controuersies which they would haue referred to him at what time he distinguisht the power of God from the power of the Romane Emperour saying That wee must yeeld vnto God that which belonged vnto God and vnto Caesar that which was due vnto Caesar And being demaunded of Pilate whether he were a king or no he made him aunswere that his kingdome was not of this inferiour world The second was the time of his glorie whereunto all those excellent sayings of the prophet Dauid are to be referred as when he said that the earth was the Lords Aske of mee and I will giue thee nations and heritages and they shall be vnto thee for a possession vnto the vttermost bounds of the earth And in another place that hee was Lorde of Lordes and King of Kings Let vs not falsifie the holie Scripture For the more you ambitious Iesuits apply out of it to the Pope to authorise not his greatnes but your owne the more you take from him At what time did Christ assigne Saint Peter to be his Vicar Surely while hee was yet on earth and at the poynt to finish his pilgrimage that he might represent his person heere below in his estate of humilitie and so gaue him the keyes of heauen not of earth to signifie vnto vs that he gaue him the charge of spirituall matters without mingling there-withall temporall busines And certainly our auncient Popes were very ignoraunt if giuing them-selues the title of Seruus seruorum they meant to represent Iesus Christ as hee is in the fulnesse of his glorie and after hee ascended into heauen to sit on the right hand of GOD his Father In like manner was it an heresie in Luther to teach his folowers that the Pope was wrongfully termed head of the church Vicar general to Iesus Christ no lesse heresie was it in Ignacius when to oppose Luther hee affirmed that the Pope was Christs Vicar not onely in his estate of humility but euē in his estate of glory likewise Hee then is a true Catholique liegeman to the Pope who doth acknowledge and approue his authoritie according to the originall institution thereof without any augmentations or additions from men Iesuit I now come vnto thee let vs weigh how ful of danger this position of thine is Our Kings know best what is expedient for the maintenance preseruation of their estate and like skilful Pilots are faine somtimes to strike sayle in a tempest This course the Pope being carried away with other respects will not like of will perhaps summō our kings to cōform their proceedings to his mind After some two or three admonitiōs if they obey not he wil proceed to censure thē consequētly to make a diuorce between them their subiects or if not so to interdite the Realm expose it for a pray to any Prince that shal be first able to possesse himselfe of it Good God! into what a confusion dost thou bring our State Iesuit learne this lesson of me for I wil not suffer either our countrimē to be infected with thy poysonous propositions or straungers that shal read this booke of thine to conceiue that the Maiestie of our kings is by thy comming any whit empayred First we maintayne and vphold it for an article inuiolable in Fraunce that the Pope hath no authority to be liberal of our Realme for any mans aduantage whatsoeuer what fault soeuer our king shall be found culpable of none excepted The Pope hath no power but what is giuen him by commission from God he is neither that Samuel nor that Iehoiada who were commaunded by God to doe what they did vnder the olde law for vnder the new which we call the new Testament there is no mention of any such matter The Pope cannot by the power of his spirituall sword controule the temporall I say not therefore that any king of Fraunce should forget himselfe eyther in the Catholique Religion or in the gouernment of his subiects to whom he ought to be a second father for if he doe let him be assured that God will sooner or later forget him and auenge himselfe by some meanes vnexpected and vnthought of but that we are to seeke this redresse at Rome I flatly denie For this first position I hold it to be cleere that which now I will deliuer may seeme more questionable We hold it for another article firme and indubitable in this Realme of Fraunce that our kings are not subiect to the Popes excommunication A thing which we haue receiued from all antiquitie I remember I haue read that Lothaire king of Austracia deceasing left Lewes his brother who was Emperour and King of Italy to be his successor King Charles the Bald vncle to them both seazed on it by right of occupation as lying fit for his hand Lewes had recourse to Pope Adrian who vndertooke the quarrel for him and summoned Charles to do his nephew right vpon payne of excommunication but Charles would giue no eare to him By reason wherof the Pope went on to interpose his censures with bitter curses and comminations and knowing the high authoritie which rested in Hingmare Archbishoppe of Reims he enioyned him not to admit the king to communicate with him vpon paine himselfe to be depriued of his Holinesse his communion There was neuer Popes Iniunction more iust holy then this For what colour could there be for an vncle to intercept his nephewes right in succeeding his owne brother Yet neuer was I niunction worse entertayned then this For Hiagmare after he had imparted the letters Apostolical to diuers Prelats and Barons of France to be aduised by them how to carry himselfe in the matter he wrote backe to Pope Adrian what he had drawn and collected out of their aunsweres namely that all of them were much offended agreeued with that his Decree alledging that the like proceedings had not beene seene no not when the kings were Heretiques Scismatiques or Tyrants and maintayning that kingdomes were purchased by the edge of the sword and not by the excommunications or censures of the Sea Apostolique or of Prelates And when I vrge them said Hingmare with the authoritie which was delegate by our Sauiour to Saint Peter and from him deriued by succession to the Popes of Rome they aunswere me Petite Dominum Apostolicum vt quia Rex Episcopus simul esse non potest Et sui antecessores Ecclesiasticum ordinem quod suum est non Rempublicam quod regum est disposuerunt Non praecipiat nobis habere regem qui nos in sic longinquis partibus adiuuare non possit contra subitaneos frequentes Paganorum impetus nos Francos iubeat seruire cui nolumus seruire Qua istud iugū sui antecessores nostris antecessoribus non imposuerūt Quia scriptum in sanctis libris audimus vt pro libertate haereditate nostra vsque ad mortem certare debeamus That is Tell our Apostolicall Lord that he
death of the two Brothers at Blois that certaine young Diuines infected with the poyson of the Iesuits loosed the reines to subiects against their King in the yeere 1589. notwithstanding themselues confessed at that time that their aduise in this poynt ought not to take place without the formall confirmation of the Sea Apostolicke Neuerthelesse Commolet the Iesuit and his adherents the day following sounded the Trumpet of warre in their Pulpets against the King deceased affirming withall that it was confirmed by Decree Whereupon insued those outragious disorders which wee haue seene in Fraunce since that time To take Armes against his Soueraigne was heresie but much greater heresie was it not to tarrie for the allowance or disallowance of the holy Sea So that this was to offer violence to two Soueraigne powers at once the spirituall power of the Apostolicall Sea and the temporall power of the King And Pope Sixtus if hee had pleased might with one stroake of his pen haue extinguisht all our troubles by excōmunicating all those who without his knowledge authoritie had presumed to arme themselues against their King whom hee knewe to be a most deuout Catholique But he kept himselfe well enough from that for in so dooing he should haue excōmunicated them who at that time had all the strength on their part in fauour of a poore King against whom heauen earth seemed to conspire Contrariwise he conuented him to Rome to answer that he had done against al the lawes customs liberties and priuiledges of our Countrie of Fraunce Our King now raigning was at his first comming to the Crowne of a contrarie religion to ours and it pleased the Pope at the first to censure him for such a one but when hee once came to knowe his valour and that his enemies did but feede his holinesse with false bruits of imaginarie victories he began to shrink his head out of the coller and would neuer after haue any hand in the matter And from that day forward vsed the King vnderhand with all the curtesie that coulde be desired Neither doe you thinke for all this that Sixtus stood the worse affected to the King that dead is or the better to him that now raigneth but he thereby out of his vvisedom fauoured the more his owne proceedings Albeit certaine foolish Schollers charged him a little before his death that hee was inclined to the Kings partie And vppon this challenge some rash spirits haue not spared to say that he was poysoned whereunto I will giue no credite although it were true The like may be said of our Iesuits who ayme at nothing else but the aduauncement of theyr Common-wealth which they entitle The Societie of Iesus which as it hath take his originall and increase from nothing but from the Troubles so doe they shoote at nothing but to disturbe those countries wherein they remaine in that disturbance they euer encline to those which are able to maister the weaker part as I will make good by an ocular demonstration After they had set fire to the foure corners and midst of Fraunce and that the late King was brought to a narrow straight they deuoted themselues to him aboue the rest that was the Captaine generall of the League because all things fell happilie on his side And as long as Fortune smiled vppon him all theyr Sermons vvere of nothing but his greatnes and merrits But when they once perceiued that hee beganne to decline and that he was forced to call to the King of Spayne for assistance then beganne they likewise to turne theyr face from the Duke wedding themselues to the partie of a King whom they esteemed to be exceeding mightie There is at this day a new King in Spayne what his good or ill fortune shall be is knowne to GOD onelie For my part it shall neuer grieue me to see as many Crownes on his heade as were on his Fathers the late deceased King Imagine that for a new opinion of war vvhich is easily harboured in the braine of a young Prince he should breake with vs and that our affaires should haue prosperous successe in his dominions bee assured you should see our Iesuits altogether French albeit they were Spaniards by birth These are true birds of pray that houer in the ayre It was wel befitting the person of a soueraigne prince to play that part which Sixtus did but for a subiect it is an ill president a matter of dangerous consequence This is to prooue that which way soeuer you turne your thoughts you shall finde no reason why the Iesuits should be nourisht within a kingdome who are as many I will not say espialls but enemies to theyr Prince if he fortune to prooue the weaker And for a neede if there should happen newe factions in Rome and that the Pope were put to the worst hee himselfe should feele the effects thereof notwithstanding the particuler homage which they sweare vnto him at euerie change of the Sea Scarcely had the Aduocate finisht this discourse but the Gentleman replyed Take heede you be not deceiued and that this your position doe not imply a contradiction For if the Iesuit bee naturallie addicted to him that is most beneficiall to him as you hold then must it of consequence followe that hee is naturally Spanish and not French VVill you know the cause hee is sure that what trouble soeuer hee may breede in the consciences of these and these priuate men by his nevve kinde of confessions yet shall hee neuer be able to get such footing in the whole Realme of Fraunce as hee hath alreadie in Spayne wherein the supreame Magistrate is fallen from one extremitie into another For the Spaniards beeing of olde accused to be halfe Pagans as holding a mungrell Religion and not wholie Christian doe novve in these dayes to purge themselues of that calumnious accusation for so I will suppose it to be they speciallie and aboue all others embrace the Iesuits esteeming them vassales to the Papacie without all clause or exception And vpon thys opinion they graunt them in theyr Citties an infinite number of prerogatiues aboue the common people yea euen aboue the Magistrates themselues whom they rule at their pleasures And albeit antiquitie haue giuen vs in Fraunce the title of the eldest sonnes to the Catholique Apostolick Romane Church yet is it with certaine qualifications vvhich the Iesuits shall neuer be able to remoue out of our heads what soeuer shewe of continuation they bring to the contrarie And that is the cause why they supposing their commoditie vvould be greater if the Spaniard were Maister of all Fraunce then at this present it is will euermore leane to that side rather then to ours albeit they were naturally French These are pollititians which cleaue rather to the certaine then to the vncertaine Thinke not your selfe interrupted by thys short Parenthesis but if you please fall againe into your discourse I will doe soe aunswered the Aduocate and I vvill tell
paused a while which gaue the Gentleman occasion to say vnto him I assure you Sir I cannot but much commend your inuention in representing this matter in the person of Stones For seeing men will not speake stones must their dealinges beeing such as you haue shewed and prooued not by proofes at randon and vncertaine but most infallible and drawne out of their owne bookes But how commeth it to passe that this being so notoriously knowne and remayning of record yet neuerthelesse there be certaine Courts of Parliament within the Realme which doe not onely receiuâ—â—â—em but honor cherish and embrace them within their Cities and iurisdictions I did expect you should aske me that question quoth the Aduocate and was about to haue entred thereinto of my selfe had you not preuented mee Thinke it not straunge it should be so it is a mysterie hidden in the secret counsell of God who hath not wholy withdrawn his wrath from vs but intendeth one day to vse these as his instruments to bring more plagues vpon vs. Neuerthelesse doe not you thinke but that those other Parliaments haue some great shew of reason for their doings Did you neuer see a new Testament wherein the histories were drawne in pictures In that place of the Gospell where our Sauiour is tempted in the desart Sathan is pictured in the habit of a Munke Some Lucianists sticke not to say that thereby is vnderstood that the life and conuersation of Munks is Diabolicall But I am of a contrarie opinion For whosoeuer the Painter was that in this matter of the temptatioÌ„ deuised to cloth the Diuell in those weeds he did it not without great consideration iudging that this being the true habit of piety there was no way more readie certain to surprise the consciences of well meaning men then by it The Diuel after he had set forth diuers mommeries of religious Orders he meant to set his rest vpon this and transforming himselfe into Ignacius and his adherents to pretend the holy name of Iesus and to promise by the mouth of the Iesuits not onely terrestriall kingdomes to Princes wherewith they would inuest them as Sathan did to our Sauiour but also the kingdome of heauen to such as would execute their malice against those Kings that were their enemies Wherein the Diuell hath not much missed of his ayme For vnder this glorious name hath he abused and onerreached our Popes their holines and consequently a number of religious soules And as himselfe is the Spirit of Diuision so is it no meruaile if the Iesuits his true and lawfull children enioy the same priuiledge that their father doth They haue caused diuision between themselues and our Prelates of Fraunce betweene themselues and the Vniuersities betweene Popes and Kings betweene Popes and other Prelats if now they cause a new dissension amongst our Parliaments of Fraunce they haue done that which onely was wanting to the ful and absolute accomplishment of the Sorbones prophecie when in her censure of the Iesuits Sect in the yeere 1554 she saith Multas in populo querelas multas lites dissidia contentiones aemulatioues variaque schismata inducit It breadeth many quarrels controuersies discords contentions emulations and many divisions amongst the people The Parliament of Paris vpon mature wise deliberation hath banished theÌ„ out of their iurisdiction Some other Parliaments doe retaine them albeit the attemps of Barriere and Chastell vppon the person of the King be vnto them notoriously knowne and that they were the first plotters and contriuers of our troubles When I thinke of these dissentions I am put in minde of a discreet aunswere made by King Henry the second touching the case of Pelisson President of the Parliament of Chamberi who by the sentence of the Parliament of Digeon was depriued of his office besides sundry other disgraces which he receiued vpon the complaint and information of Tabouè Atturny generall Afterward obtayning Letters for a second examination and and the cause being remoued to the Parliament of Paris he was restored to his office and Tabouè condemned to make him honourable amends bare-headed in his shirt with a halter about his neck The King beeing informed of these proceedings in both the Courts of parliament wisely made aunswer that he esteemed all his Iudges to be men of honestie vprightnes but that they of the parliament of Digeon had iudged according to their consciences and they of Paris according to right and iustice I make no doubt but that all the Iudges of other parliaments are by their consciences induced thereunto but this I say that there was neuer any thing decreed in Court more sufficiently and sincerely then this was by the parliament of Paris The other as I suppose are swayed by the authority of the holy Sea supporting the Iesuits which is no small aduantage for them to leane vnto notwithstanding I will oppugne them by the same authoritie beseeching them not to take in euill part this admonition which in all dutie humilitie I offer vnto their coÌ„siderations not doubting but after they haue heard me if at least they please to giue me hearing they will theÌ„selues condemne this their opinion You haue heeretofore vnderstood how at two seuerall times our Iesuits had practised the murder of the King and not at that time when hee was deuided from vs in religion but euen then when he was reconciled to our Church in the time of a truce desiring nothing else but a generall vnion and reconcilement of all his subiects throughout the Realme They are highly fauoured at Rome as the Iuie which seemeth outwardly to succour the wall when as inwardly it eateth into it but if they had euer conspired any attempt against the Popes person I am out of doubt that by the Decree of that great and holy Consistorie of Rome theyr Order would haue beene put downe and abolished for euer At the least I haue seene the like practise in a case not vnlike for a matter not so dangerous for example nor of such consequence as that shewed vppon the whole Order of the Humiliati I will acquaint you with the historie CHAP. 22. ¶ How the Order of Humiliatj was suppressed by Decree of the Consistorie of Rome and that there is greater cause to suppresse the Iesuits then the Humiliatj THis Order in outward appearance like this of the Iesuits promised so great sanctitie and deuotion as Cardinall Borrhomao the Archbishop of Millan vvould needes take vpon him the patronage and protection thereof This good Prelate perceiuing that the greatest part of them gaue themselues ouer to a voluptuous and dissolute kinde of life tooke in hand to reforme them which some of them tooke in such indignitie dignitie as that they vowed his death There was a Guardian of that Order resident in the Cittie of Versellis his name was Girolano Lignana who with certaine other his confederats vndertakes this execution And to make way to their purpose they resolued to kill Frier Fabio
