HAving some particular Obligation to you more than every body knows, I thought my self obliged in point of Gratitude (which goes a great way in my Religion, though it is nothing in yours) to en­deavour to make you some kind of Requital; and not knowing now where to find you, or any of your Friends, I was at a great loss how to discharge my self of that Debt: At last I considered, that to do you a real piece of Service behind your Back, were much better than an empty Thanks to your Face; and I knew of no greater Service I could do you, than to vindicate your Reputation to the World; and to shew that you have always acted like an honest Man; that is, one that is true and constant to the Princi­ples he Believes and Professes, which I take to be a good definition of an Honest Man. And this I do not at all fear to demonstrate to your greatest Enemies.

As a farther proof of my desire to serve you, I will likewise make bold to offer your Reverence some Advice, which if ever it has the luck to reach you, and you have the Wisdom and Honesty to follow it, I will presume to say, shall establish your Reputation to all future Ages. And in doing you these two pieces of Service, I hope I shall fully discharge what [Page 4] Obligation I have to you, and sufficiently shew my self your Friend.

But you will say, How comes your Reputation to need a Vindication? Sir, I must deal plainly with you, and tell you, That I can go no where, but I find every one blaming the strange miscarriages of the late King James; and the wiser sort that knew that Prince well, and how wholly devoted and given up he was to the Roman Catholic Religion, say, That it is impossible he should have gon on in such courses, without the permission at least, or rather the direction of his Spiritual Guide, which you had favour to be: So that whatsoever wrong course the late King fell into, and persisted in, you are to Answer for it, to whose Guidance, there is no doubt, he wholly resigned himself; and truly this, you and I, and all the World must grant.

But for your Vindication, I will shew that in advising and encouraging the late King, in all these things the Here­ticks call Miscarriages, you acted most agreeable to your Principles, that is, the true Principles of a Roman Catholic Guide, of the Order of the Jesuits; and therefore cannot (I think) but be confessed to be an honest man. We will then descend to Particulars of what is laid to the late King's Charge, and necessarily lights upon you, the Guide of so devoted a Prince's Conscience.

First, The Hereticks say, That it is without Example, and beyond any ingenuous man's Imagination, that a Noble and an High-born Prince should for many years make it his Glory to have his Word esteemed most Sacred, and raise men to the highest Trust and Confidence in it; so that men were ready to Blaspheme when they talked of this subject, and to compare his Word to the Word of God, and say, That Heaven and Earth could sooner pass away than his Word fail. And when he had raised men to the highest confidence in [Page 5] it, with the greatest solemnity to give this Sacred Word to his People, first in his Privy Council, and afterwards in full Parliament; and to bind it with the highest Solemnity in his Coronation-Oath, That he would invioably preserve to 'em what they accounted most dear; that is, the Laws of the Land, and their Religion established by Law: And yet that this Prince assoon as he was warm, and (as he thought) safe in his Throne, should without any regard to Honour, without any fear of God, or shame of Man, so openly and apparently break this Sacred Word; this (they say) is to do all that lies in a man's power to destroy all Trust and Confidence amongst Men, and to put an end to humane So­ciety. Now, that he did break this Sacred Word in the face of the Sun, and in the sight of all Men, no Man can be so senceless to deny, that can but remember what was done with the Law of the Test, that Bulwark of the Pro­testant Safety, how it was wholly taken away by a total Dispensation, and that with a bare-faced design to bring in Popery, by making Popish Officers Masters of those they call Hereticks Lives and Fortunes, which mischief that Law was only intended to prevent. 'Tis true, a Law may be dispenced with in some particular cases, where a thing is contrary to the Letter, but not to the meaning of the Law, because the Intent and Meaning of a Law, is the Law: But totally to dispence with a Law, against the plain and whole Intent and Meaning of it, is certainly to render the making of Laws Ridiculous and Useless, and to dissolve the Constitution of the Government.

Then for preserving the Church of England according to his two solemn Promises in Council and Parliament; and indeed his Promises an hundred times over to particular Persons; Did He not (say they) take the right course to preserve the Church of England, in setting up the Ecclesia­stical [Page 6] Commission, to call in question any that maintain'd the Doctrine of the Church of England, against growing Popery, which was Propagated, Cherish'd, and made to Grow, as much as 'twas possible in our cold and stubborn Climate, on purpose to supplant and thrust out the Profes­sion of the Church of England? Did He not (say they) keep to his Word to defend and preserve the Church of England, when as fast as the lesser Episcopal Sees became vacant, (for the good were kept for Original Catholicks) he fill'd them up with such special Fellows, the very Scum and Dregs of all the Clergy, on purpose to make the Name of Protestant Bishops stink and be abhorr'd, and to have fit Tools where­with to Abuse, Oppress, Suspend, and Deprive all the honest Clergy; over whom he set these Beasts, whose Filth and ill Manners prophan'd the very Name of Bishops? Did He not (say they) begin finely to preserve the Church of England according to his Promise, when he took care to poison the very Fountains, and planted one of the best Colleges in Oxford with Jesuits? This and the like stuff, the Hereticks make a great noise with; and say, Was not Father Petre an accursed Villain, to perswade and thrust on the poor Bi­gotted Prince, to do things so manifestly contrary to his solemn and so often-repeated Profession.

