neglected and object against theâ— great imperfections and disorders in their manners as grounds for their usurpation and account them Canonical Titles for intruding into the Rights of other men ought to have been confounded for these real enormities which though committed by them they have the impudence to own in the face of the world to the scandal of Christianity You have heard before that upon their entring St. Morand they demolished the Cloyster and caused the materials to be conveyed to St. Vlrich At St. Valentines every one knows that they changed into a hey-house and stable for the Arch-Dukes horses a fair and large Hospital magnificently built and with extraordinary charge by D. Iohn Sancey the Benedictine Prior at the gate of the Monastery for receiving and lodging poor Pilgrims and that they dissipated and imbezelled the Reliques and a quantity of Plate and Ornaments which the Priors had provided by their frugality But the Priory of St. Iames of Veldbach though let them in good condition and at a great undervalue in the Rent fared worst of all and was used with least respect as situate in a village where they held themselves at liberty to act those abuses which in Cities and great Towns they durst not attempt for they not only permitted the Dormitory of the Fryars adjoyning to the Church and the Founders Chappel beside the High Altar to decay and run to ruine but pulled down the Steeple and threw great pieces of timber on the Founders Tombs which were in the middle of the Quire and by this Barbarisme broke all to pieces Thus they demolished part and spoyled the residue of this poor Church that there was not left one ornament for saying Mass of twelve they found there which they carryed into Swizzerland with all the Plate of the Priory And 't is probable they had not spared the rest of the Church from utter destruction but that it was Parochiall which notwithstanding they leâ—t in extreme disorder Of the Priory of Maizere of the Order of St. Benedict changed into a Farm by the Jesuites What you have heard is no more than what their brethren of the Colledge of Porentrâ—t who pretend no less Veneration for sacred places than the rest of the company had given sufficient cause of credit and belief to having three years before ruined the Church of another Priory of the same Order called Maizere formerly famous for Pilgrimage in the Countrey to the great scandal of the Hereticks who carefully maintain and preserve their Churches and to the great regret of the Countrey adjacent who deplored the profanation to see the materials of the House of God imployed to repair the houses Barns and Stables of a Farmer so that there remained no sign of a Priory nor any thing else but a plain Farm Such is the condition to which the Iesuites reduce the benefices they usurp whereof they consider nothing but the revenue beginning alwayes as soon as they enter them to abolish the Divine Service and all those marks which might make it appear they once belonged to the ancient Orders of Religion without any regard to the intention of the Founders nor the Charges they imposed which is the Iesuitical way to promote the glory of God Their taking away Evidences and Registers Another Detriment and injury done by the Iesuites to these three Priories for which the Priories were obliged to seek their remedy in the Great Councel was their taking away the Evidences and Registers concerning the Rights and Revenues of these Monasteries which the Iesuites could make no other use of but to accommodate themselves in case of a re-entry there which nothing but an unjust Ambition could give them any hopes of or to deprive the right owners of the enjoyment of them to which nothing but an extreme malignity could incline them or lastly to conceal and suppress some debts to which their Goods might be lyable which though it denotes a malicious avarice yet is not strange in the Jâ—suites practice For the Iesuites of the Colledges of Novices at Nancy have 40 years since used the like practice against the Friars of Senon of the Order of St. Benedict in Lorrain when the Abbot of St. Vanne of Verdun having given them the Lordship of Barbonville being a dependant on his Abby charged with the ancient rent of 22 quarters of Corn to the Abby of Senon they craftily embezled all the Evidences thâ—y could light on that made mention of that duty And when the Fryars of Senon sent to demand the Rent as accustomed the Iesuites who thought all the Evidences that concerned that duty were safe in their hands pretended ignorance and refused payment telling the demanders thâ—y thought nothing due A suit was thereupon commenced in the Councell of Lorrain and the Fryars for want of their Evidences to make out their title were cast But some years after the reformation of the said Abby the reformed Fryars made so diligent search that they found three Registers wherein the said duty was charged in pursuance whereof they brought a new Action which the Iesuites stifly defended but the Registers being produced they submitted to pay what they could no longer dispute The Iesuites proceeding in three several Tribunals and three Distinct Countreyes at the same time for the same Priories and other petty foggeries We have cause to believe that on the same dâ—sign the Rectors of the three Colledges of Selestat Enssheim and Fribourg carryed away the Deeds and Evidences of the three Priories above-mentioned And when the Priors of the Benedictines sought restitution by Law it is incredible how many artifices and petty foggeryes they used to detain them To give an instance when they saw themselves pressed by the Benedictines to restore them they procured a prohibition from the Privy councel to prevent proceedings in the inferiour Courts interdicting the ordinary Judges the cognizance of the Cause The Councell being thus intirely possessed of the Cause at the instance of the Iesuites the Prince of Conty and the Abbot of Nesmond interposed in behalf of the Benedictines the former as Generall of the Order of Cluny the later as Abbot of Chesy and Collators of the Priories The Iesuites hereupon fearing their success in the Councel while the matter depended there prosecuted the Benedictine Priors at the same time both at Rome and Brisach and obtained of the Auditor Generall at Brisach whom we spake of before a sequestration of the Priories of St. Iames and St. Morand without any form of Justice and without hearing or summoning the Defendants And at Rome they procured a Monition to cite the Benedictines thither with an Excommunication against all that should oppose the execution of their Bull which they durst never produce And caused the Monition to be printed throughout And the Benedictines of St. Morand to be cited by the Bishop of Basle for which as an injury and abuse the Fryars were forced to make an Appeal In pursuance of this they used all the
and take from the Proprietors some of these Abbyes To effect this they make use according to their custom of the credit their Father Lancorman had in the Court of the Emperour Ferdinand the 2 d whose Confessor he was This Iâ—suite animated by his Brethren made great instance to two Abbots the one of St. Benedict and the other of the Cisteaux Deputed by their Orders to hasten the Execution of the Emperours Edict and was very importunate with them to quit unto the Society all the Nunneries to be restored by the Protestants and some of the less considerable Abbies These Abbots who had no power to consent to so unjust and extraordinary a demand against their Conscience râ—turned him Answer in generall words of Câ—mplement that they were ready to serve him in any thing but what concerned the interest of their Orders F. Lamormam seeing them leave the Court presently suggested to his friends and gave out in Speeches That these two Abbots had made a voluntary Cession of several Abbies to the Society And on this fiction whereof he was afterwards convicted by publick and authentick Acts he grounded a Memorial which he presented to the Emperour desiring that in pursuance of the voluntary Cession of these two Abbots his Imperial Majesty would send Commissioners into several Provinces of the Empire to put the Society in possession of those Abbies Having by this means surprized the good Prince and his Councell who took this Imposture for truth they obtained Letters addressed to the Commissaries Generall of the Circles to three Provincials of the Society and to the Generals of the Imperial Army the Duke of Friesland and Count Tilly forthwith to sequester the said Abbies All the world was astonished sayes learned F. H at this sudden and unjust Change of the Emperours former Orders not knowing what cause could possibly incline this Prince to Râ—voke so soon his publick Edict for restitution of these Abbies to the ancient Orders which had been so highly commended by the Hoâ—y See and to out men of Religion of their Estates unheard against the Law of Nations and common right But the Iesuites raised a report that this Change proceeded from the voluntary Cession the two Abbots had made of their Abbies in the name of their Orders So that the two Abbots were obliged to make a solemn protestation against this notorious falshood both by Letters to the Confessor and by publick Acts insisting that they had not so much as thought of a promise to consent to the translation of their Abbyes to the Iesuites nor had any power so to do And a famous Benedictine who was of the Emperours Councell and created at that time Bishop and Prince of Vienna being brought in as a witness by F. Lamormâ—n declared the quite contrary to what the Iesuites alleadged as appears by a writing reported by F. Hay The Iesuites Writings their Intrigues at Rome their Confidence to dâ—cry the Edict and Councel of the Emperour The common experience that the Iesuiâ—es once engaged in a lye will not easily unsay it was conâ—rmed by an instance in the pâ—esent affair â—or all these Acts and solemn protestations could not hinder them from continuing the spreading of this Impâ—sture even by Printed books But seeing their fictions and falsities discovered they resolved for maintaining their unjust usurpation openly to confront and attaque the Edict of the Emperour and the right of the ancient Orders This they did by two Writings wherein the Emperours instructions to his Ambassadour at Rome suitable to his Edict executed already in several Abbyes whereof the Monks of the Order of St. Benedict and others were in possession were censured and dishonoured as containing Things contrary to Truth the holy Canons and Immunityes Ecclesiastical and the Emperour himself charged to have exceeded his power in the restitution of these Abbyes to their ancient Orders But seeing that all the Ministers of State of the Emperours Councel had discovered the artifice of the Confessor and opposed their unjust pretensions they changed the Scene and plyed amain their intrigues at Rome and besides their private solicitations published a Book entituled Remarques in the Cause of Estates Ecclesiastical and Monasteries supprest in Almaigne And though F. Layman their Casuist at Dilingue justifies and highly commends this book calling the Author An illustrious person and â— Divine well informed of the affairs of Almaign though he durst not own him a Iesuite yet 't is incredible how it slanders and vilifies the Ministers of State of the Councel Imperiall what odium it casts on them as having attempted against the Pontiâ—ical Authority by the restitution of these Abbyes to the lawfull owners For saith the Author you are to observe first of all that the design of the Councel Imperial is absolutely to debarr the Pope from â—aving any part in the râ—stitutiâ—n of the Catholique Religion in Almaigne This is evident in that the Emperour published his Edict fâ—r restitution of Ecclesiâ—stical Estates without acquainting the Pope or taking his advice to whom to restore them This Councel tends not only to exclude the Pâ—pe from the Re-establishment but to shake off the yoke of the Apostolick Iurisdiction throughout the Empire And the reason why this Councel doth with so much â—emerity and impâ—eâ—y attaque the Holy See is that there are in it some persons ill affected to the Apâ—stolical Chaire some who as mâ—er Politiques to ingratiate themselves with their Prince by flattery labour the exaltation of his Authority in all things And some perhaps who under a Vizard of Catholique profession are Hereticks in their hearts And as for the Abbot of the Monastery of Cremounster of the Order of St. Benedict and of â—he said Councel he is a man full of pride Who nevertheless for his merits and suffâ—ciency was soon after promoted to the Dignity of Prince and Bishop of Vienna See here how the Councel Imperial by a sudden Metamorphosis is from Catholick turned Schismatick and an enemy to the Holy See as soon as the Jesuites have discovered that Justice had a stronger influence over the spirits of these Ministers of State to maintain what the Emperour had so religiously ordained by his Edict than their Solicitations for accommodating themselves with other mens Estates Two books were about the same time published in defence of the rights of the Ancient Orders whereupon the Jesuites gave charge to their F. Laymâ—n who had formerly written a book on this subject intituled Placida Disceptatio to imploy his pen against the two Books and handle them which he did as infamous Libels Because the Authors approved not of the Jesuites intentions to take away the Abbyes from the ancient Orders but had refuted those injurious suggestions and falsities they made use of to that purpose and because the Jesuites would have usurped other mens Estates without incurring the infamy inseparable from an usurpation so unjust and so violent as theirs The Jesuite entitles his book The just Defence of
world and appear only to God which rule ought to be observed as far as possibly it may in publick prayers as we see many Religious Communities pray with the same sedâ—te and composed tranquility of mind in their Quires as they would in their private Chambers and Oratories as being together but one body and one spirit They chaunt so together that thâ—y make but one voice and and hear not one another but when it is necessary to continue the Chaunt and to render their prayers more efficacious by joyning with their brethren in supplication Besides when they Chaunt all their words are intelligible that their thoughts may be imployed and taken up in attending the sense and filled with the affections of David in the composure of the Psalms Thus the Chartreus and other Orders of Religion retaining their primitive purity and simplicity of spirit have nothing in their Churches to scatter and dissipate their thoughts and meditations nothing to ravish their eyes and their eares and to draw away their hearts from minding their devotions to gaze on fine fights and wander in vanities The like may be observed in such of our Cathedrals wherein according to the ancient simplicity as there is nothing wanting that may be necessary for the decent performance of the external worship of God so we find not there such numbers of superfluous Ornaments that serve only to amuse grossie and carnal spirits and earthly dispositions Such simplicity and modesty please not the Iesuites they must have something to quicken the senses and whereas Christ Commands us to offer our Prayers in the most private retirements of our houses from the bottom of our hearts to prevent the distractions of our straying and wanton senses these Fathers invite us to enter their Churches to see and hear thing to ravish our eyes and tickle our ears but to empty our hearts of all affections of devotion and render us incapable to pray with Reverence and Attention In the mean time they glory in their shame and triumph in that which ought to be their confusion they rejoyce in these practises for which they should mourn and prove by experience that men are so wretched that there 's nothing so ridiculous nothing so contemptible but may serve to flatter the vanity of their humours and raise up in their fancies mountains of pride Had we leisure to examine that intire Volume composed by Alegambe of the names of their Authors it would be a fresh instance of their vanity and pride Can any thing be more ridiculous than to amass an infinite number of names of pitifull Books and more pitifull Authors to make the world believe their Society is full of extraordinary men What Glory was it for the company to have produced those innumerable Casuists who have corrupted all Christian Morality and turned topsie turvy the Maxims of the Gospel as Samâ—ies Tambouâ—in Escobar Castro Palao Banny Guimenius c What glory to have produced Divinâ—s who have extolled themselves above the Fathers and their Authority to bring their own profane and ridiculous Novelties in Credit as Molina Poza Garasse c. have done Is it not a shame that they have permitted those scosting Companions those ill-made Spirits of their Fathers Binet Monk and Barry to write Books so intirely ridiculous Are they not struck with prodigious and irrecoverable blindness to boast of those