The parricide papist, or Cut-throate Catholicke A tragicall discourse of a murther lately committed at Padstow in the countie of Cornewall by a professed papist, killing his owne father, and afterwardes himselfe, in zeale of his popish religion. The 11 of March last past. 1606. Written by G Closse, preacher of the word of God at Blacke Torrington in Deuon.

THE Parricide Papist, OR, Cut-throate Catholicke.

PErusing the plentifull and profitable labours of many learned & zea∣lous Writers of this time, and the Christian forwardnes of all sorts bending their batteries against the Bulwarks of Superstition & Popery, some with theyr pennes, others with their pikes, and all with theyr prudent policies pursuing the reculing Miscreants: I thought it not impertinent to my place, profession, and occasion, to cut a few vacant houres out of my priuate busines∣ses,

ses, and to latch a blow (amongst others,) at the scull of the seauen-headed Dragon, & whore* 1.1 of Babylon, rather to testifie my consenting will to true Religion, then my contenting skil as able, to adde any ornament vnto that which the Lord hath so gloriously adorned with wisedome, and power to support it selfe against all malignitie of the world, and the gates of hell not able to preuaile against it.

Euery cleere eye, and iudicious care, hath sufficiently discerned the cause of Rome to be deserted, and destitute of all defence by argu∣ment: enough (if not too much) hath beene answered to all theyr allegations in defence of theyr false Sinagogue, and accusations in offence and derogation of our true refor∣med Christian Churches: and of these blinde Wormes; and deafe Adders, may be verified the saying of Salomon, That though you bray a* 1.2 foole in a Morter, yet hee will be neuer the vviser. I shall therefore commend vnto your Chri∣stian considerations, the Tragicall act and euent, which lately hapned in the Countie of Cornwall, (not farre from the place of my ha∣bitation:) and seeing our Popish pamphle∣tors cuculate nothing more than surmised calumniations against the persons of our godly and most painfull Ministers, not bee∣ing

otherwise able to discredite their doc∣trines, I wil expose to their Owle-sight eyes examples of theyr owne Sectaries to be loo∣ked vpon, and seriously considered. Wherein to shunne the iust taxation of slaunder, (which is most proper to their Popish practises,) I will propose matter in fact euident, by pub∣lique Records, in qualitie execrable, in time newe, and freshly bleeding in our eyes.

Luther and Beza, beeing surcharged with manifold fictions, and odious imputations, out-liued the enuy of theyr enemies, and in theyr life time confuted theyr forged impu∣tations: but y^e examples of these mens more then barbarous blood-thirstinesse, shall out∣liue all ages liuing, and remaine inchroni∣cled as Prodigies, and stand enroled in pub∣lique acts, as memorialls to all posterities, so long as our lawes, or any ciuill gouern∣ment shall be pracised in the Land: and let them heare me to tell thē plainly, that which our blessed Sauiour told their fore-fathers the Pharisees roundly, that they are of their Fa∣ther* 1.3 the deuill, who was a murtherer from the be∣ginning: they are the progeny of Caine, sacri∣ficing Abell, because he sacrificeth to GOD* 1.4 a better smelling oblation then theyrs.

If they will needes iudge the Tree by the frutes, & the cause by the effects: then what pietie can bee imagined in that Profession, which is so bloody, as theyrs is notified in all the world to be? Yea, theyr whore of Ba∣bilon, in all her deliciousnes, is especially ban∣quetted* 1.5 with the blood of the Saints.

If I should speake of vsuall murthers, which common cut-throates commit in theyr purse-takings, or that furious swaggerers shed in their hote bloods, and wrathfull re∣uenges, it were no more in cōparison of that which cōmeth in this argument, then a bloo∣die nose to a gasping wound. For though all killing is cruell, and an enemy to nature, yet the vnnaturall & detested Parricides (where∣of this argument intreateth) astonisheth all humaine reason to consider it, appalleth all the sences to apprehend it, and exceedeth all credulity to beleeue such a thing to bee doone, till they behold it actually performed.