But methinks, I see you and your Brethren ready to burst your fides with laughing, when you hear all this dismal Charge (as Hereticks think it) against you: And so truly would any Man laugh heartily, that understood any thing of Catholick Principles, to hear Men make such a Business of a true Catholick's not keeping his Word with Hereticks: Alas? has not a whole Council declared, That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks; and themselves put in practice, what they had so determined with an infallible Spirit, by burning John Huss, to whom they had given their Promise [Page 7] for safe Conduct? And, indeed, is it not against common sense, that a Man should devote and vow himself to a Reli­gion, that declares nothing less than Destruction to all that oppose it; and yet should be bound by his Promise, to pre­serve the Enemies of that Religion? Is not his Obligation to his Religion, greater than any other Obligation he can lie under? Therefore such a Promise (as long as a Man is a true Roman Catholick) is Nonsense, is a Contradiction, and utterly Unlawful, or rather Impossible to be kept: It is as if a Man shou'd say, I will do that for you, which I cannot do. So that in making King James break this his Word with the Hereticks, Father Petre did no more than what he was bound to do, as a true Roman Catholick, and much more as one of the Order of the Jesuits; which not only is under the com­mon Obligation of all other Papists, but was founded with this particular Design, for the Destruction of Protestant Heresie.

But some will say, Why was there used so much poor Dis­simulation before-hand, to make Men believe and become so confident, That the late King was a Man that could and would keep his Word? Dissimulation is mean in any Man, but much more in a great Prince. To this we answer, Are not true Catholicks to use the Cunning of the Serpent against Hereticks; the Spawn of the Serpent? And if true Catholicks are bound by their Religion to destroy Hereticks, (as most certainly they are) Are they not to use the means to do it? And can there be any safer or surer Means than by deceiving them? And if it be law­ful and commendable to deceive them once, (as the Gene­ral Council of Constance has declared) Is it not much more commendable to deceive them often, by a long train of Dissi­mulation? This Accusation then is wholly blown off from you, good Father Petre; and you appear to be a true Roman [Page 8] Catholick Guide, of the Order of the Jesuits; and the late King a true Son of the Roman Catholick Church, and a true Disciple of your Order; all the Merits of which, he well deserves to partake of: You both acted according to the Principles you profess, and therefore must be acknowledged to have acted honestly.

A second Objection is Ingratitude: A heavy Charge! The Hereticks say, That it is well known, that the Church of England had always stood firm to the Royal Family, and particularly had preserved the late King from Ruine; had kept off the Stroke of the Laws from him; had saved him from being cut off by the Bill of Exclusion; had so often ventured their Lives and Fortunes for him, and thereby in­eurr'd much Hatred, Reproach, and Slander, being conti­nually call'd Papists, or Papists in masquerade for their pains: How then (say they) was it possible, that a Prince, so much Obliged by a People, as never Prince was more, should as soon as they had setled him on the Throne, turn so bitter an Enemy to the Church of England-Men above all others? For so he often declared, That he looked upon them as his worst Enemies. How is it possible to be believ'd, (say they) that he should cast all these off, with a Get you gone, you are not to be Trusted; and receive into his Bosom a SETT of new Friends, the very worst of all the Dissenters, Men of no In­terest or Reputation, and declared Enemies not only to him, but all his Family, and (which one would stand amaz'd at) whom so lately before he himself had unspeakably diso­blig'd, by hanging up their Friends in the West, in such num­bers, as plainly shews, that at that time he thought of nothing else but destroying all that sort of Men? Now that he should make them his Favourites, and treat them as if they were really such, (though he hated them now as much as ever he did) only that he might have their help to destroy their old [Page 9] Friends, whom he knew they hated for being so, and would be glad to destroy for that Reason; this was Ingratitude with a Witness: And this amongst Hereticks looks like a heavy Charge; but indeed how light is it to any Man, that understands any thing of Roman Catholick Principles? Is not a true Catholick's Obligation to Holy Church, much greater than his Obligation to particular Persons, [...]specially to Hereticks? Or indeed, can a true Roman Catholick have any Obligation to any Man that is an Enemy to his Religion? The late King's Religion was the dearest thing to him in the World; and the promoting of it he esteem'd his greatest Glory: He then that oppos'd his Religion, and put a stop to the acquiring of his desired and darling Glory of conver­ting an heretical Nation, and saving a Succession of Souls to the Worlds end, ought certainly to be accounted his grea­test Enemy. And did ever any Man oppose this glorious Design like the Church-of-England-Men? Did not their Nobility and Gentry universally shew their stubborn avers­ness, and throw up their honourable and profitable Places, rather than they would let the least thing pass, that might help on the glorious Work? Were not those Heads of Here­sie, the Bishops, so obstinate, that they chose to go to a Prison, rather than to make the least step towards a Com­pliance? And did not the Clergy in general venture to lose their Livings, and to beg with their Wives and Children, rather than they would read the King's Declaration? On the other hand, Did not some Dissenters comply to the taking off the Test and Penal Laws? Accept Dispensations, and submit to the Regulation of Corporations? Make flattering and fulsome Addressers enough to compile a new Academy of Compliments? And supposing they had done none of all this, (as some of them scorn'd it) Yet is not divi­ding of Hereticks the way to destroy them? And did not the [Page 10] cherishing of Dissenters promote Division? So that that was the only means that cou'd be thought of, for pulling down the Church of England, which is the main, or rather the only Stay of the Northern Heresie, that which gives it all its Strength, Beauty, and Reputation. What though some Men the late King encourag'd and caress'd, had a hand in killing his Father; and others of them had petition'd for his Blood? Yet if the cherishing of them was necessary to pro­mote the Good of the Roman Church, was he to neglect that, for which all his Preachers told him he was rais'd to the Throne, and preserv'd divers times by Miracle, and so be ungrateful to his GOD, to be grateful to Men, nay, to Hereticks? Was he not bound to lay aside all humane Con­siderations, either of Love or Hatted, for the sake of this blessed Design? The late King then had so little cause to be asham'd of such a Forgetfulness, both of Benefits and Inju­ries, for the sake of Holy Church, that 'tis indeed no small Glory to him, that he was able to overcome all Humanity and sense of Gratitude to Mankind, with a far more predo­minant sense of Love and Duty to his dear Mother the Ro­man Church: And had he not great and glorious Examples of Catholick Princes that did the same before him? That out of Zeal to their Religion, utterly forgot all humane Obli­gations? Did the Suffolk-Men's bringing Queen Mary to Crown, so oblige her that she could not burn them after­wards for being Hereticks? And does not the most Chri­stian King now upon the Earth, kill, torment, beggar, or banish all the Protestants of his Realm, to whom he was beholden for his Kingdom?

