1594 hath inserted saith he the whole article in Latine I called for the booke found it true as he told me Another brought me Montaignes his booke reade this place saith he heere you shall find the foundation and originall of our last troubles In this booke I finde that Father Claudius Mathew and Aimond Auger were sometimes in high fauour with Henry the third in so much as oftentimes hee tooke them into his Coach after hee addeth That sathan hauing cast into the Realme the Apple of strife suspition and ielousie all things changed their course and then was brewed that vineger and gall of ciuile dissentions which since that time wee haue seene and tasted As to all texts there want no comments so in the reading of this place thys fellow said vnto me that two words sufficed to a good vnderstander and that this alteration fell out by meanes of the repulse which these two blessed Fathers receiued of the King when he saw them begin to set their hands to matters of State and that they played as did Narses the Eunuch whom the Empresse commaunding to goe and spin her distaffe he made aunswere that he would spin her such a quill as shee or her husband should neuer be able to vnwind And indeed kept promise with her by bringing the Lombards into Italie Euen so these two honest Iesuits beeing estranged from the grace and fauour of the King would let him know they could skill of somwhat else then to say ouer our Ladies Psalter And to speake freely what I think I neuer knew mon of a better conscience then are those of your Societie nor that lesse feared to incur the censures of Rome First Father Henrie Sammiere a stirring pragmaticall fellow confessed that about the yeere 1580 or 81 if I mistake not he was sent by you into diuers Countries to treate or commune about the generall reuolt which you intended to stirre vp against the late King of Fraunce And albeit I maintained that it was neyther true nor probable in as much as you had no cause at that time to attempt it he bad me seeing I beleeued not his words to looke but vpon the arraignment and triall of William Parry an Englishman vvho was executed the third of March 1584. that there I should finde at the latter end of a certaine Letter which he wrote to the Queene during his imprisonment That shee should finde the King of Fraunce had enough to doe as home when shee neede of his helpe Parry as Sammiere told me departed out of England in 1582 and came into Fraunce where hee was dealt withall by our Societie to destroy the Queene of England and to make an innouation in the State and when he obiected that it would hardly be brought to passe in as much as she were like to be ayded and assisted by the King of Fraunce we made him aunswer that we would cut out the King of Fraunce so much worke that his hands should be full of his owne busines without stirring to ayde or succour another Whereby it appeares that euen in those daies our web was on the loome I had not at that time the acts of Parry his tryall but hauing since procured them I haue read the Letter haue found all true that Sammiere reported Who in a good meaning proceeded further and confessed that himselfe and Roscieux were sent in 1584. to the King of Spaine and Father Claudius Mathew to Pope Gregorie the 13. to vnderstand what summes of mony they were willing to contribute towards the charges maintenaunce of the holy League whereunto Roscieux replyed Yea but this honest Munk telleth you not what a cast of his office he shewed me For hee and I riding post together he perceiuing one night that I beeing wearied with trauaile was buried in a dead sleepe caused fresh poast-horse to be brought him and away hee went leauing me in bed for a pawne and such speede and diligence he vsed as that our whole busines was by him almost dispatched with the King of Spayne before I could ouertake him To bring this processe to a conclusion I caused to be brought vnto me the pleadings of Arnauld Aduocate for the Vniuersitie and Dole who was retaind for the Curats of Paris The aunswere to the same vnder the name of the Colledge of Clairmont Frauncis de Montaignes his booke De la veritè Defendue against Arnauld and certaine other bookes or euidences seruing to the state of the cause I belieued Sammier for so much as concerned himselfe but as for Father Claudius Matthew I would not the memorie of him should be touched vpon another mans confession Wherefore I had recourse to the litterall proofe and read Arnauldus his pleadings wherein he toucheth him to the quick and the aunswere thereunto contained in that Plea which is as followeth And whereas Arnauldus alledgeth that Claudius Matthew of the Order of the said Defendants hath beene the Authour and contriuer of the League the said Defendants aunswere that Claudius Matthew hauing spent his whole time in their Colledges amongst children liuing euer in the course of a Scholler could not haue iudgement policie industrie and authoritie requisite for the contriuing and knitting of so great strong a League And be it that the saide Mathew endeuoured to fortifie the sayd League as many others of all estates cōditions haue likewise doone that prooues not therefore that he was the Authour or beginner thereof Besides this is but one particular And fiue or sixe lines after There was not one of them at the first acquanted with his actions and had they beene yet could they not haue hindered them inasmuch as hee vvas their Superiour Comparing Arnaulds obiection with this colde and faint solution mee thought you were agreed that Fraunce should thinke her selfe beholding to none but your selues for her last troubles And desiring more fullie to informe my conscience as touching the Reuolt which happened in Paris euen in the Sorbon it selfe the seauenth of Ianuarie 1589 there came a crew of Diuines beeing men of credit and reputation who certified me that in truth they were at that time assembled to debate the matter that all the auncienter sort were of a cōtrarie opinion howsoeuer the younger were not the greater part whereof had beene schollers to the Iesuits of Paris So as the voyces being numbred and not weighed it was carried away by pluralitie Neuerthelesse they did not as yet altogether loose the reynes to rebellion but determined to suspend the effect of thys their conclusion vntill such time as it were confirmed and ratified by the Sea Apostolick But the day following Father Iames Commolet a Iesuit sounded the drum within Paris And that I might be assured if not of the whole yet of the greatest part of the premisses by the annuall Letters of the Iesuits of the yeere 1589 and moreouer by their Pleas I went directly to theyr Letters and found in those which were written from your Colledge of
