he vsed And that you may not thinke that this Maxime proceedeth from the pliantnes of their consciences which they restraine or extend as best fitteth their profit their good Father Ignace first taught them this dispensation whereof since they haue made a particular constitution The other holy Fathers founders of diuers orders of Religion established diuers ordinances which they fastened if I may so speake with nailes of Diamond in tombs of brasse which should perpetually be obserued by their Munks and other Religious In the Sect of Iesuits there is nothing so certaine as their vncertaintie as I said of late In the Bull of Pope Paule the third it is written as followeth Et quod possint constitutiones particulares quas ad Societatis huiusmodi finem Iesu Christi Domini nostri gloriam ac proximi vtilitateÌ„ conformes esse iudieauerint condere tam hactenus factas quam in posterum faciendas constitutiones ipsas iuxta locorum temporuÌ„ reruÌ„ qua litatem varietatem mutare alterare seu in totum cassare alias de nouo condere possint valeant Quae postea alteratae mutatae seu de nouo conditae fuerint eo ipso Apstolicae sedis authoritate praefata confirmatae censeaniur cadem Apostolica authoritate de speciali gratia indulgemus That they may make saith Pope Paule particular ordinances which they shal iudge fit for the Societie to the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ and the profit of their neighbour And that such as are alreadie made or shall be made hereafter they may chaunge alter or abolish according to the varietie of place time and occasions and in steed of them make new the which so chaunged reuoked or new made we will that they be confirmed by the foresaid authoritie of the Apostolique Sea and by the same authoritie of our speciall grace and fauour we confirme them I haue translated this place word for word and yet when the Bull saith in Latine that the constitutions may be chaunged as shall be fit for the Societie it must be vnderstood for the maintenance and aduancement of the Order Out of this generall constitution they haue drawne one particular which is woorthie to be knowne in the 16. part of their constitutions Chapter 5. the title beginning thus Quod Constitutiones peccati obligationem non inducunt Cum exoptet Societas vniuersas suas Constitutiones declarationes ac viuendi ordinem omnino iuxta nostrum institutum nihil vltraan re declinando obseruari Optet etiam nihilominus suos omnes securos esse vet certè adiuuari ne in laqueum vllius peccati quod ex vi constuationum huiusmodi aut ordinationum proueniat incidant visum est nobis in Domino vt excepto expresso voto quo Societas summo Pontifici pro tempore existente tenetur aecâ—tribus alijs essentialibus Paupertatis Castitatis Obedientiae nullas Constitutiones declarationes vel ordinem vllum viuends posse obligationem ac peccatum mortale vel veniale inducere Nisi Superior ea in nomine Domini Iesu Christi vel in virtute obedientiae iuberet And a little after Et loco timoris offensae succedat amor desiderium omnis perfectionis vt maior gloria laus Christi creatâ—ris ac Domini nostri consequatur That the constitutions may not bind any man in conscience sith the Societie desires that all their constitutions declarations and order of life should be without euasion conformable to our direction and also neuerthelesse wisheth to be secured or at least succourd that they be not snared in any sin which may grow by theyr constitutions or ordinances We haue thought good in the Lord exception taken to the expresse vow wherewith the societie is bound to the Pope for the time beeing and the three other essentiall vowes of Pouertie Chastitie and Obedience that no Constitutions declarations or any order of life shall impose any yoake of mortall or veniall sinne vpon them vnlesse their Superiour commaund those thinges in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ or in the vertue of obedience And againe In stedde of feare of offending let loue and desire of all perfection come in place and let the glory praise of Christ our Lord and Maker be the more exalted By the first article it is lawfull for them to change rechange their constitutions at their own pleasure forsooth for their good By the second their constitutions are held in regard of the soule indifferent so that the Iesuit may breake them without committing mortall or veniall sinne A law which their great Law-giuer gaue them to the end that to Gods honour and glory there might be fewer sinners in theyr societie Oh holy soules oh pure consciences Who restrayning their inferiours from sinne take themselues the reines committing all manner of sinne vncontrouled Let vs examine these poynts without passion and let vs consider the scope of these two propositions By the first no Prince shall be assured of his estate and by the second no Prince shal be secure of his person in his own kingdome Concerning the first poynt call to minde howe matters haue beene carried for these 25. or 30. yeeres There hath beene no Nation where they be fostered but they would be tempering with their affaires of state I think they are such honest men as what herein they haue done they haue vndertaken to doe it by vertue of their silent Constitutions which the auncient Romans termed Senatus-Consulta tacita or if they did it by their owne priuate authoritie the Generall vvere vnworthy of his place should he suffer it Further this was forbidden them in the yeere 1593 when they sawe all their plots meere frustrate Admit newe troubles should arise these gallants will cassiere and disanull this last Ordinaunce suffering their companions to intermedle as before This same Pauline will it not breede in them a trouble-state where euer they become â—manuel Saâ—n his Aphoâ—ismes of confession Montag cap. 58. But what are their rules in such