Pyramidem Rex stare vetat ne quaerito causam Indicta causa pulsus ordo fuit But he will only say that he had rather yeeld to the iudgment of the Court then censure it and that there cannot too much rigour be vsed to make the crime of treason detestable And he addeth that the King himselfe had a different iudgment from this Calumniator when treating of their Institute and discoursing of the vtility therof he sayd in presence of the Lord Condestable and many others who may remember it that if the Iesuits had known him sooner they would haue loued him sooner and if he had knowne thē sooner he would haue reestablished thē sooner And another time that if he were to be a Religious-man and liue a contemplatiue life he would be a Carthusian and if he were to liue religiously in the world and imploy himselfe in action he would be a Iesuite This was at Bourgfontaine in the presence of Monsieur du Perron Lord de la Guette and after of his priuy Counsell a personage whome his Maiesty honoured with a singular goodwill togeather with a great estimation of his iudgment and wisdome Much more might be sayd to this purpose there being as many proofes of this great Princes good opinion of the Society as there haue bin Panegyrikes and Apologyes heard made by him for this Order yet my author contenteth himsefe with a piece of a letter written by his Maiestie to the Mayor Magistrats of Rochell in these wordes Chers bienaimeZ ayant experimenté en plusieurs villes de nostre Royaume la probité suffisance modestie des Peres Iesuits lesquels en leurs moeurs doctrine commune conuersation font veoir qu'ils n'ont rien deuant les yeux que l'honneur de Dieu Nous auons trouué bon d'enuoyer en nostre ville de la Rochelle pour y prescher le Pere Seguiran Predicateur de leur Compagnie reuestu de toutes les qualiteZ qui peuuent rendre vn homme digne de cette charge En date du 17. de Septembre 1606. signé HENRY plus bas Ruzé Deare and welbeloued hauing experienced in many Cittyes of our Kingdome the vertue sufficiency and modesty of the Fathers of the Society who in their behauiour learning and common conuersation doe declare that they haue nothing before their eyes but the honor of God We haue thought good to send to our Citty of Rochell to preach F. Seguiran a Preacher of their Society endued with all the qualityes which may make a man worthy of this charge or office c. Dated the 17. of Septembre 1606. signed HENRY and vnderneath Ruzé Now saith my Author who is so blind that seeth not or so wicked that graunteth not that this onely iudgment ought to be of more force then all the calumniations of the world For this was written after he had heard a thousand times in a manner all the euill of the Society which is sayd at this day after he had exactly and carefully made triall of them For conclusion of this point I must not omit to tell you that the decree against Chastel was not absolutly censured at Rome Pag. 42. as Anti-Coton obiecteth for the late king was certified by letters from thence that they censured nothing belonging to the fact which they detested as much as any in France but that which they censured was a clause of the Decree defining and determining what was heresie which appertayneth not to the Parliament of Paris but to the Church of God and the chiefe Pastor thereof Thus much for Chastell after whom Anti-Coton returneth to one Barriere who intended to haue murthered the late King before he was admitted to the Crowne by Paris and other Cittyes And it seemeth Pag. 116. that he imparted this his designe among others to F. Varade Rector of the Colledge of the Society at Paris which Citty being at that time in warre with his Maiesty the Father could not by any meanes giue aduise yet my Author doth not altogether excuse him in this as his Maiestie himself seemed to do causing him to be warned that he should depart from Paris whē he was to come thither and neuer calling him in question for it afterward This is the most that can be probably belieued against this Father For the rest which Anti-Coton affirmeth of his perswading and adiuring Barriere by the Sacraments of Confession Communion conteyneth many absurdities contradictions and falsifications as my Author sheweth and it is certayne that the R. Father Seraphin Banqui who went to his Maiestie expressely to discouer this plot auouched that Barriere himselfe had told him that a Father of the Society at Lions affirmed that he could not enterprise the killing of the King without damning himselfe And his Maiestie himself often testifyed that he had first word of that attempt from one of the Fathers That which followeth of the Iesuits rūning from chāber to chamber crying Pag. 119. Surgefrater agitur de religione Rise brother our Religion is in daunger is euidētly conuinced to be false by the circumstance of the time since it is sayd to haue byn betwixt 8. and 9. of the clock at night when the Iesuits vse not to be in bed And besydes if it had bin true what could Anti-Coton or any other calumniator haue made of it But he wanteth matter which maketh him goe to the grāmer schollers and accuse them for making compositions against the King before he was admitted in time of the league which may very well be true in part but it is false that after the reduction of Paris to the Kings obediēce there was any such matter and much lesse that any was forbidden to pray for him but many are