The wise Law-giuer aunswered discreet∣ly,* 1.6 excusing himselfe that hee made no Lawe for him that murthered his Father, because hee neuer imagined such an odious acte a∣gainst nature would euer be imagined, much lesse attempted of any humaine creature.

But see the blindnesse of heresie and false religion, which being a poyson of the soule, brought from the denne of darknes, and a drugge of the deuill, how it not onely oppo∣seth the creature against the Creator, man a∣gainst GOD, and man against man, but transformeth theyr whole natures, ingende∣ring in them vnnaturall thoughts and de∣sires, and producing effects odious to GOD and nature. In these our latter dayes, men bee∣ing* 1.7 departed from the faith, are become (as the A∣postle saith) vnnaturall: and God giuing them ouer into a reprobate sence, which would not receiue* 1.8 the loue of the truth, they haue changed the natu∣rall vse of thinges, to that which is against nature; as not onely theyr execrable Sodomitries, but theyr thrise detested Parricides, openly testifie, and cry out against them.

Doe I, or dare I enstile them Parricide Pa∣pists, or Cut-throate Catholicks, and be destitute of examples pathetically to mooue, and effec∣tually to prooue it? No, no, amongst many old, I will introduce one new exemplarie in∣stance therof, lately acted in the midst of their smoaking broyles, irrefragably warranted by vnreprooueable witnesses. One Inigo Ieanes of Padstow in the County of Cornwall, being lately some-what reclaimed from his

Popish profession, & frequenting the Church (though as it appeareth with no great deuo∣tion) was in the haruest of their late politick platforme, assailed with y^e perswasiue tongue of one William Manfil, (a professed Romanist) to returne to his old byas againe. Who vpon better information of his friendes, replied, that it was in vaine now any longer to con∣sect in that Religion, seeing after the death of the late Queene, the inauguration of a most religious King, forced the tide & streame against the Romish Church, so that both hap and hope, were drowned and perished toge∣ther. Yet the Temptor, like sathan his ma∣ster, desirous to cast downe the strong in faith from the pinacles of the Temple, perswadeth* 1.9 incouragement, and confidence of better suc∣cesse, assuring him, that platformes were thē in hand, not onely for redemption, but re∣nowne of the Catholicks, & that forces were in full preparation both at home and abroad to aduaunce the Catholicke cause, as he termed it. Onely it behoued them to apply their mas∣sings, and ceremoniall obseruances, to ob∣taine it by merit at Gods hands.

Perhaps they imagined (as the Prophet* 1.10 speaketh) that GOD was like vnto themselues, and would participate with them in any wic∣kednes,

if they could make him smell to theyr bloody vnbleeding sacrifice. But the poore credulous caytiffe, being led on by these faire pretences, and hopefull preparations, relap∣sed Catholicke againe: and as busie as other Waspes of that swarme, consorted with the crew of other corner-creepers, in obscure Caues to doe seruice to the Prince of dark∣nesse. And although Iames the Father of thē said Inigo Ieanes often disswaded him from those dangerous courses, which the seuerity of the Lawes would sharply correct, yet he desperately running on, and resolued to per∣sist, not only refused to obey the admonitions of his father, but became an earnest perswa∣der that hee would permit them a place of se∣crecie in his house, for the exercise of their ido∣latrous massings.

The Father, (whether fearing God or the Law more, I omit to censure) still constantly contradicted his sonnes vnreasonable and vnseasonable request, alleaging, that at this time, Lawes were making in y^e Parliament, to punish Popery more seuerely then euer heretofore: and that vpon iust occasion of the late discouerie of so damnable a stratageme, as was neuer plotted against any Christian or Heathen state: and therfore in some round

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termes (as it seemed) checked & reiected his peeuish sonnes Popish petition.

