euer deemed him to be of all religions that it to say of none at all and so the euent did declare He could temporize egregiously and frame his religion in all places after the humours of the companie In the end his creditors came so roundly vpon him for his manifold and huge debts that he was in forced secretly to depart and to take England on his backe Not long after he became so deeply Iesuited that he must needs be a glorious popish martyr viz. an arrant and most bloudie traytour he thought sought by murdering his naturall soueraigne to haue gotten gold money large possessions and so perhaps to haue paid his creditors or at the least to haue cut them short at his pleasure But in steade of a popish imaginarie charter hee found an english reall halter according to his cōdigne deserts Twelftly they grant that shortly after this stratageme the Iesuite Holt and others with him perswaded one Patricke Collen an Irish-man to attempt the laying of his violent and villanous hands vpon her maiesties person Thirteenthly they freely confesse that doctor Lopez the Queenes phisition was stirred vp to haue poysoned her Maiestie and the like they affirme of Yorke VVilliams and Edward Squire animated and drawne thereunto by VValpole that pernitious Iesuite All these notorious treasons right reuerend father damnable in nature intollerable in state and almost incredible in relation are plainly confessed of the Secular-priests and the same together with many other bad licentious barbarous sauage and plaine brutish practises of Iesuited papists are compendiously comprised in this small volume Which I haue therefore endeuoured to reduce to certaine heads distinct bookes and chapters with some profitable annotations annexed to the same because I am verily perswaded that whosoeuer shall seriously pervse them with indifferencie cannot but loath and detest cursed Iesuitisme and all popish Iesuited faction For though it be necessarie to all true hearted English subiects to know throughly the matters discouered by the Secular Priests yet because many for lacke of money are not able to buy the bookes and others because they are tedious and confusely written will either abstaine wholy from the reading thereof or lightly and slenderly runne them ouer and so neuer attaine to the full knowledge thereof I haue imployed my industrie my wits to couch in a small volume and portable manuall the summe effect of all their bookes pamphelets libells edicts and letters so as euery one may easily compasse the price and no one bee wearied in pervsing the discourse My desire was to profit all to confirme the strong to strenghthen the weake to stay the staggerer to rowze vp the drowsie to instruct the ignorant to gratifie the thankefull to perswade the doubtfull and to confound the proud malepeart and disloyall hearts Paule planted Apollo watred but God gaue the increase If therefore any good be wrought by these my labours let such as shall reape that good be thankfull to God for the same The disloyall papists bloud thirstie Iesuites haue alreadie kicked against my former labours and whet their malicious tongues against me Their holy father the bishoppe of Rome whome they tearme the Pope hath thundred out his curse against me But neither secular priests nor religious Iesuites will or can make any sound answere to any of my bookes They haue often beene buzzing about the matter yet neuer durst they publish so much as but one colourable answere either to all or to any one of my bookes so as I must needs thinke that maledictiō cursing rayling will be their morning and euening song against me by reason of this my friendly posie which I present as a most redolent odour to their noses-grauitie so often as they shall kisse the shoe of their Pope and with him commit idolatrie the vsuall manner most reuerend and worthy prelate in all such kind of exercises both is and alwaies hath beene to make choise of some worthy and mightie personage to protect defend and patronize the cause and doubtles neuer did any booke or pamphlet stande in more neede of a stout and resolute patron then this present volume For the traytorous Iesuites and Iesuited papists that cannot endure their owne brethren the secular priests to publish in their honest defence their knowne practises and imperfections will no doubt become starke madde fetch al their Romish friscols against me poore soule who haue as it were anatomized and painted them out in their best beseeming colours After mature deliberation had herein most christian patron of learning and learned men I haue resolued to dedicate this worke to your most reuerend name as to that vertuous Tobi◠who is able with the perfumes of the heart and liuer of a fish that is to say with the redolent harmonie of christian diuinitie which continually floweth most pleasantly form his mouth to vanquish all the Asmodean-Iesuites vpon earth to strike such terrours into their harts as they shall not once dare to grunt or barke against my true dealing and sincere proceeding in this behalfe Sundry other motiues do occurre which might most iustly incite me to this dedication of these my late studies if they were better then in deed they are amongst which many large bounties from time to time receiued at your Lordships hand doe well deserue to haue a place So praying the almightie to increase your godly zeale against all traytorous Iesuites disloyall popish vassales and to blesse your good Lordshippe with many happie yeeres to his glorie your owne soules health and the common good of his Church I humbly take my leaue From my studie this 23. of Ianuarie 1602. Your Lordships most bounden Thomas Bell. The Elogie of the author in signe of his loyall affection both toward his late Soueraigne and now regnant The cursed crew of Iesuites A change did long desire A change they haue but to their griefe Both Pope and Spaine admire Our noble Queene Elizabeth From hence to heauen is gone King Iames the