A discourse to the lords of the Parliament As touching the murther committed vppon the person of Henrie the Great, King of Fraunce. Manifestlie prooving the Iesuites to be the plotters and principall deuisers of that horrible act. Translated out of French, and published by authority.

A RELATION TO the Lordes of the Parliament, concerning the death of their KING.

SHall wee then looſe our King? the moſt mightie and puiſſant King that ever France foſtered, that ever Europe contayned, for the ſpace of 500. yeares. The heart that gaue life to the bodie of this State, even vnto the leaſt Arterie: The naturall heat, the force & vigour of ſo many ſoules, is pierced, is ſlaine with the accurſed knife of a damned Caytife: & ſhall he for ſo ſtrange and inhumane a fact, receiue no greater torture or torment, than this baſe and ordinary puniſhment? Shall this bee iudged a ſacrifice ſufficient for ſo hainous a treſpaſſe? Shall this be delivered vnto poſterity for our ſhame, and ſuffered of vs in theſe our dayes to our vtter ruine and confuſion? And you my Lordes of this Parliament, that owe to him Iuſtice, and ought to doe your ſelues right, are you at a ſtand? reſt you now amazed? you that through the height of your wiſedomes, are able to vnfolde the moſt difficult pointes of darkeſt cauſes, are you now at a ſtand, and beſides your ſelues in a matter ſo cleare and evident? You buſily enquire after the Authors of this prodigious bloody blow; and yet you perfectly vnderſtand, that the knife was but the inſtrumēt of Ravailac, of Ravailac; ſet on, induced, and inſtructed by other: It was others that put the knife into his hand, and planted the murther in his heart.

And is it then ſuch a matter for you that are men of ſuch wiſedome, gravity, and experience, to devine, coniecture, nay abſolutely to convince who thoſe Abettors are?

Seeing that all Chriſtendome by general conſent concluded, that ſince the creation of the world, there hath not any ſect or ſocietie beene found more capable or more culpable in ſuch villanies, than the Ieſuits and their confederates, and doe you make a doubt thereof?

Haue not Murtherers riſen again in our dayes of Chriſtian kings, the remnants of Sarazin progenie, and race of the Mores, who haue written books, erected ſchooles, wherin they teach the Methode ther and manner of murthering Kings? Haue they not reduced this monſtrous and miſchieuous practife into an Art, into a Caball? haue they not theſe many yeres framed and faſhioned mens minds by their miſteries and meditations, by their conſecrations and execrations, to this end purpoſe? are they honoured for any other exploytes, or magnified for any other miracles? Your owne lawes tell and teach vs; that hee that hath once beene conuinced of villanie, is euer after preſumed to bee a bird of the ſame feather.

Sithence then their Emanuell in the inſtitution of Confeſſors, decreeth, that it is lawfull to kill their King; that euery Clarke may without offence exempt himſelfe from the ſubiection of his naturall Prince; and further, averreth and auoucheth, that hee cannot bee iuſtly termed a rebell, whatſoeuer he doth, or in what matter ſoeuer hee medleth, what ſhall wee thinke?

Iohn Mariana is yet more bolde and broad in Iohn Mariana de inſtitutione Regio. l. 1. c. 6. & 7. theſe buſineſſes, he is more particuler and more methodicall in theſe affaires; he ſtrideth a ſtep beyond all the reſt of his crewand company. He maintaineth flatly and plainly, that whoſoeuer hath a charge committed vnto him by the ſociety of Ieſuites, or from the hand of their Viſitor: or vnder the commaund of a fewe graue and learned perſons of that rancke; nay, without feare or daunger, attempt and aſſaile the perſon of his Prince or King, by pollicie, treaſon, or poyſon; nay he ſpareth not to repeate the diuers ſorts and kinds of poyſon: as ſwift, or ſlow in working, giuen in drinke, or in meates, by touching of his ſacred and annoynted body, vnder a friendly pretēce of offring him ſome excellent preſent: or ſaith he, after the manner of the kings of the Moores; by rubbing his garments, his Chayre, his Linnen, his Armour, his Saddle, Stirrops, or Bootes.

And further he warranteth, that whoſoeuer ſhall looſe his life in ſuch an attempt, ſhall doe a thing acceptable with God, and praiſe-worthy among men: hee ſhall bee (forſooth) a ſweet ſmelling ſacrifice in the noſthrils of the Lord of hoaſtes.

Theſe Bookes paſſed not their Authors with a ſtreight hand, nor were they compoſed or compiled by nouices: for the Emanuell (as he ſaith in his preface) was a worke of 40. yeares forging. The ordinarie Manuell of the Father Confeſſors. The Author therof, was among thē a man of ſuch fanctimony, as for his pretended Petrus Ribadeneira in his Catalogue. p. 14 holyneſſe, the Virgin Marie (ſay they) and their good Father Ignatius appeared vnto him at his death. That of Iohn Martana mencioned in the Catalogue of the bookes Idem pa. 3. L. 141. of their ſociety, publiſhed by Father Peter Ribadeneira, in the yeare 1608. with ſinguler commendation of the Author and his woorkes, as quallified with an excellent iudgement, with admirable learning, with profound Diuinity, that he taught in Rome, in Sicile, and in Paris it ſelfe. Both of them imprinted with Anthenticke priuiledges, approbations, and ſolemnities of their ſuperiors: the firſt at Antwerpe, the other at Toledo and Maience; But the latter which ſhould ſtrike the greater ſtroake, was moſtcuriouſly and cunningly framed, to carry the greater authority, beſides it bore in the forefront greater recommendation; as the cenſure and approbation in Spaine by Frier Peter of Onna Prouinciall.

The ſufferance to be imprinted giuen by Stephen Hoieda viſitor of the ſociety of Ieſus in the prouince of Toledo. And conſequently the full power and authority of pasſing current, was giuen and graunted to this Booke by the Father Generall of their ſociety, ſo highly commended by them, Claudius Aquauina: after approbation, theſe are his wordes: By graue and learned perſonages of our order.

