The Foot out of the Snare, Text

The Foot out of the Snare · Text

p. 1THE FOOT OVT OF THE SNARE.

SAint Auguſtine reports,Aug. Ciuit. de Dei. l. 1. that euen in the Primitiue Church, and in thoſe better times, the Diuell was become both Leo apertè ſaeuiens, & Draco occultè inſidians: by open and outrageous cruelty, hee ſhewed himſelfe a Lion; and, by his ſecret poiſoning of Religion, a Dragon. Yet his malicious power was curbed, and himſelf bound in chains for a thouſand yeers: ſo that, notwithſtanding all his ſubtilty, Truth, like a Palme-tree, flouriſhed; and Chriſt's Croſſe, like Aarons Rod, did bloſſom, and bring forth much fruit. But now the old Serpent is let looſe, and of late yeers hath acted both the p. 2Lion and the Dragon without reſtraint; both by policy and puiſance, ſtudying to extinguiſh the light of the Truth. Neither hauehave his attempts been effectleſſe: for, what by Magogs ſword in the Eaſt, and Gogs vſurped Keyes in the Weſt, hee hath driuen Truth, like a Doue, into the holes of the rocks, and baniſhed Faith in many places from among men.

In Reformed Churches (eſpecially in our Church of England) Gods Mercy hath ſupported his Truth, euen amidſt the ſlacknes and careleſnes of the Profeſſors themſelues: whil'ſt yet ſome, like Dinah the daughter of Iacob, Gen. 34.2Gen 34:2hauehave loſt their Virginity, I mean, primam et puram fidem, their firſt faith, by going abroad, and hauehave returned home impure. Some, like Salomons outlandiſh women, 1 Kings 11.41 Kgs 11:4hauehave brought-in outlandiſh Religion. Many at home, in ſtead of the voice of the Faithfull, Come, let vsus go vp into the Houſe of the Lord, Pſal. 122.1Ps 122:1ſay among themſelues, Let vsus go vp to Bethel, and trangreſſe to Gilgal, and multiply tranſgreſsions. So that our Countrey, which ought to bee euen and vniforme, is now made like a piece of Arras, full of ſtrange formes and colours. But what is the reaſon? Beſides the drowzineſſe of many Luke-warm Goſpellers, there is a vigilant Tribe (I mean, the Emiſſaries of Rome, and Factors for the Papacy), who are like vntounto Dan, and are as an Adder in the path, which bites the horſe, and makes the Rider to fall backward. Gen. 49Gen 49They make them, whom they can get to work vponupon by their perſwaſions, to become retrograde, with the p. 3Church of Epheſus, to leaue their firſt louelove, Apoc. 2Rev 2and become Apoſtates in matters of orthodox Chriſtianity. Eaſily can they ſteale away the hearts of the weaker ſort: 2 Sam. 15.62 Sam 15:6and ſecretly do they creep into houſes, leading captiue ſimple women loaden with ſinnes, and led away with diuerſe luſts.2 Tim 3.62 Tim 3:6

Strange indeed it is to conſider, how That Wolf-bred and Wolf-breeding Romulus doth daily ſend-ouer his rauening brood of Ieſuites & Prieſts, to make hauock & ſpoil, & to conclude a bloudy Cataſtrophe to a direfull Tragedy. Aſtant & inſtant, vt Hannibal ad portas: nay, like Brennus and his Gaules, Plut. vid. de Bren.they hauehave not onelyonly ſurprized our Suburbs, but almoſt taken our Capitol.

Virgil.Galli per dumos aderant, arcem que tenebant,

Defenſi tenebris & dono noct is opacae:

The Gaules came ſtealing-in by night through the Thickets: ſo theſe Bats, in the twi-light of our ſecurity, creep vponupon vsus, defenſi tenebris. They finde, perhaps, among vsus a ſtill night of negligence and drowzineſſe: but they bring-on a greater night, by the thick cloud and fogge of ſuperſtitions and forgeries; wherein they enwrap themſelues, and would enſnare vsus; who if they ſhould go on to the height of their hopes, what may wee expect, but vt notent & deſignent oculis ad caedem vnumquem que noſtrum, &c? Cic. orat. 2. con. Catelin.Did they not long ſince, like the ſonnes of Belial, not onelyonly caſt off the yoke of obedience, with a Nolumus hunc regnare, Luke 19.14. but euen clothe themſelues in the robes of rebellion, with a Venite & occidamus, p. 4Luke 20.14? Gun-powder Treaſon.Witneſſe one intention of theirs, which muſt neuer be forgotten. And therefore, not without iuſt cauſe, hauehave they been of late put in minde of a ſecond reflecting Tragedy; which met ſo right with them, that well were it, if they could apply it to themſelues, according to the ſenſe of our Sauiour's words (which hauehave been by diuerſe of my friends rung in mine ears, and I truſt I ſhall ſtill ponder of and remember them), Vade, & nè pecca ampliùs, nè deterius contingat tibi: Sinne no more, lest a worſe thing happen vntounto thee. And ſure, for my owne particular, I make ſuch application, and will euer conſider, that I had a faire warningIctus Piſcator ſapit. to come out from among them; non tam pede, quàm pectore; non tam gradibus, quàm affectibus; not ſo much in motion, as in affection; leauing them to their ſuperſtitious deuotions, and neuer more partaking with them in any their abominations.

But, omne beneficium petit officium: as in morality eueryevery benefit is obligatory, and bindes to ſome thankfull duty; ſo more eſpecially in Diuinity, the wonderfull works of God, extended to all in general, or to any one man in particular, in regard of ſpeciall protection, doo binde to a duty of Thankſgiuing.

Though I hauehave long runne vponupon the ſcore, and hitherto yeelded to Ingratitude, that crafty Sinon, to keep the doore of my lips, ſo that I hauehave neither diſcharged my conſcience toward God or man, yet will I at laſt, with the alone Lepe…, return to giuegive p. 5praiſe. And ſurely, of thoſe that eſcaped the danger of the Black-friers (an Accident for which I hauehave been much noted, and often pointed at), none hath greater cauſe to offer the calues of his lips, a gratefull Sacrifice vntounto the Almighty, then my ſelf. For, as my eſcape was not the eaſieſt; ſo my offenſe, the greateſt: whereof, one mooueth me to compunction; the other, to gratulation. Being in the midſt of the Roume that fell, and though that omnes circumſtantes, all (in a maner) that ſtood about me, periſhed in that calamity, and I inuolued in the down-fall, and falling, being couered with the heaps of rubbiſh and dead carcaſes; yet it pleaſed God to haſten my Eſcape, beyond my owne expectation and humane vnderſtanding. Surely, when I record this common down-fall, which wounded others vntounto death, and mee but vntounto affright, I cannot but ſtrike my breſt, and look vp into heauen, or rather with the Publican, down to the earth, and ſay, What was there, or is there in me, miſerable man, that the hand of God ſhould ſtrike ſo many on my right hand and left, and yet ouerpaſſe me? Surely I was no Lot, to eſcape out of burning Sodom; no Noah, to bee preſerued in a generall Deluge. If the load of ſinne preſſed them down that fell (alas! farre be it from me to hauehave vncharitable conceit of their perſons), that waight ſhould hauehave ſunk mee then deeper than any of them, not onelyonly to the ground, but vnderunder ground, to hell it ſelf. But our good God is Maſter of his owne work, andp. 6free Lord of his owne mercies. Hee beſtoweth them where there can bee no plea of merit. He ſpared to crop mee in the ſtrength of my yout h, in the midſt of my wandring vanities, in the act of my bold curioſity. Hee hath prolonged my daies, that my heart may be inlarged in thankfulneſſe to his glorious Name; that my feet might bee inlarged, to walk the way of his Commandements; Pſal. 119.Ps 119that my eyes & vnderſtanding might be opened, to take a full view of humane frauds, adulterating his truth, and ſo to abhor them. Doth not he that hath plucked my feet out of the ſnare, and deliuered me from this ſudden death (againſt which our Church hath taught me to pray), deſerue now to be praiſed, toto voto, tota vitâ, toto pectore, toto homine; in al my life, with all my ſoule, and with all my ſelfe? Yes ſure, I will euer take the Cup of ſaluation, and call vponupon his Name. I will not ceaſe to pay my vowes vntounto him, in deſpight of our ſpirituall Aduerſarie, or any his Aduocates.I penned and publiſhed this writing as a monument of my th…nkfnlneſſe. It becommeth well the iuſt to bee thankfull. For others that eſcaped, I wiſh they would not ſo preſumptuouſly tempt God, as ſome of them, whom I hauehave heard repine, becauſe they had not a ſhare in this ſlaughter. And what is the reaſon forſooth? Becauſe euer ſince that accident befell, at all the places about the City of London, where Prieſts are harbored, which are not few (there beeing at this preſent, to my knowledge, more then two hundred of them, within the City and Suburbes), af…er eueryevery Maſſe of theirs, the Prieſt or Clarke p. 7ſtarteth vp preſently vponupon the Benediction, and calleth aloud vntounto the people, to ſay three Paternoſters, and three Aue-maries for the ſoules of thoſe that died at Black-Friers. So that they think it cannot otherwiſe chuſe, but that their ſoules muſt be by this time in heauen. And ſure ſo think I, or elſe they will neuer come thither. For foreign, à modo, forthwith, bleſſed are the dead that dye in the Lord: they reſt from their labors, &c. Reuel.Bona mors iuſti, propter requiem; melior, propter nouitatem; optima, propter ſecuritatem, ſaith Saint Bernard. Bern. Epiſt. 103.Death is to bee deſired, in regard of the reſt, repoſe, and tranquillity, wherewith it is immediatly accompanied: but in the Prieſts erected Purgatory, durante commoratione, Suarez to. 3. in 3. p. diſp. …4.there is nothing but torture and torment to be expected.

I cannot, but, by the way, tell you of one that very narrowly eſcaped the danger of Black-Friers, & accompanied me that night to my Lodging: his name was Parker, one that had beene long a Trader and Factor for the Papacie beyond the ſeas. Hee told mee by the way, that nothing grieued him more, then that hee had not beene one of thoſe that dyed by the afore-ſaid miſchance. W…at ſhould make him ſo prodigall of his life, I know not: but ſure, not long after, the Powers diuine cut the thred of his daies: for, the weeke following, hee beeing the man that muſt carry the newes ouer the ſeas to Doway, and going then to take Prieſtly Orders there beeing need of a ſupply, F. Drury, F. Redyate, and one F. Moore, p. 8beeing ſo vnexpectedly, as they tearme it, martyred; The Prouerb is, Hee that was borne to be drowned, &c.at London-bridge, at his very firſt ſetting forward, M. Parker was drowned, with a kinſwoman of his, bound for Briſſels, there to take on her the habit of a Nunne. I will not comment vponupon theſe diſaſters, knowing, that God reſerues to himſelfe three things; The reuenge of Iniuries, The glory of deeds, The Iudgement of ſecrets. Quae Deus occulta eſſe voluit, non ſunt ſcrutanda: quae autem manifeſta fecit, non ſunt negligenda; ne etenim in illis illicitè curioſi, et in his damnabiliter inueniamur ingrati.Proſp. de prouid.

I will iudge of my owne cauſe, and conclude, that the Mercy of God was of larger extent to mee, then any other. None had prouoked him, or tempted him more: and therefore, where ſinne abounded, there the mercy of God hath abounded much more. He is, multus ad ignoſcendum, according to the Vulgar Latine, and Becauſe of ſinners, he ſhall be called mercifull. But why ſhould I hauehave entred into the houſe of Rimmon, or hauehave partaken with the abomination of the children of Ammon? Why ſhould I, that knew my owne Fathers Courts, hauehave gone into the houſe of a ſtranger? Curioſity, in theſe kindes, cannot excuſe. Caluin. inſtit.Bee not deceiued, God will not bee mocked. Euſeb.It is dangerous with Ecebolius to bee troden vnderunder foot as vnſauory ſalt. How great was his glory! how infinite his beauty aboue his fellowes, who could ſay vntounto his Father; Thoſe that thou gaueſt me, hauehave I kept, and none of them is loſt, but the childe of perdition. Iohn 17.12.John 17:12Holy Father, keepe them in thy name euen them whom thou haſt giuen mee, that they may be one, as I am!

p. 9And let mee here admoniſh all ſuch as are facile to yeeld vntounto Popiſh perſwaſion, and are ready to take vp the old ſaying of the Chaldees, Mel. can. in loc. com.Homo quidam ex Iudaeis venit, Sacerdos, neutiquam decipiet nos: Such a Prieſt will not deceiue vsus. Sure, none ſooner, though they winde as cloſe as Iuy about a tree, and ſo inſinuate, as they ſuck no ſmall aduantage. They perſwade, that their houſes are the houſes of Cloë; their houſholds, the houſholds of Oneſiphorus. 2. Tim. 4.19.2 Tim 4:19But truſt you no ſuch vndermining Ieſuites: beleeue you not any of thoſe oyly-mouthed Abſolons, though they ſpeake plauſible things, to ſteale away your hearts from Gods Truth, and the Kings Obedience; crying as lowd, The Church of Rome, as euer the Iewes did, Templum Domini, Templum Domini, The Temple of the Lord. Ier. 7.14.Jer 7:14Let them not, with their golden Calues reared at Dan and Bethel, keepe you from going to ſerue God at Ieruſalem. 1. King. 12.28.1 Kgs 12:28Let them not bring you out of louelove with your Dauid, your Gouernour, and true Father, or with our Orthodox & Reuerend Church of England, your Mother. Let them not intrench you with their falſe & lying Fables; the moſt of which you cannot be ſo abſurd and dull, but to conceiue and confeſſe, that they are forgeries, and meere fopperies. Weigh but ſome of them in the balance of your vnderſtanding, which in this poore work of mine, out of their moderne Authors, I hauehave truly collected, q…oted, & recited; and you will finde, that, according to the old plain verſe,

Qui leuiter credit, deceptus ſaeperecedit.

p. 10All that they ſtudy, is but Impoſture and Legerdemaine. They will perchance tell you of their ſtrict Orders; that they are religious men, of the ſociety of Ieſus, Benedictans, Franciſcans, Auguſtines, Bernardines, Antonians, Ioannites, Carthuſians, Praemonſtratentians, Ciſtertians, and the like; that they hauehave diſtinct habits and cuſtomes, differing one from another; that they profeſſe perpetuall chaſtity, obedience, and wilfull pouerty, and liue for the moſt part a ſolitary life, and thence called Monks. Oh beleeue them not: they hauehave Eſaus hands, though Iacobs voice: Gen. 25.22.Gen 25:22notwithſtanding all their faire pretexts and ſhewes, they are but as tinkling cymbals, and greene bay-trees, whereunto Dauid compares the wicked.Pſal. 37.Ps 37 The Pope diſpenſeth with any thing heere, while they be in our Kingdom. Their penury is turn'd into plenty: their Chaſtity becomes charity, for the relieuing collapſed Ladies wants: their Friers coat is a Gold-laced Suit, to hide their iuggling knauery, and keepe them vnknowne, when they are drunke in good company; which is not ſeldome with them, as my ſelfe hauehave ſeene in ſufficient ouerflowing meaſure, hauing beene their companion ad hilaritatem; but I proteſt, neuer ad ebrietatem. But thinking, a faire outſide at the Altar ſhall mend all, to tempt you to their Idolatry, they will ſhew you their Biſhops and Priests offering vp the Sacrifice of the Maſſe, attired in holy Veſtures, commanded (as they ſay) by a ſacred Synod, which for their perfection are borrowed out of the Law of Moſes.

p. 11I am not ſo ſingularly conceited and fantaſtick, as to think, that it is not expedient for a Miniſter of the Chriſtian Church, by his decent habit to bee diſtinguiſhed from the people, and adorned with ſome ſacred ſignificant Robe, in the function and action of preſenting publick prayers vntounto God, or executing the ſacred Myſteries inſtituted by our Sauiour, to indure ad conſummationem mundi. But to inuent and multiply vndecent and theatricall habits, burthenſome in number, ſuperfluous in ſignification, and ſuperſtitious in opinion of ſanctity, this may bee the proper dower of Mother Rome, rather then the beauty of the Kings Daughter, who is all glo…ious within. What a Wardrope of habiliments and idle complements, doth the ſuperſtitious Maſsing Prieſt beare about him! the Amice, the long Albe, the Girdle, the Stole, the Maniple, the Caſtula, the Napkin or Sudary, common to inferiour Prieſts; beſides the Sandals, the purple Coat with wide ſleeues, the Gloues, the Ring, the Pall or Cope, the Crozier Staffe, a Chaire ſtanding neere the Altar: the laſt ſort of which, are more proper to the Biſhops. The Pope (by the donation of the Emperor Constantine the Great) weareth, in the Celebration of the Maſſe, all the Robes vſed by the Emperors of Rome; as, the Scarlet Coat, the ſhort purple Cloake, the Scepter, and the Triple Diadem, and wi…h theſe hee is arrayed in the Veſtry. Sure I am, that our Sauiour and his Apoſtles, when they preached and baptized, had other kinde of accoutrements.

