we consider that those Holy days debauch the People teach them bad Habits of Idleness Drunkenness and Immodesty which hinders them from working on other days ruins their Families occasions abundance of Disorders Quarrels Diseases Fires and the Death of many People one may easily perceive that the Dammage occasion'd by these Festivals amounts to above 100 Millions per An. and in effect as Men do generally â—…e those days they look more like as if they were consecrated to the Devil than to God Masterâ—… suffer veâ—…y much by this Libertinism of their Servants and Apprentices and the poor Wives at home are grieved to consider that their Husbands are at the Publick Houses where they spend all that they had gained in several days and will come home drunk and perhaps beat them into the bargain If it be pretended that Men work the better and are the more vigorous the days after the Festival because they have had some rest that may be true as to some of the honest people but as for the greatest part it hath a contrary effect their Idlenefs and Debauchery makes them lose those days and many others and if all of them don't debauch themselves on those days they spend them at least in Races and unprofitable Walks which fatigues them more than their ordinary Work and to thoâ—…e who are of a regular Temper those Holy-days are perfectly irksom God who is wiser than Man hath appointed but one day in seven as a day of Rest not that I would reproach those Christian Nations who have but a small number of Holy-days that I think tollerable provided there be no excess in their number as there is an horrible excess in the Popish Church I am really of opinion that the disorders above-mentioned which are the result of or inseparably annex'd to those Festivals do almost as much mischief as the Holy-days themselves and experience shews us daily that there 's more Insolence and Disorder committed on one Holy-day than on three others and that by an ill habit they contract on those days they do likewise break out in profanity on the Lords day and most Masters of Shops in Towns complain that they cannot find Journey-men to work the day after Holy-days nay nor on Mondays because of the Sunday preceding the Rabble usually disordering themselves so much on those Holy-days that they cannot work the day after I take no notice here of the Disorders and Debaucheries that are committed at their Midnight-Masses To this I may joyn their loss of time in their Scandalous Pilgrimages it being known that sometimes they go as far as Rome and Loretto and St. James de Compostella in Spain c. and now and then as far as Jerusalem Besides they lose abundance of time in Shrieving or Confessing themselves and at their Anniversary Days Ash-wednesday c. and by carrying their pretended Sacrament or God about eâ—…ery day by 4 persons at a time besides the Priest who holds it in his hands and this is perhaps in 50 places at once in some great Cities They lose also abundance of time in their daily Masses which are said without any shadow of necessity but meerly to subsist the Popes Troops in the Country at the charge of the people They have moreover their private Masses for the cure of their Cattle at which every one who is interested is obliged to assist They lose abundance of time at all those Follies of which I might make an Article apart as also their Ambarvalia and Rogation Weeks which they have borrowed from the Pagans as they have done most of the rest of their Religion by which they think to procure Rain or divert boisterous Seasons when they threaten their Corn. And this loss of time is so much the more ruinous to France that there are abundance of more people in it unfit for work proportionably than in England viz. Lawyers and other Civil Officers Clergy-men c. Article XI relates to the Summ which the Pope draws from France every year under different denominations as Annates Bulls Dispensations Indulgences Relicks Provisions Agnus Dei and Consecrated Grains all sorts of Expedition Consecrations of Prelates Dedications of Churches Jubilès now and then both at France and at Rome c. which is so much the more ridiculous for France to endure that the Nation since many Ages has not had greater Enemies than the Popes and yet the Money drain'd out of the Kingdom by this means amounts to diverse Millions Annually Mr. dè Sully Surintendant of the Finances under Henry the IV. having well examin'd the matter found that in that time the Pope got every year one with another above 4 Millions of Livres from France and since that time it has doubled at least suppose it were but 6 Millions of Livres per Annum 't is 120 Millions in 20 years time Article X. is concerning the great Summs which the Cardinals Protectors of France and divers other Romish Prelates who are Pensioners of France besides the Knights of Maltha c. draw yearly out of the Kingdom by Benefices which they possess in it This amounts also to several Millions yearly Article XI relates to the Tapers Wax-candles and Oil that is spent in their foolish Superstitions as burning them before Images Statues Hosties and at Funerals c. which did formerly cost the Kingdom of France perhaps 8 or 10 Millions per Annum the greatest part of the Wax being imported from other Countries and for that which is the product of France it must be also reckoned because it is as unprofitably spent as if they should take the Wine and Brandy which is their prodâ—…ct too and that they sell to Strangers and pour it out upon the Ground I don't reckon here the Incense which they burn to little purpose because that is no great matter and is grateful to the smell neither do I take notice of the Ornaments and Raiment of their Statues Images and other Idols because they last long nor of their Mysterious Vestments adorn'd with fine Lace of Linnen Silver or Gold or Gold-Fringes or Imbroidery with which their Priests are deck'd when they perform what they call Divine Service Nor do I take notice of the great Quantity of Wine which is spent in their multitude of Masses daily because it nourishes those that drink it nor yet of their Wafers or Consecrated Hosties that they keep tho' it be so much flower lost So that I content my self here only to reckon the loss of their Tapers and Oil which I do verily believe including their loss of time in making or lighting their Candles and cleaning and lighting their Lamps amounted to 8 or 10 Millions per Annum The Expence of the Wax is more perceptible to abundance of people than that of their Oil and especially to Protestants who don 't go often into the Popish Churches because they have seen 1000 times in the Streets and at the Gates of the Churches prodigious Quantities of great long Tapers
the Monks and the Jesuites will render themselves Masters of all under a weak Prince and the Kingdom will be more expos'd to the Cheats Impostures and Scandalous Vices of the Clergy than ever The King of France should hereby gain the Affection of all Protestant Princes and States intirely which would be much more useful to him than that of the Popish Princes because they are honester in their Treaties and at present much more powerful especially by Sea and more able to hurt or help him And moreover France cannot subsist without Commerce with them and the King knows very well that they have no thoughts of regaining any thing from France as the Popish Princes have because she hath never taken any thing from them nor have they any thoughts of making Conquests upon him as being more Sage and Judicious than that comes to Neither has he any reason to fear that the Court of Rome will employ them to do Mischief to France as they have imployed and may still imploy Popish Princes to do But if France neglect such a fair opportunity as this is to shake off the Yoke of Popery when there is such an Indispensible Necessity â—…o do it for the fafety of the Kingdom which must otherwise perish after having seen so evidently that Popery is the ruin of States and by consequence a false Religion all the World will have reason to believe that His Majesty does not only hate the Protestant Religion but the very Persons of all Protestants especially if he does not Re-establish his Subjects of the Reformed Religion in the free Exercise of the same and in a full and entire Liberty in all Respects as his other Subjects and with all possible Assurance for time to come seeing no Man can reproach them with Disloyalty towards the King nor on the account of their Doctrine which the most Learned of the Papists themselves acknowledge to be very Sound and Conformable to the Scripture and make their boasts that they believe the same things as they do having nothing else to reproach them with but only that they don't believe enough because they don't believe Transubstantiation nor fifty other Fooleries of the like Nature nor adore the half of one of the two Sacraments which has not so much as the Honour to be Bread but is only an Elil Elilim a Nothing an Idol which according to St. Paul is a meer Nothing of this number of Learned Men is the Bp. of Meaux as appears by his Exposition of the Catholick Doctrine Without â—…his Reformation France will become as desolate in 30 years time as Spain and Portugal is at present though there should be a continued Peace all that while For the Women and Girls who are at present three thirds of the People of France will for the most part be dead without Children because there are not Men enough at present to Marry them so that this want of People will be much more apparent then than now It may very well be said that the Kingdom of France hath for 30 or 40 years had a great Ascendant over all the other Nations of Europe by means of the Kings Vigour and Absolute Power But the Kingdom will lose that Ascendant come to nothing and be despicable to all the World and especially to the Court of Rome without hopes of being ever able to recover it self if such a Reformation be not made And I dare venture to say that without this the Kingdom is in danger to be torn into pieces by Civil Wars ere it be long or involved in short in another new War on the account of Religion by the Jesuites at the secret Suggestion of the Pope who are still afraid of that Kings great Authority tho his Kingdom is ruined There 's no other Method left as I have intimated already to put the King in a condition to pay his numerous Debts but this Evangelical Reformation and because diverse Persons of great Merit have desir'd of me to give some Account of the Ways and Means they take to find Money to borrow and Places to sell in a Kingdom so much ruined as France I could not refuse to obey them in imparting what is publickly known of that Matter in France therefore I shall here make a little digression We must observe then that the Court entertains a great number of People in Provinces and Towns who make it their business to discover those who have yet any Money left ' em Whereupon the Intendant Governour or other Chief Men of the Place have orders either to call for such Persons or to go to their Houses and tell them that the King has a mind to sell such and such new Places or Augmentations of Salleries to all Civil Officers who are already in Place or Letters of Nobility to Commoners or some other Priviledges or to create Rents upon the Town-House of Paris or to alienate the Revenues of the Post-Office or some part of his Demain c. Then they are acquainted Civilly that they will oblige the Court to lay out their Money on such thingâ—… and do a piece of good Service to the State that their Principal and Interest will both be sure and their gain considerable If they answer that they have no Money after being desir'd thus to lay it out then they find it to be as Tacitus says Preceserant sed quibus resisti non poterat They were Prayers indeed but such as they could not resist Those Officers inform themselves more particâ—…larly of the Staâ—…e of their Affairs from Scriveners and Notaries who are oblig'd to tell all they know of it After this they proceed to threaten the Persons that so they may squeeze Money out of them But there are few who let it come to this extremity because they see so many Examples before them of People ruined by such Refusals for either they are tax'd extraordinarily as rich Persons or are accused that either they themselves or their Friends whose Estates they Inherit robb'd the Publick when they were in Office and thereupon despoil them of their Estates Otherwise all the Actions of their whole Life are Canvass'd or if that fail the Conversations of their Children and other Relations are enquired into on purpose to vex them and their Tenants are over-whelm'd with Impositions or Quartering of Soldiers There are a hundred other such Methods and their Children and Relations are never advanc'd neither in the Church in the Army nor otherwise And they are besiâ—…es accounted at Court Enemies to the Government sometimes imprisoned and if they have any Suit at Law the adverse Party is sure to find favour c. It 's true there are some who are known to be extreamly Rich or in great business â—…hat prevent â—…he Court on purpose â—…o gain Favour and lend their Money upon the Town-house of Paris nor do they know how to dispose of their Money otherwise Trade being quite ruined Houses and Land being of no value and all people almost being
