this progresse by degrees the Iesuits request was presented to the Court of Parliament that had tenne Aduocates as Montaignes and Fon do confesse in their writinges in respect of 13. aduersaries Mont. ca. 22 Fon. ca. 4. which Fon reports were sixe boysterous mightie limmed bodies to wit the Vniuersities the Sorbons the Mendicants the Hospitals and the Parish priests With other foure Lordes of great authoritie namely the Gouernour of Paris the Cardinall Chastilion as protector of the Vniuersitie the Bishop of Paris and the Abbot of S. Geniueue Now can we be so sencelesse as to thinke that so many both of the better and meaner sort banded against them without cause in a matter of so great importance But what were the commons those which of late memorie plagued the Hugonots out of all measure raced the walls of Patriarch and Popincourt where they had theyr exercise of religion who by order of Lawe procurd the death of Gabaston the Captaine of their garde and protector of theyr attempts together with Cagres both the Father and the sonne So many Sages of the common people sworne enemies to heresie did sette thēselues against the Iesuits lying but yet in the suburbs of our ciuill warres against the Iesuits I say who then vaunted themselues to be the scourge of Hereticks Assuredly it cannot be but that all those great personages who then vndertooke the quarrell against them were perswaded that this Sect was extreamely to be feared as well by the libertie of the French Church and generall estate of Fraunce as of all Christendome Besides these two great parties there was yet another more strong mightie then them both namely Mounsieur Mesnil the Kings Aduocate in the Court of parliament directly opposite to them But for all this great multitude of partakers sayth the Iesuite the matter came not to open triall but was put ouer to coūsell as a plaine argument that the goodnesse of our cause did craue very much fauour Poore foole and young Scholler hadst thou been brought vp in the light of the Royall pallace or read the course of iustice of our kings as thou art nuzled in the dust of the Colledges thou shouldst haue knowne that the high Courts admit no open triall of great causes they haue no time nor leysure duly to informe theyr consciences As appeares by a like course helde by the same Court in the month of Iuly 94. And for this cause Mounsieur Marion pleading against the Iesuits of Lyons in the yeere 97. said that a defectiue and imperfect prudence of the yeere 64. was in some sort the occasion that the affaires of Fraunce degenerated with the time waxed worse and worse As for my selfe I will say more boldly with open face that this matter was in the yeere 64. put ouer to counsell by the wisedome of men but thys counsaile was guided by the hand of God who to take vengeance of our sinnes preserued the Iesuits as a deuoted instrument hung aside in the Temple fit for the future miseries of Fraunce To what purpose is all this saue onely this to shewe you that if I detest abhorre the Sect of Iesuits I haue no small shelters for my oppinion first the venerable censure of Paris the yere 1554. wherein were the greatest Diuines that euer were in Fraunce and by name Picard Maillard Demochares Perionius Ory the Inquisiter for matters of faith The first an admirable preacher whose body after his death being layd forth in his house in the Deanry of S. Germins of Lauxerrois the people of Paris for the sanctimony of his life did striue to kisse his feete the foure other his companions were extreame persecutors of the Heretiks I haue the great decree of the French church in the yeere 61. the iudgement that did second it and finally many men of marke and communalty set against them in the yeere 1564. Amongst these I may speake it for a certainty which I ought to beleeue because I saw it There was two honorable resemblances of antiquitie Solicitors in the cause Bennet the Deane and Courselles the Subdeane of the facultie of the Diuinitie Schooles in Paris The one fourscore yeeres of age the other threescore seauenteene both ready to depart from hence to giue vp an account of theyr actions in another world at which time euery man standes stricte vppon his conscience With them was Faber Sindic one of the wisest men that euer was among the Sorbons In the winding vp of all I will set downe Ma. Noell Brullarte Procurator generall the great Aristides and Cato of his time which liuing in the yeere 50. withstood the receiuing of the Iesuites I tell you this expresly to discouer how like the iugling of the Iesuits of our time is to the former For Fon is so impudent as to report that Ramus Mercerus after they became the Kings Professors reuolted from our auncient Religion and were folicitors in this cause and that if they had not encountred them they had won the field but to auoid sedition the Court was forced warilie to strike saile to the tempest by putting the matter off to counsell Well but yet thou lyest most impudently thou Iesuit Pardon me for it is very fit I should be in choller Neither Ramus nor Mercerus for theyr parts euer stirred in this although they tooke part with their brethren the Kings Professors because they would not separate thēselues from the body of the Vniuersitie Moreouer what likelihood is there that the mindes generally of the Parisiens could be so suddenly changed to take part with the Hugonots Mercerus was so farre from faction that hee had no skill in any thing but Hebrue wherein he spent all his time without intermission and became so great a Superlatiue in that tongue that by the iudgement of the best learned he was preferd before all the Iewes In all worldly matters hee stoode but for a bare Cypher But this is a Iesuiticall priuiledge to vnderset theyr slaunders with the time by newe cogges For if this Iesuit Fon durst he would say that the towne the Vniuersitie and the facultie of Diuinitie in Paris all the foure orders of Mendicants the Parish priests were Hugonots because they hindred the matriculation of this holy Order what other consequence can be deduced from his speech Oh singuler and admirable impudencie yet to be excused because it proceedeth from a Iesuit Neuerthelesse to shew with what truth integrity I mean to confound thē in their lying they caused Versoris Plea to be printed in the yere 94. he to bring the Vniuersity into hatred In the 24. 32. leafe of Versoris Plea saith first formost not that Mercerus but Ramus Gallandius were made solicitors in this cause but this was so far frō all likelihood of truth that euery man tooke it for an hyperbole by reason of the open enmity they caried to all times which accompanied them vnto their death This enmity Rablays the Lucian