yet liuing who can testify that there was earnest prayer made for his prosperity and in particuler the R. Father Clement du Puy their Prouinciall in the Prouince of France ordayned that the Pensioners of the colledg of Clermōt who were about 200. should euery day in the morning say the prayer Quaesumus omnipotens Deus vt famulus tuus Henricus Rex noster c. Pag. 121. All the obiections which are made against Alexander Hayus a scottish Father appeare sufficiētly to be fictions by his deliuery out of prison as likewise that which he addeth of the Fathers sending children into farre countreys since that he whom he nameth dealt with no Iesuit for the party charged as the seducer was not of the Society at that time That which followeth were of more importance if it were true and therfore no meruayle though it be so euidently cōuinced of falshood Anti-Coton bringeth the Duke of Sully for a witnesse that this Noble man himselfe perswading the late King not to recall the Iesuits was answered by him Giue me then security for my life which my author not without cause calleth a slaunder died in crimson For the sayd Duke hath testified both before the Queene herselfe and the
afraid to slaunder publikly making him say that which he neuer thought And as for the Queene Regent and the present Gouernment he beareth them as little respect controlling them prescribing lawes vnto them disposing of persons at his pleasure putting away some and retaining others against her Maiesties mind yea calling in doubt whether her proceedings may stand with the safety of the present King her sonnes life or without holding her Subiects in continuall allarmes and defiance one of another By this we may easily ghesse how he proceedeth with inferior persons reprehending the Decrees Sentences and Iudgements of the soueraigne Courts and in effect charging those of the Parliament of Paris with high Treason since that they haue freed the Iesuits whom this Calumniator will needs make guiltie of the late Kings death I omit the falsification of that Courts Registers as we haue seen The Doctors of Sorbon haue their part also being accused to teach doctrine different from that of the Catholicke Church and to put vp such supplications to the Queene as the Vniuersity it selfe hath publickly disclaymed Finally this libell is so fraught with lyes and slaunders that many vpon sight thereof haue protested that although they had no other proofes either diuine or humane to discouer the pretended reformed Religion of the Hugonots to be a pure and most impure heresy they would iudge it to be so by the manner of this booke and of the like since that it is composed of nothing but calumniations slanders deceipts sparing neither Princes Nobility nor Counsaile no not so much as the Ladies of the Court or Maides of Honor though neuer so vertuous if they be opposite to them in Religion CERTAINE Obseruations and Instructions for the Catholicks in France which may easily be applyed to those in England §. V. THERE remaineth now that I tell you what aduises my Author giueth to his Catholicks in France for the better auoiding and preuenting the danger of incurring and falling into the cunning sleights and hidden snares of the Hugonots which he reduceth to 16. heades and dilateth amply vpon some of them I will onely as hitherto set downe the substance as being mindfull to whome I write Pag. 260. seq Wherefore his first obseruation is that as hertofore the Hugonots haue endeauoured to ouerthrow the state vnder the shadow of Religion so now they seeke to take away Religion vnder the pretext of the state as the Iewes did in the time of our Sauiour who neglected their spirituall profit not to endaunger their temporall interest and by that means finally lost both the one and the other The second obseruation is that the Hugonots knowing very well that the doctrine of the Society is in all poyntes the same with that of the Church haue deuised this plot to beguile Catholikes by seeking to make the Societyes doctrine odious and inueighing onely against them hoping by that meanes when it shall appeare that the doctrine of the Church is the same they may preuaile against that also The third obseruation is that now in the time of the Kings minority the Hugonots cause all the worst bookes which haue bene set forth for these 30. yeares to be printed anew without making any mention of any answere giuen to them by Catholikes allwaies mouing the same questions without desire that the truth should come to light The fourth obseruation is that the Hugonots labour to perswade the people that the Pope hath alway been an enemy to the Crowne of France whereas indeed the French Kinges are preferred before others in the Court of Rome being called the eldest sonnes of the Church and their Embassadour taketh place before others By the name of King absolutly without addition is meant the King of France The Popes graunted for a time a priuiledg to these Kings to confirme their election they haue giuen Indulgences to such as pray for them they haue exempted them from the excommunication of any Bishop of their Realme permitted them to receaue the B. Sacramēt vnder both kinds the day of their consecration and when they prepare themselues to dye for their Viaticum The fifth obseruatiō is that the Hugonots vse falsly to affirme that the Popes take to themselues power and authority to change dispose