least one who hath bin the better for his subscription A man would think that my Lord of Iueaghs extraction innocency and merit his breaking General Oneales Army his raising and loosing two or three Regiments in the Kings seruice his venturing himself and his neerest relations in the towns besieged by Cromuâ—ll his constant following his Majesties person and fortune in exile needed no further remonstrance of his loyalty but howeuer that nothing might be obiected against him he sign'd yours and yet is nothing the neerer his Estate I know you pressed my Lord Duke of Ormond very much in Sir Robert Talbots behalf saying it would be a great scandal if the only gentleman in Ireland who neuer would reiect the peace of 46. and sufferd so much vpon that account were not restored to his Estate and yet you see he was and his son is in the same condition with the rest of your subscribers But the most damnable cheat of all Mr. Walsh is that you made the subscribers belieue your Remonstrance was only a recognition of his Majesties supreme temporal authority and right to his Kingdoms but now you declare that it asserts all which the oath of Supremacy doth and that Roman Catholiks are rash and obstinat and by consequence commit a sin in denying to take the oath of supremacy wherof as was well known to such as refus'd to subscribe this your Remonstrance contains the substance which is that temporal Soueraigns may by their own sole authority gouern the Church and make lawes in Ecclesiastical matters euen of Faith To proue this and the lawfullness of your Remonstrance renouncing all those papalin or popish recusants doctrins against which the oath of supremacy was made and is tender'd is the subiect and scope of this great Tome of yours This is your own ingenious confession these your endeauors since the year 61. You should haue told this in the beginning to the Layty and to such of the Clergy as vnderstood not your design and doctrin Now that they all know both you must not admire if euen the subscribers detest you as a betrayer of their souls as well as of the Kings interest not only by your former actions but now also by your bookes and writings inculcating to all Bishops and other Churchmen that they commit a sin if as Churchmen they concurr and contribute with their reuenues or any other corporal means to preserue their King or to restore him if God should for our sins permit an other reuolution and that his right were possess'd by a rebel or Tyrant Is this Christian or Catholik doctrin Hath the spiritual calling or caracter of a Bishop or of a Clergy man such antipathy with the duty of a subiect and of spiritual Father that a Bishop or Priest must sin if either of them apply his temporal goods to the support of his lawfull Prince You may as well maintain that the caracter of Baptism or Christianity must make it a sin in lay subiects to defend or restore their lawfull Soueraign for Christianity is as solemn and spiritual a profession of following Christs doctrin as Episcopacy a Friar Walsh is half a Blakloist and Priestod is I see Mr. Walsh you are half a Blakloist Blaklow and you agree in saying that Subiects can not in conscience concurr to restore a dispossess'd lawfull soueraign but you say it only of the Clergy he of all You ground your error vpon the spirituality and supernaturality of the Clergyes caracter Blaklow vpon the nature of man which as that heretical Traytor pretends in his book of Obedience and Gouernment inclines him rationaly and obliges him to preferr his quiet and share of the human conueniencies of an vsurpt gouernment before the Diuine right which hereditary Soueraigns haue to be temporal Gouernors vnder God of their Subjects and the obligation Subiects haue to venter their liues and fortunes to assert that right and restore their lawfull Soueraigns in case they should be disposest therof It s no more a meruail to me that the b See Doctor Ceorge Leyburns Apology pretended Dean and Chapter of England which commended Blaklows doctrin as eminent after he had writ this destructiue Tenet did also commend your Remonstrance But I admire you should boast so much pag. 55. of their approbation as to print their Dean's letter to the Bishop of Dromore for an euidence therof Consider what credit can such mens approbation as cry vp Blaklows condemned doctrin and bookes for eminent be to yours I am sure such principles as these are not to be tolerated either in the Church or commonwealth Cease then to complain and to wonder Mr. Walsh that our King our Parliaments our priuy Councellors and the Lords Lieutenants of Ireland slight a Remonstrance and doctrin which doth inculcat or inferr so vnchristian Tenets as yours so destructiue to Monarchy and morality so incontinent with the safety of Soueraigns and the duty of Subiects What think you Mr. Walsh of the Clergy of France Do they sin when euery fifth or third year in their Assemblies they voluntarily tax themselues and giue so considerable summs to their King for his occasious They do not giue this help as temporal Peers or Barons of the Realm but as Bishops Abbots Priors Curats c. Do they sin I say in doing this Doth the Spanish Clergy sin in giuing their Milliones voluntarily and as a Clergy to their King Doth the Pope sin for concurring as Pope with them by Bull or licence for these donations If your Remonstrant Church had com to that perfection you flatter'd yourself with sure your Clergy would haue bin very rich for they must not haue giuen voluntarily as Bishops one penny of their Reuenues to the King to defend himself or the Kingdom against Rebells or foreign Inuaders But if an Impostor Commissary comes he way by a forged commission and the Popes authority impose a taxe vpon the Kings Subiects and leuy it by Excommunications and Censures Js your loyal Formulary and Reformation of the Roman Catholik Church of these