New Shreds of the Old Snare, Part 1
All that can ſing or ſay,
Come and heare a Ieſuits play.
IN the Concluſion or appendant to my former Booke, I made bold to acquaint my Reader with Mary Wiltſhire, ſomtime enſnared and cooped by a packe of Ieſuites or Prieſts, with the engine of perſonated Apparitions; as alſo I gaue a touch in generall of Mris Bouchers daughter, which here according to my notice followeth in particular.
About ſome three yeares ſince Mary Boucher alias Butcher, daughter of Anne Boucher of the Cittie of London widdow (and Gentlewoman of good ſort) was entertained in the ſervice of the Lady A. a Papist. But before ſhe went to ſerue the ſaid Lady, Mris Boucher her mother told the Lady A. that by no meanes ſhee would permit her daughter to liue with her, if ſhee thought ſhee would be diverted from her Religion, ſhee being then a good Proteſtant. The Lady promiſed that neither her ſelfe nor any other ſhould hauehave to dowith her in that particular. Yet there repairing often to this Ladies houſe Mr Fiſher, Mr Wainman, and Mr Ireland, Ieſuites, they were ſtill buſie and labouring with this Mary Boucher to become a Romiſh Catholicke, telling her that ſhee muſt be damn'd if ſhee did not imbrace their Religion, and as for the Proteſtant Religion they told her that it was the deuils doctrine, brought in by Martin Luther, who had conference with the devill and learnd of him every point of that beliefe which the Proteſtants now retaine. For proofe hereof they ſhewed her a Printed Booke wherein Luthers conference with the devill was at large expreſſed. VponUpon reading whereof the yong woman did ſeeme to ſtagger, and was much perplexed. And after a while theſe Ieſuites came to her Miſtris houſe againe and then began to tamper and deale with her as before, and Mr Fiſher told her that he knew better then her ſelfe what would become of her. Wee are Gods Prophets (quoth he) wee can doe Miracles, and wee are inſpired with divine Illuminations. It is revealed vntounto me that you muſt goe beyond the Seas, and become a Nunne, which is to liue an Angelicall life, yea it is the moſt excellent of all other kindes of liuing; A loud lewd Hyperbole.For it obtaineth the ſame grace which is had in Baptiſme, and the entring into that order doth take away all ſinne, both the fault and puniſhment, and reſtoreth to the firſt ſtate of Innocency as Baptiſme doth. For proofe whereof he alledged vntounto her diverſe ſentences pretended to be taken out of the Fathers. This young woman much amazed at him, told him, that her Mother would never yeeld ſhee ſhould become a Papist, much leſſe to be a Nunne and to leaue her Countrey. Mr Fiſher and Mr Wainman both replyed, You muſt not reſpect your mother in theſe matters. Shee is an Hereticke, and you ſhall be Gods childe, and we would adviſe you never to ſee her any more. Theſe things troubling and diſtempering the yong womans minde, ſhe found her ſelfe ſcarce well, and then went and layd her downe vponupon her bed, where after ſhee had reſted her ſelfe a while, there comes into the chamber one Mris Vauſe, a great Recuſant, and asked her how ſhee did, and then came to her and did with ſomewhat ſtroke or rub her forehead. After which time Mary Boucher felt her ſelfe very ill at eaſe and diſtempered in her head. And about an half-houre after Mris Vauſe was departed from her, ſhee heard her chamber dore open, and with that a great light flaſhed into the roome two or three times, which ſhee thought ſome bodie did by way of ieſt or merriment, to make her afraid. Wherevpon ſhee called on them not to affright her, for that ſhee was not well. But forthwith came into the roome an apparitiō or ſhape as of a woman all in white, with countenance pale and wanne, with long treſſes of haire hanging downe to her middle who ſtill made toward her; whereat this ſicke woman was much afraid. But this viſible approaching nearer to her, bad her not to feare; for that ſhe came to her for her eternall good and happineſſe. And with that the appearing woman began by degrees to remoue with her hand the haire from her face, and asked this Mary whither ſhee knew who ſhee was; with that this diſtreſſed Mary looked earneſtly on her, and then cryed out, Oh my God-mother, and would hauehave gotten off from her bed to hauehave aſked her bleſſing. But the other bad her lye ſtill and not ſtirre. And then touching her with a hand cold as earth or iron, asked her where is your mother, where is my husband, where are my children? And then told her ſhee was come from Purgatory, where ſhe