not direct them or if he did the furnace is too hot for all the world can witness they are not purged from their Ambition Covetousness Treacheries Deceitfulness and in special from their Blood and Cruelties which appears in that this is their Maxim Nisi Religio Lutherana ferro igne tollatur Eccles. Romana pacem tranquillitatem habere non poterit Unless the Religion taught by Luther be removed by the Sword and Fire the Church of Room will never enjoy peace and quietness See the book called Epistolar Iesuiticar Libellus Agab Bariaco 99 in Epist. art 11. pag. 66. I come now to shew the world the Occasion of this Jesuitical Blasphemy Iustus Lipsius a man of learning enough but too much levity having run over all Religions and at last set up his rest in Popery fell in his declining and doting days to open Idolatry and as he never troubled himself much with Christ in his life whose name a man shall seldom find if ever in his Books so at his end wanting matter it seems to magnifie Christ he writes 2 Books in praise and honour of 2 Idols viz. 2 old rotten or 2 new forged Pictures of a woman with her Child in her arms which must needs be taken for Pictures of our Lady wherein the prophane wretch blusheth not to write that at these 2 Images there are more and greater Miracles wrought than the Scriptures speak of to be done by Christ himself A learned Low Country Divine wondring that such Owles durst flie abroad at Noon light and such trumpery be set to sale in these days of knowledg wrote a short reproof of the Impieties utter'd in the first of these books which is De Virgine Hallensi of the Lady of Hall wherein because the Jesuits were also touched as being the Fathers of such fooleries and the makers of those bolts which such fools as Lipsius do shoot thereupon a Jesuit of Antwerp calling himself Clarus Bonarscius but his true name being Carolus Scribonius taking upon him in a Jesuitical pride the general quarrel of the whole Order of the Jesuits undertakes to defend their innocency and their honour against all the world and to that end writes a book and calls it The great Theater of the Iesuits Honour Amphitheatrum Honoris in quo Calvinistarum in Societatem criminationes jugulatae Wherein after many blasphemies against Christ and slanders against Princes all kind of lyes against our Ministers and Professors he comes at last to defend their friend Lipsius and his Legend of our Lady of Hall And after he hath abused him that wrote against it with all despightful terms and rail'd most artificially wherein he excells all other Jesuits Parsons excepted as far as they all other Papists he makes a transition from rayling on men to playing with God and from disgracing Princes to dallying with Iesus Christ and not only defends the Legend of Hall written by Lipsius but farther to shew his own devotion he makes a Poem not to the honour of God or of Christ the Mediator but to our Lady of Hall and the Child Jesus Wherein whether the Verse be better or the matter worse is hard to tell but whether his Devotion therein is greater to a Creature or his Blasphemy against the Blood of the Mediator let the Cristian Reader judg by the Poem it self which shall be manifested word for word after I have shewn you the Approbation of the Author and given you the discourse of the Ladies of Hall and Sichem shewing you particularly the occasion of this their New Gospel In the next place I will shew you how highly the Author of this Poem is Approved Clarus Bonarscius otherwise called Carolus Scribonius is a Jesuit now living at Antwerp and of much account amongst them he writ the Iesuits Theater of Honour before mentioned and spewed this Blasphemy out of his unclean heart and whereas both the Author and his book deserved the Fire and Halter it was so far from being misliked in the Romish Synagogue or any way censured that since the book hath been reprinted and the Author and his book stand enrolled approved and commended in their great Volumes set out for that purpose for good and Catholick Clari Bornarscij Amphitheatrum Honoris Iesuitici in quo Calvinistarum in Societatem Iesu criminationes jugulatae Prostant Palaeopoli 1605 postea 1606. Palaeopoli hoc est Antuerpiae Haec Possevinus Iesuita in Apparatu Sacro Tom. 1. lit C. pag. 357 Editionis ultimae And it is to be noted that these Volums of Possevine contain only an Inrolement and Approbation of no other other writers save such as are approved Romish Catholicks and are set out with great and publick allowance of the Romish State Besides let all men know the Book stands yet uncensur'd and the man lives still unpunish'd nay unreproved or rather commended and rewarded for it therefore this cannot be called an obscure or private fact of the Romish Church Now follows a Discourse of the Ladies of Hall and Sichem shewing particularly the occasion of this New Gospel The blessed Mother of Our Lord as the Church in all ages hath done so doth ours willingly honour as the most