To the Libeller himself.

AS 'tis the greatest testimony of vertue to please good men, so it is no less an argument of the same to displease the wicked; it being equally a blemish to be praised by them, as to be censured by the other: which mo­ved the worthy Dr. P. R. not onely to sleight your calumnies, but even made him rejoyce to have received them from such, whose Rump-like Anarchi­chall spirits, kick against all Authority not modell'd by themselves, as incon­sistent with their Fanatick Notions: And whose evident Apostacy from the Church, makes them odious and dete­stable to the genuine Sons thereof: [Page 4]and might therefore have driven me and others, friends of the Doctor and Truth, to have passed by this Libel with contempt, as confident it will finde the same judgement in England, which it could not have avoided in a Catho­lick Countrey, by Tobacconists, if it escape a more noysom burial by piece­meal in a Close-stool, Yet lest it might fall into the hands of some unacquain­ted with his merits and worth; and because Reproaches confidently urged, leave some durt behinde them; I con­ceived it my duty to wipe it off: a du­ty I owe to Truth, to my deceived Friends, to the Doctors Innocency, whose eminent Vertues afford me a large field to wander (and even lose my self) in, in his commendations, did I not fear to offend his modesty, and derogate from his just merits by my humble Pen, as much below his desert, as he is above your detractions.

But what should move the unchari­table Publisher of this scandalous Pas­quill to vent to the World so scurril­ous a Pamphlet, whose Author he knew [Page 5]not, nor the man he writes against; but covetousnesse, which legitimates any gain, though by the hurt of others, yea scarce thinks it gain, unlesse others be hurt. A notable wise Fellow that could think a Letter worthy the pub­lick, whereof he neither knows the Au­thor, whether he be a man who may deserve belief; nor the man he writes against, whether his worth may not have heightned him above all such barkings.

But whether I should believe him or you, I know not, whom I finde like Susanna her witnesses, in several tales; and while your Heads look diverse wayes, are tyed onely by the Tailes, where in that of your Letter, you say, He knows the hand, which he in full front denies, Non novi hominem. Oedi­pus solve me this Riddle, Know and know not. But perhaps your Master Blackloe in his new Philosophy hath found a cure for it out of the World in the Moon, to which we recommend him, since he hath troubled this suffi­ciently: And in particular to the Man [Page 6]thereof, who in all likelihood tyred with great imployment, may resigne his place to him, or at the worse, make him Reader of Divinity there, since all Countries have refused him here.

'Tis very credible that Dr. P. R. his nearest acquaintance and camerades should so ill befriend him, as to give you Mr. Libeller, such a knowledge of him as you blaze out in your scurril­lous Pamphlet. I have the honour to be of his nearest acquaintance, and (be it spoken with the respect I owe his person and worth) of his Camerades, and out of mine own knowledge will make bold to give you the Lye, and your very Pamphlet smells of so much basenesse and cowardize, that I believe you will cake it patiently. And I shall praise your vertue.

But much more true, that you never had any commerce with himself, his spi­rit ever disdaining so inconsiderable a Fellow, by whose company his repu­tation might suffer in the opinion of men of worth, his nearest acquaintance and Camerades.

Then you say, your profession hath no relation to the subject of this discourse, I believe so; for you not onely seem no Schollar, but even not worthy to look at schollarship, who could so lit­tle discern it, where it appeared as ful­ly and gracefully as the matter requi­red. And therefore doubt not but your own confession will easily be be­lieved, viz, That you are neither a Di­vine, nor learned in any thing: no not so much as in good manners, or the du­ty of a good Catholick, though you professe your self a Roman Catholick. Which whether I may take upon your own word, wherein you have faultred so often, and is yet the onely testimo­niall you have, I leave to honest men, and such as have read your Pamphlet to judge: till then I shall be content out of charity to hope, though I can­not finde one word in all your Libell can induce me to believe it.

Though I can easily credit, and you have demonstrated it more fully then your Masters Chrysaspis did the Qua­dratura Circuli, that you are neither a [Page 8]Divine, nor learned in any thing, onely you pretend [and but barely pretend] by common sense [which any one that reads your Pamphlet would swear you had lost] bettered with conversation and reading, to have some knowledge [but that very little] of the ordinary passages of the world, and in such matters as men generally talk of: which whether any Tinker, Cobler, or sweep-chimney, espe­cially in these times so full of news and businesse, may not more then pretend to, I wish you out of your common sense bettered with conversation and reading [your Masters Books] to determine.

You do well not to be of the opinion of those that think him hired: for in that particular, you will be accompted lesse silly then they who think so, and vent their venome so weakly and groundlesly.

You do well also not to believe that he is a Prevaricator, for no honest man would believe you. And if those others you speak of, are ashamed to own that belief before any person of honour; I pray you be you ashamed of them al­so, [Page 9]and of your acquaintance with them. And I wish I could as easily ac­quit you of a malicious designe in your carriage towards him: that you were not the hireling of some Pursevant, whom by this open discovery of his Name and Person you endeavour to assist: that by the ruine of so worthy and learned an Adversary, you might leave an open field to your baffled and run-away Champion Blackloe.