of Kingdomes at their fancie pleasure which is most false The sixt that the Hugonots would perswade the world that some Catholikes are Roman some Royall whereas all good Catholiks are both the one in respect of their Religiō the other in regard of their affection to the State And experience hath allwaies shewed that those who are most respectiue to the Church are likewise most assured to their Prince The seauenth that the Hugonots giue out that those who defend the Popes Authority retaine still some old leauen of the league which are most dangerous speaches contrary to former decrees sufficient to renew old soares not vnlike to that other Calūniation by which the same Hugonots vse to apply that which the auncient Fathers the Scripture it selfe hath spoken of Rome while it was Pagan vnder the persecution of Nero his successors to the same Cittie as it is Christian and to the Sea Apostolik with intent to make the Pope Cardinalls odious or contemptible The eight the Hugonots to curry fauour with Prelates the Doctors of Sorbō the Curates other Ecclesiasticall men and to incite them against the Society make a shew of praising them telling some that the Society doth not loue them nor yield them obedience and others that the Fathers contemne them speake ill of thē will swallow vp the Vniuersity if they be let alone Wheras the Society is so farre frō being separated from the Clergie and the Prelates of France that they are beloued and maintained by al and specially by the fiue Cardinalls nyne Arch-Bishops which my Author nameth and allmost by all the Bishops without exception yelding vnto them all due obedience submission and fidelity But these deuises of sowing discord is noe new matter in the Church of God as my Author sheweth by many examples The nynth when any Catholike setteth forth a booke impugning heresy the heretikes seeke presently to discredit the Author by al māner of inuentions And to diuert the Reader they spread abroad many little libels sonets anagrams and such other toyes Thirdly when this will not serue insteed of answering defending themselues they goe on in repeating their old obiections and arguments as though nothing had been said vnto them adding only some new calumniations after the manner of all former heretikes The tenth they carp at euery word and sillable where they can espy the least aduantage in any Catholike Authors writing and of this we haue a notable example in a booke lately published by F. Coton himself in which cōmending the Kings of France shewing their rare priuiledges he vseth these words Our Kings in France where presently the Hugonots took hould of that particle in
seditions and that he should aske pardon of God the King his Magistrates After which the sayd leaues and papers were to be torne and rent before his face and he is further prohibited and forbidden to commit the like offence againe vnder paine of death and was presently banished out of the Kingdom of France for the space of fiue yeares And by this occasion there is in the same decree strait charge and order giuen to all Printers Bookebinders and Bookesellers vnder strict and seuere penalties not to print bind sell or receaue any books without due priuiledg and allowance to the end that all such iniurious and scandalous bookes may be suppressed The whole condemnation is put downe at large in the later end of this my Authors Treatise who also sheweth as we shall see in part with what reason all this was done since that this Pamphlet conteined more then 300. Pag. 11. 13. lyes about 200. slanders to omit the rest which belong either to heresy treason or sacriledge And thus much of the Anti-Coton in generall but because I vnderstand that together with it came forth in English a Supplication of the Vniuersity in Paris for the preuenting of the Iesuits c. I thinke it not amisse to tell you before I go any further that all that discourse was feigned by some Hugonot or other enemy of your Order For the whole Vniuersity hath disclaimed from it as appeareth by the decree following which I will set downe in Latin for your selues and trāslate it also into English to saue you a labour if you thinke good to impart it to any other Thus then it is DECRETVM D. RECTORIS Dominorum Deputatorum Vniuersitatis Parisiensis CVm aliquos incerti ignoti Authoris quemdam libellum aliquot ab hinc diebus nomine Academiae Parisiensis euulgasse accepissemus Nos Rector Academiae super ea re conuocatis Superiorum facultatum Decanis Nationum Procuratoribus ac sententiam rogatis praedictum libellum falsò Academiae nomine editum improbauimus nec non omnes alios si qui fortè posthac inscio Rectore inconsulta Academia in lucem prodeant Datum in Congregatione D. Rectoris DD. Deputatorum habita in Collegio Sorbonae Caluico die 16. Septembris Anno 1610. Signatum Du Val. A DECREE OF THE REctor and Deputies of the Vniuersity of Paris HAVING vnderstood that some haue published these daies past a certaine little Booke of an vncertayne and vnknowne Author vnder the name of the Vniuersity of Paris We the Rector of the Vniuersity hauing called togeather the Deanes of the Superior facultyes and the Procurators of Nations and asked them their opinion haue reiected the sayd little booke falsly set forth in the name of the Vniuersity as also all others if any chance to be published hereafter without the Rectors knowledge and the Vniuersityes consent Dated