commonly happens that the greatest suspition lies on those that are most innocent Eightly T is a common observation that Subjects are naturally much given to imitate and comply with the inclinations of their Prince In like manner those who give obedience to their Father Generall perceiving that his thoughts are wholly taken up with matters of State as indeavouring by that means to improve and enrich their Society do also apply themselves that way and thereupon making use of their Relations and friends would penetrate into the very hearts of Princes so to discover their most secret designs only to betray them to the Assistants at Rome or the Father Generall out of a confidence by that means to get into their favour and be advanc'd into some employment which otherwise they could never have expected For among them none are ever preferr'd to any Office of consequence and trust but only those whom they have observ'd mosi inclined to advance their Society to that height of Greatnesse whereto they aspire and consequently none but such as are known to be able and expert in the management of State-affairs Ninthly as from divers Flowers and Herbs by the means of an Alembick a man may extract such an ointment as shall have the Vertue to heal a mortall wound and as from several blossomes Bees draw that which afterwards becomes honey so these Jesuits from the infallible account which they have of all Princes affaires and of all the emergencies of every State do by the power of their discourse extract from them what makes for their own advantage which is in some measure a remedy for their insatiable avarice and ambition And they are excellent Masters in a certain Art unknown to others whereby they effect their designes equally from other mens either good or ill but more often from their misfortunes then happinesse Nor is it unusuall with them to ensnare the unwary Prince into whose secrets they have dived proposing to him that they have in their hands the onely excellent means to make him master of his desires But when by these pretences they have made their advantages of him if it do but come into their imagination that the spreading greatnesse of that Prince may one day prove prejudiciall to them they do as Lawyers in their causes prolong the successe of the businesse what lyes in their power till at last with strange juggling and an imperceptible kind of Legerdemaine they utterly ruine those designes to which they had given birth The Ligue of France treated and concluded by them they not long after basely renounc'd all medling with when they saw things prosper on the Kings side and England so often promised by them to the Spanyards yet in such manner performed so confirms the present discourse that there needs no further proof Tenthly from what hath been already alledged it necessarily follows that the Jesuits have no sincere affection towards any Prince whatsoever either temporall or spirituall but onely comply with them so farre as stands with their own convenience and advantage Nay it may be yet further inferr'd that no Prince much lesse any Prelates of an inferiour degree can make any effectuall use of them because they seem at the same time to be equally affected to all complying with the French as if they were French with the Spanyards as if they were Spanyards and so with all others as the occasion requires from all which the onely rule of their Chymistry is to exact their own profit and accommodation They never regard the prejudice of one more then another and thence it comes that those enterprises wherein they have intermedled have seldome succeeded well because they are no further embarqu'd therein then their own interest advises them And as to this particular the artifices they use are notorious some of them pretending great inclinations for the prosperity of France others of Spain others of the Empire and others of some other Princes of whom they desire to be favoured And if any of these Princes be desirous to make use oâ— some Jesuit whom he imagines to be very much his Friend he immediately acquaints the F. Generall by Letter with the businesse which he hath to treat and expects his Answer together with order what he shall do and suitably to the commands he receives he proceeds in his affair Never regarding whether that Order of the Generall be conformable to the intention of the Prince who hath entrusted him with the management of that businesse But so the Society be served and comply'd with he matters not what disservice it may be to the Prince To this may be added that the Jesuits understanding the severall interests of all Princes aud being acquainted with all things daily treated in secret Councels those who pretend an inclination for France propound to the King and his principall Ministers certain Memorialls of State and important considerations sent to them from their politick Fathers at Rome On the other side those who pretend to hold with the Crown of Spain do just the same with them and â—o with the rest From which carriage of theirs ariseth this mischief that it causes such distrusts in the hearts of Christian Princes that they cannot credit one the other which is a great hindrance to the publick peace and the universall wellfare of Christendome Besides this diffidence of theirs is that which makes it so difficult a thing to conclude a league against the common enemy and the precious enjoyments of peace to be of so little value among Princes Furthermore with these circumventing devices though they have so opened the eyes of the world and so sharpened mens wits in matter of State that they are notorious to all yet even at this very day to the great prejudice of the Church they are wholly taken up with matters of policy and ballance all their actions according to their worldly and selfish concernments But that these Jesuiticall Mysteries and Stratagems may be made yet more manifest I cannot here conceale the means whereby they inveigle Princes to their party There are some years now past since one of these Fathers called Father Parsons the Assistant of England wrote a book against the succession of the King of Scotland to the crown of England And another Father of the same Society called Crittonius with some others in a Book which they wrote defended the Title of the King of Scotland opposing the opinion of Father Parsons and pretending to be at difference â—mong themselves But the truth was that all was â—unningly contriv'd and carryed on by the command of their Father Generall onely out of this design that whosoever should succeed in the Kingdome of England they might have an excellent argument to work in him â— great good opinion of their Society and so as much 〈◊〉 may be make their advantages of him What more pertinent example can we desire to shew â—hat Princes and their interests are the objects of all Jeâ—uiticall actions and determinations and
