Monarchies nor leave their Kings so much elbow-room nor their Commands so absolute and Sovereign as the other There are moreover in Europe other lesser Kingdoms comprehended under these as those of Bohemia and Hungary under the Emperor That of Navarre under the Crown of France Those of Naples Sicily Sardinia and Maiorck under the King of Spain And those of Scotland and Ireland under the King of England The Seven Electors three Eccleasiastick four Saecular and of late a fifth are the Arch-Bishop of Mentz Dean of the Colledge of Electors Lord High-Chancellor of the Empire in Germany The Arch-Bishop of Colen Lord High-Chancellor of the Empire in Italy The Arch-Bishop of Trevers Lord High-Chancellor of the Empire in France The King of Bohemia at this time Emperor till the young King his Son come to be installed therein chief Cup-bearer of the Empire Count Palatine of the Rhine heretofore the fifth Elector chief Almoner of the Houshold now the eighth and Lord High-Treasurer since the Duke of Bavaria new-created was put in his place The Duke of Saxony Lord High-Marshal or Sword-Bearer and the Marquess of Brandenburgh Lord High-Chamberlain and who has the largest Territories next the Emperor himself These Electors are Sovereign in their Estates and though Members of the Empire yet can make Peace and War when they please whereof we have at this present a sad example between the Elector Palatine and the Elector of Mentz with the Lorrainers The Ecclesiastick Electors ever had the precedency of the other by reason of the height and Supremacy of the Pope in Temporals and the Saecular Power of the Bishops in former times The seven Grand Dutchies or Dukedoms which have each their particular Lords and Masters are the Dukedom of Moscovy the Prince whereof assumes the Title of Emperor and by some is reckoned among Empires As indeed to say the truth it is a Dukedom on which depends thirty other Dutchies and three Kingdoms which exceed Germany and Poland in extent and notwithstanding all their Cold are fill'd with Inhabitants And the Duke himself is absolute over his Subjects The Dutchy of Savoy at this day the first in Europe the Dutchy of Tuscany of Lorrain of Saxony and Bavaria whose Dukes are Electors and the Dutchy of Holstein As for the great Duke of Lithuania he is subject to the King of Poland and the Dutchy of Milan to the King of Spain And the other petty Dutchies of Germany and Italy are not of any force or reckoning with these seven We must crown all these Dutchies or Dukedoms with the one only Arch-Dukedom of Austria whereof the Emperor is Master and add that all these Estates have nothing mixt in the form of their Government and that they acquiess under the Authority of one alone The seven Common-Wealths are those of the Suisses of Venice of the United Provinces of Genoa of Lucca of Geneva and of Raguza For the petty Common-Wealth of St. Marine must not come into this Range As for the Hans-Towns and free Cities of Germany they acknowledge some subjection or other to the Empire c. The three grand Principalities are Transilvania Wallachia and Moldavia all three tributary to the Turk As for the Prince of Precopia or lesser Tartary called the Crim Tartar he is now made slave to the Turk and over him a Beglerbeg or Bassa to command in chief It will not perhaps distast the Reader to give a List here of the present Kings and Princes according to their different Ages together The King of Spain Swedeland the Prince of Orange the Land-grave of Hesse-Cassel the Duke of Mantua the Duke of Modena are yet in their Minority The King of France England Portugal the Elector of Bavaria the Duke of Saxony the Duke Regent of Holstein the Dukes of Lunenburgh the Landgrave of Hesse-darmstat the Duke of Mickleburgh the Prince of Mount-Belliard the Prince of East-Friezland the Marquess of Bada the grand Duke of Moscovy and the grand Segnior All these Princes are in the prime of their Age and like to reign long Those that have passed the middle of their dayes and begin to draw towards their evening are the Pope alwayes the King of Poland who has now lately resign'd his Crown and none other yet chose the King of Denmark the three Electors Ecclesiastick three of the Secular the Palatine the Elector of Saxony and of Brandenburgh the three Princes of Transilvania Walachia and Moldavia The Duke of Lorrain Wittenburgh Newburgh Brunswick Wolfen-Buttel the great Duke of Tuscany and the Duke of Parma The Ecclesiastick Government of Europe in general is either Papal owning the Pope as Supream or Episcopal owning the King as Supream in all causes and Arch-Bishops and Bishops under him call'd also Prelatical as in the Church of England or Super-intendent which is a kind of Episcopal among the Lutherans but yet owning no Head of the Church neither Pope nor King or Civil Magistrate to order the Affairs of the Church as such The Presbyterian or Synodical owning a Presbytery or Synod as Supream and Lay-Elders c. but no Bishops nor Super-intendents as in France Holland c. As for other forms of Government there are none established any where by publick Authority And this is the present face almost of Europe in General LANGUAGES The present Languages of Europe for we pass by those that are out of date as the Hebrew Greek and Latine which are rather Scholastical than National and onely us'd among the Learned may be reduced to three the Teutonick the Sclavonian and the derivatives of Latin and Greek corrupted By the way only take notice that the Arabick Tongue is the same in Asia that the Latin is in Europe and that by its help one may march from the Bosphorus in Europe to the furthermost Lands of the Indians We find not therefore in Europe more then two Mother Tongues at present which have each their several Dialects with some sprouts as it were of the two dead Languages Latin and Greek The two Mother Languages then are the Teutonick and the Sclavonian The Sclavonian is familiar at Constantinople and even at Grand Caire And has for its principal Dialects the Rheuthenick or Russian for the Moscovites the Dalmattan for the Transilvanians and Hungarians the Bohemian and the Polonian the Illyrian Jazigian c. with some others which have their course amongst the Walachians and the Moldavians and the lesser Tartary The Teutonick hath three principal Dialects the German the Saxon and the Danish And of these again issue forth other Idioms as the Flemish or Low-Dutch the English the Swedish the Cauchian of the East-Friezlanders amongst themselves only for they use Dutch to strangers the Language of Norway and of the Suissers The Greek Language Mort or dead but less corrupted than the Latin hath divers Reliques and shootings forth in divers Isles of the Archipelago in Achaia and Morea under the great Turk and is better preserv'd here in these named then in
present House of Bourbon and granted good terms to the Protestants but was afterwards stabb'd by Ravillac of the Romish and Jesuitical Faction The first occasion as was hinted of these Troubles was the Massacre at Merindal Anno 1545. but specially the great Massacre at Paris and thereupon presently throughout the whole kingdom an 1572. from which time the Holy League began Which was a Sacred Confederation of the Pope king of Spain and Duke of Guise for the Catholick Religion and to root out Hereticks And to that end to set up some more Catholick and zealously affected and engaged King and Interest either the King of Spain or Duke of Guise of the Family of Lorrain descended from Charles the great on whom the Pope pretends to have bestowed no less than the Roman Empire upon its ruine and the kingdom of France upon its alienation to Pepin his Father Lewis the 13 th his Son succeeded 1610 the most absolute King of France since Charles the Great For he reduc'd the Protestants to his obedience and all the Forts and Castles held by them to the number of three hundred diminishes the Liberty of Religion granted by Henry the fourth by Decree ordering that all the Protestants should be in all things equal with the Catholicks and enjoy the same Priviledges and Immunities In which War the Siege of Rochel was most famous where all the Art of War was shewn Anno 1628. taken and its Walls demolished Cardinal Richlieu was his chief Counsellor and Minister of State under whom he brings all France into one entire body and state yet Liberty of Religion by agreement continued to the Protestants And from that time bent all his Horce against Spain and House of Austria then encreasing So by the Conduct of Richlieu accomplish'd great things in Italy Germany Spain and Flanders as well as his own Kingdom So that by the peace at Munster between both Emperor and Spain all Alsatia was added to France and the strongest places on this side the Rhine and a good part of Flanders c. whereby France recovered the bounds as it were of ancient Gaul The Dukedom of Lorraine also during the German wars was put into the protection of France about the restoring of which there has been some difficulties of late or demurres An. 1642. Lewis the 14 th four years old succeeds in whose minority the Queen Mother managed affairs with Cardinal Mazarine a stranger which stirred the envy and hatred of the French against him 1650. The discontented Princes are imprisoned which causes intestine commotions the Prince of Conde chief 1651. They are freed Mazarin driven out of Paris and banished But the King entering his 14th year recalled Conde arms against the King 1652. At Mazarin's return now Civil Discords revive But the Cardinal outdoes them and becomes more potent and glorious Prince of Conde takes the Spaniards part in Flanders Afterwards Mazarine made Peace with England 1660. The Wars between France and Spain for twenty six years ended and Peace made The Kings marriage with Spains Infanta follows by Mazarin's and De Haro's means Which has since occasioned the late War in Flanders Conde reconcil'd to the King and restor'd Since which the Protestants never in lower condition nor more under the hatches and have lost more by this Peace then ever they did by their own Wares Aurange taken into the Kings protection and unwalled 1661. Duke of Orleans the Kings Brother Marries the Princesse of England The Duke of Lorraine sells his Provinces to the King of France his Nephew dissenting The rest since are flesh in memory Namely the Political and Civildeath as it were of the Protestants since the General Peace 1660 and since this last Peace also The Wars with England France confederating with Holland or rather poizing the lighter Ballance or weaker side The Comprehension of the Jansenists and the four Jansenian Bishops with the chief thereof Doctor Arnaud within the Bounds of the Romish Church Marshal Turein turn'd Catholick So that France is like to be one entire Body of Catholicks which no doubt is one main design on foot of the Pope and Jesuites who by strange and unobserved artifices sway