last 600. years com to this Mr. Walsh Who is the Traytor who is the heretik You for your Remonstrance or all the Bishops in the world for taking the vsual oath at their Consecrations For shame Mr. Walsh repent retract and retire to your Conuent and neuer write more of matters you vnderstand not But before you retire I will solue a very curious and material question put by yourself in the page 579. of the second part of your first Treatise But if any demand saith Friar Walsh sect 2. pag. 579 how it came to pâ—ss that in the year 1648. there was so great and numerous a party of the Roman Catholik Clergimen of Ireland who together with Father Peter Walsh appeared so realy zealously constantly and successfully too for the King against the Nunâ—ios Censures of Excommunication and Interdict that they quite worsted the other side and preuaild euen for and to the actual reduction of
THE FRIAR DISCIPLIND OR ANIMADVERSIONS ON FRIAR PETER WALSH HIS NEW REMONSTRANT RELIGION The articles whereof are to be seen in the following page TAKEN OUT OF HIS HISTORY AND VINDICATION OF THE LOYAL FORMULARY Verber auerunt me sed non dolui traxerunt me Ego non sensi Proverb 23.35 THE AVTHOR ROBERT WILSON PRINTED AT GANT 1674. Permissu Superiorum The 12. Articles of Friar PETER WALSH his new Remonstrant Religion 1. THAT Bishops and Clergymen a Hist 1. part Sect. 33. pag. 79. as such can not in conscience contribute by money or any corporal means to help or restore their lawfull Soueraigns against the attempts or vsurpation of Rebells 2. b 1. part of the first Treatise pag. 417. fin That supreme temporal Princes could not can not in conscience grant to the Clergy their subiects the immunities and exemptions which the Church hath receiued from them 3. c Ibid. That no spiritual power as such can inflict any corporal punishment 4. d Pag. 429. That God may work miracles to testify the Sanctity and glory of one who dyes for maintaining a falshood in a controuerted point of Religion 5. e Ibid. That therfore S. Thomas of Canterbury may be inuok't as a Saint though he sufferd for maintaining a falshood 6. f In the Pref. pag 40. Pref. pag. 49. That temporal soueraigns may lawfully make lawes in ecclesiastical matters euen of Faith by their own sole authority 7. g pag. 16. of the Dedic That the Roman Catholiks sin in not taking the english oath of supremacy 8. h Dedic pag. 20 Hence followes that all the General Councels of the Catholik Church for many hundred years were compos'd of Traitors or periur'd persons That all the Roman Catholik Bishops of the world for as many hundred years as they haue taken the vsual oath at their Consecration haue bin and are now either Traytors to their temporal Soueraigns or periur'd to the Pope 9. i Pag. 75. That learned Roman Catholik Authors hold General Councells confirm'd by the Pope are not infallible in defining matters of Faith or doctrin 10. k Pag. 79. That neither Pope nor Bishop nor the General of an Order can in conscience inflict any corporal punishment vpon an irregular Friar for misdemeanors or heresies 11. l Pag. 354. 355. That all Bishops are of equal authority by the â—mmediat law of God and that only JESVS CHRIST can take cognisance of their faults 12. m Decic p. 13. That the Roman Catholik Church hath followed enormous errors euer since Pope Gregory the 7. THE CONCLUSION That honest men for discouering Friar walsh his cheats and opposing these his erroneous Tenets are Traitors to the King and Ennemys to my Lord Duke of Ormond TO HIS GRACE IAMES DVKE OF ORMOND c. YOVR grace will be surprised to see Fâ—â—ar PETER WALSH the great Remonstrator and Reformer of our Irish Loyalty charged with treasonable principles copied out of the tedious History he printed of his own speeches and contests But if this charge be made out against him doubtless your grace will neither protect nor pitty a Friar though seuerely disciplin'd for imposing vpon Christians vnder the notion of Allegiance Tenents inconsistent with loyalty or Monarchical gouernment That your Grace forgaue him his former faults in particular that great one of printing and preaching against the peace of 46. and the royal authority wherwith you were then inuested is an argument of your Christianity and a performance of one article of that peace That you afterwards made vse of him for reasons of state notwithstanding the experience you had of his treasons sheweth your wisdom but is no proof of his honesty As it would be great presumption in me to examin why a minister of state did employ such a Friar so I hope it is no want of respect to your Grace to let you and the world see that his late principles are as treasonable as his practises and seing its very ordinary in statesmen to punish the crimes of malefactors when they are no more vsefull I may rationaly conclude your Grace will not commend or reward Peter Walsh for publishing a book stufft with errors no less dangerous to the state then damnable to the soul My Lord Peter Walsh his conduct and errors haue rendred him so ridiculous and odious that he can not be any more vsefull to your Grace or to the gouernment And though he still endeauors by nonsensical Pamphlets to make himself be thought a fit instrument to promote the Protestant Reformation inculcating among other absurdities that the Roman Catholik Church of these last 600. yeares hath erred notoriously in the doctrin of loyalty due to temporal Soueraigns and that all the Bishops therof haue bin either Traytors to their Soueraigns or periur'd to the Pope by taking the vsual oath hitherto neuer excepted against at their Consecration yet your Grace will be conuinc't if you please to read this short Treatise that this Friar 's rash assertion is not only groundless but iniurious euen to Protestants and in particular to your Grace whose Illustrious family hath giuen to the Catholik Church loyal and