A letter from a gentleman at London, to his friend in the countrey, &c.

A letter from a gentleman at London, to his friend in the countrey, &c.

Table of contents

A Letter from a Gentleman at London, to his Friend in the Countrey, &c.

§

§

§

A Letter from a Gentleman at London, to his Friend in the Countrey, &c.

[Page]

SIR,

AS preſſing as I perceive by your Letter, your deſire is, to be throughly informed of the Truth of what has paſſed, concerning the Counterfeit Luzancy; I can aſſure you mine is no leſs, to ſatisfy you in a buſineſs, which has made ſo much noiſe, and which is yet ſo much talk'd of. I cannot chuſe but commend you in this, as in all other occaſions for believing no more, then comes from good hands: In which Proceeding I obſerve the true Character of a man of worth, one who judges not by noiſe, and who far from letting himſelf be carried with the ſtream, hearkens to the common cry with ſuſpition. I perceive by this exact prudence, you have not forgot, though you have quitted the world, and that 'twas long experience and wearineſs of the impertinencies of it, which made the reſolution you have taken, to ſpend the reſt of your dayes in a Retreat. Where cured of the diſeaſe of vulgar opinions, you feed on what Phyloſophy affords, of moſt pure, and moſt free, from the errors of the age. If all thoſe who are obliged to continue in the trouble and confuſion, from which you have been ſo wiſe as to diſengage your ſelf, had their ſouls as well ſet, and diſpoſitions as rational as yours, they would examine matters with conſideration: and to avoid engaging every day to condemn their Neighbour without a hearing, would not judge of, and decide the merits of the Cauſe, purely on ſight of his Breviate. But we live in an age where people are far from doing juſtice to themſelves, that they might render it to others, and I am but to acquaint you with what I know of the buſineſs in queſtion, to ſhew you into what an abyſs of confuſion, man is capable of falling, when he has for Guides, theſe two Monſters, which tyrannize over all conditions, high and low, I mean Paſſion and Prejudice.

I will touch the leſs material points but ſlightly, and ſince you have heard of the Vagabond in the Countrey, it will be ſufficient to tell you, that he came to London, without clothes, without ſhoes, without money, and [Page] without any recommendation from France: That upon his own word, and at the inſtance of ſome, who ſolicited in his behalf, he was permitted to get into the Pulpit, there to declare the motives of his Converſion. The diſcourſe he made, and which he delivered with much boldneſs, gain'd him the eſteem of his Auditors, who for the moſt part charm'd with his Eloquence, and full of compaſſion for his miſery, ſoon caſt about to put him into a condition of appearing in a decent habit and ſubſiſting.

This happened when the Court was upon removing to Windſor, that journey gave occaſion to the Lady Marqueſs de Ruvigny Embaſſadreſs of France, to deſire this new Proſelyte to go and Preach at her houſe at Windſor. A Requeſt ſo obliging as that of this Lady, could not fail of ſucceſs, Luzancy was too ſenſible of the advantage, and his beſt friends (who at preſent are againſt him) were raviſh'd at an occaſion ſo favourable, which furniſh'd him with convenience to make himſelf known. Their hopes did not prove vain, his Sermons made a noiſe at Court, as well as at the Savoy, and much forwardneſs there was in Perſons of Quality to do him good: witneſs the favours he rceived from my Lord Duke of Lauderdale, and the Marqueſs of Ruvigny, who honoured him with a place at his own Table, noon and night, and gave him all the marks of eſteem which could be expected from one of his ranke, ſo many expreſſions of kindneſs, which he dayly received from that Embaſſador and his Lady, in my opinion ought to have oblig'd Luzancy to Confide in them, and tell them truly who he was, or at leaſt who he was not, for he was all this while taken for the Abbot Luzancy of Sorbon, but by an unparallel'd impudence, never to be forgot. They are the two whom he has the moſt abus'd, and who yet by a Prodigy, whereof I cannot yet dive into the bottome, have moſt contributed to ſave his Honour, when it was upon the point of being caſt away, of which you will find convincing proof, and ſuch as will ſurprize you in the ſequel of this Letter.

At this time all went with the counter feit Luzancy even to his wiſh, and his friends ſaw from far his Fortune haſtning on a pace towards him: His Sermon being Printed, had got him credit with the Biſhop of Oxford (at preſent of London) to whom he had Dedicated it: The Duke of Lauderdale had preſented him, the Lady Marqueſs de Ruvigny beſides dyet and lodging, allowed him a Lackquey to waite on him: in a word [Page] there was vying who ſhould do moſt: Nay there were ſome who kept their diſtance with him, believing that they had to do under the name of Luzancy of Sorborn, with a Man of Quality; for no body doubted but he was what he ſaid himſelf to be; In fine, one would have thought nothing had been able to trouble the calm he then injoy'd: but his Mask being ſoon pull'd off, he was notorioſly known to be Hipolitus Chaſtlett Son to a famous common Woman named Beauchaſteau a Player belonging to the Hoſtel de Burgoyn at Paris. By it we came alſo to know that among the Fathers of the Chriſtian Doctrine at Vitry, he had been a ſmall Uſher of the 5th. Form: that afterwards he had been with ſome Biſhops, and a Preacher Errant, here and there, in little Towns, whereof the moſt conſiderable is Montdidier in Picardy, and that at laſt having plaid divers Pranks which expoſed him to the purſuit of Juſtice, his ſafety had oblig'd him to quit France, and ſeek Shelter in England, which ſerv'd him for a Stage to act all ſorts of Perſons upon; whereof I am about to make you a deſcription, having taken care to inform my ſelf exactly, and convers'd with Friends, Enemies, and Neuters of all ſorts both Engliſh and ſtrangers.

