the Church as yet not a hundred yeeres old nor yet their Founder to be found in the calender of Saints as afore is said For which their blemishes and manie moe the like yea worse a great deale if they did it in that humilitie a man might well hold with such their Petition seeing indeed for to too manie not onlie their blemishes but also their verie grosse blots they haue great need to be prayed for afore all others and not for their so excellent deserts They are so passing vain-glorious a Societie that call ye it the verie Tetragrammaton of the Catholicke church and of all the christian world I warrant yee it will nere a whit offend their modestie or make them blush so much haue they gotten the Indian-hue and so singular a dottard is singularitie Againe is it not singularitie in them being religious to affect rule ouer the sccular clergie also to bring armes and conquest into the Catholicke church so contrarie to all Scriptures and the practise of the same hitherto as afore is discoursed and to that end they to manage matter of State more machiuelianlie then Machiuell himselfe as appeares by their erection of the Arch-Priest which is also a title of singularity they haue giuen him and all his cariages according to them and it In effect such singular persons proued the knights of the Temple for which God in the end gaue them ouer into a reprobate spirit and so they ended and so I doubt me will these ere long they being little lesse warlicke but as verie singular as they And as they are a Societie thus singular and singularitie is the roofe of all euill so haue they their roote according viz Radicem omnium maloruÌ„ auaritiam betwixt which two extreames what medium may be expected at their haÌ„ds you may imagine in part I will shew you First therefore as for Auarice their other extreme you are not to meruaile greatlie thereat both for that no vice commonlie comes alone neither is anie vice substantiue of it selfe as the meanest vertue is as also for that Pride you know is a riotous vice a great swaggerer and therefore requires great costs and commings in which but by Auarice cannot well be contriued Pride then being to haue such a prop the Iesuits greatest care is how to giue it a good glasse wherby it may not appeare in them as it is in proper but as a vertue For so haue they coloured their singularitie alleaging for it the Apostles precept Aemulamini charismata meliora wherein it cannot be denied but Aemulamini they vse yea and ouer-vse howsoeuer charismata they abuse So likewise for Auarice they haue their allowance and approbation though not from the Apostle but from themselues no waies in ordine ad Deum as hypocriticallie they pretend all their actions but verissimè ad daemonem viz herehence that they hold it lawfull vtiscientia in confessione aliâs to make vse or boote of men in confession as afore is touched and how doe they it I pray First and formost when anie penitent by their Retriuers meanes hath made choise of one of them for their ghostlie Father he makes it a daintie matter to exhibit himselfe vnto him on the sodaine but with much ceremonie and manie a white capoÌ„ to fore-goe the way as to the reclusd king of the Abissines or rather as to volto santo in Rome giuing the Eligent to vnderstand how his Societie is the last order in holie church and therefore by all intendment the perfectest for which cause it hath more priuiledges and faculties indulged it from the sea Apostolicke then the Seminaries or all other religious orders whatsoeuer to communicate to their ghostlie child They tell him farther or rather to seeme the modest cause it to be told him by their said Retriuer that their coÌ„ming to this vineyard of our church is a supererogatiue office of charity in them they not being bound thereto by expresse profession or as members of the Seminaries which they are not and therefore the rather to be welcommed and esteemed aboue them all that they haue extraordinarie correspondence and illumination with from the holy ghost as froÌ„ a perpendicular Apex or Zenith ouer their heads by meanes whereof they haue also they say certaine speciall spirituall rules and exercises ouer and aboue their foresaid externall faculties and priuiledges from Rome and also super-ghostlie skill to distinguish of spirits whereby to profit spiritually their childe more then all the church besides and that by their meanes it was that we had here in England the benefit of the last yeeres generall Iubilie which by their leaues euerie Parson of a parish might for the going for haue obtained so indulgent a mother is the Catholicke church euer but especiallie at such a time briefe that the lawes of the land stand more penall against them then all other Priests or Catholicks besides which is vntrue and that generallie they are the most enuied and hated members of Christs militant spouse both of the Diuell the Turke and the Hereticke then all religious orders besides yea or then the Pope himselfe All this and a great deale more to this effect like mounte-banks they tell or cause to be told the ghostlie Conny aforehand whereby to indeere themselues vnto him and perswade him that quicum eis non colligit spargit and in conclusion they will him therefore that how long time soeuer hee was a Catholicke before to prepare him now to a general confession yea rebaptisme if they durst whereby to prosper the better vnder their new lore This introduction made prouided