THat which Marcus Cato was wont to say, that it were a wonder if one Magician look­ing vpon an other should for­beare to laugh; may well bee verified of the Iesuites; that it were strange if one Iesuite considering an other, should not laugh right out. I speake not of simple Iesuits, to whom eyther for the weaknesse of their Iudge­ments, or for the good opinion they haue of their religion, or for the small time they haue imployed in their company; their most secret subtilties are vn­knowne. For they hold them vnder so seuere a disci­pline, as not any one of them if hee haue not a very good sent, can smell them out, and discouer the monsters hidden vnder the cloake of this rigour. I leaue these men to speake of the Arch-Iesuites them-selues, of the Regents, Fathers Prouincials and Generals of their Order, who haue such a com­munion in all sort of wickednesse in generall, and particularly in Whordome, Treason, and Magicke Artes, as any man might rightly bee amazed, if a [Page]Iesuite incountring his companion, and beholding himselfe in him, as in a looking glasse, should not laugh extreamly. I haue therefore resolued to report some-things here, whereof I my selfe haue seene the greatest part, the rest I haue learned from Iesuites themselues, whom I could name, and doubtlesse I will name them, if they doe but once open their mouths against that which I write. For this time I will briefly, and as it were in passing, trace them out, deferring to describe them, which with the helpe of God I will more amply at another season, setting downe their circumstances.

First, if thou enterest into any colledge of the Iesu­ites, especially of those which are built in any great & well peopled towne: But why say I especially, seeing there is not any one of them erected in any abiect or obscure place? If I say, thou entrest into any one of these colledges, obserue at the first the Porter dili­gently, the figure of a Charon or rather of a Cerberus. This man is cōmonly of good yeares, if he be yong, they haue made very good triall of his fidelitie and silence. He vnderstands the mysteries of their Cabale aswell as any other. In his lodging you shall finde all sorts of apparell, aswell for men as women, of what condition soeuer. By this meanes the Iesuites attired euery one like vnto the personage which they thinke they can best represent, practise strange impostures. For some-times some of them attired like Soldiers, walke in publike places, and haunt Brothell houses, abandoning them-selues to all dissolution & excesse. Some-times in the habite of Burgers, seeming to be Lutherans or Caluinists, they obserue in Innes, mar­ket-places, & publike assemblies, what is said of them, [Page]and the seuerall desseignes of euery man. Sometimes vnder the habit of Doctors, making shew to be good Catholikes, when as they know the lodgings of the richest among the people which haue children, they intrude themselues, faining some other excuse, and by sundry practises purchase acquaintāce with them, This done, they exhort them to cause their children to be instructed in the Iesuites colledge: for say they we haue studied in their schoole, and God be thanked we haue not profited ill. Some-times vnder the habit of Gentlemen, hauing hired their furniture, they creepe into Princes Courts, & pretend to be of their traine. Some-times also vnder the habite of poore passengers, they demand a Viaticum or reward, espe­cially of Diuines & Ministers among the Protestants and Caluinists, to espie what they write against them. These be the men my maisters in my opinion, which haue so villanously affronted you vnto this day. But to the end that here-after yee may beware of such spies, I will tell you what councels-they haue ta­ken, and doe euen now take.

Some demand of me whereto serue these habits for weomen? Terrence could neuer represent a Bawd so properly, to win the loue of yong strumpets, as these Iesuites do at this day, especially this Porter of whom I speake. For he by his flatteries and alurements disco­uers that easily, which his other companions, could not learne in the corners of their chapels & temples, by means of their auriculer confession. To effect this, he acquaints himselfe with the poorest widowes, and silliest women, as poore Spinsters, or Landresses, which send their daughters to receiue some Almes.

When as this villaine hath by his inchantments drawne them to his humor, being before tattered, and torne, he attireth them in goodly apparell, which he hath in keeping, and hauing thus trimmed them vp, he brings them to my maisters the Reuerend Fa­thers, by vnknowne wayes. And least they should be discoured, hee doth it not by day, but attends the twy-light. So they passe the night in feasts and dan­sings, when as the yonger sort amongst them per­ceiue nothing. For to this end they haue vaults, yea they haue secret places vnder ground, in imitation of those, which in old time did vowe them-selues to Venus, who gaue them-selues so brutishly to Luxu­rie, as Titus Liuius reports, that the Senate fearing the wrath of the Gods, did quite ruine this Stues, and Brothel-house. And thus much you may obserue of the Iesuites Porter. Where-vnto I will adde, that if happily any one seeming amazed, at this great aboundance of apparell, shall demand of them to what vse it serues, they presently answer him, that they keepe it to play Comedies. But this is not their chiefe end.