works they have composed against the sacred persons of Kings and of Bishops and to own those mischievous Books which were published under feigned names and deserved censure as soon as they came forth as those of Seribanius Smith and Mariana Lastly What reason have they to insert in the Catalogue of their Works those books they have stollen from others whereof their Father Abbot and others have been often convicted But though this be common among these good Fathers and every dayes practice I will content my self at present with one example by which it will appear they spare not their best friends but are ever ready to do them any injury which may afford them the least hope of Glory 'T is notorious to the world that in the process they maintained against the University of Paris M. De Monthelon whose name is famcus in the Parliament of Paris defended their Cause against M. De la Martiliere and that this later having published his Argument in Print M. De Monthelon published his also There 's no man but thinks it the misfortune so good an Advocate to have undertaken so bad a Cause but the misfortune was greater to have Clients so ingrate as the Iesuites proved to him For is it not strange these Fathers should envy their Advocate the glory of having defended them and attribute the Argument he published to their F. Cotton and should have the boldness to do it in the life-time of M. de Monthelon their Advocates Nephew who can when he pleases convince them of falshood by producing the Original of the Printed Argument all of his deceased Unkles hand-writing That I may not be thought to impose on these Fathers hear the very words of Alegambe the Iesuite in his Bibliotheque of the Writers of their Society pag. 379. col 2. Where speaking of F. Cotton he saith Edidit Apologiam pro Societate contra Martellerum sub nomine Montoloâ—ii He published an Apology for the Society against Martellier under the name of Monthelon Certainly the Pharisees of the Old Law never did the like nor were guilty of a vanity so malignant and Ridiculous Artifices and Violences of the Jesuites of Almaign to take from Religious Orders several considerable Abbyes and Priories Stories on this subject taken out of the Memorial of F. Paul William Vicar Generall of the Order of Cluny Presented to the FRENCH Councell in 1654. Against the Rector of the three Colledges of Jesuites at Selestat Enâ—isheim and Fribourg in Brisgau OF The Three Priories in Alsatia usurped by the Jesuites from the Order of St. Benedict And First Of the Priory of St. Valentine of Ruffach taken away violently by vertue of Bulls against Bulls THe three Priories Conventuals of St. Valentine St. Iames and St. Morand are of ancient foundation between five and six hundred years standing belonging to the Order of St. Benedict and holding of France though all three situate in Alsatia and in the Diocese of Basil. The first stands in the Town of Ruffach parcel of the temporalties of the Bishop of Strasbourg the second in the Village of Veldbach and the third neer the town of Altkirk in the Countrey reunited to France by the Treaty of the peace of Allemaigne The first depends on the Abby of Chesy and the two last on that of Cluny the full right of collating being in the Abbots and preserved without interruption and the Prioryes alwayes possessed by Benedictines of the Nation of France The Priory of St. Valentine was founded about the eleventh Century by two Monks of the Abby of Chesy in the Diocese of Soissons assisted by
is in all the Benefices wherein the Iesuites are installed Pursuant to this they wrought the Arch-Duke so fit for their designs that he was perswaded for colouring their usurpation to write to Rome to obtain an Union for them not only of the Priory of St. Iames but of the Abby of Val-Dieu the Priories of Froidâ—fontaine and St. Nicolas of the same Order and the Commandery of St. Anthony of Isenheim without the consent or knowledge of the parties concerned the Titulars or Collators of the said Benefices and without shewing the estate or nature thereof which they ought to have done before the passing of the Grant In the mean time they entertain the good Prior Nicâ—lin with Letters of complement and counterfeit amity which may be produced The better to induce the Arch-Duke to interpose and prosecute the business in their behalf they propose an agreement somewhat extraordinary That every of the said five Benefices being respectively worth between two and three thousand Florins should yield the Arch-Duke five hundred Florins apiece in deduction of so much of the three thousand Florins assigned them for their foundation This was easily agreed to by the Arch-Duke though he had no power to do it and decreed they should enjoy them in Commendam during the dependance of the matter of the Union with charge to satisfie the obligations of the foundations which was impossible for them by reason of the inconsistence and repugnancy of their institution and Rules with those of the foundations By this means the Divine Seâ—vice and communities of five good Monasteries were supprâ—ssed â—o â—ound a Colledge almost useless as being environed on all sides with other Colledges more considerable at Potentrut Fribâ—urg Selestat Mâ—lsheim and Haguenâ—u so that they have in the said Colledge but forty or fifty Schollars in six Classes under three Regents But this design was not approved of by the Holy See which refused the union as appears by another letter of the Arch-Duke of Inspâ—uch written to Rome Decemb. 9. 1651. on the same subject and to as little purpose as the former nevertheless these good sub-farmers who fancied that the Arch-Dukes Authority would never fail them and that the Scripture meant them where 't is said to the Iesuites Every place you set your foot on shall be â—oâ—rs disposed of the Priory as their own In the mean time the Abbot of Cluny advertised of the death of Nicolin bestowed the Priâ—ry of St. Iames on a â—ryar called Guillâ—t who having taken possession by Atturney dâ—signed to go in person to establish good Orders there but both he and they who assisted in taking the possession were so frighted by the threats of the Iesuites and all the Peasants of the village so deeply fined by the Sir Derlach at their instigation for having suffered an entry to be made that the Prior menaced with imprisonment durst not go further but returned into France So the Iesuites continued as farmers to usurp the mean profits in hopes the Arch-Duke recovering his Estates by a treaty of peace would maintain them by absolute Authority But F. William established by the Prince of Conty Vlâ—ar Generall of the Order of Cluny in Almaigne being provided of the said Priory 15 Iuly 1651. by the single device of Guillott and authorized by the Kings Letters addressed to the Governour of the Countrey went upon the place took possession thereof according to Custome the 7 of September the same year and established there a community of Reformed Fryars having found the Priory abandoned and almost all ruined without a Curate without Prâ—est without Fryar as it had continued ever since the usurpation of the Iesuites though the Church thereof was Parochial All which he caused to be presented by Information at Law An Abby of St. Benedict coveted and almost taken away by the Jesuites This Artifice of F. Weinhard hath no small relation and resemblance to another feat which one of his Brethren whose name for some reasons shall be concealed made use soon after against a good Abbot of the Order of St. Benedict in Almâ—igne after the death of the Emperour Ferdinand the 2 d. This Father went to the new Emperour and informed him of a design he had to write the Life of the deceased Emperour Ferdinand the 2 d his Father but it was his desire to compose a piece worthy the subject and for that purpose to retyre into some pleasant place where he might have good Aire and refreshment and named a fair Abby of the Order of St. Benedict excellently seated as a place fit for his designs Which the Emperour approving of gave him Letters of recommendation to the Abbot who made him all the welcome and good entertainment imaginable while he sojourned there The Iesuite was so taken with the pleasantness of the place that he was enamoured of it and resolved to begg it of the Emperour To compass this design he made it his business not only to watch narrowly and accurately observe but amplifie the smallest defects and imperfections of the Fryars and having finished his double work took his leave with all the marks of greatest satisfaction from the Abbot and Fryars who believed their Guest would serve them for the future as a powerfull Advocate with the Emperour upon occasion The Iesuite Arrived at Court and having presented his Majesty the Book he had composed of the life of Ferdinand the 2 d told him with unparallel'd ingratitude that he had been much deceived in the choyce he had made of the place to write in for whereas he thought it a House of Religion he found it a House of scandal and debauchery and had seen examples of a most dissolute life amongst men professing Religion but having nothing of it but the habit That his Majesty was obliged in Conscience to remedy it speedily The good Emperour answering that disorders must be reformed The Iesuite replyed that these disorders were arrived at such excess that he saw no other remedy but a total expulsion of those debauched Monks and that if his Majesty pleased to give the Society the management of it such good Order should be taken that the Change would quickly appear The Emperour taking this for a fit means to gratiâ—ie and reward the work of this Author granted his request And it was resolved in Councel that all those Monks and their Abbot should avoid the place within eight dayes and leave it to the Iesuites Another Abbot of the Order who by good Fortune was by the Councel immediately dispatched an express to the poor Abbot to advertise him of the Resolution taken against him The affair being communicated in the Chapter as usual it was concluded that the Abbot accompanyed with one of the ablest of his Monks should go to Court to seek a remedy for this misfortune and to prevent their total ruine When they presented themselves to the Emperour they found him so prepossess'd that he presently rejected them telling them his word was engaged and he could
after which to get some pretence for complaint and to give out as they have done that they were driven away by force they prevailed with the Sieur Beta Lord of Altkirk to send thither for Souldiers who arrived upon the place and the Iesuites having made them drink after the Germane mode retired to Ellenberg Of the Abby of Nostre Dame des Ermites in Suisserland and the Jesuites entry thereby notorious falsiâ—ies Though the means used by the Iesuites to usurpe the Priory of St. Morand were unworthy of men of Religion and of Christians yet those whereby they insinuated themselves into the Abby of Nostre Dame des Ermiâ—tes in Swizzâ—rland are more base and villanous The story is so common in that Countrey that every one knows it This Monastery is a stately Abby of the Order of St. Benedict very famous the best regulated most reformed and populous of all Germany having ordinarily forty or fifty Monks all imployed and well skilled in the Sciences of Phylosophy Theology and Cases of Conscience of good abilities of Preaching Catechising and Confâ—ssion which they exercise constantly and the Diâ—ine Service performed to a perfection proportionable to the wishes of the most Devout The Iesuites nevertheless took the same pretence of Preaching and Confession to get in thither as at St. Mâ—rands with this difference that at St. Mâ—rands they made use of the secular Authority of the Arch-Duke onely but for this Abby they had recourse to the Holy See and surprized the Pope informing him most falsly that the Church of the said Abby which is renowned for miracles and multitudes of Pilgrims resorting thither from all parts to pay their vows to the Blessed Virgin was very ill served the Pilgrims ill instructed and little satisfied and that it would be very expedient to settle there some persons capable to exercise this Holy Ministry being almost incompatible with a monastick profâ—ssion and offering to sacrifice their persons to that Labour if his Holiness thought fit to imploy them The Pope who discerned not the hooke hid under this fair pretence dispatched a Brieve to the Abbot commanding him to receive into his house fix Fathers of the Iesuites capable and appointed to assist and ease the Fryars of his Order in that Holy Exercise with Order to entertain them in all things according to their profâ—ssion Though the Abbot received and made them welcome yet he mistrusted them and apprehended the danger he saw himself suddenly and unexpectedly fallen into This made him Assemble from all the neighbouring places such persons both Religious and Secular whom he accounted most Judicious To consult with them how to secure himself against these dangerous spies The Resolution was That an ample information should be drawn up in good form of the state of the Abby the imployment of the Monks and Celebration of Divine Service and that it should be sent to the Pope to dis-abuse and undeceive him which was accordingly done And the Pope thereupon immediately sent a second Brieve in revocation of the former commanding the Iesuiâ—es to retire to their Colledges and leave the Benedictines to continue their spiritual harvest in the fields of the Church Câ—rruption of Iudges by presenâ—s The Rector of the Iesuites of Fribourg resolved to retain if possible the said Prâ—ory of St. Morand bethought himself beforehand of means most unworthy a man of Religion and a Christian to secure what he had unjustly obtained To this purpose he was fully determined at what price soever to gain the Auditor-General being Soveraign Iudge at Bâ—isach to their side and to corrupt him by bribery from doing Justice to the adverse party engaging him to his power to favour the usurpation of the Iesuites never minding the scandal would be given this heretick being one of the subtlest amongst them and to other men of Religion when it should appear that a Rector of the Iesuites who would be thought the flower and cream of Christiâ—nity was guilty of an iniquity so hâ—mous as to endeavour by presents to shake the constancy of a Iudge and sway him from his duty who ought to be inflexible But the Rector who valued not such considerations made the Iudge a present of a Christal Vessel to oblige him to maintain them in their usurpation of St. Morand This is clear by a letter in Latine the Original whereof was shortly after found in the said Monastery signed by the Iesuite Gebhardus Deminger and addressed to F. Gaspard Schiez Rector of the Society of Iesus at St. Morand dated Iuly 27. 1651. containing among others these express terms as may appear by the whole letter intirely recited in the said memorial of Paul William Viz. Heri hodie rationes congessi easque cras 〈◊〉 Brisacum ipse feram Et ut D. Audâ—torem nobis faventem efficiam crystallinum mecum feram poculum decem ducatorum affabre hic elaboratum ad eundem nobis devinciendum i. e. Yesterday and this day I have collected reasons for the strengthning of our Cause which God willing to morrow I will carry to Brisach and that we may have the Auditor our friend and oblige him to us I shall present him a vessel of Chrystal of ten Ducates value and cuâ—iously wrought In a word this Lutheran Auditor to the utmost of his Power favoured the Iesuites in thâ—ir usurpation but the Kings Orders and the Justice of the Benedictins Cause prevailed and obliged the Governour to perfer the interesses of the Crown of France to the pretensions of the Iesuites and not permit the alienation of Monasteries to the profit of strangers so that they were forc'd to restore them to the antient and legal possessors Complaints grounded on lies corrupting of witnesses surprizing the King The Fathers were no sooner outed but they repented their quitting their prey so easily they made a great bustle and spread their complaints every were that they were expelled the Priory of St. Iames and St. Morand by violence and â—orce of armes they conveyed these complaints to the ears of the Emperour and the Arch-Duke and by their Pens to Cardinal Colonna Protector at Rome of the nation of Almaigne having a fit opportunity to send the letters by their Provincial Fr. Schorrer who was deputed to assist at the Election of their new General At the same time they held an Assembly of several Rectors with their Secular Council at the village of Hirsingen a league from St. Iames and St. Morands and having invited the Dean of the place to dinner they presented him for the first course an Act to sign dressed after their manner to testifie that they had been expelled the said Priory of St. Morand injuriously and by violence But the Dean being a man of honour and resolute answered He could not testifie a matter whereof he had no knowledge and that the report was on the contrary that they had desired the Souldiers to come and made them drink deep to have some colour of saying That the Souldiers had