Notwithſtanding the Evidence of all this matter of Fact, this Cheat dextrous at Lying, and with a Tongue well hung, for a while ſhifted off all theſe Truths, and told his tale with ſo many ſpecious circumſtances, that the wiſeſt Men were impos'd upon, but at his buſineſs with St. Germayne the Jeſuit, things appeared ſo groſly forged, that his moſt intimate Friends opened their Eyes, and thoſe who by too haſty Zeal had aſſiſted towards his raiſing, were Convinc'd of his Impoſtures by their own knowledg, and ſoon deſerted him and publiſh'd his Villanies.

When Fortune has once undertaken the Advancement of a Favorite, ſhe never fails of her deſign whatever oppoſition can be made, ſhe has Arts to blind Men withal, and to give even Vice a tincture of Vertue, enough to keep it from appearing, and if her own tricks will not ſerve, ſhe can take Advantage of the prejudice of a Nation, and the circumſtance of time. It was ſufficient for Luzancy to accuſe a Jeſuit, to ſwear his ruine, and like an impudent Tartuff to appear in his Majeſties Privy Council and all this while the Parliament was ſitting; Theſe things I ſay were ſufficient to make his Oaths, at firſt daſh be taken for Truths, fit to be publiſh'd by ſound of Trumpet, and ſet up at the corners of all the Streets; in a Conjuncture ſo nice People would be ſure enough not to apply themſelves [Page] to a through examination of ſo great a Trifle in reſpect of thoſe things which at that time buſied the Court and Parliament. Neither was the action imputed to St. Germain, to ſtand in Competition with the important affairs of State, which endured no delay to allow Convenience for clearing an Accuſation which concern'd only a ſingle Man, and he a Jeſuit: This kept the buſineſs from being ſearch'd to the bottom. And I conceive that thoſe, who as you know then medled with it, Acted with much prudence upon that maxime of Tacitus, Omne magnum exemplum habet aliquid ex iniquo quod utilitate publica compenſatur. For my part, who am but a Cypher in the World, and who go on my great Road without being diverted by the Proſpect of any worldly Policy, I have made a reſolution for the ſake of Truth, and to do you a pleaſure, to Examine in few words, both the Crime laid to the charge of the Jeſuite, and the perſon of the Informer, the Counterfeit Luzancy.

To give a clear and diſtinct Idea of the Accuſation in queſtion, and diſcover it's either force or weakneſs, we are to conſider it in three reſpects. Firſt, of the Accuſer. Secondly, of the Crime. Thirdly, of the Circumſtances which attend it.

If we caſt our Eye on the Accuſer there is good aſſurance to be had, that he is a Cheat, and a notorious Lyar, whoſe Life hitherto has been made up of Impoſtures; and this, when there ſhall be Judges Commiſſionated to examine what he has done beyond and on this ſide the Sea, ſhall be Legally proved: If we look on the Crime it is ſo pitifully contrived that one muſt be a perfect Ideot not to perceive its weakneſs; (and for the Circumſtances (the beſt means to diſcover the Truth in ſuch caſes) they all make for the Jeſuit: we muſt run over ſome of them, to judg well of the Crime.

Firſt, it was a Month or five weeks before Luzancy made a noiſe of the pretended Aſſaſſinat to be committed on him, nay he ſaid not ſo much as a word of it to Mr. Ruvigny or his Lady, with whom he was as one of the Family, and for this, 'tis but inquiring of them. This Circumſtance alone is deciſive.

Secondly, They threatned him, ſays he, with a Piſtol at his Throat, he does whatſoever they deſire, and after all ſuffers them to depart with all the quietneſs in the World, without crying out when they were gone, and without mentioning a word to any body till more than fifteen days after.

[Page] Thirdly, He entertains Correſpondence both by word and writing with this very Jeſuit, his Mortal Enemy; he writes him Billets, he viſites him ſeveral times: he promiſes him the Theſes of Monſier Le Blane Profeſſor of Divinity, lately printed, and which a Miniſter of the Savoy had nicely preſented to him; he Communicates to him the Certificates he had from two French Biſhops; In fine, there paſſes a conſiderable time before Luzancy dreams of contriving his Tragedy.

Fourthly, In ſeventeen days he ſpeaks not of the Aſſaſſinate to his dear Friend the Sieur Corbiere, who itching to be ſeen at Court and in Parliament would needs make a ſtudyed Certificate in his favor. This Corbiere is a Frenchman, the ſtory of whoſe Life rejected him from an Honorable Imployment which he ſhould have had with Mr. Skelton, whom the King has ſent to the Emperor's Court.

Fifthly, Luzancy goes to a Merchant to deſire him to find a Convenience for Luzancy to return into France; and at the ſame time perſuaded a Proſelite to return to the Church of Rome, and this when Judges ſhall be appointed, that Proſelyte will depoſe.

Sixthly, The Diveliſh writing which he ſays was extorted from him by Piſtols and Daggers, is written in a hand natural and free, tis his very ſtyle, 'tis in ſome place razed; ſigns rather of the Attention of one ſtudying alone, then the confuſion of a Man Tranſcribing with a Dagger at his Throat.

Seventhly, Is it likely a Jeſuit, whoſe name is ſo Odious in England, durſt venture on ſo ſtrange an action, and this in the middle of London, and for no greater advantage then to gain a ſimple private Man? To gain a King, or ſave a Kingdom a Jeſuit poſſibly might venture hanging, and ſo horrible an Action as Aſſaſſinate, otherwiſe a Jeſuit does not undervalue his Life ſo much, as to caſt it away for a Trifle, eſpecially one ſo well at Eaſe as St. Germain was.