not by his silence condemned our Accusers and giuen most assured testimonie of our innocencie If since that time it haue condemned vs that proceeded not of the due and formall pleadings of the Aduocates or of any aduantage of law which our aduersaries had against vs it is an inconuenience vvhich hath condemned vs in costs but not ouer-throwne our cause And vvithin a fewe leaues after In Iuly 1594 at what time the processe was reuiued by two pleading Aduocates they charged vs with Barriere and framed many like imputatiōs to agranate this crime against our credite and reputation But all these were but blunt assertions not sharpe proofes proceeding frō the tongue and not from the truth the Court made no reckoning of them and by their silence cleered acquited vs. Rene de la Fon followeth his steppes and goeth about to proue in like manner that the cōdemning of Chastell is the acquiting of all their Societie in as much as hee being racked and tortured appeached none of them But theyr intelligence was very bad in this matter For albeit this wretched fellow by his aunswers and interrogatories to him ministred spared the names of particulers yet did he accuse the whole Order in generall as I wil verifie hereafter more at large Moreouer these Iesuits seeme to be both of them altogether ignorant in the course of Iudgements pronounced by those high Courts The Court saith the first hath not forthwith proceeded to iudgemēt in this cause notwithstanding the sharp accusations wherewith we were charged Ergo by his silence it pronounced vs guiltlesse Furthermore Barriere his fact was laid to our charge yet the Court would not presently condemne vs Ergo the Court intended by silence to acquite vs thereof I beseech you seeing you professe your selues to be Logicians to haue the start of all men in scholasticall Diuinitie by what principles can you make good these conclusions Yet are they not strange to proceede from a Iesuits pen. For these reuerent Fathers are in place and authoritie to cōdemne Kings without hearing them and to abandon their realmes and lay thē open for a pray to him that can possesse himselfe thereof◠as they did to the last King High and soueraigne Courts obserue another manner of proceeding They heare the Counsell on both parties yet rest not thereupon but in such important causes as this especially they remit their iudgement or sentence to their better leysure and to theyr second thoughts The like course was held in their cause Arnauld and Dole vrged in their Declarations the tragical historie of Barriere the Court gaue no credite therevnto and not without good consideration In as much as it was requisite for them to view Barriere his triall or processe which was made at Melun by Lugoly that they might be throughly informed of what had there passed But alas Iesuit what is become of thy wit Thou doost acknowledge this Court to consist of the greatest ornaments of the Law which the world yeeldeth as elsewhere also that referring both parties to counsell they had proceeded without passion or partialitie and yet in the instant thou changest thy note challenging it to haue done iniustice in grounding their sentence against you vpon Chastell who had not accused you Iudges proceede indirectly when eyther they want skill to iudge or that their iudgements are corrupted by hatred fauour or other such partial affections Neither of these defects can be shewed in the managing of your cause as your selfe confesse therefore it is presumption in vs both in you to assay by Sophistrie out of your shallowe braine to elude this sentence in mee to endeuour by reasons and arguments to maintaine and vphold the fame Let it suffice vs that it is a Decree or Arrest and it is our part therefore to rest our iudgements there-vppon In all causes especially in those of weight and importance like this GOD is in the midst of the Iudges to inspire and direct them Many times a man that hauing heard a case pleaded on both sides prepared himselfe in his minde either to acquite or condemne this or that partie yet when hee heares the first Iudge deliuer his opinion hee changeth his mind yea oftentimes it falleth out that one word vttered by the first giueth new light to him that secondeth when as happely he that spake it dreamt not thereon and when it cōmeth to the casting of the Bell for by that by-word doe the Lavvyers terme the vp-shot or conclusion of all they gather and collect out of the precedent opinions a generall ayre or abstract whereuppon this sentence is built Doost thou think that Chastells fact was the sole occasion of your fall thou art deceiued The Court had wisely referred the cause to counsell giuiuing thereby to vnderstand that it meant not to proceed therein eyther with passion or rash hastines two great enemies of iustice In the meane time hapned this damnable act committed by one of your schollers the principals which were before disposed to your condemning were taken in hand a fresh in the handling of Chastels cause your cause is adiudged all vnder one The indignitie and detestation therof awaked iustice in the hearts of the Iudges which in your cause might peraduenture haue slept had it not beene thereby stirred and excited And in all this there is nothing wrought by man but by a speciall iudgement of God which wee ought to proclayme through the whole world It is well knowne that your Colledge was the fountayne and seminarie of all those calamities which we endured during the last troubles There was the rebellion plotted and contriued there was it fully and wholly nourished and maintayned your Prouincials your Rectors your deuout Superiours were the first that troad that path they that first and last dealt with this merchandise Your Colledge was the retreat or Randeuous of all such as had vowed and sold themselues aswell to the destruction of the State as to the murther of the King in which your doings you at that time gloried and triumpht both in your Sermons and Lectures The true hearted subiects who had the Flower de Luce imprinted in their breasts beheld this tyranny and sighed in their soules for they durst not giue breath to their sighes all their recourse was to God that it would please him to haue compassion on their miserable estate God suffered you to raigne fiue yeeres and more swaying both people Magistrate and Prince to trie whether there were any hope of your amendment in time The King was no sooner entred into Paris but the iust hatred of the people towards you brake forth the Vniuersitie of Paris stirreth against you and reuiueth their former suite which had beene referred to Counsell in the yeere 1564. the occasion thereof was founded vpon your owne fresh practises and lewd misdemeanours the cause is pleaded by two worthie Lawyers Arnauld and Dole heard with patience discreetly not iudged forthwith by reason of the waightines besides the heat and
name which they had once giuen as they thought vnto the truth Nay the matter proceeded so farre that this name grew to be imposd vppon the rest of that societie almost throughout all Portugall Trust me this passage is of such desert that I should deceiue these good men if I should not translate it into French to discouer with howe great pietie they haue purchast this title For Fraunces Xauier is honoured for a great Saint among all the Iesuits Was there euer any impietie or imposture greater then this that these two hypocrits to be counted Apostles bruted it abroad that two new supplies were added to their Sect to make vp the number of twelue Apostles and that vpon this false alarum they were called Apostles This was against theyr will saith Turcelline belieue the reporter For Xauier tooke speciall care not to loose his tytle when hee came into the Indies Tincel 2. booke of Xauiers life cap. 3. Therefore as before in Portugall so in India he began to be commonly calld an Apostle and the same title afterwards flowed from Francis as from the Head to the rest of his fellowes Tell me I beseech you whether this be not to renue the heresie of Manes whose followers were cald Manichees he naming himselfe the Paraclet had twelue Disciples whom he cald Apostles and for such he sent them abroad one by one to other prouinces to spread abroad the poyson of his heresie through their preaching To say the truth Ignace neuer tooke on him the name of Paraclet yet was he willing inough to be accounted for another Iesus by his company As I wil discourse to you in his proper place when I come to speak of their blind obedience He did not only take this authority power