YOU that are the Light of the world, the Beauty of Truth & Zeal (Most holy Assembly, to which the title of Candor doth properly belong) You fathers of Integrity, sons and heirs, aswell of my Institutions, as Designes, whom my Holy Benedi­ction hath erected to be the Ornament of the Church, throned in all Catholicall graces; If naturall compunction touch you truly, you have found how [Page] your most deare Primitive Mothers heart, hath recei­ved a late Wound from the Adversaries, and how a number of Impostors are risen up, preaching a new Sedition, and drawing her very Life-blood, her blood of Honour from her sweet tender Sides; The fearful­lest Blow our Cause ever felt, the lowdest Tempest that ever Hereticall Schisme could rouse, doth now rage most furiously, and threatens to pull up our Sa­cred Throne by the very roots; It hath made S. Peters tremble, Shook the very Altars and Statues, and af­frighted the ashes of sleeping Popes: We have cer­tainly gotten a Master-check, never felt extremity like this; Amazement covers us, our infallible staffe doth faile us, and for very feare our Mysterious Mi­ter is turned Paralytick; Thick darknesse dwels upon this Houre: Integrity, like one of Heavens bright Lu­minaries, by Errors dull Element interpose, suffers a black Eclipse; the Locusts of Hell are let loose, and if they be not swept away, we may resolve to make Bone-fires of all the Books of the Vaticane, and let all the Religious turne Knights errant; It is to be feared (my Disciples) lest this new-fangled Heresie, pervert Nations, and Realmes, to an open Revolt from our spirituall Scepter, and these Innovators, spread over the world, cover the Earths face, and make dark the land like Egyptian Grashoppers.

The affront which our Holinesse receives, doth the more afflict Us, because it comes from that Kingdome of Scotland, the most infortunate and inconsiderable Angle in the World, a people not worthy to be belo­ved nor sought after: Yet our conscience beares Us witnesse, how affectionatly we have offered unto them [Page] our Apostolicall Embracements, but they hated to be reformed. And to the end that rebellious Nation, might be brought under, You know, how I have most laboriously bestirred the strength of Machiavell, and diligently sollicite Jgnatius subtilties, who, like a glit­tering serpent with his resplendent Poysons, can most divinely creep into the very Souls of the most impre­gnable Common-wealths and teach them how to de­rive Life and Motion from Us; What great proofes we have had of their dexterities in such Convoys, the whole Christian World can this day bear record; how nimbly likewise those Emissaries, (fraughted with the same Excellencies) went about the great work cal­led The possession of the World, to make it Ours, you have learned by the informations of our Secretaries, and addresses of our Nunncio's, and may likewise judge by the Records of the Articles and assurances which they duly dispatch from these parts. The continuall Current of that Primates Intelligence, who for his a­ctive zeale deserveth well to be called, The Genius of the distressed Church in England, did sweetly refresh our longing soules with glad tydings, and conceived fair Hopes in our Hearts. We have justly ripened him with the beames of our favour, and we must all con­fesse, that howsoever We laid our Commands both thick and fast upon him, his allegeance notwith­standing was ever devoted to Us in a boundlesse obe­dience, the humblest, yet mightiest of all filiall duties; full well he knew the language of my Intent, & mo­ved by my Sanctimonious breath, He hath propined most abundantly to that Nation (and I hope effectu­ally too) (for the businesse of the Universall Monar­chy [Page] went well on, I saw it in an Egyptian Glasse) the most Pure Waters which run from the threshold of S. Peters Sanctuary: Which makes this good Ghostly Father, amongst those yet unhallowed Heretiques, to be branded as great & Prime Incendiary of all Chri­stendome, who with the French Cardinall, tosseth Kingdomes like Tenisbals: We heard he can negoti­at most handsomely, & factiously, with pleasant sub­tilty, and bewitching Courtship, abuse the Infatuate State with delight; He muzles the barking Tongue­men of the Time; & as cunningly as ever the Floren­tine Monster could poyson the fairest Cōmonwealth of Europe with his Politicks, so hath he most Episco­pally exalted our Church Hierarchy, & established a Spirituall Government there, & now happily, advan­ced the opinion of our Glory, to that Eminency, that the two Tutelar Angels of Cambridge & Oxford, stick not almost to maintaine the Myter, of equall dignity with the Scepter; Nay, so good proficients were they in his Apostolicall Canons,Two Germain brethren; the one whereof maintained the Popes honour above the Em­perour: the [...] ­ther sustained the Emperours dignitie above the Popes: wherupon they fought, and the one killing the other, their quarrell was spred through­out all Italie. that as boldly durst they kick against the one, as spurn at the other: Thus were we hopefull to see the old quarrell of the Gwelfes, and Gibellines, enflame the swords of Potentates, & die the Copes of English Cardinals, with the blood of Here­ticks. For the course w^ch he ran, seemed to be infalli­ble, as the prophecies of the old Testament, immove­able as Fate, & tollerat by Heavens connivance: And thus like a cunning Catholick, burning with zeal of the great Cause, and desirous to bring that fatall, and Neighbouring Nation under our banner, and within the bosome of the Church Catholick, he fastned upon the most promising and apparant meanes, which our [Page] Conclave could teach him, & put the same to as assu­red execution, as if Ignatius spirit, had made Pytha­goricall Transmigration to his venerable brains For the truly Aequivocall Father of that Church, with his Fellow-labourers, the Scottish Prelates, caused compyle a Service book, (to the great service of our Church) wherein were most divinely couched, the true Orthodox Tenets, of the Ancient, Aposto­lick, and Catholick faith; but ever opposed by the Enemies of the Truth in that Land; And in this Web of their composure, they had so ingeniously inter­laced, (for though the Generals were given out from Us, yet we committed the particulars to their owne discretion, respectivè in Times and States,) the sweet Embellishments of our Art, and the Majestie and De­cency of our Missall, that none could well discover at the first glance, the girnes of our Holy Treason, by which we would have surprised the Heretick Soules, nor the Mysterie of the Work, unlesse they had the benefit of Gregory the Great, and Bedaes Spe­ctacles, or Calvines Perspective, by which he saw the Antichrist say Masse within the walls of Rome. S'il est vray peut bien est r [...] And those Reverend Presbyters of these Northerne Churches, who sought not themselves, nor the glo­ry of this present world, that they might elude the People alwayes jealous of Novations, and dally with Princes, they advocate Authority, and caused ani­mat the Book with the strong Influence of a Secular power.

This drift walkt a pace uncensured, never questio­ned but in thought, with a whifle, or whisper, & what ever disappointment it hath met with since, what ever [Page] misfortun hath stopped the current, & very spring of these Advancements, and overflowings; it ought not to be imputed to that never-enough-deserving Prelat who is of the true Champ, and perfectly sincere: But these other of Scotland, who were but his [...], and Neophytes, have given a little weake evidence of their good breeding in their profession. For the Poli­tick institutor had shown them the true & Catholick paths, and mounted them on the Chariots of Dignity, and Power; But once elevate to a sphere too high, and not able to sustaine such happinesse, Powder was not more ambitious when the match met it, than their mindes to mount: which emboldened them to presse our holy will, a little immaturely; Their preposterous zeal, blown up with supererogation of obedience, did anticipate the maturity of our Designes, with an un­luckie discovery, to the eternall disaster of those Poli­ticians, and back-sliding of the great Cause; Had they gone more softly, they had come more swiftly to Rome; but (good souls) presuming on the faire Path of their meaning, went a little rashly on, and brought within the wildernes of an Heretical, though National Law, by some lines or words dropt unadvisedly out, did innocently hurt the good Cause, & gave the Ad­versary advantage by it; Had they with an insinuating distance, played a while with the Eare, and grop't the Peoples mindes, and found to what point their blood most inclined, & by strong Episcopall reasons violen­ted their soules; had they prepared them with Purga­tives, before they adhibited the Book of Missall, too strong for the Puritanicall complexion of the Scots, this day we might have gone in Procession, and sung [Page] Te Deum, whereas we now shrink under an abortive wound, and are met to celebrate the Funerals of the most important Members of our Church, and most considerable souldiours of that Northern Conquest. The sooner they dispersed their Novations, and the more imperiously they urged obedience, the sooner they hastened to the displaying of all, and loosed the fair advantages of Times and Plots. If they had not tempted the Eye of Jealousie too much, they should quickly have gained, no question, the Laicks, Sons and Daughters, of their meritorious Seducements.

