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WEe haue already sufficiently proued by the writings of the Iesuites, that it is an opi∣nion generally currant among them, that it is lawfull euen for priuate men to kill Kings: now wee come to demonstrate the same in their actions, the horrible effects of a detestable Do∣ctrine.
It may from thence strongly be presumed that this mischieuous sect first set a foote this Doctrine, in as much as before their arising, neuer a word was extant of attempting vpon the persons of Kings, vnder pre∣tence of Religion: and beholde, since, two of our Kings successiuely haue miscarried through the im∣pression of this damnable perswasion; and if some order be not soone taken against it, it will turne into custome.
And we haue found by experience in Fraunce how pernicious vnto a state this Sect is, which comming out of Spaine aboue fifty yeares since, yet could not the sweetnesse of the French ayre, qualifie the fierce∣nesse of their spirit vnto this day.* 1.1 A very strange thing, considering that heretofore euen Lyons and Tygers being brought vnto the Temple of Adonis in Persia, were no sooner entred there, but that their rage and naturall cruelty was changed into such a gentlenesse as is almost incredible.
And if it pleased the Queene, and my Lords the Princes of the bloud, to enforme themselues through∣ly by my Lords the Presidents, and Counsailors of the Court, or by the Aduocates and Atturnies gene∣rall of his Maiestie, of the proceedings taken against the Iesuites, they shall finde this which followeth to be true, which wee haue drawne out of the arrests of the said Court, and out of the interrogatories of the conuicted, which are yet kept in the Office of the same Court, namely:
That in the yeare 1594. the 27. of December, Iohn Chastel, Clarke, brought vp in the Colledge of the
Iesuites, hauing giuen the late King a stab with a knife in the mouth, thinking to haue giuen it in the breast, was taken and committed to the Prouost of the Kings house, and brought into the Bishops prison, where vp∣on an interrogatorie, he confessed, that long agoe hee had purposed in himselfe to giue this stab, and missing of his purpose, he would doe it yet if he could, being perswa••ded that it would be for the good of the Catholique, Apo∣stolique, and Romane Religion. Being brought from thence to the prison of the Palace, hee was examined by the chiefe Officers of the Court, to whom he con∣fessed amongst other things, that whereas he had a con∣ceite that hee should be forgotten of God, and was cer∣tainly perswaded, he should be damned like Antichrist, of two euils he made choise to auoid the worst, and being a damned person, hee had rather his damnation should be in a fourth degree then in an eight. Being demanded where he had learned this new Diuinitie, he made an∣swere, that it was by Philosophie. Being asked whe∣ther he had studied Diuinitie in the Colledge of Ie∣suites, he answered: Yea, and that vnder Father Gue∣ret, with whom he had continued two yeares and a halfe. Being (further) asked whether hee had euer beene in the Chamber of Meditations, whether the Iesuites vse to bring the greatest sinners▪ there to behold the re∣presentation of many Diuels, diuersly and fearefully shaped (vnder colour of reducing them to a better life,) thereby to cause a perturbation in their spirits, and consequently vpon such or such resolutions to push them forwards to the vndertaking of some great action. His answere was, that he had often been
in this chamber of meditations. Being demaunded whether the killing of the King were not matter of ordinarie discourse amongst those Iesuites, made an∣swere, that hee had heard them say, It was lawfull to kill the King, and that he was no member of the Church, neither ought wee to obey him, nor hold him for (our)▪ King, vntill hee had (receiued) approbation from the Pope.
During the foresaid proceedings, certaine of the Lords of the Court, came to the Colledge of Clere∣mont where the Iesuites were, and (there) seazed on the papers of Iohn Guignard, amongst which there was found a Booke composed in the praise of Iames Clement, who murthered Henry the third, with ex∣hortation to doe the like vnto hi•• Successour: out of which Booke diuers clauses haue beene produced in the first Chapter.
The Court vpon the sight of these Writings, sent for Guignard the Author, who when his Writings were shewed him, and himselfe examined thereupon, confessed that himselfe had composed them, and written them with his owne hand. And hereupon Guignard by sentence of the Court, was (condemned and) executed the 7. of the Ianuary, 1595.
By another sentence was Peter Gueret Iesuite, the Maister of Iohn Chastell condemned to perpetuall ba∣nishment, and all his goods seazed on, and confisca∣ted vnto the King, with commandement for the ere∣ction of a Pyramis before the great gate of the pa∣lace, with an inscription containing the causes why the Iesuites were banished. In which (inscription)
they are tearmed Heretiques, troublers of the State, and corrupters of Youth. Which Pyramis while it stood, if any did aske why it was set vp, many more now a dayes are ready to aske why it was puld down.