Tis plain then, that the highest Ingratitude in a Roman Catholick Prince, is highly praise-worthy, when the foolish Humanity of Gratitude does oppose the holy Design of bring­ing in the Rom. Cath. Religion. If then (good Father) you, [Page 11] or any of your Society, did perswade your Devoto to con­temn such foolish and sinful Respects, you did but like true Roman Catholick Guides, and deserve to be approved as Honest Men, that acted according to their Principles.

3. But again the Hereticks say, Though what is Decent or Humane hath no force with a true Zealot of the Roman Catholick Religion, yet one would think natural affection to Children shou'd bear some sway in all men's Hearts, and shou'd be very difficult to be rooted out: to dis-inherit ones own Flesh and Blood, to cut off ones own Posterity for all future Ages, from enjoying those Priviledges they were born to, hath something in it so unnatural, so monstrous, that it astonishes. And men that find nothing in themselves that wou'd incline them to any such thing, can hardly be­lieve it; and some good natur'd Hereticks are apt to say, That sure the business of the P—of W—cou'd not be a Cheat; but then (say they) it was an unpardonable Fol­ly in you, to let a Reality look so like a Cheat; if you had a real Child to be born, Why wou'd you let it be born uuder so terrible a disadvantage? Why wou'd you let so great and irrepairable an injury be done to the poor Child, and all his Posterity (if ever he shou'd come to have any) as not to let him be born with the clearest Evidence? And what Evidence was like the taking all possible care that the Princess of Denmark (who was so nearly concern'd) shou'd have certainly been at the Birth, instead of taking care that She shou'd be an hundred Miles off at that time? And why was not the then Princess of O—sent to, that she also might have been at the Labour; Or at least, that She might have deputed some Ladies of her own chusing, to have been present for her own Satisfaction? What (say the Hereticks) were not these Great Princesses concern'd in the matter? Who were like to be put by the Succession of Three King­doms [Page 12] by this means? And who were likely to doubt, and to dispute it, and to have all the Hereticks in the Three Nations, and every where else on their side? Were not they by all means to have had full and clear satisfaction given them, if there had been any Fatherly-Love amongst you to your Princely Babe? A man that had but a small Estate to leave to a Son, wou'd take care that the next Heir shou'd be fully satisfied of the true Birth of his Son [...] especially if there had been any doubtful Speeches as if there was a Cheat intended, as you know it was in every Bodies Mouth, that the late Q. Mary had but a feigned great Belly; and if a Man wou'd take care to leave his Son a clear Title to a small Estate, Is it credible that you shou'd be so un­natural to your Babe, as not to take care to leave him a clear Title to Three Kingdoms? You know the Prince of Conde had the satisfaction given him, to see Lewis the XIV. come out of his Mothers Belly, though he knew not how the Devil he got in. And so much satisfaction you might have afforded one, or both of the two Princesses, if you had had any thing re [...]l to produce. To let your P—of W—then (if he was really such) be Born under such great Suspitions, was a most inhumane Cruelty to the Babe, even like stifling him as soon as he was Born, or (which is worse) condem­ning him and all his Posterity to continual Banishment, or violent Deaths. And what had the poor Infant done, to deserve this from you? (if he was real) Did he not come to Establish the Roman Catholick Cause for ever? And were you such Dolts, as not to take care that such a Child shou'd be Born with the fullest and clearest Evidence, such as shou'd make him appear an undoubted Heir, even to the most un­believing Hereticks? Are you, or your Successors, ever like to have such a fair Advantage again to the Worlds end, as you have utterly lost, by letting your Catholick Heir, [Page 13] (if he was true) be Born under so much Doubt and Suspi­tion, that it was all one as if he had been a Cheat?

Truly, I must confess, this strikes home, and proves un­answerably, That either you were the greatest Fools and Block-heads under the Sun, or that the business of the P. of W—was all a Cheat.

But you are not unprovided (I know) with a sufficient Answer to all this: I believe you cannot but smile with In­dignation at these pretended Friends of yours, that wou'd excuse what they think a great piece of Knavery, by charg­ing you with such notorious and palpable Folly. You thank them (I believe) kindly for their Love, but desire none of their Complements; you wou'd not for the saving such a lost Game as the P. of W. venture the great Stake of Esteem and Reputation that you have all over Europe for Politicians, by vertue of which you bear such a sway in so many great Princes Councils: you have been thought Knaves sometimes, but were never before thought Fools, nor never desire so to be thought; and therefore wou'd not have any wise Man once Imagine that the P. of W—was real, whereby you must stand senceless Block-heads upon Record, that were uncapable of understanding their Interest, and making their Advantage of it. But you desire rather that all wise Men shou'd applaud your Wit, That having so great a Cheat to put upon a Nation, that was all along so Jealous of it, you did it so dextrously, that to this day the Cheat cannot be fully laid open; you are confident that none that know you right, will ever think it other than a Cheat, and yet all must confess you carried it cunningly.