If thou beest come to enter into their Temple, be assured that thou art vnder a heauen of Iron. For thou hast ouer thy head a bloudy Mars, and not the God and Prince of Peace. Vnder thy feete thou hast as it were a hideous Gulph of hell, and a shop of Tormentours. I will represent here faithfully what I my selfe haue seene.

At Prague aboue the vault of their Temple, thou shalt finde thousands of Chaines, and scourges of Iron, according to the vse of Bohemia. On the one [Page]side are Canons placed, and a number of Muskets, and betwixt both many Lances, and Battle-axes. In the middest of the vault thou shalt see great heapes of Bullets. The like is seene in Cracouta in their temples; I doubt not but the like is to be found in other coledges. But wil you know where to all this serues. Truely I confesse that at the beginning I found it very strange and prodigious. But behold their desseigne. The Iesuites know wel that by reason of the troubles which they haue stirred vp, & of their nottable villenies, they are in a manner generally hated of all the world, euen of the honestest men a­mong the Papists. For they esteeme not any one, no not them of their owne relligion, so as they may gratifie the Pope, were it with the ruine and confu­sion of all the world, and the betraying of their owne countries. And therefore for that they are in con­tinuall feares, by meanes of this warlike furniture they prouide in time for their safeties, for I haue heard them-selues say, they feare the like accident should fall vpon them, as did vpon the Templers, who although they were good Catholikes, yet being grown insuportable, by reason of their great Ambi­tion, and Auarice, were by the consent of all Christi­an Princes, and the approbation of the Pope him­selfe, all slaine and massacred almost in an instant throughout the world. They will haue their defence and armes placed in their Temples, to the end if any motiue happened, the Papists which should run to their suckers, might be speedely armed, or else if happely they of the contrary relligion should come to spoyle them, they might bee beaten downe with [Page]armes, and stones which they would throw from aboue, I would gladly know if this bee not to make a denne of theeues of the house of prayer. But you shall heare things which you will admire and detest more: for all that hath beene said are but Roses and Flowers in regard of that which followeth.

Vnder the Pauement of the Temple, in the Towne of Gratz in Stirria, and in other places, the haue Caues and prisons vnder ground, whereunto they descend by secret deuises. Thether they carry, (like to Cacus in Virgill) all their spoiles and treasures, and lay vp great store of Siluer. And thus not onely of their owne free will, but euen with an incredible de­light, these good men make profession to be poore, supporting this pouerty with admirable patience, and cursing all such as will not make profession of pouerty as they doe, holdinge them vnworthy of so happy and sweet a crosse: they doe commonly place their treasures, directly vnder the great Altar: by this meanes in singing Masse, they do sacrifice to Mars aboue, and to Mammon vnderneath.

There is also to bee seene in these prisons vnder ground, a Store-house full of coards, swords, hat­chets, pincers, fetters, boults, and ladders, which serue to mannacle, torture, and miserably to tor­ment those which fal into the hands of such as Max­entius and Phalaris. They haue also store of Gar­ments fit for hangmen, hats, doublets and hose, the sight or description whereof would strike terrour into any one. But alasse! to what end do these reli­gious men make such preparation, who say they imi­tate the perfect mildenes of our Sauiour? By these [Page]instruments they make captiue the vnderstandings of their poore Shcollers, vnder their Iesuiticall tirran­nie: for if they finde any one that they suspect not to be constant in the resolutiō which he hath takē to be a good Iesuite, or if they feare that escaping, he will discouer their secrets, they presently clap both on his heeles, and after they haue made him to endure hunger and thirst, they put him to death with most cruell torments. I inuent nothing I write the truth.

There was a yong Gentleman of an excellent spi­rit, at Gratz in Stirria, called I mes Clussans of the Prouince of Karneten, who hauing beene very mise­rably beaten with whippes, and stirrop-leathers, for a very light fault, threatninge them that hee would flye, and complaine publikely of their vniust procee­ding against him, was by them put inot one of these prisons which wee haue described, from whence it is not said that hee was euer released: wee other yong Schollers which did study in the Colledge, did not doubt but that they put him to death by strange tor­ments.

I will publish when time shall serue, this example of tiranny, the like whereof hath not beene heard, with all the circumstances, in the place of this poore Gentleman, the which hee himselfe had done if hee had liued: moreouer I will set forth to the viewe of all the world, another notable villany committed by the Iesuites of Fulda, vpon the person of one named Martin, whose father and mother, are yet liuinge in the towne of Miltemberg, or Millberg in Franconia. And how many women thinke you that these wret­ches haue murthered, in these Caues? how many lit­tle [Page]infants haue they slaine? How many young chil­dren of very rich-houses haue they stolne away? For my part I hold it most certaine: how often haue wee poore nouices, heard the lamentations and shrikes of little Infants, their sighes and cryes, which did so moue vs to pittie, as our haire stood right vp. The most simple thought they were the soules of the departed, and for my part I knew they were of those that were newly borne, or that were newly slaine.

