may seeme to be an enemie of some value yet so it is that by Gods secret iudgement it is more for our profit to haue him our enemie then our friend I will prooue it by fiue or sixe notable examples They went about to make alteration in the State of England and to that end bent all their strength what followed of that their enterprise the ruine of a number of poore Catholiques misse-led by them which before time liued at ease in their owne houses the death of the Scottish Queene the establishing of the Queene of England for a long time both in her Religiō estate I come next vnto Scotland as being next in place to England where Father William Crichton and Iames Gourdon both Scots by birth had their residence Crichton tooke a conceit vpon some discontentment to depart the land he takes his course directly into Spayne by the licence and permission of his Generall Whether he is no sooner come but he practiseth to insinuate himselfe into the Kings fauour and to that effect drawes a tree of the descent and petigree of the Infanta his daughter shewing therein that the Crownes of England and Scotland did by right appertain vnto her and to incite him the rather to take armes against the Scottish King he scattred abroad diffamatorie libels against him Whereunto the King of Spayne giuing no eare Crichton determined with himselfe by letters to sollicite the Catholick nobility of Scotland to the same purpose and to that end wrote letters in the yeere 1592. to Gourdon and other Iesuits remayning in Scotland whereby he gaue them to vnderstand in what grace he was with the King who by his incitement was resolued aswell for the inuasion of England as for the restoring of the ancient religion in Scotland But this mightie Prince desired to haue assurance before hand from the Catholique Lords of their good affection towards him from whom he willed them to procure blanks readie signed to be supplied afterwards by himselfe with deputations in their names which being obtained he had the Kings promise for two hundred and fiftie thousand crownes which should be sent ouer to be distributed amongst them The Iesuits of Scotland vpon this aduertisement drew many blanks from diuers persons which they deliuered to George Ker to carrie who being discouered by the folly and indiscretion of Robert Albercromi a Iesuit was apprehended with his letters and blanks and the Scottish King supposing this aduertisement giuen by Crichton to be true indeed caused the Baron of Fentree a Gentleman endued with many good parts to be beheaded The like had hapned to the Earle of Anguis the chiefe Earle of that country if he had not cunningly escaped out of prison After in continuance of the troubles his Castles were ruinated as also the Earle of Huntlies a man of the greatest power of them all the Earle of Arrols the Constable of Scotland All which since that time haue made profession of the pretended reformed religion as wel to returne into fauor with the king as to liue within their owne countrey in securitie of their goods persons Insomuch as in conclusion Scotland hath lost that small remainder of our Catholique Religion in the yeere 1596. The like fell out as well in the Realme of Portugall as of Arragon I will first speake of Portugall To say that the Iesuits procured the death of King Sebastian as some in their writings haue charged them is hard to beleeue for as Montaignes hath very well declared they were too highly in his fauour But marke the proceedings among all the nations of Spaine there is none so superstitious as the Portugall and of all the kings of Portugall there was neuer any more superstitious then Sebastian The Iesuits being cunning and subtle headed thought this to be a fit soyle for them to plant their vineyard in And to win the more credit they caused themselues at their first comming to be called not Iesuits but Apostles putting themselues in rank with those that followed our Sauiour Christ in person A title thich they hold as yet in that place as being generally assented to The kingdome being fallen to Sebastian these holy Apostles conceiued a hope that by his means it might descend vnto their family dealt with him many times that no man might from thence forward be capable of the Crown of Portugal except he were a Iesuit chosen by their Society as at Rome the Pope is by the Colledge of Cardinals And for as much as he although as superstitious as superstition it selfe could not or rather durst not condescend thereunto they perswaded him that God had appointed in should be so as himselfe should vnderstand by a voice from heauen neere the Sea side Insomuch as this poore Prince thus caried away resorted to the place two or three seuerall times but they could not play their parts so well as to make him heare this voice They had not as yet got into their cōpany their impostor Iustinian who in Rome fained himselfe to be infected with a leaprosie These Iesuits seeing thy could not that way attaine to the marke they shot at yet would they not so leaue it This King being in heart a Iesuit determined to lead a single life Therefore to bring themselues into neerer employment about him they councelled him to vndertake a iourny for the conquest of the kingdom of Fesse where he was slaine in a pitcht field losing both his life and his kingdome together This then is the fruite which King Sebastian reapt by giuing credit to the Iesuits And this which I haue here discoursed vnto you I had frō the late Marques of Pisani an earnest Catholick who was then Embassador for the king of France in the Spanish kings Court I omit all that hath since passed in that Realme as being impertinent to my discourse I come vnto that which hath since hapned within the Realme of Arragon wherein you shall see the like accidents by the indiscreet dooing of the Iesuits The people of Arragon had in their foundation from all antiquitie verie great priuiledges against the absolute power of their kings and the oath of fealty which they tendered their King at his Coronation ranne thus Nos qui valemos tanto come vos y podemos mas que vos vos elegemos Rëy con estas y estas conditiones intra vos y nos que el á vn que manda mas que vos That is We that are as great in dignitie as you and of greater power then you doe elect you our King with this and this condition between you and vs that there shal be one amongst vs who shall commaund aboue you And vnder that they specified all their priuiledges which the King promised by oath to obserue most exactly These liberties hauing beene infringed in the person of Antonio de Peréz their countriman and Secretary of Estate to the late King of Spayne he escaping out of prison wherein he had beene
1594 hath inserted saith he the whole article in Latine I called for the booke found it true as he told me Another brought me Montaignes his booke reade this place saith he heere you shall find the foundation and originall of our last troubles In this booke I finde that Father Claudius Mathew and Aimond Auger were sometimes in high fauour with Henry the third in so much as oftentimes hee tooke them into his Coach after hee addeth That sathan hauing cast into the Realme the Apple of strife suspition and ielousie all things changed their course and then was brewed that vineger and gall of ciuile dissentions which since that time wee haue seene and tasted As to all texts there want no comments so in the reading of this place thys fellow said vnto me that two words sufficed to a good vnderstander and that this alteration fell out by meanes of the repulse which these two blessed Fathers receiued of the King when he saw them begin to set their hands to matters of State and that they played as did Narses the Eunuch whom the Empresse commaunding to goe and spin her distaffe he made aunswere that he would spin her such a quill as shee or her husband should neuer be able to vnwind And indeed kept promise with her by bringing the Lombards into Italie Euen so these two honest Iesuits beeing estranged from the grace and fauour of the King would let him know they could skill of somwhat else then to say ouer our Ladies Psalter And to speake freely what I think I neuer knew mon of a better conscience then are those of your Societie nor that lesse feared to incur the censures of Rome First Father Henrie Sammiere a stirring pragmaticall fellow confessed that about the yeere 1580 or 81 if I mistake not he was sent by you into diuers Countries to treate or commune about the generall reuolt which you intended to stirre vp against the late King of Fraunce And albeit I maintained that it was neyther true nor probable in as much as you had no cause at that time to attempt it he bad me seeing I beleeued not his words to looke but vpon the arraignment and triall of William Parry an Englishman vvho was executed the third of March 1584. that there I should finde at the latter end of a certaine Letter which he wrote to the Queene during his imprisonment That shee should finde the King of Fraunce had enough to doe as home when shee neede of his helpe Parry as Sammiere told me departed out of England in 1582 and came into Fraunce where hee was dealt withall by our Societie to destroy the Queene of England and to make an innouation in the State and when he obiected that it would hardly be brought to passe in as much as she were like to be ayded and assisted by the King of Fraunce we made him aunswer that we would cut out the King of Fraunce so much worke that his hands should be full of his owne busines without stirring to ayde or succour another Whereby it appeares that euen in those daies our web was on the loome I had not at that time the acts of Parry his tryall but hauing since procured them I haue read the Letter haue found all true that Sammiere reported Who in a good meaning proceeded further and confessed that himselfe and Roscieux were sent in 1584. to the King of Spaine and Father Claudius Mathew to Pope Gregorie the 13. to vnderstand what summes of mony they were willing to contribute towards the charges maintenaunce of the holy League whereunto Roscieux replyed Yea but this honest Munk telleth you not what a cast