p. 12They boaſt much of their propitiatory Sacrifice of the Maſſe, which the Doctors of their Church hold fit to bee ſaid in no other Language then in Latine; yea, Rabanus auerreth,Raban. lib. 2. de cler. inſtit. cap. 9. that it is no leſſe then Sacriledge, to think of changing it into another Tongue, which the people can vnderſtand. Now their common anſwer for the peoples not vnderſtanding their publick prayers, hath beene, That the Prieſt, who pronounceth them, doth vnderſtand them: but many of their Prieſts cannot themſelues interpret thoſe very prayers which they powre foorth for the people. The Maſſe-Book, as it is Latin to the Vulgar, ſo it is Greek to the Prieſt: and how Prayers, vnderſtood neither by the one nor the other, ſhould be other then a dead Sacrifice, I cannot vnderſtand, euen by their owne Tenents. Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 14.16. ſpeaking of one, quiſupplet locum Idiotae, ſurely intended, that in the Church there ſhould be at leaſt one who ſhould bee of an higher forme then Idiota; but, for ought I …ee, ſome of their Prieſts muſt bee content in their Maſſe, to act two parts in one; both of the Guide, and of the Idiote. For I am ſure, ſome of them whom I hauehave met withall in this Kingdom, when I hauehave ſpoken Latine to them, they hauehave not beene able to diſtinguiſh whether it were Iriſh or Welſh. One of their woodden Doctors I will name, called Courtney, whom I met withall in Lancaſhire: he was very buſie talking, that none could be ſaued without hearing Maſſe; and that Chriſt and his Apoſtles went vp and downe p. 13ſaying Maſſe, in all Villages and Countries. And I aſked him, how he prooued that? He could name no Scripture or Author, but told me, He had read it in a Book, and, perceiuing me ſmile, ſaid, It was in The Reuelation of Saint Iohn. Hearing his Anſwer to this, I asked him another Queſtion, which was, What might be meant by the words ſo often vſed together in the Maſſe, Kirie Eleiſon, Chriſte Eleiſon, Kirie Eleiſon. He told me, The word Kirie ſignified The Host; and Eleiſon, Chriſt. No maruell now, that they maintaine Ignorance to bee the Mother of Deuotion, the old Prouerb beeing ſtill true, that They hauehave golden Chalices, but woodden Prieſts. Talking another time in London with another Brother of his, one Father Medcalf, who lyes at a Tobacco-ſhop in Shoo-lane, I asked him, why he could not pray without a Pictures He replied, How can you vnderſtand what manner of man Christ is, but by ſeeing him? or any Saint, but by their Picture? or how can you pray without a Picture, but your minde will be carried ſome other way? Then thought I vponupon that ſentence of Fulgentius, It a facilè poſsit Chriſtum comprehendere, quem tota terra nequit apprehendere. Fulgent.So eaſy was it with him to comprehend Chriſt, whom the whole world cannot apprehend. To goe on with their abſurdities: One F. Leech a Ieſuite, who wrote the book called Euangelicall Counſailes, told mee beeing with him in Chriſtmas laſt, That if any but heare Maſſe, and after hearing, be ſprinkled with holy water, and kiſſe the Prieſts garment, hee could not commit that day any p. 14mortall ſinne, ſi maximè velit, though hee would neuer ſo fain. Which indeed, though very groſſe and abſurd, is no leſſe than ſome of their Writers auouch.Barſt in lib. inſt. The Propitiator, pag. 74. vid. Fitz-Sim. in fin. citat. in diuerſ. loc.

O how doo they lead along poor ſilly ſoules into the gulf of deſtruction, by telling them, ſuch and ſuch ſinnes are but venial; drunkenneſſe, lying, ſwearing, and (vponupon occaſion) forſwearing, but venial ſinnes! whereas no ſins are leſſer than the point of thoſe thorns that pierced the head of Chriſt: pro quibus abluendis, ſanguis Christi effuſus; for the waſhing away of which, Chriſt ſhed drops of bloud in the garden, and opened the ſpouts of bloud on the Croſſe. Our ſinnes, in Scripture, are compared vntounto ſands; which are very ſmall, con…idering them ſeuerally, and yet the greateſt ſhippe is ſwallowed vp of them quickly. Lactantius.EueryEvery ſinne, in its owne nature, hath the ſting of a Viper, and doth wound vsus mortally: yea, the leaſt ſin, legally conſidered, is damnable; though euangelically, the greateſt of all is pardonable. Auguſtine.Inexcuſabilis eſt omnis peccator, vel reatu originis, ſaith S. Auguſtine. Bernard.And, Parentes ante-fecerunt damnatum, quam natum, ſaith Bernard. And ſo I conclude with Elias Cretenſis his words: Expeccati fumo, ortae ſunt lachrymae.Cretenſ. in Naz. orat. 4.

Lying, in ſome caſes, the Papiſts hold not onelyonly to bee no ſinne, but to bee lawfull: and a man may forſweare himſelf before Authority ſometimes, nay, ought to doo ſo, vnderunder pain of damnation. Witnes their NotesAnno…. in 23. c. Act. Apoſt. vponupon the Rhemiſts Teſtament, p. 15and diuerſe their Books. According to the Rule of the Parthians, they will keep faith with none, niſi quantum expedit, but as it ſerues their turn. As for Oaths, to the moſt of them, they are no other than Collars for Munkies; which, vponupon diſpenſation of Superiours, they ſlip off their necks at their pleaſure; eſpecially if they be ſuch State-Papiſts as hauehave been inſpired with Ieſuitical Equiuocations and mentall Euaſions: whom a Reuerend Father of our ChurchD. King, Biſhop of London. doth blazon out by their true Epithets, and Enſignes of their Family, ſtiling them foreign, the falſeſt cozeners of the world; foreign, with whom no bond of nature, conſanguinity, allegeance, alliance, affiance, wedlock, Oath, Sacrament, ſtandeth good, if they liſt to diſſolue it. Dij terrae, talem terris auertite pestem: Pſal. 82.6Ps 82:6O yee gods of the earth, purge this Region of the aire, as much as in you lieth, of theſe peſtilent exhalations. This I the rather obſerue out of his Writing, becauſe it ſeemeth to mee, to bee ſpoken not onelyonly morally, at large, vponupon generall experience of their dealing, but alſo (in a ſort) prophetically, as by a kinde of fore-inſtinct;I meane, the monſtrous Ly tearmed by them, The Biſhop of London his Legacy. implying, that himſelf, though not in life, yet in death, ſhould not be free from this their audacious forgery.

Let me proceed to a further furuay of their doctrine and religion, and acquaint you with what I finde true by my owne experience. Sure I am, that the Papiſts, by diuers their Impoſtures,p. 16hauehave more diſhonoured Chriſt, than euer he was by any Sect or Profeſſion whatſoeuer: for, hauehave not their beſt Doctors, Bellarmine, Valentia, Vaſquez, with others, been the very Patrons of damnable Idolatry, ſuam perditionem ſentientes, Aug. Epiſt. 48 ad Vinc.feeling themſelues to periſh, and yet would not bee reclaimed? Bellarmine and Valentia maintaining, that there is a proper worſhip due to Images; Bell. tract. & cont. de Imag.Vaſquez, implying, that the Diuell, in ſome caſes, may bee adored. Vaſq. l. 3. de adorat. diſp. 1. c. 5.And howſoeuer, of late yeers, they will a little refine their doctrine concerning Imageworſhip, by Diſtinctions and Metaphyſicall Notions, yet the practice of the people among them (to my knowledge) is no leſſe than Idolomania; that practice, I ſay, not priuate, or forbidden by their Guides, but foſtered, increaſed, and kindled by thoſe that pretend to be the Fathers and Paſtors of their ſoules. Reade Dauies his Catechiſme,Dauies Catec. page 217. and a Book of theirs, called, The Manual of Controuerſies; and ſee whether they doo not allow of falling down to Images, of kiſsing them, as they doo the Pax in the Maſſe.

What ſhall I ſay of their much mumbling of Maſſes, and jumbling of Beads? If there be twenty Prieſts in a houſe, they muſt all ſay Maſſe before Noon, though there be no body by, though they ſacrifice to the wals. They muſt hauehave beads, to pray by number, or elſe their prayers want weight. They are commanded to ſay ſomtimes in one day an hundred and fifty Pater-noſters, as many Aue-Maries, forty Creeds; and, if they miſſep. 17but one of the right number, all is vaine and effectleſſe: nay, the Confeſſors hold it to be a mortall …inne, if, among ſo many Prayers appointed to be ſaid for Penance, one onelyonly be omitted.Goddard, in his Treatiſe of Confeſſion, page 40.

As concerning their Proceſsions, Praying to the Dead, Inuocation of Saints, Ad…ration of the conſecrated Hoaſt, Adminiſtration of the Sacrament vnderunder one kinde, ſprinkling of Holy-water, tinkling of a Bell at the Eleuation, kiſsing the ground where the Prieſt hath ſtood, worſhipping of Reliques, repeating the name Ieſus nine times together, with nines vponupon nines, often croſſing the fore-head and the breſt, their neceſſary wetting of their fingers in the holy Pot, before they go toward the Altar, their kneeling down to eueryevery Prieſt they meet, their ambling thrice about a Croſſe, their Pilgrimages, Dirges, ſeuerall ſorts of Letanies, in which the Saints only are inuocated, and other like traſh, which are the very Diana of the Romiſh Religion, what foundation hauehave they in holy Scripture? Are they built vponupon the Rock Chriſt? No; but vponupon the ſands of humane brains; being inuented, and obtruded vponupon the people, to aduance the benefit and honour of their Clergie. So ſaith one of their owne Writers: An non audis dicentes grata multitudini, flectentes, fingentes, ac refingentes religionem ad nutum & c…piditates Dominorum & coetuum; quorum gloriam, niſi ſuam, pluris faciunt, quam gloriam Dei? Ebber. in prae…. in com. Philip. ſuper Chriſt. ad Cor.Doo you not heare them, how they ſpeak plauſibly to the itching eares of the multitude, inflecting, faſhioning and refaſhioning their religion according to the will and wantonnes of p. 18them, whoſe glory, next vntounto their owne, they preferre before the glory of God?

But ſhall not their owne Diſciples one day …peak vntounto them, according to that of Saint Augustine, Quare nos decepiſtis? Quare tanta mala & falſa dixiſtis? Et erubeſcunt humanae infirmitati, & non erubeſcunt inuictiſsimae veritati. Aug. ſer. 22. de verb. apoſt.Why did you ſeduce vsus? Why did you tell vsus ſo many falſe things; more regarding the weaknes of men, than the inuincibleneſſe of Truth? Yes ſure: Neceſſe eſt, cùm dies Iudicij venerit, &c. ſaith Saint Cyprian: Cyp. l. 1. ep. 3to your charge, the loſſe of ſo many ſoules, for which Chriſt gaue his life, will one day bee laid, and a ſtrict account exacted. Many wauing Babes were carried away with the blaſt of your deceits, beaten and broken againſt the rock of errour; many, I ſay, whom Saint Paul tearmeth Paruulos fluctuantes, vnconſtant yong-ones; not ſo much ſwelling with pride, as deceiued and toſſed with the rage of your Impoſture. But, my beloued Country-men, let not fuch vipers eat out your hearts: let not the ignis fatuus of their prepoſterous zeale miſ-lead you: but diſcouer the hypocrites, and ſend them home to hell, where they were hatched. For, they that dare thus dally with God, no marnell, though they bee bold with your ſoules, conſciences, your children, and your eſtates, and all that belong to you. Many a poore Gentleman, that cannot rule his wife, I knowe, is faine to weare their mark in capite; and ſomewhat they muſt hauehave in marſupio, though the other p. 19lie for it in carcere. They muſt bee fed with the daintieſt cheere, the beſt wine, the beſt beer, the chiefeſt fruits that can bee got; when ofttimes the poor husband is fain to ſlink away hungry to his reſt.

In the end, they proue Plagiarij, ſtealing away their children, and ſending them beyond the ſeas, to their vtter ruine and ouerthrowe. This is too common a practice. Some friends of mineOne M. Dutton, a Lancaſhire Gentleman. hauehave felt the ſmart thereof. The Prieſts practice with a yong man in London.I think it will not be amiſſe to inſert, how they dealt with a yong man heer in London, who is Grand-childe to the Archbiſhop of York, about the end of February laſt. They perſwaded him, what a fine life it would bee to liue beyond the ſeas; and withall told him, that, if hee would go-ouer to one of their Colledges, he ſhould want no maintenance: and, for that he was not fully grounded in their religion, he was referred to one to conferre withall. It fortuned, that he came to that man that muſt indoctrinate him, while I was by. I, ſmelling their knauery, could not reſt quiet, till I had found out the yong man, and inquired his buſineſſe with the Prieſts, with whom I had ſeene him often conuerſant; who preſently tould mee their project, and acquainted me, that he muſt ſuddenly take his iourney: o Saint Omers. But, my ſelf diſcouering vntounto him diuerſe of their cheats and tricks, and aſſuring him, that he ſhould finde the caſe altered, if he went out of England; the young man, being very ingenuous, was deterred, and (I hope) willp. 20haue no more familiarity with them. Some of the Prieſts Agents dealt in the ſame ſort with a very pretty modeſt Youth, one Henry Syluester (ſonne to the no leſſe worthy than famous Poet, Ioſuah Syluester, the Tranſlator of Du Bartas); who, being a ſcholar at Suttons Hoſpitall neere London, was drawn to ſuch places as the Prieſts often frequent, and there had books beſtowed on him. They inueigled and wrought ſo farre with him, that he conſented to bee ſent beyond the ſeas. And away they had packed him, but that their plot was in time diſcouered. Many others hauehave they of late daies ſeduced: but, I hope, their Kingdome is now almoſt at an end.

As for you who hauehave occaſion to liue neer the wals of theſe Aduerſaries, and it may bee, ſometimes, of neceſſity, muſt conuerſe and hauehave ſome commerce with them, take heed you be not corrupted by them. HaueHave no fellowſhip with the vnfruitfull works of darknes, though with the workers. Be like vntounto the Riuer Arethuſa, which paſſeth through the Sicilian Sea, and yet takes no ſaltnes.Virg. eccl. vlt. Liue blameleſſe in the midſt of a peruerſe and crooked generation.Phil. 2.15.Phil 2:15

And let me now ſpeak vntounto you who are my Brethren of the Miniſtery, and ſhould (in regard of your office and example) be as Angels in the Fi…mament of the Church: Perceiue you not how hereſie begins to ſpread, as that of Arrius in the daies of Athanaſius? Soz. eccl. hiſt.Serpit vt Gangrena, it creeps as a Gangrene: and yet mourn you not forp. 21our Sion in her widow-hood, nor pray for the peace of Ieruſalem? Behold you not the ranke of our hollow-harted Neuteraliſts, who think the time is come, to pull downe our Culuer-houſe, our little Church? How often haſt thou heard them, O God (though they whiſpered vntounto themſelues) ſay of the enemies of our peace, Why are the wheeles of his Chariot ſo long a-comming? Iud. 5.28.Judg 5:28Expectarunt diem: They hauehave long lookt for a day. I hope they will but expect, till their very eyes drop out of their heads. Againe, vnderſtand you not, how laborious and vigilant our Aduerſaries now are, forbearing no time, ſparing no paines, to captiuate and deſtroy? Witneſſe the ſwarmes of their bookes, which you may heare humming vp and downe in eueryevery corner both of City and Countrey. I ſpeak it with griefe; and in this reſpect, cor meum, tanquam cera liqueſcens: my heart is as melting wax. I verily beleeue, they hauehave vented more of their pamphlets within this Twelue-month, then they did in forty yeeres before. They hauehave Printing-preſſes and Book-ſellers almoſt in eueryevery corner. And how doe they by this meanes put their poore Diſciples vponupon the tenters, ſelling that book for forty or fifty ſhillings, which they might affoord for eight or ten; & that for ten, which they might afford for one? For inſtance, I referre you to the Cat alogue in the latter end of this book. I ſpeak this by the way, to diſcouer their extorting policie, who make a Treaſury for themſelues by theſe means,p. 22and raiſe no ſmall ſummes of money. You are thoſe whom God hath ſet vp as Lamps in his Sanctuary, to giuegive light vntounto thoſe that ſit in darkneſſe, & in the ſhadow of death, to guide their feet into the way of Truth: hide not your glory vnderunder a buſhell; let not your beauty be eclipſed: but (as the Spirit to the Angel of Philadelphia) Hold that which you hauehave: Reu. 3.11.Rev 3:11Stand with your loines girt: Epheſ. 6.14.Eph 6:14Be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might: and remember, that Vincenti dabitur, To him that ouercommeth, ſhall it be giuen: Reu. 3.Rev 3Nec paranti ad praelium, nec pugnanti ad ſanguinem, multo minùs te…giuerſanti ad peccatum, ſed vincenti ad victoriam; Bern.Not to him that prepares to fight, nor to him that reſiſts to bloud, much leſſe him that ſhewes his back in cowardice, but to him that ouercomes to conqueſt. And hence Saint Hieromes penne, like a Lance, was charged againſt Vigilantius and others.Euſeb. eccl. hist. l. 3. cap. 22. Saint Auguſtine, in his diſputations, ſpake hot words, coles of Iuniper, againſt the Arians, the Pelagians, the Donatiſts, and the Manichees. Bee you as vigilant and ſeuere: Res poſtulat, the times require it: and therefore beginne to blame the Church of Epheſus, for imbracing the doctrine of the Nicolaitans; and the Church of Smyrna, for imbracing the doctrine of Balaam; and the Church of Thyatyra, for imbracing the doctrine of Iezabel: and ſhame not to tell the Lady of Rome, that, notwithſtanding all her paintings and complexions vponupon her face, the cup of fornication is in her hand. Apoc. 17.Rev 17Peter ſpake as much vntounto Simon the Sorcerer, that he was Acts 8.23.Acts 8:23in the gall of bitterneſſe, p. 23and bond of iniquity; Paul vntounto Elymas, O full of miſc…iefe, and enemy of all righteouſneſſe; Acts 13.10.Acts 13:10Polycarpus, to Marcion, calling him Diaboli primogenitum, the diuels firſt-borne.