Good Sir begin to read his piece once more, and if you cannot for an example, in the first dozen lines or more, show us that palpable lye, or slan­der, or scolding injustice, or railing re­proach, or at least ridiculous imperti­nency, know what a fellow you are that dares say that there are not three lines in the whole piece without some of this. And how guilty will your Reader finde your self of all this; when you begin so timely.

You say he deserves not to carry their Books after them. You say right, for we cannot see how having ever made the good use, we know, of the best [Page 10]Books, why he should be condemned to read such naughty Books as your friend's are: but his zeal for our good makes him read them, to discover their venome to us, lest they might infect us. Besides, the bulk of your Masters comes will never (I am sure) oppresse his shoulders, whose stomack accustomed to solid Learning will easily digest his Pigge-wiggin Divinity into sippets.

Here again you do the Pursevant a pleasure. The party you write against doth not so much to his worst adversa­ries: he names but one, and him by two letters onely. If he names one or two of his friends at length, as you do him, it is with their consent; I am sure you had not his consent to do so.

Poor man, though you conceal your name, yet least it come out at last, why have you no more care of your credit, then to discover so much ignorance, since you professe to have some know­ledge in the ordinary passages of the world, as to think that a man cannot leave be­ing a Jesuit without Apostacy. We see even Princes, both Temporall and [Page 11]Spirituall, Prelates, Doctors, Preach­ers, and other persons of eminency and honour, often do it with the world's esteem, and continuance of mutual cha­rity betwixt them and the Society. But because you think no ignorance can befall your friend Mr. White, from whom you raked this with his other durt, you were the bolder in shooting your bolt.

Your owne Pamphlet and your friend's Mr. White's gives you the open lye, since with the utmost of your fury and filthy language you cannot fasten the least blemish upon any part of his life, even in the two or three particu­lar passages in matter of fact, where­with you go about to do it here; he hath so fully and so openly heretofore cleared himself to all your confusions, that I extreamly wonder how like un­known Owls out of your Ivie-bushes you dare flie at a person whose life hath been so open and so esteemed by persons of all degrees, both highest and lowest. For the satisfaction of those who know him not, I shall anon take [Page 12]notice of your two or three fabulous calumnies.

Besides the baldnesse of your stile all over, I take notice that all your slanderous Epithers and Adverbs, run along barking in couples: as notorious and foul reproaches, basely and unworthi­ly abuseth, frivolous and foolish Lines, lewd and licencious Pen; and so all a­long. But all this will never bite. No not your often calling him poor wretch, can no more wrong him, then Hugh Peters (with whom you jump in that Reviling Expression, take heed you jump not home after him) did his sa­cred Sovereign.

How simple is your malice here, as if it were a disparagement to teach those Schools which in course both Princes and Prelates, and whosoever was of that Society, taught: And I pray you, who of your best friends did not the like at Doway? Though any man that reads the bald expressions of your Masters, White and Doctor H. H. would never think they had put foot into a Grammer-School, whose Ru­diments [Page 13]they are not worthy to read to Boyes.

Your foolish jearing his Majesties Army, in calling them the brave Blades of the Land, makes it likely, that you are one of those Levelling Coxcombs, who cared not much for that Cause, and so envied those you durst not a­spire to follow, and appear with; this worthy person whom you now sharle at, was a constant comfort to the best Catholick Nobility and Gentry, with their Officers and Souldiers, with open hazard of life in such encounters, where you my friend, who dare not now own your name, durst not then shew your face: his wounds and imprisonment for that Cause, and in the performance of his noble charity, have gotten him that esteeme you will never deserve, without your becoming another crea­ture then you seem to be. And that with such success, that many Honour­able persons in their last agony, owe their Reconcilement to him: the neg­lect of which duty, argues in your friends as little charity to the dying, as their Doctrine expresseth to the dead; [Page 14]who instead of such Heroick acts of Fortitude, are sneaking in holes, where they strain all their forces to gain some filly woman, whose purse out-weighs her wit, to contribute to the mainte­nance of their Chimerical Chapter.

Your Ex-Jesuit being cast out, and being a Desertor, shows your non-sense and contradiction; if a Desertor, which implieth freely parting, how cast out, or forced to depart?

The twang they retain (if you under­stood what you say) is their especial ad­hering to the Pope, and zeal against Heresies and profane Novelties, which they were particularly bred to in the Society: which with their indefatiga­ble charity, hath carried them through so many dangers both by sea and land, to the Conversion of millions of Souls in both the Indies; whilst your party in the mean time imitating the incorri­gible malice of some of those barba­rous people against the Spaniards, re­fuse Heaven, because you are sure to finde Jesuits there: and to that end use all your wiles to pervert those souls, whom they with other Clergie Secular [Page 15]and Regular, have with so great pains gained to God.