blessed of Women yet as a Creature and as one Saved by her Son that Saviour in whom her Spirit rejoyced We know and acknowledg that not she but the Holy Ghost hath said that all generations shall call her Blessed yet we must confess we are of that Fathers Religion who said her Spiritual bearing of Christ was happier than her carnal and Her self more blessed by Conceiving Christ in her heart than in her woomb and by believing in him than by bearing him for her bearing him in her body would not have Saved her soul if she had not more happily have born him in her heart August lib. de Virg. And in another place She was happy and blessed not because in her The Word was made flesh but because she heard the Word of God and kept it This her blessedness far be it from us to impeach and who would not yield her all blessedness and honour that a Creature may have of whom GOD vouchsafed to take the flesh of Man And if any of our Religion hath spoken any thing of Her that may in the least blemish her blessed State it was not done in any the least contempt of her but in the zeal they bear to the honour of their Saviour whom they held dishonoured by the unequal comparing of her with HIM For what will not a Christian's zeal cause him to do when he seeth his GOD dishonoured Who would have thought that Moses would so carelesly have cast out of his hands so precious a Jewel as were the Two Tables written with the finger of God And yet when he heard the Name of THE LORD Blasphemed he forgot himself and Them and as though he remembred none but GOD he threw them away and brake them in pieces If Mose's zeal makes his hastiness
last Psalm Let every thing that hath breath praise our Lady Now this Book stands not onely not controlled but even defended by the Jesuits and those of the principal Greg. de Val. in vol. de rebus fidei controversis sect 5. lib. de Idolatria 5. cap. 10. Bernard de Bust is in Mariali parte 3. Ser. 3. Again a famous Frier and well approved amongst them preached this Doctrine in the Pulpit amongst many other little better A man may appeal from God himself to the Virgin Mary if any feel himself grieved at the Iustice of God seeing God hath divided his Kingdom with her having reserved Iustice to himself to be exercised in this world as he pleaseth but Mercy he hath reserved to her This Divinity was so well relish'd in the Church of Rome that after he had preach'd it he publish'd it under the Pope's own Patronage and the Book was again re-printed and the Jesuits testifie that this is a learned and godly Book and full of piety And Horatius Turselinus a Jesuit of good esteem among them writes thus God hath made the Virgin his Mother as far as he may lawfully a modest expression from such a person partaker of his Divine Power and Majesty And Possevinus in lit H. wrote a Book and publish'd it by allowance of Authority and says thus That Christ made his Mother fellow with him in the work of his Redemption This Book is dedicated to Cardinal Aldobrandino And a great Spanish Doctor and Professor of Divinity of his Order writes thus We have often seen and heard of very many who in their extreme dangers have called upon Mary and presently were delivered And oft-times safety is sooner obtained by calling upon the name of Mary than upon the name of Iesus Christ. Io. Chrysostom à Visitatione de verbis dominae tom 2. lib. 2. cap. 2. And this Book is both dedicated to Pope Clement the 8th and receives publick allowance By this then it appears that this blaspheming Jesuit Bonarscius in his unsanctified Poem says no more in effect than others of this damnable Sect. The sum of their blasphemous Doctrine is contained in these particulars following 1. That the Virgin Mary's Milk may be mingled with Christs Blood in the matter and merit of our Salvation and that a Christians faith may lay hold on either 2. That it helps and heals spiritual sores and sicknesses of the Soul as well as Bodily diseases 3. That it is to be preferred before the Blood of Christ and that if we must refuse the Milk or Blood we may with more safety refuse the latter 4. That though no Man did help Christ in the work of our Salvation yet a Woman did viz. the Virgin Mary 5. That God hath made Mary partaker and fellow with him of his Divine Majesty and Power 6. That God hath divided his Kingdom with Mary keeping Iustice to himself and yielding Mercy unto her viz. at her disposal and that a man may appeal from God to her 7. That a man shall oftentimes be sooner heard of God through the Mediation of Mary than of Christ. 