Pope said Such a thing as that could not be forasmuch as whoever will enjoy an Indulgence they must by all means merit or obtain this by giving at least some Alms. This is well said and and opens all the Trick and Cheat of Indulgences The Pope asked further How many Years he desir'd this Indulgence should extend to St. Francis answer'd I intreat that your Holiness will be pleas'd to grant That all they who with Penitence come into this Church and confess themselves and have receiv'd Absolution may be absolv'd both in Heaven and Earth from all Guilt and Punishment from the time of their Baptism to the time that they come into this Church As the Pope made a Difficulty to grant this St. Francis said My Lord I seek this Indulgence not of my self but in the Name of Christ who hath sent me Then did the Pope give his Consent but through the Instigation of some Cardinals he order'd that this Indulgence should indeed be continued for ever but that it should not be obtain'd on more than one day in a Year Upon which St. Francis with great Reverence taking his leave the Pope call'd to him and said Well Brother Simplicity and what Security have you now for your Indulgence St. Francis said My Lord your Word is enough for me for God shall further his own Work and I desire no other Bull for our good Lady shall be the Paper Christ the Notary and the Angels the Witnesses And doubtless it was very proper that all these should be thus concern'd about so precious and important a matter And this matter was very wisely manag'd all this while or at least very sillily devis'd for they go on and say It was now two Years that St. Francis had obtain'd this divine Indulgence but there was yet no day settled whereon the World should obtain it St. Francis expecting that God who had granted the same should also reveal the Day the which came to pass in the Month of January of the Year 1223. in the following manner for this Circumstance was omitted purposely before for a pretence to bring in more ridiculous and lying Wonders to recommend St. Francis and his Indulgence As St. Francis at Midnight was praying in his Cell the Enemy came to him with the pretence of Friendship saying Francis wherefore will you destory your self before your time Why do you so mortifie your self with Watching Know you not that Sleep is the principal Cherisher of Life and very necessary and profitable for a young Person The holy Father observing the Artifice of the Devil threw off his upper Cloathing and having nothing on but his Drawers in fervour of Spirit run out of his Cell and creeping through a thick Thorn-Hedge he forc'd his way into a neighbouring Wood where he tumbl'd his Body among the Briars and Thorns till it was all over bloody saying to himself 'T is much better that I by suffering this do fill up the Sufferings of Christ than that I should suffer my self to be prevail'd upon by the Enemy The Enemy being thus drove away a great Light shin'd round about him And altho' this was in the middle of Winter nevertheless he saw about him red and white Roses in abundance At length a multitude of Angels came about him and said Francis get up quickly and go into the Church for Christ and his Mother wait for you there He standing up seem'd to himself to have upon him a miraâ—ulous bright and white Garment and having gather'd Twelve white and Twelve red Roses he went into the Church but a civil Saint would not have staid to do this when such Persons were waiting for him All the way as he went seem'd to him to be spread with Silken and Purple Tapestry Being then with great Reverence come into the Church he saw there the Lord Jesus Christ with his blessed Mother and a great multitude of Angels he thereupon falling to his Prayers said Our most holy Father Lord of Heaven and Earth and Saviour of the Generations of Men may it please you of your great mercy to appoint a particular Day for the Indulgence you have granted to this place Then the holy Mother of God praying also for him Christ said I will that the particular Day shall be that on which my Apostle Peter was loosed from his Bonds beginning from the second Vespers of that day and continuing to the Vespers of the day following including also the Night between both within which time all that come into this Church shall enjoy the Indulgence Then the Angels set up a singing the Te Deum with a great deal of Reason certainly for so great a Benefit granted to the World Many silly and riculous Circumstances more are mention'd in the Story but to be short He went to the Pope show'd his fine flourishing Roses in Winter and by Virtue of them obtain'd this Indulgence as the particular Order and Pleasure of Jesus Christ through the Intercession of his most holy Mother the whole Grant they state thus That all who from the Vespers of the first Day of August to the Vespers of the following Day shall come into the Church of our Lady of the Angels shall obtain full Remission of all their Sins committed from their Baptism to the Hour that they come into that Church having confess'd with Repentance and receiv'd Absolution of the Priest This Indulgence was a long time to be obtain'd only in this little Church call'd Portiuncula but perilous Times succeeding and it becoming very troublesom and difficult for those especially in Foreign Countries to come hiâ—â—or for it at length his Holiness Pope Gregory the Tenth in the Year 1622. upon the 4th day of July granted That the same Indulgence should be obtain'd by all Christians in all and every the Churches of the Minor Brothers Order through the whole World as fully as if they came to the Church Portiuncula it self That is to say the Order encreased and several Families of them came to be spread about in several Countries and this is one of the Tricks