of his office he shewed me For hee and I riding post together he perceiuing one night that I beeing wearied with trauaile was buried in a dead sleepe caused fresh poast-horse to be brought him and away hee went leauing me in bed for a pawne and such speede and diligence he vsed as that our whole busines was by him almost dispatched with the King of Spayne before I could ouertake him To bring this processe to a conclusion I caused to be brought vnto me the pleadings of Arnauld Aduocate for the Vniuersitie and Dole who was retaind for the Curats of Paris The aunswere to the same vnder the name of the Colledge of Clairmont Frauncis de Montaignes his booke De la veritè Defendue against Arnauld and certaine other bookes or euidences seruing to the state of the cause I belieued Sammier for so much as concerned himselfe but as for Father Claudius Matthew I would not the memorie of him should be touched vpon another mans confession Wherefore I had recourse to the litterall proofe and read Arnauldus his pleadings wherein he toucheth him to the quick and the aunswere thereunto contained in that Plea which is as followeth And whereas Arnauldus alledgeth that Claudius Matthew of the Order of the said Defendants hath beene the Authour and contriuer of the League the said Defendants aunswere that Claudius Matthew hauing spent his whole time in their Colledges amongst children liuing euer in the course of a Scholler could not haue iudgement policie industrie and authoritie requisite for the contriuing and knitting of so great strong a League And be it that the saide Mathew endeuoured to fortifie the sayd League as many others of all estates cōditions haue likewise doone that prooues not therefore that he was the Authour or beginner thereof Besides this is but one particular And fiue or sixe lines after There was not one of them at the first acquanted with his actions and had they beene yet could they not haue hindered them inasmuch as hee vvas their Superiour Comparing Arnaulds obiection with this colde and faint solution mee thought you were agreed that Fraunce should thinke her selfe beholding to none but your selues for her last troubles And desiring more fullie to informe my conscience as touching the Reuolt which happened in Paris euen in the Sorbon it selfe the seauenth of Ianuarie 1589 there came a crew of Diuines beeing men of credit and reputation who certified me that in truth they were at that time assembled to debate the matter that all the auncienter sort were of a cōtrarie opinion howsoeuer the younger were not the greater part whereof had beene schollers to the Iesuits of Paris So as the voyces being numbred and not weighed it was carried away by pluralitie Neuerthelesse they did not as yet altogether loose the reynes to rebellion but determined to suspend the effect of thys their conclusion vntill such time as it were confirmed and ratified by the Sea Apostolick But the day following Father Iames Commolet a Iesuit sounded the drum within Paris And that I might be assured if not of the whole yet of the greatest part of the premisses by the annuall Letters of the Iesuits of the yeere 1589 and moreouer by their Pleas I went directly to theyr Letters and found in those which were written from your Colledge of
proculdubio occupassent promissionis terram had long since out of doubt possessed this Realme of England nisi quorundam inobedientia atque ingratissimum obstitisset murmur had not the disobedience of some and theyr most displeasing murmuring hindred it It is the manner of our English Iesuits and of such as are Iesuited neuer to mention Frier Parsons trecheries but they ioyne that good Cardinall with him to mittigate the odiousnes of his proceedings But howe coulde they haue gotten this land of Promise into their fingers Meane they by their attempt 1588 or had they before this time layd violent hands vpon her Maiestie or what had they else doone if some such impediment as they speake of had not hapned Blessed was that disobedience and happy was that murmuring that deliuered this kingdome from such vncatholick and most trayterous designements Rather content your selues deere Catholicks to goe dwell in Babilon then euer seeke to obtaine the Land of Canaan by such cruell barbarous and Turkish stratagems Are not such Iesuits or persons whatsoeuer Iesuited worthy to be detested that dare publish their dislike of such disobedience and murmure as hath preuented such a Chaos of all mischiefes as the conquering of our little land of promise would haue brought with it Or if we haue been too sharpe in our encountering of the Gyants as they falsly terme vs are we not to be excused And as wee woulde haue you to iudge of vs and the rest of our brethren that whatsoeuer they haue written it proceeded of theyr loue and zeale both to our Church and Countrie so our hartie desire is that you would thinke and iudge the like of those right zealous Catholicks of other Countries that haue written against the Iesuits in the like respect much more sharply then any of our brethren hetherto haue done For howe highlie soeuer the Iesuits are yet in our bookes because you know them not throughlie yet are they alreadie become an odious generation in manie places In the kingdome of Swecia their verie names are detested The Cleargie of Spayne is in great dislike of them The religious men generallie in all countries doe hate them At this instant there is a great most dangerous contention in particuler betwixt them and the Dominicans about a speciall point of grace At their first attempt to come into Fraunce it was fore-seen by the graue Sorbonists of Paris what mischiefe they would work if they were admitted there Afterwards they crept into that countrie like Foxes by little and little and so in processe of time behaued thēselues as not long since they haue been banished thence as men of most pernitious wicked and dangerous conuersation You haue heard in a word or two out of Osorius the Spaniard what the Iesuits thinke of themselues it woulde make a large volume to recount the praises which they haue else-where heaped vppon their founder their societie their fellowes according as the saying is Claw me and I will claw thee You also vnderstand as well by the premises as by our bretherens seuerall treatises what estimation we haue of them and some haue beene offended vvith them for their plainenes therein But now wee humbly intreate you to obserue howe roundly they haue beene taken vp in Fraunce for halting by men of no small credite in that State for theyr yeres verie auncient for their experience verie wise and for their soundnes in the Catholicke Romane religion neuer impeached by any but Iesuits who condemne all men eyther for Newters or schismaticks or hereticks or at the least for cold and luke-warme Catholicks that disclose their impieties Maister Anthony Arnold counsellour in parliament and heeretofore counsellor and Atturney generall to the late deceased Queene mother a man throughlie acquainted with the proceedings of the Iesuits in Fraunce writeth as followeth both of them By this the Iesuits are discouered to be not onely the fore-runners but also the chiefe captaines of Antechrist out of whose societie or sect it is very probable homo peccati that man of sin shall rise ere all be ended betwixt the secular priests them the saide sectarie Iesuits though for the present they remaine catholicke and somwhat of their Founder Ignatius saith he through the help of the deuill hatched this cursed conspiracie of the Iesuits who haue beene the causes of such ruine as Fraunce hath receiued They are a vvicked race borne to the ruine desolation of mankinde In their fourth vowe to their Generall they goe thus farre that in him they must acknowledge Christ present as it were If Iesus Christ should commaund to goe and kill they must doe so The Generall of the Iesuits is alwayes a Spanyard and chosen by the King of Spayne Loyola their first Generall was a Spanyard Laynes the second a Spanyard also The third Euerardus was a Fleming a subiect of the King of Spayne Borgia the fourth was a Spanyard Aquauiua the fift now liuing is a Neopolitane subiect to the King of Spayne If their Spanish Generall commaund them to murther or cause the King of Fraunce to be murthered they must of necessity do it They shoote at no other matter but to establish the tyrannie of Spaine in all places All the Iesuits in the world are bound to pray for the King of Spayne and that once a day as his affayres doe require They haue stirring fellowes to be placed in all quarters to execute whatsoeuer may tend to the good and aduauncement of Spayne They had no other marke during the warres in Fraunce but to make the King of Spaine Monarch ouer all Christendome The common prouerbe of these hypocrits is one God one Pope and one king of Spaine the great King catholick and vniuersall All their thoughts all their purposes all their Sermons all their cōfessions haue no other white they ayme at but to bring all Europe vnder the subiection of Spanish gouernment The Ambassadour of Fraunce when hee was in Spayne and Italie neuer found matter of weight wherein they had not an oare There was neuer Letter intercepted during the warres wherein there was anie pernicious point but a Iesuits singer was in it In their confessions and without witnesses they paint not the faces but the harts of their schollers with the tincture of Rebellion against their princes and naturall Soueraignes Mathew a Iesuit was the principal instrument of the League 1585. And from that yeere 1585. they would giue no absolution to the Gentry of Fraunce vnlesse they would vow promise to band themselues against their Soueraigne Henry the third being a most catholick King Barnard and Commolet the yere before the sayde League called the King Holofornes Moab and Nero maintaining that the kingdome of Fraunce was electiue and that it belonged to the people to establish kings alledging this text of the old Testament Thou shalt chuse thy brother for King Thy brother say they that is to say not of the same linage or of the selfe same Nation but of