Can you any longer doubt (my good Lords) when you ſo euidently ſee, out of what forge, & of what temper this mettall is? Eſpecially when it is too well knowen to you all, what attempts within theſe 30. yeares, this ſect or ſociety haue made vpon the ſacred perſons and lyues of many Kings & Princes of Chriſtendome, & pre • ailed ouer ſome. When that diuelliſh and damnable gunpowder deuiſe of England reſteth ſo freſh in your memories, ſo bleeding new, wherin it was purpoſed that the King, Queen, Prince, the whole Nobilitie of the Land, the whole Clergie, Archbiſhops, Biſhops, and others, the chiefe and choice of the Commons, infinite numbers of all ſorts and qualities; in briefe, the beſt of the lands eſtate, without any exception or acceptation of Religion or the Religious, albeit there were at that preſent aſſembled (as all the world knoweth) a number of both ſorts in that companie, ſhould equally without care had, or regard, or reſpect made, beene miſerably and monſtrouſly (by blowing vp the houſe wherein they were contained) muthered and maſſacred.

Father Garnet by name their Prouinciall in England, with all his equiuocations, conuinced by his confederates, nay, by his own confeſsion, to be the Author, Director, and Executor of that thrice horrible actiō, if God of his ſingular grace and goodneſſe had not preuented the ſame: was yet by their ſect and ſort onely for attempting ſo diuelliſh and deteſtable an enterprize, as to ſwallow vp and vtterly deuour ſo worthy an Eſtate: in ſtead of a thouſand tortures and torments due vnto his deſert, open declared and denounced holie, Canonized amongſt their Martires, imprinted, ſold, and in ſacred tearmes ſet out with this title: By him that is conſecrated to poſterity.

And can any man yet doubt, that this murthering Society vnder their hipocriticall maske, framed this •• yne, lodged this pouder, and were ready to put fire to their frame? who or what bee they that reward thus theſe fire-forgers? what are they that crowne thus theſe miſchiefe making Martyres? for ſo they ſay they are, and for ſuch they ſet them to ſale.

Now, if theſe be their Martyres, what kind of ones (I pray you) are their Angells? But let vs wade yet a little deeper, what ſaye you to this, that Cardinall Bellarmine the Champion and chiefetaine of that ſect, their generall Doctor, in an expreſſe Treatiſe written of purpoſe, extolleth and with great commendation exalteth, the murther that I ames Clement committed vppon the perſon of King Henrie the third: which Mariana dareth auouch, did proceede from the ſtrong hand of the ſpirit of God, working in the weakneſſe of his bodie, who conſecrated (as he ſpeaketh) that knife to that intent and purpoſe, being rubbed ouer with venomous hearbs.

And Rhibadenira, Bec anus, Vaſkes, Bonarſius, with many others after him, vnto the booke compoſed by the Ieſuites of Paris; Of the iuſt expulſion of Henrie the third, giue this Preface: That in a common cauſe one may lawfully expell, depoſe, yea, and ſlay if neede were Henrie the fourth.

Tell me I pray you, in the execution of this monſtrous controuerſie, what deuiſe, what ſtratageme, what practiſe was there among all the attempts made againſt the life of our King; wherin ſome Ieſuite or other had not a hand, or was not chiefe? yea, euen in that namely of Iohn Chaſtell, that ſtabde the king in the mouth where you (my Lordes) knewe, and euidently found, that he was inſtructed and induced by Ieſuites to ſtrike that ſtroke.

As firſt, by the leſſons & confeſsions of that vnholie Father Iohn Gueret; and next, by thoſe execrable poſitions of Father Iohn Guignard, both whome, you did condemne for the ſame their filthy fact, and with them the whole ſociety by a moſt ſolemne decree.

And doe you yet ſtay for further proofe? Doe you doubt from the ſame iudgement ſeat, to deliuer the ſame ſentence, and vſe the ſame execution vpon thoſe that be guilty of the ſame crime, of the ſame murder?

Why, adde then this to thereſt, that the Ieſuites being not contented to haue razed your Pyramides ſet vp to leaue a memory to the poſterity of ſo inhumane and vnnaturall a fact, and therewithall defaced your decree fixed vppon the ſame; haue beſides within theſe few moneths at Rome cenſured your decree againſt Chaſtell, and conſequently ſought to diſcredite your Soueraigne authority; why then ſhould they not be held for fellow-offenders? that ought rather aboue others deteſt ſo bloodie a fact, and by deteſtation thereof, ſhew their inocencie? But they bolſter it vp, they alowe of it, they maintaine it; and all to weaken your iuſtice, vnder a pretended power of theirs, to haue ſuperioritie ouer all men.

Now, after all this to make vp the meſſe of their miſchiefe, leaſt any thing ſhould bee wanting to the heape of their helliſhnes, they haue moſt gloriouſlie painted forth a Kalender of their ſuppo, ſed Martirs made at Rome, but ſet to the ſhewe among vs, wherein they haue appointed ſeueral ſeates for thoſe faithleſſe Fathers Gueret, and Guignard, Maiſter, teachers, and confeſſors of Chaſtell, and condemned for the ſame crime.

And why all theſe? but to confirme and credite the arme and blowe of the traiterous executioner, by exalting the praiſe and place, of Garnet, Gueret, & Guignard? and ſo to confirme the minde of the murtherer with this imaginarie comfort, againſt the ſlanderous ignominie of the puniſhment.

And whereas three moneths after, our king demaunded at Rome the reaſon of their ſo cenſuring his decree, and reſtauration of the ſame: you ſee the blame was laid vppon our Fraunce; and whence (I pray you) ſhall it bee ſaid that this happeneth? forſooth by reaſon of that ſacred perſon, ſo often attempted and aſſailed with one and the ſame comſpiracie, with the ſelfe-ſame ſnares and engines, which hath been negligentlie looked vnto.

But you ſeeke yet more plaine and expreſſe proofe. I would it were ſo, not ſo much for your conſciences, as our knowledge.

