choice to be of the societie of Iesus : if in all these practises with them , they finde them fit men for their turne . Howbeit sometimes it commeth to passe that the sayd deuout Fathers do meete with such persons , as will rather choose to be of some other order , do what they can , then to be Iesuites . In which cases , when their practises to winne the parties for their learning , strength of wit , parentage , and other good parts more then ordinary do fayle , they desist from dealing with them by little and little , and so in the end giue thē quite ouer , meaning nothing lesse , then by such their paines to increase the number of any other order of religious persons , and so leaue them to take what course they list : but with this fruit of their exercises , that they will neuer loue or induce them afterwards , but rayle on them , and plague them as much as possiblie they can . If the parties were vndertaken by them for their wealth and large possessions , when they come to their election , commonly their riches , and their sayd possessions are a hinderance vnto them from entring into any religious profession . For the remouing of which obstacle , the holy Fathers are furnished with many texts of scripture : as of giuing all and following Iesus &c. and do for the most part so farrepreuaile , as either they allure them to be ecclesiasticall Iesuites , if they haue any tolerable gifts besides their riches : and then all that they haue must be sold , and the money committed to the Fathers discretions , or at the least they draw them to be lay brethren , finding no other good stuffe in them . In which case they get from them either all , or the most part of their riches , and turne them either to be some of their officers , or leaue them at large to be practisers for them in such matters as they thinke fit to imploy them in abroad : as to be solicitors for them , and to stirre vp the charitie of the people towards that societie , not ceasing to perswade as many as they can to follow their examples . And this was the effect of one M. Gilberts , and one Maister Druries exercises and some others : viz. they got from them all they had , and then imploying them as is before expressed , procured the Popes blessing for them , for the better approuing vnto them of that their new calling : as appeareth in the faculties graunted to Parsons , Campion , Heywood , and the rest about twenty yeeres since . The euidence of which proceedings with the sayd Gentlemen , was so apparant and manifest vnto many , that disliked greatly of such kinde of exercises , as that some in iest would say : such a one is Gilberted , and such a one is Druryed : and others to the like effect : they shall neuer Gilbert me , nor Drury me , nor cousen me with such their holy sleights . An other yong Gentleman not long since , entring into this exercise vnder a yong Iesuite here in England , was found by his meditations to haue lands yet vnsold , worth a hundreth marks a yeare , which hindred his iourney to heauen . Whereupon he offering the same to the sayd yong Iesuite , the good Father allowing the offer , sayd , that if he should receiue the land , her Maiestie would take it from him : but ( quoth he ) sell it , and then I am capable of the money . By which ghostly counsaile the Gentleman set his land to sale , and was offred 900. pound for it : but the holy Father insisting vpon a 1000. pound , the Gentleman dyed before a chapman could be gotten , and so the good Father lost all . I omit how many poore yong men , falling into these good Fathers hands to be exercised , haue fallen into sundry inconueniences , and growne to be broken-brayned euer after . The truth is , that amongst many deurses which they haue to enrich themselues , this is not one of the least , which being now knowne , may peraduenture be a hinderance vnto them hereafter , and driue both Father Garnet and his yonkers to leaue their coaches and stables of horses , and to be glad to walke on foote as their betters do . We haue troubled you long in this matter of Iesuiticall gayning : and yet if you will beare with vs a little longer , we will informe you of an other deuise , not in esse , but in spe : marry it is very royall , and may be tearmed an Imperiall hunting , such a one as was neuer seene on earth before , pursued by any religious person whosoeuer , since Nimrod the Gyant hunted ; qui erat robustus venator coram Domino , who was a very rough huntlman . Of this kinde of hunting , there is a iust Volume set forth by Father Parsons and his Generall , called the high Counsell of reformation for England to take place and be in force , when the Catholik conquerer shal be established in great Britaine . First , no religious order will that famous Volume permit in great Britaine , but Iesuites , and Capuchines : Benedictines , Carthusians , nor Dominicans must enter here , sicut placuit Iesuitis : for the holy Ghost hath forsaken all religious orders , and is only in the Capuchines and Iesuites . If you aske vs why they make choice of the Capuchines only ? We answere you , as a good Capuchine did to the like question . We sute best ( quoth he ) with the humor of the Iesuites : for their drift is to haue and rule all ; and on the contrary , our orders are such , as we must neither rule at all , nor haue any thing . These Iesuites ( homines secundum cor meum , as God sayd of Dauid ) do professe voluntarie pouertie , and to renounce the world , with all that belongeth thereto . But yet so mortified they are , that with the worlds weapons they will conquer the world . In these three Kingdomes England , Scotland , and Ireland , there are 100. Bishopricks great and small : how many Parsonages and Vicarages , and how many religious Monasteries , it is hard to tell . All which must be no more in the hands of Bishops , Abbots , Parsons , and the rest , as heretofore it was accustomed . But all the holy societie of Iesus , their father Prouinciall must cull out foure Iesuites , and two secular Priests , which must be demy Iesuites . These sixe Vicars , these mightie great Lords , shall haue the Lands , Mannors , Lordships , Parsonages , Monasteries , and whatsoeuer , into their owne hands ; allowing the Bishops , Parsons and Vicars competent stipends or pensions , sicut plasuit Iesuitis , as the Romanes in their leagues were wont to write . All the rest must be imployed in pios vsus , as father Generall of Rome shall thinke good . The Colleges in both Vniuersities must be so likewise in the power of these mortified creatures : no Bishop , no Parson , or Vicar , no fellow of any Colledge must be so hardy as once to demaund an accompt what is become of their reuenues , Lands , and Lordships . If they do , this shall be the answere , mirantur superiores &c. The Nobilitie must be limited also what retinue they shall keepe : what they shall haue to spend yeerely , and what diet they shall keepe at their Tables . Lastly , the common lawes of our countrie must be abolished , and the ciuill beare the sway another while : those are barbarous : these are learned , and of more excellencie ; happie is he that can see this booke , called the Counsell of Reformation : where hee may reade these wonderfull platformes of Iesuiticall gouernment , deuised by the second Nimrod , the Smiths sonne of Stockgersee , or rather the Parsons sonne of that parish , expelled from Balioll Colledge for his illegitimation , of whom , anon . In the writing of this discourse , we were not ignorant into what a sea of Iesuiticall calumniations we haue launched . For they haue an other position not yet mentioned : and it is : That detraction in generall is lawfull : as if a Iesuite should say , that amongst the prisoners at Wisbich , there were many and so grieuous enormities , as that Father Weston and his adherents were constrayned to separate themselues from the other Priests : and being charged to name some particulars , or else if he could not , he was to be reckoned for a detractor , and therein to haue offended greatly in slaundering the whole house , he should answere : Nay my words were generall , and therefore I offended not . But what talke we of their generall calumniations : wee shall be sure to haue their particular commendations cast abroade against vs with heue and ho in a mischiefe , as we haue indured many of their thunderbolts alreadie . Howbeit , as we regard it not , so do we not wonder at it , considering their dealing with all men that offend them , be he whom he shall , Bishop , or Cardinall : yea or the Pope himselfe , they care not . Maister Doctor Gifford , a man of very good desert , did but a little offend them , in not admiring of them and their designements , and shortly after they deuised sundry most vile and vniust accusations against him : they defamed him in England for a sower of sedition , charging him further , to be an informer against the Iesuites , and the exhibiter of the memoriall to the Pope . They procured him to be examined before the Nuncio in the Low countries , who after long delayes , affirmed in plaine tearmes that the Doctor had wrog . Fayling of their purpose against him this way , Father Baldwyn , a man of the right stampe , dealt with the Nuncio for a generall pacification and remission on all sides : whereunto the Doctor at the Nuncio his intreatie yeelded . And first by order taken in that behalfe , the sayd Baldwyn in the name of Father Parsons , and all that societie , asked him forgiuenes : and the Doctor for his part in ciuilitie performed as much : with this addition , if he had offended any of them . Which being done , the Nuncio commaunded them both to be secret of what had passed in fauour indeed of the Iesuites . Which commaundement the Doctor obeyed : but Father Baldwyn omitting what he had done in the name of the rest , instantly gaue it forth after a glorious sort , that the Doctor had asked father Parsons and the Iesuites forgiuenes : and thereby to disgrace him a new , and to make their former iniuries done vnto him more probable , they caused the same to be openly promulgated out of the Pulpit in the Colledge at Rhemes . So shamelesse ( you see ) they are , as the very Pulpits are prophaned by them , when it standeth them in hand to mayntayne their reputations per fas aut nefas they care not how . One Fisher a yong man going to Rome with some such messages from certayne of our brethren , as were not acceptable to these good Fathers , after they had very cunningly vsed him , to wring from him what they were able that might serue their turnes , they sent him to the Gallyes at Naples , where he remayneth a gally-slaue ( as we are informed ) if he be yet aliue . An other of our brethren a Priest , in that he opposed himselfe in some things to certayne of that order , they haue persecuted him euer since with such mallce , as he could remayne in no place in England with any Catholick , but they hunted him thence with one lye or other , giuing it out , when nothing else would serue , that he was a spy for the State , to bring them to their vtter ruyne . In so much as not daring to go beyond the seas , knowing ( as after he hath professed ) that there they had layd their snares , either for his imprisonment or murthering , he was driuen to go into Scotland , and to hide his head there . Hereunto we might adde a long catalogue of aboue a hundreth persons by name of this Iland , whom these extraordinarilie illuminated Fathers haue most lewdlie and falsely slaundered , because they disliked of sundry their Machiauilian proceedings . But here we omit them , referring the further discourse here of to him , who hath already made a particular Register of them . The Bishop of Cassane Doctor Lewes , was a man by whom the Iesuites had receiued very extraordinary benefit . By his procurement they got the Rectorship of our English Seminarie in Rome , God forgiue his soule for it , as we trust he hath . He was a man so fauored by diuers Popes , as first he was made Monseignior , then Bishop of Cassane , afterwards Nuncio for Gregory 14. to Lucerna , and then Visitor generall of Rome and all the Popes dominions . When two and twenty Iesuites should all of them bin banished out of the Citie of Perugio for their cunning fishing to enrich themselues , one of them being notoriously detected for alluring a Gentlewoman to giue them a very rich chayne of pearle without her husbands priuitie : this prouident good Bishop being their generall Visitor , vsed such meanes , as all that matter was husht , and they continued there still . We should be too long if we should remember vnto you all the benefits which the Iesuites in Rome and else-where from time to time receiued at his hands : all the which notwithstanding , yea though they had bin a thousand more , the kinde Fathers could not indure him , because in their garboyles at Rome about the Students in the English Seminary , he disliked their courses and practises with them . Hence it proceeded , that whilest he was aliue they caused their disciples to rayle vpon him most despitefully : tearming him a factious , an ambitious , and a partiall man. And a little before his death they amongst them cast out a Libell against him , which was brought vnto him , wherein they layd many horrible crymes to his charge , and in the course of their hote charitie , made this deuoute prayer full like themselues , vel Turca vel mors vel Damon eum eripiat ànobis : and indeede not long after he dyed : we leaue it to Gods iudgement , whether they were the causers of it , or not . But being dead , when in all humanitie their malice should haue bin buryed with him , they ceased not , notwithstanding to follow his happie memorie with their Iesuiticall calumniations , and that most irreligiously . For whereas the good Bishop not foure houres before his death , vpon occasion protested that he had bin most falsely charged with vpholding , and mayntayning the Students in the English Seminary against the Iesuites : yet that impious caytife Father Parsons in a letter dated the 13-of July 1598. and sent hither into England not to be kept secret , writeth of him after his slye fashion in this sort . A third cause ( sayth he ) there was , meaning of the Students opposing themselues against the Iesuites , no lesse important perhaps then any of the rest , or more then both together : which was a certaine disgust giuen at the very foundation of the Colledge , vnto a certayne principall man of our Nation , and his friends then resident in Rome , who afterward not affecting greatly the gouernment or gouernors of the sayd Colledge , was euer in re , or in opinion , a back vnto them that would be discontented . Thus farre this charitable Father against this blessed Bishop now in Heauen , and contrary to his profession vpon his death-bed : who when he was aliue , might if he had bin disposed , haue curbed many of that crew , being their Visitor generall , and peraduenture curried a little before-time this good Father for many insolencies : but a milder man liued not , or one more apt to put vp and forgiue all iniuries : and of purpose he refrayned for visiting of that crew , because he knowing their hard conceits of him , would not giue them any occasion to say , he was partiall , if he should haue dealt more roundly with them . But by the way you may obserue out of Parsons words , that this good Bishop had a dislike of the Iesuiticall gouernment and gouernors of the English Colledge in Rome : so as we are not the men alone that haue thought amisse of both . Peraduenture you may see hereafter the very exhibits themselues , which the Iesuites presented vnto him , as their Visitor , one against another , and then it will appeare vnto you what little cause he found to magnifie either their persons , or their gouernment . The most blessed Cardinall Doctor Allane , a man most reuerenced of our Nation ( and very worthilie , one or two actions excepted , whereunto hee was drawne by Father Parsons ) in the end passed not vntouched by the Iesuites : because in very deede he daily saw further into them , then he had done : and therefore not only disliked , but disfauored diuers their proceedings , especially towards his latter end . In which respect , that they might be euen with him in some sort , they gaue out sundry disgracefull words against him , as that he was a good simple man , but not of any esteeme or reckoning in matters or affayres handled in the Popes Consistory , a man of weake aduice , and neuer vsed but a little for some matters of learning . And such was their hatred towards him , as it was verily thought by many in Rome that he was poysoned : which conceit the Rector then Hieronimo Florauantio a Iesuite , would gladly haue turned from his societie vpon the good Bishop of Cassane , but ridiculously indeede , though malitiously inough . When this worthie Cardinall lay vpon his death-bed , he would gladly haue had al the English Students to haue come vnto him : but this good Rector would not yeeld vnto it , for what cause God knoweth . God will at one day iudge all hypocrites , and bring their secret mischiefes to light . Vpon the death of this so memorable a person they openly triumphed , and amongst other their Iesuiticall calumniations against him , sayd , that God had taken him away in good time : for if he had liued longer , he would haue disgraced himselfe , and lost the credit which he had got . These men haue the best fortune in the world : for no man if once they begin to hate him doth liue any long time after it : quo artificio viderint ipsi . Furthermore , concerning these two notable persons , the Iesuites haue practised an other of their rules vpon them . As to aduance themselues , they traduce all others , discommending their gifts , abilities , gouernment , learning , discretion , pollicie , and all other good qualities in them : as who should say , we are the only men that are to be accompted of , honored , extolled , and admired by all sorts in all places : so haue they a trick to aduaunce one and the same mens credits , whom before they haue to an other end most notoriously disgraced and slaundered , when it may serue their turnes to worke some inconuenience or hinderance to a third person , whom likewise they do maligne and hate . For example , to hinder and discountenance the Bishop of Cassanes Nephew Monsegnior Hugh Griffyn , they commended his Vnckle exceedingly , to insinuate that he did farre degenerate from his Vnckles vertues . And on the other side after the death of Cardinall Allane , when they feared that the Bishop of Cassane should haue had his place , and bin made Cardinall , besides their reports of his enmitie to their societie , and stirring vp all their garboyles in the sayd Colledge , they spared not to spreade it abroade , as men that had worshipped Cardinall Allane , and loued him with their whole harts , that the said Bishop of Cassane could neuer indure him the said Cardinall , but was euer his enemy , and had wrought him much woe and griefe in his time . Whereupon to make that Machiuilean report the more odious , and to blemish the good opinion had of the Bishop thereby to trump in his way , till he was triced indeed out of their way : they entred into a large discourse of his extraordinary singularities : how beneficiall he had bin to their Colledge : how much he was esteemed of all Princes in Europe that knew him : how deerely he had bin accompted of by the Popes holynes , and by other Popes his predecessors : how his greatest care was euer bent for the good of his Countrie , for the reducing of the same to the Catholick faith : what great honor he had in the Court of Rome : how much he was admired by the rest of the Cardinals , and how highly reuerenced alwayes by themselues . All which particular points , sauing the last were most true , and ought to haue their true vse , as we hold of all the good words and confessions and reports made and giuen out by the Scribes and Pharisees , and by the Diuell himselfe of our Sauiour Iesus Christ , though they did the same to a wicked purpose to haue dishonored or intangled him in his speeches or otherwise , if by any meanes they had bin able : as these good fellowes dealt with the good Cardinall , not that they so deemed of him , as their words imported , but only to hinder the sayd Bishop , as we haue sayd , from the preferment they feared and was like enough would haue been layd vpon him , if he had liued : being forsooth a man no way fit for it , that had opposed himselfe in faction to so worthie and high a Prelate . But what doe we insist vpon their malice and slaunders against meaner men , nay this good Bishop and this most renowned Cardinall , when they fauour not their Iesuiticall doings ? We will proceede to their presumptions against the Popes themselues . Xistus 5. called before him the Generall of the Iesuits , and demaunded of him , why they called themselues Iesuits : who answered , that they did not so call themselues , but onely Clarkes of the societie of Iesus . To whom the Pope replying , sayd : why should you appropriate your selues to be of the societie of Iesus , more then all other Christians , of whom the Apostle saith : Vocati sumus in societatem filij eius ? And whereas the Benedictines , are so called of their first author Benedictus , and the Dominicans of Dominicus their founder , why should not you be called Ignatiani , according to the first author , and also keepe the Quier , and rise at midnight , and in all things doe as other religious men doe ? These words of the Pope they tooke so grieuously , as he liued but a short time after ( to omit what hath been reported ) and after his death , they haue not ceased very wickedly to depraue him . Some of them preached openly against him in Spaine : they haue tearmed him a Wolfe , and said he was a Lutheran . It was giuen forth by them ; that if he had liued a little longer , he would haue vndone al Christendome . They called the manner of his death into question , and reported that at his departure he had no confessor with him . Bellarmine himselfe hearing of his death , vsed these words : Qui sine poenitentia viuit & sine poenitentia moritur , procul dubio ad inferna descendit . Of likeliehoode it is a matter of damnation , to indeuour to bring some Iesuits into order , without great pennance done for it . But for this worthie person , now a Cardinall , wee will not take vpon vs to interpret his meaning : marry that another miscreant in respect of any order should slaunder Christs late Vicar vpon earth , being so worthie a Bishop in his time , as his deedes will louud out his praise , whilest Rome standeth ; wee hold it intolerable , had they been the best Iesuits that now liue , who should haue so disgraced him . But the chiefe poynt that we meant to obserue vnto you in one of these lewde companions speeches , is ; how vpon some opposition and obiections made against some of his slaunderous reports of that worthy Pope , he fell to the maintenance of this most wicked assertion , Hominem non christianum posse esse Romanum pontificem : and yet this proposition is not reuoked , nor the graund Archpriest hath censured him for it ; who is so readie to punish others his auncients , and as obedient and honest men as himselfe , that wee goe no further . The Bishop of Cassane so oft before mentioned , being the generall Visitor in Rome of all religious men , had manie accusations exhibited vnto him by the Iesuits , one against another , and manie petitions , desiring him to come and visite them . With these complaints & iarres amongst them , the Bishop acquainted Pope Clement that now is . Whereupon at the next generall Chapter held by the Iesuits , his holinesse attended with the said Bishop of Cassane , and foure or fiue Bishops more , went into their house , & rebuked them sharpely for their pride , and for their disorderly apparrell , and for their prodigalitie , charging them earnestlie to be more humble , and to frame the course of their liues and behauiour hereafter more like religious men , thē they did at that time . How these words were taken by the Fathers , wee make no doubt : with indignation inough you may be sure : and since ( as we fuppose ) some of that societie haue beene so bold with his holinesse , as they haue affirmed peremptorily , that he erred in absoluing the French king that now is , being deceiued by his Diuines . Of likelihood they were not of the Popes counsell in that action , to haue giuen him better direction . But the said absolution did so much tend to the preiudice of the king of Spaine , and to their deseignments with him , as no meruaile if they doe so caluminate it : daring by their rule of ordine ad Deum , to doe and speake almost what they list . Now if these men may presume thus far with so famous men , Bishops , Cardinals , and with the Popes themselues , vpon so small occasions , how will they crucifie vs poore wretches , that haue beene thus bold with their worships . And yet if the worst should fall out , hauing such companie to vndergoe with vs , the malice and spite of their lauish tongues : the griefe wil be the lesse . Wee pray God from the bottome of our hearts , that they may follow the counsaile of his holines , and become more lowlie in their owne eyes : for otherwise some great inconuenience will insue of it . We are not Prophets , nor the sonnes of any Prophet , to foretell the euent of things before they fall out . But if we haue any vnderstanding ( as we hope herein wee haue none ) if these fellowes haue the reynes laid on their neckes , and be suffered to run forward with the bit in their teeth a little longer , they wil hardlie be reclaimed , without great daunger of apostasie : such is their pride and haughtines of minde . It is great pitie that so worthie an order should be prophaned with so manie machiuilians , and that they will not rather chuse to follow their founder in humilitie , and many most excellent persons of that societie . Cardinall Toledo of worthie memorie , Cardinall Bellarmino yet liuing : Gregorie de Valentia , Suarez , and many others euen worthies in their dayes ; who bestowed not their time in canuasing of kingdomes , and deposing of Princes , or in anie such like vnpriestlie practises , as you haue heard of before that our Iesuits doe . And thus for this time wee leaue the Iesuits of our nation , to deale in generalities any farther with them , or with their extraordinarie illuminations or spirits of guiding soules : and doe addresse our selues to that vertuous Paragon Father Parsons , the vnworthie Rector of our English Seminarie at Rome . But before we begin with him , wee had need to entertaine you with some short Preface . For some no doubt will startle that he should be touched , what ? Dare any presume to call him in question ? Will you intermeddle with his actions ? They are not to be sifted or canuased or discountenanced by any secular Priests whosoeuer , his holines excepted . Beware what you doe : it is sure a note of an euill spirit : we pray God those men be sound that dare take this course . He is a religious mā , a lesuit , the rarest wise man of our nation , most familiar with Princes , admired in Spaine , reuerenced in Italie , and onlie hated in England : which is a sufficient argument of his integritie . But by your good fauour a little : runne not headlong with these generall conceits . These propositions be to too large , these apprehensions are too abstract : descend a while into particulars . Consider his actions : let those ( not generall conceits ) proue or disproue the man ; may not a religious person be exorbitant : a wise man forget him selfe , and an euill man winne fauour ? What greater meanes to worke iniustice then fauour & wit ? Fooles neuer reach farre . And what thing sooner deceiueth , and longer cloketh deceit , then a religious habite vpon an euill person ; sith most men iudge the inward man , by the outward appearance . The wolfe neuer more deceiueth then when hee is clothed in a sheepes skin : yet is not this a reproch vnto religion , nor a disgrace to the habite , but a greater reproofe to the person , that will abuse innocent meanes to nocent actions . Seeing then , that a veluet herse may somtimes couer a corrupted and stinking carkas : let not the outward appearance and habite onelie carrie away and preiudicate mens conceits , where the effects doe disclaime . If he be a religious man , he is sequestred from the world : what then hath he to doe with kingdomes and titles ? If he haue abiured the world , let him shew it to be so , in his conuersation , and sincere affections indeed , and not determine of common wealths and kingdomes . If his profession will not drawe him thereto , yet let charitie moue him to forbeare , because thereby he giueth matter to increase our persecution at home . Princes are iealous , and manie times haue cause to be so : why should he thē prouoke our Prince to be suspitious of vs by his follies ? And as touching our selues , you shall finde vs sure and sound enough by Gods grace : some of vs hauing stood vnto it , per mult as tribulationes , when this worthie champion took his heeles , and left vs to sinke or swim for him . Whilest he hath accompanied himselfe with Princes , and liued at his pleasure in kings courts : wee poore soules , haue beene tossed from piller to post , and hurryed from prison to prison , and the best of vs haue for your sakes liued in sufficient affliction : And will you now begin to doubt of vs ? If Father Parsons had kept himselfe within the compasse of his owne calling : hee should haue bin quiet for vs. But his dealings being such , as should wee not disclose and reproue them , we should be inuolued in his trayterous deseignements , & after our long sufferance for our consciences be hanged for high treason : beare with vs , if wee seeke to preuent that scandall . Wee will therefore proceed by your good leaues , with our purpose : following in one and the same cause , the examples of some of our brethren , who in their bookes before mentioned haue giuen some little touch of him . And first for his birth . Maister Southwell a Iesuit and whilest he liued his obedient subiect , according to the prouer be mulus mulum scabit , hath told vs this tale of it . As for Father Parsons , he hauing placed the vttermost of his ambition in the contempt of honour , and the highest of his wealth in voluntarie pouertie , will easilie acknowledge his birth to haue beene of more honest then great parents : yet were they not so meane but that they were able to afford him such education , as might haue made his good parts a way to no small preferment . For this faire glose being most vntrue , we doubt not , but that Father Parsons either hath , or will hereafter by some worthie monument of his memorie requite him , were it not that the Iesuits haue a speciall priuiledge to write what they list , be it neuer so vntrue , if it may be couered with either of their principles , propter bonum societatis , or ordinem ad deum ; this fellow would not thus haue aduentured to haue abused those to whom he hath auouched it . For in truth the said maister Parsons his graund Prouinciall , is by his birth a bastard , beggotten vpon the bodie of a very base woman by the Parson of the parish where hee was borne : and his right name is not Parsons but Cowbuck . Which defect , because it did not proceede from any fault in him , we could haue wished had bin omitted by our very reuerend brethren in their late declaration to his holinesse : had not both they and wee thought it expedient thus farre to touch it , because the gentleman is so high minded , and doth take vpon him so vsuallie to debase other mens parentages , not sparing like a wicked person with an ouermuch hardened forehead , sundrie of the Nobilitie of England , nor his owne Soueraigne and her most worthy progenitors . Besides , it may be a good caueat vnto him to looke well to his orders : considering the Canon lawe in that point , least otherwise it cost him his Rectorship . Master Southwels smoothe tale will not serue his turne , if the matter be ript vp against him . But to followe our course : the said Parson that begat him , did afterwards foster him , and hauing brought him vp at the schoole , sent him to Oxford , and placed him in Balioll Colledge : from whence he was in effect expelled , being Maister of Artes , not for religion as he hath vaunted , but for his Bastardie , factious conuersation , libelling , and other misdemeanours . But hereof you neede no further information , then the said declaration : where you shall finde , that there was such lamentation at his departure from the Colledge , as for ioye he was rung thence with Bels. Doctor Bagshawe being then fellow of the said Colledge , was his stiffe aduersarie in the matters obiected against him : which the good Father of his Iesuiticall charitie , doth not , when occasion serueth forget : hauing within these three yeares last past , by a very lewde stratageme , as touching the villanie against her Maiestie , vndertaken by one Squier , brought both him and some others as we thinke , for his sake , in great danger of their liues . After this Father his said expulsion , or his leauing the said Colledge by compulsion , he repayred to London , and hauing often resort to one Iames Clarke , his old schoolefellowe , abiding then in the inner Temple , he protested to him the said Clarke , vpon some occasion of speeches betwixt them , that hee neither then was , nor euer ment to be any Papist ( as it then pleased him to tearme vs Catholikes ) and offered , for his better satisfaction therein to affirme so much vpon his oath . His resolution was as hee saide , to studie phisicke , and that he was purposed to trauell for that end to Padua : and rather thither , then to any place else , because one Lane a Master of Artes , and his olde acquaintaunce , in Oxford , was there placed , and in good reputation . Whereby you see the Gentlemans zeale to the Catholike Romane Religion , which driue him to leaue Oxford . Not long after the said conference with Maister Clarke , he departed beyond the Seas : and so framed the course of his life there , as within short time , he became a Iesuit : being a man very violent in Cardinall Allanes opinion , and of an vnquiet spirit . In this calling he did profit exceedingly , and was almost vpon the suddaine a very great Statist , little behinde many of his auncients , for plotting and practising of sundry vnpriestly enterprises . We are verilie perswaded ( by diuers other his like desseignments sutable thereunto ) that this new good Father had his finger in the attempts for Ireland , anno 1578. when Stukeley should haue gone thither : and also anno 1579. when Saunders went indeede . Of this second expedition you may reade in our owne Chronicles : and for the first , thus the matter stoode . About a yeere before the ouerthrowe of the King of Portugale in Africke , Stukeley being in Rome , perswaded Pope Gregorie the 13. that hee the said Stukely would make his the said Popes sonne Iames ( then Duke of Sora ) the King of Ireland : if he the said Pope would furnish him with men and money sufficient for that expedition . Whereunto the Pope agreed , and set him forth with money , and with about 3000. men , directing his letters to the King of Spaine for his assistance likewise in that enterprise . But the King ( ayming at that kingdome more himselfe ) refused either to receiue him into any of his Ports , or at all to ayde him . Stukeley being deceiued of this hope , cast about to the King of Portugal ( then preparing for his Affrican voiage ) who gladly receiued both him and his men , promising vnto him , that if he would goe with him in that voyage , hee would at their returne furnish him sufficiently for the accomplishing of his purpose in Ireland . Stukeley yeelded : goeth into Affrike , is there slaine , and the Pope was greatly discontented , that he had been so greatly ouerreached by him . At such time as it was perceiued in Rome what the Pope intended by the instigation of Stukeley , concerning their said desseignements for Ireland , one Master Shelley , named the graund Prior for England , cast out words to this effect : what ( saith he ) because there are no more Cities of Parma and Placenza to bestowe vpon his Sonne , will he now haue Ireland , the patrimony of the Crowne of England ? The said Prior being moued by the Pope to vndertake that iourney with Stukeley , he refused so to doe , and told him that he the said Stukeley was but a shifting and a vaunting fellow , and that he would assuredly cousen him in all that hee committed to his charge and trust . But the Pope was so much addicted to that attempt , that partly in respect of the Prior his said words , and partly of this his said refusall , he grewe into such dislike with him , as for the safegard of his life he thought it meete to flie to Venice . Whether Father Parsons was then in Rome to blow this coale against the Prior , or where he was , the matter is not great , considering the daily correspondencie by letters betweene the Fathers of that societie from all places in Christendome . Besides you may peraduenture heare more hereof at another time . About eleuen or twelue yeers after his sayd expulsion , and that being a Iesuite he had wonne to himselfe by his sayd factious disposition and practises the reputation to be made the Prouinciall for the Iesuites that were to be sent into England , he came hither with two subiects only , Father Campion , and Father Cotham , Anno 1580. hauing got a great start of Father Campion , who was Proctor not long before in Oxford , when Father Parsons commensed but Bachelor of Arts , if our memories do not fayle vs therein . This his said comming into England being knowne , Maister Blackwell ( now his darling and Arch-priest by his direction ) bewayled the same to a friend of his being then in prison : saying vnto him , that it was a very vndiscreet fact of the President at Rhemes ( meaning Doctor Allane ) to send him hither , as being an vnfit man to be imployed in the causes of religion . And being asked why he was vnmeete for that imployment , he answered , because this casting out of Balioll Colledge , and other articles and matters depending vpon it , betwixt him and Doctor Squier ( then liuing ) were very likely to be renewed , and so to worke great discredit both to him , and the cause Catholick . The holy Father was no sooner come into England , but besides the vanity of his challenge to all Protestants ( being deemed an vnfit man to haue performed the same ) he began to bestirre himselfe in matters of State , especially how to aduance a certayne King by the fauours of diuers forraine Princes : to the great preiudice of her Maiesties both Crowne and safetie , as appeareth by a letter of his written to a noble man bearing date from Rome the 24. of Ianuarie 1600. In which kinde of affaires he so busied himselfe , as diuers Catholikes were in that respect greatly discontented with him , and told him plainely , that if he would not desist from those courses , they would deliuer him into the hands of the Ciuill Magistrate . The yeere after , viz. 1581. Fa. Heywood being delegated by the Duke of Bauaria , to Pope Gregorie the 13. his holines vpon knowledge that he was an English man , and experience of his eloquence , and diuers other good parts in him , tooke him from the Duke , and sent him into England : where finding Fa. Parsons with the authoritie of a Prouinciall , and he the said Fa. Heywood refusing to submit himselfe vnto him , a great heartburning did arise betwixt them . Father Parsons alleaged that being the Prouinciall ouer the Iesuits in England , hee the said Father Heywood must consequentlie be his inferiour : but Father Heywood answered , that his mission hither was singular , directed by the Pope himselfe , and therefore said , hee was thereby exempted from any subiection to him . This quarrel grew to be hote , and had manie priests and others as partakers on either side : some holding with one , and some with another . The same Father Parsons hauing stirred ' vp stirres , daungers , and garboyles by his seditious challenges , and dealings in England and Scotland : and finding that manie Catholickes were offended with him for it , hee made great collections of monie , pretending therwith to relieue prisoners : but being once maister of that mint , ehe fled into France , leauing his friends in England to shift for themselues , & the prisoners to feele and indure the want . When hee came to Paris , as a man hauing latelie bin in possession of his new Prouincialitie , hee put in practise this stratageme following , of purpose to exempt himselfe from the Prouinciall and his superiour there . He perswaded them that without their owne great perill , they could not entertaine him in their Colledge : affirming that the Queene of England ( good Lady ) being sore afraid to haue so great a personage to be harboured so neere her , had proscribed him , and promised no small summe of monie to the partie that would kill him : and hereunto he added , that hee had perfect knowledge from his friends in England , that they were alreadie in Paris , who had vndertaken that cruell deed . Therfore he prayed the Rector , that none of the societie might be suffered to walke forth in his companie : saying that if they did , they should surelie perish with him . And to make this conceit the more probable , he suborned ( with his own monie ) two English men well appointed , and a Flemming with them , to goe latelie in the euening , and enquire for one Fa : Parsons at the Colledge . Whereupon the Iesuits beleeuing , that all he said was true , dismissed Father Parsons to goe forth freelie whither he would , and to dispose of himselfe at his owne pleasure , to auoide death forsooth , verifiyng the old prouerbe , Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt : as craftie a crouder , and as lying a companion now amongst the Iesuits , after almost thirtie yeeres profession , as hee was in Balioll Colledge amongst his fellowes there . We told you before of the contention betwixt this good Father , and his pretended subiect Father Heywood : whō for disciplines sake you may be sure he did not forget , hauing of likelihood , some further matter against him , by reason of his courses held here amongst vs. The said Heywood assembled a Synode in Norfolke , and made such constitutions as are mentioned in the treatise before expressed , dedicated to the Pope . At this assembly Maister Dolman being present , required of Fa. Heywood to see his Commission ; who being not able to shew him any , he the said Maister Dolman did inhibite him to proceede any further : and tolde him plainly that hee vsurped vpon the Bishop of Lincolne then being in prison , and that if hee proceeded so to doe , he the said Master Dolman in defence of the olde customes of the Church would resist him , vsque ad sanguinem . Furthermore , after the saide Fa. Parsons departure hence : some of the Priests finding their vsuall contributions to be greatly diminished , and perceiuing one cause thereof to be the lauish expences of Father Heywood in keeping so many men , horses , and coaches ( as Fa. Garnet ' doth at this present ) they dealt with him in that behalfe , signifying their dislike of such his prodigalitie : and alleaged that Fa. Parsons spent not so much , when he was here . To whom Fa. Heywood answered , that Fa. Parsons was his inferior , in that he the said Fa. Parsons was sent hither but by their Generall , whereas he ( Fa. Heywood ) had his mission from the Pope himselfe . What aduantages Fa. Heywood gaue to Fa. Parsons by these or any other his proceedings here , we minde not at large to expresse . It is susficient to let you knowe that Fa. Parsons after his departure hence , sending thirtie articles against him to the Court at Rome , he the said Fa. Heywood was shortly after called for by authoritie to come out of England , but was apprehended before he could get hence . Howbeit not long after , he was banished , and then he repaired to Rome , or to some place neere vnto it : where he was not so well intreated as he looked for . Insomuch as being moued with diuers enormities amongst the Iesuits , he wrote sundry letters to the Pope , instantly desiring his holynes that the Iesuits might be reformed , saying that otherwise , hee should see their ruine ( he feared ) in his owne daies . Whereupon the Pope called their Generall Aquauiue , and demaunded of him what those deformities were , which father Heywood complayned of , to whom he answered , that the old man did it of dotage , not knowing what he sayd : and withall to stop him from writing any more to the Pope , he sent him to Calabria : where ( as we haue bin informed ) he was by the sayd Generals commaundement kept close prisoner : and so or in little better case remayneth , if he be yet aliue : but as we thinke he is dead . But to returne to our deuout Father of Stockgersee ( natale solum ) after his said arriuall in France , as he began with cousening his superiors in Paris for his greater libertie , so did he continue his Machiuilian practises in matters of State , and hath not ceased since that time to seeke the betraying and destruction of his owne Country like a Monster ; besides the publishing of sundrie his most seditious writings and letters , whereby her Maiestie , and the State haue bin so iustly irritated , as we poore men innocent and ignorant of all his vnnaturall deseignements , haue felt the smart of his wickednes , himselfe being without danger , and like a coward and false shepheard , hauing left both vs and the flock in the bryers . Within a while after his going into Fraunce , he plunged himselfe vp to the eares in the Scottish causes then in hand , and was an especiall instigator of the Duke of Guise , Anno 1583. or thereabouts , for his sodaine surprizing the Citie of London , and her Maiesties person , with 5000. men : assuring him , that the Catholicks would assist him if neede required . Besides , it being determined that the sayd Duke should come hither in his owne person , for the performance of the attempt , there was not any man found more fit for his dexteritie and forwardnes in that matter , then Father Parsons ( as Mendoza reported ) to be imployed to Rome to make triall , if by his pollicie any money might haue bin gotten from his holynes for the furnishing of that iourney . But we thinke he lost his labour . Furthermore , considering that one of the Dukes chiefe cares was to know the fittest Hauens to land in , & that Frauncis Throckmerton was imployed for that purpose by the instigation and aduise of Sir Frauncis Englefeild , Mendoza , and others , ( all of them Father Parsons especiall friends ) it is more then probable that his Fatherhood was , if not a practicioner for that purpose , yet one of that counsell and confederacy , or at the least acquainted with it . It is not vnknowne what a villanous attempt the traytor Parry vndertooke against the life of her Maiestie the same yeare , Anno 1583. pursuing the same , till by Gods mercy he came to the gallowes the yeere after . With this outragious plot sundry Iesuites were acquainted : nay , they were the incouragers of him to proceede in it valiantly , omitting no perswasions or meanes they could vse to that effect . It maketh our hearts to bleede , that the blessed Sacrament should euer be made a meanes to animate villaines in such diuelish enterprises . But what is all this to Father Parsons ? Surely it concerneth him more then we are glad to report . For the sayd Parry hauing apprehended a certaine necessity for the good of the Catholick cause , that her Maiestie must be taken out of the way ; and finding a great aptnes and desire in himselfe to be an instrument to that effect : yet was he perplexed in his mind with some doubts and obiections , why he might not lay violent hands vpon her person . For the cleering and remoouing of which difficulties , Father Parsons was offred him to conferre with , as being accompted one ofthe of the meetest men to resolue him in such matters . It is true that Parry refused to talke or conferre with him : but yet the very offer doth argue that the good Father was acquainted with Parries intent , or at the least that he was knowne to be one , that if he talked with Parry , would haue animated him in that course , with all his Iesuiticall arguments and best perswasions . You will say this is but a coniecture : and therefore for your better satisfaction of the truth herein , you shall vnderstand , that it is to be shewed by one ofthis Fathers owne letters to Maister Charles Paget , that whilest this mischiefe was in consultation , a certaine Gentleman of good quality comming vnto him , told him of it , and sayd , that assuredly he would reueale it : but he the godly Father disswaded him with all his skill , and would not suffer him so to do : which was ( as we thinke ) a more vile part in Father Parsons , being borne her Maiesties subiect , then in any stranger whosoeuer , that thrust Parry forwards into that most barbarous stratageme . Furthermore , this good Father that he might leaue no stone vnturned , which could tend to the trouble and mischiefe of his natiue Countrie , when his dealings with more priuate persons would not succeede , then he returned to those of higher place , and excited them to vndertake some exployts vpon them , which might be answerable to his Iesuiticall , that is , most bloudy deseignements . He made a lewde discourse , wherein he intitled Alexander Duke of Parma to her Maiesties Crowne , & indeuoured with all his skill to perswade the Duke in the right of his sonne Ranutius to set vpon this Realme with all his force , propounding vnto him diuers meanes ( as one by marrying his sonne to a certayne english Lady ) for his better effecting ofthat enterprise . But the attempt of 1588. by the King of Spayne against her Maiestie and this whole Kingdome , as it is and ought to be abhorred by all true hearted Englishmen : so we trust the memory of those wretches borne in our owne Countrie , that were either procurers , perswaders , or Agents in it , shall be had in perpetuall detestation . In which number , this our Iesuite was a chiefe firebrand , and had his hand in that pernitious booke , that was then printed for the stirring vp of her Maiesties subiects to haue taken part with the Spaniard if he could haue arriued : which booke vpon their foile and ouerthrow was presently burnt for shame , that euer the world should see so impious a treatise , we meane the whole impression was burnt , sauing some few that escaped their hands . We are the more earnest against this enterprise , because it touched all English Catholicks heere , as much as it did in effect the Protestants . For it is knowne right well both from the Duke of Medina his owne mouth , and by other certeyne intelligence , that all the Catholicks in England , as well as others , and perhaps rather , were designed to the slaughter . For the sayd Duke being told , that there were some Catholicks in England : answered , I care not : I will make the best Protestants in England as good Catholicks as they , if I haue them once vnder my sword . I respect neither the one nor the other : I meane to make roome there for my maister . This he hath spoken diuers times in the hearing of Maister Wencelade , a Deuonshire man. And this also the Iesuites themselues confesse , as amongst others Father Southwell at Wisbich , in the hearing of diuers of the Priests there prisoners . At what time Father Parsons went into Spayne we do not remember , we thinke it was about the yeare 1589. but sure we are that when it was knowne here , and that he was commended thither by Don Bernardino de Mendoza his fellow Iesuite , many Catholicks of sounder iudgemēt did vtterly dislike it . They knew the ambition of the Spaniards : and how bellum sacrum pretended by Ferdinando , and continued since as a thing hereditary to that kingdome , vnder sundry pretences for the defence of the Catholick faith , did tend to nothing else , but to make them selues monarches . Besides , they were not ignorant with what eagernes the Iesuites began to aduaunce the Spaniard : which made them to suspect that Father Parsons going thither , would still bring forth some further mischiefes : and indeed it fell so out . For through Mendoza his credit , he became not only vpō the sodain a Courtier , but grew very soone into great fauour with the King : which you know must needes be easily wrought ( as the King stood then affected against England , hauing bin so much dishonored by his repulse the yeere before ) by his Maiesties experience of this good Fathers mortall hatred to his owne country , in plotting and casting about , how his highnes might be reuenged . We will not tell what we feare concerning the motiues wherewith this Father perswaded the King to erect the Seminaries for our Countrymen in Spayne , and elsewhere , the end oftheir institution was most religiously politike , and holy : but if we shall finde those wholy employed for increasing either of Iesuits or of other Priests , such as must follow and applaude to all their trayterous courses against our Country , for our owne parts we wish they had neuer bin erected . In the yeare 1589. the same yeare that this Father came into Spayne , the Seminary was erected in Valledolid by his meanes . In commendation whereof , he writeth very amply , and mentioneth one thing by the way , which ( sauing his Maisterships Fatherhood ) we do not beleeue to be true : he knoweth full well how to keepe himselfe warme . For he sayth , that the Students there hearing of the rigor and crueltie in England , were ( in short time after the sayd erection ) so animated and desirous to see themselues in that battell : as he himselfe was ofttimes thereby moued ( had he bin a few yeeres yonger , and could haue borne that mission ) to haue gone once againe with them into England . But except he may come hither with Gloria patri , we will vndertake it for him he will not greatly trouble vs heere with his presence . In the yeare 1592. the King with his sonne and daughter went to Valledolid : and being there , did visit his english Seminary at Father Parsons suite . In which visitation you shall see the continuance of this fathers deadly malice , breathed out in his schollers orations . Wherein her Maiestie is by all meanes depraued : the Kings honor and excellency is extolled aboue all measure : her Highnes downe-fall , and his victories are prophecied , and nothing is omitted that might aduaunce the one , and depresse the other . One of them deliuering the good father his directions , offred to the King in his oration , not only himselfe , but in the name of the rest , all his fellowes : nay their whole Countrey , their parents , and friends , with all their Allyes , confederates , and acquaintance . Which oration , and all their other proceedings then at Valledolid comming to Cardinall Allane in Rome , he wept for sorrow , seeing what they still aymed at . Do not you thinke that our Country is like to receiue great comfort by these Spanish schollers , if they shall proceede according to these beginnings ? If you can get this Fathers relation printed the sayd yere 1592. concerning this visitation of the Seminary , you shall see many other particulars : but this we warne you of , that in the printed copy , that part of the youths oration is omitted , wherein the sayd great offer is made to the King. That is not a point to be made too vulgar , till the time and opportunity serue . The yeare after 1593. Father Parsons , because men should not thinke him idle , hath offred to the world a further testimony of his good will to her Maiestie , and his Country , in a treatise intituled , Newes from Spayne . Herein , besides certayne exercises by the english yong Priests in an other Seminary at Siuill , tending in effect to the same purpose with the former : it pleaseth him to discourse of some pleasant conceits , and certaine empreises : and in one ; how King Henry the second , and King Henry the eight , Saint Thomas of Canterburie and the Queenes Maiestie are marshalled in a table together . Many diuels with instruments of torments in their hands are painted vnder king Henry the eights picture : and her Maiestie is made to stand as it were in great sadnes , looking both vpon her Father and King Henry the second , set out with many Angels and garlands for his repentance . For Priests in a straunge countrie to deale thus with their owne Kings , argueth little Religion , and lesse discretion : it being imprinted thereby in euery mans minde , that seeth these or the like courses : that let any King offend them , and they will not faile to vse him with the like contempt . But the chiefe part of these newes is of a certaine conference at Amsterdam , concerning the succession to the Crowne of England : and how many pretenders there are that doe gape after it . This conference was at this time but in papers , you shall heare of it anon come out in Print . When this fellowe was made a Religious person , it had been good for the Church that a Mill stone had been tied about his necke , and he cast into the Sea : such scandall hath and will arise hereafter by his more then Machiuiliean deuises . In the said yeere also 1593. Fa : Parsons and Father Creswell ( neither barrell better hering ) set out in Spaine another booke vnder the counterfeit name of Andreas Philopater : that is , Andrew loue his country : wherein like two arrant companions they presume diuers times to speake to her Maiestie ( their naturall Soueraigne ) as if they were themselues two Emperours , and she but a milke maide . Besides , for that Bastard & most ignominious filius terrae Parsons , for him ( wesay ) to be one , that with a brasen forehead should dare to obiect the meane parentage of sundrie great personages , who haue beene in great authoritie in this kingdome : nay for him so vile a rascall to depraue and extenuate the blood Royall which is in her Maiesties sacred person , descending from the renowned King Henry the Seauenth ; what true English heart can endure it ? Beare with vs : for before God wee are much moued with the consideration of it . He inueieth very bitterlie against the crueltie of her Highnes lawes ; which we wish had been more milde : but he neuer mentioneth that he and his fellowes haue been the occasion of them by their traiterous courses , both against her Crowne and life . For our owne parts wee haue felt the burthen of some of them : whereas these companions being in safetie themselues , care not what mischiefe they bring vpon our heads . Besides in this booke , are sprinckled here and there some of their seditious positions touching their setting vp of subiects against their Princes , and of cutting off the right heires to the Crowne , vnder pretence of Religion : which we account to bee very pernicious doctrine . For as when Religion is receiued into any kingdome , it medleth not with , or maketh better any Kings title to his Crowne ; so when it is banished thence , it doth not diminish any Princes right or inheritance , but leaueth ( in our opinions ) the same as it found it . Now these said positions with many more ( passing from hand to hand by conference and in papers , for two or three yeares in Spaine ) begun to shew their heads in print , and are compiled into a booke : the chiefe scope whereof is this ( if Maister Charles Paget or we doe vnderstand it ) viz. the deposing of her Maiestie : the alteration of our auncient lawes and customes : the disinheriting of all her Maiesties lawfull successors , and the aduanncing of the Infanta of Spayne to the royall throne of this Kingdome . When these points with their appurtenances were first published , whether in papers or in print , we know not , Father Parsons being halfe sick , acquainted the schollers in Siuill publickly with them , and read the whole discourse himselfe vnto them , and the same he procured to be done to other english Students at S. Lucars , as a friend of his hath lately written into England in the good fathers commendation . Who telleth vs further , that father Parsons demaunding how they the schollers liked that treatise , especially concerning the Infanta , they answered , that they did not only like it , but diuers Priests and others subscribed their names vnto it , for a testimony of their approbation of it . This that these men subscribed vnto , was as seemeth a short draught of the Infantaes pretended title , conteyning also the forme of a submission for their present acknowledgmēt of the Infanta to be their Queene and Soueraigne . It was reported here by certayne Priests , that the sayd Students refused to subscribe to any such matter , and that father Parsons by false information procured them to subscribe to a blanck , both in Siuill , and in Valledolid , which he supplied after to the effect before mentioned , and offred the same to the Infanta . Maister Charles Paget reporteth hereof something , and to this effect , viz. that father Parsons caused diuers by fayre meanes and threates to subscribe , that in all conferences they should when they came into England aduance the Infantaes title , not intending thereby to expect her Maiesties death , but by all meanes to remoue her from the present possession of her royall estate . If these things should come to the knowledge of the State , who will blame the same , if such Priests as come hither out of Spayne be not very well interteyned ? Neither shall those that come from Rome be in any better plight , now that father Parsons is the Rector of that Seminary : because it may be well supposed , that he being no changeling , his schollers must either daunce after his pipe , or sit still and daunce not at all . Kings haue bin euer iealous of their estates , and will take any occasion to preuent the worst . Whereby you see what our cases are : he practiseth , and we are punished : the Catholick cause is greatly indangered and hindered by him . To this good Fathers proceedings , the death of Cardinall Allane in the end of the yeare 1594. and of the Bishop of Cassane a little after , gaue no little furtherance , for they both disliked them . But then he rid in his owne course a gallop , laboring with his assistants and mates to perswade as many as they could both in their sermons and in their writings , that the Catholick faith and the King of Spaine were so lincked together , as it was a point of necessitye in the Catholick faith to put all Europe into his hands : else the Catholick religion would perish . A position you know most absurd and blasphemous , as though Gods truth and religion had only depended vpon the old King of Spayne . Well , this foundation layd , father Parsons assured the King , that the Iesuites in Eagland were so highly esteemed , so greedely followed not only of Catholicks , but of Protestants that were of the wiser sort , and in such authoritie , that he doubted not but that shortly the King should be in euery mans hart . For the effecting whereof , his riches , his greatnes , his liberalitie , iustice , and loue towards the English were daily commended : and father Parsons was inabled to procure the libertie of such English men as were taken prisoners : of purpose that when they came home , they might sound out the prayses of the King of Spayne , and Parsons . If you say we set not downe these particulars in their due places , you haue our excuse before . About the yeere 1596. the King of Spayne excited partly by Father Parsons allurements last mentioned , and by other his seditious associates ( alleadging that Iulius Caesar got not Britaine at his first assault ) attempted a second exployt for Famouth , with a new Armado , intending therewith to haue gotten into his possession Arwennike Castle , with the hill Pendennice . Which Armado as it was comming from Lisbone towards Ferroll ( the place of rendeuow ) was greatly scattered in the way , so as 34. Ships perished in one night , with the losse of 5000. men . Thereby the Kings purpose for that time was stayed : but yet not long after his Maiestie enterprised the same attempt againe for the sayd Castell , and had the like successe : his Ships were dispersed , and all came to naught . That Fa. Parsons was likewise acquainted with this deseignement , if not a chiefe instigator , may appeare by one of his owne letters to a friend of his in the yeere 1597. We pray God , that no practise or deseignement set on foote , either by this good Father , or by any other , for the indāgering of her Maiestie , or of our natiue Countrie , haue euer better issue , but may perish as the vntimely fruit of a woman . If once God shall be pleased to restore y e Catholick faith by holy & good meanes , and that we may liue to see it , we shall be very ioyfull men , hauing so long ( poore prisoners ) expected the same : but otherwise we are content to languish still , and dye in our sorrowes . We are almost weary with raking in the dunghill of this good Fathers practises : and yet something of him further . When he found lesse hope by meanes of the King of Spayne , or at the least whilest his Maiestie was in furnishing himselfe , Parsons or his dependants , Holt and Worthington , with his priuitie , if not aduice ( as Maister Charles Paget noteth ) practised the aduauncement of the Earle of Darby to the Crowne of England . Which plot being discouered to the Earle by a Gentleman one Hesket , imployed by them to his Lordship , he the sayd Earle as a most dutifull subiect disclosed their treason , which wrought his vntimely death as many say . With this deseignement Maister Charles Browne ( otherwise as true an harted Catholick as the prowdest of them ) was so greatly moued , as he writ to Maister Stapleton ( then in preparation towards Rome ) desiring him to present to his holynes certaine articles ( which he had framed against these Iesuites , and then sent likewise vnto him ) concerning their intituling the sayd Earle of Darby to the Crowne , their dealing with him , and the successe of them to the greatest staunder of all Catholicks , and hurt of the generall cause . He also was earnest with Maister Stapleton , that he would himselfe make knowne to the Pope what infinite garboyles and mischiefes these fellowes had stirred vp amongst vs , whilest his holynes imagined that they were laboring faithfully to win poore soules to the Catholick faith , as it was the dutie of truly religious persons . Amongst all these tragicall deseignements of this good Father , we will tell you one of his pretie tricks . One Maister Fixer a Priest ( hauing a protection heere in England from the Lord Treasurer ) was so vexed and calumniated by the Iesuites , that he renounced it , and thereupon went into Spayne , intending to reade in some religious house . Being at Lisbone in good credit , he procured the release of 14. or 15. English men that were taken prisoners : willing them to thanke Master Bluet and Doctor Bagshaw for their liberty . Hereof Parsons hauing notice , sent for him into Spayne , vnder pretence of his preferment : but when he had him , he procured him to be layd in prison for a spy , where he remayneth still , vnlesse he be dead . You see by the premisses a little glimpse of this holy Fathers proceedings in Spayne : and the rest of his societie were no lesse busied to the same purpose elsewhere . Howbeit , the secular Priests both in Rome and England did vtterly dislike both him and all the rest with their so treasonable deseignements against their owne Countrie : whereof the King of Spayne hauing notice , did write earnestly to the Pope that now is , and to other Cardinals , that in any case they should support and maynteyne the credit of the Iesuites against the complaints of the English , who without all cause , but seduced by the Queene of England , did greatly calumniate them as he affirmed . The two practising Prelates also of the Low countryes , Fa. Holt , and Doctor Worthington , drew a formall letter supplicatiue , in the names of all the english souldiers , laborers , artizans , pensioners , as well men , as women ( yea the very seruing maydes and laundresses were not omitted ) the same to be presented to y e King of Spaine : most humbly beseeching his Maiestie , in regard of his great affection and care of England , and the afflicted English , that he would deale earnestly with the Pope to preferre the worthie Father and Prelate Father Parsons to the dignity of a Cardinall : affirming it to be the only way to binde and vnite the English to his Maiestie . In expectation of the same prefermēt , and for what causes else it is not materiall , this good Father went out of Spayne to Rome in the yeare 1597. At his comming thither , he was visited in his lodging ( or as they say courted ) by two Cardinals , viz. Baronius , and the other a Spanyard . Which extraordinary curtesie and honor done vnto him , gaue present occasion of some speeches in the Citie , that out of doubt Father Parsons should be made a Cardinall . This conceyt thus begun in Rome , ended for thattime with a merryiest . For Father Parsons being counselled by the Phisitions to keep his stomack warme , sent his brother for scarlet to make him a stomacher , who oflikelihood as soone as euer he heard the name of scarlet , was so possessed of a sodaine with an opinion of his brothers aduancement , that forgetting his intent to haue only a stomacher , he procured two Merchants to carry in a wagon diuers pieces ofscarlet to his brothers lodging for the making of his Cardinals roabes , giuing it out by the way to all his acquaintance both going and comming , that his brother forthwith should be made a Cardinall . When this good Father saw such packs of scarlet brought vnto him , no meruaile ifhe wondred at it . But finding his brothers error , he was in a great chafe , and much confounded , as easily foreseeing what sport it would procure amongst those that heard of it . Whereupon in all haste he dismissed the sayd Merchants with their scarlets at a back dore as secretly as he could . Howbeit , the thing was so notorious , as it could not be concealed , and caused indeede very many to iest and laugh at him . One , ( a man little fauored by this good father ) hearing hereof , went in meriment to his lodging to congratulate his new aduauncement . But whē the father knew the purpose of his comming : yea ( quoth he ) doth he know it ? It will be then in England within this fortnight . We haue before acquainted you with this fathers dealings concerning his reading to the Students and Priests at Siuill : of his discourse for the Infantaes title : and now vnderstand further , that he was no sooner seated in Rome , but to inure the Priests and Students there with his diabolicall conceyts , he required that his english booke of titles might be read publickly in their refectorie as a Chapter of the Bible is read at such times in our Vniuersities , and promised , that in so doing , if they liked it , he would afterwards let them reade his high counsell of reformation . Wherein ( as they report that haue seene it ) the whole Realme of England is made a Prouince dependant vpon Spaine and Iesuitisme . The lands and Segniories of Clergie and Nobilitie and Vniuersities are abridged : and of some in particular in his vaine and childish hope are confiscated . For example , Cecyll house must be Casa professa : and another house by it , there , Nouitiatum . Whereunto an imagined principle of the Iesuits ( for which they aduenture both credit and conscience very farre ) being added , viz. that the Iesuits must preuaile where once they set footing , it maketh many to condemne them and wish that the maske of religion being taken from them ( which by their occasions and turmoylings is blasphemed ) they might appeare in their owne colours , that the world might no longer be decciued by them . It were a worke of very great labour to trace this fellow in all his apparant deuises and practises . And for his rules , whereby both he and his adherents doe square their actions , they are vncertaine , and holde as the time serueth , and they thinke conuenient . If they haue any vie of a man , they make faire weather with him : and afterwards least hee should expect some benefit from them , they haue waies and trickes to shake him off very Iesuitically . Maister Barret was for a long time one oftheir chiefe instruments to many purposes , whom they requited in the end with all manner of disgraces and disgusts , euen to his last breath . For example , Maister Barret being sent for to come to Rome about the breach of the students with the Iesuits , Cardinall Tolet hoping that hee would haue taken part with the students , intended to make him Rector , and to cast out all the Iesuits ( as hee did cast out sixe ) but Barret contrarie to the Cardinals expectation became Iesuited , and did what he could against the students in fauour of the Iesuits . Whereupon Cardinal Tolet reiected him as an vnworthie man. The Iesuits afterwards sent him downe to Doway to his olde charge : and Parsons craftily made him purchase a house , which cost 1700. Crownes , and withall stopped at Rome the Popes pension for the Colledge two yeeres . Whereupon Doctor Barret in the behalfe of the Colledge fel in debt 3000. crownes : the Iesuits all the while keeping him from the annuall pension . Whereupon hee sending to Rome to complaine and require the money : gentle Father Parsons went to the Pope , and accused him of excesse and euill hnsbandrie , in dissipating the Popes pensions , and suffering the house to fall to extremitie , and intended to cast him out , and place in the Iesuits , sauing that his death preuented it . I haue elsewhere mentioned vnto you the Iesuiticall axiome of winning or redeeming of time : which is in effect to runne with the time , in altering their positions , so as they may best serue to winne their desires . The practise of which ground is in no one of their affaires so manifest , as in labouring to set vp , now this man , now that man , to attempt the Crowne : furnishing euery one with sufficient authoritie , that of right it belongeth vnto him . And true it is , that rather then faile , they care not who hee is , or of what race , nor of what nation that wil step in for the Kingdome , so he be a Catholike . Father Parsons notwithstanding all his faire shewes to Spaine , hath still been practising from time to time , whilest the Spaniard hath been in breathing , to haue raised vp others to get the Kingdome if they could , and so to haue pulled that morsell out of the Spaniards iawes : so her Maiestie were deposed , he respecteth not by whom . For as before the Earle of Darbie with his priuitie was dealt with particularly to that purpose : so at an other time he writ a discourse which was sent into England , and published to many of the best Catholicks heere : that hee would wish and aduise them , when the commoditie serued , that they should make an election of some principall noble English Catholick to be their King. But still when none neither pretender , nor people will be so mad as to follow his deseignements , then he hath euer his recourse to the King of Spayne : and at this time insisteth vpon the Infanta : debarring himselfe from following of none that will in the meane time take Armes against her Highnes . Maister Charles ' Paget in one of his letters telleth vs of a maxime amongst our English Iesuites , and others seduced by them : that whosoeuer doth not approue and aduaunce Fa. Parsons and some of his followers , their conceits and courses touching our Country and Nation , though they be neuer so foolish , rash , furious , scandalous , and dangerous , nay though men be desirous to fit still , and meddle nothing with them , or their actions one way or other : yet if he do not ayde and assist them , it is lawfull ; yea , necessay , that such persons be infamed , by casting out against them any calumniations that may discredit them . The practise of which maxime , howsoeuer Maister Paget learned it , we are sure that many poore Priests in England and elsewhere , haue felt it , honester men then either he , or many of his adherents . The contention which hath bin in Rome betwixt our english Students and the Iesuites , is not vnknowne to all Europe . The compounding whereof this good Father taketh to himselfe : and so hath ordered the matter , that the Iesuites ( forsooth ) were alwayes blamelesse , and the whole fault was in the Students . For further declaration whereof , the wretch layeth about him in one of his letters like a mad man : insinuating that such of the sayd Students as opposed themselues to the Fathers , were not well established in the grace of God when they came to Rome , or had no due preparation to the calling of Priesthood , or ( we know not what ) was amisse in thē Nay , he spareth not our mother Citie , the seate of Christs Vicar in earth , but impeacheth the credit of it very greatly . And for his reports of vs ( poore men ) that lye in prison , and are subiect to many dangers , being ready to follow our fellowes , who haue offred their liues in the defence of the Catholick Church : how he acquainteth the world with our estimation in Rome , and what accompt is made of vs there , his sayings following will declare vnto you ; set downe as they stand in his sayd letter , dated at Naples the 13. of Iuly , in the yeare 1598. When I came to Rome ( sayth he ) I found the Colledge as a field , with two hostile camps within it : Father generall and his assistants wholy auersed and throughly resolued to leaue the gouernment . And in an other place taking vpon him to shew the causes why our English Students haue of a long time bin so troublesome in that Colledge , he writeth thus : you shall heare him at large . Some thinke that it is in great part the nature of the place , that ingendreth high spirits in them that are not well established in Almightie Gods grace . For comming thither very yong , and finding themselues presently placed and prouided for abundantly , and acquainted daily with sights and relations of Popes , Cardinals , and Princes affaires , our youths that were bred vp at home with much more simplicitie , and kept vnder by their Parents and Maisters then the Italian education doth comport , forgetteth easily themselues , and breaketh out to liberty , I meane such as haue runne astray , and lost respect to their superiors in Rome . This opinion of the circumstance of the place is greatly increased by the iudgement of Strangers both Spanyards , Frenchmen , and Flemings , and other Nations : who affirme , that they try by experience their people that liue in Rome , if they be not men of great vertue , do proue more headie afterward and lesse tractable , then others brought vp at home . But yet to this , other men of our Nation do adde a second reason for the English Colledge which is at Rome , being a place whereunto many young men do resort : only vpon a desire of seeing nouelties . When any come thither of the English Nation , finding such a commoditie of study and maintenance there , and themselues in want and misery , they made suite for that , whereunto perhaps they had not true vocation from God , nor due preparation in themselues to so holy and high estate . And so being once admitted , fell afterwards to disorder , and to put out of ioynt both themselues and others . Thus farre the Father of the want of grace in some , and of a true calling in others that disagreed with the Iesuites : and how dangerous a matter it is for Parents to send their children to Rome , except they will haue them Iesuites , or at the least to runne their tray terous courses : the very place will marre them . But now heare his report of the estimation that our English Students and Priests haue gotten by their being at Rome : he shall tell it himselfe . Baronius often told me , that our youths bragged much of Martyrdome , but they were refractary ( that was his word ) and had no part of Martyrs spirit , which was in humilitie and obedience . His holynes oftentimes told me , that he was neuer so vexed with any Nation in the world : for on the one side they pretended zeale and pietie , and on the other , shewed the very spirit of the Diuell , in pride , contumacy , and contradiction , &c. And euer now and then his holynes would put his finger to his brayne , signifying that there stoode their sicknes : and so would most of the Court when they talked of Englesye were Indiauoluti , and like words . His holynes added also that he knew not what resolution to take : for on the one side , to punish them openly would be a scandall by reason of the hereticks : and if he should cast them forth of Rome , some had told him that they would haue become hereticks &c. Againe , in his letter to Maister Bishop , writing of the report that he the sayd Maister Bishop and Maister Charnock had made to the Commissary of the Inquisition at their being in Rome : he sayth thus to Maister Bishop : You talked before your restraint heere with the Commissary of the Inquisition , and you gaue him such a relation of our English matters , as afterward when Maister Doctor Haddock and Maister Doctor Array had talked with him also , and informed him ( as they thought ) of the very truths of matters , he told an Honorable man in Rome , and a great friend of mine , that foure English Priests hauing talked with him , they had taken from him all list to beleeue any English men or matters more , they told him so different tales , and yet all of them would seeme to be men of zeale . And againe , thus he writeth in the other letter : I haue heard his holynes often , and diuers Cardinals more often , repeate with exceeding dishonor to our Nation , the headynes and obstinacie of our youths : so as now many great and wise men begin to suspect , that the sufferings of our blessed Martyrs and Confessors in England was not so much for vertue and loue to Gods cause , as of a certaine choler and obstinate will to contradict the Magistrate there . What thinke you Sir ofthese reports by Parsons ? In what case are we poore Priests ? The chiefe cause of our affliction is our defending of the Church of Rome , and therein his holynes authoritie . And thinke they no better of vs for it ? If this do come to the knowledge of our aduersaries , what aduantage will they make of it ? Wo worth that Iesuiticall broode , that to mayntaine their ambition , haue wrought vs this discredit . We haue bin in better reputation with his holynes , and so we hope to be agayne , when this Machiuilian companion shall reape the shante himselfe of this report . For it is not possible , if euer his holynes will be pleased to be informed of him , but that he will reward him with ignominy , as he hath deserued . You know our estates at home , and you haue heard what estimation both we and all our Nation haue at Rome , if Parsons write truly , as we trust he doth not . Our chiefest hope must therefore be in her Maiesties goodnes and mercie towards vs , to graunt vnto vs , if it be possible the libertie of our consciences . But herein obserue this viperous Iesuite . At the league of peace betweene the French and the Spanish Kings , there was a rumor that the Queene would enter into that league , and so graunt a toleration of religion : which Parsons did vtterly dislike ; saying , that either they would haue all or none ; they will admit of no conditions . And his reason is this : because ( sayth he ) a toleration would make the Catholicks of England dull , and without spirit . It is indeede quicknes that this Father desireth , but such a quicknes , as deserueth a quick dispatch at the Gallowes . We trust he shall neuer draw our Catholicks heere to any such quicknes : but that after our dull manner we shall for euer continue her Maiesties most faithfull subiects : and with such quicknes as becommeth vs , oppose our selues to his restles , quick , and bloudy deseignements against our Countrie . But obserue we pray you that we say : our hope is thus of all English Catholicks , which hope may be subiect to some little doubt , especially if his wicked platforme do proceede heere amongst vs : that all Catholicks must hereafter depend vpon Blackwell , and he vpon Garnet , and Garnet vpon Parsons , and Parsons vpon the Diuell : who is the author of all rebellions , treasons , murthers , disobedience , and all such deseignements as this wicked Iesuite hath hitherto deuised against her Maiestie , her safety , her Crowne , her Kingdome , and her life . So as our conclusion shall be with a branch , which we will alwayes remember as an addition when we say the Letany : à Machinationibus Parsoni , libera nos Domine . And thus wee end : desiring God to blesse vs all . Amen . 