8. That Christ is still a little Child in his Mothers arms and may now be so prayed unto 9. That it is the highest presumption and so the greatest sin imaginable to desire to handle Mary's Paps or at least wise to drink her Milk 10. That the Psalms may be turned from Lord to Lady If these be the Doctrines of the Church of Rome and if they have recanted any which perhaps they may have the impudence in after-ages to affirm to some of the more ignorant sort of Women seduced by them then take notice Reader This their Gospel is a Nose of Wax in their account If so as hath been evidently proved from their own Authors then let all the Churches of God and every Christian or Member in them fix This in their hearts that They who call themselves true Christians and Members of the true Ancient Catholick and Apostolick Church of Christ pretending themselves Peter's Successors who himself will blush to own them when ever he rises from the dead are in truth and reality not so but contrariwise are Antichrist none so opposite to the Doctrine and Practise of true Christianity as they who dare presume thus hainously to disparage the Person the Wounds and the most precious Blood of Christ our Lord and God and cast this abominable contempt upon the most glorious Office of His Mediatorship who alone trode the Wine-press of his Fathers wrath and with whom was none Wherefore in short since Babylon might have been healed of her Blasphemies Fornications and abominable Impieties but would not let every rational Creature Turk Jew and Pagan not excepted forsake her for her judgment is come up to heaven and lifted up above the clouds CHAP. III. The several Orders of the Jesuits and their demeanor therein NOw let us come to the Jesuits themselves having spoken of the manner of their Discipline over their Scholars and to their three-fold Professions The First and chief of them are Machiavillians who do nothing but employ themselves in matters of State and insinuate themselves into the secrets of great ones and giving true intelligence to none save to the Pope and his Catholick Majesty whose sworn Vassals they are These observing no Collegiate Discipline are dispensed withall by his Holiness as if they did God good service nay greater in thus employing themselves than following Collegiate courses As for their Religion they make it a cloak for their wickedness being most of them Atheists or very bad Christians These are they that observe these Ten Commandments following 1. To seek riches and wealth 2. To govern the world 3. To reform the Clergy 4. To be still jocund and merry 5. To drink good Wine 6. To correct Texts of Scriptures 7. To receive all Tithes 8. To make a slave of their ghostly Child 9. To keep their own and live on another mans purse 10. To govern their neighbours wife These Ten Commandments they divide into two Tables All for me and Nothing for thee The charity they maintain among each other is none at all labouring with envy and malice c. as you may read in Speed's Chronology in two remarkable stories of Father Parsons and Creswel too long here to relate and many other instances as Father Foster Flack Strange and Gibbins can sadly testifie The second sort of Jesuits are those who Preach Confess and teach Youth and envy each other for the number of their Scholars and ghostly Children They are besides in no small emulation about their own worth and learning reading to their White Boys those especially of the Sodality that celebrate the honour of the Virgin Mary all sorts of loose and lascivious Songs and Poems A third sort of Jesuits there are not unfitly termed Simple ones these are wonderfully austere in their life of a scrupulous conscience and brought up to colour the courses and actions of the more cunning and
for as great a Truth that a Parrat who had got out of Her Cage and was sporting abroad seeing a Hawk coming to seize on her presently cryed out St. Thomas of Becket save me and instantly the Hawk fell down dead and the Parrat was Saved See the old Legend in Folio of the Life of Thomas of Canterbury And also those Miracles of St. Francis so far beyond Christ or his Apostles that he tamed wild beasts that he preached to a Woolf in Specie and converted him from his Cruelty c. I wish they could convert themselves And if we Hereticks will not believe this look in the holy Book of Conformities and there you shall find all this and a great deal more and thither will we refer our Reader not worth spending time and Paper to enumerate them except it be to raise our laughter and drive away present Melancholy but we have other business and so we will pass on vide lib. Conformitatum Sancti Francisci Only take notice that I alledg these or may aledg others but that I blush for shame out of the book of Conformities lately corrected from the impieties and follies that crept in 100 or 200 years ago and printed in Italy within these 20 years Nay the Book hath been twice printed at Antwerp and once at Paris with allowance of Authority in both places not only of the Censors of books and the Archbishop of the place but the matter and Miracles in the Book are confirmed with the Bulls of 2 Popes one of Pope Nicolas in 1451. the other of Pope Clement the 8th within these few years Nay Possevine the Jesuit in his Apparatus Sacer hath published to the world that Lipsius in the year and at the place aforenamed did put out such a work