continual Câ—…nspiracy against God and the King and their Neighbours for as those different Orders subsist and enrich themselves meerly by the Idolatry Superstition and Ignorance of the People they foment it as much as they can and engage in the Interests and Designs of the Court of Rome to favour the same against the King and the State and every one of those Orders hate and despise one another both out of a principle of Envy and because they know one another at bottom and then their Devotionists who are join'd to their Fraternities espouse all their Passions Quarrels and Interests Those Monks do likewise persuade abundance of Silly Women of Quality and others to enter their very Sucking Infants into their Fraternities persuading them that there 's no better method to make them to Live insomuch that sometimes we shall see those poor little Creatures muffled up in a Monks Hood and Cassock by which the Order lose nothing Another method made use of by the Ecclesiasticks to catch the Wealth and Substance of the People is their Indulgences which they obtain of the Pope from time to time for some Churches or Monasteries which whosoever Visits during such a number of days which serve as a Fair or so many Market Days to the place shall infallibly receive a Pardon of all their Sins provided they give bountifully also to the said Church or Monastery for that is always to be understood and there are very few but what give more or less in such cases Another of their Baits to fish for the Peoples Money is the Holy Relicks as they call them in their Churches Monasteries and Convents And when the Peoples Devotion grows cold for the Old Relicks they never fail of bringing New Shrines or Boxes full of New and Fresh And ordinarily they say they come from Holy Rome It is well enough known that oftentimes those Reliques are pieces of Past-board fashioned like Bones sometimes they are the real Bones of an Humane Creature and sometimes of Beasts as it hath been often proved the Priests and Monks making it the Matter of their Diversion to insult over the foolish Credulity of thâ—… People in this Impudent manner and yet at the same time make them pay for Seeing and Touching those Reliques There are also Miracles to be performed from time to time when the Priests and Monks please by the Statues Images or Bones of some dead Man or Woman under the Name of Reliques or Shrines of some Saints as they call the Bones and Boxes in which they keep them Those Miracles are of great Advantage to the Clergy for by this means they bring abundance of Offerings to their Churches â—…nd Chappels There are moreovâ—…r Legacies Dirges and Donatives whether they be Voluntary by Persons whom they have Seduced or Suborn'd or altogether false which the Priests or Monks forge in order to dispoil Families whereof the World has had Millions of Examples and some such happen every day Auricular Confession is also one of their most Gainful Inventions by which they Shear their Flock four times a Year There are few People who don 't at such times give them a Piece of Money especially those who are guilty of Great Crimes and thereupon theâ—… receive Absolution provided that together with this they do some little troublesome thing which the Priests impose upon them under the Notion of Penance the better to colour that Infamous Traffick and to make the People believe that 't is not for the Money they Absolve them for that would appear odious ev'n to the most dissolute Wretch in the World I take no notice here of the great Advantage the Pope and his Clergy make of this Confession to dive into the Secrets of Princes and Grandees and of all People in General that so they may make their own use of it and take their Measures thereupon to pry into the greatest Secrets of Men and Women which gives the Ecclesiasticks an opportunity to Debauch all the Sex or to squeeze Money out of them for by this means they lead Captive silly Women laden with Sins and carried away with divers Lusts according to the Words of the Text. There 's another thing very Gainful to the Romish Clergy and that is Burials not only in that they sell the Ground at dear rate in their Churches and Convents and that they make a great deal of Profit as I have said already by Masses for the Dead but they get also a great deal of Money for the singing of a multitude of the Priestly-herd at ordinary Interments where there is commonly a great number who have each of them a piece of Money and a good Treat at which they use to fuddle themselves as well as at the Aniversaries above-mentioned I don't here condemn a reasonable Allowance for one or two Ministers or Priests who go before the Corps and cannot subsist without those little Profits or who are there to comfort the Friends of the deceased or to instruct the Company by putting them in mind of their Latter End or to Preach the Funeral Sermons of Persons of great Merit but I condemn only the great Excess of that pretended Church in imploying such a great number of Priests at Funerals without necessity who sing in the Streets like so many Priests of Bacchus things which neither the People nor the greatest part of themselves understand and which occasions a great Charge to the Friends of the deceased who frequently have not one bit of Bread left after they have paid for the Funeral and the Masses that are to be said afterwards for the deceased In my time it was a Complaint at Paris that the meanest person such as a Footman could not be Buried for less than four Pistoles Perhaps the Court has moderated the Charge since they have erected so many Offices of Buriers of the dead and Criers of Burials and that there 's a Tax as I am inform'd of eight Crowns laid on every Burial for the King for it would be very hard that the Priests and the King should squeeze so great a sum from the Poor People all at once upon this Account The Gain which the Priests have by Marriages and Baptisms is also very Excessive Let them in Gods Name have some Profit thence as the Ministers have in England who cannot subsist without it but this matter ought to be moderated and there should be a distinction made betwixt Poor and Rich. At present I confess that those profits of the Popish Priests in France are much diâ—…inished because as times are now there are but few Marriages or Baptisms in that Kingdom These are the most General and Common Methods that the Idolatrous Clergy of France make use of to cheat the poor Ignorant people of their Money and Substance I take no notice here of what they gain by their Schools and Boarders because it may be said in some sense that what they gain that way is honestly got Yet herein also they occasion a loss
hurtful as being contrary to the Salvation of the peoples Souls and the Welfare of the Government The II. Article relates to the excessive multitude of Ecclesiasticks in France which are six to one in England their respective proportions and extents being considered and yet it is known there are more in England than in any other Protestant Country whence it appears that there are proportionably so many more people in France that don't work being idle Fellows for the most part altogether useless nay do a great deal of mischief They are computed at 300000 altogether Males and Females whereof I am sure 40000 Males would be sufficient for the Service of their pretended Church such as it is so that there remain 260000 useless Ecclesiasticks Then it is to be observed that 300000 Adult Persons such as they are worth double the number of others taken out of the common Mass of People especially if we consider that the greatest part of those Ecclesiasticks are Males Le ts reckon the Work then to which those 260000 useless persons ought to apply themselves if the World were not turned upside down only at 3 d. per Day one with another without Victuals and let us suppose also that they work 300 days in a year the unprofitable Holy Days being abolish'd that amounts to above 11 Millions 500000 Livres per Annum pure loss I am willing to abate a Million and a half for the Lace Points c. made by some Nuns and for what some poor Priests and Monks work in their Gardens yet there remains still above 10 Millions of pure loâ—…s without taking notice of the Contagion of their bad example of Idleness which corrupts the people and besides 't is certain that they spend their time in doing mischief I take no notice neither of their Maintenance which is ill bestow'd and another Robbery that they commit on the Nation seeing it ought to be imployed in maintaining others who are more useful and have so much the less as those Ecclesiasticks have too much who are as Drones that eat up the Honey of the industrious Bee This Article amounts to as much as the other for these people as I have said own that by their Professions they are not to Work nor to Marry and so devour the rest of the laborious people that have Families This I say is a Robbery upon the Common-wealth according to that Axiom Non Nobis nati sumus sed Patriae Liberis We are not born for our selves but for our Country and Children Some ignorant people will perhaps say that they pray to God for others I Answer That others either do pray or ought to pray for them So that as to that matter they are ev'n with them But I can tell them besides that God doth not regard the Prayers of the Wicked and their Clergy are every whit as Idolatrous and incomparably more Vicious than the People and that which is worse do make them Idolaters and Seduce them a thousand ways God also hates the Worship and Prayers of Idolaters and Hipocrites especialy Seducers and chiefly when they call themselves Christians because then they make Jesus Christ the Author of their Idolatry and strange Worship which is the greatest of all Impieties Article III. Mendicant-Frâ—…ars in particular are a very great charge to the Kingdom all of them being absolutely needless whereas amongst the Secular Clergy the Bishops with a few Canons Curats and Priests are necessary and fit enough for the ordinary Service of their Church such as it is and those Begging Friars are so much more intollerable than the Endowed Monasteries as by their voluntary Begging and Laziness they are very chargeable to the People who maintain them richly one way or other For ordinarily they Eat the best and Drink abundance of Wine whilst many Honest people who are useful Subjects in the Kingdom have much ado to get Bread by their Labour Those wretched Monks are also highly injurious to the real Poor who are robb'd of so much Alms as those Idle Bellies receive They are moreover greater Hypocrites and more Ignorant than the rest of the Clergy and abundance of handsome Young Women chuse them for their Confessors because of their seeming Devotion and Mortification under which pretext theâ—… commit a deal of Uncleanness It 's suppos'd that there are above 60000 of those Monks in the Kingdom let us reckon then that they cost the Kingdom but 6 d. a piece per day one with another that will exceed six Millions of Livres per annum This is the least they spend for most part of them live in Good Cities or Towns where they fare deliciously but take care as much as they can to conceal their good Chear because that would prevent the Peoples giving them so much I have several times seen divers Spits full of choice Pâ—…llets Venison and Wild-fowl roasting for them in by Houses at a little distance from their Convents where the People followed that way of living and they woâ—…ld tell me that those things were sent out of Charity to the Good Fathers Article IV. All those several sorts of Ecclesiasticks live Unmarried whereas Protestant Churchmen Marry for the most part and contribute to the Peopling of the Kingdom The Popish Ecclesiasticks in France are compâ—…ted as I said at 300000 who being all of 'em Unmarried they render 300000 other Adult Persons which Nature had designed 'em for Wives or Husbands useless for Propagation If the rest of the Nation should do thus it would be entirely extinguished in 50 or 60 years It is observed from the Registers of Births anâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kingdoms that there is near the matter equal proportion betwixt the Birth and Death of both Sexes which is a proof that they are born one for another Now if according to the observation of 〈◊〉 600000 persons double in 〈◊〉 years time and produce 1200000 these 1200000 in 800 years time ought to be Nine Millioâ—…s according to the ordinary progress of Generation But because the number of Ecclesiasticks was not neâ—…r so great at that time as at present foâ—…â—…e nearer we approach to the dregs of Time the more that Vermin multiplies especially since the Reformation by which the Empire of Antichrist was shaken and he endeavours to support it by an extraordinary multitude of Guards and Pensioners who are in the same Interest with himself and moreover because France was nothing near so well Peopled in those days as it hath been since we shall content our selves with a fourth part of those Nine Millions which we suppos'd might have been born in 800 years time if the Popish Clergy had Married Let 's see then to how much that loss might have amounted per annum according to the valuation which we might have made of the People of France 30 years ago I have made it plain elsewhere that without People a Country is worth nothing and that about 30 years ago the people of France might have been valued at 1500
Flambeaus and Torches burning all at once whereas they don't so much see the Consumption of the Oil. But on the contrary the Papists will Judge that the Expence of the Oil is much greater because they see in many Churches 10 15 or 20 Lamps burning all at once night and day and in truth I am of opinion that the expence of the Oil is the greater To convince any Man that it was great let 's suppose there were only 200000 Lamps burning continually in the Churches Monasteries Convents and Chappels of the Kingdom before their pretended Sacrament their Images and Statues in the middle of the Churches to enlighten the Night whether they be fed with Oil of Oliâ—…e Oil of Rape or other Fat yet it 's known that for the most part they spend the best Oil which in many places is brought a great way by Land is very dear and oftentimes the principal Trade of the Grocers and Wax-Chandlers in Cities is to furnish Oil and Wax for the Churches Funerals and Processions I am of the mind that the least we can reckon for every Lamp in 24 hours is 2 d. which at the rate of 200000 Lamps amounts to 20000 Livres per day which is almost 7 Millions per Annum for Oil alone There are many Lamps which spend above 6 d. per day in Oil where it is dear or the Lamps great and have a large wick and cast a great light It is to be considered that there are 27000 Parishes in the Kingdom besides what is in the new Conquests and that there are few Churches nay even in the Country but what have two Lamps and that in Cities there are Churches that have 10 15 20 or above continually burning besides what are in Monasteries Convents and Chappels both in Town and Country There are many places in France as well as in Spain Portugal Italy and other Countries where those that light the Lamps in the Churches maintain their Families perfectly by robbing the Lamps of their Oil and giving out that it is drunk by Night-Owls As to the Wax after having considered it well I believe that formerly it amounted to no less â—…han 3 Millions of Livres per Annum which would in whole amount to 10 Millions but this I submit to the Judgment of such who are more throughly acquainted with those things than I but if it should not amount to above 5 Millions it is still a considerable loss to the Kingdom Article XII concerns their Lent Ember-weeks and other Fast-days as they call them viz. the Fryday and Saturday of every Week with the Orders of Monks and Nuns who are never allowed to eat Flesh Eggs nor Butter All those things occasion abundance of Mischiefs which I shall here present to view that we may be better able to Judge of the great prejudice done to the State by this one Head which is of the greatest consequence 1. By this means great Summs of Money are exported out of the Kingdom for dry aâ—…d fresh Cod Stock-fish White and Red-hering Salmon Pilchards Sardines c. It 's certain that formerly there were several Millions above 6 at least went out of the Kingdom every year for Fish It it be said that the French for a considerable time have Fish'd Cod enough in New-â—…ound-Land It is however certain that 't is not many years since they bought that sorâ—… of Fish from Foreigners and as for the other sorts of Salt-fish they buy them almost wholly still from Foreigners and Protestants 2. These Superstitions