A VVORTHY SPEECH, BY Mr. Tho. Abernethie.

WHEREIN IS DISCOVERED THE Villany and hellish plots (which himselfe hath been an eie and eare witnesse of) wrought in the Popes Courts against these our three KINGDOMES.

And now disclosed this 29. Iuly, 1641.

LONDON, Printed by T. H. 1641.

Right Honourable,

I Will briefly let you understand how the Papists lie in waite to deceive you: and that it may bee seene that I am not partiall, (I speake to all the three Kingdomes) minding to shew you all that Papists lie in waite to deceive you by two meanes, Seminaries and Pensions; yet it is first to be remarked, that the ground of both is the councell in Rome, called, Congregatio de propaganda (or ra­ther) extirpanda fide, a congregation of propagating (or ra­ther) extirpating of faith.

This Congregation hath a most sumptuous Pallace in Rome, and extreame rich; the members of it, are the Pope as head of the Church, his nephew Cardinall Francis Barbarine as his Lieutenant, divers other Cardinals, the ge­neralls of severall orders, the great Master of the Inquisi­tion and some Doctors, all as Iudges, they convene every Friday, or ofter as they please; the end of their meeting, is to finde out meanes to bring all people and Nations un­der the Popes dominion, for this end they have sundry meanes, such as the Seminaries of divers Nations and pensions: The Seminaries are furnished with youths out of their severall Countries, by Iesuits, who have the care of them: These youths are of two sorts, the one called Con­victors, because they pay for their entertainment, and these are noble Barons and Gentlemens sonnes, sent thither by their Popish parents, to be brought up for divers ends: The other are called Seminarists, a [...]d these have their foode, raiment, studies, bookes, &c. all the time of their [Page] studies out of the Colledges, with condition that after they have staied three months in one of the Colledges, they must make a vow to take Priesthood upon them, and to returne to their severall Countries, when they shall be found fit by the Iesuits their Masters, to the end they may seduce others, as they were seduced themselves; and therefore after their studies, they are sent into their own Country, furnished with all things ne­cessary, as apparrell, monies, masse-graith, and the like, as they are thought of, and have mony at Court of their Semi­ries: there be five of our Nation out of the Country; at Rome, Paris, Madrid, Doway and Brounsberg, and one promised by the Emperour in Osnabruck, which the Sweds keept for them, of Irish some, and many and great of English.

These Seminaries, Iesuits and other Priests, send their rela­tion every yeare, of all what passe in the Country, spirituall or temporall, to the foresaid congregation, wherein all treasons, massacres and other bloudy mischiefes are hatched.

This presupposed as an assured truth, I speake first to thee my deare Country, thou that wroughtest thy selfe mightily to suffer schismes and divisions in thee, which are now with great pitty to be seene and shame to be heard; one saith I am a Co­venanter, another I am not, what meanest thou, not covenan­ter? wilt thou not subscribe the contract which thy parents, Godfathers and Godmothers, as thy spirituall tutors, seeing it is for God and truth onely? God is partly contracted, the Angells were witnesses, and hell fire the penalty, take heed, and fight not against God, for as he is Alseeing, so he is Al­mighty, and as mercifull to have spared thee so long, so is hee just, to punish thy inexcusable wilfulnesse. But some will say, that there begreat Doctors not Covenanters, and where­fore may not wee likewise stand out as well as these learned men? I answer first, that they are but few, and to my judge­ment (for I have discoursed with some of them) not the lear­nedst [Page] of the Kingdome, brought up in a Towne which was never yet clensed from Popery, and where I have seene an hundred at masse at one time within these few yeares: Second­ly, these Doctors, suppose they were learned (as I know some of them are) they shall not answer for thee in that great day, wherein there shall bee had no respect of persons. Thirdly, what if these Doctors would maintaine Popery and hinder a reformation, as their predecessors have done, wouldst thou follow? God forbid.

