Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	exercise_v	good_a	great_a	252	4	2.0921	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65789	The memoires of Mr. James Wadswort [sic], a Jesuit that recanted discovering a dreadful prospect of impiety, in the blasphemous doctrines (or Gospel) of the Jesuits, with their atheistical lives and conversations / faithfully published to the world out of the authors own original notes, with the particular places, persons, and circumstantial actions &c., of which he himself was both an eye and ear-witness from time to time.	Wadsworth, James, 1604-1656?	1679 (1679)	Wing W183; ESTC R38026	56,469	76

with Fillets of Silver or Gold and as for such whereof there is daily use they are laid in order upon Desks fastned with Chains upon a long Table But as for the Inner Library that is onely reserved for the Fathers of the Society it is free for none but them to go in thither and to borrow thence what Books they think good Those ordinary Books are onely free for the Iuniors of the Society nor may they take a Sentence out of the rest without special leave obtained from the Regent Moreover in this first Library are no Heretical Books as they call them but onely the Writings of most approved Authors and Catholicks all for they hold any other unworthy to be placed amongst them as fearing perhaps they should infect the rest Look therefore upon thy left hand and there thou shalt see the wretched Books of Hereticks as they term them standing all in Mourning for the faults of their Authors bound up in black Leather or Parchment blacked over with the very leaves thereof died in black Of these not one of the Fathers themselves may make choice or use without leave obtained from the Regent before-hand but your inferiour Iesuits and younger Novices may not be so bold as to desire the sight of any one of them except he will before-hand with all virulency and bitterness rail upon and disgrace the Author whom he desireth to see by some infamous Libel and scurrilous satyrical Verse or Writing In the midst of these several Libraries is placed a Study being divided into many Seats distinct and seperate one from another with a blue covering On the right side whereof sit the Fathers on the left the Under-Graduates who have already taken some Degrees upon them The other Novices or Fresh Men as we call them sit mixt with the Fellow-Commoners that they may take notice of them and every man in his turn beat into them by continual discourses the sweetness and excellency of the Order of Iesuits especially into such as are of the richer sort or wealthy Heirs I will say no more at this time as touching their Studies but I will describe briefly the manner of the Visitations which every Provincial maketh because it is a point which as I think and for any thing that I ever read or heard hath been never hitherto divulged by any Now every Provincial taketh his denomination from the Province or Kingdom rather which is committed to his Charge and Oversight His Place is to visit the several Colledges to take an account of their Revenues and oversee their Expences exactly and punctually to take notice what Noble Personages commit their Sons to the tuition of the Society and how many they are in number Whether there be not yearly an increase of Scholars as also of their Means and Revenues Whether there be any converted from Protestantism and how many such If there be no such thing or if the Popish Religion have lost ground or if there be any decrease of their Wealth he sharply reproveth their sloath and neglect and chargeth strictly that they make an amends for the wrong they have done and loss they have received in this case But if they have bestirred themselves bravely and converted as they call it or rather perverted many Souls to Popery if they have been frugal and scraped wealth together he praiseth them very highly and extolleth them to the skies Moreover he demandeth what is the opinion of the neighbouring Hereticks concerning them What be the projects of the Nobles What meetings they have How many and where What they consult upon What they resolve to do Whether the Heretical Princes as they term them delight to live at home or abroad To whom they resort most frequently What is the several disposition of every one of them In what things he is observed to take most delight Whether he take any care of his People or not Whether he be a Religious Prince or not Or rather whether he be not a man who delights to take his pleasure in Drinking Wenching or Hunting Whether he have have any Catholicks about him or that are near unto him What the People report abroad concerning their own Princes Whether the Churches of the Adversaries be full of resort or not Whether the Pastors of those Churches be learned and diligent men in their Place and Calling or otherwise lazie Lubbers and unletter'd Whether the Profession of Divinity thrive in the neighbouring University of Hereticks Whether their Divines maintain frequent Disputations and against whom principally What Books they have published of late and upon what Subject To these and sundry such questions if the Regent and the rest of the Fathers do answer punctually he doth wonderfully commend their industry and vigilancy If he find them defective in answering to these or any such demands he reproveth them sharply saying What mean you my Masters Do you purpose like lazie Companions to undo the Church of Rome How do you suppose your slothfulness in these weighty affairs can be excused before his Holiness How is it that you presume to take these Places upon you and to manage them no better What or whom are you afraid of Why do not you buckle up your