had long endured torture and torment. And ſhee came to tell her how ſhee her God-daughter ſhould eſcape the ſame. And then began to queſtion with her, what Religion ſhee was of: Mary Boucher told her, I am a Proteſtant. Oh then quoth this Preaching goodly ghoſt, thou haſt no hope at all euer to ſee heaven. Then it asked her againe, how many Sacraments there were. Shee anſwered, two. A Cathechizing Ghoſt.Nay quoth the Ghoſt, thou art deceived there are ſeaven. Then it asked her the third time, whether ſhee did beleeue the point of Tranſubſtantiation. Shee anſwered, No. God-daughter quoth the Ghoſt, thou muſt beleeue that eſpecially; For, for not beleeving that point, there is daily many hundreds that are damned. And in this manner did this familiar informing, conferring Ghoſt continue for the ſpace of an houre or two queſtioning with Mary Boucher, who lay in great heate and agony, ſweating and quaking vponupon her bed, no body all this while commingneare & diſturbing them, which ſhee ſaith makes her ſince the rather beleeue it was a plot deviſed and practiſed by the Prieſts, with the conſent of her Miſtris: For in this Chamber where ſhee lay, there did vſe every quarter-houre of the day to be ſome one or other comming in and out, being the chamber where the children and Maid-ſervants lay, and had often occaſion thither. When this Ghoſt had ſo long conferred with her, and was taking her leaue, it willed her in this maner. By all meanes ſee that you tell my children what you hauehave ſeene, and how their Mother appeared vntounto you, and what counſell ſhe hath given you. And then it vaniſhed away.Exit Ghoſt.
Shortly after the vaniſhing of this viſion, there comes into Mary Bouchers chamber Mris Vauſe, and asked her how ſhee fared. Shee anſwered her not well, but told her what had happened. Oh then quoth Mris Vauſe, It is time for thee to become a good Catholike; For aſſure thy ſelfe it was a ſpeciall favour and mercy of God that thou ſhouldeſt hauehave ſuch a warning. And ſo giving her more inſtructions to this purpoſe, went away.Exit Vauſe. Intrat Godmother. Nimble Actors know their Q. And then appeared againe the Ghoſt and ſpake to her in this manner. God-daughter thou maiſt thinke I louelove thee well to come thus to thee and tell thee what thou muſt doe to be ſaved, and not rather to hauehave ſpoken to one of my owne children. But I conſider that thou art ordained for an extraordinary end, to be a Nunne, which is the happieſt life of all other. For they that ſo liue are Saints vponupon earth. The vow that is made by thoſe who enter into that order deſerveth the plenary remiſſion of all ſinnes, and Iuſtification before God. Iuſtification. Will the Ieſuites iuſtifie this for ghoſtly doctrine? A bold Ghoſt alluding to S. Pauls inſtruction by Ananias. Act. 22.And therefore God-daughter if any holy man perſwade thee to that courſe of life, accept of it, and I would hauehave thee to repaire vntounto one Mr Ireland a Prieſt, and he will direct thee in this courſe. Whatſoever he biddeth thee to doe, refuſe it not. And ſo the Ghoſt vaniſhed the ſecond time. And in the whole appeared vntounto her aboue a dozen times, which ſo amazed her, that ſhee was not her ſelfe a long time after.
Though this viſion was privately Acted, yet the noiſe of it was bruted abroad and came to the eare of Mris Boucher the Mother, who therevpon came to the houſe of her Miſtris to ſpeake with her daughter, but being forſooth an Hereticke might not be admitted after long waiting to queſtion with her owne child about this ſtrange newes. Nay the daughter her ſelfe vponupon freſh apprehenſion hereof was perſwaded by thoſe in the houſe to eſtrange her ſelfe toward her owne mother, who notwithſtanding preſſing on, did at length ſpeake with her Miſtris the Lady of the houſe, and in her daughters preſence vpbrayded them with theſe Colluſions, and telling the Lady that ſhee thought her to be of better vnderſtanding then to put any beliefe in ſuch devices, adding moreover, that it was great wrong to the dead Lady to be thus acted as being in Purgatory; when as ſhe was a woman ſo vertuous and religious, that it is not to be doubted but that ſhee is in heaven. And though vſing great importunitieto hauehave her daughter home, ſhee could not obtaine it, wherevpon ſhee vſed further meanes by complaining vntounto ſome in high place and authoritie, for the reſcuing of her child out of the poſſeſſion of thoſe who had thus deluded her: But vſing all the helpes ſhee could, it was more than halfe a yeare ere ſhee could get