and like an impudent Tartuff to appear in his Majesties Privy Council and all this while the Parliament was sitting These things I say were sufficient to make his Oaths at first dash be taken for Truths fit to be publish'd by sound of Trumpet and set up at the corners of all the Streets in a Conjuncture so nice People would be sure enough not to apply themselves to a through examination of so great a Trifle in respect of those things which at that time busied the Court and Parliament Neither was the action imputed to St. Germain to stand in Competition with the important affairs of State which endured no delay to allow Convenience for clearing an Accusation which concern'd only a single Man and he a Jesuit This kept the business from being search'd to the bottom And I conceive that those who as you know then medled with it Acted with much prudence upon that maxime of Tacitus Omne magnum exemplum habet aliquid ex iniquo quod utilitate publica compensatur For my part who am but a Cypher in the World and who go on my great Road without being diverted by the Prospect of any worldly Policy I have made a resolution for the sake of Truth and to do you a pleasure to Examine in few words both the Crime laid to the charge of the Jesuite and the person of the Informer the Counterfeit Luzancy To give a clear and distinct Idea of the Accusation in question and discover it 's either force or weakness we are to consider it in three respects First of the Accuser Secondly of the Crime Thirdly of the Circumstances which attend it If we cast our Eye on the Accuser there is good assurance to be had that he is a Cheat and a notorious Lyar whose Life hitherto has been made up of Impostures and this when there shall be Judges Commissionated to examine what he has done beyond and on this side the Sea shall be Legally proved If we look on the Crime it is so pitifully contrived that one must be a perfect Ideot not to perceive its weakness and for the Circumstances the best means to discover the Truth in such cases they all make for the Jesuit we must run over some of them to judg well of the Crime First it was a Month or five weeks before Luzancy made a noise of the pretended Assassinat to be committed on him nay he said not so much as a word of it to Mr. Ruvigny or his Lady with whom he was as one of the Family and for this 't is but inquiring of them This Circumstance alone is decisive Secondly They threatned him says he with a Pistol at his Throat he does whatsoever they desire and after all suffers them to depart with all the quietness in the World without crying out when they were gone and without mentioning a word to any body till more than fifteen days after Thirdly He entertains Correspondence both by word and writing with this very Jesuit his Mortal Enemy he writes him Billets he visites him several times he promises him the Theses of Monsier Le Blane Professor of Divinity lately printed and which a Minister of the Savoy had nicely presented to him he Communicates to him the Certificates he had from two French Bishops In fine there passes a considerable time before Luzancy dreams of contriving his Tragedy Fourthly In seventeen days he speaks not of the Assassinate to his dear Friend the Sieur Corbiere who itching to be seen at Court and in Parliament would needs make a studyed Certificate in his favor This Corbiere is a Frenchman the story of whose Life rejected him from an Honorable Imployment which he should have had with Mr. Skelton whom the King has sent to the Emperor's Court. Fifthly Luzancy goes to a Merchant to desire him to find a Convenience for Luzancy to return into France and at the same time persuaded a Proselite to return to the Church of Rome and this when Judges shall be appointed that Proselyte will depose Sixthly The Divelish writing which he says was extorted from him by Pistols and Daggers is written in a hand natural and free t is his very style 't is in some place razed signs rather of the Attention of one studying alone then the confusion of a Man Transcribing with a Dagger at his Throat Seventhly Is it likely a Jesuit whose name is so Odious in England durst venture on so strange an action and this in the middle of London and for no greater advantage then to gain a simple private Man To gain a King or save a Kingdom a Jesuit possibly might venture hanging and so horrible an Action as Assassinate otherwise a Jesuit does not undervalue his Life so much as to cast it away for a Trifle especially one so well at Ease as St. Germain was In fine whoever would sift the pitiful Evasions contained in the written Discourse which Luzancy gave to Sir Joseph Williamson Secretary of State would find things so absurd and gross that they who have countenanc'd them with Authority would be without excuse if Reason of State did not free them from blame Mean time this Admirable Reason of State or the Zeal without knowledg of some Men wrought so that all England almost was possess'd with the pretended crime of the Jesuit and false innocence of Luzancy Those who have no other knowledg of him then by the Proclamation look upon him as a Martyr some who began to have other thoughts of him are resetled in their good opinion while they see my Lord Bishop of London openly protect him Others to lay on an Occasion