to maintain them by and therefore every House of them must be furnish'd with this gainful Privilege for we are not to forget that an Indulgence is not to be had without leaving some Offering of Alms as 't is call'd where that is obtain'd that is to say it is not to be had without Money Thus we see what Foundation they have for the Devotions of this great Festival and this is as good as that of many others Upon the Credit of this foolish absurd and impious Story do thousands of People run on this day to the Churches of these Monks to have their Sins pardon'd Princes Statesmen Physicians Lawyers Divines leave their important Business to attend the Devotions of this day especially those who are joyn'd to these Monks by being of the Brotherhood of the Cord of St. Francis Certainly the Doctrine of Implicite Faith and Blind Obedience must be very necessary to this
Man the blessed Alanus de Rupe a Dominican had a Revelation of them from the Virgin Mary her self who to confirm the truth of these things in his Book Entituled The Reviv'd Work says All these things hath the most B. Virgin Mary the Mother of God related to a certain Religious Person meaning himself good Man but out of modesty concealing his Name assuring him that they were most evidently and sensibly true The which Religious Person she chose to be her Bridegroom giving him a Wedding Ring some say a Rosary or string of Beads but which soever it was she had very curiously wove it up of her own Hair This methinks were a precious Relick if in being but I do not find that they any where pretend to have it among them which yet they might as justly pretend to as to many other things of that sort Some Directions about Reading the Rosary The People are exhorted to take care that they do this not only with the Mouth but also with the Heart and with serious attention to which purpose they are directed to begin their Tasks of Devotion with this Preface to the Virgin Fill my Mouth with the Grace of your sweetness O Mary and enlighten my Understanding Oh thou who art full of Grace Stir up my Tongue and Lips with chearfulness of Heart to sing your Praises Vouchsafe that I your humble Servant may with Pleasure say Ave c. A pretty good beginning and we shall find the rest agreeable They tell the People that 't is good and profitable to read the Rosary with Meditations on the 15 Mysteries by which they mean the principal parts of the History of our Saviour to which they have added some Fictions concerning the Virgin to make up the Number When they do thus then to every ten Ave Mary's and a Pater Noster there comes a Meditation and this is attended with an Address either to the Virgin Mary alone or to Jesus Christ and the B. Virgin ane she is for the most part the Principal Person applied to some of these for a Specimen I shall here produce Upon the Resurrection of Christ the Prayer begins to Jesus and then is soon turn'd to the Virgin in these words Also I beg of you O the Glory of Jerusalem the Joy of Israel Mother and Matd Mary Awaken me from the Grave of Ill Customs in the which I have lain buried and obtain for me the Spirit of Divine Grace c. Upon the Assumption of the Virgin into Heaven they have this Prayer to be join'd with the Rosary I beseech you Oh most H. Virgin Mary who in Soul and Body are gloriously advanced into Heaven Qbottomless pit of all Grace my most sweet and glorious Lady I pray you through the unspeakable Comfort which you have felt in the hour of your Death that you will not for sake me at the end of my Life but stand by my Soul as a sure Defender as a sweet Refuge and a gracious Mother that I being encompass'd with your overflowing Merits may fear no Snares or Temptations of the Enemy but that I may be found worthy to be introduced with Joy and presented in the presence of your Blessed Son with whom you Reign for ever and ever Upon the Crowning of Mary in the Heavens which they commonly set the adorable Trinity a doing in their impious Pictures and Images they have this Prayer I beseech you Oh most excellent Queen of Heaven who by your singular Beauty do adorn and make glad the whole City of God! I intreat you by the Love of your Bridegroom that you will make us poor Exiles in this vale of Tears Partakers of the abundant Bliss which you enjoy in your Native Country above Arise Oh Advocatress Turn towards us your merciful Eyes and after that this our banishment is over shew â—s the blessed Fruit of your Body Jesus Give Ear to us Oh Gratious Hear us Oh kind Give us what we ask Oh sweet Virgin Mary Upon the Visitation of Elizabeth by the Virgin this Prayer following is directed to be used in the reciting of the Rosary Oh Glorious and always Blessed Maid Mary I present you these Salutations meant of the Ave Mary's to the Honour and Remembrance of that great Joy which fill'd your Virgin Heart when after your Conceiving in your Virgin Body you went into the Hill-Country of Judea and did there visit and salute your Cousin Elizabeth By this your Joy and Rejoycing I beseech you to account me worthy that you come to my Soul and to visit that with your gracious Presence And grant me the favour that I may faithfully serve you all the days of my Life The form of Blessing the Beads of a Rosary This string of Beads are consecrated before they are to be used as a Rosary and for that purpose they make use of this following Prayer Almighty and most merciful God who through the immense Love wherewith thou hast loved us wast willing that thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ should descend from Heaven upon the Earth and according to the Angels Message should take flesh in the most Holy Womb of the most Blessed Virgin Mary our Lady and should undergo the Cross and Death and on the Third Day gloriously rise