But when before the fulnesse of Time, the Book pointed out his unknowne head, O how it was most profanely persecute, and how the sharpe Invectives, like points of spears have rent & discovered his bow­els! It was abhorred as a leprous brood, & every Par­ret in the Land was taught to raile reproaches, the ve­ry Children to preach against it, and every mouth could most profusely vomit forth his blasphemies. The uncatholical multitude, like the spectacled inqui­sitors of Venice, durst pick out syllables of Heresie, a­gainst the Canonicall liberties of our Church Disci­pline; The Laicall Judgements durst canvase the My­steries of our Conclave, & question our Infallibility: But if our Holines had doubted their skill in cheating of soules; If we had not thought they had been more Spaniolized Gamesters, We should have taught them the Times and secrets of State, and wrought out our Holy purposes more softly, & at length found means to make thē swallow it over as greedily, & w^th as im­plicite obedience, as ever the Turks did their Alcoran: but we thought, it was no matter of difficulty to recon­cile [Page] that silly Lunatick Church with ours, especially since they began to have a Communion of words with Us, & used familiarly that Idiome, which once heard of before amongst them, would have made a whole Churchfal a swound, so much did we confide the con­tinuall assurances of our Attourneyes amongst them as the Cabinet of my Intelligences can well instruct: And therfore our diseased Prelates would have done well, sometimes to have throwne into the peoples Eares, out of Pulpits, the authority of Councels, and guilded over the Rudenesse of their Pillules with the Homilies of Fathers; yet faithfull soules, we know their Intentions were meerly and purely Catholicall; but the affectionat passion to approve themselves ob­sequious to our Holy desires, made them prove too Herculean, that offered to strangle Serpents in their Craddles; for sooner could the Segniory of Geneva, embrace the Missall, and the abject Valdenses assent to our Supremacy, than that cursed Crew, could be mo­ved to welcome that book of Reformation, which we out of our Holy & Fatherly care, as supream Head of the Church on Earth, conceived to be the Soveraigne way to convey the beames of our purity, through the darknes of those Islands: but they had al drunk in such a Mortal dislike against it, as no authority was able to restraine the strong inward thoughts of the disloyall subjects, & the hot murmurings, from comming to out­ward Resistances, which al the Ecclesiasticall Canons could not beat down, nor Secular power overcome; Thus being a People without wisdome, given over to the spirit of Delusion, and Heresie, which wrought most powerfully in them, & laying aside all subjecti­on [Page] of their Execrable wills and judgements, infected with that Leprosie which they suckt from the Arch-enemies of the Truth, with an Immoveable Resoluti­on, they combine against their own Anointed, & those likewayes whom by the Oyl of Punity we have con­secrate to be the Bishops of their Soules; And not knowing the principles of Implicite Obedience, they begin to sift those undoubted Verities, which are as old as the Sunne and Starres, and doe arraigne our Ca­tholick Apostolicke Truths, before their Tribunall, where our Venerable Cleargy (being the Character of our own Image) in whose hands we have absolute­ly put the Raignes of Ecclesiasticall and Secular Go­vernment, must stand to their determination, and wait upon the discretion of an usurped and Hereticall Censure. O high Impiety! The last of all Nations, (whose Revenues could hardly afford Us Oyle to our Sallads,) Is it to them we owe account of our Infalli­ble wayes? Shall not they take of our Hands, which Multitudes, Nations, People and Tongues, more re­garded by Heavens than they, have kindly accepted? Shall they refuse to drink of that Cup wherewith we have inebriat the powers of the World?

No, Counsellors & Rulers of the Earth, though hi­therto we have sailed with a very prosperous wind, & were hopefull to arrive at the Port of our Desires, yet now certainly our Designes seeme to be scattered by a Thing which they call, a COVENANT, Hinc dolor lachrymae. even as the fired Ship put in, severed the Fleet in the 88. For when this black Heresie had displayed the Ensignes of that Covenant, then whole Squadrons, Legions, and Numbers of Hereticks, like Frogs, were so espoused in [Page] their Soules to the devotion thereof, that sooner might you blow away the light from the Sunne, than pull them from their Covenant, or work up their festered Judgements to right reason. This accursed Cove­nant, the King of all Monsters in Religion (which is able to make all other Monsters to be unadmired, and draw all number to this only) out of whose wombe, like the Trojane Horse, are like to come a furious Crew of Undaunted Hereticks to brash the wals of Rome) gives name to a Sect, which no Nation ever heard of, and if we were to translate, we could not finde a word to expresse the same in any Language, The strength of our confidence and life of our hopes, all those rank insinuations and alluring snares where­with we had enlived, and informed that Book of Ser­vice, like a Serpent hath got his Head bruised with a bolt shot from that Covenant, Nature seemes to de­bar us of all meanes of help, and if the sublimated In­ventions of our policies, could serve to restore, yet for­tune likewayes seemes to thunder all, and threatens to shiver our Machinations; for out of the Gates of Hell doe all the Infernall powers rush like a River, whose current cannot be stopt, & who can stay their course? Indeed as the God of Truth in all the Exigencies of the Church, doth stir up the spirit of truth, to vindicat his purity from the aspersions of the wicked, who love Darknes better than Truth, so have we found a most gratious and true witnesse amongst themselves; for their owne Countreyman (in whom all courtly and Catholicall graces doe reigne and throng most emi­nently) hath with a very good successe,un brave homme tout a faict, & miroir qui ne flatte point. drawne his vi­ctorious and triumphing Pen against them and their [Page] Couenant, We had sufficient hopes that his Magnifick MANIFESTO should have curbed the Insolencies of these phanatick Covenanters, laid open their shame to the World, or restored their diseased Judgements; But he hath fallen so many Bowes short of his Refor­ming Intentions, that like Oyl throwne into the flame it hath begotten whole Generations of Covenanters, who wil impeach the advancement of our Kingdome, more then ever Mahomet, and his fellow Sergius did obscure Boniface; Yet the man hath put forth great strength of wit, his Reward doth most duely attend him, he must have some round preferment and corpu­lent Dignity, that he may leade a Lordly life,Honor est prae­mium virtutis. and raile at ease; We must let a Beame fall upon him, by which our Highnes useth to keep desert warm, and entertain the Life of a Holy Zeale to the great Cause. Certainly he must be Exalted, a Master-piece of Man,This may turn Propheticall. composed by Heavens for a great Princes favour, & Kingdomes Love: Exact Envie cannot finde a place, to stick a blot on person or fame; We do ordaine that never-enough admired-Book, the whip and shame of Covenanters, for the Glory of his most doctorall indewments, and reverence of his loyall pains in our Service, be transla­ted in all Tongues and Languages, that his renowne may passe from one end of Heaven to the other; for truly he hath most valiantly stood in the Gap to hold out this Schisme and Heresie from encroaching and prevailing: But the practises of these Demoniaques are without exemple, and all Language is too narrow to expresse their virulent & aculeat Humour; for they have torn these Reverend names of Arch-bishops, Pre­lates, and Presbyters, which ought to be used with Ho­ly [Page] Ceremony. They have lybelled, arraigned, senten­ced, banished, and O I'm drunk with rage, that their Impiety might appeare in its perfect dye to all after-ages, they have Excommunicat the Right Reverend Fathers in God.Sic erat in satis. Now my Episcopall dignity lyes pan­ting at this Wound; Here Modesty suffers, all that's Virtuous blushes, and Truths self like the Sunne vext with mist, looks red with anger, Mine honour is cast off as the Olive shakes off her flower; It is all swept away at one cast: My refined nostrils, doe smell a distracted hurry, great things are a-working either in Heaven or Hell: Here is a State puzzell, this execrable Impuden­cy hath given a damnable check to our Apostolicke Designes; It hath Damped up the way of our Catho­lick Stratagems: And if our undaunted Power, with the helpe of our Sonnes, and Executioners, the Princes of the Earth, doe not obviat the Thunder cracks of this glorious Ostentation, and ushering storme of Truths Triumph, it will certainly advance with a shrewd Insolency to our own Throne, and confound the Glory of our great Name: Nay, we may make our selves ready for perdition, lay by our Purple Roabes, let Kings and Emperours returne to their own Sacrilegious Possessions, & drink in the honour of Martyrdome with open throat.

They have placed also Propheticall confidence in that their Covenant, as David did in his little stone which he sunk in Goliahs braines, and do certainly be­leeve (such is the strength of the spirit of Delusion) that it shall prove like Daniels stone, hewen out of the Mountaine without hands, which filled the Earth with the greatnesse thereof: We doe not dissemble, [Page] but the fame of it hath made the whole members of our Hierarchie tremble and shiver. And if the adja­cent parts to the affected places be not timely anoin­ted with the Baulme of Gilead, which flowes most luxuriously (both for our service and pleasure) from all the Common-wealths of Europe, to our Cabinet, as the Center of their Tribute; It may fortune to en­danger the whole Body of the Church. For it is a most usurping poyson, mortally searching into all the Veines: We doe not esteeme that desperate Church of Scotland, We abhorre to waste a thought upon that losse, which we value no more, than the Carbuncle which Clement the fifth, transferring the Seat from Avignon, did lose by a fall from his Horse. But these our holy Children, Paterns of Piety and Sanctitie, the hope of our Consolations in these Northerne Ilands, the Great Officers of our Church, ordained before time to propagate the saving Light to a Land that dwelt in darknesse, these loyall and faithfull Ministers of the Truth, who have devoted their lives, and neglected the World for our service; these We do justly bewaile with our Apostolick tears: It cuts out hearts, that those Holy Patriarches, should have received the Crowne of Martyrdome in so dangerous a way; for now We do, as it were, stand over a Vault of Powder, where the Match lyes a-kind­ling below. And which is the bane of our grudgings, we begin almost to apprehend, that the businesse of the Covenant shall prove a Leviathan scandall, to lye rolling and troubling the chrystall waters of other Nations devotions, & to the English especially (which was wont to be our Puteus in exhaustus) prove as great [Page] a stumbling-block as the altars & Idols of Rome are to the Jewes conversion. Here is the true matter of grief, and here lies equally ingaged the life and state of our Church. These Tragedies will fill the Adversaries mouths, & blow the Lutherans cheeks till they crack againe: Now the whole liberty of our Church doth suffer,Perniciosa consi­lia plerumque in: Authores re­dundant. the Hope of absolute Monarchy begins to be Eclipsed; all things move portentuously a strange way: For what ever gracious services, and worthy the fair reverences of their places these Venerable soules have done, yet have they nothing effectuat, but wrought out their own death, even as the blind Moall in casting his ambitious hils up, is often taken and de­stroyed in the midst of his advanced work. Thus while they were raising the Glory of the house of Candor, they are suddenly throwne downe, and their building levelled to the dust; And that Iniquity might ruine them with a more plentifull confusion,Magni viri, & bene meriti de Republ. tandem obruuntur mag­nis procellis. and waste the treasure of revenge upon their harmlesse Soules, they have excommunicat them, & delivered them up to be buried under the heap of shame, never to apear again.

