GOod Cosin: To you who haue done me the honor, and your selfe the right, as to rest sa­tisfied by my last Letter to you in answer of one of yours, concerning the present schisme in our Church here in England, betweene the Iesuites, and our fathers the secular Cler­gie of the Seminaries; I shall not need either with eloquence, or by protestation to per­swade you how glad I am hereof, hoping you will take my word for it; neither yet how vnfainedly I rest yours far­ther (if farther may be) then for euer.

Now whereas you write, that our Clergies thus opposing and wri­ting one against the other, doth greatly scandalize both Catholicke and Protestant: it is verie true, but what remedie? Vae to the Treatie of Schisme, and more then thrice vae to thè defence thereof so generall and by authoritie (such as it is) both which haue bene the ground of all this, and not to innocents who can do no lesse, nor better then they haue done. For will ye (for example) allow a fellon, and him his Aduocate with prodigall tongue in his behalfe, and not a true man as much? What iustice, or what charitie were this? yea, or what ciuill pollicie in a common wealth? Greatly (I confesse) it were to be wisht that in a variance so Ecclesiasticall as this, and in a Church so vnder execution as ours is, more temperance and modestie were obserued of all hands, aswell for our owne honors, who are Catholikes; as for the edification of our common aduersaries, who are apt to be scanda­lized euen in our best cariages. Howbeit on the other side it is no maruell, considering the irascible nature of man, if in a matter so ta­ken to the heart on either partie, and that vpon opinion of Gods glo­rie as this of the present schisme is, all mens pens be not alike sober, [Page 4] I meane of the Iesuite partie, whose writings are fowle, and full both of intemperance and vntruth: namely and notably, their late Apolo­gie, as may appeare to the ciuill reader, although vnanswered by the Appellants, howbeit (as I heare) their answer is forth-comming. A shame that inke and paper and the Presse should be so abused, to the propagation rather then extenuation of a scandale: though so much the lesse shame, by how much the Author seemes ashamed to set so much as two letters of his name vnto it. And yet (forsooth) must it passe current as no libell Cum priuilegio Prothonotarij Apostolici, and that in notable disobedience to the supposed Briefe of his Holinesse, promulged of late by the said Archpriest, in checke and heauy cen­sure of all writings and writers vpon this argument.

I say supposed, inasmuch as were there any such true Briefe indeed, is it likely (saith euery one) that Maister Archpriest himselfe, and his to whome the promulgation, and consequently the obseruance there of primerly appertaineth, would be the first that would violate it? or that Maister Archpriest would, or durst deferre the promulga­tion thereof a whole quarter of a yeare as he did; namely vntill such time as the foresaid Apollogie were come out by and for his partie? considering that the disobedience is as great to conceale the Popes Bull from due and mature promulgation, as to disobey it being once promulged; specially such the Archpriests concealing it, being vpon a cause, and to an effect so meerely in repugnance to the tenure and purport thereof; wherein he hath shewed notable disobedience and impietie to the Briefe, and consequently to Christs Vicar, and holy Church, aswell aforehand as after. Againe, were there anie such Briefe, is it likely that the Archpriest would commit so grosse a fault against it, as to promulge it in so many different and repugnant co­pies as be to be showne? Or that not any of so many comming dayly from Rome can report thereof from thence? Finally, admitting the Bull to be truly his Holinesses and truly promulged without all man­ner of fault by the Archprist and Iesuites; it therfore followes not but it may be and is surreptiuely procured by them at his Holinesses hands, aswell as the Archpriests Constitutiue was, by the spite and sleight of father Cowbucke and his fellow fathers; who held it no sa­criledge to mis-informe the sacred sea by their [...] instru­ment M. Standish, and consequently to scandalize it.

In consideration whereof, aswell for the honor of that mother sea, as for our owne indempnities, who in this behalfe, and for other im­portant [Page 5] points of our Church and countrey, do stand in present op­position to the Archpriest and Iesuites, it were meete, and necessary (haply you would thinke) that aswell we of the Laitie, as our Fathers of the secular clergie should for want of other competent redresse, ap­peale to his Holinesse from the Archpriest, concerning the said Bull, be it right or surrepted, whereby to be quit in the meane time of the censures therein contained. This (cosin) I graunt you, might seeme a right Catholike course and honorable (as ye say) for the Sea Apo­stolike, seing that by it what error the Popes Holinesse may herein vnwittingly, and by wrong information haue committed, he may right aswell to the informers rebuke, as to the Appellants reliefe. But on the other side, when the penal Statute of Praemunire here at home against such appeales to Rome is considered; the Archpriest and Ie­suites themselues (I am sure) are not of so inhumane a nature, but that they would be loath to see vs take that course, the same being much more in our preiudice one way, then it can profit vs the other against them. Neuerthelesse, because we will not be beholding to their Fa­therhoods so fained compassion and curtesie, as proceeding rather out of their owne selfe-loue and feare to be so called in question at Rome touching the Bull (which we are sure they are neuer able to make good) as we could willingly aduēture vpon that course against them (I meane we of the Laitie whom the same with the censures concernes alike with our Clergie) and also would for any feare we haue of the Praemunire, yea or of death, in a case that may be to Gods glorie, & the Churches peace, as this such our Appeale might seeme to be: yet because it is seldome seene, that the Laitie of any Catho­like Realme, at leastwise of this Realme (that euer I read) did appeale to the Sea Apostolicke, in any cause, by meanes whereof this exam­ple of ours might seeme preposterous, and preiudiciall to the Lay Ca­tholikes hereafter, aswell as be pernitious to our selues in the meane time, for the reason of the Statute alleaged: and likewise considering that such Appeale by vs were no whit needfull, inasmuch as our cler­gie is presently in an Appeale at Rome concerning all our aggriefes with them against the Iesuites and Archpriest, and namely and in par­ticular concerning this pretended Briefe from his Holinesse, as by the copie of their Appeale, together with their reasons for it, you may perceiue at the end of this my Letter; we hold it not fit, either ex de­bito, or ex congruo, that we of the Laitie should appeale to Rome con­cerning it, and not of any pusillanimitie toward the Praemunire (as [Page 6] haply the Archpriest supposeth) which made him the more aduentu­rous vpon the wrong doing. Besides, that neither is it true, that if we did appeale in this case to Rome, the sayd Statute can any way touch vs, considering that it were no appealing from her Maiestie, or any [...] ciuill Magistrate in this Realme vnder her, to his Holinesse, (which were the point of offence:) but onely from his Holinesse sub­stitute, and that but a supposed one too, for more then supposed wrongs by him done vnto vs. Thus (good cosin) ought our religion and allegiance to the Apostolicke sea to be discreete, else (as you see) may it be preiudiciall to vs, and no honour to it; and thus much in answer to that supposed obiection.

I touched vnto you a litle afore, a booke set out lately on the Ie­suites partie, entituled their Apollogie, &c. which forasmuch as perad­uēture you haue not yet seene, it going as it doth but in hugger mug­ger amongst their purblind friends for all the world like a libel, as not daring to shew her, or her authors face; I will here briefly vnfold vn­to you the contents therof, referring you for your farther satisfaction to a copious edition thereof, together with an answer thereto, which is shortly forth comming (as I said) on the Priests partie.

First and formost, the Iesuite begins me with a slie preposition, or rather supposition of a continued emulation, or animositie (as he termes it) of the Laitie of this Realme time out of minde against the Clergie, and still betweene (especially these later dayes) of the secu­lar Clergie against the Religious; whereupon (namely as touching the later) after hauing laid great blame for the same vpon the Diuell, the eternall enemie of the Church of God. he then descends to the particular mention of certaine Spies and false brethren, both of the Laitie and Clergie, that haue heretofore giuen scandales to Gods manifest heauie hand and fearfull iudgements vpon some of them for the same: wherein he euer and anon twits and calumniates her Maie­stie and the State, as fautors and abettors of such vile persons & their proceedings. Good God, how the Author belabours this point, and is driuen for a seeming ground hereof to his owne forgeries of flat falshoods in the aire aswell against the State, as against the Priests partie, which for our more ignominie he thinkes he hath quaintly coupled together all along his Discourse, weening it not full and ho­norable inough vnlesse so haughtie, and against a Royal state, though otherwise neuer so full of lies. This shift the good Sir is fallen vnto, as well to winne credite to his Discourse by making it seeme of and a­gainst [Page 7] State, as also whereby to giue the statelier flourish to his fals­hoods, as though we had not true imputations and those bad inough otherwise against our persecutors, without charging them with vn­truths. Iesu! that a Iesuite should be so vaine and impious, or rather who but a Iesuite so vaine and impious, as to frame so fowle and false a matter and a method thereunto, in hope (belike) that doing it in the cloudes (for no name, as I said, haue ye to it) he and it to passe without shame; although not so. For, though from the cloud down­ward to this world, he and it may perhaps passe vndiscried for a time, (which I suppose wil not be past August next) by what time the con­futation thereof will be come foorth; yet vpward toward heauen, where is no cloud betweene his shame, & reproofe to such the fowle conscience both of the man and matter, it is already manifest to God and all his Angels to his farther condemnation in die irae.

But to returne to the matter; after that the Apollog [...] hath raked all the kennels of our countrey, and beyond-sea for English scandals in our Church (where who doubts but in fowre and fortie yeares ye may easily find plentie in particular persons that haue lapsed) & leng­thened out his leaues from some to many vpon that sweet argument, in the end he applieth them all to his presupposed ground aforesaid, namely of a hart-burning and haughtinesse of the Laitie and secular Clergie against the Religious, whome he meanes the Iesuite onely: and so patcheth me vp his Apollogie not as an Apollogeticall de­fence, but as a Satyrical inuectiue against the Appellant-party, espe­cially against some by name, whom (though most reuerend persons) he together with the State most leudly slandereth. This is the summe of the Iesuiticall Apollogie, the ground thereof being the Authours meere fantasie, and a Chymaera like to Turkie-worke, without anie Idea or representation that he euer absolutely sawe thereof in rerum natura; and the vpper frame altogether falshood. But to see how Stoi­cally he carieth the Discourse along à termino ad terminum absque vl­lo intermedio veritatis, fashioning (as it were) an alliance of falshood to falshood with so cunning connexions, and a conclusion so accor­ding, that to the vnlearned Reader it beares a reuerend shewe both of veritie and prudence; to see it (I assure ye cosin) you would say you neuer in all your life read a worke more Iesuiticall. How many are there (I pray) that reading in like maner (for example) Amadis de Gaule his chiualrie and loues, Barnaby Rich his Brusanus and Mo­derna, Sir Philip Sidneys Arcadia and the like, being all Chymericall [Page 8] fictions, thinke them true neuerthelesse for the time, reading them with as great feeling as if they were verities: such power hath proper counterfait, and congruitie of feigned matter, with her circumstan­ces of time, place, person, &c. Howbeit to censure somwhat such the defect that is in this Apollogie, whereby for want of not here & there but altogether the Aptum (vz. veritie to the Discourse) the Pulchrum thereof is blemished; I would aske the Author, what (for example) had M. Gifford his scandale at Paris, or what Terils, Tedders, Mon­dayes, Belles, Maiors, Hardestayes and such like their Apostasies here in England to do with the present Appellants and Appeale; the scan­dales which it concernes growing not on their part, (or graunt they did) but on the [...] Iesuites who were the giuers: insomuch as if any affinitie or sympathie be at all betwixt those and these scandales, it is betwixt those relapsed persons and the Iesuites, whose wils and dispositions seeme so iust to iumpe, and simbolize, ex parte dati scan­dali. Wher [...] on the other side the verie act of appealing, vz. in that it doth appeale to the sea Apostolike for salue of all those sores, and the Iesuites their earnest withstanding the course, cleares as cleare as the Sunne the Priestes partie from all and euery so hainous imputa­tions; as being a testimoniall of a cleare conscience: and much, yea as much as may, be to the glorie of S. Peters chaire. There wanted therefore arte in the Authour, touching this so speciall point of the fiction, as cunning Maisters as the Iesuites are in Chymaeraes: like­wise in that he so sleightly and pusillanimously ouerskips D. Fishers Treatie of Schisme; which is the ground of all the present Schisme.

Besides this Chymaericall conceipt of the Apolloger, he likewise here and there taxeth verie [...]rdly the Appellants bookes as temera­rious and vnsound in Religion, wherein how temerarious and absurd he shewes himselfe, all sincere Catholicke readers of those bookes may discerne. On the other side, whosoeuer shall reade their treatie of Schisme, and this their Apollogie with the Appendix, may well say and sweare, that there was a temerarious pen indeed, as well for matter of faith as of fact, and so of all their other writings vpon this argument of the Appeale, and the estate of our countrey; and there­fore let not a Iesuite become a censor of other mens writings or do­ings as temerarious, till he haue amended and satisfied for his owne temeritie, both in his doctrine of prince-killing, and other disloyal­tie to ones Prince and Countrey, as also in libelling against inno­cents, ambitioning rule in the Church of God, and being Schisma­tickes [Page 9] therein. But what tell I them of temeritie, who are impudent, and whose ground where they take (be it euen against the holy sea) is Dolus, not Virtus, and all manner of falshood and coggerie that may be imagined?

As for the latter part of the booke, true it is that the Author hath shewne himselfe therein his arts, or rather his crafts-maister, the same consisting wholly of defamations, whereof that societie hath the exactest schoole vnder heauen. How orderly he fetcheth in the prin­cipall Appellants one by one, and hath his obloquie to them all: and how reuerently he calumniates them, for all is done vpon colour of Religion, and as their position is, though not so their disposition, In ordine ad Deum. Of one he saith that his becomming scandalous (he meanes for being in the Appeale) is for hauing lost the Iesuiticall spi­rit, wherewith he defameth him to haue bene sometimes attainted; and so of the rest. In effect all that part of the Appollogie tends to this, that by deprauing of the persons of some of the principall Ap­pellants, their matter may be thought bad: whereas (in truth) they are and euer were in the eye of all our Church, and euen of Prote­stants, so excellent men, both for learning and all manner of good e­dification, that I know not what Iesuite in the world is worthy, Sol­uere corrigeam calciamenti eorū, much lesse that may truly say, Black is their eye. Wherefore (good Cosin) if the booke chance to come to your hand, do it the correction as to reade it with iudgement; in so doing, you shall find it no whit worthy so much as an ordinarie ciuill approbation, much lesse of the Appellants answer. Which notwith­standing, they are in hand withall, in fauour of the rude and ignorant Catholicke, whom such matter with the methode proceeding from such persons as ought, and are thought to be religious, and the same supported by too manie more worshipfull then wise Catholickes, is apt to seduce: so homely offices do the Iesuites put these good men vnto, who else would I wisse be a great deale better oc­cupied.

Well, the point of Schisme cannot by all likelihood, be now long in difference, it being at this instant in his Holinesse handling, where how little soeuer, and but bo-peeke-like, the Iesuite speakes of it by his Appolloger, he must be forced to say therein what he can or dare, and that in the audience of all the world, and so to his shame, I doubt not; so litle doubt I of his Holinesse high prudence and pro­uidence in so important a matter as it is, importing the peace both of [Page 10] our Church and Countrey: and the rather, for that his Holinesse can not choose but see the eyes of all Christendome vpon him in this be­halfe, besides the infinite prayers of zelous Catholickes throughout England concurring hereunto at Gods hands.

Great was the iudgement and goodnesse of God, that whereas the Iesuites had abused the Sea Apostolicke, by their so surreptiue pro­curement of the Archpriestship at his Holinesse hands, they in the same irreligious spirit of theirs, to administer that authoritie no lesse abusiuely, as by libell, and vniust censures against innocent Priests, whereby to deserue to be cited (as now they are) to the barre of Iu­stice both concerning the one and the other, which else (peraduen­ture) had not come to passe; so much was their latter act, not onely Peccatum ex se, but also, Poena peccati, to the former, according to that of S. Augustine in his confessions, Domine tu inssisti & sic est, vt poena sua sibi sit omnis inordinatus appetitus. Which being so, what a folly and shame is it, that the Iesuites not being here in our Church and Countrey, a partie able of themselues for all the power of Spaine to make good the offence, that our fathers of the Seminaries must thus abbet them one against another, and so highly to their owne iniurie and disgrace? Call ye it a meeke spirit to be so humble? or rather is it not basenesse and treason to the Catholicke cause, as well as to themselues, as great as may be imagined? Call ye this Iohn Gersons imitation of Christ? or is this an autenticke cariage of his Crosse? This, if euer any, is meere dispersion and not aggregation, subuersion, and not edification, pusillanimitie, and not zeale and valour in the cause of God. Which notwithstanding the Iesuites quaile, and are rather retrograde then onward in the quarrell, it be­ing so very vniust as it is.

There is no question, and we know it well, that both with their teeth and nailes they still labour to hinder the businesse from the A­postolike Barre; wherein they do but condemne themselues and their cause afore hand; inasmuch as stood they vpon a good ground, they should rather reioyce to see their innocenc [...]e so called in que­stion, and examined to Gods honour and theirs in the foyle of the Appellants: who on the other side, were they not most innocent from Schisme, and all other their aduersaries imputations, is it likely that they would euer haue engaged their existimations, their friends, yea and their liues (as they haue done) at so high and austere a Barre as that of S. Peters? Was it euer seene that the man of a guiltie con­science [Page 11] would prosecute a triall, and that with so many miles trauell as from England to Rome, by sea and by land, farre from all friends, and against a profest and mightie enemie, who seekes nothing more then his death, such as the Isuites are against these good men? Or ra­ther is it not euer seene, that the man of guilt drawes backe and dies, to thinke of holding vp his hand, still holding downe his head before a Iudge? In few, what greater testimonie of a secure soule and inno­cence, can the Appellants giue vnto the world, then their present Appeale, and personall proceeding therein? yea, how much hono­rable is it in them, ouer and aboue such their innocence from schisme (which no doubt they will make good) they to be withall in this busi­nesse of the Appeale, Muri pro domo Domini, and also for their coun­trey against those fierie fathers?

In respect whereof, though as touching the first, viz. the point of Schisme his Holinesse (haply) should inhibit and interdict all pens and tongues in fauour of the Iesuites and Archpriest, it seeming to be a meere ecclesiasticall matter, and so within the spheare of his Apo­stolicke actiuitie and office to be seene and obeyed in; yet for the o­ther of our countrey, such his charge were not of force, other then of courtesie; forasmuch as it is a meere Secular cause and of State, and it an expresse charge of Christ to all subiects, Reddere quae sunt Caesa­ris Caesari, aswell as Quae sunt Dei Deo; as also the ingenerate law of nature for all men to be loyall to their countrey. So as in this case there is no law, either of grace, nature, or moralitie, that can tie vs from opposition both with pen and tongue, and howsoeuer, against these fathers as touching this point, whom we know to be no lesse infest foes against our Princesse and countrey, then Spaine it selfe is at this day, and such as labour nothing more then to betray that sweete portion, this sweete plot, our countrey to Spaine, a meere forreine and Morisco nation.

Nay more, it is a point wherein haply his Holinesse and his pre­decessors haue bene (I will not say too blame) but ouerseene, inas­much as what miserie hath this latter age befallen our Church and countrey through new opinions in Religion, nor he nor they haue yet duely seene to forestall it, as still mistaking the course for it; that is, not by lenitie and [...]yle toward our Princesse, which by all likeli­hood would more haue preuailed, especially at the first, yea or yet, but by the cleane contrary, as by Buls and censures of excommunication and depriuation against her Maiestie, through the instigation (no [Page 12] doubt) of Spaine and lesuits. Great pitie it is that so litle politike that holy Sea hath bene and is in ciuill causes; namely, betwixt these two nations, as also betweene others heretofore in the like iarres (as ye may copiously reade in histories) through her partialitic in affection: and yet no maruell neither, considering that well we wote his Holi­nesse-infallibilitie is onely peremptorie through the holy Ghost in matters meerely of faith, & not of fact. So as in the cariage of a matter ofstate, more easily may he erre by being a Priest in function, rather then a Secular Prince, whose kingdome is of this world. Very pru­dently (we graunt) did his Holinesse interceed betwixt France and Spaine these last yeeres, to the happie passe of peace that is as yet be­tweene those two nations; and why might not his Holinesse haue the like happie hand betweene England and Spaine, vsing the like in­differencie and zeale to the same effect? Which with great reason (me thinkes) his Holinesse is to do, considering that it is as equall good (for the honour of England I speake it) to gaine the Queene of Englands fauour by his loue and kindnesse, (if so it please God) as to retaine [...] the King of Spaine, and the house of Austrich by so doing firme [...] it. What though her Highnesse be a woman, is she therefore the lesse worthy to be faire spoken by the Apostolicke Pastor, whose pipe ought to be all melodie (if it might winne her) or rather not the worthier for that? Much more then, for being so eminent a monarch as Englands Queene, and descended of Progenitors so [...] singular Ca­tholicke and well deseruing of that Sea, by their extraordinarie be­neuolence and bountie to it in former ages. At least wise her com­maunding a nation, and a nauie so mightie as Englands, whereby she hath hitherto made good her disgust and opposition to that sacred Sea, to the notable preiudice thereof, aswell throughout most parts of Christendome, as here at home in her Highnesse owne dominions, may in all policie enforce so kind complement at his Holinesse hands toward her Maiestie.

