death the said Coeffeteau hath borne and vowed the Iesuites conditionally they should make him a Bishop hath not made him insensible of his countreyes wound but the loue thereof hath caused him to produce and bring to light the booke and the matter which it contained as also those which had of them which the politique Magistrate hath found out and seized and so hath deliuered them vp to the Presidents of the high Court of Parliament which wil soone perceiue that this detestable pamphlet is like those huge Pageants erected at Rome against the Carmenien feasts which represented Chariots of triumph that withinside were onely full of straw and hay being as combustible as the matter of this Cardinals booke which by his title vaunteth himselfe a Giant but in effect as will appeare by his refutation will proue but a collection and heape of screeds and fragments of I know not what prophane authours vnbound and torne Now if France desire to know what I am that haue sounded this Tocsin I answere I am Memnons Statue erected not in Thebes of Egypt but in Paris of France and as Memnons olde Statue at the rising of Apollo was no sooner warmed with his beames but he gaue so marueilous a crie as made the Citizens to concurre together so at the rising and apparition of the least fire whatsoeuer which pretendeth to burne France I will no sooner bee therewith warmed and touched but I will crie out Alarum to stirre vp all the world to the dispelling and extenuating thereof And put the case I am therefore persecuted and tormented I notwithstanding will neuer cease to sound and ring out my Tocsin as loud as I can no more then did Memnons Statue when it was halfe dismembred rent in pieces by Cyrus Thus Reader whatsoeuer thou art thou seest what I am but if thou art a loyall hearted French man as Pythagoras by the measure of Hercules foote could imagine the greatenesse of his whole bodie so by this small Treatise conceiue thou the greatnes of my loue to France the which if it be eyther tryed or prouoked by the King or Councell without departing from my obedience faith and communion of the Church of Rome shall produce very terrible effects not beleeuing neuerthelesse that which is reported at Rome that they are eyther Lutherans or Caluinists which giue vnto God that which is Gods and will not also take away some things from Kings to giue to Popes not yet to bow their knees humbly to reuerence the Iesuites Reddite que sunt Caesaris Caesari quaesunt Dei Deo Otherwise we must conclude that all Magistrates of the Crowne of Spaine and of the renowned Common-wealth of Venice which diminish not a-any thing from their soueraignty to please the Pope were todos Lutheranos all Lutherans which no man of iudgement will report much lesse affirme And so farewell without farewell FINIS AN EXTRACT OF THE REGISTERS OF THE Court of Parliament of PARIS Against the book intituled Tractatus de Potestate summi Pontificis in temporalibus aduersus Guilielmum Barclaium auctore Roberto Sanctae Ecclesiae Romanae Cardinali Bellarmino Imprinted at London by William Stansby 1611 AN EXTRACT OF THE REGISters of the Court of PARLIAMENT SEene by the Court the great chamber of the Tournelle and Edict assembled the booke intituled Tractatus de Potestate summi Pontificis in temporalib ' aduersus Guilielmum Barclaium auctore Roberto Sanctae Ecclesiae Romane Cardinali Bellarmino imprinted in Rome by Bartholomew Sanet the yeare 1610 the conclusions of the Kings Atturney Generall all heard and considered The said Court hath and doth prohibite and defend all maner of persons of what quality or condition soeuer vpon paine of Crime De Laese Maiestie not to receiue retaine communicat imprint cause to be imprinted or solde the aforesaid booke contayning a false and detestable opinion tending to the subuersion of Soueraigne powers ordained and established by God stirring vp of subiects against their Princes withdrawing of their obedience prouoking them to set violent handes vpon their royall persons and estates and to trouble the repose and tranquillity of the VVeale publike Inioyning and commanding also all those which haue copies of the aforesaid booke or know who possesseth them speedily to reueale and declare them to the Ordinarie Judges that according to the requests of the said Atturney Generall perqursition may be made and execution done vpon the offendors as reason shall require Also the said Court hath and doth make the like prohibition and defence vpon paine of the aforesaid penaltie to all Doctors Diuines Schoole-masters or others not to confer dispute write or teach eyther directly or indirectly in their Schooles Colledges or any other places the aforesaid proposition Ordayned likewise by the said Court that this present Arest shall be sent to the Bayliffes and Shrieffes of this Kingdome to be read published inregistred kept and obserued according to the tenour and forme thereof inioyning also the substitutes of the said Kings Atturney Generall to be carefull to see the execution therof and to certifie the Court monthly of their diligence therein Giuen in Parliament the sixe and twentieth of Nouember 1610. SIGNED DV TILLET THE EXTRACT OF AN AVTHOVR which hath written the history of our time A Great number of French were Leaguers vnder colour of Religion vntill the Duke of Feria the Spanish Ambassadour discouered and tooke off the King his Masters Maske when in the assembly of the pretended states in Paris he demanded the Kingdome of Fraunce in propriety and succession for a daughter of Spaine contrary to that which is written in sacred Scripture Let not the Lillies spinne And then it was that the chiefe President in danger of his life pronounced that good and notable Arest the eight and twentieth of Iuly 1593 whereby vpon paine of death it was defended to mention or speak of transporting the Crowne to any other vnlesse to the true heires thereof declaring all matters tending to the preiudice of the Salique law and all other fundamentall lawes appertaining to the crowne of France to be of no power value force or vertue And exhorting the Duke of Mayene to imploy his authority of Lieuetenantship that vnder colour of Religion the Crowne of France might not fall into the possession of a stranger contrary