Are you ignorant, or will you not know, that theſe peſtilent people doe traine vp for ſuch diuelliſh practiſes, the moſt accurſed perſons that they can find, who after they haue confeſſed vnto them their filthy and abhominable liues, as inceſts, the ſinne of Sodome, conuerſing with brute beaſts, and the like, (for other manner of men are not fit for their fingring): they preſentlie ſhew them hell, with their euerlaſting paines thereof, readie gapping to ſwallow thē vp: afterwardes they promiſe vnto them (but with promiſe, if they wil murther ſuch, or ſuch a one) to draw them from this deuouring gulfe, and plant them in Paradice, at the leaſt among the Angells; threatning them in the meane ſpace, that if they did not what was inioyned them, they ſhould haue hell with out all redemption or remiſsion for their inheritance, and double torture if they diſcouered their confeſſors.

By theſe ſuperſtitious impreſsions, and bewitching charmes, they are armed and emboldned againſt all torture or tormenr whatſoeuer, and are vtterlie left voide of any feeling of a good conſcience.

And did not that moſt monſtrous miſchiefeworker himſelfe deliuer enough vnto you, how he was brought to ſermons, eſpeciallie thoſe of the laſt Aduent, and Lent, and whoſe ſermons were they? none but the Ieſuites, who filled all our mindes with ſedition, to incenſe all the corners of the Citie, who praiſed the tongues of our Curates, if they would haue giuen eare to their alluring words: for who ſaw not, that whatſoeuer they ſpake there, were it of the King himſelfe, it tended to euill purpoſe.

Did not the ſame Monſter, the ſame murtherer, (whome you found in all other things blind and blockiſh enough) in that he intended and executed, ſhewe himſelfe warie and wiſe enough, furniſhed at the full to anſwere all obiections, with diſtinctions and exceptions requiſite for the preſent matter? and whence came all this but from that viperous broode that had inſtructed and catechized him at the full?

Was hee not a ſmall while before the villanie performed, preſented vnto Father Abigny? to him he diſcouered that he had waighty affayres in hand, and ſhewing him his knife, that had grauen vpon it a Heart, with a croſſe vnderneath to proſper his wicked worke?

Doe you take for good payment, or for a mocke, that pretended gift of forgetting confeſſions, to fruſtrate your authority? Why (according to the rule of Mariana, by the councell of theſe graue and learned Fathers, or at the leaſt by the aduice of the Viſitor of the Prouince, was this murtherer from his youth, nouriſhed and nurtured among the Ieſuites?

Neede you (my Lords) any other ground, to giue out your cenſure and ſentence againſt this ſociety, againſt theſe conſpiratours? what elſe is it that you want? Haue not the ſame Actes beene ratified and multiplyed before to our coſts, and griefe, for the perſon of our King?

Doe not they tell you, that theſe Maxims haue paſſed for Law? hath not the like beene determined and iudged before? are not thoſe Canons and Rules turned into an habite, nay, into nature? Of a truth, the caſe of them that pierced the heart of our King by the hands of Rauaillac, is all one with theirs that ſtabde the king in the mouth by the hands of Chaſtell, whereof they failed aſore by Barriere. They haue in time not enboldned onelie, but ſecured the hands and hearts of ſuch as attempt theſe enterpriſes, but alwayes vnder the ſame Maſters, in the ſame Schooles, and by the ſame Doctrine. There is therefore not a pinne to chooſe in this, whether you will haue the Ieſuites Rauillacs, or that Rauailac ſhall become a Ieſuite: whether the Ieſuites ſhall be the ſpirit of Rauailac, or Rauailac the hand of the Ieſuites.

Heere (methinkes) I here ſome ſay; If it bee done of ſimplicity, I pardon it and them▪ but alas theſe poore ſoules, to what purpoſe ſhould they doe this? The king hath alwaies ſhewed them good countenance, he hath much graced them, & more benefited them: Loe, Peter Cotton confeſſeth, that he was their protector, the ſecond founder and father.

Yea, but for all that knowe, that theſe blacke ſowles, the taile of this ſociety, doe them what pleaſure you pleaſe, they will bite at vnawares.

This poyſon (like the Phiſitions deletories) keep always their venomous condition & quality, temper it with what you will, or may. The market that their ſociety aimed at (vnder a Spaniſh founder, attaitour and runagate of Nauarre) was indeed the mihgtines and Monarchy of Spaine. With the leauen, is their whole lumpe of dowe leauened, with this it is ſeaſoned and ſowred, breake and chuſe where you will or pleaſe.

France might bee giuen vnto them peecemeale; The king in the meane ſpace hath giuen vnto them his owne heart: they will be ſure to ſaue their owne ſtake, whatſoeuer they compaſſe or come by, they reſerue that alwaies for Spaine.

Will you haue this prooued vnto you? was there euer a greater flatterer, fauourer, I would ſay of our late king, than this good Father himſelf who was late named?

And yet withall we muſt not forget to repreſent vnto you vnder this vizard, his fained reuerences, his deepe diſſembled humility, his Syrens ſmiles, tended to no other end, but the preiudice of the kings reputation, to the hinderance of the good of his affaires, and to what not that might woorke his and our wracke? what letters wrote he, what aduiſe gaue he in Spaine▪

As for the Ieſuites of Bordeaux, what did they with the Captaines that leuied ſupplye to the Regiments for the warres of Gleueland? how handled they them when they were confeſſed by them? euen the ſame that Father Gonteir dared to ſpeake in his ſermon: That is, that to go againſt the Catholickes, might not be done with a ſafe conſcience, that euery blowe that they ſhould ſtrike vppon any of them, ſtrooke our Lord Chriſt to the heart: becauſe they holde none for Chatholique, but the Catholique king of Spaine.

There is none regiſtred in their Catalogue for a Catholique, but ſuch as haue eaten of that Catholicon, that ſeeketh the ruine of the realme wherein they inhabite.

Let vs ſtep yet one ſtep higher. Did not thoſe two Ieſuites that followed ſo faſt after my Lord Marſhall of Chatres, at ſuch time as he departed to conduct the Armie, inſtruct him in a caſe of conſcience?

Did they not tell him flatly, that he was damned if hee went forward in his iourney? And if their accuſtomed impudencie would or ſhould deny this, being avouched and averred, by ſo waighty, by ſo graue a witneſſe, were hee not witleſſe that would belieue them? Aſſuredly, they thought by this deteſtable deuiſe, to haue cut off, and pluckt vp the purpoſe of our late king by the rootes.