affaires Marry that it is lawfull to kill a Tyrant That a King breaking and contemning the common lawes of the Land may be depriued of his Crowne by the people That there are other causes for the which Princes and great personages may be slaine In what a miserable condition shall Princes liue if the assurance of theyr Estate shall depend vpon these fellowes Let vs see their newe constitutions of 93. I will that they meddle not at all in affaires of state in generall termes And that particulerly they practise not vpon the person of Princes Are they bound to obey this Nothing lesse Inasmuch as their Lawgiuer chargeth not their consciences but in expresse termes he would otherwise haue charged them by vertue of their blinded obedience And this is the cause that Commolet preaching since this new Statute that there wanted a newe Chud to kill our King and Walpoole furnishing Squire with poyson and instructions to kill the
him if vpon occasion taken to refresh our selues we would goe visite him How soeuer some distasled this aduise at the first yet at last the most voyces caried it and all of vs forth-with turned out of our way vnto his house where we found him accompanied with many other Gentlemen Who espying his auncient friend gaue him many cheerefull embracings and said How commeth it to passe that I am so fortunate as to behold my second selfe this day Sir at a word you are very welcome and I thinke my selfe deeply indebted to you for this vnexpected assault giuen me with so fayre a troupe After we had seuerally thanked him one by one hee commaunded our horses to be set vp and a cup of wine to be brought vs and so led vs through the Court into his house vvhere entertayning one another with enterchangeable greetings hee gaue order for Supper to be ready in conuenient time that wee might take our rest meane-while wee fell into discourse But as commonly it hapneth that we lay our hand vpon that part of our body that grieves vs most so wee begun principally to complaine of the miseries of Fraunce brought in amongst vs by diuersitie of Religion euery man seeking to aduaunce what himselfe maintaines sutably to his owne priuate passion which he calls deuotion There was a Iesuite in our company disguisd in apparell a man without question very sociable There was an Aduocate also whom I well perceiued to be opposite to the Bulles constitutions and orders of the Iesuites The speech when we parleyd rebounding from mouth to mouth the Iesuite made demonstration how much our Church is bounde vnto theyr societie And belieue me Gentlemen quoth he if God had not sent amongst vs our good Father Ignatius and his company our Catholique religion had been extinguisht but as it commonly falls out that in punishing our offences after GOD hath afflicted a Country with some generall plague he applies a remedie to it againe that it may not be vtterly destroied so hauing suffered Martin Luther to infect many Nations with his poyson it pleased him for the cause before alleaged to raise vp another Daniel in his Church to preserue the head thereof from all the venomous bitings of that Monster And to speak what I thinke I am of that mind that Ignace Loyhola had his name giuen him not by chaunce but by miracle to this end no doubt that by changing one Letter into another as C. into R. calling him Ignare Loyhola for Ignace Loyhola all posteritie might knowe him to be the man which had made an end of Luthers ignorance and of all his followers which vppon his grounds should set anie other heresies abroach heereafter At this speech of his euery man began to smile for it was deliuered with so good a grace as it could not be offensiue to any vnlesse the Aduocate vvho vvith change of countenaunce sayd thus vnto him Sir I will not suffer your speech to fall to the ground without taking it vp againe I would faine knowe what miracles the Iesuits haue wrought what bounds they haue set to bridle the course of heresie and what difference there hath beene in the carriage of the one and the other For if the Hugonotes on the one side were the cause of the troubles in Fraunce in the yere 1561. standing as they did vpon their defence the Iesuite on the other side assayling vs in the yeere 1565. raysd vp farre more fierce and great tyrannies than the former As for your newe Anagram you abuse your selfe Ignace was in some good sort a Gentleman of Nauarre not called Ignace Loyhola but Ignare de Loyhola as much to say as Ignorant of the Law hold thy peace For beeing as ignorant as might be he thought it better to be silent than to speak VVhich warily acknowledging in himselfe hee neuer shewed his wit in preaching teaching or writing except it were at first within the gates of Rome where hee taught young children theyr beliefe as Maisters of pety Schooles are wont to doe This speech mooued no lesse laughter than the former then said the Gentleman our hoste I see no great matter of laughter heere turning him to the Iesuite I belieue Sir quoth hee that you are of the Societie of IESVS the tenour of your speech bewraies no lesse To this the other aunswered that it was so indeed and theyr order permitted them to be disguisd the better to sound euery man in his humor I am very glad of thys said the Gentleman and I doe belieue that some good Angell led you hether into my house the rather for that I haue beene long time desirous of such good company to the end I might know how the case stands with your Order which I see is balanced betweene two Scales greatly commended of some and by the same weights againe much blamed of others But seeing there is no banquet heere for seruaunts they shall take away the cloth and thanks giuen to God for his daily bounty towards vs wee will enlarge our selues with thys poynt a little farther It was performed as hee had sayd and all the wayters voyded