prevent the breeding of many Cattel of all sorts and likewise of Fowl in the Kingdom as there would be otherwise because for almost one half of the year they dare not eat any Flesh which by necessary consequence diminishes the Revenues of Land 3. For this very reason of the want of Flesh it is impossible that a Country can maintain and breed up so many people because next to Bread there 's nothing does so much Nourish a Man as Flesh nor any thing that renders him so proper for Labour and Generation They must not pretend to tell me that that Land which is fiâ—… for Feeding Cattle is fit for other things and that what they lose on the onâ—… hand they gain it on the other for 't is very well known that there are many Grounds proper for Cattle Pasturage and Hay that are fit for nothing else and on the other hand suppose that those Grounds were equally fit for Corn Wine or Wood as for breeding of Cattle 't is known that the profit of Cattle is the greatest I have known several Quarters of France that abounded with Meadows along the Rivers where a Load of Hay weighing 2000l weight and drawn by six great Oxen and sometimes two or three Horses join'd to them besides was not worth above three Livres and sometimes not above two and an half which would not have been so but for their Lent and other Fast-days 4. It is known that the profit of Cattel comes with less Expence and Labour for the Cattel go of themselves to the places where one would have them and so save Carriage 5. It is also known that Cattle when they feed are at Work for their Owner without any need of his being present with them so that he may apply himself to some other thing 6. A little Meat with Bâ—…ead nourishes better than three times as much Bâ—…ead alone 7. Cattel give rise to abundance of important Manufactures that imploy and afford Subsistance to great numbers of people such as Wools Hides Horns Suet Butter Cheese c. 8. This want of Cattel makes Meat dear to those imployed in Manufactures and other Handicrafts as also to Merchants whom iâ—… costs a great deal dearer to Victual their Ships 9 It likewise occasions the dearness of Candle Butter Cheese Hides and Wool c. in a Country which is an hindrance to Mechanicks Trade and Propagation and makes other Provisions dearer in general than in those Countries where that Superstition is unknown It particularly occasions the dearness of Bread because the people for want of Flesh-meat are obliged to eat abundance of Bread This want of Cattel occasions also the laying out of great sums in Foreign Rice Hideâ—… Suet Butter Cheese and Fat or Grease for Coaches and other Carriages 10. Those Extravagant Superstitions are the cause of Maladies and Distempers Languishings and of the death of an infinite number of poor people and of Infirm Aged and Scrupulous persons to whom Meat would be more proper than any thing else and yet they cannot have that Relief because â—…hey either cannot or will not give it them or that they dare not eat it because of the Scruples that the Idolatrous Priests have form'd in their Minds so that they suffer extreamly during that time and abundance more people die in that season than in others This Superstitious Lent falls likewise precisely out at a time when the Husbandman and other Country people labour very hard about digging their
the four Ember-weeks and other Fast-days and the Orders of Monks and Nuns had not been set up by Superstition for this occasion'd a neglect in breeding of Cattle and even at present tho' most of the Kingdom lies desolate there would be Cattle enough if Lent were abolish'd and Lands not abandoned and tho' France is at less expence now as to the buying of Foreign Fish than it was before the War yet it still expends very great Summs that way tho' the poorest sort of people in the remotest Provinces from the Sea seldom taste Fish of any sort and ev'n very rarely of Flesh-meat But lest any Body should imagine that I contradict my self in saying that the people of England don't eat less Fish since the Observation of Lent but rather more and that I pretend nevertheless that the notice of such a Superstition does prejudice to the Revenues of Land in France and hinders the Breeding and Consumption of Cattel I shall answer that specious objection I call it specious because it seems that if so be the abolishing of Lent and other Fish-days in England produce that effect that more Fish is eaten in it since it would seem to follow that less Flesh-meat should be consum'd and so consequently if Lent and other pretended Fast-days were abolished in France more Fish would be eaten and less Flesh destroyed I answer that there is no real contradiction in what I have asserted but only a seeming one and that also to those who do not weigh things rightly my reason is this that in England the people have always and at all seasons plenty both of Meat and Fish no place in the Kingdom being very remote from Sea and there being many Rivers full of Fresh-Water Fish and the Tide coming up a great way in many of those Rivers the Sea-Fish is conveyed into the Country at a very small charge They have also plenty of good Cattel so that they may at all times eat that they like best or find cheapest without that aversion which the Tyranny of Imposition occasions when they are commanded upon Eternal Damnation to eat or not to eat such and such things at such and such times whereas France is generally much more remote from the Sea and Fish there very scarce or dear Now in those places at a great distance from the Sea if it were not for the Superstition of Lent and other Fast-days as they call them in those places they would eat much more Meat than they do and more also than is eaten on the Sea-coasts where Fish is more plentiful and cheaper and consequently they should breed more Cattle More Fish would also be eaten in the Sea Ports and other places near the Sea than is eaten at present if it were not for the tyrannous Impositions upon their Consciences which forbids them to eat Meat at such times and creates in most part of them a kind of abhorrency of Fish which they are forced to eat and hence it comes to pass that less Fish is taken in the Sea-Ports than there would be were it not for this Superstition and less Cattle is also bred in the Country than would be were it not for the same Abuse which forbids the eating of Meat above five Months in the Year and so puts all things out of order for by this Means those that live near the Sea are disgusted at Fish which Nature and Providence affords them very cheap nay almost for nothing which would be a great Treasure to them if it were not for the tyranny impos'd upon them and those who live in remote places of the Country and have an opportunity to breed abundance of Cattle and eat Meat very cheap are forced to abstain from it and lose that great advantage tho' they cannot have Fish but at a very dear rate It deserves likewise our Observation that France has lost considerably in respect of the profits they made of their Cattle by the expulsion of the Protestants because they bought those young Cattle Poultry c. in the Towns and Countries where they liv'd which otherwise had been lost or very chargeable to the Owners Article XIII relates to the Injustice Violence and Spiritual Tyranny of the Popish Clergy which causes an unestimable dammage to the Kingdom of France This Spirit of Injustice and Inhumanity which is essential to Popery was the cause of the last War which they kindled secretly and of the last Persecution and of all the Massacres and Civil Wars that have been in France That same Spirit of VIOLENC sets them whenever they meet with Princes obnoxious to them to persecute all those with the utmost fury that differ from them in their Opinions though they have no other Foundation sor them but their own Ambition Pride and Covetousness that Spirit I say of Injustice has been one of the great causes of the Ruin of France I leave it to the VVorld to Judge whether they did not take advantage of the Ambition of that Potent Prince who was perhaps possessed with the design of an Uâ—…iversal Monarchy to make him believe that it was convenient for him in order to aâ—…tain his end to destroy the Reformation in England Holland France and all other parts and under that pretence to bring King James who was known to be a Bigoted Prince into the same design and to oblige him to do all what we know he did 'T is by such Methods as these that the Court of Rome Ruines all the Princes and States of Christendom when she is in any way affraid that they will grow too Potent then to be sure she inspires them by her Emissaries and Confessors with such designs as will lay them desolate and unpeople their Country when at the same time they have no mistrust of any such thingâ—… I shall not offer to compute the dammage done by this Article at any certain Sumâ—… of Money for every one may easily perceive that this is a Fountain of innumerable Mischiefs Article XIV shews plainly how ruinous the Popish â—…lergy is to the State of France in this that theâ—… contribute little to the great Charge of â—…e â—…tion tho' they enjoy the half of all Estates Real and Personal of the Kingdom and â—…ught consequently to pay as much proportioâ—…ably to the King as those do who possess the other half of the Kingdom For the Clergy even at present scarcely pay 10 Millions oâ—…â—…vres towards the 200 Millions which the King hath exacted every year from the Nation one way or other since the War that is to say that the Clergy and Religious Orders as they call them of France who make up perâ—…aps 300000 Souls enjoy as much Revenâ—… as 8 or 9 Millions of other People that may â—…ill be reckoned to be in the Kingdom oâ—… â—…rance or as much as was enjoy'd by 13 or 〈◊〉 Millioâ—…s that might have been in it 30 yeâ—…rs ago â—…nd that tho' every one of the Clergy and â—…uch like Religious Persons have one with aâ—…other
And can any Society be more guilty of this than the Church of Rome who orders those of her Communion to violate all the Commandments of God all the Maxims of Christianity and all the Laws of Nature and Society to Convert Men as she calls it to her Religion Can there be any thing more effronted and impudent than that pretended Church when in her Debates with us she asserts also as I have said already her own Infallibility in Pillaging Ruining and laying Desolate those Nations that submit to her Yoke and likewise by denying that there was any Persecution in France or that their pretended Sacrament is Real Bread c. To what purpose is it to Dispute of Religion with such a Church which for several Ages hath impudently Anathematiz'd those who Communicate in both kinds though she own'd at the same time that Jesus Christ commanded we should do so when he instituted that Sacrament and that the Apostles and Primitive Church did the like It exceedingly delights the Popish Clergy so find the Protestants seriously Disputing against their Ridiculous Doctrines for they value themselves upon it as having Wit enough to make all their Extravagancies seem Problematical at least For it requires as much ingenuity to put a fair colour on their Follies as if a Man should undertake to prove that the Devil loves Truth Justice and Holiness or that that which is call'd Truth and Holiness is False and Sinful What delight would not the Devil take to hear Men Disputing whether he is to be Worshipp'd and Religiously Served as well as God This comparison is not too harsh for in many places of the Scripture the Adoration of Creatures both Animated and Inanimated such as the Papists are guilty of is call'd The Adoration of Devils to drink the Cup of Idols is call'd a drinking the Cup of Devils to Sacrifice to Idols as the Papists do when they Invoke and Adore so many Creatures in Heaven or Earth and when they offer the Sacrifice of their Mass to pretended Saints who are dead and meer Idols that 's call'd in Scripture a Sacrisice to Devils the Adoration of Images of Gold and Silver is joyn'd with the Adoration of Devils And several Doctrines which seem to be none of the most Impious of the Romish Church are call'd the Doctrines of Devils such as is their prohibiting their Ecclesiasticks to Marry and eating such and such sorts of Meat c. I mention all this by the by without quoting the places of Scripture because I am no Divine but those who read the Scriptures know what I say is true They know also that the Romish Church is call'd in Scripture by the Names of Sodom Egypt and Babylon as if the Spirit of God had fought for the harshest Terms to denote to us in some degree the infinite Malignity of the Romish Church which is beyond all Expression and Idea Their Clergy I say take a great delight to see our Divines busied in confuting their Opinions as those who undertake the Apology of Folly do when they see others seriously confuting their foolish Arguments If it were not for the Riches of Popery and the Princes and the numbers of People who follow that Beast and false Prophet according to the Prophecies of the New Testament it would appear to the Judgment of the Papists themselves the most Execrable Religion that ever was and I hope there will come a time when all the World will be amazed to understand by History that there hath ever been in the World such a Portentous and Monstrous Religion as that is I promis'd at the beginning of this Work to demonstrate the great Advantages which the King and Kingdom of France might reap by abolishing Popery in order to shew by that single example what Advantage other Popish Nations might reap by the same and the great ones that England and other Protestant Countries enjoy by the Reformation I shall therefore now say that should it please God to put it into the heart of the K. of France who Reigns at present and who of a long time seems to a great many people to be destin'd to do great things to deliver his Kingdom from the Tyranny of the Pope he would reap abundance of more true glory from it before God and Man than he would have done had he been able to conquer the whole World That would be an Action truly Heroick infinitely greater than any thing he hath done hitherto and would be a clearer demonstration to the World that he â—…ath a Great and Noble Soul This return to God to Himself and to his People would compensate for all the past Miscarriages of his Reign and preserve those great Titles which have either been given him by others or assum'd by himself as also the Glory of all the great things that he may have done Then indeed he would deserve the Title of Most Christian King which can never be properly given to a Popish Prince because Popery and Christianity are Antipodes to one another at least as much as darkness is to ligâ—…t It is well known that ever since he ascended the Throne the honester sort of Papists in that Kingdom have entertain'd hopes that this great and glorious Prince would deliver it from the Popes disgraceful Yoke by creating a Patriarch But the Court of Rome by the pernicious Counsels of her Clergy who have sold themselves to Iniquity diverted him from that design by inspiring him with false Ideas of the Glory and Grandeur he would acquire by extirpating the Protestant Religion which they call Heresie out of his Kingdom that is to say to persecute such True Christians as were in the same with all manner of Fury in order to subject them to the Pope instead of making War upon that Grand Enemy of Jesus Christ the greatest that ever he had or can have It must be confessed that the design of establishing a Patriarch in France was very considerable seeing by that means they had design'd to deliver the Kingdom from a Foreign Yoke as ruinous as possible but it must be acknowledged on the other hand that it would be abundantly and more assuredly Glorious and Advantagious to Reform the National Religion entirely from so many frightful Errors in Doctrine and so great a number of Customs and Superstitions that are pernicious to the State and were introduc'd into the same under the favour of that profound darkness which the Tyranny of the Pope hath spread therein and which in their turn maintain and support that Tyranny For if we consider things duly that horrid Darkness and Ignorance could not have been dissipated by the meer Creation of a Patriarch for notwithstanding that most of those ruinous Disorders represented in the forementioned 18 Articles would still have continued because they are the natural Dependances and Necessary Consequences of the other Principles of the Romish Religion which would have remain'd entire notwithstanding the Creation of a Patriarch the Abolition of the Papal