and gives him special commendations for his labours in that and the like in the Catholick Cause And so far was Lipsius from recanting or the Romish Church from reforming this that he published another Pamphlet a more ridiculous Legend and fraught with more improbabilities and impossibilities it bears this Title Iustus Lipsius his History of our Lady of Sichem or of our Ladies Picture of the Craggy Rock or Sharp hill and of her new Miracles and benefits at Antwerp 1605. At this Image saith he are wrought Miracles of all sorts Apoplexies Epilepsies Gouts and all kind of diseases are healed It cures the Lame the Blind the Deaf by heaps not seldom and extraordinarily but yearly monthly daily But what credit hath the Story of our Lady of Sichem even the same that our Lady of Hall hath else let the Reader judg Near to the little poor but old Town of Sichem saith Lipsius there is a mount barren craggy and rough on one side thereof is a little Hillock on it grows an Oak and in it or fastened to it is a little Image of our Lady which hath done great Miracles in times past and therefore was worshipped by the people in those parts but how is that proved thus about 100 years ago a shepherd found that Image and put it in his bosom intending to carry it home to worship it but musing thereon he was suddenly struck and astonied and his whole body benummed in such a manner that he could not stir one limb but stood like a dead trunk not knowing what to think of it nor how to help himself his Master wanting both his Shepherd and his sheep as he was searching found them and found him so standing who told him the whole matter his Master taking the Image went with great devotion and set it up in the Oak again and forthwith the Shepherd had his limbs restored again and went and worshipped it and so by their reports all the Country heard of it who came thick and threefold and so were healed of all diseases except Agues and so it continued saith he till within these 20 years about which time the blessed Image was stoln or lost no man can tell how But is it not strange that if it could do these Miracles they would let it be lost so carelesly that seems as great a wonder in my mind well lost it was But what then people went as fast afterwards as before and still as great cures were there done as when the Image was there and for want of the Image the people worshipped the Oak and why might they not saith Lipsius for the holy Image had hallowed the Tree so that it might lawfully be worshipped behold Popish devotion yet saith he we worshipped not the Tree but the Image that formerly stood there and in it our Lady and in her God Pray observe good Reader God gets his worship at last tho it be at the fourth hand they tender it to the Tree the Tree yields it to the Image the Image conveys it to our Lady and she presents it unto God O Heavens and Earth blush But to return to the story Our Lady of Sichem is lost but what then must the poor Town lose her traffick and living No no they will make another rather than so for that is no hard or unlawful thing in that Religion and so saith he 7 years after an honest devout Alderman of Sichem perceiving how his and his neighbours gain came in and how the poor Town lived like a good Townsman made another Image put it in a Box of wood and fastened the box to the Oak that so their Lady might not be lost so carelesly as before This new Image thus made did as many Miracles as the other for it was perhaps more curiously carved and received of the virtue of the hallowed Oak unto which it was fastened Thus it continued certain years till at last the Parish Priest perceiving they had a great Trade bestowed some cost on their Lady which got them so much that they built her a little Chappel of boards and there placed her But still their custom growing greater every week they shewed themselves thankful to their Patroness and as she fill'd their purses so they bespoke her more and more Honour and at last built her a fair Chappel of Stone very lately and in that now resteth the Image working Miracles every day But mark what became of the holy Oak it was cut away by pieces and carried away by devout Persons and at last it was so hack'd and hewn thatit was in great danger of falling and a Councel was called in the Town what was best to be done with it and after serious consideration it was gravely Concluded that it should be cut up by the roots and with a great deal of Solemnity brought into the Town of Sichem Where when it came happy was he that could get a piece of the holy Wood whereof saith Lipsius and blusheth not to write diverse made them little Images and with much piety do worship them others that were sick of grievious diseases shaved it into their drink its great pitty it had not been Harts-horn and so were healed See what an excellent