the name of Monks 't is an errour that deserves censure to call a Iesuite Monk but in Almaigne where there aâ—â— Abbies to be taken from Monks and given to Iesuites if qualified as Mâ—nks it is an errour that deserves censure not to take a Iesuite to be a Mâ—â—k 〈◊〉 〈…〉 6. Imposture That the Pope hath an extraordinary power to derogate from any thing not favourable to the Iesuites In vain did the Fryaâ—s object That the Popes by their â—grâ—ements â—ith the Germane Nation had obliged themselves to preserve every man in his rights and estates And that Filiutius of their Society had written That the Pope not only by his Office but by â—onâ—ract imployed between him and those whâ— give Estâ—â—es to the Church is obliged by the Divine and Naluâ—al Law â—o preservâ— them for those whâ— legally possess them and that the contrary cannot 〈◊〉 done without injury to the Founders and the successors of the Fryars of the Order in câ—using them to lose their Estate and their Honour For the Iesuites who never think themselves huâ—t by any objection from the Law Natural or Divine helped themselves out by this neat distinction They confess the Power of the Pope is limited by particular Concordates and Agreements of Nations which have the force of Bargains and Contracts So that the Pope himself is obliged to perform them according to the Law of Nations But they add That this is to be understood that the Pope cannot Ordinarily derogate from these Concordates or Agreements but may do it Extraordinarily for the publick good of the Church when necessity requires it that is when they are imployed about establishing rich Colledges for the Society for they pretend to express terms That nothing can conduce more for the Re-establishment of the Catâ—ilick Faith than to bestow on them the Estates and Revenues of Abbies and Nunâ—eries for enriching their Ancient Colledges and for founding of New as also for buying little Catâ—chisâ—s Chaplets and other things of that kind that may serve at once both to instruct and delight Youth and that the expences these things will require cannot be furâ—ished but from the Estates of the Abbies resumed out of the hands of the Protestants To which the Fryars replyed That they might for the future Found Colledges if they pleased without robbing the Orders of St. Benedict the Cisteaux and others of their Estates as they had been founded heretofore without any such injury and shewed several means for that purpose And when the Iesuites insisted there were no other means but that all treasures were exhâ—usted The Fryars Replyed 1. That there were some Treasures not yet exhausted namely theirs who had within a short time offered the Venetians five hundred thousand Crowns to be re-established in those Colledges they had at Venice heretofore and in other Territories of that Republick from which they were banished 2. They made it appâ—ar that their Colledges were not so necessary for the re-establishment of the catholick Faith as they pretended for that they had Colledges in several Cities where heresie was as rife as ever And that themselves have confessed All the upper Palâ—tinate was converted to the Catholick Religion before ever they had one Colledge there so that it is clear sdyâ—h F. Hay That to make men believe as the Iesuites endeavour that Germany cannot be converted to the Catholick Faith without turning the Abbies of â—eligious Orders into Colledges of Iesuiâ—eâ— is to contradicta manifest experience and make all the world confess themselves blind 3. That the first Fryars of the Order of St. Benedict had Converted almost all Germany and at this day the Benedictiâ—es labour with success equall to the Iesuites in the Coâ—version of Hereticks though they are not so much addicted to ostentation as they who send Catalogues to Rome of the least things they do who compute how many they confess by the year their Masses their Prayers their Visits to the sick and other things both great and small 4. They remonstrated that the multitude of Colledges they so earnestly presâ—ed for savored not of the first spirit of the Society and was diametrically opposite to an express Article of their second Congregation Gâ—neral in these words We are to Act for the 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 moderation And 〈◊〉 stay our hands from multiplying Colledgâ—â— And the Congregation make 〈…〉 request to the Father-General and recommend it to his serious observation to apply himself â—atâ—er â—o the compledting and perfecting of the Colledges already establishâ—d 〈…〉 5. As to the little 〈◊〉 and Chapluâ—s which thâ— Iesuâ—â—â—â— would buy â—or their Schollars with the Estates and Revenues of Abbies They answered That it was somewhat strange the Iesuites would râ—iâ—e foundatâ—â—â—s vâ—olâ—te agreements hinder men of Religious Orders â—o renew their solemn prayers and ceâ—ebâ—â—te Divine Service in their Abbies that she 〈◊〉 might have wherewith to buy bawbles for children which must be extream dear if there be not sufficient to purchase them without imploying to such uses the estates designed by the founders to maintain the holy exercises of a Religious life in these Monaâ—teries 7. Imposture That by reason of the Charges of the War the Emperour was Founder and Master of these Abbies In vain did the Benedictines object That the Emperour was obliged by the Oath he had taken when he came to the Empire and as the Supream Protector and Defender of Churches to preserve the Ancient Orders in their Rights and Estates and that the Empâ—rour had declared and confirmed it anew by his particular Edict in favour of the Benedictines March 28. 1629. The Iesuites confessed all this to be true but scrupled not to elude it by this shameful evasion whereby they would Authorize thâ— Perjury of a Great Prince That the Charges and Expences the Emperour laid out in the Wâ—r for recovery of these Churches and Abbies were â—o great that they exceeded all the Estates of Consecrated places and therefore he ought to be acknowledged not only as a new Foundeâ— Endower and Patron of these Reâ—igious Houses but the Purchaser and that the Religious Orders ought in acknowledgment there of to leave them freely and wholly to his Disposal and not pretend any interest therein for fear of making themselves guilty of ingratitude against his Imperial Majesty But the Religious Orders Answered That the Emperour by his Edict had declared He never desired from them an acknowledgement which could not be made him without forcing tears from the Ancient Orders of Religion that he liked not a gratitude which allowed them no recompence for so many Millions furnished by them for the War and other Faithful Services done him and the Empire but the destruction of their Rights and Suppression of their Abbies and that his Majesty ought to account them ingrate who had invented such gratitude 8. Imposture That they may change their Opinions when their interest requires it In vain did the Benedictines object That three Principal Iesuites whereof F. Lamâ—rmaâ— the Emperours
Confessor was one being consulted with about an Abby which having been long in the possession of Lutherans and Secular Persons the Cardinal Arch-Bishop of Prague would have procured for himself by gift from the Emperour had delivered their opinion in writing That it could not be done with a safe Conscience and that the Abby being Benedictine ought to be restored to the Order of St. Benedict and that the Emperour in giving it to the Cardinal had committed the same injustice as if after winning the battel of Prague he had given away the land of some Catholick Lord recovered from the enemy to another Catholick Lord having no right thereto the Iesuites not able to deny this opinion delivered at large in writing agrâ—â—d that the Iesuites were then of that judgment buâ— answered that since they had changed their Opinion This rare priviledge have these â—xcellent Casuists to alter their sentiments and their conscience upon any occasion when it may be for their profit to change So when the question was about giving an Arch-Bishopâ—a Benedictine Abby their judgement was the Emperour was in justice obliged to restore it to the Order of St. Benedict but when there is hopes they may procure them for themselves by their shifts and artifices they presently maintain that the Abbies of St. Benedict are Abbies supprest and the Estates that belong to them at thâ— disposal of the Emperoâ—â— and the Pope who may give them whom they please without any injustice to the Fryars of the Order who are the lawful proprietors when an Arch-Bishop desires to have one but have no Title at all when the Iesuites would have many of the same Abbies for the use of their Society 9. Imposture That F. Lamorman in cheating the Emperour did well i. e. according to the rules of the Society In vain did the Benedictines reproach them that all the trouble had been raised for taking from them these Abbyes against the Edict of the Emperour proceeded only from their F. Lâ—â—â—man who had the boldness to write to his Imperial Majesty that his Edict and Instructions given his Ambassadour contained things not agreeing with the Principles of the Catholique Faith And that it were fit his Majesty should name some person to examine the whole business aâ—ew with him his Confessor To this the good Fathâ—â—s made answer in these express words The prudent sage and devoâ—t Readâ—r haviâ—g well considered of all things will doubtless observe that the Confessor eâ—gaged not hastily in an affair of such moment but after long deliberation how to remedy this evil which was the restitution of the Abbyes to their several Orders without allowing the Iâ—suites to alienate any from the Lawfull Proprietors and that it must be avowed the Father had done well and ought not to have done otherwise and that if he had not advertised his Imperial Majesty thereof he had deserved thâ— blame of not dischargeing the duty of a Good Confessor according to the light of Nâ—tural reason and the rules of our Society to which the Fryars of St. Benedict with good reason replyed That from hence we are to conclude that the hinderance of justice is the duty of a good Confessor That we are required by the light of Nâ—â—â—ral Reason to allow that for Iust which is really against the known rules of Iustice and that the Rules of the Society Ordained that such of their Fathers as are Confessors to Princes must earnestly endeavour that the Abbies which those Princes have Ordered to be restored to their Orders may fall into the hands of the Society against the Authority of the most legal Edicts 10. Imposture That these Abbiâ—s bâ—lâ—ngeâ—â— not 〈◊〉 any and that they deâ—â—red them not of the Princes but Princes demanded them for the Society In vain did the Fryars object the Commandment of God Not to 〈◊〉 other mens goods for the Iesuiâ—es answered That they coveted not other mens goods in coveting these Abbies which belonged not to any and than it was not they demanded these Abbies but the Princes of the Empire demanded thâ—m for the Society that as they could not have demanded these Estates without envy so they could not refuse them without injury to the honour of God when the Powers thought fit to bestow them on their Company for promoting the Glory of God and the salvation of the people of Almaigne So that the Society desired not these Abbies but only submitted to the pleasures and dispositions of the Soveraign Powers of Christendom Adding with equal sincerity in the same Book That when they built themselves they built not so sumpâ—uously but that Princes against the will of the Society built for them great Colledges and magnificent Churâ—hes To the first point where the good Fathers suggest that the Fryars had not title to the Abbies They Answer That the Iesuites denying that the Abbies did belong to the Ancient Orders of Religion did not cover their injustice but render it more visible and that they did as a Robber who taking another mans purse should tell him Friend I do you no wrong I desire not your goods this purse belongs not to you And as to the second point of their pretended moderation and their perfect disinteresment The Fryars answered with astonishment That having written so many Books and published such Volumes to destroy the Edicts of the Emperour having sent so many Letters to the great Lords of Almaigne to engage them to solicite from his Majesty Imperial a gift of these Abbies to the Society of Iesus they feared not to say That the Soveraign Powers of Christendom constrained them by force to accept of these Abbies and that they were not ashamed to call themselves Children of Obedience who could not resist the Soveraign Pastor of the Church whom they were obliged to obey by a quadruple vow In the mean time to inform the world with what Faith these Fathers proceed in their Actions the Benedictines produced a letter of the late Cardinal Richeâ—ieu to the Congregation of Cardinals in 1630 wherein as the Abbot of Cluny he complains That the Emperour having Ordained That all the Monasteries which had been possessed by the Protestants should be restored to the same regular Orders on which they depended before the usurpation It was informed nevertheless That the Provost-ship of Colmar being a dependant on the Abby of Cluny to which his Prodecessor had presented an Abbot was claimed by the Iesuites who disputed his Orders and desired to possess themselves of it on pretence to found a Seminary there But because these solemn testimonies and their violent actions publickly done in the face of the Sun made it visible to all that they had a passionate desire to take away these Abbies from the owners they thought fit to confess their desire but with this trim and pleasant distinction That the Fathers of the Society coveted the Estates of these Abbies not for the Estates but for the conveniency of entertaining a greater number of persons to
labour the propagation of the Catholick Faiâ—h in Almaiâ—n Whereupon the Benedictines no less wisely than truly Observe that the Iesuites did not so eagerly covet the Abbies in order to a Religious end for the maintaining Divine Service and constant Prayers according to the Rules of their Foundations which they pretend not to observe but desired only to finger the money and receive the Revenues The Jesuites endeavour to take away an Abby of the Cisteaux and another of St. Clare A hansome Letter of a Germane Lord against their Covetousness The observation of the Benedictines is clearly proved by the courses taken by the same Iesuites of Almaign to take away two Nunneries one of the Order of Cisteaux and the other of St. Clare and to unite them to their Colledge of Mayence for Father Iohn Theodore Lennâ—p having by Order of his Rector and Provincial addressed a Letter to that Effect to the Baron of Questemberg his Cousin and of the Emperours Council desiring him to procure a Grant thereof from his Majesty Imperial unto their Colledge without once mentioning the Pope concludes with an earnest entreaty for speedy execution And the principal motive he alledges for their desiring these Abbies particularly that of St. Clare called Clarental is that it would be of great use to their Colledge of Mayence especially in the multitude of Pastures and Meadows belonging thereto on which F. Hay hath this remark That the good Father had greater care of the Soyle than the Soul to accommodate Beasts than to guide men to Salvation The Almaign Lord in answer to his Cousin the Iesuite having exprest a particular affection and kindness for the Society and promised his assistance in any thing he could think reasonable frankly declares in an Excellent Letter Printed at large in F. Hayes Book That he held himself obliged to caution lest by favouring one party he might prejudice another and lest whilest he thinks to comfort himself in the acknowledgements and joyes of the one he be not opprest with affliction for the groans and tears of the other that he was afraid to appear against St. Benedict St. Clare St. Francis and St. Bernard those great Lights of the Church Triumphant and Militant and could not believe it allowable in Conscience to trouble and molest their Holy Orders and tread under-foot their ancient and commendable foundations That he was not acquainted with the secrets of Theolâ—gy but to speak according to his sense he could give this enterprize no other name than that of Robbery and Rapine I have often admired sayes he that they who profess a contempt of the good things of the world and to reject all hope and desires to possess them but to imitate nearly the nakedness and simplicity and purity of Christ should so vehemently labour and imploy with such earnestness the best part of their lives to augment the Estates and Possessions of their Orders And now men of Religion are clearly dâ—scovered notwithstanding all their disguises to run the same course with the Secular with this advantage that their sin is the greater who act unjustly under false appearances of piety and vain pretences of spiritual good Why should I think my self a Criminal or the Preachers presently brand me for an offender if I endeavour by usury by fraud or other unlawful means to take away and usurp my neighbours Estate if you who are the peculiar servants of Christ may without crime or offence appropriate to your selves the Estate of another Religious Order who oppose it protest against your violence and Cite you to Answer at the Tribunal of God I could enlarge on this subject Dear Cousin but my imployments take me of and I fear the little I have said will displease you though you know better than I that the faithful wounds of a friend are of more value and deserve greater esteem than the deceitful kisses of an enemy Nor had I touched on this matter but that the frequent not to say continual complaints and reproaches of many persons against the insatiable avarice as they call it of your laudable Society had not in a manner forced me to give you this hint there being nothing but this covetousness the most pious find fault with in the Fathers of the Company This pious and Christian Letter which ought at least to have cooled the heat of the Iesuites inâ—lamed it for they made the same Iesuite his Cousin by a second Letter of Ian. 15. 