to the lawes of the Kingdome in that behalfe extant and prouided THE APPLICATION thereof made by MEMNONS Statue A Great and notable number of Catholiques vnder colour of religion adhaered with the Iesuits vntill now Cardinal Bellarmine taking off the maske and discouering the reason why the Pope his Master so sharply insisted for the reestablishment of the Iesuites in France when thinking they had assuredly opened their Colledge in Paris he vnder colour to answere a certaine person of Hercles sent the forme of that which the said Iesuites should teach our youth concerning the Soueraignty of the Crowne of France which hee brought in subiection to the Popes pleasure against that which is written of the Lilleyes Quae non laborant they are no villaines hired seruants nor slaues And then it was when with danger of his life the starue of Memnon sounded and rung out this shrill sounding Tocsin being the seuenteenth of Nouember 1610. Which vpon paine to be declared Felons and Traytors disswaded al loyal hearted French men neither to speak nor teach any way or for any cause whatsoeuer that Popes can temporally dispose of the Soueraigntie of France declaring all bookes tending to the preiudice of the French fundamentall Maximes to be wicked and Diabolicall and exhorting the Bishops of Paris N.N.N. of Guerchville Maignelet the Marchionesse of Verneul Countesse of Moret N. others to whom it appertaineth to imploy the honor which they enioy to be borne in France as also their goods to the end that vnder colour of Religion the Soueraignty of France against the laws of God and the kingdom fall not into the hands of Priests and particularly admonishing the Sieurs N.N. no more to affright and daunt the Magistrates which watch for the good of the French Monarchie nor by artificiall impietie to abuse the authoritie which they haue neere the person of the Queene Regent to the great preiudice of the Princes of bloud Lords loyal Officers and faithful subiects of the Crowne which as much as in them lieth they disgrace and cast downe to the end they may domineere and gouerne alone after their owne humours Otherwise if after this admonition they neglect to take heede the Statue of Memnon shall reueale many packets of secrets and they shall see that Mordocheus although poorely apparelled in Canuasse shal preserue both King and State yea and discouer and reueale the treacherous complors of those two Teresh and Bigthon For France is now wearie and resolued no longer to endure their iugling trickes and sleights of Legier Du. Main
personage of this Kingdome as soone as he saw the diabolicall parricide committed and perpetrated vpon the sacred person of our late King Henry the Great and the Queene mother declared Regent he said that shee would be vnto our yong King as the branch of the Plane tree or as the Storke is to yer young ones from whom shee keepeth off all infection and venome And now it is that France expecteth of the said Queene Regent the fruits of the aforesaid prediction For if euer deadly poyson spread it selfe ouer the Crowne of France it is now through this Cardinals Booke which endeuoureth that the Maiesty and soueraignty of the Flower-deluces should temporally be made subiect vnto Popes But alas great Queene what pittie nay what griefe would it be to you you being the Tutrixe both of King and Kingdome negligently to permit all France to be impoysoned through one onely booke Impia nam Pietas posset sic vestra videri For may it please your Maiesty to consider that in France there are a great number of false hearted French men vnto whom the perusing of this booke is as dangerous as the fome of a mad dogge when it falleth on any part of a mans body being already either diseased or vlcerated But he which hath written it Madam is a Cardinall and if the consideration thereof take place in your generous heart it will befall you as it did sometimes vnto King Demetrius whom Historians haue surnamed the indiscreet Prince because after hauing a long time laide a siege yea sweated before the towne of Rhodes and imployed both his blood and treasure to become Master thereof hee neuerthelesse at last did lose both the honour and fruit of his victory for the respect which he bare vnto a naked picture of Protogenes which he very ardently loued and desired to conserue and so desisted from battering that part of the towne where that table was by which quarter of the towne he might easily haue surprised and taken it In the selfe same manner you Madam vnto whose children the precedent Kings of France haue for the space of twelue hundred yeares with much care and trauell reduced the Crowne thereof to all Soueraignty and acknowledging to hold it of none but of God though otherwise most religious haue both daunted and brought to reason the Bonifaces and Iulies authors of ambition and bladders puft vp with the winde of vaine glorie are now brought to lose the libertie of the King your sonne if you incline and bend your selfe to admire the dignity of this Cardinall who is to be esteemed no other then a vaine picture in respect of the matter whereof he treateth vnlesse couragiously you sacrifice not to the fire the rodde wherewith this impudent Cardinall doth imploy his best endeuours to scourge the Soueraignty of France When question is to assault a strange Citie or a Castle esteemed impregnable none vndertake to attempt it without great and notable preparatiues so this Cardinall hath long since both premeditated and propens'd to assault the soueraignty of the Crowne of France which cannot be won without good valable conditions For it is a Cat that cannot be surprised without gloues But sift we more narrowly their proceedings First at Rome they watered and mollified the Maiesty of his chiefe court of Parliament esteemed at all times the Paladium of France in the water of the pretext of Religion contradicting censuring his â—rest so religiously and iustly giuen against that Parricide Castell and since perceiuing that France was thereof become insensible and as it were sicke of a Lethargie because she had swallowed downe this sweet and sugred pill of Respect and Piety towards the See of Rome as the royal Dolphin king of fishes who hauing eaten the sweet fish Pompilia doth