to scourge a whole Realme he vseth great and vnexpected means to performe it it hath so fallen out with vs. Long before the lamentable death of Henrie the second who liued in the yeere 1559. There sprung vp two sectes in Fraunce the one in many propositions as dangerous as the other That of Ignatius which cals it selfe the societie of Iesus the other of the Caluinists who say they stand for reformation of religion Both of them planted in Paris the chiefe citie of the kingdome for a time It so fell out that the Iesuites made their assemblies and the Caluinists had their conuenticles The Iesuites sect is a bastard religion of our ancient Catholike Apostolike Romane religion for to say true it hath a few markes and features of it though none such as it ought to haue this began to be authorised by Ma. William Prat Bishop of Clairmont legat du Prats bastard who lodged them in the house of Clairmont at Paris and at his death bequeathed them by report threescore thousand crownes After that they crouded into more spacious mansions they bought the great house of Langre in Saint Iames street where they erected a Colledge and Monasterie both together vnder diuers roofes they did read publike lectures without the rector of the Vniuersities allowance they administred the holy Sacraments of penance and of the altar to all commers and goers without leaue of the Odinarie The Caluinists began to preach and teach if not altogether openly yet not so couertly as they did before Witnesse the great assembly surprised by the Court of Parliament before Plessies Colledge where an infinite number of men and women were taken and after that an Aduocate a Scholemaister and a Damsell put to death Thus may I say and say truly these two sects began to set vp their rests within Paris in S. Iames street reching out to fifteen or twentie houses one after another And after this vowed the one to haue Iesus name stampt vpon their pistolet crownes the Iesuits to haue it set vpon the gates of their Colledges with a crosse aloft to shew that they did lodge at the signe of the crosse As the Caluinists cald their religion the reformed religion so the Iesuits gloried that in some part of Italy namely in Modena they were cald the reformed also And as the Caluinists whom we terme Hugonots rose vp in armes in Fraunce in the yeere 1561. So the Iesuits tooke example by them and had recourse vnto armes about the yeere 1585. to enclarge their bounds If I be not deceiued in the time nor misse my marke Henry the second died wherupō the Caluinists thought they might make their way faire without noise through the midst of Fraunce This good king left behind him foure young princes his children vnder the Queene mothers charge a stranger princesse not allied to the great houses of France thereby was she vnfit to second them in gouernment of the state and education of these children Thus at one instant the two sects began to encrease one by the Kings death the other by a Bishops decease During the minority of our Kings the Nobility of France couered their ambition with a cloake of religion New partialities grew among them some taking part with the old religion others with the new euerie one of them by the iudgement of the wisest seeking his owne gaine aduancement more then deuotion In this encounter the ministers of whose companie some were burnt before put vp a supplication to Charles the ninth to giue them audience This was soone granted the town of Poissy appointed for this purpose where many Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and Doctors of Diuinitie were assembled on the one side and many Ministers of whom Thodor Beza was the ring-leader seconded by Peter Marter Marlorat Cimpoll and some of good place and marke among them on the other side Vpon the sentence of the Sorbons giuen in the yeere 1554. the Iesuits finding their hope to be forlorne sought to Ma. Noel Brullarte the Kings Procurator generall in the court of Parliament of Paris the seuerest man in his place that euer was seen These men that slip no opportunitie to aduance themselues hearing of the great conference at Poissy promised to put in their foot among them At that time one Ponce Congordan was their Agent in Paris of whom Charles Cardinall of Loraine was wont to say he was the cunningest negotiation that euer he knew though he had knowne many He then it was that tooke the matter in hand presented his request to the Court of Parliament of Paris not in the name of the Societie of Iesus but in the name of the Colledge of Clairmount whereby the Iesuits protested to abiure their vowes entreating the Court to allow of their Colledge Which if the Court had done it had beene a meane to allow their legacie giuen them The Court according to their prudence and pietie sent this request to the French Church then assembled at Poissy to determine of it Neuer was there a fairer assembly and neuer did assembly bring forth more mischiefe to the state then that I feare not to put the Placard into his hands that shall write the Historie of our times for they authorized both sects without all consideration And which I most wonder at the instruments hereof were two Cardinals men of great knowledge and zeale no young prentizes in the misteries of religion or affaires of state one of them had been emploied in the greatest matters of this kingdome in the time of the mightie king Francis the other in the time of Henry the second The two speciall were the Cardinals of Tournon and Lorraine The first for the grauitie of his yeeres and consequently for the soundnes of his iudgement was perswaded that this conference with the ministers was in no case to be admitted for that the entring into it was a kind of acknowledging them to be a part of our common-weale whom heretofore we took to be rotten members howsoeuer the nonage of the king might dispence with their opinions vpō this point The second in the flower of his yeeres vpon the confidence he had in his owne wit seconded by two great diuines Dispence Salignac desired to bring the matter vpon the stage flattering himselfe that if they might dispute vpon Beza the matter might easily be drawne to a head The most voyces went with him The Cardinall of Tournon spying himselfe supplanted in his oppinion beganne to drawe vp the Iesuits a faire and glorious pretence as seemed to giue battaile to the newe Religion Heerein was he followed by a number of other Prelates not because they did not fore-see what an infinite number of inconueniences might arise out of it but because they thought poysons must be purged by counterpoysons The Scaffolds built the Cardinall of Loraine and Beza played theyr prizes before the young King in the presence of many States diuersly affected The assembly broken vp after this wee had three Religions
this progresse by degrees the Iesuits request was presented to the Court of Parliament that had tenne Aduocates as Montaignes and Fon do confesse in their writinges in respect of 13. aduersaries Mont. ca. 22 Fon. ca. 4. which Fon reports were sixe boysterous mightie limmed bodies to wit the Vniuersities the Sorbons the Mendicants the Hospitals and the Parish priests With other foure Lordes of great authoritie namely the Gouernour of Paris the Cardinall Chastilion as protector of the Vniuersitie the Bishop of Paris and the Abbot of S. Geniueue Now can we be so sencelesse as to thinke that so many both of the better and meaner sort banded against them without cause in a matter of so great importance But what were the commons those which of late memorie plagued the Hugonots out of all measure raced the walls of Patriarch and Popincourt where they had theyr exercise of religion who by order of Lawe procurd the death of Gabaston the Captaine of their garde and protector of theyr attempts together with Cagres both the Father and the sonne So many Sages of the common people sworne enemies to heresie did sette thēselues against the Iesuits lying but yet in the suburbs of our ciuill warres against the Iesuits I say who then vaunted themselues to be the scourge of Hereticks Assuredly it cannot be but that all those great personages who then vndertooke the quarrell against them were perswaded that this Sect was extreamely to be feared as well by the libertie of the French Church and generall estate of Fraunce as of all Christendome Besides these two great parties there was yet another more strong mightie then them both namely Mounsieur Mesnil the Kings Aduocate in the Court of parliament directly opposite to them But for all this great multitude of partakers sayth the Iesuite the matter came not to open triall but was put ouer to coūsell as a plaine argument that the goodnesse of our cause did craue very much fauour Poore foole and young Scholler hadst thou been brought vp in the light of the Royall pallace or read the course of iustice of our kings as thou art nuzled in the dust of the Colledges thou shouldst haue knowne that the high Courts admit no open triall of great causes they haue no time nor leysure duly to informe theyr consciences As appeares by a like course helde by the same Court in the month of Iuly 94. And for this cause Mounsieur Marion pleading against the Iesuits of Lyons in the yeere 97. said that a defectiue and imperfect prudence of the yeere 64. was in some sort the occasion that the affaires of Fraunce degenerated with the time waxed worse and worse As for my selfe I will say more boldly with open face that this matter was in the yeere 64. put ouer to counsell by the wisedome of men but thys counsaile was guided by the hand of God who to take vengeance of our sinnes preserued the Iesuits as a deuoted instrument hung aside in the Temple fit for the future miseries of Fraunce To what purpose is all this saue onely this to shewe you that if I detest abhorre the Sect of Iesuits I haue no small shelters for my oppinion first the venerable censure of Paris the yere 1554. wherein were the greatest Diuines that euer were in Fraunce and by name Picard Maillard Demochares Perionius Ory the Inquisiter for matters of faith The first an admirable preacher whose body after his death being layd forth in his house in the Deanry of S. Germins of Lauxerrois the people of Paris for the sanctimony of his life did striue to kisse his feete the foure other his companions were extreame persecutors of the Heretiks I haue the great decree of the French church in the yeere 61. the iudgement that did second it and finally many men of marke and communalty set against them in the yeere 1564. Amongst these I may speake it for a certainty which I ought to beleeue because I saw it There was two honorable resemblances of antiquitie Solicitors in the cause Bennet the Deane and Courselles the Subdeane of the facultie of the Diuinitie Schooles in Paris The one fourscore yeeres of age the other threescore seauenteene both ready to depart from hence to giue vp an account of theyr actions in another world at which time euery man standes stricte vppon his conscience With them was Faber Sindic one of the wisest men that euer was among the Sorbons In the winding vp of all I will set downe Ma. Noell Brullarte Procurator generall the great Aristides and Cato of his time which liuing in the yeere 50. withstood the receiuing of the Iesuites I tell you this expresly to discouer how like the iugling of the Iesuits of our time is to the former For Fon is so impudent as to report that Ramus Mercerus after they became the Kings Professors reuolted from our auncient Religion and were folicitors in this cause and that if they had not encountred them they had won the field but to auoid sedition the Court was forced warilie to strike saile to the tempest by putting the matter off to counsell Well but yet thou lyest most impudently thou Iesuit Pardon me for it is very fit I should be in choller Neither Ramus nor Mercerus for theyr parts euer stirred in this although they tooke part with their brethren the Kings Professors because they would not separate thēselues from the body of the Vniuersitie Moreouer what likelihood is there that the mindes generally of the Parisiens could be so suddenly changed to take part with the Hugonots Mercerus was so farre from faction that hee had no skill in any thing but Hebrue wherein he spent all his time without intermission and became so great a Superlatiue in that tongue that by the iudgement of the best learned he was preferd before all the Iewes In all worldly matters hee stoode but for a bare Cypher But this is a Iesuiticall priuiledge to vnderset theyr slaunders with the time by newe cogges For if this Iesuit Fon durst he would say that the towne the Vniuersitie and the facultie of Diuinitie in Paris all the foure orders of Mendicants the Parish priests were Hugonots because they hindred the matriculation of this holy Order what other consequence can be deduced from his speech Oh singuler and admirable impudencie yet to be excused because it proceedeth from a Iesuit Neuerthelesse to shew with what truth integrity I mean to confound thē in their lying they caused Versoris Plea to be printed in the yere 94. he to bring the Vniuersity into hatred In the 24. 32. leafe of Versoris Plea saith first formost not that Mercerus but Ramus Gallandius were made solicitors in this cause but this was so far frō all likelihood of truth that euery man tooke it for an hyperbole by reason of the open enmity they caried to all times which accompanied them vnto their death This enmity Rablays the Lucian
how canst thou be a Father To which I aunswerd him that it was meere follie to giue any credit to names or Anagrams as Iulius Scaliger hath very elegantly proued against Cardan Besides I am out of doubt that you Anagram is a lyer as I will proue by another that is contrarie to it TV MATRES VICIAS thorosque sacros Antistes pie virginesque sanctas Hoc qui martyrio fidem propagat Hoc qui consilio propagat orbem Is verè est pater pater beatus O tuam veneror beatitatem Amplectorque piam paternitatem Iosuita Patrum Pater supreme Thou stainest Mothers and the marriage bed Prelate by thee are holy Virgins sped Who by this martyrdome graceth the sleeple Who by this skill begets faith in the people He is a father and a father blest Thy happines I honour with the rest Iesuit I bow to thy paternitee Father of Fathers in the highest degree The diuersitie of these two Anagrams which is a plaine contrariety of doing vndoing teacheth vs that there is no credit to be giuen to them And I hold it for certaine and an Article of faith if you will giue me leaue to say so that the Iesuits keepe their vow of chastitie as strictly holily and religiously as they do that of beggerie wherefore let vs not trouble our talke with this ordure You are verie desirous quoth the other to fauour them without ground and you consider not that your Anagram lackes one letter E. whereas mine fits all That which I haue said to you of them is an inseparable accident which the Logicians call Poprium quarto modò Remember the Templers who were allowed heretofore vnder the cloake of Religion to wander ouer the world to enlarge our faith by their swords and what was one of the principall points for which they were condemned See if the Iesuits now adaies doe not follow their steps the actiōs of a man that rogues about the world as the Iesuits doe are to me meruailous suspicious I beleeue no part of that you say quoth I it is all but lies and slaunders CHAP. 16. ¶ Of the vow of Mission and that by it the Iesuits mocke vs all and especially our holy Father the Pope IN all other orders they that are admitted make three vowes In this of Ignace to enthrall the good liking of Pope Paule the third that of Mission is added not for his fellowes but for them which are of the last and great vow The words of their Buls are that they promise without shifting to go whether soeuer the Pope shall commaund them Ad profectum animarum fidei propagationem siue miserit nos ad Turcas siue ad quoscumque alios infideles etiam in partibus quas Indias vocant existentes c. He that caused the defence of the Colledge of Clairmont against the Vniuersity of of Paris to be printed 1594. saith thus speaking of the greatnes and excellencie of his new vow The defendants haue a particular vow of obedience to the Pope but circa Missiones tantùm which is grounded vpon this that they being called by God to ayde the Church and to defend it against the enemies thereof such as the Infidels and heretiques are must of necessitie be sent abroad And a little after And they cannot be more rightly sent then by him that is set in Saint Peters chaire and gouerns the whole Church who as the Pilot in the sterne sticking to the helme appoints some to the fore-ship some to the ancor some to the sailes and tackles and other to other offices in the ship Let vs dwell a little vppon this goodly sentence ere we passe any further The first promise of this vow is for