Yet all peace be multiplied upon their most Episco­pall Soules, We heartily accept their unfained zeal, and pronounce them the well beloved Children of the Roman Church, though they did not well know how to personate the businesse intrusted to them▪ and worke out the Salvation of the Cause with subtilitie and pati­ence.They ought not to lose their Soules in his Holinesse service, though they have spoi­led their for­tunes. And here by the power given to Us from a­bove, as the Universall Bishop of the Catholicke Church, Wee doe absolve them from all dangers of such Impious sentences gone forth against them, wher­with they would labor to staine the face of Truth, [Page] which they call Excommunication; And upon the contrary, as really and truely, as ever Constantine the great gave to Sylvester the Citie of Rome, with the Ter­ritories thereof; so in all sincere profession, fatherly and effectuall love, doe we most heartily bestow a free and plenarie Indulgence, for all their Veniall and Mortall sinnes, to their departed Soules, and ordaine them by the Authoritie of the Keyes of the Kingdome of Hea­ven, to be related amongst the number of Canonized, who have lost their life, for the libertie of our King­dome; And Wee doe solemnly appoint dayes of Com­memoration to be set apart, wherein a Requiem to be chaunted in all the Cathedralls of our See to their bles­sed Soules, though the whole Artezans of Italie should sterve; never had the Calendar of Saincts a more noble accession; never had the Adversaries more just reason to erect Trophees upon our Disasters; Let the spirit of division, of shame, and confusion, rage amongst them unmercifully. Wee doe absolve that Indocile People, from all oath of allegeance, and proclaime a free li­bertie, to any Catholike King or Republick whatso­ever, to invade that Kingdome securely. That it may be Primi occupantis; For certainly we have as iust rea­son to powr out the Phialls of our Indignation, and ful­minate our extorted Excommunication, against both Prince and People, as ever Alexander the third our Predecessour of holy memory had, when he excom­municat his stubborne Vassall, Henrie the second of England, and brought his Royall and haughtie pride to that ebb, that he was constrained to receive his Crowne and Confirmation thereof from Us.

But what? (Invincible Souldiours in our spiritual war­fare) [Page] though there be a deadly overthrow given to our best Resolutions; Though the King of that scurvie Co­venanting Land, like a Lyon Rampant, with a daring courage, hold out his inexorable sword for the advance­ment of that fatall Reformation (as they call it) though those wanton Hereticks do now insupportably insult to see him an arrant Covenanter, & glory more therin thē all the Gold of India; though now they triumph most profanely, and think they have victoriously banished all Novations and barr'd out all dislikes, with the Rampard of an everlasting Civill Sanction, and have enthroned their Heresie by a Municipall Law to be I­dolized for ever: And though likewayes it were al­most as easie to blow up the whole Ile of Brittaine to the Moone with a Powder Traine, as to divorce the Princes abused soul,Consiliariorum impetus, saepè abr piunt bonos & moderatos Principes. from those inward and mal [...]gnant Heresies which have been propagate to him from his Uncatholicall Ancestors; though the most pregnant Insinuations have proved almost ineffectuall; and though the dazeling pompe of the neighbouring Churches and Kingdomes of the World, can nothing invite him to be mollified, and, sweetned toward U [...]; but, like an Adder, he still stops his Eare at the voice of the charmer; And though the Alliance with the most Potent and Christian French King can nothing serve to inveigle the Eyes of his mind; Though (my dearely beloved) all these heavie Verities discover to Us, many and huge mountaines of Impediments, which will be hard to remove, let us gird up our loynes notwithstan­ding.

Let not Us, who are the Soule and Light of the World, submit our selves and our Cause to the Ty­rannie [Page] of despair: Recover our Game: That handfull of Heretickes, are but as a Schismatick Pawne in the play: High Impietie & Blasphemie it were against the Apo­stolick seat,Omne malum ab Aquilone. to think the splendor and honour thereof could be interessed & clouded by any thing from these parts; for though ordinarily all evil flowes from these turbulent Climats, and the Gothes and Vandals have sundry times made inundation upon our Patrimony, and most profanely troden under foot our Domicel, Italy, the Lady and Mistris of the World, though of­tentimes Emperours and Kings of the Earth, have sha­ken their Scepter upon Us, and offered to set bounds to our unlimited powers and desires, yet I hope, we are as able to wind about the sacrilegious designes of Se­cular and Hereticall factions, as ever any of our holy Predecessors.

Wee know perfectly how to begger Kingdomes by dissimulation, unjoint the faire frame of peace, and traf­fick, poyson allegeance too: And the transferring of Empires, the ruines of Kingdomes, the excommuni­cation and deposition of Kings, and devastations by fire and sword, are the ordinary marks and characters (you know) of the great Statesmen of our Order, who doe indeed most canonically hold, that these practises are most lawful for them, conducing to the growth of the Church, & vindicating our Temporall Jurisdiction over Princes. Let us not therefore faintly give over, but solace our selves, with memory of great Policies past, wherewith we have chastised Emperours, Kings, and Princes, and redacted them to the Obedience of the Mother Church: What ever we shall happen to lose by battell (as Matchiavel records of the Veneti­ans [Page] who know all the removes of their Game) Let us labour to recover the same by treatie, and be still la­bourers in the great Worke; Let us assemble all the powers of our soules, and combat the Cause.

I'll alambique the Sorbone Genius, and squize the substance of all the Common-wealthes of Europe, ere I finde not a Catholicon, and Soveraigne Elixar for this new sprung Poyson, which, if the pride thereof be not counter-checked, is able to defloure the glory of our whole Church: No, no, those who will not gentlie resigne themselves, to the embracements of the ancient Apostolicke Truth, which we are sent to offer and preach to the World, as the great Pastor of the Church, must certainly be broken: And before our Miter be not adored by all, amongst Nations, Tongues, and People, I will first thresh the Mountaines and Islands of the world with a fleale, I will beat them to powder, and fanne them before the wind of my wrath; I will arme the Princes of the Earth, and cause them over-turne them, that they never appeare more than the Monasteries which are sunk about Venice.

MOST HOLY FA­THER, to whom we convert our hum­blest duties and sa­crifices of our devo­test thoughts, Great Monarch of the Church, to whose Glory do all our acti­ons bend as the last scope of their advantage. We do most passionatly [Page] condole the just anguish of your afflicted heart, certainely our Imaginations are so strongly sea­zed, by the shaking of these turbulent times, that wee have almost resigned the whole pow­ers of our Soule to feare and wonder; Our tongues are captived, and chayned up with­out a sound.

Wee can beare record, that your Holinesse, like Heavens glorious Luminarie, hath bounti­fully diffused the warme beames of Puritie, through the whole Church Catholicke, and every place thereof, You have not onely guil­ded the tops of the Mountaines and made the tal Cedars of Lebanon to laugh, swelling them with the graces of your nursing favours; but hath likewaise daigned to visit the humble Valleies, and made the Marjoline, and Myrrhe finde the benignitie of your favourable aspect, and the influence of your Apostolicke entertain­ments.

Thus like the Soveraigne Good, who de­lights to communicate his al embracing sweetnes you would extend the skirts of your favour upon the most neglected parts of the World, even that fatall Kingdome of Scotland buried in darkenesse and ignorance. Wee that are the ca­binet and Depositary of your secret workings in the Misterie of your Episcopizing, doe well know how you have beene (as it were) [Page] hotly courting that silly people, and with what a fatherly zeale you have wooed that rebellious and gainesaying Nation, which hath answered the hopes of your long-wished Ioy, with the high Anatheme of a cruell Covenant, and a fu­rious Combination never to bee dissolv'd against your Holinesse, the great Officer of the Church, Christs Vicegerent on Earth, and al the Maine­tainers of the Articles and Ceremonies of the Ro­main faith. We wish our heads were waters, & our Eyes fountaynes of Teares, to weep for the cala­mities of our mother. The fears of Heresis encrease & all our dissastrous disappointments, which your Holines out of the plenitude of your wisedome, and spirit of sagacitie, hath most divinely laid open to our weary soules. Wee are fallen into the ends of the world, and persecution must come for the elects sake. Now the wicked and Heriticks doe hold the Church by the throat, and now wee must move every Oare, straine all assi­stances, sollicite all our devoted Crownes, and send forth the Kings of the Earth like victorious Hercules, to destroy the pullulating heads of this terrible and Herittical Serpent, & to suppresse that al-spreding Covenant of Scotland, the most horrible Invention, and usurping Monster that ever hel hatched: It hath appeared like a blazing Comet in the North (with themselves may the event dwel of the portentuous presage) & hath in [Page] many, who were otherwaies in a pretty apti­tude, and maturity to be good Catholicks, stir­red the spirit of Curiosity, which may marre Im­plicite Obedience,Qui malè fa­ [...]it, odit lucem. the subversion of which Ar­ticle, will make the whole frame of our Myste­ry to cracke: A dangerous perspective for Laicks to looke into our Consistory Per Madonna san­tissima di Loretta. When we fall upon the busi­nesse of that Northerne League, and the Ensign of the Covenant displayed, wee loose our selves, and cannot plumb that deep, It hath affrighted us like a lightning, made all the Christian Kings start up on their feet with an, What is it? It is surely a Thunderbolt, broke vpon the very head of S. Peters, and proudly entring, hath over­turned the Alters, throwne downe the Images, dismantled the Beauty of the Church, astonished the whole Ligators of our Mosaick Workes, and profained the whole glory of the Temple. A speare it is, which thrust through the bowells of State Catholicke, hath dared the very heart of Spirituall Monarchy.