This latter consideration although it haue not so well preuailed with their Holinesses toward her Highnesse, yet well we see that the example of a Princesse and her soueraigne Father afore her so by it disgusted, and consequently their detriments done to that Sea, hath inclined his Holinesse that now is (being withall of himselfe Clement both by name and nature in octauo) to somewhat more then ordinary and meete indulgence toward other Princes: as for example his, and his predecessors continuall dispensations to the Princes of the house [Page 13] of Austrich, to match so very neare in bloud as cosin germaines scarse once remoued: and also this other day his Holinesse dispensing the French King to marrie with his Florentine now his corregnant, his former wife yet liuing, and the like: whereby in so yeelding to their fraile affections, we see how some he gaines, and other some he re­taines together with their seigniories and estates in good termes and temper to the Catholike Church. Whereas the cleane contrarie and rough hand hauing bene, and yet being holden by their Holinesses ouer her Maiestie and her worthy Father, we see and rue to this day what holy Church hath lost by it, which otherwise in the one it might haue preserued, and gained in the other. Do not we the Catholicke subiects of this Realme endure at this houre vnder her Highnesses displeasure with that Sea through her corasiues, in liew of lenitiues vnto her, her very heauie hand both ouer our liuelihoods and our liues, whereby we are driuen to great patience, as by our alleageance aswell to her, as by our Religion to God we are bound? This is all we haue gotten these foure and fortie yeares, by the seueirtie of the su­preme-Pastors to our Soueraigne, and this it he loseth. No no (cosin) these are not the dayes as heretofore, when Princes were willing as well in secular as in spirituall causes to be for the most part S. Peters leegemen. This is the age of discession from S. Peters chaire, an age of obdurance, and if euer Antichrists Antelope. Wherefore it be­houes his Holinesse (in all modestie and vnder correction I [...] speake it) now another while to shift the raines into his left hand, and be­nignely though somewhat sinisterly to retaine Christian Princes in the right Catholike way, and in particular so to win our Soueraigne, if it please God: and not to suffer himselfe to be miscaried by Spaine and Spaines implements the Iesuites against her. At leastwise I could wish, and I pray God, that howsoeuer his Holinesse may continue to erre herein, we the Catholicke subiects of this Realme may still re­member our duties, and despise the pipe of Spaine. Then would I not doubt but Gods finger would come in betweene, and worke her Maiesties Princely heart to his glorie and our ease, which now that Spaine and the Iesuites would seeme to take this office out of Gods hand; they rather marre then make good.

The remedie against which mischiefe is in our power, it being in our wils aswell as in our duties, not to be worse then Turke or Painim, as in such disloyaltie and misnature to our Prince and coun­trey in the behalfe of that Gothicke and Barbarian nation Spaine [Page 14] we should be. Well, are the Iesuites Dijtitulares, as being so termed after Iesus, but (sure) no way Dijtutclares in this their gospell. Farre better gods in that kind were the Romaine geese, which with their cackle awaked the garrison of the Capitoll in defence of that mount against Brennus his Escalada by night; and more worthie a great deale they to be held for goddesses therefore among those hea­then people (as they were a long time after) then these fathers for gods, amongst vs that are Christians, whom by this their so vnnatural position they would transforme to worse then geese. For, what bird may be said so much to defile his owne neast, as a man to be so very a varlet to his owne countrey? The Iesuites neuerthelesse would haue it so, and to this effect it is more then probably suspected, that the King of Spaine hath by their disbursements his pensioners; and feed men here amongst vs; yea, and the Iesuites themselues sticke not to vaunt that they haue a finger not onely in the Catholicke commons of this Realme, but also in the State, wherein (but specially the latter) I dare sweare that Mentitur iniquitas sibi. God of his infinite good­nesse (I beseech) neuer to suffer the Crowne of England to haue such a circle about it as any so bad States-men, nor euer may English No­bilitie be so stained.

True it is, and we are not ignorant by the examples of Sicilie, Na­ples, Lumbardie, and the low Countries, that highly doth the Spani­ard dig [...]ie the naturall Nobilitie of th [...]se Prouinces, indowing them ouer and aboue their owne patrimonie (though very ample) with double as much pension from Spaine: but to what end? Truly, to no other, then that by so retaining the affections of the nobles loyall to him, he may by their hands (being naturals) the easier tyrannize o­uer the Commons to their vtter bondage and beggarie, as in th [...]se parts we see it. This kind of complement may perhaps allure a base minded States-man (as none such we trust belongs to the Crowne of England) to hearken to such the Iesuits suggestion in Spaines behalfe, but neuer a true nobleman indeed. For whosoeuer such he be, that values the honour of his a [...]mcestrie deriued to him in bloud, and withall the honour of such his office ofstate, whereby he is incorpo­rate to the Queene, and sworne a father to his countrey, it is not pos­sible that he can be so Iesuited. Neither is it probable that any Ca­tholicke or other commoner of but common sort, sence, and ciuility, can be drawne thereunto, notwithstanding that in the point of a childs dutie to his parent, and also of a seruants to his maister; it is [Page 15] strange how Iesuitisine hath debaucht a great many Catholikes that I know and haue heard of. I know the Catholicke children of either sexe, and those (some of them) in their ripest sence, and of extraordina­rie religious shew and reputation, who since their becomming Iesui­ted, haue very scandalously not onely neglected their fillall dutie and reuerence to their parents, but which worse is, cleane set them at naught; such swolne and puritane-spirits those fathers haue put into them, vpon opinion (belike) of their being Gods dearlings, and as­sured of their saluation; or else vpon perswasion that they being their spiritual parents, they ought in regard of them to misregard their car­nall, by how much the spirit is more honourable then the flesh. It is no maruell if men so impious against the law of nature, do teach their pupils all foule manner toward the ciuill Magistrate, as also if they dare to preach it for good religion, a man to be a traitor to his Prince and Countrey. But very much it were a maruell if Englishmen, espe­cially Catholickes, who (as such) ought to be the best and loyallest subiects vnder heauen, and such as all Princes may be glad to raigne ouer, would be depraued by their so Morisco doctrine, as fauouring so much of Spaine, and the bastard Sowbucke, Spaines so leud Apostle.

For setting aside the infinite scandale and dishonour, for such a Realme as this to vaile bonnet to any forreine nation in the world; what may we probably expect at Spaines hands were it vnder her aw, then tyrannie in octauo, whose way-makers being religious are men of so foule desert both to it and our Church? Al the good that we may be certaine of, were Catholicke Religion (which I graunt were the greatest good vnder heauen) but with it such oppression, and that vnder the pall and pretext of Relgion, as what can be more irreligi­ous? or what Catholicke may endure it? Yes, (you will say) we shall haue Indie gold by the meanes; I graunt ye, but how? so dearely bought as we had better be pleased with our English copper. The same when we haue it, to be forth comming to the Spanish magi­strates extortion, and perhaps to euerie rascall Spanish souldiers ra­pine; or haply in liew thereof, the horne to your forehead, or the rape of your daughter, or the buggerie of your sonne, or the Sodomi­zing of your sow, with thousands such like insolencies and shames, as are [...] naturall to that torrid nation, and you had better be dead then endure. There would be such wresting then of Reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari by the Iesuits, that all that euer you are and haue, should there­by come vnder the execution of Spanish tyrannie, euen to the accises [Page 16] vpon sallads, egges, pudding-pies, shooing-hornes, and the like plaine and pettie wares throughout the Realme: whereas our Saui­our Christ gaue that precept in reuerence to true, lawfull, naturall So­ueraignes, and not to tyrants and vsurpers, especially forreiners, such as the Spaniards would be if it should come to that.

How much more comfortable construction may we that are Ca­tholickes at this day in England make of th [...]se words of Christ, being both by his instant example when he vttered them, and more fully afterward by his Passion, at what time though he were God, and might (as he himselfe affirmed) haue commaunded legions of Angels at his Fathers hands in his defence against Caesar and the ciuill ma­gistrate, yet would not so do, but contrariwise yeelded himselfe like a most meeke Lambe to the shamble, and in particular at his apprehen­sion rebuked S. Peter for drawing his sword against Malchas, though in so good a quarrell as of him his Lord and Maister, being (I say) by all these his examples taught, that we ought in Gods cause rather paeti then agere fortia against the ciuil sword; passion rather thē action see­ming by all his presidents (as man & whose kingdome he himself said was not of this world) to be the more honourable point of fortitude. Non veni soluere legem, sed a [...]implere, said our Sauior in another place, and also by his Apostle elsewhere, Obedite Praepositis vostris. Besides, that the Popes holinesse hath neither implicité nor explicité, as Christs Vicar other commission out of Christs owne words, then that which Christ said himselfe to haue, viz. no kingdome of this world but meerely Pastorall, and for which the Prophet forespelled of Christ, that he was to sit in Dauids throne who was a shepheard: whereby his Holinesse is also to vse and delegate but onely pastorall armes by Christs owne appointment, that is Peram & baculum, and as all shep­heards do, to take his sheep-walkes as he finds them, downe as down, and dale as dale, and not to transferre the same as S. Gregorie Tha [...] ­maturgus did a mountaine by myracle, and as to bring Spaine into En­gland, and the like, according to this new gospell of the Iesuites were to do. No no (cosin) Saint Peter had no keyes commissioned him by Christ as a Caesar, but as a Shepheard, as appeares plaine by the words of his commission: Pasce ones me as, pasce ag [...]s me [...]s: neither is his Holinesse at this day a temporall Prince, but onely in litle Roma­nia, and that by the bountie (as ye may reade) of our countriman Con­stantine Caesar.

Lastly, neither is it safe pollicie in his Holinesse, as he fauours the [Page 17] Church his charge, to attempt any such tradition of England ouer to Spaine, considering that our Soueraigne is truly a Lionesse that knowes her strength and how to vse it aswell as euer any her prede­cessor-Kings of this Realme did, and as alreadie more then partly the Catholicke Church through Gods permission hath found it, and his Holinesse sees it, and we yet feele it as aforesaid.

Wherefore (good Cosin) to conclude my opinion and conscience vnto you vpon this point, let all English Catholickes aswell for that we are Catholikes as English, explode and prosecute this doctrine of the Iesuites here amongst vs in Spaines behalfe as imposturall and dis­loyall, and flat against the grounds both of grace and nature; and let vs sticke as well to our countrey like true English, as to the holy Ro­maine Church like true Catholikes to the death. Let vs be still armed with passiue fortitude, viz. patience toward our owne true, lawfull, and naturall Princesse though neuer so heauie handed ouer vs, rather then in our impatience to call in a stranger, and a demi- Moore vpon vs whose language we vnderstand not, and whose humours and fa­shions we shall neuer be able to abide. In so doing though it should be the will of God her Maiestie still to continue harsh towards vs, we shall giue God and our consciences honour both now present and in the latter day, as by the testimoniall of our true alleageance and Reli­gion, barke the Puritanes neuer so currishly against vs as they daily do.

You haue seene (I am sure) their late Memoriall exhibited to her Maiestie, and the two LL. Archbishops, perswading farther vexati­ons and grieuances to vs Catholickes then hitherto haue bene accu­stomed, euen to the passe of occluding vnto vs all hope of her High­nesse grace and clemenie for euer, which sounds as much as to driue vs to despaire; a point which they verie vnchristianly and no lesse vn­politickly define to be the onely securing of her Princely person and estate against all both foraine and domesticke hazards, as though we were the onely disloyall subiects vnto her Highnes in either of those kinds. But such their malignant reasons and imputations leaue we (Cosin) to her Maiesties examination, who in her high Prudence cannot be but satisfied of our loyaltie (setting Iesuites aside) by the proofe of these foure and fortie yeares, as also see how daungerous a thing it is to a State, to driue so great a part of subiects as Catholikes are in this her Highnesse Realme to desperation were we not Catho­lickes, who by the grounds of our Religion would (God willing) be [Page 18] as litle disloyal to her Maiestie in such our despaires (would her High­nesse driue vs thereto) as we haue hitherto bene in our longanimitie and hopes for her fauor: whereas what Puritanes would proue in the like case vnto her Highnesse, it is greatly to be doubted, considering their frantike spirit, and what bellowes blowes them. But (we thanke God) that not they, but Protestants steare the present state, who be­ing lesse forgone from God and vs then they (how foolishly soeuer this memorialist would make their Religion all one) is withall so wise as to iudge of that their memoriall as it is, remembring how little Queene Marie profited this Realme in Catholike Religion by her se­ueritie against Protestants; it being the nature of persecution, rather to pullulate more and more spiritual errors, then to retrench them: much more veritie it selfe according to that of the Psalmist, Fluminis impetus laetificat ciuitatem Dei. Besides that, neither would such the Puritanes course ere a whit preuaile (I presume) so much as in State (setting Re­ligion aside) with the Iesuite partie, which indeed is the Spanish, and that whereof they make least State; forsomuch as (we are sure) how­soeuer the memorialist pleaseth to terme them Catholickes of Reli­gion and not of State, that they would collogue with any such course, by either oath or other externall signe whatsoeuer should be required at their hands, according to the lawes of their mentall euasions and equiuocations grounded vpon their Ordo ad Deum, which permits them any dissimulation; and also according to the examples they haue hereof giuen in Scotland, by allowing and auowing it lawfull for Ca­tholickes there to communicate with Heretickes in their externall seruice, which any true child of the Catholicke Church would ra­ther die then do, as holding it flat Apostacie. I am sorie to say thus much of them going as they do for Catholikes; as also that grossely is the memorialist mistakē, to affirme our variance with them but dissem­bled to the State, and by dispensation from his Holinesse; which if it were so at the beginning (as what wise man would cuer imagine it, considering we are both one Church, and that vnder persecution, and the scandall it would giue) yet now both the State and all England sees, that if (as such) we entred at the first like two friends into a fence­schoole to practise with one another in ieast, and to deceiue the be­holder; such our ieast is now turned into earnest, our foyles to edge, our vennies to wounds.

But leauing this point of State, wherein the Puritanes and Iesuites both do thus wrong vs to the world-ward though not to God, I haue [Page 19] no more to say vnto you concerning the same at this time, then what in my former letter I largely wished, and in this a litle afore I began to say, that is, that howsoeuer the world goes, we shew our selues (as hitherto we haue done) loyall to her Maiestie, and respectfull to her law, and the ciuil magistrate vnder her in whatsoeuer trial of our faith; and not malapert, saucie, and peremptorie, like as manie Iesuited Ca­tholickes haue done, as though a good matter needed not also good manner. Constant it behooues vs to be, Usque ad aras, to our consci­ence if it come to that, but not currish, and surly, as in scorne of the law and magistrate we liue vnder, whom such cariage doth no whit edifie, but rather more and more exasperate to our harmes. Besides, that it sounds a man in so doing to be guiltie of his owne death, and to die not so much for Religion, as for an vnciuill fellow. So died one of the 14 gentlemen, who being questioned of his Religion by a high Com­missioner, thought it not zeale inough to auouch it Catholike (which he did) vnlesse with this addition, that he thanked God he was not a sheepe of the scabbed flocke of Geneua. Briefe, our obedience and ser­uice ought (according to the Apostle) to be discreete, and as much as may be to edification, aswell by our morall good deportment, as by our religious. The Protestants that suffered in Queene Maries time for their errours in Religion, were in this point many of them to be commended, they fashioning their termes very reuerently to the ciuil Magistrate: and shal we then that are Catholikes be to learne of them? No, let vs remember that we are subiects to a Princesse, no more an v­surper, yea, more applauded to the Crowne by all England, and in es­peciall, the same set vpon her royall head, and she annointed by a Ca­tholike Bishop, then euer that good Queene was, who attained to it through the pikes of a competitor. Let vs withall hope that (seeing bloud will haue bloud) the Protestants hand which we are now vn­der, will one day be satisfied for the Protestant blond, in my opinion, too profusely shed, and other their vexations in the aforesaid good Queeens daies, and so perhaps appeased. But specially in so singular a good cause as this of our Catholike Religion, if no asswage or courte­sie should euer befall vs from the Protestant, let this be our rest, not to be ashamed to be torne members vnder so thornie a head as our Lord and Maister Iesus. Which the better we may do and be, if we will harken like good sheepe to the pipe of our true Pastors of the secular Cleargie, namely, the Seminaries yet another while, leauing the Ie­suites as false ones, and who in their singularitie and worldly wealth [Page 20] (wherin they settle like Bettles in soile) haue cleane forfeited and for­saken the spirit both of their Founder and of the Catholike Church, and so are giuen ouer by God to themselues, & ad insanias falsas, as yet a litle more I will shew you and so make an end.

First then to begin with what I now last touched of their singulari­tie and common-wealth, it is not to be doubted but amid all their E­uangelicall labours in India, they haue a speciall eye to their Bonum societatis as they terme it; but whether truly In ordine ad Deum that is the question. Not that I would haue you conster this Item vnto them as in detraction by way of extenuation of their wel-doings for Christs Church in those parts, but truly as it is, that more then somewhat or competent they respect their temporall boote in that spirituall traf­ficke. Which to do in a religious mediocritie might well (I graunt) beseeme them, forasmuch as Dignus est operarius mercede sua, especi­ally if they would vse their gettings as they ought and would haue it thought sincerely In ordine ad Deum, as the Benedictines did their riches heretofore in England, in almes-hospitalitie and all good edifi­cation, I meane the gold, and pearle, and spice, and such like Indian-wares wherewith they so copiously euerie yeare inrich their societie here in Europe from thence. But if it do appeare (as too plaine it doth) that by reason of such their riches from thence and what they no lesse secularly gather here in Europe, they neglect Gods honor by preferring their owne afore it; then (loe) must we needs condemne both such their gatherings in India and here, and much more their said Ordo ad Deum as falsly and hypocritically by them pretended; and consequently thinke, that Qui cum ijs colligunt, spergunt. If it ap­peare to all Europe that by meanes of such their wealth they trouble all Europe by setting Kings and kingdomes at oddes; by sowing of factions wheresoeuer they come; by ambitioning aboue all religious orders in holy Church In ordine ad daemonem, Aemulantes still Charis­ma [...] pessima, and dominion euen ouer the secular Cleargie on which for their greatest honors they depend; if they busie themselues in dis­posing and deposing of Crownes and Scepters betraying one nation ouer to the hand of another, yea, their owne deare countrey, and all this in Iesus name; briefe, if they be scarse good lay men in their caria­ges, & but in bare title religious; if all this or but half do appeare true, how then (I pray) is their riches to be said In ordine ad Deum? or how are they the men they vaunt and would be taken for? Who that hath but one eye sees not how that by so abusing their wealth, they abuse [Page 21] God and his glorious name, after which in their singularitie they haue chosen to be called? Who sees not that by being so vnworthie stew­ards of worldly talent, they are much more vnworthie of the spirituall fauors, faculties, & prerogatiues indulged vnto them by holy Church more then to any other order of Religion whatsoeuer; insomuch as in regard of the same (being spiritual and holy talents) they may truly say to God if they were so humble and penitent, or since they are not, any other for them, Domine quinque talenta dedisti mihi, ecce alia quinque super furatus sum: for what hath a religious person to do with the fat of the earth, albeit he would vse it neuer so well? much lesse when abuse it as these do. Such fat doth but infatuate them from hea­uen, making them looke toward it with fat cheeks which they should do with leane. Who sees not how that their neastling in pallace-tops by meanes of such their wealth, is not therefore their being true and kind storkes; insomuch as they from such their tops and towers, pay not like the thankful storke tribute to the place, neither kil they vp all the frogges and other vermin in the countrey about; but contrariwise would destroy the best things there, as here in England we see the la­mentable proofe at this houre in their libel against the honors of our best fathers the Seminaries who brought them ouer hither, as also in the Catholicke Church of Holland which they haue likewise so fouly disordered with their schisme and faction at this day, that it is at this present in an Appeale against them vnder her Apostolicke Vicar be­fore the Popes Legate a latere in those parts, who to his infinit griefe to see it, is now in redressing the same.

So haughtie that societie is growne by reason of her wealth, and the countenance of the house of Austrich (whose coate and cognisance it hath worne from an egge, as aiming to rise and fall by and with the greatest) that wheresoeuer in all Christendome it sets footing, it straight seekes to innouate all, and to captiuate aswell the Laitie as the Cleargie to her homage. Here hence it is that all mens faculties must vaile bonnet to it, and their good names be vnder her praise or reproofe. It is not enough where a Colledge of these fathers is, a Ci­tizen to be noble either in bloud, by office, or rare manners, no nor to be neuer so honest, innocent, and of a safe conscience to God and the world-ward, without their superscription or letters patents, which sounds as though a man should be more beholding to them then to God, to a Icsuit then to Iesus: whereas, bearing the print of their praise, it skils not how very a foole, or knaue, or both a man be. [Page 22] All mens honours and abilities must depend on them, and their re­publicke, or else be reputed reprobate. Yea, the secular Priest (as I a litle afore touched) which is the supremest dignitie in the Church of God, and it whereby a Iesuit Priest is more reuerend, then for be­ing a bare Iesuite and no Priest, (which he can neuer be but by the imposition of the Seculars hand, vz. the Bishops ouer him) such a one (I say) not to rise vp to him, and giue him the conge and vpper place in all meetings, is to be esteemed an vnmannerly puppie, and pro­claimed by their drum [...]e for a scandalous person ouer all the face of a countrey; so exorbitant is their pride or ingratitude, chuse ye whe­ther. Examples hereof are so many, and so daily here in our countrey and in our Church notwithstanding the affliction it is vnder, that to recount ye them, were more tedious then a wonder. Was it not (for example) notable pride and peeuishnesse in a certaine Iesuited priest Northward now an assistant to the Archpriest, who being there in a worshipfull womans house, where were also a secular Priests residing for the most part, he vpon some generall termes of hers to him in con­fession, sounding as though she were scandalized in the too peremp­torie cariage of one of the three in her house, to refuse to absolue her, vnlesse she would there at his feete declare, whether she meant it by him (as indeed she did) a point which she refusing to satisfie him in, as meere impertinent, nay vnallowable in that Sacrament; was faine to stay his inordinate leysure and pleasure for an absolution: be­sides the pride, was not this notable sacriledge to so high a Sacra­ment?