holy Prelats as well as great Commanders of Armies and Gouernors of Kingdoms to the english Monarchy And though Ireland had the misfortune of a meeting of Bishops at Iamestown from whom the distraction of the times drew a Declaration and Excommunication not approueâ—d of by the Supreme Pastor or any other Catholik Bishops and as good as condemn'd euen by themselues in the subsequent Assembly of Loghreagh 7. Dec. 1650. Yet certain it is and partly known to your Grace that Doctor Enos his libel against your Grace and the peace of 46. together with Peter Walsh his printed approbation of the said libel and the Nuncius his Excommunication writ and fix'd with Peter walsh his own hand vpon the gates of your Castle of Kilkenny did greater mischief and obstructed more your noble design of preseruing by a seasonable peace in the yeare 46. the late King and his Kingdom of Ireland from ruin then the Bishops Declaration and Excommunication dated at Iamestown could do this being issued an 1650. after the King had bin murthered Ireland lost and past hopes of recouery though Peter Walsh to remoue the blame from himself layes it altogether on those Prelats and writes an absurd History of his own vain endeauors to reuiue a murderd King to keep vnited a diuided Nation and to preserue a destroyd Kingdom This book my Lord is dedicated to your Grace in hopes you will be pleased to peruse it and therby see the most blameable of the Irish Roman Catholike Clergy was not so guylty of rebellion and the ruine of their country as Peter Walsh nor his principles so sound as at first sight they seemd to be I am with all reality and respect Your Graces most humble obedient Seruant N.N. THE PREFACE I PRESENT to thy view Christian Reader a
applauded works which som of them haue printed to assert the truth of Faith Perhaps they do not think him worth their confuting Though I am not particularly concern'd yet seing his book hath so much barbarous railing and heretical nonsense that it is a nuisance to ciuility as well as to Christianity I will shake his fundamental principles to the end the world may not be further abused by them nor by the stories of a virulent pen that vents nothing but heresies against the Church rebellion against Soueraigns enuy against his superiors malice against his equals calumnies against his aduersaries and commendations of himself THE FRIAR DISCIPLIN'D OR ANIMADVERSIONS ON FRIAR PETER WALSH HIS NEW REMONSTRANT RELIGION MR. WALSH I DECLARE to you and all the world that my exceptions against your Religion and Romonstrance are not against the supreme temporal power of Soueraign Princes which I do belieue and shall assert as much as any Catholik Diuine My exceptions are against not only a Spiritual supremacy you attribute to Kings and deny to the Bishop of Rome but also against many new vnheard of errors and in first place against that rash and heretical Tenet of yours viz. * Friar Walsh in his Dedicatory to the Catholiks of the three Kingdoms pag. 13. That all the Roman Catholik Bishops of the world are either Traytors to their Kings or periur'd to the Pope because they take before their consecration an Oath which hath bin taken in the Church many hundred years by all Bishops Item That for the space of these 600. years past the Popes and writers of the Roman Catholik Church for the most part a Idem Ibid. haue maintain'd enormous principles and practises which haue bin cryed down continually by most zealous and godly Prelats and Doctors as not only false wicked impious lxretical vnchristian but as absolutely tyrannical and destructiue of all Gouernment lawes property peace c. 2. That since the owning of such intollerable maxims and wicked actions or the not disowning them are not amongst the marks of a Roman Catholik in general but only b Idem pag. 14. of a certain sect or faction whom som calls Papalins others Puritan Papists and others Popish Recusants the Protestants could not but obserue how since the Oath of supremacy though fram'd only by Roman Catholik Bishops Abots and Doctors of the english nation and defended by the principal of the same occasioned the first separation or schism amongst the subiects of England and Ireland the far greater part of such as continued in the Communion of the Roman Church did seem also to adhere to the foresaid dangerous doctrins and practises i. e. to all the pretences and actings of the Roman Court for as much as they generaly refus'd to disown them either by that Oath of supremacy or by other That it is vnreasonable to think and incredible to belieue c Pag. 14. n. 10. that so many iudicious Princes Parliaments and conuocations who had themselues gon so far and ventured so much as they did only because they would not suffer themselues or the Protestant people gouern'd by them to be imposed on against their own reason in matters of Diuine belief Rites c. should at the same time be so concern'd to impose on others in the like as to enact laws of so many grieuous punishments yea of death itself in som cases c. That we haue no cause to wonder at the Protestants a Pap. 16. n. 10. iealousy of us when they see all the three seueral Tests hitherto made use of for trying the iudgment or affection of Roman Catholiks in these Kingdoms in relation to the Papal pretences of one side and the royal rights of the other I mean the Oath of supremacy first the Oath of Allegiance next and last of all that which I call the Loyal Formulary or the Irish Remonstrance of the year 1661. euen all three one after another to haue bin with so much rashness and willfullness and so much vehemency and obstinacy declined opposed traduced and reiected amongst them albeit no other authority or power not euen by the Oath of supremacy itself be attributed to the King saue only ciuil or that of the sword nor any spiritual or Ecclesiastical power be denied therin to the Pope saue only that which the general Councel of Ephesus vnder Theodosius the yonger in the case of the Cyprian Biâ—hops and the next Oecumenical Synod of Calcedon vnder the good Emperor Martianus in the case of Anatolius Patriarch of Constantinople and the 217. Bishops of Afrik whereof Saint Augustin was one both in their Canons and letters too in the case of Apiarius denyed vnto the Roman Bishops of their time See the same Friar pag. 24. 