broke so that there 's no safety in lending it to private Hands besides they are affraid of the Species being cry'd down the same having been augmented one 6th part during the War Thâ—…n the Interest is upon the foot of twelve fourteen eighteen or twenty years purchase more or less and most of those Persons live at Paris on those Revenues Here I shall take notice by the way that above two thirds of all the Kingdoms Money Plate and Jewels are at Paris and that there was plenty of Money in France 15 years ago as 't is necessary for Trade in a Country where the half of all Estates are in Mainmort We must suppose that Court was perswaded that the last War was just and necessary and that the Kingdom was in great danger had it not been for the help of such Methods and they reasoned as that Man who said formerly Praestat aliquam habere Rempublicam quam nullam that is 't is better to have some Republick than none And we must think also that they thought the Kingdom was able soon or late to pay and reimburse all those Loans both Principal and Interest and that the Money was useless during the War in the hands of private Men who had it or might even be prejudicial to the Kingdom if the Owners had applyed themselves to Usury as 't is in such Circumstances in some Countries So that 't is no wonder that the Court having such an Authority made use oâ—… such Ways and Means How then can all those Publick Debts old and new be paid without abolishing Popery How can those who have bought their Places of whom three fourths at least must be Cashier'd be otherwise reimbursed and this last alone may amount perhaps to a thousand Millions besides what is due to those who have purchas'd Augmentations of Salleries and Titles of Nobility which together with other Priviledges sold also must be abolish'd or how can the Interests of all those Debts be paid seeing the Kingdom is every day more and more dispeopled for there 's at least three Women for one Man and by consequence there are but few Marriages and more People die than are born What hopes then can that Kiâ—…gdom entertain from Trade and Husbandry when they have no Men to manage them And besides the continuance of the Persecution will more and more alienate the Hearts of all True Protestant Strangers who either will not Travel or at least not stay any long time in France where so much Perfidiousness and Cruelty abounds against their Brethren and where they cannot promise safety to themâ—…elves for eiâ—…her â—…hey are in hazard of being knock'd on the head by the Furious and Idolatrous People if they don't kneel before their breaden God in the Streets or are always at the Mercy of their Landlords Masters of Exercises or Idolatrous and Bigotted Physitians c. for it is now the mode in France to be mad Bigots and if they fall sick there they will be persecuted to the death in order to make them abjure their Religion Nor can they have leave to eat Meat for six Months almost in the Year without buying Permission of the Priests for they are now more ridiculous in France in those matters than at Rome it self Because the Pope is well satisfied to draw Strangers thither and to have their Money and that France should lose so much by it So that the great proâ—…it which the Kingdom of France did ordinarily reap from Protestant Strangers must reasonably be supposed to diminish considerably There will happen also another Inconvenience by the abating of the Value of Money which must yet of necessity be done and will occasion abundance of disorder in the Kingdom I confess that the abolishing of Popery which we have demonstrated to be so necessary cannot prevent that diminution of the Value of the Coin which is so just but it would occasion that that loss and all the rest would be nothing so sensibly felt by the Kingdom because the Affairs of the King and the Subject both would be abundantly better'd by it I think it necessary to observe here that the Rents of the Town-house of Paris before-mentioned consist in Taxes laid upon all sorts of things that are exported or imported into that City for the use of Man and Beast as Provisions Cattle Corn VVine Cloaths Firing Hay Straw c. Nor is there any thing but what is liable to this Impost whether it be the product of the Kingdom or of Foreign Countries and it is the same as to all manner of Goods Exported from Paris as Manufactures all sorts of things â—… la mode for Dresses either of Men or Women and whether it be to the Provinces of France or to Foreign Countries so that there 's nothing but what pays the very Herbs and Flowers not being excepted About 20 years ago the King had at least 20 Millions of Livres or above a Million and a half Sterling yearly by this Impost but it is without all doubt much diminished at present The Salt alone which is sold at 14 and 15 d. per Pound did formerly yield 1800000 Livres per Annum which was appropriated for the Use of the Kings Table and those of the Officers of his Houshould tho' Paris be nothing near so Big Rich and well Peopled as London and by consequence spends much less Then besides the Tax on all things Imported into that City for the use of Man and Beast which pay by the Gross either at the Gaâ—…s the entrance of the Suburbs or to the Pataches on the River which are Boats with Officers of the Custom-house and Guards to levy the said Tax on all things Imported or Exported by Water there is moreover a Tax laid upon every thing that is retail'd within the City and Surburbs and because that this Revenue must necessarily fall in proportion to the Decrease and Poverty of the People the Court who are unwilling that it should do so augment the Tax on every thing to make up what they lose by this fall of the Revenue which occasions abundance less to be consumed and this Branch of the Revenue to fall more and more and People to suffer Extremly by it Those Taxes are so many that there are several Books writ for ascertaining them It is the same in several of the biggest Towns of the Kingdom and 't is at present the best parâ—… of the Kâ—…ngs Revenues becâ—…use the great Cities are not so Depopulated as the Country But let 's return to our Subject I shall suppose here the Popish Religion to be Good as to its Doctrine and Woâ—…ship and the Protestant Religion False yet the King of France by embracing the latter should be â—…ssoon saved if he paid his Debts reliev'd his People from their Pressures and his Kingdom from a Foreign Yoke which ruines it if he labour'd incessâ—…ntly to Re-establish and Re-people his Kingdom doing Justice to all rewarding such as have been undone by his Service in
THE Political Mischiefs OF POPERY OR Arguments Demonstrating I. That the Romish Religion Ruines all those Countries where 't is Establish'd II. That it occasions the loss of above 200 Millions of Livres or 16 Millions Sterling per An. to France in particular III. That if Popery were Abolished in France that Kingdom would become incomparably more Rich and Populous and the King's Revenues would Advance above 100 Millions of Livres or 8 Millions Sterling per Annum IV. That it is impossible that France should ever be Re-established whilst Popery is their National Religion By a Person of Quality a Native of France Author of The Desolation of France demonstrated LONDON Sold by J. Harris at the Harrow in Little Britain 1698. TO The Honourable THE House of Commons THIS Treatise which I take the Liberty to Dedicate to your Honours with all imaginable Respect was published sometime ago in French and by several Persons of Great Judgment thought not Unworthy to be presented to your view in English because of the Importance of the Matter and the Profit which they thought might from thence redound to Church and State The design of it is to prove by Political Arguments a Method New and Extraordinary that the Romish Religion is the Falsest of any that hath hitherto appeared in the World because it is the destruction and plague of all Countries where it is Established and Ruins Nations more than any other False Religion that we have yet heard of This I demonstrate by the Instance of France and make it evident that Popery occasions the loss of above 200 Millions of Livres per Annum to that Kingdom whence it follows that even as to Temporals the Kingdom of England reaps unspeakable Advantages by the Reformation which hath delivered her from that Cruel and Unsupportable Yoke I have so much the greater Reason to hope that this Book will not be unacceptable to your Honours because it tends more and more to confirm the Protestant Religion in this Kingdom for the defence of which against the Tyranny of Popery you have on all occasions testified an ardent Zeal The tender Care and great Charity which you have manifested towards the poor Refugees who suffer for the said Religion but above all the Courage and Zeal you have discover'd in this last War by sparing nothing that was necessary for the preservation of the Protestant Interest have made it gloriously appear to all the Nations of the Earth that you value neither your Treasures nor your Blood when there 's a necessity of spending them in defence of your Religion And in effect there was no less at Stake than the loosing or preserving it for your selves and your Posterity nay I may say for the whole Protestant World and together with that you must have lost your precious Liberties and all that is dear to you as Men and Christians That it would please God that by your Genenerous Example and Sage Resolves you may transmit to all succeeding Parliaments that same Prudence Magnanimity and Zeal for the Mainteâ—…ance of the Protestant Religion and your Publick Liberties against all Attempts of Popery is and shall be the constant Prayer of him who is with all possible Submission and profound Respect Your Honours Most humble and most Obedient Servant De Soulignê Grandson to M. Du Plessis Mornay THE PREFACE TO THE READER ABout a Year ago I published a Treatise for the Service of this Nation upon the present State of France Entituled The Desolation of France Demonstrated And there in short I made it evident That Popery was the principal Cause of all the Misery and Ruin that hath befall'n that Kingdom The Book was pleasing to this Nation in general but some were apt to think I had aggravated Matters and that the Condition of France was not so bad as I had represented it Amongst others a certain Gentleman of great Parts was pleased to write a Manuscript upon that Subject full of Wit and diametrically opposite to what I had advanced but did not think fit to publish it The Events that happened since have confirmed in part what I then said whereupon that Ingenious Person hath acknowledged in a curious piece lately published That I had Reason on my side for what I had writ in general as to the Condition of France But diverse other Persons of Worth having wished that I would justifie the Proposition which I had advanced in the same Book viz. That Popery occasions the loss of 200 Millions per An. to France which to them seem'd a Paradox I thought my self obliged to saâ—…isfie their desire To this end I publish'd what I had writ upon that Subject sometime ago in French that by the Iudgment which others gave upon it I might be the better enabled to conjecture what was proper to be Added or Corrected in the English Edition which I nâ—…w present to the Publick with several Additions and had done it sooner but for some Reasons not fit to be here related But I supposed besides that People will have more Inclination to Read such Pieces now the War is over during which they lov'd to hear of nothing but bloody Battles and Princes Dethron'd according to the humour of the Romans in Horace his time as he expresseth it in the following Lines Pugnas exactos Tyrannos Densum humeris bibit aure vulgus I doubt not but some people will say That I write with too much heat against Popery To which I reply 1. That those Persons don't know Popery well enough nor have they ever examined it throughly They are misled by some common Prejudices and judge of that Religion not according to its essential Principles and constant Practise but only by the external Behaviour of some that profess it as Laicks who are sâ—…metimes as well Polished Civilized Learned and Honest in outward appearance as Protestants and here those People stop withâ—…ut consulting the Scripture or considering that the Dâ—…ctrine Morals and Tyranny of the Romish Clergy are more becoming Devils than Men. I confess that they are Men and Women as well as others and that there are People morally Honest among them as there are among Pagans Iews and Mahumetans and even among the Romish Clergy there are sone who are honester as to the matter of Society than their Religiâ—…n obliges them to be But those Gentlemen I speak of think there 's no hurt in their Idolatry nor don 't consider the Mischiefs their Religion does to ail Mankind in general because they think it never did them any so that according to this Maxim of theirs all Religions should be alike for there are Rational and Moral People of all Perswasions 2. I may Reply That there was never any Protestant that had more Reason than my self to write sharply against Popery there having been no Man hitherto who hath studied that Point so thoroughly as I have done in Regard of the infinite Mischiefs which it occasions to States as wiâ—…l appear by the following