selves better to your business and perform your places like men These things if you had been such men as you ought to be had not been to do now These things should have been done long before this time Do you observe the incredible watchfulness of the Hereticks and can you be lazie And with these or the like speeches he wheteth them on to their duty At the last he enquireth as touching the Scholars Fellow-Commoners Novices and the rest How many they are in number How much every one hath profited To what study or delight each one is inclinable Whether there be any one amongst them that is scrupulous or untractable or not a fit subject to be wrought upon For he adjudgeth every such an one sitting to be removed from the Study of Divinity except he have been very well exercised in the Disputations in Schools and have a very great and good conceit of their Religion beaten into him Moreover he enquireth if they have any one in the Colledge who can be contented for the advantage of the Catholick Cause to undertake any laudable attempt and to spend his blood in the Cause if at any time necessity shall seem to require it And at last he sendeth away all these Informations being sealed up unto the Father General at Rome by whom they are immediately made known to the Pope himself and his Conclave of Cardinals And so by this means an order is taken that there is no matter of action set on foot nothing almost consulted upon throughout the whole Christian World which is not forthwith discovered unto the Pope by these Traitors that lurk in every State and Kingdom Also it is not to be omitted that the Iesuits are translated by their Provincial from one Colledge to another and that

great Duty unto God 4. That a Monastical life is the most certain way to salvation of all others 5. What this Monastical life is viz. to live in a Desart or Monastery 6. That all their Religious Orders were at first holy and sacred Institutions but by corruption of time they have lost their ancient purity 7. What a man is to do for the surety of his salvation seeing that as it is their abominable Maxim with a kind of a negative limitation any wandring from their Collegiate Society which they call their Paradise into the World can hardly attain to the hope of salvation 8. That that man which desires the salvation of his own Soul must renounce all the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches and cleave onely to their Society and that upon these considerations First because this Society is the newest of any and therefore hath not had the time to corrupt and degenerate as divers others are Secondly for that Ignatius their first Founder is one of the greatest Favourites of the Holy Ghost equalling him with our Saviour in that power of casting out Devils c. So Franciscus teacheth vid. Testimon Gregorii 9. in fine Testamenti Francisci Thirdly because St. Ignatius received by Divine Revelation That none of his Order should ever be damned for 200 years so that they have above 50 years yet to become more vile if possible and to fill up the measure of their iniquities from this year 1678. and this they believe as an Article of their Creed And so by this means they won the Gentleman to their Order against his Father's will In this very exercise I my self was initiated for the space of 15 days but it was Gods pleasure to give me more understanding than to be led away with the rest Besides they have other devices to gather fish into their net making their young Student believe that they are well skill'd in Chiromancy and can tell them their fortunes and that some are born to disastrous ends All which may and undoubtedly will be prevented if they turn Jesuits Of these trifling tricks I my self was an eye-witness Now let me descend to their most barbarous proceedings which are indeed numberless but for avoiding prolixity I will here recount a few There was one Mr Edward Hastings at Harlston an ingenious young Gentleman whom when they could not draw to them by the means aforesaid they exercised on him such tyrannical Discipline that the least fault he did they Stoically interpreted to be equal to the greatest and punish'd him accordingly Whereupon he writ to his Friends earnestly entreating them to send for him Now there is no way to get out of this Colledge or to write any Letters or receive any save with consent of the Rector for they are kept as in Prison under Lock and Key But the Letters were intercepted c. which he perceiving resolved to leap over the Colledge wall but being taken in the instant Father Thunder clapt his buttocks till he left him half dead as an example and then sent him away with four shillings in his purse to conduct him for England And thus also they dealt with one Mr. Henry Taylor since Secretary to Count Gondamor and in the same manner they used Sir George Brown's Son who afterward died at St. Omers So likewise there was sent to this Colledge Mr. Estevelaus Brown Son and Heir to Mr. Anthony Brown Brother to the Vicount Mountague who after two years abode wearied by their tyrannical Discipline and desirous to get his neck out of their yoak counterfeited a Letter from his Father to the Rector of the said Colledge who then was Father Baldwin desiring him to furnish his Son with all necessaries and send him over into England which the Rector opening thought it came from his Father but the Gentleman disclosing this device to one of his Fellow-Students in whom he confided was betrayed and severely punished for his ingenuity The Rector afterwards wrote to his Father the contents you may easily ghess and his Father wrote back to have him detained c. who remains there to his grief and torment to this hour And