in so great measure as the Apostles were saith the wisedome of Fon. And all visions ceased in him that day that his order was allowed and he seated in Rome but contrariwise they budded a fresh in Xauier what causeth this difference I will tell you If Ignace had set downe his staffe in the Indies and Xauier abode in Rome Ignace had wrought many miracles and Xauier none for in these cases it is a great deale better cheape to beleeue them then to trauell from place to place to enquire whether they be true or no. All these stories are in verie deed such as by common prouerbe we call old wiues fables that is to say fit to be told to simple women when they sit spinning by the fire side One Iustinian a Iesuit in Rome called Father Iustinian counterfeited himselfe to be leaprous to make his cure miraculous Againe he would haue made men beleeue that being shot with a Pistoll through his garment the bullet rebounded backe againe from his body without hurt and so by the wonderful grace of God he was not wounded These matters were beleeued by the simple people at the first but after they were found to be false this marred the whole roast of the Iesuits cookerie in Rome for when they did speake of a facer out of matters and an Imposter they were woont to call him a second Iustinian the Iesuit It may be you will iudge it straunge I tell you we need not looke into Spaine nor the Indies for their forgeries sith of late yeeres they bruted it abroad in Fraunce that Theodore Beza was dead and that at his death he was conuerted to our Catholique Apostolique Romane Religion by one of their companie by whose example many Citizens of Geneua had done the like through the trauels of the Iesuits We tooke it to be true a while but after that Beza was knowne to be risen againe hee wrote certaine French and Latine Letters by which he conuinced their impudencie What a mint of fables will they haue in strange countries which euen in the midst of vs feare not to feede vs with such bables Last of all to make the matter plaine what notable lyers Maffee and Ribadiner are for as I begunne with them so will I end Ribadiner shewes vs one Ignace in Spaine who all vppon the suddaine hauing abandoned the world caesariem elegantem habebat Rib. lib. 1. capit 5. solutam et impexā reliquit vngues et barbam excrescere sunt He had a fayre head of haire which he layd out loose vnkempt flaring in the wind he neither cut his beard nor pared his nayles Looke vpon his picture in the beginning of Ribadiners booke there is nothing so slick as hee neyther his locks nor his beard nor his nailes growne You may imagin by this what is in the rest of al theyr bookes And to say the truth when I see Maffee Ribadiner and Turcelline bestow so good Latine vpon such lying matter it makes me remember our old Romants of Piers Forrest Lancelot Dulac Tristram of Lyons and other aduenturous Knights of the Round-table which had all strooke hands in amitie and sworne reciprocally on to another in honour of whom many gallant pennes haue been set a work to make idle tales in as good French as that time afforded In like manner haue these three Iesuits written not a historie but a Romant full of fables touching the life of Ignace his fellowes all wandering Knights of the trauailing Robe linked together in a band of indissoluble societie it is fit that euery thing should haue his turne CHAP. 18. ¶ Of Ignace his Machiauelismes vsed to set his Sect a floate WHen the Aduocate had ended his discourse the Gentleman said to him You may iudge what you will of those two that haue written the life of Ignace if you can perswade me that our age neuer afforded a brauer man nor more fit to make a new sect then he I will take no exceptions to Ismaell the Persian Sophie When I speake of a sect I beseech you my Maisters be not you offended for I take the word in his natiue signification for such a forme of life and discipline as in old time was attributed to the Philosophers I see three men combined by the mysterie of our time Martin Luther a Germane Iohn Caluin a French man and Ignace de Loyola a Spaniard all three great men I will not speake of the doctrine of the two former which I condemne yet neither was Luther nor Caluin so great as Loyola The first made an vproare in all Germanie the second so troubled Fraunce that there was no safety for him but in Geneua the last hath made a pudder not onely in Spaine and the prouinces depending vpon that Kingdome but in many other Nations also And that which is more admirable the two former got their credit with their pen and the last by writing nothing For as you your selfe haue truly discoursed Ignace was aboue thirty yeeres of age before hee learned his Accedence Long before this time he compiled three books in Spanish one of them was intituled Spirituall exercises another was of the Trinitie and the third was of the life of Iesus Christ the virgin Marie and some of the Saints neuerthelesse hee did wisely to stop the breath of those bookes againe betimes hee knewe well the weakenes of the stile and with what broken timber they were built Luther and Caluin were brought vp the one in a Monasterie the other in Colledges where they began to push at the chiefe Gouernours of the Church of Rome and scholler-like spent their time in contentious wits and writers Loyola borne of a noble familie in his youth trained vp in a great Kings court drew his busines to a head very Gentleman-like For beeing desirous to continue the newe tyrannie which he had plotted in sted of writing which happily might be confuted he drew all out of heauen that no body might speake against it Doe not you remember that Minos King of Creete going about to make new lawes to his subiects perswaded them that he had conferd with Iupiter Lycurgus in Sparta with Apollo Numa Pompilius in Rome with the Nymph Aegeria and Sertorius to purchase the more authoritie with his souldiours said he was familiar with a Doe as if one of theyr imaginarie Gods had beene transformed into her These are the Machiauellismes of which the old world was deliuered before Machiauell was borne And there be a great many Machiauells among vs at this day who neuer read his bookes I think the same deuises glided through the soule of this great Ignace I assure my selfe that hee reckned vp to Lewes Gonsalua before he died for so Ribadiner tell vs all his visions of God of the virgine Marie of S. Peter and of our sauiour Iesus Christ promising him all the helpe he could to further him at Rome whereby hee grew in hope that in time to come all the Generals his
successors should become the highest Commaunders And that which makes mee wonder more is a matter I will now acquaint you with We read that when Augustus had lockt himselfe fast into the saddle of the Romane Empire yet tenne yeeres after to auoyd all enuie he counterfeited before the Senate that he would giue vp his gouernment betake himselfe to a priuate life and lay aside all that imperiall maiestie which he had gotten hee was much hindred herein by the humble sute of all the Senators his slaues and thus by the consent of all the chiefe Rulers of the Cittie he held without feare or ielosie the extraordinary power hee had got into his hands ouer that state Ignace had the like conceit of his Generalship for when he had gouernd tenne yeeres or there about with absolute authoritie hee called together the greatest part of the Fathers the Iesuits at Rome and before the whole assembly desired them to dispence with him in the gouernment heereafter because the charge was too heauie for his shoulders But they with all meekenesse commending his modestie denied him his request as a matter very preiudiciall to theyr Order And contrariwise they entrated him to take care of theyr constitutions Rib. lib. 4. capit 2. to augment or diminish or qualifie them as hee thought good From that day he tooke the reines into his hand to commaund them in such maner as you see but hee would not haue his statuts publisht before they were confirmed by a generall meeting Meane while he left a writing in a little coffer in manner of a Iournall how things passed betweene the holy Ghost and him and the visions set downe where-with hee was inspired when he made his constitutions These remembrances were found after his death and with great wonderment presented to the generall congregation held at Rome in the yeere 1558. where all that he had ordred was cōsidered of and frō thence passed through the hands of theyr Printers and Stationers You blame Ignace in your discourse for all his apparitions you say they were impostures contriued by him vpon which ground his societie hath coyned manie fables Pardon mee I pray you for you iudge of these matters like a Punie not like a Statesman I tell you againe I doubt not but that Ignace hath told you all his visions whereof he himselfe alone was witnesse But when Not in the flower of his age when he was in action but when sicknes and age had broken him and he saw himselfe at the graues brinke perswading himselfe there could be no better meane to establish his order after his death and confirme his statutes then to feede them not with these holy but rather fained illuminations which he opposed without printing of Bookes against all Martin Luthers Iohn Caluins vaine disputes and Ergoes Was there euer playd a brauer a wiser and a bolder pranke then this CHAP. 19. ¶ The conclusion of the first booke THe Gentleman had scarce ended his discourse but the Aduocate answered You and I will enter the List together to fight it out For all that Maffee and Ribadiner haue written of Ignace is false all that you haue said is true That which I haue spokē hetherto is by way of an introduction to the sport I am determined to shew you now what theyr vowes be which I will proue to be stuffed with erronious and hereticall doctrine and an infinite mingle mangle of Machiauellismes and Anabaptistries vvhich time hath measht together The Aduocate prepared himselfe to goe forward not remembring that it was high mid-night then said the Gentleman If you haue any such purpose it is best to deferre it vntill to morrow morning the night is farre spent and you my Maisters