in the Congregation of the Rector and Deputyes held in the Colledg of the Sorbone-Calui the 16. of September 1610. Signed Du Val. CONCERNING THE Doctrine of the Society impugned by the Anti-Coton §. I. IT were in vaine to relate largely vnto you what is declared in this booke concerning your doctrine and therefore it shall be sufficient to touch briefly some thinges of more note Wherefore I find 3. points called in question by Anti-Coton and answered or declared by this Father First concerning the killing of Princes vnder the title of Tyrants Secondly about the secresy of Confession And thirdly of Equiuocation In all which he protesteth in general that the Society holdeth no other doctrine then the whole vniuersall and Catholike Church maintayneth and offereth to subscribe to that which the Vniuersity of Paris and all other Catholike Vniuersityes shall decree and declare to be true and sound doctrine But to descend to particularityes and rehearse vnto you in a word what he answereth to the obiections of Anti-Coton De Principe cap. 15. pag. 29. first he sheweth that Fa. Ribadencyra in no sort approueth the action of Iames Clement who slew King Henry the 3. of France but only referreth the permission therof to the iust iudgment of God Secondly he declareth that Clarus Bonarscius speaketh onely of such Tyrants Amphitheat lib. 1. c. 12. pag. 31. as are intruders and vsurpers and no lawfull Princes Thirdly he proueth manifestly that Card. Bellarmine is egregiously calumniated by the Anti-Coton since that he affirmeth that he neuer read nor heard Apolog. cap. 13. pag. 32. that Particides and Assassinats had hope of euerlasting life promised them if they endeauour to kill Kinges Fourthly he discouereth the false inference Instruct Sacerd. l. 1. c. 13. which Anti-Coton maketh out of Card. Tolet and conuinceth that the contrary followeth out of his doctrine For since that he teacheth that an excommunicate person looseth not his iurisdiction pag. 36. 37. but onely the exercise therof as his wordes shew being truly alledged which they were not by Anti-Coton it followeth manifestly that such an one hath the same authority and iurisdiction which he had before and therfore cannot be slayne for want of it Fifthly he affirmeth that it is very foolish to inferre that subiects may kill their Princes though they were absolued from their allegiance more then any other to whome they neuer did sweare any allegiance or fidelity at all The sixt Author obiected by Anti-Coton Mariana is Mariana himself whome my Author doth not wholy excuse but yet sheweth pag. 38. that he deserueth not so much blame as the Protestāts Hugonots would make mē belieue for he submitteth his opiniō not only to the Censure of the Church but of any other He remitteth not the matter to iudgment of any particuler subiect or other man to declare who is a Tyrant but requireth necessarily a publike voyce and a common iudgment And wheras many others haue written much more dangerously then Mariana yet the Protestants doe not so much as name them which plainly sheweth that their hatred is not so much against the doctrine it selfe as against the man and this in respect of his Order which indeed is one of the chiefest aduersaries which heresy hath In aphorism v. Clericus pag. 52. In the seuenth place commeth Emanuel S◠who only denieth that the rebelliō of a clergy man against a King is properly to be called treason though it be a greater sin as my author affirmeth who also noteth that because the words of this learned Author were obscure by reason of their breuity they were corrected in the last edition Lib. 1. de Clericis cap. 18. Eightly Card. Bellarmine is brought in againe but wholy against his meaning since that as my author declareth he teacheth that cleargy men are exempt by Gods law only in Ecclesiasticall affaires Pag. 53. and that they are bound to obey the temporall Princes directiue lawes and are exempted from the coactiue by the Princes themselues by the Popes though not in all
would make the simpler sort belieue tha Fa. Coton had only affirmed that their Kings had those priuiledges in France it self wheras it is euident that those wordes in France haue not referēce to the priuiledges but to the Kings themselues And besides my Author sheweth that he could not speak properly in any other māner because to say our Kings of France is noe very good French if he had only sayd our Kinges it had beene to generall and might haue been wrested by a malicious Aduersarie to other Kings aswell as to those of France The eleuenth the same carping humor which they vse in misinterpreting and wresting to a contrary sense the writings of Catholickes they practice no lesse in calumniating their actions As for example wheras Fa. Coton was beloued by the late King they say that he had bewitched him He was his Confessarius that is in their interpretation a flatterer He was his Preacher that is he praised him The King heard him willingly so many yeares that is say they he kept others backe He esteemed his spirit wisdome and eloquence that is in their opinion F. Coton spake ill of all and murmured against others The King would haue him with him at his meales in his Coach and when he went to walke this they interprete that the Father intruded himselfe euery where The King did willingly see his writings read somtimes a Manuall of Praiers which he dedicated to the