As for the former heavy Charge (as Hereticks think) a­gainst you, of perswading the poor Zealous Prince to do so unnatural a thing as to cut off his whole Posterity, to set up a Supposititious Brood; this is very defensible upon Ca­tholick [Page 14] Principles; for a good Catholick ought certainly to love Holy Church better than Father or Mother, Wife or Children. And did not the glorious Saint, Q. Mary of Eng­land, endeavour to cut off her own Flesh and Blood, her own Sister, to set up Timothy Malt on the Throne of her Fathers? She wou'd have done as much, no doubt, by her own Daughters, if she had had any, and they had been Here­ticks, and stood in the way, as her Sister did. She was as Unnatural as lay in her power for Holy Church: And this Trick had taken then, and in all likely-hood at this time the Malt's had been the Reigning Family, instead of the Stuarts, had not K. Philip spoil'd the design; partly hoping when he had buried Q. Mary, he might marry that Sister of hers, and so hold this Kingdom in her right; and partly fearing, that if his Son (by his first Wife) Don Carlos should happen to Die, this young Malt should carry away the Crown of Spain, from any Son that might be born to him afterwards, or from his Daughter the Infanta Isabella. that was as good a Catholick as he. If K. Philip err'd in this, he made a­mends for it afterwards; for when some Years after this, he came to understanding that his own Son, Don Carlos, was in­clin'd to the Protestant Heresie; in high Indignation at this, and Zeal for Holy Church, he threw off all natural affection at once to that his only Son; and not content to exclude him from the Succession, he took a surer way to secure the Catholick Religion, by making him die in Prison. This heroical Action of his, though he modestly represented it to the then Pope Pius V. in his Letter (which I doubt not your Fatherhood has read, in the Life of that Pope, now a Saint in your Kalendar, written by Girolamo Catena, the Secretary of his Favourite Nephew, and Printed at Rome, with a Dedication to Pope Sixtus V.) yet his Holiness set a just value upon it; and because he cou'd go no higher for [Page 15] a Parallel, he resembled it to God's giving his Son for the Redemption of Mankind; For, says your Historian, he presently call'd a Consistory, and there caus'd this Letter to be read; and then with Eyes and Hands lifted up to Heaven, he broke out into the Apostle's Words; He that spared not his only Son, but gave him up for us all; How shall he not with him, &c. That which this great Saint and Head of the Church judged to be so highly Meritorious in King Phi­lip, was indeed a higher Instance by many degrees, of aban­doning natural Affection, than that was to which you perswaded King James: But your Work was the easier, espe­cially having to do with a Prince that would think it a very Scorn to be told that any Catholick King of them all, had a greater Zeal than he has for the Catholick Church: And for the necessity of it, that he should find out some way or other, to disinhereit that Heretical Daughter, whom he used to call by the Name of Queen Bess, you need not tell him that she was as likely to do as much Mischief to the Church, as ever Queen Elizabeth did; and therefore she ought to be prevented, in the same manner as that Queen should have been, if King Philip had not hindred it. For the doing of this, in that way of a Mock-Childbirth, you had such a Queen to act it for you, as perhaps never was in the World; an Italian by Birth, that has the Blood of four or five Popes in her Veins; an adoptive Daughter of France, a most bigotted Disciple of your Order; one that seem'd to have been sent hither for such a purpose, far 'un fioliolo, by all means to get a Son. I would not seem by set­ting forth the Necessity of this, or the Advantages you had for the doing of it, with so much Ease, Closeness, and Se­crefie, to derogate any thing from your Merit (good Father) in the Advice or Contrivance of any thing else that was pro­perly yours: For whatsoever that was, (as no doubt your Part [Page 16] was very great in this whole Business, it cannot be denied that it was worthy of your Self and your Order, and most agreeable to the Principles of your Church.

Fourthly, The last Accusation of the Hereticks against the late King, and consequently against his Guides, and a­gainst You in particular, seems to me the greatest; and truly it strikes a Horrour into all Men's Spirits that think on it. They say, How could it be propos'd to reduce this heretical Land to the Roman Catholick Religion, without making it swim in Blood? Your Arguments never did much any where, but least of all in England, where you have been so often foil'd by the Learned Men of the Church of England; and where your Religion also is so much against the Interest of the Kingdom: Therefore it was observ'd by an old expe­rienced Missionary, that had staid long in England, That this Nation was to be reduced to the Roman Catholick Religi­on by nothing but the Sword. And (said he) when the young Missionaries come first over, they think they can do mighty Mat­ters with their Arguments; but after they have been in England some time, they are all of my Opinion.

And indeed, this is so known and received a Maxim a­mongst you, That England is never to be converted but by the Sword: That the late King himself, in a Speech to the Parliament of Scotland, told them, That he knew the bring­ing in of the Roman Catholick Religion into these Realms, must cost so much Blood, and make such a Desolation, that he had the greatest Horrour at it imaginable; and hop'd that none of them wou'd have such hard Thoughts of him, as to believe him capable of so much Cruelty and Barbarity, (even as Hazael said to the Prophet—) Well then, King James knew well enough what it would cost, and what must be done to bring in Popery; and yet Popery he was resolv'd to bring in, (as I am sure every Man in Eng­land [Page 17] believed two years since; and every Man must believe, in spight of his Heart, that knows the Jesuits his absolute Guides.)

What Excuse then can be made for so great Cruelty in­tended? 'Tis the Business and End of a King, or Supreme Governour, to defend from Injury; to Preserve and Pro­tect the Lives and Fortunes of his Subjects: How then can any one be a King over those he thinks himself bound, and resolves to Destroy? There are some indeed so tender-hear­ted in themselves, and of such tender Understandings to boot, that they won't believe this; or at least are afraid to be known they believe it: And therefore they say, Surely the late King did not Design to bring in Popery at all, or at least not by such rough ways: But by such ways all expe­rienced Catholicks conclude it must be brought in, or not at all.

