shoulders and having on instead of them Head-pieces and Coats of Male and after them the younger Monks in the same habit but armed with Muskets which they frequently and inconsiderately fired at those they met with a shot whereof one of Cardinal Cajetans domesticks was killed who being slain at so religious a shew was therefore held to be received into the blessed companies of the Confessors After this was made another Procession by the Duke of Nemours and Claud Brother to the Duke of Aumale who commanded the Infantry and the rest of the Officers of the Army who upon the great Altar of the principal Church renewed their League and Covenant and swore upon the Gospel to live and die for the cause of Religion and to defend the City against Navar. The Pope also that this Rebellion might want no authority which his infallibility could give it though there was no other scruple to his right and title but only his Religion fought against him with both swords by his Monitory against the Prelates c. who submitted to his obedience by his Legate Cardinals and other Emissaries sent to encourage the Rebels and by his forces and mony Thu. l. 102. whereof in about 10 months time he wasted 5000000 of aureos most upon the French War when there was more need of it to have relieved the poor who in the mean time died of famine at home and Clem. 8. Thu. l. 103. who not long after succeeded in that Chair said he was resolved in himself to spend all his treasures and bloud too if there was need to exclude Navar from his expected possession of the Kingdom Nor was their good son the Catholick King of Spain wanting to the promotion of so just a cause And in his own Army though many Thu. l. 97. otherwise of the Romish Religion submitted to him without any conditions or delay and others were satisfied with his word and promise which his former faithfulness had made of great authority even with his enemies v. Perefix p. 112. that he would refer all matters of Religion to a Lawful General or National Council and others with his Oath yet many having more regard to their own private interest and concerns than to their duty deserted him and either stood neuter to see which way the scales would turn or turned to the Leaguers Nevertheless not only of the Nobility Gentry and Laity but also of the Clergy Prelates arch-Arch-Bishops Bishops and others many were more sensible of their duty than either to be drawn with such false though specious pretences or to be affrighted with the terrors of the Pope's pretended authority from it And therefore when the Pope's Mandates were read in the Parliament which sat at Tours Thu. l. 101. they made an Act of Parliament whereby the Monitorials made at Rome Mar. 1. were declared Nul Abusive Seditious to be damned full of impieties and importures contrary to the sacred Decrees Rights Immunities and liberties of the Gallican Church and it was decreed that the Copies of them sealed with the seal of Marsil Landiranus and signed by Sextil Lampinetus should be by the common Hangman publickly torne and burnt before the Palace Gates c. that Landiranus who pretending himself the Popes Legate brought those Mandates should be apprehended c. and Gregory calling himself Pope the 14th of that name was declared an enemy of the publick Peace of the Vnion of the Catholick Church and of the King and Kingdom a partaker of the Spanish Conspiracy a Favourer of Robels and guilty of the cruel detestable and inhumane parricide treacherously committed upon the most Christian and truly Catholick King Henr. 3. And this was required to be published by the Arch-Bishops and Bishops through their Diocesses The like was also done at Chaulâ—m and Caen. The next day after this was an Edict made in favour of the Pretestants with the general consent of all as necessary published whereby the Edict of July was revoked and the former Edicts in favour of the Protestants restored And very fair they were to have created a Patriarch of their own in France which the Senate urged but was opposed by the new Cordinal of Bourbon a man of no worth who was out of hope of being the man himself and was a promoter of a new faction of the Thirdlings among the King's party yet in those things which concerned the Collation of Benefices they gave that power to the Arch-Bishop which the Pope had usurped or pretended The King in a speech to a great Assembly of the Nobility and Officers of his Army upon the death of the former King had told them that of those things which Thu. l. 97. as they knew his Predecessor had at his death recommended to him this was the chief That he should maintain his Subjects of the Roman Catholick and of the Reformed Religion in equal liberty aequabili in libertate till by the authority of a lawful Occumenical or National Council something should be decreed concerning that difference which he would religiously observe and professed before them all that he had rather that day should be his last than to do any thing whereby be might be said to waver in his Faith or to have renounced that Religion