the conuersion of the Turks which follow Mahometisme then of all other infidels yea euen of them that inhabit certaine countries vnknowne to vs which they call the Indies I pray you tel me if euer you vnderstood that they went either to the country of the great Turke the Emperour of Constantinople or of Sophy the Emperour of Persia to acquit themselues of this promise They were neuer commaunded to goe thither by our holy Father will some man say to me I grant because those places were too hot for them Whither then haue they gone Into those countries that are farre from vs quas Indias vocant which Ignace cunningly added as a thing harder to performe then the conuersion of Turkie and yet he knew being a Spaniard that nothing was so easie as to vndertake this charge as you haue vnderstood by me when I recoūted to you the Embassages of the Iesuits into Portugall Maff. lib. 2. chap. 10. Rib. lib. 2. chap. 16. the Indies which were vnder the subiection of Iohn the third King of Portugall Do yoe thinke Gentlemen that if it had pleased the Pope to send thither any of the foure orders of the Mendicants they would haue drawne backe from this seruice permitting them to goe in a secular habite as the Iesuit dooth In steed of one Xauier that was sent thither by Ignace there would haue beene found 500. men full of deuotion and learning to performe this holy voiage And why so Because it was a deuotion without daunger for going thither vnder the banner of a Christian king who had power of life and death ouer them whom by faire meanes he would bring to our Christian Religion it was a voyage without feare But as for all Turky which is vnder Princes enemies to Christianitie I see not that eyther the Pope would giue them commaundement or these worldly-wise Iesuits be any thing hastie to goe thither and yet read the first bull and it appeares that Ignace set downe the voyage of Turky as the more easie to be vndertaken I would to God it had come into the head of one of the Popes that succeeded Paule the third to commaund our Iesuits to go to Constantinople to conuert the Mahumetans to trie in good earnest wha◠obedience they would yeeld to this vow of Mission we should haue seene what miracles they would haue wrought there Heare notwithstanding not a new Currier but a discourser of his most humble supplication request presented to the king We liue not vnder christian princes only but vnder heathē Potētates those that are ignorant of the law feare of God We haue Colled ges euen in Iappon scituated to the East of our Hemisphere we haue to the West in Brasil which is the beginning of America in Lima Cucham which is the end of Peru and the vtmost part of the West in Mexico which is in the middle of the two countries To the Northward we haue in Goa a City country that lies by ⅔ as far from Iappon as Iappon from Lisbon some 6000. leagues We haue Colledges in many places of the east west Indies That I may say nothing of those we haue in Europe which are a great many more then our enemies would fewer by a great many
mee wee shall be vndone and whereas many in former time honoured vs heereafter they will abhorre vs. And this is a poynt wherein I can not sufficiently praise our Ignatius his wisedom For although he had not onely deuâ—sd but put in practise his Constitutions for the gouernment of our Order along while in his life time yet would he neuer publish them neither came they abroad till after his death namely till after the assembly that wee held in Rome in the yeere 1558. We made account then that we shewed our selues worthy men but indeed there was neuer any thing doone more foolishly as the euent beateth witnesse He had besides another very wise rule that he would neuer at any hand suffer that any of our Order should set pen to paper to defend or iustifie vs when wee were accused It may be he did it in Christian charitie it may be also in wordly wisedom Spreta saith the wise Tacitus exolescum Si irascare agnita videntur There neuer was any thing that seemed to be so preiudiciall to our Societie as the censure of the Diuines of Paris in the yeere 1554. Some whose fingers itcht at it woulde needes haue aunswered it and those of the most woorthy and sufficient of our Order who perswaded themselues that they should get the better of them But Ignace more subtile and wise then they Rib. lib. 4. cap. 11. forbad them very expresly And it is not to be doubted but that by this aduise he got more aduantage by silence then all our blotters and scriblers of paper since haue done by wryting For it is certaine that this censure by length of time was buried in the graue of forgetfulnes if we had not giuen occasion to renew it by pushing as wel at the generall estate as at some particuler men in Fraunce While Ignace liued as I told you wee were not permitted to set out our conceits lightly to the view of the world how well so euer wee were perswaded of them Now adaies there is none of our Societie so meane but abuseth both his pen and his wit without considering what good or hurt may redound to the whole order by his writings They please themselues in their own conceit by a certaine itching desire to write which afterward costs vs deere while they set abroch many false erroneous propositions squared by the rule of their owne follies And God wot our ill-willers knowe too well how to make theyr aduantage of them One Iohn Peter Maffee first in the yeere 1587. and after him one Peter Ribadinere in 1592. did set out the life of our good founder Ignatius and Horace Turcelline the life of Fraunces Xauier with so many flatteries I must needs say so to my great griefe absurdities and contrarieties that I assure my selfe I shall see some man or other ere long that is full of leysure and spight make an Anotomie thereof to the disgrace of the memorie of those two holy Fathers and the confusion of our Order You may thinke he is as wise a Priest as our Emanuell Sa who entiteld himselfe Doctor of Diuinitie of our Societie vvhen hee caused his Aphorismes of confession to be printed wherein he bragges hee had labourd fortie whole yeeres How many Articles find you among them that tend not to the desolation of Kings kingdoms If hee had beene as wise as our first Fathers these had beene good lessons to whisper into the eares of these Idiots that take vs to be the great Penitentiaries of the holy Sea and to such as ordinarily come to vs to confesse theyr great sinnes but by blowing abroade all these circumstances of sinnes ouer all his Booke it teacheth vs that this Emanuell Sa hath labourd fortie whole yeres to make all the world in the end perceiue that hee is none of the wifest As for our reuerend Father Robert Bellarmin I acknowledge him to be a very sufficient man as one that by his writings hath found meanes to purchase a Cardinalls hat But I may say to you as a thing too true that he marrs our market in making his owne as you may perceiue by his bookes of the Translation of the Empire Of the Indulgences of Rome In the latter of which he hath toucht many particulars which concerne not pardons and for which he had need aske pardon of Kings Bishops It is not my meaning to offend him by thys speech but if euer he and I meete together alone I will speake two or three words to him in his eare request him to write a little more modestly heereafter as I assure my selfe hee will doe hauing now attayned to that which made him write so were it not that perhaps he hopes to be Pope one day But I thinke him so wise that hee will not tie his thoughts to such an impossibilitie For the wise Consistorie of Rome will neuer suffer a Iesuit to come to that high degree of the Popedome for an infinite number of reasons which I had rather conceale then vtter Since the sentence pronounced against vs 1494. in Paris I find fiue bookes set out by our men the rules whereof are these 1. The Plea of Maister Peter Versoris Aduocate in the Parliament for the Priests and Schollers of the Colledge of Clairmont founded in the Vniuersitie of Paris plaintiues against the said vniuersity being defendant 2. The defence of the Colledge of ClairmoÌ„t against the Complaints Pleas printed against them heretofore 3. A most humble remonstrance supplication of the religious of the Societie of Iesus to the most Christian King of Fraunce and Nauarre Henrie the fourth of that name 4. The truth defended for the Catholique Religion in the case of the Iesuits against the Plea of Anthonie Arnault by Frances Montaignes 5. An aunswere made by Rene de la Fon for the religious of the Societie of Iesus against the Plea of Simon Marion made against them the 16. of October 1597. With other notes vpon the Plea and other matters concerning Stephen Pasquiers Researches Assure your selfe there is neuer a one of these gentle Writers that in defending vs accuseth vs. And although you shall find some tough-points here and there in others yet I cannot tell how euerie where they sauour of a Scholler When I haue said this I haue said all Our company pleaseth not all No not many French Catholiques It is a misfortune that accompanies vs in the midst of the blessings we receiue of God But such a misfortune as we make well the worse by an other For if we find any man that doth not like vs by and by we pronounce him an heretique It is a new Priuiledge that we haue giuen our selues to turne cursing into religion and we thinke our selues acquitted of it if we father our iniuries vpon some counterfait name Benot Arias a Spaniard a man that neuer erred from our Catholique Religion caused the Bible to be printed in Antwerpe 1584. with some points of importance wherein hee
red haire Regent in the Colledge of Trers who also assured him that hee had conferd touching that enterprise with three of his companions who tooke it wholy to be from God assuring him that if he died in that quarrell he should be enroled and registred in the Kalender of the Martirs And the second confessed that the Iesuits of Doway hauing promised him to procure a Prebend for one of his chyldren the Prouinciall gaue him his blessing before he went about it said vnto him Friend goe thy wayes in peace for thou goest as an Angell vnder Gods safegard and protection And vpon this confession he was put to death in the Towne of Leyden by solemne sentence giuen the twentie-two of Iune in the yeere 1598. Neither am I ignorant of this that the Iesuits will say that they gaue that councell to kill two Princes who had armed theÌ„selues against their King But I tell them that then the King himselfe must put them to death be they neuer so many because they were the first enterprisers and attempters of our last troubles in Fraunce as well against the King that dead is as against the King that presently raigneth But their murthers haue a further reach then that For minding to stirre vp Robert Bruse a Scottish Gentleman eâ—â—her himselfe to kill or to cause to bee killed by some other my Lord Iohn Metellinus Chauncellour to the King of Scots euen of hatred towards him because hee was the Kings very faithfull subiect they caused the said Bruse because hee would not condiscend yeelde vnto them to be summoned and sore troubled at Bruxelles And were they not pertakers with the Iacobin in the assault and murther that was committed against the last French King And haue they not at sundry times and by sundry meanes attempted to take away the 〈◊〉 of the Lady Elizabeth Queene of England And to be short haue they not doone the like against ouâ— King both by the meanes of Peter Barrier and Iohn Caâ—â—ill froÌ„ which God hath miraculously preserued him To euerie of which particularities I will allow his proper discourse and begin the storie of their assaults and murthers that should haue been committed by the Scottish Gentleman CHAP. 2. ¶ Touching an extraordinarie processe and course that was held in the Low-countries against Robert Bruse Gentleman of Scotland vpon the accusation and information of Father William Chrichton Iesuit because he would me cause the Chauncellour of Scotland to be murthered MEn ordinarily giue out and grant extraordinarie processe against such as murther or consent to murther but to procure it or make it against one that would not consent thereto this is the first of that qualitie that euer was heard of And this is the very argument of this present chapter A little after the death of Mary Queene of Scots the late King of Spaine coÌ„maunded the Duke of Parma who was then Gouernour for him in the Low-countries to send Robert Bruse a Gentleman of Scotland to the Scottish King with Letters in the which he promised him men money enough to reuenge him selfe for the death of the Queene his Mother vnto who he protested that hee bare alwaies a singuler affection because she had vowed and so declared herselfe to the last gaspe of her life to be of our Catholique Religion which affection hee would continue to the King her sinne by successiue right but yet so as hee should promise to become the inheritour of the vertues and religion of that good and worthy Princesse My purpose is not largely and by peece-meale as me say to meat and declare howe this matter proceeded though I haue good and faithfull Intelligences of it This onely I will tell you that the said Gentleman had at the same time charge of certaine great sums of money for the fraight of threescore shipps to the end that they might first serue for transporting of victualls and munitions into the Low-countries and afterwards for men of war which the Spanyard resolued to send into England hoping that the Queene of England should be assaulted on both sides A short time after Bruses arriuall in Scotland he hauing beene all his young dayes brought vp and nourished with the Iesuits there came thether Father William Crichton a Scottish man who some-time had berne Rector of the Colledge of the Iesuits at Lyons And he was in the company of the Bishop of Dumblaine who was sent by Pope Sixtus the 5. to the King of Scotland to make him offer of a marriage with the Infant of Spaine so that hee would become a Catholique and ioyne with them against the English My Lord Iohn Metellenus set himselfe against thys negotiation and for sundry good and weighty reasons councelled his Maister not to regard it Insomuch that the Bishop returned thence without effecting any thing leauing Crichton in Scotland who ioyned himselfe with Bruse and was his companion And because hee conceiued that Metellenus alone had turned the King from accepting the offers made him he purposed to shew him a Iesuits â—â—ick indeed And that was this A catholick Lord had inuited the King his Chauncellour to a banquet Crichton solicited Bruse if it would please him to lende him soâ—â— mony to compasse thys Lord that should giue order for procuring the slaughter of the Chauncellor assuring himselfe that by 〈◊〉 of the mony he should make him doe whatsoeuer hee would Bruse flatly refused and that not onely because hee was sent to another end as hee made it appeare to him by the iustructions and memorials which hee had from he Duke of Parma but also and that much the rather by reason of the shame that would fall out vpon the execution of that enterprise especially he hauing before made shew of friendship familiarity with the Chauncellor Yea that that murther would neuer be thought good and lawfull beeing committed in the midst of a banquet and in the Kings presence against whom the iniutie should specially be performed as well by reason of the small account they made of his Maiestie as for the slaughter they should commit vpon a person whoÌ„ he entirely affected for his fidelitie and wisedome And that if he did this deede they should minister matter to the King to exasperate him against the Catholicks as murtherous infamous and trayterous persons to God and the world who to that present houre had receiued all bountifull kindnesses curtesies from their King Crichton seeing he had missed of this his match weâ—â— to moue him to another and to perswade Bruse to giue fifteene hundred crownes to three Gentlemen that did offer to kill the Chauncellor after some other lesse flauÌ„derous and offensiue manner But Bruse answered him that as in respect of the fault or sin it was all one to kill a man with his owne handes and to giue money to procure such a purpose and act to be doone And that for his part hee was a priuate person that had not anie authoritie ouer the