In fine, whoever would ſift the pitiful Evaſions, contained in the written Diſcourſe, which Luzancy gave to Sir Joſeph Williamſon Secretary of State, would find things ſo abſurd and groſs, that they who have countenanc'd them with Authority, would be without excuſe if Reaſon of State did not free them from blame.

Mean time this Admirable Reaſon of State, or the Zeal without knowledg of ſome Men, wrought ſo, that all England almoſt was poſſeſs'd with the pretended crime of the Jeſuit, and falſe innocence of [Page] Luzancy; Thoſe who have no other knowledg of him then by the Proclamation look upon him as a Martyr, ſome who began to have other thoughts of him are reſetled in their good opinion, while they ſee my Lord Biſhop of London openly protect him; Others to lay on an Occaſion to imbroyl things and make their Zeal to the Proteſtant Religion appear, have gone far in this buſineſs, and contributed much to the ſucceſs which you know he has had yet there remains a conſiderable number of thoſe who look purely after Truth, and ſeperate themſelves from the Crowds, to follow and never ſwerve from her.

I had Inlarged my Self farther on this Subject, if I did not think I had ſaid enough to give you an Idea of all this Farce. Let us now paſs forwards and trace Luzancy ſtep by ſtep, in the remaining Acts of a piece, which includes I know not how many incidents of a different nature, and which tis fit the World ſhould know, that he may the better be underſtood.

St. Germain having been without hearing, as ſoon condemned as accuſed, Luzancy's Advancement was powerfully carryed on, My Lord Biſhop of London took care to have him Ordained and made him Preach immediately, deſigning to put him into a Condition of becoming one day a great Defendor of the Church of England, And becauſe he wanted the Language of the Countrey to make his Talents appear, he was ſent to Oxford to Learn it. All this was done in an unimaginable Hurry: 'Twas to much purpoſe for the Paſtors and ſeveral Maſters of Families of the Church at the Savoy to cry out. Nothing could ſtop the impetuous Current of my Lord Biſhop's reſolution, and as if it had been a matter of main import for the upholding of the Orthodox Faith, they drive on his Preferment without obſerving the leaſt Meaſure in the world.

While this was a Brewing an Engliſh Miniſter belonging to the French Church; named Mr. du Mareſq, full of Zeal for the Truth printed a Sermon which he had Preached during theſe Buſtles, and this for the reaſons which he gives in his Preface, they were no ſooner come abroad but my Lord Biſhop of London thought both the one and the other deſerv'd the Thunder of his Eccleſiaſtical tribunal: To this purpoſe he cauſed all the Coppies to be ſeized. The Miniſter was cited to the Biſhops Court, where at firſt they wrangl'd with him about a Licence to Preach, which neither he nor any of his Collegues had ever heard of: [Page] At laſt after much ado they diſcovered where the ſhoo truly pinch'd; My Lord Biſhop was offended by his falling upon Luzancy: And would needs have the Miniſter to ask forgiveneſs of God, his Neighbor, the Church, and his Superior: This is not enough; the Miniſter muſt alſo acknowledg, that he is Convinc'd in Conſcience that he has offended God, and his Neighbor, by printing Scandalous things: Yet we have not all, a Declaration too muſt be Sign'd and Seal'd, otherwiſe the Miniſter is undone. And becauſe he refus'd a Motion ſo extraordinary, My Lord Biſhop preſently caus'd him to be publickly Interdicted the functions of his Charge, upon a Sunday in the midſt of his Congregation.

A proceeding ſo ſevere againſt a Miniſter very well ſpoken of opened the Eyes and underſtandings, of divers who want none: they ſet themſelves to inquire attentively, what theſe ſcandalous things were, which were imputed to him, but their ſearch was Fruitleſs, they found nothing that look'd towards it. In fine, like the five Propoſitions which heretofore at Rome they maintained, were in the Book of Janſenius, they perceived theſe Scandals ow'd their birth to ſharpneſs and prejudice.

Mean time this Miniſter of the Goſpel, becauſe he ſtood firm to the maintenance of Truth, was openly ſuſpended for reaſons reſerved to my Lord Biſhop and his Officers. They had a care not to ſay what theſe reaſons were, they were too frivolous, and would have cover'd the Authors with Shame and Blame: But by a ſlight not welbecoming a Biſhop they conceal'd the Account of a proceeding ſo defective. They had much rather People ſhould have Occaſion to believe horrible things of this Miniſter, than publiſh his fault it was ſo light. And my Lord Biſhop of London doubtes not but Men will judg by the prerogative of his Dignity, that the right is on his ſide, and that 'twas enough to make one paſs for Criminal to be accuſed and puniſh'd by a perſon ſo venerable as himſelf Quis ſanctum dubitet, quem apex tantae Dignitatis attollit?

All this as I have been informed, paſt in the moſt unuſual manner in the World. The Miniſter is Condemned without being heard according to the formalities of Law: 'Twas much to purpoſe for him to offer to juſtify himſelf. The Biſhop refuſes to ſee him; ſlights the ſubmiſſive Letters which the Miniſter writes to him; and by his Order the Judges of his Court paſs Sentence without ſaying or knowing wherefore: who would have believed a Biſhop of London, one of a Noble Family, and [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] who has no ſmall pretentions to the Archbiſhoprik of Canterbury, had been capable of ſuch a Carriage. After ſo much noiſe what could we expect from a proceeding ſo rigorous? It was believed my Lord Biſhop would never have reſtor'd this Miniſter at leaſt on eaſier terms than very ample ſatisfaction, ſuch as might hold proportion with the Offence; which People were made believe the Biſhop had received. Notwithſtanding againſt the opinion of many (by the good Offices of Monſieur Durel, together with thoſe of Monſieur Ruvigny who had a mind to Oblige the Biſhop, and was pleaſed to Interpoſe without being intreated.) The Miniſter was reſtored to the exerciſe of his charge upon a bare acknowledgment that he was in the wrong to print his Preface without Licence from his Superior, or any elſe in Authority, &c. a poor and dry ſatisfaction in my opinion after ſo much ado, and which juſtifies the Miniſter, for as much as he has publiſh'd againſt Luzancy, and the Monks, and condemns the rigor uſed to him.

