more generally I saw in France that their resolutions were agitated to the wish of their Enemies That they sought their security other-where then one among another or within themselves That they fix'd their resolutions in their Enemie's Country and not at home as the Switzers do look upon the Peace as concluded before the Treaty was begun and bereav'd themselves of their advantages and distinctions before it was proclaim'd Which is worse we have gain'd three in four of their principles which caus'd them to treat as already sow'd up in the Kings party not in War for they bore Arms for him not in Peace for that their necessity urg'd them to treat not in Truce because they had quitted their Distinctions their Judicature their Treasure and their separate Forces So that being neither in War nor in Peace nor in Truce they fancy'd a fourth condition which never was tossing up one leg i' the Air which could be no steady march Some there were that cry'd shame upon these proceedings others would not seek to remedy these things unless the Grandees who were gain'd by the King would return among them to buoy up their party now patch'd up of several pieces choosing rather to be fat then healthy They apprehended their own weakness without considering the distinction of affairs of State Hence they began to treat with respect to conclude without security They did enough to offend but not to defend Thus were these poor people condemn'd in their simple fidelity to be the sport of the great ones persuaded to have pity upon France when France had no pity upon them to preserve it when they had no interest in it to fortifie it when they had expell'd themselvs out of it But when men have their hands ty'd by the fear of God and a bashful respect of their Prince they should be advis'd of their first motion for whatever Peace they make can be no Peace but a Contract of Servitude CHAP. VI. An examination of some Books of these times WHen Monsieur Confessour came to my Lodging he sent in three Porters Load of Books to enhance the Ceremony of my Conversion Some Censurers of these times have observ'd that we did not lash one of them but that after Dinner we spent all the day in playing at Cent. But I will shew those that were so careful to spie what was done that day that I have well employ'd others in modern Theology to authorize my design I have read the Answers to the book of Plessis Mornay 'T is very great pity he has not had leisure to follow his studies as he did some 18. years ago But since he has had so many affairs of State under his hands so much authority to sustain such a large Family to govern nothing has appear'd lately from him The Theologist of Xantes seeing all our Dogs upon that Bear and that none bit him or durst so much as take him by the Ear gave a leap at him I would every one would do as much For though he answer'd little to the purpose yet what one cannot do singly many may There is the same method to be us'd against this person and matters must dâ— boldly asserted without coming to the point of close argument for mischief might come of it As for Richeome the Heretics are constrain'd to confess that the style is the genteelest of any that has lately become public at least the Preface and if they say 't is none of his yet it is his either by way of gift or purchase If the body of the work be dull and flat is it not a common Custom for the Youth of these times to wear the fore part of their Dublets of Satin and the hinder part of Canvass Does he not do well to bring three Battalions before the King to persuade him to admit the Jesuits Though in truth three Battalions of eight Thousand men apeice and fifty great Guns would be more persuasive and prove better Advocates then the book of truth defended Now in pursuit of my design I put on my Spectacles as when I play at Tables and viewing at hand these three Battalions in the first Rank I saw none but a Company of Whipper Snappers with Morrions guilt with leaf Gold But any thing for a Civil War At the head of 'em rode a fair Argument to prove Miracles Nature is able to perform this or that Such and such things have bin produced contrary to the order of Nature Ergo. The Miracles of Ardilliers are not false The Colours were of good Taffata He that carry'd the Collonel's colours having a mind to play the Coxcomb and flourish his Colours under Leg as they do at Paris strain'd himself so hard that he befowl'd himself This is the Confession of deceas'd Beza who bequeaths all to his Wife and the rest to the Franciscans dyes a good Roman Catholic and this is that which became of him I am told an old arch Heretic read this book with a great deal of pleasure I would make a slight answer but perhaps he will burst himself with laughing which would be an argument to prove Miracles which is the subject of the book I know abundance of Catholics look upon the supposition of his death as a strange thing But in a book that treats of wonders can any