not discourage or turne him there-from but greatly confirmed him and prouoked thereto affirming that there was nothing in that buisines that could hinder him vnlesse it were protracting and delay After this hee tooke againe the way to Lions where discouering himselfe to the Iesuits he was greatly praysed and honoured of them A little while after he returned to Paris where certaine English Gentlemen that were fugitiues out of their countrie vnderstanding of his purpose and practise began to embrace him and by name Thomas Morgan who assured him that so soone as he should be in England and should haue executed his â—â—teprise hee would take order that a puissant armie should passe out of Scotland to assure the kingdome to the Queene of Scotland Now though that Parrie seemed altogither resolute yet was he in some sort hindred by sundrie remorses of his conscience And indeed â—he communicated the same to certaine Englishmen that were Ecclesiasticall persons who all labouned to remoue him from it and particularly a learned Priest named Watell who wisely declared shewed vnto him that all the rules of God and the world were directly contratie to his deliberation and purpose In this his irresolution and want of sâ—â—â—ednes he purposed to conferre with the Iesuits of Paris amongst whom he addressed himselfe to father Hanniball Coldretto to whom also in confession he discouered his first aduice and councell and the vncertainty into which Watell had brought him But the Iesuits that lacked not perswasiue reasons maintained vnto him that Watell and all the other that put these scruples into his minde were heretiques And hauing againe set him in his former course caused him according to their ordinarie custome in such cases â—oâ—eciue the Sacrament with diuers other Lords and Gentlemen The English man being thus perswaded tooke his leaue of them and returned into England fully purposed to bring his treason to effect and issue whereunto the better to attaine he sought all the meanes he might to kisse the Queenes Maiesties hand saying that he had certaine things of verie great importance to acquaint her withall And this was about the moneth of Februatie in the yeere 1585. At the last being brought before her Maistie he largely discoursed vnto her the historie of his trauaile and how that counterfaiting the fugitiue he had discouered all the practises and plots that the English Catholiques had brewed or deuised against her Maiestie yea that he had promised them that he would be the first that should attempt her death which had purchased him verie great credit amongst them And yet notwithstanding that he would rather choose a hundred deaths then to defile his soule with so damnable at thought He was a well spoken man of a good countenaunce such a one as had prepared himselfe to play his part not vpon the sodaine but wel prouided The Queene who wanteth not her spies knew that one part of that which he had spoken was verie true which also caused her to credit the rest and graciously accepting of that honest libertie and freedome which he pretended charged him not to depart farre from the Court and that in the meane season he should by letters sound the affections of her enemies which thing he promised and vndertooke to do and vpon this promise feeding the Princesse with goodly shewes he did many times talke verie priuately with her And amongst other she going one day to hunt the fallow Deere he followed her neuer suffering her out of his eye At last being a good way from her owne people and dismounted from her horse to refresh her selfe at the foote of a tree in the wood Parry being nigh vnto her twise had a desire to kill her but he was with-hold there-from by that gracious familiaritie which her Maiestie vsed towards him At another time he walking after Supper with her in the garden of her Pallace called white Hall which standeth vpon the Thames side where also be had a boate readie with the greater speed to saue him and to carrie him away when he had giuen the blow as also he sought opportunitie for it the Queene escaped from him to this manner He supposed to draw her some-what farre from the the house and that then he would kill her at the gardens end But she returned towards her Pallace and said vnto him that it was time to betake her to her chamber being troubled with heat and the rather because she was the next day to take a bath by the appointment of her Phisitions And thereupon laughing she withall added that they should not drawe so much bloud from her as many people desired And with this speeth she with drew her selfe leaning Parrie much arnazed at this namely that hee had fayled in that his so worthie an enterprise Now as he behaued himselfe after this manner about the Q. he supposed that he wanted a trusty friend to second him in his attempt therupon he addressed himselfe to his friend Edmond Neuill an English Gentleman who for his Religion and conscience sake had his part amongst the afflictions troubles of England whom also he diuers times visited and after that he had sworne him vpon the Euangelistes not to reueale or discouer that which he should tell him did particularly and by peace-meale discourse to him his whole intention prouoked him to take part with him therein as one that had great reason liuely to feele the iniuries that had bin câ—â—miâ—â—ed against him And that this was the time and outly â—â—â—ane to reestablish the Catholique Religion in England and to set vp there the Queene of Scotland and that in doing this both of them should haue a good portion in the bootie that should be deuided But Nenill could at no hand well fauour or like of this new counsell Whereupon Parrie demaunded of him whether he had Father Allens booke which would stand him in steed of a continuall spurre to prouoke him to this enterprise though that of himselfe he were not well disposed and prepared thereto that by that booke iâ— was permitted to excommunicate Kings to depose them yea and to constraine and enforce them and that ciuill warres for the cause of Religion were honourable and lawfull I haue verie good and readie accesse to the Queene said he as you also may haue after that you are once knowne in Court After that we haue giuen the blow and done the deed we will get into a boate which shal be readie for vs to go downe the Riuer withall and from thence we will be imbarked vnto the Sea which you and I may easily doe vpon my crediâ— without trouble or hindrance Neuill entertaining him with goodly words faire promises yet neuer giuing him an absolute yea or nay at the last resolued with himselfe no longer to delay the matter but to aduertise the Queene thereof vnto whom vpon the eight of Februarie 1584. he related all that had passed betweene him and Parries who that night supped with
the Earle of Leiâ—â—ster The Queene being much amazed thereat commanded Walsingham her chiefe Secretarie of estate to apprehend both the one and the other and yet notwithstanding to deale gently with Parrie the better to draw the truth from him Which also he did declaring unto him that the Queene had receiued some new intelligence of a conspiracie against her And because the discontented Sect had some good opinion of him he prayed him to tell him whether he had heard any thing thereof And being twise or thâ—â—ce asked touching the matter he said that he vnderstood nothing of it at all If he had confessed the storie touching himselfe and Neuill and for excuse had ioyned this vnto it that what he had done therein was done colourably and that so he vsed it the better to sound the opinions of them that hatched some discontentment in their minds Walsingham said afterward to sundrie persons that they had sent him away fully clewed and absolued But hauing stoutly denied it he set before his eyes Neuils deposition which greatly astonished him and so for that night became his host to hold him fast On the morrow morning Parrie went to him in his chamber and told him that he remembred that he had held some discourse with Neuill touching a poynt of doctrine contayned in the aunswere that was made to the booke intituled The execution of Iustice in England by which aâ—â—swere it was proued that for the aduauncement of the Catholique Religion it was lawfull to take away a Princes life But for his owne part he neuer spake word touching any enterprize against the Queene Parrie and Neuill were sent to diuers prisons the latter because he concealed that conspiracie sixe moneths and more the former for the treason whereof he was accused both the one and the other were examined and afterwards vppon charge giuen vnto them they put downe their confessions in writing Neuill did it the 10. of Februarie and Parrie the 11. and the 13. Neuils contained the subornations pursuits and procurements that Parrie had made in respect of him Parrie his that he had first plotted this Treason at Venice being heartned thereto by the exhortations of Palmio the Iesuit and that he was afterwards confirmed therein by the Iesuits of Lyons and at the last he was wholly soeled in it by Hanniball Coldretto other Iesuits of Paris where vpon this deuotion he had beene first confessed and afterwards receiued the Sacrament And this is one poynt that me thinketh should not be kept in silence that being demaunded and examined by his Iudges he acknowledged that when he first discoursed with and discouered vnto the Queene the conspiracies that the fugitiue Catholiques practised against her that so they might be brought againe to their houses she aunswered him that it was neuer her mind to deale hardly with any for religion but because that vnder the colour shadow therof they had purposed to attempt mischieuous matter against her her state and that for the time to come none should be punished for the Popes Supremacie so long onely and so farre forth 〈◊〉 they carried themselues like good and faithfull subiect Neuill being called againe confronted before Parrie persisted in his deposition and yet it was of no great weight whether he had done so or no but frustratiâ—e rather and needlesse For Parrie had confessed inough yea there was found in his house sundrie letters instructions and memorials which condemned him Besides whiles he was in prison he wrote letters to the Queene by which he verie humbly besought her to absolue him from the fault but not from the punishment which it deserued There were appointed vnto him for his Iudges Sir Christopher Wray Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of England and diuers other great Lords of note and marke who caused him to be brought from the prison to Westminster and there againe being asked and examined in the presence of all the people he confessed his treasons yea there were read vnto him his former confessions and the letters that he had sent to that purpose and other writings tending to verifie vpon him the offence wherewith he was charged all which he confessed to containe truth in them adding withall that there had not beene any conspiracie for the matter of Religion from the first yeere of the raigne of the Queene till then whereof he was not partaker excepting that touching the Agnus Dei or Bull rather and that besides all this hee had put downe his opinion in writing touching the Successour to the Crowne that so hee might the better stirre the people to rebellion This criminall cause was in handling from the eight day of Februarie in 84. vntil the 25. of the same moneth Vpon which day Parrie was condemned to behanged by the necke and that the rope presently should be cut in two and that he should be ripped vp and his bowels taken out and cast into the fire and burned before his eyes and that afterwards his head should be cut off and his bodie hewen into foure quarters and that he should be drawen vpon a hurdle from the prison all along the Citie of London till he came to the place of execution This sentence was then pronounced against him but yet it was not presently executed But the second of March Parrie was committed to the power of such as execute soueraigne Iustice whereof being aduertised by the Sherieffes of London and Middlesex he arrayed himselfe as if a man had beene going to a mourning with a faire long gowne of blacke Damask and set vpon the stocke of his shirt a great cuffe curiously set such as was neuer at that time in the land And taking his leaue of other prisoners he did with a gallant countenance offer for a present to the Lieutenant of the Tower a Ring In which there was set a rich Diamond deliuering it with this speech that he was greatly grieued that he was not able to pleasure him more From thence he was drawen vpon a hâ—â—dle to the place of execution and being vpon the ladder some say that he prayed the hangman that assayed to 〈◊〉 the rope about his necke that he would not disorder or marre his cuffe and thus died this great Martyr of the Iesuits promising to himselfe nothing lesse then Paradise for this his detestable enterprise And thus haue I related vnto you a historie of 14. or 15. moneths for he returned into England in the moneth of Ianuary 83. and he was executed in March 84. Maister Anthoâ—ie Arnauld in his pleading obiecteth against the Iesuits this attempt and wicked facte whereunto Montaignes that wrote against him hath aunswered nothing at all acknowledging by his silence that the obiection was verie true For in obiections of lesse consequence and waight he aunswereth and spâ—reth him not He that made The defence of the Colledge of Clairmont confesseth that Parrie was put to death for that pretended treason but yet it was a charitable worke done to him by
Copie of his triall and who by posts sent it with speed by commaundement of the King to make it manifestly knowen through all this Realme and lastly being drawen forth he made me partaker of a Copie thereof which I haue kept vnto my selfe and thus it is The King hauing made peace with God and truce with those that were his enemies tooke his progresse from the cittie of S. Denys to come to Fountane-bleau and as he entred Melun hee was aduertised by Lodowic Brancaleon an Italian Gentleman vnto him vnknown that a souldier departed purposely from Lyons to kill him He told the King that he had not onely seene the partie but that he had drunke twice with him in the Iacobins Couent And besides he said that this man was of a tall stature mightie and strong of his ioynts his beard was of an abrun cullour hee had on a Spanish leather Ierkin and a paire of Oringe-tawney culloured stockings vppon his leggs The King not easily astomshed yet full of prudence sent for Lugoly beeing then Lieftenant general of the long gownes in the Prouostie of the Altar To whom when he had recited that which he had vnderstood commaunded him to make a priuie search through the Cittie for this man who had beene thus set forth and thus described vnto him The same day the reporter saw this fellow whom he looked for in the Kings house but as hee was in the midst of many people so lost hee the sight of him vnwares as God would to the end the partie should be remitted vntill the next day Which Traytor hauing lodged in a Hamlet a part of the ruinated suburbs of S. Liene as hee would haue entred the Cittie by S. Iobs gate he was taken vpon presumption of the fore-saide marks This was the 27. of August 1593. Lugoly caused him to be put in prison where hee examined him and finding him some what variable caused yrons to be put on his hands and feet as the importance of the matter did require Presently after his departure Anna Rousse the Iaylors wife asked the prisoner what he would haue to dinner He answered her that he would neither eate nor drink vnlesse that hee might haue poyson brought him This aunswere being well noted of the assistants caused him more to be suspected and his actions more narrowly to be looked into Amongst the rest there was a Priest prisoner called Maister Peter the Ermite who according to the loosenes of the time became a souldier determined for the League Barriere hauing learned of him that they were both of one Societie acquainted himselfe with him So after some conference the priest enquired of him if he had not a knife the other thinking to haue met with his mate aunswered him yea and at that instant time drewe foorth from his hose a knife whereof the making was thus the blade thereof very strong about two ynches neer vnto the handle hauing a backe as other kniues haue and the rest of the knife being fiue ynches long diâ—â—cut on both sides like a two edged sword the poynt was made in manner of a Barly corne or poynard the knife of a right murtherer as one who would not fayle of his stroake The Priest in a smiling manner told him it was a fit knife to payre nayles but if it were seene it would be his death Barriere now requested him to lay it vp for him the which the other did promise him But at the same instant he sent for Lugoly vnto whom he discoursed what had hapned betweeene them and deliuering the knife into his hands Lugoly informed and examined the Iailors wife touching the poyson the Priest touching the knife and the Italian Gentleman of that which had past at Lyons the 28. of August The prisoner being diuers times examined you shall vnderstand that in all his examinations hee named himselfe Peter Barriere alias La Barre borne at Orleans by his first trade a Basket-maker and since that inticed by one Captaine De la Cour being in a Ladies seruice whom he forsook became a souldier of the coÌ„pany of the Lord of Albigny the space of one whole yeere making warres for the League vntil he was taken by the Lord De la Guest Gouernour of Issoire where he remayned some certayne daies And from the time that he serued this great Lady he had purposed to kill the king eyther with knife or pistoll in the midst of his Guards By which act he thought to haue made a great sacrifice to God in killing a King of a contrarie religion to his owne Vpon which motion being sent backe againe by the Lord De la Guest he intended to passe by Lyons where he would inquire of some religious if he might iustly kill the King being conuerted to our religion to whom was aunswered no. And beeing constrained in the same place to sell his cloake and a paire of silke slockings to get him victuals from Lyons he passed by Burgonie then to Paris and in the ende arriued at Melun where hee had lien in a barne neere Saint Liens Church Neere which place a little before he had receiued the blessed Sacrament at Bricontre-robert vpon a working day and that he was come to the kings Court to seeke a master And that if he were put to death those of his confederacie would find themselues grieued He said also that the knife had cost him 18. pence in Paris and that he bought it to no other purpose but to vse at the Table The next day being the 29. he was examined the 4. time vpon the same articles and amongst other points whereof he was examined he affirmed that being at Lions he might haue had the Liuetenantship of the Marques of S. Surlin or vnder him the leading of a company of light-horsemen if he had beene willing Then Lugoly pressed him and asked him why he held for the League and parting thence came to seeke seruice in the kings Court At these words he remayned dumbe for a time and at last said that he had aunswered alreadie as the truth was Foure witnesses were examined against him Brancaleon who gaue information of Barriers counsel takeÌ„ at Lyons to slay the King who had kept nothing hid from the Commissioners that he knew the Iaylors wife examined of the poyson Maister Peter the Ermite concerning the knife and Maister Thomas Bowcher the Curate of Bricontre-robert being called for declared to haue confessed him eight daies before and the next day after communicated with him and further that he had told him how he had confessed himselfe 4. daies before in the Citie of S. Dennis but not a word of any thing concerning his attempt against the king All these witnesses who of him were imbraced as coadiutors and councellers are not onely not reproued but withall they attest their depositions to containe the verie truth of all they knew Brancaleon excepted who affirming that he had communed with him of this enterprise against the King acknowledged therewith
