THE PLEA OF M. ANTONIE ARnauld Counselor in Parliament, and heretofore Counselor and Atturney generall to the late deceased Queene Mother, for the Vniuersitie of Paris plaintife, against the Iesuites defendants, the 12. and 13. of Iuly. 1594.
The Subiect of the Plea.
THe Iesuites hauing borne out themselues against sundrie complaintes of the Vniuersitie, by the support of such as vsed their seruice in executing of their great and mischieuous enterprises, became at length after the blocking vp of the town imperious cōmaū ders in Paris, and kindled the fire of sedition in al the chiefe townes of the Realme, vsing blasphemous raylings without ceasing in their sermons and confessions, against the memorie of the late King, & against the kings Maiestie that now reigneth, whome they wounded and stonge with their venemous tongues, and the most slaunderous wordes they could by any meanes deuise: And to heape vp the full measure of their impieties, attempted to murder the King by the handes of one Barriere, who was executed at Melun, and confessed it at his death. Which was the cause of the first resolution, taken and agréed vpon by the Vniuersitie of Paris, since the towne returned to the obedience of the King, to be humble suters that the Iesuites might be banished. To which ende and purpose, a supplication was presented against them to the Court of Parliament, the authoritie of which Court, though they kicked and spurned against for the space of certaine daies, yet in fine being enforced therunto (by an order set downe on thursday the 7. of Iuly 1594. the tenure whereof was, that vpon the Monday then next ensuing their default of appearance should receiue iudgemēt, without any more delay) they brought in their Counsel that day into the [Page] great chāber, before the Court was set: which Coūselor gaue the Court to vnderstand, that in way of defence of his Clients cause he should be constrained to vtter much matter, which would be very displeasing to many which were now become Seruants to the King, and therefore praied the Court, that the doores might be shut, whilest the matter was pleaded. This was a subtill practise of the Iesuites, to secrete from the people, (whome they had to this day bewitched with their sorceries and enchantments,) their illusions and daungerous practises, wherby they laboured to subiect all Europe to the thraldome of Spaine. Notwithstanding, this cunning-plat of theirs tooke so good successe, that order was taken by the Court, that the doores should be shut whilest the matter was in pleading. Master Antonie Arnauld pleaded for the Vniuersitie, Master Lewes Dolle for the Curate of Paris, who ioyned with the Vniuersitie, Master Claud Duret, for the Iesuites, Monsieur Seguier for the Kings Attourney generall.
The plea of Master Antonie Arnauld Counselor in Parliament for the Vniuersitie of Paris plaintife: against The Iesuites defendants, the 12. & 13. of Iuly. 1594.
IT may please this Honorable Court, I will begin this action with an other maner of protestation, then our aduerse parties haue vsed: for whereas they gaue out yesterday to the world, that the doores should be shut whilest this matter was in pleading, by reason of the threates which they had cast out of speaking against many, which had now submitted themselues to the Kings obedience, and were content and forward to hazard their liues daily in the warres for his seruice: I protest on the cōtrary, to offend no man neither in worde nor thought, but such as stand and remaine metamorphosed Spaniards.
The reason of the diuersitie of these two protestations is apparant inough. The Iesuites can not do a greater péece of seruice to the King of Spaine their Master, then in this place to slaunder [Page 3] such men, as haue, in sorte as the world seeth, sharpened his edge, by putting so strong and important townes into the handes of his greatest and most daungerous enemy.
And on the other side, the Vniuersitie of Paris, (the Kinges eldest daughter, for whome I speake,) can not doe his Maiestie a greater seruice, then to kéepe inuiolably the Law of Forgetting; which is the originall and fountaine of the peace which we now enioy, and that we are and hope to enioy from hence forward.
I remember that I haue read, that at what time the battaile of Pharsale was agréed on by the Generals & Leaders on both sides, and the Trompetters were commaunded to sound their Trompets, certaine of the best of the Romaines, and some Grecians (that were then present in the field, but not within the battaile) séeing the state of both those huge and mighty armies so néere to danger, began to consider with themselues to what point the forces of the Romane Empire were brought. For their armour was all one, the setting and ordering of their battailes was all alike, their Ensignes were without difference, resembling the one the other in all points, the verie flower of all the valiant men of one selfe same Citie, and a mightie strength now vpon the instant to ruinate it selfe: giuing a notable example how blinde, raging and furious the nature of man is, when it giueth it selfe ouer to be carried away with any violent passion. For if they would haue ruled and gouerned that which they had wholly conquered, the greatest and best part of the world both by land and sea, had bin in their subiection, and vnder their obedience.
In like sort, whosoeuer that knoweth our state well, will consider to what point of greatnes, of happines, of honors, of riches, and mightines, the Crowne of France had now attained vnto, had it not bin for our warres more then ciuill, and that the flower of so many valiant men (which might now haue bin aliue, had not our ciuill diffentions bin) had but more then sufficient to haue gone and assailed our old enemie euen within M [...]ill, and haue brought him to parle & compromise for his treasures [...] it wels, especially vnder the happy conduct of so great and excellent a Leader, [Page] who hath the harts and armes of Nauarre, of Aragon, and Portugal stretched out vnto him as their hoped for deliuerer out of the handes of this horrible tirannie of Castile: whosoeuer, I say, wil consider these things, can not hold himselfe from entring into iust choler and extreame indignation against them that haue bin sent in amongest vs to blow the bellowes, and kindle the coles of this great fier, without ceasing and intermission, wherewith this Monarchie hath bin almost wasted and consumed
That these instruments and firebrandes of the world are the Iesuits, there is no man that doubteth, but onely two sortes of people: the one, which are of nature so feareful, that they thinke they are stil within the clutches of the Sixteene Murderers, and the Iesuits their counsaile: and the other which are of their brotherhood and congregation, and haue secretly executed the most dangerous point of their vowes, as a whole towne may be Iesuiticall.
But these men speake but softly, as not daring to be heard. And on the contrarie side, wée sée a great and vniuersall consent of all honest men, as well of such as departed out of this towne during the warres, as of them that tarried behind, and with so great zeale and stout courage opened the gates of the Capitall to their King, (For we can not all of vs but feare alike, desire alike, and hate alike.) Wée sée, I say, so great an affection of all the heartes that are true French, and vnfainedly desirous of the greatnes and increase of this Crowne, that they are readie (vpon a grounded hope they haue vpon an infallible assurance of your Iustice and deuotion to his Maiesties seruice) to hunt out all those murderers of Kinges, these confessors, and eggers on forward of such parricides: to hunt them, I say, out of France, and from amongest all them that are vnder the obedience of the Flower de Lys, sworne enemies to these monsters, that haue bereft them of one of their dearest children, and are now come to the watch to heare of the like newes of the King that now raigneth, whom they haue alreadie murdered, as much as in them might lie by aide, counsaile, and burning desire, and at this day striue with tooth and naile wholly to subuert and breake in a thousand pieces the piller whereupon the Scepter resteth, [Page 4] which they haue shaken many a day: which they haue shaken, I say, in the sight of all men of vnderstanding, that foretold it in this great Oracle of France, not when the doores were shut, but when they were full open, and with as great resort of people, as is now in this great hall, desirous to come in. That foretold it, I say, not doubtfullie and in a cloude, but cléerely, and with all the circū stances which wee haue seene: foretelling vs of all the miseries which wee haue felt, and the calamities which haue brought vs within two fingers breadth of our vtter ruine. But their foresights, their aduertisements, their protestations, were no lesse fruteles then true, true Cassanders,
And why so? whence came this so great and dead sléepe? and how commeth it to passe that these miseries could not be remedied, which were so prouidently foreséene? The cause is verie manifest. The Golde of Spaine had gotten a passage into the purses of the greatest fauorites, that daily mainteined and set vp these Trompets of warre, these firebrands of sedition, these tempestuous and stormie windes, which can doe no other but daily and howerly vexe and disquiet the calme of France
As for such as in great sinceritie reiected this gold of Spaine, the greatest part of them notwithstanding became faint hearted, and cast downe-countenanced, and féeble handed, when the time came wherein it behoued them to strike this mayne stroke for the liberty of the Gaules, and to exterminate these traitors which haue bin sent in amongst vs by herdlems.
Few were found that ioyned courage, force, and resolution with honestie, and yet such as they were, the enemy found the meanes to ridde his hands of them, all credite & authoritie was taken from them: But yet at the length, the féeble handed receiued strength, and we may not onely without feare, but also with honor and reputation speake against these wicked enchanters, that haue giuen the wine of rebellion to the people to drinke, and haue fostered them with a most dangerous kinde of foode, sowring the dow of [Page] Fraunce with the leuen of Spaine.
Thinke not, you spials of Castile, that you shalbe able to breake this blow, of the heate of Fraunce, and sende vs backe to your accustomed too too long delaies of iudgements, and framed for giltie persons, as you did in the yéere sixtie foure. At what time, men spake of your actions but as in way of prophesying: and for one man that perceiued a right the thing that was futurely like to come to passe, there where alwaies ten that did not so much as dreame of any such matter. But at this day, what man is there, that in his bodie, in his goods, in the losse of his parents, or of his friendes, hath not felt the horrible effects of your conspiracie, and the violent executions of the commaundements, which you gaue to the people in pulpites, places dedicated to truth and pietie? which you haue filled with fire, with blood, and horrible basphemies, making the people beléeue that God was a murderer of Kings, and attributing to heauen, the stroke of a knife forged in Hell.
Henry the third, my renoumed and redoubted Prince (who hast this contentment in Heauen, to sée thy lawfull and noble successor, hauing marched vpon the bellies of all thine enemies, to reigne now peaceably in thy house the Loure, and vpon the frontier, to breake, scatter, and put to flight (an accident a thousand times more dishonorable, then the losse of ten battailes) the Spanish armies, and thunder with thy Canons, against the rebellious Cities that stoode out to the last, accompanied with sixe thousand Gentlemen boyling with impatiencie to continew the glorious reuenge of thy death,) assist mée in this cause, and representing continually before mine eies thy bloodie shirt, giue me force and strength to make all thy subiects féele the griefe, the hatred, and indignation which they are bound to beare against these Iesuites, who by their bloodie confessions, by their frantike sermons, by the secrete Counsailes with the Ambassadour of thine enemie, poisoner of thine onely brother, haue bin causers and séedsmen of all the miseries which thy poore people hath endured, and the end of thine owne life.
[Page 5]My good Lords, Charles the fift, and Philip his sonne, séeing them selues full fraught with the gold of the Indes, not yet drawen dry, haue conceited vnto themselues and embraced no smaller hope, then to make themselues Monarks and Emperours of the West, and to set vp the house of Austria in like greatnes in Europe, as the house of the Ottomans is in Asia.
These great men of State were not ignorant, what force the scrupules of conscience were of in the hearts of men, and how déeply and bottomlesly they pearce into mens breasts.
The compassing of the greatest part of the Court of Rome was but a trifle to them, by meanes of their great pensions, and of the rich benefices of Millan, Naples, Sicile, beside the liuings of Spain, which were wonderfull riche.
But because the charge that is in this great Citie is heauie, and burdensome, they wanted light and stirring fellowes to be placed in all quarters, to execute whatsoeuer might tend to the good and aduancement of the affairs of Spaine. These are the Iesuits which are scattered abroad in huge and mightie swarmes: for there are betwéene nine and ten thousand of them, and haue already founded two hundred and four score Spanish Colonies, they possesse in reuenues aboue two thousand millions of gold, they are Lords of Erledomes and great Baronies in Spaine, and in Italy, and attained already to y e dignitie of Cardinals, readie to be made Popes: and in case they should haue continuance but thirtie yeares more in all the places where they haue nestled themselues already, it would be without doubt the richest and mightiest companie in Christendome, and would wage Armies, as already they begin to contribute.
Their principal bow is to obey their Generall and Superiour (who is alwaies a Spaniard, and chosen by the King of Spaine) euerie way and in all things. This appeareth true most manifestly by experience. Layola their first General was a Spaniard. Laynes the second a Spaniard also. The thirde Euarardus was a Flemming, a subiect of the King of Spaine. Borgia the fourth was a Spaniard. Aqua Viua the fift, liuing at this day, is a Neapolitane, [Page] subiect to the King of Spaine. The wordes of this fourth vow are strange, yea horrible: for they goe thus farre, In him they must acknowledge Christ present, as it were, If Iesus Christ should commaund to goe and kill, they must do so. If therefore their Spanish Generall commaund them to goe and murder, or cause the King of France to be murdered, they must of necessitie do so. Their Historie compyled by Peter Ribadenaire a Iesuite, imprinted at Antwerpe in the yeare 1587. vnder the title, De vita Ignatij, sheweth that their institution hath no other end but the aduancement of y e affaires of Spaine, where they were receiued long time before they were receiued in any other part of the world. Marke, these are the words written in the page 146. of that Booke. For this Society, not yet borne in their Author Ignatius, was first allowed of in Spaine, & after that it was borne, was mightily resisted in Italye and France. Moreouer they are not bound so strictly to any thing, as to pray day and night for the prosperity of the warres, and for the victories and triumphs of the King of Spaine. Behold the words of the page 169. We are bound day and night to appeace and wearie God with our prayers, to protect and defend Philip the Catholique King in al safety and happinesse, who of his auncient and exceeding pietie, singuler wisedome, and wonderful watchfulnes, of the mightiest power of al Princes that euer were, setteth himselfe as a Walle for the house of God, and defendeth the Chatholique faith. A matter which hee doth not onely with his inuincible power, but with those scout-watches of the holy Fathers, which haue the rule and gouernment of the Senate of the Catholike faith. So that we may not find it strange, that so many honorable personages do assure vs that they haue heard them pray for Philip our King. For there is not a Iesuite in the world, that doth not once in the day pray this praier: and as the affaires of Spaine require, wheresoeuer they become, they make their vowes for him eyther publikelie or secretly.
