name not newly assumed but from the time of their foundation as appears by their Constitutions and Histories you anger them as nick-named if you call them Ynnigistes or Lâ—yolistes from Ynnigo de Loyola their Founder and though they new Christen'd him Ignacius yet will not they be content to be called Ignacius but diligent only in that of the Society as most honourable though other Orders as the Fryers Predicants and Minors who pass usually under those Appellations think it no affront to be called Dominicans or Franciscans from the names of their Founders The Abbot Iâ—achim neer contemporary with St. Hildegard whose prophecies the Jesuites say are to be understood of them is of the same opinion with her calling that sort of men he speaks of Turbs Ass ciata a Multitude living in Society What Solomon sayes of the Locusâ—s that they have no King yet go forth by bands may be applyed here as agreeable to the Iesuites who in their Constitutions assume the title of Vniâ—â—â—sa Sâ—â—ietas The whole Society without a head 2. Shameless in their behaviour The whole world with an unanimous Vote still censure them impudent in all their actions when they undertake any thing happen what will say what you please it never troubles them there 's not a sort of men under heaven that care so little what becomes of the most important concerns provided they may obtain their desires we have instances of their impudence against the Cardinal of Toledo D. Gasparde Quiroga who had been their great friend and D. Ierome Manrique whom King Bhilip the second had given them for visitor 'T is a maxime amongst them that to promote self-interest is the only wisdome for what men say for the present is soon forgot The Prophecy in Latine declares them sine rubore so shameless they cannot blush but like Libertines nor fear nor care for any thing 3. Studious to invent new wayes to do mischief Who invented and practised Confession by Letter Who would have obliged â—enitents to discover their complices against their wills Who have said that a Fryer may marry upon a Revelation he shall imagine certain or probable and not only marry but refuse to obey his Superiour in any matter whatever or the Lawes which oblige all other men that he need not go to Confession who hath a Revelation he is in the state of Grace Hence it comes that men of Religion traffick and deal in merchandize and a hundred other things full of impurity usury and simony 'T is matter of astonishment how they all defend whatever any of their Society hath said though nerver so new never so scandalous To verifie this Prophecy they have filled the world with new tricks and devices and from the magazine of their invention furnished impostors with subtle artifices and cheats in all matters of consequence whether great or small 4. A perniciâ—us Order odious to all wise men and those that are faithful to Iesus Christ. 'T is to be admired there 's not a person but complains of them and the manner of their acting the world observes they love to intermeddle in all sorts of affairs to tamper with inheritances and successions to give frequent visits to Ladies that they are fine hypocrites flatâ—erers of Princes enemies to men of Religion full of artifice in their proceedings presumptuous main sticklers for credit from knowledge and virtue practising respect of persons as a piece of their decalogue and a thousand things more of the like nature and yet they have advocates who plead while all the world murmures against them that all the world esteems and honours them that is as one expounds it Men abhor them in their hearts but must praise â—hem with their lips 5. Healthy and strong but lazy and idle c. This needs no Comment every hours expeâ—ience expounds it 6. Pretending beggary They appear Beggars but are not so for in â—ruth 't is but for a colour of mortification that they sometimes send of their young men to beg and if the old ones do it they eat not the hread that 's gathered but either sell or give it away Valentia knows so much that we need not add more to disabuse the world in this particular 7. Strong Antagonists against the Teachers of the Truth So 〈◊〉 of the Iesnites that one would think they had made it their task to contradict the Fathers and if they Comment on St. Thomâ—s 't is that they may the better oppose his judgement as appears by their books To prove this see how Molina handles St. Augustin upon the Efficacy of Grace he calls him cruel and adds other very strange epithites because the Father aâ—tributes not to free-will all that this Iesuite allows it 8. By their Credit with Great ones oppressing the innocent The F. Provincial of the Dominions of Arragon in his Memorial presented to King Philip the second in Answer to the Calumnies of the Iesuites against that Order affirms it a matter of certain truth that these Fathers maintain one of their Society constantly at Court on no other imployment but to make continual complaints to the King and the Nuncio against the Dominicans which they do upon the least occasion offered from any matter that occurs in the Dominicans writings The same Provincial proves that the Iesuites do this in things absolutely false to incense the King and exasperate the Nuncio against the Dominicans I pass over a thousand fabulous stories they have composed which they would make Authentick by the amity of Princes and their credit with Great Men to disparage and destroy the reputation of other Orders of Religion as they possess men of power in private addresses with ill opinions of those who are not their friends and bespeak their protection against all such as bear ill will to their Order 9. Having four principal Vices rooted in their bearts by the Devil flattery to gain gifts from the world Judge now whether the Iesuites be not guilty of this Vice and those others of envy hypocrisie and detraction wherewith they are charged by the Prophecy see whether they are any vaile to cover them or practise them openly in the face of the Sun especially their flattery There 's not a Race of men in the world that flatter and sanctifie their Proselytes as these men do To be of their Congregation and to be a Saint are in their dialect terms equivalent though the person be a publick usurer as he that is not their friend cannot in their language be of the Communion of Saints Their Envy and Hypocrisic are so palpable that the Text needs no interpreter but their practice to make it intelligible 10. Detraction to render themselves câ—mmendâ—ble by defaming others They never scruple at slanders if they may serve for their honour or the credit of their friends raising themselves on the ruines of others When Seneca advised to be moderate in Commendations and sparing in Dispraises lest by excess in the one men incur suspicion of flattery