a generall surueigh of his Church from the passion of our sauiour Redeemer Iesus Christ vnto this day where as it were in a great procession the Apostles went formost followed by Popes Patriarches Archbishops and Bishops Curates priestes and all those Ecclesiasticall persons which are calld Seculars because they bee no Monks In the second ranke marched those good olde Fathers the Hermits vvho were the first founders of Monasteries After them traced many great Abbots religious Orders of S. Augustine and S. Benet from whom as from two great conduits flowed all other religious Orders called Regulars In the reareward came the Vniuersities led by their Rectors and the foure faculties of Diuinitie Law Phisick and Arts with all their Officers a huge companie of schollers great and small S. Peter carried the streamer before the first Saint Anthonie before the second and because some haue thought good so to place him Peter Lombard Bishop of Paris and Maister of the Sententences before the third a man framed for this purpose at this time without looking backe towards Maister Iohn Gerson Doctor of Diuinitie and in his time Chancelor of the Vniuersitie of Paris Last of all came the good Ignace with his equipage of Faure Xauier Salmeron Bobadilla Roderic Breet Iay and Codury his first companions And after them Iames Lainez Fraunces Borgia Euerard Marcurian Claudius Aquauiua all of them successiuely Generalls of their order Behind these were the Prouincialls Rectors Fathers Principalls Regents Presidents spirituall temporall coadiutors and schollers admitted All which marching after theyr Captaine Ignace desired to bee marshald vnder the banner of S. Peter first next vnder S. Anthonies lastly vnder the Vniuersities At the first Ignace neuer doubted to be receiued of the Apostles because their preaching administration of the sacraments of Pennace of the Altar and the great vowe of Mission made by the Fathers to the holie Sea seemed to paue the way thether very faire for them this made him steppe boldly to S. Peter You shal be partakers of the whole discourse that passed between them I beseech you let it not displease you to see my Dreame enioy the priuiledge of dreames which make what personages they lust play theyr parts with those that come into our fantasies without respect of any rule or interposition of time which commonly we obserue in other matters S. Peter Good Fathers you are very welcome for the maine scope of our calling hath beene to winne as many soules to God as possibly wee could Ign. This is the marke we aime at by the particular vow of Mission which wee make to your successors in Rome S. Peter This is well done howe are you called Ign. As our vocation craues to wit The societie of Iesus In respect whereof the common people by inspiration of the holie Ghost haue called vs Iesuits a name which at thys day appeares to be miraculously spredde ouer all the world it hath pleased God it should be so S. Pet. Nay rather the deuill which hath vnder your habite gone about to circumuent all the world this is not the first taste we haue taken of his trecheries neither will it be last he watches euerie day to surprize the Church of God How coÌ„meth it to passe We which were fostred euerie day in the companie of Iesus to whom he imparted all his secrets all the while he was debased here in the flesh and after he ascended vp to heauen made vs pertakers of his companie by his holy spirit we I say neuer durst take this name vnto vs but the name of Christians first in the Church of Antioch where our holy brethren Paule and Barnabas did gouerne A title approoued by the Church from our time to this day and do you that desire to be among vs by a new and arrogant title call your selues Iesuits Ign. I beseech you hold vs excused it is not pride but humilitie that prouokes vs to it our Sauiour had two names one proper which is that of Iesus this at that time was a common name to many Iewes though men of base and vile condition the other is that of Christ much more noble and honourable for it appertaind to none but Kings Priests and Prophets Fon. ca. 38. men cald Gods annointed for which cause you haue chosen this name and we contrarywise the other of Iesus for the small account the Iewes made of it as meaner and lower then the other Thus if there be any greater pride in the choice of the one then of the other it may easily be iudged from whence it comes Moreouer we doe not thinke that the name of Christian was imposed vpon you by the Church of Antioch but accidentally by the voice of the common people without iudgement it was receiued to be by a secret inspiratiation of God At this speech a great many saints and deuout men standing in the first ranke began to murmour softly one to another and some mutined out aloud saying that without giuing any further hearing vnto Ignace he and all his followers were to be banished our Church And that by this proposition the foundation of their order there is much Iudaisme in Iesuitisme for iust as the olde Iewes arraigned our Sauiour Iesus Christ so deale these new Iewes at this day with the Apostles The Primitiue Church vsurped not the Name of Iesus although it seemed to them to be common among the Iewes but because the Apostles and other true and faithfull Disciples of Christ Iesus knew the force energie and exceeding greatnes of this holy name Then Saint Mathew and Saint Luke stepping forth defended Mâ—h ca. 1. Luc. ca. 1. that God the Father himselfe gaue this name by the mouth of the holy Ghost his Embassadour expresly sent by him when he told the Virgin Marie that he that should be borne of her pure wombe should be called Iesus a name that signifies a Sauiour because he should be the Sauiour of the world Hereupon Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea Fuseb lib. 1. ca. lib. 2. ca. 6. made a faire commentarie vpon the difference of the two words And Saint Augustine that famous Bishop of Hippon shewes that if God the Father gaue this name of Iesus it was done by a secret mysterie prophecied by his great Prophet Moses whom GOD told hee had chosen him to lead his children of Israel to the land of promise and for this cause did he take another to succeed him in his place before he died Moses made choice of Auses but in the choice Aug tom 1â— hom 27 chaunged the name of Auses into that of Iesus that in time to come saith this notable Affricanian Bishop men might know that not by Moses but by Iesus that is to say not by the law but by grace Gods people should enter the land of promise And as the first Iesus was not the true Iesus but onely a figure of him so the land of promise was not the euerlasting land of promise