id: A19321
fulltext:
   Another letter of Mr. A.C. to his dis-Iesuited kinseman, concerning the appeale, state, Iesuites Also a third letter of his, apologeticall for himselfe against the calumnies contained against him in a certaine Iesuiticall libell, intituled, A manifestation of folly and bad spirit, &c. Copley, Anthony, 1567-1607? 1602 Approx. 194 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 42 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A19321 STC 5736 ESTC S120368 99855567 99855567 21064 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A19321) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 21064) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1443:10) Another letter of Mr. A.C. to his dis-Iesuited kinseman, concerning the appeale, state, Iesuites Also a third letter of his, apologeticall for himselfe against the calumnies contained against him in a certaine Iesuiticall libell, intituled, A manifestation of folly and bad spirit, &c. Copley, Anthony, 1567-1607? 83, [1] p. Newly imprinted [R. Field], [London] : 1602. A.C. = Anthony Copley. Printer's name from STC. The third letter is a reponse to: Parsons, Robert. A manifestation of the great folly of certayne in England calling themselves secular priestes. The third letter has a caption title on page 48: A third letter of Mr. A.C. appologeticall for himselfe, against the calumnies contained against him in a certaine Iesuiticall libel .. . Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610. -- Manifestation of the great folly of certayne in England calling themselves secular priestes. Catholic Church -- England -- Early works to 1800. Jesuits -- England -- Early works to 1800. 2000-00 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2001-07 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-07 Kirk Davis Sampled and proofread 2002-09 Apex CoVantage Rekeyed and resubmitted 2002-10 Olivia Bottum Sampled and proofread 2002-10 Olivia Bottum Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-12 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion ANOTHER LETTER OF Mr. A. C. TO HIS DIS-IESVITED KINSEMAN , CONCERNING THE APPEALE , STATE , IESVITES . Also a third Letter of his , Apologeticall for himselfe against the calumnies contained against him in a certaine Iesuiticall libell , intituled , A manifestation of folly and bad spirit , &c. Recta Securus . Domine libera animam meam à labijs iniquis , & à lingua dolosa . Psal. 119. Newly imprinted . 1602. ANOTHER LETTER of Mr A. C. to his dis-Iesuited kinsman , concerning the Appeale , State , Iesuits . GOod Cosin : To you who haue done me the honor , and your selfe the right , as to rest satisfied by my last Letter to you in answer of one of yours , concerning the present schisme in our Church here in England , betweene the Iesuites , and our fathers the secular Clergie of the Seminaries ; I shall not need either with eloquence , or by protestation to perswade you how glad I am hereof , hoping you will take my word for it ; neither yet how vnfainedly I rest yours farther ( if farther may be ) then for euer . Now whereas you write , that our Clergies thus opposing and writing one against the other , doth greatly scandalize both Catholicke and Protestant : it is verie true , but what remedie ? Vae to the Treatie of Schisme , and more then thrice vae to thè defence thereof so generall and by authoritie ( such as it is ) both which haue bene the ground of all this , and not to innocents who can do no lesse , nor better then they haue done . For will ye ( for example ) allow a fellon , and him his Aduocate with prodigall tongue in his behalfe , and not a true man as much ? What iustice , or what charitie were this ? yea , or what ciuill pollicie in a common wealth ? Greatly ( I confesse ) it were to be wisht that in a variance so Ecclesiasticall as this , and in a Church so vnder execution as ours is , more temperance and modestie were obserued of all hands , aswell for our owne honors , who are Catholikes ; as for the edification of our common aduersaries , who are apt to be scandalized euen in our best cariages . Howbeit on the other side it is no maruell , considering the irascible nature of man , if in a matter so taken to the heart on either partie , and that vpon opinion of Gods glorie as this of the present schisme is , all mens pens be not alike sober , I meane of the Iesuite partie , whose writings are fowle , and full both of intemperance and vntruth : namely and notably , their late Apologie , as may appeare to the ciuill reader , although vnanswered by the Appellants , howbeit ( as I heare ) their answer is forth-comming . A shame that inke and paper and the Presse should be so abused , to the propagation rather then extenuation of a scandale : though so much the lesse shame , by how much the Author seemes ashamed to set so much as two letters of his name vnto it . And yet ( forsooth ) must it passe current as no libell Cum priuilegio Prothonotarij Apostolici , and that in notable disobedience to the supposed Briefe of his Holinesse , promulged of late by the said Archpriest , in checke and heauy censure of all writings and writers vpon this argument . I say supposed , inasmuch as were there any such true Briefe indeed , is it likely ( saith euery one ) that Maister Archpriest himselfe , and his to whome the promulgation , and consequently the obseruance there of primerly appertaineth , would be the first that would violate it ? or that Maister Archpriest would , or durst deferre the promulgation thereof a whole quarter of a yeare as he did ; namely vntill such time as the foresaid Apollogie were come out by and for his partie ? considering that the disobedience is as great to conceale the Popes Bull from due and mature promulgation , as to disobey it being once promulged ; specially such the Archpriests concealing it , being vpon a cause , and to an effect so meerely in repugnance to the tenure and purport thereof ; wherein he hath shewed notable disobedience and impietie to the Briefe , and consequently to Christs Vicar , and holy Church , aswell aforehand as after . Againe , were there anie such Briefe , is it likely that the Archpriest would commit so grosse a fault against it , as to promulge it in so many different and repugnant copies as be to be showne ? Or that not any of so many comming dayly from Rome can report thereof from thence ? Finally , admitting the Bull to be truly his Holinesses and truly promulged without all manner of fault by the Archprist and Iesuites ; it therfore followes not but it may be and is surreptiuely procured by them at his Holinesses hands , aswell as the Archpriests Constitutiue was , by the spite and sleight of father Cowbucke and his fellow fathers ; who held it no sacriledge to mis-informe the sacred sea by their 〈◊〉 instrument M. Standish , and consequently to scandalize it . In consideration whereof , aswell for the honor of that mother sea , as for our owne indempnities , who in this behalfe , and for other important points of our Church and countrey , do stand in present opposition to the Archpriest and Iesuites , it were meete , and necessary ( haply you would thinke ) that aswell we of the Laitie , as our Fathers of the secular clergie should for want of other competent redresse , appeale to his Holinesse from the Archpriest , concerning the said Bull , be it right or surrepted , whereby to be quit in the meane time of the censures therein contained . This ( cosin ) I graunt you , might seeme a right Catholike course and honorable ( as ye say ) for the Sea Apostolike , seing that by it what error the Popes Holinesse may herein vnwittingly , and by wrong information haue committed , he may right aswell to the informers rebuke , as to the Appellants reliefe . But on the other side , when the penal Statute of Praemunire here at home against such appeales to Rome is considered ; the Archpriest and Iesuites themselues ( I am sure ) are not of so inhumane a nature , but that they would be loath to see vs take that course , the same being much more in our preiudice one way , then it can profit vs the other against them . Neuerthelesse , because we will not be beholding to their Fatherhoods so fained compassion and curtesie , as proceeding rather out of their owne selfe-loue and feare to be so called in question at Rome touching the Bull ( which we are sure they are neuer able to make good ) as we could willingly aduēture vpon that course against them ( I meane we of the Laitie whom the same with the censures concernes alike with our Clergie ) and also would for any feare we haue of the Praemunire , yea or of death , in a case that may be to Gods glorie , & the Churches peace , as this such our Appeale might seeme to be : yet because it is seldome seene , that the Laitie of any Catholike Realme , at leastwise of this Realme ( that euer I read ) did appeale to the Sea Apostolicke , in any cause , by meanes whereof this example of ours might seeme preposterous , and preiudiciall to the Lay Catholikes hereafter , aswell as be pernitious to our selues in the meane time , for the reason of the Statute alleaged : and likewise considering that such Appeale by vs were no whit needfull , inasmuch as our clergie is presently in an Appeale at Rome concerning all our aggriefes with them against the Iesuites and Archpriest , and namely and in particular concerning this pretended Briefe from his Holinesse , as by the copie of their Appeale , together with their reasons for it , you may perceiue at the end of this my Letter ; we hold it not fit , either ex debito , or ex congruo , that we of the Laitie should appeale to Rome concerning it , and not of any pusillanimitie toward the Praemunire ( as haply the Archpriest supposeth ) which made him the more aduenturous vpon the wrong doing . Besides , that neither is it true , that if we did appeale in this case to Rome , the sayd Statute can any way touch vs , considering that it were no appealing from her Maiestie , or any 〈◊〉 ciuill Magistrate in this Realme vnder her , to his Holinesse , ( which were the point of offence : ) but onely from his Holinesse substitute , and that but a supposed one too , for more then supposed wrongs by him done vnto vs. Thus ( good cosin ) ought our religion and allegiance to the Apostolicke sea to be discreete , else ( as you see ) may it be preiudiciall to vs , and no honour to it ; and thus much in answer to that supposed obiection . I touched vnto you a litle afore , a booke set out lately on the Iesuites partie , entituled their Apollogie , &c. which forasmuch as peraduēture you haue not yet seene , it going as it doth but in hugger mugger amongst their purblind friends for all the world like a libel , as not daring to shew her , or her authors face ; I will here briefly vnfold vnto you the contents therof , referring you for your farther satisfaction to a copious edition thereof , together with an answer thereto , which is shortly forth comming ( as I said ) on the Priests partie . First and formost , the Iesuite begins me with a slie preposition , or rather supposition of a continued emulation , or animositie ( as he termes it ) of the Laitie of this Realme time out of minde against the Clergie , and still betweene ( especially these later dayes ) of the secular Clergie against the Religious ; whereupon ( namely as touching the later ) after hauing laid great blame for the same vpon the Diuell , the eternall enemie of the Church of God. he then descends to the particular mention of certaine Spies and false brethren , both of the Laitie and Clergie , that haue heretofore giuen scandales to Gods manifest heauie hand and fearfull iudgements vpon some of them for the same : wherein he euer and anon twits and calumniates her Maiestie and the State , as fautors and abettors of such vile persons & their proceedings . Good God , how the Author belabours this point , and is driuen for a seeming ground hereof to his owne forgeries of flat falshoods in the aire aswell against the State , as against the Priests partie , which for our more ignominie he thinkes he hath quaintly coupled together all along his Discourse , weening it not full and honorable inough vnlesse so haughtie , and against a Royal state , though otherwise neuer so full of lies . This shift the good Sir is fallen vnto , as well to winne credite to his Discourse by making it seeme of and against State , as also whereby to giue the statelier flourish to his falshoods , as though we had not true imputations and those bad inough otherwise against our persecutors , without charging them with vntruths . Iesu ! that a Iesuite should be so vaine and impious , or rather who but a Iesuite so vaine and impious , as to frame so fowle and false a matter and a method thereunto , in hope ( belike ) that doing it in the cloudes ( for no name , as I said , haue ye to it ) he and it to passe without shame ; although not so . For , though from the cloud downward to this world , he and it may perhaps passe vndiscried for a time , ( which I suppose wil not be past August next ) by what time the confutation thereof will be come foorth ; yet vpward toward heauen , where is no cloud betweene his shame , & reproofe to such the fowle conscience both of the man and matter , it is already manifest to God and all his Angels to his farther condemnation in die irae . But to returne to the matter ; after that the Apollog●… hath raked all the kennels of our countrey , and beyond-sea for English scandals in our Church ( where who doubts but in fowre and fortie yeares ye may easily find plentie in particular persons that haue lapsed ) & lengthened out his leaues from some to many vpon that sweet argument , in the end he applieth them all to his presupposed ground aforesaid , namely of a hart-burning and haughtinesse of the Laitie and secular Clergie against the Religious , whome he meanes the Iesuite onely : and so patcheth me vp his Apollogie not as an Apollogeticall defence , but as a Satyrical inuectiue against the Appellant-party , especially against some by name , whom ( though most reuerend persons ) he together with the State most leudly slandereth . This is the summe of the Iesuiticall Apollogie , the ground thereof being the Authours meere fantasie , and a Chymaera like to Turkie-worke , without anie Idea or representation that he euer absolutely sawe thereof in rerum natura ; and the vpper frame altogether falshood . But to see how Stoically he carieth the Discourse along à termino ad terminum absque vllo intermedio veritatis , fashioning ( as it were ) an alliance of falshood to falshood with so cunning connexions , and a conclusion so according , that to the vnlearned Reader it beares a reuerend shewe both of veritie and prudence ; to see it ( I assure ye cosin ) you would say you neuer in all your life read a worke more Iesuiticall . How many are there ( I pray ) that reading in like maner ( for example ) Amadis de Gaule his chiualrie and loues , Barnaby Rich his Brusanus and Moderna , Sir Philip Sidneys Arcadia and the like , being all Chymericall fictions , thinke them true neuerthelesse for the time , reading them with as great feeling as if they were verities : such power hath proper counterfait , and congruitie of feigned matter , with her circumstances of time , place , person , &c. Howbeit to censure somwhat such the defect that is in this Apollogie , whereby for want of not here & there but altogether the Aptum ( vz. veritie to the Discourse ) the Pulchrum thereof is blemished ; I would aske the Author , what ( for example ) had M. Gifford his scandale at Paris , or what Terils , Tedders , Mondayes , Belles , Maiors , Hardestayes and such like their Apostasies here in England to do with the present Appellants and Appeale ; the scandales which it concernes growing not on their part , ( or graunt they did ) but on the 〈◊〉 Iesuites who were the giuers : insomuch as if any affinitie or sympathie be at all betwixt those and these scandales , it is betwixt those relapsed persons and the Iesuites , whose wils and dispositions seeme so iust to iumpe , and simbolize , ex parte dati scandali . Wher●… on the other side the verie act of appealing , vz. in that it doth appeale to the sea Apostolike for salue of all those sores , and the Iesuites their earnest withstanding the course , cleares as cleare as the Sunne the Priestes partie from all and euery so hainous imputations ; as being a testimoniall of a cleare conscience : and much , yea as much as may , be to the glorie of S. Peters chaire . There wanted therefore arte in the Authour , touching this so speciall point of the fiction , as cunning Maisters as the Iesuites are in Chymaeraes : likewise in that he so sleightly and pusillanimously ouerskips D. Fishers Treatie of Schisme ; which is the ground of all the present Schisme . Besides this Chymaericall conceipt of the Apolloger , he likewise here and there taxeth verie ●…rdly the Appellants bookes as temerarious and vnsound in Religion , wherein how temerarious and absurd he shewes himselfe , all sincere Catholicke readers of those bookes may discerne . On the other side , whosoeuer shall reade their treatie of Schisme , and this their Apollogie with the Appendix , may well say and sweare , that there was a temerarious pen indeed , as well for matter of faith as of fact , and so of all their other writings vpon this argument of the Appeale , and the estate of our countrey ; and therefore let not a Iesuite become a censor of other mens writings or doings as temerarious , till he haue amended and satisfied for his owne temeritie , both in his doctrine of prince-killing , and other disloyaltie to ones Prince and Countrey , as also in libelling against innocents , ambitioning rule in the Church of God , and being Schismatickes therein . But what tell I them of temeritie , who are impudent , and whose ground where they take ( be it euen against the holy sea ) is Dolus , not Virtus , and all manner of falshood and coggerie that may be imagined ? As for the latter part of the booke , true it is that the Author hath shewne himselfe therein his arts , or rather his crafts-maister , the same consisting wholly of defamations , whereof that societie hath the exactest schoole vnder heauen . How orderly he fetcheth in the principall Appellants one by one , and hath his obloquie to them all : and how reuerently he calumniates them , for all is done vpon colour of Religion , and as their position is , though not so their disposition , In ordine ad Deum . Of one he saith that his becomming scandalous ( he meanes for being in the Appeale ) is for hauing lost the Iesuiticall spirit , wherewith he defameth him to haue bene sometimes attainted ; and so of the rest . In effect all that part of the Appollogie tends to this , that by deprauing of the persons of some of the principall Appellants , their matter may be thought bad : whereas ( in truth ) they are and euer were in the eye of all our Church , and euen of Protestants , so excellent men , both for learning and all manner of good edification , that I know not what Iesuite in the world is worthy , Soluere corrigeam calciamenti eorū , much lesse that may truly say , Black is their eye . Wherefore ( good Cosin ) if the booke chance to come to your hand , do it the correction as to reade it with iudgement ; in so doing , you shall find it no whit worthy so much as an ordinarie ciuill approbation , much lesse of the Appellants answer . Which notwithstanding , they are in hand withall , in fauour of the rude and ignorant Catholicke , whom such matter with the methode proceeding from such persons as ought , and are thought to be religious , and the same supported by too manie more worshipfull then wise Catholickes , is apt to seduce : so homely offices do the Iesuites put these good men vnto , who else would I wisse be a great deale better occupied . Well , the point of Schisme cannot by all likelihood , be now long in difference , it being at this instant in his Holinesse handling , where how little soeuer , and but bo-peeke-like , the Iesuite speakes of it by his Appolloger , he must be forced to say therein what he can or dare , and that in the audience of all the world , and so to his shame , I doubt not ; so litle doubt I of his Holinesse high prudence and prouidence in so important a matter as it is , importing the peace both of our Church and Countrey : and the rather , for that his Holinesse can not choose but see the eyes of all Christendome vpon him in this behalfe , besides the infinite prayers of zelous Catholickes throughout England concurring hereunto at Gods hands . Great was the iudgement and goodnesse of God , that whereas the Iesuites had abused the Sea Apostolicke , by their so surreptiue procurement of the Archpriestship at his Holinesse hands , they in the same irreligious spirit of theirs , to administer that authoritie no lesse abusiuely , as by libell , and vniust censures against innocent Priests , whereby to deserue to be cited ( as now they are ) to the barre of Iustice both concerning the one and the other , which else ( peraduenture ) had not come to passe ; so much was their latter act , not onely Peccatum ex se , but also , Poena peccati , to the former , according to that of S. Augustine in his confessions , Domine tu inssisti & sic est , vt poena sua sibi sit omnis inordinatus appetitus . Which being so , what a folly and shame is it , that the Iesuites not being here in our Church and Countrey , a partie able of themselues for all the power of Spaine to make good the offence , that our fathers of the Seminaries must thus abbet them one against another , and so highly to their owne iniurie and disgrace ? Call ye it a meeke spirit to be so humble ? or rather is it not basenesse and treason to the Catholicke cause , as well as to themselues , as great as may be imagined ? Call ye this Iohn Gersons imitation of Christ ? or is this an autenticke cariage of his Crosse ? This , if euer any , is meere dispersion and not aggregation , subuersion , and not edification , pusillanimitie , and not zeale and valour in the cause of God. Which notwithstanding the Iesuites quaile , and are rather retrograde then onward in the quarrell , it being so very vniust as it is . There is no question , and we know it well , that both with their teeth and nailes they still labour to hinder the businesse from the Apostolike Barre ; wherein they do but condemne themselues and their cause afore hand ; inasmuch as stood they vpon a good ground , they should rather reioyce to see their innocenc●…e so called in question , and examined to Gods honour and theirs in the foyle of the Appellants : who on the other side , were they not most innocent from Schisme , and all other their aduersaries imputations , is it likely that they would euer haue engaged their existimations , their friends , yea and their liues ( as they haue done ) at so high and austere a Barre as that of S. Peters ? Was it euer seene that the man of a guiltie conscience would prosecute a triall , and that with so many miles trauell as from England to Rome , by sea and by land , farre from all friends , and against a profest and mightie enemie , who seekes nothing more then his death , such as the Isuites are against these good men ? Or rather is it not euer seene , that the man of guilt drawes backe and dies , to thinke of holding vp his hand , still holding downe his head before a Iudge ? In few , what greater testimonie of a secure soule and innocence , can the Appellants giue vnto the world , then their present Appeale , and personall proceeding therein ? yea , how much honorable is it in them , ouer and aboue such their innocence from schisme ( which no doubt they will make good ) they to be withall in this businesse of the Appeale , Muri pro domo Domini , and also for their countrey against those fierie fathers ? In respect whereof , though as touching the first , viz. the point of Schisme his Holinesse ( haply ) should inhibit and interdict all pens and tongues in fauour of the Iesuites and Archpriest , it seeming to be a meere ecclesiasticall matter , and so within the spheare of his Apostolicke actiuitie and office to be seene and obeyed in ; yet for the other of our countrey , such his charge were not of force , other then of courtesie ; forasmuch as it is a meere Secular cause and of State , and it an expresse charge of Christ to all subiects , Reddere quae sunt Caesaris Caesari , aswell as Quae sunt Dei Deo ; as also the ingenerate law of nature for all men to be loyall to their countrey . So as in this case there is no law , either of grace , nature , or moralitie , that can tie vs from opposition both with pen and tongue , and howsoeuer , against these fathers as touching this point , whom we know to be no lesse infest foes against our Princesse and countrey , then Spaine it selfe is at this day , and such as labour nothing more then to betray that sweete portion , this sweete plot , our countrey to Spaine , a meere forreine and Morisco nation . Nay more , it is a point wherein haply his Holinesse and his predecessors haue bene ( I will not say too blame ) but ouerseene , inasmuch as what miserie hath this latter age befallen our Church and countrey through new opinions in Religion , nor he nor they haue yet duely seene to forestall it , as still mistaking the course for it ; that is , not by lenitie and ●…yle toward our Princesse , which by all likelihood would more haue preuailed , especially at the first , yea or yet , but by the cleane contrary , as by Buls and censures of excommunication and depriuation against her Maiestie , through the instigation ( no doubt ) of Spaine and lesuits . Great pitie it is that so litle politike that holy Sea hath bene and is in ciuill causes ; namely , betwixt these two nations , as also betweene others heretofore in the like iarres ( as ye may copiously reade in histories ) through her partialitic in affection : and yet no maruell neither , considering that well we wote his Holinesse-infallibilitie is onely peremptorie through the holy Ghost in matters meerely of faith , & not of fact . So as in the cariage of a matter ofstate , more easily may he erre by being a Priest in function , rather then a Secular Prince , whose kingdome is of this world . Very prudently ( we graunt ) did his Holinesse interceed betwixt France and Spaine these last yeeres , to the happie passe of peace that is as yet betweene those two nations ; and why might not his Holinesse haue the like happie hand betweene England and Spaine , vsing the like indifferencie and zeale to the same effect ? Which with great reason ( me thinkes ) his Holinesse is to do , considering that it is as equall good ( for the honour of England I speake it ) to gaine the Queene of Englands fauour by his loue and kindnesse , ( if so it please God ) as to retaine 〈◊〉 the King of Spaine , and the house of Austrich by so doing firme 〈◊〉 it . What though her Highnesse be a woman , is she therefore the lesse worthy to be faire spoken by the Apostolicke Pastor , whose pipe ought to be all melodie ( if it might winne her ) or rather not the worthier for that ? Much more then , for being so eminent a monarch as Englands Queene , and descended of Progenitors so●… singular Catholicke and well deseruing of that Sea , by their extraordinarie beneuolence and bountie to it in former ages . At least wise her commaunding a nation , and a nauie so mightie as Englands , whereby she hath hitherto made good her disgust and opposition to that sacred Sea , to the notable preiudice thereof , aswell throughout most parts of Christendome , as here at home in her Highnesse owne dominions , may in all policie enforce so kind complement at his Holinesse hands toward her Maiestie . This latter consideration although it haue not so well preuailed with their Holinesses toward her Highnesse , yet well we see that the example of a Princesse and her soueraigne Father afore her so by it disgusted , and consequently their detriments done to that Sea , hath inclined his Holinesse that now is ( being withall of himselfe Clement both by name and nature in octauo ) to somewhat more then ordinary and meete indulgence toward other Princes : as for example his , and his predecessors continuall dispensations to the Princes of the house of Austrich , to match so very neare in bloud as cosin germaines scarse once remoued : and also this other day his Holinesse dispensing the French King to marrie with his Florentine now his corregnant , his former wife yet liuing , and the like : whereby in so yeelding to their fraile affections , we see how some he gaines , and other some he retaines together with their seigniories and estates in good termes and temper to the Catholike Church . Whereas the cleane contrarie and rough hand hauing bene , and yet being holden by their Holinesses ouer her Maiestie and her worthy Father , we see and rue to this day what holy Church hath lost by it , which otherwise in the one it might haue preserued , and gained in the other . Do not we the Catholicke subiects of this Realme endure at this houre vnder her Highnesses displeasure with that Sea through her corasiues , in liew of lenitiues vnto her , her very heauie hand both ouer our liuelihoods and our liues , whereby we are driuen to great patience , as by our alleageance aswell to her , as by our Religion to God we are bound ? This is all we haue gotten these foure and fortie yeares , by the seueirtie of the supreme-Pastors to our Soueraigne , and this it he loseth . No no ( cosin ) these are not the dayes as heretofore , when Princes were willing as well in secular as in spirituall causes to be for the most part S. Peters leegemen . This is the age of discession from S. Peters chaire , an age of obdurance , and if euer Antichrists Antelope . Wherefore it behoues his Holinesse ( in all modestie and vnder correction I 〈◊〉 speake it ) now another while to shift the raines into his left hand , and benignely though somewhat sinisterly to retaine Christian Princes in the right Catholike way , and in particular so to win our Soueraigne , if it please God : and not to suffer himselfe to be miscaried by Spaine and Spaines implements the Iesuites against her . At leastwise I could wish , and I pray God , that howsoeuer his Holinesse may continue to erre herein , we the Catholicke subiects of this Realme may still remember our duties , and despise the pipe of Spaine . Then would I not doubt but Gods finger would come in betweene , and worke her Maiesties Princely heart to his glorie and our ease , which now that Spaine and the Iesuites would seeme to take this office out of Gods hand ; they rather marre then make good . The remedie against which mischiefe is in our power , it being in our wils aswell as in our duties , not to be worse then Turke or Painim , as in such disloyaltie and misnature to our Prince and countrey in the behalfe of that Gothicke and Barbarian nation Spaine we should be . Well , are the Iesuites Dijtitulares , as being so termed after Iesus , but ( sure ) no way Dijtutclares in this their gospell . Farre better gods in that kind were the Romaine geese , which with their cackle awaked the garrison of the Capitoll in defence of that mount against Brennus his Escalada by night ; and more worthie a great deale they to be held for goddesses therefore among those heathen people ( as they were a long time after ) then these fathers for gods , amongst vs that are Christians , whom by this their so vnnatural position they would transforme to worse then geese . For , what bird may be said so much to defile his owne neast , as a man to be so very a varlet to his owne countrey ? The Iesuites neuerthelesse would haue it so , and to this effect it is more then probably suspected , that the King of Spaine hath by their disbursements his pensioners ; and feed men here amongst vs ; yea , and the Iesuites themselues sticke not to vaunt that they haue a finger not onely in the Catholicke commons of this Realme , but also in the State , wherein ( but specially the latter ) I dare sweare that Mentitur iniquitas sibi . God of his infinite goodnesse ( I beseech ) neuer to suffer the Crowne of England to haue such a circle about it as any so bad States-men , nor euer may English Nobilitie be so stained . True it is , and we are not ignorant by the examples of Sicilie , Naples , Lumbardie , and the low Countries , that highly doth the Spaniard dig●…ie the naturall Nobilitie of th●…se Prouinces , indowing them ouer and aboue their owne patrimonie ( though very ample ) with double as much pension from Spaine : but to what end ? Truly , to no other , then that by so retaining the affections of the nobles loyall to him , he may by their hands ( being naturals ) the easier tyrannize ouer the Commons to their vtter bondage and beggarie , as in th●…se parts we see it . This kind of complement may perhaps allure a base minded States-man ( as none such we trust belongs to the Crowne of England ) to hearken to such the Iesuits suggestion in Spaines behalfe , but neuer a true nobleman indeed . For whosoeuer such he be , that values the honour of his a●…mcestrie deriued to him in bloud , and withall the honour of such his office ofstate , whereby he is incorporate to the Queene , and sworne a father to his countrey , it is not possible that he can be so Iesuited . Neither is it probable that any Catholicke or other commoner of but common sort , sence , and ciuility , can be drawne thereunto , notwithstanding that in the point of a childs dutie to his parent , and also of a seruants to his maister ; it is strange how Iesuitisine hath debaucht a great many Catholikes that I know and haue heard of . I know the Catholicke children of either sexe , and those ( some of them ) in their ripest sence , and of extraordinarie religious shew and reputation , who since their becomming Iesuited , haue very scandalously not onely neglected their fillall dutie and reuerence to their parents , but which worse is , cleane set them at naught ; such swolne and puritane-spirits those fathers haue put into them , vpon opinion ( belike ) of their being Gods dearlings , and assured of their saluation ; or else vpon perswasion that they being their spiritual parents , they ought in regard of them to misregard their carnall , by how much the spirit is more honourable then the flesh . It is no maruell if men so impious against the law of nature , do teach their pupils all foule manner toward the ciuill Magistrate , as also if they dare to preach it for good religion , a man to be a traitor to his Prince and Countrey . But very much it were a maruell if Englishmen , especially Catholickes , who ( as such ) ought to be the best and loyallest subiects vnder heauen , and such as all Princes may be glad to raigne