Yet they ſee, that our moſt dread Soueraigne and Queene, purſueth the ſame chace; and is deſirous, that in deſpite of our heauy miſhappe, her woorthye and warre-like Armies ſhall ſuruiue.

Haue recourſe further vnto their accuſtomed practiſes, and you ſhall then diſcerne them in their liuely colours; you ſhall find them voide of all pittie, and piety; Note with what abhominable ſuperſtition they fill the eares & minds of ſuch as liſten vnto them; ſee how they haue cooled or rather vtterly quenched in them, the true worſhip and reuerence of the name of God; how they ſeeke to lead and guide vs by falſe feares, and vaine doubts.

They would not by their good wills, ſuffer vs to ſtrengthen our frontiers againſt the forage and force of an enemie; the ftontiers of firme friendſhippe; They are vnwilling wee ſhould maintaine and defend the auncient friendes and Allyes of this, or rather according to the iudgement of Vernin, the common Allyes of twoo Crownes.

This were (if you will giue them credite) to make you fighr againſt the Goſpell, to wage battaile againſt Heauen; And what can we make of this, but flatte hereſie? And of this hereticall religion, the King of Spaine (forſooth) could bee content to accuſe and condemne our late king Henrie the third, who was a better Catholique then himſelfe; and that euen in his own Realme; wherevpon he ſtudied to remooue his place, ſtirred vp mutinies againſt him, cauſed his greateſt & moſt principall Cities to reuolte; and all this muſt needs be called Chriſtianitie; this maketh the Actors, true Catholiques; them that dye in ſuch a warre, Martires and their worke, a worke of ſupererogation, not a ſingle merite.

Will you yet haue an other proofe? Aske of your Ieſuites where their murthering zeale was, then when our late deceaſed king, King of Navarre, made warre for his Religion, when the Pope excommunicated him, and they like themſelues openly denounced him for an Hereticke, and one fallen into Relaps?

It cannot be found in all this time, for the ſpace of fifteene yeares, but that they haue attempted the taking away of his life, becauſe they holde him as a mightie inſtrument to entertaine our Ciuill warres, hoped that he would in ſmall time conſume our forces, and that hee and all our whole Eſtate, ſhould in the end be buried in the aſhes, conſumed and confunded.

Well, now they ſee hee hath attained the Crowne, that he hath changed his Religion to imbrace that wherof they ſo much vaunt, wherof they call themſelues the Pillers, by that means to enioye the Kingdome quietly, and as they ſuppoſe to become a fearefull eye-ſore to the King of Spaine: Now their zeale ſheweth it ſelfe, now their ſpirits are mooued, now they beſtirre their witts and buſie their mindes, now the whole ſwarme of that darke dungeon appeare in their likneſſe, and ſcatter themſelues abroad in euery corner of our Region and Countrye.

In ſuch manner, and after ſuch a ſort, as it is abſolutely ſeene and knowne, that they haue ſharpened, tempered, and whet their malice, fortified and redoubled their accuſtomed and long continued practiſes and deuiſes; and why all this, I pray you?

Is it for Religions cauſe? Why did they not rather then afore this, when our king was excommunicate? when he was by them denounced hereticke? why is this geere now onely ſet abroach, when he is openly of all men declared, and by their own ſelues acknowledged and confeſſed to bee a Catholique? And yet for all this they are not aſhamed to warrant vs ſafety againſt theſe vnſaciate murther-moouers, prouided that wee will continue good Catholiques; by this ſlye means ſeeking to change our iuſtly kindled mindes, to turne vs from the execution of that iuſt reuenge, which they haue too iuſtlye called vpon their owne heads.

They preach vnto vs the banniſhing of the Hugonets, againſt them they arme themſelues with tooth and naile. But certainly, if theſe Hugonets were Spaniards, if they would faſhion and frame themſelues to their intents and purpoſes, if they would bee but once regiſtred in their red bloody bookes; I knowe then what they would ſay of them, and how they would deale with them.

They ſhould ſoone bee purged and purified from this crime & hereſie, and with little a do be made perfect Catholiques, nay, they ſhould haue both themſelues and their Armour ſanctified for ſo ſound a ſeruice. Well be that ſo: in the meane time they importune vs, that there ought to be but one Religion in France. They find it conuenient that the Spaniard ſhould make peace with the Eſtates, at the charge of the Maſſe, of our Church, and of the Pope himſelfe; if their diuinity will allowe thereof. For you ſhall neuer heare them ſing other ſong, they themſelues are the onely denouncers of this decree.

Why haue our Kings (for the quiet of their Eſtate) forbidden preaching, retayning wholye our Religion, and the Pope his authority? And I pray you, why ſhould this action which ought rather be taken in the better part, be accounted Catholiques in the Spaniard, and Hereſie in our Kings? In the end after this ſlander, to pleaſe vs againe; they tell vs wee haue now no more Hugonets left then will ſerue for a breakfaſt; thoſe are their owne words; and I would thoſe few might choake them at the firſt morcell.

What villanies they haue before time committed, you haue heard; what miſchiefes they haue not deuiſed onely, but practiſed, you haue ſeene with your eyes; and will you not belieue that this comfort which they pretend, this ſtrange reſtoratiue that they offer, commeth out of the ſame Apothecaries ſhop?

Are you not perſwaded, that they would, for the accompliſhment of their ioye, that the ſame knife that hath ſlaine our head, ſhould ſmite vs at the heart?

Of a ſurety, theſe Hugonets (as they tearme them) neuer had any thing of hurt in them that reſembleth theirs: Yet the time was that wee haue burnt them, that we haue proſecuted and perſecuted them in ſo ſtrange manner, as that it hath beene an horror to our owne conſciences: & yet in the middeſt of all their miſeries and our rigours, it was neuer heard or known, that they ſo much as imagined, much leſſe pretended any thing againſt the liues of their Princes, either of King Charles, or of King Henrie the third. Who hath euer accuſed them, ſuſpected them, but he hath ſlaundered them? But on the other ſide, howſoeuer we haue oppreſſed them, iniuried them, impriſoned them, or euer ſo much abuſed them; yet when it came to the vpſhot that there was any vſe to bee made of them, that the enemy aſſaulted or aſſailed the Land, that the ſtranger offered to wrong the Countrie, haue they not been as forward as the beſt of vs to defend? haue they not drawne their ſwords with ours? nay, haue they not receaued woundes with vs, and loſt their bloud with ours? By this meanes (as euery one knoweth) our Eſtate ſtood in ſafety.

