the League being cast up the whole sum amounted to above seven millions seven hundred and sixty thousand Crowns More then this these good works have extended their benefits and supererogations to others who have taken lesser Towns and Villages under the chief Leader so that the Followers have been canoniz'd for the super-abounding merit of the Commander I do not bring into this rank either Merceur or Espernon They are yet to know more what it is to trust in works Now then let us see who they are that are so diligent in preseâ—ving their faith to their King and Countrey believing That the just shall live by faith These are they That do deeds worthy of Repentance but not good works not considering that faith without works al-a-mode is a dead faith Whence it comes to pass that some are starv'd to death others attend in the low Court of the Loure mangl'd Captains consumptive Majors maim'd Soldiers wooden-leg'd Engineers Spies and Discoverers with their Stockins out at heels that walk all together in the Switzers-Hall and have nothing to do but to exclaim against Madam Ingratitude in genere petitorio non suasorio Captains carrying the Basket the poor Soldiers the Mattock some shewing their wounds others numbring the fights they have been in the Estates they have lost some mutt'ring libels others modelling a Reformation and others studying where to get a meal upon the Coin of Reputation But some person or other will say have not all these poor Miscreants by your relation toil'd sufficiently Tell us some of their works I answer they were works of Iniquity in regard it is an ill thing to serve the ingrateful And Limaille reproaching the King with the long continuance of his services and his patience and how he had render'd himself irreconcileable to his neighbours for having faithfully executed his Majestie 's commands concluded his discourse with telling him he had not wherewithal to buy himself a Dinner Ventre St. Gri said the King who was not wont to swear after the Roman manner my Kingdom has been a pillaging for these so many years last past why did not you rob something for your self Rob as the rest do Nothing shews that works of that nature are not works and by consequence unworthy of reward The poor man continu'd to his dying day and considering his condition carry'd off the greatest share of the honour of the Siege of Amiens where he dy'd in the Mines of the Wall and this is call'd doing nothing He that would see this subject more learnedly handl'd let him read the King's Apology compos'd by Monsieur Catrier then chief Minister to Madam The King shew'd it me for the style of Madam de Rohan An Apology full of prevarication which Roquellaure hearing read cry'd out Mort dieu They that wrote this how much do they know of our business Some there are who accuse La Ruffie in regard that after a discourse concerning the humor of the King which was to punish good Services and recompence Crimes he said to them that complained of his Majesty you ought to blame your selves not him For since you understand his humor if you expect rewards you should do well to merit them by works worthy of recompence After that he speaks of those who have the honour to be a kin to his Majesty and those he renders worse us'd then the meaner Servants which makes me suspect La Ruffie to be the Author of this writing wherein he calls himself one of the King's kinsmen Witness the speech that his deceas'd Mother made to Madam at Bergerac I recommend said she to your care that poor knave La Ruffie You have more reason to love him then any other For the same reason that I have known the King your Father So have many others besides you reply'd Madam To which the Perigordine made answer so vostra gratia prou intendi so l'honordi die garde de la Compania Carnaument Afterwards La Ruffie was honor'd with the Office of a Spie at Chastellerault where he did a deserving act for he stole certain papers and was made Counsellor of State and Cuckold general under pay He that desires to read more of this Story may read the Last Will and Testament of Salbeuf a Gentleman of Gascognie who though he were a good Catholic accompany'd the K. in his flight from Paris untill the Siege sold seven Horses which belong'd to his Train making known to the King his daily losses At length shame drave him away from the Court But the desire he had to dye in his Prince's service detain'd him in the Army where he listed himself in one of the Companies of the Guards commanded by his younger Brother It happen'd that when the Cannons had ruin'd the shops under the Gate St. Honorè this very person desir'd to be set the outmost Sentinel in the Ruins whereupon the King visiting his Guards and his Approaches in the night-time the Captain from the corner of a house shew'd him his Eldest Brother The King seeing himself touch'd so to the quick went away without speaking one word Some few days afterward this poor Gentleman having again try'd the inclination of his Prince at length o'recome with grief and labour of body dy'd and though unlearned made his Will wherein he first beg'd pardon of God and then of the King his Master for having serv'd him in his Amours with Katharine de Luc d' Agen and several others some of whom were also themselves starv'd