wherein crimes should be reveal'd hath so order'd things as that this shall not any longer be hid I conceive my self obliged to make a publick discovery therof and it may be Monsieur de Candale will not be displeased to know who have been the implacable enemies of his great Father The Author of the Book is Leonard Alemay a Jesuit an eloquent man who this last yeare taught eloquence with me in Bourdeaux The Superiours had laid their commands upon him to write it and accordingly Peter Guales his Rector and the Superiour of the professed house were the men that furnish'd him with arguments and memoriâ—lls that so the illustrious house of La Valette may be satisfied that it was not some private Jesuits that put that afâ—ront upon the late Duke of Espernon but the superiours who in law do alwayes represent their whole Society To justify what I now affirme there are many witnesses and among others Laurence Fontenay and Peter Chabanal Jesuits who could never digest that presumption Besides not to mention that the said Duke having bestowed on them the Abbey of La Tenaille in Xaintonge they have had another difference with him since for that he had built his faire house of Plassac upon some part of the lands belonging to the said Abbey and forced him to pay therefore seventeen thousâ—nd Livers Thus is it remarkeable that God hath sooner or later a punishment to be inflicted on those who further and countenance the Oâ—der of the Jesuits a generation of Vipers so destructive to the universe CHAP. XIII Reflections upon the twelve preâ—edent Discourses REFLECTION I. IF I had taken a generall survey of all the Colledges all the Houses all the places designed for the entertainment of their Novices â—nd all the Residences which the Jesuits are possessed of all over the universe and made enquiries into the crimes I charge them with and convict them of in the precedent discourses the mischiefe were not inconsiderable nor the confusion light to a Body which out of a pure regard of its outward profession of Sanctimony if it could not avoid all disorders should not certainly have degenerated so far as to wallow in so great a number of crimes and those so horrid But that which I would have the Reader particularly observe is that it was not my designe to give an account of all the Provinces in the world no that were too great a labour my Inquisition reaches not all those of France for I have not been in them all but is confined only to the Province of Guienne which is the least of all nor do I search all the Colledges thereof but limit my selfe to foure or five of those wherein I have lived This considered no doubt but the inference will be That the corruption of Manners must needs be grown to a great height in that Society when that upon the examination of foure or five of their Residences I find in them some guilty of Forgeries others of Murthers others of Sodomies others of Coyning others of Sacriledge c. And these not guilty of the said crimes once or twice commited but twenty fifty a hundred times Let the world then judge of the whole peece by this patterne and measuring the other provinces proportionably to this conclude how prevalent the spirit of mischiefe and Villany must needs be in that Society and consequently that it is not without just ground that the world thinkes it too too burthensome to be any longer endured REFLECTION II. 'T is a monasticall Maxime that the offences which being committed by a secular or worldly person were veniall become grand sacriledges and mortall sinnes in a high Nature when they are committed by a Monk or Frier That a man may affirme an Order to be guilty of a degeneration there is no necessity he should convict the Cenobites of being Murtherers Sodomites Traytors to their King no he need say no more then that they decline from the profession of that regular severity which made their predecessors be looked on as Saints and that they are come to that degree of dissolution as not to observe in a manner any of their rules Be it therefore taken into consideration that I do not here prosecute the Jesuits for triviall offences such as they might casually commit in the observation of their Institution Of which nature are grumbling and dissatisfaction in point of obedience their shunning the inconveniences of that Poverty which they solemnly vow to embrace that they live more sumptuously and feed more delicately then the most luxurious Cittizens ' that they are perpetually quarrelling among themselves and impose crimes one upon another that their bell does indeed ring at four in the morning to make the world believe that they are at prayers upon their knees when in the mean time they are stretching themselves in their beds none rising unless it were two or three of the most zealous in every colledge c. But it is to be observed that I charge them with crimes no less then those of Antidates Murther of infants Treason the violation of Religious women Coyning such as are sufficient to prove not only an irregularity and deformation or degeneration of the order but such an absolute corruption as is not found in the greatest Republicks but only among those Cains and Cast-aways that are equally abominable in the sight of God and men Imagine then from this reflection what an order this is which yet fills the world