A brief history of several plots contrived, and rebellions raised by the papists against the lives and dignities of sovereign princes, since the reformation. Taken from faithfull historians.

TO THE READER.

IT is strange, that of all men Papists should calumniate Protestants with Treason and Rebellions; were Modesty an Essential in the Complexion of a Jesuite, surely they would forbear, or Charity they so much talk of, and so little practise, to be found among them. Are horrid Massacres, villanous Assassinations, or Poisonings, the Effect of Charity? Or, Is Malice inveterate, Traducing or Ly∣ing the Fruit thereof? Yet nothing is more obvious in the whole course of History than those diabolical Machinations and hellish Con∣spiracies of Priests and Jesuites, especially within this last hundred and fifty years; and, generally speaking, Princes, and crowned Heads, have been most the objects of their Fury, and lest the palliation of Villany should pass on the weaker sort, and this Objection any way obtain, That forsooth most of these Contrivances were against Here∣tical Princes, excommunicated by the Pope and Church, and by con∣sequence delivered over to Satan, and that the killing of them really was no Murther, no more than of Wolves or Bears.

To this I answer, That Princes of the same Communion, as Hen∣ry the Third of France, could not escape their fatal Stab, who never made profession of any other; and though Henry the Fourth was first a Protestant, and by them constrained to change, nay, and highly indulging them in his latter years, and as Mathieus says in his Life, to all appearance was devout, I mean in their way; yet from Ravilliac's Hand all this could not defend him. We need not long here six, but look on former times, where for five or six hundred years nothing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 been more common, or more lamentable, than the story of se∣veral Princes, struck with the Lightening of the Court of Rome, and others wholly ruined by the Vatican Thunder, the consequences be∣ing either their own Tragical Ends, or, at the most favourable, strong and lasting Rebellions, which all conversant in History may plainly see; and so dextrous were they in translating to the other

World, that in the very Host it self was Poison given to one of the German Emperours, so that Silence to none is a more necessary Vir∣tue, especially in this Case, than to regular Monks and Friars, who for several Ages have been the very Pest and Bane of Secular Princes, acting not only their Villanies in the Time of the Holy War, but in the time of their Antipopes also. But to return to our own Nation: What Barbarities have they not committed? What Impieties have they not been guilty of? What Cruelties have they left unattemp∣ted? and yet with a brazen Front daily bespatter Protestants, accu∣sing them of what themselves were Authours of; imitating herein the very Skum of Mankind; for none shall sooner call another Rogue than he that really is one; In whose mouth is Whore and Bitch more frequent, than hers that is a common Prostitute? And to proceed: What Disorder did they not cause, to plague and pester Harry the Eighth? What Commotions did they not raise all the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, besides the Attempts upon her Person? What Divisions did they not nourish all the time of Edward the Sixth, and in his death had no small share? How horridly desperate they were in King James's time, appears by their inhumane Powder-Treason; how intriguing they were in his Cabinet Councils is but too sad a Truth to relate; fomenting his humour in the Spanish Match, a ble∣mish inglorious to his Memory, leaving the Pallsgrave (though his Son in Law) a Victim to the House of Austria; and after by the Match with France, how did he embroil his Son! they managing under∣hand the Queen, and she by her powerfull Influence did the King; so that all the mischievous Evils of Charles the First they, like a Mole, wrought under ground, spotting his Life with that business of Rochell, and the Attempt of the Isle of Rhee, from whence the Protestants ge∣nerally date the ruine of their Church in France, and by the rising of the French Monarchs since that time has endangered the ruine of the whole Protestant Interest all over Europe, as of late years has been manifestly evident; and lastly they drew a Civil War upon him, though the Effects proved fatal, as well to themselves as others, (Priests generally being no reaching Politicians;) the consequence of which all men here do know: But that which most surprizes is their Villany in conclusion; for when his farther Life could yield them no advantage, they then conspired his Death; and to that end was a Correspondence kept with Ireton and some others, not doubting, he being gone, to have the bringing up of the Children, the Queen be∣ing wholly theirs, and managed to their Devotion; and how fatal this has been I need not farther speak; and if any are desirous of far∣ther

satisfaction, let them read Dr. Moulin's Answer to Philanax An∣glicus, written by an Apostate Protestant, who found not his Ac∣count by turning Papist, as indeed few of them have done; a man I must needs say of very good natural parts, though in several things but ill applied them; and his Convers••tion spoke him a Gentleman, but withall of a violent and impetuous Temper to whatever he took, and unfortunate in most things he projected. I am the longer on this Character, because most of our whiffling Priests and noisie Jesuites have raked for their Clamours against Protestants about the business of Rebellion, for many years last past, out of the Dunghill of that Book, written not long after the King's coming in; so that 'tis plain, that by their legerdemain Tricks in the Parliament Army they made them mutinous against their Lords and Masters; and in the time of the Agitatour's being rampant, meeting, as they say, in Putney Church, they were very brisk in Masquerade among them, several Priests, some as Troupers, others private Soldiers then listed, and though these Agitatours were first set up by Ireton, yet in process of time they became so unruly, and so beyond measure insolent, that they were by force necessitated to suppress them, and they were the occasion of breaking up that separate Party of Cromwell and Ireton in the name of the Army which they had entred into with the King, and by reason of them the King was frighted from Hampton-Court, making his Escape to the Isle of Wight, which did not long precede his death. Now after a lapse of some years his Son Charles the Second, with the rest of the Royal Family, were restored, and let us take a short view of their Transactions under him, where no sooner he was settled, but there came in whole Shoals of Priests from several parts beyond Seas, and Ireland, who for several years before had scarce any, and those that were skulking and lying close, was in a little time almost over∣stocked; and Father Walsh, who was a kind of a Trimmer among them, and, to speak truth, an honester sort of a man than most of them were, and willing to introduce the King's Authority as well as that of the Popes, to that End went over with the Duke of Ormond; and being countenanced by him, summoned an Assembly in Dublin to be held, of the most principal of them, where what a stir he had, and how strangely bigotted those Irish Understandings were to the See of Rome, is by himself at large set forth in his loyal Formulary: But one thing which himself notes is not unworthy the recital, The General among them were so strongly possest with some strange Cata∣strophe that was to arrive (eminently no doubt) to their Advantage, in the year approaching of Sixty six, that they generally expressed

