force since what he wrote at Oxford a liâ—tle while since and with a settled Judgment has so much conformity with the Retractation which he ' swore was extorted from him with a Dagger at his Throat From all that has been said it may in my opinion be easily gathered that St. Germain the Jesuite is innocent of the Capital Crime of which he is accused That the Counterfeit Luzancy is a bad Man who invented the Calumny when he saw he could neither get the Retractation which he had voluntarily given back from the Jesuite nor money which he expected to carry him back into France whether he had resolved to return out of despair when he saw himself discover'd for the Son of Beau Chastean the Player a quality which he had always denyed and that with a Thousand Oaths chiefly at the French Ambassadors when the Secretary affirmed the contrary and Luzancy rather than acknowledg it chose to desert the Protestant Religion For this was the true reason which oblig'd him to make his Retractation which was not to have been seen till after his departure It may also be easily gather'd that in all this Diabolical Invention he has made use of none but unworthy People whether for Councellors Witnesses or Transcribers That Mr. du Maresq had reason in his Sermon his Preface Discourses to sound the depth of this horrible Tragedy That Mr. Blancard did not suborn the Woman nor her Husband to Sign the Paper which has so much troubled my Lord Bishop of London And lastly That the carriage and passion of that Bishop were not suitable to his birth and Character God preserve him from new Injustice and protecting Luzancy a second time if he befound so ill at Oxford as at London 'T is feared his affection and unwillingness to see faults will incline him rather to cover his Crimes if he fall into new ones then give glory to Truth by discovering them and having no more to do with him I have but one word more to say concerning Luzancy 's Confidence when he speaks to His Majesty After what I have said to the King says he to the Taylors wife If my Enemies be so certain of what they report against me let them appear in a Legal Tryal let the Accuses produce his Proof if he can and I be punish'd at the Stake and if not let him undergo the same Penalty If it come to such a Tryal the only way in my opinion to make at end of so many disputes it will be seen who fears most Luzancy or those who accuse him however it be t is a thing which good Men ardently desire They would gladly see an end of this business and would wish that Judges might without delay be appointed at London to take full Cognizance of a matter which has hitherto produced nothing but Disorder and Scandal and the clearing whereof would be so great â— good to the Church It being she who had the greatest Concern in it I might Sir inlarge on a Subject so Copious if I did not fear to urge your patience to the utmost I have but one Reflexion more to make on thâ— conclusion of his Letter He tells the pretended Lady of Quality to whom he writes that only the French speak ill of him but that the English 〈◊〉 all inclin'd to favor him after which he adds that this Nation is the most civil and most charitable in the World making a Panegyrick upon 〈◊〉 in terms the most flourishing which Art could suggest Truly I am ashamed this Knave his so much reason to praise the English and thaâ— the prejudice is so great that divers in imitation of the Bishop put 〈◊〉 their eyes that they may not see how things go As this Mischief is largely spread I do not think it is easy to remedy it at present God alone is able to change the blind zeal and errors oâ— many good Men. In expectation of so great a good I would advise you on your side to endeavor what you can that the truth of this business be known while I on mine act according to the same spirit Not without gathering every day considerable Fruits of the Labor which I have deliberately undertaken without being any way startled at the contradiction of the VVorld I am Sir as you know Your most humble Servant JE soussignée Mary Grimpelé femme du S r. Jamart Chyrurgien qui ay esté domestique de Madame La Marquise de Ruvigny Certifie que Mr. de Luzancy m'a tenu des discours fort Libres mal honnestes à un homme de sa Profession m'ayant dit entr'autres choses qu'il avoit un secret pour empecher les silles de devenir grosses pour les faire avorter lors qu'elles le sâ—nt que lors qu'une femme avoit un Mary ce la n'empechoit pas qu'elle n'eut un Galand C'est ce que je certifie veritable Fait à Londres c. Mary Grimpelé I Underwritten Mary Grimpelé wife to Mr. Jamarta Chyrurgeon who have been of the Houshold of my Lady Marquess of Ruvigny do certify that Mr. Luzancy hath held some very indecent Discourses with me and unworthy of a Man of his profession having amongst several other things told me that he had a secret to hinder VVomen from being with Child and to make them miscarry when they were so and that when a VVoman was married there was no difficulty for her to have a Gallant This I do maintain to be true Done at London Mary Grimpelé
and like an impudent Tartuff to appear in his Majesties Privy Council and all this while the Parliament was sitting These things I say were sufficient to make his Oaths at first dash be taken for Truths fit to be publish'd by sound of Trumpet and set up at the corners of all the Streets in a Conjuncture so nice People would be sure enough not to apply themselves to a through examination of so great a Trifle in respect of those things which at that time busied the Court and Parliament Neither was the action imputed to St. Germain to stand in Competition with the important affairs of State which endured no delay to allow Convenience for clearing an Accusation which concern'd only a single Man and he a Jesuit This kept the business from being search'd to the bottom And I conceive that those who as you know then medled with it Acted with much prudence upon that maxime of Tacitus Omne magnum exemplum habet aliquid ex iniquo quod utilitate publica compensatur For my part who am but a Cypher in the World and who go on my great Road without