to imbroyl things and make their Zeal to the Protestant Religion appear have gone far in this business and contributed much to the success which you know he has had yet there remains a considerable number of those who look purely after Truth and seperate themselves from the Crowds to follow and never swerve from her I had Inlarged my Self farther on this Subject if I did not think I had said enough to give you an Idea of all this Farce Let us now pass forwards and trace Luzancy step by step in the remaining Acts of a piece which includes I know not how many incidents of a different nature and which t is fit the World should know that he may the better be understood St. Germain having been without hearing as soon condemned as accused Luzancy's Advancement was powerfully carryed on My Lord Bishop of London took care to have him Ordained and made him Preach immediately designing to put him into a Condition of becoming one day a great Defendor of the Church of England And because he wanted the Language of the Countrey to make his Talents appear he was sent to Oxford to Learn it All this was done in an unimaginable Hurry 'T was to much purpose for the Pastors and several Masters of Families of the Church at the Savoy to cry out Nothing could stop the impetuous Current of my Lord
A Letter from a Gentleman at London to his Friend in the Countrey c. SIR AS pressing as I perceive by your Letter your desire is to be throughly informed of the Truth of what has passed concerning the Counterfeit Luzancy I can assure you mine is no less to satisfy you in a business which has made so much noise and which is yet so much talk'd of I cannot chuse but commend you in this as in all other occasions for believing no more then comes from good hands In which Proceeding I observe the true Character of a man of worth one who judges not by noise and who far from letting himself be carried with the stream hearkens to the common cry with suspition I perceive by this exact prudence you have not forgot though you have quitted the world and that 't was long experience and weariness of the impertinencies of it which made the resolution you have taken to spend the rest of your dayes in a Retreat Where cured of the disease of vulgar opinions you feed on what Phylosophy affords of most pure and most free from the errors of the age If all those who are obliged to continue in the trouble and confusion from which you have been so wise as to disengage your self had their souls as well set and dispositions as rational as yours they would examine matters with consideration and to avoid engaging every day to condemn their Neighbour without a hearing would not judge of and decide the merits of the Cause purely on sight of his Breviate But we live in an age where people are far from doing justice to themselves that they might render it to others and I am but to acquaint you with what I know of the business in question to shew you into what an abyss of confusion man is capable of falling when he has for Guides these two Monsters which tyrannize over all conditions high and low I mean Passion and Prejudice I will touch the less material points but slightly and since you have heard of the Vagabond in the Countrey it will be sufficient to tell you that he came to London without clothes without shoes without money and without any recommendation from France That upon his own word and at the instance of some who solicited in his behalf he was permitted to get into the Pulpit there to declare the motives of his Conversion The discourse he made and which he delivered with much boldness gain'd him the esteem of his Auditors who for the most part charm'd with his Eloquence and full of compassion for his misery soon cast about to put him into a condition of appearing in a decent habit and subsisting This happened when the Court was upon removing to Windsor that journey gave occasion to the Lady Marquess de Ruvigny Embassadress of France to desire this new Proselyte to go and Preach at her house at Windsor A Request so obliging as that of this Lady could not fail of success Luzancy was too sensible of the advantage and his best friends who at present are against him were ravish'd at an occasion so favourable which furnish'd him with convenience to make himself known Their hopes did not prove vain his Sermons made a noise at Court as well as at the Savoy and much forwardness there was in Persons of Quality to do him good witness the favours he rceived from my Lord Duke of Lauderdale and the Marquess of Ruvigny who honoured him with a place at his own Table noon and night and gave him all the marks of esteem which could be expected from one of his ranke so many expressions of kindness which he dayly received from that Embassador and his Lady in my opinion ought to have oblig'd Luzancy to Confide in them and tell them truly who he was or at least who he was not for he was all this while taken for the Abbot Luzancy of Sorbon but by an unparallel'd impudence never to be forgot They are the two whom he has the most abus'd and who yet by a Prodigy whereof I cannot yet dive into the bottome have most contributed to save his Honour when it was upon the point of being cast away of which you will find convincing proof and such as will surprize you in the