my new guests are wearied with your iourney you in particular my good friend quoth he to the Aduocate are tired with talking and we with hearing I arest you all you are nowe my prisoners and thinke not that I will let you go to morrow let vs take a little truce with our eyes our tongues our eares and our thoughts me thinks this discourse deserues to be prosecuted with a fasting wit it were fit it should not be taken vpon a sudden but that you should pause vpon this which is already spoken if sleep will suffer you Neuer yet was good Aduocate how well soeuer he were prouided for a great cause agreeued to haue put it off to another day that he might be better furnisht and I think you neuer spake to a matter of more importance then this The Gentlemans aduice was taken and euerie man retyred him into his chamber vntill seuen of the clocke in the morning then euerie one hauing been at Church to render vnto God not what euerie man is bound but what euerie man was able to performe the whole companie met in the Hal. The Gentleman gaue his seruants straight commaundement that none of them should be so hardie as to interrupt them whatsoeuer busines fell out Now let vs go on with our tale quoth he for we cannot doe a better deed then this but vpon this condition that in our speech we raile vpon no bodie We may not easily be drawen to persecute so harmelesse a companie as many men take the Iesuits to be The Aduocate promised to deale honestly herein protesting againe that he would not speake for any particular grudge he bare them but for the common good of all men And to make it so appeare to you quoth he I leaue all affectation and flowers of Rhetorique wherewith men of my profession vse to grace their speech I will read those passages plainely to you vpon which all that I intend to doe is grounded and if anie man will put any better stuffe to it when I haue done I giue him leaue For the best Art I obserue is to shew no Art at all But sith the Iesuits do now sue for a re-establishment of them in Fraunce I will begin with that that toucheth vs neerest The Aduocate hauing in one of his Portmantewes all the Buls and constitutions that concerne the Iesuits and many other bookes of like argument as well with them as against them he laid them forth vpon a greene Carpet thus as he had done the night before so proceeded he now to verifie his speech Let vs see him play his part vpon the stage The end of the first Booke The second Booke of the Iesuits Catechisme CHAP. 1. ¶ That our Church of Fraunce and the Sect of the Iusuits cannot stand together LEt vs tread all choller vnder foote saith the Aduocate not as if it were not verie fit to be angry with heresie yea and to sleep vpon that anger but because choller sometimes besots vs makes vs faile in the duties of our vnderstanding The Iesuits desire to be setled againe in Paris where-into they entred at the first like Foxes and afterward fild themselues like rauening beasts with the blood of the French and yet if their order
not discourage or turne him there-from but greatly confirmed him and prouoked thereto affirming that there was nothing in that buisines that could hinder him vnlesse it were protracting and delay After this hee tooke againe the way to Lions where discouering himselfe to the Iesuits he was greatly praysed and honoured of them A little while after he returned to Paris where certaine English Gentlemen that were fugitiues out of their countrie vnderstanding of his purpose and practise began to embrace him and by name Thomas Morgan who assured him that so soone as he should be in England and should haue executed his â—â—teprise hee would take order that a puissant armie should passe out of Scotland to assure the kingdome to the Queene of Scotland Now though that Parrie seemed altogither resolute yet was he in some sort hindred by sundrie remorses of his conscience And indeed â—he communicated the same to certaine Englishmen that were Ecclesiasticall persons who all labouned to remoue him from it and particularly a learned Priest named Watell who wisely declared shewed vnto him that all the rules of God and the world were directly contratie to his deliberation and purpose In this his irresolution and want of sâ—â—â—ednes he purposed to conferre with the Iesuits of Paris amongst whom he addressed himselfe to father Hanniball Coldretto to whom also in confession he discouered his first aduice and councell and the vncertainty into which Watell had brought him But the Iesuits that lacked not perswasiue reasons maintained vnto him that Watell and all the other that put these scruples into his minde were heretiques And hauing againe set him in his former course caused him according to their ordinarie custome in such cases â—oâ—eciue the Sacrament with diuers other Lords and Gentlemen The English man being thus perswaded tooke his leaue of them and returned into England fully purposed to bring his treason to effect and issue whereunto the better to attaine he sought all the meanes he might to kisse the Queenes Maiesties hand saying that he had certaine things of verie great importance to acquaint her withall And this was about the moneth of Februatie in the yeere 1585. At the last being brought before her Maistie he largely discoursed vnto her the historie of his trauaile and how that counterfaiting the fugitiue he had discouered all the practises and plots that the English Catholiques had brewed or deuised against her Maiestie yea that he had promised them that he would be the first that should attempt her death which had purchased him verie great credit amongst them And yet notwithstanding that he would rather choose a hundred deaths then to defile his soule with so damnable at thought He was a well spoken man of a good countenaunce such a one as had prepared himselfe to play his part not vpon the sodaine but wel prouided The Queene who wanteth not her spies knew that one part of that which he had spoken was verie true which also caused her to credit the rest and graciously accepting of that honest libertie and freedome which he pretended charged him not to depart farre from the Court and that in the meane season he should by letters sound the affections of her enemies which thing he promised and vndertooke to do and vpon this promise feeding the Princesse with goodly shewes he did many times talke verie priuately with her And amongst other she going one day to hunt the fallow Deere he followed her neuer suffering her out of his eye At last being a good way from her owne people and dismounted from her horse to refresh her selfe at the foote of a tree in the wood Parry being nigh vnto her twise had a desire to kill her but he was with-hold there-from by that gracious familiaritie which her Maiestie vsed towards him At another time he walking after Supper with her in the garden of her Pallace called white Hall which standeth vpon the Thames side where also be had a boate readie with the greater speed to saue him and to carrie him away when he had giuen the blow as also he sought opportunitie for it the Queene escaped from him to this manner He supposed to draw her some-what farre from the the house and that then he would kill her at the gardens end But she returned towards her Pallace and said vnto him that it was time to betake her to her chamber being troubled with heat and the rather because she was the next day to take a bath by the appointment of her Phisitions And thereupon laughing she withall added that they should not drawe so much bloud from her as many people desired And with this speeth she with drew her selfe leaning Parrie much arnazed at this namely that hee had fayled in that his so worthie an enterprise Now as he behaued himselfe after this manner about the Q. he supposed that he wanted a trusty friend to second him in his attempt therupon he addressed himselfe to his friend Edmond Neuill an English Gentleman who for his Religion and conscience sake had his part amongst the afflictions troubles of England whom also he diuers times visited and after that he had sworne him vpon the Euangelistes not to reueale or discouer that which he should tell him did particularly and by peace-meale discourse to him his whole intention prouoked him to take part with him therein as one that had great reason liuely to feele the iniuries that had bin câ—â—miâ—â—ed against him And that this was the time and outly â—â—â—ane to reestablish the Catholique Religion in England and to set vp there the Queene of Scotland and that in doing this both of them should haue a good portion in the bootie that should be deuided But Nenill could at no hand well fauour or like of this new counsell Whereupon Parrie demaunded of him whether he had Father Allens booke which would stand him in steed of a continuall spurre to prouoke him to this enterprise though that of himselfe he were not well disposed and prepared thereto that by that booke iâ— was permitted to excommunicate Kings to depose them yea and to constraine and enforce them and that ciuill warres for the cause of Religion were honourable and lawfull I haue verie good and readie accesse to the Queene said he as you also may haue after that you are once knowne in Court After that we haue giuen the blow and done the deed we will get into a boate which shal be readie for vs to go downe the Riuer withall and from thence we will be imbarked vnto the Sea which you and I may easily doe vpon my crediâ— without trouble or hindrance Neuill entertaining him with goodly words faire promises yet neuer giuing him an absolute yea or nay at the last resolued with himselfe no longer to delay the matter but to aduertise the Queene thereof vnto whom vpon the eight of Februarie 1584. he related all that had passed betweene him and Parries who that night supped with