protectioÌ„ which accordingly he promised to doe And that Ignace being retired into the Monasterie of Mount Cassin to spend forty daies togither in deuotion Maff lib 2. cap. 6. Rib. lib. 2. ca. 12. as soone as he had said Masse Ozius one of his companions that died at Padua appeared vnto him mounting vp to heauen with some other coÌ„panie Splendidiore quam reliqui habitu gloriaque multó illustriore Ignace hearing that Simon Roderic one of his crue was sick going to visit him Rib. lib. 2. ca. 9. he was certified from heauen that he should recouer wherin he was not deceiued He assured Peter Faur of this matter one that gaue much credit to him See here in effect the visions and miracles of Ignace nothing inferiour to those that are spoken of in the Gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles nay rather in some points far exceeding them To make vs way to Paradice we passe through the Sacrament of Baptisme when our Sauiour was baptized by Saint Iohn the Baptist at his comming out of the water he saw the heauens open and the holy Ghost descending in the shape of a Doue and resting vpon his head and therewithall a voice was heard Thou art my deere sonne in whoÌ„ I am well pleased When Ignace deuised to open a way to his company he saw God the Father Iesus Christ his son who said to him Go in peace for I wil take thy part in the citie of Rome WheÌ„ the holy Ghost was represented by the shape of a bird it was inough but me thinks it is more that Ignace saw God the Father and God the Son also in his proper body Iesus Christ was tempted but once one maner of way by the diuel Ignace twice tempted diuersly by very perswasiue speech Iesus Christ fasted fortie daies in the wildernes without meat or drink Ignace fasted only seuen daies to counterpoize the rest of Christs fasting he disciplind himself thrice a day spent seuen houres of the day vpon his knees in praier The man whom our Sauiour singled out for a chosen vessel to himselfe was S. Paule when he wrought his conuersion he appeared not to him but assaulted him only with sharpe speeches Saul Saul why dost thou persecute me and he was three daies blind did neither eate nor drink This miracle is nothing in comparison of Ignace whose soule was caried into heauen where he saw the Trinitie in three persons and one essence and after that was in a traunce seuen whole daies together without sight meat or drinke Beside all this he had one thing in particular shewed to him beyond all that is spoken of in the olde Testament he saw the tooles God himselfe occupied when he fashioned fitted this great frame of the world A blessing neuer bestowed vpon any man but Ignace All we confesse the transubstantiation of the body and bloud of Christ in the SacrameÌ„t of the Alter a matter we cannot see with bodily eies but by the eies of faith Ignace herein passed vs all when at the eleuation of the host he saw Iesus Christ there God man I leaue the shaking of the house where he was by an earth quake like vnto that of Paule and Silas I omit many other visions specified by me heretosore and credit me when I had read ouer Ribadiner I found nothing in his sir-name and his booke but baldarie And as for Maffee I thinke he is transformed into Morpheus which presents sundry shadowes to men a sleepe I doubt not but that God was able to worke all these miracles by Ignace and much greater to if it had so pleasee him he is the same God now that he was in the Apostles daies God without beginning and without end but that he hath done any such thing I â—tterly denie and auouch these to be blasphemous impostures dropt by the Druell himselfe out of the pennes of two Iesuits to snare simple people with their cursed superstition I will make this matter cleare and euident The most pregnant proofes of all are those which we call presumptions of law and of fact which arise out of manie particularities when they meet together and when they do not agree with them this is to deceiue against the common sence and vnderstanding of the people The greatest iudgement that euer was giuen was that of Salomen betweene the true and the supposed mother for which hee was called Salomon the wise yet was this grounded vpon presumption For my part I thinke I haue greater presumptious than that Salomon had to proue that the pretended visions wherewith these two hypocrites bleare your eyes are mists and illusions I will make this matter manifest and omit the scruple tucht by me before that the writers hereof be Iesuits no this is not the point whereupon I meane to rest I could be content to tell you that I make no reckoning of Maffee He hath written so therefore it is true I denie it desire to be enformed who told it him and I will shew you my reason hereafter The reason is because in the historie I build more vpon Ribadiner who saith he was in his young yeeres in Ignace company at Rome and that whatsoeuer he reports he heard it of Lewes Gonsalua to whom Ignace imparted it a yeere before he died Therefore this honest man the Iesuit might well speake of all those things which Ignace did at Rome after he was chosen Generall of their order and of that which fell out before I should be a scrupulous gaine-sayer if I should say that you may not beleeue Ribadiner when he tels you Gonsalua spak it neither is Gonsalua if he were aliue any Saint but such as for whom we keepe no holy-day although he auouch he heard all these tales of Loyola I will tread all these matters vnder foot I do beleeue that Ribadiner heard it of Gonsalua and Gonsalua receiued the newes of all these miracles from Ignace Let vs now giue credit to Ignace in his own cause for none but he can say that Saint Peter appeard to him first and then the Virgin Marie that he was two seuerall times visibly tempted of the diuell that he saw the Trinitie in heauen Christ Iesus in flesh and bodie in the host the soule of Hozius his companion caried to heauen that God shewed him how he made the world that Christ promised him to assist him in Rome all this rests vpon Ignace onely none but he can giue vs testimony of it and this makes me say that if we should beleeue it we were verie heauie headed If I were to rest vpon this point I should haue inough to prooue you ought neither to receiue nor reiect all these miracles but I will proceed When I asquier pleaded the cause one of the fairest parts of it was that with which he stoutly chalenged the Iesuits to choake him with any one miracle that euer Ignace wrought he said that all the holy Fathers Saint Benet