And on the contrary side, it is wel knowen to all men, that they neuer pray in any sort for our King, to whom also they haue no oath of obedience, as whereof they are not otherwise capable, because their corporation is not allowed in France, and being liege [Page 6] vassals, & wholly bound as wel to their Generall as to the Pope: which point doth manifestly discouer their conspiracie, & sheweth euidently, that their vow tendeth to the subuersion of the state. For within the compasse of almost sixtéene hundred yeres (wherin the Christian Religion was watered with the blood of Christ, & his Martyrs) there hath not a Sect bin heard of, that hath had such strange vowes as this sect hath.
So farre of is it, that the Clergie of France hath euer bin spotted with the like, that on the contrary side, whensoeuer the Popes combined themselues without cause with the Enemies of this Crown, and would haue imploied the authority and power which they haue from God to edify withal, would haue imploied it, I say, to the distruction of the most florishing state of Christendome, and whom they may thanke for their temporalties, they haue found great and holy Parsonages, who with a common consent of the whole Church of Fraunce haue manfully resysted such enterprises.
But in this later age, one part of the Clergie is found to haue sucked of this poisoned milke, and this doctrine of the Iesuites, that whosoeuer had bin chosen Pope, (notwithstanding that from time to time it had bin well knowen that he was a Pentioner & Partisan of Spaine, and a sworne enemie to France,) yet might he notwithstanding make the whole Kingdome a pray, and discharge the Subiectes from their obedience which they owe to their Prince.
This schismatical and damnable proposition, directly contrary to the word of God, which hath wholly seperated and put a difference betwéene the Spirituall and Temporal powers. This proposition which would make Christian Religion, as contrary to y e maintenance of States and Kingdomes, as in truth it helpeth to establish them: This proposition, I say, hauing taken place in the hearts of some Frenchmē, hath brought vs these rages, these crueltyes, these murders, and horrible confusions which wee haue séene.
In the yeare 1561. Iohn Tanquerel Bacheler of Diuinitie was [Page] condemned to recall his error in being so bold and hardie as to set downe amongest other his disputable questions, this for one, that the Pope might excommunicat Kings. In Ianuarie 1589. at what time there was a question put forth in the Diuinitie schole called Sorbonne, whether subiects might be fréed from the obediēce of the King: Faber the Chauncellor, Camus, Chabot, Faber the Curate of Saint Paule, Chauagnac and the most auncient Diuines withstood it stoutly, but the great number of the Scholers of the Iesuits, Boucher, Pichenat, Varadier, Semelle, Cueilly, Decret, Aubourge, and many other caried it away with pluralitie of voices against al the maximes of Fraunce, & liberties of the French Church, which the Iesuites call abuses and corruptions. These are the goodly fruits of their lessons in Diuinitie.
The Kings of France are the eldest sonnes of the Church, sonnes which haue deserued as much as may be, withstanding and suppressing the incroching of the Kinges of Castile, Aragon, and other that went about to take away the right of the Church of Rome. Loke when the Pope will acknowledge the King, for his eldest sonne, and chiefe king of Christendome, then will the Frenchmen acknowledge him for their holie Father: but as long as he playeth the part of a Father in law, and not of a Father, of a Partisan, and not of a mediator, as long as of a malitious stomake he shall bestow his might and main to dismember France, to purchase vnto himselfe a soueraigne commaundement there, and to tread the Flower de Lys vnder his féete, or to ioyne them in way of triumph to the armes of Spaine, which are farre different from them, ‘Let our Sea bankes be opposite vnto theirs, & our surges vnto their streams, let our armies be against theirs, and let the Nephewes themselues fall together by the eares.’
Thus haue our fathers liued: in the time of Lewys the gracious, Gregorie the 4. would néedes intrude himselfe to come to excommunicat the King: the Church of France willed him to return excommunicate himselfe: the like befell in the time of Charles Chauue against Pope Adrian.
[Page 7]O braue and inuincible Church of France! in those daies, thou wastfull of French courages in déede, Christians in déed, Religious in déed, whose principall vowe was euery way and in al things, to obey Gods commaundements which are alwaies iust, and not all the insolencies and enterprises which Rome or Spaine would make against the French: but since that thine enemies haue combined themselues togither against thy greatnes, they haue sent to thée these new Colonies of Castillians, these conuents of Murderers, bound by their solēne vowe to obey their Spanish Generall as Iesus Christ come downe vpon the earth, and to goe and murther Kings and Princes, or to cause them to be murdered by others, to whome they recommend their raging furie, Since that time, I say, where are these braue resolutions of the Church of France?
As we reade of certaine twinnes, that the death of the one, was the end of the other, in like sort this law, which bindeth vs not to start from our obedience dew to the King, what excommunication soeuer come from Rome, this law, I say, is so firmely knit to the state, and the state to it, that euen as the day of their beginning is one, so must and ought their ende to be. It is this sincere, perfect, and absolute obedience, that winneth battailes, that scattreth our enemies, which aduaunceth the desert, and crowneth the labour, without which nothing can prosper, nothing can be durable. This is the true bonde, the ornament, and strength of all things. Kingdomes can beare no felowships, nor lights with lights agree▪ if there be two sunnes, all the world wilbe set on fire. So though the Primates, Archbishops & Bishops haue the principal charge of religion in France, yet notwithstanding before and aboue all thinges, they must giue their othe of fidelitie to the King, so farre are they from hauing a contrarie vowe to obey the Pope absolutely.
Holy Lewes set himselfe stoutly & with great sharpenes against the bulles of Rome, as may be séene by his placarde, the Popes of Rome had wrought a good reuenge, if they could haue rooted out all the race of that good & valorous King. Whereabout the Cardinall [Page] of Plaisance laboured mightily being sent into France vnder the title of Legate, who imployed all the meanes he had, all his greatnes, and all his forces to subuert the Salique law, the true Palladion of France, and without which, the Flower de Lys, could neuer haue mounted to so high a degrée of honour and glorie, as euen at this day maketh them to glister and shine maugre the beardes of all the practises, of all the treasons, of all the vnderminings of Spaine, farre aboue all the proudest and topsailed in the world.
Let vs goe on and sée how these fellowes may abide in France, which haue this fourth and principall vowe of absolute obedience euery way and in all thinges, to their Spanish generall, and to the Pope (commaunded and daily menaced by King Philip, who hath his foote vpon his throte by meanes of Naples and Sicile, and of his partisans within Rome it selfe) To the Pope, I say, who maintaineth in the Chapter, Ad Apostolicae. de Sentent. & re iudicata. in 6. and in the extrauagant Commu. vnam sanctam. de Maioritate & obedientia. That it is necessary for euery man, if he will euer be saued, to be subiect to the Bishop of Rome. And because the world may not thinke, that this saying may be salued by the distinction of Spirituall and Temporall, behold how namely and expresly he declared himselfe to be head, superiour, and absolute maister both in Spirituall and Temporall thinges, ouer all Kinges and Princes of the earth, mainteyning that he hath power to iudge and depose them: So then both the swords, that is to say, both the Spiritual & the Material are in the power of the Church: but the one is to be vsed for the Church, the other by the Church: the one by the hands of the priest, the other by the hand of Kings and Souldiers, but yet at the becke and sufferance of the Priest, and the one sworde must be vnder the other: & the Temporal authoritie be subiect to the Spiritual power: for as the truth witnesseth, The Spiritual power may institute and iudge the earthly power, if it be not good. So is the prophesie of Hieremie verified vpon the Church and Church power: Behold I haue appointed or placed thee this day ouer Nations and Kingdomes, &c. as followeth there. Therefore, in case the earthly power stray out [Page 8] of the way, it shalbe iudged of the Spirituall power: but if the Spirituall power stray out of the way, the lesser shalbe iudged by the greater: but if the highest goe astray, that is to be iudged of God onely, and not of man, as witnesseth the Apostle, The Spiritual man iudgeth al things, and himselfe is iudged of no man.
If these propositions be not erronious and Schismatical, what followeth but that al we that obey the King are excommunicate, that the whole kingdome of France standeth interdict, accursed, and a pray to Sathan? But how did our auncestors (whose vertue euen at this day supporteth our faults) behaue and cary themselues in such accidents, and in such rencounters? Philip the faire sent to Boniface the eight, that he had no authoritie at all ouer the Kinges of France, and that they that said to the contrarie were fooles and madmen. Read Belannin, heare all the Sermons, all the confessions of the Iesuites, they sende all such propositions to the bottomlesse pit of Hell togither with Philip the faire, and all those that burnt Pope Boniface his bull openly at an assembly of the states of this towne of Paris, declaring the seate of Rome vacant. This Belarmin a Iesuite mainteineth, that the Popes haue power to put downe the Kings and Princes of the earth, alleaging for his reason, certaine tirannous attemtats and enterprises.
Pope Benedict the 13. would néeds follow Boniface, but his bull containing a diffamatorie libell against the authoritie of King Charles the sixt, was openly torne in pieces, and they that brought it, were put to their fine, and committed to prison.
Lewes the 12. surnamed Father of the people, was as much hated in Rome as he was loued in France: he had bestowed on Iulius the second many townes in Italie: in acknowledgment whereof, Iulius stirred vp the Spaniards, Almaines, Suisers, and Englishmen against him: but in the yéere, 1510. the King caused a Councell to be assembled at Towers, where it was decréed and enacted, that warre should be made vpon him, which was also confirmed in an other Councel holden at Pisa. Whereupon the Pope tooke vpon him to excommunicate the King and the kingdome, giuing [Page] them absolution from all their sinnes that could kill a French man. Thus you enlarge one mans territories, and take from an other, other some you make tributaries, you increase, you diminish, you giue, you take away kingdomes, who gaue you this power? For as for God, he hath said, that your kingdome is not of this world.
This great excōmunication could not make a breach in France, but it gaue a blow to the kingdome of Nauarre, which was allied to vs, where the subiects were not surely grounded against such enterprises: and Fardinand King of Aragon seazed vpon the best part of the state of Nauarre, while Iohn of Albreat great grandfather to the King that now is, was in the armie of France.
Here am I forced to speake a word or two, touching the beginning of the Iesuits, but I will do it shortly, because my matter calleth me away.
In the yéere 1521. the Frenchmen vndertooke to restore one to his inheritance which he had lost by their meanes. They besieged Pampelune, and beate it with such a furie, as they carried it away, and wanne it. Ignatius Layola Commaunder of one of the companies of the garrison of Castile, was more heddy in defence of it, then any of the rest, and there had his legges broken, which accident caused him to folow the warres no more, but vowing within himselfe, an vnreconcileable hatred against the French, no lesse then Hannibal did against the Romains, through the helpe of the Deuill, he hatched this cursed conspiracie of Iesuits, who haue bin the causers of such ruine as France hath receiued.
Foresightfull Nature hath made the cruellest and most murdering creatures, least fruitfull: the Lionesse bringeth foorth but one, and but once whilest she liueth. If they were as fertile, as other beasts, the world could not possibly be inhabited. But it is a straunge thing to sée, how this wicked race borne to the ruine and desolation of mankind, hath multiplied in a few yéeres: being growen from the number of thrée soore persons, which was their first foundation, vnto ten thousand. In so much as that if they should continue to increase in like proportion, they would become [Page 9] within thirtie yéeres space more then twelue hundred thousand, and would make whole kingdomes, all Iesuits.
Had they come into France with displayed enssignes, they had passed frō the birth to the graue: but they stily crept into our Vniuersitie of Paris, and tooke vp lodgings in little chambers, where they continued a good while, lurking as Fores for a pray, and playing the spies, receiuing directions from Rome, and very peremptorie letters of recommendation to such as were the greatest fauourites in France, and hunted after credite and honour in Rome (which sort of people was alwaies greatly to be misdoubted for the affaires of this Realme.) So that by this slie and forly maner, hauing vnderminingly crept in by little and little, and in fine hauing gotten the Cardinals of Tournon and Lorraine for their Presidents and Iudges, they procured a Decrée, made at Poissy touching the receiuing of their colledge which had bin oftentimes reiected before, to be confirmed and signed in their behalfe (the Vniuersitie not being admitted to speake for themselues against them) with this prouiso, that their profession should be banished, and that they should abandon the name of Iesuits.
They desired no better entrāce then this, making full accompt, that by litle and litle, and stylie without any perceiuing at all, to gather vnto themselues such a number of Iesuiticall conuerts by their confessions, sermons, and instructions of the youth, that in conclusion they should not onely be maisters of their desire, but also ruinate their aduersaries, and haue a soueraigne commandement ouer the state. As in déede they effected it to the sight of all the world, from the time of the shutting vp of this Towne, vntill the happie reducing of it to the obedience of his Maiestie.
What tongue, what voice is sufficient to expresse the secrete Counsails, the most horrible conspiracies, more daungerous then the conspiracie of Catiline, which were holden in their Colledge in S. Iames streete, and in their Church in S. Antonies streete? where did the agents and Ambassadours of Spaine, Mendoza, Daguillon, Diego, Diuarra, Taxis, Feria, and others hold their secret méetings and assemblies, but among the Iesuits? where did Louchard, [Page] Ameline, Cruce, Crome, and such like notorious manquellers, and murderers build their conspiracies, but amongst the Iesuits? who made that bloodie answere to the Catholique Apologie, but the Iesuits? who employed all their studies to speake against the parson, and right of his Maiestie that now reigneth, as false and slaunderous matters as possibly their wicked heads could deuise. What are they that from the yéere 1585. would giue no absolution to the Gentrie of France, vnlesse they would vowe and promise to bande themselues against their Soueraigne being a most Catholique King, and such an one, as against whom they could make no exception, but onely this that he would not die so soone, as their Magiciens had foretold he should? who were the causers of the losse of the towne of Perigeux, but the Iesuits, which went and made a tumult euen in the towne house? who were the causers of the reuolt of Rhennes, which continued but eight daies, and was as much as all Britanie was worth, but the Sermons of the Iesuits, as they themselues had caused it to be deliuered out in Print euen in this Citie? Who were the causers of the losse of Agen, Tholose, Verdun, and generally of al the Townes wherin the y haue gotten footing, Bourdeaux onely except where their traiterous purposes were preuented, and Neuers, where the presence of Monsieur de Neuers and the weakenes of the walles appalled the courages of them whose harts they had empoisoned?