ouer , would be depraued by their so Morisco doctrine , as fauouring so much of Spaine , and the bastard Sowbucke , Spaines so leud Apostle . For setting aside the infinite scandale and dishonour , for such a Realme as this to vaile bonnet to any forreine nation in the world ; what may we probably expect at Spaines hands were it vnder her aw , then tyrannie in octauo , whose way-makers being religious are men of so foule desert both to it and our Church ? Al the good that we may be certaine of , were Catholicke Religion ( which I graunt were the greatest good vnder heauen ) but with it such oppression , and that vnder the pall and pretext of Relgion , as what can be more irreligious ? or what Catholicke may endure it ? Yes , ( you will say ) we shall haue Indie gold by the meanes ; I graunt ye , but how ? so dearely bought as we had better be pleased with our English copper . The same when we haue it , to be forth comming to the Spanish magistrates extortion , and perhaps to euerie rascall Spanish souldiers rapine ; or haply in liew thereof , the horne to your forehead , or the rape of your daughter , or the buggerie of your sonne , or the Sodomizing of your sow , with thousands such like insolencies and shames , as are 〈◊〉 naturall to that torrid nation , and you had better be dead then endure . There would be such wresting then of Reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari by the Iesuits , that all that euer you are and haue , should thereby come vnder the execution of Spanish tyrannie , euen to the accises vpon sallads , egges , pudding-pies , shooing-hornes , and the like plaine and pettie wares throughout the Realme : whereas our Sauiour Christ gaue that precept in reuerence to true , lawfull , naturall Soueraignes , and not to tyrants and vsurpers , especially forreiners , such as the Spaniards would be if it should come to that . How much more comfortable construction may we that are Catholickes at this day in England make of th●…se words of Christ , being both by his instant example when he vttered them , and more fully afterward by his Passion , at what time though he were God , and might ( as he himselfe affirmed ) haue commaunded legions of Angels at his Fathers hands in his defence against Caesar and the ciuill magistrate , yet would not so do , but contrariwise yeelded himselfe like a most meeke Lambe to the shamble , and in particular at his apprehension rebuked S. Peter for drawing his sword against Malchas , though in so good a quarrell as of him his Lord and Maister , being ( I say ) by all these his examples taught , that we ought in Gods cause rather paeti then agere fortia against the ciuil sword ; passion rather thē action seeming by all his presidents ( as man & whose kingdome he himself said was not of this world ) to be the more honourable point of fortitude . Non veni soluere legem , sed a●…implere , said our Sauior in another place , and also by his Apostle elsewhere , Obedite Praepositis vostris . Besides , that the Popes holinesse hath neither implicité nor explicité , as Christs Vicar other commission out of Christs owne words , then that which Christ said himselfe to haue , viz. no kingdome of this world but meerely Pastorall , and for which the Prophet forespelled of Christ , that he was to sit in Dauids throne who was a shepheard : whereby his Holinesse is also to vse and delegate but onely pastorall armes by Christs owne appointment , that is Peram & baculum , and as all shepheards do , to take his sheep-walkes as he finds them , downe as down , and dale as dale , and not to transferre the same as S. Gregorie Tha●…maturgus did a mountaine by myracle , and as to bring Spaine into England , and the like , according to this new gospell of the Iesuites were to do . No no ( cosin ) Saint Peter had no keyes commissioned him by Christ as a Caesar , but as a Shepheard , as appeares plaine by the words of his commission : Pasce ones me as , pasce ag●…s me●…s : neither is his Holinesse at this day a temporall Prince , but onely in litle Romania , and that by the bountie ( as ye may reade ) of our countriman Constantine Caesar. Lastly , neither is it safe pollicie in his Holinesse , as he fauours the Church his charge , to attempt any such tradition of England ouer to Spaine , considering that our Soueraigne is truly a Lionesse that knowes her strength and how to vse it aswell as euer any her predecessor-Kings of this Realme did , and as alreadie more then partly the Catholicke Church through Gods permission hath found it , and his Holinesse sees it , and we yet feele it as aforesaid . Wherefore ( good Cosin ) to conclude my opinion and conscience vnto you vpon this point , let all English Catholickes aswell for that we are Catholikes as English , explode and prosecute this doctrine of the Iesuites here amongst vs in Spaines behalfe as imposturall and disloyall , and flat against the grounds both of grace and nature ; and let vs sticke as well to our countrey like true English , as to the holy Romaine Church like true Catholikes to the death . Let vs be still armed with passiue fortitude , viz. patience toward our owne true , lawfull , and naturall Princesse though neuer so heauie handed ouer vs , rather then in our impatience to call in a stranger , and a demi - Moore vpon vs whose language we vnderstand not , and whose humours and fashions we shall neuer be able to abide . In so doing though it should be the will of God her Maiestie still to continue harsh towards vs , we shall giue God and our consciences honour both now present and in the latter day , as by the testimoniall of our true alleageance and Religion , barke the Puritanes neuer so currishly against vs as they daily do . You haue seene ( I am sure ) their late Memoriall exhibited to her Maiestie , and the two LL. Archbishops , perswading farther vexations and grieuances to vs Catholickes then hitherto haue bene accustomed , euen to the passe of occluding vnto vs all hope of her Highnesse grace and clemenie for euer , which sounds as much as to driue vs to despaire ; a point which they verie vnchristianly and no lesse vnpolitickly define to be the onely securing of her Princely person and estate against all both foraine and domesticke hazards , as though we were the onely disloyall subiects vnto her Highnes in either of those kinds . But such their malignant reasons and imputations leaue we ( Cosin ) to her Maiesties examination , who in her high Prudence cannot be but satisfied of our loyaltie ( setting Iesuites aside ) by the proofe of these foure and fortie yeares , as also see how daungerous a thing it is to a State , to driue so great a part of subiects as Catholikes are in this her Highnesse Realme to desperation were we not Catholickes , who by the grounds of our Religion would ( God willing ) be as litle disloyal to her Maiestie in such our despaires ( would her Highnesse driue vs thereto ) as we haue hitherto bene in our longanimitie and hopes for her fauor : whereas what Puritanes would proue in the like case vnto her Highnesse , it is greatly to be doubted , considering their frantike spirit , and what bellowes blowes them . But ( we thanke God ) that not they , but Protestants steare the present state , who being lesse forgone from God and vs then they ( how foolishly soeuer this memorialist would make their Religion all one ) is withall so wise as to iudge of that their memoriall as it is , remembring how little Queene Marie profited this Realme in Catholike Religion by her seueritie against Protestants ; it being the nature of persecution , rather to pullulate more and more spiritual errors , then to retrench them : much more veritie it selfe according to that of the Psalmist , Fluminis impetus laetificat ciuitatem Dei. Besides that , neither would such the Puritanes course ere a whit preuaile ( I presume ) so much as in State ( setting Religion aside ) with the Iesuite partie , which indeed is the Spanish , and that whereof they make least State ; forsomuch as ( we are sure ) howsoeuer the memorialist pleaseth to terme them Catholickes of Religion and not of State , that they would collogue with any such course , by either oath or other externall signe whatsoeuer should be required at their hands , according to the lawes of their mentall euasions and equiuocations grounded vpon their Ordo ad Deum , which permits them any dissimulation ; and also according to the examples they haue hereof giuen in Scotland , by allowing and auowing it lawfull for Catholickes there to communicate with Heretickes in their externall seruice , which any true child of the Catholicke Church would rather die then do , as holding it flat Apostacie . I am sorie to say thus much of them going as they do for Catholikes ; as also that grossely is the memorialist mistakē , to affirme our variance with them but dissembled to the State , and by dispensation from his Holinesse ; which if it were so at the beginning ( as what wise man would cuer imagine it , considering we are both one Church , and that vnder persecution , and the scandall it would giue ) yet now both the State and all England sees , that if ( as such ) we entred at the first like two friends into a fence-schoole to practise with one another in ieast , and to deceiue the beholder ; such our ieast is now turned into earnest , our foyles to edge , our vennies to wounds . But leauing this point of State , wherein the Puritanes and Iesuites both do thus wrong vs to the world-ward though not to God , I haue no more to say vnto you concerning the same at this time , then what in my former letter I largely wished , and in this a litle afore I began to say , that is , that howsoeuer the world goes , we shew our selues ( as hitherto we haue done ) loyall to her Maiestie , and respectfull to her law , and the ciuil magistrate vnder her in whatsoeuer trial of our faith ; and not malapert , saucie , and peremptorie , like as manie Iesuited Catholickes haue done , as though a good matter needed not also good manner . Constant it behooues vs to be , Usque ad aras , to our conscience if it come to that , but not currish , and surly , as in scorne of the law and magistrate we liue vnder , whom such cariage doth no whit edifie , but rather more and more exasperate to our harmes . Besides , that it sounds a man in so doing to be guiltie of his owne death , and to die not so much for Religion , as for an vnciuill fellow . So died one of the 14 gentlemen , who being questioned of his Religion by a high Commissioner , thought it not zeale inough to auouch it Catholike ( which he did ) vnlesse with this addition , that he thanked God he was not a sheepe of the scabbed flocke of Geneua . Briefe , our obedience and seruice ought ( according to the Apostle ) to be discreete , and as much as may be to edification , aswell by our morall good deportment , as by our religious . The Protestants that suffered in Queene Maries time for their errours in Religion , were in this point many of them to be commended , they fashioning their termes very reuerently to the ciuil Magistrate : and shal we then that are Catholikes be to learne of them ? No , let vs remember that we are subiects to a Princesse , no more an vsurper , yea , more applauded to the Crowne by all England , and in especiall , the same set vpon her royall head , and she annointed by a Catholike Bishop , then euer that good Queene was , who attained to it through the pikes of a competitor . Let vs withall hope that ( seeing bloud will haue bloud ) the Protestants hand which we are now vnder , will one day be satisfied for the Protestant blond , in my opinion , too profusely shed , and other their vexations in the aforesaid good Queeens daies , and so perhaps appeased . But specially in so singular a good cause as this of our Catholike Religion , if no asswage or courtesie should euer befall vs from the Protestant , let this be our rest , not to be ashamed to be torne members vnder so thornie a head as our Lord and Maister Iesus . Which the better we may do and be , if we will harken like good sheepe to the pipe of our true Pastors of the secular Cleargie , namely , the Seminaries yet another while , leauing the Iesuites as false ones , and who in their singularitie and worldly wealth ( wherin they settle like Bettles in soile ) haue cleane forfeited and forsaken the spirit both of their Founder and of the Catholike Church , and so are giuen ouer by God to themselues , & ad insanias falsas , as yet a litle more I will shew you and so make an end . First then to begin with what I now last touched of their singularitie and common-wealth , it is not to be doubted but amid all their Euangelicall labours in India , they haue a speciall eye to their Bonum societatis as they terme it ; but whether truly In ordine ad Deum that is the question . Not that I would haue you conster this Item vnto them as in detraction by way of extenuation of their wel-doings for Christs Church in those parts , but truly as it is , that more then somewhat or competent they respect their temporall boote in that spirituall trafficke . Which to do in a religious mediocritie might well ( I graunt ) beseeme them , forasmuch as Dignus est operarius mercede sua , especially if they would vse their gettings as they ought and would haue it thought sincerely In ordine ad Deum , as the Benedictines did their riches heretofore in England , in almes-hospitalitie and all good edification , I meane the gold , and pearle , and spice , and such like Indian-wares wherewith they so copiously euerie yeare inrich their societie here in Europe from thence . But if it do appeare ( as too plaine it doth ) that by reason of such their riches from thence and what they no lesse secularly gather here in Europe , they neglect Gods honor by preferring their owne afore it ; then ( loe ) must we needs condemne both such their gatherings in India and here , and much more their said Ordo ad Deum as falsly and hypocritically by them pretended ; and consequently thinke , that Qui cum ijs colligunt , spergunt . If it appeare to all Europe that by meanes of such their wealth they trouble all Europe by setting Kings and kingdomes at oddes ; by sowing of factions wheresoeuer they come ; by ambitioning aboue all religious orders in holy Church In ordine ad daemonem , Aemulantes still Charisma●… pessima , and dominion euen ouer the secular Cleargie on which for their greatest honors they depend ; if they busie themselues in disposing and deposing of Crownes and Scepters betraying one nation ouer to the hand of another , yea , their owne deare countrey , and all this in Iesus name ; briefe , if they be scarse good lay men in their cariages , & but in bare title religious ; if all this or but half do appeare true , how then ( I pray ) is their riches to be said In ordine ad Deum ? or how are they the men they vaunt and would be taken for ? Who that hath but one eye sees not how that by so abusing their wealth , they abuse God and his glorious name , after which in their singularitie they haue chosen to be called ? Who sees not that by being so vnworthie stewards of worldly talent , they are much more vnworthie of the spirituall fauors , faculties , & prerogatiues indulged vnto them by holy Church more then to any other order of Religion whatsoeuer ; insomuch as in regard of the same ( being spiritual and holy talents ) they may truly say to God if they were so humble and penitent , or since they are not , any other for them , Domine quinque talenta dedisti mihi , ecce alia quinque super furatus sum : for what hath a religious person to do with the fat of the earth , albeit he would vse it neuer so well ? much lesse when abuse it as these do . Such fat doth but infatuate them from heauen , making them looke toward it with fat cheeks which they should do with leane . Who sees not how that their neastling in pallace-tops by meanes of such their wealth , is not therefore their being true and kind storkes ; insomuch as they from such their tops and towers , pay not like the thankful storke tribute to the place , neither kil they vp all the frogges and other vermin in the countrey about ; but contrariwise would destroy the best things there , as here in England we see the lamentable proofe at this houre in their libel against the honors of our best fathers the Seminaries who brought them ouer hither , as also in the Catholicke Church of Holland which they haue likewise so fouly disordered with their schisme and faction at this day , that it is at this present in an Appeale against them vnder her Apostolicke Vicar before the Popes Legate a latere in those parts , who to his infinit griefe to see it , is now in redressing the same . So haughtie that societie is growne by reason of her wealth , and the countenance of the house of Austrich ( whose coate and cognisance it hath worne from an egge , as aiming to rise and fall by and with the greatest ) that wheresoeuer in all Christendome it sets footing , it straight seekes to innouate all , and to captiuate aswell the Laitie as the Cleargie to her homage . Here hence it is that all mens faculties must vaile bonnet to it , and their good names be vnder her praise or reproofe . It is not enough where a Colledge of these fathers is , a Citizen to be noble either in bloud , by office , or rare manners , no nor to be neuer so honest , innocent , and of a safe conscience to God and the world-ward , without their superscription or letters patents , which sounds as though a man should be more beholding to them then to God , to a Icsuit then to Iesus : whereas , bearing the print of their praise , it skils not how very a foole , or knaue , or both a man be . All mens honours and abilities must depend on them , and their republicke , or else be reputed reprobate . Yea , the secular Priest ( as I a litle afore touched ) which is the supremest dignitie in the Church of God , and it whereby a Iesuit Priest is more reuerend , then for being a bare Iesuite and no Priest , ( which he can neuer be but by the imposition of the Seculars hand , vz. the Bishops ouer him ) such a one ( I say ) not to rise vp to him , and giue him the conge and vpper place in all meetings , is to be esteemed an vnmannerly puppie , and proclaimed by their drum●…e for a scandalous person ouer all the face of a countrey ; so exorbitant is their pride or ingratitude , chuse ye whether . Examples hereof are so many , and so daily here in our countrey and in our Church notwithstanding the affliction it is vnder , that to recount ye them , were more tedious then a wonder . Was it not ( for example ) notable pride and peeuishnesse in a certaine Iesuited priest Northward now an assistant to the Archpriest , who being there in a worshipfull womans house , where were also a secular Priests residing for the most part , he vpon some generall termes of hers to him in confession , sounding as though she were scandalized in the too peremptorie cariage of one of the three in her house , to refuse to absolue her , vnlesse she would there at his feete declare , whether she meant it by him ( as indeed she did ) a point which she refusing to satisfie him in , as meere impertinent , nay vnallowable in that Sacrament ; was faine to stay his inordinate leysure and pleasure for an absolution : besides the pride , was not this notable sacriledge to so high a Sacrament ? In like maner this other day , a parcell of almes comming to a certaine prison in London , and deliuered to a Iesuited Priest of the last yeares condemnation , to be by him distributed amongst the Catholikes his fellow-prisoners ; a Iesuit who was likewise a prisoner in that place , demaunded that money of him as in way of exception , that he being a profest Iesuit was the worthier man to distribute it . The other on the other side stood vpon the honour of his condemnation , alleaging that in that respect ( though no Iesuit he , other then in Voto ) he was the more worthy . Thus stood they vpon Puntoes so quarellously , and so long in this high affaire , that they could take no rest a nights , and that all the prisoners there were verie much scandalized thereat , who being for the most part Iesuiticall , and the brabble referred in the end to their disciding , awarded for the substantiue Iesuit against the adiectiue , notwithstanding his dissigned martyrdome , which I am greatly deceiued if euer God suffer to take effect , as long as he continues Iesuiticall . Out of this spirit it is that father Cowbucke for all the disparage of his birth ( which not his basptisme could wash away ) and other his scandalous cariages aswell since his Iesuitisme , as formerly when he was an hereticke in Oxford , ambitioneth the Cardinalate , forgetting how that to be a bare Priest ( though no such peere ) he being a knowne bastard is against the Canons of the Church ; although to be a Iesuite ( being such ) well and good he may . A proper person ( surely ) to be a Cardinall , or to carie so great a taile after him as he doth at this day in England : howbeit ( insooth ) as good he to be such a ring-leader for Spanish faction here , the matter being so leud as it is , and he ( setting his priesthood aside ) so base , as for his Generall or other outlandish Iesuite to be the same , who are no whit English. Well , the man is a Iesuit , and therefore to be esteemed whatsoeuer his birth or behauiour be , and they worthy the Stropado , ●…ay the Garotto that dare to censure him . See what a thing it is to be a Iesuit , and what an Ordo ad Deum ( as they vse it ) in disorder to the Church and of a common wealth . This is that societie of Fathers of which it must be said , that by Gods speciall prouidence it came vp with Luther , as a curbe to his and from him all the ensuing heresies of this age , by which it hath morched along like a mattocke cheeke by ioule , rooting them vp instantly euery where . A fond foundation of a praise , as though Beere did not also come in much about that time , which notwithstanding immoderatly taken and so abused , though good and wholesome drinke of it selfe , is as the Iesuites are at this day pernitious , intoxicating the braine . This is that societie that must be termed of Fathers in Gods Church , they being no whit her good sonnes , and which would rule , not knowing yet how to obey . This is that societie that thinkes it becomes it well in Iesus name to grace her Generals , and other her inferiour members to the worlds eye , with most curious and costly pictures and statues amongst the greatest Lords and Heroes of Christendome , which is a monstrous vaine-glorie , and which all other religious in the Church , are in their humilitie ashamed of . But their kingdome being ( it seemes ) wholly of this world , let not such their vanity seeme strange vnto you , neither yet strange a many other their like vaine-glorious fopperies . In few , this is that societie that must be thought most holy and perfect of all other orders , yea or then a generall Councell , because ( forsooth ) they say , it is the most hated corporation , and the most persecuted of Heretickes and the diuell of them all : which argument we might well graunt them for good , were it not that the societie is also no lesse disliked of the Catholike church itselfe . Moreouer if that reason might hold , aswell may we inferre that Lutheranisme was truest Religion in Queene Maries time , because the most persecuted then : but Causa , not Poena facit Martyrem saith S. Augustine ; and our Sauiour , Ex fructubus eorum cognoscetis eos . These be the true rules that Heretikes and Iesuites are to be knowne by of all Catholickes , namely , as enemies the one , scandals the other to the Catholike Church , the one without , the other within the same . And yet these others sway mightily ( we see ) with ignorant Catholickes in their good acceptance and commendation , according to that , Stultorum plena sunt omnia . At a word it is such a societie , that were S. Augustine now aliue and to write anew his Citie of God , he would pen it downe , and make it knowne for the most imposturall corporation that euer was within the same , and as pernitious to it ( if it should hold on vnreformed ) as any malignant limme that euer hath bene thereunto . For which ye may see what great reason the French King had to expulse them out of his most Christian kingdome , and how little reason the Catholike King hath to giue them the countenance he doth , whereas the rude Indians if they but vnderstood the French Kings reasons for his expelling them , would ( I perswade me ) do as much amongst them . Another querke this societie hath wherewith to winne to be admired , and that is her prophecies . Great Propheciers the Iesuites are and fortune-tellers , to wit , not of trifles , as of stolne or lost neckerchers , handkerchers , crosse-clothes , pin-pillowes and the like , like Gipsies or Witches , but of the changes and deaths of States and Statists , though for the most part most foolish and false , whereby you may see from whence their illuminations come , and with what holy-ghost their familiaritie and correspondence is whereof they so much boast . For example , they one while prophecied of the last Lord Treasurer of England the Lord Burleigh , that for being not so much a persecutor of the Catholicke Church in generall , as in particular of their societie , by Gods angry doome he should die Herods pedicular death : another while that he should be executed at the Court-gate in her Maiesties displeasure and to the infinite contentment both of Court and Countrey , who notwithstanding ( as he liued a great Councellor ) so to the eye of the world died a faire death , and was laid out a faire coarse , and buried with great honor . So likewise of her Maiesties end how disasterously they haue prophecied , and do expect , I am sure you haue heard and do disgust as much as I. But what talke I of Protestants , seeing that also vpō very religious Catholikes they haue augured no lesse fatally , for being their known or but suspected distasters ? If but a pin prick such a one , or his tooth ake neuer so litle , it must be straight thought Gods anger to the partie , and that all the Angels of heauen haue a finger therein in reuenge of his odious soule to God. Whereas what mischiefe soeuer happens to any child or dearling of theirs ( though neuer so prodigious , and the partie neuer so leud ) must be reputed but ordinarie and naturall , yea and Gods blessing vnto him as in probate of his vertues , and not in plague to his sinnes . Thus rarifie they ( as it were ) all aduerse persons to their doctrine and proceedings , either to the diuell or to nothing , and blub vp their owne impes in presumption like rice or pease in pisse . I know the Gentlewoman my allie , who in this strange ballowne-like spirit ( being extreme Iesuitical ) vaunted these vaine ascensions of her soule to heauen-ward . Imprimis , that her first ghostly father , being but a bare Secular Priest , brought her but on her way to heauen ; the second a Iesuited Secular , brought her to heauens gate ; but the third a profest Iesuite , he , oh he of all the good men that euer liued , she was beholding vnto for heauen it selfe . Was it not as puritane a spirit in another Iesuitesse sometimes my good acquaintance , who in the case of her daughters preferment in mariage , refused to hold parley with a very worshipfull gentleman in a motion made by a Secular Priest concerning a match betweene his sonne and her said daughter , for no other reason in the world , then because such a Priest , and not a Iesuite was the meanes : which Iesuitisme of hers the Gentleman scorning aswell for his owne honour , as for the honour of the Secular Cleargie , gaue her ouer with an affrent as she deserued . The like puft spirit , or rather à fortiore was that of a Iesuiticall Priest now in Framlingham , who in a letter of his to a kinswoman of mine , perswading her to Iesuitisme in the present schisme , hath these Pharisaicall termes vnto her , or the like ( as I perfectly remember ) in his owne commendation : O my good God , how much hast thou honoured me aboue thousands of my brethren in thy seruice , how may I not hope for my long sufferances for thy sake , my watchings , prayers , fastings , to be thine for euer in thy glorie ; Oh see what vertue is , and how boldly it may bespeake Gods iustice . All which neuerthelesse I would haue you think I attribute to Gods goodnes and not to my owne deserts , &c. How like ye ( I pray ) this spirit of a man ? Do ye thinke it tastes any whit of the holy Ghost , or of his spouse the Catholicke Church ? Haue ye euer read of the like in any Saint of God , Confes●…or or Martyr ? beleeue me I haue not . A Iesuit so to commend himself , how is it not to condemne others ? and to be too peremptory a Prophet of disasters , especially to his distasters , though commonly as false in the one , as Pharisaical in the other ? How is it that they condemne not onely other mens bad , but euen their best actions , not proceeding from the instinct of their spirit , but farther , dare ( as I say ) to prophecie Gods dread doomes thereunto , and to them , Oh monstrous singularitie to presume so high , or if not monstrous but meete , why may not ( I pray ) by the same reason a Secular Priest or his friend aswell not censure that societie for most impious , vnfortunate , yea and reprobate for the paucitie of Martyrs that haue bene of it in England all this time of affliction , neither any Saint of it as yet so much as their Founder canonized in the Catholike church since their institution to this day ? Why may not we aswel by the same reason calumniate euen those three or 4. Martyrs ( which are al that haue bin of their societie here in England ) to haue died rather to their shames for their sins , then to gods glorie , which ( though vnconfirmed as yet by myracles for Saints ) God defend that absolutely we should . Yea God desend we should so much as censure M. Atkinson the late Apostata priest , their renouned dearling both before and since his Apostasie , for a reprobate , seeing that Non est abbreuiata manus Dei at any time toward a repentant sinner . Howbeit , not that withall we are bound in conscience to extenuate his lapse & scandale as but a trifle , which some Iesuits lately haue done , and that by their expresse letters in his commendation into Ireland , which are forthcomming . But all their crowes must be white , which whether blacke or white ( being but crowes ) much good ( I pray God ) may it do them . In effect , there is nothing so religious , so honorable , and to Gods honour , but impietie may depraue , nor any thing so criminall and abhominable , but it may be-honest at least in shew , especially vpon pretext of Religion and holinesse as Iesuites vse to do all their euils . But those fathers must not be repaid with their owne measure , nor is it meete , it being so much out of measure as ye see . If the Seminarie or Secular Priest should so render vnto them , the example would be too scandalous and domageable to Gods Church here amongst vs , they being ( as it were ) the very brow of it , and as a beacon vpon mount Sion . So should not our Church be without continuall Schisme , nor the State ciuill without imminent hazards from abroade and corruption at home ; so very foule for the most part are all their examples , which to expiate how many of these good men haue lost their liues as in equall condemnation with the Iesuits from the State ? And in particular so should detraction be the greatest Ladie in this land , it being the most Iesuiticall vice of all other , & of the most varietie and facilitie to be practised ; for ye may do it by supposals . Suppose ye ( for example ) that one of the Appellant priests do resort to my Lord of London , it is iust thereupon to report and sweare , that he hath alreadie recanted at Paules Crosse and is turned Protestant , or maried to a wench and become a cuckold , and so of the like whatsoeuerye list , so the rule and standart in your conscience be Ordo ad Deum . And for I speake of detraction , I will here relate and condemne vnto you , hoping you will do the like with me , one of the foulest presidents that euer you heard or read of in this kind of Iesuitisme . The Authors whereof in generall are all the whole Iesuiticall faction at this day in England as for labiall slander of the partie detracted ; but in especiall , and in way oflibell but three or foure . One is father Cowbucke in his late infamous Appollogie , or what other Iesuite is thereof the Author ; another the Manifester of folly and bad spirit , &c. the third , the aforesaid Cowbucke , or the Archpriest ( as some thinke ) in the Latin Appendix ; and the fourth and last is one Versteghen , alias Rowland a Coopers sonne , and a binominous fellow , worthily so markt and knowne to the world were it for no other spot orstaine of his life then this one alone . Of this fourth libell and libeller onely I here meane to certifie you , letting the other three passe as throughly alreadie either answered or in answering to M. Watsons lasting credit ( who is the man thus Iesuitically infamed ) by those of his owne reuerend coate and companie . This Versteghen then , alias Rowland ( the honest Coopers sonne here at S. Katherins in London ) rising vp onely by brocage and spierie for the Hispanished Iesuits , liuing now as though he were an Hidalgo in Antwerpe ( as who may not be a gentleman so far from home ) hauing read or heard of a certaine passage in M. Watsons Quodlibets , where he feeles himselfe touched rather for a very fopperie indeed , then any enormous crime ( as may appeare to the Reader ) takes the matter so highly in blemish to his Iesuitical reputation , and withal pepper so in the nose as ye shall heare . He writes me hereupon his letter , or rather his libel ouer into England coppie vpon coppie , in which ( omitting how by the way he calumniates the partie of the Appellants in generall ) he most sacrilegiously termes the said good man M. Watson , an Apostata vnworthy of Priesthood , one who hath made shipwracke of his soule , a bussard , a dissard , a lier , a base companion , an out-cast of the world , hatefull to God and man , a contemptible , base , obscure , and ridiculous creature , a rauer , a railer , a slaunderer , detestable , abhorrible , perfidious , malicious , venimous , shamelesse , wicked , false , vile , a scholler of women and fooles , a notorious lying knaue , a Iudas , and no wayes to be ballanced for worthinesse and credite to father Parsons ; a fit cadence ( beleeue me ) to such a straine . Good cosin , before I proceede any farther in reproofe of this wretch , do not ( I pray ) your eares glow alreadie ( being so very Catholicke as you are ) to reade these termes against an annointed Priest ? Do ye not alreadie condemne and