first giuen vs of God By right sits in her throne Shee fourtie yeeres and foure complete did Pope and Spaine withstand And maugree all their bloudie plots In peace did rule this land Gods word and his true worshippe euer VVith zeale shee did defend For which cause God did her protect Vntill her life did end Her death perforce we must lament VVho dearely lou'd vs all Her bountie great her mercie rare The world to witnesse call Yet English hearts be not dismaide King Iames is our regent Hence Poperie certes he will supplant All falshood must relent He will doe iustice euery where And poore mens cause respect The mightie must not them annoy He will their right protect Poore men to him must haue accesse Their owne cause there to tell No bribes can haue place in his court Thence vice he will expell The richer sort with lingringe suites Must not the poore oppresse Our noble King the man of God Their
prudent a counsell as her Maiesties is if not for a toleration of our rites at least for a mitigation of our aggriefes in the meane time Thus write the priestes out of these words I note first that the papists expect a day viz. the death of her Maiestie eyther naturall or violent whose happie life and victoirous raigne God blesse with Nestors yeares and defend her sacred person her honour crowne and royall scepter from all trayterous attempts and bloody designements of the Pope Spaniard Iesuite and other disloyall papists now and euer I note secondly that the priests expect trouble rather then peace in their long wished change and conquest I note thirdly that the priests boldly anouch that her Maiesties graue counsellers cannot preuent the mischiefe that the disloyall papists are able to worke in this land I note fourthly that they proudly and malepeartly like saucie malcontents auaunt their partie to be so great after fortie yeares persecution that the Queenes power must stand in feare thereof I note fiftly that they seeme to haue conceiued an hope that they shall as it were with bigge words and threats enforce a toleration to be granted them Where me thâ—â—ke they should rather feare to procure sharper measure to them selues in time to come then to liue in hope of any toleration My reasons are these First because where they would haue rendred humble thanks for her Maiesties great clemencie they contrariwise bragge of their great partie which her Maiestie might haue cut short before this day Secondly because if their partie be great and strong as they auaunt it is there is greater cause to keepe them vnder and suppresse then to giue them more scope by granting a toleration Paragraph V. Of the popish Catholike religion of Secular priests and why it is called Catholike THus write the Catholike secular priests of their popish Catholike religion Is there any sinne deare Catholikes rising vpon infirmitie and frailtie of man committed by an apostate an infidell an heretike an atheist cast out of the fauour of God and accursed out of his Church but a Catholike may often hath fallen into the saire and yet remained constant in his religion to death questionlesse there is not As innumerable examples of treasons of murthers of adulteries of incests of drunkennes of cusnage of what not vice doth verifie it in all nations in all times sexes and sorts of people These words are set down in their preface to their important considerations a little from the beginning thereof Note heere gentle reader many most excellent epithites which the secular Romish priests ascribe to themselues and to their Romish or popish Catholikes Viz. That they may be traytors murtherers adulterers incestuous persons drunkerds coâ—seners and all manner malefactors and yet be popish catholiks good enough constant in the popish religion vnto death If the papists theÌ„selues had not written thus who would haue beleeued me none at all But Gods spirit hath enforced their owne pennes to testifie the truth against themselues Out of this their plaine doctrine and open confession these golden corollaries are deduced euidently First that the popish religion may fitly be termed Catholike that is to say generall or vniuerall and the professors of the same religion Catholikes that is generalls For in good sooth if they speake truly of themselues all vices generally are in themselues and they are generally vitious as their letters patents tels vs. Secondly that where they imagine there is a purgatorie after this life it may seeme that such their opinatiue doctrine proceeded of their most beastly liuing For treasons murthers adulteries incests drunkennes couâ—enage and al vices that can be must needs haue a purgation doubtlesse And consequently these notorious vices remayning in popish Catholikes vnto death no maruell if they dreamed of a popish new no purgatorie after this life Thirdly that the popish religion cannot be good For as Saint Iames saith cap. 1. pure and sound religion is this to keepe our selues vnspotted of this world And therefore seeing popish religion may stand with such vices it cannot be good Paragraph VI. Of the Romish late English Archpriest and the excellencie of his creation IN good sooth we thinke his mastership as farre to blame as eyther of them or more in that being a secular priest he doth so tyrannize ouer his owne brethren by calling and hath not the wit to see how he is abused and made a puppie to dance after their pipe and to execute what they doe commaund him These words are set downe in the preface to their relation In another place thus Because none are iudged vertuous that oppose themselues selues against the Iesuites or refuse to worship their Iesuiticall idoll our Arch-priest But in good sooth master Blackwell speake truly man doth not that contention in some sort touch your high authoritie Was it not the ground of it Did not our garboyles beget your greatnes If master Weston had preuailed with vs master Garnet would haue wiued your nose for dealing like a young prince