25. 1. part of the first Treatise saying that the sense wher in the sons of the Church of England take the Oath of supremacy is very Catholikâ— and that they allow a politik not spiritual headship to the King and that only in temporal causes or matters not in spiritual not euen in those which are by extrinsecal denomination only called Ecclesiastical or spiritual If this be so Bishop Fisher Sir Thomas Moor and all the learned english men who sufferd for refusing the Oath were great fools and were ignorant both in the english language and in Diuinity But if this be so Mr. Walsh why is it not declared by publik authority can you be so stupid and barbarous as to think that the King and Parliament of England would be so vnmercifull as to permit so much noble and honest blood to be spilt upon a mistake so easily rectified if they or the Church of England vnderstand the Oath of supremacy as you say they do Jn the 19 page of your Dedicatory you set down the Oath which all Bishops and Archbishops take before their Consecration or Pallium and though it be very ancient and accepted of by all not only Prelats but Princes yet you say pag. 20. they who take it Must be periur'd to the Pope if they proue faithfull to the King Whether so or no to God Iudge you I am sure if they were not Traytors in taking the foresaid Oath to his Holiness they were at least Renouncers of their Allegiance to his Majesty and of their obedience also to the Catholik Church And because you could not but foresee that Catholiks and rational men would not bee their own Guides in a matter of so great importance as the determining the rights of Popes and Princes nor so rash as to iudge the whole Catholik Church or all the Bishops therof were Traytors Tyrants Cheats Vsurpers and Heretiks you endeauor to diuert the Catholik Layty from their duty of consulting the sea Apostolik in this main point of Religion by endeauoring to raise in the same Layty a diffidence of all who aduise so pious and prudent an address you telling the Catholiks of the three Kingdoms pag. 22. n. 18. of your Dedicatory That in the
cases a deposition of themselues from their whole temporal estates Kingdoms or Empires as in that of a tyrannical and manifest vsurpation and of necessary restitution the true and legal heire suruiuing and known and possible to be admitted without subuersion of the state or people much more where it may be auaileable to the support of both Yet I hope the Author of this Querie and reasons for the affirmatiue will not say that euery such Ghostly Father can proceed to execution whether their penitents will or not Or can by force of Arms or other corporal means diuest them respectiuely of their ill gotten goods Estates Kingdoms Empires though only to put the lawfull proprietors in possession therof Mr. Walsh the dulness and ignorance which you imputed to the Irish Clergy must be retorted vpon yourself in this dispute Are you so short sighted as not to discern the vast difference there is between the spiritual power of a ghostly Father in soro confessionali as you call it and the spiritual power of a Bishop in his Diocess or of your General in his Order as they are Pastors and Iudges in foro externo The one is exercised and extended no further than to absolue and punish priuatly a penitent who is his own accuser and coms with a perfect submission and resignation to any penance or penalty the Confessor shall think fit to giue If the penitent coms not with this preparation there is no power in the Confessor to absolue him or to giue him a penance But the spiritual power and authority of the Bishops and Generals of orders as such is not only to absolue priuarly one who submits voluntarily and confesseth his frailties and faults of his own accord but to punish and correct publikly such as will not submit voluntarily to any penance nor confess their faults but rather maintain their errors with obstinacy These can not be punished corporaly in foro externo by a spiritual Iudge vntill their sin and perversness be proued by cleer euidence of lawfull witnesses So that it is a quite different power from that of a Confessor If this obstinacy therfore be not checkt and corrected by temporal and corporal penalties independently of the voluntary acceptation of the offender it will encourage and corrupt others to the like insolency and destroy the whole Flock and the whole Order Therfore they who are to ouersee the Church or flock and a religious order and to giue a strict account for the souls committed to their charge must haue annexed to their correctiue power not only that of applying spiritual Censures which vpon obstinat and incredulous minds work litle or nothing as appears in your self Mr. Walsh but also corporal punishments that Virga ferrea wherof Dauid prophecis'd Psal 2. That therwith Christ should gouern his inheritance that is the Church Dabo tibi gentes haereditatem tuam possessionem tuam terminos terrae Reges eos in virga ferrea That iron rod wherwith S. Paul threatned the Corinthians Vultis vt in virga ferrea veniam ad vos And wherwith he punished the incestuous Corinthian and deliuered him ouer to Sathan not only by Excommunication but to be corporaly tormented as the Expositors commonly vnderstand those words in interitum carnis 1. Cor. 4. That iron rod Mr. Walsh wherof it is said Prouerb 13. Qui parâ—it virgae odit filium He who spares the rod hates the child Can you imagin