Where did the two Cardinals, which termed themselues Legates in France, assemble their Counsailes but onely amongst the Iesuits? where was it, that Mendoza the Ambassadour of Spaine vpon Alholen day in the yéere 1589. at what time the King had entred the Faurburges, held his Counsaile of sixteene, but in the Colledge of Iesuits? Where was it, that the yéere following the resolution was taken, rather to famish the nienth and tenth part of the inhabitaunts of Paris, then to yéeld vp the towne to the King? who was it that lent the enemies Wines, Graine, and Otes for their horses vpō Mortgage of the Iewels of the crowne, but onely the Iesuits, as they were found by Lugoly, seised thereof the morow after that the King came into this towne? Who was [Page 10] presidēt of the coūsaile of those sixteene Murderers, but Comolet, Bernard, and Father Odo Pichenar the cruellest tygre in al Paris, who tooke it so much to heart, to sée things go otherwise then he made accompt of, that he became mad, and remaineth to this day in chaines, within their College of Bourges? An auncient writer said, that if it were possible for man to looke into the harts of the wicked, he should behold there, both rents and strokes: for as the bodies with woundes, so are the mindes of the wicked rent and torne in sunder with crueltie, lustes, and wicked counsailes.
When K. Philip by the perswasions of the Iesuits, had brought in his Spanish garrison into Paris, and would haue that which he held now by force, coloured with some faire shew, whom sent he, but father Mathieu the Iesuite, carying a name like to the surname of an other Mathieu a Iesuite, the principall instrument of the league that was made in the yéere 1585. This Mathieu, during his short abode in this towne, being lodged in the College of Iesuites, caused there a letter, to be written and signed, whereby those noble maisters, that termed themselues the Counselers of the sixtéene quarters of the towne of Paris, gaue not onely the towne but the whole kingdome to King Philip, which thing will appeare better by the letter it selfe, then by any other discourse that may be made.
SIre, where as your Catholique Maiestie hath bin so gracious vnto vs, as to giue vs to vnderstand by the most religious and reuerend Father Mathieu, not onely his holy intentions towards the general good of Religion, but in particuler his great affections and fauours towards this Citie of Paris. And a litle after. We trust in God that before it be long, the armies of his holines and your Catholique Maiesties being ioyned togither, wil deliuer vs from the oppression of our enemy, who hath hither vnto, by the space of an yeere and halfe shopped vs vpon al sides, so that nothing can come into the towne, but with hazard, or by force of armes, and would presse further, stoode he not in feare of the garrisons, which it pleased your Catholique Maiestie to send vs. We may boldly assure your [Page] Catholique Maiestie, that the vowes and desires of al the Catholiques, are to see your Catholique Maiestie hold the Sceptre of this Crowne, and reigne ouer vs, as we most willingly cast our selues into your armes, as into the armes of our Father, or that your Catholique Maiestie would be pleased to appoint some one of his posteritie. And if it shal stand with his good pleasure to appoint vs any other beside himselfe, that it may please him to make choyse of a Sonne in law, whome we wil receiue as King with al the best affections, al the deuotion and obedience that a good and loyal people can and are bound to yeeld to their liege and Soueraine. For we hope so well of the blessing of God vpon this alliance, that what we haue already receiued of this most puissant and most Christian Princesse Blanche of Castile, mother of our most christian and most religious King S. Loys, we shal receiue it, yea to the double of this great and vertuous Princesse daughter of your Catholique Maiestie, vpon whome for her rare vertues, the eies of al men are fixed and set, as a most pleasing obiect, and in whome most gloriously shineth the blood of France and Spaine, to no other end and purpose, but by a perpetual alliance to fraternise and ioyne in one brotherhood as it were these two great Monarchies vnder their gouernment, to the aduauncement of the glorie of our Lord Iesus Christ, the beautie of his church, and vnion of al the inhabitants of the world vnder the Enseignes of Christianisme, As your catholique Maiestie, with so many notable and triumphant victories by the fauour of God, and his [...]ide hath mightily preuailed and aduāced the same, so we most hartily pray to God, who is the Lord of battailes, to continew your proceedinges therein with such accōplishment, that the whole worke may be consummate and perfited in al poincts: to which end and purpose, that it would please him, to prolong your catholike Maiesties daies in perfect & blisseful health, accompanied with daily successe of victories, and triumphes ouer al your enemies. From Paris this 2. of Nouemb. 1591. And beneath on the one side. The reuerend Father Mathieu this bearer, who hath greatly comforted vs, fully instructed with the state of our affaires, shall satisfie your Catholique Maiestie in all thinges which may seeme defectiue and wanting in our letters, beseeching [Page 11] your Maiestie most humbly to credite him in whatsoeuer he shal report vnto you from vs.
The date of this Letter is infinitely to be considered, for it was written the second of Nouember 1591. and 13. daies after, they that wrote the Letters, and vnderstood by father Mathieu King Philips purposes, they, I say, that started not from the Iesuites, ne went to any other mens confessions but theirs, executed this great & horrible cruelty, most butcherly murdering (after the maner of Spaniardes, and without forme or figure of proces) that man, whom the day before they reuerenced as their Lord chiefe Justice, to wit, Monsieur Brisson. These Spaniards, Iesuites, and sixteene Murderers, or rather sixtéene hangmen and their adherents, being of opinion, that this tragicall and hideous spectacle which they presented to the people in a great assemblie at the Greue, would hearten them, and inflame them to bath themselues in the bloud of all honest men that could not abide to tast of the Spanish tirannie. But God, that abhorreth such and so execrable enterprises, disposed the matter otherwise, and so wrought, that y e fearful day, which they thought should haue bin an assured establishment of the Spanish cōmandarie within Paris, was the ruin & ouerthrow of it, Then was Troy taken. The most drousie & sluggish spirits began to be awake, the most dastards to change their dread into desperatenes, and they that were most bewitched by the sermons of the Iesuits, to know that the Empire of Castile, which had bin painted out vnto them ful of méekenes, ioy, and happines, was nothing but an heape of most barbarous crueltie.
This Letter written to the King of Spaine, and intercepted néer to Lyons by the Lord of Chasseron, and sent to the King: the originall whereof was séene and is to be séene daily, giueth vs cléerely to vnderstand, that the Iesuites and other traitors to Fraunce, haue no other marke to shoote at during all these warres, but to make the King of Spaine Monarch of all Christendome. The common Prouerb of these hipocrites is, one GOD, one POPE, & one KING of Christendom, the great King Catholique and vniuersal.
[Page]All their thoughts, all their purposes, all their actions, all their sermons, all their confessions, haue no other white they aime at, but to bring all Europe vnder the subiection of Spanish gouernement. And because they sée no Sea wall so strong as the French Empire is, to kepe of this great inundation, they busie themselues about nothing so much, as to breake insunder, to dismember, to ruinate it by all maner of seditions, diuisions, and ciuill warres, which they cease not daily to kindle in it, labouring with might & maine especially to extinguish the Kinges house, which they sée brought to a few Princes. And indéede, who was it that of purpose, to make the race of Monsieur the Prince of Conde Loys de Bourbon, (in which rare consisteth the most part of the bloud royall) execrable and abhominable to all Frenchmen, published amongest vs, that he caused himselfe to be crowned King of France, but the Iesuites? who were so impudent and shameles in a matter notoriouslie knowen to all the world to be false, as to write in the life of Ignatius pag. 162. that the Prince had caused French crowns to be coined with this inscription: Lewis the 13. by the grace of God the first Christian King of the French, which is a most arrogant inscription, say they, and iniurious to all the most Christian Kinges of France. They say not, ought to be, as of a matter doubtful, but, is, as of a matter certaine.
O you noble Princes, children of such a Father, why doe you not with our owne handes execute these deceiuers of the world, which séeke to ingraue as it were, & imprint vpon your foreheads the foulest and most shamefull marke that may be thought of in the world.
But what doe I stand vpon? vpon reproches done to the dead? alas, their purpose and burning zeale is to murder the liuing: was it not in the Colledge of Iesuites at Lyon, and also in the Colledge of Iesuites in Paris, that the resolution was last taken to murder the King in August 1593. Are not the depositions of Barriere executed at Melun, notorious to all the world? and do not those depositions make all true French hearts tremble and quake, all them I say, that haue not built their plottes and hopes vpon the [Page 12] death of the King? was it not Varade principall of the Iesuites, so chosen by them, as the honestest and best Iesuite, that exhorted and encouraged this murderer, assuring him that he could not doe a more meritorious worke in the world, then to murder the King though he were a Catholike, and that for this déed he should goe straight to Paradice? And to confirme him the more in this mischieuous resolution, did he not cause him to be confessed by another Iesuite, whose name can not be knowen, and may happily be in this Towne lying in wait for like occasions? what more? Did not these impious, godlesse, and execrable murderers, giue this Barriere the Sacramēt, imploying the most holy, most precious, & most sacred misterie of our Christian Religion, towards the murdering of the chiefest King of Christendome? But how glad would they be, to be guilty rather of the fact committed, then of the fact intended?
The shop of Satan, wherein are hammered and forged all the murders that haue bin executed or attempted in Europe, within these fortie yeres: the right successors of the murderers that murdered Raimond Erle of Tripoly, Conrard the Marquis of Monferrad, Edward sonne of the King of England, and many other great Princes. Their Bishop also whom they worshipped (as the Iesuites doe their General, alwaies a Spaniard) caused a Pollarful of two edged sharpe kniues to be carried before him, and the minister that carried it, cryed: Get you backe, flie away before him who holdeth the death of Princes in his handes.
There was a murdering Iesuite taken of late in Flanders, who deposed at his death, that there was another sent out of Spaine to murder the King. Helas, what can we tell whether he be now in the Colledge of Iesuites or no, waiting his fit oportunitie, vntill the king come hither? For to shew that the Iesuits can not disauow their companions of such enterprises, and that the highest point of their Honor standeth in executing such murders, terming them Martyrs which haue spent their liues therein, there are aboue thrée thousand persons that know, that Comolet preaching at Christmas last in Saint Bartholomews Church, tooke for his [Page] theame the third chapter of the Booke of Iudges, where it is reported that Ehud slew the King of Moab, and scaped away, and after that he had discoursed at large vpon the death of the late King, and exalted and placed amongest the Angels, this Tigre, this deuill incarnate, Iames Clement the murderer, he fell into a great exclamation: We haue neede of an Ehud, we haue need of an Ehud, were he a Frier, were he a Souldier, were he a Lackey, were he a shepheard, it made no matter: Needes we must haue an Ehud, one blow would settle vs fully in the estate of our affaires, as we most desire.
Behold my good Lords, behold againe and againe, behold, I say, to how high a degrée, our blockishnesse, or rather our negligence, (pardon me I beséech you for my so saying, griefe and anguish of heart forceth me to it) caused the boldnes, the pride, the rashnes, the impudencie of such traitors, of such spials of Spaine, of such murderers, to clime, and to mount vp, as to be so bold as to vse the Pulpit for a place to sound out the murder of Kinges in. This is their pure doctrine. Allyn head of the Colledge of Seminaries at Rhemes, hath written a booke expresly of it. And to this effect, when William Parrie was executed, he confessed that Benedicto Palmio a Iesuite had informed him, that it was lawfull to kil and murder all Kinges and Princes excommunicate by the Pope. Vppon which point hauing afterwardes had conference with a learned Priest called Vates, he told him, that it was a false proposition, and that he should be damned if he did so: And in this doubtfulnes and contrarietie of opinions, Parry went to confession to one Annibal Codreto a Iesuite dwelling in Paris, (this is the man that wrote in a booke imprinted at Lyons, that their Societie tooke their name hereuppon, because God had giuen them for companions to his Sonne Iesus Christ, and Iesus had accepted them for his companions) this Codreto told him, that it could not be but Vates was an heretike, assuring him, that he could not do a more meritorious worke, and that the Angels would carrie him into Heauen.
You Kinges and Princes of the earth, what assurance can you promise your selues of your liues within your Palaces, and in the [Page 13] middest of your Gardes, if this deuillish proposition, vomitted out of the bottomles pit of hell, do once seize the hearts and mindes of your people, as the Iesuites cease not dayly and hourely to beate it into their heads by their cursed confessions, whereunto also they are boūd by their rules: Let them lay hands vpon tirants, and pluck vp darnel out of the Lordes field. They haue an article in their Bulles and Statutes, which tendeth to no other end. They stay not for any yere of probation, but receiue all fish that commeth to their net, that are readie to take their vowes, which being once done, though the partie be very simple, yet without repeale foreuer, the Votarie that hath giuen his word, is bound to the Generall, and yet may the Generall displace him at his pleasure, vntill he be professed: a matter that falleth not out sometimes in the space of 25. or thirtie yeares after.
How commeth it to passe, that the condition of these men, is so strange, so extraordinarie, so vnequal, that this contract betwéene them cannot be reciprocal? To the end that when a man hath bin holden in suspense sometimes for the space of 25. yeres amongest them, if any inheritances fall vnto him, then will they take him in, but if none befall him, they may remoue him, vnlesse he vndertake to execute whatsoeuer they will commaund him: so that, he that hath spent all his youth amongest them, séeing himselfe on the one side brought to beggerie, and on the other side fed with faire promises of assured Paradice, will easily resolue with himselfe either to be a murderer himselfe, or to exhort, confesse and minister the Sacrament to all murderers that come.