being diverted by the Prospect of any worldly Policy I have made a resolution for the sake of Truth and to do you a pleasure to Examine in few words both the Crime laid to the charge of the Jesuite and the person of the Informer the Counterfeit Luzancy To give a clear and distinct Idea of the Accusation in question and discover it 's either force or weakness we are to consider it in three respects First of the Accuser Secondly of the Crime Thirdly of the Circumstances which attend it If we cast our Eye on the Accuser there is good assurance to be had that he is a Cheat and a notorious Lyar whose Life hitherto has been made up of Impostures and this when there shall be Judges Commissionated to examine what he has done beyond and on this side the Sea shall be Legally proved If we look on the Crime it is so pitifully contrived that one must be a perfect Ideot not to perceive its weakness and for the Circumstances the best means to discover the Truth in such cases they all make for the Jesuit we must run over some of them to judg well of the Crime First it was a Month or five weeks before Luzancy made a noise of the pretended Assassinat to be committed on him nay he said not so much as a word of it to Mr. Ruvigny or his Lady with whom he was as one of the Family and for this 't is but inquiring of them This Circumstance alone is decisive Secondly They threatned him says he with a Pistol at his Throat he does whatsoever they desire and after all suffers them to depart with all the quietness in the World without crying out when they were gone and without mentioning a word to any body till more than fifteen days after Thirdly He entertains Correspondence both by word and writing with this very Jesuit his Mortal Enemy he writes him Billets he visites him several times he promises him the Theses of Monsier Le Blane Professor of Divinity lately printed and which a Minister of the Savoy had nicely presented to him he Communicates to him the Certificates he had from two French Bishops In fine there passes a considerable time before Luzancy dreams of contriving his Tragedy Fourthly In seventeen days he speaks not of the Assassinate to his dear Friend the Sieur Corbiere who itching to be seen at Court and in Parliament would needs make a studyed Certificate in his favor This Corbiere is a Frenchman the story of whose Life rejected him from an Honorable Imployment which he should have had with Mr. Skelton whom the King has sent to the Emperor's Court. Fifthly Luzancy goes to a Merchant to desire him to find a Convenience for Luzancy to return into France and at the same time persuaded a Proselite to return to the Church of Rome and this when Judges shall be appointed that Proselyte will depose Sixthly The Divelish writing which he says was extorted from him by Pistols and Daggers is written in a hand natural and free t is his very style 't is in some place razed signs rather of the Attention of one studying alone then the confusion of a Man Transcribing with a Dagger at his Throat Seventhly Is it likely a Jesuit whose name is so Odious in England durst venture on so strange an action and this in the middle of London and for no greater advantage then to gain a simple private Man To gain a King or save a Kingdom a Jesuit possibly might venture hanging and so horrible an Action as Assassinate otherwise a Jesuit does not undervalue his Life so much as to cast it away for a Trifle especially one so well at Ease as St. Germain was In fine whoever would sift the pitiful Evasions contained in the written Discourse which Luzancy gave to Sir Joseph Williamson Secretary of State would find things so absurd and gross that they who have countenanc'd them with Authority would be without excuse if Reason of State did not free them from blame Mean time this Admirable Reason of State or the Zeal without knowledg of some Men wrought so that all England almost was possess'd with the pretended crime of the Jesuit and false innocence of Luzancy Those who have no other knowledg of him then by the Proclamation look upon him as a Martyr some who began to have other thoughts of him are resetled in their good opinion while they see my Lord Bishop of London openly protect him Others to lay on an Occasion to imbroyl things and make their Zeal to the Protestant Religion appear have gone far in this business and contributed much to the success which you know he has had yet there remains a considerable number of those who look purely after Truth and seperate themselves from the Crowds to follow and never swerve from her I had Inlarged my Self farther on this Subject if I did not think I had said enough to give you an Idea of all this Farce Let us now pass forwards and trace Luzancy step by step in the remaining Acts of a piece which includes I know not how many incidents of a different nature and which t is fit the World should know that he may the better be understood St. Germain having been without hearing as soon condemned as accused Luzancy's Advancement was powerfully carryed on My Lord Bishop of London took care to have him Ordained and made him Preach immediately designing to put him into a Condition of becoming one day a great Defendor of the Church of England And because he wanted the Language of the Countrey to make his Talents appear he was sent to Oxford to Learn it All this was done in an unimaginable Hurry 'T was to much purpose for the Pastors and several Masters of Families of the Church at the Savoy to cry out Nothing could stop the impetuous Current of my Lord