doctrina Christiana per publicas praedictiones Lectiones aliud Dei quodcunque ministeriū ac spiritualia exercitia Puerorū ac rudiū in Christianismo institutionē Behold the first surprise which lies in two points the one in this word Lectiones newly put in after the word Praedicationes the other in the Catechizing of young children which hath beene taken from them euer since the yeere 1543. And yet all this is not inough for the establishing of their Colledges their ordinary teaching of the youth in such sort as they afterward encrocht vpon these things By these Buls they were permitted to read now and then publikely in Diuinitie as we see their fellow Maldonatus did twise vpon festiuall daies first in expounding the Canon of the Masse afterward vpon the Psalme Dixit Dominus Domino meo Otherwise that last restaint to the teaching of little children had beene in vaine if the word Lectiones might reach to the publike exercise of all sorts of learning such as is in other Colledges And in these publike Lectures of Diuinitie that were to be read as Sermons and Instructions for the adunacing of our faith there was no innouation at all against our auncient discipline For although religious persons might not teach any but them of their owne order humane learning and Philosophie yet they were not forbidden to read publiquely in Diuinitie and so our Fathers saw one Cenomani a Iacobin and one De Cornibus a Franciscan and we of late yeres Panigarole read publique Lectures of Diuinitie in Paris All the alteration that I gather out of this Bull 1550 is that whereas by that of 1540. they were forbidden to haue Colledges any where but in approued Vniuersities in this of Iulius the third they are permitted to haue them in all other places Let vs read the text of the Pull Quia tamen domus quas Dominus dederit ad operandum in vinea ipsius non ad scholastica studia destinandae erunt cùm valdè opportunum fore alioqui videatur vt ex iuuenibus ad pietatem propensis ad litterarum studia tractanda idoneis operarij eidem vineae Domini parentur qui Societatis nostrae etiam professae velut quoddam Seminarium existant possit professa Societas ad studiorum commoditatem Scholarium habere Collegia vbicumque ad ea construenda dotanda aliqui ex deuotione mouebuntur Quae simulac constructa dotata fuerint non tamen ex bonis quorum collatio adsedem Apostolicā pertinet ex nunc authoritate Apostolica erigi supplicamus ac pro erectis haberi Quae Collegia habere possint reditus census seu possessiones vsibus necessitatibus studentiū applicandas retenta penes Praepositū vel Societatem omnimoda gubernatione seu superintendentia super dicta Collegia praedictos studentes quoad Rectorū seu Gubernatorū ac studentium electionem et eorundem admissionē emissionem receptionem exclusionem statutorum ordinationem circa studentiū instructionem eruditionem aedificationem ac correctionē victus vestitusque aliarum rerum necessariarū eis ministrandarum modum atque aliam omnimodo gubernationem regimen ac curam vt nequestudentes dictis bonis abuti neque societas professa in proprios vsus cōuertere possit sed studentium necessitati subuenire This was the supplication which they presented and Iulius signed wherein you may find some obscuritie in these words Societie profest and in other which I will cypher vnto you when opportunitie shall serue Let it suffise that in this passage there is no other noueltie but that wheras by their first Bull they might haue no Colledges but in approoued Vniuersities by this they are permitted to haue them in all places wheresoeuer anie man will found any Churches of theyr Societie which they in their language call Houses These words Churches and Monasteries offended their daintie eares And moreouer you see that the Colledges which are spoken of annexed to their Houses are not ordaind but for the schollers of their Order And in this new alteration yet this was not to alter any thing in the auncient gouernment of the Vniuersities For all other orders of religion in theyr Monasteries scattered heere and there in theyr Prouinces teach their Nouices afterward send them to the Vniuersities there to perfect their studies and to take degrees in Diuinitie if they be found fit for it And thence it comes that there is not a Monasterie of anie noate that hath not a house in that great and famous Vniuersitie of Paris to lodge the religious of their Order which are to proceed in Diuinitie See heere the beginning of the ruine and generall change of the auncient estate of our Vniuersities Wee knew not what it meant to make religious persons Maisters of Arts and much lesse to make them take theyr degrees in Diuinitie other where then in Vniuersities whether all sorts of publique trialls for learning are brought Iulius the third ouerthrew this wise custome in fauour of the Iesuits For hee ordaind that a Iesuit wheresoeuer hee haue beene student in Vniuersitie or otherwise should take gratis all degrees of Bachiler maister Licentiat Practitioner and Doctor in any facultie whatsoeuer and that if any man would exact of him that which by an honest laudable custome hath been receiued of antiquitie notwithstanding hee should goe out Maister or Doctor vpon the onely credit authoritie of his Generall and should enioy from thence forward all the priuiledges freedoms and liberties that others doe This Pope was of a very fantasticall iudgement You know the storie of his great Ape that would not be ruld by any body but a little begger boy of which hee beeing then Cardinall de Monte tooke such a liking that afterward beeing made Pope hee gaue ouer to him all his Benefices and made him a new Cardinall whereupon the vertuous honourable personages of Italie called him Cardinall Ape I doe not thinke it strange then that this Pope pricked forward by such an other fancy would needs aduaunce to extraordinary degrees and neuer before seene in the Vniuersities these Apes of our Catholique religiō And that you may not think that I will encroch vpon the Iesuits priuiledges feede you as they vse to doe with an impudent lye let vs read the text of the Bull Nec non scholaribus speaking of the schollers approoued of their Colledges Collegiorum Societatis huiusmodi in Vniuersitatibus alienius studij generalis existentium quod ipsi si praeuio rigoroso publico examine eisdem Vniuersitatibus idorei repertifuerint Rectores Vniuersitatum huiusmodi eos gratis amore Dei absque aliqua pecuniarū solutione promouere recusauerint in Collegiis praedictis à Praeposito Generali pro tempore existente vel de eius licentia à quouis ex inferioribus Praepositis vel Rectoribus huiusmodi Collegiorum cum duobus etiam vel tribus Doctoribus vel Magistris per eosdem eligendis scholaribus