Finally the Iesuites to attayne vnto the soue­raigne degree of their deuilish mallice, are ac­customed in these places vnder-ground to make sightes pleasing vnto the Diuell, for they disguise them-selues with maskes and fearefull Attires, and causing the nouices to come to see such Tragedies, they present them-selues vnto them, casting forth horrible cryes, to try their constan­cie and resolution, for they doe not admit to the Study of the Magike Art, such as bee Tymerous and fearefull: But as incapable of great matters, they leaue them to the exercise of inferiour Arts, as for the most hardy, they obserue them carefully, and reserue them for the most Seri­ous studies.

But many times such trialls succeede ill for them, as it happened at Prague in the yeare one thousand sixe hundred and two, in the month of September, For as the fiue cheefe Iesuites, were busied to terrifie their youth vnder the forme of Deuills, a sixt, a very Deuill without [Page]doubt, came among them, and did so imbrace one of these fiue disguised Diuells, as hee dyed within three dayes after. The Children talke openly of it in the Citty of Prague. These Ie­suites not-with-standing without any amazement of so Tragicall an euent, comtinew still obsti­nately with Sacrilege, in the Study of Magike, In the knowledge whereof father Coton a French man excells all those of his sect. The French king did so much esteeme him as hee did assist alwaies at his Table, and did commonly intertayne him: wee haue seene the questions which hee pro­pounded in the yeare one thousand six hundred and fiue, to a young Mayden that was possest at Paris, whereby his wickednesse, and the plea­sure hee takes to speake with the Diuell appea­reth playnly.

The Iesuits them-selues brag that hee hath a looking glasse of Astrology, wherein he made the King to see playnly what-soeuer his Maies­tie desirded to know, and that there is nothing so secret, nor any thing propounded in the pri­uy councells of other Monarkes, which may not be seene or discouered by the meanes of this celes­tiall or rather diuilish glasse. It is by the ende­uour of this coniuring Iesuite that the rest had promised vnto them-selues to draw vnto their party one of the greatest Princes of the Empire, al­though he were a Protestant, for they held him to be much giuen to the study of Magike. To such of their [Page]nouices as they haue sequestred to instruct in these Arts, they first expound vnto them the 900. proposi­tions set vp at Rome by the Earle of Mirandola, Item Tritemius booke, with the Treatise of hidden Philo­sophie made by Cornelius Agrippa, Item Theophrastus touching the constellation and signes of Planets, with the Steganographia of a certaine Abbot, and lastly the Arte of Paul, for the concilliation of the reuelations. They say that Saint Iohn was very lear­ned in this Arte, yea they make no doubt (the which is an insupportable blaspemy) the which I haue heard often from them-selues, and could name my authors, that Iesus Christ was a most perfect Magitian.

Thus wee haue seene what concernes the Iesuites Temple: wherevnto I will adde, that these holes and Caues vnder ground, whereof wee haue spoken, are most commonly vnder the Quier or the Galleries, & not whereas the people are accustomed to kneele. Art thou come from their Temple to their Library? (for at this present I will not speake any thing of their refectorie, where they eate, nor of their Chambers, nor Court dedicated for their recreation, nor of the nourishment of other Schollers which are vnder the Iesuites charge, nor yet of the methode and order which they hold in their studies, for I referre it to an other time, besides that most of these things are very well knowne from others.

Art thou come (I say) vnto their Liberies? looke on the right side, thou shalt finde it richely furnished with all sorts of Authors. Their bookes are bound in Leather, or velome guilt or siluered. Those whereof the vse is ordinary, are chained to long deskes. As [Page]for their secret Library, it is onely lawfull for the Fa­thers to enter, and to make vse of the bookes which they desire.

They yonger Iesuites make vse of the ordinary, nei­ther is it lawfull for them without leaue from the Re­gent, to extract any one word. Finally, in this Libra­ry, there is not any hereticall bookes: but onely the most approoued bookes, & all Catholikes. For as for Heretickes, they hold them vnworthy to haue any place among the rest, for that it may bee they feare they should infect and poison them. Wherefore looke vpon the left hand, thou shalt finde the bookes of these poore heretikes, all dusty and bound in ill fauoured skinnes and black parchment. Of these bookes euen the Fathers may not take any one with­out the permission of the Regent, and the yonger sort dare not demand them: before they haue by some Poem or other writing defamed with all sorts of Iniuries the Author which they would see.