discourse be thought Miraculous For my part I affirm and maintain it to be as true as other Miracles That Beza is dead First by the argument by which we prove Transubstantiation God may cause him to dye Ergo he is dead Then again This book which is in the rank and number of Traditions ought to be sooner believ'd then the Bible as the Curate of St. Gervaise but lately preach'd Traditions said he are sooner to be believ'd then the Old New Testament provided that they are authoriz'd by Traditions and not Traditions by them More then this Beza is Civily dead by Banishment and Spiritually dead by Excommunication But grant he be not dead this news has always serv'd the news has bin still made use of like a Vultur's-skin to the stomach of some weak Catholics to advance the pious frauds of honest Mr. Cardinal according to this book and that of the deceased good Queen his Play-fellow Think you that that same book of St. Clement which Capil the Venetian found in the Isle of Crete has not mainly conduc'd to the establishing private Masses For all the World has not such a quick understanding when they see the letter by which St. Clement advertiz'd St. James of St. Peter's death to know that St. James was dead seven years before the other 'T is a great benefit for an ingenious man to understand who tells truth whether Anaclete who stiles himself Successour to Clement or Ireneus and Eusebius who say that Clement succeded Anaclete who notwithstanding that wrote a very compleat Letter to Clement after he was dead He speaks of the Temple of St. Peter but it was an hundred years before the Christians
only deny'd with your lips has only smitten your lips but so soon as you shall renounce him with your heart he will strike and peirce that heart I could name another that was an ancient Deputy who sitting one day with the rest of his associates upon a Trunk in the Anti-Chamber took notice that M. d'O young Rosny and some others of the Court Gallants laught to see the Deputies in their old fashion'd Garments These airy Courtiers having a mind to shew their Wit says one to the other I 'le say he 's a brave fellow that dare's but go and ask that old Curmudgeon of a Heretic his name D'O to shew his valour approaches the old man and full of high flown conceit Sir says he these Gentlemen and I have an earnest desire to know your name If I knew how to call you said the other I might perhaps give you an answer I am a Gentleman but not at your Conmand Sir said the Courtier my name is D'O It may be so reply'd the Deputy had you bin in as many Battels as I you needed not have ask'd the Question As for O 't is a Cipher better known in the Chamber of accompts then where I have bin The Brethren of the Cabinet fell a laughing but the poor Messenger was more dash'd out of countenance upon what the Deputy added Go friend go go kill some-body that the King may bestow some favour upon yee otherwise ye may chance to go without it The Sieur Bellevre being sent by the King to the King of Navar at Mont de Marsan every morning through the window of his Lodging saw the Countess de la Guiche then Miss in waiting going every morning to Mass attended by d'Espent little Lambert a Black the Baboon Bertrand an English Page a shock Spaniel and a Lacquey Of all which the great Senatour took notice to a Huguenot in these terms I have several times said he seen some Mistresses of our Kings who are with them in such esteem that the greatest Peers of the Nation think themselves happy if they can but watch their coming out in a morning to pay their respects But here I see a Lady of a noble Family who turns and winds the King as she pleases walk to the Church in a morning fitted for all purposes with a Monkey a Shock and a Buffoon Oh Sir the reason 's plain reply'd the Huguenot for in this Court there is neither Ape nor Shock nor Buffoon but what you see The French Courtier was not a little non-pluss'd at the reply but much more when he knew the St. Maxants Curse upon the cheek of Madam Duras CHAP. VIII Of Martyrs after the Romish way OF all the Books which are enough to make a man a Heretic or of which at least a Roman Catholic ought to be very careful I find none next to the Bible to be so dangerous as this great Volum of Martyrs For 't is a great matter to see five six or seven thousand dead people with all the Marks of real Martyrdom as probity of Life purity of Religion and full freedom to choose either Life or Death This has depriv'd us of abundance of people that beheld those Preachers who had no other Pulpits then the Scaffold the Ladder or the flaming Faggot These are the glorious Nicks of time when vain hopes are said to give place to Zeal and Vertue They order their affairs now more prudently both in Italy and Spain There does not a Year go about wherein they do not put to death some hundreds But their constancy has no other witnesses then Goalers and Hang-men who are like the Cranes of Pyrrhus for keeping secrecy 