her daughter home to her. And within a weeke after her daughters being with her, ſome of theſe ghoſtly Fathers that ſent this ghoſt to her, did by the conveiance of a private Letter call her off againe, ſo that ſhe made an eſcape from her Mother and flew the ſecond time to their lure. And to prevent her Mothers recovering of her againe, they determined to ſet her packing beyond the Seas, there to be Nunnified. To which end they ſcratcht vp by their Catholicke-hookes the ſum of threeſcore pounds to line this new Nunne. This comming to her Mothers notice, whetted her endeavours to regaine her childe, and accordingly ſhee ſpake to ſome who ſhee knew had intereſt in thoſe that robd her of her daughter, threatning that ſhee would complaine to the Higheſt, and declare their deceitfull lewd courſes. This ſharpe ingredient wrought ſo well, that the voyage was ſtayed and her daughter reſtored. Who ſince being in her Mothers tuition and receiving due inſtruction, hath by Gods bleſſing pulled her Foote out of the Snare, well ſeeing and leaving the vanitie of Popery. Shee is now married and dwelleth neare Bainards-Caſtle in London, where of late I viſited her to informemy ſelfe the better of the truth of theſe particulars. And within theſe very few dayes ſhee being demanded in my hearing, what meanes ſhee thinketh to hauehave beene vſed to make thoſe apparitions to her, and diſquiets in her, ſhee ſaith; Shee thinketh in her conſcience ſome of thoſe things could not be done without Witchcraft, or ſome ſtrange helpe by the devill. The particulars of this apparition are incntioned in my former Booke.In which opinion I muſt needs ſay ſhee doth concurre with Mary Wiltſhire, who not long ſince in my hearing repeated ſuch apparitiōs made to her to the ſame end, did with great aſſeverance expreſſe that ſhee verily thinketh that they who made the apparition of the Virgin Mary, dealt by Sorcery or ſuch indirect deviliſh meanes.
I doubt I ſhall now ſure vndergoe the Ferula of our grand pedanticke Maſters the Ieſuites, for telling ſo many tales out of the ſchoole: which their Anger will be the more implacable, becauſe they know my informations to be good, my relations to be warrantable, and the very circumſtances of them to trench vponupon the reputation of thoſe who would be thought ſo wiſe and vncontrouleable, that they deſerue to hold the whole Chriſtian world in pupillage and pillage. But for my part I muſt ſpare them never a whit the more. The neceſſitie of any dutie ouercommeth the weight of their menaces. As he that hath beene incited to hold out a Caſtle mutinouſly againſt the lawfull owners and gouernors thereof, when he ſeeth his fault and hath ſlipped away from his fellow Mutiners, is in duty boundnot to favour thoſe his quondam-Mates, but rather for the better demonſtration of his alleagiance, is to diſcover what he can the practiſes of their combination, and to lead others on to the battery of that hold in ſuch places where he by experience knowes it to lye weake and beſt aſſaileable: So I am ſo farre from repenting of the former declarations made by me, out of conſcience and truth againſt thoſe that poſſeſſe many a ſecret hold in the Territories of his Maieſties Dominions, ſeaſing vponupon the hearts and houſes of many, and captivating them within a combination, in oppoſition againſt our Religion eſtabliſhed, and diſcontent againſt the courſe of our civill eſtate and Lawes; that I cannot but goe on in vſing my beſt memory to recollect what I knew, and meanes to inquire what formerly I knew not, that might conduce to the further diſplay of their practiſes. I confeſſe I ſpeake ſtones, and lay inke and gall on their tettars. But, Dicatur veritas, rumpatur invidia; Let the Truth be ſpread, and their Envy burſt it Gall.
❧ The ſecond Comodie of a Female Apparition, acted by the thrice honourable Company of Ieſuites, Players to the Popes Holines.
Ieſuites are in at all games.ABout Auguſt laſt 1623. Mr Fiſher and Mr Wainman, Ieſuits, came to a Romiſh Recuſants houſe in Surrey, where ſoiourned a young Gentlewoman, one Mris Francis Peard, whoſe parents being dead, ſhee had her portion of goods in her own hands, which portion (as I am credibly informed) was aboue a thouſand pounds. Mr Fiſher & Mr Wainman laboured to perſwade this Gentlewoman to become a Romiſh Catholicke, and at length prevailed and perverted her; which done Mr Fiſher and Mr Wainman began to conſider how they might worke her out of her moneys, which being ſo round a ſumme, they laboured to get this fat Fiſh into their Nett.