truth and that there were two blacke Friers which went from Lyons to the same intent but hee tooke vpon him to be most forward to archiue the act for the honour of the enterprise Thus most humbly requesting the Iudges to ridde him out of his paine that his soule by despaire might not be lost with his bodie Vpon these words Lugoly by the commaundement of other Iudges caused him to be strangled and the next day his body was consumed into ashes and the ashes cast into the Riuer After the execution doone which was vppon Tuesday the 31. of August newes vvas brought by a Cittizen of Melun to Paris for the passages were free whersoeuer by reason of a truce made And vpon the Sonday following one Commolet a Iesuit made a sermon about the end whereof he requested his audients to haue patience for you shall see quoth he within fewe dayes a wonderfull miracle of God which is at hand you shall see it yea esteeme it as alreadie come These words vttered openly in the presence of an innumerable multitude caused the Iudges to be most assured that what soeuer Barriere had spoken was most true CHAP. 7. ¶ How the heathenish impietie of the Iesuits had been preiudiciall in our Church if their execrable counsell had come to an effect I Haue most faithfully discoursed vnto you what was the proceedings of Barriere now ye may well gather that what-soeuer is penned downe by the Pleader of Clairmont Colledge and againe by Montaignes within his fabulous truths are as it were old womens fables such as we read in the most part of their anuall Epistles sent amongst their friends And moreouer that Barriere was not a plaine simple and innocent man but rather one most resolute and stoute who stoode vppon his garde as much as in him lay yea before the Magistrate and who after his condemnation had his memory so perfect as he could intreat that he might not be committed to the mercie of the Wheele or other torture And therfore most false is that which Montaignes giueth out of him that he was frighted and his memorie past him by meanes of the torments hee suffered This I say vvas false for he was neuer tortured vntill his confessions of the fact were all ended as is before set down at large Before the sentence of death was denounced the Iudges shewed no great suspition had of the Iesuits but hauing found sufficient matter to condemne the malefactor to death then they all gaue consent by reason of his fact that he should be plyed with questions whereby he might reueale his pretences So that without being put to the tortures seeing it was in vaine to delay hee declared each thing in particuler of that which was past And thereupon as you haue heard he accused 4. religious persons of Lyons amongst others a Iesuit without naming him But the Gentlemen by his deposition haue informed vs that it was one Petrus Maiorius Afterwards he recited what had beene done with him at Paris in the Iesuits Colledge there by him that held the first place to wit the Rector whose name also hee knewe not But Montaignes hath discouered him vnto vs by the name of Varade As indeede it was a thing easily knowne for that he then commaunded in the Colledge adding thereunto that the King beeing since entred into Paris Varade saued himselfe by agilitie of body taking himselfe to flight as one that knew full well there was no surer witnes against him then his owne conscience As touching Commolet there needed no other vvitnesses then those which were at his sermon Moreouer passages on each side were free and at liberty by reason of the truce made so that many honest persons which had with-drawn themselues by flight into Melun being now come backe againe into Paris vnderstood this great miracle of which he prophecied Concerning the rest the prisoner before hee was put to death persisted vpon the Scaffold in all that hee had said and spoken in the place of examination againe after that vpon the wheele beeing full of good memory and vnderstanding for they had medled with no part about him but onely the breaking of his armes thighes and legs And after he had perseuered a while in that paine he requested Lugoly not to occasionate his fall into despaire and that loosing his body hee might not also there-with loose his soule Vppon which wordes the saide Lugoly caused him to be strangled after that he had giuen his last report vnto the Iustices of all and had receiued permission to doe it Therefore it is a most shamefull lie to publish it abroade that Varade found him so weake of vnderstanding that hee could not in any wise giue credite vnto him It was a most notorious lie to say that the confessions of Barriere were forceably taken from him at his examination notwithstanding that he was not questioned withall but twice at seuerall times vppon the Scaffold where he persisted vpon those poynts which hee had confessed in other places as I here haue said As touching other matters of the meeting of the Diuines the Scarffe which was hung at S. Paules if there had beene any such thing no question but hee would haue confessed it as willingly as he did the rest I come again to those flattering speeches which the second Iesuit feedeth the King withall to the end that his Societie might be reestablished Where are now these faire speeches It behoueth not saith he the King of Fraunce to reuenge the quarrels of the King of Nauar neither the eldest son of the Church to be mooued with an opinion contrary to the Church Is not this a shamelesse Piper who would againe vnawares ouercome our king by the sound of his pipe I haue here from the beginning recited the plausible perswasions of the Iesuits to the end euery one might know that there is no better to be looked for to come frō such lying lips as they haue I haue here frō the beginning set down the history of Barriere to the end that each one might know that it is impossible to doe worse and that there is not in the world any beast more cruell subtile and fierce then is the Iesuit wherefore all men ought by all meanes possible to beware of his treasons But I pray you howe were these Nets spred of what stuffe were they Marry so long as the King was of another religion then ours is the Iesuits neuer made shew of any willingnesse or intent to haue him murdered no not in the greatest broyles of our troubles And now being recōciled to our church vppon some feare which was resident in them as they fayned least that the King made himselfe a Catholicke vpon dissimulation this said they was cause of offering vnto his Maiestie such cruell warres But when in the midst of the sworne truce when euery man esteemed himselfe to be at rest wheresoeuer he liued by the publique and mutuall fayth which euery one had giuen
assembly some laboured harde to make immortall mercilesse war against the Hugonots yet demaunded an abatement of Subsidies a proposition ill sorting with the former those Subsidies hauing heen introduced of purpose to further the warres By means whereof the man of whom I speake taking first aduise of the Iesuits propounded a third course to league thēselues against the Hugonots and that such as willing lie enroled themselues vnder the League should be bound to contribute vnto the charge of this new warre These instructions receiued and published the Deputies did nominate a certaine Prince to be their head The last King knowing of what consequence this practise was and that succeeding it would make 3. parties in France his owne which was not one properly that of the League another of the Hugonots to breake this blow discreetly affirmed that he approued well this League but that be would be chiefe thereof which was to the end the League should flie no further then he was pleased to giue it wings The first stone of our ruine beeing cast in this manner the Prouosts of the Merchants and the Sheriffes of Paris returning home and loath that thys opinion of a League which they held most holy should miscarie sent theyr Commissions throughout all the Wards to to the end that such as would contribute should subscribe their names The Constables bare them vnto euerie house some hardier then the rest opposed themselues the greater number fearing worse subscribed The Commission was brought to Christopher le Tou chiefe Iustice whose memorie vvee cannot honour too much this good Lord refused not onely to subscribe but detayned the Commission it selfe and the next day in open Court detested this vnhappy innouation as an assured desolation to our state His authoritie his honestie his reasons wrought so great effect that euery one allowed and followed his aduise From thence-foorth this opinion of the League did weare away or rather vvas remitted to another season that better might befit the purposes of such as broached it Suddainly after the Parliament was ended Father Aimon Auger a Iesuit got the King to giue eare vnto him through his plausible hypocrisies And after him Father Claudius Matthew of Lorraine both the which had so great part in his good fauour that as Montaignes testifieth hee some-times caused them to ride along with him in his owne Coach At length this good King founde that these coozeners were desirous to incroach vppon the managing of State-matters about him Auger especially whom for that cause hee gaue order to his Embassadour at Rome to get him remooued out of Fraunce by Letters of obedience from his Generall The King departing from the Parliament pacified his subiects by an Edict of the yeere 1577. the which hee sayd was vvholly his owne and yet had by his wisedome cleane dashed the reformed Religion without bloodshed if the Iesuits would haue vouchsafed him the leisure to finish what he had begun Wageing in the midst of peace a gentle warre against the Hugonots gentle but more forcible in great mens oppinions then any weapons could haue made it For although that the Edict of 77. gaue some libertie vnto them yet the king neither called them to places of iudgement nor vnto offices in his Exchequer nor to the gouernments of Prouinces and Townes Hee had moreouer deuised the order of the holie Ghost reserued wholly for Catholicke Princes and Lords as also that of the Hieronimitans of our Lady of Vincennes where none were to appeare but Apostolicall Romane Catholiques and with whom laying aside his most high authoritie he fraternized in all kind of deuotion Nowe the presence of these causing the others absence belieue it was no small meanes to force them into the right way For there is nothing which the French Nobilitie affect so much as to be neere theyr King nor any thing that afflicts the common people more then to be kept from Offices this is a disease of minde that spoyles the Frenchman As soone as a Lawyer or Marchant haue by theyr endeuours stuffed theyr Closets and Storehouses with siluer the thing they chiefely ayme at is to bestowe it on places of Iudgement or roomes in the Exchequer for theyr Children so that the newe Religion beganne alreadie to dissolute and it grieued not the Auncients thereof vvho for shame and to auoyde the imputation of lightnes stucke vnto it to suffer their chyldren to be instructed in our Schooles and consequently to learne there the principles of our Religion All matters in this sort proceeded from ill to well from well to better the Countriman plyed harde his plough the Artificer his trade the Merchant his traffique the Lawyer his practise the Cittizen enioyed his reuenew the Magistrate his stipend the Catholick his owne religion throughout all Fraunce without impeachment The remainder of those Hugonots that liued being sequestred into a backe corner of the kingdome when our Iesuits seeing themselues remoued frō theyr Princes fauour beganne to lay this snare to intrap him Euen as the Societie of Iesuits is composed of all sorts of people some for the pen others for practise so had they amongst them one Father Henry Sammier of Luxembourge a man disposed for all assayes and resolued vnto any hazard This fellow was sent by them in the yeere 1581 towards diuers Catholicke Princes to sounde the Foorde And to say truly they could not haue chosen one more fit for he disguised himselfe into as many formes as obiects one while attired like a soldiour another while like a Priest by and by like a country Swaine Dice cardes and women were as ordinarie with him as his prefixed houres of prayer saying he did not thinke he sinned in this because it was done to the furtherance of a good worke to the exaltation of Gods glorie and that hee might not be discouered changing his name together with his habite according to the Countries wherein he purposed to negotiate He parted from Lorraine and thence went into Germany Italie and Spaine The summe of his instructions were that foreseeing the eminent danger of our Catholick religion the seeming conniuence which the King gaue to it and secret fauour hee yeelded on the other side to the Hugonots whereof the Duke his brother had made himselfe an open Protector in the Lowe-Countries their holie societie had resolued to vndertake this quarrell vnder the leading of a great Prince making sure account of Gods assistance seeing that it was directed to the aduauncement of his holy Name and good of his Church Thus Sammier got intelligence from each part and tooke assurance on all hands but presently to manifest their proiects the season fitted not because the Duke was aliue and the two brothers forces once vnited were sufficient to swallow all such as had made head against them And this was but the preamble vnto our Troubles In the yeere 83. he died That let remoued the Iesuits imbarqued in their quarrell such Lords as they thought good and
from thence forward Father Claudius Mathew Prouinciall of Paris deales in the matter more earnestly then before sits and assists in all delibe rations and counsels takes vpon him a iourney vnto Rome Father Henry Sammier another into Spayne where they so wel acquitted themselues in their Embassages that Pope Gregorie the 13. and the Spanish King promised each for his part a great summe of money towards the maintenance of this warre The Embassadors being once returned we beheld Ensignes displaid Fraunce couered with souldiers and many Townes surprised wherein there neuer had beene any exercise of new Religion Now might you see three parties on foot the Kings very much entangled that of the holy League so was the Iesuits warre intituled that of the Religion for so the Hugonots did terme their faction Pope Gregorie died then feared the Iesuit he should loose halfe of his credit for which cause father Mathew returned backe to Rome where he found Pope Sixtus chosen of whom to his exceeding great contentment he obtained the like promise his predecessor had made him before In his return he died at Ancona the yere 1588. by means wherof a new suit is begun by Father Odon Pigenat a Burgonian theÌ„ elected Prouincial of France by decease of Mathew which was not reiected by Sixtus This gaue occasion to certaine Catholiques not onely to propound a peace but euen to wish it in their soules Yet not withstanding some there were that would haue bridled our thoughts for this proposition disliked our Iesuits There be two sorts of Catholiques the one called Pollititians of worse condition then Hugonots because they wisht for peace the other zealous Catholiques or Leaguers beloued of the commmon people because they desired an endlesse warre a distinction that planted a Nurserie of warres betweeene Catholique and Catholique and withal procured a peace with our common enemy What say I a peace we put hereby a sword into his hands to beat vs with we opened him the way to raunge in to come forward to thriue to increase without our resistance we who had enfeebled our selues by this same new diuision Armes were taken on all hands and yet was it not a ciuill warre only it was a general throat-cutting all France ouer which to remedy our two Kings had successiuely need of all their peeces and so the Hugonot came by a good part in their quarrell for the maintenance support of the State And the Iesuits Colledges were manifestly the places whereto the other side vsually resorted There were forged their Gospells in Cyphers which they sent into diuers countries there were their Apostles bestowed into sundry Prouinces some to vpholde the troubles by their preaching as their father Iames Commolet within Paris and their father Bernard Rouillet within Bourges others to commit murther and bloudshed as Varade the same Commolet Not so much but father Odon Pigenot seased in all credit prerogatiue and authoritie among the Sixteene of Paris dregs of the vulgar and entertainers of sedition A thing all Iesuits agree on in the bookes which they haue published since the yeere 94. I haue said and truly said that Iesuitisme argeeth with the Anabaptists opinion in two propositions In medling with State matters and in causing Princes and Kings to be murthered accordingly to the conueniencie of their affaires I will adde that in the carriage of this Iesuiticall warre within Fraunce there was some conformitie of names betweene this and that the Anabaptists vndertooke in Germanie the yeere 1535. For they had one Iohn Mathew their chiefe Prophet vnder Iohn Leydon their king and one Bernard Rotman and Bernard Cniperdolin principal actors in their faction for the seducing of simple people euen as our Iesuits had their father Clauaius Mathew Bernard Rouillet I will not here recite the other particulars of our troubles being contented plainely to haue shewed vnto you that our Iesuits were the first Seminaries thereof onely I will discourse what fruit we haue reaped by them God withdrawing his anger from vs would in the ende appease all matters In this reestablishment the Hugonots who during our troubles thinke they haue beene some instruments of keeping the Crowne on the Kings head as well as other Subiectes which were Catholiques haue also thought that after the peace was made they ought not to bee accounted as outcastes from among vs therefore haue they importuned the King by sundry requests to restore them to their auncient Priuiledge graunted them by the Edicts of Pacification from which since the peace of the yeere 77. they haue beene almost wholly driuen Wee haue said they followed yours and the last Kings fortunes during your troubles we haue exposed our liues and goods for the vpholding of your royall estate against the Iesuiticall faction which called in a Sraunger to make him Lord and Maister of your Kingdome Is it meete that wee for our good seruice to you should loose our part in your common-wealth and gouernment and that the Iesuits for hauing vsed all the badde practises they could against you should beare sway rule and triumph in your Realme of Fraunce What could a wise and prudent King doe in this case being prest with so iust a Petition as this was What but assent thereunto to auoid of two mischiefes the greater and not to fall backe into that gulph out of which we were newly but escaped Tell me I beseech you to whom are we beholding for this last Alarum in Fraunce but onely to our Iesuits the firebrands of our latest troubles Which troubles had they not beene the Hugonots credit had beene vtterly ouer-throwne This is one bond amongst other wherein we stand obliged to that holy Societie of Iesus CHAP. 12. ¶ That Auriculer confession hath beene vsed by the Iesuits as a chiefe weapon for the rebellion and in what sort they are wont to manage it IN vaine doe wee leuell our course to the works of pietie vnlesse confession leade the way and a due worthy repentance follow This is the Iesuit licenced to exercise vppon all in generall that present themselues before him to the preiudice of Ordinaries but by a meruailous priuiledge such as vvas neuer graunted to any Munk no not to Curats themselues who of all Ecclesiasticall persons next vnto Bishops are most authorised that way The tenor of the Bull graunted by Paulus tertius in the yeere 1545. is thus After he hath giuen them permission to preach in all places where they pleased he addes Nec non illis ex vobis qui presbyteri fuerint quorumcunque vtriusque sexus Christi fidelium ad vos vndecunque accedentium confessiones audiendi confessionibus eorum diligenter auditis â—psos eorum singulos ab omnibus singulis eorum peccatis criminibus excessibus delictis quantumcunque grauibus enormibus etiam sedi Apostolicae reseruatis à quibusuis ex ipsis casibus resultantibus sententijs censuris poenis Ecclesiasticis exceptis contentis in Bulla quae