'T is not above Thirty Years ago that all the Processes of which this dangerous book is full and which testifie the truth of it were order'd to be taken off the files of all the Courts of Parliament But is their no way to stifle the memory of these things and to cry down all these Stories for Fables though the eye-witnesses are living What shall we do I am of opinion that the best way will be to make Choice of some florid stile like that of the Count de Permission and to write a Book of which the Title shall be The Martyrs a la Romana or after the Romish manner Wherein we will not have so much as one finger of a Martyr of the Primitive Church in regard there is some debate concerning them between the other and us as also for that these blessed Reformers cry that the Church has bin as long reformed as it has bin persecuted according to what Pope Silvester said when Constantine freed him from the Rocks of Soracte Farwel Poverty Farwel Purity Now then we must make it out that we have Martyrs of this Age of as good Families as any of others The Bel-weather of the Flock shall be the Curate of St. Medard in Paris who was wounded in ringing the Alarum Bell. The Curate of St. Crespin in Tourain who was hang'd in the Bel-rope performing the same Office both taking pains to stir up the people to make another sort of Martyrs From thence to disguise the Story we will take a frisk to Japan where the Jesuits say some of them have bin crucifi'd and where they have done several Miracles which could be done no where else but at Japan because of the incredulity of the rest of the Indians Moreover we will condemn all the Huguenots in France to go thither to see if what they say be true Our Fathers the Jesuits foreseeing the necessity of this book that there will be more Confessours then Martyrs On the other side the Huguenots instead of putting men to death for the Faith busying themselves in praying to God for their Conversion The sharp-witted Projectours have provided a remedy for both having set up at Rheimes and at Rome two Colleges of young English chosen out of a Melancholy adust humour the most part Exiles Thieves or defam'd persons who when they are put into these Colleges as Marius Navarrus writes in his 3. book of Councils by an establish'd Papal constitution are bound to swear That after so many years they shall return into England to publish what they have learnt And because it has bin observ'd that much good has come of it witness Cardinal Alain in his Apology for Seminaries the Pope has redoubled their Pension Hereupon I guess Baronius in his Roman Martyrology said these words That the holy Priests as innocent Lambs fatted in the Sacred Cloysters by the holy society of Jesus with divine instructions for Martyrdom Sacrifices acceptable to God and the Sacred Colleges of Rome and Rheimes have bin put to death because they preach'd in England the Doctrine of the Holy Romish Church I wish he had not said it in regard they are Envoys of the Society of Jesuits because they are accus'd to be liberal enough of other men's blood and therefore though it be a commendable thing to meet Martyrdom yet
the Bible But that I may seem to have done something more I made use of this advice not to reck'n for Tradition-Mongers those ancient Doctors of the six first Ages wherein the Church was not as yet fully nobilitated when her Sumptuous Buildings were not as yet rear'd when the Popes liv'd up and down in Caverns and in short might pass for the first Promoters of her troubles at what time the Church smelt somewhat strong of Huguenotism or rather of the Faggot I say they wrote nothing boldly or over-confidently in those first times therefore I allow for Traditions the Books corrected by the devout Council of Trent For some time after that we have seen at the Court and we have still some Doctors who affecting squeamishness of Conscience play the Demi-Huguenots and Appointers of Religion This ought to be a fair example to Monseiur Benedict and his Compagnons Berenger and Chauveau in their Deaths of Melancholie or Poyson These Hero's would fain persuade the suppression of a Book entitl'd Index Expurgatorius Accordingly it was one Result of the Council of Trent whereby all Printers were commanded to expunge or correct the most boistrous passages wherewith the holy Fathers had besmear'd the belief of the Church with a Catalogue of such Sentences as it was convenient either to stifle or amend to the end the Heretics might make no use of them These Prudent Worldlings esteeming themselves wiser then the Council would needs have this Expurgatorie Index suppres'd to concealâ— as they said the shame of the Church which was not to plead for its self upon false Evidences But they have display'd the shame by thinking to hide it For about 11. or 20. years since the Book I mean a copie of it sign'd by the Council fell into the hands of the Family of Antwerp and is now carefully preserv'd among the Rarities