Energumenisse the mouth of his ghostly Father who is reputed a wise graue man who though he often did absolue his Frier yet deserueth to be excused because it is a position of diuers Pontifician Casuistes that a Penitent must be still absolued as often as he shall come though still with the same sinnes and this especially if there may arise the least suspition of the sinne by the Priests denying absolution to the Penitent Now the case passing thus betwixt the Fryer and the maide to the deception of many The attentiue Reader may well perceiue what manner of confession that is which will please the deuill and what manner of collusions passe oftentimes betwixt these men and their Energumenisses as is iustly to bee thought did passe betwixt Dibdale and his Sara whom he would often carrie a horse backe behinde him from place to place as also some others then did deale with their minions which thing the Pontificians though to their great shame cannot denie And why might not Dibdale carrie Sara Williams behinde him as well as the younger Garnet executed some yeeres since was accustomed to carrie a woman as his wife vp and downe Suffex It is a world to obserue how certaine Pontifician soules especially feminine dare not present themselues where any person is exorcised before they haue been at confession but to such persons I would commend this generall rule to ponder vpon that commonly especially in Italie the greatest Coniurers and to whom such a Prouince is committed are notorious sinners and of the worst spirits and most rebellious dispositions Another circumstance whereby we may euidently gather that the deuills haue a great hand in popish doctrines rites and ceremonies is this that the diuells themselues a thing which cannot be denied are pleased and delighted with the very same and selfe-things which are most sacred amongst the Pontificians as for example their Agnus-deies their holy water their blest incense their palmes their waxe candles their crosses and often crossings their crossings and often crosses I say for otherwise the signe of the crosse vsed in Baptisme and as a ceremonie I cannot see how it should be superstitious or magicall their stoles maniples vestments yea their consecrated hostes and sacred Eucharists with which that the deuills themselues are pleased and honoured no man can denie who hath euer heard of the practises of coniurers who hath euer read the sundry inchantments of witches sorcerers who hath euer seene the instruments of them which they vse in their mysteries for they vse euen popish stoles maniples vestiments candles holy water consecrated oyles c. I know what the learned Pontificians will pretend to answer to these things they will say forsooth that the deuill doth emulate Gods honour true in such worships The deuill is delighted with the sacredst things that are in Poperie as he himselfe deuiseth but how is it imagineable hee should emulate Gods honour in vsing and respecting those things which the Popish Church with bell booke and candle with all her sacred breath breathing invocating the H Ghost vpon them doth especially ordeyne appoint and prescribe to be vsed against the vertue power illusions inchantments of the deuils This is that mysterie of iniquitie which I desire the learnedest Dowists to vnfould and to shew how the deuills can desire to be honoured reuerenced and worshipped by such things and themselues to reuerence and regard such things as by their Church with all her power are blessed prescribed against them I challenge all the Aduersaries to shew if they can that the deuills were delighted and pleased with the very sacrifices of God in the ould Testament or by any such things as were blessed by Moses or Aaron or that now they are pleased with any thing of religion which the reformed churches deliuer and as they deliuer teach and prescribe them Furthermore the deuills concurring to the maintenance of popish doctrine and practises in nothing doth appeare more clearely then in their damnable doctrine of equiuocation which is nothing else but flatlying whereof the deuill is principall Parent and Authour for he was a murtherer and a lyer from the beginning saith the Ioh 8. Gospell Here I desire the Reader to giue me leaue to relate two equiuocating trickes of two Ignatian Priests one worthy of detestation the other of laughter There was in the Countie of Northumberland a fiery and furious litle Priest well knowne to my selfe and diuers others in Rome This Person attempting with violence to haue oppressed a young maide which came to him to confession was reiected by her and vpon her out-cry his Clerke which was in the next roome and A notorious periurie of an Ignatian Prâ—est attending to helpe him to masse comes in with haste findes him strugling with the maide vpon which sight and accident both the maide and his clerke fell into such a detestation of him that by one of them he was discouered to the Magistrate and was therevpon presently taken being taken with solemne oath he denieth himselfe to be a Priest like as one Komes an Ignatian Priest in the Clinke did the like with solemne oath to the last Lord of Canterbury but afterward being conuicted to be a Priest by one that dwelt neere and had knowne him in Rome he to excuse himselfe said that hee did equiuocate and that when hee denied himselfe to bee a Priest he ment he was not Priest of Baall and so this