But he, in the franticke spirit of a Papist, hastily tooke vp a club or beetle (where-with they vsed to cleaue wood) and rudely, (O let me studie a more apt word for such sauage inhumanitie) barbarously assailed his owne naturall Father, and strooke him violentlie on the head to the ground. And doubting that hee had not throughly dispatched him, tooke vp a barre of yron, & strooke him with maine force and brake his backe, so that hee presently died of those wounds.

Then this Inigo Ieanes, leauing his Father groueling on the ground, and wallowing in his owne blood, immediatly fled to a Chap∣pell (called Saint Sauiours) neere Padstowe, and hastily vnclothing himselfe, with a bad and blunt knife (adding all his force thereto) gastly in two or three places gashed his own belly athwart, that his bowels were to be seene.

The Mother of the saide Inigo shortly af∣ter comming into her Garden, and finding her husband thus cruelly murthered, and vt∣terly dismaid there-with, came into the house

enquiring for her sonne Inigo Ieanes, and fin∣ding him fledde away, she caused another of her sonnes, and some other messenger to seek him: who comming vnto the foresaid Chap∣pell of Saint Sauiours, found him there lea∣ning to one of his hands, & most greeuouslie wounded.

Vpon some speeches and conference, the said Inigo confessed the murthering of his fa∣ther, and wounding himselfe: and was very desirous to speake with Maister Nicholas Prideaux (then and nowe high Sherieffe of Cornwall,) dwelling neere the said Towne of Padstow, to the intent he might reueale some speciall matters vnto him, where-with it see∣med his conscience was surcharged. And be∣ing brought vnto his presence, hee instantlie made knowne vnto him, how he had been se∣duced by the foresaid Manfill vnto his erroni∣ous Religion: and that the same morning, himselfe, with seauen men, & eyght women more, had been at Masse, at one Richard Hores house of S. Eruin.

Heerevpon the said Maister Prideaux, sent for three other Iustices of the Peace next ad∣ioyning, namely Maister Arundell of Trerise, Maister Michell, and Maister Cosworth E∣squires,

to whom vpon further examination he confessed all that is before declared: and that he had beene there-vnto drawne & moo∣ued by the instigation of the deuill, and see∣ming very sorrowfull for the fact, after some two or three daies languishing, departed this life. And so wee will leaue him to the tribu∣nall seate of the most righteous, and All-see∣ing Iudge to be censured.

Before I proceed further in examining the innumerable impieties in this one fact com∣prised, I may not omit to note vnto y^e world, what a blinde & sencelesse guide they had for theyr Priest, that from such a director, no hope of better fruites could bee conceiued. This paltry Popeling, was well knowne a little before to be a badde and rude Schoole∣maister, and a fellow of such noted stupidity, that young Gentlemen, seruingmen, and o∣thers, for an exercise and recreation, would practise to haue him stand still, whiles they with all theyr force, quoyted sbillings or te∣sternes at his blockish browe, which for a small peece of mony he would as quietly en∣dure, as if a Stoicall stupidity had possessed his braines and body, euen till his face and fore-head was often-times most grieuouslie gashed, moouing many beholders to pittie

him, which did not pitty himselfe.

This Dorus, was now lately become like one of Ieroboams Priests, taken as one out of the* 1.11 basest of the people, & consecrated with the Popes vnguent, a priest of the deuill, or Masse-monging Catholick. This calfe of Dan, beeing now be∣come a Bell-wether to the scabbed flocke, it is doubted whether the sheepe infected him more with the hope of hire, to become a Mi∣cahs priest, or hee with his Ramme-like fore∣head, had hardned the faces of his flock vnto this extreame impudencie and impiety: but sure the prouerbe was well shared amongst them, such a priest, such people. Theyr mother was Atheisme, theyr nurse Ignorance, Darknes theyr dwelling, and Confusion theyr inheri∣tance.