which hitherto he had professed before he should be further instructed by a lawful Council to whose authority he did submit himself and therefore he gave free leave to those who were not satisfied with this to depart adding and when they have forsaken me yet God will never forsake me who I call your selves to witness from my childhood hath as it were led me by the hand and heaped upon me great and unconceivable benefits Nor did the beneficence of God toward David appear greater or more miraculous than when beyond the expectation of all through so many difficulties and dangers he brought me to the Throne so that I ought not in the least to doubt but he who breaking through so many obstacles hath called me to the Kingdom will preserve me in it and defend me against all the assaults of my enemies c. I value not the Kingdom of France no nor the Empire of the whole World so much that for the obtaining of them I would make any defection from that Religion which as true I have from my tender years imbibed with my Mothers milk and embrace any other faith than what as I have said before should be resolved in a lawful Council The like confidence in God Da. p. 900. Perefix p. 147. Thu. l. 98. with resignation to his will he afterwards expressed in a pious Prayer in the head of his Army before the Battel of Yvry after which he obtained a very notable Victory over a much greater Army Yet notwithstanding after all this whether through the importunity of the Roman Catholicks of his own party or the violence of his enemies who were assembled to elect a Catholick King Thu. l. 106 107. which was
absolution from their duty of Obedience and even oaths of Fidelity and by promise of Reward even of greatest eternal Reward for that which hath been abhorred by all other Religions and always reputed contrary even to the Laws of Nations and of War and persecutions and horrible slaughters of Christian people by their own Princes and all this by an abominable abuse of Religion and the most sacred and solemn parts of Religion and only for their own cause for the upholding of the Papal Innovations Usurpations and Antichristian abuses Note The persecutions and slaughters of Christian people excited by the Popes upon the account of Religion since the first appearing of the Waldenses and Albigenses may be thought for the numbers slain to come near if not to equal the Heathen persecutions or rather much exceed them In the first persecutions against that people which were raised whether by the exhortation or decree and command as some say of Pope Innocent 3. are reckoned to be slain in France alone 1000000 of people and of later days have been reckoned 150000 Christians within the space of scarce 30 years consumed by the Inquisition But these are things out of our present story 7. We may here likewise observe the nature and manner of their actions and practices which consist of the two great species of injustice vis dolus violence and fraud open force and secret and mysterious practices and machinations and so make up a compleat mystery of iniquity The one we may behold not only in the Spaniard's Forces raised and employed at the instigation of the Pope and his Agents but also in the Forces raised by the Popes themselves who pretend themselves Vicars of the Prince of Peace and as Christian Bishops should be the Preachers of Peace and not the Trumpets of War both against the Queen of England and the King of France and the other in the secret practices of the Jesuites and other Confessors and Emisâ—aries exciting to Rebellions and to assassinate Princes 8. Ca. 12. Mat. 7.16 Gal. 5.19 2â— And here taking another of Bellarmines Notes of the true Church viz. Sanctity of Life of the Authors and Propagators of the Religion and our Saviour's rule By their fruits ye shall know them together with his Apostles Catalogues of the works of the Flesh and of the fruits of the Spirit for our Principles it will not be difficult to conclude whether these men be the Authors or Propagators of the true Religion for here for their Religion that only is to be taken about which the difference is and for which they contend seeking by these means to maintain and promote it or rather of an abominable innovation and corruption of the true Religion and whether their Church he the true and faithful Church of Christ 2 Thes 2. or rather that mystery of iniquity that abomination of desolation that man of sin and son of perdition who hath set up himself in the Temple of God 9. We may here also behold the Principles from whence all these actions and practices have proceeded V. Foul. l. 1. c. 4. l. 2. c. 1. V. Foul. l. 2. c. 2.5 6. V. Foul. l. 2. c. 3 4. viz. 1. That the Bishops of Rome as successors of St. Peter have a supreme power and authority derived to them from Christ over all Christian Persons and Churches all Nations and Kingdoms all Princes and States 2. That by this power and authority they may lawfully absolve subjects from all duty of Obedience and oath of Fidelity to their otherwise lawful Princes and Governors