with the sweetnes thereof become so drunke that all his senses are benummed and as it were surprised with a Lethargy so as falling vpon the Sand of the shore he there dieth and is deuoured of the birds of the ayre they resolue to aduance further and continuing to allure him with the suger of the same deuotion they definitiuely determine wholly to exterminate this independant Monarchy thereby to make him the prey and benefice of all those Sophisters and flatterers whom the Pope pleaseth to replenish and surfet But as the poore Dolphin amidst his pangs of death of all his naturall faculties hath still his eyes open to behold his misery right so Lethargique France at least before thou die retaine thy sight that thou mayest see the misery wherinto the booke of this Cardinall will bring thee Cardinall a splendant glorious name but vnto whoÌ„ why only vnto ignorant people as the deceit of the Fowler dasleth the eyes of Larkes and Linits with the reflex of peeces of a Looking-glasse which they represent them but neuer dasleth the eyes of generous Lyons which are not affrighted at the remouing shadow of a light Ensigne nor at the apparition of a nocturnall Ghost And who will not repute thee feeble and taxe thee of cowardise generous France Lyon of all Crownes as the Lyon is King of all beasts if the respect of a Redde Hatte should haue power to stoppe the course of thy independency It is reported of the Lyon that with the sound of his voyce he assembleth all beasts to appeare before him and therefore thou French Lyon assemble require and inuite all the Potentates and Princes of Christendome to see the fraudulency of this second Meneclides who insensibly would throw effeminatnes into the spirits of Princes of purpose to make them become not tributaries but subiects to a Priest to a Priest worthy indeed to be beloued as long as he maintaineth himselfe Priest of the world and Lord or King of his owne territories without extending his shooe in Idumea and striuing that those which in temporall matters are but strangers to him should neuerthelesse in that regard be as homagers and subiects vnto him In Idumeam extendam Calciamentum meum mihi alieni genae subditi sunt We reade of the Trozenians that in Hercules Clubbe they heretofore saw an Oliue branch marked with repose and security and France I say vnto thee that out of thy resistance as of a warlike weapon wil spring vp thy conseruation and peace And although at first it seeme somewhat strange vnto thee to see a Cardinals booke publikely burnt by a common hang-man I neuerthelesse aduertise thee that this thy anger will proue vnto thee as the sweetnesse of most medicinall hearbs as the taste of the most effectuall Antidots which are sharp in the palate and distastfull in the mouth but worketh strongly with nature and exceedingly nourisheth and comforteth the whole body Caesar that renowned Caesar had neuer conseru'd his dignity if he had not considered what it was to haue passed the riuer Rubicon with his Army And France thou shalt neuer vphold thy Soueraignty if thou found the passage of the profound Amelyte riuer of negligence vpon the
bankes of which thou hast a long time slept and as it were thy selfe at ease stretched to receiue the filth of the first which attempteth to blemish thy incomparable beauty And if the Naramones seeing the South winde had dried vp all their Cesternes in battell array resolued to seeke out his Origine thereby to fight and be reuenged of him O France France what oughtest thou to do against the pestiferous winde of this Cardinals booke which attempteth to drie vp the perpetuall source of thy Crowne and Kingdomes Soueraignty Steneleides Ephore of Lacedemonia counselled the Spartans to beare to the gates both the weapons and wouâ—ds of those which violate their liberties but at the â—â—st I am not so bloudy neuertheles did occasion require I would not be the last for so good a subiect But France I with Publius the Syrian content my selfe to aduertise thee that the iniurie first receiued and not reuenged draweth on a second and that this second will soone bring thee a third if thou winke thereat and dissemble it vnder the cloake of Religion Briefly I tell thee that this Cardinals booke is the same to thee that Epeus horse was to the Troians that is to say in good French he will be thy ruine for in his entrailes he hideth a thousand sharpe weapons to subuert the Maiesty of thy Kings and consequently to metamorphose thy tranquility into a combustion I haue read that Pythagoras adored the Altars of Apollos Temples in Delos because they were neuer sacked nor ruinated and I beleeue likewise that the world will reuerence France because she was neuer brought vnder the yoake of subiection and slauerie But alas poore France thou now remembrest not that as aunciently for sacrifices the quietest beasts were soonest done to death and immolated so likewise at present thy excessiue piety to the See of Rome proueth to be the chiefest cause of thy destruction Cardinall Bellarmine should haue addressed himselfe to the King of Spaine to haue practised these pranckes in his Dominions for he hath shewed vs how we should beare ourselues For when Baronius likewise Cardinall wrote a Treatise of the Sicilian Monarchy this King which for Sicilia is the elected and feuditorie heyre of the Popes so well ordered his affaires that the most audacious durst not presume to publish what the said Baronius had written of that matter Many countreys subiect to his obedience yea and his Officers bore themselues so brauely in the discharge that neither the Pope nor Cardinall hath since reaped any benefite thereof yea and will or nill they were forced so to content themselues both within Italy as also in Kingdomes which yearely contribute many hundreds to the Church of Rome And yet we in France are afraid of our shadowes If there be replie made that the king of Spaine hath as iust cause to except at this Booke as the king of France in a word I answer that the quality of the estates of these two kingdomes are very much different and that Rome hath not rounded France in the eare as she hath done Spaine The wiser sort vnderstand me Et ecce mysterium quod vobis dico But now what will the aduersaries of the Romane