Your Holines, whose Vigilant Eye, doth most laboriously survey the conditions of Times and States, and with a fatherly care watch over the crowns & Scepters of Nations, hath in trueth and strength of passion, most Episcopally discovered the Monster begotten by the nimblest witted di­vel, nurst up in these Northern desarts, & destinat [Page] to measure the world with his quaint paces. Wee doe feare that by the sting and tayle of a Scorpiō, it shall naile the tender Church throw with shame and torment. Let us provide it cast no venome beyond Seas, for then shall it mount over the Alpes, and with his poysonable at­tempts, presume to assault your Holinesse owne Domesticks: Neither shall the proud Piren­nees keepe it from thrusting in to Spayne, the most intemerate and immaculate place of the Church body; It will mock the spectacled Fathers of Inquisition, and creepe there invisiblie like Fratres Roseae Crucis. And no index Expur­gatorius (which like the Purgatory fire, we have ever with Cathollicall Lenitie used, either for mollifying, or eradicating other Monsters) will serve to correct or banish this one. Truely, those diseased prelates (Holie Father) have spun us no fair thred, nor have they proven grand So­phies, when by the conquest of that poor Kingdō (which would never make any considerable ac­cession to your Revenues, but was like the drop to the Bucket,) and promoving immature No­vations, they have occasioned too innocently the losse of our Game, and endangered the My­ters reputation.

If these perturbations doe once come unto a deepe working, and beginne to extend their prophaine Petulancies, We feare, your Holines, [Page] whose all adored Miter, made Prostrate Crowns to tremble, and Scepters shake, may bee glad to bee sheltered in S. Angeloes Castle, or run to the hornes of the Altar; And wee the Suns of Harmonie, who are the Carbuncles which adde splendour to your Spirituall Crowne, must betake our selves to the favour of Times and Fortunes, and leave our goodly Dignities with the fat of their corpulent affluence, to the devo­tion of sacrilegious Souldiers.

Nay certainly, if this swelling Combustion do but offer to staine the serenity of our Heavens with any smoake, and stiffle our purity, wee are all confounded, wee are all blowne up, and the Kings of the Earth, the powers of the World, and every Soule of Man, even the begging Ca­puchine, who can glory of nothing but his Ve­nerable Beard, his Chappler, and torne Bre­viarie, shall regard your Holinesse no more, shal give you no more bended knees, nor sacrifices of Real, & Spiritual Tribute, then to the man of the Moone. And you knowe, most Catholicke Monarch of BBs, If those golden floods, which doe most proudly play upon the Philosophal stones of your Vatican, be once withdrawne and call'd back to their Tributary Sources,By the right of mer [...]te, and the Salique law (to which you have as undoubted and irredee­mable a right, as to those very omnipotent Keyes, which you carry, and to the Monopolie of all [Page] Benefices, which you have happily engrossed to your most Archiepiscopall person) Wee can­not but faint, who are fed by the refreshments of those streames: Our Cardinall Caps, be­stowed upon us by your Holinesse as Garlands of our Honour, and Eminencie, must needs wi­ther and fall away, and remove the Suns beame [...], where shall his glory be? If we, as so many Earth-treading Starres, who adorne the Sky of your State be stript of our Beautie, if wee shutt and fall, in what Primum Nobile shall your Sanctity shine! Wee are set about the Seate of your Majestie, as Summers speckled flowry Garment, and if wee bee blasted by the Jn­juries of tempestuous times, what shall embel­lish your Holines? These are heavy trueths: but under the Rose be it spoke Santissimo Padre. Some blowes wee have received, more are feared: Heavens and Earth doe know, and all Courts, all Churches are filled with the fortune,Ʋno dato ab­surdo, mult [...] sequuntur. or mis­fortune of the great busines; that abortive Service booke, and those Canons, have shamefully dis­obliged the Church Catholick, and with their roa­ring, have awaked and disturbed all Christen­dome, and turned their sulphurious throates against their Makers. There are certainely some ungracious uncathollicall planets raging, who have powred forth the malignitie of their ve­nomous Influence upon your reforming and Fa­therly [Page] Vndertakings. The Heavens distill their sterner frownes, and threaten us with their baddest Aspects. Wee were ready to teare the clouds with Bells ringing, and priests singing, and thought the smoake of our Bonfires should shortly ascend to Heaven, Your bellement Messieurs. and staine the Sunnes face: But holie Father, It's no time for quaint speaking, wee ought not dissemble nor use Jn­dulgence to our wound Let us mittigate and re­ctifie our woes as cunningly and quietly as wee may, the spate of disastrous calamitie hath al­most drowned our faire Hopes in despaire. A cold feare sits black on each of our Hearts; We have not beene well inward with the Minde of Destinie in the businesse of these Northerne Ne­gotiations. It seemes we have not beene suffici­ently assisted, but deserted in this particular; Consult the Prophesies, Set your Astrologitians a worke; may be you finde, (but Heavens blesse the Church Catholicke, and avert) that some of these Northerne Princes have Ca­pricornum ascendentem in Horoscopo, which is, and hath ever beene the most fatall and male­volent signe to the Roman Empire in all the Zodiaque: Imp Carolus 5. Frans. Rex Galliae Carolus Corbonius. Cos­mus Med. Flo­rentiae Dux. And for the trueth heereof, Wee call the Times never to bee forgotten, and Hi­stories of all Ages, to witnesse: From thence indeed doe the first cloudes appeare: And as in your Holinesse Remonstrance was piously ob­served, [Page] all Propagations of Empyres, all Irruptions and Effusions of People,Assyrti vice­runt Chaldeos. Assyrios Medit Graeci Persas: Romani Poenos: Gothi Roma­nos: Turcae fregerunt Ara­bes: Tartari Turcas: Angli Gallos: Scot▪ Anglos. are ever found to have beene from the North to the South. If this bee the inclination of our averse Spheares thus unkindely to use Vs: If this be the purpose of him who beholds the Ends of the World, to present this cup to the Ro­mane Prelacie, and put our spirituall King­dome, which wee beleeve shall prosper so long as the Heavens cover the Earth, thus in Jeopardie: Certainely those Vncircumcised Lyons, will teare Us to pieces, and make Banners of our Catholicke Skinnes, and scratch your Myter, (whose shaddow was reverenced by Princes of the Earth) to ve­ry contemptible and forgotten Atomes, and powder your Supreame selfe in Luthers Bar­rell: They will Sacke Your Citie, the Queene of the Earth, treade upon the Worlds Trophees, and fill the Holiest place with Abho­mination of desolation.

Where ever wee send foorth our enqui­ring Eyes, they report nothing from all the corners of the World, but sad entertaine­ments of these feares, and appearances of muta­tions from that Kingdom of Scotland, (which is now most desperately diseased of a swelling Tympanie or some Pluresie, incurable but by the [Page] voyding of that prevayling bloud which over-rules or offends the Head, and choakes the Heart,) As the source of our reproach, the fountaine of our shame, doe wee deryve, the streames of our injuries and calamities, and and to those all despised Hereticks like wayes do we justly impute the advancements of the same. Your Holines ever sollicit to gain that which is lost, had emitted your faithfull labourers, & plan­ted a Vine,The Service booke, which produced most soveraign, and generos grapes which for the time was very luxuriant, and did proudly spring like Ionas Gourd, but alas, that unexpected poysonable worme of the Covenant, hath encroached upon the Heart there­of, and vowed to suck out the very soule of it.