vpon himselfe But resigned it ouer also to all the Generals of his order that succeeded him who in like manner haue embraced the title of Apostles wherewith their inferiours were endowed in Portugall This is apparant in Rome and yet no man sees it but quite contrarie this Family is there had in honourrable regard vpon a wrong conceit men haue entertained touching their absolute obedience whereof these my Maisters make semblance vnto the Pope And shall we hereafter haue any maruaile to heare a barking at the holy Sea by diuersities of new opinions that fight against it Pardon me I beseech thee O holy Sea for it is the heat of my zeale deuoted to thee that inforceth me to vtter this speech Great and vnspeakable are Gods iudgements to suffer that in the Citie of Rome in your sight and knowledge there should bee a Manes continued by successions from one to another which hath not twelue onely but infinite Apostles dispersed here and there God will reuenge it early or late though it be by his enemies The Aduocate as a man much wounded in heart was desirous to prosecute this in a chafe when the Iesuit interrupting him said Verie well sir you are in daunger to be drawen drie Marking your discourse you put me in mind of those young Historiographers which imputed it for folly to Alexander the great that he would haue all men thinke him to be Iupiters sonne they attributed this to his immoderate ouer-weening neuerthelesse it was an excellent wise drift of his Can you imagine why so long as the country of king Darius was the marke he shot at he was too wise to take that title vpon him and chose rather to thrust forward his fortune by ordinarie meanes of armes But as soone as he plotted to passe into India a kind of new world deuided from ours he would haue the people perswaded by the great Priest of Aegypt that he was Iupiters sonne and from that time he would be adored as such a one not by the Macedonians his natural subiects bred in the liberty of a Greeke spirit But by the barbarous people with such respect and beliefe that from that time forward they should take him not to be a meere Prince but a great God that came to the conquest of the Indies this deuice tooke so good effect that he made himselfe Lord of the country without striking stroke The Kings Potentates and common people saying that their countrey was first vanquished by Bacchus then by Hercules both sonnes of Iupiter and that the whole rule and Dominion was reserued for the comming of Alexander a third sonne of his Thinke you our Societie followes not this plot you see we neuer tooke the name of Apostles any where but in Portugall but when we were to go to the same Indies where Alexander had beene we thought as he did that it was fit we should be authorized beyond others by a more ample sacred and maiesticall title which was to be called Apostles It had beene ill for vs to challenge it in Portugall if Xauier had not continued it by an entercourse of his companie after his arriuall in the Indies to the end he might be reputed another Saint Thomas sent thither after the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ And it were impossible to recount what conquests of soules we made there vnder this holy perswasion Ha quoth the Aduocate verily if this be your fashion I haue nothing to do with you for as when you entred Italy you borrowed I know not what of their Mountebanks so would you do the like of Machiauell in Portugall and the Indies Meane while you my maisters that haue bragged much of your knowledge in Diuinitie haue verie ill turnd ouer the history of the kings in the the Bible from whence you gather by a continued ranke that God tooke away the crownes of all the Kings of Israel as oft as they became Idolaters eyther while they liued or in all time to come neuer suffered them to descend vnto their children How thinke you I pray ye that God hath left the true Kings of Portugall without heires and that their Realme came into the hands of the first Prince that caught it That one Don Anthonio a bastard one Katherine de Medices Queene-mother of our King pretended title to it and last of all that one Philip King of Spaine became maister of it without any great resistance I will not discourse in partriculer of the goodnes of his title for mine one part I thinke that the best title he had was the iustice of God whō it pleased in reuenge of the giddie Idolatrie and blasphemie of the kings and people to make this realme without triall of the cause passe from one family to another by this holy title of Apostles attributed to these hypocrites And I perswade my selfe that the King of Spayne now raigning will one day fall into the like mischiefe if he suffer this impietie CHAP. 10. ¶ The impieties of William Postell a Iesuits BVt why should we thinke this blaphemie strange in them if within few yeeres after they tooke the title of Apostles on them some one of them was found so abhominable in the sight of God and man
may beleeue that the commaundement is verie iuâ—â— seeing that is was giuen vnto him And who seeth not that this may well be resembled to a dead bodie or to staffe that receiueth no motion but by an other mans hand yea to be short that this commaundement or law is wâ—â—hout eies And that therefore to commit this absoâ—â—â—â— comaundement to an Vsher or vnder officâ—â— and that vnder the maske of Gods supposed presence is properly to put a sword into a madde mans hand And when I consider this vow me thinkes I see the Anabaptists who said that they were sent from God to reforme all things from good to better and so to reestablish them And as men that hammer such matters in their heads they caused a booke of reformation to be published and dispersed And they had for their king Iohn Luydon and vnder him certaine false Prophets who were their Superiours who made the people beleeue that they â—â—lked and conferred with God sometimes by dreames sâ—metimes by lies and forgeries and that they vndertooke nothing but by Reuelation from him Afterwards they breathed their holy Ghost into the mouthes of those whom they found best fitted for their furious opinions distributing and diuiding thâ—â— thorow their Prouinces as their Apostles to draw and bring vnto them the most simple and easie to beleeue By meanes whereof they brought to their lure and whistle almost all Germanie especially within the tâ—â—â— of Munster where they had established and set vp their monstrous gouernment one while commaunding murthers and massacrings and an other while executing them with their owne hands in which they pretended nothing but inspiration from God And going about to make as a pray vnto themselues all the Kings Princes and Potentates of thâ—â— part of the world they published that they were expresly sent from GOD to driue them away Whâ—â—â—upon they made account to murther them if men had not preuented their purposes and practises Now then tell 〈◊〉 prâ—y you what doth the great vowe of the Iesuites towardâ— their Superiours else import but the obedience of the Anabaptists For further proofe whereof let vs set before vs a General of their Order who eyther thoroâ—â—â— certaine vnruly passion or particular ignoraunce went but verie ill fauouredly to make himselfe a Reformer as well of our religion as of all politique states who also being in the middle of his companions spake vnto them after this manner My little children you know that I being here present with you to commaund you our Lord Iesus Christ is in my mouth and therefore that you ought thorowly and in euerie respect to yeeld obedience God powred out his holy Spirie vpon out good Father Ignace