The Question then is only, Whether the late King resolv'd to bring in Popery; and if his Guides were not resolv'd to bring it in by him. All Men must conclude them the most ridiculous People under the Sun, that they would suffer the late King to give so many apparent signs of his Inten­tion to bring it in, which were more than sufficient to con­firm a Nation, jealour before of such a thing, in the assur­ed Belief that he was resolved to do it.

In answer then to these Objections against Father Petre, and the Society, the Undoubted and Absolute Guides of the late King's Conscience: I say, That I believe that Father Petre and his Brethren will conn them little thanks, that go about thus to excuse them, by making them such notorious Sots, as to make such an appearance of bringing in Popery, as made all People believe it, and put them in care how to escape the dreadful Consequences of that Change: And yet that the Jesuits shou'd never design any such thing? They had [Page 18] not, certainly, so mean an esteem of the profitableness of having their Devoto possess'd of three such Kingdoms, as to endanger his losing them (only as the French express it, De Guaiete de Coeur) for nothing. And I do very believe Father Petre) that neither you, nor any of your Brethren, wou'd for all the World be robb'd of the Glory of having made such an Heroick Attempt to reduce these three King­doms to the Roman Catholick Religion: And I dare swear for yonr Devoto, that he wou'd not accept of these three Kingdoms again, if he were fully satisfied that it were utterly impos­sible ever to make them Roman Catholicks; as he nobly said to one of the Society, He had rather die the next day after this Land was made Roman Catholick, than Live and Reign fifty Years in Peace and Prosperity over Hereticks.

You have then no need of your foolish Friend's Excu­ses, who wou'd make you as weak as themselves, and rob you of that immortal Glory, (which you wou'd not lose to save your Lives a thousand times over) of having once boldly and roundly attempted to bring the Roman Catho­lick Religion into England. You are ready to avow this to all the World, and are proud of it; as indeed (accord­ing to your Principles) you have reason to be. Neither, will you stick, among Friends, as ingenuously to confess, That it cou'd never have been brought in without horrible Blood­shed; which you can very well justifie upon Rom. Catholick Principles; and so still maintain your Title of Honest Men.

For herein you proceed according to the greatest Au­thority in your Church, which you ought always to fol­low, and never to dispute. For,

First, You have the Authority of divers Popes, that have almost continually exhorted Temporal Princes to use their Sword against Hereticks, particularly of Innocent III. who turn'd the whole Croisade that was prepared against [Page 19] the Infidels that possessed the Holy Land against the Albigeois: And of Pope Julius, who advised Charles V. not to trouble himself with Colloquies and Disputes, but to use his Sword against the Hereticks to cut them off. And seve­ral of your Councils have declared, That a Prince that does not use his utmost endeavour to destroy and root Hereticks out of his Dominion, ought to be depriv'd. And according to these great and infallible Authorities of the Roman Church, the truest and most zealous Roman Catholicks have in all Ages acted. So did Simon Montfort, and (as the Histo­rian says) 500000 Roman Catholicks with him, in a Croisade against the Hereticks, Killing, Burning, and Destroying all they could find in Languedoc and the Places adjacent, 60000 Hereticks being but one Break-fast for them. And what havock was made of them in succeeding Croisades, Roman Catholick Historians sufficiently declare.

What has been done by Catholick Princes, especially by the Dukes of Savoy, and by the most Christian Kings, the eldest Sons of the Roman Church, whenever they were such Rom. Cath. as they ought to be, the World is not ignorant. They have made whole Rivers of Heretick's Blood stream through their Countries: So did the glorious St. Charles IX. in the Paris Massacre: So would St. Garnet and his Accomplices have done here in England, and more too, if they had not been unluckily prevented in the great and pious Design of the Powder-Plot; for which he is painted in the College at Rome, with a Glory about his Head. What cheerful Bonfires did St. Mary, of ever blessed Memory, make of Hereticks in her Reign? And thus acted those true Roman Catholicks in Ireland; and so indeed must every one that is a true Roman Catho, lick act, whenever he has opportunity; if he does not, he is false to his Principles, and not truly what he professes to be.

And 'pray, What hurt in all this? Are not the Enemies of GOD and his Church to be destroyed? And do we not believe in our Consciences all Hereticks to be such? Nay, indeed, is it not a Kindness to stubborn Hereticks them­selves, speedily to cut them off, that they may not increase their Sins, and consequently their Damnation? That they may no longer impiously oppose Holy Church? That they may not Infect others with their Leprosie of Heresie? And that they may not breed a Spawn of Hereticks, fit only to fry in Hell-fire.

In designing then to bring in the Roman Catholick Re­ligion into England; and in order to that, designing to kill all stubborn Hereticks that would not submit to it, Father Petre and the Society did but what was the Duty of all true Roman Cotholicks; and according to their Principles, acted like right honest Men. There may seem indeed to lie some Objection against their Prudence, in the Management of this Design, in that they shewed their Design too soon, before they were ready to Complete it.

To which it may very well be answered, That if the mat­ter be rightly considered, it will be found, that this was in­deed more their Misfortune than their Fault. The Philo­sophers say, That Nature makes every thing in Perfection, according to the Capacity of the Matter it works in: And we know the best Workman, if he has but bad Tools and cross Stuff to work on, will make but indifferent Work. Let those that blame the Management, consider impartially, what they themselves would or could have done in all their Circumstances.