As oft as I call to minde into what extremity of miseries, both euery one of vs in particuler, and the state of France in generall should haue bin brought, in case this murder so cunningly perswaded, so liuely imprinted in Barrieres heart by Varade principal of the Iesuits, had bin executed, the horrible seruitude that Fraunce should haue bin in at this day, the insolent pride and triumphes of the Spaniards, and the miserable estate of this great Citie, where the infant of Castile would haue proudly commaunded, I must néedes confesse, that choler and iust indignation, makes me as it [Page] were besides my selfe, to sée that yet these traitors, these wretched caitifes, these manquellers, these murderers of Kinges, continue amongest vs, liue amongest vs, enioy the benefite of the aire of Fraunce: And how liue they? They are in the Palace, they are made much of, they are supported, they make leagues, they make factions, and all sort of new alliances and associations. What? Alas, if God so permit that within these few dayes some Iesuite, or other set on worke by them, be apprehended, as he of Melun was, thinke you, how many soeuer you be that support them in your discourses, wherein you thinke your selues wise, considerate, aduised, and to speake in a word, Spaniards, thinke you, I say, that you shall be in safetie amongest vs? No, no, in all other matters, man cannot be too modest, and of good stay of himselfe: but when the life, the safety, the preseruation of this so sacred a person, so necessarie for France, as without whom the state would be vndon, would be eclipsed for euer, and forthwith become one of the prouinces of Spaine, commeth in question, herein, I say, a man can not be too hot. He that is cold, he that is modest in this case, is a traitor: vertue in such cases standeth in excesse not of affections onely, but of passions also. Though the might of all nations were conspired against vs, though al the world were in an vprore about vs, though the Seas were full of Nauies, though monstruous and strange beastes were brought in vppon vs, yet wouldest thou kéepe vs vnconquered, O most vnconquerable Soueraigne: but who can promise that this Piller and Starre of Fraunce shall continue for euer, in case that these wretched caitifes that do nothing but practise daily against his life, if they that receiue these murderers sent from Lyons whilest it rebelled, and now from Spaine: if they, I say, that make the heartes of the religious desperate, that daily sharpen the edge of the peoples hearts against his Maiestie, be mainteined and preserued in this state.
But they instruct the youth, what to doe? to desire and wish for the death of their Kings. Farre be it from vs to mollify and swéeten the punishment due to the Iesuites for their hainous crimes, because they instruct some youth: Nay rather, this ought to be a [Page 14] motiue to induce vs to aggrauat and augment it an hundred fold. For it is this goodly instruction of your youth, it is these cursed propositions which they still into their tender minds, vnder a pretēce of teaching of them learning, (as poisons are not giuen, but swéetned with suger, and vices deceiue not but vnder the shew and shadow of vertues) it is these bold confessions, (where, without witnesses they paint not the faces but the hearts of their scholers with the tincture & painting of rebellion against their Prince and Magistrates) that hath filled so many places, and so many dignities with Spanish hearts, enemies to the King and his state.
Some of their scholers haue reiected their perswasions, & they do hate them a thousand fold more, then such as neuer knew them: but where one hath resisted them, a thousand haue bin marred.
We reade in the 52. of Dion, that Maecenas shewed Augustus, that there was none so good a way to establish a peacefull state to himselfe and people, as to cause the nobilitie of Rome to be taught and instructed by such Scholemasters, as loued the state of a Monarchie. For the world altereth and changeth in short time, and this youth shall forthwith be aduanced to great offices. In like sort, nothing can be more daungerous, then to haue our youth taught by these Spanish spialles; who aboue all things hate the French Monarchie.
It is a very easie matter to imprint such an affection as a man will, in these weake mindes: and nothing harder then to disroote them. For the preceptes that are learned in our tender yeares, take deepe roote. It was not the riuer of Eurotas that made men warlike, but the good institution of Licurgus. It is not the riuer of Seine, or the riuer of Garonne that hath made so many wicked Frenchmē: but the colledges of the Iesuits at Paris, Tholouse, and Burdeaux. Since such Scholers came to charges, the manors of our auncesters fell not away by litle and litle: but ran down headlong like to violent floods, and raging streames.
Christian religion hath all the marks of true Iustice and profite, [Page] but none so apparant as the exact and precise charge of due obedience to Magistrates and preseruation of gouernement: and these people, which terme themselues the fellowship of Iesus, haue no other matter they shoote at, but to turne all lawfull magistracie vpside downe, to establish the tirannie of Spaine in all places: and to this end doe they frame and fashion the mindes of youth, committed vnto them to be instructed in good literature, religion, and piety.
‘Oh Lord, what nightish darkenesse possesseth the hearts of men euen for the verie bent to wickednes. Tereus is taken to be godly, and reapeth praise by lewdnes.’
The Carthaginians sacrificed their children to Saturne, their Fathers and mothers being constrained to be present and assisting to the sacrifice, with cherefull countenaunce. It is a strange thing that we haue séene the time, when a man was not accompted a Catholique, vnlesse he put his children to schole to a Iesuite: and such as ben brought vp in this Colledge, had their pasports to goe whither they would, no man was to make inquirie what condition of life they were of. So that Parents framing themselues to the time, were constrained to lose their Children, which were ether charmed, or very often vtterly murdered, as it were, if they found them to their vent. There are too manie miserable examples hereof, knowen wel inough to euerie mā, & publik complaints left to posterity for this wickednes, against these cruell manstealers that bereaue Parents of their Children, and oftentimes spoile thē of the supporters and pillers of their houses, as it befell to Airault the Sherife of Angers, who hauing eight small Children in his old age, was by the Iesuites robbed of his eldest Sonne, who might by this time haue succéeded his Father in his rome, and become a father to his yonger Brethren and Sisters. They stale him from him when he was about foretéene yeares of age, and kept him in Italie and Spaine, so that he could neuer heare newes of him, notwithstanding all admonitions, and ecclesiasticall censures that hée could procure against them, which they make but a mocke of, contenting themselues with an absolution sent them from [Page 15] their Spanish generall.
In the meane while, when Airault shall come to die, the Iesuits will put in foote for the right of the eldest sonne in his goods and liuing: for they neuer bring any of their nouices to the vowe of pouertie, vntill they haue no hope of any succession: and before they become professed, they giue all their goods to the Colledge. So nothing goeth out of their clouches, all commeth in: both by Intestates and by wils which they hunt after euery day, on the one side fearing the weake mindes of such as are at deaths doore with the terrors of Hell, & on the other side, promising them open Paradise if they giue any thing to the Felowship of Iesus. As Maldonat did to S. Andre president of Montbrun, drawing from him by a confession full of couetousnes and masked iugling, all the moueables and gaines he had gotten by his many yéeres trauaile and seruice, of which monstruous abuse and treacherous fraude Monsieur Pibrac complained of in full Court. The world knoweth what a maner of Testament and Will they caused Gondran the president of Dijon to make, by which Will and Testament he gaue halfe a Crowne to his sister his onely heire, & seuen thousand Franckes in land a yéere to the Iesuites. It is well knowen how they robbed the house of Bollons, one of the richest houses in all Bordeaux. And of late, how they receiued for the right of inheritance of the house of Monsieur de Largebaston president, the lande of Faiolles, which they solde for twelue thousand Crownes, and sent the money into Spaine, to be put into their Treasorie there: for they kéepe nothing in France, but onely the immoueables which are bequeathed them without power of alienation.
It is also notoriously knowen, how they stole away the onely brother of the Marquis of Canillac, a Gentleman at this day of eight thousand Francks of reuenue, and heire apparant to aboue fiue and fortie thousand, whome they kéepe with good aduise from entring into the vowe of pouertie, because they stand in good hope to become Lords and Maisters of the succession of his elder brother, who is vnmarried, and one that daily hazardeth his life in the Kings warres for his seruice, and is his Liuetenant in Auuergne. [Page] And without doubt, if that noble man faile, if they haue no worse successe in their iudgements then they haue had hethervnto, they will become Marquises of Canillac, and so pull downe this house, which is at this day one of the greatest, and mightiest, and of greatest honour in all Britanie.
Our nation hath bin alwaies charged with want of wisedome. As for iustice, liberalitie, valour and courage, wée haue inough; yea too much: but too too litle wisedome. What a carelesse stupiditie is this, that such Caterpillers as these are, vnder a colour of disdaine to take a couple of sous, and other vsuall auailes that are giuen to Scholemaisters for instructing mens children, haue gotten within these thirtie yéeres two hundred thousand Francks of reuenue.
In our Vniuersitie, there was neuer any thing taken of the poorer sort: but if a Gentlemans sonne giue foure or fiue crownes to his Reader, for his yéeres trauaile, is this any great matter? Is it not reason, for him that hath spent his yéeres in learning to haue some little maintenaunce to buy him an handsome gowne withall: To denie this, were not onely not to recieue a poore student, but vtterly to sinke him. Heretofore poore yong men found the meanes to be entertained of the richer sort till twenty or two and twenty yéeres, and so began to get something: which caused euery yéere a thousand more to giue themselues to studie, then otherwise would haue done. But since the Iesuits haue drawen all scholers to thēselues, men are become out of heart: for take away rewarde of studies, and learning faileth.
All the greatest and most excellent personages of ancient time were of opinion that it was reason, that such as tooke paines in bringing vp their youth in learning should be recompensed: and besides reason, they thought it very requisite and necessarie.
And yet notwithstanding these fellowes following the steppes and practise of cunning impoisoners, (which alwaies mixe their drammes of poison finely and subtilly with some swéete and delicate ingredient) haue deuised none so fit a way to draw away al scholers vnto themselues, as the refusing of these simple and small [Page 16] contributions or allowances. For licencious youthes had rather spend the money their parentes sende them in dishonest houses, then giue it to their Tutors, that all the yéere long trauaile for them.
Yet this were nothing, were it not for the inchantements and sorceries wherewith they bewitch youths. But as the Romaines were very carefull to bring vp the nobilitie of France at Authun, where they trained them vp to the loue of the Empire, and to forget the auncient libertie of France: euen so the tyrant of Spaine hath his Iesuits dispersed in France, to imprint the loue of his name and of his gouernement in the tender mindes of our children. God hath planted heauenly seedes in the bodies of men, which if a good husband haue the cultifying of, the fruite falleth out answerable to the seede: but if an euill husband haue them in hand, he deddeth them, as barren and marish groūd doth; and so for good corne reapeth nothing but weedes. And take we what paines we can to wéede out such opinions, our labour is but cast away, and our time lost. For the stomacke being once distempered by a disease, it altereth the nature of all the meates it receaueth. So that we haue no other remedie but the feare of Lawes, and enforcements, as great hatreds must be bridled with great dreads: but that obedience is alwaies more loyall and more acceptable, that procéedeth from loue, then that that is grounded vpon feare. They that are stong with the Serpent Dipsas, haue a continuall drouth, through the force of the poison scattered through all the vaines and drying vp the store of blood, in so much as the sicke man doth nothing but drinke, and yet his thirst can neuer be quenched: In like sorte they that haue once tasted of this venemous and pestilenciall instruction of the Iesuits, thirst continually after the disquieting of the repose and quiet state of their Countries, and the aduancement of the gouernement of Spaine.
The historie of Portugal is well knowen: K. Philip had an eye vpon that his neighbour kingdome a long time: but bring it to his subiection he could not vnlesse he procured the Kings death, & the death of the greatest part of the Nobilitie. In this seruice he emploied [Page] the Iesuites which were about King Sebastian, who call themselues in that Countrie, Apostles: these fellowes hauing by their slie and subtile practises berest him of all his old seruaunts, especially of Peter of Alcassonne his Secretarie, and perswading him to goe ouer into Afrike against his enemies, ten thousand times stronger then all the power he had or was able to make, caused him to vndertake the voyage, where he lost his life, and the liues of all the Nobilitie almost of Portingal. During the regiment of the Cardinal, which was not long, the Iesuites bestirre themselues so well with their practises, that incontinently after the Cardinals death, and Antonie receiued & acknowledged King by all the states of the Countrie, he was forced to slie the lande, (all his Maritime and port townes being fallen from him in one day), and saue his life by trauaile on foote more then foure hundred miles. The Isles of Tercere held out yet for King Antonie, which was a good footing & stopped al the trafficque of the Indies, the Frenchmen tooke part with them, vnder the conduct of the Commander of Chattes. All the inhabitants of the Islands, al the Monkes, and Friers, and the rest shewed themselues most loyall and affectionate to their King, and sworne enemies to the Castillians. But on the contrarie side the Iesuites which had bin the instrumentes of the reuolt of the kingdome, began to thunder against the French, and exalt King Philip. What did they then? In lieu of casting them into the sea, or at the least, of driuing them out of the land, they were contētonely to shut them vp w t in their cloister. All this is largely discoursed in the Historie imprinted at Gennua, by the commandement of the K. of Spaine, & is wholly to his aduantage. Moreouer all that is there set downe touching the Iesuites, is set downe for their reputation & honour, as men that had bin the principall instrumentes of the vnion of Portingal to Castile: as their trauaile at this day is to no other ende and purpose, but to vnite the kingdome of France to the crowne of Spaine.
