the other which also will begin to disclose them selues dayly those things beeing now settled in reasonable good sort which haue hitherto beene but in motion Secondly they are not all Papists that hold with the Masse But the Catholikes are here divided into as different opinions and in as principall matters of theyr Religion as they esteeme them as the Protestants in any place that ever I heard of although theyr discretion and moderation is such as not to interrupt the common Concord with private opinionatiuenesse The ground of which disagreement in opinion as I take it is the auncient diversitie betweene the Romane Church and the Gallicane which as in many of theyr Ceremonies it differs much from the Romane as to omit sundry other in the Priests Lotions at Masse and in theyr walking hymns at solemne Matins and Uespers and in some of them rather runs with the usage of the Greeke Church as in theyr Holy-bread on Sondayes for them that doe not communicate so also in the very head-poinct of theyr Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie it holdeth the Generall Councell to bee aboue the Pope which opinion is at this day very current and strong even among such Catholikes as favour the Papacie Which I reckon for the first difference touching the State of theyr Church which calleth into question in whom the very soveraigntie and supremacie thereof is placed An other sort are there which hold theyr Church for the true Church although they acknowledge sundry errours and abuses of lesse importance both in doctrine and practise but for the Pope they hold resolutely that hee is that Antichrist which sitting in the Temple that is in the true Church of God for even by his very being Antichrist some proue they are the true Church doth advance himselfe aboue God as they thinke apparent by dispensing with the Law of God by merchandizing of soules in his purgatory pardons releasing them in an other world whom divine sentence hath bound as also by his indulgences for sinnes in this world and not least of all by his arrogating the not possibilitie of erring being a sacred propertie peculiar unto God and not communicated but onely at times to his extraordinarie Prophets as all Churches in the world besides the Romane acknowledge This sect spreads farre and as them selues will say of the learned sort three parts of â—oure consent in this opinion And they which are most devoted to the Pope and in that respect doe hate this crew aboue all other confesse that the Lawyers are greatly infected with it in which regard they also tearme these as in way of disgrace the Parliament Catholikes These opinions thus prevayling amongst the Catholikes of Fraunce it is not to bee merveiled that the Realme was so ready upon the Popes refusall to reblesse the King upon his sodain reconversion to withdraw them selues utterly from the obedience of his sea and to erect a new Patriarch over all the French Church the now Archbishop of Burges who was ready to accept it and but that the Pope in feare thereof upon a second deliberation did hasten his Benediction it had beene effected to his utter disgrace and decay as the very proffer and probabilitie of it will always hold him in awe and in good temper of cariage towards this wavering Kingdom and content to beare indifferent sway with them in any thing As on the contrarie side his great doubt of the French unsoundnesse to him at the heart will cause him the lesse to favor any of their footings in Italy Now these men though they dislike also of the Reformed Religion as having brought in an extreame innovation of all things in steed of a moderate reformation of what was justly blameable yet will carrie them selues alwayes of likelyhood in an indifferent neutralitie rather than by extinguishing the one extreame to over-strengthen the other A third part of this side wee may make the Royalists who asmuch as they dislike the attempts of the Protestants in alteration of Religion so much and more doe they hate those mischievous courses taken against them by theyr adversaries which haue threatned so neere a ruine to the whole state of the Kingdome that it may seeme halfe a miracle that it hath ever recovered being so long a time at the very poinct either of shivering in pieces as hath happ'ned heretofore to other Countries in like case or of rendring it selfe into the seruitude of the hatefull name of theyr neighbours This part having by experience learned the wisdome to know that the quarrell of Religion is but the cloke of ambition for the great ones at this day that many traiterous intents passe under Catholike pretences that the Protestant will be alwayes a sure enemie to the Spaniard and to all his Favorites partizans and pensionaries that whilst he may be suffered to enjoy libertie of Conscience without any disabling or disgrace in the State he will be in all occasions ready to serue the King to his utmost and forward by deserts to maintein his favour that it is no so easie a matter to extirpate them as some think having taken so deepe root in the Realme as they haue besides the favour of great Princes their neighbours abroad who are engaged and embarked in the very same cause and that although it were to be wished for the happinesse of the Kingdome which during this diversitie and dissention in Religion shall breed greater securitie to their neighbours than to themselues that if it were possible some course were taken for a finall reuniting of all in one profession yet this being not to be hoped for in this exasperation of minds on both sides must be commended to time which works out many things to occasion which effects even wonders on a sodaine and finally to some generall good way to be undertaken by the joynt consent of wise and worthy Princes for effecting like unitie over all Christendome if it may be In these considerations this part which with his appurtenances is now the greatest will never advise the King to become head of a partie againe so long as hee may be absolute commaunder of the whole having found that siding course in such strength of both parts to be a false ground and ruinous to them that take it To these may be annexed those morall men as they call them who thinke not these diversities of opinions of any such moment as that they ought to dis-joyne them who in the loue of God in the beliefe of the fundamentall Articles of Christian Faith in integritie of life and honestie of conversation which are the greatest bonds remaine united much lesse that they ought to enrage mens minds so farre as to cause them to take armes to decide the quarrell which are not those instruments wherwith either error should be razed or truth proved or Religion planted And finally to this partie may be added all those who affect a quiet world and peace aboue glorious troubles which is the desire of those lightly who in