Bishop's resolution and as if it had been a matter of main import for the upholding of the Orthodox Faith they drive on his Preferment without observing the least Measure in the world While this was a Brewing an English Minister belonging to the French Church named Mr. du Maresq full of Zeal for the Truth printed a Sermon which he had Preached during these Bustles and this for the reasons which he gives in his Preface they were no sooner come abroad but my Lord Bishop of London thought both the one and the other deserv'd the Thunder of his Ecclesiastical tribunal To this purpose he caused all the Coppies to be seized The Minister was cited to the Bishops Court where at first they wrangl'd with him about a Licence to Preach which neither he nor any of his Collegues had ever heard of At last after much ado they discovered where the shoo truly pinch'd My Lord Bishop was offended by his falling upon Luzancy And would needs have the Minister to ask forgiveness of God his Neighbor the Church and his Superior This is not enough the Minister must also acknowledg that he is Convinc'd in Conscience that he has offended God and his Neighbor by printing Scandalous things Yet we have not all a Declaration too must be Sign'd and Seal'd otherwise the Minister is undone And because he refus'd a Motion so extraordinary My Lord Bishop presently caus'd him to be publickly Interdicted the functions of his Charge upon a Sunday in the midst of his Congregation A proceeding so severe against a Minister very well spoken of opened the Eyes and understandings of divers who want none they set themselves to inquire attentively what these scandalous things were which were imputed to him but their search was Fruitless they found nothing that look'd towards it In fine like the five Propositions which heretofore at Rome they maintained were in the Book of Jansenius they perceived these Scandals ow'd their birth to sharpness and prejudice Mean time this Minister of the Gospel because he stood firm to the maintenance of Truth was openly suspended for reasons reserved to my Lord Bishop and his Officers They had a care not to say what these reasons were they were too frivolous and would have cover'd the Authors with Shame and Blame But by a slight not welbecoming a Bishop they conceal'd the Account of a proceeding so defective They had much rather People should have Occasion to believe horrible things of this Minister than publish his fault it was so light And my Lord Bishop of London doubtes not but Men will judg by the prerogative of his Dignity that the right is on his side and that 't was enough to make one pass for Criminal to be accused and punish'd by a person so venerable as himself Quis sanctum dubitet quem apex tantae Dignitatis attollit All this as I have been informed past in the most unusual manner in the World The Minister is Condemned without being heard according to the formalities of Law 'T was much to purpose for him to offer to justify himself The Bishop refuses to see him slights the submissive Letters which the Minister writes to him and by his Order the Judges of his Court pass Sentence without saying or knowing wherefore who would have believed a Bishop of London one of a Noble Family and who has no small pretentions to the Archbishoprik of Canterbury had been capable of such a Carriage After so much noise what could we expect from a proceeding so rigorous It was believed my Lord Bishop would never have restor'd this Minister at least on easier terms than very ample satisfaction such as might hold proportion with the Offence which People were made believe the Bishop had received Notwithstanding against the opinion of many by the good Offices of Monsieur Durel together with those of Monsieur Ruvigny who had a mind to Oblige the Bishop and was pleased to Interpose without being intreated The Minister was restored to the exercise of his charge upon a bare acknowledgment that he was in the wrong to print his Preface without Licence from his Superior or any else in Authority c. a poor and dry satisfaction in my opinion after so much ado and which justifies the Minister for as much as he has publish'd against Luzancy and the Monks and condemns the rigor used to him Behold Sir whither Passion carries Men behold a Signal example in the person of a Bishop The Sanctuary is not priviledg'd and we are not afraid to set it awork even in that Holy Place Where is that Charity whereof so unseasonably in respect of Knaves we pride our selves when to uphold them we overwhelm a Minister of the word of God What a horrible use do we in these days make of it When the matters treated on in the Preface were without Reply must a whole Kingdom for a pitiful point of Honor needs have cause to believe that the Minister was a Lyer and Luzancy and the Monks unjustly Attackt Must it needs be I say that on a pretext so slight so heavy a Blow should fall on a Man whose carriage has always been without Reproach and who without consulting Flesh and Blood resolved in discharge of his Duty to speak Truths likely to displease more than one and he be punished so outragiously for a design so generously executed we see well enough how the world goes My Lord Bishop of London had undertaken the protection of Luzancy He had a mind to cherish this Plant which he had newly set in the Garden of the Church and could not indure that England should be inform'd it was of the nature of those Herbs which shew handsomly and yet are full of Poyson He could not see the Child of his care and study wounded especially in that part where Men are most tender without receiving the blow upon himself and the Arrows justly shot at the reputation of his Neophyte have lighted on him Behold the true cause of the Bishop's anger To offend a Knave was to attaque him to attaque him was to blemish the dignity of his See and those immature and hasty decisions were made both to uphold his Person and his Mitre Had my Lord Bishop in the design he had to declare himself the support of this Counterfeit Proselyte consulted the Commands of him from whom he holds both this Life and Character he would have learned not to do ill that good may come of it And that the use of pious frauds is proper only for those places where Religion being destitute of Truth which is its Basis cannot subsist but by foul Play with which those of Wit Amuse and make Shittlecocks of the Common People After all how can we henceforward reproach the Papists with their Inquisition when I have acquainted you with things as strange In good earnest when the wit of Man takes pleasure in blinding it self how considerable soever our Rank is in the world whether in Church or State and