The Great Loyalty of the Papists to King Charles, Part
That ſeeing the State of ENGLAND, was in a likely posture to change Government, whether it was lawful for the Catholicks to work that Change, for the advancing and ſecuring of the Catholick Cauſe in ENGLAND, by making away ihe King, whom there was no hope to turn from his Hereſie? Which was anſwered Affirmatively.
After which the ſame perſons went to Rome, where the ſame queſtion being propounded and debated, it was concluded by the Pope and his Council, that it was both lawful and expedient for the Catholicks to promote that alteration of State. What followed that Conſultation and ſentence, all the world knoweth, and how the Jeſuites went to work, God knoweth; and Time the bringer forth of Truth, will let us know. But when the horrible Parricide committed on the Kings ſacred Perſon, was ſo univerſally cryed down as the greateſt Villany that had been committed in many ages, the Pope commanded all the papers about that queſtion to be gathered and burnt; In obedience to which Order, a Roman Catholick in Paris, was demanded a Copy which he had of thoſe papers; But the Gentleman who had had time to conſider and deteſt the wickedneſs of that project, refuſed to give it, and ſhewed them to a Proteſtant friend of his; and related to him the whole carriage of this negotiation, with great abhorrency of the practices of the Jeſuites,
In purſuance of that Order from Rome, for the pulling down both the Monarch and the Monarchy of England, many Jeſuites came over, who took ſeveral ſhapes to go about their work, but moſt of them took party in the Army. About Thirty of them were met by a Proteſtant Gentleman between Roan and Diep; to whom they ſaid (taking him for one of their party) that they were going into England, and would take Arms in the Independant Army, and endeavour to be Agitators,
A Proteſtant Lady living in Paris in the time of our late calamities, was perſwaded by a Jeſuit going in ſcarlet, to turn Roman Catholick: When the diſmal news of the Kings Murther came to Paris, this Lady, as all other good Engliſh Subjects, was moſt deeply afflicted with it. And when this Scarlet Divine came to ſee her, and found her melting in tears, about that heavy and common diſaſter; he told her with a ſmiling countenance, that ſhe had no reaſon to lament, but rather to rejoyce, ſeeing that the Catholicks were rid of their greateſt enemy, and that the Catholick Cauſe was much furthered by his death. Upon which the Lady in great anger put the man down the ſtairs: ſaying, If that be your Religion, I have done with you for ever. And God hath given her the grace to make her word good hitherto.
Many intelligent Travellers can tell of the great joy among the Engliſh Convents and Seminaries, about the Kings death, as having overcome their enemy, and done their main work for their ſettlement in England; of which they made themſelves ſo ſure, that the Benedictins were in great care that the Jeſuites ſhould not get their Land, and the Engliſh Nuns were contending who ſhould be Abbeſſes in England.
An underſtanding Gentleman viſiting the Friars of Dunkirk, put them upon the diſcourſe of the Kings Death, and to pump out their ſenſe about it; ſaid that the Jeſuits had laboured very much to compaſs that great work: To which they anſwered, that the Jeſuits would engroſs to themſelves the glory of all great and good works, and of this among other works; whereas they had laboured as diligently and effectually for it, as they. So there was ſtriving for the glory of that atchievement, and the Friars ſhewed themſelves as much Jeſuited as the Jeſuits.
In the height of Oliver's Tyranny, Thomas White Gentleman, a Prieſt, and a right Jeſuite in all his Principles about obediene, ſet out a Book Entituled, the Grounds of Obedience and Government, Wherein he maintains that, If the People by any circumſtance be devolved to the State of Anarchy,pag. 122. their promiſe made (to their expelled Governour) binds no more. That the people are remitted by the evil managing and inſufficiency of their Governour, to the force of Nature to provide for themſelves, and not bound by any promiſe made to their Governour.pag. 123. & 124, That the Magiſtrate by his miſcarriages abdicateth himſelf from being a Magiſtrate, and proveth a Brigand or Robber inſtead of a Defender. That word Defender, he writes with a great D, that the reader may take notice whom he means.