the place he desired the Iesuite not to be displeased if after the manner of a Catechisme he brought in one like a childe moouing the question to his Maister for the better vnderstanding of his first grounds In this manner dealt the Gentleman with the Iesuite desirous to be informed of the principall points of his Order whereunto the Iesuite readily consented And although in very deed for any thing I coulde gather by theyr talke the Gentleman was as skilfull as the Iesuite yet playing Sacrates part he rode after him like a Platonist to draw from him that which hee desired in such manner as heere ensues CHAP. 2. ¶ What the foundation is of the societie of Iesus which the common-people call Iesuits Gent. YOu say you are a Iesuite therefore of a newe Religious Order Iesuit Nay rather of a most ancient and for this cause haue we taken vpon vs the holy name of the societie of Iesus as imitators beyond others of our Lorde Iesus Christ and his Apostles Gent. You preach teach freely euery one that will heare you Ies We doe so Gent. But tell me then did the Apostles teach little boyes theyr Grammer or A.B.C. Ies No. Gent. Then haue you great aduantage of them and it is not without some ground that despising the name of Christians by which they were called you particularly terme your selues Iesuites Ies Had they taught as wee doe their charitie had beene more compleat and as for the name of Christians wee take it to bee too proude a stile Gent. Somewhat there is whereby you passe them in charitie and humilitie You make three vowes do you not of Chastitie Pouertie and Obedience Ies Neuer doubt of that Gent. Then are you Monkes Ies By no meanes but rather Religious men Gent. Then your houses be Monasteries Ies Nothing lesse wee call our
yet are we not thereby bound to keepe any yeerely coÌ„memorations of it Gent. Then are you starke fooles Ies Not so but very wise and deuoute for we are not like other men that ouercharge themselues with long Mementoes and are compeld to passe them all through with one Fidelium as wee say in the common French prouerbe To be short wee make too great a conscience of deceiuing our Benefactors Gent. See heere a new Church cleane contrarie to the old Well yet let vs goe forward You tolde mee euen now that you make three vowes of Pouertie Chastitie and Obedience Nowe amongst the least of many nouelties deuiding you froÌ„ vs you haue 3. vowes in shew coÌ„mon with other religious persons Ies Our 3. vowes varie much from theirs Gent. Wherein Ies The first of our vowes is called Simple the two other Sollemne Gent. I beseech you decyfer your doctrine that I may vnderstand it for to say truth this is high Dutch to me Ies You must know that in these three vowes we promise Pouertie Chastitie and Obedience as other Religious Orders doe but true it is that in the vowe Simple there is a peculiar streine by meanes whereof for so much and so long as we are there appointed we may be maisters of worldly goods and take vp successions as well in a straight line as collaterall Moreouer although in respect of a religious state it is not in any of our own powers to giue ouer our companie yet after one hath made aboade with vs ten twenty or thirtie yeeres more or lesse our Generall may absolue him and send him backe franke and free discharged from his vowe to his owne house to marry if he will Gent. Good God what manner of vow is this Ies Such as Pope Gregorie hath confirmed to vs. It is not strange to me to finde it so strange to you for the great Canonist Nauarre the chiefest of all the Doctors in matters of the canon-Canon-law speaking of this simple vow giues it the name of Great and Maruailous Gent. He might rather haue termed it Miraculous because it lodges ritches and pouertie together in one subiect a thing impossible by common course of nature And that which amazeth me the more is that your Generall can release a religious person when he thinkes it meet This in our Christian religion was neuer practised Ies None but the Iesuits may doe it Gent. What is your second vowe which you call Sollemne and is as I suppose the first of the two sollemne ones Ies Wee doe nothing in that that doth smell of noueltie more than in the simple onely from the time a man enters into it he looseth all hope of succession or returne to his house and is brought within coÌ„passe of all other religious men professed Gent. Before we proceed to that great sollemne vow which is your third I would faine learne of you some other particulars of your Order Seeing you reade Lectures of Humanitie Phylosophie and Diuinitie not onely to your owne company but to all strangers that repayre to you I doubt not but that such as come in among them are not all alike appointed to their studies for charitie begins with it selfe also that to make theÌ„ Priestes which shoulde bee your intention they must heare theyr course Ies You deceiue your selfe Wee receiue an infinite company that can neither reade nor write nor are any way fit for studie afterward nor yet to be priested whom wee call Lay-brethren appointed onely to take care of our prouision when wee stande in neede Gent. These be voluntaries like the Oblates Mias-Monkes conuerts of other religious orders which are but halfe Monkes whom the people call Halfe-hoods Ies Yet you are awry Our Lay-brethren are precisely of our Order like the others as well of the vow Simple as of the first sollemne Vow Gent. Neuerthelesse they professe ignorance like the Lay-brothers among the Friers of Italie Jes The very same Gent. What a mingled religion is this built with such variety of stones Blessed God what would all those good old Doctors say whose sanctimonie hath placed them in heauen if they should returne into the world againe and see thys Familie ruâ—e the roste ouer the greatest part of our Church Goe to let vs