a full congregation for their Aduocate Hauing prepared my selfe for the cause being armed with that sacred Decree which the facultie of Diuinity had pronounced against them in the yeere 1554. where those two great pillers of our Catholique Religion Monsieur Picard and Monsieur Maillard were assistants I was perswaded that I was able with a free and vncontrouled conscience to encounter hand to hand with this monster which being neyther Secular nor Regular was both togither and therefore brought into our Church an ambiguous or mungrell profession We pleaded this case two whole forenoones Maister Peter Versoris and I he for the Iesuits I for the Vniuersitie before an infinite multitude of people who attended to see the issue thereof Maister Baptist du Menill the Kings Aduocate a man of great sufficiencie was for me In my declaration I alledged the irrigularitie of their profession the iudgement and determination of the whole facultie of Diuinitie pronounced against them tenne yeeres before the obiection made by Monsieur Bruslard the Kings Attorney Generall against their admittance for that their vow was cleane contrarie to ours that if we should harbour them in our bosome we should bring in a Schisme amongst vs and besides so many espials for Spayne and sworne enemies to Fraunce the effects whereof wee were like to feele vpon the first chaunge that the iniquitie of time might bring vpon vs. Notwithstanding for the conclusion we were referred to Counsell Eyther partie both got and lost the day For neither were they incorporated into the Vniuersity nor yet prohibited to continue their accustomed readings When God hath a purpose to afflict a realme he planteth the roots thereof long time before hand These new-come guests blind and bewitch the people by shewes of holines and fayre promises For as if they had the gift of tongues which the holy Ghost infused into the Apostles they made their boasts that they forsooth went to preach the Gospel in the midst of barbarous and sauage people they that God knowes had ynough to do to speake their mother tongue With these pleasant baits did they inueigle and draw the multitude into their snares But as they had brought in a motly religion of Secular and Regular disturbing by meanes thereof all the Hierarchie of our Church so did they intend to trouble thence-forward all the politique states in Christendome In as much as by a newe inuented rule they beganne to mingle and confound the State with their religion And as it is easie to fall from liberty to vnbridled licence so did they vpon this irriguler rule of theirs ground the most detestable heresie that can be deuised affirming that it is lawfull to murther any Prince that should not conforme himselfe to their principles treading vnder foot both the checke which our Sauiour gaue to Saint Peter when he drew his sword in his defence and the Canon of the Councell of Constance whereby they were pronounced accurst that set abroach this position When I pleaded the cause I mentioned not these two propositions against them For though they bred them in their hearts yet had they not as yet hatched them only I said that there was no good to be hoped for of this monster but that they would euer put in practise eyther that principle which was broched by the old Moūtainer who in time of our wars beyond the Seas dispersed his subiects called cut-throats or murtherers through the the Prouinces to slay the Christian Princes or that horrible Anabaptisme which sprung vp in Germanie when we were young this should I neuer haue imagined Notwithstanding both the one and the other Maxime hath beene by them put in execution in the sight and knowledge of all Christendome For as concerning the first there is no man but knowes that they hauing set foot in Portugall not vnder the title of Iesuits but of Apostles they sollicited King Sebastian by all maner of illusions to make an vniuersall law that none might be called to the Crowne vnlesse he were of their Societie and moreouer elected by the consent suffrages of the same VVhereunto they could not attayne albeit they met with the most deuout and superstitious Prince that could be And not to lead you out of our owne countrie of Fraunce they were the men that kindled the first coales of that accursed League which hath beene the vtter ruine and subuersion of the land It was first of all debated amongst them and being concluded they constituted their Fathers Claudius Matthaeus a Lorrain and Claudius Sammier of Luxembourg for so are their Priests of greatest antiquitie called to be their trumpets for the proclayming thereof ouer all forraine nations And after that time did they with open face declare themselues to be Spaniards as well in their Sermons as publique Lectures In fauour of whom they attempted to bring their second principle into practise not all the while that the King was diuided from vs in religion for they knew that was a barre sufficient to keepe him from the Crowne but as soone as they saw him reclaymed into the bosome of the Church they set on worke one Peter Barriere a man resolute for execution but weake and tender in conscience whom they caused to be confessed in their Colledge at Paris afterwards to receiue the Sacrament and hauing confirmed him by an assured promise of Paradise as a true Martyr if he died in that quarrell set forward this valiant Champion who was thrise at the the verie point to execute his accursed enterprise and God as often miraculously stayed his hand vntill at length being apprehended at Melun he receiued the iust hyre of his trayterous intention in the yeere 1593. I speake nothing but what mine eyes can witnesse and what I had from his owne mouth when he was prisoner View peruse all the impieties that you will you shall find none so barbarous as this To perswade an impietie and then to couer it with such a seeming maske of pietie In a word to destroy a soule a King Paradise and our Church all at a blow to make way for their Spanish and halfe-Pagan designements All these new allegations caused the Vniuersitie of Paris the Citie being brought vnder the Kings obedience to renew their former suit against them which had beene stayed before time by the Counsels appoyntment The cause was pleaded effectually and learnedly by Maister Authonie Arnald but when the processe was brought to the verie poynt of Iudgement there fell out another accident which made them proceed roundly thereunto Iohn Chastell a Paritian of the age of 19. yeeres a graft of this accursed Seminarie stroke our king Henris the fourth with a knife in his Royall Pallace of the Louvre in the midst of his Nobilitie He is taken his processe being commenced and finished sentēce ensueth dated the 29. of December 1594. the tenour wherof followeth Being viewed by the Court the great Chamber and the Tournel being assembled the arraignement of processe criminall begun