Theſe kind of people that are moſt readie, then to kill Princes when they moſt commend them; that haue vowed to weare no weapon, but for the death of a King; that teach, that murther is the high and ready way to heauen, if any enquire it at their hands; dare they now adaies ſpeake of baniſhing? eſpeciallie our Countrimen, our Neighbours, our Friends, our Fathers our Brothers, our kindred, nay, our owne fleſh and bloud, that are ſo readie to runne to relieue vs in our dangers.

Doe they holde vs for ſo blunt and blockiſh, as that wee cannot ſee into their ſubtiltie, who haue already (ſo without all pittie and mercie) opened the Baſilike and Cephalicke vaines (that I may vſe the tearmes of that good Father Guignard) vnder pretence to let vs bloud for the diſeaſe of Hereſie; that they goe about to cut in peeces both the ſinewes and Arteries, yea of the Catholiques themſelues? for, is it poſsible (if this courſe were taken) but that bloud ſhould be ſhed on both ſides, and both parties periſh? And all this notwithſtanding, to the heart-breaking of all good Frenchmen, they muſt haue our hearts and good wills at their commaund, To them bee the impudency, and to vs the ſhame. Let them come to aske vs Rent, after the accompts are caſt vp, and the reckoning full made. How full of miſteries they are in all their dealings, and doings.

And this among the reſt is none of the leaſt miſteries, for they thinke they haue wonne the game, they take it that they haue gotten the goale, that they haue what they would haue. Who doubteth but that they will take this for a Trophie, a Trophie or Tryumph of their victorie, of their magnanimity, but a badge and cognizance of our ſimplicity, or to ſpeake more plaine, ſottiſhnes?

What cauſe then haue we to commēd them? what reaſon to reward or regard them? Is it becauſe they haue ſlaine him, is it becauſe they haue murthered him? for what Chastell hath done, they did.

Is it their funerall Orations that you ſo honor? in the prime and pride of all their Rethoricke, of all their eloquence, their was hardly one Latine ſentence, or French phraze, that tended to his good that was dead, and for that I pray you pardon them.

There was neuer thing heard ſo colde, ſo weake, ſo witleſſe. They were ſo choaked with the ioye of his death, ſo ouer ioyed with the glorie of his murther, as that they had quite & cleane forgotten the ſorow due to our common griefe, and the praiſes due to his worthy life.

Wretched thing that it is, to haue procured to them ſuch honour, nay, ſuch pleaſure; and vnto France ſuch a perpetual reproach, ſo immortall ſhame: ſhall I euer forget that thou haſt a hand in this vnhappineſſe? When they choſe thee in their affaires and buſineſſes, as Protector, and Procurer, diddeſt thou not perceaue theſe Hippocrites, the ſhadowes of ſanctimonie, how they curteſied and courted thee, how they ſought and ſolicited thee, at thine vpriſing, at thy downe-lying, to the end, that by thy credite againſt the decree of a moſt ſoueraigne Court, a decree pronounced by the bleeding mouth of thy diſtreſſed Maſter, they might be recalled into France againe.

Thinkeſt thou, that if the Court had giuen thee neuer ſo little incouragement, it had been fot good, or for euill? for their praiſe, or for their diſpraiſe? had it been conuenient that they ſhould ſo ſtrumpet-like, vildely, and villanouſly proſtitute their ſhamefaſtnes to thy ſhame?

They, whoſe pride is well knowne to haue no other purpoſe, but to broke and buye our ruine, thongh it be valued at the rate of their higheſt ſhame, are they not worthy to bee ſhunned? And among the reſt, thou thy ſelfe (ſith thou art not borne to die for griefe) were it not fit that thou ſhouldeſt come to the Court with an halter about thy necke, creeping on thy belly, clad in ſacke-cloth and aſhes, to craue of him pardon and Iuſtice? pardon for thy brutiſhneſſe, that art ſo neare in fault to a fault ſo monſtrous, in that thou haſt preſumed vppon a fauour moſt vnworthily giuen thee, in cauſes belonging to kings, to doe againſt the lawes; ignorant and infamous perſon that thou art: Iuſtice againſt thoſe haue blindfolded thee, bewitched thee, made thee the inſtrument of thy Mayſters murther, and of ſuch a Maiſter, as from the dunghill hath raiſed and enritched thee (without any deſart of thine) as againſt all reaſon; ſo beyond meaſure, and nature. But (my Lords) it may be Peter Cottons declaratiō hath ſatisfied you, blot out his ſuſpitions. Put him ouer to be examined by our Abbot, by our Clergie men, that can better handle this matter than you: & yet it were good to haue an eye to the maine, in as much as the caſe ſtood otherwiſe, before my L. Chancellor, according to his grauity and wiſedome corrected it. They are reproached with that famous booke of D. Iohn Mariana, which breatheth out nothing elſe, but poiſon and ſlaughter. They make vs belieue it is a very badde booke.

In our Ieſuites Calapine, might not a man (thinke you) picke out ſome one word or other, that may bring this booke into deteſtation? whē his owne mouth ſpeaketh ſo maydenly of his owne worke, what doth he leaue vs to coniecture of his heart? Thus himſelfe ſpeaketh of himſelfe.

This booke of mine (ſaith he) is but the ſlight paſſage of an euill cut pen; Is he to be acquitted, to be cleared, for theſe gallant Metaphors, for theſe glozing far-fetcht, borrowed phraſes? whereas this execrable doctrine of his that hath paſſed currant without contradiction theſe ſeauenteene yeres, ſauoureth of nothing elſe but miſchiefe and murther, and that not againſt meane men, but the mightieſt, it aymeth at nothing, but Kings and Princes?