What did the Iesuites? when they sawe their time, in a night they brake downe the wall that rampired vp their gates, and caried the sacrament of the Altar before them, making but a scorne [Page 17] of God in abusing his mysteries to raise seditions withal: and began to coniure the people so well, that they appalled and cooled their courages, so that the French conducted thither by the Marshall Strossy could haue no ayde nor assistance from them, which was the cause of his discomūture. And here you are to marke how the Historie reporteth that foure score Noble men, and two and fiftie French Gentlemen were boucherly put to death by a Spanish decrée in one day, vpon one scaffolde in Ville franche, and a number of Souldiers hanged. The same historie reporteth, how that during this warre, fiue hundred Friers, or other Religious persons which had preached or spoken for King Antonie, had bin put to death. Behold the precepts of the Iesuites. Kill, murder, hange, play the Bouchers: We sée also in France, that they that goe to their confessions, and be norsed at their breasts, are so cruell, that they kill one another.
Marcelin in his 27. saieth, that about the Riuer Euxinus there was a people called Odrisae, which were so accustomed to shed the blood of man, that if they had no store of enemies, they would in their feasts and bankets launce their owne flesh. These felowes murder one an other, though they haue enemies inough in the field.
Goe too then my Lordes of the Nobilitie, follow these disciples of the Iesuites, to the ende they may recompence your seruices at their best leasure and pleasure with stabbes of daggers: and for your best auaile make some corner of France a prouince of the Moores, and from Baetica receiue your lawes. How much more honorable were it for you, with your common loyaltie and mutual assistance to saue and recouer this kingdome.
Therefore take hearts vnto you and be of good courage, you braue and vndoubtable Nobilitie of France, holde on to conioyne your selues in one armie. God the protector of kingdomes, God that hath alwaies cast his eie of commiseration vpon France in the greatest afflictions it euer susteined, will plant amongst you without doubt, loue and concord. He will make your countenances fearefull, your armes strong, he will send his Angels to [Page] strengthen you, that within fewe daies you may roote out of France all these infected, and proude Castillians.
Alexander said that Antipater was outwardly clad with white, but inwardly was altogither redde: So there are a number that in vtter apparance are the Kings seruants, and are skilful inough to make their profite of his good fortune: but within, they are altogither blood redde, wholly Spanish. These men that can not but vse the Iesuites to execute their mischieuous enterprises, dare not say openly that it were good to let them continue in France, (for to vse any such speach, and to weare a redde crosse is all one) but they can say, it is no time now to rid them from out amongst vs, and allege respects wherefore, which I meane to answere. But first of all it is expedient to beate downe their chiefest bulwarke, which standeth in the referment to counsaile set downe in the yéere 64. To which I will bring fiue answeres, the least whereof is more then sufficient.
The first is, that this instance of 64. is failed, not onely thrée, but thirtie yéeres agoe. And whereas they say, that the failing of the instance, hath no place in Parliement, that is not so, but when the processe is not discontinued. And as for this matter which is now in question, so farre is it from hauing bin vsed, that on the contrarie side, the copie of the pleas and bils haue not bin so much as taken out, which is the first act whereby the partie, that is referred to Counsaile, receiueth his first instruction.
The second answere is, that the instance of 64. differeth wholly from that that is tendred at this present: first the qualities are diuers: for the Iesuites were then plaintifes, and be now defendants. Secondly, the question was, whether they should enioy the priuileges of the Vniuersitie or no. And now the question is, whether they are to be cast out of France or no. At that time, to appoint them to counsaile, was to denie them their demaunde. Now it were as much as to put to Counsaile whether the King should liue or no, if in the meane while, we must entertaine these murderers amongst vs, that desire nothing more earnestly then his death.
[Page 18]Thirdly, there is great difference betwéene the yéere 64. and the yéere 94. In 64. that mischiefe was feared, which is fallen out and many would not be perswaded to conceiue it, being deceiued by the sugred and honied wordes of these hipocrites. Who would haue thought at that time, to haue seene Spanish dead paies in Paris, the Spaniardes march vp and downe in those faire and large stréetes, their armes a kenbow, their staring eies, their frowning foreheads, their maiesticall and solemne march as softe as foote can fall.
In the yéere 64. Barnard and Comolet were not heard to call the King, Holofernes, Moab, and Nero, mainteining that the kingdome of France was electiue and that it belonged to the people to establish the Kings, and alledging this text of the old Testament, Thou shalt chouse thy brother for King, thy brother, say they, that is not to say, of the selfe same linage, or of the selfe same nation: but of the same religion, as this great Catholike king, this great king of Spaine. Comelet was so impudent and bold as to say, verie blasphemouslie, that vnder these wordes, Deliuer me O Lord out of the myre, that I may not sticke in it, Dauid vnderstood prophetically the rooting out of the house of Bourbon. During these warres they would haue erected a Colledge of Iesuits at Poitiers, saying that a riche and religious Lord would giue eight hundred crownes of reuenue for the foundation. And when they had bin instantly pressed a great while, to discouer who this great Lord was, being not able to name any other, they were constrained maugre their beardes to confesse that it was the King of Spaine, who will neuer thinke it much to be at such a charge to entertaine such a pernicious and dangerous vermine amongst vs as these Iesuites are. And this was witnessed by all the deputies of Poitiers, which put to their helping handes to reduce that towne to the obedience of the King.
In 64. the Iesuites had not as yet the Booke of life amongst them, wherein they haue sithence kept a record of all that, that they learne by their secrete shriftes of all houses and families, informing themselues by children and seruaunts, not what their [Page] consciences are, but what speach and talke their parents and maisters haue commonly in their houses, whereby they may know what disposition they are of. Comolet preaching at the Bastile before the Gentlemen that were then prisoners in the beginning of the yéere 89. said vnto them after a thousand impudent blasphemies, that he that had bin their King was not their King, plotting from thence the murder which they executed afterwardes. When Trouue, and Captaine Aubrey were imprisoned in the Bastile by Bussy the Clerc, the Coūsaile of the fortie, could not get them out: but onely Comolet, as an Orpheus of his owne authoritie, set them at libertie, such was the dependencie of the sixteene Murderers vpon the Iesuites. At what time there came newes of the Popes election that is now, Comolet being come out of the pulpet, went vp againe, and began to crie out, Heare thou Politician, I will tell thee newes, we haue a Pope, what maner of Pope? one that is a good Catholique? What more? one that is a good Spaniard. Goe and hange thy selfe thou Politician. The Iesuites vsed no such language in the yéere 64. an auncient writer saieth, Yong Serpents deceiue: when one hath passed his naturall bignesse and is growen to a monster, when it hath infected the fountaines, and by breathing burneth which way soeuer it goe, men seeke to destroy it with some shot or other: euils springing may escape, but great are mette withall. Titus Liuius saieth elegantly, It can not be, but the diseases must be knowen, before their remedies can be found out: so did euill motions breake out in men, before lawes were made to bridle them. Plato in the beginning of his first booke of Lawes saieth, that Minos, went once in euery ninth yéere to know of Iupiter what Lawes he should giue to the Cretensians: because that time beareth such a sway in the chaunge & alteration of al things, that what séemeth good at one season, is hurtfull at an other. We find by experiēce, that good Lawes, and honest examples, draw their original from others offences: for faultinesse goeth before punishment, in time: & amendment is the yonger brother to offence.
Speake to the Marquis of Pisany, he will tell you that since the yéere of 64. when he was in Spaine and Italie, as Ambassadour [Page 19] about the affaires of Fraunce, hee found no matter of weight, wherein a Iesuite had not an oare. Speake to them that had the decifering of al the letters of importance, which were intercepted during these warres, they will tell you, that they neuer read any pernicious point, where a Iesuits finger was not. And euen latelie at Lions, since the Towne yéelded to the King, a Iesuite that had begun to say his Masse, perceiuing a Gentleman in the church w t a white scarfe, ran out of the Church being ful of people of a purpose to raise a sedition: a matter y t they attempted since, and will no doubt be the losse of that Towne being of great importance, if they be not spéedelie banished out of the Countrey by your order and decrée.
Fourthly, who so breaketh the modifications and conditions whereupon a graunt is made vnto him; is worthie to loose the benefite that he might receiue by the graunt. Now since the yere 64. the Iesuites haue directly broken the conditions of their aduise of Poissy, which is the onely allowance they haue had in Fraunce. First they haue broken them herein, that they haue reteined their name of Iesuites, which they were expresly charged not to doe, because this glorious name is particulerly reserued to the onely Sauiour of the world: and there was neuer any amongest the Christians to this day found so transported with pride, as to dare to attribute this name either to himselfe in particuler, or to other and himselfe in common. They alone haue bin so impudent, as to take this name in their propositions, by which (through their housed intising & sugred speach, carying one thing secreated in their hearts, and another ready at their Tongues endes) their meaning was within thrée moneths to flatter them, whom they would with all their hearts sée instantly plūged in the depth of the Inquisition of Spaine. Secondly, they haue broken the aduise of Poisy, whereby their Colledge was receiued, and their profession reiected. For they haue bin so bold as to plant it in way of triumph in the middest of Saint Antonies stréete, where they are at this day so impudent, as to haue in their cappes the full armes of France, with a Cardinals hat aboue, to let vs vnderstand that in despite of y e King [Page] to whom they are not bound by oath of fidelitie, and whom they sought and will séeke daily to murder: they acknowledged one Charles the tenth to haue bin King of Fraunce, vnder whom they hopes to haue wrought with this Kingdome, as they wrought with the Kingdome of Portingal vnder another Cardinal. Thirdly, their aduise of Poisy purporteth expresly, that they may not procure any Bulles contrary to these restraints set downe by this act: and in case they doe procure any, they shal stand as none, and of none effect nor value, which is verifyed vppon this verie condition. But now they haue procured Bulles so contrarie to this aduise of Poisy, that whosoeuer make any limitations or restrictions against their priuileges and institutions, are by vertue therof excommunicate with the greatest excommunication, yea whosoeuer shall dare to dispute or reason the matter, though it be but onely to séeke out the truth. Heare the verie words of their bull of 84. And obey their Gouerners in al thinges and euerie way, and be immediatly subiect to this Sea, and clerely exempt from the subiection of all ordinaries and delegates whatsoeuer, or of any other Iudges, as by the vertue of these presents we do also exempt them. A point directly contrary to this clause of the aduyse of Poissy. Vppon condition, that the Byshop Diocesan shall haue all superintendancie, iurisdiction, and correction ouer the said Societie and Colledges. And consequently their aduise of Poisly is become voide, as well by the course of law before alledged, as by the clause expressely set downe to make it voide by the said assembly. They shal renounce expressely and in plain termes all priuiledges giuen by their Bulles, which are contrarie to the points and articles aforesaid. Otherwise and in want hereof, or in case they doe hereafter obteine any other, they shalbe as none, and of none effect nor value. But sée yet a more strange clause set down in their Bul of 84. by which, both we that speake against them, and you my Lords that are the Iudges, and they of Poissy also, which made the aduise, are al excommunicate. We commaund therefore (vpon their holie obedience and vnder paine of excommunication of the sentence giuen, & of disabling, to all seculer offices and benefices, and reguler of al orders [Page 20] whatsoeuer, forthwith to be incurred without further declaration, reseruing to our selues and to our successors onelie, the absolution from the same,) that no man of any state, degree, or preheminence whatsoeuer, be so hardie and bold as either directlie or indirectly to impugne or gainsay any institutions, constitutions, or these presents touching the said societie, or any of them, or of al the foresaid Articles, or any other matter cōcerning the same, though it be done in way of disputation onely, or to seeke out the truth.
Fiftly, and lastly, and to speake plainly without flattery in a matter of such weight, and a spéedie issue whereof all honest men doe earnestly desire, who knoweth not, how that in Anno 64. there was not a man within this place so hardy as durst speak fréely against the conspiracie of Spaine? All good men were afraide, and speachlesse: when as it was a miserable case to speak what a man would not; and full of danger to speake what he would willingly speake. The whéeles, the gallowses would not haue bin sufficient punishments for them that durst to haue bin so hardie: What think you thē you Spanish spials you may alledge for your selues at this day to maintaine your selues? Will you say, because you haue bin suffered heretofore, nay that is reason sufficient to banish you out of Fraunce, to wit, your force, your violence, your tiranny, & the tiranny of your supporters, of your Spaniards, which haue bound our hands, which haue stopt our mouthes, which haue made you so couragious, which haue made you speake so proudly, which haue set you so hie: you I say, most wicked varlets with your bloody handes, most pestilent and proud through your insatiable couetousnes, you that haue no regard of loyaltie, you that are void of God and all honestie, to be short, you that make your gaine of all thinges be they honest or dishonest.
But they be not wicked varlets alone, there is a point that makes them worse: for if they onely had bin wicked themselues, our miserie had bin the lesse. The great number of Frenchmen whom they haue marde, hath bin the cause of our miseries. And yet now they séeke to throng themselues amongest this presse of people, and hide their heads, thinking to lessen their fault through [Page] the fellowship of many offenders, as though in this their wicked lewdnes they did but kéepe the Kinges high way, doing as other men doe. But it fareth farre otherwise; for the greater the number is of lewd and euil affected subiectes, the greater is the haruest of the Iesuits, for these are their fruits; And why is not this whole sinke of Sixtéene and their adherentes, vpon their way to Spaine? Why are they not banished for euer out of the aire of France, which they haue poisoned this long while? What do these Iesuites here still? what doe they? Sée we not well inough what they doe? What vndermininges, what violences, what corruptions, what seditions haue they not already committed and done? Beléeue me my Lords, they lose no time; such busie heads, most sharpe in deuising, most impudent in attempting, most vigilant in effecting, are not vnprofitable: they receiue packets daily from Spaine, and from all corners of France, and deliuer them at Soissons: they carie their Packets out of the towne themselues, (for to rifle and search a Iesuite, were to commit high treason against God himself, neither was there euer any Captaine that durst to this day attempt such an act,) they receiue into their chamber of counsell al that wil deuise or contriue any thing against the state of the town; if onely they will but make a shew to resort to their Churches, or confesse to their Iesuites what practise is intended by anie man against any of the Sixteene, which doe nothing but practise our distruction? Shall we still suffer our selues to be abused by these hipocrites? Shall we be still like to the Barbarians, that made but a scoffe of the fortifications which the enemies made against their walles, vntill they found their walles beaten downe about their eares, and their Towne foolishlie lost? Shall we suffer our enemies to gather together the pieces of their shipwrecke? Shall wée suffer the Iesuites to fasten the knots againe of their practises, and frame a new their faction in the consciences of the people, which are alwaies the greatest number?