the smallest matters and added thereto in his practice frequent Fasts and instead of cords made use of chains of iron in acts of Penance and Mortification his constant exercises were Prayer and Reading of Godly Books he had the gift of Prophecy was of great Wisdome and excellent Understanding whereof his Master St. Lewis Beltram and his Books give ample testimony and a clear evidence He spent fifty years in the Ministry of the Word and when he preach'd his face was often seen to shine with extraordinary lustre his Charity when Bishop made him very poor for he gave all his Goods even the Bed he lay on in Almes his Confessor assures us he never sinned mortally and in the seventieth year of his Age died at Albarazin reputed a Saint The Holy Woman speaks of a sort of men to come in the last Ages And 't is observed in the Life of St. Engelbert the Martyr Arch-Bishop of Cologne written by an Author his Contemporary That in the life of that Prelate when the Domiâ—iâ—ans and Franciscans came to Cologne to Found for themselves Houses of Religion the Ecclesiasticks murmured and endeavoured to perswade the Arch-bishop to expel them alledging for reason their fear that these were the men of whom St. Hildegard had Prophesied to which the Prelate made answer that there was no cause of complaint against those Orders for that till then they had not given other than good Examples but the time would come when the Prophecy should be fulfilled which in the Margent of this Prophecy in the Annals of Baronius is observed to be these latter dayes I shall relate the Prophecy as I find it recited in Bzovius a famous Author for though the Copy the Bishop of Albarazin followed in his Commentary differ somewhat from that Bzovius made use of yet both agree exactly in sense The Marvellous Prophecy of the Abbess Hildegard Reported by Bzovius in the 15th Tome of his Ecclesiastical Annals Anno Dom. 1415. Q. 39. under Pope John 23. THere will arise men without a Chief who shall feed and grow fat upon the sins of the people but profess themselves of the number of Beggars shameless in their behaviour studious to invent new wayes to do mischief a pernicious Order odious to all wise men and those that are faithful to Jesus Christ healthy and strong but lazy and idle that they never work pretending beggery busie antagonists against the Teachers of the Truth by their Credit with Great Ones opposing the Innocent having four principal Vices rooted in their hearts by the Devil Flattery to gain gifts from the World Envy to make them impatient to see good done to others and not to them Hypocrisie to please by dissimulation and Detraction to render themselves commendable by dispraising others Preaching incessantly to Secular Princes to procure themselves applause from the people and to seduce the simple but without Devotion or Example of true Martyrdome robbing true Pastors of their Rights to administer the Sacraments and depriving the Poor the miserable and the sick of their Almes cajoleing the populace and courting their favour familiar with Ladies and other women and â—eaching them to cheat their husbands and give away their goods to them in private receivers of ill gotten goods saying give them to us and we will pray for you and obtain pardon for all your sins making these they Confess to forget their kindred receiving goods from â—obbers on the high-way extortioners sacrilegious persons usurers fornicators adulterers hereticks schismaticks apostates lewd women perjured tradesmen corrupt Judges cashiered souldiers tyrants and all other miscreants led by the Devil living deliciously passing this transitory life in society and at last falling together into damnation having the world at will but the people will by degrees grow cold towards them and having by experience found them seducers cheats and impostors will hold their hands from further gifts then will they run about their houses like famished or mad dogs with their eyes to the ground shrinking their necks like 〈◊〉 seeking bread to satisâ—â—e their hunger but the people will cry out Woe be to you ye children of desolation the world hath deceived you the devil is seized of your hearts and mouths your minds are gone astray in vain speculations your eyes were delighted with beholding vanities your delicate palates have searched out the most pleasant wines your feet were swift in running to mischief and you may remember you never did good you were the fortunate malignants pretending poverty but very rich and under colour of simplicity of great power devout flatterers hypocritical saints proud beggars offering petitioners wavering and unstable teachers delicate martyrs hired confessors proudly humble piouâ—ly hard-hearted in the necessities of others sugred slanderers peaceable persecutors lovers of the world sellers of indulgencies disposing all things for your convenience admirers of luxury ambiâ—ious of honour purchasers of houses sowers of discord building still higher and higher but not able to attain a height equal to your desires and now ye are fallen as Simon the Magician whose bones were bruised and his body struck by God with a mortal plague upon the Apostles prayer so shall your Order be destroyed by reason of your impostures and iniquities Go then you teachers of sin the Doctors of disorder Fathers of corruption Children of wickedness wee 'l no longer follow you for Guides nor give ear to your doctrine An Expository Comment upon this prophecy by the Right Reverâ—nd Don Jerome Baptista de La Nuza Lord Bishop of Albarazin and afterwards of Balbastro whereby it appears that 't is â—o be applyed to those who call themselves the Society of Jesus though their actions and opinions bâ—speak them his enemies being conâ—radictory to His which they profess with their month but deny in their works Reported by the Author of Theatrum Iesulâ—iâ—um pag. 183. as a true Copy of the Original under the Prelates hand remaining in the Convent of Dominicans at Saragosa 1. There will arise men withoâ—t a Chief who shall feed and grow far upon the sins of the people but profess themselves of the number of Beggars FIrst It appears this is spoken of Ecclesiasctical persons for of them the Prophet said That they did eat the sins of the people which is the same with the Holy womans expression in the Prophecy Secondly They must be of a begging Order which she confirms on another occasion by express words to that purpose Assumentes potins exemplum mendicandi And though the Iesuites are not comprehended in any of the four Orders of Fryers Mendicant yet have they Brieves like theirs whereof they glory in their Books and make use upon occasion Thirdly That they shall be an Order which shall not bear the name of their Founder or chief which is the meaning of those words Sans Chef and denotes what is afterwards intimated in the name La Companie which Hildegard uses where she saith That they shall live deliâ—iously in the Company or Sâ—ciety a
said more of Christ who saith in the Gospel that he hath overcome the world of whom the Church sings that he hath subdued all the Earth not by the edge of the sword but the wood of the Cross whom David compares in the 18 Psal to the Sun who sets out from one end of the Heavens and continues his course to the end of it again nothing being hid from the heat thereof Were Ignatius at this day raised from the dead his humility would be offended with words so full of vanity and pride The Epitaph of Ignatius You thâ—t by the felicity of wit and excâ—llence of conceit can represent in your fancyes the images of Pompey the Great Caesar or Alexander â—open your eyes tâ— truth and you shall read on this Mâ—â—ble that Ignatius was greater than all these Conquerours Lib. 2. p. 180. The Epitaph of Xavier Stay a while you Heroes Great spirits and Lovers of vertue You are not to do or undertake any thing more since Xavier is buryed under this tombe But I am deceived There 's nothing in a manner here of that Great Apâ—stle of the East câ—uragious beyond nature illustrious beyond imitation admirable beyond envy the companion of Jesus the Son of Ignatius that immâ—rtal Angel in a mortal body There 's nothing here I sâ—y of him that could be corrupted since he had not any thing subject to corrupâ—ion who subdued more peopâ—e to the Church than the Romans and Greeks did to their Empires in several Ages We may with good reason say to the Jesuiâ—es in the words of Christ 〈…〉 Wo be to you Lawyers