If the Magiſtrate (ſaith he) have truly deſerved to be diſpoſſeſſed; or if he be rationally doubted,pag. 133. that he hath deſerved it, and be actually out of poſpoſſeſſion. In the former caſe, it is certain the Subject hath no Obligation to hazard for his reſtitution, but rather to hinder it: For ſince it is the common good that both the Magiſtrate and the Subject are to aim at, and clearly out of what is expreſt, it is the common harm to admit again of ſuch a Magiſtrate, every one to his power is bound to reſiſt him. The next caſe is, if he be innocent,pag. 135, and wrongfully depoſed; nay let us add, One who had governed well, and deſerved much of the Commonwealth, yet is he totally diſpoſſeſſed: And ſo that it is plain in theſe Circumſtances, It were better for the Common good to ſtay as they are, than to venture the reſtoring him, becauſe of the publick hazard.
And now to ſet down all his words, and follow his ſtyle, which is affectedly intricate and obſcure, he maintaineth that a diſpoſſeſſed Prince, whether by right or wrong, is obliged abſolutely to renounce all Right and claim to Government; and if he does not,pag. 136. he is worſe then an Infidel.
He tells us, That Pope Ʋrban the VIII. publiſhed a Deciſion, That after five years quiet poſſeſſion of an Eſtate,pag. 151. the Church was not bound to take notice whether the Title were lawful or no, but acknowledge the poſſeſſor in Eccleſiaſtical buſineſs.
That when the peoples good ſtands on the poſſeſſors ſide, then clearly he begins to gain right and power. That when the people think themſelves well, they manifeſtly conſent to the preſent Government.pag. 154. Beſides (ſaith he) who can aſſure they ſhall be beter by the return of the diſpoſſeſſed party▪ Surely by common preſumption the gainer is like to defend them better then he who loſt it. He comes ſo far as to conclude; That if the old Magiſtrate offer to return, he muſt be repulſed by force of Arms. His reaſoning is this;
What if an open ene my ſhould come, could or ought the Subjects joyn againſt him with their new Magiſtrate.pag, 157, If not, the whole publick muſt periſh; If they may, then their caſe is the ſame againſt their old Magiſtrate, ſince his right ſtood upon the common Peace; and that transferred from him to his Rival by the Title of quiet poſſeſſion.
This was the Philoſophy of that contemplative Gentleman, when the King lived in Exile, and Oliver ſate on the Throne. Having ſo well deſerved of the King, he was not long ſince highly recommended to his Majeſty, by a man of great Note. But the King who hath a Royal Inſight into perſons and buſineſſes, ſtopt him with this ſhort anſwer, No more of that, I know what man he is.
Father Bre… was of M. Whites opinion, for the Caſtle of Jerſey being ſurrendred after that reſiſtance which for the length of ſtanding out, and the height of Valour ſhall be memorable in all ages: When the Gentlemen who had defended it were preſt to take the Engagement, contrary to the Articles of their Rendition: That goodly Divine was very earneſt with them at S. Malo to take it; maintaining, That they were not to acknowledge any Supreme but the prevailing power.
When his Majeſty caſt himſelf upon the Spaniard, the Jeſuitical party thought they had him ſure enough from ever returning; but God diſappointed their hopes, and deceived our fears by his miraculous mercy; For it is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes, that he ſcaped out of thoſe hands.
I cannot leave un-obſerved, That in the height of the late tyranny, two heads of the Gun-powder Traitors that were ſet upon the Houſe of Lords, were taken down; not by the high winds, but by the ſame zeal which had had plotted that Treaſon, and with the leave of Traitors of another feather. We may hear in time that thoſe holy Reliques are ſhrined up in gold, and are working miracles.
FINIS.
End of the text · Peter du Moulin Jr, The Great Loyalty of the Papists to King Charles (1673)