1630. to write back to this Lord That he committed a great sin before God in not advising the Emperour to joyn these Nunneries to their Colledge of Mayeme that this omission tended to the defrauding of the Church of necessary labourers in the Vineyard of her Lord to the retarding the gain of Souls to the favouring of Heresie and opposing the Holy Enterprizes of their Society that he knew the Society had many that envied her prosperity and very powerful adversaries but presaged that they and their posterities should one day acknowledge under the sense of the Chastisements of the Divine vengeance That they had hurt the apple of Gods eye That other Orders of Religion were either unwilling to imploy themselves in the Conversion of Hereticks or unable to perform with that dexterity and success which was visible in the actions of the Society That all they desired from him was to have procured a Grant from the Emperour to the Society of the annual revenues of one or two Nunneries that were wholly vacant taking no notice that the violence of the Hereticks was the sole cause they were not then full That he had not attempted to justifie the many sorts of translations and unions of Abbies made in favour of others but as a Divine of the Society laboured only for that which might be profitable for the company and was fully assured a good Councellour of State might in good conscience in prudence and piety have advised the Emperour accordingly and that he who opposed it not only committed a great fault but made himself guilty not of one but many very haynous offences That it was true men made it their custome to reproach their Society with imputations of Avarice of Rapine and unjust coveting others Estates but that it was a stale heretical objection and had been learnedly refutedâ— by their Father Gretser That they accommodate their Kitchins not the Monasteries Four Abbiesâ— alienated for an addition to one of their Colledges To their pretence of dexterity and success in converting Pagans and Hereticks to the Catholick Faith The Benedictines replyed That almost all the North had been converted by the ancient Orders of Religion and 't was strange these good Fathers would perswade us That there is no other way no better means to propagate the faith of Christ in Almaigne than by multiplying Jesuitical preachers that there were multitudes of other pious men of Religion ready to take pains in converting the Hereticks that the Iesuiâ—es did them wrong to say they were unwilling
or unable to do it with the dexterity and success of their Society that it was a piece of injustice and falsehood to say they would not and of arrogance to affirm they could not perform as well as others That if the Iesuites were as necessary to the Church as they would be taken to be God had provided other means for their subsistance than to uncover one Altar to cover another to rob the ancient foundations for enriching new comers That it would be hard to prove that the change they desired was for the bettering and improvement of the ancient Abbies That when Iacob saw the Ladder he built an Altar of stone and poured oyl upon it but these good Fathers keep for themselves the profits of the oyl reduce Monasteries into bare heaps of stones and Abbies into Countrey-houses so that in truth the change they make for the better is not in the Monasteries but in the Ministeries of their Kitchins This Warr of the Jesuites of Almaign against the ancient Orders of Religion for taking away their Monasteries endured above ten years At last the insatiable Avarice of these Fathers was stopped by the opposition of the Ecclesiastical Electors and other Catholique Princes of the Empire who addressed themselves in writing to Pope Vrban the 8th about this matter by their Deputies in the Assâ—mbly Generall at Ratisbone in 1641. And so sayes F. Hay the Iesuites heat for invading Monasteries was a little cooled not out of any vertuous disposition but disability to attain their unjust desires And though they appropriated by their shifting devices four of the said Abbyes unto one of their Colledges in 1659 the strong opposition they â—ound in other Provinces of Germany caused that the same Abbyes became Sepulchres to bury rather than encouragements to cherish the Acts of their Covetousness The Lyes and Impostures of the Iesuites to possess themselves of an Abby of the Nunnes of the Order of St. Bernard in Saxony The History of the life of the Emperour Ferdinand the 2 d informs us that having resolved to take from the Protestants all the Abbyes they possessed themselves of since the treaty of Passaâ— in 1552. he ordained by a publique Edict of Mar. 6. 1629. that they should be restored to those orders for whom they were founded The Abbot of the Monastery of Cesarea of the Order of the Cisteaux being deputed by his Generall to put this Edict in execution sent the Abbot of Valenciennes to put four Nuns profest of the Order of St. Bernard with two Novices and one converted Sister into possession of the Abby of Voltigerode in the Lower Saxony And the Bishop of Osnabrug one of the Commissioners Imperial having established them there by one of his Officers they continued there several months performing Divine Service and all other exercises of a Religious life The Iesuites having a design to possess themselves of this as of all other Nunneries the Protestants were to restore made use of the credit of their Father Lamorman with the Emperour to effect it The Father served himself of two notable lyes to procure a Grant from the Emperour the first That the Abbots deputed by the Orders of St. Benedict and the Cisteaux had made unto the Jesuites a voluntary cession of all Nunneries and some other of the less considerable Monasteries of their Orders The other that the Abby of Voltigerode neer the Imperial Town of Gesâ—ar was desert and vacant and that no person demanded or claimed it and that it would be very convenient for the Society for a Nursery of Novices in that Town where they had a Colledge already All this appears in express terms in the Commission they obtained though the one and the other were notoriously false the said Nuns of the Order of the Cisteaux having been in possession of the said Abby many months before 'T is the saying of a Pious Doctor that the Devils prophecy what they will doe so these Fathers bestirred themselves with all expedition to make that appear true in Act and execution which was absolutely false in allegation The first Cheat they applyed themselves to was this Having perswaded these Nunnes that they were not secure in this Abby as situate in the Countrey and exposed to the incursions of Souldiers and violences of Warr they proposed as an expedient that they should for a while quit the Abby and retire to Goslar where it should be their care to procure them reception which was accordingly done in the Monastery of Franquemberg in March 1631. But though the Nunnes frighted by this artifice departed the Abby their Moveables their Servants their Cattel and Houshold-stuffe were left at Voltigerode The Iesuites having sped so well in this piece of craft soon made it appear that the Nunnes had no reason to fear any incursion of Souldiers or violence but theirs For presently after viz. 29 of the same month of March Herman Gauvinz Provincial of the Company took possession of the Abby and left some Jesuites in it and forced the Nunnes Servants to swear fealty to them without any signification to the Superiors of the Order of the Cisteaux or to the Abbot of Cesarea Guardian of the Monastery Their unparallel'd cruelty in driving away these Nunnes and their Confessors out of this Abby The Nunnes seeing themselves so maliciously cheated found means secretly to re-enter the Abby and having placed themselves in the Quire at the upper end of the Church continued there night and day performing Divine Service the Iesuites being in possession of the Lodgings This return of the Nunnes angred the Good Fathers who left no stone unturn'd to perswade them by entreaties and by threats to be gone and had certainly starved them had they not been relieved with Victuals by some heretique women of the Countrey thereabouts The Iesuites seeing them maugre all this hard usage to continue unmoved resolved to expell them by violence And the â—2 of April being Palm-Sunday Eve assisted with Sergeants and Souldiers sent for of purpose one of their Novices being principal Actor in this irreligious Tragedy with a temerity and cruelty unheard of among persons of Religion they dragged by force out of the body of the Church these Virgins Consecrate to God who groaning and shrieking were violently haled away at so Holy a time to the scandal of the whole Province the Novice handling them so barbarously that some of them who felt his fury most lay sick of their hurts a long time after The matter of this story is so extraordinary and surprizing that it were easily credible â— Hâ—y who reports it had used some exaggeration but that his relation delivers it more favourably than the hainousness of the fact proved by Authentique Acts of Justice inserted at large both in Dutch and Latine in his work deserves as may partly appear to the Reader by the Copy of the Process Verbal or complaint of the said Nunnes exhibited in Duâ—ch to the Official of Osnabrugg as followeth It is not in
our power poor abandoned Orphans that we are not to lift up our voyce to complain of the miserable condition the strange and cruel proceedings exercised against us by the Fathers Iesuites on Saturday being Palm-Sunday Eve on the Evening have reduced us unto For being come with the Lord Widelag and two Sergeants who are the ordinary Ministers made use of by the Magistrates to take Robbers and other Malefactors into our Abby of Voltigerode wherein we had been established by our spiritual Father the Abbot of Walhenriedh Commissioner Sub-delegate in pursuance of his Imperial Majesties Edict of restitution they entred between six and seven of the Clock And finding us in the Quire of the Church where we said our Prayers the said Lord and the Iesuites spoke to us fiercely and preffed us to be gone But we continued on our Knees in our â—eats and answered that we were under the obedience of our holy Order And had no allowance or permission to depart out of our house without the command of our Superiours Afterwards I Mary Kogel Nun Profest laying hold on my seat with both my hands hung thereupon with all my forcâ— But the two Sergeants and the Jesuite Novice violently pulling away my hands from the Seat took me off and the Jesuite hâ—ld me by the middle fast locked in his Arms and so carryed me some part and dragged me the rest of the way from my Seat to the end of the Quire And as I cryed out Viâ—lence Iesus violence I believe you will kill me for I was quite out of breath thâ—y drew me out of the Quire Whereupon our Confessor arrived and found me layd along on the ground crying out against the violence they had done me But having lift me up by force they put me in a Chair to carry me away which they did forcing me clear round the Abby and having cast me out of the Cloyster they made me march between the two Sergeants in the midst of a field led by the Arms like a thief Meeting a Chariot by the way I catched at the wheel but was forced off by them with such violence that on the morrow I found my self so maimed in the Arms and had such pain in my breast to omit the fright and emotion caused by this violence that I know not whether ever I shall recover it After me followed the Noble Virgin Anne Lucy De Dernbach neer kinswoman to his Imperial Majesties Vice-chancellor whom they carryed away in like manner and with like violence in presence of our Confessor who reproached the Father Rector of the Iesuites for acting such a tragedy in so holy a time and represented to the Sergeants that they ought to remember she whom they used so was neer Kinswoman to M. de Stralendorf Vice-chancellor of the Empire but our Confessor prevailed not by his Remonstrances for they took her away as they had done Me. The third was sister to the last mentioned her name Anna Sidonia de Dernbach whose hands they forced from off the Seats of the Quire with like violence And the Iesuite Novice holding her fast by the middle dragged her forth and put her in a Chair to carry her away who in the mean time cryed out to the Iesuite Whether this were their acknowledgement of the great good Offices her Kinsman had done for their Colledge at Fulde and that this injury was done to the Vice-chancellor of the Empire in the person of his Cousin But they were deaf to all reason and used two Nunnes more in the saine barbarous manner And this we can assure before God and the whole Court of Heaven that all we alleadge is clear truth Who can hear so lamentable a story and not be equally moved with compassion towards the Nunnes Votaries of piety and nobly descended thus cruelly handled in their proper Monastery and with indignation against the Authors of such barbarous violence which yet will appear more shamefull by the addition of some circumstances faithfully reported by the famous Benedictine F. Hay in these words Heretofore under the Old Law Criminals who fled into the Temple purified only by the blood of Goats and of Calves were safe in that Asylum if once they laid hold on the horns of the Altar But now under the New Law the Fathers of the Society make no conscience of using Sergeants and the servants of Hangmen to put themselves by their insolence into the possession of Temples dedicated to the living God consecrated by the dreadfull and adorable Mysteries of Iesus Christ. And to dragg away innocent Nunnes from thence by force and violence O shame O infamy The reverend F. David Prior of the Dominicans of Alberstad and a converted brother named Angell happened to be present at this sad and unparallel'd spectacle and did so zealously and fervently reproach the Jesuites with the enormity of the Action that the Convert could hardly abstain from Actual resistance But the Jesuites not satisfied with the violence done to the Nunnes thought it necessary to expell from the Abby their Superior and Confessor a Fryar of the Abby of Cesarea called F. Michael Goâ—z who being returned from Brunswick where he had been in search of the Chalices belonging to this Nunnery came timely enough to be not only a spectator of the Tragedy but to bear a part in it For having reproached the Rector of the Jesuites to his face for the indignity of the outrage committed against these holy Virgins for not obeying the commands of the Jesuites to depart the Abby and having retyred into the Church-yard as in search of security from their violence among the dead interred there they ordered two Souldiers who were very averse from laying hands on the Priest to throw the dice who should drive him out This done one of them took him and violently thrust him out of the gate of the Monastery which gave a Protestant Souldier of Meclenbourg moved at tâ—is lamentable spectacle occasion to say with indignation against the Jesuites We suffer not Ministers to be thus used in our Countrey Behold the end of the Canonical Establishment as Crusius tâ—e Iesuite entitles it of the Fathers of the Society in the Abby of Voltigerode An Abbot of the Order of Cisteaux turns out the Iesuites with shame and re-establishes the Nuns The Abbot of Cesarea Guardian of this Monastery who by the Emperours Authority had established there these Nuns according to the Edict having received advice of this horrible proceeding writ of F. Lamorman the Iesuite Confessor to the same Prince as followeth I am informed of matters of great grief and trouble to me The event will shew in time whether they may conduce to their good who regard only their private interest and advantage You have plaid my Fathers a very strange part whereof I send you the Relation which being acted in the time of the passion of â—ur Saviour hath unhappily represented to us its image and form But there are in it two astonishing differences The one that