My counsell now to you that are Covenanters is, that qui stat, videat ne cadit, let him that thinkes he stands take heed lest he fall, for the Crowne of glory is onely for him that over­commeth, Qui perseveraverit usque in finem hic salvus erit, hee that shall indure to the end the same shall be saved: yeeld not a word, a syll [...]ble, a jot, lest thou scandalize thy weake brother, and give occasion to Rome, to stand and expect thy returne, she not so much as beginning a motion towards thee: for they seeing your novations of Bishops, Deanes, Doctors, kneeling at Sacrament, crosse in Baptisme, and the rest of these articles, were in assured confidence, that ye were turning to them again, and used commonly to say, (see so faine as they are to creepe into us againe) which did confirme all our people, and made sundry of yours to follow us: If these points which sometime by the most part were thought allowable, did so much harme to Gods Church, what their English masse, canonicall inquisi­tion, and the rest of that almost banished trash had done, if they had not beene prevented by the alseeing God, judge yee. And finally, grant thou nothing that Rome desireth of thee, for it hath no warrant from God, and thou knowest no conformity to be admitted betweene God and Dagon, hold fast that which thou hast, lost another take thy Crowne from thee.

And to you not Covenanters, I say, that of your Bishops I never saw any but one, neither would I mourne, albeit I never [Page] saw more of them in this land, and I am their friend or enemy, as they are Christs; yea, more I say, if ye knew as well as they and I know, even the draughts that are drawne against you, the strength and policy of your enemies without, and within, against this poore Church of God, I am certainely perswaded that you would all subscribe that worthy covenant, before that yee went out of this Church, or else I would hould you as internall Papists; I perceive you all curious to demand me a question, if modesty would permit you to speake it; to wit, what is that I know more then other men? let us (say ye) under­stand it, and we will yeld to reason.

To this lawfull question, I answer, that I know more then any Protestant in this land, of this businesse; for I was imployed in it in the yeare of God, 1632. and gave in (amongst other points of my commission) a petition to the foresaid congregation at Rome, and elsewhere, desiring them to advise upon the meanes, for the reducing of this Kingdome to Rome; divers were pro­poned by these politicke heads, who study onely to destroy Kings, and pervert Kingdomes, of many, these few were most considerable.

First, that they should all employ their wits for the pervertion of his Majesty, our soveraigne Lord, and contribute for the le­vying of an Army, under pretext of giving assistance to some confederate Prince, and therewith to force liberty of consci­ence: this opinion was rejected as dangerous, till all things were surer, and their faction stronger.

S [...]condly, that if they could not attaine to their purpose with his Majesty, they should endeavour to get two Iesuits in our Princes service, for his Graces instruction, and education, in Popery.

Thirdly, that pensions should be given by mediate waies, through the universities, and other parts where they might worke their ends.

[Page] Fourthly, yet this was all thought little of by some of our coun­try men, who advised them to set their whole minds for the per­vertion of England, which being nearer to them in points of doctrine then Scotland, as also in forme of Service, worships, and Ecclesiasticall government, they might worke surer and with greater hope of prevailing, then with Scotland, whom he assured to be of a stubborne nature, dangerous to be dealt with, and great Puritans, directly opposite to the Church of Rome, and therefore nothing more should be desired of Scotland, but conformity in matters of religion with England, which the Eng­lish Church would gladly wish, as if she were a Mother Church, wherof others did flow; neither could his country men deny it in respect of his Majesties supremacy, and of the union of the two Crownes, and Kingdomes; that they both might have but one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme, & one King. For the execu­tion of his councell, he proponed mutuall intellegence to be procured betwixt England, and Rome, which shortly after was begun by an Italian Priest, a great polititian, well versed in the french tongue Il signior Gregorie, who stayed above a yeare and a halfe in London for that effect, and with whom I confer­red in his own lodging, in the Covent-garden at London, and with two great men of our owne nation, and now continueth there himself, with great grudge to both the Kingdomes, seeing this mutuall intelligence was never heard of betwixt Rome, and us, since the Cardinalls Woolsy and Polus daies, neither is it necessary, as states men may see.