Strabo.Strabo deſcribeth a certaine fountaine to be in Arabia beyond Iordan, which poyſoneth all Beaſts that drink thereof: for which cauſe it is ordained, that the Heardſmen ſhall make reſtitution for ſuch Beaſts as periſh by drinking of it; vnleſſe they prooue, by violence they approached. In like ſort, there is a well of abomination: many wilde Aſſes runne thereunto to quench their thirſt: and yet they that taſte thereof, periſh. The Paſtors of Chriſts flock, who hauehave Peters Paſce for their charge, if they keepe not their Hold, that is, hould their ſheepe within their fold, their ſoule ſhall anſwer for the ſame, except it ſhall appeare, they drank the deadly waters of ſinne, through their owne wilfulneſſe, rather then the others negligence.

The Shepheard cannot ſtep aſide, but the Wolfe is ready to ſeize vponupon his Flock. There are many Wolues; ſo termed, not ſo much in regard of the compoſition of their bodies, as the diſpoſition of their mindes; for they ſh…ll come vntounto you inſheepes clothing: but beleeue them not for inwardly they are rauening. There are ſubtile Serpents, that ſtill wait for their booty: Their poyſon is like the poyſon of a Serpent, Pſal. 58.4.Ps 58:4Pſal. 58.4. or as the Apoſtle: Their tongue is full of deadly poyſon. Iames 3.8.Jas 3:8Inficit, Interficit: The infection thereof doth not onelyonly beginne of late p. 24to ſpread, but hath left many for dead, that there is little hope of their reuiuing; Non aegroti, ſed defuncti, beeing not diſeaſed, but deceaſed. They are no ſooner feuerous, but their Phyſician holds them to a dyet-drink: they ſhall not hauehave the water of the Sanctuary, that would coole them; but Marah, the harſh, bitter, and ill-brewed drink of damnation, to deſtroy them.

I hauehave read of one Exagon, an Ambaſſadour to Rome, beeing at the Conſuls command caſt into a Tunne of Snakes, that they licked him with their tongues, and did him no harme: But theſe Snakes, though they were ſent vsus from Rome, bring ſuch poyſon with them, non in caudâ, ſed in linguâ, not in their taile, but in their tongues, that with their very breath they can infect and infeſt. How many ſoules hauehave they ſo killed in our land!

Aſpidis et morſu laeſum dormire fatentur

In mortem, antidotum nec valüiſſe ferunt.

It behooueth vsus to bee in our generation, as wiſe as theſe Serpents, though as harmeleſſe as Doues. Mat. 10.16.Matt 10:16Againſt the incantations of ſuch Sirens, let vsus ring the Muſicall bells of Aaron, and ſing the ſweet ſongs of Sion, that is, arme our ſelues with the foreign of God, treaſured vp in the Scriptures: ſo ſhall not the Locuſts of the wilderneſſe, with their Scorpion-like tayles (who now ſwarme in ſuch abundance) hurt any of our little ones with the deadly ſting of their contagious error: but, hauing the ſeale of God in their fore-heads, they p. 25ſhall be able to reſiſt all ſuch as ceaſe not to perſecute the Spouſe of Chriſt, and to make warre with her ſeed.

Now for the better diſcouery of the impious tricks and deuices of the Prieſts and Ieſuites, and that all who meet within any of their moderne bookes (whereof I told you, there is ſuch plenty) may hoot at them for moſt abominable Impoſtors and lyers. Let mee intreat you to reade a few of ſuch Tales as I hauehave culled and collected out of their books lately ſent ouer, the moſt or all of them according to the frontiſpice printed at Doway; and you would think, any ſolid wit could not be miſcarried by them, but rather admire the poore ſhifts they are driuen vntounto, for the keeping of their weather-beaten cauſe aflote. So palpably doe they proceed beyond the bounds of modeſty and reaſon, vt nemo eorum obteſtationibus et iactationibus quicquam credat, nam eos mentiri …t dupliciter mentiri certiſsimum eſt, ſaith Luther. Luth. defen. v…. caen…. Fol. 381, 382.Let none beleeue their proteſtations and vaunts: for it is moſt certaine, they lie, and that lowdly. If they will needs be Architecti mendaciorum, ſtill hammering vntruths; I would aduiſe them to lay probable foundations, and chuſe ſuch Materials as are more malleable.

To beginne then with one Tale of theirs, and it is a pretty one, alleadged by one Henry Fitz-Simons Ieſuite, in his book called The iuſtification and Expoſition of the Sacrifice of the Maſſe, Lib. 1. page 131.Fitz-Simons lib. 1. page 131.

p. 26In all the Tales I vſe their owne words.In Deepe (ſaith he), a Towne of France, a woman of the Proteſtant Religion, dandling her infant, that neuer before could ſpeak; the childe diſtinctly pronounced, To Maſſe, To Maſſe. The mother, warned ſo admirably, went inſtantly with the infant in her armes to Church, and found therein a learned man preaching of Religion. His Sermon beeing ended, ſhee felt her ſelfe ſo ſufficiently reſolued, that, renouncing her hereſie, ſhee forthwith became Catholick.

It pleaſeth God indeed to vſe the weake ſometimes to confound the ſtrong; to imploy the child, to conuert the parent; and to indoctrine the innocent, to refute the inſolent: but that he ſhould ſhew any ſuch Miracle, for the iuſtification and ratifying of that moſt impious & idolatrous Sacrifice of the Maſſe, is beyond the liſts of reaſon, I may well ſay, the bounds of Chriſtian faith, to beleeue. But for want of better Argument, you ſhall heare what other Tales hauehave flowed from the f…oth of their vnderſtanding, to delude the ignorant, and confirme this ſaid Sacrifice.

Fitz-Simon Lib. 2. part. 6. page. 402.A Mariner beeing ſuppoſed to bee drowned, a Biſhop of his Countrey cauſed Maſſe to bee ſaid for him. The Mariner at that time had beene ſome twenty daies without food, borne vp and downe vponupon the keele of a boat, and then ready for famine to die. In the houre (as after was knowne) of the oblation for him, a man appeared, and deliuered him a portion of bread: wherebyp. 27ſuddenly he had full force and vigour; and ſhortly after, by a ſhip ſayling by, he was reſcued: Fitz-Simon, qui ſupra, Lib. 2. part. 6. page 402.

R.L.P. in lib. Inſtit. The moſt diuine Sacrifice. Fol. 36.There was a Gentlewoman neere Naples, in Italy, whoſe husband was a Captaine: and ſhee, hauing tidings that he was ſlaine in a battel, cauſed weekly Maſſes to be ſaid for him. It fell out, that this Captaine was impriſoned: and after by good teſtimony it appeared, that at the very ſame time Maſſes were ſaying for him, his chaines and fetters fell from him, and could not bee faſtned.

Let mee help to prompt this Tale-teller, with another of the ſame Cut. A Frier that had more minde to fill his owne purſe, then to empty Purgatory, did very zealouſly and reſolutely in his Sermon before his Offering, auouch and warrant his Auditory, that whoſoeuer came vp with money to the Altar, and would think of any his deareſt friend, whom he thought to bee a Priſoner in Purgatory, ſhould obtaine this grace by that indulgence, that at the very inſtant of the moneys throwne in, and clinking in the baſon, the ſoule ſhould leap out of Purgatory.

R L.P. in lib. praedici. Fol. …The aforeſaid Author reporteth of another Priſoner ſuppoſed alſo to bee dead, whoſe Brother (beeing an Abbot) ſaying Maſſe for him: his bands fell alwaies, and could not reſtraine him, whereat his enemies at length wearied, gaue him liberty to redeeme himſelfe.

p. 28Quorſum haec? Why doe they take ſuch paines, and imploy their braines vponupon theſe Inuentions, namely, to hook-in the people, and bring greiſt to their Mill, that their Maſſes may goe readily away for ready money?

But theſe former Inventions are but ſlight work, poſted ouer by ſome Prentice of the coyning trade. Behold heere following a more worthy Maſter-piece, wherein a chief Architect, and a more nimble Interpreter of the Puppets, is brought-in for an Actor.

A gentle-woman of England, in one of the yeers of Iubile, trauelled to Rome; where beeing arriued, ſhee repaired to Father Parſons, who was her Confeſſor, and he adminiſtring vntounto her the bleſſed Sacrament (which, in the forme of a little Wafer, hee put into her mouth), obſerued, ſhee was long chewing, and could not ſwallow the ſame: whereupon he asked her, whether ſhee knew what it was ſhee receiued? Shee anſwered, Yes, a Wafer. At which anſwer of hers, Father Parſons beeing much offended, he thrust his finger into her mouth, and thence drew out a piece of red fleſh, which after was nailed vp againſt a poſt in a Veſpery or priuate Chappell within our Lady-Church: and though this were done about ſome twenty yeeres ſince or more, yet doth that piece of fleſh there remaine to bee ſeene, very freſh and red as euer it was. Witneſſe I. Markes Ieſuite, in a book of his written of late, and intituled, The Examination of the new Religion, page 128.

p. 29Yea, heere is a knocking and long-laſting lie, worthy to be nailed vponupon a poſt or pillory, like the eare of a Rogue or a railing Moore.This Moore lately loſt his eares in Cheapſide, for ſpeaking againſt the Proteſtant Religion, &c.

Father Parſons was but a ſlender Iuggler, that could not, without putting his finger into her mouth, ſuborne red for white. I doubt, that hee that inuented this Tale, had ſometimes beene at the ſhop of Cowbuck the Smith (held by ſome to bee the putatiue Father of Parſons), and there had ſeene the bottome hoo…e of a horſe-foot nailed againſt the Poſts (which vſe to be the triumphant Trophies of Farriers) and therfore thought he ſhould meet with ſome that would beleeue, a piece of raw fleſh could be as ſolid & laſting. But I doe not read, that this woman was euer poſſeſt with that beliefe, as to adore the fore-ſaid poſt, with the forged Appendix: and I am glad to finde, euen in the weaker ſex, more truth, in calling a Spade, a Spade, then plain dealing in her Maſter, that would mock her and others by a trick of Leigerdemaine: and therefore the Tale-maker was heere defectiue. For, to ſhew the acceptation and effect of this Miracle, he ſhould hauehave added, that the woman, yea and ſome wiſemen too, adored not onelyonly the fleſh, but euen the naile with which it was crucified or rather poſtified. This my newcoyned word fits their new-found Fable.

A Letter was ſent vntounto Father Parſons at Rome, ſignifying vntounto him, that a kinſmans houſe of his heere in England had beene for the ſpace of forty yeeresp. 30together moleſted by Diuels; but, by one Sacrifice or Maſſe offered by Father Parſons, it was deliuered: and his kinred who liued there, hauing beene all their life time before zealous Proteſtants, hauehave all of them ſince become Catholicks. Io. Markes, in lib praedict, page 130.

I beleeue, many houſes in England, within theſe forty yeeres, eſpecially thoſe that pertained to the friends and wel-wiſhers of Parſons and his fellowes, hauehave beene much haunted with ſprites, not of the kinde of Fairies, but of thoſe of whom ingenuous Chaucer ſpeaketh;Chaucer. that where the Limiter Ex…rciſing Prieſt went vp and downe, within his ſtation, there were no diuels nor Hobgoblins to moleſt, eſpecially the weaker ſex in the night time; the reaſon he giues is demonſtratiue, For See, There n'is none other Incubus but hee.

But this difference I obſerue betweene the antient Prieſts of a courſe thread, and theſe refined Scraphicall Maſters of the Ieſuiticall Loome: they droue away Spirits only by their preſence: but theſe can dart out a Maſſe from ouer Sea, ſome thouſand miles off, and with it blow away all the diuels that dance in ſuch or ſuch an inchanted Caſtle in England; whereupon, all the Proteſtants that dwell within kenning, muſt needs turne Romaniſts: Teste me ipſo, quoth the Diuell.

p. 31There was a man in Corduba, within the con…ines of Spain, aged foureſcore yeers and odde; who for the ſpace of thirty yeers, had been in a dead palſie, and bedred, and then had a burning deſire to heare Maſſe and to hauehave the Biſhops bleſsing; and ſo cauſed himſelf, by his ſeruants to be tranſported to S. Stephens Church. The Maſſe heard, and he born back to his houſe, within few daies he (to all mens admiration) became whole and ſound, and was as luſty as a man but of twenty yeeres. He liued eighteen yeers after: during which ſpace, hee came eueryevery day thankfully to the ſaid Church, to acknowledge the miracle. Kelli…. in a Treatiſe of his, called, Gods bleſsing, page 71.

At Corduba in Spain? A Palſie, and yet foureſcore and eighteen yeers? I am glad it is ſo farre off: I hope they will hauehave mee excuſed, for trauelling ſo farre to enquire the truth. And yet, in another reſpect, I ſhould wiſh to liue in that aire, where Maſſes grow ſo medicinall, that they prolong a mans life, till hee and all his friends bee weary of him: like the Iles of Arren in Ireland, which will not let the candle of our life bee blowne out, though it be in the ſnuffe: whereof a blundering Frier wrote, Vbi tam diu viuunt homines, ita quod habeant taed…um de ſuo viuere.

Leo Tuſcus, a Confeſſor, Martyr, and Pope, vponupon a certain time was tempted by a woman, who would needs kiſſe him; but the holy man by no means conſentedp. 32to ſuch immodesty: yet, with much ſtruggling, ſhee kiſſed his hand, whether he would or no. Whereupon, he commanded it to bee cut off, becauſe no corrupt fleſh ſhould remain about him. Which when the people perceiued, they earneſtly interceſſed our Lady for him; and ſhe moſt mercifully reſtored it again: and then hee ſaid Maſſe as before, and acknowledged our Lady his Sauiour.In lib. in…it. The liues of the Martyrs, tranſl.

If our ſacrificing Priests and …eſuites ſhould execute ſo ſeuere a Law vponupon themſelues, the King would hauehave in this City many Subiects not onelyonly inwardly lame in their obedience, but alſo outwardly lame in their lims. I knowe two Prieſts in London, F.H. F.M.who are very vnable at this time to doo the King any ſeruice in the warres; for which, they hauehave a neceſſary excuſe, though not legall, hauing imployed themſelues in other hot warres already: ſo that now they are fitter for an Hoſpitall, than the Camp. And yet when the time of their Lying-in is expired, they will creep out of the ſhell again, and look as bold as their brethren, laying it on with Maſſes, in ſtead of muskets. Yet (mee thinks) they ſhould vſe very fauourably their judical power in Confeſsion, who themſelues hauehave had ſo much need of Indulgence. To ſay nothing of a Catholique Maid, ſuppoſed to hauehave been, with others, oppreſſed in the ruine at the Black-Friers; whoſe office hath been to carry bands and ſhirts vntounto the Prieſts chambers: but, whatſoeuer her ill luck hath been, ſhe hath met with ſome infectious p. 33blaſting vapours, which now ſequeſter her from all company; being poſted off, by her Ghoſtly Fathers, vntounto the Phyſicians.

But to leaue theſe noiſome corners, and to return to the more pleaſing path of our old wonder-working Tales: He had need be a good Chirurgion, who could cement a broken piece, eſpecially a hand ſo long cut off. But this is like vntounto the Tale of Saint Dominick; whoſe legs cut off at the knees, by praying vntounto our Lady, they were, without the help of any Artiſt, graffed on again;Read, concerning S. Dominick, a Book written by a I. Heigham, intit. The life of S. Katharine of Siena. or like that of Saint Denis, who, for a mile or two, carried his head in his hand; or not vnlike the Story of Saint Winifred: of whom they report, Her head, once cut off, ſprung and grew on again; but lopt off a ſecond time, where it fell, there aroſe a fine ſiluer ſtream, or a pleaſant Fountain of running water, which at this day (as they vaunt) cureth the Diſeaſed: and the drops of bloud which Saint Winifred there loſt, are yet to be ſeen. The place of this beheading, and where the miracle is more extant, is at Holiwell in Wales, not many miles off the City of Cheſter: whither once eueryevery yeer, about Mid-ſummer, many ſuperſtitious Papists of Lancaſhire, Staffordſhire, and other more remote Countries, go in pilgrimage, eſpecially thoſe of the feminine and ſofter ſex, who keep there their Rendeuouz, meeting with diuerſe Prieſts their acquaintance; who make it their chief Synod or Conuention for Conſultation, and promoting the Catholique Cauſe, as they call it; yea, and accountp. 34it their chiefeſt harueſt for commodity and profit, in regard of the crop they then reap by Abſolutions and Indulgences. Let me adde, that they were ſo bold, about Mid-ſummer the laſt yeere, 1623. that they intruded themſelues diuers times into the Church or publick Chappell of Holiwell, and there ſaid Maſſe without contradiction. It is not vnlike, they will eaſily preſume to the ſame liberty heer in England, which they hauehave vſed of late in Ireland; The bold attempts of the Papiſts in Ireland.where they diſturbed the Miniſter at a Funerall, erected one or two Frieries, with open profeſſion, in their Monaſticall habits, and hauehave intruded titular Biſhops, to ſupplant the Churchgouernment there in force: as we ſee in like maner old M. Biſhop, ſometimes Priſoner in the Gatehouſe, now perking vp and flanting with the vain, aeriall, fantaſtick bubble of an Epiſcopall Title, far fetcht, and yet lightly giuen, hath rambled vp and down Staffordſhire, Buckinghamſhire, and other places, The Biſhop of Chalcedon.vnderunder the name of the Biſhop of Chalcedon; catching the ignorant, vulgar, and deuoted Romaniſts with the pomp of his Pontificall Attire, and that empty name of a Biſhoprick: whereunto he hath as much right, as he hath Lands there.