themselves so averse from complying with the King in those matters, a violent presumption that the firing of London had been for some years in contriving; and the mention that is made of a Plot in the April Gazette,—63. was put into the Heads (by some Rascally Priests) of those poor little Rogues that were hangued, one of the main things charged upon them being the Firing of the City of London, and what influence their Councils had in that Prince's Reign, is obnoxious to all considering Men, by the breaking the triple League by that close Alliance between France and England for the Extirpation of Protestancy out of Heretical Holland, and no doubt, had it succee∣ded, out of England also, and the reason why it was not effected, was the Parliament's and People's Aukwardness to the War; but notwithstanding they were so not discouraged, but they resolved to go on with their Designs still in England, keeping, by the means of Cole∣man and Father le Chaise, a constant Correspondence with the Court of France, and so strong was their Ascendent with Charles the Se∣cond, that he publishes a Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, by which, as Coleman in his Letters says, he doubted not the bringing in of their Religion; but this so allarmed the Parliament, that they were strangely uneasie and restless with him, resolving to give him no more Money untill he had recalled it, which at last with regret he did. This strangely nettled our Roguish Catholicks, who by this thought their Game cock sure; but being frustrated, used him in their Discourses as if he had been a Cobler, as pitifull, irresolute, nothing of Honour, his Word no ways to be relied on, and not wor∣thy of a Crown; and from that day forward plotted his removal, to make way, as they supposed, for a Man of Honour and Resolu∣tion, and who would not be balked with any thing of a Parliament; which at the last, as a great many suppose, they effectually did. And now James the Second ascended the Throne, and how the Scep∣tre by him was swayed, needs no long characterising; for Father Petre, with his Ghostly Associates, managed most things under him, who with that Priestly Violence so hurried on things, that on him at last the Tower of Siloam fell, and so weak and ridiculous were their Politicks, that they are not worth blurring Paper. Now to sum up all, it is plain by what precedes, That the several Popes and Court of Rome, in places where they power had, have been most Imperious and domineering, and nothing so bloudy, base, or cruel, but by their Priests has acted been, not in other Countries only but in this our Nation too, for since the twelfth year, or thereabouts, Queen Elizabeth's Reign, Popery we may compare to an Imposthume bree∣ding

in the very Trunk of this Political Body, and broke in the year forty two into a Civil War, discharging only part, not all the cor∣rupt matter; and since regathering head, and filling up, about four years ago broke the second time, casting forth Filth and Corruption in quantity abounding, the Stench thereof offending almost all Men in the Nation, but I do not doubt but our State Physicians will use such detersive or cleansing Medicines, as well as sanative, as shall not ef∣fect a Palliative but a real and thorough Cure, and that the Countrey may be restored to its sound habit of Body. Now therefore as to the ensuing Treatise, it was occasioned by that Hero of English Jesui∣tism, Mr. Pulton, who being strangely nettled at those stinging Truths contained in the Missionaries Arts, challenges the Authour to make good his Assertion in page 76. viz That the Romanists Treasons owned by their Popes, and by their great Men approved of since the Reformation, do far outnumber all the Plots and Insurrections that the Papists, or Malice itself can lay to the charge of Protestants; all which notwithstanding have been wholly condemned by the Body of our famous Divines: To satisfie therefore this Savoy Champion, and vindicate the Assertion aforesaid, the Authour of this Account with no little pains has endeavoured to give entire satisfaction: But such has the Misfortune been of Writers Protestant, that in dealing in Controversies they have to doe with a sort of Men, that when they have, yet will seemingly take no Answer; and their last refuge is generally Banter and Whiffle, if downright Railing will not doe the feat. The Subject of this Treatise is most matter of Fact, and the Citations, though from their own selves no way unfairly used; for if otherwise they appear, let them openly be exposed, that all that are impartial may see and judge, whether any thing of Passion, Envy, or Malice, has Prepossed the Authour, I know 'tis natural for Men, when they have a bad Cause to manage, to be froward and testy, and where they are galled to kick and wince, and instead of argu∣ing closely to the purpose, to seek Evasions that may seem plausible, at least to the less refined Understandings, which has been the great Masterpiece of Romish Priests and Jesuites for many years together; for by their little Witticisms and Jokes upon Names, they keep up among their Party a kind of Reputation, not unlike Jack Pudding's on a Stage, they please (though at the same time delude) the foolish and gazing People; and if it happens that one slip falls from a Pro∣testant Pen, or a Citation carelesly passed, that has not proved true, what a Clutter have they not made about it, though the main of the

Subject still remains good. This, as a demonstration, plainly proves the Weakness of their Cause; and had Mr. Pulton but candidly read the History of the last Hundred Years, he must have acknowledged that this his great Challenge was a vain and frivolous Motion, and never needed to have given the Authour this Trouble; which being done, it's hoped will be to his firm conviction, and not only his, but any other who have been imposed on by false Notions. The truth is, this Treatise has been written above this year, but such was the Ini∣quity of the Times, that they would not bear, much less permit its then Publication; however its hoped 'tis not too late the World in this point to satisfie, the only Scope, Design, and End of this Dis∣course.