These poor Men had been gaping for an Opportunity to bring in Popery near an hundred years; and when they had the fairest opportunity that ever they had or hoped for, and the like to which they could never expect again, wou'd you [Page 21] not have them make the best use they cou'd of this Oppor­tunity? Was not King James thought by every one to be a Man on whose Life there was little dependence, and of whom it was unlikely there should be any Catholick Heirs to live to succeed him? And did not the insolent Hereticks threaten them every moment, what work they would make with them, if once he should fail? So that their Lives, and what was much more dear to them, their great Design depended wholly upon the single crazy Thread of the late King's Life. And did not these Men that had stood gaping so long, wait almost three Years, without plainly going about their Busi­ness? which was an Age to Men, whose Hearts were before so sick of having their Hopes delayed. Then, indeed, when they thought it must be Now, or Never, (which was the com­mon Word among the Roman Catholicks about that time, and when they drank and wished Courage and good Suc­cess to the Undertakers) they fell roundly to their Bu­siness.

They had by their Arts before inflamed the two Parties of Church-men and Dissenters, one against another; and they did not doubt but the Dissenters wou'd effectually help them to pull down the Church of England, the greatest Obstacle to their designs? And who wou'd have thought they should have been so much disappointed of this hope? Then they used the craftiest means, and greatest diligence imaginable, to model a Parliament that might remove the Test and Penal Laws out of the way, that their Friends might be capable of all places by Law; and then be sure, none should have had any Offices of Trust; none should have had power over the Lives and Estates of Hereticks, but such as thought themselves bound in Conscience to de­stroy them: They new Modelled the Army as much as they cou'd; and brought in as many Foreigners as they cou'd, [Page 22] without danger of an immediate Rupture: And who would ever have thought, that an Army compos'd (as it was then) for the most part of Men, whose Fortune depended wholly on their Employment, would not have Fought, or done any thing for their Pay, without examining the Cause? Pray do but consider, How many came over with the Prince of Orange, who had Protestant Swords, though they themselves were Papists. No Man indeed, that had ever liv'd abroad (as all the Jesuits had) and seen how little Sol­diers mind the Cause they Fight for, cou'd ever have dream'd that the whole Design shou'd have been spoil'd by the Army that was to carry it on, and had been manag'd and modell'd almost four years together for that purpose. Well! I am sure every body must grant, that the Jesuites had at least great probabilities to build upon the Army, when the Late King had made it his Business so much to oblige the Seamen, and Soldiers of Fortune in the Kingdom: And thus confiding in the Army, they had nothing else to fear, but might go on boldly, since they cou'd not apprehend any suddain Rising of the Church of England Men (who were the main Body of the Kingdom) by reason of their habitual Loyalty; and from Dissenters they hop'd they shou'd have no disturbance, since they had so much car­ress'd and oblig'd them, and made them the King's new Friends and Darlings: They therefore confidently pro­ceeded, first to cleanse the Nurseries, the Universities from Heretical Plants, and to plant Catholicks in their stead; then they found out a way to remove all honest Church of England Men from their Churches, by commanding a De­claration to be read by all the Clergy; which if they did read, they were Betrayers of the Law of the Land, by giving such an Approbation to an Illegal Dispensing Power; they had made themselves ridiculous to the People, [Page 23] and sinn'd against their own Consciences; and had likewise given a fair opportunity to the Jesuites of imposing down­right Popery upon them in the next place. And we know that all that wou'd not have been such Knaves or Fools, were to have been deprived; and when the Bishops had the Wis­dom and the Courage to oppose this well-laid Project by their Petition, we know they flung them into the Tower, in Terrorem, and presently brought forth the Babe, to shew People that the Design wou'd not die with King James, and that their hopes of any Relief by a Change were cut off. They had set up Popish Chappels in London, Oxford, Bri­stol, &c. which thing alone to be able to effect in England, was enough to make a Jesuites Heart leap for joy, and over­come him so, that he knew not where he was, nor cou'd think any thing impossible for him, that had brought things to pass so much beyond his Expectation. Nay, they had got the Pope's Nuncio to be publickly Feasted at the Guild­Hall in London, which was next door to an owning of the Pope's Authority in that Protestant City; they had ap­pointed Four Roman Catholick Bishops to take care of the Souls of all the Nation, instead of the Protestant Bishops they cast into the Tower; and they, to begin their Office, writ a most loving Pastoral Letter to their whole Flock; the time being not yet come for Dragooning.

Indeed, just as they were Sailing with full Sails to all their Desires, unluckily comes the Prince of Orange over, and stops the Bells; and all things turn'd upon a suddain, it wou'd even turn a Man's head to think how.

Well; Men may blame this or that in Councils when they don't succeed, and every body can see Faults afterwards, when there is no helping them; but had any of those that blame the Management been Jesuites themselves, they wou'd have done just as they did: There was danger in carrying [Page 24] on things so fast, and there was no less danger in delaying them; for though they had made a Prince of Wales, yet if K. James should have happened to have fail'd, their Prince must have been taken out of their Hands, and bred up by Protestants: A thing of so great horror to his Queen-Mo­ther, that when it was once mentioned to her, she declar'd, She would rather kill him with her own hands. But this she might have done with as little pain to her Bowels, as she had in the Child-birth.