the better therby to sustaine c vpholde his Church which was readie to fall by reason of the errours of the Lutherans errors I say which are spred thorow al Europe to the great griefe of al good Catholicks Now then â—ith iâ— hath pleased God to make vs the Successors of that holy-man so it behâ—â—â—â—â—th vs that aâ— he himselfe so we also should be the first workemen vneâ—ly to root out the same Wee see heresies raigne in many Realmes where also the subiect armeth himselfe against his King In some other places we behold Princes tyrannizing ouer their Subiects Here a Queene â—â—â—ogither hereticall not farre from her A King professing the same thing and other some feeding vs with farre shewes allurements the more deeply to deceiue vs. It belongeth to vs yea to vs I say to defend the cause of God and of poore subiects not in some small sâ—â—â—blance as our forefathers haue done but in good earnest They that in former time occupied themselues therein haue drawen a false skinne ouer the wound and by consequent haue marred all But we shall doe a meritorious work to vnburthen countries kingdomes therof We must needs become executione of the soueraigne iustice of Almightie God which will neuer be grieued or offended with any thing that we as Arbitrers and Executors of his good will and pleasure shall doe to the preiudice of such Kings as rule wickedly and suffer their kingdomes to fall vnto them whom in our consciences we shal know to be worâ—me thereof How be it you thinke not your selues strong inough in your selues to execute my commaundements yet at least let this be a lesson vnto you that you may teach in the midst of Gods Church Wherein also you must imploy all the best meanes you haue least the danger disease and Gangrene get so deepe a roote that it will not easily be remooued Wee shall at the length finde good store of workemen and Surgions to helpe vs forward herein But aboue al things apply refer to this all holy and necessarie prouision of ConfessioÌ„ of Masse of CoÌ„municating to the end that we may with greater assurance of their consciences proceed on in this holy worke and busmes The necessitie of the affaires of Christendome commaundeth it and the dutie of oâ—â— charge bindeth vs thereto These are the aduices and councels that I haue receiued from our Sauiour and Redeemer Iesus Christ who suffered his death and passion for vs and for whose sake as it were in counterchaunge we ought rather to die then not to ridde our selues of these wicked Princes And these euen these I say are the aduises which I haue from God whose Vicegerencie I exercise and execute ouer you though I be vnworthie I leaue heere to your owne considerations the places examples and authorities of holy Scripture which are mistaken and this Monsiure might alleage For of this assure your selues these Atheologians or maimed Diuines will no more faile therein then the Negromancers do in the inuocation of their spirits and diuels or in their healing of diseases And yet all these matters tend but to Anabaptistrie or else to the commaundements of that old dotard of the Mountaine mentioned in our Chroniclers and called the Prince of the Assasines who charmed and charged his subiects to kill handsmooth our Princes that went into the East to recouer the holy Land Whereupon also there hath remayned amongst vs and that euen to this day the word Assasine as proper against all murthering Traitors But is not all this found in our Iesuits And is not this doctrine scattered in the midst of that holy Order Haue we not seene the splintors shiuers of it When the last Prince of Orange was not at the first time slaine in Antwerpe was not this by the instigation of the Iesuits And when at the second time he was slaine in the yeere 1584. by Balthazar Girrard borne in the countie of Burgundie And where also Peter Pan a Cooper dwelling at Ipres vvas sent to kill Maurice Prince of Orange and Earle of Nassaw the other princes sâ—â—â—ue of whom I pray you did they take counsell As 〈◊〉 Girrard before hee was examined he confessed that he went to a Iesuit whose name hee knew not but that he was of a
life of any man lesse ouer the life of the Chauncellour who was a chiefe man in the execution of the iustice of the Land Furthermore hee added that besides hee had no charge from the Prince of Pâ—â—â—â—â— to employ his money in such stade â—â—d Merchandize Matellinus beeing wâ—â—beloued of the King his Maister had two offices to wit the Chauncelloure the chiefe Secretaries of estate that after his death there were two great Lords worse then he to the Catholicke who beeing favoured of the King would part between them the spoyle of the other To be short that for an vncertaine good thing which a man might promise vnto himselfe hee should not accomplish a certaine euill thing no though a man were assured of good to come therby And seeing the question was touching the aduancing of Christian religion this should be the meanes wholie to ruinate the same in as much as men went about to promote iâ— by slaughter and murther and that to the great scandale of all in generall the perpetuall dishonour of the holy order of the Iesuits in speciall And thus spake Bruse in his conscience as one that hauing spent all his youth in theyr Colledges bare them all manner of reuerence And yet Father Crichton would not yeeld for all this for hee his companions haue they common places of antiquitie but yet euil alleaged to prooue that murthers and such like vvicked practizes are permiâ—ted By meanes whereof Bruse being more importuned then before demaunded of him whether in a good conscience hee might consent to that enterprise or whether he could dispence there-withall To which the Iesuit replyed that hee could not but this that the murther beeing committed by him and hee comming to confesse himselfe vnto him hee would absolue him of it Then Bruse replyed in these 〈◊〉 Sith your reuerence acknowledgeth that I must confesse my selfe of it you also thereby acknowledge that I should commit a sinne and I for my part know not whether when I haue done it God would giue me grace and inable me to confesse it And thereto I verilie belieue that the cofession of an euill that a man hath done of set purpose vnder aâ— intent to confesse himselfe thereof to haue absolution of it is not greatly auâ—lable and therefore the surest way for mee is not to put my selfe into such hazard and danger And so my Maister Iesuit missed at that time of his purpose But afterwards hee know verie well to haue his reuenge for it For the Duke of Parmâ— being dead and the Countie Fuentes a Spaniard and Nephew to the Duke of Alua comming in his place Crichtou accused Bruse of two crimes before the said Countie The one that he had ill managed the Kings treasure The other that he was a Traytor because he would not disburse money to cause Metellenus to be slame and thys was the principall marke at which the Accuser aymed A great fruit certainly in the Iesuit common wealth for which hee was worthily kept prisones in Bruxells full fourteene months together For as concerning the first point Crichton made no great account of that but touching the second he to the vttermost stood vpon it and that so much the more because the prisoner demind not the crime The processe had his course At the last after that Bruse had beene a long time troubled and afflicted the prisons were opened to him and he was set free but not with any commaund to that holy Father the Iesuit no not so much as to repayte his good nume or to pay his costs dammages or losses whatsoeuer The reason whereof was as a man may easily belieue it that hauing