Let me returne to our seraphicall Doctors of Rome, which accuse all the world but thē∣selues of impurity: and let them answere me in earnest, shall wee know the tree by the fruites?* 1.12 iudge of the soundnes of the profession by the workes of the professors? Will you try vs, not by rules of Diuinitie, but examples of Diuines? Looke vpon this patterne, peruse this picture of your Parricide Papist, whose offence is taxed, not as hee is a man falling through infirmitie, but as he is a Papist, er∣ring

wilfully, no passion but his profession, no hope of gaine, but blind deuotion, no reason but his vnreasonable Religion, plunged him into these execrable enormities. It is your re∣ligion that hath dubbed you man-quellers, king quellers, selfe-quellers. Are you not Parricides? a∣las, your maisters are not like Peter, that for∣sooke* 1.13 his Maister, & repenting did counter∣uaile his triple deniall, with a three-fold con∣fession of him: but as your Legend noteth of Iudas, that had murthered his father, and cō∣mitted incest with his mother, and became Christes disciple for a cullour to shadowe his horrible impieties, and betraying his maister lastly hanged himselfe: such succession right∣ly correspondeth with your Popedome, by bloodsheds they are hatched, grow great, and strengthen themselues.

Phocas murthered his Maister the Empe∣ror* 1.14 Mauritius, and was it not the first & surest step to the Romish Popedome? But it may be you can allow this lay Parricide to murther Princes, for establishment of a Popedome: Your holy Fathers, Popes & Bishops, haue by sundry poysonings, some lost their liues and places, & others gained them: how approue you this spirituall parricide? Christian Kinges and Princes, are designed to destruction by

your holy Popes ordinances: is it no Par∣ricide? The Prince of Orenge, & the French-King deceassed, murthered by Papists, and he that now raigneth, assailed to be slaughtered by your vnhallowed hands: will not all men abhor these portentuous parricides? King Iohn of England, long agoe poysoned by Monks, & our late renowned Maiden Queene more often attempted with trecheries, then your Popes crowne hath haires of an honest Prelate, dooth it not proclaime to the world your damnable parricides? Let me make an end with you all, which would make an end with vs all, your late stratageme, to blow vp with gun-powder our potent King, Queene, Prince, Prelate, Nobilitie, & the whole state of Parliament, was it not an vnheard of practise of Parricide?

I heare some of your Politikes vnder their visards to confesse, that it was an horrible* 1.15 proiect, which no Religion can excuse, no reason defend, no authoritie maintaine: that God & hea∣uen are against it, men and earth detest it, (the sillie (you should haue said, slilie) delinquents) them∣selues did lament it. Goe to then, if to murther Parents, (which are in the highest degree of naturall loue) if to murther Princes, which are in most eminent dignitie of polyticall pa∣rentage,

if to murther a whole Common∣wealth, your natiue Country (quae vna omnes* 1.16 omnium charitates complexa est) compriseth the liues, and loues of vs all, be not an inexplicable parricide, then I must, and will confesse, I haue ouer-leaped my limits, & mistitled your professors of the Popish religion, in terming them Parricides. But a father of children, must needes be touched with a horrer in his hart, to conceiue how many fathers and mo∣thers you would haue made childlesse, & chil∣dren fatherlesse by your hellish proiects: A Prince that is honoured as a father in his kingdome, and embraceth his subiects with an affectionate loue, abhorreth the remem∣brance of so vile an enterprise, to see a state so florishing, in a moment torne, and vtterly dis∣sigured: All louers of God and Religion, yea euery man that tasteth any sweetnes of ciuill societie, standeth amazed, and amated at the consideration of such barbarous immanitie, ouer-turning Temples, palaces, citties, and families, without any remorse, or respect of Religion, or order: and yet all these effects, cannot be denied to be the fruites of your Ro∣mish religion. I will conclude, and hold it maintained with a world of witnesses, that though the terme be tart, yet it is true, Papists are Parricides.