Princes and their grand Ministers of State c. The Foundation and Revolutions of Spain and Portugal After the breaking of the Roman Empire there was a Kingdom founded over all Spain and Portugal by the West Goths coming out of Italy This Kingdom was destroyed afterwards by the Moors and Saracens The Goths began soon after to revive again and to erect several lesser Kingdoms by degrees as they could which in time were variously united and disunited again and perpetual Wars with one another The grand division at last was into the kingdom of the Moors and of the Christians or Goths The Moors Kingdom in the end fixed only in Andalusia or most Southern parts of Spain The Christians became divided also in time into four chief Kingdoms Castile Arragon Navarre and Portugal which could never unite till 1. Ferdinand the Great sirnamed the Catholick King of Arragon laid the Foundations of the last and greatest Monarchy of Spain by marriage with Isabel Queen of Castile c. towards the year 1480. in which Race continued ever since Whereupon mighty things ensued 1. Perpetual Union betwixt those two potent Kingdoms 2. The utter rooting out presently thereupon the Moors and Saracens from the kingdom of Andalusia who had held Spain more or less in subjection for seven hundred years Anno 1492. Upon which they presum'd to stile themselves King and Queen of Spain i. e. all Spain to the prejudice of Navarre and Portugal who were yet distinct Kingdoms 3. The seizing on the kingdom of Navarre whereto belonged Naples and Sicily c. 4. The discovery of the New World America the year 1492. After which they had the title of Catholick by the Pope to the prejudice of all other Kingdoms 5. The marrying of their only Daughter and Heir to Philip the Emperors Son Archduke of Austria Prince of the Netherlands thereby uniting those great Estates and laying the Foundation also for the present Austrian Greatness and Family continued ever since by so many intermarriages between the Spanish and Imperial branches of that potent Family And thus the Spaniards first became considerable in the World and a Terror to Neighbours and suddenly look'd like the beginners of a fifth or Universal Monarchy of the World at least the New-World Which they affected first in Title Getting 1. that of Catholick Kings after they had usurped that of Kings of Spain as designed by the Pope for Universal or Catholick Monarch to promote the Catholick Cause on Religion to root out Hereticks c. which has been alwayes their pretext and which they have been alwayes zealous and mighty sticklers for And 2 they have hereby claimed prerogative over all other Kings and by pretext of their Title have ever since look'd on themselves as the Greatest Monarchs of all the World as indeed they had
and the Church in this Stile Peter the Apostle of Jesus Christ to you the most Illustrious King Pepin and to all Bishops Abbots c. I the Apostle Peter whose Adopted Sons you are admonish you that you perfectly come and defend this City c. And doubt you not but trust assuredly that I my self as if I stood before you do thus exhort you c. and that I Peter the Apostle of God will at the last day yeeld you mutual kindness and prepare you Tabernacles in the Heavens Upon this quarel of the Popes Pepin and his Son Charls destroy the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy and give large Territories to the Church And these things made way and gave occasion and opportunity for Charles upon his great conquests to set up the German Empire of the West Franks The Pope in requital confirms Pepin in the Ringdom of France gives his Son Charls afterwards the Title of most christian King and crowns him Emperor of the Romans at Rome An. 800. From which he would pretend to be above Emperors and Kings and to be his right to Crown confirm and depose them if not dispose of their Kingdoms But Charls at length reassumes the ancient and original Imperial Dignity and Power to Govern the Church call Councils and order Papal Elections and confirm and invest them c. against all begun usurpations and incroachments of the Pope and aws Italy And keeps the Pope still Subject which Authority of the Empire was prety well upheld during the Caroline Race The Pope in the mean while under pretext of the Christian Religion and converting Infidels and the Nations increases in Wealth Power and Authority over the World Thundering out these Decrees of Holy Church Out of the Church no Salvation The Pope's the Successor of St. Peter the visible Head of the Church the Vicar of Christ on Earth His right as aforesaid to create confirm excommunicate and depose Kings and dispose Kingdoms for the cause of Religion c. That they are Hereticks that dissent from the Roman Church the only true Catholick Church or are Enemies to it c. Hereby the Consciences of the Nations Princes and People converted to an outward christianity are aw'd and fill'd with Reverence and Zeal for the Church to convert or root out Infidel Nations c. and to do any Benefices or Services for the Church As the most acceptable Service to Christ whom they began to acknowledge and Worship as their God and Saviour Hence almost all the Nations subject themselves to the Pope as Head of the Church yea and in Temporals also in a great measure nay some to hold their Kingdoms of him c. As if they could not any better way recompence Christs Vicar for the benefit of their Eternal Salvation then to submit themselvs all theirs to his dispose And this Opinion was brought about to prevail in the World that they might redeem their sins by good deeds and charitable works and services for the Church against it's enemies c. Hence Riches and Revenues of the Clergy and Hosts and swarms of clergy men Hence Churches Temples Abbies Monastries without number c. for the Redemtion of Souls Hence Expeditions Holy Wars Leagues and undertakings for the Church Hence Pardons Indulgences and devices for mony c. 'T would be endless to mention particulars c. The Pope having thus erected his Throne in the Consciences of men strongly seated there through Ignorance and blind Zeal and Devotion begins to play Rex in the World Besides there being perpetual emulation of Princes specially in Germany and Italy for Empire and Dominion c. The Pope interests himself in one part and the other for fear of excommunication or force becomes subject to him The Pope therefore now practises all wayes he can against the superiority of the Emperor and from being any wayes subject to his Authority or control and to undermine all Supremacy in Temporals presuming that all power is given to him both in Heaven and Earth in the Church and State c. 'Till in the end they come not only to let the Emperors have nothing to do in their Election Confirmation and Investiture but also to have all in a manner themselves to do in the Creation and Coronation of the Emperors Not long after the Caroline power and race declining and that partly through the Popes practises Italy is usurp'd by several Tyrants against the Emperor and almost wholly broken from it wherein the Popes have a finger and make their own advantage upon these distractions of the Empire For An. 884. Adrian the 3 d. denyes the Emperors Authority necessary to the creating Popes and about the year 900. the Empire is wholly and perfectly translated from the French or Caroline race to the Germans by Pope Agapetus's plotting And about the year 1000. as some write Gregory the fifth appoints Electors for choosing the Emperors whereby they afterwards became weakned and the Empire broken into factions and parties and the Pope thereby to have the better opportunity to work his own ends and to raise his greatness out of others ruines striving now to be uppermost not only in Church but State too and to be above even the Emperors themselves For after this time open and down right Tyranny over the Emperors begins to manifest it self First Pope John takes away all choise of Popes from the people to the Clergy only upon this plausible ground That the People are to be taught not followed Next Clement the 2 d. about 1047. set up by the Emperor against other Anti-Popes by the Authority of a Synod caused the Romans to renounce by oath the right they claimed in choosing Popes Then about 1050. Leo the 9 th invested by the Emperor is perswaded by Hildebrand to put off his pontificalibus or papal Robes in his journey from Germany to Rome to wave the Emperor and have a new election from the Roman Clergy and then made Hildebrand Cardinal who manag'd all at his pleasure After this Nicholas the 2 d. about 1060. takes away the election from the Roman Clergy bringing it about to a Colledge of Cardinals also then instituted that is of Spiritual Temporal or Lincy-woollcy Princes like himself the Supreme Emperor as it were for the greater grandure and more magnificent authority of his Almighty Holiness who was now almost got to the top of Empire Supremacy and Omnipotency For it was decreed in Council the Pope only to be chose by Cardinals whose Wounderful Worships or Eminencies might lift him up one step higher even as it were into Heaven to be God on Earth For so some thought fitting afterwards to stile forsooth his divine Majesty c. And then they order that no lay Person should confer Ecclesiaslick Investiture For what should the Church concern them But yet they themselves would invest and Crown Lay Princes For though the State had nothing to do with the Church yet the Church had to do