and deposing them may dispose of their Kingdoms and States to whom they think fit 3. That Princes excommunicate by the Pope are no longer to be obeyed by their Subjects but to be deprived of their Kingdoms and lives 4. That to rise in Arms against such Princes excommunicate or by any means to murder and destroy them is not only lawful but moreover meritorious even in their own subjects and that to die in such an attempt is martyrdom c. And of all this we have here a more effectual evidence than only from the writings or printed Books of some private men viz. in the Bulls and Acts of the Popes themselves of Universities and Colledges of Divines the frequent Sermons of their Preachers and Instructions of Confessors and Practices of their Peniâ—ents Note It is here to be noted that besides these Practices and Principles so pernitious and destructive to the Sacred though Civil Right of Princes and States and the peace and quiet of Common wealths there are others no less pernitious and destructive to the Church and to the Salvation of particular persons which because they come not within the compass of this History we take no notice of 10. And here we may see what is the Religion of these men For though there be other points in controversy whereof many little more than meer verbal about words and expressions which are kept up only through heat of contention and might easily be agreed by sober judicious and disinteressed persons and others originally only the private opinions of some men of great authority in their times wherein the substance of Religion is no more concerned than in the speculations of Philosophers though now commonly received and adopted into Religion by the Popes and their Faction whether for secular advantage or to hold up their pretended Infallibility yet these are their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their * V. Sandys Europae speculum of their Head Assertions p. 24. in 4 to fundamental and ruling Principles for which they contend the Principles from whence all these Persecutions Wars Massacres and Murders have proceeded and the Religion quae nunc novo exemplo Martyres facit as †Vindic. Areopag c. 27. p. 124. Del Rio speaks in the case of Garnet whom he and Bellarmine will needs have to be a * To whom we may say with Optatus lib. 3. Si illos videri Martyres vultis probate illos amasse pacem in qua sunt Prima Fundamenta Martyrii aâ—t dilexisse Deo placitam unitatem an t habuisse cum fratribus charitatem Nam omnes Christianos fratres esse probavimus Charitatem illos non habuisse manifestissime constat sine qua nullum vel nominari potest vel esse martyrium saith he to the Donatists p. 99. Martyr whether he will or not But perhaps some may say that this is not the faith or practice of all of that communion Nor do I think it is but that many are better Christians than to be imposed upon by the strength of such delusions such especially who living in such Churches as continue in that communion are not satisfied to separate from their own Church though they clearly perceive and abominate these abuses and heartily desire their reformation and many such I doubt not but there have been and still are among the most sober judicious and pious of the French even of the Clergy And though I
and other necessaries c. Into this League framed with so much art Davila p. 451. that making a shew to obey and maintain the King it took from him all his obedience and authority to confer it upon the head of their Union as Davila notes when many were engaged in France they began secretly to treat at Rome for Protection and in Spain for men and money nor did they find in either place any aversness to their desires Da. p. 461. V. Thu. l. 63. And though they thought it unfit to dispute openly whether the States were superior to the King or no yet while these things were acted in secret without his knowledge or consent they sought cunningly by a kind of cheat to take away his prerogative and with his consent to settle it in a certain number who should have power to conclude and determine all business without contradiction or appeal and to that end * At the Assembly of the States at 〈◊〉 which consisted most of such who had subscribed to 〈◊〉 the Catholick Lâ—ague petition the King that for the dispatch of all business with speed and general satisfaction he would be pleased to elect a number of Judges not suspected by the States who together with twelve of the Deputies might hear such motions as from time to time should be proposed by every Order and conclude and resolve upon them with this condition that what-ever was joyntly determined by the Judges and Deputies together should have the form and vigour of a Law without being subject to be altered or revoked which had been in effect to unking him and leave him little more than the title But the King not ignorant of the importance of that demand Thu. l. 63. became sensible of their designs and of his own danger which more manifestly appeared in certain secret instructions to Nic. David with which he was sent to