A Mountebankes Oration.Maſter Wainman begins here to Act his part, and firſt comes to her by himſelfe and ſaith; Oh Miſtris Francis, what a glorious ſight did I behold the laſt night. At midnight being in my bed I lay awake and began to ſay over my Breviary,The Breviary is attractiue of Virgins in the night as well as in the day. which I had no ſooner done, but there appeared vntounto me a beautifull Virgin like your ſelfe, all in white, glittering like an Angell, and ſaid vntounto me, Behold I am ſuch a one, whom you being my ghostly Father perſwaded to become a Nunne, and now I appeare to giuegive you thanks. For ſince my departure out of this world, I raigne in glory with the Virgin Mary. All the tongues in the world cannot expreſſe that which I now poſſeſſe. There is a Gentlewoman you lately perſwaded to become a Catholicke, Mris Francis Peard: Oh perſwade her to the ſame life that I led in the heavenly Monaſterie at Bruxells: Shee will without doubt be a good Saint. Oh thrice bleſſed Ieſuite.This viſible having thus ſpoken vntounto Mr Wainman, It gaue him (as he ſaid) three Benedictions and vaniſhed away.
Mr Wainman the Precurſor vntounto Fiſher to beat game into his Nett.After the narration of this viſion made to Mris Peard, Mr Wainman began to exhort her to Nunſhip, and vſed diverſe Arguments for the alluring her to ſuch courſe of liuing. And ſo left the Gentlewoman for that time, who as yet was vnreſolved what to doe. The weeke following Mr Fiſher perſwaded this Gentlewoman to come to London, and appointed her to lodge in a Popiſh houſe in Drury lane, and told her ſhee ſhould there heare a very excellent Sermon. According to his direction ſhee came to the appointed houſe in London, and the day following heard a Sermon preached by a Ieſuite, whoſe name ſhee could not learne; but his Text was taken out of 1 Cor. 7. And for Virgins a Commandement of our Lord I hauehave not, but Counſell I giuegive▪ as having obteined mercy of our Lord to be faithfull &c.
In which Sermon he tooke occaſion to handle the point of Vowes, and ſaid, that to vow Chaſtitie and to liue vnmarried, was an Angelicall life vponupon earth, reſembling the ſtate of the bleſſed in heaven, where they Math. 22.neither marry nor be married, but are as the Angels of God in heaven. And ſpake particularly of Nunnes, that as they ſing in Gods quire here vponupon earth, ſo they ſhall ſing a ſong of ioy in heaven which none can ſing but they; and ſhall be crowned with a ſpeciall Crowne of glory, which none can weare but they.
This Sermon much inflamed the Gentlewoman with zeale to become a Nunne: which Mr Fiſher well perceived. And the night following after this Gentlewoman had beene in her bed ſome houre or two, there ſeemed to be a great light in her Chamber, which at the firſt beholding thereof aſtoniſhed her, and then preſently after appeared vntounto her, a ſhape like vntounto a woman all in white: from her face ſeemed to come little ſtreames of fire, or glittering light. This Woman-ſhape firſt bad her not be afraid, for ſhee came to her with a meſſage from heaven, and ſaid her name was St Lucy, who being borne of honorable Parents, and of a great Familie, had great riches left vntounto her by her friends; The fruitfull vſefull part of a ghoſtly Sermon is in the Application.which riches fearing leaſt they ſhould be an hinderance to her in the proceſſe of godlineſſe, ſhe beſtowed all vponupon the poore and liued a Monaſticall life, by meanes whereof ſhee is now one of the moſt glorious Saints in heaven. And then ſaid this crafty viſion to the Gentlewoman, Doe you alſo diſpoſe of thoſe worldly things that you hauehave to the poore, and toward religious Vſes, and goe your wayes and liue a religious life amongſt the good company of Virgins at Bruxells, and ſo ſhall you be ſure to be ſaved, and freed from the fire of Purgatory, which otherwiſe you cannot eſcape. And ſo this viſion left her.