Religion this is One Image hath begot many and the first Image being but fastened to the Tree so sanctified the whole Oak that every Image made of the Tree should be as good as the Image it self and every crumb of the Wood should work Miracles as fast as the Image did Behold he is not ashamed to thrust upon the World this wooden History for a true and undoubted story Such a cause is Popery as that it cannot continue in credit before the people but by forging a continual Succession of lying Wonders for now we are made believe that the Virgin Mary hath 2 Images within few miles together which hath done more Miracles in a few years past then God himself did in the old or Christ and all his Apostles in the new Testament And yet good Reader as God saith to the Prophet Ezechiel turn thee a little and thou shalt see greater abominations than These It is but very few years ago since the tale of our Lady of Hall was forged by some Jesuits and published by Lipsius when withall a fair Picture graven in brass was prefixed on the first page before the Book viz of the Virgin Mary holding her Son Christ in her Arms. And behold the Jesuits as tho they had gained enough by Christ already and would now see what they could get by the Mother begin now to call in question His Merits and Mediation and the dignity of his Wounds and Sufferings and at last pronounce that his Wounds and her Paps his Blood and her Milk are either all one or else that the Milk is better of the two And yet before we enter into the blasphemous Poem let the Reader observe that tho the Image be both of our Lady as they call her and of her Son Jesus our Lord yet notwithstanding the Miracles are all ascribed to Her and her Picture and none to Iesus Christ for the colouring of which impiety what they can say I see not unless they dare affirm that the Son will do no Miracles in the presence of his Mother and it is to be observed that the Virgin Mary is always pictured in their Churches as a Woman and a Mother and our Saviour as a Child or Infant either in his Mothers arms which is most commonly or in her hand that so the common people might have occasion to imagine that what power of Over-ruling and Commanding a Mother hath over her little child the same hath She over her Son Jesus and that seeing the Son is but an Infant in his Mothers arms therefore they might not wonder why Her Picture doth all the Miracles and His none for it is like Christ did no Miracles when he was a Child into these Superstitious and Blasphemous thoughts do they endeavour to drive the poor deluded people But yet this and all their impious speeches and practises against the honour of Christ and his Religion are in my judgment inferior and may all Stoop to this new Impiety of the Iesuits wherein the Mother is compared to the Son not as being a Child or a Man but as the Saviour and Mediator and the Paps of a Woman equalled with the Wounds of our Lord and her Milk with his Blood If this were written by Protestants some might say we might report partially or if it were a matter of old the age might suspect it was made worse in the relation but when it is a matter of yesterday comparatively spoken and comes from themselves and in their own express words Partiality it self cannot cavil against it The particular is this Clarus Bonarscius a Jesuit or their Patron published in the year 1606. a Volume large enough in defence of the whole Order of Jesuits entituled Clari Bonarseū Amphitheatrum Honoris in quo Calvinistarum in Societatem Iesu criminationes Iugalatae Editio altera libro quarto auctior Palaeopoli Advaticorum apud Alexandrum Verheidon This Volume he erected as a Theater yea an Amphitheater of Honour in defence of the Jesuits wherein after he had attempted with much slight of wit and in a strange stile to wipe away many fowl blots with which that Atheistical brood had stained the holy Name of Iesus and after he had raked up all rotten slanders and revived the calumnies that were all answered dead and buried 40 50 and 60 years ago railing upon many holy and learned men with great virulency as never was before him and laid high and horrible imputations upon the Kingdom of England and like a true Jesuits imp slandered the whole Government with foul injustice and monstrous cruelty in many particulars and in Jesuitical pride dared to defile the name and honour of the renowned Queen Elisabeth with words unworthy the mouth of man if he had not been a Jesuit at last from the defence of Jesuits he falls to defend Lipsius this good friend of theirs and his stories of our Lady of Hall and our Lady of the craggy Rock and not only labours to make good all his fancies and fables but further to shew that a Jesuit hath one trick of impiety beyond all and is anointed by the Devil with the Oil of mischief above his fellows adds a number of verses directed to that Picture which he calls our Lady of Hall fraught with so many Blasphemies against the Blood and Merits of our Saviour the Alone Mediator as no Christian heart can patiently endure it And if the blessed Virgin Mary to whose Picture he hath Consecrated them