In short, there was danger on all hands, and no Man could divine where the greatest lay: The Jesuites did as much as Men cou'd do in their Circumstances; they saw as much as Men cou'd see in the Light they were in, and they wrought as well as Men could work with the Tools they had, and on the Stuff they were to work on. If the design did not succeed, it is not the first well-laid Design that has miscarried; and therefore it was truly more the Jesuites Mis­fortune than their Fault; or perhaps the Sins of the Here­ticks hindred them from being knock'd on the Head, or Converted, they were not worthy of so great a Blessing: Howsoever, the good Fathers, and their Devoto, did all that lay in them to do them this kindness, and must have the Glory of heartily endeavouring it, though they did not effect it. They have all done like true Zealous Roman Ca­tholicks, as they desire to be thought, and would not lose the Glory of the Zeal they have shewn for Holy Church for Ten Thousand Kingdoms: So that no fault, either of Dishonesty or Imprudence, can be laid to their Charge, but rather they deserve the Character of True and Zealous Ro­man Catholicks. Only there is one little blemish indeed, that seems still to stick upon their Devoto (and consequent­ly upon the Guide of his Conscience) and to soil all his Glory, and to oppose his pretence to so much Heroick Pi­ety; [Page 25] and that is, his still Indulging himself so much Liber­ty with Women: And that he should take upon him to be an Apostle, to bring all other Christians to his Sect; as if they could not be Saved otherwise than in his way, seems very strange to them that do not understand your Reli­gion; but if they understood it, they would easily see how to Answer this little Objection. For Catholick Priests, and especially those of your Order (as appears in the Book cal­led the Morals of the Jesuites) have not quite the same O­pinion of this Sin that Hereticks have: 'Tis a Sin that most Men, and they themselves, often find so great a pro­pension to from Nature, that they can hardly resist it, therefore they judge of it favourably: And besides, they do not think as Hereticks do, that nothing but the Me­rits of Christ in those that Repent and forsake it, can wash it away; for they have the Merits of the Saints too, of whom the most perfect, even our Lady herself, according to their Legends, have often been very pro­pitious to such kind of Sinners; and some of their Saints themselves have been noted for such Sins, and yet found them no Obstacle to their Canonization.

Again, Catholicks think there may be Satisfaction made by Men themselves for their Sins: And if Men shew a great deal of Zeal for Holy Church, and destroy her Enemies the Hereticks, though they should be a little faulty in this mat­ter; yet according to the Opinion of Roman Catholick Writers, who have ever reported them great Saints, that were zealous for Holy Church, (though notoriously given to this and other Faults) such ought still to be accounted Saints, as appears in St. Gregory of Tours, and other Wri­ters. And truly, without this Fault in Princes, oftentimes [Page 26] the Guides of their Consciences can work but little good with them: For if they did not find them tardy in such things, they could never prevail with them to make such mighty Satisfactions; and to do so much good to Holy Church, in enriching Her, and destroying Her Enemies, and the like, to make amends for their Faults, and to pre­vail with Holy Mother-Church, to Mortgage the whole Treasure of the Merits of the Saints, to purchase their For­giveness.

So that if this be a Fault in any Prince, it is the Occa­sion of so much Good, it affords so advantagious an Handle to the Guide of his Conscience, so mightily to be­nefit Holy Church, that it is a great Question, fit to be dis­puted in their Scools, Whether a good Roman Catholick Guide of a Princes Conscience, be bound wholly to root it out of him? If he be bound in Conscience to do it, it is a thou­sand pities; for it is certain, it is not for his Interest, or the Interest of the Church. And all Roman Catholicks agree, that he is bound to promote, as much as he can, the In­terest of his Church. Now their Schools hold, That in a Case of Conscience, where there are Probabilities and Doctor's Opinions on both sides, a Man may follow either side without Sin; and be sure the Confessor will take the most profitable side. The Popish Guides therefore cannot but laugh at the Protestant Ministers, who teach, that there is no Forgiveness of Sin, but upon Repen­tance and forsaking Sin; and so get nothing by the People's Sins, which have been the Enriching of the Romish Church.

Thus have I (good Father) fully Justified You, and the rest of the Society, as to your Honesty and Pru­dence, in Acting according to True Roman Catholick Principles in the Government of the late King's Con­science, and shewn that he very well deserves to be Sainted in the Roman Church, for being so Absolutely and Religiously govern'd by You, as became a good and a zealous Roman Catholick: It remains that I venture some Advice upon you, according to my Promise; which being followed, may preserve to you the Honour of be­ing accounted a Faithful and Wise Guide of a Zealous Roman Catholick Prince's Conscience to the End.

And in order to that, I will lay down for a Rule what I suppose you will readily grant me, viz. That you ought to perswade your Devoto always to do that (which, according as Matters stand) will most tend to the Good and Honour of the Roman Catholick Church. If then I can prove what I advise you to, is for the Good and Honour of the Roman Catholick Church, you ought to take my Advice, if you will maintain the Chara­cter, which you have hitherto had, of acting like an Ho­nest Man, according to his Principles.

Not to spend many Words about that which seems to me a very plain thing: The Advice which I have to give you, is this, To perswade your Devoto, with all speed, to put himself into a Monastery, and become a Recluse. You may say, Yes indeed; just such Advice you did [Page 28] expect from an Heretick, that would have the Roman Catholick Cause given for lost in England, and would fain peaceaply enjoy his Heresie: But an Enemies Ad­vice is not to be taken; nor he to be believed that speaks for his own Interest.

But pray, think seriously upon the matter. I do as­sure you, That I am satisfied in my Conscience that I am your Friend, and the late KING's Friend, and every Roman Catholick's Friend, in giving you this Ad­vice: For it is impossible you should be so sensless as to think, That you shall ever again be able to per­swade the People of England, That a true zealous Ro­man Catholick Prince will not destroy them, if ever he come to be set over them. 'Tis true, they had so good (or rather evil) Opinion of your Devoto, as to think that his Honour and good Nature would be too strong for his Religion: But since he hath so abundantly convinced them, That he hath no regard to his Word; no not when he has rais'd Men to the highest Trust in it: That he hath no regard to natural Affection, nor to Hu­manity it self, when it stands in opposition to the Glory of advancing his Religion; but that he values his Religion above all things (as indeed every Man ought to do the true Religion, and he verily believes the Roman Catholick to be the true) there must certainly a per­fect Phrenzie seize the whole Nation, before ever they will think of taking him again to be their Governour. No; he that is bound in Conscience to destroy Protestants, (and we are sure he will follow his Conscience herein) can never be a King of Protestants; that is, a Preserver and Defender of [Page 29] them: You may as soon make a Lion turn a good Herd­ward, and the Wolf a good Shepherd, the Fox a good Kee­per of Geese, as a zealous Papist a good King over a Prote­stant People. Surely the Frogs, after they had Experience of the Storks Government; and Jove had been so propitious as once to remove him, though they croaked still as if they in some Discontent; yet they would never have been so mad to have called for their Stork to come and Reign over them again.

