The journal of Monsr. de Saint Amour doctor of Sorbonne,: containing a full account of all the transactions both in France and at Rome, concerning the five famous propositions controverted between the Jansenists and the Molinists, from the beginning of that affair till the Popes decision. / Faithfully rendred out of French. ; A like display of the Romish state, court, interests, policies, &c. and the mighty influences of the Jesuites in that church, and many other Christian states, being not hitherto extant.

I.

A faithfull Narrative of all that pass'd in reference to a Declaration of the Irish; and of the true motives which induc'd the University of Paris to stop their interprises by an exem∣plary Decree.

'TWas not credible that after the Archbishop of Paris, the most August Clergy of France, assembled at Paris a year before, and the famous Faculty of Divinity, forbore upon important rea∣son to passe any judgment upon the questions concerning the matter of Grace, any should have with extreme importunities sollicited a Decision of certain Irish students in the University of Paris, as if the doctrine of the Church depended on their judg∣ment, or as if this unjust appeal gave them a new jurisdiction.

Neverthelesse the Rector of the University of Paris heard the astonishing newes of such a design. He was inform'd that these Irish, sollicited by cer∣tain Ecclesiasticks who are thought to be in some credit at Court, had consulted in several assem∣blies held to that end by them, to make some doc∣trinal declaration concerning the controverted o∣pinions about Grace; and this new project oblig'd him to use all precautions necessary to stop the progresse of it. For which end, having notice of an Assembly then held in the chamber of Nicholas Poetus an Irishman, Batchelor of Divinity and Pro∣fessor of Philosophy in the Colledge of Lysieux, and that they were upon the point to determine certain Questions of Grace; he caus'd one of the Beadles of the University to warn them on Febr. 3. to abstain from such kind of Conventicles, and not to presume to pronounce any doctrinal judge∣ment.

Their speedy departure from the abovesaid Bat∣chelor's chamber seem'd to imply at first that the command was given to obedient persons; but they who inveigled them into the businesse determin'd to effect that with lesse noise which did not succeed in those assemblies; and they run from door to door to get the subscriptions of particular persons to three or foure copies of a Declaration which was presented to them ready drawn, and which con∣tain'd a judgment upon the five Propositions touch∣ing the matter of Grace.

Such urgent solicitations made to strangers whom their domestical Afflictions reduc'd to many hardships, prevail'd with some of these Irish to hearken to those promis'd them assistance onely up∣on this condition; and of twenty six who subscrib'd, there was onely one Doctor of Divinity, two Bat∣chelors and two Masters of Arts, all the rest having no rank nor degree in the University of Paris, and some of them having scarce studied Philosophy or Grammar.

The Rector being inform'd of this secret negoti∣ation, could not, without betraying his Magistracy,

but complain of this enteprise against his authority. He gave notice of it to the Deans of Faculties, and the Procurators of Nations, and the ordinary as∣sembly held at his house on Saturday the fourth of March; he represented to them how important it was to hinder such Conventicles from being held in the Colledges of the University, and to punish those who contrary to his expresse prohibitions, and with∣out having either authority or degree to passe any Judgment in matters of doctrine, were neverthe∣lesse so bold as to pronounce upon Propositions which the Faculty of Divinity had Judg'd expedi∣ent not to meddle with, when the same were pre∣sented to it in the assembly of the first of July to be examin'd; that the Archbishop of Paris and the whole Clergy of France assembled a year before in that capital City of the Kingdom, had likewise re∣fus'd to define any thing upon that matter. He gave them further to understand that this Declaration contain'd things extremely prejudicial to the autho∣rity of the University of Paris, and notoriously in∣jurious to the rights and priviledges of the King∣dome and Gallicane Church. Lastly, he told them that of these Irish he had order'd four who were of the body of the University to appear before the As∣sembly, to speak for themselves in the business, and to produce all the Copies of the Declaration by them subscrib'd.

The Deanes of Faculties and Procurators of Na∣tions having agreed to hear the Irish before further proceeding, they were call'd into the Assembly, and after the reading of the Declaration to them, they all acknowledg'd that they had subscrib'd the same apart, and without having examin'd it in com∣mon; that no copy of the three or four which they had sign'd remain'd in their hand, but they had given one to M. Vincent General of the Priests of the Mission and Principal of the Colledge des Bons-Enfans; that they were ready to revoke their sub∣scriptions if the University commanded them; to which also they oblig'd themselves under their hands.