Religion say seeing that the Sea of Rome which was heretofore the tree of life is now become an Oleander and a Vgh tree whose contagious shadow killeth those which thinke to repose themselues vnder the sweetenesse of their branches O deceitfull verdure of religion which like that of the North Sea dost couer by the faire greene passages of the holy Scriptures wrested the shelues and rockie places where all the Lordships of the world ruine themselues and suffer shipwracke No no France it is no longer time to dissemble for as Pyndarus violated the peace contracted betwixt the Greeks and Troians through the leueling of one arrow at Menelaus so this Cardinall through the arrow which he hath shot forth against the liberty of France the which he hath not exempted from the Popes bondage induceth vs to esteeme the familiarity of the Sea of Rome to be full of feare and suspition I haue heretofore heard the Abbot of Boys Oliuier report being a person sufficiently knowne for the good offices which he daily performeth both to the Church of Rome and his King that this present Pope Paulus Quintus is very affectionately addicted to France and that this Cardinall Bellarmine is a man very deuout and of a most innocent life and conuersation But now I begin to suspect and doubt the fidelity of this Abbot for the booke now published by Bellarmine and approued and authorised by the Pope doth apparantly testifie the contrary For doth his Holinesse loue France why then permitteth he that this Cardinals booke set it on fire and if the Cardinall himselfe be a deuout and innocent man why giueth he not to France that which he oweth I meane by separating and distinguishing it from other kingdomes which for the most part are feuditory and tributary to Popes I will yet further tie my selfe to the relation of this Abbot for he is knowne to be a Prelate so sincere and faithfull that he will rather die then speake one thing and thinke another and will rather beleeue that a great part of this fault proceeded thorough the negligence of the kings intelligencers at Rome and namely of Monsieur de Marquemont Auditor of Rota which hath yearely great pensions from the king and neuerthelesse was not so well aduised to discouer the imprinting of this booke whereof if he had certified Monsieur de Breues his Maiesties Ambassadour he would so powerfully and valably haue conferred with the Pope that his Holinesse weighing his allegations and reasons at least if he had loued France would haue preuented the impression therof and the Cardinall were he so deuout and innocent would himselfe haue abhorred the publishing thereof especially sith both the one and the other well knew what trouble this vnnecessary booke would occasion in all Christendome And as for vs respecting our Kings minoritie wherein it was published we can say no other then Scorpius insidias illa sub caute tetendit Those amongst vs which esteeme themselues cleerer sighted then others thinke that the publishing of this booke is a tricke meerely inuented by the society of Iesuites purposely to replunge France in the miseries from whence the late deceased King had miraculously withdrawen it esteeming that sect to resemble frogges which are neuer well before they are in the mire Which if it be so the Iesuites may properly be parallel'd to the trees of the Forrest Lytania which inuite trauellers to come and repose themselues vnder the delectable shaddow of their branches and then being set downe instantly fall on them and kill them for all their speeches are nothing but of peace of matters of state and of the dignitie of France which indeede draweth many of their side and faction so as if in the meane time they sell vs we shall be cunningly deceiued but
my comfort is that there is a great difference and distance betwixt the sale and deliuery of vs. I say if this come to passe to auoyde their enteprises it were better wee surprised them for otherwise it will befall vs as it did the Marriners of the Lake of Laumont in the Prouince of Escouie in Scotland which as long as the said Lake was tempestuous they passe without danger but being calme they alwayes endure shipwracke And alas who hath better and fitter meanes to annoy vs then the Iesuites who confesse the King importunately solicite the Queene liue as companions with Monsieur the Chancellor and Monsieur Villeroy of whom through their dexterity they may obtaine many things which may tend to our ruine as aduice and agents to those which employ them thereunto I am not ignorant that their speeches and bookes are more sweeter then the Syrens songs and that many good spirits pricked forwards with the spurre of Religion throw themselues headlong into the Sea of their acquaintance morefully to participate of their harmony But I know likewise that as the winde sprong vp which conducted Butes out of danger and saued him in Lybia so the winde which at present bloweth against them in France hath drawen many excellent spirits forth the Sea of their captiuity and hath fortunately brought them to the port of happines For considering more narrowly why they are so applauded and with a circumspectious eye beholding the forme of their comportments yea and not onely in their faces but in their liues and doctrines yea in their very hearts and actions they affirme they haue found nothing but death for life euill for good the losse of the Church for her preseruing and the losse of the estate for his conferuation As for me if such they are I am of opinion that there was neuer spell nor charme more stronger and powerfull then that wherewith they practise For when I do see a Sillery and Villeroy both spirites shining with brightnesse and on all sides enuitoned with piercing sights which as two Argus haue rather their heads in their eyes then their eyes in their heads to be so inchanted and lulled asleepe with the dissembling songs of those treacherous Mercuries which perceiue not that in shutting their eyes to their practises they both close vp and finish the dayes of their own honor and eclipse the splendor of the dignity of France their deere mother and sweete Countrey which hath so honourably imparted them the choyce of her chiefest dignities and yet of whom they will rauish her chiefest Iö to wit