But ſaith he, what charity, what iuſtice were this, that for one Mariana, the whole ſociety ſhould ſuffer? And why not? for it is the whole ſociety that ſpeaketh and offendeth in Mariana: for it appeareth by his owne mouth, by his own aſſertions and atteſtations, that the graueſt and moſt learned of that ſect and ſort haue taken a view thereof, the Prouinciall and Viſitor haue allowed of it, the Generall taken order that it ſhould be imprinted, to haue it acknowledged for a moſt Autenticke woorke of that ſociety: what greater ceremonie would they haue then this? what other forme of confirmation? But let vs farther ſaye, it is not one Mariana alone, that hath written of this matter, of this ſubiect; The Ieſuites of all Nations, of all Climates, haue practized this Apoſtleſhippe, haue publiſhed this Goſpell.

Emanuell Sa: the Portugall; Gabriell Vaſques, and Peter Ribadineira Spaniards; Martin Becanus, and Nicholas Bonarſius, baſe Almains; Iohn Guignard, and the Authors of the Apologie of Chaſtell, Frenchman; Robert Bellarmine Italian; Ioſeph Creſwell Engliſhman: and many others haue executed the ſelfe ſame practiſe with ioynt conſent, vpon the perſons of Kings and Princes, in Fraunce, in England, in the lowe Countries, and of late memotie in Tranſiluania, where there was but one onely; ſo contagious and corroſiue is this poiſon wherſoeuer it catcheth hold, whereſoeuer it ſeazeth.

Our dolefull miſchiefe was knowne at Prage, at Madrill, at Brucells, before it came vnto vs, as the Ambaſſors euer truely iuſtified: and all this done, by the moſt accurſed correſpondence of that company.

To conclude, let vs all iumpe in this which is a thing more then certaine, that whether it bee their beſt Diuines, their moſt authorized Doctors, Prouincialls, Generalls, Cardinalls, pretended Martires, or whoſoeuer elſe of that raſcally rabble, they haue all conſpired and knotted themſelues together, to no better intent than is already alleadged. For as touching any thing that they can ſaye for themſelues, to cleare their accurſed cauſe, it is ſo weake, ſo withered, ſo darke, ſo double; ſo ſpoken in the teeth, ſo tumbled out; that there is no one ſo ſimple or ſo ſenceleſſe, but that he may with eaſe iudge, that it is the doctrine of Equiuocants, the doctrine of D. Navarre that is ſpoken.

But we (ſaye they) in our congregation Provinciall held at Paris, requeſted of the Generall of our company, that whoſoeuer had written to the preiudice of the crowne of France, he ſhould be puniſhed, and his booke ſuppreſſed.

Now note (my good Lords) what hath happened fifteene yeres after, when this poyſon had leiſure to runne throughout all the vaines, and let them preduce but any one if they can, what hath beene excommunicate or otherwiſe cenſured, for this booke, or for any the like?

Or let vs our ſelues remember what Curate wee haue knowne ſolemnly in the Church, to haue but threatned Hell to ſuch a Diuell as theſe Ieſuites are? yea, ſaye you, but there was one cenſured, true: but why I pray you? forſooth, for telling tales out of the ſchoole; for too openly and too ſeuerely publiſhing their ſecrets abroad. And to what end I pray you was this great peece of ſeruice done? ſurely to as great purpoſe as that that Rauailac did: to let fall the knife after hee had ſtrooke the fatall blowe, burne the booke after they had fired their hearts, by the meanes of all theſe hell hound ſpirits of Europe. But made he not as good a confeſsion of his faith to the Queene?

It is to bee ſeene (ſaith he) in the Councell of Conſtance, &c. What better thing could he haue ſpoken? Here beginneth their inchaunting ſongs. For before they can drawe to an end, all kind of deceit, both in woord and worke, is permitted vnto them; fraude is the beſt part of their Religion, and of their Rules.

It is not good to buye and ſell, not conuenient to traffique at all, with Marchants of this mould and mettall: And yet are wee ſo mightily blinde, that we make no conſcience voluntarily to thruſt our ſelues into their hands, to bee bought and ſolde by them. Let vs a while heare this Cardinall Cardinall Toledo in his Sacerdotall inſtitution, bo. 4, chap. 21. Toledo: the firſt man that Peter Cotten doth produce vnto vs, in his Sacerdotall Inſtitution. Marke how hee inſtructeth his Prieſts: beeing (ſaith he) after an oath taken, demanded his ſuperior to anſwere to any queſtions, he may lawfully vſe equiuocation, and is not bound to anſwere according to the will of the Iudge, but after his own mind and diſcretion: yea, if it bee in an offence knowne vnto him, or elſe committed by him; he may thus ſhift it off; I know not, or I did it not; meaning; what I may ſay or do hereafter.

In like manner Siluanus: It is lawfull to vſe equiuocations and doubtfull woordes, to deceaue Si • uanus in his Phillipik. p. 5. the hearers; when he that demandeth the queſtiō is not your own Superior or Iudge. And of late, they haue ſet it down for a ſure groundwoorke and foundation; that no Clarke is or neede be ſubiect to any ſecular perſon, no not to his owne naturall Prince.

What confidence, what truth or truſt, may a man then repoſe vpon their oathes? vpon the depoſition of this good Father ſo much commended?

Gregorie of Valence vſeth the like ſpeaches, Tome 3. diſputa. 5. queſt. 13. commended by that faction for a man of excellent learning; well knowne in Spame, Italie, & Germanie: he, writing vpon a booke called the Sonne, nameth this ſcience of Equiuocation; A prudent defence, practized by Garnet Prouincial in England, with a braſen face, and a moſt irreligious heart; and reduced into an Art by Doctor Martin Navarre Ciuilian, in a booke compoſed for that purpoſe: in fauour (for thoſe bee his woordes) of the moſt excellent ſocietie of the Ieſuites.

But will you heare the bewitching ſongs of theſe lewde Syrens, before wee part from this Narration? Our Kings (ſaith he) in Fraunce be the eldeſt Children of the Church: would you not thinke he had flattered the Queene well, and giuen her good words? And yet the Equiuocation that bewrayeth the villanie is apparant, in that that he ſayth; our Kings in Fraunce, and not of Fraunce: If he ſhould haue ſaid of France; he feared the King of Spaine, leaſt he ſhould take exceptions at him for his compariſon, wherein he ſeemeth to preferre the King of France before all the kings of Chriſtendome.