At the same time the Rector produc'd a Petition which had been presented to himself with the Deans of Faculties and Proctors of Nations by the Irish Divines of the University of Paris; who most humbly beseecht them in the name of their whole nation, not to impute to all the body the fault and temerity of certain particular persons, some of whom had been mistaken and understood not the things which they subscrib'd, and others had been seduced by the Adversaries of the University to pre∣vent the mischief which some particulars were going to bring upon the whole nation, to keep the bond of fraternal charity from being broken, and that they might not be branded with so shamefull a blot to their reputation, as if they had all consented to the fault of some, who had commited so strange an attempt against the rights of the Gallicane Church and the whole Realm of France.

After the reading of this Petition divers Irish Di∣vines were heard, some of whom declar'd that two Jesuites had promis'd to give the Irish a house, if they would subscribe the Declaration; and that they were also put in hopes that some other per∣sonage would make a Foundation in their favour, and that Benefices should be given to the Subscri∣bers.

All these things being heard & deliberately con∣sider'd, the whole Assembly unanimously resolv'd, That it belong'd not to any person to define any thing in matters of doctrine; and consequently that smal number of Irish, who were onely private per∣sons, of no authority, and most of them of no note for learning, or any degree in the University of Paris, had committed an action of temerity and in∣solence, in that after expresse prohibition given to them by the Rector, they took upon them to passe a doctrinal Judgment, and to decide Questions touching which neither the Faculty of Divinity, nor the Archbishop of Paris, nor the Clergy of France, would define any thing. That upon this account the University condemn'd, abrogated and nullifi'd the said Declaration, Judging the same prejudicial to its Authority••, contrary to the custome, and rights of the Realm and Gallicane Church; and it also or∣dain'd that all the copies that could be found there∣of in any place whatever, with the subscriptions of those Irish should be brought to the Rector and can∣cell'd: That it depriv'd of all degree, right and priviledg of the University of Paris, those mem∣bers of it who had subscrib'd the said Declaration; that it debarr'd the rest from ever receiving any de∣gree, and expell'd them out of all its Colledges, if within 8 days next after the signification of this De∣cree, they did not under their hand revoke that first subscription, and deliver their Declaration into the hands of the Register of the University; after which time there should not be any hope of pardon for such as should be convicted of contumacy: That it prohibited these Irish and all others in the Uni∣versity of Paris to attempt the like projects for the future, under pain of being depriv'd of all degrees, priviledges, rights and Colledges of the same Uni∣versite: That this Degree should be forthwith sig∣nifi'd to all Principals of Colledges and to all others to whom it might appertain. And accordingly be∣ing sign'd by Quintaine Scribe of the University, it was publish'd by the Grand Bedle of the Nation of France.

This so important Decree was afterwards confir∣med in the General Assembly held at the Mathu∣rins March 21. 'Tis true, M. Hallier Syndic of the Faculty of Divinity, was mighty hot in this as∣sembly for the defence of so unjust a cause, being prepossess'd with interest and passion; but because he boasted that he spoke in the name of the Facul∣ty who gave him no order, and it belong'd to the Dean, and not to him to be the Mouth of the Fa∣culty in this case, as it was ever practis'd in these Assemblies, he was sufficiently convicted of the novelty of his proceeding. Yet above fifty Doctors of the Faculty who were present could not prevail with this Syndic to let the Dean take the voices of the Doctors according to custome. M. Masters who was Dean in this Assembly was also desir'd se∣veral times to gather their suffrages. But M. Pe∣reyret and some others hinder'd him from doing it. In fine, M. Hallier having clamor'd much that none should speak, receiv'd no other satis∣faction from his bustle but the shame of ha∣ving had abundance of witnesses of his disor∣der.