may be his Judg without doubt both he and his Blasphemy will be condemned to Hell But some will say Shall we hear them no let Blasphemy rather be buried in the depth of Oblivion darken not the Sun desile not the Heavens poison not the Air burden not the Earth with it amaze not the Minds terrifie not the Consciences of weak Christians and assuredly could I Bury it so that it might never Live and quench it so as it might never Flame again and if this book were the only Copy in the World I would rather choose to cover the shame of this shameless Whore of Babylon than in this sad manner to discover the filthiness of her skirts which doubtless will cause all good mens ears to tingle and their hearts to tremble But seeing the Strumpet hath the Whores forehead and glorieth in her Shame and soundeth out this monstrous Blasphemy as with a trumpet in the ears of all Christendom by publishing it at first and afterwards by Divulging it in a Second Impression least the world should want it Let us therefore crave leave of our Lord Iesus to discover Her and that we may without impeachment of His honour repeat so foul Blasphemy that so the world may perceive what a Religion Popery is and that we may have no fellowship with such abominable works of Darkness Thus then begins the abominable Poem Dedicated ad Divam Hallensem Puerum Iesum To the Lady Hall and the Child Jesus Haereo Lac inter meditans interque cruorem
it is a pretty Fabrick of eight corners representing the form of a Church built of a black Stone and adorned in the inside with diverse coloured Iasper In four of the corners stand four great Giants vomiting Water into four Marble Cisterns In the midst of this Arbour lieth the principal Path of the Garden Now from the said Vault you pass to the Chapter-house and another House like it These two Rooms together with their Porch have their roofs set forth with most exquisite Pictures and their Pavement chequer'd with white and black Marble round about them are seats for the Monks and each hath his sumptuous Altar The way to the Monks Cells is from the great Porch also wherein by winding Stairs you ascend to the Priors upper Cells and other Chambers and Cock-lofts besides all covered with Lead The Prior's lower habitation is an excellent Building all vaulted and arched exhibiting divers Histories of holy Scripture which are included in artificial Crowns and Studs wrought with Flowers the Pavement also is chequer'd with white and black Marble The Prior's upper Cell is built towards the North-west on both sides of which are the Cells of the other Monks The Chamber or Dormitory where the Novices lodge joyns to the Monks Cells The Monks Beds are all in a row over the Wardrobe or Refectory We come now to the Library which is seated above the chief Entrance to the Monastery it is 185 foot long and 32 foot broad in whose arched roof is the representation of divers Arts and Histories to which place is joyned another Room for the use of the Library The Library it self is distinguished into three Partitions In the first and principal are painted all the Arts and Faculties and at the foot of every ones Picture all the Books of that Faculty marshall'd in seemly order all gilt and of the same binding Here is to be seen a great parchment-Parchment-book wherein are exactly expressed in their proper colours all kind of living Creatures which are known to be in the world The other Partition contains nothing but ancient Manuscripts of Divinity in Latin Greek and Hebrew with the Pictures of the several Authors set before them The third room is furnished onely with Manuscripts of diverse Faculties and Languages the Authors whereof are in like manner expressed to the life We come in the next place to describe the Colledge and the Kings Palace these two take up the North part of the Building their Porch is an open Gallery which lies before the Church over against the great Porch of the Monastery To this Porch is joyned another by which the Youth who apply themselves to Learning pass daily into a little Room to hear Mattins and Vespers this place is shut up with three Brazen Gates In the great Court separating the Colledge from the Monastery is a common passage to the Schools where are taught all Arts but especially Law Physick and Divinity This place hath its peculiar Courts and Cloisters and Galleries to one of which adjoyns the Refectory of the Colledge with its Porch near the Porch stands the Kitchin between its proper Court and the Court of the common School to which is joyned the Childrens School and their Refectory On the North side through a narrow Gate and Entry is a Passage to the Kings Palace In the Porch or Entrance are three Mansions or Offices with their Courts built partly for those who oversee the Purveyance of Corn and Victuals and partly for the use of the Kitchin These Houses are joyned together for the service of divers Tables By the same Porch is a way to a fair Room where the Nobles of the Kings