But why (say they) is this rude phrase of Cut-throate Catholicks (so harshly sounding in vulgar eares) applyed to our pope-holy pro∣fessors? Let Northumberland, aboue twentie yeres agoe murthering himselfe in y^e Tower, Arden strangling himselfe in Newgate, and this our Cornish Catholicke, (so lately killing his father and himselfe) stand forth as fresh∣bleeding examples to verifie it. Did not Per∣cy and Catesby, which chose rather to die wil∣fully and desperately by the souldiers hand, then submit themselues, and liue to confesse their faults, satisfie the King and Common∣wealth, and permit themselues a breathing time to repent thē of their hideous attempts, beare witnes against them, & conuince them to be desperate Selfe-murtherers?

I dare not charge all, nor any of their cō∣plices which died in prison, to be guilty of Selfe-poysoning, but the manifest desperate attempt of Nicholas Oven, most bloodily mangling, and massacring him-selfe in the Tower, and with his owne handes tearing out his fat and bowels, the second day of March last past, (this our Cornish Cut-throate seconding him within nine dayes after) can∣not be denied, nor exempted frō the imputati∣on of barbarous immanity in our Popish

professors.

What is the whole practise of the Romish Church, wading through blood of Princes and kingdoms to establish a Popedome, con∣tinually complotting and practising massa∣cres in the whole Christian world, but a pub∣lique proclamation to beware of Cut-throate Catholicks. Though they go in sheepes skinnes,* 1.17 wee know them to be Wolues: howsoeuer dis∣guised, the true prophet discerneth the dissem∣bling of Ieroboams wife, and will prophecie the renting of theyr kingdome. Whatsoeuer theyr othes and protestations be, wee know theyr Aequiuocations & Dispensations; not peace but warre, not loyaltie but rebellion, not the Kings honor, but the Popes aduauncement is theyr errand. And let the fauourers, and furtherers of your treasous vnderstand, that those which hate theyr naturall Prince, will not long adhere to Strangers. Such as can consent to the confusion of theyr natiue Country, will not be trusted for friends to a∣ny Cōmon-wealth. Such as murther their Parents, wil not spare Aliants. Those that kill themselues, which is the fountaine of all loues, (for sibi nequam cui bonus erit) can neuer find any whō they will deeme worthy of pre∣seruation, if they shall crosse theyr cursed courses.

Theyr pontificall Bishop, (that beast which* 1.18 sitteth vpō many waters,) and hath brewed and broached these bloody broyles in the Christi∣an state, and glorieth in his title, to be called Ecclesiae Catholicae Pontifex, a Bridge-maker, to transport his passengers the Catholicke crea∣tures into his Sea of Rome, ouer the Riuers and streames of blood, mixing his intoxica∣ting potions of heresies, idolatries, and tra∣ditious, where-with the Kings of the earth, (quaffing & carousing the cuppes of his for∣nication) are made drunken, as the Euange∣licall prophet speaketh. Els let him be Ponti∣faex, et terrae fax, the dregges of the Sea, and fire∣brand of the Earth, with his filth polluting the waters, and with his fierie faggots of perse∣cution, scorching and consuming the inhabi∣tants of the world. No doubt it shalbe done vnto him, as hee hath done vnto others, and his measure shall be in seauen-folde manner, measured vnto him againe, when the beast shal be cast into the Lake that burneth with fire & brim∣stone for euer-more.

But for a monition to the simple seduced ones, (for y^e Seducers seeme desperatly hard∣ned in their pertinacie) wee pray you to looke on the present state of things, with open and equall eyes, and consider the courses & carri∣ages

of the cause on both sides: and let them in plainenes confesse, whether they haue not discerned the hand of God against them and their attempts, turning theyr deepest deuises like Achitophels policies, into foolishnesse, and* 1.19 bringing the wheele ouer their Counsellors and conspirators, so that they both perish to∣gether, like Achitophell and Absalon, Ioab and Adoniah, Corah and his complices.

Their hardened Pharao, striuing to keepe Gods people in bondage, & seruitude to his ordinances, and will not let them peaceably depart to serue their liuing God, according to his commaundement, shall no doubt in the end, receiue the condigne wages of his merit, and hardnes of hart: and our Moses and Aa∣rons,* 1.20 (our elected Princes, priests & prophets) shall prosper in the deliuerances, informati∣ons, and gouernment of Gods people.