Nay, this worme is like to bee metamorphosed in a flying Dragon, and infest the whole Christian world. Your Holinesse did mercifully elance a sa­ving Beame upon that Cimmerian Land; which was kindly welcommed by those who had sub­mitted themselves to bee doctrinate by our fomenting suggestions,Their Eyes were anointed with omnipo­tent Baulme. and it did most ef­fectually animate them to great performances, Wee were made hopefull to see the day break foorth gloriously, for the Cockes fell a crowing, which told us the nights de­parture,Light is sowen for the righte­ous. yet have they maliciously closed their Eyes, rejected the lights comfort, and most bit­terly banished those faithfull Evangelists, nay [Page] with a more perfect hatred and meritorious vio­lence than ever Loyala's Tribe was turned out from among the straight-lac't Venetians; And now they thinke (reprobate soules) that they have reproachfully mounted them as it were on the Asses of Jndignitie, and send them to the land of Nod with an Ecco la fico, Yet nothing so, but the pale Horse of a Civill, and Temporall death at worst; upon which, Triumphing Martyrs, they have entred Paradise, and neces­sary it was, blessed Father, that they should bee removed from the Contagions, and conversati­on of the wicked, that when the deserved de­vastations and devourings shal break forth in the fulnes of their rage, they might laugh at their per­secutors in the day of their destruction: Thus was the good Josias called to his eternall home be­fore Babilons captivitie, And the most Catho­licke Bishop S. Augustines death, like a gen­tle starres fall, did fore run and point out the subversion of the city of Bone. Those are the ram­pards of the Church, which must be taken down, that the Inundation of desolation may burst in & swallow the Trophees of insulting Heresie. For even as the sagacious Swallow, doth retire her young ones, before the approaching fall of the crasie Vault: so are the blessed souls, Hea­vens Mignons promiscuously confounded with the tumultuous Heretickes, singled by, and [Page] lift above the reach of danger, before the pub­licke ruines. All these impieties and Oppressions have no more harmed, thē if a man out of his fury and anger would thinke to afflict and drowne the harmelesse captived fish by throwing it in a ri­ver; For wee are bold to perswade in the cou­rage of victorious spirituall Souldiers, that all these sentences, Excommunications, Extrusi­ons and other furies, whereby sacrilegious Blasphemie hath exerced the height of Tyrannie against Trueths Heraulds, shall prove in end like Sampsons Lyon, Out of the strong shall come sweet, Their Righteousnesse shall spreade as the morning, and their Glory shall be terrible as an Armie with Banners: though they now sleepe, yet it is not to the death. Indeed fortune for all this, hath dealt Vs a very bad Game at this Tour, but yet a little, and the Cards shall bee shiffled; they have refused our saving & Catholick curtesies, and kickt againe, they have affrigh­ted Us with Lightnings; But may bee, wee shall crush those Terrestriall Heads with Thunder and blow away their Designes as chaffe before the winde; And though the Lutherans and our Adversaries doe fatten themselves with their Insultings over Us, and thinke we have so deep­ly tasted the bitternesse of that last Overthrow, which our Catholick friends,The Spaniards and Italians your Holines nim­ble Executioners, & those like wayes of your Holi­nes owne Familie did latelie suffer by Sea, in ad­vancing [Page] your Evangelical Intentions; and though they stick not to flater their abused souls, with this confidence, that now there are no more Cōstātines to be found who dare hold up the banner of the Crosse, nor any to march under the same, yet must we be espoused to new resolutiōs of recovery, and let the triumphing snakes duly find that our Arms are not shortned, our wings are not clipt, & that neither are the Kingdoms subjected to our two all commanding swords, exhaust of the true faiths de­fenders, Nor India, & Peru yet pompt of Red and white Earth; which shall produce Vs Children to maintain Truths Garland, even in the midst of our Enemies, for our Chymists are excellent Operators, and can ex [...]ract the Soveraign Baulm, and very effectually apply it to the suspect places, which being cunningly adhibite with the concur­rence of your Apostolick Benedictions & Encou­ragements, wee have seene have such a powerfull Operation, that it hath never ceased till awaking an Intestine discord, at length it hath cast out al redundant and noxious humours, and expelled the root of the disease. And as to that little sniffle which our Apostolicke Navy hath received, partly by the Indiscretion of the Sea, and un­curtesie of the Windes, (for amongst these Hugenotes, the very aire and water are Puritans) and partly by the neglect and conni­vance of Princes; Be it knowne wee have alrea­dy digest that little tickling Pill of misfortune, as [Page] clearely as wee have eclipsed the memorie of the Crescent in the 88.The Armado which came displayed in forme of the Moone Cres­cent.

But here we spare to stretch our selves on these regrates, your Episcopall providence wil smel the storme afarre, looke to the prevailing thereof, and find out the most powerfull meanes to elude the dangers of these tumbling times, that the afflicted Church, as the Lilly among Thornes, may looke sweet and glorious as the Moone in her full pride: Yet by the presumptions of Times, one thing seemes to bee sure, If wee might see Fates booke, The Senate house of Planets hath at no time beene more unfriendly set for the acting of some strange Trage-comedie in Europe.

Which makes Vs call to minde the pernici­ous prophesies of those Vnchristian Dames, those Sybilles, who like phanatick Syrenes, have intoxicate the world, and so strongly possest the soules of those who are conversant with curio­sity, that many good Catholickes, and of high endowments, poysoned with their Greek Musick, doe entertaine secret opinions and fears of a very fatall period, ordained for our spirituall Kingdome; for in those their profane Invectives, and hell-blowne Satyrs, wherewith they have persecuted your Holinesse Throne (as the spirit of delusion doth cheate the worlds beliefe) and your Seate, this Citie likewayes, (which looks like the Moone amongst the lesser Starres) though [Page] shee bee stellified to Heaven, yet those unpure Spirits, with their usurping uncatholicall pens,In the second book of the Oracles of Sybil­la [...], at this part — hominum tū denique seclum, Existet deci­mum. have presumed to lay her horne in the dust; And they have presented the Map of after-times (to those who will Idolize their Oracles) so farre to the disadvantage and shame of your Holines high Calling, that all the resplendant Rayes of our dazeling pomp, wherewith wee have obfuscat, even at a great distance, the rest of Nations, must bee drowned for sooth in the smoake of an utter ruine and endlesse confusion, Your Holines pur­ple, and our scarlet roabes wherewith wee dark­ned the Eyes of beholders, and enamoured the admiring stranger, by a profane and poeticall fury they have turned over our heads, and reioyce to have our nakednesse displayd to the world. Surely a strange Enthusiasme in these Feminine Braines; yet these Times may fortune to renew the Idea's which those Chimerick Impressions have given to the more facile soules, who are ea­sily carried about with every winde of beliefe; for now there is a great unconstancie and certayne kinde of Branktings in many parts, even amongst the sons of your Institutions, Heires of your unmeasured Designes, expectants of the Blessed Chaire,Spirituall and Temporall Counsellours. and those on whom Ignatius & Mat­chiavell, the two Genius of the Myter, had pow­red a double measure of their spirits.

Every alteration in States, even to the bet­ter, [Page] your Holines knowes, is dangerous: And whether the newes of this great Change, of a patriarch to bee set up in France, have arrived at your Holines Ghostly Eares, or not, wee are ignorant: You may descend to view what face the purpose hath, and try the pedigree from whom it came, and whither it goes. Out of the profundity of your infallible Iudgement, your Holines can obviat the impertinencie of any Event, and devance the consequence of this springing. You best know, what conduceth both to the Glory, Grouth, and Indemnitie of the Church, and for the Honour and Majestie of your owne Throne: But truely, Wee the Fa­thers of the Conclave, doe thinke it to bee a ve­ry strange Boutade, and a labouring designe preg­nant with many monstrous productions; And that his vehement and Polypragmaticke spirit, through the insolencie and indulgence of a swel­ling fortune, cannot rest, but making eruption beyond the limits of his Vocation, with an in­ordinate appetite of Glory, shall aspire to the top of the Pyramide. Such exorbitant humours are most apt to confound the order of Geome­trick proportion, and beeing voyde of a Poli­tique Mansuetude, indocile or blinde Obedi­ence, Lovers of Mutations, are most fertile of Emulations, and Civill Warres, and often­times involve all in a dolefull conflagration. This [Page] (as many other Emergencies of these Times) seemes to bee the beginning of a deviation, which cannot end but in Apostasie, especially among that Nation, which doth ever please it selfe in changes: Could not (Holie Father all the Crownes in France serve, to stay his vast ambi­tion, unlesse he had something above his Car­dinalls Coronet likewayes? Presse into the in­ner Cabinet of these Designes, there your Ho­lines may well finde, which cannot bee consistent with your Myter.

For though your Holines hath now obscured the brightnesse of the Patriarches of the East, and hath erected your Apostolick Crest to that unpar­rallelld height of Preeminencie, from whence you doe stately overlooke them, and all other Churches, even as the Mountaines of Ararat, whereupon the Arke rested, lifted up their wel­come, and triumphing tops, above the decreasing waters, yet the appearing of this Patriarch, as of a new unknown Starre, may beget a desire in the Laicks, to study the motion of our Heavens too officiously, and so run the hazard of revolting He­resies, in their Supererogatory contemplatiōs. For your Holines cannot forget to remember, that howbeit by the Florentine and Laterane Coun­cells it was unanimously and Canonically con­cluded, that the foure Patriarches of Constan­tinople, Antiochia, Alexandria, and Ierusa­lem [Page] should receive their mantle, the signe of plenitude of their pontificall dignitie, from your Holy hands, and after the order of the assigned precedencie, tender the Oath of allegiance to the Romane Prelate, at whose appearance in his ful­lest Grace, they must put up their beames and disappeare; yet they have alwayes had Pro­testations of reluctancie, and rebound to the title of their patriarchall Dignitie, holding themselves iso-Presbyters, composed of that same stuffe whereof Popes are said to bee made, and can hardly bee induced to humble themselves to the dependance of a derivation, or restray­ned from transcending the Category of sub­ordination: Nay certainely, it doth relish too much of an exemption from the Romane Sea and studie of Monarchie: Wee should not have wondred so profusely to have seene such Hierarchicall Ambition, point out his presump­tuous head, in the remoter parts of Brittain, and Ireland, beeing so farre distant from the Influence of your pacificke Scepter, (the ad­vancements being there but very greene as yet) not attained their flourishing lustre. For even as the Windes and Raines doe exerce a mu­tuall rage, shooting foorth their luxuries in the lower parts of the Ayre, where they raigne in their turbulent Kingdome, but in the high­er Regions thereof, nigh to the Fires Orbe, [Page] and approaching the Sunne, no motion, no agitation, but a gentle calme doth continual­ly dwell: So certainely in those forgotten and barbarous places, not apt for the spirit of O­bedience, the true Author of peace; No won­der there bee commotion and scandals: but in France the very Myters Eye to build Altars of offence, it may beget a storme, which will force Vs pull downe our Sailes, If wee escape shipwracke: And if the Pagan Souldiers, made scruple to use Christs Reverend Roabe so rude­ly, as to teare the same; how deservedly ought they to bee redargued, who prepare the renting of his sacred Bodie, the Church, with their am­bitiously swelled zeale?