her independency and soueraignty whereof this great Iupiter in Bellarmines booke doth demonstrate himselfe desperatly enamoured I am besides my selfe and beleeue all and more too which antiquity hath reported of Circes the Magician This Capitolian Iupiter durst neuer haue assaulted our French Hercules in the face but when he perceiued his backe turned then hesent this couragious canker Sophister Bellarmine sweating with the blood of Princes to wound him in the heele But couragious couragious the wound is not yet mortall for Iolaus the inflexible Parliament of Paris will cure him yea and so manage and operate that this Ixion which thought himselfe cock-sure to haue embraced our French Iuno shall in stead thereof onely embrace a cloud from whence shal issue Centaures that shall go through all countries blessing those which will receiue them yet neuerthelesse shall not be entertained in France which was neuer ordained to be Augeas stable And as Theron King of Spaine knocking at the gate of Hercules Temple was with his whole Fleete miraculously consumed by a clap of lightning from heauen right so this booke beating at the Soueraignty of France shall iudicially be consumed to cynders together with all his Sophisticall reasons This being incident and fatall to France that as neuer vitious person entred into the Temple of Vulcan on mount Aetna but was by the guardians thereof destroyed and rent in pieces so there was neuer any ill affected to the Flower-deluces which heretofore hath published their impostures but by the vigilancie of the Parliaments haue beene both defaced and burnt And although the late troubles haue opened the doores of France and so let in some indiscreet and pernitious bookes as sometimes forrainers came and cast ancre in Diomedes Ilands wherein the habitation was onely permitted to the Grecians because there were certaine birds which Diomedes brought thither which would not endure that any others should peaceably reside there except those which were of Diomedes country so as if they found any forrainers or strangers there those carefull birds would violently fall on them picking and tearing their faces yea and biting their armes and breasts and neuer forsake them vntill they had slaine them In the same manner in this Kingdome are carefull and watchfull Parliaments and Magistrates which our Kings haue established that will neuer permit that the enemies of the state should violate their priuiledges or infringe their authority And although for a time either through importunity or protection of great personages they winke as if they saw nothing so permit them to inhabite amongst vs Neuerthelesse they will neuer tolerate themlong to dwell peaceably amongst vs but vvill closely and violently pursue them vntill they haue both extenuated and exterminated them yea and neuer wearie themselues to bite and sting them continually but proue as faithfull as the dogges being Porters of Mineruaes Iliadnes Temple in Dulia which by a naturall instinct alwayes bit those which came to prophane the Temple yea although they were brought in by her Priest which vnder colour of religion was deceiued by those detestable prophaners It is reported that the Lisards crooked teeth hauing once taken hold cannot be remoued without breaking them Let vs therefore breake the crooked teeth of this Lisard Bellarmine to the end he leaue vs in our auncient liberty and freedome It agreeth well with Rome to haue a Pantheon wherein to adore the generality of Gods but France can serue onely one Master And to speake truely the causes which concerne the Temporalitie of France ought not to be censured much lesse decided in the Consistorie of Rome For were that tolerated it were the direct way to put in practise the cousenage of subtle Ithacus who before the Grecian army would pleade the processe of generous and ingenious Palamedes to the end the subâ—â—ller to depose stone this innocent Prince and notwithstanding all this while to cloake treason with a dissembling shew of iustice and equity resembling the Popes which oueruaile their vsurpation with the scarfe of Religion But if Iupiter inflamed with choler commanded the Riuer Acheron to remoue and descend into hell because the water therof refresht the Tytans his mortall enemies which rebelled against him So what Iudge is there in France which will not be cheerefull yea willing to controlle yea consound such Stationers Libraries running Book sellers which cause seditious and pernitious pamphlets to alight
on the hearts of those which are enemies and rebels to their Prince and countrey to incourage and harden them in the execution of their wicked plots and proiects Eneas surnamed the Pious threatned with a cruell death those Ruteloys which furnished his enemy Turnus with armor and weapons and the Corcyriens burnt the citie of Cillena because the Helenians being Lords thereof had aided the Corinthians their enemies and shall our Iudges winke at the assistance and aide which these Booke-sellers giue the enemies of France by dispersing and selling this booke of Bellarmine which most secretly and dangerously they sow and distribute No France no if the Iesuites participate of this wickednesse entertaine them no longer as companions and friendes for being aduanced and risen through the fauour which thou hast bestowed on them they vse thee as the Scythian slaues did their Masters esteeming themselues worthy to aspire to their nuptiall beddes so the Iesuites beleeue they may both sport and doe what they please with the Soueraignty of France But once curbe and correct them with the whip and thou shalt see they will take heed to offend thee For I cannot more properly compare them then to the beasts Teuterydes which feare and flie at those which assault them and vehemently assault and follow those which permit them to repose and rest in peace Anciently wise Vlisses conceiued an extreme horrour when his seruant Eumenius informed him what theft and ryot the louers of his wife Penelope committed and acted in his house But now King Queene Regent Princes Iudges Magistrates Officers and commons of France would we might be showen the dangerous Maximes of this Cardinals booke the spoyle of subuersion which it pretendeth to doe in France if