attempted this deuout accusation he did nothing at all therein but that which might be directly referd to the holy propositions of his owne Order CHAP. 3. ¶ Concerning the murther which William Paâ—â—y a◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man thrust â—â—theâ—â—â— by the Iesuits 〈…〉 against Elizabeth Queene of England in the yeere â—â—84 HE that writ the humble temonsâ—â—ance petition to the King minding to make it appeare that men slaundeâ—ouâ—â—y accused the Iesuits of hauing a purpose to attempt any thing against the Queene of England sayth thus In respect of English people those that 〈◊〉 â—â—rite of these matter 〈◊〉 witnes our faithfulnesse and neuer yet durst accuse vs of attempting any thing against the Queene in her estate those that meant to calumâ—â—â—â— charge vs there with all could neuer fasten their lies and leasings vpon out bâ—bâ—â—â—â—â—s and cause gâ—t of 〈◊〉 selues by any probable or likely reason of truth But now I will shew that this Iesuit is a second Heredotus And let him not thinke but I doe him great honor when I resemble him to that great personage whoÌ„ men say was the first Father of a lying historie William Parry Doctor in the Lawes a man full of vnderstanding but yeâ— more full of his pleasures delights after that â—e had consumed all his owne stocke substance and the greatest part of his wiueâ— also yeâ— charged with a great controâ—â—sâ—e and question against Hâ—gh Hare Gentleman of the Temple purposed in the yeere 1582. to take the mind and to faile into Prâ—â—â—ce where being arriued and come particularly to the cittie of Paris and purposing to be familiar with certaine Enlish Gentleman that â—â—â—â—led ouâ— of theyr Coâ—â—â—â—y for theyr religion they doubted to be familiar with him thinking that he came expresly to them to spy out their actions By meanes whereof hee tooke his iourney to Lyons and from thence to Venice where euen at his first entrance because hee was an Englishman hee was put into the Inquisition but he yeelded so good an account touching Catholique religion that his Iudges found he had a desire and dutie to returne beeing â—â—beloued of all the Catholiques and particularly of Father Bonnet Palmeo a Iesuit of great reputation amongst his owne brother hood After wards he tooke a concâ—t to do such an act as be once did that in old time burned the Temple of Diana at Ephesus that so hee might be spoken of for it Hee plotted to kill the Queene his naturall Ladie and Soueraigne by the same meanes to set fire on and in the foâ—â—e corners and quarters of England making thys the ground vvorke of his practise and enterprise and that as well to deliuer his Countrie from tyrannie and oppression as to aduaunce to the Crowne Marie the Queene of Scots vvho vvas a Catholick Princesse â—erest of the bloud to succeed An oponion and conceit that came from his owne instinct and motion without acquainting the Scottish Queene any whit at all before his departure as hee afterwards confessed when hee was in person But because this enterprise and attempt was verie hawtie and that he vndertooke it with a great blow to his conscience before God he conferred hereof with Palmiâ— the Iesuit who according to the ordinarie Maxim and principle of that Sect did not onely
that he had eat drunk twise with him in the Lacobins house The matter after this manner examined by Lugoly the king caused by his Letters-patents six Counsellers of the councel of State accompanied with two Presidents of soueraign Courts to adiudge and giue sentence of him as he had deserued Heere needed no doubt to be put of the lawfull proceeding against him For was it not sufficient yea and by too too many proofs to declare him guiltie and conuinced of that crime in the execution whereof he was preuented Was it not ynough to conuince him of the fact who had confessed he had a mind to kill the King before his conuersion and missing of his purpose then had since deliberated with 4. Munks at Lyons about the same act to wit whether he might iustly kill him or no. In witnes whereof he that drunke with him at that time as he pretended to come to the Court for that purpose had pointed him forth to the King by euery particular marke to make him known Was there not matter ynough to iudge him guiltie who had iudged himselfe euen by his owne conscience from his first committing into prison as wel by demaunding for poison as also for the murtherers knife whereof hee was found seazed Was there not euident proofe to condemne him who confessed he had left the League of purpose to come to the Court only to seeke a Maister Questionies he was iustly iudged to die And therefore by decree the 31. of August he was condemned to be drawne vpon a sledge or tumbrell as he past through the streets his flesh to be pulled of with hot irons This being done to be led to the great market place and there to haue his right hand burnt off with the knife in it after that to be laid vpon a scaffold and so to haue his armes legs and thighes broken by the Executioner and after his death his body first to be consumed to ashes and then to be cast into the Riuer his house razed his goods confiscated to the King Moreouer before his execution he should be plied with questions aswell ordinarie as extraordinarie to learne by his owne mouth who had induced him to this wicked enterprise This was the summe of the sentence denounced against him Hitherto you haue seene nothing in this prisoner which chargeth the Iesuits of Paris neither likewise that he was distracted in mind as Montaignes would describe him but rather a man aduised who bare off euery blow in the best maner that he could and from whom the Iudges drew by foure seueral examinatiōs what they could for searching out the truth The sentence the same day being pronounced against him the Interrogatories were committed to two of his Iudges and Lugoly to see them propounded vnto him and to examine him This poore wretch being there brought forth requested them that he might not be quartered quick but rather giue him leaue and he would to the vttermost confesse the truth of euery particular poynt for that matter First then he began to lay open euery particuler concerning the passage at Lyons from poynt to poynt at Brancaleon had deliuered of him to the King and acknowledged that in the said Citie he had conferred with foure religious persons to wit a Carmelite a Iacobin a Capuchin and a Iesuit with whom he agreed to commit this murther and thereupon departed the next day after the Assumptiō of our Lady to this intēt arriued he in Paris and lodged himselfe in the street called De la Huchet where he inquired who was the most zealous of Gods Church and honour in Paris Whereunto one answered him saying the Curats of S. Andrewes of Arts. Hereupon he presently went to visite him and recited vnto him his whole determination where-with the Curate seemed well pleased and made him drinke saying hee should gaine by that act both great glory and Paradise But before hee proceeded any further it were very cōuenient that he should first goe visit the Rector of the Iesuits of whom he might take more certaine resolution Whereupon he went to the Iesuits Colledge spake with their chiefe Commaunder vnderstood by him that he had beene chosen Rector not past three weekes before Marry after many faire speeches and friendlie entertainment hee concluded that his enterprise vvas most holy and that with good constancie and courage he should confesse himselfe and receiue the blessed Sacrament and so led him into his Chamber and gaue him his blessing And the next day following hee was confessed by an other