abroad as you doe And therefore indeed in a right goodsense wee are your good masters and so you ought to esteeme vs. These words are set downe in the same preface to their relation Note heere gentle reader these important points with me First that the popish priests in this Realme are so multiplied and become so strong and mightie and haue conceiued so firme and constant hope of their abilitie shortly to accomplish their long wished conquest that they haue desired their Pope to appoint presently some bishoppe or bishoppes ouer them What would these boysterous Nimrods doe if a toleration were granted them if they be so sawcie malepeart and peremptorie when they are in some sort by law kept vnder and supprest what troubles what garboyles what sedition and treacherie would they stirre vp thinke you If the magistrates should fauour them in such sort as they desire I doubt not but her Maiesties wise and graue counsellers doe sufficiently see what marke these good fellowes ayme at Secondly that the Iesuites labour with tooth and nayle that they may haue all and ouerrule all And when they could not preuaile therein as they wished directly their solemne vowe withstanding it they brought to passe by indirect meanes that an Arch-priest to their liking is appointed ouer all This Lordly Arch-priest is George Blackwell forsooth I know the man right well He is made a puppie to daunce as the Iesuites pipe vnto him For he is the Iesuiticall idoll as the priests write and dareth to doe nothing but as they commaund him neyther may hee refuse to execute whatsoeuer they will haue done Thirdly that it is true which I probably foretolde long since in my booke of motiues viz. That as the Romish English seminarie beganne with an vngodly oath and dissention so it would continue vnto the end And I pray you is it not this day apparant to the world You see it it can not bee
be intermedling a little therewithall shall 〈…〉 I say for distinction sake beâ—â—â—â—â— the word secular both fitly distinguish them from the Dominicans Carthusians Benedictines Carmelites Iesuites and the rest All which are called religious because they make a more strict profession of religion then other Christians doe howsoeuer they keepe the same The seminarie priests are méere secular as well as they that neuer were out of this land They are called seminaries because they studie and are maintained in the Colledges or seminaries and some of them neuer are made priests at all I say some because verie few are in that predicament CHAP. II. Of the vnspeakable dissention betweene the Iesuites and Secular priests THe malice of the new vpstart Iesuites is exceeding great and the wâ—th plainely that they are badde fellâ—â—â—s licentâ—â—â—s proud hautie cruell couetous ambitious 〈◊〉 deceitfull irreligious nothing lesse then that which they would seeme and professe to bee All this to be tree shall euidently appeare out of printed bookes 〈◊〉 euen by the Iesuites themselues and the secular priests to the iudgement of all the world yea the Pope himselfe in his sacred Pallaâ—◠〈◊〉 For of Weston the Iesuite thâ—s write the priests a man as impatient as some of his fellowes and of as hautie a spirit as any man can be It was wonderfull to consider what humblenes simplicitie he would pretend in the time of his prouincialship His sighes and zeale seemed to be extraordinarie as though the perteetion of true mortification had béene the onely thing he aymed at Marrie with all his hypocrisie he deceiued none but such as did not looke narrowly into his proceedings A righter Pharisee cannot easily be found In the most of his humility nothing did trouble him more then that Master Bagshaw being a Doctor of Diuinitie should haue place before him at the table insomuch as the better to content him we were driuen to place him at the tables end with him Thus write the secular priests in their relation Page 5. Paragraph I. Of the outcries of the Iesuites against the secular priests LIster the Iesuite hath written a booke in which he chargeth all the priestes that appealed to the Pope to be flat schismatikes To which booke Blackwell the Archpriest and Garnet the prouinciall in England did both subscribe In this booke the Iesuites charge the priests to haue fallen from the Church and the spouse of Christ to haue troden vnder their féete their obedience due to the Pope to haue lost their faculties authoritie to be irregular to haue incurred the sentence of excommunication to be in all mens mouthes as infamous persons To be as publicans and sinners and to be nothing better thou are soothsayers and idolaters These words are set downe in their relation Page 60. The Archpriest by Iesuiticall appointment affirmed audaciouslie that he had receiued a resolution from the mother Citie of Rome that the refusers of his authoritie were schismatikes and that he would not giue absolution to any who should make no conscience thereof and gaue direction that they should make account thereof and make satisfaction before they receiued absolution Hee denied to giue any faculties to Master Benson vnlesse he would renounce the schismaticall conuenticle of the secular priests Hee declared also that M. Moore had written in preiudice of the faith when he wrote in the behalfe of the priests concerning the matter of schisme whereupon neither his ordinarie ghostly father would administer the sacraments to him nor his ghostly children receiue any of him or be present when he said masse These words are set downe in the hope of peace Page 31. Our Arch-priest chafeth the prouinciall his good master clappes him on the backe and egges him forward the rest of the Iesuites what their tongues and prepare their pens to speake and write what they can falsely deuise to make vs odious so as presently we are become a by-word in their mouthes and are nothing with them but rebels Apostates and what they list to report of vs. These wordâ— are set downe in the relation Page 