so surpassed theyr opposites that they forbear not to reproach unto them theyr povertie weaknesse and coldnesse in that kind as being forced to take the Catholicks books to supply therein Which as on this side it cannot be altogether denyed to be true so on the other side it had greatly beene to bee wished that those bookes of Christian Resolution and exercise had beene the fruits of the Consciences rather than of the wiâ—ts of those that made them which in some of them as PARSONS by name to haue bene otherwise besides the rest of his actions unsutable to those Resolutions some of the more zealous also in their way haue not forborne to confesse that by perfourming of so good works with a good mind to a good end and conforming their owne liues and demeanours accordingly they might haue prepared mens minds to an hope of a thorough reconciliation whereas now by using holinesse it selfe for a meere instrument of practises and to win men to their partie they cannot but driue the world into such a labyrinth of perplexities and jealousies as to suspect always their policies and despaire of their honesties A second thing whereby the Protestant part hath so greatly enlarged hath been their well Educating of Youth especially in the Principles of Christian Religion and pietie wherein their care and continuance is even at this day in many places very worthy to be commended of all and imitated by them who haue hither to bene more remisse in that kind than were requisite the education of youth and sowing in those pure minds the seeds of vertue and truth before the weeds of the world do canker and change the soyle being by the consent of the most renowmed wise men in the World a poinct of incomparable force and moment for the well ordering and governing of all kinds of States and for the making of Common-wealths ever-flourishing and happie And as good education is the preservation of a good state so all kind of education conforming to the Lawes and Customes in being upholdeth states in the tearmes wherein they are the first seasoning with opinions and accustomances whatsoever being of double force to any second perswasions and usages not comprising herein those nimble and quick silverd braines which itch after change liking in theyr opinions as in their garments to bee noted to be followers of outlandish fashions as being of a more refined and sublimited remper than that theyr Country conceipts can satisfie Herein then the Papacie being taken short by the Protestants even as in the former and mightily over-run ere they were aware thereof notwithstanding as difficulties doe rather kindle than daunt the generous spirits and adde that to theyr diligence which was wanting in their timelinesse so these men haue bestirred themselues so well therein to follow the trace which theyr adversaries had led them that in fine they haue in some sorts outgrowne them in it and quoted them in all one onely excepted that they respect not much the instruction of the children of the meaner sort as being likely to sway title whereas the Protestants seeme in religious instruction indifferent to both But for the rest what is it they haue omitted what Colleges for theyr owne what Seminaries for strangers to support and perpetuate theyr factions and practises in theyr enemies dominions haue they not instituted almost in all parts of Christendome and mainteine still at theyr owne and favourites charge Is it a small brag which some of their side doe make that theyr English Seminaries abroad send forth more Priests than our two Vniversities at home doe Ministers Behold also the Iesuits the great Clerks Politicians and Oratours of the World who vaunt that the Church is the soule of the World the Clergie of the Church and they of the Clergie doe stoupe also to this burthen and require it to bee charged wholly upon their necks and shoulders In all places where-ever they can plant theyr nests they open free Schooles for all studyes of humanitie To these flocke the best witts and principall mens sons in so great abundance that wherever they settle other Colleges become desolate or frequented onely by the baser sort and of heavyer mettall And in truth such is their diligence and dexteritie in instructing that even the Protestants in some places send theyr sonnes unto theyr Schooles upon desire to haue them proue excellent in those arts they teach Besides which being in truth but a bait and allurement whereto to fasten theyr principall and finall hooke they plant in their schollars with great exactnesse and skill the rootes of theyr Religion and nourish them with an extreame hatred and detestation of the adverse partie And to make them for ever intractible of any contrary perswasion they worke into them by great cunning and obstinacie of mind and sturdie eagernesse of spirit to affect victorie with all violence of wit in all theyr concertations Than which no greater enemie to the finding of truth which being pure and single in his owne nature and author appeareth not but to a cleare and sincere understanding whom neither the fumes of fierie passions doe misten nor sinister respects or praejudices sway downe on eyther side from the pitch of just integritie Neither thinke I any unfitter sort of men in the world to bee employed in the contemplation and search of truth than these hote men and headie who being sodaine in theyr actions rise lightly on that which commeth first to hand and beeing stiffe in their resolutions are transported with every praejudicate conceipt from one errour into another having neither the patience they should to weigh all points diligently nor the humilitie to yield up theyr owne fancies to reason neyther yet that high honourable wisedome as to know that truth being the marke they professe to striue at in the overthrow of their errours they attaine the summe of their desires and remaine Conquerours by beeing conquered Yea sundry times haue I seene two eager disputers loose the truth and let it fall to the ground betweene them which a calme-minded hearer hath taken up and possessed But these Iesuites praesuming perhaps of the truth before-hand and labouring for no other thing than the advauncing of theyr partie endeavour as I said by all meanes to imbreed that fiercenesse and obstinacie in theyr schollars as to make them hote prosecutors of theyr owne opinions impatient and intractable of any contrary considerations as having theyr eyes fixt upon nothing saue onely victorie in arguing For which cause to strengthen in them those passions by exercise I haue seene them in their bare Grammaticall disputations enflame theyr schollars with such earnestnesse and fiercenesse as to seeme to bee at the poinct of flying each in th 'others faces to the amazement of those straungers which had never seene the like before but to theyr owne great content and glorie as appeared Over and aboue all this they haue instituted in their Schooles a speciall fraternitie or congregation of our Lady
with certeine select exercises and devotions into which it being a reputation to bee admitted it must cause in congruitie the forwardest of theyr schollars to fashion them selues by all meanes as to content theyr humours and so to bee received in shew into a degree of more honourable estimamation but in truth into no other than a double bond of assurance I shall not need here to insert their singular diligence and cunning in entising not seldome the most noble of their schollars and oftentimes the most adorned with the graces of nature and industrie especially if they haue likelihood of any wealthie succession to abandon their friends and to professe theyr Order a thing daily practised by them in all places yea wher-ever they espie any youth of rarer spirit they will bee tempering with him though he bee the onely sonne and solace of his Father Whereby though they draw on them much clamor and stomacke yet do they greatly enhaunce the renowme of theyr societie by furnishing it with so many persons of excellent qualitie or nobilitie whom afterwards they employ with great judgement as they finde each fittest Neither yet doe they here make an end with this part this order hath also theyr solemne Catechizing in theyr Churches on Sondayes and Holydayes for all youth that will come or can be drawne unto it that in no poinct the diligence of theyr adversaries may upbraid them But this poinct of theyr Schooles and instructing youth is thought of such moment by men of wisedome and judgement being taught so by very experience and tryall thereof that the planting of a good College of Iesuites in any place is esteemed the onely sure way to replant that Religion and in time to eate out the contrarie This course hold they in all