sequel of this Letter At this time all went with the counter feit Luzancy even to his wish and his friends saw from far his Fortune hastning on a pace towards him His Sermon being Printed had got him credit with the Bishop of Oxford at present of London to whom he had Dedicated it The Duke of Lauderdale had presented him the Lady Marquess de Ruvigny besides dyet and lodging allowed him a Lackquey to waite on him in a word there was vying who should do most Nay there were some who kept their distance with him believing that they had to do under the name of Luzancy of Sorborn with a Man of Quality for no body doubted but he was what he said himself to be In fine one would have thought nothing had been able to trouble the calm he then injoy'd but his Mask being soon pull'd off he was notoriosly known to be Hipolitus Chastlett Son to a famous common Woman named Beauchasteau a Player belonging to the Hostel de Burgoyn at Paris By it we came also to know that among the Fathers of the Christian Doctrine at Vitry he had been a small Usher of the 5th Form that afterwards he had been with some Bishops and a Preacher Errant here and there in little Towns whereof the most considerable is Montdidier in Picardy and that at last having plaid divers Pranks which exposed him to the pursuit of Justice his safety had oblig'd him to quit France and seek Shelter in England which serv'd him for a Stage to act all sorts of Persons upon whereof I am about to make you a description having taken care to inform my self exactly and convers'd with Friends Enemies and Neuters of all sorts both English and strangers Notwithstanding the Evidence of all this matter of Fact this Cheat dextrous at Lying and with a Tongue well hung for a while shifted off all these Truths and told his tale with so many specious circumstances that the wisest Men were impos'd upon but at his business with St. Germayne the Jesuit things appeared so grosly forged that his most intimate Friends opened their Eyes and those who by too hasty Zeal had assisted towards his raising were Convinc'd of his Impostures by their own knowledg and soon deserted him and publish'd his Villanies When Fortune has once undertaken the Advancement of a Favorite she never fails of her design whatever opposition can be made she has Arts to blind Men withal and to give even Vice a tincture of Vertue enough to keep it from appearing and if her own tricks will not serve she can take Advantage of the prejudice of a Nation and the circumstance of time It was sufficient for Luzancy to accuse a Jesuit to swear his ruine
Bishop's resolution and as if it had been a matter of main import for the upholding of the Orthodox Faith they drive on his Preferment without observing the least Measure in the world While this was a Brewing an English Minister belonging to the French Church named Mr. du Maresq full of Zeal for the Truth printed a Sermon which he had Preached during these Bustles and this for the reasons which he gives in his Preface they were no sooner come abroad but my Lord Bishop of London thought both the one and the other deserv'd the Thunder of his Ecclesiastical tribunal To this purpose he caused all the Coppies to be seized The Minister was cited to the Bishops Court where at first they wrangl'd with him about a Licence to Preach which neither he nor any of his Collegues had ever heard of At last after much ado they discovered where the shoo truly pinch'd My Lord Bishop was offended by his falling upon Luzancy And would needs have the Minister to ask forgiveness of God his Neighbor the Church and his Superior This is not enough the Minister must also acknowledg that he is Convinc'd in Conscience that he has offended God and his Neighbor by printing Scandalous things Yet we have not all a Declaration too must be Sign'd and Seal'd otherwise the Minister is undone And because he refus'd a Motion so extraordinary My Lord Bishop presently caus'd him to be publickly Interdicted the functions of his Charge upon a Sunday in the midst of his Congregation A proceeding so severe against a Minister very well spoken of opened the Eyes and understandings of divers who want none they set themselves to inquire attentively what these scandalous things were which were imputed to him but their search was Fruitless they found nothing that look'd towards it In fine like the five Propositions which heretofore at Rome they maintained were in the Book of Jansenius they perceived these Scandals ow'd their birth to sharpness and prejudice Mean time this Minister of the Gospel because he stood firm to the maintenance of Truth was openly suspended for reasons reserved to my Lord Bishop and his Officers They had a care not to say what these reasons were they were too frivolous and would have cover'd the Authors with Shame and Blame But by a slight not welbecoming a Bishop they conceal'd the Account of a proceeding so defective They had much rather People should have Occasion to believe horrible things of this Minister than publish his fault it was so light And my Lord Bishop of London doubtes not but Men will judg by the prerogative of his Dignity that the right is on his side and that 't was enough to make one pass for Criminal to be accused and punish'd by a person so venerable as himself Quis