in die Coenae Domini solita est legi ac eis pro commissis poenitentiam salutarem iniungendis That is we giue leaue and permission to as many of you as are Priests to heare the Confessions of the faithfull of the one and the other Sexe from what part soeuer they come vnto you and them being diligently heard to absolue from all and singuler their sinnes crimes excesses and offences how great and enormous soeuer yea euen those that are reserued to the Sea Apostolique and all circumstances thence arising by sentence censure or paines Ecclesiasticall those excepted which are contayned in the Bull accustomed to be read on Maundie Thursday and to ordayne to the Penitents for the faults by them committed wholesome and profitable penaunce As the priuiledges which they perswade themselues haue beene graunted them for the Catechising and instructing of youth haue peruerted all the auncient order of famous Vniuersities so this large and extraordinarie licence permitted them in matter of Confession hath beene the cause that the greatest part of the people haue in great and haynous sinnes forsaken the auncient custome of resorting to the Penitentiaries of Cathedrall Churches and had recourse to the Iesuits whom wee see by vertue of this Bull to be all of them authorized for Penitentiaries And God knowes how farre these holy and blessed Fathers haue abused it The first breaking forth of our troubles was in the yeere 1585. at which time all that resorted to them to be confessed if they affirmed themselues to be good subiects and loyall seruitors to the King for they were questioned vpon that article they were sent backe by the Iesuits without receiuing absolution Which beeing obiected against them by Arnauldus marke I beseech you the cold aunswere which they make in their defence against his accusations For in the 17. article it is obiected saith Arnauldus that the said Defendants haue at diuers sundry times denied absolutiō to them that stoode for the late King from the yeere 1585. The said Defendaunts aunswere that the article is vntrue although themselues know that it hath beene often by sundrie persons auouched yea and deposed against them in the presence of the late King in his closet and what witnesse could there be produced against them in this case saue only those who had been by them denied absolutiō There is no smoak without some fire Read their annuall letters of the yeere 1589. when griefe rage and furie of the last troubles beganne you shall find that the number of their confessions was infinitely encreased and specially in the Colledge of the Iesuits at Paris Totius vitae confessiones auditae trecentae Wee haue heare 300. totall confessions wrote the Substitutes of the Colledge to their Generall Aquauiua If you aske me whence this new deuotion of the common people to them proceeded I wil tell you Our Kings represent the true image of God Against whom this yeere there hapned three straunge and vnusuall accidents first the rebellion against the late king which they coloured with the title and pretext of tyrannie for the fairest title they could affoord him was the name of Tyrant secondly the parricide committed vppon his person by a Munke and lastly the continuance of that rebellion against the King that now is for his religion Be you assured that all such as did not hold their consciences at as low a rate as many of the Cleargie doe found themselues much disquieted vpon these accidents Which was the cause that during these troubles they went to be confest by these vpstart Penitentiaries some were to be resolued by them whether it were sin not to yeeld obedience to their King others to be absolued for the same But this was to commit the Lambe to the Woolues custodie for their confessions were as many instructions or rather destructions to teach Rebellion refusing to absolue them which eyther were not in their consciences fully confirmed in their reuolt from the two Kings or had any inclination to acknowledge them for their Soueraignes And which is full of horrour and detestation their ordinarie course was before they would absolue them to make them sweare by the holy Gospell contayned in their breuiaries neuer to take these two Kings for their lawfull Soueraignes That which I speake I haue by good information from many that were fayne to passe through that strait and I know one amongst the rest more neere mee then the rest who rather then hee would giue credit to their doctrine departed from his Confessour without receiuing absolution This teacheth to the whole bodie of the Realme But as concerning priuate Families the Iesuits make a double vse of ministring Confession One is to take information from the Penitent not onely of his owne sinnes but of their demeanour likewise that dwell with him or with whom hee dwelleth nay of the whole neighbourhoode as if it were a sinne in him not to discouer an other mans sinne in confession eyther if hee know it or suppose that he knowes it Which is as much in effect as to make so many spies and carrie-tales in a Towne as there be Iesuits Confessors The second vse which toucheth them in a neerer respect is that in sucking by the eare the soule of a timorous conscience they sucke or rather swallow there-withall his goods and possessions by promising abundance of Spirituall goods in the world to come after their death to those that shall in their life time be charitable to them out of their temporall goods A course whereby they haue carried away an infinite masse of wealth if you beleeue those that haue taken vppon them to write their Legend for I know not by what other name to in title the liues of these holy Fathers One point more I will adde whereof I desire to be resolued by our auucient Doctors in Diuinitie they haue a rule in practise that men are bound to accuse themselues to their Confessour and not themselues onely but all their confederates likewise and as for the Magistrate the malefactor being condemned to die after he hath once made confession of his sinnes to his ghostly father is not tyed to reueale it to his Iudge nay it is lawfull for him to stand in stiffe deniall thereof at the time of his execution as being cleere before God although he persist in a lie after he hath once discharged the depth of his conscience to his Confessor A thing that breedeth much scruple in the minde of a Iudge who otherwise is greatly quieted in conscience when an offender adiudged to die howsoeuer he haue before time stood in deniall of the fact yet at the time of his death confesseth the truth CHAP. 13. ¶ Of a generall assemblie of the Iesuits holden in Rome in the yeere 1593. wherein they are prohibited to entermedle in matters of state I Haue formarly in this discourse charged the Iesuits to haue beene both the first sparkes and the chiefest flames of our last troubles for proofe whereof
you a strange thing which I haue obserued in all their practises CHAP. 15. ¶ That the Iesuits were the cause of the death of Mary the Queene of Scots together with a briefe discourse what mischiefes they haue wrought in England HAuing hitherto discoursed of our countrey of Fraunce it will not bee amisse to cut ouer into England where Marie the Scottish Queene was sometimes detayned as a prisoner to the State for the space of 19. yeeres This Princesse was a most zealous Catholique and was mightily bent to take an order with the Puritans of England their Queene being once gone who had none neerer of blood to succeede her then the Queene of Scots As then the Iesuits in the yeere 1582. stirred the minds of great personages inciting them to take Armes so did Father Henrie Sammier their Embassadour goe ouer into England to trouble the State there He was then in the habite of a souldier in a doublet of Orenge tawny Satten cut and drawne out with greene Taffata a case of pistols at his saddle bow his sword by his side and a Scarfe about his necke I haue it from them that were not farre from his company Thus attired as he was hee practised a secret reuolt with certain Catholique Lords against their Queene which afterwards cost them deere by the wisedome of the Lord Treasurer After that he fell in with the Queene of Scots bearing her in hand that hee and those of his Societie treated with all the Catholique Princes as well for the reestablishing of Catholique Religion in England as also for the libertie of this poore desolate Princesse coniuring her by all manner of obtestations to listen thereunto and to dispose all her seruants and subiects to the accomplishing of so high an enterprise assuring her for his part to make good to her the Realme of England This proiect he laid with her but as these Iesuits haue naturally two hearts he plotted farre otherwise with the aforesaid Noble men of England in the behalfe of a more puissant Prince to defeat his poore Ladie of her future right both he and his adherents diuerting the principall Catholiques from the seruice which they had vowed to this Princesse signifying vnto them that her meanes was too weake and feeble for them to build any hope of rising thereupon And accordingly about the same time did the Iesuits publish in print the title which that other Prince pretended to the Crowne of England Which libel they dispersed in sundrie places of Christendome And albeit this was the principall marke they shot at yet did not Sammier desist to follow the said Queene tooth and nayle At the first hearing whereof she seemed to pause foreseeing the mischiefe that might ensue whereupon the audacious Iesuit said vnto her that if she were so cold in the matter he knew a meanes how to cut off both her and the King of Scotland her sonne from all hope of England for euer and that it was a clause in his instructions quod si molesta fuisset nec illa nec filius eius regnarent Insomuch as she was constrayned to yeeld thereunto And at that time the late Duke of Guise not knowing of the factions and partialities which these men wrought vnder hand in behalfe of the other Prince promised to be wholly for the Queene his Coosen And certainely I make no question but hee as a noble and valiant Prince would haue gone thorow withall had not the Iesuits engaged him in another new quarrell which he embracing on the one side and on the other forsaking his Coosens was left in the lurch in the end The Queene vpon the first intelligence of this new designe shedding aboundant teares and falling vpon her knees cried out Wo is me for both my coosen and my selfe are assurdly vndone In this meane time the troubles set footing in England by the practises of the Iesuit the Scottish Queenes conspiracies were discouered wherein she wanted a head the law proceeded against diuers the poore Catholiques which till that time were not molested for their consciences were forced to forsake their wiues and children and to leaue their houses to auoid the Magistrates seueritie Moreouer William Parrie who was executed in 84. confest that the murther of the Queene of England which he had conspired was to establish the Scottish Queene in her throne albeit she were not priuie to this plot which confession of his made the Queene and Counsell of England to start and to stand better vpon their guards In conclusion the Scottish Queens processe was commēced prosecuted to effect she was adiudged by Parliament to lose her head not long after died a Catholick with meruailous resolution By this you may collect that the Iesuits were the sole contriuers of her death and that they are so farre from hauing established Catholique Religion in England that contrariwise by their meanes both it hath beene quite banisht and a number of great and worshipfull houses brought to vtter ruine and destruction By reason whereof they haue confirmed the erronious doctrine of the Puritans and depriued those of our religion of all hope to set in foote againe vnlesse it be by speciall miracle from heauen CHAP. 16. ¶ That the Iesuits entermedling in matters of State after they haue troubled whole Realmes yet doe all things fall out quite contrarie to their expectation WHen our Sauiour Christ taught vs that we should giue vnto God that which belonged vnto him and to the Emperour of Rome his right likewise his meaning was that paying the Emperour his tribute we ought also to giue God his and in regard of him not to exceed the limits of our calling By which reason the good and true religious person ought to giue himselfe wholly to fasting prayer and heating of Sermons I know that the kings of this land doe sometimes call Prelates to be of their Councell according as their owne disposition leads them or as they finde those persons meet and able for the place yet doth it not therefore follow that they should make that a generall rule and president for the whole Clergie Were not the spirit of Diuision otherwise called the Diuell seated within the breasts of Iesuits I would say that there was neuer wiser Decree made then that of their Synode in the yeere 1593. whereby they were prohibited to meddle in State affaires not only because it is forbidden by God for that is the least part of their care but for that in reasoning the matter as a States-man I cannot see that euer they brought their practises to those ends which they aymed at They are like a March Sunne which stirreth humors in our bodies but is to weake to dispatch and dissolue them I will goe further such is their ill fortune that if they fauour any partie after they haue shuffled the cards al they can yet when the game is at an end he whose part they take euermore prooues the looser Insomuch as albeit to humane reason the Iesuit
may seeme to be an enemie of some value yet so it is that by Gods secret iudgement it is more for our profit to haue him our enemie then our friend I will prooue it by fiue or sixe notable examples They went about to make alteration in the State of England and to that end bent all their strength what followed of that their enterprise the ruine of a number of poore Catholiques misse-led by them which before time liued at ease in their owne houses the death of the Scottish Queene the establishing of the Queene of England for a long time both in her Religiō estate I come next vnto Scotland as being next in place to England where Father William Crichton and Iames Gourdon both Scots by birth had their residence Crichton tooke a conceit vpon some discontentment to depart the land he takes his course directly into Spayne by the licence and permission of his Generall Whether he is no sooner come but he practiseth to insinuate himselfe into the Kings fauour and to that effect drawes a tree of the descent and petigree of the Infanta his daughter shewing therein that the Crownes of England and Scotland did by right appertain vnto her and to incite him the rather to take armes against the Scottish King he scattred abroad diffamatorie libels against him Whereunto the King of Spayne giuing no eare Crichton determined with himselfe by letters to sollicite the Catholick nobility of Scotland to the same purpose and to that end wrote letters in the yeere 1592. to Gourdon and other Iesuits remayning in Scotland whereby he gaue them to vnderstand in what grace he was with the King who by his incitement was resolued aswell for the inuasion of England as for the restoring of the ancient religion in Scotland But this mightie Prince desired to haue assurance before hand from the Catholique Lords of their good affection towards him from whom he willed them to procure blanks readie signed to be supplied afterwards by himselfe with deputations in their names which being obtained he had the Kings promise for two hundred and fiftie thousand crownes which should be sent ouer to be distributed amongst them The Iesuits of Scotland vpon this aduertisement drew many blanks from diuers persons which they deliuered to George Ker to carrie who being discouered by the folly and indiscretion of Robert Albercromi a Iesuit was apprehended with his letters and blanks and the Scottish King supposing this aduertisement giuen by Crichton to be true indeed caused the Baron of Fentree a Gentleman endued with many good parts to be beheaded The like had hapned to the Earle of Anguis the chiefe Earle of that country if he had not cunningly escaped out of prison After in continuance of the troubles his Castles were ruinated as also the Earle of Huntlies a man of the greatest power of them all the Earle of Arrols the Constable of Scotland All which since that time haue made profession of the pretended reformed religion as wel to returne into fauor with the king as to liue within their owne countrey in securitie of their goods persons Insomuch as in conclusion Scotland hath lost that small remainder of our Catholique Religion in the yeere 1596. The like fell out as well in the Realme of Portugall as of Arragon I will first speake of Portugall To say that the Iesuits procured the death of King Sebastian as some in their writings haue charged them is hard to beleeue for as Montaignes hath very well declared they were too highly in his fauour But marke the proceedings among all the nations of Spaine there is none so superstitious as the Portugall and of all the kings