In like maner this other day, a parcell of almes comming to a cer­taine prison in London, and deliuered to a Iesuited Priest of the last yeares condemnation, to be by him distributed amongst the Catho­likes his fellow-prisoners; a Iesuit who was likewise a prisoner in that place, demaunded that money of him as in way of exception, that he being a profest Iesuit was the worthier man to distribute it. The other on the other side stood vpon the honour of his condemnation, allea­ging that in that respect (though no Iesuit he, other then in Voto) he was the more worthy. Thus stood they vpon Puntoes so quarellously, and so long in this high affaire, that they could take no rest a nights, and that all the prisoners there were verie much scandalized thereat, who being for the most part Iesuiticall, and the brabble referred in the end to their disciding, awarded for the substantiue Iesuit against the adiectiue, notwithstanding his dissigned martyrdome, which I am [Page 23] greatly deceiued if euer God suffer to take effect, as long as he con­tinues Iesuiticall. Out of this spirit it is that father Cowbucke for all the disparage of his birth (which not his basptisme could wash away) and other his scandalous cariages aswell since his Iesuitisme, as for­merly when he was an hereticke in Oxford, ambitioneth the Cardina­late, forgetting how that to be a bare Priest (though no such peere) he being a knowne bastard is against the Canons of the Church; al­though to be a Iesuite (being such) well and good he may. A pro­per person (surely) to be a Cardinall, or to carie so great a taile af­ter him as he doth at this day in England: howbeit (insooth) as good he to be such a ring-leader for Spanish faction here, the matter being so leud as it is, and he (setting his priesthood aside) so base, as for his Generall or other outlandish Iesuite to be the same, who are no whit English. Well, the man is a Iesuit, and therefore to be esteemed what­soeuer his birth or behauiour be, and they worthy the Stropado, [...]ay the Garotto that dare to censure him. See what a thing it is to be a Iesuit, and what an Ordo ad Deum (as they vse it) in disorder to the Church and of a common wealth.

This is that societie of Fathers of which it must be said, that by Gods speciall prouidence it came vp with Luther, as a curbe to his and from him all the ensuing heresies of this age, by which it hath morched along like a mattocke cheeke by ioule, rooting them vp in­stantly euery where. A fond foundation of a praise, as though Beere did not also come in much about that time, which notwithstanding immoderatly taken and so abused, though good and wholesome drinke of it selfe, is as the Iesuites are at this day pernitious, intoxica­ting the braine. This is that societie that must be termed of Fathers in Gods Church, they being no whit her good sonnes, and which would rule, not knowing yet how to obey. This is that societie that thinkes it becomes it well in Iesus name to grace her Generals, and other her inferiour members to the worlds eye, with most curious and costly pi­ctures and statues amongst the greatest Lords and Heroes of Chri­stendome, which is a monstrous vaine-glorie, and which all other re­ligious in the Church, are in their humilitie ashamed of. But their kingdome being (it seemes) wholly of this world, let not such their vanity seeme strange vnto you, neither yet strange a many other their like vaine-glorious fopperies. In few, this is that societie that must be thought most holy and perfect of all other orders, yea or then a ge­nerall Councell, because (forsooth) they say, it is the most hated cor­poration, [Page 24] and the most persecuted of Heretickes and the diuell of them all: which argument we might well graunt them for good, were it not that the societie is also no lesse disliked of the Catholike church itselfe. Moreouer if that reason might hold, aswell may we inferre that Lutheranisme was truest Religion in Queene Maries time, be­cause the most persecuted then: but Causa, not Poena facit Martyrem saith S. Augustine; and our Sauiour, Ex fructubus eorum cognoscetis eos. These be the true rules that Heretikes and Iesuites are to be knowne by of all Catholickes, namely, as enemies the one, scandals the other to the Catholike Church, the one without, the other within the same. And yet these others sway mightily (we see) with ignorant Catho­lickes in their good acceptance and commendation, according to that, Stultorum plena sunt omnia. At a word it is such a societie, that were S. Augustine now aliue and to write anew his Citie of God, he would pen it downe, and make it knowne for the most imposturall corporation that euer was within the same, and as pernitious to it (if it should hold on vnreformed) as any malignant limme that euer hath bene thereunto. For which ye may see what great reason the French King had to expulse them out of his most Christian kingdome, and how little reason the Catholike King hath to giue them the counte­nance he doth, whereas the rude Indians if they but vnderstood the French Kings reasons for his expelling them, would (I perswade me) do as much amongst them.

Another querke this societie hath wherewith to winne to be ad­mired, and that is her prophecies. Great Propheciers the Iesuites are and fortune-tellers, to wit, not of trifles, as of stolne or lost necker­chers, handkerchers, crosse-clothes, pin-pillowes and the like, like Gipsies or Witches, but of the changes and deaths of States and Sta­tists, though for the most part most foolish and false, whereby you may see from whence their illuminations come, and with what holy-ghost their familiaritie and correspondence is whereof they so much boast. For example, they one while prophecied of the last Lord Treasurer of England the Lord Burleigh, that for being not so much a per­secutor of the Catholicke Church in generall, as in particular of their societie, by Gods angry doome he should die Herods pedicular death: another while that he should be executed at the Court-gate in her Maiesties displeasure and to the infinite contentment both of Court and Countrey, who notwithstanding (as he liued a great Councellor) so to the eye of the world died a faire death, and was laid out a faire [Page 25] coarse, and buried with great honor. So likewise of her Maiesties end how disasterously they haue prophecied, and do expect, I am sure you haue heard and do disgust as much as I. But what talke I of Prote­stants, seeing that also vpō very religious Catholikes they haue augu­red no lesse fatally, for being their known or but suspected distasters? If but a pin prick such a one, or his tooth ake neuer so litle, it must be straight thought Gods anger to the partie, and that all the Angels of heauen haue a finger therein in reuenge of his odious soule to God. Whereas what mischiefe soeuer happens to any child or dearling of theirs (though neuer so prodigious, and the partie neuer so leud) must be reputed but ordinarie and naturall, yea and Gods blessing vnto him as in probate of his vertues, and not in plague to his sinnes. Thus rarifie they (as it were) all aduerse persons to their doctrine and proceedings, either to the diuell or to nothing, and blub vp their owne impes in presumption like rice or pease in pisse.

I know the Gentlewoman my allie, who in this strange ballowne-like spirit (being extreme Iesuitical) vaunted these vaine ascensions of her soule to heauen-ward. Imprimis, that her first ghostly father, being but a bare Secular Priest, brought her but on her way to heauen; the second a Iesuited Secular, brought her to heauens gate; but the third a profest Iesuite, he, oh he of all the good men that euer liued, she was beholding vnto for heauen it selfe.

Was it not as puritane a spirit in another Iesuitesse sometimes my good acquaintance, who in the case of her daughters preferment in mariage, refused to hold parley with a very worshipfull gentleman in a motion made by a Secular Priest concerning a match betweene his sonne and her said daughter, for no other reason in the world, then because such a Priest, and not a Iesuite was the meanes: which Iesui­tisme of hers the Gentleman scorning aswell for his owne honour, as for the honour of the Secular Cleargie, gaue her ouer with an affrent as she deserued.

The like puft spirit, or rather à fortiore was that of a Iesuiticall Priest now in Framlingham, who in a letter of his to a kinswoman of mine, perswading her to Iesuitisme in the present schisme, hath these Pharisaicall termes vnto her, or the like (as I perfectly remember) in his owne commendation: O my good God, how much hast thou ho­noured me aboue thousands of my brethren in thy seruice, how may I not hope for my long sufferances for thy sake, my watchings, pray­ers, fastings, to be thine for euer in thy glorie; Oh see what vertue is, [Page 26] and how boldly it may bespeake Gods iustice. All which neuerthe­lesse I would haue you think I attribute to Gods goodnes and not to my owne deserts, &c. How like ye (I pray) this spirit of a man? Do ye thinke it tastes any whit of the holy Ghost, or of his spouse the Catho­licke Church? Haue ye euer read of the like in any Saint of God, Confes [...]or or Martyr? beleeue me I haue not. A Iesuit so to commend himself, how is it not to condemne others? and to be too peremptory a Prophet of disasters, especially to his distasters, though commonly as false in the one, as Pharisaical in the other? How is it that they con­demne not onely other mens bad, but euen their best actions, not proceeding from the instinct of their spirit, but farther, dare (as I say) to prophecie Gods dread doomes thereunto, and to them, Oh monstrous singularitie to presume so high, or if not monstrous but meete, why may not (I pray) by the same reason a Secular Priest or his friend aswell not censure that societie for most impious, vnfortu­nate, yea and reprobate for the paucitie of Martyrs that haue bene of it in England all this time of affliction, neither any Saint of it as yet so much as their Founder canonized in the Catholike church since their institution to this day? Why may not we aswel by the same reason ca­lumniate euen those three or 4. Martyrs (which are al that haue bin of their societie here in England) to haue died rather to their shames for their sins, then to gods glorie, which (though vnconfirmed as yet by myracles for Saints) God defend that absolutely we should. Yea God desend we should so much as censure M. Atkinson the late A­postata priest, their renouned dearling both before and since his A­postasie, for a reprobate, seeing that Non est abbreuiata manus Dei at any time toward a repentant sinner. Howbeit, not that withall we are bound in conscience to extenuate his lapse & scandale as but a trifle, which some Iesuits lately haue done, and that by their expresse letters in his commendation into Ireland, which are forthcomming. But all their crowes must be white, which whether blacke or white (being but crowes) much good (I pray God) may it do them. In effect, there is nothing so religious, so honorable, and to Gods honour, but impie­tie may depraue, nor any thing so criminall and abhominable, but it may be-honest at least in shew, especially vpon pretext of Religion and holinesse as Iesuites vse to do all their euils.

But those fathers must not be repaid with their owne measure, nor is it meete, it being so much out of measure as ye see. If the Seminarie or Secular Priest should so render vnto them, the example would be [Page 27] too scandalous and domageable to Gods Church here amongst vs, they being (as it were) the very brow of it, and as a beacon vpon mount Sion. So should not our Church be without continuall Schisme, nor the State ciuill without imminent hazards from abroade and corruption at home; so very foule for the most part are all their examples, which to expiate how many of these good men haue lost their liues as in equall condemnation with the Iesuits from the State? And in particular so should detraction be the greatest Ladie in this land, it being the most Iesuiticall vice of all other, & of the most varie­tie and facilitie to be practised; for ye may do it by supposals. Suppose ye (for example) that one of the Appellant priests do resort to my Lord of London, it is iust thereupon to report and sweare, that he hath alreadie recanted at Paules Crosse and is turned Protestant, or maried to a wench and become a cuckold, and so of the like whatso­euerye list, so the rule and standart in your conscience be Ordo ad Deum.

And for I speake of detraction, I will here relate and condemne vnto you, hoping you will do the like with me, one of the foulest pre­sidents that euer you heard or read of in this kind of Iesuitisme. The Authors whereof in generall are all the whole Iesuiticall faction at this day in England as for labiall slander of the partie detracted; but in especiall, and in way oflibell but three or foure. One is father Cow­bucke in his late infamous Appollogie, or what other Iesuite is there­of the Author; another the Manifester of folly and bad spirit, &c. the third, the aforesaid Cowbucke, or the Archpriest (as some thinke) in the Latin Appendix; and the fourth and last is one Versteghen, alias Rowland a Coopers sonne, and a binominous fellow, worthily so markt and knowne to the world were it for no other spot orstaine of his life then this one alone. Of this fourth libell and libeller onely I here meane to certifie you, letting the other three passe as throughly alreadie either answered or in answering to M. Watsons lasting credit (who is the man thus Iesuitically infamed) by those of his owne reue­rend coate and companie.

This Versteghen then, alias Rowland (the honest Coopers sonne here at S. Katherins in London) rising vp onely by brocage and spie­rie for the Hispanished Iesuits, liuing now as though he were an Hi­dalgo in Antwerpe (as who may not be a gentleman so far from home) hauing read or heard of a certaine passage in M. Watsons Quodli­bets, where he feeles himselfe touched rather for a very fopperie in­deed, [Page 28] then any enormous crime (as may appeare to the Reader) takes the matter so highly in blemish to his Iesuitical reputation, and withal pepper so in the nose as ye shall heare. He writes me hereupon his let­ter, or rather his libel ouer into England coppie vpon coppie, in which (omitting how by the way he calumniates the partie of the Appel­lants in generall) he most sacrilegiously termes the said good man M. Watson, an Apostata vnworthy of Priesthood, one who hath made shipwracke of his soule, a bussard, a dissard, a lier, a base companion, an out-cast of the world, hatefull to God and man, a contemptible, base, obscure, and ridiculous creature, a rauer, a railer, a slaunderer, detestable, abhorrible, perfidious, malicious, venimous, shamelesse, wicked, false, vile, a scholler of women and fooles, a notorious lying knaue, a Iudas, and no wayes to be ballanced for worthinesse and credite to father Parsons; a fit cadence (beleeue me) to such a straine.

Good cosin, before I proceede any farther in reproofe of this wretch, do not (I pray) your eares glow alreadie (being so very Ca­tholicke as you are) to reade these termes against an annointed Priest? Do ye not alreadie condemne and spit at so Iesuiticall a spirit? The fellow I haue knowne a long time, and withall to haue bene euer an impe of the Iesuites; else how is it possible that professing himselfe a Catholicke and a Gentleman, nay and to suffer for the ca se, he to be so impious to holy Priesthood as these termes import him? Could any Hereticke, Turke, Painim, Atheist, Witch, Diuell haue beene more sacrilegious? or any scauinger more vncleanely? or could any though neuer so enormous a Caitife haue bene more abiectly taunted then with these termes? What thinke you when such a vermin as this, shall dare offer such indignitie to holy Priesthood, then which what higher dignitie haue ye in the Church of God? A man would haue thought that had M. Watson bene neuer so guiltie, and deseruing those Epithetes, yet the sacred Order of Priesthood, whereby he abides ne­uerthelesse medicinable to all that sacramentally apply vnto his salue, by vertue of that Character which still remaines indeleble vpon him vnto his graue, would haue had so much priuiledge with a Catho­licke man as to haue forborne him those termes; especially the dissard (for I wil render him but his own measure) vouchsafing in his said libel vpon one Digs a ranke Puritane, & persecutor of Catholikes the title of Maister. But oh God, oh infinite corruption in holy Church, when such spirits are suffered, nay nurtured therein: when a religious Socie­tie, [Page 29] and that of Iesus can beget such brats! How may we not feare, yea and in a manner sweare that Cecidit ciuitas sancta, when whereas here­tofore the lay did therein now and then debauch the religious, now the relgious do debauch the lay, and that as bad as bad may be; name­ly to the outraging of what is most holy, to wit, Priest and Prince; the later as we lately inough saw in the murther of the last French King, and latelier might haue seene in the now regnant; and also in our own deare Soueraigne sundrie times by the Iesuiticall hand had not Gods hand bene the stronger: and the other (not to go farre for examples) thus in M. Watson.

Cosin, let me with your patience chide this bussard a litle, though a great deale he deserues, in zeale and honour of Catholike Religion, which no whit warranteth such a scandale; as also in humbe loue and reuerence of the partie depraued, whose vertues I haue long tasted of to my much spirituall edification, and therefore may iustly challenge to be admitted a witnesse in his behalfe against this libeller. Were Sir Thomas Moore aliue, I am sure he would herein take my part, who so Catholickly reuerberated Luthers grosse termes against the annoin­ted person of King Henrie vpon the Apostata himselfe; howbeit an office he tooke no pleasure in, and much more (no doubt) would he haue bene rough with the outrager of a Priest. And why not I the same, who (I thanke God) auow my selfe no lesse Catholicke, though nothing neare so good a Catholike as that good Knight? why (I say) should not I by his example haue also a pen to employ in a Priests defence, aswell as he?

Why how sirha Versteghen or Rowland, or (as thou darest to terme an annointed Priest) thou notorious lying knaue, whether hath Iesui­tisme thus caried thee against thy true spirituall father a secular Priest? whether from Catholike, dutie, yea and all humanitie? Are not these termes of thine Percussio Cleri in the highest degree? for which thou hast deserued the cēsure of the Canon & a great deale worse to be in­flicted vpon thee. Hast thou (thou base and obscure creature) forgot­ten our Sauiors saying, that wherin thou misdoest to any one of these, thou mis-doest to me, and that who saith to his brother; Racha; is re [...] g [...]ennae ignis, much more who saith it to his father? Wouldst thou thy selfe wert thou an Apostata, a bussard, a dissard, a lier, a base companion, an out-cast of the world, hatefull to God and man, a notorius lying knaue, a Iudas, yea a dog, and no wayes to be ballanced for worthi­nesse and credite to father Parsons, &c. be patient to be thus called, [Page 30] thou being much part of all these, and but a lay mechanical Gana-pan which is a Spanish Epithet that full well thou vnderstandest, and in English an earne-bread or bread-earner, and yet darest thou to giue a sacred Priest such atributes? Art thou not ashamed (thou out-cast of the world, and no wayes to be ballanced, &c.) after hauing thus wounded thy father, to vaunt thy géntrie in the end and blazon thy coate-armour, who hadst thou bene a gentleman aforetime, hast herein forfaited not onely all that vaine honour, but euen the name and honour of a Catholicke, and deseruest to be hissed and exploded both out of all ciuill companie and the Catholike Church? How is it that holy Church hath not incharged the Ostiarius to whip out of it so impious a vermin as thou against Priesthood, aswell as the Iew, the vsurer, and the dogge? How is it that by this thy foule president all Catholickes may not iudge thee for a man that wilt as litle sticke to defloure thine owne sister, murther thy mother, prostitute thy daugh­ter, or do and be worse if worse may be? How is it that the Iesuites themselues whose impe and instrument thou art thus to massacre thy true spirituall father, do not for their credits sake (at least in shew to the Catholicke Church) teare thee in peeces? Wretch that thou art so farre forth to forget thy selfe and the Catholicke Church thy mo­ther, as to contemne thy father. Wretch that thou art, whom God al­mighties curse vpon Chams issue for deriding his fathers frailtie, could not terrifie from thus doing the like. Wretch that thou art, whose heart, whose head, whose hand could be so wicked. Wretched gold­smith that thou art, neuer hereafter graue thou any holy figure, hauing bene herein so highly vnholy. Wretched Painter, neuer paint thou but Owles and Asses, after hauing bene so scurrilous. Wretched Coo­pers sonne as Versteghen, or (perhaps) a Tinkars as Rowland, neuer assist thou more at holy altar, nor to be partaker of any Sacrament at a Priests hand, hauing set Priesthood so at naught. Wretch that thou art, shun thou henceforward the Communion of Saints, hauing thus spet on a Challice which is the cup of life. Are these the ty [...]es thou payest vnto the altar? Is this thy kisse vnto the spouse of Christ? or weenest thou (haply) that Honora patrem & matrem is not meant spiritually by a Priest and the church, but onely carnally by the Coo­per thy father and his wife? or rather art thou (haply) ashamed of thy Baptisme, and of all the absolutions and holy Ostes that thou euer re­ceiuedst at a Priests hands, why thus thou shouldst abuse a Priest like one that were turned worse then Turke? Fie on thee wretched Ca­tholicke, [Page 31] wretched Gentleman, wretched Englishman, wretched Painter, wretched Coopers sonne, and all for being so Iesuiticall. Thinkest thou not (thou vile and venomous companion) that aswell as I and with me all good Catholickes here on earth, the very Angels of heauen do not crie shame and vengeance to light on thee? Fea­rest thou not that either thunderboltes from heauen should pash thee, or stones in the earth rise vp against thee? Fearest thou not that thy name (whether of the two or what other I wot not) is alreadie written in hell, and a place there prepared for thee, for hauing thus scandalized all the Catholike Church on earth, and the Court of hea­uen, vnlesse thou repent and notably satisfie them both? Which how canst thou lesse do or better, then like the Scorpion whose bloud rub­bed vpon the bodie it hath stung, cures the wound; so thou with the pen wherewith thou hast transgressed against holy Priesthood, make the eternal Priest of the order of Melchizedecke (who is to iudge thee another day) and Master Watson the same vnder him present amends? Else be thou still as thou art a contemptible, detestable, abhorrible fellow, and one euery way to be ballanced for vnworthinesse and dis­credit to any worse then father Parsons, especially to him for base birth binominisme. And ouer and aboue all this, omitting what plague hangs ouer thy head in heauen, and is at thy foote in hell, receiue in steed of the coate thou boastest of, this other from me, more fitly (I wisse) agreeing to thy bellowes and painting stuffe, and to thy fathers tubs and hoops, though he good man neuer dreamed (I dare sweare) of any gold-barres in a scutchion in all his life, but rather of halfe-pe­nie siluer in his purse.