again from the Dead that thou mightest rescue us from the Power of the Devil We beseech thy immense Clemency to bless ✚ and san ✚ ctifie here two Crosses are made over the Beads these signs of the Rosary dedicated by thy faithful Church to the Honour and Praise of the same Parent of thy Son and infuse into them such a Vertue of the Holy Spirit that whoever carries any of these about him and reverently retains them in his House and does according to the Rules of the Brotherhood devoutly pray to thee upon them contemplating at the same time the Divine Mysteries he may abound in saving and persevering Devotion and be a Partaker of all the Graces Privileges and Indulgences which have been granted to the said Society by the Holy Apostolick See and may be deliver'd from every Enemy visible and invisible always and every where in this Life and in the Life to come and may deserve to be presented to thee full of good Works by the Blessed Virgin Mary and Mother of God her self by the same our Lord Jesus Christ c. This Prayer being said the Beads are to be sprinkled with Holy Water The Brotherhood of the Holy Rosary The Honour of Instituting this is also given The Brotherhood of the H. Rosary to Dominick who is said to have done it at the Revelation and upon the Charge of the most H. Virgin Mary She willing hereby to multiply her Graces and Favours to the World Commanded her beloved Bridegroom St. Dominick to found this Brotherhood which she order'd should be call'd The Brotherhood of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the most Holy Virgin Mary From hence it is the peculiar Privilege of the Dominicans to have Authority
done on particular Days fixed and known They bind themselves to such and such good Works as are specified in the Rules of the Fraternity for the Relief of the Souls in Purgatory such as Fasting at particular times going to Mass in publick or the performing some private Tasks of Devotion or the giving of some Charities to the Poor And all of the Fraternity promise themselves much Advantage from the Indulgences granted to it and much Comfort and Relief when they die by Virtue of the Prayers and good Works or voluntary Mortifications of all the whole Society We come now to the greatest of the Parochial Churches which is the Cathedral Church here 't is call'd the Vrouwen Kerk or Our Lady's Church because 't is dedicated to the Virgin Mary 'T is a magnificent large and curious Structure worth admiring both without and within and worth the staying a while about it to take notice of what is here observable The Foundations of this Church they say were laid in the Year 1124 it was formerly Collegiate only and entertain'd 24 Chanonries with a Dean But Philip the Second King of Spain out of a Design to preserve the Roman Religion in these Countries erected several new Bishopricks among them as what he thought most conducing to this purpose One of these fell to the Share of this City and the first Bishop is named Franciscus Sonnius who was fixed about the Year 1567. This Church has a great deal of curious carv'd Stone-work on the Outside which adorns the lofty Roof of it and is seen above the Houses that encompass it The Steeple is all Stone from the bottom to the top it is in height 400 Antwerp Feet from thence in a clear day may be distinctly seen Mechlin Louvain Brussels Ghent the Sea and the Islands of Zeeland with the naked Eye The whole Steeple has so much carving about it and is such curious Work that they say the Emperor Charles V. viewing it and considering that Time and Weather must needs deface the Beauty of it as is in some measure already done said It was worthy to be kept in a Case and to be shown only upon Holidays In this Steeple there is a Set of perhaps the most musical Chimes in the World to serve which there are of all Sorts in the Steeple 68 Bells The Church is very fine and rich within in excellent Pieces of Painting in Marble and Brass Pillars and the Altars on high Days are adorn'd with a great deal of Riches in Silver Lamps and Candlesticks and other Works of Silver These being intermix'd very artificially with Bundles of Flowers true in their Season and such are well counterfeited in Winter with Bay-trees also and tall lighted Wax-Tapers all together make the most beautiful Scenes in the World And when there is added to these a Consort of all sorts of excellent Musick as on some Holidays the Mass and all the other Offices of the Day are perform'd in Musick then they make the Church out-do the Play-house in that which is most pleasant there tho perhaps these things are not very proper to be mingled with Christian Worship which is design'd rather to refine and purifie the mind of Man and to elevate it to God and Divine Things than to please and charm the Sences with the Pomps and Pleasures of this World There are a great many Altars in this Church continually and to some of them are granted the obtaining the same Indulgences which are to be gain'd in St. Peter's Church at Rome by those who shall visit these Altars on such and such Holidays of the Year as are specified This is signified by some Prints hanging in Frames in the Church in Latin and in Low-Dutch Besides these upon some Occasions they erect new Altars for the time There are belonging to this Church several Fraternities Confraternities which take the Charge and Care upon them to furnish and adorn particular Chapels in it and to maintain the Performance of Divine Offices in them Some of these it may not be amiss to take notice of here One is call'd the Fraternity of the Circumcision which consists of 24 Principal Citizens some Religious and some Secular They maintain the Chapel of the Circumcision where they pretend to keep and to show upon particular occasions the Prepuce or