if any escape them and afterward come to be promoted they traduce him and brand him with all Titles of ignominy and to this end they have their Agents in all places of consequence to put in against them as witness Sir Edward Bainham Sir Griffin Markham the Archbishop of Rhemes and Father Barns a Benedictine and divers others whom I omit for brevity I could likewise relate several horrid Tragedies to my own knowledge exercised in that Temple of Moloch the Spanish Inquisition and the cruel and inhumane usages of divers English Gentlemen upon no ground or colour at all onely picking and watching all occasions upon the least word spoken of the Protestant Religion c. But I have some things to discover to the world which are not so much known or at least seldom if ever discoursed on by the common people and may be as advantagious to every one to understand as they really are wonderful and curious But what the end of all will be God onely knows before whom all mens secret thoughts are open and manifest who holds the world in the hollow of his hand and before whom all Nations of the Earth are as dust of the ballance who notwithstanding all their secret and cunning Contrivances deep laid designs and devilish Stratagems hath determined to stain the pride and glory of all flesh and to Overturn Overturn Overturn until Shilo that Great Prince of Peace shall Reign and his Interest Name and Glory be exalted throughout the Earth CHAP. V. The true Description of that famous Monastery or House of the King of Spains called the Escurial the Worlds Wonder IN the Countrey of Segoria upon the Carpetan borders stands a Village heretofore of small note but now famous for the stately Monastery called Scorialis or commonly the Escurial from the dross as some guess which in old time came of the Iron about those parts the former buildings of that Village were till of late very mean and homely more for the profit than pleasure of the poor husband man The Soil about it is barren and strong afording very hard passages for Carts and Carriages whereupon there is but little provision of Corn and Wine but good store of Cattle by reason of the good feeding and sweet temper of the Air whereas the more inland parts of the Countrey are some what scorched with overmuch heat this blows many cool blasts from the snowy neighbouring mountains whence flows good store of water enriching the ground with grass and beautifying the fields with a continual greenness Beyond this Village westward about a mile at the foot of a high hill in an enclosed vally several leagues from Madrid stands that stately Pile dedicated to the honour of St. Laurence being the labour of 24 years a Building of incredible cost and Magnificence and such as no former age could

in his stomach Likewise the detension of the Kingdom of Naples from the Pope confirmed me that the Spaniards were and are little better than Atheists onely making use of the Pope for their own particular ambition and ends as to confirm and establish him in unlawful Monarchies and under colour of Religion to make Subjects become Slaves Moreover Charles the Fifth sacking Rome and with his Army besieging the Pope in his Castle of St. Angelo was to this particular end to confirm him Emperor and to colour and maintain all his unlawful Usurpations Likewise it confirmed me in the Protestant Religion to see how Flanders and other parts the Jesuits Friers and others before they enter their Colledges Monasteries and other Religious Houses to be Probationers onely for a week or a month their Friends Parents and others give them a good sum of money to spend in Ale-houses Taverns and other prophane Houses for to take their farewell of the world of which I was an eye-witness both at Antwerp and Doway Likewise it confirmed me in the said Protestant Religion to see Protestants with whom I conversed so modest religious and honest quite contrary to the report of the Jesuits who make them worse than Devils All which I having well consider'd and also observing the cozenages and impostures of the Jesuits Priests and Monks in St. Omers Doway Flanders Spain France and elsewhere my Father being dead and I at my own disposal I came for England where intending to declare my self a Protestant I was advertised by some great Personages of Authority in this Kingdom to keep my resolution for a time that so I might the better discover the Plots and Stratagems of our Adversaries and hereby do my Countrey far greater service Whereupon I streight made my repair to the Court of the Arch-Dutchess where being suspected as a Spie I was in great danger of my life by the negligence of some who had employ'd me I had forthwith been imprisoned had not Earl Gundamor interceded for me who never could be perswaded that ever I would turn Protestant being so long confirmed in the Romish Religion But I would not let any occasion over-slip me but taking the best opportunity time did then allot me I directed my course for England Where after a quarter of a years abode I was sent back again into France having my residence at Paris where I gave intelligence to some great Personages of this Kingdom and sending Letters by my Man for England he being bribed by some of our Land whose names I here spare they were intercepted and delivered to a Sorbon Doctor Dr. Matler by name whom the Letters partly concerned Now at this very time one Smith Nephew to the Bishop of Chalcedon staid two months in Paris on purpose to have kill'd me This became an occasion of great affliction to me for being by him discovered my Pension from Spain was debarr'd me and forthwith the Jesuits and Priests banded themselves and conspired against me and caused my Host to imprison