with shameless brags that they outvy the Recollects in point of austerity by practising the exercises of Ignatius REFLECTION III. For a more particular understanding of the accusations I produce to the publick I desire the Reader to make yet this further reflection that I have not made an inquisition into all the horrid crimes committed by the Jesuits for these seventy or eighty years past since which time the Locusts have been scattered up and down the Province of Guienne But I have confined my self to a search only of ten or twelve years for the most part of their crimes and to fifteen or sixteen at the most for some as for instance that of the Antidate If then they are come to that height of wickedness in so few years what can be expected from that Society for the future when they are already come to these extremities And if a man consider those who within these eight or nine yeares upon very just grounds have quitted it he will find that they are the greatest wits and the most eminent of the Order REFLECTION IV. When some ordinary servant Maide yields to the violence and importunity of temptation and betraies her honour the scandall is not great in a Citty two or three of her nearest relations are a litle troubled at it and four or five of her neighbours make a stirre that any such thing should happen But when it falls out that some gentlewoman of quality parts with that which is accounted most precious among women it raises
wi h â—hem Paâ—ag 97. Nam praesumptio elata vos decepit for an insolent presumption hath deceived you Presumption is indeed an enemy to study and hinders the progresse of science Nor is it onely â— hindrance to the advancement of Learning but also to the improvement of Piety and the works thereof for where presumption and that attended by insolence hath planted it self in the mind of a man it debars true Learning and the acknowledgement of Christ from being entertained there The Jesuits indeed have that opinion of themselves and would have all others think no lesse that they onely have admission to the divine Mysteries they onely hold a nearer correspondence with JESUS to them the Blessed Virgin communicates her self and dictates their books as Mascaregnas professes of himself in that Treatise published by him in the yeare 1656. whereof there are some propositions laid down among the Additionals to the Mystery of Jesuitisme that they onely and no other are to be heard but this arrogance this presumption is that which hath deceived them and whereby they have deceived and will deceive others till it be discover'd Parag. 98. Et insatiabilis concupiscentia subvertit erroneum cor vesirum and an insatiable concupiscence hath subverted your erroneous hearts Covetousnesse is indeed the root of all evill this hath been the destruction of many Cities and Countries and will be the ruine of all addicted thereto Besides the covetousnesse of wealth there is also a covetousnesse of honours dignities preheminence commonly known by the name of Ambition and this is a disease the Ignatian Fraternitie are as deep in as ever Myriam Moses sister or Gehazi the Prophets servant were in the Leprosie Hence proceed their insinuations and courtings of Kings and Princes their consultations and communications with the people To these may be added a third sort of covetousnesse which is concupiscence or the insatiable pursuance of fleshly pleâ—sures And this is divâ—ded into two branches one relating to things appertaining to the Belly the other to what is not much below it of their performances as to all which how well they acquitted themselves may be seen by what is alledged in the precedent Paragraph But the holy Prophetesse saith that by these severall kinds of concupiscence their erroneous hearts are subverted Nor indeed could it be otherwise for where Covetousnesse Ambition and the pleasures of the flesh are predominant it will inevitably follow that a mans heart must be subverted They cast a darknesse over the intellectuall part eclipse that particle of Divine inspiration that should illuminate a man and put out those sparkles of Vertue that they lye under the embers of humane Reason Parag. 99. Et cùm in altum ultra quà m decet ascenâ—ere voluistis justo Dei judicio deâ—rsum in opprobrium sempiternum cecidistis And when you would have ascended higher then you should have done you fell down by the â—ust judgement of God into eternall reproach What can â—e said lesse of those who pretend to reform God in his â—ord who preferre themselves before all learned men â—nd spend their censures on them who vent their saâ—yricall humours against Popes and Emperoâ—rs who â—ould regulate Kings who assume to themselves an â—uthority over mens consciences and make what they â—lease to be sinne or not to be sinne who would grasp he whole world's wealth who build royall palaces â—ho reforme studies and books and presume to tosse â—nd turne all things as they please themselves what can â—e said lesse of such men such as are formidable to the â—ighest as well as lowest then that their aimes are too â—igh and that according to the just judgement of God they should be tumbled down into sempiternall reproach to the finall ruine of their temerarious pretensions For so shall the certainty of the divine sentence long since pronounc'd against such be made manifest that whosoever exalteth himself shall be brought low and that of the Poet confirmed Tolluntur in altum Vt lapsu graviore ruant And thus much shall suffice by way of descant upon this authentick Prophecy of Saint Hildegard Many other things might have been alledged but have purposely been omitted parly for brevity sake partly out of modesty and a tendernesse to the persons here characteriz'd out of a hope that upon so moderate a discovery they may takâ— occasion to reform the miscarriages laid to their charge and if it be possible by a surprising change of deportment stop the mouths of all Adversaries and make it appeare that they are not the men but that we are to expect others in whom this Prophecy may be absolutely fulfilled What hath been said is onely