You say the world takes, &c. You mean the sensless world, whereof you are one, and in this also chuse rather to run blind after your Master White, then to inform your self of those who could have told you; and you might clearly have gathered as much out of sundry places of the Epistle it self, which no way agree to the worthy Lord Abbot you name, that the person meant by M. G. is a vertuous and learned Cleargy­man in Monmouthshire. And your apish following of Blackloe in his very mi­stakes, how simple soever, makes you call the Author Monumetham; which you that talk so much of Grammer and Pedantry, if you read but Manutius's Letters should have known, where you finde the names of the places whither the Letters are sent. As for that illu­strious worthy Prelate on whom you would needs ground your sillymistake; all your slanders and back-bitings will not lessen his affection to this worthy person, and his ever owning his former services, as I and many more can still [Page 16]witness the constancy of this persons professions of zeal for his said Patrons service. And moreover, know my silly friend, that your Informer's too much snott stops their nostrils, and their breath stinks if they are not sensible of the sweet odour still remaining of his exemplar and obliging comportment at Pontoise. The best and greatest there will testifie it, as I dare undertake, to the confusion of any that shall dare to appear in this slander. And here I must tell you, you stumble against your will at an honour this deserving person was thought worthy of, which neither your Dr. H. H. nor your Master the Trino­bant ever yet obtained, for what I hear, in any forreign parts, to wit, to be en­trusted by the King of France, under the great Seal, with the administration and government of a Royal Abbey, with all its dependencies, to wit, above forty Churches; a trust usually judged there too great to continue in the same hands above six moneths without new Paterts; and in him was continued a­bove two yeares, in testimony of his prudent and knowing mannagement, [Page 17]that is to say, all the time the Abbey remained in vacancy.

Then you so tumble and delight your self in excrements noysome and cor­rupted members, ill sents and such like perfumes, that I doubt not but your sagacious nose may well befit a Town-Sow.

And now my Dr. Dullman, let me once for all take notice, that however you pretend by common sense bettered with conversation and reading to have some knowledge, yet that 'tis very little, and your wit less, which for want of better matter hath forced you to harp so often on the same string, of the Do­ctors teaching of a Grammer School: from whence it seems you are but late­ly clapsed; and the marks of your ignorance on your Posteriors have made such a fearful impression on your memory, it scarce retains any other Idea but of that formidable bug-bear wherewith it thinks to terrifie others: But we manum ferulae subduximus. And therefore let me tell you, for you are not able to judge your self, that Dr. P. R's knowledge in all Literature [Page 18]both Divine and Humane, is so gene­rall, his stile in Verse and Prose so po­lite and terse, that the truth thereof more forcible then any rack, hath ex­torted this confession from your Mr. White, a man otherwise sparing in his Praises: who in his Mon. excant. pag. 5. saith. Candide agnosco; nam & scriptum tuum Latinè tersum est, neque verbosi­tatè diffluis; & dignus es cujus stylo ex­colatur veritas; & vidi aliquando ver­siculos à te profectos, qui lucem non ve­rerentur.

Afterwards, like him that would make Wind-mills on Salisbury Plains, to drain the Fennes, you shew your Asse's ears in going about, to excuse the Catholick English Cleargy from par­taking in the guilt of Dr. H. H's Let­ter, touching the reading of prohibited Books, (a book as destructive of Eccle­siasticall, as the Corolarium of his Ana­lysis [...] of Civill Authority) I pray you who ever accused them? or once thought them guilty of such a crime, which they equally abhorre with your Masters Novelties: You might have saved this breath to cool your pottage. [Page 19]And then loudly bellow, Dr. P. R. was resolved to throw an aspersion on the Cleargie; a false slander, and such for which in conscience (if you had any) you owe him a reparation: since all along he gives them those Encomiums such venerable Brethren might deserve and expect from the eloquent Pen of an affectionate Brother: 'Tis you and you Masters the trumpetters of No­velties he justly strikes at; from such Wolves like a good Pastor he defends his flock. Was ever Evangelist charged as injurious to the Colledge of the A­postles for blazing out Judas's aposta­cy? And what manner of Cleargy-men your friends are, the Catholick and un­extorted testimony of most of the Se­culars in England (not to mention Re­gulars, with whom you have no chari­ty, but with your father Luther cry, Monachus est, ja [...]dudum illum valere jussi) in detestation of your Master and his Doctrine, will evidently testifie, when it shall be required of them.

Then you blame him for praising Obedience to the Magistrate in generall. A great fault indeed; and such as with [Page 20]you and your Masters (whose seditious Writings against the Supreme Magi­strates, Spirituall and Temporall, have made them deservedly odious to all honest men) deserves reprehension and punishment.

And that out of Cicero too: true in­deed: And can your steel'd impudence refrain blushing to hear Cicero a Pagan out-strip you and your Masters, preten­ded Christians and Catholicks, in your duties to God and the King. Viri Ni­nivite surgent in judicio cum generatione ista, & condemnabunt eam. Away for shame, and disgrace not Christianity with your unchristian-like Doctrine and manners.