talke if you please of the great sollemne vowe which is the last Jes That is the perfection of our worke For in it beside the three substantiall vowes of other religious persons wee make a fourth in particuler to our Father the Pope which wee call the vowe of Mission vvhereby if it please his holinesse to send vs to the Turkes Pagans Heretiques or Schismatikes to conuert them or to bring them to the Christian fayth wee are bound to obey him without reward taking neyther gold nor siluer to defray the charge of our iourney Gent. A very pure and holy deuotion if it be well imployed But what true records haue you that can giue vs sound testimonie of your exployts Ies Let it suffice you that an account thereof is kept in Rome When the great vowe is made which is the very cloze of all our vowes then we begin to be cald Fathers a dignitie incoÌ„municable to all the rest Yet is there so much humilitie among vs that as soone as wee become Fathers we are wedded to so strict a pouertie that we cannot possesse any moueables in generall or particular but are bonnde to begge our reliefe from doore to doore not by the ministerie of brethren conuerts as the other foure Orders of Mendicants doe but by men of most note among the Fathers Gent. Loe here a vowe impossible to be imitated The more you are magnified aboue your fellowes the more submission and pouerty you take vpon you When you are qualefied for Iesuits as true imitators of the Apostles doe you thinke the Apostles by profession went a begging If you be of that mind it is an oppinion heretofore condemned by the Church Ies Doe you take it to be euill that from the abundance of our new zeale wee should adde some-what to theyr auncient charitie Aduoc. This question is from the purpose pardon me if I interrupt you you neuer yet sawe a Iesuite beare a wallet vp and downe the streets Ies Our state is not worse then the Foules of the ayre which liue by the grace of God distributing his Manna to euery man according to his will as he did in the old time to the chyldren of Israell Gent. You pay vs with very good coyne I accept of it sithence you are so content Doe you containe your selues within the bounds of your three vowes of Pouertie Chastitie and Obedience Ies No for we will not like Atheists diuorce state affayres and Religion we thinke all things shall goe well for the glorie of God the saluation of our owne soules when these be ioyned together Gent. What a hotch potch of new doctrine doe you bring vs now And to say the truth neuer was any thing better spoken then that
first aboade After thys when they had a Colledge made ready for them and gates open in the house of Langres in S. Iames streete he did eate and drinke with them daily before hee was confined to the Monasterie of S. Martine Heereby you may see that no man then doubted he was a Iesuit What was then his impietie grounded vppon his Mother Iane Beeing nowe to bicker with these pretended nauigators of Affrick euery man must vnderstand that they breede as many newe Monsters as men When Postell had beene many yeeres the Kings Professor of the Greeke tongue in the Vniuersitie of Paris he left his place desirous to hoist sayle for Palestina as the good Ignace did from thence he came back to Venice about the time of the good Ignace where hee grew acquainted with a supersticious old beldam cald Mother Iane whom hee made his Mother A little while after he returned to Paris to the Colledge of Lombards with his companions the Iesuits where hee printed a booke intituled The victory of Women In which he maintaind that our Sauiour Iesus Christ redeemed the superiour world onely that is Man and that his Mother Iane was sent from God to saue the inferiour world that is Women adding Pythagoras dreames to his impietie Hee sought to perswade men that the soule of Saint Iohn the Baptist was transfused into her And in another leafe that the soule of Saint Iohn the Baptist was once in a Gold-smith Shee was apparrelled like a Iewe with a great Gaberdine of a tawny cullour shee went through the Cittie bare-headed and bare-footed wearing a hideous long hayre crying repentance for the end of the world was at hand This newe S. Iohn the Baptist was afterward burnt aliue by the course of iustice helde in the Court of Parliament of Tolosa which would neuer take the weakenes of her wit for payment And in sooth many men maruailed that Postell was not executed in like manner For his booke was sold publiquely by Porters and it cannot any way be excused except the Iesuits by I know not what externall infatuations wherwith they doe inchaunt vs haue their safe conduct for euery thing I perswade my selfe that Richeome wil one day bring in this for a great miracle in his booke of miracles Wee haue to this day other remnants of Postell for the same Pasquier pleading the cause saide that Ignace was no lesse factious troublesome in the Church then Martine Luther that both the one and the other were borne in one centenary of yeeres Martine in the yeere 1488. Ignace in the yeere 1491. Each of them erected his sect saying he drew all his principles from the primitiue Church that thereby they might the more easilie draw the simple people to their line but that the Ignacian sect was more to be feared then the Lutherans running through a ranke of reasons which hee had coucht together A speciall one was that euery one of vs would take heede of Luther whom we iudged an Heretique contrariwise that in the behalfe of Ignace it was an easie matter for men to be ouer-taken by I knowe not what kinde of hypocriticall countenaunce vvhich they put on This sole conclusion saith Fon shewes Pasquier to be full of ignorance and malice and if he speak in good earnest hee is like vnto that Atheist whom I dare not name that made such a comparison betweene Moses and his law and Mahomet