holy Ignatian who neuer ascended into the Sicomore tree to behold Christ with sincere Zacheus to repent thought his credit sufficiently salued This wicked wretch not long after was banished by vertue of that gratious proclamation which was published presently after the discouery of the powder-treason Being banished his first entertainment was to be a Ghostly Father for strangers at Nostredame du Hall neere Brussells from thence he was preferred to bee Ghostly Father in the Campe amongst the Spaniards where hee profited so well that thence he hath recollected himselfe to Louayne to Saint-Iohns mount where he lately plaide the youngster vnder Father Talbot hoping after his nouice ship to be Ignatianed Where willingly I leaue him wishing that he may still there continue The other true tale is of one Thomas Cornford concerning whom the courteous Reader may obserue that at his examination before my Lords Grace of Canterburie taken the 25. of Iune 1612 he did first giue vnto him selfe the name of Iohn Vnderwood and so subscribed it affirming that he was a married man and that hee had married the daughter of one Robinson in Irkingburge where his wife also then at the time of his examination remained he added also that he had beene married vnto her twelue yeares and that he had by her sixe children and being examined about his going to mistresse Vaux his answere was that being himselfe was by condition a Farmer he went to Mistresse Vaux to intreate her to moue the Lord Vaux that he himselfe might be
Tenant to his Lordship for a certaine house and land lying in Irkingburge where his wife Robinsons daughter remained This being in effect the substance of his answere at the first of his examinations he acknowledged and subscribed vnto the same by the name of Iohn Vnderwood But my Lords Grace vpon some occasion of businesse putting this man off for a time hee either vpon some remorse of conscience or fearing lest his condition and estate might by some other meanes be discouered doth of himselfe offer to manifest vnto his Grace his condition and profession vnto which as it were vpon a second examination he is admitted where he first acknowledgeth himselfe for the space of sixe yeare to haue beene brought vp in the Colledge of Rome and that there he tooke the orders of Priesthood according to the manner of that Church and that from thence some 12. yeares since he was sent by mission into England where by Father Garnet he was admitted into the society of Iesus he acknowledgeth also that his name was Thomas Cornford and so subscribed the same the second time after that before hee had subsigned by the name of Iohn Vnderwood The Reader will here expect to vnderstand how this ingenious and Saint-like Ignatian did conciliate and accord such contrarie sayings of his surely thus hee performed his part and demonstrated himselfe a worthy Rabby in the Ignatian Academie of equiuocating cogging lying whereas he affirmed himselfe to be a married man his meaning was that his wise was his breuiarie and that hee had beene married vnto it twelue yeares as for his children which hee had by Robinsons daughter those were his ghostly and spirituall children But yet the wily man being demaunded thereof could not well shew how his wife the Breuiarie became Robinsons daughter and here being at a stand hee was holpen out by his Grace that in probability his Breuiarie was Robinsons daughter because it might be that the Printers name who printed it was Robinson The reason why he called himselfe a Farmer was because he was so to God according to that text Redde rationem villicationis tuae Giue an account of thy Farmership And the reason why he said that he went to Mistresse Vaux to take a farme of the Lord Vaux was because he was ready to doe them any seruice for their saluation and for the spirituall tilling of their soules Whereas hee had denied himselfe to haue beene beyond the seas his answere was that he spoke that with intention that he had bin there but not that hee was bound to tell his Grace so much Thus in effect with much like stuffe passed the Holy Ignatians examination out of which the intelligent Reader may clearely inferre how egregiously these men shew themselues to be impes of him who was mendax ab initio a lyer from the beginning and yet forsooth these men and none but these if it may so please the Gods are only sincere holy Christian Apostolicall For my part I cannot but thinke that Father Thomas since his engrafting into Ignatianisme and Garnetisme became an Equiuocater for in Rome hee was possessed with such a doultish kinde of simplicity that it is a kinde of miracle that he should so easily haue been transformed into another man well it may be obserued herehence how efficacious the Garnetian Academie hath beene for training youth in lying cogging equiuocating A SECOND PRELVDE SHEWING BRIEFELY THAT miracles are not certaine tokens of a true RELIGION CHAP. II. NOtwithstanding for further confirmation of this truth I will by Gods assistance shew that miracles are not certaine and infallible tokens of a true religion especially after the establishment of Christian religion in the world and that there is no other sure and certaine Anchor for truth but the infallible word of God by which and according to which all miracles which may happen are to be examined with which if they agree they may be approued if otherwise they