I commend the thriftineſſe of the Popes Holineſſe, in erecting Biſhopricks with ſuch ſmall coſt. The Title ſtands him in nothing but a piece of parchment, with a Boſſe of Lead, ſigned ſub annulo Piſcatoris. As for iuriſdiction and reuenues, there needs nothing, but to ſend into England this new Puppet of his owne making. The honeſt, liberall, p. 35Pope-holy, Lay-Catholiques of England, many of them, eſpecially the more ignorant, and therefore dotingly deuout, are ſo mad of theſe trumperies, and ſo ſick of their money, that his Benedictions, Beads, Rings, Reliques, Agnus Dei, and the like, will be good Merchandize, better (perhaps) than Virginian Tobacco, and feeding as much as that fume. Phyſicians ſay, and experience ſhews, that, for a Conſumption, Aſſes milk is not the worst Cure: and ſure, to feed a-freſh the declining and ſtaruing fopperies of Popery in this Land, what better nouriſhment, than thoſe no ſmall ſummes which are daily ſqueezed from many ſimple burden-bearing Animals, whoſe radicall moyſture of their purſes is daily exhauſted by the Horſe-leeches of Rome?

The name of Rome is able to theſe weak and bleared eyes to imbeliſh any thing, to gild-ouer and make acceptable any Pils, though being nothing elſe but ſheeps trittles. A bundle of Beads worth three pence, if ſanctified from Rome, ſhall ſtrain out of Catholick purſes ſo many pounds. The Preaching, the Liturgie of the Church of England, is but dry meat, and hath no poiſon in it, becauſe it is not baſted by the cookery of the Popes Court. The catechizing of children heer is vnfruitfull, becauſe not performed by the ſublimated, pedanticall Inſtructers, the Ieſuites; ſuch reuerend Fathers as Ledeſme, Vauſe, Dauies, Cox, Cortin. The confirmation of our children by our Engliſh Biſhops, though done in decent form, and with conuenient p. 36praier, yet (forſooth) hath no ſacred influence, becauſe our Biſhops hauehave no Crozier ſtaffe, no Holy water, no Vnctions, no Chriſme, no binding of foreheads for ſeuen daies, no deligate Authoritie à DOMINO DEO NOSTRO PAPA. But, if an Eutopian, Chalcedonian, New-nothing, Puffe-paste Titulaedo come with faculties in his budget from Rome, where he was miraculouſly created ex nihilo, then what gadding, what gazing, what proſtration, to receiue but one drop of that ſacred deaw! The leaſt flaſh of light from the ſnuffe of a Roman Lamp, out-ſhines and eclipſeth all the twinkling petty ſparks of the Church of England. Strange it is, that any of our Nation ſhould ſo baſely degenerate, as to captiuate their wits, wils and ſpirits, to ſuch a foraine Idoll Gull; compoſed of palpable fiction and diabolicall faſcination; whoſe enchanted Chalice of heatheniſh Drugges and Lamian ſuperſtition hath the power of Circes & Medaeas cup, to metamorphize men into Bayards and Aſſes. The ſilly, doting Indian Nation fall down and perform diuine adoration to a rag of red cloth. Damianus à Goes, de mor. Gent. l. 1…The fond and braineſick Papiſts of our Nation doo little leſſe, when they adore the very Cope and Vestments (belonging to Biſhops and inferior Prieſts) where they lie alone, falling down to them, and kiſsing them.

But to view their new-intruding Hierarchy a little neerer: Me thinks, the Ministers of the Prouince of Canterbury, now meeting in Conuocation, are very forgetfull, in ſuffering themſelues to be deſtitute p. 37The new Arch-deacons of London and Lancaſhire.of a worthy member, the new-ſtampt Arch-deacon of London, M. Collington; who, by the experience he hath had in exerciſing Iuriſdiction ouer his fellow-Prieſts, as alſo in conuenting the Laicks, is able, if hee were called by authority to the Synod, to giuegive very good aduice for reformation, or deformation of the Church of England, and laying it vnderunder the Popes ſacred foot. The like defect alſo is in the Prouince of York, by the abſence of the Arch-deacon of Lancaſter, M. Cli…ton. No doubt, theſe two new Chips, clouen out of the old Block of Rome, are the onelyonly ſound Timber to build vp our Church, or rather to make wormewoodden Images, for beſotted Laicks to adore. I now haſten to acquaint you with another of their tales, and it is a crafty one.

A poore old man in Rome, loſt his vpper garment: and beeing vnable to buy another, he came to the ſhrine of the twenty Martyrs, and prayed alowd vntounto them to help him to rayments. At his departure, he met with one at the very Church dore a Prieſt, who deliuered vntounto him from the Pope a Purſe, that had in it to the value of ſome twenty pound in ſiluer. The poore man amazed, and not knowing what he meant hauing neuer before in all his life-time had the carriage of ſo much money; the Prieſt told him, Our holy Father the Pope commanded me to deliuer it vntounto the next man I met going into the Church-dore, who ſhall hauehave need of it, and bid him ſtill pray to the Martyrs. The poore man returnedioyfully to his home, and euer after viſited the place once a day. p. 38Thomas Lee, in Tract. de Inuocat. et Adorat. Sanctor. Cap. 14. page 212.

I ſee no reaſon why this ſhould come into the Legend of ſtrange Narrations, for that the Popes eares might eaſily bee ſo long, by the Prieſts information, without any inſpiration from heauen, as to take notice of the poore mans deſire, who (belike) was not ſo cold for want of his coat, as hee was warme with zeale, to cry alowd for a new. But this by the way. I learne the Popes price of Martyrs, namely, that they are worth pounds apiece. Well might the Pope hauehave rated them at a higher value, whenas he yeerely, nay, daily getteth farre more in their names, by bartering their pretended Supererogations of Martyrs and Saints.

In the yeere of our Lord 1612. one Lucia, an Italian Virgin, came to a Towne called Multauia, in Bohemia, where is taught the Waldenſian doctrine, firſt preached to them by one Iohn Hus, and by him generally receiued; wherby the traditions of the Romane Church are at this day there vtterly neglected. This Virgin vnderſtanding of diuers their ſtrange opinions, that they denied Purgatory, Prayer for the dead, Benedictions, and hallowings of Water, the obſeruing of Faſting daies, and the like; ſhee ſpake ſomewhat diſgracefully of their Religion: whereupon, ſhee was adiudged and appointed by the Magiſtrate, to bee burned in a field neere vntounto the Towne where ſhee then remained. But the maid notp. 39willing to bee led by them vntounto the place of Execution, they began to tie ropes about her, and ſo to force her along: but ſhee often croſsing herſelfe, and inuocating the bleſſed Virgin, Mother of God, could not bee remooued by the ſtrength of ropes, or Oxen, or any power they vſed. At length ſhee vaniſhed from them, and by a Miracle was brought vntounto a Nunnery, about an hundred miles off that place; where, to this day ſhe liueth, to praiſe God for her deliuerance. Richard Stannihurſt, in the Preface of his Book, intituled, The Principles of Catholique Religion.

Hee that made this tale, had a Chimaera in his braine.

Deſinet in piſcem mulier formoſa ſuperne.

Hee had heard of an old Fable of the Gentiles, of the Image of Aeſculapius, Vid. Liuium de Veſt. virgine.that was to bee brought into the City of Rome, but by no means would it ſtirre, though drawne with ropes, till there came a Veſtall Virgin, that with her girdle drew it after her. This botcher patcheth ſuch a one together, and fittens; that, in ſtead of an immoueable Image drawne by a Virgin, heere is a Virgin that could not bee drawne like the Image. And ſo he got a piece of bread and cheeſe, and came away.

A tale to ſome ſuch purpoſe, is repeated of one Clarence a ſacred Virgin, by the ſaid Author;Stannihurſt. vt ſup. the one as well to bee beleeued, as the other: yet of both I ſay to the Relator,

p. 40Cui tua non odium, velcui portenta cachinnum

Non moueant poſthac, is mihi prodigium eſt.

One George Sephocard, a Sc…iſh Proteſtant happened to trauaile into France, with a Brother of his: where ſeeing them one day goe in Proceſsion, this George ſcoffed at them, but accordingly he was rewarded: for preſently he fell to a pitifull ſcreeching, and ſo died. The night after his death, Iohn Sephocard his brother, and companion into that Countrey, had a pitifull Viſion. He thought hee ſaw a thouſand Diuels in hideous and vgly ſhapes tormenting his dead Brother. But he, hauing had a faire warning thereby, changed his former Religion and courſe of life, and became Catholick. F. Baker in his Watch-word, page 20.

Heere is a Proceſſion of lies, one after another, ordine longo. But yet, that a man ſhould ſmile at their Proceſsion, is not ſtrange; nor that hee ſhould die, no maruell; nor that another ſhould dreame, no great wonder: but they had beſt take heede, how they apply theſe narrations of vnexpected deaths, leſt the Story of Black-Friers be aſwell inuerted vponupon them.

Oſwald Mulſer, in the County of Tiroll, neere Oënipont, would not be contented but with a Prieſtly Host: hee receiued it no ſooner into his mouth, but hee beganne to ſink into the ground, which ſwallowed him aliue. p. 51Fitz-Simon in his Iuſtification and Expoſition of the Sacrifice to the Maſſe, page 100.

This is a meere fiction, intended for the magnifying of the Priest-hood: it is the ſteame of their impious policy, adterrorem incutiendum, et fucum faciendum populo; to gull, terrifie, and amaze the ſimple, ignorant people, and by bringing them into admiration of their Prieſt-hood, the ſanctity of their attire, and the diuine potencie of their Sacrifice; by this meanes to inchaunt and bewitch their innocent ſimple ſoules, and ſo to offer them vp for a prey to their great Idol at Rome. Surely our Sauiour Chriſt ate of the ſame hee gaue to his Diſciples: but our ſublimated Prieſts will hauehave finer bread then is made of wheat. I maruell, none of our people in England ſink into the ground, for daring to eate of the ſame bread with the Miniſter.

Francis Zauier, Apoſtle of the Eaſt-Indies, and Ieſuite, as often as hee extraordinarily trauelled in the Indies, ſo often did a Crucifixe in Spaine, in his parents houſe▪ſweat. At length, when the B. Bauiere dyed, the afore-ſaid Crucifixe, during a yeere after, did eueryevery Friday ſweat bloud. Hen. Fitz-Simon in Lib. praedict page 123.

Hee had read, be like, the verſe of the Poet:

In templis ſudauit ebur pecudeſque loquuti

Infandum.

p. 52Anno 36. of Henry the Eightth, a Priest did pronounce at Pauls Croſſe, and there confeſſed in publick, that he himſelfe ſaying Maſſe, pricked his finger, and bebloudied the Corporas with the Altar-clothes, purpoſing to make the people beleeue, that the Hoſt had bloud miraculouſly.

One Epachius a Prieſt, on Chriſtmas Eeue, being at Martens, reſorted often to his owne houſe to drink, euen after midnight: whereby hee was made incapable to receiue the bleſſed Sacrament on Chriſtmas day, as hauing in the beginning thereof, at midnight, broken the Faſt. The chiefe of the Towne beeing allied vntounto him, not knowing of ſuch his intemperance, deſired him to ſing Maſſe. Hee, as hee was preſumptuous, vndertook to celebrate. But as hee receiued the heauenly Hoſt, ſuddenly hee began to ney like a horſe, to tumble and wallow on the ground, to fome at the mouth, and to deliuer vp the bleſſed Sacrament, which hee was not able to ſwallow: vponupon the diſgorging of which, it was ſeene to bee carried away viſibly in the aire. The Prieſt beeing in this plight, hee was by his kinred borne out of the Church, remaining ſubiect to the falling-ſickneſſe all his life. Surius in vita S. Godefridi. l. 3. c. 12.

It ſeemes to me no more ſtrange now to heare of a drunken Prieſt, of the Ieſuiticall fraternity, then when I read Petrus Cluniacenſis Abbas his book: in which hee reports,l. 2. c. 2. of ſome forty and odde Benedictan Monks, and Dominican Friers, p. 53that were moſt famous and notorious Letchers and Bredenbachius hath a Catalogue of others, who were Coniurers; Lib. 1. collat. ſacr. c. 13. et 45.Thomas à Cantiprato, Th. à Cantip. l. 2. de proprutat. Apum part. 6. cap. 40.of diuers others, who were very wicked and carnall, one of which had his mouth and noſe putrified, that none could tolerate to look on him: another of which, a fire from heauen conſumed the hands and armes to his cubits, during his beeing at the Altar. Petrus Damianus Pet. Dam ſpec. exempt. D. 1. F. 77.and Palladius Pallad. in hiſt. Lauſiaca, ſect. 17.report of ſix other Prieſts that were Sodomites; one of which was hideouſly deformed with a canker, another deuoured of a wilde beaſt, and the reſt miſerably ended their daies. All this is ſtoried by their owne Writers.

Seuerall Miracles hauehave beene done in England and elſe-where, ſaith F. Richard Conway the Ieſuite, by the honouring of Saints Reliques; which Proteſtants (ſaith he) will not heed.

One M. Anderton, a Lancaſhire Gentleman, was cured of the Stone, by the Reliques he had of F. Campian the bleſſed Saint: & being afterwards of another diſeaſe, laid out ſo for dead (vt ei iam pollices ligarentur) that his thumbes were bound; by the help of the ſaid Martyr, his fleſh beeing laid vponupon his body, he was raiſed to life. Rich. Conway in Apol pag. 281.

This is like vntounto diuers the blaſphemous Fables, which you ſhal finde in the Reuelations of Saint Bridget, lib. 4. or like that of Vegas the Frier, in comment. in cap. 6. Apoc. Aug. de vera relig. Gregor. hom. 29. in Euang. Paul. Bombin. in vit. Mart. Campian.What prodigies are theſe? What horrible imp…eti…s? Are they not Anti-chriſti & Pſeudo-chriſti, p. 54that breathe out theſe damnable forgeries? that ſhame not to affirme, that the bones of a Traytor can raiſe a dead man, as did Elias his bones? or that the fleſh of Campian, could performe that which was ſo much admired in our Sauiour himſelfe, when hee was amongſt vsus in the fleſh? How can they but bluſh at theſe things? When Father Campian came an Apoſtle into England, there was an Earth-quake (ſay they) and ſo there might well bee. Nay the great bell of Weſtminſter tould of it ſelfe. But that I think is a lye. When Father Campian was arraigned, Iudge Seth his finger burſt out a-bleeding through his gloue, Thames ouerflowed, and diuers other obſeruations hauehave our impoſturizing Renagadoes. But thoſe ſaltleſſe gulleries are no whit anſwerable to this their villainous and prophane fiction. If M. Anderton were thus ſtrangely raiſed, it is maruell his friends in Lancaſhire ſpeake not of it, with many of whom I conuerſed, & am ſure (had it bin true) would hauehave recited this tale in their diſcourſe. Againe, if Reliques bee thus powerfull, I wonder they had not tryed, & brought ſome of them for the reuiuing of their Prieſts, or any other of them that were killed at the Black-Friers: or why made they not vſe of ſome of them, for the curing of Lady Blackſtones, and ſuch as were, by the miſchance at the Black-Friers, ſore wounded?

Campians Saint-ſhip ſure came but from Tiburn. And yet what admirable vertue doe our Papiſts conceiue to bee in the poore Reliques of Story, p. 55Felton, Sommeruile, Ard…n, Parry, Lopez, Garnet, Campian, and the reſt of that Saint-traitorly Cru…? The very paring of their nailes doth help to doo miracles. Their pictures are ſo ſanctified, that they are hung ouer the Altars. And I much maruell, there were neuer ſtrange wonders performed by the wood of the Tree at Tiburn; conſidering, it hath been bleſſed by ſome of their ſacred bodies, and bedewed with their laſt ſpritefull breath. Campians girdle.But did you neuer heare of Campians girdle that hee wore? Then reade one Edmunds his book of miracles, and that will tell you ſtrange newes: Hieroſolyma (inquit) bene nouit ad quem pertinuit: Tiburnus non ignorat, qui locus erat vbi Pater ipſe Campianus martyrio coronatus erat: Ieruſalem (quoth hee) knowes this girdle: for, it girdedabout the Sepulchre of our Sauiour. Tiburne knowes it, the place where Father Campian receiued his crown of martyrdome: yea, ſaith he further, and the Diuels knowe it, who deteſt all ſuch manner of geere, and whom it hath vexed ſo ſore, that it hath put them to extreme torments. This Girdle cured Lepers, the blinde, the dumb, all manner of diſeaſes. If the Girdle that imbraced onelyonly his bare apparell, could doo ſuch miracles, what then ſhould I think of the Rope that imbraced Father Campian's holy neck? yet I heare of no wonders done by that. The beſotted Aegyptians, that kiſſed, with earneſt deuotion, the Aſſe vponupon which the Idoll Iſis ſate; and the lymphaticall Priests of Baal, that lanced their owne fleſh p. 56before an Idoll of wood, had as much religion, and I think more wit than our moderne Reliqueſauers hauehave. God hath giuen them ouer to the ſpirit of illuſion, to beleeue vnſauory lies. He that ſits in the heauens, laughs them to ſcorn. Pſal.Almighty God, with his Angels and Saints, will hauehave them (theſe miſ-ſhapen monſters) in deriſion.

Conway in apol. pag. 290.A Virgin, a kinſwoman of mine, ſaith Conway an Engliſh Prieſt, was freed from the Diuell by anointing herſelf with oyle, into which another Priest that prayed for her, had mingled his Teares.