HE beares a dunghill fumant proper of two partes; on the first a Tub-hoope poudered-scabs, nittie; on the second a Pensill betweene two Kearne- crickets rampant, mordant; the first Capitall, the latter Pectorall, proper. Vpon a Tub on a Torce of his colours a dasie-Picker, crouchant, lowsant, and coughing backward through his posteriour ragges vpon a Gyrisole. This Gyrisole is a Plant that still waites on the Sun.

And this in liew that I was not at thine elbow when thou wrotest that impious libell, whereby I might haue rasht the pen out of thy fist and prickt out thine eyes therwith, be mine and with me all good Catholickes easie censure vnto thee till thou crie Peccaui, which we will expect. Indge ye (cosin) what shame we can do him lesse, who [Page 32] hath done so high scorne to our father: howbeit (I assure ye) it is shame pretie competent to the fellow considering his vaine glo­rious humour, and the gentilitiall Puntoes he stands on being but a Coopers sonne, and likewise for all his hornes, which for his wifes honour (whom I neuer noted but vertuous) transial, I am not apt to beleeue.

Now to satisfie you somewhat or rather to the full of M. Watson, whom Uersteghen, alias Rowland, &c. hath thus abused; for the credite of what I am to say, I giue you first to vnderstand, that I haue known this reuerend Priest these fifteene yeares, namely from the time of that his slip, which this wretch so iniuriously vpbraideth vnto him as a flat Apostaticall fall, such (for example) as Iudas, Iulian, Luther, yea and many Iesuites (which were too long to name) with infinite Archhere­tikes and others haue fallen into, from which kind of enormous lapse he is and euer was in heart most free, and not as S. Peters, S. Marcel­lines, and thousand others now glorious Saints in heauen, and nere a whit the lesse honoured therefore in holy Church; in which latter kind this slip and frailtie of M. Watsons was; since which how priestly his cariage hath euer bene, as also before, all that then and now knew and know him can and will witnesse. To the vtter shame then and confusion of the diuell and all his Versteghens, Rowlands, &c. that dare so gracelessely presume to vpbraid him, whom in all shew God hath pardoned, and his sweete spouse accepted of againe to the setting forth of both their glories, as is apparant in the many soules conuer­ted, altars erected, and other charitable workes done by him since that time, I will here set ye downe the true narration of all that acci­dent.

He the said M. Watson was apprehended in Sussex, trauelling on the way to a certaine worshipfull Gentlewomans house (as was sup­posed but not proued) and so brought vp to London, and committed close prisoner in Bridewell; where to the end to secure from hazard by his owne personall cautions and caueats (for meanes of message he had none in that place) certaine deare Catholicke friends of his then in the citie, who by a secret note (he vnderstood) were called in question about him▪ to make way hereunto, he yeelded in his ouer­tender loue to them, to go to the Protestant-seruice there in the pri­son; which such his frailtie (for frailtie I must needs terme it, seeing it was so, and often haue I heard the good man himselfe with teares and extreme remorse so terme and acknowledge it) tooke this effect, that [Page 33] presently vpon this his yeelding he was permitted the libertie of the citie, yet that but with his keeper neither, by meanes whereof he was able to instruct his said friends how the better, and with the more congruence to his deposition alreadie taken concerning them, they might answer for themselues, and be secured as they were. This (sweet Cosin) was the qualitie and quantitie of his fault, and not any mis­faith he euer bore to Catholicke Religion, or a mind to hurt any Ca­tholicke, or yet to remaine one minute of an houre in that dangerous estate longer then he could get out of it; but onely a fraile loue (as ye haue heard) toward the temporall, and partly also the spirituall good of his Catholicke friends, whom (he feared) might by this temptati­on of trouble for his sake haue fayled. Which turne to them assoone as he had serued, see here God again: the goodman vsing the benefit of his said libertie comes in place of other Priests his brethrē ▪ & there before them al acknowledgeth his frailtie, and according to his hum­ble and penitent heart was by one of them (now a blessed Martyr in heauen) eftsoones confessed, and againe reduced from whence he was slidden. After which his happie resurrection, being wished by his ghostly father and the rest to scape away (as well he might without daunger of any at that time) yet would he not, neither was it the will of God. For, what aduantage (thinke ye) would these malignant Satyres haue had against him if he had flipt away (as few in that case but would) seeing that notwithstanding his constant re­solution then, and perseuerance in the same to this present houre, they stil barke against him enuying at his happinesse. But God whose iudgements are Abissus multa, would (it seemes) haue it so, to the end he to be a curbe to the Iesuites as (sure) he hath bene after innumera­ble wrongs and slaunders patiently put vp at their hands. And whe­ther it boded some such matter in father Garnes his storming at Mai­ster Watsons returne into England (as afterward he went ouer but s [...]aid not) or what other glorie to God and to himselfe in time to come, I leaue to define; being verily perswaded, and so I am sure would you if you knew asmuch as I, that Digitus Dei erat hic, he to be in England at this day. And thereupon no perswasion preuailing with him for his escape, voluntarily returning againe to prison, he there the very next Sonday solemnely in the midst of seruice-time came into the Chap­pell, & publickly before all the Protestant-congregation calling out aloud vnto the Minister to hold his peace, with great Emphasis and fe [...]our of spirit recalled himselfe from death to life, vtterly abiuring [Page 34] his aforesaid submission as a most leud equiuocation and dissembling with his Lord God, professing and confessing withall our holy Ca­tholicke Religion in euery part and parcell thereof, and himselfe (how vnworthy soeuer) an annointed Catholicke Priest. All which he did with so good grace (as hauing tongue, voice, and action at commaund,) that the diuell was highly confused, and he thereupon committed closer prisoner then before. What would ye more? what gained the Protestant or Iesuit now hereby, or rather what not God? After which his most Catholicke confession made, a man would haue thought that in respect of the extremer vsage he was thereby to ex­pect in that prison, he would now at least (fearing his frailtie by for­mer proofe) haue inclined to an escape, namely hauing priuate meanes wrought for it, and he instantly perswaded thereunto; yet would he not vntill the Assises were past, alleaging for himselfe that the diuell and his aduersaries should neuer haue that aduantage to vp­braid him with running away, so long as there was any likelihood of his publicke arraignement and open death. So as he remained there in that lothsome prison till the sommer Assises were come and past, to wit, the space of two and twentie weekes, expecting with the grea­test alacritie in the world what God would award; in which space ha­uing no comfort but from him, what vnusuall sufferance he was put vnto aboue all that euer I heard of any English Iesuit, I here omit to shew you, both for the honour of the State with whose priuitie (I am sure) such indignitie could neuer haue bene offered to a free-borne subiect, (as by her heauie censure vpon the honourable Ladie Latti­mers two Aldermen, Skinner and Catcher is euident) as also in religi­ous regard to the good man himselfe, who in his priestly modestie can be content the same to be concealed from the world, suffising that the Angels of heauen and his owne conscience can witnesse it to Gods honor; and lastly for that according to the heathen Poet; An­te obitum nemo supremáque funera foelix. Notwithstanding, partly you may guesse how great it was by the Iesuits their extreme reproching him euer since, who in their voluptuous pusillanimitie can neither a­bide themselues to suffer the least affliction for Christ and the Catho­like cause; but abhor those that do: the examples both of the one and the other are too manifest and too manie here in our Church & coun­trey what so ere they are elsewhere. A shame that a religious corpo­ration should so ioyne hands with the Diuell against the vertuous; as on the other side oh eminent glorie to M. Watson to be so maliced, [Page 35] especially considering the laudable vse he makes thereof, as in the de­monstration of an inuicted minde; his opposing against their present Schisme in our Church, and Spanish faction within our countrey; his detection of their impostures; and euery where his meeting their euils with good; as for example his furthering an annuall Almes to be be­stowed on father Cowbucks mother and sister toward their sustenance, who else had gone a begging.

At a word, as touching the point of the Appeale, and of Spanish state against these fathers, he hath bene and is a very ecclesiasticall Machabie at this day, and so much the more forward herein, by how much he with not passing some three or foure more, farre afore any of his brethren foresaw the Iesuits proiects concerning the one and the other, to wit, the Spaniard to rule the ciuill rost of this Realme, and they the Ecclesiasticall. It is very true that whiles Cardinall Allan li­ued, neither he nor other his graue brethren whom he had made of his mind (for I thinke not any besides M. Doctor Bagshaw, M. Bluet, and M. Mush he found so with him foresighted) would in modestie and for reuerence they bore vnto him their so worthy father inter­meddle herein, referring it all to his prudence, whom they knew dis­gusted with these fathers, and as they gest vpon the same grounds. But so soone as God had taken him away whom our English Iesuites stood in awe of, whereby they were now become (as they thought) their own men to ward the execution of those their two plots, which till then they caried but onely in dissigne, and but preparatiuely as farre as they durst for feare of him: then (loe) the said reuerend Do­ctor, and the others with him forenamed, with one or two more vn­named, thought it high time to be seene as at this day they are in op­position against their fatherhoods, like true Catholicke Priests and Patriots, assuming vnto them in especiall this reuerend brother of theirs M. Watson, both in regard of his perspicuous iudgement in so important a businesse, and the integritie and confidence of his heart where once he takes, which was neuer yet seene but with the right. And so brauely haue they vndergone the present Appeale to the sea Apostolicke touching the premises of our Church and Countrey, but specially of the former against these Spanish fathers; God prospering their ongate with accrue of Associates dayly more and more of their Seminarie-brethren, like to a litle current which g [...]ding along the [...] but shallow and narrow at the first, is by [...] and litle augmente by confluence of vnexpected brookes to a great [Page 36] riuer, so as it is able at last to make it selfe way through all opposition to the attaining of the Ocean. In processe whereof had not M. Wat­son alone of late shewed himselfe a verie compleat man both in head and heart against the tepiditie or rather timiditie of some, who afore­time were thought no small Atlasses in this businesse, by meanes whereof they were wel-nigh Iesuitically ouer-wrought, or rather vn­dermined (take ye whether) to the ieoparding of the cause; I do not see what the Appellants need to haue done at this houre in Rome, nor yet how the Iesuits with their Archpriest had mist (I will not say) a Gudgion, but an Olympiade. But hereof (cosin) you may (haply) he are more hereafter, whereby you may see what M. Watson is, and how well worthie for his vertues, of the Iesuites obloquie. Were he a vertuous Priest (as he is) and not their Opponent, they (perhaps) would be at peace with his vertues, as weening with their silence to smoother them from the world; but now that he is such euen his ver­tues must be reproched for vices most inormous. I, I, hinc illae lachrimae or rather [...] Iesuitic [...] against him euer [...] but especially at this instant more thē against all his other Appellant brethren in England; herehence their slie suborned missi [...]es and messages vnto him vnder colour of frienship, warning him of danger to his life whereby he to flie away; herehence their plotting to make ielousies betwixt his brethren and him; herehence their imputing to him all spirituall and temporall either miscariage or misfortune to whatsoeuer priuate Ca­tholicke; herehence their forging matters of his ouerthrow with his honourable and most especiall friends: briefe, herehence their vn­christian defaming him both by tongue and pen and their [...]uting his Quodlibets to be generally condemned by the Appellant partie and namely by the Appellants at Rome▪ who it is very likely that not ha­uing themselues seene them other then by the corru [...]pt relation of the aduerse-Iesuite there, they may (haply) with an (if) haue disa [...]owed them; howbeit their Appellant brethren here in England▪ and also in France and Flanders (whose authoritie and credite as touching the Appeale is and ought to be reputed equall with theirs) do no wayes distast them saue onely here and there somewhat an ouer-cough and harsh terme, but contrariwise approue them for sound and Catholike. Let it not therefore skill what the malignitie of that partie do impose either vpon M. Watsons person or his pen, which seemes to consort wholy with the Puritane not onely in all spleene against him and his brethren of the Appeale, but euen against the Catholike church itself [Page 37] to the ruine of her Hierarchi [...]al [...] (for example) whether the Puri­tanes wish not M. Watsons [...] of [...] Iesuits; whether likewise they [...] of his [...] they, then which what can be more for M. Watsons Catholike and priestly credit, and the credit of that [...] wherein can the Iesuits more [...] themselues to the Catholike Church then in seeming so much [...]he Puritanes, who [...] the most in [...]st enemies thereunto of all the Se [...] in this [...] as [...]f (I will [...]) [...] lesse the [...] [...] both English, [...] whatsoeuer [...] that haue bin fro [...] [...]he beginning and [...] condemned by them aswell as by [...] [...], [...], [...], [...], [...], [...] and the like, may in some sort be said Mala bona to the Church of God, in that their [...] and [...]diction doth [...] refine and purge it from [...], for which our Sauior in his [...] [...]; the Iesuits on the other side may we be [...] Bona mala thereunto: [...], as in regard of their institution [...] and for [...]ing ye [...] reputed [...]mbers of the Church though [...] [...] here in England▪ [...] [...] of [...] ­wealths, not onely in politicall [...] in morall [...], for which our Sauiour expresly said, [...] without any [...] in th [...] behalfe as to [...] In effect [...] is an euill which doth [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] Catholicke [...] both in [...] it is abuse [...] [...] a mischiefe the [...]unto [...] for matter of faith, yet of fac [...]. Now what difference is betweene such [...] [...] and a [...] iudge you [...] that I can [...] that generally all [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] to th [...] [...], whereby [...]it [...] [...] [...] it the ot [...] [...] Iesuitisme [...] [...]. The examination of which difference more in particular would [...] v [...] both into a dumpe, seeing that thereby w [...] should perceiue the ground of all heresie to be first the abusiue life of the religious in Gods Church, which both giues the No [...]ller such (as fo [...] [...]) [...] and [...] of Pra [...] th [...] [...] religion and also [...]n [...]esse to the Laitie b [...]ing like [...]se scanda [...]ed and depraued thereby to embrace and entertaine the same. So as I se [...] up, [...] to the [...]cliffist vpbraiding vs with th [...] enormous [...] religious [...] Gods Church, we should [Page 38] be so straight laced as not to acknowledge him asmuch, seeing that euen at this day in our [...] Church [...] haue Iesuites such [...] that withall it makes nere a whit the more in app [...]on of his erronious doctrine, no more then a bettle or share [...] to be said the [...]est be [...] because bred eue [...]ore in cow-shards &c. and li [...]dse [...] which re [...]ts of [...]ng throughly co [...]ed and [...] of heart, to be said for the same cause the delicater soyld. To co [...] th [...], [...] Ma [...] ­ster Watson to be thus wronged and [...]ted of [...] Iesuite as the Puritane and be thus Verstegh [...] vpon; though vnhappie they herein a [...]es day; but that (they thinke) is but one day, and great while to come, without thinking that when it [...]th come it is a day [...] and [...] home.

[...] [Page 39] other side Versteghen [...], and to his Du [...]h M [...]s [...], whom [...] any [...] gentle­man of our nation in those parts, though he appeale to them all in his commendation, he is faine to cite in particular and by name (being a stranger) to make good vnto him that complement: suffizing that M. Watson is neither base borne, nor yet the sonne of a Cooper, much lesse a notorius [...], a bussard, [...], [...] companion, [...] any way to be ballanced for [...] to Fa. Par­sons; but the cleane contrarie, that is a gentleman, an honest man, and which is most of ala reuerend Catholike Priest; and hitherto a blessed Confessor and a good Patriot, as ye haue heard: suffizing also that you attribute this prodigie of a temerarious spirit against holy Priest­hood, not so much to Versteghens [...] and diaboli [...] nature, as to Iesuitisine, which in her Pharisaicall Ordine ad Deum, would bring all magistracie both spirituall and temporall either vn­der it or in contempt.

This same Ordo ad Deum, and [...] with a Iesuite, that it makes them all [...] and not so [...], as Robi [...] Good sollow, For herehence are all his e­quiuocations, where in his tongue [...] way and [...] meaning another, that ye know not where to find him; herehence his periuries and perfidiousnesse, and herehence his [...]ney catching and gilb [...]r­ting of his foole-friends for wordly wealth, and therehence his vpper euils. Therehence his will, and abili [...] to make [...] Princes as priuate persons, not onely to the corruption but to the [...] ­struction of common-wealths, and therehence his game to [...]gh them all to scorne when he hath so done. A shame that Bonum socie­tatic Ies [...] should subsist vpon so vile support as [...] Ordo ad Deum, which was neuer [...] on by their [...] Igna [...] in their institution. A shame that a religious person should so [...] his eye against his vow vpon the world, and so [...]ip his soule in her suds, so irreligiously gather wealth together and spend it worse, that better a great deale it were all in the bottome of the s [...]; [...]pended vpon the vanitie of Alcun [...]e? or the Tabacco lease. Such [...] of world­lings were those Em [...] & vende [...]es which our Sauior whipt out of the Temple, or rather worser of the two are these for being such euen in the Chancell of Gods Church, by being (as they say) religious. It is no maruell if such maner of merchant [...] haue made many a prodigall child, distraying them from their true fathers, and bankerouting [Page 40] them [...]eane both of their temporall and spirituall patrimonies. It is [...] maruel [...] if in materi [...]ll poi [...]ts of Catholicke faith they oppose a­gainst the Angeli [...]ll [...] and be therefore at this present indi­ [...]ed before his Holinesse by the Dominic [...] in Spaine for [...] and sundr [...]e other kind [...] of heretickes, and also for Impost [...]rs by the Sor [...] of P [...] [...]nd all the French Cleargie▪ as we credibly [...] it [...] maru [...]ll tha [...] our Sa [...]iour hath not by his Vicar the Popes holinesse all this w [...]e whip [...] them out of the Church, as it is to be hoped he wil [...]re long at least out of our Church and Countrey here, the aggriefes of each against them depending at this instant be­fore his Holinesse so [...]ustly and [...]aturely as they do. In the menage whereof if any defect should be in his Holinesse (which is no whit f [...]d) it i [...] well [...] at least our Secular cleargie in the behalfe of the one▪ and ou [...] State of the other, haue yet be [...]es (thankes be to God) di [...]ed their hazards and disposed them to the redresse which redresse how and in what manner it is, or may be aduised vpon by the State [...] the point of State▪ I am [...] of the Councell that ca [...] tell. [...]lesse hereof I rest [...] perswaded, that if it should be [...] to be wrought by [...] heauie hand (as by all likelihood it is like to be, if [...] Holinesse redresse it not [...] Rome by his excellent discretion. I meane aswell the point of State against Spaine, as of our Chu [...] [...] b [...]th which the App [...]ale containes,) there will be a difference [...] by the S [...] betweene the de [...]ites and [...]he Seculars, and the [...] [...] of each (though all one in Religion) how ere the Iesu­it [...] say no. For [...] [...]hat reason (I pray) euen mor [...]ay the State haue, to [...] vs who [...]e afflicted with and for it against a common ene­mie, and who, euen with our liues would make it good to haue our [...] the world. Howsoeuer, hap what hap may, thus happie [...] the App [...] [...]e, that if the afflict [...] should p [...]e alike, we to end [...]re it [...] conscience, and at friends before God and the world to our [...], and the Iesuites as they are: we to suffer what we should suffer meerely for the Catholicke cause and fo [...] [...]o disloyaltie to the S [...]e, at hitherto we haue and ouer will make shew; and they [...] Catholickes [...] but yet Spanish, and disloyall. So as the State shall be sure to gaine no honor by our destruction vn­der her edge; but God shall, and we (we doubt not) at Gods hand.

