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[Page 2] Lion and the Dragon without restraint; both by policy and puisance, studying to extinguish the light of the Truth. Neither haue 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. 34.2 haue lost their Virginity, I mean, primam et puram fidem, their first faith, by going abroad, and haue returned home im­pure. Some, like Salomons outlandish women, 1 Kings 11.4 haue brought-in outlandish Religion. Many at home, in stead of the voice of the Faithfull, Come, let vs go vp into the House of the Lord, Psal. 122.1 say among themselues, Let vs 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 vnto Dan, and are as an Adder in the path, which bites the horse, and makes the Rider to fall backward. Gen. 49 They make them, whom they can get to work vpon by their perswasions, to become retrograde, with the [Page 3]Church of Ephesus, to leaue their first loue, Apoc. 2 and be­come Apostates in matters of orthodox Christi­anity. Easily can they steale away the hearts of the weaker sort: 2 Sam. 15.6 and secretly do they creep into hou­ses, leading captiue simple women loaden with sinnes, and led away with diuerse lusts. 2 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 haue not onely surprized our Suburbs, but almost taken our Capitol.

The Gaules came stealing-in by night through the Thickets: so these Bats, in the twi-light of our security, creep vpon vs, defensi tenebris. They finde, perhaps, among vs 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 vs; 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 onely 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, [Page 4] Luke 20.14? Gun-powder Treason.Witnesse one intention of theirs, which must neuer be forgotten. And therefore, not without iust cause, haue 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 haue 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 vnto 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 euery 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 haue long runne vpon the score, and hitherto yeelded to Ingratitude, that crafty Sinon, to keep the doore of my lips, so that I haue nei­ther discharged my conscience toward God or man, yet will I at last, with the alone Lepe [...], return to giue [Page 5] praise. And surely, of those that escaped the dan­ger of the Black-friers (an Accident for which I haue been much noted, and often pointed at), none hath greater cause to offer the calues of his lips, a gratefull Sacrifice vnto 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 vnto death, and mee but vnto 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 haue vncharitable conceit of their persons), that waight should haue sunk mee then deeper than any of them, not onely to the ground, but vnder ground, to hell it self. But our good God is Master of his owne work, and[Page 6]free 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. that 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 vpon his Name. I will not cease to pay my vowes vnto 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 haue 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 euery Masse of theirs, the Priest or Clarke [Page 7]starteth vp presently vpon the Benediction, and calleth aloud vnto 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 [...], 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, [Page 8] beeing 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 vpon 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 haue entred into the house of Rimmon, or haue partaken with the abomina­tion of the children of Ammon? Why should I, that knew my owne Fathers Courts, haue 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 vnder foot as vnsauory salt. How great was his glory! how infinite his beauty aboue his fellowes, who could say vnto his Father; Those that thou gauest me, haue I kept, and none of them is lost, but the childe of perdition. Iohn 17.12. Holy Father, keepe them in thy name euen them whom thou hast giuen mee, that they may be one, as I am!

[Page 9]And let mee here admonish all such as are fa­cile to yeeld vnto 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 vs. 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. But 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. Let them not, with their golden Calues reared at Dan and Be­thel, keepe you from going to serue God at Ierusalem. 1. King. 12.28. Let them not bring you out of loue 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 haue truly collected, q [...]oted, & recited; and you will finde, that, according to the old plain verse,

[Page 10]All 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 haue 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 haue Esaus hands, though Iacobs voice: Gen. 25.22. notwithstanding all their faire pretexts and shewes, they are but as tinkling cymbals, and greene bay-trees, whereunto Da­uid compares the wicked.Psal. 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 haue 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.

[Page 11]I 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 vnto 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.

[Page 12]They 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 haue met withall in this Kingdom, when I haue spoken Latine to them, they haue 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 [Page 13] saying 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 haue 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 vpon 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[Page 14] mortall 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 (vpon 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 vnto sands; which are very small, con [...]idering them seuerally, and yet the greatest shippe is swallowed vp of them quickly. Lactantius.Euery sinne, in its owne nature, hath the sting of a Viper, and doth wound vs 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 one­ly to bee no sinne, but to bee lawfull: and a man may forsweare himself before Authority some­times, nay, ought to doo so, vnder pain of damna­tion. Witnes their NotesAnno [...]. in 23. c. Act. Apost. vpon the Rhemists Testa­ment, [Page 15]and 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, vpon dispensation of Superiours, they slip off their necks at their pleasure; especially if they be such State-Papists as haue 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 [...], the falsest cozeners of the world; [...], 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. 82.6 O 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 onely morally, at large, vpon 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,[Page 16]haue more dishonoured Christ, than euer he was by any Sect or Profession whatsoeuer: for, haue 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 haue 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 misse[Page 17]but 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 onely 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 vnder 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 vpon 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 euery 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 haue they in holy Scripture? Are they built vpon the Rock Christ? No; but vp­on the sands of humane brains; being inuented, and obtruded vpon 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 [Page 18]them, whose glory, next vnto their owne, they preferre before the glory of God?