Bed-chamber the Captains of the Guard with others of Noble rank and quality do Dine and Sup daily This way also you may pass to the Galleries and other Offices belonging to Diet and Workmanship Those Galleries round about contain other Chambers both above and below On the same side is another Portal by which they pass from the Palace to the lower Quire Church Colledge and Monastery Near to this Gate is a Walk where the Kings Watch and other Officers use to meet Towards the East side are lodgings for Ambassadors which reach to the great Porch and run out us far as the Palace In the same Court are other houses for the Kings own use and from hence by a Gallery through a stately Portal you enter into the Kings own lodgings built behind the Chappel where you meet with an open Court with Porches and Cloysters On the West side next the High-Altar is another Gate whereby the King passes to the Monastery the Colledg and other Offices of the Court The Kings Porch looks towards the North side of the Church Hereupon the Church wall is curiously painted the famous battle of Higuervela wherein King Iohn the second overthrew the Moors and Saracens of Granado which Picture represents the story most exactly and shews both the order and manner of their Fight with the several habits and weapons both of horse and foot which were then in use This Picture was drawn from the first Copy which was made at the time of the battle in a fair Linen Cloath above 130 foot long and found since by chance in the Tower of Segovia which History the King caused to be painted again upon that wall for a perpetual remembrance of so noble a victory This Piece is well worth the sight In the last place we come unto the Garden lying towards the East and South part of the Buildings It reaches 100 yards in breadth and is distinguished into many curious knots and beds c. Set with all kind of herbs and flowers and watered with many pleasant Springs and Fountains This Garden is much higher than the Orchard adjoyning and you ascend from hence thither by a walk of many stairs set with trees on both sides There are accounted to be above 40 Fountains of pure water within this Monastery There are so many Closets and Keys belonging to this Monastery that there is a special Officer appointed to be master of the Keys which Keys are kept in a Closet by themselves and are esteemed to exceed some thousands The third part of this famous Monastery of St. Laurence is possessed by 30 Monks of the Order of St. Hierom whose yearly Revenues amount to above 35000 Spanish Ducats and the rest goes to the King and his Family To Conclude it is furnished with so many Halls Parlours Dining-Rooms Chambers Closets Offices Lodgings and other the second had begun this 〈◊〉 Work he coming thither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Lemos and having shewed him the plot and disclosed his purpose in finishing so great a piece of Work which would amount to an incredible Charge he demanded the Earl to tell him 〈◊〉 what he thought of the Work The Earl stoutly and with a 〈◊〉 Spirit answered the King thus Your Majesty as You are the 〈◊〉 Monarch of Christendom so are you reputed the wisest amongst Kings now considering the
with Fillets of Silver or Gold and as for such whereof there is daily use they are laid in order upon Desks fastned with Chains upon a long Table But as for the Inner Library that is onely reserved for the Fathers of the Society it is free for none but them to go in thither and to borrow thence what Books they think good Those ordinary Books are onely free for the Iuniors of the Society nor may they take a Sentence out of the rest without special leave obtained from the Regent Moreover in this first Library are no Heretical Books as they call them but onely the Writings of most approved Authors and Catholicks all for they hold any other unworthy to be placed amongst them as fearing perhaps they should infect the rest Look therefore upon thy left hand and there thou shalt see the wretched Books of Hereticks as they term them standing all in Mourning for the faults of their Authors bound up in black Leather or Parchment blacked over with the very leaves thereof died in black Of these not one of the Fathers themselves may make choice or use without leave obtained from the Regent before-hand but your inferiour Iesuits and younger Novices may not be so bold as to desire the sight of any one of them except he will before-hand with all virulency and bitterness rail upon and disgrace the Author whom he desireth to see by some infamous Libel and scurrilous satyrical Verse or Writing In the midst of these several Libraries is placed a Study being divided into many Seats distinct and seperate one from another with a blue covering On the right side whereof sit the Fathers on the left the Under-Graduates who have already taken some Degrees upon them The other Novices or Fresh Men as we call them sit mixt with the Fellow-Commoners that they may