the Pope concerning the deposing of the King and thrusting him into a Monastery and setting up Guise in his place c. which being taken with David in his journey and published by the Protestants were not believed at first till the same being also sent to the King of Spain the French Ambassador there happened to get a copy of them and sent them to his Master as Thuanus relates from his own mouth The King therefore returns them a wary answer such as though not altogether denying their demand yet gave them no great satisfaction But though they failed in this attempt to unking the King with his own consent yet they resolved though without or contrary to his consent not only to moderate the last articles of Peace but to break them utterly and again with more force than ever to begin the War against the Protestants whereby they brought the King to this necessity that he must either plainly and openly break his faith given to the Protestants which he had done before only by connivance or engage with them in a more dangerous War against the Leaguers And divers disswaded him from breach of his Faith among the rest William Lantgrave of Hesse Thu. l. 63. besides the reason he gave him in mind of that late and memorable example of Ladislaus 4. King of Hungary who having sworn a Truce with the great Turk Amurath 2. being perswaded by the Pope and Cardinals out of a vain hope that they could absolve him from the obligation of it perfidiously broke it Whereupon in the first encounter the Turk lifting up his eyes to Heaven and calling to Christ to behold and punish the perfidious dealing where with his followers had dishonoured him he was himself slain with 30000 of his men on the other side the French Theologists did openly both in Sermons and printed Books contend that the Prince is not obliged to keep Faith with the Hereticks alledging to that purpose the Decree of the Council of Constance and therefore War is to be undertaken to extirpate them And by the advice of the Bishop of Lymoges and Morvillier sometime Bishop of Orleans the King determined since he could not by open resistance hinder the designs and progress of the League which already had taken too deep root to make himself Head and Protector of it and draw that authority to himself which he saw they endeavoured to settle upon the Head of the League both within and without the Kingdom which accordingly he did causing it to be read published and sworn in open assembly and with high protestations declared that he would spend his last breath to reduce all his people to a unity in Religion and an entire obedience to the Roman Church which done he without much difficulty prevailed with Navar and the Protestants to yield to some restraints of the publick exercise of their Religion And thus by a new Edict of Pacification were things in * For in the midst of peace nothing but the persecution of heresie was daily threatened Da. p. 479. some sort quieted for some time 52. But after the death of Alancon the King's youngest Brother who died without issue and not without suspition of poison in the flower of his age being about thirty wherein we may take notice by the way of the Divine Vengeance by degrees extirpating that Family which so wickedly sought the extirpation of the Protestants the King having no issue nor like to have any Busbeq ep 5. notwithstanding all his visits and supplications at the Monuments of Saints and Religious places whereby the Crown was likely to descend to the King of Navar a Protestant Prince who was next heir to it the Leaguers presently begin new troubles Thu. l. 80. the Preachers from the Pulpits fill their hearers minds with fears and jealousies meetings are every where held Souldiers secretly listed and Officers appointed and the more to enrage the people Thu. l. 81. while the Preachers fill their ears with the noise of approaching dangers dreadful and horrid representations of most terrible persecutions which the Catholicks are said to suffer in England are presented to their view both in printed Books and also in Cuts and Pictures which are set up in publick places and persons appointed to relate the sad stories of them and tell the people that thus it will be also in France if the King of Navar be admitted to the Kingdom and therefore to secure themselves of a Catholick King they resolve to set up the Cardinal Bourbon for head of the League at present and to succeed the King in case he should die without issue And the better to strengthen themselves they renew their League with the Spaniard Da. p. 526. and having suddenly raised a considerable Army contrary to the King 's express prohibition by his Edict Da. p. 535. they begin to make themselves Masters of many Cities and Fortresses some by secret practices some by open force of Arms Da. p. 550. driving out the King's Governors and Officers and in short time through the fury