In the middest of this Library, there is a studie full of seates diuided one from another, the feeling bee­ing of a Celestiall coulour. The Fathers set on the right side, and on the left they place the yonger, who notwithstanding haue receiued some Orders among them.

The other Nouices stand among the ordinary Pentioners, to the end they may obserue them, and that discoursing with them they may make accompt of the mildnesse and excellent order of the Iesuites, especially with the richest, and such as bee sole heires of some good house.

I will make no mention of their manner of stu­die: But I will briefly describe the Prouincialls examination, which I suppose hath not yet beene written.

Euery Prouinciall receiues his name of the Pro­uince or Realme which hee hath in charge to ouer­see all that passeth. His duty is to visite the Col­ledges, to cast vp the reuenewes thereof, and which is more, to obserue carefully what great men doe breede vp their children in the Iesuites Colledges, and how many there bee. Then hee must take an accompt how their Schollers doe multiply, and if their riches increase; who they bee that are tur­ned Lutherans, and how many they are: If hee finde not any, or if he perceiue that the Popish re­ligion decayes in any sort, and that their goods and reuenewes diminish, then hee reprocheth the Re­gents of Colledges of negligence and slouth, in­ioyning them seuerely to recompence the fore-pas­ed losse. If he findes that they haue carryed them­selues as they ought; that that they haue conuerted ma­ny; that they haue spared and gathered much toge­ther, then hee spares for no praises, extolling them vnto the third Heauen.

More-ouer his charge is to enquire what Hereti­call Princes lye nearest vnto them; if they doe liue vsually at home or abroad; to whome they are accustomed to goe; of what disposition euery one is; wherein hee takes delight; if hee haue any care of the state; if hee bee any way religious; or ra­ther if hee bee giuen to drunkennesse, women, or [Page]Hunting; If hee haue any Catholikes in his Court, and what they bee; what the people say of their Prince, if hee fauour the aduersaries; If the Pastors of Churches bee learned and diligent men, or slouthfull and ignorant; If the profession of Di­uinitie doth flourish in the next Vniuersitie; if the Diuines dispute often, and against whom princi­pally; what Bookes, and of what subiect they haue lately set forth.

If happily the Principall, and the Fathers answer pertinently to these questions, and to an infinite number of others, the Principall doth wonder­fully commend their trauell and vigilancie: But if hee findes them not very curious of all these things, and that they answer not roundly, hee doth then blame them very sharply.

What doe you (saith hee) you slouthfull and idle men? Why doe you suffer the Church of Rome to goe to ruine? What accompt shall wee giue vnto our Holy Father of his our negligence? Why doe you not meddle with affaires? what feare you? Why doe you not set your hands to the worke with an assured courage and resolution? It is long since that yee should haue done and ended that which I say: consider the wonderfull vigilan­cie of Heritikes, and yet yee sleepe for slouth. Hee blames them, and aminates them by these and such like speeches.

Finally, hee enquires touching the Schollers, Pensioners, Nouices, and others, in what num­ber they are; how euery one doth profitte, to [Page]what study hee is inclined, if whether any one a­mongst them be no disputer, but is scrupulous: for they will not set such to the study of diuinity, before they be well practised in scholasticall disputations, and instructed in the Articles of their religion.

The Prouincial moreouer hath charge to enquire if happily there bee any one among them, whoe if necessity required, would make no difficulty to vn­dertake some commendable Act, yea to loose his life for the aduancement of the Church of Rome. This examination made and set downe in writing is sent by the prouinciall to Rome, to their Generall, by whom it is immediately deliuered to the Pope.

And thus nothing is done, or resolued throughout all Christendome, which comes not to the Popes knowledge by meanes of these Traytors of the Em­pire. The Iesuits also in a maner euery three yeeres, are transported by their Prouinciall, from one Col­ledge to another.

For a conclusion I will adde the wonderfull subtil­ties of the Iesuites, framed of late in theyr common Councell, the which they haue sought, and doe at this day seeke to put in effect, for the subuersion of the church & the state in the Romain Empire: their onely designes is how they should diuide the Princes of the Empire one from another, and put the chiefe Doctors of the Church to death, to plant in theyr place the tiranny of Spaine, and the Popes Primacy in Germany. And hereof I remember I haue heard the Prouinciall Del-Rio discourse, and these (as neere as I can remember) are theyr councels and practises.