Iesuit to whom hee would not discouer himselfe by his confession but afterwards receiued the Sacrament in the Colledge of the Iesuits Hee likewise spake of it to another Iesuit a preacher of Paris who spake often against the King adiudged this counsell most holy most merritorious And for this act intended by him bought the knife that was deliuered into the Iustices hand the poynt whereof he caused to be made sharpe like a dagger poynt as heeretofore hath beene recited But to returne he thus parting from Paris went to S. Denys where the King was with a firme resolution to kill him in the Church But seeing the King so deuoutly at Masse as appald with feare hee stayed his hand from that fact euen as if he had lost the vse of his armes or beene lame of his lymmes From thence hee followed him to the Fort of Gournay afterwards to Bricontre-robert where after that he had beene confessed communicated againe the King passed by so escaped him while he was drawing the knife out of his hose Thus to be briefe he arriued at Melun where he was taken And nowe when these Iudges came to instruct him and told him that it was ill done to haue receiued twice the holy Sacrament hauing this bad intention in his minde knowing as hee could not be ignorant thereof that it was to his damnation Then began he to lament and said that hee was vnhappie and gaue thanks vnto God in that he had preuented him from such a wicked stroake His confessions were read vnto him to the which he stood without deniall of one word His confessions I say made ere euer he felt one twitch of the rope So being frō thence drawne to the place of execution as hee was vppon the Scaffold Lugoly willed him to tell the truth warning him to take heede that hee should not charge any one wrongfully Vnto which he aunswered that all which he had said in the place of examination was true Of which hee asked God the King and the Iustices forgiuenes This done he had his right hand burned in flaming fire afterwards his armes legs and thighes broken he was put vppon the wheele where the Iudges meant to haue left him languishing till hee had giuen vp the ghost But there againe examined if hee would say any thing for the discharge of his conscience Hee aunswered that whatsoeuer he had said was true and no more but the
destroy and pull downe the Pyramis for what boote were it for you to be restored vnlesse this stone be taken away whereby you are charged with sundry crimes which you esteeme false and calumnious Seeing therefore your intent was to commence suite against a stone I presumed that the hearing of the cause belonged absolutely to my selfe and to none other And that you may vnderderstand with what diligence and iustice I haue proceeded in the examination thereof I remembred that your cause had been twise pleaded and twise referred to counsell First in the yeere 1564. wherein you were plantiues suing to bee incorporated into the Vniuersitie of Paris Secondly in the yeere 1594. wherein the Vniuersitie of Paris were plantiues requiring that you might be instantly banished and expelled the land To be throughly informed of the first I required a Copie of Pasquier his declaration against you Versoris his Plea for you as also of the latter by Mesmll the Kings Aduocate By all which I found that the onely matter in question at that time was the noueltie and straunge rule of your Order being contrarie to the auncient liberties of the Church of Fraunce And being desirous to be yet further instructed in the matter behold certaine mutinous spirits present me with three bookes on your behalfe In the first were contained the Buls by you obtayned for your commoditie and aduantage In the second were your orders or constitutions diuided into tenne parts In the third the Examen or if I may so terme it the Abstract or abridgement thereof Out of which I collected many poynts which before time were to me altogether vnknowne a simple and absolute vow which your enemies alleage to be full of subteltie and heresie many extraordinarie vsurpations vppon the Ordinaries and Vniuersities a rich kind of pouertie professed by vow a blinded obedience to your Supâ—â—ion for as for that to the Pope I meddle not ther withal your principall Buls wherein it seemes you haue surprised and abused the sanctitie of the holy Sea Whereupon I said that that villaine whatsoeuer he was that brought these bookes out of your Colledges deserued to be hanged for his paynes It is not meet the world should know the secrets of a profest Societie It doth but open mens mouthes to scanne and descant thereupon at their pleasures to the discredit and disgrace of the whole Order But seeing the offender cannot be discouered I thinke it best that these three bookes be sent backe into one of your Colledges there to receiue open discipline for this offence This is not the first time that sencelesse things haue beene dealt withall For in that manner doe we read that the Sea hauing trespassed against Zerxes that wise and prudent king of Persia who had purposed to passe ouer into Greece vpon a bridge of cordes was by him condemned to be whipt As contrariwise the Signiorie of Venice to flatter and infinuate with the Sea is wont yeerely vpon Ascension day to espouse and wed it with a Ring which they present vnto it I assure you when I compared the priuiledges of the Church of Fraunce with yours I stood greatly perplexed what to thinke holding this with my selfe for a law inuiolable that housoeuer all lawes were wauering and vncertaine according to the chaunge and alteration of times yet this stood firme stedfast and immutable that we are to liue according to the lawes of that countrey wherein we defire to liue And finding your Buls and constitutions to goe slat against the liberties of the Church of Fraunce it bred no small scruple in my mind howsoeuer I was inclined or deuoted to fauour your cause Hauing viewed and reuiewed the bookes and euidences concerning the first cause which was referred to counsel I passed ouer to the second instance of the yere 1594. wherin I employed all the powers of my braine Herein you were not called in question for your doctrine or profession any more but for your attempts and practises made aswell against Princes and Princesses as against the seuerall countries wherein you are resident and especially against the Realme of Eraunce A matter full of waight difficultie and of daungerous consequence which caused me for the discharge of my place and conscience to interpose my selfe in this cause contrarie to that custome which I haue hitherto learned and practised For in other cases I receiue such packets as my Vassels and Subiects list to impart giuing credit thereunto vpon their bare relations But in this I haue taken a farre other course For hauing perused your petitionarie booke full of pittie and compassion I sent forth summons to all quarters without exception to come in and speake their knowledge in the matter I directed out Commissions ouer all countries according to the prerogatiue which from all antiquitie hath beene graunted me through the whole state of Christendome to informe me aswell by letters as by witnesses of what I thought requisite for your iustification commaunding all Iudges of what qualitie foeuer vpon payne of a grieuous fine at my pleasure to send me the whole processe aswell criminall as extraordinarie which had passed in your cause being resolued your innocence once verified and confirmed to cast downe this Pyramis and to preferre this sentence into the Inquisition As your selues sometimes caused the censure and determination of the Sorbone pronounced against you in