sanctum dubitet quem apex tantae Dignitatis attollit All this as I have been informed past in the most unusual manner in the World The Minister is Condemned without being heard according to the formalities of Law 'T was much to purpose for him to offer to justify himself The Bishop refuses to see him slights the submissive Letters which the Minister writes to him and by his Order the Judges of his Court pass Sentence without saying or knowing wherefore who would have believed a Bishop of London one of a Noble Family and who has no small pretentions to the Archbishoprik of Canterbury had been capable of such a Carriage After so much noise what could we expect from a proceeding so rigorous It was believed my Lord Bishop would never have restor'd this Minister at least on easier terms than very ample satisfaction such as might hold proportion with the Offence which People were made believe the Bishop had received Notwithstanding against the opinion of many by the good Offices of Monsieur Durel together with those of Monsieur Ruvigny who had a mind to Oblige the Bishop and was pleased to Interpose without being intreated The Minister was restored to the exercise of his charge upon a bare acknowledgment that he was in the wrong to print his Preface without Licence from his Superior or any else in Authority c. a poor and dry satisfaction in my opinion after so much ado and which justifies the Minister for as much as he has publish'd against Luzancy and the Monks and condemns the rigor used to him Behold Sir whither Passion carries Men behold a Signal example in the person of a Bishop The Sanctuary is not priviledg'd and we are not afraid to set it awork even in that Holy Place Where is that Charity whereof so unseasonably in respect of Knaves we pride our selves when to uphold them we overwhelm a Minister of the word of God What a horrible use do we in these days make of it When the matters treated on in the Preface were without Reply must a whole Kingdom for a pitiful point of Honor needs have cause to believe that the Minister was a Lyer and Luzancy and the Monks unjustly Attackt Must it needs be I say that on a pretext so slight so heavy a Blow should fall on a Man whose carriage has always been without Reproach and who without consulting Flesh and Blood resolved in discharge of his Duty to speak Truths likely to displease more than one and he be punished so outragiously for a design so generously executed we see well enough how the world goes My Lord Bishop of London had undertaken the protection of Luzancy He had a mind to cherish this Plant which he had newly set in the Garden of the Church and could not indure that England should be inform'd it was of the nature of those Herbs which shew handsomly and yet are full of Poyson He could not see the Child of his care and study wounded especially in that part where Men are most tender without receiving the blow upon himself and the Arrows justly shot at the reputation of his Neophyte have lighted on him Behold the true cause of the Bishop's anger To offend a Knave was to attaque him to attaque him was to blemish the dignity of his See and those immature and hasty decisions were made both to uphold his Person and his Mitre Had my Lord Bishop in the design he had to declare himself the support of this Counterfeit Proselyte consulted the Commands of him from whom he holds both this Life and Character he would have learned not to do ill that good may come of it And that the use of pious frauds is proper only for those places where Religion being destitute of Truth which is its Basis cannot subsist but by foul Play with which those of Wit Amuse and make Shittlecocks of the Common People After all how can we henceforward reproach the Papists with their Inquisition when I have acquainted you with things as strange In good earnest when the wit of Man takes pleasure in blinding it self how considerable soever our Rank is in the world whether in Church or State and
whatever we deserve on the account of Learning and Mastery in those commendable Sciences which distinguish Men one from another we are notwithstanding subject to strange slips and if the fall be so much greater as the place is higher from whence we fall what grief must it be to a good Bishop when every one sees him so far out of his Sphaere and so imprudently derogating from his Character But let us leave my Lord Bishop a while for since this business has made way for several other incidents we must examine some of them with care as being no less material than those with which I have entertained you The Minister du Marresq seeing himself prosecuted with so much heat and being yet uncertain whether it were for having printed his Preface without License or for having said what he says there thought it convenient to provide himself of all that might serve for his defence and justification To this purpose having understood a good while before from Monsieur Blancard Secretary to the Embassador of France that druing the time the Court was at Windsor there had passed certain Scandalous and infamous Discourses betwixt Luzancy and Mary Grimplet Jammarte waiting Woman to the Lady Marquess Ruvigny which had come to Criminal Actions if both parties had been agreed He dealt earnestly with him to desire of this