60. The Iesuites caused a libell to be cast out against doctor Lewis a secular priest and for that they loued the man in the course of their hote charitie they made this deuout prayer for him vel Turca velmors vel demon euen eripiat à nobis Eyther the Turke or death or the diuell take him away from vs. And indeed not long after he died we leaue it to Gods iudgement whether they were the causers of it or not Thus write the priests in their discouerie Page 32. quodl 4. art 2. pag. 97. The Iesuites triumphed openly vpon the death of an other English priest Cardinall Allen by name and amongst other their calumniations against him they said that God had taken him away in good time for if he had lâ—â—ed longer he would haue disgraced himselfe and lost the credit which he had got These men haue the best fortune in the world for no man if once they begin to hate him doth liue any long time after it These words are set downe in the discouerie Page 34. In the same place the priests write that the said Cardinall was thought to be poysoned by Iesuiticall meanes and procurement Paragraph II. Of the outcries which the Secular priests make against the Iesuites THe priests exclaime against the Iesuites for their Machiuilian practises diabolicall plots in their concurrence incitements and execrable perswasions which they vsed and practised with the Spaniards and with other forraine and domesticall powers for the inuasion conquest and vtter subucrsion of most noble England of her sacred Maiestie and of all her loyall and faithfull subiects This is true Catholike religion in this case and true English nature and valure true faith and true charitie and what the Iesuits perswade vs toward a conquest of our deare countrey vpon pretence of neuer so much pietie were abhominable disloyaltie in vs to our prince These words are set downe in the answere to the Iesuited gentleman Page 70. The Iesuites affect rule ouer the secular cleargie so to bring armes and conquest into the Church contrarie to all scriptures and to that end they doe manage matters of state more machiuilianly then Machiuell himselfe as appeares by their erection of the Arch-priest and all his carriages according to them and it These words are set downe in the aunswere to the Iesuited gentleman Page 79. Wee all of the Secular Cleargie vna voce doe vtterly disclayme and renounce from our hearts both Arch-priest and Iesuites as arrant traitors vnto their prince and countrey whom to death we will neuer obey no if the Popes holines should charge vs to obey in this sense to aduance an enemie to the English Crowne we would neuer yeeld to it as by no law of nature of nations or of man to be compelled therevnto These words with many moe to the like effect are
put downe in the Preface to the important considerations Fol. 9. page 2. Note heere gentle Reader that this sweete harmonie betweene the Pope the Iesuites and the Secular priests were able to make an horse to breake his halter And doubtlesse the Pope yea many Popes successiuely haue thus commaunded them as shall appeare in the due place of this discourse The Iesuites holde this position for a constant doctrine that the people may depose their princes and choose others at their pleasures haue they any or no right to the Crown that is not materiall so it be done ad Deum that is by our interpretation as the Iesuites shall appoint it Héere we would haue you to note an other rule of our english Iesuites which must concurre with that of ordine ad Deâ—m and it is this that all things must be wrought and framed as the times and occasions require For example if the king of Spayne or the Infanta can by no other practise obtaine the Crowne of England then in that case the people are to haue a right to doe what they list so they will choose one of them for their soueraigne These expresse words are set downe by the priests in their sparing Discouerie Page 14. 15. quodl 3. art 4. pag. 68. Note heere gentle reader that the Iesuites and their complicies are not imprisoned or put to death for religion as they would leaue the world to thinke but for â—â—at treason and purposely intended rebellion For so much their owne pennes by Gods prouidence doe here testifie as you see And consequently politicke godly and very necessarie are the 〈…〉 in that case prouided While the inuasion was talked of and in preparation in Spayne Richard Hesket was set on by the Iesuites 1592. or there abouts with father Parsons consent knowledge to haue stirred vp the Earle of Darbie to rebellion against her highnesse Not long after father Holt the Iesuite and others with him perswaded an Irish man one Patriâ—cke Collen as he himselfe confessed to attempt the laying of his violent and villanous hands vpon her Maiestie Shortly after 1593. that notable stratagâ—me was plotted for Doctor Lopez the Queenes phisition to haue poysoned her This wicked designement being thus preuented by Gods prouidence the said traiterous Iesuite Holt and others did allure and animate one Yorke and Williams to haue accomplished that with their bloodie hands that the other purposed to haue done with his poyson we meane her Maiesties destruction Heereunto we may adde the late villanous attempt 1599. of Edward Squire animated and drawen thereunto as he confessed by Walpole that pernitious Iesuite These words are set downe in the important considerations Page 33 see chap. 4. paragraph 6. of Walpoole the Iesuite The Iesuites laboured in Fraunce euen the french Iesuites themselues to haue lifted the Spaniard into the throne of that kingdome with the consequent ouerthrow of their owne natiue countrey All Christendome to their perpetuall shame ring loudly of it They made great stirre in Spayne to perswade the king to inuade England yeelding to him many reasons why he was bound to vndertake that enterprise and assuring him of great assistance if once his forces were landed Hereunto may be added how many they haue intituled to the