of the Elector Palatine And which is worse some Doctors among the rest Baronius who were chosen to make this Reformation are reformed themselves and have confess'd in their printed writings that one of them had for his part alone alter'd above sixty of those passages Thus the design of the Council being discover'd in going about to suppress this Book we might suppress the Authority of the Church and make it questionable whether it be not lawful to change the Expositions of the Doctors and something of the Text of the Ancients Certainly the Affirmative is to be maintain'd and that the Church ought to change both the old and new Testament without bogling any more at the Translation of the Septuagint then at the Translation of fifteen Score if we would have all the main Principles on our side The Primates of Bourges and Lyons would discard out of the number of Traditions the Conformities of St. Francis the Pattern of Wisdom the Garden of disconsolate Souls Marial the Sermons of Menot Manipulus Curatorum Stella Lavacrum Conscientiae Summa Peccatorum dedicated to the Virgin Mary the Golden Legend the Book of Rates and the Life of Christ A Preacher whose name was Christi preach'd at Nantes to the Ladies in these words My dainty quaint Ladies if I find a Bible or a new Testament in any of your hands you shall tast of my Whip but have always between your fingers the good Vita Christi the Vita Christi who made Vespasian and Titus Christians and brought about the design of the Siege of Jerusalem to revenge the Death of Christ and then he condemn'd and vilifi'd all other Historians to establish the truth of that Book But one of those Prelats might sooner have instructed himself to believe in God then us to believe in Him and it is as difficult a thing to make us quit our love of those Books as to make him quit the love of his kind Sister For those books are the only foundation of our belief Neither do they allow the defeat of Monsieur Cayer They say that the Tales of St. Francis were made at Geneva That 's well for the Alcoran of St. Francis However the studies of these abstemious Find-faults are full of those books of the old Impressions 'T were better for them to defend them and say that they were made with a good Intention As when we read of St. Francis living with his Wife of Snow We ought to speak the best and say the good man did it to cool not only his own naturally sinful heat but as a president to his posterity When he preaches to the flesh thereby it is intimated that when his offspring should preach they would require a mute Auditory When he preach'd it up for a Miracle that God would not suffer the flesh to be drown'd in the Deluge thereby he insinuates that the Miracles of the Church of Rome ought to proceed from natural causes as Richeome labours to make out When he calls the Wolves his Brethren and stroaks them with his hand he did it to show that the Franciscans should be rough footed and surprizers of the Innocent sheep He calls the Swallows his Sisters because their Brothers like them all morning prayer time build their nests i' the Country-mens Houses When the Angel told St. Francis as he was at his devotions that Antichrist should be born of his Order that was because it should not be thought an Indignity to make the Franciscan Friers Popes And when he disrob'd himself before the Women and set up his Crucifix what was that but to display the beauties of Nature as not having eaten of the Tree of Knowledg and to lay open if not the understanding yet the nakedness of Father Adam When St. Germain raises a dead Ass wherefore should not he out of his brotherly love and Asinine commiseration being alive give life to Asses who had bin the death of so many at St. Germans de prez and Auxerrois Blase of Anjou who threaten'd his Son with Excommunication if he offer'd to read one line in the Scripture especially the Commandments at length at the intercession of Aubraye a good Catholic gave him leave to read the Maccabees As for Frier Jacopon when I was a Huguenot there was nothing made me laugh like the Legend of that pious Saint and among the rest how he made Confession of his sins to one of his Brethren by signs These things seem absurd but they work this effect among the people as to lead them into a belief that there is no absurdity in the World And therefore it is that St. Paul calls the preaching of these things the folly of preaching From whence Monsieur Cayer draws this notable Syllogism It pleases God to save Believers by the folly of preaching the folly of preaching is the preaching of Legends therefore God is pleased to save believers by preaching of Legends If any person requires the note of Universality and insists that nothing is to be concluded ex puris particularribus he may do well for the School-men However to conclude from pure particulars is rather the Logic