assembly some laboured harde to make immortall mercilesse war against the Hugonots yet demaunded an abatement of Subsidies a proposition ill sorting with the former those Subsidies hauing heen introduced of purpose to further the warres By means whereof the man of whom I speake taking first aduise of the Iesuits propounded a third course to league thēselues against the Hugonots and that such as willing lie enroled themselues vnder the League should be bound to contribute vnto the charge of this new warre These instructions receiued and published the Deputies did nominate a certaine Prince to be their head The last King knowing of what consequence this practise was and that succeeding it would make 3. parties in France his owne which was not one properly that of the League another of the Hugonots to breake this blow discreetly affirmed that he approued well this League but that be would be chiefe thereof which was to the end the League should flie no further then he was pleased to giue it wings The first stone of our ruine beeing cast in this manner the Prouosts of the Merchants and the Sheriffes of Paris returning home and loath that thys opinion of a League which they held most holy should miscarie sent theyr Commissions throughout all the Wards to to the end that such as would contribute should subscribe their names The Constables bare them vnto euerie house some hardier then the rest opposed themselues the greater number fearing worse subscribed The Commission was brought to Christopher le Tou chiefe Iustice whose memorie vvee cannot honour too much this good Lord refused not onely to subscribe but detayned the Commission it selfe and the next day in open Court detested this vnhappy innouation as an assured desolation to our state His authoritie his honestie his reasons wrought so great effect that euery one allowed and followed his aduise From thence-foorth this opinion of the League did weare away or rather vvas remitted to another season that better might befit the purposes of such as broached it Suddainly after the Parliament was ended Father Aimon Auger a Iesuit got the King to giue eare vnto him through his plausible hypocrisies And after him Father Claudius Matthew of Lorraine both the which had so great part in his good fauour that as Montaignes testifieth hee some-times caused them to ride along with him in his owne Coach At length this good King founde that these coozeners were desirous to incroach vppon the managing of State-matters about him Auger especially whom for that cause hee gaue order to his Embassadour at Rome to get him remooued out of Fraunce by Letters of obedience from his Generall The King departing from the Parliament pacified his subiects by an Edict of the yeere 1577. the which hee sayd was vvholly his owne and yet had by his wisedome cleane dashed the reformed Religion without bloodshed if the Iesuits would haue vouchsafed him the leisure to finish what he had begun Wageing in the midst of peace a gentle warre against the Hugonots gentle but more forcible in great mens oppinions then any weapons could haue made it For although that the Edict of 77. gaue some libertie vnto them yet the king neither called them to places of iudgement nor vnto offices in his Exchequer nor to the gouernments of Prouinces and Townes Hee had moreouer deuised the order of the holie Ghost reserued wholly for Catholicke Princes and Lords as also that of the Hieronimitans of our Lady of Vincennes where none were to appeare but Apostolicall Romane Catholiques and with whom laying aside his most high authoritie he fraternized in all kind of deuotion Nowe the presence of these causing the others absence belieue it was no small meanes to force them into the right way For there is nothing which the French Nobilitie affect so much as to be neere theyr King nor any thing that afflicts the common people more then to be kept from Offices this is a disease of minde that spoyles the Frenchman As soone as a Lawyer or Marchant haue by theyr endeuours stuffed theyr Closets and Storehouses with siluer the thing they chiefely ayme at is to bestowe it on places of Iudgement or roomes in the Exchequer for theyr Children so that the newe Religion beganne alreadie to dissolute and it grieued not the Auncients thereof vvho for shame and to auoyde the imputation of lightnes stucke vnto it to suffer their chyldren to be instructed in our Schooles and consequently to learne there the principles of our Religion All matters in this sort proceeded from ill to well from well to better the Countriman plyed harde his plough the Artificer his trade the Merchant his traffique the Lawyer his practise the Cittizen enioyed his reuenew the Magistrate his stipend the Catholick his owne religion throughout all Fraunce without impeachment The remainder of those Hugonots that liued being sequestred into a backe corner of the kingdome when our Iesuits seeing themselues remoued frō theyr Princes fauour beganne to lay this snare to intrap him Euen as the Societie of Iesuits is composed of all sorts of people some for the pen others for practise so had they amongst them one Father Henry Sammier of Luxembourge a man disposed for all assayes and resolued vnto any hazard This fellow was sent by them in the yeere 1581 towards diuers Catholicke Princes to sounde the Foorde And to say truly they could not haue chosen one more fit for he disguised himselfe into as many formes as obiects one while attired like a soldiour another while like a Priest by and by like a country Swaine Dice cardes and women were as ordinarie with him as his prefixed houres of prayer saying he did not thinke he sinned in this because it was done to the furtherance of a good worke to the exaltation of Gods glorie and that hee might not be discouered changing his name together with his habite according to the Countries wherein he purposed to negotiate He parted from Lorraine and thence went into Germany Italie and Spaine The summe of his instructions were that foreseeing the eminent danger of our Catholick religion the seeming conniuence which the King gaue to it and secret fauour hee yeelded on the other side to the Hugonots whereof the Duke his brother had made himselfe an open Protector in the Lowe-Countries their holie societie had resolued to vndertake this quarrell vnder the leading of a great Prince making sure account of Gods assistance seeing that it was directed to the aduauncement of his holy Name and good of his Church Thus Sammier got intelligence from each part and tooke assurance on all hands but presently to manifest their proiects the season fitted not because the Duke was aliue and the two brothers forces once vnited were sufficient to swallow all such as had made head against them And this was but the preamble vnto our Troubles In the yeere 83. he died That let remoued the Iesuits imbarqued in their quarrell such Lords as they thought good and
after they haue raised tumults in all Countries that theyr designements sort to effect CHAP. 17. ¶ That the Pope hath not power to translate the Crowne of Fraunce from one to another against the dangerous position of the Iesuits and some other discourse tending to the same effect THe Iesuits not content to haue offered violence to our King in time of the troubles doe at this day in the time of peace by theyr pennes offer violence to the Royaltie it selfe Hee that maintaines in Rome that the Pope may transfer Empires and Kingdomes from hand to hand at his pleasure deserueth a Cardinals hat as Father Robert Bellarmine the Iesuite he that maintaines the same position in Fraunce is worthie of a hat of that colour but not of that kinde as the Cardinals Kings die whē it pleaseth God to call them the Roialtie neuer dies Which is the cause that the Parliament Court of Paris when they accompanie the funerall obsequies of our Kinges are not in mourning weedes but in Scarlet the true marke and ensigne of the neuer dying maiestie of the Crowne or Royaltie One of the chiefe flowers of our Crowne is that our Kings cannot incurre the censures of the Church of Rome nor their realme be interdicted nor consequently transposed It is a law not made but bred with vs which we haue not learned receiued or by long instruction imprinted but a law which is drawne inspired and deriued into vs out of the very breasts of our Mother Fraunce wherein we are not nurtured but nursed that if any thunderbolts fortuned to be sent from Rome against the maiestie of our Kings so as in consequence thereof the realme might fall vnder the sentence of Interditement we are not bound to yeeld obedience thereunto Neither yet for all this did our kings euer loose the title of Most Christian nor wee of the Eldest sonnes of the Church The Iesuit hath beene condemned by a decree of the Court he drawes his chaine after him still yet will hee not cease to be a Iesuit that is a Seminarie of diuisions factions and dissentions within our country Let vs then heare what he saith who vnder the name of Montaignes hath publisht the booke of the Truth as hee intitles it but of the forged and lying Truth After hee had discoursed that the Temporall state onely appertained to the King and the Spirituall to the holy Father who claimed no interest in their souerainties hee affirmes that if the king happē at any time to transgresse God hath put a rod into the Popes hand to chastise him and depriue him of his kingdome And this is for the behoofe Mont. cap. 15. of the Truth defended for the good of Princes saith he who most commonlie are reclaimed and brought to their duties rather for feare of their Temporall estate which they euer-more hold deer though otherwise ill giuen then of their Spirituall which they set not by vnlesse their conscience be the better which is not generall to all of them But the Pope is no God no more was Samuell who executed that sentence against Saul So as God had annointed Saul King by the Prophet so doth he send the sentence of his deposition by him and by him translate the kingdome annoint Dauid king In the time of Osias king of Iuda the high priest no more a GOD then Samuell gaue the kingdome from the father to the sonne he being strooken with leprosie for his presumption This transposition of the Crowne was doone by the appointment of the high Priest according as by the Law was ordained and consequently the deposition of the Father Iehoiada was no God but a priest and Gods Lieutenaunt when after he had caused Athalia the Queene