to death with the Children which they had by the King There was also much about the same time another Will made by the younger Son of the Chancellor of the Hospital who having left his Estate betook himself to attend the King in all his afflictions and to stick to the Faith and Religion of his party who thinking to have found a Sanctuary for his Errors at Quillebeuf which of a small Village was made a Garrison was shamefully repuls'd and disgrac'd by the Sieur du Plessis Thereupon pronouncing with his own mouth the Sentence of his death he call'd for Paper and made his Will which contain'd much of the same subject but more openly and plainly detecting the King's secrets but his servants violated the last commands of their Master and surrender'd up the Copy which as they say fully justifi'd my opinion concerning the Justification of Works CHAP. VI. Of Miracles and Pilgrimages THE Deceas'd Cardinal of happy memory in regard of his birth as being of the house of Lorrain understanding that the Marshal de Fervaques of happy memory also had discover'd a young Girl whom Belovet the Priest otherwise call'd the holy man had instructed how to counterfeit a Demoniac or person possess'd with a Devil on purpose to make out a Miracle the Easter following this great Prelate pronounc'd Fervaques guilty of a high peice of Impiety saying That though Miracles were false they were useful to make out pious frauds and certainly he did a very great kindness to the Country
haughty King after so many Armies vanquish'd so many flourishing people so many great Princes his Enemies layd at his feet at length for all his Grandeur prostrating himself at the feet of the Pope receives his commands at the hands of his Monsieur Confessor and Cardinal D' Ossat Which two were layd upon their bellies jigg by jowl like Mackarel upon a Gridiron while you might have read half a Mass They say moreover That there was the same play to be play'd over again between his Majesty and Monsieur the Legat but that was to be done gently and under the Rose They who would turn the Holy See quite out of doors instance the boldness of the Court which being a Fugitive as far as Tours yet ventur'd to burn the Bulls of his Holiness by the hand of the common Hangman After that they tell of a second piece of Audacity of the Court united together which was the Banishment of the Jesuits out of France a high contempt of the Romish See But I answer to that That we have no reason to repent of it Witness the good Catholic City of Tournon and in imitation of her the Parliaments of Tholouse and Bourdeaux who both in spight of Fate re-established these stout Champions of the Church Thus you have the proofs of the one and the other side by Consequences and Effects Now for proofs by reason and let no man wonder at this way of proceeding It has been the humor of France for many years to mind the effects and not the reason of things Then I must tell the Reader that a man may sooner venture his Neck and get a hundred thousand Crowns then disengage himself out of the labyrinth of such difficult affairs I shall therefore only say this That I believe the Pope to be more then all the rest of the World together nay then all the Saints and all the Angels I 'll shew ye certain passages which Monsieur Confessor gave me to confirm me in this opinion Bernard of Sens calls him Prince of the Bishops Heir of the Apostles for antiquity of dignity Abel and Noah as a Patriarch Abraham as to his Order Melchisedec as to his Priesthood Aaron as to his Soveraignty Moses in Judgment a Samuel in power a Peter in authority Christ I remember the words of one of the Bulls of Clement the 6th The Pope is to be admir'd The Pope is the astonishment of the World Neither God nor Man but as it were between both The Glossary upon q. Sect. 1. cap. 17. is positive That the Pope is no man I have also read the Distinct and Canon Proposuit de con prae 19. c. Si humanarum Where it is pithily observ'd That the Pope according to the latitude of his Authority has power to give a dispensation against any Law And 5. Transub Epist 5. in Gloss he explains himself farther saying That the Pope can turn injustice into justice Monsieur Confessor never admire at these last passages when I shall tell ye by way of reinforcement that the Pope can make infecta facta that is he can make Something out of Nothing and Nothing of Something By one History alone will I undertake to prove that the Pope can do all this That high and mighty Pope Sixtus Quintus who in his time caus'd above four thousand pair of shoulders to want heads and envy'd the Queen of England for nothing more but that she had the Honour to cut off a Queen's Head who put down the Bawdy houses and consequently took away fourscore thousand Duckets of rent from the Church He that was wont say There 's no trusting in this Religion for it will not last He whom the King call'd Mr. Sixtus who was made Pope that he might bring his Hoggs to a fair Market This Great Personage having unfortunately entred into a Contract with the Devil and having read how Alexander the Sixth for that he had usurp'd the Chair by force was couzen'd in his term of years made his bargain absolutely for seven years but notwithstanding all his wit the Scrivener he