In all this action, this is the strangest point to behold and consider, what delaies, what formalities of Iustice haue bin vsed, and how vppon the sodaine, and euen at a verie instant, taking not so [Page 21] much leasure as to breath themselues, they could defend by briberie and corruption, what they committed by mischieuous wickednes. We haue not banished them as they did at Burdeaux, which was the brauest and most honorable act that the Mareshal of Matignon euer did, though he stand renowmed and highly thought of, and so wil in the memorie of al posteritie for many noble victories atchieued by his handes. But this blow of resolution which hée gaue, was a meanes of the preseruation of Guyenne, which otherwise had bin lost, and would haue drawen after it euen at that instant, the losse of all the rest.
O braue and noble Mareshall, thou fearedst not the reproches, the wicked tongues, the stinking vomits of these amongst vs, that falsly terming themselues the Kinges seruantes, doe foster, doe mainteine, doe support, and fauor his most cruel, most detestable, most coniured enemies: Howbeit in the end they shal all come to naught, and that most shamefully togither with their Iesuites, notwithstanding their goodly and colourable pretences, the chiefest whereof is this.
What wil they say at Rome? Oh, what doe they speak of Monsieur the Marshall of Matignon? wil you know what they say at Rome: Let vs distinguish the speakers: The Spaniardes will say, that they which banished the Iesuites out of France, are all of them Heretikes. Haue they any other talke in their mouthes? I will not speake onely of our selues that haue followed the King and his fortune, but also of them that tarried here in the Towne, and yet couragiouslie, and with euident peril of their liues, opposed themselues against the abolishing of the Salique law. Did not the Spaniards say, that they were all Lutherans and Heretikes?
On the other side, they that are at Rome and in Italie, and are not Spaniardes, they I say, wil say, that this is the time wherein the French men will shew themselues to be French men in déed, franke and frée, and sworne enemies to the Spaniards. This is the time wherein they manifest to the world, that they are quicke of sight, & looke into their state aright, by driuing out from amongest them these spialles of their enemies: to be short, this is the time [Page] wherein they meane to liue in strengthfull and assured health, now that they purge these melancholike and ouerburnt, and most malicious humors out of the bodie of their common wealth. But though the Iesuites be daungerous to Fraunce, yet at the least they haue wrought mightie wonders amongst the Indian people. True it is, and such wonders indéed, as we haue good cause to take knowledge of: for they haue caused twenty millions of those poore soules, as their own historie reporteth, and termeth them lambes, to be consumed by fire and sword of the Castilians. They haue wéeded out the paganism, not by conuerting the Pagans, but by playing the bloudy bouchers with them. Their maner of dispeopling of the Island called Spaniola, is much to be marked. They put all the men a part to worke in their mines, and the women they forced to cultify the earth: so that kéeping them from generation, & vsing al the crueltie they could against the liuing, in lesse then 12. yeares they inhabited the whole Island which is not small, with Castilians. In Peru they haue publike places of torture within the marches, wherein they may put a thousand at once, and there the Souldiers and the Lackies torment these poore people, thereby to make them confesse where their treasure is. And if any of them escape out, they goe and hange themselues in the mountaines and their wiues by them, and their poore children at their féet. These monsters of tirannie, doe as ordinarilie hunt after men, as we doe after the Bucke and Stagge, causing their dogges to deuoure thē, and their Tigers, when they send them to seeke honie and waxe, and also by their Tuberons when they cause them to goe a fishing for perles in the most daungerous parts of the sea. If they carie out anie of these poore people to warre with them, they giue thē nothing to liue on, but constraine them to eate their enemies, so that the Spanish armies are verie boucheries of the flesh of man. And yet we maruail at the cruelties which they vse in these parts of the world, which are but fleabitinges, or honie soppes rather in comparison of that that they can doe. Their couetousnes was so extreme, that they laded their shippes with thrise as many moe of these poore silliones then their ships could bear, or they had victuall [Page 22] for, in so much, that they cast so many of them ouer board, that to passe from y e Isle of Lucaies vnto Spaniola, which is a good distāce, a man néeded not anie compasse, but onelie the trace of these poore Indians dead floting vpon the sea, where they had cast them.
O yee Frenchmen behold, againe and againe, behold I say; the great fauour of God towards vs in drawing vs out of the slauerie of this monstrous & prodigious nation: Chaines and Irons should haue bin your best intertainment, full Argoses of you should haue bin carried to the Indies to worke in their mines, whilest they had placed Colonies in your Townes, and giuen your houses in the countrey for a reward: And yet notwithstanding, this murdering and casting in chaines and Irons, al the true Catholiks, & to leaue none in Fraunce but Atheists, robbers, murderers, incests, & pensioners of Spain, should haue bin termed nothing but the planting of the Catholike Religion.
But if the Iesuits be so wicked, why is there not an inditement framed against them? I answere you, that Monsieur the Kinges Atturney generall knoweth how to prosecute that which he thinketh best, but the matter which the vniuersitie, (the Kings eldest daughter, who can not hold her tongue from crying out against them that would murder her father) calleth vppon, is, that all the rest may be banished out of the realme, whilest the other be arrained that are in hold: the danger that we are in, wil not wel abide slow working medecines and lingring Phisitions. The historie of the humble Friers, and of the Cardinall Bouromee is verie notorious and fresh in memorie: one of these Friers would haue murdered the Cardinal. Vpon the instant that old order was put downe, and al that were of it banished out of Italie by Pope Pius the fifth rightfullie so called, for that he most occupied himselfe in making leagues against the Turke, whereas others busie themselues in making leagues against Fraunce. And shall not the Iesuites at this day be bani [...]hed, that would haue murdered the K. of Fraunce, and for letting Varade that murderer breake prison, & sending him away? They that defend this proposition, make more accompt of the life of a Cardinall, then of a King of Fraunce, the [Page] eldest sonne and protector of the Church.
By the ciuil law, all the issue of that man that practiseth y e death of the Prince, euen to the verie childe that sucketh the mothers breasts, are dishenherited and brought to miserie: so fearefull is the example of treason, and shall we preserue the companions of Varade, y e haue vowed the self same vow that he did, that haue the same desire & purpose that he had, that holy him away. Whensoeuer one Iesuit, shall attempt y e murder of one of our Kings, shal he onely be banished? This is a good proposition, and well worthy to be mainteined, that it is better that twentie Kinges of France be murdered, then all the Iesuites should be banished France. They that are of this opinion, care not how many Kinges we change.
If they were to be executed as the Templers, their inditements would be framed. But what say the Iesuites? That they came into Fraunce for our good: yea but experience hath shewed vs, that they haue caused our ruine. What néedeth further inditement? séeing they aduaunce our enemies so greatlie. There is an excellent saying in Tacitus to this purpose. O noble Counsellers, if we looke no further, but consider with what vile language they haue abused mens eares, prisons and gallowses are too good for them. It is time you hasten to iudgement, that neither they may scape scotfree, nor you repent your selues of your seueritie mixt with clemencie: let them be dispatched with fire and water. Behold a good iudgement for the Iesuits.
Moreouer, happily before the yeare 85. this formalising might haue bin tollerated, for vntill that day their lewdnesse and treacherie was shadowed with a goodly maske, but now they goe so open faced, that we néede neither letters nor witnesses. Quintilian saith finelie. There be some crimes of treason against the commonwealth, which may be sufficiently condemned by the view of the eie.
And Seneca to this purpose in the tenth booke of his controuersies saith, whether the common wealth be hurt or no, it is not to be proued by arguments, the hurt of the common-wealth appeareth forthwith. He that should haue laied hands on Iulius Caesar, had there bin any néed of confrōting of witnesses to prooue that he had [Page 23] passed the Rubicon, that he had entred into Italie with an armie, and taken the treasure of the commonwealth? The painters and Poetes giue a naked sworde to Iustice, to giue vs to vnderstand that we may not alwaies stand vpon doubtes and tract of time: neither play the part of euill Chirurgians, who for want of healing the sore in due time, protract the cure so long, till the strength of the patient be vtterly cast downe & not possible to be restored.
But what call we notorious? All our Doctors define it in one worde, to be that, that is done before the people. And I would to God that the crimes of the Iesuites were not so great, so certaine, and notorious as they are, then should we not haue suffered so much miserie as we haue.
But they haue left nothing to the Counseler for him to breake his head withall: for, to denie matters, that are as cleare as the Sunne, increaseth the fault, and confuteth it not. Philo the Iew, writing vpon the ten commaundements, speaking of the voice of God, giueth a good reason why we are said to see the worde. Because saieth he, that that which God speaketh is not onely a bare worde, but a worke. It is an vsuall and common Prouerbe amongst vs, the voice of the people is the voice of God, whereby is meant the voice of the best sort and not of the multitude. Because they speake of such thinges as they know, of thinges which haue bin séene, and wherein they can not lie.
But some will say that the Iesuites are not all straungers: as though the Spaniards by adoption, and by othe, had not done vs more harme then the naturall Spaniards. I will rather take them for Citisens, which are borne in the remotest place of all Scythia, and yet thinke well of France, then they that are borne of Paris and brought vp there, and employ themselues most vnnaturally and wickedly, to destroy the place, libertie, and honour of their countrie wherein they were borne. Comolet, Bernard, and such like, are they not Frenchmen borne, and yet are there any of any nation that haue so impudently vomited out all sortes of blasphemous [Page] speaches against his Maiestie, and the memorie of the King that dead is, as they haue done? Are there any men in the world that haue trauailed so much as they haue done to turne the state vpside downe? for if a man make a shew of religion, he may doe what he will vnder that pretext, his penny is good siluer: to murder or cause Princes to be murdered, which are excommunicate by the Pope, is the chiefest part of their sending. Varade himselfe, the encourager, and pusher on forward of that Murderer of Melun was he not a Parisien? Oh sir, the Iesuites would haue bin banished out of France long agoe, had there bin no other Spaniards amongst vs but such as are natifes and borne beyond the mountaines of Pirene. The pleasures and excéeding great fauoures, which King Philip bestoweth vpon the Iesuites, maketh it notorious inough, how that he maketh accompt of them as of his good subiects, and instruments of his soueraintie. The great Iesuiticall Argosee, which fetcheth their gold and Marchandises from the Indies, (for they draw from all parts of the world, to increase their treasure in Rome and Spaine withall) this great vessell, I say, payeth no fifth to King Philip. A matter of more value to them, then two hundred thousand crownes a yéere. For their part of the conquest of Portingal, he gaue them the present which the kings of the East Indies payed from thrée yéeres to thrée yéeres to the King of Portingal, which is worth in Gold, and Pearles, & Spicerie, more then foure hundred thousand crownes. In recompence of which bountie, they speake of him, as of the greatest Prince that euer was in the world, farre surmounting the force of the Romaines, and hauing more countries vnder him then all the Kings of the world.
Goe on yée Spanish soules to praise and magnifie the forces of the King of Castile, he will make you all Cardinals, as well as Tolledo the Spanish Iesuite. They will no small benefices, (& yet for the better maintenance of their table, they vnite & knit many Priories and Abbies togither) but they wilbe Cardinals; to the ende they may be Popes, this is good fish for their nets. Who was it that brought that bold and proude message to Monsieur of Neuers, [Page 24] but this Iesuiticall Spanish Cardinal? Who was not ashamed to say to him in Ianuarie last, that the thrée Prelates, which were present at his Maiesties conuersion, should be made to come before the Cardinall of S. Seuerin chiefe of the Inquisition, for absolution for that fact. What a shame, what blasphemie against God and his religion, to demaunde absolution, for the best worke, the holiest worke, the profitablest worke, & most necessarie worke that could be done in Christendome? But because it was discommodious, damageable and hurtfull to the King of Spaine, the Iesuites will euer condemne it, and iudge it worthie penaunce and absolution. Hereupon it came, that at the first bruite of his holy conuersion, they sent Du Puy from Paris to Rome, at this day their Prouincial, to perswade the Pope that it was but a fained matter.
How can we doubt to banish these Murderers, seing that since the yéere 1550. (as Monsieur the Counseler of Mesnil hath well obserued it in his plea) when the Iesuites presented their letters, signed in the presence of the Cardinall of Loraine, and grounded vpon their admission in Spaine, (a goodly cōsideration surely) these letters were simply and absolutely refused by the Court, assembled the two halfe yéeres. And foure yéeres after, vpon a second instancie by the Iesuites, the Court would know the opinion of the Sorbone, which being assembled by foure daies space togither (the holy Ghost no doubt being their director and president) moued as it may séeme by an instinct from aboue, reiected them, counting them a most daungerous and most pernicious companie, for the state of the Kingdome and for Religion, and such as would cause many quarels, diuisions and dissentions amongst the French nation. And because it may be apparant, that we adde nothing of our owne heads, behold the very wordes of the decrée of Sorbone, which in few words, setteth downe the miserie that we haue receiued by this new and dangerous sect.