alwaies that the Connie thus caught be a good Mammonist for a Iesuite is such a leach that without Mamon in the vaine hee will not easilie fasten then coape they so next haue at all Then loe followeth first a spirituall exercise commendable out of doubt in it selfe if it be not abused but the Iesuits abuse it all to lucre possessing the Penitent whiles lie is in it with so many scruples for his life past and also to come that he must thinke himselfe so verie a worme or rather so verie a foole as not worthie to vse his owne but to put all ouer as well what hee hath as what hee is to him his ghostlie father seeing that both being hauing quoth he all is but to be a saued soule which to obtaine what soule would not giue a whole world For quam commutationem faciet quis pro anima sua And quid proderit homini totum mundum lucrari animae autem suae detrimâ—nlum facere And therefore marke the end vade vende omnia quoth he da patribus With these gulleries I meane as they vse theÌ„ my Iesuit makes himselfe sole Steward and that vnaccountant of all his ghostlie childe 's both soule and substance and him a verie childe indeed so cunning warriners they are aboue all that euer I knew for whereas all other warriners vse to catch the
AN ANSWERE TO A LETTER OF A IESVITED GENTLEman by his Cosin Maister A.C. Concerning the APPEALE STATE IESVITS Recta Securus Newly Imprinted 1601. An answere to a Letter of a Iesuited Gentleman GOod Cosin I haue receiued your letter of the first of this present writtē in a spirit too derogatiue from the honors and innocence of the Appealant-Priests supererogatiue in the praise of Iesuits as it were aboue Iesus Wherein you shew your selfe vncharitable in the one immoderate in the other vncatholicke in each But perhaps you holde your selfe herein excusable as being so affected either in obedience and reuerence to and of your ghostly Father who happily is a Iesuit or in respect you are willing to runne with the greater number If the first take it with you that the Iesuits in this case of the Appeale are Principals on the one partie so in iustice to be thought partiall if the other what so erres as the most You are good Cousin to captiue your sences rather to the species then to the Number of any obiect and so farre forth to iudge your selfe in the right or wrong as you apprehend the same right or wrong and to runne with the most making that your ground is very vulgar True it is that to erre with authoritie is lesse shame though no lesse blame and therefore your better excuse may bee vpon Maister Arch-priest which notwithstanding is also vnallowable in this case both for that the Apostle wils vs that Seruitus nostra sit rationabilis and likewise forasmuch as Maister Arch-priests authoritie was both obtained sinisterly ex parte of the Procurers though not of his Holines graunt and it as factiously administred euer since The ground of which faction began since our good Cardinals death first of all in Wisbicb where the Iesuits being taught vindicta diuina Aemulari charismata meliora then iurisdiction ouer the secular Clergie they being religious and so within the compasse of an expresse Canon to the contrarie of such subordination haue since procured this Arch-priestship by sleight and surreption at his Holinesse hands and inuested it in Maister Black-well to their vse This is that man who to shewe himselfe no lesse gratefull to those Fathers his Founders for such his office then hee hath shewn himselfe most glad and greedie of the same hath by auowing their wrongs against the Appealants notably preiudiced the Catholicke Church of late here amongst vs and like an vngentle birde berayed his owne nest Whereby both for the one and the other he hath brought himselfe to be also a triable partie together with them at the Apostolike barre who else had he been the man hee ought might for all the blemish of his authorising haue been admitted of both parties for competent Vmpier betwixt them of al aggriefes But see what a thing Ambition is and how seruill are the obligations that it makes Herehence is all the Catholicke Church on fire amongst vs at this instant whiles the Iesuits hauing offred the wrong maister Arch-priest in obsequious correspondence to them for being such their creature maintaines that wrong against his own brothers so much against all nature is his loue rather in ascent then descending Herehence haue proceeded his thundring suspensions and preiudiciall decrees against them to the intangling in a thousand scruples the consciences of the ignorant and lesse learned sort of Catholickes herehence the bandiyng of lay and cleargie one against another throughout the Realme herehence the vnchristian calumnies and reproches together with the withdrawing of wonted charitie on the Iesuits partie or rather their more more drawing to them by flat fraud and rapine quae sua sint non quae dei Briefe herehence is proceeded the lamentable domage to all our Church both in her former and future fruits amongst vs for which all Protestants being the Chorus hereunto lowdlie laugh vs to scorne Whiles God he knowes these good Fathers the Appealants in their wisdomes and charitie can aduise no fitter meanes to right all these scandals together with their innocence then their present appeale being taught by former experience how that to compremize aggriefes amongst thēselues here at home or to send priuatelie to Rome about the same is but