and his sect called them both deceiuers How so Because he that likens Ignace to Luther is as impious as the other that compared Moses and Mahomet together Moses was expresly chosen of GOD to deliuer his people out of the captiuitie of Egypt and the tyrannie of the Pharaos For Moses sake the sea miraculously opened it selfe to make him way God appeared to Moses and talked with him and by his prayers all the while he lifted vp his hands to heauen the same great GOD made the children of Israell victorious I doe not thinke any man was euer so wicked that hee durst make comparison betweene Moses and Mahomet and if there be any of that stamp I take our Iesuits to be as bad as he in comparing Ignace with Moses This comparison would be strange to mee but ouer-looking theyr other Iesuiticall bookes I found it to be a very familiar matter with them For Father Haniball Codret neuer doubted to write that his companie tooke theyr name from God who made them the companions of his deere sonne Iesus Christ which so accepted of them And in their annuall Letters of the yeere 1589. the Iesuits of the Colledge of our Lady of Loreto writing to theyr Generall make mention of a little deuill coniurd by one of thē in the Name of IESVS whereat he was some-what angry but when they pressed him with the name of Ignace then began the deuill to play the deuill indeede more then he did before such a feare had he of this holy name These blasphemies are the least escapes of our Iesuits this Familie hath good store of others whereof I trust one day to make you a good and faithfull Inuentorie But sithence that by leaping from one matter to another I stept before I was aware vpon the proces and course of times I will returne to our Ignace and his companions to shewe you vvhat theyr craftie conueiance was to purchase entertainment when they came to Rome CHAP. II. ¶ The studies of great Ignace THE yeere 1524. Ignace began to studie at Barcelona beeing three thirty yeeres of age a course of life which he could not well relish for hauing as he bragd his mind wholy mounted vp to heauen he could not strike the wing to come downe so low as the declensions of Nounes which matter saith Maffe as it were presaging thinges to come Maff. lib. 1. cap. 17. Ribad lib. 1. cap. 13. was furthered by the wicked enemie of mankind especially at that time offering him many visions and opening to him the secrete misteries of the holy Scripture I think that neuer man spake truer then hee for all these pretended contemplations of Ignace were meer mummeries of the deuill who desired to present vs with such a man as might by his ignorance trouble the whole state of the Church In this conflict hee spent two yeeres at Barcelona about the expiring whereof iumping ouer his studies he remoued to the Vniuersitie of Alcala where he made a shew of study in Logique naturall Philosophie and Diuinitie In Logique saith Maffe he began to turne ouer those whom we call Termini In naturall Phylosophie Albert. In Diuinitie the maister of the Sentences I leaue it to your considerations whether these bookes were fit for him to handle as a man that had doone all that was for him to doe who studied his Gramer but two yeeres when as yet he had employed his fiue sences without taking his flight to any other dessigne for the most conuersant in learning are much cumbred with vnderstanding Albertus much more with the
1534. and of Salmeron and Codury which came after them in the same degree in the yeere 1535 for both our Historiographers agree that in the moneth of Nouember 1536. they forsooke Paris to tender themselues in Italy to their Maister Ignace As for Ignace himselfe you cannot tell how to giue him aboue three yeers time of studie in Diuinity at the most and much of that lost by a lingring sicknes for which the Phisitians councelled him to chaunge the ayre whereupon he returned in o Spayne in Nouember 1535. yet did these great Clarkes promise by their learning to conuert heretiques and infidels to our religion Thinke you that if the three Cardinals put in commission by the Pope to examine them had sounded the bottome of them they should not haue descried that vpon their comming into Italy they had euen with the ayre drunke downe I know not what manners and dispositions of the Mounte-banks who vtter their Triacle in euerie towne take vp their standing in the market place with a long Oration promising to heale al manner of griefes and diseases with their oyntments pouders oyles and waters faire shewes that commonly come to nothing CHAP. 13. ¶ That we haue great likelihood to proue that the approbation of the Iesuits sect made by Paule the third is nothing worth THe aduocate hauing ended his discourse the Iesuit replied and said Why haue you held vs so long with this friuolus matter I see our first Fathers the founders of our order were not all Maisters of Arts in Paris I see some of them were no Graduates I see neuer a one of theÌ„ was Bacheler much lesse Doctor of Diuinitie I see none of them studied it Briefly if it may pleasure you I grant all you would haue me What of all this I pray you sith Pope Paule the third authorized them ten yeeres after Iulius his successor confirmed our new profession Popes that deserue to be beleeued aboue all the rules of Lawe by reason of their absolute power and dignitie Let me tell you freely that though our good Fathers were but simple Schollers men should hardly finde you match them sith you indeuour by your curious speech to call their state in question after it was allowed You must vnderstand that the Pope supplies by the scroule of his thoughts whatsoeuer wants either in law or action This had beene well spoken quoth the Aduocate if the Clarks of the Court of Rome coppying out the Bull had by some expresse declaration put in a clause derogatorie to the truth of the