horrid murthers of all his friends the more excusable About eighteen years after when he was grown up to maturity about the thirty sixt year of his age and had given some testimony of his constancy in his Profession and for his encouragement had received no small testimonies of Divine favour not only preserving and conducting him safe through many dangers and difficulties but leading him by the hand to the possession of the Kingdom and making way for him by the extirpation of a whole Family another Trial was assigned him by the great Agonothetes V. Ecclesiasticus 2.1.2 3 c. who never ceaseth to provide new matter and occasions of trial and exercise for all those who once apply themselvs to his service till either by many mutual experiments given and received of their fidelity and constancy to him and of his admirable Providence never failing them but ordering all for their good they become more than Conquerors and well setled and confirmed in his service one great reason of the difficulties and adversities wherewith good men are frequently exercised or on the other side after many acts of unfaithfulness whereby their courage and resolution is more and more broken and abated they become easily affrighted or allured from their duty and at last either wholly deserting or little regarding the same are accordingly by him abandoned to the deceitful and pernitious courses of their own lusts and devices The former was a trial whether he would be frighted or forced from his fidelity this rather whether he would be allured from it In the former he failed and now having had time to repent and resume new courage and resolution he is again called upon the stage and in the first assault he behaved himself not much amiss For who can mislike his referring all to the determination and advice of a lawful General or National Council had be been sincere and continued constant in this resolution V. Thu. l. 98. 101 103. Nor did he want encouragement in this respect from the forward and couragious opposition which on his behalf was made against the Pope's Bulls by his Subjects even of the Roman Communion and not only by the Civil Power but the Clergy also concurring therein who moreover gave him a fair opportunity and kind of invitation either by setting up a Patriarch in France V. Thu. l. 103. which had been very agreeable to the first flourishing state of the Church after the times of Persecution or by restoring to the arch-Arch-Bishops and Bishops their ancient authority which was in some sort done and held for four years after to have cast of that Antichristian yoke of the Papal Usurpations under which he afterwards neglecting that opportunity unhappily enslaved himself and his Kingdom and so having reformed that grand abominable abuse he might with the more facility afterwards have established by the mature deliberation of a lawful Council such a Reformation of the Gallican Church as perhaps might not have been inferior to any which hath been made in other places And afterwards L. 107. when he resolved to be reconciled to the Church they admitted and absolved him notwithstanding the Pope's Legate opposed it all he could contending that he could not be absolved by any but the Pope But these things which might have given encouragement to a conscientious and truly pious mind to constancy and further dependance upon God to him perhaps proved a further tentation their fidelity to him making their perswasions to change his Religion the more prevalent with him especially concurring with a more powerful motive viz. the reducing of the rest of the Kingdom to his obedience And therefore though like David he waxed stronger and stronger and the League like the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker yet in about half the time that David was kept out of the greatest part of his Kingdom he began to yield to the tentation And first when the Leaguers through the incitations of the Pope and the King of Spain were about to assemble to choose a Catholick King though that was not unlikely to break their party by their emulations and divisions concerning the person forgetting his former resolutions and neglecting his conscience instead of dependance upon the Divine Providence he applies himself to humane Policies and resolves to change his Religion without staying for the determination of a lawful either General or National Council L. 107. And this after a few hours instruction whereby he pretended he was much informed of what he was ignorant before being solemnly done he next not long after by a * L. 107 108. special Embassador makes supplication to the Pope to be admitted to his favour And though he had presently hereupon two notable experiments by the attempts of Barriere and Chastel of the vanity and deceitfulness of such shifts and humane Policies without the favour of the Divine Protection and Blessing besides a faithful and sound admonition from the good Queen Elizabeth yet his confidence and reliance upon God being before weakned it commonly proving with perverted minds as with corrupted stomachs which turn their natural food and nourishment into the nourishment of their disease these did but provoke him to the more earnest pursuit of