For the Doctrinall part of that ex­cellent Epistle of Obedience to the Sea Apostolick, poor scribler, you re­ply so little to the purpose to it. that the onely thing I allow of in this rail­ing Libell, is your own confession that you are neither a Divine, nor learned in any thing. And you shew it here suffi­ciently. Neither will I so far shew my self a Divine, as to forestall what I am confident this worthy Author of that [Page 21]Epistle prepares for your great Master the Trinobant himself, as I dare pro­mise my self to the world's satisfacti­on. And indeed this foolish piece be­ing stoln from your Mastors Excanta­tion, deserves not to be taken notice of by it self.

Onely by the way let me advertize you, that if it suffice in answer to the Doctors Reasons, onely to say, as you do pag. 4. You are ashamed to read them, and should be no lesse ashamed to trouble your self so far as to answer them in par­ticular. What Ideot, though as your self not learned in any thing, might not thus solve those Difficulties all the Di­vines and Philosophers of the world have so long time beaten their brains about in vain. But the less learning the more presumption. None so bold as blind Bayard: This is that compen­dious way the ignorant Doctor Tolson took to confute the eminent and lear­ned Cardinall Bellarmine. Bellarmine thou liest.

Then with like confidence and as lit­tle reason you say, (and we must be­lieve your ipse dixit, as you do your [Page 22]Masters stat's, constats, certum est, &c. but my name is Thomas) that no Law whatsoever did obliege the Subject till it were promulgated. Wherein you dis­cover your ignorance even in our own Parliamentary Laws, which require no promulgation in the several Shires, but are binding when they have thrice pas­sed the Houses, and obtained the Kings consent.

Then you snarle at the Doctor for saying, That the Lawes of particular Prelates do not obliege but by Authority from the Pope, as though their Autho­rity were not immediately from Jesus Christ. How then comes the different Authorities of Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, &c? were their several Jurisdictions set apart by Jesus Christ himself, without the mediate intervention of his Vicars on earth? But what speak I of Authority to you and your Master White, who contemns all of Pope, Cardinals, Nuncio, his own Bishop, &c? and will onely bend the knee to the Baal of his own Fancy.

Then you say, He raileth (for to call a thief, a thief, with you is railing) at [Page 23]the Provinciall Letters, at the Jansenian Sect, which (by instinct no doubt, or so told by your omniscient master, for you know him onely by relation) you are pleased to fable he never understood: Happy Calvin! happy Jansenius! hap­py Blackloe! had they never taught it; and thrice happy world had it never understood it, but left it in Hell, whencethese unhappy Masters have so fatally raked it.

Next you strive to clear Dr. H. H. from saying these Roman Decrees num­quam in Galliis recipi: and that he saith onely, they are not alwayes admitted, but sometimes rejected. Very well! and hath lawful Authority never been rejected? Were the Patriarcks, Prophets, and even Jesus Christ our B. Saviour himself always received? were the Apostles and their Successors with their Doctrine and Laws welcome in all places? No, and yet nevertheless binding. Well argued Dr. and Libeller à facto ad jus: And even this sometimes refusall pro­ceeds most commonly not from dis­obedience to the decree, but the clash­ing of the Spiritual and Temporal Ma­gistrate [Page 24]in their severall pretences to the right of promulgation.

But now the Fox begins to preach, Lambs look to your selves, for I must take notice of this unknown Libeller's impertinency, who would perswade us that those who maintain obedience to his Holines his Decrees only in foro con­scientiae, and in such matters, as do no way meddle with the State, are worse Subjects then those lurkers of his gang who brought a scandall upon Catho­licks, by their publishing and maintain­ing of that detestable book of Obedience and Government, printed in Cromwel's time, to assert his Usurpation against the then dispossessed supream Gover­nour, our Royal Sovereign, whom God grant long to blesse us with his happy reign. It is too well known how these petty Levellers were content to wait on, and brag of their favour with Com­mittee-men, perswading their friends still to a despair of the happinesse hea­ven hath now restored to us. 'Tis well known to nobler persons then this Li­beller hath the face to be acquainted with, how the person he rails at, by his [Page 25]wounds, imprisonment, and many years banishment upon his Majesties score, gave most constant testimonies of his loyalty, and ever most zealously oblie­ged those he directed, to the like: let both your Master and Doctor take heed the contrary be never laid home to their charge.

Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione que­rentes?

You say the Dr. will be glad his Let­ter is called Harpya, for you think it was so indeed, because it brought you more light. I fear you take Harpya to signifie a Lanthorn. Look in your Dictionary and think whether it was a Beast or a Bird that hooked in and caught such fools as you into misperswasion. But we are much beholden (you say) to Dr. H. H. for the light and knowledge of what is truly of obligation in points of Religion, and what not, he affords his countrey-men shut up in an Island, and thence somewhat ignorant of the proceedings of Forreigne nations in relation to Rome. Very well! you are pleased with any thing that tends to disobedience to the Sea Apo­stolick, let it come from Geneva, Am­sterdam, [Page 26]yea Hell it self: let it bring with it never so great scandall to Reli­gion, and the professors of it, though it derogate never so much from the ho­nour of the Church, the immaculate Spouse of Christ, and those glorious Saints she hath enrolled in the Canon of the Blessed: its welcome, and belie­ved as Gospel. But if some Jesuit write any thing (though never so good) from Rome, or Ex-Jesuit bring it in his pocket: Then faenum habet in coru.