Foreskin which was cut from our Saviour when he was circumcis'd They say it was sent hither by Duke Godfrey of Bulloine from Jerusalem after that City had been recover'd from the Hands of the Mahometans and he was voted K. of it in the Year 1101. Another Fraternity is call'd the Brotherhood of the Chappel of the Virgin Mary which consists of almost an hundred Brothers some Citizens some Foreigners This Chappel is a large Enclosure on the East end of the North Isle It has a very high Enclosure I think of Marble and at the lower end a Gallery for Musick supported by Marble Pillars This Brotherhood maintain here besides daily Masses and other Offices ordinary and extraordinary a Sett of Musick which sings every day the Hymn Salve Regina which I suppose to be this that follows Salve Regina Mater Misericordiae Vita Dulcedo spes nostra salve Ad te clamamus exules Filii Evae Ad te spiramus gementes flentes in hac lacrymarum valle Eja ergo Advocata nostra illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte Et Jesum benedictum fructum ventris tui nobis post hoc exilium ostende O Clemens O Pia O Dulcis Virgo Maria V. Ora pro nobis sancta Dei Genetrix R. Vt digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi Another is the Fraternity of the Holy Sacrament who have a Chapel enclos'd at the East end of the South Isle of the Church The Partition here is as I remember all of Marble This Altar I have observ'd on great days set off with a great deal of Riches and Finery and these maintain here a Mass and Vespers with Musick daily To this Church also belong the 27 Colledges as they are call'd of Tradesmen in this City who have each of them a Chapel or an Altar at least at which they maintain a Mass upon all Festivals of the Year but upon the Feasts of the Saints whom they reckon the Patrons of their Trade they cause to be sung a Solemn Mass with a Consort of Musick There is in this Church at the top of the Lantern a piece of Painting which is very much admir'd it represents a Heaven as I remember The Master that drew it is one Mees who was lately living in the Town and perhaps is still there Here are to be seen several of the noble Pieces of the famous Rubens's drawing As one comes in at the South Door of the Church there is a Piece of his at the first Altar on the right hand The Altar-piece represents our Saviour a-taking down from the Cross There are Folding-doors put up to open and show or to shut and cover
Roman Church in the which are dead all the Saints that have ever been to this time and out of which there is no Salvation Inspire me with these Sentiments at the Pâ—â—nt of my Death and do the same for all my Associates I protest again O my Dear Angel That under your Guard and Protection I would depart this Life with a mighty confidence in your Succours and with a plain and entire hope in the Mercy of my God Combat in that moment the Enemies of my Salvation Receive my Soul at its going out of the Body Render Jesus favourable to me after Death I protest likewise my Blessed Angel That I demand moreover from the bottom of my Heart to partake of the Merits of the Blood of my Saviour I detest all the Sins I have committed by Works Thoughts or Words I pardon all mine Enemies I would die with the Cross fastned to my Heart to signifie that I found my Hopes upon the Merits of him who has stain'd it with his Blood I protest also O most faithful Friend who will not abandon me in this my last Passage that through the desire which I have to go to Heaven I am ready to suffer all that which the Justice of my God shall think fit to inflict See I am ready to quit my Parents my Friends and my Body to be eaten with Worms and one day to rise again See I am ready to suffer the greatest Evil the most grievous Maladies even the Pains of Purgatory that I may satisfie for the Enormities of my Sins I protest lastly O my most Dear and most vigilant Guide That I constitute you the Executor of the last Will of my Soul Say to Jesus at that Moment that which perhaps I shall not be able to say That I believe all that which the Church believes That I detest all my Sins because they displease him That I cast my self upon his Love That I hope in his Mercy That I die willingly because he is so pleas'd That I recommend my poor Soul and the Souls of all my fellow Associates into his Hands That I love him more than all Creatures And that I would love him to all Eternity Amen See here some Lines of the Character of a Modern Roman Saint One might search the Scripture long enough before one could find several of these But while Rome makes such Saints I doubt they are canonized too soon Yet at a venture this Man is become a Saint in much esteem in the Church of Rome and is honour'd with Altars Chappels Festivals Litanies Alms Communions and in a word with every thing that can be done by Man to the Honour of Almighty God These Protestarâ—ons the People are exhorted to renew and to make for themselves when ever they Communicate and are encourag'd thereupon to hope they shall die the Death of the Righteous An Indulgence of Forty days is granted to every one that enters himself in this Brotherhood on the day of entering the same An Indulgence of Forty days is granted to every one that shall recite these Protestations as often as he does recite them The same mighty Favour is granted to those that shall recite the Office of the Holy Angels which is too long to be inserted here or the Chaplet which has been mention'd before or the Litany of the Holy Angels for every day whereon they say it In time perhaps the Society may grow richer in this sort of Wealth It is time for us now to take leave of them The Great Church of the City was formerly St. Gudule dedicated to St. Michael but it seems the property of it is alter'd and