But shall not their owne Disciples one day [...]peak vnto 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 vs? Why did you tell vs 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. 3 to 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 haue in marsupio, though the o­ther [Page 19]lie 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. haue 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 vn­to 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) will[Page 20]haue 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 haue they of late daies seduced: but, I hope, their Kingdome is now almost at an end.

As for you who haue occasion to liue neer the wals of these Aduersaries, and it may bee, some­times, of necessity, must conuerse and haue some commerce with them, take heed you be not cor­rupted by them. Haue no fellowship with the vn­fruitfull works of darknes, though with the workers. Be like vnto 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.

And let me now speak vnto 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 for[Page 21]our 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 vnto them­selues) say of the enemies of our peace, Why are the wheeles of his Chariot so long a-comming? Iud. 5.28. Expecta­runt diem: They haue 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 euery 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 haue vented more of their pamphlets within this Twelue-month, then they did in forty yeeres be­fore. They haue Printing-presses and Book-sellers almost in euery corner. And how doe they by this meanes put their poore Disciples vpon 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,[Page 22]and raise no small summes of money. You are those whom God hath set vp as Lamps in his Sanctuary, to giue light vnto those that sit in darknesse, & in the shadow of death, to guide their feet into the way of Truth: hide not your glory vnder a bushell; let not your beauty be eclipsed: but (as the Spirit to the Angel of Philadelphia) Hold that which you haue: Reu. 3.11. Stand with your loines girt: Ephes. 6.14. Be 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. Nec 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 vpon her face, the cup of fornication is in her hand. Apoc. 17. Peter spake as much vnto Simon the Sorcerer, that he was Acts 8.23. in the gall of bit­ternesse, [Page 23] and bond of iniquity; Paul vnto Elymas, O full of misc [...]iefe, and enemy of all righteousnesse; Acts 13.10. Poly­carpus, 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 haue 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 vpon 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 vnto 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. Psal. 58.4. or as the Apostle: Their tongue is full of deadly poyson. Iames 3.8. Inficit, Interficit: The infection thereof doth not onely beginne of late [Page 24]to 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 haue the wa­ter of the Sanctuary, that would coole them; but Marah, the harsh, bitter, and ill-brewed drink of damnation, to destroy them.

I haue 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 vs 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 haue they so killed in our land!

It behooueth vs to bee in our generation, as wise as these Serpents, though as harmelesse as Doues. Mat. 10.16. Against the incantations of such Sirens, let vs ring the Musicall bells of Aaron, and sing the sweet songs of Sion, that is, arme our selues with the [...] 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 [Page 25]shall 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 haue 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 vnto, 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.

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 haue flowed from the f [...]oth of their vnderstanding, to delude the ignorant, and confirme this said Sacrifice.

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.

[Page 28] Quorsum haec? Why doe they take such paines, and imploy their braines vpon 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.

[Page 29]Yea, heere is a knocking and long-lasting lie, worthy to be nailed vpon 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 haue added, that the woman, yea and some wisemen too, adored not onely the flesh, but euen the naile with which it was crucified or rather postified. This my new­coyned word fits their new-found Fable.

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, haue 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.

At Corduba in Spain? A Palsie, and yet foure­score and eighteen yeers? I am glad it is so farre off: I hope they will haue 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.

If our sacrificing Priests and [...]esuites should exe­cute so seuere a Law vpon themselues, the King would haue in this City many Subiects not one­ly 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 haue 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 haue had so much need of Indulgence. To say no­thing of a Catholique Maid, supposed to haue been, with others, oppressed in the ruine at the Black-Friers; whose office hath been to carry bands and shirts vnto the Priests chambers: but, whatsoeuer her ill luck hath been, she hath met with some in­fectious [Page 33]blasting vapours, which now sequester her from all company; being posted off, by her Ghostly Fathers, vnto 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 vnto the Tale of Saint Dominick; whose legs cut off at the knees, by praying vnto 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 euery 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 account[Page 34]it 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 haue 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 haue 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.vnder 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, [Page 35] Pope-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 [Page 36]praier, yet (forsooth) hath no sacred in­fluence, because our Bishops haue 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[Page 37] The 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 giue very good aduice for reformation, or deformation of the Church of England, and laying it vnder 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 onely 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.