by way of remark or short annotation and not as a Commentary which would have swell'd into a just volume as done out of no other designe then to lay the Prophecy at their doores who in the apprehensions of most and upon serious consideration of what is produc'd against them to justifie it are the more justly chargeable therewith nor hope of other effect then what is laid down by Saint Augustine contra Faustum lib. 1 cap. 3. Sicut vestra intentio est Semi-christianos quos decipiatis inquirere sic nostra intentio est Pseudochristianos vobis ostendere ut non solum Christiani peritiores vos convincendo prodant sed imperitiores vos cavendo proficiant FINIS Errata page 1. l. 8. r Ligue p. 14 l. 34. r. as p. 31. l. 12. r. related p. 36. l. 28. r. thousand p. 52. l. 21. r. Gentlewomen p. 75. l. 8. r. concern'd them P. 6. l. 21. dele that p. 12. l. â—2 r Provinciâ—lat of â— 14 l. 3â— for prest r. pass'd p. 16. l. 21. r. evasions p. 1â—â— 3. r. wash his p 23. l. 21. for an r. and. p. 25. l. 13. for of â— in p. 30. l. 22. for Nor. r. Now. p. 40. l. 36. for are r. as p. 45. l. 15. r. stuck fill the blanck in the fourth piece p. 19. They affect to wrest their necks in the preface to the fifth Treatise for Justification r. Institution in the last piece p. 22. l. 34. r. All all all How serviceable the Jesuits have been to the Church and Catholick Religion A Character of the Jesuits at their first Institution They are odious for their Aulicisme and monopolising the favours of God and Princes A way for Courtiers to insinuate into the Jesuits favour How farre they may be wicked and Tyrannicall in the employments they get into by their recommendation The several affections of men women and children towards the Society The unfitnesse of the Jesuits to medle with Court-affairs The example of S. Peter should deter them from Palaces They are odious sor their insatiable covetousness They care not how burdensome they are ta Princes and Provinces 2 Paedag. 12. How the Jesuits first behaved themselves among the Indians How among the Europeans The end and means of the Jesuits Whence it comes that the Jesuits do not work miracles This passage agues the piece written before the canonization of Ignatius Loyola and Xaverius Why God sometimes heard not the Prophets Their teaching gratis no great advantage to to any They are prejudiciall to many A scandall to Hereticks Seneâ— de Vit. Beat lib. 2. They are odious also for their pride Would monopolize wisdome and learing Contemne and slight all others How they abuse the favours of Princes in the protection of maâ—efactors They hated for their pragmatical intermedling in all mens affairs The Jesuits Procuratâ—r a great Favouritâ— of Paul the fifth Why so gratious Better Projectors then Pastors A Christians wish The Pope cannot dispense with the Jesuits How they at the same time serve both God and Mammon The examination of the young men upon their first admission to the Jesuits schools The advantages they make of the said examinations The Jesuits Schools dangerous places for young Lâ—ds The impudence of the Jesuits Women make diurnal confessions to the Jesuits A Jesuitical insinuation betrayed The frequent visits made to them The great advantages of the Generall of the Jesuits in point of Intelligence A character given of the Jesuits above 500 years since Their restless curiosity Their earnestness in reforming Monks and Clergy-men Their encroachings upon the monasteries Their professiont are good But their hypocrisy intollerable An instance of their Love to the Church They have somewhere in Spaine a Stable where the body of Christ had formerly been kept
it Such another discovery of animosity against our Kings fell from a certain Jesuit named Fabâ—icius at a banquet This man was by Nation a Germane and companion to Denis l' Espaulart in his preachings in the time of Advent in the town of Fontenay le-â—omte The indiscreet stranger not yet acquainted with the niceness and reverence which the French observe when they speak of their Monark hearing some that were at table saying that Henry the fourth had some great designes upon the Empire and that there would have happened great revolutions if God had continued his life a little longer ita est sayes he in Latine sed per dei gratiam et bonorum curam culter obstitit That is to say 't is true but through the grace of God and the care of good men a knife prevented it Had there been a rack provided upon this hint he would possibly have said the truth not by halvs but absolutely and had discovered to posterity what France hath much suspected but never could clearly finde out May it please God to let the Grand-child of the great Henry know who these good men are who as the Jesuit said put France into mourning and sent out of this world his Grand father of famous memory when he was preparing a triumph for his dearest spouse The Jesuits are afraid God should take them at their words if in their devotions they should say what all France does in that particular prayer which is made for the King Vitiorum monstra devitare hostes superare that is to say to shun the monsters of vices and to overcome his enemies The Provincial Pitard caused to be razed out of their Litanies which they say at eight of the clock these words printed HOSTES SUPERARE TO OVERCOME HIS ENEMIES the reason is for that the greatest enemy of the Crown of France since Charles the fifth being the Spanyard it would trouble them extreamly to wish any victories to the King of France to the prejudice of the King of Spain I have been my self and have seen others very grave persons reproved by the Superiours for having after the prohibition made added the fore-recited words To which these making answer that it was lawful for them as French men aâ—d according to the order of Cathedral Churches that prayed so to pray to God that the King might be victorious over his Enemies you must replied they to hide their malicious treachery under the veyl of Piety conâ—orm your selves not to the Gallican Church but to the order of Rome which does not demand victories for Kings If there be any one