day that hee first heard Masse at Saint Dennis vnderstanding that certaine of my Auditors had beene present thereat I debarred them the day following from my Lecture as persons excommunicated forbidding them to enter vntill they were absolued for it by some of our Societie When men began to muner about a peace I commaunded one of my Auditors the best scholler among them to declaime in Greeke touching the miseries of Fraunce and the lamentable gulph of calamities to ensue whereinto she was about desperately to plunge her sellfe this was as I said the time of the conference when euerie man on both parties breathed nothing but vnitie and reconcilement the scholler forgetting those particulers which I had prescribed him onely propounding to himselfe the generall subiect of the miseries of Fraunce declaimed and discoursed first of the miseries and calamities which happen in a Realme by the rebellion and disobedience of the subiects which he said to be the gulph wheinto God suffered a nation to fall when after his long patience he would haue them feele his hand for some transgressions which he had long time suffered to go vnpunish◠Aterwards he declared that the misgouernance of a Prince could not exempt the subiects from their alleageance which he likewise confirmed by an infinite number of examples shewing what ill successe they euer had who were of a contrarie minde I seeing him forsake the path that I had prescribed and take a farre different course grew mightily out of patience and made him come downe out of the seat calling him caytife and heretique with many other reprochfull termes The first day that the Reading began after the Citie of Paris was reduced to the obediēce of the Biarnois one of my schollers cōming into the colledge before the houre wrote all about my Forme God saue the King When I came in and espied this shamefull act my choler turned into rage and with a fell and terrible voyce I exclaymed Quis ita infecit parietes nostros Who is it that hath thus berayed our walles If I knew what he were that hath made these scribble-scrabbles for that was my terme I would cause the President of the Colledge to punish him openly and after dinner I made it to be wiped out adding withall that if I might know any man hereafter that should bescribble the walles in that order I would make him feele how much I was displeased withall I confesse freely right honourable Pasquill what I haue done neither doe I feare to speake it seeing I am now in the Citie of Rome and none of the Biarnois his Subiects being a Scot by birth and be it that I were a natural Frenchman yet am I perswaded that all these vnkindnesses ought to be pardoned me who haue alwaies carried so good a conscience as in playing with my fellowes or others I neuer medled for money but for Pater noster and Aue Maria onely and doe stedfastly beleeue that this merite alone towards God saued me from the Parliament of Paris where I was in some perill and I assure you had I beene put to any torture eyther of bodie or mind of bodie being laid on the rack of mind by any censure of the Church I had beene quite vndone Thus much did I get out of father Alexander whom I found to be another Alexander the great amongst you Iesuits that is a Prince of an inuincible spirit After I had heard him I examined the litterall proofes By your Pleas I learned many things which me thought made very much against you For Arnauld and Dole charging you that your Colledge was the Spanyards Randenous wherein they consulted of the affaires of the holy League you confesse in your aunswere that the Embassadour Mendoza came thither indeed on holy-daies to heare Masse and that afterward you entreated him to refraine for the auoyding of suspition A friuolous excuse to my iudgement for why should you pray him to forbeare that which at that time you tooke for a great honour done vnto you if at least a man may beleeue the common report Furthermore it being by your aduersaries obiected that a Father of the Societie Odon Pigenat was Captaine and Ring-leader of the Sixteene that commaunded within Paris not onely ouer the ordinarie Magistrate but ouer the chiefe and soueraigne you confesse that article as well in your Pleas as in Montaignes his booke marry you say withall it was to temper and moderate their actions At the reading of which two places all that were present fell on laughing knowing Pigenat euen in those daies when he had some sparke of wisedome to bee euermore ouer-caried with heat and choller Since which time he is growne so franticke that he is kept within a Chamber bound and manacled In the same Plea I found these words They suppose they haue deserued well of the Citie of Paris in as much as during the whole time of the troubles they neuer ceased to teach their youth there being at that time no other Colledge in the Vniuersitie whereas those exercises were entirely kept Will you know the cause saith a man of good sort standing by the Principals of other Colledges had let their hands fall as bewayling in their soules the miseries that grew by this rebellion whereas these fellowes lifted their hands vp to heauen as thinking they had preuailed conquerers in the matter they had vndertaken But nothing amazed me so much as a letter which was sent into Spayne but intercepted by Monseur de Chaseron Gouernour of the Prouince of Bourbon the bearer whereof was father Matthew the Iesuite This letter was sent me to peruse and the tenour of it was as followeth Most high and mightie Prince your Catholique Maiestie hauing beene so gratious vnto vs as to let vs vnderstand by the most godly and reuerend father Matthew not onely your holy intentions in the whole cause of religion but also more especially the good affection and fauour towards this Citie of Paris c. And a little after We hope that shortly the forces of his holines and your Catholique Maiestie being vnited shall free vs from the oppression of our enemies who from before a yeere and a halfe vntill this present haue so hemd vs in on all sides as nothing can come into the Citie but eyther by chaunce or by strong hand and would strayne themselues to go further were it not that they feare those garrisons which it hath pleased your Catholique Maiestie to appoint vs. We can certainly assure your Catholique Maiestie that all the Catholiques wish desire to see your Catholick Maiesty enioy the Scepter of this kingdom and to raigne ouer vs as we do most willingly offer our selues into your armes as to our Father c. And on the margent somewhat lower The Reuerend Father Matthew this present bearer by whom we haue receiued much cōfort being thorowly instructed in our minds shall supply the defect of our letters to your Catholique Maiestie humbly beseeching you to giue credence