The crying necessities of these Times which looke too sullen, and the Exigencies of the affronted Church, if there bee pitty amongst Vs, and Holy zeale to vindicate her credite, would wring from us poyson to kill all the policies of Europe. Yet (Holie Father) though the pow­ers of Heresie should combine and concentrate their malice, though the frame of the Vniverse should be disjointed, we have a never-failing pro­mise, that the gates of Hell shall not prevaile a­gainst us. Heavens g [...]eat Substitute, Absolute Fa­ther of the Church, if ever power did shew a Ma­sterie in you, let it now appeare, and make the re­dacted World stand amazed.

There's Elixar of braine and spirit amongst Us, and the God of riches lies imprisoned in our Ca­bines and Monasteries.Eccleasist aevo­lunt esse Mo­narchae. Let Us doe any thing to rule alone, though it bee very rare to see the World ruled by one: The most proud and obsti­nate Resistances are aloft, and now a dayes wo­mens soft soules are wrought up to a masculine malice and resolution; for persecuting Truth, and hugging Error: Therefore make your wrath likewise to swell. Extend your mighty Armes, call up the Princes of the earth, let the sounds of your Alarum be heard from one end of heaven to the other, and straight behold the Kings and po­tentates, like children of obedience shall forsake their palaces, out of a filiall submission; and leave their stately Magnificence to bee possest of soli­tude, inhabited by Bats and Owles, and entrust their dearest Queenes to the benevolence of Church-men, and Eunuches; Then will they muster their forces, employ their Scepters, and straine all the Nerves of their Kingdome for the well of the Cause Catholicke.

Let it alwayes be the chiefest of our cares, the [Page] first of our desires, to hold up warre immortall, ever to trouble the calme of peace,Flectere fine­quecunt superos Acheronta m [...] vebunt. to shut up the Seas, to disable, to dis-joyne, to inspire our E­missaries, and Incendiaries, with the spirits of dis­simulation and division, to infold all State policies in confusion, to choake all, to inflame all with a most Catholike combustion; for certainly some cruelties are better and more necessary, than silly improfitable Mildnesse, which like a cold and barren quality, can never mature the Churches growth. No, no, the braying of Canons, the daw­bing of Drums are good Catholike Musicke, by which our Apostolick expeditions use to advance the Spirituall kingdome, and goe in procession through the world; Our motions must be restlesse & busie, like that of the heavens, every one bestir­ring himselfe in his owne spheare. And your Ho­linesse with most grave, and venerable alacritie, will give the strong impulse. Wee in the Consi­storie, and those ministring and subtle spirits of that rich seed-plot of Sorbone, shall come such riddles, and shall so inveagle the Heretick soules and Churches, that Kings shall find themselves e­nough puzled. From this holy Citadell, this im­pregnable Capit [...]ll, our spirituall Engineeres, who are most Canonically bred, and authentical­ly practised, shall throw such fierie Bals among Nations and People,From the Conclave. as those that dare op­pone Truths Candor, shall bee put in a terrible damp.

Go to (holy Father) move strongly, as becomes the state of your courage, and in a high sweld Metropolitan confidence, blow downe the strong holds of Errour; Remove the Isles out of the sea, and shake the mountaines that stand up so hereti­cally against the promised, the prophesied Refor­mations to the faith Catholike; Never unbend your infallible Bow, till you have hit the conque­red marke of your most Euangelick Intentions, our adversaries must not erect the Trophees of their ambition upon the ruines of our reproaches. Wee will first fetch the compasse of the World, and conglomerate our undaunted forces, like a destroying and inexorable tempest, to sweep a­way Truths Enemies. All our Convents shall first be turned into Fence-schooles, before the Great Cause be disgraced. We will defend mainly, en­gage our very Crucifixes, and Hypothecat our Cardinals Caps before the Mitres honour be any whit touched.

But now because many Incumbencies advertise us to dissolve, and some strange Embassadors attend your Holinesse from whose bosome they come to receive Apostolick directions, to lead them as a Starre in the way to the hill of Greatnes, where the Laurells of triumph doe condignly at­tend them: Wee forbeare to presume on this Times importance, onely daring represent to your Holinesse, how necessary it is to imploy [Page] pens, policies, and power, to rack all our might for advancing our holy intentions, and breaking the clouds of Errour and Heresie, which are like to over-spread the whole World: Consider how the crying necessities of our bleeding Primitive Mother doe implore the same: In the mean time (till your Holinesse have more precious leisure to bestow upon further Catholike Resolutions) let let there bee a grand Apostolick Nuncio dispatch­ed upon the wings of speed to the Isle of Britain, (if there bee any courtesie to receive him there worthily) Even strongly assisted with the spirit of Truth, which your Holinesse Predecessors did usually send to the Tridentine Councell for the actuating of those infallible members, and extir­ping of Heresie. Instruct him deeply how to proclaime to the world,VVell blown Seignior. and write it on the skie with Letters of gold never to be forgotten, and print it in the Records of Histories to all after a­ges, that though Religion bee the common pre­tence of discontent amongst these untamed Here­ticks, wherewith they use to maske their unbrid­led licence, their affronted boldnesse, their high contempt of Soveraigntie, and dare commit any Impiety, guilded with the lustre of Sanctity: Yet nothing is so strongly desired, nothing so truely intended by them, abhorring the order of subje­ction, than to shake off the yoke of Monarchie, & breake the Cords of Spirituall and Temporall ju­risdiction, [Page] with the swing of their desperate frenzie.

It will not bee inexpedient likewise to cause some others; who are enriched with the strength of more subtle abilities, and doe cunningly know how to creep into the mindes and Cabines of prin­ces, and take dominion there, be sent forth with all convenience, for subverting the Machinati­ons of these Matchiavilian Calvinists: Let Au­thority, Lords of Power, and Masters of Time be taught (for Clemencie is the Nurse of Rebel­lion) how to presse them downe with weight, though the conspiring Crew that breaths nothing but fire, and vomits blasphemie, who hath conse­crate their Estates, and espoused their neglected lives to the lust of Revolting, should crie out vio­lence, and rigour, and crueltie, and tyrannie, and craft, and malice; for those things have been the Soveraigne and effectuall wayes of our enlargings, and it is the Mysterie of greatnesse to hold the In­feriors still ignorant of it, and strike like Light­ning and Thunder.

Moreover, Because the seditious furie of un­ruly multitude (even as a tumbling flood acqui­ring strength to it selfe by moving, carryes all it meets before it in a precipice) doth waxe to such a prevailing strength as none can hold out a­gainst the bitternesse of the tempest: Therefore let us worke wisely, and as men use to disappoynt [Page] the over-flowings of undaunted Rivers, by bran­ching them in little weake Rivulets, thus to ex­tenuate the impetuositie of the maine streame, by diverting the fulnesse of indocile waters, and turning them aside. So must wee (in a degree more than becomes Supremacie to stoope) flatter a while, and nourish the hopes, and entertaine the desires of Conspirers, distract the mindes of the multitude, weaken them by the breach of Union, and delude them most egregiously; for so long as those Conventions rule, whereby the consent of the abused People receives most poiso­sonable Aliment, and they become fortified in their Errour, than each provokes another, even as the Billowes of the inraged Sea are driven for­ward by their urging and importune fellowes.

Therefore must it bee amongst the first of the Articles of your Atourneyes Instructions, excee­dingly to labour this point, that those their great Councells, infallible Assemblies,Well remembred. and unwar­ranted Synagogues of Hypocrites, bee most di­vinely impeded; and that Parliaments bee broke up, and crushed in the bud both in Scotland, and England for those confluences of demure divells, have ever given Vs the greatest dash, and beene the very bane of our agonies.

Wee hope withall, your Holines out of the bowels of pittie, cannot forget the miserable pre­lates, your faithfull Labourers. It is indeed [Page] their fortune; (through too eager and unadvised zeale, to the glory of raising Altars to your Ho­lines purposes, in that land where they lived) and not their fault, that thus they are left in the wildernesse of Times and Povertie, make them taste therfore of the sweetnes of your Remem­brances; for it were high indignitie to your Ho­linesse, the Prince of Bishops, to let those silly Soules engage their Surplis, and Service-books, for the maintenance of their laborious lives.

Amongst all other expediencies, here is one likewayes which cries extreamely, that since we had very justly anchored our best Expectations upon the Northerne Cities of that rigid and in­fortunate Iland of Scotland, where indeede the Religion pretended was never perfectly welcom­med, and that by our last intelligence wee have learned they have likewise joyned hand with Im­pietie,The City of Aberdene ho­noured by em­bracing the Covenant. and divorcing themselves from the loy­altie of the great worke, have entred the dance with the rest of the giddy Hereticks, neglecting our resentments of most Catholick Services done, and our encouragements to persevere, that yet notwithstanding there might be some zealous In­vention and spirituall stratagem found how to re­gaine them, and to redeeme them from that de­served perdition which followes Heresie.