that Christ our Sauior doth hate his children or that he would not leaue a rod in his Church to chastie them with corporal punishments when vice and passion hath rendred them insensible of all spiritual admonitions and censures If according to Scripture Vexatio dat intellectum why should you think that Christ would forbid his Church to vere by corporal punishments those souls which are not troubled or moued at spiritual ones Jf corporal punishments or torments be proportionable or apt to punish correct deterr and amend delinquents in the Common-wealth why not also in the Church would Christ haue his Church wors gouern'd or more destitute of proportionable means to gouern than a Commonwealth Do you grant Mr. Walsh that the Church of Christ ought not to be destitute of means sufficient to compass its ends Do you grant one of the ends of the same Church is to conuert the most incredulous and obstinat sinners Can you deny there are many sinners so incredulous and obstinat that no spiritual admonitions or Censures do them good This you can not deny for it is most euident in your self how often haue you bin admonish'd how often excommunicated by your lawfull Superiors for printing heretical and non sensical bookes and for intermedling in Church and state affairs contrary to your profession and without any commission or capacity for such employments If you do not see this you are the only person that doth not see it and therfore your not seing or at least not belieuing it demonstrats you are incredulous and obstinat This supposed will not you acknowledge that this incredulity and obstinacy of yours which all the world doth iudge to be grounded vpon pride and passion may be lessen'd and reclaim'd by shutting you vp in a cell giuing you spare diet keeping you from ill company that flatter and debauch you and whipping you once or twice a day I wish you would try it The Scripture tells you Virga correptio tribuunt sapientiam Proverb 29. These corporal vexations questionless would work more vpon you than the spiritual Censures haue don for I doubt not but that Gods grace by means of these helps would make you reflect vpon your self and giue you vnderstanding to see how ridiculous presumption it is in an inconsiderable half-witted and not so much as half learned petty friar to take vpon himself to teach the whole or the most considerable part of the Catholik Church Faith and Loyalty as if they had err'd in both for these 600. last years and hath the impudence to print that all the Catholik Bishops now liuing are either Traytors to their Soueraigns or periur'd to the Pope Now Mr. Walsh let 's see which of the two doctrins is destructiue to Soueraigns yours or that of the Catholik Church You state the case in an vsurper or Rebel against his lawfull King He coms to confession the Confessarius enioyns him to restore the Kingdom to the right Souerain He will not I hope say you pag. 79. the Author of this Querie will not say that euery such Ghostly Father can proceed to execution whether the penitent will or no or can by force of Arms or other corporal means deuest them respectiuely of their ill gotten goods Kingdoms c. And from this priuat and penitential power of a Confessarius you inferr that neither Bishops nor Pope can in conscience ferue their Soueraign as not being allowed by God to proceed by force of Arms or other corporal means against vsurpers and Rebells though their design be no
nation belieued you and D. Enos and by your means conceiued such hatred against their Countreyman the Duke of Ormond very popular before that time for his extraction and good parts that it could neuer be rooted out of their hearts nor put out of their heads but that he hated the royal family and his Countrey This made his most loyal actions and attempts if not successfull be look't vpon as so many plots to ruin the King and the only subiects then capable of helping him the Irish From hence proceeded the Towns refusing to receiue his garisons from hence the diuisions and diffidencies of the people and Clergy from hence the factions of Ormond and Oneal of old English and old Irish from hence the Censures and Declarations of the Bishops at Iameston against his grace from hence all other disorders wherof you and Enos are more guilty than the Bishops or the common people Mr. Walsh you may as well pretend this repetition and reprâ—hension of your Knauery is writ against the Lord Duke of Ormond as that the Dublin libel aymed at the most Illustrious Person of his Grace But I assure you I hoâ— or and loue my Lord Duke of Ormond and his family much more than you do And if you had had any respect for his Grace you would not pin yourself vpon him nor abuse the generosity of so noble and discerning a person who would easily perceiue if he had heard what others know how ill Englishmen must take his protecting and countenancing a suspected Murtherer of innocent English and one who by the great hand he had in reiecting the peace of 46. and therby vnsetling and diuiding Ireland concurr'd very much to the Murther of the late King This countenancing of you is the greatest fault I think can be found in my Lord Duke of Ormond There is not any who considers his descent and how his interest can not be separated from that of the Crown will entertain the least suspition against his Loyalty som indeed admire how so wise a man should think it the interest of the Crown to permit those who fought for it to be destroyd and disinherited and admire his want of memory in not remembring so many meriting men who lost all for the King and stuck to his Excellency as the Kings Lieutenant in all his misfortunes He hath forgot they say euen those few wherof the Act of Parliament puts him in mind by special name and therfore are call'd the Nominees But seing his neerest relations complain that they also are forgot we must not accuse him