I think, of late daies our Romiſh Prieſts hauehave wept too little, and laught too much: and that is the reaſon, we are peſtred with more fiends, than friends. But when the ſword of iuſtice is drawn, and inflicted according to the waight and meaſure of their deteſtable deſignes, we ſhall, I hope, hauehave fewer of them come ouer. This Couey of night-birds may ſhrowd themſelues warme vnderunder the gentle wings of their holy Father at Rome. I am ſure, as yet they play the Bats and Moles with ſome of our Countrey-men; either trenching themſelues in the Mines of their Labyrinths at home, or masking in their gold & ſiluer abroad, in the faſhion of Rake-hels & Ruffians. How to kenne or ſmell a Prieſt.If, about Bloomeſbury or Holborne, thou meet a good ſmug Fellow in a gold-laced ſuit, a cloke lined thorow with veluet, one that hath good ſtore of coin in his purſe, Rings on his fingers, a Watch in his p. 57pocket, it may be of ſome thirty-pound price, a very broad-laced Band, a Stiletto by his ſide, a man at his heeles, willing (vponupon ſmall acquaintance) to intrude into thy company, and ſtill deſiring further to inſinuate with thee; then take heed of a Ieſuite, of the prouder ſort of Prieſts. This man hath vowed pouerty. Feare not to truſt him with thy wife: he hath vowed alſo chaſtity.

But are Prieſts teares ſo precious, that they are an Antidote againſt the poiſon of Diuels? Oh yes: who knowes not, that there is admirable power in a Prieſts breath, his gloues, his hoſe, his girdle, his ſhirts, to ſcortch the Diuell; in his Albe, his Amice, his Maniple, and his Stole, to whip and plague the Diuell? Or hath none read of the dreadfull power of Holy-water, hallowed Candles, Frankincenſe, Brimſtone, the Book of Exorciſmes, and the holy potion, to ſcald, broil, and to ſizle the Diuell? of the dreadfull power of the Croſſe, and Sacrament of the Altar, to torment the Diuell, and to make him roar? If any think theſe ſtrange, I referre him to a Book written by D. Harſenet, now Biſhop of Norwich, the Title whereof I hauehave ſet in the Margent:A Declaration of egregious Popiſh Impoſtures, to withdraw the harts of his Maieſties Subjects from their alleageance, and from the truth of Chriſtian Religion, vid. c. 14. 15. 16. 18 & 20. and you ſhall finde, that one Father Edmunds, alias Weſton, F. Dibdale, F. Thomſon, F. Stemp, F. Tyrrell, F. Dryland, F. Tu…ce, F. Sherwood, F. Winkefield, F. Mud, F. Dakins, and F. Bal…rd, Prieſts and Ieſuites, hauehave ſtoutly and ſtrongly confirmed all this long ſince. If the Book cannot eaſily bee gotten, I wiſh it might bee imprinted again, for that the Prieſts exorciſing power is p. 58there fully diſcouered: and I hauehave heard, that the moſt of theſe Books which were formerly printed, were bought-vp by Papiſts, who (no queſtion) took ſo much delight in reading them, that they burned as many as they could poſſibly get of them. But, to acquaint you with the ſtrange power of a Catholique Prieſts breath: Plin. in hiſt. nat.Pliny in his Naturall Story, tels vsus of certain people, that doo anhelitu or is enecare homines, kill men with the breath that comes from their mouthes. And Leno in the Comedy is noted to bee of ſo ſtrong a breath, that hee had almoſt blowne downe the young Gallant that ſtood in his way: but the Poets Ouid. Virgil. Homer.tell vsus, that Hell hath a more deadly breathing than all; ſo as if a Bird doo by chance flee ouer the Stygian Floud, ſhee is quelled with the ſmell, and fals down ſtark dead. Now, the company of Prieſts, for potency of breath, doo put down Pliny, Leno, Hell, the Diuell and all: for, the Diuell, who can well enough indure the lothſome odors and euaporations of hell, is not able to indure the vapour iſſuing from the mouth of a Prieſt; but had rather go to hell, than abide his ſmell. And hence it is (I think), that, in their baptizing of children, the Priest breathes and ſpets into the mouth of the childe: which (no doubt) is very ſoueraigne, eſpecially if the priests lungs bee but a little vlcerated or pockified. One William Trayford, and Sarah Williams (as you ſhall reade in Biſhop Harſenet's Book, page 71.) beeing poſſeſſed, Trayfords Diuell rebounded at the dint of the prieſts p. 49breath, and was glad to get him out at Trayfords right eare, like a mouſe, rather than he would come out jump againſt the prieſts mouth. M…ngus the Canoniſt giueth vsus a rule, that if the Diuell be ſtubborn, and will not obey the formidable exorciſme of the Prieſt, then that the Prieſt ſhall os ſuum quamproxime ad energu…enum admouere.Sarah Williams lay paſt all ſenſe in a tranſe, being vtterly bereaued of all her ſenſes at once: the prieſt no ſooner came neer her, but ſhe diſcerned him by the ſmell. Was not this a jolly rank ſmell? Yea, but this is but a flea-biting to the prieſts gloues, his hoſe, his girdle, his ſhirts, which had in them a dreadfull power to burne out a Diuell, nay, all the Diuels in the parties aforeſaid poſſeſſed. Which Diuels, becauſe the prieſts knew ſo well their names, ſhall not heer go vncited: Page 181.Lustie Dick, Killico, Hob, Corner-cap, Puffe, Purre, Frateretto, Fliberdigibbet, Haberdicut, Cocobatto, Maho, Kellicocam, Wilkin, Smolkin, luſtie iolly Ienkin, Portericho, Pudding of Thame, Pour-dieu, Boniour, Motubizanto, Nur, Bernon, Delicate. The chief of theſe Diuels, when one of the prieſts gloues was but put vponupon the poſſeſſed's hands, durſt not abide, but was ſcared, and went ſtraight away. One of the great Diuels was ſlipt, ere he was aware, into Sarah Williams legge: Page 81.where finding himſelf caught within the Priests hoſe which ſhe had on, he plunges and tumbles like a Salmon taken in a Net, and cries, Harro ho: out alas! pull off, pull off: caſe the poore Diuell of his pain (oh, a goodly ginne to catch a Woodcock withall). O but let me tell you of another trick, though not ſo cleanly as I could wiſh. Page 87.One Fid (Landreſſe …o the Diuels incarnate) was waſhing a Buck of foule clothes: amongſt which, was one of the Prieſt-Exorciſts p. 50ſhirts. The Diuell comes ſneaking behinde her, trips vp her heeles, and pitcheth her on her hip. And wot you why the Diuell played her this vnmannerly trick? Becauſe ſhe was waſhing-out a foule ſhirt of one of the Prieſts, which afterward ſerued to whip the Diuell out of one of the poſſeſſed. There are yet other Anti-daemoniacks of ſpeciall account, which, in the Diuell-hunting ſport, are in ſtead of little Beagles to fill vp the Cry. And they are the Amice, the Albe, and the holy Stole; very ſcorpions and whips indeed: and therefore beware, Diuell. page 89.F. Edmunds no ſooner laid the Amice vponupon Sarah Williams her face, but a ſpirit puffed at it, and could not endure to let it alone. The ſacred Stole was but wound about anothers neck that was poſſeſſed, and it ſo pent and begirt the Diuell, that hee ſtared, fumed and fomed, as he had been ſtark mad; and, in the end, was ſqueezed out with pure violence, as water out of a ſquirt. An heroicall combate was performed between Maho, one of the diuels, and the Prieſt, during ſeuen houres long. page 90.Maho the diuell ſtood vponupon his guard, would not come in. He was ſummoned by the Prieſt, firſt, with Salue Regina, and Aue Maria; then with Mengus club, with his whip, with Holy-water. Maho ſtood out, till the Prieſt prepared himſelf to afflict him with the Maniple: and then he came in, and yeelded to parley or dialogue with the Prieſt in a milde and temperate voice. See the puiſſance of the Catholique Romiſh Church, whoſe ſillieſtp. 51rag hath power to change the diuels roaring note, and to cauſe him to ſpeake in a milde moderate key! Latet anguis in herba: a man would little ſuſpect, when he meets with the Amice, the Stole, and the Maniple, wound vp in a little casket, that there were ſuch black hel-metall within them, to excoriate and lancinate a diuell.All theſe tricks and many more were acted at Denham in Buckinghamſhire, about the yeer 1590.

But I conclude: Niſi naenijs, tricis, et puppis vſa eſſet Roma, poenas iam diu dediſſet: If it were not for puppets, apes-faces, and gawdes, with which Rome allures, maskes, and diſguiſes the poore ſilly people, ſhee had long ſince ſung the dolefull Song mentioned in holy Writ; Deſolatione magn… deſolata eſt, et turpitudo eius gentibus reuelata; that is, ſhee had bin cleane deſolate, and her turpitude had beene opened to the eyes of all the world. As for all the tricks and iuggling ſhifts (ſo often diſcouered) which the Prieſts, theſe Exorciſts, vſe; the Exorciſt driuing the Diuell within the liſts of the poſſeſſed body (with Come aloft, Iack-an-apes) from one part to another: to what end doe all theſe their dealings tend, but to this proiect, that the ſtande…s-by may be perſwaded of ſome point of Popery, or of the Prieſts power ouer the Diuels?

If any Chriſtian in theſe daies hath been truely and really poſſeſſed by the Diuell, and if the Romiſh Prieſts hauehave truely ſuch a ſcourging power to whip out Diuels, why vſe they it not effectually when moſt need is? For example … There was one M. Blewet, a man of great reuenewes, and one M. Fowell, a man no leſſe famouſed,p. 52both of which either were or ſeemed to bee indiuelled. How often had they beene Exorcized in this Kingdom, by Francis Kemp, by Philip Woodward, by F. Edmunds, by F. Campian, by F. Sherwin, by F. Hil, by F. Walpool, and diuers others, but eſpecially, F. Collington, and F. Warmington, who often promiſed, they would make the Diuell ſpeake in M. Blewet, and M. Fowell. But as thoſe two had many ſweating combates heere in England, ſo had they tormentings at Loretto, Sichem, Lile, Louaine, Doway, & elſwhere beyond the Seas; and all the conſolation which they found, was to returne worſe, and farther from hope of deliuerance, then when they went. The Popiſh ſanctuaries rather added ſtrength to the diuels. And yet our Popiſh Thraſonical Prieſts will brag & boaſt, that they can toſſe a diuell like a Tennis-ball, or a Dog in a blanket; whereat they are very nimble, eſpecially in a poſſeſſed woman, in whoſe body they can canuas a diuell by contrectation and certaine inchanting nips, making him ferret vp and downe, from tongue to toe, from toe back againe to finger. Oh the formidable magicall power of ſacred anointed hands, not onelyonly infuſing chaſtity but alſo ſanctity by their touch!

I could heere ſet foorth another Theatre of their Exorciſing plots and attempts, to weet, their practiſing with Grace Sowrebuts of Salmisburie, in the County of Lancaſter; whom one Thomſon, alias Southworth, a Priest, cauſed to accuſe Iennet p. 53Bierly, Helen Bierly, and Iane Southworth, (the one of them her Grand-mother) of Witchcraft, of the killing of the childe of Thomas Walſhman, with a Naile in the Nauill, the boyling, eating and oyling, thereby to tranſ-forme themſelues into diuers ſhapes: This was done about 14. yeers ago.all which, at the Aſsiſes holden at Lancaſter, prooued to be falſe; and the ſaid Grace Sowrebuts confeſſed, that ſhe was perſwaded and counſelled to accuſe the ſaid parties of Witchcraft, by M. Thomſon, alias, M. Chriſtopher Southworth a Prieſt, who comploted this, to gaine to himſelfe ſome credit by exorciſing, or vnwitching her. This confeſſion of Grace Sowrebuts, with the Examination of others, who diſcouered the Prieſts impious dealings, was taken before William Leigh, Batchelor in Diuinity, and Edward Chiſnall Eſquire, two of his Maieſties Iuſtices of peace in that County.The Examinations were put ſince in print by Thomas Pots, Eſquire. Sure, theſe iuggling exorciſmes are but ordinary with Prieſts and Ieſuites: but ſuch a malicious and bloudy proiect of ſubornation, muſt bee a maſter-trick of ſome ſublimed ſpirit, fit to inſtruct a nouice Aſſaſsine, and to read a Lecture in the Ieſuites dark chamber of meditation.

The Boy of Bilſon.For the next vnmasking of our Mirabilaries. I might adde the Narration of certaine Prieſts, practiſing with the Boy of Bilſon. Anno 1621. whoſe name was William Perry, Sonne of Tho. Perry of Bilſon, in the County of Stafford. But becauſe there hath beene ſo lately a true diſcouery of the notorious Impoſtures of certaine Romiſh p. 54Prieſts, in their pretended Exorciſme or expulſion of the diuell out of the ſaid young Boy; I referre you to M. Rich. Baddeley his book vponupon that occaſion written: and I intreat you to conſider, whether they deſerue not the reputation of the rareſt Mounte-banks of theſe times. Quam falſa dicendo voluptatem ceperint, eandem vera legendo et audiendo amittant.In praeſat. lib. praedict.

Two Maids poſſeſt with the Virgin Mary, Michael the Arch-Angell, &c.About ſome ſeuen yeeres ſince, two Catholique Maids, forſooth, the one called Mary, the other Amye, reſorting to the Gatehouſe in Weſtminſter, took ſuch benefit by the Prieſts conuerſation with them, beeing ſometimes ſequeſtred from all the world beſides, that they were caſt into extaticall raptures, and poſſeſſed, not with Diuels, as the vulgar ſort of thoſe that vndergoe the Prieſts hands, but with heauenly and glorious gueſts, pretended to enter into them, and inhabit them, to the great admiration of the ſtupid, gullifyed, Romanizing beholders, and to the no ſmall renowne of the Spirituall Fathers then preſent; F. Benet, F. Aſton, F. Palmer, F. Hanz. In very deedlaw, they were ſomtimes poſſeſt with the Virgin Mary, other-while with Saint Michael the Arch-Angell, Saint Iohn the Baptiſt, M. Molineux the Martyr, and M. Roberts the Martyr,Two Tiburn-martyrs. and diuers other aſwell Maſculine as Feminine Saints; and, in the name of theſe Saints, did giuegive bleſsings to ſuch as were preſent. The ſubſtance of which narration hath been, vponupon the Examination of one of their Exorciſts, confeſſed. Yet when thisp. 55was blowne abroad, and beganne to breed ſcandall vntounto the Catholick cauſe, one of the maides gaue-ouer her pretended gueſt, and the other was ſecretly conueyed away.

One Hanz, alias, Hance poſſeſſed with the bleſſed Trinity.One of the forenamed Prieſts calling himſelf Edward Hanz, alias, Hance, borne at Lutterworth in Leiceſterſhire, had a trick beyond all his fellowes, and durſt aſpire ſo high, as to pretend himſelfe to bee caſt into a deepe admirable extaſie, and to bee corporally poſſeſſed (horreſco referens) with the bleſſed Trinitie. Neither was hee more abominably knauiſh in this his Impudencie, then ſome of his owne Coat, who were then blockiſhly fooliſh in their credulity. For ſome of them, when hee acted this his Trinitarian rapture c…me and kneeled to him, bringing Oblations triplici numero, to preſent vntounto the Trinity, inhabiting this Mounte-banke. Among which gifts preſented by theſe Lozels, one was gold-coine, an oblation neuer vnacceptable to thoſe that pretend creare Creatorem. That it is no fiction in mee to relate this their fiction, may appeare by the Examination of the ſaid Hanz …aken, Iulij 5. 1616. before the L. Arcbiſhop of Canterbury, the LL. BB. of London, Lincolne, Rocheſter, Litchfield, the Deane of Weſtminſter, and Sir W. Bird, D. of the Law: before whom he denieth not ſuch his rapture and poſſeſsion. For beeing then demanded, whether hee euer took on him to bee Verbatim, out of the Examination.poſſeſſed with the bleſſed Trinity, ſaying of himſelfe, I God the Father, that made the world; I God the Sonne, p. 56that redeemed the world; I God the holy Ghoſt, that ſanctified the world, the glorious, bleſſed and vndiuided Trinity, doe giuegive you my bleſsing, and doe command you to adore mee: And beeing further asked, whether ſome that were preſent, did not adore him, and ſome other refuſed: hee anſwered, This Hans with his cogging tranſe, is ſo bold and blaſphemous, as to allude vntounto S. Pauls rapture, 2 Cor. 12.32 Cor 12:3That once or twice when hee was about thoſe actions, or in the Interim of them, he was in a tranſe, and his ſoule did ſee very ſupernaturall and admirable ioyes: and then whether God Almighty or an Angell (hee will not meddle with it, but referreth it to God Almighty and his Church) ſpake in the name of God and the bleſſed Trinity, and gaue a Bleſsing, and that himſelfe at thoſe times, had no power in himſelfe, but that the Organs of his body were vſed to a ſupernaturall purpoſe, and by a diuine or ſupernaturall cauſe: And as God did cauſe the Aire to ſpeak, in giuing downe the Law, ſaying, I AM THE LORD THY GOD; and did cauſe Balaams Aſſe to vtter words: ſo hee might cauſe the Organs of this Examinates body, to ſpeak as beſt pleaſed the will of his diuine Maieſty: and the truth of the whole action, hee doth referre to God Almighty and his Church. And he doth ſay further for his part, that no humane perſon whatſoeuer liuing can vſe the Name of the bleſſed Trinity; ſaying, I the bleſſed Trinity bleſſe you, without ſinne, vnleſſe God almighty doo take the creature, and ſpeake in him: and then it is Gods owne word, and not the word of the party. But touching adoration, there was no commandement of it, to his remembrance: and if any did it, it was no more than due to the eternall Trinity, who may be adored in all places.

p. 57This impoſture, though neuer ſo odious and blaſphemous, yet flew abroad, and was foſtered as a true Miracle. For confirmation whereof, report was added, that this holy Prieſt thus poſſeſſed by the Trinity, walking vp and down the ſtreets daily amongst the Hereticks, yet none of them had the power to apprehend or lay hands on him.