to be put to death for her tyrannous gouernment hee put the scepter into the handes of Ioas a prince of the blood and lawfull successor to the Crowne All those were but Gods ministers to execute his decrees as the Pope likewise is And seeing God hath infinite meanes to translate a kingdome by the force and weapons of Pagans as of Moores Turks and other strange Nations making the Assyrians conquerours ouer the Greekes the Greekes ouer the Assyrians both of the Iewes and the Romans of both what milder course could he haue ordained among Christians what way more reasonable or more secure then by the mediation and authoritie of the head of the Church and the common Father of all Christians who beeing specially assisted by God and by men both learned and religious will in likelihood doe nothing preiudiciall to the right of the lawfull successors and will proceede without passion and withall moderation and mildnes in a case of that importance hauing an eye euermore to the honour of God and vnto the publique and priuate good In conclusion by this learned position which our pernitious Iesuit maintaines the Pope hath authoritie to transferre kingdoms frō one hand to another when he seeth cause so to doe and dooing it hee is subiect to no mans controule inasmuch as if God himselfe may doe it then is it lawfull for his Vicar to doe the like the Pope hauing no lesse preheminence ouer Kings in these times of Christianity then the Prophets had in the time of Moses law This fond opinion of thine brings mee to a meruailous straite forcing mee to combate against the authoritie of the holie Sea First if you will argue this position morallie where shall you finde that a King constituting his Lieuetenants generall in Prouinces giueth them in all poynts as ample authoritie as himselfe hath ouer his subiects And to say that God hath transferred his omnipotent power into any man whatsoeuer is a poynt of blaspemie against the Maiestie of GOD. Besides tell mee Sophister where finde you that you ought to beg such examples out of the old Testament to transplant them into the new But with such illusions doe you and your associats surprise the consciences of the weake ignorant multitude For if that reason of yours were of any value or consequence we should by the same bring Circumcision into vse againe at this day because it was vsed vnder the Law of Moses And by the same pretext it shall be lawfull for the subiect to lay violent handes vppon his Soueraigne Iudges 3. because Ehud murthered Eglon King of Moab vnpunished Seeing you terme your selfe a Iesuit let vs follow the footesteps of Iesus Christ for to this marke ought all our cogitations to leuell whereunto restraining our discourse I will make it appeare that I am a true Cathotholicke liegeman to the Pope and thou a true Catholique Impostor VVee consider the power of our Sauiour Christ in two different times one was vvhen for our Redemption hee descended from heauen into the earth the other vvhen after his death and passion hee ascended from earth into heauen The first was the time of his humilitie in respect whereof hee professed that his comming was not to be an vmpire of their
day that hee first heard Masse at Saint Dennis vnderstanding that certaine of my Auditors had beene present thereat I debarred them the day following from my Lecture as persons excommunicated forbidding them to enter vntill they were absolued for it by some of our Societie When men began to muner about a peace I commaunded one of my Auditors the best scholler among them to declaime in Greeke touching the miseries of Fraunce and the lamentable gulph of calamities to ensue whereinto she was about desperately to plunge her sellfe this was as I said the time of the conference when euerie man on both parties breathed nothing but vnitie and reconcilement the scholler forgetting those particulers which I had prescribed him onely propounding to himselfe the generall subiect of the miseries of Fraunce declaimed and discoursed first of the miseries and calamities which happen in a Realme by the rebellion and disobedience of the subiects which he said to be the gulph wheinto God suffered a nation to fall when after his long patience he would haue them feele his hand for some transgressions which he had long time suffered to go vnpunish◠Aterwards he declared that the misgouernance of a Prince could not exempt the subiects from their alleageance which he likewise confirmed by an infinite number of examples shewing what ill successe they euer had who were of a contrarie minde I seeing him forsake the path that I had prescribed and take a farre different course grew mightily out of patience and made him come downe out of the seat calling him caytife and heretique with many other reprochfull termes The first day that the Reading began after the Citie of Paris was reduced to the obediēce of the Biarnois one of my schollers cōming into the colledge before the houre wrote all about my Forme God saue the King When I came in and espied this shamefull act my choler turned into rage and with a fell and terrible voyce I exclaymed Quis ita infecit parietes nostros Who is it that hath thus berayed our walles If I knew what he were that hath made these scribble-scrabbles for that was my terme I would cause the President of the Colledge to punish him openly and after dinner I made it to be wiped out adding withall that if I might know any man hereafter that should bescribble the walles in that order I would make him feele how much I was displeased withall I confesse freely right honourable Pasquill what I haue done neither doe I feare to speake it seeing I am now in the Citie of Rome and none of the Biarnois his Subiects being a Scot by birth and be it that I were a natural Frenchman yet am I perswaded that all these vnkindnesses ought to be pardoned me who haue alwaies carried so good a conscience as in playing with my fellowes or others I neuer medled for money but for Pater noster and Aue Maria onely and doe stedfastly beleeue that this merite alone towards God saued me from the Parliament of Paris where I was in some perill and I assure you had I beene put to any torture eyther of bodie or mind of bodie being laid on the rack of mind by any censure of the Church I had beene quite vndone Thus much did I get out of father Alexander whom I found to be another Alexander the great amongst you Iesuits that is a Prince of an inuincible spirit After I had heard him I examined the litterall proofes By your Pleas I learned many things which me thought made very much against you For Arnauld and Dole charging you that your Colledge was the Spanyards Randenous wherein they consulted of the affaires of the holy League you confesse in your aunswere that the Embassadour Mendoza came thither indeed on holy-daies to heare Masse and that afterward you entreated him to refraine for the auoyding of suspition A friuolous excuse to my iudgement for why should you pray him to forbeare that which at that time you tooke for a great honour done vnto you if at least a man may beleeue the common report Furthermore it being by your aduersaries obiected that a Father of the Societie Odon Pigenat was Captaine and Ring-leader of the Sixteene that commaunded within Paris not onely ouer the ordinarie Magistrate but ouer the chiefe and soueraigne you confesse that article as well in your Pleas as in Montaignes his booke marry you say withall it was to temper and moderate their actions At the reading of which two places all that were present fell on laughing knowing Pigenat euen in those daies when he had some sparke of wisedome to bee euermore ouer-caried with heat and choller Since which time he is growne so franticke that he is kept within a Chamber bound and manacled In the same Plea I found these words They suppose they haue deserued well of the Citie of Paris in as much as during the whole time of the troubles they neuer ceased to teach their youth there being at that time no other Colledge in the Vniuersitie whereas those exercises were entirely kept Will you know the cause saith a man of good sort standing by the Principals of other Colledges had let their hands fall as bewayling in their soules the miseries that grew by this rebellion whereas these fellowes lifted their hands vp to heauen as thinking they had preuailed conquerers in the matter they had vndertaken But nothing amazed me so much as a letter which was sent into Spayne but intercepted by Monseur de Chaseron Gouernour of the Prouince of Bourbon the bearer whereof was father Matthew the Iesuite This letter was sent me to peruse and the tenour of it was as followeth Most high and mightie Prince your Catholique Maiestie hauing beene so gratious vnto vs as to let vs vnderstand by the most godly and reuerend father Matthew not onely your holy intentions in the whole cause of religion but also more especially the good affection and fauour towards this Citie of Paris c. And a little after We hope that shortly the forces of his holines and your Catholique Maiestie being vnited shall free vs from the oppression of our enemies who from before a yeere and a halfe vntill this present haue so hemd vs in on all sides as nothing can come into the Citie but eyther by chaunce or by strong hand and would strayne themselues to go further were it not that they feare those garrisons which it hath pleased your Catholique Maiestie to appoint vs. We can certainly assure your Catholique Maiestie that all the Catholiques wish desire to see your Catholick Maiesty enioy the Scepter of this kingdom and to raigne ouer vs as we do most willingly offer our selues into your armes as to our Father c. And on the margent somewhat lower The Reuerend Father Matthew this present bearer by whom we haue receiued much cōfort being thorowly instructed in our minds shall supply the defect of our letters to your Catholique Maiestie humbly beseeching you to giue credence