Crowne of England as the Duke of Parma the Earle of Darbie and others exciting some of them by force of armes to assaile her Maiestie and buzzing into their eares how easily the scepter might be wrung out of her hands and they obtaine it But most pertinent to the purpose is that their plotting and compassing how to set the Diademe of this Realme vpon the head of the princesse Isabella the Infanta of Spayne To this purpose they haue written a booke wherein they gaue her such an interest as they make the kings of this land for many yeares to haue béene vsurpers These words are to be read in their discouerie Page 8. quodl 9. art 2. pag. 288. The Iesuites take pleasure to scatter rumors and to suggest certaine nouelties in the eares of Catholikes yea to forge and inuent things that are not insomuch as they are commonly held now a daies great lyars and it is come to passe that though they sweare men wil not beléeue them These words are set downe in the Relation Page 73. quodlibet 2. art 6. pag. 39. CHAP. III. Of the excessiue expences and great gallantrie of the Iesuites THe Iesuites endeuour by all meanes possible that both those almes which are giuen for the relief of them that are in prison or any other poore afflicted whatsoeuer as also whatsoeuer is paid in cases of dispensation may come to their hands Now what is done with this money we know not Prisons and Colledges are depriued of the great summes the banished haue them not the priests sée them not but there are hired here with seditious persons deuisers of fables slaunderers of their brethren and scorners of the saints are herewith enriched these and such as these receiue large stipends of their labours And yet so great a masse of monies cannot be consumed but that the fathers bestow much vpon themselues For they goe in déed in great gallantrie no Iesuite goeth to visit any one or trauelleth from one place to another but he is richly apparrelled and is attended on with a great traine of seruants as if he were a Baron or an Earle They wrangle and reprooue the priests garments and spendings whereas the expences of one Iesuite were able to maintaine twentie priests richly Neither by this meanes also could so great a quantitie of almes be wasted but that as the report goes much treasure is conueyed beyond the seas but to what purpose we know not vnlesse it be bestowed vpon their bodie their corporation or societie These words are to be found in the Relation Page 70. See the tenth Preamble and note it well The Iesuites became our collectors or rather not ours but their owne to whom for their accounts the false Steward in the gospell may giue place One Iesuite hath taken at times aboue 500 pound that was giuen to the imprisoned priests then at Wâ—â—â—â— and imployed the same at his owne pleasure Percie the Iesuite escaping from Wisbish tooke fraudulently from benefactors abroad 57. pound 17. shillings and the yeare after stole 27. pound of the common money by the consent of the other his fellow Iesuites They haue so fleeced their fauorers as ouer aboue their owne expences which are excéeding great they haue beene able to send out long since 2200. pound towards the Low countries To scrape together so much money they haue many sleights besides their apparant consenages frauds and thefts before mentioned Thus they write in their discouerie Page 19. First I will but referre you vnto all the priests and Catholikes that liued in England in father Haywoods time of libertie and knew him his manners and fashions well and if they
gentle reader the wealth pride and saucie deceitfull dealing of the Iesuites to be such and so great that if they remaine a while vnpunished they will not onely ouerrule the priests but our noble Queene and all Paragraph V. Of the peremptorie and seditious dealing of Iesuites THe Iesuits by cunning haue gotten into their hands all authoritie good estimation and all the treasure of money and so doe what they list at home and abroade They thrust out and let in hire and buy and maintaine factions at their pleasure These words are to be found in the memoriall page 75. The Iesuits haue purchased them an hard opinion of all religious orders euen so farre forth as to bee written against by some of them in most parts of christendome ex professo and in particular are banished for such out of all the most christian kingdome of FraÌ„ce as also for their Spanish faction there where for all their great meanes and flattering ballads of late made and exhibited to the king they are not like to get in againe this yeare nor yet the next onely they hold in heere and there with the good Capuchines which they may easily doe for that as one of those good Friers on a time confessed they couet to haue all and these couet nothing Vpon this ground the excellent good bishop of Bamberge in Germany when hee was laboured for their admittance into his reformed diocesse answered thus no I brooke no such Quiddits These words are to be found in the aunswere to the Iesuited gentleman page 16. If any priest haue a conuenient place of residence the Iesuits will not cease vntill they haue cast him out and that by wicked meanes by defaming him and bringing him into suspition These words are set downe in the abstract of the memoriall Page 74. The Iesuites are the firebrands of all seditions The Iesuites by right or wrong â—â—eke simplie and absolutely the monarchie of all England These words are set downe in the memoriall page 74. The ambition of Iesuites hath taken footing not only in prouinces and cities but also in priuat families it seperateth breathren one from an other and the husband from the wife inflaming them with rancour and enuie one against an other These words are to be seene in the abstract of the memoriall page 76. Note heere gentle reader that whosoeuer loue charitie christian peace and vnitie they must abhorre detest eschew all Iesuiticall societie For the end as you see which that cursed broade