that out of curiosity would surprize them in this he may make speed to see the Litanies which they have in the Oratory of their Hall of recreation and he shall finde in those little books if they are still used that these words Hostes superare are dashed out wiâ—h a pen. It must needs be that the wills of these Zealots are very corrupt since they distil venome even into their devotions The King of France founds Colledges for these Hypocrites to the end they may pray for the prosperity of his arms and the Superiours of Guienne by an express command forbid those that are under them to desire even in their publick prayers that he should overcome his enemies This hatred against Kings which in many among them is become another nature is not satisfied only with Blood royal but engages them further to wish ill to all those who by their wise councels and high enterprises endeavour the greatness and dilatation of the state When the news came of the general revolt of all Portugal they immediately conceiving that a revolution so fatal to the Spanyard had been brought about by the policy of the most eminent Cardinal Richelieu I have known for certain that four Jesuits discoursing of it that night very confidently and privately in a chamber on that side where Theology is taught in Bourdeaux one of them was so enraged to hear that so considerable a loss had befallen the Crown of Spain that out of madness he took a picture he had of the Cardinall 's and having run it through several times with a pen knife at the eyes and the heart put it into the flame of the candle and buâ—nt it The wounds given the paper did that great Polititian no great hurt but had he ever discovered the exaspeâ—ated inclinations of these creatures of Spain he would have taken a little more heed of those who under the name of Jesuits would make â—he world believe that they live out of it Another of the same society having observed that an unskilful Graver had made a very wretchâ—d draught of that grâ—at Minister of state bought up abundance of them and having made them up into packets sent them to divâ—rse Colledges in Spain and Germany saying that he would have his Brethren to see the Picture of that Devil These salâ—ies do indeed speak something that is childish but they are withal conclusive Arguments of their malice against the Crown under which they live When some Bishops have ordered Te Deum to bâ— sung and publick devotions to be made in acknowledgement of the happy success of his Majesties Arms I have often heard sometimes one sometimes another say I am content to pray heartily to God not that he would prosper his Majestie 's Arms but that he would stay the couâ—se of their bloody victories and confound the counsels and designs of the Cardinal who sets all Europe on fire to sâ—tisfie his own vain glorious humour What will all wâ—ll affected French men say of those that persecute the state even in their prayers If thâ—y câ—nsider their proceedings ever since their first comming into France they will find that if this hypocritical Body ever discovered any respect to the Princes thereof it hath been meerly in order to its own concernments and is no longer duâ—iful and obedient to the soveraign power then it is flattered aâ—d loadenwith benefits thereby From the acts of hostility which they exercise aga nst their lawful superiours the Bishâ—ps when they are countenanced by the Court you may imagine how violent and furious they will be against the civil Magistracy when ever the Pope shall think fit in their particular quarrels to protect them I shall say more when in a book it is in my thoughts to write concerning their Institution I shall take occacasion to explicate the Rule which obliges them to stick to one or the other party in the differences that happen between Christian Princes In the mean time I wish France may open its eyes that she may take heed that this generation of Vipers which she feeds in her breast do not at last to her destruction eat out their way through her belly and her bowels CHAP. III. An endiâ—ement of Encroachments and Antidates put in against the Jesuits THose things whereof most men agree in their judgements are commonly grounded upon some truth Of a thousand people in
sensible of the malice and injustice of my accusers What ever may be the result I cannot but hope that God who rais'd up Daniel to vindicate the innocent Susanna from the crime layd to her charge by two lustfull Elders will raise up some charitable maintainer of my Cause who shall make my party good and that the same God who delivered Lot from amongst the Sodomites and from the flames of fire will also deliver me out of the hands of the Jesuits In the mean time let us take their proceeding into examination and consider the imprudences and poore occasions they are put to therein CHAP. V. Discovering the cheats and evasions of the Jesuits in their prosecution WHen Ignatius said in the Letter he writ to the Monkes of his Order in Portugall that it was his desire that Obedience should be the ear-mark whereby the true children of the Society should be distinguished from others he had said more truly according to their Institution and ordinary practise if he had expres'd himself thus it is my desire that cheats and circumventions should be the undeniable characters whereby you might be known to be right Jesuits For he that shall consider their equivocations in matter of Justice their ambiguous expressions in conversation and dealings with men the mentali reservations and restrictions which they have introduced into Morall Divinity to the great disadvantage of Truth their crafty designes to cajoll the simple in their Shriving seats and their visits purposely to get a claw into their Estates by surreptitious donations must needs conclude that a mischievous crastinesse is the Soule which informs and gives motion to that vast Body which acts not either in â—hâ—â—gâ— relating to Morality or civill affaires but by dissâ—â—â—uâ—â—tion and complyances To demonstrate this truth I have instances enough to make a volume but the businesse now in agitatiâ—n