take notice of them and every man in his turn beat into them by continual discourses the sweetness and excellency of the Order of Iesuits especially into such as are of the richer sort or wealthy Heirs I will say no more at this time as touching their Studies but I will describe briefly the manner of the Visitations which every Provincial maketh because it is a point which as I think and for any thing that I ever read or heard hath been never hitherto divulged by any Now every Provincial taketh his denomination from the Province or Kingdom rather which is committed to his Charge and Oversight His Place is to visit the several Colledges to take an account of their Revenues and oversee their Expences exactly and punctually to take notice what Noble Personages commit their Sons to the tuition of the Society and how many they are in number Whether there be not yearly an increase of Scholars as also of their Means and Revenues Whether there be any converted from Protestantism and how many such If there be no such thing or if the Popish Religion have lost ground or if there be any decrease of their Wealth he sharply reproveth their sloath and neglect and chargeth strictly that they make an amends for the wrong they have done and loss they have received in this case But if they have bestirred themselves bravely and converted as they call it or rather perverted many Souls to Popery if they have been frugal and scraped wealth together he praiseth them very highly and extolleth them to the skies Moreover he demandeth what is the opinion of the neighbouring Hereticks concerning them What be the projects of the Nobles What meetings they have How many and where What they consult upon What they resolve to do Whether the Heretical Princes as they term them delight to live at home or abroad To whom they resort most frequently What is the several disposition of every one of them In what things he is observed to take most delight Whether he take any care of his People or not Whether he be a Religious Prince or not Or rather whether he be not a man who delights to take his pleasure in Drinking Wenching or Hunting Whether he have have any Catholicks about him or that are near unto him What the People report abroad concerning their own Princes Whether the Churches of the Adversaries be full of resort or not Whether the Pastors of those Churches be learned and diligent men in their Place and Calling or otherwise lazie Lubbers and unletter'd Whether the Profession of Divinity thrive in the neighbouring University of Hereticks Whether their Divines maintain frequent Disputations and against whom principally What Books they have published of late and upon what Subject To these and sundry such questions if the Regent and the rest of the Fathers do answer punctually he doth wonderfully commend their industry and vigilancy If he find them defective in answering to these or any such demands he reproveth them sharply saying What mean you my Masters Do you purpose like lazie Companions to undo the Church of Rome How do you suppose your slothfulness in these weighty affairs can be excused before his Holiness How is it that you presume to take these Places upon you and to manage them no better What or whom are you afraid of Why do not you buckle up your selves better to your business and perform your places like men These things if you had been such men as you ought to be had not been to do now These things should have been done long before this time Do you observe the incredible watchfulness of the Hereticks and can you be lazie And with these or the like speeches he wheteth them on to their duty At the last he enquireth as touching the Scholars Fellow-Commoners Novices and the rest How many they are in number How much every one hath profited To what study or delight each one is inclinable Whether there be any one amongst them that is scrupulous or untractable or not a fit subject to be wrought upon For he adjudgeth every such an one sitting to be removed from the Study of Divinity except he have been very well exercised in the Disputations in Schools and have a very great and good conceit of their Religion beaten into him Moreover he enquireth if they have any one in the Colledge who can be contented for the advantage of the Catholick Cause to undertake any laudable attempt and to spend his blood in the Cause if at any time necessity shall seem to require it And at last he sendeth away all these Informations being sealed up unto the Father General at Rome by whom they are immediately made known to the Pope himself and his Conclave of Cardinals And so by this means an order is taken that there is no matter of action set on foot nothing almost consulted upon throughout the whole Christian World which is not forthwith discovered unto the Pope by these Traitors that lurk in every State and Kingdom Also it is not to be omitted that the Iesuits are translated by their Provincial from one Colledge to another and that