the yeere 1554. to be censured by the Inquisition of Spayne For it is not for euerie man to iustle with your holy Fatherhoods And that which pronoked mee the rather hereunto was your booke wherein reading to my great discomfort the hard measure which hath beene shewen you by the Court of Parliament of Paris yet you acknowledge the said Court to excell all other in knowledge iustice and religion Vpon my summons I must confesse the truth there appeared at the first dash a great troope of French English Scottish Arragonians Portugalls Polanders Flemings Swethlanders who reported much more then I desired to heare And albeit the peoples voyce be the voyce of God if you belieue the coÌ„mon prouerbe yet would not I for the sequell build my iudgment thereon Your owne booke increased my scruple doubt much more then before when for your iustification you say that in the yeere 1593. by a generall Synode holden by your Societie at Rome those of your Order were forbidden to entermeddle henceforward in matters of State which poynt I could not well conceiue They are prohibited said I to entermeddle hence-forward in State matters therefore it is presupposed that heretofore they haue medled therein I cannot be perswaded that these deuout and holie men did euer apply themselues that way because such is the calamitie of our times that in our State affaires wee harbour commonly more impietie then Religion to bring our designements to passe And standing thus in suspence one rounded me in the eare and bad mee be cleere of that poynt for he that made The Defence of the Colledge of Clairmont in
Simonetta which had the treasure of their Monasterie at Millan in keeping and vvas the head of theyr Order Vppon this resolution they come with a steadfast purpose to strangle him and finding him in the Church at prayer God diuerted them from executing their malicious purpose by meanes of a certaine iarre that happened amongst them but in sted thereof they stole diuers peeces of gold and siluer plate whereof they made mony This done Lignana goeth to Donato Facia a brother of their order a desperate companion and altogether set vppon mischiefe whom he ouercommeth and corrupteth with monie to vndertake the murder of the Cardinall Borrhomaeo Hee beeing in this manner ouer-come like an honest man wil not breake his word but espying a time when this great holy personage was at prayers in a chappel with his owne familie he dischargeth a pistol vpon him which by a great miracle passed but through his gown Within a while after both hee and Lignana are apprehended and beeing manifestly conuicted they are executed and therewithall their Order wholie suppressed in a full Consistorie at Rome by Pius Quintus The Iesuits as I will heereafter declare alledge that this was a general cōspiracie of the whole Order against Borrhomaeo Wherein they lie impudently for it cannot be found that euer any man had a hand in the plotting or contriuing thereof saue onely Lignana Guardian of the Priorie of Saint Christopher in Versellis with certaine other priuate Munks The Order was distributed into many other Monasteries scattered heere and there throughout Italy who were not of counsell with thys enterprise Yet neuerthelesse this onely attempt against Cardinall Borrhomaeo though voyde of successe was the chiefe cause that the Order was finally suppressed Compare this historie with that of the Iesuits I speak to the Iudges of other Parliaments are we not inwardlie ashamed that at Rome there should be such an example of iustice shewen vpon the Humiliati for that one of them made an attempt against the life of one onelie Cardinall whose death could be no great preiudice to the whole Colledge of Cardinalls and that wee should suffer this sect of Iesuits to liue amongst vs which as our selues knowe hath procured two seuerall attempts vpon the person of the King being but one in a whole kingdome vpon whose life depend the generall quiet and welfare of all his subiects beeing the worthiest prince that euer raigned in Fraunce any time these 5. hundred yeeres The dignitie of a Cardinall hath beene very great in Rome but yet inferiour to a King of Fraunce especially in his owne kingdome For in Rome there be many Cardinals but in France there is but one King Among all the Cardinalls I haue euer honoured the memory of Cardinall Borrhomaeo but yet I cannot conceiue howe the losse of him should be of so fatall consequence to Italie as the death of our great King to Fraunce Nay further howe euer I may be censured ouer-partially preiudicate against the Iesuits sith by the last confession of Barriere there are challenged three other Religious persons of Lyons one a Carmelite another a Iacobin and a third a Capuchin notwithstanding say our Iesuits in their foure Bookes publisht since the last Arrest of Parliament wee must punish the particuler offenders and not censure the whole Order The punishment should be proportioned to the offence The offence beeing personall the punishment should be so to and not inflicted vppon the Order I will not here say that such proceedings as else where are iniustice in affaires of State may be auowed for iust and that in the decimations which were anciently made among the souldiours when there was question to punish a Regiment as soone died the faultlesse as the offender and yet was there neuer any exemplary iustice more agreeable to gouernment nor more necessary for the maintenaunce of a Common-wealth Much lesse will I say with the great Tacitus Habet aliquidex iniquo omne magnum exemplum quod in singulos vtilitate publica rependitur I will not heere alledge the opinion of one of the greatest Lawyers in Rome who was wont to say That in cases of sedition the first executions should be verie sharpe Afterward when thinges were well appeased the Magistrate might slacke his hand and growe more milde I will not now heape vp all the rules axiomes seruing to this purpose although that which concerneth the life of a King and the dependencie thereof admitteth no example nor cannot well be compared with any other And howsoeuer some Romane Manlius may be of opinion that a whole body or corporation should be liable to the personal attempt of any of their cōpanie especially in an attempt against the life of theyr king yet so it is as hetherto Fraunce hath not receiued thys position As it was manifest in Iames Clement Iacobin who although hee murdred our king yet proceeded they not against the Order of the Iacobins but onely against him and his Prior who was torne in peeces with foure horses in Tours after hee was discouered to haue beene his principall counseller Now if there were but some few in the sect of the Iesuits traded in this misterie of treason it were happilie sufficient to punish the particuler offender but the vow of treason is as familiar with them as theyr other foure That this is thus we shall need no further proofe then the tragedie of Barriere wherein you shall finde such a packe as besides the particulers mentioned in the Inditement it cannot be auoyded but the whole bodie of theyr sect was therein much engaged I sawe of one side a Iesuit in Lyons verie deepe in the practise I saw the murtherer not well resolued in his attempt come purposely to Paris to learne his lesson But where dyd they bestow Aubri Curat of Saint Andrewes of Arts one of the most seditious of all their troope Happilie they sent him to the Iacobins in regard of the mischance which fell out vnder the other gouernment Or to the Carmelites would they send him or to the Capuchins rather Nothing lesse for hee was not assured that in theyr Monasteries murther especially the murther of a King would be approoued Whether then Marrie he sendeth him to them who were great Maisters in this Art to the house of the Iesuits where he knew the resort of the cursed crew to be Iesuits who knew by the modell of confessions framed to make strange Geometricall proportions of sinnes merrits That to kill a king of Fraunce there might bee a sinne Ad quatuor But to kill him with an intention to inuest the king of Spayne in his kingdome it were a merrit Ad octo So as the merrit so much surpassing the sinne the murther was not onely tollerable but iust and lawfull This Curat was he in this troope No. For Barriere found one Varade Rector of their Colledge who was of old acquainted with these courses Hee found likewise one Commolet who secretly subscribed to Varades counsell