matter Yet is not this proposition altogether approued as for my selfe I will take good heed that I neuer doubt of the authoritie of the holy Sea confirmed by infinite places as well of holy Scripture as of the works of the auncient Doctors of the Church Yet the case standing as it doth in that which followes we haue great reason to be perswaded that the approbation Paule the third made of their Sect is of no force not for lacke of authoritie in him but by reason of a plaine surreption vsuall among you Marke I beseech you what I shall say vnto you assoone as euer Ignace forsook the warres to betake him to another kind of life he had a purpose to become a Captaine of our Church militant The first shew he made of it was about the yeere 1536. in the Vniuersitie of Alcala where he drew three Spanish Schollers to him Artiague Calliste Cazere Maff. lib. r. cap. 17. Rib. lib. 1. cap. 14. and from that time had he a motion of Iesuitisme in his head He had heard that Saint Iohn the Baptist pointing to our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the sight of the Iewes cald him the Lambe of God that came downe from heauen to take away our sins Hereupon this wise man taking the barke from the sappe thought he could not immitate our Sauiour Christ more truly then by wearing a wollen garment that was neuer died but of the same colour it hath when it is taken from the sheeps back thus were his three companions and hee sutably clad in Say Quos propterea saith Ribadiner 〈◊〉 panni similitudine Cap. 14. Ensaialados vulgó Hispanico vocabulo appellabant that is Men in Say And before him Maffee reported that Natiui coloris lanea veste cuncts vtebantur Marchants ordinarily call it cloath serge or wooll bearing the colour of the beast These foure were all of one companie and among other things they made a shew of studying Diuinitie Imagine you what a pretie maske it was to see these foure great Clarkes in the Diuinitie Schooles without gowne or cloake onely suted in Say of one colour One Francis ioynd himselfe to these who had no leasure to apparrel himselfe like the rest This new kind of habit cast them into the Inquisition Maff. lib. 1. cap. 17. from whence they were brought before Master Iohn Figuero Vicar generall to the Archbishop of Toledo who charged them to change their habit commaunding Ignace and Artiagu to go in blacke Callist and Cazere in tawny as for Francis he altered not his at all A few moneths after perceiuing Ignace to be vnlearned 〈◊〉 lâ—b 1. cap. 14. he forbad him to catechize the people for the space of foure whole yeeres in which time he might grow capable of that office His Disciples being vnwilling to come within the compasse of law any more forsooke him vtterly and he spying his affaires go backward after the same manner that a little before certain hipocrits called the Illuminates were suppressed in Spaine he determined to come into France hoping to haue better successe here and that he must be singular in some point whatsoeuer it were if he would preuaile I haue told you what his cariage was in Paris At the last he Faure Xauier Laniez SabacroÌ„ Bobadilla Roderic made a vow in the Church of Monâ—marter in the yeere 1534. vpon the day of the AssumptioÌ„ that as soon as they had proceeded Doctors in Diuinitie they should go to Palestine at the Popes pleasure to conuert the Infidels as I told you of late and if any thing fell out crosse to hinder this enteprize they should put the matter into the Popes hands to giue such order for it as he thought meet There must be much time to furnish them for the accomplishment of this vow For by the order of the facultie of Diuinitie in Paris after the degree of Maistership there was a surcease of fiue yeeres which was afterward reduced to foure before a man might begin his Diuinity course Of the seuen first three last compamoÌ„s there were but two that according to this graue order were sit to begin this course that was Peter Faure and Francis Xauier Maisters of the yeere 1529. and so were not to be admitted before the yeere 1535. As for all the rest not one of them had made his fiue yeeres preparation after his Maistership and one of them Pasquier Troet was no Maister
perticular as our aduersaries haue sought often times to prooue against vs and yet could neuer doe it And that amongst all things whatsoeuer which the Clergie the Preachers and others haue done or said wee haue said or done farre lesse then they reported of vs vnto you and that they alwaies carried a tange rather of a bad glosse then of a true text in whatsoeuer they did or said For if they now dare at high noone and in the bright Sun-shine of our peace charge truth with a thousand inuentions contrarie to truth indeed what might they haue done then when as amidst all the rumours and foggie clouds of warre lying had his full course without encounter and where truth durst not shew it selfe For the time of warre is the time of lying saith the old prouerbe If happily wee may obtaine that of your Maiestie we doe thereby obtaine the vpper hand and the second accusation will be without force for it hath nothing to vphold it from falling to the ground with the least touch For by what argument can they prooue that we in particular are enemies against your Maiestie From what spring doe they meane this hatred must proceede And from what premises doe they inferre this conclusion Is it by reason that you are a King Why our Societie honoureth Kings and this is approued by witnesses by experience and by reason Is it because that you are the eldest sonne of the Church We respect this qualitie as much yea and rather more then the first Is it by reason that you are King of Fraunce Fraunce is our natiue countrey and you as King are our Father Whom shall wee loue if we loue not our Father and mother Is it by reason that