Beutiuolio in Bologna in Italy whereof there remaynes no memorie but the rubbish called at this day the ruines of Beutiuolio Secondly that there be sale made of all and singuler the temporall goods of the Iesuits of Fraunce and the money thence arising to be employed to the redeeming or recouering of those demaines of the Crowne which our King hath beene forced to alienate and sell for the maintenance of the warres whereof they were Authors At these words all the companie stood amazed for he tooke the matter in a farre other sence then we expected and some muttering there was about thin sale of their goods Wherupon he said further Let not this opinion of mine seem any whit â—â—eâ—unge vnto you If you had beene bred vp vnder the same law that I haue been you would not thinke it so The possessions where with they are indowed in Fraunce is in respect eyther of their Monasteries which they call houses or of their Colledges In the first respect they can enioy none for their owne statuted forbid it in the fecond much lesse because they were neuer receiued or allowed in Fraunce for true and lawfull Colledges capable of legacies and charitable contributions further then as they promised in the assembly at Poissi 1561. to renounce all their vowes to raunge themselues as all other Colledges did vnder the obedieÌ„ce of their Ordinaries which they neyther haue nor would performe since that time and consequently neyther may nor ought to be reputed Colledges If you will returne to the common auncient rules of the Roman law which we are with all diligence to embrace the common lawes of a countrey being not against it there you shall finde that if a Testator bequeath any Legacie to a Colledge the Legacie is good and sufficient if the Colledge be approued by the Magistrates if not it is to be conuerted to the behoofe and benefit of some other Colledge which is authorized The Iesuits cause was referred to Counsell in the yeere 1564. in which meane time their qualitie was suspended vntill in 1594. it was adiudged flat against them they being condemned to auoyde the Realme of Fraunce Wherefore we may by the sequell truly pronounce that all the charitable deuotions bestowed vpon theÌ„ are to be conuerted to another vse for the benefit of the common-wealth The Iesuits were authors of the troubles the troubles were the causes that some part of the Crowne-land was sold which consequently ought by them to be made good that they may be the Scorpions of Fraunce in whose death she may find a medicine and remedie for their veâ—emous bitings Christian charitie wherewith they abound as themselues boast the pouerty of their order which they proclaime quite thorow their statutes the necessitie wherein our State now is the execution of iustice for example will haue it so for the discharge of their owne consciences With this word Maister Pierre dis Coignet concluded and was in some sort seconded by the Faster his companion not for any deepe vnderstanding that was in him but for that rule which is common to men in miserie who are much eased when they haue copartners in their affliction he also would gladly haue seene the Iesuits kept poore and Fasting like himselfe Whervnto Signior Morforio and my selfe would in no wise condescend in so much as the processe was at the point to be broken off we supposing it to be but a matter compacted betweene the two Doctors of Fraunce By meanes whereof Morforio after a little altercation began to speake To what purpose saith hee are all thsee censures Rectè quidem sed quorsum quaeso tam recte I say not but they are wisely handled but to what end Here is much good talke spent to little purpose You argue the matter as if the Iesuits had now in their hands all those lands or possessions which haue beene by way of almes bestowed vpon them I tell you they are almost all sold and turned into money Their money is in diuers banks out of your Realme to relieue them in a rainie day in case they should be forced to forgoe the countrey of Fraunce And if at all they haue any certayne reuenew that consisteth wholly in benefices which they haue caused to be vnited to their Colledges and are not capable of alienation Haue they sold them say you replied Maister Pierre by what right could they doe so By authoritie from their Generall onely which we neyther approoue nor receiue in Fraunce Our lawes are farre other in that poynt of the sale and alienation of possessions belonging eyther to the Church or to Societies in common In a word all these pretended sales are void in law Wherat I brake into these words You open a gap to an inconuenience that would spread far at one blow extend to the hurt of a number who haue no hand at all in this quarrell Whereby you should bring another Chaos or confusion into the countrey of Fraunce and therefore I referre you to the auncient law of the Romans Communis error facit ius A common error makes a right Finally after much wrangling and contention it was concluded and agreed amongst vs to leaue the matter as we found it and that both the Pyratnis and the sentence of the Parliament should stand without any alteration in eyther This was all I could obtayne of the companie and that not without some bitter words at litle Maister Pierre his hand who tolde me in mine eare that he saw I was at the poynt to turne Iesuit to vphold mine ancient greatnes in the Citie of Rome with men in highest place and authoritie Of all which proceeding I thought good to aduertise your Fatherhood Right reuerend Father as he that is wholy deuoted to your seruice Beseeching you not to proclayme your innocency henceforward because some turn it to a scoffe others to a scorne It is a puddle which if you did well you should let rest for the more you stir it the more wil your doings stink Your selfe are the first and last iudge to giue sentence against your Order I speake to you by name that are the author of the Most humble Petition to King Henry the fourth wherein you acknowledge that he is more barbarous then the Barbarians themselues who setteth himselfe against his Soueraigne And your Montaignes confesseth Mont. ca. 34 that to band himselfe against his Prince is the humor of an heretique Enter into your owne consciences and tel me if this humor did not raigne in you my Maisters during the last troubles of Fraunce In conclusion I would aduise you to giue order that those of your Societie forbeare to write any more or if they doe that they be more discreet hereafter vpon paine of being expelled out of your number CHAP. 21. ¶ Of the diuision which seemes to be in the Parliaments or iurisdictions of Fraunce as concerning the Iesuits and what may be the cause thereof THe Aduocate hauing ended his long discourse
paused a while which gaue the Gentleman occasion to say vnto him I assure you Sir I cannot but much commend your inuention in representing this matter in the person of Stones For seeing men will not speake stones must their dealinges beeing such as you haue shewed and prooued not by proofes at randon and vncertaine but most infallible and drawne out of their owne bookes But how commeth it to passe that this being so notoriously knowne and remayning of record yet neuerthelesse there be certaine Courts of Parliament within the Realme which doe not onely receiuâ—â—â—em but honor cherish and embrace them within their Cities and iurisdictions I did expect you should aske me that question quoth the Aduocate and was about to haue entred thereinto of my selfe had you not preuented mee Thinke it not straunge it should be so it is a mysterie hidden in the secret counsell of God who hath not wholy withdrawn his wrath from vs but intendeth one day to vse these as his instruments to bring more plagues vpon vs. Neuerthelesse doe not you thinke but that those other Parliaments haue some great shew of reason for their doings Did you neuer see a new Testament wherein the histories were drawne in pictures In that place of the Gospell where our Sauiour is tempted in the desart Sathan is pictured in the habit of a Munke Some Lucianists sticke not to say that thereby is vnderstood that the life and conuersation of Munks is Diabolicall But I am of a contrarie opinion For whosoeuer the Painter was that in this matter of the temptatioÌ„ deuised to cloth the Diuell in those weeds he did it not without great consideration iudging that this being the true habit of piety there was no way more readie certain to surprise the consciences of well meaning men then by it The Diuel after he had set forth diuers mommeries of religious Orders he meant to set his rest vpon this and transforming himselfe into Ignacius and his adherents to pretend the holy name of Iesus and to promise by the mouth of the Iesuits not onely terrestriall kingdomes to Princes wherewith they would inuest them as Sathan did to our Sauiour but also the kingdome of heauen to such as would execute their malice against those Kings that were their enemies Wherein the Diuell hath not much missed of his ayme For vnder this glorious name hath he abused and onerreached our Popes their holines and consequently a number of religious soules And as himselfe is the Spirit of Diuision so is it no meruaile if the Iesuits his true and lawfull children enioy the same priuiledge that their father doth They haue caused diuision between themselues and our Prelates of Fraunce betweene themselues and the Vniuersities betweene Popes and Kings betweene Popes and other Prelats if now they cause a new dissension amongst our Parliaments of Fraunce they haue done that which onely was wanting to the ful and absolute accomplishment of the Sorbones prophecie when in her censure of the Iesuits Sect in the yeere 1554 she saith Multas in populo querelas multas lites dissidia contentiones aemulatioues variaque schismata inducit It breadeth many quarrels controuersies discords contentions emulations and many divisions amongst the people The Parliament of Paris vpon mature wise deliberation hath banished theÌ„ out of their iurisdiction Some other Parliaments doe retaine them albeit the attemps of Barriere and Chastell vppon the person of the King be vnto them notoriously knowne and that they were the first plotters and contriuers of our troubles When I thinke of these dissentions I am put in minde of a discreet aunswere made by King Henry the second touching the case