of a Banker then a Scholar The Legend of the Saints is the Garden of the Soul Images are the Books of the Ignorant Yet in this Garden there are certain Herbs to be found which if they do no farther mischief yet cause a general stupidity A brave fellow who understands the fashion of the World knows what it is which the Country people call Robbery If he find that his disconsolate Soul is not able to change its way of living he may see in the Legend the bright example of a Knight who without mercy rob'd the poor as well as the rich and was acquitted for saying an Ave Marie once a day and it is indeed the general practice of the Souldiers at this time If a Lady of the Court find in her disconsolate Soul that she cannot pass for a devout Votaress and a voluptuous Liver both at the same time has she not wherewithal to comfort her like the Egyptian St. Marie who from twelve years of age till she was grown contemptibly old never refus'd any man in her life Are not the ancient Chronicles full of the noble acts of St. Mandlin Do not the Legendary Poets tell us how many persons of good Families have been forc'd by the power of her Enchantments to sell their Estates for her sake How many other couragious Blades have valiantly cut their own throats being jealous of her love and yet she was no sooner exhausted with age but she was presently canoniz'd If any poor Priest have not the pour to preserve his Chastity 't is his fault if he make not use of the Canon Si quis Presbyter Concubinam non habuerit and thereby be as shamelessly happy as Abbot Ephraim who made no scruple like Diogenes to supply his wants in the open Market-place There 's the Authority of the Chapter inter opera Charitatis where it is said that he that couples with a Magdalen multum profuit in remissionem peccatorum If any Bishop or Cardinal becomes amorous of his Page let him comfort himself after the Example of St. Francis who calls his Amours with Frier Maccus sacred As to what the said Book affirms that St. Francis was all inflam'd beholding Frier Maccus and that he often cry'd out the same day as the one held the Chalice and the other the little Cruises transported with the fury of his love praebe mihi teipsum there is much to be collected from thence I will tell ye bythe by that you may hence conjecture where Monsieur Confessor lays his foundation when he calls the Amours of Quailus and his Master Sacred and whence this Title was first deriv'd There is another book whom I have so often mention'd which they would fain have quite extirpated but the holy See would never permit the loss De Sparde was the first that labour'd in it these words Habeat jam Roma pudorem ejusmodi mores toto mundo prostituere desinat Let Rome at length be asham'd and cease to prostitute such Customes to all the World This is the book of Rates where a good Catholic may see the cheapness of sinning and observe in a moment the price of forgiveness Whoever shall deflour a Virgin shall pay six groats He that shall carnally know by consent of parties his own Mother his Sister his Cousin-German or his Godmother shall be acquitted for five groats but if it be known publicly in the Church not under six He that kills his Father or his Mother shall pay a Duckat and and five Cartines I could tell ye more but I shall rather let ye know that these things are to be seen in the Chapter of perpetual Expences The book was printed at Paris in the year 1570. by Toussain Denis in St. James-street at the Woodd'n Cross being entitl'd Cancellaria Apostolica A Poictovin asked me one day whether I could resolve him a quaint Question why Sodomites were more zealous against the Huguenots then any of the Roman Catholics I laugh'd at the Question at first but afterwards I call'd to mind what I had heard from the mouth of the brave Marshal d' Aumont There are none said he that so violently persecute us as these Sodomites and labour the utter expulsion of the Huguenots I remember'd also that there are not any who so earnestly solicited the King's Conversion as those who were most suspected for that Crime Which was the reason that I resolvâ—d to understand the Interest of these Monsieur Catamites You know said the Poictovin that there are several persons who are polluted with this peccadillo who though they do not over-credulously believe that there is any Hell or any Paradise yet being still in doubts and fears would as the Decretalists say make use of absolution by way of caution Now should a man come to an honest Divine and ask him by what means a detestable sinner may be sav'd He would reply by embracing the death of Christ with a true and sincere faith by praying with a contrite heart and a real repentance by relying upon the mercy of God and putting on a resolution of amendment of life and perseverance therein But the mischief is that the honest people of this age are not easily allur'd to furnish themselves either with this same Faith or Patience Then comes the holy See compos'd of persons of high birth that carry a great sway in public affairs who observing