A case like vnto this fell out at Melun, the last of Aprill. 1593. what time the processe criminall was made against Peter Barriere, who being apprehended vpon the intelligence of a Fryer, an honest man and faithfull vnto the King, confessed that he came pur∣posely vnto the Court to make away the King, and that he had been incited hereunto by one Varad•• by name, a Iesuite, whose daily practise was to defame the King with vile speeches. By the perswasion of this Iesuite, the fore-said Barriere had prepared a knife to doe the fear. About this he first of all asked the ad∣uise of A••bry, Curate of S. Andrew des arts, to whom he made his purpose knowne, and afterwards betooke himselfe vnto Varade, Rectour of the Colledge of Ie∣suites, vpon the fore-said Aubry his aduise. That the said Varade confirmed him in his resolution to kill the King, and that by assuring him, that in case hee were apprehended and put to death, hee should obtaine in heauen a Crowne of Martyrdome. That the said Va∣rade adiured him vnto this action, vpon the Sacra∣ment of Confession, and of Communion of the body of our Lord.
It was also obserued, that when the late King was striken, their Colledges being enuironed with a Guard, certaine Iesuits cried out at the doores of their Cham∣bers; Surge frater, agitur de Religione: Vp brother, vp, our Religion is in danger.
Besides this, in the Colledge of the said Iesuites, there were found diuers theames giuen by the Mai∣sters of formes, the argument of all which was an ex∣hortation to set vpon Tyrants, and to suffer death con∣stantly.
It was also certified to betrue, that after Paris was reduced vnder the Kings obedience, the Maisters of the Colledge of Iesuites, forbad their Schollers to pray for the King.
Else-where informations haue beene made against Alexander Hayes, Iesuite, borne in Scotland, who taught openly that it was good to dissemble, and for a while to performe obedience vnto the King in shew. He was wont to say, Iesuita est omnis homo. This Ie∣suite was further charged to haue said, and that often, that he wished if the King came along by their Col∣ledge, he might fall out of the window vpon him, and breake his neck. For which cause by the sentence of the Court, giuen the 10. of Ianuarie, 1595. the saide Hayes was condemned to perpetuall banishment; and withall hee was wished to keepe himselfe out of the Country, vpon paine of being hanged, without any other forme of arraignement. Moreouer, the said Fa∣thers haue beene often conuicted for corrupting chil∣dren, that so they might sende them into strange Countries against the will of their Fathers. As for in∣stance, in the yeare 1595. the 10. of Aprill, a Iesuite, by name Iohn the Fayre, of the Colledge of Cleremont, did honourable pennance in the great Chamber, du∣ring the Audience, bare-head and bare-foote in a white sheete, holding in his hand a burning Torch of
two pound weight of waxe, and sentenced to professe and declare vpon his knees, that rashly and vnadui∣sedly hee practised to seduce Francis Veron, Clarke, Student in the Vniuersitie of Poictiers, to send him fo••th of the kingdome. And further, that he had in∣discreetly reserued and kept with him Lectures and Treatises made by some of the said Societie, which hee receiued and wrote out with his owne hand in the said Colledge of Cleremont, containing many dam∣nable instructions to attempt against Princes, and (withall) approbation and commendation of that de∣testable parricide, committed vpon the person of our King of most blessed memorie, Henry the third. These are things so common and so well knowne, that who so should faine ought, or adde vnto it, cannot haue any hope to belieued; and he must needes be accoun∣ted impudent that should denie them, the whole bo∣die of the Court being witnesses of the truth of them. Besides all this, there is no man that hath not by ex∣perience found, that the Iesuites were neuer other then sworne enemies vnto our Kings. For during these last troubles, which endeuoured to transport France into Spaine, there were many of the Religi∣ous persons found, and that of all Orders, to ha••e taken the Kings part, but there was no one Iesuite found to be for him, vntil such time as for their crimes they were driuen out of the kingdome.
In a word, the late King our Prince, who neuer was afraide in warre, (yet) was afraide of these men in peace. My Lord the Duke of Sully can testifie this, who perswading the King not to recall the Iesuites,
was answered by him, Giue mee then securitie for my life.
And if we step forth of the kingdome of France, we shall finde many examples of the like. In all the con∣spiracies against Elizabeth the late Queene of Eng∣land, it was alwayes found that some Iesuites or other had the tempering of them: and yet for all this they cease not to martyr her with wrongfull speeches af∣ter her death, prouoked hereunto by this, that shee suffered them not to murther her. Bonars••ius the Iesuite, in the first Booke of his Amphitheater, and fourth Chapter, cals her, Lupam Anglican••m, The English Wolfe. And the Iesuite Eudaemon-Iohannes, in the 116. Page. of his Apologie for Garnet, cals her Sororis filiam, Patris neptem: Her Sisters daughter, and her Fathers Niece.