refined as Gold and Silver and the Church offer again pure Sacrifice to God as in former dayes and the years of old After these a solemn Mission or sending this work by command from God to the most eminent Heads of the Christian World in particular First To Leopold Emperour of the Romans which begins thus Most Invincible and Victorious Emperour This Book which is sent unto thy Majesty is written by the command of God and published by the command of God and sent to the heads of the World by the command of God That all may understand what is the last will of God in the last Age c. These things could not be concealed from your Majesty of all others because among the chiefest heads of the World God hath set you in the chiefest place and also because these Thunderbolts strike against you amongst the first and against your most Serene House Yet Grace is here offer'd to you See therefore what you do most August Caesar and that you may see either read these things your self or if too long for Imperial affairs deliver them to be read to your Counsellors Civil and Ecclesiastick till the matter appear Let it pity you for your self and for your House O caesar that you may break off your sins and the sins of your House by Righteousness As yet they whom your Father and Grandfather have afflicted and persecuted pray for you and your house crying Father forgive them they know not what they do The King of France is commanded here to remedy the confusions of Christendom yet if you O first of Kings will cooperate to reduce all the deadly factions of Christian people into Unity of Love and Faith you will do an acceptable service to God and all Christianity Next To Alexander VII the Roman Pope or who ever next succeeds him Highest Priest of the Roman-Catholick Church Among other Prerogatives of the High Priest of the old Law were 1. To consult God in doubtful matters 2. To be supreme Judges in all Church-matters with other chief Priests adjoyned for ease of so great a burden 3. To restrain false Prophets If therefore you with your Colledge of Cardinals by divne right obtain the highest place in the Church the same prerogatives by divine right are due also to you God was forced at length to send them Prophets extraordinary to warn Princes Priests and People of their duty They accounted them for false Prophets Mock'd and Kill'd them Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem Thou who killest the Prophets c. God in this present Book makes complaints in the Ears of Angels and men against your prophanesses And threatens his utmost Judgments They are offered here to be read to the World by command from God Do not I beseech you suspect these to be devised fictions of Man against you or published out of a corrupt affection and desire to rejoyce at your destruction They seek to deceive you who seek to instill such suspicions We the publishers of these things in the presence of the omniscient God protest with Mordecai that we for the Salvation of the Church are ready to kiss even the soals of your feet O Roman Pope Let it pity you for your selves that you may hasten to prevent the wrath of the Omnipotent Let it pity you for your Church lest leaving it in Babylonish abominations you deliver it up to be scattered at length by the Thunderbolts of God Let it pity you for so many Christian People by your obstinacy slid into so many Schisms and Heresies that they may be reduced to the Unity of the Faith Let it pity you for so many people out of the Pale of the Church to whom a door of entrance is shut through the confusions of Christians O Pope awaken O Pope rouze up out of the sleep of drunkenness and surfitting wherewith your Flatterers have made you drunk and intoxicated you calling you Christs Vicar and Infallible c. If there be none on Earth that dare speak true things unto you behold monatory Voices from Heaven Read this Book and take care to have it read by yours Your Predecessours did not despise the gift of Prophesie in the Church as some now do but proved all things to hold fast that which was good Therefore the Revelations of Hildegard Bridget Catharine c. were judged to be without fraud and admitted as worthy to be Canonical Let the same thing be done to these new ones Let them be submitted to a lawful examination that it may appear what is needfal to be done And it will appear that these last Revelations are as truly divine And that Gods will is that the Kings resume their Scepters and Rule and not the successors of the Apostles To spiritual men only spiritual things should belong For that all confusion hath increased in the World by submitting the secular power to the spiritual And that all things may be reduced into a beautiful order that it is the will of God that a Councel be called by the Authority of Kings That is that the Christian People of all parties be congregated and there all controversies be heard censured weighed decided and terminated so that by comman Jubilees of Heaven and Earth may be sung Glory to God on High on Earth Peace good will towards all men O Modern Roman Popes oppose not your selves as your predecessors have hitherto done never daring to submit their cause to a General Council Do you dare why should you not If your power over the whole Church and all Bishops and over all Kings too be of God O Roman Pope why do you rage so against all your Modern Monitors whether Doctors or Teachers and Professors of the Truth or whether Bishops Pastors or whole intire Churches or whether Kings Princes and Commonwealths or whether New Prophets c. Nor are the Modern the only or the first This thousand years there have been the same complaints and lamentations not only privately but by publick cryes both by voice and writings And God hath all along admonished you by extraordinary Prophets of your own and from among your selves Some ye have killed some ye have persecuted the rest you would not hear or understand or regard As Johannes de Rupescissâ and others whom you imprisoned Mancinellus whose hands and tongue you cut off Hus Savanarola and others whom you burnt Although even some also you had canoniz'd and their Prophecies and externally honour'd for Saints who will witness against you O Alexander the seventh to you I appeal by name and most humbly pray you to admit these words or speeches As God lives and your soul lives I seek nothing in this Book or this new Edition thereof but that the Christian People with all their Prelates may prevent the last Wrath of God They are serious things and concern the Christian Peoples safety or destruction By the tremendous Name of God I pray do not set them at nought Peter could erre why not Peter's successor Peter could be
Servant Drabricius some ten years since therfore will your Majesty also vouchsafe a peculiar Audience to his Messengers sent not with naked words but with testimonies gaining credit and with most ample instructions unto you Read O King or deliver these things to be read by your wise men You Great Lewis King of France does the great Lord by name invite yea call hither to his Glorious work of renewing the World Take counsel with your Collegues the Christian Kings of Europe to Convocate a Council of the Christian World to settle Truth and Peace and Righteousness therein That Angels may again sing Glory to God on High on Earth Peace Good will towards men If you will follow most Christian King with other Christian Kings the conduct of the Counsel of this Book undoubtedly all the World will shortly become Christian and the Times Peaceful Religious Inlightened and Happier than Solomons according as God did of old promise and does now remind us of that they are approaching Prepare for Christ a quiet Kingdom in the Earth removing his proud Rival Rejoyce that the like things are commanded and promised to you as once to Cyrus To be the Shepherd of the Lord that is a keeper of his Flock the Church the whole Church not any part only thereof as the Greek or the Latin or the French or the English or German-Churches c. For whoever calls on the Name of Christ are the People of Christ and the Sheep of his Flock fulfilling all his will saying to Jerusalem Thou shalt be built c. Isa 44. 28. and 45. 1 2 3 4. Cyrus the King when after the Conquest of Babylon he read the Prophecy of Isaiah presented to him by the Jews as Josephus witnesses and saw his name expressed believed God and presently freed the People of God from captivity O second Cyrus revived will not you imitate c. It is the work of the Devil and of Antichrist to destroy and take away the Liberty of Humane Nature which is the top of the Image of God in Man Whoever therefore shall be the Instrument of this Glorious Restitution of things shall be more than Cyrus more than Alexander more than Augustus more than Constantine or Charles the Great Arise therefore against all Antichrists i. e. Oppressors of Liberties thou King of France King of Liberties for so the word signifies And succour the Christian Nations where-ever groaning under any Corporal or Spiritual yoke Make to cease unchristian Wars and destroyings of one another by Rapines Fires Slaughters c. But especially free the Christian People from the Slaughterhouse of Consciences which they call the Inquisition and execute by Swords Halters Burnings alive Prisons Banishments and other kind of Tortures Let this most abominable Abomination be cast out of the Christian World as the manifest work of Satan by his Antichrists which he began by the impious Kill-Brother Cain and continued by Pharao's Saul's Ahab's Jezebel's Antiochus's Caiphas's Nero's Julians c. but has brought to the height only among us these one or two Ages last past Christ practised or commanded no force but only to teach the Nations and shake off the dust of their feet c. There 's no necessity for Force and Violence because Religion cannot be forced nor compelled They are plainly unteachable who do not observe that those former Persecutors gain'd nothing so but at length to ruine themselves Christ lives conquers reigns with his but Tyrants perish one after another with theirs Therefore take away that foolishness as Lactantius calls it from the Christian People most Christian King Take away that violent Tyranny of Consciences and Bodies from the Catholick People King of Liberties Most Serene of Kings God and the Christian People expect nothing but to answer your Name and what the Names and Titles given you by the Providence of God sound forth Lewis Deodat XIV most Christian King of France Lewis Refuge of the People Deodat Given of God XIV Most Christian King Christ's Vicegerent not Antichrists Of France i. e. Of Liberty The Devil and malicious and evil-minded men O King will stand in your way which two things you and all that love you for God's sake ought to fear For the Devil loth to have his Babylonish Kingdoms disturb'd will undoubtedly withstand you And malignant men seek your ruine as they did of your Heroick Ancestors c. But wise men fear more lest you your own self raise Impediments to your self and to your Victories O King by harkning to evil Counsellours and Instruments rather than to God But and if you refuse God will find out another to plead his Cause We do not stir you up against the Church greatest King but for it Nor against the Roman Church but for it also to restore it to its primitive Apostolick state from which it is deeply fallen God threatens here to send the barbarous Nations to reform us if none else will lend an helping hand Be intreated therefore by your own Salvation and of your most ample Kingdom and the whole Worlds not to let pass into the empty Air these Voices both Humane and Divine The Holy Spirit write in your Heart if not in Golden yet in flaming Letters that twice-made Protestation to negligent Eli High-Priest and disobedient Saul Those that honour me I will honour But those that contemn me shall be contemned of me In the Information to the Readers But are these things certain or are they not fables contriv'd and composed by the Art of some ingenious and witty to deceive T is answered It might be doubted at the first and was every-where doubted as the History of these things will shew But now there is no time for doubting seeing these things are confirmed both by abundant witnesses and confirm'd by divine signs and miracles as the same History will shew and now publickly appears And lastly where the truth of the Predictions are in apparent view and the very event does seal their divine authority Machiavillian Politicians Atheists imagining the World to be ruled by Humane Counsels have laughed at these as Phanatick things But behold God shews himself to be the Rector of the World These things being powerfully fulfilled which he hath commanded to be fore-denounced in his Name If any shall say therefore This Book is the Trumpet to Wars It must be answered 'T is so indeed but the Book of the Wars of the Lord as the Revelation of St. John and the Book of all the Prophets yea and the Book of the Gospel it self perhaps according to that of Christ Do you think that I came to send Peace on Earth c. For this Book describes 1. The Wars of God Jehovah against Idols As Ezek. 30. 13. 2. The Wars of the Lamb against the Beast already heretofore sounded Rev. 1714. 3. The Wars of the holy Spirit of God against all erroneous and unclean spirits in the Earth Zach. 13. 2. I say That here is the Revelation of the Revelation of