to make the Iesuits way to farther miscarriages and giue their insolencies the more ground whiles namelie father Cowbuck their brother serues them as goaler for our complainants at Rome and here in England M. Arch-Priest is no head ouer them to checke their exorbitance but at their curtesie they hauing made him that head he is but he rather a votary Fautor of all their misdoings whereby they rest here amongst vs the most lawles and incorrigible men in the world But oh say some of them there is a General of our order called Aqua-viua who vpon complaint to him is to order vs in any part of the world wheresoeuer if we misdoe Forsooth a goodlie reference an Italian man liuing in Rome to be complained vnto of wrongs done here in England which were a matter both exceeding chargeable and hazardous in regard of the distance betweene and likewise vnlikelie of due redresse he being no whit English nor otherwise competent for the same Besides that such complaints to be carried to the Iesuits General by our Priests were to thrall the Ecclesiasticall libertie to their iurisdiction in that it might seeme Agnitio Authoritatis to them being religious which were absurde Seeing then the Iesuits here in England haue no other lawe nor awe in their carriages then their owne consciences it is no maruell if they haue giuen these scandals especially hauing two such Patrons the one heere the other at Rome as aforesaid Yet who would euer haue thought that in a Religious societie so titularly professing Iesus aboue all other Christians there could haue bin found so notabiles percussores Cleri Was it fit trow yee for a Religious person so vncharitably and so vnlearnedly as hee hath done to taxe by libell so many reuerend Priests as thirtie I may say one hundred so deepely in their reputations as by expresse tearmes of Schisme Rebellion c. to the Catholicke Church And further after a pacification of the saide scandall whereunto the good men though much to their priuate preiudice yet for the generall peace of the Church were willing another of the same societie with many other their fautors at their instigation to reuiue the same since to the passe it is now come Or were the Priests so incorrigible men as were it true that they were Schismatickes Rebels c. there was no priuater meanes left to reclaime them nor no charitie other then by libell they offering to purge themselues of such imputations by disputation which was denied them by maister Arch-priest as a tumultuous request Againe if they were such yet what had a Iesuit to doe to censure them being no head but a member and that not of theirs but of another bodie and but onelie a borrower of their institution
and honours in comming thus to Englands vinyeard their owne not being so worthie Surely the Iesuit thought that Propter quod vnumquodque tale illud magis tale that Maister Blackwel hauing his authority from them à fortiore hee might administer the same Be it so yet was it not competentlie nor condignely administred in that manner as by a libell so despightfull and so vnlearned as for the vnlearnednes whereof I can sure make no other of it then paenam peccati to the authour for the spite Had he bin borne into the world with teeth nailes his spirit could not haue beene more Satyricall nor yet his tearmes through malice more vnschollerlike And for such the learned vniuersitie of Paris hath censured the tract both to the Authours and the Fautors disgrace Greatlie therefore was Maister Arch-priest to blame to giue it coūtenance at the first but more since the said censure Who but hee would haue shewed himselfe so abiect minded for office not procurable but already procured as to engage his existimation in so foule a defence of but his Benefactors against his owne brothers so famous an vniuersitie Call yee this either in the one or the other fraterna correctio is this vna or altera admonitio is this Dic ecclesiae wherby so vertuous so learned and so manie Confessors of Christ to be at once denounced as Ethnicks Publicans Could the Fathers aduise vpon no worthier reuenge against the Appealants for their concurring with God almighties miracle against their ambition in Wissbich wherein to make vse of the Arch-priestship then thus by Libell Or could Maister Arch-priest also against the same parties for their not acquainting him with their counsell concerning a subordination to be porcured from Rome hee weening himselfe worthie to haue bin not onelie a partie in that consult but the verie head and soule thereof as should seeme by his Concaleat stomacho vnto them since be so grosse in his reuenge as to support such a libel Ah poore aduise or rather too prodigall spite Cease Cosin cease henceforth those your Fathers their equiuocation to the world whereby vnder colour that the Arch-priest is a secular-Priest they would haue his authoritie thought to shine but oblique toward their Societie and too direct toward the Seminaries in matters that may arise in difference betweene them seeing both his attaindour to that dignitie was ex professo procured by their meanes and but interpretatiuely by the Priests as their Agent himselfe hath confest as also his homely administration thereof in thus auowing their libell and other his partiall carriage in their behalfes against them euer since asseuers the contrarie But Iustus est dominus iusta iudicia eius the Blacke-well or pit that they digged for others themselues are fallen