that such Soul-physic was not at all toothsome to great Personages and being unwilling that Beggars and Tatterdemallions should out-brave Kings and Grandees with their Theological vertues in the other World have found out a more pleasing and quaint Expedient For if you ask a Jesuit concerning that nice and intricate sin of Sodomy he 'l fit your humour better then a Country Parson He 'l send you to Cardinal Sourdis who by his Bull alone shall acquit ye both of Sodomy and Incest He will put about your neck a wreath of the last requests by Master Jacques David Bishop of Eureux If you are a French man he will bestow upon ye certain grains of Paradise out of the 19. Art will cause ye to say certain words out of the 7. Art as Domine Jesu suscipe and such like which are printed at Paris by And this Application rightly manag'd gives ye a full and absolute Indulgence and Remission of all your sins as well in reference to the Crime as to the Punishment Which is expresly quoted by Monsieur Confessor as a new thing For we said before that Antiquity durst not be so hardy nor adventurous Do ye think it strange then that the Religion of the Huguenots of which I will say what the learned Julian said of Christianism that it was the Religion of Beggars and Vagabonds I say do you think it strange that Kings Princes Prelats Cardinals Popes and other Grandees should from the bottom of their hearts abominate Huguenotism and Huguenots and embrace a kind and favourable Religion by the precepts and freedom whereof the gates of Paradise
who though he were no Spie of Israel yet acted as one of the King's Spies among the Huguenot Israelites Per. Give me thy hand I am thy humble Servant and if ever I hear any body scandalize thee and say that thou hast giv'n St. Mary the foul disease I will tell 'em no thou hast it still i' thy own custody for them if they please Math. Go too say thou hast found a Mistress of me Good morrow I 'le go and repeat all our discourse to Guedron CHAP. II. Of the re-union of Religion IT being a task of great difficulty to destroy the opinion of the Huguenots by Disputes we have design'd what is more probable a re-union of Religions by the discoveries and intelligencies of the gain'd Ministers but of six that there were there are five dead and one banish'd Without doubt there would be no great danger for them to quit several Theological Tenets provided the authority of the Church and the Pope remain entire The reason is plain for that they having submitted to the authority of them they might easily afterwards lose their arguments by virtue thereof And when our Jesuits made opposition to several Articles which the other were willing to grant they did not smell the design in regard that some of them aim'd rather at a civil War then pâ—ace of Conscience Now you shall see what we of the other Club of honest good fellows would have had the Romish Church let go First That the obedience should rest in the French provided they dismiss'd some of their Drolleries which caus'd the people to laugh as the beginning the Mass with an c. and other absurdities which are distinctly and sutly discuss'd by Bernard Ochinus in his Treatise della Natività della Messa As to the Ceremonies take away the most ridiculous and for the rest make answer to what Bernard Ochinus says That it is the Lord's Supper disguis'd and clog'd with Ceremonies to make it appear more holy Next that the Priests should be permitted to marry and to leave their Wives when they grow irksom In all cases to make use of the holy Decree and its liberties as you find it in the Canon is qui non habet uxorem loco illius c. It is notably said in the Rubric of the Decree Quod qui non habet uxorem loco illius debet concubinam habere Ita nefas Episcopum creari nisi saltem unius Concubinae dominum Distinct 34. qu. 9. per de var. stud Vol. l. 4. sect 5. Villavinceni ibid c. 4. Were these privileges rightly observ'd and establish'd he were the son of a Whore that would not be of the Church of Rome Then we would abolish all Fasts unless it were to the poor and the sick dismiss the Terrour of imaginary Purgatory yet without any injury to the mediation of Saints for fear of ruining the Church I do not without reason advise the abolition of Purgatory There is nothing has made so many Souls very curious of their Salvation at their latter end as the story which follows A Priest when he comforts a sick person tells him That the pangs of death are the entrance into the Gehenna's of Purgatory A Minister teaches him that they are as the pains of Child-bearing that lead into eternal life and builds his argument upon this Text This day shalt thou be with me I will boldly say That the Index expurgatorius ought to take notice of this passage Now the relish of these two differences of dying has caus'd several good Catholics to renounce Purgatory upon their death beds where the hopes and fears of this world give way to those of the other We would