of any thing but want of memory especialy since he hath forgot your treasons Mr. Walsh as that of your wresting the Castle of Kilkenny out of the Kings and his own hands and deliuering it to the Nuntius But to conuince you and all the world of the veneration I haue for that great Minister's loyalty it is sufficient that notwithstanding I haue read D. Enos his libel and your approbation of it I shall still continue to think my Lord Duke of Ormond one of the faithfullest Subiects our King hath and the fittest to be employ'd in great affairs prouided he neuer belieues nor trusts you when he is satisfied that what is generaly reported and belieued of you is true Mistake me not Mr. Walsh I would not haue his Grace aduise to put you to death but would haue you not trouble him auoyd the occasion and retire into your Conuent But I feare you had rather venter hanging than do that If you be not guilty in Gods name make out your innocency The vindication or Dublin libel sayes you writ with your own hand that fatal excommunication of the Popes Nuncius wherby the Castle of Kilkenny the key then of Ireland was put into the Nuntius his hands and that with this Excommunication you marcht vp to the Castle gate in your Franciscan habit and fixt it therupon with the same hand which writ it What I know certainly is that this Excommunication writ with your own hand was deliuer'd to my Lord Iohn Berkley when he was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and am confident he hath it still in his custody as an euidence of your loyalty and of your being a fit man to preach it to others To these three particulars of the murther of innocent English of your approuing Enos his libel against the Lord Marques of Ormond and reiecting the peace of 46. and of your wresting from the King by an Excommunication of your own hand writing and fixing the Castle and Citty of Kilkenny and by consequence the whole Kingdom of Ireland I expected a cleer and particular answer in this great volume of yours wherin you answer other obiections of less moment truly seing you named the Dublin libel me thinks you ought rather to haue confuted it at least briefly than spend so much time and paper in quoting the penalties which the Canon and ciuil Law prescribe against libellers For the sake of F. Peter Talbot the titular Archbishop of Dublin say you page 51. of your Preface and of his Complices I took the pains to quote these Laws and Canons Me thinks I say you ought rather for the sake of Friar Peter Walsh haue confuted the pretended libel then haue quoted the Lawes that punish Libellers because none can be punish't by such Lawes before it be proued that the writing is a Libel Indeed Mr. Walsh I was much surpris'd to see you remit English Readers a Pag. 50. for the confutation of these accusations into your latin Hibernica a book not as yet printed and when printed not vnderstood by the generality of the English nation which you ought to satisfy and cleer your-self from that horrid aspersion of Treasons and english innocent bloud cast vpon you you shall see how your titular Archbishop of Dublin doth cleer himself of what you haue printed to his disaduantage I thought fit to giue the publik a view of the letter he writ for that purpose to a friend of his who desir'd it to satisfy himself and others SIR I Esteeme the concern you are pleased to haue for my reputation as much as I do contemn Friar Walsh his calumnies I send you a short and true confutation of them to satisfy your-self and those friends you say are so desirous to see it As to what he sayes of my being dismiss'd out of the Society b b Pag. ‖ 528. Seqq. and of his own knowledge of the cause therof and of the person that procur'd it you may belieue him because he hath most reason of any body except my self to know it For when F. Richard Barton then Prouincial of England and his Soâ—ius F. Grey offerd to me in London very charitably as from Father General my choice of Province and College of the Society to liue and teach in prouided I would depart sudenly out of England I confess I was too positiue in reiecting that offer but they desiring me to take som time to
the Consederates to an absolute submission to the King and his Lieutenant in that Kingdom and yet now since his Majeslyes happy restauration sixty nine only of a great body of 200. Clergymen at home in Ireland should be found to appear professing so their Allegiance to his Majesty And yet also these very few so professing to be therfore and only therfore by their Aduersaries without any feare or shame opposed yea to their power persecuted This is Mr. Walsh a rational doubt if rightly proposed You mistake the question it ought to be this How coms it to pass that of the great and numerous body of the loyal Irish Catholik Clergy that approued themselues so in the occasion of tryal an 1648. there should be found so many as 69. an 1662. that subscribed to Peter Walsh his Remonstrance so destructiue to the Kings safety right and authority as he hath bin demonstrated Now I will solue this question Yow know Mr. Walsh when ambitious and irregular Friars who aspire to Bishopriks and hate the pouerty and disciplin of their institute want friends and money they inuent twenty deuices to compass both Now Redmund Caron and you were resolued to be Bishops the one of Armagh the other of Dublin You despar'd of obtaining Miters by your merit and the ordinary wayes therfore you resolued to fright the Court of Rome into it by setting vp this your Remonstrance and including yourselues into ecclesiastical and state affairs you importun'd two great Ministers of state to countenance the pressing of your Formulary vpon the Irish Clergy and Gentry which had so faithfully serued and followed the King in the worst of times by shedding their bloud and spending their Estates in his quarrel that they needed not any