But in that he ſaith in France, he excludeth the compariſon, and doth reſtraine their prerogatiue within the bounds and Lymits of their own Realme. And by this drift in the middle of his owne natiue Fraunce, hee lodgeth the heart of Spaine.

Thus woont to ſpeake to our late dread king, in recommendation of their founder Loyola: that hee was his ſubiect, which cauſed the King to thinke he had beene a French man: And being taken with the manner in his equiuocation, hee put it off thus, that hee was of Navarre, as being neuer without a hole to creepe out at.

But he was warie enough for telling him that he was Traitor, both to the King and the Country, that he defended Pampelune, againſt the king his Grandfather, where hee was hurt, and in a madneſſe made himſelfe a Monke: and now at laſt a Father among vs, and very well woorthy, for he is the father of many periuries and murthers.

The queſtion is asked, what ſhall we then do? And doe you doubt, all this conſidered, what is to be done?

Truely (my Lords) if my councell might preuaile, you ſhould vſe them like Scorpions, kill them, and laye them to their ſting and our wounds; but let vs deale a little more mildely. What leſſe can bee done, then to execute your decree with ſpeed and ſeueritie? doe you thinke that to condemne them, is to condemne you? that to ſhew them iuſtice, is to challenge you of iniuſtice?

Or would you haue it ſayd (which God defend) that theſe Monſters increaſe both in offence and impudency; and you that are Guardians of this Eſtate; as though you had loſt your wits, ſhould faile in vertue, and faint in iuſtice?

All Chriſtian Eſtates haue taken their patterne from you, euen to the bounds and borders of all Europe, the Almaines, Hungarians, Venetians, haue baniſhed them their Lands and Territories, as ignoble, vnwoorthy to liue vnder any honeſt Laws, vnder any Ciuill gouernment; & by expreſſe decree in theſe prudēt ſeignories, they haue determined not to recall them, whatſoeuer reaſons Rome can alledge, whatſoeuer inſtance it bringeth. And yet Rome is very neere Italy, and therefore the ſooner likely to bee afraid? And this they haue doone by a diuine prouidence, by a liuely apprehenſion of what may happen. Is there any miſchiefe of greater moment, than what they haue already committed? Can there bee any thing more monſtrous, then what they haue already practiſed? Is it poſſible to giue a more vilde name to a villanous practize, then a generall murther, an vniverſall ſlaughter? And would it not on the other ſide bee thought very ſtrange, that you ſhould beare ſo vneauen a ballance, weigh things with ſuch inequality, that your example ſhould make Lawes vnto other, and not be obſerued of your ſelues? Your lawes ſtand in ſtead of wholeſome precautions, and preuentions to your neighbours, to thoſe that dwell a farre off, to thoſe that are not ſo ſicke, not ſo diſeaſed as you are; and will you make no vſe of them in ſo preſent and preſsing a buſineſſe?

Belieue it, and looke for no other, that if wee doe dallie and delay to cure or cut off this dangerons ſore that now breedeth among vs; greater and more grieuous paines will followe a freſh.

Would one ſore thinke you bee incarnate, would it be cloſed, ſeemeth it readye to ciccatrize? It is a ſtrange caſe in euery Country, and in euery body, ſauing in Spaine; they haue putrified our humor, they haue corrupted our bloud, whereof ſpringeth Apoſthumation, inflamation, feuers, rupture of the fleſh; which the longer it doth laſt, the harder it will be to heale: but on the other ſide, purge it once well, cleare the vlcer; fleſh and bloud that wee are one of another, the lippes will growe together againe, and the hurt will heale alone.

Yea marrie, you ſaye well, but to banniſh ſo great a ſociety, for the offence of one onelie, were not ſtrange? You ſaye ſomewhat; yet I muſt tell you, the concluſion of your argument hardly agreeth with his promiſes. It is this ſociety that ſtrooke that luckleſſe ſtroake, not hee that held the knife: it was their Councell, their doctrine, their coniuration: It is already known and convinced, in the arrainment and examination of Chaſtell.

Did the Iewes euer commit the like, to deſtroy a whole race? Or the Templers, in ſeeking to baniſh all others to eſtabliſh their order? But ſaith another, what ſhall become of good Letters? how ſhall Learning doe, which theſe worthie men teach ſo worſhipfully? how ſhall our youth doe? If thou be an Aſſe or an Idyot, I pardon thee that askeſt the queſtion.

When they came firſt into our Frāce, were our Vniuerſities a ſleepe? So many great perſonages, ſo learned, ſo graue, as haue beene there brought vp fiftie yeares agoe, which haue honoured all Europe: not their owne Country onely; were they of their inſtruction? followed they their methode? As for their Schooles what hath euer come out of them, worthy the talking of? Of a truth, if as the Scottiſhmen did long agoe, vnder Charles the Great; they ſhould come and call and crie about the ſtreetes, who would buy learning without any further meaning, without thruſting their ſickles into other mens harveſts, or without medling with other mens matters, they had been to be borne withall, nay they ſhould haue byn welcome, euen to the beſt learned. But are we now to learne, that vnder the pretēce of this good Latin, they fill our children with very evill French? that vnder the ſhew of good letters, and wholeſome ſciences, they confound our Spirites, and corrupt our ſoules? See wee not how in the end, they inſenſibly tranſforme our affections and our wils in this tender age: to faſhion, vs and in vs by this meanes in their Colledges, ſo many Spaniſh Collonies, ſpredde abroad and founded within the bulke of all our bloud, as therby they alter (thorow their vilde and baſe qualities which they imprint there) all the body of the Realme. So, as to buy Latine and learning at this rate, it were better we neuer knew what latine ment, or euer ſpake other then our own language. Yea but be not ſo ſuperſtitious; what man, baniſh this good and godly name of Ieſus; can you thus without ſhame and ſinne, kicke againſt the holy Mountaine? what a number of good deuotions, of holy confeſsions ſhall we looſe with them? Nay ſay rather, how many diuels how many deu • tes? Antiquity called thē deuotes, that vowed their liues for the death of any one, at any doleful actiō.

What other deuotion is there among theſe, ſo woorthy the noting, as this? But not to aduenture their owne liues, they are too carefull and cunning in that: but to perſwade and bring others vnto it.