and Pharisees hypocrites who build the tombs of the Prophets and garnish â—he Sepulchers of he righteous For methinks they mock these Saints when on the one hand they praise them to excess to draw thence glory for themselves and on the other hand follow another spirit and contrary Maxims To shew the difference between the conduct of the Jesuites and that of Xavier it will be sufficient to report what themselves say of this Saint that though he was Nuntio from the Pope yet when he arrived at Goa he went to prostrate himself at the feet of the Bishop to inform him for what end the Pope and the King of Portugal had sent him into that Countrey he presented to him and left in his hands the Popes Brieves promising never to make use of his Authority as the Apostolical Nuntio further than it should please the Bishop to allow To which the Author of the history addes that he alwayes kept inviolable his custom of submitting to the Prelates of the Church of what degree soever These are the words of F. Daniel Bartoli lib. 1. dellâ— 1. part dell 〈◊〉 della Comp. de Iesus â—ell Asia But the Jesuites no otherwise qualified than as brethren of the Society do every day exalt themselves against the power of Bishops and pretend to preach and administer the Sacraments in spite of them which hath obliged a great number of the best Bishops of France to interdict them Vain and false Elegies of other Authors Lessius say they hath gotten eternal reputation not only by the works of his wit but the renown of his Vertues and was consulted as an Oracle from all parts of the world Lib. 1. Dissert 5. pag. 17. When Laine's spake in the Councel of Trent for the Conception of the Virgin withâ—ut Original Sin the whole Councel gave ear to him not as a man speaking out of a Chair but as a Prophet descended from heaven for pronouncing of Oracles declaring of mysteries and publishing of secrets And he by his eloquence preserved the Virgin from receiving a spot in the purity of her conception and fetched but that stain she had received before by the opinion of many he means the Dominicans lib. 1. Or. 5. p. 139. 'T is principally from Spain those great men issued who by the excellence of their parts and depth of their learning have extended the limits of Sacred knowledge have been the Ornament of our age and will be the admiration of posterity lib. 11. c. 4. p. 211. He means Suarez Vasquez Molina and others to whom they may now add Escobar Guimenius c. infamous for errours and ignorance as the others celebrated for learning and knowledge What shall I say of those Ramparts of sacred learning Suarez and Vasquez Who in the great heap of difficulties opposed to their scrutiny and the vigour of their wit believed and with reason that they could penetrate through all and that nothing could be inaccessible to them What vaste thoughts had Cornelius de la Pierre who hath comprehended in his Commentaries all the Holy Scripture What shall I say of Sanchez and Lessius those men â—f knowledge so pure and so perfect they should have added Virginal and Maidenly for Alegamb gives their knowledge that title of honâ—ur lib. 5. c. 6. p. 644. Sâ—arez whom the most knowing persons have not doubted to call the Vniversal Mâ—ster of this Age p. 438. It must be confessed that there are in the Society of the Iesuites some knowing persons but when they take occasion from thence to extoll themselves above all the world they give just cause of complaint that the knowledge of those few serves only to blow up the rest with pride and vanity even to the meanest conducters and ministerial officers they all have great opinions of themselves though no right to the praises of the Society so that when they hear the magnificent Encomiums they give Vasquez Suarez and some others they easily perswade themselves that they are considerable members of so illustrious a body and that one day they shall have their badge of dignity and a more honourable place in the Records of the Society Theiâ— vain and prâ—â—ended Conformity with Iesus Christ. 'T is not enough for the ambition of the Iesuâ—tes to compare their Society with the Church the spoâ—se of Christ and to represent him working on an anvil a ring to be given them in token of an indissoluble marriage with the Society but all the great volumn of the Image of their first age consists only of comparisons of themselves with Christ making the resemblance to lye in Five points which are the subjâ—cts of the five Books of that work which they have abridged and placed in the beginning of their first Book as followeth 1. Iesus Christ made himself of no reputation Ignaâ—ius descended of an Illustrious Family was reduced to beg his bread Hence sprang this little Society so they call it here They persevered well in the humility of their Founder when in China they quitted their ordinary habit and went as Gallants to prevent as they affirm the contempt that attends a poor appearance 2. Iesus Christ increased in wisdom in age and in grace in the sight of God and of mâ—n This is the Image of the Society Crâ—scent 't is strange that notwithstanding the knowledge men have of the irregularities of the Iesuites they have
spend their time and bestow their pains to no purpose I could wish they would learn that the end of Confession is to convert men at once that they commit not the same offences again That there is no commerce between frequent Câ—mmunion and Vice To frequent the Sacraments is highly useful for all duties of Christianity And you shall hardly find them defective in any part of Christian Righteousness who often approach these fountains of vertue and salvation or any publick licentiousness in a town where the frequent use of these mysteries hath been confirmed by a laudable custome For what Commerce can there be between the Author of holiness and corruption of manners What place is therefore the darkness of hell in those hearts that are irradiated by the eternal light Therefore the Society having proposed for the end of her labours to establish vertue declare war against vice and to serve the publick 't is no marvel she commends to our greatest veneration the frequent use of the Eucharist as the Arsenal of the Christian Militia the Soveraign Remedy against all maladies and infallible comfort in the worst of miseries You have heard already and shall hear further in its proper place how the Iesuites to promote their interest and carry on their carnal designs admit all persons without examination to the participation of the body of Iesus Christ. Artifices of Devotion invented by the Society to draw the people on the three gaudy dayes and the first dayes of the month to the Communion I shall produce here one only example of the Roman magnificence in the present year 1640. for we have certaine news that the brethren of our Congregation laid out nine thousand Florins on the solemnity of these three dayes to draw the minds of the people from profane licentiousness to the love of piety They 〈…〉 a great Machine in our Church of Farnese at Rome in honour of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist the height was one hundred and twenty spans the breadth was eighty exquisitely embellished with curious Statues Images Histories and Emblems to the ravishment of the Spectators the Church shining with extraordinary lustre by the light of four thousand Flambeaus The service was celebrated with so much pomp and so delicious a consort of the Popes musick that there wanted only the presence of the Pope to make it the most Majestick sight on Earth Alphonso Gonsague Arch-Bishop of Rhodes said Mass seventeen Cardinals and almost