119. l. 6. as r. an Political Arguments proving that the Popish Religion ruines all those States where it is the Publick Religion TO justifie my Proposition I will make it appear in Eighteen Articles that the Popish Religion occasions the Loss of above 200 Millions of Livers per annum to France The I. Article which concerns this affair is the Cheats of the Clergy by which they pillag'd the People to the Value of 40 or 50 Millions per Annum Thirty years ago when the Kingdom was in a good condition Part of the Methods they took to do this were as follows The Chief are their Masses which they say for the Living and the Dead viz. to deliver the Souls of the Deceased not from Hell but from a place unknown to Scripture nay to God himself which they call Purgatory and to expiate the Sins of the Living who either pay for those Masses or assist at saying them This is the Clergies Greatest Traffick and that which contributes most of any thing to retain all Popish States and Kingdoms under the Pope's Tyrannical Yoke by the multitudes of Priests and Monks that it entertains who are as so many Armies to support that Usurper and who render him Master of all those Kingdoms There are Churches where above 50 or 100 such Masses are said every day upon a great number of Altars as they call them which raises Subfistance for a great number of Priests Monks and did formerly maintain a greater number It is here proper to be observed that to the end they may entertain the greater number of 'em at the same time they recommend the Mass as the principal part of Divine Worship and Religion and oblige the people to frequent it every day the Priests are strictly forbid to say above two per diem except in some priviledg'd places as in Picardy and the Country of Arras because the Parishes there are poor and small Which makes it plain that they have no essential Reason why a Priest may not say divers Maises in one day but that the Court of Rome was resolv'd to maintain as many of her Pensioners or Life-guard men at the Charge of others as she could The Parliament of Paris hath regulated their pay at 12 d. per Mass and in divers Provinces they have not above 5 d. or 6 d. apiece which is as good at least as the pay of Horse and Foot tho' they be more useful and their Calling less dangerous Abundance of Masses are said for the Cure of Diseases both in Men and Women Children Beasts and Birds as Hogs Dogs Geese c. as also for a happy Journey safe return of a Ship a happy Marriage as also for meer trifles as for the finding again of a lost Ring Fork Spoon c. Nay ev'n for success in an Assassination or Plot against a Prince or a Robbery c. That is to say they do really sacrifice as they themselves pretend the Body of Jesus Christ in all those cases and many others of the same nature Being herein more blind than the very Pagans who thought it enough to offer some Cakes or to sacrifice some low-priz'd Animal to their Gods and Goddesses when they pray'd them to succeed their designs according to that of the Poet O pulchra Laverna Da mihi fallere da justum sanctumque videri Noctem peccatis fraudibus objice Nubem tibi farre litabo Which may be Englished ad sensum thus O fair Laverna pre'thee never fail Ore all my Villanies to spread a Vail And thou shalt have thy fill of Cakes Ale I am also well assured that in order to bring Money into the Priests Pocket they have in some places introduced a Custom of playing at Dice and Cards for Masses as well as for Prayers and he that loses pays the Priest who does really next morning as he pretends sacrifiâ—…e Jesus Christ but in an unbloody Sacrifice however for the Expiation of the Winners Sins and Crimes how heinous soever they may be I own that I never saw them play for Masses but have divers times seen them play for Prayers and know no reason why they may not as well play for the other In the time of Pope Leo the Xth. the Preachers of Indulgence plaid for the pardon of the Sins of Towns and Cities in Germany They get also Money by those Masses another way which is that those who assist at them do many times put Money into the Box which falls all to the share of the Priests Sometimes it happens that a dying person orders 100 1000 6000 nay 10000 Masses to be said for the repose of his soul after his death for which his Heirs pay thro' the Nose There are very few Roman Catholicks who are not guilty of this Weakness at their death but if some of those who understand better despise those fooleries upon their Death-bed their Friends who are not so well informed are sure to order Masses for them and pay the Priests for their pains nay the very poorest of them always take care to have some Masses said Besides this there 's every year an Anniversary as they call it for most people which have left any Estate behind them or whose Friends are well to pass that is to say a Mass Sung for the Soul of the deceased by a great number of Priests sometimes 50 or 100 together who must all of them be splendidly treated afterwards where they usually fuddle themselves and each of them must have a piece of Money besides It is then upon the account of the great Profit which the Mass brings to the Clergy that they have made it one of the most essential parts of their Worship The Invention of their Fraternities or Brotherhoods is another grand Method by which they pillage the people who being as Ignorant as Pagans the Monks take advantage of it and perswade them that whoever enters into the Order shall have a share in the Merits of the same nor do they admit them without a considerable Present at first which they oblige them to repeat from time to time Sometimes there are people of Quality of both Sexes nay even Generals of Armies that have been much esteem'd in the World who do so far forget themselves and become so weak as to desire to die in the Habit of these rascally Monks who impose upon them so far as to make them to believe that they cannot fail of being saved and of going directly to Paradice without touching at Purgatory provided they die in the habit of their Order and that the habit of their St. Francis is as much worth as the Baptism of Jesus Christ. Many considerable Persons in the Courts of Justice and abundance of others are guilty of this Weakness as well as silly Women Whence it comes to pass that they serve the Order into which they have entred with all their might and it may be justly said that they divide the Kingdom into diverse Factions who are in a
Livres a piece one with another so that the loss of Two Millions and 250000 souls which is the fourth part of the Nine Millions above-mentioned that might have been born in 800 years time of the Romish Clergy had they been Married amounts to 3350 Millions which being divided by 800 is above Four Millions loss each year and this is so much the more palpable that those Two Millions and a Half of people being added to those that were already in the Kingdom would have increased in Value and have augmented the Value of the Kingdom and of all the People for the better Peopled a Country is the more Valuable it is as is also every individual in the Kingdom so that this occasions an annual loss of Four Millions at least one year with another Article V. The Popish Clergy possesses one half of the Estates Real and Personal in the Kingdom of France which half about 30 years ago we have computed elsewhere at 200 Millions per annum then it is to be noted that those Estates are in Mainmort that is to say lye dead because they can neither engage nor alieâ—…ate 'em nor imploy them in Trade so that they are less advantagious to the Country than if they were in the hands of Men fit for Commerce Handicrafts Husbandry or Manufactures or that those Estates pass'd by Inheritance from Father to Son so that by necessary consequence their being in the hands of the Clergy is very much against the Good of the Kingdom Hence also it follows that the Ecclesiasticks may well increase their own Riches at the Expense of the People whose Estates they are able to acquire whereas the People can never make any advantage of them They are moreover as so many Usurers and make profit from the Industry and Labour of the People by lending them Money at a great Interest which is very pernicious to a State They are in this respect abundantly worse than the Iews who ordinarily are very Covetous spend little and are great Usurers nor are there any Land-Estates to be purchas'd from them because they ordinarily have none Yet they are abundantly more profitable to a State than the Popish Clergy because divers of 'em Traffick by Sea imploy Vessels Marriners and other People of business and do moreover maintain and breed up Families For our better understanding how prejudicial it is to a State to have a great part of their Fund or Stock in Mainmort we must consider that if all the Riches of a State wâ—…re so it could not subsist as the World is managed at present Trade Arts Maâ—…factures Sciences and Industry c. must necessarily fâ—…ll all hope of advancing ones self or of acquiring Estates by Labour and Industry or of distinguishing our selves from others would evanish all people would by this means be alike Wealthy there would be neither Poor nor Rich Knowing nor Ignorant there could be no subordination in any thing and all should be in confusion Such a Nation would be uncapable of making War or defending it self for a Neighbouring Nation whose Funds should not be in Mainmort must immediately become Master of that Nation that were so for by dividing their Funds amongst their Soldiers they would encourage all their Soldiers to take Arms against the other Nation and to dispoil them of all For suppose those two Nations are equal in number of Men and extent of Dominions That Nation whose Wealth is not in Mainmort and has more poor people than Rich according to the usual course of the World might make an Effort twenty times greater than the other seeing their stock is ordinarily of 20 times more value than their Revenue at the 20th Penny So that one very inconsiderable Nation might by this Method easily Conquer the whole World if the Wealth of all other Nations besides it self were in Mainmort for as soon as ever they should have subdued another they would dispose of their Stock in favour of their Soldiers and of all others that should follow their Party If that should take place there would be no such thing as getting of Riches nor would there be any need of Money but people would only Barter one Commodity against another with their Neighbours for a few days and in very small quantities for the use only of a few persons Credit must either be totally abolish'd or extend only to a small part of each ones Revenue and only for a few Days or Weeks and there would likewise be a necessity of assurance that he who borrowed was not already indebted to another in some part of his Revenue Who then would take upon him the trouble of administring Justice if there were no Estate to be acquir'd by his Labour Or who is it would be Physician or Divine or serve the Publick in any Station for nothing Suppose that in such a Country I have an Estate in Land which I cannot Engage and I have a desire to take up my abode in a Neighbouring Nation where their Estates are not so dispos'd in Mainmort and that I have occasion for Two Ten or 20000 l. in Money for something that may be Advantagious to the State or my own Family as carrying on a Trade opening Shop c. Who will lend me that Money if I canâ—…ot Mortgage my Estate Or suppose I have Money to Lend to whom shall I Lend it Where are my Sureties seeing no person can alienate his Estate Whereas when a Man may Mortgage his Estate for ready Money all those Funds enter into Commerce every Industrious and Diligent Person imploys himself in hopes that sometime or other he may get some share of it and thus all is in Motion and Circulates as it ought to do in a Body Politick without which it should not be able to make use of its Members but labour under a Civil or Political Palsie The Soldier hopes to purchase some Estate one time or other Men of Ingenuity and Parts if Poor entertain the like hopes and therefore set themselves to Business â—… good Mechanick or Mariner does the like and so the rest for which there would be no room if Estates were inalienable for in this case Prodigality Liberality Covetousness Industry or Idleness could neither profit or hurt us if there were no Riches and by Consequence no Honours to be acquir'd amongst men Hence then it is clear that the Kingdom of France is depriv'd of the use of one half of its Members because one half of its Substance is in Mainmort for the more of a Countries Wealth that there is so the less they have of Activity Motion Commerce or Credit one among another or with Strangers Hence it comes to pass that Popish Countries who have a great part of their Wealth in Mainmort cannot drive any considerable Trade ev'n tho' their mischievous Religion should not have unpeopled them as it inâ—…allibly does unless they have abundance more of ready circulating Money than other Nations which have more Credit and Hopes for Trade