Now non-covenanter, is thy curiosity satisfied: This I know, and more, looke then to it in time, and bee not one of those, who for vanity or other ends, will be thought singular against Gods cause, and thy owne promise in baptisme. I will end this discourse, that my enemies say not that I minde to put dis­sention betwixt Protestants and Conformists, letting these three Kingdomes see some of the dangers wherein they stand [Page] of the Roman Antichrist, and his Congregation de extirpanda fide: first ye stand in these dangers, especially that mutuall in­telligence between Rome and England: secondly, of your Countrimens affection to Rome, if they be Papists, for alledg­ed rights of the Popes upon each of you, viz. Peters penny and Peters patrimony: thirdly your extreme great number of Iesuits, and Priests, extending in England to five or six thou­sands, so that they are striving among themselves, and writing books against others for Bishopricks in your Church; as for Ireland it hath 15. Papists Bishops alone, this is great danger: fourthly, your populous multitudes of Papists in you extending many thousands, so that I am of that mind, that in England the people (if not already) may shortly desire a generall assembly for liberty of conscience: Fiftly, the education of your Nobi­lity in forraine Countries, who having drunke in the doctrine of iniquity from their tenderage, are both more perverse in themselves, and more dangerous bringing in their friends and neighbours by their Priests to p [...]rdition with them: Sixtly, that which is to be lamented of all, that you have good Lawes against Papists, and every good reason to execute them, but alas! mony breaks them, gr [...]nting to all P [...]pists a pecuniall li­berty of conscience, and present banishment to all these poore reformed Christians who will not conforme with you; and that which is to be laughed at or r [...]ther weeped at, that vee would blind pe [...]ples eies with your searchers going on the one side to apprehend Priests and punish Papists; and on the other side, to have your customes to receive monies, and give dis­charge for liberty of Papistry. O God! who doth not evident­ly perceive these monstrous dangers? and not oppose him­selfe with all his power against them, if there remaine any sparke of true Christianity? truly, who doth it not, I must of necessity thinke him an internall Papist.

The last danger of all the 3. Kingdomes is Pensions, where­of [Page] we may consider foure things: First, the giver: Secondly, the persons to whom they are given: Thirdly, the quantity of the summes: Fourthly, the end wherefore they are given. There is certaine pensions given in the Country, for Priests and intelligencers, and out of the Country for Seminaries and correspondents of these intelligencers, but to come to the par­ticulars. First, the givers are the house of Austria, and the fore­said congregation, de extirpando fide. Secondly, the persons to whom it is given, to my knowledge, are the Priests, the man that goeth for it and the keeper, whereof I was one, and know the names, and residence of the rest, which I have de­clared by writ already: and if there be given pensions to any others as to these, the superiour with his councellors, and the treasurer know it, for me I know not, but this I am sure of, that there was more sent into the Country then was bestowed on them. Thirdly, the quantity, in cumulo▪ is best knowne to them, I being none of the superiors councellors, in respect of my travells for the mission; the quantity that wee who were Priests got, was a 100. Crownes in the yeare from Rome, and eighteene pence every day from Spaine, besides our purchase by our masse, confessions and pardons, which was more or lesse, conforme to our imploiment, and the persons with whom we dealt. Fourthly and lastly, in a word, the end of these gifts is pretended zeale and pitty, but which may appear by the deposition of Master George Ker, and the Iesuits Aber­crumby, Chrighton and Gordon, with three Noblemens letters intercepted with him, and registrate by his pensions given to us, and his pretended rights were our native Countries, truly intended Hierarchy of Rome, and Monarchy of Spaine; If this then be not an evident danger to suffer so many forraigne Princes pensioners in your bosome, God see to it in his owne time, and give me grace that I may follow my Christ in feare and hearty resolution.

FINIS.

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