since the occasion of War between them He then besieges Smolensko 1634 and there receives a great and shameful Overthrow and Destruction by the Poles which Dukedom has ever since been the Apple of Contention as well as formerly betwixt them He reigned till 1645. To whom succeeded his young Son Alexius the present Emperor In 1646 they made peace with Poland and during the Kings minority there was some troubles and distempers in the State and an horrible Sedition 1648. but all soon quietly setled Anno 1654. The Moscovites invade Lituania overcome Smolensko and 1655 take Vilna invade Livonia 1656 The Cossacks a Confederate Army of Rogues and Robbers that take either side for their Prey or Money or other ends and designs or as they are pleased or displeased with affairs and belong chiefly to Poland they joyn with the Poles and defeat the Moscovites anno 1659. The Poles prosper But the Cossacks at last break Faith and again rebel to the Moscovites and invade and spoyl some Provinces An. 1660 Czarneckie in Lituania beats the Muscovites Their Army also in Poland under Zeremetzie reduc'd to straits and forced to surrender themselves to the Poles Vilna in Lituania besieged by the Poles till next year An. 1662 The Moscovite beats the Tartars Overcomes the Cossacks under Chimilinsky But again overcome by Cossacks and Tartars And 1664 The Moscovites overcome and beat by the Pole Peace since between them The Emperor of Moscovia now sollicits for the election of his Son to the Crown of Poland offers fair Conditions and that he shall change his Religion from the Greek to the Roman which would have much influence upon the Jesuites perhaps and zealous Religionists of the Papists if Reason of State otherwayes did not hinder The great Enemies you see of the Russes then are the Pole the Swede and the Tartar helpt by the Turk Anno 1230 the Tartars over-ran all Russia and made it tributary and for three hundred years kept their Power over it more or less and gave and took away Dukes over them as they pleased Anno 1500 Basil shook off this yoke Yet Anno 1570 an hundred thousand Tartars on a sudden overran Mosco and laid it wholly in Ashes The Poles and Russes strive for the Dukedom of Smolensko and Severia which both claim and both win and take continually Of late years the Cossacks with all Ukrain revolted to the Russes But since Peace and Compositions of things made The Swede and Russe contend for Livonia The Swede by success of Arms has expell'd both the Russe and the Pole and annex'd it to their Crown Hence the Wars between the Russe and Swede continually Riga has been often attempted and besieg'd in vain by the Russe But we pass to their next neighbour Poland The Revolutions of Poland Poland has for many ages been a distinct Soveraignty The first that was elective was Piastus after the failure of the former line a plain Country-man elected Duke of Poland An. 800. Afterwards became a Kingdom still in Piastus's line An. 1320. Silesia fell from Poland to Bohemia and could never be recovered An. 1386. They made the Great Duke of Lituania by marriage into their King's Family King and so joyn'd that great Dukedom to Poland An. 1466. Casimir adds Prussia and 1561 Livonia is added to it also The Royal Family being extinct they chuse forreign Princes anno 1573. and first chuse the Duke of Anjou Brother of Charles the 9 th King of France about the year 1575. But he quickly left it for the Crown of France An. 1579 they chose Bathor Prince of Transylvania by recommendation of the Turks He firmly united Livonia to the Crown and had a great hand upon the Moscovites He dying without issue they chose Sigismund the King of Swede's Son about the year 1590 whose posterity has ever since enjoy'd it but now the line fails He joyn'd the Kingdom of Swede and Poland But turning Papist endeavours by the Jesuites perswasions to disturb Religion in Swedeland and so was ejected and losing his Patrimonial kingdom only keeps Poland Hence those lasting Wars between the two Nations To him succeeded Uladislaus famous for the memorable Victory against the Moscovites besieging Smolensko an 1634. After whose death Anno 1647 The kingdom became extreamly imbroyl'd by Factions specially by the mutinous and seditious Cossacks a Rebellious Army as it were of Boors and Moss-troopers that live upon prey and rapine and serve any side as was hinted risen first and chiefly out of the wild parts of Poland Lituania c. next Russia who at this time began to be more troublesome than ever during all the present king Casimir's Reign and not fully setled till very lately and perhaps not to hold long neither King Casimir succeeded an 1648. so troubled all his dayes that he has been a long time weary of his Crown and now at last laid it down not obtaining leave to nominate his Successor The better to understand the late Revolutions of Poland in brief take them thus Poland has suffered great Revolutions and Troubles from forreign Enemies Rebellious Cossacks and Confederate Nobles Grand Enemies are the Swede the Russe the Tartar and the Turk The Wars with the Swede are for Livonia for pretence to the Crown of Swede for Titles and Arms. Hereupon the late king of Sweden overran in one year almost all Poland but lost all again the next But these pretences now cease in the present king having no heirs With the Russes for several causes before mentioned With the Tartars commonly call'd the Crim Tartars distinct from those in Asia these bordering upon Russia and Poland who make yearly Incursions almost for prey and plunder either as friends or enemies all 's one Therefore the Tartars do not seek to conquer so much as to plunder Poland But the greatest Enemies are the Turks ever since they got Walachia Moldavia and Transylvania the Walls Bulwarks as it were of Poland and also the Tartars to be subject to them But they have yet threatned more than done any thing and little has passed besides consultings and fears hitherto betwixt them The seditious and mutinous Cossacks have done most mischief One of the chief causes of their Rebellion was the great oppression of the Natives by the Jews in all the Customs and Tributes almost of the Kingdom granted to them by King Casimir and ever since possessed by them by the means of Esther a Jewish in behalf of her Nation who obtain'd great Priviledges for them And in the late fatal Confusions of Poland the Russians again besieged Smolensko and seiz'd not only on it but all Ukrain or black Russia and great part of Lituania The occasion whereof was first the Jesuites taking away the Russes Temples and hindring the free Liberty of Religion to them Next the Nobles Tyranny over the Peasants killing them at their pleasure Hence inraged they rise up against their Masters kill the Jesuites and Priests call the Cossacks and Tartars to their help
and mutual prey These mischiefs increased during the Poles dissention about Election of a King and had like to have ruin'd all Poland After long Contentions they chose Casimir Brother of the deceased King who being not enough assisted by his People backward then to wage War is circumvented by the Cossacks and forc'd to those Conditions of Peace that the present Necessity required To all which Evils succeeded War with the Swedes and lastly with the Nobles under Lubomirskie about nominating a Successor during the King's Reign c. We will recollect and summe the passages according to the years they happened in Uladislaus dyes 1648. Casimir constituted 1649 who marches against the Rebellious Cossacks The King marries his Brothers Widow 1651. Poles beat Tartars and Cossacks and put them to flight 1654. The Moscovite with 40000 breaks into Lituania and takes Smolensko so often won and lost For An. 1500 a Poland Noble-man betray'd it to the Moscovite The Poles recover it 1610. The Moscovite attempts it 1634 but beaten then shamefully and now take it c. 1655. King of Swede marches against Poland and overrun all in a years time The Brandenburgh per force Confederates with him 1656. Moscovite takes Vilna in Lituania 1657. Ragotzi marches into Poland but loses all his Army and then his own Country The Elector of Brandenburgh agrees with the Pole prevailing against the Swede 1658. The Rebel Cossacks overcome by General Wyhoskie 1659. The Cossacks joyn'd with Poles beat the Moscovites The Poles prevail and prosper At last the Cossacks break Faith given to the Poles and again rebel to the Moscovite and spoil the Poland Provinces 1660. The War between Swede and Pole confederate with Brandenburgh ended and peace made and Brandenburgh made absolute over Prussia 1663 and they swear to him again The Moscovite overcome by Pole and Czarneskie Also the Moscovian Army under Zeremetzie reduced to straits forced to yeeld Vilna Tower besieg'd by Poles to the next year 1661. The Poland Army and Lituanian Army confederate together against the King Whence many Mischiefs to both Countries Czarneskie adhering to the King overcomes the Moscovites under Cowanskie Vilna and other places in Lituania taken from the Moscovites 1662. The confederate Army under Schwidersky make a stricter Confederacy and several thousands enter Prussia and demand Tribute or Taxes The Cossacks under Chimilinsky besieging a place are beat by the Moscovite under Romadonofsky But the Moscovites afterwards are overcome by the Cossacks and Tartars The Lituanian Confederate Army kill their chief Marshal and Treasurer 1663. The Confederate Armies in Poland and Lituania dissolve their Confederacy and agree with the King and their General Lubomirsky victorious in Battel against the King restor'd again And so the Civil War between the King and Nobility drew towards an end 1664. K. of Poland takes many Towns from the Cossacks A famous Victory by General Packs or Pasky against Wikousky General of the Rebel Cossacks They are reduc'd under the King's power to obedience The Moscovites overcome by the