You are troubled with Monume­tham's non-sensicall Arguments, he will trouble you no more, he thinks you not worth the pains. And I too.

Then you triumph in the condemna­tion of the Apology for the Casuists. And so do I. As also in that of Jansenisme, the Provinciall Letters, and Blacklos's Books, and receive them equally with open arms; why do not you so too? And though you falsly impose the con­trary on the Jesuits, and for that pre­tended disobedience would needs shake hands with them, like Horse­leeches that fasten onely where the Blood is corrupted: know they scorn [Page 27]you. Nulla societas luci & tenebris.

I will say nothing of the Dr. you so much extoll, I know him not otherwise than by his writings, which are weak and scandallous. This onely I know, that when better men than you shall question it, it will be made good, that the Pastor of St. Nicholas warned him to keep out of his Church, rather then infect any of his Penitents with Janse­nism, & unwarrantable novelties, which I have from a worthy Divine's owne mouth, to whom the Pastor himself told it; and that the Dr. thereupon pro­mising to conform himself, was suffer­ed to continue. Neither did I ever hear that the Dr. came otherwise to St. Ni­cholas, then as an extern or supernume­rary: not as a domestick, either Colle­giate or Seminarist, as the person you foam at had the honour to be a long while at St. Sulpice, where his singular exemplarity as well in the labours of that mission, as the most desperate sick­nesse which befell him in the admini­stration of the holy Sacraments to an infected poor creature, was even by the chief of the English Clergy who often [Page 28]visited him, acknowledged and hear­tily joyed at, as a credit to his nation a­mong strangers. And when his decasions oblieged him to retire to the Colledge of Authune, to spend some years in the Canon Law, in order to his Doctorate in that faculty, the said worthy Pastor of St. Sulpice at his departing intreat­ed him, that he would still own himself as a member of their mission; and gave order there should be a Surpless still kept ready for him, when he would please to come, as he did now and then to help them. Now Sir, where lieth all this while the ground of your lye that he was infamously expelled for such pub­lick and notorious scandals as you are ashamed to name? I will tell you more than you seem to know, not for your own sake, but because another of your companions (who being of a better tongue and more wit then your self, though of as undiserect a temper, may be thought rather your Informer then the Author of your Libell) had the face to come with some aspersion in that kinde, though far short of the heighth you raise it to, unto a noble person, who [Page 29]knowing well with what particulars he might soon be confounded, advised him for his own credit's sake to hold his peace. A Lay Gentleman, at this person you would asperse, his refusall to pay him some money, which he had yet no order to give him, by injurious language provoked him to some words of choler, and thereupon also made complaint unto the said Pastor, who for his too hasty crediting the Gentlemans report against his brother, became a day or two after so sorry, that of his own accord, instead of the testimonial commendations he had formerly given him, as the manner was, he would needs bestow new ones, with an inserted clause importing his having been mis­informed, and that he not onely ac­knowledged him free from the least blemish in all his comportment, but most worthy of the commendations, he then gave him in writing under his hand. This testimony and more yet up­on the same occasion, will be produced when any worth the satisfaction shall require it. And all this was so farre [Page 30]from an expulsion, as your impudence would perswade us, that this person lived not then at St. Sulpice, but went thither onely sometimes to help them, as he did still a long time after this, at their earnest request; and being oblie­ged by the Pastor's new civilities, who in testimony of his further affection, made his own brother, being the Lord Chancelour of France his grand Audi­encer, procure him the great Seal for his naturalization gratis, with an intent to obtain for him soon after, as great a Benefice as the limitation of his Pa­tent for naturalization could admit of. Yea moreover, procured him priviled­ged Faculties for extraordinary extent of Jurisdiction over all that Diocesse. As that most illustrious Lord Arch­bishop of Roven, and Primate of Nor­mandy, did afterwards of his own ac­cord, inviting him thereunto, give him equal faculties to his own Vicar Gene­rall. To say nothing of the most illu­strious Lord Bayny his Holinesse his Nuncio, since made Cardinal, his swea­ring him one of his Assessours to exa­mine [Page 31]the Witnesses and frame the In­terrogatories about the validity of the Duke and Duchesse of Loreine their Marriage, wherein I hear he laboured with great applause and satisfaction of the Nuncio. And all this after your pretended notorious slander, and he that will dare own his name (which you do not) to the deniall of it, will be proved a notorious lyar.