This new felowship, challenging vnto it selfe the vnwoonted name of Iesus, so losely and vnaduisedly without any discreete choise [Page] receiuing into their fellowship tag rag, be they neuer so lewde, wicked, and infamous, carying no difference from seculer priests in their outward habite, in shauing of their crownes, in saying their canonicall houres priuately, or singing them openly in the Church, in cloisters and silence, in difference of meates and daies in fastinges, and diuers other rites and ceremonies, (whereby states of religion are seuered one from the other and mainteyned) endowed with so many and sundrie priuileges, licences and freedomes, especially in the administration of the Sacrament of penaunce and Eucharist, and that without difference of places, or parsons, also in the office of preaching, reading & teaching, in preiudice of Ordinaries, yea of Princes & tēporall Lords, against the priuileges of Vniuersities, to the great burden of the people, seemeth to be against the honestie of monastical religion, it weakeneth the studious, godly, & necessarie exercise of vertues, abstinencies, cerimonies, and austeritie of life, yea that more is, it openeth a gappe, to a general Apostasie from other religions: it withdraweth from Ordinaries that subiection and obedience that is due vnto them, it spoileth as well the Lords temporall as the Spirituall of their rights and Iurisdictions, it bringeth in a confusion into both pollicies, many quarels amongst the people, many strifes, discordes, contentions, emulations, rebellions, and sundry schismes. These thinges therefore diligently weighed and considered, this felowship seemeth to be a daungerous thing for the matter of faith, like to be a worker of the disturbance of the peace of the Church, & an vtter ouerthrow of monasticall life & tending rather to the pulling downe then to the building vp of the Christian faith.
Before the effects of their conspiracies were knowen, we maruailed much in our Vniuersitie, saying what maner of people are these? Are they regulers or seculers? for we haue no thirde sort. They are not seculers, because they liue in common, haue a generall, and to be short, make a vowe of pouertie, and yet haue the whole managing of the goods of their Colledges. Againe, they be not regulers: for they haue no rule, nor fasting, nor distinction of meate, neither are bound to any certaine seruices, and may succéede, though they can not rid themselues of their oth. They haue [Page 25] foure or fiue sortes of vowes, Simple, Compounded, Solemne, Secreete, Publike. To be short, they make a hurly burly and turne all things vpside downe, and if you aske them what they are, they answere you, As you sée.
We marueiled greatly, I say at that time, but now we leaue. And why so? Because in a word, they be nether secular nor regular. What than? Nothing but verie spials of Spaine, you may terme them as you please, they wil not reade, if you will not haue them; they will take what othes you will, onely with this prouiso, that you will let them alone, to betray at their pleasure, to play the spials, to raise false bruites amongst the people, and now for the aduantage of the Spaniard, kindle and blow the fire of our dissensions. This is all they demaund, this is their vowe, their profession, their rule, their plottings, their greatest happe that can befall them.
It is not the Sorbone of Paris onely that hath condemned them; but in Rome it selfe, the honester sorte perceiuing the plotting of Ignatius the Spaniard, opposed themselues against this sect. Behold what they themselues doe write of this matter in the life of their Ignatius, pag. 149. And afterwardes, vpon the request of Ignatius, that his institution might receiue confirmation, the matter was cōmitted by the Pope to three Cardinals: who laboured greatly, that it might not be receiued, especial the Cardinal Bartholomaeus Guidicionus, a godly and learned man, and one that did not like that there should be such a multitude of religions in the Church of God, as there be now a daies, mooued thereunto perhaps by the decrees of the Laterane and Lion Counsels: which two Counsels do restraine and prohibite the multiplying of new religions, or peraduenture by reason of the decay of discipline which was much altered and worne out in some of thē, which he thought were more fit to redresse, then to deuise and make new. And thereupon it is reported that he wrote a booke. So that he being of this opinion, sharpely withstood ours, and of all men, was the greatest aduersarie, that our Societie had, some few other ioyned their endeuors to his. How than came it to passe that it was receiued, all these impediments notwithstanding? The [Page] promise of the fourth vow of expresse obedience to the Pope aboue all the Princes of the earth. Sée what they themselues write of this matter in the selfe same Page 144. Whose religion, should be the religion of the reguler clerkes, but their purpose is to be at the Popes commaundement, and to frame their liues wholly according to that rule, which he had long before deuised & set downe. Which thing the Pope did willingly giue eare vnto. the 3. of Sept. at Tibure. Anno 1539.
So that, they were reiected both in France and Italie by all the greatest Catholikes which were no Spaniards: vnlesse peraduē ture they & their adherents be so impudent as to say, that the Sorbone was an heretike in the yéere 54. when they made that decrée against them. As they are so impudent to publish amongest the women of their congregation, that all they which pursue this cause, are heretikes that come from Geneua and England. And were it not, that I, that, now speake had not bin knowen from my childhood, brought vp in the kings Colledge of Nauarre, and my profession so notorious, and my preferment to publike and Honorable charges euer the since the yéere 80. and 85. did not exempt mée too too manifestly frō their illusions they would happely imagine that I was sent from some one of those places of purpose to plead against them. But who shalbe counted a good Catholicke, that speaketh against the Iesuits, séeing they haus caused the Sorbone to be pronounced Heretickes by the Inquisition of Spaine. We learne this of themselues who make their vaunts, that when they saw this decrée of Sorbone against them, they betooke themselues to the Inquisition of Castile, to cause the Sorbone of Paris and their Decrée to be condemned. Sée, (my good Lordes) who should be able to escape out of the handes of this brutish, barbarous Spanish Inquisition, the snare laid for all men that oppose themselues against the greatnes of Castile, the bloudie shoppe of all crueltie, the scaffold of all the most tragicall, hideous, and horrible slaughters that can be deuised in the worlde: who, I say, should be able to escape out of the hands of this Inquisition, séeing the Sorbone of Paris is condemned amongst them? But where [Page 26] is this condemnacion? Behold here it is reported in the life of their Ignatius pag. 403. Furthermore, because the Decree of Sorbone was against the authoritie of the Sea Apostolike which hath allowed and confirmed our religion, the Inquisitors of the faith haue by their Decree forbidden it to be read in Spaine, as a thing that is false, and offensiue to godly eares.
You may not maruell that the Inquisition is so carefull for the Iesuits, for these two foundations haue no other marke they shoote at, but to establish the tyrannie of Castile, ouer all Europe.
And shall we still continue colde in banishing them, that make prouisions in Spaine, against all that we can do in France? To banish them that giue all the aduise they can to our enemie, that kindle all treasons, corrupt the mindes of all youth, and haue no desire in the world, but to murder the King? what will you looke for more? weighty enterprises, must haue spéedie dispatches, no delaies must be vsed. Euery man is iustly prouoked against them, the wound of the miseries which they haue wrought vs, is yet fresh before our eies. Either this Audience shall frée France of these new Monsters engendred to dismember it, or if their subtelties, their craftes, the bruites which they cast abroad, doe maintaine them, I tell you plainly and as lowde as I can, though they haue found so much fauour as to haue the doores shutte, yet my voice shal pearce through to the foure corners of the Realme, and I will yet consecrate it to the posteritie that will iudge without feare, and without passion, who are best Frenchmen, and most desirous to leaue it such a liberty, as we haue receiued from our fathers, I tell you plaine, (and I wil stretch out my voice, as lowde as I can) they will doe vs yet more harme, then euer they did. And I know not what will become of our strength, whether it wilbe dismembred or no, I know not whether our goods and our liues shalbe ransacked once againe or no.
The affaires of the world passe, and runne away in a moment, the idle Mariners tarie a shoare, while the weather is faire. That Iudgement is the best, that vseth no delaies. And to what purpose [Page] are these delaies? To giue them leasure to come to the marke they shoote at, full of alarames, yea full of the blood of the best sort. Tigres and Lions neuer leaue of their cruelty, sometime they will lie still, and when thou lookest not for it, their mitigate frowardnesse becommeth worse. O that we might be so happie all togither, as to enioy our Countrey freed from all these miseries, with no lesse feruent affections and zelous pietie, then I am moued to be earnest in this cause without hatred to any man. My minde can neuer be of from this murderer of Melun, and my hart will neuer be at rest as long as I see these shréeuing Iesuites and eggers on of such murderers remaining in France. If they might once be banished, then should I be assured, then should I sée all the mischieuous practises of Spaine, broken a sunder in France. All the Brotherhoodes of the name of Ihesus, of Cordon, de la Vierge, de la Cappe, du Capelet, of the little Collet, and a thousand others would be put out. Then could not the Traitors, that practise against the State, know to whome they might addresse themselues. For, to goe to the Embassadour of Spaine there is none amongst vs: to goe to a suspect person, that would quickly be discouered; and besides, the papers and writinges of priuate persons, fall after there death into the handes of the Magistrates, but this Society dieth not: and moreouer, vnder pretence of deuotion, the assemblie of this Councell is alwaies couert. To be short, of an hundred, that shall repose any confidence in them, you shall not finde two amongst them, that will discouer themselues one to another:
Euen as therfore the Phisitiās leaue nothing in y e sicke bodies, that may be hurtfull, so it behooueth vs to cut of all whatsoeuer it may be that may be an impediment to our libertie. And let vs not be like to them that are sicke of choler, that will in no wise take a medicine to ridde them at once of that humour, and to make them whole: but content themselues to take away onely some part of the humour, that doth distast them, and in conclusion [Page 27] pay for it with vsurie of extreame griefe and anguishes that cut déep into them. As there are certaine sauors which cause them that haue the falling sicknes come quickly to themselues againe, but yet heale them not, they are good for a while, and are no remedies for the griefe but impediments. No more can the Iesuites be taken to be within the compasse of the Kinges declaration, which hath this exception in proper termes? Forprise and excepted the attempt and fellonie committed vpon the person of the King, our most honourable Soueraigne and brother, and the enterprise against our owne person: which can in no wise be referred to any other but to the Iesuites, which sent the murderer first from Lyons, and then from Paris. Moreouer the selfe same Edict of the 4. of Aprill in Anno 1594. pardoneth none but such as renounce all leagues and associations as well within the Realme as without. Now the principall vow of the Iesuits being to obey their Generall, who is a Spaniard, in all thinges, and the Pope, they can by no meanes renounce this association which is the strictest in the world, vnlesse they renounce their societie. To be short, they can not be Iesuits, and receiue benefit by the Kinges edict, which saith in an other place, that such renouncinges and oath of fidelitie must be done within a moneth. Which the Iesuits haue not accomplished vnto this day, neither cā they shew any act, to serue for an inducement for vs to thinke, that they had any such purpose: as in verie déed they be not capable of it, for no man can be liege vassal to two Lords.
There is an old writer saith verie elegantly, What auaileth it to be valiant in the field, and to liue lewdly at home? Whiles the King is on horsebacke to ruinate, defeat, and put to flight his enemies, and to force townes that hold out headdily against him, whilest he endureth the heate of the Sōmer, the could of the Winter, and indangereth himselfe daily in the Warres for our libertie, shall wée suffer the Iesuites in all his principall Townes, which do nothing daily with their confessions but stirre vp a thousands of new enemies, and hold secret counsels of rebellion, and all sortes of treasons? As it auaileth not against the plague, to be careful of a mans [Page] health, for it seizeth one as well as another: So is it to small purpose for Magistrates to be carefull to torment themselues, to trot vp and downe euerie way, as long as the plague continueth in the middest of the Town and Vniuersitie, we shal loose our people by thousands on a plunge.
The Iesuites had neuer a fairer day in Fraunce, then they had in these last warres, which they could willingly call the golden world, as Commodus did: for they saw all other Colledges be pestered with their strange garrison, and spoiled euerie day by them, they saw all the Scholers with them, and the whole Vniuersitie brought to the onely Colledge of Iesuites, as it is almost at this day. A man would not beleeue what slaughters they made in the mindes of these yong youths, speaking of nothing in all their discourses and in all their Themes, but of reasons why it was lawfull to murder the King. And yet the mischiefe that they haue done in Paris, is nothing in comparison of that, that they haue caused to be wrought in other townes.
To thinke that the interest of the Vniuersitie of Paris is bounded within the enclosure of their walles, that were to shoote at a wrong marke, and not to consider the truth of things as they are: For if you stop the springs, which make great riuers when they be once ioined together and come into one, they must néedes drie vp. Suffer the Iesuits in all the Prouinces, what will become of your Vniuersitie of Paris thinke you? And in déed if we compare the high degrée of reputation, which you my Lords, haue séene our Vniuersitie in, with the continuall decay thereof since the Iesuites came into France, & setled themselues in all Townes from whēce Scholers came, and the extreme pouertie, miserie, and want that it is now brought vnto, readie to yéeld vp the Ghost, if by you, my Lords, her Children, she be not succoured in this extremitie: is it not apparant, what iust cause she hath to complaine, & with what regard you ought to heare her in the request, she now presenteth to you?
If the day of our preseruation be as well welcome to euerie one of vs, as the day of our birth is to our parēts, surely the day wherin [Page 28] the Iesuits shalbe banished out of France, wilbe as faire and ioyful a day as euer was the day of the foundation of our vniuersitie. And euen as Charles the great after that he had deliuered Italie frō the Lombards, Germanie from the Hungarians, had made two iourneies into Spaine, and oftentimes subdued the Saxons; erected the Vniuersitie of Paris, which hath bin for eight hundred yeares space the most florishing in the world, in all arts and sciences, and hath bin a refuge to learning banished out of Asia, decaied in Greece, Egypt, and Afrike: So Henrie the great, hauing chased out the Spaniards by the force of his armes, and banished the Iesuites by your decrée, shall set vp our Vniuersitie in her auncient brightnes, and in her former glorie, and his name and praise shall for euer be sounded forth vpon our Theaters: His triumphes, his victories, and his high exploits of armes, shalbe for euer the subiect of our verses and of our Panegyriques.