had to deal with found a way to get loose from his Articles For after he had raign'd five years very formidably he fell sick the last day of the five years at what time there came to his Bed-side in the sight of his chief Chamberlain a certain grave Abby-Lubber with whom the Pope entred into a very high Contest insomuch that they in the next Room could hear the Pope call the t'other perfidious asking him withal whether he had not promis'd him seven years and whether there were any more then five past To which the Devil's Envoy made answer with a loud voice 'T is true said he I promis'd thee seven years and there are but five elaps'd and yet for all that I am no perfidious Person For do but remember That when you had a desire to put to death the Son of such one for such a Crime when you were inform'd by Justice that Legally he could not be put to death till he was Seventeen years of Age I say then do but remember how you said you would lend him two of yours Now five and two make seven and therefore you must go there 's no remedy By this Story we find the absolute power of the Pope and a confirmation of the fore-mention'd Characters of his Grandeur For by putting the young Lad illegally to death he dispens'd with Law against Law That Justice which should have sav'd the Lad he turn'd into Injustice And the Devil and he made out the third point For the Bargain which was for seven years at first imperfect by the power of the Pope and the Devil became a good Contract as the Devil made it out by the Pope's own Act and Deed. And therefore that buffonly President of Beaulieu when the Pope had excommunicated the Mass which had been said when the King was crown'd together with all that assisted at the Coronation did not much amiss according to his rambling Divinity to say That where there was an Assembly of Ecclesiastics it was such because there was a God among them The Chancellor going about to reply By the body of Sir cry'd the Belswagger you shall grant me that God was present at that same Council The Chancellor not daring to deny the other demands if any Heretic were there who durst venture to bound the puissance of his Holiness Every one shrug'd up his shoulders choosing rather to allow the Excommunication of the God of Heaven then limit the power of a God upon Earth CHAP. II. Of Traditions WE puzzle the Heretics infinitely when we demonstrate to them that the Authority of the Church and Traditions teach us to acknowledge the Scriptures although the Canonical Writings teach us not to acknowledge either Traditions or the Authority of the Church In truth we must hold to the Legends of the Church and not to Canonical Scripture otherwise the Heretics will goad us to Eternity with their Texts out of
more generally I saw in France that their resolutions were agitated to the wish of their Enemies That they sought their security other-where then one among another or within themselves That they fix'd their resolutions in their Enemie's Country and not at home as the Switzers do look upon the Peace as concluded before the Treaty was begun and bereav'd themselves of their advantages and distinctions before it was proclaim'd Which is worse we have gain'd three in four of their principles which caus'd them to treat as already sow'd up in the Kings party not in War for they bore Arms for him not in Peace for that their necessity urg'd them to treat not in Truce because they had quitted their Distinctions their Judicature their Treasure and their separate Forces So that being neither in War nor in Peace nor in Truce they fancy'd a fourth condition which never was tossing up one leg i' the Air which could be no steady march Some there were that cry'd shame upon these proceedings others would not seek to remedy these things unless the Grandees who were gain'd by the King would return among them to buoy up their party now patch'd up of several pieces choosing rather to be fat then healthy They apprehended their own weakness without considering the distinction of affairs of State Hence they began to treat with respect to conclude without security They did enough to offend but not to defend Thus were these poor people condemn'd in their simple fidelity to be the sport of the great ones persuaded to have pity upon France when France had no pity upon them to preserve it when they had no interest in it to fortifie it when they had expell'd themselvs out of it But when men have their hands ty'd by the fear of God and a bashful respect of their Prince they should be advis'd of their first motion for whatever Peace they make can be no Peace but a Contract of Servitude CHAP. VI. An examination of some Books of these times WHen Monsieur Confessour came to my Lodging he sent in three Porters Load of Books to enhance the Ceremony of my Conversion Some Censurers of these times have observ'd that we did not lash one of them but that after Dinner we spent all the day in playing at Cent. But I will shew those that were so careful to spie what was done that day that I have well employ'd others in modern Theology to authorize my design I have read the Answers to the book of Plessis Mornay 'T is very great pity he has not had leisure to follow his studies as he did some 18. years ago But since he has had so