Now having abundantly cleared my friend, I will not go about to charge yours the Doctor, though your offici­ous over-clawing him puts the world in minde of the reports they have of­ten heard of him. I have heard the person I here vindicate speak civilly enough of your Doctor, neither have I heard him complaine that your Dr. had personnally disoblieged him; one­ly that his crossing your Doctor's en­deavours to recommend Blackloisme to us by such factious Pamphlets, hath hitherto reflected more upon the wri­tings, and but moderately enough up­on the writer. Yet because your indis­cretion, for which I believe you will [Page 32]have little thanks from your Doctor, obligeth me to it, I must needs tell you, that besides what I have heard, I have seene Letters under another vertuous deserving Church-man's hands, who was all this while at Paris, represent­ing the Doctors mannaging of those Almes you mention, farre more to his discredit, then you do, both for the manner and the persons they were be­stowed upon: yea, warning him of blemishes more openly spoken of, and of a farre worse Nature than any you have endeavoured to asperse my friend with. I will conceale the particulars, until I be called upon to make good what I say. But before I leave your Doctor I must take notice, that you do not so much as offer to clear him of the ficklenesse and inconstancy he is by my Author charged with, for his sub­scribing in publick to the condemnati­on of Jansenisme, to the high dissatis­faction of his owne party, and then owning that Heresie still in private to regain their good wills: and that in his pittifull Epistle thereupon to the [Page 33]Pastor of St. Nicholas, he so played the John of both sides, that his Epistle and he were commonly hissed at. Perhaps you meane this for one, in this place where you are pleased to play the En­comiastes, saying, Those two learned and famous Epistles. As you do also in the next leaf on his Preliminary Epistles to his Commentary on the New Testament, of which you onely saw the first leaves. Surely you are mistaken, it was his Preface (which gave him the sirname of Dr. Preface) the Book whereto we have for many years in vain expected; and of which in a Modern Poets words we may sing,

Dr. P. R's disallowing the Provin­cial Letters, as being so many infamous Libels condemned by his Holinesse, to­gether with the other Treatises in the same Decree, is a testimony of his Obe­dience to the said Decree, which you and yours will not obey. You call the [Page 34]Doctrine those Libels strike at, Profane and Antichristian; I pray you how Sa­cred and Christian is that Casuists Do­ctrine, who teaches you the straine of this your brave Epistle, and to allow of and praise an English Edition of those Libels, bearing in the very Fron­tispiece an open blasphemy against Gods Saints.

As for Arnauld you know not what you say, nor so much as why you stile him Doctor; we have heard that after that his Letter excusing Jansenius and the Jansenists from Heresie, was so­lemnly condemned in the Sorbon, he was disgracefully cashiered the said Sorbon, and had his title of Doctor taken from him in the Yeare 1656. the last of January. Do you hear my friend that it was since restored unto him?

You cavil even at a man's ingenuous confession, that when he writ his Epi­stle, he had not yet seen your Masters Tabulae Suffragiales. He hath perused them since to my knowledge, and I be­lieve will in due time give your Master a good account of them. In the inte­rim [Page 35]I must give you this accompt of your great Master the Trinobant, in mine own and those many of my ac­quaintance their names, who have read his Books, that besides the useless froth we meet with all along, we finde his pride and self-conceit now grown to so high a degree of madnesse, that we wonder your selves do not perceive it, and binde him.

But I wonder you should insert a­mong your Masters Praises, that you are sure Dr. P. R. will never understand his Tabulae Suffragiales: where you make that his glory, which is the dis­grace of all good men and writers, ob­scurity. Yet that I may not be want­ing either to your or his deserts: give me leave to tell you, you have in this Paragraph summ'd up all that can be said of him in these few words. He is not to be understood, and he hath extra­ordinary and exotick opinions. The first being an effect of the later, a fit cloak for such knavery.

But now you strain higher, even above Ela, saying, Mr. White is so esteem­ed, [Page 36]not to say admired, by all the world, for his solid and profound learning, and so honoured, where he is known, for his piety: who if now and then he have some extraordinary and exotick opinions, &c. For what learning or piety was he ever honoured by any, but onely such whom levity and inconstancy made to run after every winde of new Do­ctrine? And I am perswaded scarce any Heretick ever had so few follow­ers in so long a time that he hath been venting his Exotick Opinions. But see what opinion the sound members of the Catholick Church have of him. The Pope hath already condemned many of his writings: and the rest are like to follow. His own Bishop hath se­verely reprehended him. The sacred faculty of Divinity of Doway have cen­sured 22. Propositions of his for He­reticall, Erroneous, Dangerous, Temera­rious, Impious, Scandalous, and Offen­sive of pious ears. These are the Elo­giums, this the esteem, admiration, and honour, all that know him have for him; who is scarce known for any thing but [Page 37]his Heresies, scarce named but with re­gret and horrour of his novelties.

And for the honour done him where he is known, 'tis so little, that he doth not trust himself in any Catholick Coun­trey, as France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, yea, England it self, where his Exotick Opinions have bred as great an aversion towards him among moderate Prote­stants, as they have begot a detestation of him among true Catholicks, who are ashamed of him, and grieve that the son of their mother should fight against them.