And you, my Lords, that haue this good happe, this rare and wishfull blisse, to be iudges of this great and important cause, lift vp your cogitations, I beséech you, stretch them out euen to the world to come, your name, your memorie shall be for euer engrauen in Letters of Gold, not onely in our Vniuersitie, but in the heartes of all honest men, and in the heartes of all true Frenchmen.
Thou golden Clio, thou sufferest nothing to perish, thou sufferest no famous thing to die, reseruing the monument of old ages, to be laid vp in future Bookes. The titles of labors that would wax olde, thou repairest with the flower of during youth, for thy sake vertue warfareth, at thy becke faults become appalled.
Therefore, séeing this occasion is offred you, hold it: and beare in mind, that you are Princes of the most honourable councell in the world. Doubt you not but your decrée shalbe spéedily executed euerie where. The report thereof shall no sooner come to other townes, but they wil vpon the verie instant, banish from amongst them all these Spials of Spaine. They that say, that the Parliament can not make them to depart further then out of the limits of their iurisdiction, they know not how far the iurisdiction of this [Page] Court stretcheth in such cases. It hath no other boundes nor limits, but euen as farre as the point of the Kinges most victorious sword, who will cause your decrées of councell to be executed euē to the middest of Piedmount, where his good fortune hath alreadie planted the Flower de Lys, so farre forth as all the Canons of Spaine can not shake it.
The King doth greatly desire it: can you thinke that he loueth them that cease not daily to make attempts against his life? and that haue bin the causers of all the miseries, which his poore people endureth? If you had once set downe your decrée, an hundred thousand men would not be able to empeach thexecution of it: his Maiestie will haue you pertakers in some sort of his triumphes.
He hath chased the armed and open garrison of Spaniards out of Paris: chase you, my Lordes, the couert and secret garrison, chase that which brought in the other, that caused it to stay so long, and would haue doubled it, if they could haue had but one passage vpon the Oyse, at what time they came as farre as Beuuais. The time is come though it be latter than is for the honor of the reputation of Fraunce, but yet it is so seasonable, as it may not be differred.
Consider if it please you, my Lordes, how farre you are come, you haue pronounced the Duke of Mayenne giltie of treason, and the tyrant of Spaine, and his mainteiners which ioine armes with him, common enemies to Christendome. It is well done, play the men, and see how farre you are gone: you haue taken the towne of Paris frō them, which they thought to haue subiected to their Soueraintie for euer. Nothing in the world gréeueth them so much, as that they tooke not away all your liues. Now they make litle account of all of you: if you fall into their handes againe, the Bastile shall not be your prison, but your graue▪ and yet I cannot tel, whether they will vouchsafe you so much fauor. God hath this day put power into your handes to make a clere dispatch, and to break [Page 29] in sunder for euer all their practises, and all their intelligences: It will be as good as the losse of two battails vnto them, when they shall vnderstand that all Iesuites are banished out of Fraunce. O my Lords, let not slip this faire, this readie occasion of deliuering your selues from them, which make no other vse of their learning, then as Caracalla did, to be a fit instrument to doe mischiefe. Chase away this kinde of people, which haue no fellowes in all sortes of wickednes: so sharpe witted, so readie, so bold, so craftie, so watchfull in mischiefe, so diligent in wickednes. Against whom when you shall arise, my Lords, to giue iudgement, remember I beséech you, how easie a punishment banishment is to them that haue so great riches in Spaine, in Italie, and in the Indies: whereas in the yeare 1530. they had but a small pension sent them out of Spaine, as they themselues confesse. Remember also, if it please you, the losse of your parentes, of your friendes and of your goods: of the desolation of so great a Countrey, of the losse of so many great Captaines, of so much braue Nobilitie, of so many braue Souldiers carried away with the furie of our warres, which they alwaies blowed y e coles of, as they do yet at this day. And doubt not a whit, but if you ridde Fraunce of this poison, it will fare with it, as it doth with bodies, which become more healthfull by long diseases, which giue them a more perfect and clere health, then they tooke from them. And in case their Counsell commend vnto you the magnanimitie and clemencie of the King, remember you, my Lordes, that it is this King, whose bloud they haue euery day in their vowes, his death in their prayers, his murdering in their detestable and execrable Counsels. Remember yée, that it is this King from whom they haue laboured euen from their verie founder Ignacius, to take away part of the Crowne of Nauarre, and now labour after nothing els, then by might and maine to take away from him the Crowne of France, which their desire is to subiect and vnite to Spaine, as they haue done Portingall.
Sire, you haue borne too long: you haue too much endured these traitors, these murderers in the middest of your Kingdome. For your owne part, your fame and glorie is gone to the vttermost [Page] Empires of all the world: there is no talke nor speach, but of your victories, and of your conquestes: and you haue gotten the Surname of Great for euer, and so shall it be eternized: your wonderful feats of armes, haue filled your handes with palmes, treading vnder the foot of your authoritie, the rashnes, the disloyaltie, & the spoiles of all your enemies. But, Sire, you are not in the world for your selfe alone, consider, if it please you, how greatlie the glorie of your name would be weakened, if it should be found read in Histories, that want of smothering these Serpents, or at least, driuing them out of your Kingdom, turned in the end to your losse, and to the losse of all your poore subiects after you. Sire, you haue to doe with a patient and froward enemie, who will neuer leaue of his hope and plottinges against your state, but when his life must end. All the rest of his sleights haue failed him, & are foūd to weak. The last remedie that he hath, is to cause you to be murdered by these Iesuites, séeing he can not otherwise stop the streame of your good fortune. He will haue patience, he wil dissemble, but still his eie shalbe vpon his marke, & as long as his colonies of Iesuites remaine in France, or his aduoises, and his packets may be receiued, or his murderers exhorted, cōfessed, houseled, encouraged, nothing wilbe too hard for him. Sire, if your princely courage wil not suffer you to be afraid for your owne person, at the least wise, take some apprehension of it for your poore seruants. They haue left their wiues, children, goods, houses, cōmodities, to follow your fortune: the rest that remained in y e great towns, haue exposed themselues to be bouchered by the Sixteene, to the end they might open the gates vnto you: And now, Sire, wil you haue no care of your life, to preserue theirs that is inseperably ioined to yours? wil you haue no pitie of so manie women, so manie poore children, which should become slaues for euer to the Spanish pride and cruelty? Sire, you haue open enemies inough to fight withal in France, Flanders, and Spaine, defend your sides from these domestical murderers: so that you remoue them far inough of, we feare not all the rest. The Spaniard can not make vs slaues, but by marching through your bloud: the Iesuites his creatures, wil neuer be at rest in Fraunce, [Page 30] vntill they haue shed it. Hitherunto the care of your faithful seruants hath stopped the course of their parricides. But, Sire, if they be let alone amongest vs, they may alwaies send you murderers, which these fellowes shall confesse and housell as they did Barriere, and we, Sire, cannot watch alwaies. It cannot be, but they that shoot so long at one marke, wil hit it at the length: their bloudie mindes, all to be smeared yet with the bloud of the death of the late murdered King, whose murdering was plotted and resolued vpon in their Colledge, and their thirsting after the atchiuing of their attempt vpon your life, giueth them no rest neither day nor night: but they goe alwaies musing, alwaies turning, alwaies trauailing to come to this last point, which is the full cup of their desires, and of the desires of all the Iesuites. Sire, the considerations which they that haue no apprehension of féeling of your death, represent vnto you on the contrarie side, are so many euident and manifest treasons. When you haue assured your own life, when you haue assured the state of so many great & mighty Cities by banishing the publike counsaile which your enemies haue yet within them, by meanes of the Iesuites, then shall you bee feared on the other side the Mountaines: And then, Sire, shall you haue that Honour and respect done to you, that is due to the greatest King in all Europe: to the Kinge that hath vppon his head the Crowne of glorie and libertie to be the greatest King of all Christian people. But as long as some haue hope to dispatch you and all true Frenchmen, through the practises, sleights, & confessions of the Iesuites, you shall haue those indignities done to you, that neuer any King of France did yet endure. Sire, you are the eldest sonne of the noblest, of the worthiest, the auncientest house that is vpon the face of all the earth, all the course of your life is nothing but pillers of victorie, but triumphs, but bay trées, but victories which you haue gotten of all them that durst lift vp an hand against you: All prophecies call you to the seigniorie of the world, and now what are these people, who are these traitors, who are these bastards of France, that goe about to put into your head fears to offēd a stranger, to the end you should [Page] retein these murderers, that cease not to practise against your life. Sire, the Kinges of Fraunce haue bin accustomed to giue lawes to others, and not to take any. The great God of battailes, that hath led you by the hand hitherunto, preserue you to farre greater thinges then these are: But Sire, dispise not the good aduertisements which he giueth you, and banish with these murdering Iesuites, all those, that building their fortune vppon your Tombe, will labor by all the meanes they can to kéepe them still within your Kingdome.
I conclude, that it would please the Court, to cause the request of the Vniuersitie to be recorded, and to Decrée that all the Iesuites of France voide and departe the realme, territories, and Countries vnder the obedience of his Maiestie within fiftéene dayes after notice giuen, which shalbe done in euery one of their Colledges or houses by speach to one of them for all the rest. Otherwise, and in default of so doing, and in case any of them be found in France after the said time, that forth with, and without any formalitie of processe, they shalbe condemned as guiltie of Treason to the highest head, and hauing enterprised against the life of the King. And call for the charges.
The resolution of the Vniuersitie, solemnely and lawfully assembled the 18. of Apr. in An. 1594. to be humble suters, that the Iesuites might be vtterly banished.
IN the yéere of our Lord one thousand fiue hūdred nientie foure, vpon Monday the 18. day of April, the Vniuersitie of all sortes and degrées of this famous studie of Paris, being assembled togither in S. Mathurins Church for a generall precession to be made from the Vniuersitie to the holy Chappel of the Kings palace in Paris, to giue thankes to the most high God for the happie deliuerie of this famous Citie out of the handes of the Spanish enemies, for the prosperitie, and most happie successe of the most Christian & most victorious King Henry the 4. King of the French and Nauarre our most drede and liege Lord, for the preseruation of [Page 31] the Citie vnder the gouernement and protection of our said liege Lord the King, and for many other respects touching and concerning this Vniuersitie, and for the humble supplication presented by Laurence Bouceret doctor of Artes, that the Iesuites might be called in question and be vtterly banished out of the Realme, the said Vniuersitie, as their maner is, duely assembled at their accustomed houre, with a whole consent of al the Doctors and Maisters of all the foure faculties, and with the consent of the foure Procurators of the nations, no one man gaine saying, ordeined, decréed, and determined, that the said supplication of the said Doctor Bouceret was to be allowed, and therefore that the Iesuites were duely and orderly to be called in question, and to be wholly banished out of the Realme. To which ende and purpose, it séemed good to the said Vniuersitie to make choise of certaine select men out of euery facultie to prosecute the cause, whereupon the Diuines named Maister Adrian d' Amboise President and rector of the Kings Colledge of Nauarre, and such an other Doctor as the said d' Amboise would thinke good to make choise of: the Canonistes allowed well of this procéeding, and because there was then present but one onely Doctor of that facultie, to wit D. Dauidson, he promised to name some other of his Doctors: the Phisitions, D. Iames Cousinet: Lastly, the facultie of Artes named D. Laurence Bouceret, and D. George Criton. And so with one consent it was agréed and concluded, no man gaine saying, by D. Iames d' Amboise, Chancelor of the Vniuersitie, and by the whole Vniuersitie, the day and yéere aboue written. Thus signed, du Valle. And on the side. Seene by vs, Iames d' Amboise Chancelor of the Vniuersiie. And sealed with redde waxe.
The Pleading of M. Arnauld The request of the Vniuersitie to the same end.
To our LL. the Court of Parliament.
MOst humbly beseechen the Chancelor, Deane, and Faculties, Procters of the Nations, Ayders and Scholers of the Vniuersitie of Paris, saying, that whereas they haue of long time complayned to this honourable Court of a great disorder fallen out in the saide Vniuersitie by a certaine new secte, sprong vp as well in Spaine as in other places thereabout, taking vpon them an ambitious title, of the Societie of the name of Iesus, and haue from time to time, and namely since these last troubles shewed themselues partakers with the Spanish faction, and their instruments, to the vtter vndoing and desolation of this state, as well in this towne of Paris, as elsewhere throughout the realme of France and other Countries, a matter forseene euen from the beginning of their aduauncement by your said Suppliants, and namely by the Decree of the facultie of Diuinitie which was at that time made against them; purporting that this new secte was foisted in, to breake all order as well politike as Ecclesiasticall, and specially the order of the Vniuersitie, as appeared by their refusing to obey the Chancelor, Archbishops, Bishops, and Curates, and other superiours of the Church. And whereas the Impes of the said pretended society of Iesus, about thirtie yeeres agoe, not hauing as yet then spued out their poyson in all the other townes of France, but onely in this towne, presented a supplication to be incorporate into the said Vniuersitie; and that beyng considered vpon was referred to Counsaile, and order set downe that in the meane season, all things should stande in that state they were, which was in effect, that the Iesuites should not meddle in any thing to the preiudice of that order, which notwithstanding they obeyed not, but that more is, beside their pernicious purposes, intruding themselues and medling with matters of State, serued as instruments and spials in this France, for the aduancement of the affaires of Spaine, as it is well knowen to all the worlde, and their request [Page 32] as aforesaid referred to Counsaile, was not orderly pursued, nor the pleas taken out on either side, wherby it came discontinued. In consideratiō wherof may it please your good LL. to ordeine that this sect may be banished, not onely out of the Vniuersitie, but also out of the whole realme of France, calling to your assistance in this behalfe the Kings Atturney generall, and so shal you do well. Thus signed. Le Royer. and on the side, D' Amboise Chancelor of the Vniuersitie. And sealed with redde waxe.