As for the point of our Church, to wit, the Iesuiticall schisme and scandals therein which is [...] point (we wot well) the State esteemes not a point being Protestant, but could wish vs in that respect hanged [Page 41] one against another; the redresse thereof (as I say) is at this instant sub Iudice, the impostume of the imposture being now a yeare bro­ken, and so long a running to Rome, where (by Gods grace) it wil find perfect cure. No other meanes in the world was for it then this Ap­peale to his Holinesse, who (as appeares by the last letters from Rome) hath alreadie giuen the Appellants benigne audience, partly by the French Ambassadours meanes there, who stands stiffely for them to his Holinesse against the Spanish; but chiefly of his owne godly and Apostolicke nature who is wholly Clement. True it is, that he hath withal committed the examination and report of al the matter to two Cardinals, who be both the King of Spaines Pensioners, and the one his subiect, that is, the Cardinals Burghese and Arragon; which you are not to maruell at greatly, considering that what Cardinall almost haue ye in that court who is not that Kings Pensioner. Great hope notwithstanding the Appellants write they haue of indifferent dea­ling, the rather because certaine Romaines are ioyned in commissi­on with those Cardinals. And as for Rome it selfe which is now tho­roughly and throughout possest with these our English occurrents, it hath alreadie discouered her affection on Englands behalfe against Spaine, and her implements the Iesuites as concerning the point of State; wherein neither Rome, nor any other Prouince of Italie, saue onely Spaines owne part, and that perforce wisheth Spaine to prosper. Insomuch as we must thinke her Maiestie is not altogether vn-well wished in those parts, but hath had, and (I suppose) hath still some friends euen in the Popes consi [...]torie. Oh how much more might her Highnesse be beloued and friended there, and of all the Catholicke countries of Christendome, were she but halfe the Catholicke her Predecessors were. Also how much may we presume to shew our selues gratefull to her Highnesse, for any grace she would please to daigne vs, so great a portion of Christendome being Catholike as is, and likewise all the Saints of heauen haue bene such. Cosin, we must pray God hartily for such her Highnes dispositiō towards vs, but spe­cially for her conuersion to our holy Catholicke Religion. What pi­tie is it that a Princesse, otherwise so full of all princely indowments as her Highnesse is, and of so excellent an apprehension, should mi­stake or be misled in so principall a point of Princelinesse as Catho­licke Religion, varying therein from her so worthy Progenitors. Verily it cannot be but if her Highnesse had bene at the first mildly proceeded withall by the holy Sea, and submissiuely by her Catholike [Page 42] subiects, who a manie of vs were too soone turned Iesuiters and so Spanish, to the attempting of disloyall plots against her State and person, whereby her Highnesse was driuen to trust wholly to her Protestants holding vs all suspect; but by this time God would haue opened her royall eyes to haue seene into the grounds of our holy Re­ligion, and not opposed (as she hath done) against the same. All the world but Iesuites and the house of Austrich admire her honours and her raigne neuerthelesse, the one so princely the other so prospe­rous: yea her very enemies do it, as for example I my selfe did see in Anno 88. a Spanish Alferez of the garrison of Newport, executed with the Garotto in Bruges, for no other matter obiected against him, then a certaine poeme which (being a fine Poet) he had penned in commendation of her Maiestie amongst and afore all the rare He­roines of Christendome. Also I haue often heard my father tell how Don Iulian Romero a Spaniard likewise, sometimes Castilian of Ant­werpe, admired and commended her for the most rare Paragon of Princelinesse, since the time he once beheld her Highnesse and her Court here in England. Then for strangers and no foes; my vnkle Sir Richard Shelley sometimes Lord Prior of the Knights of Malta whiles he liued, was a loud witnesse how highly the Signiorie of Ve­nice respected her and her amitie, being himselfe as loyall a subiect to her Maiestie, and as respectfull of her honour and safetie to his dy­ing day as any subiect in this land; for the Iesuites disgusted him and he them, and enforced him from Rome. Likewise in 86. I saw one Fabio a Venecian Abbot, Secretarie (as I remember) to the Cardi­nall d'Est of Ferrara, burned in Rome for intelligencing matter of State vnto her Highnesse from thence. In like manner, in the Prince of Leeges Court and Councell her Highnesse had, and (I thinke) yet hath her especiall friends of State. In effect, all the world but the house of Austrich and Iesuites (as I say) is her friend, whose malice God (I doubt not) will still from time to time make frustrate against her, as hitherto he hath done the almightie Armadoes of Spaine, and the big-boned menaces of the Poland-King now some two yeares old. And so (as I was a saying) doth Rome at this instant apprehend, and applaud that part of the Appeale which concernes her Maiestie and her State against Spaine in fauour of England, though otherwise like a good mother-citie greatly disliking and lamenting the mis­faith of England: in so much as one night a certaine Romaine-gentle­man affixed a breife libell vpon Pasquines buttocke, in derision and [Page 43] scorne of father Cowbucke his treacherous agencie for Spaine so a­gainst his countrey, which in plaine English is as followeth.

If there be any Citizen here in Rome, that is minded to purchase the Realme of En­gland; let him repaire to the Rector of the English Colledge here within the Ci­tie, and he in Iesus name will affoord him a good pennie-worth.

Whereby (cosin) you may also gather and be glad, how vaine the Iesuites vaunts hitherto haue proued of the Appellants their commitment to either the inquisition, or the gallies, or both, vpon their arriuall at Rome, whom that holy Citie so kindly intreateth, and his Holinesse too. I told you in my former letter what Braggadochioes they were, whereby you might guesse the goodnesse of their cause, considering that Bonum vinum non aget haedera.

To this passe the Appellants haue brought their businesse as yet, not doubting but to effect it ere long to their full desires, now that sub indice lis est who together with their cause is so very iust. Inso­much as the Archpriest and Iesuites pottage begins alreadie to coole here at home, and they become more mild, labouring now another while praece & praecio to draw as many as they can vnto them both of the Laitie and Cleargie, and to that end haue offered and dayly do offer to restore to the one their pensions againe, to the other their fa­culties which by the Archpriests hand they had withdrawne; yea, they haue in a maner wide opened their Mammonian-Exchecker in prodigalitie to each, it being (they see) now their best armes; like as the old Romaines did their Temple of Ianus, which they neuer ope­ned but in time of warre. Ah, ah, (cosin) haue English Innocents found this in Rome (as it was neuer otherwise likely) and is also the Spaniard eiected by English armes out of Ireland, the Rebell likely ere long to follow after? wherein how forward our partie is to serue her Maiestie, and my selfe in particular to leade the Iesuited that loy­all march against her enemies, (were I thought fit and worthy to be employed,) it is not vnknowne to some of the State, if not to her Ma­iesties [Page 44] owne selfe. And thus ye see, how neither Rome the Sea Apo­stolicke is vnder the Iesuites cinct (as they presume) nor yet God at all vnder the Spaniards girdle. And likewise thus you see, and so may her Maiestie and the State that our fathers the Seminaries are not al­together, yea, or ere a whit traitors (as the Iesuites with them haue made them be thought) but the cleane contrarie, that is, altogether loyall; who thus of their owne pure English nature and allegeance, and at their owne charges haue passed the Iesuiticall and Spanish pikes hitherto (vnwitting to them, yea and in their displeasure, as whom they haue banished the land, to wit, the Appellants who are a part of them) and vndergone this seruice for the same, and their coun­try. What penie-worths (trow ye) might the Iesuits and Iesuited here expect at her Highnesse hands if she knew of these occurrents, who thus by their disloyalties vrge her other honest Catholike subiects to such hazards to shew their loyalties vnto her? Not that her Maiestie weyes the businesse or the successe therof a button, whose Royal estate (as hitherto) she still meanes (by Gods helpe) to make good, and to subsist of it selfe secure and English against Iesuits, Spaine, and all the world, without being beholding to Rome; though (please God) she would. Neuerthelesse it may be that casting downe by chance her Queenely eye vpon these our Appellant fathers, and vs their chil­drens thus loyall cariage to her State, she will in time be pleased to be lesse heauie Princesse vnto vs, if not indulgent, how ere she still distast our Religion and the Sea Apostolike. Which whether it be the will of God or not, euer let vs that are true Catholikes perseuer as we are and ought no lesse true English; and pray that long and happie may her Maiesties raigne still lengthen ouer vs.

In particular still do you (Cosin) for your part your endeuour a­mongst other good Catholickes, to reclaime your Iesuited friends from that their imposture (as some you write you haue alreadie done) wherein you haue done both verie like your selfe, and greatly to Gods honour. I, for my part haue likewise (I thanke God) performed here­in some larger portion of my poore and lay talent, since my reducing you; which (I thanke you) you please to attribute to me, and I take it as an honour, forasmuch as most (we see) haue hitherto runne with the dogge, and but very few with the hare. The more part of the Cleargie is now come into the Appeale, hauing subscribed thereunto, and to their Appellant brothers, so as now daily more & more the Ie­suitical partie loseth ground and shrinkes in the wetting, and we may [Page 45] take comfort in it. Also we may take comfort and thanke God, that our partie aswell the Laitie as the Cleargie, in all this time of Iesuiti­call persecution hath stood thus firme in our faith and so free from scandals, the temptation hauing bene so much the greater and more dangerous, as being within our owne bowels: whereas that partie hath and dayly doth Apostate too too much, and both at Framling­ham and elsewhere agrees like cat and dog within it selfe. Nay more, to note the prouidence and blessing of God on our behalfe, there dayly comes in vnto vs of the Protestants full many, in approbation aswell of our loyaltie to the State (which they heretofore generally held suspect) as of sundrie points of our Religion. Who would not be a partie in so good a cause, and for so good fathers as these of the Seminaries, whom we may worthily esteeme and reuerence as a no­table portion of the Catholike Church against whatsoeuer impostu­rall malignitie of Iesuite and Archpriest? as for my owne I do, and so do ye (good cosin) seeing that aswell the gentleman and souldier, is to expect and atchieue his part and portion in heauen by his seruices to Gods Church, as euen the Popes holinesse by his high and pastorall offices thereunto. Fare ye thrise heartily well, this last of Iune 1602. and (I pray) put not this letter in print as you did my former, which onely I acknowledge to be mine, and nought else vpon this argu­ment of the Appeale, howbeit you seeme to say that one or two more of the printed bookes are supposed abroade to be mine.

AS I had finished this Letter, see where a packet is come from the Appellants at Rome, containing a confirmation of his Holinesse disc [...]ssion & censure of M. Listers schisme against him, and the Arch­priests maintaining it, which ere long you may reade reported in the end of M. Colletons book forthcoming vpon that questiō, verbatim out of the originall from Rome; which notwithstanding, for that it is come vnexemplified by his Holinesse Breue sub anulo piscatoris, or rather frō S. Peter himself to the Archpriest, most of that peeuish partie hold off to beleeue: though who can tell whether his Agents haue not certified him thereof from Rome (at least if to tell truths be in their commission) and he in his proud melancholy (the newes being no gratefuller nor more glorious on his part) will not giue it passage. [Page 46] This is the reason why in this packet, the Appellants in Rome hearing asmuch, promise vs his Holinesse Breue in confirmation of his said censure, and likewise for the abrogation of his latter Breue, which I toldye of in the beginning of this Letter, promising you a copie of the Priests appeale from hence to his Holinesse touching the same, and their reasons for it, which now shall not neede. But is it not strange that the Iesuiticall will not receiue these satisfactions without a Breue from his Holinesse concerning the schisme, as though the case were all one as the Appellants was in their holding off to acknow­ledge the Arch-presbiterate without that high instrument, it being a case expresly within the Canon to be so notified for autenticke, and no otherwise; and this such, as any morall certaintie may suffice for it, being but a moral matter. But this is all the spite and reuenge that the Archpriest and Iesuites in this their extreme disgrace can do the Ap­pellants, to put them to the charge of a Breue, which (truly) were I of their counsell, I would wish them to spare, to see how far the Iesui­ticall presumption would wage against the Sea-Apostolicke, and wrangle with it. As for the point of Schisme discided, you may see by it how erroneous a societie these Loyolians are, and how no assurance it hath at all of the holy Ghost, wherein it vaunts it selfe so equal with the Pope and a general Councell, seeing the holy Ghost hath herin so iudicially condemned it. Also you may see by this, how corrupt a man the Archpriest is, who in so grosse an errour bringing schisme with it, could let himselfe be so instrumentally led by those fathers against his owne deare brethren of the Seminaries, and the famous vniuersitie of Paris, all for a litle fopperie of Prelature, and how in this respect he is most vnworthy of the same. Lastly, you may see herby that Brag is not alwayes a good dogge, nor yet the inquisition nor the gallies of force against innocence (as the Iesuits presumed) especially where the holy Ghost sits in iudgement. Be this (good Cosin) all our comfort till we see farther of the Appeale, toward which take ye this peece of a letter from a gentleman in Rome, as a handsil or in part of good speed in the meane time, against the still flying falsheads of the Iesuiticall, in the earth, in the sea, in the ayre.

FVrthermore, whereas the Priests in consideration that father Par­sons had spred so many foule speeches of them abroad, demaunded of his Holinesse that the said father Parsons should set downe in wri­ting all he had to say against them, to the end they might in like sort answer and cleare themselues; and that in thirtie dayes respite he had giuē vp what he could say: the Pope vnderstāding all, said, that he was already satisfied touching al those points by that which he had heard before, and so not suffering these accusations to come vnto the Priests hands, imposed there an end of such calumnies. By this you may see the Priests matter goes forward with honour and iust reputa­tion, and I hope shall haue no worse end; their demaunds being rea­sonable, the Cardinals iust, and the Ambassadours countenance and fauour so singular that they feare no oppression, nor doubt but that iustice will preuaile, &c.

M. Bluet is expected shortly at Paris with his Holinesse Breue a­foresaid for England, and M. Doctor Bagshaw goes to Rome in his place, where (I feare me) he shall not find father Cowbucke forthcom­ming; he being (as it is credibly reported) imbezelled away from thence by his Generall, or rather flat run away vpon a notable check lately giuen him by his Holinesse. The Apollogie is answered in Lor­raine by M. Doctor Elie, and there are some of the bookes readie bound and prest for England by the next Post. To conclude, all our newes being hitherto so good and so autenticke verities as they are, and the rest that follow after like to proue no lesse, let vs beleeue and applaud them, and as for those that will not, as being Bettle-blinded with the Iesuiticall and Archipresbyteriall-mist, away with them (Cosin) to the next market.

God saue the Catholicke Church, the Queene and her Estates, and graunt vs his peace. Amen.

MY very good Cosin: I euer thought that your diuulging my former Letter to you in print, would bring me into the spheare of Iesuitical obloquie; insomuch as I haue hourely since the edition thereof looked and listened for their contumelies against me; which now at last they haue from a full gorge discharged, but withall against so full innocence and se­cure a conscience (I thanke God) as the shame shall returne vnto themselues. Not that I rest cleare neuerthe­lesse from condemnation in the eye of God and mine owne consci­ence for a misdemeaned and sinfull life otherwise, then whereof this Iesuit impeacheth me, for which I may iustly say with the royall Pro­phet, Peccatum meum contra me est semper; Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, &c. And againe: Delicta iuuentutis meae ne memineris Domine. Yet, as touching these his imputations, I boldly may and do giue him the lie to the honour of God and your satisfaction, and that by protestation, except what shall be excepted: being exceeding glad, and that (as I hope in the holy Ghost) to be thus onerated and consequently honored with Iesuiticall slaunder with and for so many holy Seminaries and Saints as they haue so serued, and daily do; nay, with and for my most holy mother the Catholike Church, whose sa­cred Hierarchie they no lesse contumeliously impugne. Oh (Cosin) how highly am I bound to God who hath thus respected and exalted the indignitie of these my yonger yeares and lay vocation to deserue ill at the hands of so inward enemies to his eternall spouse, and her [Page 49] best members? Why may I not hope in this respect, that were I (as I am) the vilest sinner in the world, much amends is made therefore vnto my heauenly father. And so I take it, knowing them to be for the most part (at leastwise here in our Church) flat schismatickes and se­ducers; and for such alreadie partly condemned by the holy Ghost as by my last to you, you vnderstood; and also expresse Spanish ene­mies to our Princesse and Country: in regard whereof how litle credit they deserue to haue in any matter, especially matter of reproch (which is the subiect whereupon they are reprooued at Rome on the behalfe of our Appellants) I leaue to your consideration. Which aduantage notwithstanding I for my part will not take against them in this my Appollogie to you, hauing innocence inough on my side, which hath notably layd them open to my reproofe and execution otherwise, as now ensuingly you may reade and perceiue. Thus then he begins.

There followeth in the number of these libels one set forth by A. C. inti­tuled, (An answer to a letter of a Iesuited Gentleman, &c.)

See you not (Cosin) how this fellow euen in the front of his re­proches, contradicts himselfe in affirming me for a Libeller, notwith­standing that he acknowledgeth my name to the booke, vz. A. C. which two letters was inough for a Catholicke writing vpon an ar­gument so litle pleasing to the present state and time, whereby to be exempt from the note of a Libeller; vnlesse I would by setting downe my name at large haue wilfully braued the ciuil-power and penall laws, and said thereto (as it were) Loe I the man, come, attach me, and do the worst ye can. It sufficeth that in my originall to you my name was at large, as you, and it yet extant (I suppose) in your hands can both witnesse; so as your doing it as you haue done [...] in the printed edition (seeing you would needs publish it) with only two letters for my name, I therein agnize both your loue and discretion. Moreouer your adding my mot to the title, doth likewise quit the edition from libellious, aswell as my (Fig for fortune) which heretofore came forth with no other face, and yet was neuer taken vp for a rogue, no not by any Iesuiticall Bedle that euer I heard of. Whereas if you looke into sundrie bookes of theirs which from time to time haue come forth without anie name or knowne liuerie at all, as the contents thereof are wholly infamatorie or traiterous, so in that respect are they to be reputed inormous libels: for example, Greene-coate, Philopater, &c. which are all or the most of them attributed to father Cowbuck. Then as for the present author, this Iesuite, what name of his or but two let­ters [Page 50] of his name (I pray) find ye to this his (Manifestation of folly and bad spirit,) whereby he not to deserue to be burned in the hand for a vagabond? Notany. No nor any durst he shew, manifesting so bad spirit and so much folly in that Censure of his as he hath done for feare of the infamie that might attach him, which notwithstanding he hath not escaped at Gods hands who knowes both his name and his nature. Were he not a most leud companion, and of a most guiltie conscience, he would (no doubt) not haue shamed somewhat to haue showne his face aswell as I, who had I feared the worst of any Iesuites spite, or the badnesse of the matter in that my letter handled, would haue made it a quarrell to you for that A. C. and wished my selfe as litle in sight, as he hath showne him. Wherein he hath showne himselfe not so honest a man as Uersteghen, who like a right Coopers son stucke not to set one of his names to his infamatorie letter against M. Watson, as in my last letter I discoursed vnto you; but more to brag of his gentrie. Sure this Iesuite carieth with him cauteriatam conscien­tiam that he dares not plucke off his vizard for feare of shewing to the world a face more ilfauoured then it. Which notwithstanding, partly he is discouered for such as he is, at leastwise if he be the man I take him for, vz. a man, who being the mis-begotten of a ploughman and he a Cuckold too vpon the body of a plough-woman, hath ac­cordingly demeaned himselfe; fust in begetting two bastards male and female vpon the bodie of his owne sister, betweene his age of seuenteene and three and twentie, which was the cause he ranne a­way (as fearing the sheete, &c.) and so became a Iesuite: secondly or rather formerly and continually, by being a common alehousesquire, and the drunkennest spunge in all the parish where he liued; thirdly, for being an hereticke of the family of loue all his life till he became a Iesuite, which was the leafe he turned. Into which societie (it seemes) he was the sooner receiued, for hauing bene of that family, and also for the behoouefull vse those fathers saw they were likely to make of his seditious and libellious spirit in their common-wealth, which subsists much vpon that kind of prop. Well, what he wanted hereof at the first, their fatherhoods haue perfected in him so fully now, that beshrew me if I know a more accomplished detractor in the world. Adde hereunto their Ordo ad Deum whereby all a Iesuites euils must be reputed frō the holy Ghost; and the very name of a Iesuit to import infallibilitie in faith and charitie, so far forth that what he beleeues, saith, or doth, be it neuer so much to the blemish of any person, yea to [Page 51] the preiudice of a whole common-wealth, must not be thought to need any collaterall credit; and that is the reason why (for example) this Iesuite scornes to set his name to his booke like an honest man, as though it were no libell without it, being of a Iesuits doing. It fol­loweth.

Who if he be the man that we do gesse, we do not greatly maruell, &c.

He doth well (beleeue me) in saying (that we do gesse) for that be­ing a bastard, he is (as you know) filius populi, and consequently a plurall creature and of more names then one, and therefore (we); or else that knowing the points he meaneth to affirme to be meere false and slaunderous, he would by his (we) draw partners into his shame, amongst whom the holy Ghost being alwayes pretended to be one, iudge you what blasphemy this his (we) is. Poore praise and comfort it is to haue copartners in euill though reall and not forged euill; euen as poore as a man to thinke to purchase himselfe a good name by deprauing of others; in both which kinds this Iesuite hath trans­gressed propter bonum societatis. For, as for the first, howsoeuer he pre­tends some Iesuited secular Priests to haue their pens in this his libell; yet that rests at the Readers courtesie to beleeue; knowing the Iesuits sleight, how still they seeke to set Seminarie against Seminarie by la­bouring to haue their mischiefes ioyntly against them all, to seeme the ones against the others: whereas (in very truth) it is but the Ie­suits sole act together with his particular Paraclete; except (haply) there be here and there a Seminarie so corrupt, vnhappie, and foolish against his owne and his brothers honours or any others, as to be so Iesuited in malediction.

That after so great varietie of state and former life as some of vs haue knowne him in, &c.