Germanie in Savoy and other places and the excluding it from Fraunce is infinitely regretted and that which makes them uncerteine what will become of that Kingdome A third course that much advantaged the Protestants proceedings was their Offers of disputation to theyr adversaries in all places theyr iterated and importuned suits for publike audience and judgement a thing which greatly assured the multitude of theyr soundnesse whom they saw so confident in abiding the hazard of tryall being that whereof the want is the onely prejudice of truth and the plentie the onely discoverie and ruine of falsehood they standing in like tearmes as a substantiall just man and a facing shifter whereof the ones credit is greatest there where he is best knowne and the others where hee is least And by reason that the Romanists were not so cunning then in the questions nor so ready in their evasions and distinctions as they are now growne the effect of these disputations whether received or refused was in most places such as to draw with them an immediate alteration of Religion Hereunto may be added those admirable pains which those first Reformers undertooke and performed in translating the Scriptures forth-with into all languages in illustrating all parts thereof with ample comments in addressing institutions of Christian Religion in deducing large histories of the Church from the foundation to their present times in furnishing all common places of Divinitie with abundance of matter in exact discussing of all controversed questions lastly in speedy reply to all contrary writings the greatest part of these labours tending to the justifying oâ— their own doctrine and to the discoverie of the Corruption and rottennesse of the other that they might overbeare those with the streames of the evidence of reason by the strength of whose power they complained to be over-borne There is not scarce any one of these kinds of writings saue the translating of the Bible into vulgar languages wherin the Romanists haue not already or are not like very shortly eyther to aequall or to exceed theyr adversaries in multitude of works as being more of them that apply those studies in diligence as having much more opportunities of helps and leysure in exactnesse as comming after them and reaping the fruicts of theyr travails though in truth they come short and in ingenuitie being truths companion But as for the Controversies them selues the main matter of all other therein theyr industrie is at this day incomparable having so altered the tenures of them refined the states subtilized the distinctions sharpned theyr owne proufs devised certein and resolved on eyther answers or evasions for all theyr aduersaries arguments allegations and replics yea they haue differences to divert theyr strongest oppositions interpretations to elude the plainest texts in the world circumstances and considerations to enforce theyr owne seeliest conjectures yea reasons to put life into theyr deadest absurdities as in particular a very faire case in schoole-learning proportions to justifie theyr Popes graunts of many score thousand yeeres pardon that in affiance of this furniture and of theyr promptnesse of speech and witt which by continuall exercise they aspire to perfect they dare enter into combate even with the best of theyr oppugners and will not doubt but eyther to entangle him so in the snares of their own quirks or at least-wise so to avoyd and put off his blowes with the manifold wards of theyr multiplied distinctions that an ordinary auditor shall never conceiue them to be vanquished and a favourable shall report them vanquishers Whereupon they now to be quit with theyr adversaries and by the very same art to draw away the multitude cry mainly in all places for tryall by disputations This CAMPIAN the Iesuite did many yeares since with us this as I passed through Zurick did the Cardinall ANDREA of Constance and his Iesuites with theyr Ministers being by auncient â—ight within his diocesse Not long before the same was done at Geneva and very lately the Capuchins renewed the challenge In which parts I observed this discreet valour on both sides that as the Romanists offer to dispute in the adversaries own Cities which they know theyr Magistrates will never accord so the Ministers in supply thereof offer to goe to them to theyr Cities and that now is as much disliked on th' other part each side beeing content that the fire should be kindled rather in his enemies house than in his owne Yea there are not wanting some temperers among them that haue bene talking a long while whether out of theyâ— owne dreames or out of the desires of some greater persons which I halfe conjecture oâ— a Generall solemne Conference to bee sought and procured of the choyse and chiefe every way of both the sides under pretence of drawing matters to some tollerable composition but in truth as I conceiue rather to overbeare and disgrace the contrarie cause with theyr varietie of engines and strength of wit to wield them at all assayes at pleasure than upon synceritie of affection or probabilitie of any unitie or peace to ensue So great is theyr hope of having cure by that very weapon from whence heretofore they haue had theyr wounds The fourth way
companie of baâ—e Rebels and vow-breaking Friers of Church-robbing Politicians and Church-razing Souldiers of infected and infecting both Schismaticks and Haereticks innovators of orders underminers of governement troublers of states overturners of Christendome against whom if they haue not hitherto sufficiently prevailed it is to be attributed onely to the force of popular furie and not to any strength and goodnesse of theyr cause much lesse to any Coelestiall and divine protection Next for Martyrologies they haue England for theyr field to triumph in the proceedings wherein against theyr later Priests and complices they aggravate to the height of NEROES and DIOCLESIANS persecutions and the sufferers of theyr side in merits of cause in extremity of tormenes and in constancie and patience to the renowmed Martyrs of that heroicall Church-age Whereof besides sundry other treatises and pamphlets they haue published a great volume lately to the world in Italian compiled with great industrie approved by authoritie yea some of their books or passages illustrated also with picturs in sum wanting nothing saue only truth sincerity An easie thing it is without growing to the extreame impudencie of palpable lying by leaving out the bad on the one side and the good on the other by enforcing and flourishing all circumstances and accidents which are in our favour and by elevating and disgracing of all the contrarie by sprinkling the tearmes of Honour wholly on the one part of hatred and ignominie on the other to make the tale turne which way shall please the teller But writers of Histories should know that there is a difference between theyr profession and the practise of advocates pleading contrarie at a bar where the wisedome of the Iudge picketh the truth out on both sides which is entire perhaps in neyther And verily in this kind both the Protestants and Papists seeme generally in the greatest part of theyr stories both too blame though both not equally having by theyr passionate reports much wronged the truth abused this present age and praejudiced posteritie in so much that the onely remedie now seeming to remaine is to read indifferently the stories on both parts to compt them as advocates and to play the Iudge betweene them But partialitie seemes to haue bene the chiefe fault of the Protestant loue and dislike some time dazeling his eyes and drawing him from an Historiographers into an Oratours profession though some of them haue carried them selues therein with commendable sinceritie even