have allow'd them for their Markets Wednesday and Saturday Lent and Vigils but that Policy has otherwise orderâ—d it and thus we had made a perfect peace with St. Paul in the 4. of the 1. to Timothy This is also a forgetfulness of the Index Also we ought to withdraw these marks of the Faith of abusers of Preachers of lyes Hypocrisie and the Doctrine of Divels Calvin could not have said more That no person read St. Paul till the agreement be made and firmly sign'd and the pensions of the consenting Ministers well assign'd At the same time the other Church shall reassume their Pomp their Music their Dancings great Feastings and the vast Revenues of their Church These Ministers I would they might keep their Coaches Hounds and Haukes We would have established a free Liberty especially to expel that troublesome Discipline that has lost us so many good people We would not have accompted for sins simple Fornication nor Adultery for love according to Cahier in his learned book upon the re-establishment of Bourdeaux and his admirable dispute upon the 7. Commandment I say the seventh because we have releas'd the second which the Council of Trent would needs take away For this 7. Commandment which is non moechaberis forbids the sin only to the Children of Onan in regard that according to our modern Theology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriv'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est humidum fundere It had bin a brave Religion which had rejected what was irksom to either and had establish'd what was plausible and agreeing to both Every one had bin receiv'd and satisfi'd no one excluded I know the Aristarchians will oppose my good intentions but against them I say First that the Church ought to have its arms open to all sorts of people Now the expulsion of vices or incoveniencies is no reception The Huguenots cry That the Church is only of the elect but this is too severe Secondly I would fain ask these sowerlings whether they would be wiser then the Apostles who desir'd to enter Judaism with honour You see in the Epistle to the Galatians how M. St. Peter conform'd and comply'd like a complaisant Gentleman to the humours and infirmities of the Jews St. Paul reprehends him but Frier Gilles said he might better have held his tongue then spoken so many things that smelt of the Faggot But let us also examin what our Holy Fathers said when they went about to give Paganism a decent Funeral They taught us to paint our Lady after the ancient Model of Vesta holding little Jupiter in her Lap the Trinity like Medius Fidius They have brought in the Cornival instead of the Saturnalia Twelf-day instead of the Lupercalia The first of May belonging formerly to Cloris they gave away to St. Thais canoniz'd for that purpose The Pervigiliae are solemnis'd at Beaucaire upon St. Magdalen's day in commemoration of her first Life The Curtisans have a Mass particular to themselves which after they have said they betake themselves to their Callings Candlemass what is it but the Februaria of the Ancients when they lighted their Candles Their Feast of St. John answers to the Palilia in honour of Pales goddess of Sheep What the ancients callâ—d Supplications are no more then our Processions
especially at Poictiers where they go in Procession to request water from the Naiades and at Paris La descendente de la Chaste de S. Geneviesve is the same thing In imitation also of antient Gentilism instead of their Lustral we have our Holy water and set Bread and Wine upon the Graves of the deceas'd of all which things honest Benedict one day said Ista Paganismum sentiunt In the same manner the Institutors of our Ceremonies have not bin asham'd of the most ancient leudnesses of Antiquity as having ador'd the Garden God Priapus in several parts of France Witness St. Foutin de Varailles in Provence to whom are consecrated the secret parts of both Sexes form'd in wax The Chappel is well furnish'd so that when the wind blows a little brisk it causes no small disturbance in the devout thoughts of those that come to honour that Saint When the Huguenots took Embrun they found among the relicques of the chief Church a Priapus a l'antique which had bin unseemingly colour'd with red Wine with which it had bin often wash'd of which Wine the Women afterwards made a holy Vinegre for uses altogether as strange and absurd When those of Orange ruin'd the Church dedicated to St. Eutropius they found another of the same kind much bigger and more naturally set out which was publicly burnt by the Heretics There is another St. Foutin in the City of Auxerre a third in Verdre upon the Confines of Bourbonnis another in the Diocess of Viviers in low Languedoe call'd St. Foutin de Cives another at Pontigni to which the Women resort when they are with Child or desirous of Children Thus you see how our Doctours have made Paganism and Christianity accord It became them either in the name of God or of some body