of Portugall there was neuer any more superstitious then Sebastian The Iesuits being cunning and subtle headed thought this to be a fit soyle for them to plant their vineyard in And to win the more credit they caused themselues at their first comming to be called not Iesuits but Apostles putting themselues in rank with those that followed our Sauiour Christ in person A title thich they hold as yet in that place as being generally assented to The kingdome being fallen to Sebastian these holy Apostles conceiued a hope that by his means it might descend vnto their family dealt with him many times that no man might from thence forward be capable of the Crown of Portugal except he were a Iesuit chosen by their Society as at Rome the Pope is by the Colledge of Cardinals And for as much as he although as superstitious as superstition it selfe could not or rather durst not condescend thereunto they perswaded him that God had appointed in should be so as himselfe should vnderstand by a voice from heauen neere the Sea side Insomuch as this poore Prince thus caried away resorted to the place two or three seuerall times but they could not play their parts so well as to make him heare this voice They had not as yet got into their cōpany their impostor Iustinian who in Rome fained himselfe to be infected with a leaprosie These Iesuits seeing thy could not that way attaine to the marke they shot at yet would they not so leaue it This King being in heart a Iesuit determined to lead a single life Therefore to bring themselues into neerer employment about him they councelled him to vndertake a iourny for the conquest of the kingdom of Fesse where he was slaine in a pitcht field losing both his life and his kingdome together This then is the fruite which King Sebastian reapt by giuing credit to the Iesuits And this which I haue here discoursed vnto you I had frō the late Marques of Pisani an earnest Catholick who was then Embassador for the king of France in the Spanish kings Court I omit all that hath since passed in that Realme as being impertinent to my discourse I come vnto that which hath since hapned within the Realme of Arragon wherein you shall see the like accidents by the indiscreet dooing of the Iesuits The people of Arragon had in their foundation from all antiquitie verie great priuiledges against the absolute power of their kings and the oath of fealty which they tendered their King at his Coronation ranne thus Nos qui valemos tanto come vos y podemos mas que vos vos elegemos Rëy con estas y estas conditiones intra vos y nos que el á vn que manda mas que vos That is We that are as great in dignitie as you and of greater power then you doe elect you our King with this and this condition between you and vs that there shal be one amongst vs who shall commaund aboue you And vnder that they specified all their priuiledges which the King promised by oath to obserue most exactly These liberties hauing beene infringed in the person of Antonio de Peréz their countriman and Secretary of Estate to the late King of Spayne he escaping out of prison wherein he had beene
cannot at once be a King and a Prelate and that his predecessors ordered the Ecclesiastical State which belongeth vnto him and not the temporall which pertaines only to kings Let him not inioyne vs to receiue a King who remayning in a countrie so farre distant cannot ayde vs against the sodain oftē incursions of the Infidels Neither let him commaund vs who of our Franchise and Freedome beare the name of Franks to serue him whom we list not to serue which yoake his predecessors neuer imposed vppon our Auncestors And we finde it written in holy Scripture that we ought to fight to the death for our libertie and inheritance And a little after Propterea si Dominus Apostolicus vult pacem quaerere sic quaer at vt rixam non moueat That is Therefore if our Apostolicall Lord seeke after peace let him so seeke it as he be not an occasiō of war And in conclusiō Hingmare shuts vp his letter with these words Et vt mihi experimento videtur propter meam interdictionem vel propter lingue humanae gladium nisialiud obstiterit Rex noster vel eius Regni primores non dimittent vt quod coeperunt quaniū potuerint nō exequantur That is And as I find by proofe our King or the Peeres of his Realme are not minded eyther for my excommunication or the sword of mans tongue vnlesse some other matter come to stop them to desist from prosecuting what they haue begun By which letters you may vnderstand that the Pope tooke vpon him not onely to censure King Charles the Bald for his disobedience in so iust and rightfull a cause but to make himselfe Iudge also of Empyres and Kingdomes wherevnto neither the king nor his subiects would euer assent auouching that the Pope could not confound Religion with State and that they were resolued to withstand him whatsoeuer it cost them as being a new law which he meant to obtrude vpon the land to the preiudice of our kings It may be some honest meaning man will say How doth this hang together You allow the Pope all primacie and superioritie in spirituall causes and yet limite his general power in your owne king though he should runne astray out of the right way For in respect of temporall matters I grant it but as for this high point of spirituall authority all things make against that position Whom I aunswere thus We acknowledge in Fraunce that the Pope is supreame head of the Catholique and Vniuersall Church yet is it not therefore absurd or inconsequent that our Kings should be exempted from his censures We see that all auncient Monasteries are naturallie subiect to the iurisdiction of theyr Diocesans yet are many of them by speciall priuiledge exempted from the same Our auncient Kings haue beene the first protectors of the holy Sea as well against the tyrannie of the Emperous of Constantinople as against the incursions and inuasions of the Lombards which were dailie at the gates of Rome One king alone Pepin conquered the whole state or Herarchie of Rauenna which he freely gaue to the Pope deliuering their Cittie from the long siege which Astolpho king of the Lombards had held about it And Charlemaine the sonne of Pepin chased out of Lombardie Didier their king and his whole race making himselfe Maister as well of the Cittie of Rome as of all Italie where he was afterwards acknowledged and crowned Emperour of the West by Pope Leo whom he restored fully and wholly to his auncient libertie against the insolencie of the people of Rome who repined and mutined against him And at that time was it concluded that the Popes elect might not enter vpon the exercise or administration of theyr functions vntill they were first confirmed by him or his successors I am certainly perswaded that hee and his posterity were at that time freed and exempted from all censures and excommunications of the holy Sea And albeit we haue not the expresse Constitution to shew yet may it be extracted out of the Ordinaunces of the said Emperour recorded by Iuon Bishop of Chartres Si quos culpatores Regia potestas Epist 123. 195. aut in gratiam benignitatis receperit aut mensae suae participes fecerit hos sacerdotum populorum conuentus suscipere Ecclesiastica communione debebit vt quod principalis pietas recepit nec à Sacerdotibus Dei extraneum habeatur If the king shall receiue any sinner into the fauour of his clemencie or make him partaker of his owne table the whole companie of the Priests and people shall likewise receiue him into the cōmunion of the Church that that which the princes pietie hath admitted be not by the priests held as cast off or reiected If then the table or the fauour of our Kings did acquite and absolute the excommunicated person from the Ecclesiasticall censures wee may well say that our kings themselues were exempt from all excommunications Our kings had right to confirme the Popes after their elections a right which the Popes alledge to haue beene by them remitted then why should we be more enuied then they if the auncient Prelacie of Rome haue priuiledged our kings from all excommunications and censures whatsoeuer Sure I am that Pope Gregorie the fourth going about to infringe that prerogatiue to gratifie the sonnes of king Lewes the Milde the sonne of Charlemaine the good Bishops and Prelats of Fraunce sent him vvord that if he came in person to excommunicate their king himselfe should returne excommunicated to Rome A peremtorie speech I must confesse but it wrought so as the Pope to couer his packing pretended hee came into Fraunce for no other intent but to mediate a peace betweene the Father and the sonnes as indeede he did and had he stood vppon other termes hee would haue gone out of Fraunce greatly displeased So much doe wee embrace this priuiledge of our kings as wee dare affirme that it had his beginning eyther with the Crowne it selfe at what time Clouis became a Christian or at least in the second line within a while after our kings had taken in hand the defence protection of the Church of Rome for so doe we find it to haue beene obserued successiuely in Charlemaine Lewes the Milde his sonne and Charles the Balde his grand-child And since in the third line when our kings seemed some what to forget the right way and that it was requisite to extend the authoritie of the Church towards them the Pope or his Legates were fayne to ioyne the Clergie of Fraunce with them In briefe as long as all thinges were quiet and peaceable betweene the King and his subiects the censures of Rome were neuer receiued against our Kings In our auncient Records wee finde a Bull bearing date from Pope Boniface the eyght the tenor whereof is Vt nec Rex Franciae nec Regina nec liberi eorum ex communicart possint That neyther the King nor the Queene of Fraunce nor theyr
a full congregation for their Aduocate Hauing prepared my selfe for the cause being armed with that sacred Decree which the facultie of Diuinity had pronounced against them in the yeere 1554. where those two great pillers of our Catholique Religion Monsieur Picard and Monsieur Maillard were assistants I was perswaded that I was able with a free and vncontrouled conscience to encounter hand to hand with this monster which being neyther Secular nor Regular was both togither and therefore brought into our Church an ambiguous or mungrell profession We pleaded this case two whole forenoones Maister Peter Versoris and I he for the Iesuits I for the Vniuersitie before an infinite multitude of people who attended to see the issue thereof Maister Baptist du Menill the Kings Aduocate a man of great sufficiencie was for me In my declaration I alledged the irrigularitie of their profession the iudgement and determination of the whole facultie of Diuinitie pronounced against them tenne yeeres before the obiection made by Monsieur Bruslard the Kings Attorney Generall against their admittance for that their vow was cleane contrarie to ours that if we should harbour them in our bosome we should bring in a Schisme amongst vs and besides so many espials for Spayne and sworne enemies to Fraunce the effects whereof wee were like to feele vpon the first chaunge that the iniquitie of time might bring vpon vs. Notwithstanding for the conclusion we were referred to Counsell Eyther partie both got and lost the day For neither were they incorporated into the Vniuersity nor yet prohibited to continue their accustomed readings When God hath a purpose to afflict a realme he planteth the roots thereof long time before hand These new-come guests blind and bewitch the people by shewes of holines and fayre promises For as if they had the gift of tongues which the holy Ghost infused into the Apostles they made their boasts that they forsooth went to preach the Gospel in the midst of barbarous and sauage people they that God knowes had ynough to do to speake their mother tongue With these pleasant baits did they inueigle and draw the multitude into their snares But as they had brought in a motly religion of Secular and Regular disturbing by meanes thereof all the Hierarchie of our Church so did they intend to trouble thence-forward all the politique states in Christendome In as much as by a newe inuented rule they beganne to mingle and confound the State with their religion And as it is easie to fall from liberty to vnbridled licence so did they vpon this irriguler rule of theirs ground the most detestable heresie that can be deuised affirming that it is lawfull to murther any Prince that should not conforme himselfe to their principles treading vnder foot both the checke which our Sauiour gaue to Saint Peter when he drew his sword in his defence and the Canon of the Councell of Constance whereby they were pronounced accurst that set abroach this position When I pleaded the cause I mentioned not these two propositions against them For though they bred them in their hearts yet had they not as yet hatched them only I said that there was no good to be hoped for of this monster but that they would euer put in practise eyther that principle which was broched by the old Moūtainer who in time of our wars beyond the Seas dispersed his subiects called cut-throats or murtherers through the the Prouinces to slay the Christian Princes or that horrible Anabaptisme which sprung vp in Germanie when we were young this should I neuer haue imagined Notwithstanding both the one and the other Maxime hath beene by them put in execution in the sight and knowledge of all Christendome For as concerning the first there is no man but knowes that they hauing set foot in Portugall not vnder the title of Iesuits but of Apostles they sollicited King Sebastian by all maner of illusions to make an vniuersall law that none might be called to the Crowne vnlesse he were of their Societie and moreouer elected by the consent suffrages of the same VVhereunto they could not attayne albeit they met with the most deuout and superstitious Prince that could be And not to lead you out of our owne countrie of Fraunce they were the men that kindled the first coales of that accursed League which hath beene the vtter ruine and subuersion of the land It was first of all debated amongst them and being concluded they constituted their Fathers Claudius Matthaeus a Lorrain and Claudius Sammier of Luxembourg for so are their Priests of greatest antiquitie called to be their trumpets for the proclayming thereof ouer all forraine nations And after that time did they with open face declare themselues to be Spaniards as well in their Sermons as publique Lectures In fauour of whom they attempted to bring their second principle into practise not all the while that the King was diuided from vs in religion for they knew that was a barre sufficient to keepe him from the Crowne but as soone as they saw him reclaymed into the bosome of the Church they set on worke one Peter Barriere a man resolute for execution but weake and tender in conscience whom they caused to be confessed in their Colledge at Paris afterwards to receiue the Sacrament and hauing confirmed him by an assured promise of Paradise as a true Martyr if he died in that quarrell set forward this valiant Champion who was thrise at the the verie point to execute his accursed enterprise and God as often miraculously stayed his hand vntill at length being apprehended at Melun he receiued the iust hyre of his trayterous intention in the yeere 1593. I speake nothing but what mine eyes can witnesse and what I had from his owne mouth when he was prisoner View peruse all the impieties that you will you shall find none so barbarous as this To perswade an impietie and then to couer it with such a seeming maske of pietie In a word to destroy a soule a King Paradise and our Church all at a blow to make way for their Spanish and halfe-Pagan designements All these new allegations caused the Vniuersitie of Paris the Citie being brought vnder the Kings obedience to renew their former suit against them which had beene stayed before time by the Counsels appoyntment The cause was pleaded effectually and learnedly by Maister Authonie Arnald but when the processe was brought to the verie poynt of Iudgement there fell out another accident which made them proceed roundly thereunto Iohn Chastell a Paritian of the age of 19. yeeres a graft of this accursed Seminarie stroke our king Henris the fourth with a knife in his Royall Pallace of the Louvre in the midst of his Nobilitie He is taken his processe being commenced and finished sentēce ensueth dated the 29. of December 1594. the tenour wherof followeth Being viewed by the Court the great Chamber and the Tournel being assembled the arraignement of processe criminall begun