paper instrument to manifest or confirm their loyalty And though the Ministers knew this very well and vnderstood as well that it was not any good zeal but your ambition and couetousness which moued Caron and you to buisy yourselues in a matter very improper for your calling and much aboue your capacities yet for reasons best knowen to themselues and common to all statesmen they were content to let two such fellows as you preach and press a Formulary which they foresaw would diuide the Catholiks amongst themselues discredit their Religion and giue the gouernment the color and aduantage of excluding from their Estates many meriting gentlemen for not professing that allegiance which learned Friars of their own persuasion maintain'd to be absolutely necessary in a faithfull Subiect So that your Remonstrance serued to exclude many honest men from their right but neuer restored any to his inheritance though many foold by you and Caron put their hands to it in hopes of receiuing therby the benefit of the peace 48. As for your 69. Clergymen that subscribed the Remonstrance yourself doth confess pag. 578. part 2.1 Treat Som fell off immediatly after their signing in the yeare 1662. Others were content only to haue sign'd it like so many Nicodemus de nocte not acknowledging amongst the Opposers what they had don Som who albeit they had sufficient iudgment to guide themselues or their own personal duty in order to themselues alone yet had not those abilities either to persuade or satisfy others Finaly there was not wanting amonst them a false and treacherous troublesom and impudent Brother c. who discouered all might do them prejudice and betray them too wherin soeuer he might I see Mr. Walsh that of your 69. Ecclesiastical subscribers som fell off immediatly others durst not own their subscription others knew not how to iustify it and one false Brother betrayd your Councells or cheats The matter is wors than I thought I pray how many able constant subscribers are there left in your Remonstrant Church When you petitioned the King and Councell in its behalf against the titular Archbishop of Dublin you could name but seuen and four of the seuen fell off then and I belieue the other two haue don the same since What A Church and none but one Friar Walsh to profess its Faith Is AntiChrist com Euen in his time the Professors of Christianity will be more then one One makes no Congregation and by consequence no Church But you say pag. 577. the deceased Bishop of Dromore Oliner Darcy was one What then Doth his authority weigh more than that of all the Bishops who condemn your Remonstrance I abstain as much as I can from censuring the dead but I can not well in this occasion you relying so much vpon this deceased Bishops authority who was the only that subscrib'd to your Remonstrance This obliges me to diminish a litle his credit Father Iohn Talbot of whom you said when he dyed as if it were a rarity or kind of miracle There lyes one honest Iesuit assured me that after his Brother Sir Robert Talbot had with the rest of the Commissioners at length concluded with my Lord of Ormond the peace of 1646. Sir Robert went in great hast from Dublin to Conaght where General Presion then was with his Army and persuaded that General to haue the peace proclaim'd in the head of the same A litle after the Nuntius began to treat with you and Friar Oliner Darcy before he was Bishop of Dromore who was General Preston's Ghostly Father and vpon that score could do much with him Sir Robert Talbot hauing bin made Prisoner for his zeal to the Kings seruice and to that peace charged his Brother Iohn Talbot to keep still neer General Preston to the end he might keep him constant to the peace for that he feard Friar Oliuer Darcy vpon the hopes which were giuen him of a Bishoprik would make the General alter his resolution F. Iohn Talbot did so and hauing certain intelligence that Friar Darcy had vndertaken to the Nuncius to gain Preston to his party he ask't the General at Lucan whether he was still constant to the resolution he had taken of reassuming and adhering to the peace of 46. as he had lately promised to my Lord of Ormond He sayd he was and the rather because Friar Oliuer Darcy told him he ought to be so Father Iohn replyed my Lord will you giue me your word and hand to continue so though Father Darcy should aduise you to the contrary The General laught at the improbability of such a thing But the weak though honest General fell from his resolution by the Friars importunity who had bin gain'd by the Nuncius and vpon this Friar Oliuer Darcy was made Bishop of Dramore Now I will tell you Mr. Walsh how he came to be the chief subscriber of your Remonstrance Be not startled do not think I am a witch there are hundreds can tell you as well as I though you make it a secret This poor Bishop had the misfortune to hinder his Brother Sir Iâ—mes Darcy from doing his duty of following the King into Flanders with the Duke of yorks Regiment which he commanded when he receiued Orders to