into being like to learne ere long what it is Mentiri in spiritum-sanctum as too flatly they haue done in abusing the Apostolike Sea by such their interpretatiue colloguing with it for the said Authoritie toward the maintaining of libell and faction Which neuerthelesse forasmuch as it was well graunted by his Holinesse though ill obtained by them he doing it in opinion of their honest information whereof they failed I list not here to dispute it with you but in reuerence to Rome admit it with all faults in full force and vertue seeing the Appealants themselues being the parties most wronged haue so done not doubting but his Holinesse as hee is wholy Clement will vpon due information aswell touching the said Authoritie as other their aggriefes therewith complained right both them in especiall and all our Church in generall against the Iesuits and Arch-priest happily with the demolition of that Arch erected on so muddie a foundation Suffice it that in the meane time we hold such an Authoritie fit enough for such a manner of adeption and administration and too preiudiciall both to the present state of our Church and the future of our Countrey and as for his auowrie of the libel the same to be both vnclerkly and vnnaturall yea and schismaticall in him subiect to farre more satisfactions as well to all our Church as to the Complainants then he and his twelue Assistants are euer able to make Such a dousen to such a thirteenth was neuer seene in the Church of God to this day either for Ecclesiasticall or ciuill faction but what shall I say Imparum infida amicitia and therefore like head like hornes And wherein may we comfort vs but to thinke that in his Holinesse prouidence such a head of faction will not long holde It is but our patiences of the Laytie in the meane time by the example of our Ghostly Fathers the Appealants and our zealous vnion with them against so foule a scandall The first though the Iesuits and Arch-priest deride as a vertue perforce they for their parts not brooking to be forced to any vertue yet the latter haply they may rue As for Patience it is certaine that Father Cowbuck asking the two messengers at Rome his Prisoners vpon what hope of friends or countenance they came thither about such a busines and they answering their Innocence onely and the goodnesse of their cause he laught both them and such their answere to scorne Euen so likewise Maister Arch-priest here at home Oh saith he by his Agents cannot Seminary Priests professing so passiue a spirit of persecution and Martyrdome for Christs cause as they doe in their very institutiō put vp some wrong for Iesus sake Truely yes were it not that in cases of scandall Beatius est non dare quà m accipere howsoeuer the Iesuits in money matters holde it other and also so long as the persecution proceeds not from a societie of Iesus and in Iesus name a name which hath alwaies throwne out diuels neuer brought in any It is no waies fit that so glorious a name should be thus abused as to be made vse of ex parte dati scandali and more tolerable were euen murder at an enemies hands then at a brothers most of all at a Fathers such as all Iesuits though but score-yearlings call themselues Haue the Seminaries bred vp Maister Blackwell and his dousen Aydants thus in steede of being themselues Martyrs to martyr others And what others Their own Brothers and how In Iesus name Good Cardinall Allan neuer founded the Seminaries for such impietie nor yet endowed he them by his Presidence with such a spirit who doubtlesse were he now aliue and sawe this disfigure in his broode from his institution so all of loue so all of charitie would scarse know it to be his or knowing it would weepe salte teares and repent him at the heart that euer he coupled Iesuits therewith who euen in his life time began to distaste their factious fashions and namely notably Father Cowbuck At a word my good Cosin little reason haue the Seminaries to shew themselues so mute and neutrall toward their Appealant-Brothers in this businesse as most of them haue done till
now of late seeing that euen as such the Libeller if they marke it asseuers them to be no lesse then Rebels too much lesse so very opposite as many of them are and notably the twelue Assistants of whom not one that I heare is a partie for them little reason I say haue they or these to be such considering that therein they betray their owne and the Seminaries honours wholy to the honouring of the Iesuits and forget that implicitè euery one of themselues in particular is inuolued in the same disgrace For to haue it spread throughout all the Christian world that thirty English Seminaries are at one clap become Schismaticks Rebels c. to the Catholicke Church what a blot will it be aswell to all that are of the nurserie as of the number and in especiall how much may it contrist the holy Ghost ouer the Seminaries and also iustly alien from them their benefactors were such a scandall true Namely the Popes Holinesse how deepely may he feele it in his Apostolike and paternall spirite Whereas on the other side it not being true that so many yea or any of the Libellés are such Schismatickes Rebels c. to our holy mother as the libeller doteth how heartily ought the whole bodie and all the members of the Seminaries applaude the same and vnanimously concurre to propulse the reproch But alas too many of them we see are bought and solde to the Iesuits thus from their