whereby you may gather what deuotion euen at this day the Iesuits beare to their King All this was brought to my handes and to say truth the greatest part of these proofes came out of your own Colledges a large Inuentorie framed as well for you as against you I thoughts it not good to trust mine owne iudgement in this processe but rather in the determining thereof to ioyne others with me that were of long experience and practise in these matters Signior Marforio aduised mee to request two great personages of Fraunce to be of the Commission n = * A stone in our Ladies church at Paris Maister Piorre du Coignet which of long hath held his seate iurisdiction within the Church of Paris and another who hauing vowed perpetuall pouertie hath from all antiquitie kept his residence before the Hostel-diu or Hospitall of Paris and for his strange austeritie of life is called the n = * Le Ieusneur a stone of great antiquitie in Paris Faster I wrote my Letters to them they at my summons appeare I deliuer the euidences to Signior Marforio to be diligently and exactly by him perused Wee prefixed a day for iudgement Being assembled I made it knowne to the companie how mightily you founde your selues agreeued with this piller or Pyramis as being a monument to continue for euer the fresh memorie of that which had hapned in Fraunce That the matter in question was your Restoring and consequentlie the defacing of this Pyramis For which cause I entreated them to lay aside all affection inasmuch as thys iudgement by them pronounced should be for euer celebrated by all posteritie Marforio reporteth the whole processe faithfully shewing himselfe to be no learner in this trade Hauing read and pondered all the euidences on both parts and proffering in the end to deliuer his opinion first as is the manner of those that make report of any cause to the Court I entreated him to forbeare Let vs giue thys honour quoth I to the strangers We are to sit in iudgment vppon a Stone and in my opinion thys honour is most due to Maister n = * Stone Pierre whom I would request to speake his opinion first to remember that we are in question to restore this worthy Order of the Societie of Iesus so much honoured in Rome Maister Pierre needed not much entreatie for presently he stood vp with a rough kind of speech began in this manner How long shall these lewde Impostors freely abuse our patience how long shall we be so simple to suffer our selues to be abuse die an it be that the Iesuits hauing giuen both fire fewell to our last troubles their Colledge at Paris hauing beene the common retreat of all such as came into Fraunce with a resolute determination to make themselues Maisters thereof their Lectures so many trumpets to encourage their schollers to the parricides of Kings and their principall Agents hauing put weapons into the hands of many desperate soules to murther our King can they I say be so shameles as at his hands to craue that they may be restored This were cunningly and vnder-hand to commence processe against the sacred Court of the Parliament of Paris which neuer did or that receiue the least touch of imputation for any sentence passed by her but onely herein that in condemning this sect she did not send all their adherents which were within Paris to the gallowes For a farre lesse offence did that famous and honourable Senate of Rome long agoe adiudge sixe hundred slaues to death because their maister was nourthered in his owne house it beeing not knowne by whom In this manner would Maister Pierre haue runne on had not I interrupted him with these words Haue patience Maister Pierre haue patience Little men like you are euermore subiect to 〈◊〉 You must remember that you are not Aduocate but Iudge in this cause Maister Pierre knowing that he had forgot himselfe chaunged his tune and turning to me said in this â—â—â—ner Right honourable Pusâ—pâ—ll I humbly entreat your excellencie to excuse that iust griefe wherby I am caried in behalfe of my countrey Seeing then it pleaseth you to honour me so much as to heare my opinion first in this matter I must tell you before you proceede further that the cause be longeth properly to your owne iurisdiction For which way soeuer I turne my selfe I see nothing but stones Your excellence Signior Morforio the right reuerend Faster my selfe are stones the Pyramis a stone the Iesuits themselues suing to be restored as men altogether innocent are vndoubtedly no better them fooles and innocents or to speake more properly very stones say what you will they are as voyd of sense as stones in striuing to reuoke the sentence of the Court pronounced against them There was neuer sentence had more formall proceeding then that and though it had not yet could it not be retracted but by the ordinarie forme of lawe which course they follow not But admitte that treading vnder foot all the essentiall formes of law we should restore them to their former estate what fortune could they expect hereafter but worse then that before we shall need no other witnesse but the walles themselues to prooue that the people of Fraunce hath worne baire loth caried the skrip and done pennaunce for their transgressions during the space of fiue yeeres I passe one all other proofes their bookes wherunto onely I haue recourse wil serue to condemne them Antiquitie teacheth vs that Morcurie transformed Battus the shepheard into a stone for a trecherous part which he plaid him Et me â—â—â—his profide prodie Me mâ—hâ— prodis Ouid. 2. lib. Metamor 〈◊〉 pâ—â—inraque pectâ—â—â—â—â—rtit Ouid. 2. lib. Metamor In dâ—rum silicem qui nunc quoque decitâ—â—â— Index There was neuer Societie that euer committed so many trecheries as this of the Iesuits against the King and Countrey of Fraunce Mercurie making shew to fauour and affect them sometimes playeth with their pens and into them infuseth the gift of Battologie or Loquacitie but nothing their trecherous practise hee turneth all their bookes into a kind of Index or Touchstone making them the true touchstones or bewrayers the assured proofes of their own lewdnes I should wrong both the time your patience to stand vpon particular recitall of all their doings It shall content me in briefe to say thus much that the Iesuits are to be pronuonced Not receiueable And to this purpose doe I cite that sentence which the Iesuit author of The most humble Remonstrance and request hath giuen against his owne order But as concerning the generall state of the cause seeing by auncient prerogatiue you are the soneraigne of soueraigne Iudges in cases extraordinarie my aduise is that by vertue of your absolute authoritie you adde this clause vnto that sentence First that their house and Colledge at Paris be raced and laid louell with the ground as sometimes was the Palace of