aymeth at is nothing els but to dissolue peace and vnitie and to maintaine sedition and rebellion euerie where Paragraph VI. Of the murders committed by Iesuites IKnow there be diuerse that will thinke this historie straunge and incredible but if it chaunce that master Charles Paget doe but set downe the actions of father Holt especially concerning master Godfrey Foulgeam the verie cause of whose death he was you shall see more straunge matters then this These words are in the reply vnto Parsons libell Fol. 70. pag. 1. in fine Sée the fift chapter the first and second sections and note them well Note heere gentle reader that the Iesuite Holt is flatly charged to haue beene the cause of the death of master Godfrey Foulgeam Note also that the Rector of the Colledge of the Iesuites in Vallidolid with some of his complices dealt most cruelly with one Barkworth a priest then student in the English Colledge there after that the minister of the Colledge had deceitfully enticed him being sick in his bed to go abroad to shake off his feauer They conueyed the said Barkworth into the Colledge of the Iesuites and there commaunded him to put of his scholers robes and to put on a sute of ragges which they offered him And because he refused so to doe the Rector called in certaine of his lay brethren strong fellowes to deale with him by violence Wherof two comming to him catched him by the legs and pulling them from vnder him vpon a sodaine threw him backward flat vpon the pauement with such violence being then sicke and weake with a feauer that he was much brused therewith The rest of the lay brethren apprehended some a legge some an arme haling and beating him most outragiously and would as it seemed haue murdered him in his bed if a casuall good hap had not hindred them The storie is long and therefore I referre the reader to the place They procured Henry the third to be excommunicated and then by degrées they murdered him These words are set downe quodl 8. art 8. pag. 261. Perhaps they will pretend that this fruitlesse encrease of of their number is an argument of Gods blessing vpon their societie but this were both a daungerous and an absurd consequence For it will be a long time ere they come to equall the number of the Arsacides who were sent into France by their king a Pagan to murther S. Lewes or Assasins murtherers men of their owne stampe These words are to be found in the franke discourse Page 88. Let not A Iesuite become a censor of other mens writings or doing as temerarius till he haue amended and satisfied for his owne temeritie both in his doctrine of prince-killing and other disloyaltie to ones prince and countrey A. C. in his second letter Page 8. in fine If your maiestie please â—o reade but the oration of the Polonian gentleman made in their senate there you shall sée an Iliade of tumults and ciuill warres amongst the Christians which inhabite those large and wast countries stirred and excited by the onely meanes of the Iesuites who haue there caused of late more battels to be fought then had béene in fiue hundred yeares before These words are put downe in the franke discourse Page 89. This is wonderfull that in the whole troupe of the Iesuites there was not one found one is a small number and yet I say againe there was not one that from 89. to 94. was heard to let fall one word that might be strained to the good of his prince or countrey but euermore vehement in behalfe of the Spaniard and to qualifie the hard conceit of his gouernment These words are in the franke discourse Page 95. vers 17. A due religion of the Iesuites for to speake truth to deale in State-matters and to practise the death of princes are as essentiall parts of their function as their confession it selfe These words are set downe in the Iesuites Catechisme Liber 3. cap. 13. fol. 168. Loe heere gentle Reader it is an essentiall point of Iesuiticall function to cause sedition and to murder princes From such religious men good Lord deliuer vs. The first breaking out of our troubles was in the yeare 1585. at which time all that resorted to the Iesuites to be confessed if they affirmed themselues to be good subiects and loyal seruitors to the king for they were questioned vpon that article they were sent backe by the Iesuites without receiuing
pouertie aswell in generall as in particular as it is in all the orders of begging Fryers But because their pouertie had neede to be expounded let vs see the commentaries they bring vs by their constitutions They haue three sorts of houses one for their nouices an other for their religious bounde by their solemne vowes which they call the house where there Church is and an other which they call a colledge for the religious that are bound only by the simple vow whereof some are schollers probationers others coadiutors some spirituall some temporall In domibus vel ecclesiis quae á societate c. That is to say in those houses and Churches which the societie shall except of for the saluation of soules there shall be no reuenewes proper either to be applied to the vestrie or to the frame and buildinges or for any other purpose whatsoeuer That the societie may haue nothing to dispose of but onely to depend vpon God whome by his grace they serue trusting that without reuenewes he will prouide thinges necessarie for vs to his praise and honor They that are professed that is men of the last great and solemne vowe shall liue by almes in their houses when they are not sent forth to any countrie nor to take the ordinarie charge of Rectors of Colledges or Vniuersities except it be vpon necessitie or vrgent vtilitiy require it neither shall they vse the Colledges reuenewes in their houses they shall be readie to begge from doore to doore wheÌ„ obedience or necessitie requires it And to this purpose let there be one or two or more appointed to craue almes for the sustenance of the societie which shall begge the almes simply for the loue of our Sauiour