certain rate but all these would be worth nothing if Real Estates were in Mainmort because there could be neither Industry Commerce Revenue nor Money c. As for Example I have valued elsewhere the Revenues of all the Estates Real and Personal of France and the Fruits of the Peoples Industry altogether at 1000 Millions of Livres per Annum and the whole Stock therein comprehending the people at 20000 Millions at 20 years purchase And likewise in England I have valued the same Stock and product at 550 Millions of Livres per Annum and the whole Stock therein comprehending the people at 11000 Millions at 20 years purchase But if all those Estates were in Mainmort they would not be worth the 10th nay the 20th part so much nor indeed worth any thing but the present enjoyment of the people who would be very few in number as I have already said and like so many Savages having neither Commerce Arts Manufactures Sciences nor Money as has been often said for no Man would work but for himself and his Family and that too but from hand to mouth These and many more are the Inconveniencies that would follow upon having all Estates in Mainmort Lands and Houses are in a State when they can pass from one hand to another like Bills of Assurance or good Security which are worth as much or more than Gold and Silver when those things can pass by way of Commerce there 's less need of Gold and Silver and other personal Effects and if this were not so there would be an immediate Obstruction of Commerce and the State must fall into a Consumption Herein it is that the want of Publick Registers in England is very prejudicial to the Trade of the Nation because for want of this those who would Traffick with diverse persons that have Estates which might be purchased dare not venture â—…pon it for fear that those Estates are already engaged to others which for a time has the same effect to those particular persons as if their Estates were in Mainmort so that the Publick and the Proprietors lose abundantly by this means besides the numerous Suits which are thereby occasioned so that 't is neither easie to sell them nor to borrow Money upon them And hence it is observed that in the Town of Taunton where there are Publick Registers for Lands and Houses thereon depending and for such Estates as are Morgag'd or not Morgag'd that that Town is in a flourishing Condition for that very Reason But tho' the want of Publick Registers be a very great disorder in England yet it comes far short of that which is occasioned by Estates being in Mainmort in Popish Countries For in the first place this may be remedied when the Nation pleases whereas in Popish Countries the Pope and the Clergy who tyrannize there and make their own advantage of those disorders would rather over-turn a Country than sufâ—…er any Reformation as to that Head unless Princes of great Power and Authority such as the present King of France undertakes it In the next place those dubious Funds in England are not perhaps the 20th part of those in the Kingdom neither are they constantly left out of Commerce as are those of the Popish Ecclesiasticks And last of all it 's well known that this is no effect of the Protestant Religion as the disorder whereof we now speak is certainly an effect of the Romish Religion in France But some perhaps may say that Entails are allowed in all Countries which hinders those that enjoy such Estates from alienating them so that they cannot enter into Commerce so long as the Entail lasts and that by the same reason the Popish Clergy may also enjoy Estates that are inalienable without any great inconvenience I Answer That those Entails don't take place but where Men can't do better that it is an inconvenience and not an indifferent thing but besides it is not usual for the Entail to be perpetual only for a little time for assoon as the Children in whose favour it is made become Masters of the Estate it returns again into the Publick Commerce and may be Morgag'd and Alienated and pass from one hand to another either in whole or in part 2. There is not perhaps the 200th part of any Country so entail'd all at once and there 's no reason to doubt but in a well-govern'd State where the Governours have sufficient Authority they would find a Remedy for those Entails if there were too many of them and that they would find out some other Method for ensuring the Estate to Infants or Heirs without having the Estate cut off from the publick Commerce 3. But besides that this is not so common it must be agreed that there 's much more reason to have regard to poor innocent Children whom a Father that 's an ill Husband might ruine and who may one time or other be very useful to the Publick who are moreover recommendable for the sake of their Grandfathers Grandmothers or other Ancestors whose Memory is dear to the Publick I say there 's more regard to be had to those Infants to whom that Estate ought Naturally and Lawfully to be transmitted by Hereditary Right than to Ecclesiasticks who have no Natural nor Acquir'd Right to those Estates and who are besides unprofitable for the most part to a State scandalous Persons and iâ—… whose hands and those of their Successours the half or more of the Wealth of a Nation is always to remain cut off from Publick Commerce But perhaps some Opinionative Persons may say that to carry on the Trade of a Nation 't is enough that the half of the Wealth of a Country is not in Mainmort which is just as much as if he should say that it is as good to have half the Body Paralitick and depriv'd of the use of half of its Members as not to be so at all because they still live in that condition But who is it that does not perceive that it is a distemper'd and a languishing condition and that in such a case a Man cannot do half the business that he might do if he were in perfect health It cannot be reasonably denied that the more vigorous a Body is the better it does work so that the more Credit there is in a Nation the more all its effects are in Motion the more Arts Industry Agriculture and Commerce flourish there and the Country becomes Populous in proportion What a mighty disorder then does it occasion that all those Monks and Priests who are the Subjects of a Foreign Prince seeing they have taken the Oaths to him and who is moreover of necessity the Hereditary Enemy of the State should be thus with all their Wealth sequestred from the State in respect of all those things wherein they might be useful to it viz. in regard of Imposts and the Charges of the State and Trade as also in regard of Propagation and Obedience to their Sovereign as other
Subjects that they I say should be no otherwise united to a State but so as to ruine it and enrich themselves by its Spoils Let us suppose the Estates that are in Mainmort among the Ecclesiasticks possessed by Merchants or Tradesmen the Commerce would have been much greater in FRANCE and by Consequence the Kingdom should have been more rich and potent Let us suppose that they had been in the hands of the Generals of Armies Collonels and other Military Officers who like the Turkish Timariots should entertain upon those Estates so many thousands of Married Men as might Cultivate them What an incredible ease would that give to the poor people who should thereby be reliev'd from the Burden of Maintaining so many Troops what increases of People and wâ—…at Riches would not that produce Or let us suppose that those Estates were in possession of people of Quality or others who either had serv'd or might serve the King in his Camp tho' not in the manner of Timariots they would spend those Estates in the service of the King by doing him Honour at Court or Generously in fine Buildings Sculptures Paintings Gravings or other Magnificent Curiosities and Ornaments which would Embellish and Set off the Provinces and Towns make Arts to flourish imploy a vast number of people and cause Money to circulate incessantly from one hand to another Or suppose they were possess'd by Laicks of all ranks indifferently as the other half of the Estates of the Kingdom are at present and that as to other things the Government should remain on the same footing as it is at present which however is not much to be desired The King in that case should mightily increase his Revenue the Officers of Justice of the Police or Discipline of Cities and those of the Treasury as also those of the Imposts and all their Train would get twice as much Riches as they do except their number should be Augmented in proportion In which case the King would be enrich'd by the sale of great number of Places It 's true the people should always continue miserable if they were as much Tax'd in proportion but the King's Revenues would be doubled Nay the very name of Mainmort imports that those Estates in such hands are unprofitable to the Society I have enlarg'd a little upon this Article beyond what I intended because it is of the highest concern in Politicks and that I have met with several Men of Parts who did not â—…ightly apprehend the Mischief of having so much wealth in Mainmort Article VI. relates to the great Quantity of Plate which they have in their Churches and Convents and in those places they call their Treasuries as St. Denis near Paris Notre Dame de Liesse and des Ardillieres and other places of that nature This one Superstitious and Foolish Custom must needs have robb'd the Publick Commerce of divers Millions at such time as the Clergy had amass'd a great quantiâ—…y of it as before this War which was the true cause that a great part of it was melted down by the King's Order Suppose that in the whole it had not exceeded 20 Millions that would have at least amounted to several Millions amongst the people per Annum However I will not take upon me to determine how far this loss extended because I dont know what quantity of Plate they had for the Popish Clergy never tell the truth in these cases and very seldom in any others Article VII Relates to the constant practice of their Clergy in hoarding up Money which is of more importance than the preceding Article for seeing many of them possesses great Revenues and are neither allowed to Trade nor to Marry and by consequence have no lawful Off-spring they do ordinarily betake themselves to the amassing of vast sums of Money under the pretext of providing for their Nephews and Neeces as the Popes do and they don't provide for them neither for the most part till after their death which is doubly prejudicial to Commerce It hath moreover been the constant Observation of such persons that they are very Covetous and don't love to give Alms to the Poor altho' they be thereunto obliged by the intention of their Founders so that taking of their Avarice for granted which is inâ—…eparably annex'd and natural to that sort of people together with their sordid Principles of Parsimony at least in all their Communities where they spend little in comparison of their vast Incomes tho' at the same time they eat and drink a great deal These things I say being taken for granted as they are certainly true there 's ground to believe that all their Clergy together Secular and Regular of both Sexes might have constantly before this War at least 50 Millions of useless Money to the Publick in their Coffers or the hands of the Publick Notaries Whence 't is easie â—…o perceive that the Publick lost considerably by this Money which in Commerce would have brought abundance of profit to the Kingdom helped to pay Taxes imployed abundance of people and contributed to Propagation This Article must certainly amount to sevâ—…ral Millions I will not determine how many but without doubt this and the preceding Article are to be reckoned at 8 or 10 Millions loss per Annum at least Article VIII relates to the Ridiculous Festivals that they observe wherein the poor Idolatrous People lose their time besides the Debaucheries which this abuse occasions indispensibly in Popish Countries which together can't be reckoned at less than â—…50 Millions of Livrâ—…s loss per An. For supposing that the Industry of the Nation might have been formerly valued at above 600 Millions per Annum as I have made it appear elsewhere if it were not for the abuses of Popery whereof this is one of the most prejudicial Supposing I say there are above 50 working days lost in a Year by Festivals in general without reckoning Sundays and some remarkable Festivals that would be the 6th part of the peoples Industry lost which amounts to 100 Millions per Annum We must also take notice that besides those general Festivals and Holy days there are many particular Festivals viz. those of every Parish who have their particular Saint whose Image they adore according to the Doctrine of their Councils the Festivals of Saints for every Profession Trade and Distemper when they practise the like the Festivals of Beasts or Saints that are Patrons of Beasts so that there 's much above the 6th part of the peoples time lost I confess that the time of those Holy-days is not absolutely lost for then they mind House-keeping dress Victuals and take care of their Cattle on Sunday c. and some other profitable things are done as Travelling by Land and Sea and Mariners are imployed on those days as well as others which to observe by the by is still a great advantage that Protestants and Trading Nations have above others who have not so much Trade by Sea But then if
Vines Dunging their Ground Sowing their March Corn and Manuring their Gardens so that the Peasants are in much the worse condition to work that they are ill fed not being allowed to eat Flesh-meat and their Garden Stuff being many times spoil'd by the hard Frosts in the Winter 11. Besides this the Lent falls just at the end of Winter when the Poor Sickly and Ancient people have suffered more than they do ordinarily at other Seasons and instead of recovering strength as they would or might do were they allowed to eat such good Meat as the Season affords as fresh Eggs Lamb Veal Kids Pigs c. instead of that the Lent compleats their ruin and kills them 12. Lent and their other pretended Fast-days and their Monks and Nuns that never eat Flesh destroy all the Fish in the Rivers without a possibility of being stock'd again nay they hinder those of the very Ponds from coming to maturity or a competent growth 13. It occasions abundance of people to lose their time by Fishing iâ—… those Rivers without almost catching any thing because they wilâ—… have Fish and can have no other but such 14. Lent occasions the loss of the Advantage and Income of Eggs which are good aâ—… that time and they don't know what use to put them too and after Lent they are either too Old or of no Value 15. It 's a shame to humane nature to see those Excesses which the poor Idolatrous Papists are guilty of during the time of the Carnaval when they conceive they have a priviledge to dishonour violate and degrade their nature by all sorts of Infamy Excess and Disorders and by their Masquerades and changing the habit of their Sex to make themselves amends for being condemned by their Priests to eat no Flesh during Lent and when that is over they believe themselves authoriz'd again to commit the like Riots at Easter which is so much the more dangerous to the health of many people that they â—…ed slenderly before in hopes of being sooner delivered from the Fire of Purgatory after their Death 16. Lent and other Fast-days which the Priests command them to observe on pain of Eternal Damnation makes them disrelish and loath all Sea and Shell-fish and are the cause that there are fewer Mariners and Fishers than otherwise there would be because people do without Comparison eat abundance less of Sea-fish than otherwise they would do and by this means the Kingdom loses a great advantage and an inestimable Revenue which Nature presents to them without Trouble and Charge 17. The Country people throughout the whole Kingdom lose abundance in the time of Lent of what they might reap from their Calves Lambs Kids Pigs and other young Animals that are bred during that time and have for the most part need of the Milk of their Dams for either the Peasants must dispense with the want of that Milk which does highly incommode them or else they must throw part of those Creatures to the Dogs They lose also by their Poultry which they can neither Eat nor Sell and yet must keep them tho' many times they have not Corn to feed ' em 18. The Country People do many times lose part of their great and small Cattel by the Lent for if the Winter be long and the Spring backward and they have not gathered together abundance of Forage the year foregoing their Cattel die of Hunger which would not be if they were either allowed to Sell them to the Butcher or to Eat them themselves 19. The Peasant not daring to eat neither Flesh nor Eggs because they are forbid to eat them under the Notion of a great Sin and having no Fish to eat because it is scarce and dear nor Roots nor Herbs because the Winter has destroy'd them they are oblig'd to maintain