me for some Moneys I owed him where I suffered for six months space receiving Letters from my Mother in Spain who perswaded me to fix my self either in Naples Milan Sicily c. and several visits from the Fathers who could not well tell what to conjecture of me I entertain'd them with all outward shews of favour c. till my Mother had paid my debts with my own Pension and being freed out of Prison I shew'd them a fair pair of heels and in stead of going towards Spain or Italy I bent my course towards England taking my journey towards Roan and Deep in Normandy and finding no Shipping at either places I bent my course for Callis taking my journey by a Town call'd Arks or Arka where lodging at an Inn I with a fellow Companion was robb'd by Soldiers and in extreme danger of our lives and being escaped that difficulty blessed be God I soon fell into a greater for being embarqued in an English Vessel newly come from Dover there being five or six Papists in the Ship bound with me for England it hapned that some of them knew me and understanding that I had left my Pension c. fear'd that I had no good affection to the Catholicks in England and therefore they accused me as a Spie against their State Whereupon the Captain of the Ports committed me to Custody and the Serjeant-Major of that Town cast me into Prison I began to manifest my innocency but he told me I was false and was accused by Angels meaning the Iesuits and presented me to the Rack to extort Consessions from me where I was kept in a Cage or Dungeon remaining under seven Locks for the space of three days without any food my Bed was Straw which had not been changed in ten months without any cover as for my Shirt I never had any variety my hair grew wild and savage-like my Companions were thousands of Lice and Fleas and in this misery I continued near ten months And to augment my misery Father Baldwin with the rest of the English Iesuits in St. Omers not onely sent but came themselves to Callis to persuade the Governour for my continual restraint during my whole life The Iesuits in England also hearing of me writ Letters to Callis to the same effect At length I perceived my life was the mark they shot at they not long before having determined to hang me for a Horse-stealer had not the truth been discovered by one Carpenter the King of France's Advocate-General and one of the Politest Wits for Law in the whole Kingdom whose hap it was at that time to be in Prison with me To be short several Persons of quality hearing of my misery interceded with the Governour in my behalf as my Lord Mountroy who had been taken Prisoner at the Isle of Ree Colonel Grey Mr. Walter Mountague the Governour of Pontsel who was my Lord Mountjoy's Conductor but all in vain Nay the King of Denmarks youngest Son coming by Callis at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 land did the same as also Sir Edmond Ver●●●● and Mr. Hawkins the Kin●● chief Agent did the same but none could prevail onely they relieved 〈◊〉 with Moneys which the Jaylor for the most part got from me threatning to keep me more recluse if I did not give him the better half and there passed not one person of note by but for his own lucres sake he acquainted them with my case At last through the great Providence of God one Mr. Scipio Intima a Gentleman of Friezland came that way who had been my fellow-prisoner at Paris and he never left solliciting till he obtained leave of the Governour that I might have an equal Trial by Law which before this I could not obtain and so got leave that the Kings Advocate might be my Counsellor All which being granted through great importunities my Advocate began to write the occasion of my unlawful detention with a Petition which he sent drew up and presented to the High Court of Parliament at Paris where the Parliament commanded all my Adversaries and Accusers to be personally cited before them My Advocate did likewise challenge the Law of the Kingdom which is that no Malefactor can be kept in prison above three months but he must have either the Sentence of life or death to pass upon him unless it be for Treason against the Kings proper Person I having continued a long while in Prison contrary to the said Law All which was so well pleaded and alledged by my Advocate in my behalf that there was no accuser to prove any thing against me so that the High Court of Parliament declared me innocent and condemn'd the Serjeant-Major of Callis and the rest of my Adversaries to the reparation of Honour Damage and Interest and so forthwith I was set free Thus giving Almighty God hearty thanks for this his gracious deliverance in freeing me from the hands of these infernal Monsters and blood-suckers and at such a time when all hope was fled and gone and of their Faction I forthwith embarqued my self and came into England with full resolution never to depart out of it beseeching God to make me a worthy Member of his Catholick Church of England unto whose sweet embraces I happily arrived after very many persecuting afflictions and miseries thus endured And now courteous Reader thou hast had a view of my Travels Observations and Miseries which it pleased God I should endure abroad in the Narrative of which I here vow to God in whose holy presence I am and most in another manner shortly appear I have not written any thing but what for the most part I have been an eye-witness of So beseeching God to keep in true faith concord and unity this our Kingdom of Great Britain France and Ireland together with all Protestant Dominions I rest an humble Suppliant at his Throne of Grace that the end of all may be Gods everlasting Glory and his true Churches eternal Peace and Rest. FINIS