Iesus The houses and churches of the societie shall not onely haue no rents or reuenewes but no possessions or inheritance in generall or particular Gather all these particulars together was there euer pouertie more obstinately vowed then this And therfore it was that first Pius 5. after that Gregorie the 13. ordained that this societie should be placed among the orders of the mendicants If they would obserue that which here is enioyned them I would excuse them with all my heart of the herefie of their first vow And that because that after they had a long time enioyed goods during the time of their simple vow at the last to make satisfactioÌ„ to God for it they are come to the periode of their great vow by reason whereof they haue the name of fathers aboue the other religious yet not onely they vow from thence forwards a beggerie but also themselues to become treasurers thereof I would honor them as the true followers of Saint Peters repentance after he had denied his master and would esteeme them aboue all the other orders of mendicants But when sawe you them goe with a wallet vp and downe the towne For al this they liue richly and plentifully not with the manna of God for they are not children of Israell but by a notable point of Sophistrie and see how The houses where these holy fathers dwell are not permitted to haue any goodes but onely their colledges are Now so it is that vnder their generals authoritie they haue all there care and gouernment of their colledges These are the old Cincinnati of Rome that boasted they had no gold but commanded them that had In like sort these masters though they may haue noe proper reuenewes but their wallet which they scorne yet doe they gouerne them that haue good store This foundation presupposed you may easily iudge what will follow For it is reason that being fathers they should be sed and maintained by their children and it is more honesty for theÌ„ to aske almes of their colledges where they command then to stragle vp and downe the townes to craue it See how carefully they make sheaues off carne for God as Caine did and yet heerein they are the true and lawfull children of their good father Ignatius who in all his actions reserued for himselfe the principall care of his kitchen Nothing is more familiar to them by their buls and constitutions then beggerie and yet neuer had any men better skill to scrape vp coyne that they may liue at their ease These words are put downe in the Iesuites catechisme libr. 2. cap. 14. fol. 10. fol. 11. Note here gentle reader the pouertie of the Iesuites which is wonderful For first they professe and vow beggerie and yet they neuer begge Secondly they can haue no possessions no inheritance no lands no goods and yet they abound in welth lands and goods and haue the worlde at will Oh who would not be a begging Iesuite Fâ—ier Thirdly they renounce all possessions except their bare wallet which they sreone and will not vse and yet they command both the possessions and the possessours to come and goe at a becke Fourthly the professed Iesuites abandon and forsake all but the other Iesuites who stand at their command shall refuse nothing that may be had The fathers can teach them to fish for whales and not for Gudgins This then is a goodly religious pouertie Paragraph VIII Of the miracles of the Iesuites Ignace the founder of the Iesuites left a writing in a litle coffer in manner of a iornall how thinges passed betweene the holy Ghost and him and the visions set down wherewith he was inspired when he made his constitutions These remembrances were found after his death with great wonderment presented to the generall congregation held at Rome in the yeare 1558. Where all that he had ordred was considered of and then passed through the hands of their printers and stationers You blame Ignace in your discourse for all his apparitions and say they were impostures contriued by him vpon which ground his societie hath coyned many fables Pardon me I pray you for you iudge of these matters like a punie not like a states man I tell you againe I doubt not but that Ignace hath told you all his visions whereof he himselfe alone was witnesse But when not in the flower of his age when he was in action but when sicknesse and age had broken him and he saw himselfe at the graues brinke perswading himselfe there could be no better meane to stablish his order after his death and confirme his statutes theÌ„ to feede them not with these holy but rather fained illuâ—â—i nations These words are set downe in the Iesuites catechisme lib. 1. cap. 18. fol. 64. One Iustinian a Iesuite in Rome calleâ— father Iustinian counterfeicted himselfe to be Leaprous to make his cure miraculous Againe he would haue men beleeue that being shot with a pistoll through his garment the bullet rebounded backe againe from his bodie without hurt and so by the wonderfull grace of God hee was not wounded These matters were beleeued by the simple people at the first but after they were founde to be false this marred the whole roast of the Iesuites cookerie