you I say foresee not and procure the suppression and extirpation therof yea be ye all inflamed thereat with iust anger for there is therein included and comprehended such dangerous positions and bloudy propositions that it is to be feared they will occasion the Kings Palaces and Cities to resemble the Cities and Palaces of Adonia wherein was nothing heard but cryes and sighes nothing seene but lamentations and teares Iudicious Queene let not the apparent and dissembling remonstrances of a Nuncio deceiue your vigilancy For herein your Maiesty may please to remember the Egyptian fable of the Crocodile who vpon the shores of Nylus hauing surprised a childe from his mother cryed out as he bore him away I will render him thee againe if thou canst define what I thinke the mother bitterly weeping answered I define thou wilt not render him me therefore restore him me for I haue defined aright The Crocodile replied If I restore him thee then thou hast lied I will therefore keepe him both for thee and me So when the censure of the Arest of Parliament was complained of and made knowne to our Bride and Lord the late King what promises did the Popes Nuncio make him that he would cause it to be both remedied and reuoked yea what sugred speeches gaue he to Monsieur Chancelier and Monsieur Villeroy who onely hindred and with-held that the Court of Parliament imposed and bent not their authority against it and which of all those faire promises hath he since accomplished and performed No no he well knoweth the humour of the French to be sensible in new wounds and forgetfull when they are become more aged and when they should seeke for reuenge thereof he beleeueth that amongst vs hee which hath time hath life or to say more properly He which is reprined is pardoned And so much will he now likewise doe to preuent the burning of Bellarmines booke but when the shame and feare thereof is past you shall neuer obtaine the honour of the libertie of France whereof this booke will depriue you yea his promises will vanish away as smoake knowing well that as Denis the tyrant had rather permit himselfe to be pulled and drawne downe from his Throne then to mount vpon a furious and warlike horse so the Popes his Masters haue determined neuer to abandon their pretension which they haue of the Soueraignty of France or to see themselues reduced and brought to an authority purely Apostolike and Sacerdotall except by meere force of the faithfull Officers of Kings Potentates and Princes It is an Axiome Madam incident to all Ambassadours wheron dependeth eyther the glory or the interest of the Princes their Masters Turpe est vinci sed non cessisse Decorum And to arriue to a Cardinalship there is no directer way then effectually to occasion Kings to submit themselues to the authority of Popes which falsely apply and attribute to themselues this verse of Dauids Psalme Ador abunt eum omnes Reges terrae omnes gentes seruient ei Which neuertheles belongeth not properly to any of them but on the contrary to Iesus Christ And for Cardinall Bellarmine he well knoweth that he hath not alwaies taught that which in his booke hee now teacheth concerning the Soueraignty of Popes ouer Kings For were not Sixtus the fift dead hee would make him wedde the prison of the Inquisition because hee then taught more conformable to the truth then he now doth But seeing this Cardinals booke now in the hangmans hand ready to be conuerted into ashes I would willingly demaund of him the sense of the same demaund which Cyrus made vnto Craesus whom he had vanquished and taken in battaile Bellarmine who hath called thee without reasonable motiues to warre against the temporall Soueraignty of France And I answere my selfe if his booke could speake it would answere for him The aduancement and security of the Soueraignty of France the augmentation of her honour but without thought thereof and for euer the eclipsing of the renowne of my authour with the eternall banishment of all his Aahaerents from the Territories of the Flower-de-Luce of which saith the Euangelist Salomon in all his maiesty was neuer so maiesticall as it is When Antipater would haue reduced the Lacedemonians to his subiection they said vnto him Vse vs as Citizens worthy of Lacedemonia and let our truce bee as preiudiciall vnto vs as it pleaseth thee so fâ—rre forth as it redound not to our shame So France saith at present to the Pope Vse me as France which hath temporally made thee what thou art and on that which is spirituall extend thy authority as farre as thou canst but beware make not this Crowne thy slaue which in many partes of Italy hath made thee King Otherwise thou must needes beleeue if thou durst vndertake it that as Augustus said to those which disswaded him from hating Cassius and Brutus the murtherers of his adopted father Caesar God which hath esteemed our King Lewes the twelfth worthy the Scepter of great Henry his father will make him as worthy a successor of his valour to conserue the crown which he hath left him free from all domination except that of heauen For France resembleth pretious stones the least cracke or haire
which is in the lustre of her Soueraignty causeth her to be no longer France and maketh the valuation of her worth to be exceedingly debased and diminished Bellarmines booke for a time will be but a small pepin or kernell but with growth of yeares he will grow to be a very thicke Forrest full of trees and branches and if it be not in time lopped and prun'd it will finally ouertop and beate downe the fruit of the French trees life and infect it as the Salamander which lurketh in the hollow of some fruit tree and so through his extreme coldenesse doth by little and little cause him to wither and die When Iupiter gaue the marueilous rodde vnto Mercury his Messenger he accompanied it with shame to beare it vnto human persons immediatly after Epimetheus had framed man But I thinke that Iesus Christ the true God was no lesse careful when he gaue authority to Popes to accompany them with modesty in bearing themselues discreetly towards men I know well that as the Egyptians made Virgins to sit on Lyons so the diuine prouidence of God hath placed Ecclesiasticall authority aboue temporall but so as Popes ought