the Angel has been forc'd for some years to give the Honour and the Place to the Saint for it is now called the Church of St. Gudule When Count Lambert and the Bishop of Tournay says Story translated the Body of St. Gudule from another Church in this City to this of St. Michael they enlarged this Church considerably at a great Charge and endowed it with a good Revenue and consecrated it anew dedicating it to this Saint who was as they say a Princess descended of the Family of Charlemaigne In this Church is a Chappel to the holy Sacrament which at the time we went in had the greatest number of People The Altar was very richly adorn'd There was standing over it a tall Portal which seem'd to be Silver under which the Sacrament is wont to be set when 't is produc'd only to be seen and ador'd but it was not then there Besides this several other things about the Altar seem'd to be Silver Six large Silver Lamps hung up before the Altar and two very stately Chrystal Candlesticks with many Silver Sockets round them for Candles these last were a late Present made by the Electour of Bavaria to this Chappel Here is kept in this Church in a little Golden Chest and is shown only upon a particular Holiday once a Year the Miraculous Sacrament Miraculous Sacrament as they call it which is such a Wafer as the Papists use in celebrating the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to which the following Story belongs In the Year 1369. as some of the Historians of this Countrey put it one Jonathan a Jew with an ill Design bought of a Certain Curate of St. Catharine's Church a Box with three consecrated Wafers in it He being afterwards kill'd by some Persons his Enemies his Wife gave the Box to their Son named Abraham with the Hosties in it He upon a Good-friday took an Hostie out of the Box and in contempt of our Saviour went about to stab and cut it with his Knife when at every Wound he made in it there issued Blood The Woman his Mother admiring the Miracle immediately became a Christian And having discover'd the matter to the Messires Peter and John Valvius the former Curate of St. Gudule the latter of St. Nicholas the Wickedness of the Jew was publish'd so that Wencesleus then Duke of Brabant and Johanna his Wife having diligently examin'd the matter caused Abraham and other Jews that had joyn'd with him in the Impiety to be burnt alive before the Church of St. Catharine The Examinations about this matter and the whole Process are said to be kept in the Chamber of Accounts of Brabant The Duke and Dutchess in a solemn Procession attended this wounded Hostie to the Church of St. Gudule and reposited it there and a Holiday was appointed to commemorate the Miracle and a solemn Procession in which it should be carried about and be shown to the People This Day is kept in â—â—ly and we have at this present being the 24th day the fresh News at the Hague that a mighty Confluence of People came to Brussels to be present at this Solemnity insomuch that the City had scarce room enough to hold them It is said the Archbishop of Mechlin perform'd the Service attended by four Abbots that he carried the miraculous Hostie in the Procession and that
been in continual contention in the Country of Tholouse with those wicked People the Albigensian Hereticks who always abhorr'd and refus'd to receive the Corruptions of the Roman Church as well by preaching disputing and writing of Books as by wonderful Signs and Miracles and now three years and more time was past in great Trouble and Labour but with little Profit The H. Man not being able any longer to endure the great Obstinacy of these Hereticks together with their impious and detestable Blasphemy as 't is call'd against the most immaculate Virgin Mary at length he left them and retir'd to a Cave in a Wilderness not far from thence and there with many Sighs and Tears he applied himself for Aid to the Queen of Heaven most earnestly imploring her Assistance it being her peculiar Work to tread under foot the Head of the cursed Serpent and to destroy and bring to nought all new Sects and Heresies Pretty well here we have ascrib'd to the Virgin in Words what one shall often see in Pictures that is the Victory over the Devil foretold from the beginning of the World and applied by all the primitive Church to Jesus Christ as being meant of him our great and only Redeemer Continuing thus in Prayer and chastening his Body for three days together with Fastings at last the holy mother of God reveal'd her self to him now lying very weak and fainting under the Blows of Iron Chains and to him she said My Son Dominick because you have very faithfully strove against the Enemies of me and of the Truth I whom you have call'd to am ready to give you my Assistance She had not sooner said this but behold three Maids appear'd of most wonderful Beauty who having rais'd up Dominick from lying flat upon the Earth they set him before Mary she then most lovingly embrac'd and kiss'd him and making bare her Virgin Breasts she gave him suck poor Fool thus comforting his sinking thirsty Heart with this most delicious Draught Then she spoke to him again saying My faithful Friend Dominick know you not what Instruments God hath been wont to make use of when he would reform and renew the World Upon which he made answer Oh gracious Mother you know that better than I do for the World through you hath obtain'd its Salvation through you is the beginning of all our Redemption and Renovation Mary then smiling upon him a foolish Coquette indeed would be likely to do so when she had been prodigiously flatter'd and a fond Admirer had ascrib'd to her what were infinitely above her Merits she said God that he might take away all Wickedness hath chosen no other Instrument but only the Angelick