many affairs of State under his hands so much authority to sustain such a large Family to govern nothing has appear'd lately from him The Theologist of Xantes seeing all our Dogs upon that Bear and that none bit him or durst so much as take him by the Ear gave a leap at him I would every one would do as much For though he answer'd little to the purpose yet what one cannot do singly many may There is the same method to be us'd against this person and matters must dâ— boldly asserted without coming to the point of close argument for mischief might come of it As for Richeome the Heretics are constrain'd to confess that the style is the genteelest of any that has lately become public at least the Preface and if they say 't is none of his yet it is his either by way of gift or purchase If the body of the work be dull and flat is it not a common Custom for the Youth of these times to wear the fore part of their Dublets of Satin and the hinder part of Canvass Does he not do well to bring three Battalions before the King to persuade him to admit the Jesuits Though in truth three Battalions of eight Thousand men apeice and fifty great Guns would be more persuasive and prove better Advocates then the book of truth defended Now in pursuit of my design I put on my Spectacles as when I play at Tables and viewing at hand these three Battalions in the first Rank I saw none but a Company of Whipper Snappers with Morrions guilt with leaf Gold But any thing for a Civil War At the head of 'em rode a fair Argument to prove Miracles Nature is able to perform this or that Such and such things have bin produced contrary to the order of Nature Ergo. The Miracles of Ardilliers are not false The Colours were of good Taffata He that carry'd the Collonel's colours having a mind to play the Coxcomb and flourish his Colours under Leg as they do at Paris strain'd himself so hard that he befowl'd himself This is the Confession of deceas'd Beza who bequeaths all to his Wife and the rest to the Franciscans dyes a good Roman Catholic and this is that which became of him I am told an old arch Heretic read this book with a great deal of pleasure I would make a slight answer but perhaps he will burst himself with laughing which would be an argument to prove Miracles which is the subject of the book I know abundance of Catholics look upon the supposition of his death as a strange thing But in a book that treats of wonders can any discourse be thought Miraculous For my part I affirm and maintain it to be as true as other Miracles That Beza is dead First by the argument by which we prove Transubstantiation God may cause him to dye Ergo he is dead Then again This book which is in the rank and number of Traditions ought to be sooner believ'd then the Bible as the Curate of St. Gervaise but lately preach'd Traditions said he are sooner to be believ'd then the Old New Testament provided that they are authoriz'd by Traditions and not Traditions by them More then this Beza is Civily dead by Banishment and Spiritually dead by Excommunication But grant he be not dead this news has always serv'd the news has bin still made use of like a Vultur's-skin to the stomach of some weak Catholics to advance the pious frauds of honest Mr. Cardinal according to this book and that of the deceased good Queen his Play-fellow Think you that that same book of St. Clement which Capil the Venetian found in the Isle of Crete has not mainly conduc'd to the establishing private Masses For all the World has not such a quick understanding when they see the letter by which St. Clement advertiz'd St. James of St. Peter's death to know that St. James was dead seven years before the other 'T is a great benefit for an ingenious man to understand who tells truth whether Anaclete who stiles himself Successour to Clement or Ireneus and Eusebius who say that Clement succeded Anaclete who notwithstanding that wrote a very compleat Letter to Clement after he was dead He speaks of the Temple of St. Peter but it was an hundred years before the Christians
only deny'd with your lips has only smitten your lips but so soon as you shall renounce him with your heart he will strike and peirce that heart I could name another that was an ancient Deputy who sitting one day with the rest of his associates upon a Trunk in the Anti-Chamber took notice that M. d'O young Rosny and some others of the Court Gallants laught to see the Deputies in their old fashion'd Garments These airy Courtiers having a mind to shew their Wit says one to the other I 'le say he 's a brave fellow that dare's but go and ask that old Curmudgeon of a Heretic his name D'O to shew his valour approaches the old man and full of high flown conceit Sir says he these Gentlemen and I have an earnest desire to know your name If I knew how to call you said the other I might perhaps give you an answer I am a Gentleman but not at your Conmand Sir said the Courtier my name is D'O It may be so reply'd the Deputy had you bin in as many Battels as I you needed not have ask'd the Question As for O 't is a Cipher better known in the Chamber of accompts then where I have bin The Brethren of the Cabinet fell a laughing but the poor Messenger was more dash'd out of countenance upon what the Deputy added Go friend