least as great a share in the triumph of the Iesuites as the Angels He that is really vertuous however things happen continues so still But when one is not in reality an Elias or a Saint but goes to heaven only by emblem and in a machine all is in disorder when the machine fails This may be confirmed by another accident at the same time and in the same City One of these Fathers praising the Society in his Sermon compared it to a clock which is under Regulation and regulates all other things but as he enlarged magnificently upon the subject the Clock of their house by misfortune struck above a hundred and by the irregularity caused such disorder in the auditory that they could not forbear mocking the Preacher and the Society which they publickly said was as just and regular as their Clock The Society is a great miracle like the world and therefore needs not do miracles The principal and greatest miracle of the Society is the Society it self There is not in the world a mâ—racle greater than the world The same may be said of the Society as being a little world of is self This great body of the Society moves and turns by the will of one man to move it is easie but to trouble it difficult He that sees a multitude of men flourishing in age excellent in parts and eminent for their vigour and vivacity of spirit conducted and governed so long in the Cariere of Vertue and learning for the service and advantages of others without any interruption in their course and upon examination dâ—â—h not judge it the principal and greatest miracle let him not expect another from the Society 'T is my opinion that as in the world there is no greater or other miracle than the world it self so there cannot be found in the Society a greater miracle than the Society Think it not strange then if the Iesuites do not any particular miracles as other Orders of Religion in the first age of their institution have done and expect not the same from Ignatius their Founder who did no miracle at the foundation of the Order as Ribadeneiro in the first edition of his life assures whereas other Founders have done so many since the Society is a publick and perpetual miracle as the Creation and preservation of the world I know it may be said nevertheless that the Foundation Propagation and subsistance of the Church over all the Earth in the time of Paganisme was much more miraculous in the first ages than the foundation and extent of the Society of Iesuites among Christians and that the Church did millions of miracles by the Saints and Bishops who succeeded the Apostles which by consequence were so much more desirable in the Society of Iesuites as it is an Apostolical Order if they interpret of it the Prophecy of Abbot Ioachim destin'd for conversion of Hereticks insidels and ill Christians to which miracles would be very subservient But we must believe that though no miracles are to be found amongst them as they say here were not to esteem them less Apostolical or less Holy for these sixty or eighty years last past since the death of their first Fathers because their Society is a miracle of miracles and that though the Orders of St. Benedict St. Dominick and St. Francis did so many miracles in the first age of their institution it proceeded not from their sanctity alone as if it were greater than that of the Iesuites who are as they say A Society of Angels of new Apostles new Samsons full of the Spirit of the Lord and the most perfect of all Orders but because God would supply the defects of those Societies in general by the particular miracles of their individuals whereas the default of particular Iesuites who work not miracles is recompenced made up by the general miracle of the Society it self and the imperfection of all the members in particular by the universal perfection of the whole body That the Society is the Oracle on the breast of the High Priest who decides infallibly thereby When I consider the square form of the Oracle I discover the Society figured thereby as spread into the four parts of the world And when I behold the three rowes of four precious stones to a row whereof it consisted These good Fathers are deceived for according to the Text they ought to have said four rowes of three precious stones to each row it represents to me the divers works of several of this Society which transoend Nature but are confirmed by the Doctrine of Truth When I call to mind that this Ornament was carried on the breast of the High Priest of the Iews methinks I behold this little Society wrought in as it were on the breast of a more holy Pontife The Church will now be offended with these expressions because she loves the Society not only more than she ought but more than indeed the Society deserves Nâ—â— will other Orders of Religion wonder as it since this binders not but that they continue as always in the Church what the Table the Manna and the Rod those three Oracles of the Ancient Religion and instruments of so many prodigious miracles were in the Ark of the Covenant Lib. 5. c. 5. p. 622. This sublime Elegy of this admirable Society obliges us to render it extraordinary honours for can men say more than that it is the Oracle of the Doctrine of Truth which the High Priest of Jesus Christ carries on his breast and on his heart as the Scripture saith in Exodus It was called The Oracle of judgment because as Vatablus and other Interpreters say The High Priest never gave judgment in matters of importance but he had this Ornament on his stomack and as others say Because it contained the Iudgement and Decree of God that the High Priest should be odorned with a soveraign doctrine and most perfect accomplished purity of manners So it may be believed with reason that the Society of Iesuites so straitly united to the Pope is the Oracle of his judgement being as eminent in Knowledge as Sanctity Nor may men admire any more that they maintain the Pope infallible provided he first consult the Divines and Scholastical Doctors among whom they esteem themselves with good right to hold the first rank as masterâ— of the world the most knowing of mortals the teachers of all Nations the Apollons the Alexanders of divinity and the Prophets come down from heaven who deliver Oracles in oecumenical Councels and so sharing infallibly with the Pope on whose heart they tell us here their Society rests as the Oracle of Doctrine and Truth which he ought to consult in affairs of moment as the High Priest of the Iewes never consulted the Deity but clothed with this Ornament so that we are to conclude that there is just cause to believe the Pope infallible when he takes advice of this famous Oracle of Truth or doth any thing in favour
of the Iesuites as in the name of the Company of Iesus granted them by Paul the 3d. at their desire with many extraordinary and unheard of priviledges as they themselves testify when they say That the Popes having said in their Bulls That this Society hath been raised by the Providence of God their judgements in these things are not subject to errour because it seems God gives his Oracles by him But the Popes infallibility is subject to contest when he censures the Books of three famous Iesuites Poza Bâ—uny and Cellot with such brands of errours and heresies condemned that he makes their Books of the number of prohibited ones so dangerous and pernicious that they ought not to be read or imprinted and then when he darts the intire thunderbolt of Anathema against the Book of Rabardean the Iesuite saying That the Saâ—â—ed Congregation having maturely examined the propositions contained in his Book hath judged that there are many rash scandalous offensive to devout eares seditious impious intirely destructive to the Papal Power contrary to the immunities and liberties of the Church approaching very near the heresies of the Innovators erronious in the Faith and manifestly heretical For there is cause to believe that the Pope consults not his Oracle when he acteth against it and attributes to the famous Authors of this August Society falsities impieties and heresies approaching neer those of the Innovators And why should not the Disciples of the Iesuites piously believe that it were easie for this High Priest on these occasions to have seen false visions than that these Oracles of Doctrine and Truth should become lyers Now me thinks these good Fathers ought to reserve their humility and modesty for some occasion and not call her the Little Society when they tell us their Society is the Oracle of the Soveraign Pontife and spread through the four parts of the world Elogies that denote her of the greatest grandeur excellence and extent of all Societies in the Universe But it may be that when they say This Society fastned on the breast of the Pope they would qualifie her with the title of Little lest men should think she might lye heavy on his stomack and be a burden to him because of her greatness As for what they add that the Church loves their Society more than she ought or the Society deserves 't is a modesty not to be approved for that in Truth the Church ought intirely to love those who are not only the Restorers of the Life of Christ and the Apostles among men A Society of Angels and Heroes but are besides the Oracle of Doctrine and Truth which he who represents her Head and her Spouse carries on his breast the owes them not love only but respect Truth being venerable of it self and the Oracles of Truth deserving a double Reverence As to that they insinuate of purpose to sweeten the Envy of other Orders against their Society That other Orders of Religion are in the Church what the Manna the Tables and Aarons Rod were in the Ark of the Covenant and that they call these three things the three Oracles of the Ancient Religion to make the Title they assume of the Oracle of Doctrine and Truth more passable and currant I fear the able persons of other Orders will believe those good Fathers do but jear them making them believe that these three things were sometimes Oracles which they never were but continued shut up in the ark without use in the external paâ—â— of religious Worship whereas this Oracle of Judgement Doctrine and Truth was the most august and necessary Ornament of the High Priest without which he could not execute any function of Priest and Supream Judicature It seems by this that the Iesuites would reduce other Orders of Religion to continue locked up in their Monasteries as reliques in their Chests and as the Manna Tables and Rod were in the Ark and keep for themselves all the honourable imployments of the Church which can have no favourable construction among other Orders most men even those who make profession of piety not loving to be mocked with false titles of honour pretended to be given them by those who assume the true and most illustrious to themselves But though the patience and charity of good men of other Orders were sufficient to bear this mockery with simplicity it would not excuse the malignity of the Iesuites in offering the indignity The Example of Bishops who preferred that of the Society to their Character and Titles of Honour A Bishop in 1602. Declared publickly That he gloried more in the title of a brother of our Society than in that of a Bishop and esteemed it a greater Ornament than his Cross and his Myter lib. 3. c. 7. pag. 363. Not long since a Bishop of the Realm of Naples who in his life-time had more love for his Mitre than for the Society said at his Death O holy Society which I have not sufficiently known untill now nor deserved to know thee thou surpassest the Pastoral Crosier the Mitres the Purple of Cardinals the Scepters the Empires and Crowns of the world Lib. 5. c. 10. p. 667. An excellent Document for our Lords the Bishops Archbishops and Cardinals if they love their Churches and Dignities more than the company of Jesuites that is if they are more BishopS Archbishops and Cardinals than Jesuites When they appear before God Christ will not ask them whether they have loved their sheep whether they have fed and guided them aright and laboured for the good of the Church but whether they have loved his Companions the Jesuites upheld the interest and favoured the enterprizes of this Little Society of these Little and Beloved Benjamins A Bishop of France who knew the Iesuites better than this Prelate of Italy and was endued with a more Episcopal science told these Fathers That there was great difference between the Order of Bishops and theirs for that there is no doubt that the former was of an holy institution and its Authority necessary for the preservation of the Church though all were not Saints who were invested with the dignity but as for the Iesuites without examining particulars the whole body was of no value it being more than probable thâ—â— the spirit of the world and politick respects had contributed more to their establishment than the Spirit of Christ and that the Good Ignatius brought into it was presently destroyed by the interessed Ambition of his Successors Three great Archbishops of Malines who possessed that dignity immediately one after the other and dyed reputed Saints had thoughts very different from those of the Italian Bishop For the ancientest of the three speaking of the Iesuites said These men shall flourish at first but afterwards become a Curse to all People his Successor added These men shall trouble the Church The last Propheeyed of them in these words These men shall become as the dung of the Earth To conclude the last Bishop of
spend their time and bestow their pains to no purpose I could wish they would learn that the end of Confession is to convert men at once that they commit not the same offences again That there is no commerce between frequent Câ—mmunion and Vice To frequent the Sacraments is highly useful for all duties of Christianity And you shall hardly find them defective in any part of Christian Righteousness who often approach these fountains of vertue and salvation or any publick licentiousness in a town where the frequent use of these mysteries hath been confirmed by a laudable custome For what Commerce can there be between the Author of holiness and corruption of manners What place is therefore the darkness of hell in those hearts that are irradiated by the eternal light Therefore the Society having proposed for the end of her labours to establish vertue declare war against vice and to serve the publick 't is no marvel she commends to our greatest veneration the frequent use of the Eucharist as the Arsenal of the Christian Militia the Soveraign Remedy against all maladies and infallible comfort in the worst of miseries You have heard already and shall hear further in its proper place how the Iesuites to promote their interest and carry on their carnal designs admit all persons without examination to the participation of the body of Iesus Christ. Artifices of Devotion invented by the Society to draw the people on the three gaudy dayes and the first dayes of the month to the Communion I shall produce here one only example of the Roman magnificence in the present year 1640. for we have certaine news that the brethren of our Congregation laid out nine thousand Florins on the solemnity of these three dayes to draw the minds of the people from profane licentiousness to the love of piety They 〈…〉 a great Machine in our Church of Farnese at Rome in honour of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist the height was one hundred and twenty spans the breadth was eighty exquisitely embellished with curious Statues Images Histories and Emblems to the ravishment of the Spectators the Church shining with extraordinary lustre by the light of four thousand Flambeaus The service was celebrated with so much pomp and so delicious a consort of the Popes musick that there wanted only the presence of the Pope to make it the most Majestick sight on Earth Alphonso Gonsague Arch-Bishop of Rhodes said Mass seventeen Cardinals and almost all the Prelates of the Court of Rome were present five Cardinals more came in afterwards all the Ambassadors of Kings and Princes several Religious Orders and all the Arch-Fryaries of Rome Lastly during the three dayes such throngs of people flocked to the Communion that instead of profane Bacchanals they really kept a feast of Paradise Another Artifice of the Society for more frequent Communion was the invention of Communicating the first day of the month which pleased Pope Paul the fifth so well that he granted indulgencies thereupon and by that bait of publick deâ—â—tion drew â— great concourse of people to the Holy Table The Society rejoycing at the success took the boldness to invite Cardinals to administer 〈◊〉 Sacrâ—ment whereby the number of Communicants 〈◊〉 greatly augmented the people being ravished to receive at the hands of so Illustrious Persâ—ns the pledge of their Salvation Five Cardinals did it and at Rome at one day and in one Church they compâ—ed sâ—metimes sixteen thousand sometimes twenty and sometimes thirty thousand Communicants and from thence this piâ—us custome over-spread the whole Earth So that at Lisbon in the Church belonging to the house of our Profession the Sacrament 〈◊〉 administred to twenty five