Behold Sir, whither Paſſion carries Men, behold a Signal example in the perſon of a Biſhop! The Sanctuary is not priviledg'd, and we are not afraid to ſet it awork even in that Holy Place: Where is that Charity whereof ſo unſeaſonably in reſpect of Knaves we pride our ſelves when to uphold them we overwhelm a Miniſter of the word of God? What a horrible uſe do we in theſe days make of it? When the matters treated on in the Preface were without Reply, muſt a whole Kingdom for a pitiful point of Honor, needs have cauſe to believe, that the Miniſter was a Lyer, and Luzancy and the Monks unjuſtly Attackt? Muſt it needs be I ſay, that on a pretext ſo ſlight, ſo heavy a Blow ſhould fall on a Man, whoſe carriage has always been without Reproach, and who without conſulting Fleſh and Blood reſolved in diſcharge of his Duty to ſpeak Truths likely to diſpleaſe more than one, and he be puniſhed ſo outragiouſly for a deſign ſo generouſly executed? we ſee well enough how the world goes. My Lord Biſhop of London had undertaken the protection of Luzancy: He had a mind to cheriſh this Plant which he had newly ſet in the Garden of the Church, and could not indure that England ſhould be inform'd it was of the nature of thoſe Herbs which ſhew handſomly and yet are full of Poyſon. He could not ſee the Child of his care and ſtudy wounded, eſpecially in that part where Men are moſt tender, without receiving the blow upon himſelf; and the Arrows juſtly ſhot at the reputation of his Neophyte, have lighted on him. Behold [Page] the true cauſe of the Biſhop's anger. To offend a Knave was to attaque him; to attaque him was to blemiſh the dignity of his See, and thoſe immature and haſty deciſions were made both to uphold his Perſon and his Mitre. Had my Lord Biſhop in the deſign he had to declare himſelf the ſupport of this Counterfeit Proſelyte conſulted the Commands of him from whom he holds both this Life and Character, he would have learned not to do ill that good may come of it. And that the uſe of pious frauds is proper only for thoſe places where Religion being deſtitute of Truth, which is its Baſis, cannot ſubſiſt but by foul Play, with which thoſe of Wit Amuſe; and make Shittlecocks of the Common People.

After all how can we henceforward reproach the Papiſts with their Inquiſition when I have acquainted you with things as ſtrange: In good earneſt, when the wit of Man takes pleaſure in blinding it ſelf how conſiderable ſoever our Rank is in the world whether in Church or State, and whatever we deſerve on the account of Learning, and Maſtery in thoſe commendable Sciences which diſtinguiſh Men one from another, we are notwithſtanding ſubject to ſtrange ſlips, and if the fall be ſo much greater as the place is higher from whence we fall, what grief muſt it be to a good Biſhop when every one ſees him ſo far out of his Sphaere, and ſo imprudently derogating from his Character.

But let us leave my Lord Biſhop a while, for ſince this buſineſs has made way for ſeveral other incidents, we muſt examine ſome of them with care, as being no leſs material than thoſe with which I have entertained you.

The Miniſter du Marreſq ſeeing himſelf proſecuted with ſo much heat, and being yet uncertain whether it were for having printed his Preface without Licenſe or for having ſaid what he ſays there, thought it convenient to provide himſelf of all that might ſerve for his defence and juſtification. To this purpoſe having underſtood a good while before from Monſieur Blancard Secretary to the Embaſſador of France, that druing the time the Court was at Windſor, there had paſſed certain Scandalous and infamous Diſcourſes betwixt Luzancy and Mary Grimplet Jammarte waiting Woman to the Lady Marqueſs Ruvigny, which had come to Criminal Actions if both parties had been agreed; He dealt earneſtly with him to deſire of this woman, that ſhe would ſet down in writing what had paſt that the Truth might be known and a paſſage of the Preface juſtified: Monſieur Blancard having at firſt word eaſily procured [Page] this writing, gave it to Mrs. Ann Mareſq, and the whole Court coming by chance to ſee it, It made ſuch a noiſe, that my Lord Biſhop of London found in it a new ſubject of anger; He would gladly have had the Woman unſay herſelf, and often ſpoke to Monſieur de Ruvigny about it. Monſieur de Ruvigny call'd for her, and ſhe after a great deal of Talk acknowledged ſhe had ſaid the Truth at the requeſt of Monſieur Blancard, in the interim as plain as the Truth was the Miniſter Breval would needs be medling: He often viſits this woman whom he had never ſeen before; Fain would he have brought her to recant, but perceiving ſhe ſtood to the Truth of her writing, had the impudence to ſay whereever he came, that Mr. Blancard had forc'd her to make that Writing. This was believed by divers conſiderable Perſons, and the rather becauſe it was alledged that Monſieur de Ruvigny ſaid that 'twas true, that his Secretary had made the Woman do it. Theſe four words were taken as they ſounded, and without reflecting that there was in them a double ſence, the greateſt part la [...]d hold on the worſe as being conformable to the Reports of Breval, and the diſpoſition in which People were to judg favorably of a Knave, whoſe Emiſſaries gave out, that Mr. Blancard was a Papiſt, and who to oblige Monſieur du Mareſq might be like enough to ſuborn a Woman.