themselves by the Milk of their Cows which occasions their Calves beiâ—…g starv'd and is partly the cauâ—…e why the Cattel are so Poor in France and this occasions an incredible prejudice to the Kingdom 20. There 's more counterfeit Devotion at that time than at others which exhausts the Purses and wastes the time of those poor Ignorant people I say nothing of those Monstrous Opinions unworthy of God and Man which these base and foolish Superstitions do nourish and maintain as if it were more pleasing to God to see people eat Fish or Pulse than to eat Flesh and at one time rather than another I say I wont speak of those things here for that belongs more to Divines than to me For all these Reasons above-mentioned and others I make no scruple to say that the keeping of Lent does above 50 Millions of Livres prejudice to the Kingdom of France per Annum And being upon this Subject it may not perhaps be unseasonable to confute the Errors of those who fancy that Lent and other Fast-days are advantagious to a Nation because say they it saves abundance of Cattel puts people upon Fishing and consequently to the getting of more profit by Sea than they would otherwise do and by that same means also more Seamen are bred I confess that Lent and Feast-days are useful to some Nations not by observing them themselves but by selling Fish to those who do so as the English Scotch Dutch c. who furnish the French and others In England the Nation was quickly sensible that the keeping of Lent was a mistake in Politicks for after Lent had been observed there a while since the Reformation on pretence of â—…ome such Political Reasons as the encouragement of Fishing c. they soon left it off because they â—…ound it did more hurt than good They saw it did not increase the number of Seamen but rather diminish'd them and that there was not more Fish taken and spent but rather less by reason that people being under that Servitâ—…de were disgusted with it and did eat it against their will upon the very Fish days and could not at all endure it at other times whereas they eat it at all times indifferently now and there 's constantly good store of all sorts to be found at the Fishmongers as well Sea as Fresh-water-fish and all sorts of Shell-fish so that now those who love Fish better than Meat may please themselves which they could not do if they were tyrannically commanded to do it Besides Fisher-men could not then make their constant Trade of Fishing but only in Lent and about Fridays and Saturdays whereas they both can and do fish actually every day 'T is true France does not afford such plenty of Fish meat as England but this must also be granted that the people in France who have Means do not feed so much upon Meat even on Flesh-days as they call them as the English commâ—…nly do and beâ—…ides most part of the French have not wherewith to do it But I say further that France is in greater want of Fish than of Flesh and that there would have been Flesh enough in the Nation if Lent
a part of the Kingdom than a Cancer is which devours the Body that it seizes on or thaâ—… a Palsie which renders diverse of the Members of the Body useless can be a part of the same and this is so much the truer that the Clergy as I have already said acknowledge the Authority of and have sworn Obedience to another Sovereign Prince who must of necessity be a natural Enemy to France because of the Usurpations that he hath made and designs to make oâ—… that Kingdom in which he cannot maintain his old nor make new Usurpations without eâ—…feebling the Kingdom from time to time proportionably as he sees its power and the Authority of the Kings Increase and to this end he serves himself of his Ecclesiasticks who under a Cloak of Religion have attain'd a mighty Credit and are maintain'd on the Fat of the Land at the Expence of others and that which is a wonderful thing have their Generals in great number and Garrisons in all Ciâ—…ies consisting of diverse Regiments of diâ—…erent Liveries that is to say the different Orders of Ecclesiasticks who under Spiritual Pretences enjoy the Temporal Estates of the Kingdom keep Princes and Subjects under the Popes Yoke and so Constitute one formidable Empire within another Imperium in Imperio It is certain tho' it can't be denied that the Taxes in France are excessive that if the Clergy had contributed proportionably to their Revenues with the rest of the People the Kingdom had been worth one half more than 't is except the King had augmented the Taxes in proportion and in that case he would have almost doubled his Revenues If the Clergy had paid the share they ought to have paid of the Impositions the Kingdom would have been much less harras'd and ruin'd than it is so that this Article reaches a great way throughout the Kingdom That we may the better understand it suppose that any Man has two Slaves or two Carriage-Horses of equal streâ—…gth in his possession capable of working or carrying considerable burdens it is certain if he work them equally and load neither of them above their ability that both of them may hold out a long time but if he overcharge the one excessively to ease the other that which is overloaded cannot hold out but must languish by degrees and become unable either for Work or Carriage except it be little or nothing and does quickly die Suppose then that it does not hold out above half the time that it might have done had it been treated as the other or that it does not work half so much as it might have done otherwise there is one half lost or if it hold not out or work not above a 4th part that is three fourths loss Thus it is with the people of France they are much less profitable to the King and State than they would be if the Clergy bore one hâ—…lf of the charge of the Kingdom as they ought to do I believe this Article may amount to forty or fifty Millions per Annum for besides the Taxes from whence they are exempted they are not subject as I have already said to any of the Vexations which are committed in the Levying 'em nor to quartering of Soldiers nor are they pillag'd by Civil Officers Farmers general and their Underlings but on the contrary they pillage them Article XV relates to their Practice and Morals I mean those of the Clergy this occasions an infinite number of Crimes which are committed without Scruple nay they think they merit Heaven by the Commission of them for they Act them by a Principle of Conscience The Mischiefs which they have committed on the Account of their pretended Religion are to be ascribed to their Morals They have Consecrated and Canoniz'd Perfidiousness Cruelty Murther the Ravishing of Matrons and Virgins and the Stealing of Children and Estates It is not easie to compute this loss in Money but all people of Sense must needs perceive that this does ruin or very much incommode Trade Arts Manufactures Navigation and all sort of Handy-labour for the Persecutors as well as the Persecuted suffer incredibly thereby without mentioning the value of the Men and Women whom they Massacre and Kill in a hundr'd manners either all at once or gradually This doth moreover occasion a general and incredible Corruption in the whole Nation for people perceiving that the Crimes committed on the account of Religion which of all things in the World ought to be the most Sacred are not punish'd but applauded and rewarded by the Clergy or at their Suggestion by those who govern them they readily conclude that if it be lawful to Commit such things for the good of the Church it is more lawful to Commit them for other ends By this means the people become desperately wicked at the heart and if they were not afraid of Secular Justice would become a meer Society of Thieves and Robbers That we may the better understand this let us suppose that the Civil Magistrate should approve Crimes in the same manner promise Heaven to the Criminals and reward them also in this life as the Clergy have compensated those who were the most Zealous in committing all sorts of Cruelties and Indignities against the Protestants I say if the Civil Government should thus countenance the Destruction of Honest and Substantial Men all humane Society must be forthwith dissolv'd and unable to subsist Or otherwise let us suppose that a multitude of Villains should prevail over Mankind and commit all imaginable crimes out of a principle of Conscience in order to oblige Men to say that they believe an Onion a Tree a Stone or an Horse are adorable and deserve the Worship which the Papists call Dulia and Latria as well as God and force them in effect to Invoke and Adore those Creatures and that this numerous multitude of Villains should call themselves Infallible at the same time and by all sorts of Cruelty and Torture force people to acknowledge them as such and that none durst oppose them on pain of losing their Liberty Estate Honour and Life what unspeakable disorders would this occasion in a State For honest Men who would not be guilty of such unbecoming unmanly practices should be outragiously persecuted put to death by their Orders and the multitude would think themselves oblig'd to take party with those Villains to avoid their own Ruin and for fear of becoming suspected to those Wretches become as wicked themselves But the Divine Providence hath not permitted humane Justice to be deprav'd to that height as is the Religion of the Church of Rome which is abundantly more wicked than the most wicked of Men and herein it is directly opposite to other Religions which tho' they be wicked in themselves do nevertheless teach better Morals than those of the people that profess them whereas on the contrary the Laicks of â—…he Church of Rome are more honest and less Villainous than their Religion I think it
proper also to observe in this place that setting aside the Interest of that which they call their Religion and their Church which relates wholly and finally to the Profit or Ambition of the Ecclesiasticks the Clergy of the Church of Rome consider'd as to their Civil Life are not much wickeder than their Laymen as I have already said which proves that the Devil Reigns principally in that Church in regard of the Legislative Authority of Popery as it relates to the Affairs and Interest of their Religion and Church that is to say of the Pope and his Guard of Pensioners or Catchpoles This excepted I have known many honest enough Men of their Clergy nay even of the Jesuites whose conduct as to Civil Life was near the matter as good externally as those of their honest Laicks And there are diverse Persons who assure me that how abominable soever the Court of Rome may be in general as their Principles and Maxims have been for several Ages yet there are Prelates nay even Cardinals among them who have very good Moral Qualities and are persons of Merit Article XVI relates to that Spirit of Despotical Government with which the Church of Rome inspires Princes in regard of their Subjects This is it that hath produc'd the Severity of the Government of France which hath so much contributed to the Desolation of that fine Kingdom The Jesuites especially do infuse it in Princes who are ruled by them not only in matters of Religion but likewise in Affairs of Political Government by advising them to make use of the most Absolute Authority because that how much the more the Princes whom they govern are Authoriz'd and Fear'd of their Subjects so much the more are the Jesuites their Tutors Authoriz'd and Dreaded also France smarts at present under the Effects of this and England has but lately escap'd the like danger That Spirit of Tyranny which makes up a great part of the Essence of Popery is yet more peculiar to the Society of the Jesuites than to any other in Popery and it is known that the Principles of their Order as they call it do give their General an Absolute and Unlimited Power to Command and to do what he lists wherein they are to render him a Blind-fold Obedience It 's also known that they look on the Popes pretended Monarchy over the Universal Church and World to be the most perfect Pattern of Government in assuming to himself the Authority to destroy all Nations and Persons in Soul and Body that oppose his temporal Interest The Church of Rome reaps great advantage from this Despotical Power of the Princes of her Communion for those Princes being govern'd by their Confessors who are govern'd by Rome the more Authority those Princes have the more the Pope hath over all the Kingdom and then this great Authority of the Princes is imploy'd to oppress those they call Hereticks both within and without their Dominions and to purchase more Slaves to the Pope or otherwise they ingage them in War for humbling some Popish State that the Court of Rome would have brought low and many times with a design to ruin that very Prince whom they so engage in War For it is highly the Interest of the Court of Rome that their Neighbouring Nations be kept poor because that Spirit of Bondage Slavery and Ignorance which is so useful and agreeable to the Religion which they impose is not consistent with the Liberty of a rich people and the Popes are constantly affraid that if the Dominions of those States and Princes that are subject to him be very populous and rich they will at sometime or other shake off their Yoke This is it they had in view by inspiring the French King with a design to ruin his Protestant Subjects so manifestly contrary to the true Interests of France and the Kings Honour That same was the reason of their engaging him in a War against so many Potentates all at once to the end they might weaken him and prevent his setting his thoughts upon Enterprizes a thousand times more great glorious and profitable such as that of delivering his own Kingdom from the Slavery of the Pope and so many foolish Superstitions of Popery of which the honest Papists themselves are ashamed and also that they might prevent his pushing on his Conquests on the side of Italy where he might have made War with much more success and advantage than against so many powerful States and strong Towns as he had to rencounter elsewhere Article XVII relates to the Incontinence and Whordom of the Romish Clergy which is a large Field and much might be said upon it but many Authors have enlarg'd on this Head already It 's known to every Body by Experience that the Celibacy of that wretched Clergy is the source of an Universal and Loathsom Impurity among them and that the least Crimes committed by those of that Order are Fornications and Adulteries It 's well enough known that their Divines teach that Sins against Nature of every sort don't render an Ecclesiastick Irregular but Marriage does and that their Casuists do continually cram their Books with Extenuations of those Crimes and add more and more Fewel to the impure Flames by their obscene Questions and the Niceties and Subtleties they have found out to advance and encrease those impure pleasures It is also known that the Pope Authorizes Publick Stews and Protects them in order to draw a considerable Revenue from them but it is not so universally known that to advance the Reputation of that Crime which indeed is not accounted any by the Court of Rome the Popes will not suffer any Women to prostitute themselves unless they be Christians and therefore by order of his Holiness Jewish Pagan and Mahometan Women who have a mind to set up that Trade at Rome must first be Baptized This makes it the more relishing to Anti-christ to think that Jesus Christ is thereby the more offended But seeing the Church oâ—… Rome is already branded in the Holy Scriptures with the Name of Sodom and the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth both upon the account of her Corruâ—…tion and because of her Idolatries Hereâ—…ies and Blasphemies we have no reason to doubt that she is so and therefore I shall not insist upon this as a Vice which is so much favoured and nourished by that Church but only in relation to the infinite number of Mischiefs which it occasions in humane Society It many times happens that the Popish Princes are no better in this respect than the Clergy that hath corrupted them or don 't teach 'em their duty in this matter so that being wholly given up to Unchastity themselves the Subordinate Magistrates and Officers are corrupted by their Example and consequently take no care to suppress that Vice which ruins and lays wast Nations and fills them with all sorts of Crimes for experience teaches us that this one Crime draws all others after