Psalter the which is the Foundation of the whole New Testament If therefore you design ever to do any good with your Preaching do you recommend and preach up my Psalter and in a little time this evil shall come to an end After this Mary proceeded largely to explain and show the manner how to read the Psalter or her Rosary relating also to him the Excellency of the same and the Profitableness of it with the Virtue and wonderous Power of it In fine she gave Dominick a Charge that he should strait-way repair to Tholouse and there press and urge the same admonishing him to be of good Courage But the Holy Man foreseeing great difficulty for by reason of the Rage of Heresie he saw no means to fulfill this Charge he fell again at the feet of Mary and answer'd thus Oh most Dear Mother You know how obstinate and stiff-necked this People are How can it be that they should suffer me to preach before them You know how many and subtle designs they contrive against me How is it possible that I should discharge my self of this task and preach to them your Rosary Upon which Mary said Do not trouble your self for this but go boldly into the City of Tholouse and commit the rest to me I will certainly cause that great numbers of People shall come to hear your Sermons and whether they be pleas'd or displeas'd they shall be forc'd to hear you Which when she had said Mary vanish'd The Holy Father Dominick went strait way to Tholouse when he came thither all the Bells of the City began to ring of themselves the People hereupon in Multitudes ran to the Church and found there Dominick who was ready for them mounted into the Pulpit With wondrous Earnestness and Zeal he begins to hold forth to them the Praises and Excellencies of the H. Rosary The Hereticks immediately set themselves to oppose him some began to go out of the Church others to cry out and make a Tumult When behold on a sudden there arose so terrible a Storm with Wind and Thunder and Lightning and the Sky grew so dismal dark and to all this there was added such a mighty Earthquake that one would have thought the whole World were falling to Ruine Upon this no Person durst venture himself out of the Church for they might be sure that if the World should fall to Ruines the Church would not come upon their Heads Dominick however went on vigorously with his Sermon when behold there were heard in the Air the hideous howlings of Infernal Spirits shrieking and crying out Wo Wo be to us for we through the power of the H. Rosary are by the Angels bound in red hot Chains and thrown down to the depth of Hell Neither was this all for there was seen by all Persons notwithstanding the darkness a wooden Image of Mary standing on high which reach'd out the Arm and threatned them with the Finger as if she would have said If it be so that ye will not hear this my Servant nor will be brought to Reverence my Rosary which he holds forth you are all of you undone ye shall utterly perish Through these terrible Menaces and evident Miracles the hardned Hearts of the People of Tholouse coming to Repentance they entreated the H. Man that he would intercede with the Holy Virgin Mary for them And strait-way throwing themselves all together upon the Ground and wringing their Hands they besought the Favour of God and Mary with Sighs and Tears that cannot be express'd Mary then gave ear to their Prayer and did immediately for a Token of her Mercy draw to her self again her threatning Arm so as that every one there present could see it done And at the self same time did all the stormy and tempestuous Weather cease and turn into a Calm Upon this did the Holy Dominick proceed in his Discourse with greater Zeal than before and heâ—d forth mightily concerning the Excellency of the H. Rosary the profitableness of the same the power of it and the manner of Reading it A very pretty Story this for the Chimney-corner and a Winters Night with Ale and Apples and extreamly credible for all these mighty matters of Fact were forgotten and the Devotion of the Rosary fallen again under neglect when a good
he is here There are two distinct Burgomasters in the City and other Magistrates to govern the distinct People but in common concerns of the City they meet and join together in determining matters The Duke of Brabant was notwithstanding this Sate of the City reckon'd the chief Soveraign of it and at present the States General seem to have the greatest power here There was now a great Garrison in the Town consisting of Ten Thousand Men which we were told were all in the States pay They then by consequence have the Command of the Gates the Fortifications and the Amunition This City is extreamly well fortified besides a strong Wall and a broad deep Ditch there are several Bastions round it which are well planted with Cannon there are also many strong out-works with cover'd ways to them and all these are provided of Mines ready made There is an Hill on the South East side of the Town which lies somewhat near and within reach to annoy it considerably but against that they have rais'd a Bastion there to a great height which is a good defence to the Town and this is within the Walls This is altogether a fine City the buildings are good after the common manner of these Countries and really all things look in a thriving flourishing Condition the Streets are generally very broad The chief Church in the City is dedicated to Popish Churches St. Servatius the Bishop before mention'd It is now possess'd and used by the Papists The peice of Painting over the high Altar represents him with the marks of a Bishop It is a Collegiate Church as it was and formerly the Duke of Brabant now the King of Spain as Duke of Brabant is one of the Chanoines There is by it a large Cloyster which goes round a good