But you continue, and say, If he have some extraordinary and Exotick opini­ons, what is that to P. R.? Why not to him? You would have him see a thief, and run with him; betray Hierusalem to the enemies, upon whose gates he stood sentinell: yea then he had been your white Boy, then he might have obtained an eminent place in your Chapter, and what not? But now that he hath discovered the thief ready to break into the house; repulsed the enemy by discharging his warning­piece, [Page 38] he is a prevaricatour, a miscreant, with many other such titles wherewith your uncharitable new Gospel is sto­red, and bountifully disposeth of to the obedient sons of the Church.

You come at length to the pretend­ed Chapter, or capitular government of the English Cleargy, the very Epi­tome of the Rump, Has [...]erig, in a lesser Volume; And now Sir, we must cry you mercy if we have hitherto thought you a Fool all along: for here you are so wise as to say of the present Chap­ter. Truly I must confesse, I neither know what it is, nor wherein the validity or invalidity of it may consist, and there­fore I can say nothing to it. Get but your fellows Blackloists to confesse as much, and we shall soon agree, and his caball with their unwarrantably usur­ped jurisdiction so serviceable to him for the propagation of his Errors, and of so dangerous consequence as to the invalidity of Faculties and Dispensa­tions, will be soon defeated by this Confession; and in fine, we shall ac­knowledge our obligations to the par­ty [Page 39]you rail at for this so necessary dis­covery of your present Chapter's nul­lity. Yet I would not have you mis­take Dr. P. R. as though he were a­gainst a Chapter, for I have often heard him wish that there were here a competent number of the best and a­blest Cleargy-men impowred by law­full authority, with like Jurisdiction to that of Cathedrall Chapters in Ca­tholick Countreys, whereby the whole Cleargy might be governed, whilest there wanted a Bishop, and be by way of Counsell to him, when we have one; whether it were called a Chap­ter, or by some other fitter name: and that he acknowledged some worthy members in this present Chapter, to deserve the said power, however they are now overborn by the more igno­rant and violent party of Blackloe's Faction. And even to these I finde ex­presly in his Epistle pag. 30. that he is most ready to submit himself and obey them, if his Holinesse should think fit to approve of them and confirm them. Where is then that ambition you tax [Page 40]him with, of so poor a thing as to be one of this Chapter, especially in the inconsiderable and pitifull condition it is now in?

But here again I finde you play the fool by your venturing to play the Statesman forsooth, when you say, You leave it to the State to consider, how much it concerns them, not to suffer the Catholicks of England to be daily run­ning to Rome for the least businesse [...] that may belong them. The State hath found long since by experience that, of Ca­tholicks, they are most assured of their fidelity and loyalty to their Temporal Monarch, who best maintain their O­bedience to their Spirituall Head. I have heard that some of your Princi­ples and no others, were complained of for their petty tamperings with the late Usurper, Committees, and Le­vellers.

You charge Dr. P. R. with scanda­lizing, as you say, the dead. Were you but half as honest, as your hob-naile Northern phrase, in your praising this dead man, you would acknowledge, [Page 41]how sparingly he is spoken of, in the Epistle; where nothing is said of him, no not what was already made known of him, even by a notable stickler of your own gang, and commonly spoken up and down the Town. Onely that passage of my Lord of Chalcedon's Let­ter, forbidding him to own his Sub­deanship any more, and his continuing still to do it, was necessary, the subject requiring it, to be taken notice of: and even this had been published be­fore in Doctor G. L's printed Manifest. But since I understand that some of you seem not yet satisfied, you may per­haps heare more hereafter of that dreadful example Almighty God seem­ed to warn us by in the circumstances of this man's death, whether for his continued disobedience to his Ordina­ry, or for his obstinately maintaining and propagating Jansenism and Black­loisme, Almighty God knows.

You seem next, to know wonders, but that your compassion obligeth you to conceal the particulars. Of the mat­ter you hint at in this place, he hath [Page 42]already fully laid all the shame at your own doors: and now again I must in his name defie you to say the worst you can of him. Even the pretended calumny reached not to any thing done by him, but to idle words spoken of him by a Lay Gentleman, who not­withstanding hath twice under his hand, and will still if need be upon oath, deny all such words as your com­passion would charge him with. Now my Simpleton, where are you? the quarel groweth now between you and that Lay Gentleman: he will shew his face, when you dare not shew yours.

As for your idle vapouring of Cud­gels and Footmen, since you professe you have some knowledge in the ordinary pas­sages of the world, why have you not yet learned, that there is not such a di­stance betwixt a Knight and a Gentle­man especially such a one as you bark at: But the two you would here set at further variance, might be easily brought yet to a faire attonement by discreeter men than you and your Master.