alwayes to remember that this spirituall authority is without issue or earthly production as a Virgin which hath no children yea and ought no more forget that Kings are Lions And as it is easie for a Lyon at one fastening of his teeth to crush in sunder the bones of a Virgin if she affright him so it is easie for Princes to bound vp Popes in their limits if they once presume to anger them in any thing which concerneth their temp oraltie for therein consisteth their force and power A good Christian both indeede and name named Prudence said Non eripit mortalia qui Regna dat caelestia Would not Popes in these daies resemble Aaerons rodde which voide of leaues moth eaten and drie did neuerthesse in one night budde forth and become greene in such sort that the next morning the children of Israell perceiued not a branch without leaues not a Troncke depriued of humidity and separated from his sappe but contratiwise a tree greenly flourishing and loden with fruit This present time wherein we liue is not litterally the season of the Israelites but spiritually of the Iewes which miraculously retaine this rodde by miracle but make no vse of the vertue thereof since it was put into the Arke of the Couenant as faith Sjt. Paul to the Hebrewes chap. 9. it was neuer imployed nor vsed that we reade of in Scriptures There are no more Predericks in the world besides it is long since that Iuno Nucerene was extinguished the which in the warres of the Cymbrians in the turning of a hand made her withered rodde flourish And the Popes deceiue themselues to thinke that they alone can make the harmony of the Church wherein there must likewise be Kings and Princes as said Zeno hearing the Musitian Amebeus playing on his instruments that the entrailes sinewes and bones of beasts yea wood laid by accordant number and arrang'd by equall proportion make a pleasant and compleat harmony It is reported of Dragons that they rot by alwaies eating of their tailes and yet without eating any other flesh then their owne they cannot againe become yong So who will beleeue that the Popes for feare of rotting will not circumference themselues within the circle of their power but to become againe young they desire to eate the power of the Princes of the world Alas must it so fall out that I a Romane Catholique should see the Popes reproached and that in permitting the publishing of this Cardinals booke wherein France is vsed as the basest countrey of the world They haue forgotten that it is that holy Abicoboes and mountaine of refuge that stone of defence which Mahomet in his Alcoran not knowing notwithstanding the sense of his word said to be built by the hand of the Almighty for the sure and inexpugnable guard of his Ierusalem to wit the Church Yea yea as said Hanniball to Antiochus but to another purpose speaking of the forces of Syria towards the Romanes there are but too many Doctors in France capable to resist Bellarmine although copious and abundant in allegations yea there are in France enough to feather him and more then enough to feare him Cur spolieris erit non cur metuaris ab hoste O wise Villeroy vnder the branches of whose fanour and greatnesse lurke all those of the Romane faction which would wound our countrey seest thou not that the confused light of this Bellarmine sent amidst the cloud of the variablenesse of France doth presage our tempest and that the fire of his breath falling vpon the poopes of our vessels is the prognostication of the turbulency of our waters But I foresee that in the end the tempestuous storm of these waters will beare downe the Arke of their irregular power of Rome so farre that it will finally fixe and establish it vpon the toppes of the mountaines of Armenia where it cannot possibly any longer annoy the Kings of the earth He which foundeth this Toosin or Watch bell wise Villeroy is one which hath long admired thee which knoweth very much of thy proceedings and who daily weepeth at the diminution of the honor of our natiue countrey to the security and preseruation whereof thy too too great inclination to Rome giueth terrible assaults and aduantage But wherof should we feare the Clergy of France is rich But now the question is of the dignity of the Crowne of France which some endeuour to annihilate and extinguish and therfore who can hinder vs with Themistocles neither to put distinction of wealth places nor persons against the rash assertions of Bellarmine which seeke thereof to depriue vs and who can iustly reproue vs if with the Syracusans we holily vse our weapons consecrated to the Temple of the Olympian Iupiter especially sith it concerneth the defence of our liberty And if as said Publius Curulius it was lawfull to sell those trees which were most deuoutly consecrated to Apollo in the I le of Coee to build shippes for the warres doubt not Holy Father but that the Church of France vse both Fer feathers her treasures to reuenge her selfe of the wrongs which Bellarmine in his booke hath offered to the crowne of France and as the Athenians saued themselues by the pretious stones of the monuments of their deceased so we likewise will stone this Bellarmine to death with the stones of great Henry our late Kings tombe during whose life if he had published that which he hath since written that inuincible King would personally haue gone and fetched him out of Rome and so in expiation of his irremissible offence haue immolated and sacrificed him vpon the Altar of the Soueraignty of France O Bellarmine the warre is now denounced betwixt France and thee and remember that we will vse thee as the Argeans did the Spartans for whether thou recant liuing dead or otherwise