not haue beene auoyded but their Generall the Prouincialls of their Order and the Priors of their Monasteries must haue beene of the conspiracie or at the least some part of them A clause which would not haue beene forgotten in the Decree that Pope Pius the fift the holy Consistorie of Rome sent out hauing so great intention finallie to suppresse them And this is the reason the Iesuits haue layed this condemnation most falsely vppon all the Order who had in Chapter as they say conspired against Borrhomeo Let vs acknowledge a truth like the children of Christ and not like the disciples of Ignacius This Order vvas growne very infamous by reason of their incontinency and licentious life the which the good Cardinall Borrhomaeo would haue helpt if it had beene possible This was I must confesse a fault and that verie foule and scandalous yet for this it is like they should not haue beene suppressed It is a vice whereunto naturally wee are prone Insomuch that hee who would suppresse all houses of Religion where this vice aboundeth especially those which are seated in places farre from resort wee may say with Tacitus Vt antea vitijs ita tum demuÌ„ legibus laboraremus And there might be peraduenture more scandale in suppressing then in winking at theyr vices How then What caused the suppression It vvas GODS will that vnexpectedly Lignana Pryor of Versellis and some others angry with this new reformation conspired against Borrhomaeo as it is expressed in the Bull. And this ryot was the cause of the suppression and this is the cause the Bull dooth recount theyr disorders in generall but specially theyr attempt against Borrhomaeo The which is set downe verie particularlie and not the incontinencies which La Fon reciteth VVhat is there in this storie but will fit the Iesuits as well as if it were made for them They are notorious throughout the world for the troubles raised by them in Fraunce And as manifest it is that they practised and bargained with a stranger to bring in a newe King into this kingdome The detestable fact of Barriere The howlings of Commolet to the people to kill the King euen in the time of the truce The people vvith one mouth from the youngest to the most aged cried vengeance on them so soone as the King reentred Paris The cause was pleaded in the name of the Vniuersitie and as it falleth out oftentimes that in matter of iudgement where the cause is of consequence while we feare to be negligent wee growe ouer-curious so heere the cause was referred to counsaill GOD would so haue it that Chastell a disciple of the Iesuits poysoned vvith theyr damnable positions wounded the King with a knife and beeing taken hee maintained in the open face of iustice that hee might doe it lawfully The haynousnes of thys fact aggrauated with other circumstances gaue occasion of the pronouncing the processe against the whole Order Nowe I pray you tell mee if the same holie Ghost which wrought in the suppression of the Humiliati had not a stroke likewise in driuing the Iesuits out of Paris They are the same things the same proceedings vnder seuerall names Theyr difference is in these two poynts The one that the Humiliati in being too subiect to their pleasure sinned yet committed such a sinne as our corrupt nature teacheth vs but the Iesuits beeing the principall Authours of the troubles wherein two hundred thousand lost theyr liues haue sinned against GOD against nature For nature abhorres nothing more then death which is so cheape among the Iesuits to the losse of others The other difference is that the attempt of Lignana was but against a Cardinall whoÌ„ I acknowledge willingly to be one of the holiest men our age yeeldeth A Cardinall whom the Colledge would be loth to spare yet notwithstanding hee liues and liueth in as great reputation as euer hee did Whereas the attempt of Chastell endangered a King sole in his kingdome such a king as the world must yeeld to bee as valiant wise and curteous as anie before him and by whose death if the treason had sorted to effect wee were to expect nothing but horrour and confusion our olde inhabitants And yet they must be cherrished in some part of the kingdome But because some not remembring or not obseruing things past others not foreseeing lesse laboring to preuent dangers to come suffer themselues to be abused by them accounting them the Champions and protectors of the Catholick faith I wil make it manifest vnto you that their sect is as dangerous as Martin Luthers that there is nothing the Pope hath more to feare as preiudiciall to his authority and greatnes then their Generall what showes and protestations soeuer they make to the contrary notwithstanding CHAP. 24. ¶ That the Sect of the Iesuits is no lesse dangerous to our Church then the Lutherans THis position may seeme at the first sight Paradoxicall but it is true The distribution of the hierarchicall Order of our Church hath a proportion and correspondeÌ„cy with the humane body wherin the head coÌ„mandeth ouer the other members amongst the which there are certaine noble parts as the hart the liuer the lungs without which the bodie cannot consist So as hee who would take from the head to adde to the noble parts or diminish them to giue vnto the head disordering the proportion and correspondency which should bee betwixt the members hee should confound destroy the bodie So is it in our hierarchy the head of the Church is our holy father the Pope the noble parts vnder him are the Archbishops Bishoppes Cardinals Priors Abbots I will adde Princes Lords Vniuersities as for the rest of the people they represent the other members of the body Martin Luther was the first who durst traduce this head bringing in a form of Aristocratie into our Church making all the Bishops in their seueral dioceses equall to the Sea Apostolique There succeeded him Ignactius Loyhola some yeeres after who by a contrarie course defended the authoritie of the holy Sea but after such a fashion as hee no lesse endamaged our Church then theirs For pretending more zeale to the Sea and our holy Father then the rest and still intituling him to more predominant and new authoritie ouer the Ordinaries hee and his successiuely obtaynd from diuers Popes so many Priuiledges Indulgences and Graunts in disaduantage of the Prelats Monasteries and Vniuersities that suffering them to liue in the midst of vs you disfigure stain the face of the Catholique and Vniuersall Church RemeÌ„ber what the Iesuit said to you this other day you will find my words true The difference betwixt Luther and Ignace is that hee troubled our Church fighting against the head And this warring against the noble parts All extremitie is a vice vertue is â—â—â—ympiere betwixt both For mine owne part I beleeâ—â—â—hat the true Catholique Apostolick Roman faith is that which hath bin in vse euer