brothers and their owne honors they hauing the Ecclesiasticall purse of our Countrey wholy in their pocket like the Steward in Scripture who betrayed his and our good Lord and Master and these others so deiect nay abiect mindes For were they truly zealous it were possible enough for them to hold out against the double persecution to wit both that of the Protestant and this of the Iesuits and Arch-priest with and for their brethren especially such brethren as without offence be it spoken are the very creame of our Clergie Not that I thinke any of them so vnlearned no not of the Assistants who it seemes were most called to the place for their insufficiencies though in faith sufficient enough for such employment as to iudge the Appealants Schismaticks c. by the booke whereby to be parties against them or neuters but only of meere pusillanimitie This Mammon is such a Monarke that it bribes and bridles all but Capuchines tainting their humours and honours both especially where Authoritie concurres as in this wrong of the Iesuits Maister Blackwels such as it is doth who whom their largesse allures or parfimonie not his Authoritie makes good in each For as for his late answere to the Appealants booke that importeth no such reason or satisfaction why they should thinke his proceedings and consequently their partie thereunto any waies iust against their brethren it arguing onely a meere ostentation of his Arch-priestship and a bare Ipse dixit and nothing else fo full is euery line besides of absurdities and contradictions as touching the matter onely the sayings of the Doctors hee hath therein not vsed whereby nor abused which is a maruell Great pittie therefore it is and a scandall our Cleargie which for being a persecuted Cleargie should be the more vnite as per antiperistesin to be found guiltie in this case so much concerning their honours of that vice which the Scot noteth nationall and naturall to our people that is like dogges all to take part with the iniuring dogge against the iniured or rather not like hogs which quoth he the Welchmen are to ayde the fugitiue and weaker hogge against the stronger Great pitie likewise and a shame it is vnto our Seminaries who being Luminare maius in our Fermament then the Iesuits they notwithstanding to eclipse and obnubulate them therein by disseuering them as thus by libell they haue done Briefe that Iesuits who in their institution are but Confessors vz. but Graduates Beson̄os and Proficients towarde perfection shoulde dare so basely to blemish the Seminaries whose institution is far more hautie vz. Pascere gregem and ponere animas suas pro ouibus suis which implies perfection alreadie acquired as then which maiorem charitatem nemo habet they I say to blemish them so libelliously as is said not onely by seuering them thereby one from another but which worse is by setting them one against another Is Christs supreme Vicar in earth a secular Clearke yea so farre forth secular as being once chosen out of a Monasticke-order to that Sea for a Iesuit Pope neuer yet had yee any straight his Monasticke-nature dies And also are all Bishops vnder him in the Vniuersall Church such whereby they haue authoritie as such to visit and correct the religious person and not the religious them that thus the religious should insult ouer our Seminaries being likewise such and that without encounter nay with their own assents I speake it boldlie and I hope abest inuidia verbo not so glorious by ods is the Iesuits societie as the Seminaries either for institution or practise especiallie practise here in our countrie whatsoeuer it be elsewhere For the institution as afore is touched for practise as for example Shew yee mee from Father Ignatius time their founder to this day which is now well nigh a hundred yeeres since halfe so many Martyrs thoroughout the whole world in all that time of the Societie as haue beene of our Seminaries within these thirtie yeeres here in our countrie omitting that euen to this day there is not so much as one Canonized Saint of the order Confessor or Martyr no not their founder himselfe whom neuerthelesse with a great manie moe of the Societie I reuerentlie thinke to be such and as such doe verie humbly commend me to their praiers Which defect of honour to their Order which all other religious Orders haue they would excuse by saying as some of them haue done that the Canonizing of Saints is but a superfluous pompe in the Church which may verie well be spared Wherein surelie cosin besides that it founds hereticallie and against Catholicke religion they haue little reason euen in moralitie seeing that euery gallant Champion is well worthie of his Bay And therefore as little reason haue they to beare themselues so superlatiuely aboue all other holy Orders were it but for the Puneisme of the societie which blemish to counteruaile together with all other blemishes in it they haue giuen it the name which is aboue all names and holy aboue all holies the name Iesus In which name well I graunt them they may iustly and victoriously goe against all Gods enemies but not against his friends especially bearing no more crosses along with them wheresoeuer they goe then we see they doe quaerentes in most places quae sua sunt rather then quae Dei both worship and wealth Whereby they haue purchast them a hard opinion of all religious Orders euen so farre forth as to be written against by some of them in most