humane politick means and therefore again when he had already broken the party of the League L. 109. L. 10â— and Paris wherein their chief strength lay had submitted to him and besides all this the Pope had unworthily repulsed his Embassador and given him a just provocation which certainly he might have improved with the concurrence and good liking of the French Nobility and Clergy toward the reformation of that abominable abuse of the Papacy which is the original or prop of all the rest he was notwithstanding easily wrought upon at the slight intimation of the Pope who when he saw it was in vain longer to oppose him L. 113. was very willing to receive his submission to send another Embassie and basely prostrate himself to him basely I say because it is not likely that he did it out of Conscience or Religion but rather out of fear of Emissaries and Assassins which is * A percussoribus qui quotidie vitae ejus insidiantur metuentem expresly mentioned by his Agents to the Pope as a motive to his reconciliation and for the same reason 't is likely as hath been shewed before he at last notwithstanding all perswasions earnest intercessions and supplications to the contrary restored the Jesuites again and among other favours subjected the government of his conscience to them This was the foundation upon which he built his Greatness which having laid for his security he presently set himself to heap up Treasures and at last raised a great Army for the execution of some grand design which whatever it was in truth he pretended to be for the promotion of the Christian cause against the Infidels But alas all was built upon a sandy foundation he had forsaken the
Priest also shall answer for it as the Prophet saith But that which is the secret root and main prop of their delusion and most effectually deceives them is an unhahpy mistaken opinion deeply rooted in their minds of the infallible authority of the particular Church of Rome For as Cardinal Perron hath well argued V. King James Def. of the Right of Kings if these things be unlawful which have for so many ages been acted by the Papal authority that interposed with all the formality and solemnity that could be it would follow that the Pope hath been Antichrist and the Church of Rome the Synagogue of Satan for so many ages past This is it whatever other specious arguments and pretenses are alledged which makes them no less obstinate in their errors than the Jews are in theirs A deceived heart hath turned them aside and they cannot deliver their soul But if they will but 1. Lay aside the prejudice of Education 2. Consider the great evidence there is that these things are contrary to Christianity 3. And with that compare the little real ground there is to believe this pretended infallible authority it may be God's blessing be a good means to undeceive them but then as to the third particular they must deal candidly and impartially setting aside 1. Such proofs as concern only the perseverance of the Church of Christ in general 2. Such as concern only the authority of particular Churches over their own members for neither of these make any thing for the Church of Rome more than for any other particular Church then what else they can alledge will be found to be far short of what the Jews might alledge to prove that they are still the true Israel of God But the confounding of these things is that which imposeth upon their minds and judgments The ancient Apostolick Creed and what-ever other rule of Faith is mentioned by Irenaeus Tertullian or any of the Ancients and were held to contain the sum of the Christian Faith are to this day generally received and believed by all the Christian World so that Christ hath still a Church upon Earth what-ever become of the Church of Rome the like may be said of the sacred Scriptures but in none of these is the least mention of any such infallible authority of the Church of Rome no nor of any such authority of the Church of Christ as the Church of Rome does pretend to Nor is there any colour or pretence of proof that that authority was ever in any one age to this day the general belief of the Christian World no nor so much as of the Church of Rome it self for 700 years I may truly say for 1100 years and more 2. That they will likewise well consider the prudence of such undertakings the Nobility and Gentry especially of these Nations who embrace the Roman Religion They have had almost an hundred years experience of the ill success and unhappy consequence of such attempts to themselves and their party whereby they have only made a rod for their own backs provoking and exasperating the severity of Laws against themselves and when the Romish Agents had lately dissolved the Government and brought all things into confusion as is not a little apparent they did when they had crept into the Court and insinuated themselves into the several Factions of the Kingdom by underhand dealings incensing them one against another what did they advance their cause by it but only involved themselves in the same