The Lords of the parlamentAnd as to the Parliamentary stage-men, who do now personat so bravely, we hope before they [Page] come to the last Act of the Play, where they trust to bring in your Holinesse as a Mytred Boufone, if there be any soule amongst us, we shal do our best to make their dalliance Epilogue in a Tragedy, and overturn the Stage upon the Actors.

THe humble Zeale to acquit my selfe loyall to your Apostolick employments, and the perfecti­on of that great worke for which I was sent hither, made me hasten with my trembling Pen in hand to drop out some advertisements to you, in behalfe of Truths Candor, who never in greater extre­mity then this, doth make her pittifull ad­dresse to your Holines, by whose protection she is secured from the insolent affronts of the [Page] Vulgar: Being distressed, she makes you her faire sanctuary; being wounded, shee makes you her soveraigne balme. I know this infor­tunate Paper of Intelligence, shall swell your vext soule mightily, and affright all Italy with feare, and wonder. Yet if your heart bee not split asunder with griefe, and terrour; or if there be any counsell, or courage left in your Conclave, looke to the Agony of the Miter, which is now sicke, even sicke to the death: Lift up your weeping eyes, consider the Times, and Seasons; and let the spirit of Prudence preserve us from utter perdition, least this reprobate indocile Iland make us very quickly a reproach and opprobry to the world.

It would certainly burne the hearts of all true Catholicks with consuming anguish to looke upon the present distempers, and to thinke how glorious your Kingdome had lookt by this time, like a Colossus upon the columnes of strength and policy; scorning Thunder, and out-lasting tempests: if Wee had never angled in that abhominable King­dome [Page] of Scotland, nor sollicite the returne of that stubborn people to us so hotly: for surely belike they will awake all Christendome, and pervert the world. Your Holines did behold them with the Eye of disdaine, lookt asquint upon them (as the Sun doth) and conceaved these Northernes to be but dull, and halfe spi­rited soules; who could not discover plots, resist the Majesty of your intentions, nor mount to their wishes in a direct line without stop, or hinderance; but let mee tell your sanctity, They resolve to goe on (armed with their Princes smile) and destroy your very name, your memory, your ashes, with as easie a freedome, as rough winds demolish crasie buildings.

Not content with that great disgrace they have done your Apostolick dignity, in their owne Church, (now indeed deserted, and desperate) by that Covenant, (which Wee thought a silly shrub, but is now growne a sturdy Oake; and waxeth stately like the proud Cedar) They have mov'd a banner against the residue of our hopes in England: [Page] for the Episcopall expedition, and holy war against the Hereticks, and Rebels most dam­nably succeeding (which will make a black, and shamefull history to embellish the Vati­can Library) they have come forward incen­sed, and with strange pretences (as brave men, who in their awfull palmes doe beare about better destinies, and command even fate it selfe) advance our destruction strong­ly; for albeit Wee did little regard their harmelesse simplicity, and mocked all their sayings, which they distilled soft as Oyle; yet Wee have now found their sting, sharper then two edged swords; for they have so poysoned the world, with their Pamphlets, their Papers, and new tricks of a Reformation (as they call it: a thing as contrary to the mystery of your kingdome, as light to dark­nesse) that now nothing can compose the fury of the Obstinate people, nor smooth the commotions, unlesse Episcopacy first of all be throwne over boord; and then having given the swinge to the wheele of their phancy, no hopes of rest.

Your Holinesse had wisely, and effectually too established your right, and continued your possession in those parts, by that Hie­rarchy: But now the glory is departed from those mighty Champions; They are chased too and fro as a forsaken leafe before the wind, and know not where to pitch; And he also that ere while was the great Primate of England, alterius Orbis Patriarcha, for a Throne of eminency, is like to be brought upon the Scaffold of delinquency; and the rest of the holy fathers of this Church, lovers of peace, and most religious observers of the old Apo­stolick eminency, for the honour of the Church, and glory of the Gospell, are like­wise trembling, every day ready to be offered up as a sacrifice to the publick hate. The valorous Pens of your Emissaries, and faith­full labourers are now discouraged, lulled asleepe, and turned against themselves. The Authors of the most meritorious Peeces are now arreigned before the hereticall Tribu­nals, and shall hardly be brought off, if the strength of your policy, and assiduity of your [Page] prayers doe not prepare their safety. Their shining vertues, by which they ought to have beene so deare to the Church of Rome, are now wrapt in clouds of shame. All things move crosly; and now when our affaires were even ripening, and our just hopes pregnant with conceit of wreaths, and try­umphs, behold We are filled with nothing but disappointments, and apprehensions of farther reaching woes.

I know the portentuous newes of the Scottish and English treaty (which fills all Courts, and Kingdomes) hath long ere now afflicted your most sacred eares: for the e­states of Scotland (which We can never name without shame and anger) have given order to their Commissioners (Embassadours of our overthrow) to treat with the Peeres of England for the production of an established peace betwixt the two Nations, and so con­sequently for preparing worse dayes to us, then the miseries of the most disastrous war: They are linked together like two malignant powerfull Planets in conjunction, [Page] who have such forceable influence in the Times, that they cast forth a flood of fire, and animate every thing against us with a dangerous temper. By the conference of this treaty (which joynes their interlaced minds in an individuall league) and by the prophane canvassing and supercillious, contrectation of the highest mysteries of State, We see how they have over-done us, and over-witted us in all our policies: It shall bee found (most holy Father) true as the eternall Verities, that their union will prove our infallible con­fusion. And that ordinary remedy of a divi­sion, which has oftentimes proved so effectu­all, in such exigencies will likewise now for­sake us: for all their purposes, their Judg­ments, their affections,

Are now but all one, pointing upward with their heads, not to heaven, but to the top of their execrable hopes, being no other [Page] then to see your Venerable Miter (which so long hath beene the terrour of Princes) bu­ried in the dust; never did plots thrive like theirs; every day, and every circumstance of time adds a new degree of strength to their machinations; fortifying themselves against us most sensibly, even as by the continuall revolution of the approaching Sun We find the day is enlengthned, and the summer be­gotten. There be greater considerations in hands then the curious rules of ceremonies, which I confesse did multiply most egregi­ously, after the Majesty, and decency of the Jtalian splendour: certainly their actions doe carry an unusuall weight, and sutable to themselves doe flye at an unusuall height. Their progresse is swift, and powerfull, as is the progresse of unlimited fire in a popu­lous City; or like winds, whose force doe at their birth rend ope the stubborne wombe of the dull earth.

I have skrewed my selfe as cunningly as I could in the bosome of their intelligence, and found the pulse of the businesse, but I [Page] declare my sagacity failes me if they doe not thirst after the very heart-blood of your ho­nour, and combine for your finall fall; and all this under the gallant name of Loyalty to their King, and specious pretext of defen­ding the faith. Oh the cunning Hereticks the Scots! they have besieged us most subtil­ly, and sprung a mine as it were under your Holinesse owne throne.

Amongst other inveagling devices, they have coined such a blasphemous way of argu­menting against Venerable Episcopacy, that it will prove most destructive of that hea­venly Hierarchy, by which your Holinesse had anchored on the beauty of this Church; and this malignancy is followed with con­gruity of humours so easily elemented, that I doubt the miserable torne thing can escape shipwracke in this hell-blowne tempest. They laugh at the authority of our Church, they scorne the arguments of antiquity, say­ing that Truth did precede errour; and all the considerations of pompe and state, and externall magnificence they hold lighter then vanity.

As to the Assembly of the high Court of Parliament, here (upon which all hereticke Churches doe gaze more superstitiously then the Indians looke upon the Sun which they adore) 'tis more terrible then many Ar­mies with banners, and by unmercifull wayes intends a mighty vengeance against the Ro­mish and Prelate faction. They are in a strange motion, and run a tyde cleane contrary to our standing; some wonderfull assistance must prompt the times dangerously, and the great body of this justly redoubted Parlia­ment, is like to have a vertue too immense for one region to containe, and moves with greater Majesty then as it were resolved to confine its revolutions within the narrow limits of this Iland; for the policies are so many and transcendent, their resolutions so firme and immovable, that they are easily powerfull not onely to banish the Catho­licks out of their owne Land, but doe vio­lence to the Romish faith in the heart of Jtaly, and perswade the Turkes and Barbares to be­come hereticall Impostors. It is able to [Page] make your Ancestors breake their mabre lodgings, come forth and quarrell this super­lative fury, which riots so boundlesly. Hee that would dis-compose this Parliament, must first overthrow a Kingdome, a Prince, a Law; nay else as easily might hee commixe with lightnings, or call backe a Thunder­bolt, as offer to restore it: for it is diseased in mind, diseased past recovery. All the Ca­nons, and constitutions of that sacred Synode (which were truely the Magazin of our spi­rituall strength) are here bitterly pestered, and swept away; and the children of Policy, who made the advancement of your estate and honour the greatest part of their study, are now most dangerously censured, and made the deplored subject of the times. They take as little notice of your off-spring, the reverend Prelats, as the surly North does of the Snow; which when it has engendered, its vild breath scatters through the earth forgotten. If businesse take so hot a wor­king, truely for what I can conjecture by the purposes of heaven, or earth, all the Lawrels [Page] growing on your Holinesse Crest will bee turned to Cypres, serving to no use but to adorn your funeralls; and the Cardinalls, Arch-bishops, and Bishops of Italy shall bee shortly sent to visite their cold Urnes, and the Nunnes left to keepe warme their ashes with their dearest teares.