woman that she would set down in writing what had past that the Truth might be known and a passage of the Preface justified Monsieur Blancard having at first word easily procured this writing gave it to Mrs. Ann Maresq and the whole Court coming by chance to see it It made such a noise that my Lord Bishop of London found in it a new subject of anger He would gladly have had the Woman unsay herself and often spoke to Monsieur de Ruvigny about it Monsieur de Ruvigny call'd for her and she after a great deal of Talk acknowledged she had said the Truth at the request of Monsieur Blancard in the interim as plain as the Truth was the Minister Breval would needs be medling He often visits this woman whom he had never seen before Fain would he have brought her to recant but perceiving she stood to the Truth of her writing had the impudence to say where-ever he came that Mr. Blancard had forc'd her to make that Writing This was believed by divers considerable Persons and the rather because it was alledged that Monsieur de Ruvigny said that 't was true that his Secretary had made the Woman do it These four words were taken as they sounded and without reflecting that there was in them a double sence the greatest part laâ—d hold on the worse as being conformable to the Reports of Breval and the disposition in which People were to judg favorably of a Knave whose Emissaries gave out that Mr. Blancard was a Papist and who to oblige Monsieur du Maresq might be like enough to suborn a Woman To rescue this business from the Confusion in which they have intangled it we must state it right and say That 't is indeed true that Monsieur Blancard did get the writing in question from the Woman but only by the plain ordinary way the way which all the world proceeds by viz. by Request So that in this sence Mr. de Ruvigny was in the right when he said his Secretary had made the Writing be made all the Mischief is in the Equivocation of the words and the false consequence which they draw he made the Writing be Signed therefore he did it by force and subornation Divers who are not acquainted with Mr. Blancard have been wonderfully pleas'd to exercise their wit on this subject and on this is grounded the Calumny which has been publish'd against him I must confess that Monsier Ruvigny himself has contributed somthing to it by those words of two sences and to oblige my Lord Bishop of London who had recourse only to him The side which the Embassador took from the beginning to favor Luzancy allowed him not to explain himself clearly and perceiving the Bable pleased the humor of My Lord Bishop and divers others he chose rather dextrously to assist them to wear it and deceive themselves then discover to them his true thoughts For it is certain that in this business this Old Court Polititian would rather keep to himself all the just resentments which without doubt he had of the tricks play'd him by Luzancy then strive with the stream which favor'd him by declaring what he truly thought in publick as he did to his particular friends Behold the main reason why Luzancy has not been shamefully thrown out of his Doors why he and his Lady more have countenanc'd him and why this refin'd Minister of State has always dissembled the better to gain an Ascendant over those who were pleas'd with the Chimera and by that means better serve the King his Master To clear this point yet more is there any likelihood that if Monsieur de Ruvigny had been truly persuaded of so wicked an Attempt practis'd by his Secretary one who has serv'd him these many years he would continue to employ him in his business and trust him with the Secrets of the King his Master can this enter into the Brains of any Man of common sence were peoples eyes not blinded with Passion they would never run their heads against this Post But to make an end of clearing the business is it not true after the endeavors used by my Lord Bishop and Breval to persuade People that Mr. Blancard was culpable that if he truly had been so they would have caused the force of the first Writing which has so much shocked them to be voyded by a second of the same hand why was not the Woman brought before a Judg and put to declare the Truâ—h upon Oath and by that means render it indisputable Since this was not may not we say it could not be done For it was the only means to decide the Question she who was an honest woman and a Protestant was sure enough not to unsay her self since at that very time when Luzancy had that divelish discourse with her she spoke of it to several persons who if need be will witness it And I have been informed that Mr. Blancard himself who passes for a sincere and good friend was not wanting to give warning to Luzancy of it whom he had likewise formerly advis'd to leave off that name as he had quitted that of dela March a Month after his Arrival in England Notwithstanding as weak and pitiful as the reasons are which they alleadg there are some who give credit to them and believe that Mr. Blancard has suborned this Woman and I am informed they have the credit to be Abetted by a Noble Lord. I am sorry that Noble Man one of such excellent parts should fall into such a Bogg as this Methinks he might remember a certain famous Jugler whom time was he sheltred against Wind and