all the Prelates of the Court of Rome were present five Cardinals more came in afterwards all the Ambassadors of Kings and Princes several Religious Orders and all the Arch-Fryaries of Rome Lastly during the three dayes such throngs of people flocked to the Communion that instead of profane Bacchanals they really kept a feast of Paradise Another Artifice of the Society for more frequent Communion was the invention of Communicating the first day of the month which pleased Pope Paul the fifth so well that he granted indulgencies thereupon and by that bait of publick deâ—â—tion drew â— great concourse of people to the Holy Table The Society rejoycing at the success took the boldness to invite Cardinals to administer 〈◊〉 Sacrâ—ment whereby the number of Communicants 〈◊〉 greatly augmented the people being ravished to receive at the hands of so Illustrious Persâ—ns the pledge of their Salvation Five Cardinals did it and at Rome at one day and in one Church they compâ—ed sâ—metimes sixteen thousand sometimes twenty and sometimes thirty thousand Communicants and from thence this piâ—us custome over-spread the whole Earth So that at Lisbon in the Church belonging to the house of our Profession the Sacrament 〈◊〉 administred to twenty five thâ—usand in one day 〈◊〉 six or seven in Brussels and as many at Antwerp in one of those dayes and bad our Churches been capable of more persons the number of Communicants would have been greater General Reflections on all the extracts out of the Image of the first age THe Iesuites never spoke truer of themselves than when they assumed the title of The Pharisees of the New Law And though they have been so vain as to attribute to themselves undue praises they have this once declared so great a truth that we may take them at their word 'T is the Spirit of Pharisaisme hath caused them to write those great Volumes stuffed only with their praises and to prove they are not as other men Christ blamed the Pharisees of his time for affecting the chief places in Assemblies and to be honoured as the principal Doctors and Guides of the people The Iesuites extol themselves above all Orders of Religion march still in the first rank and call themselves masters of the world The ancient Pharisees took upon them to dispense with the principal Commandments of the Law but are clearly out-done by their successors the Pharisees of our time for what have they left undone to shew We are not obliged to Love God nor to give almes And they that find most subtleties to dispense with good works are in most esteem among them and to this Banius Tambenius â—scobar and others owe their reputation Those holy men that went before them had no other secret for the conversion of men than to preach Christ crucified and to take off thâ— sâ—andal of the Cross by the practice of humility But the prudence of these new Apostles consists in hiding from the people they pretend to convert the folly of the Cross as may be one day proved more clearly than they are awarâ— of The first word of St. Iohn Baptist of Chriâ—â— and his Apostles address to Sinners was Repenâ—â— But the Iesuites willing to spare all that is troublesome and professing themselves complaisant civil and gentle directors have founâ— out a way to remit sins without obliging 〈◊〉 a rude and harsh Repentance and to make Confession so easie and pleasant that the most criminal will not decline it but run to 't as willingly as they did to Sin as themselves assure us When Confessors believed it a matter of difficulty to leave ill habits and that we 〈◊〉 strive to enter in at the strait gate of Heaveâ— they were not satisfied with words without seeing the fruits of a solid Repentance so thâ—â— those who were inclined not to reform theâ—â— lives nor to make restitution of ill gotten goodâ— nor quit ill company durst not present themselves before the tribunal of the Church whose severity they feared which made true penitence rare even in the primitive times a thing not easily performed but difficult and toylsom The same Fathers who taught us That the life of Grace was freely received by us in Baptism instructed us also That a Soul dead in sin is not easily revived and that when we have made our selves slaves to the Devil it is very hard to break his chains when we have blinded our selves in following our lusts we cannot without miracle come out of darkness and return into the way of Iesus Christ. Lastly
St. Paul is bolder than we durst have been when to shew how difficult it is for Sinners to return to God after their fall he uses these terms in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 6. It is impossible for those who have been once enlightned and tasted the good word of God and the gift of the Holy Ghost and the power of the life to come if they fall away to renew them again to repentance seeing they crucifie the Son of God afresh And Ch. 10. of the same Ep. v. 26. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin c. The reason why the Apostle made use of those vehement expressions was his belief that he could not implant in Christians too great an Opinion of the difficulty to repent after falling into sin But since it appears that it is the great secret of the Iesuites policy and the design of their Casuists and Confessors to perswade men that there is nothing easier than for the most hardned sinners to re-enter into Grace I assure my self that these modern directors of Conscience who guide men by new lights never read those words of St. Paul which condemn their practices but they say with their Father Adam That this Apostle suffered himself to be transported by the heat of his Nature into strange expressions And if they durst use language suitable to their practices they would accuse all the ancient Fathers as too hard and morose and applaud themselves for enlarging and making plain the wayes of Heaven which from Iesus Christ to their time continued narrow and rugged in a word whereas heretofore it was a rare thing to see a sinner Converted you may now see thousands in their Churches Where there needs not such formality so many tears such â—ighs and groans and so much humiliations as in the Primitive Church The danger is only that God changes not according to their fancies but is as just and as severe as ever But this matters not with them whose design is to make good compositions with sinners and â—ell the blood of Iesus Chriâ—â— cheap that their market may be quicker and yield large returns of profit and advantage by the multitude of their customers The Sinnâ—â— needs no more than tell his Confessor the story of his disorders and he is presently capable of the greatest favours of the Church and cleared of his sins without fear of an after clap When Bishops and Priests were not without difficulty induced to proceed to the reconciliation of Penitents to God for fear of binding themselves in those sins whereof they pretended to loose others whom it may be the Soveraign Judge had not absolved sinners though reconciled continued in fear and humiliation having their sins ever before them and after the practising of all sorts of good works and submission to the rigour of Ecclesiastical Discipline they were still afraid they had not satisfied the Iustice of God And that their sins were not so mortified but that they might recover the dominion of their hearts to their eternal destruction and ceased not to charge themselves with sins of ignorance and infirmity with omissions and neglects But now as if the most hainous crimes were as inconsiderable as the lightest faults and as easily pardoned as the smallest miscarriages as if the