of sowing dissention and diuiding Roman Catholiks by his Remonstrance hath gain'd him a litle credit and countenance in Court therfore he must be so learned and loyal as to teach not only the Irish Catholik Clergy but the whole Catholik Church their duty as if they were ignorant of it to God and Cesar Whence had he all this learning Did his teaching a yeare or two Philosophy and half a yeare or therabouts Diuinity in Kilkenny to half a dozen Schollars make him an Oecumenical master and adorn him with so extraordinary knowledge both Diuine and human as to instruct not only the dull Clergy of Ireland but the acutest wits of France Spain and Italy The man was so sensible of the aspersion you cast vpon his and your own Countreymen that I durst not excuse you and indeed you spoke inconsideratly for it s well known to most of the famous Vniuersities of Europe that as Irish men haue bin antiently their first Founders so they haue bin of late their chiefest Professors and greatest Ornament Your self might haue known or at least heard of Richard Wadding the Augustin in Conimbria of Iames Arthur the Dominican in Alcala Salamanca and Conimbria of Holiwood in Padua and Mussipont of Luke Wadding and Richard Lynch in Salamanca of Peter wadding in Prague all Jesuits of many famous Doctors of Sorbon in Paris of your own Friars Hicky Cauel Lombard and Luke Waddin in Rome Of the Iesuit Thomas Talbot aliàs de Leon in Granada the Oracle of all Spain not only for his profoundness in Diuinity but also for the vast extent of his knowledge in other sciences and languages You might haue knowen the eminent Doctor of Bologna Riredan of Tolosa not to speake of other famous Physitians who though not Professors yet Practioners so farr aboue the common sort as Fenell Fogotty O Meara c. That they may be recorded to posterity for patterns of safe and successfull prescriptions as others are for printed bookes These and others though all dead the two last only excepted yet are a fresh and euerlasting euidence against your imputing dulness of apprehension and ignorance to the Irish Clergy and nation I could name said an other four of the Irish Bishops yet liuing and many of the inferior Clergy especialy Regulars who taught with great applause in foreign and famous Vniuersities both Diuinity and Philosophy Without doubt they take ill that a petty friar should pretend to teach them their duty either to God or the King Why did he not confute them in the Congregation of Dublin an 1666. when he had the Lord Lieutenants fauor to countenance his doctrin and fright them into his opinions Why did not he answer then the Prolocutor Bishop Lynch and Father Nicholas Netteruilles reasons Why did he not accept of Father Iohn Talbots offer to shew in diuers particulars Frier Redmund Carons gross inexcusable falsifications in his Remonstrantia Hibernorum and in his lesser libel intituled Loyalty asserted Why did he not answer the obiections and reasons of many others as learned men as these who confounded him and his errors in that Congregation Then was the time to vindicat his doctrin and Remonstrance but if now after 6. years study Walsh his volum of that subiect is a nuisance to the Academies a bundell of errors rak't out of the ashes of burnt heretical bookes how wat it possible for him to speake then any thing but heresies and nonsense This your Countrey men What could I answer to this But 't is wors yet He gaue me the ensuing writing wherin he vndertakes to shew euen to yourself that those of the Irish Clergy you so much vndervalue had and haue still the better of you not only in wit but in learning euen in this controuersy after your 6. years study of this matter Let vs first of all saith he state it right You pretend that the Supremacy of temporal Soueraings doth not only giue them power to make ecclesiastical lawes euen in matters of Faith as appears by your foresaid own words speaking of lustinian the Emperor but that the spiritual authority of the Church can not warrant its punishing by corporal penalties such an irregular Friar as you are thought to be And to make this your Tenet more plausible you would fain inferr from the coerciue power in the Church of whipping such a fellow as you are a coerciue power to dethrone Princes as if forsooth they could not sit securely nor be at ease in their thrones if you should be disciplin'd Mr. Walsh the Soueraignty of Princes is so sacred a thing that I dare not medle with it and am forbid to write of that subiect as all others are who liue in France the man is a Graduate of Sorbon But you know that Bellarmin himself confesseth Princes can not be deposed for bare heresy though Popes may Their temporal iurisdiction can not be question'd for their errors How then can you inferr that if the Church may punish and whip you for heresy it may also depose Kings for the same Therfore I hope it may be discussed without consequence or offence ANIMAD 4. Whether it be heresy or Treason to maintain that the Superiors of the Franciscan Order by virtue of the spiritual power which they haue from the Pope of gouerning their Friars may command Friar Peter Walsh to be whipt against his own will for misdemeanors BE not angry Mr. Walsh vntill you heare me out It is no disgrace for a Religious man to be corrected by his Prouincial or General neither is it the first time that a Friar hath bin whipt and I am sure none euer deserued it better than you do But let us see what can you say for your not being whipt against your will for misdemeanors we will now suppose there are som and shall be proued time enough My self and others of the Irish Clergy obiected against this your main Tenet viz. that no corporal punishment may be inflicted by virtue of a spiritual power the general practise of the whole Catholik Church and all Religious Orders which not only put from Mass and depriue of the suffrages of the faithfull such Apostats as they excommunicat but also forbid them any commerce and conuersation with others nay command them to be whipt and impriprison'd when hands can be layd on them To this obiection you answer page 79. sec 33. thus I take in the first place their allegation of the Faithfull being whipt and commanded to vndergoe austere pennances to be vnconclusure Your reason Mr. Walsh Because euery Ghostly Father may in som cases enioyn his Penitent such punishments and by virtue of his meer spiritual power may do so but can inflict none either by himself or by an other if the penitent will be refractory And not only the Pope not only the Bishop but euery inferior Priest may in fore confessionali enioyn his penitent euen a King or Emperor whateuer is iudged necessary for his eternal Saluation and consequently in som