To reſcue this buſineſs from the Confuſion in which they have intangled it, we muſt ſtate it right, and ſay, That 'tis indeed true that Monſieur Blancard did get the writing in queſtion from the Woman: but only by the plain ordinary way, the way which all the world proceeds by, (viz.) by Requeſt. So that in this ſence Mr. de Ruvigny was in the right when he ſaid his Secretary had made the Writing be made, all the Miſchief is in the Equivocation of the words, and the falſe conſequence which they draw: he made the Writing be Signed, therefore he did it by force and ſubornation: Divers who are not acquainted with Mr. Blancard have been wonderfully pleas'd to exerciſe their wit on this ſubject, and on this is grounded the Calumny which has been publiſh'd againſt him. I muſt confeſs that Monſier Ruvigny himſelf has contributed ſomthing to it, by thoſe words of two ſences, and to oblige my Lord Biſhop of London who had recourſe only to him. The ſide which the Embaſſador took from the beginning to favor Luzancy allowed him not to explain himſelf clearly, and perceiving the Bable pleaſed the humor of My Lord Biſhop, and divers others; he choſe rather dextrouſly to aſſiſt them to wear it and deceive themſelves then diſcover to them his true thoughts; [Page] For it is certain that in this buſineſs, this Old Court Polititian would rather keep to himſelf all the juſt reſentments which without doubt he had of the tricks play'd him by Luzancy, then ſtrive with the ſtream which favor'd him, by declaring what he truly thought in publick as he did to his particular friends: Behold the main reaſon why Luzancy has not been ſhamefully thrown out of his Doors; why he, and his Lady more, have countenanc'd him, and why this refin'd Miniſter of State, has always diſſembled the better to gain an Aſcendant over thoſe who were pleas'd with the Chimera, and by that means better ſerve the King his Maſter.

To clear this point yet more, is there any likelihood that if Monſieur de Ruvigny had been truly perſuaded of ſo wicked an Attempt practis'd by his Secretary, one who has ſerv'd him theſe many years, he would continue to employ him in his buſineſs, and truſt him with the Secrets of the King his Maſter? can this enter into the Brains of any Man of common ſence? were peoples eyes not blinded with Paſſion, they would never run their heads againſt this Poſt.

But to make an end of clearing the buſineſs is it not true after the endeavors uſed by my Lord Biſhop and Breval to perſuade People that Mr. Blancard was culpable, that if he truly had been ſo, they would have cauſed the force of the firſt Writing, which has ſo much ſhocked them to be voyded, by a ſecond of the ſame hand, why was not the Woman brought before a Judg and put to declare the Tru [...]h upon Oath, and by that means render it indiſputable? Since this was not, may not we ſay it could not be done? For it was the only means to decide the Queſtion, ſhe who was an honeſt woman and a Proteſtant was ſure enough not to unſay her ſelf, ſince at that very time when Luzancy had that diveliſh diſcourſe with her, ſhe ſpoke of it to ſeveral perſons who if need be will witneſs it: And I have been informed that Mr. Blancard himſelf who paſſes for a ſincere and good friend, was not wanting to give warning to Luzancy of it, whom he had likewiſe formerly advis'd to leave off that name as he had quitted that of dela March a Month after his Arrival in England.

Notwithſtanding as weak and pitiful as the reaſons are which they alleadg, there are ſome who give credit to them and believe that Mr. Blancard has ſuborned this Woman, and I am informed they have the credit [Page] to be Abetted by a Noble Lord. I am ſorry that Noble Man, one of ſuch excellent parts ſhould fall into ſuch a Bogg as this.

Methinks he might remember a certain famous Jugler, whom time was he ſheltred againſt Wind and tide, and has ſufficiently repented ſince, Aliquando bonus dormitat homerus.

Let us now paſs on to the ſequel of Luzancy's Story, and his witneſſes. It may eaſily be imagin'd how much joy the ſuſpenſion of Mr. du Mareſq brought him: fierce as a Caeſar to have a Biſhop for his Defendor, he undertook ſome weeks ſince to juſtify himſelf in a long Letter Addreſt as they ſay, to a Lady of Quality, as he proceeds in a manner peculiar enough, I thought it convenient to examine this Letter, and acquaint you with the reflexions I have made which will ſerve for a Concluſion to my diſcourſe. This worthy piece being like the laſt Act of of the Comedy of this Hypocrite. His Letter is written in ſhew to a Lady of Quality, but in truth to a French Woman named Miſtreſs Rene Wife to a Scotch Taylor living in Suffolk-ſtreet, who was one of Luzancy's Witneſſes, and one of the Actors in St. German's Tragedy, This Woman is a curious piece to look on, and one of the moſt infallible remedies of Love that can be met with. A couple of Fellows, that have no imployment whoſe names are Le Comte, and Champion, kept a terrible Pother in diſperſing coppies of this Letter, both in French and Engliſh and by their means, it may be called publick, though it were not Printed, as having gone through as many hands in Manuſcript, as if it had paſs'd through the Preſs, Le Comte the firſt of theſe two Frenchmen, is an old Factioniſt, one who is always an Enemy to the preſent Government, and who inceſſantly affecting what is paſt, is ſtill forming frightful Imaginations of what is to come, one of a mutinous humor of the ſame temper with Rene the Taylor, a great Partizan of Brevals as well as he who made himſelf head of the Rabble for the bringing that Capucin into the Savoy, whom Mr. Durel, and divers other ſober Men judged unworthy of the office of a Proteſtant Preacher, for reaſons which ſhall be alleadged hereafter. For Champion he is a little pitiful Wretch, heretofore a Monk, now an idle Fellow whoſe tongue is always imployed in detracting, and Pen in fouling of Paper, Witneſs that impertinent Paultry Anſwer, which he made to the Preface of Monſieur du Mareſq, and which with the Arrogance of an Author that deſerves a Whipping he went from houſe to houſe to read himſelf; [Page] Tis a pitiful Writing void of common ſence, and which has as many ſaults as words. He is beſides the worthy Copier of all thoſe pieces which Luzancy made to be preſented to the Privy Councel.