I could acquaint you with other his horrible and ſacrilegious impieties: but let this ſuffice. It was foretold by Saint Iohn, that their adulterous Mother ſhould hauehave her mouth full of blaſphemies; Apoc. 13.6.Rev 13:6which, to her ſhame, wee doo now obſerue. And according to that of the Apoſtle, The ſpirit ſpeaketh expreſly, that in the latter times, ſome ſhall depart from the faith, giuing heed to ſeducing ſpirits, and doctrines of diuels, ſpeaking lies in hypocriſie, hauing their conſciences ſeared with an hot iron: 1. Tim. 4.1,2,3.1 Tim 4:11 Tim 4:21 Tim 4:3which beeing the propertie of falſe prophets, it is more then manifeſt, who are ſpecified, eſpecially if wee ponder thoſe words of the Apoſtle, Such ſhould forbid marriage, and command men to abſtain from meats, &c.

To theſe two laſt blaſphemies, it will not bee amiſſe to adde what our Papiſts report of Katharine of Sienna. In vit. Sanct. Katharin de Sienna.She (forſooth) and Chriſt Ieſus, by an admirable kinde of permutation, did enterchange their hearts; ſo that Chriſt had the heart of Katharine; and Katharine, that of Chriſt. Oh you ignorant and deſperately-ſuperſtitious Pontificians, who iuſtifie this Fable! Obſerue you not? vnderſtand you not, that this miraculous chaffering of hearts p. 58ſubuerteth a very Principle of Chriſtian Religion (receiued alſo by your ſelues) which is, that quod Chriſtus ſemel aſſumpſit, nunquam dimiſit, what Chriſt did once aſſume (to weet, by hypoſtaticall vnion) he neuer left the ſame.

I cannot by the way omit a fantaſticall relation of the Papiſts, which I read in Baronius, how the Virgin Mary viſited Fulbert in his ſicknes, and gaue him her breaſts to ſuck, much comforting him thereby.… Baron. … 1028. ff. 5.

I beleeue, there eſcaped at that time ſome drops of milk from Fulbertus his lips, hee beeing not accuſtomed to ſuck, and thoſe are they which are kept in a ſiluer image of the Virgin Mary, in her Church at Rhemes, and are there worſhipped.

There was of late, viz. an. 1621. one impriſoned either in the Gate-houſe or New-priſon, who cald himſelf Newton: he pretended, he had a Viſion by night of the Virgin Mary appearing vntounto him, and ſaying, Newton, ſee that thou doo not take the oath of alleageance. Vid. High-Commiſſion Records.And being of this publiquely examined, and asked, How he knew it to be the Virgin Mary which appeared? he anſwered, I knew it was ſhee: for, ſhe appeared vntounto me in the forme of her Aſſumption. Of what nature that idle Viſion was, the Reader may finde in M. Widrington, who handleth the ſame, and doth in part diſcouer the vanity thereof. A pretty Argument this was againſt taking the Oath. Since I heard thereof, I asked a Prieſt,M. Rich. what he thought of this viſion of Newton's. Hee told mee, that This Newton was a very holy p. 59man, and hath had other viſions beſides that: which if he ſhould repeat, would make a man tremble and quake. Hereticks (quoth he) hauehave no ſuch viſions & heauenly apparitions. I knowe not whom he meant by the word Hereticks: but if he mean vsus Protestants, who hauehave more reaſon to inuert the phraſe vponupon them; ſure, we are not ſuch liſtners to miracles. Prodigia nulla facimus: ſigna nulla edimus: we work no wonders: wee ſhew no viſions, as Acoſta a Ieſuite of theirs once aſſeuerantly deliuered.Acoſt. Ieſ. de ſalut. Indor. l 4

Our Sauiour Chriſt himſelf (as Saint Auguſtine obſerueth)Aug. Tract. 13 in Ioh. 3John 3 hath giuen vsus a caution against theſe miracle-mongers; willing vsus to take heed, that we be not deceiued. Mark 13.5Mark 13:5Yea, their owne Preacher Stella (whom of late time they hauehave gelt, as they doo all other their Writers, when they meet with any thing that makes not for their turn) entring into this contemplation, taught publiquely, that Miracles now would rather be an hinderance vntounto faith.Stel. in Luc. 11Luke 11

Katharine de Bus, dwelling in the City of Lile, in the County of Flanders, in the yeere 1602. was poſſeſſed of the Diuell; inſomuch that ſhee could bee ſcarce a quarter of an houre in peace, without beeing ſeazed vponupon and troubled by the enemie: which made her ſpeake (to the purpoſe) diuers ſorts of Languages; as, Hebrew, Greeke, and Latine. When they came neere vntounto her with the bleſſed Sacrament of the Altar, ſhee writhed and wreſted her ſelfe ſtrangely, both with her leggs, armes, and back, gnaſhing her teeth, and grizly drawing of her mouth. The parents of this wench labouredp. 60ſo much, that ſhee was diuers times exorciſed, ſometimes by certaine Fathers of the order of the Capuchins, ſometimes by other Prieſts: vntounto whom the wicked Spirits anſwered in diuers Languages, confeſsing at that time, that they were ſeuen in number. They ſpake diuers iniurious things, and told the faults of diuers that were preſent. No meanes could bee vſed for the caſting out of theſe wicked Fiends, till there was found a man that was come from Mountague, and had brought with him a piece of the Oke of our Ladie. Whereupon, one Sir Silueſter Dennys, who came to ſee her, took the ſaid piece, and made the Patient to eat it: and immediatly after ſhee had ſwallowed it, the enemy (who called himſelfe Houilliu Clicquet and Clinquart) ſhewed himſelfe in her throat; crying out, that he ſcorched and burned, becauſe of the wood which was eaten: and hee added, that he was compelled to depart, and that there remained in her as yet three. And beeing demanded, by whoſe merit and interceſsion hee was to depart; The wicked ſpirit anſwered, Of Mary of Mountague. Afterwards, beeing demanded, what ſigne he would giuegive of his departure, he… ſaid, He would burſt a glaſſe of the Church-window. And immediatly after, two of them departed with the ſaid ſigne of burſting the glaſſe; and the third, ſaying that hee was the laſt of tenne, cryed out (in going foorth) with aloud voice, Viue N. Dame de Mountague, qui nous faict ſortir: Honour bee to our Lady of Mountague, who maketh vsus to depart. And from that day afterwards, the ſaid Katharine remained whole and perfectly free from the poſſeſsion and vexation of the p. 61enemie, inioying al…her limmes and ſenſes as freely as euer ſhee did before: In lib. intit. Miracles lately wrought by the interceſsion of the glorious Virgin Mary at Mountague; and tranſlated out of the French into Engliſh, by Rob. Chambers, Prieſt, page 209. 210. et ſeq.

This buzzing relation, penned and publiſhed by the Prieſts themſelues, is ſuteable and (in a ſort) paralell to that which Brerely tells vsus of diuers who were diſpoſſeſſed of Diuels, by kiſsing of the Altar and the Priests vesture. But I will cap this tale with a freſh-bleeding new Story, fetcht not farre without the walles of London.

A certaine Catholicke collapſed Ladie (whoſe name I ſpare, for the reſpect I beare to her beſt friends) about ſome two or three yeeres ſince, departed from her husband (yet liuing) and went ouer to Bruxels, and was admitted into the order of Nunnerie, I meane a Nunne at large, one of the vncloiſtred ſiſters of the order of Saint Clare, and there ſhee remained a while, till there appeared in her ſome paſſion incompatible with Nunſhip. Shee came ouer into England a companion with a religious Ieſuite, ſince of great note, F. D. and remaining afterwards an inlarged Nunne in London, was (as it ſeemeth) more viſibly taken with a diſeaſe befalling that ſexe, called flatus vterinus: and thereupon, that this matter might bee carried the more cleanely, it was giuen out, that ſhee was poſſeſſed with an euill ſpirit, which did makep. 62her belly to ſwell like a woman with child. Certaine it is, many were deluded by this occaſion: and the practice of the Prieſts to hide her blemiſh, and gull poore people, was lewd and abominable. For a certaine IeſuiteP. T. (whom I could alſo name, being a ſmug, ſpruce, liquoriſh, young fellow, a fit man to bee called Father (forſooth) at eueryevery word, & of no high ſtature; and ſo, fit to be a diſguiſed Olympio, to act the part of Caſina in Plautus, or to act a womanized Chaerea in Terence his Eunuchus) put on the Ladies or ſuch like womaniſh apparel, with a Vaile ouer his face: & that ſome found Ignaro's about the Towne might be perſwaded of the Prieſts power for the caſting out of Diuels, they were ſuffred to come to her chamber, where were two other IeſuitesOne of theſe, namely, F. D. about halfe a yeare after, was a chiefe Actor in a true lamentable Tragedy, yet memorable by a Downfall. (prouided for the purpoſe, to act their parts in this Comedie); who no ſooner fell to their prayers, and began to vſe their exorcizing ſpels, but thereupon the ſuppoſed Ladie began to vtter her mind both in Italian, Latin and Greeke: which much aſtoniſhed the ſtanders by, they little dreaming of this deceit. Neither was this all: I will yet proceed farther in this ſo comicall a Narration.

It was wont, when an Interlude was to bee acted in a Countrey Towne, the firſt queſtion that an Hob-naile Spectator made, before hee would pay his penny to goe in, was, Whether there bee a Diuell and a Foole in the play? And if the Foole get vponupon the Diuels backe, and beate him with his Cox-combe till hee roare, the play is compleat.p. 63Here is Foole vponupon Foole, but extra ſcenam, off from the Stage; the gaping, admiring, beleeuing Spectators. But to make this pageant compleat, this diſguiſed Diuel muſt roare; & that was, by the bringing the conſecrated Hoſt in a Pix, and applying it vnderunder the head of this Sheeknaue-Ieſuite, or Hee-lubberly Lady. Then his Diuel-ſhip raues and ſtruggles, as if hee would rather goe to hell againe, then indure the tormenting preſence of the Holy Pix. Diuers other feats were performed vponupon this occaſion, which I will ſpare to declare, till I receiue Command on the one ſide, or Challenge on the other.

Whether ſhe euer heard of her ſelfe thus acted in her abſence, I know not, but ſure I hauehave heard from a credible author, that ſhe was actiue, or rather paſſiue in one tragical part of this Mummery; which (mee thinks) ſhee ſhould rather ſome other had performed it for her. Forſooth, theſe Medicinall Diuel-purgers were not to ſeeke for the deuice of the conſecrated potion (in imitation of that which was giuen to Sarah Williams at Denham before-mentioned): this potion muſt make her vomit vp no leſſe then ſeuen Diuels: and to that end, ſhee was let downe into a darke roome, and there ſhut vp for a time without light; and, after the operation of this Diuel-ſcowring vomit, light was let-in, and ſeuen Todes ſhewed to her in the place, as regorged by her, and being no leſſe then (doub…leſſe) dreadfull Diuels.

This laſt circumſtance I doe not auerre vponupon p. 64knowledge, as acted by them; but rather think it giuen-out by the party and others, to pretend, that ſome great miracles hauehave been wrought in her, or by her, that ſhe might hauehave the better pretence to hauehave been reſembled vntounto Mary Magdalen, out of whom ſeuen Diuels were cast.

Leauing it then in medio, till I receiue better information; yet ſure I am, ſhee carrieth the name of working miracles. And indeed well may it bee ſo ſaid, that ſhee and her Copeſ-mates the Prieſts do work miracles: for, to my vnderſtanding, it is little leſſe than a miracle, that any of our Nation, vncapable of Bedlam or a Bable, ſhould be ſtricken with ſuch ſtupidity, as to beleeue in theſe Iugglers and Romiſh Mounte-banks.

If I ſhould heer recount all the Lies and Tales of Prieſts, concerning the multitudes that hauehave been diſpoſſeſſed of Diuels, by the help of a whole Beuy of Ladies; Our Lady of Mountague, our Lady of Loretto, our Lady of Hales, and our Lady of Sienna: no reaſonable Volume would receiue or containe them. I referre him that would ſpend idle time in idle fables, to Rob. Chambers his book before-cited, and to T. P. his book intituled, The History of our bleſſed Lady of Loretto, and to Lipſius his dotages of our Lady of Hales, and to I. Heigham his book intituled, The Lady of Sienna: and you will need no other Regiſter of their Impoſtures, no golden Legend. Doting Metaphrastes, fabulous Lippoman, lying and voraginous Iacobus, ſuperſtitious Antonine, confuſe Vincentius, hauehave ſo cloyed p. 65the dwellers vponupon earth with deluſions and lies, that (for very ſhame) the Papiſts hauehave exploded and pared out of their Porteſſes and Breuiaries many and ſundry of their fabulous Hiſtories, being indeed forced thereunto by the deriſions & outcries of Chriſtians againſt them. Yea, Claudius Eſpencae…s (one of their owne) telles vsus,Eſpenc. in 2 ad Tim. et digreſ. l. c. 1. 11. that their Legends and Porteſſes were as full of idle vanities, as any Stables could be full of dung. What fruit was there in thoſe things, wherof you are now aſhamed?Rom. 6.11Rom 6:11

Who (me thinks) could bee ſo bewitched, as be born in hand, that A houſe was carried in the aire from Paleſtina to Loretto;T. P. page 40. that a Dalmatian Priest comming many miles to Loretto, and carrying vp with his hand his bowels quite pulled out of his belly, by one onelyonly praier to our Lady there, was inſtantly healed;T. P. page 181. 182. This is as true, as was our Dalmatian ventrioſus Marcus Amonius. that a blockiſh Image in a wall, doth work as high miracles, as euer were performed by the eternall Sonne of God; that aaVid. Ful. Androſ. Naucler. Coſterum.Saint Francis had the prints of our Sauiours wounds; that the two Tails of our Sauiours Aſſe, the ggS. Iohn Baptis… head ſhewed both at Ami…s and at Rome.two heads of Saint Iohn the Baptist, the milk of our bleſſed Lady, are this day to bee ſeen; that at the great nnFranc-Sales in his introduct. to a deuout life Fitz-Simon.Lake of Vister, Saint Patrick (who chaſed all the venome out of Ireland) is one day by the Prieſts yet viſible, and that **As N… had with the nymph Aeg…they hauehave then conference with him; beſide, that there is a wonder-working Purgatory of his; that a **A Carmelite …uru…tting, reported by all the Prieſts now in London: and one of them ſwore to me, that hee ſaw it.Carmelit came lately to Paris, and there ſaying Maſſe, eueryevery day, at the eleuatio… … conſecrated Hoſt, himſelf was ſtill eleuated or hoiſed on cock-horſe into the aire; that F. p. 66Steuens a Prieſt (now in London) hath a Croſſe, whereunto are affixed ſome Reliques of a dead Martyr, one M. Maxfield: which Croſſe beeing ſtolne from him, and carried one day almoſt fifty miles (as was known), the night following, came back of its owne accord, and hee found it in the morning vnderunder his beds head:If any man, being 50 miles from London, want an Hackney to carry him back, let him hire F. Steuens galloping Croſſe. which Croſſe, ſurely, muſt bee a kinne to a Stone in Angleſey, reported to be of that property, that how-farreſoeuer a man carried it in the day, it would return of it ſelf at night into the Iland; that the very ſight of Garnets ſtraw hath made (at leaſt) fiue hundred in our Kingdome become good Catholiques: Vid. the true Chriſtian Catholick, written by I Heigham.which if it be true, I ſee no reaſon, but eueryevery Threſher in England ſhould become a Romaniſt, becauſe they deale with ſtrawes, which hauehave as perfect an effigies of F. Garnet, as any other ſtraw without cquiuocation euer yet had; that M. Gennings executed at Tiburn, Vid. a Book intit. The life & death of Edmund Gennings, page 86.his belly beeing opened, his bowels cut out, and his heart in the Executioners hand, yet the Martyr cryed out, Sancte Gregori, ora pro me; Holy Gregory, pray for me; that the ſame mans holy anointed Thumb, beeing touched by a Virgin after his death, of it ſelf came off, bone and fleſh, from the reſt of the hand;Page 93. A Tale of Tom Thumb. that when one M. Dakins a Prieſt, executed at Tiburn, was a-dying,Heigham, vt ſup. pag. 146. a certain Virgin, a kinſwoman of his, though many miles remote, longing after ſome of the Martyrs fleſh, ſhe not knowing how to obtain her deſire, yet being full of faith, one of M. Dakins holy toes did miraculouſly yield p. 67it ſelf into her virginal hands;S…on proteſteth, that he heard him ſpeak the ſame, vid. S… of miracles, page 25. that Robert Parſons could make the Diuell ſpeak in any Engliſh Biſhop or Heretick whomſoeuer; that Robert Parſons being apprehended by a Purſuiuant at Norwich in Cheſhire, and put into a chamber faſt bolted and locked vponupon him, the dore did three times together miraculouſly and of its owne accord flee open;R. Parſons a pick-lock equiuocator. that one F. Scroop a Prieſt, being in a Gentlemans houſe in Lancaſhire, and certain Purſuiuants coming to ſearch for him, notwithſtanding hee was in the midſt of the Roum with them, yet he became inuiſible to the ſaid Searchers;I think, ſometimes viſible gold … make a man inuiſible that one Katharine Riland within the City of London, with eating one bit of fleſh forbidden by her ghoſtly Father, was inſtantly choked;G.A.P. in his book called, The rules of obedience, page 12. G.A P. page 41 that one Thomas Vincent of London, ſcoffing at a Prieſt ſaying M…ſs, forthwith fell mad, and, for many daies after, was heard pronounce no other words but theſe, O holy Prieſt, O holy Maſſe; that old F. Chambers taking the confeſſion of a Nun at Bruxels, her name M. Stan, ſhe was me…amorphoſed, and ſeemed vntounto him a flame of fire; … Pi…ing… a Prieſt in …, the …that whenſoeuer a certaine Prieſt put his finger nigh Sauerius his heart, there iſſued out bloud and water;Tu…ſel vit Saue … c. 4. that Holy Father Philip Nerius, vponupon a certain night as hee was walking, and falling into a certain ditch, was preſently caught by the haires of his head by an Angell, and ſo deliuered; Bar. in an. 1550that an Image was crucified at Beritum, and did bleed; that the diuell held both S. Edmunds his hands, that he could not make the ſigne of the Croſſe;… in his proteſt. page 162. that M. Chriſtopher Cuſake, an Iriſh Ieſuite, p. 68had a Crucifix which could ſpeak?