Lituanians Since peace and settlement of things has been transacting on all sides not without difficulty and new troubles to the King about nominating his Successour being ever since about laying down his Government And now at last having first quieted and satisfied all parties as much as possible has left the Crown unto Factions and Competitors not being able to nominate a Successor before he left it and eased himself of such a burden The whole business now being about Succession concerning which observe Of the Election of Poland First the Power of the Nobles Secondly the Competitors for the Crown For the Power of Election 1. The Power of the Nobles is exceeding great and each single Noble is as it were a single King and hath Soveraign power over his Slaves even of Life and Death 2. The Nobles choose the King and prescribe what Laws they like 3. If any will not accept these Laws they proclaim PIASTUS i. e. they will go to the choosing of some Rustick or plain Country-man of their own Nation 4. There are perpetual strifes between the Nobles and Senators or Council The Senators favour the King the Nobles the Kingdom 5. There is a like power of all the Nobles so that one dissenting the other Suffrages are void and one only Noble hath right to intercede in the Diet or Parliament against all and to plead the Cause When all the rest had given their consent a Noble stands up once and said I do not consent Being asked his Reason sayes Because I am a Noble Nor did they reckon the Decree good till they had his Consent 6. In the Parliament or Diet of Poland the Deputies of the Nobility and the publick Liberty call'd Land-Nuncio's or Messengers to plead strongly their Cause against the King and Senators of the Kingdom are of greatest Authority For the Nobles are alwayes afraid lest they should lose their Priviledges to the King which are so great Next for the Competitors Eligible know First that though the Kingdom be Elective yet they never past by the Kings Family to choose others but when the Line fails then they seek strangers and grievous Factions arise before they can agree Secondly The Competitors have been 1. the Moscovite because of the same Language and Nation originally and Neighbourhood 2. The Crim Tartar urging that He is powerful and able to bring an hundred thousand Horse into the Field That he is hardy and can live at a low rate That as for Religion so controverted and disputed in Poland with such Commotions he will not stand for that they shall have what they will Thy Luther says he My Luther Thy Pope my Pope as once in his Ambassadors Letters Credentials he wrote And that rather than put them to any charge to find his Table he could live with Horseflesh His Embassy thereupon entertain'd with laughter 3. The House of Austria specially since one Faction chose the Archduke Maximilian but the prevailing the King of Swedes Son by the King of Polands Sister yet Maximilian reserv'd both right and title 4. The King of France ever since Charles the 9 ths time when they chose his Brother the Duke of Anjou afterwards King of France Ever since which the French have alwayes cherished some party against the House of Austria and Emperor specially after that the last King but this viz. Uladislaus fetch'd his Wife out of France marrying the Dutchess of Nevers whom this K. Casimir his Brother also married after his death 5. Of late there also was great endeavours and underhand for the Prince of Conde's Son Duke of Anjou after this Kings death or some other addicted to the French But this distasted the Nobles and would not do But since the Resignation of the Crown the present Strivers for it are the Moscovit's Son who will turn Romanist and makes fair promises for it The Duke of Newburgh or Nevers whom the King of France endeavours to promote and the Emperor
that is called God was the first Pope in Heaven and the Father of these his Sons on Earth About 1605. He excommunicated the Venetians for maintaining stoutly their Rights of state and withstanding his incroachings whereupon War insued Baronias exhorting the Pope thus Arise and Eate the Venetians as if it had been as easie as to eate his dinner But he found them a tough Morsel which he could not get down and so was held to hard meat But a Cardinal of France made up the business as well as he could but could not without enough dishonour to his Popeship He by briefs or writings sent to the Loyal Catholicks of England forbad the Oath of Allegiance to King James from his own Subjects He laid a great Tax also on the Clergy in Italy to uphold the good old Catholick cause in the Wars of Germany about 1618. and a new Order of Knighthood was erected at Vienna the Imperial Court for all Heroick Catholicks under the Patronage of the blessed Virgin St. Michael and St. Francis to root out the Hereticks But all would not do For they increased and multiplyed The Powder plot in England was also in the beginning of his Popedom set on foot by the Jesuits and their complices in England An. 1605. An. 1621. Gregory the 5 th elected by way of adoration instigates the French King against the Protestants Canonizes Ignatius the founder of a company of Incendiaries that is Jesuits for so they have proved ever since Baptized with not the Holy Ghost but with Fire answerable both to his Name and Motto and their Natures Quarrels with the Venetians for entertaining Greeks now they had no wars with Infidels the Turks To whom the Venetians wisely replyed That they held all Infidels that opposed their Commonwealth An. 1623. Twenty four of the Cardinals grew sick upon the quarrelsome and ambitions choise of Urban the 8 th whereof ten lost their lives with divers of others Father Paul a venerable Religious Monk who stood up high for his Venetians against the Jesuits who pragmatically stood up for their Pope for which they were deservedly banished by the State not till now smarts and is wounded for his crime of Loyalty to them and petty treason as it were against the Jesuits c. this Pope made War against the Duke of Parma and Florence for the Dukedom of Castro c. And no doubt he had an underhand or little finger at least in the bloudy Massacre of Ireland 1641. by the Catholicks Afterwards Innocent the 10 th pronounces void and goes about by his Legate to null the Peace of Germany made at Munster 1648 between the Protestant and the Papal princes where the Protestants both Calvinists as well as Lutherans were esserted into full and free liberty of their Religion as hurtful and dangerous to the Church forsooth But Germany no longer now fears their loud Bulls roarings and bellowings as formerly and do but laugh at such the vanity of his Omnipotent Impotency After 1654. Alexander the 7 th determines new Articles of Faith against the Jansenist's and condemnes them for Hereticks The Church of France begin to vindicate their Liberty against such new decrees and power of the Pope It grows to a great faction between them and the Jesuits The Pope and his Instruments make the King look upon them as a dangerous Sect and as it were a new kind of Calvinistical Papists that would both joyn against the true French Catholicks and endanger France both Church and State as much as formerly those Hugonots But they increased notwithstanding and several Bishops Clergy men and others adhered to them against the Novel Usurpations and determinations of the Pope who would feign have been accounted infallible in his Court and pack'd Consistory at Rome without a general Council And fowl work had like to have ensued but that the King and Pope together have lately within this year or two devised an expedient latitude for the dissenting Bishops and Leaders least the rent should be made greater willing to make use of any Salvo for such a Sore c. An. 1662. The Popes Guards by his Brothers design against the interest of France assaults the French Embassador which was connived at by the Pope and his Brother who set it on foot countenanced and due Justice evaded The King demands satisfaction prepars a great Army to enter Italy whereof some had in a manner begun to enter which made the Pope tremble and the French sing hartily Rome is ours already c. yea the grand Ball at Court since become a common Tune or Air too in England began thus Great King will you profane Your Rapier in vain Your young brave Conquering Blades ' Gainst Chaplains only with Beads c. But his Holiness wisely submits and drives on a Treaty for Satisfaction and Accommodation and thereby condescended to set up at Rome a Piller of Remembrance as it were for the Injury and Affront offered Upon which submission the King of France recieves his Embassadour through all his Kingdom with extraordinary Magnificence and ever since has been very kind to his Holy Father and lately out of complement granted the present Pope leave to take down this too lasting a Monument of their reproach but all no doubt for further ends to himself which he is driving on in the world c. And while the King was thus good to the Church The Pope takes that opportunity to see if he could get to be owned as infallible in France and supreme Judge and determiner of Controversies and differences of Opinions in Religion finding by woful experience they should never have that property of a Vice-God Omnipotency in the World before they had thisof Infallibility This was towards and in the year 1666. by Alexander the late Pope But that year has not proved so kind and lucky to their projects as they looked for Nor could they fool France into such a premunire This Pope has had little to do yet but patch up the Jansenian Breaches to avoid further mischief as but now hinted To mediate between France and Spain as much as he could and to invite Princes against a less worse Enemy to Christendom than himself the Turk who never did it half so much harm nor ever will Yet the Noble Venetians deserve Succour and the Pope destruction Yet so it is that the Kings Princes Clergy and People of the Earth have so drunk of and been intoxicated with the Cup of Romes Fornications that notwithstanding all the evill they have suffered by her Domineering and Tyrannizing over them their Kingdoms Subjects and People both Soul and Body as by the foregoing story may in part appear yet they love to commit folly and abomination with her still and her fine and goodly Religion so carnal so pleasing and sutable to flesh and bloud But in the end sure God will put it into their hearts when he shall once have opened their Eyes to see what miseries and mischiefs she has brought