Cogging were la…e, if dubbing did not follow.The next morning came to viſit her Mr Fiſher and Mr Wainman, to whom ſhee preſently began to relate what ſhee had ſeene that night, and that St Lucy had appeared to her and talked with her. The poore Proteſtant Heretickes hauehave no ſuch ſweet viſions.Oh what a happy woman are you quoth Mr Fiſher. You may ſee what it is to be a Catholicke and to be of our Church. Thus doth God worke his Miracles amongſt vsus daily, and by ſuch viſions doth God commonly reveale himſelfe vntounto vsus. What will you now doe then, ſaid Mr Wainman? Will you not become a Nunne? Yes forſooth, ſaid the Gentlewoman, I will be adviſed by you. So then they wiſhed her to get her moneys ready, and one of them would be her Conductor to Bruxells. But, quoth Mr Wainman, you had beſt giuegive an hundred pounds preſently to poore Catholickes in thankfulnes for St Lucyes good will towards you.The fine wch St Lucyes Tenants pay at entrance, an hundred pounds. Yea, ſaid Mr Fiſher, that indeed will be a worke meritorious. Then ſaid Mr Wainman, You had beſt put it into our hands, and wee will diſtribute it where we find moſt fit.Quiſ que ſibi proximus. He is an ill Cooke that licks not his ovvne fingers. To all this the innocent Gentlewoman with little repine yeelded, and within few dayes after delivered them an hundred pounds. Shortly after they came to her and told her, that they muſt hauehave an hundred pounds more to ſend over to the Nunnery before her,Hard Landlords that exact a ſecond fine. Why ſhould they not be ſued in Court of equitie to reſtore it? to make proviſion of ſome neceſſeriesagainſt her comming. The which hundred pounds they likewiſe tugged out of her hands; and for the ſpace of a quarter of a yeare, theſe two Maſter-Ieſuites, like two cunning old Gray-hounds that could well ſerue one anothers turne for the catching the poore hare, with ſome other Iourney-men of their trade, made great labour to and fro this Gentlewoman, and every one of them began to plucke a feather from the plume of her eſtate.
Shee ſeeing and plainly perceiving that they made Religion a ſtalking horſe to intend their owne profit, began to take conſideration thereof, and to meditate on their practiſing, aſſuring her ſelfe that they aymed at nothing more than to cheate her of her moneys and goods. Experience deare bought.And ſeriouſly weighing the particulars of the apparition preſented to her in Drury lane, ſhee concluded it muſt needs be ſome iugling tricke deviſed by thoſe Maſters, and aſſiſted by ſome in the houſe. In briefe, ſhee reſolved to ſhake off her gracious grand-Fathers the Prieſts and Ieſuites, and ſo to bid her new Gueſt the Roman Religion farewell.
By the like Pageant or tricke of legerdemaine was Elizabeth Powell of Holborne within this tweluemoneth befopped with Viſions and Revelations, and perſwaded to become a Nunne, whom of late the Prieſts hauehave packed over to ſome Monaſtery, giving her belike not ſo long a time of deliberation to bethinke her ſelfe; or rather her ghoſtly Father Mr Musket is a man ſomwhat nimbler than his Copes-mates. He was the Maſter-gamſter (as I hauehave heard) who fetcht over this ſaid Elizabeth Powell, but in what manner he played his part vponupon the Stage, I cannot yet learne.
As concerning their other Impoſture and Coſenage of Mris Peard, I ſee no reaſon but that theſe Ieſuites ſhould be ſued; Firſt vponupon an Action of Account, how they hauehave diſpoſed theſe ſummes, being committed to them in truſt, and limited to others vſes. Nor would I be the Advocate for them if they were ſued in the Starre-chamber for Subornation, lewd practiſe and Coſenage, having entred into ſuch a combination, and executed the ſame by ſuch cheating, ſhuffling, and Comicall an Engine. I hauehave heard that in that high Court within theſe three yeares ſome combining cheating Companions, hauehave beene queſtioned for ſtripping a ſimple credulous man out of his revennues, by ſetting vp one of their company in a Taverne to Act a Commanding part over the reſt of that good fellowſhip, who by their device ſhould hauehave ſuch authoritie, that none of the reſt might diſobey whatſoever he impoſed on them. Mr K…a: befooled.This Commander they ſtiled by the mightie name of Captaine Gogge, who vponupon pretence of this power, made one of his ſilly Companions to ſet his hand to a writing there brought, which proued a Releaſe of right in certaine Lands, which for ought I heare could neuer be recouered againe. But the Ieſuites devices are more refined▪ this onelyonly by the ſpirit of liquor and bond of roaring good fellowſhippe, but theirs by pretended divine inſpirations, viſible meſſengers, and audible meſſages from heaven. And what perſwaſiue power is there betweene the bluſtring Commands of any Gog or Magog in compariſon of the ſweet inſinuations of a Virgin-Saint, imitating in ſome ſort the Angell Gabriell in ſpeaking to a Virgin and comforming her ſelfe to her own name in the manner of her apparition, flaſhing out rayes or beames of light. O Luciam lucidiſsimam, or rather O luculentam fraudem, O lutulentum ſcelus! A bold, palpable, dirtie Impoſture. And if wee conſider this kinde of knauery in the higheſt pitch of it, me thinkes theſe lewd pagenteeres ſhould be queſtioned alſo in ſome Eccleſiaſticall Court for Prophanation of heaven and holy things, making them by ſuch devices little better than Theatricall and fabulous tricks to get money and ineſcate poore deceived ſoules. I know not whither any of our Biſhops Courts, or high Commiſsion doe take cogniſance of ſuch kind of abuſes, but if they doe, thoſe holy, heauenly, Virginall, Monaſticall, fantaſticall, ſophiſticall Contrivers and Actors will cut out worke for them to ſpend ſome time in cenſure.