go go kill some-body that the King may bestow some favour upon yee otherwise ye may chance to go without it The Sieur Bellevre being sent by the King to the King of Navar at Mont de Marsan every morning through the window of his Lodging saw the Countess de la Guiche then Miss in waiting going every morning to Mass attended by d'Espent little Lambert a Black the Baboon Bertrand an English Page a shock Spaniel and a Lacquey Of all which the great Senatour took notice to a Huguenot in these terms I have several times said he seen some Mistresses of our Kings who are with them in such esteem that the greatest Peers of the Nation think themselves happy if they can but watch their coming out in a morning to pay their respects But here I see a Lady of a noble Family who turns and winds the King as she pleases walk to the Church in a morning fitted for all purposes with a Monkey a Shock and a Buffoon Oh Sir the reason 's plain reply'd the Huguenot for in this Court there is neither Ape nor Shock nor Buffoon but what you see The French Courtier was not a little non-pluss'd at the reply but much more when he knew the St. Maxants Curse upon the cheek of Madam Duras CHAP. VIII Of Martyrs after the Romish way OF all the Books which are enough to make a man a Heretic or of which at least a Roman Catholic ought to be very careful I find none next to the Bible to be so dangerous as this great Volum of Martyrs For 't is a great matter to see five six or seven thousand dead people with all the Marks of real Martyrdom as probity of Life purity of Religion and full freedom to choose either Life or Death This has depriv'd us of abundance of people that beheld those Preachers who had no other Pulpits then the Scaffold the Ladder or the flaming Faggot These are the glorious Nicks of time when vain hopes are said to give place to Zeal and Vertue They order their affairs now more prudently both in Italy and Spain There does not a Year go about wherein they do not put to death some hundreds But their constancy has no other witnesses then Goalers and Hang-men who are like the Cranes of Pyrrhus for keeping secrecy 'T is not above Thirty Years ago that all the Processes of which this dangerous book is full and which testifie the truth of it were order'd to be taken off the files of all the Courts of Parliament But is their no way to stifle the memory of these things and to cry down all these Stories for Fables though the eye-witnesses are living What shall we do I am of opinion that the best way will be to make Choice of some florid stile like that of the Count de Permission and to write a Book of which the Title shall be The Martyrs a la Romana or after the Romish manner Wherein we will not have so much as one finger of a Martyr of the Primitive Church in regard there is some debate concerning them between the other and us as also for that these blessed Reformers cry that the Church has bin as long reformed as it has bin persecuted according to what Pope Silvester said when Constantine freed him from the Rocks of Soracte Farwel Poverty Farwel Purity Now then we must make it out that we have Martyrs of this Age of as good Families as any of others The Bel-weather of the Flock shall be the Curate of St. Medard in Paris who was wounded in ringing the Alarum Bell. The Curate of St. Crespin in Tourain who was hang'd in the Bel-rope performing the same Office both taking pains to stir up the people to make another sort of Martyrs From thence to disguise the Story we will take a frisk to Japan where the Jesuits say some of them have bin crucifi'd and where they have done several Miracles which could be done no where else but at Japan because of the incredulity of the rest of the Indians Moreover we will condemn all the Huguenots in France to go thither to see if what they say be true Our Fathers the Jesuits foreseeing the necessity of this book that there will be more Confessours then Martyrs On the other side the Huguenots instead of putting men to death for the Faith busying themselves in praying to God for their Conversion The sharp-witted Projectours have provided a remedy for both having set up at Rheimes and at Rome two Colleges of young English chosen out of a Melancholy adust humour the most part Exiles Thieves or defam'd persons who when they are put into these Colleges as Marius Navarrus writes in his 3. book of Councils by an establish'd Papal constitution are bound to swear That after so many years they shall return into England to publish what they have learnt And because it has bin observ'd that much good has come of it witness Cardinal Alain in his Apology for Seminaries the Pope has redoubled their Pension Hereupon I guess Baronius in his Roman Martyrology said these words That the holy Priests as innocent Lambs fatted in the Sacred Cloysters by the holy society of Jesus with divine instructions for Martyrdom Sacrifices acceptable to God and the Sacred Colleges of Rome and Rheimes have bin put to death because they preach'd in England the Doctrine of the Holy Romish Church I wish he had not said it in regard they are Envoys of the Society of Jesuits because they are accus'd to be liberal enough of other men's blood and therefore though it be a commendable thing to meet Martyrdom yet