to institute three seminaries on his Maiesties costes and charges that graines and indulgences must be published in England on the Spanish behalfe for all that take his part that all who come out of Spayne must sweare vow professe or at least acknowledge an obedieÌ„ce to master Blackwell in all things Yea euen to become ranke traytors against their prince and country for that is principally intended These words are set downe in the end of the preface which is annexed to the sparing discouerie Parsons caused diuers by fayre meanes and threats to subscribe that in all conferences they should when they came into England aduance the Infantaes title not intending therby to expect her Maiesties death but by all means to remoue her from the present possession of her royall estate These words are set downe in the discouerie Pag. 57. as also in the important considerations Page 34. By these testimonies gentle reader two things are cleared the one that Parsons the Iesuite aliâs bastard Cowbucke taketh vpon him as roundly as traiterously to place and displace to put on and take of royall Diademes at his good will and pleasure The other that the three English hispanized semiminaries erected in Saint Lucars Siuill and Valledolid are and must be mainteyned to further ayde and assist the Spanish bloodie intendments against their vndoubted soueraigne and natiue countrey CHAP. VIII Of the Popes authoritie I Haue discoursed at large of this theame in my booke of motiues I meane heere to speake thereof onely as the printed bookes published by the secular priests haue ministred â—t occasion to me Where I wish the indifferent reader to marke well what I shall by Gods helpe deliuer in this behalfe In which my dispute I will for perspicuitie sake proceede by way of sections Sect. I. Of the Popes fact in assoyling her Maiesties subiects from their homage to her TOuching the Bull of Pious Quintus and the same since confirmed by Gregorie 13. against her Maiestie as neither the Spaniard nor any other forraine power is eyther by expresse or implied termes thereof incited to dominion ouer this land as little are English hearts therby disallegeanced so from her Maiestie as to concurre with any forraine inuadour For though the said Buls vpon her Maiesties excommunication therein promulged doe de facto assoyle the subiects of this Realme from their homage to her it therfore followes not that they must and ought to be parties against her Maiestie and their country to a forraine power howsoeuer pretending euen Religion or the ciuill good thereunto For that were to conster the Popes act so ouermuch in religion and grace as to the destruction of nature which were against the marime aforesaid These words are taken out of the answere to the Iesuited gentleman Page 39. Sect. II. Of power granted to Saint Peter A Man to goe against his owne countrey is and euer was holden in the ciuill part of the world an act contraius gentum also vnnaturall yea against all grace Besides that Christ neuer did delegate any such power to S. Peter as tradere gentem in gentem that being a meere temporall reuenge and he but his vicar spirituall Sect. III. Of the confirmation of the power named in the former Section SAint Peters commission against transgressing kings and kingdomes is no more then onely to denounce by excommunication and other the like ecclesiasticall censures Gods displeasure against them for their transgression and not to exercise the secular sword at all These words conteyned in the third and second sections are set downe in the answere to the Iesuiticall gentleman Page 40. Sect. IIII. Of the explication of the former confirmation I Say againe I doe not see howe that chaire and those keyes to be imbrued in blood and to atchieue conquests especially such a tradition as of England to Spaine by the sword can any wayes stand eyther with Christs or his said vicars honour These words are set downe in the answere to the Iesuited gentleman Page 42. Sect. V. Of the obeysance to the Popes comamundement WE all of the secular cleargie doe with one assent vtterly renounce both Archpriest and Iesuites as arrant traytors to their prince and countrey whom to death we will neuer obey no if the Popes holinesse should charge vs to obey in this sense to aduance an enemie to the English crowne we would neuer yeeld to it as by no law of nature of nations or of man to be compelled thervnto These words are set downe in the preface to the important considerations Fol. 9. pag. 2. Sect. VI. Of the Popes stat commaundement in matters of treason THe secular priests hauâ—ng told vs that the Pope denounced his â—ul against her Maiesty purposely to suffer the intended rebellion that he gaue order to Ridolphi the Florentine to take 150000. crownes to set forward the said attempt and much other matter to the like effect wherof I haue spoken at large in the sixt chapter doe adde thervnto these expresse words when we first heard these particulars â—e did not beleeue them but would haue laid our liues they had beene false but when we saw the booke and found them there God is our witnesse we were much amazed and can say no more but that his holines was misinformed and directly drawn to these courses These words are set downe in the important considerations Page 10. Now out of these waightie and important points conteyned in these Sections certaine conclusions are necessarily inferred for which I haue reserued the next chapter wishing the reader seriously to obserue the same CHAP. IX Of certaine memorable conclusions worthie to be kept in perpetuall remembrance The first conclusion THe bishop of Rome hath no authoritie deriued from Christ or S. Peter by which he may lawfully depriue and dispossesse her Maiestie that now most happily raigneth ouer vs from her royall Diademe and regalitie and giue the same to the king of Spayne to Isabella his sister or to any other forraine potentate whosoeuer This conclusion is effectually proued by all the sections of the former chapter For in the first section this authoritie is said to tend to the destruction of nature which power is denied to the Pope In the second section it is flatly affirmed that Christ neuer gaue any such power to Saint Peter whom all papists will grant to haue had as great power as their Pope hath I am sure In the third section it is said plainly that Saint Peters commission was onely to denounce by excommunication Gods displeasure against trangressors of his lawes In the fourth section it is auouched that this kinde of proceeding doth neither stand with Christs honour nor with his vicars In the fift section it is affirmed in plaine termes that subiects can not be charged to obey such a commaundement and the reason is yeelded to be this because it is against the law of nature of nations and of man In the sixt section the priests