maladies of the Soul were not difficult to cure and as if God had for the future for ever remitted the severity of his judgement against sinners from the time they follow the advice of the Iesuites the most wicked of men the most dissolute wretches are no sooner absolved by these complaisant directors but their Consciences are in peace for all their past sins though they are resolved to commit them again These are the persons that make up these vast numbers which fill the Churches of the Jesuites and swell the list of their Confessions They are directors of all those Consciences which love not to hear any but pleasing Doctrines who pretend condescension to mens weaknesses and infirmitiâ—s and never imploy the Knife and the Lance in the cure of their wounds This makes all those who cannot endure sound doctrine but have itching desires to be flattered in their wayes to have recourse to these Prophets of the last times and having shut their ears against the truth are by the just judgement of God given up to be seduced by fables which serve only for their greater seducement and Depravation It may be said to the glory of the Society that they are Guides to an infinite number of persons and with this advantage that whereas St. Paul sayes That not many wise men after the fâ—esh not many mighty not many Noble were called these good Fathers have in their Churches so many persons of greatest quality so many rich so many wise men after the flesh that they have no room for the Common people and ordinary men And have made the wayes of repentance so smooth and easie that the most tender and delicate sinners run thither with as much ardour and facility as they could possibly have done to their sins and disorders If you consider these Fathers as to worldly enjoyments and weigh their condition in the balance of humane opinion they have cause to be intirely satisfied with their Estate in the places where they reign as having all the Grandeur of the World prostrate at their feet but if you view them by the light of Faith nothing will appear so miserable as these blinde Guides who lead the blind and together with them fall into the ditch and abyss of darkness They have reason to fear that God may require at their hands the blood of an infinite number of Souls who for want of repentance dye in their sins whom they abused by hasty absolution and covered their faults instead of curing them 'T is lamentable to observe how sinners are daily confessed by these Ghostly Fathers but never converted to newness of life repenting every moment but never truly drawing nigh to God with their lips but denying him in their hearts becoming Proselytes to these new Phariâ—â—es and thereby more the children of Hell than before T is true they practise not these things alone but this augments rather than excuses their condemnation as having drawn others to follow their courses being tempted to like Actions in hopes of equal success and as many disciples as the Iesuites had gained by their easie devotion so that now there are Iesuites every where and in all habits and though they claim the honour of being the first Authors of Moralls which have quite overthrown those of the Church there want not others who have imitated them in deceiving the world I remember that on a Holiday in a Church in Flanders I saw a vast multitude of people thronging to Confession and the Sacrament And soon after in discourse with one of these Fathers I told him I was much edified at the Devotion of the people and
retain them so that neither this Monastery of St. Vrsula of Metz nor the Community thereof had a beginning but from the day when the first of the Appellantes made profession there and the Community was not accomplished untill there were three Nuns profest that two infallible and decisive consequences arose from hence the one that the Appellantes who made up the true Monastery having not been privy to the Contract nor ratified it the Defendant had no Action against them nor morgage on their dowers the other That they could not be otherwise answered than as Minors who are alwayes relieveable in these things they may have done to their prejudice That judgement had been given in the like case for the Jesuites of Authun and Bourg in Bresse as may appear by an Arrest of the Parliament of Dijon in 1632. and by a judgement of the Presidial of Bourg in Bresse whereby the Jesuites relieved for purchases they had made to their prejudice being damnified a third part thereby in the price paid above the value of the things purchased That there is damage sustained of above two thirds for in 1627. this house with another adjoyning called Duponce was bought at twenty seven thousand Francs Messines In 1642. the Jesuites upon an exchange valued it but at thirty thousand Francs with all the improvement and buildings they had erected after the demolishing of others very considerable In 1646. it was farmed at four hundred and fifty Francs Mâ—ssines per Ann. In 1649. they offered it to Nuns and a person of quality at twenty seven thousand Francs of the same money but they refused it as not worth so much Yet the same year 1649. F. Forget the Rector having been in several Cities of the Kingdom and afterwards addressing himself to the Vrsulines of Mascon surprized them by several untrue suggestions and sold them this house at thirty thousand Liures Tourtois currant money of France which make fourscore thousand Francs Messines so that the Nuns are damnified above two thirds that besides the consideration of damage the frauds artifices cheats and false suggestions on which the contract was grounded make it void and null This will appear by a writing of F. Forgets intituled Important Avisoes wherein he hath described this house but with many fictions and disguisements of the Truth both as to its situation and the consistence of the buildings and promised several advantages which had never been nor ever will be and to gain the better credit he writ and caused to be written a great number of Letters to the said Vrsulines and the late Lord Bishop of Mascon and not content with this he sold the house according to a plat-form and model both of the body of the lodgings and the frontispiece signed with his hand but found false upon view and comparison made of the house with the model That he had sold it as in good condition according to the view taken and by him reported at Mascon which was also false That he sold it as all regularly built and fit for Nuns so that there was not said he any thing unfinished but the grates and windows whereas in truth there was not one regular place save the Dormitory which was not habitable by reason of the stink and infection of the River Seille and the publick Sewers that there was no Church no burying place no Cloyster that he suggested other Nuns would have bought it which was not true that the Nuns of Mascon who were sent to instruct the Virgins of this new Monastery in the rules of Religion and their Order being accompanied with two persons of Quality bound for Metz to see whether they had been cheated in the buying of this house when they came to Chaumont F. Forget made them believe that they could not pass further without danger of their lives which caused their return to Mascon as may appear by a letter of F. Forgets yet the morrow after F. Forget writ another letter quite contrary to the former Lastly that there was so much deceit and fraud in the business that it was evident F. Forget to make the Nuns of Miscon believe that this house cost the Jesuites more than he sold it for suggested to them that the decree of adjudication was made