Your calumny of Dr. P. R. his going about to deceive a Dutch Merchant in the Quinquempois-street at Paris, is a silly Devil that was never yet raised till now, that your envy hath driven you to these miserable extremities. You say the Knight had no hand in it. I believe so too, and so doth the Do­ctor, who saith, it is too simple and too ignoble a revenge for such a person to own. Yet I must in a word stop your mouth in this also. The Bill, you have heard something of, was a true Bill of Exchange; the English Merchant who sent it, is now in London, and will avow it. A noble person who appeared in it, and is now also in London, will ju­stifie to your betters, that there was no cheat done or intended, but a great work of Justice and Charity. Yea part of that money was afterwards received by another Bill from the same English Merchant, and disposed of as was or­dered. There's enough for you my Youngster. Yet I must put you in mind that we know of later years, worse accompt, or rather none at all, given [Page 44]by some of your pretended Chapter and Blackloists, of far greater summes of money, to the scandall of the Lay­tie, both Catholicks and Protestants.

But now

You sing Bellona's Battles, and the man's whose glorious deeds out-did great Tam­berlan's. We hear of nothing but army against army, single combats, Don Quix­ots, Windmills, Souldiers, Captains, Ca­stles in the air, with Thraso [...]icall boast­ing and bragging, and such like terrible buggan boes, which have frighted the poor Ideot out of his wits, especially since that dreadfull apparition of the formidable inchaunted Giant Monu­metham, ‘Monstrum horrendum, infòrme, ingens, &c.’

descended no doubt of the renowned and very ancient families of the Dorober­nian Gogmagogs, and Trinobantian Al­bii of the East-Saxons: of which race one Thomas the Englishman (the true parallel of Don Quixot, as your self of Sancho Pancha his Esquire) begat him (as the Cyclops) of some windie phan­tosme, [Page 45]that supplied the place of brain in his empty Pericranium, where, ô the strong force of imagination fertile to its own ruine! in small time it gained such strength, that it is grown terrible to its own parent, whom neither his Golden Shield can defend; nor the Sound of his Trumpet can drive away: nor Fourteen Animadversions joyned to Sixty six Excantations dissolve the inchantment. But he layes so furiously about him on the Don and your self his Esquire, that there is no hope of either of your recoveries, but by the Balsome of Fierebras; more commonly known at the Anticyra's by the name of Ele­bore: whither I am resolved to send you both to find your cure. And while the Curate and the Barber are prepa­ring a Cart to carry the Don: I will take charge of you 'Squire Sancho: and when I have made an end with your Libell, send you after.

And now Sir, you see with what pa­tience I have followed you all along to the end of this your rare piece, where to save both your great Trinobant and [Page 46]your wise Doctor with their adherents their credits, for their not dariug in almost a year and a halfs time, to an­swer a modest challenge offered them in the name of some of their Oxtho­dox Brethren of the Cleargy, where they might upon friendly tearms have received such verball satisfaction, as might have prevented the scandall of such scurrillous and unchristian wri­ting as you and they use; you bravely out of an Ivy-bush sleight your Chal­lenger, who waits for you in open field, and tell him that he never put his nose into a Divinity-School; wherein you out-do your very Masters, who have made such triall of his Divinity, that they believe you lye. And I with others do upon enquiry believe, that he hath many years given extraordina­ry publick testimony of his high abili­ties therein, in those Divinity-Schools where perhaps your Master's noses would have gone out of joynr, and they have found him still able to op­pose their Novelties to their noses. You boast of your Doctors Learning [Page 47]being known in those famous Schools and Countreys where he lives, and I have heard a person of Honour who lived some years at Paris, and was ac­quainted with the best and learned'st company, wonder that your Doctor was so little known and considered, af­ter so many years spent in the very place where he lives. I will not trou­ble you here with what I have heard others relate of the esteem the Sorbon Doctors and other Divinity Doctors with whom Dr. P. R. lived in commu­nities and missions, made of his learn­ed resolutions upon severall occurrent Controversies and Cases. I know your envy, if I should tell it you, will hard­ly digest the credit he was in with that Reverend and learned Officiall of Pa­ris, now Lord Bishop of Toul, ever since in his presence he put the famous Jansenist De St. Boeuf Dr. and Pro­fessor of Divinity in Sorbon, at that time under-officiall, to a non plus, in a debate concerning a Dispensation for a Marriage. It will make you burst to hear that the most illustrious and most [Page 48]learned Primate of Normandy was heard often to call this worthy Doctor le tout-scavant, and that some very in­telligent Noble persons on this side the water, have often reflected with what facility and clearness he resolved them still in what difficulty soever they asked him. And all this hath no more puffed him with any part of that va­nity your great Master is grown mad with, then your scurrility is able to les­sen his esteem with those that know him; and for those who know him not, if they believe your Libell, no ho­nest man will desire to know them. Adieu, and learn more wit.

You date your Letter in 1659. where­as your Masters Excantation from whence you borrow your stuffe, was not printed before this year 1660. Let me for the better dating of your Letters this next year, recommend un­to you Montelion's Almanack, you [Page 49]will finde your own Picture in the be­ginning of it; and at the end amongst the Books newly printed, your Masters Work under the Title of

This Almanack is sold at the Prince's Armes in Chancery-Lane.