First theyr aroiect is to see by what means, the [Page]mightiest Princes of the Empire might be estranged one from another. The meanes to estrange them is, that there is diuersity of religion amongst them, and that the Emperour make a publike declaration, that liberty of Religion cannot bee allowed, before that restitution bee made of that which hath beene vsurped since the Treatie of Passaw: without doubt the Protestants will flatly refuse this, let him leaue the Princes there, and demand the like of the Impe­riall townes, who will either obey, or refuse; if they obey, all goes well, if otherwise, let him proscribe them, and abandon them in prey to the neighbour Princes, and alwayes a Lutheran to one, and a Calue­nist to an other: for the Papists did not thinke that the Protestant Princes would haue beene so discreet in the businesse of Donawerd, but that the Prince Pa­latine, and the Duke of Wertemberg at the least would haue opposed them-selues against the Duke of Ba­uaria, the which if they had done, they them-selues had beene subiect to proscription, and all meanes of pacification, not onely with the Papists, but also with the Caluinists, taken away: But for that they haue carried them-selues with more consideration then was expected, the Iesuites haue had recourse to these subtilties: for one or two Imperiall Townes being proscribed, there is not any Prince that will bee so stayed, but had rather that in the common Prey, they should respect him before any other that should de­sire it. And thus much for the Generall.

Touching that which concernes particulars, the Iesuites desseigne is to labour to deuide the Princes [Page]of Saxonie, to the end that their power might de­crease. They haue found meanes to effect it com­modiously. First troubling the affaires in the admi­nistration of the Archbishopricke of Magdebourg, whereas the Elector of Cologne is already receiued for Prior.

Secondly, if this doe not succeed according to their intentions, they must pretend some reason which shall make the Elector of Saxony to be held vnworthy of the Electorship. For if in old time the Princes of the Empire did reiect Wencestaus from the Imperiall Maiestie, for that they found him base and effeminate. Why may not the Emperour by as iust a reason depriue the Elector of Saxonie from the Electorall dignity, being euery day drunke? Let him giue and restore this dignity to the familie of Weinmar, and for that these Princes are yet very young, let him make Henry of Brunswicke, a lear­ned and vigilant Prince, Administrator of the Electorship.

VVithout doubt this would cause great troubles throughout all the countrie of Saxonie, and by this meanes they should ruine them-selues with their owne forces, and make them-selues vnable to resist their common enemy if hee comes vpon them. As for that which concernes them of Brandebourg, and Pomerania, they must labour so to reconcile the King of Polland (allyed to the Emperour) with his Vncle the King of Sweden, as they may di­uide Prussia. Where-vnto without doubt the Elec­tour of Brandebourg will oppose with all his force. [Page]As for the Landgraue of Hesse, he must bee forced to diuide the inheritance equall with the Landgraue Le­wis his cousen, and to resigne the administration of Herffild to the Bishop of Writzburg: If not, let him be proscribed, and his country assigned to the said Landgraue. Finally it is easie to set diuision betwixt the Duke of Wirtemberg and the Electour Pala­tine, if they presse the Duke to restore certaine Abaies, and for want thereof that hee bee proscribed, and that certaine neare Monestaries, may be assig­ned vnto the Elector, among others one (which they say) he hath long demanded. Behold the fatal des­seines of the Iesuites, which I my selfe haue heard from their owne mouthes, not without great admi­ration and amazement. They haue also many o­thers the which at this present I doe not wel remem­ber. To this end also tends the peace of the Nether­lands, and that of Hungarie: But I beleeue that GOD hath so gouerned all, for the good and pre­scruation of his Church, as they are forced to see the Hatreds, which they indeuored to sowe amonge the Princes of Germany, to be kindled be­twixt the Emperour and his Brother Mathias, most deare and obedient children to our Holy Father. Moreouer the Iesuites new designe is, to send throughout Christendome, certaine mur­therers and poysoners, to poyson the Princi­pall Doctors of the Churches aswell Lutherans as Caluinists.

They hold that they shall bee so cunning in this Art, as the very dishes, Basons, kettles, [Page]and other ordinary implements of household, hauing beene once infected with their poyson, shal not loose the force although they be tenne-times clensed.

Wherefore I would intreat all good and true Pas­tours of the Church, to bee wary hereafter how they trust any one that hath not beene well knowne vnto them. These things had neuer come into my thought or imagination, if my selfe had not heard them with many others, from the cheefe companions of that Sect.

I thought it my duty to set them forth for the good of the Church and of my Country, tracing them onely at this present, with hope (if it please God) to describe them when time shall serue, and to paint them out in ther liuely coullers, with all the circumstances both of places and persons.