corruption of manners which make the whole Creation of Church and State groan for ease and deliverance from such heavy burdens all these things I say seem to forspeak or intimate some dreadful matter drawing neer Methinks one may hear as the sounding of the Hoofs of Horses at hand and that all things will not continue still as to this day for ever The sixth day or thousandth year of the world is drawing on towards Evening and the Sabbath of the world to begin c. The number of the Beast 666. almost reckoned If we expect the number of years from the Birth and Death of Christ Behold 1666 is the number of this Age. 〈◊〉 the number of a man some more curious and witty parhaps then wise and prudent would have spelt it out of the last Popes Name Office or Title thus ALeXanDer EpIsCopVs RoMae which is 1666. or out of all his Names only viz. Christian Name Sirnam and added Name thus FabIVs ChIsIVs ALeXanDer which makes 666. the number of a Mans name Then some have added thereto VII viz. Alexander VII which makes 666. or 1666. and VII over which VII if you add to the VII of Alexanders name make XIV and shews the XIV chapter of the Revelations where first is shewn Babylon is fallen is fallen And they have observed it as ominous also in the present King of France's Name LVDoVICVs XIV Behold 666 and XIV over And because these are past parhaps the same francyful wits may rove still upon the XIV over c. And so there will be no end of such imaginations c. And therefore we pass by all such witty conceits as to unworthy of so great a Mystery more solid is that of a Prophet amongst our selves reckoning 1666 from the death of Christ whereby he got the Victory over all his Enemies rather then from his Birth though the foundation was laid there Further of the year 1670. I know not why Philip Nicholai wrote That if it did not bring the end of the world yet it should bring some wonderful and unexpected alteration of things But we pass over these and such like things c. and come to Revelations truly divine or which to be sure are most strange if not true Judge nothing before the time But first by the way we will entertain our Reader with the proud Sultans defiance of Christendom who first in disdain of the Emperor and all Christian Princes had struck off eight hundered Prisoners Heads before the Emperors Embassador himself Though indeed notwithstanding a fickle Peace has since been patch'd up and his power bent only against the Venetians c. The Great Turkes Letter of Defiance to the Emperor upon his last Incursion into Hungary with an Army of 250000. men besides his Tartarian Hirelings after the year 1660. Mahomet Son of the Emperor Son of God thrice Heavenly and thrice known by the renowned Emperor of the Turks King of Greece Macedonia and Moldavia King in Samaria and Hungaria King of Great and Lesser Egypt King of all the inhabitans of the Earth and the earthly Paradise Gaurdian of the Sepulchre of thy God Lord of the Tree of Life Lord of all the Emperors of the World from the east even to the west King of all Kings grand Persecutor of the Christians and all the wicked the Joy of the flourishing Tree the Chieftain and Gaurdian of thy Crucified God Lord of the Hope of thy Nation WE send greeting to thee Emperor Leopold if thou wilt be our Friend and submit to our Domination then we will that thy Greatness be Ample Since these times thou hast violated and shunned our freindship without having ever been offended either by War or the fighting of God Thou hast taken secret designs with other Kings and other Confederates in envy to shake of our yoak in which thou hast done imprudently This is it for which thou and thy People ought to live in fear to have no other hope but death for which cause thou hast prepared thy self But we tell thee that we will go forth and be thy Conquerour and we will pursue thee from the East even to the West and will make thee know our Majesty even to the utmost confines of the Earth thou shalt know our effects to thy great damage of which we assure thee and will have thee to expect our Greatness Thy hope shall melt away which thou hast in thy Cities and Fortresses We resolve absolutely to beat down and raze all that appeareth any thing considerable to thine Eyes And thou shouldst not expect any other thing or friendship and shouldst not put confidence in thy strong Walls for we have set up a resolution to destroy thee without remedy It pleaseth us to forrage Germany and to leave it behind us to the memory of our Bloudy Sword to the end all these things may be manifest to all It pleaseth us to establish our Religion and root out thy crucifi'd God And we fear no colours neither can there be any succour for thee that thou mayst escape our hands It pleaseth us also to condemn to the Chain thy holy Priests and to deliver to the Dogs and other Savage Beasts the dugs of thy Women Therefore thou shalt do very wisely if thou renounce thy Religion Otherwayes we do order and appoint that all be delivered to the fire This which is said may satisfie thee and thou mayst comprehend by this if thou wilt what our will is and the things concerning which we have discover'd the disposition of our suspition towards thee Then besieging Newhausal his General sends this proud Summons I that through the Grace of God and through the Miracles of our Prophet who is the Son of both Worlds and by whom there is Happiness and Glory I that am the first of the Council and General of the most mighty Emperor of the Turks that is the King of all Kings upon Earth to you Adam Forgats that are the cheif among the Nobility of Hungary do make known that through the command of my gracious Lord I am come with his forces before Newhausel to reduce it to his obedience Wherefore if you shall deliver up the place to us you shall have liberty to march out with what belongs to you from the Highest to the Lowest and to what place you please And he that will rather stay shall keep his goods and Estate But if you will not yeeld we will take it by force every man of ye from the Highest to the Lowest shall be put to the Sword If the Hungarians did but know the good intentions of the mighty Emperor they and their Childern would Bless God for them Peace be to the Obedient But to the business namely Debricius's Revelations But we must indeavour briefly first to prevent all occasion of prejudice and rash and indiscreet judgment and sensures of the impenitent unbeleiving and erring World By telling how they have been approved of as truly from God by most Godly
false prophets and fainers of dreams may be put to death and iniquity be taken away from the midst of the people Deut. 13. And because the Eclesiasticks are ordinarily inclined to slay the Prophets behold we solemnly appeal from all Universities and Consistories to your tribunal O Kings and secular Powers Like Jeremiah from the Priests to the Princes and to the King himself and Paul the Apostle from the Council of the Priests to the Political Judges Felix Festus Agrippa and lastly to Caesar himself We beseech you undertake 1st the Patronage of this Book Permitting none to rage against it till plenary examination and delusion of the cause For what have these papers offended in receiving these Lamentations Mournings and Woes especially denouncing no sad things to the people of God But to Sodom Egypt Babylon the World Hell and the Devils afflicting the people of God Nor perswade any Nation or any Man any Rebellion against their Kings but all Loyalty that all things may return from all manner of confusions into all manner of order and peace Lastly because This Book is one of them by which God Convocates the Kings of the Earth from the four Corners of the World to reverence him it is your part therefore O Kings not to hinder but promote this Trumpet of God if you would be Ministers of his Kingdom Next The publishers themselves of this Book commend themselves to your Patronage O Gods Protectors of the Earth That you permit no unjust violence against them As the Princes and the King himself did not against Jeremiah and Baruch nor the Tribune of the Band and Felix Governor of Judea against Paul For it would be most unjust by force to act any thing against him who appealing to Justice sets himself before the Judgement As the Jewish Priests with their flatterers did against the Lord himself and against Paul c. 3. We commend to you O Powers of the Earth the very cause it self pleaded in these Books to be throughly examined for in the name of one more powerful these Oracles do come fulminating your People your Priests and your Selves with your Princes and citing all the inhabitants of the Modern World to a certain supreme invisible yet terrible Tribunal For if the words which these Books denounce be truly the words of God it is more Glorious then any thing yet in the Church since the Apostles time If Satanical Impostures they are more terrible and fearful ones then ever any have yet been If figments of humane craft nothing like hath ever yet come forth in any Nation by any humane wit But whether this or that or the other It is a matter most worthy of the care of Kings that at length what it is may appear whereunto serious Judgement is needful not neglect not contempt not fury Hasten O Kings to know and examine what matter of things these are before all the Plagues here denounced be powred forth upon your Kingdoms Deliver these things to wise men and fearing God and of publick spirits seriously to be weighed If you hear humane counsels why not also these which many wayes may appear to come by men indeed yet not from men If any one say Dare you broach and vend these things for Prophesies undoutedly Divine I will answer with Philip to Nathaniel Come and see For the offices and marks of true Prophets are here to declare to the people of God fallen into abominations their sins To denounce wrath and punishment to the impenitent and again Mercy and Grace to the penitent this and not another thing for the main scope and end you shall see is done here Only be sure to see that you make your selves certain which you may from the adjoyned history 1st That there have been really and indeed persons in this our Age who have written these things greater then any human wit 2ly And that they were simple Idiots not able to fain such things Act. 4. 13. 