As for the varietie of my state and former life, I am (I thanke my God) not ashamed of it, the same not hauing bene variable in Iesuiti­call grosse scandals of schisme or mis-faith in the Church of God; as God, my conscience, and all that know me can witnesse, nor euer shall by Gods helpe. Neither was the varietie he taxeth me of, other then sutable to my yeares from time to time: for your satisfaction wherein, I must here (the libeller so vrging) rip vp my whole life vnto you, as followeth. First, at my age of thirteene I was taken from schoole, and sent vp by my good Aunt (whom you knew) to an Inne of Chancerie, from whence I was shortly after by my cosin T. S. to whose care I was committed, admitted of Lincolnes Inne; where I [Page 52] continued no longer then whiles I could steale ouer into France to my father. Where being arriued he within some few moneths after tooke me along with him into Flanders, where in the Duke of Parma his Court lying then at Tornay, the Ladie Franc [...]lina the Dukes repu­ted mistris taking contentment in my English daunces, which at that age did not ill beseeme me, she at my fathers request procured me a Pages place about his Alteze. In the nick whereof came letters from my Cosin R. S. at Rome, who hearing that I was come ouer, and desi­rous to see and enioy me there with him for the neere kindred that was betwixt vs, and the loue he formerly bore me in his mothers house my Aunt aforesaid, had procured me a pension of ten duckats a mo­neth of his Holinesse if I would come and liue in Italy; and to this effect were both his letters, the one to my father, the other to me. To be short, my father leauing the election of these two concurring courses to my owne will, commending vnto me both the one and the other, with proffer if I chose the latter to make his Holinesse ten duc­kets a moneth fifteene of his owne exhibition; I stood not long vpon the choise▪ but for hauing already seene inough of the Dukes Court, & being curious to see renowned Rome, the Popes holinesse, and gene­rally braue Italy, easily made that my choise. Whereupon my father by the way of Rhemes from whence there was then a mission readie for Rome, and I to haue that good companie, sent me away toward Rome with crownes in my purse, whether I arriued vpon a horse which I bought of father Cowbuckes brother. To Rome then when I came, Rome I saw and Romes holy things; two Popes, the one dead the other aliue, and whatsoeuer else sacred or prophane was to be seene in that vaste citie; of all which (I giue God thankes) I made me that Catholicke edification which I could being but sixteene yeares old, and but a yeare and a halfe Catholicke; still vrging my aforesaid Co­sin when I should see Naples and the rest of Italy, and enioy my pen­sion. But neither Naples nor any rest of Italy might I see, nor yet S. Peters pennie, which the fathers (vnderstanding that my father was then dead in the Duke of Parmaes campe before Antwerpe) put into their owne purse, forcing me to continue a scholler in the English Colledge; which I did the space of a yeare and a halfe, or thereabouts, till I got away as ye shall heare. And this was hitherto all the Iesuits fauours vnto me, hauing both put me besides my Page-ship to the Duke of Parma (which was a preferment for the best subiects son in Flanders, and none had it but such) and also cosined me and the Pope [Page 53] both of his pension. Iudge ye then how truly he faith, that the Iesuits were his best friends for many yeares beyond the seas, where he needed their friendship, and neuer wanted it.

For some of vs knew him first, a litle wanton idle-headed boy in the En­glish Romaine Colledge, so light-witted, as once (if we remember well) he went vp into the pulpit with a rose in his mouth to make the tones (as there they call them) before all the Colledge.

A litle wanton idle headed boy and light witted (as he remem­bers) I promise ye (Cosin) an important point to be remembred, which (surely) had not this charitable Iesuite and his (wees) remem­bred for me, I my selfe do, and do acknowledge it, beshrewing the age of sixteene yeares that I was no stayeder, and not him for be­ing so very a foole at sixe and fortie or vpward, as to vpbrayde me of so veniall imperfections; who himselfe at but a yeare ol­der, to wit, at seuenteene was so much a more wanton and idler headed then I, as to get his sister with child as afore is shewne: wherein he seemes to be of that fathers spirit, who being himselfe a monstous blasphemer, derided and checked his litle sonne for swea­ring by Gods nigs. If to go vp into the pulpit to make the tones with a rose in my mouth were such a fault, what I pray had it bene if I had gone vp with a thistle, especially the businesse I went about being so very very important.

After that he fell to such deuotion, as he not onely tooke the oath of the Colledge to be a Priest;

My falling to deuotion especially in Rome and in the English Colledge, was such a fault (I trust) as might easily deserue pardon at Gods hands, and partly satisfie for my former wanton, idle head, howsoeuer this father reprocheth it; and as for my taking the oath of the Colledge to be a Priest, that (Cosin) is a lie as broade as an acre of land. For neither was I an Alumnus of the Colledge, being the Popes pensioner (as ye haue heard) why I should be put to any such oath; neither yet my yeares and inclination then suting to so high and holy a vocation, being by the libellers owne saying but a litle wanton idle headed boy, and light witted; which their fatherhoods perceiuing me to be, as also how still earnest I was to come away, is it likely that they in their holy-ghostly wisedom would administer such an oath vnto me without saying twise at least Vtquid perditio haec? By this you may see that were there any such oath tendred vnto me at those yeares, what discreete fathers the Iesuits are, and how sleightly [Page 54] they set by holy priesthood (which is the greatest dignitie on earth) as to impose it vpon boyes, I had bene a child of the Church not passing two yeares before this supposed oath, and litle account was I able to make (God wot) of my faith, or to iudge of an oath, and yet (forsooth) did take the oath to be a Priest. But the truth is, this is a flat lie, inas­much as I perfectly well remember that whē that oath was proposed to others (being all of good yeares, and all Alumni of the Colledge) my Cosin R. S. aforesaid tooke me with him out of the Church, and only tendred me the ordinarie oath of the inquisition, that is to conti­nue Catholike, and in subiection to holy Church and the sea Aposto­like, which oath I tooke, & do maintaine, & wil (by Gods holy grace) vnto my death. For, as touching the other oath my Cosin knew very well by my continuall discontent how ill I brooked the paines of the Colledge, & how hourely I laid at him for my pension to liue at large, for which he was the man that neuer moued me any such question as to be a Priest.

The former and this are two lies with one breath, but on he is a Ie­suite. All the shift he hath to saue his credit in this latter is his saying, that he hath a fearefull conscience to auouch things he knowes not for cer­taine. The man is willing enough, yea faine he would haue this re­proch to passe vpon me, (though to be a Frier I hold it an honor, and my selfe vnworthy thereof) and to that end hath penned it downe; and yet (forsooth) he hath a timorous conscience, like the clowne who was not ashamed to fill his paunch with pease-pottage so full that it almost crackt againe, and yet made daintie to cough downe­ward for feare to shew what windie stuffe he had eaten. Now as tou­ching his said supposall of my becomming an Augustine, a very foole may discerne therein his too manifest folly and bad spirit: for is it like­ly that hauing first taken the oath of the Colledge, I would so soone, that is, in one halfe yeares space haue bene forsworne as to become a Frier, the whole time of my continuance in Rome being but one yeare and a halfe or thereabouts, and the first yeare litle inough (by all intendment) to settle my wanton idle light witted head▪ afore I could be fit for either the one or the other so high vocation. To shew you then how false either of these imputations are, you must vnderstand that in my discontentment to be so made a schoole-boy, and cosined both of the Popes pension and my libertie; I taking a deuotion to S. Monacha, S. Augustines mother went often to the Augustines Church [Page 55] in Rome where her bodie lay, and there falling acquainted with a Ve­netian Frier of the Monasterie, I vnderstood that he knew my Vnkle Sir Richard Shelley in Venice; by whose meanes I afterward often writ vnto him, informing him of my discontentment with the Iesuites for their so abusing his Holinesse and me, but especially after my Cosin R. S. his departure for England. To which my aggriefe in the end after sundrie letters that passed betwixt vs, the Lord Prior of Malta (for such was his title) most louingly complied; sending me by this Friers meanes three and fiftie duckets where with to get me from Rome into France, with request that I would make Venice my way, affirming that forasmuch as he had no other kinsman in those parts, he would leaue me when he died if I liked to liue with him all that he had. With these three and fiftie duckets I departed the Colledge, Rome, and Italy▪ where at parting, father Cowbucke being come thither but a litle afore, and also D. Allan who within a while after was created Cardinall; the one gaue me his malediction, the other a thousand blessings. And this (I protest) was all the leaue and Uiaticum the fa­thers gaue me at my departure from Rome, this their paternall chari­tie where with the libeller more in particular vnderneath vpbraideth me. Yea ouer and aboue all this, father Cowbucke was the man who perceiuing D. Allan his credit to be more with me then his, wrought him to be thus farre forth his instrument as to disswade me my going to Venice to my Vnkle which he vnderstood I intended, and my said Vnkle expected, so ill the father brooked either that good Knight or my good fortunes, or both. I was too blame in that respect to the good Doctor, both for my duties sake to my Vnkle, and also for my profit, though minding to haue returned of purpose vnto him out of France the next yeare after, before which time the good Knight died, leauing all his riches to a meere seruant; so vnfortunate was I, or rather so vnfortunate a Iesuite to me, whom this Iesuite termes my friends who neuer failed me. And this was all my becomming, either Col­lege, Priest, or Augustine Frier, and thus much can M. Duke some­times my entire friend in earth, now a Saint in heauen witnesse of my going to the Augustines, to whose priuitie I imparted all that my pro­ceeding. Insomuch as at a word aswell might the libeller haue affir­med that I would haue become a Nunne for S. Monacha [...]s sake, or a Iesuite for father Cowbuckes, as an Augustine, especially if withall he knew what law raigned in my loynes, and what spirit colophized me at those yeares with S. Paul. In vaine therefore doth this manifester [Page 56] of his folly and bad spirit, stroake (as it were) his beard after so grosse a slander, & aduise yonkers to beware by me how they slip back, & con­temne when they are in their sister; euen as vainely as I haue noted the vaineglorious Spaniard to do the like to his beard, picke his teeth, pat and stretch forth his paunch, and stroke off crummes from his clothes after an egge, as if he had dined with a Lord Maior of London. But most of all vaine and malicious he is, after two so expresse lies to com­mend himselfe for (a timorous conscience as to affirme things that he knowes not for certaine) which neither could his fatherhood vaine­gloriously inough do, vnlesse withall he condemned me of a lauish conscience in the contrarie. Ah poore father and poore praise, so to borrow or rather steale grace by the disgrace of others. Were there no greater faults in a Iesuite then this, please God I had but so much of S. Augustines spirit as to discouer it to the full to the Churches cau­tion and edification. But of the two orders the likelihood that was, was rather of my becomming Iesuite, especially if I had bene as for­ward in accepting as some were in proffering me that scandal. For ve­rie well I remember that whiles I liued in the Colledge, father Aga­zarius (who was then Rector till toward the latter end at what time father Cowbucke came in his place) the fat father Minister, whose name I haue forgotten, and my Cosin R. S. Prefect of the studies all three most fauningly woo'd me to like of their Societie, to which end they did me the fauour (for so they reputed it) as to admit me into their spirituall exercises, whereof (God I thanke) I made much bet­ter vse vnto my soule then so, noting (as yong as I was) the strange spirit of some youths in the Colledge their chiefe dearlings; as name­ly Anth. Maior whom they made Consiliarius primus or secundus of the congregation of our Ladie in the Colledge (which was a fauour) who since is Apostated euen wilfully, and beneficed here in England. Likewise yong as I was, I could well see what foule vse they made of the said good exercise of our Ladies congregation for the maintai­ning offaction amongst both the scholers and Priests, and for the Iesuiting of the best wits and best bred youths from the true intent and institution of the Colledge. Also I saw how vilely (for example) they abused M. Doctor Bagshaw and Doctor Cicill, putting them to all the boyish exercises of the house, and in the end expulsing the for­mer of them with others from thence. In few, yong though I were, I noted by other in cautelam to my selfe from becomming either Iesuit or Iesuiticall, that what talent they saw in me apt for their turnes [Page 57] if (being such) I should not happen to employ it religiously, and so to the reputation of their Societie, that it would stead them aswell to be employed in dishonestie, so the dishonestie were exquisite and ex­traordinarie, as their instructions could helpe to make it; so much that Societie is the refuse of religiousnesse, and therefore worthily the last religious order in holy Church, and their founder not likely to be ca­nonized for a Saint till it be cassie [...]ed. As then it is but a worke of su­pererogation a man to confine himself to any order of Religion, so is it but a bonum inculpate omissum to be of any whosoeuer haue any such deuotion, as (I protest) I neuer had; howbeit to be a Iesuite, I do not see how that consideratis considerandis, vz. the euils of it as Iesuites are now a dayes for the most part, it is not a Malum realissimé commis­sum.

From this spirit of religious and ecclesiasticall life he fellbacke soone after to the spirit of Poetrie, forsaking the ordinarie studie of the house.

Alas poore Poetrie, what il hast thou deserued at this Iesuits hands, who so many of his coate are Poets at this day, though sorie ones (God wot;) but chiefly, how false a lie is it that I betooke me to that studie in the Colledge. True it is that the ordinarie studie of the house I as litle professed all the while I was there, as I did the course and in­stitution thereof as is afore shewne, and as all the house could wit­nesse: whereas had I (as this libeller lied before) sworne the one, it is likely that I would haue applied me to the other, which is an argu­ment against his said assertion, or was Poesie (haply) astudie fit for an Augustine? Neither is it true (as I was a saying) that I betooke me to Poetrie in that place, but to historie. Since my returne into England I haue indeed set out a Poeme, intituled, A fig for fortune, in attesta­tion to the world of my Catholike soule to God and his Church, and of my resolution against the Iesuitical obloquie which heretofore at­tached me for no other fault in the world then refusing to concurre with a Iesuitical instrument in firing the Queenes Nauie throughout the South and West of England. If this be the Poeme he glaunceth at, belike it is for that in describing therin somewhat the dignitie of the Catholicke Church in the religious orders thereof and those by the terme of discoloured vest, which sounds for the most part Munkes and Friers, the Iesuite seemes excluded thereby as going all in blacke: or else (perhaps) for that by the way I giue in that Poeme her Maiestie some praise and honour as for temporall state, which a Iesuit cannot [Page 58] endu [...]e in the behalf of the house of Austrich. Wel, this Poem (Cosin) was as your self may verie well remember called in by the Protestant for the Catholicke matter thereof, howsoeuer the method was not (I confesse) so schollerly as might aunswer a good Poets expectation; howbeit scholerly inough as from a souldier and no profest Poet, and for one of my yeares then, and also such as might beseeme as great a Clarke as he to whom it was directed, though otherwise a noble per­sonage, and whom I am apt to honor for his worthie grand-sires sake, whose name I weare. But Basto non placuit Iesuitis nor Puritanes; which (me thinkes) were those fathers not religious so much, as but reasonable good Catholikes it might in regard of the matter though not of the methode; and were it but for that it was a souldiers worke such as sometimes their good founder was; as also in regard of (the herrings taile) which what stuffe it is the title shews, & yet they highly esteeme and giue it countenance for being penned by a lay disciple of theirs.

For which he was dismissed and sent by the Charitie of the fathers to the Colledge of Rhemes, thinking thereby to saue him from further falling.

This dismission & charitie of the fathers is a fourth lie, and confuted afore in their retaining me in the Colledge at Rome against my wil; de­taining the Popes pension from me; the curses father Cowbucke gaue me at parting in stead of a Uiaticum, and his frustrating my fortunes at Venice; all which the good fathers did for the loue they bore to S. Peters pence, which by my departure from thence found their way home againe to his Exchecker. Besides, how call ye it a sauing a man from falling, to let him trauell all that way alone and without compa­nie where he presaged he should breake his necke; both which chari­ties in one father Parsons performed to me.

But being arriued there, he presently became an inam [...]rate, and fell in loue with one of Cardinall Allans neeces▪ and proceeded so far therin, as he presumed to write a letter to the said Cardinall to request his consent that he might marrie her, but the Cardinall tooke it in high disdaine, &c.

The premisses of my fortunes ouerthrowne by the Iesuits conside­red, was it a fault in me to seeke to raise it by matching with the Car­dinals neece, who was both faire and vertuous, & all maner of wayes louely, aswell for her owne sake as for her vnkles? or was I too old, or not old inough at seuenteen & vpward to loue? or by the same reason [Page 59] that I could not brook a scholers life, much lesse an Ecclesiastical, was [...] not likely that I might loue? or was I so base and ignoble of birth or education, that I was more too bold and too blame to loue the Cardi­nals neece, thē either M. Thomas Throckmorton, or he that now enioys her? or was my loue vnto her lawfull whiles her vnkle was yet but D. Allan, and vnlawfull afterward when he was a Cardinall? or is loue so grosse an affection that it deserues reproch? or finally was the gentle­woman a Iesuitesse whereby vnworthy to be beloued? Truly (Cosin) no: had you knowne her, or but seene her, you would not onely haue excused me against this calumniator, but commended my fancie. Ab­surdly therefore doth he twit me as faultie herein, and as reprochfully taxe the good Cardinall of disdaine, who knew and loued my father too well, as to disdaine any sonne of his, or thinke him a disparage for his neece; yea, who was so humble a man as that he disdained not a worme. But this is not the first calumnie by hundreds of a Iesuite a­gainst the honour and goodnesse of that excellent Cardinal, who was euer an eye-sore vnto them, because he di [...]tasted them, and was of worth to make them feare him. If then my presuming to write to the Cardinall for his good will to the match were such a fault, how hai­nous a fault had it bene (trow ye) in this Iesuites eye if I had enioyed her without his assent, or rather how not worthie his approbation I in her stead to haue loued my owne sister? No, no, the good Cardinal was not the man so altered by his honour, as that he could so soone know how to disdaine a Gentleman and an honest sute, though what a Iesuite so exalted might do in the like case, it may very well be made a question. Also it may be a question, vpon what new good will to the Cardinall, this Iesuit seemes to be thus carefull of his neete, as to be angrie with a Gentleman for louing her in way of honestie, who was so dishonestly carelesse of his owne and his sisters honour as ye haue heard. I am sure any man that loued my Lord Cardinall better thē I perswade me this Iesuit doth, if he but knew M. Gabriel Allan his graces brother aswel since as before his Cardinalate, would at lest not haue thought me vnworthie to haue bene his nephew; neither yet son in law to the gentlewomans good mother whosoeuer knowes her: who for my owne part haue sped aswell, and better in this respect, as not being my wifes kinsman whereby I to need any Bull of leaue and dispensation for my matching with her as I haue heard her husband had. And as for his liuelihood, I do not heare that it is for the more part other then what the abilitie and loue of his vnkle D. W. in those [Page 60] parts can affoord him. But being (as he is) a Gentleman, much good cheare may his wife do him, and I no whit enuie his for­tune.

The truth hereof I neuer tasted, as departing from Rhemes of my owne accord, and not put from thence by any order of the Cardinals; & therefore do giue it the lie; so as this is the libellers fifth lie. Besides, what authoritie had the good Cardinal to put me from thence liuing there at my owne charges, and louing his neece in good maner; which to do, was (I trust) no misdemeanure, and whether otherwise I mis­demeaned my selfe, I appeale to all the English there then. The truth is, my abiding in Rhemes was no other nor no longer then till I might either winne the Cardinals neece, or get a pension in the low Coun­tries, which latter very shortly by my louing brother in law M. R. S. his meanes to the Duke of Parma, and not by any Iesuits I obtained. Whereupon I departed from Rhemes in the loue and good will of M. Bayly then President, and also of all the reuerend fathers and scholers there, after hauing liued and loued some fiue moneths in that towne. From thence I went to Paris, and so to Rome, vpon occasion of businesse which I had there; and from thence backe againe into Flanders.

From whence he went into Flanders, and became a souldier, first a­mongst the English vnder Sir William Standley, where his incon­stant head suffering him not to stay, he went to serue amongest the Spaniards, and had besides by father Holts helpe a pension of fiue and twentie a moneth.

That I went immediatly from Rhemes into Flanders is a lie also as ye next afore heard; so as this is a sixth lie, though veniall, which may passe for a vertue in a Iesuite. Well, to Flanders I went, be it so; and had the Duke of Parma his pension, it is true; but neither the fiue and twentie crownes a moneth he mentioneth (for it was but twentie) nor yet that by father Holts meanes, but by my kind brother in lawes a­fore named. Wherein to make amends for the last veniall lie you may note a cabbadged lie of his one within another, as almost what errour or euill of a Iesuite euer goes alone. How I demeaned my self in this course of life, you may guesse by the Libeller his not impeaching me, howbeit I confesse that I liued there somwhat lesse scrupulously then before time; and that through father Holt his help-lesse hand to gen­tlemen in the place he was in; who could see their pensions rust afore [Page 61] his face without scouring them with one good word to the Duke in their behalfes, which daily he did for lackes and vpstarts. If my vn­constant head were too blame for carying me from an Irish regiment to a Spanish, it must needs follow that the Spaniard is a lesse worthie souldier then the Irish, which assertion of the Iesuit how his founder being sometimes a Spanish souldier whiles he was on earth, would take at his hands if he were in place, and generally the Spanish nati­on you may imagine. At a word (Cosin) it deserues the Stropado in the Infantaes Court and campe, but Ile be no blab: onely I wonder if this were such a fault, what manner fault he would haue made of it if I had shifted me out of a Spanish regiment into an Irish. Thus may ye see how nothing comes amisse to a Iesuit-calumniator, who thus can taxe me of a light and vnconstant head, for going to grauitie it selfe, the Spanish nation.

And so hauing eaten of the King of Spaines bread for diuers yeares, he commeth now to pay him and the Iesuites with this infamous inue­ctiue, which he hath printed.