to them for twenty two thousand and three hundred Liures without adding Messines and afterwards in his suggestions of the workmens accounts and acquittances he made them also believe that there were improvements and buildings of above fifteen thousand Liures Tourtois value which was not so in regard that allowance being made for the buildings they had demolished all the improvements were not worth two thousand five hundred Liures Tourâ—ois Further F. Forget fearing lest the Nuns upon the place might have discovered the trick of Liures Messines dexterously stipulated by the bargain of Sale that the Evidences of their purchase of this house were not to be put into the hands of the buyers till after full payment of the whole price That the lapse of ten years could not be objected against the Appellantes because their Community had its beginning between five and six years since That by Evidence communicated by the Defendant himself it appeared that the Nuns of Mascon who remained there had made continual complaint against the Rector of the Iesuites for the cheat he had put upon them That this was carefully concealed from these in this Monastery that the Rector of the Iesuites did plot and contrive by intelligence and correspondence with others to deceive the Nuns that were to make profession in this Monastery by keeping the contract from their knowledge That the pretended ratification of Decemb. 13. 1649. made by the Nuns of Mascon sent hither could not hurt or prejudice the Appellants who never appeared nor intermedled therein nor had ever agree'd or ratified it That the pretended ratification had been contrived and extorted by F. Forget who was Director Spiritual and Temporal to the Nuns who came from Mascon that by the reading it was evident he had digested and compiled it as he pleased That it was visibly false in all its propositions and could not give validity to a contract in it self fraudulent and null That the Contract of Sale could not oblige the Appellants who were not privy to it since it is not permitted for any to stipulate for a third person That the Letters of restitution were not necessary for the Appellants but for a surabundance of good right they had taken them to the end no act they could have done might be objected against them That the Defendant having already received eighteen thousand Livres Tournois it was much more than the house was worth therefore he concluded that in regard of the said Letters and in allowance thereof the parties ought to be remitted into the same estate they had before the Contracts of Septemb. 16. and Decemb. 13. 1649 and the Defendant condemned to restore the eighteen thousand Livres by him received upon the Appellants
at the request of the Jesuites on the Goods given them by their kindred for their Dowers and alimony And that the cause of the seizure was a contract made in 1649. with the Vrsulines of Mâ—scon whereof till then they had no knowledge and were thereupon obliged to obtain Letters of Rescision against this Contract to declare it null by reason of their being damnified above a moity of the just price the personal deceit on Father Forgeâ—s part who had made the sale and the juniority on the Granâ—ees part That whereas question was made in the Cause touching the quality of the Demandants as not parties capable to plead without the assistance of their Superior the establishment of the quality was a thing previous to the Suit and that he was of opinion that this obiection was not conâ—iderable because the Appellants only were concerned in the differences now in Judgement as well because that if the Jesuites pretensions took place they should be reduced to beggery and see themselves deprived of things given for their Dowers and Aliment without having contracted with or known these suits to have been their Creditors as also for that the Superior and other Nunnes remaining of the 8 come from Mascon to make this new establishment should be received at any time to return into the Convent whereof they were alwayes deemed to be part according to the rules and constitutions of their Order That which removes all obstacles in this point is that in all Communities Secular and Regular when any thing hath past prejudicial or contrary to the Canons Ordinances and Arrests there is not one particular member in the body who hath not good ground of Appeal as for wrong and that in such case the assistance of the head was needless for that it falls out often in such occasions that the head is the party to be complained of Having established the quality of the partyes Appellants with a brief summary explication of the fact the parties reasons for maintaining their pretensions he said It might have been wished that an affair of this nature had not appeared in publique And that the partyes had not of themselves been inclined to have agreed among themselves and done one another Justice That it was horrid to see persons who made profession of a life more perfect than other men disposed to break the sacred tye of that holy union which we ought to finde among the most Lukewarm Christians that we must endeavour by exact examination to stoppe the further oppression of Justice and Equity and to preserve them from incertitude in their stations To effect this we must inquire whether the damages sustained exceed the moity of the Just price whether there were any deceit or surprize whether the Appellants were Minors and lastly how conâ—iderable the Contract in question might be To settle the damage he said That the house had been bought by the Iesuites by Decree for 22 thousand 300 Livres Messines every Livre twenty Groats value which makes 12 Sols six Deniers Tournois and amounted in all to 13 thousand 935 Livres ten Sols Tournois That the Iesuites had assured the Vrsulines as well by Letters as by their Avisoes entituled Important that the house with the improvements would come to 30 thousand Livres not adding Messines That as to the reparations and improvements they produced no Accompt or acquittance of the workmen who had laboured there so that it might be truly said that they had none or that they were so inconsiderable they durst not shew the just summe they amounted to That it was true the Iesuites agreed not to the value of Livres Messines as before reduced to Livres Tournois but would by this means have obscured the business and prevent Judgement at the hearing but at last upon the Defendants Calculation by Letters the 22 thousand 300 Livres Messines were valued at no more than 16 thousand Livres Tournois so that the damage remained still most enormous aâ—d approached very near the moity of the just price As to the fraud and deceit it was visible by them that F. Forget had great power over the Vâ—sulines who placed an intire confidence in his words and writings so that it was no wonder that they gave so easily 30 thousand Livres Tournois for a house which he assured them to be worth so much which he offered to justifie laying a Paper on the Table to declare the particulars but never spoke to them of Livres Messines which was the â—quivocation that drew the Vâ—sulines into the snare That instead of shewing the Contracts and Acquittances he stipulated that after payment of the purchase-money for the house he would deliver into the Nunnâ—s hands Extracts of all the Contracts and Evidences concerning the said â—ouse Further that neither the Nunnes nor any person on their behalf had seen the house â—nd that there was presented them a modell which was not agreeable to the house but represented the house fairer and more convenient for Lodgings and of greater