is to shew their foule practise in their indictment against me Beaufes through whose mouth the Provincial and the Consultors cast up their choler and indignation furnishes me with an argument that cannot be answered Courteous Reader says he in the beginning of his Book you are desir'd to take notice that the prosecution against Peter Jarrigius by way of indictment is not carryed on either upon any request of the Reverend Fathers of the Society of Jesus or for any crime committed by him while he was of their Society he is onely charged with Sacâ—iledges committed by him since his profession of the Religion pretendedly reformed And a little lower the charge they have hitherto had against Monsieur Vincent is purely civill to oblige him to produce before Monsieur the Lieutenant Generall of this City the originall copy of the book he hath published to be compared with the Letters whereby Jarrigius himself hath refuted the Impostures scattered abroad under his name And a little lower The Consistory was obliged to bring into Court those pieces which the Fathers of the Society required especially the Act of Novemb 24. 1647. Here I desire the Reader to take notice that these Monasticall Fiends demand and that with importunity that the Act of November 24 should bee brought before the Judge and he shall find anon wherefore and to what end they desire it Lastly he saies in the conclusion of his Advertisement that the Scribes Viau and L' Eâ—piniere have declared that the writing and Seale of the Act of Profession of Peter â—arrigius of Novemb. 24 represented by M. Gasper Le Roy Register agreed with the writing and subscription of the beforementioned Letters Of all men Lyers ought to pray for good memories This man hath one that is so treacherous that ere he come to the midst of a discourse that takes up but a fmall page he destroyes what he had afsirmed in the beginning of it The cheat is discovered ere the word is out of his mouth as a pick-pocket taken in the midst of the market-place with the purse in his hand I feare me the man fondly imagines that the French who will be guilty of so much curiosity as to read his book are overgrowne with such a sottish credulity that he can perswade them that they do not see what 's before their eyes He impudently affirmes that they are not my prosecutors in that indictment and two periods after he acknowledges that it was by their means the Consistory was forced to produce in Court the act of November 24. which they thought a sufficient ground whereupon to put in an endictment against me When they have thrown the stone before all the world they withdrew the hand and then confidently affirme both by word and writing that they did it not For any horrid thing such as this may be the only way is to deny it But is it possible the Inhabitants of Rochell should read this abominable lie in the very Frontispiece of the advertisement to the Reader without conceiving an indignation against the Impostor who must needs be thought to reproach the weaknesse of their understanding when â—e denies to their faces what they have seen with their eies Methinks it might have been enough for James Beaufes to cleare himselfe for his own part and to call for a basin of water as Pilate did and to wash hands before the people saying I am innocent as to the blood of this just person which if he had done I am confident the people of Rochell would not have cryed out His blood be upon us and upon our children No it is a priviledge proper only to the Jesuits to procure the death not only of an inconsiderable person such as I may be but that of great Princes and most Christian Kings and to say after all we have not done any such thing I referre my self to any man whether this be not to lie diabolically or rather Jesuitically The Sermons they have preached convince them the bookes they have written betray their malice and their both private and publick sollieitations generally known all over Rochell discover their violence against me and yet they are so insensibly impudent as to affirme nay were it requisite they would sweare as Jesuits that they are not my prosecutors in this businesse Let us divert our selves so far as to snap these notorious Lyers in their Sycophancy and elusions What should be the meaning of those violent and furious invectives wherein Beauses and others were publickly employed to the great scandall of the people all the insinuations of wit and Rhetoricks and all to prove during the space of four whole months that I was guilty of sacriledge and consequently of death To what end was that Scandalous pamphlet scattered up and down under the title of The Impieties and Sacriledges of Peter Jarrigius Out of what designe was it that there was such importunity used to oblige the Consistory to bring into Court the act of the 24th of November it being the onely thing whereon they thought an enditement might â—e justly grounded against me as to Sacriledge In a word what
the same course of life which she had engaged her self in Now the place aforesaid being too narrow for the entertainment of so great a number she was by a certain revelation from Heaven commanded to remove thence to another called the Mount of S. Rupert not far from a Town now called Binghen where the River Naba falls into the Rhine and to take those of her Sodality or Institution along with her Whereupon choosing out eighteen Virgins she left the Monastery of S. Isibod where she had hitherto lived to the great grief of the Monkes of that place and planted her self with the female attendance aforesaid in another Monastery built upon the said Mount by some Magicall assistance where they lived after the manner of a Religious life Hildegard being constituted Abbesse thereof She is also said to have written many Books whereof we are furnished with a Catalogue by Trithemius and others as followeth 1. Upon the Rule of S. Benedict 1 2. Solutions to eight and thirty Questions 1 3. The Life of S. Rupert the Confessor 1 4. The Life of S. Disibod the Bishop 1 5. Fifty and eight Homilies upon severall places of the Gospell 1 6. Of