Authority only being excepted Besides such an Inconsiderable Change as this the rest of the Popish Religion being continued would neither have been Advantagious for the Salvation of Men Glorious to the King nor Profitable to the State For Idolatry and the other Heresies remaining there would have always been an Impossibility of being saved in that Religion and the greatest part of the Oppression attending it being also continued the people would have had but little relief by it nor would the King of France have reap'd the fourth part of the Advantage which he might expect from a thorough Reformation Neither is it to be thought that so small a change could be solid and durable for at the bottom it 's certain that it 's the Popes who have made the Religion of the Church of Rome to be what it is either by corrupting the Doctrine of the Apostles or Adopting the Idolatry and Worship of the Pagans or by Forging now and then new Articles of Faith for their own private Interest and that of their Clergy And it is certain that their Religion is founded on no other Authority but that of the Pope and therefore Cardinal Pallavicini had reason to say in his History of the Council of Trent call'd by some his New Gospel Tutti gli Articoli della Religione unitamente considerati non hanno altra certezza prossima ed immediata che l'Autorita del summo Pontefice i. e. that all the Articles of their Religion considered together have no other certain and immediate foundation but the Authority of the Pope So that if we reason consequentially from this Principle the Popish Religion cannot be preserved but by the preservation of the Papal Authority from which it derives all the Authority that gives it any value in the eyes of the World It is also probable that if a greater Reformation were not made immediately upon the Creation of a Patriarch the Popes Authority would be again Re-established â—…or he should without doubt have always a great Party in the Kingdom under the â—…avour of that horrid Darkness which must have continued therein if it had been no other but for the Jesuites and Monks who would be constantly Jealous that the Patriarch would pair their Nails One Party of the Nation would always have entertained a Correspondence with the Popes Friends being united by their Communion in the same Religion excepting the Opinion of the Authority of the Pope tho'some would have made semblance of rejecting that too for fear of their King yet they would effectually endeavour the Re-establishment of the Papal Authority And so much the more that the Court of Rome would have been prodigal of their Treasures and have spar'd nothing on this occasion to maintain their Tyranny And moreover iâ—… the King who had created a Patriarch should come to have died before the Reformation should have been compleated and a Prince of less Authority had Succeeded there would have been an end of the Patriarchat This erecting of a Patriarch would not have pleased the Popish Princes neither so that they would have joyned with the Pope and the Party that adher'd to him in France and would either have stirr'd up Civil Wars there or have made War upon it themselves Nor could this imperfect Change have satisfied the Protestant Princes who would always have look'd upon France as Idolatrous and Heretical and ready to return again to wallow in that mire whence she had made some Effort to get out and begun to lift up her head so that they would never put any confidence in her It should happen to France in this case as it always happens to Neutral Princes in the quarrels of Neighbouring Potentates their Neutrality does not reconcile them with their Enemies nor yet procure â—…hem any Friends Neutralitas neâ—… Amicos pariâ—… neque Inimicos tollit saith Tacitus In such cases we must be either t'one or t'other and avoid that which is call'd Consilia Media Such a faint Reformation would have serv'd for nought but to awake all the Malice of the Pope and the Mischievous Ecclesiasticks of the Kingdom who would have reap'd the same Advantage from this that a strong Man does from the Impotent Menaces of his Enemy which serve only to put him on his Guard and set him at Work to prevent the threatned Mischief according to the Italian Proverb Le Minaccie sono l'Armi del Minacciaâ—…o Threats sound an allarum to the threatned Man to take Arms either to deâ—…end himself or offend his Enemy as occasion requires Whereas if the King of France did not do things by halves but should together with his Subjects renounce all at once the false Doctrines Worship Superstition and Abuses of the Church of Rome and Free his Kingdom from that Tyranny by Establishing the light of the Gospel to enlighten his People amongst whom it is hid under a Candlestick he might assure himself that such an Evangelical Reformation would be followed by unexpressible Advantages to himself and his People both in regard of Temporal and Eternal Life Some may perhaps object that such a compleâ—…t and sudden Reformation must needs shake the Kingdom of France and that there 's no passing so suddenly from one Extream to another without danger that is to say from the thick darkness of Popery to the bright shining light of Christianity and therefore it muâ—…t be done gradually as our Saviour did when he restored sight to the Blind they did not at first see all Objects disâ—…inctly but Men walking like Trees and that God does not make us pass from the dark night to the bright day but by the dawning of the Morning and therefore according to that Wisdom it were proper first to Establish a Patriarchat in France before they endeavour a Gospel-Reformation To this I answer That as to the Authority of the Pope which the Creation of a Patriarch would have over-turn'd all the Parliaments of France and amongst others that of Paris all Persons of Learning Sense and Honesty ev'n amongst the Clergy themselves do not acknowledge that Authority in their heart nay they despise all other Doctrines contrary to those of the Protestants as being evidently false or unprofitable The Kings Authority and the Respect or Fear that they have for him are the only Ties which retain them lest he should destroy or ruine them if they did â—…urn Protestants They have had many Doctors of a long time who have opened their Eyes in regard of the Popes Authority and diverse other such Doctrines as the Chancellor Gerson and the Drs. Richer de Launoy the Author of the Book call'd Les Moyens Seurs Honnetes Sure and Honest Methods Elias Du Pin and many other without mentioning the Books of Protestants and besides the Jansenists the New Philosophy and the present Quietists do something of that Nature And there 's ground of hope that all the Nation will be moved at the infinite number of Mischiess which Popery occasions in the State when they are
set before their Eyes We must also consider that the Rigor and Length of the last Persecution of France nay which continues still and hath been one of the longest and most cruel that ever the Christians endur'd since the Establishment of Christianity that grand Rigor I say and the continuance of the Persecution have giv'n occasion to all Persons of the Romish Communion who had not absolutely divested themselves of all Conscience and Humanity and become perfect Bruits to inquire into those Opinions â—…or which the Protestants have suffered and suffer still so many evils and have found them Reasonable and Christian contrary to what the Monks represented them to be and diverse of the honestest of their Clergy-men who were formerly very Ignorant have instructed themselves in them All of them have been terrified to find so much Courage Firmness Humility and surprizing Patience amongst an infinite number of Persons of all Sexes Ages and Conditions which made them to think that in all this there was something Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are also surpriz'd to find by the Zeal which those poor People discover at present when persecuted in diverse places with the utmost rage that they are less Papists than ever which occasions many thoughts of heart amongst those who have any Judgment Besides the bad success of that Persecution which hath been accompanied with this long and bloody War a violent Famine and the dethroning of the late King James with whom it was concerted and which in fine hath issued in the ruine of the Kingdom of France hath made it evident that it was not a WoÅ•k which God approv'd and that he did without all doubt avenge himself on the Nation for their perfidiousness and cruelty committed against his People at the Instigation of the Court of Rome and the Clergy of France and those who are not judicially blinded or have any Sense of God upon them understand and perceive clearly that God concern'd himself in the Cause of the Protestants and the Evils they Suffered Which ought to be another strong Argument to incline the Papists to embrace the Protestant Religion So that there 's no cause to doubt but the People of France have a mighty disposition to shake off the Popes Yoke and to embrace the Doctrine of the Gospel if the King of France would declare himself for it above half the business would be done Never Prince had nor can have so fair an occasion to acquire Immortal Glory and to render his People happy as the King of France has at present in putting that great Work in Execution for besides all the Dispositions thereunto abovementioned he hath the most Authority in his Dominions of any Prince in the World and hath the finest and most numerous Army that ever was seen in France and if he should sâ—…and in need of any assistance to carry on a Work so Glorious so Magnificent and Advantagious to Mankind there 's no doubt but the Incomparable William and other Protestant Powers would lend him their helpiâ—…g haâ—…d It seems that the present State of the Kingdom of France doth moreover indispensibly require this general Reformation and the abolition of the Papacy to the end the King may appropriate to himself all or at least the greatest part of the Riches of the Church which belong to no Body and whereof he might dispose for the â—…afety of the State without any Injustice by which means he would be enabled to pay his Debts to every one and to prevent a Civil War which seems to threaten France unavoidably if there come a K of lesser Authority than Lewis the XIV by reason of the desperate Condition into which People of all ranks are upon the brink of being reduc'd because of the ill condition of their Affairs All his Troops seem to require it also to prevent their being cashier'd for they must either perish in Foreign Countries or starve or be hang'd at home the great numbers of brave Officers and Noblemen ruined by the Kings Service do also require it and 't is a thousand times more just that they should be compensated by the Riches of the Church which belong to no Body but the King and State than that they should be enjoy'd by such an Herd of Scandalous and Unprofitable Ecclesiasticks The great numbers of others who have been forced by several ways to lend Money to the King or to buy Places or Letters of Nobility and must unavoidably be cashier'd and ruined or who have lost all they had by the Taxes do also require such a general Reformation that the King may be enabled â—…o pay or give them some Compensation and to furnish them Bread of which they have none left And besides those above-mentioned all ranks of People through the Kingdom in general require it that they may be delivered from those prodigious Losses that they suffer continually by Popery which amount as has been said to above 200 Millions per Annum that so they may be Re-established and Repeopled a little for which end the Monks Nuns and other Ecclesiasticks might be very useful if their Monasteries were dissolved The general Desolation of the Cities and Countries do also demand it that so that King may be in a condition to moderate the Impositions and Taxes with which they are overwhelm'd at present and will continue so to be Without this all Arts Manufactures and Husbandry will infallibly decay more and more and the Art Military will come to nothing in France where it hath flourished so much in this Reign The Interest of the Church of France as they call it and all the honest Ecclesiasticks among them seem also to require it because if after the present King and Dauphin there should happen to come a weak Prince the Kingdom also being so much weakned as 't is at present and as it will continue to be still may be for ever ruin'd unless this general Reformation be set about speedily If I say a weak Prince should happen to come to the Crown at such a time the Popes will treat France in a more Tyrannical and Cruel manner than ever because of the fears they have laboured under that France would shake off their Yoke and of the attempts which they will pretend have been made upon their Authority in this Reign which they will never pardon Then the Pope will Establish the Inquisition in France deprive the Gallican Church of that she calls her Liberties rob the King of his Regale oblige him to restore the Seculariz'd Estates to the Church and certainly despoil the Bishops of their Lawful Jurisdiction over the Regular Clergy Then they must believe the Infallibility of the Pope or at least pretend to do so both in Matters of Fact and Right his Almighty Power in Heav'n and Earth his Superiority over Councils his Absolute Power over the Temporal Rights of Kings and their Lives as well as in the matters of their Salvation and the like over their Subjects The Pope