If I haue bene vngratefull to the Iesuites, you haue seene for what benefits of theirs vnto me, euen such as were I not a Catholicke and knowing the law of Charitie, they might rather expect my reuenge. But God defend that in my owne case I should be so litle charitable; as also on the other side if in honor of my two deare mothers the Ca­tholike Church and my Country against both which they haue com­mitted treason, and daily do, I should not shew my selfe doubly ag­grieued and angrie with them as grace and nature binds me, I were much to blame. This then and no priuate grudge (I protest) is all my ingratitude and vncharitie against these fathers. Correct they them selues in these my imputations, that is, cease they their schisme in our Church by submitting them to their true Superiours and ours the se­cular Cleargie without ambitioning aboue them and slaundering them by libell any more; cease they their setting brother against brother, friend against friend, &c. with their zizaniaes of faction; cease they their making boote and hauocke of Catholickes estates by the abuse of their spirituall exercises vnto them, and as executors; cease they their querkes and quiddits, as mentall euasions, equiuo­cations, tergiuersations, and the like, but especially cease they their Pharisaicall hypocrisie, and detractious tongues and pens: thus much for the Church. Then for my country; cease they their Spanish faction against it; cease they their perswasions and swetie endeuours of a con­quest [Page 62] of it from Spaine; cease they their murderous treacheries against the annointed person of our Soueraigne, and consequently the hea­ping coales on all our heads at her hands for their sakes which hither­to they haue done; in few, become they good Catholickes and good English as they ought, and then if I be vngratefull or vncharitable vnto them, the blame and shame be mine; whereas continuing to be these manner of men, I also continue this manner of man in their re­proofe, giuing their fatherhoods leaue to take me as they find me: al­so giuing this father the lie in terming my booke an infamous inue­ctiue; the contents thereof being but against their schisme and Spa­nish treasons. So as this is a ninth or tenth lie and that a traiterous lie, as being in reprehension of my loyaltie to Gods Church, my Prince and Countrey, which is all the purport of that my treatie, wherein also he lieth in saying that I printed it. Againe, I giue his fa­therhood the lie in taxing me of ingratitude to the King of Spaine, whose bread I acknowledge I haue eaten, but how? in the sweate of my brow, which was no verie daintie bruesse you may thinke. How­beit as gratefully I eate of it as if it had bin an Oleo podrido of the con­coction of the Phoenix, Pellican, bird of Paradise, Larkes, Quailes, Ve­nison, Sturgeon, Anchouaes and Tabacco, the Bezar and Philoso­phers stone; and wel worthie I was of his bread, seruing him (as I did) in a quarell wherein my owne Princesse was interested against him. But let that passe, and let it suffize that I take it as a slaunder to be re­puted vngrateful to the King of Spaine, seeing that gratitude is a great morall vertue, and much commended in Catholike Religion. For set­ting my loyall dutie to my owne Soueraigne and Countrey aside, and as farre as this respect will giue me leaue, I acknowledge the King of Spaines bountie vnto me, and do highly honour him as the most Ca­tholicke King of the world, neither whiles I liue, will I euer draw sword or serue against him or his estates; onely to my owne Princesse and her estates he must giue me leaue to be loyall. Greatly in the ho­nor of a gentleman I scorne the imputatiō of vngrateful, but specially of disloyall in so high a kind. When so the case standeth that of neces­sitie I must be the one or the other, I trust the choise is not to be stood vpon. That such is the state of my Prince and Countrey at this instant with Spaine, that I must needs be vngratefull or disloyall to the one or the other, my discourse vnto you (which this Libeller termes an inue­ctiue) auoweth. At a word, it would ill beseeme me to be herein other then my fathers sonne, who as litle liked that England should be Spa­nish [Page 63] as I do, which was the cause he was committed to the Fleete in Queene Maries dayes, for hauing too bold a voice in the Parliament against her Spanish match, and who likewise some two yeares afore he died noting the iarres to grow hot betwixt England and Spaine, be­came a loyall sutor to her Maiestie for his returne home from Spaines pension to her grace and fauour his Catholicke conscience reserued; but her Highnes did not so daigne it, but gaue him leaue to die where he did. Briefe, if you wil see ingratitude indeed, and that not in picture but in proper person, behold it in the Iesuites against the good Semi­naries and all the Church of God at this present, and also against our Countrey, (at least if they repute themselues English) all which their ingratitude you may see without spectacles were ye a hundred yeares old. Now commeth he to my letter.

He deuideth his whole discourse into three points in his first page, to wit, Appeale, State, Iesuites; adding thereunto this sentence, Recta se­curus, which if Recta be vnderstood in the Ablatiue case, it agreeth not vnproperly to his case, who seemeth to runne securely and without feare in the right way to perdition.

If he had as rightly construed my Mot, as he hath reported the ti­tle of my booke, he had not seemed the Iesuit, but as such he must be still catching and running vpon the Ablatiue Recta from the right: but on.

Whereunto do leade him on, not only the vanitie and inanitie of the yong mans head, but his pouertie also, in respect whereof (it seemeth) he would gladly get in with some of them that be in authoritie, where­unto he thought good to make this Prologue, and his brothers liuing is a great allurement.

The vanitie and inanitie of the yong mans head hath not bene such that it euer led him with the Iesuits into Schisme against the Church of God, or into treason against his Prince and Country, nor (by Gods assistance) euer shall; but contrariwise was euer able to discerne them, and willing to deserue ill at their hands in these respects; and that meerely for Gods sake and my soules, and not for the worlds as this Libeller calumniates me. As little is it the tenuitie of my estate that could leade me into temptation so farre forth as to comply with au­thoritie for the bettring thereof against honor and conscience. What a Iesuites schoole might profite her scholler in that kind I may easily guesse, but sure I am the Catholike Church dispenseth no such spirit. Better profit (I hope) I haue made of Catholike Religion to my soule, [Page 64] then so to slide from my promise in Baptisme to the world and the di­uell: yea more stand I vpon the honour of my auncestors and of a gen­tleman (setting Catholike dutie aside) then to transport me in so foule brocage to the preiudicing of any person, euen for a Princes fauour. How vngodly then the Iesuite reprocheth me herein, both my con­science and my life hitherto do attest to the world; but chiefly his say­ing that (my brothers liuing is a great allurement). Oh monstrous vncha­ritie thus to sow ielousies betweene brethren, as though there were not priuie vipers inough that daily do it and easily may in respect of the farre distance betweene vs, vnlesse a religious Iesuite should do it in print. Of which enormous imputation (for so I take it) to purge me vnto you (good Cosin) and by your meanes to as many as by the same may be scandalized in their opinions of me, here by protestation I except thereunto & asseuer euen as I am and hope to die a Catholike and beleeue no otherwise to be saued: by my Sauior in the Eucharist: and by all the Saints in heauen, that neuer in all my life haue I gone a­bout directly or indirectly to supplant my brother and his issue of his inheritance in all this time of his absence, but contrariwise haue as far as he euer intrusted me done my brotherly best to work him home againe, as bearing the mind to be beholding rather to God then to my selfe for my fortunes. No no, my brothers religion to God, and his loyaltie to his Prince and Countrey I too wel know, why I should so wrong him, and therein my owne conscience more. A blanke impor­ting treason to this State he when as it was most loyally reiected, refu­sing to subscribe thereunto, whereupon good father Cowbuck within a while after threatned to sit on his skirts, and partly hath made it good since (as I heard) in detaining from him a legacie which sir Fran­cis Englefield in his death bestowed vpon his wife, so very a traitor was this Cowbucke in the one, and so leud an executor in the other. Iudge you now with what honestie I may go about to supplant so good a brother, so good a subiect, and in few, so good a Catholicke as hath left together with his countrey all his faire fortunes therein meerely for the Catholicke cause; in which respect I acknowledge him the wel-worthie head of our house, and worthie to continue so, and con­sequently iudge you then whether this libelling Iesuite be an honest or ciuill man thus to traduce me to the world and in paticular to him by the parsimonie of my fortunes, as though it were not easier by Christs own parable for a poore man to be honest and so to enter into the kingdome of heauen, then a rich Camell. True it is that my father [Page 65] out of his ample estate might in his louing care and prouidence haue left vs his yonger sonnes more liberally prouided then he did; but he did not, as minding to leaue vs partly to our owne makings. Neither was it euer yet my hap to be made a rich mans executor whereby to better my estate that way, and to braue it in girdle and hangers of thirtie pound price as a Iesuite hath done; neither beare I so Iesuiti­call a conscience. Moreouer (I trust) that foure score pound and vp­ward a yeare is not altogether a miserable estate for a yonger brother liuing single wherewith to liue an honest man; lesse then which I ne­uer yet spent any yeare, and yet (I thanke God) my debts are not great, and since my mariage my deare mothers loue hath bettered it. Besides, you know (Cosin) by what executor I am yet the worse by fiue hundred pounds.

The first point concerning Appeale and matter of Schisme is alreadie determined by his Holinesse especiall Breue, to wit, the Appeale reiected, and the controuersie of Schisme prohibited from further dispute vnder paine of excommunication ipso facto, into which this man must needes haue incurred if he knew of the said Breue when he wrote his booke, and if not, then at leastwise the booke it selfe re­maineth forbidden vnder the same paine and punishment.

As he hath belied me hitherto, so see how he here slaundereth the Appeale touching the matter of schisme with a lie also, affirming that it is determined by his Holinesse, but how? to wit, the Appeale reie­cted, which how this assertion hangs together, I pray ye iudge. Iudge how if it be determined (as indeed it is on the Appellants behalfe a­gainst the Libellers) it can be said to be reiected, all reiection being properly of a bil not inquirable in Court, oh grosse and inconsiderate equiuocation. As for his Holinesse inhibiting the question to be fur­ther disputed on vnder paine, &c. how grosse reproch were it also to his Holines if he had not first defined it, namely to haue it said of him, that to priests appealing vnto his Chaire for iudgement in the behalf of their infinite innocence against Calumniators, in the behalf of the libertie of the Church, and also of his Holines own honor, he after so many miles trauell, and that at so great charges and hazards of theirs vnto him in this respect, to reiect their bill, without doing them the equitie as to reade it. On the other side if it be true that since his Ho­linesse award on the Priests side (which is most certaine true as in M. Colletons late booke you may reade the order) he hath withall inhibi­ted (as this Iesuit suggests) all further dispute vpon the question, vn­der, [Page 66] &c. it is wel and good; but here of I wil informe me more then of a Iesuits bare word which deserues no more credit then ye haue heard. Howsoeuer, (I am sure) he lieth broadly in affirming that any such Bull of prohibition was out, or at leastwise promulgated before the edition of my letter by you, whereby I to haue incurred the censure therein contained if I knew thereof, for that if his said Assumpsit be true, it is also true that he himself and his faction haue à fortiori incur­ [...]ed the same, forasmuch as this libell of his is come forth (as ye see) since my said letter, and also their Appollogie, Appendix, &c. all con­taining matter of the Appeale prohibited; and yet he and they (at least wise as he here for himself and them suggesteth) taking notice of such a Breue: whereas I for my part do take no other notice of any such matter, then all the partie of the Appeale hath or doth either now or then, and do submit me accordingly. In the meane time why my book should be by any such pretēded Breue, more censured and forbidden vnder penaltie then this of his or the rest on his side comming forth since mine vpon the same argument (as is said) especially mine being for the Appeale on which behalfe his Holinesse hath ordered it, and theirs on the contrarie, iudge you (Cosin) how likely this sounds.

Albeit this were not so, yet were it lost time to answer this quareller, who not vnderstanding the substance of the controuersie, tatleth with­out any purpose at all, saying therein much lesse and worse then others of his crew haue said or written before him.

Bonaverba quaeso, be not angrie (good Iesuite) but beare your re­bukes patiently at a souldiers hands, both for that your founder was sometime such, and likewise for that your misdemeanures are rather militarie then Ecclesiastical or religious, and consequently within the spheare of militarie discipline. You are a societie that would shake off the yoke of your true masters the secular Clergie, and impose it vpon them, which is preposterous and must not be as long as there is ere an honest souldier aliue that will defend them, and herein the hierarchie and libertie of holy Church. Now (Cosin) whereas he saith that I vn­derstand not the substance of the controuersie, & haue ta [...]led without anie purpose at all, his Holinesse censure so conformable to my dis­course, or rather my discourse to his censure giues herein his father­hood the lie, which is a kind of lie against the holy Ghost; as thus by militarie scholership I proue it. He that speakes or writes accor­ding to S. Peter, speakes and writes according to the holy Ghost; and he that affirmes that so spoken or written is to no purpose, lieth [Page 67] against the holy Ghost. But what I haue written and said in my letter concerning the point of schisme, hath bene according to S. Peter (vz. his Successor) and consequently according to the holy Ghost; ergo this Libeller in saying that I haue written and spoken to no pur­pose in my said letter concerning the point of Schisme, hath lied a­gainst the holy Ghost. The Minor I proue, for what I there writ con­cerning that point, was, that the Appellants were no schismatickes, rebels, nor disobedient in forbearing to accept of the Archpriests au­thority vpon the Cardinals bare letter before the comming of the A­postolike Breue, and this is verbatim his Holines censure touching the same point. Sanctissimus visis & consider at is rationibus vestris (vz. of the Appellāts) declarat vos neque schismaticos, neque rebelles, neque inobedi­entes fuisse ante aduentum Breuis Apostolici, &c. Furthermore, the libel­lers alleaging one of my reasons for the schisme to be on their side, with his cutting off with an, &c. the most materiall words of the same, sheweth his sinceritie what it is; but his reproofe thereof is much more absurd, for this is all he saith: And hereby the discreete Reader will see how wise an vn-Iesuited Gentlemā this is to instruct his Cosin the Iesuited Gentleman in matter of schisme. If in my said discourse I haue said lesse and worse touching that point then anie other, I am glad that the case was so good on the Appellants side that both the least of my pen was inough, and her best not good inough to be seene therein.

Another of my reasons touching the point of State he citeth, whereby I inferred that if Christ expresly rebuked S. Peter for cutting off Malchas his eare, the quarrell being so good: à fortiori, S. Peter and his Successors haue no authoritie Trade [...]di gentem in gentem by con­quest for Religion: which proposition vnder correction of holy Church, I rest farther readie to maintaine, and that for the honour of the sea Apostolike, vz. that P [...]non habet à Christo potestatem tradendi gentem in gentem armis & in foedum propter Religionem. If this be hac­king (as he termes it) at the Popes authoritie; iudge you then what a hacker thereat that Spanish Iesuite is, who openly and for sound, do­ctrine maintained it first to his auditors in the schoole, and at this in­stant obstinatly in the inquisition doth (vz.) that Non est de fide credere hunc Romanum Pontifice [...] esse Christi Uicarium. This (I trust) is more then hacking at the Pope; this is a flat cutting off his head. But marke (I pray) how learnedly the Libeller refutes my aforesaid reason: these are his words. And do you not see by this reason that this yong gentleman souldier, is fitter to cut off boyes eares, then to reason of State matters; or to [Page 68] backe at the Popes authoritie by such arguments as these are. These are the vennies this hacking father giues me, which he thinkes are deepe wounds, and which to do he so stretcheth forth his arme that (as ye see) he straines it, the reproch lighting on himselfe. But let vs see what followeth.

But what saith he of the third point about Iesuits? Oh here is his veine indeed to raile, and reuell against them, who (good men) haue bene alwayes carefull, so farre forth as in them hath layne to stay his shittle braines, and to make him carefull of some Christian constancie, but all in vaine as it seemeth.

Still the father vrgeth the societies fauours vnto me, their care to stay my shittle braines, and make me carefull of some Christian con­stancie; ah stale hypocrisie, grosse extortion, and proud beggarie of good desert where none euer was, but the cleane contrarie; ah humor of all humours, and ceremonie of all ceremonies the most extrauagant and ridiculous that euer I heard of Sure, this is a gullerie new brought ouer by the fathers from beyond the straights of Magellane, and as yet not thorough christened here in Europe. I wonder how they brought it so farre by sea, and vnder so torrid zones without tainting, or what po [...]dring or p [...]boiling (haply) they gaue it aforehand. No no [...]sin) it hath taken wind and [...]kes; pouder or spice it they neuer so art [...]lly, you and all may smell the sleight of it: which is noise other th [...]n by such their arrogated goodnesse toward me, they to seeme (good men) and consequently my auersion from them to seeme vngratefull, and as from God; but chiefly my verities to you of them thereby to be disabled and reputed inuectiues as from an vn­grateful person, they hauing in truth no iust disproofe of them at all as for example ye shall [...]eare: Ye reade in my former letter vnto you (which this fellow termes a libell) of a certaine familiar Iesuite who erected a kind of family of loue by his might-lectures to his faire fe­ma [...]e auditors, & what became of it; now heare (I pray) his disproofe; these are his words [...] you heare this lasciuious companion going about to discredit good and vertuous men, and in them the whole Catholike cause? as though I or any man else euer lay with his sister besides himselfe, why thus he should terme me lasciuious; or as though a Iesuites bare negatiue (as these words of his sound not so much) could be auten­ticke against a positiue assertion, and an affirmatiue so peremptorie as this of [...] is, without further proofe; or as though the honour of the whole Catholicke cause consisted on a few pelting Iesuits; oh proud [Page 69] and peeuish pen! And so of some other my allegations, which being in the affirmatiue he would haue either his bare deniall, or else his (How is it likely?) or, Do you thinke this is a Catholicke? or such like surly euasions to ouer-beare: which must not be, a Iesuite being now pretily discouered amongst vs what quiddit he is and of what mould. He must not thinke to beare it hence forward amongst Catholikes in England with his bare Ipse dixit as heretofore, but must aswel as other honest and plaine meaning men be content to come downe from the bench, & yeeld reason for what he saith or doth. It is neither his Pha­risaicall hypocrisie, his title of religious, nor yet the fauour of Spaine & all the house of Austrich that can giue him credit against honestie, honestie being the staffe which wil neuer warp, but still abide straight and stiffe against a world of aduersaries. So thought they to tread downe the Appellants first from their Appeale, next in their Appeale touching the point of Schisme, but you see now the contrarie, and therin their shame so great, as not all the Austrich fethers in the world can swagger out. So good is God & euer was to his seruāts, to his litle Dauid against Go [...]as. In which respect how happie may I thinke my selfe in hauing thus risen on the Appellants side, and serued them (whom this mate stil termes seditious) to the poore power of my pen, and in them al the Church of God. In the libellers exceptions where­unto I maruell here by the way why he answereth me nothing con­cerning the point of Spanish faction whereof I so really impeach his societie, and namely his fellow father Cowbuck, and the same with me all the partie of the Appeale. Oh oh, it is his guiltie conscience, and that so much the more guiltie and trecherous, by how much he would faine smother this article rather by silence then by blushing. Likewise it is a point which they haue concluded to let sleepe till a change, at what time (all being then likely to be in vprore) they will awake it a­gaine with some new Spanish Doleman, suffizing that they retaine their Spanish faction sure in the meane time against that day, to which day for the delay of it, they giue the daily poxe, and that plainely and without all maner of mentall euasion; and so likewise to all those that haue alreadie detected such their disloyall proiect. It followeth.

How say you (Cosin) by this gallant, by this (I will not say) Deus Deorum in Sion, but Daemon daemoniorum in Aegypto, who thus pre­sumptuously [Page 70] takes vpon him to define the conscience of any man like God himselfe, who onely is Scrutator renum & cordis. His saying that I am not a Catholike other then in rine and paring; that I am a copes­mate shrouded in a Catholikes coate (if he meane copes-mate in dis­grace) and that I am an Apostata in my hart from God and all pietie, are all most grosse, inormous, and diabolicall slanders, such as my con­science, and in the behalfe of it all the Angels and Saints of heauen, yea God himself giues the lie vnto. For since the time of my vnion to the Catholicke Church, which was in Anno 1583. by the hand of old and good M. Woodward in Rone in Normandie, I neuer either in schis­maticall or hereticall word, deed, or assent, scandalized the same, but haue euer held and reputed such my Religion as the apple of my eye, and as a brooch, pledge, piller and seale of saluation to my soule. Yea, rather then I will euer vpon temptation of the flesh, the world or the diuell, disparage my selfe herein to the Catholike Church, I trust in God to endure a thousand deaths. In testimony of which my Catho­like cōscience, I here by these presents auow the same vnto you (good cosin) and to as many as may happen to reade this letter, praying you and them to beare me record hereof at the latter day when all flesh shall arise to iudgement. If the actuals of my life haue not bin so con­formable to this my professed faith as they ought, it hath bene my ex­treme frailtie I confesse, for which God I thanke that he hath left me­dicinable Sacraments in the Church whereby I may rise and renew me from time to time; yet, sure I am that to dislike of so schismaticall and trecherous preuaricators as Iesuites are at this day both to our Church and countrey, and to oppose against them as such with al my abilitie with and for the sacred Seminaries my true spirituall fathers, is no wayes an act of ill life so much as veniall, much lesse Apostacie from God and all pietie, but the cleane contrarie, that is, Catholicke and bounden dutie in the highest degree. Let therfore this libelling Iesuit looke into his owne conscience, and checke these his slanderous im­putations to me, first there, and then to the world-ward, and as for his satisfaction to me, he shall find it easie at my hands, who do daily pray God to forgiue me my trespasses, as I forgiue all trespasses against me. Till when let him not vaunt (as aboue ye haue read) of atimorous conscience, to affirme things that he knowes not for certaine, especi­ally if tending to the reproch of any; and in religious humilitie think himselfe (as all men ought) the veriest sinner of all others.

And finally his deadly and diuellish hatred to Iesuits in generall and to [Page 71] father Parsons in especiall, to whom notwithstanding he was wont to professe great obligation for his spirituall good, as he is not ashamed to conclude thus of him: In briefe, if he haue bene a Iudas to Gods Church and his country to the disparage of the Seminaries, &c.