spit at so Iesuiticall a spirit ? The fellow I haue knowne a long time , and withall to haue bene euer an impe of the Iesuites ; else how is it possible that professing himselfe a Catholicke and a Gentleman , nay and to suffer for the ca se , he to be so impious to holy Priesthood as these termes import him ? Could any Hereticke , Turke , Painim , Atheist , Witch , Diuell haue beene more sacrilegious ? or any scauinger more vncleanely ? or could any though neuer so enormous a Caitife haue bene more abiectly taunted then with these termes ? What thinke you when such a vermin as this , shall dare offer such indignitie to holy Priesthood , then which what higher dignitie haue ye in the Church of God ? A man would haue thought that had M. Watson bene neuer so guiltie , and deseruing those Epithetes , yet the sacred Order of Priesthood , whereby he abides neuerthelesse medicinable to all that sacramentally apply vnto his salue , by vertue of that Character which still remaines indeleble vpon him vnto his graue , would haue had so much priuiledge with a Catholicke man as to haue forborne him those termes ; especially the dissard ( for I wil render him but his own measure ) vouchsafing in his said libel vpon one Digs a ranke Puritane , & persecutor of Catholikes the title of Maister . But oh God , oh infinite corruption in holy Church , when such spirits are suffered , nay nurtured therein : when a religious Societie , and that of Iesus can beget such brats ! How may we not feare , yea and in a manner sweare that Cecidit ciuitas sancta , when whereas heretofore the lay did therein now and then debauch the religious , now the relgious do debauch the lay , and that as bad as bad may be ; namely to the outraging of what is most holy , to wit , Priest and Prince ; the later as we lately inough saw in the murther of the last French King , and latelier might haue seene in the now regnant ; and also in our own deare Soueraigne sundrie times by the Iesuiticall hand had not Gods hand bene the stronger : and the other ( not to go farre for examples ) thus in M. Watson . Cosin , let me with your patience chide this bussard a litle , though a great deale he deserues , in zeale and honour of Catholike Religion , which no whit warranteth such a scandale ; as also in humbe loue and reuerence of the partie depraued , whose vertues I haue long tasted of to my much spirituall edification , and therefore may iustly challenge to be admitted a witnesse in his behalfe against this libeller . Were Sir Thomas Moore aliue , I am sure he would herein take my part , who so Catholickly reuerberated Luthers grosse termes against the annointed person of King Henrie vpon the Apostata himselfe ; howbeit an office he tooke no pleasure in , and much more ( no doubt ) would he haue bene rough with the outrager of a Priest. And why not I the same , who ( I thanke God ) auow my selfe no lesse Catholicke , though nothing neare so good a Catholike as that good Knight ? why ( I say ) should not I by his example haue also a pen to employ in a Priests defence , aswell as he ? Why how sirha Versteghen or Rowland , or ( as thou darest to terme an annointed Priest ) thou notorious lying knaue , whether hath Iesuitisme thus caried thee against thy true spirituall father a secular Priest ? whether from Catholike , dutie , yea and all humanitie ? Are not these termes of thine Percussio Cleri in the highest degree ? for which thou hast deserued the cēsure of the Canon & a great deale worse to be inflicted vpon thee . Hast thou ( thou base and obscure creature ) forgotten our Sauiors saying , that wherin thou misdoest to any one of these , thou mis-doest to me , and that who saith to his brother ; Racha ; is re●… g●…ennae ignis , much more who saith it to his father ? Wouldst thou thy selfe wert thou an Apostata , a bussard , a dissard , a lier , a base companion , an out-cast of the world , hatefull to God and man , a notorius lying knaue , a Iudas , yea a dog , and no wayes to be ballanced for worthinesse and credite to father Parsons , &c. be patient to be thus called , thou being much part of all these , and but a lay mechanical Gana-pan which is a Spanish Epithet that full well thou vnderstandest , and in English an earne-bread or bread-earner , and yet darest thou to giue a sacred Priest such atributes ? Art thou not ashamed ( thou out-cast of the world , and no wayes to be ballanced , &c. ) after hauing thus wounded thy father , to vaunt thy géntrie in the end and blazon thy coate-armour , who hadst thou bene a gentleman aforetime , hast herein forfaited not onely all that vaine honour , but euen the name and honour of a Catholicke , and deseruest to be hissed and exploded both out of all ciuill companie and the Catholike Church ? How is it that holy Church hath not incharged the Ostiarius to whip out of it so impious a vermin as thou against Priesthood , aswell as the Iew , the vsurer , and the dogge ? How is it that by this thy foule president all Catholickes may not iudge thee for a man that wilt as litle sticke to defloure thine owne sister , murther thy mother , prostitute thy daughter , or do and be worse if worse may be ? How is it that the Iesuites themselues whose impe and instrument thou art thus to massacre thy true spirituall father , do not for their credits sake ( at least in shew to the Catholicke Church ) teare thee in peeces ? Wretch that thou art so farre forth to forget thy selfe and the Catholicke Church thy mother , as to contemne thy father . Wretch that thou art , whom God almighties curse vpon Chams issue for deriding his fathers frailtie , could not terrifie from thus doing the like . Wretch that thou art , whose heart , whose head , whose hand could be so wicked . Wretched goldsmith that thou art , neuer hereafter graue thou any holy figure , hauing bene herein so highly vnholy . Wretched Painter , neuer paint thou but Owles and Asses , after hauing bene so scurrilous . Wretched Coopers sonne as Versteghen , or ( perhaps ) a Tinkars as Rowland , neuer assist thou more at holy altar , nor to be partaker of any Sacrament at a Priests hand , hauing set Priesthood so at naught . Wretch that thou art , shun thou henceforward the Communion of Saints , hauing thus spet on a Challice which is the cup of life . Are these the ty●…es thou payest vnto the altar ? Is this thy kisse vnto the spouse of Christ ? or weenest thou ( haply ) that Honora patrem & matrem is not meant spiritually by a Priest and the church , but onely carnally by the Cooper thy father and his wife ? or rather art thou ( haply ) ashamed of thy Baptisme , and of all the absolutions and holy Ostes that thou euer receiuedst at a Priests hands , why thus thou shouldst abuse a Priest like one that were turned worse then Turke ? Fie on thee wretched Catholicke , wretched Gentleman , wretched Englishman , wretched Painter , wretched Coopers sonne , and all for being so Iesuiticall . Thinkest thou not ( thou vile and venomous companion ) that aswell as I and with me all good Catholickes here on earth , the very Angels of heauen do not crie shame and vengeance to light on thee ? Fearest thou not that either thunderboltes from heauen should pash thee , or stones in the earth rise vp against thee ? Fearest thou not that thy name ( whether of the two or what other I wot not ) is alreadie written in hell , and a place there prepared for thee , for hauing thus scandalized all the Catholike Church on earth , and the Court of heauen , vnlesse thou repent and notably satisfie them both ? Which how canst thou lesse do or better , then like the Scorpion whose bloud rubbed vpon the bodie it hath stung , cures the wound ; so thou with the pen wherewith thou hast transgressed against holy Priesthood , make the eternal Priest of the order of Melchizedecke ( who is to iudge thee another day ) and Master Watson the same vnder him present amends ? Else be thou still as thou art a contemptible , detestable , abhorrible fellow , and one euery way to be ballanced for vnworthinesse and discredit to any worse then father Parsons , especially to him for base birth binominisme . And ouer and aboue all this , omitting what plague hangs ouer thy head in heauen , and is at thy foote in hell , receiue in steed of the coate thou boastest of , this other from me , more fitly ( I wisse ) agreeing to thy bellowes and painting stuffe , and to thy fathers tubs and hoops , though he good man neuer dreamed ( I dare sweare ) of any gold-barres in a scutchion in all his life , but rather of halfe-penie siluer in his purse . Versteghen alias Rowland , &c. his Coate . HE beares a dunghill fumant proper of two partes ; on the first a Tub-hoope poudered-scabs , nittie ; on the second a Pensill betweene two Kearne - crickets rampant , mordant ; the first Capitall , the latter Pectorall , proper . Vpon a Tub on a Torce of his colours a dasie-Picker , crouchant , lowsant , and coughing backward through his posteriour ragges vpon a Gyrisole . This Gyrisole is a Plant that still waites on the Sun. And this in liew that I was not at thine elbow when thou wrotest that impious libell , whereby I might haue rasht the pen out of thy fist and prickt out thine eyes therwith , be mine and with me all good Catholickes easie censure vnto thee till thou crie Peccaui , which we will expect . Indge ye ( cosin ) what shame we can do him lesse , who hath done so high scorne to our father : howbeit ( I assure ye ) it is shame pretie competent to the fellow considering his vaine glorious humour , and the gentilitiall Puntoes he stands on being but a Coopers sonne , and likewise for all his hornes , which for his wifes honour ( whom I neuer noted but vertuous ) transial , I am not apt to beleeue . Now to satisfie you somewhat or rather to the full of M. Watson , whom Uersteghen , alias Rowland , &c. hath thus abused ; for the credite of what I am to say , I giue you first to vnderstand , that I haue known this reuerend Priest these fifteene yeares , namely from the time of that his slip , which this wretch so iniuriously vpbraideth vnto him as a flat Apostaticall fall , such ( for example ) as Iudas , Iulian , Luther , yea and many Iesuites ( which were too long to name ) with infinite Archheretikes and others haue fallen into , from which kind of enormous lapse he is and euer was in heart most free , and not as S. Peters , S. Marcellines , and thousand others now glorious Saints in heauen , and nere a whit the lesse honoured therefore in holy Church ; in which latter kind this slip and frailtie of M. Watsons was ; since which how priestly his cariage hath euer bene , as also before , all that then and now knew and know him can and will witnesse . To the vtter shame then and confusion of the diuell and all his Versteghens , Rowlands , &c. that dare so gracelessely presume to vpbraid him , whom in all shew God hath pardoned , and his sweete spouse accepted of againe to the setting forth of both their glories , as is apparant in the many soules conuerted , altars erected , and other charitable workes done by him since that time , I will here set ye downe the true narration of all that accident . He the said M. Watson was apprehended in Sussex , trauelling on the way to a certaine worshipfull Gentlewomans house ( as was supposed but not proued ) and so brought vp to London , and committed close prisoner in Bridewell ; where to the end to secure from hazard by his owne personall cautions and caueats ( for meanes of message he had none in that place ) certaine deare Catholicke friends of his then in the citie , who by a secret note ( he vnderstood ) were called in question about him ▪ to make way hereunto , he yeelded in his ouer-tender loue to them , to go to the Protestant-seruice there in the prison ; which such his frailtie ( for frailtie I must needs terme it , seeing it was so , and often haue I heard the good man himselfe with teares and extreme remorse so terme and acknowledge it ) tooke this effect , that presently vpon this his yeelding he was permitted the libertie of the citie , yet that but with his keeper neither , by meanes whereof he was able to instruct his said friends how the better , and with the more congruence to his deposition alreadie taken concerning them , they might answer for themselues , and be secured as they were . This ( sweet Cosin ) was the qualitie and quantitie of his fault , and not any mis-faith he euer bore to Catholicke Religion , or a mind to hurt any Catholicke , or yet to remaine one minute of an houre in that dangerous estate longer then he could get out of it ; but onely a fraile loue ( as ye haue heard ) toward the temporall , and partly also the spirituall good of his Catholicke friends , whom ( he feared ) might by this temptation of trouble for his sake haue fayled . Which turne to them assoone as he had serued , see here God again : the goodman vsing the benefit of his said libertie comes in place of other Priests his brethrē ▪ & there before them al acknowledgeth his frailtie , and according to his humble and penitent heart was by one of them ( now a blessed Martyr in heauen ) eftsoones confessed , and againe reduced from whence he was slidden . After which his happie resurrection , being wished by his ghostly father and the rest to scape away ( as well he might without daunger of any at that time ) yet would he not , neither was it the will of God. For , what aduantage ( thinke ye ) would these malignant Satyres haue had against him if he had flipt away ( as few in that case but would ) seeing that notwithstanding his constant resolution then , and perseuerance in the same to this present houre , they stil barke against him enuying at his happinesse . But God whose iudgements are Abissus multa , would ( it seemes ) haue it so , to the end he to be a curbe to the Iesuites as ( sure ) he hath bene after innumerable wrongs and slaunders patiently put vp at their hands . And whether it boded some such matter in father Garnes his storming at Maister Watsons returne into England ( as afterward he went ouer but s●…aid not ) or what other glorie to God and to himselfe in time to come , I leaue to define ; being verily perswaded , and so I am sure would you if you knew asmuch as I , that Digitus Dei erat hic , he to be in England at this day . And thereupon no perswasion preuailing with him for his escape , voluntarily returning againe to prison , he there the very next Sonday solemnely in the midst of seruice-time came into the Chappell , & publickly before all the Protestant-congregation calling out aloud vnto the Minister to hold his peace , with great Emphasis and fe●…our of spirit recalled himselfe from death to life , vtterly abiuring his aforesaid submission as a most leud equiuocation and dissembling with his Lord God , professing and confessing withall our holy Catholicke Religion in euery part and parcell thereof , and himselfe ( how vnworthy soeuer ) an annointed Catholicke Priest. All which he did with so good grace ( as hauing tongue , voice , and action at commaund , ) that the diuell was highly confused , and he thereupon committed closer prisoner then before . What would ye more ? what gained the Protestant or Iesuit now hereby , or rather what not God ? After which his most Catholicke confession made , a man would haue thought that in respect of the extremer vsage he was thereby to expect in that prison , he would now at least ( fearing his frailtie by former proofe ) haue inclined to an escape , namely hauing priuate meanes wrought for it , and he instantly perswaded thereunto ; yet would he not vntill the Assises were past , alleaging for himselfe that the diuell and his aduersaries should neuer haue that aduantage to vpbraid him with running away , so long as there was any likelihood of his publicke arraignement and open death . So as he remained there in that lothsome prison till the sommer Assises were come and past , to wit , the space of two and twentie weekes , expecting with the greatest alacritie in the world what God would award ; in which space hauing no comfort but from him , what vnusuall sufferance he was put vnto aboue all that euer I heard of any English Iesuit , I here omit to shew you , both for the honour of the State with whose priuitie ( I am sure ) such indignitie could neuer haue bene offered to a free-borne subiect , ( as by her heauie censure vpon the honourable Ladie Lattimers two Aldermen , Skinner and Catcher is euident ) as also in religious regard to the good man himselfe , who in his priestly modestie can be content the same to be concealed from the world , suffising that the Angels of heauen and his owne conscience can witnesse it to Gods honor ; and lastly for that according to the heathen Poet ; Ante obitum nemo supremáque funera foelix . Notwithstanding , partly you may guesse how great it was by the Iesuits their extreme reproching him euer since , who in their voluptuous pusillanimitie can neither abide themselues to suffer the least affliction for Christ and the Catholike cause ; but abhor those that do : the examples both of the one and the other are too manifest and too manie here in our Church & countrey what so ere they are elsewhere . A shame that a religious corporation should so ioyne hands with the Diuell against the vertuous ; as on the other side oh eminent glorie to M. Watson to be so maliced , especially considering the laudable vse he makes thereof , as in the demonstration of an inuicted minde ; his opposing against their present Schisme in our Church , and Spanish faction within our countrey ; his detection of their impostures ; and euery where his meeting their euils with good ; as for example his furthering an annuall Almes to be bestowed on father Cowbucks mother and sister toward their sustenance , who else had gone a begging . At a word , as touching the point of the Appeale , and of Spanish state against these fathers , he hath bene and is a very ecclesiasticall Machabie at this day , and so much the more forward herein , by how much he with not passing some three or foure more , farre afore any of his brethren foresaw the Iesuits proiects concerning the one and the other , to wit , the Spaniard to rule the ciuill rost of this Realme , and they the Ecclesiasticall . It is very true that whiles Cardinall Allan liued , neither he nor other his graue brethren whom he had made of his mind ( for I thinke not any besides M. Doctor Bagshaw , M. Bluet , and M. Mush he found so with him foresighted ) would in modestie and for reuerence they bore vnto him their so worthy father intermeddle herein , referring it all to his prudence , whom they knew disgusted with these fathers , and as they gest vpon the same grounds . But so soone as God had taken him away whom our English Iesuites stood in awe of , whereby they were now become ( as they thought ) their own men to ward the execution of those their two plots , which till then they caried but onely in dissigne , and but preparatiuely as farre as they durst for feare of him : then ( loe ) the said reuerend Doctor , and the others with him forenamed , with one or two more vnnamed , thought it high time to be seene as at this day they are in opposition against their fatherhoods , like true Catholicke Priests and Patriots , assuming vnto them in especiall this reuerend brother of theirs M. Watson , both in regard of his perspicuous iudgement in so important a businesse , and the integritie and confidence of his heart where once he takes , which was neuer yet seene but with the right . And so brauely haue they vndergone the present Appeale to the sea Apostolicke touching the premises of our Church and Countrey , but specially of the former against these Spanish fathers ; God prospering their ongate with accrue of Associates dayly more and more of their Seminarie-brethren , like to a litle current which g●…ding along the 〈◊〉 but shallow and narrow at the first , is by 〈◊〉 and litle augmente by confluence of vnexpected brookes to a great riuer , so as it is able at last to make it selfe way through all opposition to the attaining of the Ocean . In processe whereof had not M. Watson alone of late shewed himselfe a verie compleat man both in head and heart against the tepiditie or rather timiditie of some , who aforetime were thought no small Atlasses in this businesse , by meanes whereof they were wel-nigh Iesuitically ouer-wrought , or rather vndermined ( take ye whether ) to the ieoparding of the cause ; I do not see what the Appellants need to haue done at this houre in Rome , nor yet how the Iesuits with their Archpriest had mist ( I will not say ) a Gudgion , but an Olympiade . But hereof ( cosin ) you may ( haply ) he are more hereafter , whereby you may see what M. Watson is , and how well worthie for his vertues , of the Iesuites obloquie . Were he a vertuous Priest ( as he is ) and not their Opponent , they ( perhaps ) would be at peace with his vertues , as weening with their silence to smoother them from the world ; but now that he is such euen his vertues must be reproched for vices most inormous . I , I , hinc illae lachrimae or rather 〈◊〉 Iesuitic●… against him euer●… but especially at this instant more thē against all his other Appellant brethren in England ; herehence their slie suborned missi●…es and messages vnto him vnder colour of frienship , warning him of danger to his life whereby he to flie away ; herehence their plotting to make ielousies betwixt his brethren and him ; herehence their imputing to him all spirituall and temporall either miscariage or misfortune to whatsoeuer priuate Catholicke ; herehence their forging matters of his ouerthrow with his honourable and most especiall friends : briefe , herehence their vnchristian defaming him both by tongue and pen and their ●…uting his Quodlibets to be generally condemned by the Appellant partie and namely by the Appellants at Rome ▪ who it is very likely that not hauing themselues seene them other then by the corru●…pt relation of the aduerse-Iesuite there , they may ( haply ) with an ( if ) haue disa●…owed them ; howbeit their Appellant brethren here in England ▪ and also in France and Flanders ( whose authoritie and credite as touching the Appeale is and ought to be reputed equall with theirs ) do no wayes distast them saue onely here and there somewhat an ouer-cough and harsh terme , but contrariwise approue them for sound and Catholike . Let it not therefore skill what the malignitie of that partie do impose either vpon M. Watsons person or his pen , which seemes to consort wholy with the Puritane not onely in all spleene against him and his brethren of the Appeale , but euen against the Catholike church itself to the ruine of her Hierarchi●…al 〈◊〉 ( for example ) whether the Puritanes wish not M. Watsons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesuits ; whether likewise they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they , then which what can be more for M. Watsons Catholike and priestly credit , and the credit of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein can the Iesuits more 〈◊〉 themselues to the Catholike Church then in seeming so much ●…he Puritanes , who 〈◊〉 the most in●…st enemies thereunto of all the Se●… in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as ●…f ( I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lesse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both English , 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that haue bin fro●…●…he beginning and 〈◊〉 condemned by them aswell as by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 and the like , may in some sort be said Mala bona to the Church of God , in that their 〈◊〉 and ●…diction doth 〈◊〉 refine and purge it from 〈◊〉 , for which our Sauior in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the Iesuits on the other side may we be●… Bona mala thereunto : 〈◊〉 , as in regard of their institution●… and for ●…ing ye●… reputed ●…mbers of the Church though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here in England ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 wealths , not onely in politicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in morall 〈◊〉 , for which our Sauiour expresly said , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any 〈◊〉 in th●… behalfe as to 〈◊〉 In effect 〈◊〉 is an euill which doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catholicke 〈◊〉 both in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is abuse●… 〈◊〉 a mischiefe the●…unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for matter of faith , yet of fac●… . Now what difference is betweene such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iudge you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that generally all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to th●… 〈◊〉 , whereby ●…it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it the ot●… 〈◊〉 Iesuitisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . The examination of which difference more in particular would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v●… both into a dumpe , seeing that thereby w●… should perceiue the ground of all heresie to be first the abusiue life of the religious in Gods Church , which both giues the No●…ller such ( as fo●… 〈◊〉 ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of Pra●… th●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 religion and also ●…n ●…esse to the Laitie b●…ing like●…se scanda●…ed and depraued thereby to embrace and entertaine the same . So as I se●… up , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the ●…cliffist vpbraiding vs with th●… enormous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 religious 〈◊〉 Gods Church , we should be so straight laced as not to acknowledge him asmuch , seeing that euen at this day in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church 〈◊〉 haue Iesuites such that withall it makes nere a whit the more in app●…on of his erronious doctrine , no more then a bettle or share 〈◊〉 to be said the ●…est be●… because bred eue●…ore in cow-shards &c. and li●…dse 〈◊〉 which re●…ts of ●…ng throughly co●…ed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of heart , to be said for the same cause the delicater soyld . To co●… th●… , 〈◊〉 Ma●…ster Watson to be thus wronged and ●…ted of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesuite as the Puritane and be thus Verstegh●… vpon ; though vnhappie they herein a●…es day ; but that ( they thinke ) is but one day , and great while to come , without thinking that when it ●…th come it is a day 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 home . 〈…〉 other side Versteghen , and to his Du●…h M●…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whom 〈◊〉 any 〈◊〉 gentleman of our nation in those parts , though he appeale to them all in his commendation , he is faine to cite in particular and by name ( being a stranger ) to make good vnto him that complement : suffizing that M. Watson is neither base borne , nor yet the sonne of a Cooper , much lesse a notorius 〈◊〉 , a bussard , 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 companion , 〈◊〉 any way to be ballanced for to Fa. Parsons ; but the cleane contrarie , that is a gentleman , an honest man , and which is most of ala reuerend Catholike Priest ; and hitherto a blessed Confessor and a good Patriot , as ye haue heard : suffizing also that you attribute this prodigie of a temerarious spirit against holy Priesthood , not so much to Versteghens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and diaboli●… nature , as to Iesuitisine , which in her Pharisaicall Ordine ad Deum , would bring all magistracie both spirituall and temporall either vnder it or in contempt . This same Ordo ad Deum , and with a Iesuite , that it makes them all and not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as Robi●… Good sollow , For herehence are all his equiuocations , where in his tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 way and 〈◊〉 meaning another , that ye know not where to find him ; herehence his periuries and perfidiousnesse , and herehence his ●…ney catching and gilb●…rting of his foole-friends for wordly wealth , and therehence his vpper euils . Therehence his will , and abili●… to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes as priuate persons , not onely to the corruption but to the ●…struction of common-wealths , and therehence his game to ●…gh them all to scorne when he hath so done . A shame that Bonum societatic Ies●… should subsist vpon so vile support as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordo ad Deum , which was neuer 〈◊〉 on by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Igna●… in their institution . A shame that a religious person should so 〈◊〉 his eye against his vow vpon the world , and so ●…ip his soule in her suds , so irreligiously gather wealth together and spend it worse , that better a great deale it were all in the bottome of the s●… ; ●…pended vpon the vanitie of Alcun●…e ? or the Tabacco lease . Such 〈◊〉 of worldlings were those Em●… & vende●…es which our Sauior whipt out of the Temple , or rather worser of the two are these for being such euen in the Chancell of Gods Church , by being ( as they say ) religious . It is no maruell if such maner of merchant●… haue made many a prodigall child , distraying them from their true fathers , and bankerouting them ●…eane both of their temporall and spirituall patrimonies . It is 〈◊〉 maruel●… if in materi●…ll poi●…ts of Catholicke faith they oppose against the Angeli●…ll 〈◊〉 and be therefore at this present indi●…ed before his Holinesse by the Dominic●… in Spaine for 〈◊〉 and sundr●…e other kind●… of heretickes , and also for Impost●…rs by the Sor●… of P●…●…nd ●…nd all the French Cleargie ▪ as we credibly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 maru●…ll tha●… our Sa●…iour hath not by his Vicar the Popes holinesse all this w●…e whip●… them out of the Church , as it is to be hoped he wil ●…re long at least out of our Church and Countrey here , the aggriefes of each against them depending at this instant before his Holinesse so ●…ustly and ●…aturely as they do . In the menage whereof if any defect should be in his Holinesse ( which is no whit f●…d ) it i●… well 〈◊〉 at least our Secular cleargie in the behalfe of the one ▪ and ou●… State of the other , haue yet be●…es ( thankes be to God ) di●…ed their hazards and disposed them to the redresse which redresse how and in what manner it is , or may be aduised vpon by the State 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the point of State ▪ I am 〈◊〉 of the Councell that ca●… tell . ●…lesse hereof I rest●… perswaded , that if it should be 〈◊〉 to be wrought by 〈◊〉 heauie hand ( as by all likelihood it is like to be , if 〈◊〉 Holinesse redresse it not 〈◊〉 Rome by his excellent discretion . I meane aswell the point of State against Spaine , as of our Chu●… 〈◊〉 b●…th which the App●…ale containes , ) there will be a difference 〈◊〉 by the S●… betweene the de●…ites and ●…he Seculars , and the●… 〈◊〉 of each ( though all one in Religion ) how ere the Iesuit●… say no. For●…●…hat reason ( I pray ) euen mor●…ay the State haue , to 〈◊〉 vs who ●…e afflicted with and for it against a common enemie , and who , euen with our liues would make it good to haue our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world . Howsoeuer , hap what hap may , thus happie 〈◊〉 the App●…●…e , that if the afflict●… should p●…e alike , we to end●…re it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscience , and at friends before God and the world to our 〈◊〉 , and the Iesuites as they are : we to suffer what we should suffer meerely for the Catholicke cause and fo●…●…o disloyaltie to the S●…e , at hitherto we haue and ouer will make shew ; and they 〈◊〉 Catholickes 〈◊〉 but yet Spanish , and disloyall . So as the State shall be sure to gaine no honor by our destruction vnder her edge ; but God shall , and we ( we doubt not ) at Gods hand . As for the point of our Church , to wit , the Iesuiticall schisme and scandals therein which is 〈◊〉 point ( we wot well ) the State esteemes not a point being Protestant , but could wish vs in that respect hanged one against another ; the redresse thereof ( as I say ) is at this instant sub Iudice , the impostume of the imposture being now a yeare broken , and so long a running to Rome , where ( by Gods grace ) it wil find perfect cure . No other meanes in the world was for it then this Appeale to his Holinesse , who ( as appeares by the last letters from Rome ) hath alreadie giuen the Appellants benigne audience , partly by the French Ambassadours meanes there , who stands stiffely for them to his Holinesse against the Spanish ; but chiefly of his owne godly and Apostolicke nature who is wholly Clement . True it is , that he hath withal committed the examination and report of al the matter to two Cardinals , who be both the King of Spaines Pensioners , and the one his subiect , that is , the Cardinals Burghese and Arragon ; which you are not to maruell at greatly , considering that what Cardinall almost haue ye in that court who is not that Kings Pensioner . Great hope notwithstanding the Appellants write they haue of indifferent dealing , the rather because certaine Romaines are ioyned in commission with those Cardinals . And as for Rome it selfe which is now thoroughly and throughout possest with these our English occurrents , it hath alreadie discouered her affection on Englands behalfe against Spaine , and her implements the Iesuites as concerning the point of State ; wherein neither Rome , nor any other Prouince of Italie , saue onely Spaines owne part , and that perforce wisheth Spaine to prosper . Insomuch as we must thinke her Maiestie is not altogether vn-well wished in those parts , but hath had , and ( I suppose ) hath still some friends euen in the Popes consi●…torie . Oh how much more might her Highnesse be beloued and friended there , and of all the Catholicke countries of Christendome , were she but halfe the Catholicke her Predecessors were . Also how much may we presume to shew our selues gratefull to her Highnesse , for any grace she would please to daigne vs , so great a portion of Christendome being Catholike as is , and likewise all the Saints of heauen haue bene such . Cosin , we must pray God hartily for such her Highnes dispositiō towards vs , but specially for her conuersion to our holy Catholicke Religion . What pitie is it that a Princesse , otherwise so full of all princely indowments as her Highnesse is , and of so excellent an apprehension , should mistake or be misled in so principall a point of Princelinesse as Catholicke Religion , varying therein from her so worthy Progenitors . Verily it cannot be but if her Highnesse had bene at the first mildly