as some also of the other part haue discharged them selues nobly But surely the Priests and Friers which haue medled in that kind haue straungely behaved themselues and disclosed how smal reckoning they make of truth in any thing theyr devising theyr forging theyr facing theyr piecing theyr adding theyr paring having brought not onely their modestie but their wits also in question whether they forgot not what it was which they undertooke to write a work of storie or of poetry rather which Arts though like yet ought they to know are different And for these Martyrologies to speak of England as they do let the truth of Religion lye indifferent on whether side unlesse difference be made between men who suffer for theyr Consciences onely theyr very adversaries having no other crime to obâ—â—ct against them and those who eyther in theyr owne particular persons or at leastwise in theyr directors whom they haue chosen to follow and vowed to obey are convinced to haue attempted against the Prince and State and to haue practised the alteration and ruine of both if no difference be to bee made betweene those mens sufferings let all like let the persecuting of sheepe and hunting of wolues be one But enough and too much perhaps of these comparisons and imitations I will adde onely hereto theyr policie of News for some kind of resemblance it hath with the former I must confesse it could not settle in my conceipt of a long time that men of theyr wisedome so well furnished with better meanes should descend to that base and vaine devise of inventing and spreading of false Newes in theyr favour being an odious kind of abusing the world and such also as in the end comming to be checked with the truth redounds to the deepe disgrace and discredit of the Authors being accompted no other than the tricke of a bankrupt Howbeit finding by experience that this frequent among them in other places at Rome aboue all other was a most ordinary practise from whence during the time of my abode in Italy beside other lesse memorable there came first solemne News that the Patriark of Alexandria with all the Greeke Church of Africa had by theyr Ambassadours submitted and reconciled themselues to the Pope and recorded from his Holynesse absolution and benediction there being no such matter as I learned afterward of a Greeke Bishop who hath particular acquaintance and intelligence with that Patriarch An other time that the King of Scotts amongst many acts worthy of a Christian Prince had chased away the Ministers yea and executed two of them confiscating theyr goods and bestowing them upon the Catholikes which newes was soone after recalled from the same place Not long after that BEZA the Arch-heretike CALVINS successour drawing towards his death had in full Senate at Geneva recanted his Religion exhorting them if they had care to saue theyr soules to seeke reconciliation with the Catholike-Church and to send for the Iesuites to instruct them whereupon both himselfe by speciall order from the Pope was absolved by the Byshop of Geneva ere he dyed and the Citie had sent to Rome an Ambassage of submission a beginning of which newes it was my chaunce to heare as being whispered among the Iesuites two moneths ere it brake out but when it was once advertised so solemnely from Rome it ran over all Christendome and in Italy was so verily believed to be true that there were as is said who rode on very purpose to see those Ambassadors of Geneva yet invisible And to make up the full measure of that noble policie I being afterwards at Lyons and understanding that the Post of Rome there then passing for Spaine gaue confidently out that he left the Queene of Englands Ambassadours at Rome making great instance for agreement and with his Holynesse and to haue her re-catholized and absolved newes as to me then seemed cut out purposely for Spain and to consolate theyr favourers and afflicted adhaerents Finding also by the observation and judgement of some wise men that the Iesuites are the Masters of that worthy Mint and that all these Chymicall Coynes are of theyr stamp yea and that theyr glorious newes of the miraculous proceedings of the Fathers of their Societie in converting the Indies are not thought much truer And lastly perceiving that the doctrine of all that side in their cases of Conscience making it lawfull for them to aequivocate with theyr adversaries in their answeres though given upon theyr oathes whensoever their liues or liberties are touched
not then thought that there would arise a generation who would alleage in good ernest that divers hundred of yeeres since as also more freshly sundry of theyr owne Authours and â—ollowers had in bitter detestation of theyr own monstrous abominations described out the Pope for the Antichrist fore-prophecied called Rome the Uery Babylon and temple of Heresies the corrupter of the World the hate of Heaven and in effect the high-way and very gate of Hell that the liues of theyr Praelates Priests Friers and Nunnes not for some particular offences which will always befall but for their ordinary tenour and course of conversation had bene so reported by men of theyr owne Religion that an honest adversarie can not read them without sorrow nor a modest without shame and blushing that the iniquity of their chiefe Sea hath beene so exorbitant as to haue raised amidst them selues this proverbe or saying among many other concerning it recorded in theyr owne bookes that the worst Christians of Italy are the Romanes of the Romanes the Priests are wickedest the lewdest Priests are preferred to be Cardinalls and the baddest man among the Cardinalls is chosen to be Pope Neyther was it theâ—â— fore-sâ—ene that the world entring into these considerations would thinke that they had reason which called for a Reformation and that it was not a fatall calamitie of this age but a supernaturall blessing of God from aboue after the kindling of many precursorie lights of knowledge and furnishing other instruments to doe seruice therein to direct a meere accident of scandall on their part namely the undiscreet proclaiming and sale of their pardons as the wisest and worthiest of their owne Historiographers reporteth it to the provoking of certe in men of more zeale and courage than policie or skill in conducting their actions who without any such praemeditated intent yea and drawne into the lists and held in them against their will by the violent pressing and insulting of their adversaries having bene forced to sift thoroughly the Romish doctrine and practise haue discovered therein those erâ—ours and abuses which it was high time to be purged and swept out of the Church and that the establishing of this Reformation how unperfect soever to be done by so weake and simple means yea by casuall and crosse means against the force of so puissant and politike an adversarie is that miracle which in these times wee are to look for wherein it pleaseth God whose goodnesse all times do speake out to renowm his high wisdome in guiding this untoward world by ordinary courses as in fore-times his power by admiring therin his often extraordinarie wonders But the Papacie at this day taught by wofull experience what dammage this licence of writing among them selues hath done them and that their speeches are not only weapons in the hands of their adversaries but ey sores and stumbling blocks also to their remaining friends under shew of Purging the world from the infection of all wicked and corrupt Bookes and passages which are either against Religion or against honestie and good manners for which two purposes they haue their severall officers who indeed do blot out much impiousnesse and filth and therein will deserue both to be commended and imitated whereto the Venetians add also a third