After this solemn confirmation, 'twas hop'd the Irish would betake themselves to their duty; but being possess'd by other spirits then their own, they

were counsell'd to appeal from this Decree to the Parliament, not that they hoped to find any pro∣tection to their disobedience there, but only to continue the trouble longer in the University, which is the only aim of those who make them the Instruments of their passion. Wherefore having presented their Petition to the Parliament, the Court retain'd the Cause by Arrest of March 24. which was signifi'd to the Rector on the 29th of the same moneth. But these Irish meaning to testifie that they had as little respect to the Parliament as to the University, took a very strange course, and address'd to the Faculty of Divinity, under pre∣text of imploring whose intervention, they de∣manded that it would please to judge of their diffe∣rence touching the said Decree; as if the Faculty had been a Tribunal Superiour to the University and the Parliament, and as if it had right to judge of a Judgement of the whole University. M. Nicholas Poerus being chosen as the boldest with M. Thomas Medus, brought this Petition to the Faculty of Di∣vinity assembled in Sorbonne, April 1. They also presented to it an Original of that Declaration which they had Sign'd, and another Act made by the Irish before a Notary, March 22. viz. after the Confirmation of the Decree made by the University in its General Assembly held at the Mathurines, March 21. Such as had any knowledge of what had pass'd, were surpris'd; when by the reading of this Act, they found that these private persons, instead of revoking their Declaration, confirm'd it by an Act directly contrary to what they had promis'd, and oblig'd themselves under their hands to do, in the Assembly of the fourth of March. And where∣as the Declaration begins with a complaint against new Opinions, which it saith are publickly taught by some persons in this unhappy Age; M. de Sainte-Beuve, Doctor of Sorboune, and Professor of Di∣vinity, askt Poerus what were those new Opini∣ons, and who were the Professors that taught them: But they who had inspir'd this Batchelor with the boldness to come upon the Stage, and kindle the flame of Division, hinder'd him from answer∣ing to the Question, and immediately got him a∣way; amongst whom M. Hallier forgetting that he was Syndic, to remember only that he was M. Hal∣lier, and betraying the honour of his Office for the interest of his person, was so far from seconding M. de Sainte-Beuve's Proposal, that he became of Counsel with Poerus, by an unworthy prevaricati∣on, suitable indeed to the shameful manner where∣by he enter'd into the Syndical. He gave notice to this Batchelor to withdraw instantly, and said he should answer with advice, respondebit ex consi∣lio.

The blindness of this Syndic could not but lead him to greater disorders. He propounded the affair to the Faculty, he mov'd to have it debated, he be∣came the Advocate of the Irish, and the Defen∣der of their Declaration; He undertakes to make it good in all its points, says they committed no fault in making such a private Declaration, & highly con∣demns the Universities Decree: And to citcum∣vent the Assembly, he boldly imposes upon it, and affirms, that the said Decree was not confirm'd by any of the Faculties in the Assembly at the Mathu∣rines; although M. de Sainte-Beuve being unable to endure such a notorious falshood, declar'd openly, that the Decree was confirm'd there, that he had a Transcript of it in his hand Sign'd by the Register of the University, which he offer'd to read to the Company. And by this artifice M. Hallier, not∣withstanding the resistance of a great number of Do∣ctors, brought the Conclusion to be, that the Fa∣culty disapprov'd the Decree 1 1.1 and the consent which his Sub-Dean had given thereunto in the As∣sembly of the Rector, if he had given any; ap∣prov'd that which M. Hallier had done in the Ge∣neral Assembly at the Mathurines, and seconded the Appeal of the Irish: To which Conclusion about forty secular Doctors oppos'd themselves, declaring, that they adher'd to the Rector, and to the Universi∣ty, to make good its Decree against those Irish.

Certainly if this Doctor did not take pride in appearing a publick Enemy of the Priviledges of the Theological Faculty of the University of Paris, of the Rights and Safety of the Kingdome, of the Liberties of the Gallicane Church, and of all Eccle∣siastical Discipline and Policy, he could not have been carried to such strange excesses, his Society would be in peace, and the tranquillity of the Uni∣versity would not be disturb'd by Domestick Divisi∣ons.

Notes

• 1 1.1

  Improbavit praedictum Decretum diei 4. Mar∣tii: consensum qu••que si quem praebuit in comitiis privatis apud ampliss. D. Rectorem illi Decreto D. Prodecanus Theologiae; quae vero gesta sunt à D. Syndico die 21. Martii in Comitiis generalibus Ma∣thurensium approbavit; & appellationi Hibernorum sese adjunxit, &c.