Of late Henry Garnet, Hall, surnamed Oldcorne, Hamond, Iohn Gerard, and G••inuelle, were found to be complices in that powder-mine, which was made vnder the house where the King with the States of the Country were to assemble together. And for these the Iesuite, Iohn the H••ppy, hath writ an Apologie: where∣in hee confesseth that indeede they knew the intend∣ment, but that they ought not to reueale it. It was found also that they had communication (hereon) by letters with Bauldwin, the English Iesuite, who (then) liued at Bruxels: this Iesuite was taken since as hee passed through the Pals••raues Country; and we doubt not but that if he were but a little stretcht by the fin∣gers, a man might learne strange misteries of him; yea, & that he had some intelligence (to) with Francis
Rauillac, who had been in Flanders somewhat before his cursed enterprise.
And if you passe into Polonie, you shall finde that the Iesuites doe absolutely possesse the King, and ha∣uing as it were the Tutorship of him, haue carried him vnto such violent courses, that the Country by their meanes is risen vp against him, and he in great hazard of his kingdome. Their factio••s humour is the cause that Sueden is lost from the Crowne of Po∣land, and from the Catholique Church. For they haue moued the King of Poland, to make warre vpon Duke Charles (who now stiles himselfe King) so by force to compell him to receiue the Iesuites.
Neither is Transyluania free. Wee haue seene the Letters of the Baron of Zerotin, dated the 2. of May last, wherein hee declareth how a Lord of the Coun∣try hauing a Iesuite (with him) in his house, was by the same Iesuite drawne to conspire the death of the Prince of Tran••yluania; who being aduertised of the day (appointed) for the enterprise, went forth of the Towne that day, giuing out that he went to hunt, and laid an ambush without the Towne, wherein hee sur∣prised the enterprisers, who followed after him to ex∣ecute their intendment vpon him. He put them all to death, and the said Iesuite was executed with the ge∣nerall slaughter of his complices.
The house of Austria alone hath this priuiledge, (as) to be free from the conspiracies of this Societie. Of this family the Princes liues are sacred and inuio∣lable vnto the Iesuits: for the founder of their Order, and the General of their Societie being a Spaniard, to
whom they haue vowed a blinde obedience vnder oath, it is not to be feared in this respect, that euer they should be moued to enterprise ought against the Kings of Spaine, or against such as are of his house.
And therefore it is not without cause, that the Common-wealth of Venice, (whose wisedome of go∣uernment is to be admired) hath driuen them out of Venice, and out of all their dominions: They (well) perceiue that these men are creatures of bloud, and fire-brands of warre, whom they can better endure without, then within their Country. For their last troubles had their beginning from the Iesuites: for whereas the Senate had discouered, that the Iesuites by cunning fetches had gotten great store of Lega∣cies by Will, and made themselues Lords of much land, to the preiudice of the Common-wealth: It was concluded by aduise in Councell, to prohibite all Clergie men thence forward to receiue any goods immoueable by testament, without leaue of the com∣mon-wealth: whereunto when other of the Church submitted, the Iesuites who opposed it, and wrought against it at Rome, were for euer banished the State.
And for these considerations it is, that the Citie of Orleans would neuer receiue them, albeit they haue much desired it and laboured it. They sent thither one of their companie to preach their Lent Sermons; but the Inhabitants were not very well satisfied: for in∣stead of studying, he busied his braines in searching out and entertaining such as had yet in their hearts any (remainder of the) olde leauen of the League: by whose entercourse this Iesuite set the report going,
that the Kings pleasure was, they should be established there. Heretofore their talke was of driuing out the Monkes of S. Sampson, that they might get their Church, and of displacing Mounsieur, the Marshall of Chastres, Gouernour of that Citie, to get his house, making reckoning to ioyne it together with the hou∣ses in the way vnto the fore-said Church. And be∣sides all these preparatiues, hauing giuen the King to vnderstand, that the Citizens of Orleans did excee∣dingly desire their company, they did so importune his Maiestie, that hee granted them to haue an house there, yet with this charge that the Citizens should be drawne to consent vnto it. Now when they were solemnly assembled together about this matter, one amongst them, Touruille by name, a famous Aduo∣cate of the Citie, a man of learning and iudgement, declared vnto them the inconueniences that might befall the Citie if they did admit them, and by strong reasons made it good, that in France for a man to loue his King and the Iesuites, were things that could not stand together. The chiefe Officers of Iustice following this first tune, and all the Citizens concurring iointly in the same opinion, it was concluded, that they should not be receiued. This Citie at other times hath drunk of the cup of Rebellion, with many others, but sithens their reducing vnder obedience vnto the King, they haue at all times declared themselues most faithfull; euen by their carriage in this last common affliction, as they haue declared more griefe then any other, so do they make the continuance of their obedience ap∣peare by al maner of good works, more then any other.
A••lian. de ani∣••alib▪ lib. 12. cap. 23.