thâ—usand in one day 〈◊〉 six or seven in Brussels and as many at Antwerp in one of those dayes and bad our Churches been capable of more persons the number of Communicants would have been greater General Reflections on all the extracts out of the Image of the first age THe Iesuites never spoke truer of themselves than when they assumed the title of The Pharisees of the New Law And though they have been so vain as to attribute to themselves undue praises they have this once declared so great a truth that we may take them at their word 'T is the Spirit of Pharisaisme hath caused them to write those great Volumes stuffed only with their praises and to prove they are not as other men Christ blamed the Pharisees of his time for affecting the chief places in Assemblies and to be honoured as the principal Doctors and Guides of the people The Iesuites extol themselves above all Orders of Religion march still in the first rank and call themselves masters of the world The ancient Pharisees took upon them to dispense with the principal Commandments of the Law but are clearly out-done by their successors the Pharisees of our time for what have they left undone to shew We are not obliged to Love God nor to give almes And they that find most subtleties to dispense with good works are in most esteem among them and to this Banius Tambenius â—scobar and others owe their reputation Those holy men that went before them had no other secret for the conversion of men than to preach Christ crucified and to take off thâ— sâ—andal of the Cross by the practice of humility But the prudence of these new Apostles consists in hiding from the people they pretend to convert the folly of the Cross as may be one day proved more clearly than they are awarâ— of The first word of St. Iohn Baptist of Chriâ—â— and his Apostles address to Sinners was Repenâ—â— But the Iesuites willing to spare all that is troublesome and professing themselves complaisant civil and gentle directors have founâ— out a way to remit sins without obliging 〈◊〉 a rude and harsh Repentance and to make Confession so easie and pleasant that the most criminal will not decline it but run to 't as willingly as they did to Sin as themselves assure us When Confessors believed it a matter of difficulty to leave ill habits and that we 〈◊〉 strive to enter in at the strait gate of Heaveâ— they were not satisfied with words without seeing the fruits of a solid Repentance so thâ—â— those who were inclined not to reform theâ—â— lives nor to make restitution of ill gotten goodâ— nor quit ill company durst not present themselves before the tribunal of the Church whose severity they feared which made true penitence rare even in the primitive times a thing not easily performed but difficult and toylsom The same Fathers who taught us That the life of Grace was freely received by us in Baptism instructed us also That a Soul dead in sin is not easily revived and that when we have made our selves slaves to the Devil it is very hard to break his chains when we have blinded our selves in following our lusts we cannot without miracle come out of darkness and return into the way of Iesus Christ. Lastly
the Offerings and Liberalities of the people upon the occasion of the Great Miracles wrought by the Martyr Bishop of Soissons when those Monks in their return from Pilgrimage to Rome arrived at Ruffach enriched with his Reliques by hte Gift of the Abbot of St. Potentience of the same Order in the City of Rome so that in a short time they built that Priory which continued alwayes in the possession of the Monks and Abbot of Chesy though the Iesuites have not omitted any artifice from the beginning of their institution to make themselves masters thereof contrary to the Bulls of the Popes Lucius and Alexander 3 d who excommunicated all those that should attempt any thing concerning the said Priory in prejudice to the rights of the said Abbot and Monks For after the year 1578. they procured and obtained from time to time Bulls upon Bulls but so voyd and null they durst not produce them And in 1618. they huddled up all the nullities and obreptions of the precedent Bulls into one suggested by them to have been obtained for the benefit of the Colledge of Selestat founded some 3024. years before wherâ—in they set forth contrary to the truth that it was a simple Priory without a Convent and aliened long since from the said Order with the usual formalities and consent of all parties interessed In pursuance of this Bull these Fathers having by strange precipitation and extraordinary haste outed the Prior Nicolas Verdot Monk of Chesy with unheard of vexations possessed themselves timely of the said Priory in 1618. without any form of Justice and 18 years before the time prescribed by the pretended Bull that is before it became void by the death or cession of the said Prior who was Canonically possessed of it ever since 1610. and never juridically deprived thereof Letters gained by surprize from the King aâ—d â— Mandamus from the Bishop of Strasbourg The dependance of the three Priories This violent intruâ—ion notwithstanding the Oppositions complaints Protestations and pursuits of the said Prior with the interposition of the Authority of the Crown of France endured till God himself brought the remedy by a change of the State in 1634. when the Iesuits upon the arrival of the French Armies having quitted the Priory the said Prior was re-established by his Majesties Authority and dyed in peaceable possession thereof in 1636. whereupon Iames Boescot of the Order of St. Dennis succeâ—ded him and possessed it till 1644. though the Iesuites in 1638. had obtained Letters Patents from the said King in Confirmation of their right if any they had which they got by surprize upon false suggestions that the said Priory ever since 1578. had been Canonically united to the Colledge of Selestat which had not been founded before 1615 and that the said Verdot of Chesy whom death had deprived of power to defend his Cause had been an usurper Intruder and illegally possessed of the said Priory as if he had been a Lutheran seized of it by main force But the Letters Patents were of no use to the Iesuites for Boescot seeing that the continuance of the Warre in Germany made the place not habitable in the year 1644 resigned the said Priory into the hands of the Abbot of Chesy who bestowed it on Paul William a Fryer of the strict Observance of the Congregation on of S. Vanne who by the Kings Order took possession thereof and peaceably enjoyed it with those of his Order till the 2 d of Iune 1651. on which day in pursuance of a Mandamus issued from Archduke Leopold Bishop and Lord of Strasbourg under pretence of executing some Articles of the Treaty of peace but really in breach thereof the Arch-dukes Officers re-established there some Iesuites strangers and by force and violence outed the said Prior and his Fryers of the reformed Order of St. Francis notwithstanding all their oppositions Appeals and Protestations of force which the said Officers refused to enter of Record among the Acts of their Courts though it was afterwards granted them upon renewing their suit at Brisac Now these three Priories depending as to their spiritualty and right of Collation upon the Abbyes of Chesy and Cluny have ever been subject and answerable for their temporaltyes to the Archdukes Chamber of Iustice of Ensiâ—heim belonging to the house of Austria though this of St. Valentine be situate in the Territories of the Bishop of Strasbourg and that by the Treaty of Munster in 1648. all the rights of the House of Austria in the higher and lower Alsatia were granted in Soveraignty to the Crown of France and consequently the said Priory being at present under the Jurisdiction of the most Christian King and his Justice to whom alone belongs the cognizance thereof and the maintenance of the said Prior in his possession it followes that the intrusion of the said Iesuites strangers into the place of the said Prior outed without cause or lawfull Authority in 1651. is an unjust attempt against the tenor of the said Treaty of peace Nor is the Kings interest less engaged for keeping the two other Priories of St. Iames and St. Morand which the Iesuites would have taken away from the Order of Cluny and consequently from France to alien them to perpetâ—ity and unite them to the Colledges of strangers to the great prejudice of his Majesties Subjects and the order of St. Benedict False suggestions to pope Gregory XIII to obtain a Bull of Vnion of the said Priory False Charge of Crimes on the Prior. That it may the better appear what artificâ—s the said Fathers make use of for want of right to usurp the said Priories observe that in 1578. Iohn Sancey being Prior of that of St. Valentin they obtained from Popoe Gregory xiii by the procurement and Authority of Iohn Bishop of Strasbourg a Bull of Union of the said Priory for founding a Colledge in the Town of Molsheim and that they should enjoy it upon the first vacancy upon the false suggestion that it was a Priory only without a Convent without declaring that it depended on France and the Abby of Chesy without an information Super commodo incommodo of the convenience and inconvenience which according to Custome ought regularly to have been first exhibited without the consent of the Prior or his Convent the Abbot of Chesy the Bishop of the Diocese or of the King though all interessed partyes These Iesuites being otherwise sufficiently founded at Molshâ—im not knowing how to betake themselves to execute their Bull so full of nullities and void Clauses left it dormant without the least mention 31 years in which time two vacancies incurred by the decease of Sancey in 1589. and of Adrian Verdâ—t his Successor in 1598. which they let pass without stirring at all or giving the least notice or hint of their pretensions So that the said Bullby this means lay superannuate and useless At last in 1609. they pitched on an expedient very disagreeable to the Charity of Christians
St. Valentin But 't is no wonder the Iesuites have surprized the Holy See by these tricks which are ordinary with them since they have endeavoured after that to circumvent the Emperour in a business of like nature but far greater importance as will appear by the story A notable fiction and imposture of the Iesuites to take from the Order of the Cisteaux Monks the Abby called Aula Regia During the last wars of Germany about 1644. the Iesuites of the Colledge of Prague remonstrated to his Imperial Majesty that they wanted a house of Recreation to refresh their spirits in their vacations from publick imployments and that there was a little Abby called Aula Regia belonging to the Order of the Cisteaux about a league from the City very convenient for that purpose possessed by six Monks only and they very ill livers dissolute and scandalous neglecting Divine Service and minding nothing but their divertisement in hunting and other pastimes Whereupon the Emperour was so far perswaded that at last he deputed a Commissary to put them into possession of the said Abby without requiring any further information But the Commissary being arrived upon the place was not a little astonished to find there a good Abbot with threescore and one profest Monks and thirteen Novices newly initiated and entred in the Abby living regularly and coâ—stant at Divine Service at which he was present as also at the Common Table of their Refectory though the two Iesuites sen with him to take the possession would have perswaded him that they were but Countrey men in Monks habit and stragling persons whom the Abbot had sent for after he had an inkling of what should happen But the Abbot having justified the contrary by Authentick Acts of all their professions the Commissary brought him to the Emperour who upon his report sent back this worthy Abbot with honour into his Abby whence the two Iesuites prudently retained there to attend the resolution of the Emperour were dismissed with shame and confusion Of the Priory of St. James of Veldbach whereof the Iesuites became under-farmers to make themselves Masters The Priory of St. Iames founded in 1144. at the Village of Veldbach by Frederick Count Ferâ—ette for the Order of St. Benedict under the institution of the Congregation of Cluny which â—lourished then hath been alwayes possessed without interruption and now is possessed by the reformed Fryars of the said Order the collation and provision reserved by express terms to the Abbot-General of the Order of Cluny The last Prior Iohn Nieâ—lin deceased in 1637. succeeded in 1602. Claudius Dorez Bishop of Lauzane who had been possessed of the said Priory ever since 1567. But Nicolin by dispensation in that behalf kept his residence in another Priory he had in Burgâ—gue having Leased that of St. Iames to the Abbot and Convent of Lucellâ— of the Order of the Cisteaux neer the said Priory of St. Iames for the term of his life from 1628. on the same conditions he had granted it them for years in 1621. particularly that they should maintain the Fryars to celebrate Divine Service according to the obligation of the foundation and their profession and should pay yearly to the said Prior six hundred Florins and several other reservations specified in an instrument apart from the Grant Whereupon the Records and Evidences of the Priory the Church Ornaments Plate and other moveables of the house were consigned by inventory into the hands of the said Abbot and Convent who acquitted themselves of their Charge with great satisfaction to all and performed their Conditions to the edifying of the Church The Iesuites were established at Ensisheim fifteen or sixteen years since by Arch-Duke Leopold who had assigned them for their foundation three thousand Florins Annual Rent to be paid out of the Receipt of his Archiducal Chamber over and above the Salaries of the ancient regents secular upon condition that they should maintain in their Colledge twenty two Iesuites but they not content with this allowance though more than sufficient bethink themselves of an expedient to better their condition but fatal to the Order of St. Benedict and such as gave occasion to say of them what St. Paul said of himself though in a different sense I am made all things to all men that I might gain the more so they thrust themselves into all sorts of affairs intermeddle and undertake all manner of businesses and act any part attended with profit Who would have believed that these Fathers would have reduced themselves to the quality of under-farmers to get footing in Monasteries and render themselves Masters thereof Yet this was the practice of F. Anthony Weinhard Rector of the said Colledge of Ensisheim since 1628 this was the course he took to rob the Order of Cluny of the said Priory of St. Iames and some others of the same Order situate thereabouts though it be a thing so contrary to the statutes of their Society that it would appear a fable but that the instrument under the signature of the Rector the seal of the Colledge and confirmation of the Arch-Duke put it out of question This good Steward of the Society knowing that the Priory of St. Iames was set at a low rate being really worth above three thousand Florins by the Authority of Arch-Duke Leopold forced the said Abbot and Convent of Lucelle without the knowledge of the absent Prior to assigâ— and make over the said Lease to him as Rector of the Colledge of the Iesuites which was accordingly done with the same clauses and condiâ—ions that they enjoyed it not for the better Celebration of Divine Service which is no part of their profession nor for adorning the Church or maintaining the house in repair for they have left both to decay and come to ruine but on designe to make themselves Masters of the said Priory and insensibly to deface all memory thereof as appears by their proceedings for as soon as the Iesuites had goâ— footing there and constrained the poor Prior by wayes so strange that I dare not express them to consent to the assignment after three years contest the Rector to prevent a Revocation of this extorted consent obtained the confirmation of the Arch-Duke upon a fraudulent request setting forth quite contrary to the Truth that the confirmation was desired for the Priors security and to take away all umbrage and apprehension he might have of damage or inconvenience to ensue upon the assignment to the prejudice of the Prior. They expell the Fryars thence pursue the Vnion at Rome of that and several other Benefices under the Name of the Arch-Duke whom they interessed therein Their subtleâ—ies and violences Having fasten'd a hook in the jaws of the Prior that he could not hinder them from enjoying the benefit of the assignment the Rector turns out all the Fryars of the Priory the Prior not daring to resist or contradict him so that the Priory stood abandoned and the Divine Service supprest as generally it