you are a worthie warrier and Captayne of Kniges and King of Captaynes This vertue maketh it selfe at all times to be beloued both of frends and foes Is it by reason that you are milde in your conuersation wise in your sentences free in your manners stedfast in your promises prompt in your actions ready to labour bold in daunger forward in combat moderate in victorie and in euery thing royall These qualities cannot ingender or bring forth hatred but on the contrary they are amiable in all but admirable in the person of a King This speech was appropriated in particular to the Kings owne royall person and a little before neere the same place is another sentence by which this honest man the Iesuit vpheld that men had wronged them in imputing vnto them to haue as it were wrastled against the state To these witnesses dread Soueraigne we adde a second argument taken from the cause Whereupon we building doe demaund what true likelihoode there is in our profession that we should bee enemies of Kings and of their States Are wee so ignorant of the law of God that we know not that it is God that giueth them that by him kings doe gouerne and by him Legifers make and giue good lawes That both the name action of a king is a right of patronage proper to the Diuine and Supreme Maiestie and that kings beare in their royaltie the image of God and in this calling God willeth vs to obey them to honour and serue them for the safetie of their persons and the State And if wee know these things hauing both preached and written them and againe doe preach and write them how may it be that we haue so little conscience as to hate that which we beleeue that God loueth to dispise that which he alloweth to destroy that which he maintaineth to haue so little iudgement as to publish one thing and doe another Are we to be reputed religious Nay rather more heathenish then the heathens themselues then Canibals and Mainelnes who though they can do nothing but shew hatred and reuenge yet doe they notwithstanding loue their Princes I praise those two sentences Iesuit be thou whatsoeuer thou art and would to God that thy soule were as cleane as thy wit is fine and as I perceiue thy words to be smoothly couched together I cannot but loue thee inseeing thee draw to the life the counterfait of those singular and admirable vertues of soule bodie which shine in our King and with all I must honour thee in seeing thee set out the picture of Obedience which the subiect oweth vnto King And sure if thy heart and my penne agree I know thou wilt condemne them all that would haue attēpted any thing against the person of this great Prince who hath not yet met with his paragon as one who in martial prowesse hath far surpassed all others Thou carriest too noble a mind were it not that thou art a Iesuit to Iudge of it any otherwise Go to now I will shew thee that all that which thy fellow hath said in his Truth defended is but a starke lie for that which toucheth the deed of Barrier when he came to murther this king whom thou so much exaltest was contriued by the expresse counsel of thy fellowes copartners Not only then when he was but simply king of Nauarre but since he was called to the Crowne of Fraunce reduced into the bosome of our Catholique Apostolique and Romane Church If againe I shew vnto thee the generall rebellion of Fraunce enterprized vnder the title of the holy League which was first begun after conducted by your holy religious persons against one Henrie the third King of Fraunce one of the most Catholique kings that euer France enioyed what iudgement wilt thou passe against thy owne party I remit it euen to thy owne conscience yea to the conscience of any good Catholique that is not a cloaked Iesuit Nay further I say that these two parties are the onely vpholders of your condemnation and vpon them grounding my opiniō I take vpon me directly to shew that to establish you again in France were great lack of iudgement experience I wil therfore lay down these two points in order and first I will begin with Barriere afterwards with Chastell then with the Vniuersall reuolt of the which you Iesuits take it amongst you were the first authors within this Realme CHAP. 6. ¶ A prodigious historie of the detestable paricide attempted against King Henry the fourth of that name the most Christian King of Fraunce and Nauarre by Peter Barriere for the raysing vp of Iesuits I Will recite vnto you faithfully this historie of Barriere and that you may beleeue mee I will speake it vpon perill of my goods of my bodie and of mine honour for I haue learned it of a friend of mine whom I esteem of as my selfe which was then present at Melun when this deed was done and who spake twice vnto Barriere in the presence of Lugoly his Iudge who saw him executed to death heard all that he maintained during the time of his tortures vntill the last breathing of his life who handled the knife of the which I will hereafter speake who since drew out the
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