I thought fit to acquaint you what kind of People they are, of whom Luzancy makes uſe, to vent his Tricks, that yov may be ignorant of nothing which has happened in this abominable Intrigue.

Let us now go on to examine the ſubſtance of this Cheat's Letter, and to begin, Imagine with your ſelf a Man who makes an Abridgment of his Life, and undertakes himſelf to make an Elogy of it, exactly imitating the Phariſee in the Goſpel, who gave thanks to God that he was not like other men, but not the Publican, who franckly confeſt his faults: So he ſets off his Righteouſneſs after a very boaſting manner, every where he makes proteſtations of the innocence of his Converſion, and purity of his Manners. He flantingly ſets forth the imployments which he ſays he had both, among Societies, and under Biſhops even beyond his age, as if this pretended Juſt Man were arriv'd at Chriſtian Perfection, he impudently maintains that his life has been free not only from great, but even from the leaſt crimes. After ſuch an aſſurance as he gives us of his vertue, will not a Manrun great hazard of being thought ſaucy if he ſhould ſlander him with an imputation of Guilt. And he whoſe words according to his own ſaying are ſo true, whoſe actions are ſo innocent, whoſe Qualities ſo rare, ought he not rather to be an object of every bodies admiration? And yet all this while if we believe our own Eyes, if the teſtimony of our Ears may be rely'd on, and the inquiries of all Paris of both Religions, and a number of People of London afford any certainty, this falſe Muſter which he makes of ſo many Vertues, ſerves but to confirm us that he is a through pac'd Knave, a Rogue capable of any Villany to compaſs his ends, a Cheat, a Makebate, a Vagabond to day at Vitry, Regent of the fifth Form, to morrow among the Monks at Vendoſme, a little after in the ſervice of a Biſhop, then in the Abby of Trape, next with another Prelate, at laſt a Preacher Errant, here and there, but chiefly at Montdidier, where counterfeiting the name of Luzancy, by a Bill ſigned with that name he cheated the Damoizele Cartier of a piece of Money: All this is very eaſily proved if there were Judges Commiſſionated to take Information and execute Puniſhment. This in few words is the Man who deſcirbs himſelf in his Letter as one exempted from the leaſt Crimes, and who ſays it could not [Page] be that he has imbrac'd the Proteſtant Religion, but upon good Motives ſince in the Roman Church he wanted nor occaſions of Debauch, was not tyed by any Rule nor ſubject to any Law; In fine, he would make us believe 'twas the pure love of Truth, which has carryed him from his Country, his Eſtate, his Friends, and all pretences of advancing himſelf which he might have in his Eye; who is able to reſiſt expreſſions ſo forcible, and who would not let himſelf be perſuaded by ſuch Emphatical Figures of Rhetorick? This crafty Hypocrite draws too, a Convincing Proof that he has never done any thing worthy of reproach, from the ſilence of the Romaniſts, in as much as they, ſay he, ſtirr ſo little in producing Proofs of what they affirm.

To hear him chatter and read his Letter, would not one think all the world were bound to buſy themſelves either in making Apologies for him, or ſetting him out for what he is? would not one ſay likewiſe, that he who is juſtly charged with taking upon him another Man's name, who can be proved a Lyer, Wencher, an Adulterer, a Deceiver, a Rook, Prophane and Perjur'd, is a poor Innocent whom the ſilence of the world Acquits of all theſe crimes? was the like impudence ever heard of? And this Wretch who has no defence but his Tongue againſt Proofs of Facts which are brought againſt him, makes loud Braggs of want of Ability in his Enemies, to verify what they affirm?

Whereas it were to be wiſhed he would if he could anſwer the Preface of Mr. de Mareſq: He is ſo glad to find in his way my Lord Biſhop of London, thundring at that Miniſter, that he makes that ſerve for a reaſon of his ſilence in that reſpect. He ſays the actions of that Prelate are all for him: That they juſtify him but too much; and that to go about to defend himſelf; were to wrong the Dignity of his Patron, whoſe proceedings are ſo favorable to him. And thus the Gallant wards the blow. He contents himſelf with bemoaning by way of Raillery, the fate of that Miniſter and only ſays that to anſwer bad Writings is to bring them into requeſt.

Concerning the Teſtimony in writing about the Diveliſh Diſcourſe which he had with the Woman, wherewith I have already entertain'd you at large, he ſays the carriage of my Lord Biſhop and Mr. Beval juſtify him ſo fully from that horrible Calumny, that raviſh'd to ſee himſelf ſo well ſupported, he ventures with an unmeaſureable impudence [Page] to affirm that the Embaſſador of France, has diſcovered that the Woman and her Husband were wrought upon by money: And thereupon Proteſts, that in caſe ſuch a depoſition were true he deſerv'd to be burnt alive. But tis not amiſs to obſerve, that he talks not of that kind of Puniſhment till after he was well inform'd that the Ambaſſador, the Biſhop, and Breval, had ſecur'd him from that Depoſition, otherwiſe he would have taken good heed not to condemn himſelf. Mean time the Woman who is at London may depoſe upon Oath whether the writing be true, and whether Luzancy had that Diveliſh diſcourſe with her at Windſor, or not. Tis hoped Judges will one day examine this Circumſtance, and give him ſatisfaction according to the ſentence pronounced by himſelf in his Letter, provided he do not diſavow it.