them selues with this vaine vanity that they doe so stand in awe of them Ha ha Citizens of Paris send your children to the Iesuites schooles to bee trayned vp by them for good French men as Archelaus who sent Xenophons children to Lacedemonia to learne the Maiesty of Sparta and you shall see what doctrine they will imprint in their hearts and spirits And this is the lesson which came from Rome that the youth of France should be taught by them at the opening of their schooles But rush this instruction came too soone in the morning for it findeth the Colledge doores not yet open wherefore it is pitty being she was so lately borne for the auncient Christians knew not the name of those Iesuites lest before the Colledge bee open to couer she should take some Rheume or Catarre and so wee should haue neede to apply some vstions and cupping to warrant her from all diseases thereby to preuent that shee infect not others You Sirs to wit you Iesuites you haue beene principally assisted by women in the managing and conduction of all your actions as also by those which haue finished the production thereof For without the fauour and assistance of such people your affaires had gone still backewards But now since your maske is discouered that by Bellarmines booke you teach that France is no longer France to wit Soueraigne and independant the very women themselues will both ouerthrow and vanquish you as the women of Lacedemonia who in battell array discomfited the Messenians which came to sacke and raze their Citie and if there were but the Marchionesse of Verneull the Countesse of Moret and the holy Beaue your Agent in the world they haue too much tasted the odoriferous smell which the Flower-de-luces yeeldeth to permit them to wither by your breathings I say not contagious breathes for the word had almost escaped my tongue And you Lord of Varrane and Ladies of Garenne who had there beene of your trade if France had beene no Soueraignty For had it pleased the Pope that you should haue beene banished the Court and that it had not beene performed the King then without the Soueraignty of France was disposable to the Popes pleasure and consequently then vnable to doe you good or assist you Whereby it manifestly appeareth that it is the Soueraignty of France which hath assisted you nay inriched you and placed you at your ease and pleasures In respect whereof you then ought and are bound to maintaine and defend it I say further that the Marchionesses of Guerchuille and Maignelet Ladies of greater respect and farre higher renowne then the former would before the others haue incited the very dogs against the Iesuites as soone as they had heard the tenour of this Cardinall Bellarmines booke and the Bishop of Paris whom I beleeue to be a loyall French man will die with griefe if his approbation of their innocency haue any way aduanced so infamous a crime as to endeuour by writing to rauish and depriue France of her independant soueraignty vnto whom both he and his owe all both their wealth and honour And for the Duke of Espernon he hath so farre experience in the destruction of King Henry the third his most deare and debonaire master what misery and desolation this opinion and vniust position hath occasioned that maketh Popes the Soueraignes of the kings of France that I durst beleeue he wel acknowledgeth that to be a true French man he loseth not the essence of a good Catholique I come now to Monsieur President Siguier which notwithstanding he hath beene the kings Aduocat and Lieutenant ciuill of Paris and therefore well knoweth with what ballances Magistrates ought to weigh such drugges yet I most assuredly know that of late he hath vowed to a man of good respect and fame that it were profitable if the Iesuites bee permitted to liue in France they should sweare to obserue the French Maximes or else that they should be exiled and banished France But there is another scruple to wit that the Protestants will reioyce to see the Iesuites pursued which neuertheles doth not astonish me that we feare to annoy them which by their bookes and actions seeke to depriue vs of our libertie and haue no compassion of vs whilest the considerations which neerely concerne them with-hold and restraine vs but of two euils let vs alwaies chuse the least The Protestants laugh to see the Iesuites pursued and the Iesuites en deuour to make vs the Popes bond-slaues who at their pleasures should lift vp and throw downe our Kings when and as often as they list Let vs therefore giue the Protestants leaue to laugh and in the meane time let vs defend our selues from the Iesuites for the one importeth vs more then the other And as for me I had rather because we cannot doe otherwise that the Protestants should laugh to see Catholikes pursue the Iesuites then that the Iesuites should triumph to haue the meanes and audacity through one booke yea and without shot of Musket or Pistol to make the Crowne of France slaue and bondman to the Pope And for you of the Clergy you haue cause to reioyce in that your pension is ill bestowed on the Neophyte Pelletier for so Cotton stileth him in respect thereby you entertaine him which to his power endeuoureth with Rapsodies and vnapt Apologies to couer the shame of these Iesuites being the enemies of your countrey who was borne in Valoine in low Normandy whereof as some report Iudas which betrayed his Master and our Sauiour Christ was natiue But father Coeffeteau of the order of Iacobins the once great Mynion of the Iesuites hath reaped profite thereby who as a second Themistocles seeing that the loue which the Persians bore him and all the royall entertainment which they shewed him was but onely to serue themselues of him to the ouerthrow of the Athenians and Greekes the which he at last perceiuing made a shew to sacrifice to their victory and so sacrificed himselfe for the good of his countrey by excessiuely drinking of the blood of the Bull. Right so I say this valiant Coeffeteau deeply conceiting and considering whereunto tended the courtesie and intimate familiarity of the Iesuites and at last perceiuing they meant to make vse of him as the chiefe of the faction against the libertie of France he very wisely maketh semblance to sacrifice to the Roman victory through his acquaintance with the Popes Nuncio hee discouered this Cardinals pernitious booke and the authour thereof to the Commissioner L'Angloys wherby he hath made himselfe both memorable and remarkable and hath vndoubtedly approued himselfe to be a loyall hearted and true French man contrary to the nature of the water of the Cephuscen fountaine which no sooner is poured into a narrow vessell and lost his running current but is instantly transformed into greene yee and so by little and little obdurating is changed into flint stones For the inward friendship which since the Kings