of Pelisson President of the Parliament of Chamberi who by the sentence of the Parliament of Digeon was depriued of his office besides sundry other disgraces which he receiued vpon the complaint and information of Tabouè Atturny generall Afterward obtayning Letters for a second examination and and the cause being remoued to the Parliament of Paris he was restored to his office and Tabouè condemned to make him honourable amends bare-headed in his shirt with a halter about his neck The King beeing informed of these proceedings in both the Courts of parliament wisely made aunswer that he esteemed all his Iudges to be men of honestie vprightnes but that they of the parliament of Digeon had iudged according to their consciences and they of Paris according to right and iustice I make no doubt but that all the Iudges of other parliaments are by their consciences induced thereunto but this I say that there was neuer any thing decreed in Court more sufficiently and sincerely then this was by the parliament of Paris The other as I suppose are swayed by the authority of the holy Sea supporting the Iesuits which is no small aduantage for them to leane vnto notwithstanding I will oppugne them by the same authoritie beseeching them not to take in euill part this admonition which in all dutie humilitie I offer vnto their coÌ„siderations not doubting but after they haue heard me if at least they please to giue me hearing they will theÌ„selues condemne this their opinion You haue heeretofore vnderstood how at two seuerall times our Iesuits had practised the murder of the King and not at that time when hee was deuided from vs in religion but euen then when he was reconciled to our Church in the time of a truce desiring nothing else but a generall vnion and reconcilement of all his subiects throughout the Realme They are highly fauoured at Rome as the Iuie which seemeth outwardly to succour the wall when as inwardly it eateth into it but if they had euer conspired any attempt against the Popes person I am out of doubt that by the Decree of that great and holy Consistorie of Rome theyr Order would haue beene put downe and abolished for euer At the least I haue seene the like practise in a case not vnlike for a matter not so dangerous for example nor of such consequence as that shewed vppon the whole Order of the Humiliati I will acquaint you with the historie CHAP. 22. ¶ How the Order of Humiliatj was suppressed by Decree of the Consistorie of Rome and that there is greater cause to suppresse the Iesuits then the Humiliatj THis Order in outward appearance like this of the Iesuits promised so great sanctitie and deuotion as Cardinall Borrhomao the Archbishop of Millan vvould needes take vpon him the patronage and protection thereof This good Prelate perceiuing that the greatest part of them gaue themselues ouer to a voluptuous and dissolute kinde of life tooke in hand to reforme them which some of them tooke in such indignitie dignitie as that they vowed his death There was a Guardian of that Order resident in the Cittie of Versellis his name was Girolano Lignana who with certaine other his confederats vndertakes this execution And to make way to their purpose they resolued to kill Frier Fabio
sute not in euerie particuler but if it please you to consider what hath passed and is now in practise among our Iesuits you shall find they follow the same steps in Christianisme which Ismaell first trode in Mahumetisme Their prophet Ismaell is the great Ignatius who with his fabulous visions would beare the world in hand that sometimes hee spake with GOD. sometimes with Christ sometimes with our Ladie or Saint Peter And as Ismaell fetched out of Hali the pretended Brother of Mahomet a new branch of Religion taken from the old stocke So Ignatius christning him selfe with this new name of a Iesuit in sted of the name of a Christian authorized frō the Apostles buildeth vp a religion neuer auncientlie obserued by our Church Ismaell vnder this new vowe changed the auncient Turban Ignatius inducing a new Monachisme amōgst vs yet retaineth not the auncient habite of Munks Ismaell first assembled a handfull of people after raysed millions Ignatius doth the like Ismaell to make himselfe great mingled pollicie and religion together hath not Ignatius followed him Ismaell and his successours were adorned and magnified by their followers Ignatius hath been so idolatrized and the rest of his successors in the Generalship But they goe beyond him for the Generall of the Iesuits will not only be honoured by his followers but by those which are not of his sect though happily somwhat tainted with his superstitious hipocrisie Ismael made himselfe be called the Prophet of God The Generall termeth himselfe Gods Vicar In all these proceedings and practises Ismael troubled and tormoyled the Mahometical state And shall not we mistrust in Rome this same new Iesuited Sophi Whosoeuer suspecteth them not is no true and legitimate child of the holy Sea I pray you obserue a little their encreasing and their growth The Iesuits at the first beginning were content to be some threescore in number some three yeeres after they kept open house come who would and welcome which was an anticipation preiudiciall to Ordinaries and Vniuersities to Kings and their kingdomes In the end they were not content to equall themselues with Bishops in their Diocesse vsurping their iurisdiction but exacted more obedience ouer their followers then the Pope ouer vs. And although there can be no certaine iudgement giuen of future things yet I dare say it is true that in matter of State the predictions of good or ill are no lesse infallible then iudgements Mathematicall Toward the declining of the popular state in Rome there grew a ciuill warre in Fraunce betwixt two great factions the Sequanois and the Heduans which diuersly aspyred to the chiefe gouernment The Heduans confederate with the Romans demanded their ayde Iulius Caesar who from his cradle neuer brooked small attempts obtayned the command of the French aswell on this side the mountaynes as beyond for fiue yeeres Besides there were giuen him foure legions of souldiers paied by the State He as he was a man of great leading and verie valiant soone brought his affaires to such a passe that pretending to succour the Heduans he made the Gaules tributary to the people of Rome In regard whereof at the instance of his friends he obtayned great priuiledges As for one he obtayned that Pompey or his kinsman might be vndertaker generall who besides the bond of alliance might doe much in fauouring of Caesars greatnes Hee was of great place in the Towne and consequently verie much followed Wise Cato the Vticen seeing how these things were carried often tolde him verie earnestly hee would ouerthrow the state ere he were aware by teaching Caesar to play the Tyrant which he should finde when it was too late His prediction came to passe for after much ciuill warre the Empyre fell to his family I wish to God I might be a false Prophet But when I consider seriously the history of our Iesuits I am full of feare and pensiuenes Martin Luther directly opposed himselfe against the holy Sea The Iesuits cunning statesmen couer no lesse ambition vnder their long cassocks then Caesar and proffer to support the Popedome but with a proposition of new obedience as if I durst I would say that they make vp a third religion betwixt the true Catholique and the Lutheran Caesar vanquished the French these if we wil beleeue it subdued a part of the Indies with their prattle but yet vnder the fauour of the Kings of Portugall in places where he had command For as for our wandring soules I do not see they had done any great seruice in reducing them to the fold Caesar in regard of his victories obtaind of the State many extraordinarie priuiledges not before imparted to any The Iesuits in recōpense of their imaginarie conquests in vnknowne countries haue obtained many priuiledges of the holy Sea neuer hertofore graunted to them Cato cried out that the priuiledges giuen to Caesar would ouerthrow the common-wealth The great facultie of Diuines in Paris declared in the yeere 1554. that this Sect would become the vtter desolation and ruine of our Church And some diuining spirits foretold long before the tragedies they should act in Fraunce Caesar chaunged the popular State into a Tyrannie what the Iesuits will attempt against the holy Church is in the hand of God yet one thing comforteth me that this great Sea is builded vpon a surer foundation then the Romane common-wealth Only this I wil adde that euen as our Lord Iesus Christ lodged his Diuinitie in a humane body for our redemption so long as our Prelates harbour holines and integritie in their hearts all will goe well with them and vs. But when they shall fall once a brewing mingling cunning and pollicie with Religion thereby thinking to maintaine their greatnes then will they ouerthrow them selues and our whole Church CHAP. 26. ¶ That there is no credit to be giuen to the promises and protestations of Iesuits for that they haue no other faith but such as maketh for the effecting of their purposes YOu haue hetherto vnderstood the heresies Machiauelisms Anabaptismes of the Sect of Iesuits the treasons the troubles they haue brought to France whersoeuer else they haue remaind it is now time to sound retreat And yet before I do it we must haue a little skirmish with the reestablishment by them procured against the processe of the Parliament at Paris giuen rather by God his iust iudgement then by men Now in this new pursuit hee which shall obserue the time wherein they beganne to remoue and the authoritie of him whom they imploy shall find them cunning and worldly wise rather then religious I cannot tell whether in the end they wil preuaile or no For to speake truly importunitie and perseuerance their two principall vertues haue great aduantage ouer the French which are naturally without gaule when they are flattered I assure you the annals of the Iesuit Magius their Deligate giue thē leaue to vse all the faire promises that may be till they become owners of their desire