else only to unsow and not tear in peices like those hot-headed Ministers who desire the purity of Christian worship I find Riviere the King 's chief Physician of a better humour then these people He is a good Galenist and a very good Paracelsian He says that Galen's method is honourable not contemptible in the cure of diseases but exceeding profitable to the Shops The other provided you follow the true precepts of Paracelsus is an excellent Method for truth suttlety of knowlege and thrift Therefore he deals by his Soul as by his Body being a Roman Catholic for his Profit and a Huguenot for his Salvation Monsieur Gervaise Philosopher of Magne goes higher For he maintains that all our Wars proceed from want of Grammar For had we follow'd Grandem Matrem we had spoken well speaking well we should be understood and consequently agree for we never fall out about discourse but because we do not understand one another His first rule is That we should make a great abatement of Financiers who are the participles of interjections to silence the exclamations of the Pulpit as also of several Nouns and several Adverbs as Corporally Transubstantially Carnally and the like This brave Blade boasted that he knew more of the state of Religion then Bisouze or his Foot-man or M. de Royan Ambassadour at Canada But yet to fortifie my design more strongly by example Roquelaure said That he who refus'd to put all differences to the determination of three throws of the Dice as Bridoye ought to shut up a dozen of Doctors and as many Ministers in a Room with Victuals for one day but not to let them have any more till they had let down by a Rope out at the Window their final determination legally and firmly sign'd The Curate of Eschillets said That that would be foul play in regard the Ministers are accustom'd to live upon little or nothing As for his part because he would not concern himself in troubles he set all things to right in his Parish so that when they brought him a Child to baptize he ask'd of what Religion the Father and Mother was of If they cry'd we are of the Religion of our Fathers then he whisk'd to the Altar half drest and began Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Dei If they said That they had the knowlege of God by his Grace then placing himself at the back of a Chair and laying his hands upon it Our Saviour teaches us what our first beginginning is Poverty c. If it be a Marriage after the same question demanded he either falls to his old Adjutorium c. or else God the Father after he had formed man This was a man of a yielding temper not such a passionate Son of Thunder as Frier John Bonhornme who let a loud F for very madness in his Pulpit crying out upon the Conversion of the King Courage my Parishoners the Heretics are confounded they dare no more call us Papishes nor eat flesh in Lent before all the World They shall make holy-day upon holy-days They hang their heads like Bulrushes while you exalt your horns and flourish like the Cedars of Lebanon And thus you have my own sentiments touching the Union of the two Religions CHAP. III. Of the Causes that mov'd me to my second Reformation which was my third Conversion DAniel as he says in his own book pray'd with his Windows open with his face turn'd toward the East Oh! how I saw Monsieur Confessour triumph one day upon this Text. In truth he 's a wonderful man when he finds a Text proper for his purpose Therefore said he as Daniel when he pray'd turn'd his face toward the rising Sun so it always behoves a man of Virtue to address his Devotions to the rising Sun to growing greatness and to turn his tail upon them that are sinking into disgrace I made little accompt of the King after the feast of the Barricado's but having made a quick judgement of his prosperity I vear'd my Devotions toward the beams of that fair rising Sun who having dissipated all Clouds got into his hands all the forces of the deceas'd King and brought the League to lye at his feet I return'd from Auvergne and the confines of Italy where I understood that the common Themes of the publick Disputes at Rome were the Comparisons between the King of Spain and France Those Figure-casters found by their art in Geomancy by Prophesies by the fatal name of Bourbon that this Prince was born to change the Hierarchy into an Empire the Chair into a Throne and the Keys into Swords and that he was to dye Emperour of the Christians The Venetians ador'd the rising Sun with so much devotion that when a French Gentleman pass'd only through their City they ran after him with the same ardency as the Frantic Dotrels ran after Rablais's Pope crying out have ye seen him Upon the Gentleman's affirming he had the best of their Painters presently drew his picture by imagination and so soon as the first picture was finish'd the Gentleman was publicly treated And after their Grandsigniour-ships had stood staring upon it with their Chaps four fingers asunder for a quarter