3ly And Godly fearing God not willing to deceive 4ly Incompassed with a cloud of Witnesses that there could be no place for Impostures 5ly Lastly that many Godly and solid Divines not in one Nation only do give testimony that greater wisedom shines forth in these things then that they can be attributed to men and that the whole work is more sanctions and holy then that it can be attributed to Satan Yet lest we may seem to obtrude any private Authority on the Publick we earnestly intreat a publick and solemn examination of these things under your Auspicions beginnings O Kings And that as soon as may be while witnesses are alive who can give it on their Faith that they have seen the fingers writing viz. Things flowing forth or droping from the pen of the Seers not what they themselves would but what by themselves for the most part not understood some certain invisible dictatour instilled into them which also their own hand writing viz. The originals themselves kept in a certain place further testifie The last thing we desire of you O most serene Princes is that if these be Counsels divine you would seriously purpose and resolve to obey and execute the divine Will saying All that the Lord hath said we will do Why may not these things be thus recommended c. seeing no man brings them forth of his own daring but they are offered in the name of God who is the God of all and takes care of all It is the Law of Arms and custom of the Nations that Trumpeters pass freely amongst the most deadly enemies even ready to give Battel bringing the command of their Principals Why may not he therefore be safe between the safeguards of your Majesty O Christian Kings who is your Interpreter from the King of Kings But they who would perswade you that this Book is hurtful stirring up to War and Arms betray their folly malice and impiety Because it does not make but after the manner of all the Prophets forewarn denounce and threaten Wars and Desolations without Repentence and Amendment And because none has ever drawn his Sword for the sake of this Book when yet all people draw their Swords one against another who is so blind yet and besotted as not to see his Arm stretched forth out of whose mouth are denounced these things beforehand Was Rome unwise in permitting it to be cry'd through all the City Hannibal s before the Gates Cease Mortals to be mad and quite out of your wits The voice of God and Angels forewarning you from destruction sound even in these Books The World is full of the Judgements of God The present commotion of the World and so many unlooked for Mutations do not signifie nothing Lest therefore the Christian people be still so grosly ignorant as they are of the terrible Judgements of God now in the world viz. of their Causes Manner End and Issue do ye who preside over the people in the place of God command that among other helps ministred from
5th of July in the year of Christ 1664. which is of my Age the 76th of my Ministry the 48th of my Exile the 36th of the beginning of Revelations made unto me from the Lord the 26th A PRAYER Written by Command of the Lord and my God in the year 1653. April 18. and in the year 1664. June 30. commanded to be put for a close of my Revelations O Eternal God! Holy Father Incomprehensible in VVisdom Judgment Counsel Grace and Justice Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier Father Son and holy Spirit Thou Holy One of Israel who from the beginning hast founded the Earth and the Heaven of Heavens are the work of thy Hands VVho sittest on the Throne of inestable Glory in the midst of thy innumerable Hosts Cherubims and Seraphims and Men triumphing through Martyrdoms ministring to Thee day and night and singing Holy Holy Holy Jehovah Zebaoth Behold amongst them me also praising thee O God! Acknowledging thee to be the Lord with all the Earth worshipping Thee the Father everlasting For that Thou hast form'd me a frail mass or lump of Clay for a small Vessel of thy grace and hast call'd me forth by my own proper Name out of my Mothers womb and hast written my Name in the Lambs Book of Life And in these last days of the World in a Nation which hath known thy Name and heard the Voice of thy Trumpet going forth from thy Throne hast set me upon the Walls of thy Jerusalem thy beloved Church for a Witness and Watchman and for a Voice of one crying to the Nations That openly in the sight of all Nations I might declare the Day of Vengeance to the Worshippers of Idols and to all false Worships of those to do not rightly acknowledge Thee the Tri-Une God who livest eternally And again The Day of Grace to the Nations of the Earth to acknowledge in the true Light interior and exterior Thee the living God and thy pure and chaste Worship Such as the Angels perform unto thee in Heaven and thou wouldst have perform'd to thee without Idolatrous Errors on Earth out of a pure Heart and good Conscience and Faith unfeigned in Body Soul and Spirit unanimously and humbly in simplicity of Heart Behold me thy pitiful little VVorm and most inconsiderable Dust Refuse or Off-scouring at the Threshold of thy House thy beloved Church and of that small Portion which thou hast gathered to thy self under the Name of the Brethren of Bohemia Behold me in the days of its cruel Persecution and sad Exile in another Land the Hungarian burdened and hanging down my Head with the very Disease of Old Age I did hear thy voice of thee the living God speaking unto me I know not how but speaking I know what For intelligibly I did perceive thy Voices and clearly apprehended the sence yea and moreover I my self did speak unto thee the Invisible I did ask Questions and make Answers All things with the unconfused and undisturbed Powers and Forces of my Mind And my eyes saw the whole World in thy hand as a little Globe and I heard thee explaining those Mysteries how thy hand contains all things And those other things which would never have come into my mind nor were suggested by any of Mortals I did receive from thee alone my God! with fear day and night and did imprint them in my Memory or also through theâ— commanding in Tables and Papers But thy face I a man of poluted lips never saw save onely thy hand pierced through with a Nail once extended towards me and put under my left Arm-pit when thou swaredst That thou wouldst neither leave thy Cause nor me thy Servant And thou hast kept faith O faithful One In the sight of mine Enemies Domestick and Forreign And that in sleep I beheld thee my beloved Saviour in thy diffrent Age and Habit with Joy and Tears acknowledging mine indignity and with covered face throwing my self down at thy feet and kissing them and perceiving the Taste of Eternal Life with Sweetnesses unutterable by me For thou madest me to see even the Joys of the Elect in Heaven as also the Torments of the Damned in Hell and what things in the world also in respect both of Church and State should be hereafter till even thy illustrious Return to Judgement Which things I faithfully without any fraud in simplicity of heart with groans to thee whether thou hadst commanded by night or by day did refer and put down into writings Adding nothing of my own and respecting nothing of my own nor any other thing besides thy Glory And bearing many Prejudices Reproaches Cavils Twenty six whole Years and Ten Months and Three Days Till now in this Year 1664. an end being put unto thy work thou my Lord and my God hast commanded to close and shut up all these things with this Prayer Hear therefore O Heavens and perceive with your ears O Earth Behold I conclude dutifully I conclude with weeping Falling down at thy feet Lord Jesus Kissing thy Wounds and Marks and pouring out my Soul before thee I ask humbly I ask confidently First that thou wouldst leave thy Holy Spirit for a Guide Counsellor and Comforter unto me even until Death and through him wouldst pour out a plentiful shower of Benediction upon all thy Speeches which thy mouth hath brought forth in these last days of the World by me thy sorry Servant which I receiving from thy mouth have sealed up by thy Command and by a Man whom thou hast adjoyned to me for an help have made known first indeed to the Hungarian Nation then afterwards to other Nations also Grant O holy God! That all to whom the sound of thy Trumpet shall reach may acknowledge that they have come forth from thee that thou mayest be glorified in all Nations of the Earth All which sanctifie O God! in thy Truth to acknowledge thy word through all Nations and Tongues and thy Self to be the Truth the Way and the Life Cause O God! That Kings Princes Subjects and Doctors or Teachers of the Gospel with their Hearers and Parents with Children may be one in thee and the truth of thy Word and may know thee the One onely God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made in the Unity of the holy Spirit God undivided in Power Wisdom Goodness Majesty and Glory blessed for ever I ask O God! I ask That all the Islands of the Sea may now wax silent before thee that all the Ends of the Earth may be afraid and fly to thee May assume new strength may be carried with Wings as Eagles and may run and not be weary with us to thee the Fountain of Salvation who speakest Righteousness and art sufficient to save nor art delighted with the death of a Sinner O Shepherd of Men Convey over but even now in the last days all Nations under thy Pastoral Rod that they may be brought into the Bond
dayes in a lamentable manner First With his own hands killing his Mother and Daughter and at length grown desperate hanged himself Amidst such great Confusions of the China Empire the Christians grown to a great multitude were betwixt hope and fear and wait with sollicitous hearts the new own'd Emperors inclination and found him in the end more favourable then they could either wish or hope for Especially upon the account of Father Schall before mentioned as a Stranger of admirable prudence and skill in the Affairs of the China Kingdom and to whom he might unbosom the secret counsels of his heart securely and as one highly recommended to him for his rare skill in the computation of Time and Astronomy and other Arts of Europe And so made him Mandarine of the first Order and one of his supream Counsellors And set him about perfecting the reformation of their Calender for the Universal benefit and advantage of the Kingdom as before hath been declared After this was the Queen and her Son Converted and Baptized by the name of Helena and Constantine of which her Supream Minister of her Court Pan Achilleus long before a Zealous Christian more then once affectionately wrote Letters thereof both to the Pope and to the General of the Jesuites Society to send more Labourers into China as followeth The Interpretation of the China Letter from the Chancellor of the China Empire Pan Achilleus a Chinois Christian to our most Holy Lord by the Fathers Andrew Xavier and Michael Boym of the Society of Jesus in the Court of the Emperor of China for the time Assistants Of the most famous Empire of China by the command of the Emperor The Universal Vice-Roy of Kingdoms and Provinces Quám tum Quám Sy c Fò Kien Commissary of the Militia by Sea and Land Duke of the little petty King Quám Sy c Treasurer of the Revenues and Sollicitor absolute and sole decider or Judge of Causes in the absence of the Emperor Chief Captain of the Imperial Guard Master of the Horse Great Chancellor Privy Secretary of the Emperor and Chamberlain Pan Achilleus Christian on bended knees and head bowed down to the Ground prostrates himself before the Throne of the Vicar of God JESUS on Earth the Universal Doctor of the Catholick Church the true Lord the most Holy Father I Achilleus weigh with my self that being by Office Keeper of the Privy Chambers of the Emperor yet led by error I also take care of the Militia Whence I have diminished that is degraded or debased my self and without light and Discipline