to let nothing passe that may be justly offensiue to Princes haue in truth withall pared and lopt of whatsoever in a manner their watchfull eys could obserue eyther free in disclosing their abuses and corruptions or sawcie in construing their drifts and practises or dishonourable to the Clergie or undutifull to the Papacie These editions only authorized all other are disallowed called-in consumed with threats to whomsoever shall presume to keep them that no speech no writing no evidence of times past no discourse of things present in sum nothing whatsoever may sound ought but holinesse honour puritie integritie to the unspotted spouse of CHRIST and to his un-erring Vicar to the Meistresse of Churches to the Father of Princes But as it falleth out now and then that wisdome and good Fortune are to the ruine of them that too much follow them by drawing men sometime upon a praesumption of theyr wit and cunning in contriuements and of their good successe withall in one attempt to adventure upon an other still of yet more subtill invention and more dangerous execution which doth breake in the end with the very finenesse it selfe and over-whelme them with the difficulties So it is to be thought that their prosperous successe in pruning and pluming those latter writers effected with good ease and no very great clamour as having some reason and doing really some good was it that did breed in them an higher conceipt that it was possible to worke the like conclusion in writers of elder times yea in the Fathers them selues and in all other monuments of reverend Antiquitie and the opinion of possibilitie redoubling their desire brought forth in fine those Indices expurgatorij whereof I suppose they are now not a little ashamed they having by misfortune light into theyr adversaries hands from whom they desired by all meanes to conceale them where they remaine as a monument to the judgement of the world of their everlasting reproach and ignominie These purging Indices are of divers sorts some worke not aboue eight hundred yeers upward other venture much higher even to the prime of the Church the effect is that for-as-much-as there were so many passages in the Fathers and other auncient Ecclesiasticall writers which theyr adversaries producing in averment of their opinions they were not able but by tricks and shifts of witt to reply to to ease them selues hence-forth in great part of that wit-labour a qualitie indeed perhaps more commendable in some other trade than in Diâ—initie where veritie should only sway where the loue of the truth should subject or extinguish wholly all other passions and the eye of the mind fixed attentiuely upon that object should disturne from the regarding of other motiues whatsoever some assemblies of their Divines with consent no doubt of their redoubted Superiours and Soveraignes haue delivered expresse order that in the impressions of those Authours which hereafter should be made the scandalous places there named should be cleane left out which perhaps though in this present age would haue smally preuailed to the reclaiming of theyr adversaries yet would haue bene great assurance for the retaining of their owne to whom no other bookes must haue beene graunted Yea and perhaps time and industrie which eate even thorough marbles extinguishing or getting into their hands all former editions and for any new to be set out by their adversaries there is no great feare whose bookes beeing discurrent in all Catholike Countries their want of meanes requisite to utter an impression would disharten them from the charge the mouth also antiquity should be thoroughly shut up from uttering any syllable or sound against them Then lastly by adding words where opportunity pretence might
growing as hitherto hee hath done leaue no hope for Christendome to subsist but in theyr inward Concord It is true that a forreigne enemie is a reconciler of brethren and that common danger holds them together so long as it lasteth who else would flee a sunder upon every light occasion But herein me thinks it commeth first to be considered whether the Turk be so fearefull a Monarch as is commonly conceived especially since his late so huge enlargement towards the East That which most men estoeme in him the grand cause of errour seemeth to mee a chiefe argument of the contrary at this present and that is the very hugenesse of the Empires For Empires are not then alwayes at theyr strongest when at theyr biggest there beeing a certeine due proportion in all things which they breaking that exceede as well as they that come short of may bee compted to bee huge and vast not great since that is great properly which is great in his actions which are as often impeached by unwildinesse in the big as by weakenesse in the little But if to this bee adjoyned as it sometimes falls out that there bee but a little soule to mone this vast body which maketh some of the biggest men to bee neyther the wisest nor valiantest and that is that the government which is the soule of a state bee scant and feeble not able to embrace nor to order so huge affairs then is there no other greater praesage of ruine than very massinesse it selfe which everie strong push or justle makes reele and totter for want of that inward strength which were requisite to hold it stedie And this take I to bee the State of the Turkish Empire at this day which beeing a meere tyrannie as ayming onely at the mightinesse and securitie of theyr great Lord the sole absolute commander without any respect to the benefit of the people under him saue only so farre forth as may serue to beare up his greatnesse and for that cause hee in his jealousie and distrust of his owne keeping his Territories halfe desolate wast and unhabited his subjects without heads of Nobilitie to lead them without hearts to encourage them to seeke deliverie abasing them by all kind of bestial education and oppressing them by all sorts of extortion and outrage giving the Lands where hee conquereth to his Souldiers and Timarri which scattered over all parts of his ample Empire are the onely contented people and onely strength in effect hee hath as beeing bound by theyr tenures to serue in his warre whethersoever hee calls them and without his charge this beeing his state it is cleare that the wildnesse and lying wast of his Country is to the great diminishing of his owne wealth and revenew which is lesse than some one of our Christian Princes at this day though his Empire much larger than all theyrs together the unpopulousnesse together with the basenesse and feeblenesse of such as are makes that no one Country is defence for it selfe but must haue the concurse of many of the rest to assist it and lastly the huge circuit of his soyle and confines embracing as is esteemed eight thousand mile of Land and of Sea as many is cause that his Timarri cannot assemble together but in very long time wherin opportunities are ofteÌ„ lost besides the tiring both of themselues and theyr horses ere they arriue And the truth heereof is assured by fresh experience hee having done no great matter in all this warre of Hungary though none to speake of but Germanie with some small helpe of Italy haue opposed against him But if wee farther consider the effiminatenesse of the education of theyr Great Lords in these times a thing which they are advised and constreined unto even contrary often-times to the manlinesse of theyr owne natures and all to keepe the Father from jealousie of his owne sonne whose brauenesse of mind and warlinesse is still suspected and use having soaked once into theyr bones in youth doth for ever after lose the sinnes of theyr manly dispositions and subject them to the softnesse and basenesse of pleasures considering also the avarice and corruption