Queene this say they was to flatter God and to bring him a sleepe with wordes that sauour of his quean The King tooke pleasure in his discourses proposed to him diuers questions out of which they inferre that the Father was a man of incredible impudēcy The King did willingly see him at al times and in all places as well after so many yeares as in the beginning which they call to be tyed to the Kings girdle to assiege his spirit The King denied him nothing that he demaunded the cause wherof in their iudgment was because he would take no denyall The King was very beneficiall to the Society aswell in respect of the affection which he bare to the whole Order in generall as in regard of Fa. Coton in particuler which they would haue to be by reason of F. Cotons extorsion and importunity The King founded them Colledges and gaue them meanes to liue for which cause they compare the Society to a Canker which alway gaineth ground The K. permitteth them to haue a Nouitiate in the Suburbs of S. Germain by which they vnderstand an inclosure wherin a Citty may stand The Society haue more Schollers then others haue the cause therof say they is for that they take nothing for washing and candles Their Sermons are frequented with great concourse because in their interpretation they seduce the people and preach sedition Many goe to them for the resolution of their doubts or to confesse their sinnes the reason of this say they is because they get whole inheritances into their hands They are beloued of the Princes which these men calumniate saying that Fa. Coton maketh himselfe their fellow They are mantained by the Nobility Parlament other Magistrats of France for which cause the Hugonots say that they haue their Schollers and disciples in all places They are sent by God to represse heresie these men answere that France was Catholicke before the Iesuits were in the world they say not that France was not so infected with heresie before themselues They are learned and skilfull in all languages and sciences for this cause in the iudgment of some that is of the ignorant or malicious they will destroy learning They are vertuous and for all that the heretiks haue raised inuented and published against them they could neuer prooue any thing hitherto and therfore are inforced to say that they dissemble and to call them hypocrites Finally they esteeme that which is white blacke that which is sweet sower and that which is good and cōmendable in the opinion of others is naught and detestable in theirs The twelueth deceipt which the Hugonots vse is to call those seditious which answere them and to calumniate such as maintaine the accused terrifying their friends and reprehending them as though they were the occasiō of all the inconueniēces which come by seditious writings And in this many Catholiks are much misled being vnacquainted with the humor of hereticks who like to their Maister the Diuell vse to fawn and yeeld to those who are at defiance with them and resist them manfully but assault those fiercely whom they see moderate or fearfull Which was the cause that the ancient Fathers S. Iustin Tertullian S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Tho. of Aquin S. Bonauenture wrote so many learned and earnest Apologies in the defence of Christian Religion and Religious orders And surely it is very strange that any should thinke much at the answers of the innocent party hauing beene prouoked by so many false calūniations and bitter inuectiues Of which we need go no further for an example then to that which passed in Paris before F. Coton wrote his Declaratorie Epistle The thirteenth is that so soone as any Minister hath set forth a booke fraught with lyes deceipts slanders it serueth for many other to write vpon the same subiect with any little alteration or addition And of this my Author produceth many exāples both of former times at this present For after the Anti-Coton came out diuers other Pamphlets here in Paris to the same purpose which my Author briefly examineth in 5. or 6. leaues But I find nothing worth the mentioning except I should tell you that they raile bitterly against a certaine Gentleman called Monsieur de Courbouzen Montgomery a man of great valour wisdome desert who hath lately forsakē the Hugonots after long disputations with them insomuch that none of them dare encoūter with him any more But he glorieth esteemeth it a great honour to be thus abused and hated by Gods enymies The fourteenth obseruation which my Author maketh is that the sinnes transgressions of the Hugonots ought not to be so little esteemed among Catholikes so that when they eate flesh in Lent laugh at the holy Sacrifice of Masse raile at the Pope break Images or teare pictures burne Reliques taking the Reliquaries to themselues and commit such other abuses incidēt to their deformed Religion many make light of it in a manner think it lawfull for them to doe these thinges because they are Hugonots wheras the truth is that an Heretike sinneth more in comitting these things then if he were a Catholike Which appeareth plainly in the sin of Rebellion Treason where he who not only reuolteth against his King but maintayneth also that his Rebelliō is iust seking to draw others after him teaching that all those are in euill estate who will not ioyne with him in that wicked action committeth a far greater offence then another who falleth into