piece of ground for a Garden but it is now neglected This St. Servaâ— as the Vulgar language calls him died they say in the Year 395 and after him the Episcopal See continued here to the time of St. Lamberi who made the 20th in Succession from St. Servaes but he did not fix here but remov'd the See to Leige upon what occasion he did this will be said when we come to Leige There is besides this a Church dedicated to St. Nicholas in Possession of the Papists They have also a large Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary Over the great door of this Church stand 3 large Images one represents an old Man next to him at his right Hand stands a Woman at her right Hand is a young Man the two Men are made holding a Crown in their Hands as putting it upon the Head of the Woman 't is well enough known what they of the Church of Rome mean by such a Representation but ought not to be mention'd without the utmost detestation and Horrour Within the Church are Altars and Images as usual There is one Altar to St. Roch by which stands a strong Box lockt with a hole to put in Money by and by it is an Inscription which says Give here your Charity to St. Roch or honour him with your Charity that God may divert from us the Pestilence For this Sain talso is address'd to by the Roman Church as a Friend at need against the Plague Story says of him that he heal'd several People sick of the Plague in Italy by making the sign of the Cross over them and they say Heaven show'd that his Intercession should be a remedy against that distemper by this evident token to wit that he himself at last died of the Plague I think a Man must have Roman Spectacles to see the Evidence of this There are several Convents of Friers and Nuns in this City The Jesuits have a College Convents here We saw their Chappel which was but mean The High Altar is dedicated to Xaverius who is there said to have been Apostle of the Indies and Martyr At the East end of the Isle on the right side of the high Altar is an Altar to the Virgin Mary there are about the Church a few Pictures of the Saints of their Order I doubt if there were to be the Pictures of none but true Saints they would be yet fewer but it must be confess'd the Gallows and the Scaffold between them have made a pretty many Saints of that Order such as they were and yet most People believe not so many by far as they should have done Here is also a House of Capucines which has yeilded lately tho' unwillingly a considerable man to the Reformation M. Loefs a Convere of the Reformation He was one of the best Preachers that the Papists had in this City had long been dissatisfied with many things in the Roman Church travell'd into France Spain and Italy to see if he could meet with any thing that might reasonably confirm him in his Religion instead of that he saw every where abundant evidence of the monstrous corruption of the Church of Rome he found it almost every where much worse than in this his own Country and saw more reason still to leave it He return'd to Maestricht with this resolution and took his opportunity to put himself under the protection of the States General who have receiv'd him into their protection and allow him a Pension He has printed a good Book which is a comparison of the Beliefs of the Roman and Reform'd Churches His name is Michael Lâ—efs The Dominicans have also a Convent here we saw their Chappel which was the finest that we saw in this City but had nothing in it particular or worth taking notice of The Calvinist Religion is that which the Calvinists States â—stablish and encourage here and that which their Magistrates profess They have in pay here 6 or 8 of their Ministers but they have but two Churches which are call'd by the Names of St. Martins and St. Johns this latter we fell into it is not a large Church it was Reform'd after the Calvinist modell One sees there a Pulpit to Preach in and a great many seats for People to sit on and hear but no conveniency to kneel and pray nor any provision for the Celebrating of the Lord's Supper or Baptism The truth is this part of the Reformation have generally brought all the business of Publick Worship almost to only the Ministers exercising his Gifts and Parts in Prayer or Preaching Indeed all of them beyond Sea have composed Forms for publick Prayer before and after Sermon and for administration of Sacraments and condemn such of our Dissenters who will have this unlawful There is also here a Church and Congregation of Protestants as they call the Lutherans in all Protestants these Countries and in Germany as distinct from the Calvinists who call themselves Reform'd The Hill before mention'd on the South-East Quarries side of this City yeilds a very pleasant prospect to it in time of Peace and when they expect no mischief from thence It is all cover'd with
Scripture Songs or Psalms and also some devout Hymns composed by Luther and other pious Protestants of their Communion There were I think in one part of the Book Forms of Prayer The Worship here began about Eight a Clock in the Morning and ended at Eleven It was begun by a Reader a grave ancient Man who is the School-Master of the Protestants Children He first read a short Prayer then he read several Chapters of the Old and New Testament while the Congregation came together When a good Number were assembled they began to â—ing with the Organ their Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs I observ'd many People both Men and Women fell in with the singing without using their Books which they had before them very often and the Children who sate together very readily found what was to be sung though I saw it was taken out of several distant Places of their Books which shows that they were all very well acquainted with