which raignes there all peaces and warres all friendships and enmities all fauours and wrongs all Counsells and informations being growne to bee saleable if these bee as they are the signes of a diseased and prognosticates of a dying Monarchy much more of a tyrannie then surely haue wee not now so great cause to dread him as to blame our selues and our wranglings and vilitie who choose thus in practising to exterminate each other to trace out an unhonourable and fruitlesse life at the end finding our selues in the very same or worse tearmes than when wee began rather then establishing first a firme accord at home to attempt with united loue zeale and forces so just so christian so honourable so rich a warre And verily if but our Princes confining upon him though agreeing among themselues for the most in Religion were not so strangely infected with emulations and home-ambitions as to condiscend to pay tribute to the Turke in severall for so doe they as a redemption each of theyr peace which yet hath no longer assurance than his pleasure which with double as much under-hand bribes and presents must be daily sweetned and which is yet worse when his list comes to invade any one of them as hee doth for his very exercise and avoyding tumults at home the rest to hold off from giving succour to theyr neighbours for feare of drawing a revenge upon themselues some other time which is the case of the Polonians and Venetians at this present who scarcely dare so much as pray against him in theyr devotions otherwise than in theyr hares which I ween they do duly were it not I say that theyr private ambitions feares and miscasts did driue them to make so abject and unchristian a choice rather than zealously and violently to joyne and pursue one certeine course for the rooting of him and his tyrannie out of this part of the world it were not to bee so much doubted but the feare now on this side would soone turne to the other seeing that one good blow to a body so ill built and full of distempers were able to put the whole in daunger of ruine and shivering These reasons induce mee not to thinke that the daunger from the Turke should bee so great as to enforce the Christians to runne mainly into an accord And though it should yet without other sounder working by perfect composing of all inward diâ—cention this would be but a civill accord and only for the time which the feare once past would dissolue of it selfe and the former contentions reviue as fresh as ever For the bond of common feare is the strongest indeed of all other but the shortest withall which nothing during the daunger is able to breake and the daunger once passed falls in sunder of his owne unsoundnesse Howbeit if the Turke should set foot
person and an other out of the Prophets correspondent to the former in argument but read by some boy or meaner companion For they in no sort alow that degree of Honour weither attribute they that authoritie to any other part of the Bible that they do to their Law which they carie about their Synagogue at the end of service in procession with many rich ornaments of Crowns and Scepters the children kissing it as it passeth by them and sometimes make proclamation who will giue most to their treasure to haue the honour for that time for taking out the Law But for the manner of performing theyr service and theyr behavior thereat it is different from all other that ever I saw They chaunt it in a strong wide hallowing tune with imitation some times of trumpets one ecchoing to the other and winding up by degrees from a soft or silent whispering to the highest and lowdest note that theyr voices will beare with continuall great wagging of theyr bodies and exultation as it were in some savage or raging solemnitie sometimes all springing up lightly from the ground and with as much varietie as wild worke will receiue They were certein ornaments of embrodered linnen cast mantle-wise about theyr shoulders which are theyr Phylasters edged with knotted fringe according to the number of the Commandements and serving as Locall memories of the Law The reverence they shew is in standing up at times and theyr gesture of adoration is bowing forward of their bodies for kneeling they use none no more than the Graecians neither stirre they their bonets in theyr Synagogue to any man but remaine still covered They come to it with washed hands and in it they burne Lamps to the honour of God But for any shew of devotion or elevation in spirit that yet in a Iew could I never discerne but they are as reverent in theyr Synagogues as Grammar-boys in their schooles when their Master is absent in sum theyr holinesse is the very outward worke it selfe being a brainlesse head a soule-lesse body For circūcision they use it to the dead as well as to the living yet no way think it necessarie for the infants salvation They are a subtile and advantagious people and wonderfully eager of gaine in so much that who so deales with them needs let his witt goe with his beliefe or else his findings shall come short of his expectings As earnest to make Proselytes as ever theyr auncestours and as obstinate against CHRIST as the Priests that condemned him In other poincts they are perhaps rather to be commended than otherwise Theyr care of avoyding Fornication is such that they marry their sonnes at Eighteen lightly But Adulterie they would punish according to the Law with death if they had such libertie When they breake the Law they come voluntarily as penitents to theyr Rabbi for punishment yet without any particular disclosing of their fault They keep theyr Fasts and solemne Feasts very duly but as the Christians fast the night so they the noone alwayes They are charitable among them selues leaving no poore unrelieved no Prisoner unransomed which makes them good prize uppon every pretence And although for theyr Vsurie and guilefull dealing they are generally hated there and handled as very dogs yet some of them I haue knowne men of singular vertue and integritie of mind seeming to want no grace but the faith of a Christian. Each Synagogue hath his Rabbi to expound their Law to instruct their children to decide their differences For their Messias they say now seeing he stayes so long he shall bee a fore-runner of the end of the World and shall gather by his power all Nations into one fold and so resigne them up into the hands of that aeternall Pastour But it seemeth they expect him out of the East whether the Spanish Iewes fled and haue exceedingly multiplied For those do they hold to be of the Tribe of IVDA and these other in Germanie and Italie of the Tribe of BENIAMIN who in honour of the more noble Tribe and to correspond with them the better do learne the Spanish tongue which those still reteine But now to come to the poinct which I principally entended which is what probabilitie of their Conversion in Italie three great impediments besides their naturall inrooted obstinacie I suppose there are which hinder it the scandalls of the Christians the want of means to instruct them and the punishment or losse which by their conversion they incurre A scandall it is to see mans law directly preferred before Gods to see so great a matter made of eating flesh on a Friday and that Adulterie should passe for so ordinary a pastime A scandall are those Blasphemies darted uppe with hellish mouths against God and our Saviour so ordinarily and openly that some of them are become very interjections of speech to the vulgar other some meere phrases of galantrie to the braver A scandall is that forging and packing in miracles wherein the Friers and Iews concur in aequall diligence the one in contriving the other in discovering them And surely this is an exceeding great scandall unto them seeing truth is of so pure and victorious