publick calamity wherein they embroyled the Nation The Emissaries are men who have neither Estates nor Fortunes to lose or hazard nor wives and children to suffer with them and if their attempts prove unsuccesful can easily retire to their Colledges again beyond Sea And their motions and actions are steered by foreigners who sit far enough out of all danger and in great security expect to make their profit and advantage of us all So that both these have hopes of advantage without any or any great hazard only the more honest and well meaning Nobility and Gentry do certainly run a very great hazard without any probability if things be rightly calculated of much mending their condition at the best For did they now suffer something in their Estates according to the Laws which certainly would never much be pressed did they not continually incense the Kingdom against them by restless attempts through the instigations of the Emissaries endangering the peace and quiet of it yet is that in some measure recompenced by their freedom from the trouble and charge of divers publick employments and the rest would be dearly bought off by enslaving the Kingdom again to the Roman Usurpations and that with so much hazard both to themselves as in respect of conscience and the justice of the undertaking for there is but little of true Christianity in him who will not readily suffer a greater loss rather than venture upon an unlawful or but doubtful action so also of the prudence of it for the higher they go in their attempts there is no doubt but it will fall more heavy upon them after so many and great provocations if they miscarry therein and of that the danger is greater than can easily be foreseen and to the Kingdom in general the peace and prosperity whereof they ought to desire and endeavour upon the account both of natural duty and of interest For whatever some who do not well consider it may promise themselves those who have Estates and Fortunes here be their Religion what it will are like to have their shares of whatever publick calamity or mischief is brought upon the Nation which they who at Rome and from other foreign parts do steer the motions of the Emissaries and other sticklers here in that cause are not much concerned to consider *** 4. And lastly to those who either through weakness and inconsiderateness are scandalized at these and such like wicked practices of the Romanists or any others professing Christianity or through wilfulness and wickedness do make use thereof to confirm or encourage themselves in their affected infidelity who having first sinned themselves into despair of any good by the observance of Religion at last seek to encourage themselves against all fear of evil by the neglect of it This last sort I intended not among Christians in general and yet do here joyn them with the other sort here mentioned because what is to be said to those may be said also to these The scandal and ill use that is made of these practices is either more particular from abuse of pretended miracles and martyrdoms whereby some may be induced to doubt of the ancient Christian Miracles and Martyrs and for satisfaction in this particular I shall here for brevity sake refer them to the writings already written and extant in print some in the English Tongue of the verity of the Christian Religion or from such practices in general of men in great place in Church
it behoves that they who maintain them should before all things renounce the same in their Schools If they do not they ought by no means to be suffered as those who maintain a Doctrine devised to the subversion of the fundamentals of royal power and authority If they do yet are they not much more to be trusted for at Rome and in Spain where these new monstrous opinions flourish they think one thing but speak * See their Answers to the Questions proposed to them by the Court after the murder of the King in Foul. l. 9. c. 2. five and the Answer to Philanax Angl. ch 5. p. 128. another in France and as they pass into this or that Country so do they take up or lay down these opinions If they say that this they may lawfully do by †V. Sporswood Hist of Scotl. l. 6. an 1580. pag 308 309. secret Dispensation then what certainty can be had of their Doctrine which is thus changed with their change of place and is good or bad according to the times This Doctrine they embrace and maintain in common all of them and it so thrives by little and little that it is to be feared lest in tract of time it infect the other orders which are not yet levened by it At first they had none more their adversaries than the Sarbonists now many of them are their favourers viz. those who received their first institution in their Schools Others who are now training up in learning under them will hereafter do the like and one day hold the chief dignities in the Senate and if they shall think the same in point of Doctrine also they will by degrees withdraw themselves from their duty of obedience to the King set at naught the King's Laws and suffer the Liberties