extent than in truth it was being 16 fadomes two feet and three inches more than the house did effectually contain as appeared by the last process verbal of the view taken by Order of this Court. The truth is the Iesuites to defend themselves against this objection which annulled the Contract for that it was an error in the substance and matter of the Contract would have denyed the modell as a counterfeit thing and not delivered by them had it not been signed in two places by Fa. Forget so that they bethought themselves of the shift to say that the Stair-cases were added in the modell which are usually left out of designs of Architecture and confined themselves at last to the sole defence of saying that the measure of the Stairs was not taken by the Kings fadom as in truth it was but by the fadom of that Countrey which caused a greater Errour for that the fadom of Metz is almost two foot and a half greater than the Kings That true it was by the foot it was less than that of France but it was as true that it contained ten feet and that of France but six As to their minority there was no difficulty in the case since it was insisted that the Nunnes newly proâ—est were Minors not only in respect of their Age but of their quality of Nunnes and as members of a Community which is alwayes considered in minority But against all those reasons the Iesuites opposed the prescription of 12 years and that it was never heard of that a purchaser should be received to propose damnification thereby to procure restitution of the purchase-money paid or part thereof As to the prescription it could not be pleaded against the Nunnes newly profest for that they could not be esteemed a Community till they were of the number of three according to the Law Ner atius at D. de verb. signif Besides it may be said the Community hath not yet commenced for that they have not any
sing was true of him for he preached three hours by the clock and notwithstanding all the diligence used and signs made to stop his impertinent pratling nothing could stay the course of his â—opperies for three hours together The subject of his Sermon was that of his folly That St. Francis Xavier had sent him to preach at Iapan and in the familiar discourses often held with him had given him that order To authorize what he said he took to witness the holy images the walls and pillars of that Church and to perswade his Auditors to believe the certainty of his Revelations and ravishments he told them that if they of the City opposed his passage from the territories they could not hinder it for he would make use of his mantle for a bark his staff for a mast and would so pass over with more security than in a vessel well equipped These and other expressions in his Sermon gave the people much trouble because if all things fell out as he said it would break the Commerce between Portugal and Iapan to the ruine of the people All the Ecclesiasticks and learned persons assembled together to consider what might have inclined the Iesuite to talk at that rate and what remedy to apply The most judicious were of opinion that he was a fool but that at that time he practised dissimulation more than solly which opinion had sufficient grounds for that it was propable he hid under these appearances of dotage the design he had to favour the interest of the Hollanders who made use of him as an instrument proper to ruine the City When Cyprian knew what past in this assembly by the information of those coâ—fidents of the Iesuites whom fear or interest ingages to give them advice of all that is transacted this impostor writ in a paper all that past in the Assembly and put it into the hand of a statue of St. Francis Xavier which stood in the Cell of the Visitor Manuel Diaz the Jesuite One of the Assembly came to see the Visitor and Cyprian having notice of it went to his Chamber and having whispered him in the ear in the presence of the Secular person who came to the Visitor went his way When he was gone the Visitor forthwith sayes to the townsman SIR Know you what F. Cyprian saish See what that paper is in the hand of St. Francis Xavier The townsman took the paper wherein he found the names of all who had been in the Assembly written with F. Cyprians hand and that within two months they should all dye for having given so disadvantageous a judgement of the Iesuite The Visitor with great exclamations conjures the townsman to publish the paper that they who were to die might prepare themselves for it â— but the event was quite contrary for some of those men who were before Crazy had their health very well for these two months and a long time after Perhaps because their distemper forbore to afflict them out of respect to F. Cyprian who peradventure had given them some of his reliques as his gray hairs his old shirts or other like things which he distributed very liberally The common people had a great esteem of him and would have torn in pieces his robe to serve them for reliques but it was new and of very fine cloth which made F. Cyprian willing to preserve it telling the people that the habit he wore abroad was not a relique considerable enough but if they came to his lodging he would give them excellent new cloth of his old torn shirts A Pagan Indian trimmed him for nothing which Cyprian said was an action sufficient to convert him but the truth is he made great gains every time that he shaved him by selling every hair of his beard for a relique and when Cyprian knew it he said The man must be allowed to advance devâ—tion They were at last confirmed in the opinion they had of him as being a spy or what fell out afterwards A Iesuite simple and devout for such also there uses to be among them and to F. Iohn Baptist Morales and told him in private Within two months the Emperour of Japan shall send in search of us and twelve of the Colledge whereof I will be one will go where required and the first five years we shall suffer three sorts of punishments the Sword the Fire and the Cross and we have seen great miracles done by F. Cyprian in confirmation of this truth There past not only two months but two years and a thousand may pass before any come in search of them or they go to Iapan It is true nevertheless that F. Cyprian had taken his measures to go to Iapan within two months and had for that purpose sent two Iesuites into a Dâ—sart Island to build a vessel for his passage the City was advertised of it and sent to destroy it But F. Cyprian warned them who had commission to do it not to put it in execution foretelling them that there would fall fire from heaven on them who would adventure to touch it He said truth in some measure but not altogether for fire there was but not from heaven and that burnt not men but men burnt the barque By this they discovered his design and gave account to the inquisition of his Revelations his Prophecies and Impostures he made use of for cheating the world and the inquisitors having found the truth of the information ordered he should be sent back to the Indies and charged Anthony Cardin the Iesuite to bring him thither but as one who had sucked the same milk and learnt the same doctrine he permitted him to flee among the Moores where he ended his life with as much sanctity as he began and led it to that time And I doubt not but Poza the Iesuite hath put him in his Martyrology They seek in the Indies the means to enrich themselves not the salvation of souls And dishonour Religion by their Concubinages and impostures P. 407. The story of what past among the Indians Chiriguanaes is worth the reporting I heard it sayes the Author at Madrid of a person of honour a Friend and Correspondent of D. Iohn D' Elizarazo his Majesties Commissioner in the City of Platâ— in Peru. The Indians Chiriguanaes live beyond the Mountains of Peru and are a Nation very docil and susceptible of the doctrine of the Gospel but Enemies to those labours and pains the Indians now suffer The Iesuites undertook their Conversion and in a short time laboured to good effect these Infidels receiving the Gospel with very great devotion when the Fathers saw them almost all Converted and Baptized and that they were dexterous and tractable they resolved to propose to them the end of their preaching which was not as it appeared the Conversion of the souls of these Infidels but to make advantage by their estates They told them that being their preachers they desired to live amongst them but wanted lands and