are to be reiected and detested as the Deuills owne inuentions for as a worthy man saith all truth is to be suspected which the authority of sacred Scriptures doth not confirme without which to speake with Saint Hierome whatsoeuer is brought it is as easily contemned as it is brought Agreeingly to which Saint Austen disputing against the Donatists contendeth August de vnit Eccles cap. 16. most earnestly that therefore this thing or that thing is not to be held for true because Pontius or Donatus haue miracles haue visions or because Catholikes haue miracles haue visions in the Catholike Church in which discourse enlarging himselfe and shewing out of scriptures that false-phophets were to doe miracles he addeth thus Nonne legimus c. Doe we not read that euen of the Lord God himselfe many were heard in the high places of Iury which high places notwithstanding did so greatly displease God that such Kings as did not subuert them were blamed and such Kings as did ouerthrow them were greatly praised and a little after Exaudinntur ergo c. Therefore many are heard and by diuerse meanes not onely Christian Catholikes but euen Panymes Heretikes and Iewes giuen to diners superstitions but they are heard either of seducing Spirits who notwithstanding can do nothing but what they are permitted by God secretly disposing what is to bee giuen to euery one or of God himselfe either for a punishment of their malice or for asolace of their miserie or for awarning to seeke euerlasting saluation And a litle after Quaecunque miracula Note c. What miracles soeuer are done in the Catholike Church they are therefore to be approued because done in it but not therefore is the Catholike Church manifested because they are done in it Thus he Now come our Papists Aliquando c. Sometimes great deception is made by Priests in feigned miracles for game which ought to be rooted out as these were by Daniel Lira in Dan. which will only be Catholikes and say that therefore their miracles are true because they are done in their Catholike Church which reason if it may hold then all those fond lyes and imaginations must bee beleeued which their golden Legends relate if they grant any to be false and delusory which are done by men in their Catholike Church then it will needes follow that the credit of all the rest will be cracked according to the generall and true saying A lying man deserueth not to be beleeued although he tell the truth and that of their Cannon lawe he who is found once euill is alwaies presumed to be euill in the same kinde of ill But how deuysing and cousening in miracles concerneth Popish Catholikes let Canus speake Nostriautem plerique c. Very many of ours Canus de locis lib. 11. cap. 6. either follow their affections or of set purpose doe so feigne many things that I am not only ashamed of them but they also greatly vexe me Thus he with much to like purpose where he addeth somewhat
hee wanted the pillar to conuey him and the Manna to feede him euen so must wee esteeme him a foolish Christian who being entered into the cleere light of Christs Gospel because he sees not the power of miracles which in the beginning of that Christian Progresse was granted to Saint Peter and Paul for conducting of the first beleeuers through the wildernes of Gentilisme or of Pharisaicall pride and for comforting them to reiect stoutly the yoake of their spirituall Pharaoh because of this he will refuse to be guided by the Arke of Gods word wherein are comprehended the whole mysteries of his law and without the which there is no way to the heauenly Canaan certaine he must bee counted more then mad CHAP. IIII. The impeietie of Papall Indulgences the open Pollution of the caelibate and other pregnant vices of Rome against the credit of all Christian profession I Come next to speake of that which I did obserue touching Indulgence and dispensation wherein I neede not to be tedious and longsome the case being so notorious onely summarily and truely relate to your Lordship of things which I did see three or foure that did most specially offend me There can be no more said concerning this abuse now adayes then our fore beeres haue said many yeares agoe Omnia venalia Rome and certainly no lesse if we should speake vprightly That is to say Rome is a common staple of Pardons for all the sinnes and crymes that can be committed and those sold at so high a rate which is the reason why one should thinke the Camera de Componendis within Saint Peter Palace one of the richest houses in Christendome This mooued a fine iest in a certaine German who hauing some dispensation to purchase at Rome which he look't to haue granted to him gratis but finding an ordinance on the backe of it for paiment of one hundred Ducats tooke a penne and blotted out the date wherein was said Datum Romae putting in the place of it Emptū Romae swearing that because they had liberty of Conscience in Germanie that he would rather take it vpon his libertie then buy it so dearely I did see their diuers Monasteries or Conuentuall houses of religious persons wherein liue great numbers which houses bee no way endued with rents nor prouided but only referred to voluntary charitie for helpe whereof the Pope doth grant them some priuiledged Altars with extraordinary Indulgences and a peculiar Festiuall day vpon the which thither the whole people resorteth but chiefely profligat and debaushed