But now I bethinke my ſelfe how deeply I am miſtaken, I had forgotten that the ſuperexcellent, tranſcendent, exorbitant order of the Ieſuites, is not ſubiect to any but their owne ſeraphicall Superiours. What talke you of our Courts of Iuſtice in England? They hauehave no more power over theſe exempts, than the King of Kallecut hath over the Virginian Toma-Coma. All Romiſh Prieſts forſooth are exempt from ſecular hands, and Ieſuites Exemptiſsimi from the ſecular Prieſts. The Conſiſtories of our Biſhops can doe no Acts but nullities againſt any of theſe; For every thing they doe is voyd ipſo facto, quia per non Iudicem. Ours are not Eccleſiaſticall Iudges, nor hauehave any Iuriſdiction, becauſe not derived from the Well-head at Rome, nor imparted by him who hath the keyes of all Church-lockes at his girdle, and ſetting his hands by his ſide brauely ſayes, Data eſt mihi omnis poteſtas in Coelo & in terra. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.
But now for manner of cleanly conveyance of this buſineſſe, nay, in theſe manifold Pageants of heavenly viſibles, I hauehave thought with my ſelfe diverſe times to what kind of operation I ſhould referre it. Somewhat I thinke may be done this way by Paper Lanthornes or tranſparent Glaſſes to eradiate & redouble light, & caſt out painted ſhapes by multiplication of the ſpecies viſibiles, & artificiall directing of refractions. And for the Actor that puts life into this mimicall Artillery by motion and voice, that may be done by ſome nimble handed and footed Nouice Ieſuitable Boy, that can as eaſily put on the perſon of St Lucy, or The virgin Mary, as a Play-boy can act winged Mercury, or Eagle mounted Ganimedes.
But the Ieſuites being or having Actors of ſuch dexteritie, I ſee no reaſon but that they ſhould ſet vp a company for themſelues, which ſurely will put down The Fortune, Red-Bull, Cock-pit, & Globe. OnelyOnly three exceptions ſome make againſt them which perhaps may make their Cuſtomers after a while ſome what coole and thinly to frequent them.
1 Tautologie.It ſeemes by want of varietie the Poet is drawne dry.One is, that the plots of their Comedies twang all vponupon one ſtring, apparitions of the ſame kind, their Actors having little or no varietie of diſguiſe. In all theſe three or foure Playes, none comes in Acting but A Woman, A Woman, A Woman, arrayed in white, white, white. I am ſo charitable to plead for them without a Fee.But I anſwer for them; That perhaps may be excuſed, becauſe the ſpectators are women, and ſo ſhee likely to conſort beſt with her owne ſexe. Neither hauehave they much varietie of apparell. One white robe and no other habit in three ſeverall Playes. White from Heaven, and white from Purgatory. I will be ſo kinde as to anſwer for them in caſe of Tautologie, or want of varietie, with that advice which was once giuen to an Orator, who being to make an Oration before a curious Auditory, and belabouring his memory with often cōning it by heart, at length loathed his owne worke by often hearing it, and therefore diſtruſted the Auditories acceptation; Whereto his Friend made anſwer; Though you by often repeating it are weary, yet to them it will be freſh enough, becauſe they ſhall heare it but once. So though themſelues are guiltie of the dulnes of the ſame tricke which they act often, yet their comfort is, that it is repreſented but to one, and ſo the leſſe ſpread, and every time of repetition tis preſented to a new ſpectator that never ſaw it before, to whom it may well be freſh and welcome.
2. Incongruitie.The ſecond Obiection is Incongruitie, the Poet ſeeming worthy to be quarrelled with all for deviſing to ſend one in a white robe from the ſmoakie burning Kitchen of Purgatory. The Tel-tale from that place ſhould rather hauehave come in a ſcorched ſheete all torned to tinder. But hereto I anſwer for our good Poets the Ieſuites. If the ſheet had beene burnt to tinder, it would not hauehave hung together, and ſo all the device had falne in pieces.