their Liturgy I perceiv'd that in one place they sung the Apostle's Creed for a Person by whom I sate and who very civilly turn'd to and show'd me every thing that they sung at length pointed to what I understood to be that This singing took up the greatest part of the time of their Assembly They all sung with most perfect Concord and Agreement with their Organ which was very pleasant and which was more pleasant they did it with greatest Seriousness and Devotion I never saw in any Quire of Monks or Priests in the Roman Church that they sung their Devotions with so much Solemnity and Abstraction as they speak as the People generally here did As soon as they were entred in their singing they appear'd as if the whole Soul was engag'd and elevated above the vain World as if they were all Thought and Devotion I confess it transported me with Pleasure to see how fitly they sung the Praises of the Great and Good Being I thought my self in Circumstances that were a a pleasant Emblem and Resemblance of Heaven and blessed my self to find that I was now amidst the pure Praises and true Worshippers of God And I conceiv'd such a Disdain and Detestation of the Worship of the Papists where one sees divine Honours paid to poor Creatures at the best and some of them perhaps miserable Sinners in Hell that I could hardly perswade my self after this to look into any more of their Churches This singing was twice interrupted for a little space at which times the Minister went from his Pew by the Pulpit and stood before the Communion-Table with his Face towards the People and read first the Gospel and the second time the Epistle for the Day After they had spent a good while in this pleasant part of Worship they ceased and the Minister ascended the Pulpit where he pray'd and preach'd His Preaching was as he told me afterwards an Explication of the Gospel for the Day He perform'd his part with a great deal of Gravity and Seriousness and with a very natural unaffected Zeal which seem'd to demonstrate him sincerely sensible of what he said When he concluded the People sung again for a while and then they were dismiss'd with a Blessing In the Afternoon I had some Conversation with this Minister in which he appear'd a very pious and good Man and a judicious well-studied Divine as I found afterwards He has the Reputation of a good Scholar among the Protestant Divines He was mightily pleasd to see a Priest of the Church of England in his Church and in his House and express'd a great Veneration and Esteem for our Church He ask'd several important Questions concerning it and rejoyc'd at every thing I could tell him which look'd well and in favour of it He positively condemn'd those of our Nation who separate so needlessly from a Church so wisely and justly reform'd but he spoke this with a Spirit of Compassion and Tenderness becoming a Christian and he discover'd that he heartily lamented it as a thing of mighty Prejudice to the Progress and Prosperity of the Reformation He told me they had many things wanting in their Assembly here for want of Means which are usual among the Protestants in other Places where they have more Encouragement He had indeed a good Congregation and many People appear'd there of good Fashion I observ'd some of the Electour's Guards there in their Livery both of the Horse and Foot who are Lutherans But it cannot be so well with them as it should be under a Prince that inherits something of a Bigottry for the absurd and monstrous Religion he professes This Minister told me that there are Five and twenty Congregations of Protestants in this Dutchy besides Calvinists Some of which I think enjoy a settled Revenue for the Maintenance of the Minister and publick Charges but the most of them supply both these from their own immediate Contributions He told me the Churches of the Ausburg Confession have not all one Form of Liturgy every where exactly the same nor all the same Modes or Methods of administring the Divine Offices but in several Countries they have their several Forms and Rites yet they do not censure or quarrel or separate from one another upon this score but he that is used to Methods of one sort in one Country when he comes into another joins with the Congregations and conforms to the Methods there with the Spirit of Meekness and Charity and Wisdom which was in the Primitive Christians and directed them to demean themselves in like manner in the like Cases Passage from Dusseldorp to Cleves ON the second of June we hired Places in a Charrette which was bound for Arnhem a Journey of Three Days from hence they would carry us to Emmerick and leave us there for our Design was to go by Cleves Home This was the only Passage we could obtain for that Day We paid each Person for it Three Guilders Ten Stivers We were Six Persons in the Charrette and had but Two Horses and the same Horses were to go through the whole Three Days Journey Our Company happen'd to be all of the Reformed Religion as they call the Calvinists in these Countries They were glad when we told them we were Protestants and we were very agreeable Company to each other Some of them went with us quite to Emmerick and were bound further They were of this Country Natives and Inhabitants of the Dutchy of Mons. I asked them how they were used under the Popish Government here They shook their Heads and sighed and signified that it is but very hardly and intimated as much as amounted almost to Oppression I said their Prince seem'd in his Person to be good and gentle and to have no appearance of Fierceness in his Nature they acknowledg'd that but said his Confessour is a Jesuite and by him and his Bretheren who manage this Prince too much he is often instigated to do things which lie very hard and uneasie upon the Protestants