In the ſequel he tells us he could alleadg twenty Accuſations brought againſt him, but that he will deal with Patience yet proteſting withal, that if this remedy prove unſucceſsful, he will write ſo as to make his Adverſaries repent. This is what is deſired by abundance of People provided there be Judges to make him prove what he brings againſt them, and them what they bring againſt him. Mean time we muſt paſs forward, and ſee what more the Gentleman has put into his Letter.

Of the other two Miniſters of the French Church at the Savoy, for as for thoſe of the Church in London, they would never come much into his company, nor ſuffer him to Preach among them; The one he ſays is too wiſe to Print what he hints concerning him, both in Converſation, and in the Pulpit. And the other Mr. Breval is his intimate Friend, one much eſteemed by the Engliſh, and to whom he has the greateſt Obligations poſſible. As for the firſt Luzancy acknowledges, and in this obſerve his weakneſs, that he is no more of his ſide, he does not tell the reaſon, but tis eaſily gueſt at. Mr. de Langle at the requeſt of his Friends, gave him the liberty of the Pulpit, and took much pains to get him ſome Clarity from the Conſiſtory: He had for ſome time an eſteem for him, and changed with the reſt of his beſt friends, when they perceived his Cheats, and part of his Vices. For Breval he is his boſom friend, his right hand, They underſtand one another as Thieves in a Market, they two contriv'd the b [...]ſineſs againſt the Jeſuite, Breval thriv'd by the trouble it caus'd at the beginning he was made Prebend of Weſtminſter. And now ſay whether he be not an able Man, and whether he do not look more handſomly in a Canons far, than in a Capucins [Page] Raggs. He is for all that at preſent well at eaſe, well Lodg'd, well Cloath'd, well provided of a Wife, courts well the Biſhops, half beggs, half commands Alms at good houſes, makes good Chear, cauſes himſelf to be paid from the Savoy out of the money deſign'd for the Poor. This is the Man whom Luzancy ſets out as one ſtrangely perſecuted by the French at his ſettlement in the Church, and hints the cauſe thereof to have been his great Learning, what he ſays in this particular is Lamentable, ſince it is certain, that Breval Preaches pitifully: although as is ordinary with Monks he be ready enough; He knows almoſt no Proteſtant, and but little Roman Divinity. He made his entrance into the Church with a plump Concubine, and a Baſtard, and ſome Money ſtolen from the Poor of that Communion, which he came from deſerting. Notwithſtanding, all theſe Crimes as Novelty is taking he was by Caball ſettled in the Savoy: Mr. Durel after he had done what became an honeſt Man to hinder him, ſate down quietly: The Conſiſtory allow'd him a Penſion as to the other Miniſters, and becauſe the Contribution of particulars was not ſufficient, he makes bold with the ſtock of the Poor, although his preſent Incomes amount to more than Two hundred and fifty pounds per annum, and his Wife maintain'd beſides by a Knight, one of his dear friends, who never ſtirrs from her. For the reſt he is a Man who Counterfeits ſo exactly, that he plays all parts both in the World and Pulpit, and is a much better Tartuff than Luzancy: This is his Aſſociate, their Crimes make them friends, and both the one, and other are paid for having made ſport with the World.

In fine, not to caſt away more time in Confuting things not worth the while Luzancy ſays in his Letter, that he wonders how of a hundred Proſelytes there remains one with us? this is to anſwer one of the Articles of Mr. du Mareſq's Preface which you know well enough. To this it may be ſaid, that the Sober Papiſts who change upon good Motives, ſtay with us tyed by the chains of the Spirit which binds them to the Orthodox. Of the bad, ſome leave us to follow the Torrent of their Libertine humors; Others leave us not becauſe they are throughly faſtened by the allurements of the Fleſh, I mean Advancement and Marriage as Breval. We have for Examples of the firſt ſort, Mr. Cottereaw, Mr. de la Motte, and ſome others, but very few where Life and Converſation are without Reproach. As for run away Monks their number is too great to be confin'd to the bounds of a Letter, and Mr. de Mareſq has not exagerated [Page] in his Preface. For the laſt ſort we ſee to our great Grief and the ſhame of the Church, Breval's, Luzancy's, Solomon's, whoſe Manners are a mixture of all Vices.

I forgot one Reflexion upon Luzancy's Letter to ſhew the [...]orce of his Judgment, he is ſo afraid one paſſage of his Writing to the Jeſuit ſhould not be believed, becauſe the Jeſuite ſays it was not his, that he will needs put in a word in his Letter to perſuade People of what he had affirmed in his famous Retractation, after he had drawn Mr. Breval's Picture in a hideous ſhape, which yet in Truth is very like him, he paſſes to Mr. du Mareſq, whom he accuſed to love Wine and Tobacco. And in the Letter which I am now examining, he unwarily ſays the ſame thing, alledging for one of the reaſons why that Miniſter loves him not that he neither loves Wine, nor the places where it cannot be drunk without ſcandal: He muſt be blind who cannot in this Conformity of Sentiments perceive a circumſtance which makes ſtrongly againſt Luzancy, & draw an evident proof that in the dealing betwixt him and the Jeſuit there was nothing of force, ſince what he wrote at Oxford a li [...]tle while ſince, and with a ſettled Judgment has ſo much conformity with the Retractation which he' ſwore was extorted from him with a Dagger at his Throat.