But ſtay Sir Poet, one word more concerning the title of Incongruitie. What Decorum is it to bring from Purgatory her that Acted God-mother, who was knowne to the Spectatrix to hauehave beene a Proteſtant: whereas all thoſe that build Purgatory, doe intend it for a hot Inne for the Roman Catholickes onelyonly. But no Hereticke may hauehave the honor to ſmell of thoſe flames, but are beat downe with a Club to hell in poſt-haſt with out baiting by the way. Hereto I anſwer, that theſe Actors would giuegive out that ſhee dyed a Romanist, and hope they may pretend ſo, becauſe ſhe liued and dyed a very vertuous life: Godlines being a proper Priviledge entailed to the Romaniſts, who ſeeing any Ship of great burthen, (any great learned man) paſſing to his Haven, giuegive ayme preſently and ſay, it is ours; Vid. The Ieſuits Cathech. lib. 1. cap. 17.thus dealt Puteanus the Provinciall of the Ieſuits with him, who was veré Ieſuit…-maſtix, religious and renowned Mr Beza; and as cunningly or knaviſhly dealt foule-mouth'd Mr Musket, and doting Doctor Kelliſon, both Seculars, with the late reverend and learned Biſhop of London. But Fallitur cum ſua tota cater ua Diabolus. The deuill and all his rout were much deceived. They dyed in a conſtant beliefe, perſwaſion, and profeſſion of that holy Truth of God, in defence whereof they ſtood both by writing & ſpeaking againſt the Church of Rome.
Now to make vp your mouth againſt all diſtaſt of Incongruitie, I ſay the Poet kept within his Circle. For he well knew that deepe paſſions, eſpecially affright and aſtoniſhing admiration, doe for the time bereaue and ſuſpend exact inquiring diſcourſe. Well might he preſume that the ſpectator being a Woman would not be too full of true Syllogiſme, and being poſſeſſed with admiration of her revi…'d God-mother, would not be too buſie in Theologicall Queres, how ſhee was capable of that place from whence ſhee came to viſit her God-daughter.
3. Deare price.The third abatement of the honor and continuance of this Scenicall company is, that they make their ſpectators pay to deare for their Income. Repreſentations and Apparitions from the dead might be ſ…ene farre cheaper at other Play-houſes. As for example, the Ghoſt in Hamblet, Don Andreas Ghoſt in Hieronimo. As for flaſhes of light, we might ſee very cheape in the Comedie of Piramus and Thiſbe, where one comes in with a Lanthorne and Acts Mooneſhine. But here for a Comedie conſiſting of one Scene, and one Actor, tis very deare market to pay an hundred pounds for entrance, and beſides that another hundred pounds for ſitting in a boxe neere the Stage.But here I anſwer for them (though I thinke I ſhall hauehave little thanke for my paines of them) that they having but one Spectator, muſt hauehave as much of that one as if they had an whole Theater full. The Lawyer that pleads at Barre for his Client, will not therefore abate any thing of his Fee becauſe the Auditory is ſmall or the Iudges few, his ſtudy and preparation being the ſame.
Moreover, though there be but one Actor appearing here vponupon the Stage, yet you muſt conſider that here are diverſe others within the tyring-houſe, that take a great deale of paines to proiect the plot, to inſtruct the Actor, and to furniſh him with habit and ornament. And who can tell how many ſharers there are that muſt take part of that which is paid? Wherein I hope that theſe two Ieſuites, F. Fiſher, and F. Wainman, men of extraordinary action, hauehave a treble or quatriple ſhare each of them, as being the principall over-ruling Maſters. Would any man thinke that Burbege ſhould be cōtent with a ſingle ſhare, who was the flower and life of his company, the Loadſtone of the Auditory, and the Roſeius of the Stage?