hereditaments for maintenance and desired their Ayd for planting some Sugar-Canes whereby they might be enabled to live with Credit The Indians perceived the Avarice of the Iesuites and were confirmed in their opinion wherein all they of Peru concurre that these people are not Ministers of the Gospell but under pretence of preaching the faith of Christ labour only to establish their tyranny and deprive the Indians of their Liberty So that they resolved to set upon them by night and to chastise them so as to make them an example to others Though the Iesuites had not been long in that place they had contracted great familiarity with the Indian women who had such affection for them that they made it appear to the prejudice of that they ought to have exprest to their Husbands and Kindred for they gave them notice of the resolution taken to kill them and furnished them with means to flee away Six of them escaped and came to the City of Plata where they blazed it abroad that the Indians out of unwillingness to receive the Gospel had driven them away And that their Companion F. Mendiola had renounced the faith and marryed after the manner and Ceremonies of the Indians That this obliged them to give Accompt of what past that he might be â—etched out thence by force of Arms it being otherwise impossible the Infidels should be converted 1. Because Mendiola cherished them in their blindness for fear of being punished for his faults 2. Because they would be confirmed in their Errour by the ill example of a Priest and Minister of the Gospel who had embraced their Religion this made them desire forces of D. Iohn D'ilisaraze for the enterprize and for an evidence of the truth of their allegations they had taken from Mendiâ—la the Iesuites habit as having apostatized from the Faith The Kings Minister Judged this an affair of too Great consequence to be hastily engaged in and took better advice which was to send an express to Mendiola to assure him of his protection and assistance to obtain absolution from his Crime This Father was extremely surprized at the newes as having never thought of Renouncing the Faith or quitting the Iesuites habit This made him resolve to be gone forthwith and inform himself of all that concerned him on this occasion He presented himself in this condition to the Iesuites and by his presence convinced them of the falseness of their allegations against him Declaring that all this was grounded on their weakness and wretchedness which had precipitated them into Concubinage And that these Iesuites to cover their fault had attributed his to Idolâ—try And that it was strange that the fault being common to all he alone who was the least guilty should bear the shame This obliged him to quit the Society and take the habit of a Secular Priest with the hatred we may easily imagine he conceived against them who had raised such an infamous slander against him with design to destroy him among the Indians left he should discover their villanies abhorring that Order who on such occasions and to cover such wickedness will strip their Fryars of the habit they wear A Jesuite stabbed by the Husband of a Woman he loved the Jesuites suborn Witnesses to save their Credit P. 398. The Colledge of Jesuites of Granada hath an Estate in a place called Caparacena two Leagues from Granada the administration whereof they gave to Balthazar des Rois one of the Society he had such affection for a marryed woman of that place that it was publickly known though the Husband was the last who had notice of it for the Iesuite having imployed him to work in the Grounds to make him more tractable had doubled his wages At last the poor Cuckold provoked by the injury done him studyed a fit occasion of revenge The Jesuite doubting nothing came one day from Granada to the Farm and went directly to the Womans house not knowing the husband was there But the man having hid himself to see what should pass between his Wife and the Iesuite when he found them both at their Ease stabbed the Iesuite and left him dead on the place having thrown his Bonnet aloft and said Away Horns An Information was exhibited of what happened and it was constantly affirmed the Iesuite was an Adulterer that the Husband had often warned him from seeing his Wife and had been blamed by his Neighbours as having consented to his own infamy The Rector of the Colledge of Granada hearing this exhibited a Plaint Criminal against the Murtherer and designed to make a new Information quite different from that which had been exhibited and took with him a Notary of Granada to effect it He endeavoured both by promises and presents to perswade the witnesses examined in the first information to contradict themselves or at least to use ambiguous expressions in some matters And 't will be worth the observation how he managed the business He that had deposed in the first information that as soon as the Husband had killed or wounded the Iesuite he threw the Bonnett aloft and said Away Horns upon the second Deposition said He remembred not that he had mentioned that circumstance but that if it was inserted in the Process the Clark had put it in of himself Another desirous to justifie the Iesuite to shew that the woman was not lyable to suspicion by an Equivocation said She was a Woman of Age that is as he would have it Very old though I can affirm on my own knowledge she was but 28. Most of the witnesses used like Equivocations but agreed all in this That the Iesuite was a Saint and that they had often seen him with his Chapelet in his hand The Iesuites having gotten this information vigorously prosecuted the murtherer and caused him to be condemned by contumacy for not appearing to be hanged and when the sentence had been pronounced they printed the whole Process and Information verbatim with the Definitive sentence and distributed it throughout the City to those who had known the story I have a Copy of it by me I consider not so much the fault of this Fryar as a thing to which others may be subject but that the Action must be holy just and canonized because done by a Iesuite and that it is better cause a man to be hanged than acknowledge that the Society consists of men and of sinners Thus their Apologies prove more scandalous than their Crimes The horrible corruption of a holy Sister by Mena the Jesuite her Confessor who was saved by the Jesuites from the Inquisition marryed and taught Judaisme P. 25. Mena was a Jesuite in appearance of very great abilities he was lean pale and his eyes sunk in his head wore alwayes a great head and a great Chapelet but it was the better to cover his greater hypocrisie when I was a Student at Salamanca being very young I heard sometimes his discourses and exhortations which he made with such force