proceeded withall by the holy Sea , and submissiuely by her Catholike subiects , who a manie of vs were too soone turned Iesuiters and so Spanish , to the attempting of disloyall plots against her State and person , whereby her Highnesse was driuen to trust wholly to her Protestants holding vs all suspect ; but by this time God would haue opened her royall eyes to haue seene into the grounds of our holy Religion , and not opposed ( as she hath done ) against the same . All the world but Iesuites and the house of Austrich admire her honours and her raigne neuerthelesse , the one so princely the other so prosperous : yea her very enemies do it , as for example I my selfe did see in Anno 88. a Spanish Alferez of the garrison of Newport , executed with the Garotto in Bruges , for no other matter obiected against him , then a certaine poeme which ( being a fine Poet ) he had penned in commendation of her Maiestie amongst and afore all the rare Heroines of Christendome . Also I haue often heard my father tell how Don Iulian Romero a Spaniard likewise , sometimes Castilian of Antwerpe , admired and commended her for the most rare Paragon of Princelinesse , since the time he once beheld her Highnesse and her Court here in England . Then for strangers and no foes ; my vnkle Sir Richard Shelley sometimes Lord Prior of the Knights of Malta whiles he liued , was a loud witnesse how highly the Signiorie of Venice respected her and her amitie , being himselfe as loyall a subiect to her Maiestie , and as respectfull of her honour and safetie to his dying day as any subiect in this land ; for the Iesuites disgusted him and he them , and enforced him from Rome . Likewise in 86. I saw one Fabio a Venecian Abbot , Secretarie ( as I remember ) to the Cardinall d'Est of Ferrara , burned in Rome for intelligencing matter of State vnto her Highnesse from thence . In like manner , in the Prince of Leeges Court and Councell her Highnesse had , and ( I thinke ) yet hath her especiall friends of State. In effect , all the world but the house of Austrich and Iesuites ( as I say ) is her friend , whose malice God ( I doubt not ) will still from time to time make frustrate against her , as hitherto he hath done the almightie Armadoes of Spaine , and the big-boned menaces of the Poland-King now some two yeares old . And so ( as I was a saying ) doth Rome at this instant apprehend , and applaud that part of the Appeale which concernes her Maiestie and her State against Spaine in fauour of England , though otherwise like a good mother-citie greatly disliking and lamenting the mis-faith of England : in so much as one night a certaine Romaine-gentleman affixed a breife libell vpon Pasquines buttocke , in derision and scorne of father Cowbucke his treacherous agencie for Spaine so against his countrey , which in plaine English is as followeth . If there be any Citizen here in Rome , that is minded to purchase the Realme of England ; let him repaire to the Rector of the English Colledge here within the Citie , and he in Iesus name will affoord him a good pennie-worth . Whereby ( cosin ) you may also gather and be glad , how vaine the Iesuites vaunts hitherto haue proued of the Appellants their commitment to either the inquisition , or the gallies , or both , vpon their arriuall at Rome , whom that holy Citie so kindly intreateth , and his Holinesse too . I told you in my former letter what Braggadochioes they were , whereby you might guesse the goodnesse of their cause , considering that Bonum vinum non aget haedera . To this passe the Appellants haue brought their businesse as yet , not doubting but to effect it ere long to their full desires , now that sub indice lis est who together with their cause is so very iust . Insomuch as the Archpriest and Iesuites pottage begins alreadie to coole here at home , and they become more mild , labouring now another while praece & praecio to draw as many as they can vnto them both of the Laitie and Cleargie , and to that end haue offered and dayly do offer to restore to the one their pensions againe , to the other their faculties which by the Archpriests hand they had withdrawne ; yea , they haue in a maner wide opened their Mammonian-Exchecker in prodigalitie to each , it being ( they see ) now their best armes ; like as the old Romaines did their Temple of Ianus , which they neuer opened but in time of warre . Ah , ah , ( cosin ) haue English Innocents found this in Rome ( as it was neuer otherwise likely ) and is also the Spaniard eiected by English armes out of Ireland , the Rebell likely ere long to follow after ? wherein how forward our partie is to serue her Maiestie , and my selfe in particular to leade the Iesuited that loyall march against her enemies , ( were I thought fit and worthy to be employed , ) it is not vnknowne to some of the State , if not to her Maiesties owne selfe . And thus ye see , how neither Rome the Sea Apostolicke is vnder the Iesuites cinct ( as they presume ) nor yet God at all vnder the Spaniards girdle . And likewise thus you see , and so may her Maiestie and the State that our fathers the Seminaries are not altogether , yea , or ere a whit traitors ( as the Iesuites with them haue made them be thought ) but the cleane contrarie , that is , altogether loyall ; who thus of their owne pure English nature and allegeance , and at their owne charges haue passed the Iesuiticall and Spanish pikes hitherto ( vnwitting to them , yea and in their displeasure , as whom they haue banished the land , to wit , the Appellants who are a part of them ) and vndergone this seruice for the same , and their country . What penie-worths ( trow ye ) might the Iesuits and Iesuited here expect at her Highnesse hands if she knew of these occurrents , who thus by their disloyalties vrge her other honest Catholike subiects to such hazards to shew their loyalties vnto her ? Not that her Maiestie weyes the businesse or the successe therof a button , whose Royal estate ( as hitherto ) she still meanes ( by Gods helpe ) to make good , and to subsist of it selfe secure and English against Iesuits , Spaine , and all the world , without being beholding to Rome ; though ( please God ) she would . Neuerthelesse it may be that casting downe by chance her Queenely eye vpon these our Appellant fathers , and vs their childrens thus loyall cariage to her State , she will in time be pleased to be lesse heauie Princesse vnto vs , if not indulgent , how ere she still distast our Religion and the Sea Apostolike . Which whether it be the will of God or not , euer let vs that are true Catholikes perseuer as we are and ought no lesse true English ; and pray that long and happie may her Maiesties raigne still lengthen ouer vs. In particular still do you ( Cosin ) for your part your endeuour amongst other good Catholickes , to reclaime your Iesuited friends from that their imposture ( as some you write you haue alreadie done ) wherein you haue done both verie like your selfe , and greatly to Gods honour . I , for my part haue likewise ( I thanke God ) performed herein some larger portion of my poore and lay talent , since my reducing you ; which ( I thanke you ) you please to attribute to me , and I take it as an honour , forasmuch as most ( we see ) haue hitherto runne with the dogge , and but very few with the hare . The more part of the Cleargie is now come into the Appeale , hauing subscribed thereunto , and to their Appellant brothers , so as now daily more & more the Iesuitical partie loseth ground and shrinkes in the wetting , and we may take comfort in it . Also we may take comfort and thanke God , that our partie aswell the Laitie as the Cleargie , in all this time of Iesuiticall persecution hath stood thus firme in our faith and so free from scandals , the temptation hauing bene so much the greater and more dangerous , as being within our owne bowels : whereas that partie hath and dayly doth Apostate too too much , and both at Framlingham and elsewhere agrees like cat and dog within it selfe . Nay more , to note the prouidence and blessing of God on our behalfe , there dayly comes in vnto vs of the Protestants full many , in approbation aswell of our loyaltie to the State ( which they heretofore generally held suspect ) as of sundrie points of our Religion . Who would not be a partie in so good a cause , and for so good fathers as these of the Seminaries , whom we may worthily esteeme and reuerence as a notable portion of the Catholike Church against whatsoeuer imposturall malignitie of Iesuite and Archpriest ? as for my owne I do , and so do ye ( good cosin ) seeing that aswell the gentleman and souldier , is to expect and atchieue his part and portion in heauen by his seruices to Gods Church , as euen the Popes holinesse by his high and pastorall offices thereunto . Fare ye thrise heartily well , this last of Iune 1602. and ( I pray ) put not this letter in print as you did my former , which onely I acknowledge to be mine , and nought else vpon this argument of the Appeale , howbeit you seeme to say that one or two more of the printed bookes are supposed abroade to be mine . Postscript . AS I had finished this Letter , see where a packet is come from the Appellants at Rome , containing a confirmation of his Holinesse disc●…ssion & censure of M. Listers schisme against him , and the Archpriests maintaining it , which ere long you may reade reported in the end of M. Colletons book forthcoming vpon that questiō , verbatim out of the originall from Rome ; which notwithstanding , for that it is come vnexemplified by his Holinesse Breue sub anulo piscatoris , or rather frō S. Peter himself to the Archpriest , most of that peeuish partie hold off to beleeue : though who can tell whether his Agents haue not certified him thereof from Rome ( at least if to tell truths be in their commission ) and he in his proud melancholy ( the newes being no gratefuller nor more glorious on his part ) will not giue it passage . This is the reason why in this packet , the Appellants in Rome hearing asmuch , promise vs his Holinesse Breue in confirmation of his said censure , and likewise for the abrogation of his latter Breue , which I toldye of in the beginning of this Letter , promising you a copie of the Priests appeale from hence to his Holinesse touching the same , and their reasons for it , which now shall not neede . But is it not strange that the Iesuiticall will not receiue these satisfactions without a Breue from his Holinesse concerning the schisme , as though the case were all one as the Appellants was in their holding off to acknowledge the Arch-presbiterate without that high instrument , it being a case expresly within the Canon to be so notified for autenticke , and no otherwise ; and this such , as any morall certaintie may suffice for it , being but a moral matter . But this is all the spite and reuenge that the Archpriest and Iesuites in this their extreme disgrace can do the Appellants , to put them to the charge of a Breue , which ( truly ) were I of their counsell , I would wish them to spare , to see how far the Iesuiticall presumption would wage against the Sea-Apostolicke , and wrangle with it . As for the point of Schisme discided , you may see by it how erroneous a societie these Loyolians are , and how no assurance it hath at all of the holy Ghost , wherein it vaunts it selfe so equal with the Pope and a general Councell , seeing the holy Ghost hath herin so iudicially condemned it . Also you may see by this , how corrupt a man the Archpriest is , who in so grosse an errour bringing schisme with it , could let himselfe be so instrumentally led by those fathers against his owne deare brethren of the Seminaries , and the famous vniuersitie of Paris , all for a litle fopperie of Prelature , and how in this respect he is most vnworthy of the same . Lastly , you may see herby that Brag is not alwayes a good dogge , nor yet the inquisition nor the gallies of force against innocence ( as the Iesuits presumed ) especially where the holy Ghost sits in iudgement . Be this ( good Cosin ) all our comfort till we see farther of the Appeale , toward which take ye this peece of a letter from a gentleman in Rome , as a handsil or in part of good speed in the meane time , against the still flying falsheads of the Iesuiticall , in the earth , in the sea , in the ayre . A peece of a Letter of an English Gentleman in Rome to a friend of his in France of the same Date . FVrthermore , whereas the Priests in consideration that father Parsons had spred so many foule speeches of them abroad , demaunded of his Holinesse that the said father Parsons should set downe in writing all he had to say against them , to the end they might in like sort answer and cleare themselues ; and that in thirtie dayes respite he had giuē vp what he could say : the Pope vnderstāding all , said , that he was already satisfied touching al those points by that which he had heard before , and so not suffering these accusations to come vnto the Priests hands , imposed there an end of such calumnies . By this you may see the Priests matter goes forward with honour and iust reputation , and I hope shall haue no worse end ; their demaunds being reasonable , the Cardinals iust , and the Ambassadours countenance and fauour so singular that they feare no oppression , nor doubt but that iustice will preuaile , &c. M. Bluet is expected shortly at Paris with his Holinesse Breue aforesaid for England , and M. Doctor Bagshaw goes to Rome in his place , where ( I feare me ) he shall not find father Cowbucke forthcomming ; he being ( as it is credibly reported ) imbezelled away from thence by his Generall , or rather flat run away vpon a notable check lately giuen him by his Holinesse . The Apollogie is answered in Lorraine by M. Doctor Elie , and there are some of the bookes readie bound and prest for England by the next Post. To conclude , all our newes being hitherto so good and so autenticke verities as they are , and the rest that follow after like to proue no lesse , let vs beleeue and applaud them , and as for those that will not , as being Bettle-blinded with the Iesuiticall and Archipresbyteriall-mist , away with them ( Cosin ) to the next market . God saue the Catholicke Church , the Queene and her Estates , and graunt vs his peace . Amen . A THIRD LETTER OF Mr. A. C. Appologeticall for himselfe , against the calumnies contained against him in a certaine Iesuiticall libell , intituled , A manifestation of follie and bad spirit , &c. MY very good Cosin : I euer thought that your diuulging my former Letter to you in print , would bring me into the spheare of Iesuitical obloquie ; insomuch as I haue hourely since the edition thereof looked and listened for their contumelies against me ; which now at last they haue from a full gorge discharged , but withall against so full innocence and secure a conscience ( I thanke God ) as the shame shall returne vnto themselues . Not that I rest cleare neuerthelesse from condemnation in the eye of God and mine owne conscience for a misdemeaned and sinfull life otherwise , then whereof this Iesuit impeacheth me , for which I may iustly say with the royall Prophet , Peccatum meum contra me est semper ; Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum , &c. And againe : Delicta iuuentutis meae ne memineris Domine . Yet , as touching these his imputations , I boldly may and do giue him the lie to the honour of God and your satisfaction , and that by protestation , except what shall be excepted : being exceeding glad , and that ( as I hope in the holy Ghost ) to be thus onerated and consequently honored with Iesuiticall slaunder with and for so many holy Seminaries and Saints as they haue so serued , and daily do ; nay , with and for my most holy mother the Catholike Church , whose sacred Hierarchie they no lesse contumeliously impugne . Oh ( Cosin ) how highly am I bound to God who hath thus respected and exalted the indignitie of these my yonger yeares and lay vocation to deserue ill at the hands of so inward enemies to his eternall spouse , and her best members ? Why may I not hope in this respect , that were I ( as I am ) the vilest sinner in the world , much amends is made therefore vnto my heauenly father . And so I take it , knowing them to be for the most part ( at leastwise here in our Church ) flat schismatickes and seducers ; and for such alreadie partly condemned by the holy Ghost as by my last to you , you vnderstood ; and also expresse Spanish enemies to our Princesse and Country : in regard whereof how litle credit they deserue to haue in any matter , especially matter of reproch ( which is the subiect whereupon they are reprooued at Rome on the behalfe of our Appellants ) I leaue to your consideration . Which aduantage notwithstanding I for my part will not take against them in this my Appollogie to you , hauing innocence inough on my side , which hath notably layd them open to my reproofe and execution otherwise , as now ensuingly you may reade and perceiue . Thus then he begins . There followeth in the number of these libels one set forth by A. C. intituled , ( An answer to a letter of a Iesuited Gentleman , &c. ) See you not ( Cosin ) how this fellow euen in the front of his reproches , contradicts himselfe in affirming me for a Libeller , notwithstanding that he acknowledgeth my name to the booke , vz. A. C. which two letters was inough for a Catholicke writing vpon an argument so litle pleasing to the present state and time , whereby to be exempt from the note of a Libeller ; vnlesse I would by setting downe my name at large haue wilfully braued the ciuil-power and penall laws , and said thereto ( as it were ) Loe I the man , come , attach me , and do the worst ye can . It sufficeth that in my originall to you my name was at large , as you , and it yet extant ( I suppose ) in your hands can both witnesse ; so as your doing it as you haue done 〈◊〉 in the printed edition ( seeing you would needs publish it ) with only two letters for my name , I therein agnize both your loue and discretion . Moreouer your adding my mot to the title , doth likewise quit the edition from libellious , aswell as my ( Fig for fortune ) which heretofore came forth with no other face , and yet was neuer taken vp for a rogue , no not by any Iesuiticall Bedle that euer I heard of . Whereas if you looke into sundrie bookes of theirs which from time to time haue come forth without anie name or knowne liuerie at all , as the contents thereof are wholly infamatorie or traiterous , so in that respect are they to be reputed inormous libels : for example , Greene-coate , Philopater , &c. which are all or the most of them attributed to father Cowbuck . Then as for the present author , this Iesuite , what name of his or but two letters of his name ( I pray ) find ye to this his ( Manifestation of folly and bad spirit , ) whereby he not to deserue to be burned in the hand for a vagabond ? Notany . No nor any durst he shew , manifesting so bad spirit and so much folly in that Censure of his as he hath done for feare of the infamie that might attach him , which notwithstanding he hath not escaped at Gods hands who knowes both his name and his nature . Were he not a most leud companion , and of a most guiltie conscience , he would ( no doubt ) not haue shamed somewhat to haue showne his face aswell as I , who had I feared the worst of any Iesuites spite , or the badnesse of the matter in that my letter handled , would haue made it a quarrell to you for that A. C. and wished my selfe as litle in sight , as he hath showne him . Wherein he hath showne himselfe not so honest a man as Uersteghen , who like a right Coopers son stucke not to set one of his names to his infamatorie letter against M. Watson , as in my last letter I discoursed vnto you ; but more to brag of his gentrie . Sure this Iesuite carieth with him cauteriatam conscientiam that he dares not plucke off his vizard for feare of shewing to the world a face more ilfauoured then it . Which notwithstanding , partly he is discouered for such as he is , at leastwise if he be the man I take him for , vz. a man , who being the mis-begotten of a ploughman and he a Cuckold too vpon the body of a plough-woman , hath accordingly demeaned himselfe ; fust in begetting two bastards male and female vpon the bodie of his owne sister , betweene his age of seuenteene and three and twentie , which was the cause he ranne away ( as fearing the sheete , &c. ) and so became a Iesuite : secondly or rather formerly and continually , by being a common alehousesquire , and the drunkennest spunge in all the parish where he liued ; thirdly , for being an hereticke of the family of loue all his life till he became a Iesuite , which was the leafe he turned . Into which societie ( it seemes ) he was the sooner receiued , for hauing bene of that family , and also for the behoouefull vse those fathers saw they were likely to make of his seditious and libellious spirit in their common-wealth , which subsists much vpon that kind of prop. Well , what he wanted hereof at the first , their fatherhoods haue perfected in him so fully now , that beshrew me if I know a more accomplished detractor in the world . Adde hereunto their Ordo ad Deum whereby all a Iesuites euils must be reputed frō the holy Ghost ; and the very name of a Iesuit to import infallibilitie in faith and charitie , so far forth that what he beleeues , saith , or doth , be it neuer so much to the blemish of any person , yea to the preiudice of a whole common-wealth , must not be thought to need any collaterall credit ; and that is the reason why ( for example ) this Iesuite scornes to set his name to his booke like an honest man , as though it were no libell without it , being of a Iesuits doing . It followeth . Who if he be the man that we do gesse , we do not greatly maruell , &c. He doth well ( beleeue me ) in saying ( that we do gesse ) for that being a bastard , he is ( as you know ) filius populi , and consequently a plurall creature and of more names then one , and therefore ( we ) ; or else that knowing the points he meaneth to affirme to be meere false and slaunderous , he would by his ( we ) draw partners into his shame , amongst whom the holy Ghost being alwayes pretended to be one , iudge you what blasphemy this his ( we ) is . Poore praise and comfort it is to haue copartners in euill though reall and not forged euill ; euen as poore as a man to thinke to purchase himselfe a good name by deprauing of others ; in both which kinds this Iesuite hath transgressed propter bonum societatis . For , as for the first , howsoeuer he pretends some Iesuited secular Priests to haue their pens in this his libell ; yet that rests at the Readers courtesie to beleeue ; knowing the Iesuits sleight , how still they seeke to set Seminarie against Seminarie by labouring to haue their mischiefes ioyntly against them all , to seeme the ones against the others : whereas ( in very truth ) it is but the Iesuits sole act together with his particular Paraclete ; except ( haply ) there be here and there a Seminarie so corrupt , vnhappie , and foolish against his owne and his brothers honours or any others , as to be so Iesuited in malediction . That after so great varietie of state and former life as some of vs haue knowne him in , &c. As for the varietie of my state and former life , I am ( I thanke my God ) not ashamed of it , the same not hauing bene variable in Iesuiticall grosse scandals of schisme or mis-faith in the Church of God ; as God , my conscience , and all that know me can witnesse , nor euer shall by Gods helpe . Neither was the varietie he taxeth me of , other then sutable to my yeares from time to time : for your satisfaction wherein , I must here ( the libeller so vrging ) rip vp my whole life vnto you , as followeth . First , at my age of thirteene I was taken from schoole , and sent vp by my good Aunt ( whom you knew ) to an Inne of Chancerie , from whence I was shortly after by my cosin T. S. to whose care I was committed , admitted of Lincolnes Inne ; where I continued no longer then whiles I could steale ouer into France to my father . Where being arriued he within some few moneths after tooke me along with him into Flanders , where in the Duke of Parma his Court lying then at Tornay , the Ladie Franc●…lina the Dukes reputed mistris taking contentment in my English daunces , which at that age did not ill beseeme me , she at my fathers request procured me a Pages place about his Alteze . In the nick whereof came letters from my Cosin R. S. at Rome , who hearing that I was come ouer , and desirous to see and enioy me there with him for the neere kindred that was betwixt vs , and the loue he formerly bore me in his mothers house my Aunt aforesaid , had procured me a pension of ten duckats a moneth of his Holinesse if I would come and liue in Italy ; and to this effect were both his letters , the one to my father , the other to me . To be short , my father leauing the election of these two concurring courses to my owne will , commending vnto me both the one and the other , with proffer if I chose the latter to make his Holinesse ten duckets a moneth fifteene of his owne exhibition ; I stood not long vpon the choise ▪ but for hauing already seene inough of the Dukes Court , & being curious to see renowned Rome , the Popes holinesse , and generally braue Italy , easily made that my choise . Whereupon my father by the way of Rhemes from whence there was then a mission readie for Rome , and I to haue that good companie , sent me away toward Rome with crownes in my purse , whether I arriued vpon a horse which I bought of father Cowbuckes brother . To Rome then when I came , Rome I saw and Romes holy things ; two Popes , the one dead the other aliue , and whatsoeuer else sacred or prophane was to be seene in that vaste citie ; of all which ( I giue God thankes ) I made me that Catholicke edification which I could being but sixteene yeares old , and but a yeare and a halfe Catholicke ; still vrging my aforesaid Cosin when I should see Naples and the rest of Italy , and enioy my pension . But neither Naples nor any rest of Italy might I see , nor yet S. Peters pennie , which the fathers ( vnderstanding that my father was then dead in the Duke of Parmaes campe before Antwerpe ) put into their owne purse , forcing me to continue a scholler in the English Colledge ; which I did the space of a yeare and a halfe , or thereabouts , till I got away as ye shall heare . And this was hitherto all the Iesuits fauours vnto me , hauing both put me besides my Page-ship to the Duke of Parma ( which was a preferment for the best subiects son in Flanders , and none had it but such ) and also cosined me and the Pope both of his pension . Iudge ye then how truly he faith , that the Iesuits were his best friends for many yeares beyond the seas , where he needed their friendship , and neuer wanted it . For some of vs knew him first , a litle wanton idle-headed boy in the English Romaine Colledge , so light-witted , as once ( if we remember well ) he went vp into the pulpit with a rose in his mouth to make the tones ( as there they call them ) before all the Colledge . A litle wanton idle headed boy and light witted ( as he remembers ) I promise ye ( Cosin ) an important point to be remembred , which ( surely ) had not this charitable Iesuite and his ( wees ) remembred for me , I my selfe do , and do acknowledge it , beshrewing the age of sixteene yeares that I was no stayeder , and not him for being so very a foole at sixe and fortie or vpward , as to vpbrayde me of so veniall imperfections ; who himselfe at but a yeare older , to wit , at seuenteene was so much a more wanton and idler headed then I , as to get his sister with child as afore is shewne : wherein he seemes to be of that fathers spirit , who being himselfe a monstous blasphemer , derided and checked his litle sonne for swearing by Gods nigs . If to go vp into the pulpit to make the tones with a rose in my mouth were such a fault , what I pray had it bene if I had gone vp with a thistle , especially the businesse I went about being so very very important . After that he fell to such deuotion , as he not onely tooke the oath of the Colledge to be a Priest ; My falling to deuotion especially in Rome and in the English Colledge , was such a fault ( I trust ) as might easily deserue pardon at Gods hands , and partly satisfie for my former wanton , idle head , howsoeuer this father reprocheth it ; and as for my taking the oath of the Colledge to be a Priest , that ( Cosin ) is a lie as broade as an acre of land . For neither was I an Alumnus of the Colledge , being the Popes pensioner ( as ye haue heard ) why I should be put to any such oath ; neither yet my yeares and inclination then suting to so high and holy a vocation , being by the libellers owne saying but a litle wanton idle headed boy , and light witted ; which their fatherhoods perceiuing me to be , as also how still earnest I was to come away , is it likely that they in their holy-ghostly wisedom would administer such an oath vnto me without saying twise at least Vtquid perditio haec ? By this you may see that were there any such oath tendred vnto me at those yeares , what discreete father 's the Iesuits are , and how sleightly they set by holy priesthood ( which is the greatest dignitie on earth ) as to impose it vpon boyes , I had bene a child of the Church not passing two yeares before this supposed oath , and litle account was I able to make ( God wot ) of my faith , or to iudge of an oath , and yet ( forsooth ) did take the oath to be a Priest. But the truth is , this is a flat lie , inasmuch as I perfectly well remember that whē that oath was proposed to others ( being all of good yeares , and all Alumni of the Colledge ) my Cosin R. S. aforesaid tooke me with him out of the Church , and only tendred me the ordinarie oath of the inquisition , that is to continue Catholike , and in subiection to holy Church and the sea Apostolike , which oath I tooke , & do maintaine , & wil ( by Gods holy grace ) vnto my death . For , as touching the other oath my Cosin knew very well by my continuall discontent how ill I brooked the paines of the Colledge , & how hourely I laid at him for my pension to liue at large , for which he was the man that neuer moued me any such question as to be a Priest. But also pretended to be an Augustine Frier . The former and this are two lies with one breath , but on he is a Iesuite . All the shift he hath to saue his credit in this latter is his saying , that he hath a fearefull conscience to auouch things he knowes not for certaine . The man is willing enough , yea faine he would haue this reproch to passe vpon me , ( though to be a Frier I hold it an honor , and my selfe vnworthy thereof ) and to that end hath penned it downe ; and yet ( forsooth ) he hath a timorous conscience , like the clowne who was not ashamed to fill his paunch with pease-pottage so full that it almost crackt againe , and yet made daintie to cough downeward for feare to shew what windie stuffe he had eaten . Now as touching his said supposall of my becomming an Augustine , a very foole may discerne therein his too manifest folly and bad spirit : for is it likely that hauing first taken the oath of the Colledge , I would so soone , that is , in one halfe yeares space haue bene forsworne as to become a Frier , the whole time of my continuance in Rome being but one yeare and a halfe or thereabouts , and the first yeare litle inough ( by all intendment ) to settle my wanton idle light witted head ▪ afore I could be fit for either the one or the other so high vocation . To shew you then how false either of these imputations are , you must vnderstand that in my discontentment to be so made a schoole-boy , and cosined both of the Popes pension and my libertie ; I taking a deuotion to S. Monacha , S. Augustines mother went often to the Augustines Church in Rome where her bodie lay , and there falling acquainted with a Venetian Frier of the Monasterie , I vnderstood that he knew my Vnkle Sir Richard Shelley in Venice ; by whose meanes I afterward often writ vnto him , informing him of my discontentment with the Iesuites for their so abusing his Holinesse and me , but especially after my Cosin R. S. his departure for England . To which my aggriefe in the end after sundrie letters that passed betwixt vs , the Lord Prior of Malta ( for such was his title ) most louingly complied ; sending me by this Friers meanes three and fiftie duckets where with to get me from Rome into France , with request that I would make Venice my way , affirming that forasmuch as he had no other kinsman in those parts , he would leaue me when he died if I liked to liue with him all that he had . With these three and fiftie duckets I departed the Colledge , Rome , and Italy ▪ where at parting , father Cowbucke being come thither but a litle afore , and also D. Allan who within a while after was created Cardinall ; the one gaue me his malediction , the other a thousand blessings . And this ( I protest ) was all the leaue and Uiaticum the fathers gaue me at my departure from Rome , this their paternall charitie where with the libeller more in particular vnderneath vpbraideth me . Yea ouer and aboue all this , father Cowbucke was the man who perceiuing D. Allan his credit to be more with me then his , wrought him to be thus farre forth his instrument as to disswade me my going to Venice to my Vnkle which he vnderstood I intended , and my said Vnkle expected , so ill the father brooked either that good Knight or my good fortunes , or both . I was too blame in that respect to the good Doctor , both for my duties sake to my Vnkle , and also for my profit , though minding to haue returned of purpose vnto him out of France the next yeare after , before which time the good Knight died , leauing all his riches to a meere seruant ; so vnfortunate was I , or rather so vnfortunate a Iesuite to me , whom this Iesuite termes my friends who neuer failed me . And this was all my becomming , either College , Priest , or Augustine Frier , and thus much can M. Duke sometimes my entire friend in earth , now a Saint in heauen witnesse of my going to the Augustines , to whose priuitie I imparted all that my proceeding . Insomuch as at a word aswell might the libeller haue affirmed that I would haue become a Nunne for S. Monacha●…s sake , or a Iesuite for father Cowbuckes , as an Augustine , especially if withall he knew what law raigned in my loynes , and what spirit colophized me at those yeares with S. Paul. In vaine therefore doth this manifester of his folly and bad spirit , stroake ( as it were ) his beard after so grosse a slander , & aduise yonkers to beware by me how they slip back , & contemne