Your Arch-officers, and friends, can be no more usefull to your Holinesse; though they were indeed your ministring and faithfull spirits, yet are they now shut up in prisons, and groane under the martyring hand of im­pious and corrupt Justice; resolve to com­pose their funerall Anthemes, and make ready condigne places for them in the Calen­der: for the blackest crime in their charge is, that they have befriended the Romish cause (trusty soules!) and laboured to rectifie a stubborne State too imperiously. The per­secution is so hot here, and the winnowing of men so exact, that sundry (out of consci­ence of humbling, and weakening the State, to make it more capable of alterations, and and apt to obey) not able to stand before [Page] such a sophisticat light, as is their Parliament (which notwithstanding of our light esteem, has melted them as Snow) have embraced a voluntar banishment, and transplanted them­selves beyond sea, where they may enjoy the safety of a more gracious shade, and under your Holinesse beames grow fat. Wee have not yet seene all the links of this chaine of providence, till the unwearied spheares, the dispensers of time, spin them out one after another; but if your Holinesse will cast your eyes about you, and looke to the commoti­ons, and earth-quakes in Kingdomes, and Common-wealths; Wee dare almost be bold to say that your Kingdome is now at the age of consistence, and can grow no further. Your Sun-beames have past the meridian, and chased with the stifling mists of errour, like smoake out of the pit, are swiftly decli­ning, and that without hopes to arise a­gaine; so they take it universally for gran­ted, and beleeve with strong confidence that now upon the stage of Europe, there is a strange Comedy acting, whose Epilogue [Page] shall be in Rome; for matters cannot stand at this point, but our enemies who have their desires strengthned, will strive to encompasse what yet remaines.

May it not wel be feared that the English Ma­jesty with his two puissant armies in the fields (ready for all undertakings) shall espouse the cause of the Hugenots in France, and now when the French King is offering to set his foot upon that little republicke of Geneve, shall appeare most terribly for their re­liefe, and lift up the Hereticks horne now lying in the dust, and finally confound all the pioning policies of the Cardinall Richi­lieu, who has so prosperously triumphed in his garlands of Lillyes, and Floure-de-luces. What should hinder him from becomming the head of all these pretended reformed Churches? and display an uncontrolled ban­ner, till he have sprung over the Alpes upon the wings of renowne, and as full of successe, as hopes spread feare and love through the world; and having forgotten your right to the Patrimony of the Church, by the be­nevolence [Page] of Constantine the Great, hee strip you naked of all your riches, and eminence; making you miserable as the poorest Capuchin: and armed with zeale, teare downe the walls of Rome like a ramping Lyon? I think Wee should be sufficiently puzled, and the most generous Armies your Holinesse could com­mand, would take them to their last abili­ties, and have use of all their Counsell, and strength, if these motions should bee fol­lowed.

It is here likewise reported to the great encouragement of our enemies, that there be strange and dangerous Novations in France, which leade to an open revolt, and the powerfull prevailing of heresie; for if their Church Service be received in a known tongue against the practises, and constituti­ons of the Church (as the same flyes) and that by the advice of the Hugenots, who will ne­ver move beyond their Line, to meet us (not a haire breadth) certainly you may then make the Myters Epitaph, and perswade your selfe of greater inundations of evills then ever was [Page] thought to have sprung from the Covenant of Scotland, or the Trienniall Parliaments in England; You may see then the combustion which began in Scotland, and threatned but weakely at a great distance, is now come to the skirts of the Holy Land almost, and that you had need to looke to your owne buil­ding.

Our evills multiply, as the heads of Hydra; for what consequence may Wee apprehend from the Marriage of the daughter of Eng­land, with those who bee Arch-enemies to your most Catholicke Sonne, the right hand of your execution? and can the Prince Pala­tine be arrived here for any thing which will bring either happinesse to the common cause, or divert the calamities which are daily emergent, like swolne clouds of infecti­on arising upon the Horizon and darkening the skie? No, our evills are preparing as the Arrowes are ready to bee sent from the bended bow.

Through this beliefe, the prophane world doe glory in most sacrilegious insolencies; [Page] for the dis-mantling of Churches, the pulling up of the railes (which make the comely distance from the holy place) nay, the over­turning of Altars, (which in all the corners of the Kingdome did rise most bravely after the Italian mode) are but the daily practises of the undanted, and undistinguishing vul­gar. Wee are come to such height of con­tempt, that Boyes sing our scandale in the streets; they tune Ballads to our infamy: and hee that can reproach us most handsom­ly, and deepely informe against us, has most strongly demerited Church and State. I like not the complexion of our affaires; strange symptoms of a most dangerous consumption, and many pregnant reasons for the encrease of our feares. The Pulpits have forgotten that gracious sound, with which they were of late most entirely acquainted; the Bookes dare not appeare in the Romish dye, but come forth in squadrons; in strange habit, and hereticall colours. Our possession heere is gone, it seemes; and our hopes to recover it, wholly blasted: nay if the pernicious Coun­sells, and the opinions of the daring Scots prevaile, Wee may as easily thinke to entice [Page] the Sun from his Ecliptick, as work an alte­ration of their humors, or shake them from these new grounds to which they are now so miserably wedded.

I dare not forget to shew your Holines, what great expressions of joy have bin heere in the City of London, tearing the clouds with the musicke of their Bells, and condensing the aire with the smoake of their Bone­fires, as if they had already seene their furthest desires crowned, and had bin ringing our fu­nerall knels; because the Prince has granted to the Estates a Triennall Parliament, where­with the people have beene as strongly af­fected, as if they had beene delivered from Pest or Famine; or had received the spoiles of most important conquest: by this meanes they resolve to hammer us so flat, that Wee shall never set up our heads, nor bud a­gaine.

If ever affliction could awake the Sonnes and Daughters of the Romane Church, 'tis now, when the angry winds are let loose from the corners of the earth. Wee have not in­deed slept our time here, but practised very laboriously, and according as the Churches [Page] exigency did call us to a double care, so likewise have We attempted all expediencies for deluding the purposes of our enemies, and strengthning our selves. We have stretched our wit, and studied fitting policies in all the latitude of a Catholick conscience; there re­maines nothing in the treasure of invention which We have not sollicite, and now in these bleeding times with greater strength of wit; but I know not what has interposed be­twixt your Holines influence, and a good effect: some thing of late has made obstructi­ons in the effectuall derivations of your Apo­stolick Benedictions; all has proved unprofi­table: And (not to offend your Holines) I feare least the tyde of your sorrowes be but yet growing; for whereas Wee have ever magnified, and exalted tradition above the Scripture, yet we know not how to fasten on these Impostures, for they adhere so close to their Scriptures, in their reasons, and opini­ons, that sooner may you divorce the light frō the Sun, then pull them from their grund slighting the traditions, and customes of the Romish Church with as much disdaine, as we neglect the Alchoran; and ever when they [Page] oppone Scripture to our Traditions, We know not what to say, and have not bin acquainted with other Authority then the Churches: therefore your Holi­nes would doe well to hearken to this, and consider that the times in likelyhood are comming, when the Scriptures (which have bin so highly esteemed by the simplicity of that pretended Religion) will bee the rule of faith, and Church-Government, and over­throw our subtilties: I hope your Holines, as the great Ghostly Father of the Church, will see that your building be firmely seated upon permanent foundati­ons; for if they be not sure and able for all assaults, it may happily fall, and crush us all: and I assure your Holines, if your affronts encrease, your strength doe not convalesce, and this bad fortune of the Miter continue, a panick feare will invade all your devoted Kings, Princes, and Cardinals; they will betake them to the strongest side, and leave you in the mire.

It is now therefore high time to summon up all that is vertue about you; What ever any of the great Monarches of the Church could [...]oe, let it now ap­peare by your power most eminently displayed: your Holines would doe well to call a Counsell, and con­sult with heavens, and learne how to stop these Here­ticks mouthes; convince them of the Truth, and heape coales on their heads: seeke out the end of [Page] these troubles that afflict the world; for it is indeed to be feared, if Heresie become so insolent, and swell with so good fortune, that shortly their Truth shall shine glorious as the Sun, and become as it were the Idole of the world, extinguishing the life of our misteries, under which Wee have had such Halcyo­nian dayes.

Since then all the fabrick of our Religion, the stan­ding of the Apostolick Empire, and all that is deare and splendid to the glory of the Miter is now shaking; Rise up from your throne, put to your saving hand to the Helme, and doe not neglect one day, one houre, one minute to weare out with toyle of plot, and pra­ctise of conceit, your busie and fruitfull wit; bestir like the first mover, your inferiour, and obedient Spi­rits, every one in their owne spheare; never take rest, nor force a smile which is not borrowed from a sacred, and Papall vengeance, such as becomes the state of your disgrace, and unbounded fate, till your Holines know what way to satisfie fury and revenge; till you and your successors, the undoubted Inheritors of the worlds Metropoliticall throne, have touched the ends of the earth with your all conquering Scepter, and hath led Truth in Procession, triumphing over the ruines of errour.