a nature that it refuseth to be in league with any falshood in the world much more disdaineth to bee assisted by it neither can there be a greater wrong done to a true conclusion than to endeuour to proue it by an untrue allegation A scandall are the alterations which they are forced by the Inquisitours to make in theyr Authors and monuments of Antiquitie thinking that these devises are our best evidences But of all those alterations they keepe a note for a freer time A scandall is the vowing and praying to Angells and Saincts which they hold to bee duties peculiar unto God onely and so hath it bene esteemed among them in all ages Yea and they note that the Christians pray more oft and more willingly to Christs mother than unto Christ him selfe or unto God But the greatest scandall of all other is theyr worshipping of Images for which both Iews and Turks call them the Idolatrous Christians Now this is so much the greater and of more indignitie for that they generally conceiue it to bee a thing which Christ himselfe expresly commanded and that in the Gospell of Christ written by the Evangelists them selues the Decalogue should bee recited with omission of the second praecept as one of their greatest Rabbins contested with me being induced into that errour by some Catechismes of the Christians which he had seene with that fault Now when they come to conference with the Priests and Friers as sometimes they doe and upbraid this as a peremptory exception against Christ those good men deny it not for feare of scandalizing their own but letting it passe for current that Christ whom the Iews call a Carpenter was also an Image-maker or howsoever an Author of the worshipping of them seeke to salue up the gash which they haue made in the
rapins and murderings of the very soules of theyr children a case to be bewailed with teares of bloud by all Christian harts that know it hearing the onely Anchor and flay of their soules which is their expectation of the comming of Christ and of future salvation dayly derided and blaspheamed by the pride of the mightie and finally seeing no shadow of any hope of deliverie from this long calamitie under the burthen whereof they grone and are consumed should in the end fall away and revolt to Turcisme inviting them unto it with all the baits of ease of wealth of pleasures of freedome prosperitie and worldly glory in which fearefulnesse of mind the onely remedie remaining is the vertuousnesse of their owne example in constancie and patience and the avoyding of all scandall to their people Which is the cause that they wil not hear of reforming any thing not I suppose upoÌ„ any presumptioÌ„ or obstinacy of mind as disdaining reformation but as trembling at alteration which must needs accompany it lest their people perceiving so they had bin amisse in some things might suspect the possibilitie of like errour in the whole and so fall mainly whither the force of power and worldly prosperitie a chiefe argument to the ignorant vulgar minds should sway them As on the other side their doubt of farther inaspererating the Turk in his Crueltie against them considering that in Greece and all those parts of Europe the Christians under the Turk do very manyfoldly exceed in number the Mahometans them selues may be a cause why in their generall they hold so small intelligence correspondence with the West-Church of one side or other and are like to continue so whilst their thraldome and cause of that feare shall last though in their particular they will declare a brotherly affection to both and desire of the unitie of all in one truth But for the Turk him selfe he maketh full accompt that wheÌ„soever the West-Christians should stoutly invade him the East-Christians under him would run to theyr aid if they saw any likelihood that they should prevaile And this hath bene seene already more than once by example and he provides accordingly The Muscovites are a great Church a free and puissant not schismatikes from the Graecians as some in disgrace of both deliver though perhaps not fully concurring in all poincts Neyther yet is it true which other of a contrarie conceipt haue rumoured that the Patriarch of Constantinople hath remoued his Seat to Mosco whether he went only to erect that Sea into an Archbishoprick which before it was not and so returned But the Turk to keepe the Muscovites from stirring against him doth cause the Tartarians to make often incursions and roads into theyr Countrie that so being always in inward awe from an other side they may haue lesse leysure and with all lesse stomacke to embrace any outward thoughts or desseines of enterprizing or combining with other Christians against him It were needlesse now to enter into any view of their Liâ—es neither could it serue eyther way to the honour or reproach of theyr Religion or governement being maymed interrupted and stopped in his operations of what qualitie soever though his tyrannie who striveth by all meanes to plant barbarousnesse amongst them as knowing that neyther Civilitie did found his Empire nor with civilitie could it long continue But the case is generall and experience sheweth it in all places that although a sweet mind and pure conversation bee the naturall fruicts of a sound beliefe and perswasion yet the afflicted in all Religions grounded upon truth how contrary soever otherwise are in their farre greatest part men of conscience and honestie saue onely where hopes draw other humours to them For it cannot proceed from lesse than a vertuous affection to prefer the sinceritie of conscience before worldly glory howsoever it may be stained with other erronious opinions As on the contrarie side even the purest Religion in prosperitie draweth to it an infinite of good companions and time-seâ—vers who being trained up in the exactnesse of kitchin and cup discipline make theyr Rendez-vows always where the best Cheere is stirring and follow Christ upon a sharpe devotion but to his bread not to his doctrine In which regard the fruicts of life in divers Religions and governments are not to bee compared but where their prosperitie or adversitie are aequall And even so doth it fall out in this particular we now speake of where the Graecian who is compted by the corruption of his Country to be naturally a false and craftie merchant a seditious and stirring person in all kinds of governement is now become humble obedient graue and peaceable and surely at divine service giveth more shew of devotion than the Romanists in any place for ought I haue yet seene But the lamentable calamitie of this afflicted and distressed Church once flourishing in all worldly prosperitie and glory now such as it hath pleased the rage of the wild bore to leaue it able to melt and dissolue even a marble heart into streames of mournefull teares doth cause me in due sense of campassion of their miserie to presse with the humble petition of a mind pierced with griefe to the just Iudge of the world the Redeemer of mankind and the Saviour of his erring people to cast downe his gracious and pittifull Eys upon them to behold on the one side his triumphant fierce enemie persecuting without end or measure on the other side his poore servants troden downe and persecuted without helpe or hope or comfort to breake and dissolue the pride and power of the one and to comfort the astonished and wasting weakenesse of the other with some hope of succour and finall deliverie to inspre the â—… Christian Princes their neighbours compounding or laying aside theyr endlesse and fruictlesse contentions to revenge theyr quarrell against the unjust oppressour to deliver now at length the Church of that bane the world of that ignominie mankind of that Monster of Turkish tyrannie which hath too long ravaged and laid desolate the earth A small thing were it if his revenew and treasure were only supplyed and maintained out of their goods and labours or if their bodies and liues were onely wasted and worne out in his works and slaveries it might be suffered For goods are transitorie and death is the end of all worldly miseries But to be forced to pay a tribute also of soules to his Mahomet to haue their forwardest and deerest children snatcht out of their bosoms to be brought up in his impious and bestiall abominations and to be employed in the murdering of them that begat them and in the rooting out of that Faith wherein they were borne and baptized and which only were able to bring their soules to happinesse this surely is an anguish and calamitie insupportable and which cryeth unto God in the Heavens for release How long shall the hatefull name of that cursed Seducer upbraid the glorious and louely