sute not in euerie particuler but if it please you to consider what hath passed and is now in practise among our Iesuits you shall find they follow the same steps in Christianisme which Ismaell first trode in Mahumetisme Their prophet Ismaell is the great Ignatius who with his fabulous visions would beare the world in hand that sometimes hee spake with GOD. sometimes with Christ sometimes with our Ladie or Saint Peter And as Ismaell fetched out of Hali the pretended Brother of Mahomet a new branch of Religion taken from the old stocke So Ignatius christning him selfe with this new name of a Iesuit in sted of the name of a Christian authorized frō the Apostles buildeth vp a religion neuer auncientlie obserued by our Church Ismaell vnder this new vowe changed the auncient Turban Ignatius inducing a new Monachisme amōgst vs yet retaineth not the auncient habite of Munks Ismaell first assembled a handfull of people after raysed millions Ignatius doth the like Ismaell to make himselfe great mingled pollicie and religion together hath not Ignatius followed him Ismaell and his successours were adorned and magnified by their followers Ignatius hath been so idolatrized and the rest of his successors in the Generalship But they goe beyond him for the Generall of the Iesuits will not only be honoured by his followers but by those which are not of his sect though happily somwhat tainted with his superstitious hipocrisie Ismael made himselfe be called the Prophet of God The Generall termeth himselfe Gods Vicar In all these proceedings and practises Ismael troubled and tormoyled the Mahometical state And shall not we mistrust in Rome this same new Iesuited Sophi Whosoeuer suspecteth them not is no true and legitimate child of the holy Sea I pray you obserue a little their encreasing and their growth The Iesuits at the first beginning were content to be some threescore in number some three yeeres after they kept open house come who would and welcome which was an anticipation preiudiciall to Ordinaries and Vniuersities to Kings and their kingdomes In the end they were not content to equall themselues with Bishops in their Diocesse vsurping their iurisdiction but exacted more obedience ouer their followers then the Pope ouer vs. And although there can be no certaine iudgement giuen of future things yet I dare say it is true that in matter of State the predictions of good or ill are no lesse infallible then iudgements Mathematicall Toward the declining of the popular state in Rome there grew a ciuill warre in Fraunce betwixt two great factions the Sequanois and the Heduans which diuersly aspyred to the chiefe gouernment The Heduans confederate with the Romans demanded their ayde Iulius Caesar who from his cradle neuer brooked small attempts obtayned the command of the French aswell on this side the mountaynes as beyond for fiue yeeres Besides there were giuen him foure legions of souldiers paied by the State He as he was a man of great leading and verie valiant soone brought his affaires to such a passe that pretending to succour the Heduans he made the Gaules tributary to the people of Rome In regard whereof at the instance of his friends he obtayned great priuiledges As for one he obtayned that Pompey or his kinsman might be vndertaker generall who besides the bond of alliance might doe much in fauouring of Caesars greatnes Hee was of great place in the Towne and consequently verie much followed Wise Cato the Vticen seeing how these things were carried often tolde him verie earnestly hee would ouerthrow the state ere he were aware by teaching Caesar to play the Tyrant which he should finde when it was too late His prediction came to passe for after much ciuill warre the Empyre fell to his family I wish to God I might be a false Prophet But when I consider seriously the history of our Iesuits I am full of feare and pensiuenes Martin Luther directly opposed himselfe against the holy Sea The Iesuits cunning statesmen couer no lesse ambition vnder their long cassocks then Caesar and proffer to support the Popedome but with a proposition of new obedience as if I durst I would say that they make vp a third religion betwixt the true Catholique and the Lutheran Caesar vanquished the French these if we wil beleeue it subdued a part of the Indies with their prattle but yet vnder the fauour of the Kings of Portugall in places where he had command For as for our wandring soules I do not see they had done any great seruice in reducing them to the fold Caesar in regard of his victories obtaind of the State many extraordinarie priuiledges not before imparted to any The Iesuits in recōpense of their imaginarie conquests in vnknowne countries haue obtained many priuiledges of the holy Sea neuer hertofore graunted to them Cato cried out that the priuiledges giuen to Caesar would ouerthrow the common-wealth The great facultie of Diuines in Paris declared in the yeere 1554. that this Sect would become the vtter desolation and ruine of our Church And some diuining spirits foretold long before the tragedies they should act in Fraunce Caesar chaunged the popular State into a Tyrannie what the Iesuits will attempt against the holy Church is in the hand of God yet one thing comforteth me that this great Sea is builded vpon a surer foundation then the Romane common-wealth Only this I wil adde that euen as our Lord Iesus Christ lodged his Diuinitie in a humane body for our redemption so long as our Prelates harbour holines and integritie in their hearts all will goe well with them and vs. But when they shall fall once a brewing mingling cunning and pollicie with Religion thereby thinking to maintaine their greatnes then will they ouerthrow them selues and our whole Church CHAP. 26. ¶ That there is no credit to be giuen to the promises and protestations of Iesuits for that they haue no other faith but such as maketh for the effecting of their purposes YOu haue hetherto vnderstood the heresies Machiauelisms Anabaptismes of the Sect of Iesuits the treasons the troubles they haue brought to France whersoeuer else they haue remaind it is now time to sound retreat And yet before I do it we must haue a little skirmish with the reestablishment by them procured against the processe of the Parliament at Paris giuen rather by God his iust iudgement then by men Now in this new pursuit hee which shall obserue the time wherein they beganne to remoue and the authoritie of him whom they imploy shall find them cunning and worldly wise rather then religious I cannot tell whether in the end they wil preuaile or no For to speake truly importunitie and perseuerance their two principall vertues haue great aduantage ouer the French which are naturally without gaule when they are flattered I assure you the annals of the Iesuit Magius their Deligate giue thē leaue to vse all the faire promises that may be till they become owners of their desire