that is Instruction have augmented the multitude of sins Long since in the Northern Court or Palace through the good Will of God I hapned upon men of the Society of Jesus who led me who was rude and ignorant in the open Path exhorting me erring and going astray to follow the Faith Wherefore being with reverence expiated in the Holy Laver I then began to understand the documents that is Fundamentals or Principles of the Holy Doctrine and its hidden Excellency and high profundity And then being immers'd in this study night and day with a faithful heart I have prosecuted it twenty years and more nor durst I grow slack in the least So I have procured the help of the King of Heaven whom I know not how I shall be able to answer I had often a mind to come unto your most Holy Throne and with veneration to satisfie my eyes with your most Holy Countenance But the matters of the Empire were so various and the Royal Affairs so perplexed as they were permitted me not to perform the desires of my intimate Bosome Wherefore I am most highly aggrieved The onely thought and grief now of me a Sinner from the bottom of my Soul is in this that the calamity of the Empire has not yet ceased Therefore on purpose I went and asked a man of the Society of Jesus Father Michael Boym that in the next Ship that went away he would return back to the great West and come suppliant to you the chief Priest the most Holy Father that before the Altar of the Saints Peter and Paul with the universal Church of the whole World with eyes lifted up to Heaven you would pray to God that he would look down upon this Imperial House with mercy help and conserve the Empire and set limits of future speedy peace and together would grant that our most wise Emperor who is the eighteenth Successor of this Royal House and the twelfth Grand-child from the first founder of the Empire and Family That himself as Lord with his Subjects may adore Jesus the Lord of the Heavens This at length will be the intire happiness of our China Empire And indeed at present the most intire most wise most clement the venerable Empress of Christian Name Helena The Queen Mother of the Emperor of Christian name Mary The Queen his legitimate Wife of Christian name Anna and the Son of the Emperor Prince and Heir by Christian Name Constantine do all with humble hearts believe and worship the Holy Doctrine together they have the words of Speech which they send to the most Holy Throne viz. of the Pope As for me rude Sinner I humbly beseech you the most Holy Father That for the hour of my departure out of this life you would vouchsafe intire remission of the punishment of sins and would send also many men of the Society into this Empire of China who by their Doctrine may convert universally the men of the Age and may advertise them with Repentance to give good heed to Worship and adore the Holy Law nor may by a vain and transient stay be sent away with the Dust of their Feet snatch'd up that is quickly So at length I hope to attain Felicity truly never to have an end With Veneration I have in small measure by these things explained the Secrets of a simple ignorant Mind I cast my self wholly to the Earth expecting a mercifull beholding of your Countenance And no more Yum Lie the fourth year in order of the Revolutions of the Annual Letters Kem Yn the tenth Moon eighth day which was in the year 1650. the first day of November Further nothing to be read The place of the Seal wherein after the China manner for they do not use to write their Names otherwise are engraven these words The Seal of the most Valiant Generalissimo of Arms universal Vice-Roy The Interpretation of the China Letter from the Empress of the China Empire the Lady Helena by name and of the Queen = Mother the Lady Anne and the Queen = Wife the Lady Mary and also of the Son of the Emperor Prince and Heir the Lord Constantine By Father Andrew Xavier and sent to our most Holy Lord c. The Speech of Helena the most Intire most Wise most Clement Venerable Empress of the most famous Empire of China before the Throne of the Vicar on Earth of God JESUS Universal Doctor of the
the greatest Dominions And this would have been a fair step to be the Head of Kingdoms as the Pope was of the Church And just such beginnings had the Pope himself over all other Bishops Secondly by Arms. For there remained two kingdoms in Spain Portugal and Navarre both which they seize on First that of Navarre and Naples c. Whence perpetuall Wars ever since with France in Catalonia c. For this Kingdom which still retains the Title and by Arms continually requires the possession And then of Portugal by Philip the 2 d about sixty years after viz. about the 1560. Thirdly by Shipping and Sea-Forces or Power at Sea specially afterwards with their Invincible Armado in 88 wherein were above thirty thousand Souldiers to joyn with as many out of the Netherlands And again afterwards with as great Preparation against the Hollanders but to as little purpose too in the year 1640 aiming at Superiority and Dominion of the Northern Seas and consequently of all the World But the Hollanders and English were grown by that time of the World too big to do any good on them 2. To Ferdinand the Catholick succeeds Philip Archduke of Austria c. before-mentioned Son to Maximilian the Emperor about 1504. 3. After whom comes Charles the 5 th An. 1516. king of Spain Archduke of Austria Duke of Milan Burgundy Brabant Earl of Catalonia Flanders Holland c. and Emperor of the Germans under whom the Monarchy of Spain grew towards its greatest height He added the Realms of Mexico and Peru the Dukedom of Milan and several Estates in the Netherlands Marched into Africa possesses Tunis and other parts thereby disposing Kingdoms there at his pleasure But was at last soon outed of the Empire as a foresaid leaving Spain and the Netherlands and other Spanish Territories too 4. His Son Philip the 2d An. 1558. under whom this Kingdom recieved its utmost increase by Portugal and the East Indies therewith and also its greatest decrease by the Netherlands For upon the death of Sebastian King of Portugal slain in Africa without Issue appeared six chief Competitors for the Crown Of all whom the Duke of Braganza had most right but the King of Spain notwithstanding all the help from France and England got it And so was the first of the West-Goths since the Moors that obtain'd the Universal Monarchy of all Spain and both the East and West-Indies besides the Belgick Provinces and other dominions in Europe in so much that they could brag that the Sun rose and set in their ground So that now the whole bulk of his swelling titles was compleated viz. King of Spain Castile Leon Arragon Navar Hierusalem Naples Sicily Sardinia Majorck and Minorck and of the Isles and Continent of the Indies and of the Main Ocean King Arch-Duke of Austria Duke of Burgundy Lorraine Brabant Lucenburg Gelderland and Milan Earl of Hapsburg Flanders Artois Henault Holland Zealand c. Marquess of the Sacred Empire Lord of Friezland Meckleburgh Ulricht c. Great Lord of Asia and of Africa 5. Which mighty Monarchy labouring with its own weight soon began to fall into peeces 1 through exhausting of its people and want of men by naval expeditions into both Indies by many and long Wars by ejecting the Moors and Jews before afterwards c. by the Spanish Inquisition and grievous Taxes and oppressions of the Countrymen and labourers 2 By wasting of its Riches and Wealth by Wars and imprudence 3 By loss of kingdoms and Provinces as well as great defeats of its Armies and Armado's As namely the loss of the Netherlands the Defeat in 88 the long Wars with the French who alwayes oppos'd this rising Monarchy on all sides which brought lastly the revolt of Portugal and Catalonia and so the loss of half their entire united Monarchy besides the new conquests in Flanders the last year by the French all which have made pretty wide gaps in those numerous swelling titles 6. But this great Kingdom was chiefly impair'd by the Revolt of the Netherlands and Portugal For this Philip in indeavouring to bring Tyrannick Government both Civil and Religious specially the last by the bloudy Inquisition and to reduce them back a gain by force to the Church of Rome from that Reformation of Religion which was now every where begun whereof he was a violent Enemy was by a great part of the Provinces confederate together rejected from being their Prince An. 1581. for seeing the Spaniards would bring in absolute domination both over Soul and Body they became desperate to the death declare him for a Tyrant and perpetual Enemy and by eighty years Wars brought the Spaniard to an open confession or conviction of his bad Politicks for Force of Religion and taught them and the World too if they will be taught this Rule That a free Nation must be governed freely For the Pride and Tyranny specially in Religion and the unmerciful Inquisition fill'd all Christian People with Hate and Terror of the Spaniards specially these most concern'd For by no more powerful argument did the Prince of Orange inflame the Netherlanders Spirits than saying That These burn men alive for Religion which set them all on fire So ill does Force upon either mens Civil or Religious Liberties conduce to establish Princes where Subjects are once sensible of them And that Religion had a chief hand in these Revolutions you must know that the main design then driven on by the Catholick Princes and Party was the defence and propagation of that Religion the Protector whereof the King of Spain vaunted to be and the extirpation of Hereticks and so to make the King of Spain Universal and absolute and truly and indeed Catholick at least by some c. In such sort that about 1560 Charles the 9 th king of France with the Queen-Mother Katherine of Medices a busie and Imperious Queen and Isabel this king of Spains Wife and the Duke of Alva make a league to joyne the Power and Policies of both Nations to root out the new increasing Hereticks The Hugonots out of France and the Protestants out of the Low-Countries and Germany and immediately ensued the Holy League in France wherein this King was a mighty stickler also and then those wars here So that he not only confederated with the Leaguists against the Hugonots but also about the year 1580 when the other would not do endeavours also upon the same account to hinder the Reformation growing in his own Dominions by bringing in the Inquisition and arbitrary Government amongst them whereby he was wholly driven out of those Provinces confederating together for their Liberty and Priviledges And indeed except mens Civil Liberties be first invaded their Religious can hardly be To recover which Countries they exhausted all their strength in vain for eighty years till they were at last forc'd to a shameful submission in the Treary of Munster 1648. therein renouncing for ever all Right c. and treat with them and