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 haue 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.

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

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, [Page 40]

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 vpon them.

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 haue 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.

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

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, [Page 53]that 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 haue 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.

This is like vnto 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, [Page 54]that 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 vs 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 haue 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 haue 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, [Page 55] Felton, 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 onely 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 vpon which the Idoll Isis sate; and the lymphati­call Priests of Baal, that lanced their owne flesh [Page 56]before an Idoll of wood, had as much religion, and I think more wit than our moderne Relique­sauers haue. 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 haue them (these mis-shapen monsters) in derision.

I think, of late daies our Romish Priests haue 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, haue fewer of them come ouer. This Couey of night-birds may shrowd themselues warme vn­der 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 [Page 57]pocket, it may be of some thirty-pound price, a very broad-laced Band, a Stiletto by his side, a man at his heeles, willing (vpon 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 haue 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, haue 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 [Page 58]there fully discouered: and I haue 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 vs 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 vs, 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 [Page 49] breath, 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 vs 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 vpon 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 [Page 50]shirts. 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 vpon 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 vpon 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 silliest[Page 51]rag 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 haue 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,[Page 52]both 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 onely 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 [Page 53] Bierly, 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 [Page 54] Priests, in their pretended Exorcisme or expulsi­on of the diuell out of the said young Boy; I re­ferre you to M. Rich. Baddeley his book vpon 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 giue blessings to such as were present. The substance of which narration hath been, vpon the Examination of one of their Exorcists, confessed. Yet when this[Page 55]was blowne abroad, and beganne to breed scan­dall vnto 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 vnto 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, [Page 56]that redeemed the world; I God the holy Ghost, that sanctified the world, the glorious, blessed and vndiui­ded Trinity, doe giue 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 vnto S. Pauls rapture, 2 Cor. 12.3 That 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.

[Page 57]This 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 haue her mouth full of blas­phemies; Apoc. 13.6.which, 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. which 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 [Page 58]subuerteth 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 vnto 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 vnto 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 [Page 59] man, and hath had other visions besides that: which if he should repeat, would make a man tremble and quake. Hereticks (quoth he) haue no such visions & heauen­ly apparitions. I knowe not whom he meant by the word Hereticks: but if he mean vs Protestants, who haue more reason to inuert the phrase vpon 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. 3 hath giuen vs a caution against these mi­racle-mongers; willing vs to take heed, that we be not deceiued. Mark 13.5 Yea, their owne Preacher Stella (whom of late time they haue 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 vnto faith. Stel. in Luc. 11

This buzzing relation, penned and published by the Priests themselues, is suteable and (in a sort) paralell to that which Brerely tells vs 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 make[Page 62]her 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 euery 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 vpon the Diuels backe, and beate him with his Cox-combe till hee roare, the play is com­pleat.[Page 63]Here is Foole vpon 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 vnder 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 vpon 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 haue 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 vpon [Page 64]knowledge, as acted by them; but rather think it giuen-out by the party and others, to pretend, that some great miracles haue been wrought in her, or by her, that she might haue the better pre­tence to haue been resembled vnto 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 haue 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, haue so cloyed [Page 65]the dwellers vpon earth with delusions and lies, that (for very shame) the Papists haue 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 vs,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. 6.11

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 onely 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 Vid. Ful. An­dros. Naucler. Costerum.Saint Francis had the prints of our Sauiours wounds; that the two Tails of our Sauiours Asse, the S. 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 Franc-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 haue 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, euery day, at the eleua­tio [...] [...] consecrated Host, himself was still eleua­ted or hoised on cock-horse into the aire; that F. [Page 66] Steuens 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 vnder 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 e­uery Thresher in England should become a Ro­manist, because they deale with strawes, which haue 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 [Page 67]it 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 vpon 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 vn­to 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, vpon 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. 1550 that 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, [Page 68]had 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 vnto the knowledge of the truth, but rather to▪ make them wallow in the mire and sink of errour; in which themselues haue 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.

The examples before-recited, shew the collu­sions the Priests vse, vpon pretence of miracu­lous power: nor is their diligence lesse in other means, which they vse by daily sollicitations for their owne aduantage; Priests haue their Agents.euery Priest of action,[Page 69]and any ability, hauing two Assistants assign'd vnto 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 giue [...]are to their boasts and insinuations, then they bring them to be better hammered vpon 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 haue 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, vpon the losse of some fellowship, or other promotion hee aspired vnto; 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 [Page 70]annexed; what great liberty, what good com­pany, what practice of Piety.