That I being so verie Catholicke as you haue heard, do hate Iesuits as Iesuites, that is, as they ought to be good religious men according to their institution, and their founders rules confirmed & priuiledged so indulgently by holy Church is another falsitie, and I repute it as a slander. Marie, that I hate them as men generally debaucht and di­gressed from their principles, and consequently as most scandalous transgressors, this I acknowledge to be verie true, and my dutie as I am a Catholike, being withall sory euen in my soule and with my hart for the honour of my holy mother the Church, that there can be a reli­gious societie in it so scandalous as this aswell to all her children and friends, as to her foes; but specially in a Church so much vnder execu­tion as this our English is. Yea so farre forth I am sorie herefore, as that to redeeme the same, I take God to witnes, I would willingly endure a manie Anathemaes both temporall and corporall in this world Gods grace and loue reserued. And as for father Cowbucke I denie and maligne him not the credit of his booke called the Resolu­tion; but do agnize his paines therein taken, whether as a collector, or but as a translator, to be meritorious and fruitefull, and in particular my selfe to haue bene more then somewhat profited thereby in spirite in the time of my catecumenage; and so also haue manie bene by Bu­chanans seuen Psalmes, who notwithstanding became himselfe an A­postata in the end. Other, either spirituall or temporall debt to him or his societie I acknowledge none, but the cleane contrarie, that is, dis­gusts and iniuries, both to my selfe as A. C. and also as I am a mem­ber of the Catholicke Church and my countrey, either of which that Societie, but especially this man haue notoriously scandalized and preiudiced. In which respect I might iustly distast and impeach them in my former letter to you, as I did in maner of an Appollogie for the Seminaries, to whom in all duties both to our Church and countrey we are chiefly indebted. And if (haply) they haue erred in anie thing to the hurt of either of them, it hath bene in bringing in of Iesuits, and giuing them here the countenance they haue to the discountenan­cing of themselues, and generally of the Catholicke cause through their ingratitude, singularity, and auarice. Being which maner of men [Page 72] and therefore iustly banisht out of France, and distasted of the most part of Christendome; how is it that their reproch may be a blemish to any, or rather not their praise a reproch? Truly (Cosin) if they hold on as they haue begun, and that withall the world by their meanes grow not worse then it is alreadie, I do not doubt but we shall see it so ere long; if they be not cassierd the sooner, so much is their cor­ruption exorbitant and readie to runne ouer. Good God that such a societie of men after so many scandals and foule deserts of theirs in France and elsewhere for Prince-killing, sedition, &c. can be thus of credit in England, where also they haue assayed no lesse and daily do before our eyes, besides their present schisme in our Church: whereas the Seminariesouer and aboue the high honor of their secular and pa­storall priesthood, and their instiution thus for the shamble in Gods cause and for our soules like vowed good shepheards, are truly good men and our good fathers, in all aswell moral as spirituall practise, ga­therers & not dispersers, with whom to be afflicted by the Iesuits and our common aduersaries, highly we ought to hold it a glorie to God and vs; and as for my owne part I do, reputing this Libellers contu­melies against me for their sakes for such, being glad that you amon­gest other my good kinsemen and friends are so open eyed (standing vpon your honor to be wise and vertuous) as to discerne not onely a Iesuits grosse and goutie faults, as (for example) a lie, but also his finer and quintessenced gulleries as daily now you do. You may see and be glad to see it, how farre these fathers are alreadie chased by ours, that like a foxe almost spent in the hunting, they haue now no other shift for the life of their schisme, then to bepisse their tailes and besprinkle therewith the hounds that are readie to fasten on them in the eyes, wherewith (if it may be) to put them off. Such foxe-like pissing-shift is this Manifester his quil-full oflice, vz. expresse lies blowne not only vpon me (being a lay man) in this said Libell, but also vpon sundrie good Seminaries who haue likewise hunted their foxe-ship, and yet do with their sedule pen. It was other with these foxes in the begin­ning of the day, when being fresh a foote, and the hunt but scarse vp, they had manie a wittie wile, manie a pretie frisk, and many a slie sub­terfuge, as mental euasions, equiuocations, tergiuersations, hypocrisie, and the like, wherewith to deceiue the hound and saue themselues, whereas now they are come to their pissing-shifts of lie & libell as is said. Corage (good Cosin) & think their death that is their finall check & shame for all their schisme and sins at the Apostolike Pastors hands [Page 73] now at hand, seeing that to so grosse and beastly shifts they are fallen as expresse lying against their pursuers. It was my chance this other day riding vpon the way to ouertake a Iesuiticall ally of mine, a gentleman wel descended, and who had suffered much for the Catho­like cause at the hands of our common aduersarie, first in sundrie pri­sons, and lastly at the Barre; and falling into communication with him vpon these matters of the Appeale, I found him the man who in li­tle more then two miles riding did blunder out and that most ass [...]ue­rently seuen as grosse lies as grosse might be, and that to my certaine knowledge whom they all concerned. Now because for many res­pects I loue the Gentleman, I heartily wish him dis-lesuited for alto­gether, but especially of this veine which is too grosse, and so likewise his fat sister I wish she would hang her picture of the Iesuit in the gray gowne now another while in the garret, seeing that the presence and sight therof hath heretofore giuen her leaue to Asse and befoole too manie Seminaries Priests farre more reuerend and good men (I wisse) then he; who though they were bad, yet better termes might beseeme a modest Catholike gentlewoman on men of their coate. Thus much to her because I likewise loue and wish her well, and in particular to be rid of her old corne wheresoeuer she be; for it is a shreud paine and makes the foote go much awrie.

By this you may see what a proper Cato this Manifester is to be ei­ther taskt by his superiour Iesuit, or to take vpon himselfe to censure others, who is himselfe so censurable a companion aswel for the inor­mities of his censure, as of the whole course of his life. In effect you see that the summe of his said censure is a manifestation of his owne and his societies folly and bad spirite most immense vpon the subiect of detraction and defamation, which is the grossest and drossiest argu­ment that my pen can handle, and most properly and essentially libel­lious: whereby it appeares that a Iesuit at this day is not only digres­sed from the finenesse of his institution and primitiall honors as reli­gious Ignatians; but also from fine and vertue-like vices, wherewith they first of all began to be naught, to too too course and scandalous, which ere long will bring them to as grosse contempt. Not but that this Manifester seemes for his part to continue euen as he first began, that is, no better nor no worse; you hauing heard afore somewhat of his foule birth and life, and now seene somewhat of his libell, at least if (as in the beginning I said) he be the man. I was once almost of opinion and so were others with me that this Libeller had bene one [Page 74] Garnet the prouincial-father ouer these schismatikes here in England; for that I sometimes knew him by the name of Patre Robert [...] a great chalker vpon a wall in the Gregorian-Colledge at Rome▪ and conse­quently (being a Iesuit) was likely (I thought) to be the man thus li­belliously to score vp other mēs vices or rather their vertues for vices, and not his owne, which mostly euerie religious man ought. But by reason that his charactering was alwaies with chalk, and this authors seemes to be with a cole: therfore I quit him of this scādal; though not of many others as grosse, which gladly also I would for my cosin R. S. his sake somtime his fellow-father in earth, with whom he came ouer into England (if I mistake not) and which kinsman of mine I presume is by this time a Saint in heauen notwithstanding some soule faults of his as from his Iesuitisme. All the finenesse that may be so called in this libellious Manifestation is that the author thereof being a meere Iesuit, would haue it thought by his (wees) to be of some secular Priests doing, and consequently of Seminarie against Seminarie, or at least waies by this sleight to worke it so, or if not, yet thereby to inuolue the Seminaries in their blames and scandals in the opinion of the vul­gar, which forasmuch as Stultorum plena sunt omnia, they hold for the better boote, because the greater. But as they haue their forged (wees) wherewith thus to gull the world; so (assure your selfe) there will not want true (wees) on the Appellant-side to detect from time to time such their gulleries to their shame: which to do, is so farre from being Chams manner of fault toward his father Noe, (they being no waies such good fathers) as that those (wees) neede not to feare Gods like curse vpon them therefore, much lesse those fathers owne curses; yea, not to discouer them I hold rather a matter of irreligion, and to de­serue Gods anger, whom of his great goodnesse we are to beseech ra­ther he to frustrate such their sleights, then we to discouer them, the notice whereof can no whit edifie our common aduersaries. Also we are to beeseech God in the behalfe of such Iesuiticall (wees) and the like sleights to the disunion of our brethren farther then alreadie they are, he to inspire the Seminaries animam vna [...] & cor vnū against their common foe, as alreadie we plentifully and gladly may see it, conside­ring quam bonum & quam i [...]cundunt est habitare fratres in vnum. Well, you may see by this (as I was a saying) how all honest supports begin to faile the Iesuits in their schisme, and they forced to trust now daily to lies, Mammon, and fooles. Blessed be God for it (sweet Cosin) and a faire incouragement may it be to vs to expect hereupon their farther [Page 75] foile then what they haue alreadie receiued at our fathers hands and the holy Ghosts, as touching the decided point of schisme▪ namely all their other aggriefes against them being now (as we heare) commit­ted by his Holinesse to his high court of Inquisition, to be exami­ned according to the humble sure of the Appellants by their two La­tin bookes, the one to his Holinesse, the other to that Court it selfe, both which (I suppose) you haue seene? This commitment of the cause by his Holinesse, the Iesuit-partie here swaggers vpon mightily at this present, as vpon a point in the Appellants disgrace and to their glo­rie, which (God knowes) is but with a weeping inward, considering that our partie hath brought it to this passe, full ill against their wils: howbeit, they haue their ruffians to face it, and their too too manie sots to beleeue it in their praise.

And now where you find such vngratefull, traiterous, and Iudas-like nature, &c. what disputing is there with him?

A conclusion verie sutable to the premisses, and such as no Catho­licke or charitable person may with a safe conscience answer Amen vnto: for that thereby he should incur the guilt of all his libell, which not all the countenance of Spaine and Austrich can euer make good against me, at least in the eye of God. So as, true and vndoubted is my triumph ouer it in this my answer, it being so full of veritie as God sees it is, wherein if I haue bene so bold as to giue the Iesuit the lie as I haue lineally met with the same, I trust it hath bene with charitie inough; though with the lesse courtesie; charitie being that Adam which can giue euery thing her proper notion. And as for scandalum magnatum I am sure it is none neither; for that a Iesuits greatnesse (at least this Libellers whom I suppose) is none at all, vnlesse in scandal­giuing.

Thirdly, Percussor Cleri I am likewise none in so doing, for that if it be anie percussion at all, it is Percussio percussoris cleri, such as this Iesuit hath bene in all this libell of his, except onely in this part of it which hath touched me who am lay, and it hath bene me defendendo. Wherein how iustly I haue exonerated my selfe vnto you, of all his imputations by these my answers. I referre to your exactest exa­mination. Examine (I pray) whether with Iacob I haue all this while contended with a good Angell or a bad; yea be ye a Iesuit the while to make the worst construction you can of these my lines. Let the li­beller who ere he be, or any, or all the Iesuites in the world for him, that find themselues aggrieued with either the many lies I haue in this [Page 76] my Appollogie giuen him, or otherwaies impeached him in my de­fence; accuse me by an Appeale to the Apostolike barre, and see whe­ther I feare either the inquisition or the galley to answer him. Let him trie whether I cannot better defend both this and my former letter to you concerning their scandals, then either M. Lister his treatie of schisme, or this Iesuit his Libel were he called in coram thither for it. Eighteene capitall lies and one veniall haue I giuen this Manifester, as the apparant proofes and my protestations, besides God and my conscience can witnesse, which is pretie competent for not passing two leaues of his booke concerning me, and more then so many ven­nies to him from me. Guesse you may how many then he hath written in the whole of others being all Priests, and consequently by all like­lihood men of lesse exceptions vnto, then I who am a souldier. His lies are these.

• Imprimis, that my letter to you which is imprinted is a libell.
• 2 That I stand for the seditious.
• 3 That I tooke the Colledge oath to be a Priest.
• 4 That I pretended to be an Augustine Frier.
• 5 That I betooke me to Poetrie in the Colledge.
• 6 That I was dismist from thence by the Iesuits.
• 7 Item by their charitie (vz.) Uiaticu [...].
• 8 That I was put from Rhemes by order from Cardinall Allan.
• 9 That I went from Rhemes to Flanders.
• 10 That I had there a pension of fiue and twentie crownes a mo­neth.
• 11 That I obtained it by father Holts meanes.
• 12 That I am vngratefull to the King of Spaine.
• 13 That I printed an infamous inuectiue against him.
• 14 That the Appeale is reiected.
• 15 That my imprinted letter to you was prohibited by his Holi­nesse Breue so as he assumes.
• 16 That I vnderstand not the substance of the controuersie tou­ching the schisme.
• 17 That I am a copesmate shrouded in a Catholicke coate, and an Apostata in my heart from God and all pietie.
• 18 That I hate Iesuites in generall if he meane as Iesuits; or father Parsons in particular as a Iesuite.
• 19 That the Iesuites haue bene my best friends manie yeares.

• Imprimis, that I went vp into the pulpit to make the tones with a rose in my mouth.
• 2 That the Iesuites sent me to Rhemes to saue me from farther fal­ling.
• 3 His reproch to the Cardinall that he disdained my sute to his neece.
• 4 That I shewed an vnconstant head in going from the Irish to a Spanish regiment.
• 5 His grosse comment vpon my Mot Recta securus.
• 6 That I made that imprinted letter to you as a Prologue, where­by to get in with some in authoritie for the bettering of my estate.
• 7 That my brothers liuing was allurement vnto me thereunto.
• 8 That I am a Catholike but onely in the rine and paring.
• 9 His cauils vpon certaine passages in my said letter vnto you, and his no disproofes of them, but slie cuasions.
• 10 That I tooke occasion by my said letter to [...]aile at the Iesuites and Archpriest.
• 11 His leauing me to Gods iudgement.

• Imprimis, his not setting his name to his Manifestation, &c. whereby it is a flat libell.
• 2 His (wees) as though not he alone wrote the libell, but would haue it thought written by Seninaries.
• 3 His affirming his (wees) to be of a fearefull conscience, as to a­uouch things that they knew not for certaine after his ex­presse lies foretold.
• 4 His hypocriticall and detractious aduise to yonkers to beware by me of sliding backe vpon his surmised and premised lies.
• 5 His hypocrisie and detraction in praying God that I trespasse not ere long in matter of faith, hauing failed as he pretends in the point of Charitie.
• 6 His contradicting himselfe in affirming that the Appeale con­cerning the schisme is determined and yet reiected.
• 7 His affirming that my foresaid letter to you is prohibited by his [Page 78] Holinesse Breue, and yet his insinuating that his and other bookes of his faction which are come foorth since it vpon the same argu­ment, are not.

That I am a libeller, a scold for the seditious, a litle wanton idle­headed boy, and light witted; a lad, vnconstant, spleenatiue, spitefull, malicious, vaine, inane, a quareller, a tatler, [...]it to cut off boyes eares, a hacker at the Popes authoritie, a railer, a reuiler, shittle brained, a las­ciuious companion, a discreditor of vertuous men and the Catholike cause, beastly, sensual, a Catholike but in the rine and paring, a copes­mate shrouded in a Catholike coate, an Apostata, impudent, a deadly and diuellish hater of Iesuites, vngratefull, traiterous; Iudas-like, &c.

Now tell me (Cosin) whether euer ye read two such leaues in all your life, and whether you thinke this fellow haue not passing well profited in Iesuitrie, alias Scaningerie, who notwithstanding is not a­shamed to prate of modestie, and (perhaps) expects to be so answe­red. This is the fruite of that singularitie wherein a Iesuite will be called (forsooth) a father, albeit his societie be the purest order in the Church of God; fie on such fatherhood so rooted, so fruited. Were I not a Catholicke, I should be proud (I promise ye) of such a fathers reproch and malediction, which in the integritie of my Catholicke conscience I asmuch scorne at their hands, as I scorne to be any whit depending of their good word for my reputation, they being such prodigious schismatickes as they are to our Church, traitors to our Countrey, and (as it seemes) most professed liers, at whose hands how can a praise but stinke, and a reproch but resent most sweetly?

Hauing thus Apollogetically, and plainely as you see, and withall as briefly as I can exonerated my selfe vnto you of this Iesuits libelli­ous imputations, I here promise you vpon occasion thereof to pre­sent you and all the world ere long with a Manifestation of the Iesui­ticall common-wealth, whereby you shall plainly see vpon what ma­ner of props it subsists. God defend that my conscience and my pen should not therein meerely intend Gods glorie, the good of his Church and of my Country: so as I may and will boldly shew my face without any manner of wees, or namelesse vizard, and be knowne to be of Sion by my voice against such inward Babylonians as they are My Ordo ad Deum in that Treatie shall be such, and my face so mani­fest, doing it propter bonum societatis▪ vz, for her reformation (if it please God) that scratch it what Iesuit soeuer list my conscience, and the ap­probation of all good men wil heale it as fast. For there are Stapletons and Wrights inough in the world who haue gone in amongst them, and come forth againe noting their pollution. My stile shal be (as you see) plaine, but ciuil and honest, and better crossed and blessed of God (I trust) then to blunder out a falshood for a world. There will not want truths inough and too manie in their reproofe, though I pray not a lie in aide. The contents of the booke I send you herewith as a fore-tast or ante-past or Antelope thereunto.

Shall we still take a Iesuite for an honest or ciuill man withall his faults? Might he not aswell and better and more Catholickely haue left me to Gods mercies, at least if he thinke himselfe a sinner too, and needing the same aswell as I? or did I euer lie with my sister? drink my selfe drunke in his cup? or write nineteene lies against anie mans good name in but two leaues of paper, why he should thus leaue me to Gods iudgement? or if I had why not rather to his mercies? Call ye it charitie so to leaue a man to God, knowing Quam horribile est inci­dere in manus Dei viuentis & videntis? or is his owne innocence such that he is able to answer God in his accusations vnum pro mille? In [Page 80] few, is this wished like a good father? or is this diliges proximum tuum tanquam teipsum, firsty your selfto condemne your brother for an Apo­stata from God and all pietie, &c. and then also to leaue him to Gods iudgement? vnlesse (haply) you acknowledge your said iudgement rash and vniust, and therefore would referre him to God to iudge him better. No, no, this is Iesuiticall vncharitie, and agreeable to that of father Cowbucke his presaging my necke to be broken adowne the Alpes manie yeares ago (as afore is touched) who liue yet notwith­standing, and (as I hope) in Gods blessings, for all I dislike a Iesuit: which (to conclude) I do not see how I am not bound to do in the be­halfe of our true spirituall fathers the secular Priests, whom (hauing bene euer stagers in Gods Church) these vpstarts would supplant, by robbing them of their Pastorall and paternal honours, which must not be; neither yet they to betray our countrey to Spaine. In either of which quarrels I for my part do hold it (as twice before I said) an ho­nour to be with our said fathers afflicted by these false fathers; and do meane (by Gods help) like a true Catholike souldier to maintaine my stand in the one, and like a true English in the other on their behalfe. Do you the like (good Cosin) and euerie good English Catholike be­sides; considering the foes we deale withall are brazen-faced, and all their braue is in the Austrich feather. Fare ye well.

MAister D. Elyes answer which in my former letter I foretold ye was forthcomming to the Iesuitical Apollogie is now come ouer, intituled, His notes vpon the same, wherein he hath shewne him­selfe the excellent good man he is, and euer was in zeale of Gods Church, and the Seminaries honor, of which letter he is a baze or fun­damentall stone. Which notwithstanding, a larger answer to the said Appollogie is in hand by the Priests here at home, and verie shortly forthcomming. With these notes of M. D. Elies is combined M. D. Bagshaw his Appollogie for his good name; as also D. Bishops, and M. Pagets, wherunto the Iesuiticall lies and libels haue driuen them there, aswell as me and others here at home: the booke I send ye herewith. The Appendix is likewise in answering; and as for the Manifestation, the answer thereto is alreadie finished, and readie for the presse. The newes from Rome is as by this peece of a letter from a speciall gentle­man [Page 81] in Paris of instant date, & in answer to a letter of M. Watsons vnto him you may perceiue. M. Bluet is on the way hitherward, from whom we haue had no letters these two last Posts. Onely it is assured vs from Rome that Parsons is condemned; the maner and particularities thereof we haue not as yet. M. Bluets arriuall will affoord it vs all, and giue vs all cause to re­ioyce. The rest of thē stay (as I think) there still, for so it is held expedient for the farther state ofthe businesse. I am glad to heare that the book lately prin­ted here is so wel accepted of amōg you there at home, as I see no reason why it should not, considering who they were that penned it: and this is asmuch as is to be written from hence at this time touching common affaires. Now for the rest, &c. By this (Cosin) you may see what a monstrous gull or foist that of the Iesuits was which of late, yea yet possesseth both the court and countrey against the Appellants: but what will ye? Mentitur iniquitas sibi; and according to the Prophet, Omnis homo mendax, that is, as I may here conster it, quatenus a Iesuit or Iesuiticall.

Both these letters are submitted to the censure of holy Church, and the mis-printing to the courtesie and discretion of the Reader.