Another matter more troubled my curioſitie, where and of what Maſter they learned theſe trickes of legerdemaine. I alwayes thought they had their rudiments from ſome iugling Hocas Pocas in a quart pot. A man of great name and fame.At length I learnd that one of them, namely, Mr Wainman, alias Mr Wrightman, alias Mr Wood, alias Mr Peacock, alias Mr Baker, alias Mr Read, alias Mr Frye, alias Mr French (I thinke he taketh eight names to anſwer to the eight Beatitudines) had beene heretofore the Auditor and Diſciple of a grand Maſter, notorious in the peoples reputation for ſtrange feates. And beſides I learned that this ſaid Wainman had long ſince ſome trickes of cleanly conveyance, whereof he brought a whole waine-load from Briſtow, where he made himſelfe very famous by profeſſing that he could make the Philoſophers ſtone, and turne any mettall into gold; But he ſo turned over the money of a Knight thereabouts by Evaporation, Calcination, Proiection, and Cohobbation, that the Knight might well hauehave wiſhed this Mountebank had ſtudied leſſe the Chimicall Trade, vnleſſe he had left more fruit of his labours by proiection behinde him.An Alchymist vſually anſwers his deluded ſcholler with expectation of Proiection, and tells him the more his Materials be multiplied, the ſtronger will the Proiection be; eſpecially if it come to the mountenance of an hundred pounds. Vid. The Play of the Alchymiſt. And yet hauehave I heard he was not vtterly vnfruitfull there. For how ſoever his Inventions proued abortiue concerning the Philoſophers ſtone, yet he leſt ſome evidence of bringing forth ſome worke of perfection, or rather imperfection by other kinde of ſtones; concerning which imployment of Multiplication, I could make a Quere how it agrees with his Prieſthood, or with the ſublimated quinteſſence of his Ieſuiticall order. Whoſe holy function would be blaſted and crackt in ſunder by any Matrimoniall Coniunction? If himſelfe were to anſwer, he could eaſily put it off with ſome equivocating tricke,Vid. Dr Sheldon of the Miracles of Antichriſt. like his brother Ignatian, who being examined vponupon oath whether he were a Prieſt, anſwered, No; and after ſaid, he meant he was not a Prieſt of Baal. And ſo aske this man whether itaccord with his Father-hood to be as fruitfull in the fleſh as in the ſpirit, he will hauehave ſome ſodering ſhift that will make all ſound, without vrging the Text Creſcite & multiplicamini & replete terram. Gen. 1. 28.
That which I would now hauehave you obſerue out of Mr Fiſher and Mr Wainmans pretty iugling practiſes is, with what creeping ſly ſtealth the Maſter-Gameſters the Ieſuites doe driue the female Partridges into their Nett by the helpe of the ſetting Dogge of ſneaking Viſions and Phantaſmes. Or to come nearer the habit of this Scene; When I conſider their carriage and wily beguiling conveyance, me thinkes I behold the cunning Fowler, ſuch as I hauehave knowne in the Fenne-Countries, and els-where, that doe ſhoot at Woodcockes, Snipes, and wilde Fowle, by ſneaking behind a painted cloth which they carry before them, having pictured in it the ſhape of a Horſe, which while the ſilly Fowle gazeth on, ſhee is knockt downe with Hale-ſhot, and ſo put in the Fowlers-budget. Oh the Artificiall incomparable engine of Ieſuiticall Fowlers, the painted Hobby-horſe of Saint-like Apparitions from Heaven or Purgatory! Whilſt the ſilly Bird gazeth with rapting admiration; Bounce ſayes the Ieſuites Gunne, Thou art mine, and takes them by the Coxcombe, and packes them by dozens to ſend by the Poulterers to be put in Coopes at Bruxells, and elſe-where. Quó pulchrius E… charius.Wherein I commend their skill in their Trade, that they chuſe as neare as they can thoſe fowle that are fatte and faire of feather. If a leane one come in the way, the fatter ſhall beare it out. In the one they hauehave a pretence of Wiſedome, in the other of Charitie.
But oh, the profound Policie which our Ignatians vſe for the confirmation and eſtabliſhment of their Religion, conſiſting in theſe ſuperlatiue proiects and practiſes, wherein they goe as farre beyond their fellow Prieſts, as Maſter Stevens galloping Croſſe beyond a penny Palme Croſſe;Vid. The Foot out of the Snare. pag. 70. or F. Garnets little ſtraw beyond all the Wheat-ſheaues in England. What infallible arguments are theſe ſtrange Apparitions to vphold Faith? The Sorbonites in truth vpbraid the Ieſuites with a Doctrine, that they hold it lawfull to forge a Miracle for the furtherance of their Religion: Why ſhould not I thinke, that they hold it as lawfull ſometimes to forge a viſion, for the better maintenance of their Catholicke cauſe? I remember how the Sorbon concluded by a Decree of the yeare 1554. and 1564.The Sorbons cenſure of the Ieſuites. Hac ſocietas periculoſa in negotio fidei, vana, nugax, mendax, pacis Eccleſiae perturbatiua, Monaſtica Religionis euerſura, & magis in deſtructionem quam in edificationem ordinata, &c. Surely if brethren of the ſame ſeame cenſure thus hardly of them for their lowd lying, let none wonder if I begin to ſentence them for the onelyonly Cogging Impoſtors of theſe times, ſcandalizing the name of Chriſtian with moſt impious inventions, vnbefitting any though deſperate Hereticke, and arguing little leſſe than Atheiſticall prophanes. As for their viſions, and ſuch like ayery Mountebanke Hobgoblin-ſtuffe, I ſay foreign, Fooles may be frighted with Hagges, and Fairies; men of vnderſtanding know it is but knavery.