From all that has been ſaid it may in my opinion be eaſily gathered that St. Germain the Jeſuite is innocent of the Capital Crime of which he is accuſed: That the Counterfeit Luzancy is a bad Man who invented the Calumny when he ſaw he could neither get the Retractation which he had voluntarily given, back from the Jeſuite, nor money which he expected to carry him back into France, whether he had reſolved to return, out of deſpair when he ſaw himſelf diſcover'd for the Son of Beau Chaſtean the Player, a quality which he had always denyed, and that with a Thouſand Oaths, chiefly at the French Ambaſſadors when the Secretary affirmed the contrary, and Luzancy rather than acknowledg it, choſe to deſert the Proteſtant Religion, For this was the true reaſon which oblig'd him to make his Retractation which was not to have been ſeen till after his departure. It may alſo be eaſily gather'd that in all this Diabolical Invention he has made uſe of none but unworthy People, whether for Councellors, Witneſſes, or Tranſcribers: That Mr. du Mareſq had reaſon in his Sermon, his Preface, & Diſcourſes to ſound the depth of this horrible Tragedy: That Mr. Blancard did not ſuborn, the Woman, nor her Husband, to Sign the Paper which has ſo much troubled my Lord Biſhop of London.

[Page] And laſtly, That the carriage and paſſion of that Biſhop were not ſuitable to his birth and Character. God preſerve him from new Injuſtice, and protecting Luzancy a ſecond time, if he befound ſo ill at Oxford as at London, 'Tis feared his affection and unwillingneſs to ſee faults, will incline him rather to cover his Crimes if he fall into new ones, then give glory to Truth by diſcovering them, and having no more to do with him.

I have but one word more to ſay concerning Luzancy's Confidence when he ſpeaks to His Majeſty, After what I have ſaid to the King, ſays he to the Taylors wife, If my Enemies be ſo certain of what they report againſt me, let them appear in a Legal Tryal, let the Accuſes produce his Proof if he can, and I be puniſh'd at the Stake, and if not, let him undergo the ſame Penalty.

If it come to ſuch a Tryal (the only way in my opinion to make at end of ſo many diſputes) it will be ſeen who fears moſt, Luzancy, or thoſe who accuſe him; however it be, tis a thing which good Men ardently deſire: They would gladly ſee an end of this buſineſs, and would wiſh that Judges might without delay be appointed at London to take full Cognizance of a matter which has hitherto produced nothing but Diſorder and Scandal, and the clearing whereof would be ſo great [...] good to the Church, It being ſhe who had the greateſt Concern in it.

I might Sir inlarge on a Subject ſo Copious, if I did not fear to urge your patience to the utmoſt; I have but one Reflexion more to make on th [...] concluſion of his Letter. He tells the pretended Lady of Quality to whom he writes, that only the French ſpeak ill of him, but that the Engliſh [...] all inclin'd to favor him, after which he adds that this Nation is the moſt civil, and moſt charitable in the World, making a Panegyrick upon [...] in terms the moſt flouriſhing which Art could ſuggeſt. Truly I am aſhamed this Knave his ſo much reaſon to praiſe the Engliſh, and tha [...] the prejudice is ſo great that divers in imitation of the Biſhop, put [...] their eyes that they may not ſee how things go.

As this Miſchief is largely ſpread, I do not think it is eaſy to remedy it at preſent. God alone is able to change the blind zeal and errors o [...] many good Men. In expectation of ſo great a good I would adviſe you on your ſide to endeavor what you can, that the truth of this buſineſs be known, while I on mine act according to the ſame ſpirit, Not without gathering every day conſiderable Fruits of the Labor, which I have deliberately undertaken, without being any way ſtartled at the contradiction of the VVorld.

I am Sir, as you know, Your moſt humble Servant.

§

§

[Page]

JE ſouſſignée Mary Grimpelé, femme du Sr. Jamart Chyrurgien, qui ay eſté domeſtique de Madame La Marquiſe de Ruvigny, Certifie que Mr. de Luzancy m'a tenu des diſcours fort Libres, & mal honneſtes à un homme de ſa Profeſſion, m'ayant dit entr'autres choſes, qu'il avoit un ſecret pour empecher les ſilles de devenir groſſes, & pour les faire avorter lors qu'elles le ſ [...]nt, & que lors qu'une femme avoit un Mary ce la n'empechoit pas qu'elle n'eut un Galand. C'eſt ce que je certifie veritable.

Fait à Londres, &c.

Mary Grimpelé.

§

I Underwritten Mary Grimpelé, wife to Mr. Jamarta Chyrurgeon, who have been of the Houſhold of my Lady Marqueſs of Ruvigny, do certify that Mr. Luzancy hath held ſome very indecent Diſcourſes with me, and unworthy of a Man of his profeſſion, having amongſt ſeveral other things told me, that he had a ſecret to hinder VVomen from being with Child, and to make them miſcarry when they were ſo, and that when a VVoman was married, there was no difficulty for her to have a Gallant. This I do maintain to be true:

Done at London.

Mary Grimpelé.

Information about this book

Title statement

A letter from a gentleman at London, to his friend in the countrey, &c.

Gentleman at London.

Edition statement

1676

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A47986

ID [STC]

Wing L1379

ID [STC]

ESTC R10276

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12330422

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12330422

ID [VID]

59648

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A47986)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 59648)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 639:13)

Source

— A letter from a gentleman at London, to his friend in the countrey, &c., Gentleman at London..

Extent

18, [1] p.

s.n.,. [London? :: 1676]. (Caption title.) (Imprint from NUC pre-1956.) (Reproduction of original in Bodleian Library.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.