'Tis true, the Church-of-England-Men have always taught the Doctrine of Non-resistance, and do not think a Prince for Male-Administration (to which any Prince may be liable) is to be Dethroned; and therefore they stood by King Charles the First, to whose Charge, at the worst, nothing could be laid, but some particular Acts of Male-Administration, and who had no Principle that O­bliged him to destroy his People, and who ('tis plain) ne­ver design'd it. But no Protestant living can be so sensless, as to think he is not bound to take Protection where he can have it, to defend him from a Prince, who is bound (and will follow his Conscience) to destroy every Man that will continue a Protestant: Such a Prince contradicts all the Ends of Government, and is utterly uncapable of it; for no Man can in any Law or Equity, be the Governour of those whom he is bound to Destroy, and that as being ab­solutely necessary for the Saving his and their Souls. There is no hopes then ever to bring back your Devoto into Eng­land, unless he should turn Protestant; which I believe you nor he would agree to, for the gaining of Ten Thou­sand Kingdoms. To what purpose then will you hazard [Page 30] the Lives of so many good Roman Catholicks, and en­danger the losing of the Lands and Stock of the Holy Society, besides so many large Estates of Roman Catholicks in England (out of which you may continually have good pickings) upon such a lost Game? 'Tis true, the shedding of Hereticks Blood is nothing; but the spilling of so many good Catholicks Blood as hath been spilled already, and is like to be lost upon such a vain and unlikely attempt, is certainly that which you cannot approve.

Now all this needless expence of Catholick Blood and Treasure will be saved, if you can but perswade your De­voto immediately to sequester himself from the World, and give himself wholly to Contemplation and Devotion, which will compleat the Glory of his Piety, and finish the Saint. After that he hath done all that was to be done for the Roman Cathhlick Religion in an active State, What remains for him to do, but to betake himself to the Contemplative, which the Roman Church has always taught to be the highest State of Perfection upon the Earth? And as in all other matters, so in this, be sure you have no reason to doubt of the ready Compliance of your Devoto; for he hath already shewn an earnest longing after this State of Perfection; as appeared sufficiently by his most Pious Ex­pressions to Mr. Chudley, when he took his leave of him to go to be a Carthusian, O God! (said he) How much I envy you this Happiness? And how sorry am I, that I cannot go with you!

I do believe therefore, good Father, that in the Opini­on of most of the Roman Catholick Church, you will be guilty of a very heinous Sin, if you do not promote this most earnest Desire in this Zealous Prince; for to speak se­riously to you in the Words of some of your greatest Saints, Will you commit so great a Sacriledge as to rob God of one that would give himself up wholly to him? Will you rob the Virgin Mary of such a Princely Husband? Have you no regard to the great Merit of this Prince? And after that he hath done all that was to be done for the Ro­man Catholick Church, Will you envy him, as a Reward of his Labours in his Old Age, to enjoy the sweet and happy Ease of a Contemplative Life? To sit down qui­etly, and reflect upon the Great Things he hath done and suffered for his dear Mother the Roman Catholick Church; where he may read at leisure the Legends of the Roman Saints, and have the comfort to see, that his own Deeds have surpassed all theirs; where he may expect and wait for his own Canonization, the greatest share of Heaven the Romau Church can give him? Do not therefore, (good Father) as you value your own Credit, or all that in the Romish Church is Sacred, as you prize the Lives of Multitudes of Roman Catholicks, as you esteem their Wealth and Treasure, and hope to have a share in it; or as you de­sire to finish the Noble Work, you have hitherto so well carried on; and to complete your Saint, or as you fear the dreadful Sin of Sacrilege, do not hinder this Pious and Ar­dent Desire of this Zealous Prince, to become a Recluse, either of the Carthusian Order (according to his own Wish) or what other you think most convenient for him, according [Page 32] to the Patterns that have been set him by so many Noble Kings and Princes of your Church.

Assure your self, that by encouraging him in this Desire, you will purchase to your self, and your Order, an over­flowing Merit, endless Fame, and perhaps some Money be­sides: For the Hereticks of England are not so ill-natured, but that, though they would not have one over them that is bound to kill them, yet to do him any real good, they would (I am perswaded) afford him a Princely Mainte­nance, enough to reward you Nobly, and to build a Mo­nastery, whereof he himself might be Governour; and af­ter all this, he may leave enough behind him to pay for his Canonization. Not to mention old Stories of Kings in for­mer times, you have two Examples fresh in your Memories of Crowned Heads, that did the same thing in different ways; one a Disciple of Yours, the King of Poland, that Reigned 'till he and his Country were utterly weary of one another, and then he wisely retired, and went into a Mo­nastery. The other, Queen Christiana of Sueden, who was indeed a wise and subtle Woman; she being turned of your Religion, plainly saw, That a Protestant Body could not have a Popish Head; and therefore timely compounded for a good Maintenance, and relinquish'd. Had you not better then perswade your Prince to take some such Course, rather than to spend a great deal of precious Catholick Blood and Treasure? To waste and wear out his Life in Trouble, and you to get nothing by it? I had thought of other things to Advise; but if you take my Advice in this, as all the World knows you may if you will, then there [Page 33] will be no need of any other: But if you will not be ad­vised in so plain and so easie a thing as this, To what end should I offer you any other?

Therefore think of it; and Judge of me as you please: But in my poor Opinion, I have given you Faithful Advice, and therein shewn my self