Now Sir, whether call you it loſſe or gaines to looſe ſuch deuotes? For, as for any other ſpeciall marke of holyneſſe, if you looke for in them; they will ſend you to the Indians; there are their Martires, there are their miracles. This wretched weſt-part of the world, is neither capable nor worthy of them.

Among vs they can produce no other Martyres but Chaſtells, Rauailaks, Fathers, Garnets, Guignards, Guerets, murtherers of Kings: burners of Realmes: for their miracles, they preſent vnto you; ſeditions, conſpiracies, murthers, maſſacres.

Thoſe that among vs feede and fill themſelues with nothing elſe, but ſlaine bodies, and murthered carkafles, ſhall we bee ſo fooliſh as to belieue, that in other places they raiſe the dead, yea, or ſo much as heale the diſeaſed? And as touching confeſsion, the chiefe ſinew of their ſocietie, or rather of their coniuration; who knoweth not, that it is nothing elſe but a Caball of that old Mahumetan of the Mountaine, vſed to confirme and reſolue thoſe that are his, to kill chriſtian Princes in the holy Land. They tranſport their Nouices (caſting them into a ſleepe with certaine drinkes) into a certaine place, where they not onely ſee, but taſte all the pleaſures of their holy Fathers prophane Paradice: to the end (that waking) they may deſpiſe the danger and death that they might runne into by killing of Kings; a death whereof when they haue taſted, ſhould bring vnto them ioye euerlaſting.

In their confeſsions ſuch is their craft, (for Sathan alwaies profiteth by growing olde) they draw from all the horrible offences that euer they haue committed; And that reuealed, they plunge them ouer the head and ſhoulders in the horror of that eternall paine, that is allotted for ſo heauie ſinnes, and after in their chamber, giue them a feeling of heauenly Meditations.

Afterwardes, when they haue thus broken the heads and hearts of them, when they haue thus aſtoniſhed thē, they propound thē for remedy of ſome one offence, an ordinary murde; of ſome other ſin, the killing of a King at the leaſt; and ſo of the reſt: which if they will attempt and accompliſh, they will warrant, that it ſhall not onely free him of iuſtly deſerued paine; but beſides, according to the nature of that that hee ſhall practiſe, as vpon a noble man, a Prince, a King; his rewarde ſhall proportioned more, or leſſe in Heauen; As to bee an Angell, or Archangell, &c. And thus they furniſh with a conſecrated weapon: ſaying, take the ſword of Dauid, of Iudith, of S. Peter: Aſſone as they haue deliuered it vnto him, ſtraight they honor him, they admire him, they worſhip him. They perſwade him that hee is already deified, they find him transfigured, glorified.

Doe you not thinke that they haue well enriched the Sarazines invention? This Mahumetane vſed this practiſe of his, but onely againſt his enemies, as he tooke them, infidels; but our mercy more carefull a great deale then this infidell, make vſe thereof onely againſt Chriſtians; they reſerue it by a ſpeciall priuiledge for annoynted Kings, thoſe eſpecially whom Chriſtendome calleth moſt Chriſtian among the Catholiques. In briefe, the pretended wiſedome telleth vs (I pray God it be not wickedneſſe) that to deale with ſo great a bodie, ſo mighty a ſociety, cannot be without much danger: And who ſuppoſeth his Holyneſſe will make vs feare and feele his power? and yet we muſt needs be affraid of ſome hundred or not many more, that are ſcattered abroad, heere, and there, in our Country? Such as haue no part or portion in our Eſtate, that haue nothing to doe with any of our Provinces, Cities, or Families, ſuch as we can eaſily roote out, without beeing ſeene or perceiued Shall theſe hinder you for doing iuſtice, iuſtice vnto our King, iuſtice for ſo haynous an acte? where (my good Lords) ſhould your auncient vertue become? whome ſhould it meete withall in his way, in the way of iuſtice to hinder you? Cerberus with his three heads, ſhould bee conſtrained to creepe on his belly (as our King was wont to ſay) hee would leaue to doe the iuſtice of God, for the pleaſure of men: of that God which is alwaies able, to ſtrengthen the weakeneſſe of man in his affaires. Aſſuredly, my Lords, he promiſeth the ſame ayde to you at this daye. Nay, the preſent necesſity, extreamitie, and iuſt dolour, will confirme and redouble ſtrength in you. But to giue the ancient ſtrength and vigor to his Eſtate, requireth your helping hand; become you firſt ſtrong and couragious, and they will ſoone follow. Let vs know by the ſpeedy execution of your decree, what feeling, what motiou there is in you, let nothing hinder, let nothing ſtaye that? And doe you not repoſe your ſelues (my Lords) vppon the quaint deuiſes of theſe companions, vppon their ſuppoſes, vppon their ſupports; this voice of mine is the voice of all France, nay of all the Catholicks of this realme. Our fields, our Townes, our Artes, doe redemand at your hands our King, that cauſed them to floriſh, to flowre to preuaile, to profit. They all ſigh and ſob for this iuſtice. Our Clergie craneth from you their defender, the Nobles their guide our people their deliuerer, our eſtate their reſtorer, the ſoundeſt part of Europe their Protector, our French Princes the honour of their bloud, Strangers the Captaine of their Ranckes.

There is nothing that can gaineſay, or gaineſtriue this requeſt. Theſe trickling teares, theſe ſecret murmurings, this aſtoniſhed ſilence hath no other wiſh, nor ſpeaketh any other ſpeech. To be ſhort, the earth that hath giuen entertainment to his ſacred bloud ſpilt vpon a pauement (as the Prophet ſpeaketh) that will neuer be dry; cryeth vengeance of the Heauens; The Heauens receaue their voices, and rebound from thence a commaund of the ſame reuenge.

You cannot better (my Lords) continue and increaſe the yeares of our King, comfort the teares of the Queene, nor better bewaile the death of Henrie the Great, moane his ſorrowfull death, celebrate his obſequies, nor conſecrate his memory to eternity. By this meanes you ſhall beſt continue and defend your Nobilities and places, you ſhall bee Fathers of your Country, if you will truely the voice of your Country, and otherwiſe not, which long may you doe and happily.

FINIS.