the Sacrament of the Altar 1 7. Sciviae a large Volume 1 8. Of Medicinall compositions 1 9. Of the Life of Merits 3 10. Of Divine works 1 11. To the Inhabitants of Moguntia 1 12. To those of Cologne 1 13. To those of Trier 1 14. An Exhortation to Saeculars 1 15. An Explication of Athanasius's Creed dedicated to her Sisters 1 16. To the Griâ—ean Monks 1 17. Of severall Poems 1 18. To S. Bernard Epist 1 19. Of Epistles to severall people 135. collected all into one Booke 1 All which Treatises were by Eugenius the third in the Councell of Trier approved in the presence of the same Saint Bernard in the year of our Lord M. C. L. She had no acquaintance at all with the Latine Tongue as she acknowledges her self in the Book before mentioned called the Sciviae where she expresses her self to this effect Being come to the two and fortieth yeare of my age and the seventh moneth of the said yeare a fiery light of extraordinary brightnesse coming from the open heaven dispersed it self all about my Braine and all about my heart and all about my Breast as a flame yet not such as burns but such as warmes raising in me such a warmth as the Sun does in those things whereon it sheds its rayes And immediately I was illuminated with the understanding and exposition of books as for instance of the Psalter the Ghospels and other Catholick Volumes as well of the Old as New Testament yet not so as that I was any thing skilled in the interpretation of the words of the Text or the division of the Syllables or understood ought of cases or Tenses As may be found in her life Lib. 1. cap. 1. But her manner was to make use of a Secretary a faithfull person whose businesse it was being well skilled in the rules of Grammar to do all things with observance of cases tenses and genders yet with this caution that neither as to the sence or understanding of what was written he should not detract from any thing or adde ought She is reported to have written to Pope Adrian and to have given him an account of what had been communicated to her in a Celestiall Vision as if a Voyce had said to her What thou learnest from above thou shalt not according to the ordinary custome pronounce in the Latine Tongue for that priviledge is not given to thee let him that is so qualifyed prepare it for the apprehensions of men In her life lib. 2. And to Wibert a Monk of the Monastery at Gemblours she thus writes of her Visions God saith she works all things in order to the manifestation of his glorious name and not that man born of the earth should be thereby exalted For my part I am alwayes in feare and trembling because I have not any security what I am able to do But I lift up my hands to God for that it is bâ— his strength that like a feather which hath nothing of weight but is blown up and down by the wind I am sustained Nor indeed dare I be over-confident of even the things which I see while I am encompassed with a body and the exigences attendant thereon and reach not the invisibility of the Soul for as to these two there is a deficiency in man Though the Vision appeared to me in my infancy even while my bones my nerves and my veines were not yet well knit together yet do I see it in my soul at this very present now that I am above seventy years of age and it is the pleasure of God so to dispose of me as that my soul ascends up into the height of the Firmanent and is carryed through divers places and takes notice of severall Nations though they are at a great distance from me And whereas it is after such a manner that I see these things in my soul it is also accordingly after certain interpositions of clouds and other creatures that I behold them It is not therefore with my outward eyes that I see these things nor with my outward ears that I hear them nor is it with the thoughts of my heart or any assistance of my five senses that I apprehend them but all is transacted in my soule my outward eyes being open so as that I never suffered any defect of exstacy in them but I constantly see these things waking night and day See her Life lib. 1. cap. 8. She is very Satyricall in inveighing against the vices and miscarriages of the Clergy of her time Whereupon it is that she in a certain place saith But now is it come to passe that the greatest contemners of the Law are these who by their functions ought to be most tender thereof they neglect both the doing and teaching of that which is good The Spirituall Masters and the Prelates justice being slighted and scorned mind nothing but their own ease In a certain vision she had the Church appeared to her in the forme of a Woman making sad complaints that her face was all bespattered with dirt by the Priests themselves and her garments rent in pieces c. that they neither in their doctrine nor in their example were guides to the people but rather did the contrary that they forced away the innocent Lamb from them She said moreover that all Ecclesiasticall Institutions grew worse and worse and that the Priests did not teach but rather endeavour to destroy the Law of God And that for those horrid wickednesses and impieties she threatens and foretells the heavy wrath and judgements of God that were like to fall upon them See Catalogus testium Veritatis She also foretells a restauration of Religion and that it shall be to the great encouragement of the Godly Then saith she shall the sacred badges of