Are theſe graceleſſe ſaltleſſe gulleries, either to be beleeued or countenanced? Is it poſſible, that men of wit, vnderſtanding and ſpirit, ſhould bee intoxicated and carried away with ſuch muddy deuices; the end of which is, non ethnicos conuertendi, ſed ipſos euertendi, Tertul. de praeſcr. verſ. haereticos.not to conuert and bring any vntounto the knowledge of the truth, but rather to▪ make them wallow in the mire and ſink of errour; in which themſelues hauehave long ſtuck faſt? And by reading of all which you may finde, that the Diuell hath no greater cunning, nor preuaileable art, then to ſupport the Romiſh Religion by ſuch palpable, groſſe, filthy and idle inuentions. What is there in them (for the moſt part) more then in the Poeticall fiction of the Gods; the Fables of Homer, Herodotus, Ouid, Bocace, and the reſt? All is but the deceits of lying tongues, the preſumption & bragging of Inchanters, and the ceremonies of Augurers, Pythoniſts & Arts-masters in Incantations: againſt whom the Poets themſelues had many inuectiues, and condemned the Prieſts of that time, as we do the Friers of this Age: as Euripides,Eurip. Ion.

Hei mihi! verſipelles vt homines ſemper odi,

qui componentes iniuſta, deinde fr…udes adornant.

The examples before-recited, ſhew the colluſions the Prieſts vſe, vponupon pretence of miraculous power: nor is their diligence leſſe in other means, which they vſe by daily ſollicitations for their owne aduantage; Prieſts hauehave their Agents.eueryevery Prieſt of action,p. 69and any ability, hauing two Aſſiſtants aſſign'd vntounto him: whoſe office, like the Familiars of the Inquiſition, is to ſtraggle abroad, for the bringing-in of game. Theſe ſubſeruient procurers are Laicks, and though not able to maintaine Argumen…, yet pry in by-corners, nay, and put forward in open places, to ſhake and try any weake wauering Proteſtants; and if they can get but to intertaine conference, and giuegive …are to their boaſts and inſinuations, then they bring them to be better hammered vponupon the Anuill of their great Maſters. Sometime they deale with tender game, ſcarce yet fledge, I meane, young Youths, whom they inueigle, to tranſport to the neſts of their Seminaries. I hauehave giuen you ſome examples before, and could afford you more. If at the Schooles o… Weſtminſter, Pauls, Wincheſter, Eaton, Chriſt-Church or Suttons Hoſpitall, there chance bee ſome young man diſcontented, for the loſſe of a place in the Vniuerſitie hee hoped for; or in the Vniuerſities, ſome young graduate, halfe diſtracted or diſcouraged, vponupon the loſſe of ſome fellowſhip, or other promotion hee aſpired vntounto; Oh then there is matter to work on; none of theſe, I warrant you, ſhall eſcape without promiſe of better preferment; there needs not one to informe them, what prouiſion is made beyond the Seas at Saint Omers, Doway, Lisbon, Louaine, Spaine, Rome, for all ſuch Nouices; what beautifull Colledges, ſtately Edifices, large Reuenewes thereunto p. 70annexed; what great liberty, what good company, what practice of Piety.

Fiſtula dulcè canit, volucrem dum decipit auceps.

Like the Fowler, they can allure with diuers theſe pleaſing notes, to tempt to their lure, and bring the Foot within the Snare: ſed terminu siſtius gaudij, mors eſt, Bern.the end of this prooues the moſt deadly & dangerous. Some of their ſcouts hauehave I known about the vniuerſity of Oxford, as one Kinſman, Ford, Maſon; and diuers others could I point, at this preſent, heere in London, who indeed are no leſſe perillous and pernicious then the Prieſts themſelues. If they can finde any, for extraordinary pregnancie of wit, learning, parentage, friends, eſpecially poſſeſſions, fit to ſerue their turnes, and condeſcend to their expectations, by no meanes muſt ſuch ſcape their fingers.

What other ſhifts hauehave the Prieſts to wreſt and wring from their poore Diſciples, wherewithall to maintaine their pomp and brauery?

How a Gentlewoman of Saint Giles in the fields neere London, was cheated by a Prieſt.A Gentlewoman of the pariſh of Saint Giles in the fields neere Holborne, was of late time ſick, and beeing one that was well inclining and warping toward the Popiſh pale or bent, ſent for a Prieſt, a man very famous about this Towne, to come vntounto her, and aſsiſt her with his beſt comfort and counſell; who vnderſtanding her deſire, was ſoone with her: and beeing come, ſhee acquainted him, how the caſe ſtood betweene Almighty God and her diſtreſſed ſoule; and hauing laid herſelfe open vntounto him, after the forme of Catholick p. 71Confeſſion, her Ghoſtly Fa her the Prieſt, told her, that ſhee ſhould not neede to take any farther thought or care of her Soule, but commit all to him, his Abſolution would bee auaileable, and by Prayer himſelfe would intercede for her. Yet one thing farther hee muſt tel… her; that ſhee might bee more certaine of M rcy and Indulgence, if there were ſome care had for the ſaying of ſo many Maſſes for her after her death at the high Altar. The woman liſtned to this, and liked it very well. Yea, but the Prieſt had not ſaid all; Theſe Maſſes (he told her) could not be had without a round ſumme of money. Shee demanded of the Prieſt, what the whole charges might bee. Hee told her, About ſome thirty pounds. The poore gentlewoman anſwered, Shee had not ſo much money in her cuſtodie; but plate ſhee would deliuer him, ſufficient to raiſe ſuch a ſumme: and accordingly ſhee deliuered it forthwith to his poſſeſsion; who, hauing met with ſuch a booty, had little deſire to viſit any more his ſick patient. The woman within a ſhort time after grew ſo weake in her body, that ſhee was paſt ho…e of recouery, and then ſent againe for her ſpirituall Doctor to come and adminiſter ſome of his ghoſtly phyſick to her. But my Gentleman had taken paines enough before, and by no meanes would bee brought the ſecond time vntounto her. A good Caucat heere was, for her, and others to take heed of ſuch cogging and inſinuating companions. It pleaſed God, this Gentlewoman recouered; and, making good vſe of that abuſe ſhee receiued by this Prieſt in her ſickneſſe, ſhe altered her Religion: and now, to the comfort p. 72of diuers worthy and painfull Miniſters about the City, ſhee is become a good Church-woman, and ſpends the moſt of her time in Gods ſeruice, going daily vntounto Sermons, and following nothing ſo much as her deuotions.

The Prieſts inſinuating with one Miſtris Reid, and fiſhing for her eſtate.In Summer 1623. A Gentlewoman named Read, lying at that time ſick at Bednall-greene neere London, and hauing Land of inheritance, of aboue fiue hundred pounds, per annum, was vehemently ſet vponupon by ſome Ieſuites and Prieſts; inſomuch, that ſhee was inclineable to referre her eſtate to their diſpoſall. Whereupon, ſome of her neere kinne, repairing to a Doctor of Diuinitie, of good note in London, informed him, how farre the Prieſts had wrought with her. Whereupon, hee by conference and inſtruction, did ſet her right againe (as by Gods bleſſing, hee hath confirmed diuers others). It is very probable, that the greateſt part of that eſtate ſhould hauehave flowne beyond the Seas, as much other our Countrey goods and Riches doe, to vnderline the Nunneries.

The Prieſts viſiting M. Netlam, to get from him his Land.In Auguſt laſt, one Musket a Ieſuite, and another Prieſt, came to Francis Netlam, lying very ſick in M. Dawſons houſe in Fetter-Lane; and vnderſtanding of ſome Lands or poſſeſſions he had, to a round value, inquired of him, how he diſpoſed of theſe his reuenues, and to whom he meant to leaue them after his deceaſe. Hee acquainted them, that he had brothers & ſiſters, poore, and of his owne Religion (to weet, Papiſts) who didp. 73expect them. But theſe inſinuating Prieſts, more regarding themſelues then their Diſciples, dealt ſo farre with him, that hee was content to giuegive his La…ds to themſelues, or whom they ſhould nominate, ſo to be at their diſpoſing. Which grā ted, M. Muskets care was ſuch, that a Will was drawne, and the Lands thereby conueyed to the Prieſts, or to ſome other for their vſe. Therupon returning to the houſe where this ſick Catholick lay, they requeſted the woman of the houſe (Miſtris Dawſon, her husband not being within), to bee a Witneſſe to the ſaid Will. But ſhee, vnderſtanding the Contents thereof, refuſed ſo to doe: neither would ſhee ſuffer them to goe to the ſick mans chamber, vnleſſe their intent were better. So ſoone as her husband came home, ſhee told him what the Prieſts would hauehave done. Therevpon, her husband intreated the Lecturer of the pariſh, and another Miniſter, to perſwade the ſaid Francis Netlam, not to bee ſo fooliſh and vnnaturall, as to giuegive his Land from his needy brethren, to theſe cheating, coozening, and colloguing Prieſts. The ſick man followed the counſell of theſe Miniſters, in whom hee found more plaine dealing, then in the other his ſpirituall Fathers. And notwithſtanding hee had beene long miſl…d by the ſaid Romiſh Impoſtors, hee deſired to bee prayed for (according to the forme of our Engliſh Church) in Saint Dunſtanes in the Weſt, at their next Wedneſday Lecture: an… further to expreſſe his conformity to our Church, heep. 74receiued the bleſſed Sacrament with vsus before his death.

Hence then obſerue, how induſtrious our Prieſts are, not onelyonly to get Proſelyte men and women, but alſo Proſelyte Lands and poſſeſſions: notwithſtanding all their pretended pouertie, bonus odor lucri, they will omit no opportunitie to get what gaine they can. I know this to be true, that in thoſe parts where I hauehave liued, and where are moſt Papiſts of any part of this Kingdome; there is not a Popiſh Gentleman in all the Countrey, but there is a Prieſt to his Steward, and diſpoſer of houſhold and reuenues; neither doth the Owner let, ſet, or ſell any land, without the approbation & conſent of theſe pretended ſpirituall guides. And that indeed is it which cauſeth Papiſts the more to abound, for that a Land-lord led by ſuch directors, will not ſuffer any one quietly to liue vponupon his Land, but ſuch as the three-quarter Lord Prieſt taketh to bee his holy children, and will be ready to doe him ſeruice. A fine engine to wheele about, and ſcrue whole families and Townes, by the pully which twineth the long rope of Spiritualls reaching out ad temporalia.

Another of their engines is, If an offender come to one of theſe Prieſts to Confeſſion; as they inioyne him, for one part of his penance, to ſay ſo many Pater-noſters, ſo many Creeds, ſo many Aue-maries, by ſcores eueryevery day: ſo likewiſe they impoſe on his head a pecuniary mulct,p. 75hee muſt pay into the hands of ſome other Prieſt 40, 30, 20, 10, 8, or 5 pounds (according to the ability of the partie), to bee diſtributed by the ſaid Prieſt, a iudicious man, in pios vſus. Which money once fingered, is very iudiciouſly ſhared betwixt theſe two ſhriuing Prieſts, who (Iudas-like) will hauehave no waſte, et tenentes marſupium, tenentur àmarſupio.

Againe, that their Lampes may want no Oyle, their pockets no weight, how doe they gripe, exact and extort from their poore Diſciples! If a Shoomaker, or a Taylor, that hath nought but what hee earnes at his fingers ends, chance to come vnderunder their fingers, his money is ill got, vnleſſe hee offer to his holy Father a third or fourth part of his gaine. If a Countrey Farmer bee ſo rich in Tenement or Land, that hee hauehave but two Oxen to yoke, and three kine to milke, before the yeeres end one of the beaſts muſt bee ſold, to buy the honeſt Prieſt a new ſuit, perhaps of ſwaggering Sattin. Nay, I hauehave known a taxation ſuch, that out of a mans means worth tenne pounds per annum, the Prieſt muſt perforce hauehave forty ſhillings a yeere at leaſt. And in a great Shire, where I hauehave conuerſed, there is not a man of that Religion, of 40 pounds a yeer reuenew and vpward, but hee muſt, at his owne charge, keepe a Prieſt in his houſe: perhaps ſome poor neighbours that are benefited hereby, contribute ſome ſmall matter toward it.

Thus, while they pretend, that they are forcedp. 76to creepe into priuate houſes for feare of perſecution, they carry more dominion ouer the Family, then any Pariſh-Prieſt doth in thoſe Countries where Popiſh Religion publikely preuaileth.

The Author of The .B of Londons Legacie.I ſhould hauehave commended M. Muskets wit, if hee could at ſo eaſie a rate hauehave purchaſed M. Netlams inheritance. Sure, it was a better plot, and his time better ſpent, then in writing and forging his book, called The Biſhop of London his Legacie. A pamphlet, that I much wondred who could hauehave ſo little wit, and leſſe grace, to bee the Author thereof, till that an incendiary brother of hisF. Med. (who took diſlike at it) confeſſed vntounto mee; and F. Musket himſelfe, in ſome ſort, acknowledged his paines-taking therein. O perfrictam frontem! W…at impudence was heere ioynd with ignorance! How lewdly did he and his Precurſor Kelliſon bely Him, who is now as glorious a Starre in the heauens aboue,Non comet a fuit, ſed Stella. as He was a ſhining Lamp in the firmamenr of the Church heer on earth! Sophocl.foreign, (as Sophocles commended Philoctetes) He fought a good fight, both in defence of the faith, and in exp…gnation of Hereſies, Schiſmes and Seditions brought-in by theſe our Aduerſaries. And as Auguſtine ſpake of Cyprian, Multi erat meriti, multi pectoris, multioris, multae virtutis: Aug.Hee was worthy, wiſe, well-ſpoken, religious.

Now whereas they ſeek to get Proſel…tes by …heſe monſtrous forgeries and trumperies, forp. 77my owne part, I confeſſe, that vponupon the firſt view and reading of it, I was ſomewhat mooued with wonder, & withall with poſſibility of credence; which made mee the more diligently to enquire of it; eſpecially reading there, that the Biſhop was reconciled to the Church of Rome, by a certaine Prieſt there not named. I curiouſly ſearched among the Prieſts, to learne who that might be. They named to mee F. Preſton: but him I finde to hauehave conſtantly diſauowed it, on examination: and otherwiſe I found good cauſe to think, that hee ſpake his conſcience in that deniall. Then was I poſted off to F. Palmer a Ieſuite, and that hee was the very man: but asking him very ſeriouſly and priuately about it, hee told me, hee neuer ſaw the Biſhop of London. And verily, if this Ieſuite did meane to equiuocate with mee, hee had no reaſon to ſpeak doublely on that part, but rather to auouch, that himſelfe did that deed, or knew who did it, that he might the better hold me in belief of that narration. In fine, I found this tale to be nothing but a comicall fiction: and on better weighing this ridiculous ſhameleſſe pamphlet, ſo belying Integrity, ſo outfacing the open Sunne with audacity, and ſo farre degenerating from all ſhew of verity; I concluded, that the frame could not be ſound, which was built vponupon ſuch a rotten foundation; nor that Religion ſincer…, which …ath ſlanderous leaſings for her daily food. As Tertullian ſaith in the behalfe of the Chri…tians firſt perſecuted by p. 78Nero, that hee that knewe Nero well, might eaſily vnderſtand, non niſi grande aliquod bonum à Nerone damnatum: Tertul. in Apologet. cont. Gentes.it was like to be a good thing, which Nero oppoſed. So when I view the ſhameleſſe ſlanders which ſuch Iugglers lay vpō that reuerend Biſhop, I muſt needs ſay, that I reuerenced his memory the more, and might well think him the more conſtant in his Religion, by their faining him to bee wauering.

M. Anderton.Yet, thus I muſt needs teſtifie of one the moſt ſufficient & ingenuous of their Prieſts, that, notwithſtanding it might make ſomewhat againſt their common cauſe, hee plainly told mee, hee was ſorry that euer any ſuch booke ſhould bee ſuffred to come forth; for it would doe them more hurt, then any booke they euer wrote: meaning, as I take it, that the forgerie in it was too palpable. But I find, that the booke is ſubſcribed by publike authority and particular commendation to it, nor will they inflict any cenſure vponupon the lewd Father of this monſtrous lie. And hence it is, that of late they hauehave altered The Title, and changed the Frontiſpice into a more darke phraſe, making it a Proſopopeia.