when they are in their sister ; euen as vainely as I haue noted the vaineglorious Spaniard to do the like to his beard , picke his teeth , pat and stretch forth his paunch , and stroke off crummes from his clothes after an egge , as if he had dined with a Lord Maior of London . But most of all vaine and malicious he is , after two so expresse lies to commend himselfe for ( a timorous conscience as to affirme things that he knowes not for certaine ) which neither could his fatherhood vaine-gloriously inough do , vnlesse withall he condemned me of a lauish conscience in the contrarie . Ah poore father and poore praise , so to borrow or rather steale grace by the disgrace of others . Were there no greater faults in a Iesuite then this , please God I had but so much of S. Augustines spirit as to discouer it to the full to the Churches caution and edification . But of the two orders the likelihood that was , was rather of my becomming Iesuite , especially if I had bene as forward in accepting as some were in proffering me that scandal . For verie well I remember that whiles I liued in the Colledge , father Agazarius ( who was then Rector till toward the latter end at what time father Cowbucke came in his place ) the fat father Minister , whose name I haue forgotten , and my Cosin R. S. Prefect of the studies all three most fauningly woo'd me to like of their Societie , to which end they did me the fauour ( for so they reputed it ) as to admit me into their spirituall exercises , whereof ( God I thanke ) I made much better vse vnto my soule then so , noting ( as yong as I was ) the strange spirit of some youths in the Colledge their chiefe dearlings ; as namely Anth. Maior whom they made Consiliarius primus or secundus of the congregation of our Ladie in the Colledge ( which was a fauour ) who since is Apostated euen wilfully , and beneficed here in England . Likewise yong as I was , I could well see what foule vse they made of the said good exercise of our Ladies congregation for the maintaining offaction amongst both the scholers and Priests , and for the Iesuiting of the best wits and best bred youths from the true intent and institution of the Colledge . Also I saw how vilely ( for example ) they abused M. Doctor Bagshaw and Doctor Cicill , putting them to all the boyish exercises of the house , and in the end expulsing the former of them with others from thence . In few , yong though I were , I noted by other in cautelam to my selfe from becomming either Iesuit or Iesuiticall , that what talent they saw in me apt for their turnes if ( being such ) I should not happen to employ it religiously , and so to the reputation of their Societie , that it would stead them aswell to be employed in dishonestie , so the dishonestie were exquisite and extraordinarie , as their instructions could helpe to make it ; so much that Societie is the refuse of religiousnesse , and therefore worthily the last religious order in holy Church , and their founder not likely to be canonized for a Saint till it be cassie●…ed . As then it is but a worke of supererogation a man to confine himself to any order of Religion , so is it but a bonum inculpate omissum to be of any whosoeuer haue any such deuotion , as ( I protest ) I neuer had ; howbeit to be a Iesuite , I do not see how that consideratis considerandis , vz. the euils of it as Iesuites are now a dayes for the most part , it is not a Malum realissimé commissum . From this spirit of religious and ecclesiasticall life he fellbacke soone after to the spirit of Poetrie , forsaking the ordinarie studie of the house . Alas poore Poetrie , what il hast thou deserued at this Iesuits hands , who so many of his coate are Poets at this day , though sorie ones ( God wot ; ) but chiefly , how false a lie is it that I betooke me to that studie in the Colledge . True it is that the ordinarie studie of the house I as litle professed all the while I was there , as I did the course and institution thereof as is afore shewne , and as all the house could witnesse : whereas had I ( as this libeller lied before ) sworne the one , it is likely that I would haue applied me to the other , which is an argument against his said assertion , or was Poesie ( haply ) astudie fit for an Augustine ? Neither is it true ( as I was a saying ) that I betooke me to Poetrie in that place , but to historie . Since my returne into England I haue indeed set out a Poeme , intituled , A fig for fortune , in attestation to the world of my Catholike soule to God and his Church , and of my resolution against the Iesuitical obloquie which heretofore attached me for no other fault in the world then refusing to concurre with a Iesuitical instrument in firing the Queenes Nauie throughout the South and West of England . If this be the Poeme he glaunceth at , belike it is for that in describing therin somewhat the dignitie of the Catholicke Church in the religious orders thereof and those by the terme of discoloured vest , which sounds for the most part Munkes and Friers , the Iesuite seemes excluded thereby as going all in blacke : or else ( perhaps ) for that by the way I giue in that Poeme her Maiestie some praise and honour as for temporall state , which a Iesuit cannot endu●…e in the behalf of the house of Austrich . Wel , this Poem ( Cosin ) was as your self may verie well remember called in by the Protestant for the Catholicke matter thereof , howsoeuer the method was not ( I confesse ) so schollerly as might aunswer a good Poets expectation ; howbeit scholerly inough as from a souldier and no profest Poet , and for one of my yeares then , and also such as might beseeme as great a Clarke as he to whom it was directed , though otherwise a noble personage , and whom I am apt to honor for his worthie grand-sires sake , whose name I weare . But Basto non placuit Iesuitis nor Puritanes ; which ( me thinkes ) were those father 's not religious so much , as but reasonable good Catholikes it might in regard of the matter though not of the methode ; and were it but for that it was a souldiers worke such as sometimes their good founder was ; as also in regard of ( the herrings taile ) which what stuffe it is the title shews , & yet they highly esteeme and giue it countenance for being penned by a lay disciple of theirs . For which he was dismissed and sent by the Charitie of the fathers to the Colledge of Rhemes , thinking thereby to saue him from further falling . This dismission & charitie of the fathers is a fourth lie , and confuted afore in their retaining me in the Colledge at Rome against my wil ; detaining the Popes pension from me ; the curses father Cowbucke gaue me at parting in stead of a Uiaticum , and his frustrating my fortunes at Venice ; all which the good fathers did for the loue they bore to S. Peters pence , which by my departure from thence found their way home againe to his Exchecker . Besides , how call ye it a sauing a man from falling , to let him trauell all that way alone and without companie where he presaged he should breake his necke ; both which charities in one father Parsons performed to me . But being arriued there , he presently became an inam●…rate , and fell in loue with one of Cardinall Allans neeces ▪ and proceeded so far therin , as he presumed to write a letter to the said Cardinall to request his consent that he might marrie her , but the Cardinall tooke it in high disdaine , &c. The premisses of my fortunes ouerthrowne by the Iesuits considered , was it a fault in me to seeke to raise it by matching with the Cardinals neece , who was both faire and vertuous , & all maner of wayes louely , aswell for her owne sake as for her vnkles ? or was I too old , or not old inough at seuenteen & vpward to loue ? or by the same reason that I could not brook a scholers life , much lesse an Ecclesiastical , was 〈◊〉 not likely that I might loue ? or was I so base and ignoble of birth or education , that I was more too bold and too blame to loue the Cardinals neece , thē either M. Thomas Throckmorton , or he that now enioys her ? or was my loue vnto her lawfull whiles her vnkle was yet but D. Allan , and vnlawfull afterward when he was a Cardinall ? or is loue so grosse an affection that it deserues reproch ? or finally was the gentlewoman a Iesuitesse whereby vnworthy to be beloued ? Truly ( Cosin ) no : had you knowne her , or but seene her , you would not onely haue excused me against this calumniator , but commended my fancie . Absurdly therefore doth he twit me as faultie herein , and as reprochfully taxe the good Cardinall of disdaine , who knew and loued my father too well , as to disdaine any sonne of his , or thinke him a disparage for his neece ; yea , who was so humble a man as that he disdained not a worme . But this is not the first calumnie by hundreds of a Iesuite against the honour and goodnesse of that excellent Cardinal , who was euer an eye-sore vnto them , because he di●…tasted them , and was of worth to make them feare him . If then my presuming to write to the Cardinall for his good will to the match were such a fault , how hainous a fault had it bene ( trow ye ) in this Iesuites eye if I had enioyed her without his assent , or rather how not worthie his approbation I in her stead to haue loued my owne sister ? No , no , the good Cardinal was not the man so altered by his honour , as that he could so soone know how to disdaine a Gentleman and an honest sute , though what a Iesuite so exalted might do in the like case , it may very well be made a question . Also it may be a question , vpon what new good will to the Cardinall , this Iesuit seemes to be thus carefull of his neete , as to be angrie with a Gentleman for louing her in way of honestie , who was so dishonestly carelesse of his owne and his sisters honour as ye haue heard . I am sure any man that loued my Lord Cardinall better thē I perswade me this Iesuit doth , if he but knew M. Gabriel Allan his graces brother aswel since as before his Cardinalate , would at lest not haue thought me vnworthie to haue bene his nephew ; neither yet son in law to the gentlewomans good mother whosoeuer knowes her : who for my owne part haue sped aswell , and better in this respect , as not being my wifes kinsman whereby I to need any Bull of leaue and dispensation for my matching with her as I haue heard her husband had . And as for his liuelihood , I do not heare that it is for the more part other then what the abilitie and loue of his vnkle D. W. in those parts can affoord him . But being ( as he is ) a Gentleman , much good cheare may his wife do him , and I no whit enuie his fortune . As he gaue order that he should be put from Rhemes . The truth hereof I neuer tasted , as departing from Rhemes of my owne accord , and not put from thence by any order of the Cardinals ; & therefore do giue it the lie ; so as this is the libellers fifth lie . Besides , what authoritie had the good Cardinal to put me from thence liuing there at my owne charges , and louing his neece in good maner ; which to do , was ( I trust ) no misdemeanure , and whether otherwise I misdemeaned my selfe , I appeale to all the English there then . The truth is , my abiding in Rhemes was no other nor no longer then till I might either winne the Cardinals neece , or get a pension in the low Countries , which latter very shortly by my louing brother in law M. R. S. his meanes to the Duke of Parma , and not by any Iesuits I obtained . Whereupon I departed from Rhemes in the loue and good will of M. Bayly then President , and also of all the reuerend fathers and scholers there , after hauing liued and loued some fiue moneths in that towne . From thence I went to Paris , and so to Rome , vpon occasion of businesse which I had there ; and from thence backe againe into Flanders . From whence he went into Flanders , and became a souldier , first amongst the English vnder Sir William Standley , where his inconstant head suffering him not to stay , he went to serue amongest the Spaniards , and had besides by father Holts helpe a pension of fiue and twentie a moneth . That I went immediatly from Rhemes into Flanders is a lie also as ye next afore heard ; so as this is a sixth lie , though veniall , which may passe for a vertue in a Iesuite . Well , to Flanders I went , be it so ; and had the Duke of Parma his pension , it is true ; but neither the fiue and twentie crownes a moneth he mentioneth ( for it was but twentie ) nor yet that by father Holts meanes , but by my kind brother in lawes afore named . Wherein to make amends for the last veniall lie you may note a cabbadged lie of his one within another , as almost what errour or euill of a Iesuite euer goes alone . How I demeaned my self in this course of life , you may guesse by the Libeller his not impeaching me , howbeit I confesse that I liued there somwhat lesse scrupulously then before time ; and that through father Holt his help-lesse hand to gentlemen in the place he was in ; who could see their pensions rust afore his face without scouring them with one good word to the Duke in their behalfes , which daily he did for lackes and vpstarts . If my vnconstant head were too blame for carying me from an Irish regiment to a Spanish , it must needs follow that the Spaniard is a lesse worthie souldier then the Irish , which assertion of the Iesuit how his founder being sometimes a Spanish souldier whiles he was on earth , would take at his hands if he were in place , and generally the Spanish nation you may imagine . At a word ( Cosin ) it deserues the Stropado in the Infantaes Court and campe , but I le be no blab : onely I wonder if this were such a fault , what manner fault he would haue made of it if I had shifted me out of a Spanish regiment into an Irish. Thus may ye see how nothing comes amisse to a Iesuit-calumniator , who thus can taxe me of a light and vnconstant head , for going to grauitie it selfe , the Spanish nation . And so hauing eaten of the King of Spaines bread for diuers yeares , he commeth now to pay him and the Iesuites with this infamous inuectiue , which he hath printed . If I haue bene vngratefull to the Iesuites , you haue seene for what benefits of theirs vnto me , euen such as were I not a Catholicke and knowing the law of Charitie , they might rather expect my reuenge . But God defend that in my owne case I should be so litle charitable ; as also on the other side if in honor of my two deare mothers the Catholike Church and my Country against both which they haue committed treason , and daily do , I should not shew my selfe doubly aggrieued and angrie with them as grace and nature binds me , I were much to blame . This then and no priuate grudge ( I protest ) is all my ingratitude and vncharitie against these fathers . Correct they them selues in these my imputations , that is , cease they their schisme in our Church by submitting them to their true Superiours and ours the secular Cleargie without ambitioning aboue them and slaundering them by libell any more ; cease they their setting brother against brother , friend against friend , &c. with their zizaniaes of faction ; cease they their making boote and hauocke of Catholickes estates by the abuse of their spirituall exercises vnto them , and as executors ; cease they their querkes and quiddits , as mentall euasions , equiuocations , tergiuersations , and the like , but especially cease they their Pharisaicall hypocrisie , and detractious tongues and pens : thus much for the Church . Then for my country ; cease they their Spanish faction against it ; cease they their perswasions and swetie endeuours of a conquest of it from Spaine ; cease they their murderous treacheries against the annointed person of our Soueraigne , and consequently the heaping coales on all our heads at her hands for their sakes which hitherto they haue done ; in few , become they good Catholickes and good English as they ought , and then if I be vngratefull or vncharitable vnto them , the blame and shame be mine ; whereas continuing to be these manner of men , I also continue this manner of man in their reproofe , giuing their fatherhoods leaue to take me as they find me : also giuing this father the lie in terming my booke an infamous inuectiue ; the contents thereof being but against their schisme and Spanish treasons . So as this is a ninth or tenth lie and that a traiterous lie , as being in reprehension of my loyaltie to Gods Church , my Prince and Countrey , which is all the purport of that my treatie , wherein also he lieth in saying that I printed it . Againe , I giue his fatherhood the lie in taxing me of ingratitude to the King of Spaine , whose bread I acknowledge I haue eaten , but how ? in the sweate of my brow , which was no verie daintie bruesse you may thinke . Howbeit as gratefully I eate of it as if it had bin an Oleo podrido of the concoction of the Phoenix , Pellican , bird of Paradise , Larkes , Quailes , Venison , Sturgeon , Anchouaes and Tabacco , the Bezar and Philosophers stone ; and wel worthie I was of his bread , seruing him ( as I did ) in a quarell wherein my owne Princesse was interested against him . But let that passe , and let it suffize that I take it as a slaunder to be reputed vngrateful to the King of Spaine , seeing that gratitude is a great morall vertue , and much commended in Catholike Religion . For setting my loyall dutie to my owne Soueraigne and Countrey aside , and as farre as this respect will giue me leaue , I acknowledge the King of Spaines bountie vnto me , and do highly honour him as the most Catholicke King of the world , neither whiles I liue , will I euer draw sword or serue against him or his estates ; onely to my owne Princesse and her estates he must giue me leaue to be loyall . Greatly in the honor of a gentleman I scorne the imputatiō of vngrateful , but specially of disloyall in so high a kind . When so the case standeth that of necessitie I must be the one or the other , I trust the choise is not to be stood vpon . That such is the state of my Prince and Countrey at this instant with Spaine , that I must needs be vngratefull or disloyall to the one or the other , my discourse vnto you ( which this Libeller termes an inuectiue ) auoweth . At a word , it would ill beseeme me to be herein other then my fathers sonne , who as litle liked that England should be Spanish as I do , which was the cause he was committed to the Fleete in Queene Maries dayes , for hauing too bold a voice in the Parliament against her Spanish match , and who likewise some two yeares afore he died noting the iarres to grow hot betwixt England and Spaine , became a loyall sutor to her Maiestie for his returne home from Spaines pension to her grace and fauour his Catholicke conscience reserued ; but her Highnes did not so daigne it , but gaue him leaue to die where he did . Briefe , if you wil see ingratitude indeed , and that not in picture but in proper person , behold it in the Iesuites against the good Seminaries and all the Church of God at this present , and also against our Countrey , ( at least if they repute themselues English ) all which their ingratitude you may see without spectacles were ye a hundred yeares old . Now commeth he to my letter . He deuideth his whole discourse into three points in his first page , to wit , Appeale , State , Iesuites ; adding thereunto this sentence , Recta securus , which if Recta be vnderstood in the Ablatiue case , it agreeth not vnproperly to his case , who seemeth to runne securely and without feare in the right way to perdition . If he had as rightly construed my Mot , as he hath reported the title of my booke , he had not seemed the Iesuit , but as such he must be still catching and running vpon the Ablatiue Recta from the right : but on . Whereunto do leade him on , not only the vanitie and inanitie of the yong mans head , but his pouertie also , in respect whereof ( it seemeth ) he would gladly get in with some of them that be in authoritie , whereunto he thought good to make this Prologue , and his brothers liuing is a great allurement . The vanitie and inanitie of the yong mans head hath not bene such that it euer led him with the Iesuits into Schisme against the Church of God , or into treason against his Prince and Country , nor ( by Gods assistance ) euer shall ; but contrariwise was euer able to discerne them , and willing to deserue ill at their hands in these respects ; and that meerely for Gods sake and my soules , and not for the worlds as this Libeller calumniates me . As little is it the tenuitie of my estate that could leade me into temptation so farre forth as to comply with authoritie for the bettring thereof against honor and conscience . What a Iesuites schoole might profite her scholler in that kind I may easily guesse , but sure I am the Catholike Church dispenseth no such spirit . Better profit ( I hope ) I haue made of Catholike Religion to my soule , then so to slide from my promise in Baptisme to the world and the diuell : yea more stand I vpon the honour of my auncestors and of a gentleman ( setting Catholike dutie aside ) then to transport me in so foule brocage to the preiudicing of any person , euen for a Princes fauour . How vngodly then the Iesuite reprocheth me herein , both my conscience and my life hitherto do attest to the world ; but chiefly his saying that ( my brothers liuing is a great allurement ) . Oh monstrous vncharitie thus to sow ielousies betweene brethren , as though there were not priuie vipers inough that daily do it and easily may in respect of the farre distance betweene vs , vnlesse a religious Iesuite should do it in print . Of which enormous imputation ( for so I take it ) to purge me vnto you ( good Cosin ) and by your meanes to as many as by the same may be scandalized in their opinions of me , here by protestation I except thereunto & asseuer euen as I am and hope to die a Catholike and beleeue no otherwise to be saued : by my Sauior in the Eucharist : and by all the Saints in heauen , that neuer in all my life haue I gone about directly or indirectly to supplant my brother and his issue of his inheritance in all this time of his absence , but contrariwise haue as far as he euer intrusted me done my brotherly best to work him home againe , as bearing the mind to be beholding rather to God then to my selfe for my fortunes . No no , my brothers religion to God , and his loyaltie to his Prince and Countrey I too wel know , why I should so wrong him , and therein my owne conscience more . A blanke importing treason to this State he when as it was most loyally reiected , refusing to subscribe thereunto , whereupon good father Cowbuck within a while after threatned to sit on his skirts , and partly hath made it good since ( as I heard ) in detaining from him a legacie which sir Francis Englefield in his death bestowed vpon his wife , so very a traitor was this Cowbucke in the one , and so leud an executor in the other . Iudge you now with what honestie I may go about to supplant so good a brother , so good a subiect , and in few , so good a Catholicke as hath left together with his countrey all his faire fortunes therein meerely for the Catholicke cause ; in which respect I acknowledge him the wel-worthie head of our house , and worthie to continue so , and consequently iudge you then whether this libelling Iesuite be an honest or ciuill man thus to traduce me to the world and in paticular to him by the parsimonie of my fortunes , as though it were not easier by Christs own parable for a poore man to be honest and so to enter into the kingdome of heauen , then a rich Camell . True it is that my father out of his ample estate might in his louing care and prouidence haue left vs his yonger sonnes more liberally prouided then he did ; but he did not , as minding to leaue vs partly to our owne makings . Neither was it euer yet my hap to be made a rich mans executor whereby to better my estate that way , and to braue it in girdle and hangers of thirtie pound price as a Iesuite hath done ; neither beare I so Iesuiticall a conscience . Moreouer ( I trust ) that foure score pound and vpward a yeare is not altogether a miserable estate for a yonger brother liuing single wherewith to liue an honest man ; lesse then which I neuer yet spent any yeare , and yet ( I thanke God ) my debts are not great , and since my mariage my deare mothers loue hath bettered it . Besides , you know ( Cosin ) by what executor I am yet the worse by fiue hundred pounds . The first point concerning Appeale and matter of Schisme is alreadie determined by his Holinesse especiall Breue , to wit , the Appeale reiected , and the controuersie of Schisme prohibited from further dispute vnder paine of excommunication ipso facto , into which this man must needes haue incurred if he knew of the said Breue when he wrote his booke , and if not , then at leastwise the booke it selfe remaineth forbidden vnder the same paine and punishment . As he hath belied me hitherto , so see how he here slaundereth the Appeale touching the matter of schisme with a lie also , affirming that it is determined by his Holinesse , but how ? to wit , the Appeale reiected , which how this assertion hangs together , I pray ye iudge . Iudge how if it be determined ( as indeed it is on the Appellants behalfe against the Libellers ) it can be said to be reiected , all reiection being properly of a bil not inquirable in Court , oh grosse and inconsiderate equiuocation . As for his Holinesse inhibiting the question to be further disputed on vnder paine , &c. how grosse reproch were it also to his Holines if he had not first defined it , namely to haue it said of him , that to priests appealing vnto his Chaire for iudgement in the behalf of their infinite innocence against Calumniators , in the behalf of the libertie of the Church , and also of his Holines own honor , he after so many miles trauell , and that at so great charges and hazards of theirs vnto him in this respect , to reiect their bill , without doing them the equitie as to reade it . On the other side if it be true that since his Holinesse award on the Priests side ( which is most certaine true as in M. Colletons late booke you may reade the order ) he hath withall inhibited ( as this Iesuit suggests ) all further dispute vpon the question , vnder , &c. it is wel and good ; but here of I wil informe me more then of a Iesuits bare word which deserues no more credit then ye haue heard . Howsoeuer , ( I am sure ) he lieth broadly in affirming that any such Bull of prohibition was out , or at leastwise promulgated before the edition of my letter by you , whereby I to haue incurred the censure therein contained if I knew thereof , for that if his said Assumpsit be true , it is also true that he himself and his faction haue à fortiori incur●…ed the same , forasmuch as this libell of his is come forth ( as ye see ) since my said letter , and also their Appollogie , Appendix , &c. all containing matter of the Appeale prohibited ; and yet he and they ( at least wise as he here for himself and them suggesteth ) taking notice of such a Breue : whereas I for my part do take no other notice of any such matter , then all the partie of the Appeale hath or doth either now or then , and do submit me accordingly . In the meane time why my book should be by any such pretēded Breue , more censured and forbidden vnder penaltie then this of his or the rest on his side comming forth since mine vpon the same argument ( as is said ) especially mine being for the Appeale on which behalfe his Holinesse hath ordered it , and theirs on the contrarie , iudge you ( Cosin ) how likely this sounds . Albeit this were not so , yet were it lost time to answer this quareller , who not vnderstanding the substance of the controuersie , tatleth without any purpose at all , saying therein much lesse and worse then others of his crew haue said or written before him . Bonaverba quaeso , be not angrie ( good Iesuite ) but beare your rebukes patiently at a souldiers hands , both for that your founder was sometime such , and likewise for that your misdemeanures are rather militarie then Ecclesiastical or religious , and consequently within the spheare of militarie discipline . You are a societie that would shake off the yoke of your true masters the secular Clergie , and impose it vpon them , which is preposterous and must not be as long as there is ere an honest souldier aliue that will defend them , and herein the hierarchie and libertie of holy Church . Now ( Cosin ) whereas he saith that I vnderstand not the substance of the controuersie , & haue ta●…led without anie purpose at all , his Holinesse censure so conformable to my discourse , or rather my discourse to his censure giues herein his fatherhood the lie , which is a kind of lie against the holy Ghost ; as thus by militarie scholership I proue it . He that speakes or writes according to S. Peter , speakes and writes according to the holy Ghost ; and he that affirmes that so spoken or written is to no purpose , lieth against the holy Ghost . But what I haue written and said in my letter concerning the point of schisme , hath bene according to S. Peter ( vz. his Successor ) and consequently according to the holy Ghost ; ergo this Libeller in saying that I haue written and spoken to no purpose in my said letter concerning the point of Schisme , hath lied against the holy Ghost . The Minor I proue , for what I there writ concerning that point , was , that the Appellants were no schismatickes , rebels , nor disobedient in forbearing to accept of the Archpriests authority vpon the Cardinals bare letter before the comming of the Apostolike Breue , and this is verbatim his Holines censure touching the same point . Sanctissimus visis & consider at is rationibus vestris ( vz. of the Appellāts ) declarat vos neque schismaticos , neque rebelles , neque inobedientes fuisse ante aduentum Breuis Apostolici , &c. Furthermore , the libellers alleaging one of my reasons for the schisme to be on their side , with his cutting off with an , &c. the most materiall words of the same , sheweth his sinceritie what it is ; but his reproofe thereof is much more absurd , for this is all he saith : And hereby the discreete Reader will see how wise an vn-Iesuited Gentlemā this is to instruct his Cosin the Iesuited Gentleman in matter of schisme . If in my said discourse I haue said lesse and worse touching that point then anie other , I am glad that the case was so good on the Appellants side that both the least of my pen was inough , and her best not good inough to be seene therein . Another of my reasons touching the point of State he citeth , whereby I inferred that if Christ expresly rebuked S. Peter for cutting off Malchas his eare , the quarrell being so good : à fortiori , S. Peter and his Successors haue no authoritie Trade●…di gentem in gentem by conquest for Religion : which proposition vnder correction of holy Church , I rest farther readie to maintaine , and that for the honour of the sea Apostolike , vz. that P●…non habet à Christo potestatem tradendi gentem in gentem armis & in foedum propter Religionem . If this be hacking ( as he termes it ) at the Popes authoritie ; iudge you then what a hacker thereat that Spanish Iesuite is , who openly and for sound , doctrine maintained it first to his auditors in the schoole , and at this instant obstinatly in the inquisition doth ( vz. ) that Non est de fide credere hunc Romanum Pontifice●… esse Christi Uicarium . This ( I trust ) is more then hacking at the Pope ; this is a flat cutting off his head . But marke ( I pray ) how learnedly the Libeller refutes my aforesaid reason : these are his words . And do you not see by this reason that this yong gentleman souldier , is fitter to cut off boyes eares , then to reason of State matters ; or to backe at the Popes authoritie by such arguments as these are . These are the vennies this hacking father giues me , which he thinkes are deepe wounds , and which to do he so stretcheth forth his arme that ( as ye see ) he straines it , the reproch lighting on himselfe . But let vs see what followeth . But what saith he of the third point about Iesuits ? Oh here is his veine indeed to raile , and reuell against them , who ( good men ) haue bene alwayes carefull , so farre forth as in them hath layne to stay his shittle braines , and to make him carefull of some Christian constancie , but all in vaine as it seemeth . Still the father vrgeth the societies fauours vnto me , their care to stay my shittle braines , and make me carefull of some Christian constancie ; ah stale hypocrisie , grosse extortion , and proud beggarie of good desert where none euer was , but the cleane contrarie ; ah humor of all humours , and ceremonie of all ceremonies the most extrauagant and ridiculous that euer I heard of Sure , this is a gullerie new brought ouer by the fathers from beyond the straights of Magellane , and as yet not thorough christened here in Europe . I wonder how they brought it so farre by sea , and vnder so torrid zones without tainting , or what po●…dring or p●…boiling ( haply ) they gaue it aforehand . No no ●…sin ) it hath taken wind and ●…kes ; pouder or spice it they neuer so art●…lly , you and all may smell the sleight of it : which is noise other th●…n by such their arrogated goodnesse toward me , they to seeme ( good men ) and consequently my auersion from them to seeme vngratefull , and as from God ; but chiefly my verities to you of them thereby to be disabled and reputed inuectiues as from an vngrateful person , they hauing in truth no iust disproofe of them at all as for example ye shall ●…eare : Ye reade in my former letter vnto you ( which this fellow termes a libell ) of a certaine familiar Iesuite who erected a kind of family of loue by his might-lectures to his faire fema●…e auditors , & what became of it ; now heare ( I pray ) his disproofe ; these are his words 〈◊〉 you heare this lasciuious companion going about to discredit good and vertuous men , and in them the whole Catholike cause ? as though I or any man else euer lay with his sister besides himselfe , why thus he should terme me lasciuious ; or as though a Iesuites bare negatiue ( as these words of his sound not so much ) could be autenticke against a positiue assertion , and an affirmatiue so peremptorie as this of 〈◊〉 is , without further proofe ; or as though the honour of the whole Catholicke cause consisted on a few pelting Iesuits ; oh proud and peeuish pen ! And so of some other my allegations , which being in the affirmatiue he would haue either his bare deniall , or else his ( How is it likely ? ) or , Do you thinke this is a Catholicke ? or such like surly euasions to ouer-beare : which must not be , a Iesuite being now pretily discouered amongst vs what quiddit he is and of what