cura nec non domibus conuentibus bonis immobilibus mobilibus se mouentibus in Italia vbicumque gentium constitutis sacra quacunque communi supellectile ac ipsorum omnium vsu vsufructa administratione ac possessione sprirituali temporali ac etiam iure actione siue per statuta nostrae alias quomodolibet pertinente Ac tollimus eis omnimodam facultatem vsum auctoritatem generalia prouincialia alia capitula de caetero celebrandi Volumus tamen vt omnes fratres qui nunc sunt qui professionem regularem emiserunt demceps in domibus locis quos cis cum victu alijs necessarijs proximè assignandos curabimus omnino redigantur vt ibi vitam ducant regularem suae professioni conformem sub cura visitatione ordinariorum locorum aut alterius vel aliorum quos eis duxerimus delegandos vel iuxta iuris communis dispositionem transeant ad pares vel strictiores ordinis approbatos Nouitij verò alij quicunque non professi detracto Religionis habitu ex professorum consortio domibus expellantur Quibus professoribus nominatim praecipimus atque interdicimus ne post haec quemquam expulsorum omnino alium etiam vouentem ad professionem vel habitum admittant nec nouas domos vel loca recipiant vel acquirant quod si secus fiat professio sit inanis neminemque obliget neque in genere sic professum Nouarum domorum seu locoruÌ„ receptiones vel acquisitiones viribus effectu careant contra facientes excommunicationis sint sententia eo ipso innodati a qua nullus nisi in mortis articulo constitutus absolui possit absque Romani Pontificis licentia speciali Caeterum intendentes cultui diuino Ecclesiae ministris quamprimum prospicere omnes praeposituras dignitates personatus administrationes officia caeteraque beneficia Ecclesiastica cum cura sine cura quae deinceps secularia sint per priuationem praedictam apud sedem Apostolicam vacantia nec non domos conuentus loca supellectilem bona fructus res actiones iura supradicta eorumque proprietatem dominium nostrae dictae sedis liberae dispositioni specialiter expresse reseruamus Decernentes irritum mane quicquid secus per praedictos aut quoscunque alios scieÌ„ter vel ignoranter contigerit attentari Voluimus auteÌ„ vt praesentium exempla notarij publici manu personae in dignitate Ecclesiastica constitutae sigillo obsignata eandem illam prorsus fidem in iudicio extra illud vbique locorum facia â—t quam ipsaemet praesentes facerent si essent exhibitae vel ostensae Nulli ergo c. Siquis autem c. Datum Romae apud sanctum Petrum Anno Incarnationis Dominicae 1577. Idibus Februarij Pontificatus nostri anno sexto POPE PIVS SERVANT of the Seruants of GOD in perpetuall memorie of this matter AS a carefull Father ouer that sonne whom he hath brought vp verie tenderly desirous to reclayme him when he is stept out of the way of his saluation first exhorts him fauours him pardons him rebukes him moreouer ceaseth not to trie one thing after another vntil he attayne vnto that which he desired hauing at last made proofe of all wheÌ„ he sees nothing will do him good vtterly despayring of his recouerie castes off the affection of a Father and thrustes him out of doores iudging him vnwoorthie to bee his heire So the Bishoppe of Rome whom the Diuine Maiestie hath appoynted to bee a Father and Pastor of all the Religious orders in his Church if he perceiue any of these holy Companies swarue from the rule and prescription of life they haue vndertaken endeauours sometime by admonition sometime by correction to restore their ouncient institution or at least by some kinde of amendment bring them in better order After he hath sought euerie thing that may make for their good when hee seeth them loath all wholesome remedies and stubbornely goe on still in the way of wickednesse and perceiueth them to grow worse and worse so that they may sooner bee broken then bended carelesse of all cure hee determineth to remooue them least the power of an inueterate and vntamed euill ouer-runne others and destroy them VVhich thing because wee are earnest in this poynt both in many others and especially in the companie of the Humiliati wee haue beene very carefull of leauing nothing vnattempted but finding many flawes in them if not altogether yet in some conuenient measure and moderation they might by little and little be fashioned to their first institution For after that our beloued Sonne Charles of the title sanctae Praxedis Priest Cardinall Borrhomaeus Protector of this Order and Delegat of the Apostolique Sea of late perceiuing the sayde Friers to breake out into Riot had prouidently set downe many things concerning the manner of Gods worship obedience common life and of the manner of receiuing and education of Religious persons We vnderstood that they vtterly despised both those and all other rules of their owne Order and liued very voluptuously that theyr Gouernours together with such as had any offices in the administration of their affaires wickedly wasted a great part of the reuenewes as if they had beene their owne in worldlie vanities and filrhines and committed an innumerable sort of sinnes VVee endeuouring to cut off all those meanes that did cast them into so apparant dangers and inconueniences tooke order for many things hurtfull to their life and manners and proptietie of theyr rule and Order and for the manner and time of gouernment in euerie ones commaundement and also for the menaging their goods disposing of their reuenewes and other places and offices very profitable to repaire the ruines of this decayed state and regular discipline hoping that these things would in time to come bring good successe to the sayd Order But the enemie of all good things resisting almost all of them because they had beene too much inured to ease idlenes detesting to liue in order and to be amended howsoeuer by common consent they outwardly accepted our lawes and precepts yet vnderhand they deuised all the wayes they could to suppresse them They held wicked conspiracies secretlie they stird vp theyr kindred and others of the Laitie that were mightie to sedition they sent theyr Brokers and Agents to the most intrinsecall seruaunts of mightie Princes to draw them by great rewards and promises to worke vs by the foresayd Princes meanes to vndoe that wee had done and many others did they by euill practises attempt to this purpose that they might continue theyr filthie and wicked course of life follow the deadly pleasures of this world among whom was one that fell more high headlong from the Catholique Fayth to Hereticks and declined to theyr impious opinions Vnderstanding of these things we found them guiltie of Impenitencie the greatest sinne of all who beeing so