persons as Whoores Bawdes idle Rascalls Charlatanes Coosoners who for the offer of some grosse almes bring back with them so many Pardons of sinnes so many soule Masses by redemption from Purgatory induring which time of the Visitation of this Altar the people entring at one dore and issuing out at an other all the day long without intermission there is no other voyce to be heard at the first port but calling out aloud Fate vnabellissima diuotione Make Sirs a braue deuotion by the which is meant to giue a sat Offering Conferring this voyce with that which is to bee heard in their Camera de componendis it resembleth in my eares that cry of the two Daughters of the Horse-leech mentioned in the Prouerbs of Solomon Duae sunt sanquisugae filiae quae semper clamant affer affer all which deuotion consisteth in the multitude of those who bought the Pardons being so vnder the name of Religious exercise a Trade of abominable impietie for while I was curious to aske the Priests of those Altars vpon the importance of their priuiledges I did receiue no other answere but what was once graunted by the Pope was absolutely good and effectuall for all Againe I saw this which fell foorth during my being there The Duke of Neuers came there in great and glorious state extraordinar Ambassador from the French King to the Pope who according to the custome of that Seat with such personages did graunt him Indulgences very large and bountifull that one would haue thought the ports of hell was not able to preuaile against them and when the Dukes Medalls and Beads came to be blessed vpon the Popes Altar according to the forme there was no famous Whore in Rome who had not also numbers put in for her saying which I haue heard with mine eares The French Indulgences should procure them both English and Spanish money This kinde of Marchandise and publike sale of sinnes is vsed in so lewd and vile a manner that the most simple man in the world would count it to bee a scuruie ridiculous inuention of insatiable auarice During my being at Rome there hapned to dye there a rich Venetian Merchant who left in Legacy a good summe of money to that Church standing vpon the Monte di Trinita for celebration of his Funeralls and seruices for his soule the same day which was appointed for those Funerall Offices I did finde my selfe soone in the morning vpon that Mount because it is a fresh and delectable walke when a number of Fryers with great Torches comming to enter into the Church was demanded of a Gentleman of Rome who was beside me whither they did goe to whom one of them did answere Andiamo cauare del purgatorio Lánima di quel mercadante Venetiano chimorse láltro iorno which is to say translated sincerely we go to hale out of Purgatory the soule of that Venecian Merchant who died the last day The Gentlemā replied in bitter speech against the Pope calling him Cuillione Morbidotto which be ignominious contēptible words because saith hee hee doth not keepe in Purgatory to the worlds end all those wretched soules of Venice who doe so disturbe the Apostolike Seat for it was in the meane time of those late broyles betwixt the Pope and the Venetians Can any iest in the world be more worthy of derision then this or any thing more like the pittifull Idolatry of the Gentiles where the Priests made the sensles people to thinke there was no way to make their gods propitious but by their rich Offerings This sort of doing is so frequent there that we see no other businesse and if it be true which they hold Quel che fa sua santita è fatto that which the Popes Holinesse doth is done certaine all those of those Countries must bee in heauen before their feete be cold as wee say because the most wicked and godlesse among them neuer departe◠this life but laden with Pardons And this farre I thinke is enough to prooue that the abuse is not onely authorised but as it were married with Religion seeing vpon the meanes thereof they doe found Cloystrall societies And this onely speaking de facto for to reason Quo iure these are practised it is Theologicall alwaies the most learned among them haue said to me touching the Popes power Il nostro signore è dio soptala terra Our Lord the Pope he is God vpon earth hee
may dispence what hee will Yea say they if the question were to marry the King of Spaine to an hereticall Princesse the Pope will first dispense him to marry his owne Sister Is not this to go aboue the power of God who hath said of his holy Law that a jot thereof shall not perish nor be changed Well to vrge Theologicall Arguments I will not but I remit your Lordship to search the Scriptures to see who it is there that doth sit in the Church of God and exalt Dan. 11. 