of the Gallicane Church to become obsolete and wear out and lastly will reckon it no crime of Treason which is committed by an Ecclesiastick Then he goes on and imminds him of the fruits which had already been produced from these principles of Barriere Varada and Guignard and Chastel and of the last King's murder Gens ingrata against whom this ungrateful Society stirred up the people to sedition nor were they thought guiltless of that murder that in the late wars of other Orders many persisted constantly in the King's obedience but these conjoyntly and unanimously conspired against him with the inveterate enemies of the Kingdom the Spaniard nor was there one of that Society found who was of the King's party touches upon foreign examples how in Portugal they and they only deserting the cause of their Country adhered to the Spaniards and were the cause of the slaughters of so many Priests and devout Persons two thousand perishing under the Spaniards in several manners and by a singular indulgence obtained the Pope's pardon of so many confessed slaughters then having spoken of the reasonableness of the Decree which exterminates the Jesuites and had been received without contradiction in all other Courts had not they withstood it who were not well seâ—lâ—d in the King's obedience and were hardly brought off from their inveterate hatred against him and answered objections he presents the humble obsecrations and obtestations of the Parliament for the continuance of it and to these adds the humble supplication of the University and at last imminds him of the regard which his Predecessors had always had to the intercessions of the Supreme Courts at whose Petition or Advice they revoked or altered their Edicts if they contained any thing amiss that this the Courts of the Kingdom beseech his Majesty and promise themselves from his Grace that he will please to suffer them to enjoy their authority entire which indeed is the authority of the King himself as that which depends upon him c. But all would not do notwithstanding the intercession of the Parliament the deprecation of the University the disswasions of those he held both able and faithful to him he had made an Edict and it must be published and the Jesuites restored mal-gremesme les avis de quelques uns de son Conscil And they must not only be restored but moreover have a new Colledge built them at La Flesche which the King endowed with an annual Rent of 11000 Crowns Aurei and prevailed with the Clergy for 100000 more toward the building of it and he also orders that the hearts of Himself his Queen and their Successors shall be there intombed in a Church to be built by himself and in the mean time a Father of that Society is admitted to the inspection and conduct of his own being made his ordinary Preacher and Confessor viz. Father Cotton who presently thereupon began to shew his zeal for the Pope against a Sentence of the Colledge of Divines passed two years before wherein they had asserted the Liberties of the Gallican Church against the Pride and Havghtiness and Avarice of Rome and among other things that other Bishops have power to order the publick affairs of the Church within their own Diocess as well as the Roman Bishop in his V. l. 129. and at his instance by the command of the King L. 144. for the Court could not be brought to consent to it not only the marble Table whereon the Decree was engraved but the Pyramid it self with all the other inscriptions in detestation of that fact of Chastel was taken down and demolished and the printâ—d Cuts of it prohibited which being notwithstanding greedily bought up diligent search was by the King's command made for the brass Plate from which they were printed which yet was not found till few days before the murder of this King also renewed the common hatred against the Jesuits 59. But before we proceed to the murder it self of this King it will be necessary to take notice of some other Conspiracies against him whereof some were contemporary with those of Barriere and Chastel though not discovered till afterward and some were since The first of Nic. Malavicinus the Pope's Legate resident with the Arch-Duke at Bruxels who having every where sought for an assassine Thu. l. 123. at last light upon Ch. Ridicone a Dominican Friar of Gant who was very ready to lay down his life for the cause of Religion but before he would undertake this business desired in the first place to have the authority of the Pope and Cardinal's approbation wherefore the Legate for his satisfaction gave him a writing under his hand in the name of the Pope and Cardinals to that purpose and having furnished him with Mony and blessed him with the sign of the Cross he dismissed him giving him also for his better security from discovery a faculty or dispensation to wear a secular habit of a Souldier and to ride dance fence c. Being thus prepared for the business the Jesuite Hoduma to whom his Mother at confession had discovered the agreement desired to see him and having viewed him disliked nothing