mould . He must not thinke to beare it hence forward amongst Catholikes in England with his bare Ipse dixit as heretofore , but must aswel as other honest and plaine meaning men be content to come downe from the bench , & yeeld reason for what he saith or doth . It is neither his Pharisaicall hypocrisie , his title of religious , nor yet the fauour of Spaine & all the house of Austrich that can giue him credit against honestie , honestie being the staffe which wil neuer warp , but still abide straight and stiffe against a world of aduersaries . So thought they to tread downe the Appellants first from their Appeale , next in their Appeale touching the point of Schisme , but you see now the contrarie , and therin their shame so great , as not all the Austrich fethers in the world can swagger out . So good is God & euer was to his seruāts , to his litle Dauid against Go●…as . In which respect how happie may I thinke my selfe in hauing thus risen on the Appellants side , and serued them ( whom this mate stil termes seditious ) to the poore power of my pen , and in them al the Church of God. In the libellers exceptions whereunto I maruell here by the way why he answereth me nothing concerning the point of Spanish faction whereof I so really impeach his societie , and namely his fellow father Cowbuck , and the same with me all the partie of the Appeale . Oh oh , it is his guiltie conscience , and that so much the more guiltie and trecherous , by how much he would faine smother this article rather by silence then by blushing . Likewise it is a point which they haue concluded to let sleepe till a change , at what time ( all being then likely to be in vprore ) they will awake it againe with some new Spanish Doleman , suffizing that they retaine their Spanish faction sure in the meane time against that day , to which day for the delay of it , they giue the daily poxe , and that plainely and without all maner of mentall euasion ; and so likewise to all those that haue alreadie detected such their disloyall proiect . It followeth . Do you thinke this is a Catholike , but onely in the very rine and paring ? No no , this is a copes-mate shrouded in a Catholickes coate , an Apost●… in his heart from God and all pietie , &c. How say you ( Cosin ) by this gallant , by this ( I will not say ) Deus Deorum in Sion , but Daemon daemoniorum in Aegypto , who thus presumptuously takes vpon him to define the conscience of any man like God himselfe , who onely is Scrutator renum & cordis . His saying that I am not a Catholike other then in rine and paring ; that I am a copesmate shrouded in a Catholikes coate ( if he meane copes-mate in disgrace ) and that I am an Apostata in my hart from God and all pietie , are all most grosse , inormous , and diabolicall slanders , such as my conscience , and in the behalfe of it all the Angels and Saints of heauen , yea God himself giues the lie vnto . For since the time of my vnion to the Catholicke Church , which was in Anno 1583. by the hand of old and good M. Woodward in Rone in Normandie , I neuer either in schismaticall or hereticall word , deed , or assent , scandalized the same , but haue euer held and reputed such my Religion as the apple of my eye , and as a brooch , pledge , piller and seale of saluation to my soule . Yea , rather then I will euer vpon temptation of the flesh , the world or the diuell , disparage my selfe herein to the Catholike Church , I trust in God to endure a thousand deaths . In testimony of which my Catholike cōscience , I here by these presents auow the same vnto you ( good cosin ) and to as many as may happen to reade this letter , praying you and them to beare me record hereof at the latter day when all flesh shall arise to iudgement . If the actuals of my life haue not bin so conformable to this my professed faith as they ought , it hath bene my extreme frailtie I confesse , for which God I thanke that he hath left medicinable Sacraments in the Church whereby I may rise and renew me from time to time ; yet , sure I am that to dislike of so schismaticall and trecherous preuaricators as Iesuites are at this day both to our Church and countrey , and to oppose against them as such with al my abilitie with and for the sacred Seminaries my true spirituall fathers , is no wayes an act of ill life so much as veniall , much lesse Apostacie from God and all pietie , but the cleane contrarie , that is , Catholicke and bounden dutie in the highest degree . Let therfore this libelling Iesuit looke into his owne conscience , and checke these his slanderous imputations to me , first there , and then to the world-ward , and as for his satisfaction to me , he shall find it easie at my hands , who do daily pray God to forgiue me my trespasses , as I forgiue all trespasses against me . Till when let him not vaunt ( as aboue ye haue read ) of atimorous conscience , to affirme things that he knowes not for certaine , especially if tending to the reproch of any ; and in religious humilitie think himselfe ( as all men ought ) the veriest sinner of all others . And finally his deadly and diuellish hatred to Iesuits in generall and to father Parsons in especiall , to whom notwithstanding he was wont to professe great obligation for his spirituall good , as he is not ashamed to conclude thus of him : In briefe , if he haue bene a Iudas to Gods Church and his country to the disparage of the Seminaries , &c. That I being so verie Catholicke as you haue heard , do hate Iesuits as Iesuites , that is , as they ought to be good religious men according to their institution , and their founders rules confirmed & priuiledged so indulgently by holy Church is another falsitie , and I repute it as a slander . Marie , that I hate them as men generally debaucht and digressed from their principles , and consequently as most scandalous transgressors , this I acknowledge to be verie true , and my dutie as I am a Catholike , being withall sory euen in my soule and with my hart for the honour of my holy mother the Church , that there can be a religious societie in it so scandalous as this aswell to all her children and friends , as to her foes ; but specially in a Church so much vnder execution as this our English is . Yea so farre forth I am sorie herefore , as that to redeeme the same , I take God to witnes , I would willingly endure a manie Anathemaes both temporall and corporall in this world Gods grace and loue reserued . And as for father Cowbucke I denie and maligne him not the credit of his booke called the Resolution ; but do agnize his paines therein taken , whether as a collector , or but as a translator , to be meritorious and fruitefull , and in particular my selfe to haue bene more then somewhat profited thereby in spirite in the time of my catecumenage ; and so also haue manie bene by Buchanans seuen Psalmes , who notwithstanding became himselfe an Apostata in the end . Other , either spirituall or temporall debt to him or his societie I acknowledge none , but the cleane contrarie , that is , disgusts and iniuries , both to my selfe as A. C. and also as I am a member of the Catholicke Church and my countrey , either of which that Societie , but especially this man haue notoriously scandalized and preiudiced . In which respect I might iustly distast and impeach them in my former letter to you , as I did in maner of an Appollogie for the Seminaries , to whom in all duties both to our Church and countrey we are chiefly indebted . And if ( haply ) they haue erred in anie thing to the hurt of either of them , it hath bene in bringing in of Iesuits , and giuing them here the countenance they haue to the discountenancing of themselues , and generally of the Catholicke cause through their ingratitude , singularity , and auarice . Being which maner of men and therefore iustly banisht out of France , and distasted of the most part of Christendome ; how is it that their reproch may be a blemish to any , or rather not their praise a reproch ? Truly ( Cosin ) if they hold on as they haue begun , and that withall the world by their meanes grow not worse then it is alreadie , I do not doubt but we shall see it so ere long ; if they be not cassierd the sooner , so much is their corruption exorbitant and readie to runne ouer . Good God that such a societie of men after so many scandals and foule deserts of theirs in France and elsewhere for Prince-killing , sedition , &c. can be thus of credit in England , where also they haue assayed no lesse and daily do before our eyes , besides their present schisme in our Church : whereas the Seminariesouer and aboue the high honor of their secular and pastorall priesthood , and their instiution thus for the shamble in Gods cause and for our soules like vowed good shepheards , are truly good men and our good fathers , in all aswell moral as spirituall practise , gatherers & not dispersers , with whom to be afflicted by the Iesuits and our common aduersaries , highly we ought to hold it a glorie to God and vs ; and as for my owne part I do , reputing this Libellers contumelies against me for their sakes for such , being glad that you amongest other my good kinsemen and friends are so open eyed ( standing vpon your honor to be wise and vertuous ) as to discerne not onely a Iesuits grosse and goutie faults , as ( for example ) a lie , but also his finer and quintessenced gulleries as daily now you do . You may see and be glad to see it , how farre these fathers are alreadie chased by ours , that like a foxe almost spent in the hunting , they haue now no other shift for the life of their schisme , then to bepisse their tailes and besprinkle therewith the hounds that are readie to fasten on them in the eyes , wherewith ( if it may be ) to put them off . Such foxe-like pissing-shift is this Manifester his quil-full oflice , vz. expresse lies blowne not only vpon me ( being a lay man ) in this said Libell , but also vpon sundrie good Seminaries who haue likewise hunted their foxe-ship , and yet do with their sedule pen. It was other with these foxes in the beginning of the day , when being fresh a foote , and the hunt but scarse vp , they had manie a wittie wile , manie a pretie frisk , and many a slie subterfuge , as mental euasions , equiuocations , tergiuersations , hypocrisie , and the like , wherewith to deceiue the hound and saue themselues , whereas now they are come to their pissing-shifts of lie & libell as is said . Corage ( good Cosin ) & think their death that is their finall check & shame for all their schisme and sins at the Apostolike Pastors hands now at hand , seeing that to so grosse and beastly shifts they are fallen as expresse lying against their pursuers . It was my chance this other day riding vpon the way to ouertake a Iesuiticall ally of mine , a gentleman wel descended , and who had suffered much for the Catholike cause at the hands of our common aduersarie , first in sundrie prisons , and lastly at the Barre ; and falling into communication with him vpon these matters of the Appeale , I found him the man who in litle more then two miles riding did blunder out and that most ass●…uerently seuen as grosse lies as grosse might be , and that to my certaine knowledge whom they all concerned . Now because for many respects I loue the Gentleman , I heartily wish him dis-lesuited for altogether , but especially of this veine which is too grosse , and so likewise his fat sister I wish she would hang her picture of the Iesuit in the gray gowne now another while in the garret , seeing that the presence and sight therof hath heretofore giuen her leaue to Asse and befoole too manie Seminaries Priests farre more reuerend and good men ( I wisse ) then he ; who though they were bad , yet better termes might beseeme a modest Catholike gentlewoman on men of their coate . Thus much to her because I likewise loue and wish her well , and in particular to be rid of her old corne wheresoeuer she be ; for it is a shreud paine and makes the foote go much awrie . By this you may see what a proper Cato this Manifester is to be either taskt by his superiour Iesuit , or to take vpon himselfe to censure others , who is himselfe so censurable a companion aswel for the inormities of his censure , as of the whole course of his life . In effect you see that the summe of his said censure is a manifestation of his owne and his societies folly and bad spirite most immense vpon the subiect of detraction and defamation , which is the grossest and drossiest argument that my pen can handle , and most properly and essentially libellious : whereby it appeares that a Iesuit at this day is not only digressed from the finenesse of his institution and primitiall honors as religious Ignatians ; but also from fine and vertue-like vices , wherewith they first of all began to be naught , to too too course and scandalous , which ere long will bring them to as grosse contempt . Not but that this Manifester seemes for his part to continue euen as he first began , that is , no better nor no worse ; you hauing heard afore somewhat of his foule birth and life , and now seene somewhat of his libell , at least if ( as in the beginning I said ) he be the man. I was once almost of opinion and so were others with me that this Libeller had bene one Garnet the prouincial-father ouer these schismatikes here in England ; for that I sometimes knew him by the name of Patre Robert●… a great chalker vpon a wall in the Gregorian-Colledge at Rome ▪ and consequently ( being a Iesuit ) was likely ( I thought ) to be the man thus libelliously to score vp other mēs vices or rather their vertues for vices , and not his owne , which mostly euerie religious man ought . But by reason that his charactering was alwaies with chalk , and this authors seemes to be with a cole : therfore I quit him of this scādal ; though not of many others as grosse , which gladly also I would for my cosin R. S. his sake somtime his fellow-father in earth , with whom he came ouer into England ( if I mistake not ) and which kinsman of mine I presume is by this time a Saint in heauen notwithstanding some soule faults of his as from his Iesuitisme . All the finenesse that may be so called in this libellious Manifestation is that the author thereof being a meere Iesuit , would haue it thought by his ( wees ) to be of some secular Priests doing , and consequently of Seminarie against Seminarie , or at least waies by this sleight to worke it so , or if not , yet thereby to inuolue the Seminaries in their blames and scandals in the opinion of the vulgar , which forasmuch as Stultorum plena sunt omnia , they hold for the better boote , because the greater . But as they haue their forged ( wees ) wherewith thus to gull the world ; so ( assure your selfe ) there will not want true ( wees ) on the Appellant-side to detect from time to time such their gulleries to their shame : which to do , is so farre from being Chams manner of fault toward his father Noe , ( they being no waies such good fathers ) as that those ( wees ) neede not to feare Gods like curse vpon them therefore , much lesse those fathers owne curses ; yea , not to discouer them I hold rather a matter of irreligion , and to deserue Gods anger , whom of his great goodnesse we are to beseech rather he to frustrate such their sleights , then we to discouer them , the notice whereof can no whit edifie our common aduersaries . Also we are to beeseech God in the behalfe of such Iesuiticall ( wees ) and the like sleights to the disunion of our brethren farther then alreadie they are , he to inspire the Seminaries animam vna●… & cor vnū against their common foe , as alreadie we plentifully and gladly may see it , considering quam bonum & quam i●…cundunt est habitare fratres in vnum . Well , you may see by this ( as I was a saying ) how all honest supports begin to faile the Iesuits in their schisme , and they forced to trust now daily to lies , Mammon , and fooles . Blessed be God for it ( sweet Cosin ) and a faire incouragement may it be to vs to expect hereupon their farther foile then what they haue alreadie receiued at our fathers hands and the holy Ghosts , as touching the decided point of schisme ▪ namely all their other aggriefes against them being now ( as we heare ) committed by his Holinesse to his high court of Inquisition , to be examined according to the humble sure of the Appellants by their two Latin bookes , the one to his Holinesse , the other to that Court it selfe , both which ( I suppose ) you haue seene ? This commitment of the cause by his Holinesse , the Iesuit-partie here swaggers vpon mightily at this present , as vpon a point in the Appellants disgrace and to their glorie , which ( God knowes ) is but with a weeping inward , considering that our partie hath brought it to this passe , full ill against their wils : howbeit , they haue their ruffians to face it , and their too too manie sots to beleeue it in their praise . And now where you find such vngratefull , traiterous , and Iudas-like nature , &c. what disputing is there with him ? A conclusion verie sutable to the premisses , and such as no Catholicke or charitable person may with a safe conscience answer Amen vnto : for that thereby he should incur the guilt of all his libell , which not all the countenance of Spaine and Austrich can euer make good against me , at least in the eye of God. So as , true and vndoubted is my triumph ouer it in this my answer , it being so full of veritie as God sees it is , wherein if I haue bene so bold as to giue the Iesuit the lie as I haue lineally met with the same , I trust it hath bene with charitie inough ; though with the lesse courtesie ; charitie being that Adam which can giue euery thing her proper notion . And as for scandalum magnatum I am sure it is none neither ; for that a Iesuits greatnesse ( at least this Libellers whom I suppose ) is none at all , vnlesse in scandalgiuing . Thirdly , Percussor Cleri I am likewise none in so doing , for that if it be anie percussion at all , it is Percussio percussoris cleri , such as this Iesuit hath bene in all this libell of his , except onely in this part of it which hath touched me who am lay , and it hath bene me defendendo . Wherein how iustly I haue exonerated my selfe vnto you , of all his imputations by these my answers . I referre to your exactest examination . Examine ( I pray ) whether with Iacob I haue all this while contended with a good Angell or a bad ; yea be ye a Iesuit the while to make the worst construction you can of these my lines . Let the libeller who ere he be , or any , or all the Iesuites in the world for him , that find themselues aggrieued with either the many lies I haue in this my Appollogie giuen him , or otherwaies impeached him in my defence ; accuse me by an Appeale to the Apostolike barre , and see whether I feare either the inquisition or the galley to answer him . Let him trie whether I cannot better defend both this and my former letter to you concerning their scandals , then either M. Lister his treatie of schisme , or this Iesuit his Libel were he called in coram thither for it . Eighteene capitall lies and one veniall haue I giuen this Manifester , as the apparant proofes and my protestations , besides God and my conscience can witnesse , which is pretie competent for not passing two leaues of his booke concerning me , and more then so many vennies to him from me . Guesse you may how many then he hath written in the whole of others being all Priests , and consequently by all likelihood men of lesse exceptions vnto , then I who am a souldier . His lies are these . Imprimis , that my letter to you which is imprinted is a libell . 2 That I stand for the seditious . 3 That I tooke the Colledge oath to be a Priest. 4 That I pretended to be an Augustine Frier . 5 That I betooke me to Poetrie in the Colledge . 6 That I was dismist from thence by the Iesuits . 7 Item by their charitie ( vz. ) Uiaticu●… . 8 That I was put from Rhemes by order from Cardinall Allan . 9 That I went from Rhemes to Flanders . 10 That I had there a pension of fiue and twentie crownes a moneth . 11 That I obtained it by father Holts meanes . 12 That I am vngratefull to the King of Spaine . 13 That I printed an infamous inuectiue against him . 14 That the Appeale is reiected . 15 That my imprinted letter to you was prohibited by his Holinesse Breue so as he assumes . 16 That I vnderstand not the substance of the controuersie touching the schisme . 17 That I am a copesmate shrouded in a Catholicke coate , and an Apostata in my heart from God and all pietie . 18 That I hate Iesuites in generall if he meane as Iesuits ; or father Parsons in particular as a Iesuite . 19 That the Iesuites haue bene my best friends manie yeares . His other calumniations of me , and o●… of Cardinall Allan . Imprimis , that I went vp into the pulpit to make the tones with a rose in my mouth . 2 That the Iesuites sent me to Rhemes to saue me from farther falling . 3 His reproch to the Cardinall that he disdained my sute to his neece . 4 That I shewed an vnconstant head in going from the Irish to a Spanish regiment . 5 His grosse comment vpon my Mot Recta securus . 6 That I made that imprinted letter to you as a Prologue , whereby to get in with some in authoritie for the bettering of my estate . 7 That my brothers liuing was allurement vnto me thereunto . 8 That I am a Catholike but onely in the rine and paring . 9 His cauils vpon certaine passages in my said letter vnto you , and his no disproofes of them , but slie cuasions . 10 That I tooke occasion by my said letter to ●…aile at the Iesuites and Archpriest . 11 His leauing me to Gods iudgement . Other gulleries wherein he hath shamed himselfe . Imprimis , his not setting his name to his Manifestation , &c. whereby it is a flat libell . 2 His ( wees ) as though not he alone wrote the libell , but would haue it thought written by Seninaries . 3 His affirming his ( wees ) to be of a fearefull conscience , as to auouch things that they knew not for certaine after his expresse lies foretold . 4 His hypocriticall and detractious aduise to yonkers to beware by me of sliding backe vpon his surmised and premised lies . 5 His hypocrisie and detraction in praying God that I trespasse not ere long in matter of faith , hauing failed as he pretends in the point of Charitie . 6 His contradicting himselfe in affirming that the Appeale concerning the schisme is determined and yet reiected . 7 His affirming that my foresaid letter to you is prohibited by his Holinesse Breue , and yet his insinuating that his and other bookes of his faction which are come foorth since it vpon the same argument , are not . His vnciuill and scurrilous termes of me . That I am a libeller , a scold for the seditious , a litle wanton idle-headed boy , and light witted ; a lad , vnconstant , spleenatiue , spitefull , malicious , vaine , inane , a quareller , a tatler , ●…it to cut off boyes eares , a hacker at the Popes authoritie , a railer , a reuiler , shittle brained , a lasciuious companion , a discreditor of vertuous men and the Catholike cause , beastly , sensual , a Catholike but in the rine and paring , a copesmate shrouded in a Catholike coate , an Apostata , impudent , a deadly and diuellish hater of Iesuites , vngratefull , traiterous ; Iudas-like , &c. Now tell me ( Cosin ) whether euer ye read two such leaues in all your life , and whether you thinke this fellow haue not passing well profited in Iesuitrie , alias Scaningerie , who notwithstanding is not ashamed to prate of modestie , and ( perhaps ) expects to be so answered . This is the fruite of that singularitie wherein a Iesuite will be called ( forsooth ) a father , albeit his societie be the purest order in the Church of God ; fie on such fatherhood so rooted , so fruited . Were I not a Catholicke , I should be proud ( I promise ye ) of such a fathers reproch and malediction , which in the integritie of my Catholicke conscience I asmuch scorne at their hands , as I scorne to be any whit depending of their good word for my reputation , they being such prodigious schismatickes as they are to our Church , traitors to our Countrey , and ( as it seemes ) most professed liers , at whose hands how can a praise but stinke , and a reproch but resent most sweetly ? Briefe , will you know why thus this father lies ? His father was a plough-lob full of lice , And be a groome who at euery ale-pot lies ; He eke did lie with his owne sister twice , Whereby he did become his nephews Sire , And therewithall a famous father-lyre , At least if I do dot mistake the Squire . See what it is to be a mis-begotten , It mis-begets againe , forgetting cleane All manner of measure saue the onely pott●… , And makes a very sister ▪ a very queane , Fie on that pen , as also on that other ▪ That can defloure the honour of a brother , Weening with bastard-wees the shame to smother . Hauing thus Apollogetically , and plainely as you see , and withall as briefly as I can exonerated my selfe vnto you of this Iesuits libellious imputations , I here promise you vpon occasion thereof to present you and all the world ere long with a Manifestation of the Iesuiticall common-wealth , whereby you shall plainly see vpon what maner of props it subsists . God defend that my conscience and my pen should not therein meerely intend Gods glorie , the good of his Church and of my Country : so as I may and will boldly shew my face without any manner of wees , or namelesse vizard , and be knowne to be of Sion by my voice against such inward Babylonians as they are My Ordo ad Deum in that Treatie shall be such , and my face so manifest , doing it propter bonum societatis ▪ vz , for her reformation ( if it please God ) that scratch it what Iesuit soeuer list my conscience , and the approbation of all good men wil heale it as fast . For there are Stapletons and Wrights inough in the world who haue gone in amongst them , and come forth againe noting their pollution . My stile shal be ( as you see ) plaine , but ciuil and honest , and better crossed and blessed of God ( I trust ) then to blunder out a falshood for a world . There will not want truths inough and too manie in their reproofe , though I pray not a lie in aide . The contents of the booke I send you herewith as a fore-tast or ante-past or Antelope thereunto . We leaue him to Gods iudgement and so an end of that . Shall we still take a Iesuite for an honest or ciuill man withall his faults ? Might he not aswell and better and more Catholickely haue left me to Gods mercies , at least if he thinke himselfe a sinner too , and needing the same aswell as I ? or did I euer lie with my sister ? drink my selfe drunke in his cup ? or write nineteene lies against anie mans good name in but two leaues of paper , why he should thus leaue me to Gods iudgement ? or if I had why not rather to his mercies ? Call ye it charitie so to leaue a man to God , knowing Quam horribile est incidere in manus Dei viuentis & videntis ? or is his owne innocence such that he is able to answer God in his accusations vnum pro mille ? In few , is this wished like a good father ? or is this diliges proximum tuum tanquam teipsum , firsty your self to condemne your brother for an Apostata from God and all pietie , &c. and then also to leaue him to Gods iudgement ? vnlesse ( haply ) you acknowledge your said iudgement rash and vniust , and therefore would referre him to God to iudge him better . No , no , this is Iesuiticall vncharitie , and agreeable to that of father Cowbucke his presaging my necke to be broken adowne the Alpes manie yeares ago ( as afore is touched ) who liue yet notwithstanding , and ( as I hope ) in Gods blessings , for all I dislike a Iesuit : which ( to conclude ) I do not see how I am not bound to do in the behalfe of our true spirituall fathers the secular Priests , whom ( hauing bene euer stagers in Gods Church ) these vpstarts would supplant , by robbing them of their Pastorall and paternal honours , which must not be ; neither yet they to betray our countrey to Spaine . In either of which quarrels I for my part do hold it ( as twice before I said ) an honour to be with our said fathers afflicted by these false fathers ; and do meane ( by Gods help ) like a true Catholike souldier to maintaine my stand in the one , and like a true English in the other on their behalfe . Do you the like ( good Cosin ) and euerie good English Catholike besides ; considering the foes we deale withall are brazen-faced , and all their braue is in the Austrich feather . Fare ye well . Postscript . MAister D. Elyes answer which in my former letter I foretold ye was forthcomming to the Iesuitical Apollogie is now come ouer , intituled , His notes vpon the same , wherein he hath shewne himselfe the excellent good man he is , and euer was in zeale of Gods Church , and the Seminaries honor , of which letter he is a baze or fundamentall stone . Which notwithstanding , a larger answer to the said Appollogie is in hand by the Priests here at home , and verie shortly forthcomming . With these notes of M. D. Elies is combined M. D. Bagshaw his Appollogie for his good name ; as also D. Bishops , and M. Pagets , wherunto the Iesuiticall lies and libels haue driuen them there , aswell as me and others here at home : the booke I send ye herewith . The Appendix is likewise in answering ; and as for the Manifestation , the answer thereto is alreadie finished , and readie for the presse . The newes from Rome is as by this peece of a letter from a speciall gentleman in Paris of instant date , & in answer to a letter of M. Watsons vnto him you may perceiue . M. Bluet is on the way hitherward , from whom we haue had no letters these two last Posts . Onely it is assured vs from Rome that Parsons is condemned ; the maner and particularities thereof we haue not as yet . M. Bluets arriuall will affoord it vs all , and giue vs all cause to reioyce . The rest of thē stay ( as I think ) there still , for so it is held expedient for the farther state ofthe of the businesse . I am glad to heare that the book lately printed here is so wel accepted of amōg you there at home , as I see no reason why it should not , considering who they were that penned it : and this is asmuch as is to be written from hence at this time touching common affaires . Now for the rest , &c. By this ( Cosin ) you may see what a monstrous gull or foist that of the Iesuits was which of late , yea yet possesseth both the court and countrey against the Appellants : but what will ye ? Mentitur iniquitas sibi ; and according to the Prophet , Omnis homo mendax , that is , as I may here conster it , quatenus a Iesuit or Iesuiticall . Both these letters are submitted to the censure of holy Church , and the mis-printing to the courtesie and discretion of the Reader . The Table of my forthcomming Manifestation of the Iesuites Common-wealth . CHap. 1. Of the Founder and Institution of the Societie of Iesus , and the approbation thereof by the Sea-Apostolicke . Chap. 2. Of the fruitefull seruices the Societie hath done to the Sea-Apostolicke till the time of her declination , and of some rare men of it at this day . Chap. 3. Of the many faculties , priuiledges , and prerogatiues indulged from time to time to the Societie by the Sea-Apostolicke . Chap. 4. How and wherin the Societie differeth from all other religious orders in holy Church , and consequently how vnlikely to continue anie long time perfect . Chap. 5. Of the Societies retaining to the house of Austrich and Spaine . Chap. 6. Of the Societies first stayre downeward , to wit , her singularitie and ouer-weening . Chap. 7. Of the Societies two Poles , to wit , her Pharisaicall Ordo ad Deum , and her fiscall or ingrossall Bonum societatis , about which all her other euils do reuolue and gire . Chap. 8. Of the lucre the Societie makes of the education of youth and free schoole . Chap. 9. Of the lucre the Societie makes as Executrix to Camels , and her forme of complying with them . Chap. 10. Of the Societies art and lucre in sowing of Factions . Chap. 11. Of the Societies art in brutes and reports , and the vse it makes thereof . Chap. 12. Of the Societies art of defamation , and the vse it makes thereof . Chap. 13. Of the Societies sleights of equiuocation , mentall euasion , tergiuersation , vulpecular-fawne , and the like . Chap. 14. Of the Societies hypocrisie , and abuse of the Sacraments , and other spirituall exercises , and the lucratiue vse it makes thereof . Chap. 15. Of the Societies interdealing in Court and State , and her opposing commonly against the State it liues vnder , and to what end , though ( as it hath bene seene ) to her hazard in the end . Chap. 16. Of the Societies treasons , murthers , and perfidiousnesse in State , and her Doctrine according . Chap. 17. Of the Societies Magicall art of Auguri●… ; and her vse thereof . Chap. 18. Of the prodigious spirits the Societie puts into her ghostly children . Chap. 19. Of the Societies varietie of Appendants and seruitors , and their seuerall offices throughout Christendome , together with their Pensions and entertainements . Chap. 20. Of the Societistes their shiftes and cautions to colour anie euill member or matter of theirs both à priore and à posteriore . Chap. 21. Of the Societies schismes , heresies , and other impostures within and against the Catholike Church . Chap. 22. Of the likelihood of the Societies bringing in of Antichrist . Chap. 23. Of certaine excellent men who hauing bin Probationors in the Societie , and noting the corruption thereof haue left the same . Chap. 24. How Cardinal Tollet a Iesuit , Cardinal Borhomeo , Cardinal Allan and others disliked the Societie , and namely Borhomeo his expulsing it out of all his Arch-Diocesse of Millan , and her eiection out of France , together with many religious mens pens against it at this day . Chap. 25. Of the perill of the Societies continuance ouer our English Seminaries , both to our Church and Countrey , with a briefe narration of her mischiefes hitherto to either of them . Chap. 26. Of the meanes to exterpe the Societie out of England , namely by the Seminaries continuall Appeales to the Sea-Apostolicke against it , and otherwise by ciuill course . FINIS . Faults escaped in printing . Page 8. line 24. D. Fishers , reade , M. Listers . p. 15. l. 19. Sowbucke , reade , Cowbucke . p. 19. l. 8. I behooues , reade , it behooues . p. 29. l. 13 humbe loue , reade humble loue . p 45. l. 15. owne I , reade , owne part I. p. 54. l. 11. Apostolike which , reade , Apostolicke as for matter of religion , which . p. 56. l. 38. other in , reade , others in p. 60. l 26. fiue and twentie a , reade , fiue and twentie crownes a. p. 69. l. 10. yet fauour , reade , yet the fauour . p. 73. l. 20. old corne , reade , Old-corne . p. 80. l. 27. letter ●…e , reade , latter he . 