Doth Maſter Musket, who hath foure or fiue hundred (as I hauehave heard him boaſt) that come to his chamber to a Sermon, feed them with no better fare then ſuch windy, light, empty, nay noyſom exhalations? I can then call it but, The dreamed bread of the ſluggard. They may eat, but not bee ſatisfied. Perhaps hee may paralell this andp. 79greater fictions out of the Golden Legend, when he preacheth vponupon any By-Saints-day.

But I heare (me thinks) the noiſe of our hooting Noctua's, the Prieſts & Ieſuites, blind guides, and louers of darknes more then the light, who are ſo farre from beleeuing that any cataract or filme is on their eyes, that they are rather perſwaded, themſelues are the moſt quicke-ſighted. They know and ſee a farre off, that although, non adhuc miſerendi tempus, non adhuc exultandi dies, the time to hauehave mercy, The wiſe words of him that wrote The word of Comfort.their appointed day be not yet come, yet they ſhall hauehave a time & a day whē Vaevobis, wo… bee to their Aduerſaries. Their beſt dayes of late (perhaps) ſeeme to them but a leaden, or at beſt, a ſiluer age: but a Prieſt now in London tould mee ſometime this Lent (and it hath beene the merry tune of many more), that they ſhould ere long hauehave golden daies. Many of the Ieſuites hauehave of late cried, Woe to England. Their meaning is lockt vp in a miſery, and how they will explicate themſelues, I know not. Nocte die que ſuum gestant in pectore …eſtem; though they ſcape reſtem.

Let mee then premoniſh the ignorant, and feebler ſort eſpecially, who are like weak and ſilly flies, that they take heed how they be caught in ſuch cobwebs, wherein the chiefe thred they ſpinne, is, that none out of their Church can be ſaued. And further, let them beware, leſt they depraue their ingenuous diſpoſition, in tampering with tooles that may cut their fingers, and ſop. 80venture into that web of hereticall fraud, which they want ſtrength of wit to breake thorow. I knowe, that whom nature or education hath made ſimple, hereſie will make proud.

For who more inſolent then the ignorant? Which Eraſmus noted long agoe,Eraſm. in Spong. aduerſ. Hutten. and may well bee applyed vntounto many of our Engliſh Papiſts, who when they might bee informed de vita Chriſti, et de via Chriſtiani, they are reſolued aforehand not to bee ſatisfied.

Oh the blindneſſe of vnderſtanding of thoſe that are called Lay-Catholickes! Iuſt here were the complaint of the Prophet, My people bee in captiuity, becauſe they bee without knowledge. Eſa. 5.13.Isa 5:13Surely, when I begin to weigh and meditate on the abuſes that our Kingdome in generall, and theſe weake members thereof in particular, ſuſtaine by thoſe Hornets and Drones who flee vp and downe, ſtinging and wounding with the wily inſinuation of errour, ſucking and gathering hony in our gardens, yea, reſting vponupon diuers golden flowres; my heart begins to bleed, my bowels to yearne, and my ſoule is plunged in much heauineſſe. For wo is mee! Are wee not all ſonnes to one Father? all Subiects to one King, cuius ſub vmbrâ ſuauiter quieſcimus, we reſt vnderunder his ſhade, and his boughes hauehave beene long diſtended for our ſecuritie? How grieuous (alas!) is it now to him to heare, that any his children and ſeruants ſhould bee a prey to the Harpies of Rome; that vipers ſhould eat out their ſubſtance, & diſpoilep. 81them of the meanes of the true knowledge of Chriſt! All theſe things, vnleſſe they keepe you ſtill muffled, you may eaſily diſcerne. Are they not Lords, not onelyonly ouer your faith, but alſo your inheritance, 1 Pet. 5.1 Pet 5although, according to the rule of their Canoniſt, Praelatio eccleſiastica ministerium habet, non dominium: Linwood. The Prieſts and Ieſuites in their bookes pretend that they are ſeruants to thoſe ouer whom indeed they lord it.Their office binds them (nay, the Ieſuites vow ties them) to Seruice, rather then Dominion. How is it poſſible (mee thinks) that they ſhould bring you to that ſeruitude as I find they doe, ſo ſubiugate your vnderſtanding, and impriſon your wills, that if they command any thing, quamuis adinteritum animaeet corporis, you are readie to obey them? and doe they not accordingly make vaſſals and ſlaues of you?

Good-Friday cheere. A Proceſsion from Holborne to Tiburne.Yeſterday being Good-friday, this preſent yeere 1624. they made ſome of you in the Morning, before day, goe in Proceſsion to Tiburne, in penitentiall manner; the forme of which is, for a man to walke naked from the girdle vp ward, and ſcourge himſelf with a whip. The ſame day twelue-month laſt paſt, at a place of your ſolemne meeting in London, you made one whip himſelf ſo long, till he ſwouned, and was thought to bee paſt hope of recouery, ſo that hot water was inſtantly fetched to reuiue him. At Bruxels (as a Prieſt told mee, ſaying hee ſaw it, and boaſting of the meritorious work) a woman, about a yeere ſince, ſo cruelly ſcourged her ſelfe, that ſhee died of it. Is this Mortification, to murther our ſelues, leſt ſinne murther vsus, to aboliſh our life in the p. 82fleſh, leſt wee ſhould liue after the fleſh? I am no enemy vntounto auſterity of life, and taming or chaſtening our bodily ſinfull members, Rom. 5.Rom 5to bring them in ſubiection to the ſpirit, to abate the luſts of the eye, and pride of life, to depoſe the Tyrant ſinne from his dominion: whatſoeuer tendeth this way, for the better whetting of our members to become weapons of righteouſnes, I wiſh were more, rather then leſſe vſed in our reformed Churches; ſo it bee without the opinion of merit, without publike oſtentation, without exceſſe, and vnnaturall hating and diſabling our corporal faculties. Such kind of enormous flagellant Tragedies, proue ſometime as abſurd remedies againſt ſinne, as a Philoſopher did bring againſt ſicknes; who viſiting his diſeaſed friend, that complained of the irkſomneſſe of his diſeaſe, and deſired his aduice for curing the ſame, or eaſing his paine, departed from him, and ſhortly came againe, and told him, hee had brought a medicine to cure all his diſeaſes, and rid him of paine. The Patient hearing that welcome word, promiſed hee would take the medicine. To whom preſently this Kil-cow Phyſicion ſhewed vnderunder the lap of his coate a ſhort ſword, which would make ſhort worke. To ſay no more of this outrageous deuotion: as it is Baalaiticall, Like Baals Prieſts, who did lance their ſides, &c.wee cannot, vnleſſe wee winke, but ſee it is alſo Phariſaicall. If bitter chaſtiſement in this caſe be requiſite, why ſhould it not bee performed as priuately, as our Sauiour inioyneth Mat. 6.Matt 6ſecret prayer in the Clozet, the doore ſhut,p. 83&c? Muſt this be done before hundreds of ſpectatours? Yes verily, elſe the price of the ſatisfaction, the glory of the merit, the ouer-weight of ſupererogation, would be made lighter by many an ounce. And indeed, as in this, ſo in all the reſt of the whole pageant of Popery, eueryevery thing muſt bee theatricall ad pompam, elſe the gazing Vulgar would not be ſo frequently and eaſily caught.

Laſtly, if ſuch inioyned penances muſt be performed in an ambling faſhion, with rouing abroad, would no other place ſerue to gad vntounto, but Tiburne? Is no other place in England left ſacred and vnpolluted? Oh, but there is more vertue in the goale they runne vntounto, then in the race they vndertake. It was antient, to viſit memorias Martyrum; and ſo, the ſending of Diſciples to viſit Tiburne, maketh a deep impreſſion in their mindes, of the Saint-ſhip of ſome that hauehave there paid their debt to our Lawes. Wee know, Martyr and Perſecutor are Correlatiues: and ſo, in this action of pretended humiliation, there is intended an increaſe of the Romaniſts hatred againſt the Church and State of England, as perſecuting, and guilty of the bloud of thoſe whom they adore. Thus eueryevery ſtep in ſuch pilgrimage, makes thoſe Penitents to walke further from vsus: nay, in eueryevery ſtripe voluntarily receiued in that Iourney, the Confeſſor that inioyned this performance, thinkes hee ſcourgeth the Proteſtants.

p. 84Deare Country-men, let mee, in the ſpirit of meekneſſe, & out of the tenderneſſe of my heart and affection inlarged toward you, a little intreat you to conſider, how you are hood-winkt and diſguiſed. Doe yet, at laſt, lay your hands on your hearts, and loath theſe deſpicable Impoſtors, returning vntounto the truth, and aſſuring your ſelues, that neuer any true Religion did aſſiſt and credit it ſelfe by ſuch iuggling ſhifts, tricks and deuices, as the Ieſuiticall brood are obſerued daily to practiſe, and many of which (I am ſure) they ſhame to heare of.

The Periury of Tho Cornford Ieſuite.For example: Bluſh they not at this; that, one Thomas Cornford a brother of theirs, examined before my Lords Grace of Canterbury, Iune 25. 1612. did firſt giuegive vntounto himſelfe, the name of Iohn Vnderwood, and ſo ſubſcribed it; affirming that hee was a married man, and that hee had married the daughter of one Robinſon in Irkinburge, where his wife at the time of his Examination remained? Hee added alſo, he had beene married vntounto her twelue yeers, and that hee had by her ſix children. Hee ſaid hee was by condition a Farmer, and that hee came to Towne, to mooue the Lord Vaux, that himſelfe might be Tenant to his Lordſhip, for a certaine houſe and land lying in Irkinburge, where his wife, Robinſons daughter, remained. But this fellow, after, vponupon ſome remorce of conſcience, or fearing leſt his condition and eſtate might by ſome other meanes bee diſcouered, doth of himſelfe offer to manifeſt vntounto his Grace, his condition and profeſſion; vntop. 85which, as it were on a ſecond examination, he is admitted; and then acknowledged, That for the ſpace of ſix yeeres, hee was brought vp in the Colledge of Rome; and that there hee took the orders of Prieſt-hood, according to the manner of that Church; and that from thence, ſome 12 yeeres ſince, hee was ſent by miſsion into England, where by F. Garnet hee was admitted into the Society of Ieſus: hee acknowledgeth alſo, that his name was Tho. Cornford, and ſo ſubſcribed the ſame the ſecond time, after that before hee had ſubſigned by the name of Iohn Vnderwood.

Will you vnderſtand how this ingenuous Ieſuite did conciliate ſuch contrary ſayings of his? Thus hee performed his part: Excellent equiuocation.Whereas he affirmed himſelfe to bee a married man, his meaning was, that his wife was his Breuiarie, and that hee had beene married vntounto it 12. yeeres: as for his children had by Robinſons daughter, thoſe were his ghoſtly and ſpirituall children. The reaſon why hee called himſelfe a Farmer, was, becauſe hee was ſo to God, according to that Text, Redde rationem villicationis tuae: GiueGive an account of thy Farmer-ſhip. The reaſon why hee ſaid, hee came to take a Farme of the L. Vaux, was, becauſe hee was ready to doe him any ſeruice for the ſpirituall tilling of his ſoule.

Read D. Sheldons book of the Miracles of Antichrist, page 28. where you may read of another holy brother of the Ignatian ſociety, who did in the ſame ſort wilfully p…ure himſelfe.

p. 86Thus much for my preſent occaſion, by way of declaration, what wholeſome vſe (by Gods grace) I hauehave made of the noxious and balefull weeds that grow in the Papall garden; whereof, through my owne vanity and leuity, hauing taken ſome taſte, it hath pleaſed God to turn thoſe poyſons into an Antidote, happy for my ſelfe, and (as I hope) not vnfruitfull for others.

But firſt, I am not ignorant, that ſome particulars related by mee, are like to procure mee the hatred, and perhaps, ſome malicious machinations of thoſe that thought to hold me in perpetuall captiuity. But I proteſt to God, that as I hauehave in ſincerity of heart, without malicious inuenting, or adding any thing, giuen account of thoſe paſſages that came to my knowledge: ſo I doe not hate the perſon of any of thoſe, who hauehave pretended to hauehave beene my Inſtructers while I remained with them; but wiſh to them, as vntounto my owne ſoule, a ſight of thoſe corruptions & errours, wherein they are deepely dyed, and whereof they did caſt ſome tincture vponupon me; & alſo an acknowledgement of Gods Truth reſplendent in the Scriptures, a forſaking and abominating of that pernicious trade, of beeing Factors and Brokers for the Papacie: The ſuperſtitions and tyrannies whereof, I maruaile, if they ſee not; and I much more mourn, if, ſeeing & inwardly acknowledging, yet they ſhould entertaine and practiſe, for the keeping the poore Lay-people in awe, which I take to bee one ofp. 87the chiefeſt Arcana Imperij, ſecrets of State, for the maintenance of their religion.

Secondly, I hold my ſelfe bound in conſcience, vponupon the ſight of mine owne error, and conſideration of the ſcandall which I hauehave iuſtly giuen, to make publick proteſtation of my recouery, with vnfained and hnmble ſubmiſſion vntounto our reuerend Mother the Church of England (the moſt orthodox and pure Church now extant in the world, and moſt ſuitable vntounto the Apoſtolick and Primitiue times, both for faith and diſcipline). Before her feet I proſtrate my ſelfe with deepe ſorrow of heart, that I hauehave through raſhnes of heart, diſcontent, or any other miſ-guiding paſſion, played the run-away out of her family and obedience. Wherein my fault is farre the greater, foraſmuch as I, by that calling which ſhee hath vouchſafed mee (although vnworthy) in her family, ought to hauehave beene a guid… vntounto others, to keepe their feet in the waies of Truth and Peace. I implore her motherly indulgence, to open her lap to mee, her wandring returning childe, and to vouchſafe mee ſuch pardon and abſolution, as the power of the Keyes which ſhe hath receiued from our Sauiour, doth afford and extend vntounto penitent Delinquents. Nor did I think it ſufficient, to doe this by a ſimple profeſſion of the cure of my vnderſtanding; but I alſo held it neceſſary for mee to adde a manifeſtation of ſuch particular meanes as I beſt knew to bee vſed by our aduerſaries, as ſtratagems to beſiegep. 88vs, and ſnares to intrap vsus. Whereupon it may perhaps pleaſe ſome to whom that care belongeth, to make vſe euen of theſe ſlender informations, for the preuenting of future miſchiefs in that kinde, now growne very farre againſt the Church of England.

Thirdly, it behooued me not to be forgetfull of the bond of nature, and of that duty which I owe to my aged Father, a Miniſter in the Dioceſſe of Exon. whoſe righteous ſoule hath been vexed with my infamous deuiation; whoſe fatherly care and paines toward mee, euen then when I moſt forgot him, and my ſelfe, hath not beene wanting in his writing to me diuers Letters of Argument and exhortation: which, together with other meanes, concurring with Gods mercy, hauehave beene the loud Calls that hauehave pierced my eares, and made mee look back, and withdraw my foot out of the horrible mire and clay wherein I ſtuck. Euen of him, whom aboue others I hauehave deepely offended, I humbly craue fatherly pardon and bleſſing, not onelyonly ſecretly in my heart, but more publikely and authentically thus vnderunder my hand.

What a great debt lyeth vponupon mee, not onelyonly in regard of my firſt beeing; my education eſpecially in learning, and fitting mee for the Miniſtery, by his care and coſt, but alſo for the reparation of that diſcontent which hee hath iuſtly taken at my obliquity! All that I can promiſe and vowe, with the aſſiſtance of Gods grace, is, that I p. 89hope to pay double in future comforts, for that which I hauehave run arrerage by procuring fatherly ſorrowes. Faxit Deus. Laſtly, to touch again on that ſtring which before I hauehave ſtruck, but neuer can ſound too oft: This ſtreaming of my pen from the fountaine of my heart, runs that courſe, whither all things elſe ought to tend, euen into the Ocean of Gods glory exalted by his Mercy, in reaching out his helping hand to ſuch miſerable creatures as my ſelf, intangled in danger, & ready to tumble into perdition. To his glorious name I offer vp my ſelf, my ſoule & body, as a liuely reaſonable ſacrifice, vowing to bend al my faculties & future indeuours, to the publiſhing of his Truth, & to the ſetting forward, by word, and by example, that orthodox faith, and Church, which I hauehave wickedly cōtemn'd. And in ſpecial, I make oblation of my particular thankſgiuing, as a repeated Morning and Euening Sacrifice, for the double deliuerance vouchſafed mee; the one Corporall, & concerning this life; which in me, beyond expectation and naturall reaſon, was prolonged, when I was ſaued, tanquam torris erutus e flamma, I meane, in that generall and wofull downfall at the Blackfryers, wherein many leſſe ſinners then my ſelfe breathed their laſt. The other deliuerance is ſpirituall, beeing in ſome ſort a child of that mother, as proceeding from the due cogitation of the other; I meane, the looſing of my bands, the vnfettering of my heart & ſoule from the Babylonian captiuity, the diſpelling of thatp. 90cloud of Romiſh errors, which obſcu…ed, though not wholy extinguiſhed the light of Gods Truth in me. There were (I know) that ſaid vntounto mee, Pſal. 41 8.Ps 41:8An euill diſeaſe cleaueth faſt vntounto him: and now that hee lyeth, he ſhall riſe no more. But thou (O Lord) haſt put a new ſong into my mouth: Thoſe that ſit yet in darkneſſe, ſhall ſee it, and feare: For, The Snare is broken, and I am deliuered. Lord, eſtabliſh me in thy Truth: thy Word is Truth.

FINIS.