not revoke it The Abbot bethought himself of this Expedient he besought his Majesty to be graciously pleased that he might at least defend his Cause by a publique dispute which was granted him and the dispute continued three dayes successively The Iesuite who maintained the part of the Society and flattered the Emperour by attributing to him a power he had not to dispose at his pleasure of the Benefices of Ancient Orders and change their Foundations thinking he had born away the Bell the two first dayes grown insolent upon his pretended victory the third day insulted over the Monk who accompanyed the Abbot slighting him as a Cypher and one that came thither only to fill up a room or make up a number The young Monk more able as well as more modest than the Iesuite having on his Knees desired the Abbots blessing before he made his Defence and received it made it appear that there is a time to be silent as well as to speak and that as he knew the former he was not ignorant of the later He began to repeat from one end to the other all that had been said objected answered and replyed on the one side and the other the two first dayes and after that so refuted the seeming reasons of the Iesuit that he taught him to hold his peace having put him to the nonplus and left him nothing to answer and maintained the right of the Abby with arguments so convincing that the Abbot and he were by the Emperour sent back into their Abby with the applause of the whole Assembly The Priory of St. Morand and two others usurped by a shew of piety and surreptitious Bulls If the Rector of Ensisheim plaied his part well in gaining entry into the Priory of St. Iames of Veldbach the Iesuites of Fribourg in Bresgaâ— used no less artifice to seize that of St. Morand while Alsatia was yet under the house of Austria for though two onely of the Society were by the favour of the Arch-Duke introduced there about 1623. under pretence of Catechising and hearing the confessions of the neighbourhood and Pilgrims frequent in that place as if the Benedictines who then were there whose names and surnames remain recorded in the information made thereupon had not been able to have performed it yet these Iesuites did so ply the Officers at Rome that they obtained secretly a Bull of Union in 1626. without the knowledge of the Benedictines which they have not dared hitherto to produce as being full of suggestions notoriously false as That the said Priory was several years they say eighty forsaken and abandoned by the Prior and Monks and without any Convent That the buildings were all gone to ruine that the Revenue of the Benefice was very small and that the Collation belonged to the Arcb-Duke which in every particular are publickly known to be false Besides the pretended Bull hath an express Reservation sine praejudicio alicujus that the grant shall not operate to the prejudice of any yet they forthwith expelled Peter Gaspard and Peter Michael then Monks there who retired into the Abby of St. Peter of the same Order in the black forrest It appears clearly not only by the said information but by the confession of the Iesuites in their memorials though in other things injurious and diâ—â—amatory that the said Priory of St. Morand is by foundation of the Order of Cluny and convenâ—ual and that the collation thereof belongs to the General of the Order as of all others that depend thereon that it hath continued alwayes conventual and was actually possessed and served by the Benedictine Fryars without any reproach untill the intrusion of the Iesuites who expelled them That the revenue they set forth at one hundred Ducats exceeds eight hundred that the buildings of the Priory and particularly the Cloyster were intire and in good repair and that these Fathers enemies to monastick regularity to deface their power all the marks thereof have on purpose pulled down the Cloyster since their entry and caused the materials to be carried to St. Vlrich another Priory of the said Order about two leagues from thence to repair it and not far from a very rich Priory of St. Augustine called Ellenberg which two last Priories situate in the Territories of France the said Iesuites strangers of Fribourg are in possession of at this day with as little right as that of St. Morand the last having been given them in reward for a Tragedy acted by them for that purpose before the Arch-Duke wherein St. Augustine is introduced complaining of the idleness and dissoluteness of those of his Order and offering the said Priory of Ignatius whom they bring on the stage to accept it after a thousand praises of their Society A deed of gift without right in favour of the Jesuites who not able to keep the Priory carry away the moveables evidences and ornaments Four years after they had surreptitiously obtained this Bull and without consent of the parties concerned and particularly of the General of Cluny to whom alone the collation did of full right belong these Fathers finding their Bull was no assurance of it self resolved to help it out by propping it with a deed of gift which they easily procured from the Arch-Duke though he had no right to make it other than usurped authority guided by their advice to dispose of the concerns of France But being their opinion no person could be so hardy as to adventure the questioning of the palpable nuâ—lities of their Bull when protected and supported by a Soveraign Authority And the Tragedy having been acted about the beginning of the Germane Wars the Iesuites had a fair opportunity to keep the Priory in their hands during the troubles but the Treaty of Peace being published in 1648. and the Countries of Aâ—sâ—â—tia and Sundrigaâ— reunited to France the Prince of Conty holding himself obliged to Retake into his hands the Estates and Possessions usurped from his Order and depending on his Abby of Cluny and having received advice of the vacance of the said Priory at the Re-commendation of M. de la Barde the Kings Embassadour to the Swisses bestowed it in August 1651. on Benedict Schwaller a Fryar of the Order and Doctor of the University of Paris In pursuance whereof Schwaller by his Majesties Order took possession in the usual form and Re-established there a Community of Fryars of his Order according to the tenour of the said Treaty of Peace ordaining That Monasteries usurped from the Catholicks whether by other Catholicks or by â—â—eâ—eticks should be restored to those Orders from whom they were originally founded and not to any other This hindred not the Iesuites to prevaricate and by shifts and dodging tricks to keep the Prior four dayes in play and in that time by night and by day to convey away all the Grain Writings Evidences Church-Ornaments and other moveables of the Priory leaving nothing behind that could be carried away though it was never theirs
tricks the spirit of Wrangling could invent in the most shifting petty-foggers by delayes by reiterated defaults new Assignations contesting about the qualities of the parties producing ridiculous impertinent and insignificant matters falsities and manifest untruths diffamatory Libells forged Letters informations without date or subscription and a thousand other devices to be seen at large in the Memoriall above-mentioned which is therefore the more credible for that upon the whole matter a notable Arrest was given in favour of the Benedictines you shall see hereafter Bulls without president and contrary to the Canons and Councels of the Church An Arrest in favour of the Benedictines against the Jesuites We must not forget some remarkable things to be observed in the Bulls the Iesuites obtained for the three Priories spoken of before for besides the false suggestions nullities and obrâ—ptions whereof they were full which inclined the Benedictines to procure and produce Duplicates thereof against the Iesuites and besidâ—s the express provision in some of them that they should not operate to the wrong or prejudice of any they were most abusively and maliciously framed in two points 1. In that contrary to all forms and presidents they gave power to the Jesuites to take possession of the said Benefices by their proper Authority without observing the ordinary formalities requisite in such cases and that contrary to the Canons and the Councels of Constance of Lateran of Chalcedon and others they made alienation of Estates without consent of the parties united several Benefices situate in divers Dioceses and suppressed Monasteries and Benefices Conventual which ought to remain to perpetuity 2. In that by an unparallel'd and unheard of abuse they contained a Clause ordaining that they should not be questioned for any nullity obreption or subreption whereof they were full Decernenâ—es easdem praesenâ—es nullo unquam tempore de subreptionis vel obreptionis aâ—t nullitatis viâ—io Aâ—gui seu notari which takes away all cause of wondâ—r why the Jesuites were alwayes loth to produce them as knowing they could serve for nothing more than to discover their Artifices and Deceits the clearer though notorious enough to the world already upon other occasions And now none can think it strange that after so many shifts and tricks of petty foggery they were at last wholly defeated and for ever debarred of their pretensions to the Priories in question by Arrest of the Kings Councel the Judiâ—ial part whereof and the sentence is here transcribed but the proceedings purposely omitted for that they are herein before succinctly reported and may be seen at large in the Printed Memoriall we mentioned often The Arrest of the Privy Councell THe King in his Councel giving Judgement and doing right in the said Cause hath maintained and kept and doth maintain and keep the said Fryar Paul William in the possession and enjoyment of the said Priories of St. Valentine of Ruffach and St. James of Veldbach and the said Fryar Benedict Schwaller in the possession and enjoyment of the said Priory of St. Morand Forbidding and prâ—hibiting the Demandants the Jesuites and all others to trouble or mâ—lest them in this behalf and ordering the Sequestrators to deliver the possession into the hands of the said William And having done right upon the demands respectively made by the said parties for restitution of the Reâ—iques Ornaments Evidences Moveables and other things that were heretofore in the said Priories hath ordained and ordains that the parties within two months joyn issue in the same and dâ—bate tâ—em at large before the Sieur De Baussan Intendant in the Countrey of Alsatia and that the said Sieur De Baussan shall assist and further the execution of this Arrest which shall be executed notwithstanding any oppâ—sition or Appeals whatsoever Yet so as the said Appeals shall not be barred or prejudiced hereby but in the mean time the parties are to proceed to executiâ—n which shall not be delayed by verâ—ue or colour of any Appeal whatsoever And his Majesty reserves unto himself and his Councell the cognizance and deâ—erâ—ination of any Appeal that shall or may happen to be made in this â—ause which Appeal shall be proceeded in summarily without the â—sual formality of Suits Examined Signed De Moris Given at the Kings Privy-Councel held at Paris Aug. 4. 1654. OTHER Historical Passages AND Relations of the Artifices and Violences of the Jesuites of Almaigne in taking away several Abbies from the Orders of St. Benedict and the Cisteaux monks Collected out of the Books of the Famous F. Hay a Benedictine of Almaigne the one called ASTRUM INEXTINCTUM Printed in 1636. and the other HORTUS CRUSIANUS Printed at Frankfort in 1658. and Printed also within these ten years with all their Quâ—tations in France in 4 to and at Cologne in 8 vo in 1659. A notable imposture of F. Lamorman the Jesuite Confesser to the Emperour of the Vsurpaâ—ion of Abbies THE Emperour Ferdinand the second having had great advantages over the Protestants of Germany after the rising in Bohemia and the battel of Prague which he won against them by a General Edict of the 6 th of March 1629. ordained That all the Abbies and other Eâ—tates Ecclesiastical which had been usurped from the Catholicks by the Protestants against the Articles of the Treaty of Passau in 1552. should be restored to those to whom they belonged according to their foundaâ—ions In pursuance of which Edict he sent Commissioners throughout the Empire to see it executed and published other particular Edicts in favour of St. Benedict the Cisteaux and others As there 's nothing more just than to restore every one what belongs to him so this Edict of the Emperour was highly approved by the Pope who writ an express Brief to the Emperour To teâ—tifie his joy and that of the whole Consistory of Cardinalls for this re-establishment of the Clergy and the Fryars in their estates The Emperour at the same time writ to his Ambassadour at Rome the Prince of Savelli the 14th of April 1629. the reasons of his Edict which were That he was of opinion he could not have done any thing more profitable and conducing to the good of Religion in Almaigne then to take such course that the Religious Orders might flourish again which had been heretofore the firm pillars thereof that pursuant to this design he had ordered by his Authority Imperial that the Abbies and other places Consecrate to Religion which had been profaned by the iniquity of the times or converted to other uses should be restored every one to the Order to which they belonged as being Consecrate thereto from their first foundation and not to another He sent him afterwards a more ample instruction of the 25 of Octob. the same year wherein he gives six principal reasons of his Edict The Iesuites extremely nettled and perplexed that they had no share in this restitution to the Ancient Orders consulted among themselves how to enrich their Society with other mens Estates
his Hâ—liness the Pope of Rome His Imperial Majesty the Cardinals of the holy Roman Church the Bishops Princes and others and also Of the little Society of Iesus This the learned and pious Benedictine F. Hay shew by an excellent book intituled Aâ—trum inextinctum which he opposed to that of the Jesuite to be the most shameful illusion and mockery that ever appeared for that instead of defending these powers it formally questions and opposes an Imperial Edict approved by the Pope and Colledge of Cardinals by an express Brief as well as by all the Bishops Princes of Almaigne And that the thing he really maintained though very weakly was the Little Soâ—iety of Iesus which he represented as so great and necessary for the Church that he feared not to affirm That God had not sufficienâ—ly provided for the Chruch if having established all other Orders of Religion theirs onely had been wanting 1. Imposture of the Iesuites that these Abbies werâ— supprest 'T is incredible what artifices they made use of in these Books to maintain a pretention most â—njust and most unworthy men professing Religion I. They would have made the Pope believe That all those Abbies were supprest and that the Eâ—tates were vacant i. e. such as â—ad no owner That the Emperour or Pope might dispose of them at their pleasure Declaring sometimes that it belonged to the Emperour to give them with the approbation of the Pope and sometimes that it belonged only to the Pope to bestow them as devolved to him by a special and particular right upon design that of these two Powers that should be adjudged to have most right which they by their intrigâ—es and insinuations should render most inclinable to give them these Abbies But this erroneous illusion was folidly refuted as contrary to the Laws Civil and Canon by the Benedectins who justified by the Authority of the Ecclesiastical Laws and by presidents both ancient and modern of above thirty famous Abbies as that of Mount-Cassin S. Maâ—â— in Anjou and others that Abbies possessed and destroyed by forraign enemies when recovered were alwayes restored to their proper Orders That it was an unheard of pretence that the sole-violence of the hereticks founded only on the force of Armes should operate so as to cause these Abbies to be adjugded supprest and that it would appear very unjust if re-entring their Abbies they might not of right say with the Maccabâ—es We have not possessed our selves of a strange land nor are we entred upon the Estates of others but by the benefit of the Revolution of time we resume the possession of the heritage of our Fathers which hath for sometime been injuâ—tly â—surped by our Enemies 2. and 3. Impostures That it was an abuse and not within their power who did it to restore these Abbies to the Frâ—ars Though these Abbies had been adjudged to the Religious Orders by an arrest of the Court Imperial of Spire and the Edict of the Emperour approved by the Pope yet these good Fathers who stick not to exalt themselves above the Emperour and the Pope had the boldness to publish in print That this affair was of the number of â—hose whereof we are to say that they pass only by way of sufferance and tolleraâ—ion which if weighed in the ballances of judgement are inconsistent with the Rules of Iustice whereby they would impose on us a belief that the re-establishment of the Fryars in their Abbies that is the plain â—xecution of the Laws of Nations and Nature was an intollerable abuse and that on the contrary the most unjust usurpation of other Mens Estates which the Iesuites in their hopes had already devoured was pure