they having their thoughts fasten'd on things below such as the building of sumptuous Colledges and pallacies heaping up of wealth improving by hook or by crook the revenues of the Society and the seeds of happiness hereafter being choak'd by a profane Sollicitude here that of Christ condoling the state of Hierusalem might pertinently be â—pplyed to them Didst thou understand even in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace c. Parag. 88. Aedificatores in altum dum altiùs ascendere non poteratis tunc cecidistis Builders up on high and whâ—n ye could ascend no higher ye fell Dishonour and disgrace is the consequences of pride their high thoughts and defignes will be brought low enough But to take the words of the prophecy in the literall sence their magnificent structures their high built edifices sufficiently betray their high minds and projects But saith she because you could ascend no higher ye fell what else could be expected from such as are perpetually climbing up but that being gotten so high as they think it a shame to be brought lower they should break that which cannot well be mended again ye fell saith the holy woman denoting the certainty of their fall ye are fallen in some measure already many Countries have cast you out in the rest you are tottering and upon the brink of the precicipice ready to receive an irrecoverable downfall Parag. 89. Simon 's flight into the aire his fall and death is thus layd down by Nicephorus l. 2. c. 36. Because he said to Peter the Apostle with whom he had great contestation Is thy Christ therefore any great person because he ascended from earth to heaven That 's a thing I can as easily do my self And immediately stretching forth his hands evill spirits sustaining him he was carryed up and down Whereat Peter much troubled prayed to God in his heart rebuked those wicked powers which had taken up the Magician and commanded them to depart from him Upon which Simon falling down headlong is broken to pieces This was the end of Simon Magus and his Magick The parallel will be more apparent in these particulars 1. Simon was a Magician a great Master in delusions and enchantments they are well wishers to the Mathematiâ—iâ—ks they countenance Conjurers and have laid down favourable maximes for such as shall seriously study those which not onely either Christians but even Heathens have condemned and prohibited as unlawfull Sciences See Mystery of Jesuitisme LET. VIII pag. 115. 116. If they countenance if they encourage why may they not practise That sad oversight of Father Cotton rung all over France Who hath a mind may see the story at length with the questions he intended to have made to a possessed maid too long to be here inserted in Speculum Jesuiticum pag. 106. 107. 108. 109. though not so largely as in a Book intituled PHYSIOGNOMIA JESUITICA printed in the Year 1610. It is also related by Thuâ—â—â—s lib. 132. where he sayes that the oâ—iginall came at last to the hands of Hen. IV. to whom F. Cotton was confessor 2. He bewitched men with his delusions making them to see things otherwise then they were How much they endeavour to cast a mist before mens eyes hath been already shewn and is apparent to all the world in that though they maintaine what is most horrid and destructive to Christianity they will neverthelesse have a reputation of sanctimony austerity and devotion beyond all others 3. He contested with Peter the Apostle they oppose the doctrine of all the Apostles 4. He was ambitious of the worship due to God they would be terrestâ—iall Gods the companions of Jesus 5. He would derogate from the ascension of Christ into Heaven They pretend miracles but done in such places as few will visit to disprove them 6. Sustained by evil spirits he fled up on high how probably they would make use of the same assistance to accomplish their high designes their own Maximes sufficiently discover 7. What does there remaine but that as Simon was by the prayers of Peter brought down and broken to pâ—eces So they by those of pious men should be defeated of their hopes and disappointed of their ends when they endeavour things destructive not onely to the generality of Christians but even to themselves Parag. 90 Sic Vos per seductionem nequiâ—ias mendacia detractiones iniquitates vestras corruistis So are you fallen down through your seduction wickednesse lyes calumnies and iniquities Through your own iniquities saith holy Hildegard You will be so far from having any thing to charge others with that on the contrary it will be a certain torment to you that you slighted their advice and reformed not your wayes upon the discovery of your exorbitances and impieties No their ruine proceeds not from the designes of others upon them but will be the effect of their own mischess seductions conspiracies delusions detractions Parag. 91. Et populus diâ—et Illis Ite doctores perversitatis subversores veritatis and the people shall say unto them Go ye teachers of perversenesse subverters of the truth Possible Shall they be laid so open so naked shall they be so anatomized as that the people the brâ—inlesse multitude sensible of their malice artifices cheats lyes calumnies and iniquities will cast them out and triumph over them Get you gone sayes the people yee teachers of perversenesse you have poysoned us long enough with your pernicious doctrines and tenents our eyes are at last opened to see your abuses and extravagances Depart from among us ye subverters of the Truth ye shall betray us no longer by your pollutions and prevarications But of this hath been discoursed more at large Paragraph 15. Parag. 92. Fratres Sunamitidis Breehren of the Sunamite The story of her is to be read 1 Kings chap. 1. but it were to be wished they were as free from Women as David was from her they should noâ— be guilty of so many breaches of the seventh Commandment as they are Parag. 93. Patres hâ—reticâ—pravitatis Fathers as to hereticall depravednesse If to be obstinate and inconvincible in an erroneous and pernicious opinion be any thing of â—in to heresie or be any disposition thereto they are not injur'd in this character They will maintain any thing of that nature till they grow Fathers in it and if advanced under that authority it must not be quitted But if they are the Hereticks we must needs quit those whom they calumniate and persecute as such Now the JANSENISTS may know where to retort the HERESIE so much layd to their charge and lay it at their doors who are most clamorous against it 'T is in like manner from this obstinacy and depravednesse that they have such contestations with all Universities and Parlements and that so many of their books are censured and burnt though many more would come to that destiny were they writ by any other then Jesuits whose prevalence in the Court of Rome