The mighty God, who by little and little cast out the Cananites, & planted Israel in theyr Land, hath his workings constant and con∣sonant, alwaies like himselfe, ful of patience & iustice, with a slow and strong arme bringing* 1.21 mighty thinges to passe. The kingdom of Antichrist is in short time by degrees cut short, and abated, and the Israell of GOD, hath as

mightily prospered, out of a few families en∣larging his borders into many kingdomes, and what remaineth, but that he which letteth* 1.22 be taken out of the way, and that the man of sinne beeing reuealed, may be also remoued & rooted* 1.23 out, as a plant which is not of our heauenly fathers planting.

We cōfesse the Church of Rome receiued, and for many yeeres retained the sinceritie of the Gospell and true religion: and so there was a good Pharao in Egypt, which by holy Io∣sephs* 1.24 direction ordered his kingdome, & gaue vnto the people of God a fruitful possession in the Land of Goshen, where they prospered, and* 1.25 multiplied exceedingly; but there arose in pro∣cesse* 1.26 of time another Pharao, which knewe not Ioseph, and became a tyrant vnto the people of God, and cruelly oppressed them. So Rome is become Babylon, her Candlesticke is remoued,* 1.27 shee is fallen from her first faith, and the faithfull Cittie is become an Harlot, and her Antiquitie without Veritie, is but oldnes of Errors, and wee must depart frō her, which is departed from GOD.

If shee will returne vnto her spouse, & for∣sake her Louers with whom shee committed all her fornications and abhominations, we

will reioyce with her for such an holy recon∣ciliation: else we will cry vnto the people of God to come out of her, & not to pertake with her sinnes, and idolatries, least they pertake of her grie∣uous plagues and punishments, when the cup of the Lords wrath shall be powred vpon her.

God of his vnspeakable goodnesse, make that your sinnes be not an hinderance vnto his rich mercies, but that he will speedily, for the Elects sake, cut short the power of Anti∣christ, and amplifie the borders of his king∣dome, that our eyes may see it, and our poste∣ritie may reioyce in his great saluation, and prayse him for all our corporall, and spiritu∣all deliuerances. So be it. Amen.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Apoc. 17. 3
• * 1.2

  Prou, 27, 22 23, 9,
• * 1.3

  Iohn; 8, 44
• * 1.4

  Gene, 4, 5▪
• * 1.5

  Apoc, 17. 6,
• * 1.6

  Solon.
• * 1.7

  1, Tim, 4, 1 2, Tim, 3, 2, 3,
• * 1.8

  Rom, 1, 26
• * 1.9

  Math, 4,
• * 1.10

  Psal, 50, 21
• * 1.11

  1, Reg. 13, 13 2, Chro, 11 15 Iudges, 17, 10, 11,
• * 1.12

  Math, 7, 16,
• * 1.13

  Math, 26, 34 Iohn, 21, 15,
• * 1.14

  Au••. Victor.
• * 1.15

  Answere to the Discoue∣ry: praeface to the King.
• * 1.16

  Cicero.
• * 1.17

  Math, 7, 15 1, Reg, 14, 2, 6.
• * 1.18

  Apo, 17, 1, 2,
• * 1.19

  2, Sam, 17, 14, 23, 18, 9, 1, Reg, 1, 7, 2, 25. Numb, 16, 1, 2, 31,
• * 1.20

  Exod, 21, 51
• * 1.21

  2, Sam, 7, 10. Exod, 1, 7, 8,
• * 1.22

  2, Thes. 2, 6, 7.
• * 1.23

  Math, 15, 13
• * 1.24

  Gene, 45. 10
• * 1.25

  Gene, 47, 6
• * 1.26

  Exod, 1, 8,
• * 1.27

  Apoc, 18, 2, 3, 4, Cap, 2, 4, 5.