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 haue 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 haue the Priests to wrest and wring from their poore Disciples, where­withall to maintaine their pomp and brauery?

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 vpon 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 haue 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 did[Page 73]expect them. But these insinuating Priests, more regarding themselues then their Disciples, dealt so farre with him, that hee was content to giue 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 haue 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 giue 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, hee[Page 74]receiued the blessed Sacrament with vs before his death.

Hence then obserue, how industrious our Priests are, not onely 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 haue 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 vpon 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 euery day: so like­wise they impose on his head a pecuniary mulct,[Page 75]hee 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 haue 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 vnder 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 haue 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 haue known a taxation such, that out of a mans means worth tenne pounds per annum, the Priest must perforce haue forty shillings a yeere at least. And in a great Shire, where I haue 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 for­ced[Page 76]to 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 haue commended M. Muskets wit, if hee could at so easie a rate haue 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 haue 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 vnto 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. [...], (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, for[Page 77]my owne part, I confesse, that vpon 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 haue 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 vpon 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[Page 78] Nero, 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 vpon the lewd Father of this monstrous lie. And hence it is, that of late they haue 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 haue 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 and[Page 79]greater fictions out of the Golden Legend, when he preacheth vpon 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 haue mercy, The wise words of him that wrote The word of Com­fort. their appointed day be not yet come, yet they shall haue 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 haue golden daies. Many of the Iesuites haue 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 so[Page 80]venture 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 vnto 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. Sure­ly, 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 vpon 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 vnder his shade, and his boughes haue 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, & dispoile[Page 81]them 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 onely ouer your faith, but also your inheritance, 1 Pet. 5. although, 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 vs, to abolish our life in the [Page 82]flesh, lest wee should liue after the flesh? I am no enemy vnto austerity of life, and taming or chastening our bodily sinfull members, Rom. 5. to 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 vnder 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. secret prayer in the Clozet, the doore shut,[Page 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, euery 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 vnto, but Tiburne? Is no other place in England left sacred and vnpolluted? Oh, but there is more vertue in the goale they runne vnto, 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 haue 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 euery step in such pilgrimage, makes those Penitents to walke further from vs: nay, in euery stripe voluntarily receiued in that Iourney, the Confessor that inioyned this per­formance, thinkes hee scourgeth the Prote­stants.

[Page 84]Deare 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 vnto 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 giue vnto 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 vnto 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, vpon some re­morce of conscience, or fearing lest his condi­tion and estate might by some other meanes bee discouered, doth of himselfe offer to manifest vnto his Grace, his condition and profession; vn­to[Page 85]which, 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 vnto 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: Giue 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.

[Page 86]Thus much for my present occasion, by way of declaration, what wholesome vse (by Gods grace) I haue 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 haue 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 haue pretended to haue beene my Instructers while I remained with them; but wish to them, as vnto my owne soule, a sight of those corrup­tions & errours, wherein they are deepely dyed, and whereof they did cast some tincture vpon 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 of[Page 87]the chiefest Arcana Imperij, secrets of State, for the maintenance of their religion.

Secondly, I hold my selfe bound in consci­ence, vpon the sight of mine owne error, and consideration of the scandall which I haue iustly giuen, to make publick protestation of my reco­uery, with vnfained and hnmble submission vnto our reuerend Mother the Church of England (the most orthodox and pure Church now extant in the world, and most suitable vnto the Apostolick and Primitiue times, both for faith and disci­pline). Before her feet I prostrate my selfe with deepe sorrow of heart, that I haue 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 haue beene a guid [...] vnto 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 vnto 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 be­siege[Page 88]vs, and snares to intrap vs. 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, haue beene the loud Calls that haue 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 haue deepely offended, I humbly craue fatherly pardon and blessing, not onely secretly in my heart, but more publikely and authen­tically thus vnder my hand.

What a great debt lyeth vpon mee, not onely 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 [Page 89]hope to pay double in future comforts, for that which I haue run arrerage by procuring fatherly sorrowes. Faxit Deus. Lastly, to touch again on that string which before I haue 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 haue 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 that[Page 90]cloud of Romish errors, which obscu [...]ed, though not wholy extinguished the light of Gods Truth in me. There were (I know) that said vnto mee, Psal. 41 8. An euill disease cleaueth fast vnto 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.