2. Thes 2. himselfe aboue all that is called God And now I appeale to the diuine light of your Lordships conscience whether you doe not thinke that the contemplation of so grosse things first such Ethnicke Idolatry that while Paul and Barnabas being aliue did teare their cloathes and runne vpon the people because they would haue adored them saying they were but men like vnto themselues Now so much adoration must bee done to the Statues of their dead bodies that one shall not enter within Saint Peters Church at Rome but we must kneele to salute him where hee sits in brasse we must lay our head vnder his feete and kisse euery one of his â—oes seuerally Then such impious and base auarice in this trade of Purgatory and Indulgences that in their Camera de Componendis there sitteth Simon Magus vnder the name of Simon Peter making sale of the Spirit of God for money of the mercies of God of remission of sinnes and the Kingdome of heauen and that with such insatiable hands that if euer I who came from a remote Countrey to honour the Apostolicall Seat would giue him largely for dispensation hee would willingly embrace it as who knowes what I did pretend to bee the more assured I appeale to your Lordships conscience whether you thinke those were not sufficient to breede doubts of Religion in any man in whom God hath left a sparke of his feare or one graine of right knowledge Assuredly they mooued me to great iealousie and they were to me as the first sight of the Angell was to the poore Asse of Balaam terror albeit I confesse sincerely the strong opinion which I had drunken so long before the plausible shew of things did for a while violently hold me into the same way as Balaam did force his Asse to goe on after the first sight of the Angell But when I begun to looke vpon the manners of the The Manners of Rome people and to consider what were the faults which were so ordinarily and easily pardoned which is the third thing in number of those which I most narrowly obserued what shall I say I know not how to speake the trueth and therewith to prouide that my penne be not slandered for contumelies and Philippicke passions alwayes I shall so limitate my selfe that I shall not blot so graue a purpose with an humour of rayling or shamelesnesse In the day of visitation and punishment I shall beginne at my sanctuary saith the Lord and wherefore is this because Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis as the Prelates be so are the people the example of the Rulers makes the manners of the multitude as the Spirit of God doth testifie by the Prophet Daniel Egressa est Dan. 11. iniquitas à Senioribus ab ijs qui videbantur regere populum Iniquitie hath gon out from the Elders and those who seemed to gouerne the people For this cause in a iust censure of the manners of Rome it cannot be auoided first to looke vpon the Court wherein is to bee seene such fastuous and intollerable pompe and such a degree of glory as hath neuer beene vsurped by any earthly Monarch to behold the maiestie of the Papall carriage borne one mens shoulders auro fulgens smaragdis shining amidst gold and Iewels those who beare him treading vpon fine cloth wherewith the Church pauement is couered accompanied with a fearefull guard the thundering of Canons the sound of trumpets and all sorts of musicall instruments at whose presence numbers of Princes stately Embassadours great parsonages and multitudes of people doe fall to the ground saluting him holy holy as if he would not onely be Christs Vicar vpon earth but also emulator of his diuine glory in the Heauens and be worshipped like that glorious Lambe before whom numbers doe fall downe to crie holy holy holy that vpon the sight thereof I was indeed amased as if it had beene a vision and demaunding a French Gentleman who had newly also arriued with me and was a zealous Papist how he did esteeme of that which he had seene he answered me in the termes of be God that he thought it farre different from the carriage of him who said Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo and who said to his Disciples Exemplum de di vobis vt quemadmodum ego feci it a vos faciatis which answer I haue many times since thought to be as pertinent as if the holy Spirit had inspired it into him For if the kingdome of the world be called the kingdome of sinne and what reason had Mr. Flud to frame his first argument out of the vncertaintie of his Aduersaries opinions Iudge yee c. But put case Mr. Flud that our Diuines were concerning this point of your Popes being Antichrist equally diuided or iust so as you affirme they are what would the same make their doctrine of the Popes being Antichrist to be onely a fancie See then how you may be whipped with your owne rodd Are you a Rabbie in Iezreel and dispute so what then will become of the feast of Conception instituted in the honour of the immaculate and vnspotted Conception of the euer blessed Virgin Mary Are not there many of your Doctors who affirme yea affirme not without the reproching of others with the note of errour heresie c. that the blessed Virgin was not conceiued in original sinne And are there not against them others who peremptorily affirme that shee was conceiued in originall sinne this being so shall your feast of Conception which is indowed with so many Papall indulgences be a fancie God forbid Againe what will become of your making adoring and worshipping of the Image of God the Father as he Abul in deut Duar. alij Bell. de Imag. lib. 2 cap. 8. Nic. act 5. 6. is in the Deitie himselfe Are there not many of your Diuines who condemne the same Doth not Bellarmine affirme it to be in opinione in opinion Did not your second Generall Nicene Sinod condemne and inhibit the same what then shall your generall making thereof and adoring the same be a fancie God forbid it for if so it would proue not onely a fancie but a most damnable impietie as in truth it is Further what then Gentle Sir will betide the inerrable Rule of your Faith the vnappellable Iudge of all controuersies Is it not a dogmaticall position affirmed by your Canonists deliuered