justice and most unquestionable right But there 's nothing of greater wonder than the extravagant Answers they made to the invincible Arguments and Reasons of the Fryars In vain did the Benedictines object to them the â—xpress terms of the Emperours Edict and the Orders he had sent his Commissaries General for execution viz. Our pleasure is that the Abbies possessed against the Treaty of Passau and the Peace for regulating the state of Religion which have been to this time unjustly detained be surrendred and restored by vertue of this our Edict Imperial to such persons of the Religiâ—us Orders to whom they belonged bâ—fore the said unjust detentiâ—â— for the Jesuites with an unconceivable boldness made aâ—swer that there was not one word to be found in his Imperial Majesties Edict which imported thâ—â— the Abbies ought to be restâ—red to the Orders for which they had been fâ—unded and to mainâ—â—â— this false and strange assertion they 〈…〉 themselves of a gross illusion which tâ—nds only to make the Emperours Edict ridiculous 〈◊〉 say they the pleasure of this Prince was thaâ— restitution should be made of the Abbies to the samâ— individual persons to whom they belonged before theâ— were possessed by the Lutherans which is in effect That the Emperour had sent his Commissariâ—s to make restitution of the Abbies to persons dead and interred forty or fifty years before and not to the Religious Orders which in that they never dye were capable of the benefit of thâ— pious intentions of the Emperour 4. and 5. Impostures That the Jesuites were persons proper to possess the Abbies and comprehended under the name of Monks In vain did the Benedictines object against them That the Emperour had expresly Ordained by his Edict that the foundations of Abbies should be preserved and the vacancies filled with persons proper according to the rules of the foundation duly called and fitly qualified according to law for the Jesuites answered That it was true but it could not be proved that the Fathers of the Socieâ—y were not persons duly called and legally qualified according to the foundations of these Abbies given them by the Pope with his Imperial Majesties Consent That is as F. Hay doth elegantly expound it That these Abbies founded for the Order of St. Benedict six or seven hundred years before there were Jesuites in the world were founded for the Fâ—thers of the Society of Iesus In vain did the Benedictines object That these Abbies had been established for Mâ—nks and Fryars and that it was Ordained by the Canon-law That Monasteries should continue Monasteries to perpeâ—uity for the Jesuites answered That in matters of favourable construction such as tended to the enriching themselves with the Estates of the Manasteries the Jeâ—uites were comprehended under the name of Monks To which the Benedictines replyed That it was pleasanâ— to consider that the Jesuites who on all other occasions express so great aversness from the name of Monks are very willing to be called Monks when it may serve to introduce them into the inheritance of Monks And 't is fit to observe here that the Iesuites brand Auâ—elius with errour for alledging that a Monk and a person of a Religious Order are convertible terms and denote the same thing so in France when there is nothing to be got by assuming
Females represented the person of Christ the other that they who assume the Name of Jesus accompanied with their Guard of Souldiers acted not his part but that of the Iews 〈◊〉 persecuted and abused him O Society of Jesus Is this the Society you have with Jesus I conjure your paâ—ernal Reverence by the â—owels of our Redeemers Mercies to cause restitution to be made of the Abbies which the Society have possessed themselves of under â—olouâ— of a pretended Cession for fear these Angels of Peace according to Scripture phrase be obliged to continue their sighs and their tears if voluntary restitution be not speedily made we shall not fail of means to cause it to be done Cesarea May 30. 1631. To conclude notwithstanding the great power this Iesuite had over the Emperours spirit The Order of Cisteaux up in their prosecution of re-establishment from his Imperial Majesty obtained a solemn arrest in their favour for restoring these Nuns to their Abby whence the Iesuites were obliged to dislodge with shame as they had entred by a violent intrusion contrary to the Civil and Canon Law for which by the Canons they deserved exemplary punishment For the ancient Orders of St. Benedict St. Bernard and others needed only the Emperours authority for their re-establishmâ—nt in their proper Abbies as Estates violently uâ—â—â—ped from them by the Luâ—herans to which the said Orders had a continual and most unquestionable right of re-entry But besides that the gift of this Abby which the Iesuites pretended to have had from the Emperour was Null in it self as contrary to the Edict and had not been obtained but by manifest surprize as was observed before the Iesuites themselves acknowledged by their Books that the Pope only could make such translation of Abbies from the Ancient Orders to their Society and when in the mean time they were pressed to shew that the Pope had given them this by some Rescript or Bull they had none to produce but made an illusory answer worthy of themselves That the Pope had given it them by the Emperour as if sayes F. Hay the Pope â—ad accustomed to grant such extraordinary favours by Secular Commissions of Emperours or Kings and not by Bulls or Apostolick Brieves The Iesuites forbare not afterwards to attempt the possession of several Abbies under the specious pretence of the greater Glory of God insomuch that the Catholick Noblesse of the Rhine in Weteravia held themselves obliged to make publick Complaints against their Avarice to Pope Vrban the 8 th in these words We see Holy Father to our very great astonishment that the Fathers of the Sociâ—ty of Iesus by divers persecutions and flatteries they use to the Soveraign Chief and Princes of the Empire over and above the vast riches they have gained labour to possess themselves of Abbies Foundations and Monasteries principally those of Noble and Illustrious Virgins under divers pretexts of propagating the Faith and advancing the salvation of Souls They represent to him further That in such holy places as the Iesuites were possessed of presently all marks of the ancient duties of the foundations vanished upon their entry all works of Mercy and Charity in practice there before did immediately disappear That the Monasteries being abandoned did sensibly decay and would by degrees moulder to nothing contrary to the pious intentions of the founders their Ancesâ—ors that the buildings were ruined and fallen to the ground and that nothing remained but the Estates and Revenues to inrich the Colledges of the Iesuites by the spoils of the ancient Orders of Religion So that notwithstanding the great pride and vanity of these self-conceited Fathers and their contempt of the Nunneries saying That the virginity of females consecrated to Christ is a solitary recluse and lazy virginity which works out only their particular salvation whereas theirs of the Society is publick active imployed in preaching and fervent with zeal for the happiness and beatitude of the souls of all Their Covetousness and Avarice appeared the more odious by their insolent brags and provoked every person to indignation against them for having such presumptuous thoughts of their Company as to dare to pretend that Religion was in danger of ruine and a total destruction unless change were made of the Holy Habitations of Religious Virgins whose prayers are so useful to the States Ecclâ—siastical and Civil into Farms for their Colledges whose disorders and irregularities are so notorious to the world and pernicious to mankind The Famous Story Of the Enormous Cheat upon the Nuns of the Order of St. Vrsula by the Rector of the Iesuites of Metz in the sale of a house for their new establishment in that City Confirmed by an arrest of the Parliament of Metz in 1661. a Copy whereof is here inserted Whereby appear the equivocations lies deceits and cheating impostures practised by the said Rector against the said Nuns thâ—ugh he was their director Spiritual and Temporal Extracted and faithfully transcribed out of the Registers of Parliament BEtween the Nuns professed and Convent of the Vâ—sulines of this City of Metz authorized by the Court to prosecute their rights appellantes for the Seizures made of the goods and revenues of the said Monastery the 24 th and 27 th Nov. and 19 th Ian. last demandants in conversion of appeal into opposition and upon letters of form of Rescision and Restitution by them obtained in Chancery 29 Dec. last against a certain contract of Sale of Sept. 7. 1649 that of ratification of Decem. 13. in the said year and all other acts ensued thereon of the one part And the Rector of the Colledge of the Iesuits of the said City summoned and defendant of the â—ther part And also between August de Montigny Burgess of Metz and his Consorts next kinsmen to the Appellants Demandants by request to obtain intervention of one part And the said Rector defendant of the other part As also between Thomas le Blane Provincial of the Iesuites partly by intervention of one part And the said Nuns defendants of the other part Without that the qualities shall hurt or prejudice the parties COVRCOL for the Appellantes and Demandantes sets forth That the Suite was of a Contract of Sale of a house situate in this City of Metz passed by F. Forget then Rector of the Jesuites of the said City for the use of the Vrsuline Nuns of Mascon stipulating for a new establishment of the Nuns of the same order to be made at Metz aforesaid That the qualities of the parties would decide the cause it being certain that the Nunâ— come from Mascon for the new establishment of this Monastery were not of the Community or Nuns of this Monastery for that according to the constitutions of the Order such Nuns as had not made profession in the new Monastery remained still profest Nuns of the Monastery whence they came out and whither they might return or be recalled and the Nuns of the new Monastery were not obliged to
used and slighted by the Jesuites who made him goe three times to Rome and jeared at the Bâ—lls and Censures be brought thence Pag. 281. they declared a contempt parallel to the former though not in their Actions yet in their intentions and writings against D. Maâ—thew De Castro Bishop in the East-Indies who being a Braman by Nation was consecrated by Pope Vrban 8 th and sent to make missions into the Kingdom of Idabria This good Prelate did that which neither the Archbishop of Goa nor all the Orders of Religion were able to effect either by Intreaties or Gifts in 140 years which was to obtain leave from the Moorish King to build Houses and Churches throughout all his Kingdom But the Jesuites so misused this poor Bishop that they forced him to break the course of his mission and to make three journeys with very great difficulties to Rome where Fa. Iohn Baptista de Morales of the Order of St. Dominique and Missionary of China left him in 1645. labouring against his Enemies who hated and treated him with great slights and Contempt This F. Mâ—â—rales hath a Letter written by a Jesuite to his Provincial wherein are these words There is come hither a pitifull Negro for Bishop but is gone among the Moors because he loves not to live among the Portuguese ' T is a shame for the Nation that such a man should become a Bishop The Fryar addes he found this poor Bishop on his bed â—ick for the contempts and ill usage of the Jesuites that he stay'd with him a month to comfort him that he solicited his business at the Congregation De propaganda fide and having obtained all necessary dispatches he went in person to see them executed But the Jesuites mocked at all that was done and would not alter their conduct for any Bulls or Censures This story may inform how sincere and candid they are in their expressions for speaking of a Bishop they say He is gone among the Moors that is in their Language turned Infidel again whereas he went thither for Conversion of Souls And this may serve for an instance of their zeal who use in this manner those who employ themselves to propagate the faith and in their writings to their superiors make it their business to slander the Bishops The Ambition and Tyranny of the Jesuites in the foundation and administration of the Iâ—ish Colledges in Spain P. 294. The Jesuites express zeal for the faith when they perswaded the King of Spain and several Lords to contribute to the foundation of Colledges for the Irish for education of their Youth who came into Spain and to render them capable at their return to do their Countrey men service but this was the Cloak only to their intentions and designs to make themselves more powerfull in being Masters of those Colledges and their Revenues The Receipt doth alwayes much exceed the expence yet they complain still and treat those poor Schollars so ill and with such scorn though some of them be Priests that they seem to be their And when they demand necessaries the Jesuites retrench their Pensions and sometimes the Rectors and Coadjutors beat them and misuse them that they are obliged to make defence They serve themselves of them as their Grounds and while they fare daintily upon Estates whereof they have only the administration by right they give to the owners but a poor piece of Beef as the most splendid entertainment These poor strangers have presented to his Majesty a Memoriall containing five Articles wherein they represent the ill usage of these tyrants the domination they exercise over them and how they do publiquely risle their Estates A succinct Abridgement of the Relation of the persecution raised by the Jesuites against Don Tray Hernando Guerrero Archbishop of Manille in the Philippines written in Spanish by a Nephew of the Archbishops Don Hernando Guerrero Archbishop of Manille in the Philippine Islands having called an Assembly of the Superiours of Religious Houses and other learned persons of greatest repute in his Archiâ—piscopal City to consult them about a scruple of Conscience which was that the Fathers of the Company of Iesus in that Countrey preached and heard Confessions without permission from the Ordinary the resolution of the Assembly after several meetings was That it was the Archbishops duty to demand of the said Fathers what permission they had to exercise those Functions which he did but had no other Answer but that they had Priviledges The Archbishop not satisfied with this endeavoured by way of right and legal pursuit to oblige them to shew by what power they exercised this jurisdiction by Declaring the permissions or priviledges they pretended to But they were so far from giving him satisfaction that they named a Canon which had a Dignity in the Church of Manilâ—e but the Archbishops enemy to be their Conservator This Conservator proceeded against the Archbishop encouraged by the favourable occasion he had from the spleen of the Governour Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corynera against the Archbishop for having refused to give the Iesuites a House and Garden of pleasure belonging to the Archbishoprick and of the Gift of the Augustine Fryars who bestowed it for a place of retreat and repose for the Archbishops And because this House was very convenient for the Fathers of the Society and that the Governour was their particular friend as his Confessors and Councellors they assembled together and resolved to chase away the Archbishop The Governour willing to execute this resolution sate President of the Audience without the assistance of any but a single Councellor who was found dead on the morrow without Confession The Archbishop demanded leave to make his defence but the Governour instead of hearing him being animated by the Jesuites resolved by their advice to execute upon the place the banishment of the Archbishop All the Religious Communities having been informed that the Ministers of Justice were gone to the Archbishoprick resorted to their Prelate and with their Tapers in their hands advised the Archbishop to put on his Pontifical habit to stay in the Chappell and hold the Eucharist in his hand to serve him as a Buckler against the Governours tyranny and the violence of the Jesuites The Governour having intelligence of what passed commanded Souldiers forthwith to march away with Matches lighted and their Muskets cocked to cause all the Fryars to depart the Chappell and leave the Archbishop there alone And when the Provincials the Commissaries the Priors and Wardens had answered the Souldiers that they were there to pay their respects to the holy Sacrament the Governour gave the Souldiers new Orders on pain of death to execute his Commands and dragg them by force out of the Chappell The Souldiers obeyed him driving out and dragging away all the Fryars thence and though some of the most ancient and venerable amongst them in hope to preserve themselves from their violence covered themselves with the Archbishops Pontifical habit the Souldiers