since the passion of our Sauiour and Redeemer Iesus Christ and that which hath been approoued be all our auncient Doctors of the Church of whom the meanest had more learning and true Christian feeling in his heart then Luther and all his adherents then Ignace with all his complices It is the religion wherein all good and faithfull Christians ought to liue and die I will adde further that I had rather erre with them then runne the Wild-Goose chase endaungering my soule with these night-growne mushrumps But wee will be moderate in a subiect of such a nature I will not say then that I had rather but that I should lesse feare to erre For to say that Iesuits are the onely clubs to beat downe the blowes of Caluin and Luther I am so farre from beleeuing it as I thinke it is a special meane to confirme them in their erronious opinions I remember a friend of mine being at a Sermon rather for nouelty then deuotion a Minister cryed out to his disciples My brethren saith hee God hath beheld vs with a mercifull eye Although Martin Luther had beene sufficient to giue the Pope battell yet so it is that Ignacius Loyhola is come besides to ayde vs. For hee cunningly vnder colour of support supplanteth him What readier meane to ouerthrow a State then faction and intestine quarrels And I pray you what other milke giue these Iesuits in the Church of Rome Then sith this Sect is his last refuge his principal support be of good cheere the day is ours For without question the head must be verie daungerously sick if for cure therof fauouring this new Sect they vtterly ouerthrow the noble parts But what should be the cause of this disorder An imaginarie vow of Mission in fauoure whereof the Pope prâ—â—ecteth their quarrell For this therefore let vs prayse God and say as Demea said to his brother Mitio in the Poet Consumat perdat pereat nihil ad me attinet These sixe or seuen Latine wordes vttered against the holy Sea are blasphemous But this is the vnbridled licence of these new Preachers who when they are transported with their preposterous zeale may say any thing This dissension concerned not the Minister it had beene his part to touch the conscience of euerie good Catholique who desireth to liue and die in the bosome of the Catholique Apostolique and Romane Church yet it should be our care that these my Maisters the Ministers insult not ouer vs that their triumphs be not grounded on the Iesuits Consider whether they haue cause to say thus or no for among other particulars of the censure of our Diuines in the yeere 1554. this was one that the Iesuits would become Seminaries of Schisme and diuision in our Christian Church that they were rather brought in for the ruine and desolation of it then for the edification thereof Wherfore if I may be thought to erre in saying that the Sect of the Iesuits is no lesse preiudiciall to the Church then that of the Lutherans I doe it not without iudgement hauing for my warrant heerein the censure of that venerable facultie of Diuines in Paris CHAP. 25. ¶ Of the notorious enterprize or vsurpation of the Generall of the Iesuits ouer the holy Sea and that there is no new Sect which in time may bee more preiudiciall to it then this WHen the venerable facultie of the Diuines of Paris censured the Sect of the Iesuites in the yeere 1554. they only considered of the inferiour orders aswell spirituall as temporall But for matter which concerned the holy Sea they went not so farre neither were they acquainted with their Bulls and constitutions But now that it hath pleased God of his grace to enlighten vs I will not doubt to say that the Gouernour of the Iesuits represents the person of Lucifer who would equall himselfe to his Creator So this fellow being a creature of the Popes doth not onely vsurpe equall authoritie ouer his subiects but farre greater then the Pope doth exercise ouer the Vniuersall Church They giue out in Rome that they absolutely obey the Pope not onely in the matter of Mission but in all other his commaundements And vnder this plausible pretence they haue obtayned and daily do obtayne verie many extraordinarie priuiledges in preiudice and if I might presume to say so much in disgrace of Archbishops Bishops Orders of Religion Vniuersities and the whole Catholique Church Notwithstanding the truth is that they hauing two Maisters to serue doe without comparison more homage to their Generall then to the holy Sea Ignatius Loyhola Rib. lib. 1. Chap. 3. a Spaniard verie honourably discended chaunging his condition chaunged not his nature Ribadinere reporteth that when hee was to leaue his Fathers house pretending to goe to visite the Duke of Naiare Martin Garsia his eldest brother iealous of his intention came to him priuately to his chamber and said thus vnto him Brother all things are great in you Wit Iudgement Courage Nobilitie Fauour of Princes the peoples loue Wwisedome Experience in warre besides youth and an able bodie All these promise much of you are exceeding full of expectation How then wil you now frustrate on a sodaine all these our fayre hopes will you defeat our house of those garlands whereof we in a sort assured our selues if you would but maintayne the course you haue begunne Although in yeeres I am much your auncient yet am I after you in authoritie Beware then that these high hopes which sometime we conceiued of you prooue not abortiue ending in dishonour Whereunto Ignace shortly aunswered that he was not vnmindfull of himselfe and his auncestors from whom he would not degenerat in the least degree nor obscure their memorie And beleeue mee he kept his promise For after this vnexpected chaunge of life he neuer entertained any petrie ambitions howsoeuer he altered his habit or any pilgrimage he made to Ierusalem notwithstanding Cloath an Ape in Tissue the beast may happily be more proud but neuer the lesse deformed Naturam expellas furca tamen vsque recurrer Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt Neyther the meanesse of his habit nor his pilgrimage could abate those spirits which were borne with him WheÌ„ he his six first coÌ„panions made their first vow at Mont Marter he made himselfe their head without any election of their part The which you shal finde in Maffeus who witnesseth that when by the aduise of the Phisitions he was to chaunge the ayre for the recouerie of his health after a long sicknes taking his iourny toward Spayne he left Vicegerent ouer his companions Peter Faure in whom he reposed a speciall trust Caeterum saith Maffee nequid é suo discessu res parisiensis caperet detrimenti Maff. lib. 2. cap. 1. primùm commilitones ad fideÌ„ perseuerantiam paucis adhortatus Petrum Fabrum annis vocatione antiquissimum illis praeposuit cui interim obtemperarent He had then
proculdubio occupassent promissionis terram had long since out of doubt possessed this Realme of England nisi quorundam inobedientia atque ingratissimum obstitisset murmur had not the disobedience of some and theyr most displeasing murmuring hindred it It is the manner of our English Iesuits and of such as are Iesuited neuer to mention Frier Parsons trecheries but they ioyne that good Cardinall with him to mittigate the odiousnes of his proceedings But howe coulde they haue gotten this land of Promise into their fingers Meane they by their attempt 1588 or had they before this time layd violent hands vpon her Maiestie or what had they else doone if some such impediment as they speake of had not hapned Blessed was that disobedience and happy was that murmuring that deliuered this kingdome from such vncatholick and most trayterous designements Rather content your selues deere Catholicks to goe dwell in Babilon then euer seeke to obtaine the Land of Canaan by such cruell barbarous and Turkish stratagems Are not such Iesuits or persons whatsoeuer Iesuited worthy to be detested that dare publish their dislike of such disobedience and murmure as hath preuented such a Chaos of all mischiefes as the conquering of our little land of promise would haue brought with it Or if we haue been too sharpe in our encountering of the Gyants as they falsly terme vs are we not to be excused And as wee woulde haue you to iudge of vs and the rest of our brethren that whatsoeuer they haue written it proceeded of theyr loue and zeale both to our Church and Countrie so our hartie desire is that you would thinke and iudge the like of those right zealous Catholicks of other Countries that haue written against the Iesuits in the like respect much more sharply then any of our brethren hetherto haue done For howe highlie soeuer the Iesuits are yet in our bookes because you know them not throughlie yet are they alreadie become an odious generation in manie places In the kingdome of Swecia their verie names are detested The Cleargie of Spayne is in great dislike of them The religious men generallie in all countries doe hate them At this instant there is a great most dangerous contention in particuler betwixt them and the Dominicans about a speciall point of grace At their first attempt to come into Fraunce it was fore-seen by the graue Sorbonists of Paris what mischiefe they would work if they were admitted there Afterwards they crept into that countrie like Foxes by little and little and so in processe of time behaued thēselues as not long since they haue been banished thence as men of most pernitious wicked and dangerous conuersation You haue heard in a word or two out of Osorius the Spaniard what the Iesuits thinke of themselues it woulde make a large volume to recount the praises which they haue else-where heaped vppon their founder their societie their fellowes according as the saying is Claw me and I will claw thee You also vnderstand as well by the premises as by our bretherens seuerall treatises what estimation we haue of them and some haue beene offended vvith them for their plainenes therein But now wee humbly intreate you to obserue howe roundly they haue beene taken vp in Fraunce for halting by men of no small credite in that State for theyr yeres verie auncient for their experience verie wise and for their soundnes in the Catholicke Romane religion neuer impeached by any but Iesuits who condemne all men eyther for Newters or schismaticks or hereticks or at the least for cold and luke-warme Catholicks that disclose their impieties Maister Anthony Arnold counsellour in parliament and heeretofore counsellor and Atturney generall to the late deceased Queene mother a man throughlie acquainted with the proceedings of the Iesuits in Fraunce writeth as followeth both of them By this the Iesuits are discouered to be not onely the fore-runners but also the chiefe captaines of Antechrist out of whose societie or sect it is very probable homo peccati that man of sin shall rise ere all be ended betwixt the secular priests them the saide sectarie Iesuits though for the present they remaine catholicke and somwhat of their Founder Ignatius saith he through the help of the deuill hatched this cursed conspiracie of the Iesuits who haue beene the causes of such ruine as Fraunce hath receiued They are a vvicked race borne to the ruine desolation of mankinde In their fourth vowe to their Generall they goe thus farre that in him they must acknowledge Christ present as it were If Iesus Christ should commaund to goe and kill they must doe so The Generall of the Iesuits is alwayes a Spanyard and chosen by the King of Spayne Loyola their first Generall was a Spanyard Laynes the second a Spanyard also The third Euerardus was a Fleming a subiect of the King of Spayne Borgia the fourth was a Spanyard Aquauiua the fift now liuing is a Neopolitane subiect to the King of Spayne If their Spanish Generall commaund them to murther or cause the King of Fraunce to be murthered they must of necessity do it They shoote at no other matter but to establish the tyrannie of Spaine in all places All the Iesuits in the world are bound to pray for the King of Spayne and that once a day as his affayres doe require They haue stirring fellowes to be placed in all quarters to execute whatsoeuer may tend to the good and aduauncement of Spayne They had no other marke during the warres in Fraunce but to make the King of Spaine Monarch ouer all Christendome The common prouerbe of these hypocrits is one God one Pope and one king of Spaine the great King catholick and vniuersall All their thoughts all their purposes all their Sermons all their cōfessions haue no other white they ayme at but to bring all Europe vnder the subiection of Spanish gouernment The Ambassadour of Fraunce when hee was in Spayne and Italie neuer found matter of weight wherein they had not an oare There was neuer Letter intercepted during the warres wherein there was anie pernicious point but a Iesuits singer was in it In their confessions and without witnesses they paint not the faces but the harts of their schollers with the tincture of Rebellion against their princes and naturall Soueraignes Mathew a Iesuit was the principal instrument of the League 1585. And from that yeere 1585. they would giue no absolution to the Gentry of Fraunce vnlesse they would vow promise to band themselues against their Soueraigne Henry the third being a most catholick King Barnard and Commolet the yere before the sayde League called the King Holofornes Moab and Nero maintaining that the kingdome of Fraunce was electiue and that it belonged to the people to establish kings alledging this text of the old Testament Thou shalt chuse thy brother for King Thy brother say they that is to say not of the same linage or of the selfe same Nation but of
the same Religion as is this great catholick king this great King of Spaine The said Commolet was so impudent and bold as to say verie blasphemously that vnder these words Deliuer me O Lord out of the myer that I may not sticke in it Dauid vnderstood prophetically the rooting out of the house of Burbon The same Iesuit also Commolet preaching at the Bastile before the Gentlemen that were then prisoners in the beginning of the yeere 1589 saide vnto them after a thousand impudent blasphemies that he that had been their King was not their King plotting from thence the murther which they executed afterwards What voyce is sufficient to expresse the secrete counsells the most horrible conspiracies more dangerous then the conspiracies of Cateline which were holden in the Iesuits Colledge in S. Iames streete Where did the Agents and Embassadours of Spayne Mendoza Daguillon Diego Dinarra Taxis Feria and others hold their secret meetings and assemblies but among the Iesuits Where did Lowchard Ameliue Cruce Crome such like notorious manquellers and murtherets build their conspiracies but amongst the Iesuits Who made that bloody aunswere to the catholick Apologie but the Iesuits Where did the two Cardinals which termed themselues Legats in Fraunce assemble theyr counsels but onely amongst the Iesuits Where was it that Mendoza the Embassadour of Spayne vpon All-hollow day in the yeere 1589. at what time the King entred the Fauxburges helde his counsaile of Sixteene but in the Colledge of the Iesuits Who was President of the counsell afterwards of those Sixteene murtherers but Commolet Bernard and Father Ode Pickenar the vilest Tygar in all Paris Commelet preaching in S. Bartholmewes church after the murther of the King exalted and placed among the Angels this Tyger this deuill incarnate Iames Clement the murderer Who imployed all their studies to speake against the person and right of his Maiestie that now raigneth as false and slaunderous matters as possibly their wicked heads could deuise but the Iesuits Commolâ—s the Iesuit when he preached at Saint Bartholmes as is aforesaid tooke for his theame the third chapter of the booke of Iudges where it is reported that Ehud slew the king of Moab and escaped away and after that he had discoursed at large vpon the death of their late king and commended Iames Clement he fell into a great exclamation saying we haue neede of an Ehud we haue neede of an Ehud were he a Frier were he a souldier were he a lackie were he a shepard it made no great matter Needs wee must haue an Ehud One blowe would settle vs fully in the state of our affaires as we most desire Alas their purpose and burning zeale is to murder the King liuing Was it not in the Colledge of Iesuits at Lyons and also in the Colledge of Iesuits in Paris that the resolution was last taken to murder the King in August 1593 Are not the depositions of Barriere executed at Melun notorious to all the world Was it not Varade Principall of the Iesuits that exhorted and incouraged this murtherer assuring him that he could not do a more merritorious worke in the worlde then to murther the King though hee were a Catholick and that for this deede he should goe straight to Paradise And to confirme him the more in this mischieuous resolution did hee not cause him to be confessed by an other Iesuit Did not these impious godlesse and execrable murderers giue this Baerriere the blessed sacrament imploying the most holy most precious and most sacred misterie of our Christian religion towards the murthering of the chiefest King in Christendome As long as the Iesuits remaine in Fraunce the king of Spaines murtherers may be exhorted confessed housled and incouraged Their minds are bloodie altogether imbrued with the blood of the late murthered king They filled the pulpits with fire with blood with blasphemies making the people belieue that God was a murtherer of kings attributing to heauen the stroke of a knife forged in hell The highest poynt of their honour standeth in executing of murthers terming them Martyrs which haue spent their liues therein They are mischieuous counsailors traytors wicked inchauntors firebrands of mischiefe hypocrits monsters watchfull in mischiefe diligent in wickednes wretched caytiffes manquellers serpents pernicious and dangerous vermine and haue no fellowes in all sorts of wickednes And hetherto Maister Arnold dispersedly Vnto whom wee may adde a short but a notable description of the Iesuits ordinary sermons as we take it out of Petrus Gregorius Tholossanus Pet. Greg de Repub. lib. 13. cap. 14. a great Lawier and a sound Catholick which doth so expresly and pithilie set them out vnto vs nay to all posteritie and that in so few words their dispositions pride and furie as hee that shall diligently reade them and throughlie digest them may euer carrie with him if his memorie be not verie dull the right Idea of a perfect Iesuit But before he coÌ„meth to this description he first setteth downe the iudgments of God against all such kinde of persons out of king Salomon and the prophet Ezechiell Abominatio est Domini omnis arrogantia All that are arrogant without exception are abhominable vnto our Lord. Prou. 16. Contritionem praecedit superbia c. Pride goeth before contrition or destruction and a high minde before vtter ruine Vae pastoribus Israell Ezech. 34. woe be to the Sheppards of Israell c. That which was weake ye haue not strengthened that which was sicke ye haue not healed that which was broken yee haue not bound vp That which was abiected yee haue not brought againe and that which was lost ye haue not sought sed cum austeritate imperabatis eis et cum potentia but ye did rule ouer them with austeritie and force or potencie Secondly hauing made this way plaine to his purpose then hee sheweth further what manner of men the Cleargie by the testimonies of S. Peter S. Paule should be and how farre from such haughtines of minde such pride and crueltie and with what diligence mildnes gentlenes they ought to proceede in the actions and proceedings which doe belong to their calling Feede saith S. Peter the flocke of Christ which is amongst you ouerseeing them not by constraint but willingly according to God neither for filthie lucre sake but voluntarily And S. Paule The seruaunt of God must not wrangle but be mild towards all men apt to teach patient with modestie admonishing them that resist the truth least sometimes God giue them repentance to knowe the truth c. Against which Apostolicall rules hee declareth that the Iesuits of whom we thinke he speaketh be great practitioners rather sorting themselues in the ranke of those that Salomon and the prophet Ezechiell before spake of then of the true Pastors of Gods people These are his words In quo hodie maxime peccant noui quidaÌ„ Theologastri et zelo se traduci mentiuntur qui in cathedris non verba modestie