a midle degree of condition possesse also a moderate temper of affections which is ordinarily the greatest part in all well-ordred Cōmon-wealths and withall the farre surest and firmest to the State None of those will be easily drawn to enter into any violent course against those of the Religion so long as they haue the discretion by no jealousie to provoke them The last part is indeed of their vowed and sworn enemies the Leaguers and Zelez as some name them once the greatest and most favoured part of the Realme at this day not so theyr plausible pretences being now dismasked and the disasterous success of theyr disordred actions which hath brought things to the very counterpoinct of that they aymed and left nothing but a memorie of much trouble and misery of the wasting of the people the sacking of Cities the harrowing and desolating of the Countrey together with the imminent daunger of the utter ouerthrow of the Realme for ever making them hatefull and despised in those very same minds wherein they were erst-whiles enshrined with all devotion which reasons haue so abated also the hawtinesse of theyr hopelesse heads who lately breathed nothing but Crownes and scepters but glory to theyr followers but vengeance to theyr enemies that now they are content to raunge with theyr fellows and haue turned their song of soveraignty into a more peaceable and calme tune of nec veterum memini latorve malorum Howbeit the righ Zelez men of the basest sort lightly and possessed with Friers who fill them with very furies against the Religion are as malicious and ragefull against the Protestants as ever and thirst after nothing so much as to embrew them selues once againe in theyr bloud they sticke not to professe and indeed had they heads and opportunities to acccomplish The number of these is exceeding great and desperate but impuissant base and broken With these joyne in heart in a manner all the Clergie who compt the Religion and Reformation theyr bane and the very calamitie of theyr estate for ever A great errour among other as was observed by the worthy Chancellour MONSIEVR DEL ' HOSPITAL in the plots and proceedings of the first Protestants of Fraunce to alienate so respected and so potent a part of the Realme by leaving them no hope of any tollerable condition under theyr reformed estate whom by following the wiser courses of theyr moderate neighbours they might haue gained to them in greatest part as others did Now this part which are the onely assured enemies of the Protestants and of whom they may make accompt that they will not faile them at a need doth come short of them perhaps in strength though in multitude farre exceed them Wherein this is also not to bee left unconsidered that as in the body of man the humours draw still to the sore so in a state all averse and discontented doe associate them selues lightly to the part grieved and persecuted This take I to bee the present estate of the factions in Fraunce for matter of Religion submitting my opinion as in all other things to bee censured and reformed by whosoever with more experience and deeper judgement shall haue waded in and weighed these actions and considerations But to make my farre reach of conjecture for the time to come that will I not bee so sawcie as to doe in French affaires whose mines are so full of Quicksilver that theyr nimble witts would take it perhaps in dudgen that any should imagine they would plod on in any one tenour with that dull constancie which theyr heavyer mettald neighbours doe use being able even in freshest experience to boast that theyr lightnesse of spirit and mutabilitie of resolutions hath sodainly recovered them from those tearmes of extremitie which in the hands of any constant Nation in the world had beene a very long cure if not desperate and curelesse But verily this diversitie and dissention in Religion is still a very great weakenesse and disease in theyr state and such as wil be alwayes a matter of jealousie among them selues of assurance for theyr neighbours of joy to theyr enemies For Lorain and Savoy with the Uallesi who confine on Savoy they runne wholly with the streame of the Papacie though in both parts there are store of Protestants and that of men of the better sort but without any publike exercise of theyr Religion saue onely in some few out-skirts of Savoy neere Berna and Geneva What Madam the Kings sister may affect in Loraine or what contrariwise her selfe may suffer time onely by triall is able to ascertein These particulars thus admitted it will bee no great difficultie to make some comparatiue Estimate of the whole strength of the Papacie in respect of the Protestants being the part now onely on foot against them For as for the Greeke-Church the case is evident that though in number it bee graunted that they exceed any other yet are they so oppressed under Turkish tyrannie or removed so farre off as the Muscovites and some others that they come not into any accompt in the survey of the strength which wee now speake of But for the Western or Latine Church in the generall division into the part Reformed and part Papall admitting them in number and circuit of Territorie to be neere aequall as considering the huge compasse of Germanie and that Empire possessed so wholly in a manner by the Protestants I can make no other proportion in other poincts wee shall finde great odds and advantages for strength in different kinds on both sides First the Kingdomes and States of the Romish part lying neerer the Sunne are not onely in riches both naturall of theyr soyle and accessorie by greater opportunitie of traffike to all parts of the World by manifold degrees superiour to theyr Northren adversaries but also in a finenesse and subtiltie of wit which having that other instrument of wealth to work by doth farre passe in all ordinarie and orderly actions that robustnesse of body and puissance of person which is the onely fruict of strength that those colder climes doe yield Though some times extraordinarily it is knowne and to bee graunted that those septentrional inundations by theyr very violence and multitude as in people more generatiue haue so wildly deliviated over all the South that as a raging tempest they haue ravaged and ruined those powerfull and flourishing Empires in the sodainnesse of an instant which had bene many ages in rearing and spreading over the world But these haue bene no other than as torrents or brooks of passage soone up soon downe soone come soon over gone Neither haue the Northern people ever yet for all theyr multitude and strength had the honour of being founders or possessours of any great Empire so unaequall is the combate between force and witt in all matters of durable and grounded establishment An other poinct of great advantage in the selfe-same side is the uniting of theyr forces into fewer heads and mightier which uniting is a